FUEL CRISIS: Kachikwu divides APC

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62903

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

•As CBN creates 6m jobs through intervention funding

Emefiele

Why Emefiele should stay 17

AISHA BUHARI'S ALLEGED FOREX DEAL:

Allow us to do our job, CBN tells politicians

•P.8

FUEL CRISIS:

Kachikwu divides APC

By Clifford Ndujihe, Kingsley Omonobi, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Gbenga Oke, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Mike Eboh, Omeiza Ajayi, Rotimi Ojomoyela & Tare Youdeowei

•He should resign — S-South APC •No, he has been prudent — S-East APC •Babatope, Tsav, Aluko, Odumakin, others react

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AGOS—THE ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was literally divided, yesterday, over whether or not Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, should retain his prime position in the APC-led Federal Government on account of the worsening fuel scarcity and his comments that he is not a magician.

While the National Vice Chairman of the APC, Continues on Page 5

Army colonel kidnapped in Kaduna •P.10

Mr & Mrs EASTER—Cross section of the Choir/Orchestra of Apostolic Faith Church, performing during the 2016 Easter Concert on theme: "Behold your King" at the campground, Anthony Village, Lagos, yesterday.

COLUMNISTS:

P.33

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OWEI LAKEMFA

Share the votes not the bullets

P.32

HENRY BOYO

Economy: Buhari and CBN pulling apart

Vision for growth Kola Karim CEO, Shoreline Energy Int’l •P.35

Why Islam is becoming whipping boy—Sultan •P.7

2—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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4—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON

seen as irresponsible for an elder to watch a youngsters or an inexpensive person blunder without immediately calling him to order. "

We don’t subscribe to resignation calls – South-East APC

TINUBU—Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode (right), in a handshake with National Leader of All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (left) while his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (middle), watches during a novelty football match as part of activities to mark Tinubu's 64th Birthday at the Campus Mini Stadium, Lagos Island, yesterday.

FUEL CRISIS: Kachikwu divides APC Continues from Page 1 South South wants Kachikwu to resign immediately, the South-East chapter of the party thinks otherwise.

This is coming as mixed reactions greeted APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s, blasting of Kachikwu, weekend, on the issue. ‘’Kachikwu’s flippancy was out of line. He was basically telling Nigerians that they should be lucky that they are getting the inadequate supply they now suffer,’’ Tinubu spat.

Resign now, APC National tells Kachikwu

Peeved by his recent outburst that Nigerians should be grateful to the government that they could still get some fuel, the APC asked the minister to honourably resign his position from the President Muhammadu

Buhari’s led government since he seemed incapable of doing his part by efficiently running the ministry assigned to him and providing workable solution to the current fuel scarcity in the country.

The party also said it was time Kachikwu descended from “his high horse to face squarely the duties required of him by his office, as responsibility to the people is one of the cardinal points of the APC, which he professes membership.”

The party said it aligned itself with Tinubu who had, weekend, taken on the minister for his outburst.

In a statement in Abuja, the APC National Vice Chairman, South-south, Prince Hilliard Eta, said “Kachikwu has not entirely cast off the orientation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP where he was”, adding that such is still manifesting in his actions and

IT'S UP TO YOU

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BY AYO ADIO

OMMITTED people believe they can achieve their goals. They can visualize and are confident of crossing the finish line. It’s up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

As we express our gratitude, we must remember that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them —John F Kennedy

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RATEFUL people have a higher sense of selfworth. I think that’s because when you’re grateful, you have the sense that someone else is looking out for you. Once you start to recognize the contributions that other people have made to your life, once you realize that other people have seen the value in you, you can transform the way you see yourself. Just because gratitude is good doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Practicing gratitude can be at odds with some deeply ingrained psychological tendencies but if we focus on gratitude, we’ll attract our heart desires.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE NO one carries a sick man on his back when going to war

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utterances such as the recent one that attracted opprobrium from many Nigerians.

“In the light of the foregoing, Mr. Kachikwu must not be a cog in the wheel of progress and he should do the needful by resigning honourably if he is not capable of doing his part by efficiently running the ministry assigned to him”.

While denying that there was any major rift in the party, APC said: “It is important to reiterate here that winning the federal election in 2015 has not eroded the core ideology of progressivism, which we espouse as it is the very foundation on which the party rests.

“This progressive ideology strongly emphasises government as a tool for service to the people, who are the custodians of power in the first instance. In line with this, it is not wrong or out of place for Tinubu to call the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to order owing to the anti progressive statements he made in the Presidential Villa on Wednesday March 23, 2016, while fielding questions from Journalists on the persisting scarcity of petrol.

“Secondly, we in the APC believe that it is proper to immediately correct mistakes or errors committed by any member of the party, no matter how highly placed and we are developing a culture of accountability to Nigerians that government is meant to serve.

“From this perspective, it is, therefore, understandable that Kachikwu’s statement to the effect that he has no solution to petrol scarcity bedevilling the country drew flaks from Tinubu and this does not, in any way imply that there is a crack within the party.

“In African culture, it is

However, the South-East chapter of the APC, in a statement by its Spokesman, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said the zone was against calls for Kachikwu’s resigantion.

It said: ‘’Whereas, our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not only politically correct but has the constitutional right to condemn the awkward joke made by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, over the national embarrassment caused our great country by the ugly fuel supply chain logjam; however, the South East Zone of the APC does not subscribe to the call for his resignation. ‘’Those who call for his resignation should not forget the transparent, frugal and prudent manner in which Kachikwu and co deployed in the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain; a policy which has saved our country over N500 billion. ‘’May we also remind those who call for his resignation, how the PDP turned the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain into a slush fund, recklessly increased the cost geometrically from N634 billion in 2010 to N1.6 trillion in 2012. In 2013, N888 billion was officially budgeted with a supplementary budget of N232 billion in the same year, making an average N1 trillion per annum. ‘’It is our considered opinion that Kachikwu should stay, for bringing sanity to the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain in the last 10 months.’’

APC is trying to play on our intelligence — Babatope

Reacting to the development, a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said that the APC was trying to play on the intelligence of Nigerians.

“The APC cannot continue to play on the intelligence of Nigerians when majority of Nigerians are feeling pains and cannot move from one place to another. Nigerians are feeling pains by the day; instead of Tinubu and Kachukwu to sit with the President and discuss on how to settle the economic hardships Nige-

rians are facing, they are busy throwing tantrums at each other while Nigerians continue suffering. What is happening right now goes beyond party politics, we should all sit down and solve the basic problems the country is suffering instead of trading blames on the pages of newspapers,” he said.

mestic and international dimensions. He is clearly technically competent, but he merely needs to tweak his socio-political antennas, and think a little more deeply.’’

‘Kachikwu has created widespread disenchantment in NNPC'

A source in the Nigerian

Tinubu stated the ob- National Petroleum vious—Odumakin Corporation, NNPC, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin said Tinubu stated the obvious, adding: ‘’I think there was a bit of arrogance on the part of the Minister when he told the nation that he was not a miracle worker. He should not have said that to the nation and I think that is arrogance, selfish and a state of wanton impunity. He is expected to serve us and not to boss over us. I think the Tinubu’s letter has really shown the disunity within the APC. If the APC is really a party that is in power and they have means of discussing within themselves, I guess that such letter would have been discussed within their party before going on the pages of newspapers.”

I agree with Tinubu—Aluko

Also throwing his weight behind the APC leader, immediate past Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Otuoke, Professor Bolaji Aluko said: “I identify with Bola Ahmed Tinubu here, while understanding Kachikwu’s plight. I have complained about the necessity of President Buhari to rein in any creeping mandarins in his cabinet Education Minister Adamu Adamu was one early example with the VCs palaver, which remains un-resolved - and Kachikwu’s “I-am-nomagician-and-you-arelucky-to-have-me” statement is another one that Tinubu has rightfully shot down.

“There is no doubt that Kachikwu has been hard at work and on his desk, a job that has both serious do-

yesterday, said the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, has created w i d e s p r e a d disenchantment in the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, saying this is a major contributory factor to the fuel crisis witnessed across the country.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also stated that it would be foolhardy for K achikwu to reply Tinubu especially at this time when fuel is still scarce.

••He did nothing wrong—Tsav

Defending Kachikwu, former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said: “Tinubu should not use the issue to score political points or get credits because Kachikwu as the minister said the obvious. I did not see any where that Kachikwu insulted Nigerians or erred by telling Nigerians the true situation of the fuel crisis. Issues like this should not be politicised because Kachikwu did nothing wrong.

“Kachikwu said the truth.

He is the one running the NNPC and understands the situation there. He knows what they have on ground and the circumstances we found ourselves."

Tinubu spoke the truth—Osinkolu

However, a chieftain of the APC, Olusegun Osinkolu disagreed with Tsav and argued that Tinubu was right

Continues on page 7

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28 , 2016

Clerics urge govts to alleviate suffering of masses •Task Buhari, Govs on sacrifice of personal egos

By Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka Latona LAGOS—CHRISTIANS yesterday celebrated the resurrection of the progenitor of Christianity, regarded as the hallmark of the Christian faith as they trooped to churches with several clerics charging Nigerians to draw inspirations from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and love and forgive one another for the progress and development of the nation.

The clergymen used the occasion to call on President Muhammadu Buhari and all state governors to sacrifice their personal egos and forge a common front to make life better for the masses whom they have been elected to serve.

In different Easter messages, the clerics advised Nigerians to shun selfishness but rather be prepared to live for others, love one another and embrace peace.

Praying that the country will regain her position in the committee of nations, they were unanimous in their belief that the resurrection of Jesus Christ assures us victory over sin, Satan, economic adversity, assuring us that in spite of our present difficulties and challenges, Nigeria will bounce back to glory, viability and back to giant of Africa that God had made it to be.”

They also noted that the present administration has a lot to do, hence, the need for cooperation among those elected in various leadership positions.

At the Methodist Church of Nigeria, the Prelate, Dr. Samuel Kanu Uche joined all well meaning Nigerians in the campaign against the proposed Kaduna State Religious Bill, seeking to regulate preaching activities in the state.

Berating Gov El-Rufai

Berating the action of Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai at the Methodist Church of the Trinity, Tinubu Square, Lagos during the Easter Sunday service, the Prelate said it is disheartening that the governor is busy chasing religious bill when there are other important issues that needed to be tackled in the state.

Nigerians urged to pray for peace

Calling on Nigerians not to relent in praying for peace and progress of the country

and those in leadership positions, the Anglican Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, Most Rev. Ephraim Ademowo while delivering his Easter Sunday sermon at Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, said Nigerians should have hope in the country as there is light and hope for a better tomorrow.

One time Vice President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN and presiding

bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM, Dr. Mike Okonkwo also urged Buhari administration to declare a state of emergency in the nation's petroleum sector of and make the product readily available in every nook and cranny of the nation to quickly revamp the ailing national economy.

Okonkwo reconciliation

on

Speaking after an Easter service where adherents were

told to love one another, Bishop Okonkwo urged fellow Christian leaders to reconcile their differences which arose from the last elections and forge ahead.

Okonkwo also used the occasion to call on the security apparatus of the Federal Government to do everything within its powers to secure the unconditional release of the three leaders of TEKAN/ECWA adopted last Monday along Abuja-Kaduna while inspecting an ongoing construction project in preparation for the Easter celebration.

EASTER SUNDAY SERVICE: From left: Registrar, Anglican Diocese of Lagos, Chief Olurotimi William; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire; Bishop of Lagos Diocese and Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria, The Most Revd. Adebola Ademowo, and retired Chief Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice George Oguntade, at the Easter Sunday Service of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos, in Lagos, yesterday.

Aviation road map designed to revolutionise sector —FAAN

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By Mikairu Lawani

AGOS—THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, yesterday explained that the aviation road map was designed to revolutionalise the industry and increase revenue.

This is contained in a statement signed by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mr Yakubu Dati, in Lagos.

The statement added that the road map entails institutionalising world class safety and security standards, through institutional reforms and development of infrastructure in Nigerian airports.

It said FAAN, under the leadership of Mr Salem Dunoma, had remained committed to upgrading infrastructure in all the airports to make them conform to international standards.

“Recent figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics attest to the fact that Nigeria has grown appreciable in recent years; from 13,891,677 passengers in 2010 to 14,899,958 passengers lifted in 2013.

He said: “Surely, this growth is the outcome of deliberate strategic transformation by the government in the sector and indeed, a key performance indicator that the reforms are yielding positive outcomes.

How Ambode restored peace to Mushin,

by APC chieftain GANG WARS:

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By Ifeanyi Okolie

AGOS—AFTER several years of gangsters’ siege in Mushin, Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, has restored peace to the beleaguered community, an All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain, Mr Dawodu Olatunji, said yesterday.

“For two months now, peace has returned to Mushin. Thanks to our governor, who picked up the gang leaders and their boys disappeared.

“Mushin is now safe, no longer a hotbed of criminality. The hoodlums are killing themselves and not hoodlums versus the people,” he said.

Olatunji, a Mushin chairmanship aspirant for the July council polls, said:“We are grateful to the governor for his

intervention; the criminals are not from Mushin, but from other parts of the state.

“I am born and bred in Mushin and like others, we grew up to imbibe some virtues to become responsible citizens. Not everybody in Mushin are criminals.”

He noted that gangsterism,

not robberies had reigned in the area, saying “ the supremacy fight between the gangs had always unleashed a reign of terror on Mushin.”

Olatunji, an Area Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, also acknowledged the efforts of an ethnic militia , Oodu’a Peoples

Congress, OPC, in helping to rout armed robberies several years ago in the area.

He, however, blamed politicians for allegedly raising armed gangs for elections and advised youths to reject guns and banditry and go for empowerment and jobs.

Examination malpractice worries WAEC —Official

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By Tare Youdeowei

AGOS—THE West African Examinations Council, WAEC, at the weekend, identified examination malpractice as a major challenge militating against its operations in its 64 years of existence.

The council’s Head of Test Administration, Mrs Frances Iweha-Onukwu, disclosed this in Lagos.

According to her, the scourge is a canker worm that has eaten deep in the fabric among candidates, not only in Nigeria, but also in member countries.

She, however, noted that the council was gradually winning the war as it kept introducing new cutting-edge technology to stop the ugly trend.

“One major challenge we are battling against, since inception, has been that of examination malpractice, but

we are happy that we are winning the war.

“We know that the candidates might want to beat our technology, but we will continue to make sure that we check them in any way they try,” she said.

According to Iweha-Onukwu, another major challenge is the ‘rogue website’.

“Tackling ‘rogue website’ has been a serious challenge the

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—7

Lagos goes tough on illegal waste disposal

By Monsur Olowoopejo

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BOLA AJIBOLA LECTURE: From left— Vice Chancelor, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Professor Ibrahim Gbajabiamila; Alhaji Ola Yusuf; Founder of the institution, Prince Bola Ajibola; Chief Imam, University of Ibadan, and guest lecture, Professor Oloyede Abdul-Rahmon; Secretary-General, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, SCIA, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, and Mr. Zakariyah Ajibola, at the 10th Founder’s Day/ 82nd birthday lecture, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

PHOTO: Wunmi Akinola.

Why Islam is becoming whipping boy —Sultan As Oluwo advocates Jihad of love

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—THE Sultan of Sokoto and the President, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, SCIA, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged Muslims in the country to work very hard, and in love with the others, to make Islamic what it ought to be.

Speaking yesterday in Iwo, Osun State, at the commissioning of a central mosque built in the premises of The Wings Schools, the royal father said the attitude of few Muslim was being used by people to judge the religion, thereby turning it into object of bashing.

He said the notion of holding religion responsible for the misdemeanour of an individual is making Islam a “whipping boy.” He urged Muslims to work with a common goal to endear the religion to more people.

His words: “Our religion is becoming a whipping boy because people hold it responsible for the misdeed of few individuals. Do not pretend, you cannot afford to be lazy; work for this religion and be peaceful.

“People should know that an individual’s attitude cannot be used to determine what a religion is.

“We must, henceforth, separate behaviour of few individuals from what our religion stands for, because if an individual is bad, religion should not be held responsible. An individual is an individual, while religion will always be separate.”

In his remarks, Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, demanded from adherents of Islam a Jihad of love, urging them to shed all acts that could

discourage people from embracing the religion.

He said the visit of the

Sultan was significant and will further cement North-South relationship, which will in turn

help in promoting peaceful coexistence of people from different parts of the country.

AGOS—THE Lagos State Waste Water Management Office, LSWMO, yesterday, said it had started inspecting houses to check illegal disposal of waste water.

Its Coordinator, Mr. Adeniyi Abdul, said in Lagos that the situation required urgent action to prevent environmental pollution.

Abdul advised property owners to build septic tanks within their premises and not outside the premises to avoid being sanctioned.

He said any property degraded by waste water would be sealed, adding “our people go out daily and monitor tenements and if we see anyone polluting the environment, we will call them to order.”

Ibadan indigenes want corrupt politicians banned

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—THE ongoing fight against corruption will be meaningless if those found culpable are not jailed and banned from politics for, at least, 20 years, some Ibadan indigenes have said.

Led by Elder Jide Ajao, the group, on the platform of

Reality Forum of Oyo State, commended the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari against corruption, but maintained that there should be punitive measures against corrupt people so that there would be a departure from the past when they would be let off the hook and continue to enjoy their ill-gotten wealth.

The group also warned that if the excesses of Fulani herdsmen were not checked on time, they could be more dangerous than Boko Haram insurgency that the country is battling to stop.

The people said the constant attacks by Fulani herdsmen should be checked without further

delay, or else they will create more problems for us than Boko Haram.

The group also took exception to the presidential system of government, saying it is antithetical to good democratic norms, wondering if the country could make any headway with the system's unimaginable expensive nature.

FUEL CRISIS: Kachikwu divides All Progressives Congress Continues from Page 5 to have cautioned the Minister.

Osinkolu, who said Tinubu’s statement should not be misinterpreted to mean existence of crack within the ruling party, maintained that the remarks were in the best interest of Nigerians and the APC-led government. Speaking in Ayede Ekiti, Osinkolu dismissed the insinuation that Kachikwu is not competent to handle the Ministry, saying the Minister spoke as a technocrat and not as a politician.Osinkolu dismissed the insinuation that Kachikwu is not competent to handle the ministry, saying the minister spoke as a technocrat and not as a politician.

Niger Delta group

Rising in defence of the minister, Niger Delta Indigenous Movement For Radical Change, NDIMRC, urged Nigerians to be patient with Kachikwu over the lingering fuel crisis the country, saying President Buhari never made a mistake in his

appointment. NDIMRC, an oil monitoring group, in a statement by its President, Nelly Emma, Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Stanley Mukoro, said the minister never put a time frame of May ending to arrest the situation, describing it as misinterpretation.

It said: “The minister only said that the solution to the fuel crisis is a gradual process and as an oil monitoring group, we want to appeal to Nigerians to bear with Dr. Kachikwu over the lingering fuel scarcity.

“The minister has apologised to Nigerians over the worrisome situation and we want to implore Nigerians to be patient with the minister, who is capable of handling the fuel scarcity once and for all.”

‘Kachikwu working against Buhari’s govt’

Former, member of the House of Representatives, Halims Agoda, accused Kachikwu of

sabotaging the efforts of President Buhari to restructure the petroleum sector and backed calls for his resignation.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Agoda said the minister’s recent remark of not being a “magician” to immediately end the queues at filling stations was not necessary.

Agoda asked the minister to resign if he could not end the lingering fuel crisis.

Tinubu trying to redeem APC—Okorie

The member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the House of Representatives, Linus Okorie, faulted Tinubu’s attack on Kachikwu.

Okorie, who is Chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, in a statement, said that Tinubu derailed along the line by using the attack as a platform to blame Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and shore up

his party’s image instead of a genuine concern for the people.

According to him, the APC leader should take part of the blame for the failure of his party to fulfil their promises to Nigerians, instead of dwelling on excuses or looking for a scapegoat. He said: “Tinubu mysteriously derailed from this ennobling track for no sensible reason than, probably, an urge to redeem some modicum of public respect and confidence for APC. “The party has evidently lost more political capital through a consistent display of planlessness and crass incompetence than even its extreme opponents could have contemplated, a few short months ago. “Tinubu did this by attempting a weak and non-contextual connection of PDP to the “undemocratic excesses” of a rapidly evolving “fascist regime” of APC. “APC has a responsibility to deliver on its over 3,000 promises to Nigerians and would do well to keep its eye on the ball than this compulsive and overburdened recline into the past.”

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Aisha Buhari's alleged forex deals: Allow us to do our job, CBN tells politicians

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

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BUJA— THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has asked politicians to leave it alone to concentrate on its work and avoid dragging it into mudslinging attempts for whatever gain.

Asked to react to the allegation of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, that the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, was involved in round tripping of foreign exchange, the bank’s spokesman, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, told Vanguard that the allegation was, “not only ridiculous but laughable.”

He asked politicians to avoid whatever would impact negatively on the reputation of the CBN, as according to him, any attempt to destroy the bank’s integrity will impact negatively on the nation’s economy.

His words: “Politicians should spare this institution from deliberate falsehood because if they destroy the reputation of the institution, the economy suffers. Politicians should please allow us to do our job in the interest of the economy.”

According to the spokesman, the Central Bank does not sell foreign exchange to individuals or companies.

Instead, it sells to banks which sell to their customers.

He said: “With every sense of responsibility, it is important to state that the Central Bank does not sell forex to individuals nor companies.

You are aware that we sell forex to banks which in turn sell to their customers. For anyone to say that the CBN sells forex to individuals or some companies is, indeed, very ridiculous and mischievous.

“It was very laughable to say that the CBN sold forex to anyone at N185/$1. The records are there for anyone who is interested to crosscheck. The CBN has not sold the dollar at N185 in recent times. The movement of the exchange rate was N155/$1; N168/ $1; and from there to the current rate of N197/$1.”

Mr. Okoroafor said Nigerians should disregard what he described as “baseless” and “falsehood” that had been trending in the social social media.

The PDP, at its twitter handle, had alleged that Aisha Buhari and her unnamed company had been involved in buying about $22 million from the CBN at the official rates and selling same at the black market.

She has also denied the allegation on her twitter handle and threatened legal actions against the PDP.

She said: “Be advised, any further attempt to malign the person of the wife of the President will be dealt with according to the law. This is

grounds for a lawsuit on defamation of character.

“Making false and

unfounded allegations without proof just to incite Nigerians on social media is wrong.”

Presidency to begin town hall meetings across Nigeria BUJA — THE Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, Garba Shehu, said yesterday that the presidency will soon begin to hold town hall meetings with Nigerians.

According to him, government decided to embark on such meetings because it has realised the importance of information communication to the people at the grassroots.

Shehu, who disclosed this while answering reporters’ questions in Abuja, said: “I know that there is a plan that the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, would start town hall meetings in zones. It would then be broken down to the states and so on.

“Government realises that there is a need to take information to the people and there are steps that are being taken in order to ensure that is done,” he said.

Shehu criticised the National Orientation Agency, NOA, for being indifferent to the Federal Government’s change mantra.

He said: “We have an agency like NOA with 773 offices nationwide. Each has not less than five to seven staff and wellequipped, but you know also, sometimes democracy has its own dark side.

“The President came and he wanted to really be fair to every Chief Executive. If he wanted

By Kingsley Omonobi

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COMMISSIONING: Chairman Senate Committee on Industry, Sen. Sam Egwu (2nd right) cutting the tape to officially commission the 27th Enugu International Trade Fair. With him are left, the President of ECCIMA, Rev. Ugo Chime; Representative of President/Enugu State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry,Mr. Sam Ogbu Nwobodo, Representative of the President of NACCIMA, John Udeagbara and Anambra State Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, Market and Wealth Creation, Mrs. Uzoamaka Ilobi.

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War on terror: NAF to expand Air Force platforms

to fire people on assumption (of office), he would have done it and he would not have violated any rule.

“He decided to give everyone a chance to see whether they would imbibe the change mantra, to see whether they were prepared to go along (with him).

“I will say with all sincerity that NOA was a source of worry for us in government; the people and the leadership never believed in what we are doing.

“They never believed in change. They just folded their arms and watched us for the period of eight to nine months

that they were there. I believe the new leadership would begin to formulate things for agencies like that."

The presidential aide praised Nigerians for steadfastly supporting the present administration, especially during a period most people considered to be difficult.

Shehu congratulated Nigerians on the achievements the President had recorded fighting insurgency and explained that the military had tagged their success against Boko Haram a “technical victory” because no city was currently under curfew.

BUJA — IN its efforts to improve the aerial bombardments of terrorist’s targets in the epicenter of the Boko Haram, the Nigerian Air Force has said it was expanding its platforms in the North-East to ensure speedy response in counterinsurgency operations.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, who stated this during a visit to military formations and traditional institutions in Borno State, said the Nigerian Air Force was exploring the possibility of expanding the Air Force group in the North-East to ensure that total restoration of peace was achieved in the shortest time possible.

He said: “With the planned expansions, more personnel will be deployed and more platforms created to widen our operations towards timely and speedy response in counterinsurgency campaigns.

“We are already widening the roles of our regiments as special combat forces to secure and protect key points after successful operations.”

Air Marshal Abubakar, while commending the military in the ongoing campaign against terrorists, said the citizens had a lot of roles to play.

He said: “The public should complement the gallantry of our armed forces by being security conscious through timely reporting of suspicious objects, movements, or strange persons to the nearest security agencies.

“Security is a collective effort not only that of security agencies as government alone cannot provide security absolutely to its citizens without the support and cooperation of its citizens.”

Saraki to market managers: Employ modern means of preventing fire disasters

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA — DISTURBED by the incessant fire disasters in markets across the country, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has urged the managements of such facilities to always employ all modern means of preventing and combating fire disasters.

The Senate President, whose advice was contained in a statement in reaction to the latest fire incident at the popular Abubakar Rimi Market, in Kano, said such measure would ensure

traders were not subjected to harrowing losses again.

In the statement, which he issued through Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Saraki commiserated with victims of the fire disaster that ravaged the Sabon-Gari market in Kano in the early hours of Saturday, leading to the destruction of goods and properties worth millions of Naira.

He said: “The continuous loss of merchandise and property in many commodity

markets in the country and Kano in particular to fire disasters has reached a worrisome level that requires urgent measures to combat the trend.

“These fire incidents had deprived our hard working and determined traders the means of livelihood and survival and these are expectedly breadwinners of their families. In addition, these losses represent the depletion of national wealth as most of the victims constitute a significant chunk of entrepreneurial class who are supposedly great contributors to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—9

Capital Market: Shareholders, Reps bemoan loss in investments

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA — THE House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Institutions and other stakeholders, weekend, bemoaned the huge loss in billions of investments in the nation’s capital market.

They blamed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the regulatory authorities for the persistent downward slide of share prices in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. This was revealed at a public hearing conducted by the committee.

House Committee Chairman

on Capital Markets and Institutions, Tajudeen Yusuf, PDP, Kogi, in his opening remarks at the two-day hearing, stated that the House was concerned about the rapid slide of investments in the Nigerian capital market.

According to Yusuf, the public hearing will give all the stakeholders — legislature, regulatory authorities, stockbrokers — the opportunity to cross fertilize ideas that will help re-position the capital market.

He also said one of the planks in the legislative agenda of the 8th House of Representatives was to consistently seek, support and

evolve meaningful and realistic initiatives and measures through which the nation’s economy could experience growth and development.

Earlier, while declaring the investigative hearing open, Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, noted that the persistent downward trend in the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the issue of unclaimed dividends by investors were two issues posing serious national challenges.

Some stakeholders, including Dr. David Ogogo, Amb Olufemi Timothy and Mr Emeka Mmadubike, Presidents of Institute of

Capital Market Registrars, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria and Association of Registered Stockbrokers respectively, in their presentations, blamed the apex bank for the downward trend in the Nigerian stock market.

While blaming the Federal Government for not injecting some funds to bail out the stock market, they also identified poor regulation, including the injection of slush funds by commercial banks, and CBN policy somersault, as the reason for the collapse of the nation’s capital market.

Boko Haram: FG begins reconstruction of schools, police stations

H

ONG — SECRETARY to the Government of the Federation, SGF, David Lawan, said the Federal Government has commenced the reconstruction of schools and police stations destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.

Lawan made this known, yesterday, at Hong, Adamawa State, during the graduation of 500 students trained by Buba Industrial Village.

The training was part of the Youth Empowerment Programme introduced by Yusuf Buba, the member representing Gombi / Hong Federal Constituency.

He said the reconstruction of the region was part of election campaign promises of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The SGF stressed that the aim was to bring a lasting solution to insurgency and rebuild destroyed infrastructure in the area.

He said: “The Federal Government has begun reconstruction of schools, police stations among others destroyed

by Boko Haram insurgents in the North East region.

“The present APC-led government is determined to guarantee peaceful co-existence among Nigerians and ensure that Nigerians irrespective of their locality or belief benefit from the dividends of democracy.”

He berated opposition parties for what he called campaign of calumny during the last general election, which linked the All Progressives Congress party with a particular religion and Boko Haram insurgency.

Mr. Lawan said President Buhari and APC-led government would never discriminate against any Nigerian on the basis of religion and any other affiliation.

BRIEFING: Chairman, Editoral Board, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Zamfra State Elders Forum, Alhaji Ibrahim Garaba (left) and Founder, PDP Mass Supporters Forum, Mr Simon Leshe, at a news conference in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Northern women seek amnesty for Boko Haram conscripts

By Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA — A group of women from the northern part of the country, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to grant amnesty to all Boko Haram members found to have been conscripted.

But the group said those who remained defiant to renouncing their membership of the deadly islamist terror group should be treated as criminals that deserved no mercy.

At a press conference in Abuja, the northern women group, under the aegis of Coalition for Women Advancement in Africa, COWAA, said its call was based on international conventions which provided that an enemy who surrendered in war front should be given consideration.

Speaking through its

Executive Vice President, Mrs Pukat Samuel, the group said its call for the amnesty was based on its belief that such gesture by the government would further decimate the Boko Haram movement.

The northern women insisted that it was time for government to begin to look towards granting amnesty to the terror group, if it was interested in seeing a return of complete peace in the region.

She said: “We want to note that amnesty should be handed over to all those who were forcibly indoctrinated into the terror group’s criminality as a way of further decimating the group.

“This should help us see to the final end to insurgency in Nigeria. We reiterate our position that amnesty should be granted to those who were forcibly indoctrinated into the movement, while those who wished to remain were treated

as criminals by the Nigerian Army.

"All extreme groups in Nigeria, working in tandem with political actors in and outside Nigeria to sabotage the peace of the people, shall all be dealt with and no group of persons should ever contemplate daring the strength of the Armed Forces.”

They commended what they called the immediate rescue of the 16 women abducted by Boko Haram, noting that the timely rescue was a reminder that anyone abducted shall be found and set free.

The group said it carried out forensic analysis to view the content of the purported video by the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, and "can authoritatively confirm that it is not only true but represents the situation and efforts of the military in that regard.”

EMMAN pledges commitment to FG metering initiative

By Etop Ekanem

L

A G O S — ELECTRICITY Meters Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN), the umbrella body for local meter manufacturers, has expressed its commitment to the successful implementation of the Federal Government’s presidential initiative on metering scheme for Nigerians.

This commitment is contained in a joint communiqué issued at the end of a strategic meeting between members of EMMAN and ZIKLAGSIS Networks Limited (ZNL), in Abuja.

According to the Executive Secretary, EMMAN, Mr. Muideen Ibrahim, who issued the joint communiqué, local meter manufacturers have resolved to ensure that their various factories worked in full capacity to deliver on the metering needs.

Ibrahim noted that manufacturers were confident that the metering project would bring about economic revolution and development as it would create job opportunities for the teeming unemployed Nigerians as well as enhance transfer of technology to the country.

He assured that the quality of meters manufactured by EMMAN member companies were of international standards that could compete favourably with any brand from any part of the world, adding that they were also tropicalized for the Nigerian environment to withstand extreme weather conditions, such as temperature and humidity.

He further disclosed that one of the major decisions taken at the meeting was that the local manufacturers would produce at least 25,000 meters monthly for a start, with a planned increase in production gradually to meet the metering need and for ease of deployment.

He also revealed that EMMAN and ZIKLAGSIS Networks Limited (ZNL) had requested from the Federal Government a twomonth lead-time from the day the contract is awarded and commitment made.

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Alarming refuse heaps surface in Calabar  We're handicapped, says CUDA official

Colonel kidnapped in Kaduna A N Army Colonel, Samaila Inusa, serving with Nigeria Army School of Infantry, Jaji, Kaduna State, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Usman Abdul,

confirmed the kidnap yesterday in a statement in Kaduna.

The statement read: “This is to inform the public that the above named senior officer of the Nigerian Army serving in Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, Kaduna, was

abducted around Kamazo, near NNPC Junction, Kaduna.”

While calling for anybody with useful information to assist in tracking the abductors, Usman Abdul said the colonel was abducted at

about 7:30p.m. on Saturday.

He said: “The abductors dropped off his wife and left with him in his car and headed towards Abuja. They drove in a Mercedes Benz GK, black colour, with number plates, Abuja, KUJ 154 TZ.”

R

ESIDENTS of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, have decried the heaps of refuse in the city, expressing fears that they could cause outbreak of diseases.

The residents, who expressed their fears to newsmen yesterday, said the refuse had piled up in the state capital, especially in Parliament/Akai axis, Ikot Ishie area, State Housing Estate, Marian Market and Chamley area of the city.

Mr. Umoh Edem, who resides in Akai Street, said the heaps of refuse along the street had become a source of concern to the people, adding “this is very disgusting and the authorities concerned should please evacuate them.”

Mrs Grace Umanah, a trader at Marian Market, said the stench from the refuse in the market had become worrisome, saying it could lead to outbreak of cholera or other diseases.

She said: “With the rain that has set in, the dump is becoming an eyesore.

Government should, please, do something urgently to avoid possible epidemic.”

An environmentalist, Mr. Edward Ayuk, described the emergence of heaps of refuse in the city as dangerous to the health of the residents.

He said: “It is not healthy for the residents, especially now that the rainy season is beginning. Apart from polluting the environment, it breeds flies and other vectors that spread diseases.”

However, an official of Calabar Urban Development Agency, CUDA, Mr. Willam Henshaw, said that the agency was doing its best to evacuate the refuse.

Henshaw said CUDA was constrained by inadequate trucks to perform as expected.

“We do not have enough trucks for now, but we are working everyday and all the areas will be taken care of,” he added.

CHARITY: Mr. Richard Akinnola (3rd right); Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State, Mr. Deji Elumoye (right), and families of late journalists during presentation of scholarship to children of some late journalists by Richard Akinnola Foundation in Lagos.

2 killed, 12 missing in Delta community war

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

LEH—NO fewer than two persons have been reportedly killed, and scores of others wounded in renewed hostilities between members of Ugbo family and the people of Ibrede community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, over a disputed piece of land.

Twelve persons were also alleged to be missing in the intra-communal clash, which broke out in the community over the weekend.

Over 57 houses were set ablaze in the crisis that erupted in the area on April 30, 2014, over the land which contains several lakes and brooks.

Vanguard gathered that trouble started when members of the feuding parties engaged in a heated argument after they accosted themselves on the land, a development which degenerated into brutal attacks.

President-General of Ibrede community, Mr. Finbarrs Onomerhike, said he was told that his people were on their way to Otue Lake in neighbouring Akarai community when they were ambushed by the Ugbo family.

He said: “I was not in the community when it happened, but I was briefed that two of our people were shot dead by members of the Ugbo family.

One person is in critical condition, while many others have gunshot injuries.”

‘They shot at themselves’

Efforts to reach the Chairman of Ugbo family, Mr. Israel Arueighe, were abortive at press time, but a source in the Ugbo family said: “The information that reached me was that the community people shot at Ugbo people and in the process, bullets hit some of their people.

“As we speak, 12 of our family members are still missing.”

He accused the community of flouting a March 25, 2014 injunction by the High Court in Kwale, which he alleged restrained everybody in the Ibrede community, except the Ugbo family, from carrying out fishing activities in the lake.

The source, who craved anonymity, said: “I heard that for the past one week, they have been going to the lake to beat up Ugbo men and

women. They said until Ugbo people stopped going to the lake, they will continue to go there.”

Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Celestina Kalu, confirmed the incident and said the situation had been brought under control.

Acting Chairman of Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Mr. Dickson Okonta, said efforts were being made to bring peace back to the community.

3 dead, as gunmen invade Rivers community

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— THREE persons were reportedly shot dead in Aminigboko community, Abua-Odua Local Government Area, Rivers State, weekend.

Community sources told Vanguard that unknown gunmen invaded the community, Saturday night, shooting sporadically with some houses set ablaze.

When contacted for comment, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, said a unit of antiriot policemen had moved into

the area to restore order.

The police spokesman said he was not aware of any death in the incident, adding “the

situation is now calm as almost a unit of mobile policemen was deployed. But we have no details of death, if any.”

Sokoto earmarks N30m for wedd

T

HE Sokoto State Government says it has set aside N30 million for the organisation of the wedding of 100 couples in the area, which will be coordinated by the state Sunnah Mediation Council.

The Chairman of the Council, Alhaji Aliyu Kofar-Rini, disclosed this in Sokoto, saying the wedding would be

conducted before the commencement of Ramadan, which is expected to begin in June.

He said the council, would pay the bride prices of all the female partners: N30,000 for spinsters and N20,000 for divorcees.

Kofar-Rini said: “The brides will also be trained in some

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—11

3 child traffickers arrested in Bauchi

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BELGIANS MARCH AGAINST TERRORISTS: A peace march against the recent terrorists attack in Brussels, the Belgian capital, was hijacked by far-right protesters denouncing ISIS at Place de la Bourse, the site of a memorial for the victims of the terror attacks, yesterday. DAILYMAIL ONLINE PHOTO.

Fulani herdsmen kidnap 2 in Delta

By Ochuko Akuopha

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LEH—SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen, weekend, kidnapped two persons, including the Community Liaison Officer of Midwestern Oil and Gas, Mr. Kingsley Ikuni, at Kwale, headquarters of Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State.

It was, however, gathered that one of those abducted was later released after an undisclosed amount of money was paid to the herdsmen, while Ikuni was still being held hostage.

A source in the community told Vanguard that lkuni was kidnapped on his way to his house at Azuenze in the Umusadege area of the town.

He said the other victim was abducted along Kwale-Ogume Road, Kwale, adding that “after some hours, a ransom was demanded for his release.

“The security agencies available, with support from the community people, tried every possible means to rescue the victims but all efforts yielded no positive result as relatives of the other victim had to run around to raise the requested ransom.

“On the provision of the agreed amount, the other victim

was released and the kidnappers, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, openly came out for the exchange and were

seen with AK-47 rifles.”

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Celes-

Military arrests 6 over Taraba communal clash

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—SOLDIERS from 93 Battalion in Takum, Taraba State, have arrested six persons and recovered arms and ammunition in connection with the recent communal clash in Ibi Local Government area of the state.

The Commanding Officer of the Battalion, Lt Colonel Chima Obinna Egemole, said: “What happened on March 25 at Ibi was characterised by ethnoreligious crisis.

“The incidence started by some youths throwing stones at Muslims in the mosque during Jumuat praying, which later escalated to sporadic shooting. A 24-hour curfew has been imposed.”

He restated the commitment of the troops to ensuring the safety of the citizens and more meetings held with stakeholders to resolve the crisis.

He said: “Six persons have so far been arrested in connection with the crisis and manhunt

ongoing for other perpetrators.

“Three AK-47 assault rifles, two magazines, four singlebarrelled guns, 11 cartridges, one axe, two hammers, one cutlass, two handsaws, one

intending couples would be verified by the ward, village and district heads of their respective areas of residence before the final approval of the council.

He recalled that the state government spent N30 million in the organisation of the first phase of mass wedding of 125 couples in January 2014.

According to him, 15 of the

knife, three mobile phones, one catapult, one broken bottle, 19 rounds of 5.56mm, 104 rounds of 7.2mm special and one litre of PMS have so far been recovered.”

We've supernatural powers to fight Boko Haram— Borno hunters

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ORNO State Chief Hunter, Mallam Maigana Maidurma, yesterday, renewed his appeal to the military to allow hunters in the state join the fight against Boko Haram in Sambisa Forest.

He said that the hunters were not afraid of any danger because most of them have supernatural powers, which will come in handy in the fight.

Maidurma, who made the call in Maiduguri, said they were eager to join the fight, as they are familiar with the terrain at the terrorists' Sambisa hideout.

He said: “We are renewing our call on the military

ding of 100 couples skills like knitting, sewing, pomade and detergents making, among others. The brides will also be assisted with working tools and capital.”

He further said that each couple would receive N75,000 to enable it to settle down properly to marital life.

Alhaji Kofar-Rini said all the

tina Kalu, said the victims were abducted by some of the community’s youths and kept in the custody of the herdsmen.

125 couples have since been divorced, adding “the remaining 110 couples are still married and have produced 45 children, with the latest being twins, born on March 24.

“The council has set up a reconciliation committee, which routinely visits the couples to help resolve all misunderstandings.”

authorities to allow us join the search for Boko Haram elements in their Sambisa forest hideout. We are ready to pursue the terrorists because we know the terrain.”

He faulted claims in some quarters that the military was cautious of allowing the hunters join the fight due to suspected landmine buried by the terrorists around their hideout.

Maidurma said: “We know that it is true that the Boko Haram terrorists are in the habit of burying landmines to prevent encroachment into their hideout. But we believe that we can work in collaboration with local vigilantes, called Civilian JTF, to overrun them.

“Hunters from all 27 Borno local governments are all in Maiduguri with our leaders, doing nothing at present because of Boko Haram. Rather than idling away, we will want to assist the military in crushing Boko Haram terrorists.”

It will be recalled that the hunters had, last January, appealed to the military to allow them join the Boko Haram fight, without response.

AUCHI State Police Command has arrested three women suspected to be “specialists” in child trafficking.

DSP Haruna Mohammed, Public Relation Officer of the command, disclosed this yesterday in a statement made available to journalists in Bauchi.

He said the suspects were arrested by detectives of the command on Friday.

Mohammed, one of the suspects from Plateau State, was arrested for selling a 17-month-old baby to a woman from Imo State at the cost of N200,000.

He also said the woman also sold a 14-month-old baby to another woman, who hailed from Benue, at the cost of N80,000.

Haruna said the two babies have been recovered and that the mother of one, Fauziya Adamu, has been identified by the police, while efforts were being made to trace the mother of the other.

The spokesman said that the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.

8 arrested over Gwagwalada crisis

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—THE Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command, yesterday, arrested eight persons suspected to be involved in the Gwagwalada political conflict.

The violent clash, Saturday morning in Dobi Village, Gwagwalada Area Council, has claimed one Haruna Adamu, with property worth millions of naira destroyed.

The arrest was sequel to the directive to security agencies by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, that they fish out perpetrators of the Gwagwalada political skirmish.

The minister equally directed that all those involved be made to face the full wrath of the law because nobody is above the law.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

I don’t know Tompolo’s whereabouts —Okowa Advocates grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen

By Emma Amaize

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SABA—DELTA State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said he does not know the whereabouts of the former leader of Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, a native of Kurutie, Gbaramatu Kingdom, in Warri South-West Local Government Area who security agents declared wanted last month.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Nigeria Police Force respectively declared Tompolo wanted between January and February over alleged fraud running into billions of naira.

Governor Okowa, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard in his office in Asaba, the state capital, retorted: “How is it possible for me to know the whereabouts of Tompolo? I have not been in the creeks. I do not know where he is at the moment.”

Vanguard had asked the governor to react to the speculation in some quarters that the state government was providing cover for the ex-militant leader for whose arrest a Federal High Court, Lagos, issued a bench warrant over alleged fraud.

Nobody has seen Tompolo publicly since the security agencies launched a manhunt for him.

The EFCC obtained a court order to confiscate some of his assets in Warri and other parts of the state.

Okowa asserted: “But you know

there is this tendency for people to believe that the governor knows everything. Much of the information I could get is coming from security intelligence and if the intelligence agencies do not know where he is, it will be difficult for me sitting in Asaba to know where he is.

“However, there is also this insinuation, because I hear a lot of stories, that, oh, my deputy governor is also from the same Gbaramantu Kingdom, therefore, he must know where Tompolo is. Nigerians are very quick in making all forms of assumptions. I do not know where Tompolo is now and that

is the best I can say concerning that.’’

On the rampaging Fulani herdsmen, Okowa said: “The Fulani herdsmen and community clashes have remained a very thorny issue in our communities and it is not limited to Delta State. From our last count and discussion at the National Economic Council, at least 28 states are affected in this whole thing, 28 states if not more by now, and where it is not about the herdsmen destroying farm land, it may be about cattle rustling.

“So, it is a very major issue.

The fact is that we need to

understand what the cause is. We do not have grazing reserves, neither have we progressed to a situation where people have their own ranches. So, it is a major problem and I think that the way out is to ensure that we are able to create grazing reserves where these cattle will be restricted to.”

The governor added: “But what we discovered is that once you progress to the month of November, you are not going to have a grassland within most parts of the north. Then, the people, because the rearing is nomadic in nature, begin to file out and reach out to as many places as they can and begin to seek for grass and where they can get water."

B

C M Y K

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—CRISIS is brewing at Obodogba in Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State, following the purported removal of the Iyase (Prime Minister) of the kingdom, Dr. Sylvanus Ebigwei.

While a section of the community had, in a publication, claimed that Ebigwei had allegedly been removed from office, due to unresolved communal issues, the community elders in a statement passed a vote of confidence in him (Ebigwei) as the Iyase of the kingdom.

The eldest man and secretary of the community, Mr Nwaokolie Nwuzu and Mr. Michael Asoya respectively, in a statement, insisted that the community never stripped Ebigwei of the title.

Describing the said media report as erroneous and deliberately targeted to tarnish his reputation, they urged the people to disregard the report in its entirety.

Akhigbe emerges President of Uneme nation VISIT: From left: Executive Director/CEO, NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and Mr Henry Otowo, NEPC Director, International Office, during the CEO's working visit to the Minister in Abuja.

Don’t make Edo theatre of war, monarch begs politicians

By Simon Ebegbulem ENIN—AHEAD of this year's governorship election in Edo State, the Onojie of Uromi, HRH Anslem Aidonogie II, has called on politicians in the state to avoid utterances and comments capable of turning the state into a theatre of war.

Consequently, he warned that the killings that took place in Rivers State during the recent elections in the state must not be replicated in Edo State.

The Onojie, who stated this when he received a governorship aspirant of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former state representative on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, in his palace in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state, condemned what he described as hate campaigns.

He urged political actors to sell their manifestos to the electorate rather than using abusive words.

He said: “The killings we witnessed in Rivers State just because of elections must not be allowed to happen here. ‘’Politicians must learn to confine

Crisis brews in Delta community over Iyase title

themselves to the rules of the game and not abuse each other as if the election is a do or die matter. Several lives are gone today in Rivers and those lives can never come back.

“So, as both the APC and PDP prepare for their governorship primaries, let there be peace so that people can participate actively in the political process”.

While commending

Iduoriyekemwen for making himself available for the governorship race, the monarch pointed out that his experience both as a two-time lawmaker in the state House of Assembly and tenure as NDDC Commissioner qualified him for the herculean job.

R e s p o n d i n g , Iduoriyekemwen, who earlier met with PDP lawmakers and

other leaders of the party in Uromi, said his visit was to solicit the support of the people ahead the primaries of the party.

“I believe that I am the most qualified PDP aspirant because I have been there for the party since 1999. So I know the problems of the state and those of the party and I intend to make Edo State great again,” he said.

IRDC leadership: Don't flout Olu's order, Oniyesan-led IRDC executive to Yomere warns do any financial transaction with

By Daniel Gumm

W

ARRI—OUTGOING Financial Secretary of Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC, Mr. Roland Yomere, has appealed to Mr. Austin Oniyesan to ignore the advice of those urging him to flout the orders of the Olu of Warri regarding the leadership of IRDC, saying they are only trying to destroy the good image he built over the years.

Yomere, an Omadino Community leader, who gave the advice in Warri during an interview recently, declared that

the people of Omadino are in support of Mr. Oti Edukugho, “who transparently emerged via ballot as the possible next Chairman of the incoming IRDC executive, based on the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli’s decision.”

While claiming that the Warri monarch promised to back Omadino community in Warri South Local Government Area to produce the next IRDC Chairman, Yomere admonished Chevron, banks, the Itsekiri nation and other stakeholders of IRDC to ignore purported moves by the controversially sworn-in

them in the name of IRDC, warning that whoever deals with the Oniyesan leadership which doesn’t have the Olu of Warri’s consent, does so at his or her own risk.

On speculation making the rounds that some Omadino indigenes are planning to head to court based on the Olu of Warri’s order, Yomere declared, “Omadino indigenes migrated from IjebuOde centuries ago and were adopted and integrated by the then Olu of Warri, Ijijen. Based on that relationship, Omadino people relinquished their land to the lordship of the Olu of Warri."

A

former political correspondent with Champion Newspapers and businessman, Mr. Bayo Akhigbe, has been elected the new President of Uneme National Development Association, UNDA, the umbrella body of Uneme communities in Edo State.

The election, which took place in Lagos during the 2016 Annual General Meeting, AGM, of UNDA, followed the expiration of the tenure of the former President of the body, Mr. Ernest Adeji, who held sway in the last two years.

Akhigbe, who until his election was the Vice President of UNDA and its Chairman on Education Committee, and also the Lagos State Chairman of Imiava Anegbette Development Association (IADA) emerged unopposed after his nomination at the AGM. The former journalist said his administration would rally Uneme sons and daughters in the Diaspora together for peaceful co-existence and socio-political and economic development across all Uneme communities.

He said: “The peaceful coexistence of Uneme Nation with neigbouring communities is non-negotiable; this administration will vigorously pursue programmes and processes aimed toward addressing the falling standard of education in our communities across the state.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—13

Navy probes officer's alleged killing of Gbaramatu indigene As Ijaw leader condemns killing

By Egufe Yafugborho & Tare Youdeowei

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ARRI—THE Nigerian Navy has begun an enquiry into the circumstances surrounding alleged killing of one Bernard Pius on Thursday by a naval officer at Tebujor Okpelama, a Gbaramatu community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

This came as Chief Beck Hitler condemned the killing and also urged the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore Raimi Mohammed, to warn his officers to stop further killings in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

This was revealed at a meeting convened, weekend, by Commodore Mohammed, Commader, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, Delta, Warri Naval Base, with Gbaramatu leaders on the way forward over the incident which aggravated anger in the communities over military presence in the area.

Chief Godspower Gbenekama, the Bebenowei (Chief Mobilizer) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, who conveyed the corpse to a Warri mortuary on Friday and was present at the meeting, said the Navy also called for calm in the community.

“The Navy told us to talk to the folks back home where anger has been building. You are aware that I have already started calming

frayed nerves immediately the unfortunate incident happened.

It is worthwhile that an enquiry has been set up into the matter.

“We made it clear that justice must be done on this extrajudicial killing of an unarmed Gbaramatu son. The impunity with which the officer killed Pius is inciting but we are doing our best to stay on the side of peace, law and order."

Meanwhile, a leader in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Beck Hitler, has urged the Commander, Nigerian navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore Raimi Mohammed, to warn his officers to stop further killings in Gbaramatu kingdom.

Hitler, a prominent chief in Gbaramatu, in a statement yesterday in Warri, said the deployment of Navy officers to

Gbaramatu over the recent attacks on pipelines by suspected militants, was not a licence for Naval officers to kill innocent indigenes in the area.

The marine expert, noted that the victim, late Pius, was allegedly shot dead at a jetty in Tebujor Okpelama, where he was scooping sand, the only source of his living until he met his untimely death.

GROUND BREAKING: Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, performing the ground breaking of World Prayer City to be sited at Idu-Uruan, Uruan Local Government Area, during a thanksgiving service of the out-going Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Archbishop Cletus Bassey, at Destiny International Missions Inc., Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo.

Edo commissioner wants APC guber aspirant disqualified

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—EDO State Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources, Mr Washington Osifo, has called for the disqualification of a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Blessing Agbomhere, over alleged unwarranted attack on Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The governorship aspirant had in a press conference, declared that if elected governor, he would probe the administration of Governor Oshiomhole in the award of contract for the construction of Airport Road and other deals executed by Oshiomhole’s administration.

But describing the comment as irresponsible and anti-party, Osifo said: ‘’Because this man is a stranger in a state he wants to govern, he is the only person who does not know what transpired at the Airport Road contract. ‘’After the first contractor messed up the job, the governor revoked it and re-awarded the job to a better contractor and the road is beautiful today.

“To even show his humility, Oshiomhole apologized to Edo people for that blunder. So I am

shocked that a man who wants to govern the state and aspiring on the platform of APC can speak so irresponsibly against the governor who is the leader of the party in the state.

‘’I call on the leadership of our party to expel him and disqualify him from the contest. After all, he is not known, even in his village.

“If you are serious in contesting for the office of the

governor, the least you can do for the party that produces the governor is to, at least, have respect for the governor because when you are casting aspersions on the governor, you are equally casting aspersions on the party."

Bayelsa community raises alarm over upsurge home due to the security in pirates’ attacks situation in the area.

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE people of the coastal settlement of Ekeni in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have raised alarm over the rising cases of pirates’ invasion and attacks on their community.

Indigenes of the predominantly fishing community, tucked in the coastal waters between Furopa and Ezetu, said they were constantly living in fear of the rampaging sea robbers, who over time had been exploiting the sloppy policing of the area to carry out their nefarious trade.

They noted with sadness that though a military post was sited at neighbouring Ezetu, they were always at the mercy of the

bandits because of the alleged refusal of the soldiers to move out of their base.

Vanguard gathered that the sad turn of event in the community has forced many of the natives residing in the cities to stay away from their ancestral

The President General, Ekeni Descendant Union, Bayelsa State, John Ekewei, lamented that the pirates had made life unbearable for his people, the fishing folks, boat operators and passengers plying their waterways.

Reflect on benefits of Easter —Osanebi

T

HE Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Osanebi, has enjoined Deltans, Christians and Nigerians in general to take a sober reflection on the benefits of Easter, with a conscious attempt to initiate permanent healing and reconciliation in all aspect of human life.

The Deputy Speaker who gave the charge in his Easter

message said: “I urge all to take the celebrations as a time for sincere reflections and reconciliation. Jesus Christ taught humility, friendship, leadership and organisation with exemplary character.”

He added that for Nigerians to achieve their goals, there was urgent need to end divisiveness, intolerance and replace them with mutual understanding, love and respect.

Gov Emmanuel tasks Christians on sacrificial love

By Tom Moses

U

YO—GOVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has enjoined Christians to use the Easter celebration to reflect on the essence of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ who, without guilt, died to reconcile mankind with God. Governor Emmanuel stated this yesterday at the United Evangelical Church, (Qua Iboe Church), Uyo, saying the celebration of Easter should compel every Christian to let go of selfindulgence and seek the good of mankind.

The governor also enjoined the church to set the tone for the re-unification of Qua Iboe Church to suit the vision of its founding father, Rev. Samuel Bill, as according to him, if the crucifixion of the son of God had brought the Jews and the Gentiles under one fold, no member of the Church was justified to mortgage the vision of the founding fathers to promote discord in the body of Christ.

Security: Ogor donates 13 vehicles to vigilante

By Akpokona Omafuaire & Ochuko Akuopha

W

A R R I—THE m e m b e r representing Isoko federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, yesterday, in Ozoro, presented 13 Toyota Hilux vehicles to vigilante groups in Isoko ccommunities to combat the rising crime wave in the area.

Ogor’s gesture followed security threats in his constituency which had reached a worrisome level recently.

He said, while handing over the vehicles: “There is something I saw which pricked my mind in Isoko.

When development and expansion are going on in the communities, there seems to be security challenges, therefore the need to set up vigilante.

“The vigilante took responsibility of protecting lives and property, while others are sleeping. I decided to support the group with vehicles to support and enhance their operation."

C M Y K

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28 , 2016

APOLOGY OVER VIOLENT POLLS: Nigerians

deserve the best, PDP leaders, others tell Buhari

•He has to go beyond apology —Fayose •No need for apology —Chekwas Okorie

By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru, Dapo Akinrefon, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Rotimi Ojomoyela

Senator, Rep

L

AGOS—SOME Leaders and chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have advised President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond apologies and give Nigerians credible and peaceful elections.

Last Thursday, President Buhari offered apologies for the ill-tempered elections conducted under his watch in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers States.

Commenting on the apology, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, said it was not enough and urged the President to take steps to redress the lapses.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, the governor commended Buhari for admitting some errors his government had made but added that the President should be wary of some selfish persons in the APC who were bent on dropping his name to commit atrocities in the name of politics.

“This is a moment of truth. I commend the president for being bold enough to apologise for his lapses. He has come out to admit and accept that criticism is part of democracy. He can do whatever he likes, but it must be within the ambit of the law.

“The President has swallowed his pride by admitting that there is a sharp drop in electricity and that we are experiencing an agonising fuel scarcity in the country. They told us the refineries are working, but that is a lie, we are still importing fuel. The President must not, however, stop at apologising. He cannot continue to apologise over everything, he must step up. A leader must think very well before making policy statements.’’

Taking a swipe at the manner elections had been conducted under the present regime, Fayose said it had destroyed the legacy of credible elections left behind by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“It is an understatement to describe the conduct of elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers states by the Buhari administration as a show of shame. This is an aspect where the President has to be very careful. He must not allow himself to be led by the nose by some rejected and crooked politicians.

“Politicians that were soundly rejected in previous elections by their people and who now want to use state power and brute

C M Y K

His words: “It is an act of great statesmanship. For the President to have come out to apologise for the flaws unlike what happened in the past shows that they admit mistakes have been made and prepares the ground for amendment and correction. I commend him for that matured acceptance.”

EASTER SERVICE: Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor(2nd right), former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi (2nd left), his wife, Margaret (right) and daughter, Amaka, after the Easter Service at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Obeledu, Anambra State. force to lord themselves on the people because their party is now in power at the federal level,” he noted.

Nigerians are disappointed – Ikokwu

Second Republic Politician, Chief Guy Ikokwu, who is one of the founders of the PDP, said it is sad that peaceful and credible polls have become a mirage in Nigeria.

He dismisses as hog wash complaints by the federal government and APC that they were battling with the rot left by the PDP’s 16 years misrule because we can’t continue to dwell in the past. We were told there would be change and change mantra.

He said: “Majority of Nigerians are disappointed that by this time we cannot hold credible, peaceful and transparent elections, which are the true ambient of democracy.

There is so much apathy because the government cannot provide security. Why can’t the INEC release the Rivers results? Who can the present INEC be giving us inconclusive elections? Why will INEC tell us that what happened in Kogi is okay with a governor sworn in without a deputy. Somebody who did not take part in the first election was allowed to take part in the supplement art election?

“If Nigeria will have the courage to implement the national conference resolutions giving political and legislative powers to the six geo-political zones and allowing the zones to move according to their pace with the centre not as powerful as it is now, things will be better The question of states running to the Centre for bail out will not arise. Each will bite the much it can chew. Each Zone will determine the no of local

councils it can cope with.”

APC’s desperation was high – Senator Urhoghide

Also speaking, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, PDP, Edo South, attributed the flaws to inadequate security and desperation on the part of members of the APC. Senator Urhoghide who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism said: “These failures President Buhari has accepted border more on the lack of adequate security measures during the rescheduled polls in these states.

“The President ought to know better, knowing the lack of tolerance of other opinions or choices, the desperation of the political gladiators in these areas, but he decided otherwise. Some of us believe his attitude is such because the preponderance of these individuals are in his political party, the APC. After all, these states are PDP controlled states or are places where undoubtedly PDP has overwhelming support of the electorates.

“The APC chieftains in these enclaves are desperate to have control so that they can be reckoned with at the centre by the party and the President.”

Buhari shouldn’t send wrong signals —Odumakin

Pan -Yoruba Socio-Political organisation, Afenifere, appealed to the president not to send wrong signals to Nigerians.

National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin said: “Beyond apology, what the president needs to do is to give correct signals to the nation and agencies involved in election management that he is a democratic president, who wants smooth and peaceful elections

across Nigeria. For instance, not congratulating the Baysela governor, after winning up till now is a body language that shows that the president will not be happy if his party does not win elections.

So, beyond the apology, he should build on what Dr Goodluck Jonathan built and ensure that the Rivers election results are announced. He should ensure that our elections become a friendly affair between opposing parties so that the spirit of sportsmanship can come in.”

It is great statesmanship —Gbagi

However, another founding member of the PDP and former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, commended Buhari for apologizing to Nigerians over the electoral crises in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers. According to him, the apology indicates admission of mistake and readiness to make amends.

Rep Julius Pondi, who represents Burutu Federal Constituency of Delta State in the House of a representatives, said the President had to apologise to Nigerians because of the alleged bad choice of the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

Pondi said that ordinarily the failures were supposed to be heaped on the doorsteps of the INEC but because Mr. President appointed the INEC chairman who had not conducted any credible elections since he took over from Prof. Attahiru Jega, it meant the President made a wrong appointment.

In the same vein, Senator Lee Meeba, who represented Rivers East in the Sixth Assembly, said that since Prof. Jega left as INEC Chairman, conduct of elections had been poor.

No need for apology – Chekwas Okorie

In his comment, National Chairman and Presidential Candidate in the 2015 elections, Chief Chekwas Okorie, said at the President needed not to apologise to anybody as he was not directly involved in the conduct of the elections.

He, however said that the “INEC was nearly incurable in the management of elections in Nigeria,” adding that, “even if you bring a saint to head INEC, as long as the bureaucracy has not been cleansed, the Saint will turn to a villain.”

He also said that instead of apologising, the president should initiate a bill on electronic voting where even card reader that he said was causing problems, will not be necessary.

Why we visited FMC, Asaba —Senate C'ttee on Health

A

By Tare Youdeowei

BUJA—THE Senate Committee on Health, led by its Chairman, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, has visited the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Asaba as part of its oversight functions and inspected ongoing projects as well as facility tour of the centre.

The Senate Committee chose FMC, Asaba as the first tertiary hospital to visit in 2016 as a mark of respect for the immediate past chairman of the committee and governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa They also used the opportunity to review the 2015 budgetary allocation to the hospital and expressed satisfaction with what they met on ground.

Acting Medical Director of the centre, Dr Victor Osiatuma, who received the committee members, said the hospital had transformed over the years in manpower and infrastructure development, with sixty consultants in different areas of medicine.

According to him, the hospital performed three successful knee replacement surgery last year in partnership with an oversea expert who is currently training the hospital medical team.

He also solicited for early release of budgetary allocations for capital projects to enable the centre perform its duties effectively.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—15

ECCIMA laments poor operational facilities at Akanu Ibiam Airport •Decries high electricity tariff E

By Francis Igata

NUGU—THE 27th Enugu International Trade Fair kicked off weekend, with a call on the Federal Government to make the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu more viable.

President of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ECCIMA, Ugochukwu Chime, who made the call in his opening address at the commencement of the fair, said making the airport more viable would improve the socio-economic development of the country.

Chime also called on the Federal Government through its relevant authorities to grant necessary permit and approval for cargo flight by Ethiopian Airline into the airport, noting that people of the South East indulged a lot in importation of goods.

“May I crave your indulgence to use this opportunity to appeal to the relevant authorities of the Federal Government and concerned agencies to support the viability and great potentials the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu offers in the socio-economic development of the nation,” Chime appealed.

The ECCIMA president, however, acknowledged the presence of Ethiopian Airline which he said had made Enugu their international

route.

He, however, wished that other international airlines would join suit to make the airport more viable.

He suggested that the government could enhance the

viability of the airport by ensuring that Customs and Immigration officials working in the airport desist from acts capable of undermining its potentials.

Chime used the opportunity to call on the Federal Government

to make available, adequate fund for direct award of contract to a competent contractor to complete the developmentoftheEnuguInternational Trade Fair Complex i nl ine with what obtained in Kaduna and Lagos.

Cut your power supply, stop billing us,

by EEDC. consumers tell EEDC “It is better to religiously face

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

W E R R I — RESIDENTS of Zone E, Area M of World Bank Housing Estate, New Owerri, have passionately appealed to the management of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, to “outrightly disconnect the area from their network”.

The aggrieved residents took the decision weekend, at a well attended emergency meeting called to discuss the security situation, as well as the prevailing pitch darkness EEDC have subjected them to for a long time.

The residents agreed that since the EEDC management cannot cumulatively, give them one week of power supply in any given month, “the company should disconnect their power and stop distributing bills for services not rendered”.

While saying that they were tired of constantly making appeals to EEDC, to step up

power supply to their area of World Bank Housing Estate, they however reasoned that “keeping quiet over the ugly issue amounts to abetting corruption, which the present Federal Government says it is fighting”.

The residents also resolved to run their private electricity generating sets for at least two months, as well as reject any future electricity bills distributed

the pain of purchasing fuel at it’s present high cost to run our generators than to equally pay for electricity that was neither supplied by EEDC nor consumed by us in any given month”, the residents said.

They wondered why it was getting extremely difficult for EEDC management to instal perpaid electricity meters in all the houses.

Enugu govt moves to regularise traditional birth attendants

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By Francis Igata

NUGU—THE Enugu State Government,through its Ministry of Health has commenced registration of Traditional Birth Attendants,TBAs,in the 472 communities in the state to ensure efficient,safe healthcare delivery.

This is coming on the heels of irrepressible patronages TBAs in the state receive especially from rural women during child birth.

While briefing newsmen in his office weekend,Commissioner for

Health,Dr. Samuel Ngwu said: ”As a state that prides herself as the bastion of free child mother health care,I had to capture them,TBAs,by making them partners to achieve the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s vision of efficient,safe health care delivery.

“We want safe delivery and safe motherhood. That is why we commenced registration of TBAs. We had meetings with them and the Ministry will play a supervisory role over their activities and facilities."

Dangote promises friendly prices at Enugu trade fair

E

NUGU—IN a strategic move to grow market share and expand customer reach in the Southern part of the nation, companies under the Dangote Group are participating in the Enugu International Trade Fair which kicked off last week at the Trade Fair Complex, Golf Estate Enugu.

Companies under the Group who are introducing either new and repackagedproductstothedelightof the consumers include Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Agrosacks, NASCON Allied Industries Plc (DangoteSalt),DangoteRicelimited, DangoteCementPlc,DangoteFlour and Dansa Foods Limited among others.

Some of the products to be displayed at the fair include Dangote sugar, Dangote Flour, spaghetti, noodlesandmacaroni Dangotesalt, Danq (seasoning), tomato paste, various ranges of fruit juice products andbottledwaterfromDansaFoods.

Dangote Sugar will be offering customers different sizes of granulated sugar packs at the fair.

A statement from Corporate Communications Unit of Dangote Group, said the fair has become a veritable venue for introduction of new innovations to Dangote products.

2016 EASTER CELEBRATION BY CHRISTIAN FAITHFUL

Archbishop of Ibadan Catholic Diocese, Archbishop Gabriel Abegunrin, leading a procession to mark this year's Easter Sunday Service at St Mary's Catholic Cathedral, Oke Padre in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Cathedral Church choir, at the Easter Sunday Service in Kaduna. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Gwagwalada, Rev. Fr. Rowland Nwakpuda (left) sprinkling holy water on parishioners at the eve of Easter Sunday on Saturday night, at Gwagwalada in Abuja. Photo: NAN.

From left: Bishop of Kaduna Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev Timothy Yahaya, Cathedral Chaplain, Rev. Samuel Fayomi, and Youth Pastor, Rev. Canon, Victor Aghahowa, at the Easter Sunday Service in Kaduna. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 IT is astonishing to learn that the famous Niger Bridge, one of the most prestigious, yet least regarded engineering masterpieces in Nigeria, has been closed to pedestrians for over two months.

The Bridge, which links Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State and gateway into the Eastern flank and Asaba, the capital of Delta State, is probably the only bridge in Nigeria with special lanes constructed for the use of pedestrians and cyclists.

The Nigerian Army had temporarily prohibited pedestrians from crossing the bridge in the wake of the protests and obstruction by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other pro-Biafra groups in December 2015 over the incarceration of their leaders.

The Army obviously took the step to prevent the further assemblage

Reopen Niger Bridge immediately of the protesters around the bridge to ensure the smooth movement of vehicular traffic.

Since the protests have died down and no further threat exists for users of the bridge, we do not see why the Army should continue the prohibiting of pedestrians from crossing the bridge.

What sense does it make to stop people from crossing the Bridge on foot when the Army is maintaining road blocks and round-the-clock presence there? Reports have it that

bad eggs in the Army and the Navy (which also operate a roadblock around the Uga Junction in Onitsha) have since resorted to extorting money from commercial motorcyclists and tri-cyclists, who are made to pay N2,000 per month for right of way to go about their businesses.

We join concerned stakeholders, such as the Anglican Bishop of Amichi Diocese, Ephraim Ikeakor, the Campaign for Democracy (CD), the Intersociety group and others

who are calling on the military authorities to end this obnoxious affront on the democratic and constitutional rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement. The military has no right to decree that people can only be conveyed across the Niger Bridge through the use of vehicles. It is not everyone that can afford to do so.

Besides, the River Niger and the Bridge over it are breathtaking tourist sites, and people should rather be encouraged to visit the Niger to take in the beauty of nature and engineering excellence combined. It is very disheartening that Nigerians are gradually being made to lose their rights.

The military must rein-in the growing acts of impunity among their staff and respect the laws of the land and its rules of engagement with the civilian populace.

OPINION Brussels and Chibok

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By Patrick Cole

T was about 1 pm. We were transfixed to our Television as we watched unbelievably as one plane plunged into one of the Twin Towers in the World Trade Centre in New York.

People thought this might be a trailer for a new action thriller film. An hour or so later another plane struck the second Tower in the World Trade Centre. People stood around, watching.

The Television newscaster could hardly believe what they were reading and seeing. It was eerily true. The United States was under attack; commentators had never seen anything like it and began comparing this incident with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. After the initial shock and numbness the Mayor and Governor of New York swung into action. Fire and emergency Crews, ambulances, other emergency workers, all went into action, saving the injured, sending them off to hospitals which by now were on full alert: every available doctor was at the hospitals. Still in this state of shock another plane landed in the Pentagon, the biggest building in the world housing the US Defence Department; another plane was flying towards the White House, its intention to hit the residence of the President of the United States. The passengers in that plane managed to overcome the hijackers and crash landed the plane somewhere in Pennsylvania, about 35 minutes to the White House, killing all those aboard the plane.

2. For two years or so seven Saudi Arabians had studied to be pilots in the United States and on that fateful morning, all boarded

various planes intending to cause mayhem by going for the jocular of the United States.

3.A nation is characterised by how it responds TH to national emergencies. On 7 July, 2012 the London underground was blown up by a suicide bomber on the Central line in Edgware Road; another bomb was detonated on top of a double decker bus in Tavistok Square, near the centre of the University of London. The British swung into action, pulling people out of the underground, rushing others in Central London to hospitals and in a constant barrage of news kept its people informed, asked them to remain calm, stay at home while this mess was sorted out.

4.In Madrid the underground train was similarly attacked by six Moroccans in the name of Al Qaeda. The response of Spain was equally robust, and adequate. In all of this the thread running through the response in New York, London and Spain was to burnish a nationalistic sentiment of defiance- to say to the terrorists that you will not defeat us. We will get through this and be absolutely sure of this, we will get you, and we will get to the bottom of this. Our spirit is strong, stronger than yours.

We are organised to deal with vermin like you.

So pathetic has been our response that people have begun to believe that Chibok never existed

We will get you. There is no place to hide.

5.It would be tedious to repeat other examples of terrorist plots and the answer of those nations which is similar; – In India there was the attack on the Taj Mahal by Pakistani terrorists, in Nairobi by Somali terrorists at the shopping mall: India and Kenya were defiant; they dug deep into their national spirit to find the strength to fight these terrorists. They always believed that their spirit was invincible and superior to that of the bombers. They spared no resources to encourage resilience, willing to sacrifice even more to tell their enemies that they possess an inner strength, a belief in life which no acts of terror can diminish: that they are united in this single purpose of national survival and that they will survive and overcome, no matter what.

Their Leaders were resolute in the belief that they must lead their countries not out of the fear which these faceless cowards were trying to impose upon them but out of strength.

6. Nearly two years ago another group of terrorists – Boko Haram – went to Chibok and took 246 Nigerian girls and seemed to vanish into thin air. Before that, Boko Haram had terrorised our nation – bombing the Eagle Square in Abuja while we were celebrating independence, we watched shamefully as our visiting Presidents and Head of State scurried like frightened rats into their planes and left our country. The terrorist bombed Police Headquarters and other buildings in Abuja, Niger, Kano. They spread mayhem all over the North East, seized territories where our governments could not go. But let me return to Chibok.

7. The whole world in solidarity with us put on “#Bring back our girls.” Even our President,

security, Chiefs etc. without shame or appreciation of our utter humiliation put on #tags if not for Chibok for some other terrorist attack. When we tried to sympathise with France for the terrorist attack, our sympathy was thrown back to our face: we should solve the Chibok problem.

Where was the political leadership, the nationalism, the spirit shown in the moment of a national calamity? Where is the defiance to tell Boko Haram, that our spirit is stronger than yours, you cannot beat us, you cannot hide, and we will get you. In London, New York, Paris, Brussels hundreds of thousands came out on that day to express their defiance at the terrorism.

8. Our response to that calamity puts all of us to shame, we scurried like frightened rodents and cockroaches into the nearest hole we could find, throwing one blame after another to confound our weakness and shamelessness.

Indeed so pathetic has been our response that people have begun to believe that Chibok never existed; never took place, that it was a political conspiracy to win an election. Pathetic. We have had more reaction over the alleged abduction of a 14 year old girl who ran away with her lover than we have had in Chibok for our 246 girls. Eruese’s mother knew what was going on, even if she did not encourage it. She put her daughter in harm’s way and is complicit in the so called abduction. Her father is less than useless if he did not know what was going on in his house: he should have.

Continues tomorrow on pg 18 •Dr. Cole, OFR, a former ambassador, wrote from Lagos.

MARCH 28, 2016

CBN creates 6m jobs through intervention funding

Calls for Emefiele's removal is trivialising Nigeria's problems Nigerians should look inward The data further showed that the CBN Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Forex availability is beyond CBN that was set up in 1978 with N3million

BY OMOH GABRIEL, NKIRUKA NOROM & LAWANI MIKAIRU

T

some sectors. Going by the data sighted by Vanguard, in 2009, the bank through its Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme set up N200 billion intervention fund. As of today, a total of N337.635 billion was disbursed and a total of N137.804 has been repaid.

The fund financed a total of 423 projects and generated a total of 1, 132, 232 jobs and saved the investors interest payment of N42.564 billion.

as seed money disbursed a total of N97.014 billion out of which N67.014 billion was repaid. The intervention granted loan facility of 1,009,180 and has so far generated a total of 5,045,900 jobs.

The CBN evaluation data showed that the Small, Medium Enterprise Credit Guarantee Scheme set up by the apex bank in 2010 had as its seed money the sum of N300 billion. So far, N4.219 billion has been disbursed

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has generated no less than six million jobs through intervention funding since 2009, even as many Nigerians have expressed shock over calls for the sack of the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele because of the bank’s monetary policies. They say the bank has done well and should be commended instead of being lampooned.

Presidency sources said that from the evaluation of the apex bank's intervention in the economy since 2009 has created a total of 6,000,000 jobs through its developmental finance initiatives.

Figures sighted by Financial Vanguard from the Presidency evaluation data showed that the CBN set up eight intervention funds of N1.57 trillion out of which economic operators have accessed N819.164 VISIT: From left: Acting Managing Director\CEO, Mr Waheed Olagunju; Chairman, FirstBank billion to resuscitate Plc, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, and Executive Director, Corporate Services, Bank of Industry, Mr their businesses that Jonathan Tobin during a courtesy visit by Mrs Awosika to BOI in Lagos has helped to sustain C M Y K

while 2.439 billion has been repaid.

The intervention fund financed 87 projects. The data also showed that the apex bank set up in 2014 the RSSF facility of N300 billion, out of which N3.5 billion has been disbursed for a single project. Also in 2010, the apex bank set up the Power and Aviation Intervention fund of N300 billion. So far, a total of N255 billion has been disbursed and N69.755 billion repaid. The fund has financed 56 projects.

The bank they said has three other funding for which about N450 billion was set aside and several projects have benefited from the intervention funding. The Presidency official wondered why Nigerians can not understand what the apex bank is trying to do for the nation. He said that instead of looking for scapegoats, Nigerians should face reality and learn to do what is right.

The Director General Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Muda Yusuf believe that the call for the removal of Emefiele as CBN governor is trivialising a very serious matter. He said "The issue is not whether to remove him or not but how to address the policy in place that will give private sector operators a level playing ground. To the private sector, reviewing the policy on ground is what matters. Some of the issues facing the nation today were not created by the Governor.” He said what the average business man is concerned with is how to access foreign exchange to conduct his business. He said exporters also would like to see the proper use of the proceeds of their exports.

Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, President of South-East South-South Professionals of Nigeria said he would hold his comment on the issue until after the body’s visit to the Vice-President on Thursday to discuss issues about the regions with him. He said there after, the body will visit the CBN to hear from them before making a statement. He said his body will not like to make statements based on sentiments.

Exchange rate challenge beyond him, though monetary policy flawed – Investment banker Continues on page 18

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Cover

How to get funds for your business Turning great Ideas into great money ave a great business idea is only the first step in the journey to raising your business empire.

Turning your business idea into a money- making venture requires raising the capital necessary to get your blessing running and that represents the next step of thousands of other steps. In starting your own business, the most challenging task you have to face as an entrepreneur is raising money as capital.

The ability to raise money to start a business is one of the tests you must undergo as an entrepreneur. As daunting as it may seem, the challenge of raising money is not as tough as you think. It is no secret that in your quest to raise money to start your business you are bound to face a lot of obstacles.

It would be very unfair of me to promise you otherwise.

However, the good news is that it can be done as there are some people, some institutions and some organisations willing to look at investing in start – up businesses.

There are many tried and tested ways of raising money to start your business which have been used by many famous entrepreneurs whose businesses have become household names, including Bill Gates (Microsoft), Michael Dell (Dell computers) and Richard Branson (Virgin), to name a few.

For maximum success, you would do well to use a combination of different tactics to employ when you want to raise capital for your great business idea.

Using feasibility business Ideas The first and basic key to raising money is to have a business idea that is feasible, that is practicable, and that is workable.

You wonder why? The first question any investor you approach will ask is this: How profitable is your business idea? That is because no investor will want to put his money in a business that is impossible and not viable. They will also want to know the expected return on their investment and the time frame within which to recoup their initial investment. Before you embark on a quest to raise money, carry out a feasibility study to determine the profitability of your business idea.

Using a business plan Another prerequisite in the process of raising money for your business idea is a good business plan. One of your first moves when you want to source for funds to start your business should be to put a comprehensive business plan.

Your business plan will include details of your background, education, training experience and any other personal qualities you possess. Your personal qualities and experience are often regarded as assets to your business. Your business plan should also explain in detail the modalities of how you are going to use the money you need.

It should also explain in detail your proposed business idea, associated expenditure, the market research undertaken, and your financial projection and so on. Above all, your business plan should describe in detail what makes your business differs from that of your competitors. What will interest your investors the most about your business plan should state precisely what any investor should expect as returns on their investments and also, when and how you are going to pay it.

Personality, Appearance and presentation style Next thing to consider is your personality, your appearance and your presentation style. When approaching an investor, remember you have only a chance to create an impression in his or her mind.Therefore,you must be conscious of your appearance, don’t appear rough and unkempt and, please, try to look professional. In the game of raising money for your business, appearance matters a lot.

Now to your presentation style: your manner of presentation will determine the success or failure of your quest to raise money for your business idea to your investors with a high level of confidence, because the better you are at communicating your strengths to them, the better your chances of raising money. If you lack communication skills, read up books on the topic.

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VISIT - From left, Ooni of Ife, His Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II; wife of the Founder of FCMB Group, Olori Abimbola Balogun; wife of the Ooni of Ife, Olori Wuraola Ogunwusi and Founder of FCMB Group and Olori Omo-Oba Akile Ijebu, Otunba Michael Olasubomi Balogun, during a courtesy visit by the Ooni to the Founder of FCMB Group at his residence in Lagos on March 21, 2016 in Lagos.

CBN creates 6m jobs through intervention funding Continued from page 17

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n investment banker who prefers anonymity said his monetary policy is flawed, but insisted that stabilising the naira is beyond the CBN governor. “On the monetary policy, there are inconsistencies because the assumptions on which they take decision are at variance with decisions they take. So, on that, you could see some flaws, some inconsistencies, but in terms of the exchange rate, it is beyond him because the President has taken a position and anything on the contrary will mean direct confrontation with the president,” he said.

“The key thing is that the position of the President has jeopardised any other position and has constrained the MPC from taking any liberal decision. Generally, in terms of exchange rate, it is beyond the CBN governor, but in terms of monetary policy, there are inconsistencies because the premise on which they take certain decisions seem to be at variance with underlying factors that should be the driving factors for economic growth in Nigeria today.”

Call for CBN governor’s removal uncalled for — Stockbrokers

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ommenting, Alhaji Ola Yussuff, Managing Director, Trust Yield Securities Limited, said: “It is uncalled for. I don’t think you have to remove the CBN governor simply because he is pursuing certain policies. People forget that there is what is called

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autonomy; CBN is an autonomous institution and the role of any CBN governor is to ensure that the monetary policy of this country is run on independent autonomous basis. CBN governor is not necessarily reporting to the president; he is to look at the economic policy of the country and adjust the monetary policy as he feels like, that’s why you have the committee.

“The question of removing or not removing the governor is political. You don’t do such thing. The worst you can do is to wait for his tenure to expire and not renew it. His removal will send a wrong signal because we cannot be disrupting things like that.”

Continuing, he said: “The fall in Naira has nothing to do with the CBN governor. The fall in Naira is a reflection of fall in foreign exchange earnings from the oil receipt.

We are not earning as much money as we used to earn from oil; that is why the Naira is falling.

“It has nothing to do with the CBN governor; there is no magic he can perform on that.

People needed to be educated.

Your currency is a reflection of how strong your economy is and our economy is weak because we depended all along on petroleum money and that petroleum money is no longer there. The little there was taken away by politicians. So, we don’t have money.

“So, how can your currency be strong? You don’t have reserve; your reserve is gone.

The revenue you are earning from oil is declining and that is what the currency is reflecting.

"So, it has nothing to do with the CBN governor, it has to do with the fundamental of our economy. The fundamental is

that we are not producing; we are not generating money. The oil we are using to generate money is no longer selling; it is selling below the price it used to and we have been printing money all along.

“So, if we don’t have foreign currency to bring what we need now, then you have to use your local currency and if your local currency is chasing very limited amount of goods, then prices will be going up.

That is what is causing inflation.”

He noted that the challenge for the nation is to go back and ‘produce everything we need ourselves; that is when we will get it right. If you like, change your CBN governor every day; it is not going to change anything. There is no magic anybody can perform.’

In his own reaction, Mr. Emeka Mmadubuike, Chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), said: “Given where the economy is, this is the worst time to remove anybody. People need to come up with more useful suggestions as to what needs to happen and it must be useful and tactical. We are facing multi-dimensional problems and so there is no one-size-fit-all solution because we are coming out from a situation where there was no control; there was no discipline. Added to that, we have a situation where we are facing very serious challenge on the price of oil, which is beyond anybody’s control.

“For me, given all the factors that we face, now is not the right time to remove anybody, rather we need to put heads together and find useful and practical solutions out of the problem.”

He continued: “I don’t think Continues on page 19

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 19

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he National Assembly last Wednesday passed the 2016 budget for the President to sign into law. After the President’s endorsement, it will become mandatory for the Federal Government to implement to the letter, the provisions of the budget. Now there is an economic guideline by which the administration of Buhari can be assessed. The 2016 budget has very far reaching implication for the economy if not properly managed.

The budget has good intentions but it has the potency of causing industrial unrest as it certainly will trigger off a general rise in the prices of goods and services in the economy during the year.

The first major problem in the budget as passed is that members of the National Assembly confess that the passed budget is ridden with errors. The errors may be the undoing of the budget. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Danjuma Goje while presenting the budget admitted that there were still certain lapses in the budget which had not been taken care of. He said that the committee had to let the lapses go because any attempt to correct them would mean that the budget would stay longer before being passed and that Nigerians would not understand.

Does it mean that the padding of the budget was allowed to go? Why then the fuse about budget padding. It would mean that the National Assembly failed in its duty to the nation by passing a budget that has loopholes for the executive and civil servants to exploit.

A cursory look at the provisions of the budget showed that the National Assembly specifically reduced the total budget sum from N6.07 trillion to N6.06 trillion.

In the budget, N351 billion is for statutory transfers, N1.4 trillion for debt service, N2.6 trillion for recurrent expenditure, and N1.5 trillion as capital expenditure.

Inflation, No 1 enemy of Nigerians in 2016 The N17 billion reduction in the aggregate expenditure of the budget was taken from overhead votes component of the N2.65trillion recurrent expenditure of the budget which has now been reduced to N2.646 trillion From the N351.370 approved for statutory transfers, National Assembly gets N115 billion; Universal Basic Education gets N77.110 billion; National Judicial Council gets N70 billion; INEC gets N45 billion; Niger-Delta Development Commission gets N41.050 billion; Public Complaint Commission gets N2 billion while National Human Rights Commission gets N1.210 billion.

These provisions are in the main for investment in infrastructure, payment of salaries and wages, pensions and debt service. They are not expenditure in the real sectors of the economy that will increase the availability of goods and services in the short to medium term.

Looking at the budget, bulk of the provision is for consumption spending essentially. The fundamental question to ask is: does the economy have the absorptive capacity to take the volume of money to be released without

upsetting prices of goods and services in the market place?

Certainly the government has made it clear that it is going to reflate the economy.

By investing in infrastructure and paying contractors, many Nigerians working in that sector will be re-engaged and called back to work. The spending will put money in the hands of Nigerians who will find work. They will certainly want to buy goods and services with the money they earn. This ordinarily should be the incentive for manufacturers and service providers to produce more.

It could lead industries and other service providers to

By investing in infrastructure and paying contractors, many Nigerians working in that sector will be reengaged and called back to work

increase capacity and employ more hands. This of course is bound to reduce the level of unemployment if all things work well.

But in the immediate and short run, investment in industries and the expansion of the existing ones may take a while. While companies that have inventories of finished goods are in a good stead to sell off, there comes a period when their stock of finished inventory get exhausted and are not able to produce to meet the current demand from households. This is as a result of the fact that disposable income in the hands of Nigerian consumers would have risen.

This situation will give rise to a general increase in the prices of goods and services because the supply chain is limited. Already, the nation is facing foreign exchange crunch and may not be in a good position to provide the needed foreign exchange cover to import the needed goods. This will trigger cost push inflation as companies will produce at higher cost and pass the cost to the consumer. Nigeria at the moment, is facing imported inflation. This will have direct effect on the cost of living of

the average Nigerian.

The National Bureau of Statistics has said that inflation is now 11.4 per cent. It has moved from a single digit to two digits before the passage of the budget. Certainly, when government begins to release funds into the various projects it intends to embark upon in the course of the year, inflation will further go up. The level of inflation the country will contend with during the year will depend on the decision of the spending ministries and their understanding of the inverse relationship between unemployment and inflation.

If the government, as it intends to do, chooses to go for a drastic reduction in unemployment in the country at the present state of the economy, it must realise that it will have to increase spending.

Increased spending means more money in circulation that is more than the goods and services that are available. This can only lead to a situation where more money chases few goods. The 2016 spending plan of the Federal Government will require fiscal discipline by adhering to planned release of funds into the economy and a very close collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria to tame inflation. By this budget plan, 2016 may be difficult for fixed income earners and pensioners among others. It may be a year Nigeria will once again witness agitation for review of wages by labour.

Cover Story Continued from page 18 it is a problem that will go away over night; it is going to take a while given the factors that are confronting the nation.

There is nobody you bring now that has the magic wand. Now is the time people need to sit together and work together, provided we have sincerity of purpose. That is what has been lacking.

“We need to do away with people who are wherever just for their own selfish interest, because if you have a country that has continuous leakage in such a massive proportion, it doesn’t matter who you bring. Even if you get the World Bank President to be your CBN governor, nothing will change. That is the truth.”

Mmadubuike stated that there is need for Nigerians to change their appetite for imported items to made-in-

CBN creates 6m jobs through intervention funding Nigeria goods, saying that the government should take the lead ‘so that we can preserve the little foreign exchange that we earn.’

“If we continue to have this ostentatious appetite of exotic things; when people want to do little thing, they want to go to Dubai and Lebanon; we need to begin to change all that and government has to lead in that process. That is the real change that we need. There has to be a paradigm shift in the way we think. So, removing the CBN governor will not solve any problem,” he said.

Some of the passengers interviewed by Vanguard at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos argued against the removal of the apex bank boss. Mr. James Oba passenger at Muritala Mohammed airport reacting to

the call stressed that he did not see any tangible reason that would warrant the sack of the CBN governor. Oba, who claimed that he works in one of the banks in the country said that as far as he was concerned, the CBN governor is trying to improve local production of goods and services in the country as against foreign importation which had been a catalyst for the call for further devaluation of the naira.

According to him, CBN maintains the official rate of N197 to a dollar ($1) and noted that because most businessmen could not get it, they resort to buying it from the black market at such exorbitant price at N320 to $1 which is quite higher than the official CBN rate. He argued that

the importation of goods by these businessmen at such rate was responsible for crashing the value of the naira as well as the possible cause of inflation. Oba also said “Nigeria is a monoproduct economy that solely depends on oil. In Nigeria, we import more than we do export. As you know, the price of crude oil has fallen and it is affecting our currency because our foreign reserve has dropped drastically.”

“I think what the CBN Governor is trying to do is to put up a policy that will boost local production. If most of the importers can’t buy goods outside the country at such high rate of the dollar, they will be forced to look in-ward and begin to produce such

goods locally and this will be better for the country”.

Another respondent, Mallam Isa Bello, told Vanguard that Emefiele should be allowed to complete his tenure. According to him, “His policies are good, with his forex policy, I think he is trying to diversify the economy and make Nigeria move from oil to other areas like agriculture, tourism amongst others” Bello affirmed.

Earlier, the overseer of The Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare, had called for the sack of Mr. Emefiele following the alleged role the bank played in the $2billion arms deal.

However, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole accused those advocating for his sack as saboteurs of the Nigerian economy.

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20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Business & Economy

CUMMINS: Expanding to provide power solution

By Etop Ekanem

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aking a look at today’s challenging business environment, a wide range of power companies are constantly striving to enhance reliability, profitability and efficiency, while trying to improve overall environmental performance and compliance. Cummins leads the line in the Nigerian power generation ecosystem with their range of products tailored towards the needs of several business groups.

The importance of power as a sub sector of the energy industry of a country can never be overemphasized, as power is significant to the development of different aspects of the economy. As a matter of fact, infrastructural advancements form the crux of both technological and human capital development; all of which translates into the roots, stem and leaf system that help to grow the economy of a country.

It is the realization of these facts that Cummins West Africa Limited is proffering power solutions to tackle one of the major challenges faced by many African

ITPC plans exhibition to draw Indonesian investors to Nigeria

BY JOSEPHINE AGBONKHESE

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range and Ecobank launch a bank-to-wallet money transfer service This partnership, which is already operational in Mali since January 2015 and in Cameroun since August 2015, facilitates money transfers for both Ecobank in partnership with Orange has launched bank to wallet transfer service. The Partnership allows customers top-up their Orange Money e-wallet from their bank account, and vice versa.

Customers can use their mobile phones to securely transfer money between accounts at any time, without the need to go to a distribution point or to have any physical cash. Ecobank customers can also view bank account balance and obtain mini-statements by SMS via the service.

By enabling customers to link their bank account with their Orange Money account, this new service in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Conakry and Niger furthers the development of mobile financial services in Africa.

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NEXIM Bank, Shippers Council plan trans-regional shipping line

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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he Nigerian Export – Import Bank, NEXIM and the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, are collaborating to establish a shipping line for trading within the West and Central Africa sub-region.

The establishment of the trans-regional shipping line was disclosed by the Acting Managing Director of the NEXIM Bank, Mr. Bashir Wali at the just concluded “Transport cost and regional connectivity of African countries.”

Wali, who was represented by his Technical Adviser, Hope Yongo, said that they decided to venture in the regional as a result of high transportation costs and excessive transit time that makes intra-regional trade non-competitive and West African transport and logistics costs one of the highest in the World.

The NEXIM boss also bemoaned the absence of dedicated safe and modern fleet to encourage and facilitate Atlantic Short-Sea Trade along the West and Central African regions as well as inadequate transport infrastructure among member states and non tariff measures that are a barrier to: Increase intra-regional trade; Regional integration; and free

movement of persons and services.

He said that the Regional Sealink Consortium is broadly proposing, an integrated maritime/ logistics services– combined transport, warehousing facilities with supporting ancillary services– Container handling and weighing and deepening coastal maritime activities and inland waterways with high prospects of promoting tramp services and open avenues to promote ferry services.

Furthermore, enhancing bulk cargo trade and

provision of a dedicated platform for port operationsat Burutu Port to mining activities and Messrs.

Marine Services & Supply Co. Ltds of the Regional Sealink Consortium has now confirmed willingness to deploy three ships for the pilot scheme operation of the regional Sealink project upon confirmation of Notice of Readiness (NOR) from Sealink Promotional Co. Ltd. Yongo further noted that while intra-regional trade in European Union, the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA and the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, stood at about 60 percent, 50 percent and 30 percent compared to about 15 percent and 12 percent for African and ECOWAS trade respectively.

He frowned at the growth in intra-ECOWAS trade in the past decade from 4.7 million tons to 13.2 million tones without corresponding increase in transport infrastructure and the low level of African container traffic that stood at less than 1 percent of total world container traffic of over 400 million containers.

PRESENTATION: From left, Mrs. Ebehijie Momoh, Head, Retail Banking, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria; Mr. Nofiu Abidemi; Ms. Chioma Nadia Iwuchukwu; Mr. Irele Philip, all winners of iPhone 6 mobile phones and Mrs. Dayo Aderugbo, Head, Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing, Nigeria & West Africa, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria at the Grand sale campaign presentation ceremony in Lagos.

Customs agents petition Buhari over collection of truck registration fee by NPA

BY GODWIN ORITSE

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HE National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, (NCMDLCA) has said that the truck registration fee presently being collected from truck owners by the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), is illegal and against the concession agreement.

The group’s president, Mr. Lucky Amiwero said that the truck registration by the port authority amounts to double payment as the fee has been paid along with other charges.

He explained that before a truck goes into the port to load a container, it must pay what is called Vehicle Entry Permit fee adding the fee being collected for registration was unnecessary.

In a petition to President Muhammedu Buhari,

Amiwero said that what NPA is collecting as Truck Registration Fee has been paid for by importer adding that the money is also part of the operational rate contained in the lease agreement.

He explained that the

operational rates of the lease agreement to Terminal operators include rate for cargo due and Delivery Charges, adding that while the charges are paid by the consignee the cargo dues are paid in Dollars, delivery

charges are in Naira.

In a petition to President Muhammedu Buhari, Amiwero said that what NPA is collecting as Truck Registration Fee has been paid for by importer adding that the money is also part of the operational rate contained in the lease agreement.

No price increase, says Multichoice

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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ultichoice owners of the Digital Satellite Television, DSTV platform says it’s not increasing prices on its bouquets.

According to the Managing Director for MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, “We are extremely pleased to announce that there will be no price increase on DStv subscriptions this April on

any of the bouquets. Barring any further external economic shocks, we do not anticipate a price increase in 2016. This means that from next month, DStv subscribers can fully immerse themselves in the exciting world of DStv entertainment, at no extra cost.”

“It’s been a tough year for Multichoice Nigeria. Our markets have suffered as a result of commodity and oil price weakness, coupled with the huge devaluations of local currencies.

Most of MultiChoice’s costs are

incurred in dollars forcing us to pass through price increases in 2015.

Nevertheless, we continue to take financial strain.”

Continuing, “ we are not alone. Our subscribers, our biggest asset, are suffering.

So we are going to do our bit. We’ve decided to absorb some of the pain and not impose a price increase on any of our DStv bouquets in April as we usually do.

Barring any further external economic shocks, we do not anticipate a price increase in 2016.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 21

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22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Banking & Finance

Ecobank enhances card services with instant personalized cards

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cobank Nigeria Limited has upgraded its instant debit card issuance process, enabling walk-in customers get their personalized cards at over 370 Ecobank Nigeria branches within few minutes.

The Ecobank Instant Debit Card is naira-denominated and gives the cardholders 24/ 7 access to funds in their naira accounts from any part of the world.

Announcing this innovative service in Lagos, Head, Cards and eBanking, Ecobank Nigeria, Ayotunde Kuponiyi said with the naira denominated card, holders can access their funds and transact business in any part of the world with more ease.

He noted that the personalized debit card is easy to obtain, “The Ecobank Instant Debit Card is produced in-branch and with customer ’s details. The card can also be activated by the customer on an in-branch POS terminal immediately he/shecollects it. Customer can therefore walk out of the branch with a functional card within few minutes. “

Firstmonie introduces Talk360 international calling app

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irstmonie, the mobile money platform for First Bank of Nigeria Limited, has partnered with MMIT (Mobile Media Info Tech) to introduce international calling app Talk360 to Firstmonie mobile wallet users and Nigerian consumers.

This partnership gives consumers the ability to pay for low cost international calls through the Talk 360 calling app with their Firstmonie mobile wallets. This mobile wallet capability is the first of its kind in the competitive Nigerian mobile money and payment landscape. Talk360’s high quality service allows the user to save up to 90% on call costs to mobiles and landlines around the world without the need for a contract or SIM. The app can be downloaded for free via the Apple App Store, the Amazon App Store and the Google Play Store and comes with a free trial to call anywhere in the world.

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Banks record N649bn bad loans in 8 banks exceed 5% regulatory limit 2015 STORIES BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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he amount of bad loans in the banking industry rose sharply by 78.8 percent to N649.63 billion in 2015, indicating severe deterioration in the quality of the loan portfolio of the 22 banks.

This was contained in a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Staff report presented to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

The report revealed general increase in bad loans (non performing loans) among the 22 Deposit Money Banks in the country. This was despite 30 percent decline in new loans granted by banks in 2015 to N5.78 trillion.

According to the report, 18 out the 22 banks recorded increase in bad loans.

Furthermore, the number of banks that exceeded the regulatory limit of five percent for ratio of bad loans to total loans rose from three in 2014 to eight in 2015, with three banks exceeding 10 percent.

The report reveal that the ratio of bad loans for the industry relative to total loans rose to 4.88 percent, which is 1.2 percent less than the regulatory limit of 5.0 percent industry.

AGM - From Left: Solomon Ikeanyi, Publicity Secretary; Abiodun Adebimpe, General Secretary; Kemi Adewole, outgoing President; Taiwo Sonola, acting President; and Lanre Akinsete, Treasurer; all of Association of Asset Custodians of Nigeria at the association’s AGM in Lagos.

The sharp increase in bad loans, according to the report was due to a host of external and internal factors. These include: Low and volatile Oil prices; uncertainty about severe fiscal imbalance at the sub-national level of government; weak output growth; and eroding investor confidence.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the

CBN at its meeting held last week had expressed concern over the reluctance of banks to lend to the private sector due to the sharp increase in bad loans in the industry.

According to the Committee, this apathy contributed to the slow growth of the economy in 2015 and also to the build up of excess cash (liquidity) in the banking system.

Coronation Merchant Bank's profitability doubles to N3.22bn

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oronation Merchant Bank has recorded a 100 percent growth in its profit after tax which grew to N3.22 billion for the financial year st ended December 31 2016.

This followed a 43.7 percent increase in the bank’s Profit before tax (PBT) which grew to N2.33 billion in 2015 from N1.62 billion in 2014.

The results indicated that Coronation Merchant bank, which was formerly Associated Discount House, was able to sustain its tradition of impressive results.

The Bank’s results, which is the first to be announced in the banking industry for 2015 financial year, reflects accountability, transparency and a culture of responsibility which are the defining attributes of the Coronation Merchant Bank brand.

The sharp increase in profitability was occasioned by superlative improvement in the bank’s revenue generation

capacity as a result of increased efficiency in its funding mix. Net-interest income rose from N2.21 billion in 2014 to N3.07 billion in 2015, just as non-interest income increased by 83.3 percent, from N.70 billion in 2014 to N1.29 billion in 2015, to illustrate the effectiveness of its business strategy and operational model.

Total assets rose to N78.24 billion from N74.64 billion in 2014, and shareholders fund increased to N20.24 billion from N16.53 billion, which is a valid testament to the competitiveness of the bank’s operations and its adaptability to market realities.

An emerging merchant banking franchise with 77.3 billion capital adequacy ratio above the regulatory minimum, Coronation Merchant Bank is driven by the vision of becoming Africa’s premier investment Bank.

Consequently, its expertise in corporate banking, investment banking, private banking, assets management and securities trading have been efficiently strengthened with the appointment of credible individuals with vast international and local experience to deliver exceptional benefits to clients and other stakeholders.

With a strong risk rating of ‘A-‘ by Agusto and asset base of over N78bn, The Bank is certain to leverage its privileged supervision by some of Nigeria’s individuals who excelled and rose to the top of merchant banking sector at its height of excellence to become the industry model for risk management, corporate governance and responsible business practices.

Coronation Merchant Bank is a full service Merchant Bank formed from erstwhile Associated Discount House Ltd.

Commenting on this, CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said, “ Net domestic credit (NDC) grew by 3.71 per cent in the same period, annualized, at 22.26 per cent.

At this rate, the growth rate of NDC was below the provisional benchmark of 17.94 per cent for 2016. Credit to the private sector grew by 1.45 per cent in February 2016, which annualized to a growth of 8.70 per cent, below the benchmark growth of 13.28 per cent. The Committee noted with concern, the dismal performance of growth in credit to the private sector, noting that even at that, credit went primarily to low employment elasticity sectors of the economy. This had a significant negative impact on output growth.

“Money market interest rates reflected the liquidity situation in the banking system. Average inter-bank call and OBB rates, which stood at 0.5 and 2.77 per cent on 25 January 2016, closed at 4.00 and 5.00 per cent, respectively, on March 9, 2016. Between January 25th and end-February 2015, interbank call and OBB rates averaged 1.43 and 2.68 per cent, respectively. This was traced to liquidity surfeit in the banking system. The deposit money banks were, however, reluctant to grant new credit because of rising non-performing loans (NPLs), mainly in the oil sector, amongst other reasons”.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 23

Interview

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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‘FG must be willing to support smallholder farmers’

ajor stakeholders in the agricultural sector recently converged in Kano to review critical issues in the sector at the 41st Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD) conference. Chairman, Executive Working Group (EWG) of the British American Tobacco Foundation (BATNF), Professor Femi Ajibola, from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, who was there, shared his views with Financial Vanguard on the outcome of the conference and BATNF’s their productivity. What is role in agricultural your take on that?

It was quite cheering to development, among other hear the minister say that sundry issues. Excerpt. there is nowhere in the world that agriculture is not What is your assessment of subsidized, including in st the 41 National Council on Europe. Hence, what we Agriculture and Rural should be looking at is how Development (NCARD) we can actualize this here in Nigeria. We must devise a Conference held in Kano?

I am quite happy with the way of supporting these outcome of events. In terms farmers. The strategy is to of technical content, I think it ensure that the benefits and reach the was successful. The different subsidies smallholder farmers.

We must units and organisations that made presentations at the avoid a situation whereby conference demonstrated a they get into the hands of clear understanding of the benefit captors. For example, different sectors of the fertilizer subsidy scheme agriculture. They also for farmers was very well proposed adopted and tested demonstrated during the solutions to challenges in tenure of the immediate past agriculture in the country. I Minister of Agriculture, Dr. am really impressed with the Akinwumi Adesina. The presentations made at the subsidy was focused on a conference, particularly the small component that enabled way the Minister of farmers’ access directly. The Agriculture, Chief Audu good thing was that he did Ogbeh, tackled the issues in not allow the benefits to go the agricultural sector. I am into wrong hands. Another quite convinced that the important point is the close minister has a good idea of access to subsidy materials the direction the agricultural and other benefits for farmers.

No doubt, there may be sector in Nigeria is headed.

While unveiling the road loopholes in some of these map to improve the schemes, but we have to agriculture sector, the continue to improve on every minister prescribed two- programme. The fact that a pronged approach, which particular scheme did not includes the encouragement meet expectations does not of new generation farmers, mean that we should jettison especially the youth. Are you it. And that has been the optimistic that it will catch on, problem of government considering the growing policies.

You presented a paper on disinterest for farming the resolutions of the British among the youths?

Tobacco For the youths to embrace American Foundation (BATNF) agriculture, they must see that it earns them a good Executive Working Group livelihood. There is also the (EWG) Dialogue Session issue of convenience. If held last year. Are you farming or agriculture is hopeful the resolutions made less tedious, many would be incorporated into youths will embrace it. The the nation’s agricultural constraints in agriculture policies?

The draft document must be dealt with before you containing the resolutions of can encourage youths to be involved. We need to make the BATNF EWG ‘Dialogue agriculture commercial and it Session on Agriculture has to be done from a Policies and the Nigerian developmental perspective. Smallholder Farmers’ in We need to find a way of Nigeria held last year was dealing with the issues of submitted to the National agriculture and proffer ways Council on Agriculture. We were informed that of making it profitable.

The minister also talked government would review the about the expansion of document critically and support for smallholder ensure that it fits into its farmers in order to increase policies. It is gratifying that

government policies are in the r i g h t direction.

We are glad that we are dealing w i t h people who are already aware of the trend in agriculture.

Last year, BATNF assembled a team of experts and resource persons in the agricultural sector who formed an Executive Working Group (EWG) to review the Agricultural Transfor mation Agenda (ATA) and other extant agricultural policies in the country. What informed this initiative?

We have a BATNF Executive Working Group (EWG), which I chair. Our focus was on the smallholder farmers (SHFs). We tried to

The strategy is to ensure that the benefits and subsidies reach the smallholder farmers. We must avoid a situation whereby they get into the hands of benefit captors.

look at issues that affect SHFs. We examined the existing agriculture policies to see if they have had any impact on them and how they can be improved. We also reviewed what could be done to make the SHFs the center of attention of these programmes and policies. We believe that some modifications can ensure the SHFs are beneficiaries of these policies. We also realized that agriculture needs to be made operational and implementable in the rural areas and states.

Go for more skills, Olufade advises Nigerian youths

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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Professor Femi Ajibola

How much awareness is there among SHFs about financial support scheme for agriculture like Nigeria Incentives-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL)? And if any, are commercial banks that are critical stakeholders in the scheme willing to provide loans to farmers considering the widely held notion that agri-business is a high risk?

When we carried out our investigation, we discovered that there is poor awareness about the programmes among farmers in the Southern part of the country, compared to their counterparts in the North. The major challenge is that commercial banks still make the same requirements from farmers. There is still no significant difference between commercial banks’ interest rate for loans to farmers and the one for nonagricultural related purposes.

Do you subscribe to the bottom-top approach to rural agriculture development that some agriculture experts have been calling for?

Government should realize that for sustainable development in the agricultural sector, we need to devolve more resources and power to the local level. It is possible for the Federal Government to provide resources in the rural areas.

It is also possible for the State and Federal government to deploy resources there. The same model has been adapted by the health sector where the federal and state governments have primary care health centers in the rural areas, but that is yet to be replicated in the agriculture sector. In the Executive Working Group, we tried to include the SHFs in the implementation of this programme.

igerian youths, especially, fresh graduates have been advised to endeavour to acquire requisite skills, as their certificates are academic oriented and need to be enhanced with applicable skills in order to fit-in at the workplace.

The President of the Managerial School of Excellence (MSE), Mr. Leke Olufade, gave the advice to cross section of graduates who participated at MSE’s School-2-Work free monthly series themed: ‘Making your Certificate Count: Enhance it’.

Olufade said, despite the impact the degrees may have on graduates such as boosting their confidence, enhancing their earning abilities and improving their job stability and benefits, certificates alone may not give them the dream job or career.

He said university education is not all about the certificate but a complete value adding process.

Answering questions on the hope of graduates with poor grades at the market place, Olufade said poor grades are very bad especially in an environment with limited job opportunities like ours where qualified graduates are in hundreds of thousands.

He reiterated that a poor degree reduces one’s selfesteem, weakens confidence and encourages high job discrimination.

However, he said faced with this type of predicament is not the end of the road as such certificates can be enhanced by leveraging on other things learned during the course of their programmes, while other skills could be acquired to enable such people thrive in other areas of endeavours.

Responding, Kunle Badeafuye, a graduate of BACKCOCK University thanked the MSE president and his team for the great gesture at organizing a free monthly seminar for graduates to be able to get acquainted with the demands of the market place rather than depending solely on degree certificates that may not guarantee them their dream jobs and careers.

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24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Homes &Housing Finance

How to access a mortgage facility Bank to pay $29m for mortgage infraction Credit Suisse Group AG has agreed to pay more than $29 million to resolve a U.S. regulator ’s claims that it sold toxic mortgage-backed securities to credit unions that later failed.

The deal, disclosed in a filing in federal court in Manhattan, resolves one of several lawsuits by the National Credit Union Administration against banks over their sale of mortgage-backed securities before the 2008 financial crisis.

The deal boosts to more than $2.5 billion the amount the NCUA has recovered from banks through lawsuits it began filing in 2011, the U.S. regulator said. NCUA Board Chairman Debbie Matz said in a statement the regulator would “continue to aggressively pursue recoveries against Wall Street firms that contributed to the corporate crisis.”

The court filing, which described an offer of judgment in the case, said it would not have any effect on a separate but similar lawsuit by the NCUA against Credit Suisse pending in Kansas. The lawsuit subject to the deal centred on mortgagebacked securities underwritten and sold by UBS that Southwest Corporate Federal Credit Union and Members United Corporate Federal Credit Union bought for more than $228.8 million from 2006 to 2007.

The NCUA, which filed the lawsuit in 2013 on behalf of the failed credit unions, alleged that the securities’ offering documents contained untrue statements that the loans were originated in accordance with underwriting guidelines.

The NCUA alleged that in reality, the loans’ originators had “systematically abandoned the stated underwriting guidelines” described in the offering documents.

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Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE, with agency report

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mortgage is a loan secured from a mortgage lender to buy a property for the purpose of home-ownership, and paid off in instalments over a set period of time. The length of time that the borrower agrees to take to pay off the loan is known as the Tenor of the mortgage. A mortgage is made up of two elements - the Capital, which is the original amount borrowed to buy the property; and the Interest, the amount charged to lend you the money. The mortgaged property secures your promise that the money you borrowed will be repaid. If the loan is not repaid as agreed, the lender can take possession of the property and sell it to recoup the money owed. For most people, a mortgage is the largest and most serious financial obligation they will ever make.

Choosing a mortgage When choosing a mortgage there are three important things to note: Interest rate: Interest rate is often seen as the most important consideration when choosing a mortgage. In general, borrowers look for a mortgage with the lowest possible interest rate. The lower the interest rate the less money you have to pay back over the mortgage term.

Each mortgage lender has its own standard variable rate (SVR) of interest. These can vary by several per cent, although most mainstream lenders will be within a couple of per cent of each other. However interest rate deals vary from lender to lender and sometimes the same lender may even offer different mortgage deals.

There are four main types of interest rate offers: Variable – rates change in line with CBN interest rates; Fixed – rates are fixed for a set number of years; Capped – rates are variable but guaranteed by the lender not to exceed a set amount; and Discounted – borrower pays a lower interest rate for a set period after which the interest reverts to the lender ’s SVR. Repayment terms: Mortgages payments are usually made monthly and can be done in two ways. The first is a repayment of the capital as well as the accruing interest on a monthly basis.

This kind of plan is often known as a Repayment Mortgage. The second method is to pay off the interest only every month and

•A private estate development in Abuja then at the end of the mortgage term e.g. 25 years the capital is repaid as a lump sum. This plan is usually known as an Interest-Only Mortgage.

While the Repayment Mortgage plan often requires higher monthly payments than the InterestOnly plan, the borrower will not have to produce a large sum to pay off the loan capital at the end of the mortgage term. In choosing a payment plan borrowers must bear in mind that the end of their mortgage term may fall around their retirement.

The second important point to note about repayment terms is that some lenders may penalise borrowers for paying off their loan before the mortgage term expires. This penalty is known as an early redemption penalty. While you have the right to pay your mortgage off at any time you like within the mortgage term you should find out before you sign up for a mortgage what

if any early redemption penalty there might be.

Mortgage fees/Charges: These are also called administrative fees and are charged by lenders to cover costs of valuation, legal, banking administration etc.

Lender fees can be anything from a several thousand naira to millions of naira,

For most people, a mortgage is the largest and most serious financial obligation they will ever make

depending on the mortgage you choose. Some lenders’ fees are higher than others for no apparent reason so make sure you study all the fine print in the mortgage agreement before you sign.

Ask questions to help you understand what each fee has been charged for and try to negotiate. Some lenders will be willing to reduce their fees.

If you are unsure about the details of a mortgage agreement and need some advice, a reputable mortgage broker can help you for a fee of their own.

Mortgage providers A mortgage can be obtained directly from any primary mortgage banking institution, or you can use a mortgage broker to find the best mortgage to suit your particular needs. Low interest mortgages can also be obtained from government via the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme. *Source: MBAN

1m houses annually possible through collaboration — BUHARI

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he Federal Government is targeting the development of about one million housing units annually in collaboration with states and the private sector.

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this at a two-day National Economic Council retreat in Abuja last week. He said the Federal Government will provide 250,000 units, the 22 States controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) are expected to jointly provide 250,000 houses while foreign investors and their local partners would provide the remaining 500,000 units.

“Some estimates put Nigeria’s housing deficit at about 16 million units. In our successful campaign to win the general election last year, our party, the APC, promised to build a million housing units a year. This will turn out to be a very tall order unless the Federal Government builds 250,000 units, and the 22 APC States together manage another 250,000 units. We invite foreign investors together with locally-domiciled big construction companies to enter into commercial housing building to pick up the rest,” he stated.

Buhari identified the concerns of Nigerians regarding housing sector to include severe shortage of housing, high rents, unaffordable

prices for prospective buyers, especially middle and low-income earners. “In addition, red tape, corruption and plain public service inefficiency lead to long delays in obtaining ownership of title documents. Again, there are no long term funding sources for mortgage purposes.

These hurdles are by no means easy to scale, but we must find solutions to the housing deficit,” he added.

The president declared that government would review the relevant laws to make the process of acquiring statutory right of occupancy shorter, less cumbersome and less costly. He added that court procedures for mortgage cases should make enforcement more efficient while the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing should upgrade its title registration system for greater efficiency.

He also said transparent processes and procedures were necessary for achieving affordable housing for all Nigerians apart from developing strong and enduring mortgage institutions, adding that the Nigerian Mortgage Re-financing Company (NMRC), when fully operational, should ensure adequate support for mortgage financing.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 25

Corporate Finance Fidelity Bank to support export-oriented MSMEs with N30bn bonds STORIES BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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idelity Bank Plc has

disclosed that 80 per cent of the net proceeds of the N30 billion bonds it recently raised from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) will be deployed to assist exportoriented Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country in order to raise their level of competitiveness in the global market.

The managing Director/CEO, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, made the disclosure at a one-day workshop/training on exports organised by Koinonia Ventures Limited in conjunction with the bank.

He said the capital raising exercise is expected to enable the bank fulfil its promise to increase MSME lending to 50 percent by 2017. Okonkwo, who was represented by Chijioke Ugochukwu, the bank’s Executive Director, Shared Services & Products, said the lender ’s renewed focus on MSMEs was driven by its growing role in the transformation of economies.

He noted that huge prospects exist in the Agricultural and

Small Medium Enterprise (SMEs) sectors, saying that the sectors can play significant roles in diversifying Nigeria’s monolithic economy if they are properly positioned.

Speaking on ‘Turning Adversity to Prosperity: A Case for a Radical Repositioning of Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Sector’, Olufemi Boyede, MD/ CEO, Koinonia Ventures, noted that the Nigerian economy can only make progress if local entrepreneurs become exportready. Commenting on the country ’s competitive advantage, particularly as it relates to export trade, Boyede said Nigeria currently has over 5, 000 exportable products, explaining that about 21 of such products can be quickly harnessed for the benefit of the nation’s economy. Alluding to the enormous successes of Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI), the Koinonia boss urged the federal government to create the much needed environment for Nigerian exporters to thrive.

“The Barack Obama Administration has made it a top priority to improve the conditions that directly affect the private sector ’s ability to export”.

In her keynote address at the training programme, Aisha

Abubakar, Minister of State, Industry, Trade & Investment, said government is more than ever dogged in its quest to revive agriculture as an alternative to crude oil through

better reforms, value chain/ addition and discouragement of export of raw materials.

“There are a sizeable number of agricultural commodities grown in Nigeria that are

quoted in the international commodities market and these include cocoa, palm oil, groundnut, Sesame seed, Shea Nuts, cotton and even fish”.

Diamond Bank chair delivers inaugural TAMS Summit address

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R. Chris Ogbechie, Chairman, Diamond Bank Plc, will lead an array of panelists and discussants as the keynote speaker at the inaugural edition of the Time Attendance Management System (TAMS) Summit.

The TAMS Summit which will th take place on Thursday, 19 May, 2016, in Lagos, under the theme “From African Time to On Time: A paradigm Shift” is a high-level time management meeting organised by SB Telecoms & Devices as part of an effort to create awareness on the need for Nigerians to become more time conscious.

Speaking on the need for the summit, Mr. Afolabi Abiodun, Chief Executive Officer, SB Telecoms & Devices said, “In today’s Nigeria, the syndrome of African Time has become the norm rather than the exception.

As a people, we have always used this as an excuse for late-coming.

Dr. Chris Ogbechie The malaise is worsened by unreliable public transport system, poor road networks or traffic jams and lack of sanction.

“The goal of the TAMS Summit is to question the status quo. We believe this to be the significant first step required to make Nigerians more time conscious thereby improving our national productivity level. It was inspired by the acceptance and success of our TAMS application which has

solved this same problem for over 1,000 organisations.”

The summit is expected to attract thought leaders from reputable global institutions of learning as well as the public and private sectors of the economy.

They are expected to evaluate Nigerians’ curious devotion to the African Time syndrome and proffer solutions to the problems identified in order to improve human capital efficiency across all sectors of the economy, reducing time lost to procrastination and boosting the national productivity level.

Panellists who are expected to discuss and deliberate robustly on the theme include Mr. Obinna Ekezie, Managing Director, Wakanow.com; Mr. Eniibukun Adedayo, Chief Executive Officer, Clean Ace Dry Cleaners & Laundry; and others.

Insurance

Insurance policy holders to have identification numbers — NAICOM Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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he National Insurance C o m m i s s i o n (NAICOM) will soon commence the issuance of Unique Policy Identifier (UPI), a form of identification number, to insurance policy holders and also launch a portal that would warehouse the industry’s data.

Director of Research Strategy and Information Technology of NAICOM, Mr. Adamu Balanti, said that the unique policy identification system is to monitor and account for all policies issued by underwriters in the insurance industry.

Balanti who stated this during the seminar organised

by NAICOM for Business Editors and Insurance Correspondents in Abeokuta, Ogun State, last week, stated that the system will reduce to the barest minimum the prevalence of improper records regarding policies issued.

According to Balanti, the system will enable NAICOM to track the number of insurance policies issued by underwriters, adding that it would also enable the

Commission track the activities and revenues made by insurance companies and brokers.

He said, “This system is to build an integration point for the various stakeholders involved in insurance policy issuance. Generate and provide a unique identification number for every policy issued, in order to track and provide relevant statistics on them.

“It would help develop a capacity in NAICOM to record all policies issued by Nigerian insurance companies. Ensure proper accountability of all premium returns by insurance companies, capture all businesses done by every broker through the underwriter, ensure proper accountability of all insurance levies received from brokers, provide easy access to data regarding policies issued and support analysis and policy based decision making.”

Balanti said the portal provides a single point of access for all NAICOM services, validate the authenticity of insurance policies and accessible from any location within Nigeria.

He added that the system should be able to interact or

communicate with other systems/users such as FRSC, Police, and VIO. “We want to identify each individual insurance policy issued in the country, this is why we are developing the UPI. With it, each insurance policy document issued in the country will have a unique identification number. The

Unique number will be used to identify that document.

“We are also developing a database of that identification number, so that anybody in the country can query the database to confirm if the policy document before him or her is genuine or not. We are hoping that in the next few years, we will get it out,” he

added.

He noted that the initiative cuts across all insurance product lines, adding that all policies procured by the public must have this unique number.

He said the concept is not a duplication of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID) being promoted by the Nigerian Insurers Association

‘Some brokers were operating without license’

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he National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) said some applications for insurance broking licence were rejected because it observed that some of the applicants have been operating illegally without its permission.

Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari, who disclosed this, said the responses obtained from the publication of the names of applicants for broking license revealed that some brokers have been operating illegal broking firms prior to the time they applied for licence.

He noted that a case in point was an applicant who has been changing his office due to illegal operations of the applicant.

Kari noted that the Commission is determined to sanitise the insurance business, stressing that charlatans would not be allowed to infiltrate the sector.

On brokers with lapsed licences, he said the action taken by the Commission when it published the names of the affected brokers was misinterpreted, adding that the Commission did not delist any broker, but only played its regulatory duty of letting the public know the firms that do not have valid licence to operate.

“Delisting connotes cancellation of licence of operations; it connotes stopping one from doing business, unfortunately, the interpretation of our action as

delisting is wrong. We did not delist anybody neither did we cancel any licence. If you look at the publication we did, it was to tell the public that the affected brokers do not have a valid licence to continue in business because their licences have lapsed.

“However, lapsing of a licence is not the action of the Commission. It is a failure of the owner of the licence to renew it. So, all the companies on that list had lapsed licences. None of them were delisted nor cancelled. It is our responsibility to tell the consumers that these companies have no licences to do businesses. That is our responsibility which was misinterpreted as delisting or cancellation,” he said.

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26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

e-Commerce

SPAR launches 9th store in Nigeria

By JULIET EBIRIM

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etail giant, SPAR Hypermarket has opened its 9th store in Nigeria, an ultra-modern mall on situated at Ilupeju, Lagos.

Speaking at the opening, Deputy Managing Director of SPAR, Mr. Prakesh Keswani, said SPAR Ilupeju, as with its forerunners, targets all cadres of Nigerians.

He said: “SPAR and its holding company here in Nigeria- Artee Group have grown to understand and appreciate the needs and aspirations of Nigerians especially on the community level.”

At the launch, the brand which has the largest retail chain of Hypermarkets globally gave residents of Ilupeju and Lagos mainland a memorable day of gifts and refreshments as it celebrated the opening of its 9th Store in Nigeria.

The Store offers a wide range of products by quality brands, ranging from Grocery & Household, Bakery & Butchery, Fruits & Vegetables, Hot Meals, Wine & Spirits, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Consumer Electronics, Large and Small Home Appliances, Fashion and Beauty items, Mobile Phones, Laptops & Tablets, Perfumes, Watches & Jewellery and Furniture etc.

Artee Group is the licensed partner of SPAR International for Nigerian operations.

SPAR Hypermarket stores with over 25,000 m2 of retail space spreading across 9 stores serves over 5 million shoppers annually. Apart from Ilupeju Mall, SPAR stores are located in Victoria Island, Lekki, Maryland Ikeja, MMA2, Abuja Wuse II & Ceddi Plaza, and Port Harcourt.

For almost 3 decades, the group has greatly contributed to the Nigerian business sector. From retail to real estate, shopping malls to manufacturing Artee group has sought to create avenues for employment and partnership opportunities even to building contractors.

All of the group’s brands nationwide are specifically targeted to service the needs of the average Nigerian.

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INVESTITURE: From left, Mr Oladosu Babalola, husband of the new Chairperson; Professor Olubola Babalola, new Chairperson, Women Association of Quantity Surveyors of Nigeria (WAQSN); Mrs Mercy Torkwase Iyortyer, President, Nigerian Institute of Quantity SurveyorS and Mr Agele Alufohai, Past President NIQS during the investiture of Professor Olubola Babalola as the new Chairperson of WAQS by the National President of NQIS, Mrs Iyortyer in Lagos.

Ringier Africa Deals Group acquires DealDey STORIES BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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ne of Nigeria’s pioneer online marketplaces, DealDey has been acquired

by Ringier Africa Deals Group, a newly-founded joint venture between Swiss Ringier Africa AG and South African Silvertree Internet Holdings.

DealDey was launched in 2011 as an online shopping and daily deal platform by serial entrepreneur and former CEO/founder of Konga.com, Simdul Shagaya.

In a statement announcing the deal, Ringier Africa said the acquisition represents an expansion of Ringier Africa’s

portfolio beyond publishing and digital marketing in Nigeria and Silvertree’s first e-commerce investment in the country. It sees the two companies invest significantly in Nigeria’s fast-growing multi-billion dollar ecommerce sector as part of their partnership in the Ringier Africa Deals Group.

Over the past five years, DealDey has established itself as major e-commerce player in Nigeria, with over 1 million users, 15,000 active merchants and 20,000 verified listed businesses.

Reacting to the deal, DealDey Co-CEOs Kehinde Oriola & Etop Ikpe said: “The DealDey team is excited about joining forces

with the newly-formed Ringier Africa Deals Group. It offers great opportunities as DealDey brings a wealth of experience in technology, merchant management and consumer behaviour in Nigeria - and we will be leveraging the Ringier Africa portfolio in marketing, classifieds and media as well as Silvertree’s e-commerce expertise towards supporting the sustainable growth of the group.”

The statement also added that as part of the deal,Kehinde Oriola will continue as the CEO of DealDey as part of RADG, while Etop Ikpe will be moving on to new ventures.

As acting CEO of RADG,

Damien Bonnabel, current Head of e-Commerce for Ringier Africa and General Manager of Ringier Kenya, will be working with the m a n a g e m e n t of DealDey and the group’s other companies.

Also speaking, Ringier Africa General Manager, Leonard Stiegeler said: “Ringier Africa has identified e-commerce as a key area for growth and we are excited by the inclusion of DealDey in the Ringier Africa Deals Group. With the addition of ec o m m e r c e experienced Silvertree as a partner and investor, we are on track to significantly increase our interest in the space, with particular focus on serving the important markets of Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.”

On his part, Silvertree coManaging Director, Paul Cook said: “We are extremely excited to be entering three of Africa’s most exciting ecommerce markets, through our partnership with Ringier and joint investment into DealDey, Rupu and Tisu.

Through this deal, we get to build on excellent existing platforms as we look to serve Africa’s emerging middle class. With Ringier ’s deep content expertise and African footprint, we look forward to further accelerating the growth of these exciting businesses.

Our focus will be on rapid but sustainable growth, as Africa’s e-commerce industry starts to mature and consumers look for worldclass offerings, excellent customer service and great deals.”

Konga launches same day delivery, liberalises logistics solution

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igeria’s online marketplace, Konga.com, has unveiled a same-day delivery service for orders placed same day within Lagos.

This is even as it launched the ‘Keep On Shipping’ KOS Delivery Service which liberalises Konga’s hitherto exclusive logistics service, KExpress, allowing Konga ship orders for other businesses and individuals besides Konga.

Speaking at the media launch of the two services in Lagos, Konga’s new CEO, Shola Adekoya said: “Konga is launching two game changers, same day dselivery and rebranding our proprietary nationwide logistics service from K-Express to KOS built to improve delivery capabilities.

With Same Day Delivery, when you place order on Konga for an item before11am, rest assured that your item will be delivered to you the same day.

When you order after 11AM, the item will be delivered to you on or before 12 noon the next day. This service is available from Monday through Saturday in Lagos metropolis for now but will expand to other locations

across the country shortly.”

Also speaking, Konga’s Director of Fulfilment Operations, Wale Adisa said: “With the experience built over 18 months and with reach in all the state capitals in Nigeria, KOS has been

rebranded to grow the ecosystem by opening up Konga’s ability to deliver promptly and in good condition to corporate bodies, e-commerce and individuals in all the 36 states in Nigeria.”

Uber launches in Abuja as CEO says other market’s profits supporting China spending we’re growing,” he

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ide hailing App Company, Uber Technologies has launched its services in Abuja city as it embarks on aggressive expansion across Nigerian cities.

This comes as Uber’s global CEO, Travis Kalanick told reporters in an interview last week that the company which is generating more than $1 billion in profit a year in its top 30 cities globally, is partly using that money to bankroll its expansion in China.

The company said in February it was losing more

than $1 billion a year in China’s red-hot ride hailing market, where it is battling large local incumbents to win customers.

Kalanick said China was the company ’s most intense market, but also a crucible for new ideas that it has exported to other markets, and that its investment here was sustainable.

“If you took our top 30 cities today, today they ’re generating over $1 billion in profit a year, just our top 30 cities. And that profit multiplies every year because

said.

Other cities among the 400 where Uber operates were also profitable, he added.

“So that helps us to sustainably invest in our Chinese efforts... Because of the profits we have globally, this is something we can do for the long run,” he said.

Recall that Uber and China’s Didi Kuaidi, backed by Chinese technology giants Tencent Holdings Ltd and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, have both spent heavily to subsidize fares to gain market share, betting on China’s Internet-linked transport market becoming the world’s biggest.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 27

People in Business

Govt should look beyond the big companies, focus start-ups

taught and empowered to do the processing. They do not have to be educated.

Education is a plus but if they start from those women, they will benefit our industries. So government really needs to look at how to develop technology because we have a lot of things we do not know the benefits we can derive from them."

— TOSIN OLABIMTAN-LANIYAN

BY EBELE ORAKPO

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rs Tosin Olabimtan-Laniyan is the Chief Operating Officer of Hi-Stakes Ventures Limited, holding company of Meraki Organics, makers of Meraki organic soap brand. In this chat with Financial Vanguard, she speaks on her business and why she went into organic soap production, the challenges. She regrets that although the raw materials are abundant here but Nigeria does not have the technology to process them.

Excerpts: our skin."

Impacting society: Food for skincare: According to Mrs. "We make coconut oil in Olabimtan-Laniyan who Nigeria, so I started making attended the University of bath soaps with coconut oil, Lagos and did palm kernel oil etc. But I was Entrepreneurship not yet satisfied because I programme at the Panwanted a soap that will African University, she went moisturise, that will be skininto organic soap production deep; something that you after extensive research, to will use and actually see it mpact the lives of fellow men work immediately on your especially having been skin." blessed immensely by God and by those God has More research: surrounded her with.

"I decided that my soaps "It is in this quest that I must have some other oils started asking God to give infused into them. So I me an idea, something that started researching. I have will not only satisfy me in had several trainings in skin terms of profit but care products something I will do with both in the US and passion and that anybody UK. I went to the that uses it will be blessed Federal Institute by it. I needed something of Industrial that I will not have to be Research, Oshodi travelling out of Nigeria all (FIIRO) for a the time because for so many formal training. years, I have been into Apart from that, I importation and exportation. am an inquisitive About 10 years ago, my person so I always church started a vocational want to know. I centre and one of the courses thought about was soap-making." baobab oil, I read about it and realised we can benefit Going into soap-making: a lot from this tree that we "A year ago, the Lord said have in abundance in the to me, “ what about things on north. wellness, wellbeing, good Also Neem (dogonyaro) oil health?” is really good on the skin, I love salads but then, highly moisturising, deepsalad business with our conditions the skin, good for epileptic power supply? How aging skin and rich in will I cope? I was making vitamins. Coffee also." salads for friends and family during occasions. I kept Importing oils: praying and the Lord said a "I couldn’t get the oils lot of Nigerian ladies like to easily here so I had to buy tone; they bleach and call it from abroad. Family and toning “so why can’t you do friends were willing to use something about skin care?" the products and give me Nigerian ladies love to look feedback. From their good. We talk about only feedback, I was able to clothing but what about skin improve on the products. I and hair? So the idea of started adding cocoa butter, doing something about skin mango butter etc. That was care came up. how my organic skincare Skin care is about being products business started. aware of what you are using I realised that if I am doing because whatever soap or organic, I have to know the cream you use on your skin is source of every raw material like eating food so you need to that I use and I can testify know how the soap is made, to the fact that the oil I use with what, and the benefits. I is 100 per cent organic and said if it is skin care, then it it is pure, no preservatives. has to be organic. Some of the Using organic skin care things we eat are also good on

*Mrs. Tosin Olabimtan-Laniyan....Government really needs to look at how to develop technology

*Neem seeds

It costs an average of N150,000 to analyse each product; how many start-ups . can afford N150,000?

products is like feeding the skin with good food."

Nigeria is blessed but…

God has richly endowed Nigeria. Our vegetation is excellent but what we lack most of the time is technical know-how to process them and make them beneficial for industries. I have approached quite a number of people to see if they can

*Baobab seeds help us with processing of certain oils from our local trees but we have found none. I went for a course last year and we were told that poppy seed oil, which looks like water, is good for anything facial. It is antiaging so I started researching on other things we have in Nigeria that can be used as anti-aging. They are innumerable but we have not just done the research."

Appeal to researchers: "Where the research has been done, we do not know how to process the oils. So our research institutes should please look into how to help to process these things to get oils. There are people like me that are into organic products that will need these oils and we pay a lot to buy from abroad whereas we have them in abundance here just wasting away."

Empower locals:

"Local women can be

Doing business in Nigeria: "It is not easy setting up a small business in Nigeria. For example, I discovered it is easier for someone to get NAFDAC approval for anything that has to do with food than any other thing. At a seminar I attended, the NAFDAC representative said that if you are a baker or bottling palm oil or whatever, they will inspect your kitchen and if they find it suitable, you will get approval once you meet all the criteria. I asked whether they will give approval to someone who is into organic skincare products operating from home. They said: “No, you cannot do it from your kitchen table because your kitchen table is where you feed your family and you are dealing with chemical, specifically, caustic soda and that for such to get approval from NAFDAC, you need a site separate from your kitchen with a minimum of three rooms – a production, cutting and packing rooms,” which they would inspect and test the products. It costs an average of N150,000 to analyse each product. How many startups can afford N150,000?

We have different skin needs - dry skin, average skin and aging skin.

Someone with aging skin needs to deeply moisturize.

I cannot make one type of soap for all. So will I be made to pay N150,000 for testing each?

So we need the government to look beyond the big companies, look at start-ups.

How can government help people like us to get through NAFDAC? Our products are good; we do not use anything harmful to human or the environment."

Few years from now:

In the very near future, we will be able to sell our products beyond Africa. We will be promoting locally made products that can compete with products made by companies around the world. We believe that with assistance from government and its agencies, we can surpass our expectation," she said.

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 “The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee on Friday shared N613.6bn among the three tiers…[and] N620.73bn shared in the month of February”. PUNCH, April 21, 2012.

COMPARISON OF MONTHLY ALLOCATIONS: JUNE 2006 AND FEBRUARY 2016.

It is no longer news that the states of Nigeria are in serious financial straits.

Nigerians need to know how they got into these difficulties and the way out can then be sought. The years 2012 and 2013 were our golden years in terms of crude oil revenue and allocations from the Federation accounts to the three tiers of government. The figures below tell part of the story better than any number of words can tell us.

2012 2016 DIFFERENCE(%) N620.73bn N370.39bn 40

FEB

As can be seen from the figures above, all the three tiers of government will receive for February 2016, N250.34bn, or 40% less funds than they did in 2012. That is bad enough. Take a look at the figures below. The total revenue allocation to all the 36 states in 2006 and 2016, a decade after, are very revealing.

JUN 2006 N196bn

FEB 2016 DIFFERENCE(%) N97.31bn 51

In other words, the states are receiving in the first two months of 2016 only half of what they collected in 2006. More revealing is the fact that four states, in 2006, collected over N14bn each. In descending order, they were: Rivers (N23bn), Bayelsa (N18bn), Delta (N16bn) and Akwa Ibom(N14bn). The least revenue collected by any state in June 2006 went to Nasarawa (N2.99bn). In February 2016, no state collected up to N10bn. The top four revenue earners in February 2016 were: Akwa Ibom(N8.55bn), Lagos (N6.61bn), Delta(N6.06bn) and Rivers (N5.42bn). That means that Akwa Ibom now collects 61 per cent of what it did in 2006 Rivers now collects 24 per cent of what was taken home in 2006, Delta 38 per cent; Bayelsa only 17 per cent. See the table below.

STATE JUN 2006 FEB 2016 DIFFERENCE(%) Akwa Ibom N 14bn 8.55bn -39 Bayelsa N18bn 2.98bn -83

States sink deeper into financial quagmire —1 Delta Rivers

N16bn N23bn

6.06bn 5.47bn

-62 -76

Incidentally, Lagos State has emerged as the second highest collector of federally allocated revenue with N6.6bn in February 2016 and it is the only state which earned more in 2016 than it did in 2006. The reason is clear. The state’s share of the Value added Tax, VAT, had steadily pushed it close to the top. There is a subtle lesson for all states in this: attract manufacturers to your state and earn the rewards afterwards in high Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. The state collecting the least allocation in February 2016 was Osun state (N6.23m). That is right, a mere six million two hundred and twenty nine thousand naira for a state claiming a monthly wage bill of close to N2.7 billion. Now it is clear why that state is in the sort of turmoil which other states will soon be experiencing.

How about Bayelsa state, the former President’s own state? Well, Bayelsa went from N18bn in June 2006 to an astonishing N2.98bn in February 2016 – a drop of 83% from ten years ago. That makes Bayelsa the second worst case among states. Osun State, unfortunately, carries the unwanted trophy of the state closest to bankruptcy.

THE ROAD TO HELL The logical question is how did we get into this sorry situation as result of which state governments and their public servants are now poised for protracted conflict? Only a fool can fail to see the

danger signs all over Nigerian states.

For this another set of facts are required — drawn from the records.

NUMBER OF STATES COLLECTING REVENUE Categories States Jun 2006 States Feb 2016 N25-10bn 4 0 N9-6bn 3 4 N5-4bn 7 0 N3-2bn 22 25 Under N2bn 0 7 The facts are clear. States are getting increasingly poorer. Furthermore, whereas only one state collected less than N3bn in June 2006 and that was Nasarawa, N2.9bn, thirty two states in February of this year would collect less than that amount – and that trend will continue indefinitely. It might even get worse with time.

PUTTING ON OUR THINKING CAPS The first thing the reader, even if he is a paid employee of a state government, should discard is the notion that this piece has been written to run down his state government. Obviously, when Osun (APC controlled) and Bayelsa (PDP controlled) had been highlighted from figures supplied by the Federal Ministry of Finance, every state is only receiving a feedback on how well it had prepared itself for the proverbial rainy day. On the whole state governors of the class of 2007 to 2015 have been irresponsible and perhaps unpatriotic – irrespective of what their party members and paid defenders might say about them.

Microfinance

Growing entrepreneurship to address unemployment STORIES BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

T

address unemployment, there is a need to increase the number of entrepreneurs in the country via vocation in different skills thereby enhancing employment and increasing economic value especially among the youths.

Just last week, the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) announced the selection of 1,000 entrepreneurs for the second round of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP).

TEEP was launched in 2015 as the largest African philanthropic initiative devoted to entrepreneurship and represents a 10-year, $100 million commitment, to identify and empower 10,000 African entrepreneurs, create a million jobs and add $10 billion in revenues to Africa’s economy.

For 2016, over 45,000 entrepreneurs from 54 African countries applied, more than doubling the number of applications received in 2015.

Meanwhile, successful candidates represent diverse industries, led by agriculture, ICT and fashion, while, the highest numbers of applicants came from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Cameroon. All five regions – C M Y K

o

North, East, Southern, Central and West Africa are represented.

In his remark, Founder, Mr. Tony Elumelu, said, “In TEEP’s first year we spent over $8 million of our $100 million commitment with $5 million going directly to entrepreneurs as seed capital and the results have far exceeded our expectations.

We have funded

entrepreneurs, established networks and helped extraordinary people take control of their destinies. The 2016 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs will become a generation of newly empowered African business owners, who are the clearest evidence yet, that indigenous business growth will drive Africa’s economic and social transformation.”

Consequent to this, one million young people in Nigeria may soon become employers of labour if the initiative being proposed to the Bank of Industry by the Chairman of Afterschool Graduate Development Centre (AGDC), Mrs Ibukun Awosika sees the light of day.

She approached the BoI seeking a partnership, aimed at scaling up financial

inclusion of Nigeria’s youths.

Awosika in a meeting with the Executive Management Committee of the BoI said that the initiative, “ignite idea” hopes to raise a million young entrepreneurs who will provide jobs as well as create value.

She said that the initiative becomes imperative because those without jobs need to be saved in their numbers.

NNEW expresses dissatisfaction with non-passage of gender equality bill

N

ECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) has expressed disappointment and displeasure over the dismissal of the Nigerian Gender & Equal Opportunities Bill by the Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday 15th March, 2016.

The Bill titled, “A bill for an Act to Incorporate and enforce certain provisions of the United Nations Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the Protocol of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the rights of women in Africa, and other matters connected therewith, 2016 (SB. 116)” was sponsored by Senate Minority Whip, Senator

Biodun Olujimi, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District.

The bill seeks to promote equal opportunities, advancement of all persons, prohibition of violence against persons, among others; eliminate discrimination against any person, irrespective of gender or any grounds, but as a result of disagreements, it failed to pass the second reading.

In a statement, President NNEW, Mrs. Lola Okanlawon, stated, “by throwing out this Bill, the Senate seems to give their support to the subtle and increasing discrimination against women in nearly all facets of life in Nigeria.

“The Senate is also ignoring

the many illegal obstacles that have been erected using regulatory, socio-cultural, and religious excuses to deprive the women of Nigeria of their rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

Okanlawon added that the rejection of the bill seeks to undermine the remarkable contributions of the Nigerian women towards national development.

“This is not the first time that this bill has been shot down by lawmakers who quickly wear the toga of religious and cultural chauvinists whenever matters that border on the economic and political empowerment of women are to be discussed.

“We want to remind the

Senate that Nigerian women constitute about 49.09 percent of the population of the country (World Bank Report, 2014) and therefore, it should be of serious concern to them that women are only a minute minority in both the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly. This, we believe, sealed the fate of that noble bill. “That Bill was about humanity and not just about women and this should occupy the time and attention of the Senate.We therefore, call on the Senate to revisit this bill, especially in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while we hold the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, to his promise to reconsider the bill,” she said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 29

Aviation

Foreign airlines to sack 2,000 Nigerian workers

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

T

he National Union of Air Transport Employees ,NUATE, has revealed that foreign airlines plan to sack about two thousand (2,000) Nigerian workers due to what they claimed is their inability to transfer their earnings to their respective home countries to meet operational costs in accordance with international rules because of new Central Bank of Nigeria , CBN, policy on forex and fund transfer.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika and made available to newsmen, Acting General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye said the plan has destabilize the affected workers, adding that the Federal Government should wade in and prevent the huge job loss.

According to Abioye , “ The reason being adduced for this danger is that their earnings

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

V

WORKSHOP- From left: Paul Uduk, MD, Vision and Talents; Adaghubu Franklin, Human resource, Fidelity Bank; Val Eze, Human Resource Expert; Uchechi Ogbonna, Learning and Development, CSCS; Haruna Adinoyi, AGM, Dangote Academy and Emmanuel Nwachukwu, HR, Business Partner, Nigerian Breweries at the People Plan 2016 workshop by Vision and Talents held in Lagos. in the past year is under lock with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN , as they are unable to transfer these earnings to their respective home countries to meet

operational costs in accordance with international rules.”

“Following concerns raised recently by leaders of these workers and other

TBI partners major airlines to introduce cruise in Nigeria

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

T

our

Brokers International Nigeria has introduced cruising to its operations by creating New Royal Carribbean Cruises division. This will now enable Nigerians, visitors and expatriate who want to go on cruise tour to book in Nigeria instead of the hitherto practice of booking via United States of America or United Kingdom.

Addressing newsmen at the TBI Head office in Lagos, the Managing Director, Mrs Uloma Egbuna said the company’s partnership with major foreign airlines like the Emirates, KLM, and Delta Airline will enable Tour Brokers organize cruise tours to any part of the world.

Emirates, for instance, takes would be cruise tourists who want to exploit the beauty of the Gulf region to Doha, Qatar where they can board the Royal Carribbean ship and sail to any part of the region.

Same goes for intended tourist to USA and Europe.

They will enjoy their flights to USA or Europe on board KLM or Delta Air before boarding Royal Carribbean

Emirates deploys technology for this year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

and commencing their cruise tour of USA or Europe after all the necessary bookings and arrangements have been made conveniently in Lagos, Nigeria, According to Egbuna, TBI has “branded their Lagos street front incorporating the Royal Carribbean Cruise Line official logos . This is testimony to our excellent relationship with and support

from Cruise International and Royal Carribbean faith in our company. TBI is blessed with a robust pedigree in customer management and satisfaction” “TBI has been in the forefront of championing cruises as a holiday destination in Niger. First time cruisers as well as veterans of the sea are welcome to discover the best value holiday on the planet .”

stakeholders and in appreciation of the good intent of the government’s fiscal policy, we humbly make this clarion call for your (Minister) intervention to grant foreign airlines concession to repatriate their proceeds to their home countries,” he said.

He added that should the foreign airlines go ahead with the sacking of the workers it would not be in the interest of the aviation sector and Nigeria as a whole.

“We hasten to place on the front burner an emerging threat confronting over 2, 000 private sector aviation workers in Nigeria which requires your intervention to forestall imminent loss of jobs of these number of workers,” said Abioye.

NAMA trains 100 air traffic engineers

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

A

bout 100 Air Traffic engineers have been trained by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, in 2015 in various professional areas.

Disclosing this development to newsmen, the National President of the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers, NAAE, Engr.

Ebenezer Makanjuola, said at the NAAE day in Lagos, that about 70 members of NAAE have also benefited from various trainings.

Makanjuola expressed

delight that Licence and Rating for Electro Mechanical Services Department of NAMA has been restored while the process of clearing backlog was on going.

The NAAE president explained that the process for the harmonisation of allowances for Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria chapter of NAAE was on going as they were dialoguing with the management of the college.

While urging members of NAAE to uphold professional etiquettes, respect hierarchies and be responsible for everything they do,

Makanjuola warned against compromising their standards.

He urged members to carry out their jobs with dedication and selfless services as the lives of air travelers depended on their professional inputs.

He announced that Nigeria will be hosting the 46th edition of the global event IFATSEA 2016, adding that a committee will soon be set up to commence work.

Makanjuola commended NAMA, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and NCAT for their support, which according to him made it possible for the association meet its financial obligation.

isitors to this year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature will witness the latest deployment of technology as they will have imaginative on-ground experiences that “merge family fun with technology”.

According to Dina Al Herais, Emirate VP Commercial , VIP Customer Relations , “People are constantly interacting with technology, and this year we wanted to connect with visitors in innovative ways. So we built on our latest virtual reality innovations to help create more awareness around Emirates’ history - in keeping with the festival’s theme of time.

Our visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the breadth of our destination network in a fun way.”

Sterling Bank partners AUDAX on coding programmes AS part of its One Education initiative, Sterling Bank has announced its partnership with AUDAX Code School, an e-learning, training, and assessment solutions company for the 2016 Coding programme.

The programme is designed to improve digital literacy through coding in a fun and collaborative environment for primary and secondary school students in Nigeria.

While disclosing this to newsmen in Lagos, the Bank’s Group Head, Strategy & Communications, Mr. Shina Atilola noted that the objectives of the exercise are to bridge the digital skills gap in Nigeria; empower children and teachers in both rural and urban areas; foster creativity and creative thinking skills through information and communications technology learning and encourage careers of underprivileged youth through Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) C M Y K

30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Economy

Why real sector special funding facility is delayed — CBN STORIES BY EMEKA ANAETO, ECONOMY EDITOR

C

ontrary to insinuations that Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, may have abandoned the plan to inject about N760 billion into real sector special credit facility following last week’s policy reversal, the apex bank has indicated that the plan is still alive.

CBN had adopted accommodative monetary policy since July 2015 in the hope of addressing growth concerns in the economy, effectively freeing up some funds for commercial banks by lowering both Cash Reserve Ratio, CRR, and Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, with excess liquidity arising from the lower CRR totalling N760 billion, warehoused at the CBN. Banks were to access these funds by submitting verifiable investment proposals in the real sector of the economy.

But after over eight months now no real sector operator has received loan from this fund up till last week when the apex bank reversed the policy that gave rise to it, increasing both CRR and MPR. The development last week gave rise to speculations that CBN may have technically abandoned the funding plan.

However, in its Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, Communique last week the apex bank indicated that it would still go ahead with the plan stating that “the funds have not impacted the market yet because the CBN was still processing some of the proposals submitted by the banks”.

But the apex bank also noted that in the first policy episode of easing which resulted in injecting liquidity

into the banking system, the banks did not grant credit as envisaged, a situation which may have partly informed the policy reversal last week.

This and other developments such as the delay in passage of the 2016 Budget, according to CBN, “has further accentuated the difficult financial condition of economic agents as output continues to decline due to low investment arising from weak demand”.

CBN stated, “the cautious approach to lending by the banking system underpinned by a strict regulatory regime conditioned by the Basel Committee in the post global financial crisis era has further alienated investors from access to credit as banks prefer to build liquidity

profiles in anticipation of government borrowing.

“In the light of these developments, domestic output growth in 2015 remained subdued as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS”.

According to NBS real gross domestic product, GDP, grew by 2.11 per cent in the last quarter of 2015, more than half a percentage point lower than the 2.84 per cent recorded in the third quarter and 3.83 percentage points in the corresponding period of 2014.

Overall, growth in 2015 was estimated at 2.79 per cent, compared with 6.22 per cent in 2014.

FG, CBN in fiscal, monetary policy harmony T

here were indications that a complementary interplay of fiscal and monetary policy may have begun with last week’s policy actions from the authorities in both arms.

Following the passage of the 2016 Appropriation Bill by the National Assembly on Wednesday last week Federal government through the ministry of planning indicated that it would commence its expansionary fiscal measure which primarily was predicated on infrastructure and other capital expenditure programmes.

The expansionary budgetary implementation would also involve deficit spending to the tune of N2.2 trillion, aimed at stimulating the economy.

The fiscal action came on the heels of a special retreat of the National Economic Council which was driven by a singular focus on steps to address the

troubled economy and the financial condition of the sovereign states. The Council outlined eight thematic areas and 71 specific proposals that signposts the economic policy direction of the President Buhari administration to rescue the economy from its current southwards trajectory.

Also early last week the monetary authority, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, rolled out a new policy aimed at price and exchange rate stability through monetary tightening.

Economy analysts said these developments signal a resumption of balanced approach to solutions and strategy for addressing economic challenges.

Hither, it was only CBN that was active in battling the increasing headwinds the economy had witnessed in the past 10 months, a situation which had made results fall

short of targets since CBN was not structurally equipped for the dual roles.

In its bid to fill the gap created by long absence of a federal cabinet last year and consequently play the dual role, the apex bank had adopted an expansionary monetary policy since third quarter 2015, by reducing its monetary rates, cash reserve and liquidity ratios, so as to release more money into the economy.

Some analysts believed CBN now focusing on monetary policies may have reversed its expansionary monetary policy in favour of monetary tightening as a preemptive strategy to contain the anticipated inflationary impact of government’s expansionary fiscal regime expected to kick off with the passage of the Appropriation Bill.

Alluding to this reasoning,

analysts at Afrinvest West Africa, a Lagos based investment house, said ”the tightening move is more of a precaution (than a correction of previous price spiral) to moderate the demand pressure for foreign exchange, goods and services that could arise from the liquidity impulse of the record expansionary budget. ”The 2016 fiscal year is expected to run on N6.06tn budget while deficit was retained at N2.2 trillion, 2.1 per cent of gross domestic product, GDP. ”It could be a signal that monetary policy, which had hitherto been the only game in town, will return to its conventional objectives of price and exchange rate stability while fiscal policy escapes from its tardiness to anchor the recovery. This could mean a return to inflation targeting”.

Contribution and Growth Rate by Sector Contribution to GDP 2012

C M Y K

2013

2014

2015

Agriculture Industries

23.91% 23.33% 22.90% 23.11% 25.61% 24.81% 24.93% 23.715

Services

50.48% 51.86% 52.16% 53.18%

Growth Agriculture

2012 2013 2014 2015 6.70% 2.94% 4.27% 3.72%

Industries Services

2.43% 2.16% 6.76% (2.24%) 3.97% 8.38% 6.85% 4.78%

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 31

Advertising & Media

Why value-based pricing works against competition —-BuildCon Boss

V

alue-based pricing, VBP, is the most highly recommended pricing technique by consultants and developers. The basic concept is setting a price to capture the majority of what customers are willing to pay. Princewill Ekwujuru spoke to Bukola Gadzama, CEO of BuildCon Global Services on this differentiation.

Competitive pricing has been described by marketing experts as setting the price of a product or service based on what the competition is charging. Competitive pricing is used more often by businesses selling similar products, since services vary from business to business while the attributes of a product remain similar. This type of pricing strategy is generally used once a price for a product or service has reached a level of equilibrium.

It is with this reasoning that Bukola Gadzama, Chief Executive officer of BuildCon a major player in the real estate sector in Nigeria leveraged to create a differentiation in the sector with unique pricing that endeared it to customers. The company running since 2013 has build over 16 units of houses and has instituted a payment plan for houses that is light for customers.

Her words, “We also give customers a payment plan of between 2-3 years, that helps and reduces the pain of outright payment. We encourage them to pay 20 percent initial deposit and they can spread the balance over the remaining number of months. This helps achieve ownership of the homes. For those that cannot afford the detached spaces tend to go for semi detached or the terraces”.

Bukola told Vanguard that because of the payment plan, the company has agreement with its customers that with every payment, there are milestones he or she is expected to see in the construction of the building. “When you don’t see those milestones you are not obligated to continue payment”.

With the spread payment plan, the intention of the company that is

building more estates in Ikota area of Lekki, of Lagos is to make more people buy and own their homes. “We are looking further to beyond the Ajah axis to construct more houses that are affordable for more income brackets”.

Explaining that when somebody deposits money for a house and one year after, he/she could not continue to pay, Bukola said “What we try to tell our clients is that as soon as there is an issue let us know. We are also human even though we are in business. If we understand what the issues are, we can give you some time frame to continue payment as long as it is within the time we have to deliver the estate. If you feel that the issue is beyond you and you might not continue we would help you sell the building and refund you”.

APRA conference holds in Nigeria

BY ANN NWAFOR

P

lans have been concluded for the 2016 edition of the African Public Relations Association, APRA conference in Nigeria.

The conference which is scheduled to hold in Calabar, Cross River state, between May 24 through 27, 2016, tagged; ‘Leapfrogging Africa: The Role of Communication’ will witness the convergence of Public Relations Associations and practitioners across the continent with a strong commitment to selling positive Africa in partnership with the Africa Union Commission, AUC. Speaking in Lagos, Secretary General of APRA, Mr. Yomi Badejo, said the Nigeria edition marks the identity unveiling of the forthcoming th 28 Edition of APRA, established to foster unity via interaction and exchange of ideas amongst public relations practitioners in Africa as a whole, and through communication, promote social, political and economic integration on the continent.

Samsung plans 16 one-stop shops by 2017

S

amsung Electronics says it plans to open 16 one-stopafter sales-service-centre where all challenges associated with its appliances will be solved, as it opens at Opebi, Lagos.

Speaking at the unveiling in Lagos, Chidera Ejiofor, Service Network Manager, Samsung Electronics West Africa, said, “basically why we have come here to set this up, even with one across the road is because this covers all products. This is the first one we have in Ikeja within the facility that covers all products and gives customers premium hospitality. Before now we have changed what the concept of what a service centre should be, service centre now looks as beautiful as it

should be.”

He said that the company plans to open 16 one-stopservice-centres, but with M-store, the Samsung plans to open eight service stores.

In addition, Head, Factory and Services Centre, M-store, a Samsung partner, Mr. Gagandeep Lakhanpal, said, there is plan to open eight additional one-stopstores by 2017.

“This is a centre where all the Samsung appliances are brought under one roof for after- salesservice. It’s a kind of a contact centre for our customers for all our appliances; no other service centre in Nigeria has this type of arrangement.

C M Y K

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

(0805 220 1997)

Economy: Buhari and CBN pulling apart T he National Assembly approved the 2016 Appropriation Bill, just a day before recess, on the rd Wednesday 23 of March; the approval was a fulfillment of the Appropriation Committees’ promise to do the needful before the Easter break.

However, the Senate Appropriation Committee’s Chairman, Danjuma Goje, acknowledged that the three months delay before implementation could have been avoided if the Budget was presented to the Legislature in good time.

The obvious lesson from Senator Goje’s observation is that, the budget consultations for 2017, should properly commence early, possibly in May this year, to allow for extensive and thorough deliberations, that will facilitate approval so that implementation st can commence on January 1 next year.

Nevertheless, some political leaders and financial experts and analysts have encouraged public perception that, once the budget is passed, the pressure from the present challenging economic environment would begin to diffuse. Regrettably, the minimal social impact of budget implementation in previous years, surely, do not justify any suggestion that the outcome of the 2016 version will be different. The recent revelations of the pervading, systemic monstrous rape of the Treasury, in the guise of budget implementation, probably explains why our nation’s fiscal plans failed, for several years, to significantly enhance social welfare.

Nevertheless, although Buhari’s 2016 budget may indeed be the highest ever, fiscal plan by any administration, in nominal terms; however, the 2013 N4.98tn budget with the

prevailing exchange rate of N160=$1 may actually be worth more in real terms. Thus, optical nominal escalation of budgets will not guarantee more social dividends if further Naira devaluation occurs.

So, ultimately, what are the assurances that the 2016 budget would succeed where others failed? Indeed, if truth be told, the early signals do not inspire much hope; arguably, no appropriation bill, in our history, has so embarrassed the sponsor as this year ’s plan.

Curiously, after the budget was lost, fiddled with, then found and corrected, it still remains unclear how the alleged padding and multiplicity of ‘doctored contents’ therein were satisfactorily eventually resolved within two weeks; incredibly, there were no reports for example, that the Minister of Health, or indeed any other MDA returned, as demanded by several Legislative Committees, to harmonise the controversial inputs identified in their budgets.

Curiously, the National Assembly obviously also saw nothing wrong in approving a budget, in which about N500bn (i.e. 8%) is set aside as intervention funds, without a clear strategic expenditure plan that will guide accountability, transparency and efficiency in the disbursement of funds. It is equally worrisome, that despite the collapse of crude oil prices and the troubling reality that we presently require 35kobo out of every Naira income to service existing debts, the Legislators paid little regard to endorsing substantial additional loans despite the oppressive interest rates required to fund the N2.2tn projected deficit.

Conversely, Buhari would have demonstrated an appropriate patriotic presidential concern that

generations to come will not become shackled by a crippling debt burden, if the 2016 projected deficit can be funded with the alleged, substantial recovered looted funds and the reported surplus funds consolidated from operating the Treasury Single Account, rather than the adoption of further debt accumulation to finance the deficit.

It is also bewildering nonetheless, that inspite of the several contentious issues surrounding the integrity of the 2016 bill, the National Assembly, only felt compelled, after presumed, diligent consideration, to reduce only N17bn from the liberal N6.08tn initially projected in Buhari’s plan.

Nonetheless, the high expenditure projection of N6.08tn has been lauded as a reflationary budget, inexplicably, at a time inflation

What are the assurances that the 2016 budget would succeed where others failed? Indeed, if truth be told, the early signals do not inspire much hope; arguably, no appropriation bill, in our history, has so embarrassed the sponsor as this year’s plan

price level, on March 22nd, a day just or so before the Legislature’s approval of budget 2016. Consequently, CBN raised the cost at which it would lend to commercial banks from 11% to 12%, and similarly raised the percentage of customers’ deposits that the banks must keep as reserves with the apex bank from 20% to 22%.

The object of these directives, is obviously to instigate commercial banks to also raise their interest rates on loans to their own customers; similarly, the increase in cash reserve ratio is also designed to reduce the amount of funds that banks can lend out to customers. So in a rather farcical twist, while Buhari is being commended for proposing to spend big in order to stimulate consumption and build infrastructures, the CBN, which alternately manages money supply and monetary policy is busy restricting access to loanable funds and infact ensuring that all borrowers, including the real sector, will become discouraged from seeking loans, when for example, it costs over 20% to Paradoxically, in order to compensate for this fauxpas, the CBN usually responds by compulsively creating and injecting intervention funds to special sectors. Regrettably, these intervention funds further compound an already excess money supply, and therefore inadvertently also instigate further inflationary push, which the CBN would again respond to by increasing its rate of borrowing with Treasury Bills, despite the attendant high interest paid on these idle deposits.

Ultimately, with Buhari and the CBN’s best intentions, the harsh economic times may remain for sometime.

Save the Naira, Save Nigerians!

is rising uncomfortably beyond 11%, i.e. well beyond CBN’s target of 9%, and certainly miles away from best practice rates below 2%, in successful economies everywhere.

Notwithstanding, some analysts have also suggested that the antidote to our economic condition is to spend our way out of poverty! Thus, according to this advocacy, more money must be made available to facilitate increase in public and private spending, even if we have to borrow or print more money to do so!

The above perspective invariably assumes that Nigeria’s economic downturn is the product of acute shortage of money; thus, making much more money available for spending should expectedly stimulate economic activity and create more jobs. Ironically, however, the CBN as the sole author of money supply in Nigeria, would beg to differ on this issue of the allegedly benign impact of excess money supply. Infact for decades, the CBN has engaged in an unending battle to reduce excess money supply from the system. Evidently, systemic excess money supply is actually the number one enemy against the achievement of CBN’s core mandate to ensure that the general price level does not rise above 2% annually, while cost of funds would also be kept at levels that would encourage and support boisterous inclusive economy. Regrettably, with inflation beyond 11% and cost of borrowing above 20%, the CBN has clearly failed in this pivotal constitutional mandate.

Incidentally, in response to the serious challenges posed by the present ‘oppressive’ level of money supply, the CBN’s MPC resolved, to tighten money supply to arrest further inflationary rise in the general

Business & Economy AACN has achieved increased visibility – Adewole

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resident of the Association of Assets Custodians of Nigeria, (AACN), Mrs. Kemi Adewole has said that the Association has achieved increased market visibility in its few years of operation.

Adewole who disclosed this during the 2016 annual general meeting of the Association in Lagos, said that as a key securities market group, courtesy calls were made to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele; Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Mounir Gwarzo; as well as the CEOs of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing Systems Plc (CSCS).

She said, “We achieved regular engagements with key market regulators on topical issues affecting the Nigerian securities market.

Improved collaboration with other Capital Market Operators (CMO) groups, The C M Y K

Association has developed a working relationship with other CMO groups. The successful hosting of the 4th Annual Investor Conference that was held in London, UK was adjudged the best so far in terms of recorded participants, quality of speakers and the issues discussed.”

The six member institutions of the Association were ably represented at the annual general meeting.

Adewole stated that the tenure of the current leadership of the Association commenced after the 2nd annual general meeting held in 2014.

At the end of the meeting, Adewole announced that she was stepping down as the President of the Association and the office was ceded to Mrs. Taiwo Sonola who was until then a Vice President of the association. Taiwo will act as the president of the Association until the next election.

Omoh Gabriel Babajide Komolafe Clara Nwachukwu Peter Egwuatu Yinka Kolawole Favour Nnabugwu Godwin Oritse Godfrey Bivbere Michael Eboh Franklin Alli Ifeyinwa Obi Rosemary Onuoha Nkiruka Nnorom CONTRIBUTORS Princewill Ekwujuru Jonah Nwokpoku Naomi Uzor Providence Obuh LAYOUT

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Group Business Editor Deputy Business Editor Energy Editor Asst. Business Editor Snr Bus. Correspondent Insurance Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Energy Reporter Industry/Agric. Reporter Maritime Reporter Insurance Reporter Capital Market Reporter

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Media/Marketing E-Commerce Industry Micro Finance Graphics Department

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—33 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Share the votes not the bullets

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HE Rivers State electoral rerun was not an election; it was war and the generals on both sides lived up to the billing. Like in wars, manifestoes or programmes were unnecessary. The All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP simply told the voters that they were ready for the expected violence. There were pre-election shootings and bombing.

It was a question of how many will be killed or maimed, how many wives will become widows, children that will become orphans, and families that will lose their loved ones. There was no pretense that the gladiators wanted peaceful polls.

It was also quite tough because it is like a messy divorce with both sides drawing blood. The gladiators belonged to one electoral army before splitting right down to the ranks including sharing foot soldiers and enforcers. Both sides had similar tactics and strategy, and, not a few predicted that they will fight themselves to a standstill.

In preparation for the conflict, 16,000 extra policemen and fourteen units of Police Mobile Force were deployed to complement the 10,000 on ground. Where each state has a Police Commissioner, three were dispatched along with, the AIG

Zone 6, Calabar, Adisa Bolanta who had similar experience in Oyo State.

The Army, State Security and other security agencies were deployed.

The generals were tested veterans of the political battle field and they performed to expectation. The Right Honourable Rotimi Amaechi, twoterm Executive Governor of the State and current Hon. Minister of Transport, flew in from Abuja to take charge of his command. He revved up the battle of words by alleging that his opposite number, His Excellency Nyesom Wike, the Executive Governor, borrowed N45billion in the name of the state to pay himself and his cronies.

Wike, he declared is "grossly irresponsible, repugnant and contemptuous…” and claimed that his relationship with his erstwhile Chief of Staff became sour “because of his violence and corruption”. So having realised Wike’s proclivities, why, did he retain him? Amaechi said he was begged to manage him.

Alright, why did he then recommend a man he claims is bound to violence and corruption to be a Minister of the Federal Republic? Amaechi again claimed that he was begged and “ I accepted so as not to appear stubborn and that’s the worse decision I have made in my life.”

In the campaign proper, the Minister said “Nyesom Wike is here (as governor) to steal money, he was my Chief of Staff. We will chase Wike’s boys out of the water, now we have Dakuku Peterside as DG NIMASA.” He told the electorate 'If you see the money stolen by Nyesom Wike in the Ministry of Education you will be shocked. Every day you wake up to find out that Wike has killed somebody.”

Amaechi claimed that “ Wike is so desperate that he can sell his mother.

On the day of the re-run, I am ready for Wike, they should come out with their guns, we are ready for them.”

This is an inference to the claims of Amechi’s group, the APC, that Wike has a private army, and an admission that the APC is also armed.

The Minister also hinted at a plan to impose a state of emergency in the state: “If Wike cannot maintain law and order, the Federal Government will not abdicate from

Rather than share bullets in a re-run election, waste resources and lives, I suggest an alternative dispute resolution mechanism in which the APC and PDP would hold peace talks and share the elective posts

its responsibility; we will secure the lives of Rivers people.”

Governor Wike was not to be outdone: “His (Amaechi’s) antics are a diversionary campaign to evade justice, through the rigging of the rerun legislative polls this weekend, but he will be defeated and brought to account”. To him, “Amaechi lacks proper parental upbringing hence his desperation in the political arena...He is a psychiatric patient...

He has vindicated us when he said that he has been given the army to rig the re-run elections. I know the Chief of Army Staff very well. He should not allow a psychiatric patient to use the Army to rig…Only a man with psychiatric disorder will compare his failed eight years in office to just eight months of the new administration."

Wike turned to the electoral officers “Let me reiterate, if any INEC officer is bent on rigging the re-run elections, let him first tell his wife and children where his Will is located because he will be treated as a political armed robber." “I will continue to threaten political armed robbers. I will stand firm against those who use guns to steal votes” In a rather comical tune, he sang “Some people say that I am making inciting statements. I have never made any inciting statement. But I have always said the truth.”

The elections lived up to its billing; some electoral offices were barricaded, ballots seized and violence reigned. People were killed in places like Port Harcourt, Tai, Eleme and Abonema. Perhaps the most tragic being the murder of a Youth Corper, Mr. Samuel Okonta who was carrying out electoral duties. As for the results, only one of 11 House of Representative seats and 9 of 22 State Assembly seats were declared, the rest including the 3

Kanu vs DSS:: Persecution or prosecution

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By Chike Okeke

HE Nnamdi Kanu Saga has received national and international media coverage in the past few months. Only two weeks ago hundreds of ‘Biafrans’ and supporters of the Biafran cause staged peaceful protests in front of the Vatican, headquarters of the Catholic Church in the world. There had been similar protests by the Biafran supporters in some European capitals. It is therefore timely now to address pertinent issues on the matter.

Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor in a recent press briefing in Abuja, circulated in the social media and published in some national dailies called attention to very serious issues in the trial of Nnamdi Kanu. Mr. Kanu was arraigned before a Wuse, Abuja Chief th Magistrate Court on 19 October, 2015 for criminal conspiracy, managing and belonging to an unlawful society and criminal intimidation contrary to Sections 97, 97B and 397 of the Penal Code. The trial magistrate Hon. Shuabi granted him bail on the same day on conditions that were promptly satisfied but the Directorate of State Services,DSS, refused to release him.

During the pendency of this charge already th adjourned to 19 November, 2015 for hearing, the DSS rushed to the Federal High Court and applied to secure an exparte order to further detain Nnamdi Kanu for another 90 days, in total disregard of the positive order by the Chief Magistrate Court for his release.

Immediately the defense counsel became aware of the perverse order an application was promptly brought before the Federal High Court, the very court that granted the order, to vacate it. In its well considered ruling the judge vacated the exparte order and further directed the DSS to release Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. The order was again flouted.

In a deliberate effort to legitimise the further detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation filed a six count charge against him and 2 other defendants including this time treasonable C M Y K

felony and belonging to and managing an unlawful social (IPOB). Barrister Ejiofor explained that Kanu was never caught or arrested with any fire arm, weapon or ammunition of any form. Radio Biafra as well as Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are duly registered under the regulatory laws of the United Kingdom, the United Nation and several countries across the globe. He attached the said registrations Certificates in proof of his claim. For instance, the registration documents of both IPOB and Radio Biafra made available to the press by Kanu’s lawyer (Bar. Ifeanyi Ejiofor) revealed that IPOB is registered in over 30 countries across the globe with its headquarters situated at united kingdom. Certificate of registration issued by the registrar of companies for England and Wales, certified that Indigenous People Of Biafra is registered with Certificate Registration number 9141882, in the United Kingdom, Given at the companies House nd Cardiff on the 22 July 2014. Registration certificate of Radio Biafra issued by the registrar of companies for England and Wales, also certified that Radio Biafra is registered with Certificate Registration Number: 8635030, in the United Kingdom, Given at the nd Companies House Cardiff on the 2 August 2013. It is now undisputable in the light of the above revelations that both IPOB and Radio Biafra are duly registered under the law

The prosecution in a criminal charge is expected to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, anything short of this is persecution

contrary to the speculations making rounds.

The two den guns listed among the exhibits in course of DSS investigation at the residence of Benjamin Madubugwu are said to be den guns for animal hunting which are fully licensed. Are den guns used for waging war against a country as big and as sophisticated in arms and weaponry as Nigeria? th One recalls that on 29 December 2015, during a Presidential media chat President Muhammedu Buhari informed the world that Nnamdi Kanu cannot be granted bail, as he came into the country without a valid travelling passport. Regrettably and very unfortunately, Nnamdi Kanu and other defendants were on th 29 January, 2016 refused bail for being in possession of dual passports as a flight risk.

This court decision which came on the same day as the Presidential Media Chat gives an indication of where the direction may be coming from, akin to the witch crying in the night and the baby dying in the morning.

However the truth remains that Kanu has two valid passports, British and Nigerian which have since been seized by the DSS Operatives.

A formal application to secure the release of the passports was made in the open court by th Kanu’s defence team on February 9 2016 but the trial judge refused to grant the application. When did dual citizenship constitute an offence in Nigeria? Dual citizenship is a constitutional right provided under Section 28 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended and is therefore not a crime under our laws except if such was not obtained in the manner prescribed under our laws.

It is interesting to note further that upon the th denial of Kanu’s bail on 29 January, 2016, the court directed for accelerated hearing on th th th th the matter on 9 , 10 , 11 , and 12 th February, 2016. Surprisingly on 9 February at the commencement of trial the Prosecution served an application to conduct the trial in camera (for witnesses to wear facial masks and testify behind screens). The court in its considered wisdom refused to grant this relief. th Curiously when the case was called on 7

Senatorial seats, in local parlance, entered voice mail. The re-run elections were conclusive.

A major casualty of the elections, was truth. For instance, was the Collation Officer for PHALGA Ward 10, Mrs. Ekwi Adebisa protecting or endangering the ballot, and was she abducted or arrested? Was there an assassination attempt on NIMASA Director General, Dakuku Peterside or is he a murderer? Did the Electoral Commission use fake or genuine result sheets?

The re-run was also a case of massive corruption; people used their power to dishonestly gather votes to their own advantage. Given this type of elections, it will be virtually impossible for honest people who have no armed gangs to win elections.

With this inconclusive elections, there is bound to be another re-run in Rivers State, and, a Senatorial candidate, Senator Magnus Abe on March 23, 2016 issued a shrill warning ahead of the new exercise: “From today, anywhere any member of the APC is harassed, there will be a response. Anywhere, from today, where fire is opened on members of the APC in this senatorial district, there will be a response…Anybody who has two heads should bring out his second head to do whatever he wants to do within the senatorial district.

Whatever affects the lives or threatens the lives of our members, we will no longer tolerate it. We are not women and we are not children too."

But rather than share bullets in a re-run election, waste resources and lives, I suggest an alternative dispute resolution mechanism in which the APC and PDP would hold peace talks and share the elective posts.

March 2016 the prosecution came up with an oral application that the court should VARY th its earlier ruling made on 19 February, 2016 against witnesses testifying in camera, to enable witnesses be shielded behind screen while giving evidence. Very inexplicably, the court sat on appeal over its own judgment and granted the application and consequently ordered that the prosecution witnesses be allowed to testify in camera, i.e behind screen, wearing masks, etc. Masquerades will now be prosecution witness against Kanu and his codefendants. This is a novelty in the Nigerian judiciary and we watch how it plays out. Kanu’s defence team has since appealed this court ruling to the Court of Appeal. They have complained of deliberate and consistent denial of access to crucial documents and materials that will enable them offer their best services to their clients, an action that impedes Kanu’s fundamental rights to fair trial and fair hearing.

The allegation made by Kanu that the DSS threatened to kill him if he fails to denounce his Biafran preposition is a very serious one that should not be swept under the carpet. The elimination of one who has now been seen as the Peoples’ hero may cause serious societal upheaval with dire consequencies for the peace, unity and security of the nation.

The Judiciary is generally seen as the last hope of the common man. That is why its logo is a woman with two arms outstretched to dispense equitable justice. When fundamental rights, enshrined internationally are denied and arbiters in the temple of justice give and change judgments at will against accused people before them, questions are bound to be raised if it is really justice or injustice that is being dispensed.

The prosecution in a criminal charge is expected to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, adducing evidences there are creditable and verifiable. Anything short of this is persecution which in a democracy such as ours is an anathema. Kanu and his co-defendants should be given a trial that is not only fair but should be manifestly seen to be so. They should not be persecuted. *Mr. Okeke, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja.

34—Vanguard, MONDAY MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28 , 2016 — 35

Vision for growth K

OLA Karim has a passion for clarifying visions, executing them, and then seeing how they can be sustained over the longer term. His focus is to take Africa into three cycles and Nigeria in particular.

And he belongs to a generation that's keen to grow a Transgenerational business: "We are already working with the next generation into the business", he says of his approach to running Shoreline Energy International, the trading company he inherited from his mother.

"We are planning better because unfortunately, our fathers weren't entrepreneurs.

The doctrine of that time was for them (our fathers) to go into the civil service which is where they were needed most. That is why you find that there were very few entrepreneurs, and those tended to be forced into it.

Ready made entrepreneurs But today, not only are we ready made entrepreneurs, we are learning everyday as entrepreneurs: We make mistakes and we learn from them.

That's why the entrepreneurs of yesteryear didn't adapt but the good thing is: it's happening today". Karim goes on to explain that trans-generational Entrepreneurship addresses how businesses achieve growth and longevity through their activities whilst focusing on the resources, capabilities and mindsets that business owners develop and draw upon in order to be successful across generations: "An example is FCMB growing from

Kola Karim CEO, Shoreline Energy Int’l Dr. Subomi Balogun to Ladi Balogun-- a professional banker running and doing a good job.

But 40 years ago it wouldn't have happened. Another example is the oil and gas sector. How many Nigerians were oil and gas entrepreneurs a little over 20 years ago compared to now?", He asks rhetorically while forecasting that, in another 20 years, "we'll begin to see Nigerian multinationals in the oil and gas sector because we learn quickly and try to do it well because people want to create sound legacies".

Karim sits atop Shoreline Energy International, a Nigerian conglomerate with interests that span oil and gas, power generation, engineering, commodities trading, infrastructure and construction across sub-Saharan Africa. Since the start, Karim has always seen how businesses are built and one of the lasting lessons he's learned is to understand the virtues of building a sustainable b u s i n e s s .

"Shoreline E n e r g y International is a family o w n e d company.

My mother started it as a trading company and we were exporting animal feed and palm kernel cake. We grew up around that.

When my father passed on in 1980, my mother shipped us to the UK and even from that base we kept building the business.

And we kept on coming back.

Excellent companies Then we saw opportunities very early with the advent of democracy in 1999. That put us in a better position to continue to grow".

Indeed, the positioning has since enabled Shoreline to combine its own existing strength with those of the excellent companies that it has acquired.

Some of the companies acquired include The Nigeria arm of the British civil engineering and construction firm Costain West Africa PLC, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) Electrical Systems in Nigeria, Michelin Port Harcourt and the Warri Airport (Osubi) which he wants to build into a 24-hour airport and cargo center for the whole of Western Nigeria.

Shoreline's most colourful acquisition is the $850M purchase of a cache of oilfields in the Niger-Delta; OML 30 from Royal Dutch Shell, Total of France and Eni of Italy. The grand buy was in partnership w i t h Heritage Oil, a n independent, private

company with interests in gas exploration and construction: "That's our most successful business so far and we have one of the most amazing oil fields in the delta.

"There's no one as big as we are today in exploration and production. In Nigeria, there are marginal field operators who are producing 2,000- 5,000 bpd.

Today we're producing 44,000 bpd! So the game has changed.

We're just doing our numbers.”

This year alone we should produce about 4.5-5m barrels that's a local company, and the game is changing! But what have we done better than SPDC [Shell Petroleum Development Company] or Shell? Simple, it's to interface with the local community.

Enormity of gas flaring It's not easy, don't get me wrong. I've gone to ground zero to make sure our engagement is with every community. I'll give you an example. There is a pump station that's been closed for seven years.

Shell called me and said how the hell did you get it opened?

It's pumping 4,800 barrels today.

More than that and because of the enormity of gas flaring, I think that Nigeria has no business in darkness" "The oil and gas business involves a complete chain from the local communities to the export of the product but what is very interesting is we have no control as to the price of the product we are selling and what Nigeria does not affect the global pricing of that commodity so we need to rethink our strategy. And that's what globalization is doing". The inspiration for Kola Karim's endeavor is all about what Shoreline is giving: "We are a focused group that's crossing

We are planning better because unfortunately, our fathers weren’t entrepreneurs

BIO BRIEFS Date and Place of Birth: 1971, Lagos, Nigeria Education: M.B.A. from the University of Leicester, UK in 2007, City University London, Bachelor ’s degree in Business Law in 1987, Harvard Business School Chairman: African Eagle Resources plc, Costain (West Africa) Plc and Nigerian Ropes plc

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the West Africa sub-region with our trading businesses. And we are enjoying what we are doing".

Though he says that "It's not easy because the cost of borrowing to do business in Africa is very expensive. We've been very fortunate that a lot of international banks support us so there's been a commitment across the board in terms of what we're trying to achieve".

In the beginning, the signs that he saw that made him think he'll succeed where the inherent opportunities. In his own words, "What I saw was a nation that's trying to grow and do the right thing, but the opportunity to get there means there must be people ready to lead it.

Let me give you an example: if Nigeria had been growing at the rate it's been growing in the last 20 years and yet we don't have good roads, yet we don't have power. That's an opportunity.

Now, the new business we are focusing on is gas distribution because if we are flaring gas then Nigeria has no business being in darkness".

Going down memory lane, Karim finds that there have been three kinds of revolution: "20 years ago, to engage in a 50 million dollar business all the banks would probably have to add all their money together to lend, but today it's a different ball game.

Then the next revolution is that of infrastructure where it's now a necessity to make sure there's adequate power. It's now necessity to make sure there are better roads; so tow roads are coming into play. It's now a necessity to make sure rail is running.

Fast moving consumer goods Those are very strong factors in any developing economy that's got to be done right. Then the last revolution was around fast moving consumer goods. Look at what's happened with the quick service restaurant(Fast Food)in the last 20 years. There's been a massive growth in that segment of the market too, you've got more in manufacturing beverages and what's fueling all of these revolutions is the creation of the middle class.

So in as much as Africa's growth continues, a sustainable middle class is what drives and delivers every sustainable economy". He also believes government has everything to do with it. "Pre 1999 it was a military and not democratic structure.

“The Rule of Law, which is always the backbone of everything you do, was not seen as being there. So democracy came in and there's a constitution you need to abide by because in any society where you have the rule of law, you'd have a balancing position that the future is better than where we are coming from.

“That is what my generation believes in and that's what's energizing entrepreneurship in Nigeria/Africa because if the younger generation of my ilk believes in it, then we believe we can do it better."

36—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

BVN to end salary delay —Gov Ahmed

Submit your BVN or risk losing salary, Sokoto govt tells workers

By Demola Akinyemi

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LORIN — GOVERNOR Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has said the proposed biometric exercise and the verification of workers through the presentation of Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) will end delay in the payment of salaries in the State.

Governor Ahmed gave this assurance, weekend, at a meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Ilorin, the state capital.

He anoted that through the presentation of the BVN, salaries of local governments’ workers and State Universal Basic Education teachers, which had been a major problem, would become a thing of the past.

The governor said with the approval of the N20 billion bond to be secured by the state by the Debt Management Office, the tempo of the development of infrastructure in the state would be accelerated.

Some of the projects tied to the bond, the governor said, included the expansion of some major roads in the state capital, construction of two new campuses of Kwara State University in Ilesha-Baruba and Osi in Baruten and Ekiti local government areas respectively.

“With increased internally generated revenue, youth empowerment and employment programme of this administration would also improve tremendously,” he assured.

Love is missing in Rivers politics —PAC

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EADING political actors in Rivers State have displayed complete lack of love among themselves and towards their followers as reflected during the last re-run state and National Assembly elections in the state characterized by high level violence and killings.

This was the submission of the Police Assistance Committee (PAC) whose field officers that monitored the elections in Rivers State reported that leaders of the two leading political parties in the elections through their actions and inactions showed absolute lack of love for their followers as they encouraged them to commit various electoral malpractices which resulted in killing and maiming of one another while protecting the selfish interest of their leaders.

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ARRIVAL: From left, Pastor Blessing Imokhai; General Overseer, Church of Evangelism; Rev. Edith Okubanjo; Pastor Rotimi Rofekah and Pastor Olu Adeniran, during the arrival of Rev Okubanjo from the two weeks nationwide prayer tour 2016 of 36 states of the federation, including Federal Capital Territory, at Awoyaya, Epe/Ajah Expressway, Lagos.

Petroleum sector overregulated

by FG —LCCI Says DPR not addressing fundamental issues

By Ediri Ejoh & Prince Okafor

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AGOS— THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, said, yesterday, the petroleum industry was flawed with over-regulation and lacked clarity in its operations and hampering the growth, investment and job creation in the sector.

LCCI also flayed the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, for fighting the symptoms, rather than addressing the fundamentals.

In a statement, Director General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, lamented that the “current model of managing the downstream petroleum sector is not sustainable. It is at variance with the present administration’s vision to diversify the economy and create jobs. It perpetuates the phenomenal of rent economy and detrimental to economic

competition. It is important to stress that the citizens are the ultimate beneficiaries of a competitive market environment.”

He argued that the weak compliance with the regulated price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, in parts of the country was largely a symptom of much deeper problems and distortions in the petroleum products supply chain.

He noted that “ we have concerns over lack of clarity on the deregulation and liberalization of the sector, as the lacuna policy has put many investments in the sector at risk; while many other investment decisions have been put on hold.

“The concentration of petroleum products supply in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, remains a major cause for concern. The arrangement is an inherent entrenchment of the dominance of the NNPC to the detriment of private investors in the sector.”

On way forward for the industry, Muda called on the Federal Government to liberalize the downstream petroleum sector for unfettered private sector participation and investment.

According to him, “there should be a level playing field for all operators, including the NNPC. This would put an end to the perennial problem of fuel scarcity in the country and the hardships suffered by citizens to fuel scarcity.

"It will also attract more investment, generate more jobs and reduce the pressure on the country’s foreign reserves. It should not be an operator and still have regulatory powers, but have a model that would allow for a level playing field for all operators including the NNPC should be adopted.”

He added that the roles of the DPR and the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, needed to be better defined.

Benue set to partner SON on agric produce certification

By Gabriel Olawale

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AKURDI — GOVERNOR Sam Ortom of Benue State has expressed his state government’s commitment to partner with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), to ensure that agriculture produces from the state are certified for export.

The governor revealed this in the course of Standards Organisation of Nigeria’s campaign in Makurdi, the state capital.

He said certification of

produce would boost their export value and also help in checkmating the rejection of Nigerian export produces in the international market.

Ortom said the state was blessed with abundant natural resources that could serve as backbone for the industries and for export.

According to him, the state was ready to partner with relevant agencies of the Federal Government, especially the SON, towards helping value addition, wealth creation and jobs for Nigerians.

He also applauded the current

SON leadership for embarking on a noble initiative of building the capacity of operators of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), describing it as a step in the right direction given that MSMEs were the engine of growth of any economy.

In his response, the Acting Director-General of SON, Dr Paul Angya, said the essence of the visit which began in Nasarawa state was to sensitize the MSME operators on the importance and benefits of deploying standards in their production and businesses.

OKOTO— THE Sokoto government has instructed all workers to submit their Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) before they will be paid their April and other salaries.

This is part of efforts to sanitise the state civil service and permanently tackle the menace of ghost workers, according to a government statement in Sokoto yesterday.

The statement signed by Malam Imam Imam, spokesman of Governor Aminu Tambuwal, said that "submission of the BVN forms part of the ongoing verification of staff and the updating of records of all employees in the state civil service."

It said the directive also affected workers at the local government level. The statement said the state Head of Service had been instructed to ensure prompt compliance.

This, it announced, was to enable all workers update their records.

Shehu of Borno urges FG to return 2.6m IDPs to liberated communities

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI— The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai ElKanemi, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to return Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps to military liberated communities in the state.

Making the call, when the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Baba Abubakar, paid a courtesy visit to his palace in Maiduguri, he said peace had returned to 22 insurgency affected local government areas in the state.

Garbai El-Kanemi also said as peace had returned to the insurgency affected council areas of Borno State, the over two million IDPs in various camps of Maiduguri and Biu, are “eager to go back” to their respective liberated towns and villages.

Responding, Air Marshal Abubakar assured the monarch that the military would not fail the people of Borno State on the restoration of peace.

He said this would enable all the displaced persons in various resettlement camps return to their respective communities, within the shortest possible period of time.

Vanguard, MONDAY —37 MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—37

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38—VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Anti-graft war shouldn’t be Buhari’s sole agenda

streamline and restructure those debts to certain level that we can say the servicing is manageable.

We are spending about N2.7 billion monthly to service debts now as against between N4.7billion to N5.2billion spent on servicing debts on a monthly basis when we came in.

About 10 months in the saddle, what do you have to show Deltans and where exactly are you leading the state?

In the first instance, at the state level, we have stabilized governance. The stability in governance is that we have been able to manage the finances. At least up to February, we have been able to pay salaries and that in itself is all-important.

We have also had to talk with the staff; I had a meeting with the Permanent Secretaries and all Directors on my assumption to ensure that they understand where we are now. The reason is that if you do not give them the

— OLANIPEKUN

•Okowa: We’re still in the process of reducing the cost of governance

How we’re re-engineering Delta — GOV OKOWA •Why I can’t be sectional •How we’re cutting waste GOVERNOR of Delta State, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa in two interview sessions in Abuja and Asaba speaks on how he has been steering the affairs of the state in the past 10 months, how he and others broke the myth of Delta Northerner becoming the governor of the state and lots more. Excerpts:

By Emma Amaize, Regional know that they play a lot of role Well, we are still in the process Editor, South-South, Festus especially with issues concerning of reducing the cost of Ahon, and Levinus vandalism, bunkering and issues governance; it is ongoing. When Nwabughiogu concerning even kidnapping. talking about the cost of They play a lot of roles. Sometimes governance generally, we are NE of the issues discussed the situation demands they looking at the overhead cost, at the National Economic appoint these aides because they salaries and remuneration to staff.

Council retreat was the reduction actually have roles to play but in These two put together is what of the cost of governance. How the totality of it, the amount that we call recurrent expenditure. are you applying that in Delta you use to pay in terms of salaries What we have tried to do is to and allowance for these aides reduce to a reasonable level the State?

I think that when political aides doesn’t actually add up a lot to cost of running the ministries.

That has come down by about are appointed they are appointed the cost of governance. The to do specific jobs and people current situation is that in many 50 per cent; I may not be able to don’t understand that. I will give states, truly, you find a situation give you the exact figures now. you an example. In my state, you where you have what I call an However, we have been able to have what they call the water over bloated work force. That is get top civil servants to buy into ways and land security committee. because in the past years, we ran the current situation, which is that it is better for us to have a People may just feel ‘oh it is just clearly an oil economy. reduced cost than to have for the boys’. But it is not. If you irregularities in the releases of don’t do that you will just find Over bloated funds. You may never get the crises in every part of the state work force funds if you stick to the old figures and all kinds of things are going on even in their presence.

The question is: do we actually I guess that the MDAs are Beyond that they are able to need all of them? Even if we don’t operating under very tight have an influence on their peers need all of them, can you actually conditions, but they have been to get away from committing retrench people at this moment? able to run their ministries effectively. crime otherwise most of the It is not political.

We have also gone ahead to southern states where you have It is not the best at the moment trouble you will find out that if you to consider. If you put all this discuss with security operatives do not use some of them to be part together, I believe that the various to rework the funding that is of the process to achieve peace governments will employ the necessary for the processes of and gather intelligence, you will number of aides that will actually securing the peace of the state and just be lost because within the be needed for the course of the that is still ongoing. There are creeks, all kinds of things go on duty. Some directly and some are seven places government and the government agencies actually needed indirectly to play deployed them in the past and themselves won’t be able to get other roles that are beyond the those places are no longer in crisis, so we have to go down on such information with the kind of administration. information that comes out.

So, in figures can we know how those levels of expenditure for But I do know that some of them you reduced the cost of which I have their cooperation.

Largely, there had been a lot of may have their excesses but I governance in the state?

O

AKEREDOLU

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spending in the past about what they called non-regular expenditure.

It involved all manner of money spent on the general running of governance, requiring non regular releases; not monthly releases, but releases that are normally given to ministries to undertake one thing or the other, either foreign trips and various forms of workshops. We had to streamline all these because you need to be sure of what you are doing.

No foreign trip for now Now, we are not allowing any foreign trip except it is going to be necessary. Even on my part as the governor, I have only had to move out once because I had to go and address the UN on the African Industrialization Bill.

Recurrent expenditure I had that window of opportunity, which is something that you get occasionally and it is the only foreign trip by me since I came into government.

We are also trying to streamline so many things and as I said, it is ongoing. We have been able to do a lot of cost reduction. It may not have come down too much because within our recurrent expenditure, we also bring in the issue of consolidated revenue funds.

Anyway, we have spent quite a huge sum of money in servicing the debts that we met and even then, we have also put processes in place to also Continues on page 39

What we have tried to do is to reduce to a reasonable level the cost of running the ministries, that has come down by about 50 per cent

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 39

Why I can’t be sectional — GOV OKOWA Continues from page 38 opportunity to buy in, they will live in the past as if the state is buoyant.

You know people have this mentality that ‘Delta State is an oil rich state,’ therefore, everybody wants to live big and large. Therefore, we essentially made them to understand that we are in austerity time and we expect that everybody should run government the way government should be and not to be extravagant in what they do. I guess that they have essentially bought into that and we now have stability in government and that is quite important. Then we have also kept faith with our programme but we would have loved to expand beyond what we are doing now.

Educational revolution: Going outside that, we also realized that there is a need to re-jig our educational curriculum. We held an impressive Education Summit, which was very widely attended; a two-day summit where we charted a direction for ourselves.

Essentially, we agreed that we need to have a concentration on Technical Education where our children are able to acquire skills.

Unfortunately, we had abandoned most of our technical schools; we did not pay special attention to them.

World over, we are talking about universal health coverage. That has not been the case in Nigeria, the National Health Insurance Scheme since 2004 has only managed to capture federal workers and most states have not bought in.

Health insurance cover federal workers and few organizations but here in Delta, we have decided to extend it beyond workers; we are bringing in the informal sector, we are bringing in the organized private sector, and the law actually makes it compulsory for any organized private sector to insure its workers.

We have already appointed the Chairman and the Director General of the Commission; we are working with the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Among the informal workers, what we do is to encourage them to participate in the health insurance scheme.

Comprehensive rehabilitation In this short while, we have been able to have a comprehensive rehabilitation and equipping of three of them; in Agbor, at Ofagbe and the one in Sapele. We tried to build up hostels so that it will be better than what we had in the past with workshops, improving on the level of the teaching staff and providing equipment. We are also trying to create linkages with other persons who can actually come in because it is not just a question of the theory, we need people to acquire genuine skills that will keep them going in life; that we are doing.

The other three Technical schools, this year, we are trying to put them into proper shape, these include the one at IselleUku, Ozagogo and the one at Ogor, Ughelli North and these are areas we are looking into while trying to create proper linkage between them and our Polytechnics.

Health Insurance policy: In the health sector, we have also the Delta Contributory Health Commission Law. It is actually going to be a partnership between the citizenry and the government.

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•Okowa: I have seen myself as a Deltan The money is not going to be burdensome on the families because rather than somebody getting sick at a time you may not have money and the person dies or you going to the moneylender, with the little premium that you pay, you will actually find out that you can get good healthcare services in any of our hospitals.

When did it dawn on you that you could be the governor of Delta State?

Well, I cannot say because I already had the ambition before the Ogwashi-Uku primaries. In June 2006, the ambition came into me; just about six months to that primaries and I tried to make many consultations. By October, I did decide to run for the elections, we thank God for whatever happened, but I did well, I thank God, I came out a strong second and being a party man, I actually supported the party, I supported the immediate past governor and I also became the director- general of his campaign.

Accountability and justice

It is a very common thing to play the politics of power, when in power, you want to do things in a manner that people fear you, but I believe in uniting people

We ran our effective campaign and at the end of it, I became Secretary to the State Government. Having participated and done well and because I have worked in Delta State, I believe I have a clear understanding of what Delta State should be and how we should relate to our people. With a very strong desire, we realized that we need to unite our people in Delta State and that we must work strongly to create trust between government and the people.

This kept on resonating in my mind and right from that day, even when I lost, I believe that after the governor’s eight years, I was also going to make an attempt. Because for us to create

unity, we need equity, you must understand the sensitivities of the people, you need a reasonable level of accountability, and you must be somebody that is able to build relationship, rather than play the politics of power.

It is a very common thing to play the politics of power, when in power, you want to do things in a manner that people fear you, but I believe in uniting people.

You will find that where we are today, most of them that contested with me in the primaries are in my government and we are working strongly, even in key positions.

Warm representation for Delta State People will advise you oh, that is not the best to do, but I do not believe in that, I believe in what you can offer. That is why if you watch quickly now, I have a Commissioner for Finance, he was in the contest, my Senior Policy Adviser was in the contest.

These things are quite important and they hold key positions, because I believe that they have things to offer, that is why they were in the race and, therefore, we can work together to deliver with everybody bringing his idea to bear.

So, right from 2006, I had a focus. Of course, I knew there was going to be a break for eight years because I needed to support the governor, who was on seat, and I kept faith with it. By God’s grace, I went to the Senate and throughout the time I was in the Senate, my focus was strongly on Delta. I thank God I had a warm representation for Delta State in the Senate; I am sure that you can attest that I was not a bench warmer in the Senate.

I was a strong voice for Delta in the Senate and I thank God that the people appreciated it and when it came to the issue of

election in Delta, to the glory of God, many people did not think I will survive it, but to God be the glory, I am Governor today.

Until date, it is still a mystery how Senator Ifeanyichukwu Okowa, aka, Ekwueme, broke the jinx of Delta Northerner emerging Governor of Delta State, can we know how you and others did it?

I think it is essentially God. God guided us aright and from the beginning I did not preach Delta North, thank God my SSG and Chief of Staff were all there with me in the field. Right from day one in 2006, I have preached that there was the need for us to have someone, who has a good understanding of the state and that our government will run based on equity, accountability and justice.

Because if I did go in the line of Delta North, I would have gotten it wrong, I will turn out to be a sectional governor. I ran for the Senate and became a Senator for Delta North.

Yes, I represented the people well, though I was a voice for Delta, but in running for governorship, you must have a clear vision and it must be about Delta State and not about Delta North. So I think the people understood the message that I was preaching the unity of Delta and, therefore, the progress of Delta, rather than try processes that will lead me to become an ethnic warlord, an ethnic governor, I did not want it to be so. They understood that and I think God actually blessed that.

Contract processes However, all through my time in government, from 1999 until date, I have seen myself as a Deltan and I keep friends across.

I will start from when I was in Water Resources and Agriculture as commissioner; I could sit down and relate with people across the state and the dividends of democracy that came through my office to people.

Not necessarily money, but through contract processes, people who you really knew were competent. I did not care whether you are from Delta North, Central, Ijaw, Isoko, Itsekiri. I related with everybody equally and when I was doing that, I did it just because I had that feeling.

I never thought then and it never crossed my mind that I could ever become governor.

We were still quite young, but I found out at last, when we were doing our campaign that it helped us a lot, because there were many places I went to consult with our leaders, they would remind me about what I did for them in 1999, 2001, off course, I had forgotten. Even in the remote places, they put in remembrance of some of these things that I did and I said thank God I did well because if I had also done wrong to them, they would also have recounted them during the visits.

So we thank God, its God’s grace, the powers were strong, but once He decides, no man can fault Him.

40—Vanguard, MONDAY MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 41 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 AQUARIUS; You like it or not, domestic related issues will become prominent on your mind. Career and financial affairs can bring you unexpected success today.

PISCES; Those of you who are more firmed are in for a rewarding day. In whatever you do today it is important you don’t forget both immediate and far future.

ARIES; You will have more to gain keeping both your personal and financial secrets. Take good advantage of your sex appeal to enhance your love life positively.

TAURUS; You are becoming more determined to the betterment of your cause. However this is not the right time to re-arrange (and/or) re-plan your finances.

GEMINI; Giving priority attention to either day-to-day working activities or long term career related issue is not bad at all but you must be as practical as possible.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

L

IFE is all about relationship. It is all about how you relate well with the other man or woman. For ex-

About Relationship? ample, a successful father should be able to relate well with his children, a successful leader

TERROR MUDA

should be able to relate well with his followers.

Similarly, a good manager should have a good rap-

in “Scavenger Elite”

port with members of his workforce.How well you relate with people could determine how far you will go in life.Think about it.

By Lanre Kehinde

CANCER; It will be wrong to drop ambitious plans along your career line because of minor disappointment. Take your good friends more seriously.

LEO; Time is fast approaching for an important actions concerning your career and/or business lines. Don’t allow friends to mislead you. Be very practical.

VIRGO; It is good to express yourself gracefully , but it is equally good to watch what you tell others so that you don’t promise what you can not deliver.

LIBRA; The best for you today is to give priority attention to practical way to improve on your working pattern and encourage better understanding at work.

SCORPIO; It is nice to rely on yourself but nobody can be an Island on his own; meaning that you will need to be as co-operative as necessary to be successful today.

SAGITTARIUS; Good advice from the veterans within your base of operation will go long way to get things done the proper way to the betterment of your cause.

CAPRICORN; If you take good advice from your tried and trusted friends you will not have cause to regret but if you become reckless it would back-fire. Be loving.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in “HEY’

By Andy Akman

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

Was I born on a Tuesday?

Dear Joshua, I want you to tell me the day of the week I was born, how the planets lined up when I was born and what both immediate and far future have for me.

Friday, Mina Dear Friday, You were born on a Monday as indicated by your horoscope data as given here under. I hope you will take what you will find seriously and utilise them.

THE HOROSCOPE DATA DAY OF BIRTH=MONDAY SUN SIGN = CANCER ;SUN IN 6TH DEGREE OF CANCER. MOON SIGN = ARIES ;MOON IN 24TH DEGREE OF ARIES STELLIUM SIGN = LEO MERCURY IN 1ST DEGREE OF LEO* VENUS IN 22ND DEGREE OF LEO* MARS IN 17TH DEGREE OF LEO* JUPITER IN 22ND DEGREE OF SCORPIO SATURN IN 3RD DEGREE OF CAPRICORN URANUS IN 14TH DEGREE OF LEO* NEPTUNE IN 4TH DEGREE OF SCORPIO PLUTO IN 2ND DEGREE OF VIRGO NORTH NODE IN 8TH DEGREE OF LIBRA SOUTH NODE IN 8TH DEGREE OF ARIES NUMBERS OF PLANET HOSTED BY GROUP OF STAR SIGNS (ACCORDING TO QUALITY & ELEMENT) ARE; CARDINAL = 3 FIXED =6 MUTABLE = I FIRE = 5 EARTH = 2 AIR = NONE WATER = 3 PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 50% NON-PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 50% FINAL DISPOSITOR (PLANET AT HOME)= AMBITIOUS SATURN THE FUTURE TRENDS For the past few years you have entered an endless cycle of material success. And your 44th year on earth is meant to be a powerful turning point with major emphasis placed on MONEY and LOVE. Talking of money, it will come through your work .

However the great challenge here is how to hold on to your profits as there are indications of you expending too much of your funds on either women or woman. It is not clear if it is on business or your normal responsibilities. But mind you if it is on business you will need to tarry a while because such may not yield the desired result. Actually if you go into joint venture with a woman during your 44th & 45th years on earth you are more than likely to be cheated; to be fore warned is to be fore armed.

Romantic aspect of it is if you don’t want another wife you will need to be very careful; as romantic escapade can result to avoidable trouble and/or sorrow (God forbid). Please take me very seriously here, Please! Please!! Please!!!

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

42—VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

EASTER MESSAGE: Pope denounces terrorism, anti-immigration attitude

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OPE Francis tempered his Easter Sunday message of Christian hope with a denunciation of “blind” terrorism, recalling victims of attacks in Europe, Africa and elsewhere, as well as expressing dismay that people fleeing war or poverty are being denied welcome as Europeancountriessquabble over the refugee crisis.

Tens of thousands of people patiently endured long lines, backpack inspections and metaldetecting checks Sunday to enter St. Peter’s Square.

Under a brilliant sun, they listened to Francis deliver the traditional noon Easter speech from the central balcony of St. Peter ’s Basilica.

To their delight, Francis completed a whirl through the square, made colorful with sprays of tulips and other spring flowers, in his open-topped pope-mobile after celebrating Mass on the steps of the basilica. He

leaned over barriers to shake hands, as the vehicle ventured past the Vatican’s confines, with his bodyguards jogging alongside on the boulevard.

In Jerusalem, the cavernous Holy Sepulcher church - where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected - was packed with worshippers commemoratingthedaythey believe Jesus was resurrected in Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago.

For years, Islamist extremists in social media have listed the Vatican and Rome as potential targets due to hosting the headquarters of the Roman Catholic church and several basilicas. Despite the threats, Francis has kept to his habit of trying to be in close physical contact with ordinary people.

Francis said, for the faithful, Jesus who rose after death by crucifixion “triumphed over evil and sin.” He expressed hope that

US ELECTION: Sanders wins Washington, Alaska, Hawaii

B

ERNIE Sanders has swept to victory over Hillary Clinton in all three states that voted for the Democratic presidential nominee on Saturday.

The biggest prize was Washington state, but Mr Sanders also won in Alaska and Hawaii, boosting his campaign.

He took at least 70% of the vote in all three states.

Mr Sanders thanked his supporters and said his “campaign has the

momentum”, but he still faces a tough task to overhaul Mrs Clinton.

After Saturday ’s caucuses, she leads Mr Sanders by 1,243 delegates to 975, the Associated Press count shows.

When superdelegates party officials who can support either candidate - who have so far declared their allegiance are included, Mrs Clinton is ahead by 1,712 to 1,004 in the race to reach 2,383 delegates.

Newly elected Benin president aims to reduce presidential terms week.

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E W LY- e l e c t e d Benin president Patrice Talon plans to reduce presidential mandates to just one fiveyear term, he said late on Friday, after the constitutional court confirmed his election victory over prime minister Lionel Zinsou.

Talon took 65.4 percent of the vote in last Sunday’s run-off poll to decide who would replace President Thomas Boni Yayi, who is stepping down after serving two terms in office, the constitutional court said. The figures confirmed results that came out earlier in the

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“I will first and foremost tackle constitutional reform,” Talon told reporters, reinforcing a promise made during campaigning. One term of five years would reduce presidential “complacency”, he said.

•Patrice Talon

Pope Francis greets the crowd from the Popemobile after leading Easter Mass in the Vatican “will draw us closer to the victims of terrorism, that blind and brutal form of violence.”

At the end of Mass, he chatted briefly with the former king and queen of

Belgium, Albert II and Paola, who attended the ceremony.

In his speech, Francis cited recent attacks in Belgium, Turkey, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Iraq.

BRUSSELS ATTACKS: Police move against protesters

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ELGIAN police fired water cannon to disperse a large group of demonstrators who stormed a central Brussels

ISIS driven out of Syria’s Palmyra city

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YRIAN government forces backed by heavy Russian air support drove Islamic State out of Palmyra on Sunday, inflicting what the army called a mortal blow to militants who seized the city last year and dynamited its ancient temples.

The loss of Palmyra represents one of the biggest setbacks for the ultra-hardline Islamist group since it declared a caliphate in 2014 across large parts of Syria and Iraq.

The army general command said that its forces took over the city with support from Russian and Syrian air strikes, opening up the huge expanse of desert leading east to the Islamic State strongholds of Raqqa and Deir al-Zor. Palmyra would become “a launchpad to expand military operations” against the group in those two provinces, it said, promising to “tighten the noose on the terrorist group and cut supply routes ... ahead of their complete recapture.” .

square.

They invaded the Place de la Bourse as people paid tribute at a makeshift memorial for victims of last Tuesday’s deadly attacks.

Riot police intervened to try to restore order after the group confronted Muslim women in the crowds, made Nazi salutes and chanted.

The attacks at Brussels airport and on the metro killed 28 people.

A “march against fear” planned for Sunday was called off after the authorities said it would strain police resources for the investigation.

Belgian police also carried out 13 new raids and took more people in for questioning on Sunday as part of investigations into the attacks.

A man already in Belgian custody was reported to have been charged in connection with a foiled attack in the Paris region.

The group involved actually call themselves Casuals against Terrorism - not Fascists against Terrorism as earlier reported.

Some of the hundredsstrong group wore balaclavas and anonymous masks. Many wore black clothing. Some reports described them as football hooligans.

One of them, called Andres, told AFP news agency: “We are football hooligans, we don’t have anything to do with politics.”

“We are here for the victims and to pay our respects,” he said.

US-Nigeria HIV/AIDS partnership on track, says Amb Entwistle

By Vera Samuel Anyagafu

A

CCORDING to the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador James F. Entwistle, there have been several inaccurate media reports lately, concerning the US government’s support to persons living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) in Nigeria. He said that claims made in some articles that the United States is reducing HIV/ AIDS funding due to Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act are untrue. What is true, he disclosed, is that US funding decisions on international HIV/AIDS programmes are not linked to other governments’ views on same sex marriage or other LGBTI issues.

“Since 2004, the American people have provided $4.2 billion in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care for millions of Nigerians through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), clearly a massive US commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

Anti-retroviral therapy Contrary to what is often reported, PEPFAR is committed to maintaining support for the more than 600,000 Nigerians it has placed on anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Last year alone, more than 8.5 million Nigerians were tested and counseled for HIV, and 55,000 women were provided drugs to prevent transmission of the virus to their unborn children with PEPFAR support, “The patients on ART are receiving care in 490 local government areas (LGAs) located throughout Nigeria.

Country-wide, approximately 750,000 Nigerians receive ART”, Entwistle stated.

He said the burden of HIV was not spread evenly throughout the country, noting that surveillance data show that some parts of the country have higher rates of infection than others.

“Approximately 3.4 million Nigerians are infected with the virus. More than one million of those are located in seven states where PEPFAR, in consultation with the Nigerian government, has chosen to scale up services.

According to the latest National AIDS Spending Assessment, 75 percent of the national HIV response programme is funded by

donors, predominantly PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

As contributions from these sources are finite and have not increased in recent years, the only way HIV treatment has continued to be increased is by finding efficiencies and reducing costs. We are learning how to do more with the same amount of money or even less. In 2017, the PEPFAR budget will shrink, but the U.S. government is committed to maintaining all PLHIV placed on treatment and to scaling up services in the highest burden, highest HIV prevalent areas. We have selected those areas, 32 LGAs in seven states, because we can reach the greatest number of PLHIV in the areas of highest concentration with the fewest dollars.

That means our limited budget can place more people on life-saving treatment by concentrating our efforts in a limited geographical area. By having the right mix of resources and services, we can gain control of the HIV epidemic and halt the transmission of the virus”, he added.

The United States seeks to engage and encourage the Nigerian government to mobilize greater resources for the HIV response in a new era of accountability, transparency, and impact.

In no country, including Nigeria, are PEPFAR funding decisions related to a government’s position on issues related to gay and lesbian populations, as recently (and erroneously) reported in the press here in Nigeria”.

Epidemic control Ambassador Entwistle, while defining epidemic control as the point at which the number of new HIV infections has decreased and falls below the number of AIDS-related deaths, said PEPFAR is committed to supporting the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’ (UNAIDS) “90-90-90” goal of having 90 percent of people living with HIV diagnosed, 90 percent of those diagnosed on ART, and 90 percent of those on ART virally suppressed.

Doing so in a small number ofprioritizedgeographicareas he told the forum, will provide proof of concept which is hoped will encourage the Nigeria to invest more in AIDS prevention.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 — 43

Vanguard CLASSIFIED OROGUN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Orogun E m a m u r h o Ejiroghene, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odinichi-Opiti E m a m u r h o Ejiroghene. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that Ovwigho Otega Ben,Ovwigho Otega and Oghenetega Ovwigho is the same and one person but now wish to be known and addressed as Ovwigho Otega Ben. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Names

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Addition of Name

The disaster called ‘draw’

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N assumption of du ties as Akwa United Chairman, I remember telling my team that our success in the league will depend on how many points we can garner at home.

That if I had my way we will not draw any match at home while we pick some points on the road.

We all agreed.

Things were moving fine until Warri Wolves came calling. Tried as we did, we could only pull a draw.

At the blast of referee Inoyo’s whistle, the silence that reigned at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

A draw at home was considered “ a disaster” Then all hell was let loose as spectators and stakeholders tried to explain “ why we lost” at home.

From the performance of the players to the coaches and the referee, “ the chairman “ was the recipient of tens of pieces of advice on ways to make sure that we never draw at home again.

Twenty minutes later, when the results of other matches started filtering in and five draws were recorded across the league, our draw received some degree of acceptability.

Friday, March 25 I could not catch a direct flight to Kaduna so I took a flight to Abuja and drove down for the all important clash against Egypt.

Let me not talk about security arrangements for the match and God’s grace in the disaster that was averted. The positive that I took away from Kaduna is that Nigerians are still crazy about the game of football and the support for their national team.

We did not have to buy tickets for the fans. For 200 or 500 naira, that stadium would still have been filled to the brim, but most importantly there are about three Nigerians in this country who are FIFA/CAF security Officers. Henceforth, their involvement in National team games should be considered non negotiable. Football security is different from policing or soldiering!

As early as 2 pm for a 5 pm match, the stadium was

Efe Ambrose? Yes he was not really in the game, yet for us to have held on that far and to let go was as painful as anything can be already filled beyond what we refer to in CAF and FIFA as Stadium Safe Capacity.

My oh my what a crowd....what enthusiasm as they trekked towards the stadium, looking forward to the match that was to make or mar the country’s chances in the next Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Then the match proper.

The team list did not make an initial meaning to me. It was Sia Sia’s call.

He was the one that had interacted and trained with the boys and was expected to know who to start and who to substitute, if not, on paper I would have queried the benching of Iwobi and Moses.

The story of the Kaduna heat was relegated to the back ground as the match kicked off with the Eagles probing and searching for the all important goals that was to guarantee victory.

There was no faulting this team, not wholesale.

This is a team that perhaps came too late in the day. I have not seen such a promising side in a long while.

Despite the fact that it was a brand new team as it were, I was sure that the goal was going to come, sooner than later.

When it did, it was a reward for a team that had played better on the afternoon. Victor Moses could have iced the cake, but for a do or die Egyptian defender.

I was one of those that believed the job had been done. Was looking forward to tomorrow and the possibility of a draw in Alex-

ander, at worst, when disaster struck!

Television replays have not helped me in establishing whether the goal was offside or not. What has been confirmed is that the goal was accepted and our task has become very Herculean.

Efe Ambrose? Yes he was not really in the game, yet for us to have held on that far and to let go was as painful as anything can be.

Draws are supposed to be complimentary. This draw was a disaster.

Since then, I have read about the possibility of us going to Alexander not only to pay them back in their own coins but doing one better.

I said to a friend it was the “ Nasarawa experience” the CAF preliminary round match when no one gave them a chance but they returned victorious from Senegal.

This team gives me hope. It inspires me. It will be painful if this team does not make it to Gabon. Accuse this team of lack of concentration, of not taking its chances.......but you cannot accuse it of not trying.

Coach Sia Sia and his colleagues have done well. It is not over until it is over.

Well done guys and good luck tomorrow.

Have to stop. Time to leave for the stadium. Am in Bauchi for a match against Wikki Tourist and this time, though we are going for a win, unlike the Super Eagles , a draw will be celebrated.

See you next week.

Pepsi stages Corporate Beach Soccer at Gidi Fest provided an ample exciting beach soccer

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EPSI, a brand synonymous with football development in Nigeria provided an exciting variety to the Easter celebration as top Nigerian professionals from different walks of life displayed their football artistry at beach soccer tournament at the weekend. The beach soccer match organized by Pepsi as part of the events for this year’s Gidi Fest at Eko Atlantic Beach, Lagos

opportunity for the corporate guys to show to soccer enthusiasts that beyond engineering, creative art, marketing or law they could also play good football.

The three-team beach soccer featured corporate executives from all walks of life such as Luciel Kancel, construction engineer, Emeka Okocha, creative industrialist, Teierry Mbimi, Partner KPMG amongst others. The

match saw NTDIL team beating Thursday Night Life 5-4 in a penalty shootout at the opening game. The team which lost by 1-0 to Pepsi’s team in 2015 also went ahead to defeat Golden Stars 3-1 at the final on Saturday.

There were fascinating dribbles, penetrating passes and crunchy tackles to the admiration of the spectators who applauded and cheered ceaselessly.

44 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

S-H-O-C-K-E-R:

Ikeme out of battle of Alexandria

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UPER Eagles and Wo l v e r h a m p t o n Wanderers of England shot –stopper Carl Ikeme is out of tomorrow ’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt in Alexandria.

Ikeme is feeling unwell and the coaches have decided not to risk him in goal tomorrow during the all -important encounter against the Pharaohs.

Super Eagles team doctor Ibrahim Gyaran told thenff.com that the goalkeeper has stomach upset which has kept him out of training since Friday ’s game in Kaduna.

“After the game last Friday, Carl has been struggling with some stomach upset and it has not allowed him train with the rest of the squad,” Gyaran disclosed.

“He is stable but needs a lot of rest to be back in 100% shape for the kind of high profile game that we have on Tuesday. Considering the amount of travel involved as well, it is best we give him a break,” he added.

Reacting, Head Coach Samson Siasia has allayed fears that the absence of the goalkeeper will hamper the team’s chances of victory tomorrow.

“We will surely miss Carl but the good thing with our team is that we have capable replacements in every department. Daniel Akpeyi and Ikechukwu Ezenwa are still here and any one of these two will help us get the job done in Alexandria,” Siasia concluded.

Eagles draw, a blessing in disguise — Ladipo *as officials lament security lapse at the stadium

By Patrick Omorodion

A

OUT: Carl Ikeme won't play against Egypt tomorrow

Chad withdraws, compounds Nigeria’s fate T HE Confederation of African Football (CAF) have banned cash-strapped Chad from the 2019 AFCON after they pulled out of the qualifying tournament for 2017 AFCON and they will also pay a fine of $20,000.

The ban and fine are contained in Article 59.

CAF also announced that as a result of their

withdrawal, only one team will now qualify from Group G, which has Nigeria, Egypt and Tanzania.

No team in this group will be considered for one of the two best losers slots.

This was based on a decision taken by the CAF executive committee on January 15, 2015,that any group

the court.

“I breathed a sigh of relief after the ref blew the final whistle,” Salah, 23, told Al-Ahram Daily newspaper.

“I was afraid when I received the ball and was heading directly towards the goal to score what could have been the win-

score, I wouldn’t have been able to tell what exactly the fans’ response would be, that’s why I thanked God right after the final whistle.”

where a team withdraw and there are now only three teams, only the winners can qualify for the final tournament.

All the results involving Chad have also been annulled as stipulated

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1 3 2 2 2 1 2 0 0

Tornadoes Nasarawa Enyimba Giwa Rivers Utd MFM Shooting Lobi Akwa Utd

0 0 1 0 3 1 1 0 0

GYPT assistant coach Osama Nabih believes the Pharaohs have a difficult mission to confirm a place in the African Cup of Nations finals when they host Nigeria in the qualifiers Tuesday.

“We achieved what we wanted against Nigeria,

but we have passed just 10 percent of the road to the African finals,” Nabih told Al-Hayat TV Channel after the match.

“The return match will be very difficult, so we have to concentrate well and we shouldn’t exaggerate in our celebration after the draw in Nigeria,” Nabih explained.

Blackwell in coma after title fight defeat

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NPFL Results Abia Warriors El Kanemi Rangers Heartland Ikorodu Plateau Sunshine Wolves Wikki

by Article 61.

The standings in the group is now as follows – Egypt on top with four points, Nigeria second on two points and Tanzania with a point.

It’s not yet uhuru —Egyptian coach

Salah: I thanked God we didn’t defeat E ner,” Salah said.

Eagles on the side track around “Had I been able to OHAMED Salah said yesterday he breathed a sigh of relief when the referee blew the final whistle in the 1-1 draw in Nigeria as he was on his way to one-on-one chance to score because hundreds of home fans were watching the game

S Nigerians continue to rue the 1-1 draw the Super Eagles played against the Pharoahs of Egypt in Kaduna on Friday in an Africa Nations Cup qualifier, President General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo has described it as a blessing in disguise.

Dr Ladipo who led his members to drum support for the Eagles in the overcrowded Ahmadu Bello Stadium said even though he was disappointed with the result which has put the team’s qualification on a difficult path, he was glad the Eagles didn’t win.

His happiness, according to him, was that a win for the Eagles could have caused a wild jubilation from the fans who would have been ecstatic and therefore encroached unto the pitch which the Egyptians could have capitalised on to protest to CAF.

Nick Blackwell was deemed unable to continue by a doctor due to heavy swelling over his left eye.

HE British boxer Nick Blackwell is in an induced coma after suffering a bleed on the brain following a domestic title fight defeat on Saturday night.

The referee stopped the largely one-sided fight against Chris Eubank Jr in the 10th round after Blackwell, who had taken heavy

punishment in most rounds, was deemed unable to continue by a doctor, due to swelling over his left eye.

Shortly after the bout, for Blackwell’s British middleweight title, which was televised live on Channel 5, the 25year-old, from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, collapsed and had to be taken out of the ring on a stretcher with oxygen.

“It is sad that we allowed the Egyptians to equalise but again, on a second thought, I believe the draw held back the fans from wild celebration. If we had won, the crowd would have been uncontrollable and they would have rushed into the pitch and caused us problem. The Egyptians would have been happy to take pictures and eventually protest to CAF,” he stressed.

Speaking on the poor crowd control, Dr. Ladipo said, “I had to squeeze myself through one of the turnstiles that was not rotating and at a point I thought my stomach was going to rupture. I had to do that to create an avenue for my members to gain access into the stadium.”

He disclosed that when some officials saw the fans who crowded the television stand, they approached him to talk to them to come down as it could collapse and create problem for the country.

“I was astonished by the fans attitude and prayed that nothing happens because it could have been disastrous.

When some officials asked me to speak to them to come down, I had to tell them that I’m not a police man to do that. The policemen on duty were overwhelmed by the fans who turned out in their numbers. We just thank God nothing happened,” he said.

Some policemen who manned the gate were overheard complaining why a match of such magnitude was brought to Kaduna and played on a Friday, adding that the National Stadium in Abuja would have been the ideal place to play the match.

Even those drafted to watch at the fans in the stadium to forestall any trouble sat around the tracks watching the game.

A Football Association official from one of the South West states who pleaded anonymity wondered why the gates had to be thrown open after selling tickets and blamed the action for the overcrowding of the stadium.

Another area which some officials who pleaded anonymity felt the organisers of the match overlooked was in the area of security as fans entered into the stadium without being screened.

They believed that the match coming a few days after the Brussels bomb blasts, effort should have been made to ensure that fans were screened by frisking for any explosive device.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—45

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46—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016—47

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

S-H-O-C-K-E-R:

Ikeme out of battle of Eagles draw, Alexandria a blessing in De

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sP ail

g4

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disguise — Ladipo It’s not yet uhuru —Egyptian coach 2017 AFCON QUALIFIERS

STADIUM MADNESS ... Nigerian fans perch on the scoreboard to watch the 2017 Afcon qualifier between Eagles and Egypt at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna. This ‘madness’ could have ended in tragedy with a single blast of fire cracker sending fans into panic and subsequent stampede. Photo: Olu Ajayi

Chad withdraws, compounds Nigeria’s fate *CAF ban, fine ‘em $20,000 *Only Group g winners qualify

Benin South Sudan Botswana Comoros Kenya Guinea-Bissau Congo Zambia Mozambique Ghana

3 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 0

Today’s Fixtures Zimbabwe v Swaziland 2pm CAR v Madagascar 3pm E/Guinea v Mali 5pm Libya v Sao Tome and Principe 5pm

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 5 Jumping biting insect (4) 6 Reflection of sound (4) 7 Top-selling single of the week (6.3) 8 Fried piece of potato (4) 10 Gown of office (4) 12 Temporary insurance document (5.4) 15 Urgent entreaty (4) 16 Variety of government bond (4) DOWN 1 Piece of agricultural machinery (6) 2 Paint crudely (4) 3 Intense fright (6) 4 Part of the face below the mouth (4) 9 Before the deduction of a levy (3.3) 11 Glass container with a neck (6) 13 Slippery with grease (4) 14 Constantly carps at (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Cos 3, Depth 6, Wallpa- DOWN: 1, Cower 2, Selfimage 3, Dope per 7, Rail 8, Dyed 11, Standown 12, 4, Puppylove 5, Her 9, Dance 10, Edit 11, Saw Wheat 13, Eye

How to Play Sudoku

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lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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