...towards a better life for the people

N150VOL. 25: NO. 62612

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015**

EFCC, ICPC, othersbungle crime cases—CJN

•Says over 200-count charges not helpful•No need to join issues with him, says EFCC•CBN seeks special court on e-fraud

COLUMNISTS:

•P.19 •P.20

Continues on Page 5

Amongstambassadors andintellectuals

Rebuilding the NorthEast together

Customers set tofight CBN, banksover BVN

CMYK

By EmmaNnadozie &

Ikechukwu Nnochiri

I won't stop talkingof corruption duringJonathan's govt— BUHARI

Buhari'sstatement oneconomychasing awayinvestors— PDP

ABUJA— THE ChiefJustice of Nigeria,

CJN, Justice MahmudMohammed, hasrevealed why anti-graftagencies in the countryoften fail to successfullyprosecute high profilecriminal cases. According to the CJN,aside the fact that theagencies conduct shoddyinvestigations beforerushing accused personsto court, in some cases,

Omeben frustratedinvestigation ofDele Giwa's death— Ray Ekpu

NNPCrecordsN59bnloss inone month

Mohammed (CJN)

9

39

Customs toaxe 400more officers

88 Emefiele,

CBN Gov

Ekpo-Nta (ICPC)Lamorde (EFCC)

Nigeriabeats Brazil

3-0.See Back Page

Mr & Mrs7

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 3

CMYK

4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

POCKET CARTOONVanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—5

IT'S UP TO YOUBY AYO ADIO

TAKE HEARTBY ELLA RANDLE

EFCC, ICPC, othersbungle crime cases—CJN

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

Continues from Page 1

THINGS will happen. You can't stop themfrom happening, but you can control

your reaction.

What we can or cannot do,what we considerpossible or impossible, is rarely a function of ourtrue capability. It is more likely a function of ourbeliefs about who we are —Tony Robbin

HOW many times have you surprised yourselfand done something you had once only hoped

to do, or done something you thought wereimpossible. No matter how much we achieve, newobstacles will present themselves, and to varyingdegrees our doubts, fears and hesitations willaccompany them. Take steps towards achieving yourdreams. Momentum happens when we begin to takeaction.

LIFE is tough but you are tougher, as long asyou never give up, you will always rise above

what life throws at you. It's up to you.

“up to 200-count chargesare brought before thecourt”, a procedurewhich he said “makesmockery of theconstitution and thelaws”.Justice Mohammed,who disclosed this whena delegation from theNigeria Electronic FraudForum, NEFF, paid hima courtesy visit weekend,insisted that problemsassociated withadjudication of criminalcases were not mainlyfrom the courts. He said:“It is in the investigation,collection of evidence,presentation of the casesand trial”.The NEFF delegation

was led by the DeputyGovernor (Operations) atthe Central Bank ofNigeria, CBN, AlhajiSuleiman Barau.Barau told a team ofSupreme Court Justicesthat received themalongside the CJN thatthe reason for their visitwas to create a synergybetween the NEFF andthe judiciary inanticipation of increasein electronic fraud.He hinged theanticipated rise in e-fraud on imminentincrease in electronicpayments in the countryfollowing the take-off of‘cash-less policy’, whichhe said already has apilot project in Lagos

State.While maintaining thatthe judiciary has beenquick to properlyposition itself to meet thechallenges posed by thedynamics of the digitalage, the CJN said:“Judiciary is like abuilder, and works withmaterials that arebrought to it.“As such, the materialsnecessary forconstruction mustmeasure up to standardin order to be applied bythe courts. "

Investigationbefore arrest

The CJN continued:“Courts cannot carry outinvestigation and oursecurity agencies mustbe encouraged to carryout investigation-ledarrest and not arrest-ledinvestigation”.The CJN stressed thatonce suspects arecharged to courts, thereshould not be too manycounts of offences(charges), stressing thatfor anti-graft agencies tosuccessfully nailaccused persons, theymust, at least, call awitness or more on eachcount in the charge.“In some cases up to 200count charge are broughtbefore the court which isa waste of court’s timeand makes mockery ofthe constitution and thelaws”, he added.The CJN told thedelegation that mostSuperior Courts in thecountry, including the

Supreme Court, haveenacted PracticeDirections on SeriousCrimes like MoneyLaundering and Fraud,saying the aim is to fasttrack the adjudication ofcases and ensure speedytrial of accused persons.He said that thejudiciary, as a matter ofprinciple, gives priorityto fraud or criminalcases, especially thosebrought on appeal to theSupreme Court and theCourt of Appeal.“I wish to assure theForum that the Judiciarywill stand with theBankers' Committee inproviding an effectivesolution to electronicfraud and other ancillaryissues.“Indeed, it is our hopethat soon Nigeria willbecome a majordestination for themovement of capital andinvestment”, the CJNadded

CJN entitled tohis opinion— EFCC

Reacting to thecomments by the CJN,EFCC spokesman,Wilson Uwajaren said:“The Chief Justice isentitled to his opinionand I would not want tojoin issues with him.However, I am yet to finda single EFCC case thatwas thrown out becauseof shoddy investigation.Neither has any judgethrown out any of the

Commission’s casesbecause of the length ofthe charge.”Earlier, the CBN deputygovernor requested forthe setting up ofdedicated courts that willspecifically adjudicateon Banking and financialmatters.He expressed thereadiness of the apexbank to contributetowards deepeningcapacity of judges thatwould preside over thespecial courts.He said: “Given theimportance of providingsecure payment systems,whilst ensuring publicconfidence in electronicmeans of payment, therole of proactive fraudmanagement could notbe overemphasized.“It was in this contextand leveraging onlessons learned frompast experience (e.g.ATM magnetic stripecard frauds) that theNigeria e-Fraud Forumwas established”.

Barau disclosed that thePayment System industrylosses have grown toover N4billion, asituation he said gavecredence to the fact thate-fraud has become anindustry of its own.He told the SupremeCourt Justices that theForum, havingrecognised the role ofthe Judiciary as strategicpartners in stemming e-fraud, decided to seek itscollaboration.Whereas the CJN wasaccompanied by JusticesWalter Onnoghen andClara Bata Ogunbiyi toreceive the team, thoseon the bankingdelegation led by theCBN deputy governorwere Mr. Dipo Fatokun,Mrs. Tokunbo Martins,Mr. Amusa Ogundana,Biyi Dosumu, Mr.B.H.Ibrahim who are allfrom the CBN, as well asMr. David Isiawe fromUnion Bank of NigeriaPLC.

MTN bows, to pay N1.04trillion fine slammed by NCC

By Emeka Aginam

LAGOS—MOBILEtelecoms operator,

MTN that was ordered topay a fine of N1.04 trillionby the industry regulatoryauthority, NigerianC o m m u n i c a t i o n sCommission for violatingits directive on SIM hasaccepted to pay the fineeven as it pleaded forstaggered payment.

This followed series ofmeetings held betweenMTN management teamfrom South Africa andNigeria, led by the VicePresident, Prof. YemiOsinbajo.

The telecoms operatorwhich has largestsubscriber base inNigeria, it was gathered,may have agreed to paythe fine to sustain theinterest of its telecomsbusiness.

Industry sources, whoconfirmed the new

arrangement, disclosedthat the federalgovernment is alreadyyielding to the plea whichwas part of the agreementreached at the series ofmeetings held at theweekend in Nigeria.

“There have been seriesof meetings at thePresidency between VicePresident Osinbajo andMTN team. MTN wanteda waiver considering theirlevel of investments in thecountry, but governmentdid not buy the idea ofwaiver. Instead, I thinkthere will be concession,but certainly not a waiver.

"At the conclusion of themeeting, the MTN teamnegotiated on how tostagger the payment. ThePresidency is even angrybecause MTN was asignatory to theregulation, but they werefailing to comply withrules”, the source added.

It will be recalled that

NCC had said that MTNwould not escape the fine,owing to the enormity ofits implication to nationalsecurity.

Although NCC hadhinted that the issue wasbeing handled by thefederal government, thetelecoms authority alsonoted that MTN wouldrisk withdrawal of itslicence if it fails to complywith the fine.

NCC said:"It hadconsistently engagedMobile NetworkOperators, (MNOs) tostrictly adhere to theregulations and itsbusiness rules in theregistration of theirsubscribers.

"Following severalengagements, theCommission hadconfirmed various casesof violations of theregulations andsanctioned themappropriately."

TEXT TITAN—From left: Chris Parkes, Chairman, CPMS; Lilian Olubi,CEO, Primera Africa Securities Ltd.; Mr. Jude Money, Executive Director/Chief Risk Officer, Heritage Bank Ltd and Kyari Abba Bukar, CEO, CSCSand Chairman Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) at the presentationof The Next Titan, a reality TV show in Lagos at the weekend.

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

ALLEGED ILLEGAL DETENTION: Angry youths invadestation, smash Police vehicles in Enugu

By Chinenyeh Ozor

By Demola Akinyemi

By Brisibe Perez

Kidnappers of Ughelli businessmandemand N8m ransom

UNILORIN varsity student goes missingFeared to have drowned

ACCIDENT: Scene of an accident at Ijesha Bu stop on Oshodi-Apapa Expresway, Lagos,yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

UGHELLI—ABDUCTORSof an Ughelli based

businessman, Mr. AdetonaOlayimika have demandedN8million as ransom from hisfamily for his release.

A member of his family whospoke on condition ofanonymity said that thekidnappers have been incontact with his wife using the

ILORIN—THE University ofIlorin community, has been

thrown into mourning after a 200level student of the institution,Onikenku Michael Atunde, whowas said to have gone forswimming in the university sincelast Saturday, was yet to return tothe hostel.

At press time, members of theKwara State Fire Service andNational EmergencyManagement Agency, who hadalso been deployed to search forthe student, were yet to make anyhead way.

Vanguard learned that Atundeof the department of ScienceEducation and a member of Man'O' War, was said to have gone

missing since Saturday when hereportedly went for swimming.

Authorities of the university, itwas gathered, had contacted thestudent’s next of kin.

Spokesperson of the university,Kunle Akogun, in a telephonemessage said: “A member of theMan ’O' War was reported to havebeen calling for assistance in theriver flowing behind the Parks and

Garden Unit early Saturday.“Rescue efforts coordinated by

the Deputy Vice Chancellor,Academics, Prof. Nike Ijaya wasimmediately mounted, andsearch is still ongoing. Medicalservices have been on sinceyesterday. It is feared that thestudent might have drowned atthe university’s dam site.“

OWERRI—THE threemedical personnel,

including the former EdoState Chairman of NigerianMedical Association, NMA,Dr. Phillip Ugbodaga, whowere kidnapped recently inImo State, have regainedtheir freedom.

The other two kidnapvictims were Mrs. AnneUsman, a Matron in theUniversity of Benin TeachingHospital, Benin City and Mr.Sunny Omo-Alasa, a healthworker.

Narrating their ordeal tonewsmen in Owerri, Mrs.Usman said: “When we gotto Orlu that night, we did notknow the right way to UburuEkwe. So, we hired acommercial motorcyclist todirect us. Just a few minutesafter we started the journey,a sports utility vehicleovertook our car and blockedus”.

Continuing, the badlyshaken lady recounted that ayoung man that was armedwith an AK 47 rifle, clad inthe Civil Defence uniform,jumped out of their vehicleand ordered the medicalpersonnel to get out of thevehicle.

“Three of us were orderedinto the hoodlums’ SUV. Theyquickly reversed and sped offto their den, through a verylonely road. All the efforts byresidents of the community toflag the vehicle down thatnight, were rebuffed”, thewoman recalled with grief.

She also recalled that as thehoodlums were driving totheir den, they wereintermittently making calls totheir colleagues, urging themto be on the alert as they were“coming withconsignments.”

“When we go there, theytook our bags and led us intothe bush. They ordered us tosit on the bare ground, underone big tree. They chainedour legs. From October 16until we were rescued, wewere blindfolded. They weregiving us Gala and water,”Usman said.

Speaking also, ProfessorNwauwa appealed to theFederal Government toprovide the police withsophisticated and moderntracking devices.

“This will easily assist thepolice in tracking andflushing out kidnappers,armed robbers and othercriminals, even if they are inthe bush”, Nwauwa said.

NSUKKA—IRATE youths ofUmabor community in

Nsukka Local GovernmentArea of Enugu State weekendinvaded Nigeria policedivision in the area, smashingpolice vehicles over allegedindiscriminate arrests anddetention of youths by officersand men of the division.

Vanguard gathered that theyouths in their numbersinvaded the station when menof the division allegedlyswooped on them at a footballviewing centre, at about 8pm.

Investigations revealed thatthe youths have beencomplaining of Policeintimidation, harassment andmass arrests.

When Vanguard visited thepolice division, a Police Hiluxvan a Mercedes Benz carbelonging to the DivisionalCrime Officer, and one othervehicle were smashed by theirate youths while brokenbottles used to shatter thewindows of the station wereseen all over the premises.

A source who did not wanthis name in print at thedivision disclosed that whatthe Divisional Police Officer,DPO, DSP Joseph Otuboh didwas to seize all handsets ofpolicemen on duty in order notto circulate the information ofthe attack on the division.

Meanwhile the youths intheir hundreds later blockedthe expressway of Enugu-Markurdi axis of the policestation threatened to burndown the division.

Vanguard gathered thatattempt by the youths to set thestation ablaze was averted bythe intervention of Chairmanof Nsukka local governmentcouncil, Hon. Charles Ugwu anative of Umabor community,who pleaded with therampaging youths.

The DPO of the station,Otuboh, the DPO of NsukkaPolice Urban Division whorepresented the AreaCommander, Nsukka, thecouncil chairman met afterwhich the council boss, Hon.Ugwu offered to undertake allrepairs of the damaged

properties.Reacting to the incident, Enugu

State Police Public RelationsOfficer, DSP Ebere Amaraizu, saidthat no fewer than three personshad been arrested by the statepolice command in connectionwith the invasion of the policedivision.

Giving an account of theincident at Umabor, DSPAmaraizu noted that a servingCouncillor in Nsukka localgovernment council led the irateyouths to the police station on that

fateful day at about 10pm to attackthe division and damaged policevehicles and smashed thewindows.

He noted that operatives of thedivision, acting on a tip off raidedan alleged unlawful gatheringof youths suspected to bemembers of cult group at Umaborat about 8pm in which threesuspected cult members from thevillage were nabbed.

The arrest of the suspectedcultists, now helping the policein their investigations did not go

down well with the saidCouncillor who allegedlymobilized youths to the policestation where vehiclewindscreens and window blindswere destroyed.

"The DPO of the division hasbeen invited by the statecommissioner of police forquestioning on the incidentwhile full scale investigationshave commenced as manhunt forthe councillor is ongoing," thePPRO said.

3 medicalpersonnelkidnappedin Imo regainfreedom

By Chidi Nkwopara

phone numbers of otherkidnap victims in their custodyin negotiating for the ransom.

Giving details of theconversation, the source said:“When they mentioned N8million as ransom, she toldthem they do not have thatkind of money, but theyinsisted that she and otherrelatives should call a meetingof immediate and extendedfamily members and discuss on

how they would raise the saidmoney.

“We are using this medium toappeal to them to release himbecause the family does not havethat kind of money they aredemanding for as ransom.”

Mr. Olayimika, a wholesaledistributor of Reckitt BenckiserNig. Ltd. antiseptic products toretailers at the Ughelli market,was abducted at Ughelli, UghelliNorth Local Government Area ofDelta State last Wednesdayevening while returning homefrom work.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—7

NNPC records N59bn loss in one month

Nigeria's Freeman Osonuga named among 3finalists for space trip

By Michael Eboh

ABUJA—THE NigerianNational Petroleum

Corporation, NNPC, weekendannounced a loss of N59.4billion in its operation in themonth of September 2015.

The NNPC in its Monthly Oiland Gas Report for the Monthof September, 2015, alsorevealed a year-to-date loss ofN437.9 billion.

Specifically, the report notedthat the NNPC recorded grossrevenue of N1.284 trillion andexpenses of N1.722 trillionbetween January andSeptember 2015, leading to thedeficit of N437.9 billion.

On the month-by-monthbasis, the report stated that theNNPC posted a revenue ofN112.51 billion and expensesof N171.9 billion in the monthof September 2015, leading tothe loss of N59.4 billion in themonth, compared to a loss ofN60.67 billion in the month ofAugust 2015.

Commenting on the report,the NNPC said: “76.92 per centof year-to-date NNPC deficit ofN437.89 is accounted for by thePipelines and ProductMarketing Company’s, PPMC,deficit of N336.83 billion.

“The N336.83 billion deficitattributable to PPMC mainlycomprises of claimable subsidyof N249.15 billion, that is, 73.93per cent of PPMC deficit. Othercauses of PPMC deficit includeclaimable PPMC Pipeline

repairs/management cost ofN73.971 billion and Crude/Product losses of N48.82billion due to vandalizedpipelines.”

The NNPC had a few weeksago announced a loss ofN378.49 billion in itsoperations for the first eightmonths of the year.

One of NNPC’s subsidiaries,the Products and PipelineMarketing Company Limited,

PPMC, accounted for majorityof the losses.

In the figures presented byNNPC’s Monthly Financialand Operations Report forAugust, obtained over theweekend, NNPC posted aloss of N60.669 billion andN51.714 billion for the monthsof July and August,respectively.

The loss resulted fromexpenses being higher than

its revenue in the period underreview.

Specifically, NNPC recordeda total revenue of N1.17 trillionlower than an expenditure ofN1.55 trillion, leaving a deficitof N378.49 billion.

In the month of July, NNPCrecorded revenue of N149.198billion and expenses of N200.126billion, while in August, the groupposted N146.617 billion revenueand expenses of N207.287 billion.

VISIT: From left: Oba Adeniji Sonariwo, Akarigbo of Remoland, Otunba Rotimi Paseda,and Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan, during Otunba Rotimi Paseda's visit to the Akarigbo ofRemoland, at Sagamu, Ogun State. Photo: Wunmi Akinola.

LAGOS—AS the globalcontest for Kruger Cowne

Rising Star space tripcompetition deepens, Nigeria’sFreeman Osonuga has beenselected among the threefinalists for the influentialRising Star programme. Hisselection among the threefinalists is one step closer for aNigerian to travel to space forthe first time in history.

Launched last year at the OneYoung World Summit in Dublin,Ireland, the programmeconsisted of a year-long searchto find one inspiringindividual, who will becomethe voice of the next generation,culminating in the chosenchampion being catapultedonto the world stage and intospace.

Flying beyond the 100kmmark by XCORAerospace’sLynx® Spacecraft,the champion will be presentedwith the opportunity to view theworld from an entirely newperspective.

Also through the uniqueexperience, if chosen Rising

Star will provide new insightinto global discussions onsome of the world’s mostpressing issues.

Osonuga who hail fromOgun State was selectedbased on the tremendoussocial media engagement,candidate profiles on theRising Star website, videocontent among others.

Speaking during a courtesyvisit to Vanguard CorporateHead Office in Lagos,Osonuga explained that hewas selected following hisefforts to garner support fromthe entire country includingthe government.

“I was also selected for myefforts to use both nationaland international press toinform an internationalaudience of his journey, fromEbola suit to spacesuit andhow his mission to change theworld continues.”

Elated Osonuga is upagainst Keren Jackson ofIreland and HussainManawer of the UnitedKingdom. These threefinalists will be flown toBangkok next month wherethey will attend the One

LAGOS—THE Nigeriantelecoms regulatory

authority, the NigerianC o m m u n i c a t i o n sCommission, NCC, in itsmonthly Internet SubscriberData for September hasrevealed that the number ofinternet users in the Nigeria’stelecoms networks hasincreased to 97.21 million.

Meanwhile, in the month ofAugust 2015, the number ofinternet users as released bythe Commission was 95.37million.

The increase in the use ofthe internet in the month ofSeptember, according toindustry watchers was anindication that more Nigerianswere embracing data as thecountry moves towardsachieving 30 per centbroadband penetration

Accordingly, the datashowed that internet users onboth Global System for Mobilecommunications, GSM, andCode Division MultipleAccess, CDMA, networks,increased by 1.84 million inSeptember.

The data further showed thatout of the 97.21 million internetusers in September, 97.06million were on GSMnetworks, while 151,816 userswere on CDMA networksrespectively.

With this development, theCDMA operators lost 367internet users, after recording151,816 in September, against152,183 in August.

While MTN has 41.84million subscribers browsingthe internet on its network,NCC explained that MTNrecorded an increase of423,448 internet subscribers inSeptember, after recording41.41 million in August.

The monthly data alsoshowed that Globacom has21.89 million subscriberssurfing the net on its networkin September. About 20.77million surfed the internet onthe network in August.

Similarly, Airtel had 17.73million internet users inSeptember as against 17.49million customers recorded inAugust.

The data showed thatinternet users on the Airtelnetwork increased by 235,941in September.

NCC, according to the datarevealed that Etisalat had15.59 million customers whobrowsed the internet inSeptember, against the 15.54million users in August.

Nigeria'sinternetusers riseto 97m,says NCC

By Chidi Nkwopara

By Chioma Obinna &Gabriel Olawale

LAGOS—THE firstExecutive Luncheon

Forum of the Human CapitalProviders Association ofNigeria, HuCaPAN, was lastThursday held at the SheratonHotels and Towers, Ikeja,Lagos.

The programme specificallyshared with the chiefexecutives in attendance, theprogrammes and activities ofthe association and also gottheir views on how theassociation could be of better

Young World Summit and alsodeliver a keynote speech ontheir topic of choice to thethousands of delegatespresent as well as a panel ofglobal business leaders afterwhich the winner of a spacetrip will be announced.

“If selected, I will be makingNigeria proud as the firstNigerian to go to spacethereby making history in theprocess.

“Going to space is not theoverall objective of the

project. It is to be able to raiseglobal conversations on issuesthat affect us all as inhabitantsof planet earth such as climatechange, global peace andpoverty.”

Osonuga who was amongthe 250 Nigerian Eboladoctors sent to some of theWest African countries tocontain the disease expressedgratitude to Nigerians urgingthem to support him oncemore.

HuCaPaN's luncheon forumservice and relevance to theirbusinesses.

The event was attended byDr. Clement Illoh, thePermanent Secretary of theMinistry of Labour andProductivity as the Guest ofHonour.

The association’s president,Mr Neye Enemigin, whilewelcoming the chief executivessought better dedication to theassociation’s aims andobjectives.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Customers set to fight CBN, banks over BVNBy Emeka Anaeto,Economy Editor

FOLLOWING the voluntaryretirement of five Deputy

Comptrollers-General of theNigerian Customs Service,NCS, and 35 other officers lastweek, there are indicationsthat another 400 officers willsoon leave the service for

various reasons ranging fromcorruption, insubordination,indiscipline to absenteeism.

Also, some of the officerspencilled down for next roundof retirement were said to haveflouted re-deploymentdirectives as well as influencedtheir promotion even whenthey were not due to be

promoted.Vanguard gathered that

some of these officers refusedto report at their newpostings and insteadobtained notes fromlegislators, who lobbiedcustoms management to stopsuch re-deployment.

Industry executives said the

sudden retirement of DeputyComptrollers–General appearsunsettling as the developmenthad brought public attention tohappenings NCS.

Stakeholders believed thatthough the retirements willcreate room for CustomsComptrollers who have been idlefor some sometime to be postedor deployed to commands, itwould also give rise for DeputyComptrollers to be promoted assome of them had been on samerank for a long time.

The alleged voluntaryretirement of five DeputyComptrollers-General isunprecedented in the history ofthe service.

The retirement letter read inpart: “We, the under listedofficers currently on the rank ofDeputy Comptroller-General mettoday, October 29, andunanimously agreed tovoluntarily retire from the serviceof the Nigerian Customs Servicehaving risen to the privilegedrank of Deputy Comptroller-General.

“We thank the President forgiving us the opportunity to serveour great nation.”

Spokesman of the service, Mr.Adewale Adeniyi, a DeputyComptroller, denied knowledgeof any government reports on theaffected officers.

When Vanguard contacted himhe said: “I do not know what youare talking about.”

Customs to axe 400 more officersBy Godwin Oritse

VISIT: His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III(left) and Director General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri, duringOmeri's courtesy visit.

AS banks insist onbarring customers from

access to accounts withoutBiometric Verification Number,BVN, following the expirationof the deadline for registration,Bank Customers Association ofNigeria, BCAN, hasthreatened to challenge anyaction by the banks to restrictaccess to bank accounts ongrounds of non-BVNcompliance.

Chairman of BCAN, Dr. UjuOgubunka, told Vanguardyesterday that the associationwas meeting this week to,among other things, marshalout course of action to protectcustomers’ right to full andunrestricted access to theiraccount, irrespective of theirBVN status.

Several banks had sent outmessages to their customerslast week warning that accessto their accounts would bebarred unless they were BVNcompliant by October 31.

Spokesman for Central Bankof Nigeria, CBN, IbrahimMuazu, told Vanguardyesterday that denial of accessto non-BVN compliantaccounts had gone into force

and the apex bank would notextend the deadline forcompliance as it did last June,when the first deadlineexpired.

20.8m accounts registeredHe explained that CBN was

satisfied with the level ofcompliance achieved as at lastweek Monday, which showedabout 20.8 million bankaccounts registered as againstabout 52 million active bankaccounts with the variousbanks.

On the 32 millionunregistered accounts, heexplained that the apex bankbelieved that since most bankcustomers maintain multipleaccounts, the linking of all theaccounts would give anaverage of about 40 millioncaptured in the BVN net,adding that “we are home anddry.”

He also noted that a moveround the banks, during thelast day of the week, showedthere were no queues ofcustomers on BVN lines in thebanking halls, indicating,according to him, that mostbank customers had complied.

However, Ogubunka, whowas the immediate past chiefexecutive of the Chartered

Institute of Bankers ofNigeria, CIBN, said BCANwas not opposed to BVN, butit would not allow the rightsof its members to be abridgedby any policy to the extent ofdenying any bank customeraccess to his or her account.

He also explained thatmany bank customers mayhave been unable to complydue to one reason or theother, adding that suchshould not automatically lockthe customer out of his or herbank account.

BCAN faults CBN on32m accounts claim

Ogubunka, thoughadmitting that many peoplehave more than one account,added that the figure of 32million, over 60 percent, non-compliant account was toolarge to be attributed tomultiple account holding.

“We have called anemergency meeting of BCANexecutives to review thesituation, among many otherindustry issues, affectingbank customers this week,”he stated.

CBN, in its last week’sstatement, had downplayedthe calculations that 32million accounts had not

been registered, but admittedthat some customers were yet tolink all their accounts to theirBVN.

He said: “The point that needsto be stressed here is that it isnot enough to just enrol for BVN.The process is duly concludedonly when all accounts owned bya bank customer are linked to hisor her BVN.

“From the foregoing, it becomesclear that the insinuation of about32 million accounts holders yetto enrol was simply amisrepresentation that fails totake into consideration themultiple accounts holding habitof most Nigerians.”

The apex bank also declaredthat if anyone had not enrolledfor BVN, it cannot be attributedto lack of facilities, but out of his/her individual volition and thatby all indications, it can be safelysaid that the BVN exercise by theBankers’ Committee incollaboration with CBN hadproved rather successful.

The statement also disclosedthat Nigerian banks’ customersin the Diaspora had takenadvantage of more facilitiesprovided for enrolment in morelocations abroad.

CBN, in collaboration with theBankers’ Committee, introducedthe BVN on February 14, 2014.

MTN Nigeria said itraked in about N5

billion from its callertune subscription alonethrough its social mediaimpact platform.

The ManagingDirector of the company,Mr. Michael Ikpoki,who was the key notespeaker at theAdvertising Associationof Nigeria, ADVAN,awards for MarketingExcellence 2015 withtheme Social ImpactMarketing , revealedthis in Lagos.

The ManagingDirector, whoemphasised the socialimpact of his company’sactivities, said thesocial impact ofmarketing cannot beover looked in thepresent day marketingspace.

He said in 2013 thecompany generated N5billion from theindustry through callerring tune alone.

Mr. Ikpoki, who alsostated that MTN had avery high responsibilityto build its brandequity, noted that “theonly way to grow oureconomy is to grow ourbrands.”

For MTN, he said: “Iadopted the principle ofsharing value,” whichhe described asgenerating economicvalue in a way that alsoproduces value forsociety by addressingits challenges.

“In reality, the issueabout how we createvalue and how weachieve social impact isvery closely inter-related,” the ManagingDirector pointed out.

He went on to say thatit was possible foremployees to generateeconomic value forcompanies, brands andat the same timeachieve social impact.

He said: “I think thereality of where we aretoday as an economy, asan industry, is thecompanies that are ableto achieve that sweetspot, and companiesthat are really able toachieve this are able todo that in an authenticway and able to endeargenuine attention andaffinity from theircustomers.”

MTN rakes inN5bn fromcallers' tune

By PrincewillEkwujuru

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—9

VISIT: From left— Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, and Commander, 82 Division,Nigerian Army, Enugu, Brig. Gen. I. Attahiru, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, during the Vice President's visit.

ABUJA—PRESIDENTMuhammadu Buhari has

vowed not to shy away fromtelling Nigerians how theimmediate past administrationallegedly plundered theeconomy, irrespective ofanyone's feelings.

Responding to allegations bythe Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, that he was demarketingthe country and dissuadingforeign investments, thePresident vowed that the

relentless tackles of theopposition party would not inany way dissuade him from hisobligations to the citizenry andthe international community.

The PDP National PublicitySecretary, Chief Olisa Metuhhad, yesterday, attacked thePresident’s claim in India thatNigeria was broke, saying thatsuch claims at internationalfora tended to worsen thecountry’s investment climate.

Metuh had, in his statement,alleged that such claims bythe President were essentiallybecause of his lack of a viable

economic plan.Responding to PDP

yesterday, presidentialspokesman, Femi Adesina,said that Metuh’s attempts todistract the President fromfocusing on his job would fail,maintaining that he was abroken record.

The statement read in part:“Our attention has beendrawn to the latest statementby the PDP spokesman, OlisaMetuh, alleging thatPresident MuhammaduBuhari is ‘demarketingNigeria’.

“We restate for theumpteenth time to Mr.Metuh and his ilk that theirattempts to distract PresidentBuhari from the job he hasbeen elected to do will fail.

“President Buhari willremain true to the virtues ofhonesty, integrity, sincerity,incorruptibility and plain-speaking, which endearedhim to Nigerians and madethem prefer his leadership tothat of a lying and deceptivePDP administration.

“The President will not, inthe guise of ‘marketing’ thecountry, refrain from tellingNigerians and the world, theemerging truths about theabject state in which years ofplundering by a PDPleadership has left theNigerian treasury andeconomy.

“President Buhari will notin the name of ‘marketing’ or‘attracting’ investors, followin the footsteps of the oustedPDP administration and itsdiscredited officials, whoshamelessly lied to Nigeriansand the world about the

buoyancy and vibrancy of aneconomy they had bled dry forpersonal gain, when it was veryobvious to the discerning, thatthe Nigerian economy washeaded for serious trouble.”

PDP's reactionEarlier in his statement, Metuh

had said: “Mr. President’s recentannouncement to the world thatthe nation, with its abundanthuman and natural resources, isbroke and cannot pay cabinetministers, not only sends adiscouraging signal to thedomestic and internationalbusiness community, but alsoexposes the ineptitude of thepresent administration tomeaningfully and sincerely exertitself and work with industriousand innovative investors to createand manage wealth.

“We ask how can anyreasonable investor still have theconfidence to invest in a countrywhere the President himselfcontinues to alert that his countryreeks of corrupt people and thatthe government is broke to theextent it cannot pay cabinetministers?

“Is the President not directlyadvising investors against havingconfidence in Nigeria and thesystem, and that they risk notbeing paid for jobs awarded bygovernment at any level?

“More worrisome is the factthat Mr. President makes hisdamaging comments ininternational fora with potentialinvestors in attendance. Itreminds one of the proverbialfather who, in the presence ofpotential suitors, often portrayshis daughters as wayward andyet constantly complain of theirinability to find husbands.”

I won't stop talking of corruptionduring Jonathan’s govt—BUHARIPresident's statement on economy chasing away investors—PDP

Henry Umoru &Levinus Nwabughiogu

Glo rocksIkeja withSlide ‘n’Bounce

RESIDENTS of Ikeja,Lagos, weekend,

shared the fun ofGlobacom’s first-classentertainment show, theGlo Slide ‘n’ Bounceconcert.

The event, which washeld at the Ikeja WaterParks Hotel, attractedexcited subscribers on theGlo network in the area,who came to watch theirentertainment idols suchas Korede Bello, BurnaBoy and P-Squareperform at no cost tothem.

As Glo had done inseveral cities, where theshow has been hosted,the next generationnetwork ensured that theteeming subscribers,who turned up for theshow were thoroughlyentertained asresourceful Nollywoodactor and comedian,Okey Bakassi, up andcoming artistes as well asthe main acts of theevening took turns toperform to the delight ofthe audience.

The Disc Jockey for thenight, DJ Neptune, gotthe audience dancing todifferent hit tunes.

The dancingcompetition for thenight, which attested tothe limitless talents thatabound in the country,was won by AdeosunAdeleke.

ABUJA—THE new ministersto be inaugurated soon may

not be compelled to publiclydeclare their assets as PresidentMuhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo did,presidency sources havedisclosed.

Many of the ministers-designate were at the weekendwary of the issue as a numberof them were miffed when theywere asked on the issue.

The minister-designate fromNasarawa, Ibrahim Jibrin, whowas the only one that wasforthcoming on it, however,pledged to abide by whateverinstruction was handed out bythe presidency on the issue.

President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo had last

August made a publicdeclaration of their assets inline with a now contentiouspledge given by one of thesupport groups of theirpresidential campaign.

That same support grouphad in their campaign materialalso affirmed that Buhari, ifelected President, would notjust make a public declarationof his assets, but would alsorequire his appointees to dosame.

A high ranking presidencyofficial, asked yesterday if thepresidency would require theministers-designate to makepublic their declared assets,said the ministers to-be wouldnot be subjected aboveconstitutional requirements.

He said: “What does the lawrequire? Whatever the lawrequires is what we expectthem to be doing? Does the

law require it?”Reminded that the President

went above the law, he said:“Well, that is the President onhis own volition.”

Yesterday, several of theministers-designate shiedaway from the question, someeven aggressively.

However, in a writtenresponse to Vanguard, Jibrin,who noted that he believes inthe present administration andits cardinal objective of zerotolerance for corruption,stressed that as a minister, hewould join the President topursue this and ensure that itwas achieved for the country.

The minister-designate saidthat if President Buhari andVice President Osinbajo coulddeclare their assets, whatwould stop him as one of thosethat will drive the manifestofrom declaring his assets too.

Buhari 'll not require ministersto publicly declare assets

By Emmanuel Aziken,Political Editor & Henry

Umoru

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

AmbodeappointsAdemolaHoS

ARISE WOMEN: From left— Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa; wife of the former President of Nigeria, Mrs Bola Obasanjo;former deputy governors of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Sosan; Princess Orelope-Adefulire; wife of Lagos State Governor, MrsBolanle Ambode; Convener of ARISE Women, Pastor Siju Iluyomade; wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo; wife ofKwara State Governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed; wife of former Governor of Benue State, Mrs Yemisi Suswam; wife of formerGovernor of Lagos State, Mrs Abimbola Fashola; wife of former Governor Osun State, Mrs Olagunsoye, and APC WomenLeader, Lagos State, Chief Kemi Nelson, at the ARISE WOMEN conference at the City of David Church, Victoria Island, Lagos.

G O V E R N O RA k i n w u n m i

Ambode of Lagos State,yesterday, approved theappointment of Mrs.Olabowale Ademola asthe 19th Head of Service,HoS, in the Lagos StatePublic Service.

In a statement by theChief Press Secretary tothe Governor, Mr. HabibAruna, the appointment,which takes effectimmediately, follows theretirement of Mrs. Fola-shade Jaji on October 26.

The new HoS was bornon November 10, 1957.She had her PrimaryEducation at CoronaSchool, Yaba, Lagos, andLagos University StaffSchool (1962-1968), afterwhich she proceeded toQueen’s College, Yaba,where she obtained herWest African SchoolCertificate and HigherSchool Certificate in1973 and 1975,respectively.

Thereafter, she wasadmitted to theUniversity of Ibadanwhere she graduatedwith a Bachelor ofScience degree inEconomics in 1981.

She is a fellow of theInstitute of CharteredAccountants of Nigeria,ICAN; has a Bachelor ofScience degree inEconomics and Mastersdegree in BusinessAdministration from theUniversity of Lagos andthe Lagos BusinessSchool, respectively.

After several stints inthe private sector, Mrs.Ademola joined the StateWater Corporation asController Audit in 1995,before her transfer to theMainstream CivilService in 1999, whereshe rose to becomePermanent Secretary in2010.

Until her appointment,she was the PermanentSecretary in the LagosState Civil ServicePensions Office.

THE Managing Director ofSkyway Aviation Handling

Company Limited, SAHCOL,Dr. Olu Owolabi, has decriedthe high cost of tariff inpurchasing aviation groundhandling equipment.

Speaking in his office inLagos, Dr. Owolabi said thehigh tariffs on imports hasremained the greatestchallenge in cargo handling.

According to Owolabi, thecompany recently acquiredsome state-of-the-artequipment for the handlingof the South African Airways

that was making a début atAbuja airport.

While condemning the highcost, he called on governmentto address the situationurgently to save the handlingcompanies from collapse,especially with the high rateof foreign exchange that hadaffected imports and exports.

SAHCOL boss laments cost of aviation equipmentBy Lawani Mikairu& Daniel Eteghe

GOVERNOR AkinwunmiAmbode of Lagos State,

yesterday, said the currentsource of funding for theLagos light rail project cannotbe relied upon if it must bedelivered quickly.

Ambode, who disclosed thisduring an interractive sessionwith residents on social media,through the tagJJmeetsAmbode, said that thestate government wasnegotiating another packageto help fund the project.

The governor lamented thatthe contractor handling theproject was on site battlingwith the project, but not as fastas expected.

According to him, “thisproject is driven bycommercial loans and bondsleaning on the state’sInternally GeneratedRevenue, IGR. Thatarrangement cannot besustained. We are negotiatinga better package that willdeliver the project by the endof 2016.”

My greatest challenge— Ambode

Ambode, on the forum, said:“The most challenging aspectof my job has been managingthe resources of the state tomeet expectations ofLagosians. It is challengingmeeting expectations of Lagosresidents, at a time we areexperiencing dwindling

resource.“We have road construction,

unemployment and others totake care of with limitedresources. It is a challengeto choose which projects toembark upon and which tokeep in view. Theconsideration is always whichproject would benefit thegenerality of the peoplemore.”

The governor noted that thechallenges had been withgoverning the state,considering its population ofover 20 million residents.

On trafficAdmitting the current

gridlock across the state,Ambode explained: “Thereare some new projects going

on in Victoria Island and otherparts of the state. These arecontributing to the trafficsituation. We will try to finish theconstructions on time and fix thepot-holes to ease traffic acrossthe state.”

The governor, however, addedthat human attitude alsocontribute to the gridlock.

He said: “A lot of it is causedby human attitude; thosedisobeying traffic laws and thosepatronizing street hawkers.”

He also accused men of theLagos State Traffic ManagementAuthority, LASTMA, of not beingeffective in managing the traffic,noting “some traffic officers arenot doing their job.

“We will deploy more trafficofficers to the roads to direct trafficand enforce the road traffic law.”

Light rail: Lagos shops forfresh funding package

By MonsuruOlowoopejo

LAGOS State Government,weekend, justified its

clampdown on street tradingand hawkers, especially intraffic across the state, saying“some robbers disguise astraders in traffic and robcommuters.”

Speaking in an interview,Commissioner forEnvironment, Dr. SamuelAdejare, argued thatcommuters, at night, cannotdistinguish between genuinetraders and robbers.

Adejare lamented thatinfrastructure in Lagos IslandCentral Business Districts,CBD, had suffered due to the

activities of street traders,who discharge wasteindiscriminately.

He said: “We have set up aspecial Kick Against

Indiscipline, KAI, unit to ensurethat the CBD remains cleanalways. Companies make somuch money from there. Theyhave to sanitize the area.”

Robbers disguise as hawkers in traffic— Lagos govtBy Monsuru

Olowoopejo

A D O - E K I T I —WORRIED by the

increasing cases of rape andgender-based violence, theChairperson ofInternational Federation ofWomen Lawyers in EkitiState, Mrs. Rita Ilevbare,has called for adequateempowerment of the policeto effectively tackle thescourge.

Mrs Ilevbare, whodescribed the act as very

disturbing, said police have notbeen coming up with resultsbecause they were notadequately equipped both inhuman and material resources.

Speaking during the thirdannual public lecture of Womenand Children Development andHealth Research Initiative,WCDHRI, in Ado Ekiti, shesaid: “Apart from the absence oflaboratories at most policestations to preserve forensicevidence, the attitude of policeofficers to rape victims is veryappalling.”

FIDA makes case for PoliceBy Rotimi Ojomoyela

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2 , 2015—11

FULANI HERDSMEN VS S-WEST FARMERS:Police, DSS broker peace in Ondo, Osun

By Gbenga Olarinoye &Dayo Johnson

Senate c'ttee on works visits Ogun

Fasoranti resigns as Afenifere leader

AKURE—Following recurrentclashes between fulani

herdsmen and their hostcommunities across the country,the Department of State Security,DSS, has brokered peacebetween the leadership ofAfenifere and Miyetti Allah CattleRearers Association over the frostyrelationship between the twogroups in the South West.

The Director of DSS in OsunState, Mr. Andrew Iorkay,according to a source organisedthe peace meeting as a result oftension between the leadership ofAfenifere and Fulani herdsmen.

The source said the DSS bossdid not want the situation todegenerate among the twogroups in Osun State hence thepeace meeting.

Former Attorney General ofOsun State, Mr. Niyi Owoladewas said to have represented theAfenifere while the Miyetti Allahteam was led by its chairman,Salihu Ismael as well as itssecretary, Aliyu Kamilu andSarkin Hausasa, A. Ahmadu.

Peaceful coexistenceIt was gathered that, during the

meeting, the DSS boss stressedthe need for the two groups tocoexist peacefully.

Iorkay, the source said told theleadership of the two groups toprevail on their members to shunacts inimical to peace and security.

The source said Iorkay warnedthat the DSS would not hesitateto deal decisively with anybodycaught promoting violence.

Also, police authorities in OndoState weekend initiated a peacemeeting between the Fulaniherdsmen and farmers in thestate.

The move according toinvestigations was to ensureharmonious co-existence betweenthem in the state.

The peace initiative comes after

the kidnap and release of theformer Secretary to theGovernment of the Federation,SGF, Chief Olu Falae by Fulaniherdsmen who invaded his farmon several occasions.

The state Commissioner ofPolice, Mr Mike Ogbodu metwith the President and executivemembers of the Miyatti Allah anda security outfit in the state on howto resolve the crisis.

Ogbodu stressed the need for

cordial relationship between thefarmers and Fulani herdsmen inall parts of the state.

According to him; The visit bythe leadership of Miyatti Allahwould further enhance cordialrelationship between the statePolice command and the securityoutfit."

Policing not for securityoperatives alone

The CP while hailing the co-

operation of all other securityoutfits in the state, said Policingcould not only be handled bysecurity operatives alone,urging all individuals tosupport the Police to ensure totalsecurity of lives and properties.

Earlier, the National Presidentof Miyatti Allah, AlhajiMuhhamudu Adronsurucommended the efforts of thePolice during the abduction ofChief Falae.

By Dayo Johnson

AKURE—THE leader of thePan Yoruba socio-political

group, Afenifere, Pa ReubenFasoranti has resigned hisappointment with immediateeffect citing old age.

He took over the leadership ofthe group from the late ChiefAbraham Adesanya over tenyears ago.

According to a letter personallysigned by him in Akure, PaFasoranti said he has sincestopped being the Chairman ofthe foremost Yoruba organization.

The letter was addressed to theSecretary General, BashorunSeinde Arogbofa, leaders of thegroup, including Chief AyoAdebanjo, Sir Lanihun Ajayi,Chief Olu Falae, Chief SupoSonibare and all state Chairmenof Afenifere.

The letter read: “Ourorganization, Afenifere wasformed in 1951 under theleadership of our leader; ChiefObafemi Awolowo. Theorganization was formed to serveas an umbrella in particilar, toactualize the dream of a greatnation and the Yoruba race.

“Over the years, Yorubas havetried to focus on a common goal.Chief Awolowo tried to ensure theoneness of our people with a lotof efforts notwithstanding the

challenges he faced in the process.Unfortunately, he passed onwithout actualising this dream.

“I joined Afenifere frominception with the followingleaders of our race, Pa Onasanya,Alhaji Ganiyu Daodu, Pa AbrahamAdesanya, Chief Ayo Adebanjo,Sir Olanihun Ajayi, Chief SamSonibare, Chief Bola Ige, ChiefWunmi Adegbonmire and so on.

“The mantle of leadership fell onlate Pa Adekunle Ajasin andsubsequently Pa Adesanya andthen my humble self. As eventshave been unfolding in the pastfew years, the focus and goals ofthe founding fathers of our greatorganization Afenifere weregradually eroded.

“This therefore made it aherculean task for our members towork in unity. Several efforts weremade to ensure the actualizationof the Afenefere goals, but it

appeared that we have notsucceeded in achieving this.This is basically due to reasonsbest known to our membersindividually.

“Let me state clearly that theissue of adoption of the NationalConfab report had always beenthe focus and goal of our peoplein Afenifere even long beforethe National Confab was setup."

However, some members ofthe group have expressedconcern over the decision of theleader of the group.

Vanguard gathered that allmay not be well with the grouphence the reason theoctogenarian leader decided toopt out before the bubble burst.

The secretary of the group,Basorun Sehinde Arogbofacould not be reached tocomment on the development.

By Ola Ajayi

Ajimobi hasplunged Oyointo N130bndebt—Ladoja

I BADAN—FORMERGovernor Rashidi Ladoja

of Oyo State yesterdayalleged that the AllProgressives Congress-ledgovernment had plunged thestate into a debt of N130billion.

He said this through theDirector of his campaign in theApril 11 election, Mr. AdeoluAdeleke in Ibadan.

According to him; “The stateas at October 3, 2014 wasowing N130 billion. It is owingthe banks N55 billion and alsothe local contractors. All thefigures I have quoted are realand that was on October 3, thefigure must have risen by now.”

He also alleged that all thepetitions that APC had won werealready pre-determined adding thatthe governor had boasted severallythat he would win all the petitions.

He added that out of about 28cases now, the Accord Party had wononly one.

In a recently delivered judgment,a petition tribunal dismissed thepetition of Ladoja who was thegovernorship candidate of AccordParty in April 11 election.

However, the State Chairman ofAPC, Chief Akin Oke said all theallegations should be treated withkid gloves asking why Accord wascomplaining having decided it wouldappeal the tribunal judgment.

By Daud Olatunji

ABEOKUTA—THE Senate ad-hoc Committee on Works has

inspected erosion sites acrossOgun State, saying it had receivednumerous petitions on bad roadsand ecological disasters across thecountry.

The committee, represented bytwo of its members, Senator LanreTejuoso of Ogun CentralSenatorial District and Senator

Tayo Alasoadura of OndoCentral Senatorial District,visited Makun in Sagamu,Kekere-Ekun in Ijebu-Ode andAdigbe in Abeokuta areas of thestate.

Speaking after theirinspection, Tejuoso describedtheir mission to the state asurgent and timely, adding thatthe committee was set upprincipally because of the

n u m e r o u spetitions receivedby Senate on

ecological disasters from thepeople across the country.

He said there were numerouspetitions by Nigerians on variousecological disasters in areas acrossthe country, such as erosion,gullies, potholes and so on.

He also said the Senate hasreceived many petitions on badroads all over the country, thusthe Committee on worksimmediately swung into action bymandating members to go andinspect the places in the countrywhere petitions were received.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

By Tom Moses

Emmanuel promises 10, 000 agric jobsfor youths

Buhari playing politics with Ogoni cleanup —YOUTHS

Delta youthsprotestlitigationsagainst Okowa

ALLEGED N36M SCAM: Why we passed confidencevote on Speaker, by Edo Assembly

UYO—AS part of efforts byAkwa Ibom State

government to boost foodsufficiency in line with theagricultural revolution agendaof Governor Udom Emmanuel,10,000 youths are to beengaged in job openings in theagricultural sector in the state.

The state governor, Mr. UdomEmmanuel, announced this,weekend, during an interactionwith leaders of major socio-cultural organizations whowere at the GovernmentHouse, Uyo, on a solidarityvisit.

He reiterated hisadministration’s commitmentto laying a solid economicfoundation for the futurethrough industrialization, justas he said modernized cassavaprocessing plants would soonbe established across the state.

Governor Emmanuelexpressed optimism thatemployment would boost theeconomic development of thestate as youths from the stateearlier sent to Israel fortraining on mechanizedfarming would now begainfully employed, therebyreducing the level of povertyin the state .

He said: “If we don’t planttoday, there may not be harvesttomorrow to sustain the people

as over-dependence on oildoes not do the economy anygood.”

Earlier, the InternationalPresident, Mboho MkparawaIbibio, Akparawa MondayEtukakpan, who led thedelegation, informed thegovernor that all the socio-cultural organizations in the

state decided to visit him todeclare their solidarity forhim over the tribunal’s verdicton the April 11, 2015governorship polls in thestate.

He assured GovernorEmmanuel of victory in thererun elections in the 18 localgovernment areas where the

tribunal annulled theelection, stressing that evenif election was conducted1,000 times, he wouldemerge winner to advancethe course of developing thestate including harnessingthe agricultural sector foremployment generation andfood sufficiency.

By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—MEMBERS ofEdo State House of

Assembly, weekend, gavereasons why the House passeda vote of confidence on theSpeaker of the House, MrVictor Edoror, saying that afterinvestigations the House foundout that the Speaker was notinvolved in the alleged N36million scam as claimed.

According to them, afterinvestigations, it wasdiscovered that the Speakernever received N36 millionfrom local government councilchairmen in the state,describing him as a “teamplayer.”

In a motion by the chairman,House Committee onInformation, Mr ChrisOkaeben, seconded by MrIgbas Ezehi, the lawmakersstated: “It has becomenecessary to clear the air thatthe speaker never collected thealleged N36 million from localgovernment chairmen.”

Majority Leader of theHouse, Foly Ogedengbe, whospoke to journalists in Benin,said: “The vote of confidencewas necessary to inspire

confidence in the leadership,in our commitment tocontinue to deliver thedividends of democracy tothe people. The House hasmechanisms for investigatingissues and we have not foundhim wanting in the allegedscam.”

Also reacting, a socio-cultural organization, the

Edo Forum for GoodGovernance, led by Mr OjiefoMomodu, said: “It is only fairand just that the Esan peopleare allowed the opportunityto complete their tenure asspeaker of the House. Theimmediate past speaker,UyiIgbe, a Bini man, was therefor four years while thegovernor from Edo North is

at the verge of completinghis eight years tenure. Wesuspect that these peoplewho are peddling fakerumours about the speakerare just doing so to createthe impression of corruptionwhere none exists. Webelieve in the ability of HonVictor Edoror to continue tolead the Assembly.”

BOMADI—A coalitionof youths from All

Progressives Congress, APC,Labour Party, LP, and PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, on theaegis of Frontiers for PeacefulDelta, FPD, yesterdayprotested against furtherlitigation against the stategovernor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

The youths besieged theBomadi /Tuomo roundaboutrenouncing their support forany governorship candidatewho wanted to impede theprogress of the state byunending litigation.

Mr. Preye Ekpebide, wholater addressed the APC, LPand, PDP, youth leaders andtheir supporters, at his Bomadiresidence, thanked them fortheir peaceful conduct duringthe rally and called on the LPgovernorship candidate, ChiefGreat Ogboru and his APCcounterpart, Chief O’tegaEmerhor, to jettison theirappeal against governorOkowa’s election and tribunalvictory.

By Dapo Akinrefon

FIVE months after thecelebrated announcement

of the clean-up of Ogoniland byPresident Muhammadu Buhari,youths of the area have accusedthe President of playing politicswith the exercise.

In a statement, the presidentof the National Youth Council ofthe Ogoni people, Dr. YoungNkpah, accused PresidentBuhari of deceiving Ogonipeople by that announcement.

President Buhari had,immediately after assumption ofoffice announced his readinessto implement the UnitedNations EnvironmentalProgramme, UNEP report oncleaning of Ogoniland.

Dr. Nkpah said: “After a studyof the approach, loudpronouncements and longdelays adopted by thegovernment on the globallycelebrated implementation, theOgoni people are notpersuaded about the sincerity ofthe President MuhammaduBuhari-led federal governmentwhose earlier promises weredesigned to score cheap politicalpoints.”

He said after the July 28, 2015consultative meeting in Abujachaired by the immediate pastHead of Service, Danladi Kifasi,the federal government was yetto release any fund to kick startthe process.

“Since the announcement byPresident Buhari of immediate

action and release of funds, thefederal government hasseemingly dosed off on theprogramme without regard tothe health hazards andincreasing mortality rateresulting from the long pollutedOgoniland. The silence byPresident Buhari’sadministration has raisedsuspicion among the Ogonisthat the federal government incollaboration with SHELL hasopted for their usual strategy ofdivide and rule to set the Ogonileaders and the people againstthemselves and also employinggradual frustration of the oilclean-up programme to forcethe collective loyalty of theOgoni nation to join the rulingparty in the country,” thestatement said.

DEFECTION: Delta South APC Chairman, Prince Yemi Omaghomi (left); Chief AyirimiEmami (middle) and Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, during the formal defection of thelatter from PDP to All Progressives Congress, APC at the Warri home of Chief AyirimiEmami, weekend. Extreme left is Chief Michael Johnny.

Police movesto resolveSapeleAnglicanchurch crisis

By Emma Amaize

B E N I N — T H EAssistant Inspector

General, AIG, Zone 5, BeninCity, Edo State, Mr. MusaDara, has constituted an 11-man committee headed bythe Bishop of the AnglicanCommunion, Warri, DeltaState, Rt. Rev C. E. Ide, toresolve the crisis rocking theSapele Diocese of theAnglican Communion in thestate.

The laity of the Saint LukeCathedral, Sapele, havebeen at daggers drawn withthe bishop for monthsresulting in lockouts andseveral protests that taintedthe image of the church andChristian faith.

The matter came to a headwhen placard-carryingmembers called for theremoval of the bishop, whichwas rejected by thesupervising authority inBenin City, Edo State.

They later dragged thebishop to the police,alleging corruption andmismanagement.

The bishop also at a pointin the sour relationshipslammed a court caseagainst some members of hisfeuding congregation.

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—13

A-IBOM GOV POLL: Emmanuel, PDP fileseparate appeals against tribunal judgment

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

FG has no part in our tribunal battles —RIVERS APC

What Buharimust do forBinis—PRINCEAKENZUA

By Simon EbegbulemA BUJA—GOVERNORUdom Emmanuel of Akwa

Ibom State and the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, haveseparately gone before the AbujaDivision of the Court of Appeal,to challenge the tribunaljudgment that nullified thegovernorship election results in18 local government areas, LGAs,in the state.

The two appellants are prayingthe higher court to set aside theverdict of the Justice Ishaq Umar-led tribunal, which had on October21, ordered the IndependentNational Electoral Commission,INEC, to conduct re-run electionin 18 out of 31 LGAs in the state.

The tribunal specifically heldthat it was satisfied that a total of566, 436 voters in the affectedareas were disenfranchisedduring the governorship electionthat held in the state on April 11,2015.

According to the tribunal,section 108 (2) of the Electoral Act,empowered it to, in view ofcircumstances that surrounded thegovernorship election in the 18LGAs, nullify the outcome andorder INEC to organise a re-run.

It enumerated the LGAs whereINEC must conduct a re-run pollwithin 90 days, as Etim-Ekpo,Uyo, Ikono-Ibeeikpo, Orina, Ikon,Oruk, Uruan, Ibenu, Iboni-Ibom,Nsit-Ibom, Nsit-Ubium, Ini, Oron,Nsit-Afia, Etinan, Udung-Okoand Eket.

The decision of the tribunal wassequel to a petition that waslodged against the election by theAll Progressives Congress, APC,

and its governorship candidatein Akwa Ibom State, ChiefUmana Okon Umana.

Even though the petitionersalleged that the governorshipelection was generally fraughtwith manifest irregularities,however, it was the view of thetribunal that the allegedelectoral anomalies and non-complaince to the Electoral Act,were not enough to warrantoutright nullification of electionresults from all the 31 LGAs inthe state.

Both the petitioners and therespondents had sinceexpressed their dissatisfactionwith the judgement of thetribunal, with the APC and its

candidate insisting that the pollought to have been nullified inits entirety and a fresh electionordered.

Meanwhile, in their bid toreverse the decision of thetribunal, PDP raised 20 groundsof appeal while GovernorEmmanuel anchored his reasonwhy the appeal court shoulduphold results of the electionthat brought him to power, ontwo grounds.

The two appellants are prayingthe court to hold that electionwas duly conducted in theaforementioned 18 LGAs, inaccordance with the provisionsof the Electoral Act.

Governor Udom and his party

faulted the judgment of thetribunal in nullifying results inthe said LGAs on the premisethat the petitioners, did notplead any fact to the effect thatvoters in the 18 LGAs weredisenfranchised.

According to them, neither theAPC nor its candidate at the poll,Umana, adduced any evidenceto support claims that voterswere in any way,disenfranchised in the affectedareas.

In his appeal, governor Udomtold the appellate court that:“The petitioners did not in theirpetition at all plead the facts ofvoters’ disenfranchisement inthe 18 councils."

CONVOCATION: From left: Akwa Ibom State Governor Mr. Udom Emmanuel; SA tothe President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang and wife, Rosemary andExecutive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julis Okojie, at the 21stConvocation of the University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

RIVERS State chapter ofAll Progressives

Congress, APC, has dismissedclaims of its desperation to takeover control of the state at allcost in connivance with theAPC-controlled FederalGovernment, insisting that thereverse is the case.

The party in a statement by itsChairman, Dr. Davies IbiamuIkanya, yesterday in PortHarcourt, said: “For theavoidance of doubt, the FederalGovernment has no handwhatsoever in the cases we arepursuing at the governorship,National and State Houses ofAssembly tribunals across thestate. It has become necessaryfor us to clear the air before thiswicked lie being spread by thePeoples Democratic Party, PDP,takes root.”

The questions that arise,according to the party, were:“Was there any election in RiversState? If there was, was itconducted according to therules? The European

Community and otherinternational observers thatcondemned the conduct of theelections, are they APCmembers? The security agentsthat told the Tribunal that theelection was a sham, are theyAPC members? The respectedjurists of the Supreme Courtwho threw out Wike’sapplication to stop theGovernorship Petition ElectionTribunal, are they APCmembers?”

Rivers APC accused the statePDP of suffering from a guiltyconscience on account of itsalleged connivance with thethen PDP-led FederalGovernment under the watchof Dr. Goodluck Jonathan topersecute APC and forciblytake over Rivers State.

“Is PDP forgetting so soonhow it used FederalGovernment machinery to itsadvantage, throwing cautionto the wind? Has it forgottenhow impunity thrived underJonathan to the point that Wike

and the PDP became lords ofthe manor?”

Rivers APC, however,assured that, unlike PDP, “Weare a civilised group and wewill continue to pursue ourcase before the courts becauselitigation is part of the electoralprocess. God helping us, weshall triumph in Jesus’ name.By the grace of God, we shallbe vindicated, if for nothing,at least for the sake of the over100 APC members that werekilled to install Wike asgovernor of River State.”

It advised Wike to stop

wasting the Rivers State scarcefunds for allegedly sponsoringsome idle groups in the stateto protest against the soundjudgement of the Tribunalannulling his election.

“We know he has no agendafor the emancipation ordevelopment of Rivers Statebut he can keep himself busyby either writing a handovernote or preparing how to facethe Rivers State people in afree and fair election devoidof intimidation and killing ofinnocent Rivers people,” theparty said.

BENIN—ELDERS andpolitical leaders from

Edo South senatorial districtof Edo State, weekend,announced plans to forwardthe problems of BiniKingdom, to PresidentMuhammadu Buhari,through the state governor,Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

The elders, on theleadership of the Enogie ofObazuwa and chairmanBenin Leaders of Thought,Prince Edun Akenzua, listedsome of the problems as thenon-implementation of theSupreme Court ruling overthe ownership of Gelegelebetween the Binis and theIjaws.

Prince Akenzua, who alsois the younger brother of theOba of Benin said: "There arevery many things that theBuhari administration willlook into in Benin Kingdom.I don’t think it is somethingone can talk about right nowbecause they are so many.We are preparing a paperwhich we will send to thePresident through thegovernor of Edo State, to say,look these things have beenon, try and correct them. Forinstance, there has been aSupreme Court judgmentover the ownership ofGelegele which has not beenenforced.

“We have done a paperbefore the governor, and ofcourse the governorpromised to send it to thefederal government but youknow, because he is not intheir party they did not listento him. That is one of thethings we will urge thepresent administration toexecute. We have beenasking that the rail line inNigeria should pass throughEdo South to Warri. That wasnot done. We have beenasking for the Gelegele Portwhich is a natural port to bebuilt into a port, that was notdone. We will chronicle allthese problems and sendthem to the Presidentthrough the governor,” hestated.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, NIVENBER 2, 2015

Nigerian Breweries 7th Golden Pen Award in Lagos

From left, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, Chairman committee for 7th Nigerian BreweriesGolden Pen Awards; Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia State; Mr. Anthony Akaeze,winner of Reporter of the Year, and Chief Kola Jinadu, Chairman of NigerianBreweries Plc, during the 7th Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Awards, in Lagos.Photos: Diran Oshe

From left, Mr. Mojeed Alabi from New Telegraph, receiving award from Head ofDepartment, Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Professor Ralph Akinfele,and Gbenga Ogunleye, Rector Nigerian Institute of Journalism.

From left, Mr. Victor Famuyibo , Director, Human Resources Nigerian BreweriesPLc; Chief Kola Jinadu, and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

From left, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries PLc;Mrs. Nkechi Balogun, winner of Photo-Journalist of the Year; Mr. Issac Ayodele,The Nation, Mr. Godwin Ireke, Telegraph, and Mr. Standley Ogidi, Punch.

ADVAN Awards for Marketing Excellence 2015

Cross section of Advertisers' Association of Nigeria, ADVAN, Executives, during the ADVAN Awardsfor Marketing Excellence 2015 in Lagos, at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, weekend. Photos: AkeemSalau

From left, Sam Umukoro, Communication Manager; PatriciaJemibewon,Marketing Director; Gbolahan Sanni, Senior BrandManager, all of Cola Nigeria Ltd -winner of Marketing ExcellenceCampaign of the Year Award, and Chief Charles Anyiam-Osigwe,Publisher, Pride Magazine.

From left, Kelechi Nwosu,AAAN President; Mr. Tunde Adedoyin, and FemiOgala, OAAN General Secretary

From left, Mr. Seun Lawal, Brand Manager, Gulder; Omotunde Adenusi,BrandManager, Star,Obabiyi Fagade,Brand Manager, Star; Chidike Oluaoha,Senior BrandManager, Star, all of Nigerian Breweries Plc -winner of Experiential Marketing Awardpresented by Mr. Lampe Omoyele.

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, NIVENBER 2, 2015—15

Unilag holds Distinguished Alumni & Recognition Award 2015

Professor Yemi Osinbajo,Vice President (4th left), Professor Jerry Gana, Pro-Chanccellor/Chairman ofCouncil, Professor Rahman Bello,VC, and other award recepients, cutting the alumni cake at theUniversity of Lagos Distinguished Alumni and Recongnition Award 2015 at the College MultipurposeHall, University of Lagos, Lagos, weekend Photos: Biodun Ogunleye

From left, Ven. Prof Francis Fajemirokun, Prof Olajide Abass, both former Universityof Lagos Deputy VCs, and Prof. Tolu Odugbemi, former VC of the university.

Prof Yemi Osinbajo, receiving award from Olor'ogun SonnyKuku.

Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (centre), receiving a plaque from Prof Jerry Gana, Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council while Professor Rahman Bello, VC (right)

Centre Chief Willie Obiano,Gov Anambra State and wife (left), receivingan Award from Prof Jerry Gana, Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council

Rt Hon. Ude Chukwu,Deputy Governor, Abia State (centre), and wife, LadyNnenna Chukwu (left), receiving an award from Olor'ogun Sonny Kuku.

From left, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, GM/Editor-In-Chief, Vanguard; Dr. GarbaTetengi, and HRH Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje, all Unilag Council members.

From left, Professor Sola Fajana, VC, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU, Ikeji;Alhaji Musiliu Smith, former Inspector General of Police, and Professor DuroAjeyalemi, Registrar/CE, Joint University Preliminary Examination Board, JUPEB.

CMYK

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—17

CMYK

OPINION

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

OPINION

Tribunals and our weak political systemBy Alex Atawa-Akpodiete

*Prof. Atawa-Akpodiete, a public affairsanalyst, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

SINCE the return to democracy in 1999,we have had the same recurring decimal

in our elections, which are the unendingelection petitions.

On March 28, 2015, Muhammadu Buhariwon the Presidential election and was swornin as the President of the Federal Republic ofNigeria on May 29, 2015. The outgoingPresident, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan didnot contest the outcome of the election andbowed out gracefully. His actions has beenhailed by the international community asone of the best things to have happened toNigeria, especially in light of the doomsdayprophesy about the break-up of the countryor expected bloodshed. Even the incumbentPresident has not failed to recognise thismagnanimity whenever the opportunitypresents itself.

By comparison, on April 11, 2015, therewere governorship elections in twenty-nine(29) States of the federation, which wereAbia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi,Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi,Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano,Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa,Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto,Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara. Only Bayelsa,Kogi, Edo, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo and AnambraStates were the only seven States that didnot hold governorship elections, but they stillheld elections for State Houses of Assemblies,House of Representatives and Senate.

In other words, there were 109 Senatorialseats, 360 House of Representatives positions,29 governorship positions and at least 774House of assemblies seats (some states hadmore constituencies than the actual numberof LGAs) that were available. This means atleast 1,272 contested positions. Of all these,the results of most of these were contested atthe Election tribunals, congesting thejudicial system, while making lawyers veryrich.

The electoral challenges includedallegations of violence, no actual voting,unqualified candidates, missing names onballot papers, irreconcilable number ofPermanent Voters Card (PVC) holdersversus accredited voters, non-functioningSmart Card Readers (SCR), outright jettisonof the SCR, ballot box snatching, absence ofelectoral materials, disappearance of INECofficials, rigging through multiple thumbprinting or falsifying of election result sheets.I am sure there are other species ofchallenges, but they must fall within theparameters of Section 138 of the 2010Electoral Act, as amended.

Section 133 of The amended 2010 ElectoralAct states that “(1) An election petition shallbe filed within 21 days after the date of the

declaration of results of the elections; (2) Anelection tribunal shall deliver its judgmentin writing within 180 days from the date ofthe filing of the petition; (3) An appeal froma decision of an election tribunal or courtshall be heard and disposed of within 90 daysfrom the date of the delivery of judgment ofthe tribunal; (4) The court in all appeals fromelection tribunals may adopt the practice offirst giving its decision and reserving thereasons thereto for the decision to a laterdate.”

By the time you add 21 days statute oflimitation for filing petition to the 180 fordetermining the petition at the tribunal, and90 days for appellate resolution at the Courtof Appeals, it essentially means that agovernorship election dispute cannot beresolved under 291 days which is slightlyunder nine months. This is clearlyunacceptable.

Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution of theFederal Republic of Nigeria deals withElection Tribunal. The pertinent portionstates, “There shall be established in eachState of the Federation one or more electiontribunals to be known as the Governorshipand Legislative Houses Election Tribunalswhich shall, to the exclusion of any court ortribunal, have original jurisdiction to hearand determine petitions as to whether anyperson has been validly elected to the officeof Governor or Deputy Governor or as amember of any legislative house. (3) Thecomposition of the National Assemblyelection Tribunals, Governorship and

Legislative Houses Election Tribunals shallbe as set out in the Sixth Schedule to thisConstitution. (4) The quorum of an electiontribunal established under this section shallbe the Chairman and two other members.”

Why can’t we get it right with theseelection challenges? Is it impossible toconclude the electoral victory challengebefore the swearing-in? States like Delta havewitnessed situation when the governor wassacked after serving 42 months of 48-months tenure. How ridiculous can that be?

Just this past week, the governorshipelection of Rivers was annulled by theelection tribunal after 177 days in office. Afew days before, the elections in 18 of the 31LGAs in Akwa Ibom were nullified.

Assuming the Court of Appeals upholdsthese decisions, we are again faced with thequagmire of the status of the executiveactions taken to date. Several governors haveborrowed humongous amounts of money.Some have sacked employees and enteredinto binding contractual obligations.

It should be recalled that most of the ActionCongress of Nigeria (ACN) (now in AllProgressives Congress (APC)) governors wereinstalled by the Court of Appeals under thewatch of former Justice Ayo Salami, thatwas shrouded in some controversies. Somepundits have postulated that APC is afterthe some South-South states.

Our weak political system cannot continuethis way. Something must give. The electoralAct must be amended to stipulate that theElection disputes must be determined withinthirty days, or at least before swearing-in.

The electoral Act must beamended to stipulate thatthe Election disputes mustbe determined withinthirty days

Budget 2016 should focus on infrastructure

NIGERIA can overcome slowinggrowth with spending as thegovernment plans to create a $25 billionfund combining public and privatefinancing to develop infrastructure,according to Vice President YemiOsinbajo. This is heartwarming at a timeof great fear that the economy mightslide into recession.

The decline in oil prices since themiddle of last year led Nigeria, Africa’slargest producer of crude, to slash itsbudget. The country’s credit rating hasbeen downgraded by Standard &Poor ’s, while JPMorgan Chaseremoved Nigeria from its local-currency emerging market indexes. Thenation relies on oil for about two-thirdsof its revenue and 90 percent of itsexports.

The Vice President said governmentis thinking of dodging the slide intorecession by maintaining a healthyspending agenda rather than cuttingback. Many in government quarters

have already been calling for belt-tightening or austerity measures thatcould see a deep slash in 2016government spending.

In reality, it is in times of economicslowdowns that governments shouldborrow and spend more. Economistshave long argued that massive publicworks in times of recession have, mostof the time, had positive effects oneconomies faced with prospects ofslumping. During the 2007/2008 globalfinancial meltdown, the government ofPresident Barrack Obama introduced amassive stimulus package that helpedthe American economy to overcome its

difficult times.It is, therefore, imperative that

President Muhammadu Buhari'sadministration takes a cue from this andborrows even from the capital marketto shore up spending in 2016. Aneconomic stimulus package by thisgovernment will succeed as PresidentBuhari has a track record of successfullyguiding stimulus programmes as he didwith the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

Buhari has a track record of frugalhandling of public funds and zerotolerance for corruption. He will betrusted and supported by the people toborrow and invest heavily in

infrastructure.Government robust spending in times

of low cash flow has the capacity tostimulate the economy by increasingdemand, production and job creation.On the other hand, deep cuts ingovernment spending will lead to lowproduction resulting from reduction indisposable income in the hands ofconsumers.

Nigeria could follow the example ofAsian countries that financed theirstimulus programmes throughdomestic borrowing mainly by issuinggovernment bonds. It is a global normthat borrowing money domestically inone’s own currency is not nearly asproblematic as raising funds fromexternal sources.

We indeed support that Nigeriashould not cut spending in 2016 butrather increase budgetary provisionsfor infrastructure even if we have toborrow. It is a welcome idea and theright way forward.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—19

CMYK

Send Opinions & Letters to:opinions1234@yahoo.com

By Chuks Iloegbunam

*Mr. Omidiora, GM , Ikeja Golf Club,wrote from Lagos.

Amongst ambassadors andintellectuals

I WENT to school last Tuesday.It was a privilege walking in

the midst of some of the bestserving and retired ambassadorsin our country. This class hadAmbassador Abdul Rimdap,former Ambassador to Germanyas captain. The party wascomplemented by the presenceof some leading intellectualswith Emeritus ProfessorAnthony.I. Asiwaju as leadinglight. Heavy weight professorslike Ahmadu Sesay, AyoDunmoye, Bolade Eyinla andVictor Adetula were also present.The presence of Adelaja Odukoyareminded me that theintellectual torch has passedfrom the Asiwaju generation toa younger one.

On hand to deliver anenlightening and stimulatinglecture was Dr. MartinUhomoibhi former PermanentSecretary, Foreign AffairsMinistry who was comfortablestrutting through many fields;from history to politics, domesticto foreign. I learnt not toofamiliar concepts. For instance,Nigeriacentricity. Hisexplanation is that the “AncientNigeria Commonwealth”predates colonialism. Thatcommonwealth, is the umbilicalcord that connected the ancientkingdoms and city states thatconstitute what is now Nigeria.

Comparing those ages withtoday’s ephemeral politics whereanybody can overnight become

retire and do things at his chosenpace.

Ambassador Ayo Olukanni,immediate past ambassador toAustralia with concurrentrepresentation to a number ofsurrounding countries, told twotouching stories about theunique presence of Nigerians invirtually all parts of the world.While visiting Papau NewGuinea, he discovered that thereis only one mosque in thatcountry and that the ChiefImam, is a Nigerian. In AliceSpring, on the edge of theAustralian desert which has oneof the largest concentrations of theAborigines, he met a CorrectionalOfficer, Adeyemo, who isNigerian. The officer, he said, hastwo customized plate numbers;Igwe I and Igwe II. While beingYoruba, Adeyemo in that faraway desert, prefers to promoteIgbo tradition. OccasionChairman, Prof. ChudiUwazurike was a uniquely placedperson; he is a veteran of theForeign Service, an academicand was a member of theNational Assembly.

I sought to correct Uhomoibhithat there is still an Africancountry under colonialism;Western Sahara. But he arguedthat with an ambassador inNigeria and similarrepresentation in othercountries, that country cannot becategorised as a colony. By hislogic, it means that Palestine isan independent country or thatSouth Africa under Apartheidwhich had ambassadors from theliberation movement, was not acolony.

The event was put together inAbuja by the Society forInternational RelationsAwareness (SIRA) led by Prof.Nuhu Yaqub, Vice Chancellor ofthe Sokoto State University andformer Vice Chancellor of theUniversity of Abuja. The SIRAwhich is supported by theGerman Friedrich Ebert Stiftung(FES) also used the occasion tolaunch its book “The Challengesof Insurgency”. Prof. W. Alade

Fawole who reviewed it alsoshowed good salesmanship inmarketing the book. As expectedin such a gathering, the millionsdid not come tumbling, butpeople freely gave. The SIRA alsoused the occasion to celebrate oneof its own, Prof. Tonia Simbinewho has just been appointed aCommissioner in theIndependent National ElectoralCommission (INEC)

I got a copy of the memoirs ofAmbassador Olufemi OyewaleGeorge titled “FROM ROOKIE TOMANDARIN: The memoirs of aSecond Generation Diplomat”.The diplomat who was quiteprominent during the Obasanjoadministration told of strugglesin the Foreign Service includingone when there was an attemptto ‘import’ an obviouslyunqualified officer from a statecivil to a top position in theForeign Ministry where hewould have been boss to hissuperiors in service andeducation.

What struck me was that thesetting was a unique gathering.Ambassadors who by theirtraining, exposure andexperience, ordinarily, cannotbut be Pan Nigerian in theirviews, and intellectuals who relyon the use of their intellectrather than the prevailingprimordial sentiments. Thesegroups of professionals whoidentify poverty as a majorchallenge, are in a position to brainstorm on the way forward for thecountry. How to transform the oldsubsistence farming methods, andturn traditional cattle rearingthat sees herdsmen damagingcrops, to breeding in givensettlements which would make itunnecessary to roam across thecountry. How do we shiftemphasis from sharing nationalwealth, to true wealth creationand development? How do weensure that population is notmerely a criterion for revenuesharing, but more importantly,for production. Many questionsI could not really ask theambassadors and intellectuals.

Biafra not Nigeria’s problem

a leader, he said you do notbecome the Ooni of Ife, Oba ofBenin or Shehu of Bornu,overnight.

He also espoused the concept ofSmart Missions. He argued thatthis is the solution to policysummersaults that sees oneadministration closing a Missiontoday, and tomorrow, a newadministration reopens the sameMission.

He argued that even if theeconomic reason for shutting aMission is cogent, the hostcountry will wonder why it isthe one in his country beingclosed and not another. Theunintended signal, he pointedout, is that such a country mightassume Nigeria does not thinkmuch of it. The solution heargues, is to have SmartMissions; an embassy with anambassador and one diplomatsupported by local staff.

Uhomoibhi said Nigeria’sforeign policy of being friend toall, has its roots in the, AbubakarTafawa-Balewa era. Based onthis, he said, Nigeria has nevergone to war with any countryeven if it meant giving up someof our territory as happened inBakassi. To me, it is debatable ifthis is smart policy or docility ininternational relations.

Uhomoibh argues that Nigeriahas not made adequate use of itsposition as ancestral home tomany black peoples, especiallythose in Brazil and the

Caribbean, nor Nigerians indiaspora. The Black race he said,is in trouble pointing out thatwhile by the mid 18th Century,we constituted one third of thehuman race, now we are farfewer. To him, most of thediscussions on migration,especially in Europe, arefocusing on the symptoms,rather than the root causes.Except for circumstances, hewonders who wants to leave hiscountry.

There was a joke when I wasyoung, that an ambassador is anhonest man sent abroad to lie forhis country; for Uhomoibhi, thevalue of an ambassador is hisability to reach his host presidentand adequately report on thecountry of his posting to thehome office.

Glancing through thelandscape, he submitted that itis not history that makesmistakes, it is people who makemistakes and blame it on history.As if talking about himself,Uhomoibhi said, the mostbeautiful thing for a humanbeing is after doing his best, to

BIAFRA is not one of the problemsbesetting Nigeria. Those unable to

appreciate this fact may require a dose ofcreative thinking. Nigeria’s stubbornthorn in the flesh is its adamantrepudiation of the self-evident concept ofthe changelessness of change, upon whichsits a crippling unwillingness to engagethat same constancy of change. There aretwo random but famous declarations –one little remembered today, the other,something of a mantra – that neatly wrapup the national antiparty to inexorablechange and its management.

On January 15, 1970, there was aceremony at Dodan Barracks, Lagos, thethen seat of political power. Biafran actingHead of State, General Philip Effiong,Colonel David Ogunewe, Colonel PatrickAnwunah, Colonel Patrick Amadi andPolice Commissioner Patrick Okeke hadgone to submit Biafra’s document ofsurrender, which officially marked theend of the civil war. “The so-called risingsun of Biafra has set forever,” declaredHead of State General Yakubu Gowon, onthat occasion. In the leaps and dips ofNigeria’s turbulence, it is common to hearpoliticians of varying persuasionsdeclaring, as a way of “helping” to stabilisethe listing ship of state, that “Nigeria’sunity is not negotiable.”

Between Gowon’s presumption ofBiafra’s finality, which rode on the crest

of triumphalism and was hailed as prescientby many, including Gowon’s biographerProfessor Isawa Elaigwu, and the incessantlyvoiced exclusion of terms on Nigeria’soneness, lies the country’s problematic.General Gowon is alive and bouncing. Werehe to honestly comment on his 45-year olddeclaration today, he would readily admitto not having thoroughly considered all sidesof everything. For it is clearly outside thebounds of political authority to decree theirreversible amputation of humanpredilection and proclivity. The currenthoopla around Biafra lends credence to theassertion.

Now, there is something baffling in theoft-repeated statement on Nigeria’s unitynot being negotiable. The statement doesnot mean that Nigeria’s unity is a faitaccompli. It simply insists on a spitefuldenunciation of any thought of mappingout a sustainable road on which theassumed or anticipated national unitymust travel, free from iniquity and

cataclysms; a method for mastering theimperatives of national unity which is,anywhere in the world, a particularlydaunting proposition. It is because Nigeriahas kept its back obdurately turned tochange that even the littlest molehill onits uncharted road invariably becomes aprecipitous mountain.

Why is Nigeria incapable of learningfrom history? When Biafra came in 1967,it was way ahead of its time. SinceJanuary 15, 1970, the world’s politicalmap has continued to be redrawn.Emperor Haile Selassie would havestarted, and branded any dream in whichEritrea was mentioned a nightmare.Eritrea gained international recognitionas an independent state in 1993. SouthSudan was only a fictional construct in1970; it became an independent nationin 2011. Bangladesh was non-existent in1970; it declared its independence fromPakistan a year later. The Soviet Uniondissolved into 12 independent states in1991. By 1992 Yugoslavia had fracturedinto about seven independent countries.On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia splitinto Czech and Slovak Republics. Scotlandheld an Independence referendum earlythis year that failed. There is a powerfulCatalan movement pushing secessionfrom Spain. Separatist tendencies are noton the wane in Cabinda.

What to bear in mind is that most of thesecessions or agitations for secession in theworld are along ethnic lines. For anethnically composite country like Nigeria,the way to avoid a potential split is not byprecluding discussion on contentious issues,and it is not by expeditionary repression ofpeaceful dissent. After all, dissent is not and

should never be construed as a crime in ademocracy. A country of disparate peoplescan only be held together in peace andharmony by the glues of visionary leadershipindexed on tried and tested politicalstructures of equity, fairness, justice,innovation and practicality. This cannot besaid of Nigeria.

Look at neighbouring Ghana, which, likeNigeria, is multi-ethnic. Who ever heardof secessionist agitation in that country?Here is a point made in a June 28, 2012Memorandum submitted to the House ofRepresentatives Committee on the Reviewof the 1999 Constitution by the OhanaezeNdigbo: “In our socio-political andeconomic intercourse all groups (big orsmall) must be allowed free-play andequitable access to our country’sresources and strategic politicalcommand posts, including particularlythe presidency. Sustained imbalance insharing responsibilities and the ‘nationalcake’ could conceivably induce in thoseunits aggrieved a rethink of the value tothem of our much vaunted nationalunity.”

One possible way of checking skepticismon Nigerian unity is the implementationof the report of last year’s NationalConference. Unfortunately, chameleons,who throughout their dubious politicalcareers had hoisted the NationalConference placard, turned up on the eveof the last presidential ballot to execratethe idea.

There was a jokewhen I was young,that an ambassadoris an honest mansent abroad to lie forhis country; forUhomoibhi, thevalue of anambassador is hisability to reach hishost president andadequately report onthe country of hisposting to the homeoffice

One possible way ofchecking skepticism onNigerian unity is theimplementation of thereport of last year’sNational Conference

20—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

OPINION

CMYK

Rebuilding the North East together

UNLESS the unexpected happens, theFederal Government appears set to

convene a national conference for thereconstruction and rehabilitation of theNorth East region of Nigeria, if, hopefullywe meet the deadline of killing BokoHaram in December. The Chairman of theVictim Support Fund (VSF), retiredGeneral Theophilus Danjuma last weektold newsmen that the summit will be heldon December 7th 2015 in Abuja.

The Federal Government also unfoldedwhat it called the “North East MarshallPlan” (NEMAP), which immediate andlong term programme funding is expectedto gulp over N200 billion. This fund willbe provided from the national treasury,along with assistance that will be providedby international support groups. So, whatwe are looking at is more of aninternational collaboration to bring theNorth East back to its feet when the BokoHaram virus has been effectively removedfrom national anatomy.

Even though a similar programme loudlyproclaimed after the Biafra-Nigeria warwas nothing more than a mere emptypropaganda, I am genuinely gratified toknow that the North East will not beabandoned to its own fate when the warends.

Religiousideology

The North East is fortunate that thenation is not prosecuting the war againstBoko Haram with the same sense ofsectional revanchist venom and falsemagnanimity that largely ruled the post-civil war efforts. The nation is suffused withgenuine empathy towards a part of it thathas been overrun by its own evil sons anddaughters feeding on a devilish religiousideology spawned in the dark recesses ofthe Middle East. Mindless orgies of killingof everyone in sight by Islamist insurgentshave led to the death of over 20,000Nigerians and the uprooting of more thantwo million innocent citizens from theircommunities and homes.

As we prepare for this conference, thereare certain truths and realities we must bearin mind. The military conquest of SambisaForest is not automatically the same thingas the defeat of Boko Haram. Right now,we have conflicting reports from those whoshould know about the level of progressalready made. While the Chief of ArmyStaff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, wants usto believe that Boko Haram no longercontrols “an inch” of Nigeria’s territory,Governor Kassim Shettima of Borno Stateinforms that the insurgents still maintain

presence in two local government areasand some parts of a third.

I don’t want to be deceived: if BokoHaram no longer occupies any territory,how come it is still organising raids,carrying out suicide bombings and killingpeople? Why are we getting daily reportsof Nigerians being rescued after theinsurgents are driven from their hideoutsby our gallant troops? Why haven’t wedeclared the military campaign over withmission accomplished? Why are we stilldebating whether December is still viableas a deadline for eliminating this threat?

Reading off from my experience and gutfeelings, I think we still have a lot to dobefore we can shout Uhuru or Hosanna.The military operation will certainlycapture, clean up Sambisa Forest andpossibly recover some of the abductees,including the surviving Chibok girls. Thegreater work before us is to ensure thatwe do not drive fleeing terrorists fromSambisa back into the law-abidingpopulation. There is too much indiscipline,evil-mindedness, religious wickedness,perfidy and questionable loyalties among

our people for many of the insurgents notto escape from the evil Forest and be cozilyaccommodated within the populace.

Some sections of the North have not beensincere in the war against Boko Haram.Many Northern Muslims are secret (andsometimes not so secret) supporters of theIslamists. When former PresidentGoodluck Jonathan said there were BokoHaram supporters even in his government,he was only saying the truth which manyfound too bitter to swallow. During thecampaigns towards the 2015 generalelections, a Northern governor showed mesome threatening text messages he wasgetting from a variety of sources in theNorth and lamented that Boko Haramloyalists were “everywhere in the North”,ready to come out when the time was ripe.

If the North had been as sincere as theSouth in the fight against the terrorists,they would not have even had the chanceto balloon into such a terrible monster. Ata stage, there was hardly any highly placedor well-to-do Northerner who did notcontribute to the insurgents. They gaveeither to buy their safety and those of theirfamily members under duress, orvoluntarily and supportively, or to protecttheir political interests or hurt those of theirpolitical opponents. These are things thatusually happen whenever criminalsoverwhelm society and begin to call theshots.

Luckily and hopefully, the days whenBoko Haram had the temerity to cowNortherners and force them to contributeto their upkeep are largely over. We cannow separate those who supported out offear and those who did so out of convictionand begin to round up Boko Haramsponsors. Without doing this, we will givethe insurgents a breathing space to replantthemselves in another “forest” and pronto,we are back to square one. NorthernMuslims must first of all, purge themselvesof their open or hidden loyalties to BokoHaram and its international paymasters.Without that commitment, I am afraid, we

are going to dump N200 billion down thedrain.

Having purged themselves of loyalty toBoko Haram, and joined in theapprehension of its sponsors andsupporters, the next step will be to embarkon an orderly relocation of the displacedpersons to their communities. It will benecessary to assist all adults with aminimum amount of money along the linesof General Yakubu Gowon’s “20 Pounds”to former Biafrans. With that they can startlife from the scratch. Without it they willbe left in total destitution, and the youthamong them may go back to Boko Haramor simply join the violent crimes train.

Speaking of the youth, we must set asidea special package for the “Civilian JointTask Force” or Civilian JTF, the patrioticvolunteers who have helped the army withthe war on Boko Haram. These chaps havetasted blood and now used to the feel andpower of weapons. We must learn from ourexperiences of the civil war and desist fromsimply demobilising them to fend forthemselves, or they will simply use theirfirearms to make the North East a hotbedof crimes.

The actual construction work should focuson rebuilding schools, hospitals, roads andthe agricultural infrastructure. This is notthe time to waste scarce money on churchesand mosques. Those should be rebuilt bythe adherents of their faiths, not withgovernment funds!

The rebuilding of the North East shouldnot be left to Northern politicians alone, orthey will, as usual, put our money intoirrelevant matters that will not add muchvalue to the common people. Let us gotogether to the North East Summit.

"Every adversity in life makes us bitter or better, everyproblem comes to break us or make us. The choice is ourswhether we become victor or victim" - Anil sinha.

ADVERSITY can be turned into opportunities if onlythere is a determination to do it. As the quote above

goes, adversity has the tendency to bring out the latenttalents which would have otherwise remained dormantin prosperous circumstances.

It is a thin line between people who make use ofadversity and break records and those who breakdowndue to adversity.

Recessions generally occur when there is a widespreaddrop in spending. This may be triggered by variousevents, such as a financial crisis, an external trade shock,an adverse supply shock or the bursting of an economicbubble.

At a point in time, the economy of most countries inthe world was affected, a period of global economicslowdown or declining economic output.

It's no longer news that most states in Nigeria areseriously challenged and state governments up until nowfind it hard to meet up with their major obligations

Options before Nigerian statesBy Alabi Adekunle

including payments of salaries and pensions andembarking on capital projects.

For some time, the revenue accruing into states inNigeria’s treasury have been dwindling steadily, owingto the glut in the international oil market.

This continuous decline in monthly revenue fromAbuja,in addition to the fact that most of the states haveone loan or the other to service, hence the call from allangles that states begin to look inward on how they canboost their finances so that they can meet up with thechallenges of paying salaries, run governments and atleast provide basic amenities for their citizens.

For Nigeria, the state of affairs at the moment is notnew. The oil boom had givenway to oil doom in the middleof the 1970s, as the glut in theinternational oil market sentthe oil prices tumbling andcrashing. With this came thefall of many economies,Nigeria inclusive. A monoproduct economy, an oilbased country could not with-stand the shocks associatedwith the global recession.

Several governments that

have served the nation came up with different cushioningmeasures to salvage the situation. Alhaji Shehu Shagari,President of Nigeria then initiated a series of AusterityMeasures and stabilisation policies in 1981.

Generals Buhari and Idiagbon in the 80s introduced acomprehensive package of austerity measures, where itclosed the country's land borders for a period to identifyand expel illegal alien workers and placed severerestrictions on imports and heavy penalties onsmuggling and foreign exchange offenses.

There was the regime of General Ibrahim Babangidathat introduced the Structural Adjustment Programme(SAP) which promoted floating interest rates, relaxationof the Indigenization Decrees, controlled the rate ofgrowths of money supply by squeezing domestic credit,placed an embargo on appointments, froze wages andderegulated the economy in general. At the same time,fund to the educational sector was cut by about 35%,schools were closed or merged, subsidies were removedfrom social services, petroleum and related products,and emphasis was placed on regular debt servicing.

The present situation calls for toughness on the part ofthe states of the federation. To stay buoyant, they mustlook inwards, on how they will steer the ship of theirstate through the stormy weather and land at a safeharbour.

*Mr. Adekunle, a public affairs commentator, wrotefrom Osogbo, Osun State.

I MUST register my delight that theFederal Government has yielded to the

demands and concerns of not just Igbosbut all Nigerians of goodwill, to removethe Boko Haram detainees from theEkwulobia town jail in Anambra State.Kudos to President Muhammadu Buharifor that. The people of the town can nowsleep normally.

But I still hope that the FederalGovernment took adequate care toensure that the people of the nextdestination where they were taken aresafe. I hope the prison will not be thetype that Boko Haram can attack andthus endanger the people. It is not tribalissue but the safety of Nigerians thatmatters here. Whatever I wish myself,that is what I wish other Nigerians.

Relocation of terroristfrom Ekwulobia

Northern Muslims mustfirst of all, purgethemselves of their openor hidden loyalties toBoko Haram and itsinternationalpaymasters. Withoutthat commitment, I amafraid, we are going todump N200 billiondown the drain

For Nigeria,the state ofaffairs at themoment is notnew

NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Continues on page 22

COMMISSIONING: Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ivara Esu, commissioning the Calabar officeof the Bank of Industry. He is flanked by Managing Director/CEO Bank of Industry, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa (right)and Executive Director, Small and Medium enterprises, Mr Waheed Olagunju during the occasion in Calabar.

PET bottles recycling generates1,800 jobs across value chainsCollectors earning N34,000 monthly; N403,000 annually

PET bottles recycling, a new lineof business which sprang fromthe foods and beverages

industry currently generates about1,800 jobs across value chains —pickers, collection centres andrecycling plants.

PET bottles are containers made of ahydrocarbon called PolyEthyleneTerephthalate, or PET, for short.

By FRANKLIN ALLIInvestigations revealed that the new

industry which focuses on recycling ofPET bottles, cans, crown-corks andlabels, is being driven by multinationalcompanies operating under anumbrella body called NigerianBeverage Alliance. Its memberscomprise Coca-Cola Nigeria Plc,Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nestle NigeriaPlc; Nigeria Bottling Company andSeven-Up Bottling Company Plc. Therecycling is done in partnership withAlkem Nigeria Ltd, a former textile

company, which is now using itsmachines to recycle bottles forbeverage industries.

Mr. Clem Ugorji, the Association’sSecretary/ Director of Public Affairsand Communications, Coca-Cola, told Financial Vanguard that althoughthese companies are competing fiercelyfor market shares, they are alsoworking together behind the scenes todrive the recycling economy.

“We do not want to be part of theproblem of waste littering our streets,

canals, instead we want to be part ofthe success story. We ensure that littersfrom our products do not constitutehazards to the business, theenvironment and the economy,” hesaid.

According to him, across Nigeria’scities and villages, as in many otherdeveloping countries, solid waste,including PET bottles and other non-biodegradable materials, end up atdumpsites and landfills, often cloggingdrains and waterways, contributing tohealth and environmental hazards.

“In response to this challenge, in2005, Coca-Cola , in collaborationwith Alkem Nigeria Limited, asynthetic fiber manufacturer, initiateda buyback and recycling scheme forused PET bottles, regardless of sourceor brand. Together, the partnerslaunched Nigeria’s first bottles-to-fiberrecycling operation. Coca-Cola is theonly player in the beverage sector thatis investing in this initiative and wasjoined in 2009 by its bottling partner,Nigerian Bottling Company Limited.

“Coca-Cola funded the creation of thefirst two collection centers in Lagos,October 2005, and continues tosubsidise the cost collection (buyback)to help sustain the project, which hasgrown to include more than 26collection centers across 10 cities. Thevolume of recycled bottles has grownfrom 135 tons in 2005 to more than6,200 tons in 2012, with a total of nearly26,000 tons recycled since projectinception.

“In addition to reducing litter fromPET bottles, the project employs anestimated 1,800 people, with manyearning more than $6 a day (aboutN1,200 daily, N34 ,000 monthly andover N403,000 per annum, in a countrywhere about 70 per cent of thepopulation lives on less than $2 a day.

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

Cover

The Basic Guide to StartingYour Business Part 3

WHAT IS NOT BUSINESS?

Often time people engage in all sort of shady dealsand call it business. This should not be, becauseany act/trade that is not genuine and is to the

detriment of others cannot be called a business, especiallyif it doesn’t fall within the confines of the law or is aimed atgetting profit wrongly. Some of these wrong businessesinclude, money laundering (government officials), abuse ofoffice, stealing, defrauding, internet scam otherwise knownas yahoo-yahoo, 419 and a host of others. If you are involvedin any of the above, then you cannot say that you are in abusiness as the above named are prohibited by the laws ofthe land and they do not create opportunities. Rather theyruin or cripple the country, portraying it in a very bad lightto the rest of the world. It is only a lazy man that looks for aneasy way out all the time, not wanting to go through theright process and procedures.

THE MENTALITY OF A BUSINESS MAN:We have discussed what a business is in the previous

chapter and what business is not; we have also looked atthe importance of self analysis in starting a business as wellas the disadvantages and advantages. Now it’s time to talkabout the mentality a business man should possess. Wecannot underestimate the power of the mind and I makebold to say that that is where every idea and dream is born.The good book also emphasizes this by saying “as a manthinketh in his heart, so he is”.

When starting a business, you would need to ask yourselfif you possess what it takes to run it efficiently and get thedesired results. Every successful business man has amentality and should possess a strong sense of character.That is why it is important to carry out a self analysis beforecommencing a business.

The business man does not see failure as a reason to quit;to him failure is a stepping stone that launches him to hisnext level. He is not afraid but is a risk taker, possessing theutmost desire to succeed; he is not just out to make money,but rather to bridge the gap between demand and supply.

He is a sharp thinker and very witty, seizing every availableopportunity to meet the demands of consumers. The followingmake up the mindset of successful business men.

OptimismOptimism continues to be a primary factor in whether or

not an individual will stay focused on goals rather than bethwarted by the negative events that would impede progress.It is the absolute ideal that leads to achievement as nothingcan be done without hope. Therefore, it is the very essenceof success.

If you want to have a successful business, it is importantthat you start out as an optimist, refusing to see impossibilitiesand obstacles. An optimist is not discouraged, but ratherlooks for other ways to make things better. A good businessman will always diligently search for answers that will work.He possesses the “yes I can” aura and mentality which willendear him to clients and friends alike.

Before you start a business it is very important that youhave a very optimistic mentality, one that is not easily swayedby various obstacles you will encounter in the course ofcarrying out your business. This is because nobody wants todo business with a pessimist.

CreativityA creative ability is a very vital tool in the hands of a person

who intends to start a business, although sometimes evenas a business owner there is a risk with being creative; it isnot possible to do something the same way and expect adifferent outcome. You have to be very dynamic in your choiceand approach to the business you intend to start. Brainstorma list of possibilities no matter how wild it seems. Look forthe unusual but plausible.

Enhanced creativity when looking at possible businesssolutions increases the flow of ideas within the frameworkof a set of desired goals.

The synthetic fiber produced isvaluable raw material thatsupports various localindustries in producing textiles,mattresses, pillows, sofas,roofing sheets and insulation forbuildings. Coca-Cola alone hasinvested $1 million (about N2billion) in waste recyclingplants,” he stated.

According to him, the visionofCoca Cola is to build aneffective nationwide recyclingeconomy that would ensure thatour streets, drains and dumpsites are rid of PET bottles inparticular. He called onNigerians who have money tocome on board and invest in theindustry because of the hugereturns on investment and that80 per cent of the 36 states lackrecycling infrastructure.

An expert on recycline, Mr.Kayode Ogunbiyi, who is alsothe Managing Director ofResource Renewables, said itwas high time for producers ofwastes to take responsibility forrecycling. In a presentation on“Extended ProducerResponsibility (EPR) and theProducer ResponsibilityOrganisations (PRO) , he urgedthe federal government to come up with laws to regulatethe industry through NationalEnvironmental Standards andRegulations EnforcementAgency, NESREA, adding thatthis is what obtained in theEuropean Union and the USA.

However, Mrs. MirandaAmachree, Director, Inspectionand Enforcement NESREA,hailed the emergence of thenew industry, the brains behindit and expressed hope that itwill have a huge positiveimpacts on the economy.

PET bottles recycling generates1,800 jobs across value chains

Continues from page 21

FORUM - From left: CEO, Almond Productions Limited,Faith Ughwode; Guest Speaker, Almond2015 Insurance Consumers Forum, Mrs Ekaete Augustine-Edet; Chairman of the Occasion,SirMuftau Oyegunle;and MD/CEO, Custodian Life, Mr Larry Ademeso,at the Almond 2015Insurance Consumers Forum in Lagos.

Financial Vanguard spoke tosome waste collectors in someparts of Lagos metropolis. It wasdiscovered that the pickers aremostly youths from Northernparts of the country. One ofthem, who gave his name asAyuba, said he and hiscolleagues start work as earlyas 7.30 am to pick the plasticbottles and cans from differentlocations and even buy somefrom people at N5 per bottledepending on the litres.

“We pick any brands of PET

bottles with or without cap andwrapper, ensure they are emptyand free of water and sand. Atthe collection centres they areweighed in 30-50kilograms,” he said. Whenasked how much they makeeach day, he said “N800-1,500,depending on the volume ofpicks. Another picker with truckloaded with four bags, saideach bag contains 20-30 petbottles and is sold for N20 perbag. He said that in a day, hemakes up to N1,200.

The hospitality business inNigeria is now peaking at

N562 billion as at last year.This was disclosed bySlimTrader, West AfricaVocation Education, WAVE,a technology/e-commercesolution provider.In a chat with Vanguard, Femi Akinde, ManagingDirector, SlimTrader, said: “The Hospitality industry inNigeria is worthapproximately N562 billion($3billion) in 2014 and stillgrowing.Akinde said Nigeria does nothave enough hotels. “We justhave 7,000 hotels for 70million adults, excluding people coming into thecountry. If we consider theinternal travels that happen inNigeria, 7,000 hotels areprobably not enough toaccommodate all of the peoplethat are looking for rooms.”Nnenna Onyewuchi, a BoardMember of WAVE, added,“I think hospitality business inNigeria is in transition, I think

Nigeria's hospitality businesshits N562bn

the entrant of internationalbrands have changed thegame and I think that theNigerian customers arebeginning to demand a better,quality of service. I am certainthat is why today, Nigeriancustomers are not ready to dealwith any kind of service; theyare demanding a better andcourteous service.“People in the hospitalitybusiness need a better qualityemployee; this is where WAVEcomes in. It is not that you justneed someone who can takean order and go, we also needsomeone who can talk topeople, who is able to bepleasant, who is able to dealwith difficult customers.”What we are seeing is theformalisation of retail and animprovement of the customerservice experience in general andacross the board, it is causingpeople to demand for bettercustomer service and that requiresbetter customer servicerepresentatives. “As the Nigerian economycontinues to grow and expand, wehave seen a real growth in theformal retail business."

By Princewill Ekwujuru

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 23

Business & Economy

We bring you the readers' reactions to some issues raisedon this column.

Oyeye:

Kudos to the author of this article as it really makes senseto someone like me that lived in the United States foralmost three decades. Providing credit facilities will

certainly discourage corruption to a large extent and stimulatethe economy. However, the practical approach for actualisingthis strategy is still missing as banks have no way to trackborrowers. The BVN that is ongoing may help in that direction,

Consumer credit and mortgagefinancing can help fight corruption

including the National ID thatsome selfish Nigerians havebeen suppressing for politicalreasons up till now. If theBuhari administration is readyto move this country forward,the National ID card mustbecome compulsory for allNigerians, including everychild born daily. And incombination with the BVN,banks can begin to give outloans with the hope of trackingpeople they give loans to; andcredit ratings for individualsand institutions can commencethereafter. The NationalAssembly should commencelegislation for this as soon aspossible.

D a n i e l O s a z u w a : Icompletely agree with you.But the miss-norma here isthe so called private sector-driven economy. Planning forour economy to be privatesector-led is like trying toplace a 24-wheeler truck fullyloaded on top of a Kia Picantoand expect it to move. Evenin countries where listedcompanies are sometimes800% of their GDP, thegovernment still funds themortgage sector like theFannie Mae and Freddie Mac.If the Government can bail outthe banks and connectprivate borrowers with morethan N4 trillion throughAMCON, it can create a sort ofFannie Mae and Freddie Machere in Nigeria. Trying to fightcorruption when civil

servants are not sure of theirfuture wellbeing is wasting oftime or “noise-making”.

Emmanuel Kalu: Mostsensible Nigerians continue tobeat their head against thewall, because we can’t solvesimple problems that havebeen solved across the world.There is no problem facingNigeria today that has notbeen experienced by othercountries. Nigeria only needsto study it, copy it and refine itto fit Nigeria, yet we continueto fail to do this. And thereason is simple, money is stillflowing from oil and we haveuseless leaders. Developingmortgage scheme andconsumer credit would takeNigerian economy to newheight, and yes, like the writersaid, it would reducecorruption. How can you stopcorruption when the averageworker is not getting paid wellenough, and the little he getsis delayed by months? Ourleadership has failed us, and ifwe don’t understand that andmake the necessary change,we would continue to be in thesame spot 55 years from now.

Banfi: Very correct, onlyNigerians like big things.Instead of building a one, twoor three-bedrroom flat like inoverseas they will go for duplexabove their income therebyleading to corruption.We havea long way to go.

The kind ofministersNigeria needsnow

Emmanuel kalu: Very goodarticle and straight to thepoint. No matter what anyonesaid, our last agricultureminister was a minister thatknew how farming worked,and was ready to get down. Weneed ministers like that,ministers that know how tomake Nigeria work, ministersthat would find local solution

•President Buhari

to our problems, instead ofwasting money on foreignimport.

Truth forever: The authorhas beamed the light on theright spot but our economicdrivers in Nigeria are theoristswho gallivant on newsheadlines parading our streetin several guises blabbingnonsense on what I call“routine administration - atrial by error type of agovernment”- the rabblerousers .

One quick lesson that quicklycomes to register on people's

mind after the election was thebody language by thepresidency that removed whatis called federal character fromnational service and replacedit with a determined 'Northmust control every sector ofNigerian life at all cost.' Andthe moment people noticedthe sudden change of thepresidency especially on hisfirst list of aides appointed atthe Villa, the spirit of working-together for Change suddenlyfell, and the rest is history.

Yes, people have lost hopein this government of change,which hopefully was expectedto be national with all intentand purposes, but now onlyBaba’s crusade alone- yes onlyMr President is running theshow. The issue at the NASS,ministerial embarrassing list,sleazes here and therereported on our ex-governorswho are actually the front-linearmy for the change, militantsunleashing terror at will,kidnapping going unabated,economy squeezing withoutnotice- naira having theheaviest fall in decades, theonly formal economic activity- oil - yet to take structurewithin national, regional andinternational trades and withworst selling reports in decade- currently at $48 per barrel.And lastly, probing of pastleadership remaining selective- the administration forChange promised probing onlythe immediate past governmentbut recent developmentindicates the post has shifted.

A survey conducted byNigeria’s online vehiclem a r k e t p l a c e ,

Carmudi.com has shown thatNigeria is the most expensivecountry to buy a car whencompared to its neighbouringWest African countries.The study which focused onthe used car modelmanufactured between 2008and 2013 provided insightsinto the price difference acrosssome of the surveyed countriesin West Africa.According to the study,Nigeria is the most expensivecountry to buy a car in WesternAfrica, with an average priceof $19,547 dollars which isabout N3.9 million while that

Nigeria is most expensive country to buy car in West Africa — SurveyBy JONAH NWOKPOKU of Senegal and Ghana are

about $18,923 and $17,654respectively. From the studies,Nigeria, Senegal and Ghanarank the top three in mostexpensive countries to buy acar.The study noted that in 2013,Nigeria imported more than500, 000 unit of cars, 75 percent of which were used cars.Although the number of usedcars imported in 2014 and 2015reduced, Nigerians surveyedin the study agreed it wasbecause of the increase incustom tariff rather thanavailability of locallymanufactured cars.The study however revealedthat despite being the mostexpensive country to buy aused car in West Africa,Nigeria still has a high

demand for cars. It noted thateven though the middle classhas grown three times largerin the last decade and a half,very few brand new cars havebeen purchased.Carmudi pointed out that one

of the difficulties Nigeriansexperience in the purchase ofbrand new cars is the lack ofvehicle financing options asfinance institutions give carloans with very high interestrates.

Speaking on the findings,Managing Director ofCarmudi Nigeria, AmyMuoneke called for affordableloan options to aid people whowish to own locallymanufactured cars.

Following the success of its2012 and 2014 bidding

rounds, the Ministry of Mines,Industry and Energy ofEquatorial Guinea hasannounced it will launch anew bidding round for allremaining deep and ultra-deepwater blocks in 2016.Two operators have confirmed

Equatorial Guinea promotes new offshoreexploration in 2016

they will further exploreprospects in EquatorialGuinea in 2016: RoyalGateEnergy will drill Block Z andBrazil’s G3 Oleo e Gas willdrill Block EG-01.“In a sustained environmentof low oil prices, EquatorialGuinea continues to beattractive for deepwater

exploration,” said Minister ofMines, Industry and EnergyGabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima.“The start of two moreexploration drillingcampaigns in 2016 reinforcesthe fact that our contract termsare competitive and appealingto international explorers.”

24— Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 25

Banking & Finance

Union Bank:Sustaining growthwith refreshed Identity

Our iconic whitestallion, whichrepresentsstrength andpassion, is now inmotion, canteringforward withenergy anddynamism

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

In a bid to sustain its steadygrowth, reflected in its

Third quarter 2015 resultreleased last week, Union Banklaunched a refreshed brandidentity, designed to rekindlepublic confidence and attractincreased customer patronageacross the country.

“As we go into the final quarterof the year, we expect to sustainthis level of performance,leveraging on our new brandidentity”, said the bank’s ChiefFinancial Officer, Mrs OyinkanAdewale in a statementannouncing the bank’s thirdquarter 2015 financial results.

Financial resultsOn October 26, the Union

Bank Plc released its unauditedreport for the third quarter,which indicated significantgrowths in gross and netearnings. According to theresults, gross earnings andprofit before tax grew by 11 percent each while total assets roseby 10.3 per cent to N1.02trillion. Gross earnings rose toN86.4 billion in third quarter2015. Net interest income grewby four per cent from N37.2billion in third quarter 2014 toN38.8 billion in 2015. Profitbefore tax rose to N13.17 billionas against N11.89 billionrecorded in comparable periodof 2014 while profit after taxincreased from N11.79 billion toN13.08 billion.

Other highlights of the resultsshowed that net operatingincome was up two per cent toN55.5 billion from N54.5 billionin Q3 2014. Total expenseswere down by two per cent toN42.3 billion from N43.1 billionin the corresponding period in2014. Customer deposit alsoincreased four per cent, risingto N526.1 billion from N507.4billion in the correspondingperiod.

Mrs. Adewale, in her remarks,stated: “We are pleased with thefinancial performance of thebank during a particularlychallenging period for theindustry as a whole. “Our loanimpairment charges continue toreflect our cautious approach toloan growth and our outlook aswe anticipate the impact ofeconomic headwinds onbusiness activity. Even as wecontinue to invest in our branchinfrastructure and step upmarketing and communicationsinitiatives, total expenses for theperiod are two per cent lowerthan the same period in 2014.

Also commenting on the

report, the bank’sManaging Director andChief ExecutiveOfficer, Mr. EmekaEmuwa, said,“Looking towardsthe end of theyear, we remainconfident that thefundamentals ofour businesswill remains t r o n g ,spurred byt h emomentum ofour refreshed brand. As we getset to launch Union Bank’s newidentity, we have entered a newphase of our transformation.Our new brand identitypositions us competitively in theindustry and we are confidentin our ability to deliver asuperior customer experience toour existing customers andattract a new base of customers.”

Refreshed brand identityThe next day after the results

were announced, which wasWednesday October 27th, thebank unveiled a refreshedbrand identity. “From today, anew chapter begins”, declaredthe bank’s chairman, SenatorUdo Udoma, at the unveilingceremony, held at the historicOnikan Stadium, Lagos.

“This is an iconic institution,”he said about Union Bank.“There is virtually nobodyacross the country that has notin some fashion interacted withthe brand”, stated, Emuwa,Union Bank’s CEO, whilestanding with Udoma to unveilthe new identity.

Established in 1917 and listedon the Nigerian StockExchange in 1971, Union Bankis a household name and oneof Nigeria’s long standing andmost respected financialinstitutions. With an extensive

network of over 300 branchesacross the country, the bank isa trusted and recognisablebrand.

After a countdown from nineto zero, the massive structurebehind the platform wasrevealed to be a mammothreplica of the bank’s iconic whitestallion, in a different form thatsuggests increased smartnessand agility. “Building a simpler,smarter bank” became the newtagline.

“We believe that the criticalmilestones we have achieved inthe past three years have laid asolid foundation for us as abank,” Emuwa said. “Thelaunch of this refreshed identitysignals a new phase in UnionBank’s transformation as we setour sights on attracting a newbase of customers whileremaining focused onproviding simple and smartbanking solutions to all ourcustomers.”

Since 2012, under theleadership of Emuwa, UnionBank began rebuilding itsbanking business, byredefining its business model,rebuilding its technology,physical infrastructure and re-engineering its work force.During this period, the bank hasrolled out a new bankingplatform, Oracle FlexcubeUBS12.0, and launched SmarterBanking Centres targeted attechnology savvy customerslooking for convenient bankingservice. The bank has also builta state-of-the-art data centre,and a new Central ProcessingCentre to streamline its branchoperations and enhancecustomer service.

“Union Bank has been atrusted name for Nigerians fornearly a century, and we willcontinue to leverage ourheritage as we embrace arapidly changing world,”Emuwa noted.

Explaining the thought-

processes behind new thebrand identity, the bank’s Headof Corporate Affairs andCorporate Communications,Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem,said, “Union Bank is one of thelongest standing financialinstitutions in Nigeria and ournew identity pays homage toour past, and carries with it ourproposition for the future. Indeveloping the new identity,remaining true to our brandproposition of simplicity wasforemost in our minds. Ouriconic white stallion, whichrepresents strength andpassion, is now in motion,cantering forward with energyand dynamism. We haveintroduced a modern typefaceand updated our colour to afresher and more vibrant blue.Finally, we have includedpatterns to infuse acontemporary feel to the overallidentity.”

Speaking with journalists afterthe fireworks of the launch,Udoma shared his thoughtsabout what the new identitymeans.

“We want the brand to showand demonstrate what UnionBank is about. Union Bank is acustomer-focused bank. It’s abank that addresses all theneeds of all our customers. It’sa bank which is veryresponsive. We want a simple,accessible banking service thatanybody can be able to access. And we want it to be smart. Thatmeans we anticipate your needsand meet them. That’s why it’sa simpler, smarter bank,” hesaid.

“What we’ve said is that weare building a simpler, smarterbank,” Emuwa explained. “Thesimplicity is for our customers.The smarter means that everyday, we look at doing thingsbetter and smarter than we didyesterday, so that it can be easierfor our customers. So, it’s acontinuum.

Forex: CBN shouldlimit PTA, BTAbusinesses toBDCs

Bureaux De Change(BDC) Owners have

called on the Central Bank ofNigeria (CBN) to make foreignexchange transactions relatingto Personal Travel Allowance(PTA) and Business TravelAllowance (BTA) exclusivebusinesses of BDCs. This callwas made during the secondBDC Owners Forum’s meetingheld in Lagos last week.

Presently, banks and BDCsare allowed to sell foreignexchange for PTA and BTA. TheBDC owners however statedthat, “The CBN shoulddisengage banks from the salesof PTA and BTA and make it anexclusive preserve for BDCoperation.”

The BDC owners also calledon the CBN to extend thedeadline for use of BVN ascriteria for foreign exchangetransactions. Consequently,they mandated the leadershipof the Association of BureauxDe Change Operators ofNigeria (ABCON) to write aposition paper on the CBN’s re-introduction of the BVN. “Theposition paper should seek foran extension in the deadline forcompliance on the use of theBVN while emphasizing theresolve of ABCON members tocomply with the CBN circularand that we are indeed readyto partner with the regulatoryauthority on its monetary andfiscal policies”, they stated.

The meeting howeverlamented the gap between theofficial and parallel marketexchange rates and resolved totake measures to reduce thegap drastically. The gapbetween the two exchangerates as at Friday October 30th

was N20 with the interbankmarket rate at N197 per dollarand the parallel market rate atN227 per dollar.

The measures includepublication of the names,addresses and contact detailsof BDCs in national dailiesand publication of foreignexchange rates in nationaldailies. To complement this, theBDC owners also agreed toconstitute a price controlmechanism committee for thepurpose of ensuring price andmarket stability.

In order to address thelingering crisis in ABCON, theumbrella body of BDCs, theBDC owners resolved to forma reconciliation committee,with membership comprisingBDC owners and CBN officials.The committee is to mediate onall matters of discord betweenaggrieved factions of theAssociation.

•Emuwa, MD/CEO, Union Bank

26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

Corporate Report

30.72 30.0 14.13 12.51 13.23 13.10 8.87 4.58 5.37 3.64 3.55 3.44 2.91

Seplat Pet Nestle Mobil Oil Dangote Cem Total Nig 7-up Lafarge Africa NB Forte Oil Julius Berger Zenith Bank GTB ETI

Top Earnings Projections 2015

EPS N - Full year

Company

Cadbury Nigeria hasmoved out a net loss of

N250.7 million in the secondquarter into a profit level thatkeeps it on the edge of slippingoff again. The beveragemanufacturing companysuffered a big profit slash lastyear and this year anothermajor profit drop is keeping itswinging between profit andloss. The company returned toprofit in 2010 after many yearsof sustained losses. It seems tohave run out of the operatingsteam again that empowered itsturnaround five years ago.

Management is keeping costsin check but the problem isstagnating sales revenue. It hasnot been able to grow turnoverreasonably since 2012 and itclosed 2014 operations with thelowest turnover in four years.A further drop happened at theend of the third quarter inSeptember, indicating that thesales revenue could fall to the2010 level at the end of 2015.

A robust finance income usedto be a major strength on theincome statement but that fellby 81% in 2014 and has fallenby another 63% as at the end ofthe third quarter. The robustcash flow and huge cashbalances that used to producehuge interest income havethinned down considerably.The company hasn’t yetreturned to the injurious bankborrowings that hurt it badly inthe past but it may not be thatfar from it going forward. Theability to smell profit at all atthis time rests on the absenceof any finance charges.

Inability to grow salesrevenue warrants a strategiclook at the company ’sproducts. Sales revenue closed10% down year-on-year atN21.07 billion for the companyat the end of the third quarter.The full year expectation isN29.2 billion – the samerevenue figure it generated in2010. It will be a decline of 3.3%from the sales revenue ofN30.52 billion the companyposted at the end of 2014. Salesrevenue dropped by 15% in2014 to stand at the lowestfigure since 2011.

Cadbury Nigeria closed thethird quarter operations with anet profit of N28.5 million,which is a drop of 98% from thenet profit figure of N1.65million in the same period lastyear. It is however a bigrecovery from loss of N250.7million in the second quarter.The likely full year position isdicey, as it could swing toeither side of profit or loss. Aftertax profit fell by 75% in 2014from a peak figure of N6.02billion in 2013 to N1.51 billion,the lowest profit in four years.

The ability to convert revenueinto profit weakened

VISIT: From left: Head, Public Relations, Airtel Nigeria, Adefemi Adeniran; Registrar/CEO,Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), Sunday Adeyemi with Director, Hu-man Resources, Airtel Nigeria, Gbemiga Owolabi during the courtesy visit of the CIPM team tothe telco’s Banana Island headquarters, Lagos.

Cadbury Nigeria: Out of the red, into the pink

considerably in 2014. Net profitmargin sank from 16.8% in2013 to 5% in the year. Profit

margin has virtually thinnedout at 0.1% at the end of thethird quarter of the current year.

Apart from the decline insales revenue, other incomeshave also continued to drop.Finance income, which boostedthe bottom line in 2013,dropped by 81% to N331million in 2014. It droppedfurther by 63% to N114 million

at the end of the third quarter.Also, other income, whichdropped by 35% in 2014 isfurther down by 63% to N93million at the end of September.

The large profit drop againsta 10% drop in sales revenue isexplained by sticky costbehaviour. Costs failed to godown with sales revenue andthis is true of all the main costlines of the company. Cost ofsales was flat year-on-year atthe end of the third quarter,caused nearly a drop of 26.5%in gross profit to N6.40 billionat the end of the third quarter.Marketing and administrativecost was also flat at N6.38 billionover the same period, claiming30.3% of revenue against 27.3%in the same period last year.The summary of the company’soperating story is that incomelines are down and costs aresticky.

The company’s balance sheetwas still free of interest bearingdebts as at the end ofSeptember and this is a majoroperating advantage for thecompany. Since the companyexited its balance sheet debtswith fresh capital injection it hasoperated with an entirely debtfree balance sheet.

Changes in the balance sheethave helped the company’scash flow position significantly.Trade and other receivableshave dropped by 19% to N4.96billion from the closing figurelast December and inventoriesare down by 4% to N2.30 billionduring the same period.

Trade and other payablesincreased by 2% to N13.76billion and cash and bankbalances grew by 23% to N4.54billion. These developmentsexplain a drastic change froma net cash of only N37.8 milliongenerated in operatingactivities in the prior year to anet cash generation of N1.94billion at the end of the thirdquarter.

Continues on page 27

We created online print shop to drive SME growth—Printivo CEO

Costs failed togo down withsales revenueand this is trueof all the maincost lines ofthe company.Cost of saleswas flat year-on-year at theend of the thirdquarter

•Oluyomi Ojo

Oluyomi Ojo is theF o u n d e r / C h i e f

Executive Officer of Nigeria’sfirst online print shop,Printivo.com. Founded in 2014,Printivo’s digital printinginnovations have earned itseveral industry recognitions.These include N2 million fromthe EtisalatEasyBusinessmillionnaire huntgrant for SMEs and winner ofstart-up of the year 2014 awardby the Creative EntrepreneurAssociation of Nigeria CreativeIndustries Award. Printivo wasalso represented in the 2014online printing Symposium that

took place in Germany. In thisinterview with JonahNwokpoku, he explained thatPintivo.com was inspired by theneed to drive the growth ofSmall and Medium Enterprise,SMEs in Nigeria. Excerpts

What is Printivo?Printivo is an online print

shop. It is a one-stop shop foryour basic printing needs. Takefor instance you are starting abusiness and needs businesscards, just log on toPrintivo.com, pick a templateyou like and edit in real time toyour taste, choose the quantity

you want and then submit it andpay with your credit card. Wewill print and ship to your door

step anywhere you are inNigeria. Printivo goes beyondbusiness cards, we also doletterheads, envelopes, flyers,we are also moving intocustomised kits now and we arealso adding large formatsproducts like banners, weddinggifts etc. So people now havethe power to sit in the comfortof their offices and homes andplace orders on Printivo.com forprint products and Printivo willship the products within threedays if the orders are comingfrom Lagos and five daysoutside Lagos.

What inspired you into thisline of business?

I have had several years ofexperience in advertising and

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 27

Corporate Report

Vol. of Shares

m

Last Div/ Share

K

Closing Price N—30/10/15

One Week

Chng N

Year to

Date %

Most Activel y Traded Equi ties

Turnover Nb

Full Year Forecast

EPS K

Turnover Nb

3rd quarter report, 2015

Net Profit Nb

Net Profit Margin %

EPS K

PAT Nb

Prior Year EPS N

Okomu Oil2 / 4

4.99

1.84

36.9

85

9.07

1.94

2.03

1.62

954

25 29.02 -1.54 14.5

Presco 2 / 4 4.68 1.19 25.4 119 7.72 2.0 200 2.68 1,000 10 30.50 0.00 24.5

UACN 2 / 4

37.37

1.04

2.9

40

75.52

2.4

91

3.40

1,921

175 26.48 -2.52 -22.1

Julius Berger 2 / 4

77.82

2.26

2.9

177

157.3

4.8

364

6.13

1,320

270 38.81 -1.18 -36.0

UAC-Property 2 / 4

3.50 -1.58 -45.1 -91 8.8 - - 2.09 1,375 70 7.03 -1.54 -26.0

Guinness¼

21.74 0.36 1.7 24 89.2 1.62 107 6.36 1,506 320 125.00 -17.20 -25.7

Nig. Breweries 214.92 26.18 12.2 330 288.6 36.3 458 5.62 7,929 120½ 136.85 -0.17 -17.2

7-Up¼ 23.15 1.96 8.5 306 94.4 8.4 1,310 11.12 641 250 196.00 0.00 18.5

Dangote Flour 2 / 4 21.97 [6.78] -30.9 -135 45.4 - - -1.24 5,000 20 2.55 -0.15 -44.0

Dangote Sugar 73.05 9.33 12.8 77 98.5 12.8 106 0.97 12,000 60 6.92 0.53 9.0

Flour Mills of Nig.4 / 4 308.76 8.47 2.7 347 - - - 1.93 2,624 160 2013 21.16 0.16 -46.0

Nascon ¼ 2.87 0.47 16.4 18 12.1 2.2 83 0.70 2,649 90 7.00 -0.41 12.5

Cadbury 21.07 0.03 0.1 2 29.2 - - 0.75 1,878 65 20.15 0.15 -49.6

Nestle 107.98 17.24 16.0 2,174 145.4 23.8 3,001 28.04 793 1,000½ 825.01 -4.99 -18.5

Vitafoam 13.84 0.34 2.4 34 17.6 0.44 45 0.63 983 30 5.33 0.00 32.3

PZ Cussons¼ 14.95 0.43 2.9 11 62.3 2.6 65 1.16 3,970 81 24.00 -1.00 0.8

Unilever Nig 42.70 0.141 0.3 4 58.4 0.20 5 0.64 3,783 125 38.68 -4.17 8.0

Access Bank 257.59 48.09 18.7 201 345.6 64.5 282 1.88 22,888 60 4.60 -0.42 -30.3

Diamond Bank 156.54 15.97 10.2 68 210.2 22.9 99 1.10 23,160 10 2.62 -0.24 -53.0

ETI 411.83 60.42 14.7 219 552.2 81.7 291 314 28,030 62 2013 18.60 0.50 0.1

Fidelity Bank 2 / 4 71.89 8.21 11.4 57 145.8 16.7 58 0.48 28,963 18 1.42 -0.05 -12.3

FBNH 390.90 50.22 12.8 147 523.5 67.7 188 2.55 35,896 10 5.10 -0.83 -42.0

FCMB 2 / 4 77.35 8.30 10.7 42 157.3 17.4 88 1.12 19,803 30 1.96 -0.23 -21.3

GTB

229.37

75.16

32.8

265

307.6

101.2

344

3.33

29,432

170

23.09 -1.41 -8.3

Skye Bank 129.24 12.58 9.7 86 173.5 17.5 126 0.75 13,879 30 1.99 -0.12 -25.2

Stanbic Bank 2 / 4 68.29 9.69 14.2 80 138.6 20.79 208 2.93 10,000 90½ 18.91 -4.09 -30.0

Sterling Bank 81.81 7.55 9.2 26 110.1 10.5 36 0.42 28,790 25 2.05 -0.09 -19.3

Rev 8.65 8.86 10.15 11.12 6.09 PAT 1.55 2.09 8.95 10.52 1.63 9.14 8.49 11.25 8.54 5.39 2.60 1.34 3.55 1.78 1.10

85.65 78.71 69.63 59.64 52.3 10.73 9.87 7.04 3.41 3.19 196.81 212.74 201.56 167.4 171.9 8.24 7.85 8.01 4.41 2.40 11.70 11.30 12.04 10.80 8.19 3.59 3.15 2.18 2.03 2.32

+118.50 109.20 122.46 123.7 109.4 7.79 9.57 11.86 14.93 13.74

266.37 268.61 252.67 226.2 185.7 42.52 43.08 38.04 38.4 30.3 +82.45 77.89 59.86 41.07 34.86 7.12 6.43 2.07 1.89 1.53 41.27 29.96 66.28 67.60 61.39 -6.11 -7.22 0.47 2.76 5.53 94.85 103.15 106.87 107. 22 89.98 11.63 10.85 10.80 7.156 11.28 +308.76 325.79 258.27 161. 8 157.1 8.47 5.37 8.21 10.09 13.37 11.25 10.84 10.31 8.89 8.77 1.87 2.70 2.18 1.65 1.84 30.52 35.76 33.55 34.10 29.2 1.51 6.02 3.46 3.68 1.18 143.33 133.08 116.71 97.96 80.1 22.23 22.26 21.14 16.50 12.6 16.71 16.81 14.48 14.52 10.62 0.43 0.39 0.54 0.52 0.51

+73.13 72.90 71.34 72.16 65. 88 4.57 5.08 5.32 2.41 5.22 55.74 60.0 55.55 54.72 46.81 2.41 4.81 5.60 5.49 4.18 245.22 206.89 206.50 135. 63 91.14 42.98 36.30 39.33 15.83 11.24 208.40 181.20 138.85 96.31 91.02 25.48 28.50 22.11 -11.22 1.29 489.25 319.56 362.14 235. 97 169.9 65.68 23.57 42.61 32.06 19.8 132.40 126.92 119.14 70.05 56.05 13.80 7.72 18.20 5.47 5.97 480.62 395.94 359.25 296.3 231.0 82.84 70.63 75.67 45.67 33.41 148.64 131.0 116.83 80.51 62.67 22.13 16.0 15.12 -9.91 7.93

278.52 242.66 223.06 188. 80 153.9 98.69 90.02 86.96 52.12 37.92

136.74 127.34 127.73 104.8 83.98 9.74 18.53 12.64 5.22 10.30 130.61 111.23 91.86 63.38 56.74 32.06 20.77 8.87 5.67 9.45 103.68 91. 74 68.86 47.74 34.34 9.0 8.27 6.95 6.91 5.04

Transcorp 30.43 5,89 19.3 7 41.71 8.4 11 0.0 38,721 6 1.81 -0.26 -44.3 41.34 18.82 13.24 13.90 13. 93 3.30 6.96 2.53 5.86 5.39

Int. Breweries¼ 5.22 0.42 8.0 13 22.4 1.98 60 0.59 3,294 32 16.00 -1.00 -31.5 +20.65 18.49 17.39 9.91 4.79 1.95 2.10 2.33 0.20 0.20

Stock Market Guide - Mike Uzor- 08035810522; findataservicesng@gmail.com

UBA 247.21 48.56 19.6 143 332.4 66.2 182 1.56 36,280 50 3.50 -0.55 -18.6 290.02 264.69 220.13 184. 8 177.6 47.91 46.60 51.37 -6.80 0.67

Union Bank 84.72

9.34

11.0

55

114.2

12.8

75

1.51

16,936

100 5.80 0.05 -31.8 135.80 121.40 117.21 85.10 130. 4

26.82 3.84 3.95 -82.55 112.1 Zenith Bank

336.85 83.09 24.7 264 451.6 111.6 355 3.16 31,396 175 17.60 -0.10 -4.4 403.34 351.47 307.08 3244.1 192.5 99.45 95.32 100.15 43.92 37.33

Fidson

6.16 0.47 7.6 32 8.8 0.65 43 0.42 1,500 10 3.41 0.41 -12.6 9.72 9.25 7.17 7.10 5.10 0.632 0.155 0.21 0.31 0.47

Glaxo

23.04 0.48 2.1 51 31.6 0.66 55 1.93 1,196 130 38.20 -1.79 -23.6 30.52 29.18 25.31 21.52 16.86 1.85 2.92 2.82 2.30 1.98

Ashakacem 14.55 3.70 25.4 165 19.8 5.2 232 2.04 2,239 42 23.00 0.00 5.0 21.13 21.69 21.82 20.78 19.15 4.57 2.82 3.12 2.89 3.0

Berger Paints 2.15 0.21 9.8 71 3.1 0.29 100 0.51 290 70 9.77 -0.57 8.6 3.08 2.71 2.51 2.57 2.76 0.15 0.25 0.18 0.23 0.44

CAP 5.10 1.17 23.0 167 7.12 1.68 328 2.37 700 100 38.00 0.00 1.3 6.99 6.19 5.23 4.31 3.64 1.66 1.42 1.12 1.05 0.88

CCNN 11.50 1.65 14.3 131 15.7 2.4 191 1.53 1,256 35 7.93 -0.03 -19.9 15.12 15.31 15.12 13.90 11.2 1.92 1.56 1.20 2.30 1.27

Dangote Cem 365.45 157.99 43.2 980 489.4 213.2 1,251 9.42 17,043 600 163.03 0.02 -18.5 391.64 386.18 298.45 235.90 235.7 159.50 201.20 145.02 125. 90 105.3

Lafarge Africa 168.14 29.52 17.6 633 225.5 38.7 887 7.38 4,362 330 96.01 -1.49 19.3 205.84 206.07 87.96 62.5 43.8 34.66 60.95 14.71 8.51 4.88

Oando 95.78 -47.80 -49.9 -418 123.6 - - -13.80 8,869 70½ 2013 6.01 -3.95 -62.7 424.68 449.87 650.56 378. 9 336.8 -183.89 1.40 10.79 14.37 10.1

Conoil 2 / 4 43.03 0.36 0.8 52 88.9 0.87 125 1.20 694 100 27.41 0.00 -28.1 128.35 159. 54 149.99 157.51 102.8 0.83 3.07 0.71 3.0 2.79

Forte Oil 91.61 4.28 4.7 259 124.2 5.8 537 2.20 1,311 400 290.00 0.00 27.2 170.13 128.03 90.98 117.0 132.7 4.46 5.0 1.01 -19.53 -2.75

Mobil Oil 45.33 3.65 8.1 1,012 62.4 5.1 1,413 17.73 361 660 154.00 0.00 -2.5 79.58 78.74 80.80 62.10 58.34 6.39 3.48 2.88 3.75 3.89

MRS Oil 2 / 4 36.98 0.04 0.1 15 75.4 - - 2.94 254 74.96 49.66 0.00 -6.7 92.35 87.79 79.73 71.49 74.78 0.75 0.63 0.21 0.62 1.85

Total Nig2 / 4 111.97 1.97 1.8 580 226.6 4.5 1,323 13.03 340 1,100 150.01 0.00 5.3 240.62 238.16 217.84 173.9 160.6 4.42 5.33 4.67 3.81 5.44

ASL 2 / 4 2.05 0.10 5.1 24 4.5 0.25 39 0.28 634 12 1.85 0.00 8.8 3.55 3.50 3.60 3.56 3.84 0.170 0.09 0.22 0.24 0.18

NAHCO 6.32 0.52 8.2 33 8.8 0.71 44 0.39 1,625 40 4.02 -0.38 -19.0 8.13 8.09 7.40 7.14 6.35 0.57 0.82 0.59 0.80 1.18

Fi ve-y ear Earni ngs Tr end Nb

Yr. 14 13 12 11 10

½-I n teri m di vi d en d ; ¼ - 1s t q ua r ter ; 2 /4 - 2n d qu ar ter ; ¾- 3r d qua r ter ; 4 / 4 -Ful l y ear ; +2 01 5

graphic designs and one of themajor problems we had thenwas that we could not work forSMEs. This was alwaysbecause of the quantity theywanted to print, their budgetsand the kinds of projects thatthey had. Take for examplesomeone wants to start a smallbusiness, all he needs is abusiness card with a simplelogo, maybe 200 copies and hisentire budget is not even up toN20,000. So usually biggerprinting and design companieswill turn down such projectsbecause they consider that thetime that would have beenspent on such projects would bebetter used for blue-chipcompany projects. So we sawthis opportunity and decided tolaunch a solution for small scalebusinesses. This does not meanthat we cannot attend to the bigcompanies but we have specialtailored solutions for SMEs.

How relevant is yourbusiness model to the growthof SMEs and printing industryin Nigeria?

Every industry needs its owntype of innovation. And whatPrintivo is bringing is innovationand technology to the printingindustry. We believe that thiswill definitely revolutionise howNigerians print. The culture ofhaving to wait for days, lowquality printing, the culture ofhaving to go back and forth toprint shops is what we arechanging with Printivo.com.And the biggest winners will bethe consumers and the printingindustry. The customers nowhave better and smarter option.Print in its own way addstangibility to businesses. Itgives you something to feel andtouch about any business.

Besides that, what we aredoing is to boost the creativeindustry itself. We have thingswe are working on for graphicdesigners and people in thecreative industry. Part of whatwe are doing now is to drivegrowth in the graphic designindustry itself. This is anindustry that everyone hasalways overlooked. This isbasically because it’s a placeyou find a lot of freelancers andpeople that do not even haveregistered businesses. At themoment, no one is looking atthe kind of growth that will bedriven in that segment. In thenext couple of years, we arelooking at how what we aredoing will have impact onSMEs, printing industry andeventually on the creativeindustry as a whole.

What we are doing does notmean that people will changethe way they do businessoffline. It simply means thatmore growth will be driven viatechnology. The print industryas a whole is experiencing itslargest form of technologicalinnovation in its history.

How much technical

Continues on page 34

We createdonline print shopto drive SMEgrowth

Continues from Page 26

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 29

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 29

30—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

Corporate Finance

The capital market is averitable tool for

enhancing entrepreneurship inany economy, said CharteredInstitute of Stockbrokers (CIS).

Acting President andChairman of Council, CIS, Mr.Oluwaseyi Abe, said this in hisopening address at the 19thannual stockbrokers’conference themed: ‘Entrepreneurship and theCapital Market: Fast Tracking

CEREMONY - From left: VP and MD of Medtronic Middle East, Africa, Central Asia andTurkey, Majid Kaddoumi, and, Chairman of Renescor, Dr Ladi Awosika shaking hands in thepresence of His Excellency Ibrahim Auwalu, Ambassador of Nigeria in the UAE, and Medtronicand Renescor representatives, during the Medtronic and Renescor Manager signing ceremonywhich took place in Dubai.

Utilise capital market to drive entrepreneurship— STOCKBROKERSBy PROVIDENCE OBUH a New Economy for Africa’ in

Lagos.Abe, who said that the

African continent can break outfrom the vicious cycle of povertyinto prosperity whenentrepreneurs andgovernments develop adominant and pervasiveculture of financing venturesand projects through thecapital markets, stated: “Amongother advantages, the capitalmarket mechanism optimallyallocates capital and enhances

economic performance. Itprovides a window throughventure capitalism for thegrowth of small and mediumscale enterprises and catalyzesindustrial growth faster. Itengenders pro-poor growththrough greater employmentopportunities, creates greateropportunities for homeownership and promotesmacro- economic stability.”

He added that the theme ofthis year ’s conference isindicative of its pan- Africansentiment, saying that the

theme and sub-themes wereconceived to enlighten Africanbusinesses, entrepreneurs andgovernments on the wayforward to fast track new andprosperous economies acrossthe continent.

He said, “We believe this canbe achieved through optimalutilization of theinstrumentality of the capitalmarket to finance and driveentrepreneurship.

“The importance ofentrepreneurship andentrepreneurs in economicdevelopment cannot beo v e r e m p h a s i z e d .Entrepreneurship has beendefined as the capacity andwillingness to develop,organise and manage abusiness venture along withany of its risks in order to makea profit. It is also a journey ofopportunity exploration andrisk management to createvalue for profit and /or socialgood.”

On his part, the CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE) Mr. Oscar Onyema,said: “Over the last decade,the main driver of economicgrowth across the Africancontinent has been growthsupported by private sectoractivities. However, manyAfrican countries arestruggling with poverty,homelessness, crime,unemployment and non-inclusive growth. This increasein the levels of social inequalityand environmentaldegradation has accentuatedthe importance of a moreinclusive model of progress.

“With the growingunderstanding that thesesocietal problems cannot besolved or prevented only by thegovernment or developmentorganizations, somebusinesses, business leadersand talented individuals havetried to transform capitalism touse the market to solve socialproblems.”

Sterling Bank Plc hasposted N82 billion in

revenue for the third quarterended September 30, 2015,representing 12 per cent growthover N73.1 billion achieved inthe previous quarter.

Key extracts from theearnings report showed thatnon-interest income grew by13.3 per cent from N18.1 billionin 2014 to N20.5 billion in thereview period. Profit after taxrose by N400 million to N7.5billion in the third quarter2015 as against N7.1 billionrecorded in the corresponding period of 2014.

Commenting on the results, the Managing Director, Mr.Yemi Adeola, said: “The thirdquarter performance was in linewith expectations as the bankcontinues to prioritizeefficiency in the managementof its balance sheet inresponse to a challenging operating environment.”

He explained that in spite ofthe pressure on earnings, thebank was able to achieve a 12 per cent growth in top-line

Sterling Bank grosses N82bn in nine monthsStories byNKIRUKA NNOROM

revenue to N82 billion, driven by a 13 per cent increasein non-interest income and a210 basis points improvement incost-to-income ratio.

He attributed the increase in funding costs by 130 basispoints to tighter monetarypolicy measures while theincrease in non-performing loanratio to 4.9 per cent was driven primarily by a reduction in the size of the overall loanbook as a result of the re-purchase of state government

loans by the federal government.

According to him, the bankwould deploy the capital freedup from the liquidation of the re-purchased loans togenerate further earnings and bolster the returns toshareholders. “Our capitaladequacy ratio reached an all-time high of 19.3 per centdriven by asset substitutionarising from the liquidation ofthe previously highlighted sub-sovereign loans.

Unilever Nigeria has announced N13.97billion turnover for the nine month period

ended September 30, 2015. The company recordeda considerable leap from its losing position in Q2to record a 111 per cent increase in its profit aftertax to N55million from loss position of N505 millionin 2014. Although the result showed a decline of2.1 per cent in its turnover from N43.6 billion inSeptember 2014 to N42.6 billion in 2015; thecompany reported a growth of 1.2 per cent in itsturnover from N13.81 billion in Q2 2015 to N13.97billion in Q3 2015. Profit after tax dipped by 92per cent from N1.8 billion in September 2014 toN141 million in September 2015.

Cost of sales increased marginally by 3.6 percent to N27.8 billion compared to N26.8 billion

Unilever Nigeria’s PAT rate improves in Q3recorded in the corresponding period in 2014.Other income grew by 1340 per cent from N5million in 2014 to N76 million in 2015, while netfinance costs increased by 98 per cent from N1.09 billion in 2014 to N2.16 billion in September 2015.With the result, Unilever Nigeria has shown someresilience in tackling the growing drop in thepurchasing pattern of consumers amidst otherextraneous factors, a situation that has led to anincreased reduction in profit for most companiesin Nigeria.

The company assured in a statement by Mrs.Soromidayo George, Corporate Affairs Director,of its efforts to ensure a sustained and steadygrowth in the company’s operations engineeredto achieve better returns on their investments.

Vetiva FundManagers listssuite of 3 ETFs

The Nigerian StockExchange (NSE) has

listed Vetiva Sector SeriesExchange Traded Funds, asuite of 3 (Three) ExchangeTraded funds to be managed byVetiva Fund ManagersLimited.

These comprise of the VetivaBanking ETF, the VetivaConsumer Goods ETF and theVetiva Industrial Goods ETF.

The Vetiva Sector Series ETFsare open-ended equity-basedsector exchange traded fundswhich are designed toindividually track the NSEBanking Index, NSEConsumer Goods Index andNSE Industrial Index. Theinvestment objective of theETFs is to replicate the priceand yield performance of therelevant Indices.

The Vetiva Sector Series ETFsare the first sector-based ETFsto be listed on the NigerianStock Exchange following thelisting of the Vetiva Griffin 30Exchange Traded Fund (thefirst equity ETF to be listed inNigeria) in March 2014.

The Managing Director ofVetiva Fund Managers Limited(Fund Manager to the ETF),Mr. Damilola Ajayi, said theVetiva Sector Series ETFswould give Investorsopportunity to express sectoralpreferences in their assetallocations. “The ETFs willalso enable investors isolateand implement whole sectorexposure via a single security,”he added.

Skye Bank recordsN129bn grossearnings in Q3

Skye Bank Plc hasannounced gross

earnings of N129.24 billion forthe third quarter endedSeptember 30, 2015,representing an increase of33.06 percent over the N97.13billion recorded during thecorresponding period in 2014.

The bank’s unaudited resultsubmitted on the floor of theNigeria Stock Exchange,showed very strongfundamentals in all the keyperformance indicators andstrong growth in fees andinterest income, as well asinvestment and other incomes.

The bank’s fees andcommission income grew toN25.46 billion as againstN15.57 billion recorded duringthe same period in 2014. Theresult reflects a growth of 63.52per cent. Similarly, investmentand other income rose to N4.28billion from N2.05 billion,representing 108.77 per centgrowth.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 31

Homes & Housing

Understanding the dynamics ofprefabricated housing

Stories by YINKAKOLAWOLE, with agencyreport

One of the factorsresponsible for the huge

housing deficit in Nigeria isthat houses are not beingdelivered fast enough intandem with populationgrowth, especially in majorcities like Lagos, Abuja, PortHarcourt, etc. A probablesolution to this problem is toadopt the use of prefabtechnology in housing deliveryin the country. The prefabtechnology will make it possibleto produce houses en masseacross the country very fast.

PrefabA prefabricated building is a

type of building that consistsof several factory-builtcomponents or units, which aremanufactured off-site inadvance, usually in standardsections that can be easilyshipped, and are assembled on-site to complete the unit.

The process is different fromthe more conventionalconstruction practice oftransporting the basic materialsto the construction site where allassembly is carried out. Forinstance, the conventionalmethod of building a house isto transport bricks, timber,cement, sand, steel andconstruction aggregate, etc. to

Restructure mortgage system for betterdelivery, FG urged

•A modern prefabricated house

the site, and to construct thehouse on site from thesematerials. In prefabricatedconstruction, only thefoundations are constructed inthis way, while sections of walls,floors and roof areprefabricated (assembled) in afactory (possibly with windowand door frames included),transported to the site, lifted intoplace by a crane and bolted together.

The word ‘prefab’ is anamalgamation of panelised andmodular building systems, andcan mean either one.‘Prefabricated’ may refer tobuildings built in components(e.g. panels), modules(modules homes) or

transportable sections(manufactured homes), andmay also be used to refer tomobile homes, i.e., houses on

wheels. Although similar, themethods and design of the threevary widely. The prefab houserequires much less labourcompared to conventionalhouses. Examples of prefabbuildings include: Portablecabins or Portakabins); Modularhomes; Manufactured homes;and Mobile homes.

AppealPrefab buildings are

aesthetically appealing,durable, and have a short leadtime. That means the timebetween when the order isplaced and when theprefabricated buildings are

delivered is short becauseprefab buildings are quick builtfactory manufactured homes.

Using this technology,various home types have beenconstructed with less moneyand in less time when comparedto conventional buildingsystems. Although thistechnology is not very popularin Nigeria, there are a numberof prefab building companies inthe country.

When building withconventional techniques, thebuilding site is prepared beforebuilding can commence. This isnot the case with theprefabricated buildingtechnology as off-site fabricationprocess can take place in thefactory while the building siteis being prepared and thissaves building time.

A university don, Prof. Timothy Nubi, hascalled on the Federal Government to

restructure Nigeria’s mortgage system toposition it for better service delivery.

Nubi, a Senior Lecturer in the Departmentof Estate Management, University of Lagos,told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), inLagos, that that the solution to the nations’housing deficit would not be possible withouta functional and sustainable mortgagesystem. He asserted that Nigeria had failed

to solve its housing problem because short-term funds were being used to finance long-term projects. According to him, housingprojects are long-term projects and should befunded with long-term loans.

The varsity don argued that a viablemortgage system was the bedrock of housingdevelopment. “Presently in the country,accessing funds to build houses is very difficult,due to the near-absence of a functionalmortgage sector.

Advertising & Promotions

Phone trends & Huawei’s incursion

Unilever Nigeria Plc andMultichoice Nigeria

said they are collaborating toempower Nigerian youths in acampaign tagged “We care,”which youths could look goodand be self reliant.

The Brand Manager, Rexona,a product of Unilever, Mrs.Shadiat Shoyombo, during thelaunch at the University ofLagos said the partnership withMultichoice was to helppromote the living standards ofyouths, as well as to empowerthem to get the best out oflife. “And this can be achievedby fuelling the passion of the

Unilever, Multichoice plan foryouth empowerment

By DAVID OKPE

CONTEST - From Left: Brand Manager,Yojus Fruit Drink,Foluke Makinde, Art Educator, Ibrahim Ganiyu; Artist/ArtEducator, Olaniyan Timothy with Second place winner Yojuspainting contest , Iyoha Peculiar at ‘Yojus Painting StarContest’, organized by Ranona in Lagos.

Africa is the fastest-growing mobile

market in the world, and thebiggest after Asia. PrincewillEkwujuru examines phonetrends in Nigeria

Overtime, the number ofphone users on the continenthas grown considerably by 30percent annually for the pastfive years. The GSMAssociation report on Africasays. The report stated therewill be more than 735 millionsubscribers by the end of 2012,which has equally increased todate to over 1billion.

The report said that bad andnon-existent landlineconnections in Africa areresponsible for the high mobilephone usage.

It also noted that Kenyangovernment’s abolition of the16 percent general sales tax onmobile handsets in 2009 resulted in handset purchasesincreasing by more than 200percent.

South Africa, with its moredeveloped infrastructure, hasthe highest broadbandpenetration – 6 percent,followed by Morocco with 2.8percent, the report says.

The report further saidNigeria has the highestnumber of mobile phonesubscriptions in Africa – withmore than 100 million,

representing 18 percent of thecontinent’s total mobilesubscriptions.

With Nigeria’s populationhitting 173 million, this mayhave triggered the entrant ofvarious phone brands likeHuawei P8, Samsung galaxyS6, Infinix Hot 2, AlcatelOneTouch and few others.

“The mobile industry inAfrica, particularly Nigeria isbooming and has been acatalyst for immense growth,but there is scope for far greaterdevelopment,” said SeniorMarketing Manager,Consumer Business group,

Huawei Technology,Olanipekun Okunowo.

He however said: “TheHuawei P8 takes beauty to thenext level, striking a flawlessbalance of artistry andcreativity.”

Speaking on the P8 story, the Senior Marketing Manager,stated: “Previously releasedflagship phones have helpedHuawei’s brand globally,providing a strong foundationfor the P8.”

He went on to say, thatwith the continuous release offlaship phones including theP1, D2and Mate series,

Huawei’s brand has beenheavily promoted on a globalscale. “We believe that a solidfoundation for P8 is in place,given the brand’s influencefrom promoting the P7 andMate7, which were catalyst forthe brand’s success in 2014and 2015 H1 salesperformances.”

Taking a look at what theGSM report said, that 36percent of people in the 25

largest African mobile marketsstill had no access to mobileservices.

Invariably this may haveinformed the flooding of themarket with low end phonesthat can do what some high endphones can do riding on theback of affaordability, a goodexample is the Mate7 from thestable of Huawei, while notforgeting the high end market,like the P8.

youth towards achievablegoals.” Her words, “we alsorealise many youth are talentedand they needed assistance tobe able to achieve their aim,goal and aspirations. Our aimis to give the youth a platformwhere they can utilize theirpotentials, where they can beuseful in their area of interestwhether in entertainment,comedy or other careers. We aregoing to all tertiary institutionssuch as universities,polytechnics and colleges inother to tell them that we care.”

She said also that thecampaign has touched 16schools so far, and the University of Lagos is the 17thof the schools we have been to.

Micro -Finance

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”Yogi Bera, American Comedian.

The report in the NATION, October 13, 2015, page 7, titled “Fed Govtsuspends quota issuance to rice millers”, brought tears to my eyes. It

Reversal of rice import prohibition and itsconsequences

would be the third timein my life that the FederalGovernment of Nigeria woulddrive me to tears of frustrationover the national policy on riceimportation. Althogu, I nolonger have any investment orinvolvement with the sector, itis the only sector in whichpersonal monetary investmentsas well as sacrifice of well-paidjob was made because ofgovernment policyannouncement.

Last year May, on my 70thbirthday, I decided to travel byroad to Sokoto, my last place ofemployment in the North.Situated on Kalabina Road,right next door to SokotoCement, is the carcass ofHASKE RICE MILLS LTD,where I joined at 43 and workeduntil February 1990 as theGeneral Manager/ChiefOperating Officer, GM/COO,until policy changes and deathin the family forced me toabandon the dream ofbecoming Nigeria’s Rice King.At 46, having made a great dealof success in the pharmaceuticaland brewery sectors, as Salesand Marketing Director, Iyearned for some big enterprisewhich will impact the lives ofmillions of Nigerians and whichwould be sustainable. By 1983,I already knew the North likethe back of my hand and the firstdecision was to settle there. Thesecond was to get involved infood production and thatinvolved evaluating severalpossibilities – animal husbandryor crops or combinations of both(integrated farming). Theultimate decision was made

easy when, shortly afterintroducing the StructuralAdjustment Programme, SAP,the Babangida administrationannounced a new rice policydesigned to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production andalso making the country a riceexporter by 2000. That meantplanning to grow millions ofmetric tonnes of rice annuallyof a crop which most Nigeriansconsumed at least once everytwo days.

That was the sort of project foran ambitious young manwanting to feed millions. But, Iwas stuck at first, I didn’t knowwhere to start and how to enterinto the sector. Then fortune tooka hand a the matter, I receiveda call in my office at the breweryin Kano to come and see theyounger brother of a retiredMajor-General. As it turnedout, the General and his brotherhad just bought a rice millwhich was established by thePresident Shagariadministration and which hadbeen run aground in a veryshort time. The brothers neededa manager who could turn themill around and one of themhad been told at the Kano Clubto get in touch with me. Thatwas how I landed in Sokoto; butnot before securing a five percent stake in the business withoption to increase to ten per

cent. On the day of my arrival in

Sokoto, there was not a grain ofpaddy rice to be milled. But, thegovernment’s ban on riceimportation had created a ricescarcity. The nearest places toget rice to Sokoto were theBakolori Dam project nearTalata Mafara, one hundred andfifty kilometers away and YelwaYauri wetlands; over 280kilometers down south. But,within two months the mill wasrunning.

Later, working with thr RiceInstitute at Badeggi, wedeveloped various varieties ofrice suitable for each ecological

zone of Nigeria as well aswetland and upland varieties.Our biggest “coup” was to havedam situated in Goronyo underthe Fadama project. Those of usinvolved were determined toremove all the obstacles in theway of making Nigeria self-sufficient in rice. At first ourgreatest enemies, it turned out,were a small band of Nigerians,smugglers, aided by the rest ofour Fellow Countrymen,especially those in uniformcalled CUSTOMS SERVICE.For private gain, they virtuallyrendered government policyimpossible to implement.

But, just as the investors in thesector were making headwayand expanding paddyproduction, the Federalgovernment changed policy by,first approving rice importquotas to selected firms. Theproblem with this was soonclear to the investors. We weresuddenly faced with competitionfrom two sources – smugglersand those with import licences.Unfortunately for Nigeria, andus, the limits on the quotalicences were not strictlyenforced. By 1990, the countrywas once again flooded withcheaper imported rice withwhich local millers could notcompete. HASKE was in themidst of finding solutions tothese problems when our Daddydied and, as new head of family,I had to resign and move to

Lagos. But, I still followed thetrend of events as they unfolded.HASKE closed its gates aboutfour months after my departure.Similat mills at Makurdi andBadeggi soon followed. Sincethe three were the biggestmillers, it was only a matter oftime before others stopped.

When the Jonathanadministration embarked on theimplementation of its rice policy,prodded by De Adesina, theformer Minster of Agriculture,now President of AfricanDevelopment Bank, theytraveled down the familiar road– which had left us startingafresh every time anothergovernment announces its own“Rice Policy”. Invariably, thegovernment receives applausefrom those who are actuallywaiting to subvert it knowing itwould create an initial scarcity;and also knowing that Nigeriansare impatient for results. Just ascertain, when the predictablescarcity emerges, smugglers,CUSTOMS, and those close tothe seat of power request forimport quota. That inevitablykills the rice policy.

We are now repeating thesame mistakes made in the pastand because of this Nigeria willnever become self-sufficient inrice. One of the greatestfortunes in Nigeria and theworld, today, was built on quotalicences granted to anindividual for rice and sugar….

But, just as theinvestors in thesector were makingheadway andexpanding paddyproduction, theFederalgovernmentchanged policy by,first approving riceimport quotas toselected firms

To further drive the needfor a cashless

economy among Nigerians,Visa, Global paymenttechnology company hasentered into partnership withTotal Nigeria Plc with a viewto rewarding customers whouse their Visa card to buy fuelat service stations in Lagosstate.

The initiative would last fora period of seven weeksbetween October 19 toDecember 6, 2015 whereseven service stationswould be giving out N1000worth of free fuel daily to 10Visa card users who makespurchases worth N3000 andabove.

To ensure all stations get fairround, the seven stationsgiving out free fuel are pre-selected and they changedaily just as cardholders alsostand a chance of winningfree fuel for one year via araffle draw by sending anSMS to a short-code to be

Visa, Total partner to drive cashless economyBy PROVIDENCE OBUH provided at the service

stations.Country manager, Visa West

Africa, Mr. Ade Ashaye, saidthat the card payments aremore secured and convenientthan cash payments for bothbuyers and sellers, adding:“At Visa we are committed todeveloping creative ways ofdriving the cashless policy inNigeria through e-commerceand we understand that card

payments are more securethan cash payments for bothbuyers and sellers.

This is why we havepartnered with Total to launchthe ‘Total fuel campaign withVisa’, to ensure that personalfinances are managedeffectively with minimal costsby our cardholders.

“Also, consumers will notonly be able to enjoy theusual benefits of paying with

their Visa card, but they willalso be rewarded for it,” headded.

Network DevelopmentManager Total, MaxenceBourgoing, said that thepartnership will further drivethe cashless policy agenda bydecreasing cash handling andits negative implicationswhilst eliminating cashreconciliation discrepancies.“With Nigerians warming up

to the use of card forpurchase, Visa has made a lotof investment in providinghigh security for its cards toensure payments which is notonly secure but convenient.

“We are happy to work withVISA on this project. Totalhas invested a lot in ensuringthat our service stations are upto international standards andthis partnership is certainly astep in the right direction”.

Bourgoing added that thereis a drive towards e-commerceand card payments globally,saying, “we are happy to beat the forefront of thisinitiative in Nigeria. Totalservice stations are a keyinteraction point with ourcustomers and so we promiseto continuously offerinnovative payment solutionsthat make purchases asseamless as possible.”

However, the promotionaims at educating consumersand businesses on theconvenience of makingpayments for fuel and othercommodities at Total servicestations.

Chief Operating Officer, Cormart NigeriaLimited, Chief Vijay Nair said the

company has rekindled hope in Nigeria’seconomy, saying the current crisis in theinternational oil market is an elixir for Nigeriato diversify its economy.

He stated this in Lagos during the re-launchof some of the company’s products.

According to him, the over dependence ofNigeria on oil as sole foreign exchange earnerremains the country’s albatross, pointing outthat the global oil crisis might be a blessing indisguise as it is already forcing the federalgovernment to revive other sectors likeagriculture and mining capable of generatingincome for the country.

Cormart lauds Nigeria’s economyDescribing Nigeria’s economy as the largest

in Africa, he said the present government isalready on the right track to sustain theeconomy through its friendly policies especiallyas regards manufacturing and agriculture.

He expressed hope that the company willcontinue to benefit from the laudable policiesof the government.

On his part, Consumer Business Head, Mr.Satej, described the company’s latest offering,as unique products of two years of research,development and testing.

He said it was formulated keeping in mindspecific usage pattern of consumers and otherenvironmental factors like climate and waterquality in West Africa.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 33

Economy

As the presidency getsready to emplace the

federal cabinet to face thedaunting economic challengesfigures from the DebtManagement Office, DMO, ofthe federation has indicated amassive reversal of debt reliefobtained nine years ago.

An official of Central Bank ofNigeria, CBN, told Vanguardlast weekend that foreign debtwould hover around USD10.7billion by end 2015, showingover 200 per cent up fromUSD3.5 billion recorded by thedebt relief deal of 2006. DMOrecords show USD10.3 billionas at June this year.

The data shows that the bulkof the reversals were comingfrom the multilateralinstitutions, the World BankGroup, which had hithertodominated the foreign debtprofile of Nigeria.

Firstly, was an increase inloans from the InternationalDevelopment Association, IDA,a part of the World Bank thathelps the world’s poorestcountries. From a balance ofabout USD1.4 billion inDecember 2006 the loan hadmore than tripled to USD6.0billion by June 2015. Thegroup was responsible for over73 per cent of Nigeria’s foreigndebt as at 2006.

The loans had startedincreasing in 2009, duringPresident ShehuYaradua’sregime, just three years afterthe debt repayment deal.

The DMO data also showsthat another major cause of theincrease in Nigeria’s foreigndebt was the loans from theChinese Exim bank.

In 2006 Nigeria had zeroloans coming from China butas at June 2015 Chinese loansto Nigeria stood at aboutUSD1.3 billion.

Nigeria obtained its first loanfrom China back in 2012 whenit closed the year with Chinesedebt balance of about USD683million. The loan doubled toUSD1.29 billion by the end of2014 contributing about 13 percent of the total external debtstock of the country.

A financial analyticscompany, Nairametrics, hadnoted “back in 2005 Nigeriadid something unprecedentedin its history. It reached a dealwith a band of external

Nigeria, Paris Clubdeal in significantreversal, as debtgrows 200%By EMEKA ANAETO,Economy Editor

creditors to wipeout over USD18billion of whatwas crushing theeconomy. Thatwas formerMinister ofFinance NgoziOkonjo Iweala’ssignature deal inher first stint asF i n a n c eMinister”. Froma total debt balance of aboutUSD33 billion in 2005 Nigeria’sforeign debt was crashed toabout USD3.5 billion in 2006.

In October 2005, Nigeria andthe Paris Club announced afinal agreement for debt reliefworth USD18 billion and withadditional buy backs with otherdebtors an overall reduction ofNigeria’s debt stock by USD30billion was effected. The dealwas completed on April 21,2006, when Nigeria made itsfinal payment and its bookswere cleared.

Nairametrics noted, “backthen the mood around the

country was so positive andoptimistic as the proponents ofthe debt repayment dealbelieved that with a leaner debtbalance Nigeria can nowconcentrate on fixing itsdilapidated infrastructure”.

Nigeria, the largest economywith the largest population inAfrica, has been the continent’smost indebted nation until the

Paris Club debt relief deal. WithUSD36 billion in external debt,and about150 million peoplethen living on less than a dollara day, and a fledglingdemocratic governmentattempting reforms, Nigeriashould have been a strongcandidate for debt relief. Yet, inpart because of its oil revenues,Nigeria slipped through the

cracks of debt relief programs.Centre for Global

Development, CGD, hadprovided analytical support toNigeria’s debt relief efforts in2005. According to Mr.ToddMoss, who led CGD’s work onNigeria’s debt, the completionof the deal, which saw Nigeriaexit from Paris Club debt, washistoric.

He stated “in the short-termit will mean that the budgetcan focus more on promotingprivate sector growth anddevelopment. But the longer-term implications could bemuch more important. Debt hasbeen hanging over PresidentObasanjo and is one of themajor barriers to consolidatingthe aggressive reforms beingundertaken by his economicteam. This gives themmomentum to push further”.

With the reversal of thescenario the burden is buildingup at a time oil revenue is indecline. However, economicanalysts note that the ratio ofNigeria’s foreign debt to GDPis still about 2 per cent whilsttotal public debt to GDP isabout 13 per cent leaving theeconomy in a somewhatperceived comfortable position.Some analysts believe the ratioshould be about 20 per cent forNigeria.

have relatively easier access tofinance.

“Lack of working capital canlimit the capacity of an SME tosucceed and thrive, butunfortunately many SMEs donot know how to structure theirbusinesses to attract the righttype of funding. Such SMEfunding sources go beyondbank loans and include equityand grants from local andinternational sources”, hestated.

The program organizers havea track record of working withSMEs. Highnet Resources’mission is to prepare Nigeriancompanies to compete and winin the global market by creatingproducts and services that willbe world class. The companyhas gained a reputation forconceptualizing and writingbankable business plans,feasibility reports, andfacilitating funding access formany companies.

Highnet Resources hasworked with many banks, aswell as the UK’s Department forInternational Development(DFID) and the United StatesAgency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID) fundedprojects amongst others inwriting various reports andproviding training services toSME clusters. HighnetResources is currently afinancial advisor to the USAIDWest African Trade Hub project.

Bank of Industry to give SMEs trainingon access to working capital

Arrangements have beenconcluded to prepare

some micro, small and mediumenterprises, MSMEs, forworking capital supports fromthe private sector financialinstitutions.

A training program to facilitatethis opportunity with a theme,“Accessing Business Finance”,has been fixed for Wednesday,4th November, 2015 at LCCIExhibition and ConferenceHall, behind MKO Gardens,Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

The program is organized bySME Business Platform andHighnet Resources Ltd todiagnose SME funding needs,

provide low cost fundingoptions and resolve fundingdocumentation challengesincluding collateral.

Bank of Industry, BoI, the mainfinancial institution involved in theprogramme, is expected to give theSME entrepreneurs at the trainingthe requried information and op-portunity for loans.

According to Mr. EmmanuelOdoemelam, AssociateConsultant at SME BusinessPlatform, SME operators haveevery reason to be excited aboutthe program as they oftenstruggle to fulfill their dreamsof business growth withoutsuccess due to lack of financewhile large companies often

The data showsthat the bulk of thereversals werecoming from themultilateralinstitutions, theWorld Bank Group,which had hithertodominated theforeign debt profileof Nigeria

•Abraham NwankwoDG, Debt Management Office

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 35

We created online print shop to drive SME growth

The culture ofhaving to wait fordays, low qualityprinting, andgoing back andforth to printshops is what weare changing withPrintivo.com

E-Commerce

knowledge does a user needto use the Printivo platform?

Any user of the platform onlyneeds basic knowledge ofcomputer. If one has ordered aproduct online before, it will notbe a problem at all navigatingthrough the platform. In case ofdesigning one’s item, what wehave done is that we createdthousands of templates, so thatall you have to do is edit thetemplate of your choice on thewebsite. Basically, if one can useMicrosoft word or operate aFacebook account, then thatperson would have nochallenges using our solution.

What has been yourexperience over the past oneyear that you have been inbusiness given the challengingbusiness environment inNigeria?

When we first started,adoption was a bit slow anddifficult. People were scepticalthat if they cannot see their printproducts, how are they goingto trust the quality of theproducts? And that was wheregaining trust became

necessary. So we started tellingour customers that if the productwe give to them is not up to thestandard they expect, we willtake it from them and reprint atno cost. And if you end up notliking it, we will refund yourmoney. With such assurances,we were able to give them asense of security and then theystarted ordering. And today,once you have ordered from usand have seen the kind ofquality that Printivo offers, youalways return.

How much do you thinkNigeria loses to non adoptionof current printingtechnology?

I may not be able to put afigure to it but from the statisticswe have which says that Nigeriais a $200 million market, I thinkwe are losing twice that for slowadoption of current printingtechnology which is what isdriving sales and growth inother markets. However,Nigeria is also not extremelybackward. If you look at printin Africa as a whole, we canconveniently say that Nigeria isone of the countries doing well.But there is always room forimprovement. Right now we areone of the best print markets inAfrica after South Africa andEgypt.

What are the greatestchallenges you haveencountered in this business?How can the industrysurmount these challenges?

First and foremost, the firstchallenge an ecommercebusiness in Nigeria will face islogistics. There is no strongstructured logistics in thecountry. So you are apparentlyhaving to build your ownlogistics system at least if not

for every other city, you aregoing to build it for Lagos andprobably outsource the rest.

But one of the challenges wehad when we started that waspeculiar to us when we startedwas outsourcing the larger partof our production unit. We wereprinting some in-house, butsome were outsourced to someof our partners who wereoffering some of our services.

One of the toughestchallenges became getting thequality we wanted and gettingit in on schedule. And you knowcustomers want the best printand want it on time and whetheryour partners share this visionremains a question and ofcourse it is none of yourcustomers’ business. So at theend of the day, we broughteverything home. Since westarted doing that, we were ableto deliver the value that westand for. Right now we controlour entire value chain which isone of the best things that hashappened to the business inrecent times.

Continues from Page 27

Forex policy, ECOWAS and threats to Nigeria's economyBy MAXWELL ODINAKA

INTERNATIONAL trade is awell-known path to economicprosperity for many countries,but in Nigeria, its warped prac-tice, marked by smuggling andevasion of duties, have becomedestructive drainpipes for anailing economy. At issue is theEconomic Trade Liberationscheme (ETLS).

Battling with smugglingthrough the international tradealliance of the ECOWAS forvarious products, recently, theCentral Bank of Nigeria (CBN)announced the shut out Crudepalm Oil with the 41 items fromthe foreign exchange (forex)window. Though the CBNmaintained that its action wasnecessary for economic stabili-ty, members of the organised pri-vate sector believe the movemay have been wrongly con-ceived without the apex bankproperly appraising domesticcapacity for production of someof the excluded items.

The ECOWAS ETLSIn 1990, ECOWAS launched

the Economic Trade LiberationScheme (ETLS) with the prima-ry objective of establishing aCustoms union aimed at thetotal elimination of Customsduties and taxes of equivalenteffect and removal of non-tariffto protect goods produced inMember States.

The ETLS is the main tool forpromoting the West Africa re-gion as a Free Trade Area. Thisis in tandem with one of theobjectives of the communitywhich is the establishment of acommon market through “theliberalisation of trade by theabolition, among Member

States, of customs duties leviedon imports and exports, and theabolition among MemberStates, of non-tariff barriers”. –Article 3 of ECOWAS Treaty

Implication of CBN forexpolicy on ETLS

Although in Nigeria, a lot ofwell- intentioned economic in-struments are abused and in-stead of being used to promotethe growth and development ofthe country, they end up help-ing the rich and powerful andthose close to the corridors ofpower line their pockets.

If the ideal situation thrives inrespect of the ETLS, it shouldlead to economic prosperity formost ECOWAS member statesand especially Nigeria wherethere is a lot of indigenous in-vestments in manufacturing,processing and other value-adding economic activities. Butwith the forex restriction onCrude Palm Oil (CPO), smug-gling will increase to avoid tar-iff payment (through re-expor-

tation).In this case it becomes illegal

under the ETLS for a companyor an individual to import crudepalm oil from a region outsidethe ETLS to a neighbouringcountry like Republic of Beninand then refine to palm oil withthe intention of bringing theproducts into Nigeria. UnderETLS a large percentage of theproduct to be moved from onemember state to another mustoriginate from that country. Forexample palm oil produced inNigeria can be moved to Gha-na duty free under ETLS andsteel produced from iron ore inTogo can be moved to Nigeriaduty free under the ETLS.

In principle, the overall gainsfrom trade could be used to com-pensate for the effects of re-duced trade barriers by appro-priate inter-party transfers. AsCrude Palm Oil (CPO) underETLS is classified under proc-essed goods enjoys certain con-cession upon entry into a dif-

ferent ECOWAS state which in-cludes Nigeria. The threegroups of goods under thescheme enjoy the following con-cessions:Total exemption from import

duties and taxesNo quantitative restriction,Non-payment of compensa-

tion for loss of revenue for un-processed goods and tradition-al handicraft product as a re-sult of their importation.

Despite the glaring benefits ofthe ETLS, the forex restrictionpolicy has started to show itseffect on ETLS as some import-ers and local producers of CPOat a low capacity have startedexploring the ETLS as a meansof bringing in the products withthe agenda of reselling it to themanufacturers in Nigeria.

Certain stakeholders of theindustry have taken undue ad-vantage of the scheme to in-dulge in sharp practices by im-porting CPO from memberstates through round tripping

from other countries. TheseCPO round tripped into thesemember states are then import-ed into Nigeria under ETLSzero duty regime which ne-gates the CBN objective for therestriction of the forex policy “inorder to promote developmentof our local production.”

For manufacturers in thecountry, there are just two op-tions; either close up and relo-cate to neighbouring ECOWASmember countries like Ghana,Togo or Benin where this rawmaterial is being smuggledfrom or join the bandwagon andstart patronising the smugglers.It is a known fact today that inevery part of the world whereagriculture is growing, it is be-cause their governments aresupporting the sector in variousways including the implemen-tation of favorable agribusinesspolicies and practices.

In Nigeria for example, inpast years, the government hasdistributed more than 1.4 mil-lion sprouted nuts to farmersfree. These hybrid sproutednuts are high-yielding Teneraseedlings of greater yieldingcapacities that will benefit andimprove production. However,this requires that the farmershave to recapitalise their plan-tations which, is the responsi-bility of the government. Thereis no doubt that Nigeria canbecome self-sufficient in palmoil production and consumptionalthough we currently pay ahigher price due to the weak-ened strength of the Naira eachtime we import CPO or any oth-er agricultural produce.

It is therefore important thatif government is to encourageand promote private sector par-ticipation in its current transfor-mation efforts in palm oil plan-tation development, the currentlapses in the ETLS where roundtripping of CPO from othercountries are dumped into thenearby country and subsequent-ly the same into Nigeria underthe guise of the ETLS must bechecked and eradicated andthis could only be achieved withthe removal of CPO from theForex Policy list with a properroadmap of backward integra-tion for the manufacturing com-panies.

In as much as the objective ofthe ETLS is to promote indus-trialization within the sub-re-gion, the current practices aretotally counterproductive to thisobjective and there is a need tohave a review of the ETLS inits journey so far. Governmentshould not ignore the cry of theindustry especially the CPOsector with the continual fallingvalue of the Naira against Dol-lar and the dire need to createjobs for our jobless teemingyouths as the manufacturingsector is gulping more than70% of the unskilled and skilledlabour forces in the country.Odinaka, a public affairs

analyst, wrote from Lagos.

For manufacturers,there are just twooptions — relocateto neighbouringECOWAS countrieslike Ghana, Togo orBenin where thisraw material is beingsmuggled from orjoin the bandwagonand start patronisingthe smugglers

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

Tel:0805 220 1997

36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Business & Economy

IMF Africa Director, Mrs.Atoinette Sayeh recently

noted at a press conference at aWorld Bank event in Lima, Peru,that “...those measuresintroduced by CBN to restrictdemand and limit access toofficial foreign exchange forcertain imports are quitedetrimental to economic activitiesand invariably led to a lot ofunhappiness in the privatesector”.

Consequently, Sayeh,apparently concluded that“these measures were neithersustainable or advisable, andtherefore hoped “that there willbe an opportunity to review forexrestrictions and permit theExchange rate to continue toadjust”, because, according toher “the restrictions are “alreadymaking things harder for theaverage person to buy milk or tobuy milk at an affordable price”.Evidently, there was no mentionof under nourished babies orgovernment’s insensitivity to theplight of the average Nigerianin Sayeh’s comments, but it isdifficult to deny the intendedmental association!

Incidentally, the IMF’sdemand for Naira devaluationhas also been echoed fromvarious strongholds and mediaorgans of internationalinvestment capital andspeculative portfolios; notably,‘The Economist’s commentarytitled ‘Toothpick Alert’, was abland and disdainful parody ofCBN’s exclusion of 41 importeditems from access to cheaperofficial forex sales.

Similarly, earlier this year, theInternational banking stalwart,JP Morgan also gave notice ofits decision to delist Nigeria’sgovernment bonds from itswidely subscribed index, unlessthe Naira was devalued, andCBN also increased liberal dollarsupply to the forex market,presumably, so that foreignportfolio investors, (i.e. thosewithout factories or productive

Devalue Naira, remove subsidyand ‘kill’ Nigeriansenterprises) particularly can takeout their speculative cash flowsat short notice, if necessary.

Evidently, further Nairadevaluation would also make itmuch cheaper for such footlooseportfolio investors to acquire bothpublic and private equity inNigeria for less dollar values.Ultimately, therefore, if Nairadepreciation persists, moreNigerian equity prices will fall invalue below US$0.10(Ten Cents);expectedly, before that happens,the much sought after foreigninvestors would have longspoken with both feet.

The above awkward realities,notwithstanding, last week, noless a person than the suspendedformer CBN Governor, LamidoSanusi, who is now, the Emir ofKano, joined advocates of Nairadevaluation, when he advised,that “the country cannot continueto live in denial on the Naira”and therefore called for Nairadevaluation as well as theremoval of fuel subsidy.

According to Sanusi, “It iswrong to continue to pretend thatyou can keep the Naira at acertain level, when the price ofoil is falling, without depletingyour reserves. You have to makea choice” he advised. Sanusiwarned that CBN’s policy wasdepriving key industries ofimports and therefore suggestedthat “if we have to make a choicebetween economic growth anddevaluation”, hisrecommendation would be that“we protect growth”. However,His Highness is clearly in denialthat it will be an impossiblechallenge to protect growth if theNaira slide subsists uncheckedovertime.

However, the ex CBNGovernor, correctly recognizes

that CBN has lost control of itscore mandate for price stabilityas, “inflation is already uponus”, according to him; however,Sanusi, inexplicably suggeststhat “it is time to loosenmonetary policy” to counter thesubsisting oppressive, and irrepressible excess moneysupply that is primarilyresponsible for rising inflationand the diminishing purchasingvalue of all incomes, particularlythe incomes of millions ofNigerians who still earn below$2/day. Sadly, our parlouseconomy, is today, probably theproduct of the application ofsuch a misguided problemsolving mindset, which hasexpectedly failed to favorablyresolve our challenges withinflation, interest and Nairaexchange rates.

In addition to devaluation, HisHighness, warned that unlesswe loosen monetary policy tohelp stimulate the economy withcheaper funds, and “lowerCBN’s key interest rate from arecord high of 13%, we would

compound an exchange ratecrisis for business with highborrowing costs and decliningdemand”.

The essence of Sanusi’srecommendation is that if CBNreduces its key interest rate,commercial banks would followsuit and lower their rates topossibly below 20% from theaverage of 25% currentlyavailable to the real sector.Expectedly, accessibility tocheaper funds should stimulateconsumer demand and alsoreduce cost of loans across theboard. Instructively, however,unless the existing burden ofsystemic excess money supplyis resolved, it will be reckless toreduce CBN’s monetary policyrate to best practice level below5% across board to induce singledigit cost of funds that wouldjumpstart economy revival.

However, it will be clearlyabsurd and foolhardy tointroduce policies that providecheaper funds to stimulateconsumer demand when surpluscash is already a disenablingabiding economic burden. Thiswould be akin to pouring petrolinto the already raging fire ofspiraling inflation. Ultimately,the N1,000 note which iscurrently less than $5 maybecome worth less than $1, ifmoney supply remainsuntamed, while fuel price, evenwith local production, will morethan quadruple with its owndistortional inflationaryconsequences!

Evidently, our presentlydisenabling inflation rate isfueled by a subsisting burden ofsystemic excess money whichhas forcibly predicated CBN’sneed to remove over N3Tn fromthe burdensome systemic

liquidity surplus betweenSeptember-December withtreasury debts.

Not surprisingly, when he wasCBN Governor, Sanusi hadsimilarly defended this samedistortional process thatconstrains government to paydouble digit interest rates forfunds which will simply besequestered as idle funds,notwithstanding the insistent cryof the real sector for access tocheaper funds.

Advocates for a weaker Nairalike the Emir, are always eagerto explain that Naira devaluationis inevitable since the fall incrude oil prices has depletedCBN’s self styled “ownreserves”. These compulsiveNaira bashers, however, alwaysbecome unsettled when askedwhy Naira did not appreciatefrom N153 to below N100=$1,for example, when CBNreserves exceeded $55bn, withthe controversial Excess CrudeAccount also in excess of $8bn.Furthermore, devaluationadvocates cannot also explainwhy Naira exchangedconsistently for N80=$1 between1995-98 despite CBN’srelatively paltry reserves of justover $4bn and barely 4 monthsimports cover.

Conversely, CBN’s reserves,presently average about $30bnwith certainly longer real importscover than was possible prior toObasanjo’s administration,when the Naira exchangedbelow N100 = $1, yet, we areinexplicably presentlyconfronted with intense pressurefor further Naira devaluation.

Poverty will clearly deepennationwide with serious socialconsequences if our choicestrategy is to rescue our economywith further Naira devaluationand removal of fuel subsidy asrecommended by the IMF andlikeminded experts like Sanusi.

•SAVE THE NAIRA! SAVENIGERIANS!

THE Nigeria CustomsService, (NCS) is at the

moment having a herculeantask in its risk assessmentfunction on cargoes due to thefrequent system breakdown ofthe sever backbone provided byTelecom service provider, MTN.

MTN provides the serverbackbone upon which theCustoms carry out its onlinetransaction assessing cargoeswith a view to computingpayable import duties.

The agency’s operations atboth the Tin Can Island and

Telecoms epileptic server disrupts Customsoperation as revenue collection dips

By GODWIN ORITSE Apapa ports witness daily influxof Customs agents who want topay their duties but the systembreakdown has prevented themfrom doing so.

Already, the Apapa area oneCommand of the service hasbeen having problems with itsrevenue as there is noguarantee it will meet its targetfor the year.

Stakeholders in the maritimeindustry have also blamed WebbFontaine, a firm contracted bythe Federal Government to assistCustoms in introducingInformation Technology to theagency’s operations.

Webb Fontaine brought inMTN to provideinterconnectivity for Customsoperations.

When Vanguard contacted theManaging Director of WebbFontaine, Mr Ahmed Muktar,he said that he could not speakfor the company as he was nolonger working with the firm.

In his reaction, the Presidentof the National Council of theManaging Director sofLicensed Customs Agents,(NCMDLCA), Mr. LuckyAmiwero confirmed that theCustoms system has beenepileptic adding that the serverhas been down for some time.

Incidentally, theIMF’s demand forNaira devaluationhas also beenechoed fromvariousstrongholds andmedia organs ofinternationalinvestment capitaland speculativeportfolios

Vanguard, MONDAY , NOVEMBER 2, 2015—37

`

Devaluation of Naira not an option, saysDevaluation of Naira not an option, saysDevaluation of Naira not an option, saysDevaluation of Naira not an option, saysDevaluation of Naira not an option, saysOsinbajoOsinbajoOsinbajoOsinbajoOsinbajo

Importation of crude oil

IT is a shame that among all the oilproducing countries, Nigeria remains

the only one that is importing petrol.The blame goes to the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, which left thecountry’s economy prosrate after 16years of its misrule, despite the fact thatour crude oil sold for over 100 dollarsper barrel for most part of that periodthat the party held sway at the centre.

To fix the rot in the system, the Buharipresidency requires prayers andunderstanding.

Anonymous +2347052624455

Subsidy removalSubsidy removalSubsidy removalSubsidy removalSubsidy removal Of what use is the so called subsidy if

the actual ‘relieve ‘of the subsidy is notgetting to the masses? If the ‘subsidised’PMS could sell most of the time for; N200,N250, N300 per litre, what use is thesubsidy? Nigerians should please doaway with this economic sabotage called‘subsidy’!

Mike+2348063897516

Slashing of NASS’s andSlashing of NASS’s andSlashing of NASS’s andSlashing of NASS’s andSlashing of NASS’s andlawmakers’ jumbo salarieslawmakers’ jumbo salarieslawmakers’ jumbo salarieslawmakers’ jumbo salarieslawmakers’ jumbo salaries

lt will be ethically wrong for theemolument of Nigerian workers to betampered with, because it is the corruptpolitical class and oil glut that caused thefiscal doldrums.

They killed the economy through badeconomic policies and thievery. NASSmembers and politicians should reducetheir jumbo pay and return their loot andapprove death penalty for corruption.

Bobson Gbinije,Mandate Against Poverty,

+2347068621168

National PeaceNational PeaceNational PeaceNational PeaceNational PeaceCommittee’s visitCommittee’s visitCommittee’s visitCommittee’s visitCommittee’s visit

The recent visit of the National PeaceCommittee led by former Head of state,Gen.Abdsulami Abubakar, to Buhari tointercede for Jonathan on corruption wasa diservice to this country.

This committee could not claimignorance of high level of corruptionperpetuated in this country by Jonathan’sadministration.

The committee has outlived itsusefulness and does not have anymorality again to speak for Nigerians.Buhari must be supported in hiscourageous fight against corruption andimpunities.

Prince Onele Simeon, Enugu.+2348036370127

Alleged FG’s talks with BokoAlleged FG’s talks with BokoAlleged FG’s talks with BokoAlleged FG’s talks with BokoAlleged FG’s talks with BokoHaramHaramHaramHaramHaram

While Nigerians who voted for APCin the last election that brought Buhari topower are basking in the euphoria ofchange, with the leadership tussle in theSenate and Buhari’s lopsidedappointments and recent visit to Francewhere Nigerians were told of informaltalks between the FG and Boko Haram,Buhari may plunge the country into aSudan like situation.

The recent rejection by some notablenortherners of the 2014 confab report,Nigerians from the South should beprepared as the north is alreadystrategising, considering the presentpolitical division in the South.

Solo Aloba. +2347052624455

NASS leadership crisis andNASS leadership crisis andNASS leadership crisis andNASS leadership crisis andNASS leadership crisis andSaraki purposeful directionSaraki purposeful directionSaraki purposeful directionSaraki purposeful directionSaraki purposeful direction

Without Saraki’s strategy of mobilisingPDP NASS rebel members to join APC,the party would not have won theelections in the first place. Saraki canmake APC regret their action, If APCdares to do something stupid against him.

Ochiks, O.S. +2347081369442

Ex- militants and unpaidEx- militants and unpaidEx- militants and unpaidEx- militants and unpaidEx- militants and unpaidallowancesallowancesallowancesallowancesallowances

When Kimgsley Kuku was SpecialAssistant to former President Jonathan,whenever there is delay in the payment ofallowances, he often used the media to explainto the Niger Delta ex-militants why it was so.But since President Buhari assumed office,the coordinator of the amnesty programmehas not deemed it necessary to let thesemilitants know why they are owed for threemonths. Amnesty was not the main reasonfor militancy in the region but control of theirresources. If the Federal government thendecides to grant amnesty to create room forpeace and development ,why is PresidentBuhari not paying?

Solo Aloba Aloba. +2347052624455

EFCC and politics in NigeriaEFCC and politics in NigeriaEFCC and politics in NigeriaEFCC and politics in NigeriaEFCC and politics in Nigeria Nigeria as a country is rapidly growing

politically, but the political class is footdragging! They are the clogs in Nigeria’swheels of acceleration. They have refusedto grow along with Nigeria. When willthe Nigerian political class acquire thisattitude or mentality to resign when theyare indicted or accused of malfeasance?The EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamorde, shouldresign if he knows that his hands are cleanand surrender the Commission’s accountbook or books to scrutiny.

Anonymous 08181167166

Aina Abimbola

ONLY a voodoo economist willadvice an import dependent

economy with a taste for foreign goodsto devaluate her currency. That willcause terrible high cost of living. Chinadid it because it’s the world’s leadingexporting economy and the country’sself sufficient .

ChukwumaNwaonichaFurther devaluation of the Naira may

not be a solution or an option to thecurrent economic down turn in thecountry. However, one of the ways tostop the devaluation of Naira is topractically address the very weakeconomy. Nigeria lacks technology andindustrial development. The nation alsolacks infrastructural development in allsectors and very low economicproductivity (unemployment is at alltime high), the economy is highlydependent on oil coupled with othersocial problems. All of these make theNaira a weak currency. There is nomagic bullet to make the Naira stronger

but economic and social developmentsincluding good governance ( fiscaldiscipline, structural change, and arigorously maintained monetary policy), high GDP, job creation and lowinflation rate.

Comicbishop common sense I understand that the measures being

put in place by the CBN are temporal,however, they are necessary. The lastingsolution to the pressure on the Naira,as a result of the fall in oil prices, wouldbe a diversification of the economy.Currently, we are heavily dependent onthe oil revenue but the ForeignExchange gains that flow in from oilexports are subsequently eroded by theFX losses from refined oil imports. Thus,the need to diversify the economy byexpanding the revenue generationfrontiers to include other sectors that arenegatively correlated to the oil sector,where we could possibly do more exportthan import and absorb shocks inperiods like this. Another solution wouldbe the optimisation of the refiningcapacity of our refineries andencouragement of backward integrationfor industries that currently import rawmaterials that otherwise can be producedhere in Nigeria. All of these are mediumand long term measures that shouldhave been in place long before now asthe signs of the crumbling oil price havebeen visible for a long time given thecrisis in the Middle East.

As such, given that Nigeria is largelyimport driven or dependent, furtherdevaluation of the Naira would becounter-productive. Devaluation wouldbe very effective if our economy wereexport driven. For example, Chinarecently devalued their currency amidsttheir financial crisis. That was a step inthe right direction because they havean export driven economy. So, the manis still right and I don’t see any voodooas you claim.

Akpobome ComicbishopThe market forces would devalue the

Naira, unless government shores upthe naira with an influx of Dollars. Thisis evident in the official rate of the Nairato the Dollar which is at about 197 nairato the Dollar. This rate is artificial andthe banks cannot meet the demand ofits customers hence they go to the blackmarket to pay the real value of 240-250Naira. As government tightenscontrol, the black market rate is boundto increase .

Comicbishop AkpobomeThe measures of the CBN have also

been to discourage further patronage ofthe black market. Even the black markethas limited access to foreign exchangefrom the banks unlike before. Iunderstand that the measure istemporary and is coming at the cost ofdepletion in our foreign reserves but theend point remains for the good of thegeneral populace. We will be forced intoserious hike in general prices (inflation)and the complaints we have today,would be nothing compared to what wewill have then.

Akpobome ComicbishopDoes the government have enough

dollars to sell to the public at 197forever? The answer is no. Can weproduce what we consume now ? Theanswer is no. Then the naira wouldcontinue to fall. Simple! No voodooeconomics there.

UAlloy

PROFESSOR JEGA, the only reason2015 election was a success is

Jonathan. He adhered strictly to the ruleof law till the end. If Jega was INECchairman between 1999 and 2007 whenObasanjo was President,would theconduct and results of the election bethe same?

Ado musaJega’s elections were seriously flawed.

The card readers disenfranchised morethan 50% of voters. Of the number thatregistered, many did not get PVCs andthose who got, the card reader disqualifiedthem and in some instances, card readersdid not function at all. There is a big gapbetween the number of registered votersand actual votes cast. There were lots ofanomalies that gave rise to the big gap.Jonathan had many genuine reasons tohave annulled the elections but he choseto overlook them. We thank God for givinghim the strength to do what he did to saveus all from untold crises. God willpersonally reward him for this singularact. World leaders globally respect him forthis action. I am sure INEC is now doingsomething to correct the mass failure ofthe card readers.

Tundemash ado musaHow did you see this from the

confinement of your amnesty camp ?Were you part of the local/internationalobservers?“Apparently Dumbo Jo is ina better position to see what you don'tsee from your amnesty camp.Cancellation of that election was not anoption, they had done their best bypostponing it (to give them time to bribeObas and religious merchants) and thatalso failed; Nigerians were determinedto get rid of the biggest looting party inAfrica . Shikena !

de_wale ado musaBy your own admission there were

many hiccups but it was not in favour ofone party, safe to say it affected all inequal measure. Jega tried under thecircumstances. His successor can onlybuild on the gains of making the systemfraud proof.

My experience inMy experience inMy experience inMy experience inMy experience inconducting 20conducting 20conducting 20conducting 20conducting 2015 polls15 polls15 polls15 polls15 polls— — — — — Jega

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS

Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs.Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. Address your sayings to:

editor@vanguardngr.com

If the hen fails to chuck, how will she train her children-An Igbo proverb

38 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 201538 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 201538 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 201538 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 201538 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Russian airliner ‘broke up mid-air’

A SENIOR EastGerman official

whose impromptuannouncement at a newsconference led to thedemise of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has died aged 86.

Guenter Schabowski saidtravel restrictions on the ex-state’s citizens would beimmediately lifted,prompting tens ofthousands to cross to theWest.

Officials had intended tophase in changes the nextday, but the mass of peoplehastened the Wall’s rapidfall.

The measures wereintended to stem an exodus

reunited into one country,ending 45 years of division.

Mr Schabowski was aspokesman for the EastGerman regime in 1989,when Communistgovernments acrossEastern Europe werefacing a wave of popularprotest.

The government haddecided to make it easier forEast Germans to travel toWestern Europe, in anattempt to curb a flood ofpeople crossing intoHungary, which had itselfopened its western borders.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s rally drawsthousands in Myanmar

TENS of thousands ofsupporters of

Myanmar oppositionleader Aung San Suu Kyihave gathered in Yangon forher party’s largest rally sofar, a week before thecountry votes in landmarkelections.

“I want to tell you againto vote for us if you want tosee real changes in thecountry,” she toldsupporters at the rally ineastern Yangon on Sunday.

“I have no fear at all toface or fight anyone as longas you support me.”

Tens of thousandsstreamed into the outdoorparade ground next to a Buddhist temple in aneastern district of Yangon,the first major National League for Democracy(NLD) party rally in theheart of the commercial hub.

Political tensions arerunning high in Myanmar,which heads to the pollsnext Sunday.

Late on Thursday, NaingNgan Linn, an NLD sittingMP, was attacked with a

sword while canvassing inthe Tharketa township inhis constituency, sustaininghead injuries.

Observers hope the votewill be the fairest electionin decades as the nationslowly shakes off years ofbrutal and isolating juntarule.

U.S. House Speaker rules outwork with Obama on immigration

HOUSE ofRepresentatives

Speaker Paul Ryan onSunday ruled out workingwith President BarackObama on overhaulingU.S. immigration policy,saying it would be “aridiculous notion” to pursuelegislation because Obamacannot be trusted on theissue.

Republicans have foughtObama’s unilateral stepsthat bypassed a gridlockedCongress to try to shieldmillions of illegalimmigrants fromdeportation.

Obama’s executive

orders, announced lastNovember but put on holdby the courts, would let upto 4.7 million illegalimmigrants stay withoutthreat of deportation. It wasaimed mainly at helping 4.4million people whosechildren are U.S. citizens orlegal permanent residents.

The immigration issue has driven a wedgebetween Hispanics, anincreasingly importantvoting bloc, andRepublicans, many ofwhom take a hard line onillegal immigration, to thebenefit of Obama’s fellowDemocrats.

to Hungary amid massprotests.

Less than a year later, Eastand West Germany were

*Experts say plane not downed by militants*Black boxes found, sent for test

A RUSSIAN airliner whichcrashed in Egypt’s Sinai

peninsula, killing all 224people on board, broke up inmid-air, a Russian official says.

Victor Sorochenko, the headof Russia’s Interstate AviationCommittee, said it was too earlyto conclude what caused thecrash on Saturday.

He told reporters debris wasfound across a 20sq km-widearea of Sinai. So far 163 bodieshave been found.

Russia is observing a day ofmourning after its worst airdisaster.

Mr Sorochenko spoke after

visiting the site ofthe debris, near thevillage of Hasana.

Jihadists allied toso-called IslamicState in Sinai, where suchgroups are active,had made a claimon social mediathat they had

(31,000ft), the altitude theAirbus 321 was flying at, byweapons the militants areknown to possess.

brought downflight KGL9268.

But Egyptian Prime MinisterSharif Ismail said experts hadconfirmed that a plane couldnot be downed at 9,450m

Berlin Wall blunderer GuenterSchabowski dies at 86

POPE Francisindicated on

Sunday that his plannedvisit to the Central AfricanRepublic this month couldbe cancelled if violencebetween Christians andMuslims there worsens.

Speaking to tens ofthousands of people in St.Peter’s Square, he calledfor an end to the “cycle ofviolence” in the countryhe is scheduled to visitNov. 28-29 as part of a tripthat will also take him to

Pope likely to cancel C/AfricanRepublic visit

Kenya and Uganda.Francis spoke of the

“trip I hope to be able tomake to that nation”. Hehas previously simply saidhe would go.

A senior Vatican sourcesaid the phrasing waschosen because of theviolence in the capitalBangui, where the popeis scheduled to visit amosque in one of the mostd a n g e r o u sneighbourhoods.

“If the situation

worsens, he will not beable to go and he is awareof that,” the source said.

Last Thursday, fourpeople were killed bymobs, bringing lastweek’s death toll to 11,including threenegotiators for theMuslim Seleka alliancevisiting Bangui for peacetalks.

Mostly-Muslim Selekarebels seized power in themajority Christian nationin a coup in 2013,prompting reprisals.

Official suspended over Mugabe’s wrong-sized cap

A UNIVERSITY ofZimbabwe official

has been suspended forallegedly supplyingPresident RobertMugabe with an ill-fitting graduation cap.

Assistant registrarNgaatendwe Takawiracaused embarrassmentfor universityadministrators byprocuring a cap whichwas too small for the 92-year-old leader,according to hersuspension letter, quotedin local media.

Ms Takawira deniesthe allegations.

The president’s officeis not thought to havemade a complaint.

The decision tosuspend Ms Takawira

was probably taken byuniversity authoritieskeen to appease thepresident and not fromany genuine anger on hispart.

Academics first noticedthat the so-called “cap ofknowledge” was notsitting properly on thepresident’s head while

he was presiding over agraduation ceremony in2014, our correspondentsays.

The university thenarranged for new caps tobe designed for MrMugabe in time for thisyear ’s ceremony, ourreporter adds.

Al-Shabab assault kills senior Somali officials

AT least 15 peoplehave been killed

and dozens morewounded in an attack ona hotel in the centre ofSomalia’s capitalMogadishu.

A car bomb exploded atthe main gate of theSahafi Hotel early onSunday morning, withattackers then stormingthe hotel as they

exchanged gunfire withsecurity guards.

A suicide bomberdetonated a second set ofexplosives inside thehotel.

Somali troops andAfrican Union forces weredeployed to the scene andtook control of thesituation,. LieutenantColonel Paul Njuguna,the spokesperson for the

AU Mission in Somalia,told Al Jazeera.

The al-Shabab armedgroup immediatelyclaimed responsibility forthe attack.

Those killed in theattack includedp a r l i a m e n t a r i a n Mohamed Abdi Abtidoonand a freelancephotographer, MustafAbdi.

THOUSANDS ofanti-government

protesters marched inNiger ’s capital onSunday to denounce whatthey say are irregularitiesin voter lists ahead ofpresidential elections inearly 2016.

Marchers carriedbanners with sloganssuch as “The peoplestand up for cleanelections” and “No to

Thousands march in Niger to denounceelection preparations

dictatorship” anddemanded a full audit ofthe electoral register.

Niger, a poor, uranium-producing country in theSahel band of West Africa,is set to hold presidentialelections in February withPresident MahamadouIssoufou expected to seeka second five-yearmandate.

Issoufou, a key Westernally against radical

Islamist groups, is widelyexpected to triumph overa fragmented oppositionto win a second mandate.His ruling PNDS partyhas forecast a one-roundvictory.

This is despite a failureto secure regions likeDiffa, where Nigeria-based Boko Harammilitants have increasedcross-border attacks inrecent months, promptingthe authorities to declarea state of emergency.

•Guenter Schabowski

•Robert Mugabe

The wreckage of crashed RussianAirliner

CMYK

40—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

the only correspondent for the company in theUK for that period. He left through the airport.The police knew he was leaving and they didn’tarrest him, they didn’t call him. A week or twoafter he left, it was curious they wrote a letter tous asking us to produce him that they wanted tointerview him again. We responded and informedthem that the man left and we gave the addressand telephone number of Kayode Soyinka. Wedon’t know if they later got in touch with him ornot. Police all over the world are international,they have their links, they have INTERPOL.What Chris Omeben is saying is clearly an after-thought.

Breakfast inthe study

He thinks he can draw wool over people’s eyesand explain away their incompetence or inabilityor reluctance to get to the bottom of the matter.

On Omeben’s comments that Soyinka was aprime suspect, who was with Dele Giwa whenthe parcel bomb was brought but went to hidein an adjoining room before the explosion

Mr Omeben does not know the facts of thematter. They were sitting in Dele Giwa’s study.They were having breakfast in the study. Soyinkawas sitting opposite Dele. And Dele receivedthe parcel from his son, placed it on his laps andwas trying to open it when it detonated. Kayodewas thrown on the floor and his ears wereperforated, for many months he lost his hearing.

So, he did not run into any room because therewas no next room. I have seen reports saying heran from the dining room to the kitchen. It didnot happen in the dining room, it happened inthe study. I know the geography of that buildingbecause I lived on the other side, two wings of aduplex built the same way.

Omeben does not know the facts of the situationthat is why he is making all these speculations.The police men came there after that incidentand they did not say it was at his dining room oranything like that. It is absolutely false.

How he feels that 29 years after, Dele Giwa’smurder has not been unravelled and ChrisOmeben is making the kind of comments hemade

Mr Omeben has been struggling to explain

Continues from page 39 away the incompetence of the police or theirreluctance to get to the root of the matter. Omebenpublished a book on this matter in which heaccused the directors of Newswatch of having afight within the board and he claimed that it is aproduct of that fight that the directors killed DeleGiwa. So, it is unclear to me whether he isrevising his opinion by pining it on KayodeSoyinka, who he says is a prime suspect.

Kayode cannot be a prime suspect because Idon’t think there is any sensible person, whowould know that a bomb will explode in a roomand sits face-to-face to the person who will openthe parcel. It is preposterous to think somebodywill do that. So Kayode Soyinka could not havebeen an accomplice or anything like that.

Again, Kayode could not have killed Dele Giwabecause he had nothing to benefit from it. Hewas not even in the top 10 of the company at thetime. So what would he gain by killing Dele Giwa?In the next 10 years after that he would neverhave got to be editor-in-chief of Newswatchbecause apart from the three guys there wereother senior people including Soji Akirinade,Nosa Igiebor, Dele Omotunde, Onome Osifo-Whiskey and others. So you have to find a motive,why would he do it? Mr. Omeben has not givenus a motive.

Three, you cannot even accuse directors ofNewswatch of killing Dele Giwa whether youare talking about the external directors or theinternal directors meaning the three of us (Ekpu,Mohammed and Agbese) because Newswatchwas arranged in such a way that we didn’t havethis question of seniority or juniority. All the fourdirectors were equal. They earned equal salariesand allowances, they had access to the magazine,all of them wrote columns, decisions were takencollectively. So, there was no super man statusfor anybody as per to kill Dele Giwa so that theycould take his place.

Fourthly, I don’t know whether people thatmake these allegations, like Chris Omeben, knowthat we take friendship seriously. You talk aboutkilling somebody and that somebody is yourfriend. killing somebody itself is anathema, thenkilling your friend, I cannot even imagine that.

Maybe in the police system these things don’tmatter, we are not of that mould. You can seethat even when we left Newswatch, we are stillhere together. Those are not people who fight

They weresitting in DeleGiwa’s study.They werehavingbreakfast inthe study.Soyinka wassittingopposite Dele.And Delereceived theparcel fromhis son, placedit on his lapsand was tryingto open itwhen itdetonated

Omebenpublished abook on thismatter inwhich heaccused thedirectors ofNewswatch ofhaving a fightwithin theboard and heclaimed that itis a product ofthat fight thatthe directorskilled DeleGiwa

and kill themselves.Why we made Dele Giwa our leaderCan I tell you how people were chosen for

those offices? Yakubu Mohammed and Ray Ekpumet privately in Yakubu’s house, they decidedthat since the other two guys had problems withtheir employers – Dele Giwa was removed asthe editor of Sunday Concord and brought as amember of the editorial board, which I chaired;Dan Agbese was removed as the editor of NewNigerian and was not assigned any position.Yakubu and I said to ourselves, ‘we can makethese guys feel comfortable and make theirformer employers, who treated them badly, feeluncomfortable.’

Having shown that we have confidence inthem, we want the two of them to lead theorganisation, Dele Giwa as the editor-in-chiefand Dan Agbese as the managing director. Weannounced it to them within five minutes andthere was no dissent.

No in-fightingin the board

None of us felt inferior to the other. There wasno in-fighting in the board.

The role of Omeben in the investigationOmeben did not investigate the case. Alhaji

Abubakar Tsav, who later became theCommissioner of Police in Lagos was the onewho handled the investigation. He did a reportand also appeared at the Justice ChukwudifuOputa panel and gave evidence. The three ofus were at the Oputa panel in Abuja and Lagosand gave evidence.

Tsav said he did an investigation and he feltthat there were people he needed to interviewand these people were in the military and hewanted the police authorities to get permissionfor him to interview these people, search theiroffices and houses. He submitted his report.

The police authorities, as represented by ChrisOmeben, did not take action. They did not returnhis report to him, they did not reassign the caseto anybody. They just did nothing. That is therole that Omeben played.

Now, he is telling stories, singing like a canarytrying to exonerate himself and the police systemover their pathetic failure to do something about

Continues on page 41

We must back Buhari or go down as a nation•Biafra agitation: Strong arm tactics alone won’t work

•Ekpu, Akinrinade, Agbese & Mohammed at their office in Ikeja

CMYK

VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—41

Newswatch: How we fell forJimoh Ibrahim•Advocates plea bargain for corrupt leaders

an issue that became a national and internationalproblem. Dele Giwa’s murder gave Nigeria avery bad name. Of course we had manyassassinations since then and in most of thecases, the police have not been able to find theculprits. But in Dele Giwa’s instance, the telltale signs were all over the place but the policecould not do anything. In fact, even after thethen Inspector General of Police, we wrote lettersto each IG that came after but there is no replyup till today.

Did you write the current IG?No. I don’t think there is any point. This system

kills people and buries them and you can neverexhume them. So, what is the point?

Who was the last IG you wrote?I can’t remember. It is not important, we have

gone beyond that. On the 10th anniversary ofDele Giwa’s assassination, we had ananniversary meeting in Ikeja and we said, ‘after10 years, we have forgiven those who committedthe assassination.’

Publicdomain

So, we have gone beyond that. It is too late totalk about it. Who wants to do it? Who wants tobell the cat? The information has been out therein the public domain. The Oputa panel reportsaid the police should reopen the investigation.Have they re-opened the investigation? Theyhave not. If Chris Omeben said we shieldedKayode Soyinka from being arrested, whyhaven’t they arrested us? Why haven’t theyquestioned us to say, why did you shield thisman, if they cannot find a way of interviewingKayode?

Kayode has been coming here. He came tocontest the governorship of Ogun State twicesince then. He runs a magazine, speaks to thepress and is everywhere. There is no timelimitation on cases of murder. Why haven’t theypicked him up and queried him?

Are you establishing anything like afoundation to keep the memory of Dele Giwaalive?

We had a trust fund that we raised money todeal with the problems of the immediate family.That fund has been exhausted and the objectiveshave been fully achieved. We didn’t need anyfoundation. Whatever else we had done aspublications were done on one-off basis. Wepublished some books and dedicated them tohim. We have the Dele Giwa Prize forInvestigative Journalism and we marked theanniversary every year till we retired.

On their work ethic and what they have beendoing of late

We are old school, we still do it the old fashionway. We are doing book publishing. We havepublished six books since we left Newswatch.You know we used to publish books at Newswatchbut here, we actually write the books ourselves.We also collect manuscripts from other people,assess them and if they are good, we publishthem.

His take on the five months it took PresidentBuhari to appoint his ministers and the qualityof the appointees

Yes, President Buhari took five months andsome others have taken fewer months but I don’tthink that, that takes anything away from thegoal of the government. You can take a decisionin a haste and it turns out bad.

By and large, I don’t think the quality of peoplenominated is bad. I believe that it reflects onBuhari’s attitude, the type of people he wants towork with and the direction he wants the countryto go. A few issues have been raised about a fewof the people but these are the kind of thingsyou expect in a partisan political situation. I knowa few people, who were persuaded to leave theirlucrative businesses and come into cabinet. Ithink the president has done well to assemble ateam like that. It is for us to support that teambecause we really don’t have a choices otherwisewe will go down.

The country is not in the best shape possible.The economy is almost flat on its back. Oil revenueis low and we need to think outside the box, onour feet, for this country to grow. There are a fewissues here and there, I think we should gobeyond these partisan issues we are raising andsupport the government to move in the direction

of revamping the economy and restoring sanityin the system.

Supports anti-graft warI am particularly thrilled by President Buhari’s

attempt on tackling corruption. Whether it ispartisan or not, I want to see corruption tackled.I want to see part of the $100 billion he said wasstolen brought back. I really don’t care aboutpeople being put in jail because if we put themin jail, we are going to feed them. I am of theopinion that government must work out amechanism of collecting nine-tenth of the stolenmoney from the looters.

I am for plea bargaining because of thisquestion of having a long time in the courts,they will hire the best lawyers that money canbuy and frustrate the system. I am wishing thatthe government can fashion a system where itcan negotiate with these people that have stolenmoney, give them a plea bargain, collect part ofour money and we move on. If you put them injail without recovering the money, they will comeback and enjoy their loot.

On the rising wave of insecurity and dissentin the country with Boko Haram insurgency inthe North-East, struggle for actualisation ofBiafra in the East and the menace of Fulaniherdsmen in the South and North-Central, withsome Yoruba leaders threatening secessionrecently

Violence has become the norm almost all overthe world, there is escalation of global violence.

Part of it is the global movement towardsdemocracy and lot of people take freedom aslicence. The dissent and problems you listed aresome of the fallouts of a democratic government.Democracy gives you the licence to shout or fightfor your rights. These things cannot abate exceptwe have a comprehensive look at the way welive as a country. What are the Biafrans lookingfor? Late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu waged the war for 30 months with arms,with soldiers and they were ready to fight anddie. He didn’t win.

Strong armtactics

These people are not using arms, they aresaying they want return to Biafra, they are tearingtheir Nigerian passports, printing Biafrancurrency, etc. This is just a pressure group, asfar as I am concerned. They are going theextreme way to draw attention to their problems.They have Radio Biafra, there are pirate radiosin different parts of the world. This is just a pirateradio.

The government doesn’t need to just arrestpeople and throw them into jail. We have to talk.We need to have a conversation. Ask the Biafranpeople, what do you want?. They feel that theyhave been marginalised and not given their fairshare. A lot of people in the country feelmarginalised. What it calls for is a conversationamong the different groups. Strong arm tacticsalone will not solve the problem. These are youngpeople who were not born during the civil war.They came after the war. The old men who tastedwar don’t want war. If you have ever been at thewar front, you will know that war is dangerous.War is evil.

These young men don’t want war but they wanta fair share of the national cake. I don’t knowwhether they are doing it right but they wanttheir voice to be heard. They are sendingpetitions to the United Nations and so on.

My view is that we can have a conversation.You can’t rule people without having aconversation and finding out what is biting them.

Whether they are herdsmen, Niger Deltapeople, militants, Biafrans or Boko Harampeople, these are pockets of disgruntlements.Let’s see whether we can talk, whether we canmeet each other half-way. Nobody can get fromthe system all that he wants but people must geta bit out of the system for them to be stable andfor the system itself to be stable. So, we have tohave a conversation.

Continued from page 40

Omeben didnot investigatethe case.AlhajiAbubakarTsav, who laterbecame theCommissionerof Police inLagos was theone whohandled theinvestigation.He did areport andalso appearedat the JusticeChukwudifuOputa paneland gaveevidence

I think weshould gobeyond thesepartisanissues we areraising andsupport thegovernmentto move in thedirection ofrevampingthe economyand restoringsanity in thesystem

•Ekpu: Buhari assembled a good team

CMYK

42—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 43

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44 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

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46—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—47

CMYK

CMYK

48—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

VanguardVanguardVanguardVanguardVanguard

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YOU CAN BOOK YOUR ADVERT AT: TRINITY MALL,

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Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 49

PAC joinsBuhari’santi-corruptioncrusade

THE Police AssistanceCommittee of Nigeria

(PAC) has aligned itselfwith the anti-corruptioncrusade of the FederalGovernment by initiating anationwide intensegrassroot awarenessprogramme that will takethe message to all andsundry.The organization is comingup with nationwideseminars and workshopwhich will hold in the sixgeopolitical zones of thecountry and drawparticipation amongstcritical stakeholderscomprising PAC memberswho are mainly tradesmen/ artisans, all arms ofgovernment at Federal,states and localgovernment levels, thearmed forces, all securityagencies including para-military establishments aswell as the public.Speaking on the seminars/workshops the Director-General of PAC, Dr.Martins John-Oni said theprogramme was designedto drum up support for theanti-corruption crusade ofthe Federal Government.

Shell JVpartners PETAN,foreignmanufacturerson local content

THE development ofindigenous manpower

for the oil and gas industryreceived a boost, Friday, as40 engineering andgeosciences graduatespassed out from a one-yearinternship programmeorganised by the ShellPetroleum DevelopmentCompany of Nigeria (SPDC)operated Joint Venture andPetroleum TechnologyAssociation of Nigeria(PETAN), a group ofindigenous oilfield servicecompanies. The milestoneoccurred on the same daythat SPDC JV performed theground-breaking ceremonyof its Original EquipmentManufacturers (OEM)domestication initiative,whereby the manufacturersand their Nigerian partnershave been allocated land toset up local assembly plantsand service centres at theShell Industrial Area in PortHarcourt.

The internshipprogramme introduced bySPDC JV in 2014 to supportmanpower development incritical disciplines equipsgraduates with vitalindustry experience foremployment and continueswith another batch of 40graduates who are nowattached to 20 PETANcompanies.

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

By Boluwaji Obahopo

PDP govs behind Wada’s re-election bid—MIMIKO

Emir of Borgulaid to rest

By Wole Mosadomi

Senator faults El Rufai on Kufena hill

LOKOJA—THE chairmanof PDP Governors Forum,

Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday saidall the PDP governors werebehind the second term bid ofGovernor Idris Wada of KogiState, contrary to insinuations thatsome PDP governors were againsthim.

Mimiko, who spoke in Okene,headquarters of Kogi Westsenatorial district, during the PDPzonal rally in the area, called onthe people of the state to re-electGovernor Wada for another termin view of his performance in thelast three and a half years.

Mimiko said: "Failure to vote forthe PDP would mean the staterisking being led by foe andemperor. I caution you (Kogielectorate) against voting for anoctopus that will come anddecimate the people by lordinghimself over you.”

Mimiko described Wada as aman of integrity who had respectfor the traditional institution,youths, and women alike, saying:"Wada has done a lot in the areaof youth and womenempowerment. Wada is the only

candidate that is sincerelycommitted to power rotation,unlike the All ProgressivesCongress, APC, who are justusing it for election purpose.”

Also speaking, formergovernor of the state, IbrahimIdris, called on the people of thearea to be steadfast and vote forPDP to secure their future,saying: “There is no alternativeto the PDP. Kogi has alwaysbeen for PDP and it is still a PDP

state.”Governor Idris Wada, who had

earlier visited the Ohinohi ofEbiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim,to pay homage, while receivinghis flag, said his administrationhad recorded greatachievements in education,health, agriculture and roadconstruction in all parts of thestate.

He said the general hospitalat Obangede had been

upgraded to a specialisthospital, noting that it wouldcreate employmentopportunities for the people.

The governor who pointedout that the contract for theprocurement of medicalequipment for the hospital hadbeen awarded, said he wasseeking re-election toconsolidate on the projects hestarted for the development ofthe state.

By Luka Binniyat

KADUNA—SENATORShehu Sani,

representing Kaduna Centralat the Senate, yesterday saidKufena hill should be arallying point for peopledemanding for goodgovernace and accountabilityin Kaduna State.

It would be recalled thatpenultimate Sunday, GovernorEl Rufai had, at a town hallmeeting in Kaduna, told offanyone not happy with the

political appointments he hadso far made, to “go climbKufena hill and fall.”

El Rufai, however, deniedsaying he meant anyone to diefrom the fall.

Addressing a youths groupfrom Southern Kadunayesterday in his office inKaduna, Sani said: “Thepositive aspect of thegovernor’s proclamation is thathe has put an unknownKufena hill on a nationaldiscourse. It has thus becomea tourist attraction and a

symbol for people to seewhere the opposition could goclimb and die. But, on aserious note, it wasirresponsible to have called onpeople who voted us to powerto climb such a hill, fall anddie. My advice to all theopposition forces in KadunaState is that we should turnKufena hills into our meetingplace to demand for goodgovernance, accountabilityand government withoutarrogance."

MINNA—THE bodyof the late Emir of

Borgu, Alhaji HaliruMohammed Dantoro, KitoroIII, was yesterday laid to restin New Bussa, headquartersof Borgu Local GovernmentArea of Niger State.

The body was interred at thepalace of the late Emir amidstwailing by family membersrelations, friends and othersympathisers.

As the remains arrived thepalace, a congregationalprayer was immediatelyconducted by Chief Imam ofNew Bussa, Alhaji AhmedShehu.

The remains of the late Emirhad arrived Nigerian Air ForceBase, Kainji, in Arik Air 5N-JEA , at about 11:20 am withGovernor Abubakar SaniBello, on hand to receive it.

President MuhammaduBuhari and the national leaderof All Progressives Congress,APC, Senator Bola Tinubu,and governor of Kebbi State,Alhaji Bello Bagudu,members of the national andstates Assembly, traditionalrulers from across the countryas well as business communityled by Alhaji Aminu Dantata,and Colonel Sani Bello,attended the burialceremony.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—51

S/East roads require urgent attention,says Osinbajo

MEETING: From left, Director, Transcorp Hotels Plc THP, HRH, Alhaji Baba Mohammed; ExecutiveDirector, Customer Services, THP; Managing Director/CEO, THP, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo; and Director,THP, and Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, during the CompletionBoard Meeting for Transcorp Hotels Plc’s N10 billion bond issue for the renovation of TranscorpHilton Abuja, in Lagos, last Friday.

By Francis Igata

E N U G U — V I C EPresident, Professor,

Yemi Osinbajo, weekend,

insisted that the worst problemplaguing people of the South-East geopolitical zone, was thefailed road networks, sayingthe situation required urgentFederal Government attention.

Prof. Osinbajo noted that

despite government financialconstraints at the moment,there was need to improve onthe roads in the region wherecommerce was the mainstay ofthe people.

While fielding questions

from journalists in Enugu,where he attended a weddingat the Cathedral Church of theGood Shepherd, AnglicanCommunion, the VicePresident disclosed that hehad discussed the issue withGovernor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi ofEnugu State, noting that theproblem was not unknown tothe Federal Government.

According to him: “Oneproblem that the people of theSouth-East have is roads. Youknow what our financialconstraints are, and there is aneed for improvement onroads where there is a lot ofcommerce and movement ofpeople. There is need to raisethe value of naira bydiscouraging importation ofsome items so that theeconomy will improve.”

In a homily at the church,Arch. Bishop of the EnuguEcclesiastical Province,Anglican Communion, HisGrace, EmmanuelChukwuma, appealed to theFederal Government to createemployment for the teemingunemployed youths in thecountry,wallowing in poverty.

NON-PAYMENT OF SALARY ARREARS: Abia workersprotest amid govt's claim of owing only 4 MDAs

By Anayo Okoli

U M UA H I A — A M I Dprotests and complaints

from angry workers over non-payment of arrears of theirsalaries, Abia State government,weekend, said it had cleared allthe arrears of 64 Ministries,Departments and Agencies,MDAs, remaining four MDAs.

The government also said thatthe money for the payment toworkers of the remaining fourMDAs was already in the bankawaiting clearance beforedisbursement.

According to a statement by SamHart, Senior Special Assistant,SSA, to Governor Okezie Ikpeazuon Public Communications,government had met the deadlineof October ending it set for itselfto clear the arrears of the workers’salaries following the receipt ofN14.152 billion bailout fund fromthe Federal Government.

According to the statement:

ALLEGED RELOCATION OF BOKO HARAM SUSPECTS TO ABAKALIKIPRISONS: There's no such thing —Umahi

“There are approximately 13,000Primary School Teachers in AbiaState. Government has effectivelycleared the backlogs of salariesof over 11,000 teachers. Thepayment of the remaining 2,000is being delayed because of thewrong account number and otherirregular details. All those whoare yet to receive their salariesshould please approach theirbanks for regularization of theirdetails.

“Government wishes to notifythe general public that the currentstrike by staff of the Abia StateUniversity has nothing to do withsalary arrears as government haspaid its subvention to theinstitution up to date. The strikewas occasioned by somedemands made by the academicstaff to the school authority whichare yet to be met.

“For the Health ManagementBoard, four months arrears havebeen paid. The 5th and 6th monthhas been lying in the bank. The

staff of the board have been slowin computing their outstandingsand whenever they conclude, thefunds can be accessed at the bank.

"The Abia State governmentreiterates its call on the NigerianUnion of Local GovernmentEmployees, NULGE, to cooperatewith it to ensure a sustainablesalary payment model for theLocal Governments. Governmentcommends staff of Umuahia SouthLocal Government Area, whohave since undergone verificationand restates its directive to staff ofother local governments to do thesame.

“On pensions, government haspaid up till July 2015. August andSeptember have been sent to thebank and can be accessed fromnext week. The bailoutDisbursement Committee hadchallenges with some pensionersdue to wrong data imputation andurges any pensioner yet to be paidto please approach the bank forcorrect data imputation."

By Peter Okutu

A B A K A L I K I —FOLLOWING the

alleged relocation 47 BokoHaram suspects from EkulobiaPrisons in Anambra State, to anundisclosed destination in thecountry, there was tension,

weekend, in Abakaliki metropolisthat the suspects might had beensecretly relocated to Abakalikiprisons without any publicity.

Recall that there were about 134inmates at the Ekwulobia prisonsbefore the 47 Boko Haramprisoners were brought in thedead of the night, Sunday, June

28, 2015 amid tight security.Unconfirmed sources claimed

the suspects arrived theAbakaliki prisons, last weekend,in 10 trucks heavily guarded bysecurity operatives.

But Governor Dave Umahi ofEbonyi State, described as falsethe rumour that the Boko Haram

suspects were brought toAbakaliki Federal prisons.

Umahi, who debunked suchclaims during a briefing at theGovernment House, Abakaliki,insisted that from available reportsto him, the Boko Haram suspectswere not relocated to the state.

According to him: “The newsthat Boko Haram suspects werebrought to Abakaliki prisons isfalse. This rumour is capable ofdisintegrating the state andpeople should be careful of thetype of information they peddle.

Moreover, the prison space andcapacity are not there in the state.There is no such thing. Ebonyiansshould relegate such rumour tothe background and go abouttheir lawful businesses.”

Similarly, Commissioner ofPolice, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah,said she was not aware of thearrival of Boko Haram suspectsin the state, insisting that she hadnot been briefed regarding suchdevelopment and so could notauthoritatively speak on thematter.

Reacting to the development,the Public Relations Officer ofAbakaliki prisons, Mr. Frank, saidhe was not aware of the arrivalof Boko Haram suspects to theprisons.

“My brother, I am not aware ofBoko Haram suspects beingbrought to the prisons. If they areon their way, I don’t know.”

Concernedstakeholdersthreaten torecall Sen Orji

By Anayo Okoli

U M U A H I A — Agroup, Concerned

Abia Central StakeholdersForum weekend it hadcommenced collection ofsignatures of voters aimedat recalling SenatorTheodore Orji,representing Abia Centralat the National Assemblyon the allegation that hewas not doing anything atthe National Assembly.

The group accusedSenator Orji of low qualityrepresentation five monthsafter his election.

But in a swift reaction, thePresident of OhanaezeYouth Council, MaziOkechukwu Isiguzoro,dismissed the group as“faceless,” only out torubbish Senator Orji, whohe described as aprominent Igbo leader.

According to Isiguzoro,though it was too early toaccess the current lawmakers, Senator TheodoreOrji had already within hisshort stay in the Senatesponsored four bills.

The group had in astatement in Umuahiadescribed Senator Orji as“a mere bencher” thatmoved no motion or tookany visible stand on anyissue.

Ebonyi Housedenies riftwith gov

By Peter Okutu

A B A K A L I K I —EBONYI State

House of Assembly,weekend, denied any riftwith the state Executive armof government led byGovernor David Umahi,over constituencyallowances among otherissues.

The Speaker, NwifuruFrancis, while speakingwith newsmen on hisvictory at the tribunal,dispelled the rumour andstressed that the allowancewas already built into all thelawmakers’ salaries,insisting that “the Assemblymembers cannot make suchagitation."

According to the Speaker,the House of Assembly washappy with the prudentand credible manner theExecutive arm ofgovernment was managingthe meagre resources of thestate to the benefit of Ebonyipeople.

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

2015: KOGI DECIDES

THE multitude of APC supporters thattrooped to Lokoja to witness the

presentation of flag to the governorshipcandidate of the APC, Prince AbubakarAudu were disappointed with theabsence of the president and leader ofthe party, President MuhammaduBuhari.

The rally which was attended by the national leaders of the party didn’t sparkcolours as the president’s absence wasconspicuous and politically loud.

The Campaign Organization of theAPC had announced, Friday, that thepresident would attend the event. Theannouncement was ostensibly borne outof a truce allegedly brokered to ensurethe president attended the event to savethe face of the embattled party in thestate.

President Buhari has refused toidentify publicly with the candidatureof Audu and there are insinuations thatit is on account of the ongoing trial ofthe candidate for alleged corruption.

There have also been whispers thatBuhari is still miffed by the alleged half-hearted support he allegedly got fromthe then Governor Audu in his 2003presidential bid.

Buhari’s absence was picked up bysupporters of Governor Idris Wada toback their claim that Audu was notsellable as a candidate. ChiefCommunication Manager to the

APC Flag off: Wada’s supportersmock Audu over Buhari’s absence

Governor, Mr. Phrank Shaibu saidyesterday: “The absence of PresidentBuhari and Vice President YemiOsinbajo is a clear attestation that thecandidature of Abubakar Audu isantithetical to the anti-corruption standof the president.

“It’s a further confirmation of theissues that the PDP has been harpingon, particularly, that the APC candidateis being weighed down by a large tonof baggage. We implore the people ofthe state to toe the line of PresidentBuhari by jettisoning Audu at the poll”.

However, the National Chairman ofthe party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegunassured party supporters that the partywill work hard to ensure APC wins nextmonth’s governorship election in thestate.

According to the national chairman ofthe party, APC is prepared to add Kogito the Change States in Nigeria.

After accepting the party flag, PrinceAbubakar Audu assured Kogites of thereadiness of APC to rescue the statefrom the jaws of underdevelopmentorchestrated by the PDP since 2003.

“It is high time we rescued our dearstate from the hawks who have refusedto bring development to our people. Iam prepared to lead the rescuecrusade”, he said.

The flag off was also used to presentHon. Abiodun Faleke, memberrepresenting Ikeja 2 Constituency in theHouse of Representatives as therunning mate to Prince Abubakar Audu.

•Audu

By Kingsley Fanwo & BoluwajiObahopo

GOVERNOR Idris Wada of KogiState yesterday said he has put

in his best in the past three and halfyears to deserve victory for the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, in theNovember 21 governorship election inthe state.

Wada who stated this in Lokoja saidunlike the All Progressives Congress,APC, which is relying solely on thepopularity of President MuhammedBuhari to secure its victory, PDP, wasworking for a deserved victory.

Wada who made this known throughhis Chief Communication Manager,Mr. Phrank Shaibu however said thatthe last loss by the PDP in the Marchgeneral election has awoken itsleaders.

He said: “The PDP has already taken

I’m working towards victory — WadaBy Boluwaji Obahopo

measures to address those issues thatcost it victory, and is wooing backaggrieved members. The last electoralloss by the Kogi PDP has awoken itsleaders to the fact that politics of today

is no longerbusiness as usual.

“What the PDPKogi seems to bedoing is to halttheir membershipdecline, endear itsd i s p l e a s e dmembers back toits fold and worktowards winning.

“On the otherside, what the APChopes for, is to usethe popularity ofPresident Buharito supplant the

PDP, but this may no longer be an easytask especially with the recent cracksin the membership of the Kogi APC.’’

•Wada

THE Chairman of the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP Governors

Forum, Olusegun Mimiko has saidthat all the PDP governors are backingGovernor Idris Wada for second term,contrary to insinuation that some PDPgovernors were against Wada’ssecond term bid in Kogi State.

Mimiko who stated this, yesterday,in Okene, the headquarters of KogiWest Senatorial District during thePDP zonal rally, called on the peopleof the state to re-elect Governor Wadain view of his performance in the lastthree years and a half.

Mimiko said: “I caution you (Kogi)electorates against voting for anoctopus who will come and decimatethe people by lording himself over you,and a ‘street boy ’ from Lagos asrunning mate.”

PDP Govs're behind Wada— Mimiko

By Boluwaji Obahopo Mimiko described Wada as a man ofintegrity who has respect fortraditional institution, youths, andwomen alike, adding, ‘Wada has donea lot in the area of youth and womenempowerment. Wada is the onlycandidate that is sincerely committedto power rotation, unlike the APC whoare just using it for election purpose”.

Also speaking, the former Governorof the State, Ibrahim Idris called onthe people of the area to be steadfastand vote for PDP in order to securetheir future, “there is no alternativeto the PDP, Kogi has always been forPDP and it is still a PDP State.”

Governor Idris Wada who had earliervisited the Ohinohi of Ebira land,Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, to pay himhomage while receiving his flag, saidhis administration has recorded greatachievements in education, health,Agriculture and road construction inall parts of the state.

He said the General Hospital atObangede has been upgraded to aspecialist Hospital adding that it willcreate employment opportunities forthe people.

He also pointed out that the contractfor the procurement of medicalequipment for the Hospital has beenawarded, said he was seeking re-election to consolidate on the projectshe started for the development of thestate.

Wada enjoined the royal father toimpress it on his subjects to give theirfull support to the PDP during theelection.

Present at the rally were the actingNational chairman of the party, UcheSecondus; Deputy Senate PresidentIke Ekwerrmadu; Governor OlusegunMiminko of Ondo State; Gombe StateGovernor, Ibrahim Dakwambo; formerGovernor of Benue State, GabrielSuswan, Tarawa State Governor,Darius Ishaku; Deputy governors ofEbonyi and Cross River states amongothers.

•Mimiko •Wada

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—53

after a rash of mediainterviews on the state ofaffairs in the U-23 team’scamp were a clearmisrepresentation of facts.

“There has never beena time we in the technicalcommittee or at theexecutive committee leveldiscussed any such thing.I am a member of bothcommittees and never hasthat come up fordiscussion.”

Fresh admitted however,

Siasiathat the Olympic teamcoach was queried afterwhat was taken as anaffront against hisemployers. “But that wasnot enough for the mediato suggest that it wouldlead to Siasia’s sack.

“Siasia was queried andhe has since answered tothe query. It is a normaladministrative procedurewhich should not call forspeculations that areunfounded. There is nointention to sack Siasia,”herepeated.

continued from BP

Enyimba

4-0 win at home againstBayelsa United.

The Aba club’sremaining matches are athome to rivals Wolves thiscoming Sunday, beforetheir final game atSunshine Stars onNovember 15.

Mfon Udoh was thematch winner for Enyimbaafter skipper ChineduUdoji missed a penalty.

The all-time Nigerialeague highest goal scorerMfon Udoh made thedifference when he scoredin the 69th minute.

Udoh, a second halfsubstitute, scored off a soloeffort to beat Akpan Basseyin Abia Warriors goal.

Mfon Udoh has now

scored five goals thisseason.

The hosts started welland forced a save off FemiThomas in the third minutebefore Markson Ojobomade a goalline clearance.

In the 21st minute,Ezekiel Bassey failed toscore for Enyimba afterAbia goalkeeper ChineduAnozie fumbled AndrewAbalogu’s effort.

Enyimba captain Udojithen failed to score from thepenalty spot in the 29thminute after Abalogu wasbrought down as thegoalkeeper saved.

Kingsley Sokari almostpunished Abia Warriorsgoalkeeper ChineduAnozie for a poorclearance, but he fired widein the 23rd minute.

continued from BP

Federer wins 7th Swiss titleROGER Federer

overcame his oldrival Rafael Nadal inthree sets to claim hisseventh Swiss Indoorstitle in Basle.

The decorated duo metfor the first time this yearwith Federer top seedand strong favourite butNadal enjoying thebetter of the head-to-head record, includingvictories in their last fivematches.

The Swiss camethrough 6-3 5-7 6-3,going after the game in

assertive and confidentfashion on his way to 44winners, 12 aces andthree breaks of serve.

Nadal, meanwhile,was unable to serve upan ace and onlymanaged to break hisopponent once in thesecond set.

Federer won againstserve in the fifth andninth games of theopening set, theSpaniard strugglingwith his first serve andthe local favouriteproducing some worthy

winners.Nadal tightened up to

level the score with thesolitary break of thesecond set, but Federerwas back in the groovefor the decider andfinished up by takingthree consecutivegames.

Champions League: Musa targetsUnited’s fallSUPER Eagles and

CSKA Moscowforward, Ahmed Musasays his Russian club willdo everything in theirpower to beat ManchesterUnited in the ChampionsLeague on Tuesday nightat Old Trafford.

The Muscovites willleapfrog ManchesterUnited in the standings ifthey manage to securethree points, with bothteams level on four pointspresently, though theEnglish club have a bettergoal difference.

“We are well aware thatit will be very hard, but goto England with theutmost spirit at least to wina point, and even better -bring back victory,” saidAhmed Musa to CSKAMoscow TV.

“We remember howevents unfolded in lastyear ’S match withManchester City. We arequite capable of winningin England.

“We will do everythingin the match that will tryto ensure the victory.”

Including the qualifyingrounds of the competition,the Nigeria skipper hasbagged 4 ChampionsLeague goals this termbut lasts scored againstPSV on September 30.

CAF move CHAN draw

CAF have broughtforward the draw

for next year’s CHAN inRwanda to November15.

CAF announced thedraw in Kigali will nowbe staged three daysearlier than theoriginally slated.

All 16 finalists are nowknown after Cameroonoutscored Congo onaggregate on Saturday.

The other qualifiers forthe 2016 CHAN arehosts Rwanda, Angola,DR Congo, Gabon,Ethiopia, Guinea, Cote

d’Ivoire, Mali,Morocco, Niger,Nigeria, Tunisia,Uganda, Zambia andZimbabwe.

Both defendingchampions Libya andlast year’s runners-upGhana failed to qualifyfor the 2016 CHAN.

The tournamentreserved for playersfeaturing in their homeleagues will be playedfrom January 16 toFebruary 7 in threeRwandan cities ofKigali, Gisenyi andButare.

Mourinho turns attention to Dynamo game

JOSE Mourinho hasquickly turned his

attention to Wedne-sday ’s ChampionsLeague clash withDynamo Kiev following

Chelsea’s latest defeaton Saturday.

Chelsea took the leadbut eventually lost 3-1 toLiverpool at StamfordBridge, a result whichsaw them remain in 15thplace in the PremierLeague with six defeatsfrom 11 games.

The newspapers are atodds over how muchlonger Mourinho willstay in charge, but thePortuguese expressed hisconfidence after the

Liverpool game that itwould not be his finalgame.

He is now lookingahead to the crucialDynamo encounter, withChelsea third behindPorto and Dynamo inGroup G and in need of awin to kick-start theirChampions Leaguecampaign.

“It’s a big game. It’s agame that we cannotlose,” Mourinho toldChelsea TV.

Rangers, Akwa Utd share pointsRANGERS and Akwa

United settled for a2-2 draw in a Week 36game of the Nigeria

Professional FootballLeague (NPFL) gameplayed yesterday inEnugu.

Rangers now have 48points from 35 games,while Akwa have 44points from 36 games.

The hosts started welland scored in theseventh minute whenChinedu Udeaghafinished well from Etim’scross.

•Mourinho

•Ahmed Musa (l) fights for possession against a Spartak Moscow player inthe Russian League

the rest of the game outat a canter to reach thefinal four.

Brazil had lookedbright in the openingstages, either findingAkpan Udoh in fine formin the Nigerian net orhitting theiropportunities off target,with Rogerio andEvander two of theculprits. A Seleção weremade to rue thosemissed opportunitieswhen the lethalOsimhen extended hislead at the top of thegoalscoring charts. JohnLazarus crossed fromthe Nigerian right andthe Nigerian No9 headedin, via a deflection offEder Militao.

Moments later, Nigeriadoubled their lead,Osimhen instrumentalonce more. The forwardhooked a bouncing ball

back over his shoulder,with Michael followingin. The ball bounced upoff the turf and pastJuliano. The BrazilianNo1 was deceived byanother bounce just fourminutes later, asAnumudu hit a left-footeddrive from distance. Theeffort skipped off the turf,and past the stopper, whowas visibly unhappy atnot keeping the shot out.

The second period sawfew clear-cutopportunities, withFunsho Bamgboye andEvander going closest foreither side but, in truth,it was a mere processionfor the holders to take astep closer to retainingtheir title. They will headto Concepcion forThursday’s semi-finalagainst the winner oftomorrow’s quarter-finalbetween Ecuador andMexico.

continued from BP

Brazil

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Salami shoots to top of goals chart

WARRI Wolvesstriker Gbolahan

Salami has shot to the topof the goal scorers’ chartof the NigeriaProfessional FootballLeague after he scored inWolves 4-0 thrashing ofBayelsa United.

The former ShootingStars striker is now jointtop scorer with 15 goalsalongside NasarawaUnited’s Esosa Igbinoba.

The two players arebeing trailed by SunshineStars Tunde Adeniji whohas scored 14 goals.

Abia Warriors ChisomChikatara andHeartland’s Bright Ejikehave scored 13 goalseach.

Wikki Tourists MubarakUmar has scored 12 goalswith Lobj Stars TonyOkpotu on 10 goals.

Last season, Enyimba’sMfon Udoh set new goal-scoring record with 23goals, but it is unlikelythis tally will besurpassed this term. •Salami

FACTS haveemerged that Imo

state governor, RochasOkorocha was unawarethat Fan Ndubuoke had

"Rochas didn’t sack Ndubuoke at Heartland"been relieved of hisposition as GeneralManager of Heartland FCover a year after.

This much was revealedby Imo State DeputySpeaker Hon. UgonnaOzuruigbo, who is theChairman of a Task ForceCommittee for SportsFacilities in the state.

“The governor hadsummoned a meetinginvolving my committee,the former sportscommissioner, Ken Emeluand Heartland GM. Whenhe (Okorocha) asked afterHeartland GM, Emelupointed at Okey Ibe. Thegovernor shook his headand said ‘no, I’m talkingabout the Mbaise manthat was winning those

trophies (Ndubuoke).’The fact is that over a yearafter, the governor was notaware that Fan was nolonger the Heartland GM.

Ozuruigbo exoneratedthe state government fromthe ‘ill treatment’ metedout to Ndubuoke.

“Here was a man whohad an accident whileworking for the club. Hewas still bed-ridden andthe next thing was to sackhim after all he hadachieved at the club. Mygovernor will never beinvolved in such a thing.He wouldn’t haveapproved of it if it wasbrought to his knowledge.Emelu and Ibe have toexplain to Imolites howthey did what they did”,he pointed out.

•Ndubuoke

Show of shame in Akure as fans turn refs intopunching bags

IT was a show of shameyesterday in Akure

after fans attacked matchofficials during a Week 36league game involvinghome team Sunshine Starsand Lobi Stars.

The match was stoppedwith 10 minutes left on theclock when the fansinvaded the pitch to beatup match officials as wellas the team manager ofSunshine Adeleke.

An official of Lobi Starswas also attacked and laterrushed to hospital.

Lobi opened scoring aftersix minutes through

Abdulrahman Bashir, butthe home fans becameunruly when they feltSunshine ought to havebeen awarded twopenalties in the course of

the game.After topping the league

table for several weeks,Sunshine Stars titlechallenge has slipped inrecent weeks.

Ejike ends goal drought

H E A R T L A N Dleading scorer

Bright Ejike ended his long-drawn goals droughtyesterday when he helpedHeartland beat Giwa 3-2 ina Week 36 game of theNigeria Professional FootballLeague (NPFL).

Heartland now have 53points from 36 games,

while Giwa have 60 pointsfrom same number ofmatches.

Ejike’s last goal before theWeek 36 game was in theWeek 26 1-0 win over WarriWolves.

Bright Ejike broke thedeadlock in the ninthminute when he tappedhome from EmekaOgbugh’s delivery.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 55

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 Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Ag.Editor: EZE ANABA. 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.

FRIFRIFRIFRIFRIDDDDDAAAAAY'S ANSY'S ANSY'S ANSY'S ANSY'S ANSWERSWERSWERSWERSWERSTTTTTODODODODODAAAAAY'S PUZZLEY'S PUZZLEY'S PUZZLEY'S PUZZLEY'S PUZZLE

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

CMYK

QUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORD

CHAMPION...Roger Federer with the SwissIndoor trophy after beating Rafael Nadal 6-3, 5-7,6-3 in the final.

AGAINST the back-drop of intense

media speculation thatnational U-23 teamcoach, Samson Siasiawould be sacked soon, amember of the TechnicalCommittee of theNigeria FootballFederation, AhmedYusuf Fresh hasinformed that the footballhouse has no intentionof sacking the Olympicsilver medal-winningcoach.

Speaking exclusively

to Sports Vanguardyesterday, Yusuf insistedthat media reports thatsuggested theimpending sack of Siasia

We won’t sack Siasia—NFF

Continues on Page 53

By Jacob AjomEnyimba, one pointaway from 7th title

ENYIMBA are nowjust a point away

from being crownedNigeria leaguechampions for a seventhtime after they beat localrivals Abia Warriors in‘The Abia El Classico’ onSunday.

Enyimba now have 68points from 36 matches,six points clear of closestrivals Warri Wolves, whorecorded a convincingContinues on Page 53•Udoh •Siasia

Federerwins 7thSwisstitle p.53

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS3 Hatred (5)9 Pair (6)10 Undergo (6)11 Parched (5)12 Cupid (4)15 Food-list (4)17 Earn (7)20 Wand (3)21 Finished (5)23 Detail (4)25 Cab (4)26 Renovate (5)28 Beaker (3)30 Ebbed (7)33 Genuine (4)35 Dandy (4)36 Brittle (5)38 Gang (6)39 Evoke (6)40 Agree (5)

DOWN1 Performed (5)2 Glory (5)3 Elderly (3)4 Obtain (6)5 Employed (4)6 Mire (3)7 Bid (5)8 Haughty (5)13 Train (7)14 Drain (5)16 Spotted (7)18 Go in (5)19 Encountered (3)22 Old-fashioned (5)24 Males (3)27 Mammal (6)28 Split (5)29 Confusion (5)31 Dullard (5)32 Demise (5)34 Region (4)36 Sever (3)37 Layer (3)

ACROSS: 1, Polish 5, Ripped 9, Tamed 10,Earned 11, Louder 12, Medal 14, Char 17,Sex 18, Else 20, Eaten 22, Blend 23, Severed24, Remit 26, Tenor 29, Eden 30, Hem 32, Ripe33, Wider 35, Endear 36, Limpet 37, Depot38, Lodged 39, Needed.

DOWN: 1, Pierce 2, Lariat 3, Stem 4, Hades5, Relax 6, Idol 7, Puddle 8, Darted 13,Deleted 15, Hated 16, Resin 18, Elder 19,Snoop 21, Net 22, Bet 24, Reveal 25,Mended 27, Nipped 28, Rested 30, Hired31, Melon 33, Wade 34, Rite.

Glo LeagueAbia Warriors 0 Enyimba 1El Kanemi 1 Kano 0Enugu 2 Akwa 2Heartland 3 Giwa 2Kwara 1 Taraba 0Shooting 2 Ifeanyi Ubah 1Warri 4 Bayelsa 0Wikki 2 Dolphins 0EPLEverton 6 Sunderland 2Southampton 2 Bournemouth 0

RESULTS

Costafaces

four-gameban p.53

Brazil batteredNig 3Brazil 0

HOLDERS Nigeriacruised into the

FIFA U-17 World Cupsemi-finals afterstunning Brazil withthree goals in five firsthalf minutes in a 3-0victory. Victor Osimhen,with his eighth goal infive games, KingsleyMichael andUdochukwu Anumudubattered Brazil, and theGolden Eaglets played

Continues on Page 53CELEBRATION...Golden Eaglets celebrate victoryover Brazil