...towards a better life for the people

N150VOL. 25: NO. 62166

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014**

Mr & Mrs

•Six suspects arrested; Okorocha lauds security agents•Says it would have been a huge disaster

Police uncover bombsin Owerri church

P.40

COLUMNIST:

•P.46

Army's tanglewith the Press

AFRICAN LEADERS—Front row, L-R: Presidents Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (Mali); Boni Yayi (Benin); Macky Sall (Senegal);Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria) and President of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, after a meeting ofAfrican heads of state dedicated to the development objectives of NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development), yesterday,in Dakar, Senegal. AFP PHOTO.

BY CHIDI NK-WOPARA

Continues on Page 5

OWERRI—THE police, yesterday,

averted what could haveamounted to the worstdisaster in the southernpart of the country byterrorists, as it defused

Treasury bills: CanNASS stop thistreasury looting?

We'llcrush Iran—Keshi 52 17

Cost of clearinggoods at portsup by 200%

CMYK

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—3

4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

CMYK

POCKET CARTOONVanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—5

TAKE HEARTBY ELLA RANDLE

Continues from page 1

LIFEWORDSBY PASTOR ITUAH

Police uncover bombs in Owerrichurch

‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, prayabout everything.... Then you will experienceGod’s peace, which exceeds anything we canunderstand...’

The majority of men meet with failure becauseof their lack of persistence in creating new plansto take the place of those which fail — NapoleonHill

NAPOLEON Hill, in one of his famous booksmade a distinction between people. And he

said the difference between people who are able tolive a fully functioning life and to attract riches andwellness and happiness and abundance and pros-perity into their lives is that the people who do thathave something that he called a “burning desire.”

And a burning desire is very different than just,“Oh, I’d really like to do well, I’d like to have mybook do well, I’d like to have this music that I’mwriting do well, I’d like people to know about it,”and so on.

A burning desire is much deeper, it’s like havingan inner candle flame that, no matter what goesbefore you, it doesn’t even flicker. And this is some-thing that you can experience if you believe in your-self.

There are so many people, who don’t give enough,and maybe just a little more effort would have madea difference – they have a desire but they don’t havethe willingness and the fearlessness and the deter-mination to follow through with their dreams.

LAUNCHING—From left: Sheik Dahiru Usman Bauchi; Speaker House of Representatives,Aminu Tambuwal; Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo; Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar;at the launching of N1.9 billion Appeal Fund for the construction of International Islamic Centre inAbuja,yesterday. Photo: State House, Abuja.

three improvised ex-plosive devices, IEDs,carefully planted in theLiving Faith Church,(Winners Chapel),Owerri that accommo-dates more than 10,000worshippers.

Imo State Governor,Chief Rochas Okorocha,in his reaction, said “thebombs had the capacityto cover about 500 me-tres and could have beena huge disaster if theyhad exploded asplanned by the terror-

ists”.Following the report

that the police had un-covered and defused theexplosives, palpable ten-sion and confusion en-veloped Owerri, ImoState capital as residentswere apprehensive thatmembers of the dreadedIslamic sect, BokoHaram, must have beenresponsible for it.

Already, all the secu-rity chiefs operating inthe state, have visitedthe church premises, lo-cated off Port HarcourtRoad, Owerri, to have afirst hand assessment of

the planned bomb at-tack.

Addressing newsmenshortly after inspectingthe area, the Commis-sioner of Police, CP, Mr.Abdulmajid Ali, con-firmed that six personshave been arrested inconnection with theplanned bomb attack

The CP explained thatsoon after getting infor-mation about the strangeobjects, the anti-bombunit of the Commandwas immediately des-patched to the scene.

According to Ali, “thepolice have disabled thedevices, while seriousinvestigations have com-menced to uncover thosebehind the plot”.

He appealed to resi-dents of the state not topanic but to be more se-curity conscious, espe-cially as the foiled at-tempt ought to be an eyeopener to all.

“We are worried aboutthe development butpeople should be vigi-lant. People should bevery curious about any-thing they see withintheir surroundings. Peo-ple should however notpick up anything. Theyshould contact the secu-rity agencies any timethey see strange ob-jects”, the CP cautioned.

The police bosspleaded with thecitizenry to be consciousof what is happening intheir surroundings, add-ing that people mustlearn to see any strangefellow with suspiciousmovement as a suspect.

Although the pastor incharge of the church,Moses Oyedele, de-clined to speak to jour-nalists on the matter, amember of the securitygroup in the church, Pas-

tor Chike Odenigbo,said it was one of hiscolleagues who noticedthe two explosivesplanted at the gate andanother at the churchauditorium, which hesaid accommodatesmore than 10,000 wor-shippers at a time, thatalerted them of the sus-picious devices.

“The founder of thechurch had said it aboutthree weeks ago that weshould not allow anyvehicle to come into thechurch premises. So, westarted the stop andsearch process lastweek. We are expectingthat God will continue towork for us”,Odenigbosaid.

At press time, the po-lice had cordoned off thearea, thereby restrictingboth human and vehicu-lar movement, while wor-shippers were divertedto the Heroes Squarealong Concorde Avenue,Owerri.

When Vanguard vis-ited St. Mulumba’s Par-ish, Owerri, the ParishPriest, Rev. Fr. GeorgeAhamefula, confirmedreceiving the securityalert pointing out that“serious measures havebeen put in place to fore-stall any attack from thedreaded sect”.

It would havebeen huge disas-ter — Okorocha

Governor RochasOkorocha, in his reac-tion said the improvisedexplosive devicesplanted in the church,would have been a hugedisaster if they had ex-ploded as planned bythe criminals.

Okorocha, who stated

this, while speaking tojournalists, yesterday, inGovernment House,Owerri, equally dis-closed that the bombshad the capacity of cov-ering about 500 metresrange.

“It is true that bombswere planted in WinnersChapel, today (yester-day). These bombs hadthe capacity to coverabout 500 metres rangeand would have been ahuge disaster if they hadexploded as planned bythe insurgents”,Okorocha said.

What was also worri-some to the Governorwas that the church islocated in a denselypopulated area of themunicipality. Hethanked God for savingthe lives of innocent citi-zens.

Answering a question,Okorocha affirmed thatsome suspects have al-ready been arrested inconnection with thecrime and commendedthe security agencies forbeing alive to their du-ties.

While assuring thecitizenry that “the statehas applied necessarymeasures to stop furtheroccurrence of the uglysituation”, the Governoradded that there wouldbe an emergency secu-rity meeting at the Inter-national ConventionCentre, Owerri, wherefurther security briefingwould be made availableto Imolites.

“The situation is undercontrol. Imo State is notknown for such ugly in-cidence. I, therefore, ap-peal to all Imolites andother Nigerians residentin the state, to be moresecurity conscious andalert the police aboutany suspected objects,vehicles or personsaround their vicinity”,Okorocha pleaded.

Reacting to the devel-opment, the Commis-sioner for Informationand Strategy, Dr.Theodore Ekechi, saidalthough governmentwas visibly worriedabout the ugly develop-ment, it would allow thesecurity agencies to dotheir job.

“No responsible gov-ernment and no respon-

sible people would behappy when reports ofthings like this begin tochallenge the tranquilityand serenity of a statelike Imo”, Ekechi said.

Meanwhile, securityhas been beefed up inthe state, following thefoiled attempt to bombthe church in Owerri.

Vanguard recalls thatthe Owerri residence offormer Governor IkediOhakim which was gut-ted by fire on May 15,was suspected to haveemanated from an incen-diary bomb thrown intothe building.

The Imo State PoliceCommand has alsowarned members of thepublic, especiallychurches, schools, mar-kets and motor parks inthe state, to be more vigi-lant and security con-scious about their sur-roundings.

A statement by the Po-lice Public Relations Of-ficer, PPRO, Mr. AndrewEnwerem,said anystrange objects observedin the form of refrigera-tor or air condition com-pressor, either hidden insacks or otherwise,should be reported to thepolice immediately.

The statement advisedmembers of the public togo about their lawfulbusiness without panic,as the Command is de-termined to ensure thesafety of life and prop-erty of the residents inthe state.

Shettima'swarning

Borno State GovernorKashim Shettima hadlast week warned thatBoko Haram had the ca-pacity to extend havocacross the country, ifthey succeeded inoverrunning the North-East. He said: “If BokoHaram succeeds inoverrunning the NorthEast as they seek, theywill surely want to ex-tend greater havoc toother parts of the Northand if they overrun theNorth, they would wantto extend to the South.Crisis of any type hasgot a life of its ownwhich depends on some-thing for survival.”

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Scene of an accident where a truck fell under Iganmu-Apapa Wharf link bridge afterdownpour in Lagos, weekend. Photo: NAN.

Two students, four others die inOsun auto crash

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

OSOGBO — TRAGEDYstruck, weekend, when

six persons, including two stu-dents of the Bells SecondarySchool, Ota, Ogun State, losttheir lives in a motor accidentalong Ife/Ibadan road.

The accident, according tosources, which involved aToyota Hiace bus with numberplate, Ogun AP555TP, occurredat about 6.30 p.m in Ikire,

headquarters of Irewole LocalGovernment Area of OsunState.

The bus, which conveyedsome students of the Bells Sec-ondary School, Ota who werereturning from an excursionto Abuja, according to an eyewitness, had one of its reartyres burst while on motion.

An officer of the FederalRoads Safety Commission,FRSC, at the scene of the ac-cident, told newsmen that the

fatality of the accident was asa result of high speed by thedriver of the bus.

However, the driver of the18-seater bus survived theaccident, but sustained seri-ous injuries.

The FRSC officers and officialsof the Osun Ambulance Servicetook the survivors to the Gen-eral Hospital, Ikire while thecorpses of the victims were saidto have been deposited at themortuary of the hospital.

The management of Bells Sec-ondary School in a telephoneconversation confirmed thatsome students of the school wenton excursion with the approvalof the school authorities.

An official of the school whopicked the call put across to theschool management said “weare already aware of the incidentand we are making efforts to re-cover their corpses from the hos-pital.”

Six suspected kidnappers shot dead in EdoBY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN CITY—SIX suspected kidnappers were

shot dead, yesterday, alongIgbanke-Ewohinmi road, inEsan South-East Local Gov-ernment Area of Edo State,during a gun battle betweenPolice and the kidnappers.

The bodies of the deceasedsuspects were displayed fornewsmen at the state PoliceCommand, yesterday.

According to the Edo State

Police Commissioner, FolunsoAdebanjo, the incident hap-pened when operatives of thecommand went to the kidnap-pers' den with four suspectsfollowing the kidnap of awoman who was kept in a for-est around theIgbanke-Ewohinmi road.

He said: "On getting to oneof their hideouts, immediatelyour operatives disembarkedwith the suspects from a ve-hicle, the kidnappers openedfire on our men.

"The Police engaged thegang in a gun battle and twoof the kidnappers were shotdead. Simultaneously, theother four suspects who tookto their heels were fatally in-jured in the cross exchangeof fire and they eventuallydied.

"One pump action gun withfour rounds of live cartridgeswere recovered from the as-sailants. We also embarked ona search around the scene andhuge sum of foreign curren-cies and arms were recovered.

"The four injured suspectsduring the shootout wererushed to Stella ObasanjoHospital for treatment butwere certified dead by themedical doctor in the emer-gency ward. Our men are stillcombing the bushes for thosewho escaped with bulletwounds."

Some of the items recoveredat the kidnappers' den includea Mercedes Benz C-Class carwith number plate AGL 133CX, $8,200, CFA20,000, fiveDirham's United Arab Emiratecurrency, N8,500, 12 simcards, four cut to size singlebarrel gun, 72 live cartridgesand one locally made Revolverpistol.

One dies, 4 injured as rainstormdestroys houses in Dutse

BY TINA AKANNAM

DUTSE — HEAVY rainfallin Limawa town in Dutse,

the Jigawa State capital leftone dead, four people seri-ously injured and at least 100houses destroyed.

Vanguard gathered that thehouses were destroyed as aresult of the heavy rainfall inLimawa, Galamawa, Ma’aiand Ketare towns in the localgovernment area, Saturdaynight.

Speaking to Vanguard,some residents affected by the

strong wind and the down-pour said the rainstorm startedaround 6:30 pm.

According Mallam Moham-med, a resident in Limawatown, all the houses in thearea are affected, adding: "I’mon my way to buy some roof-ing materials to repair my tworooms destroyed by the rainstorm.

“I am lucky I was not in-jured. Four people living inmy house are currently in thehospital receiving medical at-tention as a result of injuries."

6 killedasNDLEA,drugpeddlersclash inOgun

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

ABEOKUTA — NOfewer than three

National Drugs Law En-forcement Agency,NDLEA, operatives andthree suspected drugpeddlers lost their lives,yesterday, during aclash between the opera-tives and suspecteddrug peddlers in Saboarea of Owode in YewaSouth Local Govern-ment Area of OgunState.

An eyewitness toldVanguard that the clashoccurred following anattempt by the NDLEAofficials to arrest somedrug dealers in the area.

It was gathered thatseveral suspected drugdealers lost their livesduring the shoot-out.

Confirming the inci-dent, the state com-mander of the NDLEA,Bala Fagge, said some ofhis men were attackedby the suspects.

Fagge who did notgive the exact figure ofthe number of his menthat lost their lives in theviolence, said he couldnot comment on the in-cident as he was stillmourning his men.

Vanguard’s checks,however, revealed thatthe drug dealers had gotthe hint of their impend-ing arrest by the opera-tives and laid ambushfor the officers.

TASUEDprotest:Anxietyover SUGpresident'shealth

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

ABEOKUTA — THEREwas anxiety over the

health of the President ofthe Students Union Gov-ernment of Tai Solarin Uni-versity of Education,TASUED, Ijagun, Com-rade Sunday Ekeyokpa,who was reportedly hitwith gun butt by one of thesecurity men during lastweek's students protest.

Vanguard reliably gath-ered that the SUG Presi-dent is in a critical condi-tion and had been rushedto his family house inAbeokuta for urgent atten-tion.

The students and men ofNigerian Army codenamed: OP MESA,clashed last Tuesday dur-ing a protest against theschool management whichallegedly did not allowsome of them to write thefirst semester examina-tions.

Sunday was said to havesuffered head injury afterhe was hit with a gun buttby one of the soldiers dur-ing the protest.

One of the students lead-ers in the state, HamedFalola confirmed thehealth condition of the stu-dents president, saying hehad contacted some gov-ernment officials over thematter.

He said: “Yes, Sunday isnot okay, his health condi-tion is now questionablebecause of his attack by theOP MESA in the school lastweek.

"We were told by somemedical experts that heshould be attended to bysome psychiatric doctorsbecause of how he hasbeen behaving and thatwas why we brought himdown to his family mem-bers at Abiola Way inAbeokuta.

“We are appealing to thestate government and phi-lanthropists in the state tohelp save the life of ourPresident."

Another students leaderwho pleaded anonymitysaid: “Some of us tried allwe could but his actionshows that he is not men-tally fit. His responses toissues are distorted. So werushed him to his familyhouse in Abeokuta."

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—7

Ex-militantsmove tofree Okah,others

15 killed in fresh Borno villagemarket attack

BY NDAHI MARAMA

MAIDUGURI — NO fewerthan 15 people, including

traders, were killed, yesterday,when some suspected membersof Boko Haram terroristsstormed a local market in Dakuvillage in Askira Uba Local Gov-ernment Area of Borno Stateand set ablaze several shops,houses, vehicles and motorcy-cles.

Askira Uba is about 190 kilo-metres from Maiduguri, thestate capital and shares bounda-ries with Biu, Chibok, Gwozaand Hawul council areas thathave witnessed series of deadlyattacks and killings in recentpast.

Vanguard gathered from reli-able sources that the gunmen,numbering more than 20 andarmed with AK-47 rifles, Impro-vised Explosive Devices, IEDsand petrol bombs invaded themarket square on motorcyclesand a Hilux Toyota vehicle at 11am and opened fire on traders,killing 15. The gunmen alsocarted away food items, unspeci-fied amount of money beforefleeing towards the Sambisa for-est.

A local petty trader who gavehis name as Bulus Gadzama saidhe had to abandon his waresand run for safety

He said: "I have to give thankto God almighty for sparing mylife today. I just finished mychurch service at about 10:00am.I then proceeded to the marketafter dropping my Holy Bible athome, and all of a sudden afterdisplaying my wares, we startedhearing sounds of gunshots andexplosions which forced every-body to scamper for safety.

"It was when the attackers fledbefore some of us summonedcourage to go to the scene of the

incident. It was then we real-ised that over 15 people werekilled. Most of the shops in themarket were set ablaze afterlooting food items.”

Also, a Maiduguri residentwho hails from Daku and lostone of his friends in the inci-

dent, confirmed the attack, ex-plaining that he received a callfrom the village that one of hisclose friends, who went shoppingfor his wife that just gave birthlast week, was among thosekilled.

Contacted for confirmation, the

Police Public Relations Officer,DSP Gideon Jubrin, could notbe reached on phone, but a topPolice officer, who was not au-thorised to talk to the press con-firmed the incident, sayingmany people were killed whileno arrest was made.

From left: Mr. Julian Norford, Chief Operating Officer, Jabo Industries; Mr. Haziq Beg,Chief Operating Officer, IL&FS Energy; Mr. Oti Ikomi, Executive Vice Chiarman, ProtonEnergy Ltd and Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power, during a courtesy visit by themanagement staff of Proton Energy Ltd & International Consortium Team to the Ministerof Power in Abuja on the development of 500MW power plant.

24-point demand: Doctors issue14-day ultimatum

BY CHIOMA OBINNA& GABRIEL OLAWALE

LAGOS— TOTAL collapseof healthcare services in

the country is imminent as theNigerian Medical Associa-tion, NMA, yesterday threat-ened to shut down health

care system if the Federal Gov-ernment fails to meet their24-point demand by July 1.

This came on the heels of ear-lier 30-day ultimatum issued bymembers of the Joint HealthSector Unions & Assembly ofHealth Care Professionals,JOHESU/AHPA, to the Federalgovernment over unresolveddemands.

The doctors who expresseddispleasure over what they de-scribed as "government lacka-daisical attitude to its demandsince the association sus-pended its strike on January 5"urged the government to ad-dress the issues with more se-riousness.

The NMA is opposed to theappointment of directors in hos-pitals and appointment ofnon-doctors as consultants,skipping of Grade 12(CONMESS 2), adjustment ofthe doctors' salary to maintainthe relativity, implementation ofthe January 3, 2014 circular,immediate adjustment of thedoctors' salary to maintain therelativity, passage of the Na-tional Health Bill (NHB), andextend universal health cover-age to cover 100 per cent ofNigerians.

Others are appointment ofSurgeon General of the Fed-

eration, upward review ofclinical duty allowance for hon-orary consultants and hazardallowance, immediate releaseof circular on rural posting,teaching and other allowances,immediate withdrawal of theCBN circular authorising theMedical Laboratory ScienceCouncil of Nigeria (MLSCN)to approve licensces for theimportation of In-Vitro Diag-nostics (IVDs), immediate re-lease of circular on retirementage for medical doctors asagreed with the Federal Gov-ernment, among others.

Addressing journalists in La-gos, the NMA state Chairman,Dr. Francis Faduyile, said theassociation would embark on anindefinite strike within the next14 days if the issues related tothe appointment of Chief Medi-cal Directors and other federalappointments in the health sec-tor were not resolved.

His words: "Nobody wants togo on strike. It is an obvious factthat even many of our membershave died during strike. We areexpecting government tore-right some wrongs but insteadof changing position of things,they are making things worse.Enough is enough. If the gov-ernment fails after the expirationof our ultimatum, we willresume our suspended strike."

BY SONI DANIEL

ABUJA — FORMERNiger Delta militants

have begun moves aimed atstalling the trial of the allegedmastermind of the October2010 bomb blast in Abuja,Henry Okah, and the releaseof those already convicted forthe deadly act.

Already, the ex-militantsunder the aegis of The Lead-ership, Peace and CulturalDevelopment Initiative(LPCDI), a forum of leaders offormer agitators in the NigerDelta, have made a passion-ate appeal to the Federal Gov-ernment to consider a reviewof the ongoing trial of MrCharles Okah and the convic-tion of Mr Edmund Ebiware,who was sentenced to life im-prisonment over the October1, 2010 bombing.

The group in a releasesigned by its president,'Pastor'Reuben Wilson, and madeavailable to Vanguard lastnight, urged the governmentto explore a political solutiontowards reviewing the convic-tion of Mr Henry Okah by theSouth African authorities overthe same incident in Abuja.

This appeal is on the heelsof the visit by the PresidentialCommittee on Prerogative ofMercy to some prisons in thecountry in order to grant am-nesty to suspects incarceratedfor various offences by the fed-eral authorities.

The group's action is alsocoming in the wake of theceasefire declared by theMovement for the Emancipa-tion of the Niger Delta(MEND), who have acceptedto dialogue with the FederalGovernment through the Spe-cial Adviser on Niger Deltaand Chairman, PresidentialAmnesty Programme, Hon.Kingsley Kuku, on pathway tolasting peace in the NigerDelta.

According to the group, "forus as former leaders of mili-tant camps in the region, wecannot but commend the Com-mittee on Prerogative of Mercyon one hand and MEND onthe other for these initiativesthat will usher in absolutepeace in the land.

"We have always advocatedfor this and will support anysincere move that will pro-mote peace in our region andcountry. This is the only waythat the much needed devel-opment can be noticed andappreciated in the region.

"Our confidence in the per-son and ability of Hon. Kukuhas never been in doubt. Webelieve he has the magic wandto handle matters of this na-ture."

Petrol station workers threatenstrike over condition of service

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

LAGOS — THE Petrol StationWorkers, PSW, branch of the

Nigeria Union of Petroleum andNatural Gas Workers, NUPENG,weekend in Warri, Delta State,threatened to close all filling sta-tions nationwide over the linger-ing crisis in the Independent Pe-troleum Marketers Association ofNigeria, IPMAN, which the un-ion said had stalled negotiationfor improved working condition formembers.

PSW in a statement lamentedthat members were today paid be-tween N5,000 and N8,000 as sala-ries monthly by IPMAN mem-bers- owned filling stations, de-scribing it as “modern day slav-ery.”

In the statement by its Chair-man, Mr. Roland Abu, the union

said: “The Petrol Station Work-ers cannot continue to watchthe damage the crisis hascaused on its members in thedepots and filling stationsacross the country, who are inthe chain of petroleum dis-pensing in the country. The lin-gering crisis has affected ourmembers adversely, as they arebeing treated by their IPMANemployers like slaves due tothe factionalisation in the body.

"Because of the division andprotracted crisis in IPMAN,Petrol Station Workers have notbeen able to negotiate condi-tions of service for its members.Currently, our members arepaid pittance as salaries rang-ing from N5,000 to N8,000 amonth by IPMAN members-owned filling stations, whichis modern day slavery."

8 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

PUBLIC PRESENTATION: From left—Prince Lateef Fagbemi, chief presenter; Prof D.O.S.Noibi, Executive Secretary, MUSWEN; the author, Prof Muibi Opeloye; Amb Hamzat Amadu,representative of Sultan of Sokoto and Olori Ladun Sijuwade, representative of Oba Oku-nade Sijuwade, Ooni of Ife during the public presentation of the book "The Qur'an and theBible: Common Themes for Peaceful Co-existence" authored by Prof Opeloye at the NIIA,Victoria Island, Lagos over the weekend. Photo by Shola Oyelese.

ABUJA—THE World Bank and African Devel-

opment Bank have commendedthe Federal Government on thesuccessful completion of the pow-er sector privatisation, saying theNigerian experience was worthemulating by other countries inAfrica.

The two international bodiesgave the commendation at theopening session of the AfricanUnion’s Summit on FinancingInfrastructure Development heldin Dakar, Senegal.

Similarly, the African Develop-ment Bank has also hailed Pres-ident Goodluck Jonathan for in-vesting proceeds from partial re-moval of fuel subsidy on infra-structure development.

The summit, which was con-vened by President Macky Sallof the Republic of Senegal andChairperson of the NEPADHeads of State and GovernmentOrientation Committee has as itstheme, “Leveraging Public-Pri-vate Partnerships for continentalinfrastructure transformation” .

The Vice President Africa, WorldBank, Mr. Mukhtar Diop, whocommended Nigeria for the elec-tricity reforms, said it represent-ed a major infrastructuralachievements in Africa.

He said: “We must commendthe leadership in Nigeria for thesuccessful completion of the pri-vatisation of the country’s powersector. The electric reforms in thatcountry is one of the ways of solv-ing Africa’s problems by Africans.We commend the country forthat,” Diop said.

World Bank, ADB commend Nigeria’spower sector privatisation

BY BEN AGANDE

On his part, the President ofAfrican Development BankGroup, Dr. Donald Kaberuka,commended President Good-luck Jonathan for the partialremoval of subsidy and for us-ing the money saved on infra-structure and education, amongothers. He noted that a lot stillneeded to be done as energysupply still remained the majorproblem in almost all Africancountries.

“We, however, commendedPresident Goodluck Jonathan forthe partial removal of subsidyand using the saved fund oneducation, infrastructure etc. Weurge other African leaders toborrow a leaf from him in thisregard,” he said.

President Jonathan, who alsospoke at the summit, empha-sised that Africa could no longerafford to rely solely on budget-ary resources to finance the de-

velopment of infrastructure.He said his administration was

mobilising domestic financial re-sources for infrastructure devel-opment, noting that by using theSovereign Wealth Fund, PensionFunds, issuance of Dedicated In-frastructure Bonds, establishmentand capitalisation of the Infra-structure Bank and the use of Pub-lic Private Partnerships, Nigeriawas overcoming some of the in-frastructure funding challenges.

ABUJA—GOVERNOR Chibuike

Rotimi Amaechi of RiversState has dismissed in-sinuations that he is up-set with the outcome ofthe just-concluded con-vention of the All Pro-gressives Congress,APC, which threw up anew chairman and othernational officers.

Amaechi, who defectedalong with four othergovernors of the PeoplesDemocratic Party to theAPC last December andplayed a key role in lastFriday’s convention inAbuja, told Vanguardlast night that it was nottrue that he felt betrayedby the outcome of theconvention.

The governor said hav-ing played a leading rolein the events leading tosuccessful conduct of theconvention it was notpossible for him to beupset with the outcomeof an event that hehelped to organise.

He was reacting toclaims in the social me-dia that he felt betrayedby the party for notmaking a man purport-edly preferred by him toemerge as the NationalChairman of the oppo-sition party.

BY SONI DANIEL

FORMER Minister of Information and

Communications, Prof.Dora Akunyili, OFR, will beburied on August 28, 2014,the family has announced.

“Details about the funer-al arrangements will bemade available to the pub-lic in due course,” Prof.Akunyili’s husband, Dr.Chike Akunyili, said in astatement yesterday inAwka, Anambra State.

Dr. Akunyili thanked Ni-gerians for the great lovethey extended to Dora bothin life and at death.

He also expressed hisfamily’s appreciation toPresident GoodluckJonathan for the specialvaledictory session of theFederal Executive Coun-cil, FEC, held in honourof the deceased.

Akunyilifor burialAugust 28

US lawmakers in Nigeria, urge fund for Boko Haram victims

I’m excitedby outcomeof APCconvention— AMAECHI

FOUR visiting UnitedStates lawmakers, have

urged Nigeria to establish a spe-cial fund for victims of the BokoHaram insurgency that hasclaimed thousands of lives.

“Today, we call upon the gov-ernment of Nigeria to establish anational victim fund for all the vic-tims who are suffering at thehands of Boko Haram,” delega-tion co-chair, Sheila Jackson Leetold reporters in the capital, Abu-ja.

The delegation was in Nigeriaas part of global efforts to drumup support for the rescue of theteenage girls kidnapped on April14 from their school in the north-eastern town of Chibok.

Lee said the special fund shouldprovide help “for the girls whoare still missing, for the girls whoescaped, for their families, for thefather who came and spoke to usabout his missing daughter,” add-ing that “they need compensation.

“It is time for economic empow-erment and jobs, to ... give theyoung people of the north and all

around Nigeria the opportunityfor jobs and education,” she said.

Delegation leader, Steve Stock-man said the US Congress real-ised that “the best thing thatcould happen is if we have a fundset up for those that lost theirlives and for the families thatremain here on this earth.”

Congresswoman FredericaWilson said their mission in thecountry was to put pressure onthe international community, in-cluding the US and Nigeriangovernments, to help bring backthe girls, who range in age from16 to 18. “Everyone around ushas a responsibility to find these

young girls. And we cannot af-ford to give up until we find all(the) young women who werekidnapped from a school whichis supposed to be a safe place,”she said.

Two of the girls who escapedattended the news conference butwere not allowed to speak.

LAGOS lawyer and human rights activist, Mr

Femi Falana, SAN, has con-demned statement creditedto former President Oluseg-un Obasanjo that some of theabducted schoolgirls fromChibok, Borno state may notreunite with their parentswhile some may becomepregnant.

In his address delivered atthe rally held by the “BringBack Our Girls” Coalition inLagos in solidarity with theChibok Girls weekend, Mr

Falana said, “unlike other in-dividuals and groups whohave been working quietly tosecure the release of the ab-ducted girls the former Presi-dent, General Olusegun Oba-sanjo has been making someunguarded statements overhis intention to reach out tothe Boko Haram sect”.

According to Falana, “not-withstanding that the mentaland psychological agonywhich the abduction causedthe parents of the girls has ledto the sudden death of two of

them General Obasanjo saidlast week that some of thegirls would not be reunitedwith their families while oth-ers might have become preg-nant.

“From the information at mydisposal such callous and in-sensitive statements havecontinued to dash the hopesand accentuate the agony ofthe parents and friends of themissing girls. No individualor group should play politicswith the tragedy of the abduc-tion!

Falana raps Obasanjo over statement on abducted schoolgirls

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 —9

I miss my mother dearly – TINUBU

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

BY IFEANYIWA OBI

NIMASApartners Navyto sanitise waterways

Fashola’s aide resigns, Folarin-Coker appointed successor

Hike in tariff of imported vehicles'll cause inflation — EXPERT

LAGOS—PROMINENTNigerians and All Progres-

sive Party, APC, stalwarts yester-day, stormed Lagos for the oneyear remembrance ceremony ofthe mother of former Lagos StateGovernor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji. She wasuntil her death the Iyaloja Gen-eral and President General ofMarket Men and Women in Ni-geria.

Among those at the ceremonywere Governor Babatunde Fas-hola, former Head of State, Gen-eral Muhammadu Buhari andformer Vice President, AlhajiAtiku Abubakar.

Others were Deputy governorof Lagos State, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senator Gbenga Asha-fa, a member of the House of Rep-resentatives, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, former interim chairmanof APC, Chief Bisi Akande, firstlady of Osun State, Mrs. SerifatAregbesola, Senator BabafemiOjudu, Justice Utman Muham-mad, retired judge of the Su-preme Court.

Also in attendance, were ChiefMolade Okoya-Thomas, Speak-er of the Lagos and Oyo statesHouse of Assembly, Mr. Adeye-mi Ikuforiji and Mrs. MonsuratSumonu respectively, Hon. James

Faleke, among others.The late Mogaji, died on June

15th, 2013 at 96 in her house inLagos.

The one-year fidau prayer heldin Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS,Lagos attracted eminent person-alities, politicians, captains of in-dustry and thousands of traders,who defied the early downpourto offer prayer for the repose ofthe soul of the late Iyaloja Gen-

eral and President General ofMarket Men and Women in Ni-geria.

Speaking on the demise of hismother one year after, Tinubusaid “I miss my mother dearlybut I know that all of you whohave come here today are therefor us. All those who have comehere today, I pray that your sonwill also achieve greatness.”

On the legacy of the late ma-

triarch, Faleke in an interviewsaid “The greatest legacy she leftbehind was to be the mother ofall. For instance, I am not fromLagos but she accepted me asher son. Throughout her life time,I was very happy that I hadsomeone like that as a mother.

“I learnt from her how to prayand how to love everyone. I missher prayers dearly and the roleshe played as a mother to all.”

LAGOS—GOVERNOR Ba batunde Fashola of Lagos

State, weekend, accepted theresignation of his Special Ad-viser, SA, on Central BusinessDistrict, CBD, Mrs. AderinolaDisu, and appointed the Man-aging Director of the LagosState Number Plate Production

NIGERIAN MaritimeAdministration and

Safety Agency, NIMASA,and the Nigerian Navy, arepartnering to arrest cases ofpiracy and other criminalactivities in the Nigerianwater ways.

Director General of NI-MASA Mr. Ziakede PatrickAkpobolokemi, who dis-closed this when Rear Ad-miral Samuel IlesanmiAlade, the Flag OfficerCommanding Western Na-val Command of NigerianNavy paid him a courtesyvisit, noted that the impor-tance of the Navy to thedevelopment of the nation’smaritime sector could not beoveremphasized.

He spoke of NIMASA'scommitment to fighting pi-racy, developing humancapacity, ensuring safety ofvessels, removal of wrecks,preventing and mitigatingthe effects of pollution,among others, towards thegrowth and developmentof the maritime sector.

BY OLAYINKA LATONA

LASG, grouppartner totackle child,maternal mortality

LAGOS—THE Lagos State Government

and Women AdvocatesResearch and Documen-tation Centre, WARDC,in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation, havepromised to intensify ef-forts at reducing incidenceof under-five and mater-nal mortality before 2015.

The Speaker of LagosState House of Assembly,Hon. Adeyemi Kuforijiand the Executive Direc-tor of WARDC, Dr. AbiolaAkiode-Afolabi, an-nounced this during theofficial launch of “NotAgain Campaign”, a na-tionwide grassroots advo-cacy for the reduction ofmaternal mortality in Ni-geria.

Launching the pro-gramme, Kuforiji notedthat such campaign waskey to achieving the goalof bringing the level ofchild and maternal mor-tality in the state down tothe barest minimal.

...As Fashola, Buhari, Atiku, others grace ex-gov's mother’s Fidau prayer

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI Agency, Mr FolorunshoFolarin-Coker as successor.

Disu, a lawyer by profession,was appointed SA on CBD onJuly 2011 and served the agen-cy, created in 2007 till her res-ignation.

According to a statement bythe Special Adviser to the Gov-ernor on Media, Mr. HakeemBello, the resignation followed

months of consultation duringwhich Disu explained the needfor her to devote her full timeto her family reluctantly accept-ed her decision to step downfrom the State Executive Coun-cil, SEC.

While wishing her the verybest in all her endeavours, Fas-hola thanked Disu for her im-mense contributions as a pub-lic officer of several years stand-ing and, most especially, herdistinguished service as theSAd on the Lagos State CBDfrom 2011 to date.

The new SA on SBD, wasborn 27th July 1965 to the Ago-ro and Coker families of Lagos,and attended St Gregory’s Col-lege in Obalende.

Meanwhile, Lagos StateGovernment weekend urgedLagos residents not to panicwith occasional flash flood onthe road and in their commu-nities during rain fall, sayingsuch flood would not last.

LAGOS—A maritime econ omist and Executive Di-

rector of ABN Consults, Mr.Harrison Agada, has advisedthe Federal Government to haltimplementation of the hike intariff of imported vehicles tosave the masses from furtherhardship.

He said contrary to claims bysenior government officials, im-

plementation of the import dutyhike will place the cost of vehi-cles beyond the reach of about90% of Nigerians, increase thecost of transportation by at least50% and increase inflation beforethe end of this year.

While speaking with journal-ists in Lagos yesterday, Agadasaid: “I believe the new automo-tive policy will be bedeviled byseveral problems. First, there isa huge gap between demand and

local capacity. Local productioncapacity of automobiles by all theassembly plants in the countrytoday stands at a pathetic 45, 000units per annum while demandstands at 800,000 units per an-num.

“Secondly, the price of locally-made vehicles is way out of thereach of average Nigerians andthis is mostly as a result of thecollapse of public infrastructureincluding power supply.

BY GODWIN ORITSE

FIDAU PRAYER: From left: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; Asiwaju Bola Tinu-bu, leader of All Progressives Congress, APC; Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Chief Bisi Akande, APCleader and General Muhammadu Buhari, APC leader, during the one-year fidau prayer forLate Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, former Iyaloja General at Lagos yesterday. Photo by Bunmi Azeez.

ALL Progressives Congress, APC, weekend

said it would not look back un-til Nigeria was rescued from ra-pacious cabal.

The party in a statement byits National Publicity Secretary,Alhaji Lai Mohammed,thanked all Nigerians for theircongratulatory messages andwords of encouragement, fol-lowing the party’s hugely suc-cessful inaugural national con-vention in Abuja on Friday thatsaw the emergence of an elect-ed National Executive Com-mittee, led by the highly-re-spected Chief John Oyegun, toguide the affairs of the party.

’’We are encouraged andgratified by the goodwill mes-sages from a cross section ofNigerians, many of them from

outside our party, especiallyon the openness and transpar-ency of our convention.

‘This massive support fromNigerians has strengthenedour resolve to continue withour efforts to move our coun-try forward. Now, we are back

to work and we will not lookback until Nigeria has beenrescued from the grip of a ra-pacious cabal intent on stiflingthe country’s progress.’’

APC also thanked all itsmembers and supporters fortheir demonstrated commit-

ment to the sustenance of de-mocracy and the upliftment ofNigeria, saying even when arainstorm started midway intothe convention, the delegateswere undaunted as they defiedthe weather to protect the bal-lot boxes and cast their votes.

APC thanks Nigerians for successful convention

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

APC chieftains applaud Oyegun’s emergenceas National Chairman

AKURE—ONDOS t a t e

Government week-end said it generated overN6 billion through Inter-nally Generated Revenue,IGR, in the last fivemonths.

Information Commis-sioner, Kayode Akinmade,said in Akure that thestate’s Board of InternalRevenue was able to gen-erate the money within theperiod

According to him, thestate’s Board of InternalRevenue, had by the de-velopment demonstratedthat efforts and determina-tion of government to shoreup its IGR were yieldingfruits.

He said the state gov-ernment was determinedfrom the beginning of theyear to improve on its in-ternally generated revenuein view of the prevailingcircumstance.

Akinmade said within thefirst two months of the year,the state was able to rakein N2.93billion

The Internal Board ofRevenue Chairman, MrAkinolu Akinsehiwa,said the outfit had toapply some strategies tomeet its target.

BY DAYO JOHNSON

IBADAN–THE Oyo Statechapter of the ALL Pro-

gressives Congress, APC,has expressed satisfactionwith the emergence of ChiefJohn Oyegun as NationalChairman of the party.

Chairman of the party inthe state, Akin Oke, said thestate chapter would supportOyegun because he repre-sented the ideals of the par-ty.

“We are satisfied with theelection of Oyegun as APCnational chairman. He is ademocrat and a man of vi-sion on whose shoulder theparty would navigate theship of Nigeria state to des-ignated harbour.

“He was the most accepta-ble among candidates thatvied for the position.

“We have confidence in himbecause we worked with himin the days of Social Demo-

cratic Party. We were satis-fied with his leadershipquality.”

Oke further said Oyegunwas best suited to take overfrom the immediate past In-terim National Chairman ofthe party, Chief Bisi Akande.

“At this point in the party,we need someone who hasa similar ideology withAkande and who will notsabotage the party’s tenets.”

Mr Kunle Oyatomi, Direc-tor of Publicity, Researchand Strategy of APC inOsun, congratulated theparty’s national leaders anddelegates for their maturityin its just-concluded con-vention.

Oyatomi, in a statementweekend in Osogbo, saidthose who had doubted thesuccess of the conventionwould now have a rethink.

“The party has scaled

through the hurdle of puttingtogether a formidable nation-al executive led by the formerGovernor of Edo State, ChiefJohn Odigie-Oyegun.

“The task ahead now is tomarshal a plan to assume themantle of leadership at thecentre through a democraticprocess come 2015.

“With the success of the par-ty’s convention in Abuja onFriday, internal democraticprocess has gained a firmfoothold.

“The leadership consensusbuilding approach to solvingdifficult issues has also ma-tured significantly,” the state-ment said.

Oyegun emerged at the firstnational convention held inAbuja on Friday.

He contested againstformer Bayelsa governor,Timipre Silva and Chief TomIkimi, a chieftain of the party

Obasanjo was a school dropout, Kashamu tells court

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

AWARDS: From right; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Energy Matters, Prof. Abu-bakar Sambo; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. AdedayoFashakin; Director of Administration, Ibru Group, Dr. Henry Mougho and Head of Department,Electrical and Electronics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Ogbonna Oparaku when Mougho,Sambo and Oparaku received awards of Excellence from FUTA in Akure.

Ondo makesN6bn IGR in 5months...You’re a drug pusher without reputation, Obasanjo fires back

ABUJA—JUSTICE Valen tine Ashi of the Federal

Capital Territory High Courthas fixed July 28 to commencehearing on the N20billion libelsuit instituted against formerPresident Olusegun Obasanjoby a chieftain of the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, in theSouth-West, Mr. Buruji Kasha-m u . This came as the duo en-gaged in a fresh war-of-words,with the plaintiff alleging be-fore the court that the erstwhilePresident was a school dropout. Piqued by the fact that Obas-anjo in his statement of defenceto the suit, described him as “adrug pusher with neither localnor international reputation”,Kashamu fired back, calling theex-president ''a social misfit.''

''The plaintiff acknowledgesthat the defendant(Obasanjo),was a poverty-stricken dropout from schooland otherwise a social misfitwho eventually found fame andfortune by joining the ArmedForces of Nigeria and benefit-ting disproportionately from op-portunism of military adventureinto governance in Nigeria.”

Kashamu told the court that“Obasanjo’s vaunted interna-tional acclaim was tested in 2008when the former President con-tested for the position of the Sec-retary-General of the UnitedNations with a barely knowndiplomat from Egypt. The de-fendant (Obasanjo) was put inhis place as he failed to fly theflag of the nation successfullyand lost the contest disgraceful-l y . ” Kashamu insisted that Obas-anjo’s claims in his statementof defence constituted “an ag-gravation of the libel chargebefore the court.”He said Obasanjo’s use of his“touted national and interna-tional acclaim to malign moreproductive members of the so-ciety is uncalled for and couldbe symptomatic of megaloma-n i a . ” Meanwhile, the former Presi-dent who had earlier resolvednot to personally testify in thematter, had in his statement ofdefence, described Kashamu asa notorious debtor and a manlacking in local and internation-al reputation. He urged the court to dismissthe suit for being “frivolous,speculative and gold digging”,insisting that no reasonablecause of action was establishedagainst him. Kashamu had in his suit,claimed that Obasanjo, ‘mur-dered’ his reputation via a let-ter he (Obasanjo), sent to bothPresident Goodluck Jonathanand the immediate past Nation-al Chairman of the PDP, AlhajiBamanga Tukur.

Kashamu told the court thatthe defendant, maliciously andrecklessly published a letter ti-tled, “Before it is too late,” whichhe said contained distortedf a c t s . He argued that the criminalimputation made against him byObasanjo in his letter, greatlyinjured his public image. He prayed the court to awardin his favour, and against theex-President, N20 billion forthe damage suffered as a re-sult of the allegation. The plaintiff told the courtthat the former president spe-

cifically referred to him in thesaid letter as a fugitive want-ed in the United States. However, in his statement ofdefence, Obasanjo stood hisground, saying he had no rea-son to retract the words in thesaid letter as requested by Ka-s h a m u . ”The statement/words arecorrect, true and justified”, hemaintained, adding, “Theplaintiff has no iota of goodreputation locally and interna-t i o n a l l y .“Aside the plaintiff ’s illicitdrug business for which he

was indicted and wanted inAmerica, the plaintiff has pen-chant for taking loans from un-suspecting banks/financial insti-tutions with intention to perma-nently elude/avoid repayment orliquidation of such loans.

''Further to that, the plain-tiff has been judicially ad-judged/confirmed a debtor bya competent court of law inCotonou, Republic of Benin.And the plaintiff presently oc-cupies a choice position onthe Assets Management Cor-poration of Nigeria’s list ofnotorious bad debtor.”

8 OguncollegesdemandN1bn fromstate govt

A B E O K U T A —EIGHT govern-

ment-owned technical col-leges in Ogun state havedemanded N1 billion fromthe state government fortotal overhaul and resusci-tation of the schools.

Chairman, Ogun StateTechnical and VocationalEducation Board DoyinOgunbiyi disclosed thisweekend, while addressingnewsmen in Abeokuta onthe plan of the Board to turnthe schools round andmake them attractive.

Ogunbiyi flanked by allthe principals of the colleg-es across the state, lament-ed that the equipment inthe schools had becomeobsolete, saying judging bythe trends in the technolo-gy sector, all equipment inthe schools must be re-placed with new and up-to-date ones.

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—11

Tension in APC as Oshiomhole, Atiku othersbeg Ikimi

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

Don’t plunge Warri into fresh crisis, Ijaw group warnsUgborodo

BY EMMA AMAIZE &EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

UduaghaneulogisesUbeku

Fresh oil spill hits Bayelsa communityBY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

BENIN—THERE is ten-sion in All Progressives

Congress, APC, in Edo State,following fears that the formerForeign Affairs Minister,Chief Tom Ikimi, may dumpthe party for Peoples Demo-cratic Party, PDP, with theemergence of Chief John Od-igie-Oyegun as the NationalChairman of the party.

Vanguard learnt that thestate governor, Mr. AdamsOshiomhole and some lead-ers of the party in the statewent to beg Chief Ikimi at hisAbuja residence, weekend,when it became clear that theparty hierarchy of the partyhad settled for Oyegun.

Chief Ikimi, who spoke toVanguard on telephone, said:“I was not at the conventionvenue. I bought the chairman-ship form, but I did not fill itwhen I found out what theywanted to do. I still have theform with me. I never steppeddown for anybody. I did notparticipate in the exercise, Iboycotted it.

“But I will come up with astatement soon, where I willexplain what transpired,” hesaid.

Vanguard was informed thatChief IKimi had been underintense pressure to go back to

his former party the PDP forsome time.

The fear amongst members ofthe APC in Edo State is that hemay capitalise on the recent de-velopment to join the PDP, eventhough it was learnt that thenew National Chairman of theparty, Chief Oyegun, theformer Vice President, AlhajiAtiku Abubakar, who is one of

his bosom friends, are mak-ing frantic efforts to ensurethat he remains in the par-ty.

It was learnt that Ikimi isparticularly pained that allhis efforts towards the for-mation of the APC were notappreciated by the nationalleader of the party, AsiwajuBola Tinubu and other

South-West leaders of theparty, who opposed his na-tional chairmanship ambi-tion.

However, Oyegun’s emer-gence will be the first time,the Binis from Edo Southsenatorial district of EdoState will produce the na-tional chairman of a politi-cal party.

WARRI—THE WarriIjaw Peace Monitor-

ing Group, WIPMG, an Ijawassembly in Delta State, yes-terday, warned the people ofUgborodo, an Itsekiri commu-nity in Warri South-West Lo-cal Government Area of thestate, not to cause another cri-sis in Warri with their alleg-edly unproven claims to theownership of Warri lands.

Meanwhile, a joint team ofthe Nigerian Navy, Airforceand Police stormed Ugborodocommunity, weekend, to re-cover all arms employed in thecrisis which engulfed thecommunity in January beforethe Federal Government-bro-kered peace last month.

The disarmament teamwhich spent the whole of Sat-urday searching all housesand surroundings in Mand-agho, Ajudaibo, Ogidigbenand Aruton (Ode-Ugborodo)for illegal arms, however, dis-covered no weapon, but theorganisers stressed that theresult does not detract fromthe significance of the exer-cise.

The Commander, NigerianNavy Ship, NNS Delta, NavyCaptain Musa Gemu, who ledthe operation, had before comb-ing the communities, told set-tlers that, “You are aware thatthe Federal Government,through the Navy, Police, Di-rectorate of State Services, DSS,and the Delta State Governmentmet with your leaders and re-solved the crisis which has in-volved the use of weapons overthe proposed Gas City Devel-opment in your community.”

Meanwhile, WIPG chair-man, Chief Patrick Bigha, ina statement, said: “We writeto warn our Itsekiri neigh-bours of Ugborodo to becareful with their statementsin the media so as not totake us back to the dark daysin Warri.

“They should rememberthat an ill wind does no oneany good. The Itsekirisshould stop the unsubstan-tiated claim to the owner-ship of Warri lands.

“It is true that out of the2,800 hectares of land ear-marked for the ExportProcessing Zone, EPZ,project, the Ijaws of Gbara-matu and Ogulagha have2,500 hectares. But for theinfluence of the state gover-nor, Dr. Emmanuel Udua-ghan on the project, itwouldn’t have started fromOgidigben, which madethem to name the project af-ter Ogidigben.”

YENAGOA—IKARAMA,one of the six communi-

ties in Okordia clan, YenagoaLocal Government Area ofBayelsa State, has been hit bya fresh oil spill from a facilityowned and operated by ShellPetroleum Development Com-pany.

The spill, which was noticedlast Wednesday by the commu-nity folks, spewing high fromShell’s Okordia manifold, isbelieved to have been causedby suspected vandals.

The Okordia manifold, it waslearnt, receives crude oil from

oil wells operated by Shellin JK4 (Edagberi/Betterlandcommunity, with over 40 oilwells) and those it has inBiseni.

Though the spill, it waslearnt, was clamped twodays after by personnel de-ployed to the area by the oilmajor, the natives decriedthe incessant spills and theadverse effect on their envi-ronment.

The latest incident is com-ing less than three weeksafter the National Oil SpillDetection and ResponseAgency, NOSDRA, organ-ised what it called commu-

nity-based disaster risk re-duction plan on the dangersof oil pipeline vandalismand the resultant environ-mental pollution in Yenagoa.The two main communitiesinvited were Ikarama andKalaba.

The Environmental RightsAction/Friends of the Earthled by its Bayelsa Field Co-ordinator, Alagoa Morris,told Vanguard that whenthey arrived the spill siteThursday morning, crude oilwas noticed spraying intothe air like a fountain, high-er than some palm treesabove the ground.

Students hailamendedRivers HighCourt law

BY FESTUS AHON

UGHELLI-THE re-mains of the former

Managing Director ofGuinness, Nigeria Plc,Chief Abel Ubeku, wereweekend, laid to rest in hisAraya hometown, IsokoSouth Local GovernmentArea, Delta State, amidsttears and eulogies.

Speaking during the fu-neral ceremony, the stategovernor, Dr. EmmanuelUduaghan, described thelate Chief Ubeku as a verygood personality that Del-tans and Nigerians as awhole would greatly miss.

He said that ChiefUbeku was well knownacross the country andbeyond. “He was one ofour proud sons. He gavesome of us insight intowhat we should do in ourcommunities. Ubekuwould tell you the truth atall times.”

He urged his childrenand the Araya people toemulate Ubeku's virtuesand commended the wid-ow, Beatrice, whom hesaid stood by the lateUbeku until he breathedhis last on March 9, 2014.

BY JIMITOTAONOYUME

PORT HAR-C O U R T — S T U -

DENTS of various institu-tions in Rivers State havehailed the amended 2001law of the Rivers StateHigh Court, saying that itwill make the judiciary tobe alive to its duties as thethird arm of government.

Rising from a meeting,weekend, the studentscondemned the appoint-ment of Justice DaisyOkocha as an Administra-tive Chief Judge, sayingthat the National JudicialCouncil, NJC, had nopowers to make such ap-pointment.

Assistant Secretary Gen-eral, National Associationof Nigerian Students,NANS, Lah Amabu, whoread a communique at theend of the meeting, saidthe crisis in the judiciarywas not good for the state,adding that the amendedRivers State High CourtLaw will bring an end tothe ugly situation in thejudiciary.

DEMOLITION: Demolition exercise at Olympia Roundabout in Sapele, Delta State.

12 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Anxiety in Edo as Assemblyreconvenes today

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM &GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

Be cautiousoverUgborodocrisis, Navyurged

Itsekirileaders backOrubebe'sguberambition

BENIN—AHEAD of to-day’s sitting of Edo State

House of Assembly, the sus-pended Peoples DemocraticParty, PDP, lawmakers in thestate, yesterday, said that noamount of intimidation or threatwould stop them from attend-ing the sitting.

Meanwhile, the Benin Na-tional Congress, BNC, haswarned that the people of thestate will hold political leadersresponsible in the event of anyblood bath if the warring law-makers failed to heed the callby the Oba of Benin for a ceasefire.

Oba appeals for peaceThe monarch had, while host-

ing lawmakers following thecrisis rocking the House, said:“Taking into consideration whathas been happening since thebeginning of this week (lastweek), I am appealing to younot to engage in the destruc-tion of lives and property forwhatever reasons. I also appealto you, as you leave here, tohave the interest of Edo Stateat heart and amicably resolvewhatever political disagreementyou may have, which I am sure,you are well capable of resolv-ing for peace and security toreign in the state.”

The monarch, Vanguardlearnt, became worried when itwas gathered that politicalthugs were being mobilised tostorm the Assembly complex to-day with a view to doing the bid-ding of their bosses.

Tension particularly height-ened following the insistence by

PDP that the four suspend-ed lawmakers will attendtoday’s sitting.

The PDP lawmakers, whospoke to journalists in com-pany of the state WorkingCommittee of the party atthe party’s secretariat, saidthey would attend today’ssitting, despite an orderbarring them from goinginto the Assembly and thelegislators' quarters.

Their decision to resume

House on Wednesday, butfor the involvement of thestate government, which hesaid asked the APC lawmak-ers to renege on the agree-ment reached by the warringlawmakers during theWednesday meeting.

He added that the visit ofAPC lawmakers to the Houseof Assembly on Friday,when plenary had been ad-journed to Monday, wasquestionable.

sitting today is coming on the heels ofthe state party chairman, Chief Dan Or-bih’s position that the administrationof justice in the state was putting thestate on the precipice of political anar-chy.

Explaining why the suspendedmembers would attend plenary today,one of the eight PDP lawmakers andthe Minority Leader of the House, MrEmmanuel Okoduwa, said the two re-liefs granted the APC lawmakers werestrange and unworkable.

Unworkable reliefs “We said the order that lawmakers

cannot enter the legislative quarters isstrange because as lawmakers, we paymonthly rents to live in the quarters.There is no order that will say that youcannot stay in an apartment for whichyou are paying N27, 000 monthly.

“The second relief which says thepurportedly suspended membersshould not disturb the business of theHouse is simply asking someone, whowas elected to represent his people, notto do so. As a matter of fact, legislativebusiness can never be complete with-out such persons. So, the orders arenot enforceable if they were grantedin the first place,” he said.

Orbih, on his part, regretted that thecrisis rocking the Edo State House ofAssembly would have been resolved af-ter a meeting of the 24 members of the

Suspended PDP members vow to attend sitting

W A R R I — T H ENaval High Com-

mand in Abuja has beencharged to direct its offic-ers and men in the Warriaxis, Delta State, to becautious in handling thecrisis in Ugborodo com-munity, particularly in itsefforts to reconcile the dif-ferent groups in the com-munity, so as not to be-come tools in the handsof some individuals whointend to use the Navy toachieve selfish purposes,including the settling ofpersonal scores.

Reacting to the move-ment of Naval personnelinto Ugborodo communi-ty last Saturday, Mr.Toritseju Ereku, spokes-man of Ugborodo Com-munity for Justice, a com-munity- based organisa-tion, said: “In the historyof crises between groups,achieving peace and rec-onciliation between hith-erto warring groups hasnever been achieved withthe application of force.”

Ereku said that thepresent strategy adoptedby the Navy to allegedlyhoodwink the Ugborodocommunity to reversingits sanctions on some in-dividuals will only becounter-productive andexacerbate the crises.

THE Itsekiri Leadersof Thought, has

asked former Minister ofNiger Delta Affairs, ElderGodsday Orubebe, to con-tinue the prosecution ofhis gubernatorial ambitionwith dignity and honorthat characterise it.

The group said thatwhat mattered was for acompetent person tomount the saddle afterGovernor EmmanuelUduaghan and continueto pursue developmentalprogrammes in the state.

The Itsekiri leaders,when they hosted Oru-bebe to an interactive sea-son on his governorshipambition, said all the peo-ple of the state share thesame environment andcharacteristics that bindthem always.

Speaking earlier, Oru-bebe commended mem-bers of the committee, ledby Chief J. Ayomike, de-scribing them as precur-sors of peace in DeltaState.

He assured them that asan aspirant, he was pur-suing his ambition veryseriously as he had al-ready developed a road-map which encompassesall the programmes hewill implement if electedas governor.

Jonathancommendedover Oru’sministerialnomination

URHOBOS in Del-ta State have com-

mended President Good-luck Jonathan for his nom-ination of former PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP,Vice Chairman, South-South, Dr. Steve Oru, asa minister in his cabinet.

Former Vice Chairmanof Ughelli North LocalGovernment Area, ChiefPaul Okogu, in a state-ment, said: “Dr.Oru’snomination can only bedescribed as a square pegin a square hole as theministerial nominee is adetribalised Deltan,whose humble back-ground has made him ac-cessible to all people.

“We thank the Presidentfor nominating one of ourown as a minister in hiscabinet and we promise todeliver the Urhobo nationto the president in thenext election in 2015.”

VISIT: Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State (middle); Mr. Ron Yeffet, President,Yeffetmesika Group (left) and Alhaji Mohammed Wakil, Minister of State (Power), during acourtesy visit to the governor at Bayelsa House, Abuja.

Vanguard, MONDAY,JUNE 16, 2014 — 13

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

BY ABDULSALAMMUHAMMAD

Kano youthsendorseOkorocha forPresident

BYVINCENT UJUMADU

ILOMUANYA TO CITIZENS: Don't believeImo govt's lies against me

They have no authority to suspend me —Chairman

Anambra LP chairman suspended

ABAKALIKI—EBONYI Stategovernment, weekend,

denied abandoning theconstruction of the ongoing WorldTrade Centre in Abakaliki whichwas awarded during theadministration of Governor SamEgwu.

Commissioner for Commerceand Industry, Dr. Ifeanyi Ikeh,made the denial in Abakalikiduring a one-day seminarorganised by the World Bank,Federal Ministry of Industry,Trade and Investment andCorporate Affairs Commission,

OWERRI—THE embattledtraditional ruler of

Obinugwu autonomouscommunity in Orlu localcouncil area of Imo State, EzeCletus Ilomuanya, hasappealed to his people todisregard the lies beingpeddled by Imo Stategovernment about his allegeddethronement.

Government had in a recentrelease by the Senior SpecialAssistant, SSA, Media, to theGovernor, Mr. SamOnwuemeodo, linked therecent withdrawal ofIlomuanya’s certificate ofrecognition to the resolutionof the State House ofAssembly.

Eze Ilomuanya, who doublesas the Chairman, South EastCouncil of Traditional Rulers,reminded Okorocha thatJustice Paschal Nnadi had, inhis judgment of March 20,2013, in suit number HOW/103/2012, ordered that thesaid resolution of the Housewas made in contravention ofSection 36 of the 1999Constitution.

“The resolution of the Houseagainst Eze Cletus

E N U G U — E N U G UCapital Territory

Development Authority, ECTDA,weekend, impounded goodsworth millions of naira andarrested several street traderswho have refused to heedgovernment’s warning againststreet trading within the statecapital.

Officials of ECTDA arrested nofewer than 20 traders at the NewHaven/Bisalla Road junctionwhich had been turned to amajor trading centre by hawkersof all manner of goods, includingfruits and other home-madegoods.

Two truck-loads of their wares,kiosks and tables were cartedaway, while the traders/hawkerswere taken to the ECTDA officealong Okpara Avenue in twocommuter buses for prosecution.

The state Commissioner forECTDA, Mr. IkechukwuUgwuegede, had announcedlast week the intention of the

AWKA—THE leadershipcrisis that engulfed

Anambra State chapter of theLabour Party, LP, after last year’sgovernorship election tookanother dimension lastweekend, with the state executivemembers of the partyannouncing the suspension ofthe chairman, Mr. SamOraegbunam, over alleged highhandedness and refusal toaccount for N200 million.

The money is said to be theamount realised during the saleof governorship forms last year.

But Oraegbunam dismissed hisremoval with the wave of thehand, saying the executivemembers had no authority toremove the state chairman,insisting that there was no suchmoney as claimed by the officials.

State and 21 local governmentofficials of the party, led by thestate secretary, Mr. AnthonyOraeki, had assembled at thestate headquarters of the partyin Awka for a meeting convenedpurposely to announce thesacking of the chairman.

However, because they couldnot gain entrance into the officewhich was securely locked, theyheld the meeting in front of theoffice with security operativesproviding cover for them.

They accused the chairman of

A W K A —AUTHORITIES

of the Federal Polytechnic,Oko, Anambra State,have signed aMemorandum ofUnderstanding, MoU,with a German companyfor the installation ofmulti-million naira state-of-the-art vehiclemaintenance equipmentin the institution.

Rector of thepolytechnic, ProfessorGodwin Onu, said it waspart of efforts toreposition the institutionas a model tertiaryinstitution in Nigeria,capable of meeting thetechnical needs of thecountry.

Onu, who spoke whenmembers of the UnitedStates of America, USA,branch of the alumniassociation of thepolytechnic donatedbooks and computerequipment to the school,said the equipment fromGermany would arriveNigeria next month,adding that a modernworkshop for theinstallation had alreadybeen completed.

KANO—THE KanoState Youth and

Stakeholders Councilweekend endorsed ImoState Governor, RochasOkorocha, for Presidencycome 2015 generalelection.

A press statement issuedby the group, after itsmeeting in Kano, notedthat “the track record ofOkorocha in chosen areasof development qualifiedhim ahead of others.”

The statement, byAmbassador Bashir BelloRoba read in part: “We wishto draw the attention ofother Nigerians that if trulyhard work and purposefulleadership are considerablebasis for a person to contestfor the highest politicaloffice in the country, ChiefOkorocha is the bestqualified man for the top jobcome 2015.”

Ilomuanya, having beendone in contravention ofSection 36 of the 1999Constitution, is null, void andof no effect whatsoever,” thecourt had ruled.

While noting that in theeyes of the law, the kangarooresolution was dead and

worthless, Eze Ilomuanyaexpressed regret thatgovernment was still makingreference to the obsoleteresolution.

His words: “It is shamefulthat reference is being madeto this obsolete resolution bythe SSA Media to the

Governor, in a civilisedsociety like ours, all in adesperate effort to justify aheinous agenda.”

It would be recalled thatIlomuanya had been battlingto regain his tenured positionas chairman of the StateCouncil of Traditional Rulers.

Oko Poly,German firmin new deal

BYVINCENTUJUMADU

BYTONY EDIKE

Enugu CTDA to prosecute 20 over streettrading

contributing to the apparentinactivity of party in AnambraState, accusing him of notconvening a meeting since thegovernorship election of

November last year to briefmembers on the reasons for theabysmal performance of the partyin the election, despite enormousfinancial resources at its disposal.

The motion to suspendOraegbunam was moved by thedeputy chairman, Mr. SamOkoye, and seconded by thestate legal adviser, Mr. FestusAfubero.

Ebonyi denies abandoning WorldTrade Centre project

government to commence thearrest and prosecution of peoplefound trading on the streets or onthe newly constructed walk waysin the Enugu capital territory inaccordance with an existing banon street trading.

He warned that the goodsseized from offenders would alsobe forfeited to the government,explaining that the ban on streettrading was, among otherthings, aimed at preserving thecity’s environment andinfrastructure.

BYPETER OKUTU Abuja in collaboration withEbonyi State Ministry ofCommerce and Industry.

The commissioner, whostressed that there was no wayGovernor Martin Elechi ofEbonyi State could abandonedsuch a project with huge financialinvestment, added that N100million had been earmarked forthe completion of the projectbefore the end of the year.

The 10-storey trade centre wasone of the gigantic projectsinherited by Elechi’sadministration but has continuedto suffer some setbacks in itsprojected period of completion.

THANKSGIVING: From left: Princess Stella Oduah, Adaezechukwu of Ogbaruland, Rev.Father Felix Ezeonu, Parish Priest, and Mr. Cyprian Chukwuma, Secretary, Parish Council,St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Akili-Ozizor, Ogbaru LGA, after the thanksgiving service tocommemorate the title bestowed on the former Aviation Minister by Anambra Northtraditional rulers and people of Ogbaru, Anambra State, yesterday.

CMYK

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

From left: Mr. Fred Odueme, AGM, Brand, Vanguard Media Ltd, Mr. EmekaNkwocha, Advert Manager, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Jackson Otuseso,Assistant Advert Manager, and Mr. Sunny Awevia, Operations Manager,Vanguard Newspapers.

Hon. Leo Ogor, Senator EmmanuelAguariavwodo, and Hon. Basil Ganagana, DeputySpeaker, Delta State House of Assembly

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (right) and Mr.Fred Odueme, AGM, Brand, Vanguard Media Ltd,at the event

Mrs. Beatrice Ubeku, widow (right) and Hon. Flora Ubeku-Oddiri, daughter.

Mr. Ubeku, first son of the deceased.

Hon. and Mrs. Abel Oshevire.

General Paul Omu and his wife, Senator StellaOmu.

From left: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, his deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN,and his wife, Mrs. Nelly Utuama, during the burial of late High Chief (Dr) Abel Ubeku, OFR, atAraya, Isoko-South Local Government Area, Delta State.

From left: Senator James Manager, SenatorIfeanyi Okowa, and Chief Benjamin Elue, formerDeputy Governor of Delta State.

From right: Chief Solomon Ogba, Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay, SSG,Delta State, and Mr. Joel Onowakpo,Chairman, Delta State Board of InternalRevenue.

BURIAL OF LATE HIGH CHIEF (DR) ABEL UBEKU, OFR,AT ARAYA, DELTA STATE, WEEKEND. PIX: NATH ONOJAKE.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—15

CMYK

OPINION

16— Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

BY OLISAEMEKA OBIANWU

*Mr. Obianwu, a public affairs analyst, wrotefrom Onitsha, Anambra State.

FOLLOWING the spate of advertorials in ournational dailies recently one notices a war

going on between a cross section of cementproducers and a civil society group over the newlyenacted cement standardization policy. In the newpolicy, enacted by Mr Olusegun Aganga, Ministerof Trade and Investments, the 32.5 grade is strictlyallowed for plastering only; grade 42.5 is approvedfor concrete, brick masonry, plastering, pointing,flooring and general construction works; and 52.5grade is approved for use where high early strength(in the first 28 days) is required and it is basicallyutilized by builders of heavy infrastructure suchas bridges, fly-overs, large span structures and highrise structures.

In the media war, the opponents of thestandardization policy are of the view that there isno cement adulteration in Nigeria, saying that thestandardization was unnecessary and an act of de-marketing by some un-named cement producers.They claim that their 32.5 grade of cement is strongenough for various construction works.

The supporters of the standardization policy, onthe other hand, are not only calling for strictimplementation of the new policy but an outrightban of the 32.5 cement grade. According to theseadvocates, the 32.5 cement grade has been a majorcause of building collapse in the country. For them,the new standards will help in curbing the loss oflives that always follows most building collapsesin the country.

For one who has been following this controversy,it is curious to note that the companies that kickagainst the new standards even acknowledge intheir advertorials that they do not have the detailsof this new regulation, so I wonder why people

just shout ‘wolf’ for no just cause. If not, why woulda company rush to the press to countermand apolicy when it does not even have the requisiteinformation about it?

While I do not intend to hold anybody’s brief onthe issue of cement standardization, I am of theopinion that the issue of building collapse in thecountry has gotten to such an atrocious level thateven if an outright ban of any grade of cement, orany other building or construction material willput to an end this issue, I will support the ban. Wehave lost so many people to building collapse thatany other loss is one too many.

It is even more atrocious to note that the majorissue with cement is not only the wide level ofignorance among Nigerians, but as a result ofprofiteering on the part of cement manufacturersand wholesalers. These 32.5 grade manufacturersuse less limestone to produce their brand ofcement, saving costs and selling at almost the sameprice with their 42.5 grade counterparts therebymaking unholy profit.

They revel on the ignorance that pervades theNigerian cement market to not only reap-offNigerians their hard-earned money but also putthem and the on-site workers and passers-by indanger. This is a typical definition of blood money.It may look too harsh to call for an outright ban of32.5 grade but the reality is that the issue of misuseor misapplication of cement grades in Nigeria islargely due to inadequate enlightenment. The 35.2grade cement manufacturers and their distributorsdo not educate their customers on the appropriateuse of their products but leave these uninformedbuyers to their fate.

The level of ignorance in the Nigerian cementmarket would have been checked by strictregulation and enforcement of the standardizationpolicy, but our regulatory agencies lack therequisite human and logistic resources to enforcestrict compliance of the regulations concerning theuse of various cement grades. This lack of efficientregulation is the cause of Nigeria’s alarming rateof misapplication of the cement grades in Nigeria.

The combination of ignorance and lack ofeffective regulation in Nigeria makes it imperativefor Nigeria to harmonise the standard for cementin the country to 42.5 and gradually phase out theproduction of the 32.5 cement grade. This is thebest and easiest way out of the danger posed bythis misuse and misapplication of cement gradesin Nigeria.

For me, the fear being created by themanufacturers of the 32.5 cement grade isunwarranted as a gradual phase out will give themample time to overhaul their process to start theproduction of 42.5 cement grade. Actually, it onlyneeds these manufacturers to take a decision tocommence production of 42.5 grade to begindoing so. It does not require a change inmachinery, personnel or new wares, just morelimestone and nothing more. Sorry, it alsodemands of them to take a decision to be moreconsumer-friendly and cut down on theirpropensity to make more profit to the detrimentof hapless Nigerians.

Battle for cement standardisation

NDDC’s 4,000 Uncompleted Projects

THE Niger Delta DevelopmentCommission, NDDC, is in apitiable state it may never recoverfrom, if it continues operating inits current ways. The 14-year-oldinterventionist agency, whiledefending its 2014 budget, claimedit had 4,000 uncompleted projects.

While this could have been saidto elicit more funds for thecommission, it portrayed NDDC asan organisation without focus.How could it have piled up 4,000uncompleted projects – an averageof 286 uncompleted projects perannum? Would these projects everbe completed?

According to its official website,“NDDC was established in 2000with the mission of facilitating therapid, even and sustainabledevelopment of the Niger Deltainto a region that is economicallyprosperous, socially stable,ecologically regenerative andpolitically peaceful”.

Its failure accounted for the

creation of the Ministry of NigerDelta and other sub-agencies thatare dealing with issues NDDC didnot manage well. The 4,000uncompleted projects summariseNDDC’s performance. It becamea contract-driven commission frominception.

NDDC has a master plancompleted in 2005. It never usesit. Contracts are awarded withoutcare about funds for their execu-tion. Of all its mandates, the oneNDDC implements most ferventlystates, “executing such otherworks and performing such otherfunctions, which in the opinion ofthe Commission are required forthe sustainable development ofthe Niger Delta region and its peo-

ple”. NDDC “executes such otherworks”, though “sustainable de-velopment of the Niger Delta re-gion and its people” is distant fromits intentions.

Community projects, States, andoil companies are executing arereplicated. Attention is onawarding more contracts fromroads to lodges for National YouthCorps members.

The uncompleted contracts aredoomed. Many of them – somewere awarded more than 10 yearsago - have become irrelevant.Others are subject of litigationsfrom aggrieved contractors. Yet,some would never be completedbecause payment NDDC makes tocontractors is too small to

continue the work.Complete records of the contracts

are also not available, so it is evenmore difficult to estimate the costof completing them, but its N322.6billion budget proposal for 2014,if solely applied to the projects, isreportedly too small to completethem. NDDC compounds thesituation by awarding newcontracts to meet “new needs”,the needs of new board membersto be seen as “relevant”.

It is time the National Assemblyinsisted that NDDC applied itsbudget to completing awardedprojects. The new contracts itawards go through the same fund-ing system. They would result inmore uncompleted projects.

More importantly, a review ofNDDC’s mandate is long overdue.No agency can do “everything”, asNDDC does, and expect not to haveuncompleted and abandonedprojects lining the landscape.

CMYK

JUNE 16, 2014

Continues on page 18

MEETING: Vice President Namadi Sambo exchanging pleasantries with DG Securities and Exchange Commission,Ms. Aruma Oteh while the DG Budget Office, Mr. Abraham Nwakor (r); Chairman Visafone, Mr. Jim Ovia (2l); FormerIndustries Minister, Chief Kola Jamodu and former MD Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig Imokhuede (3l) watch duringthe meeting of the economic management team chaired by the Vice President at Aso Chambers, State House, Abuja.Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

Clearing agents operating inthe nation’s seaports havecried out over alleged re-

introduction of the controversialbenchmark for all importedconsignments, saying that theintroduction has hiked cost ofclearing goods by 200 per cent.Customs has however claimed that

Cost of clearinggoods at ports up by200%

By GODFREY BIVBERE the new scheme was brought back toenable the Service meet its revenuetarget.

National Secretary of the NationalCouncil of Managing Directors ofLicensed Customs Agents,NCMDLCA, Uchu Block, whodisclosed this to Vanguard, explainedthat the re-introduction has driven upthe cost of clearing goods from the portsby over 200 percent.

Block noted that items like grindedcorn for the production of Noodleswhich costs about N5 million to clearup unti l last year, now costs aboutN17 million for the same item and thesame quantity.

The NCMDLCA scribe pointed outthat the situation is affecting clearingprocess at the port and worse still,there is no one to complain to. He

Continues on page 18

In a bid to play the catch up gamein technology, many youngNigerians, Kenyans, South

Africans and others are creatingtechnological clusters that could helpbridge the digital divide betweenAfrica and the rest of the world.

Although many of these initiativesare still in their infancy, Africa’stechnology start-ups matter for thecontinent because they have thepotential to help solve problems inbasic services such as education andhealth. Microsoft plans a secondround of innovation grants for Africain June after giving a total $100,000to five ventures in Kenya, Uganda andNigeria. The recipients include aschool textbook subscription servicethat saves users up to 60 percent ofcosts and a mobile gaming company.

In Ghana, for example, a mobile

African techstart-ups dream ofSilicon Savannah

By OMOH GABRIEL,with Agency report

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING

CBN Exchange rate as at 13/06/2014

113.22 +0.20

106.75 +0.22

176.1 4.15 3,147.00 +62.00

16.93 0.23

DOLLAR 154.73 155.23 155.73STERLING 259.6988 260.538 261.3772EURO 209.6592 210.3367 211.0142FRANC 172.056 172.612 173.168YEN 1.5173 1.5222 1.5271CFA 0.3006 0.3106 0.3206WAUA 237.1243 237.8905 238.6568RENMINBI 24.8414 24.9221 25.0028RIYAL 41.2547 41.388 41.5214KRONA 28.0914 28.1821 28.2729SDR 237.8664 238.6351 239.4037

Cover Story

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Continued from page 18

Cost of clearing goods at portsup by 200%

INAUGURATION: From left: Deputy Group Head, Programmes, Bincom ICT Solutions, Mr.Bade Adesemowo; Head of Strategy, Sterling Bank, Mr. Ighodalo Aimienwanu; Head ofSocial Media, Sterling Bank, Mr. Kelvin Steve-Igbodo; Head of Brand Management, SterlingBank, Mr. Abiola Aloba, at the inauguration of “Social Lender” Scheme in Lagos.

much the Service will collect asduty from any import into thecountry.

“Take for example duty onimported vehicles, there is agovernment policy that sayscollect 35 percent more on allimported vehicles and there is

a government circular fromthe ministry of finance to thateffect and that is whatCustoms is implementing.

"We cannot act in isolation.We cannot just wake up andjack up the value on imports.Some people criticise out ofignorance,” he noted.

Continued from page 18

African tech start-upsdream of Silicon Savannah

investors start to getinterested. Venture capitalfirms are typically looking forreturns of two to three timestheir investment in less thanfive years, according to U-start’s Guidotti.

Young techies hunched overlaptops in small offices acrossAfrica want to create theirown versions of California’sSilicon Valley and some arebeginning to attract investorsprepared to take a risk in thehope of high returns. Onesuch start-up, a South Africansocial photography appcalled Over, last month beat19 others from around theworld to win funding from U-start, an advisor that matchesmainly European investorswith fledging businesses.

Italy-based U-start has 3.8billion euros ($5.2 billion)under management and aimsto allocate as much as 15 percent of that to technologyfirms in Africa over the nextcouple of years. “We areconvinced that there are greatbusiness ideas that have thechance to become globalplayers, not just local ones,”said U-start Chief ExecutiveStefano Guidotti.

Nicknames like “Silicon

Continues on page 19

,

,

WHAT IS NOT BUSINESS?

Often time people engage inall sort of shady deals and

call it business. This should notbe, because any act/trade that isnot genuine and is to thedetriment of others cannot becalled a business, especially if itdoesn’t fall within the confines ofthe law or is aimed at gettingprofit wrongly. Some of thesewrong businesses include, moneylaundering (governmentofficials), abuse of office, stealing,defrauding, internet scamotherwise known as yahoo-yahoo,419 and a host of others. If youare involved in any of the above,then you cannot say that you arein a business as the above namedare prohibited by the laws of theland and they do not createopportunities. Rather they ruin orcripple the country, portraying itin a very bad light to the rest ofthe world. It is only a lazy manthat looks for an easy way out allthe time, not wanting to gothrough the right process andprocedures.

THE MENTALITY OF ABUSINESS MAN:

We have discussed what abusiness is in the previouschapter and what business is not;we have also looked at theimportance of self analysis instarting a business as well as thedisadvantages and advantages.Now it’s time to talk about thementality a business man shouldpossess. We cannot underestimatethe power of the mind and I makebold to say that that is whereevery idea and dream is born. Thegood book also emphasizes thisby saying “as a man thinketh inhis heart, so he is”.

When starting a business, youwould need to ask yourself if youpossess what it takes to run itefficiently and get the desiredresults. Every successful businessman has a mentality and shouldpossess a strong sense ofcharacter. That is why it isimportant to carry out a selfanalysis before commencing abusiness. The business man doesnot see failure as a reason to quit;to him failure is a stepping stonethat launches him to his nextlevel. He is not afraid but is a risktaker, possessing the utmostdesire to succeed; he is not justout to make money, but rather tobridge the gap between demandand supply.

He is a sharp thinker and verywitty, seizing every availableopportunity to meet the demandsof consumers. The following

The Basic Guide to StartingYour Business Part 3

make up the mindset ofsuccessful business men.

OptimismOptimism continues to be a

primary factor in whether or notan individual will stay focusedon goals rather than be thwartedby the negative events thatwould impede progress. It isthe absolute ideal that leads toachievement as nothing can bedone without hope. Therefore,it is the very essence of success.

If you want to have asuccessful business, it isimportant that you start out asan optimist, refusing to seeimpossibilities and obstacles.An optimist is not discouraged,but rather looks for other waysto make things better. A goodbusiness man will alwaysdiligently search for answersthat will work. He possesses

the “ yes I can” aura andmentality which will endearhim to clients and friends alike.

Before you start a business itis very important that you havea very optimistic mentality, onethat is not easily swayed byvarious obstacles you willencounter in the course ofcarrying out your business.This is because nobody wantsto do business with a pessimist.

CreativityA creative ability is a very vital

tool in the hands of a personwho intends to start a business,although sometimes even as abusiness owner there is a riskwith being creative; it is notpossible to do something thesame way and expect a differentoutcome. You have to be verydynamic in your choice andapproach to the business youintend to start. Brainstorm a listof possibilities no matter howwild it seems. Look for theunusual but plausible.

If you wantto have asuccessful

business, it isimportant thatyou start out

as an optimist,refusing to seeimpossibilitiesand obstacles

further noted that even whenthere is a channel forcomplaint, people would notwant to come forward as thedelay may cost them more interms of demurrage.

Responding to the abovehowever, the Public RelationsOfficer of Tin-can IslandCommand of the NigeriaCustoms Service, ChrisOsunkwo, said that it is not truethat the Service has re-introduced the contentiousbenchmark.

Osunkwo told Vanguard thatthe Service is only carrying outgovernment directive on theissue and explained that thecurrent duty rate is based onthe international standard setby the World CustomsOrganisation, WCO.

In his words, “There is no iotaof truth there but there is aprocedure for determiningvalue for any imported item. Nobody gets up and determinesthe value of a product, thereare lay down procedures andstandards for determining it.

“If what they call benchmarkis the application of thestandards, so be it becausevaluation matter is not aNigeria Customs matter alone.It is a universal thing whichwas introduced by the WCO.

“As such we (Customs) mustplay by the rules of the game.So these are standards set bythe WCO because we are amember.”

"Does Customs still chargedifferent duties on similargoods at the various portsacross the country, no, there isuniformity because we receiveour directive from governmentbased on its policy and it is thispolicy that determines how

application developed inGhana by “social enterprise m-Pedigree” verifies whethermedicines are genuine. Fakemedicine is a scourge in Africaand people often have no wayof telling whether they arebuying the real thing or not.

Africa has nearly 90technology hubs, researchbases often funded byinternational firms such asMicrosoft, Google and Intel, toincubate early-stage firms incities such as Abidjan, Accraand Addis Ababa. But whiledevelopers have plenty ofideas, many lack the technicalor business skills needed tomake money from them. “Weare really short on great start-ups that are actually ready totake off,” said Amrotte Abdella,director for start-upengagements for Microsoft inAfrica.

“What most angel investorsand venture capitalists arelooking for is to find start-upsthat are tech ready andbusiness savvy,” Amrotte said.Microsoft and its network ofpartners listens to an average20 pitches a month from start-ups looking for initial fundingor mentoring to get them to thepoint where international

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 19

,

,

Business & Economy

Continued from page 18

Nigerian businessmendo not cease toamaze me. Each time

I see a typical Nigerianbusinessman, I see contemptfor fair play and good businesspractice. Every one of themhates competition. They believein zero-sum game, winner-takes-all. The fact that many ofthese businessmen are nowpart of government economicmanagement team has madethose of them at the top to takeundue advantage of theeconomy and corner the juicybusiness opportunities in thecountry for themselves andtheir surrogates. They are theones who rose to the currentposition they occupy nowbecause they had access topolitical power and securewaivers for themselves andconcessions for their pocketsand stomach. It was not for thesector they claim to represent.

These men represent nosector. If in fact thisadministration means well forthe economy, the governmentshould have called formembership of the economicmanagement team from theorganised private sector wheremembers discuss and debateissues affecting the entireeconomy not just company-specific issues. In the last fewmonths, the issue of the rightstandards for cement has beenin the news. While not holdingbrief for any of the parties inthe dispute, any discerningmind in the Nigerian businessarena would see that there is ahand pushing for thestrangulation of some cementmanufacturers. In the days ofsugar and rice importation, itwas the exclusive preserve ofsome few Nigerianbusinessmen who have accessto political power.

Those who were notprivileged to be in the exclusiveclub of rice and sugar

Nigeria needscompetition/anti-trust law

importation were quietly runout of business. The story of howPeak Merchant Bankmanagement imported a shipload of rice into the country andhow the ship and its contentsunder mysterious circumstancesank at the Apapa quay is freshin the minds of those familiarwith the hatred the averageNigerian businessmen has forcompetition.

The Federal Government ofNigeria seems not to beconcerned about this. In anattempt to put the private sectoron the driver’s seat of theeconomy as the engine ofgrowth, the government mustprovide a level playing field forall who want to participate inthe economy. Privatisation ofgovernment enterprisespresupposes that thegovernment is set to take theback seat in business andeconomic matters and restrictitself to regulation.

If that is the case, Nigerianeeds urgently an Anti-trustlaw that will regulate businesspractices in the country.

If there is ConsumerProtection Agency, there mustbe an Anti-trust body that willfrom time to time hear cases ofunfair business practices in thecountry. Competition law is lawthat promotes or seeks tomaintain market competition byregulating anti-competitiveconducts by companies.Competition law is known asAntitrust law in the UnitedStates and Anti-monopoly lawin China and Russia. Inprevious years, it has beenknown as Trade practices lawin the United Kingdom andAustralia. At the moment,Nigeria does not have such lawin place and if any of suchexists, it is just in the statutefor its own sake.

The history of competition lawreaches back to the RomanEmpire. The business practices

of market traders’ guilds andgovernments have alwaysbeen subject to scrutiny, andsometimes severe sanctions.

Since the 20th Century,competition law has becomeglobal. The two largest andmost influential systems ofcompetition regulation areUnited States Antitrust lawand European UnionCompetition law. Nationaland regional competitionauthorities across the worldhave formed internationalsupport and enforcementnetworks.

Modern Competition lawhas historically evolved on acountry level to promote andmaintain fair competition inmarkets principally within theterritorial boundaries of

nation-states. Nationalcompetition law usually doesnot cover activity beyondterritorial borders unless it has

significant effects at nation-state level.

Nigeria needs Competitionor Antitrust law for three mainreasons. Such a law willprohibit agreements orpractices that restrict freetrading and competitionbetween businesses. Thisincludes in particular therepression of free trade causedby cartels as is happening nowin the cement industry. Thelaw should ban abusivebehaviour by a firmdominating a market, or anti-competitive practices that tendto lead to such a dominantposition. Practices controlled

in this way may includepredatory pricing, tying, pricegauging, refusal to deal, andmany others. Competition lawwill spell out terms ofsupervising the mergers andacquisitions of largecorporations, including somejoint ventures. Transactionsthat are considered to threatenthe competitive process can beprohibited altogether, orapproved subject to“remedies” such as anobligation to divest part of themerged business or to offerlicenses or access to facilitiesto enable other businesses tocontinue competing.

Protecting the interests ofconsumers, consumer welfare,and ensuring thatentrepreneurs have anopportunity to compete in themarket economy are oftentreated as importantobjectives. Competition law isclosely connected with law onderegulation of access tomarkets, state aids andsubsidies, the privatisation ofstate-owned assets and theestablishment of independentsector regulators, among othermarket-oriented supply-sidepolicies. In recent decades,competition law has beenviewed as a way to providebetter public services.

Every day in America andEurope, companies are finedheavily for anti competition. Ifit is happening in Europe andother developed countries,why is it not happening here?Government agenciesgenerate extra revenue fromthese fines which run inbillions of dollars. Nigerianeeds the law and the money.

Savannah” are starting to cropup in reference to the techscene, although there is stillhardly any manufacturing ofhardware on the continent.

A handful of companies areassembling low-cost mobilehandsets as more Africans swapbasic phones for Internet-readysmartphones and tablets, butmost hardware is still imported.Internet usage is still patchywith only about one in fiveAfricans having access as manyare constrained by lack ofelectricity, broadband ordevices. One Kenyan start-upis attempting to bridge that gapwith a hardy portable Internetrouter made for hot and dusty

African tech start-ups dream of Silicon SavannahAfrican conditions. Known as theBRCK, the router will cost justunder $200 and charge off carbatteries, solar panels or mains

electricity. Its battery can runfor at least eight hours,essential in a region withfrequent power outages. But

the rugged brick-shapedequipment will be produced inthe United States, not Africa.

“Can we truly add that silicon

name into Silicon Savannah.We don’t have hi-techmanufacturing here yet. But weare starting to,” said JulianaRotich, one of the creators ofBRCK.

The Bank of Ghanareversed some restrictions

on the use of the dollar and euroto boost foreign exchangesupplies after companies said therules made it more difficult toobtain cash. The central bankoverturned a rule that requiresexporters to convert proceeds fromsales abroad to the cedi in fivedays, Benjamin Amoah, head of

Ghana eases foreign-currency rules to boost supplyfinancial stability, told reportersin Accra, the capital.

Foreign companies will beallowed to pay local businessesusing currencies other than thecedi, and exporters can retain60 percent of revenue in foreigndenominated accounts andconvert 40 per cent within 15days, he said. “We’ve seen thatsome economic agents, because

of misapplication of the rules, arehaving problems, and we’restreamlining it,” he said. “Withthe review it is expected thatavailability of foreign currency onthe market will increase.”

The bank had issued orders inFebruary requiring all companiesuse the cedi in local transactionsto prevent the economy frombecoming dependent on foreign

currencies. The bank also limitedthe use of dollars and euros toexporters and importers and setlimits on who can have accountsdenominated in foreigncurrencies. The cedi gained 2.7per cent to 3.035 per dollar as of12:22 p.m. Thursday last weekin Accra, paring losses this yearto 22 percent, the biggest dropamong 24 African currencies.

Every day in America andEurope, companies arefined heavily for anticompetition. If it ishappening in Europe andother developed countries,why is it not happeninghere?

20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Business & Economy

Nigeria ExtractiveI n d u s t r i e sT r a n s p a r e n c y

Initiative, NEITI has signed aMemorandum ofUnderstanding, MoU, with theCivil Society Organisations,CSOs, aimed at ensuringspeedy remediation of itsaudit reports’recommendations before theNational Assembly.

This step is one of thenumerous strategies beingdeployed by the agency toenthrone transparency andaccountability in theextractive sector of theeconomy, particularly, in theoil and gas, which is beforenow entangled in corrupt andother sharp practices.

In his address shortly after

NEITI, CSOs sign MoU to recoverdebts from multinationals

the signing ceremony held inAbuja, the Chairman ofNEITI, Mr. Ledum Miteecharged the civil society toindependently take on thosekey issues of remediation andrecoverable debts identified

by the NIETI audit reports. Mr. Mitee who was

represented by a member ofthe National StakeholdersWorking Group, NSWG, Hon.Bassey Ekefre, added that,“these debts were as a result

of under assessment, under-payment and variancebetween what companiespaid and what governmentreceived in form of royalties,taxes, signature bonuses,levies and sales of equitycrude.”The civil societyaccording to him “can nolonger sit down to watch andallow these recoverablefunds remain in the hands ofthe companies at a time theFederal Government issearching for funds to financethe deficits in the annualbudgets.” The chairman whoexplained that, “the MoU wasdeveloped to furtherbroaden scope of civilsociety’s participation andstrengthen its engagement inthe NEITI process,”, added,“let me state unequivocallythat NEITI’s commitment towork with the civil society isirrevocable.”

“I wish to assure you thatunder the NSWG which Ichair, the relationship willcontinue to be strengthenedin a manner that will notjeopardise the independentof the civil society,” he said.

Benin ElectricityDistribution Plc (BEDC)

has become the firstdistribution company tobenefit from a grant fundingby United States Trade andDevelopment Agency(USTDA).

The grant funding is offeredfor the purpose of TechnicalAssistance (TA) to update and

Power: Benin Disco securesUSTDA grant

modernise the electricitydistribution network forBEDC in Nigeria.

Minister of Power,Professor Chinedu Nebo, hadearlier hinted that the globallenders were beginning toevade investment inNigeria’s power sector due tofears that the electricity tarifforder in operations in Nigeria

could not guarantee goodreturn on investments forthe new owners. Hemaintained that the situationon ground at the powerindustry made efforts tomake the electricity tariffcompetitive necessary. TheBEDC however, overcamethese challenges by securingfunding from USTDA.

A statement issued by thecompany said that its coreinvestor consortium, VigeoPower Limited (VPL), withthe assistance of Citi AssetManagement Limited(CAML), initiated thisprocess in order to ensurethat strategic investmentsinitiatives to be taken byBEDC, will be based onadequate research andplanning.

The signing ceremony waswitnessed by the Minister ofPower, Minister of Trade andCommence, Ambassador toUnited States, DeputyAmbassador to UnitedStates, Director of USTDAand USTDA CountryManager West Africa. TheBEDC team present at thesigning, was led by theExecutive Director AbuEjoor. Others include MajorBhaskhar, the ChiefTechnical Officer, LuckyAyemoto, the Legal Counseland Gbenga Ade Sonuga, theChief Operations Officer,CAML.

BY CHRIS OCHAY I

IFAD toinaugurate newvalue chainprogramme inAugustThe International Fund

for AgriculturalDevelopment (IFAD) will, inAugust, inaugurate the ValueChain DevelopmentProgramme for rice andcassava in some middle beltstates of Nigeria. Ms AtsukoToda, the Country ProgrammeManager, West and CentralAfrica Division ProgrammeManagement Department,made this known in aninterview with the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) inAbuja last week. “We have anew programme called theValue Chain Developmentprogramme in the middle belt,which will be in the states ofNiger, Ogun, Anambara,Ebonyi, Taraba and Benue. Weare looking at the rice andcassava value chains and weare hoping to take smallholderfarmers to a different level ofprofit.”

Toda said that the programme, which would beimplemented over a period ofsix years, was aimed atboosting the economic statusof smallholder farmers in ruralareas.

Why FG is hosting2014 AfricanFashion Reception,by Duke

IN a bid to create freetrade and partnership

among fashion practitionersthroughout the world, Nigeriahas been selected by the WorldFashion Organisation (WFO)to host the 2014 AfricanFashion Reception (AFR).

The Minister of Tourism,Culture and NationalOrientation, Chief Edem Dukedisclosed that the event wouldgenerate not less than 150,000jobs annually for women andyouths in various fashionvocations, using a world classdesigning application.

Duke, who stated this whilereceiving the delegation ofAFR in Abuja, said the eventwill “attract global attention toNigeria’s rich and diversifieddress culture, which can beexplored as a catalyst for thesocioeconomic growth of theworld textile industry.”

Duke maintained thatfashion industry is one of thestrongest tools to fight poverty,and if well promoted it wouldhelp in bringing the muchdesired peace and stability inthe country.

PROMO: From Left: Segun Akpata, James Maxwell, winners of Star Trip To Brazil tickets, VictorFamuyibo, Human Resources Director, Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, both of NigerianBreweries Plc., Steph Nora Mba, another winner, Tokunbo Adodo, Marketing Manager, Star,Goldeberg and Exports and Timothy Victor, also a winner, at the farewell media parley of thewinners of the Star Trip To Brazil consumer promo, held at the Lagos Bar, Nigerian Breweries Plc inLagos

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

Nigeria and Cameroun has signed pact with Cameroun on product

standardisation between the two countries inorder to combat the import of substandardproducts into the two countries.

The duo signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding! MoU in Abuja on Tuesday toalso boosting trade and investment relationsbetween them.

Director General of the StandardsOrganisation of Nigeria, SON, Dr. Joseph IkemOdumodu signed the agreement on behalf ofNigeria while his Standard and QualityAgency of Cameroun, ANOR counterpart, Mr.Charles Booto endorsed it for his country atan event held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Odumodu, who is also the president ofAfrican Organisation for Standardisation,ARSO, explained that the MoU was meant “tofoster a closer working relationship that wouldbring the two countries together usingstandards”.

According to him, the agreement would helpimprove both countries’ economies byremoving all technical barriers to trade and

Nigeria partners Cameroun on products standardisationalso enhance trade volumes between them.

“Today is indeed marking a turning pointfor our business men who seek and desireremoval of hindrances to free flow of goodsand services.

“Beyond signing this MoU, a faithfulimplementation of all aspects containedtherein is expected to benefit our countriesin fostering regional integration usingstandards”, he stressed.

The director general, who said cordialrelationships exist between the twocountries contrary to negative reports in themedia, disclosed that over 8millionNigerians presently live in Cameroun andstressed the need for both countries toharmonise quality standards issued bytheir standards bodies in accordance tointernational and regional specifications soas to remove technical barriers to trade.

Odumodu added that his focus as theARSO president is to ensure the integrationof Africa regional economies through thecommon language of standardization,adding that this is expected to be ratifiedduring the forthcoming general assemblyof the organization in Kigali.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 21

Business & Economy

From left: Minister Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala with German Minister of Economy and Planning, Mr Gerd Muelleraddressing at a meeting to discuss $200 million support for the new DFID inAbuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamkan

German Agency for InternationalCorporation, GIZ has earmarked 20

million Euro to boost Nigeria’s Micro, Smalland Medium-Size Enterprises, MSMEsf forthe next three years. GIZ Country Director,Mr. Thomas Kirsch made this known lastweek while announcing the second phaseof the Pro-poor Growth and Promotion ofEmployment in Nigeria programme,SEDIN, in Abuja.

Kirsch said the funds, allocated by theGerman Ministry for EconomicDevelopment and Cooperation, BMZ for athree extension until March 2017, would beparticularly spent on agricultural sector andother value chains like housing and energy,among others.

He said that the programme, which wouldalso cover vocational training in differenttrades, will work at the federal, states andlocal levels, especially in Niger, Ogun andPlateau States.

The director recalled that GIZ had beensupporting Nigeria in its businessenvironment reforms through funding ofSEDIN in the past 10 years with the aim ofincreasing income and employment withMSMEs through financial sector reform,value chain development and economicintegration.

Also speaking, the Head of SEDINProgramme, Mr. Christian Widmann saidSEDIN would continue to partner withvarious public and private sectorstakeholders at all levels of government inorder to increase its focus on addressing theneeds of MSMEs.

Germany boosts entrepreneurshipin Nigeria with N4.2bn

exports into ECOWAS sub-region, among others.He further stressed that the value chain

promotion would help to diversify the economyand enable the programme to ascertain the effectsof the reforms promoted in all four units anddesign reforms in line with value chains-specificto target group needs.

According to him, the programme adopts anintegral capacity development approach andinterfaces with the public and private sector as

well as with the real and thefinancial sector.

In his remarks, president ofNigerian Association of Smalland Medium Entrepreneurs,NASME, Alhaji Ibrahim GarbaGusau advised operators in theprivate sector to consider thesector as the main engine forthe nation’s economic growth.

While underscoring theimportance of the sector as themajor facilitator of ForeignDirect Investment, FDI, heurged the federal governmentto give more priority attentionto its development foradditional jobs creation in thecountry.

Widmann said this would bedone in four areas of theprogramme interventions likesupporting financial systemdevelopment, improvedenabling businessenvironment, trade policy andfacilitation; and value chainpromotion.

He listed objectives of theprogramme as sustainableeconomic development;renewable energy and energyefficiency; sustainable cocoabusiness; competitive Africanrice initiative, and support ofeconomic integration intoECOWAS.

He explained that thefinancial system developmentunit of the programme’sapproach would improve theregulatory environment formicrofinance, and activities tofoster financial literacy andconsumer protection in thefinancial sector.

Widmann added that thebusiness enablingenvironment reforms wouldenhance the regulatory andinstitutional environment forMSMEs at local, state andfederal levels while trade andfacilitation would reduceadministrative hurdles todomestic and intra-regionaltrade by removing physicalbarriers and supporting bordermanagement reforms as wellas promoting Nigerian

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJABUREAU CHIEF

The federal government is sourcing a$200 million facility from Germany

for the establishment of the NigeriaDevelopment bank.

The Coordinating Minister for theEconomy and Minister of Finance, Dr.Ngozi okonjo-Iweala who met with aGerman business delegation, in Abuja, lastweek, described it as “a soft loan” whichwould enable the country build a veritable development finance institution cable ofproviding low-interest, long-term credit withwhich to build the nation’s industrial sector.

“I am particularly delighted that oneproject in which we are working with theGermans is the project of the DevelopmentBank of Nigeria. We need to build a bankthat can provide funds for theindustrialization of the nation. We need abank that can give long-term loans at anaffordable rate. That was how theindustrialized nations did it and that is whatwe want to do”, she said.

According to the minister, in spite of theimpressive macro-economic performance inrecent years, the nation still faced thechallenges of job creation and a growinginequality – the widening gap between therich and the poor.

FG sources $200m for NigeriaDevelopment Bank…as Safe Schools Initiative takes off

Her words: “On per capital basis, Nigeriastill remains a low middle-income country,with per capita of $2,668 that makes us alow middle-income country. It is true thatwe are the largest economy in Africa, wehave been growing at an average rate of 7per cent per year for almost a decade now.

“So, it has been a very consistentperformance, and I think we have done itbecause we have carried out several reformsand we have also maintained a very stablemacro economy. This growth rate takes intoaccount the fact that we have someturbulence in the North East, so it hasalready been factored in.

“Debt to GDP ratio is about 11 percent andI am sure many countries will like this kindof ratio. Our fiscal deficit is low. Underthe old GDP numbers, it was 1.8 per cent,but now, under the new rebasing, it is about1 per cent.

“Inflation is down to a single digit of 8 percent- we brought it down from 12 per cent; our current account is in surplus; ourreserves are relatively strong -about fivemonths of import. I think on the macroeconomic side, we have fared very well. People know that we have been growingwell; we have two challenges, the challengesof jobs, just like everywhere in the world.In Nigeria, we have a job problem."

Farmers applyfor N1 bn agricloan in Enugu

No fewer than 9,000farmers in Enugu

State have applied for thestate government’s onebillion naira agricultural loan facility. The Chairman,All Farmers Association ofNigeria (AFAN), ChiefAlfred Eneh, made thedisclosure in an interviewwith the News Agency ofNigeria (NAN) in Enugu.Eneh said the farmers hadbeen registered by AFAN forthe exercise, stressing thatfarmers were waiting for theloan, which they had longexpected. “The informationis that the money is now inthe state and we areinstructed to fill our forms forthe disbursement. Duringthe last registration offarmers in the state, weregistered 9,939 and that isnot to say this is the overallnumber we have in the state.

“There are farmers thathave not shown interest toidentify with us and we areencouraging them to makethemselves available in orderto benefit from thisgovernment largesse,” hesaid. Eneh appealed to thestate government to ensurethat the loan was disbursedto genuine farmers in thestate.

Kwara to licensetimber operators

The Commissioner forEnvironment and

Forestry in Kwara, AlhajiUsman Mora said the stategovernment would sooncommence issuance oflicence to all timberoperators in the state. Moramade the disclosure at ameeting held with theexecutive members of theTimber Chainsaw MillerAssociation in Ilorin. Headvised timber operators toprocure the newly designedregistration form for thecollection of licence in theministry.

The commissioner said theform contained detailedinformation about individualtimber operators whichwould ensure propermonitoring and supervisionof forestry activities in thestate. Mora said that theassociation would be dulyinformed about the tariff forforestry activities when dueprocesses had beencompleted.

He warned members of theassociation to desist from any

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Banking & Finance

AGREEMENT: From left: Marcel Hotchet, Country President, Schneider Electric.Ambassador Goodnews Igali, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Power. Engr Reuben Okeke,Director General, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) during the signingceremony of the MoU agreement between Schneider Electric and NAPTIN in Abuja.

Nigeria DepositI n s u r a n c eCorporation has

proposed to insure thedeposit of customers ofmobile money operators toa maximum of N100,000.

This was the highlight ofa new deposit insurancescheme for customers ofmobile money operatorsunveiled last week duringa roundtable on mobilepayment servicesorganised by theCorporation.

In his opening remarks atthe roundtable, ManagingDirector/Chief Executive,NDIC, Alhaji UmaruIbrahim, said, “The NDICis considering extendingdeposit insurance coverageto mobile bankingsubscribers, with eachsubscriber guaranteed upto the sum of N200,000 orN500,000 (as applicable toMFB/PMBs and DMBs,respectively) in the event ofa bank failure.Alternatively, if a bank fails,then the insured mobileaccount can be transferredto another sound bank.This is to further engenderpublic confidence in thesystem thereby promotingfinancial stability. TheNDIC framework forextending depositinsurance to individualcustomers of mobilepayment services is being

Mobile Money: NDIC proposesN100,000 maximum insureddeposit for customers

By BABAJIDEKOMOLAFE

finalized”.It will be recalled that the

Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) in 2012 licensed elevenmobile payment operators(MPO). It subsequentlylicensed additional elevenMPOs bringing the totalnumber to twenty two.

Zacceaus Anate, Director,Insurance and Survellancedepartment, NDIC, howevernoted that under the presentframework for money paymentservices, MPS in Nigeria,

there is no deposit insurancecover for individual customersof MPOs. He said that underthe present framework, whatis insured is the account of theMPO with banks. “The MPO’sPool Account is domiciled inthe Deposit Money Banks.The Pool Accounts Fund iscovered as one depositaccount in the name of theMPO with the maximuminsured sum of N500,000 inthe DMB and N200,000 inMFB/PMB.

The disdvantages of this isthat: The customers of themobile payment scheme willnot be covered individually;Insurance coverage would begrossly inadequate; thecustomers are thereforeexposed to risk of loss; It willgrossly undermine publicconfidence and success of themobile payment scheme.

Hence the Corporation isproposing a Pass-ThroughInsurance (PTI), whereby theMPO Pool Accounts would notjust be regarded as SingleAccounts, but that the benefitsof the Deposit Insurance willbe enjoyed by the individualsubscribers/customers of theMPO Pool Account.

The advantages, according toAnate is that: Each customer ofthe Mobile Payment Scheme asa subscriber to the MPOAccount will be covered to acertain limit; PTI willencourage the MPS andenhance financial inclusion;PTI will further engenderpublic confidence in thefinancial system therebypromoting financial stability.

He said, the NDIC thereforerecommends: Adoption of PTIto cover mobile paymentsubscribers to help fulfil theDIS public policy objective ofengendering confidence in thebanking system.Consequently, the extension ofthe Deposit Insurance to themobile payment subscribers,with each subscriberguaranteed in the sum ofN100,000 in the event of a bankfailure. The Corporation cantherefore transit from two tothree levels of N500,000 forDMB, N200,000 for MFB/PMBs and N100,000 forsubscribers of the MobilePayment Scheme.

Sterling Bank Plc, in collaboration withBINCOM ICT has introduced the

‘Social Lender Scheme.’ Speaking at thelaunch of the product in Lagos, Head, SocialMedia, Sterling Bank, Mr. Kelvin Steve-Igbodo, said the platform, the first in Nigeria,is a modified peer-to-peer lending solutionusing social media to offer micro-credit.

The scheme, according to him, provides aplatform for online fans, followers who arecustomers of Sterling Bank to obtain micro-credit loan via social media channels startingwith facebook and twitter. “This applicationwill integrate with existing financialstructures of the bank such that users of theonline platform can access small loans bynormal methods of withdrawing cash withoutcollateral. These funds are easy to access andare delivered via a convenient platform,” heexplained.

Commenting on how the service works, hesaid Sterling Bank customers who are friendsof the bank on facebook or twitter can applyfor micro-credit by visiting the Social Lendersite. According to him, users who requestfor the loans on the social lender platformare rated by the algorithm that calculatestheir social reputation using various criteria.

Sterling Bank introduces Social Lending Scheme“Based on this, the loan is either granted or

rejected by the back-end social credit officer.Most importantly, the applicant must have anaccount with the bank. “At Sterling Bank werealise that one of the basic functions of a bankis to provide loan access for its customers,but we have also observed that theinconvenience of the processes oftendissuades potential customers from applyingfor loans. “With the emergence of socialbanking on our various online platforms, theneed to issue loans online has becomerelevant and this is why Sterling Bank hastaken the initiative to develop a service thatwould make it easy for those who are activeonline to access micro credit.

“Sterling Bank as a responsible financialinstitution cannot overlook the importance ofsocial media in today’s society as it continuesto play a unique role in the lives of people ona daily basis. Social Lender can be accessedfrom www.sterlingbankng.com/sociallender,”he added. On his part, the Deputy GroupHead (Programmes), Bincom, Mr. BadeAdesemowo, explained that both institutionsare working towards putting in place a processto be able to manage loan default as part ofthe system.

ICC NIGERIA holdsAGM, inducts newmembers

The InternationalChamber of Commerce

Nigeria (ICCN) will this weekhold its Annual GeneralMeeting and the inductionceremony for new members.

According to a statementsigned by the SecretaryGeneral, ICC Nigeria, Mrs.Olubunmi Osuntuyi, the ICCNAnnual General Meeting isbeing sponsored by First Bankof Nigeria Limited.

She further ascertained thatthe traditional Post AGM Talkwill be delivered by two highranking governmentfunctionaries, Alhaji IbrahimDikko Addullahi, OFRComptroller General, NigeriaCustoms Services (NCS) andMr. Oscar Onyema, DirectorGeneral/CEO, Nigerian StockExchange.

The former will speak on theworkings of the Pre-ArrivalAssessment Reports (PAAR)while the latter will dwell onthe Impact of The NigerianStock Exchange on EconomicSustainability. It is an annualevent that provides anexcellent opportunity formembers to network andpromote trade and investmentin the country.

The Chief Host, Mr.Babatunde Savage, Chairmanof ICC Nigeria and other Boardmembers, will formallywelcome all the new membersfrom last AGM into theChamber.

Nineteen Vervecardholders have

emerged winners in the Verve‘Breeze to Brazil’ promotionlaunched in February.

The reward exercise run forthree months by VerveInternational, an indigenouspayment card brand inpartnership with 13commercial and two micro-finance banks.

The lucky winners emergedafter a draw conductedamong Verve card users. Theyused Verve channelsincluding buying movietickets at Quickteller.com,PoS, Online payments andATM transactions. They willspend seven days in Braziland attend two matches at thetournament, including theopening game for the SuperEagles of Nigeria.

Winners emerge inVerve ‘Breeze toBrazil’ promo

By WILLIAM JIMOH

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 23

Banking & Finance

COURTESY VISIT: From left: CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, NDIC MD/CEO,Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim and Hon (Mrs.) Lola Abiola Edewor, (Executive Director, CorporateServices, NDIC), when senior management of NDIC paid a courtesy call on the CBNGovernor.

Institute of CharteredAccountants of Nigeria(ICAN) said it would set

up a Fund to encourageWhistle-blowing on corruptpractices.

This was disclosed by thePresident of the Institute, Mr.Chidi Ajaegbu in hisinaugural address deliveredduring his investiture as the50th and Golden JubileePresident of the Institute.

Ajaegbu said that under hisleadership, ICAN will pursuepublic interest and policyadvocacy. He said amongother things, ICAN willencourage ‘whistle-blowing’by setting up a Fund.

Promising to defend theideals of the Institute,Ajaegbu said, “In line withour public interest mandate,we will continue to providethought leadership onbusiness, finance andeconomic issues to enhancethe leading edge of theChartered Accountant. Aspart of its increased strategicadvocacy role, the Institutewill partner with and supportthe government in its questto build a progressive andcaring society by contributingto public policy discourse. Inother words, we will play

ICAN plans fund to promote‘whistle-blowing’Stories byBABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

leadership role in influencingpublic policy, standards andregulations in the publicinterest. As the conscience ofthe nation, our Institute willbe at the forefront of thecrusade to curb sharppractices in the society, bypromoting compliance toglobal best practices andproactively raising the bar ofaccountability andtransparency in governance.We will continue to providetechnical support togovernment to ensure that theon-going transition toInternational Public SectorAccounting Standards, as the

new financial reportingframework, is pursued to itslogical conclusion andsensitise the public andprivate sectors about theirreversible match towardsaccrual accounting (IPSAS)and IFRS respectively.”

Ajaegbu also promised thathis leadership will worktowards raising the quality offinancial reporting in thecountry. He said, “TheCouncil, in line with itsstatutory mandate, willprovide support to small andmedium practitioners (SMPs)by encouraging joint audits,alliances as well as

strengthen, its on-goingPractice MonitoringInitiatives. Similarly, wewill sanction anyinfraction without fear orfavour in line with ourenabling Act. Our goal ofenhancing and sustainingthe confidence ofstakeholders in ourattestation obligation isnon- negotiable. Indeed,the driving philosophy forthis year shall be theconscientious defence ofthe public interestessentially a strongadvocacy disposition.”

Deputy Governor, FinancialSurveillance, Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Adebayo Adelabuhas said that sanctions alone cannotdeter fraudulent activities in thefinancial sector. Adelabu said this in akeynote address delivered at the 2014Compliance Conference organised bythe Committee of Chief ComplianceOfficers of Banks in Nigeria(CCCOBIN).

He said, “Having a sanction regimealone is not sufficient to ensurecompliance, if no attention is paid tosupervision and monitoring. Thus, therisk of none or less compliance willdo more harm to the system.”

Quoting the 2013 Global Fraudreport, Adedibu noted that fraud hascontinued to rise in Africa, especiallyin Nigeria. He said that one of thefactors responsible for this is thecollusion of officials of financialinstitutions with fraudsters.

Adedibu said, ”While the crimes offraud and corruption are internationalin coverage, their incidence hasbecome predominant in third world

Sanctions alone can't deter fraudulentactivities — CBN Dep Gov

countries, including Nigeria as a resultof perverse incentives. In manyjurisdictions, fraud and corruption arecommitted by those entrusted withpositions or public funds, who overridecontrols to perpetrate the crimes. Inorder to overcome this challenge,financial institutions are required tokeep close check on transactionsinvolving high risk customers such asPolitically Exposed Persons (PEPs) andFinancially Exposed Persons (FEPs).However, these criminals often colludewith officers of legitimate organizationsand financial institutions to perpetratethe crimes. The proceeds realizedcould be used in funding activities thatare dangerous and injurious to society. It is because of these negativeand adverse consequences of thesecrimes amongst others, that regulatorybodies, domestic and international,have set up standards and regulationsto curb the menace.”

This development, he said is achallenge to compliance with laws andregulations to curb the incidence offraud. He said, “There is no doubt that

in Nigeria, we have adequate legal andregulatory measures that cover areassuch as Know Your Customer (KYC),Customer Due Diligence (CDD) andEnhanced Customer Due Diligence(EDD). The application of these keyKYC provisions is meant to revealillegitimate sources of funds and triggerenquiry/investigation by relevantstakeholders. However, it should benoted that no matter how good our lawsare, they will be ineffective, if they arenot enforced or complied with. Like inmany developing countries,compliance has been a majorregulatory challenge.

“There is no gainsaying that,institutions and countries face seriouschallenges in their efforts to instituteand maintain effective and efficientcompliance functions in their businessoperations. It has been noted thatcompliance is hampered by a numberof factors, including: inadequate legalstructures, absence of institutionalstructures, absence or lack of willpower to enforce standards orregulations.

NDIC, CBN tostrengthencollaboration

The Nigeria DepositInsurance Corporation

(NDIC) has reiterated itscommitment to strengthen itscollaboration with the CentralBank of Nigeria (CBN) towardsensuring safe, sound and stablefinancial system in the country.The Managing Director/ChiefExecutive of NDIC, AlhajiUmaru Ibrahim said this whenhe led the Senior Managementof the Corporation to pay acourtesy call on the new CBNGovernor, Mr Godwin Emefiele.He congratulated the Governoron his well deservedappointment and expressedconfidence in his ability tocontinue to transform thenation’s financial system.

Ibrahim observed that over theyears, the two institutions hadplayed complimentary roles inthe banking supervision,particularly in the aftermath of2008 banking crisis and theemergence of the BridgeBanking which was a novelinitiative in Africa.

The NDIC boss pointed out theneed for both institutions tocontinue to work more closely toensure the vibrancy of thenation’s banking sector.

Ecobank launches“Go Team Africa”campaign

Ecobank Group haslaunched a new multi

media campaign “Go TeamAfrica” in support of Africanteams participating in the 2014World Cup. The campaignencompasses televisioncommercial, press and radioadvertisement amongstothers,and expresses theEcobank’s mode of sharing pan-African passion.

Ecobank is the officialbroadcast sponsor of OptimaSports’ coverage of 2014 FIFAWorld Cup in Nigeria andofficial broadcast sponsor ofOctagon in the rest of Africa.

The Head, Marketing &Communication of EcobankNigeria Adetola Oshomah said“the launch of this campaign isin line with our pan Africanvision. We are again showingour commitment to the Africancontinent and we are highlyoptimistic that the teamsrepresenting Africa will do thecontinent proud in Brazil”.

According to Mrs. Oshomahevery arrangement is in place toensure maximum support for theparticipating African teams inthe tournament, stating that apartfrom the campaign, the bank isalso sponsoring some customersin an all-expense paid trip toBrazil to lend their support to the

24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Corporate Finance

Stories byNKIRUKA NNOROM

U.S. stocks dropafter retail sales,jobless claimsdataU.S. stocks retreated, with

the Standard & Poor’s500 Index falling a third day,after data showed a rise injobless claims and a smaller-than-estimated gain in retailsales.

The S&P 500 (SPX) fell 0.1percent to 1,942. The DowJones Industrial Average slid10.08 points, or 0.1 percent, to16,833.80.

“People are looking for areason to sell stock right now,”Dan McMahon, director ofinstitutional equity trading atRaymond James andAssociates, said in a phoneinterview. “The numbers werea little disappointing. You can’tmake new highs everyday.”

The S&P 500 lost 0.4 percentWednesday and the Dowaverage halted a five-day rallyas the World Bank cut itsforecast for global growth andinvestors weighed equityvaluations. The broader indextrades at 16.4 times forecastearnings, up from a multiple of14.8 at the beginning ofFebruary. The gauge had closedat a record for four straightsessions through June 10.

BRIEFING: From left: Executive Director, AIICO Insurance, Mr. Jide Orimolade;DeputyChairman, Nigerian Insurance Association (NIA)/MD/CEO, Linkage Assurance Plc, Mr. GusWiggle; Chairman/Chief Executive, Brickred Consult Limited/Senatorial Aspirant, Owerri Zone,Dr. Dan Okehi, and MD/CEO, Mansard Insurance, Mrs. Yetunde ILori, during Dan Okehi’sbriefing of CEOs of insurance industry on his Senatorial Ambition in Lagos.

Portland Paints back toprofitability, grows PAT by 148%

Portland Paints andProducts NigeriaPlc (PPPNP)

returned to profitability asit recorded 148 percent inprofit after tax for itsfinancial year endedDecember 31, 2013.

Specifically, thecompany's post tax profitgrew to N107.5 millionfrom a loss of N222.7million in 2012.

Operational Profit alsogrew from a loss positionof N130.8 million in 2012to N224.4 million in 2013.

Addressing members ofthe company at the AnnualGeneral Meeting, AGM,in Lagos, the Chairman,Mr. Larry Ettah, attributedthe turnaround in thefortune of the business tos u c c e s s f u limplementation ofinnovative and proactivepolicies during the year.

“The Nigerian economyfaced enormous socio-economic challenges in2013; however, as shownin this report, yourcompany was able tosuccessfully weather thestorm and post animpressive result,” hestated.

He expressed optimismon the prospect of the

company’s business goingforward, saying that thebenefits of investments madein the previous year areexpected to begin to trickle inthe current year

“For our company, we arepoised to reap the benefits of

the current investments in thebusiness. The company willcontinue to implement itsstrategies for theenhancement of its servicedelivery through therestructuring of its operationsand, in particular, the route

to the market and focus onareas of its corecompetencies, enforcement ofprocedures and processes intandem with the group’spolicies.

“These initiatives have re-positioned our company forsustainable growth andimproved performance in2014 and in the years ahead,”he added.

He noted that the companyhas continued to implementstrategies for enhancing thequality of the service deliverythrough restructuring of itsoperations, increasedinvestment in technology,infrastructure andenforcement of proceduresand manpower development.

He noted that as the countrymoved closer to theforthcoming elections in2015, it was imperative forpolitical representatives andpolicy makers to ensure thattheir activities impactedpositively on the businessenvironment.

Commenting on theeconomy, he said: “Althoughmost analysts expect foreignreserves to declinemarginally, due to CBN’sstrategy of using the externalreserve to stabilise the Nairaand the likelihood of modestcurrency depreciation, we areoptimistic of the growthprospect of the economy inthe medium term due to thelikelihood of continuedsustenance of the FederalGovernment’s reforms in thepower, transportation andagriculture sectors of theeconomy.”

Fidelity Bank Plc has been awardedUS Dollar STP Excellence Award 2013

by Deutsche Bank for the fourth consecutiveyear. The Straight Through Processing(STP) or Error-free award is given byDeutsche Bank annually to banks with highvolumes of foreign currency transaction, butyet with little or no error.

The awards are granted only toinstitutional and corporate clients whichDeutsche Bank cooperates with at aninternational level that have achieved aspecific level of operating excellence in thearea of payments in US Dollars and Euroand it is given for highest level of efficiency.

On a global level, the average STP ratiois about 89-90 percent, which means that atevery 100 payments, 89-90 are accordingto all the standards.

Fidelity Bank achieved 98.8 percent STPrate to rank second out of three Nigerianbanks that were presented with the awardthis year. It had recorded 97.9 percent STPratio in 2012 to also emerge one of the toptwo Nigerian banks to bag the award.

Speaking at the award presentation dinnerin Lagos, Mr. Charles Weller, CountryHead, Deutsche Bank, Lagos, said the bankpossesses extremely high benchmark for itsSTP rates, adding that the award is givento its partner banks that are highlysuccessful in the performance of theirservices department. Mrs. Adeola Azeez,Deputy Country Head, Deutsche Bank AG,

Fidelity Bank wins Deutsche Bank’s STPExcellence award

Lagos, said the award was instituted 10years ago to recognise banks that implementcommercial payment without recourse tomanual operations.

She said the bank had adhered to bestglobal practices to have won the award.

Receiving the award on behalf of the bank,Mrs. Chijioke Ugochukwu, ExecutiveDirector, Shared Services, Fidelity Bank,said the award means a lot to Fidelity Bankto be adjudged one of the top three in afield that is as competitive as commercialpayment, adding that the bank has alwaysbeen strong in commercial payment.

“Clearly, though we are one of the topthree, the standard has continued to riseand we know what we did to get this far –massive improvement in training of ourstaff, welfare of our staff, upgrading of ourtechnology, provision of infrastructure, andconducive work environment. We are goingto go back to the drawing board to ensurethat we do not fall back,” she said.

Also speaking, Maxwell Izuogbe, Head,Operations, Fidelity Bank, said, “From whatyou have seen today, clearly we havedemonstrated that we have the capacity tosatisfy our customers because the award isall about excellence.

“Most importantly, we were the first to winthis award in Nigeria in 2010 and thatmaiden award showed that Fidelity was thefirst bank to win the award in Nigeria andWest Africa and second in Africa.”

Emerging stocksdecline, S-Africa'sRand weakens

Emerging-market stocksretreated for a third day

as South Korean buildersdeclined with Indian equitiesand concern mounted thatviolence in Iraq will drivecrude prices higher.

Indian Oil Corp., thenation’s largest state-runrefiner, slumped the most in 11months. Hanwha Corp.(000880) and DaewooEngineering & ConstructionCo. each tumbled 4.5 percenton speculation their projects inIraq will be delayed. Iron-oreproducer Vale SA led Brazil’sIbovespa lower as prices for theraw material sank. The randlost 0.1 percent after FitchRatings revised South Africa’scredit-rating outlook tonegative. Iraqi bonds were setfor their worst week in a year.

The MSCI EmergingMarkets Index retreated 0.4percent to 1,050.22, trimminglast week’s gain to 0.5 percent.West Texas Intermediate andBrent crudes headed for thebiggest weekly gains this yearas escalating violence in Iraqthreatened supplies fromOPEC’s second-largestproducer.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 25

26 —Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 27

Micro-Finance

The Institute ofChartered Accountantsof Nigeria, ICAN, haslaunched its newlyreviewed ProfessionalExaminations Syllabus.

The new Syllabusconsists of sixteensubjects structured intothree levels as follows:Foundation Level fivesubjects; Skills level sixsubjects andProfessional Level fivesubjects, said Presidentof ICAN, Alhaji KabirMohammed, addingthat traditionally, itreviews the syllabusevery five years inappreciation of theprofundity of changesoccurring in thebusiness environmentand the need to align itstraining processes withthe developments bothin the local andinternational economies.

Mohammed said thatthe initiative to reviewthe outgoing syllabuslaunched in 2010, barelytwo years into its use,started when it receiveda World Bank grant inthe sum of $499,030 in2012 to finance itscapacity building

United Bank forAfrica, (UBA)

Plc has unveiled Next-Gen, a product targetedat future generation ofcustomers with a view toinculcating savingsculture.

“Next-Gen” is a suit ofpersonal currentaccounts designed tomeet the needs of youngperson’s from teenageyears at 13 to adulthoodat 34 and a partnershipwhere the bank is takingon a mentorship role ofguiding into a futurelife.

Speaking during thelaunch of Next-Gen,Managing Director,UBA, Mr. PhillipsOduoza, said that theproduct is aboutcapturing and engagingthe next generation ofeducated ande n l i g h t e n e dp r o f e s s i o n a l s ,e m p l o y e e s ,entrepreneurs and selfemployed persons, earlyin their financial lifecycle.

Oduoza, representedby his ExecutiveDirector, Treasury andInternational Banking,Mr. Femi Olaloku, said,“With an establishedtrack record ofsupporting individuals,businesses, institutionsand governments, westrongly feel the time isripe to build anothergeneration of highlysuccessful people in aworld that is changingfast and where youngpeople are themajority. Africa’spopulation ispredominantly full ofyoung people with anestimated 70 percent ofthe population under 30.The young people oftoday have needs thatare totally different fromthe needs of theirparents.

“Despite the challengewe have in our countrytoday, the future of ourcountry is dear for usand for those who willlead this country intothe next generation tounderstand and pick upcertain values at anearly age, especiallywhen it comes tomanaging and handlingmoney.

“And the product willtake care of the needs ofteenage customers

STORIES BYPROVIDENCEOBUH

UBA targets future generationcustomers with new account

when they are insecondary schoolthrough university towhen they get their firstjob, start a family andeven consider buildingtheir first house. At eachof these critical stagesin their lives, theaccount providesfinancial options andopportunities to makelife more comfortable forthem and their family,”he said.

On his part, Head,Current Accounts andCredit Products, UBA,Mr. Iyke Idukpaye, saidthat the teenagers who

open a next-gen accountwill become part of the“UBA Teen Fan Club,”which offersopportunities fornetworking.

Idukpaye explainedthat as teenagers withthe account grows andgain admission intotertiary institutions,they will enjoym e n t o r s h i p ,internships, exclusiveinvitations to job andcareer fairs as well ase n t r e p r e n e u r s h i pworkshops and careeradvisory reserved onlyfor account holders.

NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women(NNEW), is set to explore ways in which

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can benefitfrom Federal Government’s AgriculturalTransformation Agenda.

This will be made possible as its annual conferenceholding on Wednesday, June 18, 2014, at NECAHouse, Alausa, with the theme: “Agriculture: ThePivot for Economic Development in Nigeria”.

Publicity Secretary, NNEW, Mrs. EdobongAkpabio, said that the conference will bridge thegap between potential and key stakeholders in theagriculture sector so as to enable SMEs tap into thesustainability of the nation’s prosperity throughagriculture.

NNEW to explore ways SMEscan benefit from agriculture

ICAN launches professionalexaminations syllabus

initiatives andreposition it as theleading professionalaccountancy body in theAfrican region.

He said that the grantwhich was implementedthrough a twinningarrangement with theinstitute of CharteredAccountants in Englandand Wales (ICAEW) wasaimed at enhancing thecapacity of the institutein three core areas:Governance andCapacity, ProfessionalQualification, AuditQuality and Regulation.

He explained thatexaminations under thenew syllabus which willcommence in November2014 will be conductedin three days as againstthe current two days,also that mechanismshave been put in placeto ensure a smoothtransition from the old tothe new syllabus.“These mechanisms willbe reinforced bycapacity buildingsessions for teachers ofaccounting in tertiaryinstitutions, tuitionproviders and other keyofficials involved in theexamination processes,”he said.

28 —Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Interview

Mr Kunle Elebute is Partner & Head ofAdvisory Services, KPMG Nigeria. He spoke

to Vanguard in an interview in Abuja. Elebute,supported by Mr Josphat Mwaura, Senior Partnerand Chief Executive Officer, East Africa Region,during the interview, talked extensively on thechallenges of Public Private Partnership, PPP in Africaand why the continent is not yet effectivelymaximising the gains of PPP.

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

How can Public Private Partnership be an effectivevehicle for inclusive growth in Africa?

Let me start by putting this in perspective; whenyou look at the needs of the continent in terms of theinfrastructure that we need for growth, whether youlook at electricity, roads, railway, or airports, theseare significant to the continent. The entire continenthas what I call a significant development deficit andwhen you look at the resources available to thegovernment, the government has no capacity to meetthose needs and if we were to look to the governmentto meet those needs, then we will not be able to bringthe bulk of the population in the economic net andthat is where PPP comes in.

Also, if you think about it traditionally, all those werejust exclusive priority of the government to invest inroads, rails, airports and over the years, thegovernment has not invested enough in those sectorsand even in the areas the government has invested,they haven’t had the cash to maintain them to thequality and standard required for growth. ManyAfrican countries have roads but the roads are not upto standard, they have electricity but it needs to bemaintained properly.

So again, PPP can help to ensure that if you useprivate capital to invest in these areas, they can bemore efficient in the government, they can actuallyrun and maintain them properly such that the deficitthat we described will not continue to grow. So wewant to close the deficit but to use also private capital

KPMG: PPP model has mixed resthe continent

and expertise to build, maintain andrun the infrastructure properly andsustain it.

The best example to give in thisarea is in the telecom space; how

private capital, partnering with thegovernment can unlock growth for themajority of people. When you lookhistorically, telecoms are provided bystate corporations and parastatals butunder those regimes, the access totelephony was very limited and thenwe had the period of privatizationwhere we brought in private operatorsand introduced mobile telephones.Now, Africa has transformed fromlimited 20 million access to over 700million having access to mobilephones and then you can see how thattransformed the lives of every singleperson. So that is just one example ofhow investments can transform livesand bring a lot of people into theeconomic bank.

The continent is yet to fully accessPPP, why do you think that is so?

The PPP model has had what I willcall mixed result within the continent.In some places, we have what will beconsidered state assets and some ofthese countries were hesitant to let goof the assets and we neededconvinction to demonstrate that it isnot so much about ownership that isimportant, it is access and service thatare important, that it didn’t matter whoowned the telecom service provider.

What is more important is the accessto the service and the quality of theservice that is being provided. So thatis one of the issues. The second issueis that PPP framework depending onwhich one you are implementing, can

,

,

be complex and that complexityrequires skills and in some cases, wehave not invested in the skills that arenecessary to set up the appropriateframework for facilitating PPPs. So insome of the cases, we have burnt ourfingers and as a result of burning ourfingers, some governments have beenhesitant to go on with some of thesetransactions.

Apart from skills, one of the keyelements and requirements for

PPP is financing because as we saidbefore, instead of government buildingroads or hospitals, you are nowtransferring that responsibility to theprivate sector. Private capital nowneeds to fund building the hospitalsor building the roads and these arelong-term assets and investments. Sothe nature of the financial market inAfrica is such that most countries haveshort-term money; funding that cannotdo one to two years type of investmentbut if you want to do PPP properly,you need funding mechanism that canprovide funding for 10, 15 to 20 years.These are assets that will last over along period of time and if you makefinancial market deep enough forinvestors to access and be able to raise

the needed monies for PPPs and evenif the government says we want to doPPPs but you have not raised the sectorin a way that we can raise the capital,then clearly it is not going to happenand even when capital is availableinternationally, if you take foreign

currency financing for a PPP venture, whichthe local user is going to pay you in localcurrency, there is a currency risk.

So these are amongst the challenges andlet’s be frank, they are using more capacityon the ground in Africa so even if you sayyou want to build a standard road, whereare the companies that will build thoseroads? They are mainly American orEuropean companies or South Americancompanies that build good roads andtherefore if you want foreign companies tocome and build your own infrastructure foryou, they have to be able to accept the riskthat is involved in that process and one ofthe main risks is change of government. Inmany countries, governments change andpolicies change and when policies change,the investor is at risk. So unless they seesome pilot programs work successfully, theyare not likely to step into the plate.

What are the fiscal imperatives for PPPs?

Well, I think you have to put a fiscalpackage of incentives together to

make it attractive to the investor because theinvestor has alternatives for geographyinvesting; so if you want to do a PPP in Africa,it is going to be compared with a PPP in Indiaor in Brazil and if he thinks the Brazilianenvironment is more attractive and safer forhim, he will go the Brazilian way so I guess

Mr. Josphat Mwaura: Partner, Head of Advisory Services for West Africa Region, KPMG Nigeria

We neededconvinction to

demonstrate that itis not so much

ownership that isimportant, it is

access and servicethat was

important, that itdidn’t matter whoowned the telecom

service provider

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 29

Interview

,,sults within

the issue in Nigeria is if government wantsto mobilise capital from private sector, theyhave got to put in place fiscal incentives thatwill make it attractive enough for them toconsider Africa as a place to invest.

Remember we talked about thisdevelopment deficit, so the first fiscalimperative is just the capacity of thegovernment to finance this developmentdeficit. That is really important. The secondissue is that the risk which we have talkedabout that is associated with some of theseprojects, you do require incentives to makethis more attractive to the private partner andthirdly, in some cases, if there is regimechange, there is uncertainty and investorsrequire gaurantee of their investments.

Which particular sector of the economy doyou think PPP can work best?

Initially, telecom was actually consideredto be the most valuable asset. Now we

have seen how that has transformed. Thesecond major area is the deficit in electricityor power generation and the reason we aretalking about some of these things is that itis possible to actually set out the specificproject that you want to invest in, you canactually identify the cash flows, you canidentify the market and you can package thisin a manner that is attractive to a partner.

Then there is an area like railwayconstruction because again, we don’t havesufficient railway coverage on the continent,you have got the trade that is alreadydemonstrated between Africa and Europe,between Africa and China and India, betweenAfrica and Brazil so when you look at ports,roads, railway and pipelines, these are areasthat can actually be packaged and you can

the public will take the entire risk, therisk of contracting to the contractor,the risk of ensuring the contractor willfinish the project on time, sometimesthe contractor runs out of cash andabandons the project and even whenthe contractor finishes the project andhands it over to the government, thegovernment is the one who has to runand maintain that asset, hospital,school, road, so PPP is about allocatingrisk between public and private sectorin a more efficient manner than thegovernment taking the riskthemselves.

So if you can allocate the risk in away you provide the necessaryincentives for the private sector to wantto participate in that venture and thegovernment says you know my role;if it is a prison for example, my role

in the prison is to bringprison inmates and oncethe court has said somebodyis guilty, I take him to theprison but I don’t need torun the prison, I canactually outsource thebuilding of the prison andthe running of the prisonto the private sectorbecause they can do itbetter. Of course it is aprison, a prison is like ahotel which you check in onone day and check out in30 years time. So that’s thething about PPP, it is aboutwhere can you allocate riskin a way that both partiescan do it in a more efficientmanner than thegovernment doing it on itsown.

In Nigeria for example,all the ports have been

concessioned and arebeing run by the privatesector, there are someinternational airports thatare also under the privatesector, railway lines, roads,bridges. So the scope ofPPP is enormous but it isall about allocating risk,when the risk is too highon the private sector, youwill never get privatecapital and that meansgovernment should do it onits own but when you can

allocate the risks between both partiesthen you can do PPP. So PPPs can’tbe used for every single situation, itis only when the risks can be allocatedbetween both parties that you can usePPP. So if I am constructing a standardroad for example and the traffic is notthere, somebody has to guarantee thattraffic and if the guarantee costs morethan building the road, why not allowthe government build the roadthemselves?

Challenges still abound in PPP forAfrica, what are the challenges andhow best can we harness the strengthin PPP?

We mentioned a number of themin terms of legal framework for

example, skills to start up PPPs, I havementioned things like financing forexample even the capacity of privatesector to actually deliver those PPPsfor example so there are a number ofchallenges and the capital market aswell. But I think we need to do oneor two projects successful, if you do abad project, a lot of people will saythis thing can’t work which will givean excuse and in doing so you needto have expertise within Africa tolocate the risk, that is one thing we atPMD do very well because we do havea fairly large group of practitioners inthis sector based in South Africa andwe are trying to replicate what is inSouth Africa to Nairobi and also intoLagos.

Today we have about 50professionals in the continent; we wantto grow to a 100 professionals acrossthe continent in different sectors. Soonce we have the skills we can helpthe government to actually structurethis kind of thing and even if thegovernment employs somebody elseto do the structuring for them, we canhelp to actually identify the misses,raise the finally scene and put thepetals together.

So like we said power is one areafor example but if you see in Nigeria,government has privatised, in Kenyafor example Kenya is raising moneyto expand its whole network becausethey need more power so there arethings already happening in thecontinent of Africa even though it isnot as quick as wanted but the realityof life is that you can’t move quickerthan the skills available.

One of the challenges with thosewho are unfamiliar with the continentwill be coating the political risk andunfortunately I used the termunfamiliar with the continentdeliberately because when you sit inthe world economic forum or when yousit across a table with the private actorsmany do not understand the specificprojects that they are dealing with.Already today there are hundreds ofpractitioners; private partners who areworking within the continent andreaping benefits.

For example Kenya and Nigeriaare facing more or less similar

problems right now but we have gotpeople in the energy sector, we havegot our railways under constructions,we have a port construction inprogress. So there are a number ofpeople who will be looking at what Icall the superficial risk but notunderstanding the value and that ispart of the challenge so we have totell the story and that story is requiredto be told by people who aresufficiently prepared in thegovernment, acquiring the right skills,the right advisers to work with them,to package this story properly and tobe realistic as well because you can’tbe projecting numbers for traffic or forconsumption of electricity or fortelephone usage that are not realistic.So that’s where the technical adviceis required or even in terms of theprocurement process becauseeventually when you want to bring inan operator, a player or builder youneed somebody with the capacity tohelp you evaluate that so that both ofyou are very clear on the transactionyou are getting into.

In the financial market, thegovernment has a role to de risk thesector because you need long termfinancing, you need 15, 20 yearsmoney at fairly low interest rate tomake it attractive enough to makeprojects bankable and if you don’thave the right mechanism to makeprojects bankable, nobody will cometo the table. So it is a mixture ofdifferent things, management risk,political risk, risk of the sector itself,having the right skill, the right legalframework, having the right financialmarket. So it is a complete package ofdifferent things that will make itsuccessful.

demonstrate theeconomic benefits ofinvesting in this interms of feasibility ofthese projects. So atthe moment, wesought what PresidentJonathan called aGreenfield, even inschools.

Again, access toschooling, access tohealth, the number ofo p p o r t u n i t i e savailable for publicpartnerships, aremany.

One of the thingsyou should

know is that PPP is allabout risk allocationbetween public andprivate sectorsbecause in the past,

Mr. Josphat Mwaura: Partner, Head of AdvisoryServices for West Africa Region, KPMG Nigeria

Mr. Kunle Elebute: Partner, Head of Advisory Servicesfor West Africa Region, KPMG Nigeria

PPPs can’t beused for everys i n g l esituation, it isonly when therisk can bea l l o c a t e dbetween bothparties thatyou can usePPP

30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE16, 2014

Homes & Housing Finance

Stories by YINKAKOLAWOLE

Successful reforms ofthe mortgage bankingsector and effective

take-off of the NationalMortgage RefinanceCompany (NMRC) will boostaffordable home-ownershipin the country.

Chairman, UACN PropertyDevelopment Company(UPDC) PLC, Mr. Larry Ettah,stated this at the company’sannual general meeting(AGM) in Lagos. Heprojected a positive outlookfor the real estate sector.According to him: “It isexpected that the revisedguidelines for PrimaryMortgage Banks (PMBs) anda fully operational NationalMortgage RefinanceCompany will provide awider scope of activities andopportunities for estatedevelopers and ultimatelyresult in affordablemortgages and increasedhome ownership for middleand lower income earners.”

Reviewing the company’sperformance for the 2013financial year, Ettah assuredshareholders that the firm’sgrowth momentum hasincreased significantly. “Wesuccessfully completed thefloatation of the UPDC RealEstate Investment Trust

Mortgage banking reforms to boost homeownership — ETTAH

(REIT) in 2013 on a capitalvalue of N26.7 billion, ofwhich UPDC currently holds62.2per cent. The REIT waslisted on the Nigerian StockExchange (NSE) on July 1,2013. It is our plan toreduce our holding to 40percent in line with ourstrategy.

“In the luxury residentialcategory, we completed anddelivered to buyers theprestigious 32-unit‘Cameron Green’ Ikoyi.Phase 1 of Metro City, Abujacomprising of 88 units of

mixed residentialapartments was alsocompleted and is beinggradually handed to buyers,while construction work onPhase 2 has commenced. Wealso took advantage of thelack of a formal retail channelin the FESTAC axis of LagosState by undertaking theongoing Festival Malldevelopment, which isexpected to open to customersby end of 2014,” he said.

Ettah said the hotel arm ofthe company, Golden Tulip,also improved in

performance during theyear, with room occupancyaveraging 44 percent,representing an increase of91per cent over 2012performance. “With fiveinternational airlinescurrently utilising the hotel’sfacilities and continuingupward trend in residentialconferences by blue chipcorporate customers, thehotel is set for improvedperformance from 2014. Weplan to develop the adjoiningBlock B of the hotel intoresidential apartments in2014, “he added.

In view of the rising costof rents in major cities

across Nigeria, NigerianInstitution of EstateSurveyors and Valuers(NIESV) has called forimposition of special taxes onunoccupied buildings to curbthe trend.

Mr. Rowland Abonta, 2nd

Vice-President of the institute,who stated this at an event inAbuja, noted that high cost ofrents is responsible for highrate of unoccupied completedbuildings in some parts of thecountry, especially in Abuja.He opined that imposition oftaxes on properties that arevacant for years continuouslywould force owners of suchbuildings to reduce the cost ofrent to attract tenants.

“There are quite a number ofvacant houses in Abuja, yetrent is high. The reason is thatthere is pressure from the lowand middle income earnersand a lot of people in thatcategory can’t build their ownhouses because they dependon rented houses. So, many ofthese houses are built by very

Rising rent: NIESV advocates sanctions for unoccupied buildingsrich people who didn’t sufferso much for the money and sothey can afford to lock up thehouses when they build thehouses and fix the prices andpeople don’t rent them. Butthere is a way out -government should startimposing taxes on such

accommodation when thesehouses are built. They shouldbe able to pay governmentsuch taxes and this could beused to put pressure on themto rent out the houses,” hesaid.

Abonta also noted thatcurrent security issues in some

parts of the country,particularly in the North-East,are affecting the real estatesector. “Security affects everyaspect of the economy,particularly residential andoffice accommodation and theeffect is serious, especially forreal estate business.” he stated.

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

Real estate practitioners in Nigeria havebeen urged to take advantage of

opportunity in online market space to give theirbusinesses global visibility and attract foreigninvestment into the real estate sector.

Mr. Mark Coetzee, Chief Sales Officer,PrivateProperty.com.ng, a South Africa-basedonline property portal, gave the advice at a realestate conference organised by the company. Hesaid that taking property business online wouldmake their businesses more accessible and openit up to more international and local audience.According to him, the population of the countryand trend of mobile users, especially those onthe internet, make online an irresistible optionfor real estate business. “Nigeria is full oftechnology savvy people; nearly everybody is onfacebook. About four million Nigerians possesssmart phones and anybody that possesses smart

Realtors urged to leverage on online marketingphone is online,” he noted.

Coetzee said the company was ready topartner with local Nigerian entrepreneurs,adding that Privateproperty.com.ng wouldprovide the platform and resources that allowreal estate operators to market their productsand services to its unique customer base withhigh purchasing power. “What we do is thatwe look for opportunity in countries thatpossess potential for growth, of which Nigeriais one, and we look for entrepreneurs that havealready started business that understand thedynamics of the country they live in and wepartner with them. We provide the rightresources to them to be able to do what theywant to do. We don’t want to just go intocountries we don’t understand very well; wewant local entrepreneurs to do the businessthemselves with the help of our resources andtechnological backing and they will earnmore income,” he said.

BoE get powersto capmortgages

British finance ministerGeorge Osborne said he

would give the Bank of Englandstronger powers to curbmortgage lending and reducethe risks that the housingmarket poses to financialstability.

British house prices haverisen by 11 percent over thepast year and are close to pre-crisis levels. The InternationalMonetary Fund recentlyurged Britain to take steps tocool the housing market andreduce the risk of a bubble.

Osborne said the housingmarket was not an immediatethreat to Britain’s financialstability but could become onein future. “I want to make surethat the Bank of England hasall the weapons it needs toguard against risks in thehousing market,” he said in aspeech. The central bank willin future be able to stop Britonstaking out mortgages that aretoo big compared with theirincome or the value of theirhome, rather than just makesuggestions to lenders as itdoes now.

The move was welcomed byBoE Governor Mark Carney,who said in a separate speechthat the housing market stillposed the biggest domesticrisk to financial stability.

US mortgagerates surgecontinue

Mortgage rates in theU.S. rose for a second

week, extending an increase inborrowing costs from an eight-month low.

The average rate for a 30-yearfixed mortgage was 4.2 percentthis week, up from 4.14 percent,Freddie Mac said in astatement today. The average15-year rate climbed to 3.31percent from 3.23 percent,according to the mortgage-finance company, McLean.

Homebuyers got atemporary reprieve whenrates unexpectedly droppedfor five straight weeksbeginning in early May.Economists expect loan coststo climb in the second half ofthe year as the FederalReserve continues scaling backbond purchases that havehelped support housingdemand. Policy makers nextmeet on June 17-18.“Mortgage rates haveconfounded expectations byfalling in the face of astrengthening economy thisspring. But now it would seemthat interest rates arebehaving a little morenormally,” Keith Gumbinger,vice president of HSH.com, amortgage-data firm, said.

•A prefabricated building

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 31

Insurance

The management of SovereignTrust Insurance Plc, STI, has putplans in place to embark on

another rights issue aimed atconsolidating the ownership of theunderwriting firm by its existing

STI to raise additional capitalthrough rights issue

Munich Reinsurance hasup to $400 million on the line insuring

against delays or cancellations of world cupmatches.The world’s largest reinsurer is counting onBrazilian President Dilma Rousseff to do whateverit takes to avoid the embarrassment that wouldresult from interruptions.

The company is confident events ranging fromstreet protests to strikes to failing infrastructurewon’t disrupt play, Andrew Duxbury, a London-based underwriting manager, said in a New Yorkinterview.

The firm has experience insuring sporting eventssuch as the 2010 World Cup tournament in SouthAfrica and the 2012 Olympic games in London.

“I’m sitting here as comfortably as I was at thisstage prior to the South African World Cup,”Duxbury said. “There’s an alignment of interest.The primary issue for Brazil is the legacyreputation. They want everyone to leave havinghad a great experience and promoting Brazil as acountry.”

Duxbury’s optimism clashes with the assessmentof Jerome Valcke, the General Secretary of FIFA,who said last month that his organisation had “beenthrough hell” trying to arrange the event in Brazil.In recent weeks teachers and police officers havewalked off their jobs demanding pay raises in therun-up to the World Cup, while strikes by transitworkers have worsened traffic snarls in thecountry’s biggest cities.

In a victory for Rousseff, Rio de Janeiro airportworkers didn’t strike last week after a court said itwould fine the labor union 500,000 reais ($223,900)per hour. Sao Paulo’s metro union decided not toresume a walkout as Brazil’s biggest city held thetournament’s opening game, a 3-1 triumph for thehost country over Croatia.

Munich Re, whose customers includeorganisations that sell television rights as well aslocal governments, will pay if there’s a delay,relocation or cancellation of one or more gamescaused by unforeseen events, from civil unrest totorrential rains.

Mass civil disobedience is the greatest threat tothe games’ insurers, according to Duxbury. TheWorld Cup’s $11 billion price tag has angeredBrazilians faced with quickening inflation, slowinggrowth and poor public services. Last week, agroup of about 300 protesters in Sao Paulo clashedtwice with police about 13 kilometers (8 miles) fromthe stadium where the opening match was held.

“If the civil unrest spread, then ultimately itwould be the government’s call to say,

‘We need to get a handle on this, we can’t holdthe World Cup anymore,’” he said. “There’s nosign of that happening.”

Brazil 2014: Munichinsures match delays,cancellations with $400m

shareholders.The move is in fulfillment of one of

the resolutions reached by theshareholders at the 18th annual generalmeeting held last year, whichempowered the directors to raiseadditional equity capital by way ofspecial placement or public offer/rightsissue or a combination of any of them.

The rights issue which is due to

commence very soon will put on offerone (1) new ordinary share for everythree (3) ordinary shares of 50 kobo eachheld in the company as at the close ofregister during the last Annual GeneralMeeting.

Consequently, the managementenjoins all shareholders of the companyto take full advantage this second timearound, by fully exercising their rights

in the proposed rights issue as a wayof consolidating and increasing theirstake in the ownership of this verydynamic and forward-lookinginsurance company in the country.The company, more than ever before,is poised to take the insurancebusiness to a greater height as itgravitates to the next phase of itsgrowth agenda.

Mr. Wale Onaolapo, ManagingDirector of STI said the managementof the company has set a growthagenda which is aimed at positioningthe underwriting firm as one of thetop players in the insurance industry,particularly, in the oil and gas sectorwhere it has developed very uniqueexpertise and professionalism.

Stories byROSEMARY ONUOHA

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Business Economy

“It is true that we have run throughone of the greatest financial bonanzasthat ever happened to a nation trulyin need; so fast and so recklessly thatwe may wonder if it ever happenedat all!” President Ibrahin Babangida,October 26, 1985, at NIPSS, Kuru

.

Last week this article ended withthe plunge in the price of crudeoil from $28 in 1982 to N9.95

during Babangida’s regime 1895-1993. At Kuru, IBB explained how wegot into the mess which would laterbring an end to our attempt at carmanufacturing. Nissan had re-startedthe journey. Will history repeat itself?

By 1985, the automobile plants,established and viable in the first fewyears, were struggling to survive.Furthermore, some of the policyinitiatives, designed to sustain thevehicle assembly ventures, e.g. theAjaokuta Steel complex failed todeliver the flat iron required, two carbattery, as well as, two tyremanufacturers failed or were introuble, before they could support thevehicle assembly plants. The numberof policy initiatives aimed atstrengthening the automobile industrywhich were later not implemented willcall for a book. Somewhere in Nigeriais a plant which was supposed tosupply windscreens.

As if those were not enoughproblems, in 1986, the FederalGovernment of Nigeria announced theStructural Adjustment Programme,SAP. Peugeot and Mercedesremained the most resilient of theassembly plants. Eventually, PAN alsosuccumbed to imported used vehicles,and later, less expensive new vehicles– oddly enough, from Japan – thehome of NISSAN.

OBSTACLES FACED BY LOCALASSEMBLY PLANTS IN THE 1980s.

Then, as now, the Federalgovernment, which remains thebiggest customer for vehicles,

Thank you Nissan; but will historyrepeat itself? (2)

,,

promised to patronize only carassembly plants in Nigeria. Stategovernments, under militarygovernments readily fell in line. Mostof the Organised Private Sector, OPS,also reluctantly agreed. The problemsstarted with private individuals,especially those with contacts at thehighest levels of government. Theyposed two challenges to the assemblyplants. First, they were not convincedabout the quality of locally assembledvehicles; and they knew that importswere generally less expensive. Soefforts were mounted two ways; one,get government to relax its guidelinesregarding imports; and two, engagein smuggling cars into the country.

discourage imports. But, theimplementation of the tariff structureallowed sufficient latitude for theofficials of Customs Service and carimporters to render the protectionworthless. If all else failed, theprofessional smugglers move toneighbouring countries to set upshops for import of cars destined forNigeria. Given Nigeria’s porousborders and corrupt licensing officesin Local Governments vehicles, whichlegally should not be licensed arepermitted to be operated withimpunity.

The local assembly plants operatingunder conditions in which thepreference for imports is extremelyhigh; imports are less expensive andenforcement weak sooner than laterfold. Will history repeat itself?

FACTORS FOR SUCCESS OF THENEW INITIATIVE.

Several factors will ultimatelydetermine the success of the newinitiative, not only by NISSAN but withrespect to every other companyintending to enter the Nigerianmarket. Not necessarily in order ofimportance, but the following willcertainly play major roles in thesuccess or failure of the venture(s).

1. Crude Oil Price Stability Our first venture into automobile

assembly ended in fiasco when theprice of crude oil, formerly on anupward moving escalator reverseditself and started clatteringdownwards. By then, the nation’sexternal debts, which had been risingbased on the assumption of perpetualprice increase became unbearable.Credits to Nigerian manufacturersdried up and eventually the nationwas forced into devaluation of the

currency – not once but for everseveral years. The inflation spiral putpaid to the dreams of many Nigeriansto buy new cars. The Age of UsedCars, called Tokunbo, was upon us.If crude oil prices once again reversethemselves from over $105 per barreltoday to under $80 in the near future,the new car assembly plants willexperience the same difficulties asthe first generation assembly plants.

2. Governments The Shagari administration which

approved and encouraged theestablishment of the first assemblyplants simultaneously announced abattery of other initiatives to supportthe vehicle assembly policy.Unfortunately, not only the Shagriadministration, but, its immediatesuccessor, the Buhari regime, failedto push through the supportinginitiatives. It was well understoodthat cars assembled from CompletelyKnocked Down parts, pre-manufactured elsewhere would proveto be more expensive than fully builtvehicles given the advantages ofeconomy of scale as well as proximityto the parts manufacturers.Governments’ tariff regime designedto protect our infant auto industry didnot go far enough and, at any rate,were frequently circumvented. Thereis nothing to show that Nigerians, inand out of government, had learnttheir lessons. And the lesson issimple. If Nigeria is to have asustainable auto industry, we wouldcollectively, have to sacrifice and holdthe Nigerian Custom Service strictlyaccountable for lapses.Visit: www.delesobowale.com or

Visit: www.facebook.com/biolasobowale

Suddenly, containers listed ascontaining raw materials would bediscovered to be loaded with new cars.

Because government felt that theassembly plants might not produceenough for local consumption, theyimposed high tariffs which would

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

Fellowship of the Full GospelBusiness Men’s FellowshipInternational, FGBMFI, has

said that Nigeria’s dream of becomingone of the 20 industrialised nationsof the world will become an illusionexcept food security challenge isaddressed.

Eddy Eworo, Chairman ,Organising Committee of theFGBMF I, South West 3 Districtseminar, made this assertion whileaddressing newsmen at the pressbriefing announcing thecommencement of the 2014 Businessseminar titled: Business and CareerGrowth Essentials, which heldbetween 13th to 14th June, 2014 inLagos. He said that improved andsustainable agriculturaldevelopment are the answer toNigeria’s intractable food problem,while noting that opportunities

'Nigeria cannot achieve vision 20-2020 without agriculture'abound in the sector for only those whoare informed and empowered, andthat is why this year ’s tutorial iscentered on agriculture

The Chairman who itemised theobjective of the seminar, said theprogram aims to among other thingshelp participants have fullunderstanding of the role knowledgeplays in business growth. Secondlythat it will help the participantsdevelop interest in financialmanagement and controls and thirdly,that participants will inherit skillsfor business growth, and fourthlydevelop self confidence in starting anew business.

He observed that Nigeria like everyother nation desires to groweconomically in a global environmentfull of competitions, challenges andopportunities. “The collective growthof the individual businesses andcareers defines the growth of theindividual businesses

Speaking further, Eworo said thatNigeria’s dream of 20-2020 willbecome an illusion except foodsecurity challenge is addressed. Hiswords, “Nigeria today dependslargely on importation to feed over 160million people.

“In pursuance of our belief in thetotal wellbeing of our members andthe members of the society at large,we are organizing this seminar toempower and equip the participantswith the essential ingredients forbusiness and career growth.”

Ajaokuta Steel: 2.13m tonnes iron ore required tostart production

The National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe, Kogi, saidno less than 2.13 million tonnes of iron ore were required by Ajaokuta

Steel Company to enable it to begin production. Sole Administrator ofNIOMCO, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, stated this on Wednesday at Itekpe whilereceiving the Minister of Mines and Steel Developmet, Mr Musa Sada. Ibrahimsaid that with that quantity of iron ore, the steel company would be able toproduce 1.3 million tonnes of steel annually. He, however, said that forNIOMCO to meet the iron ore need of the steel company’s first phaseproduction, it would need to produce and process seven million tonnes of rawiron ore annually. He also said that for the steel company to sustainuninterrupted production of steel for some years, NIOMCO needed to stockpileiron ore at its premise at Ajaokuta. He, therefore, stressed the need for theiron ore company to begin production of iron concentrates well ahead ofcommencement of production of steel by Ajaokuta Steel Company.

Several factors willultimately determinethe success of the newinitiative, not only byNISSAN but withrespect to every othercompany intending toenter the Nigerianmarket

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 33

,

Appointments & Promotions

SEND-FORTH: From left: Gbenga Oyebode, Chairman, Access Bank Plc; Mr. Cosmas Maduka,former Director of Access Bank; Mr. Tunde Folawiyo, former Director of Access Bank and Mr.Herbert Wigwe, GMD, Access Bank at the send-forth party organized for the two directors bythe Bank in Lagos.

NIGERIAN Institute of

Management, NIM, hasappointed Engr. MohammedSulaiman, a Fellow andformer Council member of theInstitute, as its substantiveRegistrar/Chief Executive.

The appointment took effectfrom June 1.

Prior to this appointment,according to a statement byMr. Emmanuel Emeasoba,Principal Manager, CorporateAffairs & Marketing, NIM,Sulaiman was the Director ofMembership Services forseveral years and theimmediate past actingRegistrar/Chief Executive ofthe Institute.

A graduate of MechanicalEngineering and Masters ofBusiness Administration ofthe Ahmadu Bello University,Zaria, Emeasoba saidSulaiman is also a registeredmember of Council for theRegulation of Engineering inNigeria, COREN.

Sulaiman joined theservices of the NigerianInstitute of Management(Chartered) in April, 2002 asthe head of its AbujaManagement Centre. In thefield structure of the NigerianInstitute of Management, heserved as the Zaria BranchChairman and North CentralZonal Chairman, a Councilposition in 1995 and 2001respectively.

He was a member ofEducation, Training andConsultancy Committee ofNIM Council in 1996 andstarted his career at theNigerian Tobacco CompanyPLC (Now British AmericanTobacco Company PLC), amultinational company withHeadquarters inSouthampton, UnitedKingdom as a MechanicalEngineer from September1980.

The new NIM registrar rose

Sulaiman emerges NIM'sRegistrar/CEO

to the position of an AssistantFactory Engineer in 1983 andlater appointed PlantManager in 1991.

Added to this responsibilitywas the Environment Health

and Safety (EHS) Manager.He was later trained as an

EHS Auditor in the UnitedKingdom by Arthur D. LittleLimited, and became avisiting International Auditorfor Cameroon, Ghana, Kenyaand Ugandan Factories of theBritish American TobaccoCompany.

Sulaiman led the team thatworked for the attainment ofhigh EHS Standards andreceived several awards forthe Nigerian TobaccoCompany by the KadunaEnvironmental ProtectionAgency (KEPA), FederalEnvironmental ProtectionAgency, FEPA, andInternational EHS AwardBodies.

Following his performance

as Plant and EHS Manager,he was appointed to theposition of Systems Managerfor the whole company.

This was a SeniorManagement Position whichhe held before he left theservices of the company inSeptember 1999.

He was a Board Member ofthe Petroleum ProductsPricing RegulatoryCommittee which latermetamorphosed to PetroleumProducts Pricing RegulatoryAgency, PPPRA.

Sulaiman has attendedseveral leadershipprogrammes locally andinternationally includingthose run by Albion College(London Graduate School),United Kingdom.

LBS tohonoursLAPO MD

MANAGING Directorof LAPO

Microfinance Bank, Mr.Godwin Ehigiamusoe, hasbeen honoured with theDistinguished Alumni Awardfor 2014, by the LagosBusiness School, LBS,Alumni Association.

Mr. Ehigiamusoe washonoured alongside theformer Governor of AnambraState, Mr. Peter Obi, at the20th Annual President’sDinner, in Lagos.

According to the alumniassociation, an alumnus sohonoured “must haveexpanded the ideas of whatis possible and what can bedone in the society, settingnew standards in theprocess.”

In the letter of notificationof the award, ExecutiveCouncil of the AlumniAssociation, said “ werecognise your immensecontributions to nation-building through yourmicrofinance company. Andadded that it “notes withpride how you have touchedmany lives, empowered thepoor and given hope to thehopeless through your socialentrepreneurial-brand ofbusiness.”

Ehigiamusoe founded LiftAbove Poverty Organization,LAPO, as a pro-poordevelopment organizationwith programmes in health,social development andeconomic empowerment.LAPO currently operates aforemost microfinance bankwith over one million clients.

In 2013, LAPOMicrofinance Bankdisbursed N62.2billion.

In 2008, Mr Ehigiamusoewon the FATE Foundation’sModel Entrepreneur Award,and the Outstanding SocialEntrepreneur –Africa ofProfessor by SchwabFoundation in 2010.THE National Directorate

of Employment, NDE,Lagos, has commenced itsRural AgriculturalDevelopment TrainingScheme, RADTS, for 50unemployed participantsinterested in developing skills/ self employment inAgricultural production.

A statement by Mrs. RoliOlowu, Assistant Director,Information and PublicRelations Unit, on behalf ofState Coordinator, Mr. JosephModey, said participantswould be taken through twomonths theoretical trainingand one month of intensepractical training.

At the flag-off ceremony,Mr. Modey, said the RADTS

NDE trains unemployed youths on skills acquisition

programme was designed bythe NDE to create sustainableemployment and reducereliance on none existingwhite collar jobs, saying “thisis in line with the FederalGovernment’s policy onemployment generation andjob creation among youths.The scheme will allowparticipants to master moderntechniques in agriculturalproduction. NDE agriculturalprogramme is designed toreduce rural-urban migration.To this end the NDEdeveloped a synergy withlocal and state government fora successful implementationof the RADTS programme inLagos State.”

Mr. Modey expressed his

appreciation to the LagosState Government for theharmonious relationshipbetween NDE and stategovernment since inception ofthe directorate in Lagos State.

Present at the flag-offceremony was Mrs AbiolaAyoade representing thePermanent Secretary – LagosState Ministry of Agriculture.

Meanwhile the state NDEalso organized a one-dayorientation programme for 20unemployment graduatesunder its GraduateAttachment Programme, GAP.

The programme wasorganized by the SpecialPublic Works Department ofthe Directorate, SPW.

During the orientation, the

selected unemployedgraduates were tutored inbuilding rapport in theworkplace, etiquette in workplace, team building in workplace and how to handle jobinterview among others.

The NDE being theforemost job creation agencyof the Federal Governmenthas consistently carried outvarious job creation schemesthrough its four coreprogramme departmentwhich are: Vocational SkillsDevelopment ProgrammeDepartment, VSD, SmallScale Enterprise Department,Special Public WorksDepartment and RuralEmployment PromotionDepartment. Mr.Godwin Ehigiamusoe

Mohammed Sulaiman

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Economy

Nielsonv i s i t sco r rect iona lcenters tomark GlobalImpact Day

In commemoration of the2014 Global Impact Day,

Nielsen Nigeria has visited theChildren Transit Homes, Idi-Araba, Lagos. The Homehouses three CorrectionalCentres: Special CorrectionalCenter for Girls, ChildrenCorrectional Centre for Girlsand Children Centre.

Speaking on the motivationfor the visit , the CountryManager Nielsen Nigeria, Mr.Harshvardhan Sarda said, “Itis not just about giving back tothe society but to have anexperience where weunderstand what is happeningin other people’s lives and it isvery important to have thistime out.

“Nielsen is a great believer interms of giving back to thesociety; globally we started thisprogramme by allocating oneday in a year to spend timewith the people in thecommunity where we operate.

“This programme is doneacross hundred countriesglobally on a particular daythrough visit to similarcorrectional home orcommunity centre. In Nigeria,aside the fact that we havedonated writing materials,exercise books, cartons ofnoodles and biscuits;carbonated soft drinks,household items, toiletries aswell as furniture to thesehomes,the children weretaken through mentoringsessions by staff of thecompany. Also, ourparticipation level is higherthis year and we have been ableto interact more with the kids.The programme is a bit uniquein terms of mentorship with thekids, not just coming anddonating materials”.

Harsh also said other brandshave been supporting thisdream and that all thecompanies are always lookingforward to supporting thisproject.

Mr. Peter Odum, NGID 2014project lead said that this year’stheme is “Simple skills makes adifference” and for him the keyskills that will make adifference in the lives of theselittle children revolve aroundmaking the right career choice,staying focused and growinginto adulthood. These he said,were the focus of the speedmentoring sessions.

Nigeria is oneof our focusmarkets this year— FRAISSE

Sidel is a global provider ofliquid packaging

solutions. It wasawarded a major projectin Ikeja, Nigeria, by theNigerian BottlingCompany, a member ofthe Coca-Cola HBC.Olivier Fraisse is theRegional CommercialDirector Africa, Sidel inthis on line interview hegave insight into thecompany’s operation inNigeria

How many suchcontracts is the companyhandling now?

Nigeria is one of ourfocus markets this year.The country isexperiencing a massivegrowth in the beverageindustry and thus itoffers a huge potentialfor our business toflourish and grow. Wehave done business inNigeria with bigproducers such as Nestleand Coca-Cola, as wellas independentcustomers and bottlers.So far, we have aninstalled base of over500 pieces of equipmentin Nigeria, ranging fromblowers, fillers, labelersto tunnel machines andother equipment.

What is the value of its

contract in Nigeria?Being a private

investment, we wouldrefrain from disclosingthe cost.

Has it done similar

contract in Nigeriabefore?

Yes, we have installedmany Complete Lines inNigeria, providingturnkey solutions tobeverage producers fromblowing the bottle tofinal delivery. We alsoprovide standalonemachines whenrequested, and ofcourse, offer after-salesand maintenanceservices as well astraining for the technicalstaff on how to use themachines. Apart fromthat, we give customersoptions on saving energyand cutting costs on anexisting machine or line.We are also able to selland deliver spare partsat very high speed.

What is the capacity of

the company to deliveron schedule?

We are a globalorganization with over31 offices around theworld. Our experiencedates back to over 50years in blowing bottles,

so in terms of expertise, weare proud to be considered aleader in the industry. Withthe establishment of theGreater Middle East andAfrica Zone last year, we arenow much closer to ourcustomers than we werebefore, able to attend totheir after-sales needs at a

greater speed andefficiency. The Zone’s staffis mainly based in officeslocated in the United ArabEmirates and South Africaand we do have agentsoperating across the entireAfrican continent. Thisallows us to deliver on timewith the highest quality.

How long will it take to

deliver on this project?All equipment is on site

right now. Installment willcommence within the nextfour weeks, while the entireproject will be completedwithin approximately fourmonths from the start of theinstallation process.

Is it going for any newcontract?

We are constantly workingon providing added value toour customers by presentingthe most innovativesolutions that fit theirparticular market needs.Nigeria has its ownspecificities as a country,characterized by itsinfrastructure, maturedmarket, very youngpopulation and increasingurbanization. Hence, wework on projects that arecustomized to meet thosespecific needs, keeping inmind our customers’ focuson lowering cost andincreasing efficiency. Soyes, we are beingapproached by differentcustomers all the time andthe work is continuous inthe country.

Who are its Nigeriapartners?

SBA is Sidel’s agent inAfrica with offices inNigeria, Ivory Coast,Congo, Angola and Kenya.A new office in Lagos willbe opened in June. We havebeen working with SBA forover 15 years and they areour representatives in mostAfrican countries bothcommercially andtechnically and for after-sales services.

What is their stake in the

company?Sidel and SBA work

together in Africancountries, but neithercompany owns the other.

Dufil prima foods Plc,manufacturers of Indomie noodle

variants, has flagged off search for theseventh edition of the IndomieIndependence Day Award, IIDA rewardscheme.

Speaking, Head of Marketing, DufilPrima Foods, Manpreet Singh, at themedia conference announcing thecommencement of the search and call forentries, said that it is with great delightthat the company is officially announcingthe commencement of the search for “ourinestimable heroes for this year.”

According to Singh, “there is nogainsaying that the future of every nationand by extension the world is largelydependent on the youth, many of whomare children.

Hence, it is pertinent for a nation that

Dufil flags off search for 7th IIDA heroindeed wants to grow make consciousefforts to provide a better future for themas the nation’s destiny lies in their hands.

He also noted that since the inception ofthe IIDA initiative, Dufil has continued tocommunicate the rationale behind theaward which is to identify, recognize andcelebrate selfless children who at onepoint or the other, have put everythingaside for the good of others, risking theirlives in the process.

“Our motivation rests firmly on the factthat a lot of kids are out there who do theextraordinary day by day, yet are unsungheroes who have never been celebrated,that is why Dufil has resolved that everyyear we would not relent in our search allaround Nigeria for children who haveperformed unique acts of bravery/heroism, worthy of celebration”.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 35

E - Commerce

Richard Amafonyeis the Chief Information

Officer of Skye Bank Plc. Inthis interview with JONAHNWOKPOKU on the recentintroduction of the Skye Plus,an internet banking platformby the bank, he argues thatthe cashless policy is designedto drive electronic businessand that banks need to retoolin order to remain relevant inthe face of increasingdigitaisation of payments.Excerpts:

What is Skye Plus all aboutand what motivated yourrenewed drive for onlinebanking?

Let me start by saying thatwhat we are deploying nowhas been as a result of a majorinformation technologytransformation initiative thatwe started about two years ago.You know that Skye Bank is amerger of five banks and youunderstand what necessitatedthe merger. It was regulatoryinduced, so we quickly cametogether and had to couple oursystems together in order to getto the market quick enoughbecause the completion didn’tgive us any opportunity to takeour time to do that. After fiveyears of that merger, we felt thatit was time for us to take onestep back in order to accelerate,so we decided to put a pauseto all of our investments intechnology to be able toappreciate where exactly thebank is going. We wanted toknow exactly where ourstrategic aims lie and how toleverage technology to achievethose strategic aims.

We went to the businesssegment of the bank and askedthem what their expectationsfrom IT are, in relation towhere the bank was headed to.So based on the businessstrategic objectives of the bank,we did a business requirementgaps analysis, looking at ourcurrent IT deploymentinfrastructure then and then therequirements and expectationsfor the future. So based on thegaps, we came up with teninitiatives that we needed toexecute in order to move fromwhere we are to where we wantto be. But we know that teninitiatives are too many, so wedecided to execute aroundpriorities. So, we identifiedthree core driver projects thatwe needed to execute on.

Essence of cashlesspolicy is to drivee-commerce— AMAFONYE

,

,

The very first one was thedata centre remodeling. Thisis because change starts fromthe data centre and we neededto rebuild the data centre. Thesecond project is networksecurity and optimization.The third project is theoverhaul of our core bankingsystem or theimplementation of a newcore banking system. Sothese were three projectsthat we decided that weneeded to quickly executeon. So, we have a worldclass data centre that wehave built on and we havealso deployed a newnetwork that is fullyredundant to provide usmaximum availability. This isbecause if you are asking yourcustomers to use your debitcard, ATM and to do internetbanking, one major challengethat you will face is systemavailability.

But then the core bankingsystem underpins nearly 90percent of our operations. Wewere on Oracle Flexcube CoreBanking System 6.2 but thelatest from the Oracle stable inuniversal banking is version12.0. So we needed to upgradefrom version 6.2 to 12.0.

That was what we recently cutover to. We did that a monthago and having stabilized onthe core banking system wedecided to unveil our new‘Skye Plus’ which is a directbanking platform comprisingthe internet and mobilebanking.

How does Skye Plus positionyou for the cashless policy thatis kicking off nationwide byJuly?

The cashless movement ismore or less about alternatechannels. It’s all about do-it-yourself and that is what e-commerce is all about. Ratherthan coming to the bankinghalls, we have providedcustomers alternate channelsthrough which they cantransact. And I can tell you onething, trust is a major factorhere. No matter what we do,and no matter howsophisticated our offerings are,if our platforms are not reliableand they do not work most ofthe time, such that customerswill have the confidence thatthey will use their cardswherever they are, and anytime, until we are able toguarantee that the systems will

be available all of the time, allof the technologies and theimplementation back office willamount to nothing. So that isthe more reason why we startedwith our data centre andnetworks, to ensure that theback office is solid to provideus that platform to deliverservices all of the time. If youare guaranteed that anytimeyou go to the ATM you are ableto get your cash, then you willnot have that need to withdrawall your money at once andkeep them at home. If you aresure that when you travelabroad, your debit card willwork on every PoS, you will notwant to carry dollars, ortravelers’ cheque. It is even nolonger fashionable now to carrydollars. People prefer to carrytheir cards. If you are sure thatif you want to make thatpayment that you will log onto the internet, into the bankingplatform of your bank, and youare able to transfer that fund,there will be no need to beginto issue cheques for people totake to the bank. So availabilityis very key. We know we‘ve gotinfrastructural challenges butthings are being dealt with

gradually. And that is why wehave sufficient redundancy toensure that when one goesdown, another will pick. Thisis because availability is one ofthe major challenges that willeither make or mar the cashlesssociety. That is why we havetaken the time to build ourinfrastructure to ensure thatour services are available at agreater percentage of the time.In addition, we are launchingthe internet and mobilebanking that will give thecustomers the opportunity totransact across multiplechannels.

Internet banking is not newin Nigeria, what makes SkyePlus different?

Bill Gates made an assertionsometime in 2008. He said that,“banking is important butbanks are not.” It wascontroversial then but BillGates could see into the futurebecause, as far back as 2000,we have started to see improvein digitization of payments andthe process of deliveringpayments. If you digitizepayments, it simply means youare doing away with the

intermediaries, the banks.When you digitize payments,the role of the intermediariesbecomes challenged. That waswhat Bill Gates saw many yearsand made that assertion.

Technology has broughtabout extraordinary changes inpeople’s lives. Think ofFacebook, Instant Messaging,mobile phones, what these

offer are instant access towhatever anyone

wants. So we nowlive in a culturewhere people getthings they wantright away. Somepeople call it them i c r o w a v esociety, in orderwords; we haveb e c o m eaccustomed orprogrammed fori m m e d i a t egratification. Sowhat’s nowhappening isthat individualsextend this newbehaviour tovarious areasand expects i m i l a rexperience asc u s t o m e r sinteracting withbanks. Customers

are very demanding and theyare very impatient. So the onlyway you can meet theirexpectations today is for you toalso offer platforms thatconvenience of anywhere andeverywhere banking andacross multiple channels. Andthat is exactly what our SkyePlus sought to achieve. It’s ourdirect banking platform thatcomprises internet and mobilebanking and what we arepromising our customers is thatwhatever they can do in thebanking hall, they will be ableto do the same through ourinternet and mobile bankingplatforms. We are pushing thesame service across multiplechannels.

What do you think is thefuture of banking in the faceof increasing paymentdigitisation?

Banks need to reinvent inorder to remain relevant in thescheme of things. In the firstworld countries, we arebeginning to see retailers, fishin ponds that werepredominantly the exclusivepreserve of banks. We arebeginning to see retailersbegin to offer credit faculties,cash back facilities. Evenlocally, I saw an ad by someTelcos offering some form ofcredit. For instance, if you runout of credit, you get a creditand when recharge they willdeduct it and charge you somepremium. Now imagine if CBNlifts some restrictions on moneytransfer services and allowTelcos to also play in this field,they will begin to compete withbanks for money transferservices. So banks must beginto offer additional values.

If you digitize payments,it simply means you aredoing away with theintermediaries, the banks

36— Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE16, 2014

Aviation

Air Peaceplans take-offwith Boeing,Dornier planes

The Chairman of AirPeace, Barrister Allen

Onyeama, has revealed thatthe airline will commenceoperation with seven aircraftcomprising of Boeings andDornier airplanes.

This is just as he disclosedthat the airline has enteredinto maintenance partnershipwith BCT AviationMaintenance Company,United Kingdom.

Onyeama, who said thisshortly after taking delivery ofa B737—500 series withregistration number 5N—BQS flown in from Texas,United States to the MurtalaMuhammed Airport (MMA),Lagos, added that already theairline has commenceddemonstration flights.

Air Peace, he said is beingmaintained by major Britishmaintenance; BCT AviationMaintenance Company,United Kingdom, whoaccording to him maintainsaircrafts around the world.

He pointed out though thatthe maintenance agreement isat a huge cost but that itdemonstrates the amount ofseriousness Air Peace attachesto safety.

“One of the airlines inNigeria is using the Germansin the maintenance of itsaircrafts and that is good butAir Peace has gone British .AirPeace is being maintainedby major maintenancecompany; BCT AviationMaintenance Company,United Kingdom, who alsomaintains so many airlines inthe world,” he said.

The Air Peace Chairmanfurther said the airline haszero tolerance for unsafepractices hence theseriousness attached to safetywith the signing of agreementwith a UK based maintenancecompany.

On what motivated him toventure into airline business,the Chairman said that hedecided to set up an airlineto create jobs for Nigerians,and not to make money. Headded that if his intention isto make money, he wouldleave his money in the bankswhere he would be paiddouble digit interest rate.

According to him,” It isabout my vision to ploughback to the society theblessing God has given to me.I know that the aviationindustry is a very turbulentindustry.”

The Nigerian AirspaceM a n a g e m e n t

Agency, NAMA, is to partnerand collaborate with theNigerian Air Force ,NAF, onstrategic management of thecountry’s airspace to enhancethe overall safety of bothmilitary and civilian flyers.

According to Mr SupoAtobatele, General Manger,Public Affairs , NAMA ,ahigh-powered delegation ofthe Nigerian Air Force paida courtesy visit to theManaging Director, NAMA,Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam inLagos and held crucialdiscussions with NAMAmanagement on issues “bordering on collaborativeairspace management, civil-

NAMA partners NAF on airspace co-ordination,management

military coordination, trainingof Air Force officers by NAMAand the military radar whichis the military equivalent ofTRACON.” Atobatele also saidthe leader of the delegationand Director of Air TrafficServices, Comdr. Bello Garba, explained that the visit wasto strengthen the existingmutual relationship betweenthe Nigerian Air Force andNAMA, stressing that “thissynergy is particularly criticalin view of the nation’s currentsecurity challenges”.

“Comdr. Garba whoappreciated NAMA’s role inquelling the on-goinginsurgency in the North-Eastern part of the countrysolicited the agency ’sassistance in the provision oftechnical expertise in theinstallation of a military radarand the needed capacity to

man the equipment.”In his remarks, the

Managing Director, NAMA,Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalamsaid the Nigerian Air Forcehas always been an ally ofNAMA as the statutory role ofthe two organizations arecomplimentary, stressing thatNAMA has always been at theforefront of the Civil-MilitaryCoordination meeting.

Engr. Abdulsalam furthersaid the “ on-goingmultilateration project “ in theGulf of Guinea wouldeffectively capture low-levelaircraft in the area includingmilitary helicopters. Hepromised that “ NAMA wouldprovide the Nigerian AirForce with the neededmanpower training andtechnical information on themilitary radar and otherlogistics.”

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

Aviation agencies are notcontributing money to mycampaign —Ortom

Foreign airlines hike airfaresastronomicallyMaroc amongst others whoare competitors on the routehave also hiked their airfaresin relations to the peakseason and demand of ticketsby passengers.

On British Airways onLagos-London route, at thelow season passengers werepaying between N120,000and N170,000 on a returntrip but currently, just threedays to the beginning of thehigh season, the airfare ispegged at N254,300 which isa sharp increase from whatwas obtainable in the pastrepresenting a 50 percentincrease in the airfare.

Also KLM Airlines on Lagos-London is currentlyN20,8846 on a return ticket

UNVEILING: From left Mr Lanre Adekola, GM, Engineering and Maintainance, SkywayAviation Handling Company Ltd SAHCOL; Mr KingsleyNnokoma, President Association ofForeign Airlines in Nigeria; Mr Christophe Penninck, CEO, Bicourtney Aviation Services Ltd;Mr Olu Odebiyi, GM, Operations, SAHCOL and Basil Agboarumi, GM, Corporate Communica-tions during the unveiling of new modern equipment at the MM Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

when compared to betweenthe ranges of N120,000 to N170,000 that was paid at thelow season. Airlines that fliesto London from Lagos

Just about three daysinto the high seasonwhich begins on

Sunday, June 15, 2014,Foreign Airlines operating inthe country have alreadyhiked their airfaresastronomically due to thehigh demand for airlines’tickets by Nigerians who aretravelling abroad.

Vanguard was at theMurtala MuhammedInternational Airport,(MMIA) Lagos to observeand find out the cost of airfareson major foreign routes andgathered that various airline’sairfares had risenastronomically above what itwas sold at the low season.

A ticket on United Airlinesat the low season as atJanuary was sold betweenN180,000 to N200,000 on theLagos to Huston/Texas in theUnited States of America butat the moment, the price hasrisen to between N30,2544 toN30,8677 just few days intothe high season which is stillsubject to changes, thisrepresent a 54 percentincrease in the airfare.

Also on United Airlines,airfare on Lagos to Londonwas pegged at N120,000during the low season but hasalso risen to around N200,000and above.

While on Delta Airlines onthe Lagos-Huston route, theairfare is N348,433 far higherthan it was sold at the lowseason which was aroundN200,000 to N250,00.

On the Lagos-London route,the prices of airfare have alsoincreased as most Nigerianstravel a lot to this destination.

Airlines like British Airways,Etihad Airways, Royal Air

By DANIEL ETEGHE

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

includes British Airways,Royal Air Maroc, Arik Air,Virgin Atlantic Airlinesamongst others.

Supervising Minister forAviation, Chief

Samuel Ortom, has deniedreports that he has beencompelling Aviationparastatals viz FederalAirports of Nigeria, FAAN,Nigerian Airspace

Management Agency,NAMA, and Nigeria CivilAviation Authority, NCAA tomake monthly payments forthe funding of hisgovernorship campaigns inBenue State.

According to Chief Ortom “My attention has been drawnto reports in some nationalnewspapers ( not Vanguard)that there is another crisisrocking the AviationMinistry as some parastatalsin the ministry are beingcompelled to make monthlypayments to me for thefunding of my governorshipcampaigns in Benue State.”

“I state categorically thatno parastatal or agencyunder the Aviation Ministryor any official under any ofthem has been tasked or isbeing tasked to remit anymoney and has ever mademonthly or any payments tome to fund my campaign. Ichallenge any one with proofof such to step forward andpublish for the generalpublic.”

Minister also alleged thatthere is political undertoneto the allegations as he said “It has also come to myknowledge that themasterminds of thisdeliberate campaign ofmischief, blackmail andcalumny have alsosyndicated the spuriousreports to several othernewspapers, magazines, aswell as the social andelectronic media.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 37

38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 39

Advertising, Media& Marketing

Stories byPRINCEWILLEKWUJURU Moments of Difference

Moment of Truth. That expression is already acliché in customer service-speak. Customer service

trainers, most times, use the expression without botheringto explain it to their audience. I first encountered thatexpression some time in 1998. My trainer kept using theexpression without giving any information about its origin,although we, the trainees, understood it to mean the pointat which a customer encounters the service of anorganisation – face-to-face, by email or even by phone. Ikept wondering the origin of the expression.

Years later, I realised the expression was first used inthe service management context by the Swedishmanagement scholar, Richard Normann, who borrowed itfrom the sport of bull-fighting. In that morbid sport, “themoment of truth” is the point at which the bull-fighter comesface-to-face with the bull. In Nigerian political parlance, itis a “do-or-die moment” because the matador either killsthe bull or gets killed by the bull. The expression waspopularised by the former CEO of Scandinavian AirlinesSystem (SAS), Jan Carlzon, with his top-selling book,Moments of Truth, published in the late 1980s. Manypeople will see this expression as a gory way of describingan encounter with customers. Isit really so?

When you realise that eachencounter with a customer is amoment that can make or mar arelationship, you’ll probably seeNormann’s point. Interestingly,like the bull-fighter, the customer-facing employee is usually ontheir own when relating to acustomer. At this critical moment,the employee’s great attitude,training, empowerment,experience, initiative – or lack ofall these – are usually on displayfor the customer to see. At thispoint, this single employee holds the ace on the fortunesof the company. At this moment, this employee can helpthe company keep or churn customers. At the moment oftruth, even the CEO of the company isn’t as powerful asthis employee facing the customer because that singleemployee is the embodiment of the brand.

All the great marketing communications, coupled withfantastic physical facilities, will come to nought if that singleemployee fails to impress the customer. For a nation offootball lovers, perhaps the best way to capture the momentof truth is to compare it to the last and (usually) decisiveshot of a tense penalty shoot-out at the end of a pulsating120-minute football game. Will your last player score? Orwill he miss and let the other team carry the day?

It’s amazing that many corporate leaders around heredon’t get it. No matter how much you spend on the look ofyour corporate office and creative advertising, it is theactual customer contact with your people – by person, email,phone – that will make all the difference.

It beats my imagination how organisations will spendfortunes to attract customers only to hire lowly-paid, poorlymotivated, ill-trained, ill-equipped, rude employees toattend to those customers. A case in point usually comesto mind whenever I ponder this matter. Years back, someonedecided to build a good hotel in Ibadan. The rooms werewell-appointed and the halls good for events. Unfortunatelythe hotel staff looked scruffy, dirty, unhelpful and clueless.They could not say “yes” to anything without gettingclearance from their supervisor. Talk about emasculation!Those people had no idea what they were hired to do.They wasted so many moments of truth. Today, that hotelis less than a shadow of what it used to be.

If you want your business to survive long-term, I suggestyou hire employees with great attitude, train them verywell, motivate them, empower them and appreciate them.They will turn your moments of truth into moments ofdifference!

VISIT: From Left;Dr Celey Okogun, publicitysecretary,Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN,Mr Kelechi Nwosu, Vice president, Mrs. Bunmi Oke, president,AAAN, Prof. Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman, during a courtesyvisit by exco’s of AAAN to INEC Office, Abuja.

RECENTLY, the cementsegment of the market inNigeria witnessed an intensecompetition following Dangote3X cement emphasizingdifferentiation cement gradethrough campaigns,showcasing the 42.5R grade,while explaining the ‘X’embedded in the cement asExtra strength, life and yield.

The TV commercials andRadio commercial created byX3M Ideas, an ad agencybarely three years old in theindustry under the tutelage ofSteve Babaeko, in a TVC titled‘Jeolous,’ a sharp and simpleTVC that one can easily relatewith. Multiply this action byany seven digit number, thenyou have highly contagiouscontent –a ‘viral.’ The life inthe campaign depicts thedexterity with which the TVCwas delivered.

The lead model in the TVC,Segun Remi, known as‘Kanran,’ an accomplishedYoruba actor of many years’experience. He has howeverbeen away from the industryuntil he was brought back inthis TVC.

The story:He walked into his block

making factory and waspuzzled by lack of patronagewhile he noticed that acompetitor at the other side ofhis fence was doing well withcustomers flocking to hisshop, and business wasbooming.

He decided to spy on therival business by lookingacross the fence with the aid ofthe one of the blocks (hisproduct) to support his short

TVC: Dangote deploys ‘Jeolous’to differentiate 3X

height so that he could seewhat was going on across thefence.

The competitor’s businesswas booming, he saw trucksoff-loading sand,while theblocks looked stronger, andcustomers were takingdeliveries. It was revealed thatthe factory was using Dangotecement. Having satisfied hiscuriosity, the model decided

to step down from the block onwhich he stood. Unfortunatelythe block gave way, his legs gotstuck and he fell down, furiousquestioning the workers why theblock had to give way . He visitedhis annoyance on the workers,beating them with his cap. The“Foreman” delivered themessage: “Don’t use your moneyto buy Wahala.”

The National Institute ofMarketing of Nigeria,

NIMN, in conjunction withthe South African Institute of

NIMN, SAIM partners to boostmarketing profession in Nigeria

By PRINCEWILLEKWUJURU &WILLIAM JIMOH

Management, SAIM hascompleted plans to commenceprofessional managementprogrammes in Nigeria.

This is in line with NIMN effortto develop Nigerian marketers toa status whereby they cancompete favourably with theircounterparts across the globewhilst contributing their quota tothe development of the Nigerianeconomy.

President and ChairmanGoverning Council of NIMN,Mr. Ganiyu Koledoye stated thisduring the institute’s 2014international marketingconvergence held in Lagos,tagged, “Nigeria as an EmergingMarket: the Role of Marketing,”adding that the courses willcomplement other professionalcourses currently being run bythe institute.

Koledoye noted that theprogramme which will take offlater in the year becameimperative following thealarming number ofunprofessional marketers in thecountry which has hindered itfrom contributing effectively tothe growth of Nigerian economy.

Boulos Foods enters juice market

New Comer into the fruit juice market, Boulos Foodsand Beverages, a subsidiary of Boulos Group has

introduced two products into the market: Frootzy and Frootz.Frootzy, a fruit nectar and Frootz, a fruit juice are targeted atdifferent age groups.

Speaking, Senior Sales & Marketing Manager of thecompany, Visilis Katsikakis, said the products which are inthe Apple and Orange variants will be formally launched intothe market this week.

Katsikakis said the company wants to make a huge impactin the Nigerian market with its products. The MarketingManager stated that the products are coming into the marketwith less sugar as consumers are privy of the health implicationof sugar, but noted that the products can only be found inLagos and western part of the country with plans to extend toother parts of the country soonest.

The Marketing Manager said the company is introducingthe products into the Nigeria market considering the potentialthat abound in the market. His words, Nigeria is the fastestgrowing market in the world and Africa in general, this makesit a potential market for every brand, he pointed out.

If you wantyour businessto survivelong-term, Isuggest youh i r ee m p l o y e e swith greata t t i t u d e ,train themvery well

40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.comBlog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2Website: www.lesleba.comTel:0805 220 1997

Omoh Gabriel - Group Business EditorBabajide Komolafe - Deputy Business EditorClara Nwachukwu - Energy EditorPeter Egwuatu - Asst. Business EditorYinka Kolawole - Snr Bus. CorrespondentFavour Nnabugwu - Insurance CorrespondentGodwin Oritse - Maritime CorrespondentGodfrey Bivbere - Maritime CorrespondentMichael Eboh - Energy ReporterFranklin Alli - Industry/Agric. ReporterEbele Orakpo - Energy ReporterIfeyinwa Obi - Maritime ReporterRosemary Onuoha - Insurance Reporter

CONTRIBUTORSPrincewill Ekwujuru - Media/MarketingNkiruka Nnorom - Capital MarketJonah Nwokpoku - E-CommerceNaomi Uzor - IndustryProvidence Obuh - Micro FinanceLAYOUT - Graphics Department

Business & Economy

Oil prices have risen to anine-month high amid

concerns that developments inIraq may affect globalsupplies. Brent crude futuresrose 3 per cent to $113.27 perbarrel, while US crude gainedmore than 2 per cent to$106.71, the highest readingfor both since September.Insurgents have taken overtwo Iraqi cities, prompting theUS to say it was considering“all options” to help Iraq.

Iraq is the second-largest oilproducer in the Organisationof the Petroleum ExportingCountries (OPEC) group. “Ifthis conflict knocked out Iraqas an exporter, that wouldhave significant impact onprices,” said Christopher

Iraq conflict sparks oil price riseBellew, a trader at JefferiesBache.

The developments have alsohurt global stock markets.Sunni Islamist insurgentshave taken control of the Iraqicities of Mosul and Tikrit.

Led by the Islamic State inIraq and the Levant (ISIS),the insurgents are believed tobe planning to push furthersouth to the capital, Baghdad,and regions dominated byIraq’s Shia Muslim majority.Jeremy Bowen, BBC MiddleEast editor, says the successof ISIS can only make theturmoil in the Middle Eastworse.

He explains that ISIS is anultra extremist Sunni Muslimgroup and its success will

deepen the sectarian conflictbetween Sunnis and Shiasthat is already the mostdangerous fault line in theMiddle East.

Middle East is one of thebiggest oil producing areas inthe world and there are fearsthat if this conflict escalatesfurther, it may hurt global oilsupplies.

US President Barack Obamasaid his government waslooking at “all options”,including military action, tohelp Iraq fight Islamistmilitants. “It’s a bit of a crisismode here,” said TimothyGhriskey, chief investmentofficer at Solaris AssetManagement LLC.

“Geopolitical concerns have

definitely taken over. It’s avery fluid situation and things

are happening very fast, itseems.”

In a report titled “FG’sMonetary Policyinjurious to job creation”

in the Vanguard newspaperedition of June 7, 2014, AdamsOshiomhole, the Edo StateGovernor described the CentralBank of Nigeria’s MonetaryPolicy framework as injuriousto job creation. Oshiomholeobserved that “currentmonetary strategy woulddiscourage employers of labourfrom setting up businessesbecause interest rates are veryhigh”; in the Governor’s words,“it is like telling someone to livelong and then giving himpoison”. “How can you createjobs, by pricing money out ofthe reach of investors in thename of achieving marketstability?” Oshiomholeconcluded that rapidlyincreasing job opportunitieswill not be possible withoutappropriate supportinginfrastructure and liberal accessto cheap funds.

Incidentally, The Guardiannewspaper edition of 6/6 2014(Pg 17) had also carried areport that the CharteredInstitute of Taxation of Nigeria(CITN), at its recent annualgeneral meeting, advised that“government should considera complementary policy for freereturns on Treasury Bills andbonds”. The Chairman of theInstitute, Mike Chidoluepointed out that this wouldstimulate “free flow of bankcredit so that the private sectorcould gain better traction, thanit presently does”; i.e., ifgovernment refrained frompaying inordinately highinterest rates to removeperceived excess Naira supplyfrom banks, a larger flow ofcheap loanable funds willbecome available to the realsector for investment and jobcreation.

Indeed, Nigerians mustwonder why government’s riskfree sovereign loans shouldattract interest charges as highas 15% when infact similarloans in focused, disciplinedand successful economies cost

Treasury bills: Can NASS stopthis treasury looting?

,,

less than 4%. Nigeria’saccumulated long termdomestic loans (bonds)currently exceed N10tn($60bn) and will attract overN700bn as debt servicecharges (i.e. almost 70% of totalcapital expenditure of N1.2tn)in 2014. This already bloateddebt service charge excludeover N300bn also projected forservicing short term loans(Treasury bills) which CBN,impulsively, regularly raises toremove perceived surplus cashfrom the money market atdouble digit cost, in order torestrain inflation.

Ironically, CBN’s anti-inflation strategy deliberatelyinstigates obnoxiously highinterest rates which crowd outinvestors’ access to the allegedexisting surplus cash;furthermore, it is inexplicablethat surplus cash can exist sideby side with scarcity andrestrained access to cheaploanable funds to the realsector; surely, no commoditybecomes more expensivewhen there is market surplusof that item. Regrettably, ourgovernment may have spentover $20bn (over N3tn) sinceyear 2001 on interest paymentsto banks for the simple joy ofkeeping the surplus cash ofcommercial banks as idledeposits with CBN. The Apexbank has often defended thisdisruptive monetary practice byinsisting that, when there issystemic excess Naira supply,it is imperative to stop thethreat of inflation (i.e. too muchmoney chasing too few goods)by reducing the availableamount of spendable /loanablefunds in the market.

In reality, the challenge ofexcess liquidity (surplus cash)is not peculiar to the Nigerian

economy, but surely, nosuccessful economy paysdouble digit interest rates forborrowing funds which areintended to be ultimately keptas idle deposits! Indeed, theEuropean Central Bank (ECB)recently tackled this same issuein favour of its citizen’swelfare, by directing thatEuropean banks wouldhenceforth pay the ECB amodest interest rate of 0.1percent on the surplus-cashbalances which commercialbanks mandatorily keep in thecustody of Europe’s Apex

Bank. Clearly, nothing stops our

own CBN from pursuing asimilar negative cost strategyfor managing perceivedsystemic surplus cash.Expectedly, the profitability ofNigerians banks have, over theyears, benefited significantlyfrom continuously receivinggovernment deposits at zeropercent while the Central Bankturns round to pay double

digit interest rates for thesimple joy of warehousing the“excess” cash balances ofthese banks, while ironically,the same beneficiary banks ofsuch largesse offer barely 5%for the custody of their owncustomers’ deposits?

Ironically, our EconomicManagement Team, respectedpublic analysts, and indeed thegeneral media, have oftenmischievously applauded thispredatory strategy as bestpractice. Nonetheless, in itsefforts to control money supply,the CBN has always,surprisingly clearly ignoredconsideration of other moresocially responsible strategieswhich support industrial andeconomic growth withincreasing job opportunities.

For example, the CBN couldin reality, effectively, easilymodulate the problem ofperceived surplus cash bysimply increasing themandatory cash reserve andliquidity ratios for banks.

Thus, if for example, themandatory cash reserverequirement for commercialbanks is raised across the boardfrom the current 15% to evenbeyond 50 percent, (for bothpublic and private sectordeposits) the CBN would moreefficiently reduce the erstwhileeternal burden of systemicsurplus cash without thecollateral of liberallysubsidizing commercial bankswith over $20bn which couldhave been better applied toinfrastructure and real sectorfunding since 2001.

It is undoubtedly moresocially responsible to controlthe unceasing CBN self-instigated burden of ‘surpluscash’ at no cost to Nigerians ascurrently practised by the

European Central Bank ratherthan wastefully supportexceptionally bounteouscommercial bank profits at theexpense of the welfare of ourpeople.

If CBN emulates the peopleand growth supportive ECBmonetary strategy, the decadeslong free lunch enjoyed bybanks in receiving bonanzainterest rates on government’sfree funds would be over andthe banks would have no otheralternative than to pay seriousattention as recentlydemanded by Oshiomhole andthe CITN Chairman, toenthusiastically collaboratewith the real sector to provideincreasing investment funds atreasonable cost.

Curiously, however, ourmonetary authorities haveremained in denial that the truecause of eternally surplus Nairawhich fundamentally distortsour economy is actually, CBN’smonthly substitution of Nairaallocations for dollar derivedrevenue.

The critical questionhowever is, who will bell thecat; certainly not the EconomicManagement Team whichconsciously condoned this anti-people subsidy of banks for solong; certainly also not theCBN, whose steadyaccumulation of comparativelybuoyant reserves were madepossible with the crazy strategythat eternally creates surpluscash with Naira substitutionsfor dollar revenue to poison thewhole economy. Regrettably,our internationally acclaimedexperts, in the FederalExecutive who surprisinglygloated over CBN’s sociallyoppressive strategy for so manyyears may not also rise to thetask! The question is can theNational Assembly stop thisblatant economicmismanagement or are we toassume that they may also becomplicit in the ongoingtreasury looting?

SAVE THE NAIRA, SAVE

NIGERIANS.

CBN’s anti-inflation strategyd e l i b e r a t e l yi n s t i g a t e sobnoxiously highinterest rates whichcrowd outinvestors’ access tothe alleged existingsurplus cash

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—41

CMYK

42 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16 MONDAY, JUNE 16 MONDAY, JUNE 16 MONDAY, JUNE 16 MONDAY, JUNE 16,,,,, 2014—43 2014—43 2014—43 2014—43 2014—43

New health, new life, as Lagos communitygets 1st medical centre

BY GABRIEL OLAWALE

NON-AVAILABILITY of functionaland accessible private or public

health facilities in several communitiesis a major contributor to child and ma-ternal mortality. Hundreds of commu-nities across the Federation are cur-rently faced with such challenge andquite often, it is the women and chil-dren who bear the brunt. The result isoften the unacceptably high maternal,chld and infant deaths recorded in thecountry.

A case in point is Ibiye community inAgbara area of Lagos. Until last weekwhen a modern health facility with ul-tra modern equipment was officiallycommissioned, numerous incidences ofmaternal and child deaths were orderof the day especially as the nearestGeneral Hospital to the community isabout 30 kilometres away in Badagry. Following the condition of the road, ona good day, it will take a patient about45 minutes to get there. The nearestPrimary Healthcare, PHC, to Ibiye,though not as far as Badagry, may takeabout 30 minutes if traffic is good.

Ibiye community is one out of thehundreds of communities across Nige-

ria lacking health facilities.However, respite came on the way of

the community when Ibijola MedicalCentre was officially opened in the area.Residents of the community can nowheave a sigh of relief that at last muchanticipated help has arrived

At the commissioning, former HealthCommissioner in Lagos, Dr. Leke Pitan,said there is need for government toencourage building of hospitals in ruralareas.

Pitan, who opined that governmentshould buy into private facilities in ruralareas stated: “There is need for govern-ment to adopt facilities like Ibijola ashealthcare providers on behalf of thegovernment for the community.

“That is the kind of phase governancemust now follow to ensure better andquality healthcare services. Whetherpublic or private, they must be seen asone part of the health system. Thereare various things available that havebeen time tested in other climes. Whengovernment adopts these hospitals, otherfacilities will strive to meet up to stan-dards. It will serve as a stimulus in thehealth sector.” he explained.

Pitan who described the opening of thehospital in such a rural area as an un-

THE Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, LSTMB, has called

for proper documentation of pregnantwomen referred to the hospitals witha view to clearly defining the referraldestination of patients.

Making the call last week during thepresentation of certificates to 400graduating Traditional Birth Atten-dants, TBAs, Chairman, LSTMB, Dr.Bunmi Omoseyindemi noted that mostdeliveries taken by different bodies areoften wrongly classified as the handi-work of Traditional Birth Attendants,TBAs.

“The reason why we are calling forproper clarification and documentationis that most deliveries are taken athome non-medical personnel andwhen complications arise and the pa-tient is referred to the hospital, the at-tendants tend to classify such cases asthe work of TBAs.”

Reasons for properdocumentation

Omoseyindemi posited that if suchreferrals were from the TBAs, the hos-pital should provide evidence.

“What we are agitating for is that ifit is the TBA that causes the complica-tion let us know which TBA. Howmany maternal deaths have we com-mitted, because if a person is nottrained and is practicing such personis not a TBA.”

He revealed that part of their effortto put an end to quackery included theassistance of Community Health Of-ficers, CHOs, who spend 80 percentof their time in various communitieswith the aim of educating people ontheir health, collection of data andlooking for disease in different com-munity.

“Since 2013 that our CHOs begantheir work fully, a lot of practitionershave been coming to register for train-ing.”

“With the 2,350 TBAs who had beentrained before in addition to 400 at-tendants given certificates today, wewill would continue to provide oursupport in reducing neo-natal deathand improve maternal health in LagosState.”

On his part, Professor AdebukolaAdefule-Oshitelu urged the TBAs toutilise their instruments and skill inchecking the status of their patientshealth and report and refer compli-cations to the hospital without any de-lay.”

“Complication is bound to arise oncea while but anytime there is signs ofcomplication kindly refer them to thehospital without any delay.”

Child birth:LagosTrado-MedicalBoard seeksproperdocumentation

•Left: The new Ibijola Medical Centre. Right: Former Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan (centre) w ithDr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo, Medical Director, (2nd left) and other community members during the official opening of theCentre in Ibiye Community, Agbara area of Lagos last week.

BY CHIOMA OBINNA common development lauded efforts ofthe Chief Medical Director of the Hos-pital, Dr Adeyeye Arigbabuwo.

“The hospital is certainly going tohelp people in the community; it is aplace all of them who need medicalhelp will run to.” Giving an insightinto the establishment of the hospital,Arigbabuwo, the Founder, who notedthat the vision of Ibijola is to ensurethat mothers and their children die nomore, said Community Based HealthInsurance would be introduced as partof efforts to ensure that medical servicesare affordable for all in the community.

The hospital was established to pro-vide affordable, accessible and avail-able healthcare services for the commu-nity and environs.

Health educationprogramme

Arigbabuwo noted the vision of thehospital was to ensure better life formothers and their children said thehospital has fashioned out a healtheducation programme for women in thecommunity, particularly pregnantwomen. “Mother must live, babies mustlive, it is no more acceptable to us thehigh mortality rate for mothers and chil-dren. We have fashioned out health edu-cation including support for traditionalbirth attendants. We will catch the preg-nant women young. If you cannot af-ford the cost of treatment, we will giveyou a buffer.

Executive Chairman of Ato Awori,Local Council Development Area,LCDA, charged Ibiye community andenvirons to take ownership of the hos-pital as well as support the facility. “Iadvice that they tap into the health in-surance, the medical director has prom-ised. The high point of the commis-sioning of the 12 – bedded facility withbasic equipment was the free screeningfor blood pressure, urine, blood sugar,and cholesterol checks amongst others.

44 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

FRESH cracks may haveemerged within the ranks of

the nation’s leading oppositionparty, the All ProgressivesCongress, APC as a fall out of itsnational convention which endedSaturday morning in Abuja.

The convention which wasslated to commence by 10.00 a.m.did not start until about 9.00 p.m.In between the about 11 hourswhile delegates waited inside theEagles Square conventionground, party chieftains were indifferent locations in Abuja, andthrough telephones, wereaiming to settle disputes betweensenior contenders andstakeholders that threatened toscuttle the first nationalconvention of the party.

In the end, the trouble shootingefforts were partially successful.But not totally.

Chief Tom Ikimi, the man whoannounced the birth of the newparty last year and who hostedand chaired most of the meetingsof the merger committeeabsented himself from theconvention ground.

Conventionvenue

“I was not at the conventionvenue, I bought thechairmanship form, but I did notfill it when I found out what theywanted to do,” Chief Ikimi toldVanguard over the telephone.

“I still have the forms with me.I never stepped down foranybody I did not participate inthe exercise, I boycotted it,” headded saying “I will come upwith a statement soon where Iwill explain what transpired.”

The questions about Ikimi are,however, not new as partyinsiders revealed that for sometime, party officials had fearedabout the continued loyalty of theparty for some time especiallygiven his recent vituperationsagainst alleged highhandednessby some party chieftains from theSouthwest.

In the end Ikimi refused to stepdown, but another contestant forthe post of national chairman,Chief Timipire Sylva after muchdithering procrastinationsuccumbed and stepped down

APC: Reality beckons!THE All Progressives Congress held its first national convention last weekend. Theintrigues that shadowed the convention may well position the party on its own pathof crisis if not successfully managed

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN,POLITICAL EDITOR, OKEYNDIRIBE, DAPO AKINRE-

FON & SIMON EBEGBULEM

for the favoured choice of the tophierarchy, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who was favoured forhis ideological purity.

But the way and manner Ikimi,Sylva and another contestant, Dr.Sam Sam Jaja were coerced tostep down exposed to someextent a kind of similaritybetween the APC and the rulingparty, the Peoples DemocraticParty, PDP which the former hadconsistently ridiculed as anti-democratic.

APC leaders Vanguardgathered were determined toenter the convention groundwith a consensus list ofcandidates for the most highprofile positions, notably,national chairman, deputynational chairmen, nationalsecretary, national publicitysecretary and national

organizing secretary.Party leaders like Asiwaju Bola

Ahmed Tinubu who championedthe consensus option wereseriously rebuffed by Ikimi andSylva.

In some cases, the consensuscandidates were chosen by zonalcaucuses and after seriousdeliberation. For example one ofthe favoured candidates for alegal office zoned to the South-South was dropped at a caucusmeeting presided over byGovernor Rotimi Amaechi afterparty chieftains raised issuesabout his legal qualification.

In other cases, candidates werepicked as consensus on thewhims of influence moulders inthe party. Tinubu wasindisputably the major forcebehind the ascension of Odigie-Oyegun and he successfully

marketed him through SenatorBukola Saraki to the northerncaucus of the party.

Chief Bisi Akande who alsostrongly backed Odigie-Oyegunto emerge as his successor wassaid to have seriously canvassedhis ideological purity as he saidthat those who had in the pastbeen the face of the PDP should

former foreign affairs minister.Ikimi was the one who

announced the merger, chairedand hosted many of the meetingsthat gave birth to the new party.

By weekend many partyleaders including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar,Vanguard learnt were moving tohalt Ikimi’s exit from the party.

Party leaders, however, agreedto give those from the PDP asense of belonging by zoning theoffice of deputy national

Continues on page 45

•New National Chairman of APC flanked by party leaders after his emergence last weekend

ISSUESISSUESISSUESISSUESISSUES•Ikimi boycotted the convention because he felt he was not wanted•Atiku making moves to bring back Ikimi•Tinubu did not have his way completely, his man Kashim Imam wasstepped aside for National Secretary•Convention was delayed by eleven hours because of intrigues•Accreditation was poorly managed by the media sub-committee•Party disappointed critics as no open quarrel emerged

not become the new leaders ofthe PDP.

That was the argument thatderailed the candidacy of SamSam Jaja and Ikimi. Sylva,Vanguard learnt was side-stepped on account of the courtissues bordering on corruption heis currently facing.

Party chieftains said they couldnot afford to have their nationalchairman being dragged to courtby the Economic and FinancialCrimes Commission, EFCC,something, they believedPresident Goodluck Jonathanwould be well pleased to do.

However, the failure to takeIkimi’s major role in the mergerof the legacy parties to form theAPC is said to have rankled the

chairman to those from the formerPDP.

Ikimi was not the only one thatcame out with a beef from theconvention. Sylva even if heannounced he was steppingdown apparently did it veryreluctantly albeit, belatedly.

Ikimi’s refusal to withdraw andSylva last minute decision to stepdown were reasons behind thelate commencement of theconvention which commenced 11hours late.

After party leaders belatedly gotan assurance from Sylva to stepdown, the decision to proceedwith the convention was takenirrespective of Ikimi’s plans.Even by then, Tinubu and the

,

,Ikimi’s refusal to withdraw and Sylva lastminute decision to step down were reasonsbehind the late commencement of theconvention

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—45

APC: Reality beckonsother pro-Odigie-Oyegun

canvassers had successfullylocked down whatever votes thatwould have been needed to pushtheir candidate through.

Ikimi was not the only loser atthe APC convention. AlhajiKashim Imam, who served asPresidential Liaison Officer to theSenate in President OlusegunObasanjo’s first term was anotherloser. Imam had been packagedby Tinubu for the position ofnational secretary. Many at theconvention ground had believedthat he was a shoo-in for the officegiven the momentum and forceof the Tinubu forces.

However, other interests in theparty, notably the northerncaucus was said to have buckedat the idea of allowing Tinubuproduce the national chairmanand national secretary. So, in theend, despite the earliermomentum, Imam wassidestepped.

However, besides the two majoroffices of national chairman andnational secretary, the election ofother national offices proceededalmost uneventfully.

The unopposed election offormer Ekiti State Governor, Engr.

Continued from page 44

,,

Segun Oni as National DeputyChairman, South arose from thedecision of the national caucusto reward those who came fromthe PDP a sense of belonginggiven the strong objection byideological purists not to givethem the post of nationalchairman or national secretary.

Others who emerged at theconvention were Senator LawalShuaibu, as National DeputyChairman North Lai Mohammedwho retained his position asNational Publicity Secretary; Hon. Zakare Ede, NationalVice-Chairman for North-Central; Hajia Ramatu, NationalWoman Leader; Jock Alamba,Deputy Welfare Secretary; HajiaHassan, North-Central ZonalWoman Leader and Hon. NelsonAlapa, ex-Officio member forthe North-Central.

Besides Ikimi, Chief TimipireSylva is another top party officialwho came out of the conventionunhappy. Though Sylva,apparently may not go to the PDPgiven that his nemesis, PresidentGoodluck Jonathan remains thede facto leader of the ruling party.Convention Day: The day beganwith what could be described aspolitical fireworks during theaccreditation of delegates at thesecretariat of the ConventionPlanning Committee of the partyalong Emeka Anyaoku Street,Area 11, Abuja.

Violence broke out after twomembers were beaten up bysome party faithful from Abia andEbonyi states while policemenlooked on. One of them who waslabeled as “Ngige boy” wasstripped naked near the gate of

the Secretariat.Investigations by Vanguard

revealed that the fighting eruptedbetween delegates of differentfactions of the party from Abia andEbonyi States. Some of theaggrieved delegates from bothstates who spoke to Vanguardalleged that although they wereelected as state and localgovernment officers of the partyand therefore automatic delegatesfor the party’s convention, theyhad been denied accreditation bythe Convention PlanningCommittee headed by SokotoState Governor Alhaji AliyuWammako with Senator ChrisNgige as Secretary.

One of the delegates from AbiaState who identified himself asUche Emeka accusedNgige, Imo State GovernorRochas Okorocha, formerNational Chairman of All NigeriaPeoples Party, Dr OgbonnayaOnu and Interim National Vice-Chairman of the party for theSouth-East, Mr Nyerere as beingresponsible for their plight.

According to Emeka: “We werereliably informed that Ngige andOkorocha have instructed that ourChairman who is FabianOkonkwo and the rest of us fromAbia State should not beaccredited.

Another delegate from EbonyiState who spoke to SundayVanguard identified himself as

Ali Christian and Secretary of theparty in Ishielu localgovernment.

Said he: “ There are two factionsof APC in Ebonyi. One is led byChief Ogbonnaya Onu while theother is led by Senator JuliusUcha and because of that, thereseems to be a power tusslebetween the two of them.

The Eagle Square venue of theconvention, located opposite theNational Assembly Arcade andsandwiched in-between theOffice of The Head of Service ofthe Federation and the FederalSecretariat looked like it wasabout to host a major carnivalFriday morning. APCcontingents from the 36 states ofthe federation jammed all theadjoining streets in the area.Many of them were adorned in

different attire while some camewith their band which playedmusic while the delegatesdanced.

Many APC faithful hadarrived the vicinity Thursdayevening and slept in the openwith their mats. By Fridaymorning, the entire area,including the access roadsleading to the Presidential Villahad been jam-packed withpeople and vehicles. A total of6,855 delegates attended theconvention from the 36 statesand the Federal Capital Territory(FCT). Security was alsotightened at all entry points intoand within Abuja.

This notwithstanding, thecommencement of theconvention proper was delayedfor hours as the National Caucus

of the party held series ofmeetings which deliberated onchoice of candidates for the keypositions in the party.

Earlier in the week, theNational Caucus had allocateddifferent positions in the party todifferent zones.

When the business of the dayeventually began, ratification of the party’s constitution and itscode of ethics were handled first.

The motion for the ratificationof certain sections of theconstitution was moved bySenator Kabiru Gaya andseconded by House ofRepresentatives MinorityLeader, Hon. FemiGbajabiamilla. The constitutionwas adopted by voice vote. Thisapproach also applied to theadoption of the APC code ofethics. Senator Osita Izunasomoved the motion which wasseconded by the DeputyGovernor of Osun State, MrsGrace Tomori.

The election of the party’s newleadership was preceded byspeeches delivered by the InterimNational leaders.

Former Interim NationalChairman of the party Chief BisiAkande who spoke first.

Going down memory lane hesaid: “When we consummatedour merger, we said the aim ofthat unprecedented and historicachievement was to create acredible alternative platform forNigerians, who were tired of theperpetual misrule of the PDP.

“Now, I can say clearly thatNigerians have heard us andhave reacted in joining our partyin huge numbers. Ourmembership registration atteststo this, as we all know by nowthat the membership registration,which started on February 5, wassupposed to be over by February10 but the response of Nigerianswas so overwhelming that wehad to shift the exercise toFebruary 12.”

THE APC newly elected National PoblicitySecretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has

meanwhile described the convention as a hugesuccess which defied the predictions andintrigues of mischief makers.

Mohammed who is returning to the positionhe held in interim position and the same positionhe successfully held in the defunct ActionCongress of Nigeria, ACN praised the disciplineof party members who defied rain and rumble toprotect the ballots. In the opinion of the APCspokesman, the fact that no single theft of violenceand pick pocketing was recorded on theconvention ground makes the party an Eldorado.

‘’We are encouraged and gratified by thegoodwill messages from a cross section ofNigerians, many of them from outside our party,especially on the openness and transparency ofour convention,’’ the party said in a statementissued in Lagos on Sunday by its NationalPublicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

‘’This massive support from Nigerians hasstrengthened our resolve to continue with ourefforts to move our country forward. Now, we areback to work and we will not look back untilNigeria has been rescued from the grip of a

It was a great success – Lai Mohammed

•Oyegun: I will cage the PDP

The unopposed election of former Ekiti StateGovernor, Engr. Segun Oni as NationalDeputy Chairman, South arose from thedecision of the national caucus to rewardthose who came from the PDP

rapacious cabal intent on stifling the country’sprogress,’’ it said.

‘’When the entire public address systemsuccumbed to the rains, our members moved fromone state delegation to another to mobilise themto vote. When the rain started, they were moreinterested in protecting the ballot boxes thanshielding themselves from the rain.

‘’It is also noteworthy that no cases of violenceand pick-pocketing were recorded despite themassive turnout at the Eagle Square for theconvention. Not even the threatening textmessages sent to the phones of many delegatesat the convention, over a purported impendingbomb attack, could shake their resolve. There canbe no better testament to commitment to a cause,the cause of rescuing Nigeria, than this,’’ the partysaid

‘’Based on the nationwide scientific poll weconducted across the 36 states and the federalcapital, we have identified three sectors that wouldcommand special attention. They are job creation,war against corruption as well as security. Thesesectors will get immediate and special attentionfrom an APC-led federal government, startingon May 29th 2015, by the votes of Nigerians andthe Grace of God,’’ the party said.

46—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

,

,OPINION

Paradox of Sanusi's emirshipBY ABBA ADAKOLE

*Mr. Adakole, a public affairscommentator, wrote from Abuja.

THE adage: “the pen ismightier than the sword”,

sounded foolish to me the firsttime I heard it as a freshman atNsukka over 30 years ago. Howcan anyone in his right mind makesuch a nonsensical assertion? Eventhe Great Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, thegreatest media mogul Nigeria hasever produced till date who foughtthe British colonialists with hisacerbic pen, reportedly oncewhispered to his disciples: “only amad man can argue with a mancarrying a gun”.

Zik’s alibi notwithstanding, thepen is mightier than the sword.It was not a mere psychologicaltranquiliser coined to givewriters and journalists a falsesense of importance when it wasfirst deployed by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1939. Even NapoleonBonaparte, one of the greatest

Army’s tangle with the Press

military generals of all time, saidso. The mind is mightier than themuscle. The muscle works for themind.

The Nigerian armed forces had,for the first time in its illustrioushistory, become the butt of(mostly snide) comments over itsapparent inability to destroyBoko Haram, an Islamicinsurgent group that started likea rag-tag band of overgrown,over-excited almajirai in 2009. Ithas blossomed into the mostsavage, notorious and dreadedterrorist outfit in the worldtoday. Our once feared armedand security forces seemed at aloss what to do, as we startedhearing allegations of internalsabotages, alleged mutinies, poorequipment, “low morale” andunwillingness to confront thenation’s enemies. Boko Haram’s“exploits” are reported everydayon both the orthodox media and

the new, unscrupulous socialmedia.

The armed and security forcesmade the miscalculation ofclamping down on thenewspaper industry, confiscatingand destroying some editions of

newspapers, detaining thedrivers of newspaper distributionvans and generally disruptingoperations in the industryreminiscent of the dark dayswhen the military was in power.Their action was described bysome military sources as “routinesecurity checks”. Later on, thespokesman of the NigerianArmy, Major General ChrisOlukolade, explained thatnewspaper vans were stopped atthe various checkpointsbecause Boko Haram hadresorted to disguising theirsupplies, including armamentsand logistics, in vans painted inmedia colours, apparentlytaking advantage of theprivileges that the media aregiven on the highways by thesecurity agencies. Boko Haramhas resorted to all sorts of newtricks, including the abductionof girls and the enlistment of

women as suicide bombers andinformants, and hence the needfor the armed forces and securityagencies to be more thorough intheir checks.

While the disruptions weregoing on, media practitionersstarted reading the action of themilitary as a declaration of waron the Press. It did not make anysense to seize and destroynewspapers and magazinesbecause of the stories they carriedin these days when mostnewspapers have their onlineeditions which are read all overthe world. It is futile and an un-winable war, as the history of theg o v e r n m e n t - m e d i arelationships in Nigeria hasshown. The Nigerian Press movesinto its true elements when it isfaced with dictatorship orimpunity of any kind. The ZikGroup of Newspapers set the tonein fighting the colonial masters,and the industry became thegreatest obstacle to theperpetration of prolongedmilitary rule in Nigeria.

When General OlusegunObasanjo was elected

president of Nigeria in 1999, hemounted a civilian dictatorship.He was determined to use rough-and-ready methods to force thelegislative arm of government todance to his tune. He changedthe personnel running the rulingPeoples Democratic Party, PDP atwill. He manipulated the affairsof the major opposition parties tomake sure they did not become athreat to him. He intimidated stategovernors, got one of themabducted by the police anddeclared state of emergency orengineered the impeachment ofgovernors in Plateau, Anambra,

Ekiti, Oyo, Bayelsa and others.He also wired the judiciary andthe concept of “black marketjudgements” became rampantduring his eight years in power.He even tried to change theConstitution to give himself a thirdterm in office.

But Obasanjo, a tested hand inrunning the affairs of Nigeria,stomped all over the politicalclass but carefully andmethodically desisted fromharassing the media and civilsociety. He decided that the bestway to deal with the media andcivil society was to do nothing.The media was harsh andcritical over his roughneckhandling of our democracy.Writers often went beyondcriticism and actually hurledinsults at him. Baba Iyaboignored them. In fact, hedisplayed his contempt bysaying: “I don’t read Nigeriannewspapers”. Writers and theirreaders got to a point wherethey wondered aloud whetherthe people in government readwhat was being written.

Something strange happened,shortly after Obasanjo camedown from the presidency in2007, which convinced me thatObasanjo did read Nigeriannewspapers. His apparentrefusal to engage them wasdeliberately meant to makethem feel unimportant andirrelevant.

Shortly after he wasappointed as the CorpsMarshall of the Federal RoadsSafety Commission, FRSC, MrOsita Chidoka invited me to hisoffice in Abuja July 2007. Heasked me to accompany him tosee someone at the TranscorpHilton. Not having much else to

do that day, I agreed to go withhim and we rode in his officialcar. My curiosity was stokedwhen we were taken to the topfloor of the hotel where the superVIP’s usually stay. At the end ofa long passage, we came to a doorguarded by beefy, stern-lookingsecurity men in suits. I was toldto wait outside while Chidokawent into the suite. He later gotthe security men to allow me in.Shortly, an elderly man inshabby dressing gown came outof an adjoining room. Everybodyin the suite got up and Chidokawent to greet him, calling him:Baba.

It was then that it dawned on methat I was in the presence of formerPresident Olusegun Obasanjo, theman I spent the last eight yearsbashing over his dictatorialhandling of the polity! Aftergreeting Obasanjo, Chidokaintroduced me:

“Baba, this is my friend,Ochereome Nnanna ofVanguard Newspapers…”

President Obasanjo, who hadextended his towards me for ashake, quickly withdrew it asthough I had suddenly become acoiled black mamba, the mostdangerous snake in the world. Hegave me a baleful, withering lookand walked away! I quicklywalked out of the suite, wentdown and returned to my hotel.As I went, I kept telling myself:the man reads Nigeriannewspapers!

However, the challenge thenation is facing is different. Weare faced with a terribleenemy, Boko Haram, andmilitary is putting itspersonnel on the line to saveNigeria and secure Nigerians.It is in our collective intereststo cooperate with the military,rather than ridicule orembarrass them. Even whenthey make mistakes, such as thedisruption of media business,we must be patient. Luckily,their leaders are willing tocorrect their mistakes andeager to work with the rest ofsociety to succeed in the war onterror.

This is our army, and this isour country. The media and theNigerian armed forces are NOTat war. We are comrades atarms in the service of ournation.

Obasanjo, a tested hand in running theaffairs of Nigeria, stomped all over thepolitical class but carefully andmethodically desisted from harassing themedia and civil society; he decided thatthe best way to deal with the media andcivil society was to do nothing

THE appointment of Alhaji SanusiLamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano last

weekend was a fulfillment of the former CBNgovernor’s long-standing craving for thatsymbol of traditional power. It is at once apersonal victory as well as a sweet ‘revenge’against the forces that battled andultimately banished his late grandfather,Alhaji Muahmmadu Sanusi, the Emir ofKano from 1953-1963, into exile in Azare.

Muahmmadu Sanusi’s 10-year tenure asemir was tempestuous, highlighted mainlyby his power tussles with the Sardauna ofSokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. It was a warwaged on many fronts: from the political tothe traditional, but the Sardaunaultimately prevailed. MuhammaduSanusi’s grandson, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,who was named after him, is no less hungryfor power and has, over the years, shown aninclination to be controversial. He is a chipoff the old block, so to say, and many arealready worried he is toeing the path ofdefiance which brought down the elderSanusi.

His tenure as governor of Nigeria’s CentralBank was anything but distinguished, owingto the inglorious manner in which he exited.By 2009 when he was appointed by the latePresident Umar Yar’Adua, his predecessor,

Chukwuma Soludo, had brought so muchclout to the office with his wide-rangingreforms which created some of Africa’sbiggest financial services institutions anddeepened the country’s capital markets.With Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the expectationswere even higher, but as it turned out, theexpectations were far-fetched.

In his nearly five years at the helm of CBNaffairs, Sanusi did not only stray from theprimary focus of the bank, he went downthe path of profligacy and hugged all formsof controversy. He was roundly accused ofpoliticizing decision-making at the apexbank and his financial indiscipline had ledto his tenure being investigated for breachesof enabling laws, due process and mandateof the CBN. Not only was he alleged to havesigned off over N160 billion by fiat, he hadrun the CBN as a fiefdom. By the time hewas suspended by President GoodluckJonathan in February 2014, he was seenby many as a distraction to the bank’sprimary functions.

In a story that went like his grandfather’s,he also lost that enviable position before thedue date. His resort to the courts to extricatehim from the allegations and possibly toreturn him to the CBN chair he sorely missed,were fruitless until June 3, when he was

effectively replaced by Mr. Godwin Emefiele.His elevation to Kano’s emirship has no

doubt raised some questions. While the CBNtenure has ended, did the plethora ofallegations hanging over him evaporatewith the tenure lapse? Does his recentelevation render the allegations of financialimpropriety a nullity? Why did the AllProgressives Congress (APC) government inKano break all the rules to make him emir,even when his large gown is dripping withofficial malfeasance?

The implication of his appointment as emirof Kano, is obvious: not only has the governorof Kano state, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,brought the stool to ridicule, a large chunkof respect it once commanded will be difficultto attract henceforth. Since he became emir,Kano has not known peace, owing largely tothe belief that it was manipulated. Hisascension has generated so much bad bloodthat the APC government in the state hasrelentlessly tried to explain how it arrivedat the choice of Sanusi.

If the people’s will had mattered, theCiroman Kano, Sanusi Lamido Ado Bayero,would have succeeded his father, but thekingmakers of Kano, prodded by the stategovernment, thought otherwise. With theformer CBN governor’s grouses with

President Jonathan, it was obvious the APCgovernor will be more comfortable with himas the emir, at least to spite the President. Sofor Kano state governor, Rabiu MusaKwankwaso, who was all the time theselection process lasted in his best partisanpolitical elements, Sanusi’s choice was a faitaccompli.

The rioting which followed theannouncement of Kwankwaso’s choice wasto be expected, just like the chants of “Bamuso, ba muso’’, meaning, “we don’t want,we don’t want’’. While the shouting maydie down sooner or later, the headache willnot. To the average Kano man, the emir isnext to God; he is revered by all and sundrybut he must also earn their trust and theirreverence. As one who sits in judgment overthem, he must be above board and mustmaintain a certain level of decorum. WillSanusi ever fully recover from the smear ofhis disastrous tenure in the CBN and theallegation against him that may never besettled? And that brings the other question,will he ever fully earn the trust and respectof his subjects?

It is bad enough that he has taken off on acontroversial note. Though he has beenmade the emir, the challenge is shunningthe temptation to walk the inglorious pathagain, or to go like his grandfather.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—47

L E I S U R ETHOUGHT FOR TODAYTHOUGHT FOR TODAYTHOUGHT FOR TODAYTHOUGHT FOR TODAYTHOUGHT FOR TODAY

48 — Vanguard, MONDAY, 48 — Vanguard, MONDAY, 48 — Vanguard, MONDAY, 48 — Vanguard, MONDAY, 48 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16,JUNE 16,JUNE 16,JUNE 16,JUNE 16, 2014, 2014, 2014, 2014, 2014,

VIRGINIA

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman

dadadekola@yahoo.com

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” By Lanre Kehinde

YOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAY

HOME & ABROAD By Lawrence Akapa

By Richard Eromosele

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGSend ySend ySend ySend ySend your datour datour datour datour date and place of bire and place of bire and place of bire and place of bire and place of bir th tth tth tth tth to the Aso the Aso the Aso the Aso the Astrtrtrtrtrologicalologicalologicalologicalological

Counselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, P.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 100000000007, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos

TAURUS: Mercury will start to go on backward motionsoonest, therefore you will need to re-examine both yourpersonal ideas and advice given to you by other people.Be family minded.

GEMINI: Avoided you don’t allow others to misleadyou, things will not go wrong. The more willing you areto take the initiative the better for you. Take your lovelife more seriously.

CANCER: Although you will need to be as secretive asyou can, your success will attract others’ attention to youto the betterment of your cause. Be ambitious.

LEO: People who more influential than you will bewilling to support your cause but you will need to makethe necessary move. The more self assertive you are thebetter.

VIRGO: Challenges of yesterday will today bring yougood opportunities along your career/business lines tothe betterment of your finances seek supporters ofpowerful ones.

LIBRA: Think of the best way to improve on yourworking pattern in order to enhance your career prospectsif you listen to your creative self, things will work outfine for you. Be more loving.

SCORPIO: Success is boldly printed on your cardstoday. Think of both immediate and far future while youare savouring goodies offered you but mother nature.

SAGITTARIUS: You should not have it tough whiletrying to win the needed supports of others. Take goodadvice from some of your friends who are creativelygifted.

CAPRICORN: Your creativity ...... is enhanced todayand if you demonstrating this within your working arena,you’ll earn success and consolidate on your recentprogress.

AQUARIUS: As mercury prepares to go on backwardmotion it is important you don’t take things for granted.Watch carefully what you agree to do.

PISCES: Better than yesterday. Others will be willingto give you the needed co-operation both at home andwithin your working arena. This is a good day for lovers.

ARIES: Those of you who are more enterprising willhave much to show for your efforts. The more cooperativeyou. Don’t neglect love.

What does future havefor me

Dear Joshua,I don’t want you to publish my data. However, I want to

know how the planets lined up when I was born.And which day of the week was I born, would I record

success in life ? When would my success come?Kolawole, Lagos.

Dear Kolawole,You were born on a Jupiter ruled day - Thursday. You’ll

succeeded earlier than you think.Your Horoscope DataDAY OF BIRTH: THURSDAYSUN SIGN = PISCES: SUN IN 25TH DEGREE OF

PISCESMOON SIGN: PISCES: MOON IN 21ST DEGREE

OF PISCESMERCURY IN 28TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUSVENUS IN 28TH DEGREE OF ARIESMARS IN 7TH DEGREE OF CANCERJUPITER IN ZERO DEGREE OF AQUARIUSSATURN IN 27TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORNURANUS IN 22ND DEGREE OF LEONEPTUNE IN 11TH DECREE OF SCORPIOPLUTO IN 6TH DEGREE OF VIRGONORTH NODE IN 6TH DEGREE OF PISCESCARDINAL AND MUTABLE STAR SIGN HOSTED

THREE PLANETSEACH, FIXED AND WATER FOUR EACH, FIRE

EARTH AND AIRHOSTED TWO EACH.PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 40%NON-PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 60%HIGHLY HIGHLIGHTED STAR SIGN = AQUARIUSFINAL DISPOSITOR = SATURN

ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATASaturn as the final dispositor-the most influential planet

at home when you were born, pointed to you asan ambitious person who must have a well developed

career. You are a disciplined person with higher degreeof leadership quality in yourself. Although, you can beemotional, you are stable and reliable. Less than 50 percent of push-full influence in you is an indication of yourbeing an amiable person.

The Best Advertisement

IF I may ask you which is

the best way toadvertise yourselftoday, I guessmany people willbe mentioningthe differentmedia through

which you dothis. Some willeven go beyondnaming them totalking abouttheir exorbitantprices.However, I want

to let you knowthat you do notneed to paymoney in order toget the kind ofadvert that canpromote you.How? Fine! Let

me ask you aquestion: Whodoes Tiger Woodpay to getpublicity? What ofAli Baba? Want tobe advertised?Just dos o m e t h i n gnewsworthy nomatter how little.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—49

CMYK

50 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 — 51

ASDEV club wants Osadebay immortalisedBY AUSTIN OGWUDA

PRESIDENT of ASDEV Club of Asaba,

Ogbueshi Tony Molokwu,has said it was saddenedthat the first and only Pre-mier of the defunct Mid-west region and one-timeacting President of Nigeria,late Chief Dennis Osade-bay has not been immortal-ized since he passed on twodecades ago, despite hisimmense contributions tonational development.

Molokwu who spoke atthe first Chief Dennis Os-adebay Memorial Lecturein Asaba, said the Club,which is made up of indi-genes of Asaba and intel-lectuals will not rest on itsoars until that was accom-plished.

He said, “we havetagged today’s event asinaugural because it is ourintention to organize suchlecture in his memory pe-riodically. Moreover thiswould be the first time thatany organized group out-side his immediate familywould be coming out topublicly acknowledge andhonour this late astute pol-itician of immense stature.We are saddened that weare only just waking up to

acclaim our son after overthree decades of our exist-ence as a club as nobodyelse would do this for us.We are hopeful that thisseries of lectures in honourof our great son will exposeAsaba further and putrecords in correct perspec-tive as to its place in histo-ry of our great country, Ni-geria so that denials of whatis due to this great town will

be curtailed”.Also speaking, the son of

the late Premier, Mr. Chin-edu Osadebay said hisfamily was wondering iftheir late father was just amere option in the nation’spolitics as they were unableto fathom why such a manwho served the nation mer-itoriously was sidelined insuch a glaring manner.

Kabang attack: Adamawastakeholders sue for peaceBY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

ABUJA— THE Adamawa State Peo-

ples Democratic Party, PDPStakeholders, yesterdaycondemned in strongterms the recent bomb at-tack in Kabang, a suburbof Mubi Local GovernmentArea of Adamawa State,which occurred, Sunday,June 1. The group de-scribed the incident as ahuge let down to residents,victims and their relations,who live around the vicin-ity and an attempt to deci-mate a large population ofNigerians by Boko Haraminsurgents. .

The stakeholders said,“The entire members of this

pressure group wish to ex-press our extreme anguishand regret over the wantondecimation of a large pop-ulation of Nigerians byBoko Haram insurgents.Specifically, we condemn instrong terms the recentbomb attack in Kabang, asuburb in Mubi Local Gov-ernment Area of AdamawaState which occurred, Sun-day, June 1, 2014. The in-cident was a huge let downto residents, victims andtheir relations who livearound the vicinity. Thebombing, which occurred ata football viewing centreclaimed over 20 lives, andseveral others injured fromthe incident."

VanguardVanguardVanguardVanguardVanguardCLASSIFIED

F A S A W E — I ,formerly known andaddressed as MissO m o t o l aO l u w a f u n m i l a y oFasawe, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.O m o t o l aO l u w a f u n m i l a y oJituboh. All formerdocuments remainvalid. University ofBenin and generalpublic please takenote.

I G W E G B E — I ,formerly known andaddressed as MissSylvia ChinonyeIgwegbe, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Sylvia ChinonyeIgwe. All formerdocuments remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

OGBAH—I, formerlyknown and addressedas Miss RosemaryUyoyo Ogbah, nowwish to be known andaddressed as Mrs.Rosemary Uyoyo Olu-Young. All formerdocuments remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

PEMU—I, formerlyknown and addressedas Miss Peace Pemu,now wish to be knownand addressed asMrs. Peace Achere.All former documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

MBEH—I, formerlyknown and addressedas Miss MbehMargaret Ibor, nowwish to be known andaddressed as Mrs.Jones MargaretAdirimo. All formerdocuments remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

C H U K W U — I ,formerly known andaddressed as MissJoan ChinonyeChukwu, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Joan ChinonyeEgesimba. All formerdocuments remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

POLOAMINA—I,formerly known andaddressed as MissYengibi RhodaPoloamina, now wishto be known andaddressed as Mrs.Yengibi PoloaminaUzorka. All formerdocuments remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

OGUJI—I, formerlyknown and addressedas Miss OgujiChiamaka Frances,now wish to be knownand addressed asMrs. AdoguChiamaka Frances.All former documentsremain valid.Generalpublic please takenote.

OKE—I, formerlyknown and addressedas Miss MaureenOke, now wish to beknown and addressedas Mrs. MaureenTobokapoh Adike. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

O L A D E P O — I ,formerly known andaddressed as MissVictoria OluwatoyinOladepo, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Victoria OluwatoyinE m m a n u e lUmunnawuike. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

C H I K E L U — I ,formerly known andaddressed as MissChikelu VivianAdaeze, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Ezeilo Vivian Adaeze.All former documentsremain valid. AbujaElectricity DistributionCompany, MainstreetBank and generalpublic please takenote.

CHUKWUNJOKU—I,formerly known andaddressed as MariaN. Chukwunjoku, nowwish to be known andaddressed as Maria N. Ugwu . All formerdocuments remainvalid. General Publicplease take note.

N W I G W E — I ,formerly known andaddressed as MissUgochi UzochukwuNwigwe, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.To n y - N w a b u e z eUgochi Uzochukwu.All former documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

O N O M E — I ,formerly known andaddressed as OnomeIrikefe Orhie, nowwish to be known andaddressed as IrikefeOrhie. All formerdocuments remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

MAYUKU—I, formerlyknown and addressedas Miss JulietMayuku, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Juliet A. Chukusa. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please take note.

S A K P O B A — I ,formerly known andaddressed as PrinceS a k p o b aOritseminone, nowwish to be known andaddressed as PrinceO r i t s e m i n o n eEdemaogun. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

SEGUN—I, formerlyknown and addressedas Miss Segun MercyTseghriri, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Olowo Mercy. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

I K E G B U S I — I ,formerly known andaddressed as MissIkegbusi UcheAppolonia, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Iheonu UcheAppolonia (Osuoha).All former documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

O K A F O R — I ,formerly known andaddressed as ChizobaChinwe Okafor, nowwish to be known andaddressed as ChizobaJoyce ChinweNwandu. All formerdocuments remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

VANGUARD'S LAGOS OFFICES

IKEJA OFFICE AT TRINITYMALL, 79/81 OBAFEMI

AWOLOWO WAY,BETWEEN ZENITH &DIAMOND BANKS,

IKEJA. CALL COMFORTON 07031183371, OR

CECILIA ON 08035449960

YOU CAN BOOK FORA SPACE AT:

LAGOS ISLANDOFFICE

VANGUARD MEDIALIMITED

(LAGOS OFFICE)K I O S K 4 8 , E A S T

PAVILION T B S , L A G O S .

OR:

52 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

A F R I C A Nchampions, the

Super Eagles will to-night flag off their WorldCup campaign whenthey battle Iran at theArena da Baixada inCuritibia.

It is the first time bothteams will be clashing atthe World Cup, with Ea-gles fancying theirchances of picking allthree points, in a group,which also comprisesArgentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina. .This is Nigeria’s fifthWorld Cup while it is thefourth for Iran, who qual-ified for the tournamentthanks to their mean de-fence, which concededjust five goals in 10 Asianqualifying matches.”Iran’s qualification waslike a crossing throughhell”, admitted coachCarlos Queiroz after histeam achieved their ob-jective, and for the Por-tuguese, today’s matchoffers the best chance forthem to cross to heaven.

But Nigeria are not ateam prone to giftinggames to the oppositionand Coach StephenKeshi wants to show inBrazil why they are thecurrent champions of Af-rica.

The Super Eagles ar-rive in South Americahoping to improve ontheir best return from aWorld Cup; they reachedthe round of 16 in 1994and 1998.

Iran do not habituallycreate much chances buttheir strength, aside fromtheir mean defence, liesin their aerial threat, andit is this which laid thefoundations for theirqualification.

Queiroz’s men go intoGroup F as heavy under-dogs but if they are ableto keep things tight atthe back and get the ballinto the penalty area fromthe flanks, they are ca-pable of confounding thedoubters.

Nigeria, for their part,are not the same teamwhich finished bottom oftheir World Cup group inSouth Africa in 2010.Keshi has built a strong,dangerous team whowere deservedlycrowned kings of Africanchampions last year.Keshi varies his systemdepending on the oppo-nent, but usually sets his

Nigeria's might against Iran's hope

PEP TALK: Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi giving his wards final tips onhow to beat Iran

team up in a 4-3-3 for-mation or a 4-2-3-1 whichcan become as attackingas a 4-2-4 when the situ-ation allows it.

In team news, Germa-ny-based Iranian DanielDavari can expect to getthe nod in goal over vet-eran Rahman Ahmadi.

He faces a busy after-noon against the likes ofPremier League starsJohn Obi Mikel, VictorMoses and OsazeOdemwingie.

At the other end, Ni-geria will call on the for-midable Vincent Enyea-ma, who denied Lionel

Messi with impressivesaves in the 2010 finalsin South Africa.

Iran coach Carlos Que-iroz favours a 4-2-3-1formation, with captainJavad Nekounam themidfield fulcrum to allowCharlton’s Reza ‘Gucci’Ghoochannejhad andFulham winger AshkanDejagah to counter-at-tack

Iran are the top-rankedside in Asia with an im-pressive defensive recordand a manager with plen-ty of tactical acumen informer Manchester Unit-ed assistant and Real

Madrid coach CarlosQueiroz.

Neither side has en-joyed much World Cupsuccess.

Likely Starting 11Iran (Possible, 4-2-3-

1): Davari; Beitashour,Hosseini, Sadeghi, Pool-adi; Nekounam, Tey-mourian; Haddadifa,Shojaei, Dejagah;Ghoochannejhad.

Nigeria (Possible, 4-4-2): Enyeama; Ambrose,Oboabona, Omerou, Os-haniwa; Mikel, Onazi,Azeez, Moses;Odemwingie, Emenike.

Referee: Carlos Vera(Ecuador).

THE delegation ofNigeria Football

Federation to this year’sFIFA World Cup finals inBrazil landed in Sao Pau-lo on Saturday and willalso fly to Curitiba forNigeria’s opening ses-sion with Iran.

Led by Chairman of theNFF Media and Publici-ty Committee, High ChiefEmeka Inyama, the del-egation traveled aboardan Air Asia Airbus 340plane that departed La-gos on Saturday morningand landed in Campinas,

NFF delegation lands in Braziloutside Sao Paulo in theafternoon. It was receivedby NFF’s Marketing Di-rector, Adama Idris andmembers of the local or-ganizing committee of theFIFA World Cup.

There were also onboard members of NFFExecutive CommitteeMuazu Suleyman, She-hu Adamu, Felix Anyan-si-Agwu, Ayodeji Tinubu,Dilichukwu Onyedinma,Yusuf Ahmed, SuleimanYahaya-Kwande, EffiongJohnson and AhmadMuazu.

Ecuadorian referee for Eagles against Iran

•Maigari

CARLOS Vera fromEcuador has been ap-

pointed by FIFA as the cen-tre referee for today’s GroupF first game between Ni-geria and Iran.

Vera’s appointment iscoming nine days beforehis 38th birthday. The Ec-uadorian has been over-

seeing international match-es since 2007 and officiat-ed at several CONCAFcompetitions, including theCopa America 2011 andthe Copa Libertadores since2008, as well as at the FIFAClub World Cup 2012.

Germany against Portu-gal will be refereed by Mi-

lorad Mazic from Serbia.He is 41 years old andworked at the FIFA U-20World Cup 2013 and at sev-eral UEFA competitions.Match 14, Ghana v. USA,is the second match in Na-tal and will be covered byJonas Eriksson, 40 years oldand from Sweden.

Eagles ‘ll crush Iran— KeshiSTEPHEN Keshi is

banking on the com-bination of youth andexperience to see theSuper Eagles, last year’sAfrican Nations’ Cupchampions conquer Iran

Keshi believes gettingthe better of his oppositenumber Carlos Queirozwill be the biggest chal-lenge for his side as theytake on Iran in theirWorld Cup opener to-night.

The Super Eagles havetaken two points from sixmatches in their last twoWorld Cup appearanc-es, but have higherhopes this time aroundafter winning the AfricanNations’ Cup last year.

“Their coach is theirbiggest weapon becausehe’s well experienced,he knows the gamewell,” Keshi toldFifa.com

“For the Iran game, wehave to be focused. Wehave to concentrate anddo our job. We’re notgoing to take Iran light-ly because they’re notgoing to take us lightly,so we have to go outwith everything that wehave.

“They have a verygood coach and I’m surethey also have somequality players. Wedon’t know Iran verywell, but we’ll seethem.”

Federer captures 7thHalle Crown

SECOND seed,Roger Federer

picked up his 14th grass-court crown with a 7-6(2),7-6(3) victory over Ale-jandro Falla, who hadbeen attempting to cap-ture his first ATP WorldTour trophy. The matchlasted 89 minutes.

“It is great to have wonseven times here,” Fed-erer toldATPWorldTour.com. “It isvery special and I hopeto come back here nextyear, where it is a [ATPWorld Tour] 500-seriesevent.”

“I really enjoy winningtitles. It is what I play for,to play and receive astanding ovation at theend. I am very pleasedwith my performance. Iwork hard and travel thetour to win these titlesand not lose in the quar-

ters or semi-finals. Withall the success I have hadin the past, I need to aimfor titles. I think I de-served the title this week.

Federer, who improvedto a 46-5 record in Halle,received $128,860 inprize money and earned250 Emirates ATP Rank-ings points.

The 32-year-old Feder-er has now won 79 tour-level titles. He has alsolifted the Wimbledoncrown seven times.

“In the past, when Ihave played well at HalleI have usually playedwell at Wimbledon,” saidFederer. “They have beentwo of my most successfultournaments, so I hopethat this title will bring meluck again. Last year itdidn’t work out, but it didmany times before. So Ihope it will be back to thegood old days.”

THERE are freshdoubts over the fit-

ness of Ahmed Musa forNigeria’s first groupgame against Iran todayin Curitiba.

There are strong indi-cations that the CSKAMoscow player may notplay the match due toinjury which could alsorule him out of the sec-ond game against Bos-nia-Herzegovina.

Musa was active allthrough on Friday dur-ing the last training ses-sion of the team inCampinas which wasopen to the fans andmedia.

Doubts over Musa’s fitnessBut Media Officer of

the team, Ben Alaiya,denied that the playerwas in any way injuredto miss the match.

Alaiya said; “Musa isvery fit. He took part inthe training session onSaturday and will beavailable for the matchdepending on what thecoach is planning to doin the encounter. Wehave no injury concerngenerally.

“I don’t know wherepeople got that informa-tion but the true situa-tion is that Musa and allother players are fit forIran.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—53

CMYK

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

,

,Super Eagles, no excuses...this is it

It is the belief of Nigerians thatif there is any team to beat the

quarter final record ofCameroon, Senegal and

Ghana, then that country isNigeria and that 2014 is the

year.

AS at Saturday evening when I sent in thispiece, the World Cup was on its head.

Twenty eight goals in eight matches with thirteenof them scored in four matches on Saturday.

Then there is the scary story of the under dogsupsetting form books and messing up FIFA Rank-ings. Start with the Netherlands thumping of de-fending world champions Spain. Roll on to the un-believable and emphatic 3-1 defeat of Uruguay byCosta Rica.

When the World Cup draw was made, the worldheralded Group D as the Group of death because ofthe presence of three former Champions in Italy,England and Uruguay. They forgot Costa Rica ex-isted. Today with a match played each, Cosata Ricais on top of the Group!

According to FIFA Statistics, Cosata Rica is the28th best playing football playing country in theworld. Uruguay is 7th, Italy 9th and England 10!

In summary, more shocks expected on the cards.But God let it not be Iran against Nigeria. Despitethe superior placing of Iran over Nigeria in the FIFARanking, there is no doubt on the global stage thatNigeria is considered a superior soccer playingnation.

The popular Brazilian newspaper Folha de SaoPaulo last month requested I do a preview of theNigeria-Iran match for their publication today. Asmember of the Technical committee of the NFF theywere very convinced I will do an ‘accurate’ previewespecially as regards the starting eleven of the Ni-gerian team.

My preview was straight to the point. That no oneexcept the coach can sometimes explain why cer-tain players are used and others dropped. I saidgoing by the not too impressive friendly matchesthat we had going into the competition, the task ofpicking a starting eleven becomes even more diffi-cult.

But that with about ten days to perfect strategyafter the USA friendly, only the coach and his as-sistants can come out today to explain the starting

eleven.The task becomes even more worrisome given some

knocks here and there, malaria, match fitness andpsychological readiness for the big stage……

However, since the paper insisted that I should trymy hand and brains at being Keshi, I replied that‘……Nothing in the world, not even injury (don’t laugh0) will stop Vincent Enyeama from lining out todaybetween the sticks.

I wrote that the full recovery from injury of Chelseayoungster Keneth Omeruo may determine the start-ing role of aging skipper Joseph Yobo, but that I cansee Keshi lining out Omeruo, Egwuekwe, Obaobonaand Efe Ambrose in a solid 4-4-2 formation where themidfield will benefit Moses and Ahmed Musa as wing-ers while Mikel Obi and Onazi Ogenyi will be re-

quired to hold.If I were Keshi, I will take a chance on Osaze and

start him on a striking role with Emmanuel Emenike.Interestingly, this line up does not have any respect

for the Iranians. No it does not. Nigerians, the worldexpects the Super Eagles to win. Anything less will bea disappointment to a team, a country that has gone tothe world cup four times previously and expects to dobetter than the round of sixteen record.

It is the belief of Nigerians that if there is any team tobeat the quarter final record of Cameroon, Senegal andGhana, then that country is Nigeria and that 2014 isthe year.

Where does the confidence come from? In this team,you may not count stars on the fingers of one hand, butyou will do well to listen to a lucky Coach who says thediscipline and the determination, the camaraderie andunity in the present squad is a plus going forward.

That is why he did not hesitate to diffuse the tensionbetween Emenike and Mikel, that is why Nigeriansare disgusted to still hear about distractions called ‘bo-nuses’, ‘appearance fees’ and ‘allowances’. I share theview of the Senate President who strongly wonders whythe issues were not settled before now.

As a departure from the past, the NFF did getthe Eagles coach fully involved in the choosing ofthe Base camp and other training facilities, and itis not too pleasant to hear the players now want-ing to move hotels……because it is tooisolated………pray are they in Brazil for a party?Ominous signs that helped to derail our plans inSouth Africa.

Moving forward, no excuses will be entertainedif we do not trash Iran today. Iran was heralded asthe luck of the draw, one that was expected as apedestal to greater things against Bosnia and Ar-gentina who played yesterday affording us aglimpse of what to expect.

The question is, “if we no beat Iran today, na Ar-gentina we go beat? Abeg”

Good luck Nigeria.See you next week.

Do Nigeria proud, Danagogocharges Eagles

AS the SuperEagles open their

2014 World Cup account inBrazil today, SportsMinister, Dr. TammyDanagogo has told them toput in their best and ensurethey post a positive resultagainst Iran to ensure theyplay with less pressure inthe other two groupmatches against BosniaHerzegovina andArgentina.

Dr. Danagogo whoreminded the players andtheir officials that it is nolonger business as usual,disclosed to the playersPresident GoodluckJonathan’s resolve to givesports men and womenevery support to succeedbecause “sports is one ofthe key points in theg o v e r n m e n t ’ sTransformation Agenda.”

“Sports is one of the keypoints in Mr President’sTransformation Agendathat was why thegovernment held the sportssummit after the not too

•As team battle Iranimpressive performance ofTeam Nigeria at the 2012Olympic Games inLondon. Nothing will beleft unturned to see thatNigerian sports men andwomen excel and do thecountry proud ati n t e r n a t i o n a lcompetitions,” the ministersaid.

He charged the SuperEagles not to limitthemselves to qualifyingfrom their group andgetting to the either thequarter finals or semifinals but aim to get to thefinal and even winningthe cup for the first because“it is achievable if you aredetermined and remainfocused.”

He said the NationalSports Commission willencourage all sports withinthe limits of its resourcesand expressed joy at theresult posted by TeamNigeria at the recentlyconcluded African YouthGames in Gaborone,Botswana.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014—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: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

How to Play Sudoku

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line canhave two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (alsonine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within abold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1through 9. This means that no number can appear twicein any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, divisionor multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

YESTERYESTERYESTERYESTERYESTERDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSTODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

VANGUARD,VANGUARD,VANGUARD,VANGUARD,VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014

QUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDACROSS4 Whim (5)7 Decayed (6)9 Nothing (3)10 Free (3)12 Subsequently (5)13 Cradle (4)15 Allude (5)17 Water-boiler (6)19 Manhandle (4)20 Guide (5)22 Sprite (3)24 Twisted (7)27 Vegetable (3)28 Fragrance (5)31 Boss (4)33 Stocked (6)35 Ascended (5)37 Breeze (4)38 Singer (5)39 Call (3)41 Promise (3)42 Safe (6)43 Pale (5)

DOWN1 Brawl (6)2 Hit (6)3 Through (3)4 Rasp (4)5 Frighten (5)6 Angels (8)8 Soil (4)11 Deputed (9)14 Chard (4)18 Snare (4)21 Insensitive (8)23 Dread (4)25 Headland (4)26 Sketched (4)29 Loathsome (6)30 Confused (6)32 Motored (5)34 Responsibility (4)36 Press (4)40 Wager (3)

ACROSS: 1, Pair 4, Inn 6, Pass 9, Rim 10,Disputed 11, Omen 14, Ant 16, Dealt 19,Provided 21, Repel 23, Director 24, Tally27, Dig 31, Pity 33, Evidence 34, Lee 35,Bear 36, Tun 37, Drew.

DOWN: 2, Avid 3, Ripe 4, Intended 5, Nude6, Prone 7, Aim 8, Smell 12, Spout 13, Royal14, Air 15, Tepid 17, Acute 18, Thorn 20,Derision 22, Leg 25, Agile 26, Layer 28, Meet29, Deed 30, Ache 32, Tea.

Nigeria's might againstIran's hope — Pg.52

Kick-off time: 8 p.m.

•Keshi

•Queiroz

"The world'll respect

Iran after webeat Nigeria"

— Pg A4

Eagles ‘llcrush Iran— KeshiPg.52

Today’s MatchesGermany v Portugal 5 p.m.

Ghana v USA 11 p.m.

Ecuadorian refereefor Eagles/Iran

match — Pg. 52

•Vera

Huge crowdexpected inEagles-Iran

match— Pg. A4

CMYK