thisday0518

7
THISDAY • MONDAY, MAY ,
STARTERS
Two-Minute Briefing
INTERNATIONAL email: foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com
E
MONDAY MAY 18, 2015 • T H I S DAY
An Egyptian court has
pronounced death sentences on
former president Mohammed
Morsi and more than 100
other people over a ma s
prison break in 2011. Morsi
is already serving a 20-year
prison term for ordering the
a rest and torture of protesters
while in power.
Egypt’s religious authorities
wi l now have to give their
opinion before the sentence
can be ca ried out. Morsi’s
supporters from his Muslim
Brotherhood movement have
described the charges against
him as “farcical”. He was
deposed by the military in
July 2013 fo lowing mass
street protests against his rule.
Since then, the authorities
have banned the Muslim
Brotherhood and a rested
thousands of hi supporters.
In a separate case on Saturday,
an Egyptian court banned
hardcore football fan clubs
known as the Ultras, who
played a leading role in protests
during the 2011 uprising
agains then-president Hosni
Mubarak.
Inside the dock, Morsi
and members of his Muslim
Brotherhood group chanted,
“Down with military rule!”
after the judge read out his
ruling against him. The judge’s
request for the death sentence
in connection with the jailbreak
case was refe red to the grand
mufti, a high religious cleric,
for ratification.
However, the mufti’s
recommendation is not
binding. Even if he advises
agains the death sentence, the
judge can sti l go ahead with
it. The Brotherhood issued a
statement condemning the
sentence and ca led for an
escalation of protests.
Bu the tight security grip
in Egypt means that it is
highly unlikely to see mass
demonstrations. Hundreds of
Brotherhood supporters are
already behind bars, while
others are keeping a low
profile for fear of a crackdown.
Morsi, who escaped from Wadi
Natroun prison in January 20 1,
was a cused of colluding with
foreign militants in a plo to
free Islamists during the ma s
prison breaks.
Many of his 104 codefendants
were Palestinians
a cused of being members of
militant group Hamas, and
were charged in absentia.
Egypt’s Former President Sentenced to
Death
The court also i sued rulings
on another case, sentencing
16 Muslim Brotherhood
members, including deputy
leader Khairat al-Shater, to
death on spying charges.
Morsi, who also faces
espionage charges, will be
i sued a verdict in that case
at a later date.
Hundreds of people have
been sentenced to death in a
crackdown on the Brotherhood
following Morsi’s removal in
2013. However, it is thought
that only one such death
sentence has been carried
out so far.
A l death sentences must
first be sent to the grand
mufti, Egypt’s highest religious
authority, for his non-binding
opinion on whether they
should stand. Convictions
are sti l open to appeal, even
if the grand mufti gives his
approval. Morsi’s supporters
have condemned the cases
against him as a political
show trial.
Amr Da rag, a former
minister in Morsi’s government,
described Saturday as “one of
the darkest days” in Egypt’s
history. “These latest charges
are another deeply disturbing
attempt to permanently erase
democracy and the democratic
proce s in Egypt,” he said in
a statement.
Tibetan exiles are ca ling for
China to release a high-ranking
monk who disappeared 20 years
ago when he was just six years
old. The boy was detained
by the Chinese authorities
jus three days after the Dalai
Lama declared him to be the
reincarnated Panchen Lama.
The Panchen Lama is the
second most important figure
in Tibetan Buddhism. Many
consider him to be one of
the world’s longest-serving
political prisoners. China has
refused provide details of the
whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi
Nyima. In 1995 it anointed its
own Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen
Norbu, who while popular
among some Tibetans has
been described by exiles as a
“stooge of the atheist Chinese
Communist Party government”.
Wangdue Tsering, pre s
spokesman for the Office of
Tibet in London, told the BBC
that events were taking place
on Sunday acro s the world
to mark the 20th anniversary
of Gendhun Choekyi Nyima’s
disappearance, including a
candle-lit vigil outside the
Chinese emba sy in London.
“We are appealing to the
world community to help us
find out where the Panchen
Lama is,” Mr Tsering told the
BBC’s Asia analyst Michael
Bristow. “It’s 20 years since
he disappeared and we don’t
know where he is, where his
family is and how he is. We
want the Chinese authorities to
give some information.”
The Dalai Lama has in the
past strongly criticised China for
“brazen meddling in the system
of reincarnation” - especia ly the
reincarnation of the Dalai Lamas
and Panchen Lamas. Tibet is
governed as an autonomous
region of China. Beijing claims
a centuries-old sovereignty over
the region, but many Tibetans
argue that Tibet was colonised.
China sent in thousands
of troops to enforce its claim
on the region in 1950. Some
areas became the Tibetan
Autonomous Region and
others were incorporated
into neighbouring Chinese
provinces. In 1959, after a failed
anti-Chinese uprising, the 14th
Dalai Lama fled Tibet and set up
a government in exile in India.
Beijing views the Dalai Lama as
a separatis threat, although he
has repeatedly stated that his
goal is for Tibetan autonomy
rather than independence.
China Urged to Release Panchen Lama
after 20 Years
IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE
70 T H I S D AY •MONDAY MAY 18, 2015
MONDAYSPORTS
Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe
Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com
Okagbare Takes the Gold in Shanghai
Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency
report
Africa and Commonwealth
sprint champion, Ble sing
Okagbare, sign-posted what
to expected at this year’s
IAAF World Championship in
Beijing, China when she won
the Shanghai leg of the 2015
Diamond League yesterday.
Okagbare did it easily, beating
last year’s world leader, Tori
NESTLE MILO BASKETBALL
L-R: Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole; Kenyan runners, Amos Mitel and Korio Alex Olotptip; Leul Gabrasilasis of Ethiopia and Representative
of the Group Managing Director/CEO of Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo at Okpekpe, Mr. Emeke Anene at the prize presentation
ceremony of the 3rd Okpekpe 10km Road Race…last weekend
CBN Tennis Main Draw Serves off Today
After two days of qualifying
rounds, the Main Draw of the
37th Central Bank of Nigeria
Senior Open Tennis Championship
will get underway today
with no fewer than 40 players
listed for action.
Nigeria Tennis Federation
Secretary General, Gloria
Ekwepmu disclosed that the men
are to compete in the round of
64 while the main draw for the
ladies is 32.
There will also be a round of
32 for the men’s doubles while
the ladies wil compete in round
of 16.
Ekwempu stated that everything
is set for what would be a
memorable championship which
is featuring a high number of
participants.
“As it has been the tradition,
we got a very high number of
entries and we are glad that the
qualifying matches are almost
completed, she said on Sunday
afternoon,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s secondranked
female player Sarah
Adegoke is confident she can go
al the way to claim the top prize
in the singles to help her reclaim
her top ranking which she lost to
Christy Agugbom late last year.
Adegoke fel to debutante
Elizabeth-Garos- Pam in the
semifinal last year and Pam went
on to lose to Agugbom which
saw her rose considerably on
the rankings.
“I’m in good shape and I’m
looking forward to win the CBN
whic has been my long-term
dream,” she said.
The men and women’s champions
will receive N7 0, 000 while
finalists will get N500,000
bare, led the Nigerian quartet
of Regina George, Dominique
Duncan and Christy Udoh, to
win the 4x200m gold of the
Bahamas Relay.
Fraser-Pryce was not
overly concerned with her
11.25 opener.
“It was one of those races,”
she said. “I have time to get
it right.”
Asked if she would now have
her work cut out in defending
her title in Beijing later in the
year, Fraser-Pryce said: “I always
have my work cut out. No
one hands anything to you.”
Je f Henderson led the men’s
long jump from the first round
to the fifth, his 8.26m coming
on his first attempt.
Russian Long Jump star,
Aleksandr Menkov, worked
his way into contention, his
winning jump coming in the
fifth round. Both Chinese
jumpers had their best efforts
in the fourth round in
a competition that swung any
number of ways.
Olympic champion Greg
Rutherford finished seventh
with 8.05m on his first-round
attempt, his lowest placing
in a final since July 2012. The
remainder of hi series was
four fouls and a run-through
6.52m.
Caterine Ibarguen led the
women’s triple jump from
start to finish, showing remarkable
consistency early in
unpredictable wind conditions
– 14.68m, 14.70m, 14.68m
and 14.71m on her first four
jumps, before nearing her
world lead with 14.85m in
the fifth round.
Dinkesa Blames Poor
Okpekpe Race Outing on
Hot Weather
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Three-time Obudu Mountain
Race champion, Ethiopian Abebe
Dinkesa at the weekend blamed
his inability to finish in the top
20 of the 3rd Okpekpe 10km
Road Race on the hot weather
condition of the day.
Abebe who along with his
Ethiopian Dawi Fikadu were
tipped as favourites for the
Okpekpe $25,000 top prize
failed to reproduce the feat
that made him a household
name in half marathon in the
continent. Fikadu placed ninth
in 30:18mins in the race Kenya’s
Alex Korio Olotptip won with
29:20mins while Ethiopia’s Leul
Gabrasilasis (29:22) and Amos
Muteh of Kenya (29:24) were
second and third respectively.
Dinkesa told THISDAY while
receiving treatment from medical
personnel tha the weather was
too hot for him.
“You see (pointing at his
soaked top, short and aching
leg) not good. Hot weather, bad,”
muttered Dinkesa who finished
as first runner behind Kenya’s
Kemboi Hilary Kipkorir on this
same course last year.
Asked if he was coming
back next year, he smiled and
nodded in affirmation. Of course
the $25,000 top prize money
appears too tempting to ignore
in just a 10km race.
But before then, the 2008,
2010 and 2012 Obudu Mountain
Race champion admi ted
he would return to Nigeria in
late November to hunt for the
do lars on offer in Obudu Resort.
“I wi l come to Obudu.
Weather better than this,”
stressed Dinkesa with finality
as he was been chaperoned into
the a signed bus for the invited
foreign athletes by Nigeria’s best
quarter miler of a l times, Falilat
Ogunkoya-Omotayo
In the female category of the
Okpekpe race, Kenya’s Tanui
Nkele led the strong field in
33:34 to claim the top prize while
her compatriots Rino Ripo (33:52)
and Mary Wasera (34:31) made
it a 1,2,3 clean sweep for the
visitors from Nairobi.
The first prize winners in both
the male and female categories
went home with $25,000 each,
while the second and third prize
winners got $15,000 and $10,000
each in both the male and female
categories.
Edo State Governor, Adams
Aliyu Oshiomhole, fresh from
ma ri
Yejide Girls Set, as Lagos, Oyo Dominate
Western Conference
Yejide Grammar School Ibadan
Oyo State, which has picked the
first semi final ticket in the girls
category at the ongoing Western
Conference playoffs in the Nestle
Milo Secondary Schools Basketbal
Championship taking place in
the indoor sports hal of Liberty
stadium, Ibadan.
The hardworking Ibadan side
defeated Qu en Elizabeth School
Ilorin, Kwara State 53-05 points.
Team coach, Yemi Abiodun,
praised his girls for their resilience:
“I asked my players to take it
easy and play their normal
game without
State silenced highly rated
Ugborikoko Secondary School
Wa ri, Delta state by 10-08.
In the other quarter final
matches, Anglican High school
Ado Ekiti, defeated Regina
Mundi Girls Secondary school,
Iwo, Osun State by 52-05, while
Wesley Girls Senior of Lagos state
over powered Qu en of Rosary
ColegeOnitsha, Anambra state,by
56-08.
The semi final matches are
biled for today at the same venue
with hosts, Yejide Grammar School
Ibadan c
Bowie, by almost a metre, 10.98
to 11.07. Jamaican Olympic
champion She ly-Anne Fraser-
Pryce trailed home in fifth place.
“My race was pre ty good,”
Okagbare said after the race. “It
is not easy to compete with the
best of the world – but I won. I
focused on my start. Norma ly
I don’t have the best start, but
now I was leading from the
beginning.”
Barely a fortnight ago, Okagbeau,
Lara, the previous day
finished top in the VIP race in
88 mins.
“I want to congratulate myself
just as the winner congratulated
himself because doing the 10km
after a l the activities of yesterday
(his ma riage ceremonies) reassured
me that I am sti l fit. I
want to congratulate a l those
who have participated in this
year’s edition. I congratulate of
course those who are going away
with prizes, but we should even
congratulate more those who are
not going away with prizes but
who participated in this exercise.
I think I am one of those who
will not be going away with a
prize in spite of my e fort,” joked
Oshiomhole who was very happy
for the international exposure the
race has created for him and the
Okpekpe community.
“I am excited that Okpekpe
community is not only now on
the world map but people from
various parts of the world, from
various countries from various
continents are now participating
actively in what has become
known as the Okpekpe Annual
10Km race and we saw tha this
year we have more participants
than previous years and by logic,
we wi l expect that every year,
more and more people wi l
participate in it,” he noted.
Oshiomhole insisted that his
administration’s investment in
opening up rural Edo State
communities through ma sive
construction of modern roads
has continued to yield positive
results.
“For me, this is one practical
way to remind a l of us tha there
is life outside urban city and that
the real Nigerians, the forgo ten
majority are in our rural areas. So
Okpekpe people I congratulate
you for playing host to a l of
us,” concludes the Edo State
chief executive who also used
the o casion to ca l on those in
the hospitality industry to come
over and invest in hotels and
other areas in the sector.
42 athletes from 15 countries
participated in the 3rd Okpekpe
race that received IAAF Bronze
Label status late last year.
Amongst the dignitaries that
watched the race was Mrs
Lara Oshiomhole, the newly
ma ried wife of the Edo State
governor No lywood stars
like Kanayo O. Kanayo,
Desmond E liot, Aki and
Pawpaw famed acto
In the boys’category, Don Domingo
Secondary School Wa ri, defeated Ado
Grammar School Ekiti by 28-15, while
Government Secondary Ilorin, Kwara
State sent host boys Loyola Co lege
Ibadan packing by 37-33. Lagos
and Ogun state walked over their
opponents from Anambra and Osun
State respectively in the other quarter
final match. The Anambra and Osun
boys teams were disqualified during
the scr ening exercise.
The semi final pairings in the boys
category are Lagos versus Kwara in
first semi final game and Ogun State
versus Delta state also today.
Leopards Devour Warri
Wolves in Congo
N
NEWS
PDP Rules out Change of Name
The Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) has stated that despite
losing control of the federal
government and some of its states
in the last general election, it is still
the truly national political party with
strength and spread enough
to regain pre-eminence.
Page 8
INTERNATIONAL
Egypt’s Former President Sentenced
to Death
An Egyptian court has pronounced
death sentences on former
president Mohammed Morsi and
more than other people over a
mass prison break in . Morsi
is already serving a -year prison
term for ordering the arrest and
torture of protesters while in
power. Page E
SPORTS
Okagbare Takes the Gold in Shanghai
Africa and Commonwealth sprint
champion, Blessing Okagbare,
sign-posted what to expected
at this year’s IAAF World
Championship in Beijing, China
when she won the Shanghai leg
of the Diamond League
yesterday. Page 70
government and some of its states
the truly national political party with
MONDAY MAY 18, 2015 • T H I S DAY
8
NEWS News Editor Davidson Iriekpen
Email davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com
Chuks Okocha and Onyebuchi
Ezigbo Ezigbo in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) has stated that despite
losing control of the federal
government and some of
it states in the last general
election, it i sti l the truly
national political party with
strength and spread enough
to regain pre-eminence.
The party therefore stated
that it was not contemplating
a change of identity, noting
tha the una sailable vision of
its founding fathers remains
timele s in building a Nigeria
of the co lective wish and
aspirations of a l citizens.
A statement by the
National Publicity Secretary
of the PDP, Olisa Metuh,
yesterday, said having been
the guardian of Nigerian
democracy for 16 years
during which it nurtured
and blossome democratic
governance as we l as etched
its name in the pantheon of
good governance, the PDP
wi l not in the circumstance
of ephemeral loss of power
change its identity or its
time-honoured characteristic
values.
The party said though it
is resolutely commi ted to its
present structures, it would
not close its doors t other
political parties wishing to be
a similated into its fold as the
best vehicle for the fulfilment
of political aspirations of a l
Nigerians regardle s of tribe
and religion.
“We have a name, tradition
and values. 16 fruitful years
as the guardian of Nigerian
democracy cannot be nu lified
by the reason of temporary
setback. We sha l rise beyond
a l and regain ou rhythm.
Our colour remains green,
white and red and power
sti l belongs to the people.
And to assert that we are
proud of the su ce ses of our
succe sive leaders in taking
Nigeria to its present height is
an understatement, which the
pa sage of the next four years
under the A l Progressives
Congre s (APC) wi l certainly
prove,” the party said.
It added that the fact
that the PDP is going into
opposition would not mitigate
its ability as the flagship of
democracy, maintaining that
it wi l soar higher in proving
credible alternative as a
constructive opposition, far
removed from the wrathful
destruction tha the APC lived
thus far.
“We have no doubt lifted
the banner of democracy
very high and only wish
that the APC wi l move
beyond excuses when it
takes over in a few days
time to reconcile mouthful
promises with the reality of
fulfilment. We have not only
laid a solid foundation, we
have built to a height that
no denial can wish away.
“We therefore ca l
on a l our members to
ensure that they are not
in any way distracted but
remain focused as the unity,
cohesion and regenerative
capacity of the PDP is very
much intact, election loss
notwithstanding.”
Meanwhile, the Labour
Party (LP) yesterday said
there was no move for an
a liance or merger with
the PDP or any other
party, describing any such
insinuation as the handiwork
of some mischievous people.
There were reports late
last week of an impending
merger of the PDP with the
LP, All Progressives Grand
A liance (APGA), Hope Party,
and KOWA Party to form a
formidable mega opposition
party to cha lenge the APC.
It stated that PDP members
including Governors Sule
Lamido, Godswi l Akpabio,
Babangida Aliyu and a few
others have been pushing
for an a liance with other
parties.
According to the report,
other PDP chieftains such
as former defence chief,
Theophilus Danjuma, and
former finance minister,
Adamu Ciroma, suppor the
move, and have planned for
a special convention after
the handover on May 29
where a formal merger
process would start.
The report also disclosed
that the merger option was
being considered because the
PDP Rules out Change of Name
word “PDP” had become
toxic and un-se lable to
Nigerians and as such, it
wi l be counterproductive
to continue to use it as a
viable opposition party.
However, while reacting
to the reports, LP said it
was highly irresponsible for
anyone to drag its esteemed
name into rumours of an
impending merger
In a statement issued by
the National Secretary of the
LP, Kayode Ajulo, the party
debunked the report as “false
and diversionary,” stating
that at no time whatsoever
had the leadership of the
party entered into merger
talks with any other party.
“The rumoured talks of
a merger between the LP
and other parties such as
the PDP is a figment of the
fevered imagination of some
mischievous peoples. Such
an i sue has not been raised
within the party exco at all,
and neither has anyone or
any party has any agreement
on the issue with us.
“It is highly irresponsible
for anyone to drag the
esteemed name of the Labour
Party into rumours of an
impending merger. If at all
anyone has entered into any
such talks, he is doing it
strictly on his own, not in
the name of the LP,” the
National Secretary said.
Ajulo affirmed that
political power o relevance
for its own sake is not the
goal of the LP, adding that
the party was commi ted
only to the cause of the
Nigerian workers and the
masses in general.
“Our goal is not just to
seek power o relevance; we
are committed to a leviating
the su ferings of all Nigerians.
We are therefore prepared to
work with anyone who wi l
pu the Nigerian people first,
and seek to bring succour
to the homes of Nigerians
everywhere across the nation.
“We wi l cooperate with
any government, group and
individual that shows with
its policies and actions that
it truly seeks to bring relief
to Nigerians, that is also our
desire, so it is only reasonable
to cooperate with such groups,
if any,” Ajulo said.
He described such a
proposition as impo sible,
“that cannot be. LP is
a discipline party, It is
impossible for anybody to
consider a serious, any talks
which exclude the National
Secretary of the party as we l
as the National Working
Committee (NWC) of the
party, so I can a sure you
tha there were no such talks.”
Ajulo, who said he just
returned into the country
after a trip to Britain as an
Accredited International
Observer to monitor the just
concluded general elections
of May 7 in the United
Kingdom, also stated that
he had remained in close
communications with the
party’s national chairman and
other national hierarchy a l
through his trip, and that no
mention had been made of
any merger talks with anyone.
“Maybe the advocates
of such merger are just
expressing their wishful
thinking. It is my opinion
tha this a legation is a mere
rumour and nothing but a
figment of their imagination,”
he said.
Says its ideology, national outlook intact Labour Party denies merger talks with party
MOURNING A BELOVED UNCLE
L-R: Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; his wife; Roli; and Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Wa ri,
Mr. Omaghomi Victor, a the burial of Pa. Samuel Uduaghan, at Abigborodo Wa ri North Local Government Area . weekend
Chika Amanze-Nwachuku
Seplat Petroleum Development
Company has said the pioneer
tax incentive granted it made
it po sible for the company to
boost oil and gas production,
provide employment
opportunities and help grow
the Nigerian economy.
Responding to a recent
a legation that it had benefi ted
from improper tax waivers in
relation to its grant of pioneer
tax incentive by the federal
government, Chief Executive
Officer of the company, Austin
Avuru, said in a statement
that in 2013, the company
applied for pioneer status
incentive through the Nigerian
Investment Promotion Council
(NIPC) as the government body
responsible for investment
promotion.
Avuru said the company
followed the prescribed
process for application and
provided a l the information
and documentation required
in support of the application.
The incentive, he noted
was part of an industry wide
exercise and Seplat was one out
of 15 oil and gas companies
that were granted the pioneer
tax incentive.
According to Avuru, Seplat
had fu ly re-invested the tax
savings from the grant and
has delivered verifiable results
thereto.
He said: “Seplat believes that
it is an excellent example of the
whole purpose of establishing
the pioneer incentive scheme.
The Company has fu ly reinvested
the tax savings from
the grant and has delivered
verifiable results thereto.
“Seplat is now a key supplier
of gas to the domestic market,
which is the direct outcome of
the pion er incentive granted to
SEPLAT and aims to continue
to contribute meaningfu ly to
the growth and development
of the Nigerian economy.”
Reeling out benefits
from the tax holiday to the
Nigerian economy, Avuru
said: “The grant of pioneer
status has made it po sible
for Seplat to boost oil and
gas production, provide
employment opportunities,
impact on their communities
and help grow the Nigerian
economy.”
He added: “Gas production
rose from an average of
90mmscfd to a cu rent level
of around 200 MMscfd with
a target of 300 MMscfd by
the end of 2015. This increase
has been driven by an over
US$300 mi lion investment in
gas development over the tax
holiday period.
Oil production has grown
from a daily average of 14,000
ba rels in 2010 to the cu rent
daily rate of over 70,000 ba rels.
The statement also added that its
royalty payments have gone up
from an average of $40 mi lion
per annum in 2010 to US$147
million in 2014.”
Furthermore he said the
company had continued to fund
the NPDC/SEPLAT JV to drive
these outstanding growths in
oil and gas production despite
being owed substantial sums in
unpaid cash-ca ls from Nigerian
Petroleum Development
Company. (NPDC).
The statement added that the
tax incentive has also helped
Seplat in creating over 300 new
jobs and delivering several
community development
projects in their operating
areas, adding “the multiplier
effect of our over US$7 0 milion
in annual expenditure through
Nigerian contractors adds over
1,000 additional jobs.”
Seplat Reels out Benefits of Tax Incentive
to Nigerian Economy
From May 29, the presidentelect,
Muhammadu Buhari,
wi l drop ‘General’ as his title,
while his deputy seeks to be
described with his academic
title of profe sor.
Briefing journalists in
Lagos yesterday, the head
of the Directorate of Media
and Publicity of Buhari’s
campaign organisation,
Garba Shehu, said Buhari
would simply be addre sed as
Muhammadu Buhari, President
and Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
Shehu said Buhari would
not like to be addre sed as
Mr, Alhaji or Ma lam either
but simply as Muhammadu
Buhari.
“From May 29, 2015, the
president-elect and vicepresident-elect
are to be
respectively known and
addressed as Muhammadu
Buhari, President,
Commander-in-Chief of
the Armed Forces Federal
Republic of Nigeria and Prof.
Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Vice
President, Federal Republic
of Nigeria.”
Buhari may have
fo lowed the foot steps of
former President Olusegun
Obasanjo who upon his
a sumption of office in 1999
as a democratica ly-elected
president, je tisioned the prefix
of ‘General’ for Chief.
Buhari to Drop ‘General’ from
His Name from May 29
CITYSTRINGS
50 T H I S DAY • MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015
T
he time was 3.14pm on a certain
Monday. The venue was the
hangar of International Helicopter
Flying School (IHFS), Emene,
Enugu. Under the blistering sun
was the maestro, Group Captain
Ayo Jolasinmi and hi student- Edet Okon.
No, they were not part of the new order
that worships the sun. The reason for their
outdoor presence was not far-fetched. It was
time for practice.
And so they boarded the helicopter as
co-pilot and pilot. The student alongside his
instructor after fo lowing the ground safety
rules took o from the runway of the Enugu
International Airport, with this reporter as a
pa senger.
Round and round the helicopter flew,
circling the airport three times. The silence
in the helicopter was intermi tently broken
by the static and air waves emanating from
the earpiece and interjection of soft co rections
from the teacher to the student.
Soon enough, both the rector and this journalist
got down and the studen took o f on his
solo flight. With arms of steel sharpened by
his desire to be the best he can, he steered the
helicopter and wa soon soaring in the skies.
Okon is merely one of the numerous
students (presently 23 students and 43 past
grandaunts) that a tend the IHFS to harne s
and nurture their dreams of soaring the skies
as a helicopter pilot.
For such students, their a traction to flying
borders in between soaring with the elements
and enjoying the abundant opportunity flying
o fers.
Jolasinmi, who also doubles as the rector
of the school, tota ly agrees with this. With
a smile playing on his lips he said: “Flying
is a magnificent job. It’s one job that brings
ou the real you and demands a l from you.
“Especia ly flying helicopters brings you
close to nature. It’s a versatile flying unlike
the fixed wings (aircrafts and aeroplanes).
“With the helicopters, you can save soul,
rescue people on the seas and mountains. You
bring firing power to bear in every facet of
human endeavour. Flying the helicopter is
a pa sion.
“If you have the desire, you can neve regret
it. It’s fulfi ling and satisfying. However, it’s
demanding. It’s demands in depth search
for knowledge, right a titude and safety
consciousne s.”
For him, IHFS, a private-public partnership
initiative, was borne out of the need to help
anyone else with a pa sion for flying to realise
that ambition.
He believes that this unique partnership
is a versatile tool for the enhancement of
civil-military cooperation, thereby harne sing
available resources to stimulate the development
of the aviation industry in line with the
transformation agenda of President Goodluck
Jonathan’s administration.
Thus, he said the IHFS is positioned to
infuse impe cable and dogged military flying
experience into the robust and versatile civil
aviation world through its enriched knowledge
base training.
In the Beginning
It a l started as a dream of the former Chief
of Air Sta f (CAS), Air Marshal Mohammed
Umar, but has over the years evolved under
the administration of the su ce sive Air Force
Chiefs.
With its fu ly-integrated training program
designed towards making students become
safety conscious, ski led and profe sional
pilots, IHFS believes tha the trainees would
be competent in operating at a l levels in the
commercial, military and corporate aviation
sectors.
Indeed, the school’ se ling point lies not
only in providing it students with a solid
foundation in a l critical areas of aviation theory
and flight ski ls, but also teaching them how
to work e fectively in the constantly changing
environment of the skies.
Thus at its inception ceremony held in Lagos
two years ago, when the school was officia ly
a credited and certified, the then Director General
(DG) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu, had urged
them to strictly adhere to safety procedures.
Flying School
IHFS wa set up by TRIAX Nigeria Limited
and Aeronautical Engineering & Technical
Services Limited (AETSL), a subsidiary of NAF
Holding Company, which formed AETSL-TRIAX
Limited through joint venture a rangement.
With a sta f strength of 50, including 25
civilians and 25 Air Force personnel, It’s vision
is to harne s a formidable helicopter flying
school tha trains and grooms youngsters into
profe sional pilots.
With the fees are as high as 197, 980 do lars
(approximately N16mi lion) for each student,
the idea to start the school in 2010 have attracted
students with the pa sion for flying
acro s a l sectors.
Already, the services including the police have
had some of their students pa s through the
school. Also, some states like Yobe and Enugu
have sponsored some of their bri liant students
to the school. Not left out are government
personnels and few private individuals.
However, having the pa sion to fly is not
a l it entails. The aspiring student must not
be le s than 17 years of age and must have
five credits in O’level including Maths and
English.
THISDAY gathered tha the school however
runs three types of training programmes which
includes the private pilot license, instrument
rating and commercial pilot license.
While the private pilot license programme
that leads to the award of Private Pilot License
(PPL) is intended for student pilots learning to
fly as a hobby or those planning to purchase
their own helicopters, it is also the first step on
the path to Commercial Pilot License (CPL).
A cordingly, the total fligh training consists
of an average of 24 to 47 flight hours on the
R66 helicopter and Fly it simulator.
The course is inclusive of training in basic
flying instrumen to ensure tha the trainees
have the capabilities to safely operate under
Special VFR conditions and improve their
instrument scanning techniques.
For the instrument rating, it gives a pilot
the ability to cope with unstable weather
conditions in which he/she might operate
from time to time.
Thus, the instrument rating is e sential for
both career and safety reasons and a fords
the holder of the rating more versatility than
a non-instrument rated pilot and ultimately
makes the holder safer and more confident
in the air.
For those who desire the license for commercial
purposes, the school designed a sy labus
to prepare them for the practical demands
of profe sional flying through the total flight
training which consists of an average of 55
to 120 flight hours (PPL inclusive) on the R66
helicopter and Fly it simulato respectively.
For eligibility at the end of the course,
the student’s cours encompa ses advanced
maneuvers and additional cro s country flights
to mee the requirements for Commercial Pilot
License.
Growing the Dream
That was the dream at its inception bu the
school has grown beyond what it started with.
With more instructors, additional helicopters, a l
turbine-engine, the school has certainly come to
stay, especia ly with its toga of being the first
helicopter training school in the sub-region.
According to Jolasinmi, since the school is
built on the tripod of profe sionalism, experience
and safety, they have experienced proficient and
dedicated flight and ground instructors who
Features Editor Adeola Akinremi
Email adeola.akinremi@thisdaylive.com
Chiemelie Ezeobi writes on a new breed
of young, budding high flyers whose
passions know no bounds
Squadron Leader Doyin Komolafe (L) instructing the pilots for take off
An Air Force instructor with some students
High Flyers
It all started as a dream
of the former Chief of Air
Staff (CAS), Air Marshal
Mohammed Umar, but
has over the years evolved
under the administration
of the successive Air Force
Chiefs
16 T H I S DAY • MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015
POLITICS
Plateau’s Peace of the Graveyard
Will Plateau State – a one-time serene and tourist destination –
ever know peace again, asks Seriki Adinoyi
CONT’D ON NEXT PAGE
T H E M O N D A Y D I S C O U R S E
O
ver the last decade, the political
crisis over ‘indigene’s rights’
and political representation
in Jos, the capital of Plateau
State, has evolved into a
protracted communal crises
that had spread into even the remotest of
the vi lages in the state, with at least 4,000
persons ki led since late 2001, when the first
majo riot broke out in the state.
Fourteen years on, only the heavy presence
of military and police forces has brought
about a fleeting and fragile peace in the state,
which is constantly punctuated with the many
ki lings in the vi lages. But evidently, a heavy
military presence is no durable solution.
The peacefu lifestyle of Jos gradua ly gave
way to suspicions and tensions between
ethnic groups, caused either by a location of
resources, electoral tu sles, contest over land
rights, or religious domination fracas, which
eventua ly amalgamated into an explosive
mix that has consumed hundreds of lives.
The presence of we l-organised armed
groups in both the urban and rural areas
became the order of the day, with a tendant
proliferation of weapons, and significant
rise in gun fatalities among the citizens.
Subsequently, long-standing tensions
within sma ler towns and vi lages in the
state escalated into violence.
The ki lings only came to a hal tentatively
when the federal government declared a
state of emergency in 2004, after about 700
people were slaughtered in cold blood in
an a tack on the town of Yelwa in southern
part of the state.
Clashes between Muslim and Christian
youths rocked the state again in 2008 after a
result local government election was violently
contested in Jos North Local Government
Council, leaving dead at least 700. The year
2010 was one of the worst on record, with
more than 1,000 lives lost. The sleeping vi lage
of Dogo Nahawa was swooped upon by
suspected Fulani militia, leaving hundreds
of beheaded women and children in the
wake of it. This was shortly after a crisis
broke out at Dutse-Uku over an e fort by
a man to rebuild his house that was razed
in an earlier crisis.
The list is endle s, and human cost of the
violence is immense. The number of interna ly
displaced persons that have become homele s
since 2001 peaked in 2010, with over 50,000
persons in various camps across the state.
After the 2008 riot alone, more than 10,000
were displaced, while violence in 2010 resulted
in about 18,000 people fleeing the clashes.
Numerous houses and shops in Jos have
been burnt, with blackened remnants li tering
the streets in many parts of the city.
A l sides of the divide su fered massive
losses. The violence and displacements of
persons have re-shaped Jos and many rural
se tlements, as neighbourhoods became
religiously segregated, with many ‘no-go-areas’
altering the pa terns of residency, business,
transportation, and trade.
Students of the University of Jos, situated
in the neighbourhood of the Muslim community,
su fered more, as many o f-campus
students became victims of the onslaught.
In spite of the huge losses, the people
have refused to steer clear of crisis; they
have refused to co-exist peacefu ly, even with
succe sive governments’ e forts, showing that
there are deep-seated hatred and animosity
which must be addressed if enduring
peace must return to the once serene and
peaceful Jos.
Geographica ly, Plateau State lies in the
middle Belt of Nigeria, between the predominantly
Muslim north and the mostly
Christian south. Historica ly, Jos was one
region tha the Usman da Fodiyo Jihad could
not ove run, after it conquered and took
over Bauchi and subsequently established
an emirate therein.
The city of Jos, established around tin mining
activities during colonial times, a tracted
migrants from a l parts of Nigeria to work in
the mines and with the colonial administration.
The colonia legacy of indirect rule initia ly
relied on northern emirate structures. Later,
political power was transfe red to the ‘native’
tribes of the Plateau.
Among these, the Berom were one of the
larges tribes and they most voca ly defend
‘indigene’s rights’ today. But the Hausa
migrants from the north constituted by far
the most numerous group in the early Jos.
Today, the ownership of Jos and claims to
the ‘indigene’ status are fiercely contested
between the native tribes and the Hausa.
Indigene certificates ensure acce s to political
representation and positions within the civil
service and beyond.
Only local governments issue these cer-
Fourteen years on, only the
heavy presence of military
and police forces has
brought about a fleeting
and fragile peace in the
state, which is constantly
punctuated with the many
killings in the villages. But
evidently, a heavy military
presence is no durable
solution
Group Politics Editor Olawale Olaleye
Email wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com
08116759819 SMS ONLY
A scene of an attack on a Jos town
BUSINESS
FG’s Revenue Drops by 21% in
February
Nigeria’s federally-collected
revenue reduced to N.
billion in February . The
estimated federallycollected
revenue in February ...
Page 27
POLITICS
Plateau’s Peace of the Graveyard
Over the last decade, the political
crisis over ‘indigene’s rights’ and
political representation in Jos,
the capital of Plateau State,
has evolved into a protracted
communal crises that had spread
into even the remotest of the
villages in the state, with at least
, persons killed since late
... Page 16
FEATURES
Closing the Infertility Gap
In the middle of the slim street,
the engine of one of the cars had
stopped breathing. But movement
on Norman Williams Street— a
roadway famous not only for its
name in one of Nigeria’s affluent
Lagos neighbourhood, but also
for the businesses sited on it—
continues on the go. Page 24
EDITORIAL
Still On The Apapa Traffic Gridlock
The Association of Nigeria Licenced
Customs Agents (ANLCA) said
last week that the nation was losing
about N billion daily on account
of the traffic gridlock along Oshodi-
Apapa Expressway, Wharf Road,
Marine Bridge, Ijora and Orile-
Iganmu. Page 15
CITYSTRINGS
High Flyers
The time was .pm on a certain
Monday. The venue was the
hangar of International Helicopter
Flying School (IHFS), Emene,
Enugu. Under the blistering sun
was the maestro, Group Captain
Ayo Jolasinmi and his student- Edet
Okon. Page 50
stopped breathing. But movement
24 MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015 • T H I S DAY
FEATURES Features Editor Adeola Akinremi
Email adeola.akinremi@thisdaylive.com
Closing the Infertility Gap
I
n the middle of the slim street,
the engine of one of the cars had
stopped breathing. But movement on
Norman Wi liams Street— a roadway
famous not only for its name in one
of Nigeria’s affluent Lagos neighbourhood,
but also for the businesse sited on
it—continues on the go.
On Norman Wi liams, a street o f the
famed Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, financial
advisers are tending to their clients inside
their offices when I a rive there this wintry
Tuesday afternoon. I’m on a mi sion to see an
e clesiastic whose faith in science is changing
the mood for the women in the country.
At a corner of the street, where Dr. Abayomi
Ajayi’s in vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinic sits,
there is no clear di ference in its outlook in
comparison t other offices around it, until
you’re inside the clinic. It’s because Nordica
Fertility Centre is not a natural birthplace.
“Nordica Fertility Centre is a reputable
and leading a sisted conception centre with
top-cla s medical facilities in Lagos, Asaba
and Abuja. Our core competence is infertility
management,” Ajayi says with a sense of
purpose.
Yes, it is the rule of the thump for women
age 34 or younger in otherwise perfect health
to try to conceive natura ly for one year
before a medical consult is advised.
But where a woman is 35 and unable to
achieve conception, the likes of Ajayi are
concerned. Of Course, there are numerous
fertility problems that can be treated easily,
but some make it nearly impossible to
conceive without medical a sistance, one of
many examples is blocked fa lopian tubes.
So in 1992, Ajayi, whose passion for
technology ha seen him moved ahead of
his personal cha lenges, decided to g on
a di ferent path. “The day I rea ly decided
I was going to do infertility management
was in 1992, while performing a surgery on
a patient a the University Co lege Hospital
(UCH), Ibadan – a tuber surgery (that is,
the tubes are blocked). Sometimes, when
we performed thi surgery, we had an idea
that what we were doing was nonsense – It
wasn’t working.
“The patients couldn’t get be ter. We knew
tha the tubes were very badly damaged. We
had finished the surgery on this very patient
and we a l knew the surgery was not likely
to work. Then I asked my consultant ‘what
do you think we can do for this patient’?
And he said, ‘yes in advanced places they
would have done IVF’. And I said ‘why are
we not doing IVF?’ And he laughed. That
day I decided I was going to do IVF,” he
says with a wry smile.
I ask him if he had an idea of what he
wanted to do for a career as a young man
just to understand where his real passion
lies. He replies that his plan was to be an
aeronautical engineer.
“I always wanted to be a scientist, but
the funny thing was that my first love was
aeronautical engineering. But my eyesight
has never been the best – I started using
glasse since I was 12 – and that made me
had a rethink at the age of 15. So, I visited
MediLag, and I saw some young people in
white coats, and I just decided to be a doctor,
come what may. That was how I switched
over to medicine. I’ve always been good
in what was required to do medicine, but
I didn’t rea ly want to do it initia ly. When
I was writing my JAMB in 1978 – we were
the first set – my first choice was Medicine,
second choice was Medicine, third choice was
Medicine; I was not looking back,” he says.
So after his laboratory experience in 1992,
for the next few years, Ajayi devoted himself
exclusively to his new projec to help people
he cla sified as a people a the short end of the
string. Clearly, his fondne s for technology
combined with pa sion to help ha seen him
turned the tide for many women and to the
zenith of his career as a fertility doctor. He
te ls me that much. “I like technology. In my
house, even my children, they ca l me Mr.
Technology. I buy the lates technology – I just
love it. Some I can’t even operate anymore
because I don’t have the time. The second
thing, I love standing up for people who
are su fering. There’ something in me that
stands up when I see people who are a the
short end of the string – and that’s the way
I see infertility. Those two things combines
is what got me to where I am now.”
And when I tease him about how expensive
it can be to have IVF, he reveals his mind
about value for money. He seems genuinely
outraged to hear it being transgre sed. For
instance, Ajayi calculates the cost of having
a car and the cost of having good health
upon which the usability of the car depends
di ferently and then strikes a balance.
“When you say expensive, be careful. I
can use the cost of a car and telephones to
speak to you on that one. 10 phones at the
cost of N100,000 each wi l not be up to that
child I saw on Sunday,” he says drily with
reference to a child birthed through IVF in
his clinic who curled up to him at a ma l
in Lagos on a recent Sunday.
He adds: “One thing you need to do:
make your priorities if you wan to do IVF.
Everywhere in the world, IVF is not cheap.
It’s technology. Anything that’s based on
technology cannot be cheap, until a time
comes. Do you know how many generators
I have here? The water that we use in
the laboratory, we import from the United
Kingdom. The gloves we use – which are
powder-free – we get from Germany. So, te l
me if you want people no to cut corners, how
expensive IVF can be? I shudder at people
who think we are too expensive, because
people like that open themselves to go to
the wrong places. Because, it’s po sible for
me to use ordinary gloves that have powder,
but in IVF we must use powder-free gloves
and for me to do that, I have to buy it from
Germany. So, when the only thing we start
talking about is cost, we become like some
countries I don’t want to mention where
quality has taken a dive.
“For me, what I te l my patients is that
‘you need to understand what we are doing
first’. And then you can decide for yourself.
We are not expensive, we are not cheap.
It’s just like I wan to go and buy an apple
computer or other apple products, and I
say it’s expensive.”
Ajayi is a Baptist Deacon with unusual
devotion to the Bible, but he sees no clash
between his faith and science. For him,
God has given the knowledge; ignorance is
what makes people to remain perpetua ly in
problems. “If you say God does not approve
of IVF, I say you are ignorant. I’m a Baptist.
I’m a Deacon. I’m a Sunday School teacher.
I know the gospel. I wi l say to you, when
you have appendix and pain, don’t go to
the hospital, God wi l do it. Am I saying
God cannot do it? No. But God chooses
what he wants to do; you don’t put his
hands into things.
“And when the bible says ‘secret things
belong unto the lord and the things that
are revealed belong to the son of men’ IVF
is one of those things he has let us know,
if you like you can use it, if you like don’t
use it; that’s your personal decision, don’t
bring God into them. Simple,” he says trying
to explain the relationship between science
and faith.
To be sure, he says everything depends on
God, even with IVF. “I liken what we do to
a man planting corn. In the Bible, Paul said,
“Paul sows, Apo lo waters, it’s the God that
gives increase’. If your laboratory works we l,
you know what you are doing, your sta f is
trained, by the time you have transfe red the
embryos and your procedures are contro led,
it’s only left to God. There is a God factor
in it. That’s why when people say we are
playing God, I just laugh. That’s wh you
must know the technology itself, what are
the limitations of the technology, why does
this technology have these limitations? As
of now, when we pu th embryos there, in
the proce s of what we ca led implantation,
we have no control of that,” h explains.
True, IVF is controversial, especia ly
among the people of faith and it has its
stigma too in cultural se ting. In Nigeria,
over the years women have lived painful
life of childle sne s without recourse to IVF,
but Ajayi says things are changing because
of awareness and be ter knowledge of IVF
method.
Clearly, his fondness for
technology combined with
passion to help has seen
him turned the tide for
many women and to the
zenith of his career as a
fertility doctor
Adeola Akinremi spends an afternoon with one of Nigeria’s famous fertility
doctors, Abayomi Ajayi, who has been helping women to beat the odds of infertility
through in vitro fertilisation
Dr. Ajayi
27
Quick Takes
Total Pension Funds Hit N4.7 Trillion
Ebere Nwoji
The total pension funds
cu rently a cumulated in the
country stand at N4.7 tri lion
as at December 2014, Chairman
of Premium Pension Limited,
Aliyu Dikko ha said.
This figure, a cording to him,
represents an increase of N0.6
tri lion from the N4.1 tri lion
in 2013.
The cu rent figure was
contributed by 6.5 mi lion
workers who have enro led
into the contributory Pension
scheme (CPS) as at December
2014, an increase of 0.4 million
contributors against the
previous year’s figure of 6.1
mi lion contributors.
Disclosing this a the 10th
Annual General Meeting of
his company held in Abuja,
Dikko, whose company is one
of the licensed Pension Fund
Administrators said the above
improvement shown by the
figures was an indicative of
the fac tha the teething challenges
of the pension industry
had been surmounted and the
initial skepticism trailing the
operations of the contributory
Pension Scheme drastica ly
reduced.
“The CPS is today arguably
the most su ce sful government
initiative in recen times and a
clear testimony to the e fectivene
s of private-sector-driven
rendition of service in critical
sectors”, he stated.
He noted that the year
2014 marked 10 years of the
introduction of the Contributory
Pension Scheme (CPS) in the
country, adding tha the year
also witne sed the promulgation
of the
Pension Reform Act 2014,
which repealed the Pension
Reform Act, 2004.
He noted that the new act
e fected a lot of relevant changes
into the pension scheme.
“This new legal instrument
ECOBANK PRE-AGM COCKTAIL
L-R: Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Jibril Aku, Chairman Ecobank Foundation,Chief Philip Asiodu; Chairman, Ecobank
Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Chairman, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh; Chairman, Elizade Nigeria Limited, Chief
Michael Ade Ojo; and Dr. Sonny Kuku during the ETI Pre-Annual General Meeting cocktail in Lagos .recently.
AKINWUNM IBRAHIM
Ethiopian Airlines Extends Service to Sao Paulo
Ethiopian Airlines has announced that it has started serving
Sao Paulo, a city in the fifth continent in its route network, with
a non-stop flight from Addis Ababa since April 25, 2015.
Ethiopian tri-weekly flights to Brazil are operated using the
ultra-modern Boeing 787 from the major hub in Addis Ababa. The
start of this non-stop service to Sao Paulo reduces transit stops
for customers traveling from the rest of Ethiopian destinations.
Brazil is the largest national economy in South America and
the eight in the world. Brazil has a diversified economy including
agriculture, industry, and a wide range of services such as
ecotourism, leisure and cultural tourism.
Sao Paulo is the biggest city in the country and has significant
cultural, economic and political influence both nationa ly and
internationa ly. The city is home to several important monuments,
parks and museums.
“We are very pleased to be able to enhance the quality of our
product and improve our competitive edge. The non-stop flight
secures increased connectivity and reduced transit time for our
customers. The new nonstop Addis Ababa – Sao Paulo flights
wi l provide efficient connections for customers from almost a l
of our destinations in the other four continents we serve. “Said
CEOof the airline, Tewolde Gebremariam.
Passengers to and from Sao Paulo wi l enjoy maximum connectivity
to destinations in Ethiopian world-wide route network
in Africa, Middle East, Asia and Europe. The new non-stop flight
wi l enhance travel on the China – Africa – Brazil trade lane.
LEAP Africa Focuses on Risk Management
Managing Director/CEO, Nestle Nigeria, Mr. Dharnesh Gordhon,
Managing Director, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria, Mrs. Peju
Adebayo, Managing Director, Custodian And A lied Insurance
Plc, Mr. Wole Oshin, and Founder, Managing Director, JNC International
Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Clare Omatseye wi lead high-level
discussions at LEAP Africa’s chief executive officers forum for
sma l and medium enterprise (SMEs) on June 9, 2015 in Lagos.
LEAP Africa, a leadership development organisation and its
partners wi l converge 800 SMEs at the 10th edition of the CEOs
Forum under the theme Staying Ahead: Maximizing Profit and
Mitigating Risks. The speakers wi l deliberate on sectoral and
industrial risks, the need for SMEs to concentrate their efforts
in evaluating and managing their risk exposures for long term
sustainability.
According to LEAP Africa’s Executive Director, Iyadunni
Olubode, “SMEs should be proactive in managing risk instead
of being reactive. There is a common misconception that only
large companies need to manage risks, but this year’s CEOs Forum
seeks to address that and offer practical advice for entrepreneurs
on protecting their profits through risk mitigation strategies”.
The forum wi l provide cutting-edge solutions and best practices
in corporations to enable SMEs deal with risks in present political
and economic realities in Nigeria.
Three Crowns Rewards Patrons
In commemoration of the 2015 Mother’s Day celebration, Three
Crowns Milk, a brand from the stables of FrieslandCampinaWAMCO
has rewarded its esteemed consumers in the Mother’s Day
Activation campaign.
The grand prize winner’ Mrs. Olamide Olaleye, who emerged
as the ‘Mum of the Year’ won an a l-expense paid trip to Dubai
alongside a companion of her choice while 29 other mothers
were also rewarded with N50,000 shopping voucher.
The Three Crowns Milk Mother’s Day Activation is a Facebook
based campaign in which consumers are expected to write on the
Three Crown’s Facebook wa l why their mum is the best mum in
the world. These posts are judged on a daily basis starting from
April 28 to May 7 (10 days) and three were picked daily while the
overa l winner was adjudged on the last day of the campaign.
A cording to the Marketing Director, FrieslandCampinaWAMCO,
Mr. Tarang Gupta, the campaign is in line with the brand’s new
theme campaign which is deeply rooted in recognising the key
role of mothers in the family.
guiding the pension industry
has among other provisions
graciously increased the total
minimum contributions from
15per cen to 18per cent of the
employ e’s emolument, provide
basis for extending the scheme
to organisations having as le s
as three employees, a low RSA
holders to utilise part of their
balance as equity contributions
for mortgage facilities and
expanded the investment space
by providing legal framework
for investment abroad.
Describing the new law as
a great opportunity waiting
to be tapped by the industry
Continued on page 28
FG’s Revenue Drops by 21% in
February
Obinna Chima
Nigeria’s federa ly-co lected
revenue reduced to N560.84
bi lion in February 2015.
The estimated federa lyco
lected revenue in February
2015, a cording to the Central
Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s)
economic report for February
obtained a the weekend, was
lower than the receipt in the
preceding month by 21 per cent.
Similarly, the estimated amount
of revenue earned in February
was lower than the provisional
2014 monthly budget estimate
by 38.1 per cent.
The decline in estimated
federa ly-co lected revenue
(gro s) relative to the monthly
budget estimate was a tributated
largely to the shortfa l in receipts
from oil revenue during the
review month.
At N201.12 bi lion or 35.9
per cent of the total revenue,
gro s non-oil receipts was below
the provisional 2014 monthly
budget estimate by 35.0 per
cent. It was also below the
receipts in the preceding month
by 10.4 per cent. The decline
in non-oil revenue relative to
the provisional monthly budget
estimate reflected, largely, the
fa l in receipts from National
Information Technology Development
Fund (NITDEF) and
FG Independent Revenue,
a cording to the report.
Of the gro s federa lyco
lected revenue in a net sum
of N408.37 bi lion (excluding
deductions and transfers) was
transfe red to the federation
a count for distribution among
the three tiers of government
and the 13 per cent derivation
fund.
The federal government was
said to have received N194.35
bi lion, while the state and local
governments received N98.58
bi lion and N76.00 bi lion,
respectively. The balance of
N39.45 bi lion was distributed
to the oilproducing states as
13 per cent derivation fund.
From the value added tax
(VAT) pool a count, the federal
government received N9.21
bi lion, while the state and
local governments received
N30.69 bi lion and N21.48
bi lion, respectively.
“Overa l, the total a location
to the thr e tiers of government
from the federation a count and
VAT pool a count in the review
month amounted to N489.85
bi lion, compared with N568.79
bi lion in the preceding month,”
it added.
During the month of February
2015, the predominant
agricultural activity acro s
the country was preparation
of land for early planting.
Other activities in the southern
and northern states included:
harvesting of tree crops;
i rigation-fed vegetable and
BUSINESSWORLD
Continued on page 28
R A T E S A S A T M A Y 1 7 , 2 0 1 5
NIBOR NITTY EXCHANGE RATE
OVERNIGHT 9.4583 3-MONTH 13.9314 1-MONTH 10.6657 6-MONTH 12.96 1 N197.00 US DOLLAR*
1-MONTH 12.8783 6-MONTH 15.1624 2-MONTH 12.5874 9-MONTH 13.3938 *AS AT LAST FRIDAY
3-MONTH 12.641 12-MONTH 13.3089
“The business of
banking has been
modernised in Nigeria
and is not too far from
what obtains in the
more advanced world”
MD, Wema Bank,
Segun Oloketuyi
ECONOMY
PENSION
T H I S D AY • MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015
The Association of Nigeria Licenced
last week that the nation was losing
of the traffic gridlock along Oshodi-
15
T H I S DAY • MONDAY, MAY 18, 2 015
EDITORIAL
STILL ON THE APAPA TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK
T
he Association of Nigeria Licenced
Customs Agents (ANLCA) said
last week that the nation was losing
about N5 billion daily on account
of the traffic gridlock along Oshodi-
Apapa Expressway, Wharf Road,
Marine Bridge, Ijora and Orile-
Iganmu. Ca ling on the relevant
authorities to act over the nuisance being constituted
by trucks and tankers in the town which hosts the
nation’s major sea ports, ANLCA warned that it
might soon down tools if nothing is done to redress
the ugly situation. We align ourselves with the ca l.
On a normal working day, it takes an average of
five hours to meander through the maze of tankers
and trailers that have turned most of the roads in
Apapa into parking lots. Besides, the horror o fered
by the craters and potholes is worse during raining
season when navigating the traffic- prone zones by
motorists becomes very difficult. What this implies
is that the Apapa-Oshodi Express-road through the
Tin Can Ports is most often literally shut down. The
same is true for the Seven Up/Apapa Bridge, which
is another parking lot for in-coming trailers and
tankers.
Hoodlums have also taken advantage of this
state of confusion
to unleash mayhem
on road users who
severa ly have had to
abandon their cars to
run for safety. Many
have lost their lives
and property worth
millions to these men
of the underworld.
Yet, as the days
unfold, the Apapa
Business District gets
worse for what it
o fers both residents and businesses. It is even more
saddening to note that some of these problems are
within human control.
Virtua ly every company located in Apapa is
now being short-changed by the excesses and sharp
practices of these tanker and trailer drivers as we l as
their owners. It is either that one tanker is struggling
to avoid the queue and therefore drives from one
end of the road down to the gate to beat those on the
queue, or that another trailer has successfu ly beaten
the others and is being given an executive clearance
to load or offload. Of course at the other end are the
owners of the tank farms and depots who do not
a low these trucks into their parking lots. A l these
help to create an atmosphere of chaos which makes
life very difficult for Apapa residents and visitors.
T
he Lagos State Government is at the vanguard
of insti ling discipline but these truck
drivers are ever unwilling to comply with
laid down rules on the use of the highway.
On several occasions, these tanker drivers had gone
on strike and with that create scarcity of petroleum
products thus bringing enormous su fering on the
populace.
In more civilised climes, what is happening in
Apapa is anathema. This armada of trailers and
petroleum tankers wi l be considered primitive.
Years of toeing the path of impropriety and poor
infrastructure development and maintenance in the
energy and other sectors are having their crushing
to l on other forms of business. It is sad, if not tragic
that Apapa, which ordinarily should be the heartbeat
for corporate Nigeria, is a neglected business district
whose infrastructure especia ly roads are not only
decayed but ignored by the relevant authorities.
Until the federal government finds it appropriate
to build refineries close to the points of consumption,
revive our rail systems and create a more orderly
and cost e fective means of lifting bulk cargo and
petroleum products, Apapa will continue to be a
nightmare for the residents and businesses operating
within the town. But a measure of sanity can still be
restored today. We therefore call on the Lagos State
government not to relent in fighting this blackmail
by tanker drivers as well as owners of petroleum
and gas tank farms, who have scant regard for other
businesses in Apapa.
IT IS SAD THAT APAPA,
WHICH ORDINARILY
SHOULD BE THE
HEARTBEAT FOR
CORPORATE NIGERIA, IS
A NEGLECTED BUSINESS
DISTRICT WHOSE
INFRASTRUCTURE,
ESPECIALLY ROADS,
ARE NOT ONLY DECAYED
BUT IGNORED BY THE
RELEVANT AUTHORITIES
There are perils for the economy in leaving Apapa the way it is. Something must be done
TO OUR READERS
Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested
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Letters to the Editor
REFORMING THE UNREFORMABLE: THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS
F
ew years ago, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala wrote a book
by thi same title. I had the good fortune of reading
this book few days ago. What resulted from my
reading this book was a light-bulb moment which
I wi l now attempt to document with the hope that
people like me, who want nothing more than to see
this nation set on the right path, wi l get some clarity on certain
ma ters currently fi ling our consciousne s as a result of the
news hi ting our airwaves and digital space.
Contrary to what we have been told and the a cusations that
have been hurled a the finance minister in the last year or so,
I have found that from as far back as 2003, Dr Okonjo-Iweala
has been ca ling fo reforms of parastatals, Ministries, Departments
and Agencies (MDAs) and other government-owned
entities. One of the things she quickly observed when she
became finance minister under the Olusegun Obasanjo
administration was that entities like Customs, Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a few others were
structured by the military to be opaque and to enable deliberate
siphoning of funds. And these nefarious activities had gone
on for so long that she knew fighting that level of co ruption
would be an uphi l task; but she did not relent nor ha she
given up even ti l now.
It is amazing – and even offensive – that i took a major
scandal such as the allegedly mi sing $20 bi lion from the
coffers of NNPC as we l as the PricewaterCoopers (PwC) audit
repor to open the eyes of many to the same issue that Madam
Iweala has been singing about for years. Of course, NN