Senate in disarray over EFCC probe

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62480

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Why 2nd Niger bridge is suspended for 16 now — ICRC

Zamfara, Kwara get FG's bailout money, others 8 to follow

ALLEGED UNREMITTED N2.051TRN:

Senate in disarray over EFCC probe •Committee walks out Lamorde's officials •APC’s Unity forum kicks against probe •Akpabio’s letter unsettles Senate, EFCC

By Soni Daniel, Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA — THE Senate, yesterday, was palpably in disarray over the bid to probe the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over failure to remit more than N2.05 trillion, being funds recovered from corrupt former leaders.

Senators under the Unity Forum of the ruling APC kicked against the ongoing probe of Lamorde, describing the process as illegal and a breach of the Senate's Standing Orders.

Further, Senate Minority Leader, Godswill

Continues on Page 6

OPA coys shortchanged Nigeria —NNPC 51

Mr & Mrs CONDOLENCE VISIT: From left, Oba S. F. Omisakin, Obalufe of Ife and Prof. Muiz Opeloye, President, Ife Development Board welcoming members of the Southern Nigerian Peoples Assembly led by Rt Rev. Bolanle Gbonigi (2nd right) during a condolence visit to Ile Ife chiefs over the passing away of Ooni of Ife, Oba Okuade Sijuade, yesterday.

COLUMNISTS: Consolidating a steady pace of progress •P.17 C M Y K

Could it be corruption? •P.19

Thou shall not steal: Whither the National Peace Committee?

•P.19

CBN, court approve Heritage, Enterprise Banks’ merger 21

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

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6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

POCKET CARTOON

BRIEFING: From left, President Muhammadu Buhari; Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Bassey Dan-Abia; and Executive Director, Projects, NDDC, Tuoyo Omatsuli during a briefing session with the President on activities of the NDDC, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Senate in disarray over EFCC probe Continues from Page 1 Akpabio unsettled both the anti-graft agency and the Senate when he wrote a letter to the National Assembly leadership, dissociating himself and other PDP senators from the moves to probe Lamorde, over allegation that he diverted N1 trillion from funds recovered from corrupt officials.

There was also a dramatic twist as the Senate committee was told that Lamorde failed to remit N2.051 trillion to the federation account apart from diverting more than one trillion naira recovered by the anti-graft agency.

Defending his petition against the EFCC and Lamorde, Chief Executive Officer, Panic Alert Security Systems, PASS, Dr. George Uboh, asked the Senate to get Lamorde arrested for failing to remit the money which the EFCC recovered between 2004 and 2013.

Uboh also asked the Senate to compel Access Bank to bring complete and unadulterated statements of EFCC from 2004 till date as well as force Aminu Ibrahim and Co, (Auditors) to shed light on the discrepancies.

Coming on a day Lamorde failed to appear before the Senate’s Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee as speculated and his emissaries sent away by the committee, there was also rumpus as members of All Progressives Congress (APC) Unity Forum in the Senate kicked against the Senate committee’s probe of the EFCC chairman.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus led

by Senator Godswill Akpabio had on Monday distanced itself from the exercise. Akpabio said in a four-paragraph letter, which was jointly signed by the PDP Senate

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO N really, tomorrow never really exists, all you have is today. The outcome of your life, therefore, is a consequence of your daily routine.

Make everyday count, you have only 24 hours to live, it is up to you to make the best from it. If it has to be, then it is up to you.

I

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

This is a precious lifetime. Each day is a golden opportunity to connect with Divine Love— Harold Klemp

J

UST like the star is constantly giving its shine to all irrespective of who you are, loving others should be without judgement.

St Paul wrote a long time ago: “Love is kind, love is patient, love is not boastful nor is it envious.”

True love is unconditional. You never really lose for loving, because true love builds on itself, often the so-called losing is like a lever t hat launches you in new vistas and possibilities for growth.

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caucus leaders that it was inappropriate for the Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led committee to invite Lamorde to appear before it, since such steps in the past did not produce any result.

EFCC may postpone Akpabio’s invitation over alleged graft

At the EFCC, Vanguard gathered that Akpabio’s press statement distancing the PDP caucus from Lamorde’s probe is causing confusion and EFCC’s move to probe the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State may hit the rocks.

According to records at the EFCC, Akpabio is scheduled to appear before the commission’s investigators to answer questions arising from series of petitions against him by an Abuja-based Akwa Ibom State-born lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong and Associates, that he abused his position as governor and used the proceeds to build sprawling estates in many parts of the country.

But Akpabio caused a serious problem for the EFCC and the Senate when he wrote a letter to the National Assembly leadership dissociating himself and other PDP senators from the moves to probe Lamorde, over allegation that he diverted N1 trillion from the proceeds seized from corrupt officials.

Based on Akpabio’s letter, the Senate was split over the decision to invite Lamorde while the EFCC was equally in a quandary over dropping or shifting the invitation to Akpabio to appear and answer questions based on the

petition by the law firm of Leo Ekpenyong and Associates.

Although the state had denied all the allegations levelled against the former governor, the EFCC summoned Akpabio to appear before its interrogators today to clear the air on the claims against him.

Four aides of the former governor had been interrogated between Monday and last night, apparently to elicit some information to use against him today.

A top EFCC source said they were slightly confused following the letter written by Akpabio, which gave tacit support to the commission’s chairman.

The source said: “We have seen what the former governor has done and we are aware that we have invited him to answer some questions relating to his tenure but we will see how the whole thing (probe of the former governor) will go.”

Asked if the commission had written the former governor changing the date of his appearance before the interrogators, the source said that it was not a condition that the letter of invitation should be withdrawn but did not say if the Senator had objected to the date or not.

Vanguard gathered that it was based on the strength of the former governor ’s letter that many top-ranking senators opposed the probe of Lamorde and gave the impetus to the chairman to shun the panelists. He only sent emissaries, who were promptly turned away by the committee.

Why we're against Lamorde’s probe —APC Unity Forum senators

In another dramatic

twist, senators under the Unity Forum of the ruling APC kicked against the ongoing probe of Lamorde, describing the process as illegal and a breach of the Senate's Standing Orders.

In a statement by Senators George Akume, Abu Ibrahim, Barnabas Gemade and Ahmad Lawan, they said in a standard parliamentary practice, a petition is routed through either a senator or a member of the House of Representatives and when received, the representatives would inform the presiding officer of the chamber and, thereafter, present the petition in the plenary.

The statement read: “Upon presentation in plenary, the presiding officer will invite the senator/House of Representatives to lay the petition on the table in the chamber, which automatically becomes public document.

Thereafter, the presiding officer will refer the petition to appropriate committee for consideration upon which it would be returned to the Senate plenary.

“In this regard, nothing of the sort happened.

Senate proceeded on recess on August 13 and it is not on record that the petition of Mr. George Uboh, accusing Lamorde of diverting over N1 trillion recovered from some corrupt Nigerians, including former governor of Bayelsa State, DSP Alamieyeseigha, the former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun was presented to Senate in plenary.

“The Senate Unity Forum do support the position earlier adopted by some of our colleagues that the Lamorde probe should be halted as it did not follow due parliamentary process.

For the avoidance of doubt, Rule 41(1-3 of the Senate Standing Orders specifically spell out how petitions are handled in the parliament.

“Rule 41(1-3) states:(1)

A petition may only be presented to the Senate by a Senator, who shall affix his name at the beginning thereof. “(2) A senator presenting a petition shall confine himself to a brief statement of the parties from whom it came, the number of signatures attached to it and material allegations contained in it and to reading the prayers of such petitions. “(3) All petition shall be ordered, without question being put, to lie upon the Table. Such petition shall be referred to the Public Petitions Committee.

“It is after these steps have been taken that the presiding officer would refer the petition to the afore-mentioned Committee.

“It should be noted that, in this case, none of the laid-down procedures was followed before the Senate Unity Forum read in the newspapers that the Senator Samuel Anyanwu -led Ethics privileges and Public Petitions Committee would on Wednesday, August 26, commence probe of EFCC chairman.

We stand against this probe. It is illegal and unconstitutional because it did not follow our rules.”

Panel sitting

However, in spite of misgivings by some senators, the committee sat yesterday.

Defending his petition against the EFCC, Dr. George Uboh asked the Senate to compel Access Bank to bring complete and unadulterated statements of EFCC from 2004 till date as well as force Aminu Ibrahim and Coy (Auditors) to shed light on discrepancies.

How Lamorde allegedly cornered recovered assets

Uboh outlined how Lamorde allegedly cornered seized assets, alleging that Lamorde’s younger brother, Usman Lamorde, was given

Continues on page 50

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—7

15 die in Lagos-Ore road accident

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—NO fewer than 15 persons were allegedly killed in an auto crash along Lagos-Ore Expressway in Ondo State yesterday, while two others sustained serious injuries.

Vanguard gathered that 14

of those who died in the accident that occurred about 35 kilometres from Ore town were males, with one female.

A white Toyota Hiace commercial bus had a headon collision with a truck.

A source told Vanguard that the two vehicles were on high

speed. 16 passengers, it was learned, boarded the bus in Lagos, en route Akure.

When contacted, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Head of Operations, Akin Adedipe, confirmed the crash, adding that the truck owners and the driver have been identified.

He said the corpses were taken to the General Hospital, Ore, while the injured were rushed to a private hospital in the town.

He added that four SIM cards, eight ATM cards, N39,699 and other personal effects were recovered from the scene.

NDLEA quizzes Arik Air crew over London arrest

By Daniel Eteghe

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AGOS—NATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said, yesterday, it had invited the entire crew on Arik Air flight W3101 that left the country for London's Heathrow Airport for questioning.

The panel of investigation, headed by NDLEA Chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, was set up to question the pilot and entire crew members on board the flight from Lagos to London, Monday.

Vanguard also gathered from a reliable source that other security agencies such as Department of State Services, DSS, are involved in the investigation of the airline's processes and operations that left lapses for crew members to allegedly smuggle drugs aboard and abroad.

When contacted to give an update of the investigation, Head, Public Affairs of NDLEA, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, said the agency was working tirelessly to get to the root of the matter.

He said it was NDLEA’s Joint Task Force that was actually coordinating the investigation into the arrest, adding that the agency would not want to preempt investigation into the matter.

He said the agency would give full update of what had happened so far with the questioning of the entire crew members as well as the investigation conducted by the agency’s men in the field today.

Ofoyeju said: “We do not want to pre-empt investigation. But as you know, we need to update people and that is why I said we invited the entire crew members of Arik Air, including the pilots, for questioning.

“As we speak, our men are on the field working tirelessly so we do not want anything that will disturb them, that is why we are giving out this information in bits. Tomorrow (today) we will give a detailed information of our findings and follow-ups.”

Asked if the agency had sanctioned Arik Air, he said: “So far, we have not sanctioned them. We are still investigating the matter. For instance, if we are looking for a mason and they say, it is in Isaac Jones C M Y K

Street, we have to go there.

“So for now, our men are seriously working in the field.

Just give us tomorrow (today), we will give you details of what we have done.”

It will be recalled that one of Arik Air’s crew members was

arrested on Monday at Heathrow Airport, London, for smuggling cocaine.

A similar arrest of the airline’s crew members occurred two years ago and also in 2011.

In December 2011, a 29 years old Arik Air cabin crew, Ms.

Chiwendu Uwakonyenma, was arrested in London for drug trafficking. She was jailed five years in 2012.

Also, in 2013, two staff of the airline were arrested also at Heathrow Airport for suspected drug trafficking.

A portion of Bisije-Ashada Lafiya Bridge washed out by flood in Malumfashi town, Katsina State, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

6 men kill woman over feud with husband

By Anayo Okoli

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MUAHIA—A 30-year-old woman, Akwudo Onyendi, from Umuorika village, Amavo Ukwu Autonomous community, Osisioma Local Government Area, Abia State, has allegedly been killed by six men, following what police called misunderstanding with her husband.

Onyendi was said to have been attacked by the six men at Owerrinta in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, where she was doing business.

The suspects, one of whom had been arrested and currently with the Criminal Investigation Department of Abia State Police Command, attacked Onyendi with planks and machetes, and were said to have forced her to drink an unknown substance.

Following the attack, late Onyendi was said to have gone to Owerrinta Police Division to report the matter and on the strength of the scale of injuries inflicted on the deceased, police referred her to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.

Before her death, Akwudo Onyendi was said to have consulted her lawyer, Dr. A. C. B. Agbazuere and reported the attack by the six men.

Agbazuere, a human rights lawyer, had written to the Abia State Police Commissioner, requesting that the case file be transferred to State CID from Owerrinta Police Division.

In the letter dated August 24, Agbazuere alleged that the men who killed Onyendi unlawfully constituted themselves into a court under the command and superintendence of a suspect

(names withheld).

The letter said: “It is our instructions that these people first tried our client at the house of the said suspect on a different day, which continued on July 29, when she was attacked at her residence and also taken to the hall where the attack continued.

“It is equally our instructions that our client, Akwudo Onyendi, sustained injuries on the back, right thigh, her legs and had pains all over her body as a result of the attack and that she was forced to drink an unknown substance.”

Family of hotel room murder victim petitions IG

By Emem Idio

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ENAGOA—THE Amungo family of Adubabiri compound of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Mrs. Ebiegberi Ejor (nee Amungo).

The family of the deceased, in a petition

by Dr. Ebimo Amungo, on behalf of the family to Force Headquarters in Abuja, regretted that it had lost faith in the ability of the police officers of Rivers State Police Command to find the true killers and probable cause of the death of Mrs. Ejor, who was allegedly murdered with her business partner.

In the petition, the Amungo family gave full details of how Mrs. Ejor, the proprietor of Ebilabelle Fashion House and Big Sky School, was found dead by the police in a hotel room with her business partner, contrary to news that had been released to the public that she was abducted by kidnappers and murdered by political opponents of her husband.

The petition read: “On July 6, the Manager of Ugalink Hotel, situated in 9/11 Odumini Lane, Road 24 Extension A, Agip Estate, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, reported to the Ada George Road Police Division the discovery of two dead persons in one of the rooms of the hotel.”

It was further disclosed that a police team sent from the division identified the dead persons as Mrs. Ebiegberi Ejor (nee Amungo), a 41-year-old mother of four children married to a prominent businessman in Rivers State and former Eleme Local Government Chairman, Chief Ejor Ngowa Ejor.

‘I was lured into robbery by a friend’

By Vincent Ujumadu

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policeman serving in Imo State Command (names withheld), who was arrested for armed robbery and car snatching, said yesterday he was lured into the act by his friend in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire.

The suspet, arrested alongside another policeman

for armed robbery, was paraded with 26 other suspected criminals at Anambra State Police Command headquarters.

He said his friend was in the habit of smoking Indian hemp and used other hard drugs and lived expensive life, adding that as they became close, the friend revealed his real identity and they thereafter got involved in

criminal activities.

He said that his friend used to visit him, driving a Toyota Highlander SUV and told him he was importing medicines from Abidjan, which he was selling to distributors, not knowing that he was an armed robber and a car snatcher.

The suspect had been in the police force for 11 years.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Dangote, Chinese firm sign N807bn deal to build cement plants

DANGOTE:

From left— Mr. Shen Jun, Chief Executive Officer, Sinoma International Engeineering Company Limited; Mansour Daddo, Ambassdor of Niger to Nigeria; Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President /Chief Executive, Dangote Group; and Mr. Devakumar Edwin, Group Executive Director, Dangote group, during the signing of contracts for 11 cement plants across Africa, in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

By Jonah Nwokpoku, with agency report

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ANGOTE Cement Plc, yesterday, signed contracts worth $4.34 billion (about N807 billion) with China’s Sinoma International Engineering Co., to build cement plants across nine African countries.

Speaking at the signing in Lagos, Chairman of Dangote Cement, Aliko Dangote, said: “The plants to be built in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia, with another in Nepal, Asia, would add around 25 million tonnes to the company’s existing capacity of around 45 million tonnes.

“The projects are going to be delivered within the next 30 months and the production capacity will have reached 70 million tonnes within that time frame. We are not going to stop there. By 2020 we are targeting 100 million tonnes.”

Yobe election tribunal judge dies

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—JUSTICE Audu Bako, a member of the panel hearing petition seeking to annul the election victory of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, is dead.

Vanguard learned that Justice Bako died around 2p.m. yesterday at Primus Hospital, Karu, a suburb in Abuja, after a brief illness.

He was buried in his home town, Nasarawa, Nasarawa State, according to Islamic rites.

Bako was a member of the three-member panel of Yobe State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that had, on August 12, heard how Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, traced the origin of N15 million that was lodged into the bank accounts of a Resident Electoral Commissioner.

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Zamfara, Kwara get FG's bailout money; others to follow

By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

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WO out of the 27 states that applied to Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for financial bailout, Zamfara and Kwara, have received disbursement of funds to pay workers outstanding salaries.

A statement from CBN said that the two states met the requirements as agreed with their respective banks.

The apex bank said: “Efforts will be made in the coming days to conclude disbursements to other states so that all outstanding salaries to civil servants can be cleared.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has approved the request by Deposit Money Banks, DMBs, to provide financial accommodation to state governments to enable them pay the backlog of salaries of their workers.

“This is sequel to the decision by the National Executive Council, NEC, at its meeting of June 29, requesting the Central Bank of Nigeria, in collaboration with other stakeholders to appraise and consider ways of liquidating the outstanding staff salaries owed by state and local governments.

Conditions for loans

“The conditions for accessing the loan facility include resolutions of the State Executive Council, SEC, authorising the borrowing and state House of Assembly consenting to the loan package, as well as issuance of Irrevocable Standing Payment Order, ISPO, to ensure timely repayment.

“Out of the 27 states involved, funds have been disbursed to two states,

namely Zamfara and Kwara, that met the requirements as agreed with their respective banks.

“Efforts will be made in the coming days to conclude disbursements to other states so that all outstanding salaries to civil servants can be cleared.”

CBN had promised to assist in the bail out of state governments that were facing financial crisis earlier.

The N300 billion CBN lifeline, which will enable them pay is ready and has been disbursed to two out of the 27 states that met the condition for the facility.

Of the 36 states, 27 had applied to draw from the cash relief packaged by President Muhammadu Buhari through

the apex bank.

CBN facility is one of the three-pronged relief designed by the Federal Government to help financially troubled states.

Other relief plans

The other two are sharing of the $2.1 billion (about N414 billion) 2014 Income Tax/Education Tax; and dividends paid to the Federation Account through the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, Limited.

Besides, the states’ loans are to be rescheduled.

The President had directed CBN to package the loan to enable the states pay the backlog of salaries owed their

workers. CBN is to package a Special Intervention Fund ranging from N250 billion-N300 billion to the states with low interests.

The decision on the N300 billion package was reached at the last NEC meeting, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja.

At the meeting were CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the governors.

The sudden dip in states’ finances was as a result of the crash in global oil price that has cut Nigeria’s revenue by more than 50 percent, but some governors blamed it all on the Federal Government, which they alleged owed them backlog of billions they claimed to have spent on maintaining Federal facilities in their domains.

No missing money, NDDC boss tells Buhari; tackles Auditor-General

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—FOR the first time since issues of funds misappropriation to the tune of N183.7 billion was raised by the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, against Niger Delta Development Commission, NNDC, Managing Director, Mr. Dan Abia, yesterday, met with President Muhammadu Buhari, telling him that the allegation was completely false.

It will be recalled that Ukura recently said NDDC had a case to answer, following an audit report of special check on NDDC from 2008 to 2012.

Briefing journalists after a meeting with President

Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abia said no money was missing. The MD also dissociated himself from issues of contract splitting.

He said: “It is only proper that we should come and brief the President. I requested to meet Mr. President in my capacity as the Managing Director of NDDC. I was not summoned as reported in the media. We briefed the President on our mandate.

“As far as the audited account of NDDC is concerned, how many of us know that the audited account under reference refers to 2008 to 2012? I was not the Managing Director then. Let’s get that the facts clear.

“The second one, on not having assets, I do not know from when to when. On principle, I came to brief Mr. President properly.

“Let me assure you that even by the admission of the auditor General, no N180 billion is missing.

“The Office of the Auditor General is a government agency.

We shall engage the office and proper record will be strengthened. I said that even before the President that no N180 billion is missing.

“Let me also tell you that I cannot be a party to contract splitting. NDDC is a very unique institution; we have a budgeting process.

“Those people that are now crying where were they when NDDC was not having project up till the end of the year.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—9

Police redeploys 37 commissioners

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—THE Police Service Commission, PSC, has carried out a redeployment of Commissioners of Police of the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory, FCT. A statement from PSC said: “The Police Service Commission approved the deployment in line with Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the commission to appoint officers to states as Commissioners of Police, CP.” Those affected in the deployment are Emmanuel Ojukwu, formerly Force Public Relations Officer, who has

been deployed to Kogi State and Ikechukwu Nwodibo, formerly CP in charge of Legal Services, who has been posted to Taraba State.

Others are J. Habila, Abia State; Adejo Gabriel Adaji, Adamawa State; Muritala U. Mani, Akwa Ibom; Karma Hosea, Anambra; Mohammed K. Mohammed, Bauchi; P. Okafor, Bayelsa; Dibai P. Yakadi, Benue; J. Opadokun, Borno.

Henry Fadairo, Cross River; Usman Bala Alkali, Delta; P. Abdallah, Ebonyi; Chris Ezike, Edo; CP Etop J. James, Ekiti; CP Mohammed Adamu, Enugu, CP Wilson Inalegwu, FCT. Also appointed are CP

Austin Iwar, Gombe; CP T. Lakanu, Imo; CP U. Tilli Abubakar, Jigawa; CP U. U. Shehu, Kaduna; Mohammed Katsina, Kano; CP U. Abdullahi, Katsina; CP Yakubu O. Jubrin, Kebbi.

Furthermore, E. Amadasun, is CP of Kwara; Fatai Owoseni remains CP, Lagos; Mohammed Sani Usman, remains CP Nasarawa; CP Abubakar Marafa, CP Niger; CP Abdulmajid Ali, Ogun; CP M. Ogbodu, Ondo; CP K. Shodipo, Osun; CP Leye Oyebade, Oyo. Others are CP Nasiru Oki, Plateau; CP Hyelasinda Kimo Musa, Rivers, CP Salisu F. Abdullahi, Sokoto;

CP Zanna Mohammed Ibrahim, Yobe; Femi Ogunbayode, CP Zamfara.

Chairman of the Commission, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro said the deployment was to reinvigorate the State Commands for more effective and efficient policing in line with the Change Agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

He advised the state Commissioners to take their jobs seriously and ensure that they are committed to the enforcement of law and order and protection of lives and property within the ambits of the rule of law.

NBA SHOWCASE SESSION: Mr. Babatunde Fashola, immediate past Governor of Lagos State(middle); Augustine Alegeh, President, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, (5th right); Danladi Kifasi, Head of Service (left); Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State (2nd left); Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State (3rd left); Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State (4th left); Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senate Minority Leader, (left, behind), and others during NBA's showcase session on Contribution of Lawyers in Public Office to National Development at the 55th Annual General Conference of the association in Abuja.

Economic growth slows down in 2nd quarter

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

T

HE impact of continued decline in the international oil price has dragged down growth indices in the Nigerian economy in the second quarter, 2015.

According to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, released yesterday, Gross Domestic Product, GDP, expanded 2.35 percent on an annual basis, compared with 3.96 percent a quarter earlier.

Quarter on quarter, real GDP increased by 2.57 percent.

During the quarter, aggregate GDP stood at N22,859,153.01 million (in nominal terms) at basic prices. Compared to the Second Quarter 2014 value of N21,734,829.86 million, nominal GDP was 5.17 percent higher.

Nominal GDP growth was also higher relative to growth

recorded in first quarter 2015 by 0.85 percentage points.

Sector by sector

Further highlight of the report shows that manufacturing contracted by 3.8 percent during the quarter, compared with growth of 14 percent a year ago.

At 2.35 percent, the GDP is showing less than half the projected economic performance put at about five percent in the 2015 budget, which was also revised down from above six percent estimate in the face of depressing oil price.

The oil industry contracted 6.8 percent, the report stated.

During the period under review, oil production stood at 2.05 million barrels per day (mbpd), 5.9 percent lower from production in Q1 of 2015.

Oil production was also lower

relative to the corresponding quarter in 2014 by 7.3 percent, when output was recorded at 2.21million barrel per day.

Growth in the non-oil sector was largely driven by the activities of trade, crop production, construction and telecommunications.

Non-oil

The non-oil sector grew by 3.46 percent in real terms in Q2 of 2015. This was 2.13 percent points lower from Q1 2015 and 3.26 percent points lower from the corresponding quarter in 2014.

In real terms, non-oil sector contributed 90.20 percent to the nation’s GDP, marginally higher from shares recorded in Q1 2015 (89.55 percent) and Q2 2014 (89.24 percent).

As a result, real growth of the oil sector slowed by 6.79 percent (year-on-year) in Q2 2015. This represents a decline relative to growth recorded in Q2 2014 (5.14 percent).

Growth was, however,

relatively better by 1.35 percentage points relative to growth in Q1 of 2015.

Quarter-on-quarter, growth also slowed by 3.82 percent.

Oil sector

As a share of the economy, the oil sector represented 9.80 percent of total real GDP, down from the shares recorded in the corresponding period of 2014 and the share in Q1 2015 by 0.96 percentage points and 0.65 percentage points, respectively.

Vanguard had reported earlier this week that Nigeria’s economy may be heading for a serious tightening as oil price crash worsened since last weekend up till early this week.

Further negative development from the international market shocks was recorded in the first two trading days at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, with key indicators sustaining daily plunges.

Igbobi hospital eulogises Dr Grange

By Sola Ogundipe & Gabriel Olawale

T

HE management of National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, NOHIL, has described the death of its former Medical Director, Dr. Jeremiah Jose Grange, as a big loss to the hospital in particular and the country at large.

Late Grange's remains have since been laid to rest in Illinois, USA, where he passed way on August 24, aged 79.

In a condolence message to the family of the deceased, the institution’s Medical Director, Dr. Rotimi Odunubi, said he received news of the death with shock, saying the late Grange will be forever remembered for his numerous contributions and dedication toward patients care, staff empowerment and dedication.

Odunubi, who noted that the hospital had opened a condolence register, observed that in the area of clinical services, children born with deformities would be forever grateful to the deceased.

He said: “He established a special clinic outside his routine clinic, where he normally looked after children born with club foot and other deformities.

“He also ensured that all these activities were properly documented and made available for the younger generation.”

Further, Odunubi said when late Grange was Medical Director of Igbobi between 1989 and 1995, he ensured improvement in area of training programme for doctors and nurses, among others.

He introduced some new procedures in the hospital that enabled total hip replacement.

Dr. Grange.

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Man drags ex-wife to shrines over property

By Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—A man, Ifeanyi Okpoko has reportedly dragged his former wife, Blessing Okpoko to seven shrines, including the dreaded Okija shrine in Anambra State, over property dispute.

It was learned that the 13year-old marriage became strained and the wife claimed ownership of their landed property.

Vanguard gathered that Ifeanyi took her to seven different shrines, including Okija shrine in Ihiala, since Blessing claimed that he did not contribute anything to the acquisition of their property that is now the subject of litigation.

He was quoted as saying he went to consult the oracles to decide and punish either of them and their supporters making false claims over the property quickly.

He alleged that Blessing was using her position as a senior bank staff to make some people believe that she owned their joint property, adding that that was why he consulted the oracles so that the truth would be established.

It was gathered that Blessing reported the latest development to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, who summoned both of them to a meeting over the matter.

While trying to resolve the issue, CP Owoseni reportedly lambasted them for their conduct and wondered whether they do not have relatives and elders in their communities who could resolve the issue amicably.

Corrigendum

I

N an open letter (Advertorial) addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari on the urgent need to dredge the Escravos Bar Mouth, published in our Wednesday, August 26, 2015 edition, signed by Chief Ayirimi Emami, the new Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, was referred to as Engr. Omar Suleiman, instead of Mr. Habib Abdullahi.

We sincerely apologize for the error.

— Advert Manager.

C M Y K

LAGOS GOV ELECTION: A'Court’s ruling, a vindication of people’s mandate – AMBODE

By Dapo Akinrefon, Olasunkanmi Akoni & Onozure Dania

It's a legal victory, not a moral one — PDP

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday, described the Court of Appeal decision to uphold the State Election Petitions Tribunal's confirmation of his victory at the April 11, 2015 governorship election as a welcome development and a vindication of the people’s mandate.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, Governor Ambode said; “The decision of the Appeal Court is a further testimony to the affirmation of our victory by the Tribunal and a vindication of the mandate of the people as expressed in the April, 11 2015 elections.”

Also reacting to the ruling, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State described the verdict as “a controversial legal victory and not a moral victory”.

The State Election Petitions Tribunal, headed by Justice Mohamed Sijaro, had on July 1, 2015 struck out the petition of the PDP governorship candidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje, against the victory of Mr Ambode of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for incompetence and lack of correlation of the reliefs sought by the petitioner.

Agbaje and the PDP however appealed the judgement of the Tribunal at the Court of Appeal to contest Ambode’s victory and the ruling of the Tribunal.

But the Appeal Court ruling yesterday reaffirmed the verdict of the Tribunal aligning with the July 1, 2015 decision of the Justice Muhammad Sijaro-led tribunal.

The five-man appeal panel, after dismissing Agbaje’s appeal on the grounds of incompetence, ordered him to compensate each of the respondents in the sum of N50, 000 each.

Let’s move Lagos to the next level — Ambode

VISIT: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State (right) presenting a state plaque to the CEO, Smartcity Dubai, Mr. Jaber Bin Hafez (middle) while the Head, Delegation of Smartcity Group, Prof.

Pat Utomi watches during the Smartcity Group's courtesy visit to the governor yesterday. beyond partisanship, the governor said it is time to join hands with his administration to move Lagos to the next level.

His words: “With the Appeal Court decision, I think it is time for us to put electioneering matters and its attendant issues behind us. ''Our victory at the polls had earlier been adjudged as fair and square, the Tribunal confirmed this and now the Appeal court has upheld that decision. Isn’t it time for our opponents to sheathe their swords.

“I have never for once doubted the outcome of the polls. We had a most gruelling campaign that took us across the length and breadth of the state. ''Our party’s strides over the last 16 years was also a scorecard that Lagosians voted for. I've consistently maintained my administration’s desire to work with all Lagosian, no matter the party.”

Lagos PDP reacts

In its reaction, the Lagos PDP said “By this development, the Calling on the opposition to APC and Governor Ambode can sheathe their swords and move only celebrate a controversial legal

SON denies seeking return to ports

By Ifeyinwa Obi & Naomi Uzor

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AGOS—THE Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has denied that it was trying to return to the ports, even as it has integrated its Conformity Assessment Programme, SONCAP, with the Nigeria Customs Integration System, NCIS. Speaking at a stakeholders' sensitization seminar in Lagos yesterday, Director General of SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu announced that SON has

integrated its e-certificates into NCIS in order to make it easy for processing of SONCAP, Form M and the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, PAAR. With this, he explained that SON no longer demand hard copies of SONCAP certificates from its stakeholders, saying that the process has been automated.

Odumodu debunked reports that the agency was scheming to return to the ports, even as he vowed however, that his men will continue to arrest non-compliant cargoes on highways, warehouses and anywhere they are stocked.

victory and not a moral victory.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani, the party said “The Appeal Court justices identified a loophole of technicality in our petition. They agreed, that but for the identified mistake in couching our petition, the decision would have been different in the circumstance of the Lagos governorship election contest.”

The statement reads in part: “Indeed, the Court of Appeal upheld that the issue of the qualification of Ambode in the election was erroneously

dismissed by the Tribunal. This is definitely a confusing judgment.

The justices have their conscience to contend with if they have done actual justice in the matter. We will meet with our legal team for further advise and we shall consider all consequential options. An appeal to the Supreme Court is not ruled out. ''In the meantime, we appreciate the people's support in the period of this hearings.

We shall return to our planning room and consolidate our established electoral victory in subsequent elections.''

UAE bizmen plan $10bn investment in Lagos

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—A team of investors from the United Arab Emirates, UAE, has disclosed plans to invest as much as $10 billion in the state economy soon.

The UAE team, led by Professor Pat Utomi, stated this during a courtesy visit to Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja.

Utomi, in his remarks said the group of investors from the UAE is aspiring to play a role that would significantly change the business climate in the state.

“They are looking to invest as much as $10 billion in the state within a period of time,’’ he said.

Ambode, in his address restated the commitment of his administration to evolve policies and initiatives that would transform the state into a destination for investors across the globe.

He said in less than 100 days of his administration, efforts

had been made to create an atmosphere for investors to look toward the direction of the state and for existing businesses to thrive.

Ambode therefore, assured the investors of his administration’s support in the areas they are eyeing for partnership.

He also restated his commitment to the rule of law as well as judicial and security sector reforms, saying efforts were being geared towards ensuring that business transactions are done transparently.

Irish envoy’s visit

Meantime, Governor Ambode, while receiving the Irish Ambassador, Mr. Sean Hoy, said the state was looking towards partnership in agro business towards ensuring food security in the state.

The governor stressed that his administration was planning to expand the agricultural sector and increase the production capacity of its farmers in the nearest future.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 11

OONI SUCCESSION: Ife chiefs seek divine intervention ...As Etsu Nupe, SPA visit Ile-Ife, Aregbesola

By Ola Ajayi & Gbenga Olarinoye

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LE-IFE—COUNCIL of chiefs in Ile-Ife have sought divine intervention in the choice of the next monarch in the ancient town after the death of Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

The chiefs led by Obalufe, Oba S. Omisakin and Lowa of Ile-Ife, High Chief, J. O Ijaodola yesterday prayed that God will crown another monarch of late Oba Okunade Sijuwade’s pedigree.

They said this during a condolence visit by the National Traditional Council of Nigeria led

by Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.

Also yesterday, representatives of the Southern Peoples Assembly, SPA, led by former military administrator, Air Commodore, Indogensit Nkannah (retd) visited the kingmakers in the ancient city.

The monarchs' council with a large entourage arrived Ile-Ife around 7pm on Tuesday and visited the families of the Late Sijuwade.

The chiefs described Oba Sijuwade as a bridge builder who used his towering image to bring all zones in the country together.

According to them, Oba Sijuwade, who was a co-chairman of the council with Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, lived a worthy and exemplary life, especially in strengthening the cord of unity.

Obalufe said,”Remember that it was Sijuwade that died. Ooni can never die. All legacies he left behind are still very much alive.

If good people die, the good they have done will never die.

Look at people like Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Aminu Kano and others. Their good works live on.

“There is a bridge that Sijuwade built from here to Kano and from Kano to Onitsha. Sijuwade linked all these bridges together. We need to strengthen the unity cord that binds us together, irrespective of where you come. If a Yoruba or Igbo man or woman goes to the North, he should feel at home.”

He advised that all ethnic groups in the country should cherish their languages and culture, adding that they should not allow the two to go into extinction.

“To further strengthen the unity cord that keeps us together, the government should make Hausa Language compulsory in schools in Yoruba and Igbo lands and also make Yoruba and Igbo compulsory in schools in Hausa land.

“Like Lowa has said, the God that chose Oba Sijuwade is still on the throne and he will give us another king of his status”.

Earlier, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Abubakar, who said he C M Y K

represented Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, the chairman of the traditional council read a condolence letter signed by him.

He said,” We are here as the coordinating committee of the council comprising six geopolitical zones.”

The letter stated how the news of the demise of Oba Sijuwade was received, describing him as a “pillar that will be greatly missed.”

Those in attendance from the traditional council included; His royal highness, Alhaji (Dr) Mohammadu Abali Ibn Jarissa, Emir of Fika, Dr. Eze Ilomuanya, his royal highness, Timothy Omonobare Okumagbe among others.

In the same vein, the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly led by Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi also paid condolence visit to the palace.

While speaking, Bishop Gbonigi said the assembly was pained to the marrow losing Oba Sijuwade at this time.

He said now that the assembly was looking forward to celebrate the centenary birthday of Chief Mrs. Hannah Dideolu Awolowo , one could imagine how painful it would be when the monarch

who had been looking forward to the birthday died suddenly.

However, he thanked God that the monarch died at a ripe age.

He called on all citizens in the country to work together for mutual love, cooperation and unity.

Also speaking, Air Commodore, Indogensit Nkannah, who said he spoke the mind of Chief Edwin Clarke said, Oba Sijuwade had made many bridges than imagined.

He described the monarch as a pillar of strength for South South and Southern Nigeria.

Support Buhari, Aregbesola urges visiting monarchs

Meantime, the governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has implored all members of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria to give their unalloyed support and cooperation to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as they did to his predecessors.

Governor Aregbesola, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola made the request while addressing the delegation of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of

Nigeria who paid him a condolence visit over the demise of the late Ooni of Ife. Oyetola stated that the visit of the traditional rulers symbolized the existing unity, peace, harmony and co-habitation between and among the traditional rulers in Nigeria regardless of socio-cultural, ethnic and religious differences.

Reading the condolence letter sent by the Chairman, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria and Emir of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, the leader of the delegation who doubled as the Chairman, Coordinating Committee of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, HRH, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar said the death of the late Ooni was received with rude shock as it came to the Council at the time his (Okunade) role was needed most.

Alhaji Abubakar said the late Ooni was a father and astute leader to the traditional rulers in Nigeria, Africa and the entire world.

Abubakar described his death as painful and a monumental loss to the Yoruba race and beyond.

CONDOLENCE VISIT: From left; Oba Aderemi Adedapo, Olojudo of Ojudo; Oba S. F. Omisakin, Obalufe of Ife; Prof. Muiz Opeloye, President, Ife Development Board and Ahaji Abubakar Yahaya, Etsu Nupe and leader of the delegation, during a condolence visit to Ife Chiefs by the National Traditional Council of Nigeria, yesterday. Photo by Dare Fasube.

Osun PDP urges Aregbesola to conduct council polls

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—THE Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, yesterday advised Governor Rauf Aregbesola to conduct local government elections without further delay.

The party, in a statement signed by Prince Diran Odeyemi, the PDP spokesperson, copies of which were sent to newsmen in Osogbo, said the last local

government poll held in the state was conducted by a PDPled government in 2007.

The statement reads: “What Aregbesola did shortly after the tenure of those elected in 2007 ended was to appoint his party men and gave them title of executive secretaries till date thereby spending 8 years in office “Since 2011, they have been in office, illegally administering the 30 council areas and one area office in

the state. Statutory monthly allocation that has gone to them since 2007 runs into billions and yet they are not accountable to anyone but only Aregbesola while there are no evidence of development in the local governments.”

Beside, the party also called on Governor Rauf Aregbesola to come out clear on the status of the former commissioners that served in his cabinet during his first term in office.

How age limit disqualified me from youth corps — OBASANJO

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — F O R M E R president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said he would have loved to participate in the National Youth Service Corps, but was disqualified because of his age.

Obasanjo who is an alumnus of National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN bagging a degree in Theology, said; ''Somebody wrote me a letter when he got to know that I have graduated from NOUN, he wanted me to do national youth service, but unfortunately for him there is age limit.”

The former President, who was decorated as grand patron of NOUN Alumni Association at a meeting with the executives of the NOUN Alumni Association, led by Mr Phil Colman, President and Mr Ayeni Olutope, Southwest Vice-President at his Hilltop residence, in Abeokuta.

Obasanjo, in his remarks said the establishment of NOUN, has presented a unique opportunity for Nigerians to have access to higher education in the country.

He also said that the academic and professional issues surrounding the accreditation of law course being offered at the NOUN by the National University Commission and the Nigerian Law School would soon be resolved.

He added that law graduates of the University would have opportunity to undergo compulsory one year programme at Nigerian Law School.

The Ogun State chairman of NOUNAA, Chief Bode Mustapha, in his remarks urged Nigerians to make use of the NOUN opportunity.

He stated that the institution now boasts of a royal father, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona as a law student and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Osun State as student of Theology.

The South West vice president of NOUN, Olutope Ayeni, in his remarks said it was the institution that afforded him the opportunity of university education.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

RIVERS POLL: APC can't scan ballot

papers, Wike tells court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, challenged the legality of allowing the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress Party, APC, in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, to scan or photocopy the ballot papers used for the conduct of the April 11 governorship poll in the state.

Arguing before the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, Wike, through his lawyer, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, insisted that allowing Peterside and the APC to photocopy any of the sensitive election materials would pose a serious security risk to the people of Rivers State.

He urged the Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal to refuse a fresh request by the APC and Peterside for their forensic experts to be allowed to scan and crop the ballot papers and other electoral materials used in Rivers State, to ease the inspection process.

“My lord, we vehemently oppose this application. The security risk that will arise from allowing the petitioners to scan and photocopy the election materials, especially the ballot papers is real. Granting this application will amount to

permitting a private individual to keep a record of a public document.

“The inherent danger in that is that a private individual can put such document to any use, including identifying the pattern of voting and linking individual voters to the political party or

candidate they voted for.

“This is absolutely contrary to all principles of democracy and the express provisions of the Electoral Act. It will certainly jeopardise confidentiality in the electoral process,” Wike contended.

FLAG OFF: Akwa State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel flagging off the construction of 5km Mkpok-Okat Road in Onna Local Government Area of the state, yesterday.

Ebosa, Makinde, Itihwe, Gbasin others make DESOPADEC board

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Festus Ahon

SABA—THE nominees for appointment into the Governing Board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, forwarded to the state House of Assembly by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa have been confirmed by the state legislature.

The confirmation followed the screening of the nominees at yesterday’s plenary of the House presided over by the Speaker, Mr Monday Igbuya.

Okowa had in the letter on Tuesday, said his action was in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 7 (1a) of the law establishing DESOPADEC. Those screened and confirmed include; Mr Godwin Ebosa, Chairman, Chief William Makinde, Managing Director, Chief Askia Ogieh, Mr Phillip Gbasin, Mr Ocho Chris Ocho and Engr Oritsetimeyin Victor-Wood as Executive Directors.

Others are; Chief Amos Itiwhe, Chief Pius Ovbije, Jonathan Amitaye, Ovie Oghoore, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Nnamdi Ezechi, Mr Fidelis Oputa and Chief Favour Izoukumor, who were also screened and confirmed as representatives of oil

producing areas in the state.

The governor had in the letter said he will appreciate if early action was taken to place the nominees before the legislators for consideration and confirmation to enable him effect the appointments as required by law.

Meanwhile, major stakeholders in the health sector have lauded Governor Okowa for his initiative in introducing the State Contributory Health

Commission bill currently being considered by the state Assembly.

In another development, Secretary General of Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, EGCDF, Mr. Jude Ukormi has congratulated Pastor Philip Gbasin on his appointment as Executive Director in DESOPADEC. Ukori, in a statement also commended Governor Okowa for appointing Favour Zoukumor as a

Commissioner in the commission.

The Egbema leader also charged all his supporters and people of Egbema Kingdom to support Gbasin to enable him deliver to the state and indeed Ijaw nation.

“I sincerely congratulate my brother, Pastor Gbasin and urge every son and daughter of Egbema, especially my supporters to give him all the needed support to serve effectively.”

Suspected pirates abduct 2 chiefs, security operative in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—ARMED men, suspected to be sea pirates, yesterday, ambushed two speedboats and allegedly kidnapped three persons along the Ogbia-Brass waterways of Bayelsa East senatorial district, Bayelsa State.

Among those abducted were two Okpoama chiefs identified as Chief Blessing Wagio and Chief Isaac Akono-Igolo, and a security man whose identify could not be ascertained at press time.

The victims’ boats were said to have left the Ogbia water front at 2p.m., for Brass when they came under attack around Kiberibio area of the OgbiaBrass waterway, described as hotbed of sea pirates attacks.

A supervisor with the state Ministry of Education heading to Brass for today’s First School Leaving Certificate, a naval officer and a former Chief Librarian in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Chief Jigekuma Ombu-Kieri were said to have escaped unhurt.

An eyewitness in one of the boats, Mrs Kilete Arum, told our correspondent that she saw an unidentified man lying face down in the pirates’ speed when they were being dispossessed of their valuables.

A naval source, who spoke anonymously, confirmed the incident but said information at his disposal was sketchy.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, said,”I am waiting for details.”

DESOPADEC:

Your agitation is misplaced, IYC tells Lori-Ogbebor

By Perez Brisibe

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G H E L L I – SPOKESMAN for the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Eric Omare, has described agitations by Niger Delta activist, Chief Rita LoriOgbebor over the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, DESOPADEC, as misplaced.

Omare who addressed newsmen, yesterday, in Ughelli, Delta State on the nominees for the DESOPADEC board sent to the state House of Assembly, said that there was no connection with Chief Ogbebor’s agitation and the DESOPADEC Law as amended.

According to Omare, who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Community Development, “The amendment only affects the DESOPADEC structure and does not affect the financial percentage accruable to the commission.”

Journalists tasked on sustenance of democracy

By Chioma Onuegbu

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YO—SPEAKER of k w a Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Aniekan Uko, has urged practicing journalists in the state to always uphold the ethical and professional conducts by carrying out their duties including sustaining the Nigerian democracy.

Declaring open a two-day workshop on “Professionalism, Media Ethics and Responsibility in Sustaining Democracy and Deepening Oil and Gas Operations Reportage’ organised by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited for journalists, Uko said that the society appreciates a better and vibrant media that is responsive to the sustenance of democracy.

He said that since assumption of office that he has not been encouraged by the reports on the state, adding that one of the essence of democracy was for the media to support governments visions and programmes.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—13

Orubebe afraid of probe —OSHIOMHOLE B

By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN CITY—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has said that former Minister of the Niger Delta, Mr Godsday Orubebe was afraid of President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned probe of several billions of naira squandered on the EastWest Road and on the Amnesty programme under his watch as Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, adding that this was the basis for his latest media outburst.

The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, said that the incompetence of people like Orubebe contributed to the dismal failure of the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said: “Our attention has been drawn to the latest outburst of Orubebe in his attempt to taint the image of the Governor Oshiomhole.

“It is no surprise that the former president, Jonathan failed woefully because he surrounded himself with such charlatans as Orubebe, whose only credential is his ethnic origin and the large size of his bowler hat.

“Here was a man whose unministerial conduct at the election nearly plunged the nation into an

avoidable crisis. Does Orubebe really think Nigerians are fools, does he truly believe Nigerians have forgotten so soon the ignoble role he played in his attempt to truncate the release of the election results and announcement of the eventual winner of that election, a move which could have plunged the nation into another civil war?

“Is it not a shame that Orubebe

who should be cooling off his heels in jail for that failed plot to truncate democracy has now found a convoluted voice?

“We are not surprised at the timing of Orubebe’s latest outburst. It is no doubt unconnected with the planned probe by President Buhari of the billions of naira allocated to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, even as the East-West Road

remains in bad shape and the probe of the fleecing of amnesty funds under his watch.

“We are aware that Orubebe, the perpetual noise maker has raised the decibel of his noise a notch higher so that he would have a ready-made defence of witch-hunting if he was indicted in the planned probe of Amnesty funds."

BRIEFING: From left: Representative of PFN, Lagos State/Financial Secretary, Pastor Leke Akinola, Deeper Life Bible Church Moderator, Pastor Joseph Fasanmi, Church Secretary, Deeper Life Bible Church, Jerry Asemota and PFN state co-ordinator, Women Wing, Rev. Glory Akpabio, during the briefing to announce the Lagos City Wide Crusade organized by Deeper Christian Life Ministry in conjuction with the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN in Lagos, yesterday.

....You're ‘garage boy,' Orubebe tells Edo gov

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By Chris Ochayi

BUJA—THE verbal war between the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, worsened with the exminister calling Oshiomhole a ‘garage boy,’ vowing to expose his dubious deeds against Nigerians.

Orubebe, who reacted to Oshiomhole’s response to his (Orubebe's) earlier remarks on him, said that Oshiomhole’s attempt to link his critical advice to President Muhammadu Buhari to be wary of popular ‘Villa sycophants’ to his fears of a possible probe in connection with the East- West Road project shows he was indeed a garage boy who lacks focus.

Orubebe who described the governor ’s insinuation as laughable, maintained that the Edo governor had failed to address the issue of sycophancy which he accused him of.

He said that Oshiomhole was suffering from chronic diarrhoea of the mouth, which explains why he has lately been misleading Nigerians, adding that his illiteracy was beyond human comprehension.

He argued that his integrity and high level of accountability all through his six years service to the nation as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs can neither be matched nor compromised.

“I am proud to have been a vital instrument used by God to take the once abandoned EastC M Y K

West Road project to an admirable 80 per cent level of completion.

It is unfortunate that our respected Niger Delta could produce the likes of Oshiomhole who is a garage boy that should be at the motor park.”

Threatening to expose Oshiomhole more, Orubebe, said “I will disgrace him publicly and

tell the world about his dubious deeds as governor as well as his role in the botched Third Term Bid of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I am going to open his can of worms to the point that Nigerians will stone him if seen on the streets. I don’t talk carelessly as I have my facts to prove my points.”

On the alleged embezzlement of several billions of naira under his watch as Minister of Niger Delta, he said: “I am not afraid of probe, I'm a man of integrity under whose watch the abandoned 42 bridges and 1040 culverts that were initiallywithoutdesignwereupgraded to the level it is today."

Why we approved N25bn for Dickson —LAWMAKERS

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By Samuel Oyadongha

ENAGOA—A member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mrs. Ebiowou KokuObiyai has said the recent N25billion loan approval by the House for Governor Seriake Dickson was to complete ongoing projects in the state.

She said though the timing of the state governor’s request and the approval may have been misconstrued by the opposition

and critics of the present administration, the decision of the House to approve the loan request for the governor was based on the evident need to complete the numerous ongoing projects for the benefit of the people of the state.

The member representing Yenagoa Constituency 2 and a former Chairperson of the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, in an interview in Yenagoa, said that the request and approval followed due process.

She said, “We gave the approval

based on the evidence that it will be judiciously used. This is a government that has never gone for a loan. There was a government before now that went for over N600 billion loan and there is nothing to show for it.

“But after an analysis of what the Dickson’s administration intends to do with the loan, we approved the amount. That was the modest we could approve.

It may not be able to finish the projects but it will go a long way.”

....As non-indigenes drum support for Dickson's re-election to “cast their votes for the made in the areas of security

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ENAGOA—CONCERNED Nigerians for Dickson Campaign has called on the people of the state to vote en-mass for Governor Seriake Dickson’s re-election.

The group, composed mainly of members who are not indigenes of Bayelsa State in a statement by its President, Ohioya Ralphael, enjoined the people of the state

governor’s re-election so that he will complete the good work he has started in the state.”

Ralphael said they have been following the administration of Dickson in Bayelsa State, noting that they were proud of the achievements of the governor, who had left no one in doubt that he has all it takes to lead Bayelsa State in consolidating on the gains

and provision of social amenities.

According to him, “Bayelsa State under Dickson is one of the few states in the country that does not owe workers’ salaries and pensions,” adding that his ability to achieve the feat where other state governors failed has to do with his carefully laid out plan in terms of management of public resources."

Edo PDP crisis worsens

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By Gabriel Enogholase

ENIN—AHEAD of the congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, scheduled for September 2015, the crisis in the party has taken a new dimension as another group within the party, the PDP Unity League , has slammed “The New Dawn,” accusing it of hosting illegal meetings and masquerading as harbinger of a new PDP in the state.

A statement in Benin, yesterday by Tony Alile, State Coordinator of the PDP Unity League also accused the group of craving for relevance and publicity by employing outdated tacticstodenigratedcertainparty officers.

“Ordinarily, we would have ignored this bunch of ‘expired drugs’masqueradingasthe‘new dawn’ which some may confuse to mean ‘young’ or ‘fresh’ faces.

But as we approach a major gubernatorial election next year, we of the PDP Unity League feel a need to speak out against these

DESOPADEC:

Group urges Urhobo HOSTCOM to support Makinde

W

ARRI—THE leaders of Host Communities of Nigeria producing oil and gas HOSTCOM, Urhobo chapter, have been called upon to support Chief William Makinde , Managing Director of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC. The appeal was made by members of Urhobo Youth Empowerment Front UYEF, who also commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for appointing Makinde as Managing Director of the commission.

In a statement by Peter Akpotu, Secretary , yesterday in Warri, the group appealed to Urhobo HOSTCOM, to work with Makinde and give him all the needed supports and cooperation to deliver effectively.

The group congratulated Makindeandassuredthatallthe youths from Urhobo oil and gas producing communities would provide the enabling environment to enable him achievesignificantsuccessinthe commission.

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

SERVICE OF SONGS FOR MADAM FAVOUR YAWA EGBE @ CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST, MARINA, LAGOS, YESTERDAY. Photos by Kehinde Gbadamosi

From left; Pastor Samuel Jesimiel; Mr. Akin Fatunke, Manager, Public and From left; Mrs. Vero Thom-Dipeolu; Mrs. Elo Evelyn Thomas and Chief Olatokunbo Thomas (children), and Dr. Freedom Ogbe, friend to Chief Government Affairs, Exxon Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, and Mr. Muyiwa Dipeolu.

Thomas, during the service. governor notwith- believe the progress the standing the stiff and state made under his vocal opposition of administration has more many. I am not ashamed than vindicated my ATIONAL Leader than when he assumed this rumour mongering politics in the first inoffice in 1999, he said, stance.

He served as of backing him. I endorsement.'' of All Progressives has died its natural and “Babatunde Fashola has my trusted chief of staff, Congress, APC, and quick death”. former governor of Lagos been an integral part of According to Tinubu, “I performing excellently state, Asiwaju Bola this improvement. He am proud to say that I in that role. Due to his Tinubu yesterday denied does not deserve the played an instrumental leadership qualities and the rumour that he pillory. His record has role in bringing diligent work ethic, I instigated false and been applauded and will Governor Fashola into endorsed him for negative reports against continue to be when all former Governor Fashola to stop him from being appointed to a major post in the Buhari administration.

In a statement issued yesterday by his Media Office, titled, “APC Lagos is one family united by a progressive cause”, Tinubu said, “I want to declare clearly and categorically that these rancid attacks do not come from me nor do I endorse them. Neither my hand nor my heart are in these mean submissions. I deplore them. An attack against the performance of Governor Fashola is indirectly an attack against me and the edifice of achievement we have constructed in leading Lagos state out of a protracted time of stagnation and into an era of sustained progress and development”.

Describing Lagos as a much better place now

Attack on Fashola is attack against me —Tinubu

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C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 15

Enugu House moves to revoke Chime’s water concession

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—THE Enugu State House of Assembly, has initiated moves to revoke the 25 years Enugu City Water Concession to AG Gold Trust

Limited perpetrated by former Governor Sullivan Chime’s administration.

The current House members had in unison vowed to resist the water concession arrangement orchestrated by Chime.

Former Speaker, Eugene Odoled House had noted with disgust that there was already an order to the Enugu Water Corporation to hand over all water facilities in the state to the private firm, AG Gold Trust

Limited, describing the situation as “unacceptable.”

The concession would when fully in place, subject residents to buy water at N8,000 for a tanker of water instead of the current price of between N4,000 and N5,000.

ACCIMA calls for relocation of BOI to Aba

By Eric Ugbor

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BA—THE Aba Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture, ACCIMA, has called on the Federal Government to return the Bank of Industry, BOI, which was moved to Asaba at the peak of kidnapping in Aba. The outgoing President of ACCIMA, Chief Anthony Enukeme made this call during the chamber ’s 15th annual general meeting in Aba, Tuesday.

He said that the decision was hurting the real sector in Aba, which is the hub of businesses in the South East, noting that its return would boost the activities of the real sector in the city and around it.

“I wish to make a clarion call on behalf of Aba business community, to the Federal Government to revisit the issue of relocation of the Bank of Industry, BOI, zonal office from Aba to Asaba and to return it to Aba.” Chief Enukeme said: “BOI has enough work to do in Aba and its environs in the overall interest of the nation’s economic growth and development with the knowledge of its people in fabrication, production of soaps and detergents, pharmaceuticals,

shoes and leather products, textiles, garments and allied products.

“These potentials need encouragement from the Federal Government through its agencies like the Central Bank, BOI and other allied organs in the economic development corridor.”

Enukeme also urged the CBN

to develop and implement policies that would enable BOI and allied organisations to function unhindered to aid growth of manufacturing.

He said that the Abia State government has promised to allocate a 100-acre portion of land to ACCIMA for its trade fair complex and called on members

to pursue the promise with vigour to ensure its actualization.

The chamber elected a new executive committee with Sir Emma Nwakpadolu emerging as the president while Mr. Ossy Prestige and Mr. Andy Obasi as the first and second deputy presidents respectively.

HE NATIONAL chairman of Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, Chief Peter Ojonugwa Ameh, Tuesday, emerged the new Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, pledging to make the body an independent association that will not be under the influence or control of any political party or the

A

WKA—ANAMBRA State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma said, yesterday, that his men have started arresting those who use sirens illegally in the state.

Though he did not name those

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—THE wife of Imo State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, says her pet project, She Needs a Roof Project, SNARP, has successfully constructed and donated no fewer than 152 bungalows to indigent widows and orphans.

Mrs. Okorocha, at a press conference in Government House, Owerri, yesterday, revealed that each building costs N3.5 million.

“We have built and donated 152 bungalows to indigent widows and orphans in this state. Each of these buildings costs N3.5 million and we intend to do more because there is so much work to do,” Mrs. Okorocha.

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VISIT: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (left), receiving a souvenir from the Political and Economic Chief of United States Consulate in Nigeria, Mr. Tom Hines, who paid him a courtesy visit, at the Government House, Enugu.

electoral body.

Ameh’s election followed the decision of the appeals committee which nullified last month’s election of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, Bashir Ibrahim.

Recall that shortly after the election, Ameh had petitioned the IPAC election appeals committee, alleging that the election which was held at the conference room

of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was marred with some irregularities as the representatives of the Alliance for Democracy, AD and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, were barred from taking part, leading to the ordering of a re-run by the appeals committee.

All the national chairmen of the 16 political parties, who were

Anambra police begin arrest of illegal siren users

By Vincent Ujumadu

in Imo

By Eric Ugbor

….Pledges to work for political parties’ unity

T

152 bungalows

We're not substandard —Rhema University

Ameh, PPA chairman emerges IPAC boss

By Chris Ochayi

Indigent widows, orphans get

arrested, Karma explained that a large number of sirens have been confiscated in the state, while some of those involved have been charged to court.

According to him, sirens should only be used in periods of emergency, like when ambulances are taking critical patients to hospital and by state

governors, warning that there is no basis for anybody to be harassing people out of the roads.

Anambra is reputed to be a state where sirens are indiscriminately used by all manner of people, including politicians, businessmen and even university vice chancellors.

present at the re-run, voted for the PPA chairman while his opponent, Bashir Ibrahim absented himself while insisting that he was the authentic chairman, recognized by INEC. Speaking before the election, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Ganiyu Galadima, who is also the chairman of ACPN, regretted the decision of Bashir Yusuf to boycott the re-run, noting that the re-run had to be conducted for the position of chairman following the decision of the election appeals committee which nullified the election of the PDM chairman and ordered for a fresh election.

But Chief Peter Ameh while speaking after his inauguration by the former chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Tanko, pledged to reach out to members of all the 29 registered political parties to protect the country’s democracy.

BA—THE Rhema University (Nigeria), Aba Campus has said the university was never declared substandard by the National Universities Commission.

The University ’s Registrar, Mr Emmanuel DoughDough who disclosed this in a press statement in Aba said that contrary to rumours making the rounds in Abia and beyond that in a meeting between its management and other 11 private universities last week the NUC did not rate the institution as substandard.

“The statement credited to the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professor Julius A. Okojie, claiming that 11 private Universities in Nigeria, including Rhema University are “substandard” and, therefore, were denied issuance of full operational licences on account of “failed accreditation status” is not true," the statement said The Registrar said: “We are baffled at the substance of this claim as it is completely a misrepresentation of facts and a deliberate distortion of the truth to whip up sentiments against some private universities in the country."

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

ARIARIA KILLINGS: Reps

member, hospital on war path over bills

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

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BA—THE member representing Aba North/ Aba South federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Chief Ossy Prestige and the management of Holy Wounds Hospital, located at 169 Faulks road, Aba, Abia state, are currently on war path over the payment of bills of traders who were injured during the alleged shooting by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at Ariaria International market in the city.

The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Uchenna Anyanwu told journalists that the lawmaker has refused to fulfil his promise of settling the bills of injured traders treated by the Hospital.

He stated that when Prestige visited the injured traders at the hospital, he directed the management to forward bills to him which he now declined to pay when it was presented to him.

Vanguard gathered that the hospital bill of the traders presented to the lawmaker amounted to N2.7 million for the four victims.

According to Anyanwu, “Since last week, I have informed the governor, the Commissioner of Police, and the lawmaker representing Aba North/ Aba South, Hon. Ossy Prestige that the victims are due to be discharged. The victims are also complaining that they want to go home as they are okay.

I have been trying to get in contact these people.

“But two days ago, Hon. Ossy Prestige came here and told me that he wont pay the bills again, that it is too much for him. That I should call the governor.”

But in a swift reaction, Prestige said that the hospital bills appeared to have been inflated because the doctor felt that since he made a promise to them, he must pay any amount of money given him.

“Though I’m not a medical doctor but I’m sure that the cost of operating and removing a bullet lodged in the flesh of the sole of a man’s foot cannot cost up to N600, 000."

Why construction of 2nd Niger Bridge may be put on hold for now —ICRC •...consultancy was N340m, not N140bn, Orji tells Oshiomhole Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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HE Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji, has expressed shock over the allegation by Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that N140 billion was spent on the consultancy for the Second Niger Bridge.

The MD disclosed in Abuja, yesterday, that only $2.21 million dollars (about N340 million, using the then exchange rate of N154/ $1) was spent on the consultancy for that project.

This on-going controversy may put the construction of a Second Niger Bridge on hold until the integrity of the bridge is sorted out, the Federal Government said, yesterday.

Reasons ranging from the actual cost of the bridge, nonissuance of the Certificate of Compliance, non-compensation of the host community and nonadherence to due process in the award of the contract were also responsible for the stoppage.

The Director-General of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, Aminu Diko disclosed this after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The DG, while briefing State House Correspondent, stated that the bridge was one of the issues discussed at the meeting.

Noting the importance of the road that linked the South East and South West, Diko, however, asked the people to be patient with the government.

He said: “The Second Niger Bridge is one of the projects that we discussed with the President.

We did say it is in the commission for regulatory oversight. We have been discussing the transaction with the Ministry of Works. But before it can be finalized, the commissioner has to give a Certificate of Compliance, but we have not even done that because we have seen a lot of issues that we are uncomfortable with. We are talking with the Ministry of Works for them to correct them.

“The communities around that area are clamouring that their lands have been taken and that

they have not been compensated adequately. As a matter of fact, we got a letter from Onitsha Traditional Council complaining that they have not been adequately represented in this transaction.

"We are not saying that something has not been done properly, but we need to be convinced that these few problems are sorted properly.

“We will also talk about the actual cost of the bridge, eventually we have asked the ministry of works to review it and justify how much the project should cost. For the Second Niger Bridge, there will be a lot of studies that need to be done on the integrity of the bridge itself which will take time. It is not something we can see being completed in the next six months.

“I will like us to be patient about it. We know that it is a critical road.

We also know how Nigerians suffer during festive holidays and we hear people sleep on that old bridge. The time has come for us to bring succour Nigerians.”

of the project. What I need to tell Nigerians is that PPPs take a long time to mature. There is a difference between the project which you have money in your pocket or in your account and you just bring it out and tell somebody to go and do it.

“But when it is PPP transaction, you first engage a number of people. You have bankers, lawyers, engineers. They all collaborate to form consultancy for that transaction,” he said.

Initial cost of project -$700m According to the NSIA Managing Director, Mr. Uche Orji, the cost of consultancy for the Second Niger Bridge was less than one per cent of the cost of the project which was way below global standards.

A document he made available to Vanguard, yesterday, indicated that “the project was initially estimated to cost N108billion excluding duties and VAT, (if duties and VAT are included, the project cost is N117.9billion). This was equivalent to $700million at Present status of the bridge the then prevailing exchange rate Asked to comment on the of N154/$. The final project cost president status of the bridge, the would naturally be affected by DG said he was not in the know. exchange rate fluctuations and “I have no idea about the status other variables.

“Total consultancy services cost so far is less than one per cent of the estimated project cost. Whilst there is no standardized benchmark for transaction costs, the European Investment Bank’s Economic and Financial Report No. 3 of 2005, indicates that, on the average, the level of transaction cost for the procurement phase of PPP projects is over 10 per cent of the capital value of the relevant project in Ireland, the Netherlands,Portugal, and the United Kingdom,” Mr. Orji said.

The MD said that NSIA’s technical consultants on the project were instrumental in value engineering of the project and reducing the initial cost to the current level.

PARLEY: Amaechi Okobi, Head, Strategic Brand Management; Seyi Kumapayi, Chief Financial Officer, CFO; Roosevelt Ogbonna, Executive Director, Commercial Banking; Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director, Personal Banking, and Olubusola Osilaja, Head, Corporate Communications, all of Access Bank Plc during a media parley, at the bank’s Head Office, in Lagos, yesterday

Police arrest fake army officer in Imo

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—NEMESIS has caught up with a fraudster that has been parading himself as a major in the Nigerian Army.

The self-styled army major, who has been terrorizing the residents of Nekede community in Owerri West local council area of Imo State, gave his name as Samuel Ngozi, from Isiala Ngwa local government area of Abia State.

Parading the suspect yesterday at the State Police Headquarters, Owerri, the Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dave Akinremi, explained that the fake soldier was arrested by the Command while terrorizing Nekede people.

“The suspect was nabbed, following a credible tip off and he would be charged before a competent court for impersonation and felony, after proper investigation”, the Acting CP said.

In a similar development, the

Command has also apprehended a 22-year old Kelechi Ihemegbulam, an Information Science graduate of Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, for alleged murder and cult related activities.

While saying that Ihemegbulam was a member of the notorious Brotherhood fraternity, the Acting CP also disclosed that until this arrest, the suspect was in the wanted list of the Command.

He said that NSIA had put in place a multi-stage approval process for all disbursements, under which all payments involving construction are made only after approval by a thirdparty engineering firm, which matches work completed against amounts due.

Mr. Orji said that the Federal government made a commitment of N30 billion out of which it had released N18.3billion so far of which N10.4billion had been disbursed on early construction works.

According to him, “the NSIA assembled a team of Nigerian and international advisers with proven capabilities and global experience in PPP infrastructure projects to ensure the project got first-class advisory services. These consultants were engaged through a rigorous and competitive procurement process.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 17 FORMER President, General Olusegun Obasanjo, was obviously caught up in a moment of effusiveness last weekend, while receiving a delegation of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), at his Abeokuta residence.

Two months into the Muhammadu Buhari era, according to Obasanjo, Nigerians are beginning to witness the country of our dreams. Our former president was in the midst of students with their often, overflow of idealism and the old man was obviously caught up in that flow for a lot of good reasons: “When one takes a look at everything”, according to Obasanjo, “the most crucial and vital conclusion is that God loves Nigeria”.

And the former president was not done: “No single individual is a paragon of perfection…But there are still people who stick out their necks for the good of Nigeria. Thank God we have such a leader now”.

Paragons of perfection Of course since there are no paragons of perfection amongst humans, it follows that governments led by people will have shortcomings; that is the reason the former president added that ‘objective and positive criticisms’ were welcome, ‘where necessary’.

But he had no ambiguity in his mind about the position he would occupy in the scheme of things: “I will work for the success of this dispensation”, Obasanjo added emphatically!

It is not often that I have had to agree with Obasanjo in the past.

We might even add that Obasanjo’s position as stated here was a form of Mea Culpa.

Afterall, was he not the same individual that saddled us with the previous dispensation, when in the wake of the defeat of the infamous Third Term Agenda in 2007, he imposed the joint candidacy of the late President Umaru Yar’adua and former President Goodluck Jonathan?

The disastrous rule of the previous five years, but especially the incredible devaluation of governance that we witnessed between 2011 and 2015, were directly related to the choices he made and foisted upon our country.

We need to put that into the equation, even when we come to some agreement with him, in the broad categorisation he has made about the new dispensation in Nigeria, since May 2015.

There is a lot that is going on in the country today, that we can be proud of. But before we look at the very positive points, I think we must examine those aspects of governance and expectations that we are also not happy about.

President Muhammadu Buhari has made things difficult for all of us to understand, just why some basic but important appointments have still not been made since he was sworn in three months ago. Why is it difficult for him to appoint an Attorney General, given his central position C M Y K

Consolidating a steady pace of progress in the administration of justice, especially in respect of prosecutions that will accompany efforts to bring to book, those who systematically looted Nigeria?

Similarly, what has stalled the appointment of a Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), when he is always at the heart of the operations of the machinery of government?

President Buhari made a promise to PUBLICLY declare his assets in his Covenant with the Nigerian people, and he cannot now renege on that promise. It is particularly important for his reputation for integrity. And it is worrisome that some of his ardent online supporters in the lead to the 2015 elections are becoming increasingly restive and that should not be allowed to degenerate into a complete disillusionment.

It is also important, that the timeline for the appointment of ministers be kept, so as not to begin to alienate many sections of the country, including members of the political elite who have set store by such appointments.

It becomes double whammy, when even leaders of the APC, confess publicly that it is only the president that knows the people on his ministerial list! Such a public declaration can be interpreted in many directions,

The Boko Haram insurgency badly exposed the underbelly of our security system, with all the difficulties that emerged in efforts to procure weaponry

and many won’t be positive.

But when all is said and done, I believe that there is a lot that is true in what Obasanjo effusively stated to his student audience last weekend. Nigeria is making steady progress under President Muhammadu Buhari. It might be very subjective and an inadequate means of measurement of progress, but the “body language” of the president has become one of the most important triggers for development today.

Zero tolerance for corruption Every Nigerian is aware that Muhammadu Buhari has zero tolerance for corruption and that is beginning to rub off in many sectors of national life. We are witnessing far more consistent supply of electricity around the country, in the same manner that the queues for petrol have considerably minimised.

On an almost daily basis, we are reading stories of the discovery of monumental levels of heist, secret loot returns and people are being asked to take responsibility for their actions.

There is an indication that governance is becoming a serious expression of dedication to the services of our country.

And it is within the new context that even the Nigerian Defence Industry Corporation is being challenged to reform its act. No, it was not set up to produce furniture, as it is currently reported to be doing. What it ought to become, is a serious national institution that services the security of our country. The Boko Haram insurgency badly exposed the underbelly of our security system, with all the difficulties that emerged in efforts to procure weaponry.

Now there is a marching order to transform and become the backbone of a national military industrial complex. Related to this, is the very challenging resolve to end the Boko Haram menace within three months!

This is incredible but apparently doable.

Our armed forces are getting a more professional makeover; they are becoming better led and more professional; the weaponry have been upgraded and very crucially, a sub-regional coalition was put in place in record time to squeeze life out of the terrorists! These are indicators of progress and the hallmarks of focused leadership.

On the eve of his visit to the

United States a couple of weeks ago, Muhammadu Buhari penned an Op-Ed piece for the American newspaper, the WASHINGTON POST. One of the issues that he confronted head on, was the creeping frustration in many circles, especially amongst the young people, that massively voted him to power, that he was too slow in taking action.

That slow pace of events seemed at odds with the feeling of people primed for rapid changes and in some of these quarters, PMB was being described as “BABA GO-SLOW”.

Buhari confronted that issue frontally: “I was elected on a platform of change”, he reminded.

“I know this is what the people of Nigeria desire more than anything else. I know they are impatient for action. I realise the world waits to see evidence that my administration will be different from all those that came before”.

Having reminded that he was aware that he was a president that much is expected from, especially by the mass of the young people who warmed up to him as a candidate of change, he then cautioned: “…reforming (Nigeria) after so many years of abuse cannot be achieved overnight”.

Buhari also made a sweeping historical excursion into the nation’s governance process, arguing that: “there are too few examples in the history of Nigeria since independence where it can be said that good management

and governance were instituted at the national level. This lack of a governance framework has allowed many of those in charge, devoid of any real checks and balances, to plunder”. Buhari used that article to lay up what things will look like as we moved forward: “…The path we must take is simple, even if it is not easy: First, instill rules and good governance; second, install officials who are experienced and capable of managing state agencies and ministries; and third, seek to recover funds stolen under previous regimes so that this money can be invested in Nigeria for the benefit of all our citizens”.

Green shoots of growth It is clear to me that Muhammadu Buhari has devotedly kept at the process which he outlined, and we are witnessing green shoots of growth all around the Nigerian landscape.

To be sure, we have only arrived at the point of embarkation and the journey will naturally be bumpy and even painful on a route that is filled with potholes and daredevil characters who do not share the resolve for national rebirth. But in the long run, the Buhari resolve can only redound to the benefit of our country because we are all aware that there was no way that we could keep doing things the old way.

No country can survive as a kleptocracy and that was the main narrative of our past, especially the last five years. Under Muhammadu Buhari’s watch, we are consolidating a steady pace of progress; things might not appear as fast as we had envisaged and the fruits of the progress won’t reach us as “dividends” as urgently as we desire, but what is unfolding in Nigeria needs the buy in of all patriots so we can collectively take our country to a higher level of development.

That was the reason we voted for the change that Muhammadu Buhari is leading in the first place!

The cults killings in Kwara State

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AST week, the media reported that 16 students were killed in different areas of Ilorin, as result of clashes between members of different secret cult groups, in tertiary institutions in Kwara state. The Kwara State Polytechnic was closed as a result, while the authorities stated that none of the killings took place on its campuses.

But the truth is that cults have become the new epidemic in our community. While they had been there in the past, they became a menace only after 1999, when politicians began to use them as thugs.

An ethos of violence has also become ingrained in a society of deep inequalities where family values have gradually eroded.

These cults are centres of negative socialisation for young people who have become

increasingly alienated in a state that has consolidated a perverse culture of leadership especially since 2003.

The authorities in government, schools, homes and society have a great role to play in helping to reverse these frightening descents to violence and wanton killing of youth. We cannot sustain the social structure that does not consciously orient our young people in positive directions.

Our society has become so young today, that governance must be built around the needs of the youth. If politicians remain content with using cults as thugs to protect their irresponsible structures of kleptocratic governance, all the stolen money will not protect them from the inevitable wrath. If you sow wind, you will reap whirlwind. Period!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 Recently, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced at the end of its 2015 Combined Policy Meeting that it had adopted a policy whereby surplus applicants to a university for the Unified Tertiar y Matriculation Examinations (UTME) will be redistributed to other universities with lower number of applicants than their capacities.

Expectedly, the policy drew the ire of stakeholders, particularly parents of the applicants, who feared that their children and wards might be redistributed to universities in parts of the country with peculiar security challenges, especially the NorthEast, which has been ravaged by the activities of Boko Haram insurgents for years now.

Many parents equally feared that they might be landed with the option of having their children offered admission into institutions where they could not easily afford the tuition and other expenses. They thus saw the directive as capable of railroading them into situations they had initially avoided through the

Resolving JAMB’s admission controversy choices of institutions made by their children and wards. The hysteria and protests which greeted the directive are quite understandable, given the complexities of a society such as ours.

Late last month, the Federal Government, through the Permanent Secretar y, Federal Ministr y of Education, M r. MacJohn Nwaobiala, announced that it had overruled JAMB on the policy, thus returning the admission quandary to status quo, while at the same time disclosing that government had commenced consultation with the

aim of identifying where adjustments could be made.

JAMB authorities may have been altr uistic with the policy. The overriding concern might also have been to ensure that applicants get into school, even if they were not the candidates’ choice.

However, we urge that urgent, long-term solutions should be found to the admission problem. There are about 140 universities in Nigeria, with a total admission capacity of 450,000. Given that over 1,300,000 candidates wrote the 2015 UTME, it

is certain that more than 800,000 applicants will not find space. This has been a recurring problem which forces many parents to seek admissions for their children in private universities at home and abroad.

Indeed, it is a shame that because of this admission crunch, Nigerians spend close to N160 billion annually educating their children in Ghana alone. It is almost certain that Nigerians spend more than that educating their children in Europe and America and other parts of the world.

The risk of having our children educated by other cultures is that at this rate we are evolving a future generation of Nigerians with little or no empathy for their nation-state.

We are programming ourselves to self-destruct. The trend must be reversed urgently with enduring solutions.

JAMB should consult widely among stakeholders and ensure they institute admission policies that will carry everybody along.

OPINION Buhari and state security matters

By Godwin Etakibuebu

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IGERIANS have tried their very best, since the appointment of Lawal Daura as the Director General of the powerful State Security Services, to keep the discussion in the front-burner.

Argument about the moral crises on the President, Muhammadu Buhari, over the choice of the candidate for that office, is almost becoming over-stretched. While majority passed a damming judgment that such appointment was morally bankrupt as it promotes nepotism; which itself is corruption, others, though in the minority, would not see anything wrong about appointing Lawal Daura as spy master for the government.

However, one thing which is sure is that while the debate rages on, PMB is not bulging, and this is true to the character of the man. Of course, this is where the danger lies though but we need to make one point very clear here and now, which is the fact that no one has made allusion to the fact that Lawal Daura is incompetent or not qualified. The issue on ground is that of morality and legality of the action, which of course puts PMB in the eye of the storm as the culprit rather than the beneficiary of the appointment.

Let us take a little memory lane journey back to the early morning events of January 1st 1984, when Major General Muhammadu Buhari came to power as Military Head of State, as such will help us to understand the man’s mind in his choice of in security

C M Y K

personnel. The dangerous-all-military activities of the night of 31st December, 1983, which saw Buhari being flown into Lagos from Jos [his base as the General Officer Commanding the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army] to meet with his military colleagues that gathered in a situation room at Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, including the few “real coup plotters”, had just ended before 9 a:m of that Sunday 1st January, 1984.

Of course, the military members of the emerging Supreme Military Council had been picked at the Situation Room in Bonny Camp, leaving General Buhari to appoint his Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the National Security Organisation [as the State Security Services was then called]. His first choice for the office of the Inspector General of Police was one Danladi; a top serving police officer and a biological relation of the Head of State, who was on his annual leave in Bauchi town.

Danlandi could not answer the phone call put to him by the Head of State personally as “he was preparing for his prayer”, according to the person who answered the call but assured that “he will call you back when he finishes his prayer”.

Danlandi, told me the story of how he missed becoming the Inspector General of Police personally, in his house in Bauchi during the Police National games of 1986,

It is either blood tie or never good enough to be so appointed

when l paid him a courtesy visit.

Having missed out on Danlandi due to “prayer session”, General Muhammadu Buhari picked his Spy Master – the National Security Organisation’s Director General, in the person of Ambassador Mohammed Lawal Rafindadi, a brilliant diplomatic career and intelligence officer [who had earlier served as Ambassador to West Germany from 1981 to 1983] from around Daura town of Katsina State. Ambassador Rafindadi who died in 2007, served Buhari in that capacity till the latter’s government was over-thrown by the Four-Star General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. Fact of this narrative is the pointer that PMB has a pathological knack for picking his trusted master spies from among only his biological brotherhood neighbours – it is either blood tie or never good enough to be so appointed.

This presentation may not be enough to charge PMB for breaching any legal norms, as some would say, but the point has been adequately made that the big man has a weighty toga of moral crisis hanging on him. This charge of immorality in nepotism, which itself is a justifiable and standing mountain of corruption can better be appreciated if we take one more critical look at the tenure and performances of Lawal Rafindadi under Buhari as a Military Head of State because such critical evaluation may be a pointer to how Lawal Daura [now incumbent of the same office] is most likely to end up with Buhari as a democratically elected President.

While General Buhari conducted the

affairs of this country as a military officer, most politicians were jailed for number of years that defied “human reasons”. How would one understand the wisdom of jailing a man for more than one hundred years for whatever political offence? Yet, that was very common as the Bisi Onabanjo [Governor of Ogun State who was abducted from a University Teaching Hospital after major lungs replacement surgery] typified.

While some died in detention as suspects without trials, others were locked up in prisons throughout the tenure of that government without any offenses preferred against them. Typical example of this was the fact that while the VicePresident, Alex Ekwueme; a man with no constitutionally defined role, was locked up in Kirikiri prison permanently, his boss; the constitutionally elected Executive President of Nigeria [Shehu Shagari] enjoyed the comfort of a cosy “house arrest” in Ikoyi, Lagos.

All abnormalities that defied human logic were as result of the NSO’s notorious arrogance of absurdity in investigative deficiency, as personified by the characteristic of its DG who felt he was “close enough to the big man to be checked by anybody”. By that assumption by Rafindadi, the real culprit and victim of that era became General Buhari. Will same thing repeat itself now with another DG of the SSS who is “too close to the President to be checked”?Will there be any reason for PMB to look and amend a morally defective structure of this appointment.Only time shall tell. *Mr.Etakibuebu, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 27,, 2015— 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Could it be corruption?

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OMETIME in September last year, I came across an interesting article in an online newspaper, accusing the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) of “lying” that it had not received a petition from ARCO, a Nigerian oil services company detailing its travails at the hand of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) over a maintenance contract in the Niger Delta.

What struck me as the sadly typical deadbeat attitude of Nigerian public sector workers was that the ARCO letter calling for the intervention of the NCDMB was th dated May 9 2013, over one year before! It was entitled: “Actualising Local Content Development in Nigeria – A Brief on ARCO’s Experience in the Nigeria Agip Oil Company Maintenance Contract At OBOB/ Kwale/Ebocha Gas Plants”, and addressed to the Secretary of the Board, Ernest Nwapa.

Pray, how could a government agency charged with the job of strengthening the stakes of Nigerian citizens in their own oil industry coldly reply it had not received the petition after over a year it was sent? And since that time, what steps has NCDMB taken to wade into the dispute and resolve

it in accordance with the laws promoting the Nigerian Content?

Even though the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) are said to have severally intervened in favour of ARCO in this dispute, it does not seem to have any restraining effect on NAOC, as the foreign company and one of NNPC’s joint venture partners has pressed on with its apparent determination to drive ARCO out of the oil industry.

What concerns me and should bother all patriotic Nigerians is the unbending temerity of these multinational oil companies which have continued to employ all sorts of dirty tricks to ensure that Nigerians, even those who have the requisite technical qualification and experience, do not break into the epicenter of the industry or survive for long when they get there. These foreigners are chiefly responsible (through their local fronts within and outside the National Assembly) for the failure of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to become law.

In 2002, Exxon Mobil said Akwa Ibom people could not be given top management jobs because they did not have suitably qualified

indigenes. This sparked off protests, and the Akwa Ibom State Government published the names of qualified specialists from the state. Eventually, Mobil appointed an indigene as external relations manager.

But in the case of NAOC, it is employing total brute force against ARCO to push it out of the contract which the NNPC awarded it with ARCO as its technical partner to maintain the abovementioned gas plant.

ARCO and NAOC have actually enjoyed a cozy working relationship for more than thirty years. Things started to fall apart when in 2007 the Niger Delta militants forced expatriate staff of oil companies out of the oilfields.

For more than six month, expatriate staff of NAOC

This matter has now gone beyond just NAOC and ARCO as private businesses. It is now a matter of national urgency requiring the attention of the National Assembly and the Presidency, especially as the court rulings are now barefacedly ignored by a foreign transgressor

Thou shall not steal: Whither the National Peace Committee?

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“ HOU shall not steal”. As expressed in the telling chapters of the Bible, this is the eighth Commandment of God, the disobedience of which has, from early times, been visited with grave consequences as happened when King Ahab of Israel and his wife, Jezebel, caused Naboth the Jezreelite to be stoned to death so that they could take his land (I Kings 21:1-19). By God’s decree, Ahab and Jezebel were paid back in their own exact coins.

In a recent Message, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, dwelt exhaustively on this subject. He observed that it is now common for people to rebrand a particular evil so that the full weight of the evil is not felt by their conscience.

Adeboye, however, maintained that rebranding prostitutes as commercial sex workers or calling the sexually transmitted disease “gentleman’s disease” would not change them from what they are before God. Similarly, describing stealing as “taking” does not make it less evil and removing stealing from the corruption bracket would not alter the equation either. Anything you take without the permission of its rightful owner is stealing.

Initially, President Muhammadu Buhari was intent on making a clean start, without looking at the past. But a peep into the books soon revealed how the nation’s patrimony was shared among a few people under former President Goodluck Jonathan, to the extent that some of those individuals became richer than the Federal Government.

And here was Buhari who was elected on the solemn pledge to reduce corruption to the barest minimum and to make the path to corruption unattractive. It therefore became incumbent on him to probe further into the Jonathan administration.

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Objections began to come in from various directions. To Jonathan and his cotravellers, Buhari’s war against corruption is good but it should not be limited to Jonathan’s administration. Buhari should go back to 1999.

The idea here was to push Buhari into a wild goose chase; and let him spend his entire tenure investigating others without executing his own programmes.

These advocates of backward integration are perhaps unaware that probes are not time-barred. Otherwise, they would have been pushing Buhari to take his probe back to 1960, our year of independence or, better still, to the 1914 amalgamation!

Many Nigerians are uncomfortable with the fact that for some time now, President Buhari has been receiving visitors ostensibly on matters related to his plans to expose those who fiddled with the nation’s wealth. During the visit of former President Jonathan, he was reported to have brought up the ordeal of his former aides in the hands of security agencies – former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; the former Chief Security Officer, Gordon Obua; and some of the Ministers – who are said to have been invited as a probe has been launched for large-scale malfeasance under Jonathan.

Thereafter, the General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee

The National Peace Committee must be reminded that its time is up

abandoned the OBOB/Kwale/ Ebocha gas plants, and ARCO’s local engineers were able to successfully maintain the facility until the crisis was over. When NAOC’s expatriate staff returned to the fields to find their facilities in perfect working shape, the company commended ARCO, but probably also feared that indigenous company was now good enough to pose a threat to its stranglehold on that section of the industry.

NAOC then launched wars of attrition. First, they poached many of ARCO’s engineers and precipitated Labour crisis in the company through discriminatory allowances to engineers on the gas plant with a view to grounding the indigenous company. They downgraded ARCO from a technical partner to a subcontractor and brought in a Nigeria-based Italian company, Plantgeria, to drain ARCO’s experts and muscle it out of business. NAOC, in total disregard of the directives of the NNPC/NAPIMS that ARCO should continue to maintain the gas plants, ordered ARCO’s engineers out of the plants, a move that could throw the indigenous company’s over 400 highly specialised staff out of work.

ARCO went to court to seek legal redress. The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice Lambo Akanbi, fixed the next th hearing of the case for October 26 , 2015. His injunction for all parties to maintain the status quo was violated by NAOC, which is determined to force ARCO’s engineers off the gas plant.

Now, we go back to the question: why is it that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content

went to Aso Rock Villa to confer with Buhari.

From the innuendos and insinuations of the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, it was clear that the Committee had mediated at the instance of Jonathan.

Kukah insinuated that President Buhari should spend more time addressing the country’s problems, reiterating that, after all, Jonathan deserves commendation for his “spectacular act” of conceding defeat at the March presidential election. He subtly upbraided Buhari for “frittering away” the goodwill engendered by Jonathan’s concession.

We have no objection to the Committee but it is unacceptable that a matter that came up during the election and on which the electorate spoke out loud and clear should be made a subject of undue interference, particularly after the inauguration of the administration.

President Buhari solicited for, and got, the support of Nigerians in the fight against corruption. He is on the right path. We commend his resolve to take those against whom prima facie cases have been established speedily through the courts.

That is what Nigerians are looking forward to. Let no one derail this move. Anyone asking the President to soft-pedal on this fight certainly means harm for the nation. Such is worthy of condemnation in heaven and on earth and in all Nigerian languages!

We also commend President Buhari for setting up the Prof. Itse Sagay Advisory Committee against Corruption. This Committee will provide the balancing-act and the necessary intellectual input.

The National Peace Committee must be reminded that its time is up. This is an adhoc Committee that was self-appointed.

Development Act (NOGID, otherwise known as the Nigerian Content Act of 2010) has not been brought to bear on this expensive tussle? The law provides for the preferential consideration of indigenous operators which demonstrate possession of equipment, qualified staff and capacity in the award of contracts in our oilfields and for the maintenance of oil facilities. There is nowhere in the law or any other Act where a foreign oil company is empowered to flagrantly violate the rights of local oil service firms and operate in contempt of the courts of the land with impunity.

This matter has now gone beyond just NAOC and ARCO as private businesses. It is now a matter of national urgency requiring the attention of the National Assembly and the Presidency, especially as the court rulings are now barefacedly ignored by a foreign transgressor. It is time for the federal government to find out why the regulators of the oil industry cannot seem able to rein in a rampaging multinational, which bolted when the militants struck, abandoning the plants only to come back when trouble was over. ARCO stood in the gap and justified the vision of putting more Nigerians in the industry.

When things like these happen and public officers abdicate their responsibilities, corruption is usually not far from the picture.

The Presidency and National Assembly should find out why the laws on boosting Nigerian content are not being enforced here.

Unless we consciously hand over our oil industry to qualified and competent Nigerians, we will never really be able to enjoy the full benefits of being an oilproducing nation.

Admittedly, it did a good job. But it has since accomplished its task.

Naturally, the law of diminishing utility has set in and the Committee has largely outlived its usefulness.

For effect, the Committee should know that the time has come to disband itself so that members could retain what remains of their self-respect.

The idea of conceding defeat is novel in Nigeria and it is good. But let no one stretch it beyond reason. After all, in the face of civilisation, what is so spectacular about a defeated person accepting defeat in just the same way that a winner accepts victory?

Shall we continue to celebrate the loser over and above the winner who is also magnanimous in victory? Or, was there a pre-arrangement that the loser should not accept defeat? Should his concession now become atonement for all iniquities?

Is the anointing still flowing? It is in Nigeria’s larger interest that those Bishops do not abdicate the business of soul-winning and soul-saving. Rather than engaging in the misadventure of “Pull-Buhari-Down”, they should embrace the Adeboye-type crusade of spreading the gospel of “Thou shall not steal” because the soul that steals shall certainly die!

History shows no mercy for duplicity. The problem before Nigeria today is of epic proportion and failure is not an option. All Nigerians of goodwill must support President Buhari in his effort to trace and return to the Nigerian people all monies stolen from them by officials of the Jonathan administration.

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, AUGUST 27, 2015

Non-payment of compensation for acquired land:

A’Ibom communities cry out •Want Gov Udom Emmanuel to intervene

By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

T

HE happiness of the people ofItuLocalGovernmentArea of Akwa Ibom State knew no bounds when Governor Udom Emmanuel on July 13, 2015 performed the ground breaking of an Armored Car Personnel Carrier Plant to be managed by an Israeli Company, Mimshac Merkavin Transportation Technologies.

However, the issue of nonpayment of compensation to land owners for 15 hectares out of the 20 hectares acquired by the state government for the project is currently generating heat among the people of the area.

Vanguard Metro, VM, gathered thattheacquired20hectaresofland belonged to different individual families from the three villages of Ekim Itam, Ikot Ukap and Obong Itam. It was gathered that the state government has only paid compensation for acquiring 5.3 hectareswhichitinitiallynegotiated for and later returned for additional 15 hecatres which it reportedly acquired without the knowledge and proper negotiation with the owners of the land.

VM learnt that the additional 15 hectares belonged to different families of Ekim Itam and Obong Itam communities.

Payment of compensation The families who own this additional 15 hectares have now risen to ask why government representativesdidnotconsultthem the way they did with owners of the 5.3 hectares before acquiring it.

The aggrieved land owners are also seeking explanation on why the state government would advertise for 20 hectares of land and then decided to negotiate and pay compensation for only 5.3 hectares and to come back later for another 15hectares claiming that it had paid already compensation for it.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved families of Obong Itam, Mr. George Ukwo said that they were not going to fight government, rather that they were trying to draw the attention of the Governor to the matter, while appreciating the state chief executive for bringing such a laudable project to their community and assured him that they would cooperate by allowing the foreign contractors to handle the project in peace.

Ukwo shed more light on the land issue saying: “We believe that the Governor must have been wrongly informed about the situation of C M Y K

*A section of the contentious 20 hectares land at Itu LGA, Akwa Ibom State things. And the situation is that the three communities of Obong Itam, EkimandIkotUkamhaveverylarge hectares of land and government now came and negotiated that it wanted to acquire the first part which is 5.3 hectares. So when government representatives came, they told the people that owned that portion of land to count the economic crops on the land so as to compensate them.

“After that they compensated the people that owned the 5.3 hectares of land. But with regard to the other section of the land, nobody in the two villages that owned it has collected one naira. In fact, it was on the day of the ground breaking that we noticed a group of surveyors enter into the section of land and before we knew what was happening they started clearing the whole area and made another expansion which was about 15 hectares.

“Initially we thought that they were just demarcating the land and will come back to meet us for the additional portion of land. We waited patiently but the next thing we saw was that they had cleared the whole land and we now asked why? But no answer was given to us. But we later heard that the government officials said that they had already paid compensation for the whole land and that they advertised for 20 hectares.

“Personally I did not see the advertorial but some of our brothers said they saw it. But we told them that there is a difference between advertising for 20 hectares and then

coming to acquire 5.3 hecatres where they actually put beacon stone. I want to clearly state that the 5.3 hectares is never under contention because the owners were paid compensation. The problem now is the additional 15 hectares owned by Ekim and Obong communities that government on their own added to the 5.3 hectares.”

Explaining further, he said: “Now these families that the 15 hectares of land belongs to just want that little compensation to be paid them.

So we appeal to the Governor to come in so as to settle this issue and ensure the people are adequately paid compensation due to them.

AlsoIwanttoappealtotheforeign contractor handling this project to

The aggrieved land owners are seeking explanation on why the state government would advertise for 20 hectares of land and then decided to negotiate and pay compensation for only 5.3 hectares

feel free and comfortable in our community. And to the host communities, I appeal that you be patient with the government and with us their leaders working on their behalf. We know that the truth over this matter will surely come out soon.”

Mr. Edet Akpan, one of the land owners said they are not satisfied with the wrong approach adopted in acquiring it and advised that government should come and make sure due process was used in acquiring the land.

Land from Ekim Itam “We are simply saying this is a wrong approach to acquiring land.

So government should come and make sure the right thing is done.

This is not the first community that government has acquired land for project execution in this community. There is existing law in this country that states how land should be acquired and how compensation should be paid adequately to owners of acquired lands”.

On his part, a member of the committee set up to investigate and give recommendations regarding the land from Ekim Itam, Mr. Samuel Uya, demanded that there must be explanation over what transpired in the land negotiation and wondered why government should pay compensation for only 5.3 hectares of land it acquired and went ahead to advertise for 20 hectares in the papers only to return

toacquiremoreportion of land without the knowledge of the community.

A human rights Group, Community Policing Partners for Justice, Security and Democratic Reforms COMPPARTinaletter by its Executive Director Mr. Saviour Akpan advised the governor to ensure his reputation and the image of the state were not dragged in the mud following shameful actions of some disgruntled elements working under his government by taking appropriate action to ensure that justice was done over the matter.

“Development like thisdoesnotspeakwell of the state and the governor before the partners as it will seem tobeanindictmentthat the governor himself is running a lassie faire system of government where anybody within his cabinet can wake up and do whateverheorshelikesinthename of government.

Public policy “Law is made for man and not man for the law. A contract is illegal if the consideration of the promise involves doing something illegal or contrary to public policy, and such that is rooted in illegality must not be pleaded and if pleaded cannot be enforced by any court of law, meaning that since government is in need of 20 hectares of land and the people are not against it, they should be properly compensated for the economic trees. Playing with their collective intelligence is unnecessary no matter what the perpetrators are claiming.

“It is very shameful that some persons that are supposed to be the people and government representatives would go and survey only 5hectares of land and later went back to claim an additional 15hectares wherein they failedtoadequatelycompensatethe people but which government had made provision for.

“For the governor to be sure that justice is done, he should set up a high powered committee to take care of issues of compensation with regards to this an any other project of similar magnitude in the state forthwith outside of the Ministry of Lands and that of Finance which a lot of vested interest are seriously working against the people.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

CBN, court approve Heritage, Enterprise Banks’ merger

By Babajide Komolafe

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted final approval for the merger of Heritage Bank and Enterprise Bank. Furthermore, the Federal High Court has sanctioned the scheme of merger and ordered the merger of both institutions.

“The Management of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the grant of Final Merger Approval to Heritage Banking Company Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited and the licence of HERITAGE BANK LIMITED (the successor), the CBN said in a letter to Heritage Bank.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, “We’re pleased with the final approval of the merger of the two institutions. The stage is now set for us to achieve the vision of a bigger and better Bank that offers world class banking services designed to help customers to create, preserve and transfer wealth”.

Sekibo added “With this acquisition, the new Heritage Bank is better positioned to offer unparalleled banking services which spread across over 200 branches, 177 ATMs, 57 Cash Centres and 2000 POS Terminals in 26 states.

“We shall harness the better of the two worlds combined in terms of our innovative products, bespoke technology and extended branch network manned by a team of tenacious people; as this automatically transforms our bank from a tier-

T

REWARD: From left, Head, Strategic Brand Management Skye Bank, Nduneche Ezurike;

Priority Banking Officer, Skye Bank, Joseph Udo; winner of N1 million category, a civil servant at the Lagos State Secretariat, Mr. Kazeem Adewale and Head, Retail Banking, Skye Bank, Nkolika Okoli at the presentation of cheques to winners of the on-going “Reach For The Skye Millionaire” Reward Scheme, in Lagos.

2 player to a strong tier-1 player that is ONE! BIGGER! BETTER. “As we integrate into a larger bank, we assure our esteemed customers that this strategic stride is ultimately to serve them better. We affirm our commitment to all stakeholders that we will continue to deliver on our promise of creating and preserving wealth across generations through highly personalised service.”

Heritage Bank had, on October 15, 2014, made history with the successful completion of the acquisition of Enterprise Bank, after investing about N56 billion in the deal. A federal high court sitting in Lagos on July 27th 2015 ordered an Extra-ordinary General

CURRENCY DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL SDR KRONA

G

119.2

2.15

$3,100.00

-13.00

$10.61

+0.01

+0.08

39.06 BUYING

-0.25

CENTRAL

196 196.5 309.4448 310.2342 225.4196 225.9947 207.9134 208.4438 1.6324 1.6365 0.315 0.325 274.5032 275.2034 30.5553 30.6337 52.2388 52.3721 278.7708 279.482 30.2003 30.2773

197 311.0236 226.5697 208.9742 1.6407 0.335 275.9037 30.7121 52.5053 280.1931 30.3544

CBN Exchange Rate as at 25/ 08 /15

C M Y K

W/Bank to disburse $140m to 26 states for community devt

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

Meeting of all the parties to the deal. This was held on Wednesday, August 12th August, 2015, where the shareholders of the merging banks sealed the deal.

As a brand built on a legacy

As we integrate into a larger bank, we assure our esteemed customers that this strategic stride is ultimately to serve them better

of innovation, Heritage Bank recently achieved a milestone with the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification award in recognition of its commitment to effective and secured financial system.

The bank has also set a record as the only bank in Nigeria to get this certification award in less than three years of operation. It has, by this certification, joined the league of big players already certified in the industry, including the CBN. “The legacy of innovation was reinforced when the bank received the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, PCI DSS certification, in addition to the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 award.”

Nigerian economy slows in Q2

$43.29

— 21

rowth in the N i g e r i a n economy, Africa’s largest, slowed in the second quarter due to the slump in oil prices, the NBS office said.

Gross domestic product expanded 2.35 percent on an annual basis, compared with 3.96 percent a quarter earlier, the head of the National Bureau of Statistics, Yemi Kale, said on his Twitter account on Tuesday.

The oil industry contracted 6.8 percent, Kale said.

“This is not a good result for Nigeria,”

Alan Cameron, a Londonbased economist atExotix Partners LLP, said in e-mailed comments. “Moreover, with policy rates stuck at high levels, and fiscal policy being tightened automatically through lower statutory oil disbursements, it is hard to see any catalyst for improvement.”

The central bank raised its key interest rate to a record high of 13 percent in November, since when inflation has accelerated beyond the bank’s target band of 6 to 9 percent.

The government “can no longer pretend that this is just business as usual with a minor or temporary slowdown,” Cameron said.

The oil-price slump has forced Africa’s top crude

producer to cut its budget and deplete foreign-currency reserves to stem depreciation in the currency, which has declined 7.8 percent against the dollar this year. T h e Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index fell to the lowest in six months on Tuesday on concern that oil prices near a six-year low will deepen the country’s economic challenges.

Manufacturing contracted by 3.8 percent during the quarter, compared with growth of 14 percent a year ago, Kale said.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office in May in the country ’s first democratic transfer of power, has yet to name a cabinet and hasn’t articulated his economic vision for the nation.

he World Bank is now set to disburse $ 140 million (about N29 billion) to 26 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, under the Community and Social Development Project, CSDP. The project had disbursed $200 million from 2009 to 2014 in the first phase of the project according to, the World Bank Task Team Leader for the project, Dr. Foluso Okunmadewa.

States to benefit from the additional financing will focus on the most vulnerable households in poor communities in the country.

The 26 states include Anambra, Cross River, Edo, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kastina, Kogi Ondo and Sokoto.

The additional financing is expected to fund microproject facilities such as rehabilitation and construction of school class rooms, health centers and clinics, skills acquisition, rural electrification, rural transport, community water schemes, community housing schemes, rural market infrastructure to mention but a few.

Vulnerable groups will also benefit from special grants in the projects. Such groups include internally displaced poor persons, marginalized or chronically poor households, widows and the physically challenged.

According to Dr. Okunmadewa, “This project will not only help vulnerable people in the short term, including those in conflictaffected areas, but will also help build and rebuild longlasting partnership between local governments and communities. In addition, it will help integrate communities as well as make smart investments in people for the future,” The first phase of the World Bank funding of the Community Social Development Project (CSDP) which benefited over 5,600 communities and about 2 million people in the participating states of federation was fully disbursed by December 2014.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

All entrepreneurs are business persons, but not all business persons are entrepreneurs

,

,

Who is an entrepreneur?

A

n entrepreneur is a person who develops a new idea and takes the risk of setting up an enterprise to produce a product or service which satisfies customer needs. All entrepreneurs are business persons, but not all business persons are entrepreneurs. Think of a woman who sits by the roadside and who has been selling the same type of food, from the same size of saucepan or pot, from the same table top, and may not have been able to change her standard of living to any appreciable extent. She may be a business person but not an entrepreneur.

The entrepreneur, on the other hand, is the business person who is always finding ways to improve and grow. A successful entrepreneur possesses the following characteristics, which differentiate him/her from a business person.

Initiative An entrepreneur takes actions that goes beyond job requirements or the demand of the situation.They Crate ideas that bring about phenomenal changes Opportunity seeking An entrepreneur is quick to see and seize opportunities.

He/she does things before he/ she is asked to work by people or forced by situation.

Persistence An entrepreneur is not discouraged by difficulties and problems that come up in the business or his/her personal life. Once she sets a goal she is committed to the goal and will become completely absorbed in it.

Information seeking An entrepreneur undertakes personal research on how to satisfy customers and solve problems. He/she knows that different people have different capabilities that can be of help to them. He/she seeks relevant information from his/her clients, suppliers, competitors and others. He/she always wants to learn things which will help the business to grow.

Demand for quality and efficiency An entrepreneur is always competing with others to do things better, faster, and at less cost he/she strives to achieve excellence.

Risk taking Are you afraid of uncertainties? Then you

cannot be an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs are not high risk takers. They are also not gamblers; they calculate their risks before taking action.

They place themselves in situations involving moderate risk so they are moderate risk takers.

Goal setting An entrepreneur sets meaningful and challenging goals for him/herself. An entrepreneur does not just dream. Him/she thinks and plans what he/she does. He/ she is certain or has hope about the future.

Commitment to work An entrepreneur will work long hours after into the night just to be able to keep his/her promise to his/her client.

He/she does the work together with his/her

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (26/08/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

196

196.5

197

305.3876 222.95 206.8165 1.6357 0.3247 278.0593 30.5644 52.2388 30.2003 278.7708

306.1667 223.5188 207.3441 1.6398 0.3347 278.7687 30.6428 52.3721 30.2773 279.482

306.9457 224.0875 207.8717 1.644 0.3447 279.478 30.7212 52.5053 30.3544 280.1931

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Agencies that support business in Nigeria Non-metallic mineral products and; Motor vehicle and miscellaneous assembly.

The entrepreneur is the business person who is always finding ways to improve and grow workers to get a job done.

He/she knows how to make people happy to work for him/her due his/her dynamic leadership.

Systematic planning and monitoring An entrepreneur plans for whatever he/she expects in the business. He/she does not leave things to luck. He/ she plans by breaking large tasks down into small once and puts time limits against them.

Since and entrepreneur knows what to expect at anytime he/she is able to change plans and strategies to achieve what he/she aims at.

Persuasion and networking An entrepreneur acts to develop and maintain business contacts by establishing good working relationship. Uses deliberate strategies to influence others.

Independence and self confidence Most entrepreneurs start business because they like to be their own boss. They are responsible for their own decisions.

Commod Light Crud

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

E

ntrepreneurship has to do with identifying gaps and business opportunities in one’s immediate environment and bringing together the necessary resources in an innovative way to fill those gaps, bearing the risks involved and in the process gaining personal rewards.

Information is a veritable source of entrepreneurship development, therefore entrepreneurs need to be regularly reminded of the basic functional areas regarding their enterprises so as to be up to date and be efficient and effective managers. There are many agencies, both public and private, that have been set up to enhance the performance of entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

M a n u f a c t u r e r Association of Nigeria

(MAN) MAN was established as a national industrial association in 1971 to encourage the patronage of Nigerian made products by Nigerians and foreigners; encourage high standard of quality for member’s products through the collation and the provision of advice and; to provide avenue for manufacturers to formulate and influence general policy, in regard to industrial matters.

Its activities are focused on sectoral group interactions.

The association’s sectoral groups include: Food, Beverages and Tobacco; Chemicals and pharmaceutical; Domestic and industrial plastic, rubber and foam; Basic metal, iron and steel, and fabricated metal products and; Pulp, paper and paper products, printing and publishing. Others are: Electrical and electronics; Textile, weaving, apparel, carpet, leather and leather footwear; Wood and wood products including furniture;

National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) NASME is a private sector organisation, with members drawn from small and medium scale enterprises. It is devoted to networking, capacity building, policy advocacy and promotion of performance of its members firms and operators. It works to improve the welfare of its members and make input in industrial policy. Analysis and publications from NAMSE on business environment, competitive enlightenment and policy making are useful to Nigerian entrepreneurs.

Nigerian Association of Chambers Of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) NACCIMA is a voluntary association of manufacturers,

There are many agencies set up to enhance the performance of entrepreneurs in Nigeria

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 23

,

& YOU

dity de

Gas

COMMODITIES (26/08/15) Last 39.11

Change ($) -0.20

% Change -0.51

2.69

0.00

+0.04

10.61

+0.01

+0.09

117.95

+0.90

+0.77

3,087.00

-26.00

-0.84

merchants, mines, farmers, financiers, industrialists, trade groups who network together for the principal objectives of promoting, protecting and improving business environment for micro and macro benefits.

The first Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries was founded in 1888 while NACCIMA, the umbrella organisation for all chambers of Commerce in Nigeria was established in 1960. The roles of NACCIMA includes: providing a network of national and international business contacts and opportunities and; promoting and developing all matters affecting commerce, industry, mines and agriculture and other forms of private economic activities in the country.

It also considers legislative and other measures affecting commerce, industry, mines and agriculture in Nigeria.

Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) NEPC was established in 1976 to minimize the bureaucratic bottlenecks and increase autonomy in dealing with members of the organized private sector. Its goal and mission are to make the non-oil export sector a significant contributor to Nigeria’s GDP and to facilitate opportunities for exporters to promote sustainable economic development.

Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) RMRDC is vested with the mandate to promote the development and utilisation of Nigeria’s industrial raw materials. It is the nation’s focal point for the development and utilisation of the nation’s vast industrial raw materials. The council is

also meant to encourage industries to substitute local raw materials for imported ones.

National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) NAPEP was established in 2001 by the federal government aimed at ensuring poverty reduction in the country. It coordinates and oversees various other institutions, including ministries, and develops plans and guidelines for them to follow with regards to poverty reduction. The goals of NAPEP include training youths in vocational trades, to support internship, micro-credit, and create employment in the automobile industry.

Small and Medium E n t e r p r i s e s Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) SMEDAN was established to promote the development of micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. Its mission is to facilitate the access of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs/investors to all resources required for their development. Its vision is to establish a structured and efficient micro, small and medium enterprises sector that will enhance sustainable development in Nigeria.

SMEDAN’s functions include: Stimulating, Monitoring and Coordinating the development of the MSMEs sector; Initiating and articulating policy ideas for micro, small and medium enterprises growth and development; Promoting and facilitating development programmes, instruments and support services to accelerate the development and modernisation of MSME operation; Serving as vanguard for rural industrialisation, poverty reduction and job creatioin.

The notion of either staying small or big should not be the focus.

Whether you are big or small, the key thing is GROWTH

,

Your organisation's size doesn't really matter By ‘Uju Onwuzulike

Organisations have two choices to make, either to stay in the “Maintenance Mode” and stop growing or to step into the “Growth Mode.”

In the end, the customer doesn’t know, or care, if you are small or large as an organisation.. she or he only focuses on the garment hanging on the rail in the store … Giorgio Armani

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

W

ith the rate of change in the business world today, having the mindset or perception that one’s organisation is big or small may not be strategic and in the best interest of any organisation. Forward looking organisations and also those that are strategic in all facets of their operations focus only on GROWTH. They keep asking the pertinent question: how do we grow the more regardless of people’s perception of our size?

We have heard and seen over the years, stories of global companies who taught they were so big, have arrived, and were invincible abound. Much to our chagrin, some of them went under due to one insidious act or the other.

When we take wrong actions in organisations, they tend to create “unintended consequences”. Sadly, one or two of such can sink the organisation. We do not intend to write names of such failed global companies.

On the other hand, companies that always think they are small (and cannot make major business impact) will only succeed in limiting their business growth potentials. They may not be able to move to the next level of growth.

Today, we have lists of businesses that started small and have grown to become global players.

You might ask, if we are not to focus on being big or

Any organisation that 'sleeps' when others are running may not have the growth mentality

small, what should be our focus? The answer is simple; your focus MUST be on GROWTH. Companies that are perceived to be “big (by which ever standard) can grow more and more. On the other hand, companies that are perceived to be small today can equally outgrow big companies in the future.

So let us re-shift our thinking to Growth mentality.

A

ny organisation that ‘sleeps’ when others are running may not have the growth mentality (“when the rate of change on the outside exceeds the inside, the end is near”). The only way to retain control over your business is by growing, and this is because businesses and customer needs are ever dynamic and will continue to be. The truth is that “no organisation is too big to fail”.

Organisations in the “Maintenance Mode” will experience the following: Your competitors catch up with you or take up your position. Your revenue drops. Your products or services might become old fashioned. Your employee’s sense of creativity and innovation stifles.

Points to ponder: The notion of either staying small or big should not be the focus. Whether you are big or small, the key thing is GROWTH. The only way to retain control over your business is by GROWING. Have you seen any organisation that has “we have arrived” status?

The answer is No. Final Note: There is no better time to grow your organisation than now. Long term growth will not be achieved by doing things the old way. It will never be achieved by “piecemeal” or analytical way of doing things, because it creates unintended consequences for the company. Most times, they are difficult to handle.

Growing an organisation requires using “Systems Thinking Approach” – where everybody’s focus is entirely on the organisation, and not on self or some parts of the organisation. Achieving this focus or goal is sometimes hard for some people, but it MUST be achieved.

Call or email us for your views or perspectives.

Email:uju@hainescentre.com Mobile: 09091142093

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

SA ConsulGeneral commends Diamond Bank’s ebanking strides

S

MEETING: From left, Senior Manager, Business Development, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Henry Okoede; immediate past President, HealthCare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN), Dr. Adenike Olaniba; National President, Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Umar Sanda and Manager, Premium Segment, MTN Nigeria, Ms. Pamela Imodi at the mid year meeting of HCPAN, in Lagos.

GIABA: Combating money laundering beyond legislative imperatives Stories by Jonah Nwokpoku

M

oney laundering, a term used to describe the process by which criminals transform crime proceeds into legitimate assets, has been a challenge confronting most developing African states.

Money laundering is always an offshoot of criminal activities like drug and human trafficking, oil theft, bribery and embezzlement, contraband smuggling, bank robberies, bank fraud, real estate fraud, identity theft, advance fee fraud, etc.

Proceeds of these crimes always found its way back into the financial system as legitimate funds, with the propensity of seriously corrupting and undermining the functioning of public and private institutions.

These converted proceeds also empower these criminals for more dangerous organised crimes, including financing of terrorism.

It is to curb this scourge and check the threat posed by money laundering to the West African region that the Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa, GIABA, was established in 2000 by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS. Money laundering, according to GIABA in its 2013 annual report, generally operates within a triangle of illicit activity, illicit money, and power control.

According to the report, “Organized criminals derive considerable profits from their criminal activities, thereby enabling them to buy off public officials, employees of banks and other financial institutions, lawyers, etc., leading to the compromise of Anti Money Laundering/Counter Financing of

Terrorism, AML/CFT systems and procedures. Thus, illicit money can be used to undermine AML/ CFT efforts across the political, supervisory, enforcement, prosecutorial, judicial and social spectrum, and, by extension, to threaten the integrity of political and judicial systems as well as the stability of national and international financial systems. It is therefore necessary that efforts put in place to control organized crime are well coordinated and sustained at national, regional and international levels.”

The body, among other things ensures the adoption of standards against money laundering/ Terrorism Financing ML/TF in accordance with acceptable international standards and practices, including the FATF Recommendations.”

To meet these obligations and other recommendations, member states including Nigeria, have responded with tough legislations.

For instance, Nigeria enacted the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013. Nigeria also issued the Terrorism Prevention (Freezing of International Terrorist Funds and Other Related Measures) Regulations 2011.

The country has also addressed a deficiency relating to Recommendation 5 of the revised Financial Action Task Force, FATF Standards, which criminalizes terrorist financing, including the financing of a terrorist organization and an individual terrorist, and covers issues relating to terrorist funds, use of funds, intentional elements of the terrorist financing offence, location of the offender, ancillary offences, predicate offences of

money laundering, liability of legal persons, and sanctions.

But in spite of these legislative measures, financial crimes and terrorism in Nigeria and across the West African region, has more than doubled over the past five years.

It was in this vein that experts on money laundering including GIABA are beginning to consider measures beyond tough legislations in the fight against ML/FT. Director General, GIABA, Mr. Adama Coulibaly, while speaking at the third regional sensitisation workshop on anti money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism for civil society organisations held in Lagos recently argued that tough legislations alone cannot effectively address the challenge but a concerted efforts and involvement of all in the society.

According to him, “Strong legislations against money laundering alone is no longer enough to combat the scourge.

The fight against money laundering and terrorist financing should be analysed

There is need to build capacity of all stakeholders, improve reforms in the banking and financial sector to support existing legislations

within the framework of the security of states. It is a collective struggle that calls for individual and community involvement in an all-inclusive manner.”

He said there is need to build capacity of all stakeholders, improve reforms in the banking and financial sector to support existing legislations and that governments within the region need to establish structures and endow them with legislative infrastructure needed to effectively checkmate money laundering.

Also speaking, the Director General, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, NIIA Prof.

Bola Akinterinwa, in a keynote address said mobilising total societal support has remained a key challenge militating against combating money laundering and financing of terrorism.

Akinterinwa who was represented by Prof. Osita Ogbu, said: “Implementing comprehensive anti money laundering policies in the context of developing countries presents some unique challenges. All countries face certain challenges in fully implementing the Financial Action Task Force, FATF 40+9 recommendations, but the capacity and the resource constraints of low income countries, such as Nigeria and countries of the ECOWAS, make it particularly difficult for them to implement all the necessary measures simultaneously. It is in this vein that the societal context presents unique opportunities which could, and should be optimally exploited.”

outh Africa Consul General, Ambassador Mokgethi Monaisa, has lauded Diamond Bank Plc’s bold digital banking initiatives, saying that businessmen and businesswomen from his home country would continue to patronise and enjoy the excellent electronic banking services, which has put the Bank ahead of others.

Speaking during a reception dinner organised by the Bank for a team of South African business delegation to Nigeria, who were on an Outward Selling and Investment Mission (OSIM), Mokgethi stated that when he arrived in Nigeria a few years ago, he and his team found financial home in Diamond Bank as a result of the quality of its financial products, customer friendly workforce and well developed digital banking services.

“When I arrived Nigeria in 2012, Diamond Bank Plc was the only bank that rendered the kind of excellent electronic banking that we were used to in South Africa.”

Winners laud FCMB’s empowerment initiative

F

IRST City Monument Bank, FCMB Limited, has continued to receive commendations for consistently initiating and supporting activities designed to empower the society.

Mr. Nkem Egwuonwu and Mrs. Philomena Ewohimen, the winners of N5 million and N1 million, respectively, at the grand finale of the Lagos & South-West Regional draw of the FCMB Millionaire Promo held on August 19, 2015 across the country commended the bank for empowering them.

Speaking during the cheque presentation ceremony in Lagos, Mr. Egwuonwu described FCMB as a true partner in progress.

He said, “One of the hallmarks of any responsible corporate organisation is the ability to maximize the wealth of its customers. FCMB has continued to show over the years that it is committed to help customers grow.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 —25

By Dayo Adesulu, Ebele Orakpo, Tare Youdeowei, Elizabeth Uwandu & Covenant William

I

T is widely believed that education is the best legacy parents can bequeath to their children. Thus, in nations like the US, Sweden and the Philippines, education is compulsory to a certain level for citizens. For many parents in developing countries who know the importance of education, though poor and uneducated, they can sell their property or go a borrowing to pay their children's school fees.

The major challenge today is that salaries are not adequate to take care of basic needs, not to talk of paying school fees. For those who struggled to save some money, the savings are inadequate to pay the high fees charged by schools. Despite this, a very small percentage of the population can afford to pay millions of naira as school fees for their children in nursery schools. Some parents even plead with school owners to increase their fees, especially in private schools.

State owned universities Thus, in many nursery, primary and secondary schools, parents pay between N500,000 and N1 million a term. Tertiary institutions are not left out, especially the private and stateowned universities. In many Nigerian private varsities, parents pay between N500,000 and N1.5m per session, just as some state universities pay between N150,000 and N250,000 depending on the course of study. Only students of federal universities pay relatively low fees.

In this report, Vanguard Learning sought the opinions of stakeholders on what this portends for the common man and the nation with N18,000 minimum wage and many states still owing their workers.

Just last week, a law student (names withheld) in Babcock

Students' use of technology has not reflected in their learning PG. 27

JAMB in a jam (2) PG. 28 C M Y K

What does the future hold for these children?

HIKE IN VARSITY FEES: What does the future hold for our children? World Class education not cheap — Varsities Lecturers justify high fees High fees deprive access to education—Parents University whose fees suddenly rose to N1.5m from N950,000 without notice, decided to quit. According to her, her parents could not afford the exorbitant fees. In addition to this, she said N340,000 must be paid by students for summer courses which are not part of the credit load. Funny enough, institutions with these outrageous fees often deny this amount if contacted as they refer one to their websites.

Unfortunately, the amount they

have on the websites is different from what they charge parents.

Tuition in private varsities range from N300,000 to N2.5m.

Oduduwa University - N356,000; Crawford University - N400,000 to N600,000 depending on course. Madonna Varsity's Medicine is N1m. Redeemer's University - N545,000 to N605,000. Bowen University N500,000 to N750, 000; Afe Babalola - N675,000 to N1,075,000; Babcock University

- N620,000 to N3m; Benson Idahosa University Benin N500,000 to N800,000 depending on course; Fountain University, Osogbo N341,000.00 per session for all courses; Igbinedion University - N540,000 to N800,000.

Public tertiary institutions for reshers cost N50,000 and above.

University of Lagos is N55,000 for Sciences and N50,000 for nonsciences. Obafemi Awolowo University - N60,000; Nnamdi

Azikiwe University - N65,920 for Sciences and N60, 920 for nonsciences. University of Uyo N60,000 for medical, engineering and some courses in the faculty of Arts, others pay N50,000.

UNIOSUN - N950,000; Enugu State University - N124,900 for all levels and N10,500 for late payment; Federal University of Technology Akure - N83,940. Ekiti State University - N77, 500 for regular and N78,000 for part-time students and Federal University Oye-Ekiti takes N102,000.

Lecturers justify

Continues on Page 26

WAEC tasks FG on review of education policy

By Laide Akinboade-Oriere

A

BUJA - Worried by incessant mass failure of candidates in examinations in Nigeria, West African Examination Council, WAEC, has challenged the Federal Government to review the nation's education policy to create a comparable standard among the 36 states.

The Regional Head of WAEC Nigeria, Mr. Charles Egurudi stated this in Abuja while speaking to journalists on conduct of WAEC examinations in Nigeria and international practice of test on students.

Speaking on high ranking of Nigeria‘s position in examination malpractice, Egurudi said Nigeria being the largest contributor of candidates to the regional examination, the country records the

highest cases of malpractice.

He said that the nature and patterns of examination malpractice in Nigeria have become sophisticated, noting that candidates have resorted to self help. He said the Council in Nigeria, recently introduced a special technology that has the capacity to access biometrics, photographs on the certificate and the seal all to ensure that individual's certificate is indeed from WAEC. “With five countries in the West Africa region writing the WAEC examinations, Nigeria for instance in May/June 2013 contributed 75% of the number of total registered candidates which is 1,689,188; Gambia had 8,422; Ghana registered 409,759 candidates; Liberia 4,269; Sierra Leone did not write due to change of school calendar.

“This doesn’t reflect in any way, the

tendency of Nigerians to cheat. Where you have much more people, you have a tendency of more number of cheats.

“The fact that in Nigeria we have technology to monitor examinations which some other countries do not have, goes a long way to make our examinations more credible than some other countries because in other countries, they depend on reports from supervisors and teachers and security agencies.”

The WAEC boss recalled the unfortunate incident in Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014 where 296 girls were kidnapped, the security agencies, Ministry of Education and Police couldn’t provide the government the names,

Continues on Page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

TRAINING: From left; Executive Secr etar y, LASTVEB, Engr.

Gasper Olawunmi, Managing Director, Slot Nigeria Ltd and Engr. Laolu Oguntuyi, Director, Technical and Professional Service, LASTVEB, during a training for teachers held in Protea Hotel, Lagos.

What does the future hold for our children?

Continues from page 25

high fees

Justifying the huge amount some varsities charge, lecturers have said that the fees are okay provided quality education is gained at the end of the day.

The President, American University of Nigeria, Yola, Dr. Margee Ensign said AUN’s tuition and fees have not changed in the past six years. “Tuition for 30 credits (10 courses per year) is N1,590,000.

Housing depends on whether you want a single, double or triple room. Average is N350,000. Meal plan also depends on how many meals a student wants per day.

Fees are about N200,000 depending on choices. Annual total is about N2.2 million (N1.1m per semester).

World-class education is not cheap. We are offering Nigerian parents the very best at one fifth of what they would pay in the US. This is even better as we have faculty from 34 countries around the world. No need to leave home and millions of Nigerians send their children abroad for education."

Ensign noted that their charges are far less now than some private secondary schools in Abuja and Lagos. The gap between what we pay for international salaries and what we charge our students is covered by the founder, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

Also speaking, Dr. Yinka Alawode, Lecturer, Lagos State University School of Communication, said the fees are okay, but government should make bursary available to all Nigerians.

“Let universities charge their fees and let government make bursary available to all Nigerians, either as scholarship or as educational loan repayable in future without interest," he said, adding that no Nigerian should be denied admission on the basis of school fees.

For the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Osun State University, Prof. Ameh Akoh: “Education cannot be made free, somebody has to pay for it. If government wants to create schools that it would fund specially, which the common man can afford, that is fine. But if you are saying the common man shouldn't have to pay or should pay less, what that will mean is that government would

provide everything."

He said Osun State University struggles to maintain its standards as the slashed tuition fees by the present administration greatly affects the institution.

Justifying the high fees charged by most universities, Prof. Akor said schools use the high fees to make up for what the government cannot provide.

He noted that reduced fees will affect the standard of varsity education as staff will look elsewhere for sustenance and "give the students anything that is available to them without recourse to standards," adding that a slash in tuition fees or low fees has led to fall in education standards hence the rise of well funded private universities to cater for the needs of students.

Provision for the poor

Despite the high fees, Ensign said AUN makes provision for indigent but brilliant students.

“We are taking care of the poor through full scholarships. We use our own funds for many full scholarships every year. They cover all aspects of their education. We are trying to find and educate the best and the brightest in the world. We believe that financial considerations should not be barriers to quality education for students who meet our academic criteria. AUN and our peace initiative has also educated 15,200 vulnerable youth in our community,” she said.

Prof. Bashir Raji, ViceChancellor, Fountain University, Osogbo believes that education does not come cheap. He said the average Faculty of Medicine for instance, has about 18 departments, each with a

Education cannot be made free, somebody has to pay for it, if government wants to create schools that it would fund specially, which the common man can afford, that is fine

professor.

Said Akoh: "Though we have brilliant people who can afford private universities, they still struggle to go to public universities. Also, as long as government keeps paying lip service to education,we cannot expect best practices."

Mr Nwabudike John, who has a child in University of Benin and another who graduated from Niger-Delta University, said; “School fees are expected to be high because of inflation and the fall of the Naira, which are across board, and the education sector cannot be exempted. If you spend more money buying food stuffs, spend more on housing, it is expected that school fees will be more.

“When I was in university, my fees in Auchi Polytechnic was no more than N65, now it is roughly N15,000 for returning students and new students N28,000.

When I trained my younger brother in University of Port Harcourt, it was around N3,000.

In the same vein, I used to give my daughter N10 from Mile 2 to Festac to go to school, now that same journey is between N50 to N70. It is invariably expected that school fees too will skyrocket.

Profit margins It is actually an issue because salaries, incomes and profit margins in businesses are not skyrocketing simultaneously.”

Mr. Ajibola Olatoye, MD, AugustMoon Plastics Ltd, said: “Almost every nation in Africa and elsewhere today see us as a possible African future leader.

The only way to achieve this expectation is by making quality education easily accessible to our youths who will actualise this dream in 20-50 years from now.

High school fees has already defeated this aspiration."

Some parents believe that if this trend is not checked by the Federal Government, many promising school children will drop out of school. In no time, education will be exclusively for the children of the rich, leaving the less privileged in perpetual illiteracy and poverty. This will ultimately lead to more violence and the peace and convenience which the educated and rich desire, will elude them when the uneducated poor terrorize them.

WAEC tasks FG on education policy review Continues from page 1 age and pictures of those girls abducted. It was WAEC who did this because they have a credible database.

Speaking on the introduction of Computer-Based Test, Egurudi said WAEC is conscious of the fact that the purpose of education is to prepare people for life not examinations.

“WAEC conducts exams taking cognizance of three domains of knowledge which stretches over three weeks.

“And with the challenge of electricity in the country today, it will be intellectually wrong of me to deceive anybody that WAEC will go the CBT way; WAEC cannot deceive the Nigerian people but elements of our examinations could incorporate CBT,” he said.

The WAEC boss applauded the management of JAMB saying what the board is doing is commendable being that its 100% Computer-Based Test is for admission examinations not certification like WAEC.

LASTVEB partners Slot to boost teaching skills According to him, it was designed specifically for electriIN its desire to upgrade the cal, electronics implementation technical experience of teach- instructors in the five techniers in technical colleges in La- cal colleges in Lagos. He exgos, the Lagos State Technical plained: “Since we are collaboVocational Educational Board, rating with Slot System Ltd in LASVEB has organised teach- the area of electronics, the work ers industrial work experience is dynamic. We are not static, for them. we are moving with the world Speaking with journalists and we shall make it mandaduring the one-day training tory for our teachers to spend held at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, its not less than two weeks to acExecutive Secretary, Engr. quire skills.

Gasper Olawumi said the train“Our students who go for a ing which was in collaboration three- month industrial attachwith Slot Nigeria Ltd was ment scheme from January to aimed at exposing instructors April, acquire new technoloand teachers to practices in the gies and we don’t want the stuindustry. dents to be far ahead of their He said: "Teachers Industrial teachers.

Work Experience Skills, So, we have decided that our TIWES, is for our instructors teachers must go on a threemonth industrial and teachers in attachment to intechnical colTraining aimed crease their leges, exposing at exposing knowledge, abilthem to pracity and skill in tices in the ininstructors and their different dustry which is teachers to areas.” done during the On his part, three months practices in the Mr Collins, vacation.’’ industry Electronic CoorAccording to dinator for Slot Olawumi, practical knowledge acquired during the training said he graduated from one of will assist teachers and instruc- the technical colleges in Lagos tors translate updated knowl- State. “I know the benefit of edge to students in the class- updating the teachers so that they can transfer the knowledge room and workshops.

He noted that Lagos techni- to the students. You know that cal college students are good technology is changing day by because they have additional day. So when this idea of us training from different compa- tutoring the teachers came up, nies. The previous trainings, he I just took it straight to my boss disclosed, were with Nigerian to make him understand the Bottling Company and Pepsi reason why we have to key into Cola. "Today, we are dealing it."

Meanwhile, the Managing with a notable indigenous Director, Slot Nigeria Limited, phone and electronic company.

So we are moving from multi- Mr Nnamdi Ezeego posited nationals to indigenous compa- that vocational training gives room to greatness. “If you have nies.

Speaking in the same vein, a sound technical knowledge, Director, Technical and Profes- you will be great,” he said.

Ezeego who studied Electrisional Service, LASTVEB, cal Engineering said he started Engr. Laolu Oguntuyi said the with little or no capital, mainscheme is mainly for teachers in more than five government taining diligence in given servtechnical colleges in the state. ices to people.

By Dayo Adesulu

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 —27

UNILAG alumnus wins 7Up scholarship

Students' use of technology has not reflected in their learning —Lawrence-Nemi

F

By Dayo Adesulu

ORMER Commissioner for Education, Rivers State, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, has urged students to leverage on the technology available to them by acquiring more knowledge, noting that many students’ are not measuring up computer has called for support former The African Futuretrust Model United Nations,TAFMUN adding that it will revamp ailing education sector of Nigeria.

Her words: ‘’I must admit, however, that technology has improved a lot of things in Education but how has that affected the Nigerian child. Does the Nigerian child actually know the world around him? Does the Nigerian child that watches television everyday and has a laptop with him every moment know who is the Nigerian Permanent Representative in the United Nation.

Does he know the continents of the world? Does he know The Rivers of Africa-which we used as song in the Primary schoolNile, Niger, Senegal, Congo, Orange, Limpopo, and Zambezi?

Lawrence-Nemi who delivered

the keynote address at the TAFMUN launch conference held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, said: “The initiative is for the promotion of wider learning and the participation of our Secondary School students in global discuss.

Going down memory lane, she noted that unlike in 1966, the educational system at different levels in this country is dysfunctional.

According to her, “Nigeria had four Regions - Northern, Western, Eastern and Midwestern. Each of the Regions had a Government run Secondary School except the Eastern Region that had four. The North had Government College Keffi, the West had Government College Ibadan, the Midwest, Government College Ughelli. ‘’The East, however, had Government Colleges at Umuahia, Owerri, Afikpo, Enugu (Girls) and Port Harcourt. Even the Federal Government had only Kings College, Lagos, Queens College, Lagos, Federal Government Colleges at Sokoto, Warri and Okposi.

“Those who could not make the competitive admission to any of

By Dayo Adesulu

the Regional or Federal Colleges went to the good mission or Private Schools.

These Regional and Federal Colleges actually produced the best brains in this country.’’

Lawrence-Nemi who was represented by former Permanent Secretary, Rivers State, Dr Richard Ofuru explained that in the 50’s and 60’s the schools were few, the cost of education was cheap, adding, ‘’the school fees were the same in private or public schools.

Lamenting the decadence in learning, she averred that despite, the less cumbersome curriculum in the 60s, “old school” was more educated, more informed than what we have today.

She said, ‘’In order to address the inadequacies of the modern times in Nigeria, Government has claimed all schools. Creche, Pre-Nursery, Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools are being set up everyday and everywhere by individuals and agencies with sophisticated curricula with the attendant sky rocketing fees.

SEVEN-Up Bottling Company Plc, Nigeria’s leading carbonated soft drink producer has announced Mr. Bankole Rasheed Makanju, a 2010 Electrical Engineering graduate of the University of Lagos, as the recipient of this year’s 7Up Harvard Business School MBA Scholarship. Mr. Makanju will spend the next two years at the prestigious Harvard Business School, Boston Massachusetts, United States of America on full scholarship.

It was a glorious home coming of sort for Makanju as the unveiling ceremony was held inside the Afe Babalola Hall of the University of Lagos, where the journey to academic and leadership excellence began years ago.

Giving a brief background to the 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship Scheme, Mr. Adeyinka Adesina, General Manager, Human Resources, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, said the programme began in 2010 when the company marked 50th anniversary. The aim according to him is to breed the next generation of leaders by

giving them global leadership training in Harvard Business School, one of the best in the world so that in a couple of years to come, they can impact Nigeria’s political and economic landscape with their knowledge and leadership acumen anchored on global best practices. Mr. Adesina said the scholarship has no strings attached as the recipient is not bonded to work for Seven-Up Bottling Company upon graduation.

In tandem with Adesina, Head of Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Mr. Norden Thurston, said the company is passionate about the Nigerian youth as it has through several platforms empowered them to actualise their dreams of greatness in device facets of life.

These include the Pepsi Football Academy, the Nigerian Idol, a reality TV music talent hunt which it sponsored for four years, the Aquafina Elite Model Look, among others. “The future of Nigeria belongs to the youth and we are encouraged by the positive feedbacks from these life-changing initiatives by Seven-Up,” Mr. Thurston said.

US, UK, Canada, others recognise Nigeria PTE Academic CBT in English

By Dayo Adesulu

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LOBAL Ivy League universities have pulled their weight behind the computer-based test in English Language conducted by the Nigeria Pearson Test of English Academy.

The endorsement portends that if any Nigerian student seeking admissions or work abroad sits for English Language computer-based test at the PTE Academic and pass, the result will be accepted by any Ivy League universitty in the world.

Speaking with Vanguard, Pearson’s Director of Resources Sales in Nigeria, Mr. Vitalis Nwaogu said: “All Australian universities now accept the test, as do a large number of higher education institutions in Canada and the United States.’’

According to him, many ‘Ivy League’ institutions, including Harvard Business School and 150 higher education institutions in the United Kingdom also recognise and accept the test.

Nwaogu who disclosed that the Academy has made the Pearson Test of English accessible in 11 locations throughout the country, added that last year, over 2000 Nigerians took the test, with the number expected to increase this year.

He said: “The test has been designed to not only assess speaking, listening, reading and writing, but test takers are assessed in an integrated way that reflects real-life settings. ‘’In addition to testing academic skills, PTE Academic also examines how well a person can interact in a higher

NOUN staff emerges scribe of Management Academy

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By Tare Youdeowei

member of staff of the National Open University of Nigeria,(NOUN)Dr. Mande Samaila, has been elected National Secretary of the Academy of Management Nigeria.

The Academy of Management Nigeria is the highest body of scholars and intellectuals in Management related fields.

Dr Samaila, a scholar in Business Administration with specialization in Marketing Communication and Entrepreneurship, is of the School of Management Sciences of the University.

He is also a visiting scholar with The School of Media & Communication Pan Atlantic University Lagos and Military Institutions in Nigeria.

The Management of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) appreciates the honour done the University and commends the Academy for finding one of its own worthy of this exalted position

Dr. Mande Samaila

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Character development, big part of education — Educationist CHIKA MGBEMENA, proprietress, Malvin Meadow School, Lagos in this interview provided insight to moulding a total child and sundry issues in education sector.

Excerpts:

“Oyo stops payment of WASSCE fees”, PUNCH, August 20, 2015.

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By Tare Youdeowei

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ITH the challenges facing Nigeria’s education system in terms of basic education, what impact do you think Malvin Meadow School will create to solve this challenge?

Nigeria faces a myriad of problems in her educational sector.

Some of these problems are overcrowding in schools, reduced quality of staff, inadequate facilities in school and above all, the problem of developing an academic standard that will develop pupils who are at par with their counterparts globally.

Malvin Meadow School operates in a serene environment in the heart of Maryland. This is because we believe that the best learning will occur in an environment free from the various distractions of the street. We offer the best of the British and Nigerian Curricula because as everyone knows, the world is now a global village. Young minds must be prepared to deal with information from a world perspective.

A big part of Education is developing character and no teacher can develop the character of a child he/she does not know. This is why the number of pupils in class matters. We have a policy of no more than 20 pupils in a class. This way, the teacher can really get to know the pupils, their character, personalities and abilities. By so doing, the instructor can teach and develop them effectively.

As for facilities, the school is

Chika Mbemena well equipped to educate future leaders of the world. We have an ICT room, Music and Fine Art studios, conducive classrooms, huge playground, and library among others to make sure that pupils have access to not just theory but practical approaches to learning.

All together, the school is prepared to take on the challenges of training the children of the 21st century and beyond.

In what ways are the activities of your school tailored to meet the education aspiration of parents who decide to send their children to your school?

At Malvin Meadow School, we believe that every child can learn and should be given the opportunity to do so. This is why the individual capabilities of each child are carefully considered as we teach.

Learning needs We work very hard to meet the learning needs of each child so that he/she has the opportunity to achieve his/ her true potential.

One of our goals as a school is to educate the total child. The total child is not only made up of academics. The total child must also have the opportunity to express himself or herself. This is why we offers a variety of ex-

tra- curricular activities such as Taekwondo, Dance, Drama, Swimming etc in order to give pupils the opportunity to find and pursue their personal interests.

As a school, how do you hope to stay above competition?

The fact is that as a school, we never thought of ourselves as being in competition with anyone. Our ultimate focus is the education and development of a total child. Malvin Meadow School has facilities and has set standards that can meet the challenges of educating the 21st century child.

Tell us about your background and reason for setting up of the school?

I consider myself as a woman of many accomplishments. I am a trained lawyer with a Bachelors of Letters of Law (LLB) and holds a Masters in Commercial and International Law (LLM) from the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom.

I was called to the Nigerian Bar and is an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria having graduated as a Barrister-at-Law (BL) from the Nigerian Law School. In addition to these, I further obtained a Bachelors of Science (BSc) Degree in Accounting from the University of Nigeria as well as a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos.

Education is the right of every child — Proprietress, Sentinel school

By Elizabeth Uwandu & Glory Ekwenuya

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JAMB in a jam (2)

HE proprietress, Mrs Vivian Boi-Noi, of Sentinel Nursery and Primary school has said that education is the right of every child, not a privilege. She made this known during the school’s end of session ceremony and art exhibition day tagged, “Every child is an artist”.

Mrs Boi-Noi who attributed the denial of education of children that hawk on the streets, to the harsh economic situation of the country insisted that ,’’every child has the right to education, it is their right and not a privilege. That is what the government should insist on. There should be a policy that says, if a child is seen trading during school hours, the parents of such child should be arrested.”

Speaking on the importance of primary education, the proprietress said; “Sentinel school’s objectives is to have a good primary education because once the foundation is good, there is

nothing you cannot build on it. Primary education is the basis and if the basis is not good there is nothing you can do about the future. If the foundation is wrong, a house will crumble.”

The chairman of the occasion, Mr Agbamuche Emmanuel, father of two pupils of the school who led other parents and the pupils to the exhibition said; the exhibition has changed the notion that artists are not recognised and art is a profession of the never do well in the society.”

Emmanuel opined that, “Beautiful houses are designed by architects, they also design the pillars and towers we see. Artists have a very big role to play in the system and its profession is a source of good living. That if one takes art as a profession and knows his onions, he or she will do well.

“I believe we are all artists. Every child given birth to is gifted, so no matter who one is or how dull one is intellectually or academically, God has given everyone a talent that is innate in him, one only needs a hand to bring and develop the talents.”

education.

HE announcement university President Jonathan, a former concerning the change of policy was made by Mr Soji university Lecturer, badly advised, and in a fit of Eniade, the state’s Head of Service. In addition, “pupils personal absent-mindedness, approved the establishment in secondary schools in the of eleven (11) new Federal state would start paying universities, over twenty N3,000 per session.” Oyo is private universities and the first, but will not be the last state, even in the old converted about half a dozen Western Region to jettison the Colleges of Education to long-held pretense to free universities – all in a bid to accommodate the horde of education. Soon, states paying for JAMB and UMTE dullards – without giving a thought to the cost of will also pass the buck to the maintaining a decent parents.

Furthermore, the university and where the introduction of N3,000 per funds will come from. session “Development Levy” Certainly, Presidents coming is only a start. That levy will into office after Jonathan, will be increased at least once find a monster problem before the government of waiting for them as funding will become a major, if not, Ajimobi becomes history. A few weeks before that intractable problem. Buhari announcement, will be the the nation first victim of As each state had gone the series of discovers that t h r o u g h lies which a n o t h e r culminated in with crude oil annual ritual the rash now heading of release of decisions to West African for US$30 per establish so S c h o o l m a n y barrel, they Certificate, universities will no longer WA S C E , at once. results in A l r e a d y, be able to which over Governor operate free sixty per cent Ajimobi is of the pupils receiving education f a i l e d attack from Mathematics and English – political opponents who want the two most vital subjects. to score cheap points without The same kids will sit for the looking at the problem JAMB examinations this year objectively. Other states will and the vast majority will soon follow; as each state score less than 200. They will discovers that with crude oil proceed to UMTE and, again, now heading for US$30 per the same vast majority will barrel, they will no longer be score less than fifty per cent. able to operate “free Then, misguided parents, education” at primary and public commentators and the secondary school levels; applicants themselves will neither will they be able to regard such dullards as pay WASSCE, JAMB and university material. “Garbage UMTE fees.

In Garbage Out”, GIGO, With parents now called repeats itself each year, all upon to fund their kids’ because we have not told education, it will soon be clear ourselves the truth which to all of us, that mass failure stares us in the face. The vast at WAEC and JAMB majority of our secondary examinations are directly school students are simply not related to the fact that with admissible in any self- “free education” most parents respecting university. have nothing at stake in the Having swollen the performance of their kids. population of those It is not their money if the university-bound by padding kids fail woefully. Similarly, the figures with dullards, we teachers are not concerned proceed to the next lie. We because there is no penalty if have actually convinced a teacher repeatedly sends ourselves that there are more kids to WAEC, JAMB, UMTE, applicants than available only for ninety per cent of vacancies in our universities. them to fail.

Actually, once we remove the JAMB, which was patterned dullards, we will discover that after the American central there is sufficient vacancy for admission system, has serious students. become the recipient of pupils The lies we have been telling who are mostly unprepared ourselves have had serious for any university. Yet, it is consequences for our supposed to process them.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—29

We help ‘at risk’ students realise their ambitions – Jelena Zivkovic "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; teach him how to fish, and he'll eat for a lifetime -Anne Isabella Ritchie.

The best legacy parents can leave for their children is not money or houses or land but sound education. With education, they can acquire all these things but without education, they may not be able to handle whatever the parents will leave for them. As a result, many parents go out of their way to provide their wards qualitative education no matter the cost. So it can be devastating to see such wards failing to do well in school. Students fail exams for various reasons not just because they are not intelligent. Some grapple with depression, financial and family issues and these invariably distract them from their studies.

Recognising this fact, the American University of Nigeria, Yola, set up the Academic Advising & Retention Office to help students in their academics to ensure they graduate at the end of the day.

In this chat with Vanguard Learning, Ms. Jelena Zivkovic, Director of Learning Resource Center, and Mr. Ebenezer Otijele, Director, Academic Advising & Retention Office, speak on the activities of the office. Excerpts:

By Ebele Orakpo

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HAT we do here: “The Academic and Retention Office is a place where students can come and seek advice in choosing their courses, if they are having issues with communicating with their teachers, if they are struggling academically, if they want to know what courses to take during the summer classes and which teachers to pick etc,” said Zivkovic.

Is it like Counselling department?

(Otijele cuts in): “Not exactly.

If you say counselling, you might be looking at other issues beyond academics but we are very particular when it comes to academics. If we have other issues, for example, health or psychological issues, depression or if they have had any misfortune that is impacting on their academics, we refer them to the appropriate place. So if we say counselling generally, that may not be appropriate.

Our programme: “One of the things that make AUN particularly unique is the fact that we do not just lump the students together, we are interested in the individual student. Here, we do students profiling. This means that at the beginning of every semester, we try to categorise our students on the basis of their academic performance.

Some are in good standing, some are on restriction and some are on probation. For those on restriction, what we do is this: You know this is liberal art education; it is not the Nigerian system that is tailored towards the British system where there is a straitjacket that you must wear as it were.

In the liberal art education, you are free to pick courses as much as you can carry per semester.

So when a student’s performance is actually falling below expectation, we work with that individual student. We do not lump our students together, we do profiling to identify each

Poor performance We are very particular about what happens to their academics. Of course, sometimes we have to get down to the nittygritty of what really led to the poor performance and all that.”

Our main goal: “Our main goal is to get them to graduate so we try to act as their best friend. What do we do to get them to graduate?

However, we have identified a number of students struggling academically and they are failing and unable to graduate. Some cannot seem to get over their math course, they keep failing.

This is where we come in and try to offer deeper/broader assistance from a more holistic approach.

We identify the students that are at academic risk and then work to get them over the hurdle so that they can progress," said Zivkovic.

*Jelena Zivkovic of them and try to meet each of their specific needs. Sometimes we invite them over for one-onone counselling with respect to their academics and in so doing, sometimes we get to know the reason they are failing. It may be because they are having health issues in which case we refer them to the appropriate place and if we discover that they have had some bad experiences, may be death of parents or money issue is beginning to impact on them negatively, we refer them to the appropriate places.

If we discover that those are not really the issues but probably the student is finding it very difficult to cope with the standard here (the truth is that the standard here is high, you just have to be good in your business to be able to graduate), and the student is

*Ebenezer Otijele struggling, then we try to say ‘ok, here is what we can identify as your strength, here is where we think your weakness is, and in order to help you to be able to graduate, let us restrict you a little. Don’t take this number of courses, take this number of courses.’

"If you are having issues probably with math, we advise you to stay off math for a while and we help you pick writing courses, economic courses or whatever, so you can boost your Cumulative Grade Point, CGP. That is what makes AUN very unique. I am sure no other university in Nigeria is offering this.

Minimum requirement:

The minimum requirement here for one to be able to graduate is a CGP of 2.0 on a scale of four. We start monitoring students from their

Educationist charges students to be hardworking

By Esther Onyegbula

We do students profiling; this means that at the beginning of every semester, we categorise our students on the basis of their academic performance. Some are in good standing, some on restriction and some are on probation

very first semester until the day they graduate. So when we notice that a student is doing below 2.0 or he is at risk of doing below 2.0 or is actually doing below 2.0, we identify them and meet with them one-on-one.

Sometimes we bring them together, we organise workshops for them. We have been running workshops such as Understanding your grading system to help them understand what constitutes the score they get at the end of the semester. We have introduced them to time management skills; test-taking skills, we have done so many workshops all in a bid to help them.

We bring in our psychologist and motivational speakers to talk to them."

The Office launched a new computer-based tool— C/GPA Calculator—that enables students to calculate their CGPA. The calculator has features that will enable a student to determine what GPA s/he needs to achieve a certain CGPA. Otijele noted that academic risk students can use the tool to calculate the GPA they need to steer clear of peril.

“With this, they can be more focused and goal-oriented,” said Zivkovic.

Rising Potential students: "For those students doing below 2.0, we call them Rising Potential students. Why rising potential? We don’t use derogatory words here; we don’t call them failing students. Why we got that name for them is because we believe they can do much more than what they are doing but probably, there are certain situations that are hindering their excellence so we try to see how we can work with them to bring the best out of them,” said Otijele "We are monitoring and observing them closely because we want to measure the impact, how many will end up graduating, how many will end up may be even slipping back and how many will just stay the same," said Zivkovic.

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RADUATING students of the 2014/ 2015 academic session of The Learningfield Schools, Satellite Town, Lagos, have been charged to be hardworking, dedicated and focused so as to attain outstanding success in their future careers.

Speaking at the valedictory service/prizegiving day celebration, the Proprietor/ Administrator, Mrs Sylvia Adepo, said the occasion marks the end of six years journey of the graduating class and the beginning of a fresh journey into the world.

“Today, you are being sent forth into the world to be shining lights to the world.

Though unknown and filled with challenges, we have prepared you for the world which is waiting to be created and lived by you.

“Go out and unleash your potentials for excellence with God’s blessings. Remember nothing good comes easy so you should always work with dedication and determination to succeed.”

Acknowledging that they have been well

grounded academically and character wise, Adepo declared “ we have done a very good job on you and we expect to keep seeing that good work leading you to greater achievements and breaking new grounds of excellence in the very near future.”

Highlights of the event were different presentations by the students.

Tonia Osinowo, a PTA Executive of the school, said: “I am very proud of the school because they have prepared and equipped the students for the future.”

Mrs. Amah Jerry charged parents to give their children quality time as they owe it a duty to their wards.

Her words: “The insurgency in the country is enough reason for parents to spend quality time with their wards. Also, their future has begun so it is time for parents to stand up and guide them to enable them fulfill their purposes.”

A total of 39 students graduated from secondary school, 84 from primary school while 104 from Nursery school.

30 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—31

Nigerians must partake in Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign —-Obayuwana DR. Osagie Obayuwana is a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Edo state. He was also Vice President, Committee for Defence of Human Rights, CDHR. In this interview with Vanguard Law and Human Rights, he reviewed President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war. He also noted the need for some big names to be in jail and his expectations at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, annual conference in Abuja. Excerpts:

By Simeon Ebegbulem

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HAT do you think law yers will take away from this year's NBA conference?

President Buhari has set the tone about what the nation expects from our profession at this time, but I think the profession is already engaged in soul searching. We (lawyers) must define our role in the scheme of things.

Matters of human rights, rule of law and independence of the judiciary, need to be deepened.

There are aspects of our professional ethics that imposed obligations on us as ministers in the temple of justice.

I think the conference is geared towards confronting lawyers with these issues and engaging in selfcriticisms and sharpening our tools, so that lawyers cannot be obstacles in the part of the socioeconomic progress in the country. The rule of law is not one to be subverted by the law itself. We want to be true ministers in the temple of justice and the assemblage of lawyers periodically at our conference is geared towards achieving that.

Professional duties So, I have no doubt that at the end of this conference, our people will be better equipped to discharge our professional duties more honourably.

How would you review President Buhari’s corruption policy?

It is a good start, there is no doubt about the direction he is going, which is to meet the expectations of the Nigerian people. We know he has set up a few committees, which I believe members of these committees will put their experience to bare, as far as, formulating general guidelines.

Of course, by the time various agencies and ministries are fully manned, the implementation of these policy guidelines will commence in earnest. The only thing

Dr. Osagie Obayuwana I wish to say is that the Nigerian people should begin to create a role for themselves; it is not a matter of being on lookers or cheer leaders.

The Nigerian people must recognise that what is at stake is their interest. There are dynamics that will come to play. If contradictory policies are formulated, that emasculates the people and their wellbeing, then you cannot be assured of this critical mass support. So, I think it is a balancing act and a lot is yet to be done.

Do you support the establishment of a special court to prosecute corrupt Nigerians?

It is going to be the product of collaboration between the executive and the judicial arms at all levels. It is still the prerogative of Mr President to reorder the affairs of the nation, geared towards enhancing service delivery. A lot is being said now about past efforts.

We should also take a cue from the admonitions of Mr President at the Bar conference, it is also in the direction we have spoken.

Even, professionals have to define their roles in all of these. Other arms of government, beyond the executive, also have to define their roles in a way that is complimentary.

So the signals we get from the head of the judicial gives us hope that we are dealing with a serious leadership in-charge of that

Benue election tribunal hears Tarzoor petition Pg 33 C M Y K

arm of government. I believe that the executive arm and the legislative arm are also inclined as arms of government collectively, not to pay a political price of appearing not to be in harmony with the initiative spearheaded by the executive arm.

It is not a question of whether the authority is there or not, it is summoning the will, not just at the level of the leadership of the various arms of government, but even key operatives of various arms. Every judge has to know that it is a new day. There are expectations, not just from the Nigerian people, but the international community that has indicated willingness to support our move.

Laudable policies A situation where the law is used to frustrate the realization of laudable policies will not augur well for our aspiration. There used to be a time when election petitions dragged on indefinitely. But at a point, the leadership of the judiciary had to say let us give priority to these matters.

Delay tactics will no longer be tolerated, which does not go against the grain of the traditional norms of the right to fair hearing.

The EFCC was not biting enough under President Jonathan but suddenly woke up under current government. What do you think motivated the current force?

Well, body language is as important as words that actually

come out from a man’s leadership style. What is current is perhaps a more thorough assessment of the initiatives displayed during the tenure of President Jonathan. Perhaps, a lot was done without much fanfare accompanying it. Any semblance of favouritism will tend to demobilize enthusiasm on the part of the enforcers.

That is why, sometimes, you find policemen accusing the judiciary of frustrating their efforts.

They (police) have done their bits but the cases drag on without end.

So, once the suspect enjoys bail, it is adjournment upon adjournment, the investigators are transferred and no provision made for them to come and give evidence in court on the investigations they carried out.

I think everybody realises that the nation is on the march. What

A situation where the law is used to frustrate the realization of laudable policies will not augur well for our aspiration

we are talking about now can also be extended to the refineries. All of a sudden, we heard that the refineries are working at some level, where as the leadership of the country then gave the impression that their preoccupation was the importation of fuel because of the benefits that accrued to some of them.

Of course, our local engineers will be demobilized. Same goes for the power sector, a situation where distribution companies are just fixing charges and the incentives are missing. All of that underscores the importance of the leadership. People in retrospect are acknowledging that every leader is entitled to his or her style.

Quite honestly, the body language from former President Jonathan, in matters concerning corruption, was very discouraging. Even his pronouncements during his campaign, “the attempts to recognize that corruption is a natural phenomenon, if you put a goat and yam in the same room what do you expect?”

That is capable of being interpreted to justify corruption.

Whereas the issue is that how do you curb that natural tendency, if you say it exists? But former President Jonathan did not appear to have displayed a lot of enthusiasm in that regard.

Public scrutiny Even in his manner of speech, Mr President is supposed to be an embodiment of the nation as a whole. He is supposed to feel a sense of pride when talking locally or internationally, but the man was always stumbling over his words and smiling, as if all was well.

What is your view on the constitutional amendment and confab report?

Given the history, timing, composition of those that partook in the confab, mere none existence of public scrutiny of that report, reservations expressed from the beginning that it was just a public relations gimmick to buy time and be seen to be yielding to popular expectations, yes, we cannot run away from the fact that the confab took place and certain positions were taken by Nigerians despite all the limitations. delegation, said “it is gratifying to note that the issue has drawn the attention of the Commission, the era where people are just killed indiscriminatingly is over.”

A Professor of Morbid Anatomy who is in charge of the hospital’s morgue, Prof. Martins Nzegwu, stated that the hospital had

Continues on page 32

32—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Nigerians must partake in Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign — Obayuwana Continues from page 31 in its morgue a total of 97 shot robbers who were brought to the hospital, by the police, over a period of two years.

“We have no fifty bodies from the police, we are over congested. Before we do the mass burial, the SSS comes to supervise.

The bodies we have in our morgue are not less than two years old. There is the need for the police to keep proper record of the persons shot by the police because, at times, they shoot innocent people and tag them as armed robbers. There is the need to have checks and balances in the police, Commission and hospitals.

97 corpses for mass: “At times, we have had to go to court to get injunctions from courts to give them decent burials. We have 97 corpses which we have slated for mass burial as we have to decongest. We have had to embalm the bodies with the hospital bearing the cost of N25,000 per body.

“We also have about 90 babies who were abandoned by their parents because there is a practice of not taking dead bodies home. For those bodies to be identified, there is the need to do DNA typing which costs an average of $2,5000, so this has brought to the fore the need for an accurate data base in this country . There should be a central data system where the forensics of every Nigerian is stored,” Nzegwu added.

corpses in hospitals: “We have also received reports from hospital management boards across the country of harassment by the police and indiscriminate dumping of corpses in hospitals, some of these happenings the police high command may not be aware.

We received the report from a group of lawyers on the dumping of over 50 bodies at the UNTH and I led an investigative team which showed that there are over 97 bodies have been deposited there over time, arising from encounters with the police, sometimes with armed robbers and kidnappers.

There are also over 70 bodies of babies who have been abandoned by their parents as the parents refused to take them home and give them decent burials. It is an issue that the Commission is taking seriously and would sensitize Nigerians. Some of the bodies, according to the hospital register, are not properly identified by the police.

Hospital register He further noted that, “We are not saying that these people may not be armed robbers but it is necessary to know if the police keep an appropriate record of the people and even that of police officers who die in the course of

Dumping of corpses Speaking when he visited the State’s Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in his office, Angwe stated that “we are over on an inquiry. The principal aim is to unravel the facts behind the alleged dumping of corpses at the UNTH Enugu to enable government put in policies that would stem the tide. The Commission has received reports of the indiscriminate dumping of corpses of person who have had interaction with the police, people who were either extra-judicially executed.

Indiscriminate dumping of

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There are also over 70 bodies of babies who have been abandoned by their parents as the parents refused to take them home and give them decent burials

Dr. Osagie Obayuwana duty. There is also the need to make it mandatory for these issues to be recorded to prevent the rampant cases of impunity and extra judicial killings as a result of some police officers not applying good judgment and have recklessly carried out killing of innocent citizens because where you have a proper data, you can easily go to the data and trace the persons.

The finger prints would also make it possible for identifying such persons who are killed and abandoned. I know that the police does not have a deliberate policy of extra judicial killings, so the inquiry will also help the police in keeping tabs on the activities of its officers.

We would be requesting that the office here furnish us with a list of the bodies dumped and the officers who dumped these corpses for the police to investigate the incidents. It’s so bad that

the UNTH had to go to court to get an order to conduct a mass burial and even went on to advertise the mass burial for the bodies.”

The Commissioner of Police Enugu State, Mohammed Adamu, while responding, said “We appreciate your visit which has shown us that you want to be fair.

You are all aware of the roles of the police to protect lives and property and every police man is committed to that and no right thinking police man can go about committing crimes.

Like I tell my officers, if you protect a life you are doing the work of God. Under my watch, I would never support anybody to take the laws into his hands. Any case of human rights abuses that comes to my attention is investigated.

We saw in the newspapers the issue that you raised, the matter was investigated by the state CID and was also investigated by Abuja, concerning procedure in the police. Whenever there is an issue of dead bodies, the first people that are called is the police. When you get to a mortuary, there are records and procedures; all these deaths are incidented, so as you are going you will be able to go with recordsofficers go but records remain.

“This command, under my watch, will give you all the necessary support. We even investigate accidental deaths. We should use a criminal data base at the national level to keep track of criminals, I hope the Nigerian Police will get to that stage and every leadership of the police is conscious of that. We will avail you of our team and be rest assured that we will not cover anything, even if some of the officers have left on transfer, we would invite them.

In Benue State, Angwe and his team met with the Governor, Samuel Ortom and the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Iorhemen Hwande.

Governor Ortom pledged to work with the Commission to ensure that the rule of law is followed by security agencies and to end extra judicial executions by the police.

His words: “We will not toler-

ate extra judicial killings by the police or any other security agency as we are in democracy and every accused person must be taken to court for trial. I commend the National Human Rights Commission for the wonderful work it has been doing. We will not encourage extra judicial execution under any guise and we are willing to work with the Commission to see that the rights of citizens are protected.

Justice Hwande, while receiving the delegation, acceded to the request of the Commission for the setting up of a coroner’s inquest into the cause of death of the identified corpses allegedly dumped by the police at the Gboko General Hospital over time.

It would be recalled that the Commission had requested the Chief Judge of Enugu State to convene a coroner’s inquest into the cause of death of one Chukwuma Ihezie who was allegedly extra-judicially killed by personnel of the state’s Special Anti-robbery Squad and 50 other corpses allegedly deposited by the police at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu.

The Commission had in 2014 received a complaint from the Enugu office of CLO alleging that the late Iheizie, a 30 year old male, was extra-judicially killed by one Mr. Bolu of the Special Anti-robbery Squad of Enugu State Police Command.

In line with the Commission’s Standing Order and Rules of Procedure, the Commission undertook a preliminary investigation into the complaint and discovered additional human remains of about fifty men, with red marker on them, at the same mortuary where Ihezie’s body was deposited.

Statutory mandate According to a statement by the Chief Press Officer in the Commission, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, in the exercise of its statutory mandate, Prof. Angwe has requested for the coroner’s inquest into the alleged killings to enable the Commission determine whether or not a systemic case of extra-judicial execution has occurred in the circumstance.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—33 NBA Abuja annual conference The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, is holding its weeklong annual general conference in Abuja. The conference which began on August 16, will be rounded up tomorrow.

Benue election tribunal hears Tarzoor petition, Sept 7

By Innocent Anaba

W

ITH the Benue State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, resuming sitting on September 7, 2015, it has becomes important to examine the critical issues and facts before the tribunal, which must be resolved before the people of Benue State know their authentic elected governor. The petitioner, Mr. Terhemen Tarzoor of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had predicated his petition on one sole issue: That Dr. Samuel Ortom of the All Progressives Congress, APC, not being validly nominated by his political party, the APC, was not qualified and competent to contest the guber poll.

Tarzoor is consequently, asking the tribunal to nullify Ortom’s election and declare him (Tarzoor) as governor of the state.

Certain legal and factual issues have however developed and may work against the ambition of Tarzoor. First of all, in suit FHC/MKD/CS/09/2015, the PDP, had filed a pre-election action at the Federal High Court, Makurdi, raised the same issues and claimed similar reliefs as the petition of Mr. Tarzoor was to later claim in his election petition.

On May 21, 2015, while Tarzoor’s matter was still pending, the Federal High Court, Makurdi dismissed the suit by the PDP. And till date, the PDP is yet to appeal that final judgment.

This development prompted counsel to APC, Mr Sebastine Hon, SAN, to amend the APC reply to the petition and therein raised the defence of res judicata, since the PDP and Mr. Tarzoor were co-joined as far as the disputed governorship election was concerned.

Res Judicata means a matter that has been decided by a court of competent jurisdiction, which the present tribunal needs not to waste its time on.

The motion on notice filed by Mr. Hon wherein issues of res judicata, abuse of court process, lack of locus standi on the part of Mr. Tarzoor to pry into the internal affairs of the APC and other issues on the jurisdiction of the tribunal has been slated for hearing on

September 7, 2015, when parties are expected to adopt their final addresses before the tribunal gives its final judgement.

It is instructive to note that apart from the issue of res judicata, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN and Prof. Anthony Ijohor, SAN, counsel to Dr. Ortom and the Independent National Election Commission, INEC, respectively, have raised similar points in their motions on notice, which will also be entertained by the Tribunal on September 7, 2015.

Apart from these threshold issues of the jurisdiction of the tribunal, Mr. Tarzoor called only one eyewitness to the rescheduled APC State Congress of December 10 -11, 2015. He is Mr. Terkaa Andyar, a staff of INEC, the body charged with the statutory function of monitoring political party primaries.

As the only eyewitness to the rescheduled APC primary election, who was said to have co-signed a report to the effect that no such congress took place, Tarzoor camp was upbeat about the potency or decisiveness of the evidence of this witness. Thus, when Mr. Andyar stepped into the witness box on August 3, 2015 to testify, there was tension in the courtroom.

L-R: Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Nnanna Umeadi, NBA President, Augustin Alegeh, SAN and former G e n e r a l Secretary of NBA, Olumuyiwa Akinboro.

Governor of Bauchi S t a t e , Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar (left) and Governor of Plateau S t a t e , S i m o n B a k o Lalong.

Tension in the courtroom The witness identified and tendered Exhibit P7 the damning INEC report and also adopted his statement on oath.

Under cross-examination, however, this witness made startling admissions.

Responding to a question from Mr. Hon, he admitted that said report, Exhibit P7, had nothing on it to indicate that it emanated from INEC. He further admitted that it was not written on INEC letterhead and that the word ‘INEC’ either in full or in abbreviation could be found on the report. The worst case scenario arose when he agreed with Mr. Hon that the signature on the report was not his own.

All other witnesses called by Mr. Tarzoor adduced essentially hearsay evidence, since none of them was an eyewitness to the APC congress that produced Dr. Ortom as the APC flagbearer.

In its defence, APC called Baba Dala, a legal practitioner who was the Chairman of the State Congress of the APC, who gave graphic evidence of how Dr. Ortom emerged as the APC flagbearer as consensus candidate and how this was ratified by over 3,000 of the 4,013 delegates that attended the congress.

All eyes are therefore on the Justice Elizabeth Karatu-led tribunal as it reconvenes on September 7, for parties to adopt their final written addresses. Thereafter, the Benue State people who are very much expectant will know who their real governor is, when the tribunal will deliver its judgment.

L-R: Chief Albert Akpomudje , SAN, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN, Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN and Roland Otar , SAN.

Former General Secretary NBA, Mr. Ibrahim Eddy Mark, Mr. Festus Okoye, Mr. Anozie Obi and former First Vice-President of NBA, Chief Akuro L-R: Former DirectorGeneral of Nigerian Institute of Advanced L e g a l Studies, P r o f .

Epiphany Azinge, SAN and his wife, Dr. Valerie.

L - R : Executive S e c r e t a r y, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello and the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Daisy Okocha.

34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Rivers Dep gov charges women on widowhood practices

P

By Davies Iheamnachor

ORT HARCOURT: RIVERS State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, has charged women in the state to resist female circumcision and widowhood practices, adding that such debase womanhood.

Dr. Banigo gave the charge when members of, I See You Foundation for Peace and Prosperity, paid her a courtesy call at Government House, Port Harcourt.

She said that the present administration in the state would be gender sensitive, as well ensure that more women were encouraged to take up leadership positions.

She enjoined members of the group to champion activities that would promote peaceful coexistence and discourage their children from getting involved in criminal activities.

NOSDRA, UNDP, Bayelsa govt unite aganist pipeline vandalism

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, in collaboration with the United Nation Development Programme, UNDP, and the Bayelsa State Government, have began a three-day interactive session with oil producing communities in the state.

The programme which seeks to find lasting solution to the menace of illegal oil bunkering, oil theft and other oil related activities that threatens both the environment and human lives in the oil rich region of Niger Delta, will educate and create awareness on the dangers of pipelinevandalism.

Speakingattheevent, Director General and Chief Executive of NOSDRA, Mr Peter Idabor, said that the programme was developed by the agency to incorporate and engender an interface with stakeholders that hitherto have not been effectively utilized in efforts to curb pipeline vandalization.

OMEREJI TO AMAECHI: Appear before commission

with your allegations against me

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— CHAIRMAN of the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry probing the administration of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Justice George Omereji has called on the former governor to appear before the commission to make whatever allegations he has against him.

Justice Omereji in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, yesterday, in Port Harcourt said as a disciplined judge, he was not expected to respond to criticisms against him on the pages of newspapers.

According to him, judges by their discipline were not trained to reply to criticism against them on the pages of newspapers.

He said the former governor should come to the commission to give reasons why he (Omereji) should not chair the commission and then he would respond, adding that it was the proper thing to do rather than run to the media to malign his person.

Amaechi had in a statement, described the Judge as a foe, saying that he was carefully chosen to head the commission

with clear instructions to nail him.

Justice Omereji who assured that his commission will be fair to all, said the issues before it were largely documentary, adding that he was not the only one sitting on the commission.

He also dismissed as untrue allegations by the former governor that he was his enemy, noting that he would prefer a situation where the former

governor comes to the commission to make his allegations against him so that he too can respond appropriately.

He said: “As a High Court Judge, I don’t have any issue with anybody at all, including the former governor. I am not today ’s judge. I am a disciplined Judge and by my profession, you don’t respond to allegations, criticisms on the

pages of newspaper.

“If there is anybody alleging that I and the former governor are foes, the person should come to the commission and say, ‘My lord you are not in a position to sit here,’ then I will respond. To respond on the pages of newspapers is not our style. I am a discipline judge. In any case, it is I and others sitting there, I am sitting with others. Let him come before the commission to confront me, then I will be respond."

SCREENING: Board members of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, during the screening and confirmation of the Governing Board of the commission in Asaba. Photo: Nath Onojake.

UWVIE CRISIS: PDP leaders wade in, visit Assembly

Speaker, party chairman A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—WORRIED by the political crisis rocking Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Leaders and Elders Forum, yesterday, waded into the matter with a view for amicable resolving all the issues that led to the rancour.

Briefing newsmen after separate closed door meetings with the state Chairman of PDP, Chief Edwin Uzor and Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Monday Igbuya, leader of the team, Chief Portwright Akaighe said the meeting was to resolve the issues.

Akaighe who was accompanied by Chiefs Ogan Ugavah, John Ashibu, Moore Ologitere, Hope Erute, Felicia Ogaga and Sarah Uwaye, said the PDP as one united family would resolve the differences without external interference.

Noting that the Uvwie people were disturbed by the dimension the crisis was taken, he appealed with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the Speaker of the state Assembly, the State PDP Chairman, Chief Uzor and other stakeholders to wade into the matter to resolve the issues that led to the fracas.

Expressing hope that the issue

would be resolved and the suspended council Chairman, Mr Henry Baro recalled, he appealed to the people of Uvwie to keep the peace while the matter was being settled.

Meanwhile, the Uvwie PDP executive members have

rejected what they described as illegal suspension of Mr Baro and 13 councillors from the party by the Chairman of the party in the area, Mr Kelly Utuedon and the Secretary, Ms Ufuoma Oboro.

The PDP executives in a

statement, said; “We would have completely ignored the purported suspension for what it is: a complete exercise in futility. But on a second thought, we decided to put the records straight and point out the illegality and unconstitutionality of the so-called suspension."

A-Ibom Assembly approves Gov's request to convert debt into FG bonds

By Chioma Onuegbu &Tom Moses

U

YO——THE Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has given Governor Udom Emmanuel the go ahead to convert the debt he inherited from the immediate past administration into Federal Government bonds.

The Assembly gave their

approval during plenary following the recommendations of the reports by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation Governor Emmanuel had last week sent a letter to the Assembly, requesting their approval to convert the debt of Akwa Ibom State into FG

bonds as a measure to restore the fiscal stability to the state in view of the shortfall in revenue.

The Speaker of the House, Mr Aniekan Uko, who commended the members for the decision taken on the matter, assured that the restructuring would be in the interest of the people of Akwa Ibom.

Forum flays reports on Ukori's indiginship

E

GBEMA—THE people of Egbema Kingdom, Delta State under the aegis of Egbema Political Forum, have condemned recent media reports, that Mr. Jude Ukori is an indigene of Jamagie in Edo State and not an indigene of Opuama community, Egbema Kingdom.

In a statement by Chairman of the forum, Rev. Palmer Obeya,

he said that the said Mr. Ukori was an indigene of Opuama community in Egbema kingdom of Warri North Local Government Area of the state hence he was made the secretary of Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, EGCDF, an outfit that caters for the need of the people through Chevron Nigeria

Limitedsponsorship.

He explained that Mr. Ukori parents wereindigenesofOpuamacommunityand have buildings in Opuama community.

HeaddedthatMr.Ukorirecentlyburied his grandmother in the said Opuama community.

He said: “How come someone who is not an indigene of Opuama community bury his grandmother in it. The said chairmanofthefacelessOpuamaIntegrity Political Forum is not known to us. "

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—35

ECONOMIC MELTDOWN: Ugwuanyi

Imo govt warns cultists

advocates Investment Summit

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—WORRIED by the prevailing economic downturn dogging the nation, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, has called on the British Department for International Development, DFID, to assist the state organize an investment summit to expose its economic potentials to the international community.

This, the governor said, will draw more lifelines for its economic agenda.

Ugwuanyi made the call while receiving a delegation of DFID led by its head of office in Nigeria, Ben Mellor, who was in the governor’s office on a courtesy visit.

Governor Ugwuanyi, who was pleased by the visit, used the opportunity to thank the donor agency for its contributions towards sustainable development in Enugu State and commitment to continue to partner with the state on the issues of inclusive growth, continuity and consolidation of the laudable

programmes of the state government.

He noted that the summit will not only discuss business opportunities in the state, but will also be of immense benefit to the entire South East states in terms of investment promotion and enhanced economic growth.

The governor also added that the country in general and the South East geopolitical zone in

particular need the assistance of the British government more than ever before, in the areas of e-learning/exchange programmes, quality and affordable health facilities and alternative energy supply to support the primary health services in the rural areas.

“It may interest you to know that we have some challenges, we need solar panel to provide alternate energy to power our

A

BA—THE Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, has called on the Abia State government to relocate cattle dealers at the Ogbor Hill waterside bridge to make the area safe for pedestrians and motorists.

In a statement by the Chairman of the Aba Unit of CLO, Prof. Charles Chinekezi, the organization lamented that the activities of cattle dealers in the area had become a threat to road users and called on the

MO STATE government has vowed to deal ruthlessly with any person who engages in cult activities in the higher institutions of learning or any part of the state.

Governor Rochas Okorocha gave the warning while receiving four Hilux vans donated by the Skye Bank Plc at the Government House, Owerri.

Okorocha, who decried the alarming rate of cultism in the state, charged parents and heads of institutions to caution their children and wards to avoid engaging in cult activities and ensure proper home training for them.

He condemned a situation where children of 15 years and below involve themselves in cult activities due to association with peer groups and warned that parents whose under-age children engage in such activities would be held responsible for their acts.

The governor thanked the Skye Bank for donating the four Hilux vans to the state government in furtherance of its campaign against crime and assured of g o v e r n m e n t ’ s preparedness to partner with the bank in other areas.

Presenting the Hilux vans to the governor , the regional Director of Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Chinedu Ochiagha, said the bank appreciated the efforts of the state government at checking crime and other vices in the state and expressed its willingness to partner with government in other areas.

372 Nigerian students stranded in Russia, send SOS to Buhari

By Austin Ogwuda

N

IGERIAN STUDENTS studying in Russia under the Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship Awards are currently stranded and have cried out for a quick intervention following the non-remittance of their allowances.

The situation had been further worsened as attempts by some of the parents of the concerned

students were frustrated due to the current stringent condition placed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, making transfer of money from Nigeria to foreign countries almost near impossible.

The affected students, numbering 372 , under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Scholarship Students in Russia, are studying for undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in

CLO wants Abia govt to check activities of cattle dealers in Aba

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

I

hospital facilities. We need more sophisticated equipment and facilities in our hospitals to measure up with the developed world.

“Don’t give us money; just put the facilities to help our people. We are suffering and we need help. So, under your planning for the next five years, help our people who are suffering to build good hospitals,” the governor said.

government to check the menace.

“CLO is worried about the danger posed by the activities of cattle dealers on the Ogbor Hill waterside bridge along Aba – Ikot Ekpene road. On several occasions, animals being led to the abattoir beside the river, had run amok and injured pedestrians, held up traffic and caused auto-crashes on the ever busy road. It has been a common sight to see stray animals even at night wandering and constituting nuisance to the environment.

“Recently, an animal which

was being pursued by three young men, blocked the road, causing heavy gridlock as people ran helter-skelter to avoid being attacked by the rampaging animal or hit by motorists. The danger posed by this ugly development cannot be overemphasized. Government should make haste to check the trend to save lives and property,” the petition read in part.

CLO further urged the state government to make haste to relocate the abattoir at the bank of the river to a safer place where they would no longer pose a threat to road users.

the country, had, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to pay their eight months’ outstanding allowances.

The Federal Government and Russia are sponsoring the BEA scholarship. Under the arrangement, the government pays for the upkeep of the students, while the Russian government pays the tuition.

The students lamented that from January till date, none of these allowances have been paid by the Nigerian government, despite repeated appeals and other forms of representations to the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow and the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja.

A statement by the VicePresident of the Association of Nigerian Scholarship Students in Russia, Bode Ngochindo, lamented that the students had resorted to begging and borrowing to survive.

According to the statement, “this year, Nigerian government scholars have not been paid for eight months. It is important to note that all scholars solely rely on the government stipends."

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On 13-man panel to probe Yar’Adua, Jonathan

P

resident Buhari needs to define his economic policy direction while carrying on with his probe. Enough of playing to the gallery while the economy is at stand-still, no government shies away from recovery. -Miss Franky Oby, Student

W

e do not oppose probe, but why is he probing Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, leaving Obasanjo? This is serious witch-hunting in high places. PMB should be careful in the way he is being advised.

-Mr. Igwe Ndubuisi, Engineer

T

he probing is good actually, but let us face the fact by bringing OBJ inside this matter instead of bringing a dead man. Buhari should not let Nigerians begin to see him like insincere person. -Mr. Frank Faruk, Self Employed

T

hose people, who are opposed to this probe, we know where they are coming from. They have demonstrated absolute ignorance about the running of a government. PMB should know what he is entering into. -Mr. Ajape Umar, Businessman

I

f I were GEJ, I will not appear for any probe and let Buhari do his worst because when Oputa panel invited him he did not show up.

Meanwhile, if Buhari is serious he should equally probe OBJ and others. -Mr. Ita Effefiong Oko, Worker

I

am not partisan, but I admire and cherish good leadership. The President is doing so well in handling national issues and the appointments he made so far are fair. It is high time we regained our lost integrity, funds and property. -Mr. Abdulrazaq Hamisu, Worker

36 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Kogi moving towards food sufficiency — COMMISSIONER

Two suicide bombers kill selves, soldier in Borno

By Ndahi Marama

By Kingsley Fanwo

L

OKOJA—KOGI State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Zacchaeus Atteh, has reiterated the determination of the state government to shift the economy of the state towards an agro-based platform in order to generate revenue and create jobs for the citizens of the state.

The commissioner disclosed this yesterday while speaking exclusively to Vanguard in Lokoja.

He said the government had strengthened the credit base of farmers to encourage high productivity and capacity to finance farm operations.

According to him, it has become imperative for government to embrace agriculture in the face of the dwindling global oil prices.

He said: : “It is high time we devised new avenues for generating revenue. With our rich soil in Kogi State and readily available labour, we have the capacity to make agriculture the backbone of our economy.”

Atteh said the transformation agenda of the state government was silently revamping the agricultural sector of the state, stating that the government hasd been proactive in taking conscious efforts to boost food production and create job opportunities through agricultural policies that will stand the test of time.

“In achieving the objectives of the Wada administration in the agricultural sector, this government was conscious of the need to provide capital for Kogi farmers. ‘’To this end, the administration granted loans to over 145,000 farmers across the state to the tune of N232 million.

Also, we discovered that many of our rural women are actively involved in agricultural production. ‘’To this end, the government has facilitated the disbursement of N750 million naira loan to over 61 per cent of rural women farmers in the state. We have also granted credit to more than 1000 cassava farmers in the state.

M

AIDUGURI—TWO male suicide bombers suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect on Tuesday evening detonated explosives at a

check point around Gomari Airport Round- About killing themselves and a soldier.

This came as the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, yesterday said over 5000 starved persons had been liberated from communities in Dikwa local government area of troubled Borno State.

The explosion came barely 12

hours after two suicide bombers struck in neighbouring Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, killing six persons, including the suicide bombers, and injuring 26 others.

Gomari is a populated community in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, which is part of Maiduguri metropolis.

INAUGURATION: From right, Mr. Anthony Enumah, Chairman, Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC); Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim and members of IPAC, during the inauguration of IPAC National Executive by Acting Chairman of INEC in Abuja, yesterday. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

The explosion, which shook the vicinity, also injured four passersby at about 10:22pm when the curfew time of 9:30 imposed on the city of Maiduguri had elapsed.

Sources said the suicide bombers were riding on a tricycle after the curfew hours, and were asked to stop and park by the military and some of the civilian JTF members who were on patrol at the checkpoint, an order they complied with.

The source said after they (suicide bombers) parked and both alighted from the tricycle, they were asked to come closer to one of the military personnel to identify themselves.

It was learned that when the suicide bombers approached the soldier and some of the civilian JTF members, one of them detonated the Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, strapped to his body, killing themselves instantly, while the soldier who was critically injured died before reaching hospital for treatment.

Confirming the development yesterday, Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr. Aderemi Opadokun, said the two bombers and a soldier were killed in the bomb explosion.

POLLS: Arrogance, imposition of candidates killed PDP — ISHAKU

By John Mkom

J

A L I N G O — GOVERNOR Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State yesterday said that what killed Peoples Democratic Party PDP, at the last general election were arrogance and imposition of wrong candidates.

Ishaku stated this at Government House, Jalingo,

Taraba State capital, while he played host to the North East zonal officials of PDP who were in his office to pay him condolence visit on the death of Bala Ndakoro one of the North East executive members of PDP, who died in Taraba State.

Ishaku, who was responding to a remark earlier made by the PDP North East zonal vice chairman Sen. Muhamed Lawan, said until

Bauchi recovers N20m from occupants of Gubi, Tambari Housing Estates

By Suzan Edeh

B

AU C H I — B AU C H I State has recovered N20 million from occupants of Tamari and Gubi Housing Estates who defaulted in payment.

Chairman of the State Recovery committee, Air Commodore Ahmed Tijani (retd), who made this known while giving an update on the recovery made by the committee in his office in Bauchi, said most of the defaulters started making payment for the houses, following the 14 days ultimatum given them.

He said the houses in the two estates were allocated to

individuals during the last administration, but noted that after making ten percent payment in 2012, many of the occupants refused to pay a single kobo since then.

He said: “When this administration came on board, the state government mandated the committee to recover all government funds misappropriated during the last administration by ensuring that all the money frittered away during the past government are brought back to the treasury of the government.

“A two bed room apartment in Tambari Housing Estate goes for N4.3million, while a three bedroom apartment

the party accepted to feature candidates who had the interest of the masses at heart, it would be difficult for PDP to win the sympathy of Nigerians.

Ishaku said PDP, after ruling Nigeria for 16 years, became too arrogant that some of its leaders forgot about the well-being of the citizenry and became powerdrunk.

He said the party leaders at the national headquarters were handpicking unpopular candidates against the wish of the electorate without being mindful of the recent negative result at the general elections that consumed over 80 per cent of the party’s popularity.

The governor said: “I’m a victim of what I just said. The national headquarters kept opposing me even though I was a popular candidate in my state. ‘’Some leaders think they can pick whoever they wanted and at a point, I left Abuja and came to stay in Taraba, I knew they were working against the wish of my people.

“Those who wanted to impose a candidate insisted that even if I contest, I will fail but here in the state, I was the most popular candidate. ‘’I was bastardized by some clowns who put themselves as PDP leaders without consulting the people at the grass root who are the electorate.

“We must stand to defend the party against those who are in the party to make money, politics is about services to the people, not avenue for making money.''

2,374 intending pilgrims for Hajj from Jigawa

By Aliyu Dangida

D

UTSE—JIGAWA State Pilgrims Welfare Board has concluded all necessary plans for the airlift of 2,374 intending pilgrims to the holy land for the 2015 Hajj obligations.

Executive Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Sani Alhassan, who disclosed this to newsmen in Dutse, said the state government had contracted the services of two airliners, Max Air and Kabo Air, for the airlift of its pilgrims, adding that Max Air was allocated 1,826 pilgrims and would commence operation on September 1, while Kabo Air would airlift 546 pilgrims on a date to be announced in due course, According to him, the board has remitted 100% of the Hajj fares collected from intending pilgrims to the National Hajj Commission, NAHCO.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 37

DECORATION: Dr. Wilson Akhiwu, CP Forensic (middle), being decorated by Mr. Solomon Arase, Inspector-General (left) and DIG Dan'Azumi Doma, yesterday.

CONDOLENCE: Members of the National Traditional Council of Nigeria and Ife chiefs during a condolence visit to the Ife chiefs on the passage of the Ooni. PHOTO: Dare Fasube.

ELUMELU ENTREPRENEURS: Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State (middle); to his left are Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State and Governor Bello Masari of Katsina State; Abimbola Adebakin, Chief Operating Officer, Tony Elumelu Foundation (7th left), with Tony Elumelu entrepreneurs based in Kaduna, at a meet-up session hosted by el-Rufai in Kaduna.

EASYBUSINESS HUNT: From left— Olufemi Oguntimehin, Specialist, SME Segment, Etisalat Nigeria; Collins Onuegbu; Ayodeji Megbope, both Etisalat Easybusiness Millionaires Hunt Season II selection committee members, and Bidemi Ladipo, Head, Enterprise Marketing, Etisalat Nigeria, at the first stage of screening in the hunt in Lagos.

IJORA ISEDE: Oba Fatai Aromire Ojora, Ojora of Ijoraland, with his wife, Olori Omotolani, during the Ijora Isede Day in Ijora.

FIDAU: From left— Dr. Mobolaji Olukoya, Medical Director, Ikorodu General Hospital; Dr. Obani Ismail and Dr. Babatunde Oni, at the 40 days Fidau prayer in honour of Dr. Ademola Olowu, a senior medical doctor of the hospital in Lagos.

BIRTHDAY:

From left— Capt. Banjana Bailor, Fleet Manager, Boeing 737 Arik Air; Capt. Mahmood Abdulahi, Fleet Manager, Airbus A330 Arik Air, celebrant, and Capt. Adetokunbo Adekunbi, Chief Pilot, all of Arik Air, during Abdulahi's birthday celebration in Lagos.

GRADUATION: Brigadier General L. F. Abdullahi, immediate past Commandant of Nigerian Army School of Education, NASE, Ilorin, and Acting Commander Nigerian Army Education Corps, Yaba, Lagos (left), presenting certificate to graduates of the school during the maiden combined convocation (1992 to 2015 session) in Ilorin.

38 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 39

40 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 43

Increasing Nigeria electricty generation: A prompt and easy way forward

By Max Uanikhehi

M

OST knowledgeable energy followers are often bemused by the rather strange choice of any country to laboriously harness its power from difficult sources while literally sitting in an easy - pick energy - ocean.

Nigeria a major oil producer understandably generates most of its electricity (>80%) from hydrocarbon powered turbines but it remains difficult to understand why in the face of the failure of the fuel powered systems to provide the needed electricity, other available energy sources have remained significantly unharnessed.

For Nigeria, a nation of more than 170 million citizens located in the heart of the tropics, occupying a vast land area of 923,768 km² of high solar insolation, the inability to generate electricity from renewable sources to augment the current level of less than 5,000MW has sadly remained a major blight in the development of all sectors of its economy.

Centralized large-scale power generation until only recently has remained the sole paradigm for power provision in most countries, including Nigeria.

This practice, for those countries still caught in it, has sadly undermined the 20th century renewable energy realities.

Today, most developed nations give prime considerations to electricity generation from the renewables as mutual compliment to generations from the conventional systems.

Conventional systems

Each of the following countries enjoys adequate power supplies from the conventional generation methods that may include the combination of gas turbines; hydro falls; coal turbines; nuclear power plants etc. in addition still embarks on energy generation from renewable sources especially solar where ideally available.

The total electricity generation from solar by these countries that are among the 14 largest solar energy generation countries, some situated in lower solar insolation areas than Nigeria, is quite revealing.

•Germany. Enjoys much less sun resources than Nigeria but has been the world’s top solar electricity generator for several years ahead of China, Japan, Italy, and USA. As at February 2015 and still increasing, German overall installed sun electricity generation capacity was 38,458 megawatts (MW).

•China. Total installed solar electricity capacity at the end of 2013 was over 12,000 megawatts and by September 2014 attained over 18,300 megawatts.

•Electricity installation •Japan. Between April 1 and October 31 2013 (less than 8 months) about 4,000 MW (4 GW) of new solar photovoltaic was installed in Japan. As at end of 2014, Japan had attained a level of over 15,000 MW from distributed solar scheme. Japan is the first country in the world to surpass the 1 GW of cumulative PV capacity. It should be noted that Japan’s sun resources are much less than Nigeria’s.

•United Kingdom. Solar power use in United Kingdom though relatively unexplored until recently, has increased very rapidly. As at the end of June 2013, of the 2,400 megawatts capacity installed, 1,700 megawatts were smallscale residential and commercial installations that benefited from feed-in tariffs. In 2014, Solar PV accounted for 12 per cent of renewable electricity capacity in the UK. The total UK installed solar capacity generated from homes, buildings and solar farms is now about 4.7 Gigawatts. UK with its relatively poor sun endowment today generates more electricity from sunlight than Nigeria currently generates from all of its conventional power generation systems put together.

Solar electricity generation capacity for the world’s top 10 solar-power-using-countries as

The solar distributed generation scheme is highly recommended for careful planning and urgent successful implementation

recorded in September 15, 2014 are- (i). Germany: 35.5 GW. (ii).

China: 18.3 GW. (iii). Italy: 17.6 GW. (iv). Japan: 13.6 GW (v).

United States: 12 GW, (vi).

Spain: 5.6 GW, (vii). France: 4.6 GW. (viii). Australia: 3.3 GW (ix).

Belgium: 3 GW, (x). United Kingdom: 2.9 GW. The key to the successes of harnessing immense electricity from sunlight by the aforeenumerated countries, most of which do not enjoy as much sunlight as Nigeria, derives from the implementation of wellarticulated citizens driven distributed generation (DG) schemes.

Distributed generation is a scheme that employs small sized units owned by private citizens or bodies to generate electricity for their use with excess generated over needs discharged/sold to the grid at accepted conditions.

Renewable energy

DG systems employ numerous small plants that can provide power onsite with little reliance on the distribution and transmission grid. All those rooftop PV installation noticeable in most houses in developed countries are silent power generating DG components.

DG technologies yield power in capacities that range from a fraction of a kilowatt (kW) to about 100 megawatts (MW).

DG from renewable energy sources provides lower-cost electricity and higher power reliability and security with fewer environmental consequences.

A detailed assessment of the following indices necessary for the successful implementation of solar distributed generation scheme should clearly portray the potential viability of the Solar DG scheme in Nigeria.

•Need/demand. The huge need of electricity in Nigeria as it currently stands is significantly enormous. Experts have

variously estimated Nigeria ideal electricity generation in line with needs to be between 25,000 and 40,000 MW. Total current electricity supply stands at much below 5 , 0 0 0 M W. There is no question about the very high need of electricity to satisfy the huge demand in Nigeria.

• I d e a l insolation.

Insolation is a measurement of sunlight intensity over a given area for a defined period of time.

Sun intensity is not only high in most areas of Nigeria, sunlight is present all year round in all areas any instance.

Insolation by location

Nigeria is disposed to naturally endowed benefits of ideal insolation by location, and should therefore harness the gifted options of free electricity generation from the sun through the solar distributed generation scheme.

•Policies. A clear policy must be in place that removes all ambiguities and strengthens the legal framework of all aspects of the DG scheme including creating legal backups for all – Incentive, Finances and all other drivers of the scheme. Such policies must among other vital covers grant conditions for, Easy and assured grid Connection; Purchase and payments for power generated and exported into grid; Set a minimum share of power to be produced from renewable sources; Set a reasonable goal for solar electricity procurement in the various service territories.

•Willing/qualified participants. Almost every Nigerian family, including the poorest, has at least one electricity generating set. This proven enthusiasm succinctly represents the fact that there would be overwhelming number of willing participants to choose from. Albeit, meeting the standard conditions of owning a property that has good roof size and orientation in selected areas for the projects.

Even at a minimum average generation of 5kw per generator, the 36 states plus the FCT can each generate an average of up to 500MW within one year(Japan with less sun resources achieved about 4,000 MW between April 1 and October 31 2013 - less than eight months.

•Incentives. In all places the DG scheme has succeeded, the major driver for enthusiastic citizen participation derived from the very attractive incentive the scheme offers to individual generators. Such incentives includei.Net-metering (NEM) which consists of Credit earnings and Debit payments on difference between metered generations exported into the grid and metered consumption taken from grid. ii. Feed-in-tariff (FIT) which involves -Payment for all generated electricity even if directly consumed; -Rebate on standard electricity bill for using energy produced and Additional benefits for electricity exported into the grid. iii. Tax breaks particularly for corporate entities for the electricity generation beyond a fixed minimum level. If the incentives are properly drawn up and implemented, Nigerians would fall over each other to get into the scheme.

•Finance.

Electricity generation from any source is very financially intensive. Even with the recent drop in PV prices, solar electricity generation ranks higher than the conventional generation methods in cost. Distributed generation as defined are owned by the generators and as obtains the world over, each participant bears the costs of the system. To depend solely on each participant to procure the systems may never yield the prompt significant generation desired. Thus, a viable Government guaranteed repayable financing for each qualified participant can be worked out.

Generating system

It has been shown that complete recoup of all investment on the generating system is achievable within 10 years. This is considered as viable for a complete DG generating system (not including batteries) which has a minimum functional life of 20 years with no mechanical parts and requiring no costly servicing.

Solar renewable energy source unarguably remains not only a viable tool towards achieving energy security in Nigeria, but can through the Distributed Generation scheme offer Nigerians as much satisfaction from electricity provision as the GSM technology has provided in telephony. Solar distributed generation discounts the enormous need and investment in transmission infrastructures and remains a viable solution to Nigeria inadequate electricity supply. The solar distributed generation scheme is highly recommended for careful planning and urgent successful implementation as a sure prompt and easy way toward increasing Nigeria electricity generation.

•Uanikhehi is President & Fellow, Solar Thermal Electricity Promoters Association of Nigeria (STELPAN)

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Reviving the dying art of folk tales for royals

By Hugo Odiogor

I

T was a festival of songs and re-enactment of the folk story-telling culture in a typical African society where life is simple and easy going before the advent of foreign culture and value.

It was a moment to bring to life the mores, the world views and values that heed families and societies together and there could not have been a better time than the activities marking the 90th birthday ceremony of the paramount political leader of Ahaba Ujom kingdom Asagba, Professor Joseph Edozien, CFF, the Asagba of Asaba.

The act could not have had a better star performer than Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who took the centre stage to render folk tales from his infant recollections that rocked the Nnebisi Hall of Grand Hotel, Asaba.

P.C. Nwabuzor who provided an innovative setting and structure and format that could save folk love a heritage of Africa.

The theatre set up, the audience participatory formal in typical African call and response African entertainment sequence holds the prospect of making story telling a veritable aspect of African Night Entertainment repertoire as was fit for royalty.

The audience was made up of

Asaba and Anioma people that have been invited by the Asagba Birthday Anniversary under the chairmanship of Professor Epiphany Azinge, the former Director General of Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies (NIALS), Abuja, member of the Edozien family, Civil Servant and Lovers of Traditional Art. Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, the Senator Representing Delta North Senatorial District in the th 8 National Assembly took the first short with a folk tale entitled: Nwa Nnabeji which he rendered in short takes with improvised music by PC Nwabuzor Group, but the hall erupted when he told the story of Omalingwo Nwa Eze Ute-Ute and followed it up with Ani Ogbalagada.

The theatre set up, audience participatory response sequence, holds the prospects of making story telling a veritable aspect of African night entertainment

• Senator Peter Nwaoboshi on stage at the Nnebuisi Hall of Grand Hotel Asaba entertaining the guests of His Royal Majesty, Asagba (Prof.) Chike Edozien, CFR, during the 90th birthday anniversary in Asaba, Delta State The audience was thrilled with stories of Chief Nwaboshi personal life odyssey as he interspersed his act with his personal life his act with his personal struggles of life that is typical to any African child with less privileged background.

His cameo performance set the stage for an evening of Orature, a journey of rendition of tales of rural and rustic communal life which is now one of a dying art forms in modern society. This was the traditional pattern of socialisation process which was used to mould character and shape personality traits in children. It formed an essential patter of communication and critical commentaries on social and issues of governance in traditional African society social and moral ethos with conveyed

Palm wine, masquerades headline Eko oni-baje New yam/beach festival

By Prisca Sam-Duru

F

ROM being a sculptor to an art collector and now, culture promoter, Nigeria’s gifted artist, Chinedu Idezuna a.k.a Ezemoo of Africa who had his rafia-made resort, demolished sometime in 2005, has proved his resilience is not waning at all.

This, Idezuna has proved through his cultural project,Eko Onibaje New Yam and Beach festival. The artist has finalised arrangement to give Nigerians a real treat of cultural extravaganza at this year’s cultural fiesta beginning from Friday 18th to 20th September 2015.

Castel Down Art Centre, a Lagos-based cultural promotion outfit located at Ibeju Lekki, Local Government Area of Lagos, is expected to be a beehive of activities as it plays host to culture enthusiasts, artists, art aficionados, corporate organisations and many more.

The cultural feast, aimed at fostering unity among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups according to the promoter, would kick-off with Miss Eko Onibaje beauty pag-

eant at Ibeju Lekki on Friday September 11. Events that follow suite include, traditional wrestling, cultural dance performances, masquerades, palm wine drinking and many other thrills.

Grand finale of the event however, comes up at Eleko Beach.

The yearly festival now in its 7th edition, is packaged as a festive campaign for awareness of culture and tourism. It also features programmes that offer young talents opportunities for wide exposure.

Wide exposure Expatriates and organizations in the likes of the Nigeria Fields Society are helping the promoter, up his game. Also, the paramount ruler and the Onibeju of Ibejuland, His Royal Majesty, (HRM) Oba Olusegun Salami; the Local government council, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Lagos State Council of Arts and Culture, and Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Intergovernmen-

• Chinedu Idezuna tal Affairs, as well as notable groups such as Oganiru Ndigbo, Igbo in Diaspora, Onyeaghalanwanneya group of Ibeju Lekki, groups from Calabar, Nupe, Isoko people resident in Lagos, Senegalese group, African Pride of Arts and Culture of Nigeria (APACON), Ogene Omambara Cultural Group and Professor Maurice Fangnon led group from Republic of Benin, are all throwing their weight behind the festival.

“When we started, it was a solo event that was directly linked to me but today it has grown beyond me that I’m no longer in

through this art form which part of African literature especially those who study oral literature in tertiary institutions.

The advent of technology especially the African movie tradition has equally provided a rare of hope for the likes of Dr. Chudi Okwechime, and Mr. P.C. Nwabuzor who have tried to preserve this art form both in written work and stage performance. Nwabuzor told Vanguard of his vision “to involve the students at all levels to join in this revival of an essential part of the culture of the people.”

A community leader Ogbueshi Akaeze Ibonye commended the organisers of the event for using the opportunity of the 90th birthday of the Asagba to make statement about the people the culture and tradition of Asaba

control of the planning of the festival. What I do now is provide the needed coordination and also ensure that the line up of activities go as planned. We have set in motion various group performance rehearsals to herald the event. We will also be having children from the less privileged home showcase their craft, alongside Taekwondo group from the Republic of Benin and masquerade dancers. So, it promises to be a spectacular outing laced with variety shows.” Idezuna explained.

On the significance of the yearly event, the promoter said that “ Eko Onibaje New Yam and beach festival is aimed at promoting tourism and culture as a viable venture that serves as an alternative to oil. The beautiful and serene Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos became the take off point of a celebration of a united Nigeria with culture and tourism as a pivot. This initial idea of just an atmosphere to share yam as entrenched in Igbo culture of Nigeria metamorphosed into a gathering of several cultures such as the Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and other ethnic groups.”

people and also drawing attention to this historical links between Asaba people and in Igala people who share a common ancestry.

He was particularly happy that the Attah of Igala sent a full delegation from Igala land to participate in the Asagba birthday. They also brought their elephant masquerade to participate in the carnival.

Professor Azinge said the committee to time to plan the event in major areas of life that the Asagba has passed through notably his cultural and traditional aspect of life and the Asagba political institution, his life through the academia the medical profession, sports, where he was the captain of the football team of Chris the King College, Onitsha from 1933 to 1941, and the royalty which was captured in the book entitled: Asagba Joseph Chike Ezozien: His Thought, Mission and Vision, written by Mr. Ifeoha Azikiwe.

Special appeal This was not without a public lecture by Professor Oladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe CFR, who spoke on: “Corruption: The Toxic Junction Box of A Challenge Nation.” This topic had a special appeal to the Asagba, who was appointed in 2008 to be the Chairman of the board that reviewed to observations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to make it more efficient in dealing with issues of graft in public and private sectors of the economy but the report was never implemented.

Professor Akinkugbe concluded that Nigeria’s war against corruption must go beyond the cosmetic treatment of crimes involving corruption as the Chinese example shows how serious nations that want to fight this malaise and culture can go to deal with it in their own particular way.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 —45

Scholars, Lagosians revisit Fashola years in style place during his tenure as Governor, added, “It may be tempting to think that T was the climax of eight this day truly belongs to me. Regrettably it does not. It belongs to Hakeem Bello years relationship, the genesis of which Former Governor of Lagos State, who painstakingly documented all of these Raji Fashola and his Special Adviser Mr. for us. It belongs also to Dapo Adeniyi who worked with him to deliver all these.

Hakeem Bello, recounted recently, as the “To all of you who have come to join us later presented three books in his honour at this event, what you have done is to at the MUSON Centre, Lagos. join us in celebrating and honouring Mr. The books that comprehensively brought out the achievements of the former gover- Hakeem Bello, a gentleman, a family man nor are ‘The Great Leap: Speeches by and a consummate professional whose passion for his work epitomizes his fidelGovernor Babatunde Fashola’, ‘In Bold Print: Thoughts of Babatunde Fashola’ and ity in any cause that he believes in”, he ‘The Lagos Blow Down: West Africa’s First said.

He continued, “In the nature of the reControlled Demolition’. While they were sponsibility that I had, it was impossible compiled by Bello, a publisher, writer and culture promoter, Dapo Adeniyi, co- not to offend people, but I think that without being a priest or an Imam, what I can authored ‘The Lagos Blow Down with him.

The book launch featured tributes, a say publicly is that Hakeem went behind documentary screening and an auction of my back making friends for me that I did not know. This is, of course a different stratthe walkie-talkie that Fashola used the day his administration imploded the Bank of egy from those who make enemies for their Industry building, whose dilapidate state principals and for those who have to manage the image of politicians, I think endangered its neighbourghood.

Although the carnival-like event was Hakeem’s quiet mien, diligent and dediabout extolling the celebrant, Fashola took cated professional commitment is something that we can all learn from”. time to advise the Federal Government The former Governor said he had kept and the National Assembly on the need the walkie-talkie of the blow down for about to conduct an accurate exercise in 2016 seven years as part of his record of servwhen the next National Census is due in order to ensure progress and the achieve- ice, “because the blow down that you saw ment of the desired goal in National De- has already gone global on National Geographic as a learning curve for people velopment.

Fashola said given the fact that those who wish to bring down buildings”, addwho conducted the last headcount in the ing that the operation was the first of its country have owned up that the figures kind worldwide. In his remarks also, one were falsified , the onus was now on the of the reviewers of the books, Professor nation to ensure that next year’s exercise Olatunji Dare whose Prefatory Essay on the Thoughts of Governor Fashola was read by seas o n e d b r o a d c a s t e r, A n g e l a Ajetunmobi, noted that Fashola’s achievements as Governor of Lagos State has been universally acknowledged pointing at the Ex-Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (5th right), most recent award and others at the book launch to the former Governor by the Global Conflict would be right for the nation to make Prevention organization, International Criprogress. sis Group (ICG).

Stressing the importance of data in naFounder and Chairman of the Fate tional and human development, the former Foundation, Mr. Fola Adeola OFR, said Lagos Chief Executive declared, “If the the true essence of the occasion was that work of Government is to provide service the personalities present did so not beto the people, its efficiency will be deter- cause of what they could gain from the mined by its knowledge of how many peo- celebrant but because of their commitment ple need service”, adding that without to him as a friend, relation or acquaintaccurate census figures it may seem the ances. nation was not determined to head in the Adeola described Fashola as a rare popath of development. litical office holder, said, “There are times “So, the numbers have changed from in an environment in a nation, that cer160 million to 170 million and now some- tain things happen that don’t happen oftimes we hear 180 million. But I recall that ten. For example, in football since we all during that census exercise in 2006, we watch football, there was a time that Pele worked with the National Census Com- happened. And after a long time, mission then and when they returned a Maradona happened and then after annumber of 9.6 million.”, Fashola said. other long time, Messi and Ronaldo are Fashola, who warned against people happening.But they don’t happen every moving from where they live to their home time. I am happy that in my own time states for the exercise, pointed out that Fashola happened.” Fashola happened census was not about where one comes and it is my prayer that we do not have to from but about where one lives. Describing wait for too long for another Fashola to the Special Adviser as diligent and dedi- happen,” he said adding that the former cated, the former Governor, who said the three books were about events that took

By Japhet Alakam

I

46—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

even circulating fake data against our government to cause disaffection. But one thing is clear: Kogi is too sophisticated for their cheap propaganda. I am happy that Vanguard is holding on to the truth and the ethics of the profession.

The media must resist the temptation of being used by hate campaigners. The government of Idris Wada has performed creditably. If you ask me how I rate him on the key sectors, I will say he has taken Kogi to another height. Check out his projects in our educational sector, health sector and the transport sector.

His numerous housing units are cushioning housing problems in the state.

Lies can't cover Wada’s performance — UHUOTU, PDP CHAIRMAN •Says PDP 'll win kogi gov poll Mr Sam Uhuotu is the newly elected Chairman of the Kogi State Chapter of the PDP. In this interview Uhuotu expressed confidence the party would win the forthcoming governorship election.

Excerpts:

By Fanwo Kingsley

W

HAT are your plans for the consolidation of the party in the state?

The timing of our coming is such that we have no choice than to hit the ground running as we approach an important election.

The State Executive Committee is working to bring some aggrieved party members back so that we will approach the next election as a united house. We are achieving results in this regard. SEC is also determined to reposition the party and build on the achievements recorded by our predecessors. We are hopeful of taking our party to new heights.

Is it true that some forces worked to neutralise the influence of the governor during the congress?

Politics is always a game of interest and intrigues. As the biggest party in the state, it will be foolhardy to think there won't be conflicting interests. But the good thing about the party is that we have great internal mechanism for resolving our differences.

Legitimate interests We have been able to convince our party members and leaders that our administration will take care of legitimate interests that are not injurious to the party. We have a common interest in the fact that the PDP cannot afford to lose this state. As it is today, it is ours to lose. If we are united, no party can displace us in Kogi State.

But you must be worried that APC defeated you in the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Yes, just like APC too must be worried that we floored them in the House of Assembly election.

We lost in the National Assembly elections because of the Buhari factor. The nation was caught in the Buhari hurricane. There was nothing we could have done to avert that. You can see how we rebounded into reckoning during the House of Assembly election.

With the reports I am getting from the tribunal cases, only God can save the APC from losing more seats in the House. I am not worried. We will roundly defeat C M Y K

APC on November 21 because our association with the party since 2003 has rewarded the state bountifully.

It is also widely alleged that you will be a rubber stamp chairman of the governor?

It is unfortunate that such insinuations are being bandied by the enemies of the party.

However, let me set the record straight here that I will discharge my duties as the Chairman of our great party to the best of my ability in line with the constitution of the party. But I need to also add here my functions do not include fighting the governor. We will work with our government to achieve our objectives.

How do you intend to resolve the issue of party members

The government of Kogi State is not in any way diverting council funds.

They are only saying that to put us in bad light

Housing problems

•Uhuotu: We will defeat APC on November 21 challenging the governor for the governorship ticket?

As a party, we won't deny people of their right to contest.

We always organize free and fair primaries. We are conscious of the need to go into the governorship election as a united front. To achieve that, justice is needed. Justice must be done

and must be seen to be done. I am optimistic that we will cross the bridge and remain strong.

Given allegations of non performance and poor workers’ welfare what gives you the confidence that you can win the governorship election In 2011, our opponents said more than that. Some of them are

When people talk about poor performance, I know they are being mischievous. Kogites will surely keep fate with the man who has served them without making noise about it. The salaries default they are talking about is not peculiar to Kogi. The government was up to date with wages until allocation dropped.

Osun is owing far more than Kogi. If they have suggestions, they should also give same to Osun where their government is in power. We are not in a desperate situation here because our own government is responsible.

The APC leaders have accused the government of Kogi State of diverting Local Government funds. Don't you think this can affect your chances in the election?

The government of Kogi State is not in any way diverting council funds. They are only saying that to put us in bad light.

Councils employed more than their financial capacity could afford. The drop in revenue has hit the councils hard. It has nothing to do with the State Government.

EDO: PDP 'll bounce back in 2016 Mr. Sergius Ogun is a member of the House of Representatives representing Esan North-East/Esan South-East federal constituency of Edo State. An expert in the oil and gas sector, Rep. Ogun in this interview explains the readiness of the House to forge a working relationship with the administration and the readiness of his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to reclaim Edo State in the election due next year. Excerpts:

By Ediri Ejoh

P

RESIDENT Buhari’s is less than 100 days in office. What is your assessment of the new government?

The administration is three months old already that’s almost 100 days. The president says he is slow and steady, I personally didn’t expect anything in 100 days. Having said that, we are ready to work with the president and his cabinet when in place. We have only one country called Nigeria and it belongs to all of us, necessity is laid on us to make it work.

Elections will take place in Edo state

next year. What is the chance of the PDP in the state?

The PDP will take back the state in next year’s election if we get it right in the party primary election in choosing the governorship and deputy governorship candidates. The party must be transparent leading to the primary, conduct a free, fair and credible primary election that will be acceptable to all. Thereafter manage the post primary election problems, if we go into the election proper as a united party we will over run the APC. But how can you do this given the alleged performance of Governor

Adams Oshiomhole?

Performance is relative, if the PDP in nine years, eight months that they were in office borrowed N4 billion and the present government in seven years has borrowed over N70 billion (this is inclusive of the dollar component) this can best be described as mortgage and not performance. We don’t even want to go into the IGR collected by the government.

As much as one will like to commend the governor for the initiative of the IGR drive we should see what the money is spent on. After all, the tax is from the sweat of the people and should not be seen as pocket money by the governor.

What will you say made PDP to lose the recent presidential election?

A couple of reasons but this is not the forum for that. But let me quickly add that PDP was never going to rule Nigeria for ever anyway. PDP losing the election was

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—47

Kogi, your deliverance is near — Yahaya Bello Frontline All Progressives Congress, APC Kogi State governorship aspirant, Alhaji Yahaya Bello made his mark in business with specific concerns in transportation, oil and gas, finance and agro-allied sectors. The Agassa Okene-born entrepreneur and politician in this interview gives his perspectives on his aspiration, challenges and hope. Excerpts:

By Fanwo Kingsley

H

OW do you hope to surmount the challenge posed by Prince Abubakar Audu to your ambition?

I would have loved not to discuss personalities. In the political history of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu is a veteran. God gave him the opportunity to rule this state before. But since 2003, the dynamics of politics in Kogi State has changed. People are no more intimidated by propaganda.

They want to see what you can offer to better their lots.

Unfortunately, those who defeated him in 2003, 2007 and 2011 didn’t lead the state into the desired prosperity. To me, this is the right time for Prince Abubakar Audu to sit back and take leadership role to ensure things are organized properly. I see him as a father.

He should play a fatherly role and allow us to deliver 21st century leadership. I am sure many of his advisers will be telling him that and I want to lend my voice too to that clarion call. Having said that, I want to also add that he has the constitutional right to contest the election. We are all in the race to market our programs to the electorate. I have been encouraged by the electorate.

They have shown concern and support.

They have shown us their enthusiasm to witness real change. I am coming into the contest with an inalienable conviction that I have the competence to work with my team to take Kogi State to higher heights. Fear of failure is not a factor here.

We have the support of our people. The people of Kogi State have been my driving force.

Everywhere we have been, the people have continued to show us tremendous support.

Tremendous support The solidarity is unbelievable.

The people have given us the confidence to march forward and we shall not waver in our determination to make the state a place of pride for all.

But many are already saying that you are in the race on the moral platform of the need for power rotation as no one from the Western and Central Zones had governed the state. How true is the assumption?

I love your use of the word “assumption.” Yes, it is true that no other ethnic group apart from Igala have ever ruled the state.

We cannot disparage that unimpeachable fact. But I am not

— OGUN a testament to the fact that Nigeria has joined the League of Nations practicing democracy and as such we should congratulate ourselves. In advanced democracies of the world I am not aware of any political party that has been in power for more than three terms in the last 20 years.

PDP claims the anti-corruption fight of President Buhari is aimed at the opposition which is the PDP. How do you react to that?

Well, it is no longer the PDP alone that is saying this, everyone is saying it. Every well meaning Nigerian wants the cancer of corruption out of our system like yesterday but I don’t think the government can even afford to target only the opposition. The distinctive dividing lines of the different political parties in Nigeria is still blurred.

C M Y K

•Ogun

•Yahaya Bello: I am the face of the change in this race as an ethnic champion. The problem of the state is leadership.

When we have an ineffective leadership, it will affect virtually everyone in the state. Poverty and joblessness do not recognize ethnicity. My ambition is to lead this state into prosperity through quality, dynamic and pragmatic leadership. To me, where you come from doesn’t matter. That is why I have large followership in Igala, Bassa and Okun. They are not saying “no we can’t follow him because he is Ebira”.

They have keyed into our vision.

Development and progress They have seen the project as a unifying ring for development and progress. I was asking someone if the Igalas are more prosperous now despite producing the governors of the state from 1991. The answer is no. We are all suffering from the brunt of bad leadership. I want to be seen as the candidate of unity. I also want our brothers and sisters from the Eastern Zone to see me as someone who is ready to lead a united Kogi State.

What are the cardinal programs you will promote as governor of Kogi State?

Our party, the All Progressives Congress is a party that looks after the welfare of the people.

That is our selling point. That was what delivered the centre to us. My central focus as governor of Kogi State will be quality education, efficient medicare, jobs creation, transformational agriculture and infrastructural development.

How do you think your party can avoid the problem of imposition of candidates this

time given that the problem led many party men to defect before the last general elections?

The party has a constitution. I am a man who believes in due process and constitutionalism.

Let me appeal to those who abandoned the party to retrace their steps to come back to the party and work with us to liberate the state from underdevelopment.

I am the face of the change they crave. We cannot afford to be divided at this critical juncture. We must work together as one body with a purpose of redemption. On whether anyone can impose himself on the party, such moves will surely be resisted by party members and leaders.

From where do you draw the confidence that the APC will upstage the ruling PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in the state?

If you check the trend of the last election in the state, you will discover a gradual departure from the past. That we were able to put up such a strong showing is no fluke. I also believe that our failure to control the state House of Assembly was down to divisions in certain parts of the state over alleged imposition of candidates. Also, the grand

I am the face of the change they crave.

We cannot afford to be divided at this critical juncture.

failure of the present State Government in Kogi is unprecedented and the people are waiting for the next opportunity to sweep them out of power.

Winning an election This is the more reason why we must get our acts together and present someone that is capable of winning an election.

Come to the state and look at the condition of our roads. They are like death traps. Our teachers are being starved by the government. Some were even unjustly retrenched.

Even our state capital is reputed to be one of the dirtiest in the country. We cannot continue to accept underdevelopment. Now is the time for change and I am the Apostle of that change.

What is your message to the people of Kogi State?

If they want a government that will be responsible and responsive, if they want a government that will spark great development of all the sectors of the economy, if they want their children to have access to quality education and healthcare delivery, if they want a government that will enthrone an environment for business growth and consequently jobs creation, if they want to see a government that will transform the state into the tourist hub of the nation, if they want to see a government that will ensure good roads and clean water as well as ensure workers’ welfare; I urge them to join our team and rally support towards the creation of opportunities and prosperity. I urge our people to see me as the hope of a brighter Kogi

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 15 27,, 20 2015

Why Nigerian migrant workers suffer abuses — NLC that we need.

How you address the Push factor?

The solution is good governance. First, many Nigerians may not migrate because they want to migrate, but because of the hardship in the country. They see Europe as a greener land. Yet migration cannot be stopped but can be better managed. There are many graduates roaming the streets, any little opportunity to migrate they run away.

How do you protect migrants’ rights?

Whether regular or irregular, your rights must be protected.

You have a right to life, to security, possibly to education and right to fair treatment among others.

James Imoyera, is the Assistant General Secretary, AGS, in charge of Education and Labour Migration in the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). In this interview with Labour Vanguard, he speaks on the challenges facing the Nigerian migrants, why they are abused among others.

Excerpts:

By Emmanuel Elebeke

W

HAT is NLC take on labour migration?

Migration is a key issue in the globalized world. Migration is synonymous with human existence. It is a long historical thing that people move across border.

It is a known fact that about 80 per cent of people who migrate do so for economic reasons, for greener pasture. They earn their daily bread within the country and also outside the country.

Therefore, labour migration is a very important aspect of migration. As a trade union movement, we are interested in labour migration.

Migrant workers' issue has taken a new dimension globally.

What does Nigerian labour law says about this category of workers?

Labour employment law is a vast issue. As you are aware, Nigerian labour law is non discriminatory in principle. What it means is whether you are a migrant or Nigerian, you are supposed to be protected equally by the Nigerian labour law.

Irregular migrants But most times in practice, it is not so. Why, because of this dichotomy of regular and irregular migrants.

For regular migrants who have legal status, they can openly come out to defend their rights when violated. But for an irregular migrants, who may not have documented status most times out of fear, they can’t come out to fight for their rights. This is not restricted to Nigeria, it applies also to Nigerian migrants , who migrate to other countries. That is where you have series of illtreatment meted out to migrants.

What is Nigerian government doing about it?

The federal government through the Federal Executive Council, FEC, approved the National Migration Policy, NMP, last year. The FEC also approved the National Policy on Labour, which has two existing policies now. The NMP derives its legitimacy from National Policy on Migration. This deals with all manner of labour issues, labour migration, C M Y K

international labour migration.

The reason behind the policy is to structure how labour migration will be better managed. Until recently, Nigeria had no national migration policy. All migration issues discussed were based on bilateral agreements. Migration agreements had not been driven by the policy. Now that we have a policy, I believe migration will be better managed.

What is NLEX all about?

The National Labour Electronix Exchange, NLEX, is basically a system where skills are uploaded, so that recruiters, whether national or internationally can go there to look for skills.

Labour agency It is a skill-match website that makes available skills in the Nigerian labour market known. An employer or labour agency who wants an employee, goes there and looks at the data and makes choice of labour he or she needs.

How do you respond to claims that Nigerian migrants are unskilled?

I do not agree that Nigerian migrants are not skilled. But the problem is the irregular labour migrants who engage in unskilled jobs. They pass through the desert and Mediterranean Sea to Europe without openly coming out to say, I want to be a lecturer as a PhD holder for example.

Therefore, they engage in under employment.

If PhD holders are migrating to Europe because they are needed, agreement must have been reached between the recruting agency and Nigeria. With this you can’t go there and become a taxi driver.

If there is structured bilateral agreement, the terms and conditions of working will be well defined and stated, so that when these people go there, there will be no discrimination. They will base their working agreement on terms.

But if they go there as irregular migrants, maybe with tourism visa, they can be discriminated against because they don’t have working visa and they will be hiding to work. But in terms of skills, the essence of better migration policy bilateral agreement is

Right to fair treatment •James Imoyera.... The solution is good governance

that if there are areas Nigeria is short of skills, you identify countries that have sufficient skills. If there are countries that are short of skills that are sufficient in Nigeria, Nigeria will supply them. That is why migration should be structured.

In Nigeria, there are no organized form of migration. It is basically irregular and that is why Nigerian migrants are underemployed, engaged in hazardous jobs, slave labour and hide in container to go to Europe. Otherwise, how can you say you are an engineer and you work in a restaurant?

How do you monitor oversea workers?

We can only monitor those we know. First, we have data problems because many migrant workers hide their identity while migrating.

In that case, you hardly know who migrated to do a job

In Nigeria, there are no organized form of migration. It is basically irregular and that is why Nigerian migrants are underemployed, engaged in hazardous jobs, slave labour and hide in container to go to Europe

genuinely. In that case, we cannot know who to fight for.

But what we have done in trade union movement is to collaborate with our sister union organizations in other countries.

Living in Germany In United Kingdom, UK, we have collaboration with her labour union, whereby if there are migrants who are teaching there, we can have their records. We also try to make sure that they are members of teachers union there.

Another challenge we face is that these migrants hardly belong to union. If he or she is not a union member, the union will not have a record of him or her.

I had opportunity of living in Germany and the Nigerian embassy never knew I was in Germany.

What will you tell those who believe the economic reality in Nigeria encourages irregular migration?

The economy of Nigeria is a push factor for people to migrate irregularly. Again, we need a lot of sensitization and enlightenments. There is need to educate Nigerians on NMP. It is not just enough to have these policies in shelves but Nigerians must know about them. There are better ways to migrate than to follow the irregular roots.

If we have structured migration policy, whether on labour exchange or bilateral agreement, it is better because bilateral agreement will give you quota

As far as you work in the country, you have the right to be protected by the labour law of that country. But because most people migrate irregularly, when their rights are violated, they can’t go and report when the first thing they will ask is your document.

So even if your employer is paying you half of what it is paying its nationals, you wouldn’t talk about it because if you go to any labour authority to report, they will ask you how you came into the country. For you to report anything there, you must show valid document and you do not have it. So, you will continue to hide and your employer will be exploiting you.

What about local content?

It is not for the labour movement to look into this. There are government agencies in the ministry of interior like immigration and border control agency, who monitor who enters Nigeria.

But the issue of expatriates also falls into the hands of regulatory authority. However, we have members in those industries where people work.

I also feel that labour movement should insist contractors must not import certain category of workers.

British government is planning to stop foreign students to go home after their graduations?

I don’t know much about that, but the fall and economic meltdown, has made countries to adopt policies because they are also facing hardship. Probably, their priority is to face their citizens first before others. And when they begin to see that through these migration, others can share what their people should get, they are bound to take this kind of decision.

Vanguard,THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—49

Nigeria Airways pensioners threaten civil disobedience over unpaid benefits •Mourn dead colleagues, 12 years after liquidation

by Victor Ahiuma-Young

P

ENSIONERS of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited, NAL, have threatened a nationwide mass protest over government refusal to pay their outstanding entitlements among others, 12 years after liquidation of the national carrier.

The over 5,000 pensioners operating on the platform of Nigeria Airways Pensioners Group, NAPG, expressed disgust that as at December 2014, no fewer than 600 colleagues had died prematurely due to lack of money to meet their medical needs among others.

They are demanding that the government adopts a once-forall approach system by paying the balance of 20 years Pension Pay-Off to the Nigeria Airways Pensioners in accordance with the Inter-Ministerial Committee report on the issue.

Immediate payment Other demands include immediate payment (supplementary payment) of some categories of staff that were wrongly omitted or did not take part in the payment in 2008/2010, of which approval had been granted since November 2008.

They insist that relevant government authorities must put in place a channel of regular communication between them and leaders of Nigeria Airways Pensioners Group. This they said, would ensure unfettered access to information concerning the progress of work being done, if at all there is such a thing.

Letters of appeal: In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, copied to the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, among others, they lamented that they had since 2010 written: A Save Our Soul Letter to the President (June 8, 2010),  Save Our Soul Letter to Lt.Gen.T.Y Danjuma, Chairman Presidential Advisory Council, (July 22, 2010),  Appeal/Cry For Justice Letter to the Attorney-General C M Y K

of the Federation and Minister of Justice (October 11, 2010),  Pension Pay-Off To ExWorkers Of Nigeria Airways To The Attorney General Of The Federation (October 11, 2011), Reminder To Letter Number Four, Re-Pension Pay-Off To ExWorker Of Nigeria Airways To The Attorney General Of The Federation By Our Lawyers, Ogunsanya And Ogunsanya (February 21, 2012, Reminder To Letter Number Four Re-Pension Pay-Off To ExWorker Of Nigeria Airways To The Secretary To The Government Of The Federation

By Our Lawyers, Ogunsanya And Ogunsanya (June 5,2014),  The Plight Of Nigeria Airways Pensioners: Hear Our Cry (A Matter Of Urgent National Importance) To The Secretary To The Government Of The Federation (July 9, 2014) and; Reminder To Letter Number Four Re-Pension Pay-Off To ExWorker Of Nigeria Airways To the Minister Of Aviation (November 11, 2014), all to no avail.

In the petition by the Chairman and Vice Chairman of NAPG, Jacob T.Ogunleye and Jaja Somiari respectively,

There is a drum beat and music being played by the Government to the Nigeria Airways family, and that is the dance of civil disobedience

A cross section of Ex-workers of Nigerian Airways during a protest in Lagos troubled and faulty liquidation process by going completely outside the Inter-Ministerial Committee report by approving only five years Pension Pay-off to the ex-workers."

NAPG Vice Chairman, Jaja Somiari they recalled how NAL was liquidated despite that its assets outweighed its liabilities to pave way for government officials and their fronts to alegedly acquire its properties in choice locations across the country.

Providing insight into the history of the battle for the payment of legitimate benefits of the ex-NAL workers, NAPG said it took the then Senate President Dr.Ken Nnamani-led National Assembly, as part of its oversight functions to hold a public hearing on NAL which eventually resulted in the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee.

They claimed Senator Nnamani went far beyond his line of duty to ensure that the inter-ministerial committee, working and reaching an understanding with the unions, came up with the three options’ of 15, 20 and 25 years Pensions Pay-off system to the exworkers of NAL. The petitioners said "it is on record that this committee recommended 25years Pension Pay-off as a lifetime Pension benefit. It is sad to note that former President Obasanjo chose to exacerbate an already

Struggle for payment of entitlements According to the petition, "after we got just 20% of our entitlements, and precisely from 2009,when it became clear that the Government was not in any way interested in going ahead with the payment of the remaining 80% of our entitlements, we have doggedly and variously operated under different platforms to sensitize and drive home our legitimate demands. In spite of the repeated appeals over the years as shown above and as attached, the Nigerian Government has once again shown that it cannot and is not in a hurry to do away with the policy of insensitivity to the plight of her fellow citizens.

Policy of insensitivity "Having explored all civilized, legal and peaceful approaches to this matter, we realize that it has become the tradition of Government to encourage lawlessness, civil disobedience and militancy.

The Nigeria Airways family will in no distant future help the Government to effectively propagate this culture across the length and breadth of this country to the best of our ability.

However, we are quick to say that the Nigerian Government would be held responsible for any eventualities, having on her own and against all professional advice, decided to voluntarily liquidate the Airline, fully aware of the cost implications, the most

paramount of which are the labour issues."

The aggrieved pensioners threatened that they "will not sit back and watch our colleagues and families disappear from the surface of the earth through deliberate policy by way of starvation, arising from suffocating poverty and every other evil associated with suffering. We have lost several colleagues including a senior purser, an avionics engineer, and three others. At the last count in 2014, we have recorded over 600 deaths. If this is not genocide, what name shall we then call it? We will not as usual like to be called disgruntled elements and militants by the Government hence this outcry.

Drum beats and music "The message is very clear; Pay us our outstanding legitimately earned entitlements and keep the peace. We really wonder what the Government wants us to do.

There is a drum beat and music being played by the Government to the Nigeria Airways family, and that is the dance of civil disobedience.

The message is now clear and understood. Interestingly, our children, grand children and great grand children, having been galvanized towards this direction, are already dancing to the wonderful music by Government.

As the dance steps of Nigeria Airways Pensioners continue to wobble by the day and may finally grind to a halt anytime soon, the baton is gradually being handed over to our offspring who have vowed to carry on with the painful but unavoidable civil disobedience."

50—Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Senate in disarray over EFCC probe Continues from page 6 choice assets in the country especially in Abuja.

He fingered Access Bank and defunct Intercontinental Bank as two banks that aided the anti-graft agency to hide recovered funds and profits from recovered assets.

Uboh, who said Bayelsa State Government was his client as he was hired to recover the unpaid money to the state by the EFCC, presented a mandate letter from the state government dated November 19, 2013. He said the chairman used his paraphernalia of office to intimidate the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, who later withdrew the letter and disassociated himself from him (Uboh) despite an earlier agreement between both parties, adding that the governor personally went to court to withdraw the case that he (Uboh) had against the EFCC without his consent.

Uboh told the committee that he should be arrested if his petition and presentation were fake, stressing that if genuine, Lamorde should be arrested.

C'ttee sends Lamorde’s representatives out

There was, however, a mild drama when the committee walked out the representatives of Ibrahim Lamorde.

While the petitioner, George Uboh, was being cross-examined, Chile Okoroma, Director of EFCC Legal Department, who led other EFCC team to the hearing interjected that he had a presentation to make as he expressed surprise at the documents that had been tendered by Uboh, adding that the EFCC did not get the copies containing those facts.

He, thereafter, asked to be briefed on the workings of the committee, explaining that it was wrong for the petition to be heard when the accused was not present.

Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) explained that it was the committee’s prerogative to decide the direction of the hearing.

But Okoroma insisted on speaking even after explanations by the senators. Consequently, the committee’s chairman, C M Y K

FORUM: Dr. Isaac Thompson Amos, Chief Executive Officer, Thompson & Grace Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Lagos (middle), Prof. Philip O. Abiodun of UBTH, Benin City, and Dr. Olanrewaju Falodun, Senior Consultant Physician/Dermatologist, National Hospital, Abuja, at the Scientific Forum on Infant & Child Health in Abuja.

Samuel Anyanwu, announced that the Director, Legal of the EFCC, Chike Okoroma; representative of Lamorde, Osuagwu Ugochukwu and other staff of the EFCC should leave the hall against the backdrop that having written to be given enough time, they ought not to have come.

Anyanwu had earlier read a letter where the EFCC boss pleaded for enough time to respond to the issues raised by the petition. The Committee chairman then directed that the hearing room be cleared of all EFCC representatives before the committee can continue, an order that was quickly complied with by the sergeant-at-arms.

Lamorde’s representatives speak

Speaking to journalists soon after he was walked out, Lamorde’s representative, Osuagwu Ugochukwu, who noted that the EFCC boss asked him to represent him at the hearing, expressed his fears, saying he was disappointed at the Senate committee.

He said: “They invited Lamorde to come here today and in the letter they wrote to Lamorde, they never stated that their coming here would be for the petitioner to be heard alone.

“There was no procedure attached to the invitation letter that this is how this panel will run its sitting. So, to our greatest surprise, in spite of the fact that we even wrote a letter that because of the tight schedule of the commission. This is

because we needed some of the members of the legal team to come along with us to the hearing. We wrote them a letter and there was no response and if there was no response, it’s assumed that the letter is ignored.

So, Lamorde insisted that I must be here for him. So, I came here to see a different procedure, where a petitioner is allowed to give evidence when the respondent is not in the venue of the sitting.

“One senator, I don’t know his name, said they might bring the petitioner if there’s any need to face the respondent. Of course, they will hear from us, but what we are saying is that it is wrong, in standard practice, rules of natural justice, even the constitution, that the respondent or accused should be confronted without the petitioner.”

On whether he was ready to defend himself following the letter written to the commission, he said: “Yes, we are ready, I am representing Lamorde.”

When asked if the Senate committee was aware of his presence, he said, “Yes, they know about my presence, I tried to raise an objection but they said no, I should not raise any objection. I sent an internal memo through the secretary, he said they were not going to listen to me. They said that though they got the letter but that they were looking at it. I now said you are looking at the letter and the petitioner is now giving evidence against Lamorde and the commission, is it not wrong?

“You have to prove it and

they can see from what the so-called petitioner was rendering before the panel, he never mentioned Lamorde, he kept mentioning EFCC, EFCC. So, I wonder why the petition was not addressed to the EFCC. Why must it be addressed to Lamorde in person? Is it a personal vendetta? All he tendered there are pieces of rubbish, not directed to the respondent himself.’’

On whether he has confidence in the committee, Ugochukwu said: “I have confidence in Nigeria. You can see it yourself. Well, as far as I am concerned, we are disappointed but if the committee feels that they can do the right thing and correct the wrongs, fine for them. But as you can see now, I am highly disappointed.”

Also speaking to journalists shortly after the committee walked them out, Director, Legal, EFCC, Chike Okoroma said: “ As you must have read out, requesting for this and for us to come and make our presentation, we didn’t get a reply from the committee and the committee is going on in our absence despite our protest that we are not even given the opportunity. These are distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I wanted to be enlightened on the propriety of conducting proceedings in our absence when allegations were made in the absence of the other party.

Constitution is our grundnorm and they are here talking about the constitution, that is the point we want to make.”

Uboh’s allegations

Speaking further, the petitioner, Uboh who swore to an oath holding a Bible, in his presentation and a document he later made available to Journalists, said that his petition has nothing to do with interrogation of Toyin Saraki, wife of Senate President Bukola Saraki as the case has been on since 2013. He said: “EFCC confirmed that several cheques and drafts valued at N1,577,815,942 and $1.3m seized and forfeited by DSP Alamieyeseigha were deposited in the Commission’s recovery account.

“An agent appointed to manage and dispose six real estate properties forfeited by Alamieyeseigha confirmed that N1.9bn was remitted to EFCC between 2008 and 2009 as proceeds from the sales and interests from the properties.

“The agent confirmed remitting N60bn vide Intercontinental Bank draft in 2008 as balance of rent while N3.7 was confirmed by the EFCC as the amount received from Alamieyeseigha seized assets.”

According to the petitioner, the EFCC traded with N3.7 from March 2009 to February 2010 with 12 per cent per annum, alleging that Lamorde failed to remit the interest of N1.1bn to government, the sum which contains the N467.7m interest gotten from the actual N3.7bn that was used to trade with, adding, “EFCC continued to trade with the balance of N1.1bn

from January 2010 to October 2013 with the interest rate of 12 per cent per annum. This money yielded N474.2m which should have accrued to Bayelsa State government but EFCC is not only keeping it back but still trading with it.”

Uboh who also alleged that Lamorde failed to account for 95 per cent of offshore assets and funds, said, “EFCC declared a fraction of what was seized from DSP.” According to him, the naira recovery was different from offshore recoveries, adding, “in a December 02, 2011 letter, EFCC sent to the Chairman, House Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, EFCC stated that the aggregate recoveries from 2004 to 2011 was N1.3 trillion. EFCC did not mention where the N1.3 trillion recovered was remitted to.”

Uboh zeroed in on what the EFCC recovered explaining that former EFCC chair, Farida Waziri told the then President, Goodluck Jonathan that naira recovery was N1.9 trillion while offshore recoveries stood at $316.1m, €32.1m and £1.2m respectively, adding that Lamorde should have remitted N2.051 trillion to government.

Speaking on how EFCC melted away recovered funds, the petitioner who explained how that EFCC continues to doctor its accounts to hide its corrupt strategies of stealing recovered funds, said, “Two Access Bank recovery account statements showed balance of 0- as of 1, July 2004, but no transaction occurred until June/July 2008. These transactions are expunged. Where are the funds deposited between July 2004 and June/July 2008?”

“EFCC diverted and concealed N779 million of recoveries from Tafa Balogun in its record (aggregate should be N3.037bn and not N2.258bn). Instead of transferring N3.3bn from Spring Bank to its Access Bank recovery account, EFCC transferred only N2.2bn and concealed it by understating the summation of the balances in the various accounts hence the Access bank statement had N2.2bn after concealment.

“EFCC would be compelled to pay Bayelsa the remittable amount due now with interest and the Commission should be compelled to declare all offshore assets and funds seized from DSP and others.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 51

OPA companies short-changed Nigeria —NNPC …Requests new companies to apply for contracts … Cancels $1.77m/day crude delivery to refineries

By Clara Nwachukwu and Michael Eboh

F

A

BUJA—THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said yesterday, that it cancelled the current contract for the Offshore Processing Agreements, OPA, entered into in January, 2015, because the companies shortchanged Nigerians, as the products they brought in were not commensurate with the crude given to them. The Corporation also said the existing OPA contracts were highly skewed in favour of the participating companies.

NNPC also cancelled the current $7.52 per barrel crude delivery contract to the Port Harcourt and Warri and Kaduna refineries “due to exorbitant cost and inappropriate process of engagement.”

The refineries have a combined capacity of 445,000 bbls/day. This means that less the OPA crude of 210,000bbls/day, the refineries are left with 235,000bbls/day.

At the cost of $7.52/bbl, Nigeria was paying a whopping $1.77million ($1,767,200) daily since 2011, to have crude delivered to the refineries by marine vessels on account of pipeline vandalism.

OPA contract Specifically, the NNPC said in a statement that “the cancelled OPA was detrimental to the interest of the country,” because “the value of product delivered is significantly lower than the equivalent crude oil allocated for the programme.”

The Corporation revealed that it “allocates a total of 210, 000 barrels of crude oil per day for refining at offshore locations in exchange for petroleum products at pre-agreed yield pattern,” being the first time it was volunteering such an information, which had hitherto remained a top secret.

As a result, it maintained that “after detailed appraisal of the operation and its terms of agreement, the NNPC is convinced that the current OPA is skewed in favour of the companies.”

It added that it “also observed that the structure of the agreement does not guarantee unimpeded supply of petroleum products as delivery terms were not optimal.”

Consequently, the Corporation said it had no choice than to terminate “the Offshore Processing Agreements, OPA, entered into in January, 2015 with three companies, namely- Duke Oil Company Inc., Aiteo Energy Resources Limited and Sahara Energy Resources (Nig) Ltd.” Incidentally, Duke Oil is a subsidiary of the NNPC, and none of the companies involved will comment on the development, except for Sahara Energy, which said it was “yet to

Buhari campaign director bags integrity man award

L-R:Guest Speaker/Managing Director, International Packaging Industries plc, Mrs. Ify EssienAkpan; Chaiirman, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), Lagos Chapter, Otunba Francis Meshioye; and Managing Partner, S. E. Nomuoja & Co, Mrs. Benedicta Ovoke Sadare, at the ICSAN business forum in Lagos.

be notified of the contract cancellation.”

In the statement signed by its spokesman, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, the NNPC said: “To address these lapses, the NNPC informed that it has commenced the process of establishing alternative OPA based on optimum yield pattern with tender processing fees.

“After due appraisal of performance trajectory, we have invited Messrs. Oando, Sahara Energy, Calson, MRS, Duke Oil, BP/Nigermed and Total Trading to bid for the new Offshore Processing Agreement while we have engaged AITEO, Sahara Energy and Duke Oil to exit the current OPA.” Domestic allocation lacks transparency Meanwhile, industry observers, who had commented on the crude allocation and OPA, argued that “the domestic allocation is the least transparent part of NNPC’s oil sales system.

Since the refineries run below capacity, NNPC re-routes much of the oil to other transactions, including exports sales for cash and the oil for product swaps. It also makes large unilateral deductions from domestic oil sale proceeds, above all for the fuel subsidy (including the muchdiscussed and controversial kerosene subsidy, most of which seems not to reach ordinary Nigerians).”

In their opinion, “NNPC does not publicly explain its billions of dollars each year in withholdings from the domestic allocation. No government agency audits the withholdings in detail. PPPRA does calculate and “approve” some of NNPC’s subsidy payments to itself, but NEITI and KPMG found serious defects with that process. They also said that NNPC regularly ignored PPPRA’s approvals and withdrew higher amounts.

Marine vessel crude delivery

With regard to the marine vessel contract, the NNPC said it had to cancel the agreements “after proper evaluation and in line with the terms of contract for the delivery of crude oil to the nation’s refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna.”

The NNPC said these measures are aimed at reducing cost and strengthening the operational efficiency across its value chain.

It also explained that it resorted to the delivery of crude oil to the refineries by marine vessels following incessant attacks on the Bonny-Port Harcourt refinery pipeline and the Escravos crude pipelines by vandals and oil thieves resulting in the complete unavailability of the pipelines in 2013.

As a stop-gap measure, the NNPC said it had engaged one of its subsidiaries, NIDAS Marine Limited, to provide crude delivery service on negotiated industry standard rate pending the establishment of substantive contract.

Transporting crude to the refineries Starting in 2011, NNPC made the decision to begin delivering crude oil to the Warri Refinery by ship. Up to that point, the refinery had received mainly Escravos grade crude oil via a PPMC pipeline running from the Escravos crude oil terminal to the refinery.

NNPC data for 2011 showed that as much as a quarter of oil running through that pipeline disappeared at times. This happened even though a company controlled by ex-Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo (“Tompolo”) had a government contract to guard the pipeline.

However, analysts criticised that the “PPMC does not seem to have held a competitive, open tender for the supply arrangement. Most of the

vessels used since 2011 are either owned or chartered by companies linked to Edo State businessman and PDP member Captain Idahosa Okunbo.”

Tender for crude Furthermore, the NNPC disclosed that it had obtained the permission of President Muhammadu Buhari to kick-start the tendering process for the 2015/ 2016 Crude Oil Term Contract for the evacuation of Nigeria’s crude oil equity from the various crude and condensate production arrangements.

According to the NNPC, the process which would commence with the advertisement of the Crude Oil Term contract in both National and International print media for a period of one month had been carefully structured to weed out ‘briefcase companies’ and rent seekers.

On the status of the Crude for product exchange agreement (SWAP) reportedly entered into by the NNPC and some oil traders, the Corporation disclosed that the last SWAP arrangement lapsed in December, 2014 and was never renewed.

OREMOST MARKETING communications' entrepreneur, politician, and Chairman of the Marketing and Media Group, Dr. T.O.E. Ekechi, will tomorrow be honoured with the National Association of Christian Journalists National Integrity Man Award.

The event, which will be held at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, will have in attendance distinguished Nigerians, corporate, professional mongul including chairman of Elizade Motors, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Tunde Ogunsakin.

In a letter signed by the National President of the association, Dr. John Dara, the NACJ revealed that Ekechi was picked because of his “demonstration of high sense of integrity and transparent leadership style” over the years of his professional career and short public service. The association reckoned that Ekechi was picked also due to his warm and honest relationship, especially with members of staff wherever he served, his strong character and “sterling display of patriotism and integrity” in his leadership responsibilities.

Unlike other Awards, the NACJ Awardees are chosen through a nomination process that involves all members of the association through an Executive Members Nomination Exercise. Through this exercise three nominees with the highest votes are presented to members who now choose one candidate via telephone short message service.

Resident doctors suspend strike

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

K

ANO—THE Association of Resident Doctors, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital chapter, has suspended its three months industrial action.

The development followed an intervention by the House of Representatives which led to the resolution of the crisis that had brought hardship on patients.

Briefing reporters of their decision, President, Association of Resident Doctors, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Dr. Abdullahi Salihu Sharubutu, directed

members to report to their duty post next Monday.

Dr. Sharubutu, who lamented the three months old strike, regretted the hardship suffered by victims of the avoidable industrial action, adding that it was brought about by discriminatory government policy.

The president, while commending the House of Representatives and other individuals for their concerns, however, warned that the association would not tolerate any breach of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between it and the hospital management.

52 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

S/Sudan president signs peace deal with rebels S

•Apparent: Shooter

•Adam Ward: victim

•Alison Parker: victim

Two US journalists killed during live report •Suspected assassin kills himself

A

reporter and a cameraman for a local CBS affiliate in the US state of Virginia have been shot dead at close range during a live broadcast.

Shots could be heard in footage taken on Wednesday by the WDBJ7 cameraman Adam Ward before he dropped to the ground.

WDBJ7 reported that the alleged shooter of the journalists has been identified as Vester Lee Flanigan, also known as Bryce Williams. He is a former WDBJ7 employee.

Police also said the shooter ran off road in his car and crashed, and was found suffering from gunshot wound. He is being transported to the hospital with lifethreatening injuries, according to VA police.

Ward and reporter Alison Parker were killed on air, according to WDBJ7 manager Jeffrey Marks.

Parker was conducting an interview about tourism on Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County before at least eight shots rang out.

The woman being interviewed was also wounded in the attack.

How suspected killer shoot himself

Police say a former WDBJ-TV reporter sought in connection with the onair slayings of two of the TV station’s employees shot himself Wednesday on Interstate 66 in Virginia after police confronted him, a law enforcement official said.

Just before 11:30 a.m., Virginia State Police saw the suspect’s gray Ford Mustang headed east on I-66. With emergency lights activated, a Virginia

C M Y K

State Police trooper initiated a traffic stop, said police spokeswoman Corinne Geller.

The driver refused to stop and sped away before running off the road and crashing, Geller said.

Troopers found the driver inside. He had suffered a gunshot wound.

He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of lifethreatening injuries, Geller said. The driver is believed to be the suspect in the onair shootings of two WDBJ journalists and an interviewee, she said without naming the driver.

Vester Flanagan, who was being sought in connection with the shootings, was a reporter at WDBJ for about a year using the on-air name, Bryce Williams, according to a former WDBJ employee.

Flanagan was fired from the station, though the reason was not made public, the ex-employee said.

“Two years ago, we had to separate him from the company.

We did understand that he was still living in the area,” WDBJ General Manager Jeff Marks said.

ABC News reported that it received a fax containing a 23-page manifesto from someone named Bryce Williams, acccording to a tweet. The document was handed over to investigators, ABC said.

Two videos posted on a Twitter account under the name, Bryce Williams, show someone walking up to the WDBJ news crew and pointing a gun at them.

Ward’s fiancée was in the control room and saw the shooting, Marks said.

Though Marks has heard that Flanagan had leveled accusations in the past, he said, “I don’t think (reporter) Alison (Parker) and that individual even overlapped here.”

Marks added he was not exaggerating when he says that Parker and photographer Adam Ward were “the kindest and nicest people who worked here. ... I can’t figure out any connection.”

According to tweets from the Bryce Williams account, Alison had “made racist comments,” while “Adam went to hr on me after working with me one time!!!” There was no elaboration, and CNN was unable to immediately confirm if either claim was true.

The woman being interviewed, Vicki Gardner, executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, was shot in the back and is in surgery, said Barb Nocera, the chamber’s special projects manager.

Gardner is recovering from emergency surgery and is in stable condition, according to Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital in Rocky Mount, Virginia.

The gunman is believed to have fired six or seven times, Marks said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined in the manhunt, while the ATF and FBI are participating in the investigation. Area schools are on lockdown.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe told WTOP radio in Washington that the suspected gunman may be a disgruntled employee of the TV station.

OUTH Sudan President Salva Kiir has signed a peace deal with rebels more than a week after refusing to do so, at a ceremony in the capital Juba attended by African regional leaders.

The presidents of Kenya, ,Uganda, and the prime minister of Ethiopia, who all helped mediate the negotiations, were at the signing event on Wednesday.

Rebel leader Riek Machar signed the accord in the Ethiopian capital last week, but Kiir had said on the same day that his government needed more time to study the text.

The UN Security Council had said that it was ready to take immediate action if Kiir did not sign the agreement on Wednesday.

Al Jazeera’s Anna Cavell, reporting from Juba, said the move was potentially very important and could change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people affected by the civil war.

“However, some of the top commanders have split from [rebel leader] Machar, and they say the peace deal means nothing to them, so ... it does not mean that it would end the fighting,” she said.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir (R) is congratulated by Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta (L) and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (C) after signing a peace agreement in South Sudan’s capital Juba, yesterday.

UN cuts aid to ex-rebels in Congo

UNITED Nations peacekeepers said on Wednesday they would have to cut rations for 6,800 ex-rebels and their families left in limbo in government camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo, blaming a shortage of funds and calling for the state to step in.

The U.N. mission there also said some of the adults and children had been ordered to stay in the camps by rebel leaders trying to keep up a presence in the region - and the aid cut might push the commanders to let the people go home.

The announcement underlined the plight of the

thousands of former fighters and their dependants stuck in often dire conditions in demobilization camps for years amid a string of conflicts.

Last October, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said more than 100 people had died from starvation and disease in one camp because of government neglect.

The U.N. Peacekeeping Mission in the country, MONUSCO, said on Wednesday it did not have the funds to keep feeding the inhabitants, and something needed to be done to resolve the festering problem and get the ex-fighters back home.

Kenyan athletes fail drugs tests

A

THLETICS’ fight against the curse of doping suffered a setback Wednesday after two Kenyan athletes failed drugs tests.

The 21-year-old Koki Manunga and the 29year-old Joyce Zakary — who are both 400 meter runners — were provisionally suspended by the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) after returning positive samples on August 20 and 21 respectively at the World Championships in Beijing, China.

“These targeted tests were conducted by the IAAF at the athlete hotels during the precompetition phase,” said an IAAF statement.

“The IAAF will not discuss the details of the cases as they progress through the results management process.”

As it launched its own

investigation, Athletics Kenya (AK) said it had met with the IAAF and the two athletes.

“Athletics Kenya will provide full support and cooperation to the IAAF during the results

management process and will not be providing further comment at this stage,” the organization said in a statement sent to CNN.

China signs deal with Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote

A

Chinese state-owned engineering company has signed a deal worth $4.3bn (£2.8bn) to build factories for a Nigerian cement company run by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.

China’s Sinoma will build seven plants across the continent and one in Nepal.

The new factories will add around 25 million tonnes to the firm’s existing cement capacity of 45 million tonnes.

Mr Dangote’s company also produces food,

fertiliser and is investing in oil refineries.

He is keeping a close eye on China’s economic problems and the ensuing lower oil price.

“Of course we are affected,” he said, “but we are not badly affected because we are not 100% in oil.

“We are a fully diversified company. So today if oil is doing [badly] it doesn’t mean we are doing [badly] and that’s the good thing about diversification.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015—53

Soldiers invade Edo court, release suspects

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—THERE was a mild drama in the premises of Evbuoriaria Magistrate’s Court, Benin, yesterday, as soldiers stormed the court and freed four suspects brought for arraignment by officials of the Edo State War Against Indiscipline, WAI. Attempt to contact officials of Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Benin, for comments failed as they could not be reached.

It was gathered that the soldiers had earlier stormed the premises of WAI located at the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism, and allegedly beat up staff of the agency in their bid to rescue the arrested suspects.

WAI officials were said to have arrested a couple and impounded their Mitsubishi car with number plates EDO BEN 451 FH along Airport Road over alleged violation of traffic rules.

The couple put a call to some persons, following which a detachment of soldiers stormed the premises, releasing gunshots into the air and beating up some staff of the agency.

Lawrence Loye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, a retired Army Major, intervened and the soldiers left the premises.

The agency's officials, in line with Edo State traffic and sanitation laws, immediately took the suspects to a magistrate’s court.

The suspects were at the court premises with officials of WAI awaiting the assigning of the case to a magistrate, when a detachment of soldiers arrived the court in a Toyota Hilux van and dragged the suspects out of the WAI vehicle into theirs.

A Chief Magistrate described the action as shameful and directed staff to write a petition to relevant authorities.

Edo State chairman of WAI, David Olukogha, said the soldiers, attached to a construction company (names withheld), acted on the orders of an expatriate worker with the company.

He gave the names of the suspects as Edna Oriakogba, Paulinus Ekwugwu, Eddy Inogie and Okwolise Lucky.

C M Y K

Policeman dies arresting Danfo in Lagos

By Esther Onyegbula

L

AGOS—A police officer attached to Orile Division died in a motor accident opposite Fatgbems Filling Station, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway at about 9a.m., yesterday.

It was learned that the deceased, while attempting apprehend a commercial bus (Danfo) driver, who was picking up passengers along the road, jumped into the moving bus with number plates KJA305XL. The bus sped off, while trying to escape, and hit another car with number plates LND340DF. The sudden stop made the policeman, who was hanging on the bus, to fall.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that as the cop fell, a trailer ran over him, killing him instantly, as the commercial bus driver and his conductor took to their heels, abandoning the vehicle.

Vanguard gathered that the driver of the car, which the bus driver hit, was travelling for his father’s burial when he incident occurred.

Operatives of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, and policemen from Trinity and Orile Divisions were there to ensure free flow of traffic as onlookers besieged the area.

A passenger’s tale

A passenger in the bus, Rotimi Baki, said: “The policeman jumped into the commercial bus while the bus was moving and picking passengers at the bus stop.

“All of a sudden, the commercial bus driver braked and the policeman fell off and a truck coming from behind hit him. The vehicle in front of the commercial bus had stopped. So the bus driver did same.”

One of the police officers, Sergeant Samuel, from Trinity Divisional Police Station harassed, dragged and seized

The scene of the accident, yesterday. NAN PHOTO: Esther Onyegbula.

Vanguard reporter ’s mobile phone, accusing her of celebrating the death of his colleague.

All pleas to get back the phone fell on deaf ears as the officers kept shouting ‘I will deal with

you. Who gave you authority to take pictures? You must come to our office’.

When she eventually got to their office, the Divisional Police Officer called the officer, who seized the phone, and returned

3 petrol station managers, 8 others arrested over pipeline vandalism

By Ifeanyi Okolie

L

AGOS—IN its effort to curb the activities of pipeline vandals operating at Ikorodu in Lagos State, men of the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Pipeline Vandalism have arrested 11 suspected vandals, including managers of three petrol stations in the area.

Vanguard gathered that four trucks loaded with 115,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, were recovered from the vandals.

Commander of the Task Force, CSP Olumese Valentine, told Vanguard that a 16,000-litre truck was intercepted at Ishawo, Agric area of Ikorodu, Lagos, by his men, led by Lagos Sector Commander, ASP Akinlere Adetayo, while discharging its content into the storage tank of

a filling station (names withheld).

He added that two other trucks loaded with 66,000 litres of PMS, siphoned from a vandalised pipeline belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, at Ilara area of Ogun State, were also intercepted at two other filling stations (names withheld) at Ikorodu.

The fourth truck, loaded with 33,000 litres from Ilara, Ogun State, was intercepted on its way to Ijebu Ode. Vanguard gathered that the managers (names withheld) told the police in their statements that they were not aware that the products they purchased were siphoned from vandalised NNPC pipelines.

However, a suspected vandal, who sold over four trucks to one of the petrol stations, confessed

3-year-old boy disappears in Lagos

By Evelyn Usman

L

AGOS— THREE-yearold Precious Chinomso of the Ajaka family at Amukoko area of Lagos has disappeared.

Chinomso, as gathered, was last seen on June 26 at his family’s abode on 11, Adamu Street, when he returned from school in the company of his older siblings, aged nine and six years.

Vanguard gathered that one of his playmates, who lives in the same compound, came visiting and joined Chinomso to eat his snacks.

The children reportedly littered the ground with the snacks, following which his

it to the reporter.

Later, officers from the Trinity Police Division took the corpse of the Policemen to Orile Police Station and later to Mainland Hospital Mortuary, Yaba.

Precious Chinomso Ajaka. father instructed his older son to sweep the room and asked Chinomso and his playmate to leave the room.

Chinomso has reportedly not

been seen since.

A few days later, his father, Mr. Chukwudi Ajaka, said he saw some missed calls on his phone. When the unidentified caller was reached, “he (caller) told me to send him a text message, saying he saw my missing daughter.

“I told him I was not looking for a daughter but a son. He requested that I send him recharge card to call back and give me details. I sent him N200 recharge card.

“However, since then, I have been trying to reach him to no avail. I have even sent him a text message, appealing to him to tell me where he saw my son, but he never replied.”

that the directors and managers of the petrol station were aware that the product he sold to them was siphoned from vandalised pipeline.

He told Vanguard that he was a marketer and that his job was to seek fillings stations interested in buying PMS from vandals.

Police nab 3 robbery suspects in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—POLICE in Bayelsa State have confirmed the arrest of three armed robbery suspects at Sabageria/Okoloba in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of the state.

According to the command, the suspects are part of a five-man gang that robbed one Wisdom Angaye of N500,000, two mobile phones and two ATM cards at Sabageria/Okoloba.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the arrest, said the command had launched a manhunt for two other members of the gang.

He said the gang had robbed Wisdom Angaye, Agbozu Imomotimi and Collins Agbaowei of their phones in the same community.

54 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Chelsea confident on Pogba, Stones deals A

RE Chelsea actually going to pull off one of the shocks of the summer and sign Paul Pogba?

The Independent reports that there is a real chance of the Premier League champions landing the Juventus midfielder this summer, with Jose Mourinho “convinced” he can persuade the Serie A giants to sell “as long as the transfer fee is right.”

And despite Roberto Martinez’s efforts to keep John Stones out of Mour-

Pique hits back at Barca critics

G

ERARD Pique hit back at suggestions that Barcelona lack the depth to win La Liga, claiming the reigning champions are gunning for successive titles.

Despite kicking off their title defence with a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona’s depth has been questioned following an injury to Dani Alves, and the departure of fan favourite Pedro to Chelsea.

Pique, however, is adamant Luis Enrique’s men will challenge on all fronts.

“We have a team. Even with the injuries we went to a hard ground and won,” said Pique.

Pa Ekong passes on

T

HE family of former national Tennis coach, Madam Elizabeth Ekong has been thrown into mourning following the death, two weeks ago, of her husband, Pa Ekong John Ekong. Pa Ekong was 83.

According to funeral arrangements announced by the family, there will be a lying-in-state at his residence on September 24.

There will be a funeral service at Methodist Church, 3rd Avenue, Festac Town on the 25th after which interment follows at Ikoyi Cemetery.

inho’s clutches, sources told said that the Everton centre-back handed in a transfer request on Tuesday in an attempt to force a move to Stamford Bridge.

The Guardian reports that Chelsea are readying a final £40 million offer in the wake of Stones’ formal request, while the Daily Star suggests that Everton are under “real pressure” having believed the England international would not push for a summer exit.

With Chelsea lacking a strong spine so far this season, Stones and Pogba would certainly boost Mourinho’s squad in the defence of their title — but with the duo valued at well over a combined £100m, success won’t come cheap.

•Champions League draw

C

•Pogba

Monaco agree deal for Coentrao

F

•Coentrao

Barcelona, Bayern lie in wait for English clubs

ABIO Coentrao is set to move from Real Madrid to Monaco after the two clubs agreed a one-year loan deal.

The Portugal international suffered an injury-hit 2014-15 campaign, which saw him make just nine La Liga appearances for Real.

With Marcelo often chosen as first-choice

left-back, Coentrao’s opportunities looked to be limited at the Santiago Bernabeu and on Wednesday it was confirmed that he would join Monaco for this season.

“Real Madrid C. F. and AS Monaco have agreed the loan of player Fabio Coentrao until June 30, 2016,” Real announced on Twitter.

HELSEA could face Real Madrid in the group stages of the Champions Leaguewhile the Premier League’s other qualifiers could potentially be paired with either Bayern Munich or Barcelona, as Uefa’s new seeding system is implemented for the first time in Thursday’s draw in Monaco.

The governing body has scrapped the previous policy, under which the top eight teams were determined by recent performances in the competition and would so comprise pot one in the draw and avoid each other in the group stage.

Instead, top-seeded status is now only granted to the Champions League holders and the winners of the domestic leagues in Spain, England, Germany, Italy, Portugal, France and Russia. This season, that has also been extended to the Netherlands, given that the

Mobil Producing Nigeria, Operator of the NNPC/ MPN Joint Venture to help train and introduce the rudiments of track and field to 200 secondary school athletes.

The two-week Holiday Camping and training programme has been described as “…….a huge success” by Armelia who is a disciple grass roots development of sports. “ We should return to the grass roots. There is no other way out. We should start now and discover stars and train them. The AFN should draw up a development plan that will see them in the next five or six years discovering, tracking and grooming potential champions from the schools “ I wish they were here in Uyo to see the amount of talent that are available, ready to be tapped” She

argued.

The track and field Consultant was all praise for Mobil Producing. “ I was part of this programme in 2013 and what I said then still obtains today. Mobil should be emulated. Other Corporate organizations in other states should emulate their example. If we have three or four other programmes like this, this country will explode with an array of potential world beaters even in those events we consider not our strong disciplines” Also in the exciting and one of its kind Uyo Camp are Professor Lucas Ogunjimi, Solomon Abari, Ken Onuaguluchi, George Abadoni, Daniel Etsebiminor, Utit Ofon Nkantah and Steven Nuhu who is in charge of long distance races.

The camp will close on Saturday, August 29.

•Messi

Obianodo commissions Sailing Club Games room

BY JACOB AJOM

T

HE Navy Sailing Club in Lagos yesterday

Okagbare: Armelia invites AFN to Uyo R ETIRED National Athletics Coach Armeliaa Edet has offered a solution to the gut feeling that enveloped Nigerians, when Blessing Okagbare flopped in the 100 metres event of the current World Athletics Championships in China. “ As I am talking to you we do not know the strength of our team to China. It is only Okagbare.

All our eggs are in her basket. Take the 400 metres as an example which uses to be our forte both male and female, yet we have not produced any world quality athlete in a long time.

“I am concerned. It was not like this we must do something to address the issue and fast too.”

Armelia is in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State as part of a strong 7-man Athletics coaching crew invited by

reigning European champions Barcelona also won La Liga last season.

As a result, the Catalan club – who will hope to retain the trophy at the final at the San Siro next May – are joined

by Chelsea, Bayern, Juventus, Benfica, Paris Saint-German, Zenit St Petersburg and PSV Eindhoven in the first pot. Those last three clubs would only have merited inclusion in the third group of seeds under the previous system.

•Okagbare

added another facility to its expanding profile as the Chief Vincent Obianodo Games Room was commissioned.

The commissioning was performed by Chief Obianodo who is the chairman of The Young Shall Grow Motors, who was described as a big benefactor of the Sailing Club.

Speaking at the occasion, Chief Obianodo said he would help bring back the annual The Young Shall Grow Sailing competition, as well as support every activity of the club, whenever he is called upon.

“I will try to make the race continue and I will ensure the club is included in next year’s budget of my company,” the chief said.

Responding, the Commodore of the club Babatunde Giwa Daramola said the club was blessed to have had a sponsor like Chief Obianodo. “We are happy to have you as our benefactor and we appreciate the enormous contributions you have made to the club.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 — 55

Ronaldo named world’s most charitable sports star R

EAL Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the world’s most charitable sports star after donating million of pounds to causes across the globe.

Ronaldo topped DoSomething.org’s Athletes Gone Good 2015 list and beat the likes of John Cena, Serena Williams and Barcelona star Neymar.

The former Manchester United winger has been recognised for his generosity - where he has raised money for various causes and used his global status as a spokesperson for charities.

Ronaldo is first having supported Aid Still Required, Cahonas Scotland, Save the Children, UNICEF and World Vision.

‘Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list for going above and beyond on the field and in his charity work. The futbol star raised money for various causes including donating more than

$83,000 to a 10-year-old fan in need of brain surgery and giving more than $165,000 to fund a cancer center in Portugal that treated his m o t h e r , ’ Dosomething.org said.

‘Ronaldo has also used his fame as a global spokesperson for a variety of causes including childhood hunger, obesity and biodiversity.’

Olympic diver Tom Daley was also listed alongside Ronaldo, Serena and LeBron James in the top 20 list.

The 21-year-old, whose father lost his life to a brain tumour aged just 40, is a patron of The Brain Tumour Charity.

Wimbledon champion Serena Williams is third behind wrestler Cena as figure skater Yuna Tim and Neymar complete the top five.

Daley, meanwhile, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share an image of his pet dog and said: ‘Nothing better than cuddles with MINCHI’

Continues from BP asked to report to the call room, she was nowhere to be found. “We don’t know for sure what happened to her. Personally, I have tried the lines of the technical officials and there wasn’t any response,” said Olukoyde Thomas the AFN spokesman in Beijing.

Prior to the championships, Okagbare had excluded herself from the national trials in Warri, with an alibi that she was unfit and needed medical attention. She was given a wild card by the AFN. Her name is also missing from the start-list of the

long jump event, which starts today.

She won a bronze in the 200m and a silver in the long jump at the 2013 championships in Moscow.

“It is sad for the country that we are relying on one athlete. I don’t know what happened to Okagbare in Beijing, we can only hope that it is nothing that will tarnish the image of the country,” said an athletics coach yesterday.

Triple jumper, Tosin Oke is the other Nigerian that saw action yesterday. He jumped 16.74m, which was good enough to see him to the final, and it is a strong field of 17. 00m jumpers.

WO Kenyan runners have been suspended after testing positive for doping at the World Championships in Beijing, the International Association of Athletics Federations has announced.

Joyce Zakary, 29, and Koki Manunga, 21, have accepted provisional bans after “targeted tests” by the governing body. The pair, who competed in the 400m and 400m hurdles, were tested at their team hotel on 20 and 21 August. Zakary set a national record of 50.71 seconds in the 400m heats on Monday.

However, Zakary did not start in her scheduled semifinal on Tuesday. Manunga finished sixth in her heat of the 400m hurdles after recording a time of 58.96.

“Athletics Kenya (AK) has already met with the IAAF and the athletes involved, and has begun investigating the situation which led to these results,” said the national governing body. “Follow-up action will be taken in Kenya.”

BY JACOB AJOM, with Agency reports

S

UPER Eagles opponents in the September 5 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Taifa Stars of Tanzania flew

•Serena Williams

AAG: Awoniyi shuns Siasia’s U-23 for Liverpool N IGERIAN U-23 striker, Taiwo Awoniyi will miss the All Africa Games. He has travelled out to Liverpool for medicals, prior to his signing for the English premier league club.

Awoniyi, is part of coach Samson Siasia plans for the Games, which begin on September 4. But according to the team’s spokesman, Timi Ebikaboro the former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles star has not been with the team, training in Po r t Harcourt.

Continues from BP

Okagbare

T

Libya, Kuwait ‘ll toughen us – Tanzania coach

‘Aw o n i y i , i s o f f t o England to sign his contract with Liverpool.

‘That is why he is not here training with us for the All Africa Games,” Ebikaboro said.

Apart from Awoniyi, other players like Shehu Abudulahi, Umar Aminu, Chima Akas and captian Azubuike Okechukwu are yet to join the team for the Congo Brazzaville Games. “ There are some of our players who were part of the qualifying series, and we may likely not have them at

Salami •Awoniyi

Kenyan athletes fail dope test

featuring in the match which comes up next month may hit the rocks if nothing is done immediately to get his international passport out of the Norweigian embassy.

Sources at the Super Eagles camp have informed that Salami submitted his passport at the Norweigian embassy after his agent reportedly got him a deal with a club in their top flight league with the hope that every thing will be tidied up within this August transfer window.

However, the 3 weeks stipulated for the visa to be ready has lapsed with

no word from the embassy that the visa is ready and this, apart from frustrating the player, is now threatening to knock him out of the Super Eagles squad for the international matches in September.

Already the profile of Gbolahan Salami is rising and he has also won over the new Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh with his quality and excellent attitude in training so far.

It is expected that he will make the cut for the Tanzania match as well as the international friendly against Niger Republic in Port Harcourt.

the Games. This is because they just signed for new clubs.

“We hope some of them will meet us in Congo but a player like Shehu Abdullahi is out because his club has said outright that they won’t release him, if it’s not a FIFA window and the competition is not. “ A z u b u i k e Okechukwu is the captain of the side and will play a match for his club in Turkey this weekend and hopefully will join us in Congo afterwards alongside Umar Aminu.

“But we’ve lost our left back, Stanley Amuzie, who had a surgery two days ago in Italy, Chima Akas is with the Super Eagles.

Also we’re not sure if Godwin Savior will join us in Congo,” Ebikagboro confirmed.

Coach Samson Siasia is expected to announce his final squad shortly before they travel

out of Dar es Salam on Sunday for Turkey in continuation of their preparations for the big match.

According to their schedule in Istanbul, the Stars will take on the reigning CHAN champions, Libya in a warm up on Friday.

Interim coach, Boniface Mkwasa was confident the North Africans would give his wards a good test.

“Libya is a good team that I believe will help to give us a reality check. My players are faring well in training and are ready for the match,” he said.

The Stars also hope to play Kuwait before departing Istanbul but the Asian giants are yet to confirm their availability for the match. “We are however still optimistic they will field their team against us,” a confident Mkwasa said.

The team will miss the services of foreign-based stars like Mbwana Samata, Thomas Ulimwengu (both of TP Mazembe) and Mrisho Ngasa of South Africa’s Free State Stars. But that does not seem to wither the coach’s optimism. “I have no problem with them because they have experience, so we will welcome them any time their clubs release them.

Egypt

Continues from BP

The rules state that the Organising Committee could replace a team with the opponent it eliminated.

However, Senegal (Women) and Burundi (Men) decided not to take up a spot because of the short notice period.

It means both the men’s and women’s competition will have

one group of three teams and one group of four.

Women Group A - Congo, Nigeria, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire Group B - Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa Men Group A - Congo, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso Group B - Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Ronaldo named world’s most charitable sports star Top 20 charitable sports stars

Shocker! Okagbare chickens out of 200m

BY BEN EFE

A

THLETICS Federation of Nigerian officials are reeling with shock, following Blessing Okagbare’s decision not to start the women 200m at the IAAF World Championships ongoing in Beijing, China.

This is against the background of her poor showing in the women 100m where she placed last. Before that race on Monday, Okagbare, had shown signs of distress. Her coach was seen whispering words of encouragement into her ears. Yesterday, she was warming up for the heats of the 200m, but when the athletes were Continues on Page 55

AAG: Awoniyi shuns Siasia’s U-23 for Liverpool — Pg.55

1) Cristiano Ronaldo - Football 2) John Cena - WWE wrestling 3) Serena Williams - Tennis 4) Yuna Tim - Figure skater 5) Neymar - Football 6) LeBron James - Basketball 7) Heather O’Reilley - Football 8) Maria Sharapova - Tennis 9) Mo’ne Davis - Baseball 10) Richard Sherman - American football 11) Charlie White/Meryl Davis - Figure skater 12) Dan Carter - Rugby 13) Roman Reigns - WWE wrestling 14) Ronda Rousey - Judo 15) Lindsey Vonn - Skier 16) Tom Daley - Diver 17) Bethany Hanmilton - Surfer 18) Saina Nehwal - Badminton 19) Paul Rabil - Lacrosse player 20 Shahid Afridi - Cricket

Egypt withdraws from 2015 African Games

E

GYPT has withdrawn its men’s Under-23 team and women’s senior team from the 2015 African Games, which will be held from 6-18

Continues on Page 55

•Okagbare

Nigeria

1 Rangers 2 Akwa 2 Lobi 2 Nasarawa Afrobasket 87 Mozambique

Salami may miss Tanzania clash U

NLESS urgent steps are taken, one of Nigeria’s consistent strikers, Gbolahan Salami may not travel to Dar es Salam with the rest of

Results Giwa Ifeanyi Ubah Sharks Shooting

•Ronaldo

0 0 0 46

the Super Eagles for the all-important 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania.

Salami’s plans of Continues on Page 55

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S ANSWERS FRIDAY'S

ACROSS 4 Fire (5) 7 Advantageous (6) 9 By way of (3) 10 Lever (3) 12 Coach (5) 13 Expensive (4) 15 Measure (5) 17 Mob (6) 19 Pull (4) 20 Proportion (5) 22 Sprite (3) 24 Swung (7) 27 Beverage (3) 28 Passage (5) 31 Applaud (4) 33 Formality (6) 35 Subsequently (5) 37 Cupid (4) 38 Ease (5) 39 Lair (3) 41 Sick (3) 42 Aviator (6) 43 Boulder (5)

DOWN 1 Vibrate (6) 2 Leave (6) 3 Massage (3) 4 Location (4) 5 Harass (5) 6 Eastern (8) 8 Meat (4) 11 Demoted (9) 14 Attack (4) 16 Inform (4) 18 Vessel (4) 21 Rich (8) 23 Dread (4) 25 Lodge (4) 26 Cubes (4) 29 Shellfish (6) 30 Relaxing (6) 32 Ordinary (5) 34 Region (4) 36 Spindle (4) 40 Pinch (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Prod 4, Rug 6, Cram 9, Log 10, Sextuple 11, Edit 14, Pal 16, Order 19, Completed 21, Revel 23, Defeated 24, Perch 27, Red 31, Mute 33, Audacity 34, Doe 35, Keep 36, Bar 37, Dirt.

DOWN: 2, Reek 3, Duty 4, Repeated 5, Grew 6, Clear 7, Rod 8, Agile 12, Scrap 13, Smear 14, Per 15, Lever 17, Death 18, Rowdy 20, Defender 22, Led 25, Exude 26, Creep 28, Lamb 29, Acid 30, Stir 32, Toe.

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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