BATTLE AGAINST BOKOHARAM:Chad,Niger launch air,ground strikes in Nigeria

...towards a better life for the people

N150VOL. 25: NO. 62357

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015**

Chad, Niger launch air,ground strikes in Nigeria

Mr & Mrs

Continues on Page 5

•Troops recapture Buni Yadi from terrorists•It's joint battle fought from many fronts — DHQ•Careless talk by MJTF partners worry Military

COLUMNIST:

•P.44

BATTLE AGAINST BOKO HARAM:

MAIDUGURI ATTACK VICTIMS—Victims receive treatment for injuries sustained following a bomb blast in Maiduguri,yesterday. Photo: AFP.

North must wait till 2019 — PRESIDENCY

The tragedy oferrors in the fuelmarket

>>8

We robbed ourvictim because hisdaughters droveexpensive cars— Suspect

Nigerianbankssound—CBN

MAIDUGURIATTACK:Death tollrises to 100

•P.49

CitizenNigeria, byDele Cole

D A M AT U R U —NIGER and

Chad, yesterday,launched major groundand air strikes in theNorth-East againstBoko Haram, after themilitants formallypledged allegiance tothe Islamic State groupin Syria and Iraq.

The attacks, which

>>8

>>9

Bloody weekend in Port Harcourt

>>6

>>9

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2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015 ————— 3 3 3 3 3

CMYK

ALL ProgressivesCongress, APC presidential

candidate, Gen. MuhammaduBuhari is to report First Lady,Mrs. Patience Jonathan to theInternational Criminal Court,ICC for allegedly mobilising ahate campaign against him.

Buhari in the petition to thecriminal court claimed that Mrs.Jonathan, whose husband is thepresidential candidate of thePeoples Democratic Party, PDPasked supporters of her husband“stone” anyone who chants theAPC’s change mantra.

The call by Mrs. Jonathan wasreportedly made at a rally inCalabar, Cross River State duringa PDP political rally last week.

The APC PresidentialCampaign Council, APCPCO ina statement issued yesterday saidthe letter of complaint against theFirst Lady was signed by the

ALLEGED HATE MESSAGE:Buhari takes Patience Jonathan to ICC

•Also writes IGP, NHRC

By Levinus Nwabughiogu Director General of APCPCO, Rt.Hon Rotimi Amaechi, will beformerly dispatched to theInternational Criminal Court(ICC), the Inspector General ofthe Nigeria Police (IG) and theNational Human RightsCommission (NHRC), amongrelevant authorities today.

A statement by the campaignorganization yesterday quotedAmaechi as saying that“Change, as the entire countrymust know by now, is the sloganof the APC - the rallying cry of apolitical party that wishes tobring hope of greater and betterthings to come for Nigeria andNigerians. By her statement,Mrs. Jonathan was clearly callingon PDP supporters in Calabar toattack supporters andcampaigners of the APC in thestate.”

The APCPCO’s statementlikened some of Mrs. Jonathan’sinciting comments and conduct

husband’s political opponents inthe wake of the 2010 election.

APCPCO said that Mrs.Jonathan does not occupy anyformal office in the Nigeriangovernment, adding that theposition of First Lady is notrecognized by the Nigerianconstitution.

It further said that Gbagbo’scase showed the ICC’sawareness of how someonebeyond formal governmental andmilitary hierarchies can beidentified as responsible forserious international crimes.

The APCPCO pointed out that“Jonathan’s incontrovertible hatespeech not only contravenes thelaws of the land, but also goescompletely against the AbujaPeace Accord jointly signed bythe two presidential candidates,General Muhammadu Buhariand President GoodluckJonathan as a gesture aimed atforestalling violence before,during and after the 2015elections.

“PDP supporters in the statewho may not know better couldeasily yield themselves to theFirst Lady’s admonition andembark on a process of wantonstoning and other attacks againstAPC members”, it quotedAmeachi as saying.

The APCPCO also called on theNigeria Police to put in placeemergency measures to protectthe life and property of APCmembers in Calabar and theentire Cross River State.

Foremost Ijaw NationalLeader and former Federalcommissioner for information,Chief Edwin Clark, saidyesterday failure to practisetrue federalism has encouragedcorruption in government.

The elder statesman whospoke during his visit to theAlake and Paramount ruler ofEgbaland, Oba AdedotunGbadebo in his palace as partof the activities scheduled forhis reception by the Ogun Statechapter of the PeoplesDemocratic Party argued thatthe current practice whereby alot of powers were concentratedin the centre had continued toencourage corruption ingovernment.

The former Federalcommissioner for finance alsoproceeded to Ijebu-Igbo wherehe commissioned GoodluckJonathan transformation centrebuilt by Chairman,Organisation and Mobilisationcommittee in South West,Prince Buruji Kashamu.

Clark who was flanked by hiswife Bisola, said the practiceof true Federalism was whatNigeria needed to tackle thecurrent worsening level ofcorruption.

He said, the Jonathanadministration wouldcommence the implementationof the reports of the Confabfrom May 29th this year if heis re-elected.

According to him, Jonathanhas the duty to implement thereports of the National Confab,whether anyone liked it or not.

Why corruption persists in govt — ClarkBy Daud Olatunji Clark however accused the

opposition All ProgressivesCongress of initially opposingJonathan’s plan to hold theNational Confab.

He said: “The Yoruba havealways asked for trueFederalism. So, when we wentto the conference in Februarylast year to discuss the basis ofour living together in thiscountry we took decisions for anew Nigeria to be born andwho is to implement it? Thosewho call themselves APC todaycannot implement it becausethey were against it. None ofthem had the courage to say letus have the NationalConference. Jonathan did andhe has the duty to implementit. So, I’m saying as you knowthis is not the time to preachsupport Jonathan. He’salready part of this community.I want to say as from May 29,every aspect of the Confab willproduce a constitution wherebyyou will have a constitution forOgun State, you will have aconstitution for Delta State andthat’s what we had in ChiefAwolowo’s time.

“But today whether we arepractising Federalism or we arepractising unitary form ofgovernment, nobody knows.Every power is concentrated inthe centre and that’s why wehave corruption today. But ifthe powers are shared andthere is very little at the centre,would there be corruption?No!”

He also stated that althoughNigeria required unity, thecomponents must be run insuch a way that each state

could develop at their ownpace."

THE Director, Media andPublicity of PDP Campaign

Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has called on Ndigbo tovote President GoodluckJonathan in the March 28election, saying he has theNdigbo at heart.

Fani-Kayode spoke inUmuahia yesterday when heand his team visited the state aspart of their tour of the states inthe zones of the country.

According to him, no otherleader in Nigeria has done toNdigbo what President has so fardone to them.

“His unflagging love for theSouth-East zone has crystallizedin a high number of Igbo sonsand daughters serving in thepresent Federal Cabinet.

By Anayo Okoli

Fani-Kayode urges Ndigbo to vote for JonathanPresident Jonathan’sgovernment, as you know, wasthe first to appoint an Igbomilitary officer as the Chief ofArmy staff. Records have shownthat it is only the government ofPresident Jonathan that re-constructed the EnuguInternational Airport while alsoremodeling the Imo Airport.

“Indeed, the conversion of theEnugu Airport to an InternationalAirport is considered critical tothe economic survival of thepeople of the Southeast. We arehappy to list the ability of peoplefrom south-east to tap from theYou-Win initiative of theJonathan’s government foreconomic benefits.

“The government holds thecredit for constructing theEnugu-Port Harcourt dualcarriage way as well as the

rehabilitation of the Enugu-PortHarcourt rail-line. We will notforget to mention the constructionof the second Niger Bridgewhich was started by PresidentJonathan.

The south-east states have alsobenefited from the progressrecorded by the education sectorunder the government ofPresident Jonathan with federaluniversities built in Ebonyi, Abia,Imo and Enugu states”, Fani-Kayode said.

He also attacked the Imo StateGovernor over his claim thatBuhari would win thepresidential election, hence theneed for Ndigbo to vote for him.

“Let me seize this opportunityto dispel the shameful deceit andpropaganda of the Governor ofImo State, Owelle RochasOkorocha. He has said that the

Maj-Gen. MuhammaduBuhari (retd) has pledged

to uphold the rights of Nigerianwomen as guaranteed by theNigerian Constitution if electedthe next President of the country.

The assurance was containedin a special message to Nigerianwomen, in commemoration of theMarch 8, 2015 InternationalWomen’s Day.

In a statement by the All

WOMEN’S DAY: I've struck a deal with Nigerianwomen — BuhariBy Levinus Nwabughiogu

•People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidatefor Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, forced to abandon his convoyof vehicles and take a motorcycle ride through bad roads inIjagemo Area of Ojo Local Government, during his visit tothe area on Friday.

during this political campaignseason, to those of Mrs SimoneGbagbo, wife of the former

president of Cote D’Ivoire,Laurent Gbagbo, prior to thatcountry’s 2010 election.

The party recalled that the ICCindicted Mrs. Gbagbo for her partin planning to perpetrate brutalattacks including murder, rape,and sexual violence, on her

The statement issued by hisspokesman, Mallam GarbaShehu, said “My plan forNigerian women has been madeclear in My Manifesto and Visionfor Nigeria. However, I wouldlike to use this specialopportunity that the world has setaside to celebrate women, toreiterate my personalcommitment to the advancementof Nigerian women in Nigeriaand in the Diaspora.

4—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

Progressives CongressPresidential CampaignOrganization, APCPCO onSunday, Buhari referred to hismanifesto released in December2014 where he said he struck apact with the Nigerian womenin ensuring more positions in hisgovernment.

He also promised to providegreater opportunities for femalesin education, job creation, andeconomic empowerment.

POCKET CARTOONVanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015—5

Continues from Page 1

Chad, Niger launch air, groundattack in Nigeria

TAKE HEARTBY ELLA RANDLE

CARD READER—INEC official checking the thumb of a physically challenged voter, during thetesting of smart Card Reader at Horare Ward and Jogel polling unit in Jama, Are LGA of Bauchi State,weekend. Photo: NAN.

Every second is a chance to turn your lifearound—Take Heart Quote

When you stop expecting things to be a certainway, you can appreciate them for what they are . Ultimately, you will realize that life’s greatest giftsare rarely wrapped the way you expected.Experience is what you get when your plans don’tgo as planned, and experience is the most valuablecommodity you own – it builds your strength.

You have the power to turn your wounds andworries into wisdom, you just have to do somethingabout them. You have to accept what has happenedand use what you’ve learned to step forward. Everything you’ve experienced has given you theupper hand for dealing with everything you haveyet to experience. Realize this and set yourself free.

followed a sustainedbuild-up of troops insouthern Niger, haveopened up a new frontin regional efforts towipe out the Islamistgroup, whose six-yearinsurgency has spreadacross borders.

The Nigerian troopsalso, weekend,recaptured Buni Yaditown, the headquartersof Gujba LocalGovernment Area andBuni Gari town both inYobe State from theterrorists.

“Very early thismorning, troops fromNiger and Chad beganan offensive againstBoko Haram in the areaof Bosso and nearDiffa,” a Niger

government source inNiamey told AFP oncondition of anonymity.

More than 200vehicles, some of themwith machine guns, aswell as tanks,ambulances, watertankers and transporttrucks, were seenmoving towards theborder, radio stationAnfani, based in Diffa,said.

Aircraft targeted BokoHaram positions onSaturday and earlyyesterday, it added,while a Diffa residentand aid worker saidtroops were seenheading to the borderand heavy gunfire washeard.

The previouslylacklustre counter-

insurgency againstBoko Haram has beengiven renewed vigourwith the deployment oftroops from Cameroon,Chad and Niger lastmonth.

Troops recordvictories

The armies haveclaimed series ofsuccesses in rebel-heldterritories in recentweeks, as part of anoperation to clear andcontrol the northeasternstates in time for thegeneral elections set forMarch 28 and April 11.

Much of the focus hasbeen on Chad’s army,which has experience intackling Al-Qaeda-linked extremists inMali alongside Frenchforces.

But the Director ofDefence Information,Major General ChrisOlukolade, said theNigerien and Chadianattacks were“complementary to theongoing push againstthe terrorists.

“The mission ofrouting the terroristsfrom Nigeria’s territoryis being conducted fromvarious fronts in andout of Nigeria and isachieving expected

results so far,” he said ina text message.

On Friday, the AfricanUnion endorsed thecreation of a regionalforce of up to 10,000 mento join the fight againstBoko Haram.

The force, the ideawhich was adopted at anAU summit in January,will be based in Chad’scapital N’Djamena, thepan-African bloc’s Peaceand Security Council

said.It will be mandated “to

prevent the spread ofBoko Haram activitiesand other terroristgroups” and “eradicatetheir presence,” the bodyagreed in a meetingearlier week.

Diplomats saidNigeria, Chad,Cameroon, Niger andBenin had committed toproviding troops, whowould “operate freely” ina still-undefined region.

Nigerian troopsrecapture BuniYadi

On the recapture ofBuni Yadi and Buni Yari,the Acting Director ofArmy Public Relations,Col Sani Usman, in astatement, said duringthe operations, the troopsencountered littleresistance as theinsurgents were on therun. “Cordon and searchand mopping upoperations are ongoingin these areas.

Operations by troops arealso continuing torecover the few areasremaining in the handsof terrorists,” thestatement said.

It will be recalled thatBoko Haram terrorists onFebruary 25, 2014 killed59 students in an attackon the FederalGovernment college BuniYadi, in Yobe State, nearthe state’s capital city ofDamaturu. According tothe state PoliceCommissioner SanusiRufai, “some of thestudents’ bodies wereburned to ashes.”

Rufai said all thosekilled were boys. He saidthe school’s 24buildings, including staffquarters, werecompletely burned to theground.

President GoodluckJonathan called theattack “callous andsenseless murder...byderanged terrorists andfanatics who have clearlylost all human moralityand descended tobestiality”.

Careless talk by MJTF partnersworry Military

A B U J A — MEANWHILE,the Nigerian military hasraised concern overcareless talk and undueexuberance by someindividuals from themilitary of neighbouringcountries involved in theMultinational Joint TaskForce (MJNTF), which itargued have theimplication ofdestabilising the spirit ofthe joint efforts againstterrorism within the sub-region.

Reacting to a purportedstatement in some mediaby officials from theMJTF that troops fromNiger and Chad madedeep incursions intoNigerian territory tobattle Boko Haram

elements, DirectorDefence Information,Major General ChrisOlukolade, advised thatit is necessary for officersfrom participatingcountries to beware ofthe terms they use whilespeaking with the pressand also understand theimplications of thoseterms.

According to him: “Thelocation in question hasto be mentioned beforeone can confirm whetherit is part of an assignedor authorised mission oran incursion asdescribed. Thiscampaign against terroronly makes provision forcollaboration andcooperation; notincursion into territories.I think there is a careless

use of terms by someinexperienced people orofficials eager to makeimpression withoutunderstanding theimplications. There’s noallowance for incursionhere.

“The truth is that therewere some preemptivemanoeuvres along anaxis in the theatre.Nigerian forces were alsoinvolved. It isunfortunate if that iswhat this young man isreporting in this falseand divisive way. Hemay have to be called toorder to stop thisexuberant attitude ofmisinforming people asthis is not good for ourcollective efforts. We willtake this up where itmatters.”


Housewifenabbed forallegedlyhackinghusband todeath in Enugu

By Austin Ogwuda &Austin Igata

We robbed our victim because his daughtersdrove expensive cars —Suspect

RALLY: Founder, Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, Comrade Elliot Uko (4th left) with membersof IYM and South-East Self Determination Coalition on a peaceful rally on violence-free2015 elections, in Enugu, yesterday. Photo: NAN

Delta community protests killing of 38-yr-old leader

By Esther Onyegbula

LAGOS — OPERATIVES ofthe Lagos State Investigative

Bureau (SCIB) have arrested twomembers of a four-man robberygang in Lagos which specialisesin terrorising residents of Isolo,Oshodi, Ikeja and its environs.

The suspects, identified asIhenachor Samson, 25 andRaphael Ugbekele, 33, werearrested after successfullycarrying out a robbery operationin Bucknor Estate in Isolo, Lagos.

It was learned that the armedgang, which attacked the houseof one barrister (names withheld),gained access into the compoundthrough the back fence.

They tied up the security manand cut the burglary to gain accessto the main apartment, wherethey allegedly stole the victim’sPorsche Chyes SUV, houseappliances, plasma television,home theatre, clothing and othervaluables.

They also broke into the shopattached to the building andcarted away some goods andrecharge cards.

Vanguard gathered that afterthe operation, the victim reportedthe case to the Commissioner ofPolice who then detailedoperatives of the Lagos StateInvestigative Bureau, SCIB, toinvestigate the case.

The investigation paid offmonths after as the operativestracked the suspects to theirhideout and arrested Samson,and subsequently arrestedRaphael too.

Although the vehicle is yet tobe recovered, it was gathered thatwhen the detectives got to one ofthe suspects’ house, theydiscovered the victim’s hometheatre and Plasma television.

Suspect's account

Speaking to Vanguard,Raphael, who just returned fromIkoyi prisons after serving a jailterm bordering on robbery andreceiving stolen, said: “It was atIkoyi prison that I met the twomembers of the gang. I am theleader of the gang. I was the onethat brought the guns that weused for operations.

"One of my associates whom Imet at Ikoyi prisons gave me theguns. After I returned from prisonI began to squat with my cousinin the estate.

"I decided to rob the barristerbecause his daughter’s droveexpensive vehicles arrogantly inthe neighbourhood. We were ableto carry out the operation

successfully because I havewatched and monitored themclosely.

“I also met Olaitan, the receiver,in prison and he promised to helpus sell the vehicle. He has onlyremitted N30,000 unfortunatelyhe was caught, arrested, chargedto court and is currently in Kwaraprison where he is serving a jailterm on robbery.”

Man stones brother to death in ImoBy Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI — PALPABLEconfusion and anger

have envelopedUmuokoroma, Umungwa, inObowo Local GovernmentArea of Imo State, followingthe reported tragic stoning todeath of 42-year-old KingsleyNwabueze by his youngerbrother, identified as

Ihechukwu.It was not clear at press

time what led to the uglyincident but Vanguardgathered that Kingsley wentto one of the local eateries tohelp himself with one of thelocal delicacies whenIhechukwu traced him to theplace.

A villager, who spoke on

strict grounds of anonymity,recalled that Ihechukwuallegedly attacked his elderbrother with all manner ofdangerous weapons,including bottles and knife.

“Kingsley could not fightback as a result of his injuredright hand. He quietly leftthe place for the family home,without finishing his foodand drink,” the villager said.

Vanguard also gatheredthat Kingsley, who hadalready lost a lot of blood, nolonger had the strength torun away from his attacker,who was now stoning himwith bricks.

“Sensing that his victim wasdead, Ihechukwu draggedthe lifeless body of his elderbrother to his room and ranaway thereafter,” the villagerrecounted.

Efforts to get eitherDivisional Police Officer incharge of the area or thePolice Public RelationsOfficer, PPRO, Mr. AndrewEnwerem, a deputysuperintendent of police, forcomments, failed as theirmobile telephone lines couldnot be reached.

However, Vanguardgathered that “the parents ofthe victim are telling thepolice at Otoko all they knowabout the incident.”

By Perez Brisibe

UGHELLI —HUNDREDSof residents and indigenes

of Oteri in Ughelli North LocalGovernment Area of Delta State,weekend, took to the streets toprotest alleged extra-judicialkilling of the vice chairman of thecommunity, Mr. BlessingUnuesefe.

The protesters carried placardswith inscriptions such as: “Wewant the police to investigate thematter to a logical conclusion”,“There was no shoot-out asclaimed by the Police andBakassi”, “We demand therelease of the corpse of our vicechairman, Blessing Unuesefe.”

They appealed to Delta Stategovernment and Commissionerof Police to investigate thecircumstances surrounding the

incident.Speaking on behalf of the

protesters, chairman andsecretary of the community, Mr.Uteme Bateren and DominicEgbonodje respectively, saidthough the community did notcondone any form of criminality,the position of thingssurrounding the killing of the 38-year-old Blessing Unuesefecalled for proper investigation bythe authorities.

They said: “As a community,anyone who tries to hide underthe guise of the communityexecutive would be unmasked;hence if he is found wanting, asa community, we would move on.

“But till that is ascertained,rather than makingunsubstantiated allegations,security agents should unravelthe puzzle that has been createdfollowing his death.”

Demanding the remains of thedeceased, a representative of theelders’ council of the community,Mr. Johnson Umukoro said: “Weare not questioning the authoritiesfor doing their job, but according

to the law, you can’t kill a suspectin cold blood withoutinvestigating him and abscondwith his remains, that is liketaking us back to the military era.”

ENUGU—THE police inEnugu have arrested a

housewife for allegedlyhacking her husband todeath over an undisclosedreason.

The deceased, identifiedas Elijah Agbo, hailed fromImirike Agu village inUdenu Local GovernmentArea of Enugu State.

The incident, according tothe state police command’sspokesman, Mr. EbereAmaraizu, took place lastThursday at about 9pm,after the suspect lured herdaughter to sleep.

Amaraizu said in astatement: “The wife, GraceAgbo, suddenly asked theirdaughter, Deborah, a 12-year-old, to go to bed.

“As soon as the daughterwent in, she heard thesound of a loud sound andshe came out quickly, andsaw the father lying in a poolof his blood as blood wasgushing out of his head.

“It was discovered that themother used a big stick tohit the father on the headwhich allegedly caused himsevere injury, forcing him tofall down, becameunconscious and later gaveup the ghost.

“The body of the deceasedhad been deposited atGeneral Hospital mortuary,Ikem, for autopsy, while thesuspect has been arrestedby police operatives.”

Fire guts Igbinedion-owned ITV inEdo

By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN CITY — THEIndependent Television, ITV,

owned by the Esama of BeninKingdom and a chieftain of thePeoples Democratic Party, PDP,Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, wasgutted by fire Saturday night.

It was observed that thetelevision studio was completelyrazed which eye witnesses saidcommenced at about 9pm.

According to the Head of Newsof the station, Mr Abiodun

Mudashiru, who spoke to jour-nalists inside the burnt studios ofthe TV station, the fire started fewminutes after 9 pm when the sta-tion was broadcasting the networknews of Nigerian Television Au-thority, NTA.

He said the management of thetelevision station was yet to issueofficial statement on the matter,noting, however, that fire fightersfrom Edo State Fire Service, theUniversity of Benin Fire Serviceand the Military Fire Serviceprevented the inferno fromravaging the entire building.

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015—7

Policeallegedlykillscavengerover N200bribe

How we're forced into robbery, given N1000after each operation — TeenagersArrested for alleged burgling at Navy Town barracks

By Evelyn Usman

LAGOS— TWO teenagers,who apparently threw

caution to the dogs, weekend,gave a startling revelation ofhow they had been sneakinginto Navy Town barracks inLagos, burgled apartments ofmilitary personnel and cartedaway valuables estimated overN400,000.

The suspects, ElijahBenjamin(15) and EhisAkhimien(13) whose frail lookswould never give them away asbuglers, told bewilderedjournalists at the NigerianNavy ship, NNS WEY, shortlybefore they were handed overto policemen by theCommander, NNS WEY,Commodore Ignatius Iliya, thatthey usually scaled the fence ofthe barracks through a billboard close to the wall.

They, however, stated thatthey were mere errand boys,disclosing that their ‘masters’usually waited for them at theother side of the fence each timethey went on operation.

Luck, however, ran out onthem during one of theattempts, following theirapprehension by a patrol teamof naval personnel attached toNNS WEY, at about 6pm lastweek.

Explaining how they werearrested, Iliya said the suspectsusually came in the day time toaccess the vicinity, with a viewto ascertaining some of theapartments which occupantshad apparently travelled.

Scaling fence

Asked how they were able togain access into the buildings,Iliya said: “When you areapproaching Navy Town fromthe back gate, there is a signboard that is close to thebuilding. What they do is toclimb the sign board andjumped into the building atnight. Most of their activitiestake place during yuletideperiods when most of thefamilies have travelled. Theseones came to locate thebuildings that were vacant .

“As a result of the securitystrategy put in place tocheckmate these ugly traits,these children were arrested.And during interrogation theyconfessed they came forrecognition.

"Their confession led to thearrest of Afeez Lamidi andAbdusalam Garuba who theysaid recruited them to steal inthe neighbourhood.

"Others are Tonton and Blastwho are currently on the run.We also arrested one Ibrahim

Idris, who they alleged boughtall the stolen items from them."

Iliya said about N450,000items were allegedly stolenfrom the barracks by theteenagers.

How we operate— Akiemien

When approached, 13-year-old Ehis Akhiemien, a primary6 pupil of Assurance PrimarySchool, Kirikiri, said he startedstealing four months ago. Hestated that his alleged partnerin crime, Elijah Benjamin,introduced him into burglary.

He said: “Elijah said weshould go to people’s houses tosteal. We would jump the fenceinto the barracks at about 6pmand would hide until it is dark.Elijah would tear the nets of ourvictims with blade, from wherehe stole the items. At timessome of the kitchen doors wereleft opened, thereby facilitatinghis entry.

"On my part, I would be onthe look out for any intruder. Atthe end, we would take thestolen items to our boss whowould be waiting for us at theother side of the fence.”

Asked if his parents wereaware of what he was into, heshook his head, explaining thathe usually went for theoperation any time he was givenmoney to go and eat.

We were forced intorobbery— Benjamin

On his part, 15-year-oldElijah Benjamin stated thatthey were forced into robbery byAfeez Lamidi and AbdusalamGaruba.

He said: “We were taken towaterside in Kirikiri by brotherAfeez and Abdusalam where wewere briefed on how to go and

steal. They threatened that if wedid not go and steal they wouldbeat us and even kill us. Theyalso threatened to kill us if wetold anyone.

"In one of the operations, wecame with N50,000. We also gotN12,000 and N7,000 in separateoperations. At the end of eachoperation, they would give usN1,000 and pat us on the backfor being good boys.

“ We have also stolen motorbike and bicycle from thebarracks as well as phones,televisions and DVDs.”

Asked how they were able totake the stolen motor bike andbicycle out of the barracks, hereplied: “We usually toldoperatives at the gate that wewere taking them for repairs.They would not suspect us

because of our ages.”At a point, Benjamin who said

his father was a gateman,pleaded to be let off the hook,promising to turn a new leaf.

“My dream is to become anengineer. If I am allowed to go,I will go back to school andfocus on my study,” he said.

However, on their parts, Afeezand Abdusalam who thesuspects alleged recruitedthem, denied the allegation.But the buyer, Idris, admittedto have bought the stolenmotorcycle from them forN5,000 and the bicycle atN3,000.

The suspects were thereafter,handed over to policemenattached to Kirikiri division forfurther investigation.

The teenage suspects: Ehis, Benjamin

Idris, Lamidi and Garba

By BoluwajiObahopo

LOKOJA — Anoverzealous police officer

from ‘C’ Division in KogiState Police Command,yesterday, shot dead ascavenger in Lokoja over thedeceased’s refusal to givehim N200 weekend tip.

The development caused aheavy traffic on the ever-busyGanaja road as friends andcolleagues of the scavengertook to the street burningtyres and disturbingvehicular movement.

An eye witness said thePolicemen who were onroutine visit to the site at 200housing units, where thescavengers usually gathertheir wares for onward saleto interested buyers, shot himtwice in the head after hisrefusal to part with the usualweekly stipends whichresulted in a heatedaltercation.

One of the deadscavenger’s colleagues said:“The Police visit us(scavengers site) anddemanded to know theidentity of the owner of acaravan (pointing to thecaravan) and when we toldthem that the person whobrought it said he could onlycome out tomorrow becausehe also bought it from anIgbo man, the police askedhim (the deceased) to partwith some money.

“He declined because hewas not the owner of thecaravan, and in the process,they begin to attack thedeceased, dragging him onthe floor and eventually oneof them shot him on the headand he died immediately.”

The death led to blockageof the ever-busy Ganaja road,with the scavengersnumbering over 40 burningtyres and disrupting traffic.

It, however, took theintervention of men of theSARS to disperse theprotesting youths whodemanded justice over thedeath of their colleague.

The aggrieved colleagues,along with some youths inthe area, also burnt and pulldown some billboards ofcandidates of the PDP,mounted after the Dunamisbridge.

CMYK


MEETING: President Goodluck Jonathan (left); former Head of State, Gen. AbdulsalamiAbubakar (right) and former South African President, Comrade Thabo Mbeki (2nd left), aftera lunch meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Nigerian banks sound —CBNBy Emma Ujah, Abuja

Bureau Chief

ABUJA — THE Central Bankof Nigeria, CBN, yesterday,

pronounced Nigerian DepositMoney Banks sound, in spite ofthe current national economicchallenges.

The verdict, CBN said in astatement in Abuja, followed arecent top-down stress tests ofDeposit Money Banks, DMBs,carried out by it, which revealedthat “the banks have adequatecapital to absorb unexpectedlosses.”

According to the apex bank,“unaudited results of banks, andthe results released so far,indicated that economicheadwinds had not significantlyaffected returns.”

The CBN, however, directedthe banks to put in place effective

risk management system,especially price hedging,adding that it would continueto monitor banks to ensuresufficient internal retention ofcapital to serve as buffers.

The International MonetaryFund, IMF, in a release onMarch 4, 2015, disclosing theoutcome of the IMF ExecutiveBoard 2014 Article IVConsultation with Nigeria,commended the efforts of theCBN in ensuring financialsystem soundness.

According to the IMFstatement made available tonewsmen, “Directors noted thatfinancial soundness indicatorsremain above prudentialnorms, but the concentration ofcredit risks and foreigncurrency exposures call forcontinued close oversight.

"They welcomed progress instrengthening supervision andregulation, including of crossborder activities, andencouraged additionalinitiatives to foster financialmarket development, includingof hedging instruments, andimprove financial inclusion.”

The Directors also commendedthe unification of rDAS and theinterbank foreign exchangemarket rates, noting that greaterexchange rate flexibility couldhelp cushion external shocks.

According to the globalorganisation, Nigeria’s economicdata were broadly adequate forsurveillance, just as it agreedthat tightening fiscal policy andallowing the exchange rate todepreciate while using some ofthe reserve buffer wereappropriate responses to therecent fall in global oil prices.

Wait till 2019, Presidency tells NorthSays 2015 elections beyond Jonathan, Buhari.

By Henry Umoru & BenAgande

ABUJA — THE Presidency,yesterday, urged the north to

forget the 2015 presidency and waittill 2019, saying that the 2015general election was about thestability of the country and not thefulfilment of the ambition of oneman.

Addressing journalists in Abuja,Senior Special Assistant thePresident on Public Affairs, DrDoyin Okupe, said the electionwas not about Jonathan or Buharibut about the unity of the country.

According to him, rather thaninsist on producing the presidentof the country in 2015, the northshould wait till 2019 when it wouldhave an “unequivocal” and“indisputable” opportunity to ruleNigeria for eight years.

Citing historical parallel, Okupesaid the Yoruba were no longer

causing trouble because their sonhad been allowed to rule Nigeriafor eight years after ChiefMoshood Abiola was denied theopportunity to do so in 1993.

According to him, “the north,since independence, has beenthe political stabilising group inthis country. The north is far moreadvanced than any section of thiscountry in terms of politics andpolitical leadership.

"When MKO died and civilianpolitics was brought back for usto vote, the north sat down andmet and decided that because ofthe injustice done to the Yorubapeople, the Yoruba must presentthe next president at that time.And they called this nation toaccept and buy into a nationalconsensus to patronise Yorubapeople. And that had a salutaryeffect on the political stability ofthis country. That is the role thenorth has always played in the

politics of Nigeria.

It's beyondJonathan andBuhari

“The consideration andimplication of the 2015 generalelections for this country gobeyond Goodluck Jonathan andMuhammadu Buhari. It is aboutstability of this country. And boththe north and the south havealways given concessionaryconsideration to each other. Whenwe went for independence, thenorth was not ready, the southwaited.

“In 1958, the colonial mastershad agreed to give Nigeriaindependence, but the north saidthey were not ready. NnamdiAzikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowoand other southern leadershipconceded. They agreed and saidthey would wait for their brothers.So, we did not start the concession

for peace just now.“We have always tried to

balance the polity and not createproblems in this country. Now,Goodluck Jonathan comes froman area that, in perpetuity, hasalways been the strongest allyof the north.

“Shehu Shagari said that, andthat is why, irrespective of whatis going on in the north, heknows the history and will neversupport the north to be againsta son of the south because whenthings were tough, hard andthere were no friends and whenthere were hostilities against thenorth, the south-south stood bythe north.

"How conceivable would it bethat the north had been rulingfor so long and when there wasa crisis, the north conceded toYoruba people?

“And now, the goose that laysthe golden eggs was not broughtup by anybody, but by God; anact of providence. The man isdoing well, and you are sayingthat just because they are inminority, you can chase themout.

“Now that we have allowedYoruba to rule, Yoruba have keptquiet and they are no longercausing problem. You don’texpect any upheaval fromYoruba land anymore. Why canwe not concede this remainingfour years?

Let us exercisea lot of patience

"Nobody killed Yar’Adua. Forsome of us, Yar’Adua was ourperson, but God knows best. Butif this has happened, let usexercise a lot of patience,maturity and understanding.Why do we want to drag thiscountry to a cliff because of theambition of one man who issupported by some greedypeople who don’t evenrepresent their people?

“A country cannot be roastedor derailed purely on theambition of one person. IfJonathan completes his nextfour years, the north has achance; an unequivocal chance,an indisputable chance and anopportunity that cannot bedenied to present a candidatethey want who will rule thecountry for another eight years.

“Even if Buhari wins thiselection, which is impossible,cannot do a second term. So,when the second term comes,why would other people notcontest against him? He is anortherner and if he cannot runfor election again, then, thething should go back to thesouth.

"So, would the north besatisfied with only four years?These are the issues. That is whyI am saying this 2015 election isbeyond Goodluck Jonathan andMuhammadu Buhari. It is amatter of national stability.”

'Missing N30tn’:

SERAP repliesOkonjo-Iweala,says we arenot tool forAPC or anyparty

SOCIO-Economic Rightsand Accountability

Project, (SERAP) has urgedMinister of Finance, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to“embrace constructiveengagement on issues ofhuman rights, transparencyand accountability,” and “toavoid sound bite andopportunistic attacks on civilsociety organizations simplyworking to make thegovernment fit for purposeso that it can function toimprove the conditions ofmillions of marginalized anddisadvantaged Nigeri-ans.”

SERAP’s comments cameafter Mrs Okonjo-Iweala lastweek in a statementlambasted the group for instituting a lawsuit againsther over the claim by a formerCentral Bank governor,Chukwuma Soludo, thatNigeria has lost as much asN30 trillion to corruption andmismanagement.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said itwas “a politically motivatedsuit against her based on thediscredited N30 trillionallegation by ProfessorCharles Soludo. The suitconfirms that SERAP isnothing but a political toolof the opposition hidingbehind the façade ofadvocacy. Like theirprevious efforts, this latestone will fail becauseNigerians can see throughtheir antics. The latest in thecampaign of falsehood andpoliticization of the economyby persons and groups whoare getting more desperateby the day, because theeconomy, despite theirpropaganda, was stillstanding and will continueto stand. We look forward tomeeting SERAP in court.”

But SERAP in a statementon Sunday by its executivedirector AdetokunboMumuni said, “We aredisappointed that MrsOkonjo-Iweala’s responseoffers little in terms ofdealing with the real issueand why the Minister failedto respond to a valid freedomof information request madeunder the law signed by thisgovernment. While we donot intend to go into thesubstance of the case now incourt, we are compelled torespond to the misleadingand entirely unfoundedallegation that SERAP is atool in the hand of theopposition party, AllProgressives Congress,APC.”

The organization said that“it strives to ensure that itshuman rights andaccountability work meet thehighest standards ofanalytical rigor devoid ofpolitics.


Bloody weekend in P-Harcourt asgunmen kill 11

By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT— Itwas a bloody weekend in

Port Harcourt, Rivers Statecapital as 11 persons wereshot dead at differentlocations by unknowngunmen.

Six of the victims were killedon Worlu Street in D Lineclose to Oroworokucommunity when theassailants stormed a spot neara mechanic workshop at about7.15 pm demanding to seethe owner of a vehicle parkedoutside.

It could not be confirmed ifthey saw the person they were

looking for but the assailants,numbering about four,suddenly dashed to theirvehicle, pulled out their riflesand started shootingindiscriminately at those theysaw. Eye witnesses said sixpersons died on the spot.

When Vanguard went roundthe area yesterday, residentswere seen in groups discussingthe development. None of themwas willing to volunteerinformation to our reporter.

Vanguard gathered thatPolicemen from the OluObasanjo Police station latercame to evacuate the corpsesthat night.

Nobody could say if the

killing was cult related as thedevelopment generated somuch tension in theneighborhood.

There was still palpable fearon Worlu Street, D Line areaof Port Harcourt whenVanguatd visited the sceneyesterday morning.

Similarly, on IgbukwuStreet area of Port Harcourton Saturday, some suspectedcultists fired gunshotsindiscriminately for severalhours. It was not clear whattheir intention was but theyliterally took over the street.

Residents scampered forsafety as gunshots rented theair. The gunmen alsosmashed bottles on the road.

Unconfirmed report said

one person died during theincident while the Police latermoved in to restore normalcy.

Vanguard gathered thatanother four persons wereshot dead that same Saturdayat the Eastern Bye-pass areaof the state capital.

According to eyewitnesses,the Police later came to removethe corpses. This incidentraised the number of thoseshot dead to 11 on Saturday.

Effort to get the Police toconfirm or deny the incidentswere futile as the state PolicePublic Relations Officer, DSPAhmad Muhammad declinedcomment.

In a response to a text to theVanguard for comment, hemerely said: “I declinecomment.”

Maiduguri attacks: Death toll rises to 100

HONOUR: From left: Chief Sir Victor Umeh, APGA Senatorial candidate for AnambraCentral; Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State; his wife Ebelechukwu and Most Rev. ValerianOkeke, Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, after Obiano and his wife were honoured by theCatholic Laity Council of Nigeria in Onitsha, weekend.

By Ndahi Marama

MAIDUGURI — THEdeath toll from last

Saturday multiple suicidebomb blasts in Maiduguri,capital of Borno State has risento over 100, with scores stillrecuperating at varioushospitals for treatment.

On Saturday multipleexplosions, the PoliceCommissioner, Clement Adadotold journalists that only 54people were killed, but sourcesand hospital mortuaryattendance, yesterday,revealed that more thanhundred people wereconfirmed dead, as over 50people, including the femalesuicide bomber, were killed inthe fish market which was thefirst target of the attacks.

But a source at the Universityof Maiduguri TeachingHospital revealed that most ofthe injured ones brought to thehospital with serious injuriesdid not survive as they diedwhile receiving treatmentyesterday morning.

Also at the Umaru ShehuHospital in Bulumkutu ward ofthe metropolis, no fewer thanseven people died whilereceiving treatment.

At the State SpecialistsHospital, a source claimed thatmore than 20 dead bodies werebrought in from the Mondaymarket attack, while scores ofthe injured died as a result ofexcessive bleeding yesterday.

Sources at the Borno expressmotor park revealed that themale suicide bomber who wasin his early 20s attempted toenter the mosque at the BOCmotor dealers section, butwhen he was accosted bysomeone that it was not yettime for prayer, he quicklyturned back to attract dealersas he pretended to be acustomer after which hedetonated the explosives,killing four dealers and other

customers nearby.Unconfirmed reports also had

it that “the death toll of the bombattack has risen with additionalfive dead and dozens admittedat the emergency ward outpatient department of theuniversity of MaiduguriTeaching Hospital UMTH asagainst the earlier death toll ofSaturday which stood at 17.

At State Specialists HospitalMaiduguri, an attendant whodoes not want her name in printtold our correspondent that“due to the gravity of injuriesof some victims brought into thehospital yesterday (Saturday)and coupled with the excessivebleeding by the victims, scorescould not make it overnight.

"Many passed away thismorning (yesterday) before thedoctor on duty conductedroutine checks while anothervictim is also critically lying onbed and if extra care is nottaken, he may not survive.Many have however beendischarged yesterday and today

(Sunday) after treatment”.She added that “already

there is a standing order onfree treatment of all victims bythe state government. We treatthem and government takescare of the bills as usual. Wehave enough drugs anddoctors except that it is

weekend and only those oncall duty will be available. Wedid not call any doctor onspecial call because we havedoctors on call duty over theweekend. We even learnt thatthe governor may be visitingthe victims still on bed in thehospital.”

Jonathan meets with Abdulsalami,Mbeki behind closed doors

By Ben Agande

ABUJA — PRESIDENTGoodluck Jonathan met

with a former Head of State,Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar(rtd.), and a former SouthAfrican President, ThaboMbeki behind closed-doors.

Though it is not unusual forthe president to meet withpast Nigerian and otherAfrican leaders, reasons forsuch meetings are sometimes

given.Yesterday’s meeting with the

two former leaders wasunusual because both GeneralAbdulsalami and ThamboMbeki met with PresidentJonathan at the same time.

The meeting was held in thePresident’s official residenceat the Presidential Villa, Abujaand both former leadersdeclined to speak withjournalists at the end of theparley.

By Emeka Anaeto

FG reviewspolicy ontax holiday

LAGOS— The FederalGovernment has

revised its policy on taxholiday for investors in theeconomy granted underthe Pioneer Status Incentive(PSI) Scheme. The taxrelief would now be forthree years instead of fiveyears.

The Nigerian InvestmentPromotion Council, NIPC,the federal agency in-charge of the policy, hasalready started writing tothe companies who arehitherto enjoying theholiday to intimate them ofthe policy revision whileurging them to comply.

It was not stated whythiedownward review butsources in the financeministry indicates a majorpolicy review focusing onaggressive tax system thatwould rein in the negativerevenue profile of thegovernment orchestratedby the oil price crash.

However, tax experts atKPMG Nigeria group aresaying that the downwardrevision aligns the NIPC’scurrent practice with theprovision of the IndustrialDevelopment (Income TaxRelief) Act (IDA), for the taxrelief period to be for aperiod of three years in thefirst instance.

Beneficiaries that meetthe stipulated conditions forextension may have theperiod extended for anadditional one or two years,as also provided in theIDA.

For companies that havefully utilised the five-yearPSI, it is not clear whetherthey would be required bythe NIPC to refund tax fortwo years out of the five-year period.

KPMG is of the view thatthe directive would applyonly to companies that arestill within their initialthree-year period, butindustry operators say theinitial PSI grant for fiveyears is whole contract thatshould not be broken untilit runs its full termotherwise it would be abreach to force the currentreview on beneficiaries.

It is also unclear whetherthe NIPC would refund theexcess two per cent servicecharge collected from PSIapplicants. PSI applicantswere required, by virtue ofthe PSI Regulations 2014,to pay 2% of the estimatedtax savings to the NIPCbefore they could obtain anapproval-in-principle.

CMYK


BRIEFING: From left; Mr Kufre Ekanem; Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian BreweriesPlc; Mr Kunle Afolayan, Amstel Malta Cashprize winner (Best Overall Movie); Mrs WangiUba-Uzoukwu, Regional Director, MNET, West Africa, and Mr O.C Ukeje, Amstel MaltaCashprize winner (Best Actor In a Drama) at the Amstel Malta sponsored AMVCA press briefingwhich held at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre, Lagos, on Saturday. Photo by Kehinde Gbadamosi.

MEGA RALLY: Lagos PDP, Agbaje scoff at APC

Vote for right candidates, IkoroduNBA chief counsels Nigerians

NCAA gives 90-day graceto private jets owners

By Lawani Mikairu &Daniel Eteghe

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

By Dapo Akinrefon

NIIA Directors kick against‘needless litigation'

LAGOS—A Federal HighCourt sitting in Lagos has

dismissed the preliminaryobjections by the Central Bank ofNigeria, CBN, the AssetManagement Corporation ofNigeria, AMCON and othersagainst a suit by someshareholders of the defunct BankPHB Plc.

Trial judge, Justice MohammedYunusa assumed jurisdiction in thesuit in which the plaintiffs arechallenging the alleged illegaltransfer of their shares to KeystoneBank without compensation.

The plaintiffs are demandingN38.6billion from the defendantsbeing “fair compensation” to themfor the value of their investment inBank PHB Plc.

They are also praying the courtto set aside the alleged unlawfulnationalisation, compulsoryacquisition and expropriation oftheir investments in Bank PHB,and are seeking N20billion asdamages for the loss of value oftheir investments in Bank PHB.

Defendants in the suit are CBN,

LAGOS—THE LagosState Peoples Democratic

Party, PDP, and its governorshipcandidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje, havedescribed Saturday’s mega rallyorganised by the AllProgressives Congress, APC, asa no issue and a signal thatNigerians have rejected theAPC.

On his part, Mr Jimi Agbaje,in a statement by his mediadirector, Felix Obaogwina saidthe rally was a sham and a flop.

Mr Agbaje, who is the PDPgovernorship candidate saidthat the APC rally was ignoredby Lagosians and Nigerians ina clearly damning verdict.

Calling on Nigerians todiscountenance the rally as a no-event, he said “So much forAPC’s so-called one million manmarch, which did not garnereven up to a tenth of its projectedparticipants. In shunning therally, Nigerians havedemonstrated that they wantnothing to do with the rulingparty in Lagos State. It is adamning signal for APC and itsleaders. And they had better readthe handwriting on the wall andprepare for the worst defeat oftheir lives.”

In a statement by the statePublicity Secretary of the party,Mr Taofik Gani, the Lagos PDPsaid the One Million Manmarch organised by the APC tosupport its presidentialcandidate was tattered andpoorly coordinated, adding that

it exposes the Lagos State APCas fatigued of ideas to continuegoverning the state.

The party described as blatantfalsehood and over exaggerationof the number of attendees whichthe APC continues to put at onemillion probably to give GeneralMuhammadu Buhari false hopein Lagos State.

According to the PDP, thecapacity of the Stadium used is24,325 and could not have

accommodated over 100,000without stampede. The party saidthat the APC was over ambitiousto expect one million lovers of APCin Lagos State at this period thatthe masses are disenchanted withits policies. “A reason whyGovernor Babatunde Fasholacould not attend the rally?”

It posits that the realistic figureof about 11,000 APC membersactually participated due tocoercion or monetary inducement.

LAGOS—THE NigerianCivil Aviation Authority,

NCAA, yesterday, granted a 90days grace to private jetsowners to come up with theiroperational preference.

It will be recalled that lastweek, NCAA, issued finalwarning to all owners offoreign registered, privatelyoperated aircraft in the countrywho had failed to regularisetheir documentation inconformity with NCAAoperational status, warningthat they will face severesanctions from the regulatoryAuthority if they fail to do so.

The ultimatum was given atthe conclusion of a meetingbetween the officials of theMinistry of Aviation and thestakeholders in the GeneralAviation sector whichwarehouses all the owners andoperators of private jets.

According to Fan Ndubuoke,General Manager, PublicAffairs, NCAA, the PermanentSecretary, Ministry of Aviation,Alhaji Mohammed Abass, gavethe ultimatum after the meetingwhich lasted for several hoursin Abuja.

Ndubuoke said “As part of theunanimous decisions at themeeting, the blanket ban on theoperators of foreign registeredprivately operated aircraft in thecountry has been lifted with

conditions attached.“As earlier indicated, the

90 days ultimatum is one ofthe conditions, during whichit is expected that alloperators would haveregularise theirdocumentation to specifytheir choice of operation.

“However, during thismoratorium, it is still subsistingthat no private Jet owner will beallowed to surreptitiouslyconvert his jet for commercialpurposes. At the end, it wasagreed by all present at themeeting that any violatorduring the ultimatum and atexpiry will be visited withmuch more stiffer penaltiesthan earlier earmarked.”

Keystone Bank, Attorney-General of the Federation,Nigeria Deposit InsuranceCorporation, and AMCON.

The plaintiffs are arguing thatNDIC on August 5, 2011, wroteBank PHB’s Managing Directorinforming him that the bank’sassets and liabilities had beentransferred to Keystone Bankwithout any form of adequatecompensation to theshareholders.

They are consequently askingthe court to declare that the actionamounted to unlawfulcompulsory acquisition of theirinvestment and is therefore,unconstitutional, null and void.

The defendants in theirpreliminary objections had urgedthe court to strike it out for lack ofjurisdiction.

Ruling, Justice Yunusa heldthat as shareholders, theplaintiffs have a say in the bank,adding that no arm ofgovernment can take away acitizen’s right to acquire orhold property; therefore, therecan be no compulsoryacquisition of the shares.

By Inocent Anaba

Court dismisses CBN, AMCON objectionagainst Bank PHB shareholder's suit DIRECTORS and

Research Fellows at theNigerian Institute ofInternational Affairs, NIIA,Lagos have called on theForeign Affairs Minister todissuade the Director Generalof the Institute to desist fromwasting its financial resources

on needless litigation.The aggrieved Research fellows

and Directors described aswasteful, , the decision of theDirector General, Prof. BolaAkinterinwa to spend “the sum ofN60 million to hire the services ofa Senior Advocate of Nigeria toprosecute a case of theft ofintellectual property, emblementsof sponsorship fund broughtagainst the institute by the projectconsultant who is claiming that theDirector General appropriated theproject idea and allegedly sharedthe funds sourced from sponsorsamong his favoured staff.”

A director of the institute whopleaded anonymity, said “theDirectors and Senior ResearchFellows have advised the DGagainst embarking on a legalaction that will tarnish the imageof the institution in the eyes of thelocal and international communitybut there seems to be a clique thatbelieve that this is an avenue forthem to make money.”

According to the source, “theDG has shunned the advice ofthe Governing Council andother senior research fellows tosave the resources of theinstitute by exploringalternative conflict resolutionapproach but has he refused.

CHAIRMAN of theNigeria Bar Association,

NBA Ikorodu chapter, LagosState, Mr. Dotun Adetunji, hasurged Nigerians to cast theirvotes for candidates that willmake the country attain a bettereconomic status.

Speaking at a rally/processionin Ikorodu organised byLawyers4Change, Adetunjicalled on the general public togo to the various polls and casttheir votes and coordinatethemselves in a peaceful mannerduring and after the elections.

He said: “The youth should becareful not to sell their rights and

conscience for being thugs topoliticians who call for violenceduring the elections. We have tobe hopeful and be wise inchoosing a better candidate thatwill be good and effect positivechange in our country.''

Also speaking, the Coordinatorof Lawyers 4 change, Mr.Adeshina Ogunlana, at the rally,said that the group’s idea was tosensitise the people at thegrassroots to vote for the candidatethat will bring about positivechange.

He noted that the movement isnot politically influence but basedon the platform of some selectedprofessionals who seek for changein the country.


CMYK

N2.8bnunremitteddeductions:Ogun workersbegin three-daywarning striketomorrow

No plot to pass vote of no confidence on Jega—ONDO REC

By Henry Umoru

Ondo PDP leaders sheathe swords forJonathan’s re-election

Fayose calls for suspension of PVC card readers

By Gbenga Ariyibi

By Dayo Johnson

ABUJA—AHEAD of thegeneral elections, the

Ondo State Resident ElectoralCommissioner, REC, Mr.Olusegun Agbaje, has saidthat National ElectoralCommissioners and the StateResident ElectoralCommissioners, RECs of theIndependent NationalElectoral Commission, INEC,were not in any waycontemplating passing a voteof no confidence on theCommission’s Chairman,Professor Attahiru Jega.

According to him, ratherthan passing a vote of noconfidence as being rumouredin some quarters, when theissue of voting comes, RECsand Commissioners wouldvote overwhelmingly insupport of Jega because he isa team player who carrieseveryone along.

Addressing journalists inAbuja yesterday, the OndoREC took a swipe at those hedescribed as lazy politicianswho were peddling rumoursthat there were plans to passa vote of no confidence on theINEC chairman to pave theway for his removal fromoffice. He said such politicianswere not only out to discreditthe INEC but also desperateto cause confusion in the landahead of the elections.

Agbaje said: “As we speak,

as the Ondo State ResidentElectoral Commissioner, I amnot aware of any plan to passa vote of no confidence on ourchairman, Professor Jega, byNational and ResidentElectoral Commissioners as isbeing alleged in somequarters. It is the handiworkof a few lazy politicians, theyjust want to cause confusion inthe land.

“Even if the National and

Resident ElectoralCommissioners are to meettoday to vote on our Chairmanon any issue, especially the2015 general elections, I amsure he will get nothing lessthan 80 pert cent votes in hisfavour because he is a teamplayer any time, any day.Nigeria is blessed to havesuch a man as the chairmanof INEC at this point in time."

On the level of collection

and distribution of PVCs inOndo State, Agbaje disclosedthat INEC had given out1,105,709 PVCs representing74 per cent collection, adding,“We still have 388,460 cardsor 26 percent of the total cardsin our custody as of lastFriday. So, we are calling onthose who are yet to collecttheirs to take advantage of theextension of the collectiondeadline to do so.”

EKITI State Governor, MrAyo Fayose, has called

on the Independent NationalElectoral Commission, INEC,to suspend the use of smartcard readers for the conduct ofthis year's general elections.

Fayose, who called theattention of the electoral bodyto the many flaws detected lastSaturday during INEC's testrun exercise in 12 selectedstates in the country, noted thatit would be a great disserviceto the nation on the part of thecommission to startexperimenting issues likepresidential election due toalleged overzealous attitude ofthe chairman of INEC, ProfAtahiru Jega.

According to the statementissued in Ado Ekiti, yesterday,by his Special Assistant onPublic Communications andNew Media, Lere Olayinka,Fayose said he was not againstthe use of any technologicaldevice to ensure credibleelections but the flawsrecorded during the test runexercise were too fundamentalto be ignored.

He said: “Unless INEC hasan agenda that is differentfrom the conduct of free, fairand credible elections, the useof the card readers should besuspended for future electionsso as to enable proper testrunning of the technology."

Urging Jega not toexperiment on the cards with

the presidential election,Fayose said Jega was notbeing truthful on thecommission's preparedness forthe election.

“Jega told us before February14 that INEC was ready. Heheaped the blame for thepostponement of the electionson security. However, the

same INEC that Jega said wasready to conduct elections onFebruary 14 was testing cardreaders on March 7, meaningthat all the flaws thatcharacterised Saturday'sexercise would have beenwitnessed on February 14.Wouldn’t that have beendisastrous?”, he said.

THE crisis within thePeoples Democratic

Party, PDP, in Ondo State wasweekend, resolved as theleaders agreed to sheathetheir swords for the success ofthe party in the generalelections.

PDP leaders, especially fromOndo South senatorial district,at a special stakeholdersmeeting held at Igbokoda,weekend, resolved to nowwork for the party.

They were led by a formergovernorship candidate, ChiefOlusola Oke and SpecialAdviser to President GoodluckJonathan on Amnesty AffairsMr. Kingsley Kuku.

The defection of governorOlusegun Mimiko hadpolarised the party with someleaders resolving not to allowhim hijack the machinery ofthe party.

Similar stakeholdersmeetings are slated for thisweek in the two othersenatorial districts of Ondo

North and Ondo Central.Addressing newsmen after

the over three hours meeting,Oke and Kuku said: “Thosethat were aggrieved haveresolved to forget the past andforge ahead by working andsupporting our party in all theelections. We have heard andaccepted the plea from ourleaders for us to forget the pastand forge ahead by workingand supporting our party in allthe elections.’’

Partisanpolitics: Ekitito investigatecivil servants

ABEOKUTA—THEJoint National

Public ServiceNegotiating Council hasdirected public servants inOgun State to embark ona three-day warning strikecommencing tomorrowover alleged failure of thestate government to remitabout N2.8 billiondeducted from theirsalaries.

Addressing newsmen inAbeokuta, the Ogun Statecapital, JNC Secretary,Modiu Bello, said thatthe council wasconstrained to embark onthe strike following thefailure of all knownchannels of negotiationand dialogue to get theN700 deducted monthlyfrom the workers’ salariesfor four months remittedto the appropriateagencies.

The JNC, however, saidit had agreed to deferfurther negotiation onoutstanding unremittedContributory PensionFund deductions untilafter the generalelections.

By Daud Olatunji

By Gbenga Ariyibi

THE Ekiti StateGovernment has set

up a six-man committeeto investigate reportedcases of civil servantsinvolved in partisanpolitics in the state.

The state governor, MrAyo Fayose, made thedisclosure, weekend, inAdo Ekiti at a meetingwith leaders of organisedlabour.

The six-man committee,according to thestatement, is headed bythe Permanent Secretary,Civil Service Commission.

“Those who want to playpolitics should leave theservice and become cardcarrying members of thepolitical party of theirchoice. Nobody shouldsay I am a Fayosesupporter to cause troublein the civil service,whoever does that will beshown the way out,” thegovernor said.

RALLY: From left: Chairman, Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Engr. Adebayo Dayo; Ogun East PDP senatorial candidate, Prince Buruji Kashamu; Ijawleader, Chief Edwin Clark and his wife, Dr. Abisola Sodipo-Clark, at the Goodluck JonathanPolitical Centre, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, yesterday.


Ex-militantleaders seekrecognitionby Jonathan

Rivers PDP alleges plot to set up Jonathan, WikeBy Jimitota Onoyume

I'm being witch-hunted, says suspendedBayelsa PDP Chair

By SamuelOyadongha

PORT HARCOURT—PEOPLES Democratic

Party, PDP, in Rivers State hascalled on the Inspector Generalof Police to disband a wing of thePolice in the state called C4I,saying it had allegedly uncovereda plot by All ProgressivesCongress, APC, to connive withthe security body to implicatesome chieftains of the party inphoney criminal activities.

Chairman, Media and Publicityof the PDP CampaignOrganisation in the state, MrEmma Okah, who briefednewsmen, yesterday in PortHarcourt, alleged that the APChad concluded arrangement withthe C4I to release arms illegallyto some youths for nefarious acts,adding that they would later bearrested and forced to implicatethe governorship candidate of theparty, Mr Nyesom Wike,President Goodluck Jonathan andother chieftains of the party totheir callous activities.

Urging the Inspector General ofPolice to thoroughly investigatethe allegation and ensure thosebehind it were brought to book,the party alleged that amongother things those to be allegedlyequipped with arms illegally bythe special unit of the Police wouldcarry out indiscriminatekidnappings and cause chaos inthe state before their arrest.

He said: “We have uncovered aheinous and shameful conspiracyby the said C4I and APC to armsome young men who wouldthereafter, be arrested while

armed with the very weaponsgiven to them by the C4I and APC.After their stage-managed arrest,false confessions would beobtained from them in consonancewith the orchestrated plan to theeffect that they were armed by thePresident and the governorshipcandidate of the PDP in RiversState, Chief Wike, to commitsundry criminal acts includingkidnap, armed robbery, andpolitical assassinations.

"As a means of suppressingevidence and concealing the falseconfession, the young men wouldthereafter be killed by the C4Ithrough administering poisonson them. The C4I and their APCco-conspirators would then falselyallege that the President inconcert with Wike and the PDPare responsible for the murder ofthe young men.

“Prior to this time and just to

mention one out of several cases,the C4I had attempted to abductand possibly eliminate a memberof the PDP in Rivers State, MrTonye Ayella. Mr. Ayella, who isthe PDP’s candidate to representPort Harcourt constituency 2 inRivers State House of Assemblyin the 2015 general elections, wassaved from abduction andpossible elimination by securitymen attached to Mr Evans Bipi,the Speaker of the Rivers StateHouse of Assembly. This matterwas reported to theCommissioner of Police, RiversState Police Command, who hasrefused to investigate the issues.”

Meantime, the APC, in astatement by its PublicitySecretary in the state, Mr ChrisFinebone, dismissed theallegation by the PDP aslaughable and ludicrous.

He said: “For the APC, this is

yet another contrivance from thedeep box of propaganda of thePDP in Rivers State. It simply fliesin the face.

“While not speaking for anyorgan of state like the Police or anyother security agency, the APC inRivers State believes that it isunthinkable for any sane mind orgroup of sane individuals toimagine that the Nigeria Police orother security organisations wouldattempt what the PDP is charging.That can only be possible betweenthe PDP and any unscrupulousfederal agency.

"The Rivers State chapter of theAPC would like to urge the PDPto approach the various federalgovernment controlled securityagencies with the facts of itsfindings for proper investigationto ascertain the veracity of theirclaims."

Y ENAGOA—THEs u s p e n d e d

Chairman of PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, inBayelsa State, Col. SamInokoba (rtd) weekend,slammed the 13-memberState Executive Committee,SEC, of the party, sayingthat the recent move againsthim by the SEC wassponsored by somedesperate political leadersin the state over the 2016governorship race.

According to Inokoba,though his purportedsuspension and claims ofmisconduct by the SECwere manifestly phantomand baseless allegations,the alleged diversion of N40million, the involvement inpromoting factions withinthe party, the refusal toattend Bayelsa CentralCampaign activity and theinvolvement of his aides inthe alleged beating up of a

party member, were liesand attempts to hijack theparty structure in the state.

Inokoba, in a statement inYenagoa after he wasprevented from assumingoffice by a team of armedpolicemen, said the chargesagainst him were fictitiousand a frame-up concoctedby those with inordinatepolitical ambition in thestate.

He said: “My accusersalleged that I collected N40

million from a PDP bigwigin the state and divertedsame. I wish to keep therecords straight by statingunequivocally here that Idid not collect N40 millionor any other sum of moneyfrom anybody on behalf ofBayelsa State PDP andnever diverted same for mypersonal interest.

“This remains the wholetruth and nothing but thetruth on this matter. I amonly being framed

I'll rescue Delta from PDP stranglehold—EMERHOR

because of the inordinatepolitical ambition of somehighly placed individualsin the state. I was equallyalleged to belong to afaction within the statePDP. I respond to thisallegation by stating thatsection 10(1)(5) of the PDPconstitution 2012 (asamended) prohibits mefrom belonging to anygroup or faction within theparty. I am not a memberof any group or faction."

By Onoja Innocent

DELTA State AllP r o g r e s s i v e s

Congress, APC,governorship candidate,Olorogun O’tegaEmerhor, yesterday,promised to rescue DeltaState from thestranglehold of thePeoples Democratic Party,PDP, saying that if voted

into power, hisgovernment will run thestate like a businessempire with a human face.

The APC candidatereiterated that the rulingparty was bereft of newideas and has nothingnew to offer the people,which was why they arejittery of the oppositionand are doing everythingpossible to make sure thatcredible elections did not

hold in the country.Emerhor, who spoke in

Warri at an interactivesession with varioussupport groups and non-g o v e r n m e n t a lorganisations in DeltaState, said that the PDPcan no longer be allowedto plunder the collectivewealth of the people of thestate, adding that theyhave crumbled Nigeriawith their bad leadership.

E X - M I L I T A N Tleaders from

Obotobo 1, OgulaghaKingdom, Bonny Gaweiand Francis Muturu fromBomadi, Delta State,have cautioned PresidentGoodluck Jonathan tostop aligning himself withsome ex-militant leadersto the detriment of others.

The ex-militant leadersreminded the Presidentthat a single tree does notmake a forest, adding thathis predecessor, latePresident MusaYar’Adua, who eventuallyworked with all ex-militants leaders in theregion carried everybodyalong.

The ex-militant leaders,in a statement, lamentedtheir neglect by thePresidency, AmnestyOffice and other agencies,querying why the NigerDelta struggle had beenpersonalised and madefor the glory of some fewpersons.

They advised PresidentJonathan not to put hiseggs in one basketexplaining that, once theywere called upon, theywere ready to serve thePresident for the good ofall.

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Delta State APC governorship candidate, Olorogun O'tegaEmerhor (middle); his running mate, Chief V.O.T Abanum (on his right) and representativesof professional bodies, during an interactive session in Warri, Delta State.

CMYK


CMYK

Olejemelauds womenon fight forequality

Itsekiri community dismisses ultimatum by Ijaw youths

By Emma Amaize

By Tom Moses

Eket womendemandrelocation ofMPN hqtrs toA-Ibom

WARRI—UGBORI, anItsekiri community in

Warri, Delta State, hasdismissed the seven-dayultimatum given to it lastWednesday, by some Ijawyouths to vacate theirhomeland, as well as pay N500million damages for allegeddestroyed property, saying theyare illegal occupants.

Ugbori community head,Olare-Aja Edwin Omagbemi,said the youths took refuge onpart of the community’s landaround the port area during theseven-year Warri crisis.

He said there was no Ijaw

By Godwin Oritse

EPZ groundbreaking will determine Itsekiri’svote —EKPOKO

ITSEKIRI Leaders ofThought, weekend, said

that the groundbreakingceremony of the $16 billionExport Processing Zone, EPZ,in Ogidigben, Warri South-West Local Government Area,Delta State, on March 13 willdetermine the vote of the Itsekirination in the forth- cominggeneral elections.

Speaking after a meeting ofthe Itsekiri leaders in Lagos,Secretary of the group, MrEdward Ekpoko, advised allItsekiri sons and daughters tothink of the Itsekiri ethnic groupfirst before casting their votes.

Ekpoko described theagitation by the Ijaw asoppressive, adding thatviolence will only lead to a widerdivide amongst the ethnicgroups

He said: “The Itsekiri knowwho they will vote for and oneof the factors that will determinethe Itsekiris’ vote will be theEPZ groundbreaking. We stilllook up to President GoodluckJonathan to perform thegroundbreaking and Itsekiri allover world are watching. If hedoes not perform the ceremonyon that day, we will leaveeverything to posterity and itwill be a day the Itsekiri willnever forget.

“Violence has become right. If

you pick up arms today, thegovernment will listen to you.It is very sad. From what wehave heard, the President iscoming to perform the ceremonyon March 13. In view of thethreat from the Ijaw that ifJonathan does not win theelection, there will war and allthat, every Itsekiri man has tobe conscious of that and be at

alert.“The Federal Government has

not even come out to condemnthe statement by these reformedmilitants and that is creating fearamongst other people in theNiger Delta, not only theItsekiri.

“Election is an expression ofone’s right and Jonathanbecame President through an

elective process. I think the Ijawshould let the process run itsfull course. Elections are not ado or die affair.

“Those who will vote forJonathan will vote for him, it isnot by threat and those who willnot vote for him will not votehim. Some of the militants arenot helping Jonathan by theirutterances and statements, asthey are doing a greatdisservice to him.”

Ijaw group demands inclusion of Ogulagha Kingdom inEPZ project

By Godwin Oghre

OGULAGHA—AN Ijawgroup, Sokebolou/Yokiri

Peoples Congress, weekend,called on President GoodluckJonathan to prevail onGovernor EmmanuelUduaghan of Delta State, notto exclude OgulaghaKingdom from the scheme ofthings in the ExportProcessing Zone, EPZ, projector risk imminent catastrophein the area.

The group, in a statement byits Chairman, Bob Towei, said:“The people of Sokebolou/Yokri communities inOgulagha Kingdom, BurutuLocal Government Area, willnot fold their hands and watchthe state government takeaway from them what rightlybelongs to them.”

The group namedAdedegbene, Agbogoroma-gbene, Ologoseimor-erecommunities, among others,as “rightful owners” of theland where the EPZ project issited, saying that the trucefacilitated by the governorbetween the Itsekiris and the

Gbaramatu Kingdom of Ijawonly was a non-issue and willnot be respected by Sokebolou/Yokiri communities ofOgulagha Kingdom, also ofIjaw, whom they said were thetrue owners of the EPZ projectsite, as they were not invitedby the governor to take part inthe truce.

Calling on the president toprevail on Governor Udughanto reconvene another meetingwith all stakeholdersincluding Ogulagha Kingdombefore the proposedgroundbreaking, the groupsaid: “Nobody should blamedus for whatever action wecarry out if our people of

Ogulagha are ignored. “We want to categorically

state that the directivePresident Goodluck Jonathangave to Dr. Uduaghan atAsaba to harmonize allstakeholders of the EPZproject was not followedhence only Itsekeri and theGbanramatu-Ijaw wereinvited.”

community known as Lotiebiriin the area, as Ugbori has beenthere for over 500 years untilrunaway militant Ijaw youthsforcefully occupied the portionof the community’s land.

Omagbemi said that the stategovernment had compensatedthem to go back to their variousvillages and vacate the land toavoid causing another crisisbetween both ethnic groups.

According to him, GovernorEmmanuel Uduaghanappealed to the Ugboricommunity youths not to deployany force to chase away theillegal Ijaw occupants, saying:“Even after accepting to vacatethe land, the Ijaw youths refused

to leave and are now demand-ing N500 million restitution onUgbori community over an al-leged damage on their proper-ty.”

He said that the stategovernment at a time acquiredthe land illegally occupied landto avoid crisis between theItsekiri community and the Ijawmilitants.

The land was subsequentlyfenced off by the governmentusing an Ijaw youth leader andmember of the Delta WaterwaysSecurity Committee, BoroOpodu, who asked theunrepentant youths to vacatethe land to no avail.

DEPUTY Chairman,F i n a n c e

Committee of the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP,Presidential CampaignOrganisation, Dr. NgoziOlejeme, hascommended the courageand determination madeby women in the fight forequality so far, praisingPresident GoodluckJonathan for elevatingwomen in the country.

She also advisedNigerian women to keeptheir eyes on the longrange prize for self andthe country.

“We have witnessed atransformation inwomen’s participation inpublic life. More womenare exercising leadershipin politics and business;more girls are going toschool,” she said.

In her message on theInternational Women’sDay 2015, Olejemeurged Nigerian womento make an informeddecision when choosingthe next president of thecountry.

“Nigeria is moving inthe right direction.Women have receivedreasonable positions ingovernment at thefederal level," she said.

EKET—WOMEN ofEket Local

Government Area of AkwaIbom State have urgedPresident GoodluckJonathan to relocate theheadquarters of MobilProducing Nigeria, MPN,from Lagos to Akwa IbomState, the extractive baseof the company.

Mrs. MarthaEmmanuel, made thedemand on behalf of thewomen of Eket council,weekend, when the wifeof the state governor,Mrs. Unoma Akpabiovisited the area to rallysupport for the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP,governorship candidate,Mr. Udom Emmanuel,President Jonathan andother PDP candidates inthe Eket senatorial district.

PVC TEST-RUN: INEC officials attending to a registered voter in the Port Harcourt LocalGovernment Area Ward One, unit 23, during the card readers test-run in Rivers State,yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.


Armedrobberstormentresidents ofAdo Ekiti

By Gbenga Ariyibi

Wife of Edo Majority Leader launches advocacyrally against child labour

APC calls for removal of INEC ResidentCommissioner in Enugu

By Austin Ogwuda

POWER SUPPLY: All homes in Lagos will be lit in sixmonths if... —FASHOLA

ENUGU—THE leadershipof All Progressives

Congress, APC, in EnuguState has called for theremoval of INEC ResidentElectoral Commissioner in thestate, Professor ChukwuemekaOnukaogu, over allegednocturnal visit to a localgovernment chairman.

Director of Media andPublicity, Enugu State APCGubernatorial CampaignOrganisation, Emeka Okafor,in a statement, described thepurported visit asunwarranted.

The statement said: “Tosustain the integrity of INEC, the staff, especiallyprincipal officers, must shunthe tendency to hobnob withdesperate politicians who aredetermined to scuttle thedemocratic process byshortchanging the due processof power transfer.

“It is on this basis that theAPC in Enugu State condemnsthe recent visit of the REC forEnugu State to the councilchairman of Enugu North LG,

Mr. Emeka Ede onWednesday, March 4, 2015.

"The visit, which allegedlyspanned almost three hours isa taint on the integrity of theREC and denigrating of his

office.“At this time when public

search light is beamed onINEC, it is expected that INECstaff should be careful in theirofficial conduct. Any

personnel whose action andconduct will tend toundermine the impartiality ofINEC must face officialsanctions.’’

ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN: From left: Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Women Ariseand Campaign For Democracy; Mrs Joke Silver, Nollywood Actress and Barr. Ruth Idahosa,Founder, Pathfinders Justice Initiative @ Advocacy Campaign; organized by the PathfindersJustice Initiative, weekend, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

GOVERNOR BabatundeFashola of Lagos State,

yesterday, said the solution tothe problem of power sectorcould be achieved in six monthsif the Distribution Companies,DISCOs, were ready to yieldsome percentages of theirconcessions to the stategovernment.

Fashola made this statementat the commissioning of the 1.2kilometer Glover Road and 8.5megawatts, PeninsulaIntegrated Power Project, PIPP,Lekki, Eti-Osa LocalGovernment Area.

The governor, whilecommissioning the fifth IPP,said: “Let the EKO DISCOssign a contract with me, givingpart of their concessioning tothe state government. In aboutsix to eight months, there willbe power in all homes in LagosState.

“So, let no one say that he hasno money to deliver power forthe entire country. This is thelimit to which the law allows usto do, but we have done this tomake a statement that powercan be generated.

‘’So, when they come with liesthat power is impossible, youcan tell them that we have powerhere; we make it possible.”

He opined that the projectshowed that the money to

improve the Nigerian economyis here, “since we don’t needthe World Bank to come and dothis for us.”

Fashola noted that he feltfulfilled with the conduct ofyouths that delivered theproject, despite the difficultiesin getting to the finishing point.

Explaining the importance ofthe project, the governor saidthe project, courtesy of the stategovernment, in partnershipwith PIPP and Heritage Bank,would help to provide powersupply to power the Lagos Statepublic water corporations inLekki Phase 1, Oniru, VictoriaIsland and Ikoyi, as well as over25km of public lighting in the

Lekki axis.Earlier, Commissioner,

Ministry of Energy and MineralResources, Engr. Taofeek Tijani,said the new addition was aboutcontinuity in publicinfrastructure programme of thestate government.

General Manager, LagosState Electricity Board,Damilola Ogunbiyi, said thestate had shown that reliableand sustainable power projectsare possible through the youths.

Ogunbiyi said though it hadbeen a successful story, the statewas just scratching the surfacein its “aggressive developmentplan,” in the area of power.

Promoter of the project, Faruk

Agoro, noted that the new IPPwas an innovative idea of world-class natural gas-fired powergenerating facility, sold to thegovernment by youths and it wasbought into, to supportgovernment institutions,especially in the area of watersupply and security.

Stage One is 8.5 megawatts,with the capacity for 30megawatts. Lagos IPPs now hasa total of 47 megawatts ofelectricity in total, poweringpublic institutions around thestate. The generated megawattsis however a tiny drop in theover 9,000 megawatts powerdeficit in the state.

AS part of activities tomark the International

Women Day celebration for 2015,market women in Jettu, EtsakoCentral Local Government Area,Edo State, were among thosepresent at the meeting organisedby the Philip Shaibu Foundationto educate rural women on theirinheritance rights as well aslaunch out an advocacy rallyagainst child labour.

The wife of the Majority Leaderof Edo State House of Assemblyand convener, Mrs MaryamShaibu, who took a swipe at theNigerian Constitution, said that

women under the law in Nigeriawere not well treated.

She canvassed the right ofwomen to inherit property of theirbiological fathers even thoughthey might have been married.

The practice of denial ofinheritance right has causeduntold hardship to women, shelamented.

She, however, frowned at thelanguage of the constitution as itaffects womanhood. Mrs Shaibu,who criticised the provisions of theconstitution as it relates to attackon women in different forms,identified harmful practices,

which include widowhoodpractices, female genitalmutilation, forced marriage andothers as threat to the lives ofwomen in Nigeria.

She stressed the need foreffective parenting as a panaceafor social vices.

She said: “If children areadequately guided the chance forthem to go astray in their adultyears are slim.”

She cautioned parents againstchildren’s access to social mediawhich she said portends a greatthreat to effective parenting aschildren are exposed to unguidedinformation that are capable ofnegatively influencing them.

ADO EKITI—RESIDENTS of

Fajuyi Housing Estatealong Ilawe Road, AdoEkiti, were on Saturdaynight tormented androbbed of theirbelongings by a 7-mangang of armed robbers.

This is coming justabout four weeks after astudent of the FederalPolytechnic,Ado Ekiti,was killed by robbers atOlorunda area of thestate capital during arobbery operation.

The men of theunderworld were said tohave raided from houseto house, of theirb e l o n g i n g s ,m o n e y , l a p t o p s ,handsets, jewelry, etcwithout being caught bythe police.

Shedding more light onthe ordeal the residentswent through, Mr. AyoOrebe, the generalchairman of the housingestate, said the armedmen raided 6 householdswithin two and a halfhours of operation.

Orebe said: “Therobbery incidenthappened around 12 am.Before it happened,there were ominoussigns that somethingterrible would happen.Dogs in then e i g h b o u r h o o d ,including my three dogs,were barking violentlyand that made me tomake calls to ourexecutives that everyoneshould be at alert as theviolent barking of thedogs signalled animminent danger.

“It was around 12:30am that one of thevictims, a young manrushed to my place torecall the ordeal he wentthrough with the armedmen.

“He said he was athome with his family, akid of two years and hiswife when the robbersbroke into his apartment,demanding for moneyand other personaleffects.

“He said he wouldhave put up a fight butthey put a gun to headof his first son of barelytwo years old and thathumbled him."

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015 — 15

S’West APC flays Jonathanon confab report

By OlasunkanmiAkoni

THE All ProgressivesCongress, APC,

yesterday, faulted astatement credited toPresident GoodluckJonathan that theimplementation of 2014National Conferencereport was dependent onlyon his re-election.

The party also describedJonathan’s statement asillogical andunreasonable, directedonly to earn cheappopularity from SouthWest marginalised by hisadministration.

In a statement by theNational Vice-Chairman(South West), Chief PiusAkinyelure, the party saidif the Jonathan’sadministration wasinterested in restructuring,it should not have waited forthree years in office beforeconvoking the 2014 NationalConference.

The party said: “Thelopsided nature of the

federation his (Jonathan)administration inheritedabout six years should haveswung into actionimmediately and putnecessary mechanisms inplace to equitably and fairlyrestructure Nigeria for thebenefit of all.

“Jonathan is using thereport of the 2014 NationalConference as a politicalweapon to sneak into thehearts of South-Westpeople, whose hisadministration has not beenfair to despite theiroverwhelming support forthe president in 2011.”

The party, therefore,asked the President todesist from making promisehe could not fulfil.‘’President Jonathan shouldstop appealing ethnicsentiment in order to scorecheap political marks.

‘’A President, underwhose watch the Ekitielection was rigged, cannotrestructure Nigeria. Apresident that granthardened amnesty to ex-convicts cannot evolve

equitable Nigeria.”The party urged the

people of South-West andNigeria in general, not totake the President seriousagain, noting that thePeoples Democratic Party,PDP, had no idea on how tomove Nigeria forward.

‘’ Stop deceivinginnocent people. Stopdestroying Nigerian unityon the altar of ethnicpolitics. Stop fuellingdivision among groups thatmake up Nigeria,@ theparty said.

APC said its flag bearer,Muhammadu Buhari, andhis running mate, Prof.Oluyemi Osinbajo, hadmade a covenant with thepeople of Nigeria containedin the 2015 Buhari/OsinbajoManifesto.

The party said onceelected, the Buhari/Osinbajo governmentwould initiate action “toamend the NigerianConstitution with a view todevolving powers, duties,and responsibilities tostates.' ' in order toentrench true federalismand the federal spirit.”

WARRI—A DeltanYouth group made

up of unemployedgraduates, The PoliticalCredibility Alliance, hasendorsed Olorogun OtegaEmerhor of the AllProgressives Congress,APC, as its candidate for thegovernorship election ofDelta State.

In an interactive sessionwith newsmen yesterday inWarri, the group, throughits leaders, Mr. Gideon

Erhue and Hon. YalajuAwani, described Emerhoras the sort of governor theyouths of Delta have beenwaiting for.

According to Awani,“Clearly God has answeredour prayers as we now havea highly intelligent yetremarkably humble leaderwe can all confidently lookup to without expectingcomplete disappointment atthe end of the day.”

While conceding thathitherto most members of thegroup had placed theirhope in Chief Great Ogboruof Labour Party, Erhue, onhis part, said:“Unfortunately one mancannot hold an entire stateto ransom forever. Thoughwe have long admiredOgboru, it is now clear tous that we simply cannotkeep hoping on him only toregret our support for himwhen the election results areannounced. He shouldhave joined a party that candefeat PDP instead of thisabracadabra situation inwhich he claims Jonathanwill deliver him when thesame Jonathan has vowedto deliver his fellow Partyman, Okowa. We are leftwith no choice but to line upbehind O’tega. At least hismessage and actions havebeen consistent all along.”

DELTA GOV: Unemployedgraduates root for Emerhor


Nobody'll dictate to me as gov —IKPEAZU

‘Ohanaeze’s hawking presidentialendorsement like pure water'

INVASION OF AYOGU EZE'S RESIDENCE:‘We're yet to get formal report'

By Anayo Okoli

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Abia gets over3000 cardreaders,distributesover 80% PVCs

APGA: Okwu loses bid to get INECaccept candidates' list

U M UA H I A — I Nreadiness for the

March 28 and April 11election, the IndependentElectoral Commission,INEC, in Abia State hasreceived 3, 233 cardrReadersfor the polls, the ResidentElectoral Commissioner,Prof. Selina Oko, hasdisclosed.

Prof. Oko also denied therumoured revolt by someINEC’s resident electoralcommissioners, RECs,against the chairman of thecommission, Prof. AttahiruJega, saying there were nosuch thing in thecommission.

Oko, who disclosed this tojournalists in her office,weekend, said thecommission actually needed3,187 card readers, while theexcess 46 were back-ups.

“It is surprising to readfrom the media that somestate Resident Electoralcommissioners are plotting topass a vote of no confidenceon the chairman, Prof.Attahiru Jega, as a preludeto removing him from office.

“This, definitely, does notapply to this state and themeeting of RECs with thechairman referred to by thismedia report is essentially toassess the state ofpreparedness of the stateoffices of the commission forthe elections and hasabsolutely no other agenda,hence the need to debunkthis notion in its entirety,”Prof. Oko said.

On the distribution ofpermanent voters’ cards,PVCs, she said the state hasdistributed a total of 1, 146,087 PVCs of the 1, 353, 948PVCs received in the state.

ENUGU—ENUGU StatePolice Public Relations

Officer, PPRO Mr. EbereAmarizu, has said that thestate police command has notreceived a formal report overthe alleged invasion ofSenator Ayogu Eze’s countryhome at Enuguezike lastTuesday.

Asked if any police officerwas arrested in connection withthe incident as speculated, hesaid “I am not aware”.

The country home of SenatorAyogu Eze, representingEnugu North senatorialdistrict, was attacked bygunmen who stormed theplace at about 5.20 pm onTuesday shooting sporadicallyinto the air.

Mr Okechukwu Eze, aclose relation of Senator Ezesaid that “if not for the quickintervention of police andyouths from the village, thethugs could have starteddestroying my brother’s andhouse and property.”

ABUJA—THE factionalNational Chairman of the

All Progressives Grand Alliance,APGA, Chief Maxi Okwu, has losthis bid to get the Supreme Courtto compel the IndependentNational Electoral Commission,INEC, to accept his list ofcandidates for the 2015 generalelections in the country.

He had asked the apex court todirect INEC to accept his list ofcandidates as the candidates ofAPGA for the elections.

Okwu in the substantive suit atthe apex court, is challenging theJune 18, 2014 decision of the Courtof Appeal Abuja, which hadaffirmed Chief Victor Umeh as theNational Chairman of APGA andAlhaji Sani Shinkafi as theNational Secretary of the party.

Okwu, through his counsel,had told the Supreme Court thathe had submitted his own list ofcandidates to INEC after holdinghis own primaries but that thecommission had refused to acton them, adding that INEC didnot have the power to reject anyperson nominated by a politicalparty.

He further told the court thatthe appeal involved thedetermination between theappellants (Chief Maxi Okwuand Chief Dickson Ogu) andUmeh and Shinkafi, who are theauthentic National Officers of theparty-APGA.

“That a determination of thiscentral issue will determine whocan validly nominate candidatesto contest elections on theplatform of the political party-APGA,” he had argued.

UMUAHIA—PEOPLESDemo ratic Party’s

governorship candidate for theApril 11 election in Abia State, Dr.Okezie Ikpeazu, has said hisgovernment would not be dictatedto by any person, insisting that itwould bear his signature.

He said the fact that he wasbeing supported by the incumbentgovernor did not mean thegovernor would run thegovernment for him.

According to him, in states likeAnambra and Lagos, where thethen incumbent governors helpedin the emergence of theirsuccessors, they did not control thegovernment.

‘’Abia’s case will be not bedifferent. The government willbear my signature, not somebody’ssignature. For every action, thereis a burden. I have weighed myposition, the advantage outweighsthe disadvantage. I amcomfortable with Governor T. A.Orji,” the PDP governorshiphopeful said. He was reacting toinsinuations that he might be astooge of the incumbent governor.

Ikpeazu wondered why theopposition found it difficult to givecredit to Governor Orji where hehad done very well, saying theyalways talk of Abia which is noteven his creation.

He noted that Governor Orji haddone a lot in Umuahia, the statecapital, alleging also that somedesperate politicians in the statewere inciting youths to go back tokidnapping but warned the youthsnot to fall for such temptationagain.

Ikpeazu warned Abia youths thatsecurity operatives would crushthem if they fell to such eviltemptation.

According to him, somepoliticians are tinkering with theidea of luring the youths back to

kidnapping just because theywant political power.

He lamented the huge humanand material resources the statelost to kidnapping andwondered why any reasonableleader would want to incite Abia

youths to go back to the evil justto cause trouble for the state.

Ikpeazu warned politicians torealize that the youths they werearming would in future constitutea major problem for the statewhen they turned monsters.

He said no other governorshipcandidate in the state understoodhow kidnapping was stoppedother than him, explaining thatwas the reason he would continueto advise youths against beingused by politicians.

ABUJA—AGAINST the backdrop of recent

endorsement of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan byOhanaeze Ndigbo in theforthcoming elections,Presidential candidate of UnitedProgressive Party, UPP, ChiefChekwas Okorie, has berated

the apex Igbo socio-cultural groupfor hawking endorsement likepure water.

Chief Okorie, who was thefounder of the All ProgressivesGrand Alliance, APGA, as well asUPP, which he chairs, wonderedin an interview with Vanguard inAbuja why the Igbo nation wouldlike to play second fiddle whenUPP had given the zone theopportunity by ceding thepresidential slot to the area.

He, however, said he was notdisturbed as, according to him,UPP will spring some surprisesin the elections, which would bethe revelation in the 2015elections.

He said: “When it comes topolitics, this kind of thing hasalways happened. Even thoughwhat Ohaneze has done this timeis a little scandalous, it has notbeen different from what hasalways happened in Nigerianpolitics especially the Igbo politicsaspect of it.

“The second republic peoplewill remember very well thatalmost every Igbo political leaderwas in NPN and they were allfighting for number two position.

''It was so bad that what NPNdid was to decide to give it to anyIgbo man provided that he bringsN2million at that time. It was forthe highest bidder and that washow Alex Ekwueme being ahighly successful contractor andconsultant paid.

“He did not become running

mate because Igbo people spon-sored him but because he out-paid the others and that was whatprompted Nnamdi Azikiwe tocome out because he had alreadystated that he was not going torun.

“So, when he saw his ownpeople clamouring for numbertwo position, he could notreconcile it with the fact that heled the struggle forIndependence. That was how hecame and he came late andchose the smallest of theparties at the time – NPP(Nigeria Peoples Party) which wasfounded by Waziri Ibrahim.''

By Anayo Okoli

By Austin Ogwuda

By Innocent Anaba

FORUM: From left; Yetunde Ogunseye, Managing Partner, Yetunde Ogunseye and Co.(Chartered Accountants); Uchenna Erobu, Partner, Akintola Williams Deloitte; Abiodun Laja,CEO/Proprietress, Lekki British School, Lagos, and Oluyemisi Edun, Chief Financial Officer,FCMB, at the 2015 Akintola Williams Deloitte international women’s day forum in Lagos.

CMYK

Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard, MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY, MARCH 9, MARCH 9, MARCH 9, MARCH 9, MARCH 9, 2015—172015—172015—172015—172015—17

Local herbs, bleaching creams,others linked to kidney diseases

NOMINATION has opened for the2nd edition of the Nigerian

Healthcare Excellence Awards, NHEAeven as June 26, 2015 has beenannounced as the new date for theevent as against the earlier date of April10, 2015. The shift in date was as aresult of the 2015 general electionswhich fall within the same period.

According to NHEA ProgrammeCoordinator, Dr. Shola Alabi, theNHEA 2014 was a great success,pledging that NHEA 2015 will be biggerand better.

In a press statement, Alabi alsohinted that Nominations will close onMay 26, 2015 while nominees will beannounced on May 29 and votingcommence till Wednesday, June 17,2015.

Announcing that nomination formswere available for download onwww.nigeriahealthcareawards.org, heexplained that the event which willhold in Lagos has 26 award categoriesincluding the Lifetime AchievementsAward, Outstanding State GovernmentHealthcare Programme of the Year,Outstanding CSR Health Project of theYear, Healthcare Media Excellence,Private Healthcare Provider of the Year,Public Healthcare Provider of the Year,Laboratory service provider of the Year,and Radiology Service Provider of theYear.

Others are; Indigenous BiomedicalEngineering Service Company of theYear, and International BiomedicalEngineering Service Company of theYear, International PharmaceuticalCompany of the Year, Indigenouspharmaceutical company of the Year,Pharmaceutical Retail Outlet of theYear, etc.

“NHEA will recognise the mostdeserving individuals, organisationswho champion compassion, courageand a winning mindset. Doctors,nurses, laboratory scientist andmedical engineers who havecontributed towards reaching the goalof quality and affordable healthcare inthe country will be celebrated.

It would be recalled that ProfessorEmmanuel Adeyemo Elebute thefounder of Lagoon Hospitals andHygeia was given the LifetimeAchievement Award in 2014.

About 500 healthcare communityleaders, representatives of private andgovernment organisations, renownedmembers of sectors affiliated to theindustry are expected at the event.Different stakeholders from thehealthcare sector, policy makers,diplomats, CEOs, senior executives,eminent personalities, pharmaceuticalcompanies, NGOs, health media andindustrialists.

The award is being organised byGlobal Health Project and Resources,GHPR, in collaboration with AnadachGroup, USA.

• Some local herbs on display.

By Gabriel Olawale& Damilola Akingbade

Some of these local herbswhen you take them itpurges you and makesyour body weak andleads to loss of fluids inthe body. This causesblood supply to thekidney to drop. By thetime that blood supplydrops, kidney function isdisrupted and such aperson will now retainwhat the kidney ordinaryshould have excreted

A Professor of Medicine, andhonorary Consultant Physician

and Nephrologist at Obafemi AwolowoUniversity Teaching Hospitals,OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof.Fatiu Arogundade, has cautioned onthe indiscriminate consumption of localherbs, usage of bleaching creams andcombination of different painkillerdrugs.

Making the assertion during thecommemoration of World Kidney Day2015, organised by Cedar GroupHospital in conjunction with theAssociation of General and PrivateMedical Practitioners of Nigeria,AGPMPN, Amuwo Odofin/Ojo branch,Lagos State, Arogundade explainedthat the indiscriminate consumption oflocal herbs and combination ofdifferent painkiller drugs with theusage of bleaching creams endangerthe kidney.

“Some of these local herbs when youtake them it purges you and makesyour body weak and leads to loss offluids in the body and causes bloodsupply to the kidney to drop. By thetime that blood supply drops, kidneyfunction is disrupted and such personwill now retain what the kidneyordinary should have excreted. By thetime this is accumulated in the body,the body becomes weak and the patientstarts getting sick and vomiting.”

“Another thing that can cause kidneydisease is some of the things weapplied on our skin. For instancebleaching cream, when it accumulatesin the body it affects the kidney andover a long time it distrupt the kidneyfunction. Combination of differentpainkiller drugs is another threat tokidney, when you take these drugs itgoes to the kidney and attack somekidney cells. By the time this persistsfor a long time it kills the kidney cellsand such a person will start developingevidence of kidney disease and having

problem of ill health on account ofkidney disease.”

Arogundade regretted that despiteour abundance as a country we stillfind it difficult to nap some of thecondition that causes Chronic KidneyDisease, CKD.

“In our environment, from the studyavailable in Nigeria, about 18 to 20percent of Nigerians have kidneydisease that may not manifest. Thepeople that we see in the hospitals thatmanifest it they are just about 0.5percent. That is 5 out of every 1,000people. The condition that causes CKDis now highly prevalence. In ourcommunities about 25 percent of ourpeople have hypertension. Diabeteswhich is uncommon before now haveabout 20 percent of our people livingwith it.

“Fuelling this figure is the fact thatpeople do not embrace primaryprevention measures, we do not haveregular screening, many people cannot

remember when last they went forscreening and it is in the process ofscreening some people that haveacquired the disease can be treated soas to avoid progression. Most peoplenow come to the hospital only whenthey become symptomatic, whichmeans that the disease has reached theadvance stage and becomeirreversible.”

Arogundade explained that thesediseases attack the kidney graduallywithout symptoms at the early stagemakes it a silent killer, “we have whatwe call stage one to three in which therenal function is still relatively goodso even if they retain some things theymay not become symptomatic until itgets to that critical level. By the time itgets to that critical level they wouldhave lost about 90 percent kidneyfunction. That is the time they will nowpresent with the symptoms.

Corroborating his view, aNephrologist at Cedar Dialysis Centre,Dr. Ofonime Udoh, however,advocated for adequate care forpregnant women and the need tomaintain a healthy lifestyle.

“We need to care for our pregnantwomen, give them good antenatal careso that the child is healthy at birth. Weshould also ensure good environmentalhygiene to avoid common infectionsthat may later cause kidney disease.People should also drink a lot of wateras it helps in flushing the kidney.

There are some lifestyles that makepeople prone to kidney diseases,“smoking, excess of alcoholconsumption, lack of exercise,consumption of a lot of salt and thoseon obese side.

Udoh pointed out the need forhypertensive patients to get treatedand ensure their blood pressure is wellcontrolled. “Diabetic patient shouldensure they see their doctor regularlyand ensure their blood sugar is broughtunder control. Those that have kidneydisease already and are symptomaticshould also get treated.

Nominationopens forNigerianHealthcareAwards

OPINION


By Nick Balebo

OPINIONEmerhor’s vision for Delta StateEmerhor’s vision for Delta StateEmerhor’s vision for Delta StateEmerhor’s vision for Delta StateEmerhor’s vision for Delta State

•Mr. Balebo, a public affairs analyst, wrotefrom Abuja.

ONE of the most salutory events in theongoing electioneering frenzy in

Delta State is the emergence of OlorogunO‘tega Emerhor as the governorshipflagbearer of the All Progressives Congress(APC). Best known as a visionary andbusiness angel who breathed life intocompanies and corporate entities that hadgone comatose, Emerhor joined the Deltagovernorship race with a lofty vision torework Delta State and make lifemeaningful for the people. As someone whounderstands that government is about thewelfare and security of the people,Emerhor has evolved an all inclusivedevelopment programme that is likely toalter the socio-economic fortunes of DeltaState and its people for good in no time ifhe mounts the saddle come 29 May 2015.What daily preoccupies Emerhor at themoment is the task of ensuring that DeltaState realizes its manifest destiny and livethe dream of the ideal state. And Emerhorhas been assiduous in putting together adevelopment blueprint which he hasarticulated with a missionary zeal andconviction.

Delta State has not been isolated fromthe gale of misrule which has afflictedNigeria in the last sixteen years. It istherefore understandable why the peopleare on edge and anxious for a newbeginning, yet with very high hopes thatEmerhor will win the election in line withtheir resolve to become the major

stakeholders in the state as the credo ofdemocratic governance demands. Thetruth is that the people have been bruisedand confined to the margins in the schemeof governance and wealth distribution.Those who have access to political officeconnive to undo the people socio-economically. This is why the state hasbeen embroiled in socio-economicmisfortunes as reflected in lack ofemployment opportunities, poorinfrastructure, collapse of both educationand health sectors, rural decay and urbandegradation and more.

Emerhor understands politics as he doesthe boardroom. He also knows that goodgovernance is increasingly getting tied tohow well an economy is run or managed.The resources of Delta State in spite of thedwindling fortune of oil which is the mainsource of revenue can still sustain fourstates if well husbanded. And Emerhor isthe undisputed guru in the managementof men and resources. This is his majorselling point, to turn Delta State around

to join the group of economicallyprosperous states in Nigeria and indeed theworld.

Emerhor is at home with the fact thatthe whole of Delta State and its entirepeople are in dire need of developmentsince the deprivation of the last sixteenyears has been an ill wind that blew noone any good. This is why his developmentvision reflects a pan-Deltan concern whichfocuses on a wide spectrum of socio-economic imperatives. Those who knowoften submit that Delta State derailedfrom the lofty dreams of old and that onlya visionary, a committed leader, a thinkerand purpose oriented mind can drive thestate to achieve its great destiny. This iswhere the personality of Olorogun O’ tegaEmerhor comes in as the game changer.

Emerhor is a first class developmentthinker and turn-around hand. The truthis that the state needs him now more thanever before. 2015 and post-2015 will sign-post a new beginning for Nigeria and manystates. Yet, only the states with the rightcalibre of leadership will be part of thisnew beginning. That is why Deltans mustcome together and ensure that Emerhorgets voted in as the next governor of thestate so that the roller coaster ofdevelopment will not pass the state by.Emerhor’s vision is sustained by a pan-Delta bias which reads as follows: ‘’a modelstate where multi-ethnicity is a resourceand where equity, justice and fair playare the building blocks of a secured

environment and vibrant economy’’. Avision such as this is what Delta State needsfor rejuvenation. The vision in a nutshellembraces all the indices that have helddown the state since it was created in 1991.

Lofty as the vision is, it is complementedby an ideal mission which is ‘’to make Deltaa model through a purpose-drivenleadership anchored on a touch-baseparticipatory governance, bed-rocked onprivate sector initiatives, investorfriendly orientation and commitment tohard work and service to all’’. The clincherof the mission is to ‘’empower the people tolive a prosperous life’’. Emerhor no doubtis set to inspire Delta and its people togreater heights. Only in westerndemocracies do you encounter such loftydeclarations that are tied to the evolutionof new states and emergence of new eras.

Emerhor’s manifesto has been wellcrafted into what he calls the ‘’TenCardinal Points’’. Each item in themanifesto points at his pro-people and pan-Delta development agenda. Fromcomprehensive socio-economicempowerment, to security of lives andproperty, infrastructural development,agro-industrialization, education, healthand housing and collaboration withforeign investors, Emerhor has mappedout a prosperous future for Delta and herhopeful citizens. Deltans must vote wiselyso that Emerhor’s vision can open up anentirely new and glorious dawn.

Deltans must votewisely so thatEmerhor’s vision canopen up an entirelynew and gloriousdawn

FEW elections have had the hype of the 2015elections, which has created strands ofexpectations that would be challenging tomanage. They are principally on two fronts –expectations of victory and campaignpromises to change the country. Voters seemto be buying into them.

Most voters have a catalogue of reasonswhy victory should be their party’s. In thesame manner, they can reel out the party’smanifesto or the electoral promises of eachcandidate. All the campaigns centre on thecertainty of victory for each contender.Nobody talks about the possibility of losingthe elections. Each party wants to unchainthe potentials of Nigeria, leading it topeace, progress, and prosperity.

Here are typical manifestoes of the 2015elections:

•Better management of our natural resources•Building roads, power and infra-structure•Creating jobs•Fighting corruption•Free, relevant, quality education•Healthcare plan for children and adults

2015 – Managing2015 – Managing2015 – Managing2015 – Managing2015 – ManagingElectoralElectoralElectoralElectoralElectoral

ExpectationsExpectationsExpectationsExpectationsExpectations•Restoring Nigerian agriculture•Social welfare plan for the less advantaged•Strengthening peace, security, and foreign

policyThese are noble ambitions that could

really change Nigeria. Any organisationthat is able to free Nigerians from any ofthose shackles would be on its way to

creating a new country.Criticisms of these manifestoes include the

capacities of the winning party to mobiliseresources to execute them. In the contest forpower, words seem not to have meaning.Nigerians would benefit from better ideas thatare distilled from the contentions to serve thepeople better. The high standards of servicepoliticians promise at election timesdisappear once the contest is decided. Will2015 be different?

Beyond the promises the parties make andthe peace accords they have signed how arethe parties managing the expectations of theirsupporters? As they preach their advancementto victory, parties should also tell theirsupporters about the flipside of victory –defeat. How would the parties take a loss ofthe elections?

Management of elections – on the part ofthe parties – should include education of theirsupporters to accept victory or defeat, forelections go either way. The change Nigerianswant includes violence-free election.

CMYK


CMYK

•Rev. Atawa, a public affairs analyst, wrotefrom Asaba, Delta State.

By Henry Okpala

•Mr. Okpala, a public affairscommentator, wrote fromOraifite, Ekwusigo LGA,Anambra State.

The Ernest Ndukwe I know

MIKE Onuzulike, in a nationalnewspaperof February 28,

attempted a rebuttal of the factscontained in the article,“Ndukwe’s Burden ofMisrepresentation”, earlierpublished in some nationalnewspapers written by ChukwukaOdinaka.

Onuzulike accused Chukwuka ofbeing a hireling working forNdukwe’s opponent. This, Iassume, presupposes that he toowas hired by Ernest Ndukwe, theAll Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) candidate in the comingAnambra South Senatorialelection, to play on the intelligenceof voters in Anambra SouthSenatorial zone, especially all of uswho hail from the same town ofOraifite with Ndukwe. I say thissince he has suggested that no onecan speak the truth or commenton matters of public interestwithout being hired.

Most sadly, Onuzulike did notearn the fee he might have beenpaid for that shoddy andunintelligent write up. He did notsucceed in making Ndukwe appearas the “perfect guy” he wanted. Ihad, at least, expected him to grabthe opportunity offered byChukwuka’s article to refute thetough accusations leveled againsthis principal. I was disappointedthat he did not even mention oneproject Ndukwe attracted to hiscommunity in his ten long yearsas the Executive Vice-Chairmanof Nigeria CommunicationsCommission (NCC).

As a man who set out to defendNdukwe, he could have attemptedto manufacture one, at least to savehis master’s face, albeittemporarily.

His inability to name one thingNdukwe used his high-profilepublic office to do for the people heseeks to represent has madeNdukwe more vulnerable thanever. Apart from his long stay at

NCC, Ndukwe has been paradingthe names of many companies andOnuzulike should have toldNigerians what Ndukwe usedthose companies to achieve for hiscommunity. Even inpsychophancy, there is somehonour and the least I expectedfrom Onuzulike are tantrums andbrickbats. His piece sounded morelike the Shakespearian tale told byan idiot, full of sound and fury butsignifying nothing.

As Chukwuka did, I challengeNdukwe and his defenders to pointout “one dead project” he attractedto his native Oraifite. Let himrefute the allegation that he doesnot belong to an age grade in histown, as this is a seriousmisdemeanour that passes him offin the town as “efulefu” (anunserious person).

For someone who desperatelyseeks to represent his people, letNdukwe tell Nigerians how manytimes he had attended OraifiteTown Union Meetings? Strategiesfor the peace and development ofIgbo towns are perfected in suchmeetings. Had Ndukwe been partof those strategies? I want to askOnuzulike if he does not belong toan age grade in his town. Does henot attend his Town Unionmeetings? If he is an indigene ofNnewi as he indicated, does he notsee Dr. Dozie Ikodife, Sen.Ikechukwu Obiorah and otherprominent sons and daughters ofNnewi in their Town UnionMeetings?”

Onuzulike should proudly tellpeople what development projectsNdukwe, as the boss of NCC for tenyears, attracted to his village alonethrough any of the telecomcompanies, which spent billions ofNaira under his watch developingother communities across Nigeria.As a successful Igbo son, hasNdukwe taken the Ozo title? He ismarried from Onitsha and his in-laws as well as his people of Oraifite

hold the Ozo institution in highesteem. Why didn’t he take thetitle? Is it because he doesn’t careabout the values and tradition ofthe people he seeks to represent?

Sen. Chris Ngige, representingAnambra Central, has the title of“Onwa”. Sen. Andy Uba is the“Ugomba Aguata”. Sen. MargeryOkadigbo holds the prestigious titleof “Odibeze”. Her late husband,Sen. Chuba Okadigbo was thefamous “Oyi of Oyi”. Which titledid Ernest Ndukwe have beforeDecember last year? Is it not truethat it was in the wake of hisSenatorial ambition, that he wasconferred with a chieftaincy titlelast December ?

Onuzulike should at least havebeen intelligent to provide answersthat could ameliorate Chukwuka’saccusations against Ndukwe.However, we must understand theplight of a man who was suddenlydrafted to defend the antecedentsof a man he does not know well.Ndukwe was guilty of theaccusations by Chukwuka becausebefore now, he abhorred our peopleand had nothing to do with us. Iam in a better position to say this.

My name is Henry Okpala.

Ndukwe and I are from the sameAwor-Ifite village in Oraifite. Ourhouses are about 400 metres apartand I have had the singularprivilege of being the Vice-Chairman of Awor-ifite villageUnion for four years. I get angryand upset when I see my brother,Ndukwe, claiming to be what he isnot and had never been.

In my four years as Vice-Chairman of our Village Union,Ndukwe never attended ourmeetings or contributed in anyway to the development of thevillage despite several entreaties.To hire people like Onuzulike todefend him and smear theintegrity of decent people haveonly compounded his woes, becausemany more people would come outforcefully to refute these lies. Thetruth that no one has said before isthat Ndukwe is insensitive.

About five years ago, he built hisfirst house in the village and sunka borehole in the compound. Inother communities, people ofNdukwe’s status sink boreholes toalleviate the sufferings of theirpeople. Ndukwe sunk his own tomake money from his poorkinsmen. He added to the sufferingof his kinsmen by charging moneyfor water fetched from hisborehole. In Igboland, this is anabomination. It was in the wake ofhis Senatorial bid that hediscontinued this exploitation andmaltreatment of his kinsmen.

Rather than answer the posersbefore him Ndukwe has conjuredan imaginary enemy called Sen.Andy Uba, who is the incumbentSenator and the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) candidatein the coming National Assemblyelections, and commenced a smearcampaign against him. They wantto know how many bills andmotions Sen. Uba has sponsored inthe Senate. Fair enough, I willanswer but not before educatingthem that the office of the clerk of

the National Assembly is a publicone, and they could, at any time,obtain information on thelegislative activities of Sen. Uba. Iwant them to know that, Sen. Dr.Andy Uba has demonstratedeffective representation andsensitivity towards the socio-economic and political exigenciesof his constituents and Nigeriansby sponsoring and co-sponsoringmany people-oriented Bills andMotions. From 2011 till date, thedistinguished Senator hassponsored four motions and co-sponsored 17. He has sponsorednine bills and co-sponsored two.Unarguably, this does not look likethe report card of a docile Senator.

Good legislative representationdoes not require much talk. Theserious businesses of the legislatureis not achieved by loud-mouths butby legislative diplomats whosecure compromises behind closeddoors . This is what the great Zik ofAfrica referred to as “masterlyinactivity” – less noise but plentyof action. There is the well knownprofile of a Speaker of the NigerianHouse of Representatives, whosefirst speech and contribution onthe floor of the House, despite beinga member of the House for morethan one year, was his acceptancespeech, after being elected Speakerof the House. Simple-mindedfellows like Ndukwe’s defendercould have passed him off as a benchwarmer legislator but hiscolleagues knew him better to electhim Speaker. They did not assesshim by the volume of noise hemade publicly but by the innatequalities they knew he possessed.This is “masterly inactivity” inaction and Sen. Andy Ubapersonifies this famed philosophyof “masterly inactivity”.

I will advise my brother againstthe use of people who can donothing for him except offendmore sensibilities.

The seriousbusinesses of thelegislature is notachieved by loud-mouths but bylegislativediplomats whosecurecompromisesbehind closeddoors

WE are barely three weeks from thePresidential/National Assembly

(Senate and House of Representatives)election and another two weeks after, therewill be the Governorship/State House ofAssembly elections. The closeness of theelections this season has resulted invarious tactics to win votes. One troublingapproach is the use of religion andethnocentrism by various candidates.Most people are not aware that 2010Electoral Act of the Federal Republic ofNigeria prohibits campaign based onreligion or tribe. Specifically, Section 102states as follows: “Any candidate, personor association who engages incampaigning or broadcasting based onreligious, tribal, or sectional reason for thepurpose of promoting or opposing aparticular political party or the electionof a particular candidate, is guilty of anoffence under this Act and on convictionshall be liable to a maximum fine ofN1,000,000 or imprisonment for twelvemonths or to both.”

With that said, can a Christian vote fora Muslim? This point is probablyanswerable by citing the biblical mandatethat a Christian should not be unevenlyyoked with unbeliever. Specifically, 2Corinthians 6:14 states “Do not beunequally yoked together withunbelievers. For what fellowship hasrighteousness with lawlessness? And whatcommunion has light with darkness?”However, God has been known to use anevil king or unbeliever to teach believersa lesson and accomplish His will.

A more vexing problem is can aChristian decide to vote on purely ethnic

Christians and ethnic politicsBy Akpodiete Atawa

basis? Recently, I received a call from akinswoman asking me why I was notsupporting “my brother.” I inquired “whois my brother?” In both the 12th Chapterof the Gospel of Matthew and thirdChapter of the Gospel of Mark, this samequestion was posed to the Lord JesusChrist. His answer was that “For whoeverdoes the will of God is My brother and Mysister and mother.” (Mark 3:35). Mykinswoman was talking about someonefrom my tribe (ethnic group). Ostensibly,she was saying I should vote for aparticular candidate because we are fromthe same tribe. She did not say vote forhim because we are both born-again sinceI am not aware of the religious persuasionof the other two candidates. I know thatmy candidate is a believer and heapproached us at a Pentecostal Fellowshipof Nigeria (PFN) meeting some years backto solicit our support for anothercandidate.

In 2012, I wrote a piece titled “Pastorsand Politicians.” I put a disclaimer orcaveat that “I am a Pastor and also a personvery interested in the politics of dear DeltaState and our beloved country Nigeria. Ialso encourage Christians to be involvedin politics because of my belief in the

statement attributed to Edmund Burkethat “all that is necessary for evil toprosper is for good men to do nothing.”

There have been a lot of controversieslately with allegations of “Men of God”(Clergy) supposedly receiving bribes tosupport a particular candidate. Theallegation, while untrue and laughable,reminded me of the thin line that we mustnot cross when proselytizing on the pulpitas opposed to at a political rally. Christiansinvolved in politics must be careful. Pastormust be more careful because teachers ofthe Word of God face harsher judgmentthan their listeners/students. James thehalf-brother of Jesus said, “My brethren,let not many of you become teachers,knowing that we shall receive a stricterjudgment.” (James 3:1).

During the Local Government elections,I received a text from a fellow Pastor thathis religious body was endorsing aparticular candidate, who coincidentallywas a Pastor. My reply to him was that achurch or religious organization shouldnever endorse a political candidate. Infact, a Pastor has no business telling hiscongregation from the pulpit whom tovote for. This does not preclude him fromasking his congregation to vote theirChristian values. In fact, in civilizedclimes where there is separation of Stateand Religion, a church that endorses apolitical candidate will lose its tax exemptstatus.

Nonetheless, faith-based organizationsuch as Christian Coalition of America,exist to research and provide valuableinformation to Christians and the general

public about electioneering and the valuesof various candidates. Our problem inNigeria is that most political parties haveno clear cut ideology or manifesto, makingit difficult to pin them down. Whichpolitical party is conservative and whichone is liberal in Nigeria?

Our incumbent President has visitedmany mega churches to seek for prayers,which is understandable based on thecurrent challenges facing Nigeria. AMuslim can go to the mosque, just like youcan visit your native doctor if you so wish.It is good that Nigeria allows us freedom ofreligion. Section 10 of the 1999Constitution states that “The Governmentof the Federation or of a State shall notadopt any religion as State Religion.Section 35(1) adds that “nationalintegration shall be actively encouraged,whilst discrimination on the grounds ofplace of origin, sex, religion, status, ethnicor linguistic association or ties shall beprohibited.” Furthermore, Section 38 (1)then adds that “ Every person shall beentitled to freedom of thought, conscienceand religion, including freedom to changehis religion or belief, and freedom (eitheralone or in community with others, andin public or in private) to manifest andpropagate his religion or belief in worship,teaching, practice and observance.”

In the Body of Christ, there is noYoruba, Hausa, Ibibio, Efik, Bini, Ishan,Fulani, Calabari, Anioma, Ibo, Urhobo,Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko or Ukwanni candidate.So, I can emphatically and unequivocallystate that a born-again spirit-filledChristian will not vote for a candidatebased solely on ethnic reasons.

In civilized climes wherethere is separation ofState and Religion, achurch that endorses apolitical candidate willlose its tax exempt status


WOMEN’S DAY:Stakeholders seeks endto maternal mortalityIt’s social, cultural, legal issue—WARDC

AS Nigerian women joinedthe rest of the world to celebrate

this year’s International Women’sDay, medical experts and partners onthe NOTAGAIN Campaign havecalled for effective implementation ofpolicies and commitments thatpromote rights and access to qualitymaternal health and family planningservices.

Statistics available have shown thatNigeria currently has an unmet needof 16 percent for family planningamong currently married women and53 percent of women complain of atleast one problem in accessing healthcare.

According to the NigeriaDemographic Health Survey, NDHS,2013, Nigeria recorded slightimprovement in access to antenatalcare— the proportion of womenreceiving antenatal care from askilled provider is 61 percentcompared to 58 percent in 2008.

Family PlanningVision 2020

In a message to mark theInternational Women’s Day in Lagos,the Advocacy Advisor, Nigeria UrbanReproductive Health Initiative,NURHI, Ms. Charity Ibeawuchi,noted that Nigeria joined the worldat the London Summit in 2012 tocommit to achieving the Global FP(Family Planning) Vision 2020,which aims at supporting the rightsof women and girls to decide freelyand for themselves, whether, whenand how many children to have.

Ibeawuchi urged government at alllevels and partners to work togetherto ensure that Nigeria’s goal of 36percent Contraceptive PrevalenceRate is achieved by 2018.

She said: “Culturally appropriateinformation and facts about familyplanning and its benefits should bewidely available to all. In particular,the youth should know all about FPwell before they engage in activefamily life.

“It is only when young womenbegin early to know theirreproductive health that they cangenuinely achieve responsible familylife. When all families are planned,the larger society will begin to alsoplan its affairs and eventually achievedevelopment.”

On MDGsOn the Millennium Development

By Chioma Obinna Goals,MDGs, 5, she said with less than297 days left to the deadline, Nigeriais still far from achieving the MDGs5, which aims at reducing by threequarters, between 1990 and 2015,the maternal mortality ratio, MMRand achieve, by 2015, universalaccess to reproductive health.

Commenting on Nigeria’s highmaternal mortality ratio, theProgramme Officer, Media,Development Communications,DevComs Network, Mr. AyodeleAdesanmi, said Nigeria mustintensify efforts towards achievingMDG 5.

According to him, this meansintensifying efforts made regardingMidwives Service Scheme, MSS,orientation of public, wide adoptionof free maternal and child healthprogrammes, increased funding ofmaternal health programmes,tracking and learning from causes ofmaternal deaths, and something veryinnovative.

WARDCThe Executive Director, Women

Advocate Research andDocumentation Centre, WARDC, Dr.Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, describedmaternal health issue as a host ofhuman rights issues, includingsocial, cultural, legal andaccountability issues.

She said: “In the past, people lookat the issue of maternal health frommedical point of view.

“However, if you do not situate itbetween the human right discourses,you may not be able to have a holisticunderstanding of what maternalhealth is and the implication ofmaternal health.

“When you situate it in that manneryou will be able to understand thatmaternal health is a social, culturaland legal issue. It is an issue ofaccountability.”

Empowering womenOn his part, a Consultant

Gynaecologist and Technical Adviserto DevComs Network on HealthMatters, Dr. Adeleke Kaka, called foractions to empower women, addingthat, empowering women wouldmake them to decide when to getpregnant or not.

The International Women’s Day2015, celebrated annually on March8 all over the world, seeks toencourage effective action foradvancing and recognizing womenthrough the theme Make it Happen.

Empower women to make decision onpregnancy—GYNAECOLOGIST

Achieving MDG 5 vital—DEVCOMS NETWORK

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CMYK

MARCH 9, 2015

Continues on page 22

Investors' confidencein economy nosedives

The recent devaluation of theNaira and mountinguncertainty surrounding the

elections is already taking its toll onthe economy as investors' confidencein the economy's performance hasebbed. A survey conducted by LagosChamber of Commerce and Industryamong private sector chief executivespoints to the fact that in the first threemonths of the year aggregate, BusinessConfidence Index (BCI) dropped from30 per cent it posted in the last threemonths of 2014 to 22.3 per cent in thefirst quarter of this year. The BCIsurvey, Financial Vanguard learned,covered 180 top business executivesin 162 companies over the period, 6th

- 23rd January, 2015. Only top decisionmakers — owners, MD/CEOs,directors and other top managersparticipated in the survey.

The drop in the level of localinvestors’ confidence in the economyrepresents 7.7 per cent slack of theconfidence level among businessoperators over the last three months.According to the survey, this is thelargest quarter-on-quarter point dropof the BCI score over the last threeyears. Conventionally, movement ofthe BCI score by up to five pointsindicates the presence of significantpositive or adverse development in thecountry ’s economic/businessenvironment.

The drop of the BCI scores at thistime suggests that business leaders arelargely pessimistic about expandingtheir businesses and investmentspending over the next few months.According to the survey result, thefactors that mostly lowered theconfidence level of business leaders

at this time are heightened uncertaintysurrounding the general elections,depressed crude oil price in theinternational market and the volatileexchange rate leading to significantdepreciation of the local currency.Over the last few months, businessmanagers and investors have facedheightened anxiety and commercialrisks associated with political

uncertainty in the country.Unpredictable political

developments have engendereduncertainty among economic agents,increased the risk profile of newcontracts and distorted investmentplans. Initial commercial plans andinvestment decisions across theeconomy have become very fragile,leading to less than optimal operations

and delay tactics by companiespending when things will start tonormalise.

It said that over the years, Nigeria’sBCI scores over continues to trail belowthe 50 per cent global businessconfidence threshold due to thelingering infrastructural andinstitutional shortcomings. The Q1-2015 BCI survey presented farreaching and very worrisome pictureabout the state of the economytriggered by profound politicaluncertainty and oil price fluctuations.

The survey said that operators in theoil and gas industry are mostlydisturbed by the uncertaintysurrounding delayed passage of thePIB coupled with the adversedevelopments in the global oil and gasmarket while the approval delay of the2015 draft budget, influx and rising

By OMOH GABRIEL,Business Editor

Naira devaluation, Election 2015 trigger fear,uncertainty in private sector

CMYK


Cover Story

Continues from page 21

patronage of offshoreconsultants/advisers andpolitical risks in the countrywere mostly the concern ofplayers in the professionalbusiness services sector.

According to the report inthe IT/Telecoms sectoruncertainty relating toapproval and contents of the2015 budget, securitychallenges, regulatory issuesand 2015 elections top theconcerns of players in the IT/telecoms sector whiledeclining patronage due toweak consumer demand,depreciation of the localcurrency (Naira), e-tradeplatforms and rising cost ofgoods/services gives lots ofconcern to traders

The report said “Businessleaders in the financialservices sector mentioned thatmacroeconomic fluctuations,

flight to safety due to thegeneral elections, downgradeof sovereign ratings byinternational rating agencies,policy uncertainty andexchange rate volatility.

According to the LCCIsurvey “The agriculturalsector is mostly troubled by thecontinued challenges of

Investors' confidence in economynosedives

access to and cost of credit,infrastructure shortcoming,weak agricultural-industrylinkages, and transport andlogistics constraints. It alsosaid that Manufacturers, boththe big players and SMEs,major challenges are 2015general elections, cost andaccess to credit, rising cost ofproduction, exchange ratefluctuation, influx of fake andsubstandard products,regulatory infractions andworsening public powersupply. Hotel and TourismSector Operators on their part“confirmed that sharp drop inthe number of events andconferences occasioned byelection uncertainties, lowerroom occupancy rate and therecent emergence of newentrants into the sector werelargely responsible for slowerpatronage recorded in thesector at this time. Buildingand Construction it waslearned confirmed thatelection spending, delayedpayment of contractors,weaker demand for real estateand increasing securitychallenges are issues thatmostly affected their businessand investing activities duringthe period.

BCI is a leading economicindicator designed to measurethe degree of optimism on thestate of the economy thatbusiness leaders areexpressing through theiractivities of investing andspending. Decreasingbusiness confidence is often apointer to slowing economicactivities because businessowners are likely to decreasetheir investment. The moreconfident entrepreneurs andmanagers feel about thebusiness environment, themore likely they are to makenew investments, create joband impact the economy.

VISIT - From left, Business Development Manager ,FMDQ-OTC plc,Mrs Tumi Sekoni, Man-aging Director/CEO Bank of Industry,Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa;Managing Director/CEO FMDQ-OTC, Mr Onadele Koko and Group Head, Treasury Division BoI, Mr Taiye Emagha during acourtesy visit to BoI in Lagos.

The United States Agencyfor International

Development (USAID)weekend renewed the U.S.government’s commitment tosupporting Nigeria in boostingits food production for export.USAID’s Mission DirectorMichael Harvey said this in astatement by the U.S.Diplomatic Mission in Nigeriaat the end of a four-daynational workshop on foodsecurity. The statement said theworkshop, which was jointlyorganised by the agency,Federal Ministry of Health andthe United Nations Food andAgriculture Organisation, wasmeant to boost Nigeria’s foodproduction capacity. Thedirector said in the statement

U.S. renews commitment to boostNigeria’s food production

that the workshop was part ofthe U.S. government’s longterm effort to support theNational Food SafetyManagement Committee. Itsaid the committee was put inplace to promote a strong foodsafety regime to boost Nigeria’sexport market as well as theagriculture sector.

“We are pleased to haveUSAID and the U.S.Department of Agriculture worktogether with Nigeriancounterparts to hold thisworkshop. This training followsthe inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on FoodSafety and the National FoodSafety ManagementCommittee by the governmentof Nigeria in January 2015.

Decreasingbusinessconfidenceis often apointer toslowingeconomicactivities

The focus is on the roles oftechnology and vocational

education in enhancingentrepreneurial skills that willequip students forentrepreneurship education inInformation andCommunication Technology(ICT.) driven technologicalenvironment. The world hasbecome globalised and thefuture prosperity depends oncomparative advantage. Thiscomparative advantage hingeson people and their technicalor technological sophistication.Towards this, some crucialentrepreneurial and technicalskills needed by the students incolleges of education(technical), polytechnics anduniversities to meet the trendsin a global economy isanalysed.

Technology education is to beconsidered as the key agent oftechnology development, eitheras a way of developing humancapacity, increasing the shieldwork force for modernisation,i n d u s t r i a l i s a t i o n ,environmental development oras a matter of personnelfreedom, developing capabilityand empowerment. Technologyeducation is increasinglyrecognized to be central to boththe origins of technologicaldevelopment and challengesand to the prospects forsuccessfully dealing with them(Alam, 2009). Decision makersat all levels, need timely,reliable access to knowledgegenerated by technology andtechnical education to introducerational policies that reflect abetter global understanding ofcomplex technical, economic,social, cultural and article issuesconcerning the society, and ourenvironment. Technicaldecision making and prioritysetting is an integral part ofoverall development planning

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

education bound to the role ofmanufacturing skilledmanpower but also to economicdevelopment and globaleconomy. In Nigeria,technology education waspreviously not seen asfundamental for nationaldevelopment, or for theeconomic development, but forthe school dropouts, and othersocial and politicaldevelopment within the nationand for individuals. Hallak(1990) argues that technologyeducation is also linked tohuman resources developmentand that this has an impact onmore than just economicgrowth, but also an impact onthe wider development ofindividuals and societies.According to him, it contributesto:

(a). Individual creativity,improved participation in theeconomic, social and culturalroles in society.

(b). Improved understandingof an individual and heirrespect for others, thuspromoting social cohesion andmaterial understanding

(c) Improvement in health andnutrition.

(d). Improved chances ofeconomic development.

(e). Improved technologicaldevelopment.

(f). Socio-cultural change.(g). Democracy and equality(h). Ecological development/

quality of life (increasingpeople’s awareness of theirenvironments).

From our analysis so far, it isclear that modernisation andeconomic development,depends on investment andappreciation of modern trendsin technology education.According to Woodhall (1997)investment in technologicaleducation and trainingproduces benefits for the

and formationof technologydevelopments t r a t e g i e s .Above all,t e c h n o l o g yeducation is ahuman rightand, as such,should receivepriority in theallocation ofn a t i o n a lresources. Ithas becomevery necessarynot to only keept e c h n o l o g y

individual and forsociety as whole.

The roles oftechnical andvocational educationin enhancingentrepreneurial skillsusing informationand communicationtechnology is veryimportant in trainingfor self-employment,self-reliance andskills acquisition nowthat governmentcannot employ everygraduate.

From our analysisso far, it is clearthatmodernisationand economicdevelopment,depends oninvestment andappreciation ofmodern trends intechnologyeducation


Business & Economy

CMYK

The recent devaluation of the Naira has again brought the vulnerability ofthe average Nigerian to the fore. Almost every housewife today tells thehusband that the exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar has gone up. This

is because in the market place, traders adjust prices along the day’s exchange rateswing. Many are wondering why this should be so. In finance, an exchange rate

Nigeria is in a foreignexchange quagmire

between two currencies is therate at which one currency willbe exchanged for another.Foreign exchange is boughtand sold in the foreign exchangemarket at a price that is calledthe rate of exchange. Morespecifically, the exchange rateis the domestic money price offoreign money, establishingequivalence between dollarsand British pounds sterling,dollars and French francs,dollars and Naira, and so on.

It is also regarded as thevalue of one country’s currencyin terms of another currency. Forexample, an inter-bankexchange rate of N197 to theUnited States dollar means thatN197 will be exchanged foreach $1 or that $1 will beexchanged for N197. Exchangerates are determined in theforeign exchange market, whichis open to a wide range ofdifferent types of buyers andsellers where currency tradingis continuous.

Foreign exchange issupposedly a monetaryinstrument to facilitateinternational trade between onecountry and another. Thescenario playing out in theNigerian market place showsthat Nigerians have tied theirlivelihood to the dollar. Localproduction and importedproducts are now being pricedwith reference to the fortunes ofthe dollar. Increasingly, theeconomy is being dollarisedwith the monetary authoritiesunable to do anything about it.

This is so because Nigeria hasover the years become sodependent on imported goodsthat local production has taken

a back seat. Each time thecurrency drops in value,Nigerians are quick to blamethe government and the CentralBank for the falling fortune ofthe Naira. Yes, government hasfailed in the past to put in placepolicies that encourage localproduction but the governmentand the citizenry have to sharethe blame. For a productiveand export-driven economy,exchange rate depreciation isan incentive to produce morein order to get a larger share ofthe international market.Devaluation makes local goodscheaper than imported goods.For countries like Japan,Korea, China and America,devaluation is of much benefitto their exporters as theirproducts become cheaper andmore affordable abroad.Citizens of these countries aremore concerned with an overvalued currency.

In Nigeria, the reverse is thecase, because of the country’slow productive base, low non-oil export and over-dependenceon foreign exchange earningsfrom oil, devaluation is aneconomic pain because thegoods and services produced byNigerians are less sensitive tochanges in price, (exchange

rate). The price and volume ofcrude oil exported by Nigeriaare determined externally. Priceof crude is determined at theinternational oil market and thevolume produced is determinedby OPEC. The amount offoreign exchange inflow fromcrude is not sensitive todepreciation or devaluation. Itis the same story with non-oilexports that have no valueaddition.

In economics, the increase ofsupply of foreign exchange toNigeria is mainly dependenton the response of foreigndemand for exports fromNigeria. Ordinarily, upondevaluation, the foreignexchange price of exports falls.When foreign demand iselastic, this decline in exportprices will stimulate anexpansion in the quantityexported that will be sufficient

to enlarge total receipts offoreign exchange despite thelower prices in terms of foreignexchange. However, becausethe response of foreign demandfor Nigerian goods is low, totalreceipts of foreign exchangebecome smaller.

Generally speaking, thedemand for manufacturedproducts (especially “luxury-type” products) has higherresponse to devaluation than thedemand for agricultural andother primary productsproduced in Nigeria, which isoften inelastic. Many primaryproducts satisfy basic needs andtheir consumption is relativelyinsensitive to price changes.The same is true of intermediategoods that are purchased asraw materials, semi-finished,and the like, when these goodscontribute only a small shareto total costs of production.Such products face a deriveddemand that tends to beinelastic. The demand facing aproduct with many substitutesis likely to be more elastic thana product with few or nosubstitutes. That is why in acountry like Nigeria,devaluation cannot be ofbenefit to the economy.

So long as Nigeria continuesto use its foreign exchnage

earnings to import petroleumproducts, cars, rice, fishery andpoultry products, the demandfor foreign exchange willcontinue to rise and outstripsupply, and the value of theNaira will continue to fall. Thisis because the sensitivity of thedemand for foreign exchangedepends mainly on the degreeof changes of the domesticdemand for imports. Whenhigher import prices in domesticcurrency cause a fall in thequantity of imports, thendevaluation improves thebalance of payments on thedemand side which is not thecase in Nigeria. At the veryworst, when the quantity ofimports stays the same,depreciation has no effect onthe balance of payments as faras foreign exchange demand isconcerned.

When the foreign exchangeprice of imports does not changeafter devaluation (importsupply is perfectly elastic),then the elasticity of importdemand fully determines thedemand elasticity of foreignexchange.

Nigeria can only come out ofthis present quagmire ifNigeria begins to refine crudehere in Nigeria, make the autopolicy work such that Nigerialike Brazil in a short time, willbegin to export cars and othermanufactured products,produce rice locally, becomeself-sufficient in fish and poultryamong others. Only then canNigerians begin to think of astrong Naira exchange rate.

THE Nigeria CustomsService, NCS, has

decentralised the issuance ofapproval for transit cargoes witha view to facilitating quickmovement of these categories ofcargoes through Nigerian portsand assist government to regainits lost transit cargo businesses.The Executive SecretaryNigerian Shippers’ Council Mr.Hassan Bello in an interviewwith Vanguard said that itscollaboration with the Customshas led to the decentralisationof the issuance of the document.

Before now, issuance of transitdocument for the movement ofcargo out of Lagos port wasapproved only at theHeadquarters of the Customsservice. The document,according to Bello can now beissued in Lagos and otherCustoms formation across thecountry.

Bello also said that Nigeriahas over the years lost these

By GODWIN ORITSE Customs decentralizes issuance of transit cargo approvaltransit cargoes to ports ofneighbouring countries addingthat the government hascommenced moves to reclaimthese businesses back.

The Council boss explainedthat the Inland Container

Depots, ICDs will play a crucialrole in the movement of thesecargoes as most imports will bedestined to the ICDs for onwardmovement to their country ofdestination.

For this reason, a survey to

determine the cost and time totransport goods from Lagosthrough Kano to Jibiya (aborder town between Nigeriaand Niger) was conducted bythe Chartered Institute ofLogistics and Transport, CILT.

The survey, otherwise knownas the LAKAJI (Lagos, KanoJibiya) project also determinedthe number of days for cargoesto be transported to their finaldestination.

Speaking to Vanguard on thedevelopment, the VicePresident (West) of theChartered Institute of Logisticsand Logistics, CILT, Dr. AlbanIgwe told Vanguard that apartfrom the involvement ofCustoms, other agencies like theNigerian Ports Authority, NPA,the haulage companies, freightforwarders and otherstakeholders that will assist themovement of transit cargo totheir destination are working onthe project.

Igwe said that the issue oftransit cargo is beyond portcompetitiveness adding thatlogistics is a major factor thatwill enhance the smoothmovement of these cargoes.

CITA commissions N500m facility for airlines in Nigeria

For a productiveand export-driveneconomy, exchangerate depreciation isan incentive toproduce more

CITA Aviation Fueling Company,leading jet fueling firm in Nigeria, has

commissioned its ultra modern AviationFuel Storage and Handling Depot worthabout N500 million.The project, adjacent to the MurtalaMohammed International Airport, Ikeja, isbuilt with the latest edition of filteringtechnology and has the capacity of about1.8 million litres; 1.5 million litres dedicatedto jet fuel and 300,000 litres dedicated towater and foam as a precaution against firedisaster.Managing Director of CITA Aviation

By Providence Obuh Fueling Company, Mr. ThomasOgungbangbe, disclosed at thecommissioning of the facility in Lagos.He further disclosed that the company iscurrently operating in 10 major airports inthe country with a huge sum invested onthe new facility to maintain its leadershipStatus in the jet fueling industry.This is even as he described CITA as oneof the fastest growing aviation fuelingcompanies in Nigeria with expertise inquality service delivery.He said: “We strive to be the largestaviation fueling company in Nigeria that iswhy on issues of quality, we have been

institute achieve itsobjective and expand itsscope. He advised theED to use his four-yeartenure to improve thecentre in order to be atan advantage withothers similar traininginstitute and also rankhigh in the world.

‘The relevance of thiscentre at this specialtime can’t be reemphasized so it is ourduty therefore to dowhatever is in our powerto strengthen theactivities, to encouragethe works of theresearchers in the centre,to make sure there isenough and adequateresources are providedto be able to carry out thevision”. He pledged theMinistry’s support to thecentre, “What is neededis continuous support forit to have all attributes tobe able to carry out yourmission efficiently andsuccessfully. So you arewelcome here, count onour support, our doorsare opened all the time,we will continue to giveyou the necessarysupport”.

He added, “I want toassure you that we willcontinue to support thecentre in every waypossible so that itbecomes the centre ofexcellence not only inthe station that it islocated but also in theAfrican sub region and Ilook forward to the timewhere the centre can becompared to similar onesall over the world and Ihave no doubt that wehave the man power toensure that we areranked amongst the bestin the world”.

“I wish you in the nextfour years a verysuccessful tenure I willencourage you not onlyto build on what yourpredecessors left behindbut to make fundamentalchanges, changes thatwill fundamentallyimprove the quality ofyour service, I want youto take very bold andcourageous steps toreally expand, to buildthe work of the centreand like I said alwayscount on our support”.

M r A d e w a l eAkingbade, ExecutiveDirector of RECTAS, saidthe support wasi n s t r u m e n t a lt o i n f r a s t r u c t u r a ldevelopment of thecentre.


Business & Economy

Adeyeye tasks Aerospace centreon standards

By FAVOURNNABUGWU

SEMINAR - From left: Chiagozie Nwizu, MSME Advisory Manager, DiamondBank PLC; Raymond Mbonu, Business Manager, BrigdeHead Branch, DiamondBank PLC; Chief Emmanuel Eziokwu, KSJ, Chairman, Prollo Pipes & ProfileIndustries Limited, Onitsha; Iheanyi Nwanosike, Business Manager, NewMarket Road Branch, Diamond Bank PLC and Nicholas Peter, MSMEProposition, Diamond Bank PLC at the 47thBusinessXpress Seminar of thebank organized for Micro-Small, Medium Enterprises at Onitsha.

The Minister ofState for Works,Prince Adedayo

Adeyeye has taskedthe Regional Centre forTraining in AerospaceSurveys (RECTAS) toimprove its standard inorder to competefavourably amonginstitutions like it in the

world. Adeyeye threwthe challenge to theExecutive Director ofRECTAS, Mr AdewaleAkingbade when thenew ED paid a courtesycall on the Ministry ofWorks in Abuja onTuesday.

The Minister said ithas become imperativefor the Ministry tocontinue to SupportRECTAS in everypossible in order toenable the training


CMYK

Business & Economy

The Chairman,Securities andE x c h a n g e

Commission (SEC), DrSuleiman Ndanusa, saidcapital market integrationwould help to tackle regionalchallenges and create a largermarket for local andinternational businesses.Ndanusa said this at themeeting of the West AfricanCapital Markets IntegrationCouncil (WACMIC) in Abuja.

He said:“ Integrating WestAfrica’s capital markets willnot only empower us as a moreformidable competitor to otheremerging markets but alsohelp tackle the challenges ofdepth, breadth and liquidity.This will help create a muchlarger market for local andinternational businesses inthe region. Integration couldalso usher in a wave of productinnovation as expertise isutilised from across the regionto churn out innovativeproducts for differentcategories of businesses andinvestors.

“ According to the UnitedNations, by 2050, West Africawill host more people thanNorth America and almost asmany people as the LatinAmerica of about 720 million.Investors are looking tocapture this future growthand the onus is on us to createan integrated capital marketthat will serve as an idealgateway for such investment.

Ndanusa said he washopeful that the outcome of

Integration of West African capital market'lltackle regional challenges — Ndanusa

the deliberations wouldstrengthen and promoteefforts geared at integratingthe West African CapitalMarkets.

He noted that the meetingwas timely as it would reviewmilestones attained, discussWACMIC’s current status,identify what needed to bedone and specify challengesto be surmounted. He added

that the meeting wasimportant because of therecent global economicenvironment that had led theInternational Monetary Fundto revise global growthexpectation downward to 3.8per cent.

The chairman said the firstphase of the regionalintegration, which was theapproval of Sponsored Access

Framework, was alreadylaunched on April 1, 2014 inAbidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. He,however, urged the membersto work towards ensuring theharmonisation of marketprocesses, regimes andinstruments while ensuringan adaptable environmentand minimal cost ofcompliance.

The country ’s totalproduced trade isexpected to hit

N27.6trillion by December thisyear from N25.17trillionrecorded in December 2014 bythe end of this year, accordingto National Bureau ofStatistics. NBS in its economicreview and outlook for the

Nigeria’s trade to hit N27.6trn by December — NBS

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU next three years showed anincrease of N2.43trn whichrepresents 9.66 per cent rise.

The Bureau posited that therecent depreciation of thenaira would result in cheaperprices of non-oil exports,adding that this would havea positive impact on trade.

It stated, “While exports areexpected to be positive in thenear term, the impact of

declining crude oil prices islikely to result in a decline inthe value of oil exports overthe forecasted period. Therecent depreciation of theNigerian naira is expected toresult in cheaper prices ofnon-oil exports, resulting ina boost.

“Although the decline incrude oil prices may weigh onthe value of oil exports, the

recent depreciation of thelocal currency is expected tobode well for non-oil exports.

“The depreciation alsomeans that imports are likelyto be more expensive and arelikely to slow going forward.The value of total trade isprojected to increase by 9.66per cent in 2015.”

The NBS report added thatinflation might rise to 8.8 percent this year, noting that itwas expected to remainmoderately stable, averaging8.13 per cent over the 2015 to2017 period.

It said contrary tospeculations that there werelikely to be increasedpressures on prices as a resultof the general elections, areview of the historical timeseries in the currentdemocratic dispensationrevealed that this was unlikelyto be the case.

“ Lagged effects may,however, exist as the headlineindex was higher the yearafter the election in all cases.Nevertheless, upwardpressures on inflation ratesare likely to be caused by therecent depreciation of thenaira.

NIGERIA currentlyranks 75th in theTrade Logistics

Global Economy 2014 report.Certainly this represent a

quantum leap from 121stposition in 2012.

It is an indication thatlogistics business is gettingbetter.

It features the LogisticsPerformance Index (LPI),which the World Bank hasproduced every two yearssince 2007.

According to the report, theLPI measures the on-the-ground efficiency of trade

Nigeria ranks 75th in global logistics index

BY GODWIN ORITSE supply chains, or logisticsperformance. This year ’sedition covers 160 countries.

Supply chains are thebackbone of internationaltrade and commerce.

It explained that teachcountry ’s logisticsencompasses freighttransportation, warehousing,border clearance, paymentsystems, and increasinglymany other functionsoutsourced by producers andmerchants to dedicatedservice providers.

The importance of goodlogistics performance foreconomic growth,diversification, and poverty

reduction is now firmlyestablished.

Part of the report reads “Although logistics isperformed mainly by privateoperators, it has become apublic policy concern ofnational governments andregional and internationalorganizations.

“Supply chains are acomplex sequence ofcoordinated activities.

“The performance of thewhole depends on suchgovernment interventions asinfrastructure,

logistics services provision,and cross-border tradefacilitation.

44 ships inboundLagos ports withfoods, petrol

Forty four ships ladenwith general cargo,

foods, petroleum productsand other goods, areexpected to arrive Lagosports, the Nigerian PortsAuthority (NPA) said onThursday in Lagos. TheNPA stated this in its dailypublication, the ‘ShippingPosition,’ made available tonewsmen.According to theNPA , the ships areexpected to arrive fromMarch 5 to March 24.Itsaid that 24 of the expectedships would arrive withcontainers, while fiveothers were expected toarrive the ports withgeneral cargo. Thedocument explained thateight ships would sail intothe ports with petrol, baseoil and kerosene, while sixother ships would arrivewith rice in bags, bulk malt,bulk salt, bulk sugar andsoya beans.It indicated that16 ships had arrived theports with foods andpetroleum products,waiting to berth.

BPP saved N95bnthrough contractreduction in 2014

The Director-General,Bureau of Public

Procurement (BPP), MrEmeka Ezeh, on Thursdaysaid that the bureau hadsaved N95 billion for theFederal Governmentthrough cost reduction ofcontract sums. Ezeh, whomade this known in Abuja,said the amount was in2014. He said that theamount was from thedifference of whatcontractors and serviceproviders had submittedthrough various FederalGovernment institutions toexecute projects and whatthe bureau approved.

“Last year, BPP savedFederal Government aboutN95 billion through costreduction of contract sums.This is a part of the storiesthat a lot of Nigerians arenot hearing about. But I cantell you that the governmentis doing a lot to preventcorruption. Better to preventthe milk from being spilledrather than struggling overmilk that is already onground and waste moreresources on pickingsomething that is onground.

VISIT - Mrs Dorothy Gimba, Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, and Engr. SalehDunoma, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), during a courtesyvisit to the FAAN MD at the agency's headquarters.


Banking & Finance

Foreign investment withdrawalfrom the market in 2014 was largely as a result of Macros fallin oil prices and currencydevaluation and exchange rateinstability

Investmentopportunitieswill emergedespite stockmarketvolatility—SOTUBOBY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

Dele Sotubo is the Chief Executive Officerof Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers, Nigeria’slargest stockbroking firm in value and

volume of transactions handled at the NigerianStock Exchange. In this interview Sotubo talksabout the capital market and efforts to deepenit, the bond market, corporate governanceissues, listing of oil and gas companies, amongother issues. Excerpts:

There have been agitations for multinationaloil and gas companies and telecoms giants tolist on the Nigerian Stock Exchange to furtherboost the capital market’s contribution to theGDP. The jury is out on whether the capitalmarket is a true reflection of the economy. Whatefforts are market operators like yourselfmaking to encourage telecoms andmultinational oil and gas companies to list onthe Nigerian Stock Exchange?

The listing of these companies will helpdeepen the capital market. The regulators andoperators are currently in discussions with thegovernment on the best way to ensure that thesecompanies list on The Exchange to help deepenthe market.

Beyond that, we will continue to play an activerole in listing such companies on the NSE. Thelisting of SEPLAT, an oil and gas company, onthe NSE is a clear example of our contributionas financial services group todeepening the NSE.

What measures would yourecommend to boostconfidence of local investorsand increase theirparticipation in the stockmarket?

Restoring confidence in themarket after the global meltdown will be a gradualprocess as activities in theequities market is cyclical.Foreign investmentwithdrawal from the market in2014 was largely as a resultof Macros fall in oil prices andcurrency devaluation and exchange rateinstability. Improved macro-economic situationwill galvanize investors’ interest and boost retailinvestors’ confidence in the market.

The increase in the number of moresophisticated domestic investors such as pensionand asset management and insurance companiesshould drive participation in the medium tolonger-term. We believe that the increase in retailinvestment products such as Exchange TradedFunds (ETFs) will also encourage retail investorsparticipation.

The appointment of Stanbic IBTCStockbrokers two years ago to manage bondsfor the federal government was expected bystakeholders to lead to a more robust marketfor bonds, opening up the market to retailinvestors. Will you say stakeholders’expectations have been met?

Yes, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers was appointed

by the Debt Management Office as theGovernment Stockbroker to FGN Bonds andpart of the duties assigned is to createawareness on Retail Bond trading. Retailinvestors have started taking advantage ofinvesting in bonds on the secondary marketthrough retail bond trading as this helps todiversify their potfolio and manage theirrisk.

Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited hasbeen able to consistently provide liquidityin the retail bond market. We now have retailinvestors participating in the bond marketwith a minimum of N100,000 as againstwholesale bond market which requiresN100 million minimum. We will continueto organize workshops and educate thepublic on the advantages of investing inbonds.

The current reforms in the economy,particularly in power and agriculture, havehelped to position Nigeria as an investmenthaven. Are investors showing strong

appetite for opportunities in theaforementioned sectors?

With the recent GDP rebasing and thereforms around the power sector, we seestrong appetite from investors, perhaps noton the stock market now. However, investorshave shown increased interest in partneringwith Nigerians on power projects and to alarge extent agricultural transformation.

The challenging macro-economicenvironment is likely to slow down the paceof investment on that front as many playerswait on the sidelines until the elections arewell out of the way and the uncertaintyaround the fiscal operations of thegovernment has been eased.

In the last decade, technology hasredefined the operations of the capitalmarket. How do you see technologyshaping the stockbrokerage business in the

next decade?The interesting thing about

technology is that it fostersefficiency and productivity. Italso drives transparency inthe capital market. This canalso be a mode through whichretail investors can be attractedinto the market.

Many Nigerians usingmobile devices can now haveaccess to put their tradesthrough the market. With theintroduction of Direct MarketAccess (DMA) and othersimilar initiatives, we expectthat this will help to improveparticipation of investors in thecapital market.

There seems to be a generaldisposition by Pension FundsAdministrators (PFAs) tofederal governmentsecurities, about 40 percent ofPFA’s investments areskewed in that direction,followed by money marketinstruments. Investment inthe capital market isconsiderably less. Whichfactors, in your opinion,other than regulation,determine these investmentdecisions?

Apart from the perceived lowrisk appetite of PFAs, which isunderstandable when weconsider the adverse effects ofthe 2008 stock market crash onportfolio investors, we alsobelieve that the limitednumber of high quality liquidstocks reduces their options.

Lack of depth in theNigerian market makes theavailable options limited. Thepreference for capitalpreservation and guaranteedmoney market yields alsocontribute to the low riskappetite for equities. Part ofthe regulation also requirespension funds to reportreturns on an annual basis,which discourages them fromtaking the long term view oninvestments.

We expect the listing of morequality companies as reformsin sectors such as the power,oil and gas,telecommunication andagriculture increase demandfor capital.

What can investors expectfrom the capital market in2015?

We expect continuousvolatility in the equitiesmarket as macro concernslinked to the falling oil priceand currency drive investorsentiment. The passiveposition of domestic investorhas not helped the situation.

Despite the bearish outlook,we expect tradingopportunities to continue toemerge for short-terminvestors while longer-terminvestors take advantage ofthe falling prices to increaseexposure in quality stocks. Wealso expect the political risk aswe approach the generalelections to weigh on investorsentiments in the short-term.However, we expect tocontinue to see investorsinterest in quality names.

First City MonumentBank (FCMB) Limited

has continued todemonstrate its strength inthe delivery of cutting-edge,prompt and cost effectivesolutions that meets theneeds of its customers. Thiswas displayed during the2015 Social Media Week(SMW) Lagos Conferencewhich held recently, wherethe bank showcased itsvarious e-banking products,apps and social mediaadvancements.

The conference, whichhad FCMB as a sponsor,brought together thoughtleaders, innovators andbusiness practitioners whointeracted and offeredinsights, ideas, inspirationsand trends that enabledparticipants leverage thebenefits of social media torealise their respectiveindividual and businessaspirations.

During the five daysconference, the bankexhibited its newlyenhanced mobile bankingchannel, known asFCMBMobile. The productnow has a better look andfeel, user friendly and moresecured features forcustomers to carry outpayments and othertransactions. Some of thetransactions that can beperformed on FCMBMobileinclude, funds transfer,checking of account balance,bills payment (e.g Dstv andGotv subscriptions) and topup of air time on mobilephones, among others.Participants at theconference had anopportunity to download theFCMBMobile app and testfirsthand how the productworked.

Commenting on the bank’se-payment and otherelectronic channels, theGroup Head, Cards andElectronic Banking Group,Mr. John Iwuajoku, said that,‘’the added security benefiton FCMBMobile is toensure that our customersuse the channel with peaceof mind”. He assured that,‘’we will continue to enhancethe security and othercapabilities of our e-bankingchannels be it in fixedlocations or on-the-go. WithFCMBMobile, ourcustomers can now conducttheir transactions from thecomfort of their homes oroffices without visiting anyof our branches.

FCMB showcasesFCMB showcasesFCMB showcasesFCMB showcasesFCMB showcasese-bankinge-bankinge-bankinge-bankinge-bankingserserserserservices at Socialvices at Socialvices at Socialvices at Socialvices at SocialMedia WeekMedia WeekMedia WeekMedia WeekMedia Week

•Sotubo

CMYK


By PETER EGWUATU

Corporate Finance

The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers(CIS) in collaboration with Anabel

Leadership Academy has commenced a newinitiative to support the federal government’s drivefor youth empowerment in Nigeria. Under thenew initiative, plan is underway to put in placean arrangement whereby the beneficiaries of theinstitute’s Professional Diploma in Securities andInvestments would be employed as agents in thediverse areas of the financial market.

The new move which may entail a review ofsome rules and regulations in the financial systemformed the fulcrum of a closed- door meeting bysome Chief Executive Officers of top-classstockbroking firms, principal officers of CIS andmanagement of Anabel Leadership Academy.

The breakfast meeting, first in the series of suchmeetings was at the instance of CIS and Anabel.Addressing the participants at the strategymeeting, the President and Chairman of theCouncil of CISMr.Albert Okumagba explainedthat the CIS had earlier signed a MemorandumOf Understanding (MOU) with AnabelLeadership Academy Limited to enable Anabelmobilize over 150,000 young Nigerian’s annuallyto undertake training and certification as a pre-condition for launching the youths into the financial

Oando Plc hasreaffirmed its

commitment to creating valuefor its shareholders as itcontinues to adopt proactivemeasures that would enhanceprofitability and returns forstakeholders. Despite the fallin oil prices which threatenedto wipe out more than $1.6trillion in earnings for oilproducing companies andcountries, Oando EnergyResources (OER), has realizeda cash windfall in the sum of$234 million due to theproactive fiscal measures put inplace prior to the slump in oilprices

The substantial gain made bythe company has reaffirmed itspositioning for success as it willboost investors’ confidence inthe company. The managementof OER has reaffirmed itscommitment to take proactivemeasures to boost shareholders’value. The company hassteadily navigated the ups anddowns of the cyclical oil & gasmarket by adapting quickly andbeing fiscally innovative toenable its business operationsrun as normal.

The downturn in global oilprice has led to most upstreamexploration and productionplayers restructuring their 2015plans including makingredundancies, cutting capitalexpenditure and an expectationof lower revenues and operatingcash flows. Local oil and gasfirms have not been immune tothe effects of this slump; thepressure on the naira andgeneral uncertainty - electionsand Boko Haram - has and willcontinue to have an adverseeffect on local players.

The income realised by thecompany , according to themanagement of OER will beapplied towards a $238 millionloan pre-payment, therebysubstantially reducing thecompany’s total debt for theacquisition of ConocoPhillipsNigeria (COPN) from $900million to $615 million today.

It should be noted that lastyear, the total marketcapitalisation of the bankingsub-sector had declined by 24.5percent from N2.219tn toN720bn as seen by theircollective adverse performanceon the Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE), yet a consortium offinancial institutions includingFBN Capital, First CityMonument Bank Limited,Zenith Bank, and Fidelity Bankbought into Oando’s long-termvision for regional dominationwithin the energy sector startingwith its game-changingacquisition.

The COPN deal was fundedwith a 50/50 debt-equity mix,and the pre-payment of $238million to local and internationallenders on the debt portionimplies a reduction on the netpurchase price to $1.2 billion.OER successfully realized $234million by resetting its crude oil

Oando shareholders to get morevalue for investmenthedge floor price from anaverage of $95.35 per barrel to$65.00 per barrel on 10,615bbls/day for the next 18 monthsand another 1,553 bbls/day fora further 18 months untilJanuary 2019. The companywill pay an additional $4million from its cash reserves.

Hedge positions areinvestment decisions oftentaken by companies with theintention of offsetting potentiallosses/gains that may beincurred, especially during aglobal downturn.

Pade Durotoye, CEO OERsaid: “The decline in global

crude oil prices led to asubstantial gain for ourcompany."

and we have 10,832 bbls/dayaverage production hedged forthe balance of 2015 and 8,000bbls/day for 2016. Cashing outsome value from this hedgewill enable us reduce ouroutstanding loans andleverage by $238 million,saving the company $65million in interest paymentsover the remaining term of theloan facilities, whilstpreserving a floor of $65 perbarrel.

With 50% of our Oil Production

hedged and 65% of ourproduction being gas committedto stable long term pricedcontracts, we are wellpositioned with strong cashflowto meet our obligations andaspirations through this currentoil price down cycle.” The moreleveraged a company is thegreater its financial risk, bytaking the proactive step ofhaving hedging tools in placeand significantly reducing itsleverage profile OER isoptimising its balance sheet forincreased earnings which couldtranslate to rewards forshareholders in the mid to longterm.

Stockbrokers, Anabel initiate newemployment option for youths

world. Okumagba noted that this isactualizing the National Strategy for FinancialInclusion and Savings, thereby creating jobsfor themselves by establishing FinancialPlanning Houses for the institute.

In his exclusive presentation at the meeting,the President, Anabel Leadership Academy,Mr. Nicholas Okoye identified the strategy thatwould enhance the training and empowermentof the beneficiaries of the holder’s ProfessionalDiploma in Securities and Investment.

He explained that after the certification bythe institute and practical training by Anabel,the young ones would be integrated into theFederal Government’s policy of annual jobcreation. Okoye also noted that operators inthe financial market including the capitalmarket, money market, insurance etc couldemploy the young ones as agents and thiswould strengthen the marketing of financialproducts and services nationwide. Participantsat the meeting expressed delight at the newinitiative and urged the Institute and Anabelto work out modalities for absorbing the youngones into the financial market, especially theregulation, risk management and othercomponents that require a review.

GTBank recordsN116.39bn PBTin 2014

Guaranty Trust Bank Plchas recorded a Profit

Before Tax, PBT of 116.39billion for the auditedfinancial results for the yearended December 2014 .

A review of the 2014 resultsshows positive performancein virtually all financialindices, reaffirming thebank’s position as one of themost profitable and wellmanaged financialinstitutions in Nigeria. TheGroup delivered animpressive Profit Before Taxof N116.39billion, an increaseof 9.30billion or 8.7% over theN107.09billion reported inDecember 2013 and GrossEarnings of N278.52billion anincrease of 14.8% from theN242.67billion recorded inthe same period of 2013. Interms of value creation for itsshareholders, the Bankrecorded pre-tax ROAE of32.94% and ROAA of 5.22%respectively.

The Bank’s balance sheetremains strong with 12.4%growth in Total Assets, fromN2.10trillion in 2013 toN2.36trillion in the yearunder review. Loan bookgrowth up by 27.12% to closeat N1.28trillion fromN1.01trillion in 2013; drivenprimarily by growth of theforeign currency loan book,on the back of the 2013$400mm Eurobond issue. Onthe back of continued growthof the Bank’s Retail franchise,Customer Deposits grew by13.3% from N1.43trillion in2013 to N1.62trillion in 2014.The Bank continues tomaintain a disciplined andprudent approach to loangrowth in line with its RiskManagement framework. TheBank’s Non-PerformingLoans (NPL) ratio remainedlow at 3.15%; down from 3.58%in the comparative period of2013.

On the back drop of thisresult, the Bank is proposingTotal-Year Dividend of N1.75kper share (inclusive of the25kobo interim dividend paidat half year 2014).

Commenting on thefinancial results, SegunAgbaje, the ManagingDirector/CEO of GuarantyTrust Bank plc, said that theBank’s financial performancein 2014 attests to the inherentsoundness of our strategyand resilience of ourearnings.

The Group has delivered arespectable Profit Before Taxof N116.39billion in spite ofall the headwinds theindustry experienced in 2014.

MEETING - From left, Dr. Suleyman Ndanusa, Chairman SEC, Kalilou Traore, CommissionerIndustry and Private Promotion, ECOWAS Commission, Oscar Onyema, CEO Nigeria StockExchange and Edoh Kossi Amenounve, DG/CEO Bourse Regionale Des Valeurs Mobilieresduring the 5th meeting of the West African Capital Market Integration Council (WACMIC) inAbuja.


Homes & Housing

FG housingloans boardapproves 500mortgages

Governing board of theFederal Government

Staff Housing Loans Boardhas ratified housing loansfor 500 federal workers.

A release from the PublicRelations Officer (PRO) ofthe board, Mr AkinwaleAdegbola, showed that at its72nd meeting last week, inAbuja, the board alsoratified the Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU)between the FederalMortgage Bank of Nigeria(FMBN) and the FederalGovernment Staff HousingLoans Board.

According to Adegbola,the aim is to tackle thechallenges faced by publicservants in accessing softloans to renovate theirhomes.

UK houseprices dip 0.3%in February

UK house prices fell 0.3percent in February

leaving the average houseprice at £192,372, accordingto the Halifax.

The fall, the first sinceOctober, followed a rise of1.9 percent in January.However, prices in the threemonths to February were up2.6 percent compared withthe previous quarter.

Quarterly measures areoften seen as more reliableas they smooth out monthlyvolatility, and the Halifaxsaid the underlying trendindicated prices werefirming.

Prices in the three monthsto February were 8.3percent higher than for thesame three months a yearago, slightly lower than theprevious annual increase of8.5 percent.

Martin Ellis, the Halifax’shousing economist, saidrecent rises in people’searnings and spendingpower, coupled with lowmortgage rates and recentstamp duty changes werelikely to be underpinningthe market.

He also said demand forproperties remained higherthan the number coming onto the market. “The supplyof both new and secondhand homes availableremains low; another factorwhich is likely to besupporting house prices,”he stated.

By YINKA KOLAWOLE

The Nigerian MortgageRefinancing Company(NMRC) has signed a

Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) with aUS-based investment firm,Cantor Fitzgerald, for theinvestment of $1bn (aboutN200 billion) in the Nigerianmortgage sector.

Cantor Fitzgerald is a globalprivate investment firm withstrong expertise in asset-backed mortgage securities.The firm has also madearrangements to build 10,000houses in Kaduna, Lagos,Enugu and Abuja within thenext one year.

Speaking at the signingceremony in Abuja, last week,the Coordinating Minister forthe Economy and Minister ofFinance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the entry of suchan important player intoNigeria’s mortgage sector willboost the prospect ofachieving the core vision ofthe NMRC which is to getyoung Nigerians convenientaccess to the means of owningtheir own homes.

The minister described theMoU as a very significantmoment for the country,noting that the mortgagesector has a huge untappedpotential. She noted that themortgage sector in otherclimes remained the engine ofthe economy because of thehuge job opportunities and itsmultiplier effects. “CantorFitzgerald’s presence inNigeria shows that ourmortgage strategy isattracting the right kind ofattention from the right kindof people around the world

NMRC, US firm sealN200bn mortgageinvestment deal

Double digit interest onmortgages currentlyapplicable in Nigeria wouldgradually give way to singledigit as liquidity increases inthe system

a n dthis willdeepen anddiversify and ultimatelyreduce the cost of mortgageand housing in Nigeria,” shesaid.

Managing Director ofCantor Fitzgerald’sInvestment Bank, Mr. JackHefferman, said his firm wasfascinated by Nigeria’s steadyprogress in the mortgage market, hence the need tobring liquidity to Nigeria todeepen the mortgage market.According to him, the doubledigit interest on mortgagescurrently applicable inNigeria would gradually giveway to single digit as liquidityincreases in the system andmore houses are made

When Ifirst startedinterest rate was 12 percent and over 30 years, it hasdropped to four percent.Nigeria can experiencesame,” he declared.Hefferman further disclosedthat the land for the housingunits in the four pilot stateshas been acquired, addingthat that works on designatedsites would commence inApril this year, starting withLagos State.

In his comment, ChiefExecutive Officer of NMRC,

available. “NMRC is exactlythe right business model tobring liquidity to Nigeria’shousing sector. I have beenin the mortgage sector forabout 30 years in the U.S.

Prof. Charles Inyangette, saidthe signing of the MoUmarked another significantstep by the federalgovernment to change theface of the housing sector in

t h ecountry. He said that NMRChas fully commencedoperations, having receivedits licence from the CentralBank of Nigeria (CBN).

Meanwhile, giving anupdate on applications formortgages under the NMRC,which opened last year,Okonjo-Iweala noted that thatout of 66,000 applicationsreceived, 25,000 had beenpre-qualified, 9,000 had beengiven offer letter, whilemonies have been disbursedto 33 Nigerians to acquiretheir homes. She furtherdisclosed that a number ofother initiatives were beingworked out with the NationalPension Commission(PenCom) to enable workersborrow from their RetirementSavings Account to ownhouses. She added thatefforts were also in the offingto collaborate with the CentralBank of Nigeria (CBN) andother agencies to expand thehousing market.

•Affordableh o u s i n gdevelopment

New York tops world’s luxury property market

New York’s luxuryproperty market

registered the biggestgains globally in high-endhome prices in 2014,according to Knight Frank,a global residential andcommercial propertyconsultancy firm.

The value of high-endresidential property in theU.S. financial center soared18.8 percent betweenDecember 2013 andDecember 2014, faroutpacing the globalaverage price growth of 2percent, the real estateconsultancy ’s annualWealth Report showed on

Thursday. “With New Yorknumber one in the PrimeInternational ResidentialIndex, it is clear that it hastransformed itself again inthe recent past, and asresult, has broadened itsappeal to the internationalinvestment community,”said Alistair Elliott, seniorpartner and groupchairman of Knight Frank.

U.S. cities dominated thetop end of the rankings,with four cities featuring inthe top 10. By contrast,Asia, which had fourmarkets in the top 10 in theprevious year, had just one.New York was followed byAspen, Bali, Istanbul and

Abu Dhabi, which sawgains of between 14.7percent and 16 percent. SanFrancisco, Dublin, CapeTown, Muscat and LosAngeles rounded out thetop 10, with price advancesbetween 13.2 percent and14.3 percent.

Beijing and Guangzhou,previously in the top 10,have now slipped to themiddle of the PrimeInternational ResidentialIndex – which tracks theprice performance of 100 ofthe world’s key luxurymarkets. Singapore,meanwhile, has fallenalmost to the bottom of thecharts. Despite the

slowdown in China’seconomy, wealthy emigrantsfrom the mainland continueto be a significant force inglobal luxury real estatemarket, said Nicholas Holt,head of research for AsiaPacific at Knight Frank.Around 76,200 Chinesemillionaires are estimated tohave emigrated or acquiredalternative citizenship inbetween 2003 and 2013.Going forward, Mexico,Indonesia, Nigeria andTurkey will become majorsuppliers of ultra-high networth individuals hungry tobuy high-end internationalproperty,” Holt said.“Indonesian buyers willbecome a much more seriousforce in Australia and thewider Asia-Pacific region in2015.”


CMYK


CMYK

Insurance

VISIT - From left, Acting Director General of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce,Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Janet Omisore, 2nd Deputy National President,Iyalode Alaba Lawson; Cote D'Ivoire Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. Kone Epouse Toure Maman;NACCIMA National Treasurer, Arc. Thomas Awagu and Acting First Counselor in the Embassyof Cote D'Ivoire in Nigeria, Mr. Luciey Kouakou during the Ambassador's courtesy visit toNACCIMA Secretariat in Lagos.

Leadway AssuranceCompany Limited and

AIICO Insurance plc are thelead underwriters on thenewly acquired deep watervessel owned by PetrologLimited.

The acquisition which wasfinanced by First Bank ofNigeria Limited and brokeredby FBN Insurance Limitedboosted the capability ofPetrolog Limitied, a corporatecustomer of the bank byfunding the acquisition of abrand new ABS classedDynamic Positioning Divesupport Vessel, ‘DSVVinnice’.

The bank’s financingactivities in the oil industryalso included fundingspecialised vessel acquisitionscheme for local contentsupport; supporting majorpipeline distribution and gasinfrastructural developmentprojects in severalcommunities; funding rigacquisition for indigenousoperators and financing linesto indigenous fabricators foroil and gas contracts.

Though the bank did notdisclose the amount involvedbut said the funding was partof its continued drive toimprove local content in thenation’s oil and gas industry.

Group Managing Directorand Chief Executive Officer,First Bank, Mr. BisiOnasanya, said the bank wasdelighted to be “a part of thismajor milestone achievementby supporting indigenousparticipation and local contentin the nation’s oil and gas

Leadway, AIICO emerge leadinsurers of deep water vessel

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU sector, especially the upstreamend.”

According to him, “Thevessel, which is 85 metres longwith a beam of 22 meters, isthe largest indigenous owned

DSV in its class and is capableof providing diving, offshoreconstruction and fieldsupport”. He explainedfurther, “It is equipped with4 point mooring system, 100tons AHC Crane, Shaftgenerators for the two bowthrusters and two fire fightingpumps. It is powered by 3main 800kW Caterpillargenerators, the vessel is alsoequipped with a 192kWemergency generator and thesaturated diving system ispowered by dedicated 800kWmain and 400kW emergencygenerators”.

Onasanya said the Vesselwhich was commissioned forbusiness operations early thismonth, is also equipped

with an ABS classed air divesystem for more shallow subseadiving activities.

He said, “This furtherdemonstrates our commitmentto increase the capability ofcorporate customers as wecontinue to put them first in theheart of our business.”

Onasanya promised thebank’s continued partnershipwith and assistance to thecompany to enable it fulfill itsvision and corporate objectiveof being an industry leader inthe provision of supportservices to the oil and gascompanies, adding “Forinstance, First Bank hadexpended over $3.3 billion(N500 billion) in the financingof various oil and gas projectsin Nigeria last year. Thisfinancing package represents37.40 per cent of the bank’sportfolio.” The amount, thebank said, represented its totalfinancing activities for theupstream, midstream anddownstream sub-sectors of theoil and gas industry.

The bank noted that it hascommitted $650 million for thedevelopment of selectedmarginal field operation, whileit expended $270 million tooffshore pipeline projects and$234 million as local contractsupport for specialised vesselacquisition scheme.

In appreciation of the bank’sfinancial support, theExecutive Chairman, PetrologLimited, Dr. Vincent Ebuh,commended the bank forbelieving in the managementby supporting their dream frominception. The support, hesaid, helped them to realisethe company ’s goals andbusiness objectives. Ebuhconfirmed that the bank hasbeen helpful from inceptionthe company began bankingwith it, adding “they haveprovided us with the financialmuscle needed to succeed inour line of business”.

The Management of BusinesstodayOnline has said that Premium

Pension, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers,Lagos State Pension Commission(LASPEC) and 17 other firms in thePension and insurance industry have beennominated for the Businesstoday Onlineawards 2014 scheduled to hold in May,2015.

Managing Director/CEO ofBusinesstoday Online, Nkechi Naeche,said that the yearly award which is in eightcategories is exceptional for insurance andpension operators and individuals whohave excelled in their various fields in2104. She said firms nominated for pensioncompany of the year category are: PremiumPension; Stanbic IBTC Managers, AIICOPension Managers and FUG PensionManagers.

Those for Pension Man of the year are:

Premium Pension, Stanbic IBTC, othersnominated for Businesstoday awards

Director General, Lagos State PensionCommission (LASPEC), Mr. RotimiAdekunle Hussain; Managing DirectorPremium Pension Limited, Mr. WilsonIdeva and Managing Director, StanbicIBTC Pension Managers Limited, Mr.Demola Sogunle.

Nominees for the insurance company ofthe year category are: AIICO Insurance Plc,NEM Insurance plc, Mutual BenefitsAssurance Plc, Sovereign Trust InsurancePlc, Custodian and Allied Insurance andIndustrial and General Insurance (IGI)while those for insurance man of the yearare: Managing Director/CEO, GoldlinkInsurance Plc, Mr. Gbolahan Olutayo;Group Managing Director, Mutual BenefitsInsurance Group, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi;Managing Director/CEO, NEM InsurancePlc, Mr. Tope Smart and AIICO InsurancePlc, Mr. Edwin Igbiti.

Large corporations areunder increasing

pressure to disclose andultimately financially protectthemselves against weather,climate and natural disasterrisks, the result of which willbe a growing demand forinsurance, reinsurance andrisk transfer.

In the last couple of years thepressure is mounting, with theUnited Nations and otherglobal organisations nowpushing for internationalaccounting standards toinclude a level of disclosure.

The “1-in-1003 initiative,which looks to integrate climateand natural disaster risk intothe financial system through aprocess of stress-testing anddisclosure, is gaining support.It seeks to mandate thatglobally active corporationsreport their exposure to 1-in-100 year disaster losses andalso their resilience effortsagainst weather and disasterrisks on balance-sheets.

The idea is that byencouraging disclosure it willalso encourage greaterresilience. Corporations wouldlook to become more physicallyand financially resilient todisaster and weather losses inorder to improve their balance-sheets, which of course meansgreater use of insurance andrisk transfer, resulting ingreater need for reinsuranceand risk transfer tools such asinsurance-linked securities(ILS) and catastrophe bonds itis assumed.

The UN process is ongoing,with other organisations suchas the World Bank heavilyinvolved and engagement fromacross the financial, capitalmarkets and business sector.The desire to get something inplace to at the least encourage,if not mandate, disclosure ofdisaster and weather risks ishigh.

Interestingly, in somebusiness sectors largeshareholding investors arenow pushing this same agendaas well, as they becomeincreasingly aware of the threatthat a changing climate andresulting heightened potentialfor disaster and weatherimpacts could have on theirholdings.

Interestingly the sector thathas most recently come underpressure is the U.S. oilindustry.

It is equipped with4 point mooringsystem, 100 tonsAHC Crane, Shaftgenerators for thetwo bow thrustersand two firefighting pumps

Largecorporationsface pressureto protectthemselves


CMYK


CMYK

Interview

The main challenge facingstockbroking firms at the

moment is that of volume ofbusiness. Trades in the markethave been largely done byinstitutions (mainly foreign)while the domestic retailinvestors have not sufficientlyreturned to the stock marketsince the financial crisis of 2008/2009. There are a fewstockbrokers working with theseforeign institutions whocollectively control the majorvolumes traded in the market. Foreign investors are also verysensitive and any informationthat reflects uncertainty inpolitics and government policiestrigger a fast withdrawal fromthe market which results in highlevels of volatility.

Thus, the market still suffersfrom confidence issues withinthe domestic sector. We needincreased level of domesticparticipation to improve thevolume of trades and to containthe high volatility currentlybeing experienced in themarket. Other challengesinclude the issue of brokeragecommission which continues tobe squeezed as stockbrokerspursue limited clients forbusiness as well as the increasein regulatory costs of doingbusiness, which is like a doublejeopardy.

Of course operational costs orwhat I will call highinfrastructural deficit costs is acommon challenge across boardfor anyone running a businessin Nigeria as you try to maintaina good and conducive workingenvironment and service a levelof redundancy.

How can these challenges beaddressed?

I would like to limit the mainchallenges that face the industryto three main areas; Awareness,Confidence & Distribution.Other issues like increasingoperational and regulatory costsare quite common to allregulated businesses.Awareness of the benefits of theCapital market and tradedsecurities is quite low in Nigeria

RRRRReeeeetail intail intail intail intail invvvvvestestestestestororororors has has has has havvvvve noe noe noe noe notttttsufsufsufsufsufffffficiently reiciently reiciently reiciently reiciently returned tturned tturned tturned tturned to sto sto sto sto stococococockkkkkmarmarmarmarmarkkkkkeeeeet t t t t — Af— Af— Af— Af— Afolaolaolaolaolayyyyyananananan

T he Managing Director,Securities Africa FinancialLimited, Mr. Folabi Afolayan,

in this interview speaks on issuesaffecting the stockbroking firms, capital market activities, amongothers.

Excerpts:

By PETER EGWUATU

In terms ofconfidence, thedomestic retailinvestors areyet to regain theboldness tocome back to themarket after themarket crash of2008 /2009

even amongst those you expectshould know when you comparewith more developed markets.If you measure the NSE marketpenetration, measured as a ratioof turnover to GDP. It isestimated at 1.67%, which isdismal, compared to a countrylike Kenya which has 4.08%market penetration. To solve theissue of awareness, the marketneeds to make a concerted effortby both operators and theregulators. The regulators, SEC& NSE have tried to addressthis recently with increasededucational efforts, collaborationwith Nollywood and byreaching out to ordinaryNigerians, but I think theseefforts can even be morestrategic. We probably need toengage policymakers to makefinancial literacy, especiallyknowledge of the capitalmarket, a compulsory part of theschool curriculum right from theprimary school level. This is amedium term strategy butshould improve awareness.

Can you say the level of retail investors’ confidence inthe stock market at themoment?

In terms of confidence, the

domestic retail investors are yetto regain the boldness to comeback to the market after themarket crash of 2008/2009.There is also the perception thatthe market is not transparentand this has not been helpedby the number of illiquid stockson the bourse as some investorsare still looking for ways to sellsome of their holdings. Toimprove trust and confidence inthe market, the Nigerian StockExchange, NSE & Securitiesand Exchnage Commission, SEC have put in place a marketmaking mechanism to allow forimproved liquidity but this hasnot properly taken off. All clogsin the way of proper marketmaking such as the properframework for short selling,securities lending and attractivereward system will need to beaddressed. For institutions, a

number of them especially thePension Fund Administrators(PFAs) have complained aboutthe limited number of securitiesavailable for them to trade on.So efforts to bring in the telcos,power plants and attract IPOsusing proper incentives willhelp improve confidence andparticipation amongst thisgroup. Whilst the Pension lawallows PFA’s to invest up to 25%of their Assets UnderManagement (AUM) intoQuoted Equities, the totalexposure from that group hasonly been 16% of their AUM,leaving them with a lot ofheadroom.

What can you say about costof transactions?

For Distribution, theacquisition cost of retail clientsis high and Know YourCustomer, KYC documents arelargely unavailable which hasto do with the National IdentityScheme. Usually it is betterwhen savings mobilisation isinstitutionalised throughcollective investment schemes,such as mutual funds.Unfortunately, the depth offunds under management iscurrently very low. The reformedpension scheme has been

largely successful withN4.9trillion AUM raised within10 years of establishing thescheme, which translates toabout $25 billion or 5% of GDP.This is very low whencompared to the Pensions Assetsof South Africa of $236 billionor 67% of GDP and Brazil at$284 billion which dwarfsNigeria. So you can start to seehow far we have to go. To movethe Pensions AUM and mutualfunds further, the industry hasto be creative in attracting theinformal and public sectors intocollective schemes which willimprove distribution. Eachstockbroker reaching out toindividual retail clients is verycumbersome and costly,especially when facing the KYCchallenge. The use oftechnology through e-tradingwill help in a way as internetusage improves and cost ofinternet continues to drop, butthe country needs to move intoa centralised ID regime in sucha way that once an Investoralready has a Bank account &has done biometrics with a BVNnumber, he does not have to gothrough the process of doing hisKYC all over again. This willhowever need the differentregulators and policymakers toagree to one databasepool .

There are concerns that on-line trading is fast makingstock broking job an all-comers’ business. a. Do youagree? b. What are theimplications to stockbrokingbusiness?

No, this is not so. Tradeexecution is only one aspect ofthe job of a stockbroker. Thestockbroker is a well trainedprofessional who can use hisskills for Investment advice andresearch. As Nigerians becomemore aware of the benefits of thestock market and the stakesbecome even bigger as themarket deepens, the reliance onthe investment skill ofstockbrokers will be morerelevant. Also, on-line tradingcan only be done though the

trading platform of astockbroking house, so eventhough execution of trade seemsto have been contracted out,other duties to allow for asuccessful trade settlement willstill be performed byprofessionals. The implication isthat transparency will improvein the market as well asconfidence. This will ultimatelylead to increased tradevolumes.

The Nigerian Capital marketis contending with illiquidity.What is the way forward?

The way forward I believe isto compel the companies toprovide timely and richerinformation on their businesses.So, a lot more disclosures shouldbe provided to investors whichwill help in quicker decisionmaking. I have addressed theother issues relating to marketmaking, earlier in theinterview.

Are there positives that aninvestor can take out of themarket?

Yes, the equities market index(ASI) lost about 16% last yearand has lost about 15% alreadythis year which will make manyinvestors wonder if they havenot permanently lost value. Thegood news is that thefundamentals of the market arestill very strong and positive.The regulators have alsoimproved regulatory oversightwhich strenghtens the integrityand orderliness of the market.The issues that have affected themarket largely relate toperceived political risks and thelosses in value appear to be anexaggeration of the risk. A wellconducted election and tidypost election resolution ofdisputes will dissipate thetension and allow for a rally inthe market. Thankfully, the priceof crude oil is rising in theinternational market, whichwould help to reduce our budgetdeficit and stabilise thenaira.

Can you tell us a briefbackground of SecuritiesAfrica Financial Limited and itsoperational focus?

Securities Africa FinancialLimited was incorporated asPSL Limited in 2001 with specialfocus as an operator in theNigerian Capital Market. Thenit was a subsidiary of PrudentBank Ltd. In 2009, the companychanged its name to SkyeStockbrokers Limited to reflectthe new name taken up after 5Banks merged to become SkyeBank Plc. Upon deciding todivest its interest in non-commercial banking businesses,Skye Bank gave up itsshareholdings in the companyand this brought SecuritiesAfrica Limited into the pictureowning majority of the shareswith other local investors takingup some shareholdings. Thecompany has done well for itselfin terms of brand recognitionand product/service offerings.

•Afolayan

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34 —Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

Micro-Finance

LAPO Microfinance Bank,Lafarge Cement

WAPCO Nigeria Plc and theFrench Agency forDevelopment, entered intopartnership on “HousingScheme.” The scheme isdesigned to enable persons atthe bottom of the pyramidhave access to decent shelterwith attention to adequatesanitation. LAPO MfBengages potential clients,carries out loan appraisal,disburses and ensuresrepayment with an adequatemonitoring system, Lafargeprovides technical supportthrough active participation inthe management of theProject while the FrenchAgency for Developmentprovides an on-lendingfacility to LAPO. The projectpiloted in Ogun has beenscaled up and now extends toLagos, Oyo and Edo states;however implementation willbegin in Cross River andAkwa Ibom states soon. Inthis interview, ManagingDirector LAPO MfB, Mr.Godwin Ehigiamusoe, saidthat microfinance is a realisticapproach to affordable

Microfinance, a realisticapproach to affordablehousing — LAPO MD

By PROVIDENCE OBUH

housing, stating that andcollaboration are imperativeto tackling Nigeria’s housingdeficiency.

How would you rate theimpact of the AffordableHousing Scheme on those atthe bottom of the pyramidsince inception?

The Project has beenenthusiastically embraced byNigerians and over 5,000families have so far benefittedfrom the scheme sinceinception. In this regard,operations are being expandedto more states and discussionsare ongoing for collaborationwith other large corporateentities to expand the frontiersof affordable housing. Ourfocus is not just helping clientscomplete their buildings butalso ensuring adequate

sanitation. Theproject haseconomic, sociala n denvironmentalimpact angle. Weare also aware thathouses for low-income earnersare not just shelters, but areequally locations for theireconomic activities, to this end,we are putting in place a

system that will enable impactassessment not only in termsof number of houses but withequal attention to socialindicators. The successrecorded so far is due to anumber of factors whichinclude commitment of thepartners in the project whohave all delivered on theirobligations. LAPOMicrofinance Bankparticularly brings its solidexperience in low-incomepeople engagement andmicro-lending to bear on theimplementation of the project;secondly, the project was

preceded by properpreparations including anextensive survey; andadoption of ‘incrementalapproach’ to housingfinancing.

What are your plans toextend this scheme to otherstates in the country?

The pilot phase is coming toan end and we are in theprocess of scaling up theproject. From LAPO MfBperspective we seek tomainstream the affordablehousing loans into our regularproduct mix. The implicationis that the product will beoffered in all our branchesacross the country.

How would you rategovernment’s support tobridging the housingdeficiency gap in Nigeria?

I believe there is a strongcommitment to makingaffordable housing possible inNigeria; a good initiative is theMortgage refinancingcompany. One hopes that theadvent of this initiative willbegin to yield fruits. Effortsshould be made to ensure thatthis has impact on low-incomehouseholds.

The agreement shall begoverned by the laws of

England and, subject to clause26 above, the parties herebysubmit to the exclusivejurisdiction of the EnglishCourts.”

Section 28 of the agreementbetween ECOBANK TI and itstop Directors and Executives.

The ordinary meaning of that

clause would appear to haveexcluded the jurisdiction of anycourts in any other country otherthan England. Why an Africanbank, with global stakeholdersshould select England for theresolution of disputes,controversies and claimsbetween it and others need notdelay us here. But, one canspeculate that the integrity ofBritish Courts must be one ofthe reasons. Indeed, the fact thatan African Court, in any countryon the continent, wouldentertain a case in which itsjurisdiction had beenspecifically ousted should be anindication of the low regarddisputants and litigants have forour Courts in Africa.

Fortunately, the lower courtin Togo does not have the lastsay on this matter. But, itsjudgment has already had onecrippling consequence for allthe other stakeholders of ETI.The bank cannot pay dividendsuntil this matter is resolvedfinally. And that might take quitea while. Even if the Court of

ECOBANK:Victim of injustice — 2Appeal in Togo reverses thelower court’s judgment, MrTanoh might still exercise hisoption to proceed to thecountry ’s Supreme Courtthereby delaying dividendpayments for much longer.

Once again, it needs to bestated why everybody,especially in Africa, should beinterested in this case. Briefly,they include, but are not limitedto the following: avoidance ofbad precedent, upholding thesanctity of agreements in theirentirety, protecting Africa’saccess to international finance,upholding reasonable ethicalstandards in Businesstransactions and promotingAfrican political/economicintegration. Permit me tosummarise how the Togo court’sdecision threatens all of these.

A substantial portion of laws,in any country, rests onprecedents, defined as, creatingan example which might beused as justification for othercases. If the judgment in Togois allowed to stand, then anymulti-national company whichhas such a clause regardingarbitration of disputes willhenceforth be subjected to the

expenses, and uncertainties offacing a court which had nojurisdiction in the first instance.Today, it is ECOBANK,tomorrow it might beDANGOTE, MTN orSTANBIC.

Sanctity of agreements hasalways been the bedrock ofcommerce among stakeholderswho value their integrity.Presumed, of course, is that eachparty to the agreementunderstands his/her obligationsat all times. Those lacking legaltraining are enjoined to seeklegal advice. Even some lawyers

still engage other lawyersbecause as the saying goes, “Alawyer who has himself for alawyer, has a fool for a lawyer”.We are not sure the principle ofsanctity of agreements had beenupheld here. Africa badly needsinflux of foreign capital. Let ustell ourselves the honest truth.No country on this continent cangrow rapidly without foreigndirect investment. The almost 5per cent annual growth creditedto us had been possible largelyon account of large quantum ofFDI. But, capital takes flight theminute it is threatened.Nothing can do it faster thanuncertain justice or brazeninjustice. In crying out againstthe injustice to ECOBANK, weare merely affirming the beliefthat it is in our collective interestto play by the rules – at alltimes.

Businesses are not alwaysgoverned by the preceptspromoted by religions. At thesame time they are, or shouldnot, be devoid of ethicalstandards to which all thoseengaged in businessuniversally will aspire andsubscribe. All African nationsand people should enroll in

promoting those standardsbecause it is in our self-interestto do so.

Finally, African political/economic integration lagsbehind those of other continentsand this had contributed its ownquota to our under-development by comparisonwith others. There is a huge gapto close; but, it cannot be donewith each nation operating as ifit an island sufficient unto itself.More cooperation is required;which can only be achieved byimproving confidence anchoredin the belief that any country inAfrica is home to everyindividual or corporate citizen.That, in turn can only comeabout when an Egyptian canexpect the same fairness inNamibia, or a Zambian inGambia, as he would expect inhis own country. When that isachieved we will become acontinent on the move – insteadof several weal economiesstruggling to survive.

LAST LINE. This series ofinterventions had deliberatelyavoided the issues fordetermination in the case. Onno account do we want tointervene in the substantiveissues at stake. But, court casesoccur within broader socialsettings and they sometimesproduce consequences forothers far removed from theparties themselves. It is for thecase of those others that this hadbeen written.

“

I believe there isa strongcommitment tomaking affordablehousing possiblein Nigeria

Ehigiamusoe

Sanctity ofagreementshas alwaysbeen thebedrock ofcommerce


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E-Commerce

InterswitchlaunchesN1.6bne-paymentgrowth fund

Uber to decongest Lagos, boostemployment

Complustechdeployse-solution forchurchmanagement

Complustech NigeriaLimited has launched

Church+ v2, an e-solution tohelp churches, fellowships andministries overcomeadministrative andmanagement challenges.

Speaking to newsmen onTuesday at during the productlaunch in Lagos, CEO,Complustech Nigeria Limited,Peter Ihesie, said the solutionis aimed at helping churchesbuild better relationships withmembers, manage fulladministrative operations,improve communications andconnections and measureperformance at any time.

He disclosed that, due toChurch+’s flexible, seamlessand user-friendly interface;they were upbeat to reach atleast 10, 000 churches acrossthe country within the next sixmonths.

According to him, “Church+v2 offers users bettermembership managementand performance analysis."

UNVEILING - From left: Ani Nweke, NCC controller, Lagos State, Ademola Olukotun,General/Country Manager Archos Nigeria and Frederic Balay, MD Archos SA France at theunveiling of Archos devices in Nigeria recently.

STORIES BYJONAH NWOKPOKU

General Manager, UberNigeria, Ebi Atawodihas said that the taxi

service, Uber will create morejobs and decongest Lagoswhen the service hasachieved maximum uptakewithin the city.She stated this during a pressbriefing in Lagos last week.According to her, the Uberservice is pushing for fewercars on the road globallyusing the technology whileincreasing utilisation andefficiency.Ebi said Uber has grown inLagos considerably sincelaunch six months ago withdemand exceeding 100 percent.“Uber brings job creation,financial opportunity, lesscongestion, safety, pricetransparency and innovationinto Nigeria. And withservices like Uberpool, drivingutilisation by 72 per cent, theclimate is helped with feweremissions including lesstraffic on the road,” she said.“It’s really about empoweringsmall business owners. Thisis because, as a driver, youare doing a couple of things.In this instance, you don’thave to wait for hours waitingfor that next trip. With Uber,they just sit in their cars andthe job comes to them. Thismeans that we are removingcongestion, traffic, and timewasted on traffic. So thebeauty is that as a driver, youspend more time working andearning money as opposed to

sitting and waiting for a trip,”she added.She further said that it is alsoabout creating a higher levelof standard and transparencyin the industry, because withtechnology like Uber, thestandard is uniform and theexperience is the same andseamless.

Uber, a technology companythat connects riders withdrivers through a smartphoneapplication – recentlylaunched in Lagos as areliable and flexiblealternative to urbantransportation in the city.Uber rides have a GPStracking system which seeswhere the rider is on the map,making pickup more efficientthan alternate means oftransportation. Riders alsohave access to a live GPS-enabled map throughouttheir journey and can sharethis with a third party – suchas family, partners or friends– who can track their progressto their destination.

Shoptomydoor acquireslarge warehouse

Africa InternetGroup opensYaba office

Africa Internet Group, AIGhas officially launched its

Yaba office. The office housessix of its ventures in Nigeria.These includes: Easytaxi, amobile app that connectsdrivers and passengers,Lamudi, an online real estatemarketplace, Carmudi, anonline vehicle marketplace,Hellofood, an online andmobile platform where peoplecan order food from differentrestaurants across the city,Kaymu, an online marketplaceand Jovago, an online hotelbooking platform.

These ventures relocatedfrom its office in Lekki recentlyto Yaba, a home to more thanfifty technology start-upsincluding Nigeria’s onlineretailer, Konga.com, e-paymentservice provider, Paga, andonline hotel booking service,Hotels.ng, etc. The office isspread across three floors at thesame building that houses thepopular Ozone cinema.

Conducting journalists on atour of the facility, Lamudi’sManaging Director, Mr. ObiEjimofo said the move wasinspired by the fact that Yabahas become Nigeria’s e-commerce hub attracting a nestof technology and start-upcompanies, earning it thename, Nigeria’s Silicon Valley.

Online real estatem a r k e t p l a c e ,

Lamudi.com has launched aproperty hotline (07000526834)for the Nigeriancommunity. Known as‘Dial4Home’, the hotline hasbeen developed as anextension to Lamudi’s Internetplatform to extend access of itslarge property database to theestimated 50 million featurephone users who do not haveaccess to the internet.

Addressing journalists at theofficial launch in Lagos, theManaging Director ofLamudi.com, Mr. Obi Ejimofonoted that “many view Nigeriaas a market with significantpotential for Internet-basedbusinesses, with over 60 percentof all Internet connections madefrom an estimated 12 millionsmartphone and tablet devices.However, there are more thanfour times as many mobilesubscribers who do not haveaccess to the Internet via theirdevice.”

He stated that with the launchof Dial4Home, “Lamudi aims toenable property-seekers withoutan Internet connection to accessthe same kind of service thatusers enjoy at its website.”

Shoptomydoor, an onlineservice that enables Nigerians shop from overseas, has

acquired a 23, 000sqr foot warehouse in Houston, Texas toprovide easy logistics access to Nigerian businesses shoppingoverseas. The solution allows for easy procurement, shipping,clearing and delivery of goods from the US and other countriesto Nigeria.In a statement, Shoptomydoor said, “The solution focusesprimarily on serving individuals and consumers. They offerspecialized warehouse system that allows individuals to usethe Visa and Mastercards to shop in stores all over the US, UKand China as if they are local residents. Shoppers send thepurchased items to their assigned local address andShoptomydoor delivers it in a few business days.”It added: “Having acquired its own clearing license in Nigeria,the Shoptomydoor group can now offer businesses free localaddress in the US, UK and China allowing them to makepurchases of industrial supplies from stores such as Amazonindustrial, northern tools and have these delivered right totheir local addresses. Depending on the company’s choice,shoptomydoor offers consolidated air and ocean shippingservices for these companies."

Interswitch, a pan-Africanintegrated payment

company has announced thelaunch of a new N1.680billion ($10 million)‘ePayment Growth Fund’.

The fund has made its firstinvestment in ‘Africa CourierExpress’ (ACE), formerly A-Post, a Nigeria-based andAfrica focused technologydriven ecommerce logisticsand warehousing firm. ACEhas developed and rolled outa new cutting-edgetechnology to track, deliverand collect paymentsseamlessly for and on-behalfof its clients.

The company will receive aninitial investment ofUS$850,000 from theInterswitch ePayment GrowthFund to enable the firmexecute its West Africaexpansion plans with thepotential to access additionalfunding.

Lamudi’sDial4Hometargets propertyseekers withoutinternet access Uber service is

pushing forfewer cars onthe roadglobally usingthe technology

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4


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People in Business

Dr John OlanrewajuOni is the Deputy

Director and CentreManager of TechnologyIncubation Centre (TIC)Abeokuta which came intoexistence in 2007 and beganoperation in 2008. In thischat with FinancialVanguard, Oni who isA m b a s s a d o r ,Association of SmallBusiness Owners ofNigeria (ASBON), speakson the strides so farmade by the centreunder the NationalBoard for TechnologyIncubation. Excerpts:

According to Dr. Oni,TIC Abeokuta with23 incubation units

and numerous non-residentincubatees, is one of thecentres established by theNational Board forTechnology Incubation(NBTI) under the FederalMinistry of Science andTechnology (FMST). Thecentre has within sevenyears, extended to Odogbolu(17 incubation units) andOwode-Yewa (10 incubationunits), each with a liaisonoffice, seasonedprofessionals and numerousresident and non-residententrepreneurs.

About TIC program:"Technology incubation

program is all aboutcommercialisation oftechnology-based inventionsthat emanate fromuniversities, researchinstitutions, colleges ofeducation and evenindividual inventions that canbe commercialised and this isto engenderentrepreneurship culture inNigerians, create jobs for theyouths and wealth forbusiness owners. This will inturn increase the grossdomestic product of the stateand nation because as wenurture these upcomingbusinesses in incubationcentres across Nigeria forabout three years, theyneither pay tax norelectricity bill, and they aregiven free working space.This is a policy of the NBTI,our supervisory agency anda parastatal of the FMST thatwe should use that as our owncounterpart funding tosupport the growth ofentrepreneurship and smallbusinesses.

"So in this vein, the FederalGovernment is workingassiduously to ensure that wehave all it takes to supportupcoming entrepreneurs andsmall businesses are nurturedto become industrial giants. Ifthey are employing 10 peoplewhen they are underincubation, you can imagine

‘NBTI engenderingentrepreneurshipculture, creatingjobs’

By EBELE ORAKPO

the number they will employwhen they graduate."

Three phases:The program is structured

in three phases - pre-incubation, incubation andpost-incubation phases.During the six-month pre-incubation period, if theowner of the invention orbusiness has not registered it,he will register it and perfectthe product to the point thatit will be acceptable toconsumers. We encouragepeople not to have theirhusband/wife as managingdirector and the daughter/sonas the director so that in caseof any eventuality, thebusiness will continue.

"We encourage them toinvite friends, bankers andknowledgeable people thatcan contribute to the businessso that if anything happensto the owner, it will continue.After the six months, theperson will prepare afeasibility report and abusiness plan based on whathe/she has developed. Thebusiness plan will beevaluated by the technicaladvisory committee madeup of professionals fromNAFDAC, SON, ExportPromotion Council, etc., and

approved by the Director-General of NBTI, Dr.Mohammed Jibrin. Thecommittee will evaluate thebusiness plan and feasibilityreports and if they pass, thepre-incubatees now have theoption of staying with us forthree years as residentincubatees or non-residentincubatees for five years ifthey have a place outside thecentre which is adequate fortheir production and theproduct will be certified by

NAFDAC or SON.That is why we purposely

selected them to be part andparcel of the development ofthe product from scratch tothe point of certification andacceptability. The pre-incubatees receive a lot ofguide so that they will not justproduce things that will notbe acceptable to theconsumer. After the threeyears, if we certify theirproducts as good andacceptable, and the patronageis great, then we recommendthem to the state governmentwhich is a stakeholder(alongside institutions ofhigher learning, researchinstitutions, non-governmental small businessorganisations and financialinstitutions).

"The government will inturn provide an industrialpark for them, built or readyto be built. These graduatesnow become post-incubatees. It is from theindustrial park that they willstart to pay tax, electricitybill, water rate etc. We openthem up to internationaltrade fairs, exhibitions,seminars, conferences etc.,so that their businesses cansurvive. We also link them upwith financial institutions likeNational EconomicReconstruction Fund where

t h e y c a nbenefit.

Ogun State Governmentbrought in BOI and paid thecounterpart funding ofN500m and they are givingout small loans which someof our entrepreneurs havebenefitted from."

Our products:TIC Abeokuta boasts of

various products andexcellent packaging.

"We have a range of productsfrom moringa using locallyavailable raw materials – tea,glow lotion, hair oil, oil, soap,powder and foundation- allfrom moringa; Raybeec herbalsoap, a stress relief soap madefrom shea butter, Valuplusdental drop/mouthwashmade from local chewingstick; Combatol for hairbumps; 125T Ofada rice,packaged for thesupermarkets. We also havedisposable cups made fromwaste paper, security wears,honey packaged in 20ml cupsfor ease and affordability.

Most of our products aremade with equipmentfabricated here by ourengineers.

Oni was full of praises for theFederal Government throughthe DG, Dr. Jibrin for the 250-seater multipurpose hall andto the state government fortarring the road leading to thecentre, providing 30industrial plots and an adminblock.

•Dr John Olanrewaju Oni

•All products of thecentre

We havedisposablecups madefrom wastepaper,securitywears, etc

‘


Aviation

The Managing Director ofthe Federal Airports

Authority of Nigeria, FAAN,Engr. Saleh Dunoma has saidthat the Authority will supportany effort aimed at maximisingthe potentials in the country’sair cargo sector.

Engr. Dunoma made thisremark last week during theNigerian Air Cargo Summit inLagos. He said that the questto maximise these potentialshas led to the remodeling ofdesignated perishable cargoairports across the country.

According to Engr. Dunoma,“a recent IATA reportsuggested that cargo volumesare expected to grow by 4.5percent in 2015, as comparedto the time when air cargobusiness faced weak marketsand increasing competitionsince 2011”. The ManagingDirector, who was representedby FAAN’s Director of CargoDevelopment, Dr Uche Ofulue,therefore called on all privateinvestors and stakeholders inthe aviation industry to reachout and showcase the richpotentials of Nigeria to theworld by keying into theopportunities available in thecountry’s air cargo industry.

According to him “some

FAAN spearheads air cargo sectordevelopment

By LAWANI MIKAIRU& DANIEL ETEGHE

strategic airports in Nigeria e.g.Akure, Makurdi, Minna,Abuja, Owerri, Calabar, Ilorin,Jalingo, Jos, Uyo, Kano, Lagosand Port Harcourt have beendesignated fresh and dry cargoairports, for the directexportation of fresh agriculturalproduce from surroundinglocal communities to markets in

Europe, the United States ofAmerica and other countriesacross the world”.

He further assured that “Workhas already started on some ofthese cargo terminals at someairports across the country”.

Other FAAN staff whoattended the event include:MD/CEO, NAHCO Robert

Bilderman, Director of AirportOperations, FAAN, Capt. HenryOmeogu, National president,NAGAF, Eugene Nweke, ActingChief Commercial Manager,Mr. Seyi Adewale, MD/CEOANCLA, Nze Aloysius Emeka,GM Economic Regulation/Facilitation, NCAA, Mrs.Anthonia Abiola Vincent.

CONFERENCE - From left: Mr Colin Udoh, Supersport Presenter; Mr Diran Olojo, Sub-RegionalHead, Brand and Marketing, West Africa, Standard Chartered Bank; Dayo Aderugbo, Head,Corporate Affairs and Ade Ojeikere, Group Sports Editor, The Nation Newspapers at the pressconference to announce Standard Chartered Road to Anfield Tournament held in Lagos onFriday. Photo Lamidi Bamidele.

The liquidation of theformer national carrier,

Nigeria Airways Limited, NAL,by the Federal Government in2003 has been described as aselfish act by the former imagemaker of the airline , ObaOlufemi Ogunleye.

Oba Ogunleye who is now

FG selfish with Nigeria Airwaysliquidation — OGUNLEYE

By DANIEL ETEGHE the Towulade of Akinade in aninterview with Vanguard in hiscommunity said that theinability of the FederalGovernment to pay theremaining N70bn severancepackage for the ex-workersafter late Alhaji UmaruYar’Adua paid a part of thepackages indicated that thegovernment was unconcerned

with the plights of Nigerianworkers. He added that duringthe existence of the defunctnational carrier, the workerswere told that their pensionswould be paid for life, butwondered why the samegovernment reneged on itspromise, stressing thathundreds of the former carrierworkers had died in abjectpoverty.

He maintained that sinceYar ’Adua paid parts of thepension in 2009, PresidentGoodluck Jonathan had notmade any commitment to paythe remaining 20 yearspensions as agreed before theliquidation of the nationalairline.

He said, “During theexistence of the airline in thosedays, we were told that pensionwas for life, when you finishserving and you reach apensionable level, you takeyour pension for life, butsuddenly when they liquidatedthe airline, they said theycommuted the pension to fiveyears.

I retired in year 2000 andtoday is year 2015, maybe theythought that I would die andtoday, I have not died.

Arik Air, has called on the FederalGovernment to deploy armed

policemen at the nation’s airports totighten security in view of the growingterror threats in the country and in theworld. The airline made this known at theweekend when the new Commissioner ofPolice, Airport Command, Dorothy Gimbapaid a courtesy visit to Arik Airheadquarters in Lagos.

The Deputy Managing Director, CaptainAdo Sanusi who spoke on behalf of theairline said to further tighten security atthe terminal buildings and the airside,there was need to have armed policeofficers at these areas, especially at this timewhen insurgency is threatening peace in

Arik Air seeks deployment of police to strengthen airport security

By LAWANI MIKAIRU &DANIEL ETEGHE

the world, forcing various countries torestructure their security system,including airport security.

Sanusi also said that the presence ofarmed police officials is necessary in orderto checkmate disruptive passengers whooverreact when flights are rescheduled orcancelled, adding that cancellation andflight rescheduling are a trend ininternational air travel, which passengersshould be familiar with.

He assured the new Commissioner ofPolice that Arik would continue tosupport the activities of the Commandand gladly respond when called uponto assist. Sanusi said “In view of the newsecurity situation in the world, there isneed to have armed policemen at theterminal buildings and at the airside ofthe airport.

The Lagos division of theNational Industrial Court,

(NIC) has declared the sack ofthe former General Manager,Legal, of the Federal AirportAuthority of Nigeria, FAAN, MrBayo Alabidun, by thegovernment as illegal andwrongful.

In a judgment delivered byJustice B. B. Kanyip, the courtheld that the suddenretrenchment of the claimant,(Alabidun) from service onOctober 4, 2011 by theauthority of FAAN was wrong,hence it ordered the fullpayment of his salary fromOctober 4, 2011 to May 29,2015 within 30 days of thejudgment.

The court also awarded thecost N50,000 to the claimant ascost of the action filed in court.

It added that the failure to paythe damages and the salariesas ordered by the court “shallattract interest at 10 percent perannum.”

Alabidun who was theGeneral Manager, Legaldepartment of FAAN, until thetermination of his appointmentjoined the President of theFederal Republic of Nigeriaand Minister of Aviation asdefendant in his suit.

Among other reliefs, heprayed the court to declare thathe is still a staff of FAAN, untilhis appointment ceases by dueprocess of law and inaccordance with the staffconditions of service governinghis contract of employment withFAAN.

Besides, he prayed the courtto declare that the “defendants’letter Ref. No. FAAN.CA/CPF4949/1/15 dated Ocober4, 2011purporting to ‘disengage’ theplaintiff from his public serviceposition or as public servant isunconstitutional, unlawful,null, void and of no effectwhatsoever.”

Also, he prayed the court togrant him damages in the sumof N1Billion for abuse of officeby the defendants “inunlawfully interfering withplaintiff ’s employment as apublic servant.”

But the defendants in theirresponse stated that “theclaimant was relieved of hisposition as General Manager,Legal of FAAN in 2011 alongwith others, who the InterimBoard believed, after a carefulstudy, could not fit into theTransformation Agenda in theAviation sector of the currentadministration.”

Court declaresretrenchment ofFAAN GM illegal

By ABDULWAHABABDULAH

Work hasalready startedon some of thesecargo terminalsat some airportsacross thecountry

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Advertising & Promotions

Centre: Diamond Bank CEO, Uzoma Dozie during the video production of the new‘’Diamond Mobile App” TV commercial

The Oyo State Signage &Advertisement Agency,

OYSAA said it is disturbed bythe spate of unapprovedpolitical campaign materialsthat have pervaded theadvertising space in recenttime. The agency complainedthat the adverts posted indifferent sites andunauthorized places, is aflagrant breach of the extantlaws and regulation of theagency.

“We wish to inform thegeneral public that OYSAA,the statutory Agency of OyoState Government vested withmandate to regulate outdooradvertisement of any natureincluding political campaignmaterials will not tolerate anyviolation of its guidelines andprocedures,” the DirectorGeneral of the agency Mr.Yinka Adepoju, said.

The Director General furtherdirected that all politicalcampaign organizations/committees are advised toapply and obtain approval ofOYSAA before posting thecampaign materials for theirparties in any location,including lamp poles.

The agency further said the

OYSAA frowns at unapprovedpolitical ad materialsStories byPRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

warning became necessary inorder not to exacerbate thealready tensed political climatein the country, and to maintainthe pervading peace beingenjoyed in the state.

“For avoidance of doubt,

OYSAA will not permit theabuse of its guidelines for anyadvertisement campaign,especially political campaignsbecause of their sensitivity. Hestated. “Those that have postedadvertising materials and put

up billboardsindiscriminately withoutapproval from the body arehereby directed to removethem within the next sevendays, as failure to do thisshall be met with theappropriate sanctions. Suchadvertiser (s) should formallyapproach the agency forclearance and secureapproval for such sites andmaterials before they areposted.” He advised.

positions Diamond Mobile Appas the reliable and ultra-efficient assistant for the highperforming executive who likesto keep in sync with thepersonal side of things. Incharacter, Dozie says: “As theCEO of Diamond Bank, time isprecious and doing things rightis important; quickly, efficientlyand easy.”

Despite his visibly busyschedule, he shuns a shortlistof applications for personalassistant position, pointing outthat there are some things henever likes to delegate - likebooking flight tickets for hiswife, getting movie tickets for

Diamond Bank features CEO in new TVC

Uzoma Dozie, ChiefExecutive Officer,

Diamond Bank PLC, is leadingthe bank’s positioning drive asan innovative andtechnologically driven financialinstitution as he features as leadcharacter in a new televisioncommercial for the ‘DiamondMobile App.’ Following asuccessful Rights Issue last yearmainly targeted at developingits Information Technologyinfrastructure, the bank hasintroduced new solutions thathave transformed the Nigerianbanking space. The new TVC,shot in the bank’s corporatehead office in Lekki, Lagos,

his children as promised andbuying tickets to events hewants to attend – all of whichhe simultaneously attends toon the go via his mobilephone. Then comes theclincher: “I can do all of theseon my Diamond Mobile App.It’s beyond banking. Whoneeds a PA?” Speaking on thecommercial, Ayona Trimnell,Divisional Head, CorporateCommunications, DiamondBank PLC, explained that theTVC reinforces the bank’smessage that the DiamondMobile App is the ultimatepersonal assistant for easy,convenient banking.

According to her: “TheDiamond Mobile is borne outof our commitment tocontinually offer value-addedsolutions that conveniently fitinto the lifestyle of ourcustomers. It is safe, easy touse and specificallydeveloped for the successminded individual who isfocused on maximizing alllife’s moments whenever orwherever they are. The TVCis available on youtube via thefollowing link https://w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m /watch?v=yzvXE3_wxRc.”

The Diamond Mobile Appwas recently upgraded witha Touch ID Feature whichallows users seamless login totheir accounts by simplyidentifying their fingerprintsas an alternative to enteringa User ID and password.

For health of consumers, KasaprekoCompany Limited owners of the Alomo

Bitters has introduced a hologram seal todifferentiate it from the fake.

The hologram seal is a silver-like shiningseal which is similar to that found on the non-polymer Nigerian Naira notes, and it has beenstrategically positioned on the cap of the brandfor easy identification of the authentic bittersbrand as against the imitation.

Speaking at the unveiling in Lagos, theManaging Director, Kasapreko CompanyNigeria Limited, Mr. Kojo Nunoo, ManagingDirector, Kasapreko Nigeria, said theintroduction of hologram seal on the caps isone of the initiatives by the company tocheckmate criminal faking of Alomo Bitters byunscrupulous profiteers, and to protectconsumers against the consumption of

Kasapreko checkmates product adulteration...introduces hologram seal cap

substandard bitters products which endangerhuman life. The refreshed packaging forAlomo Bitters, according to him, is also aimedat empowering consumers to have access togenuine Alomo Bitters at all times. He addedthat it further demonstrated the company’scare for the consumers and their safety.

“This initiative is a security standard forglobal brands, and essentially it is meant toensure clear brand differentiation and tohighlight the unique features that distinguishAlomo Bitters from the imitated version andother substandard bitters products in themarket,” Nunoo said.

He added, “criminal faking of the originalAlomo Bitters has been a major challenge weface in Nigeria. As a company that placespriority on the wellbeing of our consumers,this bothers us a lot.

First Bank trains NGOson sustainabilityFirst Bank Nigeria Plc

through its sustainabilityworkshop has trained NonGovernmental Organizations,NGOs on modern tenets ofsustainability in care giving.

The workshop titled‘Sustainability strategies forNGOs,’ which took place at theLagos Business School, LBS inLagos also provided capacitybuilding training for NGOswho are in partnership withcorporate organizations, whileexposing them to modernapproaches in sustainability onhow to address social andenvironmental issues.

Speaking, Centre Manager,First Bank SustainabilityCentre, Ijeoma Nwagwu, saidthrough the support First bankhas positioned itself as a topleader on sustainability whichis a key issue, especially nowthat there is a lot of uncertaintywith the oil price drop, thedevaluation of the Naira andthe forthcoming elections.

According to Nwagwu,“through the training, we sawthat there are things thatcompanies must do to survive,the idea of sustainability is thatyou are thinking long term,bearing in mind the social,environmental and economicconcerns in your broaderenvironment that will make yousurvive.

SON DG speaks atBJAN consumer daycelebrationThe Director General of

the StandardsOrganization of Nigeria, SON,Dr. Joseph Odumodu is tospeak at the 2015 WorldConsumer Rights Daycelebration. This coincideswith plans by BrandJournalists’ Association ofNigeria (BJAN) to join the restof the world to mark this year’scelebration themed: ‘HealthyDiet.’

The Association hasdomesticated the theme to fitinto the local industry with thetheme “Implication ofUnhealthy Diet to NationalDevelopment.”

The event, which isscheduled to hold March 13,2015 at White House Hotels,GRA, Ikeja and it will also beused to honour individualswho have contributed to thenation’s marketingcommunication industry andconsumer empowerment in2014. To deliver the keynoteaddress at the BJAN thirdedition of consumer daysymposium is the DirectorGeneral of StandardOrganisation of Nigeria, Dr.Joseph Odumodu.

Adverts posted indifferent sites andunauthorizedplaces, is aflagrant breach ofthe extant laws andregulation of theagency

Business & Economy

Email:[email protected], [email protected] page:www.lesleba.com/blog2Website: www.lesleba.comTel:0805 220 1997


Omoh Gabriel - Group Business EditorBabajide Komolafe - Deputy Business EditorClara Nwachukwu - Energy EditorPeter Egwuatu - Asst. Business EditorYinka Kolawole - Snr Bus. CorrespondentFavour Nnabugwu - Insurance CorrespondentGodwin Oritse - Maritime CorrespondentGodfrey Bivbere - Maritime CorrespondentMichael Eboh - Energy ReporterFranklin Alli - Industry/Agric. ReporterIfeyinwa Obi - Maritime ReporterRosemary Onuoha - Insurance ReporterNkiruka Nnorom - Capital Market Reporter

CONTRIBUTORSPrincewill Ekwujuru - Media/MarketingJonah Nwokpoku - E-CommerceNaomi Uzor - IndustryProvidence Obuh - Micro FinanceLAYOUT - Graphics Department

CMYK

The Nigerian tele-densityalso known as telephone

penetration has finally hit a 100per cent mark, the News Agencyof Nigeria (NAN) reports.

This information is containedin the NigerianCommunications Commission(NCC) Monthly SubscriberData, made available in Lagosweekend.

According to the data, thecountry’s tele-density stands at100.59 per cent as at the end ofJanuary with the active lines/phone numbers on thetelecommunications operators’networks reaching 140,822,483.

Telephone penetration in Nigeria hits 100% mark — NCC

Tele-density measures thepercentage of a country ’spopulation with access totelephony services asdetermined by the activesubscriber base.

“It has a direct relationshipwith the number of mobilesubscriptions on telecomnetworks and as it grows sodoes the subscriber base andvice versa,” it said. Accordingto NCC, tele-density iscalculated based on populationestimate of 126 million up tillDecember 2005 from December2006, based on a populationestimate of 140 million.

It said that from December2001 to 2006, tele-density wasbased on connectedsubscribers.

However, tele-density fromDecember 2007 was based onactive subscriptions on mobilenetworks. The data showed thatthe industry tele-density stoodat 91.40 per cent as at January2014 and increased by 9.19 percent to reach 100.59 per centby January 2015.

In February 2014, it movedup to 91.40 per cent; 92.14 percent in March and at the endof April, the figure declined to90.78 per cent.

Curiously, in an attemptto align with publicsentiment, in an

election year, government wasstampeded by populardemand to concede andaccommodate a N10/litresubsidy on a reduced pumpprice of N87/litre. Clearly, thisdecision was not thoroughlythought through, as it ignoredthe role of Naira exchange rateon the domestic pump price ofpetrol, as consistentlyexplained in several articlesin this column. Clearly, withcontinuously bloated Nairasurplus in the market, thereduced dollar income fromprevailing lower crude priceshas exposed the fragility of theNaira/dollar exchange ratemechanism, and rapidlyprecipitated a run on theNaira.Not surprisingly, the Nairahas since plummeted to aboutN200/$ from the earlierpegged rate of about N155/$.Historically, the CBN hasconsistently used the reasonof a widening gap betweenofficial and black market ratesas the prime driver of Nairadevaluation.The following excerpt from anearlier article titled “Why FuelPrices Will Always Rise AndMake Subsidy Inevitable” willexplain the relationshipbetween the Naira exchangerate and the price of fuel;…”thus, for example, if for thesake of argument theinternational commodity priceof a litre of petrol is $1, thenour domestic pump pricewould be about N160/litre,(also at the rate of $1=N160),plus clearing costs and otherlocal charges. Conversely, ifgovernment finds it expedientto devalue the Naira, as aresult of fall in revenue, to say,N200=$1 to boost monthlyallocations, then, of course,

The tragedy of errors in the fuel marketthe deregulated domesticfuel price will also becomeN200/litre!, plus margin andother local charges; thus,subsidy values will be overN100/litre if pump priceremained at N97/litre.However if international petrolprice increases to $1.20/litre,while Naira remains at anexchange rate of N200=$1,then Nigerians will have topay over N240/litre, plusmargins and local charges,with over N140/litre as subsidyif the domestic pump priceremains fixed at N97/litre.Thus, irrespective of crude oilmarket prices, weaker Nairaexchange rates will spiral fuelprices to instigate the need forsubsidy, while increasinglystronger Naira exchange rateswill instigate lower petrolprices and eliminate subsidy.”See www.lesleba.com.That this simple reality hasfinally dawned on themanagers of our economy,became evident when NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, the Financeand Coordinating Minister ofthe economy noted at a recentmedia briefing that “thepresent fuel scarcity wascaused by a number of factors,including the depreciation ofthe Naira’. The ExecutiveSecretary, Petroleum ProductsPricing and RegulatoryAgency, Mr. Farouk Ahmed,was more categorical when hetold the Senate Committee onPetroleum that “the scarcitycurrently being experiencedacross the nation was causedby two rounds of devaluationof the Naira carried out byCBN in November last yearand this month (Feb 2015).”Regrettably, despite over 20%Naira devaluation in recentmonths, the persistentimbalance betweenhumongous surplus Naira andrationed dollar auctions has

further fuelled speculation todrive Bureau De Changedollar rates above N220/$.Nonetheless, if theunderlying causative factor ofNaira surplus is notaddressed, the gap betweenthe current, official interbankrate of N198/$1 and the BDCrate of N220/$1 would furtherwiden and it would not beunexpected if the Nairaexchanges for N300/$ by theclose of 2015.Consequently, even if crudeoil prices once again reboundabove $100/barrel, so long asthe huge disequilibriumbetween “eternally” surplusNaira and rationed dollarsupplies persist, the Nairaexchange rate would remainloyal to a southbounddestination. This should notreally be strange as Nigeriansrecognize that even whencrude prices rose well above$150/barrel about six yearsago, and exceedingly buoyantreserves provided moreextended imports demandcover, than we ever thoughtpossible, no one questionedthe stagnation of the Nairaexchange rate at about

N150=$1.Clearly, if government hadrecognized the relationshipbetween fuel price andexchange rate, they wouldhave also anticipated thatlower crude prices andreduced export revenue couldspark speculation and triggera weaker Naira exchange rate,which would push fuel pricewell beyond the earliersubsidized price of N97/litre.Ironically, the price reductionexpected from a 50% drop incrude oil price has since beennegated by over 25% drop inthe Naira exchange rate.This reality, sadly, escapedthe consideration of theFinance Minister, the CBNand the PPRA with disastrousconsequences for stability infuel supplies nationwide, asmarketers suspended furtherimportation until governmentagreed to reimburse a loss ofabout N100bn alreadyincurred from the exchangerate differentials consequentupon Naira devaluation andthe bank interest charges ondelayed payments ofsubsidies on sold stocks. Thescare of the imminentelections probably stampededthe finance minister and herteam to hurriedly issuesovereign I.O.Us toMarketers to serve asconfirmation to creditor banksthat government will‘eventually’ settle this debt.Consequently, in addition toan earlier projected deficit ofabout N1tn in the 2015budget, it is now clear thatwith government’s penchantfor recklessly selling its riskfree sovereign debts atbetween 10-17%, thispayment for managerialnegligence will ultimatelyswell government projectedborrowing by at least 10% thisyear!

Sadly, if the Naira exchangerate slide is not halted, so longas the CBN continues todeliberately manipulatemarket equilibrium againstthe Naira, such extrabudgetary payments may notbe the last this year. Paymentof subsidies to oil marketersfor future supplies will,predictably, still beadministratively, negligentlydelayed by the usualbureaucracy, while the Nairaexchange rate will continue todepreciate if CBN continuesits misguided traditionaldefence of the dollar.Ultimately, marketers wouldagain suspend importation,fuel scarcity will again surfaceand create economicdistortions, while the publicwill gnash their teeth inanguish at petrol stations fora while, before a hurriedaccord will once again beconcluded with marketers,despite the attendant cost ofhundreds of billions of Nairathat government would onceagain have to borrow to settleaccumulated debts owed thebanks by fuel importers. Thus,an endless cycle of businessfolly that compounds theevidently deepening povertynationwide will be sustained.Certainly, the Naira willcontinue its free fall unlessthe market supply equilibriumbetween Naira supply and thedollar is redressed in favor ofthe Naira. If however, excessNaira supply continues to bedriven by CBN’s substitutionof Naira allocations for dollarderived revenue, then a Nairarate of N300/$ would soonevolve to drive fuel priceswell above N200/litre withdisastrous consequences forinflation and consumerdemand, and ultimately onmanufacturing capacity andemployment opportunities.

CBN hasconsistently usedthe reason of awidening gapbetween officialand blackmarket rates asthe prime driverof Nairadevaluation


CMYK

By Patrick Dele Cole


WHAT is the price of beingNigerian? Every U.S.

citizen is proud of his country?How many Nigerians can saythat they are proud to beNigerian?

Nigerians inEvery Country

The growing feeling thatNigeria cannot provide for itscitizens, thereby makingmillions of them pack out, hasbecome the recognized as theAndrew syndrome.

Nigerians in China, Turkey,Malaysia, Thailand, etc., havefled because there are no jobsin Nigeria, and they have nosecurity of life and property, aswell as no sense of self worth.Hence, they had travelledoverseas. As children,Nigerians learnt about theGreek mythology of bringinghome the Golden Fleece byJason. But the Greeks cameback home: Now the traffic inNigeria is one way out, if onecan judge by the queues at theembassies! There is a palpablegrowing disrespect forNigerians all over the world;even in Dubai and Doha – evenwith our money. Nigeriadriving licenses are notaccepted in Dubai or Doha.There is a temporary ban.Social media is full of all otherrestrictions which I would notgo into here.

The young now go to Europeand the U.S. to have babiesbecause they want U.S.citizenship for their children.

They do not want theirchildren to have the hassle ofstanding and waiting for visas.

What is the inspiring mythof the U.S. – anyone can beanything – a land ofopportunities. Why do ourchildren not think we can dothe same here?

Many fathers, like me, havebeen unable to convince theirchildren not to seek dualnationalities.

There are over 100,000doctors; 100,000 lawyers andengineers of Nigerian descent,that is, Nigerians. We havebecome like Palestine withmore qualified people outsidethe country than within it.

I have argued this with mychildren and their colleagues.I had insisted that all mychildren go to University inNigeria (all did except one).

I also argued against going toU.S. to have babies. Myargument was that since theyall had no problems gettingvisas, why do they think thatyears from now they wouldhave problems. I had takenthem around Nigeria andround the world, trying tobond with them duringholidays, so as to smash themyth that everythingoverseas was better. I furtherargued that the countries theywere so enamoured to go towere built by men and womenwho were dedicated to bringingprogress to their fatherlands. Ifthey all left, who was going to

do the building of Nigeria? Youwould think I was speaking tomyself judging from the scantattention they paid to me!!

Young couples would pay upto US$100, 000.00 to havetheir wives deliver babies inthe U.S. When you ask them,they reply that they wantanother country to go to when,not if, but “when” things gethoary and desperately bad inNigeria. In short they areconvinced that Nigeria will notsurvive, or would go through anasty patch.

Many Nigerians who stayedoverseas have no idea whatNigeria has become. Yet, theynearly all want to be employedas political advisers to topGovernment functionaries:Many erstwhile Vice-Chancellors, and servingprofessors and corporateadministrators (both nationaland international), havebecome Ministers. Theresulting performances ofthese “expatriate” NigerianMinisters have been poor andmainly useless. For nearly 40years, the Ministries of Financeand Economic Developmenthave been headed by Nigerian“expatriates” who, even morethan home-grown graduatesand politicians speak to usabout economic revolution,agricultural revolution, andIndustrial revolution. It is agame of mirrors and moremirrors. Nigeria is not likeIndia, which has home-grownplanners, who achieve andexport that achievement,whether in steel, computers,car manufacturing, as in thecase of keke mawa was, etc. Ifyou have foreign passports foryour children that say a lotabout your faith in yourcountry!!

It is conceded that a lot ofinventions have taken place inNigeria, which has neitherbeen backed up withimplementation, or evenencouragement. For example,the sickle cell anemia medicinewas invented at the thenUniversity of Ife (now, ObafemiAwolowo University; whist theFederal Institute for Industrial

We have “swagger” – yes– but to what purpose?

Today, the primary checksnecessary for promotion to themost senior levels in the CivilService is no longer done. TheConstitution has done awaywith illegitimacy and hasapproved dual citizenship.Many senior Military and civilservants now go to overseas fortheir retirement. Many of ourMinisters, Senators, andAssembly men are U.S. citizensor foreign citizens as well asNigerians. I have nothingagainst that but we must becautious.

Three of our finance Ministershave been U.S. citizens. A scoreof others in really sensitiveposts also have dual citizenship.On many international issues,we do not always agree withU.S. and Western policy: Aglaring example was ourposition of debt forgiveness;and the then Minister ofFrance, who had argued in1999 and 2000 that much ofthe debts we were being askedto pay were fraudulent andsubjected to high unacceptableinterest rates, even in caseswhere the companies to whomthese debts were owed were nolonger in existence. Many ofthe Western countries acceptedthis argument, and suddenlya new Finance Ministerarrived. We were now beingtold that for Nigeria to be creditworthy, we had to pay thesesame debts.

Nigeria seems now to have nostandards about anything. Weare unable to gradeUniversities, Schools, andother tertiary institutions: Weare constantly lowering ouralready low standards. Withour population, ingenuity,ambition – Nigeria ought to bea paradise, or at least, being onthe way to one.

Many would say that thisjudgment is too harsh, andpoint at GSM or Dangote, as

worry other ECOWASCountries who want to issuetheir own passports withoutcarrying the burden of theshame of Nigeria.

Everything inNigeria – excess:

MTN, DSTV the twoinstitutions to which we havetaken to as fish to water: but atwhat expense? We now have auseless NTA, Silverbird,Channels, and AIT, etc., whichshamelessly cannot broadcasttheir own programmes exceptthrough DSTV. As fortelephones – forget it. Fixedlines – no longer exist. We haveno post offices – we strut aboutdoing internet banking,internet shopping when Icannot write a letter to mypeople in Abonnema or to afriend in Zungeru.

Nigeria has excess privategenerator sets: there are morehere than any where else in theworld. The back bone ofcommunication in Europe andthe United States is still theland line.

How did it all start? ChinuaAchebe and Cyprian Ekwensietc., produced books with thetheme of culture clash -between those educated and thetraditional societies. This hasnow been pricked up again byChinanmanda NgoziAdichie,and has beenfolklorised as the main themeof Nollywood. Perhaps,however, in anything andeverything, there must beproportion. If I went to live inKano today, there would be aculture clash: When peoplefrom Texas to go WashingtonDC, there is a culture clash,just as Yorkshire people havewhen they go to live in London.(But in the case of the U.S. andEngland, you can only betalking about sub-culturalclashes, rather than culturalclashes.)

But culture clash can be agood thing, since it bringschanges in attitude, whichitself is fundamental toprogress. But we must get outof the quagmire oftypicalisation, and get on withmaking progress: When youbring a train which I used to goto see my father from PortHarcourt to Barkinhadiin 1952back in 2015 – using coal ordiesel engines- that cannot betermed as progress, whentrains in Japan and Europe arenow running at 300mph onelectricity.

When you revive industries -that is, car assembly plantsbuilt in 1976 back into life in2015 – you may call itprogress. But you should knowbetter. It certainly is not anindustrial revolution. Arevolution is the end productof a cataclysmic clash of ideasand ingenuity bringing abouta totally new way of doingthings and making things.

The FT the other day: quotedNigerians as saying that oil hascorrupted us: Or has itdestroyed us? What was beingsaid, I believe, is that easy oilmoney has dulled ouringenuity, our appetite forhard work, etc. Why should oilbe charged with this heinouscrime? If it is so bad for us, whydo we not leave it for those inwhose territories or areas orcommunities the oil exists? Noone told us in the 1950s, 1960s,etc. that cotton, groundnuts,cocoa had spoiled Nigerians.

Citizen NigeriaResearch, Oshodi, Lagos(FIIRO) invented the yampounding machine. Theproduction of these medicineand machine in Nigeria wasnot supported by either theGovernment or the OrganisedPrivate Sector. Both had to lookfor developers outside theCountry. In the case of themedicine, the patent wasbought by an outsidecompany, which suppressed it;whilst in the case of the latter,a Japanese company boughtthe patent, and developed themachine. Now, it is beingproduced cheaper in China.Such frustrating disposition bythe Nigerian Government andcorporate world may haveserved to stimulate the exodusof the Nigerian indigenousinventors but these cases arerare.

Yes, things arebad in Nigeria

But the returning Nigerian“expatriates” does not have asolution for Nigeria. Theycannot, and never will. If topGovernment officials andleaders keep one eye on theirchildren overseas- how canthey truly work for Nigeria?

Thirty to Forty years ago,Nigerians walked proudaround the globe. If you wereoverseas, and you heard arukhus – it was probablybecause some Nigerians wereprotesting againstdiscrimination.

Ghana, Ivory Coast, Benin,Togo, Liberia, even SouthAfrica, have all lost the respectthey used to have for Nigeria.

There is an old joke aboutother African nationsprotesting to God that God wasunfair to them because He gaveNigeria everything, - gold,

uranium, manganese, tin,coal, gas, oil, tar –sands, alarge population, fertile soil,etc.

God’s reply was “wait untilyou see the leaders and thepeople that I am puttingthere!”

Old Civil Service forbadeNigerians married toexpatriates to work in certainMinistries. Our NationalityLaws stipulated that youcannot be a Nigerian exceptyour father was a Nigeria. TheService used to refuse toemploy people married toforeigners, all has nowchanged. (You cannot reconcileyour first sentence of theparagraph with the third. Youcan only restrict the ministryof employment only if there isemployment in the first place.)

evidence that we areprogressing.

Perhaps, Nigeria is not acountry for statistics. Thesmallest matter that deals withnumbers defeats us. It is truethat some direct foreigninvestments which have comeinto Nigeria do so via atemplate. Europe/U.S.investors go to South Africaand recruit a South Africancitizen they send to Nigeria.The South African comes towork in Nigeria and reportsback to South Africa, and fromthere to Europe or to the U.S.Sometimes, there is a fieldoffice in Dubai – for Nigeria!!Even the investors do not wantto come directly for fear ofcontagion – as if we wereleprous.

The Nigerian Passport isworthless, and is beginning to

* NigeriansThe FT theother day:quotedNigerians assaying that oilhas corruptedus: Or has itdestroyed us?What wasbeing said, Ibelieve, is thateasy oil moneyhas dulled ouringenuity, ourappetite forhard work, etc.

*Dr. Cole, a formerambassador, wrote fromLagos.


CMYK


Continues on page 53

CRITICS claim theg o v e r n m e n tinfluenced the

postponement of the electionfor selfish reasons. Is thattrue?

I think all I can say is toreassure Nigerians. When youlook at the fact with the shiftin the date, it is not anextensive shift. But in-between, you can see that ithas afforded the IndependentNational ElectoralCommission, INEC, the

By Ben Agande

Some people 're not happyJonathan is now defeatingBoko Haram — Edem Duke

MINISTER of Culture and National Orientation and Supervising Minister ofInformation, Chief Edem Duke speaks on the preparations for the forthcomingelection and calls on Nigerians to hold those who are threatening violence ifthey lose the election accountable. He also speaks on a number of othernational issues.Excerpts:

opportunity of reaching manymore Nigerians.

You can also see that thereis a bit of relief, even though,there is great agitation inseveral parts of the countrythat people have not got theirPermanent Voter Cards, PVCsyet.

That people in certainlocalities have deliberatelybeen deprived of theopportunity of collecting theirPVCs. Those issues have beenaddressed. If you rememberthe last media chat by thePresident during which hesaid that because of the

security concerns that thestatus of the equipment of theArmy will improve and heassured that in a few weeksthere will be a dramaticchange for the better aroundthe terrain where insurgentsare operating. You can see thatall of these are coming to pass.

What would have been thestory if eight million peoplewere not served with PVCs ifthe insurgency were stillprevalent in most parts of thenortheast, what would peoplehave said? They would haveaccused this samegovernment of irresponsibility

and insensitivity. But weknow that the criticism isonly coming from aparticular section whosestrategy for the campaign iscriticism, propaganda andthreat.

So it is understandable.But it is to reassureNigerians that the FederalGovernment has no ulteriormotive, it cannot have, notwith the record ofachievement that it has as itsown collateral for thecampaign.

The argument has beenthat if the government hasnot been able to decisivelytackle insurgency in 6years, with just few weeksto election, what will thegovernment do differently.Some people have arguedthat it was a deliberate ployby the government. What doyou have to say?

I think again that thatstatement arises fromignorance because first andforemost, the issue of theinsurgency is not apeculiarly a Nigerian issue.It is a global issue with aspecific focus on Nigeria andcountries bordering aroundNigeria. And you could seethe futility in the effortbattling insurgents andhaving them escape intoneighbouring countries,regrouping and re-launching attacks from some

of those territories.So it was identified that for

this to be checkmatedeffectively, there is need to nowmobilize the support ofcountries in the Lake Chadregion, of countries in West andCentral Africa so that there is amore holistic, moreparticipatory engagement ofinsurgency.

And all over the world whereinsurgency has occurred, youwill agree with me that it is amulti-dimensional approachthat had always been deployedto attend to it.

So some of these stories andpropaganda are deliberatelyfabricated in order to make thegovernment look bad and youwould see that whengovernment began to recordsome successes, some of thosewho had thought that it wouldnot be done, began to feelunhappy about it. They beganto wish secretly that thesesuccesses against theinsurgency were nothappening because some ofthem premised their campaignon insecurity.

And let me also say that it isnot how long it has taken us toaddress this issue but the factthat it has been addressed. Andalso bear in mind that thosewho want to use the issue ofsecurity or insecurity orinsurgency to campaign hadalways been there, they hadalways been big players, bigcommunity leaders, big retiredgenerals in certain parts of thecountry and they never lifted afinger to give advice, to givesupport and to intervene.

In fact, I understand that oneof them was nominated by theinsurgents to be theirspokesperson but he feltembarrassed that they openlyidentified him as their preferredspokesperson. And thesepeople never contributedthoughts and ideas inchallenging this.

Rather, they sat back and sawthe destruction that plagued thenation within and aroundwhere they were living andthey thought the best thing todo was to fuel it or to keep silentso that at some point in 2015they can use it as campaignpropaganda. But theprovidence that sees thatNigeria after 100 years must notdisintegrate has brought asolution.

In the next couple of dayschiefs of defence staff fromECOWAS, from Central Africacountries, will be gathering inorder to develop a roadmap forthe final onslaught on thisinsurgency.

So, Nigerians should continueto give the government thenecessary support andencouragement and moreimportantly they shouldcontinue to celebrate and

•Duke:Nigerians should continue to give the government the necessary support

They began towish secretly thatthese successesagainst theinsurgency werenot happeningbecause some ofthem premisedtheir campaign oninsecurity


WHY are you leavingyour flourishingbusiness empire to

dabble in the murky water ofpolitics?

I don’t see what I am goingto do as dabbling in the murkywaters of politics but as achance to serve. At my age,I’ve done as much as I can ofwhat I set out to do. Now, Iwant to reinvent myself andhave another chapter in mylife. In this chapter of my life,I want to serve the people ofNigeria.

What gives you theconfidence that given theNigerian political climate youcan succeed as a politician?

As a businessman, I wasnever scared of whatever I didin life. People forget that in1999 when I was made theDirector General of theNigerian Television Authority,television viewing was onlypossible for six hours a day.People forget that not too longago, there was no cinema inNigeria, and I brought it backto Nigeria.

People forget that not toolong ago, Nigeria only hadthe Federal RadioCorporation as the onlynational radio station andthen Raypower came a fewyears later with the sameideology and we playedmusic and changed the radiolandscape. People forget thatwith entertainment, wechanged the televisionlandscape. People forget thatnot too long ago, we had nomalls in Nigeria and wechanged that.

So, I have never beenworried about being apioneer. To be a pioneerrequires that one has thecourage to take a risk. So, ifyou take the risk and it works,you make history and if it fails,so what? But the importantthing is to try to make yourvision work.

Are you not afraid that yourefforts could be frustrated inthe Senate?

Well, I understand yourconcern because everyone I

I'm going to the Senate to make adifference in Nigeria — Murray-Bruce

MR. Ben Murray-Bruce, Icon of business andentertainment, is vying for a seat in the Bayelsa EastSenatorial District to represent his people in theNigerian Senate. In this interview, he justifies hisentry into the race, talks about his vision for Nigeriaand explains what he wants to do differently in orderto bring about an unprecedented impact onNigerians at home and abroad. Excerpts:

By Soni Daniel, RegionalEditor, North

have spoken to over mydecision to go to the Senateasks me similar questions.Some say to me Ben, what areyou going to do in theNational Assembly? You aregoing to fail, you are going tocarry ‘Ghana-Must-Go’, youare going to collect bribe tryto impeach someone andwhen you get the money youdrop the charge and all that.You are going to do crookedthings and so on.

But I keep asking myself,what message are we sendingto the younger generation byseeing politicians as thievesand corrupt people? So, forme, if it takes one person tomake a small difference thenit is worth it. We cannotcontinuously insult ourleaders. I am already appalledby the campaign of insults bythe parties.

It is wrong and senselessand I dissociate myself fromit. I will not be a part of

running down any leader inthis country or any politicalparty.

Never and it is not right. Iwill not run down anybody.The adversaries are myfriends, members of my partyare my friends and I will notinsult them: they will be myfriends before the electionsand they will remain myfriends after the elections.

We should remember thatGowon and Ojukwu foughtand more than one millionpeople died and after that theyhad dinner togetherafterwards. Buhari overthrewShagari, and they hung outafterwards. Babangidaoverthrew Buhari and theystill hung out together.

Abacha threw out Shonekanand they still shook hands andhad dinner together.

So, anybody who thinks thatthese two weeks left givesthem right to insult leadersand distinguished Nigeriansas if they will not see themagain after the election,should know that what theyare doing is wrong. It iscriminal and I will not be a partof it.

Anybody, who wants to fightwar in the name of politicsshould go and fight BokoHaram. That is a war andpolitics is a contest that onemust win and the other loses

•Murray-Bruce:The future of Nigeria lies in Technologyand life goes on.

You are contesting with aformer governor and a moreexperienced politician.Would you smile and gohome if you lose to him?

Look, if I win, I win and if Ilose, so be it. Why should Ibe so obsessed with victorythat I would want to killsomebody? Whose interestand purpose would suchvictory serve? What would Itell my children and howwould I explain to mychildren that someone diedbecause I wanted to win anelection?

Or that I played a voodoopolitics? Why should I be apart of such a demonic act? Ihave a reputation in theworld so why should I destroyit on the altar of politics? Ionly want to win to win fairlyin order to serve.

The people will decide. Ifthey vote for me they will geta good leader in me but if theyreject me, they get what theyvote for. That is the way I lookat it.

Your manifesto talks aboutmaking Nigeria go green ifyou win the election. Howwould you do it?

First of all, I am a Nigerianand a nationalist. A hungrychild in Bayelsa is not

different from a hungry childin Akwa Ibom or Maiduguri.

When a child is hungry theyneed food and do not care whobrings the food or milk. Now,look at where we are today.We have privatized the powersector and the cost of powerhas gone up 100 percent anda lot of industries are introuble.

But there is something wedon’t produce, that is thesunlight that is given free byGod. But the good thing isthat sunlight can give us thesame amount or more of lightthat we are paying for fromgas or hydro sources. The sunis free and can give us theenergy to do everything.

So, we should explore themaximum use of the solarenergy. Soon, I am going tolead the way in the use ofsolar energy in Nigeria.

From April, I am going tostart powering SilverbirdComplex with solar energyand I will also begin to drivemy electric car here for allNigerians to see what solarenergy can do.

I am going to even bring insome electric cars to thecountry and I will rechargethe car free for any Nigerianwho buys the cars. Theseelectric cars can do a 100miles per charge and if youare within town, you cannotexhaust the mileage evenwith the use of air condition.I have been driving electriccar in America for over twoyears.

I have two of them and Ihave never bought gas in myhome in the U.S. My houseis powered by solar energywhich has cut my bill by 50%.I am going to prove to thepublic that my car will bepowered by solar energy andthat my house can be poweredwithout gas.

Let me tell you the differencebetween me and them. Oil islike cocaine.

The best cocaine producersdon’t consume what theyproduce but sell to others anduse the money to do what theyneed. Why consume what youhave? Nigeria as a nation hasbecome a drug addict.

I am saying today I will notbe a drug addict but will usethe sun to power energy inNigeria. I will create a bill toget a billion Naira Fund topower every home in Nigeriato solve our electricityproblems and create over50,000 jobs.

By so doing, we will begrooming Nigerians onScience and Technology andmake our people becomeslave masters instead of beingslaves.

The future of Nigeria lies inTechnology and not sendingour people to be welders and

Continued on page 53

We cannotcontinuously insultour leaders. I amalready appalled bythe campaign ofinsults by theparties. It is wrongand senseless and Idissociate myselffrom it


BOKO HARAM: Some people 're nothappy Jonathan is now winning — Duke


appreciate the forces that areoperating in those territories.

Is it true as it is alleged thatthe government has plans ofcompelling the INECChairman, Prof. AttahiruJega go on terminal leave?

I am not in the position tospeak on that for now. But Ialign myself with thestatement of the Presidentthat he has confidence in thechairman of INEC. The mostimportant thing is that anyNigerian that finds himself ina privileged position to servethis nation must serve withtransparency and integritybecause history will judgehim or her.

And if that privilege leavesyou with the ability to lead asensitive electoral processand for any reason you makeit toxic, then there is also aplace in history for you,whether it would be a darkpage or a golden pageremains to be seen.

The forthcoming electionshave raised some anxietiesleading to people movingfrom their places of abode totheir places of origin. Areyou scared that there couldbe post-election violence likein 2011?

Postelection violence had inthe past been unknown toNigerians the truth must betold. The fear of post-electionviolence arose from the formercandidate of the CPC, who is

now the candidate of the APC.He is the author of post-election violence in Nigeria.

And right now some of thebody language, some of thecomments coming out of

certain camps are responsiblefor this uneasiness andtension in the land.

But you know, what we havenot looked at again is thatwhen this same candidatecontested against anotherretired general, he didn’tthreaten anybody. When as aretired general he contestedagainst another retiredgeneral he didn’t threatenanybody.

Now that he is contestingagainst a younger civilianfrom a minority part ofNigeria, there is thisintimidation that whether youhave done well, or you havenot done well, I am desperateto win this election. So peopleare more anxious about whatone candidate will do whenhe loses than the progress ofone candidate when he wins.So that is what we are facing.

As a government, whatassurance will you giveNigerians especially thosemoving because of the fearof possible post-electionviolence?

What I would like to say toNigerians is that noindividual, no group thatdesires the votes of Nigeriansto lead this country mustintimidate us to move awayfrom our comfort zones andbecome refugees in transit.

It is important for all theplayers in this exercise toraise their voices of assuranceto people who feel intimidatedand threatened that they willprotect them because partieshave strongholds.

So it is easy for Nigerians toidentify in whose strongholdor perceived stronghold someof these scary sentiments areemanating from.

Ke-ke NAPEP riders whilesome others lord over ournatural resources as CEOs.

If you oil companies in theNiger Delta why should we betraining our people aswelders while the foreignersare in Harvard and fly FirstClass?

It means you have manybills to make?

I have ten bills already.

Why did you not suggestthis idea of solar energy tothe President who happens tobe close to you?

Yes, I have done thatalready, and the Ministry ofPower is doing some solarfarms already.

But there is a differencebetween putting together

I'm going to the Senate to make adifference in Nigeria — Murray-Bruce


LAST Saturday’s demonstration of the use of the card readerin selected states of the country has left the political class

perplexed. Those against the use of the card reader cannotopenly come out to denounce the device given its effectiveblockage of fake Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs. At the sametime, those in rabid support of the use of the device are alsoconstrained by the shortcomings as seen in its failure toeffectively read the thumbprints of a significant number ofpotential voters in many places it was used.

In some centres as Bauchi, potential voters were had to cleantheir hands repeatedly as it emerged that the card reader isconstrained by ointments, grease or other sorts of lotion.

However, INEC officials say that all hope is not lost. Voterswhose thumbprints are not read by the card readers could stillvote but would have to fill an incident report form to reflectthe development.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP that had earlier expressedreservation on the use of the card reader was restrained in itscomment on Saturday evening after the mock accreditation.

“Our response to the emerging problems and challenges fromSaturday’s testing of the card reader is ‘RES IPSA LOQUITOR-the fact speak for itself. The PDP and indeed all well-meaningNigerians await INEC’s official response and or its finaldecision after such defining challenges, party spokesman,Olisa Metuh said in a statement Saturday.

The All Progressives Congress, APC which had championedthe use of the card reader as a way of checking malpracticeswas yet to react as at press time yesterday.

The APC had prior to the conduct of the governorshipelections in Ekiti and Osun States last year called for the useof the card readers as a prelude to using them for this year’sgeneral election. But INEC for some yet undisclosed reasonsrefused even if the PVCs were deployed for the elections.

Now, following last Saturday ’s qualified successfuldemonstration of its use, eyes are now on the electionmanagement body, INEC. Meanwhile, the two major politicalparties one against the use of the reader and the othervociferous in its agitation for its use are going back to thedrawing board to push forward their strategies to sustain theirpositions.

CARD READER:INEC, PDP, APC return todrawing board

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

•Duke:

some solar farms and puttingdown a billion Naira budget.Part of the deal is to ensurethat 90 per cent of thecomponents of the solarprojects are produced here in

Nigeria.I am not keen on bringing

in the components fromoutside so that Nigerians canbenefit maximally from it.

•Murray-Bruce:

It is important forall the players inthis exercise toraise their voices ofassurance to peoplewho feelintimidated andthreatened thatthey will protectthem becauseparties havestrongholds


Too late to convince Nigerians, APC tellsJonathan

HATE PUBLICATIONS: Lagos APC seekssanctions on erring stations

RESCHEDULEDNLC POLLS:Candidatesummonstribal meeting,seeks royalfathers’ help

POLLS: Jega must step down, group insists

...Opposition says President flaunting phantom achievements

THE All ProgressivesCongress (APC) has

described President GoodluckJonathan’s recent efforts toshowcase his achievements ingovernment to convince Nigeriansto vote for him and his party in theforthcoming polls as too little, toolate.

‘’Mr. President, you cannotundo, in six weeks, the glaringinstances of cluelessness,incompetence and near total lackof governance that youradministration has exhibited in thepast six years, even if you moveAso Rock to the South-west or bribeevery Nigerian with the proceedsof corruption,’’ the party said in astatement issued in Lagos onSunday by its National PublicitySecretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

‘’Your Administration-sanctionedsmear campaigns against APCleaders, your obscenity-ladenmeeting with youths, your offer ofjobs to 167 out of over 40 millionunemployed youths, and yourtemporary relocation to the South-west where you believe your nairaand dollar rain will translate tovotes are all belated and of noeffect,’’ it said.

APC said all the President’slatter-day efforts went up in smokeson Saturday when over one millionNigerians marched through thestreets of Lagos in support ofchange, even as a hurriedly-organized, pretend march led bythe President in Abuja failed todistract from the success of theLagos march, as envisaged by theorganizers.

The party said its latest opinionpoll on the forthcoming electionsshows that Nigerians have alreadymade up their minds regardingwhich party they will vote for, evenbefore the six-week postponementof the elections, which wasorchestrated to allow the sinkingPDP and its candidates at all levelsto recover from the dizzying effectof the daily blows being dealt onthem by Nigerians.

It said a President who wasplaying dirty politics while over

15,000 Nigerians were beingmurdered by the evil BokoHaram cannot now expect toreap from a sudden resurgencein the fight against the terrorists.

‘’Mr. President, you had all ofsix years to secure the lives andproperty of Nigerians, providejobs, improve the economy, giveNigerians constant power supply

and curb corruption, but you didnone of those things.

‘’Under your watch, Mr.President, the economy hasvirtually collapsed with the USdollar now exchanging for over220 Naira, the highest ever,millions of youths are roaming thestreets even as your governmentfleeces them from time to time

over phantom jobs, industriesare collapsing in droves,Nigerians are more dividedthan ever, many states and eventhe FG can’t pay workers’ salariesand corruption is at an all-timehigh as the looting of the publictreasury has become the order ofthe day while Nigerians havenever felt so insecure.''

REWARD CEREMONY: From left: Mr. Phillip Obioha, Chief Operating Officer, CWG Plc; ProfessorR.A Bello, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos and Professor Duro Oni, Deputy Vice-Chancellor(Management Services) during the reward ceremony of the best graduating students of the Departmentof Computer Science, University of Lagos and University of Douala in Cameroon respectively.

ONE of thecandidates in the

rescheduled March 12Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, election accused ofpromoting tribal andethnic agenda, was in theSouth-West part of thecountry last week,promising to increase thenumber of delegates fromOyo, Ekiti and Ondo statesby five delegates each.

Until now, states likeLagos, Oyo and others inSouth-West were given onedelegate each by thecandidates while Kanoalone had over 60 delegates.

This came even as hesummoned an Arewameeting for WednesdayMarch 11, 2015, fordelegates from the Northand had been soliciting theassistance of royal fathersfrom the region to woodelegates.

The candidate has beenaccused of taking over 90percent of the union’s totaldelegates from the North,with majority of suchdelegates from non-unionmembers from his village.

He was brought to South-West by one of the labourleaders from the zoneworking with him.

It was gathered that theSouth-west labour leaderwas becominguncomfortable with the tribaland ethnic toga thecandidate had beenidentified with, hence thevisit to the two states.

A source in one of themeetings with some of thedelegates from the South-West, told Vanguard that hetried to woo delegates fromthe zone with additional fivedelegates each, especiallyOyo, Ekiti and Ondo states,that he visited.

According to the source,the issue of Kris-LallyHousing fraud which hewas a principal actor, wasraised in the meeting, wherehe tried to exonerate himselffrom the mess.

“But we are not deceivedby this as many of us knowbetter and we also saw whathappened on the floor ofconference-in-sessionduring the inconclusiveNational DelegatesConference, NDC, lastmonth,” the source added.

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

LAGOS—THE LagosState chapter of the All

Progressives Congress, APChas urged the NigerianBroadcasting Commission(NBC) and the AdvertisingPractitioners’ Council of Nigeria(APCON) sanctions televisionstations and newspapers that are

broadcasting and publishingdamaging documentary and hateadvertorials on key oppositionleaders.

The APC accused theorganisations of partisanship bystepping out of the broadcast andmedia ethics to protect the rulingPeoples Democratic Party (PDP),

which it alleged was desperate toperpetrate itself in office at all cost.

APC spokesman Joe Igbokwe,who made the call, identified aparticular television station, withheadquarters in Lagos, ofengaging in false and desperatepropaganda sponsored by agentsof the ruling party.

In a statement, Igbokwe saidthe station has thrown decencyand decorum to the dogs in itsdesperate effort to partake inPDP’s grand looting of hundredsof trillions of Nigeria’s oil wealth.

“What the station (namewithheld) is doing for thecollapsing PDP is akin to whatsimilar organisations did for themilitary in the days Nigeriansstruggled against dictatorshipand that the station will go downwith the PDP government,”Igbokwe predicted.

In the statement, Igbokwe saidthe documentaries against theAPC leaders were sponsored byspurious, unnamed individuals,all aimed at tarnishing theirimage.

It reads: “The station is doingthis nefarious activityirrespective of the dangerousconsequences these hatepropaganda bode for the Nigerianstate even after the election.''

A B U J A — D E S P I T Edeclaration by President

Goodluck Jonathan that he doesnot intend to remove theIndependent National ElectoralCommission Chairman, ProfAttahiru Jega, a group has insistedthat he must step down inaccordance with laid down publicservice regulations.

The group, Citizens Network forPeace and Development inNigeria, said at a press conferencein Abuja that Jega did not deserveto remain in office to conduct the2015 since it was time for him toproceed on pre-retirement leavelike his predecessor, Maurice Iwu,

did in 2010.The Director-General of the

group, Preye Dressman, askedINEC as a public institution,backed by law and dulyrecognised by the constitution tobe properly guided by theprovisions that are clearlyenshrined in the book.

Dressman said, “We have dulycarried out our research andfound nowhere, where it iswritten or insinuated that INECis a private organisation to be rundifferently from what has becomesacrosanct, with respect to itscontemporaries. By that, I meanother public service institutionsin Nigeria.

“It is instructive to note that his

(Jega) tenure as INEC chairmanis a 5-year arrangement which isclearly indicated in the lawestablishing the commission. ByJune this year, that tenure wouldhave been fully exhausted,leaving the president with theprerogative of either retaining himor replacing him.

“Objectively speaking, there isnothing sinister or strange aboutasking Prof Jega to proceed on adisengagement leave at this time.This to us is not tantamount toremoval as has been bandied bymembers of the opposition APCand other disgruntled elementswho have chosen to cry wolf atevery development that they readas being inimical to their interest.”

By Soni Daniel

CMYK


VanguardVanguardVanguardVanguardVanguardCLASSIFIED

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This is to certify thatthese names OteriJonathan Deruviesa,Oteri Jonathan Uvie,and Oteri JonathanOviesa is sameperson but now wishto be known andaddressed as OteriJonathan Oviesa. Allformer documentsremain valid. FirstBank, Eco Bank andgeneral public pleasetake note.

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Confirmation of Name

56— VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 9 , 2015

Flight MH370: Angry families rejectreport

FAMILIES of thosemissing on Malaysia

Airlines flight MH370 haverejected a report issued onthe first anniversary of theplane’s disappearance.

The interim report givesno new clues as to whathappened to the plane.One relative described it asuseless.

It does reveal that anunderwater locator beaconbattery had expired a yearearlier, but it is unclearwhether this affected thesearch.

It would be recalled thatthe airliner was flying fromKuala Lumpur to Beijingwhen it vanished.Malaysia and Australia saythey remain committed tofinding the missing plane.

As families of the 239passengers and crew heldremembrance ceremonieson Sunday, someexpressed their frustration

with the report.It contains masses of

technical information aboutthe missing aircraft, itsmaintenance record, thebackground of the crew,

and the various air trafficcontrol and military radartracking records of theplane, says the BBC’sJonathan Head.

It notes the battery on the

beacon of the flight datarecorder had expired,which may suggestsearchers had less chanceof locating the aircraft,although the battery on thelocator beacon of thecockpit voice recorder wasworking. But the reportoffers no significant newinformation which mightexplain where the planewent, or what happened toit, adds our correspondent.

Sarah Bajc, whosepartner Philip Wood was onboard, ridiculed the fact thatinvestigators hadinterviewed just 120people.

•Tan Tuan Kee (R) and his family are worried the search for their son andbrother will end

Iraqi troops, militia make advancesnear Tikrit

IRAQI security forcesand Shi’ite militia

fighting the Islamic Statetook control of the center of atown on the southernoutskirts of SaddamHussein’s home city Tikrityesterday , security officialssaid.

Sending in more troopsand fighting fierce clashes,the army and militiamenwere still struggling to driveout Islamic State militantsentrenched in buildings inthe western section of thetown of al-Dour, officialssaid.

Military commanders saidthe army and militia, knownas Hashid Shaabi (PopularMobilisation) units,launched another offensivelate on Saturday to break intothe center of al-Dour.

By yesterday, they hadsucceeded in recapturingthe central area wheregovernment headquartersare located, but Islamic Stateinsurgents were still holdingpositions in the west.

“Daesh snipers are stilltargeting our troops fromsome of the high buildings.We should be able to takethem out with helicopterattacks this evening,” saidAhmed al-Yasiri, a HashidShaabi leader fighting in al-Dour. Daesh is the Arabicacronym for Islamic State.

Officials said security forcesand Shi’ite militia fightershad also captured about thirdof the village of Albu Ajilsouth of Tikrit - hometownof the executed Sunnipresident.

Some Albu Ajil residents

were accused by authoritiesand Shi’ite militia groups oftaking part in the killing ofsoldiers from the nearbySpeicher army camp whenIslamic State fightersoverran Tikrit and northernIraq last June. Shi’ite

militia fighters havedescribed the advance onAlbu Ajil as revenge for theSpeicher killings, althoughmilitia leaders say allcivilians in the SunniMuslim region will be welltreated.

Obama optimistic over U.S, Irannuclear talks

THE United States andIran have narrowed

their differences in nuclearweapons negotiations,President Barack Obamasaid in the face of arenewed Republicanwarning yesterday thatany deal will face a toughcongressional review.

“We have made progressin narrowing the gaps, butthose gaps still exist,”Obama said in an interviewon CBS News’ “Face theNation” that was recordedon Saturday and broadcaston Sunday.

He nonetheless repeatedhe was willing to walkaway from negotiations,which are scheduled toreach a framework deal inlate March, if Tehran doesnot meet Washington’sdemands.

Senate Majority LeaderMitch McConnell, aRepublican, cautioned theDemocratic president not tomake “the bad deal we allanticipate he’s going tomake”. He said Obama“cannot work aroundCongress forever”.

McConnell told CBS hewas hoping to get 67 of theSenate’s 100 members “toassert the historic role of theSenate ... in looking atmatters of this magnitude”.

Sixty-seven votes areneeded to overturn anypresidential veto oflegislation regarding anIran deal. The same numberof votes are needed forSenate ratification of treatiesnegotiated by presidentswith foreign countries.

Arguing that Iran was

“fomenting trouble” in otherMiddle Eastern countriesincluding Syria, McConnellalso warned that the Senate“cannot ignore all of theirother behavior in looking atthe potential nuclear deal.”

The negotiations with Irancenter on restricting itsability to produce weaponsgrade nuclear materialswhile allowing it to developnuclear energy.

Defending the talks,which have come underwithering criticism also fromIsraeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu,Obama told CBS:

“Iran has abided by theterms of the agreement, weknow what’s happening onthe ground in Iran, theyhave not advanced theirnuclear program, we’vebeen able to roll back their20 percent highly enricheduranium during this periodof time” of negotiations.

McConnell had plannedto debate on the Senate floorthis week a bill requiringObama to submit any dealwith Iran to Congress forapproval.

Blogger lashing: Saudirejects criticism of Badawicase

SAUDI Arabia hasexpressed “surprise

and dismay” atinternational mediareports criticising theflogging of a Saudiblogger for insultingIslam.

In its first officialstatement on the case theforeign ministry said itrejected any interferencein its internal affairs.

Raif Badawi wassentenced to 1,000 lashesand 10 years in jail lastyear. He received the first50 lashes in Januaryprompting strongcriticism of Saudi Arabia’shuman rights record.

The foreign ministrysaid it could not acceptany impingement on thecountry’s sovereignty, oron the impartiality of itsjudiciary system.

“The kingdomunequivocally rejects anyaggression under thepretext of human rights,”it added. Mr Badawi’scase has prompted

international protests and wasraised by severalgovernments.

Germany’s economic affairsminister and vice-chancellor,Sigmar Gabriel, currently ona visit to Saudi Arabia, wasurged by MPs and humanrights organisations to take upMr Badawi’s case while inRiyadh.

Before going into a meetingwith King Salman, MrGabriel said “the harshnessof this sentence, especiallythe corporal punishment, issomething unimaginable forus and of course it weighs onour relations”.

Mr Badawi’s 1,000 lasheswere scheduled to beadministered over 20 weeks.

He received his first 50lashes outside a mosque inJeddah in January, butsubsequent rounds havebeen postponed.

Mr Badawi established theLiberal Saudi Network, anow-closed online forum thatsought to encourage debateon religious and politicalmatters in 2008.

Radical Islamists face banon working with children’

BANNING radicalIslamists from

working unsupervisedwith children could beone measure includedin a new governmenta n t i - e x t r e m i s mstrategy, reports havesaid.

The Telegraph says aleaked Home Officedocument alsosuggests Sharia courtsand councils are areasof concern.

Job centre staff mayalso be told to identifyvulnerable claimantswho could becometargets forradicalisation.

Education SecretaryNicky Morgan saidshe was “concernedabout what might betaught in some of ourschools”.

The BBC

understands the documenthas yet to be signed off bythe coalition.

‘Fundamental Britishvalues’

Foreign Secretary PhilipHammond said thegovernment was“increasingly aware” of theneed to tackle extremists athome who “give succourto” terrorists.

“It isn’t just those whobreak the law bycommitting acts ofviolence,” he told theBBC’s Andrew Marr show.

The new governmentstrategy on tacklingextremism has beenworking its way throughWhitehall for some time.

The document reportedlyproposes a number of newmeasures, includingtightening the rules oncitizenship to make surenew residents embrace

Russia charges killers ofNemtsov

R U S S I A Nauthorities said

yesterday they wereholding five men overthe killing of Kremlincritic Boris Nemtsov,one of whom served ina police unit in theRussian region ofChechnya, accor-dingto a law enforce-mentofficial.

The five men werefrogmarched into aMoscow courtroom onSunday, forced bymasked security officersgripping their boundarms to walk doubledover, a Reuters reporterat the court said. Theystood in metal cages inthe courtroom astelevision crews wereushered in to film them.

A judge ruled that all fiveshould be held in custodyand said that one of them,Zaur Dadayev, had admittedhis involvement in thekilling when questioned byinvestigators.

Dadayev served for adecade in the “Sever” policebattalion, part of the interiorministry in Chechnya,Russian news agenciesreported. They cited AlbertBarakhayev, a seniorsecurity official in theneighboring region ofIngushetia, where several ofthe men were detained.

Nemtsov was shot dead onthe night of Feb. 27 withinsight of the Kremlin walls,in the most high-profilekilling of an oppositionfigure in the 15 years thatPresident Vladimir Putin hasbeen in office.

•Obama

CMYK

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 9 , 2015 —57

U.N expresses disappointment overfailure of S/Sudan peace talks

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-

moon at the weekendexpressed deepdisappointment aftertroubled talks to end morethan a year of bloodshed inSouth Sudan broke offwithout a deal a day earlier.

Friday’s adjournmentwas the latest impasse innegotiations over theworld’s youngest country,where a political rowbetween President SalvaKiir and his sacked deputyRiek Machar triggered aconflict that has killed more

than 10,000 people.“(Ban) expresses his

profound disappointmentfollowing the unsuccessfulconclusion of the (EastAfrican bloc) IGAD-ledpeace talks and the failureof President Salva Kiir andformer Vice President RiekMachar to displaystatesmanship and reach anagreement on power-sharing,” the U.N. pressoffice said.

The U.N. statement saidBan “recalls” the SecurityCouncil’s newly established

sanctions regime, though itdid not explicitly call foranyone to be sanctioned.

It added that Banappealed for a resumptionof the peace talks, notingthat “he strongly urges bothparties to refrain from anyattempt to escalate theconflict.”

U.S. State Departmentdeputy spokeswomanMarie Harf on Fridayissued a sharp rebuke toKiir and Machar for notreaching an agreement.

Mbeki urges African leaders to Invest inICT infrastructure

By Emeka Aginam, justback from Barcelona,

Spain

FORMER SouthAfrican President,

Thabo Mbeki has urgedAfrican governments toinvest more in InformationTechnology Infrastructureto resolve toughestproblems like health,governance, education,traffic, among otherscurrently facing thecontinent.

This is even as the GSMAssociation (GSMA) hasestimated that there aremore than half a billionmobile connections on theAfrican continent.

Mbeki who spoke at theEricsson African Night atthe just concluded 2015Mobile World Congressheld in Barcelona, Spainsaid that increased use ofmobile technology hasalready benefited severalsectors in the continentespecially education andhealth.

The former South AfricanPresident also highlightedon the African Renaissanceconcept on how bestAfrican people and nationsshall overcome the currentchallenges confronting thecontinent and achievecultural, scientific, and

economic renewal.He told the gathering

comprising of telecomsoperators, African leadersin the ICT ecosystem,including Airtel, MTN,Unitel and Millicom andinternational TechnologyReporters that Africa mustleverage on ICT tools to facethe challenge of the 21stcentury and attain digitaleconomy. Apart from foreigninterventions, Mbeki wasoptimism that use of mobilecan a long way in resolvingcurrent issues facing thecontinent. Acknowledgingthat weak IT infrastructureremains a challenge, he saidthat “Africa has come a longway. We cannot continue like

this. Mobile technology hasenormous impact in our lives.We must invest in it. We mustembrace it more. Mobiletechnology has intervenedand is an important enablerto help the continentrespond to local challengeslike health, education, traffic,agriculture, among others”,he explained.

He said that use of mobiletechnologies can help Africaachieve financial inclusionand also help rural farmersto check weather conditionand cost of farm products.

The African night washosted by Ericsson with thefocus on the development ofthe telecoms industry inAfrica.

Rocket attack hits KidalUN base in northern Mali

A ROCKET attack ona United Nations base

in northern Mali has killedthree people and woundedat least 12 others.

A peacekeeper died whenabout 30 rockets struck thebase in the desert town ofKidal, said the UN mission.

Some rockets missed theirtarget, killing two civilians.It is not clear who carried outthe attack. Islamist militantsare active in the area.

Meanwhile an al-Qaeda-

linked group said it carriedout an attack in the capitalwhich killed five people onSaturday. Al-Murabitoun, anIslamist group led byAlgerian militant MokhtarBelmokhtar, said the attackon a bar in Bamako was a“revenge operation” againstthe “infidel West”.

A gunman opened fire atLa Terrasse bar, killing aFrench national, a Belgiansecurity official working forthe EU and three Malians.

•UN Secretary-Generals

CMYK

L E I S U R ETHOUGHT FOR TODAY

VIRGINIA

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman

[email protected]

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” By Lanre Kehinde

HOME & ABROAD By Lawrence Akapa

By Richard Eromosele

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGSend ySend ySend ySend ySend your datour datour datour datour date and place of bire and place of bire and place of bire and place of bire and place of bir th tth tth tth tth to the Aso the Aso the Aso the Aso the Astrtrtrtrtrologicalologicalologicalologicalological

Counselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, P.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 100000000007, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos

YOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

58 — V58 — V58 — V58 — V58 — Vanguard, MONDanguard, MONDanguard, MONDanguard, MONDanguard, MONDAAAAAYYYYY, , , , , MARCH 9,MARCH 9,MARCH 9,MARCH 9,MARCH 9, 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015

CANCER; Here is a day when things are meant togo according to your plans and record success. Yong-at-heart may be in for a romantic day. You just haveto take the initiative.

LEO; This is your day; although there will be somechallenges within your base of operation, eventualsuccess will be yours. Be more family minded.

VIRGO; Even if friends have failed to live up toexpectation in the recent days you will need to leavethe past behind you and forge ahead. Lovers are fairlyfavoured.

LIBRA; Recent challenges notwithstanding pleasantsurprises are possible. The more financially ambitiousyou are today the better for your cause.

SCORPIO; Better opportunities indicated for thoseof you willing to be as self assertive as possible, andit could turn out to be a happy day to be rememberedby real lovers.

SAGITTARIUS; Although you will need to keep yoursecrets for the next few days that is not to say youshould not pursue your financial interest. Take careof your health.

CAPRICORN; Don’t wait till tomorrow before youmake an important move because good luck andsuccess are closer to you today than you image. Behopeful.

AQUARIUS; Tomorrow will prove more rewardingfinancially but you will have good opportunity to dothings rightly within your working arena. Be loving.

PISCES; Some of you who are travelling purposelyfor love are in for rewarding day. All of you will needto take your social life more seriously.

ARIES; Professional advice may be needed over yourfinances but if you are sure of what you are doingyou can go ahead. Be more family minded;

TAURUS; Unusual co-operation may come your waytoday but if you are carried away by this the wholething may change tomorrow. Respect your spouse.

GEMINI; Better than yesterday. Happenings withinyour working arena will not give you cause to worrybut situation may change tomorrow. Your finance arefavoured.

What’s my birthday ruler?

According to the date I was born I should be a Libran bymy star but most of the time when I read horoscopeswritten by both yourself and foreign Astrologers Scorpioalways applicable to me, why?

Kindly tell me how the planets lined up when I was bornand the day of the week I was born but don=t publish mydate of birth.

Ndubuisi, Delta.

Dear Ndubuisi,You were born on a Sunday meaning that mighty Sun

rules your birthday. You were wrong to have taken Libraas your Sun sign because the Sun was placed in earlydegree of Scorpio together with many other heavenlybodies. Then with the Moon in Libra when you were bornwill equally be influential in your characteristics buildup but, you are mainly a Scorpio born person.

You are both an intelligent and emotional person. Andas there was no planet at home when you were born, toomany ideas will always struggle for prominent place inyour mind, thus decision making is difficult but mosttimes, your intelligence comes to the rescue.

Certainly, you appear to other as a gentle person whocan be mistaken for soft fellow but your inner-self is thepersonality with a steel like will power.

You are the consistent type who may find it difficult tochange once you have made up your mind as indicatedby distribution of the planets as written out in paragraphtwo of this exercise.

One major challenge you have been battling for a verylong time is constant worries, some times, necessarilyand the other time, uncalled for, as indicated byconjunction Mercury and Saturn formed when you wereborn.

Placement of your natal Sun (basic self head) and Moon(your sub-conscious self) in Scorpio and Libra respectivelyare indications of your being mainly Scorpio born personand partly in Libran. And that is to say basiccharacteristics of both Scorpio and Libra are highlypronounced in you.

Then, you are spiritually gifted; if you don’t develop it isanother thing.

This Is Your YearIN auditing there

is no sentimentattached. It is avery seriousbusiness. It isaimed atdiagnosing anddetecting the

shortcomings of abusiness. Ditto withyour life. It is evenmuch more seriouswith your life. Nowthere is somethingyou have been

holding on tothough you know isnot working, youhave stubbornlyrefused to let go,there is something

in your life who is adrain pipe and youwon’t jettison sucha person, there issomething youhave been doingthough not yieldingpositive result youhave kept doing itover the year.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015 —59

CMYK

A member of thecommittee, SenatorHeineken Lokpobiri, hadduring the budgetdefence session betweenthe Committee and theMinistry of Sports,asked the Minister whythe Ministry and theNigeria FootballFederation (NFF), werestill bent in appointingKeshi as National Coachdespite his failure toqualify the SuperEagles for the lastNation’s Cup, a similarfailure that led to thesack of Samson Siasiaand other coaches whofailed with the nationalteam years back.

Danagogo in hisresponse to the questionsaid “the search forChief coach of theNational team was notrestricted to Keshi alonebut at the moment, heseems to be the onebeing focused upon byNFF which in fact, hasled to a fresh contractoffer to him but that didnot in any way suggestthat Keshi wasindispensable.

“Appointing a ChiefCoach for the nationalteam is strictly atechnical matter thatshould be looked at onempirical basis andwhich is directly underthe purview of the NFFexpected to make thebest use of technical staffat its disposal to carryout the exercise.

“Although for now, it isKeshi that has beenpicked by them but thewindows of scouting for

Senatorsthe best are still there forthem to explore whichare not restricted toKeshi”

Responding to arelated question, theNFF President, AmajuPinnick, denied therumour making therounds that Keshi hadrejected the freshcontract offered him bydeclaring that there wasno written letter fromKeshi to NFF to thateffect.

He Said: “For now, asfar as the NFF isconcerned, Keshi is theChief Coach of the SuperEagles based on thefresh appointment weoffered him to that effectwhich he has notrejected as wronglyreported in the media.

“C o r r e s p o n d e n c eshould not be hear-say,it should be betweenemployer and employee.As the employer ofKeshi, NFF has notreceived any letter fromhim rejecting the newappointment offered himand on the basis of that,NFF strongly believesthat he had accepted theoffer and will resumework very soon in viewof the seriousengagements ahead ofthe Super Eagles, one ofwhich is theinternational friendlymatch with the SouthAfrican national teamcoming up on the 29thof this month ,preparatory to Nation’sCup and World Cupqualifiers coming upmonths ahead”.

He explained that the

fresh appointmentoffered Keshi is largelybased upon the templateof the former, whichgives him N5million asmonthly basic salary,official residence here inAbuja and some otherentitlements in form ofattractive allowances.

The committee,however, took up boththe Minister of Sportsand the Director Generalof the National SportsCommission (NSC),Gbenga Elegbeleye overillegal construction ofabout 140 shops insidethe premises of theAhmadu Bello stadiumin Kaduna, adevelopment that iscontrary to Stadiummanagement practicesall over the world.

The argument ofElegbeleye whodescribed the shopsconstruction as legal,having been wronglyapproved by NSC butabnormal, beingagainst stadiummanagement practicesacross the world , didnot go down well withthe committee members.

One of them, SenatorAbdulkadir Jajere saidsince the project wascontrary to stadiummanagement practicesworldwide, it cannot besaid to be legal in anysense.

But the Chairman ofthe committee, SenatorAdamu Gumba ruledthat the committeeshould have a closesession with the sportsadministrators over thematter.

Continues from BP

ahead inside the firstminute throughIbenegbu Ikechukwu’sclever ball after beingteed up by Abu Azeez.

Emmanuel missed aheader at the far postthat would have putNigeria 2-0 up as theBeach Eagles swoonedover the South Africans.

Goalkeeper Oladepomade two brilliant savesfrom Fanni as SouthAfrica tried to claw theirway back into the gamebut were soon undone asAbu Azeez beat twodefenders to slot homeand make it 2-0 to theSand Eagles.

South Africa pulledone back throughNdlovu who scoredstraight from a cornerkick to peg it at 2-1.

The second periodstarted with South Africaequalising throughPower again for hissecond of the game butAbu Azeez notched hissixth of the tournamentand Nigeria’s third witha turn and shot to restorethe lead to 3-2.

Nigeria got a penaltyafter Fanni fouled AbuAzeez but the WarriWolves man missed thespot kick as the SouthAfrican goalkeepersaved his kick.

Ndlovu got SouthAfrica back into thegame with a well takenshot to beat Olalekan tomake it 3-3 in a veryinteresting secondperiod.

Azeez got Nigeriaback into the lead again

just before the end of thesecond period with asnap shot which restedin the back of the net asthe second period endedwith Nigeria leading 4-3.

Ibenegbu cracked theupright at the start of thethird and final period asAbu Azeez tested theSouth Africa goalkeeperwith a fierce volleybefore Victor Tale’s freekick gave Nigeria a twogoal cushion.

Abu Azeez’s goalmade it 6-3 with fourminutes left in the thirdperiod as the SandEagles began toascertain theirsupremacy late on in thegame. An own goal bySouth African captainNester made it 7-3 forNigeria.

SandContinues from BP

the world pressconference thatannounced the friendlyin Johannesburg onFriday, stated clearlythat Nigeria now wantsto win every match.

“It is a friendly match,but Nigeria wants to winall games, whetherfriendly or competitive.The Bafana Bafanaplayed a big role in theEagles not qualifying togo to Equatorial Guineato defend their Africantitle, at the last AfricaCup of Nations, and I

Eaglesdon’t think the SuperEagles have forgottenthat.

“Anytime any of ourteams turns out wearingthe national colours,they have to fight hardfor every ball. That is thepolicy of the new NFFadministration.”

Nigeria and SouthAfrica clash at theMbombela Stadium,Nelspruit on Sunday,March 29 in what is seenas a big battle, withSouth African football

suddenly gaining inconfidence whenplaying Nigeria.

Nigeria held a nooseover South Africa fordecades, but recently,the Super Eagles failedto defeat South Africa ina Cup of Nationsqualifying fixture (0-0 inCape Town and 2-2 inUyo), meaning failure toreach the finals, andSouth Africa’s U-17boys, Amajimbos,pipped the GoldenEaglets to a place in thefinal at the African U-17Championship in NigerRepublic last month.

Continues from BP

later in the samemanner.

He beat goalkeeperSeydou Sy to the ballbefore wrong footing adefender and netting hissecond goal of the night.

Sidy Sarr capitalisedon a mix up in the 18-yard area, beforeslotting a low shot pastJoshua Enaholo, whowas outstanding for the

Nigerian side.Attacking midfielder

Ifeanyi Matthew addeda third late in the firsthalf for Manu Garba’steam.

Nigeria’s next matchwill be against Congo on11th March at the StadeLeopold Senghor.

The final Group Amatch will be againstIvory Coast on 14thMarch at the StadeCaroline Faye.

AYCContinues from BP

By Solomon Nwoke

AS the controversyinvolving the

Nigeria FootballFederation (NFF) andout of contract SuperEagles coach StephenKeshi over the renewal ofthe latter’s contract rageson, former assistant coachof the Super Eagles, JoeErico and Crown FC ofOgbomosho Coach,Godfrey Esu have urgedKeshi to throw in thetowel if he’s not happywith the terms of contract.

Last week, Keshiacknowledged receipt ofa new contract from theNFF and was howeverangry with its contentsand subsequentlydescribed it as a ‘slavecontract’.

The Big Boss wasunhappy with severalclauses inserted in thedeal and duly went on tovoice his sentiments.

It is still not clear ifKeshi will accept the dealor whether the NFF

Leave Eagles alone, Erico, Esu advise Keshiwould seek an alternativecoach for the SuperEagles.

The seeming impassebetween the NFF andKeshi has predictablydivided public opinionbut former national teamkeeper, Erico and Esuwant the matter settledamicably to move thenational team forward.

Both coaches spokedifferently to SportsVanguard on the rancoursurrounding the Eaglescoaching job, but jibed theNFF and advised Keshi

to come out with adecision after taking adeep look into thecontract terms.

Said Erico “It’s quitedisheartening thescenario surroundingKeshi’s contract with NFFbecause, I think

the new NFF took a veryharsh and wrong step atthe very initial stage astheir first pronouncementwas to sack Keshi. I don’tknow what they had at theback of their minds andit’s backfiring now. Butwith the rancour

surrounding his contract,Keshi should take a deeplook into the wholescenario and make up hismind.

In his opinion, CoachEsu summed it up, “themanner NFF treatedKeshi was not right. If wecould give a foreigner(Clemence Westerhof)four years to coach ournational team, then Keshideserves a good measure,but if what he is offeredis not okay by him, heshould walk away”, saidEsu.

SHOLA Ameobi hasstarted planning for

a career outside theEnglish Premiership,with his deal with CrystalPalace set to run out in thenext three months.

The Daily Star claimsthe Nigeria internationalcould be heading to thethe United States if theLondoners do not extendhis contract in the

Ameobi ponders MLS movesummer.

Shola Ameobi returnedto the EPL in the Januarytransfer window after abrief stint in Turkey withsecond - tier GaziantepBB.

Since his debut forCrystal Palace againstArsenal on February 21,he has made threeappearances assubstitute.

It is assumed that theexperienced strikerrejected a move to theMLS before agreeingterms with The Eagles.

•Ameobi

•Keshi


CMYK

Lagos ITTF World Tour: Draws hold asEgyptian contingent arrive

THE draws for theInternational

Table Tennis Federation(ITTF) World Tour, LagosOpen hold today as 12-man Egyptian contingentarrive in Lagos.

According to thetournament director,Olaranti Lajide, the allplayers and teams areexpected to be present atthe draw holding at theTeslim Balogun Stadiumwith the matches in thepreliminary expected toserve off on TuesdayMatch 10.

“The appointed officialfrom ITTF have all arriveson Sunday for the event asthere will be short briefingfor all the officiating officialsand this will be followed bythe draw and this willdetermine how thematches will be playedfrom the preliminary stage.Unlike in the

previous editions, whereplayers compete in fourevents, this year, six events– singles (men andwomen), doubles (menand women) and U-21singles (boys and girls) willbe jostled for at the five-day tournament with aprize money of $46,000,”he said.

Lajide also disclosedthat all the participatingteams and players areexpected to arrive onMonday while theEgyptian team led byOmar Assar will also arrivein Lagos as well. “Some ofthe European players havearrived and we areexpecting everybody inLagos latest by Monday,”

Arsenal ‘ll attack Man U—WengerARSENE Wenger has

no intention of tellinghis Arsenal team to defenddeep in Monday’s FA Cupquarter-final tie atManchester United.

Arsenal have climbed tothird in the PremierLeague after a run of sevenvictories in their past eightmatches.That run included a fine 2-0 success at championsManchester City inJanuary, a match in whichArsenal drew plaudits fora strong defensive showingand a masterclass incounter-attacking football.While some punditsbelieve similar tactics couldput holders Arsenal into thesemi-finals, Wenger wantshis team to play on the frontfoot at Old Trafford.“At Manchester City, wescored the first goal, thenwe were on a defensivefoot because they had tocome out, and that [whoscores first on Monday] isnot predictable,” he said.“But what is for sure is bothteams will go for it, so thatmeans we will have toattack well and defendwell.“You have to analyse it. Youalso have to look at waysof possession - is it in yourown half or is it in theopponents half? If it is inyour half, it can be a bitillusionary possession.“I still think possession isan important part of thegame - you cannot go intoa game and say you do notwant the ball.

Ihonvbere, others back Ilaboya-led EdoFA to succeed

SECRETARY to theEdo State

Government, Prof JuliusIhonvbere and the state’sCommissioner for Sports,Priesley Ediagbonya, hasbacked the newly-electedmembers of the state FA tomove football in Edo to thenext level.

Ihonvbere stated this onFriday in Benin City, whenthe executive members ofthe Edo FA, led by theirchairman, Frank Ilaboya,paid him a courtesy visit inhis office.

Ilaboya, who introducedhis board members toIhonvbere, thanked the

SSG for his support duringthe election. The respectedsports journalist alsosolicited for the cooperationof Ihonvbere “in ouractivities, particularly onthe promotion of InsuranceFC to the PremierLeague.”

Standard Chartered ‘Road toAnfield 2015’ excites Aderugbo

•As Super Seven fly Nigeria colours

SUPER Seven FChave won this

year’s Standard CharteredBank five-a-sidetournament tagged ‘Roadto Anfield’ which endedyesterday at the Astro Turfplay ground, Lekki, Lagos.

Super Seven teamdefeated Dobber FC 6-5 viapenalty shootout afterplaying out a goallessdraw at full time. And bytheir victory, the teamwould now representNigeria at the regionalcircuit where they wouldplay against Ghana andGambia this week inGhana. The eventualwinner will represent theWest African regionagainst countries fromEast and Southern Africanregions in the final atAnfield. The ‘StandardChartered Trophy’ is aninternational 5-a-side

football tournamentorganized by the Bank inpartnership with LiverpoolFC that offers football fansa once in a life time ‘MoneyCan’t Buy’ opportunity ofplaying at an EnglishPremier League footballpitch..

Standard Chartered’sglobal footprints willcompete for the ultimatetrophy on the 7 & 8th May2015. The winners of the‘Finals’ will be crownedOverall Champions of‘Standard CharteredTrophy 2015’.

Speaking at the end ofthe national final Sunday,Country Head CorporateAffairs, StandardChartered Bank, Nigeria,Dayo Aderugbo wasexcited at the level ofperformance of the playersand the huge turnout ofspectators.

Sportsministerlauds Koreaover supportfortaekwondo

FOR their imme-nse support in the lastfew years, the Minster ofS p o r t s /Chairman, NationalSports Commission(NSC), TammyDanagogo hascommended thegovernment and peopleof Korea Republic overthe development oftaekwondo in Nigeria.

In a letter signed bythe minister andaddressed to theAmbassador, Republic ofKorea, it stated that theperformance of TeamNigeria in majorcompetitions has beenoutstanding, addingthat this became possiblewith the continuedsupport of the KoreaGovern-ment.

“We hereby write toconvey the profoundgratitude of NSC andindeed taekwondolovers in Nigeria foryour unequaled supportto the NigeriaTaekwondo Federation(NTF) under theleadership of Mr.George Ashiru.

•Man U forward Robin van Persie (m) is surrounded by Arsenal defendersin a previous clash.

FOCUSED...Nigeria's Table Tennis Star, Aruna Quadri returns a serve.


CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015— 63

CMYK

Musa tops Russia goalschart

Aminu, Ofoedu score inTurkeyNIGERIA U-23 ace

Umar Aminu wasamong the goals as hisTurkish second divisionteam Osmalisporthrashed Giresunspor 4-0 on Sunday.

Osmanlispor are third on the league table with41 points in 23 games

The former Samsunsporstriker scored his side’ssecond goal in the 61st minute.

He has now scoredthree goals in the leaguefor his new side, bringinghis total in the league forthis season to four havingscored one forSamsunspor.

Compatriot DavidAbwo was in action forGiresunspor.

In a related vein,Nigerian strikerChikeluba Ofoedu wasthe match winner forSamsunspor as they beatAntalyaspor 2-1 onSunday.

Samsunspor are sixth

on the league table with36 points in 23 games.

The former Rangersstriker scores the winnerin the 82nd minute.

He has now scored four

Taraba secure slim home winover Rangers

Five minutesafter the hourmark Tarabatook the gameaway fromEnugu Rangerswith their thirdgoal of thegame courtesyNura Ahmedwho came in asa substitute.

R a n g e r sresponded togoing two goalsbehind bybringing inSamuel Agbaand the powerp l a y i n gforward tookjust 16 minuteto make hismark in thegame scoringhis side secondgoal to bringscores to 3-2.

Agba almostsnatched a

NIGERIA internationalA h m e d

Musa is now theleading scorer in theRussian league after hisbrace helped CSKAMoscow beat TerekGrozny 2-1 onSaturday.

Ahmed Musa nowhas nine goals underhis belt ahead ofteammate BibrasNatcho and Hulk ofZenit, who eachhave eight goals.

Ahmed Musa’sdouble was agreat way to therestart theR u s s i a nP r e m i e rleague andhe toldAfricanFootball.comboth goalsare for hisw i f eJ e m i l aand sonMusa.

He saidt h e ydeserve itas theyhave beenthere for him.

“I dedicate mygoals against TerekGrozny to my lovely wife,Jemila and son. Theydeserve the honourbecause they have been

IN the first game ofthe new NPFL

season, Taraba FCsurvived a late scare totriumph 3-2 overvisiting Enugu Rangerson Sunday afternoon.

Bobby Abel gaveTaraba an early lead butEnugu Rangers’Senegalese import PeterColy leveled things upfor his side to send theteams into the halftimebreak level at 1-1.

Taraba, buoyed on bytheir home fans,thronged forward insearch of the lead and aminute after resumptiona penalty was awardedin their favour.

Okey Odita guilty ofcommitting the foul thatlead to the penaltyprotested his innocenceto no avail andAbdulmalik Mohammedblasted his spot-kickinto the net to giveTaraba a 2-1 lead.

point for his side but a superbsave at the death from Tarabagoalkeeper, Ikechukwu Obilor,helped the home side pick up allthree points in their first game ofthe season.

Yakubu's brace sinks 3SC

Frimpong nodded home theequaliser in the 75th minute. Bayelsa Unitedcaptain Salomon Junior wassent off in the 90th minutefor pushing an opponentinside the Lobi box.

there for me always. Theyare source of inspiration andencouragement to me,”Ahmed Musa toldAfricanFootball.com

He put his side ahead onthe stroke of half-timefollowing a deflection byattacking midfielder AlanDzagoev.

Terek Grozny forward IgorLebedenko got the equaliserjust past the hour-mark, with

the Nigerian wingerscoring the winner in

the 76th minute after

a great solo effort by MarioFernandez.

CSKA Moscow are second onthe log after matchday 18, sevenpoints away from leaders Zenit

Saint-Petersburg.

Obioma Arinze scored.Lobi new boy Uche

Ihuerulam fails to scoresagainst his former team onthe hour mark.

Respite came for BayelsaUnited when Eric

WIKKI Tourists defeated fellow promoted side 3SC 2-0 in their

first game of the season in Bauchi onSunday.Former JUTH FC forward Victor Yakubu

gave the hosts Wikki Tourists the lead inthe sixth minute with a superb header toscore the first goal of the 2014/2015 season.

Yakubu completed a brace as he scored

goals in colours ofSamsunspor. His totalhaul this season is sevengoals having scored threegoals for Karsiyaka.

from the penalty spot in the56th minute to give Wikki2-0 lead.

Bayelsa United forcedvisiting Lobi Stars to a 1-1draw in their first leaguegame in Benin on Sunday.

Coach Justin Tenger-ledside took the fight toBayelsa United and wererewarded with the lead inthe 43rd minute when

El-Kanemi off to a winning start

EL-KANEMI Warriors picked up a slim 1-0 win overvisiting Nasarawa United in Kano to start their Glo

NPFL campaign on a winning note.Playing with about 65 percent of their players from last

season, El-Kanemi dominated the early proceedings withSunday Adeniji forcing Nasarawa goalkeeper, Dami Paul,into two fantastic saves.

They finally got the breakthrough five minutes fromthe half time break when Abraham Audu’s left footedstrike nestled into the net of Nassarawa leaving Paul withno chance. The second half saw a much more balanceddisplay as both teams cancelled out themselves althoughnone was able to create any clear cut chance.

However, El-Kanemi appeared the most likely to scorethe second goal of the game as the lively Sunday Adetunjiwas causing the Nasarawa backline all sort of troubles.

Nasarawa United failed to put up any form of resistanceto the free flowing passes of El-Kanemi Warriors whoincreased the pressure on the visitors as the gameprogresses.

•Uche

•Ahmed Musa•Emeteole

•TUSSLE...Umar Aminu (r) vies with an opponent

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 01-4544821; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Advert:[email protected]

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

How to Play Sudoku

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line canhave two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (alsonine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within abold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1through 9. This means that no number can appear twicein any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, divisionor multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

FRIFRIFRIFRIFRIDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSTODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLE

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

QUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORD

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

CMYK

ACROSS:1 Initial (5)5 Relish (6)8 Giant (5)10 Carrier (6)11 Detail (4)14 Corsair (6)15 Devilish (7)18 Through (3)19 Fruit (3)21 Adroit (4)23 Revolt (5)24 Gather (4)27 Colour (3)29 Owns (3)31 Remote (7)32 Flower (6)34 Cab (4)35 Harmony (6)38 Skinflint (5)39 Breakwater (6)40 Cogs (5)

DOWN:2 Wrath (3)3 Current (6)4 Fasten (3)5 Cut (4)6 Swerved (6)7 Spurn (6)9 Coach (7)12 Gratuity (3)13 Horse (4)16 Atmosphere (4)17 Diced (5)20 Boring (7)22 Cringe (4)24 Touching (6)25 Attempt (4)26 Wages (6)28 Dress (6)30 Gender (3)33 Season (4)36 Entrap (3)37 Abroad (3)

ACROSS: 1, Assist 5, Spot 8, Piste 9, Car10, Lees 11, Earl 12, Appal 13, Supper 16,Deer 18, Edam 20, Yes 22, Was 23, Rep 24,Made 25, Area 28, Draper 30, Grade 32,Idle 33, Iris 34, Top 35, Atone 36, Side 37,Inched.

DOWN: 1, Accuse 2, Scrapped 3, Solved 4,Dispersed 5, Steamer 6, Peal 7, Tell 8, Pea 14,Rewarding 15, Cap 17, Ear 19, Despatch 20,Yap 21, Secrete 26, Arisen 27, Groped 29, Miss30, Glad 31, Ere

Bayelsa 1 Lobi 1Enyimba 0 Akwa 0Taraba 3 Rangers 2Sharks 0 Sunshine 0Gabros 2 Wolves 0Giwa 0 Abia 0Dolphins 0 Kwara 0El-kanemi 1 Nasarawa 0Wikki 1 3SC 0Heartland vs Pillars (PP)

NPL Results

Senators drill Ministerover Keshi •Danagogo confesses “Keshi

is not indispensable’’

•Senator Lokpobiri

By JohnboscoAgbakwuru, Abuja

AS the NigeriaF o o t b a l l

Federation expects aresponse from CoachStephen Keshi over afresh contract offeredhim to continue as SuperEagles coach, the SportsMinister, TammyDanagogo, has declaredthat Keshi is notindispensable.

The Minister made thedeclaration in Abujawhile responding toquestions from membersof the SenateCommittee on Sports asregards theindispensability orotherwise of Keshi asthe Chief coach of theNigerian National team(the Super Eagles),against the backdrop ofhis alleged rejection ofthe fresh contract.

•Keshi

Continues on Page 59

NIGERIA openedits African Youth

C h a m p i o n s h i pcampaign on a positivenote as Taiwo Awoniyiscored twice in a 3-1win over hosts Senegalat the Stade Leopold

AYC: F/Eagles beat Senegal 3-1Senghor last night.

Awoniyi got the FlyingEagles off to a perfectstart, breaking thedeadlock against theYoung Lions in the tenthminute after benefittingfrom a long pass from


•Awoniyi

the back.The striker doubled the

advantage three minutes

NIGERIA’S SandEagles have won

the third place game atthe Power House BeachSoccer Challenge inDurban, South Africaafter beating the hosts 9-3 in the classificationgame on yesterday.

Nigeria had lost 6-5 toSenegal in the secondsemi-final on Saturdaywhile the Ivory Coast

Sand Eagles thump S/Africa to claim bronze

beat SouthAfrica 9-1 toadvance andset the twosides for thethird placematch.

The SandEagles went

Continues onPage 59

•Ibenegbu

THE build –up forthis month’s

international friendlybetween Nigeria andSouth Africa has

Eagles won’t be in Nelspruit for picnic— Akinwunmi

continued to pan outnicely after NFF 1stVice President SeyiAkinwunmi assuredthat the Super Eagles

will not treat the gamewith velvet gloves.Akinwunmi, who was at


BATTLE AGAINST BOKOHARAM:Chad,Niger launch air,ground strikes in Nigeria

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Transcript of BATTLE AGAINST BOKOHARAM:Chad,Niger launch air,ground strikes in Nigeria