Stop mocking Jonathan, ex-ministers tell Buhari

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62482

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

35 princes jostle for Ooni stool

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Stop mocking Jonathan, ex-ministers tell Buhari •What are Jonathan's ministers afraid of?— Presidency •Says anti-corruption war non-negotiable •APC lists fresh cases of looting, blasts Jonathan's govt DONU, VANGUARD'S COLUMNIST ABDUCTED DSS arrests 14 Boko Haram suspects in Lagos, Enugu, Kano

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor, Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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B U J A — MINISTERS, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, tackled President Muhammadu Buhari on his on-going probe of his immediate predecessor.

They asked the president to stop unwarranted attacks on Jonathan and show due respect to him and his administration.

The Presidency, in its Continues on Page 5

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SSANU asks Buhari to revoke oil licences to individuals 14

ull-out •See pow tomorr

Mr & Mrs

Donu Kogbara. See story on Page 7.

COLUMNISTS:

This is an •P.19 emergency, rescue the police!

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The poison in further devaluation •P.36

Settling Fashola’s hash •P.20

CASH CRUNCH: CBN intervenes with N212bn 8

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 3

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POCKET CARTOON

CONFERENCE—From left: Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr Gboribiogha Jonah; representative of the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Rufus Godwin and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, at the banquet for the 11th All Nigerian Guild of Editors Conference in Yenagoa, weekend.

Stop mocking Jonathan, ex-ministers tell Buhari Continues from Page 1 reaction, however, took a swipe at the former ministers, saying they should reflect on the kind of government they handed over to the present government.

This happened on a day the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) listed new cases of looting under the Jonathan administration.

The party said the corruption mess that characterized the Administration was so pervasive that until it was cleaned, Nigeria will not be able to actualize her potential.

The former officials in a joint statement released in Abuja, yesterday, and signed by former National Planning Minister, Dr Abubakar O. Suleiman, pointed out that while Buhari and his party, the APC had the right to chart their path, they considered the vilification of the J o n a t h a n ’ s administration as illintentioned, unduly

partisan and in bad faith.

They maintained that it was wrong for the Buhari administration to cast aspersion on Jonathan and the ministers who worked under him, deliberately discrediting the monumental achievements and the innovative measures it adopted to tackle corruption in the country.

They said it was also wrong for the new administration to portray each and every member of the Jonathan administration as corrupt and irresponsible.

The former ministers, who boasted that they served Nigeria diligently and to the best of their ability, pointed out that the results of their sweat was what Nigerians now enjoy under the Buhari administration and should be so applauded rather than being vilified.

They insisted that contrary to the claim by the APC, Jonathan did not encourage corruption. He rather devised means and

IT'S UP TO YOU

B

BY AYO ADIO

EYOND our inadequacies lies the true genius.

If we decide to move past what seemed to limit us, that which held us back will become Leverage for our Elevation. It’s up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE Be a beacon of light and let no one steal your joy — Take Heart Quotes

W

HATEVER you do in your relationship with others, if another is constantly your shadow and always bent on having something you’ve out grown, let it be their dream. When you let go, you’ll have room to grow, to allow magnificent things to fill the vacuum more beautifully. And you’ll have space in your universe for higher altitude.

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measures to stamp out corruption within the context of the rule of law.

While calling on Buhari to carry out the probe of whoever he wants to probe, the ministers advised that such inquiry must, however, follow due process and respect for human rights.

Stop ridiculing Jonathan The statement said: “We, the ministers who served under the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration, have watched with increasing alarm and concern the concerted effort by the Buhari administration and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to condemn, ridicule and undermine the efforts of that administration, in addition to impugning the integrity of its individual members.

“While we concede that every administration has the right to chart its own path as it deems fit, we nevertheless consider the vilification of the Jonathan administration, to be ill-intentioned, unduly partisan, and in bad faith.

“The effort that has been made to portray each and every member of the Jonathan administration as corrupt and irresponsible, in an orchestrated and vicious trial by media, has created a lynch mentality that discredits our honest contributions to the growth and development of our beloved nation.

“We are proud to have served Nigeria and we

boldly affirm that we did so diligently and to the best of our abilities. The improvements that have been noticed today in the power sector, in national security, and in social services and other sectors did not occur overnight. They are products of solid foundations laid by the same Jonathan administration.

“Contrary to what the APC and its agents would rather have the public believe, the Jonathan administration did not encourage corruption, rather it fought corruption vigorously, within the context of the rule of law and due process.

“For the benefit of those who may have forgotten so soon, it was the Jonathan administration that got rid of the fraud in fertilizer subsidies, which had plagued the country for decades. This helped to unleash a revolution in agricultural production and productivity.

“It was also the Jonathan administration that supported the i n s t i t u t i o n a l development of strong systems and mechanisms to curb corruption in the public service and plug revenue leakages.

“These included the development of the Government Integrated Financial Management Platform, The Single Treasury Account (TSA), and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management Systems (IPPIS), in addition to the biometric registration of civil servants and pensioners which saved the country over N100 billion paid to ghost workers and ghost pensioners.

“To ensure greater transparency and integrity in the oil and gas sector, the Jonathan administration ordered investigations and put mechanisms in place to check the theft of Nigeria’s crude oil. “It was also under the Jonathan administration that a Nigerian Content policy was introduced, which opened up that sector to Nigerians in a manner that was not previously the case.

“It was also the Jonathan administration that mobilized and secured the support of our neighbouring countries to ensure a robust multinational response to the menace of terrorism and insurgency, resulting in notable advancements in the fight against terror.

“President Jonathan personally initiated the collaboration that led to these advancements and ensured that Nigeria

provided the needed financial support for the Multinational Joint Task Force.

“It was the Jonathan administration that repaired and rehabilitated over 25, 000 kilometres of our nation’s roads. Nigeria also became a profitable and preferred investmentfriendly destination. It was under President Jonathan, for example, that Nigeria’s electric power sector became more competitive and attractive to local and foreign investments.

“The same administration promoted the rule of law, free speech, fundamental human rights, and a robust freedom of information regime.

Women’s rights to participate in public life and the Federal Character principle as well as other Constitutional principles were also respected. In every respect, our administration promoted inclusive governance and encouraged all stakeholders including the private sector to play key roles in the transformation of Nigeria.

“It should also not be forgotten that the Jonathan administration strengthened electoral institutions and created a peaceful environment for democracy to thrive.

On this score, it is sad and ironic that the chief beneficiaries of that same legacy are the most vociferous today in condemning President Jonathan and his team.

“In addition, the Buhari administration should be fair enough to acknowledge the good works of the Jonathan administration.

No administration can be either completely bad or completely good.

President Jonathan’s achievements in moving this country to greater heights deserve to be duly acknowledged. We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to build on these achievements.

“We also urge him to press on with the anti-

corruption fight, but in a fair and non-partisan manner, in line with due process, and not as a political witch-hunt.

“The various lies and fabrications being peddled by some selfa p p o i n t e d spokespersons of the administration may entertain the unwary, but such sensationalism may achieve the unintended effect of de-marketing our country within the international community.

“All such persons playing to the gallery for whatever gains should be called to order. The name-calling of members of the Jonathan administration and the trial by news media should also stop.

“We encourage President Buhari to continue with the probes, but this must be in strict accordance with his oath of office to treat all Nigerians equally and with the fear of God. “We have reserved our comment until now, in the fervent hope that once the euphoria that may have inspired the various attacks on the past administration wears off, reason will prevail. But we are constrained to speak up in defence of the legacy of the Jonathan administration, and shall do so again, for as long as those who are determined to rubbish that legacy are unrelenting in their usual deployment of blackmail, persecution, and similar tactics,” they said.

What are Jonathan’s ministers afraid of?

For asking President Buhari to be sincere enough and publish the reports the former administration handed over to him, the Presidency has taken a swipe at the former ministers under the immediate past President Jonathan, saying they should reflect on the Continues on Page 48

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015—7

7 die in Ogbomoso road accident As residents scoop fuel from fallen tanker

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By Ola Ajayi

B A DA N — S E V E N persons reportedly died in an auto crash on Ibadan Ogbomoso road yesterday, while several others sustained life-threatening injuries.

According to an eyewitness, the casualty figure in the accident is high.

He said when he got to the accident scene some moments after it occurred, people were seen assisting the victims.

From information gathered, the accident happened when an Ilorinbound commercial bus overtook a Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, and tried to manoeuvre its way back to its lane, but failed.

It was gathered that the driver of the SUV increased his speed and made it difficult for the commercial bus to join the lane.

The eyewitness said: “When the driver of the SUV increased speed, there was an articulated truck coming from Ilorin. The driver of the truck saw the commercial bus and applied brake.

“The impact of the brake was so much that the truck kept moving and the commercial bus driver could not control the bus, which was coming from Lagos at top speed. It collided with the truck.

“Six persons died on the spot, while another victim died on the way to the hospital. Only the driver of the bus survived the accident.”

The accident reportedly delayed motorists plying the road for more than 30 minutes.

At press time, security agents were said to have towed the mangled vehicles off the road.

When the state police command was contacted, the spokesman said he would contact their men in Oyo town and Ogbomoso.

In another development, a truck loaded with 33,000 litres of fuel was said to have somersaulted at Taki area of Ogbomoso and emptied its contents.

Many people were said to be scooping fuel from the scene as security men were said to have been despatched to the scene to prevent an explosion.

Donu Kogbara, Vanguard columnist, abducted

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— VANGUARD newspaper columnist, Donu Kogbara, has been abducted in Port Harcourt by unknown gunmen.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Muhammad, confirmed the ugly development, saying police were on the trail of the kidnappers.

Kogbara, who maintains a column in the Vanguard, was abducted in the early hours of

yesterday by unknown gunmen at her Nkpogu residence in a Honda CRV SUV. It could not be confirmed if the kidnappers had established contact with the family for ransom at press time, Meanwhile, Rivers State government has condemned the abduction.

Governor Nyesom Wike, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Opunabo Nko-Tariah, expressed strong hope that she would be released unhurt.

He said government was

making efforts to ensure every resident in the state enjoyed adequate security.

He said: “No responsible government will brook such act of criminality. On this premise, the kidnap is roundly condemned and we believe that by God’s grace, she will come out alive.

“Government is working to ensure a crime-free state. That is why the governor has stopped at noting to provide the necessary tools, including the donation of 64 security fitted

Donu Kogbara. vans to the Police. By God’s grace, she will be released in good health.”

Father of 3 drowns in well

By Dayo Johnson

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Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State driving a truck while inspecting the Arowa-Darlimore channel project in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.

Fulani herdsmen kill 3 peace emissaries in Delta

By Ochuko Akuopha

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LEH—THREE persons have been killed and two others injured in renewed hostilities between Fulani herdsmen and residents of Okuke, a satellite village at Amorji in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The people of the community, it was gathered, had been at loggerheads with the herdsmen who they accused of destroying their farmlands and terrorizing them over the last three years.

An indigene of the community told newsmen that the herdsmen had threatened to chase the residents out of Okuke, a development which, he said, prompted Amorji to constitute a 15-man delegation to meet with them (the herdsmen) for a peace talk.

The community indigene, who craved anonymity, said the delegation was on the way for the peace talk when they were ambushed by herdsmen, who he alleged opened fire at them, killing three and inflicting gunshot injuries on two others.

He said one person was still missing and that those injured were receiving treatment at a hospital in Kwale, headquarters

of the Ndokwa West Local Government Area, while the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary.

He lamented that indigenes of the community could no longer go to their farms or markets in neighbouring communities for fear of being ambushed and attacked by the armed herdsmen.

Police statement

Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Celestina Kalu, confirmed the killings and said

the incident was a suspected reprisal attack.

She disclosed that a Fulani herdsman had earlier been reported killed in the community in the last one week.

Kalu said: “After some days, some of the villagers went to the police to complain that three of their indigenes were missing.

A search party was raised and the bodies of three persons were found.”

Kalu said the command was trying to curtail the situation, and that efforts were on to bring the feuding parties together.

KURE—A father of three, Victor Aduloju, 58, weekend, slipped while fetching water from a well, fell in and drowned, in Akure, Ondo State.

He had just returned from work and wanted to take a shower with water from the well located behind his house at Iyange area of OkeOgba, Akure.

His corpse was discovered when a neighbour arrived the well to fetch water.

The neighbour was said to have discovered that the well was not closed and that a bucket was filled with water, while another was half full.

She reportedly raised alarm when she finished fetching her two buckets and nobody came for the ones she met by the well.

A search party found the corpse floating in the well.

His landlord, Vanguard gathered, later reported the incident at Fanibi Divisional Police Station.

Contacted, police spokesman in the state, Wole Ogodo, said the corpse had been deposited in the mortuary of the State Police Specialist Hospital.

109 persons arrested for crossing expressway

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—NO fewer than 109 persons were, weekend, arrested by men of Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of Lagos State Police Command, and officials of Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, for crossing the expressway at Ketu Bus Stop, along Ikorodu road, instead of using the pedestrian bridge.

The arrest, according to Mr. Olatunji Disu, RRS Commander, is to instil

discipline towards the use of pedestrian bridges in the state to prevent loss of lives on highways and ease the freeflow of traffic.

Among those arrested were 102 men and seven women.

In another development, fleeing robbers, weekend, opened fire on a team of policemen attached to RRS in Ikeja area of Lagos.

However, they were reportedly forced to abandon their operational vehicle, a Toyota Camry with number

plates GGE 204 DG and fled into the bush.

Recovered from the abandoned car were six mobile phones, an axe, a pair of canvass, passport photograph, taxi signboard and documents.

The robbers, according to Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, attacked a couple, Mr. and Mrs John Udoh, who were on their way to board an East-bound vehicle at about 5.40a.m., Saturday.

They raised alarm and the officers responded.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

DSS arrests 21 Boko Haram suspects in Lagos, Enugu, Kano, others

By Chris Ochayi

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BUJA—THE Department of State Services, DSS, said yesterday that it had arrested notable commanders and front line members of the notorious Islamic sect, Boko Haram, from different parts of the country, especially, those responsible for the coordination and execution of the suicide attacks in Potiskum, Kano, Zaria and Jos. DSS, in a statement by Tony Opuiyo, said a number of the terrorists were also arrested in Lagos, Kano, Plateau, Enugu and Gombe states, following restrategized counter-terrorism measures deployed to combat the menace of insurgency in Nigeria.

DSS noted that the group’s new pattern of movement and spread is necessitated by the pressure being put on them in

their core areas of strength in the North-East.

The services gave the names of masterminds of suicide attacks in Potiskum, Kano, Zaria and Jos, currently in its custody to include, Usman Shuaibu, alias Money; Ahmed Mohammed, alias Abubakar; Adamu Abdullahi, alias Babpa; Ibrahim Isa, alias Mohammed Sani, and Muttaqa Yusuf, alias Mudtaka.

Confessions

According to the statement, “during interrogation, Usman Shuaibu revealed that he coordinated the attacks under reference with N500,000, which was provided by his Amir, one Isa Ali. It said: “He claimed that the said Isa Ali has links to the leader of the Boko Haram sect,

Notable commander, leaders in custody Abubakar Shekau, from where he collects funds for operations undertaken by their Markaz. Also, he revealed that he had participated in several Boko Haram attacks, including the attacks at Gwoza Divisional Police Station in 2014.

“Shuaibu admitted being the leader of the team of nine sect members that was dispatched from Sambisa Forest to carry out the attacks. He disclosed that four out of the nine members were used as suicide bombers.

“Another suspect, Ahmed Mohammed, who is an improvised explosives devices, IEDs, expert, confessed to the preparation

of the IEDs used for the attacks. He also averred that he (Abubakar) was the one who strapped the suicide bombers, notably Sule and his wives, with IED vests, which they used in the attacks in Jos. “Adamu Abdullahi has confessed that Usman Shuaibu motivated him to work closely with Mohammed in the preparation of the IEDs used in the attacks under reference.”

Ibrahim Isa, DSS said, confessed that he was the one who carried out reconnaissance on the targets in Jos ahead of the attacks.

Muttaqa Yusuf, in his confession, disclosed that one Aliyu, believed to be

Aliyu Gombe, in Sambisa Forest, was the one that ordered the serial attacks which the syndicate carried out. He further confessed that he assisted Usman Shuaibu in planning and executing the said attacks.

Arrested in Lagos

Other terrorists suspects arrested by the service include Bakura Modu, arrested on July 20 at Kara, Isheri Berger, Ikeja LGA, Lagos State; Mustapha Alli Jamneri, arrested on July 24, at Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Alimosho LGA, Lagos State; and Abuyi Sherriff, arrested on August 7, at Ebute-Meta, Lagos Mainland LGA, Lagos State.

Others are Babagana Ali and Babagana Koloye, who were arrested on August 7, at Eric Moore, Bode Thomas Street, Surulere LGA, Lagos State; Abba Modu Sagma, arrested on August 9, at Ijora Badiya, Apapa LGA, Lagos State.

Grema Abubakar and Tijani Bagudu were arrested on August 10, at Amukoko, Ijora Badiya, Apapa LGA, Lagos State; and Baba Alhaji and Abass Ibrahim, arrested earlier on the same day, at Alaba International Market, Alaba, Ojo LGA, Lagos State.

Enugu, Kano

COLLOQUIUM: From left— Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Melinda Akinlami, Mr. Kolade Oshinowo, Professor Pat Utomi, Founder/ CEO, Centre for Values in Leadership, CVL; Dr. Ifeoma Utomi and Mr. Fred Agbeyegbe, at CVL's Leadership Tribute colloquium in honour of Dr. Onobrakpeya, on his 83rd birthday and Mr. Agbeyegbe at 80, in Lagos. PHOTO: Shola Oyelese.

CASH CRUNCH: CBN intervenes with N212bn

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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bail out liquidity management by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, may ensue in the banking system if liquidity situation fails to improve significantly this week, as the money market situation toughened last week.

Vanguard learned that the apex bank had already intervened following a tightening up in net liquidity flow in the system last week with an injection of N211.9 billion worth of Standing Lending Facility, SLF, to push down interest rates which was rising astronomically by Wednesday.

SLF is a mechanism that central banks use when lending funds to primary dealers (banks and discount houses).

The facility provides financial

institutions with access to funds to satisfy reserve requirements using the overnight lending market.

SLFs are also used to increase liquidity over longer periods such as by using term auction facilities.

The apex bank also stepped up intervention in the foreign exchange market in the Bureau de change segment to reverse exchange rate rise in the parallel market last week, while also closing the huge gap between official and parallel market rates.

The low liquidity in the financial market continued last week on the heels of narrowing deposit inflow from the public sector due to Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account, TSA, policy, causing money market rates to trend high.

With liquidity opening balance of N72.3 billion on Monday, Open Buy Back, OBB, and Overnight, O/N, rates, which settled at 35 percent and 37.5 percent, respectively, had surged up to 100.8 percent (OBB) and 105.3 percent (O/N) on Wednesday as no major credit was received within the financial system.

OBB and ON rates are the most sensitive to liquidity situation on the money market, while pointing to the possible spill over to lending rates if sustained over a period of time.

Also, banking industry liquidity balance had crashed to below N50 billion as a result of the 48-hour requirement for banks to fulfill their forex obligations to the apex bank, forcing

CBN to intervene with the SLF to bring down the rates— OBB and O/N to 30.0 percent and 40.9 per cent, respectively, week-on-week.

However, in the new week, money market operators expect rates to rise marginally due to further withdrawals of cash by Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and probable Open Market Operation, OMO, auctions by CBN. In the face of near zero fiscal policy complements, the apex bank has been inundated with monetary rates instability with consequences on the macroeconomic indices, especially inflation and gross domestic products, GDP, since the advent of President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime three months ago.

Also in the custody of DSS were Ibrahim Audu, who was arrested on August 19, at New Artisan Market, Enugu, Enugu State, and 30-year-old Ibrahim Haruna from Kanawa village, Sumaila LGA, Kano State, who was arrested on August 21, at Kwomi village, Kwami LGA, Gombe State.

Mal Ali Mohammodu, a 33year-old suspect, was arrested on August 22, at Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Fagga LGA in Kano State, and Adam Wakil Abdul Jilbe, arrested on August 23, at Obanikoro Area, Mushin LGA, Lagos State. Mohammed Usman was arrested on August 25 at Atuashe Estate, Gbagada, Kosofe LGA, Lagos State.

DSS said: “Nigerians and indeed the general public have to note that the arrest of Usman Shuaibu, alias Money, and the core members of his cell, stemmed the spate of bombings by the extremist sect.

“Money and his group were arrested on their way to Bauchi State, to execute another bomb attack.

“Furthermore, the sudden influx of Boko Haram members into Lagos State points to the determination of the sect to extend its activities to other parts of the country.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015—9

By Soni Daniel, Northern Regional Editor

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BUJA—A major crisis that may disrupt road transportation in Nigeria for a long period if not averted by the Presidency has broken out between commercial transporters in the country and the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC. The crisis of confidence between the two parties arises over the decision by the commission to introduce speed limiter technology on commercial vehicles with effect from September 1 this year.

N35,000 for device, N1,000 for installation

A document, which was exclusively obtained by Vanguard last night, indicated that the FRSC is working in league with a private Nigerian firm to enforce the controversial deal, which would require each vehicle owner to buy the device for N35,000 and pay additional N1,000 for installation.

The transporters claim that with each of the 25 million vehicles in Nigeria paying N36,000 to the FRSC, it would rake in at least N900 billion from innocent Nigerians for a technology that would not add value to their lives.

The transporters in a protest letter to the FRSC, which was obtained by Vanguard last night, warned the commission to desist from going ahead with the project, as it would endanger the lives of vehicles owners rather than protect them.

They accused the FRSC of bringing to Nigeria an outdated technology, which had long been phased out in Britain, India, Kenya, Tanzania, United States of America and Uganda because

AGM: From left: Mrs. Joan Ihekwaba,1st Vice President, Advitisers' Association of Nigeria, ADVAN, Mr. David Okeme, President, ADVAN, Mr. Anthony Aletor, Chairman, Capital Express Group/guest speaker, Alhaji Garba Kankarofi, APCON Registrar, and Dr. Rotimi Olaniyan, at the 16th Annual General Meeting/Marketers Evening of the ADVAN in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau.

Commercial transporters clash with FRSC over Sept 1 introduction of speed limiter of its adverse effects.

Threat to sue

The road transporters writing under the aegis of International Human Rights and Anticorruption Society gave the FRSC one month with effect from August 17, 2015 to publicly declare the discontinuation of the device or face a court action.

In the letter addressed to the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, and signed by the Director General,

Dr. U.O. Udofia and Secretary General, Barrister E.A. Egbebu, the group also drew the attention of the commission that it lacks the power to introduce the said device under the Section 10 (3) of the FRSC Act of 2007.

It warned that the FRSC should adopt and use the world acclaimed Spider Technology that comes with a 3-in-one high definition camera with long range monitoring of highways to capture over speeding vehicles.

Banks beg FG to relax Single Treasury Account

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By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

BUJA—NIGERIAN Deposit Money Banks, DMBs, have begun a campaign of begging the federal government to review the implementation of the Single Treasury Account, STA, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Top executives of three leading banks in the country ran to the Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, in Abuja, at the end of last week to plead that the stringent condition of transferring all government revenues to the STA be relaxed.

It was gathered that the decision to meet the AGF followed an analysis by the banking sector operations with no government funds, after which they concluded that should the STA be implemented as directed, some banks would certainly go under.

Currently, collecting banks sweep all Nigeria Customs Service revenue to the Central

Bank of Nigeria, CBN at the end of each business day. The same policy applies to the revenue coming through the Federal Inland Revenue Service which collects taxes and Royalties.

The only exception among the major revenue generating agencies had been the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. But with the STA it has also been brought into the fold of timely revenue remittance.

Most other MDAs were not designated as revenue agencies, thus making it possible for the top executives to play around with the funds they generate. Such MDAs were allowed to keep their income, spend at will and only returned fractions to the treasury as operational surplus, at the end of each fiscal year.

Until the Buhari directive, Deposit Money Banks were said to be heavily dependent of public sector deposits which were often abused.

There had been reports of top executives of Ministries,

Departments and Agencies, MDAs lodging huge sums of money with some banks at negotiated fixed interests and the banks lending same money to other government MDAs, thereby lending government money to government and at high interest rates.

Sources privy to the three separate meetings between the banks and the AGF said that the top executives did not secure the assurances of review they sort.

Rather, Alhaji Idris was quoted as telling the bankers that the TSA was introduced to enhance transparency, boost revenue collections against leakages and ensure timely disbursement of funds to beneficiaries of the Federation Accounts.

The AGF insisted that the policy was part of the reforms of the government to institutionalize a more effective and transparent management of public finances in the country and that the STA was also impacting positively on federation revenue.

The group pointed out that while it does not oppose the use of technology to control road speed limit on the highways, it would not fold its hands and allow the FRSC to bring in anything for money-making purpose and endanger the lives of vehicle owners.

They complained that while the Spider technology was being used globally it was wrong for the FRSC to contemplate installing speed limiter on vehicles so that they do not run beyond the fixed limit even when pursued by armed robbers, kidnappers, hired killers and car snatchers.

“Speed limiter in all developed and African countries had been banned. Again speed limiter device had been discovered to expose motorists to danger such as armed robbery, car snatchers, hired killers and kidnappers.

“Therefore, in a country like Nigeria where there is serious prevalence of insecurity, the installation of speed limiter in vehicles would be counterproductive and selfdefeating,” the transporters said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Commission has insisted that the speed limiter will be enforced by thecommissionwitheffect fromtomorrow.

Adefuye was a patriot—BUHARI

By Henry Umoru, Joseph Erunke & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has described the late Nigerian Ambassador to the United States of America, Professor Adeola Adefuye as a patriot who made remarkable contributions to the development of the country.

President Buhari who spoke with the wife of the late ambassador on Saturday on phone also expressed shock over the death.

President Buhari recalled the valuable assistance and help offered by Adefuye during his recent official visit to the U.S. He noted that the late ambassador was visible in all his engagements, explaining that he was proud to have had

an encounter with Adefuye who he further described as “an ardently patriotic diplomat, who put higher national interest above partisan loyalty, and that his fine virtues should be emulated by other Nigerian leaders.”

In his own reaction, Senate President, Bukola Saraki said Nigeria has lost a strong voice in the death of late Adefuye.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, Saraki described the death as a monumental loss to Nigeria whose international image Adefuye passionately shaped and defended in the U.S until his last breath.

He commiserated with the Federal Government, the Government and people of Ogun State and the immediate family of the deceased over the sudden departure of the Nigerian envoy.

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE:

Lagos engages monarchs

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AGOS—THE Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT, at the weekend engaged traditional rulers in the state on sexual and gender-based violence and their role as responders as a furtherance to its campaign against the dastardly act.

Coordinator of DSVRT, Mrs. Titilola VivourAdeniyi, who led the team to the meeting which had the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu and 30 other Obas in the state in attendance, said as traditional rulers, the counsel they give to victims of rape, defilement and domestic violence and their family members can go a long way in making or marring a case.

She said; “This engagement was premised on the governor ’s desire to engage members of the community and relevant stakeholders about these crimes, enlighten them on the impact on the victim and the society and in most communities where these acts are being perpetrated, the first responders are usually traditional rulers.’’

35 princes jostle for Ooni stool

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—AT least 35 princes from the four ruling houses in Ile-Ife are now jostling for the vacant stool of the Ooni of Ife. For instance, the Giesi Ruling House which claims it is its turn to produce the next traditional ruler for IleIfe after the demise of Oba Okunade Sijuwade at the weekend set in motion plans to present qualified persons to the king-makers.

The ruling house according to usually reliable sources met on Saturday at the family compound at Agbedede lane in Ile-Ife to receive the report of its Selection Screening Committee.

It was gathered that the committee with Prince Ropo Ogunwusi as the Chairman and Prince Kehinde Ogunwusi as secretary submitted its report to the Head of the family, Prince Modupe Fadehan.

According to the source, notable among those considered as top contenders for the vacant throne are Princes Aderemi Adeniran Alani Adelowo, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Taye

Ogunleye, Adegboyega Ologbenla and Gbadegesin Ologbenla.

Others are Princes Adetunji Adeyemi Ogunwusi, Bankola Ojulalayo Adediwura, Adegboyega Adedira, Olajide Adejoba, Adetona Sikiru Ayedun, Ademoyowa Omomadelo and Adegoke Adeyemo.

A competent source who

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A G O S — E K O E l e c t r i c i t y Distribution Company, Eko

DISCO, has sacked no fewer than 300 workers creating fear among the staff of the company.

Mostly affected were engineering, marketing,

Clergy lauds FG as C&S marks 90th anniversary

By Evelyn Usman

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A G O S— P R E S I D E N T Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption and

plans to probe the last administration has been described as a step in the right direction towards repositioning the country.

MMIA Customs generates N20.111bn in six months

By Daniel Eteghe

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AGOS—THE Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of Nigeria Customs Service at the weekend disclosed that it has generated over N20.111 billion as revenue from its operations between January and July 2015.

Head, Public Relations Officer of the Lagos Airport Command, Thelma Williams who disclosed this stressed that the Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos Airport Command have also collected C M Y K

over N5.209 billion in the month of July being the highest revenue collected by the airport unit since inception.

Williams noted that First Bank Nigeria Plc has been designated as the bank for the collection of import duty which is processed using the Passenger Electronic Baggage Entry System, PEBES. According to her, over N179 ,326,833.00 million have been collected by the Command at the international wing of the Lagos airport between January and July 2015 as such revenue were from informal trade alone.

to the kingmakers. For instance, the Ogboru family sent 14 names out of which late Oba Sijuwade emerged”, the source added.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the ruling house may receive the official letter from the local government calling for names of candidates for the Ooni’s throne.

GLO LITERATURE PRIZE: From left; Prof. Olu Obafemi of University of Ilorin; Prof Akachi Ezeigbo of University of Lagos; Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; Prof. Mohd Inuwa Umar Buratai of Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria and Dr. Ogochukwu Promise, Secretary of the Panel at the launch of Glo Literature Prize for undergraduate students in Lagos.

Eko DISCO sacks 300 workers

By Victor AhiumaYoung & Ediri Ejoh

attended the meeting told Vanguard that, “Well, that is a good development for us and we are sure that the right person will be picked as the Ooni. This is the normal process and we know it won’t cause disaffection.

“The normal thing is that the Ruling House will send names of qualified candidates

Giving this assertion during a press briefing to herald the 90th anniversary of the Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria, yesterday, the Supreme Head of the church, Prophet Solomon Adegboyega Alao, expressed dismay over clamour by a group of Nigerians against the anticorruption war.

Represented by the Chairman, National Executive Council of the church, Special Apostle Olusesi Sowande described the out cry by the group as mere distraction.

He said: “The Church is fully in support of attempt to probe past misdeeds. We have read and seen some people saying the probe of the past administration is a witch hunt by the Federal Government. To say the least, this is laughable.

How on earth would anyone be afraid of being probed when you have left office?

accounts, human resource, security, medical, records, cleaning and driving departments.

However, the management said it only sacked 272 staff The sacked workers, Vanguard investigation revealed, having worked with the new company following the privatization of the electricity two years ago, were expecting confirmation letters only to be served termination letters.

One of the affected workers told Vanguard that no fewer than 300 of them were affected after working as contract and casual staff for about two years.

While the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero could not be reached, an official of the union told Vanguard that the union was already looking into the disengagement matter.

However, reacting Public Affairs officer/Assistant General Manager of the company, Godwin Idemudia, said the agreement reached between the Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE, and various DISCOs, discouraged any form of sack in the first six months, but thereafter such action could be justified.

Fashola, Obiozor for Bishop Okonkwo’s 70th birthday

By Sam Eyoboka

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AGOS—EMINENT Nigerians including the immediate past Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola and former Nigerian ambassador to the United States, Prof. George Obiozor are expected at the annual lecture to mark the 70th birthday anniversary of the former national vice president of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and presiding bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Dr. Mike Okonkwo.

IED announces power interruption in Ikeja

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HE Ikeja Electric Distribution, IED, said its notifying customers in Alausa, Ikeja axis of its operation of the impeding interruption of power supply to the area.

Those to be affected as listed and signed in a statement by Pekun Adejanju, Head, Communications strategy, Ikeja Electric include customers at Alausa, Ikeja Shopping Mall, Allen Avenue, Ogundana, Alade, Aromire and environs from Sept 2nd to 5th, 2015.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 11

OFFENSIVE EXAM: Ogun links issue to attack on gov’s wife

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—THE Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, has reacted to the spate of criticisms against the state government in the mainstream and social media linking it to the recent sanctions imposed on some education workers by the Civil Service Commission, describing the attacks as part of the price of leadership.

He said: ''While a few of the critics were genuine, having commented based on the limited information available to them at the time, the vast majority were sponsored by frustrated politicians who lost elections woefully and were now desperate to get into public reckoning through the back door.''

In a release signed by him yesterday, Adeoluwa said that government had remained unperturbed by the negative commentaries because they were misplaced, having been premised on wrong information.

“However, the cynical opposition have now chosen this period to orchestrate a campaign of calumny not only against the governor but his family as well. The most unconscionable of the lies being peddled by these opposition elements is that the wife of the governor was arrested in London. ''Nothing could be further from the truth.

Mrs Olufunso Amosun is a paragon of decency and an example of all that is noble. These false allegations are totally condemnable. The quest for power need not

descend to this level of infamy,” Adeoluwa said.

While noting that government would not be deterred by the namecalling and malicious lies, the state scribe called on the public to be wary of ''mischief makers and failed politicians now in the borrowed regalia of public defenders and their media hawks.''

Adeoluwa said the state government would remain focused on its mission to rebuild Ogun and make its residents secure and prosperous.

By Daud Olatunji

A

PRESENTATION: From left: The Manager, Oyigbo branch of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mrs. Chioma Onuigbo; the Zonal Head, Port Harcourt 2, Mr. Chime Aliliele; one of the winners of N5m at the grand finale draw of the FCMB Millionaire Promo, Mr. Peters Emmanuel; the Bank’s Regional Director, Southeast & South-south, Mr. Okey Ezeala and the Regional Retail Head, Mrs. Christiana Ibe, during the cheque presentation ceremony to the winner in Port Harcourt.

… As Tribunal admits more exhibits against Amosun

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EANTIME, there is palpable tension in Ogun State as the Tribunal on governorship elections sitting in Abeokuta, on Saturday granted an application by the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Gboyega Isiaka seeking to tender more exhibits against the victory of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of the All Progressives Congress.

The tribunal extended its sitting till10.30pm on Saturday which resulted in a tense atmosphere around the court premises as suspected party thugs caused panic, forcing many to leave the court in fear.

The PDP and its governorship candidate had approached the tribunal challenging the victory of Amosun, which they said was fraught with irregularities and noncompliance with electoral laws. The petitioners wanted elections in nine local councils cancelled and declared Isiaka the winner of the election.

The applications, dated 18th August, 2015 was brought pursuant to section 151 of the Electoral Act, 2010

(as amended) and paragraphs 41 (8), 45 (4)(5) of First Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2010.

Among other prayers, the application sought an order granting leave to the Petitioners to file and use as evidence to maintain the Petition, the sworn witness statement of last witness, Benjamin Ibikunle and report of inspection of election materials carried out on the order of the Tribunal.

In his reply, counsel to the petitioners, Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN,) said the Tribunal would be over ruling itself since it was the same court which granted the order of the inspection.

The tribunal subsequently admitted the press statement in evidence and marked same as exhibit P4272.

The court also admitted offloaded data from card readers used for the election in the nine local governments under contention and marked same as exhibit P4273.

The manual used for the election was also admitted in evidence and marked exhibit P4272 while the tendering of ballot papers

Fayose promises better days for Ekiti monarchs

By Rotimi Olaleye

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KITI State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has promised a better deal for the traditional institution and monarchs in the state, saying no monarch will suffer any form of humiliation under his government.

He spoke in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend during the celebration of the annual Udiroko Festival at the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe.

In a statement yesterday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor also promised that cultural

Ogun customs command generates N3bn in six months

festivals in the state would be projected to attract global attention and earn revenue for the state.

Commenting on the Udiroko Festival, Fayose said the state government would within the next few months complete the gallery being constructed in the palace ground.

He solicited the support of the Ewi, the people of Ado-Ekiti and Ekiti State in general for the programmes of his government, adding that greater dividends of democracy are on the way for the people to enjoy.

as exhibit failed as the Tribunal ruled PW9 incompetent to tender original document.

The witness was also invited to identify all the exhibits already admitted in evidence and cross examined by the lead

counsel to Amosun, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

The court, however adjourned till tomorrow for continuation of hearing, especially continuation of cross examination by other respondents.

BEOKUTA—THE Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun State Command said it has generated over three billion Naira from impounded vehicles between January and June this year.

Comptroller of the state command, Haruna Mamudu stated this yesterday, saying, the command fared better than last year when it generated over two billion.

He said; “The command has generated a total sum of three billion, four hundred and one million, six hundred and forty seven thousand, four hundred and seventeen Naira and thirty four kobo as against two billion, five hundred and forty three million, two hundred and sixty six thousand, three hundred and twenty three naira and forty three kobo recorded in the same period in 2014.”

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

DESOPADEC: Lori-Ogbebor insists on court

action as Okowa visits Warri monarch W

By Emma Amaize

ARRI—A group of host communities in Delta South senatorial district, Delta State, led by Niger-Delta activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, weekend, rebuffed the move by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to stop its planned court action against new Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC law.

Governor Okowa had visited the Warri monarch, Ogiamae Atutwase, recently, to prevail on Lori-Ogbebor and her group to withdraw their threat.

A former state commissioner who is also from the area, Mr. Omolubi Newuwumi, told Vanguard, yesterday, “I guess you must have seen the response of the Olu of Warri in the newspapers, where he said Okowa should not take for granted the words said by Chief Lori-Ogbebor.”

He said that even the appointment of an Itsekiri son, Godwin Ebosa, as chairman of DESOPADEC Governing Board would not prevent their court action.

He said, “We are proceeding with the court action because our position has never been who becomes the DESOPADEC chairman or whose ethnic nationality produces the

chairman, but with the recent bill signed into law by the present administration of Okowa, as it relates to the host communities.

“Our argument has been that the new law does not favour the host communities, especially the issues of constitution of the board and having equal representatives with other senatorial districts, which do not produce oil or are impacted with oil exploration as stated in the law.

“The issue of whether an Itsekiri man or an Ijaw man becomes the

chairman is not the issue because the board has a chairman, a Managing Director, three executive directors and nine representatives coming from the three senatorial districts that make up Delta State.

That to me is not being fair to the oil producing communities, the local governments or the senatorial districts that produce oil and gas.

They bear the burden of oil exploration and exploitation.

“For you to say you are sharing per senatorial amounts to marginalization of these ethnic

nationalities and its people. I am against this as stated in page (2) paragraph (4) of the new law because it does not represent the true principle as stated in the constitution.”

“We are also going to ask the state government what they are doing with 50 per cent of the 13 per cent derivation fund because it is clear that the state budget is planned according to the revenue allocation from the Federal Government and its internal generated revenue.”

GRADUATION: Rivers State Deputy Governor and Founder, Caywood Brown Foundation, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, presenting a certificate to one of the graduands of her entrepreneurial/leadership communication skill training, Miss Lauretta Orrone, during the Graduation/Certificate presentation in Port Harcourt.

Police repel pirates' attack on passenger boat in Bayelsa

Y

Samuel Oyadongha

ENAGOA—MEN of the marine division of the Bayelsa State Police Command, have reportedly repelled an attack on a passenger boat by suspected pirates along the waterways of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

The attack occurred less than two days after suspected sea pirates ambushed two passenger boats and allegedly kidnapped two chiefs and security operative on the Ogbia Brass waterway of the East senatorial district.

It was gathered that the latest pirates attack occurred weekend on Ginagbene waterway in Southern Ijaw council.

Occupants of the passenger boat escaped unhurt as a police patrol team came to their rescue by forcing the hoodlums to retreat into the creek following a shootout.

Confirming the incident, Asinim Butswat, spokesman of the state police command, said that the state Marine Police, stationed at Koluama, in Southern Ijaw council, successfully repelled the pirates attack on the passenger boat.

He said that the suspected C M Y K

pirates ran into a nearby creek and abandoned their speed boat, mounted with 75HP Yamaha Engine, with the Inscription

‘DEEP SEA MARINE’. with four live ammunition, one Items recovered from the bag, one voter’s card and four hoodlums, he said, include, one AK life jackets.

47 rifle, three magazines loaded

Adegboruwa faults Buhari on dissolution of NDDC board

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By Innocent Anaba

AGOS—LAWYER and activist, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari acted in error in his dissolution of the board of the Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC. In a statement, yesterday, in Lagos, Adegboruwa, said: “On December 16, 2013, the Federal Government inaugurated the 4th Governing Board of the NDDC, after members of the said Board had been thoroughly screened by security agents and were all cleared and confirmed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly. The appointment was for a four year tenure, to end on December 15, 2017.

“Under and by virtue of section 3 of the NDDC Establishment Act, “... a member of the Board, other than an ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of four years

at the first instance and may be reappointed for a further term of four years and no more.

“The NDDC Establishment Act makes no provision for the removal of the Commission’s Board members before the expiration of the four year tenure, except the member resigns, is of unsound mind, is convicted by a court or is disciplined by his professional association or is found guilty of misconduct. None of these is applicable in this case.

Consequently, the dissolution of

the NDDC Governing Board is illegal and violates the clear provisions of section 5 of the NDDC Act. “It is important to state that the NDDC Governing Board is in the same category of those agencies established under section 153 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, whose tenure enjoy statutory flavour. It cannot be dissolved by a general circular, without complying with the provisions of the enabling Act."

Members want reconciliation of aggrieved APC factions in Delta

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A R R I — AGGRIEVED members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State have called on the three leaders of the ruling party at the national level to reconcile their factions in the party in the interest of peace and unity, so as to deliver the party in the area in future elections.

The APC members, who converged at the residence of Smart Edema, the party's candidate for the state House of Assembly in War ri, weekend, to reconcile all aggrieved persons, noted that there was an urgent need for reconciliation and appealed to Chief Adolor Okotie-Eboh, Temi Harriman and Prince Temi Omatseye to come to their rescue in their renewed effort to fashion a way forward and brighten the fortunes of the party in future election.

The Warri South-West APC reconciliation meeting, which was attended by a state Executive Council member of the party, Mr. Choice Olueh had Mr. Smart Edema, Robinson Eruaye, Julius Kenaobor, Frank Akpieyi and Goodluck Ekpebide, several former contestants and over 30 party faithful in attendance.

They maintained that disunity was the bane of the council in the 2015 general elections and appealed to all to bury the hatchet.

The convener of the meeting, Mr. Edema and other leaders, admonished those returning to the party not to attempt to hijack the structure on ground, when they eventually return after their sojourn, saying that they must respect the current leadership and contribute to moving the party ahead of the opposition.

Gov aspirant disagrees with Edo govt on World has all it requires naturally and living standards of the people.

Bank loan traditionally to survive and He said, “Edo State must be self Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—A Peoples Democratic Party , PDP, governorship aspirant for next year ’s governorship election in Edo State, Chief Solomon Edebiri, has insisted that the state government has no business borrowing, as it

prosper.

Edebiri, who addressed some Edo Professionals groups in Benin, weekend, which visited him at his residence, said that a responsible government in the state can harness and muster all the resources to improve the

sustaining. We cannot be borrowing all the time. This is unacceptable. Who will pay these debts, our children? We need to put in the right pegs in the right holes. We need to move from a consuming economy to a producing one."

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015—13

Police recover INEC election result sheets from syndicate in Delta A

By Emma Amaize

SABA—POLICE in Delta State have burst a syndicate of politicians and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who broke into the commission’s strong room in Asaba and stole original copies of 137 result sheets used for the last governorship and House of Assembly election in the state.

The police recovered 47 completed copies of original result sheets, Form EC8A for the governorship election held in parts of Warri South and 16 completed copies of original result sheets, form EC8A (1) for House of Assembly held in parts of Warri South from the suspects.

Detectives also recovered seven completed copies of original result sheets, Form EC8 for governorship election held in parts of Ughelli North; five completed copies of original result sheet , Form EC8A(1) for House of Assembly election held in Ugheli North.

Other items recovered were one copy of original form EC8B(1) for summary of results from

100 DAYS

ARRI—ITSEKIRI leader and All Progressive Congress, APC, chieftain, Dr. Alex Ideh, has urged Nigerians to be patient with President Muhammadu Buhari, who he said was working hard to steady the ship of the Nigerian state.

Appraising the performance of Buhari after more than three months in office, Ideh, in a statement, yesterday, said that the President’s seemingly slow pace but meticulous approach to governance since he assumed office was due to his determination to lay the foundation for ‘’sustainable structures for good, transparent and people-oriented governance.”

Ideh, a former commissioner in Delta State and secretary to the APC National Convention Committee that produced Buhari as the party ’s flag bearer, defended the activities and steps taken so far by the three-month old administration of Buhari and called for patience and understanding of Nigerians in

C M Y K

in court for conspiracy to steal, forgery and receiving stolen INEC property.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Hafix Inuwa, in a report, reference number, CR3000/DTS/ SD3/VOL/3/230, dated June 25, said acting on a tip- off, detectives swooped on a popular hotel in Asaba, where they arrested the

suspects.

According to the report, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, “The recovered and identified result sheets are sensitive materials that should not be found outside the custody of INEC or officials of INEC.”

THANKSGIVING: Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade (2nd left), wife, Linda (middle), former Governor of the state and wife, Sen and Mrs. Liyel Imoike(right), and Parish Priest of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church, Kakum, Obudu, during a thanks giving service in honour of the farmer governor.

Buhari working hard to steady Nigeria

—ALEX IDEH

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polling units in Warri South, 149 original copies of polling unit material receipt forms, EC25B and 139 copies of forged forms EC25B among others.

A source hinted, weekend, that the police would soon arraign the suspects, including the chairman and top officials of one of the political parties in the state

rallying support for the President.

“I can assure all Nigerians that the President is actually working

TRIBUNAL: Abe

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out a template for good, transparent and people-oriented governance. Things might appear

to be somehow slow on the surface but a lot is going on silently."

CAS constitutes panel to probe Airforce jet crash

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— CHIEF of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has expressed deep pain over the crash of an Airforce jet in Kaduna, saying a probe panel has been constituted to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the sad incident.

Speaking weekend at the 97 Special Operations group, Airforce base, Port Harcourt, Rivers State after a visit to the scene of the sad incident in Kaduna, noted that it was tragic, adding that he will not want to pre-empt the outcome of the findings of the body set up to probe the painful incident.

He said: “These are some of the hazards associated with flying. We have set up a board to find out the immediate and remote causes of the accident. We will look at the report of that board to see the cause."

faults PDP on conduct of security agencies

By Dapo Akinrefon

ORT HARCOURT— SENATOR Magnus Abe has absolved the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State over alleged use of security agencies to their advantage at the election petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja.

He described the allegation as a cheap attempt to mislead Nigerians.

In a statement, yesterday, Abe urged President Muhammadu Buhari to disregard an earlier petition by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state on the matter.

Abe stated that the petition was “Calculated to ridicule and paint in bad light, the highly revered institution of the Nigerian Army and the officer of the Director-General of the Department of State Security, DSS.”

He said: “For the record, it is pertinent to clearly state that what transpired at the tribunal was that the tribunal, at the request of the petitioners (myself and other petitioners) issued a subpoena directed at the Chief of Army Staff (or any of his designated officers) to appear before the tribunal and give evidence of what they witnessed during the conduct of the National Assembly election in Rivers State on March 28, 2015, being some of the security agencies that provided security at the said election.”

Faulting the PDP’s claim that the APC attempted to use security agencies to their advantage, he said “It is therefore, mischievous and indeed unreasonable for anybody, especially the PDP in Rivers State to cast baseless aspersion on these gallant officers

of the Nigerian Army and DSS. One can only wonder whether it would not have been foolhardy for the Chief of Army Staff and the DG of the DSS to refuse to comply with the sacrosanct order of the tribunal.

In fact, such an act would not only have been foolish, same

is indeed a crime as refusal to comply with the tenor of subpoena is outrightly punishable with a criminal contempt proceeding against the culprit.”

He accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Mrs Gesila Khan of plans to subvert justice.

Okowa inaugurates 14-man board for DESOPADEC

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By Festus Ahon

SABA—GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has charged the 14-man Governing Board of the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, to ensure prudent management of resources of the commission for the benefits of the people.

S p e a k i n g during the inauguration ceremony of the new board, he charged members to pursue the mandate of the board to the later.

The constituted board has Mr.

Godwin Ebosa as Chairman, Chief William Makinde, Managing Director; Chief Askia Ogieh (Executive Director), Mr. Chris Ochor Ochor (Executive Director); Mr Philip Gbasin (Executive Director); Engr. Oristetimeyin Wood (Executive Director) while the representatives of the oil producing areas are Chief Amos Itiwhe, Chief Pius Ovbije, Mr Jonathan Amitaye, Mr. Ovie Oghoore, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Mr Nnamdi Ezechi, Fidelis Oputa and Chief Favour Izoukumor.

He enjoined members of the board to imbibe the principles of fairness, equity and justice, which are the watchword of his administration.

14— Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Forum blast opponents of Nike Lake Road dualization

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—AN INDIGENOUS group in Abakpa Nike, Enugu, Nike Youth Development Forum, NYDF, has lampooned residents of the community and its environs opposed to the plan by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, to ease traffic on the Nike Lake Road, through the dualisation of the road.

In a statement by the group’s President-General, Chief Nwoga Ozoemena, it noted that there was no tension in Enugu over plan to demolish property as a result of the road and dismissed the publications against the dualization of the road as self-serving and mischievous attempt being sponsored by some landlords to smear the image of the present administration and distract it from its commitment to dualize the road for overall interest of the people.

Isama of OnichaUgbo lauds Kachikwu's appointment

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NICHA-UGBO— THE newly installed Isama of Onicha-Ugbo in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Michael Diji, has described the appointment of Dr. Ibeh Kachikwu as the Group Managing Driector, GMD, of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, by President Muhammadu Buhari as a step in the right direction.

Diji also a Lagos-based businessman in an interview with newsmen said Dr. Kachikwu at the helm of affairs in the NNPC would no doubt use his over the year ’s outstanding antecedents to uplift the oil sector.

Diji who commended President Buhari for finding a worthy son of Onicha-Ugbo for the appointment, and stated that he was convinced the new GMD would deliver and make things turn around for good not only to his community and state but the entire nation.

Gov Okorocha mandates bailout fund c'ttee to clear unpaid salaries

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, has set up a committee to administer the bailout fund allocated to the state with the mandate to clear all unpaid

salaries and allowances of workers.

While disclosing that his administration has now accessed the bailout fund released by the Federal Government, Okorocha, weekend, told workers and labour leaders, that the committee included the

Accountant-General, the Chief of Staff, the Principal Secretary, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Head of Service, as members.

The Governor directed the committee to ensure that all the salaries owed workers were cleared and payment must be

VISIT: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State with some top government officials, new Zonal Director of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, network centre and her entourage, when the latter paid a courtesy visit to the Governor in his office. On the governor's left is the new MD, Hajiya Hadiza Abu-Lawal.

made by cheques in line with the policy of the state government to check the ugly case of ghost workers.

“Apart from the July salary owed Civil Servants, teachers and local government workers, they should also be paid for the month of August and even the month of September in advance if the workers so desired”, Okorocha directed.

Although the workers objected to the payment of the month of September salary in advance, Chief Okorocha also directed that the salaries owed parastatals should equally be cleared.

He announced that he would be meeting with heads of the parastatals and labour leaders next Tuesday, to discuss on how to make the parastatals productive after paying them the outstanding salaries.

The Governor equally directed the committee to ensure that the pensioners benefit from the payment, “even when the pension bailout fund has not come”, and stressed that steps would be taken to reposition the civil service in the state.

SSANU urges Buhari to revoke oil licences, extend probe to Obasanjo’s govt

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA—SENIOR Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, weekend, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to revoke all oil licences allocated to individuals without the competence to manage such oil wells but had made themselves richer than the country.

The association also told the president to show he was not selective in the war against corruption by extending the probe in recovering looted funds to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration of 1999.

President of SSANU, Samson Ugwoke in his address at the National Executive Council meeting/Pre-National Delegate Conference in Jos, Plateau State, said the association was in total support with President Buhari on the ongoing fight against corruption.

Ugwoke said, “The present administration seems to be pursuing anti-corruption war.

Corruption has killed this country.

We have heard of billions and trillions of Naira being looted by officers of government and all of them stashed abroad, not even in our country.

“They use Nigerian money to grow and improve the economy of other countries, leaving us in poverty. SSANU supports the fight against corruption but with a caveat, Mr. President should pursue whoever has stolen our

money to return it to our coffers.

“The probe of the looters should not be selective, it should be total, that is the position of SSANU. It should be total and be extended to 1999, so that those who have killed this country since 1999 should be brought to book.”

The SSANU president lamented that some individuals in the country had become richer than the country, stressing that it was only in Nigeria that such an abnormality had been allowed to persist for a long time.

According to Ugwoke: “This is a country where an individual is richer than a country and he made his money from the country.

“We are endowed with oil wells and these oil wells were given to individuals who do not have the capacity, even in oil technology or in business or economics, but

they were given to them because of their positions in federal government, because of their positions in the society.

“They have packed trillions of dollars into their own pockets, giving the country nothing. The position of SSANU is that government should revoke all oil well licences and set up a committee to recover the oil wells.

“A Commission should be incharge of Nigeria's oil wells, all money generated from the oil wells should be channeled into the treasury of the Federal Government so that the country will be rich. Rich from the resources of the country, not an individual being richer than the country because he owns an oil well.

“The Constitution states that the minerals of the country belong to

the state, they do not belong to an individual. It is only in this country that individuals own the resources of a country.

“So the position of SSANU is that, a commission should be established for the oil wells of this country so that the revenue from the oil from A to Z should accrue to the Federal Government into the Central Bank Single Account.”

While commending the Vice Chancellor of University of Jos, Prof. Hayward Mafuyai for creating the enabling environment between the management and staff as well as the massive infrastructure development going on in the university, Ugwoke, however, noted that “there cannot be good development in the university without commensurate staff welfare.”

Ebonyi PDP stalwart condemns Buhari's ‘northernization policy'

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—A prominent Peoples Democratic Party, PDP stalwart in Ebonyi State, Chief Abia Onyike, weekend, described the recent appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari, as alleged northernization policy against the South East and South West geopolitical zones of the country.

In a statement issued in

Abakaliki, the politician said, “Buhari has ignored the fact that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic nation state. He is deliberately pursuing a Northernization policy of alienating Nigeria’s two other powerful regions - the East and the West. By making the sort of appointment he made since assuming the Presidency, he has shown that he lacks the qualities of a Nationalist and patriot.

“The lopesided appointments portrayed him more as a Northern

operative and Caliphate fanatic.

As it is now the South East and South South have been vindicated for having viewed his electoral bid very critical.

I made the observation long ago that Buhari was wagging a secret war against the Igbo. His tragic electoral performance in the South East should have cautioned him to make friends with the East instead of becoming fiendish and jittery and planning to annihilate the Igbos politically."

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 15

ANTI-CORRUPTION: Ajaero-led NLC faction

dissociates from NASS planned protest

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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IGERIA LABOUR Congress, NLC, faction led by Joe Ajaero, weekend, dissociated itself from the anticorruption protest being planned by the National Assembly, which already received the backing of the Ayuba Wabba faction, saying there were several things wrong with the planned protest.

Ajaero’s group said among others, for Nigerian workers, the most pressing issue was unpaid salaries and allowances to workers and pensioners by state governments and some federal agencies.

Reacting to report credited to Mr. Wabba that NLC would collaborate with the National Assembly over its planned protest in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anticorruption war, Ajaero, argued that it would amount to hypocrisy to work with the legislators who had refused to reduce their outrageous pay and allowances in line with the mood of the nation which labour was planning to protest against.

Speaking to Journalists in Lagos, Ajaero contended that in the spirit of thereconciliatory process anchored by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and NLC veterans led by Alhaji Hassan Sumonu, both parties ought to have met to iron out certain fundamental issues and do some in-house cleansing before taking such action.

According to him, “To collaborate with the National Assembly to protest against corruption when they have not allowed their salaries to fall in line with the minimum wage, is wrong. If we do that, that is hypocrisy at its highest level. I am saying this without mincing words, the two NLC factions can still meet and agree on a date to protest in support of anti corruption moves of President Buhari but not to be hypocritical about it. Before we do that, we must cleanse our house; we must make sure that the allegations over the Kriston-Lally Housing issue, over the labour city transport issue, and NLC election rigging and all others that have been destroying labour are cleared. Part of the issues that Comrade Oshiomhole and others

looked into and which we all agreed to, was that we must go through the ethics of the movement, the rule of law and procedures in handling issues.

If we have not gone into all these ones and we want to play to the gallery that we are protesting in support of anti-graft, we think the public will mock us and that is not the kind of NLC some of us want to see.

“The issue is that the other party (Wabba faction) did not consult us. They were supposed to consult before we even take certain decisions in the spirit of reconciliation. No party was supposed to fix a date to take an action without the two factions rubbing minds.

"But if one party goes out and takes a decision, it may be a good decision, but that may not be in

line with the ideals of the other faction. We just read it in the papers and definitely we have to respond to it that we are not a party to a rally with the National Assembly. I have never seen where this collaboration worked before, unless we do not want to be sincere with ourselves, especially when we are even planning to picket the National Assembly on the jumbo pay.

"At what point did we drop that idea of picketing the National Assembly over the furniture and wardrobe allowances and when workers salaries have not been paid. The two cannot work. If you understand the labour movement very well, that collaboration cannot stand. It is a collaboration based on deceit and not based on the ideals of labour."

SESSION: From left, former Executive Vice Chairman NCC, Ernest Ndukwe; Copley Partner, Seni Adio; GM Commercial Legal, MTN Nigeria, Oghenerume Rotimi, and DG, NBC, Emeka Mba, during the technical session on 'Information and Communication Technology: A Proven Growth-Enabler,' at the 55th annual general conference of NBA, in Abuja, yesterday.

NIPEN accuses firm of faking product

By Gabriel Olawale

N

IGERIA BALL Point Pen Industries PLC, NIPEN, makers of BIC shaving stick has accused an Onitsha-based company (name withheld) of faking its products alleging that the company has lost several millions of naira, forcing it to relieve several workers of their jobs.

This came on the heels of a report

by Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau of International Chamber of Commerce and Industries that counterfeit goods made up five per cent to seven per cent of World Trade between 2007 and 2009.

Briefing journalists in Lagos on the development, Namal Sales Manager, NIPEN Plc Ikeja, Mr. Olasore Fatai alleged that the company pushed a minimum of 26 to 30 million units of fake BIC shaving sticks into Nigerian market with its network across the country.

According to him, the company had continued to depend on importation of finished fake BIC shaving sticks which had made it more difficult to track it for seizure by the authorities.

Lamenting the economic effect of the activities of faking company on NIPEN, Fatai disclosed that information at NIPEN's disposal revealed that between April and July this year, the company had resumed its activities in some markets in Lagos including Ketu, Idumota, Okokomaiko Trade fair, and Agege area of Lagos.

“They are also in Onitsha, Oba, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Aba, Ibadan and Benin, just to mention but a few. This had led to loss of several millions of naira by the company.

“As a local manufacturer, we give employment to hundreds of employees and increase the GDP, Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria whereas the activities of this fake and fraudulent importer constitute a threat to our country,” he added.

On the implications on NIPEN's image, Fatai, narrated how a costumer from Enugu metropolis called the company to relay his awful experience having fallen victim to adulterated and substandard BIC shaving stick.

Angry reactions trail Rev Fr Osuagwu's assassination

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—ANGRY reactions have continued to trail the recent assassination of Rev. Fr. Dennis Osuagwu, in Owerri, as the Claretian Missionaries prepare for his burial at Maryland Institute of Philosophy, Nekede, Owerri West local council area of Imo State.

Already, some Anglican clerics, Bishops David O. C. Onuoha of Okigwe South Diocese and Geoffrey Okorafor of Egbu Diocese, have charged the security agencies to unravel the killers of the Catholic priest.

While describing the murder of the Catholic priest as “horrific, shocking and most unfortunate”, Bishop Onuoha, wondered why anybody would lift his hands against the anointed man of God. “The assassination of Rev. Fr. Osuagwu has clearly shown the level of insecurity in this land.

Nigerians now contend with Boko Haram menace, kidnappings, armed robbery, assassination, child trafficking and other serious crimes”, Bishop Onuoha said.

In his reaction, Bishop Okorafor wondered what could have informed the killing of the Catholic priest in the manner they did.

Club empowers 50 women

By Amaka Abayomi

T

HE INNER Wheel District 911 has called on young Nigerians to stop looking for non-existing white collar jobs and acquire skills to make them self-employed and employers of labour, even as it commenced the empowerment of 50 women through its skills acquisition programme.

Speaking on the essence of the skills acquisition programme by the organisation, the District Chairperson, IWM Yinka Ayanwale, said the training, which would run for four weeks, was aimed at empowering the youths to make them self reliant.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

SIR OLUREMI OMOTOSO'S 70TH BIRTHDAY HELD AT METHODIST CHURCH OF TRINITY, TINUBU, LAGOS, WEEKEND. Photos by Akeem Salau.

From left; Sir Oluremi Omotoso, former chairman of Oodua Group (The Celebrant); his wife, Ebunoluwa; HRM Oba Solomon Ajibade and Olori Ajibade at the event.

We're looking into case of retrenched council staff —AWONIYI

By Kingsley Fanwo

L

OKOJA—KOGI State government has said it was looking into the case of local government council staff who were employed in 2010 but later retrenched from the service.

Deputy Governor of the state, Abayomi Awoniyi, stated this while on a consultative visit to PDP stalwarts at Iyah Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of the state.

He told the PDP big wigs at the meeting that another four years for Capt Idris Wada, would change things dramatically in the state, saying the governor had learned the ropes of governance.

Awoniyi said the government was looking into issues relating to pensions, teachers wages and local government staff salaries, with a view to settling the backlogs of arrears when it received its bail out from the Federal Government.

“At the moment, we cannot pretend not to bear the pains of our pensioners, teachers and Local Government staff. They bear the brunt of the meltdown ravaging the globe at the moment. I can assure you that we shall address these issues when we get our bail out,” he assured.

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From left; Mrs Ellen Olufunke Adenubi; Prof Olufemi Adenubi and Mr Folarin Ajidagba.

KOGI GOV POLL: Audu wins APC ticket

By Boluwaji Obahopo

L

OKOJA—FORMER governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, yesterday emerged the governorship standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the November 21 governorship election.

Declaring Audu winner, the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who was the chairman and Returning Officer for the primary election, said Audu scored the highest number of 1,109 of the 3400 votes cast to become the party flagbearer for the poll.

The primary, which was

contested by 27 aspirants, after Babatunde Irukera withdrew from the race on Saturday morning, saw Yahaya Bello coming second with 703 votes, while the immediate senator who represented central senatorial district in the Senate in the last dispensation, Nurudeen Abatemi, who joined the APC a few months ago, scored 400 votes and Sanusi Abubakar came fourth with 309 votes.

In his acceptance speech, Audu, who urged other contestants to accept his emergence and work for the victory of the party at the general election, also pledged to abide by the party’s ideology in driving the state if elected.

Boko Haram kills 68 in Borno village

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI—AT least 68 people were killed while several others sustained injuries as Boko Haram insurgents invaded Baanu Village in Nganzai local government area of Borno State on Friday night.

A resident of the area, Yuram Musa, who fled to Maiduguri to avoid the attack, said the insurgents came on horses at about 8:30 shooting sporadically and killing everyone they came across.

He said: “We had to flee into the bush and hide and after they left, we return back to pick some of our belongings. I counted 68 corpses, some were slaughtered, while others were with gunshot wounds. The number of those killed is worrisome as corpses littered the streets of the village.

“Government should do something, otherwise, these Boko Haram members will

continue to kill innocent citizens.

Every surrounded villages, which is five kilometres away from Gajiram, the headquarters of Nganzai, had been taken over by the insurgents, as most of them are residing around the area.’’

Conceding defeat, secondplaced Yahaya Bello called on his supporters to accept the result of the election and plan ahead for the 2019 election.

He described himself as the “party's son that will become a man for 2019 guber race.”

El-Rufai, also urged other

...As gale of defections looms in Kogi APC

By Kingsley Fanwo

T

HE last may not have been heard about the just concluded APC governorship primary in Kogi State as many of the aspirants who failed to pick the ticket of the party have threatened to pursue their interests in other parties.

Sources informed Vanguard over the weekend that no fewer than 10 of the aspirants are on the verge of abandoning the party over grievances relating to the outcome of the primary.

Many of the aspirants are not comfortable to work with the party’s nomination.

An aspirant from Kogi East told Vanguard that he was prepared

Buhari to address imbalance in appointments, says senator

By Agaju Madugba

K

ADUNA—SENATOR Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna central) said weekend that President Muhammadu Buhari would address the perceived imbalance in federal appointments, describing the South East as one of the most vibrant areas of Nigeria.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is President for all Nigerians and I am of the firm belief that he is sensitive to this

contestants to accept Audu’s emergence as candidate and bury any differences towards making the party victorious at the governorship poll later in the year.

The primary election, which started on Saturday morning and lasted till 11 am on Sunday was free, fair, credible and transparent.

issue and he is going to intervene to make sure that the south east is fully represented in government,’’ he said.

Sani spoke during the launch of his Talakawa Grassroot Revolutionary Development programme in Kaduna, a poverty alleviation measure for his constituency.

According to him, “The President is going to address the imbalance and the perceived marginalisation of some areas, especially the South East.''

to work against the emergence of Prince Abubakar Audu.

He said Prince Audu remained a part of the problem of Kogi State and should stop parading himself as the Messiah of the people.

“Today, APC made the mistake of nominating a failure as its candidate. I wish them the best of luck. But as someone who loves this state, I owe this state a responsibility of working against the emergence of Prince Abubakar Audu as the governor of this state. ‘’We shall be meeting in the next 24 hours to ensure Kogi is not subjected to another tenure under Audu,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Another aspirant from Kogi West said he had already decided to move to another party, stressing that he could not face the people of the state to tell them to vote for Prince Audu.

But a loyalist of the governorship candidate of the party, Alh. Jimoh Isah, told Vanguard that the opponents of the governor were those afraid of the former governor ’s contributions to the development of Kogi State.

“Let me commend APC for conducting a free, fair and credible primary. The primary election won by Prince Audu is a confirmation of the popularity of the man. We will work to put our house in order,” he assured.

Political watchers are of the view that the rift in the party may cost it in the next governorship election.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 17

18— Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 At last, the Nigerian Army has started making good its plans to screen and bring back into the service, some categories of its personnel sent home or otherwise sanctioned as a result of serious misconduct, such as desertions, acts of cowardice, insubordination and even mutiny committed at the height of the war on the Boko Haram jihadist insurgents.

A panel set up to review the sentences passed on the erring officials started work on August 17th 2005, following the resolve of the new leadership under Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, to revisit the series of sanctions that included death sentences passed on 57 soldiers after court martials conducted against no fewer than 579 soldiers.

The review became necessary when it was established that though some of the erring officers were accused of colluding with the enemy and sabotaging our troops in their gallant and

Army recall of dismissed troops patriotic endeavour to safeguard the nation from the terrorists, many of the desertions owed to poor equipment and motivation to fight a formidable enemy in an asymmetrical warfare.

Though many Nigerians had poured venom on the Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kassim Shettima, last year when he revealed that Boko Haram was “better equipped and motivated” than our troops, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, had la-

mented, after retirement, that indeed, the troops lacked adequate fighting equipment at the early stages of the campaign. This made it possible for the terrorists to gain ground.

In view of this home truth, we commend the federal government and the Nigerian Armed Forces for taking a second look at the issue with a view to screening the over 4,000 soldiers involved and reabsorbing those found fit and willing to return to the service.

It is never a sign of weakness,

even for the fighting forces, to correct their mistakes and do justice to whoever deserves it. We believe that this gesture will buoy the military as a whole as they realise that the Army is capable of listening to the voices of reason and administer justice and fair play. It is part of the motivation necessary for morale boosting.

We, however, urge the military authorities to be very prudent in going about the exercise. There are genuine cases of saboteurs and people of questionable motives joining the Armed Forces.

These elements must be kept where they belong to avoid endangering the lives of other patriotic, loyal troops and the nation by extension.

We applaud their retraining at the Nigerian Army Training Centre in Kontagora, Niger State and other institutions to bring them up to date with the current demands of their profession, and wish our heroic armed forces the best of luck.

OPINION Jonathan and democracy in Africa

By Eni Blessing

W

HAT made the last general elections more significant is that for the first time in the political history of Nigeria, a sitting president was defeated in an election in which he was a candidate. The truth and reality is that in most countries of Africa “the power of incumbency” has largely been used often to subvert the will of the electorate. Nigeria has not been an exception until, of course, the last presidential election. This, in itself, is a point to note in favour of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who, it could be recalled, made a firm promise during his campaigns that under his watch, the general elections would be free and fair.

So, in what today is being referred to as historic move, President Jonathan conceded victory to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, hours before the results were concluded.

Not a few Nigerians have, however, argued that the action had no significance as, according to them, the former President had no choice but to do what he did. I beg to disagree. Such Nigerians may have forgotten the incident of June 12, 1993, when a military President stopped the collation of election results and declared the whole exercise inconclusive, null and void.

Also such people have only to look at countries like Somalia of today, Rwanda, Southern Sudan and of course Liberia to realise the worth and character of the sacrifice made by former President Jonathan. Take Liberia for instance, although that country is today comparatively

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stable under the Presidency of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia was enmeshed in years of bloody civil war that almost consumed its multi-ethnic groups. It was an aftermath of an attempt by then incumbent President, Samuel Doe, to subvert the result of the Presidential election in that country in 1985. This sparked off a protest which resulted in an attempted coup by one General Thomas Quiwonkpa and other members of the original junta that seized power with Doe in 1980. Though the coup was suppressed, it further degenerated into ethnic tension and civil war prompting the formation of ECOMOG, a sub-regional intervention force led by Nigeria, which finally brokered the peace that is in Liberia today.

But, most commendably, President Jonathan chose that path of honour and conceded victory to his opponent instead of contesting the results or taking any other available option that could possibly scuttle that election. After all, it is not as if he, or indeed his Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was bereft of support from Nigerians. As a matter of fact, the President was standing pretty at the time of the elections based on his administration’s notable achievements across various sectors of the economy. Such sectors include Agriculture, where significant efforts were made to return

The implication of a war in Nigeria would be disastrous for Africa both economically and security wise

the country to the green days when palm oil from the East, cocoa and rubber from the West and groundnuts from the North constituted the mainstay of the nation’s economy. And Transportation where the hitherto comatose Nigerian Railways across the country has been fully revitalised. Also, in spite of the poor performance of the energy sector under his watch, it is evident today that he made significant impact in that sector given the fact that there has been a significant improvement in the supply of electricity across the country while our refineries are about to commence full capacity production.

All these go to show that there was indeed significant groundwork under the former President as the said improvements couldn’t have been achieved by the incumbent government in just less than three months of assumption of office.

But at the time of the general elections, the tender rope that bound the nation together seemed clearly under stress. With what was going on in the North East of the country where insurgents held sway, and are still do, as well as other long standing disenchantment which predated his administration, if the former President had contested the results of the election, rancor could have set in; and given the fragile nature of the polity, ambitious politicians would have taken advantage of it to create confusion, a scenario which clearly is against the humane nature of the former President who had sworn, and indeed made spirited efforts during his tenure, to protect the unity of the country above all other interests .

The scenario of a Nigeria engulfed in a modern warfare is simply unnerving. Take for example the menace of the Boko Haram in parts of the North East today. Just think of the heavy military

hardware that the insurgents use to inflict holocaust on the population. A Nigeria in a modern war, therefore, is likely to be disastrous.

Firstly, insurgency may become more pronounced with other militia groups rising to take up arms. The nation would also be exposed to infiltration by foreign murderous groups like the Al Qaeda. And with these modern weapons in the hands of the unorganised and largely illiterate Nigerians, coupled with the not too skin-deep hate syndrome that pervades the different ethnic, religious and even political segments that make up the country, such a war will certainly set the country ablaze in record time.

What would be the implication of such a war to the rest of the African Continent? The first implication of course is that of refugee management. Where would 180 million people migrate to? Most of Nigeria’s neighbours are poor and dependent on Nigeria for sustenance. On the whole, the implication of a war in Nigeria would be disastrous for Africa both economically and security wise. That former President Jonathan took the bold step to save this nation, and by extension the Africa continent, from what would have certainly been a disastrous consequence, he deserves commendation Nigeria, the Giant of Africa, is no mean burden to be shouldered by just any country. The short and long term impacts would be that the economy of the continent would be adversely affected and many countries in the region would be in trouble as the economies of most are tied to that of Nigeria.

*Mr. Blessing, a political analyst, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

This is an emergency, rescue the police!

T

HE Presidency in announcing that 10,000 more policemen and women are to be recruited, accompanied it with a warning that there must be no extortion of potential recruits. This is not only an indictment, but also a vote of no confidence in the police. The public Presidential warning, tears away at the self-esteem of the police.

I understand the police a bit.

This, and my sympathy for it, partly stems from my experience growing up in Obalende, an area on Lagos Island surrounded by police barracks; Obalende, Ijeh, MOPOL, Canine and Police Mounted Troop.

The neglect of the police since colonial times, is responsible for its rot. The Force is used by successive governments to do dirty jobs, and abandoned. So you have a disoriented and demoralised police, with unsanitary training schools and barracks mainly unfit for human habitation. It is seen, and unfortunately, presents itself a lot of times as a lawless body that can even kill citizens at will. Far back in the 1970s, the anti-riot police was known as ‘Kill-and-Go’ while in areas like Benin where

citizens believed that policemen and armed robbers colluded, they were called ‘Share and Divide”. The Police had tried to redeem its image, telling the populace, “The police is your friend” and that “Bail is free”.

Another problem of the police is that it is over burdened with unnecessary tasks including settling family disagreements, domestic disputes, juvenile delinquency and other issues which in our traditional societies, families and communities solved.

So much is expected from the police, but the State gives it so little.

The fundamental problem of the police stems from its British colonial birth. The British police was set up as the enforcement arm of the State; a body, responsible not to the people, but to the sovereign lord, the rich and powerful. In our own case, the police was established as a colonial force to oppress and repress the colonised and ensure the perpetuity of colonialism.

Because it was essentially an arm of repression, the populace viewed it with suspicion. The Yorubas for instance, call the police, Olopa; the man who wields the stick or the baton. The

Hausa word for it, Dansada, virtually means the same. The Ijaws call the policeman, kemekoruowei; the man who effects arrests.

Like the British and American police, the Nigeria Police, profiles the poor as criminally-minded people who need to be closely monitored. When the police patrol affluent neigbourhoods, it is to protect life and property, but when it patrols poor neigbourhoods, it is to detect crime and maintain law and order. That was why until a few years ago, when a person, seen as poor, is found in an affluent neigbourhood, he could be detained for ‘wandering’ and charged and sentenced. Poor neigbourhoods are classified as crime prone, or black spots. So part of police mentality is to

The police does not seem to have much selfesteem, good public image or support; it may be decrepit and in urgent need of rebuilding, restructuring and reformation, but the reformers must themselves be reformed

Bayelsa: Heart of Dickson's politics (2)

By Francis Agbo

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HE story of Dickson’s rise bespeaks the possibilities that can emerge when responsible governance lends a catalytic hand to those without access to the traditional levers of privilege and power.

Like the overwhelming majority of the state’s indigenes who identify with Dickson’s governing philosophy, the governor’s appreciation for modest beginnings and the transformative power of opportunity is experiential, not theoretical.

Governor Dickson’s life story is a compelling illustration of how opportunity, when combined with hard work and tenacity, can propel one from obscurity to a place of fulfillment. This inspirational personal story and the leadership training and mentorship he has received have become the fulcrums of his politics, the organising principle of his governing technique. The problem is that those unable to relate to the nuances of this story because of their own personal histories, circumstances, and choices have struggled to understand what motivates the governor and what informs his philosophy of having the needs and voices of regular citizens drive the process of governance. The question is: should the governor apologise to those with elitist pedigrees for translating the story of his personal ascendance into a coherent ideology of governance?

Since becoming governor over three years ago, Dickson has tried to resolve this paradox, making strides in critical developmental matrices but also actively and respectfully cultivating the state’s political stakeholders for their buy-in. This may be why his administration has awarded many contracts to indigenous firms owned by local elite and political actors, appointed over 500

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Bayelsans into government positions, and engaged over four thousand youths as Bayelsa Volunteers to complement the police in securing the littoral state. One particular developmental gesture of the governor that betrays his political magnanimity is the Ogbia- Nembe road, which is to be commissioned in December.

Chief Timipre Sylva, his predecessor and detractor, hails from Nembe but had neglected the project. Dickson’s decisive intervention on the project ensures that Sylva will now enjoy a smooth drive to his homestead! Before now, Nembe was only accessible through water.

The governor’s political gestures are powerful symbolic illustrations of how enlightened political outreach can coexist with and be structured around transformational infrastructural intervention. But there is a limit to symbolic political gestures, no matter how enlightened and generous they may be.

Ultimately, any governing institution and the leader who superintends it have to reckon with the fact that, in our section of the world, development is meaningful only in its physicality, its tangibility, and its ability to positively impact the lives of the governed.

In this domain of social infrastructure, Dickson’s accomplishments are not just staggering; in many instances they acquire additional gloss by being firsts either in the

Dickson’s accomplishments are not just staggering; in many instances they acquire additional gloss by being firsts

protect the rich from the poor; the powerful, from the powerless.

The policeman is like an enforcer in the Mafia family. Therefore, a primary orientation of the Force, is to police the people, not to protect the citizenry, prevent or detect crime.

So the policeman becomes a symbol of oppression and injustice. He believes he is protected by the State and that he has immunity. When he physically assaults a citizen, he does not expect retaliation because he is in uniform.

The lower ranks of the police, is like a disoriented mob. A youngman from the creeks, who joins the police, finds himself far away from home on the streets of Sokoto, wielding a gun under the hot sun; cannot communicate with the local populace, does not understand their culture and religion, and of course, is unfamiliar with the environment. How is such an alienated man expected to respond to the people or a distress call? The Investigating Police Officer in a case in Ikot Ekpene, is on posting to Zungeru, how can such a case be diligently prosecuted? Some years ago, I had a discussion with a young corporal from the North East, who said after moving his family around due to transfers, he decided that they stay put in Kano. He was required to go to his old posting to sign for his salary; the cost of transportation was enough to wipe out his salary. So he allows it to accumulate, and he is worried he hardly gets to see his family or send them upkeep regularly.

How can we expect the best from him?

The police does not seem to have much self-esteem, good public image or support; it may be

whole country or in Bayelsa. This principle of “firstness” applies to Yenagoa’s first ever flyover, the Ecumenical Centre, the Sports/ Football Academy, the Catering/Tourism School, Multi- Door Court, the Traditional Rulers Secretariat, the drug mart, teachers training institute, the commercial cassava starch plant, a diagnostic centre built to first world standard, and a host of others.

Staying with the theme of Governor Dickson’s “firstness,” he has created a social welfare/ security scheme for the aged, ensuring that Bayelsa citizens who toiled in their youth to give their best to their offspring and their state will live out their old age in dignity and sufficiency instead of in shame and want. His opponents may fault this social intervention as feel-good populism, but the satisfied beneficiaries are better positioned to evaluate the programme.

In addition to these firsts, the governor’s scorecard is packed with the kind of impactful developmental interventions that improve lives in the present and constitute a down payment on the future.

The governor’s administration has renovated and in some cases, rebuilt entire complexes of public buildings. It has built 450 kilometers of roads in the last three years in spite of the difficult terrain and credit crunch, the crowning glory of which is the Isaac Adaka Boro Expressway, which was completely rebuilt into a six-lane highway.

Furthermore, the Dickson administration has constructed 18 bridges across the state in addition to the conversion of 18 existing roads to dual lane roads. Work on the three senatorial roads, which was abandoned by his successor, has reached advanced stage.

The governor’s investment in the future of Bayelsa follows a two-pronged approach: educational projects as well as measures designed to position the state to survive and even thrive in a post-oil future. In this respect, the governor’s investments in education deserve special mention. His administration has built 400 primary schools across the state, 24 model boarding

decrepit and in urgent need of rebuilding, restructuring and reformation, but the reformers must themselves be reformed. So when the ruling APC party promises to recruit 100,000 new policemen and women, it needs to answer the question, into what Police Force? Beyond employment and boosting numbers, very little will be gained unless there is a complete reformation of the police. It would just be garbage in, garbage out; no quality improvement.

Our policing system has failed; whether it is typified in setting up road blocks, doing stop-andsearch or vigilantes and ethnic militia taking over the security of the populace. We need a civil police, not a ‘force’ A reorientation and better training, not more sophisticated arms like the American police which is hardly distinguishable from the army and whose mentality like the latter, is to shoot to kill. We need a police for all, not a section. Also, government needs to check the needless proliferation of agencies essentially doing police work such as the Civil Defence, Road Safety and the anti-corruption agencies; ICPC and EFCC. The confidence of the police need to be rebuilt; better pay and welfare, adequate life insurance, better equipment including CCTV. More importantly, the citizenry need to be involved in policing. We need community policing, state police as well as Federal Police.

Since this is said to be a democracy, we should elect the top hierarchy of the police including the Inspector General of Police and his lieutenants which will make it loyal to the people not the appointing authority.

secondary schools in the state’s 24 constituencies, and rebuilt many secondary and tertiary schools, including the previously moribund Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science.

A programme of free primary and secondary education is complemented by a robust tertiary education scholarship scheme that now funds bachelors, masters and doctoral studies in Nigerian and foreign universities for thousands of Ijaw speaking people. To further support this educational revolution, the state government under Dickson’s leadership pays the NECO, WAEC, and UME fees of all students in the state in addition to supplying them with schoolbags, uniforms, sandals, textbooks, and writing paraphernalia. As of this moment, the free education programme of government has gulped N24 billion while the scholarship scheme has so far gulped N7billion.

The second arc of Governor Dickson’s diversification of the state’s economy beyond the false fiscal security of finite oil resources has involved massive investments in cutting edge agricultural production techniques and in the tourism and entertainment sector. So ambitious is the governor’s investment in the agricultural sector that the state is now dotted by largescale agricultural plantations that produce rice, cassava, plantain, vegetables, and palm produce in industrial quantities.

Like all mortals, the Countryman Governor has his human failings. But in this race of governance, he has a head start and is a distant runner. He is, in addition, a politician of integrity who clearly stands far above the maddening crowd of serial governorship aspirants who desperately crave power in order to put the glory of all lands in reverse gear. So, on December 5 this year, Bayelsans are expected to renew their social contract with Dickson when they go to the polls to elect a governor.

Concluded *Mr. Agbo, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Yenogoa, Bayelsa State.

20—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

E

VERY Nigerian loudly proclaims their hatred of corruption.

Corruption has made majority of us poor and our country backward, with only a handful of super-rich folks, most of them crooks. We all want corrupt people brought out to the public square and lynched. But how many of us can cast the first stone? When this question was posed to a Biblical lynch mob, none of them had the nerve or conscience to do it. But I bet you, if the same question is posed to a Nigerian lynch mob, everybody will immediately stone Mr Corruption dead. In Nigeria, corruption is seen only in the context of “the other person” and never “me”.

No one has demonstrated this Nigerian mentality more than our first two-time president, General Olusegun Obasanjo; a man who came out of General Sani Abacha’s prison with his chicken farm in Ota in ruins. But after his eight years as Nigeria’s president, during which he was the Minister of Petroleum Resources for six years and presided over the sales of our vital public assets, no one is left in doubt as to his new level of affluence.

Obasanjo is at the forefront of the effort to probe former President Goodluck Jonathan for corruption, but he does not want the probe to be extended to his own time.

Former Governor of Lagos, Babatune Raji Fashola (SAN) displayed this trait to show he is a “true Nigerian” during the “unveiling” of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to senior editors at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, in December last year. Dressed in a simple pair of jeans and long sleeved checkered shirt, Fashola, vibrating with fervour over the presidential candidacy of General Muhammadu Buhari, was asked how Buhari would fix the economy.

“All that the president (referring to Buhari) has to do is to tackle corruption and insecurity, and that will jumpstart the economy”, he said. For about seven years, Fashola had stood like an ebony colossus as the highly performing governor of Lagos. He cut a folk image, even among kindergarten pupils, as the much-loved “action governor”. During those years, he worked but left the politics to the Leader, Tinubu, and the rest of the boys. When Fashola spoke, he only addressed governance issues. His insulation from the murk of party politics really shielded his “other side” from the public, but by the time Ambode was being unveiled, Fashola had plunged headlong, thus exposing his “other side”, and the rest of it is now madly trending.

Settling

Fashola’s

Fashola first took that plunge after the June 21st 2014 Ekiti State governorship poll which Mr. Ayo Peter Fayose of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won.

The loser, Governor John Kayode Fayemi, duly congratulated the winner and was ready to leave office like the gentleman he was widely known to be.

But of course, Tinubu his political godfather rallied his party to reject Fayose’s victory. Fashola wrote a controversial article on the back page of THISDAY Newspaper on June 30th 2014 entitled: “Ekiti Poll: My Takeaway”, in which he propounded the now famous “stomach infrastructure” mantra as the trick Fayose used to “deceive” Ekiti people to reject Fayemi, a man who built castles in the air for them. Fayose, never to be outdone when it comes to political devilry, appointed a Special Adviser on Stomach Infrastructure shortly after his inauguration.

From that moment, Fashola became one of the frontline infantrymen in the APC propaganda machine, which, even after winning the election, has

Tinubu knows the danger in Fashola, Fayemi and others from his camp openly displaying their direct loyalties to Buhari. If he allows this to continue, these chaps will later become “Buhari’s men in the South West” when a split between Buhari and Tinubu happens

hash

continued to paint the PDP and the governments it produced as horribly corrupt. The APC federal government claims that Buhari is slow to fully set up his government because he is bogged down by the “deep rot” left by sixteen years of PDP rule. The Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, never to miss an opportunity to be in chummy terms with any president in power, took up the job of town-crier about how the Jonathan administration looted the treasury. Apparently as a reward, he got his request for a $75 million loan “for development” granted.

What a pity, all that Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has got so far for promoting Buharimania is a trip to US to shake President Barack Obama’s hand and erect billboards to show he was there!

Reworking structure of goverance It has turned out that Governor Ambode, who has been reworking the structure of governance in Lagos State has apparently been “cleaning the deep rot” from Fashola’s regime. Everyday new allegations illustrating alleged corrupt dealings of the Fashola regime are spewed out. They are many, but the most outstanding includes the alleged N78.3 million of public funds spent on setting up the Tundefashola.com website, something that should not take more than N50,000 of his own money which he can eminently afford.

A PUNCH Newspaper report also alleged that N139 million was spent on two boreholes, which should not have cost more than a couple of millions at the most. Another is N640 million spent on reconstruction of a car park in the governor’s official residence. The list goes on. If you read or listen to the Tinubusponsored media houses and online sites, you will know that Fayemi and Fashola

(as well as Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara) have fallen out of favour with Tinubu.

Fashola and Fayemi incurred Tinubu’s wrath because they jumped too close to Buhari. Just before and after the general elections, Fayemi had virtually become Buhari’s spokesperson. He even “unveiled” the then president-elect’s “economic agenda” at a business forum in Lagos. Meanwhile, he was being called an “ingrate” in a Tinubusponsored newspaper. Fashola also became almost a second shadow of Buhari during this period, and many photos of them together in a merry mood on their visit to Germany were flashed across the Internet. Fashola was being promoted as the next Attorney General and Minister of Justice for Buhari.

Tinubu obviously detests the idea of his boys jumping out of his hands into Buhari’s direct embrace. He sees the danger of his own hold on the APC supreme leader being endangered.

Tinubu wants to be Buhari’s right hand man in the APC. He wants to be the one to name people from his flank into Buhari’s government; a ploy that Fashola and Fayemi were defying by jump straight and direct. Tinubu knows the danger in Fashola, Fayemi and others from his camp openly displaying their direct loyalties to Buhari. If he allows this to continue, these chaps will later become “Buhari’s men in the South West” when a split between Buhari and Tinubu happens. They could become the second Akintola, who broke with Chief Obafemi Awolowo to create an alliance with the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) in the First Republic, thus plunging the West into crises. The crises claimed the life of Akintola; and Awo came out of prison to become the civilian “prime minister” of Col. Yakubu Gowon’s North-controlled military regime.

Tinubu’s camp knows the vulnerability of Fashola and Fayemi in view of Buhari’s trumpeted determination to employ only people with unblemished records as ministers and what not. They know that with these allegations making the rounds, it will be scandalous for Buhari to bring these men on board. Any surprise that both Fayemi and Fashola have gone oddly quiet since the heat was turned on them?

The question is: how far can these guys be pushed before they also turn over what they know of their estranged godfather to the media – and the antigraft bloodhounds? This thing they call POWER, e get as e be o!

OPINION Ogoni clean up: A promise kept

By Chukwudi Enekwechi

O

N January 9, 2015 in the course of his presidential campaign at a town hall meeting organised by then Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in Ogoni land, President Muhammadu Buhari promised that if elected president, he would approve the clean-up of Ogoni land as recommended in the UNEP report. Over the years, the problem of environmental degradation in oil-bearing communities of Niger Delta has been a recurring one.

Indeed, the issue was at the heart of the struggle by Niger Delta youths before peace was restored through the amnesty programme. With this approval by the Buhari administration the people of Ogoni land can heave a sigh of relief that their decades of struggle over environmental related issues have finally yielded result.

What this goes to show is that Buhari is a listening and caring president, and has the interest of all Nigerians at heart.

Considering the negative impact which environmental degradation has on the Niger Delta ecosystem, especially aquatic life, agriculture and water pollution, we can safely draw the conclusion that the recent approval to commence the clean- up will greatly improve the quality of lives of the people of the Niger Delta in general and Ogoni land in particular.

Though this is coming some decades after the agitation by late Ken Saro Wiwa started, yet it is gratifying that a new administration has made it a priority in its policies.

C M Y K

While this policy direction is laudable, it is hoped that as the clean-up starts in earnest, that pre-emptive measures will be put in place to avoid a repeat. This is to ensure that the remediation programme endures and achieves its defined objectives.

It could be recalled that due to the massive degradation which oil exploration had on Ogoni land, its farmland, waters and peoples, the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, began a campaign for the greater control of oil and mineral resources through the “Ogoni Bill of Rights” in 1990. This was under the military regime of the President Ibrahim Babangida. By November 1992, MOSOP made a demand for $6 Billion to be paid by Shell within 30 To demonstrate days as compensation for oil spills on their land and its the seriousness environment impact, he attaches failure which the company was asked to vacate Ogoni towards the land. realisation of Subsequently in 1993 Saro Wiwa mobilised a the above crowd numbering over stated 300,000 to press home their objectives, he demands, and this opened a pandora’s box in a way that has constituted violence enveloped the board of Ogoniland and later consumed the lives of four HYPREP

prominent Chiefs, whose role some members of the community considered treacherous towards the realisation of the main objective.

The resultant effect was that the government of the day blamed the killings on Ken Saro Wiwa and his followers, and after undergoing a secret trial he was put under the hangman’s noose in November 1995.

The agitation culminated in the intervention of the United Nations at the behest of Obasanjo administration which undertook a comprehensive study of the area and released a report, which itself formed another platform for the continued struggle for total restoration and remediation of the affected areas by the Ogoni people.

Since then, no administration has made any tangible or strenuous effort to address the concerns of Ogoni people until President Muhammadu Buhari came to the saddle.

By redeeming his campaign promises to the Ogoni people, he has demonstrated by extention an irrevocable commitment towards the needs and aspirations of all Nigerians.

To demonstrate the seriousness he attaches towards the realisation of the above stated objectives, he has constituted the board of Trustees and Project Management Team of the Hydro Carbon Pollution Restoration roject (HYPREP) in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations. The report had also recommended an initial capital of $1billion to be contributed by oil prospectors in the region, with particular emphasis on Shell which has its oil pipes traversing the length and breadth of Ogoni land.

Continues tomorrow on pg 18 •Mr. Enekwechi, a journalist, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 21

AUGUST 31, 2015

Shell Nigeria declares force majeure on Bonny Light crude exports

BY OMOH GABRIEL with Agency report

I

NDICATION emerged weekend that about 10 million barrels of Nigerian crude oil cargoes for September-loading are still looking for buyers, and face steep competition from other crude oil grades. This is coming on the heels of Shell shutting in about 162, 000 per day as it declares force majeure on Bonny light crude.

This would mean delay in realizing revenue from crude export into the federation account.

The development may mean more hard time for state government as their ability to pay salaries are further jeopardize d by low level inflow into the federation account.

There are mounting doubts about the ability of the government to achieve even 20 per cent of capital project this year.

Shell’s Nigerian unit, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), declared force majeure on Bonny Light crude oil exports after shutting down two key pipelines in the country due to a leak and theft. The Trans Niger Pipeline and the Nembe

Creek Trunkline are two of the biggest onshore pipelines in Nigeria, and carry Bonny Light crude oil to vessels for export worldwide.

Planned exports of 162,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Bonny Light in September accounted for just over 8

per cent of Nigeria’s total planned exports of nearly 2 million bpd.

A leak was reported on the Trans Niger Pipeline at Oloma in Rivers State, which has the capacity to carry around 180,000 barrels a day of crude oil. SPDC closed the Nembe

CONTRIBUTION TO GDP% AT 2000 BASIC PRICES

Creek Trunkline to remove crude theft points, it said in a statement.

Shell, whose SPDC subsidiary operates the pipeline with Nigeria’s state oil company NNPC, did not give a timeline for restarting either line, and did not elaborate on the scale of the leak. Traders said the force majeure was unlikely to last long, depending on the size of the leak.

Theft is rampant in Nigeria’s oil industry, and Shell has been forced several times over the past year to close its pipelines to remove theft points or clean up oil spills.

The pipeline closures do not always lead to a force majeure declaration, and even when they do, it does not preclude some export cargoes from loading.

Shell has also come under increasing pressure to pay damages for oil spills.

Earlier this year, it agreed to pay 55 million pounds ($85m) to the Bodo community for a spill in the Niger Delta.

The issue could create a problem for Shell on the physical oil market, as traders said it was still holding the bulk of the export cargoes, but it could also alleviate the general oversupply of crude oil in the Atlantic Basin.

Actis invests N5.9bn in Nigeria

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

A

CTIS, a pan-emerging market investor said it has invested over $300 million (N5.91billion) in Nigeria to date, while it made an investment worth $3 billion in 23 other countries across the African continent.

Actis’ previous and current investments in Nigeria include: Mouka Foam, owners of the Mouka Matress brand, Diamond Bank: one of Nigeria’s leading banks; Jabi Lake

Mall: Abuja’s one-stop leisure, restaurant and retail destination; The Palms, the first ever internationalstandard diversified retail mall in Nigeria; Heritage Place: a world-class office development in Lagos’s commercial and retail area; Ikeja City Mall: a world-class retail and leisure mall in Ikeja, Lagos; Vlisco Group: the market leader in designer wax fashion fabrics; UAC of Nigeria Plc, the leading food-centric conglomerate; Upstream: the leading emerging markets mobile monetisation company; Emerging Markets

Payments Holdings (EMPH):a panAfrican payments business.

These investments so far was responsible for winning the ‘Most impactful private equity firm in Nigeria’ courtesy of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI. According to LCCI, Actis won the award for ‘positively impacting the Nigerian economy and changing the status quo, by developing the Nigerian private sector’.

Speaking, Natalie Kolbe, Partner at Actis, said: “through its legacy, Actis

has been successfully investing in Africa for over six decades. The firm currently has $3 billion invested in 23 countries across the continent.”

Nigeria is a highly attractive investment destination for Actis due to its favourable demographics, GDP growth and consumer opportunity; Actis has invested over $300m in the country to date, he continued.

He further stated that Actis’ experience, global network and Continues on Page 22

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Cover REAL GROWTH RATE BY SECTOR %

Vocation and technical education – a key to improving nigeria’s development. part 4

T

Actis invests N5.9bn in Nigeria Continued from Page 21 sector specialisation uniquely positions the Firm to work with investee companies on all aspects of their growth and value creation. The Firm has an overriding focus on maximising shareholder value and adhering to the highest standards of governance.

On the award he said; “We are delighted to win the most impactful private equity firm in Nigeria from such a

prestigious organisation. We are excited about the opportunity in the country and look forward to

Actis has been successfully investing in Africa for over six decades

continuing our work with leading Nigerian businesses.”

The Actis acquisition of Compuscan was also named ‘Catalyst Private Equity Deal of the Year 2014’.

Earlier this year Actis was named ‘2014 Firm of the Year in Africa’ by Private Equity International and ‘2014 African Infrastructure Fund Manager of the Year’ by Infrastructure Investor, reflecting its investment expertise in Africa and the energy sector.

Banks warned of increased cyber attacks

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

A

s cyber-security threats shift from hacking for fun to deliberate efforts in order to get financial information, an expert in information security has warned that banks, other financial institutions and large corporations in the country may experience cyberattacks before the end of the year, unless they strengthen their cyber resilience through implementation of adequate technology.

President, Information Systems Audit and Control Association, ISACA Abuja chapter, Opeyemi Onifade, gave the warning recently as part of the preparation for ISACA’s forthcoming tenth year anniversary and annual conference in Abuja.

According to him, as a member of the global society, “Nigeria cannot be insulated from the C M Y K

opportunities and threats of globalisation.” To overcome cyber-attacks, he warned that banks would need to strengthen their cyber resilience through implementation and adoption of processoriented good practices, technology and standards, and engagement of right skills and competencies.

According to him, “We need to understand that we cannot succeed by accident.

The cyberspace is now recognized as the fifth domain of warfare in addition to land, air, sea and space. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, our cyberspace domain is still a neglected and unprotected territory.

Yet, we depend so much on mobile telecommunications, electronic banking and electronic commerce for our socio-economic survival.”

Onifade said it has become imperative to address Nigeria’s collective capacity

to respond to the inevitability of cyber threats, especially Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). “The purpose of the majority of APTs is to extract information from systems— this could be critical research, enterprise intellectual property or government information, among other things. Talking about the shift in the motive for hacking (i.e. compromising the security profile of information systems), you will find that there is an evolution in the motivation for attacks.

“Motivation for attacks can be explained as being attacked because you are on the Internet and you have vulnerabilities. Or because you are on the Internet and you have information of value or because of who you are, what you do or the value of your intellectual property.

These would include statesponsored attacks and corporate espionage.

he focus is on the roles all, technology education is a of technology and human right and, as such, vocational education in should receive priority in the enhancing entrepreneurial allocation of national skills that will equip students resources. It has become very for entrepreneurship necessary not to only keep education in Information and technology education bound to Communication Technology the role of manufacturing (ICT.) driven technological skilled manpower but also to environment. The world has economic development and become globalized and the global economy. In Nigeria, future prosperity depends on technology education was comparative advantage. This previously not seen as comparative advantage fundamental for national hinges on people and their development, or for the technical or technological economic development, but for sophistication. Towards this, the school dropouts, and other some crucial entrepreneurial social and political and technical skills needed development within the nation by the students in colleges of and for individuals. Hallak education (technical), (1990) argues that technology polytechnics and universities education is also linked to to meet the trends in a global human resources development economy is analyzed. and that this has an impact on Technology education is to more than just economic be considered as the key growth, but also an impact on agent of technology the wider development of development, either as a way individuals and societies. of developing human According to him, it capacity, increasing the contributes to: shield work force for (a). Individual creativity, m o d e r n i z a t i o n , improved participation in the industrialization, envieconomic, social and cultural ronmental development or as roles in society. a matter of personnel (b). Improved understanding freedom, developing of an individual and heir capability and empowerment. respect for others, thus Technology education is promoting social cohesion and increasingly recognized to be material understanding central to both the origins of (c) Improvement in health technological development and nutrition. and challenges and to the (d). Improved chances of prospects for successfully economic development. dealing with them (Alam, (e). Improved technological 2009). Decision makers at all development. levels, need timely, reliable (f). Socio-cultural change. access to knowledge (g). Democracy and equality generated by technology and (h). Ecological development/ technical education to quality of life (increasing introduce rational policies people’s awareness of their that reflect a better global environments). understanding of complex From our analysis so far, it is technical, economic, social, clear that cultural and modernization and article issues e c o n o m i c concerning the Decision development, society, and our on makers at all depends environment. investment and T e c h n i c a l levels, need appreciation of decision making timely, modern trends in and priority reliable t e c h n o l o g y setting is an education. According integral part of access to to Woodhall (1997) o v e r a l l knowledge investment in d e v e l o p m e n t generated by t e c h n o l o g i c a l planning and education and formation of technology training produces t e c h n o l o g y and technical benefits for the d e v e l o p m e n t education individual and for strategies. Above society as whole.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 23

A

s crude oil prices dived lower threatening to dip below $40 a barrel for the first time since the financial crisis of 2008 and notching their longest losing streak since 1986, economies around the world are catching cold.

Investors across the world are losing their investment in stock and property owners are also suffering losses as a result of depreciation in currencies. With deepening gloom over demand growth from the world’s second-biggest oil user, and expectations for a significant build-up in surplus oil stocks this year, most oil traders are unwilling to stabilize crude oil prices. The market seems to be stuck in a relentless downward trend.

The collapse of oil price is already taking its toll on the Nigerian economy. As it stands, there is no light at the end of the tunnel yet.

Nigeria's situation is further worsened by the current government delay in appointing ministers and forming a government. This has left an economic vacuum as there seems to be no policy direction at the moment.

The vacuum created by lack of fiscal policy has left the Central Bank of Nigeria with no option than to attempt to combine monetary and fiscal policies in an attempt to direct the economy. The lack of apparent policy direction of the present government has left a lot of decisions hanging.

Investors are playing a wait-and-see game; some have pulled out their funds in the capital and bond markets. Because there are no ministers, all activities are in the presidency. This in itself has one implication, delay in decision-making in government circles as there is little the President alone can do in a day in the economic and political arena.

It is sad that the gains all Nigerian financial markets

Nigerian economy heading towards recession had from the election outcome have proved to be short-lived. The naira which appreciated immediately after the elections has suffered reversal, the same with the capital market. As at today, the global hazy clouds and the impatience of some investors with the new President have brought about a market reversal in Nigeria's financial markets and the economy.

Looking at the way things are, it is worrisome that the 2016 budget will be difficult to put together. Nigeria's policy-makers do not expect to be rescued by a strong pick-up in the oil price any soon. Oversupply in the market, China worries and the Iran deal militate against a recovery before 2017. So it is apparent that the 2016 budget has to be lean and Nigerians should not expect any major improvement in their welfare in the immediate term.

Already, some quarters in the international community are calling for a third devaluation of the naira. But the CBN/MPC at the moment, is not disposed to doing so, rather, it favours a managed rate, and may well introduce more administrative measures for this purpose. Ongoing

happenings in the international currency market a nd the widening gap between the parallel market and the inter-bank rate may compel the monetary authorities to adjust the exchange rate to N210 to the dollar before long.

The previous two devaluations have eroded consumer spending, impoverished Nigerians more and increased the cost of production in the country. This has started to have adverse effects on the economy.

It is apparent that the 2016 budget has to be lean and Nigerians should not expect any major improvement in their welfare in the immediate term

Figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday last week attest to this. The data indicated that the economy is going down the slope and if corrective measures are not applied soon, by the end of the year, it will enter into recession. In the second quarter of 2015, the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 2.35 per cent in real terms. This was lower by 1.61 per cent from growth recorded in the preceding quarter. It is also lower by 4.19 per cent from growth recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2014.

During the quarter, aggregate GDP stood at N22.859 trillion at basic prices. Compared to the second quarter of 2014 value of N21.7348 trillion, nominal GDP was 5.17 per cent higher. Nominal GDP growth was also higher relative to growth recorded in first quarter of 2015 by 0.85 per cent.

The Nigerian economy can be more clearly understood according to the oil and nonoil sector classifications.

During the period under review, oil production stood at 2.05 million barrels per day; 5.9 per cent lower than production in first three months of 2015. Oil production was also lower

Business & Economy

relative to the corresponding quarter in 2014 by 7.3 per cent when output was recorded at 2.21mbpd.

Growth in the non-oil sector was largely driven by the activities of trade, crop production, construction and telecommunications. The nonoil sector grew by 3.46 per cent in real terms between April and June of 2015. This was 2.13 per cent lower than that of January to March of 2015 and 3.26 per cent lower than the corresponding quarter in 2014. In real terms, the nonoil sector contributed 90.20 per cent to the nation’s GDP, marginally higher from shares recorded in first three months of 2015 (89.55%) and that of April to June of 2014 (89.24%) The economy, to those who understand trends and cross data analysis, needs attention and appropriate policy measures to fix it. This seemingly directionless government had better rise to the occasion or the gains of rebasing the economy will be lost. Looking at the way the economy is drifting, and no decisive action is being taken on the fiscal side, very soon, workers will begin agitation for wage increase, prices will go up, cost of living will rise further. The cost and the burden on the general welfare of the Nigerian people will be such that it will spark off general protest that will be common place in 2016 and beyond. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.

How Nigerian entrepreneurs can benefit from lifting of Iran sanction

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

N

I G E R I A N entrepreneurs should prepare to explore the immense opportunities provided by the imminent total lifting of international trade restrictions placed on the Islamic Republic of Iran, to boost local export and drive economic growth in the country.

Pioneer member of Nigerian-Iran Business Council, Mr. Prince Hassan Momoh stated this during a workshop organised by the Council on the business opportunities in Iran in Lagos.

He said Iran is a fertile investment destination offering immense opportunities for Nigerian business men who are willing to explore them.

He said Nigerian business men should look to invest in Iran because it is one of few countries that do not require a local partner for foreign investment, a factor, he said has led to many foreign companies making investment in Iran even during the sanctions.

Momoh said a great number of investors will be ready to enter Iranian market after restrictions are fully lifted from international trade and

Iranian banks, before reaching 2016 and that, Nigerian businessmen should be ready as well to explore opportunities.

According to him, “The factors that have turned Iran to an ideal place for investment are: Low price energy, cheap and young skilled workforce with high education, tens of Free-Trade Zones, government incentives for foreign investment, strong infrastructure in transport, water and energy, market demand for high-quality products and services and production of many required minerals and petrochemical raw materials.”

He said Iran also offers immense import and export opportunities because it has a

huge population of over 80 million people, extensive industries and thirsty market, where all commodities have both import and export permissions without any restriction in the market.

He said: “Imported products to Iran are foodstuffs or prepared food, agricultural seeds, pharmaceuticals, meat, spare parts, production lines, clothing, electrical products, home appliances and almost everything that is produced in the world can enter and be sold in Iran.

“Products that are exported from Iran are pistachio, carpets, cements, apples, dairy products, plastic, metal products, tomato paste,

chocolate and candy, tiles, copper, dates, plaster, polyethylene, nitrogen-release fertilizer, lead, methanol and any petrochemical products. If you would be willing to buy any product(s) from Iran, IranPartner will introduce the high quality producers to you at no cost; all cost will be covered by the Iran party.

“Also, if you are not willing to be personally present in Iran but would like to market your products, IranPartner will do it for you free of charge, you will only give them the permission to be your representative of your product in Iran for 18 months and during this time, they will make the necessary contacts with real Iranian buyers that will market your products.”

24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Business & Economy

FG seeks to boost wheat output, cut imports by half

By JONAH NWOKPOKU with agency report

T

he Federal Government said it plans to boost its wheat output and cut imports by half by 2017 as farmers ramp up production of two new strains that thrive well in warmer climates.

Two wheat varieties released to farmers since 2014 can produce from 3.5 metric tons to 6.5 tons per hectare (2.471acres) and could grow with rain water or irrigation, Oluwasina Olabanji, Executive Director of the Lake Chad Research told Reuters news agency in an emailed response to questions on Monday.

Previous strains had maximum output per hectare of 4 tons for irrigated farms and 2.5 tons per hectare for those using rain water.

He said: “I hope that by 2017, our production will hit 1.5 million metric tonnes and reduce importation by 50 per cent. This is our target and it is achievable. Annual wheat production should grow at 20 per cent from 2017.”

Era of shoddy deals and undercover transactions over – SON

BY NAOMI UZOR

T

he Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has said that

with the introduction of the integration of systems and certificates into Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS), the era of shoddy deals and undercover transactions is over.

The Director General of SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, disclosed this in Lagos during a one-day workshop tagged “Trade Facilitation through Automation of SON’s Services” for stakeholders towards boosting import/export trade. he added that, the organisation wants to ensure that their members of staff do not engage in unwholesome transactions and sharp practices with companies, importers, associations or individuals.

He said “You will agree with me that cutting corners, fraudulent and unscrupulous acts would not only subvert and circumvent any organisation’s efforts but equally create bad blood."

SON renews commitment to ridding Nigerian market of sub-standard products

By JIMOH BABATUNDE

D

irector General and C h i e f Executive, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, has re-iterated the agency’s readiness to reduce sub-standard products to 10 per cent by the end of 2015, noting that the days of manipulation of the system will no longer be permissible Speaking at an expanded stakeholders' seminar in Lagos entitled, “Trade Facilitation via Automation of SON’s Services” in Lagos.

Dr. Odumodu said the current level of 40 per cent of sub-standard products remained unacceptable to the federal government.

He assured that Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) would not rest on its oars to ensure that life threatening products are adequately and decisively eradicated.

Dr. Odumodu made it clear that all and sundry should embrace the change mantra which the Buhari administration has been projecting; adding that stakeholders must support President Buhari to eliminate and check financial leakages and corruption in both public and private sectors of the nation’s economy.

The SON boss described Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) which the agency’s services and businesses have since been integrated as a “Nigeria project that would enable us to transact businesses no matter where we are”.

He described NICIS as “a system that no longer allows you to come to SON’s offices across the country to seek certification.

“What we as an organisation has done concerning developing trade portal and NICIS covers the following critical areas – converting all SON Certifications and certificates to electronic format, online transmission of certificate to trade portal/NICIS by consignee for Form ‘M’ and Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) Consignment processing at the comfort of the person’s office.

He said that will eliminating direct contact or visits to SON office for certification processing, “providing HS Codes regulated by SON and the requirements for regulated products on www.trade.gov.ng/son as well as setting up a Customer/ Consumer Help desk at Apapa,

Lagos and Abuja”.

Odumodu told participants that trade facilitation has since become a sing-song among nations of the world as no country wants to be left behind in international trade and global competitiveness.

“Trade Facilitation would entail ensuring that Nigerian industrialists, importers and operators in both organised private sector and public institutions carry out their transactions smoothly and successfully through mainly deploying the instrumentality of Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA),

which allows businesses to be transacted electronically.”

Powered by Web Fontaine, about 20 government agencies are connected to the service.

Some of the agencies interconnected to the ASYCUDA system are Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, EFCC, NPA, National Bureau of Statistics, Nigerian Shippers Council, NIMASA, the Presidency, NCS, SON, as well as NIS. The SON boss said they have been able to improve and enhance inter-agency collaborations and synergies

although more understanding and cooperations are needed in this regard.

“Indeed, since the removal of some agencies from the Ports in 2011, we have found out that inter-agency collaboration and cooperation have not been smooth as it should be.

“What we have been doing in SON, as one of those agencies affected by the federal government’s directives to leave the Ports, is to be on the alert and we have been able to use much insiders’ information and tip offs to intercept trucks loaded with fake and sub standard goods coming out from the Ports.”

MEDIA PARLEY - From left: Amaechi Okobi, Head, Strategic Brand Management; Aina Akintonde, Head, Women Banking and Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director, Personal Banking; all of Access Bank Plc during a media parley at the Bank’s Head Office in Lagos .

Tin-Can Cust oms command collects Customs N1 85.7bn in 7 months — Spok esman N185.7bn Spokesman

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he Tin-Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS said it collected N185.7 billion revenue from January to July 2015. The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Chris Osunkwo, made this known in Lagos. He described the sum collected as a remarkable improvement over the N162.3 billion collected in the corresponding period of January to July 2014. “ Last year in Tin-can Island Port command, we made N162.3 billion between January and July. This year, so far we have had N185.7 billion within the same period of January to July 2015. If you look at it, it’s approximately N20 billion difference and that is a remarkable improvement, intensifying effort and quality leadership. Above all, we do not believe that the volume of cargo translates to collectable revenue. No! but rather the quality of cargo the value.

“Looking at that and taking it from there, you can agree with me that officers improved on their performance because they have been more dedicated. From the available cargo, we do not need the whole of Europe or U.S. or Asian market to relocate to Nigeria before we can get maximum revenue for government.

So from the available cargo, the job is done procedurally and the way most appropriately

it should be done. From there, the accruable revenue to government is realised and accounted for.“ He explained that the improvement in the amount of revenue collected was the result of the dedication and commitment of officers of the command. The command’s spokesman said that the volume of imported new and used vehicles dropped sharply because of the new policy on automobiles importation.

Osunkwo said that the command also made remarkable collection from the massive influx of general cargo. He explained that seizures dropped, an indication that the level of traders’ compliance to import regulations had improved. Osunkwo said that officers of the command were on the alert and ready to impound smuggled poultry products in line with its operation ‘Hawk Descend‘.

He spoke of the need for terminal operators to provide adequate equipment to facilitate cargo examination at the port.

“This issue of minimum equipment and machinery to conduct examination is still hampering seamless operations; still we have devised strategies to surmount that.

That notwithstanding, the other day, my Area Controller called the terminal operators for a meeting and read the riot act; that look, all of them must be up and doing.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 25

Banking & Finance

Fitch: Nigerian banks in trouble, may post decline performance indicators

By PETER EGWUATU

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itch Ratings has declared that Nigerian banks are operating in increasingly difficult conditions as this may result in a sharp deterioration of their profitability, asset quality, liquidity and capital ratios.

Fitch in its report released weekend said “The sector outlook is negative in December. Gross Domestic Product, GDP figures for second quarter show weaker year-on-year growth of 2.4 per cent , down from 4 per cent in the previous quarter, the slowest quarterly growth rate for over 10 years.”

The volatile operating environment is highly important in determining ratings for all Fitch-rated Nigerian banks, keeping their Viability Ratings low, in the highly speculative ‘b’ category. Nigerian banks are highly exposed to their domestic market and the economic slowdown will affect their performance.

According to Fitch “Nigeria’s oil sector growth slowed in second quarter, 2015 and non-oil growth was just 3.5 per cent , down from 5.6 per cent in first quarter , 2015. Part of this slowdown was caused by temporary fuel shortages, which caused industrial production and manufacturing output to contract. Lower oil prices, reduced government spending and restrictions on foreign exchange availability are also taking their toll on performance across the economy.

Positively, agricultural output, c o n s t r u c t i o n , telecommunication services, internal trade and financial services continued to grow.”

Fitch explained that Nigerian banks have had to contend in recent months with the increased vulnerability of the oil and gas sector, pressure on the naira, the slower economy and tightening bank liquidity.

“These are all credit negative for the sector. Since the beginning of August, public sector deposits, which represent around 8% of total system deposits, have exited the commercial banks and must be held at a single treasury account at the central bank. This adds pressure to liquidity. No significant changes in economic policy

First Bank boosts savings culture among teenagers

F

Source: FMDQ

have materialised following the change of government at end-March 2015, but until a new cabinet is formed and a clear policy framework is announced, uncertainty will weigh on the outlook” it noted.

According to Fitch “Loan growth contracted in first half 2015 which is likely to translate to weaker bank financial metrics for the year. We

believe sector nonperforming loans will rise above the central bank informal cap of 5 per cent , but below 10 per cent of total sector loans by end-2015.

Regulatory capital adequacy ratios are likely to fall further due to lower earnings, weaker asset quality and a limited ability to raise capital.

Tier 1 capital ratios could fall

below 15 per cen for many banks, which is low by historical standards for Nigeria.

“In our opinion, key financial metrics reported by Nigeria’s banks are likely to continue to decline in the closing months of 2015. A prolonged economic downturn would likely to put pressure on bank ratings.”

Ecobank , Global Fund partner to eliminate Malaria, others E

cobank and the Global Fund have continued their innovative financing partnership programme to contribute to the fight against malaria, Tuberculosis, TB and Human Immune Virus, HIV/AIDS. The programme is designed to strengthen the financial management skills of program implementers in Nigeria, South Sudan and Senegal. Ecobank has pledged $3 million towards the scheme.

During the second phase of the programme, which officially kicked off in Abuja, six Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs who battle TB and HIV/AIDS in Nigeria will receive extensive onsite training over the next twelve weeks.

“This unique partnership demonstrates the commitment of African institutions like Ecobank using their own resources

and knowledge to make a significant contribution to sustainable development across Africa,” said Julie Essiam, Head of HR, and CEO of the Ecobank Foundation. “Aligned to our vision and mission to develop Africa, at Ecobank, we help develop the communities we serve.”

Technical training will be delivered by Ecobank Nigeria and through the placement of Accounting for International Development consultants, who are all members of the Nigerian Diaspora taking time off to volunteer on this specific project.

“The Global Fund sets up innovative partnerships with private sector partners in order to roll out gamechanging strategies to reach all those who are vulnerable to AIDS, TB and malaria.

There are enormous benefits to working with a partner like

Ecobank, who can bring valuable expertise to the programs, as well as to the Global Fund itself ”, added Andrew Redpath, Private Sector Portfolio Relationship Manager at The Global Fund.

The partnership projects are expected to have a longlasting effect. Training of the NGOs not only strengthens financial stewardship of Global Fund grants; it will also improve transparency and accountability for the use of public funds and grants from other donors.

The impact of the programme has already been recognised as over 80 people working for 10 grant recipients in Nigeria and South Sudan were trained during the first phase of the project last year. The Global Fund country teams have already noticed first-hand that grants implementation has become more efficient.

irst Bank of Nigeria Limited, has opened a window of money management opportunities to encourage Nigerian teenagers to develop a healthy savings culture while building prudent expenditures and investment profiles. The bank has introduced the MeFirst prepaid card specially designed for teenagers between the ages of 13-17 years (MeFirst Account holders), to enable those within this age category develop financial responsibility and money management skills early in life, as well as help them imbibe a cashless culture early on as part of their banking experience in line with CBN policy.

The card is to be preloaded by parents/guardians and it has a quarterly spending limit of N50,000.00. However, this is flexible and can be set to suit the preference of the caregivers.

In view of the savvy nature of teenagers and to create diversified choices, the MeFirst prepaid card comes in five design options to suit different peculiar tastes; it is acceptable worldwide, can be used on all electronic platforms carrying the Visa logo and comes at a discounted cost compared with other prepaid cards.

AFIDEP to hold convention on development

By ANOZIE EGOLE

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oised to provide everlasting solution to the continent’s infrastructure deficiency as it has been discovered to be the root cause for most of the socio- economic, political and societal malaise, a Swiss based, African Infrastructure Development Partnership, (AFIDEP), has concluded plans for an international forum in Zurich this year. The three day event which is tagged, “The Private Public Partnership or PPP Initiative 2015” has been billed to bring together speakers based in USA, Japan, Switzerland, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

According to Dayo Ogunsola, the speakers were drawn from people from different walks of life so as to provide the participants a thorough and well-rounded view of the situation.

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26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 27

Corporate Finance

We expect emerging markets revenue contribution to increase to 30% — DHL

By PETER EGWUATU

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Group Chief Executive Officer, Deutsche Post DHL Group, Frank Appel visited Nigeria to demonstrate the importance of the emerging markets in the company’s strategic 2020 growth focus. In this interview with Vanguard, he spoke on DHL’s commitment to Sub-Saharan Africa and how the company is well-positioned to tap the potential of the region, its financial position and the challenges of globalisation in logistic business, amongst others.

Excerpts:

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he

How do you see the emerging market and Nigeria market in particular?

You should note that today, emerging market revenues contribute over 20 percent to Deutsche Post DHL Group’s revenues, but by 2020 the Group expects this figure to climb to 30 percent. Therefore, we will continue to concentrate on organic growth by investing into promising present and future markets.DHL already has a strong footprint in Africa, but we see some excellent opportunities to further increase our presence in the Sub-Saharan region. South Africa’s exceptional geographic location as the gateway to Africa, and Nigeria’s growing gross domestic product (GDP) and diversifying markets are only two of the many important indicators for this. As a Group look for opportunities to continue to grow organically and expansion into new territories and new innovative solutions to target new segments of the market are key drivers of our global strategy.

How important is Nigeria and Sub Saharan Africa to the Group and how much are you committing into Nigeria market?

For a group with a strong network business and a global footprint of over 220 countries and territories, having a strong presence across the globe is essential for us to provide services to our customers, facilitating trade around the world.

We have been present in Africa for some 40 years, and

have consistently invested in the infrastructure to bolster our infrastructure. In our Express division, we have a planned investment of EUR 20 million in 2015. The business has b e e n expanding its footprint and now has over 3,500 service points. In addition to facility upgrades, Express now has a number of vehicle and technology upgrades in 2015, along with ongoing employee and Small Medium Scale Enterprise, SME development programmes.

What are DHL’s expectations for Africa region in terms of trade and infrastructure development?

We believe in the long term growth and there is huge opportunity in the region. With good legislation , ease of doing business, good infrastructure, finance sector on world-class level, significant amount of resources, excellent science skills in part and reliable, and independent legal system.

We are best performer in Africa for trade facilitation logistics. So we need open trade policy and comparatively strong domestic market. We should note that more than 75 per cent of manufacturing firms export to African countries Our logistics performance outperforms regional peers (excellent infrastructure of

We have been present in Africa for some 40 years, and have consistently invested in the infrastructure to bolster our infrastructure

Fidson partners US firms on new product marketing

By CHIOMA OBINNA

I

*Managing Director, DHL Group, Frank Appel airports, extensive rail network (14th largest in the world), the longest road network of any African country). For Nigeria, it is a new economic giant / strongest economy in Africa (South Africa moved to 2nd place). It is 21st largest economy worldwide and has huge, young and urbanised population; large oil and gas reserve and increasingly diversified economy.

Given the attractions of ecommerce market in Nigeria, how is DHL prepared to take advantage of the future growth?

We are prepared to tap from the growth of e-commerce, so we are investing heavily in Nigeria .e-commerce creates significant opportunity for us.

We are not a manufacturing company but we are in the business of supply. So we are ready to benefit from ecommerce growth in Nigeria.

South Africa has the second largest number of potential online shoppers (70 per cent ), compared to Nigeria (89 per cent ) and Kenya (60 per cent ). South African e-commerce sites are popular destinations for shoppers from Nigeria Research shows 30 per cent of Nigerian cross-border shoppers (online shoppers who have made purchases online from another country) have purchased goods from South Africa in the past 12 months.

There is huge potential for ecommerce in the region, compared to emerging markets, e-retailing in Africa is still in its infancy. A recent retailing study2 conducted by Urban Studies on behalf of South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC), revealed that Africa and the Middle East’s share of global e-commerce in 2015 is just 2

per cent, but that it shows high potential. This is supported by a recent report

by McKinsey & Company, which revealed e-commerce could account for 10 per cent of retail sales in Africa’s largest economies by 2025.

Google also predicts that a massive e-commerce market will emerge in Africa by 2017 as the continent becomes more familiar with technological advances.

How is DHL financial performance like, especially in the first half of 2015?

After the successful execution of Strategy 2015, the current year represents a year of transition. In the second quarter we worked very hard and took important steps towards the successful implementation of our Strategy 2020. With that, we want to ensure the long-term, profitable growth of the Group.

To achieve this, we have recorded some short-term impact on our results. At the same time, we are convinced that these measures will contribute to accelerated earnings growth in the next year and enable us to achieve all our targets set for 2016 and beyond.

The second quarter saw a year-on-year revenue increase of 7.3 per cent , or EUR 1 billion, to EUR 14.7 billion (2014: EUR 13.7 billion). The DHL divisions grew by 9.1 per cent and the PeP division by 1.9 per cent. Adjusted for currency effects, Group revenues increased by 0.6 per cent with lower fuel surcharges limiting stronger growth.

In the first half of the year, Group revenue increased by 8.1 per cent , or approximately EUR 2.2 billion, to EUR 29.5 billion (2014: EUR 27.3 billion).

n a move to ensure that Nigerians have access to quality products, Fidson Healthcare Plc,a quoted company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE has entered into partnership with US firms, Immune Therapeutics, GB Pharma and American Hospitals & Resort, AHAR, for the marketing and distribution of LodonalTM, a patentprotected product that is indicated for the management of patients with immunecompromising diseases.

The new partnership will leverage Fidson’s strong and experienced marketing base, robust distribution channels and efficient customer and technical support services to promote LodonalTM in Nigeria.

The distribution will become effective, upon completion of the ongoing NAFDAC approved 90 day bridging trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of the product.

Disclosing this in a statement, Managing Director, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr Fidelis Ayebae, said the company is excited about the collaboration. According to him, success in the industry into the future will be dependent on having the right partnerships, hence, the company could not have asked for better partners at this stage of its growth.

“The international experience of Immune Therapeutics and GB Pharma/ AHAR in different markets, and their strong commitment to research will be of immense benefit to Fidson. Likewise, Fidson’s towering presence in the Nigeria Pharma space will open a great door for the group to access one of the biggest and most rewarding markets in Africa,” he noted.

He further explained that the partnership was another strategic approach by the management of Fidson to further strengthened the company’s growth.

On his part, President & Chief Executive of GB Pharma, Dr. Gloria B. Herndon, said: This is the crescendo of a great masterpiece that partnership of GB Pharma, American Hospitals & Resorts, Immune Therapeutics, each with its distinct role. Fidson Healthcare markets and distributes throughout the extensive Nigerian Network.

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Corporate Finance

Uncertainty in FG’s policy cripples capital market growth — NSE boss

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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he Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, has called on the federal government to address the uncertainties in its policies to stall further crash of the stock market.

The equities market extended weekly losses for the fourth consecutive week as the local bourse closed in the negative at the end of trading session on Thursday, August 27, 2015. Consequently, the All Share Index (ASI) declined by 1,656.58 basis points or 5.5 per cent to close at 28, 221.75 points on Thursday from 29,878.33 points on Friday, August 21, 2015. Similarly, market capitalization slumped

by N542 billion or 5.3 per cent during the same period, closing at N9.699 trillion from N10.241 trillion on Friday, August 21, 2015.

On Monday alone, the twin indicators, the ASI and market capitalisation, crashed the

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Fidelity emerges best bank to work for in Nigeria

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VISIT -From left: Director, Administration and Finance FCT Education Secretariat, Mrs. Biki Naomi, Director FCT Scholarship Board Mal. Ahmad Rany, Executive Commissioner Corporate Services Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Hon. Zakawanu Garuba and Director General SEC, Mounir Gwarzo when members of the FCT Scholarship Board visited the Director General in Abuja most, dropping by 2.2 per cent, an action the NSE

termed ‘an over-reaction by investors’.

According to Onyema, who spoke in a chat w i t h newsmen in Lagos, investors l o a t h uncertainty and would begin to r e a c t positively if the gray areas are removed.

“Concerning the current challenges we are facing, I have to say that our market is reflective of t h e e c o n o m y, and as you know, the economy towards the end of last year faced significant shots from crude oil prices and that has impacted the foreign exchange rate, and created uncertainties in the

market place.

“As you know, investors do not like uncertainties and as we begin to remove the uncertainties around exchange rate, around economic policies, you will see investors be able to appropriately react to the removal of these uncertainties. That is the feedback that we are getting from investors” Onyema declared.

Speaking on reverberating effect of the crumbling economy in China on the global markets, Onyema said " As you know, we are living in a hyper-connected world; a world where shocks in one region end up manifesting themselves in another region.

We’ve seen a slight slowdown in China and two currency devaluation that have sent some shocks.

“When you compare them to the fact that the U.S is beginning to consider whether they should start increasing interest rate, and you also have the situation in Europe and Greece, which is really a European story. So if you have all of that, and you are looking from a global perspective where we are looking to have global growth of 3.5 percent, and we have the largest second economy in the world slowing down, which is a major source of that growth that we have seen across the globe. Sure it is going to affect economies that are highly connected to such economy.”

idelity Bank Plc has been adjudged the best bank to work for in Nigeria.

In a recent study conducted

by Ventures Africa, an online platform for news and analysis about African businesses, in conjunction with Jobberman.com, Nigeria’s leading employment website, Fidelity Bank Plc., emerged the only bank among the top 12 most preferred places to work in Nigeria.

The report tagged “Top 100 Companies for Nigerian Millennials” surveyed young Nigerians born between 1982 and 2003 and measured company culture, dreamcompany, staff welfare, gender equality, gover nment institution, company ’s prestige, salary, and nonsalary benefits. It also looked at the level of satisfaction, salary consideration, level of contentment, career growth, concerns outside work and work-life balance amongst others.

According to the organizers, Fidelity led all other banks in the country in all the measuring indices.

In a statement, Managing Director/CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo, said the development is a testament to the bank’s robust human capital management policies which focuses on enhancing the lives and wellbeing of employees.

He explained that the bank places a premium in supporting and rewarding the performance of its people. “We are proud to be honoured, especially because of our strong initiative and focus not only on staff welfare but also on the well-being of their families”.

Okonkwo alluded to the great work the management has done in making Fidelity Bank a great workplace.

Citing the Great Place to Work (GPTW) studies conducted in more than 44 countries and 4,500 organizations, which had seen corporations like Google, Goldman Sachs and Microsoft emerge as winners together with Fidelity, Okonkwo said that he is proud that Fidelity Bank belongs to this league having won the award on two occasions.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 29

Homes & Housing

PenCom issues draft guidelines on mortgage financing Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE

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ational Pension Commission (PenCom) has issued draft guidelines on withdrawals from Retirement Saving Accounts (RSA) for equity payment of residential mortgage.

This is contained in a document released by the commission on its website last week, the guidelines help to determine the eligibility requirements, procedures and documentation required to enable RSA contributors to access and utilise part of their RSA balances.

It would be recalled that the 2014 Pension Reform Act had made provision for RSA holders to access part of their pension contribution for mortgaged financing.

The document was titled: “Draft Guidelines on withdrawals from Retirement Savings Account (RSA) towards Equity Contribution for Payment of Residential Mortgage”. It stated as follows: “The Guidelines seek to provide the operational modalities for Pension Fund Administrators in determining the eligibility requirements, procedures and documentation required to enable RSA Contributors to access and utilize part of their RSA balances towards equity contribution in respect of first home ownership mortgages.

All applications by RSA holders to access and utilise a percentage of their RSA balances as equity contribution for mortgage loans shall be approved by the Commission.

A RSA holder shall access a portion of the RSA balance as equity contribution for residential mortgage, only once in a lifetime.

“A RSA holder shall make a formal application to the PFA requesting for a portion of the RSA balance as equity contribution for a mortgage loan. A RSA holder that has utilised a portion of the RSA balance as equity contribution for residential mortgage may not be entitled to a lump sum payment at retirement. An eligible RSA holder shall be allowed to access a maximum of 25 percent of the RSA balance as equity contribution for a mortgage loan. The RSA balance shall be the Value of an Accounting Unit of the Fund (VAUF) of the RSA Fund multiplied by the accounting units held by the RSA holder as at the date the application was received by the PFA. Eligibility criteria for RSA holder “In order to qualify to access the RSA balance as equity

contribution for a mortgage loan, the following eligibility criteria shall apply: The RSA holder shall be in active employment, either as a salaried employee or selfemployed person. The RSA holder shall have been contributing consistently for a minimum of 10 years, prior to the application for drawdown.

The RSA holder ’s Debt to Income ratio shall not exceed 33.33 percent of his/her net monthly income at the time of applying for the mortgage. The RSA holder’s debt shall be the sum of the monthly mortgage repayments and other personal debt obligations that impact on his monthly income. The RSA holder shall provide the required documentation as required under Section 5.0 and/or other additional documentation requested, from time to time.”

Eligibility criteria for mortgage “An eligible RSA holder shall

use the proceeds of the mortgage loan to purchase either a single-family home or an apartment in a multiunit building, which must be owneroccupied. The title to the property must have a fully perfected title and free from any encumbrance. The property shall have comprehensive insurance policy in the name of the borrower, to cover the replacement or reinstatement

A RSA holder shall access a portion of the RSA balance as equity contribution for residential mortgage, only once in a lifetime

cost of the property. The insurance policy must note the RSA Fund as one of the first loss payees, to cover the equity contribution released by the PFA. The valuation of the property to be purchased with the mortgage loan shall be carried out by a licensed, independent valuer who is a member in good standing with the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers (NIESV) and must carry Professional Indemnity Insurance with an insurance company licensed and in good standing with National Insurance Commission (NAICOM). The mortgage loan amount shall be a minimum of N1.5 million and a maximum of N50 million. The tenor of the mortgage loan shall be for a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years.

The interest rate on the mortgage loan shall be at a fixed rate for its whole duration.”

PenCom urged stakeholders to forward their feedback, comments and enquiries about the draft guidelines to DirectorGeneral of the commission on or before the close of business on September 11, 2015.

•Typical houses requiring mortgage financing

FHA courts cooperatives to boost housing

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ederal Housing Authority (FHA) has initiated moves to engage the support of cooperatives across the country to ensure success of its social and co-operative housing scheme.

Managing Director/Chief Executive of the authority, Professor Mohammed AlAmin, who disclosed this, noted that the authority is deliberately cultivating cooperatives in various parts of the country so as to strengthen them to tap into the programme. He said many of the cooperatives came on their own upon knowing about the housing scheme of the authority.

According to him, 50,000 members out of about 800 cooperative societies across the country have shown interest in the social and co-operative housing scheme of FHA. He said that FHA is also partnering state governments on the implementation of a rent-to-own housing scheme, which would convert rents paid by tenants for the eventual ownership of such houses.

Al-Amin said financially weak members of cooperative societies could latch on to the strength of the group to make their home ownership dreams become reality. He said the Authority had developed special packages for collaboration with nongovernmental, Faith-based and Community-based organisations, with a view to enhancing housing delivery to no-income, low-income and middle low-income earners.

Biya lauds Dangote on African cement plants C

AMEROONIAN President, Paul Biya, has commended Aliko Dangote for his massive investments in cement plants across Africa.

He gave the commendation at the commissioning of a 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum Dangote Cement Grinding Plant in Douala Cameroon, last week.

The country’s Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, who represented the president, also laid the foundation stone for a 200m jetty in Base Elf area, Port Autonome, De Douala.

Speaking at the ceremony, he lauded Alh. Aliko Dangote, President/CE), Dangote

Group, for investing in Cameroon which, he noted, is consistent with his government’s policy of inviting industries to contribute to the growth of the Cameroon’s gross domestic product. He added that Dangote has shown willingness to play a significant role in the industrialisation of the Cameroonian economy.

Biya said the new cement grinding plant and jetty are clear indications that Cameroon is open and welcome to investments from Nigeria and Africa, adding that as a liberal economy, the country supports investment from the private sector.

Dangote in his speech, said due to the warm welcome given to Dangote Cement, the company has decided to begin work on the second phase of the plant, which will see the doubling of its capacity from the current 1.5 million MT per annum to 3.0 million MT per annum. “Our desire to increase our investment with the Phase 2 project is based on not only the fast growth rate of the Cameroonian economy but also due to the warm welcome extended to us and the enabling environment created by the government of Cameroon.

Our choice of Cameroon for

this multi-million dollar investment is quite strategic.

Cameroon is the largest economy in Central Africa and is well endowed with abundant natural resources. The country also enjoys political stability, adequate security and growing infrastructural development,” he stated.

The richest man in Africa said that the desire to ensure that Africa becomes self-sufficient in cement production informed the recent signing of a $4.34 billion contract with Sinoma International Engineering Company Limited, a Chinese construction giant, for the construction of 11 new cement plants in 10 African countries, and Nepal in Asia.

30—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 31

C M Y K

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

In support of Senate probe of Obasanjo — 2 A

n army is a nation within a nation…” Alfred De Vigny, 1797-1863.

(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 14).

President Buhari will not probe Obasanjo’s government, not because it will constitute a distraction, as eager propagandists will like us to believe but because of the military tradition of esprit de corps. Once an officer was your superior officer in service, you don’t disgrace him in public.

The rare exceptions occur when there is a coup arising out of disagreements among the officers.

That explains why Abacha’s arrest, prosecution, conviction and attempt to execute Obasanjo was such an aberration to the military class.

Once, we “bloody civilians” understand that, it should not come as a surprise to us that our President is not too eager to probe the former Military Head of State under whom he served as Minister for Petroleum Resources and who was his superior officer.

However, while Buhari had

“

washed his hands of probing Obasanjo, he had not foreclosed any inquiry into what happened to the nation’s economy between 1999 and 2007. From my reading of the situation, Buhari had simply left the task to others to undertake. At any rate, his trip to the United States during which it was allegedly disclosed that America will assist in tracing some $150 billion of funds illegally transferred from Nigeria did not state that the entire sum was stolen under former President Jonathan.

All the crimes committed by Nigerians in collaboration with Halliburton and Siemens, major multinationals, took place under Obasanjo. So any loot with respect to those fraudulent transactions, still in foreign accounts can only be recovered by conducting a probe of the Obasanjo regime.

Without such an investigation, Nigeria cannot lay claim to the funds. Unless President Buhari is saying that we should forgo all the loot sent abroad between 1999 and 2007, he has

no alternative but to allow the Senate to do what he, for reasons stated above, cannot do.

In fact, we must ask ourselves two questions. One, if asking questions about our stolen wealth under Obasanjo is diversionary, why are we still pursuing Abacha’s loot which came earlier? Two, supposing any country in the world were to discover billions of dollars of Nigerian money laundered to its banks between 1999 and 2007, will we reject it because Obasanjo’s government is not being probed?

It is possible that such loot can be somewhere if the Senators read Chapter 8 of my book PDP: CORRUPTION INCORPORATED. That section of the book went to great lengths to demonstrate how one of our current self-righteous “saints” went about impoverishing our nation Nigeria. Like others, his membership of the ruling party had sanitized and deodorized him. He, of course has immunity. But, it will be interesting to see if he would waive his immunity to answer

questions on his stewardship.

Obasanjo himself no longer enjoys immunity under the law.

His partial immunity has been granted by President Buhari – who refuses to go further than Ya r ’ A d u a / J o n a t h a n governments as far as probes are concerned. It is a pity that military tradition superceeds national interest in this matter.

But, let me draw the attention of Mr President, his advisers and all Nigerians to the summary of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee, established to look into the disbursement of funds from the Petroleum Development Trust Fund, PDTF, account, which was managed by Obasanjo were illegal in many respects.

Chapter 6, of PDP: C O R R U P T I O N I N C O R P O R AT E D summarized for Nigerians the findings of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee under Senate President Nnamani. Permit me to quote from page 193 of that book.

“Various amounts were mentioned in the Senators’ submissions which were misapplied (read vanished into illegal ends). As they were all rendered in dollars, it is necessary to reduce them to Naira in order that we might have a proper understanding of the amounts involved and in relationship to the various needs of the people of Nigeria that were ignored during the period under review.

1. US1.76 billion = N228 billion..at the time.

2. US11 million = N1.43 billion.

3. US222 million = N28.86 billion.

4. US1.76 billion (N228 billion) drawn down to US142.5 million (N18.53 billion) meant that N209.47 billion was withdrawn without record of benefits to the nation.

The sum total of misapplied funds so far amounted to N268.29 billion; not counting the undisclosed amounts that were denied the PDTF for three years. In the next volume of this series we shall see how the PDTF was milked to the tune of close to N500 billion from 1999 to 2007, while the President of Nigeria [Obasanjo] claimed to be fighting corruption.”

Among the most nauseating expenditures made out of PDTF account was the purchase of a Peugeot 607 for a lady. Former Senator Daisy Danjuma remarked after the inquiries as follows: I was shocked and disturbed at the extent of gross abuse of office, privileges and misapplication of public funds by… the President..” (p 198). The records of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee are there in the Senate Archives; those wanting to know more about Obasanjo can go and read them. If that does not appall the reader enough, then there is a need to visit page 290 of the same book and read about how an oil block developed with our $2 billion [N260 billion] was sold at $5 million [N650 million].

Who in those unfortunate years – 1999 to 2007 – could have had the impunity to do so much damage?” So, let’s probe his holiness to find out how one can get away with so much and still keep accusing others of corruption.

Micro-Finance

Accion MfB rewards CIBN best graduating student

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH AND BISOLA OLOGUNDE

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CCION Microfinance Bank (AMfB) has rewarded Mr. Kotiko Okoye, Best Graduating Student in the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria Microfinance Certification Programme in line with its commitment to aid microfinance education.

The award, which is part of a N2million endowment to the institute was presented at the CIBN Induction/Prize Giving Award Ceremony in Lagos.

Commenting at the event, Managing Director/CEO AMfB, Ms. Bunmi Lawson, said that is in fulfillment of the bank’s commitment to rewarding excellence in microfinance banking education.

The development of microfinance within the C M Y K

Nigerian economy will help improve access to financial services for those currently excluded. At Accion, we will continue to support CIBN and its programmes aimed at building adequate capacity for the microfinance banking sector

in Nigeria.

“With a reputation for best practices in human capital development, AMFB continues to set the pace in human resource management, particularly in training and development. The bank which aims to attract fresh talents and the highly skilled in

microfinance banking for her workforce, is taking keen interest in the results of the CIBN Microfinance Certification Examinations “, she added.

Meanwhile, the CIBN Microfinance Certification Examinations which holds twice a year (April and October) is open to student members of CIBN, all those working in the microfinance banking sector, anyone who intends to come into the sector

and the general public at large.

Accion Microfinance Bank, with a reputation for best practices in human capital development, continues to set the pace in human resource management, particularly in training and development. The bank which aims to attract fresh talents and the highly skilled in microfinance banking for her workforce, is taking keen interest in the results of the CIBN Microfinance Certification Examinations.

Textile sector seeks govt patronage as NEPC demand enabling environment

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

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TAKEHOLDERS in Textile Sector, weekend, called on the Federal Government to patronise made in Nigeria fabrics even as Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) called for an enabling environment for the sector to thrive.

The stakeholders made the

call at a One-Day Capacity Building Workshop organised

by NEPC for stakeholders in the Garment and Apparel Sector on the “Opportunities in the Rising Global Market” in Lagos.

The stakeholders maintained that government patronage, provision of enabling environment and the availability of necessary

infrastructures would reduce unemployment and create more jobs for the populace.

In a separate interview, President, Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN) Mrs. Funmi Ladipo, stated: “manufacturing is going on in other countries but we are not encouraged to manufacture in Nigeria, our textile industries are dead, we

don’t even have a production hub.

“A designer is not suppose to start a job and finish it, it is not suppose to be so, what people do is to take cloths to the production hub. If we have production hubs in almost all the states, then fabrics can be mass produced and that is when we can now encourage fashion.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 33

E-Commerce

Tech operators fault planed increase of VAT Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

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n attempt to increase the value added tax by 10 per cent as announced by the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS recently will lead to high inflation, further currency devaluation and eventual serious economic losses, said some technology operators who spoke to Vanguard on the matter.

According to them, the increase will not only hurt the economy but result to higher cost of living and more revenue losses for government.

They argued that the best option would be to expand the tax net and increase revenue generation instead of compelling some honest enterprises that are already paying to pay more.

Speaking to Vanguard, Founder/CEO of Hotels.ng, Mark Essien said: “I think that the focus of the government should be to encourage more economic activity, not less. I believe increasing the sales tax will reduce economic activity, and this will lead to overall less government earnings. In my opinion, it would be better the government focuses on a more efficient use of the capital it already has before taking moves that will reduce how much business transaction volume happens in the country. ” He added: “Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs will be worst hit by the move, as it instantly increases their tax burden without a corresponding increase in improvement of government produced infrastructure. In my opinion, when SME’s do not have to pay for services that

are to be governmentcontrolled like electricity, then government can tax more. As it stands, such increases will simply lead to a price hike, which can lead to inflation and currency devaluation.”

Also speaking, Managing Director of Jovago.com, Marek Zymslowski said: “In an ideal world, raising taxes is rarely a good move for the business ecosystem. I do however understand the economic environment and limited time to use other solutions that the

new comer into the ecommerce industry, Efritin.com has launched into the online market, thereby increasing the profile of the industry, employing over 100 Nigerians.This was stated at the official launch of the company at a media conference held recently in Lagos.

According to Mr. Babak Tighnavard, Chief Operating Officer, Saltside Technologies, in Lagos. Saltside Technologies parent company of Efritin.com was founded to build leading online marketplaces in C M Y K

understand why government would want to increase tax, to generate more revenue, yes.

But I think there are more efficient means of achieving the same goal, without increasing tax. One way is to focus on collection. If government focused on ensuring that citizens pay tax at the current percentage, this will definitely increase revenue. In my opinion, increasing tax is not a long term solution, a sustainable collection process is the key, if not you will just have more people dodging tax payment once it’s increased.”

WORKSHOP — From left: Jaji Habeeb, Principal, Toyibat Group of Schools; Alhaji Mustapha Bako, Gateway Mining Co; Prince Hassan Tai Momoh, President, Virgin Gold Nig Ltd and Mr Olubayo Akinola, MD/CEO, Assurex Risk Solutions Ltd at the Nigeria-Iran Business Council workshop held in Lagos. Photo Lamidi Bamidele.

Chams shuts digital mall, loses N9.2bn

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hams Plc, an indigenous ICT firm in Nigeria, has announced the shutdown of the Ikeja ChamsCity digital Mall, due to lack of use of its digital citizen registration and mass enrolments infrastructure, losing about N9.2 billion. Other business process outsourcing services offered at the digital mall that includes contact

Efritin.com boosts Nigeria’s e-commerce profile

A

Federal Government is facing.

I would just like to point out that raising taxes is not enough if it’s not followed by effective tax collection. We want everyone to pay taxes, not only the honest enterprises.

He added: “The person that will pay the price of an increased tax is the customer.

Most probably most SMEs will increase their rates by the increased level of the tax.”

Also speaking, Managing Director, Carmudi Nigeria, Amy Muoneke, said: “I

underserved markets, creating sustainable value for the community. Saltside started in 2011 with just 4 employees but in 2015 they are now 500 employees in Bangladesh, Ghana, Sri Lanka and now in Nigeria with over 100 employees. Their success story in each market is hinged on doing things locally and employing quality staff.” Mr. Zakaria Hersi informed that part of their success story of doing things locally in each market gave rise to the name ‘Efritin.com’ meaning ‘Everything’ in pidgin language.

centre services, computer based testing, pre-qualification employee tests and staff training, will now be offered by ChamsCity from Its new location in Victoria Island, Lagos.

In a statement, Mr. Ola Olasiyan, Chief Service Officer, Chams Plc, said: “We lost N9.2 billion on ChamsCity, ChamsSwitch and CardCentre operations and have decided to close down loss makers tied to our concession on the national identity project.”

It would be recalled that ChamsCity was built in 2009 after its parent company, Chams Plc got a concession agreement from the Federal Government under the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to deliver the National Identity project for the country. ChamsCity malls in Lagos, Abuja, Benin and Port Harcourt were established as Nigeria’s pioneer digital mall to provide enormous capitalintensive resources which will accelerate citizen enrolment

and registration for National identity management system and for large scale data management in a conducive, serene, and secured environment.

“We have remained resilient, and have taken learnings from the frustration of our concession on the national identity management project. With the success recorded on the ongoing Bank Verification Number (BVN) Project and a good number of other Identity related projects that Chams is working on, we now see a clearer, more-timely and potentially large opportunity to help transform the identity management sector of the economy. Hence our decision to refocus our efforts and investments by streamlining ChamsCity,” said Olasiyan.

Closure of Ikeja ChamsCity digital mall in Lagos means that all four ChamsCity facilities situated in Lagos, Abuja, PortHarcourt, and Benin have now been dissolved without serving the primary purpose of their establishment.

Yuzah, Airtel partner to improve diesel delivery

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obile application developer, Yuzah has entered into partnership with Airtel Nigeria, to improve delivery of diesel in Nigeria through a mobile application.

The mobile app, Yuzah allows users to request instant delivery of diesel to their homes or offices, using their mobile phones.

Recall that the simplicity of the product and distribution model earned Yuzah, the one million naira prize money in the Airtel catapult-a-startup competition held earlier this year.

Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Maurice Newa described the service, which is the first-of-its-kind in Nigeria, as part of efforts by the Telco to deliver products and services that offer convenience to its customers.

“Airtel has collaborated with Yuzah, one of the winners of Airtel Catapult-a-Start-up competition, to offer Nigerians this unique service which will further enhance their access to diesel and address the inconveniences associated with the logistics involved in delivery,” he said.

According to him, “interested users can download this app on their mobile phones. Once this is done, the app will locate their place on the map and they will be able to see all the diesel trucks within their radius. Users can then order diesel through the app and the product will be delivered within 30-60 minutes once accepted by a Yuzah approved supplier.”

Commenting on the partnership, the Chief Executive Officer of Yuzah.com, Ovo Emorhokpor expressed delight at the partnership and maintained that the service will offer Nigeria optimal convenience to purchase diesel through their mobile phones.

“We are extremely happy and excited about this partnership with Airtel.

Yuzah was birthed out of necessity to create a seamless process to purchase diesel and from the initial customer response, we strongly believe the service will be extremely useful to the larger population who use the product.Airtel Nigeria continues to show its growing support for entrepreneurship and innovation in Nigeria, and we believe we will have a successful partnership,” he said.

The service is currently being rolled out in pilot areas in Lagos, with plans to expand the service to other parts of the country before the end of the year.

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Economy

By Patrick Dele Cole (OFR)

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he principal reason in the heedless pursuit of a cashless society is the belief that this will stop corruption. This is a Western notion which we have embraced fully – bringing lots of jobs to the West – the computers, the dispensing machines, the chips, pin, cards, etc. In the process it has changed banking beyond recognition. The bankers no longer want to see their clients: Their attitude is this: bring your money to the bank, but speak to the ATM. The rationale is fundamentally flawed in a developing economy. The system – cashless – is presaged by an assumption that all of us have computer related devices – i.e. phones that we are literate, that the ATMs work, that there is electricity and that ATMs are available nation wide. If you live in the cities, you may be able to do all of this; ( in Europe and US they even have receiving ATMs where the traders can actually deposit end of day sales, thus we have the beginning of making high street Banks irrelevant and unnecessary.)

Bottom line is to reduce cost of banking and increase profit for bank owners. The question we should ask our Western minders is this:- was corruption eradicated or reduced in their countries because their society was cashless?

In Nigeria the outcome necessarily is mixed. In my village we have one bank, one ATM, no light therefore most of the time the ATM is not working. The traditional local bank manager is an encyclopedia of local custom, he knows who is coming up in society so that when CBN, for example, intervenes in agriculture the bank manager is able to interpret that intervention to potential clients who stand to benefit. Such intervention in small scale agriculture may be the saving grace of Nigeria.

But our suited CBN bureaucrats obviously have not created the agricultural intervention for the farmers but for a class of fast thinking, fast talking computer literate manipulators, who know how to fill the CBN forms without leaving Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano, Maiduguri etc. These city sleek operators are the beneficiaries of nearly all CBN interventions whether for agriculture or transport etc. No true farmer, fisherman, transporter can understand the jargon in these same form. That the money disappears once voted is due to collaboration between the sleek operators and the bankers.

Now the CBN has moved into the Domiciliary Accounts area with predictable heavy handedness which will make its intervention fail. At first

C M Y K

CBN, domiciliary account and the economy

the banks announced that they would no longer take foreign exchange cash because their vaults are full, that Nigeria was awash with foreign bank notes which banks cannot take any more into their vaults. If the vaults are full, then the logical answer is building more vaults. Surely all vaults of all the banks cannot be full at the same time, there would have been ways to continue to receive bank notes.

Nations, and Governments, love secrecy but this is no time for the Government to be less than candid to its people, who are not fools and could smell a rat ten kilometers away.

No Government which respects its people could tell such barefaced lies. When banks refuse currency it is because such currency is worthless or would very nearly be so, for example, the millions of Duetsmarks in Germany, just before the end of the world war ll.

When doubts were raised, we then began to hear the main reasons for the CBN directive – because the CBN now took the bull by the horn and directed that banks should no longer accept foreign bank notes for domiciliary accounts CBN officers hit the news outlets with the most implausible of nonsense I have heard for a long time: Naira is the legal tender; no nation sits by while its currency is substituted by another, and then finally directed legitimate business transactions could only be done through the old regime of form A, form M etc.

Only fools fail to learn from history. We have been through the regime of forms M, AI, A2 etc. That ordeal led to the cement armada and the 1975 coup etc. Moreover, much of the trade that is done by most people cannot be done under the regime of form M etc. A woman has US $10, 000 – flies off to Dubai to start her small business. A young man has US $10, 000 he flies off to Taiwan, China

etc to get some spare parts for cars; others buy electronic goods or parts, still others – fridges, clothes, bras, pants etc, many more get off to Dubai with even less. The tycoons of Alaba market, Ladipo markets, many Nnewi industrialist, the transporters – Chidi Ebere, Ekenedili Chukwu, The young shall grow etc – this was how they started. Many fashion and boutique houses employing thousands started this way. I remember seeing hundreds of Nigerian, spare parts dealers in Brazil, beginning what are to-day booming businesses.

Are these the people carrying millions of dollars, Pounds etc into domiciliary accounts? No. The banks have a policy of “know your customers” and have an army of marketers who go out canvassing for deposits; so the banks know those who have these massive domiciliary accounts. If they know, the CBN also knows; the present Governor left Zenith a short while ago and Zenith was a big bank. It must have had people with large domiciliary accounts into which more cash was paid.

The Nigerian Government and State Governments must be large customers for cash usage and disbursements.

After all US $9.6 million was found in an aeroplane in South Africa on a government mission. Who has access to huge amount of cash? Prima facie that would

Opening and operating a domiciliary account in the bank was itself not against the law

be the Federal and state Governments and other agencies under them.

These are the people CBN could have talked to and stop them from continuing to put our country in jeopardy by putting large sums into vaults; now too small to carry the money. A politician received US $650,000 from a businessman who testified to giving that politician this money in cash? What has happened?

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he last election saw an unprecedented flow of foreign currency – who brought it, who used it? Does the CBN not know this? There is little purpose for a man to go to a sea shore and shout in the wind if he really has something to say and he knows who to say it to!! The vaults are not full. The circulation of large amount of foreign currency may affect the value of the Naira but that cannot be stopped merely by banning foreign bank notes. By the way, how much is this foreign bank notes slush? How much is in the banks? Most of the round tripping done in Nigeria, as the CBN well knows, is not done via bank notes but via transfers from international oil companies, Embassies and other large international conglomerates by the form M the CBN now wishes to impose. Form M cannot stop round tripping. The issue of Naira stabilization is a market problem which the CBN knows how to handle and has been doing so for a long time.

The use of form M, Al etc are strict foreign exchange control mechanism to be imposed only at the most dire of economic problems: inability of the nation to meet it trade obligations.

These measures will bring back the old nightmares of confirmed Letters of Credit (LC), then the unconfirmed LCs etc. It took Nigeria more than a decade to get out of this quagmire and ended only when Nigerians could legally operate domiciliary

accounts I think the CBN should ask the banks to talk to those large foreign notes depositors.

Opening and operating a domiciliary account in the bank was itself not against the law. If the issue is to know the source of funds then say so but do not make up some nonsense merely, because the US has cracked the whip.

The present CBN policy will start putting hundreds of thousands of Nigerians out of work.

Domiciliary accounts should continue to accept cash say up to $10,000 at a time.

Larger amount could be accepted e.g. from duty free shops; other exception to the total ban – BTA returnees who did not spend all the money overseas; estacode receiving officers, diplomatic envoys etc.

I suspect that eventually domiciliary accounts will be subject to the interference of the West who assumes that all Nigerians are corrupt.

This is a bit rich from the West who themselves over the years have benefited from moneys whose origin have been opaque; whole Governments, and Nations depended on deposits whose origin were unknown if not questionable, such countries as Switzer land, Virgin Islands, Jersey and Guernsey, Luxemburg, the Bahamas etc. China does not accept our ATM charge/ Debit cards. Was the 2008 world banking crash not largely due to corruption?

I cannot believe that CBN finding itself in a wonderful situation of the vaults of Nigeria’s banks being filed with domiciliary account, bank notes does not have the brain power to use this money to help the Nigerian economy, rather than employing the scare monger tactics now being used. If indeed, as it seem, the money came out of the CBN system, then it is unjust to allow the CBN to benefit from its negligence or malfeasance or even its lack of provenance.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 35

Advertising & Promotions

P8: Setting standards for connectivity STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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HERE might be one way to enter the Nigerian mobile market, but nothing makes a signature entrant than coming in with a phone with plethora of uniqueness to attract consumer attention.

In the last few weeks, the Nigerian mobile device market has witnessed entrant of various phone brands, with the latest Huawei P8.

The device debuted in Nigeria at a formal launch at the second building of Oriental hotel, Lekki, Lagos, housing Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, manufacturer of the device. It held a separate business evening with existing and prospective marketers to announce the arrival of the product.

According to Olanipekun Okunowo, Senior Marketing Manager, Consumer Business group, Huawei Technology, the Huawei P8 takes beauty to the next level, striking a flawless balance of artistry and creativity.

Continuing, he stated: based on a deep understanding of human –machine design, the device delivers a new level of usability for applications impacting everyday life-at work and at play.

With craftsmanship that pushes the bounds of possibility and new revolutionary light painting modes, the P8 provides

consumers with an inspiration for creativity.”

Analyzing the journey of the p series, he went on to say that the Huawei P series has redefined style, while the P1 marked the debut of Huawei’s journey, taking the stage with a new ethos based on beauty.

The P2 built on the momentum of the P1, breaking new boundaries of processing speed; the P6 brought out a new and elegant sleekness; and the ultimate

craftsmanship of the P7 stunned the market.

His words, “the P8 design is deeply rooted in literary tradition, combining elements of ancient manuscripts, illuminated books and the essence of sunlight in stained glass library windows. It is inspired by the best human design from different cultures across the centuries and embodies the human spirit of exploration and beauty.”

Further he stated that the

design details of the device evoke the pages, bindings and had covers of traditional books.

The one-piece aluminium body with the diamond shape blasting craftsmanship highlights the texture of the metal. The phone comes with four elegant colour options; silver, gold, black and grey.

The device comes in a translucent package and the and the unboxing experience is like taking a book from the shelf, he reiterated.

visit to Curves’ a weight loss centre in Nigeria, exclusively designed for women, Princewill Ekwujuru takes a look at the strategies adopted by the company to rule the fitness market.

It is no longer news that Curves International has arrived in the market. Many Journalists on Health, Fashion & Style beats have done justice to that.

Unfortunately, they have only announced the launch but have not done anything about its positioning.

With the brand promise to assist the emergence of a new generation of healthier and happier women, Curves International has thus tapped onto the consciousness of the female folk of the Nigeria market. As information have it that some Nigerian women who have already registered at the centre.

What the fitness Centre has done is to successfully tackle competitions through its niche strategies, low operating costs that attract franchisees and C M Y K

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rand My Car, Nigeria’s first out-of-home vehicle advertising company has rolled out an initiative geared towards giving more value to its customers on its unique advertising platform.

Tagged “Pay-Per-Data,” the initiative frees brands from the doubts about upfront OOH advertising rentals and enables them to pay based on estimated eyeballs reached during campaign periods.

According to the Managing Director of Brandmycar, AmakaOkolo, the initiative is driven by emerging global best-practice in the industry which prescribes the inclusion of measurable and verifiable data in the business, giving room for a lot more transparency in OOH rental billing processes.

Nigerians crowned Ms Tourism UN

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From left: Sonu Shewakramani, Managing Director, SUN Group of Companies; Ramachandran Nambiar, General Manager, International Sales & Head EXIM Business Unit with Pradeep Patil, Executive Vice President & Head – Kitchen Appliances Business Unit both of Bajaj Electricals Ltd. and Parimal Vipani, Managing Director, PTL at the inauguration of Bajaj Home Appliances and endorsement of PTL as sole distributors of Bajaj Appliances at Eko Hotels & Suites Victoria Island Lagos.

As Curves International operates in Nigeria

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Brandmycar rolls out pa payyper-data

... Targets female folks quality services.

While differentiating itself from standard gymnasium, by offering three things: a fitness programme, a meal plan, as well as personalized coaching.

Beyond its international status and the fact that a registered member in Nigeria can receive the company’s

service in over 90 countries of the world, another major advantage the brand will ride on in the market to excel is its exclusivity. According to findings, in countries where religion and culture restrict mingling of both sexes, Curves International is said to have gained tremendous customers

among the women.

Speaking on how the company will be able to reach women outside Lagos and those on the mainland of the commercial city, the Country Director, Curves International, Emma Esinnah said the Nigeria office was designed to follow the business philosophy of the parent body, which encourages franchise.

Capri-Sonne excites kids with Minions promo C

APRI-Sonne and Universal Studios, Chi Limited, maker of Capri-Sonne natural fruit drink in Nigeria, has unveiled a promo package to coincide with the global release of the movie The Minions.

Children across Nigeria are in for an exciting treat as they now have an opportunity to win free Minions gifts inside every carton of their favourite Capri-Sonne that they get within the promo period.

Great gift items include Beach Ball, magnet, goggle, magnetic frame, key chain, activity set and various minion merchandise and toys.

The Capri-Sonne Minions Promo is being amplified nationwide with an

effective media campaign running on major regional and national television channels and radio stations in the country. Simultaneously, campaign is being driven through advertisements on Print, Billboards and digital platforms like Twitter and Facebook where young fans can win loads of free gifts by participating in fun Minions games. Consumer engagement platforms such as trade activations in open markets and consumer activations like taste trials in schools and shopping malls has commenced in various cities to connect with the consumers.

According to Deepanjan Roy, Managing Director, Chi Limited, “we are confident that the Capri-Sonne Minions Promo will resonate with children across Nigeria and increase product consumption and brand affinity.

igerian beauty queens, Ebelechukwu Enemchukwu, the current holder of the Mrs. Nigeria United Nations 2015 title and Tubosoye Charles-Dokubo, has been crowned Mrs. Tourism United Nations 2015 and Ms. Category respectively in Kingston, Jamaica.

In addition to that, Enemchukwu also won the award for the People’s Choice Ambassador, topping the world chart across all categories of the competition with a total of 63,900 votes.

Mediacraft signs pact with FleishmanHillard SA

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leishmanHillard South Africa, the world’s most complete global communications firm, specializing in public relations, public affairs, marketing, paid media, and transmedia and social content, has announced the expansion of the firm’s offering in Africa through a newly concluded affiliation agreement with Mediacraft Associates in Nigeria.

Mediacraft Associates is one of the leading full-service public relations firms in Nigeria, with a track record of working for high profile clients, and a culture of high ethical and professional standards.

36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.com Blog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2 Website: www.lesleba.com Tel:0805 220 1997

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HE Punch edition of 16th July, 2015, carried an Agency report titled “CBN has no option but to devalue Naira”; in which, Ravi Bhatia, a Director in ‘Standard and Poors’, an International Rating Agency, observed that inspite of the recent measures by the CBN, “another devaluation... possibly by more than 15%, is inevitable” to satisfy the expectations of overseas investors.

In a Business Day report of 22/7/15, titled “CBN may fail Hedge fund speculators’ betting on Naira devaluation”, Sewa Wusa, Head of Research and Development of Sterling Capital observed that “the onus lies on the CBN to devalue the Naira before it is too late”; according to Wusa, “what is actually pushing the Naira southward is the banning of 41 items from the forex market”.

Similarly, research analysts at FBN Capital Plc also counseled that “devaluation fears are discouraging the offshore community from re entry”.

Indeed, in the Punch edition of 26/6/15, in a report titled “Bank CEOs call for further Naira devaluation”, the Group Managing Director of First Bank Plc, Bisi Onasanya, warned, that “the banks could not support the Naira at the present artificial level of less than N200 in the official market”, and therefore called “for further devaluation of the currency”. Onasanya insisted that “the rate is not sustainable, and the longer we continue to hold unto this, the more we send signals to the international market that we are not serious as a country ”.

Besides, according to Onasanya, “the economy will be at a standstill unless there is some adjustment to the present level of the Naira”.

Similarly, Mr. Femi Olalokun, the Executive Director, Treasury and International Business of

The poison in further devaluation

and account for over 20% of expenditure, if Federal budgets remain below N5tn.

Furthermore, an additional 20% devaluation, will also reduce minimum monthly wage to about $75, down from almost $120 only 5 years ago; indeed, with inflation consistently nearer 10%, the current minimum wage undeniably buys much less than was earlier possible, with a collateral reduction in consumer demand.

Consequently, if CBN now yields to the current pressure to promote higher interest rates, the rate for government borrowings will inch closer to 20% to impress overseas investors; in this event, cost of funds to the real sector may approach 30% to further discourage investments, reduce capacity utilization and employment opportunities, and also turn the possibility of diversifying our economy to a mirage.

In other words, higher interest rates will constrain job creation and also increase a debt burden that will be serviced by future generations at oppressive and anti-growth interest rates.

Nonetheless, some analysts still suggest that weaker Naira exchange rates will promote Nigerian exports; regrettably, Nigeria’s non oil exports have continued to dwindle as the Naira collapsed overtime from stronger than N1=$1 to N200=$1!

Instructively, the strategies to rescue the Naira Exchange rate has consistently related to the reduction of dollar demand; however in view of the apparent failures, it may now be time to recognize the unceasing systemic excess supply of Naira as the actual villain; clearly, a market with surplus Naira constantly chasing rations of dollar supply will always constrain Naira appreciation.

UBA, also chorused that “there borrowings and real sector Europe and America; sadly this disenabling phenomenon has should be a little adjustment in credit? the currency”.....and therefore Indeed, Naira devaluation is gathered speed and persists till suggested that “interest rates probably the most potent date, as beneficiaries of our would have to be increased for weapon against the prosperity individual and collective (external) funds to come in, to of Nigerians. Nigeria’s sacrifices still abandon serving support our quest for migration from a potential their country in preference for diversifying our economy, industrial power house with dollar pay packets abroad.

Indeed, wages soon became broaden the base of income and bustling social affluence, to a restore liquidity in the forex subdued and stumbling decimated by unyielding market”. economy clearly began with the devaluation, such that it Indeed, some financial adoption of IMF’s Structural became necessary for most interest groups have Adjustment Programme during Nigerians, particularly civil uncharitably engaged in an Babangida’s regime: the chorus servants to make awkward open smear campaign to from International Agencies, at adjustments and engage in rubbish CBN’s efforts to that time, was also that falling ‘Extra-curricular’ activities to maintain sanity in the forex oil prices with an unserviced supplement their paltry incomes; although the impact market; for example, of Naira devaluation “The Economist” may not have been the brazenly questioned Instructively, the strategies origin of corruption in the competence of Godwin Enefiele as to rescue the Naira Exchange Nigeria, it certainly to its CBN Governor and in rate has consistently related contributed spread and public a venomously to the reduction of dollar apathy to the disease simplistic article titled more Nigerians “Nigeria’s Currency: demand; however in view of as became beneficiaries of Toothpick alert”, also the apparent failures, it may the wages of ridiculed his attempt to now be time to recognize the corruption. control forex demand.

Clearly, Babangida’s The overriding unceasing systemic excess decision to drastically message, nonetheless, supply of Naira as the actual devalue the Naira did is loud and clear; not recognize its speculative overseas villain impact on fuel price; investors and their indeed, the notion of media organs are in fuel subsidy agreement with the movers and debt burden and the shakers in Nigeria’s banking consequent restriction of trade apparently became inevitable industry to demand further credit to Nigeria, were the with Naira devaluation. successive reduction in the Naira’s products of an allegedly Regrettably, exchange rate beyond overvalued Naira exchange administrations have remained in denial of this relationship N199=$1; additionally, these rate. interest groups want CBN to Ultimately, the overwhelming and the most recent also instigate higher rates of pressure from International devaluations from N155 to interest within the Nigerian Finance Agencies, with the N199=$1 within 4 months also economy, so as to promote the governments’ craving for triggered another 20% rise in profitability of speculative international support for an fuel prices despite the irony of foreign investors. illegal military junta, prevailing lower crude oil Consequently, But the question is, what precipitated serial Naira prices. would happen to Nigeria’s devaluations from less than N2 additional Naira devaluation economy and the social welfare to over N22=$1 by 1993. This above 20% as demanded by of our people, if Emefiele and rash decapitation of the naira overseas ‘investors’ would only the CBN are intimidated and exchange rate pauperized stoke fuel prices and make stampeded by the clarion call Nigerians, including subsidy removal a major of these financial hawks, to University professors and challenge for Buhari’s further devalue the Naira and technocrats and tragically administration; ultimately, fuel also increase domestic rates of triggered the brain drain to subsidy will exceed the alleged interest, for government more stable economies in burden of about N1tn annually

Business & Economy

Ortom commends Nigerian Breweries for revamping Makurdi Brewery

BY NAOMI UZOR

T

he Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom has commended Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB Plc) for the bold step it took to revamp its Makurdi brewery.

Ortom who made the commendation during a familiarization tour and the unveiling of a mock up bottle of the new More lager beer, applauded the company’s drive of sourcing its raw materials from the state which he says will go a long way in empowering local farmers and boosting the

local economy.

Gov. Ortom said “The Benue State government is committed to providing support to the brewery for the giant strides it has already taken. Similar industries were established in the 1980s but are now moribund; it is great to know that the Makurdi Brewery is still functioning, so I join my people in commending you for repackaging the product which now looks good and tastes better. I want to assure you that you’ve found a partner in us as we strive to create jobs and opportunities for our people so

that our primary products can be processed. Benue is the food basket of the nation and your local sourcing initiative will ensure that the state continues to benefit in this capacity Earlier in an address, MD/ CEO NB Plc, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde stated that following the merger of Nigerian Breweries and Consolidated Breweries in December 2014, the company began an upgrade of facilities at the brewery to match the world class standards of Nigerian Breweries.

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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Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 —37

Improving your lifestyle improves your heart health not have good facilities and only good hospitals, the two come together. Health in all developing countries does not get as much money as it should get."

By Chioma Obinna

U

NDOUBTEDLY, coronary problems are increasing worldwide for various reasons like diabetes, high blood pressure and above all smoking has taken the centre stage in the society. Unfortunately, many Nigerians are ignorant of all these factors.

A Senior Consultant Cardiologist from Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, Dr. Rajeeve Kumar Rajput says making lifestyle changes will prevent coronary related diseases.

Experts are worried that coronary problems are on the increase inNigeria as a result of diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking among others. Today, sedentary lifestyle is commonplace. Many people no longer walk distance, most people now move from airconditioned house to an air- conditioned cars and offices. Yet sedentary lifestyle contributes to factors that cause blockages in the blood supply to the heart which causes chest pain, artery pain and heart problems.

India and Nigeria

He said a lot needs to be done to train local doctors In Nigeria.

"The gold standard of managing heart attack is to do a gene venography of these patients and open the artery and put a stent. I spoke to some Nigerian doctors who participated in our training, where over 100 doctors were trained, there is one centre doing it sometimes but it is not routinely available in Abuja.

"With Abuja population of about four million, if it were a developed country, we need to have 12-15 cardiology hospitals to take care of cardiac problems. The information I have is that there are only two big cardiac centres here and the two are not offering the best services. There is room for improvement.

Speaking on a comparative basis between Nigeria and India, Rajput said it was probably how Delhi was 10-15 years back.

"What we have today is a general reflection of the development of the economy. When you better

Cutting out fast food like fries, burgers, breakfast sandwiches, and doughnuts is one of the easiest ways to reduce your intake of saturated fat, which raises blood cholesterol C M Y K

Prevention of coronary problems

There are lifestyle changes that can make this possible like quitting smoking. Avoid second-hand smoke too. Quitting smoking may be the best thing you can do to prevent heart disease. Exercise too. There are lots of ways that exercise boosts your heart health.

It can improve cholesterol and blood pressure. It can also help you reach a healthy weight. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise programme to make sure that it's safe for you. Eat hearthealthy foods to control your cholesterol and blood pressure. Stay at a healthy weight and be active.Lose weight if you need to.

Use lifestyle changes INTERVIEW: Dr. Rajeeve Kumar Rajput. the economy, better education and infrastructure, better hospi-

tals will come up. There is no country in the world which does

The best way to prevent coronary artery disease is to make significant lifestyle changes. Improve your diet. Live an active lifestyle.

You'll also see the following ben-

efits: weight loss, leaner body, lower blood pressure, better mood and lower stress level, stronger bones and a reduced risk of developing osteoporosis and greater lung capacity and more endurance - for example, so you can climb stairs without stopping to rest

Tips for Eating Better

Your diet should be low in fat and cholesterol and heavy on vegetables and whole grains. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. If you don't have time to prepare fresh veggies, buy them canned (look for low-sodium options) or frozen; it's better than skipping them. Cut down on salt.

Look for low-salt versions of the foods you enjoy, and add less salt to your food at the table.

Buy whole grains. Choose whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta, and rice, and cook with whole grains like oatmeal and barley.

Cutting out fast food like fries, burgers, breakfast sandwiches, and doughnuts is one of the easiest ways to reduce your intake of saturated fat, which raises blood cholesterol.

Igbobi Hospital eulogises Dr. Jerry Grange •As remains is laid to rest in Illinois, USA

By Sola Ogundipe & Gabriel Olawale

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

The late Grange whose remains have since been laid to rest in Illinois, in the USA, where he passed way on August 24, 2015, at the age of 79.

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

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

"He established a special clinic outside his routine clinic, where he normally looked after children born with club foot and

other deformities. He also ensured that all these activities were properly documented and made available for the younger generation."

Further, Odunubi said when the Late Grange was Medical Director of Igbobi between 1989 and 1995, he ensured improvement in area of training programme for doctors and nurses among oth-

Late Dr. Jeremiah Grange

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

"When he left the hospital as a medical director he always showed interest in the progress of the hospital. Even about five months ago before his travel out of the country for medical treatment, he visited the hospital to inform us about his trip but un-

fortunately we receive the news of his death.

Also speaking, an Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Olawumi Popoola who worked for several years with the late Grange as a subordinate, pointed out that he was an easygoing person.

"It was very difficult for an unfaithful person to work with him during his life time. He wasvery straightforward and hated lies a lot. He was not diplomatic because he would call a spade, a spade. He wanted people to take him as he was and he took other people as they were. He was very hardworking person."

Findings by Vanguard revealed that the Club Foot clinic started by the deceased was the first of its kind in the country. The clinic runs to this day.

In her own contribution, the Director of Administration, NOHIL, Mrs. Margaret Pikuda, described the late Grange as a man that gave no room for nonsense. "He was disciplined. I remember back then, when people came to work late, he was there to challenge them. When it came to punctuality, he always wanted you to be at work and be efficient. He believed so much in local expertise, and so much in Nigeria professionals. He placed them first in his heart."

38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 39

40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 41

42—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Ebola: US strengthens collaboration with Nigeria

By Sola Ogundipe & Gabriel Olawale

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N the first anniversary of the Ebola outbreak in the country, the United States government, weekend, restated its commitment towards fostering a partnership with Nigeria by strengthening response to future epidemic disease outbreaks.

Making the commitment in Lagos, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs, US Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Mitchell Wolfe, said the world has been watching and will continue to watch what happens in the countries affected by Ebola, including Nigeria.

Wolfe, who led a delegation from the US Consulate General in Lagos on an official visit to the First Consultants Medical Centre, Obalende, Lagos, where Nigeria’s index Ebola case, Mr Patrick Sawyer died on July 24, 2014, said the US had learned a lot and was prepared to learn more from Nigeria's experience.

His words: “It’s just not a technical assistance, I think it’s a two way street. We have a lot to learn from you, from each of your stories, from what happened, what the successes are and the challenges you saw and overcame.

Disease control "We also have lessons that we are able to share with you and the world on disease control, response and protocols to strengthen basically all the countries in the world. Hopefully, this will strengthen Nigeria to be able to better detect and respond to the diseases."

On global happenings as a result of Ebola outbreak, Wolfe said there were major efforts in the world to develop vaccine to treat Ebola. He said “There is major effort to improve and reform the way that global health response structure can assist other countries to try and ensure that when there are outbreaks of other infectious diseases including Ebola, we can better respond as a world.

We must also realise that a risk of infectious diseases anywhere is also a risk everywhere. We want to really help make the world respond not just country by country, but have all countries have a capacity of communication so that we will be able to respond as quickly as possible.

Also speaking, the Acting Consul General, US Consulate General Office,

Lagos, Mrs. Dehab Ghebreab, said the US Consulate Office and the Nigerian government developed a successful partnership to defeat Ebola.

She said, “This is our first visit to the hospital (First Consultants). For us, the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria was a priority for the country and it was a priority for us as well and the partnership was very close."

Ghebreab said the Consulate engaged with diplomatic partners from other Consulates and Embassies, and also engaged the communities through the religious leaders and leaders of associations working with the media, to ensure that they increased awareness of the people.

“For us, it was a partnership that was very successful. The Lagos State government was incredibly involved and responsive, just as Federal Government was involved and responsive.

Governments at the three levels came together to work with the health providers to contain the virus and that is why Nigeria is getting all the kudos because a lot of havoc was prevented.”

In his response, Medical Director, First Consultants Medical Centre, Dr. Benjamin Ohaeri, paid glowing tribute to those who died in the battle to stop Ebola in the country.

Recounting the hospital’s experience, he said: “Nobody could put all this together alone, but we had to take the lead, because for us it is personal. We had the problem of care. Mr Sawyer had just died. We put a call through to the Global Affairs office in realising that the body of a dead Ebola patient was more infectious than anything else.

“The Global Affairs office took the unprecedented step of calling the World Health Organisation, WHO, command centre and interrupting their meeting, saying that they should step down whatever it was they were doing because Nigeria had a problem that was top priority. I was on the phone, I could hear this happening. I still have not got over it, because I do not know how you can interrupt WHO Command Centre office, but we did.”

Ohaeri said the development was a game changer because as soon it happened, the WHO was able to step down what they were doing and immediately gave instruction about what to do and what not to do.

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Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015—43

ordeal Speaking to Vanguard Metro, VM, two of Lanre’s elder brothers, Monday and Moses Agbor, claimed their brother had just returned from a trip when the incident occurred. ‘’We are orphans and none of us wanted to stay idle. That is why we stayed in this community to eke out a living. But the shooting of our brother has dealt a painful blow on our family and we don’t know where and who to run to. Before the incident, the naval officer was somewhere drinking. Suddenly, he got up, marched to the bridge •Some of the protesting residents at Majidun

Majidun shooting: Residents recount ordeal, embark on protest

By Bose Adelaja

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HEN gunshots were heard at Tipper Park, Majidun, Ikorodu last Monday, residents immediately took to their heels thinking that daredevil armed robbers had invaded their community. But they were wrong. It soon emerged that the commotion was caused by a Naval rating who let loose with his gun. In the event three tipper drivers were seriously injured.

The names of those who sustained bullet wounds from the shooting were given as Lanre Agbor, Abass and Timothy. They are currently in a critical condition even while undergoing treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH.

Sporadic shooting The rating was a member of a naval team deployed to protect the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, pipelines from vandals since October 2014. He was said to have been drunk at the time he suddenly picked his rifle and began to shoot sporadically.

According to residents, Lanre had just returned from a trip and was fixing his tipper when the shooting began on Majidun bridge. He quickly joined his colleagues who went running for their dear lives, raising their hands in solidarity at the same time.

The seemingly disoriented rating, however, kept on shooting, in the process of which stray bullets hit three of the drivers. But for the timely intervention of their colleagues who quickly rushed to them to hospital for medical attention, they probably would have bled to death.

C M Y K

However, residents claimed the victims were rejected at the Ikorodu General Hospital. It was at this point they were taken to LUTH where they are currently

on admission. A seven-day peaceful protest is currently on in the community to protest the action of the rating.

Victims’ relatives recount

The naval officer was somewhere drinking; suddenly, he got up, marched to the bridge and started shooting; people began to run; Lanre who just returned from a trip was shot on the arm and stomach

and started shooting into the air.

People began to run helterskelter, raising their hands. In the process, Lanre who just returned from a trip was shot on the arm and stomach. He was rushed to the hospital but his condition remained uncertain. To make matters worse for us, we were disallowed from seeing him in the hospital. We are indigenes of Ilaje Ese-Odo in Ondo State; but we were born and bred at Majidun where we have lost both our parents,” they informed.

Another resident, Wasiu Jimoh, confirmed the story of the shooting as narrated by the brothers.

Chairman of Majidun residents, Rev Oloyede Egbodofo, urged both the Lagos State and federal governments to curtail the activities of the naval officers who have allegedly been using their position to terrorise the community. ‘’The naval officers are doing more harm than good. On several occasions, they forced innocent residents to drink dirty water from the drainage.

Last Monday’s incident was not a surprise as they had done worse things since October 2014,” he said.

Enugu Road reconstruction: Respite at last for Nsukka residents

By Francis Igata, Enugu

R

ESIDENTS and motorists plying the Enugu Road in Nsukka, Nsukka Local Government Area may soon heave a sigh of relief courtesy of the recent amendment of the 2015 Appropriation Bill by the Enugu State House of Assembly. The amendment is expected to pave the wayforthereconstructionoftheroad which is constantly waterlogged due to non-existence of drainage channels, a situation which often forces motorists to resort to plying single lane.

Indeed, the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyiled administration had in its maiden tour,earmarked the road,among others, to receive urgent attention from government following the pivotal role it is said to play in the expansion of the socio-economic growth in the rural areas.

Socio-economic growth Vanguard Metro, VM, checks showed that lack of drainage channels along the two flanks of the road had always caused rain water to remain on it even as residential and business premises were often submerged after a downpour.

Further checks revealed that residential and business houses were built on drainage or waterway channels which blocked the passage of flood water any time it

*Festus Chibuike rains. The situation had led to total decay of the road accessories, deepened yawning craters just as properties have been lost as hapless residents are resigned to fate.

Due process on re-allocation: The House passed into law, the amended, revised, appropriation bill,2015, of N9,878,419,200.00 presented to it by the state government. The bill tagged “Enugu State of Nigeria Amendment (revised) Appropriation Bill, 2015” as moved by the leader of the House, Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, is to make way for internal re-allocation of resources in the existing budget of over N96.735 billion as passed by the previous administration of former Governor Sullivan Chime to enable the government embark on important development projects in the state.

According to the amended budget, allocations were adjusted to accommodate the eight new projects that were hitherto not

*A section of the water-logged Enugu Road,Nsukka included earlier.

The new projects are the construction of two kilometres Nike Road; construction of 3.6km Nike Lake Road; 5km Airport Roundabout/Orie Emene/Eke Obinagu Road; 2km Okutu/Odoru Road; 1.5km 9th Mile/Nsukka Road and 9th Mile/Onitsha Road Bypass;10.8kmOpi/NsukkaRoad; Installation of Streetlights along Opi-Nsukka Road and construction/Rehabilitation of Nsukka Urban Roads.

Ogige market leader elated: The Chairman,Ogige Market Traders Association,second largest market in Enugu State,Mr. Festus Chibuike noted that the move by the Ugwuanyi administration to construct major roads in Nsukka urban which incudes Enugu Road will not only give the town a facelift,but also attract investors into the University Town.

Chibuike said: “We are glad the government of the day has taken the bold step to rehabilitate roads in Nsukka in despair. The Enugu Road in question leads to the Ogige Main Market which is the second largest market in the state.

If constructed, it will no doubt, attract investors into the University Town and bring it at par with it contemporaries nationwide. We will also give government the much needed support to actualise its aims.

“We learnt we may be forced to relocat to a new area earmarked for traders called the Ikpa Market to enable government remove properties and wares that may obstruct the construction exercise.

“We are ready to partner with government in any area to better our collective lot as a people, especially now that our brother,Ugwuanyi,is in the saddle.”

44—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

L-r: General Manager, Regulatory Affairs, MTN Nigeria, Ms. Oyeronke Oyetunde; CoFounder, ONE Campaign International, Borno; CEO, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Mike Ikpoki and Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma during the visit of the ONE Campaign International’s team at the MTN Nigeria Corporate Head Office in Lagos

L-r: Otunba Wasiu Taiwo, president, Nigeria Union of Tailors, and Garment Workers of Nigeria, Mrs. Funmi Ladipo, president of Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Babatunde Faleke of NEPC & Mrs. Joke Ladoja, Fashion Designer at the one-day capacity building workshop for stakeholders in garment & apparel sector organized by NEPC in Lagos.

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 —45 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA: Pressure that came your way suddenly will give way unexpectedly, today, to the betterment of your course.

The more financially ambitious you are today, the better for you. Be steadfast.

SCORPIO: You sincerely believe in intelligent argument or discussion. And if you allow your ability to be diplomatic come to play today, you’ll be better for it. Enjoy your love life.

SAGITTARIUS: You’ll tend to become both creative and persuasive to the administration of others. Then those who’ve been resisting secret love may slip suddenly and become excited.

CAPRICORN: Even if opposition persists, supports you are getting from the influential people will be enough to see you through. Yet, the more cooperative you are the better.

AQUARIUS: Your creativity quotient within your working arena will today be enhanced. You’ll be blamed if you keep official issues secrets from your challenges at work.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

A

N O T H E R fallacy that I found very difficult to accept is the belief that the rich can’t be broke. And I ask, why can’t the rich be broke? In fact, the rich man is more

So The Rich Also Cry? prone to being broke than the poor man. For instance, he needs working capital to keep his n u m e r o u s b u s i n e s s e s running. He needs

TERROR MUDA

funds to service his overhead, he needs money to maintain his status, he also needs funds to service the numerous requests for financial

in “Scavenger Elite”

assistance from friends, relations and acquintances.

Can you now see that the rich also cry?

Rich or poor, no one is immune from crying. Yes, the rich also cry!

By Lanre Kehinde

PISCES: After a few tension soaked days, you’ll have the needed opportunity to look through windows of the world and have your way as well. Magnetic and/or magic days is predicted for lovers today.

ARIES: Even if you continue to work under pressure via increased workload, you will have good results to show for your efforts today. Be steadfast.

TAURUS: Promise made to genuine personalities should be kept if not because of today but for better tomorrow. Be reasonable and clean.

GEMINI: Those of you willing to let go hard feelings at work are for a progressive day to the betterment of your finances. Let go yesterday, move ahead.

CANCER: Once again, you’ll have the needed opportunity to assert yourself to the administration of others. Both love and financial success can be yours with efforts. Reason with your tried and trusted friends.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in “HEY’

By Andy Akman

LEO: You can make it a successful day with positive approach on your part. You will be in a better position to defuse tension within your working arena. Try to be more ambitious.

VIRGO; Yes! You’re not scared a bit even, when opposition and/or competition come your way but, if you give in to diplomatic approach, you’ll fare better today.

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

What’s my Horoscope?

Dear Joshua, Kindly tell me how the planets lined up when I was born and the day of the week I was born but don’t publish my date of birth.. Please tell me my full horoscope Anonymous. Nigeria.

Dear Anonymous, You were born on a Sunday.

YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Day of Birth = Sunday Sun Sign = Scorpio. Sun in Zero Degree of Scorpio Moon Sign = Libra: Moon in 5th Degree of Libra Mercury in 12th Degree of Scorpio Venus in Zero Degree of Sagittarius Mars in 1st Degree of Aquarius Jupiter in 29th Degree of Cancer Saturn in 10th Degree of Scorpio Uranus in 27th Degree of Cancer Neptune in 25th Degree of Libra Pluto in 26th Degree of Leo North Node in 8th Degree of Capricorn South Node in 8th Degree of Cancer No planet in earth spar sign, one in available, two in fire, three in air, four in cardinal, fixed and water star signs hosted five planets each.

PHYSICAL INFLUENCE = 50% NON-PHYSICAL INFLUENCE =50% PLANET AT HOME = NONE ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA You are both an intelligent and emotional person. And as there was planet at home when you were born, too many ideas will always struggle for prominent place in your mind, thus decision making is difficult but most times, your intelligence comes to the rescue.

Certainly, you appear to other as a gentle person who can be mistaken for soft fellow but your inner-self is the personality with a steel like will power.

You are the consistent type who may find it difficult to change once you have made up your mind as indicated by distribution of the planets as written out in paragraph two of this exercise.

One major challenge you have been battling for a very long time is constant worries, some times, necessarily and the other time, uncalled for, as indicated by conjunction Mercury and Saturn formed when you were born.

C M Y K

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

46—VANGUARD, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Build special prisons for corrupt Nigerians—Balarabe Musa tells Buhari •Says in spite of his antecedents Buhari better than his 2015 opponents IN his time as the governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and most of his colleagues lived a spartan life due to the fact that corruption was very minimal and governors were excitedly submissive to the president and their parties. But with corruption becoming a lifestyle rather than an exception and corrupt politicians being worshipped as gods and President Muhammadu Buhari wielding the sledgehammer against the monster as a cardinal objective of his administration, Musa has thrown his weight behind the president’s renewed effort to eliminate the cankerworm from the polity. In this interview, Musa thumps up for Buhari’s anti-graft drive and encourages him to build special prisons to incarcerate corrupt Nigerians to serve as a deterrent to potential treasury looters in the country.

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

H

OW do you feel about governors, who use their positions to amass wealth with impunity and make a mockery of public office?

I feel bad because these are resources that should be used to liberate the people and provide welfare and security for them. It is even more worrisome that in most places those in power have not provided even the basic things for their subjects while they swim in opulence and mindless extravagance, creating a big gap between them and those who elected them into office. That is directly responsible for the negative things the nation is grappling with today characterized by unemployment, poverty, insecurity and lose of confidence in public service.

National interest That is why I strongly advise President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently build special prisons for those people as a matter of urgent national interest.

The danger is that if he does not go after those who stole so much from the nation’s treasury, these malevolent elements could use the ill-gotten wealth to topple Nigeria.

Many of them are believed to have stolen as much as trillions of Naira and stashed away in foreign accounts. A recent report revealed that some crooked Nigerians might have stolen more than the annual budget of Nigeria.

Do we have strong institutions to carry out this anti- corruption war?

Let us establish them.

What should he establish again since we already have the EFCC and ICPC? The President needs to strengthen them and give them the needed independence to operate optimally and send corrupt elements to prison. For instance, he should be able to set up special C M Y K

judicial committees to investigate the fundamental aspect of the state of the nation, which contributed more to this level of mind-boggling corruption and stealing and such committees would determine which aspect of corrupt matter should go to the EFCC for further investigation or prosecution.

It should not be left to him or the EFCC to decide who should be tried because the EFCC itself has become an institution of corruption. EFCC can also on its own identify such an area and deal with. But certainly, the current state of investigation and prosecution by the agency leaves much to be desired and it is a serious setback to the anti-graft war.

Are you not afraid that Buhari may end up sending many Nigerians to prison given his resolve to wage an all-out war against the corrupt among us?

Let them go to prison. In fact I

If you allow these thieves to continue stealing and escaping and eventually controlling political power in the country they will lead this country to destruction, anarchy, sustained instability, military coup and social revolution

•Musa: Leaving corrupt politicians with their loot will endanger our democracy would advise him to build special prisons for those who plundered Nigeria because it has to be done.

If you allow these thieves to continue stealing and eventually controlling political power in the country, you will lead this country to destruction, anarchy, sustained instability, military coup and social revolution.

That is why I strongly advise Buhari to go the whole hug in dealing with those who plundered Nigeria’s wealth.

You seem to be highly unpredictable given the way you have been speaking about leaders in Nigeria.

When Dr Goodluck Jonathan was in power you neither fully supported him nor distanced yourself from him. With the emergence of Buhari it is all too clear that you really do not support him. Where do you really belong?

Well, whatever my position is, is a matter of principle. It is not personal at all. Now you got it slightly wrong because in 2003, 2007 and 2011 I supported Buhari because I considered him to be the least risk. I didn’t say he was the best among all Nigerians but I considered him to be the least risk because in a situation where money and power play leading role in politics it is not possible to know the best but you

will have to choose between two alternatives that are not fundamentally different.

For instance, when it comes to the election of the president in your country you may not have a suitable president but there will be a president whether you choose one or not and it is better to have reason to align with one because remaining neutral may sometimes be negative.

Confidence of the people In 2003, 2007and 2011 we considered Buhari as the least risk in choosing who will become the president. We supported him.

But since Buhari has been elected by Nigerians, what are your expectations of him?

Let me tell you in totality without wasting time. We think Buhari can’t deal with the negative state of the nation, which is characterized by poverty, unemployment, hunger, corruption, collapse of public institutions and lack of confidence of the people in the leadership.

But why would Nigerians lack confidence in a president they freely elected?

I want to say that in spite of what I believe, Buhari is still better than all those he contested the

election with and that is why he won. Buhari is still better than even those who have already begun to position themselves for 2019 even though we are still in 2015. I am very confident that these elements will not do better than Buhari given the way they have tried to position themselves almost through the back door.

Given what you have said, what do you think that Buhari should do to succeed in his war against treasury looters?

What he should do now is to convert himself into a revolutionary.

What does that mean?

What it means is that he will confront the problems of the country realistically without pretence and without deceit and face the problem of the country with open mind in order to change the system.

He and his cabinet should enthrone public interest over and above self interest. Nigerians have suffered enough under corrupt administrations and he needs to adopt radical measures to change the way things are being done in the country and give Nigerians a new lease of life, restore their hope and sense of pride as citizens of the largest black nation on earth.

It is his place to make Nigerians to be respected across the globe Continues on page 47

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015—47

Build special prisons for corrupt Nigerians —Balarabe Musa tells Buhari Continues from page 46 by adopting global best practices in all facets of our national life.

But how should he do this?

Is it by way of legislation that we don’t have or deploying political will?

He should show the needed political will in confronting our problems. For instance, in prosecuting this anti-corruption campaign, he shouldn’t spare anybody. But at the moment, he seems to be sparing some of those who looted the land with impunity.

He said he would probe only Jonathan’s administration; he would not probe the other administrations. That is negative, that is short sightedness and it will not solve the problem.

So you want him to go the whole hog?

Yes the whole hog from 1966 up till date because it was from 1966 that this level of corruption started to disable the government; that was when the military took over and they are the people who brought about this level of corruption to Nigeria. He should probe everyone including himself.

Public resources If he cannot probe himself, he should appoint a dispassionate committee to do so. All those found to have corruptly enriched themselves while serving in one capacity or the other should be jailed.

Do you support the setting up of a committee to advise the government on how to end corruption in Nigeria?

Absolutely but my only fear is that the committee is too small compared to the size of our country. Nigeria is very big. Let the president expand the committee and even spend the next four years to deal with the monumental level of corruption and criminal waste of public resources and register progress there.

Even if progress in other sectors is relatively smaller than what he has done in stamping out corruption, at least at the end of four years, he would have dealt decisively with the issue and he would never be forgotten and he would have made it easier for any other leader to continue with the campaign successfully.

During the colonial era and the First Republic, there wasn’t this level of corruption and I can tell you that whoever stole a kobo of public funds was investigated and prosecuted.

Some have called for the setting up of special courts to tackle corruption. Do you think this would help?

C M Y K

O yes, that should be done immediately because these general courts are even part and parcel of the problem.

Where do you think the judges for the special courts will come from? Are they not still Nigerian judges who have not performed well in the normal courts?

Look, there are courageous and incorruptible judges from all parts of Nigeria and they can do the job satisfactorily.

What was wrong and what was right with the Jonathan administration from your own point of view?

In the first place, Jonathan should not have been the president of Nigeria.

Experience and competence I am saying so because he did not have the experience and competence. Look, we are talking about Nigeria with over 170 million people and it is not a joke.

America can have anybody as its president because there is a system which controls everything and there is a standard of conduct in public affairs, which nobody is expected to go below.

But we don’t have such standards and it is whoever becomes the president that sets up that standards. For instance, Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan never had such standards. None of them had social experience in terms of public or private sector service before becoming president and vice president of Nigeria.

Yar’Adua never had more than two years’ experience in the public sector of Nigeria. The same thing goes for Jonathan who was in the university. But simply because it served Obasanjo’s

I will not mention names but I want to say that there are people in both the PDP and APC who are even dangerous than Jonathan

•Musa: Buhari should probe all including himself, he is sparing some people interest, he brought the two inexperienced men to rule over Nigeria. But none of them was capable of running Nigeria. So one can say that Obasanjo brought the tragedy of selecting unqualified Nigerians to rule over the rest of us.

National unity The problem with Nigerians is that they don’t assess their leaders before bringing them on board.

But there were certain things that Jonathan did very well and was applauded by Nigerians.

Of course, even the devil himself sometimes does things right.

So, how would you advise Buhari to succeed?

I would like him to convince himself that he is morally and politically capable to undertake the responsibility of cleaning up Nigeria. I would advise him to constitute a government of national unity drawn from the major political parties in Nigeria.

He should deal decisively with this monumental level of corruption in the country and should do so honestly without emotion and ensure that the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians is protected. He should not do it with any malice.

Do you support the claims by the opposition that Buhari is going after his opponents and being selective in the anti-graft war?

Yes, it is Buhari himself who made it clear that he would only go after those who served under

Jonathan. I will not mention names but I want to say that there are people in both the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC, who are even dangerous than Jonathan.

Looking at the National Assembly and what happened during and shortly after the election of principal officers, do you think all is well with the polity?

I am genuinely worried over what happened because it has the potential to torpedo the system and distract the government from working effectively for Nigerians. It may make it very difficult for Buhari to get the cooperation of the Senate in carrying out his set agenda for the country.

Agenda for the country We know there have been issues that the president has taken to the Senate and they were approved with dispatch.

But when you look at the body language, the behaviour and relationship between the president and the Senate president you would doubt that when it comes to critical issues whether there would be this cooperation.

If this develops into something worse and a complete breakdown of relations between the president and the senate president, to the extent that Nigerians have to choose between the President of the country and the President of the Senate, then the choice would be quite obvious: They would stick

with the president of Nigeria because Nigerians elected him to conduct the affairs of the country.

As important as the Senate and the House of Representatives are in the country, they were merely elected to play their roles as legislators to assist the president to succeed in promoting and defending Nigeria’s sovereignty.

Breakdown in relationships So, if Nigeria faces anarchy, as a result of the fact that there is no cooperation between the president and the National Assembly, Nigerians know who to blame. Nigerians should be mindful of the consequences of such breakdown in relationship between the President and the Senate which may include military coup, anarchy, social revolution etc, and I hope the NASS will hear this and begin to work harmoniously with the President and for Nigerians.

But from your own point of view, was it right for a few members of the NASS to have gone ahead of the election of principal officers when most of the APC senators were waiting to have a meeting with President Buhari on June 9?

We cannot blame them for that. The blame cuts across.

Both the APC and their senators were at fault. In the first place, the Senate election was well publicised. Why did the APC senators go for a meeting with the president at a time they were expected to be at the NASS for the crucial election?

48— Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Stop mocking Jonathan, ex-ministers tell Buhari Continues from Page 5

kind of government they handed over to the present.

According to the Presidency, the former ministers should allow the President the peace he required to handle the reconstruction of the economy and the nation in a manner that most serves Nigeria’s best interests, adding that President Buhari does not need these types of distraction presented by the so-called association of former ministers.

In a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Presidency asked the country ’s latest trade union formation, the Association of ExJonathan Ministers to do a bit of self-reflection on the sort of government they handed to President Muhammadu Buhari back in May to determine for themselves if it would have been right for any incoming government, not just this one, "to ignore the issue of the brazen theft of public assets, perhaps the first of its kind we have ever seen in this country".

The Statement said: “In this regard, that there is no witch hunt or malice against anyone in the pursuit of the county’s stolen assets still stands.

This war against corruption knows no friend or foe.

“There is no intention to deny anyone of their good name where they are entitled to it and that President Buhari reserves the highest regards for the country’s former leaders including Dr Jonathan Goodluck who he continues to praise for the way and manner in which he accepted defeat in the last election.

“That singular action remains a feat that has earned the former president and Nigeria as a country befitting commendations all over the world, the latest coming from Mr Ban KiMoon, the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations who visited a week ago.

“For the purpose of emphasis, the issue of fighting corruption by President Buhari is non negotiable. It is sine qua non to the overall reconstruction of the economy and social systems which suffered destruction and severe denigration under the

last administration.

President Buhari will not be deterred or blackmailed into retreat and surrender.

“No one in the PDP can accuse President Buhari of undermining the economy when all they handed over to him, at best, was a tottering economy hobbled by corruption and the absence of due process.

“Things have become worsened by the continuing fall of oil prices, which is expected to fall even further with the imminent full return of Iran to the market. All he has been doing while around is to put things together, organizing to defeat Boko Haram, paying outstanding salaries, cleaning up the mess left behind, improving security and restoring our relationships with neighbours and the world.

“So what are the former ministers afraid of in these things? Have they become a new trade union?

“Let this collection of ex-VIPs allow the President the peace he needs to handle the reconstruction of the economy and the nation in a manner that most serves Nigeria’s best interests. President Buhari does not need these distractions presented by the socalled association of former ministers.”

APC lists new cases of looting Meanwhile, the APC in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said: "Those who would rather give comfort to the looters by dismissing the media exposure of looting cases as mere hell-raising should realize that no sane person can be silent in the face of what is unfolding as the worst cases of brazen stealing of public funds in Nigeria’s history.

"On August. 16, 2015, we listed some instances of the breath-taking looting of the treasury by some officials of the immediate past Administration. Today, we bring three more heart-rendering cases to the attention of Nigerians. We will not relent until closure has been brought to this issue," it said, listing the new cases as: - A mind-shattering 2.2

billion-US-dollar arms scandal.

- A 6.9 million-dollar fraud the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President Jonathan, committed under the guise of buying three mobile stages for the President.

- A 2.5 billion-Naira scam involving the rent of house boats.

"While those charged with handling these cases are finalizing the details of bringing the suspects to justice, our immediate concern is the attempt by the PDP, under whose umbrella the looting took place, to blame the Buhari Administration for the mess and then infer that things have been worse in Nigeria in the past three months under the APC-led federal government than in the 16 years under the PDP. This is totally provocative, shameless and uncharitable.

"They say we are yet to fulfil our campaign promises to Nigeria, but they have forgotten that if only the PDP/ J o n a t h a n Administration had not stolen Nigeria blind, there would have been more than enough money to give school children in Nigeria not just one but three meals a day and even pay N5,000 to 50 million most vulnerable Nigerians, not just the 25 million we promised in our manifesto," APC said.

Despite the almost daily discovery of cases of corruption under the J o n a t h a n Administration, the party assured Nigerians of better days ahead, as all its campaign promises will be kept because of the commitment and determination of President Buhari not only to clean the Augean Stable but also to ensure purposeful governance for the benefit of all Nigerians.

"It is clear to all Nigerians that the debilitating impact of 16 years of PDP’s misrule cannot be reversed in just three months. It is an obvious truth that it is always easier to destroy than to construct, but nothing will stand in the way of the Buhari Administration’s commitment to improving the quality of life of Nigerians and making our country to function again," it said.

You’ve hidden agenda against Jonathan, IYC accuses Buhari

A

BUJA—IJAW Youths Council, IYC, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to extend his anti-corruption war to 1999 to cover the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo era so as to be taken seriously over his anticorruption war.

The Ijaw youths, who are kinsmen of Jonathan, wondered why Buhari should skip the Obasanjo era and concentrate his probe on the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, accusing him of having a hidden agenda against their son.

The National President of the IYC, Udengs Eradiri, in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, said it was suspicious for Buhari to choose to probe only the Jonathan’s administration and leave out Obasanjo.

The IYC noted that for the Buhari regime to be taken seriously in the anticorruption war, the President must extend the probe to 1999 so as to probe

the Obasanjo government and recover stolen wealth carted away at that time.

The IYC pointed out that while they were not opposed to the probe, they were, however, not happy that Obasanjo was being excluded from the probe because of the support he gave to Buhari during the last election.

“While we are not against any effort of the President to investigate previous administrations and indeed take steps against the scourge of corruption in the society, we hereby state without equivocation that the period covered by this probe is suspect.

“It would have made a lot of sense for somebody who is genuinely interested in revisiting alleged cases of malfeasance which has held our nation back to either commence such an investigation from 1960 when the country became independent or from 1999 when Nigeria became a democracy after years of

military dictatorship.

“The President’s decision to leave out the eight-year period covered by the Presidency of Chief Obasanjo, from 1999 to 2007, suggests that the current anti-corruption crusade is being manipulated to spare some sacred cows. We hold that this is unfair and that the tenure of Chief Obasanjo is being exempted because of the role he played in Buhari's emergence as President.

“In fact, if there is somebody that should be probed, it should be Chief Obasanjo who lacked foresight and failed in the critical job to adequately arm our military, in spite of the huge funds appropriated for defence under him. If he had done so, the menace of Boko Haram would have long been dealt with in the early stages. It took the administration of Jonathan to buy the weapons we need."

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015—49

L -r: Sales Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Adewale Arikawe; N1m winner of the Peak Reach for Millions Promo, Aniamalu Nnamdi Fabian; and Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Rahul Colaco at the Peak Reach for Millions Promo Prize Presentation in Enugu, weekend

L-r: Mr. John Abhumen Mikado, USN Products Sales Representative, Vivian Ozoma, Mr. Gbenga Bamkefa, a customer, and Mr. Adewale Osiyemi, Mikado, USN Trade Marketing Manager, during the ongoing USN Products Actvation at the newly opened Festival Mall in Festac Town, Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe

50 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 51

52— Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

IAAF World Championship:

Blame game as Nigeria finishes with no medal N

IGERIA’s last hope for a medal at the IAAF World Championships, which ended yesterday in Beijing, China, came crashing as the country ’s 4x400m Women’s relay team gave their all but could only finish 5th in Sunday’s final.

The quartet of Regina George, Funke Oladoye, Tosin Adeloye and Patience Okon ran the second fastest time in the semi-finals; and many were hopeful they could nick a medal in Sunday’s final.

However, that was not the case as Jamaica saw off the fierce contest from USA to win gold while the Americans settled for the silver and Great Britain headed home with Bronze in the 4x400m Women’s event.

The finishing time of 3:25.11secs posted by Nigeria could only see them pick 5th spot.

While some would be taken aback at the nomedal finish by Nigeria at the World Championships, many will see the outcome as the expected end especially with the injury setback for the country ’s brightest medal prospect Blessing Okagbare.

Before Okagbare performed well at the Moscow 2013 World Championships where she won a sliver and a bronze – Nigeria had gone 14 years with no medal at the biennial athletics meet. That momentary feat gave a false sense that the country’s athletics was back on track; but the true situation has now been brought to the fore yet again in Beijing.

The last nine days in Beijing has elicited varying comments on the true state of athletics in Nigeria.

While the country ’s athletics officials maintain they are doing all within their limited capacity to raise the stock especially when confronted with the reoccurring problem of underfunding, the

athletes on their part have hit the officials hard; going as far as labelling them clueless.

One of the athletes that has not hidden his disappointment on how athletics is currently being run is Triple Jumper, Tosin Oke, who finished amongst the world’s top eight jumpers despite claims of shoddy treatment by the AFN. Oke accused the AFN leadership of concentrating on one athlete at the detriment of the others.

“How can an athlete be receiving five digits every month and I get zero,” Oke queried.

Oke canvassed for a change in leadership style if Nigeria is to get it right at the Rio Olympics next year .

Aside Oke, Gloria Asunmu who is the current National 100m Women’s champion, did not spare the officials in the blame game.

“I am not disappointed we couldn’t scale through because this is what you get when you don’t prepare,” Asumnu said in Beijing.

She declared her unhappiness with the way the AFN went about the arrangement and wants a change.

“The federation should always be prepared. Put people in charge who know what they are doing. Up till the (national) trials in Warri (Maurice) Green (the former world and Olympic 100, 200m and 4x100m champion) has been our coach.

“But when we got here, we found out he is not. The team bonding and chemistry we had under him was destroyed. Everyday what we have been having here is confusion. This is not how to prepare for a world championships.

This is embarrassing,” fumed Asumnu.

Far way in the United Kingdom, Olusoji Fasuba who is Africa’s fastest man ever, also lent his voice to the growing debate.

Fasuba, writing on his

Kenya conquers World Athletics K

ENYA finished strongly and ended up being proclaimed King of the World Athletics Championship that ended yesterday in the Bird’s Nest Stadium, Beijing, China.

The East African country garnered a total of 7 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze medals to emerge tops, ahead of Jamaica that came a close second with 7 gold 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.

Team USA with 6 gold, 6 silver and 6 bronze medals placed 3rd in the table.

It is the first time that an African country achieved the title of a World Cup, and also Kenya’s best-ever performance at the global meet.

Russia that won the championship in Moscow-2013, was relegated to ninth place, while China finished eleventh in the first World Cup it organised.

As the second country in Latin America and the Caribbean Cuba finished the championships with two gold medals and one silver.

Eaglets head to Korea without Nwakali, Udofia

T

•Okagbare facebook page, queried the investment made by the AFN on athletes whose best returns so far have been just in the African championships.

“Nigerian athletics has finally become a place where dreams are reduced to African championship and those that they deem can’t make a future thrown aside. But those thrown aside are taken at a young age by other countries and turned to world class in a couple of years.( unlike us who buy retired 100m runners to try and develop).

He continued: “When a country like Kenya can produce world champions in the 400m hurdles, then hope is not lost for Africa.

“But when a country like Nigeria thinks African championship is the ultimate of all ultimate because they refuse to give or have faith in their athletes at the world stage. Then my people we are lost as a country. How can my nation Nigeria move forward when they limit the abilities of the male sprinters by keeping them because they feel that they wouldn’t get a medal.

Going forward, Fasuba has promised to proffer ‘solutions’ in due course.

“I would put a suggestion that can or

might help the people in charge to help athletics back home. It doesn’t need everybody to be there to do it,” the now British soldier stated.

While Nigeria licks her wounds of another poor show at the world stage, Kenya finished tops of the medal standings with 16 medals; seven of which were gold.

Jamaica emerged second while the United States came third.

HE delegation of U-17 National Team, Golden Eaglets, departed for the Four-Nation Suwon Invitational Tournament on Sunday without team captain Kelechi Nwakali and coordinator Prince Udofia.

The Embassy of Korea Republic in Nigeria had returned the passports of the Eaglets’ skipper and team coordinator as ‘unreadable’ – a rather strange explanation given that the two persons had been traveling with the same passports for years now.

“We don’t know what they

mean by ‘unreadable’ because the player, Nwakali and the team coordinator, Udofia, have been using these same passports without any issues.

“In any event, we are working hard to see what we can do and make the Embassy issue visas to these two persons on Monday, so that they can travel on Tuesday to join the Golden Eaglets’ delegation,” said an NFF protocol official.

The development meant 17 players traveled by Qatar Airways on Sunday, to arrive at Korea Republic’s capital, Seoul on today.

Swansea shock Man U 2-1

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AFETIMBI Gomis scored the winner once again as Swansea City triumphed 2-1 to spoil Louis van Gaal’s 50th match in charge of Manchester United.

The France international scored a somewhat fortuitous second when Swansea beat United by the same scoreline at the Liberty Stadium in February to complete a 2014-15 Barclays Premier League double over the Old Trafford outfit.

And it was the in-form Gomis, who now has nine goals from 10 top-flight matches, who settled matters in south Wales on Sunday, rounding off a Swansea turnaround in the 65th minute.

Juan Mata had put United in front early in the second half with his 50th goal in English football, before Andre Ayew headed Swansea level.

Ayew heads in the equaliser against Man U.

Enyimba remain top

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NYIMBA remained on top of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after Week 26 games.

‘The People Elephants’ now have 49 points from 26 games following a goalless draw at Sharks, while second-placed Sunshine Stars lost 2-1 at Wikki.

Enyimba forward Ahmed Kone failed to score in the 20th minute after he had beaten two Sharks defenders with Henry Ayodele making easy save.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 53

AAG: Para-Athletes promise glorious outing

By Jude Opara, Abuja

A

S the Nigerian con tingent to the forthcoming All Africa Games gets set to travel for the sporting fiesta, the Paraathletes and officials have promised to give the country quality representation in their various events.

Para- athletics coach and former 100 metres world record holder, Adesoji Adekunle told journalists in Abuja over the weekend that he has adequately prepared his athletes to give in their best at the championship.

“We in the Para-athletics are promising Nigerians that we are going to return from Congo with medals. For now I cannot say the number of medals to expect but we will surely do well, it is a promise.”

According to him, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has given the athletes and coaches all they needed to adequately compete for honours including training kits and logistics adding that the entire contingent is in high

spirit.

Adekunle however advised the athletes not to indulge in drugs because it will only bring shame to them and to the entire country.

“I will not advise anybody including none athletes to go to drug because it will damage your image, damage the image of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and that of the country. All that a good athlete needs to do is to adequately prepare for the games by training hard and putting his mind in a competition mood.”

He expressed confidence that the position of the Director General of the NSC, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, a former athlete will really make it easier for the administrators and the athletes to communicate understand each other better.

Nnabuife wins Ultimate Chase •Carts home Hyundai Elantra car

I

Lucy Ejike

Quadri makes top eight at Czech Open N IGERIA’s Aruna Quadri has put the disappointment from previous matches behind him after his

Quadri

excellent performance aided him to make the last eight of the men’s singles at the just concluded International Table Tennis Federation (IT TF) World Tour tagged Czech Open.

2014 ITTF Star Player was seeded number 30 in the tournament and he began his campaign from the main draw where was pitched against Iran’s Nima Alamian.

True to his rating, Quadri fought well against the Iranian to clinch a tough 4-3 win to secure a place in the

round of 32 of the championship.

In the round of 32, Quadri was set up against Ger many ’s Patrick Baum who was tournament’s number eight seed.

In their two previous meetings, Quadri has lost to the German but at the weekend, the records were tumbled as the Nigerian bashed the world number 25 911,11-7,3-11,14-12,611,6-11 (4-2) to progress

to the last 16 of the competition.

Just like he did against the German, Quadri once again faced tournament’s number 10 seed, Japan’s Masataka Morizono, who defeated him at same stage last year.

Without much efforts, Quadri walloped the Asian 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (4-1) to make the quarterfinal round of the match.

T was fun, sports and leisure put in one package as 123 journalists invited from all over Nigeria took part in the kick-off of the national consumer promotion, launched by Gulder, last week in Enugu.

The event which held at the Michael Okpara Square saw the journalists in a competition that was determined more by Mother luck than physical ability and intellect.

The journalists were asked to walk, run or even crawl round the expansive Michael Okpara Square, pick a box at one end and return to the starting point. When all had reached the finish point(which was indeed the starting point), they were asked to open the boxes. Those who found one scroll in their boxes were asked to open them. Each scroll bore the diagram of an item.

Any item one found in his box was his lot.

Those whose boxes bore two scrolls qualified for the final stage of the competition. In the end, Mr. Chuka Nnabuife who works with National Light newspaper in Anambra State, emerged the winner of first Hyundai Elantra car. Other journalists went home with consolatory prizes.

Speaking on his feat Nnabuife said: “I feel highly rewarded by a brand that I have followed for over 21 years.

Initially I never wanted to be a part of the Ultimate Chase but eventually I participated. I thank Gulder for creating this platform which I have benefited immensely from.”

16 kids for Chevron Tennis Academy

By John Egbokhan

T

HE 2015 NNPC/ Chevron Summer Tennis Clinic has ended at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club in Onikan, with the sponsors thrilling the kids with tennis bags and sumptuous lunch.

After 21 days of coaching and mentoring by coaches and instructors the 100 kids

who participated in the clinic had one last opportunity to refresh and look back at the gains of the last three weeks when they met the sponsors who said they were proud of their conduct and performance during their stay.

“We are impressed with your behaviour and performance and wish that you keep up the good work

as you depart from the camp”, said Chevron spokesman, Deji Harstrup.

Coordinator of the Chevron Tennis Clinic, Chris Enahoro told reporters that 16 kids were selected on merit from the 100 to undergo further training at the Chevron Tennis Academy in preparation for the Chevron Tennis Masters slated for October.

Kids lísten to an instructor during the Chevron Tennis clinic

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Mikel secretly fathers two children from different women P

REMIER League star John Obi Mikel has fathered two secret love children with different women, reports The Sun on Sunday.

The Chelsea midfielder, 28, has a four-year-old son who was born after he had a brief fling with the lad’s mum.

He also has a oneyear-old daughter by a woman he met in a nightclub two years ago.

Nigeria international Mikel, whose team were beaten at home by Crystal Palace on Saturday, is now dating Russian businesswoman Olga Diyachenko and has posted online photographs of the pair together.

The footballer — paid about £80,000 a week — is not named on his son’s birth certificate, but bought a house in the Home Counties where the boy lives with his mother.

Mikel paid more than £500,000 for the detached property in 2013.

He is said to have expressed a desire to play a part in the boy’s life — even though he at first refused to believe he was the dad.

However Mikel is not believed to see his baby daughter, who lives with her 23-year-old mother in the South of England.

Both women are supported financially by the player, but it is not thought they know about each other.

A source revealed Mikel, a role model to legions of fans of Chelsea and Nigeria, did not believe the boy was his when first told by his mum.

The source said: “They met ages ago when John invited her — and a friend, I think — to an after-party after some London celebrity event.

“She got together with John briefly and ended up pregnant.

“She got in touch with John and told him about it, but he initially refused to accept or believe the baby was his. His name was not on the birth certificate.

“After the baby was born there were some negotiations about it. He then agreed to pay her a decent amount of money.

She was allocated money to buy a house.”

The mum moved to the Home Counties after the property purchase. Our

BABY No1

Sex: Male Age: 4 Mother: Woman Mikel invited to a party and had a brief fling with.

Home: £500,000 house in Home Counties he bought for the mother.

Upkeep: He gives the mum several thousand pounds a year and a new car every 3 years.

BABY No2

Sex: Female Age: 1 Mother: Woman he met in a trendy London nightclub in 2013 and had a short relationship with.

Home: Child lives with mother in South of England. Mum is not well off but drives a new car.

Upkeep:Mikel provides for the child but is said to want no contact with her. source added: “John also agreed to give her tens of thousands a year in upkeep and, I think, agreed to give her a new car every three to five years.

“He said he wanted to play a role in the boy’s life.

He and the mum are on friendly terms and she doesn’t harbour any bad feelings towards him, perhaps because he’s looked after her so well.

“When you think about it, it is not that surprising John has not moved away from Chelsea.

“I have read things

Mikel is pictured in an Instagram snap along with current girlfriend Olga Diyachenko

about him going, possibly abroad, but the people saying that might happen would not know that he has a son and a daughter in the UK.” When his son was two, Mikel had a short relationship with the mother of his daughter after apparently meeting her at a nightclub in London during 2013.

The girl was born last year, but again Mikel’s name did not appear on her birth certificate.

A friend of the tot’s mother said: “John has provided for her and the girl, but does not seem to want to be involved with the child.

“She is not from a well-off family and does not now earn much, but she drives around in a new car.

“She seems to have come into money since having the baby and is keeping a low profile.”

Mikel, a huge name in his native Nigeria, has spoken previously about his love life and about how difficult it is to find a wife and the importance of his family at home.

Recent photos show him with Olga in his car, while there are also pictures of his two rottweiler dogs Troy and Diva. He is also seen relaxing in his swimming pool and sitting at a kitchen table.

Talking to journalists in Nigeria last October, he said: “I’ve been dating seriously for two years now, I’m in love.

•Mikel I’ve found love.”

However he has denied being engaged to Olga and vowed to reveal if he popped the question.

Mikel, who has a lavish home in Oxshott, Surrey, said: “She is my girlfriend but I have not proposed to her. If that happens it will not be hidden and everyone will know.”

Talking of how jealous women had attacked Olga on social media, he added: “I’m begging Nigerian girls to please leave her alone.”

The star, left on the bench by Chelsea boss José Mourinho for yesterday’s defeat, has played more than 300 times for the Blues since joining the champions in 2006.

In an interview for Chelsea TV, he spoke about the importance of family. Mikel, whose father Michael was kidnapped then freed in August 2011, said: “Never forget where you’re from. I spend lots of time with my family.

“Every time I go back I spend lots of time with them (friends) and spend lots of time with my family.”

Talking about growing up, he added: “When you start growing up you start to think what’s really important to me and my family.”

He added about his father ’s ordeal: “My dad being kidnapped was terrible, that was the hardest. My mum was on the phone crying, my brother was crying — I had to be the strong one.”

In an interview last month the player said he wanted to stay at Chelsea because the club felt “like my family”.

A spokesman for the footballer said of the lovechildren: “This is an entirely private matter. John provides for and cares for his children and will continue to do so. He asks that their privacy be respected.”

—Culled from www.thesun.co.uk

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 — 55

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Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Mikel secretly fathers two children from different women — Pg. 54 Eaglets head to Korea without Nwakali, Udofia

IAAF World Championship:

Blame game as Nigeria finishes with no medal Kenya Conquers World Athletics Top 10 countries 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Kenya Jamaica US GB Ethiopia Poland Canada Germany Russia Cuba

7 7 6 4 3 3 2 2 2 2

6 2 6 1 3 1 3 3 1 1

3 3 6 2 2 4 3 3 1 9

16 12 18 7 8 8 8 8 4 3

Swansea shock Man U 2-1

Enyimba remain top

Details inside •Okagbare

•Mikel

NPFL Results Dolphins El Kanemi Giwa Heartland Ifeanyi Ubah Nasarawa Sharks Shooting Taraba Wikki

2 2 2 1 1 3 0 2 1 2

Akwa Rangers Lobi Warri Bayelsa Kwara Enyimba Abia Worriors Kano Sunshine Stars

0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Enquired (5) 9 Astounded (6) 10 Sick (6) 11 Cost (5) 12 Pitcher (4) 15 Pleasant (4) 17 Guard (7) 20 Child (3) 21 Domesticated (5) 23 Diplomacy (4) 25 Temper (4) 26 Flutter (5) 28 Stray (3) 30 Gemstone (7) 33 Soon (4) 35 Declare (4) 36 Sphere (5) 38 Bureau (6) 39 Tenant (6) 40 Inclined (5)

DOWN 1 Rescued (5) 2 Principal (5) 3 Serpent (3) 4 Severe (6) 5 Every (4) 6 Expire (3) 7 Number (5) 8 Heron (5) 13 Occidental (7) 14 Attain (5) 16 Pardon (7) 18 Relaxed (5) 19 Border (3) 22 Doctrine (5) 24 Pull (3) 27 Tape (6) 28 Premature (5) 29 Waken (5) 31 Egg-shaped (5) 32 Parched (5) 34 Mirth (4) 36 Solidify (3) 37 Newt (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Topple 5, Staple 9, Enter 10, Easier 11, Winner 12, Rodeo 14, Clot 17, Lad 18, Hope 20, Hired 22, Waned 23, Rallied 24, Messy 26, Tepid 29, Idle 30, Wed 32, Sole 33, Faded 35, Repeat 36, Panted 37, Tenor 38, Rudder 39, Tendon.

DOWN: 1, Trench 2, Pastor 3, Leer 4, Enrol 5, Sewed 6, Trio 7, Pennon 8, Earned 13, Dallied 15, Lived 16, Terse 18, Hades 19, Peril 21, Day 22, Wet 24, Mirror 25, Sloped 27, Posted 28, Deaden 30, Water 31, Depot 33, Fate 34, Dare.\

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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