24112017 - I was never sacked, still in active service—MAINA

Dangote’s $300m 

cement plant 

commissioned 

in Congo 

8 

FG announces 30-man new 

minimum wage committee 

SGF heads Ekwueme’s 

burial committee 

9 

34 

Buhari approves 

fresh budget 

support loans 

for states 11 

VOL. 25: NO. 63428 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

I was never sacked, still 

in active service—MAINA 

By Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu 

** ** 

•As Malami, Dambazau, Oyo-Ita appear before House C'ttee 

•I don’t know how Maina was reinstatement — AGF 

•He wrote us through FCSC — HoS insists 

•We‘ve no hand in his reinstatement — Interior Minister 

•222 recovered properties shared by EFCC — Senate C’ttee 

•No 222 pension properties to share — EFCC 

THE ROAD FASHOLA, AMAECHI ABANDONED 

ABUJA –SACKED 

Chairman of 

Presidential 

Task Team on Pension 

Reforms, Abdulrasheed 

Maina, yesterday, 

stunned the House of 

Representatives adhoc 

committee investigating 

his reinstatement into 

the public service that he 

was never sacked. 

Maina’s statement 

came as Minister of Justice 

and Attorney General 

of the Federation, Mr. 

Abubakar Malami, denied 

knowledge of any 

letter reinstating him to 

office as a Deputy-Director 

in the Ministry of Interior. 

But Head of Service of 

the Federation, Mrs. 

Winfred Oyo Ita, insisted 

that there were letters 

from the AGF to the Federal 

Civil Service Commission, 

FCSC, directing 

Maina’s reinstatement. 

This is even as the 

Continues on Page 5 

S-South, 

S-East roads 

Naira gains 

38 kobo as 

reserves 

increase by 

$123.8M 

5 

Mr & Mrs 

worst in 

12 

Nigeria — FG 

PDP warns chairmanship 

aspirants against verbal 

attacks 

9 

MILE 2-APAPA ROAD—Bad portions of Apapa-Tin Can Road, by 

Warehouse Bus-stop, causing unbearable hardship to motorists and 

residents along Mile 2-Apapa Road in Lagos. Photos: AKEEM SALAU. 

COLUMNISTS: OWEI LAKEMFA** RIPPLES WITH GWANGWAZO 31 AZU 36 

SEE 

INSIDE

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 — 3


Vanguard, FRIDAY, 

NOVEMBER 24, 2017—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

BUHARI MEETS OBA OF BENIN—President Muhammadu Buhari 

(right) welcoming the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, ahead of an audience 

he granted the Oba who led a delegation of the Oba of Benin-in-Council 

to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

I was never sacked, still in active service 

—MAINA 

Continues from Page 1 

Minister of Interior, Lt. 

General Abdurahman 

Dambazau, retd, said he 

had no hand in the reinstatement 

of the former 

presidential task team 

boss. 

Meanwhile, the Senate, 

yesterday, raised the 

alarm that property recovered 

from Nigerians, 

organisations by the Economic 

and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC were allegedly being 

relooted by officials 

of the anti-graft agency. 

Maina was never 

sacked — Lawyer 

Speaking at yesterday’s 

hearing organised 

by the adhoc committee, 

Maina, who was represented 

by his lawyer, Mr. 

Muhammed Katu, 

shocked the lawmakers 

with the declaration that 

he was never sacked by 

any government, contrary 

to the submissions of 

the Head of Service and 

the Chairman of the Federal 

Service Commission. 

Put succinctly, Katu 

said that Maina was still 

discharging his duties 

for the federal government, 

even up to October, 

2017 and pleaded for 

more time to tender evidence. 

He added that Maina 

disappeared because of 

the threat to his life, saying 

with time, he (Maina) 

would likely appear 

before the committee to 

testify. 

Katu also asked the 

committee to protect 

Maina from arrest to enable 

him appear. 

He said: “I will tell you 

categorically that Maina 

was not dismissed. There 

are procedures for everything. 

A query was issued 

by a Senate committee 

and Maina went 

to court. The court said 

procedures were not followed 

and they set it 

aside. 

‘’The query was signed 

on February 15, 2013. We 

went to court on February 

4, 2013. 

We responded to the 

query immediately and 

reiterated the fact that the 

matter was already in 

court. 

Why Maina 

disappeared 

“Give Maina a protection 

from all security 

agencies so that he will 

appear in person before 

the committee. Maina 

had to disappear because 

there was so much threat 

IT'S UP TO YOU 

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192 

In your dealings with people, always make sure 

you communicate two things: that you are unafraid 

of saying no and that you have the courage to walk 

away. 

TAKE HEART- ELLA RANDLE 

The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to 

its original size -Albert Einstein 

It pays to have an optimistic view of things. Bishop 

Wright was known for his disbelieve in the idea that one 

day a mechanical device will take flight. “Flight is 

reserved for birds and angels”, he said emphatically, to 

his school administrator and “you, sir, are guilty of 

blasphemy for believing otherwise.” Bishop Wright, is 

the father of Orville and Wilbur. Ironically, the Wright 

brothers achieved the first powered sustained and 

controlled airplane flight. The rest of the story is one of 

an enthusiastic belief in possibilities. Be open to newer 

ideas. 

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE 

When the eyes cry, the noses cry in sympathy. 

to his life. 

“The issue of his dismissal 

came up. He still 

worked for the federal 

government after his purported 

dismissal. It is not 

true for anybody to say 

that Maina was dismissed 

from Civil Service. 

“By tomorrow, we will 

show you documents; I 

will go further to let you 

know that files were sent 

to Maina, even as at last 

month, for him to treat. 

23 files were sent to him 

to minute in his capacity 

as Acting Director. There 

was a matter in court. 

The question is whether 

those who dismissed him 

had the powers.” 

But at that point, a 

member of the committee, 

Ayo Omidiran reminded 

Katu that on August 4, 

2014 Maina appealed for 

reversal of his sack and 

reinstatement. 

My role in Maina’s 

case — AGF 

Making his submissions 

before the committee, 

yesterday, the AGF, 

Abubakar Malami, said: 

“When I was confronted 

with that letter of February 

21 by the Senate, it 

didn’t ring a bell at all in 

my memory. What I did 

was to go back to the office 

to call for the file. 

‘’Arising from the file, 

I could confirm that there 

was a letter from Miana’s 

lawyer. I could confirm 

that I treated that 

letter in February and 

directed the line officer to 

treat it. I could confirm 

that the line officer reverted 

back to a memo 

expressing an opinion 

with a draft letter, suggesting 

that I should direct 

that Maina should 

be reinstated. 

“I could confirm that my 

mind was agitated over 

the content and the conclusion 

of that letter and 

I could confirm that I 

minuted on the letter of 

April that “develop further 

opinion to convince 

me that the content and 

conclusion of the judgment 

in support of Maina’s 

lawyer reasonably 

suggests a conclusion for 

a consequential effect to 

the judgment. 

‘’I could confirm that 

there was no further correspondence 

from the 

line officer up to sometimes 

in May when the 

line officer now came up 

with additional memo 

and in that memo, tried 

to justify the conclusion 

that I could direct for the 

reinstatement of Maina. 

And I could equally confirm 

that in that memo, 

reference was made to 

court process relating to 

Industrial Court where 

Maina filed an action 

against the Federal Government. 

“I could confirm as well 

that I minuted on that 

memo directing the officer 

to make available copies 

of those court processes 

that were not made 

available in support of 

the memo and I could 

confirm there was no further 

correspondence in 

that regard until sometimes 

in October, precisely 

on the fifth day of October 

(October 5), when 

the line officer came up 

with a clean copy of the 

letter seeking my endorsement. 

In that letter, 

he was making reference 

to the previous correspondence. 

“When the correspondence 

and processes could 

not ring a bell in my memory 

until I read the letter 

with the hope to reduce 

the situation, it was the 

point at which the whole 

media issue surrounding 

the matter now evolved. 

‘’So, what I am saying 

in essence is that as far 

as Maina’s request for 

reinstatement was concerned, 

it was, indeed, a 

work in progress as at 

the fifth day of October, 

2017.” 

Malami, Eyo-Ita 

differ 

Reminded, however, by 

chairman of the Investigative 

Committee, Aliyu 

Madaki, that two previous 

letters in the possession 

of the committee, 

dated February 21, 2017 

and April 27, 2017, 

signed by him requested 

Maina’s reinstatement, 

Malami insisted that the 

letters to that effect 

couldn’t have emanated 

from his office. 

He said: “The letter 

couldn’t have genuinely 

emanated from my office. 

I heard about Maina’s 

reinstatement in the media 

like every other Nigerian.’’ 

His claim was, however, 

at variance with that 

of the Head of Service of 

the Federation, Mrs. 

Winfred Oyo-Ita, who 

insisted at the hearing 

that there were letters 

from the AGF to the Federal 

Civil Service Commission, 

FCSC, directing 

Maina’s reinstatement. 

Oyo-Ita said she was 

surprised to hear about 

Maina’s reinstatement in 

the media like anyone 

else, submitting that the 

Ministry of Interior never 

acted on her letters. 

She said the decision to 

hold brief on the letters 

requesting Maina’s recall 

was borne out of 

some inner conviction 

that a government which 

was fighting corruption 

could not have given any 

vent to such a vice. 

Mrs, Oyo-Ita added 

that she had never received 

any notification 

that Maina challenged 

his dismissal in court 

since her appointment. 

She said: “Maina was 

dismissed in 2013 from 

federal civil service. 

Sometimes this year, letters 

began to come from 

AGF to the Federal Civil 

Service Commission, 

copied to my office. 

“AGF gave directives 

that Maina should be reinstated. 

I learned 

through the media that 

he had been reinstated. 

Those are the clarifications 

I have to make on 

this. 

“No ministry has the 

authority to issue reinstatement 

letters. When I 

learned through the media 

and a letter from the 

Chief of Staff that Mr. 

Maina had been reinstated, 

I wrote a letter to Permanent 

Secretary, Ministry 

of Interior. 

“The permanent secretary 

never acted on any 

letter from my office. The 

Federal Civil Service 

Commission has its own 

mandate. 

“It is surprising that 

Naira Watch 

without my conveying 

this letter, the Ministry of 

Interior went ahead to reinstate 

Maina. 

“I decided to hold on to 

that letter to seek further 

clarification. I was concerned 

that the decision 

to reinstate Maina may 

not have been in the interest 

of the present administration. 

I held on 

because Mr. Maina may 

not have cleared the issue 

with the security 

agencies. 

“I have not received 

such notifications from 

the time I took over.” 

Asked why she could 

entertain any letter from 

the AGF against the civil 

service practices and 

norms, Oyo-Ita said the 

Office of the Attorney 

General, as the first legal 

office of the country, 

was not thought to be 

insensitive to law. 

“The AGF is number 

one legal authority of this 

country. So, whatever legal 

decision he has 

would not be discarded 

just like that,” she said. 

Why Maina was 

sacked —Akande 

In his testimony, the 

Acting Chairman of the 

Federal Civil Service 

Commission, Mr. Joseph 

Akande, said Maina was 

sacked for dereliction of 

duty, confirming also that 

the AGF wrote letters requesting 

the recall of 

Continues on Page 41 

Naira gains 38 kobo as reserves 

increase by $123.8M 

By Adaeze Okechukwu 

The naira, yesterday, appreciated by 38 kobo 

to N360.27 per dollar in the Investor and 

Exporter (I&E) Foreign Exchange Window, 

even as the external reserves recorded a $123.8 

million increase in nine days. 

Data from the Financial Market Dealers Quote, 

FMDQ, showed that the indicative exchange rate 

for the I & E Window, known as Nigerian 

Autonomous Foreign Exchange, NAFEX, 

appreciated to N360.27 per dollar, yesterday, from 

N360.65 per dollar on Wednesday, translating to a 

38 kobo increase in the value of Naira. 

Meanwhile, the volume of dollars traded in the 

window, dropped by $19.39 million to $214.84 

million, yesterday, from $234.23 million traded the 

preceding day. 

Vanguard analysis further revealed that the 

external reserves increased by $123.8 million to 

$34.4 billion, compared to $34.3 billion recorded last 

week Tuesday.

6—Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

THE ROUTE OF TRAFFIC EVILS 

Bad portions of Apapa Tin Can Road, by Warehouse Bus Stop, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressroad, Lagos. PHOTOS: Akeem Salau. 

Woman locks 

13-yr-old girl 

indoors with 

biscuits, 

travels 

abroad 

By Esther 

Onyegbula 

LAGOS State Police 

Command, yesterday, 

rescued a 13-year-old 

girl, Nkechi Oseh, 

allegedly locked indoors 

by her madam, who 

travelled abroad, at their 

Adeniran Ajao Estate, 

Anthony, residence. 

It was gathered that the 

woman, who works with 

the Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC, left the girl with 

two packets of cabin 

biscuits to eat. 

Nkechi said whenever 

her boss travels and locks 

her in, she resorts to 

drinking water from the 

toilet. 

According to her, she 

has been locked up at four 

different times since her 

uncle brought her from 

Igboju in Delta State. 

Nkechi is currently 

under the care of the child 

protection unit of the 

Ministry of Youth and 

Social Development, 

Lagos State, and 

Commissioner of Police, 

Imohimi Edgal, has 

vowed to probe the case. 

Man caught with 7 human skulls says: 

If anybody exhumes my parents' 

remains, I'd leave him to divine judgment 

By Demola Akinyemi 

ILORIN—A 

suspected 

ritualist, caught with seven 

human skulls exhumed from a 

cemetery, has urged the Police 

to hand him over to God for 

divine punishment, because 

that is what he would do if 

anyone had exhumed the 

remains of his parents or 

relations for ritual purpose. 

The suspect was among some 

suspected criminals paraded by 

the Kwara State Police 

Command yesterday, in Ilorin, 

the state capital. 

The suspect, who identified 

himself as Olayinka Abbas 

Akeem, told Vanguard that he 

was lured into the business by 

his friend, Tunde a.k.a. Bante, 

who is now on the run. 

Olayinka said the friend 

convinced him that the surest 

way to get rich is via money 

rituals, as that was what 

everybody was secretly doing 

to live a comfortable life. 

Olayinka, nevertheless, 

expressed remorse after being 

caught, particularly when his 

parents visited him at the Police 

cell and the exposures he 

would suffer in the public. 

The state Commissioner of 

Police, Lawan Ado, during the 

parade, disclosed that the 

suspect was arrested along 

Ilorin-Ajase Ipo Road with a 

sack containing the seven 

human heads, which were 

exhumed from a cemetery 

located at Igbo Owu 

community in the Ifelodun 

Local Government Area of the 

state on Tuesday. 

The Police boss, who said that 

the suspect allegedly exhumed 

the heads for ritual purpose, 

added that the Police was on 

the trail of the second suspect, 

who is on the run. 

He added that the suspect 

will soon be charged to court 

as soon as the investigation 

was concluded on the matter. 

The suspect 

The Command also 

paraded five other suspects, 

Fire guts Katsina Customs office 

By Bashir Bello 

KATSINA—SOME goods 

and vehicles seized by the 

Katsina Command of the 

Nigeria Customs Service were, 

yesterday, destroyed by an 

early morning fire that gutted 

part of the Command’s office 

in Katsina. 

The Command’s Comptroller, 

Olusemire Kayode, who 

confirmed the incident during 

a briefing in the state, said the 

Command had been under 

threat and that the fire incident 

probably could be an act of 

incendiary and sabotage. 

Kayode said: “Unfortunately, 

this morning we had an 

incident of fire around 4:30a.m. 

Officers on duty called to inform 

me that there was an act of fire 

in the office. 

“Probably, it is an act of 

incendiary or sabotage. We 

have been threatened, called 

names because the people 

are feeling the effect of what 

we are doing here. We 

receive threats through 

phone calls; they call to 

harass us, using unknown 

numbers. 

“Of recent, smugglers 

everywhere have been 

complaining about our 

activities because they know 

there is a paradigm shift. 

“In the last three to four 

weeks, we have made some 

seizures such as rice, 

spaghetti, vegetable oil and 

used tyres. We have arrested 

seven J5 vehicles loading an 

average of 100 bags of rice, 

15 saloon cars, loading an 

average of 35 bags of rice, 

seven Volkswagen and 12 

motorcycles conveying 

including a serving Nigerian 

Army sergeant, allegedly 

caught over the theft of a new 

green-coloured Land Rover 

SUV belonging to Minister of 

State for Niger Delta, Professor 

Claudius Daramola. 

The police commissioner, who 

described the suspects as 

belonging to an interstate 

robbery gang, said they had 

stolen the vehicle at the 

residence of the Professor at 

Tanke area of Ilorin metropolis. 

The Police boss said the 

military man, a deserter, and the 

other suspects had confessed to 

the crime. 

second-hand clothing. 

“We arrested six suspects but 

we granted them administrative 

bails according to the 

constitution.” 

On the threat, Comptroller 

Kayode said he has visited the 

Emir of Katsina to seek his 

intervention to checkmate the 

menace. 

His words: “Two days ago, we 

went to complain to the Emir 

and appeal to him to help us 

talk to his wards about the ills 

of smuggling activities in the 

state. 

“The business of smuggling is 

an issue that has been affecting 

the economy of the country most 

especially on rice, vegetable oil, 

spaghetti. 

“These items are available in 

Nigeria, so we do not need to 

unnecessarily import or 

smuggle to Nigeria.” 

AGAINST MALARIA: From left—Representative of 

Marine Beach community, Mrs. Esther Adebiyi; CDA Chairman, 

Orisunmibare community, Apapa, Mr. Owolabi Mudasiru, 

receiving mosquito treated nets and drug supplies from Acting 

CEO, OVH Energy, Mrs. Olaposi Williams. With them are GM, 

EHSSQ OVH Energy, Dr. Oyet Gogomary, and Chief 

Environmental Officer, African Clean-Up Initiative, Mr. Alex 

Akhigbe, at the Kick-Back Malaria project. 

Man faces jail term for abandoning wife, twins in hospit 

A45-year-old unemployed 

man, Godwin Onyelanesi, 

who allegedly abandoned his 

wife and newborn twins in a 

hospital, yesterday, appeared 

before an Ikeja Chief 

Magistrate’s Court. 

The accused, who resides on 

Afolabi Street in Abule Egba, 

Lagos, appeared before 

Magistrate A. O. Gbajumo over 

failure to provide a necessity 

of life and breach of the 

peace. 

Gbajumo granted him bail 

in the sum of N20,000 with 

one surety in like sum after 

he admitted guilt. 

The prosecutor, Sergeant 

Michael Unah, had said the 

accused committed the 

offence on August 28 at the 

Evangel Hospital, Ikeja, 

Lagos. 

Unah said the accused 

absconded after his wife, Glory, 

was delivered of a set of twins 

through Caesarean Section, CS, 

at the cost of N239,100. 

He said: “The accused gave 

his consent before the CS was 

done. He left his wife and the 

twins in the hospital for months 

and didn’t show up.” 

Unah said Glory was handed 

over to her relatives two months

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017—7 


Man, teenager docked after attempt to 

withdraw money from unknown account 

By Chisom Unachukwu 

LAGOS—AN unemployed 

man, Elijah Pius, who 

allegedly lured a teenager to aid 

him in committing fraud— 

attempting to withdraw money 

from an unknown account— was 

yesterday arraigned before an 

Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, 

Lagos. 

Pius, 20, during his 

arraignment before Magistrate 

F. F. George, said he committed 

the offence in desperation for 

money. 

He said: “Since I don’t have 

anyone to cater for me in Lagos 

and I have no means of 

livelihood, I was tempted when 

I saw a diary lying around with 

an account number in it. 

“I was pushed to try my luck 

by withdrawing money from the 

account. But when the 

accountant realised that it was 

a female’s account, she sent me 

away from the bank.” 

Pius said out of desperation he 

was able to convince the 

teenager to assist him to 

withdraw the money, after 

telling her the account belongs 

to his sister. 

However, the teenager, who 

was charged alongside Pius, 

told the court that she was 

charmed by Pius to carry out the 

act after she had initially 

refused. 

The defendants, whose 

residential addresses were not 

given, are facing trial on a count 

charge bordering on an attempt 

to steal preferred against them 

by the Police. 

The prosecutor, Inspector 

Ingobo Emby, told the court that 

the defendants committed the 

alleged offence on November 20 

al over N239,100 bill 

after her husband refused to 

show up, adding that “the case 

was reported to the Police by the 

hospital’s management, and the 

accused was then arrested.” 

The offences, he said, 

contravene Sections 168(d) and 

247(1) of the Criminal Law of 

Lagos State, 2015. 

The case has been adjourned 

until December 8 for review of 

facts and sentencing. 

•I refused initially; he charmed me—Teenager 

on Broad Street branch of the first 

generation bank in Lagos Island. 

Emby said the defendants 

conspired to commit a felony to 

wit attempt to steal from an 

unknown account number, 

which was found in a lost diary. 

According to him, the offence 

committed is punishable 

under Section 411 of the 

Criminal Law of Lagos State, 

2015. 

The defendants, however, 

pleaded not guilty to the 

charge. 

Magistrate George 

granted them bail in the 

sum of N200,000 each, with 

two sureties each in like 

sum; she added that the 

sureties must be gainfully 

employed. 

The case was adjourned to 

December 7 for a mention. 

Cross River cultists kill man who 

took refuge in nursery school 

By Ike Uchechukwu 

C ALABAR—SUSPECTED 

cult members have shot a 

man, who ran into Government 

Primary School, Henshaw Town, 

along Egerton, in Calabar, Cross 

River State capital. 

The incident, Vanguard 

gathered, occurred on 

Wednesday around 10a.m., when 

an unregistered tricycle 

conveying three occupants got to 

the area from Ekeng Ewa Street. 

An eyewitness, Peter Martins, 

said when the victim and some 

of his friends sighted the 

suspected cult members, they 

jumped into the classroom 

through the window and 

disrupted examinations being 

written by pupils in the nursery 

section. 

He revealed that the cult 

members jumped into the 

classroom, chased him around, 

shot him several times and 

inflicted machete cuts on him. 

•‘Killers, victims, pupils ran round 

the classroom until they shot him’ 

Commotion in class 

Martins said: “They drove 

on a tricycle, popularly 

referred to as Keke. The victim 

did not die as at the time he 

was taken away to unknown 

destination by a Good 

Samaritan. 

“The unregistered tricycle 

came in from Ewa Ekeng, 

stopped at Egerton for the 

occupants, who had guns, to 

step down before chasing the 

man, who was standing with 

his friends. 

“The man ran into the 

school and jumped through 

the window into the class 

where the pupils were 

writing their exams. 

“The traumatised pupils 

ran around the classroom, 

while the cultists chased the 

man until they shot him. 

“After shooting him, he fell 

down bleeding. But they 

used a machete to inflict 

more injuries on him. The 

children, aged between five 

and seven years, were in the 

classroom because that 

place is the nursery section 

of the school. 

“After shooting him, they 

moved down towards 

Obong’s Palace, stood there 

for a while and thereafter, 

entered the Keke and went 

away.” 

Police story 

Contacted, the Police Public 

Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo, 

said she was not aware of the 

incident, but promised to 

investigate the matter with a 

view to bringing the culprits 

to book. 

FREE EYE TREATMENT: Beneficiaries of free eye treatment, including 

distribution of glasses, sponsored by Olorogun O'tega Emerhor to mark his 60th birthday 

at Evwreni, Ughelli North LGA, Delta State, yesterday. 

Lagos 

community 

alleges 

destruction of 

property by 

neighbours 

By Onozure Dania 

INDIGENES of Oriyanrin 

village in Ibeju-Lekki 

Local Government Area of 

Lagos State, have cried out 

over the invasion of their 

community by youths from 

Otolu and Ilagbo. 

A letter by the Baale of 

Oriyanrin, Chief Kayode 

Odunaya, and some family 

heads, to the Commissioner 

of Public Complaints 

Commission, Lagos State, 

stated that the loss of lives 

and destruction of property 

happened on May 21 and 

22. 

Odunaya said the trouble 

started on May 21 when 

members of the three 

communities attended the 

Kilajolu masquerade 

festival in Ilagbo. 

He noted that there was 

a clash where one Oni 

Alabi from Oriyanrin and a 

youth from Ilagbo 

sustained machete 

wounds. 

He said the youth from 

Ilagbo died due to poor 

medical attention. 

Odunaya further stated 

that youths from Otolu and 

Ilagbo on May 22, armed 

with guns and other 

dangerous weapons 

unleash terror on 

Oriyanrin. 

The Baale said he 

contacted Akodo Police 

Station and SARS at Ise, 

who he claimed sent their 

men to arrest the 

perpetrators from the other 

two villages at the scene, 

who were later granted bail. 

He said he could not 

understand why some 

members of his community 

were later detained at 

Akodo Police Station and 

subsequently transferred to 

SCIID, Panti, Yaba, despite 

that fact that none of 

Oriyanrin indigene was 

arrested at the scene of the 

crime on May 21 and 22.

8 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

8—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2017 


FORUM: From left — Sean Both; Country Manager, Hydraulics & Pneumatics – Bosch Group, 

Olalekan Oyebode, (PT) Key User Manager; Bosch Nigeria, Paul Nwokolo; Sales Director -West & 

Central Africa-Security & Tech - Bosch, Ghislain Noumbessy; Managing Director – Nigeria Bosch, 

Markus Thill – Group President for Africa - Bosch, Francis Omoniyi – Sales Director; West Africa 

– Bosch, Ayokunmi Solesi; Business Development Manager – Bosch Nigeria, Ayobami Ogunleye; 

Country Manager – Bosch Nigeria at the Customer forum held in Lagos recently. 

DPR license doesn’t permit fuel tankers to 

occupy roads – LADAN 

By Prince Okafor & 

Taye Meshach 

L Department AGOS—THE 

of Petroleum 

Resources, DPR has 

disassociated itself from the 

continued illegal occupation 

of roads by tanker drivers in 

Apapa and its environs, adding 

that their license does not 

permit them to obstruct the 

roads. 

Mr. Mordecai Ladan, DPR 

Director disclosed at the Department’s 

Annual General 

Meeting in Lagos yesterday 

that the vehicular gridlock 

in the Apapa depots should 

be a great concern to all 

stakeholders and all hands 

should be on the deck to 

tackle the challenges. 

He indicated that besides 

inadequate infrastructure, 

the situation was greatly 

worsened as a result of depot 

operators to respect laiddown 

rules and regulations. 

According to him, “While 

we recognize that bad roads 

and inadequate infrastructure 

have contributed to the 

gridlock in Apapa axis, the 

refusals of depot operators to 

abide by the laiddown rules 

have further complicated the 

problems. 

“For example, all trucks 

now proceed directly to the 

depots to queue up for loading 

instead of staying at the 

holding bays to be invited 

when it is their turn to load. 

“Let me reiterate that 5this 

practice, encourage by depot 

operators, is contrary to 

the terms of their licenses. I 

therefore wish to remind all 

depot operators that part of 

the conditions of their licenses 

is that every depot should 

operate a holding bay, where 

trucks are required to park 

and wait until it is their turn 

to load at the depots. “We 

should ensure to strictly abide 

by the rules b, for general 

safety and decongestion of 

the depot areas. We are partnering 

with the Lagos State 

Government to tackle the 

challenges.” 

Ladan also accused operators 

of not adhering to standards 

and procedures approved 

by the government. 

He said: “These challenges 

are occasioned by failure 

of operators to adhere to 

standard operating procedures, 

the practice of cutting 

corners and profiteering. 

These unwholesome acts on 

the part of licensed operators, 

coupled with the actions of illegal 

operators in our midst 

must be addressed. 

Dangote’s $300m cement plant commissioned 

in Congo •Targets global top 10 by 2020 

By Yinka Kolawole 

A 

new 1.5 million 

metric tonnes per 

annum (MMTPA) Dangote 

Cement Plant built at a cost 

of $300million was commissioned 

in Mfila, in the Republic 

of the Congo yesterday. 

The plant was commission 

by President Denis Sassou 

N’Guesso, with the 

Federal Government of Nigeria 

represented at the 

event by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, 

Minister of Solid Minerals, 

and Dr. Okechukwu 

Enelamah, Minister of Industry, 

Trade and Investment. 

In his speech at the 

event, President of Dangote 

Group, Alh. Alike Dangote, 

said at the end of May 2017, 

total production capacity of 

Dangote Cement across Africa 

stood at 45.8 million MT 

per annum, adding that the 

company aims to be among 

the top ten producers of cement 

in the world by 2020. 

He noted that the new plant 

is the fifth commissioned by 

the company across Africa 

in the last two years. 

He stated: “The Dangote 

Cement Plant that we are 

commissioning today, is the 

largest cement plant Congo-Brazzaville 

in terms of 

installed production capacity. 

With the commissioning 

of the plant, we become also 

the largest integrated cement 

producer in the 

CEMAC region comprising 

Cameroon, Chad, Central 

African Republic (CAR), 

Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, 

and now, the Republic of the 

Congo. “It is our hope 

that our plant will help to 

reduce and eventually replace 

cement imports into 

Congo-Brazzaville and 

these other countries. More 

importantly, it is also our 

hope that this project we are 

commissioning today, will 

further cement the existing 

cordial ties between our two 

countries—the Republic of 

the Congo and Nigeria. 

“As we all know, cement 

is one of the basic inputs in 

infrastructure development. 

For Africa, a continent, 

which faces severe 

infrastructural deficits, the 

need for local self-sufficiency 

in cement production 

cannot be over-emphasised.'' 

CORRUPTION: TETFund begins monthly publication 

of approved funds to varsities, others 

By Joseph Erunke 

B NED UJA—CONCER- 

about com- 

plaints arising from alleged 

sharp practices in 

universities, polytechnics 

and all its other beneficiary 

institutions in the country, 

the Tertiary Education 

Trust Fund, TETFund, 

has begun monthly publication 

of approved 

funds and other benefits. 

The approvals, releases 

and other benefits 

made to all beneficiary 

institutions will be 

contained in the 

monthly publication it 

christened “TETFund 

Monthly Digest” for all 

stakeholders to see. 

The development, according 

to the agency, is 

aimed at not only promoting 

transparency but also 

accountability, thus clearing 

all necessary doubts 

in benefits made to its 

beneficiary institutions. 

Executive Secretary of 

TETFund, Dr Abdullahi 

Bichi Baffa, who spoke at 

the public presentation of 

the maiden edition of the 

monthly publication in 

Abuja yesterday, said the 

development was aimed 

at raising transparency to 

a higher level. 

REC: Yari, Senate frustrate 

Buhari’s nominee 

By Henry Umoru 

Aindication BUJA—STRONG 

emerged 

yesterday that the alleged 

role of Governor Abdul’aziz 

Abubakar Yari of 

Zamfara State must have 

prompted the Senate to 

reject the nomination of 

Ahmed Bello Mahmud as 

a Resident Electoral 

Commissioner, REC, 

representing the state. 

The rejection by the 

Senate was sequel to the 

adoption of a report by the 

Senate Committee on the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, headed by Senator 

Suleiman Nafiz. 

In the report, Senator 

Nafiz told the Senate that 

there was a letter from the 

Zamfara State governor, 

Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, 

against the nominee of 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari. 

According to the report 

and in line with the letter, 

a serving senator from 

Zamfara State, Tijjani 

Kaura, also opposed the 

nomination. 

Senator Kaura, who 

spoke on the floor of the 

Senate, opposed the 

nomination, claiming the 

nominee hailed from 

neigbouring Sokoto State. 

Senator Kabiru Marafa, 

Zamfara Central, however, 

supported the confirmation 

of the nominee. 

Former governor of the 

state and a serving senator, 

Ahmed Sani Yerima, was 

not on ground to break the 

deadlock. 

When the Senate 

President, Bukola Saraki, 

put it to a voice vote, 

lawmakers voted against 

the confirmation and 

Mahmud was eventually 

disqualified. 

The Senate, however, 

approved the nomination of 

Rufus Akeju and Mahmud 

Isah representing Lagos 

and Kebbi states 

respectively. 

Recalled that the Senate 

had on March 28, 2017, 

rejected the screening of 27 

REC nominees to protest 


Buhari’s failure to sack 

acting chairman of the 

Economic and Financial 


EFCC, Mr Ibrahim 

Magu, despite his 

rejection by senators. 

Falana to Buhari: Don’t treat 

Ita, Oke like sacred cows 

HUMAN 

rights 

lawyer and Senior 

Advocate of Nigeria Femi 

Falana urged President 

Muhammadu Buhari not to 

treat former Director- 

General of the SSS, Mr. 

Ekpeyong Ita and former 

Director-General of the 

NIA, Mr Ayo Oke “like 

sacred cows.” 

In a paper presented 

today in Lagos at the 

National Seminar on 

Recovery of Noxious Funds 

organized by the 

University of Kent said, “If 

the two former security 

chiefs are allowed to be 

treated like sacred cows by 

the federal government other 

criminal suspects are going 

to resist arrest, investigation 

and prosecution under 

the principle of equality 

of citizens before the law. I 

can imagine that some lawyers 

will seek to enforce the 

fundamental rights of many 

suspects to freedom from 

discrimination guaranteed 

by section 42 of the Constitution.” 

Falana, however, stated: 

“The setting up of a committee 

by President Muhammadu 

Buhari to carry 

out a holistic audit of recovered 

assets by agencies of 

the federal government is 

very commendable indeed. 

‘’I believe the audit committee 

is pursuant to the 

landmark judgment by Justice 

Mohammed Idris following 

a Freedom of Information 

suit no: FHC/IKJ/ 

CS/248/2011 brought by 

Socio-Economic Rights and 

Accountability Project 

(SERAP). 

“In that case, Justice Idris 

granted among other reliefs 

an order of mandamus 

directing and or compelling 

the Federal Government 

to provide SERAP 

with up to date information 

on recovered stolen funds 

since the return of civilian 

rule in 1999, including: Detailed 

information on the total 

amount of recovered stolen 

public assets that have 

so far been recovered by 

Nigeria. 

He called on civil society 

organizations to support the 

work of the committee and 

provide it with useful information 

to effectively carry 

out its work.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017—9 

:Vanguard 

News 

:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

PDP warns chairmanship aspirants against 

•My mission is to rebuild, reposition and regain 

verbal attacks 

By Emmanuel 

Aziken 

L AGOS—PEOPLES 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

yesterday warned aspirants 

to the chairmanship 

position of the party to stop 

unwarranted attacks on the 

leadership. 

According to the party, 

the leadership has done 

nothing to favour any 

aspirant from any zone to 

warrant attacks. 

The party’s reaction came 

against the backdrop of 

allegations by some 

aspirants that the 

leadership was favouring a 

particular candidate from 

the South South zone to 

clinch the position. 

However, speaking while 

receiving Prince Uche 

Secondus who had come to 

submit his nomination form 

at the party’s national 

secretariat, the National 

Organising Secretary, 

Senator Abdul Ningi, said 

the party had no preferred 

candidate, stressing that it 

would create a level 

playing field for all the 

power—Secondus 

aspirants. 

While admonishing 

aspirants to be focused on 

wooing delegates to the 

convention,Ningi said any 

serious aspirant should 

spent his time selling 

himself to delegates, 

instead of seeking 

scapegoats, even when the 

race had not started. 

“Go and win your state for 

the party. Go and entrench 

the party in your state. Stop 

attacking us here,” he 

warned. 

He emphasized that any 

aspirant who submitted his 

forms would be received 

and “we will tell the world 

what he has contributed to 

the party. 

“We will not campaign for 

any of you but we will let 

the world know your 

antecedents. To that end, 

we pay homage to 

Secondus, a total chairman 

with tremendous 

commitment to the party. 

“You have sacrificed a lot 

for the party. You are still 

making sacrifice. Your zone 

is ours and we know you 

can sacrifice anything for 

the sake of the party. 

‘’You know the PDP and 

the PDP knows you. If we 

fail to acknowledge your 

contributions to PDP, we will 

be highly unfair to you.” 

Speaking while 

submitting his nomination 

form, Prince Secondus said 

he would seek to rebuild, 

reposition and regain 

political power in the 2019 

elections at all levels, based 

three Rs, namely “rebuild, 

reposition and regain.” 

He said: “We will 

collectively rebuild party, 

reposition it for electoral 

victory and ensure we 

regain power come 2019”, 

he was quoted as telling 

party leaders.’’ 

Secondus, who was 

accompanied by top party 

leaders from all over the 

country, told party leaders 

“he is prepared to put his 

wealth of experience into 

action and collectively 

mobilize loyalists, members 

and Nigerians for total 

victory in 2019.’’ 

Meanwhile, National 

Vice Chairman, South 

West, of the party, Dr. Eddy 

Olafeso, has said the party 

never zoned the national 

Reps order probe of Etisalat debts 

•Say NCC Act grossly violated 

By Emman 

Ovuakporie 

ABUJA—THE House of 

Representatives 

yesterday resolved to probe 

what led to the collapse of 

Etisalat and its high profile 

debts. 

To this end, the 

lawmakers mandated its 

Committee on 

Telecommunications to 

investigate and ascertain 

the circumstances which 

led to the collapse of 

Etisalat Network in order to 

protect the interest of 

Nigerian subscribers. 

The House expressed 

worry that failure of Etisalat 

to meet its debt servicing 

obligations with 13 banks 

since 2016 forced it’s 

foreign shareholders out of 

the firm as the company was 

eventually taken over by 

the banks. 

Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, 

Chairman of the 

Committee, in a motion 

entitled “Need to 

Investigate the Collapse of 

Etisalat Nigeria (Now 

9mobile) in order to protect 

the interest of Nigerian 

Subscribers and other 

Stakeholders,” noted that 

the take over was against 

the letters and spirit of the 

Nigerian Communications 

Act. 

“The takeover of Etisalat 

which was renamed 

9mobile by the banks is a 

clear violation of section 

38(1) of the Nigerian 

Communications Act 2003, 

which provides that the 

grant of a licence shall be 

personal to the licensee and 

the license shall not be 

operated by, assigned, sublicensed 

or transferred to 

any other party unless the 

prior written approval of the 

community has been 

granted,” he stated. 

According to the motion, 

Etisalat Nigeria paid almost 

half of the initial loan, 

amounting to about N504 

billion with a total 

outstanding sum of about 

$574 million. 

chairmanship position to 

the South West, but the 

entire South. 

He said in a signed 

statement last night: ‘’Our 

attention has been drawn 

to insinuations making the 

rounds that the South West 

Executive of the party at its 

last meeting with 

stakeholders in the zone 

did direct that aspirants to 

the office of the national 

chairman must come from 

a particular state. 

‘’This is patently false as 

no such decision was 

taken, we only zoned other 

offices that were zoned to 

the South West amongst all 

the States in the region, and 

this action is traditional. 

‘’The position of National 

Chairman and Deputy 

National Chairman is 

zoned to the entire South* 

and as such is beyond the 

scope of the South West 

Zone to unilaterally 

adjudicate on. 

‘’Therefore, we declare 

that all those gentlemen 

that have signified their 

intentions to contest for the 

above mentioned positions 

remain at liberty to 

continue to prosecute their 

ambitions." 

COMMISSIONING: From left—Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode 

Fayemi; Group President/CE, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; President of the Republic of 

Congo, Dennis Sassou Nguesso; Prime Minister of Congo, Clement Mouamba; and the 

Nigerian Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwi Enelemah at the 

commissioning of 1.5MMTPA Dangote Cement Plant, Congo, in the Republic of Congo, 

yesterday. 

“Etisalat Nigeria 

obtained a loan of $1.2 

billion (N377.7 billion) in 

2013 from 13 Nigerian 

banks, with a foreign 

backed guaranteed bond to 

finance a major network 

rehabilitation, upgrade and 

expansion of its operational 

base in Nigeria. The 

company so far paid about 

half of the initial loan 

amounting to about N504 

billion with a total 

outstanding sum of about 

$574million, but had 

reneged on its debt 

servicing obligations after 

the interventions of the 

Nigerian Communications 

Commission, NCC and the 

CBN to restructure the loan 

and new repayment 

deadline,” Fijabi stated. 

FG announces 30-man new 

minimum wage committee 

•FG 7, NGF 6, Labour 9, employers 8 members 

Victor Ahiuma- 

Young 

A BUJA—AFTER 

protracted delay, the 

Federal Government 

yesterday announced the 

appointment of a 30-man 

tripartite new national 

minimum wage 

negotiating committee to 

fashion out an acceptable 

minimum wage. 

The committee will be 

inaugurated Monday, 

November 27, by President 

Muhammadu Buhari, to 

calm the nerves of 

organized labour which 

had become restive over 

what it termed unnecessary 

delay 

A statement by Samuel 

Olowookere, Deputy 

Director (Press), Ministry of 

Labour and Employment, 

showed that committee is 

made up of representatives 

of the Federal Government, 

state governors, labour and 

private sector employers. 

The statement read: “By 

its tripartite nature, the 

committee is made up of 

persons from the public 

sector, (Federal and State 

Governments) and the 

private sector made up of 

the largest private employer 

group, the Nigeria 

Employers Consultative 

Association, NECA, 

Manufacturers Association 

of Nigeria, MAN, Nigerian 

Association of Chambers of 

Commerce Industry Mines 

and Agriculture, 

NACCIMA and Nigerian 

Association of Small and 

Medium Enterprises, 

NASME.” 

The members of the 

committee representing 

Federal Government are 

Ama Pepple, Chairman of 

the Tripartite National 

Minimum Wage 

Committee, Senator (Dr.) 

Chris Ngige,, Minister of 

Kaduna govt receives 48,000 

applications for 25,000 

teaching vacancies 

By Ben Agande 

K ADUNA—THE 

governor of Kaduna 

State, Mallam Nasir El 

Rufai, disclosed yesterday 

that the state government 

has received 48,806 

applications from 

prospective teachers in 

public schools in the state 

to fill up 25,000 vacancies. 

The governor made the 

disclosure at a meeting with 

members of the National 

Assembly from the state. 

According to the 

governor, the issue of 

sanitizing public schools in 

the state is very crucial and 

requires courage, honesty 

and sincerity. 

He called on members of 

the National Assembly from 

the state to help save future 

generations from servitude 

by ensuring that quality 

Labour and Employment 

(Deputy Chairman), Chief 

Richard Egbule, 

Chairman, National 

Salaries, Income and 

Wages Commission 

(Member/Secretary), Udo 

Udoma, Minister, Budget 

and Planning, Mrs. Kemi 

Adeosun, Minister, 

Finance, Winifred E. Oyo 

– Ita, Head of the Civil 

Service of the Federation, 

and Dr. Roy Ugo, 

Permanent Secretary, 

GeneralServices Office, 

Office of the Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation. 

From Nigeria Governors’ 

Forum, NGF, are Governor 

Rauf Aregbesola, Osun 

State (South West), 

Governor Rochas 

Okorocha, Imo State (Souh 

East), Governor Hassan 

Dankwambo, Gombe State 

(South East), Governor 

Nyesom Wike, Rivers State 

(South South), Governor 

Simon Lalong, Plateau 

State (North Central), 

Governor Abubakar Atiku 

Bagudu, Kebbi State 

(North West) and (A. B. 

Okauru, , DG, NGF, 

(Observer). 

On the side of organized 

labour are Comrade Ayuba 

Wabba, President, Nigeria 

Labour Congress, NLC, 

Comrade Peters Adeyemi, 

NLC, Comrade Kiri 

Mohammed, NLC, 

Comrade Amechi 

Asugwuni, NLC, Comrade 

Peter Ozo-Eson, NLC, 

Comrade Bobboi Bala 

Kaigama, President, Trade 

Union Congress, TUC, 

Comrade Sunday Olusoji 

Salako, TUC, Comrade 

Alade Bashir Lawa, TUC, 

and Comrade Igwe Achese, 

President, Nigeria Union of 

Petroleum and Natural Gas 

Workers, NUPENG. 

public education was 

offered in the state. 

Governor El-Rufai 

explained that all 

shortlisted applicants from 

the 43,806 that applied 

would be subjected to oral 

and practical examinations, 

to be followed by interview 

and final verification to 

ascertain the authenticity of 

their qualifications. 

He said those who scaled 

through the screening 

would undergo training on 

teaching before their 

deployment to classrooms 

to teach. 

“The issue of ensuring 

quality and competent 

teachers in public schools 

is something crucial and 

doable, but it requires 

courage, sincerity and 

honesty as guiding 

principles," he said.


8—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2017 


Religious leaders engineer politicians to steal 

—Ambode leaders were busy 

By Gabriel 

Olawale 

L AGOS—GOVERNOR 

Akinwumin Ambode of 

Lagos State, yesterday 

accused religious leaders 

of pushing political leaders 

to steal by the way they 

patronize them and other 

influential individuals in 

the society who now do 

anything possible to meet 

the expectations. 

Ambode who spoke at the 

annual public lecture 

organized by Christian 

Conscience, claimed 

religious leaders made 

higher demand from 

people in government 

without thinking about 

how they would meet such 

demand. 

Represented by 

Commissioner for Home 

Affairs, Dr. Abdul-hakeem 

Abdul-Lateef, the governor 

lamented that the common 

man who served God 

diligently got no 

recognition while religious 

patronising political 

leaders. 

According to him: “When 

church and mosque want 

to do fund raising they will 

not look for people that are 

committed to the work of 

God but politicians and 

people in power whose 

salary is not up to N500,000 

to come and launch N50 

million project. This same 

politicians and people in 

power, when they come to 

church late, Pastor will ask 

congregation to stand up 

and clap for them whereas 

the poor person that come 

early to church nobody 

recognizes him or her.” 

Speaking on the theme, 

“Religion and Corruption: 

Strategic Direction in 

Fighting Corruption in 

Nigeria” He said he had 

reduced the number of time 

he went to office as people 

usually besieged his office 

in hundreds seeking 

personal assistance. 

He said: “In my office as 

commissioner I see about 

100 to 200 people daily that 

came to my office for 

personal assistance, not 

something that will benefit 

the larger society. That is 

why going to office is 

strategic because I am tired 

of explaining to people that 

I don’t have. 

Lagos govt, Jokotade family, fight over 11 hectares 

of land 

By Onozure Dania 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State New Town 

Development Authority, 

NTDA, an agency of the 

Lagos State Ministry of 

Lands and the Oyetubo 

Jokotade family of 

Sangotedo are at each 

other’s throat over 

ownership of 11 hectares 

of land in Ajah area of the 

state. 

The disputed land is 

behind Shoprite along 

Cardinal Olubunmi 

Okogie Road, in 

Sangotedo, Ajah area of 

Lagos State. 

The family alleged that 

the property is part of the 

201.112 hectares 

allocated to them in 1996 

by the Lagos State 

Government in a 

resettlement agreement. 

It equally claimed the 

201.112 hectares, known 

as Sangotedo Lekki 

Peninsula Sub-Region 

Block L, is covered by a 

Certificate of Occupancy 

(C of O) registered as 75/ 

75/1996AE and was 

issued to the family on 

June 17, 1996. 

But the Lagos State 

government through its 

Public Relations Officer 

(PRO) Ministry of Lands, 

Kayode Sutton, said the 

family’s C of O did not 

cover the hectares of land 

in question. 

Sutton said: “The entire 

parcels of land wherein 

the demolitions occurred 

belong to the Lagos State 

Government. The lands in 

question were allocated by 

the government to new 

owners in 2014." 

Counter insurgency: FG equips 

NAF with modern platforms 

By Evelyn Usman 

LAGOS—THE 

Chief 

of the Air Staff, CAS, 

Air Marshal Sadiq 

Abubakar , yesterday in 

Lagos , disclosed that the 

federal government had 

equipped the Force with 

new platforms that would 

enhance personnel 

ability to conduct counter 

insurgent operations. 

This came as the 

Nigerian Air Force 

immortalised one of its 

officers , a 35-year-old 

pilot who died in the fight 

against terrorists last May, 

in Maiduguri. 

The CAS, spoke while 

commissioning the 

newly built 6 by 3 bedroom 

flats for officers 

accommodation at the 

Sam Ethnan AirForce 

Base, Ikeja. 

Aside the provision of 

new logistics, the CAS 

also informed that some 

platforms were still 

undergoing reactivation, 

for the purpose of 

tackling other emerging 

security challenges across 

the country. 

The newly built officers 

accommodation was 

named after one of its 

personnel, Squadron 

Promise Leton 

Gbenekannu, a pilot, who 

died on board the C-130 

aircraft while on a logistic 

support mission for troops 

fighting insurgency and 

terrorism in the North 

eastern part of the 

country, on May 18,2017. 

Represented by the Air 

Officer Commanding, 

AOC Logistic Command 

, Air Vice Marshal 

Ibrahim Yahaya , he 

explained that projects of 

such were initiated in all 

NAF bases to ensure 

conducive atmosphere for 

personnel at their various 

work places and homes in 

line with the change 

agenda of President 

Muhammad Buhari 

He said : “ Providing 

decent accommodation for 

officers, airmen and 

airwomen remains one of 

the first priorities of our 

policy thrust towards 

ensuring that Nigerian 

Air Force personnel and 

their families live in a 

befitting 

accommodation and are 

better positioned to 

respond to various 

exigencies of the service. 

LAGOS STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, MR. IMOHIMI EDGAL, ON WORKING 

VISIT TO APAPA IN QUEST OF SOLUTIONS TO THE AREA'S TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK 

Editor of Vanguard, Mr Eze Anaba,points something of interest about the 

traffic situation to ComPol Edgal (with phone), while, from left, Mr Adekunle 

Adekoya, and Mr Emma Nnadozie look on. 

From Left—Mr Onochie Anibeze,Saturday Editor,Vanguard; Mr Eze 

Anaba,Editor; Mr Ochereome Nnanna, Editorial Board Chairman Vanguard; 

Mr Gbenga Adefaye, GM/Editor-in-Chief; Mr. Imohimi Edgal, Commissioner 

of Police, Lagos State Police Command; and Mr Adekunle Adekoya, Deputy 

Editor Vanguard, during a working visit of Commissioner of Police to Vanguard 

Newspaper in Lagos. 

From left, Area Commander, ACP Sani Sabo, Vanguard Crime Editor, Mr 

Emma Nnadozie, Editor, Mr. Eze Anaba, and Lagos CP, Mr Imohimi Edgal at 

Berger Yard Bus-Stop, assessing traffic situation. 

Lagos CP, Mr Imohimi Edgal here listens to a point being made by DPO, 

Krikiri Division, Mr Moshood Orobiyi on the traffic situation at Berger area, 

yesterday. PHOTOS BY AKEEM SALAU.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 — 11 


Buhari approves fresh budget support loan 

for states 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA — 

PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

approved a fresh budget 

support loan to 35 states of 

the federation. 

The loan was announced 

by the Minister of Budget 

and Economic Planning, 

Udoma Udo Udoma, while 

briefing State House 

correspondents, after the 

National Economic 

Council, NEC, meeting, 

presided over by the Vice 

President, Prof. Yemi 

Osinbajo in Abuja 

yesterday. 

Udoma said that it was 

the latest in the series of 

financial support that has 

been provided by the 

Federal government to the 

states to meet up with their 

obligations including 

payment of huge salaries to 

workers. 

According to him, each of 

the 35 states will receive 

N800million, while the 

total amount that will be 

received by the states 

would amount to 

N28billion. 

He said the Accountant 

General of the Federation 

AKE FESTIVAL: From left; Chief Marketing Officer, Sterling Bank, Henry 

Bassey; French Ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer; Deputy Governor of 

Ogun State, Yetunde Onanuga and Deputy High Commissioner of the United 

Kingdom, Laure Beaufils at the 2017 Ake Festival in Abeokuta. 

Mr. Idris Ahmed informed 

council that approval has 

been received and the 

Central Bank of Nigeria, 

CBN, has been directed to 

pay N800million to each 

of the 35 states of the 

Federation. 

The minister said the 

Governors at the meeting 

expressed appreciation to 

the Federal Government 

for the restoration of the 

Budget Support Loan 

Facility for July and 

August 2017. 

He said: “The 

Accountant General 

reported to Council that 

approval has been 

received and CBN has 

been directed to pay N800 

million to each of the 35 

states of the Federation. 

Governors expressed 

appreciation to the 

Federal Government for 

the restoration of the 

Akeredolu to build more hostels for Corps members 

By Dayo Johnson 

IKARE AKOKO—IN 

a bid to accommodate 

the large number of Corps 

members deployed to 

Ondo state, the state 

government has promised 

to build more hostel blocks 

that will accommodate 5000 

Corps members. 

Governor Rotimi 

Akeredolu made the 

promise in lkare during the 

swearing in ceremony of the 

2017 batch “B” stream 

1corps members deployed 

to the state. 

THE Chairman of 

Sona Group of 

Industries, Mr. Arjan 

Mirchandani has said that 

its multi-billion naira 

ethanol plant will be 

completed in about two 

months. 

When completed, the 

plant which is reputed to 

be the largest in Africa, will 

produce 120,000 litres of 

ethanol daily. 

Mirchandani disclosed 

this when a team from First 

Bank Nigeria paid the 

company an official visit 

and were taken on an 

inspection tour of Sona 

Group’s facilities in Ota 

Ogun State. The team was 

also shown some of Sona 

Group’s expansion 

projects, which are targeted 

Akeredolu said that his 

administration would meet 

up “the standard camp that 

should have facilities for 

5000 corps members. 

He said: “it is my belief 

that my administration will 

build more hostel blocks on 

camp to meet up this 

expectation.” 

The governor, who was 

represented by his Youth 

and Sport commissioner, 

Saka Ogunleye noted 

that his administration 

would ensure some 

tolerable level of comfort 

for the corps members 

Sona Group’s multi-billion 

ethanol plant nears completion 

at meeting growing 

demand in the local and 

export markets. 

Speaking during the 

inspection, Mr. 

Mirchandani assured that 

there was a big market for 

ethanol in Nigeria, adding 

that many of the multinational 

companies in the 

food and drinks segment 

require the product as raw 

material for their production 

and would rather source 

locally instead of importing, 

to save cost. 

“Some of the major 

multinational companies in 

Nigeria have already 

shown interest in buying 

from us when production 

commences, they are 

impressed by our 

commitment to quality.'' 

hence on going renovation 

of the camp facilities. 

Earlier, the state 

Coordinator Mrs Grace 

Akpabio said 2127 corps 

participants consisted 1044 

males and 1083 females. 

Akpabio who expressed 

concern over the 

dilapidated state of the 

hotels pleaded with the 

state government to 

construct a minimum of 

four blocks which will 

accommodate 400 corps 

members. 

The coordinator 

commended the state 

governor on the ongoing 

renovation work on the 

camp noting that it was an 

indication that his 

administration “has not 

fallen short of its statutory 

obligation to the scheme. 

By Juliet Ebirim 

L 

E A D I N G 

hypermarket and 

Black Friday pioneers, 

SPAR Nigeria has officially 

announced the 4th edition 

of its Black Friday shoppers 

delight. 

In a statement by its 

Head of Marketing for 

SPAR Nigeria, Mr. John 

Goldsmith said, “When we 

started in 2014, we took the 

leap of faith as this was 

something that had never 

been done before in 

Budget Support Loan 

Facility for July and August 

2017. 

“The Accountant General 

of the Federation informed 

Council that balance in the 

ECA as at November 17, 

2017 stands at 

$2,309,693,583.35. 

“Signs of recovery had 

been observed since Q3 

2016 and the Recovery 

consolidated in Q3 2017 

with GDP doubling to 

1.40% Non-oil GDP 

contracts in Q3 2017 by 

0.76% after growing in Q1 

R Q2 2017, while the 

Services sector is still in the 

negative, the 

Manufacturing Sector 

grows negative in Q3 2017 

also. 

“Due to high inflationary 

pressures, household 

consumption expenditures 

remain constrained, 

though it appears such 

pressure is easing. 

Headline inflation has 

declined since January 

reflecting tight monetary 

policy Food price increases 

have remained persistent 

but slowing down. The total 

value of capital importation 

at the end 2017 of Q3 stood 

at $4.14 billion (131.3% 

growth year on year).” 

SPAR Nigeria declares Black 

Friday mega deals 

Nigeria. The first year was 

basically meant for testing 

the market; we were 

looking to see the response 

of the Nigerian market 

towards the sales. In our 

first year, the promos lasted 

for three days and we 

received positive responses 

across the country that blew 

our expectations. This 

year, the numbers of 

items that are going up 

on sale have doubled 

compared to the last couple 

of years, so we are pretty 

excited about the outcome.” 

ROAD SAFETY: Nigeria targets 

world’s 20 safest countries 

By Samson Echenim 

L AGOS—THE 

Federal Road Safety 

Corps, FRSC, has 

reiterated commitment to its 

several road safety 

programmes introduced to 

reduce traffic crashes and 

fatalities and targets to 

place Nigeria among 

world’s 20 safest countries. 

Briefing newsmen in 

commemoration of 2017 

Africa Road Safety Day 

themed, “2020 Target: 

Reduce Road Fatalities 

and Serious Injuries by 

50%,” the Corps Marshal, 

Boboye Oyeyemi said, as 

part of activities lined up to 

mark the day, in line with 

the United Nations Decade 

of Action for Road Safety 

2011-2020, the FRSC was 

making deliberate efforts to 

reverse the current trend of 

161 deaths per 10,000 

vehicles to a level that 

would place Nigeria 

among the league of global 

Osun clamps down on tax 

defaulting FG’s MDAs 

O SOGBO—OSUN 

State government 

has ordered relevant 

agencies of government to 

‘use all necessary means’ 

including total shutdown, 

to collect the backlog of 

taxes worth N4.7 billion 

owed the state by Federal 

Government’s Ministries, 

Departments and 

Agencies, especially 

education institutions, in 

the state. 

This was contained in a 

statement issued by the 

Media Adviser to Governor 

Rauf Aregbesola, Mr Sola 

Fasure, after the State 

Executive Council meeting 

held at the Executive 

Council Chamber, Office of 

the Governor, State 

Secretariat, Osogbo. 

20 safest countries in the 

world by 2020. 

According to him, FRSC 

has continued to deepen its 

implementation of safety 

programmes such as the 

Nigeria Road Safety 

Strategy document, NRSS, 

2016-2020, which provides 

a clear direction towards 

achieving the vision of road 

safety under the safe 

system approach, leading 

to the creation of National 

Road Safety Advisory 

Council, NaRSAC. 

The NaRSAC is an 

institutional arrangement 

aimed at supervising the 

implementation of the 

strategy under the 

charmanship of the Vice 

President Yemi Osibanjo. 

Quoting figures from the 

World Health Organisation 

reports, Oyeyemi said 1.2 

million people are killed 

on world’s roads 

annually and 50 million 

people sustain injuries 

that disable them for life. 

The Council expressed 

dismay at the agencies’ 

refusal to pay tax as and 

when due, saying no effort 

would spared in collecting 

every tax owed government 

in the past and in the 

present time. 

The decision of the 

Council came after 

deliberating on the report 

that federal agencies 

situated in Osun, especially 

education institutions, for 

several years held back more 

than N4.7 billion taxes due 

to the state. 

The Council then directed 

all the relevant government 

agencies to use all necessary 

means, including shutting 

down such defaulting 

institutions. 

Ifako Ijaiye LCDA mourns 

passage of APC chieftain 

THE 

Executive 

Chairman of Ifako- 

Ijaiye Council Area of 

Lagos State, Apostle 

Oloruntoba Oke has 

expressed condolences to 

the family of the late All 

Progressives Congress 

(APC) stalwart in the 

council, Alhaji Saliu 

Elefonde, who died after a 

brief illness, Sunday,the 

19th of November, 2017. 

He had been buried 

according to Islamic rites on 

Monday, 20th November, 

2017 at his residence, 

Alagbado, area of the state. 

Executive Chairman of 

Ifako Ijaiye LGA, Apostle 

Olountoba Oke, described 

the deceased as a leader of 

repute, and humility 

personified with warm and 

uncommon character, who 

was committed to the cause 

of the downtrodden and 

the ideals of APC. 

He had held positions of 

vice chairmanship of the 

LGA and Ex-officio member. 

According to Oke, " His 

sterling role towards my 

success and victory for the 

party at the July 22,2017 

Council poll in Ifako-Ijaiye 

Local Government 

Area,was without measure, 

just as his priceless counsel 

would be greatly missed. 

"While I, commiserate 

with his family ,the entire 

people of our dear local 

government and the APC 

leadership on Baba Akanji 

Elefonde's demise, I, on 

behalf of my wife, Pastor 

(Mrs) Modupe Oke, 

Members of Ifako-Ijaiye 

Government Exco,and 

Honourable Councillors, 

pray to the Almighty Allah 

to grant the deceased 

Aljanah Fridaus and, his 

family, the fortitude to bear 

the great loss," he said.



Oil spill ravages Delta 

community 

By Perez Brisibe 

THE people of 

Uwheru community in 

Ughelli North Local 

Government area of 

Delta State have 

appealed to Delta State 

and Federal 

Governments to come to 

their aid over an oil spill 

that is currently 

ravaging their 

community. 

The spill which 

occurred on a pipeline 

linking the Evwerni Well 

8 & 9, was reportedly 

noticed by residents of 

Egbo quarters of the 

community on October 

29. 

A representative of the 

quarter, Odion Andrew 

Umukoro, told 

newsmen that they 

woke up on the said day 

to discover that a section 

of the pipeline, which 

connects a well head in 

the area, was gushing 

CRUTECH graduates 7,000, 

honours Makarfi, Amaechi, 

Dickson 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

C 

ROSS River State 

University of 

Technology, 

CRUTECH, is 

scheduled to convoke a 

combined graduation 

ceremony for five sets of 

students, who have 

completed studies in the 

school spanning, 7th, 

8th, 9th 10th and 11th 

batches, in which a total 

of 6,800 bagged Bachelor 

of Science degrees and 

293 got post-graduate 

degrees. 

Professor Anthony 

Enoh, the Vice 

Chancellor of the 

crude oil. 

Umukoro explained 

that the facility which 

was formerly owned by 

Shell Petroleum 

Development Company, 

SPDC, has been sold to 

another multinational oil 

company in the area. 

He said: “Suspecting 

equipment failure, we 

contacted the company 

and they promised to do 

the needful but till date 

they are yet to and the 

spill is doing more 

damage to other 

adjourning farmlands in 

the area.” 

On the extent of 

damage by the spill, 

another community 

leader, Boggie Ogbe said: 

“At the moment, the 

livelihood of the 

community which is 

fishing and farming is in 

jeopardy because the 

spill which is on the 

stream in the 

community, has 

damaged aquatic life and 

is fast spreading to other 

areas.” 

University, who stated 

this, yesterday, during a 

post graduation press 

briefing, said 18 students 

bagged first class. 

He said during the 

convocation ceremony, 

the Minister of 

Transportation, Mr 

Chibuike Amaechi; 

Caretaker Committee 

Chairman of the Peoples 


Senator Ahmed 

Markarfi, and Governor 

of Bayelsa State, Seriake 

Dickson would be 

conferred with honorary 

doctorate degrees, the 

first time the university is 

conferring such awards 

on anyone. 

S-South, S-East roads worst in the 

country —FG 

•As senators, Fashola brainstorm on the way forward 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—IN what 

appeared to be a 

self assesment, the 

Federal Government, 

yesterday, scored itself 

and came to a conclusion 

that the worst roads in 

the country were located 

in the South-South and 

South-East geopolitical 

zones. 

Disclosing this, 

yesterday, in Abuja when 

he appeared before the 

Senate Committee on 

Federal Roads 

Maintenance Agency, 

FERMA, headed by 

Senator Magnus Abe, 

Minister of Power, Works 

and Housing, 

Babatunde Fashola, who 

noted that some of the 

major federal roads in 

the 11 states were 

constructed before the 

1967-1970 Nigerian Civil 

War, said that efforts 

were being put in place 

to fix the roads. 

Fashola told the 

senators that the N100 

billion sourced through 

the Sukuk bond, was yet 

to be released to his 

Ministry to carry out 25 

major road construction 

projects in the six 

geopolitical zones of the 

country. 

Chairman of FERMA 

committee, Senator Abe, 

noted that senators who 

are the true 

representatives of the 

people were usually 

sidelined by heads of 

Ministries, Departments 

and Agencies of the 

Federal Government 

when mulling siting of 

projects. He said: “As 

elected representatives 

of the people, if the 

Federal Government is 

doing anything in your 

areas, our inputs are 

hardly needed. We will 

then have to fight for 

relevance. 

“We are meeting you 

because of the 

challenges FERMA, 

which is under your 

supervision, is facing. Is 

this agency relevant in 

your scheme of things in 

your ministry? We need 

you to touch on the core 

challenges of this 

agency. ” 

On his part, Fashola 

said: “When we did the 

audit of our roads, we 

discovered that some 

sections are bad. Many 

roads have outlived their 

lifespans. Many roads in 

the South-East and South 

South were built before 

the civil war. They are 

among the worst in the 

country. They need to be 

replaced. 

“Funds generated from 

Sukuk have not been 

released because of the 

conditions tied to them. 

We will try and repair 

the roads before people 

start travelling for the 

festivities in December. 

We are doing something 

about that.” 

On the Challenges 

facing FERMA, Fashola 

said: “One of the 

reccurring stories of 

under performance 

which we inherited is 

that of ministerial 

interference. We have 

tried to supervise without 

interfering. As best as 

possible, we try not to. 

“I have tried to enable 

government see what it 

is spending in each of 

the parastatals under my 

ministry. In the past, 

FERMA spent money on 

areas it had no business 

with. That has to stop. If 

you allocate money and 

it is spent on local 

government roads, it 

means something is 

wrong. The core 

mandate of FERMA is to 

repair federal roads. 

“FERMA can be the 

largest construction 

company in the country. 

It depends on what we 

are willing to put into the 

agency. In the past, 

FERMA collected 

monies for roads they 

did not construct. That 

has to stop in this 

government. 

“We are working with 

the Army Corps to see 

how we can develop local 

content. The 

unemployment 

challenges we have can 

be reduced if FERMA is 

busy in every state.” 

POPE FRANCIS RECEIVES DOGARA: Speaker of the House 

of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara (right), exchanging pleasantries 

with His Holiness, Pope Francis, at Saint Peters Square, Vatican, Rome, when 

the Speaker met with the Pontiff. 

It’s confrontational for Benin leaders to 

demand arrest of Ijaw monarchs —IPDI 

By Emma Amaize 

WARRI—THE Ijaw 

P e o p l e s 

Development Initiative, 

IPDI, a rights group in 

Warri, Delta State, 

yesterday, described as 

offensive the recent call by 

some Benin leaders in Edo 

State for the arrest and 

prosecution of Ijaw 

monarchs, especially the 

most revered paramount 

ruler of Gbaramatu 

Kingdom and the enviable 

Olodiama king, the 

Agadagba, Alagbabunafa 

lll, over the coronation of 

the latter. 

IPDI, in a statement by its 

national president, Austin 

Ozobo, warned: “No such 

threat of arrest will deter the 

Ijaw of Edo State from 

exercising their rights of 

ownership of such lands 

bequeathed to them by their 

ancestors. 

“No Ijaw kingdom will 

fold its arms over any 

attempt to arrest their 

monarch. Such call is a 

threat to the existing peace 

in the Niger Delta region. 

“The coronation of 

Olodiama monarch was not 

botched as claimed by 

people in Benin. We wish 

to state unequivocally that 

the coronation of the Pere 

of Olodiama Kingdom was 

done successfully. 

“It is provocative for Benin 

people to call for the arrest 

of Ijaw monarchs. Such 

calls are capable of fanning 

ethnic war between the 

Ijaw and Benin. There is no 

record showing that 

Olodiama is under Benin 

Kingdom. 

“It may interest you to 

know that no Ijaw 

community in Edo State is 

listed among various 

communities that make up 

Benin Kingdom. If there is 

any, I urge the Benin to 

publish such gazette 

comprising such villages. 

“Therefore, the 

coronation of the Pere of 

Olodiama Kingdom did not 

breach any existing law of 

Edo State since the area is 

not covered by Benin 

traditional gazette. 

“In Edo State, every tribe 

has its own monarch, why 

is the Ijaw case different? 

We are being intimidated 

and marginalized,” IPDI 

asserted.



Edo govt tasks corps members on war against 

human trafficking 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

EDO State Governor, 

Mr. Godwin 

Obaseki, has charged 

Youth Corps members 

serving in the state to rise 

up against human 

trafficking as his 

government is currently 

tackling the social 

menace. 

He gave the charge, 

yesterday, at Okada in 

NDDC to end agitations for compensations 

over right of way 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

NIGER 

Delta 

Development 

Commission, NDDC, is to 

redress complaints of right 

of way compensation over 

its projects in the region. 

Managing Director of the 

Commission, Mr Nsima 

Ekere, gave the assurance 

at the commission’s 

headquarters in Port 

Harcourt, Rivers State, 

when the Nigerian 

Institution of Estate 

Surveyors and Valuers paid 

him a courtesy visit. 

He said there had been 

several complaints on right 

of way over some of its 

projects, adding that they 

could not be resolved in the 

past because of paucity of 

funds. 

Ekere said: “The fund is 

always a bit low so that by 

the time a consultant 

finishes evaluation and 

brings a report, you find out 

that what is in the contract 

is not adequate to pay 

compensation.” 

Ovia North East Local 

Government Area of the 

State during the 

swearing-in ceremony of 

2017 Batch “B” Stream I 

Orientation Course, at the 

NYSC Orientation Camp 

in the town. 

He said: “As good 

ambassadors of the 

scheme, I also expect you 

to be involved in the fight 

against economic crimes, 

women and child 

trafficking, drug 

He promised to clear 

outstanding claims to estate 

surveyors and valuers, 

saying they would be 

addressed holistically 

through a joint committee 

of the NDDC and NIESV, 

to be headed by the 

Commission’s Executive 

Director, Projects, EDP. 

“The issues will be treated 

on a case by case basis. We 

are now doing things 

differently by using the 4- 

R initiative to add value to 

the process,” he added. 

The Chairman, Rivers 

State Branch of Nigerian 

Institution of Estate 

Surveyors and Valuers, Mr. 

Elliot Orupabo, urged the 

commission to set up a 

valuation unit headed by a 

registered estate surveyor 

to help resolve challenges 

of compensation because 

“the absence of this unit is 

a major lacuna which the 

engineers in the Project 

Management Department 

have capitalized upon to 

vet and tamper with 

compensation valuation 

reports prepared by 

registered estate surveyors 

and valuers without 

recourse to the consultants.” 

Obaseki assures 150 returnees from 

Libya of better future 

G OVERNOR 

Godwin Obaseki 

of Edo State has assured 

the 150 Libyan returnees 

currently undergoing 

training, of his 

administration’s 

commitment to equip 

them with the requisite 

skills for a better future. 

Obaseki, who gave the 

assurance after a review 

of the ongoing training 

programme for the 

returnees at the 

Agricultural 

Development 

Programme, ADP, in 

trafficking and other 

vices.” 

The governor, 

represented by the 

Commissioner for Youths 

and Special Duty, Mr. 

Mika Amanokha, said the 

present administration 

was delighted in 

identifying with the 

scheme in the state sequel 

to its numerous 

contributions, adding that 

the government would 

continue to support the 

Benin City, urged them 

to look forward to a 

future in which they will 

be employers of labour. 

“With the training and 

starter-packs we will 

give you, you will be able 

to start your own 

business and grow it into 

a big business that will 

employ people. All you 

need to do is to be 

diligent and aspire to 

any heights you desire. 

“Information and 

Communication 

Technology is the game 

changer in the world and 

scheme in achieving its 

laudable objectives. 

The state Coordinator of 

the scheme, Mallam 

Abdullahi Baba, thanked 

the state governor for his 

immense contributions to 

the development of the 

scheme and assured him 

of the scheme's 

partnership with his 

government to deliver the 

dividends of democracy 

to the people of the state. 

AWARD: From left; Sir Etekamba Umoren, Secretary to Government Akwa Ibom State; Mrs. Ugochi 

Amugo, General Manager, Operations, Engineering Automation Technology Limited, EATECH, and 

Mr Emmanuel Okon, Managing Director, Engineering Automation Technology Limited, EATECH, during 

award presentation of 10th year anniversary of EATECH, in Eket, Akwa Ibom State. 

I urge you to deploy the 

technology in scaling up 

your businesses,” the 

governor said. 

He advised the 

returnees not to dwell on 

their past mistakes, as it 

is only human to make 

mistakes. 

“Learn from your 

mistakes, discourage 

other youths from 

embarking on risky and 

illegal trips to Europe 

and make the best of the 

training and other forms 

of support we are giving 

you today,” he said. 

Why we're backing Buhari's 

second term bid —APC youths 

By Simon 

Ebegbulem 

ALL Progressives 

Congress Youth 

Vigilante, a sociopolitical 

organization 

in the South-South 

geo-political zone, says 

the group will back 

P r e s i d e n t 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

second term bid due to 

what it described as 

the President's 

laudable anticorruption 

war against 

Gov Emmanuel tasks 

lawyers on rule of law 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

G OVERNOR 

U d o m 

Emmanuel of Akwa 

Ibom State has urged 

lawyers to ensure that 

they respect and 

uphold the rule of law 

while handling matters 

to sustain democracy in 

the country. 

Emmanuel made the 

appeal while declaring 

open the 2017 National 

Executive Committee, 

NEC, meeting of the 

Nigerian Bar 

Association, NBA, held 

yesterday at Le 

Meridien Ibom Hotel & 

Golf Resort, Uyo. 

He said that members 

of the NBA have a 

major role to play to 

defend the constitution, 

adding that upholding 

the rule of law is 

important in the 

promotion of 

treasury looters. 

While urging loyalists 

of the National Leader 

of the APC, Senator Bola 

Tinubu, to give Buhari 

the necessary support, 

the group, in a statement 

signed by Emmanuel 

Oronsaye, Director, 

Organization and 

Strategy, stressed that 

Buhari's second term in 

office will consolidate on 

the achievements made 

so far in the area of anticorruption 

war and 

stability of the nation’s 

economy. 

democracy. 

He said that lawyers 

should always know that 

people look up to them as 

their last hope to get 

justice. 

He said: “The NBA is a 

critical institution in our 

national fabric today. 

Without the rule of law 

democracy will die in 

Nigeria. Let it be that 

democracy is suffering in 

Nigeria because of the 

economy. Let it not be 

because of non-respect of 

the rule of law.” 

The governor further 

urged the legal 

practitioners to ensure 

that quacks in their 

profession, including 

members that practise 

outside their professional 

ethics, were de-listed. 

He, however, used the 

opportunity to appreciate 

lawyers that stood up to 

defend the outcome of his 

election from the tribunal 

up to the Supreme Court 

Boost capacity for treatment of 

cancer, Onari Duke urges FG 

By Charles 

Kumolu 

CHAIRMAN 

of 

Child Survival 

and Development 

Organisation, Mrs Onari 

Duke, has called on the 

Federal Government to 

ensure that centrifuge 

machines are provided in 

hospitals across the 

country in order to boost 

the capacity in the 

treatment of breast 

cancer. 

She also lamented that 

the absence of the 

machines in sufficient 

quantities was 

responsible for the death 

of some cancer patients. 

Duke, who said this in 

Lagos during an 

awareness walk, stressed 

the need for the public 

and private sectors and 

Non-Governmental Organisations, 

NGOs, to 

work closely towards 

finding a cure for the 

disease. 

She said: “Before now, 

people who suffered from 

cancer were stigmatized. 

But with treatment and 

awareness campaign, the 

narrative has changed. 

The area of focus for us is 

that adequate treatment 

should be provided for 

victims who have breast 

cancer. After a patient has 

been diagnosed, what is 

important is how treatment 

and care are made 

available locally. How 

many centrifuge machines 

do we have? And before 

you do chemotherapy 

treatment, you must 

ensure that the patient has 

enough platelets level to 

deal with the 

chemotherapy."


Vice Chancellor slams FG 

over poor funding of varsities 

By Ben Agande 

K ADUNA—THE 

Vice Chancellor of 

the Ahmadu Bello University, 

Zaria, Professor Ibrahim 

Garba, has accused 

the federal of paying lip service 

to the funding of university 

education, saying 

the graduates from Nigerian 

universities are commensurate 

with government’s 

investment in the 

sector. 

Addressing a pre convocation 

press conference in 

Zaria, yesterday, Professor 

Garba challenged the federal 

government to either 

fund the universities adequately 

or allow students 

to bear the costs. 

The vice chancellor who 

also spoke on the poor 

ranking of Nigerian universities 

comparable to others 

in the world, noted that 

it was a reflection of the rot 

in the society, declaring 

that “Within our limited 

resources, we grow more 

faculties. But we also task 


the existing faculty more 

and more. I want people to 

know that when you see 

academic staff agitating, 

this is the problem. If by 

design a lecturer is supposed 

to teach fifty students 

for quality, you give the 

same lecturer 300 students 

and you have not increased 

his renumeration, you have 

not increased his teaching 

support. It is either that that 

teacher will teach with the 

best of his ability but certainly 

you know that you 

cannot get the best product 

like when you have fifty students. 

“Government has not 

been forthcoming in understanding 

this and investing 

more in education. On one 

hand, we are subjected to 

accreditation that even in 

the subject we teach, we 

must teach up to certain 

standard. On the other 

hand government does not 

give enough money for us 

to do it. That is why you 

find that university lecturers 

frequently go on strike.’’ 

New Telegraph Award holds 

tomorrow 

LAGOS—THE maid 

en edition of the 

New Telegraph Awards 

holds tomorrow at the 

Federal Palace Hotel, 

Lagos. 

The award ceremony, 

according to the management 

of the newspaper 

is to recognise a few 

Nigerians and some private 

sector players who 

have made outstanding 

contributions in their 

chosen fields of endeavour. 

The management also 

said the choice of the 

awardees came after a 

rigorous and meticulous 

consideration by the 

board and management 

of the company. 

According to Mrs. 

Funke Egbemode, the 

Managing Director/Editor 

in Chief of New 

Telegraph, the award is 

in line with the newspaper’s 

belief in recognising 

personalities and 

institutions that have 

shown excellence in the 

drive to make Nigeria a 

great nation. 

“As the watchdog of the 

society, we believe the 

media should go beyond 

beaming searchlight on 

only the ills of the society. 

We also owe as a 

duty to recognise individuals 

and institutions 

that have not just weathered 

the storm and succeeded 

where others 

failed but also made visible 

contributions to the 

development of the country,” 

Egbemode said. 

Infinix Mobility unveils Infinix 

Zero 5 

INFINIX Mobility, 

manufacturers of Infinix 

phone has unveiled 

its flagship model for 2017 

‘Infinix Zero 5’ in Nigeria. 

Speaking, Global Head 

of Infinix, Benjamin Jiang, 

said: “The Zero series at 

large has been our flagship 

product globally by virtue of 

its innovative features and 

validates our R&D prowess. 

It has witnessed brilliant 

performance in key global 

markets such as Africa. 

Our vision is to take smartphone 

photography to a level 

where it bridges the gap 

between amateur & professional. 

With its innovative design, 

incredible dual camera, 

2x Optical zoom and 

overall performance, the 

Infinix Zero 5 bridges the 

narrowing gap between 

smartphone and tablet, and 

we believe our new device 

speaks to the middle Class 

consumer demand in the 

Dual-camera smartphone 

segment.” 

Continuing, he stated that 

the Zero 5 is Infinix’s premium 

and technologically 

advanced product to 

date. The company will target 

a new generation of customers 

and firmly believes 

that the Zero 5’s innovative 

design and features - particularly 

the camera - will 

shock the industry and offer 

Best-in-Class products 

in the smartphone sector. 

Using Android’s Nougat 

operating platform, the Zero 

5 boasts an optical Zoom 

Dual camera and massive 

16 MP front-facing cameras, 

rear fingerprint scanner 

and protective screen features, 

he stressed. 

AVIATION: FG paying subsidy on pilots’ 

training — NCAT 

By Michael Eboh 

ABUJA—THE Rec 

tor of the Nigerian 

College of Aviation Technology, 

NCAT, Zaria, Kaduna 

State, Mr. Abdulsalam 

Muhammed, yesterday, 

said the Federal 

Government was currently 

subsidising the cost of 

training pilots in the 

country to grow the aviation 

industry. 

Briefing newsmen in 

Abuja, Muhammed also 

faulted calls for the establishment 

of more aviation 

training institutions, insisting 

that what was 

needed was the expansion 

of existing training 

facilities to meet the manpower 

needs of the industry. 

He said: “Our courses 

and school fees are subsidized. 

It looks expensive, 

but it is the cheapest 

place that you can 

train anywhere, because 

of the government subsidy. 

What we charge is 

about one-third what other 

schools charge for the 

same training. This subsidy 

policy of the government 

is to make the training 

affordable to ordinary 

Nigerians. The last two 

years that the currency 

lost its value, we still 

maintain our school fees, 

even though we have dollar-denominated 

expenses. 

We buy aircraft, spare 

parts and even aircraft fuels 

in US dollars. We are 

not over-charging contrary 

to what people believe.” 

He also stated that 

NCAT was earlier in the 

week certified as a Regional 

Training Centre of Excellence, 

which had 

opened a world of opportunities 

for the college. 

“The attainment of the 

Regional Training Centre 

of Excellence opens a 

world of opportunities for 

NCAT, because now we 

can develop training programmes 

in all of ICAO 

annexes,that is in fields of 

air transport, air navigation, 

500 persons for Abuja Sheraton 

road awareness UNICEF 

fund raising 

facilitation, environment, 

safety and security. ‘By virtue 

of these, actually we can 

develop training programmes 

in all the fields 

of aviation and these training 

programmes can be 

used worldwide by ICAO 

Trainier Plus members. 

“It also gives us the opportunity 

to send our qualified 

instructors, anywhere 

in the world to go and conduct 

training. This also 

gives our instructors international 

exposure. Currently, 

NCAT has the highest 

number of qualified instructors 

that are certified 

by ICAO. This is an 

achievement that we got for 

two consecutive years 

now,’’ he said. 

Muhammed noted that 

expanding the capabilities 

of the existing aviation 

training institutions would 

help in further growing the 

country’s aviation industry, 

conserve the scarce foreign 

exchange and help airlines 

operating in the country 

save money. 

To this end, he disclosed 

that this was what spurred 

NCAT to acquire a Boeing 

737 simulator, which he declared 

would be installed 

in its facility in Zaria, Kaduna 

State. 

He said: “I do not think 

there is any need to establish 

another training organisation 

for aviation in 

Nigeria. We have a school 

in Kwara, while we also 

have another school in 

Enugu that trains helicopter 

pilots. I do not think 

there is the need to establish 

another school.’’ 

Marian, ex-PDP National Chair’s wife defects to APC 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

ABUJA—DR Marian 

Nneamaka Ali, the 

wife of a former National 

Chairman of the Peoples 

Democratic Party PDP Dr. 

Ahmadu Ali, has defected 

to the ruling All Progressives 

Congress APC. 

This was as the APC expressed 

optimism that Dr 

Ali would soon align politically 

with his wife. 

COMMISSIONING: From left; Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonaya 

Onu; President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr Otis Anyaeji, and 

Vice President NSE, Engr. Mrs. Ishidi Edith, during the Commissioning of the 

Nigerian Society of Engineers, National Engineering Centre Abuja yesterday. 

Be agents of change, Prisons boss 

tells personnel 

By Esther Onyegbula 

L AGOS—NIGERI 

AN Prison Service, 

NO fewer than 500 

persons are expected 

this year’s Sheraton 

Abuja Hotel annual charity 

event tagged –Road to 

Awareness 2017. 

Holding this weekend, 

the charity event which 

started 10 years ago has 

raised close to USD 7 million 

with the goal of impacting 

positive on the lives of 

less privileged children in 

its host communities. 

Nouman Irshad, General 

Manager, Sheraton Abuja 

Hotel, said this year’s 

event would feature various 

sporting activities and 

competitions for adults and 

children for a small fee. 

He said: “The funds 

raised through this registration 

will be handed over 

to UNICEF for the cause 

Exciting games and activities 

to look out for will include 

Dance Aerobics, Relay 

Races, Tug-of-War, Egg 

toss, 3-legged man race, 

Sack race, obstacle 

course, how low can you 

go etc. We have nice prizes 

for winners as well. 

Other activities to look out 

for include good music, 

comedy and very affordable 

refreshments” 

NPS, has implored its officers 

and men to be above 

board and to see themselves 

as agents of change. 

Comptroller-General, 

CG, of NPS, Ahmed 

Ja’faru, gave the advice 

while addressing 408 officers 

at their passing out 

of NPS 8th Chief Superintendent 

of Prisons development 

course at the 

Prisons training College, 

Kirikiri Apapa Lagos 

Ja’faru who was represented 

by Babalola Kunle, 

Zonal Coordinator for 

Lagos and Ogun states’ 

prisons urged the NPS 

personnel to see themselves 

as ambassador of 

NPS College wherever 

they found themselves. 

According to him, the 

current leadership of the 

NPS had a zero tolerance 

for inefficiency, saying 

“Practice the knowledge 

Speaking when she was 

formally received yesterday 

by the APC National 

Chairman, Chief John 

Odigie-Oyegun and some 

members of the National 

Working Committee, 

NWC, at the Party’s National 

Secretariat, Mrs Ali 

said the only way for her 

to continue to render service 

to her people was 

through the APC. 

Mrs. Ali was accompanied 

by the Delta State APC 

Chairman, Jones Ode 

Erue; Chief Frank Kokori; 

Chief Great Ogboru, Senator 

Ovie Omo-Agege and 

other top APC stalwarts and 

supporters from Delta State. 

“A lot of persons may 

wonder why I am joining 

the All Progressives Congress 

APC. The answer is 

very simple. I want to continue 

to render service to my 

people and Nigeria.’’ 

you have acquired. There 

is no point acquiring 

knowledge without putting 

it into practice. You are 

now equipped with necessary 

tools. With these tools, 

I think you will be in a better 

position to carry out 

your duties efficiently. 

In his own remark, the 

Commandant of the NPS 

training college, Aremu 

Tajudeen said the course 

was initiated by the current 

CG of NPS with the 

focus on the “continuous 

training and retraining of 

prison workforce for optimal 

manpower capacity 

development to effectively 

track the service mandate 

of safe custody, reformation, 

rehabilitation 

and reintegration of offenders 

to promote a safer 

society which is the 

bed rock and precondition 

of development.”



Anambra Election: NBA observer group 

condemns open vote buying 

By Emeka Mamah 

E Nigerian 

NUGU—THE 

Bar 

Association Election 

Working Group, NBA- 

EWG, has issued its 

preliminary report on the 

just concluded Anambra 

State governorship 

election, saying that most 

of the voters were induced 

with money to vote for the 

candidates. 

The “Preliminary Report 

of the NBA-EWG,” was 

jointly signed by its 

chairman, Festus Onuma 

Okoye and the Secretary, 

Lema Sambo Wali and 

made available to 

Vanguard yesterday. 

The NBA-EWG 

lamented that the vote 

buying occurred within 

polling or voting centres 

as well as the brazen 

manner in which political 

parties flaunted money 

on the voters. 

“Money played a 

significant role in the 

choice of voters during the 

election. Some of the 

political actors distributed 

money to the voters at the 

precinct of the polling 

units. 

“NBA-EWG observed 

the inducement of voters 

at the precincts of the 

polling units and the 

brazen manner some 

political entrepreneurs 

carried out the exercise,” 

the report said and 

advised the Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, to 

issue an advisory to the 

Nigerian Police, 

“directing them to arrest 

anybody that induced 

voters at the precincts of 

the polling units without 

waiting for directives 

from the Presiding 

Officers.” 

The NBA-EWG further 

noted that the use of card 

reader to authenticate the 

true personality of eligible 

voters had not improved 

due to the problems which 

had not been rectified 

since noticed during the 

2015 general elections. 

“The INEC should reevaluate 

the current smart 

card reader technology in 

use. A more advanced 

and user friendly version 

of the smart card readers 

should be introduced and 

used for the 2019 

elections,” they said. 

The report read: 

“The INEC conducted 

the 

Anambra 

Governorship Election on 

the 18th day of November 

2017. This stand alone 

election is in consonance 

with the provisions of 

Section 180 of the 1999 

Constitution of the 

Federal Republic of 

Nigeria (as amended). 

Deployment of 

Observers 

“The INEC accredited 

the NBA –EWG, to 

observe the Anambra 

Governorship Election. 

In consonance with the 

said accreditation, the 

NBA-EWG was deployed 

to Anambra State on 

Wednesday the 15th day 

of November 2017. The 

NBA-EWG was joined by 

the chairmen of the eight 

branches of the NBA in 

Anambra State. They 

include the chairmen of 

Awka, Onitsha, Ihiala, 

Aguata, Anocha, Nnewi, 

Otuocha and Idemili 

branches. 

“The NBA- EWG was 

deployed to all the seven 

local governments in 

Anambra Central 

Senatorial District 

comprising Awka North, 

Awka South, Idemili 

North, Idemili South, 

Dunukofia, Njikoka and 

Anaocha. It was deployed 

to all the seven local 

governments in Anambra 

South Senatorial District 

comprising Ihiala, 

Ekwusigo, Nnewi North, 

Nnewi South, Orumba 

North, Orumba South and 

Aguata. It was also 

deployed to five of the 

seven local governments 

in Anambra North 

Senatorial District 

including Onitsha North, 

Onitsha South, Oyi, 

Anambra East and 

Ogbaru." 

Abia govt dissolves market excos over extortion from traders 

By Anayo Okoli 

U State MUAHIA—ABIA 

Government 

has dissolved the 

leadership of all markets 

in Aba, the commercial 

city of the state, accusing 

them of fraudulently 

extorting money from 

traders using the name of 

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu 

and his wife. 

The government warned 

that henceforth, it would 

drag to the Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, any 

market leader or 

government official who 

uses the governor or his 

wife to dupe traders, an 

act he described as 

serious economic fraud. 

The Commissioner for 

Trade and Investment, 

Chief Charles Ogbonnaya 

who announced the 

dissolution in a meeting 

he held with the market 

leaders at Aba Recreation 

Club, however said the 

executive committee of 

the umbrella body of the 

traders, Abia State 

Amalgamated Traders 

2018 budget to include communities—Imo 

Assembly 

By Chinonso Alozie 

OWERRI—THE Imo 

State House of 

Assembly, said it 

subscribed to open and 

participatory budget 

system in the state, 

adding that in the next 

budget preparation, the 

needs of the communities 

would be captured. 

Mr. Marcel Odunze, 

committee chairman on 

Budget 

and 

Appropriation, 

confirmed this to 

Vanguard in Owerri, 

while welcoming a non 

governmental 

organisation, Citizens 

Alhaji Rilwan O. V. Giwa-Osagie, OON, Chairman Giwa-Osagie & 

Company, presenting a gift to ICAN President, Mallam Isma'Ila 

Zakari (left). With them are Mr Victor Sagay and Richard Giwa- 

Osagie, FCA (right), during the visit of 53rd ICAN president to 

Benin 

Center for Integrated 

Development and Social 

Rights, CCIDESSOR, led 

by Mr Chidi Igwe. 

Odunze briefly said: 

“There should be an 

active participation of 

stakeholders from the 

rural communities where 

their needs will be 

prioritized and 

adequately captured in 

the next budget. 

“We believe that with the 

support of the civil society 

organizations, a public 

hearing will be organized 

before the passage of 2018 

budget. 

“So, we want the 

communities to get 

involved in the process, as 

well as the civil society 

organizations, women 

groups, to continue to 

push forward for it. 

“We will work with them 

in the open and 

participatory budget 

system that will benefit 

our communities and 

bring the needed 

development in our rural 

areas.” 

Earlier in his remark, 

CCIDESSOR, Program 

Director, Igwe, said : “There 

is need for the budget office 

to develop means of 

integrating citizens' inputs 

in the budget process, 

making the annual budget 

accessible as well as 

uploading the budget in the 

state website." 

Association, ASAMATA, 

was not affected by the 

dissolution. 

Ogbonnaya has 

therefore directed the 

Chief Security Officers, 

CSOs, and Market 

Masters/Superintendents 

to oversee the affairs in 

their respective markets 

until new executive 

committee members were 

elected. He further 

directed the various 

markets to conduct 

elections within one 

week to elect new 

leaders. 

The commissioner said 

that Governor Ikpeazu 

deployed him to the new 

Ministry to help sanitize 

markets in the state and 

warned that he would not 

tolerate the illegal and 

dubious activities of some 

market leaders who shortchange 

the government. 

He made it clear to the 

traders that neither 

Governor Okezie 

Ikpeazu, his wife, nor the 

Ministry had directed 

anybody to collect 

revenues from traders on 

their behalf. 

Enugu LG polls: ‘APC stalwarts 

nominated PDP candidates’ 

By Dennis Agbo 

E NUGU—MEMBERS 

of Enugu state 

chapter of the Peoples 


have confirmed that 

senior stakeholders of the 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in the 

state, nominated some 

candidates of the PDP in 

the November 4 local 

government elections. 

The shocking revelation 

was made known, 

yesterday, in a press 

conference by PDP 

members in Igboeze 

South local government 

area of Enugu state. 

The PDP stalwarts made 

up of the immediate past 

state chairman of the 

party, Chief Ikeje 

Asogwa, a member of the 

state House of Assembly, 

Hon. Mathew Ugwueze, 

among others, were 

reacting to the claim by 

the 2015 APC 

governorship aspirant in 

the state, Chief Okey 

Ezea, that the PDP 

members brutalized him 

on the election day. 

The PDP members 

wondered how they could 

have brutalized Ezea 

when he, Ezea of APC, 

was among those that 

nominated the PDP 

chairmanship candidate 

and the PDP 

councillorship candidate 

for his Itchi Uwani ward 

1. 

Describing Ezea’s 

allegation as unfortunate 

and self-inflicted injury, 

leader of the Igboeze 

South, PDP caucus and 

member representing the 

council in the State House 

of Assembly, Hon . 

Mathew Ugwueze said 

“There was no need for 

any scuffle with Mr. Ezea 

especially against the 

background that as ‘PDP 

associate’, he along with 

other PDP stakeholders in 

the area nominated the 

current chairman-elect of 

Igboeze South and the 

PDP councillorship-elect 

of his Itchi Uwani ward 1, 

respectively.” 

Only one out of 100 Nigerian 

graduates employable— 

SMEDAN DG 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA—THE Director 

General of Small and 

Medium Enterprises 

Development Agency of 

Nigeria, SMEDAN, Dr 

Umaru Radda has said 

that only one out of 100 

Nigerian graduates is 

employable, attributing 

the situation to poor skills 

and lack of 

entrepreneurial 

competence. 

Radda, who spoke 

yesterday at the opening 

ceremony of the 

sensitization for the 

Young Business Owners 

in Nigeria programme 

held at Amawbia in Awka 

South Local Government 

Area of Anambra State, 

said it was to address the 

challenge that informed 

the initiation of the 

programme by 

SMEDAN. 

Represented by the 

director in charge of 

policy, advocacy and 

coordination in the 

organization, Mr. 

Monday Ewans, the DG 

said the population of 

young people between 

the ages of 15 and 24 

was rapidly on the 

increase, adding that 

the vast majority of them 

lived in the poor and 

emerging economies. 

He said: “There is no 

doubt that the 

unemployment situation 

in Nigeria has reached a 

crisis level. Statistics have 

shown that only one out 

of every 100 graduates is 

assured of getting a job in 

Nigeria. 

“One of the major 

causes of unemployment 

is skill shortage 

occasioned by dearth of 

skilled personnel and 

entrepreneurial 

competence, inadequate 

capacity of vocational skill 

centres and the nonorientation 

of the 

educational system to the 

production of vocational 

skills that are aligned to 

industry requirements." 

MASSOB eulogises Ekwueme 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

E Movement NUGU—THE 

for The 

Actualization of The 

Sovereign State Of Biafra, 

MASSOB, has said that 

the late former Vice 

President of Nigeria, Dr 

Alex Ekwueme will 

remain unforgettable in 

the minds of its members 

and other the Biafra 

activists. 

MASSOB in statement 

by its leader, Comrade 

Uchenna Madu, and 

signed by its National 

Director of Information, 

Edeson Samuel said 

Ekwueme was a legend 

Nigeria refused to 

celebrate inspite of his 


development of the 

country. 

“No doubt, the Nigeria 

Dr Alex Ekwueme served 

as Vice President may 

have forgotten him, the 

PDP which he was the 

founding father and 

leader may have 

abandoned him, but 

Ndigbo and MASSOB 

will continue to remember 

him.” 

According to MASSOB, 

“Igbos have lost a leader 

who in spite his great 


development of Nigeria 

was not celebrated by 

Nigeria he laid the 

greater part of his life to 

serve.”


BONDS, LOANS AND SUKUK: From left— Director, Business Development and 

Publishing, GFC Media Group, Mr. Harry Williams; Head, Debt Capital Markets, Stanbic IBTC Capital 

Limited, Mr. Kobby Bentsi-Enchill; President, Banks Directors Association of Nigeria, Dr. Chris Oghechie; 

and Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Dr. Demola Sogunle, at the 2017 Bonds, Loans and Sukuk 

Nigeria briefing sponsored by Stanbic IBTC in Lagos. 

MEN'S DAY: From left—Seminal comedian and entrepreneur, Ali Baba (Mr. Atunyota Akpobome); 

Pastor, Trinity House and CEO, SIAO, Ituah Ighodalo; CEO/MD, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, 

and Founder, Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry, CADAM, Dr. Dokun Adedeji, during the International 

Men's Day celebration at Airtel Nigeria headquartres, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos. 

AGM: From left—Manager, United Capital Trustees Limited, Mrs Tokunbo Ajayi; Lagos State 

Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade; Managing Director, Sterling Assests Management 

& Trustees Limited, Mr. Friday Omayebu; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Finance, Mrs 

Olufunmilayo Balogun, and Director, Debt Management Department, Lagos State Ministry of Finance, 

Mrs Shakirat Babatunde, during the Annual General Meeting of Lagos State Government Investors in 

its Bond Series, by the Ministry, in Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

NEWS HOTLINES: 

08052867023, 08052867058 

NCC, NSCDC move against 

telecom infrastructure vandals 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

ABUJA—THE Nigerian 

Communications 

Commission, NCC on 

Wednesday signed a 

Memorandum of 

Understanding with the 

Nigeria Security and Civil 

Defence Corps, NSCDC on 

protection of critical 

national infrastructure. 

The Executive Vice 

Chairman of the NCC, Prof. 

Umar Dambatta signed on 

behalf of NCC, while the 

Commandant of the 

NSCDC, Abdullahi 

Muhammadu signed on 

behalf of the Corps. 

Speaking on the MoU, 

the NCC boss, said the 

partnership became 

necessary in view of the 

huge investment made in 

the telecommunication 

infrastructure and to 

guarantee quality and 

efficient telecoms services to 

Nigerians. 

Ambode makes case for 

knowledge, skill acquisition 

By Fredrick 

Okopie 

LAGOS—LAGOS State 

Governor, Mr. 

Akinwunmi Ambode, 

yesterday, said, the state 

government fully 

recognises the enormous 

value that knowledge and 

skill training bring to bear 

on the attainment of the 

strategic objectives of the 

government and the public 

service of Lagos state. 

Governor Ambode, who 

was represented by the 

Commissioner, State 

Ministry of Establishments, 

Training and Pensions, Dr. 

Akintola Oke, at the 

training of top public 

servants with their local 

government counterparts, 

organised by the Local 

G o v e r n m e n t 

Establishments Training 

and Pensions Office, 

tagged: Deepening 

Govt urged to subsidised 

diabetes treatment 

By Olayinka Latona 

LAGOS—ISN Products 

Nigeria Limited and 

Stop Diabetics Awareness 

Foundation have appealed 

to federal and state 

governments to subsidise 

the cost of drugs and 

treatment for diabetic 

patients. 

The appeal was made 

during World Diabetes Day 

Walk and free diabetes 

screening organised by 

ISN Products Nigeria Ltd 

in conjunction with Nigeria 

Red Cross Society Oshodi- 

Isolo Division, to celebrate 

this year world Diabetes 

Day tagged: ‘Women and 

Diabetes’, at ISN office in 

Gbagada, Lagos. 

ISN Diabetes Nurse Educator, 

Prof. Damabatta said the 

collaboration in furtherance 

of NCC's effort to assist 

government realizes it’s 

economic diversification 

plan. 

With the implementation 

of the MoU, he said NCC 

emergency centres would 

also be secured and the 

safety of lives and property 

of Nigerians would be 

guaranteed and more 

investment expected from 

prospective investors in the 

sector. 

‘‘We keep reminding 

Nigerians about the 8 Point 

Agenda, Strategic 

collaboration and 

partnership with sister 

agencies of Government to 

achieve our mandate to the 

Nigerian people." 

capacity of public offfice 

holders for good 

governance. 

Dr Oke, noted that the 

public service has 

performed creditably well 

in the recent past, because 

wisdom dictates that one 

should never rest on one's 

oars. He however said, 

improvements are not only 

important, they are also 

crucial and fundamental. 

According to him: “It is 

important that the public 

service continues to 

improve and not become a 

slave trivia and repetitive 

task, and it is always 

beneficial for organisation 

to take yet another look at 

the problems they are 

meant to solve in order to 

discover new and more 

effective methods of solving 

these problems.” 

Confidence Amuneke called on 

government and stakeholders to 

give more attention to diabetes 

as they have given to HIV/AIDS. 

She added that diabetes drugs 

were unaffordable to many people 

living with the disease, and that 

government at all levels should 

subsidise the diabetes 

medications. 

She said: “Basically, the 

average diabetic patient struggles 

with inability to procure their 

medication and other things. 

Diabetes is essentially an 

expensive condition to manage 

because these patients have to 

be on drugs, some are on insulin 

continuously, some have some 

drugs they have to take everyday 

after each meal and these drugs 

are not cheap."


18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

AS if further justifying the sack 

of the former Secretary to the 

Government of the Federation, Mr 

David Babachir Lawal, over the scale 

of alleged corruption in catering for 

the Internally Displaced Persons, 

IDPs, in the North East, a fresh 

damning report demands urgent 

action to bring the alleged profiteers needs of IDPs in the areas of 

in human misery to justice. 

housing, food, education and 

The new report by the United healthcare, but rather used the bulk 

Nations Development Programme, of the resources on contracts that 

UNDP and the National Human were found to have immensely 

Rights Commission, NHRC, benefited some public officials, 

covering the period 2015 to 2017, including the now sacked Secretary 

catalogues the spate of thievery and to the Government of the 

criminal diversion of funds, food and Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal”. 

other items meant to alleviate the The report also said that corruption 

plight of innocent Nigerians and conflict of interests led to gross 

displaced by the Boko Haram breaches of public procurement 

Islamic insurgents by officials of the rules; companies where public 

Presidential Initiative on the North officials had personal interests were 

East, PINE. 

paid for jobs not done or completed 

PINE officials, the report said, and featured brazen kickbacks. It 

“paid less attention to the critical added: “Again, out of 249 trucks 

That UN damning report on PINE corruption 

carrying 10, 000 metric tonnes of 

maize released by the Federal 

Government for the benefit of the 

IDPs in the six states of the North 

East, 65 trucks were diverted and did 

not reach their intended 

destinations”. 

This report is obviously a 

vindication of the investigative effort 

of the Senate Committee on 

Humanitarian Crisis in the North 

East headed by Senator Shehu Sani. 

It indicted Lawal and led to his 

eventual removal from office after 

protracted foot-dragging by the 

Presidency. 

This profiteering on human tragedy 

is not only evil, but an indication of a 

crippling insouciance and the height 

of man’s inhumanity to man. The 

103-page UNDP/NHRC report 

revealed that out of the N8.352 billion 

released by PINE in 2016, only 

N6.326 billion was spent, leaving 

N2.026 billion unaccounted for. 

We call on the anti-graft 

agencies to get cracking on this 

case and bring all the perpetrators 

to justice for profiting in blood 

money. This alleged diversion led 

to the deaths of thousands of 

infants due to malnutrition, which 

was reported to President Buhari 

by international humanitarian 

groups working in the North East. 

Any further delay in taking 

action will not only allow the 

crime to continue, it will also 

continue to put question marks on 

this regime’s holistic commitment 

to the war on corruption. 

By Akintola Benson-Oke 

THOSE involved in the public policy 

process need to possess strong analytical 

skills and the ability to apply a variety of 

research and evaluation methods within a 

complex political and economic environment. 

Understand that analysis is different from 

decision making. Policy analysts and planners 

usually give advice to their principals; they do 

not make decisions for them. This has 

important implications for the types of analyses 

that are done and, even more importantly, for 

the methods of communicating the results of 

analysis. The principal will make the final 

choice and should be able to re-analyse the 

policy data. This means that critical 

assumptions, values, and uncertainties must 

be reported. Thus, when the analysis is done 

well, the decision maker will be able to weigh 

the consequences of changes in assumptions, 

values, and uncertainties and come to an 

independent conclusion. In some cases the 

principal will be seeking a recommendation. 

In such a case, the reccomendation should be 

clearly spelt out and presented. 

Focus quickly on the central decision 

criterion (or criteria) of the problem requiring 

attention. The relevant questions to ask are: 

what factor of the problem is most important 

to the government? On what criterion is the 

decision likely to be made? Will it be 

minimising the cost of some service? Or might 

it be to spend more effectively the funds now 

allocated to the activity? Perhaps, it will be to 

broaden the base of those being served by the 

programme. On what basis can we judge the 

merits of alternative policies or programmes? 

Without doubt, identifying the central “nugget” 

of the problem is essential. 

In some cases, of course, the criterion can be 

inferred from legislative intent; in others you 

OPINION 

Enriching expertise of policy analysts and developers 

might have to exhume it from a mountain of 

seemingly patternless reading material. Yet, 

focusing on the central decision criterion will 

help identify needed information. Of course, 

there are dangers in choosing the nugget 

prematurely. There is indeed a tendency to 

choose the one that can be defined and 

measured most easily (e.g., least cost) while 

possibly ignoring more important but less 

quantifiable goals and impacts and forgetting 

about who pays and who benefits from the policy. 

There is also a distinct possibility that 

several competing and equally valid decision 

criteria exist, and that early focussing will 

dismiss the alternatives forever. 

Avoid the Tool-box Approach to analysing 

policies. We are well aware that some 

disciplines specify analytical routines in detail 

Policy analysts must therefore 

accept and reconcile themselves 

to the fact that uncertainty is 

present in nearly every public 

policy problem 

for many circumstances. This may encourage 

some people to begin work on a policy problem 

because it lends itself to their favourite method. 

Ideally, and in my view, the problem should 

dictate the methods, not vice versa. It is my 

hope that this training will emphasise the need 

to avoid the tool-box approach. I advise using 

the simplest appropriate method, and using 

common sense to design a method if one does 

not already exist. Combine methods if you must. 

Use more than one whenever possible. 

Apprehension often forces us back to the 

methods with which we feel most comfortable, 

but try to avoid this tendency. 

Indeed, the principal tools of the policy 

planner are logic, common sense, and experience 

with particular substantive areas. It 

helps to be practiced in data analy sis, rational 

problem solving, and other specific skills. But 

more often than not we design our own 

approach or methodology to policy problems. 

This kind of creativity becomes easier the more 

policy analysis we do and the more we learn 

what the recipient of the report, be they real or 

simulated (in exercises and cases), find understandable 

and useful to their deliberations. 

Accept and embrace uncertainty as an 

integral part of the exercise. Neophyte analysts 

are often tempted to isolate each parameter of 

a policy problem and then establish their most 

likely future values. Having tacked down the 

key parameters of the problem (because the 

task is never-ending, many spend most of their 

allocated time on this phase), they believe the 

problem can be solved. This approach is often 

a waste of time. Therefore, more experienced 

policy analysts recommend basic methods of 

decision analysis and sensitivity testing that can 

aid in analyzing important parts of a policy 

problem even if one cannot find values for 

certain variables. This will be illustrated with 

a familiar illustrative policy question: Should 

a city waive property taxes for x years on certain 

properties in order to encourage their 

redevelopment? Experience shows that some 

analysts spend all their time trying to find out 

(for sure) whether the tax abatement will cause 

the development. Almost no time gets spent 

trying to analyse what the costs and benefits of 

such a programme would likely be if it were 

instituted and did or did not cause development. 

Learning to live with and work with uncertainty 

is a must for policy analysts. Policy analysts 

must therefore accept and reconcile themselves 

to the fact that uncertainty is present in nearly 

every public policy problem. 

Having highlighted the mindset and soft skills 

required for success in this endeavour above, 

permit me to briefly emphasise the importance 

of the policy making function in governance. 

The policy making and implementation 

function in governance is vitally important 

because governments are repeatedly 

confronted with problems that call for apt and 

appropriate solutions. In the times we live in, 

these problems have taken on complex 

characteristics and features. Also, they usually 

demand urgent attention and response. Thus, 

the government of a metropolitan state such as 

Lagos State (which is also a global city) cannot 

afford not to have a pool of skilled, trained and 

current policy analysts and developers who will 

assist the government in designing the right, 

appropriate and suitable answers to these 

complex and urgent problems. 

According to Carl V. Paton and David S. 

Sawicki,2 while there are different ways to 

describe the problems confronting modern 

society, the general characteristics of these 

problems can be stated as follows: 

These problems are seldom well-defined; 

The solutions to these problems cannot 

usually be proven to be correct before 

application; 

There is never a guarantee that the proposed 

or adopted solution will achieve the desired or 

intended result; 

Solutions deemed appropriate and/or 

applicable are seldom both best and/or 

cheapest; 

continues Online @www.vanguardngr.com 

*Being text of speech delivered by Dr. Benson- 

Oke, Lagos State Commissioner for 

Establishment, Training and Pensions.

Value Added Tax rises to N251bn in Q3- NBS 

By Peter Egwuatu 

THE National Bureau of 

Statistics (NBS) has disclosed 

that revenue generated from 

Value Added Tax (VAT), 

increased by 1.73 per cent in the 

third quarter, Q3’17 to N250.6 

billion. 

The NBS announced the figure 

in a sectoral distribution of value 

added tax report for third quarter, 

2017 posted on its website. 

Specifically, the NBS stated that 

the figure increased to N250.56 

billion in Q3’17 from N246.30 

billion in the second quarter, 

Q2’16. 

VAT is a tax on the amount by 

which the value of an article has 

been increased at each stage of 

its production or distribution. 

The bureau also stated that 

the figure generated in the 

quarter was higher than N196.70 

billion recorded during the same 

period in 2016, representing 1.73 

per cent increase quarter-onquarter, 

QoQ and 27.39 per cent 

increase Year-on-Year, YoY 

The bureau noted that the 

manufacturing sector generated 

the highest amount of VAT with 

N28.98 billion, closely followed by 

Professional Services and Oil 

Producing, N22.73 billion and 

N12.09 billion. 

Statistics showed that the 

mining sector generated the least 

with N33.70 million, closely 

followed by Local Government 

Councils and Pharmaceutical, 

Soaps and Toiletries, N193.78 

million. 

NBS said of the total amounted 

generated in the quarter, N125.13 

billion was generated as Non- 

Import VAT locally while N72.10 

billion was generated as Non- 

Import VAT for foreign. It, 

however, stated that the balance 

of N53.33 billion was generated 

as Nigeria Customs Service 

Import VAT. 

Meanwhile the bureau said it 

committed to using the Tourism 

Satellite Accounts (TSA) 

framework to ensure a more 

robust and realistic aggregation 

of tourism statistics in Nigeria. 

$124. 50 +0.65 

$2,119.00 17.00 

$15.25 +0.37 

$14. 71 

$63.56 0. 24 

$58. 56 +0. 54 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 304.85 305.35 305.85 405. 

POUNDS 6944 406.3598 407. 0252 

EURO 361. 1558 361. 7481 362.3405 

FRANC 310. 9762 311. 4863 311. 9963 

YEN 2. 7417 2.7462 2.7507 

CFA 0.527 0.537 0.547 

WAUA 429. 46474 430. 1691 430. 8735 

RENMINBI 46. 2888 46. 3652 46. 4415 

RIYAL 81. 2847 81.418 81.5513 

SDR 430. 1824 430. 7878 431. 4932 

RAND 21. 9489 21. 9849 21.0209 

CBN Exchange rate as at 23/11/2017 

•To use TSA for tourism statistics 

From left: Mr. Niyi Ajao, Executive Director, Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS); 

Mr. Dele Adeyinka, Chairman, Committee of E-Business Industry Heads (CeBIH); Mr. 

Adebayo Adelabu, Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Mrs. 

Onajite Regha, Chief Executive Officer/Executive Secretary, Electronic Payment Service 

Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN); Mr. Stanley Jacob, Vice Chairman, CeBIH; and 

Mr. Akeem Lawal, Divisional CEO, Switching & Processing, Interswitch at the 2017 Annual 

Retreat of CeBIH held yesterday in Abeokuta, Ogun State. 

Recommended by the World 

Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), 

the TSA framework, adopted in 

2015 by the NBS, links all tourism 

and travel statistics in Nigeria with 

the national accounts framework 

before national Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP is calculated. 

Disclosing this in Lagos at an 

interactive session with members 

of the Association of Travel & 

Tourism Writers of Nigeria 

(ATTWON), the Statistician- 

General of the Federation and 

CEO, NBS, Dr. Yemi Kale, said 

that until recently “tourism data 

has been disaggregated and 

oftentimes fragmented.” 

Dr. Kale, who was represented 

by Mrs. Lola Talabi-Oni, Technical 

Adviser to the Statistician-General, 

National Bureau of Statistics, noted 

that developing tourism had 

various far-reaching benefits 

ranging from job creation to 

increased revenue through taxes 

and foreign exchange to improved 

local infrastructure. 

He said that it directly impacts 

the transportation, accommodation 

& food services, and the arts and 

entertainment sectors. 

Emphasising the importance of 

appreciating the NBS approach to 

tourism data to be able to have 

robust conversations on the 

figures, Dr. Kale said that the 

contribution of tourism to GDP 

using the Supply and Use Table 

of Nigeria is a measurement of 

Tourism Value Added. Though 

limited in scope being dated 2010 

to 2012, the Supply and Use Table 

is still a useful way to evaluate the 

growth and trends of the tourism 

sector. ATTWON is a collective of 

writers, bloggers, photojournalists, 

Those investing in bit coins are 

gamblers— NDIC Chief 

By Emma Ujah 

THOSE investing in virtual currency or bit coins 

are gamblers, the Deputy Director of Research, 

Policy and International Relations (RPIR) 

of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance 

Corporation (NDIC), Dr. Sabo Katata, has 

said. 

He spoke at the NDIC workshop for 

Business Editors and Finance 

Correspondents, in Kano, yesterday. 

His words, “Digital currency is for 

gamblers. If you want to invest in bit coins 

you can go ahead, for that is what you are. 

“If you want to buy bit coins you can, but 

your are doing so at your own risk. The 

regulators will not come and protect you.” 

Dr. Katata presented a paper: Financial 

Disruption of Digital Currency and it’s 

Consequences on the Banking System and 

Deposit Insurance System”. 

He noted that even the Bank of Egland 

has identified about 70 risks associated with 

digital currency and warned the Nigerian 

public against unmitigated risks. 

In his remarks, the Director of RPIR, Alh. 

Mohammed Umar Yayangida, stressed that 

the Monetary regulators in Nigeria, namely 

the NDIC and the.Central Bank of Nigeria 

don’t have any control over digital 

currencies . 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 — 19 

PR and Advertising Executives 

who communicate the travel and 

tourism industry in Nigeria who 

are committed to professionalism 

in the trade. It was founded in 

2015. 

“We have begun to build the 

structure to compile the Tourism 

Satellite Accounts,” Dr. Kale said. 

The NBS, according to him, had 

already established collaboration 

with such stakeholders as the 

Nigerian Tourism Development 

Corporation (NTDC) and the 

Nigerian Immigration Service 

(NIS) to build a system of tourism 

statistics that feeds into the TSA. 

He added that a broader 

platform will soon be established 

to function as a forum where other 

stakeholders can also put forward 

their contributions towards the 

development of a robust TSA. 

He added that those who venture into such 

highly risky invesments must note the risks 

therein. 

He revealed that an inter-agency committee 

has been raised to work on the development in 

order to respond appropriately to it. 

The committee consists of officials from NDIC, 

CBN, Department of State Services (DSS), Police, 

Securities and Exchange Commiission (SEC). 

Dr. Katata presented a paper: Financial 

Disruption of Digital Currency and it’s 

Consequences on the Banking System and 

Deposit Insurance System”. 

He noted that even the Bank of Egland has 

identified about 70 risks associated with digital 

currency and warned the Nigerian public against 

unmitigated risks. 

In his remarks, the Director of RPIR, Alh. 

Mohammed Umar Yayangida, stressed that the 

Monetary regulators in Nigeria, namely the 

NDIC and the.Central Bank of Nigeria don’t 

have any control over digital currencies . 

He added that those who venture into such 

highly risky invesments must note the risks 

therein. 

He revealed that an inter-agency committee 

has been raised to work on the development in 

order to respond appropriately to it. 

At the opening, the Managing Director (MD), 

Alh. Must Ibrahim, urged closer stakeholder 

collaboration 

Why we’re 

deploying ICT to 

drive ERGP—FG 

By Emmanuel Elebeke 

THE Minister of Communica 

tion ,Barr Adebayo Shittu says 

the ministry is currently deploying 

ICT to drive the Economic Recovery 

and Growth Plan, ERGP 

being an enabler of every economic 

growth and development. 

Barr. Shittu, who was represented 

by the Permanent Secretary 

in the ministry, Abdullahi 

Mashi disclosed this at the opening 

of the technical session of the 

5th General meeting of the National 

Council on Communication 

Technology, NCCT holding in 

Katsina State with the theme: 

“Harnessing ICT as the main tool 

for driving the Economic Recovery 

and Growth Plan”. 

He said that ICT being an enabler 

of economic growth and development 

was envisaged to drive 

the successful implementation of 

the Economic Recovery and 

Growth Plan (ERGP) if harnessed 

effectively and efficiently. 

He said it was crucial for the 

meeting of officials, to carry out 

robust deliberations and recommend 

decisions that would translate 

in policies that would ensure 

a successful implementation of 

the ERGP. 

The Permanent Secretary also 

disclosed that the major attraction 

of this year’s council meeting is 

the “ICT Peer Review Day.” 

SMEDAN 

transforms 1,500 

micro firms into 

formal sector—DG 

By Franklin Alli 

SMALL and Medium Enterprises 

Development Agency of Nigeria, 

SMEDAN, yesterday, said it has assisted 

1,500 micro businesses across 

three Nigerian states to be active players 

in the formal sector of the economy. 

Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, Director- 

General/ Chief Executive Officer, 

SMEDAN disclosed this in Lagos 

during SMECONNECT 2017, 

organised for operators in the sector 

in collaboration with Footprint to Africa 

, a media and investment bridge 

company. Fielding questions from a 

cross section of operators, Dikko said 

that 98 percent of micro businesses in 

Nigeria are operating in the informal 

sector of the economy. 

“We want to formalize them into the 

formal sector and we have so far helped 

1,500 to be operating in the formal sector 

through the registration of their 

businesses with the Corporate Affairs 

Commission, CAC, opened bank accounts 

including linkage to financiers 

for machinery and working capital 

loans which they are expected to pay 

back in two years,” he said. 

According to him, the micro businesses 

are being organised into three 

cooperative groups and the agency has 

concluded plans to upscale it to seven 

cooperative groups in each local government 

in the six geopolitical zones, 

by 2018/19. 

In his welcome address, Osita 

Oparaugo, Managing Director, Footprint 

to Africa, said there are lot of things 

SMEs operators can achieve through 

collaboration rather than continuously 

crying to the government to provide 

everything. SMEs need collaboration 

to grow; you shouldn’t rely on the government 

to provide everything 100 percent, 

the government can’t do everything; 

they will do their best, and as 

SMEs, no finance house will give you 

money without your business having 

a structure,” he said.


By Theodore Opara 

New CFAO Fuso plant, a milestone — NADDC boss 

Mr Jelani Aliyu, Director General of the National Automotive Design and 

Development Council, NADDC, recently at the official inauguration of FUSO 

truck assembly plant by CFAO Motors in Nigeria spoke on the progress 

made so far on the local automobile sectors, Excerpts 

HOW will the 

inauguration of this 

Assembly Plant by CFAO and 

FUSO Truck boost the 

investment drive of the Federal 

Government 

The Federal Ministry of 

Industry, Trade and Investment 

have the responsibility of 

boosting industrial development 

in the country and our agency 

specifically has the mandate of 

developing the automotive sector 

in the country. 

So for us, this is really an 

incredible milestone for the 

automotive sector in Nigeria to 

have CFAO and Fuso truck 

launch an Assembly Plant in the 

country with the capacity to 

assemble at least five trucks per 

day. This is an excellent 

development that would create 

jobs in Nigeria. 

Do you think the government 

is creating the atmosphere for 

these companies to thrive in 

terms of policy support 

I am also glad to say that today, 

the National Auto Policy has been 

passed into law. This would put 

us in the perfect position to 

protect local investment and local 

companies such as Fuso in terms 

of tax havens, incentives that 

would support their production 

which would also protect them 

against unfair importation of 

competitive vehicles. 

You said that we are 

experiencing a new era in the 

automotive industry. Can you 

give an insight into what the 

stakeholders should expect in 

the industry 

Not too long ago, we were in 

South Africa, we met with a 

number of companies including 

BMW, Ford that are already here, 

Toyota, Volkswagen, all these 

companies expressed huge 

interest in coming into Nigeria. 

And one of the things needed to 

be done was to make this policy 

a law. Now we have that. That’s 

a great incentive to them and 

other companies that want to 

come into Nigeria. When I talk 

about a new era, not just about 

automotive sector, Nigeria as a 

whole, this is a new Nigeria 

where I will like to say that we 

have now decided to face our 

challenges, to grab the bull by 

the horns and really do what is 

right. 

Yes a lot of things that needed 

to be done in the past, couple of 

decades, have not been done. 

Now this administration and a lot 

of people here in the country are 

ready for a new Nigeria. Most 

importantly with respect to what 

we do, we are now in a position 

to give the right incentives and 

support for companies to come 

into the country and we would 

also do all that we can to support 

the youth of Nigeria to be part of 

this new Nigeria in terms of 

empowering them with the 

necessary skills to be part of this 

global movement of technology 

that would make life better 

Is the NADDC working 

towards reducing the number of 

the under-utilised 53 approved 

local auto assemblers which 

many industry followers say are 

over bloated. 

The most important thing is that 

we live in a democracy. So any 

individual company that meets 

some minimum requirements of 

being given a license would be 

given one. It is a free market, it 

is a competitive market. It is up 

to that company or individual to 

prove to the Nigerian market that 

they have a right product. 

But as a democracy, we can’t 

turn people away and tell him 

‘no, you have met the 

requirement but we won’t allow 

you to build vehicle. When the 

automobile was invented over a 

100 years ago, even in the United 

States, there were tens and tens 

of companies that all came up to 

produce vehicles but over time, 

BARELY four years 

after making in-road into 

the Nigerian auto market via 

Elizade Autoland, JAC vehicles 

have become a household name, 

rivalling Korean and Japanese 

models. 

December 10, 2017 will make 

it exactly four years after 

foremost auto distributor, Elizade 

Motors, decided to add another 

auto brand to its portfolio. On this 

day, the company held a big 

ceremony to usher in JAC brand 

into the country, after carrying 

out six months country wide test 

drives. At the Sheraton Hotel 

Club, Lagos, where the event 

took place, were stakeholders 

from public and private sectors 

to welcome and review the 

different models of the brand. 

Though Elizade Autoland, sole 

distributor of JAC vehicles in 

Nigeria, had secured a 

distributorship deal from the JAC 

company a year earlier, it 

decided to flaunt the strength of 

the car by giving out different 

models to customers and 

potential customers to test drive 

before making an official 

announcement. Expectedly, the 

verdict from customers were 

impressive. 

One thing the test drive 

achieved was to clear the doubts 

•Mr Jelani Aliyu, NADDC boss 

they went down and only the 

best survived. So to be healthy, 

we have to be a true democracy 

and work with all kinds of people 

and let the strong survive. 

Where do you see all of these 

cascading into in the next five 

to 10 years 

Now, there would be more 

reason, for companies to come 

into Nigeria and take advantage 

of the huge market. We have 

population of over 180 million 

people, over 50 per cent is under 

the age of 20, virgin territory. 

So there would be things more 

and more in place to make it easy 

for companies to come in and we 

are also looking at how we have 

to plug into the three mega 

trends of automotive sector 

which are electrification, 

autonomy and right sharing. 

We have to begin to look at 

how we will introduce and 

support electric car technology 

in Nigeria, in terms of being able 

to produce those vehicles here. 

A number of these companies 

that are interested in Nigeria 

also have electric vehicle 

programmes that they already 

have in place or they are looking 

at going into. 

We will have to work closely 

with them to provide those 

vehicles in Nigeria and also we 

would have to work with them 

to transfer that technology so 

that our young Nigerians will be 

in the best position to understand 

this technology and be able to 

service it. 

How will the law address the 

low buying capacity of 

Nigerians 

We are also in very strong 

discussion with potential 

investors to set up an auto 

finance scheme so that 

Nigerians just like people do 

around the world, will just put 

little money down, get a brand 

new vehicle and either pay over 

time or just lease it for some time. 

This is crucial in helping the 

capacity. 

Elizade Autoland makes mark with JAC vehicles 

about the age long belief that 

Chinese vehicles are not 

rugged and durable. JAC, 

being a leading brand from 

Asia, has been able to 

withstand the test of time, as 

today, its acceptability has 

grown. 

The managing director of 

Elizade Autoland, Mr. Demola 

Ade-Ojo said recently that with 

his company’s pedigree in the 

auto business, it can only be 

associated with brands that will 

not rubbish the reputation 

Elizade has built over the 

years. 

According to him, JAC is a 

brand that has come to stay, as 

he stated that the number of 

patronage and acceptability of 

the brand keeps growing as 

many customers discover that 

they can get better value for 

money with JAC. 

He added that JAC is 

currently being used by some 

top blue chip companies like 

First bank, Access bank among 

others, even as he also said the 

brand is doing very well in the 

state supported public 

transportation scheme of Imo 

State. 

A satisfied JAC customer, Dr. 

Pereira Shereola who is the 

Chief Executive Officer, Lagos 

State Agriculture Development 

Authority, said he converted the 

agency’s budget meant to 

purchase another brand of 

vehicle last year to buy a JAC 

T6 pick up because of the price 

differences. According to him, 

the vehicle offers satisfaction 

beyond his expectation due to 

its ruggedness, fuel efficiency, 

security features, reverse 

sensors and the driving 

capacity. 

As a further manifestation of 

the acceptability of the brand, 

Elizade Autoland made the bold 

move to open a magnificent 

exclusive showroom on the busy 

Mobolaji Bank Anthony way, 

adjacent to the Ikeja GRA last 

year. The facility is said to have 

cost the company about N400m. 

Also in February this year, the 

company made good its 

promise to commission its 

assembly plant in Ikotun Lagos. 

The company’s MD said during 

the commissioning that “We are 

the largest automotive group in 

the country in terms of units. It 

will be irresponsible of us to sit 

down and fold our arms. We 

need to do everything to 

introduce cheaper but durable 

products to the market. What we 

are doing today is the 

demonstration to ensure that we 

support the government and 

have something that the 

customer can buy.”


Rio, Almeria, 301 jostle for Car-of-the-Year 

THE atmosphere for 

the 2017 auto 

brands of the year in 

Nigeria is getting 

electrifying as Kia Rio, 

Nissan Almeria and 

Peugeot 301 Mid life 

have been selected for 

the coveted car-of-theyear 

award. 

The organisers of the 

annual event, Naja, a 

body responsible for 

organising auto awards 

in Nigeria said they had 

also shortlisted a number 

of other products for 

honour despite biting the 

economic crunch that had 

drastically reduced the 

people and companies’ 

purchasing power and 

vehicle sales. 

For the pickup 

category, the contest 

remains among old rivals 

– Ford Ranger, Toyota 

Hilux and Mitsubishi 

L200. Similarly, the minibus 

award has Nissan 

Urvan, Toyoat Hiace and 

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 

as contenders, while the 

Mitsubishi light truck, 

Isuzu light truck and 

Chinese made JAC light 

truck are competing for 

light truck of the year. 

The Peugeot’s assembly 

plant in Kaduna, the 

Lagos-based VON auto 

plant owned by Stallion 

Autos and Innoson 

vehicle plant in Nnewi 

are the three nominees 

for the auto plant group. 

While Massilia 

showroom in Victoria 

COSCHARIS Motors 

PLC, a foremost 

automobile dealer in 

Nigeria and sole 

representative of globally 

respected iconic auto 

brands like Ford, BMW, 

Jaguar, Land Rover, Morris 

Garages (MG), etc, in 

Nigeria, has partnered with 

Jumia the largest online 

shop in Africa to present the 

most exciting Black Friday 

shopping experience so far 

in this part of the world. 

As part of the partnership 

offering, Coscharis will put 

forward some of her vehicle 

brands specially to Jumia 

customers at heavily 

discounted rates. Shoppers 

on Jumia will also stand a 

chance to win a brand new 

Ford Figo during this Black 

Friday event. 

General Manager 

Marketing and Corporate 

Communications for 

Island (Lagos), 

Mercedes-Benz Centre, 

Lekki and Coscharis 

Showroom at Awoyaya 

(Lekki-Epe Expressway) 

are under consideration 

for the showroom of the 

year. 

Coscharis partners Jumia for 

Black Friday 

Coscharis Group, Mr. 

Abiona Babarinde 

explained that this is 

another way Coscharis 

Motors Plc is giving back to 

her customers as they warm 

up for the Yuletide season. 

“We will always seek new 

ways to delight our 

customers and give them 

value for their money, no 

matter the platform on 

which they wish to patronize 

us, online or offline.” 

Abiona also said, “During 

the Jumia Black Friday 

Promo period, we will offer 

a number of our vehicle 

brands at heavily 

discounted rates for willing 

customers to take 

advantage of. Also the entry 

level Ford Figo will be on 

offer to be won via a raffle 

draw on the Jumia platform, 

for those who will patronize 

the platform during the 

Black Friday Promo period.”

22 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017



BUSINESS/ECONOMY 

ADB commits $450m to DBN for on-lending 

to MSMEs 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

THE 

African 

Development Bank, 

ADB, has injected $450 

million to the Development 

Bank of Nigeria, DBN, for 

on-lending to Micro Small 

and Medium Enterprises, 

MSME. 

Vice President of ADB, 

Pierre Guislain disclosed this 

at a media briefing hosted by 

the DBN in Abuja. 

Guislain who visited the 

management of DBN, rated 

the take-off by the bank as 

excellent and said ADB was 

impressed with the move to 

ensure development of 

MSMEs in the country, 

which would reduce 

unemployment and grow the 

economy. 

He said, “The start has been 

excellent, we are looking 

forward to accelerated 

processes that require for all 

of us to make sure we tighten 

all loose end. We are very 

happy to see that DBN has 

started lending and 

operations. 

“We think that it is a critical 

move here in Nigeria to 

support micro, small and 

medium enterprises in 

effective manner. They would 

CHAIRMAN 

of 

Heirs Holdings, 

Mr. Tony Elumelu has 

called for the 

restructuring of 

government regulations 

and taxation to support 

business growth in 

Nigeria. 

He made the call at the 

Lagos Business School 

Alumni Association 2017 

Conference held in 

Lagos. 

Elumelu, who was 

guest speaker at the 

occasion, spoke on the 

conference theme: “The 

Effects of Multiple 

G o v e r n m e n t 

Regulations and 

Taxation on Business 

Growth in Nigeria”, 

emphasized the need for 

government to embark 

on radical approach that 

would shape behaviours 

of entrepreneurs and 

business owners towards 

payment of taxes in a 

more obligatory manner. 

According to Elumelu, 

who is also Chairman of 

UBA Group and 

Transcorp Plc, “Multiple 

regulations hinder 

business growth and we 

need to regulate our tax 

laws and practices in a 

manner that would 

create enabling 

environments for 

businesses, particularly 

start-ups and SMEs to 

thrive in the economy. If 

taxes are well regulated 

for businesses, there 

would be increase in 

government revenue, 

more businesses would 

not be lending directly to 

these companies. They are a 

kind of wholesale to provider 

of funds. 

“As an institution, we are 

happy to be partners and are 

particularly pleased to see 

progress in recent months. It 

takes a bit of time to get going 

but we are off to a very strong 

start. 

Managing Director and 

Chief Executive Officer, 

DBN, Mr. Tony Okpanachi, 

said that the bank commenced 

lending about three weeks 

ago the bank, and three financial 

institutions including 

LAPO, Fortis and MPF have 

accessed the loan facility. We 

have reached advanced 

stages of discussions with 

several other financial institutions 

including commercial 

banks to set them on board.” 

From left: Peter Bamkole, Director, Enterprise Development Center, Pan African 

University; Franklin Ngwu, Faculty, Lagos Business School (LBS), Pan African 

University; Raymond Mgbeokwere, General Counsel, First Bank of Nigeria 

Limited (FirstBank); and Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special 

Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals at the 2017 

International Sustainability Conference sponsored by the FirstBank Sustainability 

Centre in Lagos. 

Elumelu advocates taxation restructuring for business growth 

By Peter Egwuatu 

grow, thereby helping to 

curb unemployment and 

improving the economy 

significantly.” 

In his presentation of 

the Economic Outlook for 

2018, Dr. Biodun 

Adedipe, Founder/Chief 

Consultant of B. Adedipe 

Associates, said that 

Nigeria should deviate 


THE Ministry of 

Communications 

Technology and one of its 

affiliate parastatals the 

Nigeria Communications 

Satellite Limited, 

NigComSat has proposed 

to spend N158.3 million 

for travelling, fumigation, 

refreshment and 

miscellaneous purposes 

in the 2018 fiscal year. 

This was contained in 

the 2018 appropriation bill 

submitted by the federal 

government to the 

National Assembly. 

The Ministry proposed 

that the amount in the 

appropriation bill will 

enable it carry out the 

listed items in the fiscal 

year. 

Of the amount, the 

Ministry and NigComsat 

are going to spend 

N48,334,551 on travel; 

N26,758,697 on 

from operating a monocultural 

economy which 

has proved detrimental 

to its growth. 

Hamzat Ayodele 

Subair, Chairman of 

Lagos State Internal 

Revenue Service, who 

was represented by 

Tokunbo Akande, 

revealed that before now, 

the lack of viable data on 

financial record had 

hampered the process of 

effective tax systems in 

the state, and the rest of 

Nigeria. He however 

assured that the Lagos 

State He said: 

Government, through its 

Internal Revenue 

Communication Ministry to spend N158.3m on 

travelling, fumigation •Gets N510m budget increase 

fumigation; N42,672,391 

on miscellaneous 

expenses; N8,911,615 on 

refreshment/meals and 

the sum of N31,600,000 

on electricity charges. 

The amount is 

N14,290,188 lesser than 

the N172,566,975 

approved for the ministry 

and two agencies only for 

travelling in the 2017 

estimation. 

The budget estimate 

which allocated 

N11,716,581,495 for 

recurrent expenditure 

and N7,544,159,142 for 

capital projects, totaling 

N19.261 billion for the 

ministry and the two 

parastatals in the year. 

This is N510,644,861 

higher than the 

N18,750,951,876 

allocated to the same 

ministry in 2017. 

For the ministry, the 

total allocation of 

N6,943,840,661 increased 

by N19,999,520 from 

N6,923,841,141 approved 

for 2017. 

Of the amount, the sum 

of N5,544,159,142 is 

allocated for capital 

projects, which shows 

no difference from the 

same amount allocated 

for capital projects in 

2017, while 

N979,681,518 is 

earmarked for recurrent 

expenditure, though 

N20,008,520 higher 

than N959,671,998 of 

2017. 

However, the Nigeria 

Communication 

Satellite Limited, 

NigComsat, also got an 

increased allocation of 

N4,169,826,133 in 2018 

compared to 

N3,911,916,890 

approved in 2017. 

For the capital 

projects, there was no 

change from the sum of 

N1,579,999,999 

allocated in 2018 and 

for the recurrent 

NCC, NSCDC sign agreement 

on protection of critical 

national infrastructure 

•Read riot act to pre-registered sim 

cards users 


THE 

Nigerian economic diversification 

Communications plan. 

Commission, NCC, With the implementation of 

yesterday signed a the MoU, he said NCC 

Memorandum of emergency centres would 

Understanding with the also be secured and the 

Nigeria Security and Civil safety of lives and property 

Defence Corps, NSCDC on of Nigerians would be 

protection of critical national guaranteed and more 

infrastructure. 

investment expected from 

The Executive Vice prospecting investors in the 

Chairman of the NCC, Prof. sector. 

Umar Dambatta signed on “We keep reminding 

behalf of NCC, while the Nigerians about the eight 

Commandant of the point agenda, strategic 

NSCDC, Abdullahi collaboration and 

Muhammadu signed on partnership with sister 

behalf of the Corps. agencies of government to 

Speaking on the MoU, the achieve our mandate to the 

NCC boss, said the Nigerian people. 

partnership became “Through this strategic 

necessary in view of the partnership, which 

huge investment made in culminated into signing of 

telecommunication the MoU with the CG of the 

infrastructure and to NSCDC, we have 

guarantee quality and succeeded in the practical 

efficient telecom services to terms, translating the intent 

Nigerians. 

of the agenda. Through the 

Prof. Damabatta said the signing of the MoU, we 

collaboration is in furtherance have agreed that protection 

of NCC’s effort to assist of telecom infrastructure is 

government to realize its crucial, that is protecting 

them from vandalism and 

willful damage as well as 

ensuring that our 

e m e r g e n c y 

Service, is working hard communications are 

to harmonise its tax protected. 

practices by creating a “The signing of this MoU 

single billing system has further lend credence to 

where each tax payer our commitment to secure 

would have a complete 

the lives of Nigerians, 

list of his or her tax 

schedule to avoid 

wherever they live, as well 

multiplicity of tax 

as protecting telecom 

systems and agents. infrastructure from 

expenditure, the sum of 

N2,589,826,134 is 

allocated , representing 

N257,909,243 increase 

from N2,331,916,891 

approved in 2017. 

vandalism across the 

country. 

“NCC is trying to leverage 

the reach of NSCDC to 

protect critical national 

infrastructure which the 

telecom infrastructure is one 

of them. The reason for this 

is that the telecom sector is 

connected to all sectors of the 

economy and is contributing 

8 to 10 percent (N1.6 trillion) 

to the economy every 

quarter. 

NSE listing requirement: Diamond 

Bank appoints Ubosi non executive 

director 

In fulfilment of the 

post listing 

requirement of the Nigerian 

Stock Exchange, NSE , 

Diamond Bank Plc, has 

notified the capital market 

regulators, Securities and 

Exchange Commission and 

the Exchange, of the 

appointment of Mr. 

Christopher Ubosi as a Non- 

Executive Director . 

Commenting on the 

appointment, Dr. Chris 

Ogbechie, Chairman of 

Diamond Bank Plc , said: “I 

am extremely elated that 

Mr. Ubosi will be joining 

Diamond Bank’s Board, as 

he brings with him a wealth 

of experience to the Board. 

His experience and 

expertise will help maintain 

the Bank’s strong 

commitment to the highest 

governance standards and 

help support our continued 

success as Nigeria’s fastest 

growing retail bank. 

Commenting on his 

appointment, Mr. Ubosi 

said: “I am delighted to be 

joining Diamond Bank’s 

board and look forward to 

sharing my knowledge and 

expertise to assist the Bank 

redefine Nigeria’s 21st 

century economy.


26—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

THE Acting President, 

Institute of Islamic 

Finance Professional of 

Nigeria, Dr. Tajudeen Yusuf 

has charged Muslims to 

practice and patronize 

existing Islamic finance 

institutions to improve their 

economic well-being and the 

society at large. 

Yusuf made this call during 

a stakeholders’ forum and 

induction of new members 

held in Lagos recently. 

No fewer than 118 members 

including the Honourable 

Commissioner for Home 

Affairs, Dr AbdulHakeem 

AbdulLateef were inducted 

into the organization. 

He said the goal of the 

institute was not only to create 

awareness but also to develop 

professional expertise in all 

spheres of Islamic non interest 

financial service industry. He 

urged Muslim to develop 

passion for Islamic finance, by 

engaging in research, capacity 

building, structuring Islamic 

product to solve problems in 

the society. 

“Muslim must be smart 

because non-Muslims have 

developed a lot of result in 

researching of Islamic 

finance”. 

On the theme – 

‘Developments, prospects and 

inclusive growth’, Yusuf said: 

it was specially selected to 

provide guidance on the 

discussion generated by the 

successful introduction and 

launching of Islamic Sukuk in 

Nigeria by Federal 

Government of Nigeria and to 

provide deep knowledge for 

the handlers of the economy 

and general populace on 

Islamic finance. 

Rabiul Awwal 5, 1439 A.H. 

Islamic finance will improve e economy— y— Dr Yusuf 

•As IIFP inducts 118 professional members 

“If you look at those who 

are championing and 

promoting Islamic finance in 

the world, they probably don’t 

have background in Islamic 

finance but later on diversify 

into Islamic Finance. They 

start by conducting research 

in Islamic finance, doing what 

we call financial engineering. 

One thing about Islamic 

finance is innovativeness; 

there is much flexibility in 

Islamic Finance. Without 

research efforts, you cannot 

benefit from the values that 

Islamic Finance will give.” 

“We are commencing the 

journey to a N20million 

‘Benevolent Fund’ to aid 

students in the studies of 

postgraduate degree in 

Islamic finance in Nigeria. 

Prof. Kola will lead the team 

of interested persons towards 

accomplishment of this noble 

task that will aid and fast track 

the production of 

postgraduate students that 

will conduct researches into 

the implementation or 

overcoming of various 

challenges and proffer facts 

with solutions on how to 

deepen Islamic finance not 

only in Nigeria but the whole 

Africa.” 

The Chairman, Advisory 

Board, of the institute, Alhaji 

Umar Abdul Mutalib 

congratulated the president, 

members of the governing 

Council as well as other 

members of the board for their 

indefatigable strides since 

inception of the institute till 

date. He said, Nigerians 

should embrace fully the 

benefits of Islamic finance, 

irrespective of religious 

affiliations to finance 

infrastructure deficit and 

investment, adding “this is a 

sure answer to Nigeria’s 

economic problem. 

Mutalib said, Nigeria is a 

relevant case study of an 

emerging agronomy that has 

joined other developed and 

developing economics using 

Islamic finance as a necessary 

tool for financial inclusion with 

regards to financing large 

infrastructure projects. “The 

advent of Jaiz Bank PLC, Jaiz 

Takaful Insurance Plc., An – 

Nour Takaful Insurance Plc. 

and the recent N100 billion 

Federal Government 7-year 

Sukuk Bond among others are 

few potentials of Islamic 

finance in Nigeria”. 

He said the big challenge 

before us was the dearth of 

Islamic finance practitioners. 

So, the coming on board of all 

our inductees at this ceremony 

is apt and timely. “I therefore 

urge all the inductees to live 

above board and avail the 

Nigeria Islamic finance 

opportunities of your 

empathy, exposure and 

experience to take Islamic 

finance practice to greater 

heights”. 

Member of IIFP Governing 

Council, Dr. Ganiyat Adeshina 

said there is need for Muslims 

to wake up from slumber, 

adding, “Islamic Finance is the 

only market that can provide 

ethical finance.” 

Also, another member of the 

Governing Council, Imam 

Abdullahi Shuaib said Zakat is 

one of the tools that Muslims 

can be provided with funds, 

adding that conscious Muslim 

will not want to go into 

conventional interest-based 

loans. 

Institute of Islamic Finance Professional (IIFP) President Dr Tajudeen Yusuf (3rd 

right) presenting a souvenir to induct Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr 

AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef (second right) as a member of the institute in Lagos. 

With them are IFFP Governing Board members (from left) National Open 

University of Nigeria (NOUN) Faculty of Social Sciences Dean Dr Ganiyat Adesina- 

Uthman, Kwara State University lecturer, Dr Yahya Murtada, Mr Ola Bakare and 

Executive Secretary of Jaiz Zakat and Waqf Trust Fund Imam Abdullah Shuaib. 

BARKA JUMAH 

Prayer and good deed 

Prayer and doing good inseparably coexist. 

He who skips prayers or does not 

pray at all is disconnected from Allah 

and His favors. Prayer is enlivened in 

potency when it is matched by continual 

doing of good. Whomever prays but fail 

to do good won’t ever find the eye of 

Allah’s mercy. Prayer is integral to 

attitudinal grace that grow the soul into 

the fullness of goodness that stir the 

doing of virtuous deeds. 

Daily, fulfillment fill our lives when we 

love one another and lend help to the 

weak. None must hurt a single soul in 

the pursuit of earthly riches. 

May prayers fasten each of us to Allah’s 

highest blessings of peace and an 

infinitely joyous life. 

Happy Jumaat. —Dr Adewale Adeeyo. 

OON 

Quotes from the Qur'an 

And Allah had already taken a covenant from 

the Children of Israel, and We delegated from 

among them twelve leaders. And Allah said, 

"I am with you. If you establish prayer and 

give zakah and believe in My messengers and 

support them and loan Allah a goodly loan, I 

will surely remove from you your misdeeds 

and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers 

flow. But whoever of you disbelieves after 

that has certainly strayed from the soundness 

of the way." (Q5:12) 

NUSRET South-West & Kwara representative, Omer 

Akkanoglu (3rd right) with NACOMYO President, 

Kamaldeen Akintunde (middle) and other members 

of the youth organisation during NUSRET visit to 

NACOMYO recently 

NUSRET visits NACOMY 

COMYO, O, harps 

on educ of young Muslims 

THE South west representative of NUSRET, a Turkish 

based Islamic organisation, Omer Akkanoglu has 

emphasized education as a cornerstone of development, 

explaining that Islamic, Science and Cultural ‘education’ 

remain the focal operational areas of NUSRET. 

Akkanoglu made this assertion in Abeokuta, the Ogun State 

capital during a visit to National President of National Council 

of Muslim Youth Organizations, NACOMYO, Kamaldeen 

Akintunde, esq. 

The NUSRET ‘envoy’ who was on familiarization of his 

operational jurisdiction which included South West and 

Kwara noted that education was paramount and central to 

human existence and enjoined Islamic groups to have 

education as a cardinal programme and project, and in 

pursuance of their lofty aims and objectives. 

The NACOMYO President, Kamaldeen Akintunde while 

responding stated that the familiarization initiative was a step 

in the right direction as it would afford him a ‘geographical’ 

scope and ‘diagnosis’ of his jurisdiction. He identified 

partnership and collaboration between and across groups as 

strategic initiatives to nation building. 

Akintunde said that knowledge was basic and foremost in 

Islam, hence, its state Chapters were encouraged and have 

established schools where both Islamic and western education 

were taught. 

The visit took the foreign official to madrasats (formal 

Quranic schools) in Abeokuta and environs among others.


Sermon From Baitul-Futuh 

Rabiul Awwal 5, 1439 A.H. 

NASFAT partner 

tners UNICEF, , USAID to end 

violence against children in Lagos, Calabar 

IN its avowed effort to stop 

violence against children, 

Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society, 

(NASFAT) a leading Islamic 

Organization, 

in 

collaboration with UNICEF 

and USAID recently kick 

started sensitization 

programme to end the 

menace of child abuse in 

Nigeria. The programme was 

held simultaneously in Lagos 

(Ikeja and Kosofe) and Cross 

River states, (Calabar 

Municipality, Akampka and 

Calabar South). 

The one week long awareness 

programme was designed to 

enlighten parents, guardian 

and spiritual and religious as 

well as community leaders in 

the state on how to identify 

and also stop abuse and 

violence against children. 

In Ikeja, Lagos, NASFAT 

Chief Missioner, Sheikh 

Abdulazeez Onike said that 

the call to ending violence 

against children was in 

tandem with Islam adding 

that Muslims must therefore 

abide by it. He cited 

examples of the show of love 

and tenderness to children by 

the Prophet. 

Also, the Children Affairs 

Secretary, Alhaja Ganiyat 

Babalola said NASFAT would 

continue to enlighten 

Muslims especially from its 

immediate environment on 

the need to show love and 

kindness to Children with a 

view to ending violence 

against them. 

In Calabar, NASFAT Vice 

president II, Alhaji Abdul – 

Rauf Adedeji said a lot of 

people have confused Islam 

with cultures of different 

people adding that Islam as 

religion strongly prohibits 

any form of child abuse 

including underage 

marriage. 

His words : “Knowledge is a 

pivotal and powerful tool in 

the fight to end violence 

against children because a lot 

of people have confused the 

culture of men with Islam by 

thinking that Islam allow for 

a child to be married out at a 

tender (underage) age” 

“That practice is highly 

prohibited in Islam and 

unacceptable it is just the 

culture of men, Islam does not 

tolerate any form of abuse 

against children including 

underage marriage which is an 

infringement on the rights of 

the girl child, people marrying 

minors and claiming they are 

true Muslims are not 

practicing Islam, they are 

doing this either out of 

ignorance or to suit 

themselves. 

“Islam does not allow any form 

of maltreatment against 

children including house 

helps, there is difference 

between correction and 

punishment, training a child 

does not involve using the 

whip always and shouting or 

the use of abusive and 

derogatory words by so doing 

you push them away and there 

will be breakdown of 

communication which can 

lead into seeking the 

information they need in the 

wrong places including social 

media”. 

NASFAT President. Eng Kamil Bolarinwa (middle) and other members of NASFAT 

during a press briefing heralding the campaign agaisnt violence against 

children in collaboration with UNICEF, USAID held in Ikeja, Lagos recently. 

Ahmadiyya school gets govt approval on external exams 

ONE of Ahmadiyya 

Muslim Jama’at Nigeria 

schools, Fadl-l-Omar 

Comprehensive High School 

Ojokoro, Lagos has gotten 

approval of Lagos State 

Government to conduct external 

examinations.This was revealed 

during the school 2nd Annual 

General Meeting held at the 

school premises in Lagos. 

The approval according to 

the school Proprietor, Engr. 

Abdul Waheed Adeoye, covers 

West Africa Examination 

Council (WAEC), National 

Examination Council (NECO) 

and GCE A levels. 

Adeoye who is also the 

Jama’at Sadr (Head) Majlis 

Ansarullah (The Elders Group) 

in Nigeria, said other 

approvals being worked on 

are the registration for the 

Joint 

Admission 

Matriculation Board (JAMB) 

examination centre as well as 

a special status for the Adult 

education. 

“We got the approval of the 

Lagos state government to 

conduct 

external 

examinations in our school. 

Interestingly, before the 

approval, our students have 

always outshine the students 

of their hosting schools at the 

WAEC examinations, 

especially 

with 

mouthwatering results. 

Adeoye further explained 

that the school expansion 

program has covered the 

building of eighteen more 

classrooms 

which 

accommodated new 

laboratories, Art Studio, 

Computer room and Library. 

Accordingly, Fadl-l-Omar 

Comprehensive High School is 

now ranked among one of the 

best secondary schools in Lagos 

state. While commending the 

school management and staff, 

Amir (National President), 

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at 

Nigeria, Dr. Mash’hud Adenrele 

Fashola said he was impressed 

with the school performance at 

all levels “the Jama’at has been 

championing education in the 

country since the establishment 

of the first Muslim Primary 

School in Nigeria in 1922.” 

The need for the Imam 

Mentioning some of the signs for advent of the Promised Messiah’s, 

the Promised Messiah (as) states: ‘In actuality, the emergence of the 

railway is one of the signs of the advent of the Promised Messiah and 

the Holy Quran also alludes to this, that is, ‘when the she camels, ten 

month pregnant, are abandoned.’ Piety comes with righteousness 

and if these people ponder carefully they would clearly realise that 

the words, the she camel shall be abandoned, refers to the emergence 

of the railway. However, if this does not refer to the railway, then it is 

incumbent upon them to inform us of the event that shall cause the 

camels to be abandoned. The Promised Messiah (as) further states: 

‘So many signs have been fulfilled that these people have withdrawn 

from even engaging in this discussion. For instance, did the lunar 

and solar eclipse in the month of Ramadan not take place just as it 

had been stated in the signs for the advent of the Mahdi? Similarly, 

since the beginning of creation, no such mode of transport has been 

invented.’ 

The Promised Messiah (as) states: ‘The signs signify that the Promised 

Messiah has appeared. If these people do not believe me to be the 

one then they should search for someone else and reveal who he is 

because the signs which were prophesied for his advent have all 

been fulfilled.’ 

The Promised Messiah (as) further states: ‘If you want to investigate 

my truthfulness then do so in view of the arguments presented by 

the previous prophets and follow this path. Try to ponder over these 

arguments you find with pious intention and see it as your good 

fortune. … However, those who harbour malice and rancour in their 

hearts, my words will have no benefit for them. Their example is like 

that of a person who is squint-eyed and sees double. Regardless of 

however many arguments are presented to such a person to prove 

that what he sees is only one, he will never accept this.’ 

The Promised Messiah (as) therefore states: ‘ I have outlined a 

compilation in which over 150 signs were given to me and were 

witnessed by millions of people.’ 

The Promised Messiah (as) continues by saying: “Thus, you should 

asses my claim in the same manner in which the claims of all prophets 

or messengers are analysed. I openly declare that you will find me to 

be true of the same criteria.” We can see clearly that God Almighty 

has helped the Promised Messiah (as) across many fields. 

Whilst explaining the way to find out the truth, the Promised Messiah 

(as) said: “If you wish to find the true path, then pray to God Almighty 

in your worship for Him to make the truth evident for you.” The 

Promised Messiah (as) continues by saying: “If an individual prays 

to God Almighty to manifest the truth before him, in a manner that is 

free from all prejudice and stubbornness, then I say with conviction 

that forty days shall not pass before the truth will be made evident for 

them.” (Forty days will not have passed that the truth will be made 

plain for them) provided that one seeks the truth from God Almighty 

with a clear conscious. The Promised Messiah (as) then states: “There 

are but a few who desire to seek from God Almighty according to 

these conditions and due to their prejudice and stubbornness they 

reject the appointed one of God, thereby relinquishing their faith. 

The reason for this is if an individual rejects the appointed one of God 

– who acts like an anchor of prophethood, then that person also 

rejects the prophet, and by rejecting the prophet one denies God 

Almighty, thereby losing his faith altogether. 

May God Almighty guide the Muslims in a way that instead of 

accepting what their clerics tell them, they see reason themselves 

and sincerely seek succour from God Almighty. May God Almighty 

open their hearts and by accepting the Promised Messiah (as) may 

He remove them from the dire situation of the Muslim world. They 

are in complete disarray and see no way of escape. Presently in 

Pakistan, new organisations are being formed such as “Labaik Ya 

Rasoolallah”, who recently staged a march; at first they encircled 

Lahore and then encircled Islamabad. Then another organisation 

with a similar name has enclosed Islamabad and the government 

nor the army can prevent them from doing this. It is us Ahmadis who 

can truly say Labaik Ya Rasoolallah [Here we are, O Messenger of 

God] as we are the ones who responded to the Holy Prophet (sa) 

when he said “the Messiah and Mahdi will appear, and when he does 

you should send my greeting to him”. This is the correct way to 

respond to the Holy Prophet (sa). Alas, if only they would understand 

the true meaning of Labbaik Ya Rasoolallah rather than raising hollow 

slogans. 

May Allah the Almighty protect the world, as well as Pakistan and 

every other Muslim country from chaos and disorder. May God 

Almighty grant His special mercy for the Muslims, because the 

current climate in which there are organised schemes against the 

Muslim world are extremely frightening. If they do not see reason 

now, they will regret it in the future. May Allah have mercy.




VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017—31 

Zimbabwe going the way of 

Guinea Bissau 

THE resignation of Robert 

Mugabe on Tuesday 

brought the one week tragicomedy 

that followed his 

overthrow as Zimbabwean 

President to an end. The world 

had witnessed the comedy of a 

President overthrown by the 

military being virtually begged 

to resign while he gave 

conditions. 

The coup puts Zimbabwe on 

the same path taken by Guinea 

Bissau and Cape Verde, another 

country which fought a bloody 

liberation war against European 

colonialists, built an antiimperialist 

system but whose 

military intervened and 

truncated the system. The latter 

liberation movement was led by 

one of the most intellectuallyendowed 

and clear-headed Pan- 

Africanists, Amilcar Cabral. He, 

his brother, Luis Severino de 

Almeida Cabral and four others 

had on September 19, 1956, 

founded the African Party for the 

Independence of Guinea Bissau 

and Cape Verde, PAIGC. The 

country, a Portuguese colony, had 

sought to differentiate itself from 

the former French colony of 

Guinea by adding its capital, 

Bissau, as part of its name. 

Tragically, as the liberation 

struggle was coming to an end 

with victory certain for the 

colonised people, Amilcar 

Cabral was assassinated on 

January 20, 1973. This huge 

setback almost led to the 

derailment of the PAIGC, the 

party leading the war. That year, 

the party declared independence, 

and the following year, Portugal, 

the colonial overlord, submitted 

to the will of the colonised. 

Fortunately, Luis Cabral was 

able to steer the PAIGC into clear 

waters and the country held a lot 

of promise for Africa; a 

traumatised continent wracked 

by neo-colonial minds and 

leaders. There were debates on 

the future of the party and the 

country, but tragically, a section 

of the military took matters into 

its hands by staging a coup on 

November 14, 1980. The former 

Armed Forces Commander, 

General Joao Bernardo Veira, 

who was also the Prime Minister 

took over and ruled in the name 

of a revolutionary council. 

President Cabral was placed 

under house arrest for thirteen 

months. The immediate reaction 

of Cape Verde was to secede, and 

two countries were born. 

That coup laid the foundation 

for instability in the country so 

much that no leader has ever 

finished a term in office. All the 

country’s leaders in its 43-year 

history of independence, have 

either been overthrown as were 

the cases of Cabral and President 

President Raimundo Pereria, 

assassinated as happened to 

General Veira or died in office 

like Malam Bacai Sanha. The 

revolutionary army became a 

major problem with mutinies, 

coups and counter coups. 

Following a May 1998 army 

uprising, a civil war ensued 

during which large parts of 

Bissau were destroyed. When I 

visited the area some five years 

later, the devastation was still 

visible. 

The promise that was Guinea 

Bissau, evaporated; except for 

some public places like the 

bridge linking the country with 

the Casamance Province of 

Senegal. The name Amilcar 

As the waiting comes to an end...GMP as PMB 

TODAY, RIPPLES 

concludes the series of 

chats most die-hard 

Buharists are now into, on the 

long wait on General 

Muhammadu Buhari (GMB), 

as President to do the needful. 

A wait that appears to be 

coming to an end. At last. 

It could be so boring to keep 

on talking of GMB, alone on 

these pages. But for now, I 

can’t seem to run away from 

so talking about him. He is 

after all the topmost priority in 

our daily lives as Nigerians. 

And as believers and 

supporters of some 15 years. 

On these pages we’d 

RIPPLED along, wondering 

why GMB as PMB hasn’t 

tackled many of the essentials 

that got him our support all of 

these years. We also had been 

on about the atrocious pillage 

by the PDP that had the 

audacity to use the excuse of 

arms for political ends. 

Thankfully, we’re so glad, all 

the Arms monies haven’t 

bought PDP a return ticket to 

the Loot to reloot and pillage 

as usual. 

Though looting appears the 

hallmark of the PDP 

government, it is not as if 

there aren’t more than a few 

PDP types even under GMB 

as PMB, at various levels. 

Thank God, our GMB now 

appears back in full form. He 

has finally sacked two of his 

troubles, the grasscutter SGF 

and NIA DG. That is why our 

earlier chat on RIPPLES 

titled “As the waiting 

continues..” could well be 

rested now. Since then he has 

also met his campaigners and 

praised them for all they did 

to get him to the Presidency. 

He’s had meetings with 

various groups in APC, then 

an APC caucus meeting. He 

spoke well at the APC NEC, 

where he got a vote of 

confidence for 

what he has done 

thus far. Forget 

they have been 

left high and dry 

thus far. After his 

excuses to the 

NEC for not 

rewarding party 

loyalists and in 

fact his own 

loyalists, GMB 

announced he 

would expand 

his cabinet for 

more deserving 

persons. 

With the new 

improved and 

healthy GMB, he 

is generally 

expected to now remove most 

ministers, if not all of them. It 

is expected he’d anytime now 

name new ministers and 

members of boards of 

agencies. 

The little hitch though is, he 

told us, it will be governors 

What really does 

Zimbabwe stand 

to benefit from 

an intra-party 

strife over 

which one 

faction rolled 

out the tanks to 

subdue the 

other? 

and the state party, APC 

(chapters) he'll consult in the 

selection process. This denies 

the 13 million votes GMB 

came into the merger with. 

No one should forget that it 

was a mere three million votes 

that were added to the bank 

of votes GMB and all of us, 

his people, came in to theAPC 

merger with. The Presidential 

elections tally of GMB in APC 

was a little more than 15 

million. 

No one should 

forget that it was 

a mere three 

million votes 

that were added 

to the bank of 

votes GMB and 

all of us, his 

people, came in 

to the APC 

merger with 

In Kano, 

while we got 

1.7 million 

votes in the 

2011 polls, we 

had barely 

200,000 and a 

bit added on in 

2015. Despite 

that APC was 

then led by the 

w h o l e 

government of 

R a b i u 

Kwankwaso, 

now senator by 

the Grace of 

God and 

G M B ’ s 

“SAK!”. 

SAK is the 

local Kano GMB slogan, since 

ANPP, urging voters to vote all 

who are in the GMB party, no 

matter what they may 

otherwise represent. 

SAK is now blamed for all the 

troubles caused by the many 

Cabral, no longer tells the story; 

the story of African military 

triumphs over a European power, 

the story of liberation and 

promise. Once internal debates 

had been truncated by the guns, 

the revolution fizzled out. So 

backward has Bissau become 

that at a point, Nigeria had to 

pay its civil servants and military 

while the country became a 

major drug trafficking hub for 

Latin America drug barons. 

Zimbabwe, with the possibility 

of future splits within the 

military and endless rivalry for 

power, may go the way of Guinea 

Bissau. A liberation party like 

Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF can 

develop with internal debates 

and critical self-examination. 

However, when some members 

reach out for guns and point 

them at others, debates cannot 

continue. That is actually the end 

of debates or what Nigerians 

called a brand of car, ‘End of 

Discussion”. A coup as happened 

in Zimbabwe cannot be the 

elongation of discussions by 

other means; it is a determinant. 

Definitely in a debate; 

ideological or not, the man with 

the gun is the more logical, more 

ideologically, correct and wins 

the debate. That is until another 

can also pick the gun; then it 

becomes ‘a balance of forces’ or 

what in this Nuclear Age, I will 

call ‘a balance of terror’. 

The generals who overthrew 

Mugabe are the same people less 

than a year ago who claimed they 

would die for him. The same 

politicians who three weeks ago, 

helped Mugabe impeach Vice 

President Emmerson 

Mnangagwa, are the same 

crowd that under the gun, 

decided to impeach Mugabe and 

put Mnangagwa in his place. 

Eleven months ago, the ZANU- 

mismatched politicians in the 

APC. That causes us, GMB 

supporters sleepless nights as 

we look to 2019. 

Yet it is now said these SAK 

Governors and the party are 

to nominate all appointees, 

and the governors control the 

party. 

For us in Kano there is more, 

as it is said Mr. President is 

billed to visit, November 27th, 

according to the State 

Government. This will be his 

first, as our President. Note 

that Kano is his political home 

base. Surprisingly, he is to 

commission hospitals built by 

PDP’s Shekarau, GMB 

basher-in-chief, the same one 

he made governor in 2003 

when I was Kano ANPP 

Chairman. 

If GMB comes in now, he 

would be telling his friends, 

who’d always stood by him 

through thick and thin, that his 

“personal persons” are not as 

important as we all thought 

they were. 

He wasn’t in Kano when his 

closest pals, Walin Ringim, CP 

Ibrahim BabanKowa, and 

Northern and Kano Titan, 

PF held its national convention 

and despite knowing that 

Mugabe will be 94 years when 

the scheduled general elections 

will hold in 2018, decided to 

make him its sole presidential 

candidate. 

They knew he was old and tired, 

so they began long campaigns 

to ensure he accepted to run. 

They organised mass rallies in 

which they chanted ‘Tongai, 

Tongai Baba! ‘ (Rule, Rule 

Father!) 

Mugabe was uncritical at such 

moments, he took the hood for 

the monk. He told the media: 

“They want me to stand for 

elections, they want me to stand 

for elections everywhere in the 

party … The majority of the 

people feel that there is no 

replacement, a successor who to 

them is acceptable, as acceptable 

as I am…Of course if I feel that I 

can’t do it any more, I will say so 

to my party so that they relieve 

me. But for now I think I can’t 

say so”. 

I saw jubilant crowds in the 

streets after the coup, and 

following his resignation. I 

shook my head. I wondered what 

the jubilation is for; is it just 

about the departure of Mugabe 

or do they believe the tired 

generals who overthrew their 

boss, and the foxy former Vice- 

President who are taking over, 

will better their lot? Is this really 

“Operation Restore Legacy”? If 

so, what legacy are they 

restoring? What really does 

Zimbabwe stand to benefit from 

an intra-party strife over which 

one faction rolled out the tanks 

to subdue the other? The coup 

may pass off as ‘a transition’ but 

something tells me the Mugabe 

era may be the golden age of 

Zimbabwe. 

Wazirin Dutse, AVM Mouktar 

Mohammad died. He wasn’t 

here either when Danmasanin 

Kano, Yusuf Maitama Sule 

died. And Danmasani was 

Chairman of influential 

Northern Elders Forum (NEF) 

that led the charge for GMB 

in 2015, or when Abubakar 

Rimi Market, Sabon-Gari got 

burnt. 

My reading of the tea leaves 

though suggests he is not very 

likely to come in to Kano now. 

Not this Monday. For, he 

knows in his heart of hearts, 

he owes an unpaid debt to his 

own people first! To ensure 

he’s resolved the crises of 

confidence of his core 

supporters left out in the cold 

since 2015. 

That should hopefully clear 

and ease the route to a smooth 

ride to a GMB second term in 

2019. 

Our GMB deserves a second 

term. We deserve GMB for a 

second term. Especially as it 

appears there is no credible 

voteable alternative, yet. Even 

if a lot more work needs be 

done than the 2015 election 

year.

32 –Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

CAPRICORN: After snappy aggressive approach exhibited 

by you yesterday ,you are back at your being pleasant self to the 

admiration of others. This is the wrong time to take law and it’s 

agents for granted. Youngs-at-heart are favoured so also commercial 

activities. 

AQUARIUS: Some of you will wake up from slumber and 

realise mistakes about your finances early enough and make 

amendment but those who are reckless will commit more blunder. 

Beware of joint venture. 

PISCES: Although erratic people from unexpected quarters 

may oppose you openly, your being self assertive will earn you 

both victory and financial success. Then tomorrow will prove 

more successful. 

ARIES: Yes! It’s your day again. The more ambitious you are 

the better for you. Then you will need to ignore those with queer 

characteristics within your working arena. 

TAURUS: Mixed trends are indicated. If you take good advice 

from your cool headed friends, you will benefit more than 

you imagine, but if you take to unpredictable attitude, you will 

today start fire that will burn with great intensity tomorrow. 

GEMINI: If you take the veterans within your base for granted, 

they will fail you painfully. Yet here is a lucky day for you when 

your being secretive and self reliant will earn you success. Be 

more ambitious. 

CANCER: Some of the people around you may get on your 

nerve via careless remarks, you must not allow them to 

disorganise your plans. The closer you are to the influential 

people the better for you. 

LEO: “Money is the root of all evils” says an adage. And if care 

is not taken, money may set you and some other people fiercelly 

against each other to the detriment of your cause. Be cautious. 

L E I S U R E 

THOUGHT FOR TODAY 

“Leadership is about inspiring and enabling others to do their 

absolute best together to realize a meaningful and rewarding shared 

purpose.” 

George B. Bradt; Jayme A. Check; John A Lawler, The New Leader’s 100- 

Day Action Plan - Purpose 

“If you persuade yourself that you can do a certain thing, provided this 

thing be possible, you will do it, however difficult it may be. If, on the 

contrary, you imagine that you cannot do the simplest thing in the 

world, it is impossible for you to do it, and molehills become for you 

unscalable mountains.” 

Emile Coué - Believe In Yourself 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

By Kola Fayemi 

VIRGO: Opposition between the Moon and Uranus in your 

star sign may induce personality clashes you don’t need at lest 

for now. What can help you now is love and your being persuasive. 

Think of the future. 

LIBRA: Positive events that started yesterday will continue 

today. Rely more on your ability to be as bold as necessary so 

that you can get things done your own way at work. 

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman 

SCORPIO: Good luck will smile at you. Romantic interlude 

that started recently may become excitingly louder and melodious 

to the satisfaction of your soul. 

SAGITTARIUS: If you allow domestic pressure to affect your 

working pattern, your senior colleagues may not understand 

and make things a bit more difficult. IF you’re stable, you will 

have more to gain financially. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date and place of birth to the Astr 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

When would frustration go? 

Dear Joshua, 

I am a prominent chief around here. I know that everybody 

has heard what frustration is but I doubt it if someone somewhere 

has first hand experience of what frustration is more than 

me. Why? 

Right now I am a healthy person yet I want your Astrological 

ex-ray about my star and tell me what to expect health-wise and/ 

or how to manage myself, career and financially. 

Anonymous, Nigeria. 

Dear Anonymous, 

It is true that you have gone through a few moments of test but 

today you are prominent. Meaning that what you tagged as 

frustration are needed challenges. 

Your parents must have gone through a few numbers of troubled 

moment while trying to raise you as you have what looked like 

a dirty childhood from both health and other areas as your life 

as indicated by opposition between conjoined planets across 

Pisces and Virgo when you were born 

Luckily for you however, as your natal Moon strongly got 

positive aspect from Venus, Your survival is assured. And there 

are indications of better health for you as you out-grow the 

childhood problems. 

Nonetheless what you will need to take seriously include constant 

worries, toothache, skin infection, headache (fever)lungs, 

stomach ache, feet and sometimes the bones (dislocation). Nothing 

fatalistic about everything started here but mere warnings. 

Yours is a rugged personality suitable for military career of 

any type. And whenever you opt out of the military, it will be wise 

of you to give consideration to involvement with liquid related 

business especially the oil industry. The computer world and 

essential needs of women. Actually dealing with women along 

your business line will prove most fortunate for you. 

Fish farming and other agro-allied can be favourable but 

because of your love of changes, you may not be able to see such 

through. 

As your natal Moon got good aspects from comfortable placed 

Venus (another money related planet), financial success is within 

your reach. 

T-square aspects formed by your natal Sun/Saturn, Uranus/ 

Pluto and Jupiter will bring delay related frustrations. Miscalculation 

and gambling line tedencies are other things capable 

of militating against your finance. 

Financial success will eventually be earned by you but you 

will need to embrace discipline nature in handling your finance. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa



12 years after, 5,000 DSC pensioners assured of payment 

By Egufe Yafugborhi 

TWELVE years after, 

over 5,000 retirees 

of the defunct Delta 

Steel Company, DSC, 

hope to receive their 

pension soon, if the 

ongoing Parastals 

Verification Exercise for 

pensioners under the 

Defined Benefit Scheme, 

DBS, by the Pension 

T r a n s i t i o n a l 

Arrangement 

Directorate, PTAD, is 

anything to go by. 

The exercise taking 

place at Orhowhorun, 

Udu Local Government 

Area, also involves 

retirees of the Federal 

10 firms to build modular refineries in 

Delta —Kachikwu 

By Festus Ahon 

MINISTER of State 

for Petroleum 

Resources, Dr Ibe 

Kachikwu, has said that 10 

companies have applied to 

build modular refineries in 

Delta State, assuring that 

work would soon 

commence at the Gas City 

project, Ogidigben. 

Kachikwu, who made the 

disclosure in Asaba, at a 

stakeholders’ engagement 

meeting 

and 

enlightenment campaign, 

said efforts were on to get 

more investors in the 

various sections of the 

project. 

“We are bringing back the 

financiers of the Gas City 

Project. We want to also let 

you know that the Ministry 

of Petroleum Resources 

has not given out contract 

for pipeline protection. The 

Maritime University is on 

course and we believe that 

by August/September next 

Delta Housing Authority 

and will last till 

November 28. 

Mrs. Sharon Ikpeazor, 

Executive Secretary of 

the supervising PTAD, 

yesterday, said that she 

felt, “fulfilled that 

government, under 


Buhari, has been able to 

come to the aid of 

retirees of DSC and FHA 

after 12 years of neglect. 

“One of the greatest 

injustices is for a worker 

to serve the country, 

retire and not be paid. 

Payment usually 

commences four months 

after verification because 

data and documents 

year, academic activities 

will commence. The 

Federal Government has 

released N1 billion for the 

project. President 

Muhamadu Buhari is 

committed to ensuring that 

things are done right for 

Nigerians,” he said, 

assuring that efforts were 

also on to make the sea 

ports in the state viable. 

Lord's Chosen holds Hope for the Needy crusade 

By Sam Eyoboka 

THE Lord’s Chosen 

Charismatic Revival 

Ministries holds an annual 

two-day power packed 

international programme 

entitled, Hope For The 

Needy on November 25-26, 

2017 at The Chosen 

Revival Ground, on 

Oshodi-Apapa 

Expressway, Lagos at 8.00 

a.m. daily. 

A statement by the Public 

Relations Officer of the 

mission, Pastor Louis Chidi, 

captured infield have to 

be sent to our Abuja 

headquarters for quality 

assurance. 

“Federal auditors in 

our office will go through 

the computations before 

payment is made. Here, 

we are expecting over 

5,000 workers to be 

verified. In the next four 

to five months we are 

assuring the pensioners 

that they will get paid.” 

Samuel Ikon, member, 

House Committee on 

Pension, expressed joy at 

the processes of the 

verification. 

“I am encouraged with 

the pace and manner it 

is being conducted. It is 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, 

who also spoke at the 

ceremony, urged the 


intervene in the speedy 

passage of the Petroleum 

Industry Bill, PIB, by the 

National Assembly, adding 

that the passage of the PIB 

would address most of the 

issues affecting the oil 

industry. 

said the programme which 

is interdenominational, is 

inspired by the Holy Spirit 

to address the various 

needs of the people 

irrespective of age, gender, 

religion, tribe or class. 

“As we all know, the 

consequence of economic 

and social disequilibrium 

resulting from political 

quagmire in the country has 

given rise to multiplicity of 

needs of our citizens. 

Accordingly, the future has 

become bleak for them as 

their hope is no longer 

well organised,” he said. 

Mr Akpoteghor 

Iseakpobeje, National 

Chairman, Nigerian 

Union of Pensioners, 

NUP, DSC sectoral 

branch, said: “We have 

lost over 700 of our 

members and about 300 

homes have been broken 

since the privatisation of 

DSC. Right now, some 

are struggling with 

terminal diseases 

because of hardship. We 

are grateful to President 

Buhari and hopeful that 

with this DBS, 

something will be 

coming at the end of the 

month to enable us to 

reassemble our 

families.” 

BRIEFING: From left: Tope Oshunkeye, Marketing Manager, DStv; Chidozie Bede-Nwokoye, 

Marketing Manager, GOtv; Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Marketing Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria; 

Yinka Adebayo, Executive Director, Media Investments, MediaReach and Caroline Oghuma, Ag. Head 

of Corporate Communications, MultiChoice Nigeria, during the press conference on MultiChoice Festive 

Promo tagged "12 GOOD REASONS" held at the MultiChoice Head Office, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria 

Island, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

Earlier in his remarks, the 

state Commissioner for Oil 

and Gas, Mr Mofe Pirah, 

said the programme was to 

attract investors to the state, 

saying: “It is the desire of 

Delta State to see that peace 

reigns supreme in all the 

nooks and crannies of the 

state since it is only in a 

peaceful environment that 

investment can thrive.” 

guaranteed in the artificial 

efforts of mankind, thus the 

need for divine intervention 

by this programme in order 

to give hope to the needy. 

“As the programme, 

which will be presided over 

by Pastor Lazarus Muoka, 

is designed by Almighty 

God. Our assurance is that 

He has set aside the two 

days to intervene in the 

affairs of the needy and 

grant them enduring hope 

in every area of life, not 

excluding economic, 

political, health, family etc,” 

he said. 

Nigerian Content boss backs 

downward review of free 

zone tariffs 

E XECUTIVE 

Secretary of the 

Nigerian Content 

Development and 

Monitoring Board, 

NCDMB, Mr. Simbi 

Wabote, has thrown his 

weight behind the move 

by the Oil and Gas Free 

Zones Authority, 

OGFZA, to reduce tariffs 

and cut the cost of doing 

business in the nation’s 

Oil and Gas Free Zones. 

Speaking during the 

week when the 

Managing Director of 

OGFZA, Mr Umana 

Okon Umana, paid him 

1,000 get 

free eye care 

as Emerhor 

clocks 60 

U GHELLI—NO 

fewer than 1,000 

people from Evwreni, 

Ughelli North and 

Enwhe, Isoko South 

Local Government areas, 

Delta State, yesterday, 

received free eye care 

service sponsored by 

business mogul and 

politician, Olorogun 

O’tega Emerhor. 

The event, which kickstarts 

four days of 

activities to mark 

Olorogun Emerhor’s 

60th birthday celebration 

will also be extended to 

four 

other 

communities,Uwheru, 

Unenurhie, Ogor, Ewu 

and Iyede, all in Ughelli 

North and Isoko South 

councils. 

Coordinator of the 

programme, Chief 

Collins Udi, said free 

medical glasses and 

drugs will be given to 

beneficiaries of the 

programme. 

Burial 

THE remains of 

Elder Charles 

Ogbuotobo, 67, will be 

interred next Wednesday, 

at his family compound, 

Ogbeodogwu Village, 

Tasia, Anambra State. 

He is survived by a 

widow, children, 

grandchildren and other 

relations 

Late Elder Ogbuotobo 

a courtesy call in his office 

in Yenegoa, Wabote 

commended the initiative 

by OGFZA on the 

downward review of tariffs 

in the oil and gas free 

zones. 

The Executive Secretary 

said he was aware, based 

on his knowledge of the 

industry, that high cost of 

doing business caused by 

excessive service charges 

has always been an issue 

in the industry, adding that 

over the years excessively 

high service charges have 

been responsible for a 

significant cost component 

of oil production in the 

country, thereby making 

the unit cost of oil 

production in Nigeria one 

of the highest in the world. 

“In the past many 

enterprises in the industry 

had complained about the 

cost of doing business 

because of excessive 

charges. 

“We are with you in this 

bid to bring down cost. We 

had discussed this a lot in 

the past and felt that cost 

should come down to 

manageable levels,” 

Wabote said. 

Burial 

MADAM Cecilia 

Igbadole, nee 

Okoduwa, of Igueben 

LGA of Edo State is 

dead, aged 72. She will 

be buried tomorrow in 

her home town, 

Amendoshian Uromi. 

She is survived by seven 

children and many 

grandchildren. 

Late Madam Igbadole 

Burial 

PA 

Blankson 

Ogbeni, a retired 

Chief Superintendent of 

Police, is dead, aged 90. 

Burial comes up today 

at his Ovie Palace road 

residence, Effurun, 

Delta State. 

Late Pa Ogbeni



2019 hots up in Imo, fear 

grips APC chairmen 

By Chinonso Alozie 

OWERRI—THE 27 

local government 

party chairmen of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, are now living in 

fear, due to leadership 

tussle. 

An investigation carried 

out by Vanguard, yesterday 

in Owerri, suggested that 

in two local government 

areas, of Isiala Mbano and 

Okigwe, it was discovered 

that the party leadership 

had two factions. 

For instance, in Okigwe, 

the vice chairman of the 

party, Mr. Chinwendu 

Egwuonwu, now lead 

party officials to a visit or 

function. 

An example was a visit to 

the Speaker of the Imo state 

House of Assembly, Mr 

Acho Ihim, where 

Egwuonwu, was quoted to 

have passed a vote of no 

confidence on the party 

chairman, Mr. Lucky Uche. 

According to him, “The 

party’s disdain for 

diabolism, disloyalty or 

indiscipline has no sacred 

cows, hence their reason for 

disassociating themselves 

from the erring Lucky Uche 

(the party chairman) until 

he purges himself of all 

known rebellious 

idiosyncrasies allegedly 

currently infesting him.” 

As if that was not enough, 

a release from the office of 

the Speaker of the Imo State 

House of Assembly, Ihim, 

thanked the party officials 

led by Egwuonwu, as being 

supportive to APC. 

Meantime, in Isiala 

Mbano area, a faction of the 

party is led by Mr Julius 

Asagwara, while the other 

by Mr. Obinna Onuegbu. 

Igbo group backs Buhari, 

rejects Ikpeazu 

By Anayo Okoli 

U MUAHIA—THE 

World Igbo Youth 

Congress, WIYC, said they 

would embark on onemillion-man 

march to Aso 

Rock this month to show 

support for the re-election 

of President Muhammadu 

Buhari in 2019. 

The WIYC, however 

vowed to stop the reelection 

of Governor 

Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia 

State in 2019, saying that 

he has continued to suffer 

workers and pensioners of 

the state by owing them 

months of arrears of their 

entitlements. 

The group in a statement 

signed by its National 

Publicitity Officer, Mazi 

Alex Okemiri, said, “after 

consultation with Igbo 

youth stakeholders, we 

decided to march to Aso 

Rock and demand that 

President Buhari should 

run for second tenure. 

“We will support Buhari 

with bloc votes from the 

South-East. Even majority 

of members of the 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo have 

given us their support that 

President Buhari is more 

credible than agents of 

restructuring and that 

President Buhari has only 

4 years to hand over to an 

Igbo Man in 2023. 

“Ndigbo will support 

Buhari if he rehabilitates all 

roads in South-East, and 

support SME businesses. 

The World Igbo Youth 

Council will consider 

President Buhari over other 

Northerners for presidency 

in 2019”. 

The group however 

scored Abia State Governor, 

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu poor, 

saying that the “World Igbo 

Youth Council will officially 

present an award to the 

Governor as the face of bad 

governance and worst 

Governor on December 

10, 2017, in Umuahia”, 

vowing that no intimidation 

would stop them from 

presenting the award. 

The youth group listed 

Ikpeazu’s sins to 

include: “non-payment 

of workers’ salaries and 

pension; his made in 

Aba products promotion 

campaign is a fraud.” 

NBA decries prison congestion 

By Chidi Nkwopara 

O Owerri WERRI—THE 

Branch of 

Nigerian Bar Association, 

NBA, has decried the level 

of congestion in federal 

prisons in the state. 

The NBA chairman, Mr. 

Lawrence Nwakaeti, made 

the lamentation in an 

address he read at the 

Special Assizes marking the 

opening of the 2017/2018 

new legal year of the Imo 

State Judiciary. 

“Our prisons are over 

congested with a facility 

meant to accommodate less 

than 600 inmates, but 

currently housing over 

2,400 inmates, mostly, 

awaiting trial”, he said. 

While calling for quick 

passage of the 

Administration of Criminal 

Justice Law, ACJL, in Imo 

State, to take care of the 

state’s unique and peculiar 

needs, Nwakaeti also 

promised that a Law Reform 

Advocacy Committee of the 

Bar will assist in driving the 

de-congestion. 

He called for introduction 

of caution, community 

labour and discharge 

options in our sentencing, 

stressing that a person 

convicted of a lesser 

offence, especially first 

timers, may be sentenced 

to clean the court premises 

for days, weeks or months." 

Ekwueme will get national burial--FG 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A F BUJA—THE 

e d e r a l 

Government, yesterday 

announced that the late 

former Vice President, Dr. 

Alex Ekwueme, will be 

given a national burial. 

Consequently, the 

Federal Government has 

set up a committee headed 

by the Secretary of the 


Federation, SGF, Boss 

Mustapha and has also 

opened a condolence 

register at the State 

House, Abuja. 

The Secretary to the 


Federation, Boss 

Mustapha, made the 

announcement at the 

National Economic 

Council (NEC), presided 

over by Vice President 

Yemi Osinbajo. 

Mustapha said that both 

the Federal Government, 

Anambra State 

Government and the late 

Ekweme’s family will fully 

participate in the burial. 

At the end of the council 

meeting which lasted five 

hours, Osinbajo led 

governors as well as other 

senior government 

officials to sign the 

condolence register. 

Meanwhile, the 

governor of Anambra 

State, Willie Obiano has 

commended President 

Buhari for the conduct of 

free and fair gubernatorial 

election on November 

18th in the state. 

THE Enugu State 

Executive Council 

has approved the sum of 

N1,532,148,154.76 for the 

construction of 14 critical 

roads in both the Enugu 

metropolis and some rural 

communities. 

This fresh massive 

approval came on the 

heels of the flag off of 

construction and 

rehabilitation of four other 

critical roads at the cost of 

about N1 billion within 

Enugu metropolis just on 

the eve of the last November 

4 local council elections in 

the state. 

Briefing journalists on the 

outcome of the Executive 

Council meeting held at 

Government House, 

Enugu, the state’s 

commissioner for works, 

Engr. Greg Nnaji, said the 

approvals were given after 

an extensive deliberation 

on various issues affecting 

the state, especially with 

regard to infrastructure, 

security and human 

capacity development. 

He said that contracts for 

the urban roads were 

awarded with the aim of 

rehabilitating feeder roads 

to ease the pressure and 

•SGF heads burial committee 

•As FG opens condolence register in State House 

OBSEQUIES: From right; Pastor Patrick Mejide, Provincial Pastor, RCCG North 

America and his wife, Pastor Anne Mejeide, Arch. Ambi Okuhor and hiswife, 

Deaconness Boukie Okuhor, Elo Unude, Mrs. Oke and Deaconness Gladwell Asigbe 

during the service of songs of their late mother, Madam Juliana Aseruomarie Orona- 

Okuhor which held at Ada-Irri Community, Isoko South Local Government Area. 

... As Markets, shops shut down in Oko 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA—ALL markets 

and private business 

premises in Oko, the home 

town of the late second 

republic Vice President, Dr. 

Alex , were yesterday shut 

down and commercial and 

social activities put on hold 

for the day as a mark of 

honour for their illustrious 

son who passed on in 

London last week. 

It was part of the mourning 

programme announced by 

the community preparatory 

to his burial which is yet to 

be fixed. 

When Vanguard visited 

the community yesterday, 

people of all ages were seen 

gathered at the Oko Civic 

Centre for reflections on the 

life of the man who single 

handedly brought 

development to the once 

sleepy community. 

Speeches, tributes and 

prayers were offered after 

which the people moved to 

Ekwueme’s country home 

where many of them signed 

the condolence register. 

President General of Oko 

Development Union, Chief 

CY Nwamuo said Ekwueme 

deserved the honour 

because he was a unique 

gift given to the community 

by God. 

He said: “The 

atmosphere depicts the 

mood we are in. We lost our 

most illustrious son, our 

father, our mentor. 

Though we have not 

started the burial, but we 

have to show that he was 

our father. 

“The man in question is 

a very important 

personality in Nigeria who 

contributed a lot to 

Nigeria’s development 

and for peaceful 

coexistence.'' 

Enugu approves N1.5bn for rehabilitation of 14 rural, 

urban roads 

occasional congestion on 

some major city roads, 

while the focus on rural 

roads is consistent with the 

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi 

administration’s vision to 

improve the living 

standard of rural dwellers 

and build new cities. 

Engr. Nnaji explained 

further that in line with this 

philosophy, the council has 

decided to decongest the 

Nike Lake road as part of 

the government’s urban 

renewal strategy. 

CHAIRMAN of Blue 

Diamond Logistics, 

China, Mr. Festus 

Mbisiogu has called on the 


ensure that most products 

exhibited at subsequent 

trade fairs are manufactured 

in Nigeria, in order to 

achieve the primary 

objective of trade 

exhibitions. 

He also noted that it was 

important for the 

government to be decisive 

in the search for a solution 

to the protracted power 

crisis in the country, saying 

that the country would only 

“The council approved 

the linking of Ezike 

road-Mgbowo-Nike 

Lake road extension in 

Enugu East Local 

Government Area. 

“This is a popular road 

and once this road is 

linked, people coming 

into Enugu from other 

states could drive through 

there to access the airport 

or continue their journey 

to destinations such as 

Anambra State,” he said, 

adding that all the roads 

make realise its 

productive potentialities 

with an improved power 

sector. 

Mbisiogu, who said this 

in Lagos during an 

appraisal of the just 

concluded trade fair, urged 

the government to renovate 

the Trade Fair Complex in 

Lagos, saying that the place 

had become a national 

disgrace. 

He said: ‘’I commend 

the organisers for 

convening this at a time 

like. The presence of 

foreign investors was a 

testimony that Nigeria is an 

are strategic and impact 

on residents’ access and 

mobility given that some 

would serve as necessary 

bypass to decongest the 

popular Nike Lake road. 

According to him, some 

of the rural roads like the 

Ogrute-Umuogbo Ulo- 

Isiugwu-Umuokpu-Ette 

roads, in Igbo-Eze North 

LGA, that lead to 

neighbouring Benue State 

have “for years not seen any 

form of construction 

whatsoever.” 

‘FG should ensure more presence of Made in 

Nigeria products at trade fairs’ 

investment destination. It is 

on record that more than 

5,000 manufactures visited 

the country for the event. 

That was huge and showed 

that if the problem of 

infrastructure is tackled, we 

will achieve our economic 

potentialities. 

‘’It is, however, sad that 

more than 80 percent of the 

goods displayed at the 

event were produced 

outside the country. That 

shouldn’t be. We are aware 

that the state of the power 

sector makes producing in 

the country impossible. I 

want the fgovernment to see 

this as a challenge to fix 

the power sector.”


By Aliyu Dangida 

DUTSE—THE Minister 

of Information and 

Culture, Mr. Lai 

Mohammed, said, 


PDP ‘ll never bounce back 

—Lai Mohammed 

By Peter Duru 

M AKURDI—THE 

Benue State 

Commissioner for Finance, 

Mr. David Olofu, yesterday, 

revealed that the state 

government had achieved 

28 percent of the 2017 fiscal 

estimate of N183 billion, 

lamenting that paucity of 

funds was frustrating the 

efforts of Governor Samuel 

Ortom’s administration to 

transform the state. 

Olofu, who spoke 

yesterday in Makurdi, the 

state capital, regretted that 

the present administration 

came in at a difficult time. 


situation accounts for the 

inability of the government 

to meet its obligation to 

workers and also 

implement some of the 

projects lined up in the year 

to better the lot of the 

people. 

The commissioner stated 

that government had to opt 

for borrowing to be able to 

pay the last wage, in line 

with its agreement with 

yesterday, that the 

opposition Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, has 

gone for good and will 

never come back to power. 

The minister, who spoke 

organised labour. 

“The budget of the year 

was N182 billion. But as I 

speak with you, we have 

achieved only about 28 

percent of that budget, due 

to paucity of funds. 

in an interview with 

newsmen during his twoday 

visit to Jigawa State to 

attend the ninth meeting of 

the National Council on 

Tourism, Culture and 

National Orientation in 

Dutse, explained that with 

the achievements recorded 

WORLD TOILET DAY: From left— Lagos State Commissioner for 

the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of 

the Environment, Mr. Abiodun Bamgboye; Managing Director, RB West Africa, 

Rahul Mungai, and others, during the 2017 RB World Toilet Day event in 

Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau. 

“We have approached the 

Federal Ministry of 

Finance. The governor has 

applied to the Minister for 

a waiver and approval for 

us to start the process to 

secure more funds. 

by the present 

administration of All 

Progressives Party, APC, 

under President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

Nigerians have no reasons 

to give their votes to PDP 

again. 

He noted that President 

Buhari has delivered the 

much-needed dividends of 

democracy, adding that he 

fulfilled some of his major 

campaign promises to 

Nigerians. 

Alhaji Mohammed 

minister said: “Buhari’s 

administration has 

succeeded in ensuring the 

security of Nigerians’ lives 

and properties, boosting the 

economy, enhancing 

agricultural sector among 

several issues.” 

He said the present 

administration had 

engaged over 200,000 

youths through the N- 

Power scheme, adding that 

more youths will soon be 

engaged in the 

programme, urging 

Nigerians to continue to 

support the APC 

administration for a better 

change and better Nigeria 

for all. 

Benue's achieved only 28% of 2017 budget— Commissioner 

EDO State government 

is set to embark on the 

reconstruction of 

dilapidated schools across 

the state, the state 

Commissioner for 

Education, Dr. Christopher 

Adesotu, has revealed 

during a meeting with 

School-Based 

Management Committee, 

SBMC, members, parents 

By Bolaji 

Akinyemi 

I LORIN—GOVERNOR 

Abdulfatah Ahmed of 

Kwara State has presented 

a budget estimate of 

N181,886,056,555 for 2018 

financial year. 

Laying the budget before 

the lawmakers at the state 

House of Assembly 

yesterday, Governor 

Ahmed said the proposed 

budget reflected an 

increase of N15,781,- 

009,150 or 9.5 percent 

compared to the 2017 

Revised Appropriation. 

This is just as Governor 

Ahmed stated that the 

government recorded 71 

percent implementation of 

the 2017 budget, with 

modest achievements in 

key sectors, despite 

economic challenges. 

Tagged Budget of 

Sustained Growth and 

Prosperity, N75,204,- 

257,902, representing 41.3 

percent, is for recurrent 

expenditure, while 

N106,681,798,630, which 

represents 58.7 percent, is 

earmarked for capital 

expenditure. 

Under recurrent 

expenditure, 

N46,567,379,761, 

representing 62 percent, is 

allocated as overhead cost, 

including subven-tions to 

parastatals, support grants 

and contributions, and 

overhead cost of tertiary 

institutions in the state. 

Personnel cost is 

“Until that approval is 

given nobody is going to 

listen to you even if you 

decide to go to any of the 

banks or even the Securities 

and Exchange Commission, 

SEC, for funds.” 

Gov Ahmed budgets N181bn for 2018 

Edo govt to embark on reconstruction of schools 

and other stakeholders in 

the education sector in 

Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba 

Okha Local Government 

areas of the state. 

Adesotu told the 

stakeholders that Governor 

Godwin Obaseki “has 

drawn up a list of schools 

that will benefit from the 

reconstruction and 

remodelling programme, 

but is concerned about the 

activities of vandals.” 

He urged the 

stakeholders to support the 

Governor Obaseki-led 

administration by 

protecting government 

facilities in their respective 

communities. 

Some of the stakeholders 

suggested that local 

vigilante groups be set up. 

expected to gulp 

N13,918,001,894 or 18.5 

percent of the total 

recurrent expenditure. 

Governor Ahmed 

explained that the 2018 

budget proposal was 

formulated, using the zerobased 

budgeting approach, 

adding that its projections 

were based on the Federal 

Government’s adopted 

assumptions of oil price 

benchmark of $45 per 

barrel and oil production 

estimate of 2.3 million 

barrels per day. 

The economic affairs 

sector has the highest 

allocation of N53,744,166,- 

521.00, 54.4 percent, while 

the health got N23,918,- 

380,992.00—22.4 percent. 

The education, 

N12,628,47,156 (11.8%); 

general public services, 

N7,550,770,62.00 (7.1%). 

TWO 

brands, 

manufactured by Chi 

Limited— Chivita Active 

Vegetable Fruit Nectar and 

Hollandia ChocoMalt— 

have emerged most 

innovative brands at the 

just-ended 2017 edition of 

the Marketing World 

Aisha Buhari offers medical 

services to 3,000 in Bauchi 

By Suzan Edeh 

THE wife of the 

President, Mrs. 

Aisha Buhari, has 

organised a free medical 

outreach for citizens and 

people living in Bauchi 

State under her pet 

project, Future Assured. 

Flagging off the 

medical outreach at the 

state Specialist Hospital 

in Bauchi, Aisha said the 

target of the outreach was 

to screen and treat about 

3,000 people. 

According to her, it is 

also to create awareness 

for diabetes, 

MultiChoice offers 

free subscription 

By Prince Okafor 

M ULTICHOICE 

Nigeria has 

disclosed that starting 

from today to the 26th, its 

viewer that pays for two 

extra month subscription 

on GOtv and DSTV 

platform will enjoy one 

month free subscription 

of any bouquet they paid 

for. 

This came even as the 

company revealed its 

festive promotion for 

consumers across the 

country with the 

#12GoodReasons goody 

bags, starting from 

Friday, November 24, 

2017 until March 18, 

2018, as subscribers on 

both DStv and GOtv 

platforms stand a chance 

to win free subscriptions 

and kitchenware, while 

gaining access to new 

KWESÉ television, a 

pay-TV provider, 

says its offering new 

subscribers a 75 percent 

discount on their second 

month subscription for a 

special Christmas 

promotion. 

A statement by the 

management of Kwese 

TV, said though a new 

Kwesé TV complete kit is 

sold for N10,960, new 

subscribers, who pay an 

additional N1,590, will 

enjoy two months of 

uninterrupted viewing, 

hypertension, eye ailments 

and de-worming of 

children. 

Mrs. Buhari, who was 

represented by the North- 

East Coordinator of Future 

Assured, Zuwaira Gambo, 

said the initiative was to 

complement government’s 

efforts at providing health 

care for the populace. 

The Permanent Secretary 

of the Ministry, Saidu 

Aliyu Gital, described the 

turnout as very impressive, 

saying 160 medical 

personnel for the 

programme were on 

ground to attend to 

patients. 

and exciting content at no 

extra cost. 

Speaking at a briefing on 

#12GoodReasons to stick 

to DSTV/GOtv, the 

General Manager, Sales 

and Marketing, 

MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. 

Martin Mabutho, said: 

“Starting from December 

24 to 26, we have what we 

tagged as BlackFriday for 

Nigerians to pay two 

month and get one month 

free. 

“For the festive season, 

you can now pick up a HD 

decoder and dish with 

one month compact 

subscrip-tion for just 

N9,900; and two-month 

Family sub-scription for 

only N10, 900. 

“New GOtv customers 

only have to pay N4,300 

for a GOtv decoder plus 

one month GOtv Plus 

subscription.” 

... as Kwesé TV slashes 

75% off for new subscribers 

Awards in Ghana. 

Chi Limited’s Managing 

Director, Mr. Deepanjan 

Roy, said the recognition 

of the firm’s most recent 

innovative brands was a 

reflection of the 

resourcefulness and valuedriven 

processes that have 

adding that the window is 

open until December 31. 

The General Manager of 

Kwesé TV Nigeria, 

Elizabeth Amkpa, said: 

“This festive season, we are 

giving consumers more 

reasons to take control of 

their TV viewing. 

“Paying an extra N1,590 

in addition to our current 

retail price of N10,960, 

new subscribers will stay 

connected for two months 

and access all channels 

on our sports and 

entertainment bouquet.” 

Nigerian beverage firms wins awards in Ghana 

ensured quality, from 

conception to packaging. 

His words: “The awards 

show our continued desire 

to meet up with consumer 

needs. The consumer is 

king and it is important to 

provide consumer 

satisfaction at all times.”


Never again will wanton stealing 

be allowed in Nigeria – Buhari 

ZADOK Chibueze Keep it 

up, sir. . May God’s grace 

to restore the lost glory of our 

nation be on you sir. 

Galantman 

Mr President, you have cast 

your name in gold. No matter 

how flawed the fight against 

corruption may look to the 

doubting dick and harry, it’s a 

step in the right direction. It’s 

better to be late than never. 

Gradually the jugular vein of 

the corruption empire is being 

targeted. God protect our president. 

Nigeria will be great 

again. Kudos! 

Chigozie Ibekwe M, 

If the Anambra election defeated 

Biafra state, then this is the 

time the federal government 

has to pass opinion polls on 

Biafrans for a total halt of the 

agitation 

Chimaobi Wogu · Micheal 

IPOB will soon become history 

kofuche 

Before the election, we warned 

people that the results had already 

been written. They were 

waiting for that day to come so 

that you could go and validate 

the fraud. And we call on people 

to boycott the election. Boycott 

recorded more than 90% 

success and as we expected, 

the zoo announced the already 

written results. Things 

are still working out for the 

good of IPOB. The successful 

boycott shows that we shall 

also be successful in the referendum 

for Biafra. Lai is still 

living up to his reputation with 

even well refined lies. We are 

not disturbed. 

Daddy peace kofuche 

Anambra has never produced 

more than 500,000 votes 

since Jega and Jonathan reformed 

INEC. This election 

recorded about 490,000 votes, 

2019: Again, FG moves against 

Atiku’s Intels, revokes residence 

permits of expatriates 

R imanson 

Let him continue, he is 

only drawing sympathy 

towards Atiku 

Otu Ekpenyong 

If this is because Atiku is 

contesting in 2019 then he 

may be on his way to the 

Presidency of Nigeria. 

Onyemere Harris 

All because of Atiku 

presidential ambition. 

Candidly 

What about all the 

displaced workers? Will the 

President Buhari 

administration offer them 

other jobs? Where is the 

Minister for Labour? 

D.S. Candidly 

He will place them on the 

federal government N5000 

monthly scheme 

Sam 

Is Intel above the law? 

What are they hiding from 

Izedomi Ohirein GEO 

President Buhari is fighting 

corruption more than any president 

before him. Kachikwu did 

not say that $25billion was missing. 

You are misinformed 

Conscience Asuk 

Wike’s report which he could 

not substantiate. Amaechi stood 

before the senate and was confronted 

when he was being 

screened, he defended corruption 

allegations made against 

him, I was amazed when all the 

senators applauded him. But the 

BIG question: who is not corrupt 

in Nigeria? 

about 15% increase of the total 

votes cast in 2013 Anambra election. 

I don’t know where you got 

the 90% boycott. 

Ebele Olisah Daddy peace 

PDP and APC candidates for 

Anambra gubernatorial elections, 

Oseloka Obaze and Ikedife, 

are already challenging the 

results and you and the cabals 

are still busy playing 

mind games. 

Onu igala Ebele Olisah 

The APC candidate and some 

of the party chieftains from 

there, also complained that the 

election figures were manipulated. 

Denson Lewe Ebele Olisah 

It will be hard to cover the lie 

if APC or PDP emerge as winners, 

APGA will never agree 

and it will lead them to open 

up, they will ask PDP or APC 

where did you get your vote 

when it’s clear that no one voted. 

The best option is to agree 

with APGA for Obiano to continue 

with offer of state Assembly 

seats for their parties as my 

compensation not giving IPOB 

credit they deserve. THE SUN 

THE STAR IS BIAFRA 

•Atiku 

Nigerians as to the real 

amount of revenue it has been 

making in on behalf of the 

Nation? 

David Adeniran 

I don’t support this style of 

frustrating the opposition. 

When a government employs 

this method as a way of life 

then they indirectly draw 

people’s sympathy and 

support to the opposition. 

Beyond Mugabe: The other vultures in 

Harare 

ROBERT 

Mugabe 

overstayed his welcome by 

miles. But he wouldn’t come this 

far without the support of his 

former Vice President Emmerson 

Mnangagwa, the ruling ZANU- 

PF party and the military top 

brass. They were in it together. 

Ordinary Zimbabweans wanted 

Mugabe out at least over a decade 

ago. The clearest expression 

of that was in 2008 when they 

voted Morgan Tsvangarai of the 

Movement for Democratic 

Change in a general election later 

stolen by ZANU-PF after the first 

round of voting. 

Mugabe’s party didn’t only stop 

at stealing the vote. The government 

used massive violence 

against the opposition and ordinary 

citizens who were protesting. 

To teach him a lesson, the 

government arranged two nearfatal 

car accidents for Tsvangarai. 

That was a watershed moment. 

After 2008, the country descended 

rapidly into chaos. While 

Mugabe and his inner circle 

clung onto wartime memories of 

the guerrilla struggle against Ian 

Smith and other colonialists, the 

rest of the country wrestled with 

a harsh existence and a hopeless 

future. Many either migrated or 

were forced into exile. 

Mugabe’s Handcart 

After a promising start in 1980, 

Zimbabwe has become a disaster 

in Mugabe’s handcart: one Zimbabwe, 

one Mugabe. 

But none of this happened 

behind Mnangagwa’s back. He 

was Mugabe’s right hand man 

and vice president since 2014. He 

has been linked to some of the 

most repressive actions of the 

government, including the alleged 

killing of nearly 20,000 people 

in Matabeleland after the 

government threw Joshua Nkomo 

under the bus. 

As inner circles go, they don’t 

get closer than Mnangagwa, described 

by one writer as the steel 

behind Mugabe’s iron fist. 

In a rare public admission that 

his country was unraveling 

Mugabe complained last year 

that $15 billion worth of diamonds 

were pillaged. Fingers have been 

pointing up and down Mugabe’s 

inner circle where Mnangagwa 

had a front seat. 

The buck must stop with 

Mugabe but it would be naïve to 

assume that those who propped 

up his regime for 37 years are 

suddenly latter-day saints. 

Mnangagwa and the military top 

brass stepped in not necessarily 

to save Zimbabwe but to manage 

the transition to their own advantage. 

VP, Grace et al 

It was self-preservation first. 

Zimbabwe was accidental to the 

coup. If Mnangagwa was not removed 

last month, he would still 

have found a way to manage the 

bitter power struggle and, perhaps, 

kept the military, the party 

and other renegades at bay. 

There were rumours that after 

Mnangagwa’s removal the military 

top brass got wind that they 

would be next on the firing line. 

They struck to preempt Mugabe. 

Grace Mugabe was a bad influence 

all right, a caricature of 

Marie Antoinette who at the 

height of her insolence asked 

French peasants to eat cake if they 

could no longer afford bread. 

Many Zimbabweans could 

neither afford cake nor bread. 

Yet, Grace was overrated. She 

might have had an ambition to 

succeed her husband, but it’s difficult 

to see how she could cut a 

path through the gerontocratic 

Zimbabweans 

are on a long 

road and the 

post-1980 generation 

that has 

watched protests 

mostly on TV 

must now prepare 

for a tortuous 

journey 

labyrinth of Zimbabwe’s ultra-conservative 

ruling party. Many 

feared her, but in party circles, she 

was a loathed outsider, an interloper 

who could be contained, as 

long as there was money to 

spend. 

X-Factor 

The thing that Mnangagwa and 

co worried about the most was not 

Grace or Jonathan Moyo or any 

of the other contestants for power 

around Mugabe. It was the unknown, 

the X-factor, that terrified 

them. 

The fear that the Old Fox might 

pass on without an orderly transfer 

of power was what united and 

terrified his inner circle the most. 

They moved in to stave off their 

worst personal and collective 

fears, treating Mugabe with re- 

spect partly out of a sense of history 

but mostly out of a sense of 

gratitude for the gravy train of the 

last 37 years. 

When Mugabe’s government 

nationalised white-owned businesses, 

his cronies were the major 

beneficiaries of the assets from 

farms to steel and from nickels to 

diamonds. They won’t forget that 

in a hurry. 

Even though the country has 

come under severe sanctions that 

has further pauperised most of its 

citizens, its elite, especially 

Mnangagwa and those in the 

inner circle, have continued to live 

in the other Zimbabwe where 

privileged access guarantees 

them the best things in life. 

The last thing they wanted was 

a transition over which they 

would have no control – or worse, 

an upheaval. 

Long Walk 

I perfectly understand the outpouring 

of joy in the streets of 

Harare. We’ve seen it many times 

before in the streets of Lagos, 

Accra and other African capitals. 

But Zimbabweans will soon find 

that no soldier carries out a coup 

– even a slow-motion coup like 

the one we saw last week – to help 

civilians get back their footing. 

Mugabe has gone but the accident 

of self-interest that removed 

him also gives Zimbabweans a 

chance to hold to account all those 

who ran the country aground in 

cahoots with him. 

The protracted negotiations 

with Mugabe even when it 

seemed the army had him over a 

barrel, should serve as a lesson. 

Zimbabweans are on a long road 

and the post-1980 generation that 

has watched protests mostly on 

TV must now prepare for a tortuous 

journey. 

In these uncertain, early days, 

the wolves in sheep’s clothing 

would roam the land distancing 

themselves from the odious past 

that they had been a part of and 

promising Zimbabweans heaven 

on earth. 

Mugabe is past tense. But the 

public must keep an eye on 

Mnangagwa, the generals and 

remnants of the ZANU-PF. Everyone 

who has seen a palace coup 

knows that the more things 

change, the more they remain the 

same. 

If Zimbabweans are in doubt, 

they should ask Nigerians or any 

of their neighbours in West Africa. 

Ishiekwene is the Managing 

Director/Editor-In-Chief of The 

Interview and member of the 

board of the Global Editors Network


ATAMAK 

AMAKO 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as Miss 

Atamako Elizabeth 

Oniovosa, now wish to 

be known and 

addressed as Mrs. 

Akinbote Elizabeth 

Oniovosa. All former 

documents remain 

valid. General public 

please take note. 

EZE 



Eze Judith Chinenye, 

now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. 

Ihegbe Judith 

Chinenye . All former 




HUBERA 

Correction of Name 

My name was wrongly 

written as Hubera 

Honsa Ayo Agognon, 

instead of Hubert Ayo 

Agognon. My correct 

name is Hubert Ayo 

Agognon. All former 




OLATUNJI 


addressed as 

Najeemudeen Bola 

Olatunji, now wish to 

be known and 

addressed as Olateju 

Najimu Bola. All 

former documents 

remain valid. General 

public please take note. 

NWOKENKWO 


addressed as 

N w o k e n k w o 

Munachiso Best, now 

wish to be known and 

addressed as Uka 

Chisom Best. All 




EZEH 



Ezeh Assumpta 

Chidinma, now wish to 

be known and 


Anorue Assumpta 

Chidinma. All former 




EKEH 



Ekeh Janet Nkeiruka, 



Onyewuenyi Janet 

Nkeiruka. All former 




EKEDOBE 



Ekedobe Nneka 

Letticia, now wish to be 

known and addressed 

as Mrs. Nduchekwe 

Nneka Letticia. All 




ENO 


addressed as Okon 

Gift Eno, now wish to 

be known and 

addressed as Ekpo 

Gift Okon. All former 




NNAJI 

Correction of Name 

My name was wrongly 

written as Nnaji 

Queeneth Uchenna, 

instead of Queeneth 

Uchenna Rowland. I 


and addressed as 

Queeneth Uchenna 

Rowland. All former 




BIBOWEI 

Confirmation of Name 

This is to confirm that the 

name Bibowei Akpofure 

Nabena and Frank 

Bibowei Akpofure 

Nabena refer to one and 

the same person. All 

former documents remain 

valid. NBA, Foreign 

Embassies, CITN, all 

institutions and general 


FADIY 

ADIYOR 



Fadiyor Chinwe 

Fiona, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Onyekachi 

Chinwe Fiona. All 




ONAMUTI 


addressed as Onamuti 

O l a y e m i 

Oluwafunmilayo, now 


addressed as Ayeni 

O l a y e m i 

Oluwafunmilayo. All 




AMOGU 


The names, Ngozi Otisi 

Amogu and Ngozi Rita 

Chinedu belong to the 

same person, but now 


addressed as Mrs. Ngozi 

Chinedu Obi. All former 

documents remain valid. 

Union Bank and general 


JONATHAN 



Kelechi Gift Jonathan, 



Kelechi Gift Eleke. All 




AKOBO 



Tamunoibi Tonbo 

Seddon Akobo, now 



Tamunoibi Akobo- 

Tanno. All former 




OYIRA 


addressed as Joy 

David Oyira, now wish 

to be known and 

addressed as 

Otokuefor Joy Ochuko. 

All former documents 

remain valid. Diamond 

Bank and general 


OKORIE 

ORIE 


addressed as Okorie 

Joy Ifeoma, now wish 



Friday Joy Ifeoma. All 




ONORIVBE 



Onorivbe Juliet, now 



Okuma Juliet. All 




LAWAL 



Lawal Olayinka 

Falilat, now wish to be 

addressed as Mrs 

Omidire Olayinka 

Falilat. Former document 

remains valid. 

Pls, General public 

take note. 

MGBOLU 


addressed as Rita 

Obiageli Mgbolu, now 


addressed as Rita 

Obiageli Ochonogo. 

All documents remain 



BENEDICT 


addressed as Benedict 

Vivian, now wish to be 


as Akpu Vivian. All 




TEMIDAYO 



Temidayo Odunola 

Muyinotu, now wish to 

be addressed as Mrs 

Atoyebi Odunola 

Muyinotu. Former 

document remains 

valid. Pls, General 

public take note. 

EJIEME 



name Happiness 

Longinus Ejieme and 

Ejieme Longinus Obioma 

refer to one and the same 

person, now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

Ejieme Longinus Obioma. 




ANSELM 


addressed as Anselm 

Okudu, now wish to be 


as Ansel Okudu. All 




KABIRU 

MOSES MOMODU 


addressed as Moses 

Chinatu Patricia, now 

wish to be addressed 

as Iroanya Patricia 

Chinatu. Former document 

remains valid. 

Pls, General public 

take note. 

ROBERT 


addressed as Robert 

Tamaraupreye Hope, 



Okpikpi Tamaraupreye 

Patrick. All former 





addressed as Kabiru 

Ese, now wish to be 


as Urhoboghara Ese 

Emily. All former 





addressed as Omosun 

Franklin, now wish to 

be addressed as 

Omosun Franklin 

Momodu. Former 

document remains 

valid. Pls, General 


ABAIDE 



Ebiere Emmaunella 

Abaide, now to be 


as Mrs. Ebiere 

Emmaunella Willy. All 




NKEM 



Nkem Mildred Enyi, 



Ezeani Mildred 

Nkemdirim Linda. All 




LUCKY 


addressed Miss Victor 

Lucky Edith, now wish 



Erebi Victor Edith. All 




EDDY 


addressed as Philo 

Eddy, now wish to be 


as Philo Adjara. All 




OLALEKAN 


addressed as Mr. 

Bankole Olalekan 

Damilola, now wish to 

be known and 

addressed as Mr. 

Damilola Bankole. All 




AKINKUOTU 


addressed as 

Akinkuotu Betty Toyosi, 



Martins Betty Toyosi. 




OKOH 

OH 


addressed as Okeh 

Rawlings Efetobor, 



Omasanjuwa 

Rawlings Efetobore. 



public please take note.


USIWO 



Egedi Clementina 

Usiwo, now wish to be 


as Mrs Ariye Egedi 

Clementina. All former 



take note. 

OKON 

ON 


addressed Miss Okon 

Uduak-Obong Bassey, 


and addressed as Mrs 

Edema Uduak-Obong. 




EZE 

AKHABUE 

OGWUDE 

EZENWA 

OMAYER 

YERUME 



Omayerume Igho 

Christy, now wish to be 


as Mrs Iguariede Igho 

Christy. All former 



take note. 

GBENGA 

OLASODE EBINUM EYIDE 


This is to confirm that 

the name Olasode 

Gbemisola Omolara 

and Olasode Omolara 

Olugbemisola refer to 

one and the same 

person. All 




EGONYE 

AGBAPULONWU 



Agbapulonwu 

Uchechukwu Fidelia, 



A n u n a n d u 

Uchechukwu Fidelia. 




ESEOSA 

ENAHORO 

MAIMUNAT 

CHANGE OF NAME 

EMOGHWARE 



Stella Oghenefejiro 

Emoghware, now wish 



Stella Oghenefejiro 

Kester-Iwhiwhu. All 





called as Miss Ebinum 

Angela Nkoye, now 



Akene Angela Nkoye. 


remain valid, any 

authority it may 

concern and the 

general public to take 

note. 

We, formerly known and addressed as Wilfred Ikechukwu Egonye, Nkachukwu 

Obiageli Egonye, Daniel Chukwubuike Egonye, Prudentus Chukwunweolu 

Egonye, Emmanuel Chukwudi Egonye, Augustine Chukwudozie 

Egonye,Christopher Chinasa Egonye, Nkechinyere Lorreta Egonye, Cordelia 

Obianuju Egonye, Bibiana Obuteaku Egonye, Stephena Chinweoke Egonye, 

and Martin Obinna Egonye, now wish to be known and addressed as Wilfred 

Ikechukwu Azoka, Nkachukwu Obiageli Azoka, Daniel Chukwubuike Azoka, 

Prudentus Chukwunweolu Azoka, Emmanuel Chukwudi Azoka, Augustine 

Chukwudozie Azoka,Christopher Chinasa Azoka, Nkechinyere Lorreta Azoka, 

Cordelia Obianuju Azoka, Bibiana Obuteaku Azoka, Stephena Chinweoke 

Azoka, and Martin Obinna Azoka. All former documents remain valid. General 




Eze Nebechi Maureen, 


and addressed as Mrs 

Ogbodo Maureen 

Nebechi. All former 


valid. First Bank and 

general public please 

take note. 



Maureen Okeiman 

Akhabue, now wish to 

be known and 


Honnah Maureen 

Okeiman. All former 






Christiana Onyeka 

Ogwude, now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

Mrs. Christiana Onyeka 

Ogedi. All former 


FMC Asaba, University 

of Ilorin Teaching 

Hospital and general 



addressed as Ezenwa 

Ifeyinwa Kosiso, now 


addressed as 

Okonkwo Ifeyinwa 

Kosiso. All former 






Erhunmwunse Eseosa 

Ruth, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Nwali Eseosa 

Ruth. All former 






Agatha Omosefe 

Enahoro, now wish to 

be known and 


Agatha Omosefe 

Umuane. All former 




Correction and 

confirmation of names 

This is to confirm and 

certify that the names 

Babalola Oluwafunmilola 

Maimunat and Babalola 

Oluwafunmi Mainat refer to 

one and the same person, 

but now wish to be known 

as 

Babalola 

Oluwafunmilola Maimunat. 


remain valid. First Bank and 

the general public should 


UGWUMBA 


addressed as Samuel 

Maduabuchukwu 

Ugwumba, now wish 


addressed as Samuel 

Maduabuchukwu Francis. 




OKIA 



Okia Uzor Queen, 



Uzor Queen Tochukwu 

Praise Egbuna. All 

former documents remain 

valid. General 

public please take 

note. 

DIVINE 


addressed as Divine 

Mbang Akpama, now 


addressed as Ugbor 

Mbang Akpama. All 


remain valid. First 

Bank Plc and general 


OBI 



Obi Juliet Nneka, now 



Iheanacho Juliet 

Nneka. All former 





addressed Gbenga 

Marcellin Olanrewaju, 



Marcellin John 

Gbenga. All former 



take note. 


The name Eyide Ayiri and 

Eyide Ayirioritse Innocent 

are mine, but henceforth I 

now wish to be known, 

called and addressed as 

Eyide Ayirioritse 

Innocent. All former 


The general public should 


OKOYE 


addressed Chiamaka 

Adaeze Okoye, now 



Chiamaka Adaeze 

Odita. All former 



take note. 

ANYANWU 

ANWU 



Anyanwu Juliet 

Ugochi, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Ekennia 

Juliet Ugochi. All 




OZIEGBE 



Oziegbe Esther 

Ilebata, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Esther Ilebata 

Momodu. All former 




ORJI 

Reconciliation of Name 


names Ajuzieogu Blessed 

Ubachukwu, Orji Iheyinwa 

Blessed Ubachukwu and 

Iheyinwa Blessed 

Ubachukwu refer to one 

and the same person. I 



Ajuzieogu Blessed 

Ubachukwu. All former 


General public please take 

note. 

ONIPE 



Mary Ahuoiza Onipe, 



Mary Ahuoiza Omole. 

All documents remain 

valid. General Public 


EMMASON 


addressed as Ubevu 

Efe Emmason, now 


addressed as Ubevu 

Efe. All former 



take note. 

GIWA 


addressed as Iliya 

Giwa, now wish to be 


as Iliya Kwaji Giwa. All 




MBAKWE 


addressed Miss 

Gladys Obioma 

Mbakwe, now wish to 

be known and 


Gladys Obioma 

Okwudire Nwogu. All 




OBIECHINA 



Obiechina Gloria, now 



Zephaniah Gloria. All 




OKAFOR 

I, formerly known 


Okafor Chukwu 

Augustine .I., now 


addressed as 

C h u k w u 

Ikechukwu 

Austin. All former 

d o c u m e n t s 


public please take 

note. 

ORJI 

Reconciliation of Name 


names Ajuzieogu 

Oluomachi Divine, Orji 

Oluomachi Divine, 

Iheyinwa Oluomachi 

Divine and Iheyinwa 

Olumachin Divine refer to 

one and the same person. 

I now wish to be known 


Ajuzieogu Oluomachi 

Divine. All former 


General public please take 

note. 

ADEYEMI 


addressed as Adeyemi 

Oluwafunmilayo, also 

known as Mykel 

Adeniran Moyosore 

Funmilayo, now wish 



Myk- Adeniran 

Moyosore Funmilayo. 


remain valid. The 

general public please 

take note. 

OKE 


addressed Ejohwomu 

Sarah Oke, now wish 


addressed as 

Ejohwomu Ochuko. All 




EKPU 


addressed as Harrison 

Ekpu, now wish to be 


as Harrison Philip. All 




JOSIAH 


addressed as Josiah 

Julie, and Ogigbah 

Julie Igho respectively, 



Ogigbah Julie. All 




NWACHUKWU 



Nwachukwu Eunice 

Ezinne, now wish to 

be known and 


Ehiemere Eunice 

Ezinne. All former 




OKOWA 



Okowa Stella Ngozi, 



Ebegboni Stella Ngozi. 




OLUBIY 

UBIYO 


addressed as Olubiyo 

Gift Oluwabunmi, now 



Kumolu Gift 

Oluwabunmi. All 




BETTY 

I, formerly known, 

called and addressed 

as 

Atohwo 

Okiemute Betty, now 

wish to be known, 


as Opuoru Okiemute 

Atohwo henceforth. All 

documents bearing my 

former names remain 

valid.Banks and the 

general public should 

please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME 

ESE 

I, formerly known, 


as Atohwo Abel Ese, 

now wish to be known, 


as Opuoru Atohwo 

E s e o g h e n e 

henceforth. All 

documents bearing my 

former names remain 

valid. Banks and the 

general public should 


OMIMI 


addressed as Omimi 

E. Sunday, now wish 

to be and addressed as 

Sunday Efe Ofugara. 




MOWOE 


addressed as 

Osayamen Mowoe, 



Osayamen Imariagbe. 




OSE 



Onos-Elenbalu 

Joycelyn Ose, now 


addressed Mrs. 

Owumi Joycelyn Ose. 




AMAWHE 



Amawhe Faith, now 



Arokrokro Faith. All 


remain valid. Heritage/ 

Abbeycourt Energy 

Services and general 


UBOGU 



Ubogu Queen 

Ekemena, now wish to 

be known and 


Ejiyi Perpetual 

Ekemena. Former 




THOMPSON 


addressed as 

Thompson Kpanaki, 



Thomas Kpanaki. All 




ERABOR 



Erabor Toritseju, now 


addressed as Erebor 

Toritseju. All former 




SOJA 



Soja Odeyovwi 

Charity, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Sido 

Odeyovwi Charity. All 




EKEOSEYE 



E k e o s e y e 

Onuwabhagbe 

Blessing, now wish to 

be known and 


O k a r u e f e 

Onuwabhagbe 

Blessing. All former 




JENIJE 



Jenije Betsy 

Oghenevwede 

Oritsetsaninomi, now 



Azumara Betsy 

Oghenevwede. All 




SPACE 

FOR 

SALE 

THIS SPACE 

IS 

FOR SALE 

We'll surpass 

30% 

broadband 

penetration 

target 

—NIGCOMSAT 

•Trains dealers on 

Ka-VSAT installation 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

A BUJA—THE 

N i g e r i a n 

Communication Satellite 

Limited says is set to 

surpass the 30 percent 

broadband penetration 

target by December 2018 

if public and private sector 

operators in the country 

key into its ongoing Ka- 

VSAT deployment. 

The Managing Director 

and Chief Executive 

Officer of NIGCOMSAT 

limited, Abimbola Alale 

gave the assurance 

yesterday during their 

one-day training of some 

selected retailers for Ka- 

VSAT installation across 

the country. 

Alale, who was 

represented at the 

occasion by the Executive 

Director, Engineering 

Services, Raji Kolawole 

said the event was 

important to the company 

in its effort towards 

bringing the benefits. 

She said the agency is 

poised to offer unparallel 

satellite service and 

capture 

the 

communications satellite 

market available in Africa 

and beyond if public and 

private sector operators in 

the country key into its 

ongoing Ka-VSAT 

deployment agenda, 

adding that the with the 

recent agreement with 

BelinterSat, operators of 

Nelintersat-1, of Belarus 

for back up satellite, 

prospective customers 

have nothing to fear. 

She said: ‘‘Despite the 

30 percent target, I can 

assure you that by the time 

we start rolling out, we will 

surpass that 30 percent 

target. That is why we 

want investors, private 

sector to come in including 

government agenciesto 

come through 

NigCoimSat to provide 

the Ka-VSAT service to 

Nigerian in the rural 

areas. 

‘‘Our target is to go into 

the rural areas and serve 

the underserved and 

unserved people and by 

the time you serve these 

rural people, the 30 per 

cent target we are looking 

at can be surpassed 

because if we take the 20 

percent of the rural areas 

and add it to the 

percentage the terrestrial 

operators are offering, 

that will go along way to 

surpass that target." 


BOOK LAUNCH: From left— Minister for Trade and Investments, 

Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah; former Nigerian representative to the United 

Nations, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; representative of former President, 

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi; a guest; Vice President 

Yemi Osinbajo; Chief Launcher, Prince Clement Haastrup; Minister for 

Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Book Reviewer, Professor Michael 

Faborode, at the formal presentation of the book, From Consumption to 

Production: The Whys and Ways Out of Failed Industrialisation in Nigeria, in 

Abuja. 

DISPUTE RESOLUTION CONFAB: From left— Justice of 

the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; Publisher, 

The Guardian Newspapers, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, and Founder/Chief 

Executive Officer, Negotiation and Conflict Management Group, NCMG, 

International, Kehinde Aina, at the Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR, 

conference to mark the 21st Anniversary of NCMG in Lagos. 

PDP NOMINATION FORM: Aspirant, Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, National Secretary, Ahaji Abubakar Mustapha (right), submitting, his 

form to Caretaker Organising Committee Secretary, Senator Abdu Nigi, at 

the Party Secretariat in Abuja. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan. 

FREIA: From left— CEO, Luxury Villa's Group, Tommy Odama; CEO, 

Agatha's Interior Design, Agatha Eric-Udorie, and Director, African Artists 

Foundation, Azu Nwagbogu, at the briefing on FREIA 2017 Conference 

and Exhibition, on the theme Next Frontiers Building Tomorrow's Masterpiesces, 

in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.


CHIEF MACAULAY OVUOZUORIE HOSTS EX-DELTA STATE GOV, JAMES IBORI 

From left; Former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, 

former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, another former Governor 

of Delta State as Chief Macaulay Ovuozuorie hosted Chief Ibori on Saturday at his country home in 

Owheologbo in Isoko North Council Area of Delta State. PHOTOS BY AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE. 

Chief Ibori acknowledges cheers from the people. 

Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan in a handshake with HRM Kalamana XIII, the 

Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom as others look 

Chief William Makinde, DESOPADEC Chairman (left and Chief Ighoyota Amori. 

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, former Governor of Edo State (left) exchanging 

pleasantries with Chief James Ibori, former Governor of Delta State. 

Comrade Macaulay Ovuozuorie welcoming Gen. Alex Ogomudia (retd.), Chief 

Benjamin Elue, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Chief Ighoyota Amori and others. 

Chief Ibori greeting Macaulay's mother as Sen. James 

Manager watches. 

Governor Okowa welcomes Oshiomhole. 

A cross section of women group dancing at the event.

I was never sacked, still in active service —MAINA 

Continues from Page 5 

Miana. “Mr. Maina was 

declared absent from duty 

2013 and attempts to locate 

him proved abortive. 

The Ministry informed 

the HoS for query. Ministry 

of Interior gave the 

query. They were unable 

to locate him. 

“A letter was addressed 

to Maina. When Mr. Maina 

was unable to respond 

to the query, the ministry 

considered it, Senior Staff 

Committee recommended 

to the ministry that Mr. 

Maina should be dismissed. 

‘’Sometimes in 2014, 

Mr. Maina wrote the commission, 

appealing that 

the committee should reconsider 

and review the 

dismissal. 

“In January, 2017 the 

commission received a letter 

from AGF and Minister 

of Justice, dated January 

19 which was also 

copied to the HoS, demanding 

update on the 

dismissal. 

“The second letter also 

came that he is the chief 

legal officer of the country 

and Maina’s dismissal 

cannot stand...so, we 

looked at it and wrote to 

the interior ministry to 

advise us...” 

Akande also stated that 

it could not have been 

possible to ignore letters 

from the Office of the Attorney-General 

of the 

Federation. 

We have no hand in 

Maina’s saga-Interior 

Minister 

Those present at the 

hearing, however, expressed 

surprise when 

the Minister of Interior, 

Lt. Gen. Abdurahman 

Danbazzua, told the committee 

that his Ministry 

had no knowledge of 

Maina’s disappearance, 

re-appearance, reinstatement 

and promotion in the 

federal civil service. 

“The Ministry has no 

hand,” he said simply. 

But when the committee 

chairman, Aliyu Madaki, 

asked of the Permanent 

Secretary of the Ministry, 

the Minister said: “The 

permanent secretary is on 

medical leave. We are expecting 

him back later 

this week.’’ 

With that, the chairman 

said: “We will wait for the 

Perm Sec to return to personally 

make his appearance.” 

The committee tried to 

elicit more reactions from 

the Minister, but he maintained 

his earlier position 

that he had no knowledge 

of the saga. “I do not have 

personal knowledge of 

that. I don’t have anything 

to say on that. Maybe, 

the Perm Sec might 

have something to say on 

that,” Dambazzau said. 

He, however, made an 

attempt to get a Director 

in the ministry to speak 

but the staff told the committee 

that she just resumed 

work in the ministry 

not too long ago and 

as such had no knowledge 

of the issue. 

At that point, the committee 

chairman ruled 

that they would wait for 

the permanent secretary to 

return. 

Maina's case not 

within our mandate 

— ICPC 

Similarly, Acting Chairman 

of the Independent 

Corrupt Practices and 

Other Related Offenses 

Commission, ICPC, who 

was represented by Mr. 

Bako Abdulahi, said the 

case was not within their 

mandate. 

“The case is not within 

the mandate of the ICPC. 

We appeared out of respect 

for the committee,” 

he said. 

Adjourning the sitting 

to November 30, 2017, 

chairman of the committee 

enjoined other relevant 

stakeholders yet to 

make presentations to do 

so early next week. 

“We have gone far on 

this and we believe that 

in days to come, we will 

hear more from all the 

actors. We plead with 

those who have not made 

presentation to do that,” 

Madaki said. 

222 recovered property 

shared by EFCC, 

Senate C’ttee 

Meanwhile, the Senate 

has raised the alarm that 

the 222 property recovered 

from Nigerians, organisations 

by the Presidential 

Task Team on Pension 

and handed over to 

the Economic and Financial 


EFCC, were allegedly being 

re-looted by officials 

of the anti-graft agency. 

The alarm was raised, 

yesterday, by the Chairman 

of the Senate Ad- hoc 

Committee investigating 

the reinstatement and 

promotion of the former 

chairman of Presidential 

Task Force on Pensions, 

Abdulrasheed Maina, 

Senator Emmanuel 

Paulker, PDP, Bayelsa 

Central. 

Senator Paulker, who 

raised a point of order, 

specifically alleged that 

his committee, in the 

course of carrying out its 

investigation on Maina 

saga, stumbled on vital 

information that revealed 

that about 222 recovered 

property, comprising palatial 

houses and hotels, 

handed over to EFCC by 

Maina before his removal 

in 2014, had been 

shared by top officials of 

EFCC or interested parties 

in the society. 


committee got the information 

of the looted property 

from submissions 

made to that effect by 

some of the invited government 

officials connected 

with the botched reinstatement 

and promotion 

of Maina. 

Senator Paulker, who 

requested the Senate to 

expand the scope of his 

committee’s investigation 

in unravelling those involved 

in the shared loots, 

said: “For this alarming 

revelation sir, this committee 

requests the Senate 

to expand the scope 

of its investigation on 

Maina by extending it to 

the management of assets 

recovered by him and 

handed over to EFCC before 

his removal as chairman, 

Presidential Task 

Force on Pensions in 2014 

and by so doing, extend 

the duration of the assignment.” 

In his remarks, Senate 

President, Bukola Saraki, 

said the committee must 

do everything possible to 

unravel those behind the 

alleged re-looting and 

report back in four weeks. 

Saraki said: “This is a 

very serious matter and 

more of large scale corruption 

going on in a forbidden 

place. We just 

hope that it remains in the 

realm of allegation and 

not as it is presented.” 

The Paulker-led committee 

had in the last two 

weeks, had closed door 

sessions with the Attorney 

General of the Federation, 

AGF, Abubakar Malami, 

the Minister of Interior, 

Lt. General Abdulrahman 

Dambazau and 

others over the roles they 

allegedly played in the 

aborted reinstatement 

and promotion of Maina 

in the federal civil service 

after three years of disappearing 

from the public 

space on alleged mismanagement 

of pension 

funds. 

No 222 Pension 

Properties to Share 

– EFCC 

The Economic and Financial 


on Thursday 

slammed the Senate for 

claiming that no fewer 

than 222 property recovered 

from pension thieves 

by the agency had been 

re-looted.The anti-graft 

agency in a statement by 

its spokesman, Wilson 

Uwujaren, explained that 

all forfeited property had 

been duly documented 

and were intact. 

The agency said: “The 

attention of the Economic 

and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, has 

been drawn to comments 

attributed to the Chairman 

of the Senate Ad Hoc 

Committee investigating 

the controversial reinstatement 

of Abdulrasheed 

Miana, Senator Emmanuel 

Paulker, alleging 

that officials of the Commission 

shared 222 properties 

which Maina’s Panel 

seized from pension 

fund thieves. 

"This sweeping allegation, 

coming from a Senate 

Committee is disturbing 

more so as no attempt 

was made to verify the information 

from the Commission... 

“For the avoidance of 

doubt, there are no 222 

properties anywhere that 

were shared by anybody. 

‘The EFCC did not receive 

a single property 

from Abdulrasheed Maina. 

By Tare 

Youdeowei 

Globacom has an 

nounced new data 

plans it says are capable of 

revolutionising the use of data 


This is just as it is partnering 

with subscription video on 

demand service provider, Iflix, 

to further add value to subscribers’ 

experience on the 

network. This was made 

known by Regional Marketing 

Manager, Ashok Israni who revealed: 

“We are offering far 

more data at exciting prices, 

enabling our subscribers to do 

more in any sphere of their 

life without restraint or limit. 

Globacom is also partnering 

with Iflix whose specialty is 

concentration on emerging 

markets by providing unlimited 

access to thousands of 

television shows, movies, 

videos and other contents that 

can be watched on smart 

devices. 

"We are attracted by Iflix's 

awareness of the Nigerian social-cultural 

configuration and 

its resolve to ensure culturally 

offending content does not 

get on their site. We also plan 

to provide subscribers free 

YouTube access to further wet 

their appetite for rich content.” 

Giving a breakdown of the 

plans Head Marketing, Manorath 

Shuklah said; “We are 

launching revised data plans 

which are more magnanimous 

and more robust for our customers. 

We have all the price 

points, from N25 to N20,000, 

based on what you need. For 

example the N1,000 plan will 

now give as much as 4GB data 

for a month now as opposed 

to 3.2GB. This is a completely 

unmatched offer.” 

On free YouTube and Iflix, 

Shuklah addded; “When you 

buy a data plan of N500 or 

above , you can stream for 

free from 1am to 5:30am, 

while higher data plans of 

N1,000 and above get infinite 


… as Everyday Bonanza winners receive car, 

other prizes 

How LG’s OLED TVs make video 

streaming seamless 

By Tare Youdeowei 

In celebrating the 

World Television Day earmarked 

to honour the power of 

television as a vital medium of 

disseminating information, LG 

Electronics has provided a 

collection of 2017 4K UHD 

TVs designed to work seamlessly 

with streaming videos. 

The TVs, which are OLED 

TVs, are equipped with the intuitive 

webOS3.5 platform and 

are said to deliver the best possible 

HDR picture. 

Speaking on the design and 

features of LG’s contribution to 

the future of television viewing, 

Managing Director, LG Electronics 

West Africa operations, 

SMEs to boost businesses with Swift customized 

products 

By Tare Youdeowei 

Broadband services 

provider, Swift Network 

Limited, has launched 

a suite of Information and 

Communications Technology 

products customized to 

support Nigeria’s SMEs that 

will reduce cost and give 

better control of operations 

to drive efficiency and 

growth. 

Operating under the subbrand 

of SWIFT SMART- 

Business Kit, the suite will 

consist of all the office and 

home connectivity, hosting 

and bespoke business soft- 

free access. 

"Iflix offers free content for 

the first 60 days, they simply 

need to text Buzz to 105, 

download Glo Café and click 

on the Iflix icon to enjoy. The 

Iflix partnership gives subscribers 

access to over 12,000 

hours of entertainment for 

free." 

For Iflix, Country Manager, 

Ngozi Madueke- 

Dozie; “We seek to have 

Nigerians enjoy our 

brand, as such it makes 

sense to partner with the 

grandmasters of data. 

Glo has done an amazing 

job in terms of pricing of 

data and are very strong 

in terms of appreciating 

and encouraging the entertainment 

segment, 

•LG OLED TVs 

ware solutions. 

Speaking on the essence of 

the kit, Charles Anudu, Managing 

Director of SWIFT, enthused; 

“The SWIFT SMART- 

Business Kit continues in 

SWIFT’s tradition of demystifying 

and simplifying technology 

to help unlock Nigeria’s 

abundant potentials so 

that people can achieve more 

in their daily undertakings. It 

is user friendly and will 

resolve the problem of small 

businesses dealing with 

multiple vendors who often 

present them with conflicting 

solutions that are not future-proof. 

With our solution, 

SMEs will obtain all 

Edited by 

Prince Osuagwu 

08050498513 

princeosuagwu@gmail.com 

GLO in Data Unmasked: The Unfair 

Advantage 

also we considered the 

extent to which they can 

penetrate certain markets 

that we are interested 

in. Considering all 

these, they are well 

aligned with our objectives 

in Nigeria. .” 

Meanwhile the first set of 

winners in the Glo Everyday 

Bonanza, a customer-reward 

scheme, have emerged 

The star winner was a 44 year 

old indigene of Takum Local 

Government of Taraba State, 

Mr. Shishi Tanini, who received 

a brand new Hyundai 

Accent Car. A total of 60 

power generating sets, 60 refrigerators, 

120 microwave 

ovens and 30 LED television 

sets were also received by 

subscribers. 

Mr. Taeick Son said: “LG OLED 

is fitted with cutting-edge technology 

which is second to none. 

We will however continue to 

ensure that consumers enjoy 

better picture quality in their 

viewing experience. OLED TV 

technology has simply set a 

standard of its own with a rendition 

of absolute blacks. As part 

of the new innovation it is now 

designed to be brighter and 

more colourful to meet the 

UHD alliance requirement for 

its UHD Premium Certification. 

“The stylish ultra slim design 

of OLED TVs offers consumers 

appreciable benefits 

where space is less of an 

issue. They are almost bezels-less, 

allowing the 

television to blind seamlessly 

with interior décor. 

Its streamlined design 

prevents it from becoming 

a distraction when 

turned off. OLED TVs 

also allow users experience the 

maximum benefit of widened 

immersive viewing angles. 

their ICT solutions from a 

single trusted service provider 

with the industry’s best of 

customer care team on one 

monthly bill. 

“A sample SWIFT Business 

Kit solution will consist of 

office (and free home) internet, 

web and e-mail hosting, attractive 

business and international 

travel voice call rates, à la carte 

business software modules for 

sales, accounting, customer 

relationship management, inventory 

management and human 

resource management. A 

customer can start with a basic 

plan and either add or drop 

modules as the business 

evolves.”

42 --- VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

Anambra: The emergence of 

commercial voting 

G 

iven the leading 

role of its citizens 

in commerce and the 

abundance of 

billionaires in the 

state, the fact that last 

Saturday’s 

governorship election 

was turned into a 

commercial activity is 

raising concern among 

democracy stakeholders 


By Emmanuel Aziken, 

Political Editor 

It was a contest in which one of 

the most erudite contestants 

honestly admitted he fell to the 

superior money power of his 

rivals. 

Announcing his decision not to 

contest the result of last 

weekend’s Anambra State 

governorship election, Osita 

Chidoka said “They traded their 

votes because they doubted we 

would truly represent their 

interest. While our message 

resonated with the people they 

doubted that the political class 

cared about them. They voted for 

the highest bidder.” 

The use of money in last 

weekend’s election was 

pervasive and for many 

stakeholders totally repulsive. 

The pattern of vote buying 

witnessed in Anambra State is, 

however, not new and follows 

recent outings in Edo and Ondo 

States where voters, the electoral 

officials and the security agencies 

were completely compromised. 

Anambra State, however, took the 

oddity to obscene levels. 

A former president of the Civil 

Liberty Organisation, CLO Mr. 

Clement Nwankwo who was on 

ground for the election said: “The 

election is very disappointing; 

this is one of the worst elections 

that have been conducted in 

Nigeria since 1999,” he said. 

“We are very disappointed with 

the political parties and the 

candidates who have spent this 

much money on elections that 

should really be a show of 

citizens’ reference of who 

governs them next. 

“Individuals were being paid 

from N500 to N5,000.” 

How did it happen. As they 

approached the voting stations 

the voters were usually accosted 

by the polling agents during 

which a deal was struck. All the 

voter needed to do was to after 

thump printing the ballot paper 

to raise it up for the polling agent 

to see who would then nod in 

affirmative. The affirmative nod 

was an indication to the party 

man with the bag of money to 

pay the voter that he voted 

correctly. 

There were even cases of voters 

being paid as much as N10,000 

per vote for the election. 

Speaking last Wednesday at a 

press conference in Abuja, 

president of the Transition 

Monitoring Group, TMG, Dr. 

Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi warned 

that the increasing spate which 

her organisation said 

characterised the Anambra 

election could derail the country’s 

democracy. 

The process of vote buying was 

consciously or unconsciously 

promoted by the absence of 

secrecy at the polling station as 

one of the civil society bodies that 

monitored the election lamented. 

Speaking at a press conference 

following the poll, the executive 

director of the Independent 

Service Delivery Monitoring 

Group (ISDMG) said: “We 

observed that in most places 

visited by our field observers we 

noticed that the voting cubicles 

were placed in the midst of the 

people thereby compromising 

the secrecy of the ballot. 

He further lamented that the 

security agencies and even 

polling officials who ordinarily 

should have ensured decency 

turned a blind eye to the issue. 

The Nigerian Bar Association 

Election Working Group, NBA- 

EWG while decrying the trend 

of vote buying in its report on the 

election said: “Money played a 

significant role in the choice of 

voters during the election. Some 

of the political actors distributed 

money to the voters at the 

precinct of the polling units. 

“NBA-EWG observed the 

inducement of voters at the 

precincts of the polling units and 

the brazen manner some political 

entrepreneurs carried out the 

exercise.” 

The report thus advised the 

Independent National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, to issue an 

advisory to the Nigerian Police, 

“directing them to arrest anybody 

that induces voters at the 

precincts of the polling units 

without waiting for directives 

from the Presiding Officers.” 

For Awal Ibrahim Rafsanjani, 

the executive director of the Civil 

Society Legislative Advocacy 

Centr, CISLAC, the development 

in Anambra State is bound to 

compromise the country’s 

democracy. Speaking to 

Vanguard on his observations of 

the poll, he said the consequence 

of vote buying is that it would 

bring down 

“It is another way of destroying 

our democracy and stopping the 

participation of those that will 

make sense in leadership. By the 

time that we begin to 

commercialise the right to vote 

or be voted for you would have 

destroyed the spirit of 

accountability. Part of the 

consequences of this is that there 

will be decreased accountability 

in leadership because those who 

come to power will tell you that 

they bought their way to power 

and so, nobody should come and 

ask them to account for anything. 

“The second consequence is 

that it will erode the whole idea 

of participatory democracy 

because democracy is not about 

buying and selling, democracy 

is about the right choices and 

about accountability and 

accountable leadership. 

Vote buying is 

undermining our 

democracy and it 

makes it impossible 

for those with 

integrity those with 

experience to 

provide leadership 

in Nigeria 

“Vote buying is undermining 

our democracy and it makes it 

impossible for those with integrity 

those with experience to provide 

leadership in Nigeria because if 

you don’t have money you would 

have the capacity to buy votes for 

you to come to leadership.” 

Chidoka, the UPP candidate 

who gave himself out as a victim 

of the vote buying malaise held 

his head high acquitting himself 

that he did not run foul of 

superior arguments in the 

election but to the firepower of 

superior moneybags. 

Giving his account of how it 

played out, he said: “When by 

Thursday a large percentage of 

our supporters insisted that they 

will not vote unless we paid, I 

insisted we will not pay for votes. 

The decision not to pay ended 

our good run. We accept the 

voters’ decision. We also heard 

our people, by their turnout and 

transactional approach, as they 

took sides with our Party’s 

considered view that the issue of 

justice, equity and fairness 

should be canvassed within 

Nigeria. 

“In all, we hold our heads high; 

high because we did not lose the 

poll due to paucity of ideas or lack 

of “structure”. We lost to superior 

financial firepower. As 

Democrats, we concede to the 

voters’ choices. The true 

hallmark of democracy is the 

respect for the voice of the ballot 

as that of the majority. 

“But the inner truth is that we 

won! We won at the most 

important place; in the hearts of 

people; our people who saw us 

toil and push in the arena against 

all odds; who saw the sincerity 

of our mission and gave all in 

support of our quest for collective 

good. We salute you for your 

support and personal sacrifices 

to the campaign.”


By Chioma Gabriel, 

Editor Special Features 

Second Republic politician 

and national Legal 

Adviser of defunct Nigeria 

Peoples Party , NPP, Chief Guy 

Ikokwu in this encounter urged 

that positive steps be taken to 

restructure the country, adding 

that the country is already at 

the brink of falling over. 

Chief Ikokwu who turns 80 

today also advises that 

restructuring starts as soon as 

possible if Nigeria will continue 

to exist after 2019. 

Chief Paul Unongo recently 

challenged the Igbo to bring 

out their best to stand elections 

and alleged the Igbo rejected 

Zik in 1979. What do you think 

of Unougo's challenge? 

I saw what was published by 

Vanguard from Unongo's 

speech. Paul Unougo is 

somebody I've been with for a 

long time. He was the secretary 

of the Nigerian Peoples Party 

under Zik when I was the legal 

adviser. We actually did a lot 

of going around in Nigeria. 

Unongo knows a lot about Zik 

and the Igbo but today, he's 

almost at the other side of the 

spectrum. Although he is a 

Middle-Beltan, he is more 

associated this time with the 

Arewa group and at the death 

of Maitama Sule, a man of 

repute, Unongo was moved to 

the chairmanship position of 

the Northern Elders Forum. 

As an intellectual, he has a 

lot of information and 

knowledge of what is 

happening in Nigeria but we 

have some differences on the 

structural situation, the 

constitutional situation, and the 

methodology for moving 

Nigeria forward. I belong to the 

Southern Leaders Forum made 

of three zones in the South 

with Ohanaeze representing 

Ndigbo, Afenifere 

representing South West and 

the South-South which is a very 

heterogeneous people. It is 

actually a mini Nigeria. So, the 

methodology is different. 

Today, Igbo are not concerned 

about a Nigerian president of 

Igbo origin, the reason being 

that if Nigeria is not 

restructured from what it is 

now, the so-called Igbo person 

that will emerge president will 

be subject to the other zones. 

It won't be the best Igbo 

candidate that will emerge but 

a candidate of Igbo extraction 

preferred by the others, and of 

course, you know that the 

others are a vast majority 

against the Igbo. I'm talking of 

the Yoruba, the South-South, 

the Middle-Belt and the far 

North. 

But if the system of 

representation is made more 

judicious and then, you have a 

free and fairest system of 

choosing, things will be 

different. Nigerians still don't 

believe that INEC is poised for 

a real free, fair and judicious 

election, it's not as independent 

Why we need to 

restructure Nigeria 

now — IKOKWU 

as it should be. Nigeria is not 

as federal as it should be. So, 

you can see there are a lot of 

minuses in our present state of 

affairs which is what we are 

trying to right and the 

methodology of putting things 

right is where we have a 

difference of opinions. So, 

does Unongo believe in 

restructuring? He said he 

does. And if you then 

ask him, how, he now 

goes into the 

narrative of 

minuses and 

minuses 

a n d 

when you put all these 

together, you find that he 

believes more in the status quo. 

He has this thing about 

Nwabueze as if he has a score 

to settle? 

Yes. I have been interacting 

with him and that was why I 

was one of those who invited 

him to Zik's event since he said 

he is a Zikist. 

And he said Igbo didn't vote 

for Zik? 

If he says Igbo didn't vote for 

Zik as president of Nigeria, 

then again it’s a minus. A 

greater percentage of Igbo 

favoured Zik to have executive 

powers and the Nigeria 

Peoples Party, NPP, where he 

was secretary and I was legal 

adviser and later became the 

chairman in old Anambra won 

the two states of Anambra and 

Imo, with Mbakwe in Imo and 

Jim Nwobodo in Anambra and 

we then campaigned in the 

Middle-Belt and we won 

Benue and Plateau which are 

today the core middle-belt and 

you know that the Middle-Belt 

of today has more states in the 

19 northern states. So, you can 

see that in that time, Zik played 

a cardinal role in liberating the 

minorities in the north. That's 

why we had Solomon Lar to 

become the chairman of PDP 

when it was founded. And 

Jerry Gana became a federal 

•Chief Ikokwu 

What APC South- 

West did was like 

buying an 80 leaves 

exercise book and 

saying you want only 

one leaf out of the 

bunch. Those who 

say they do not 

understand what 

restructuring is all 

about are mentally 

indolent 

minister and today is a leader 

of the middle-beltans. He was 

catapulted into power by us, the 

NPP. I was in charge of all the 

deliberations in the Middle- 

Belt that brought Jerry Gana up 

and he has remained constant 

hoping that a new evolution 

will bring something more 

credit worthy for the nation; 

that is a restructured polity. 

There appears to be all 

manner of interpretations of 

what restructuring is? The 

other day in Ibadan, the 

South-West APC jettisoned 

restructuring for devolution of 

power to the states. 

I laugh when people ask 

what is restructuring. What 

APC South-West did was like 

buying an 80 leaves exercise 

book and saying you want only 

one leaf out of the bunch. Those 

who say they do not 

understand what restructuring 

is all about are mentally 

indolent. Restructuring 

involves a lot. It involves 

devolution of powers and when 

you say devolution of powers, 

it means removing what you 

have as 68 items of the 

exclusive list to 

take them back 

to the 

residual 

list of the zones or to the states 

so that the centre can only 

have what it is capable of 

managing. So, you only have 

about 22 items for the central 

government and with 22 items, 

the central government cannot 

be an overlord of the whole of 

Nigeria; a situation today 

where just one minister at the 

centre has more responsibilities 

and more financial autonomy 

than about ten states in the 

whole country and they have 

refused to re-write that 

scenario. 

During the Nigeria-Biafra 

war the Biafrans used what you 

call research and production, 

and within three, four months, 

of the war there were refineries 

in the bush everywhere in 

Biafra land. And Nigeria's 

crude oil which is the Brent is 

the best because it has low 

sulphur content and as you 

refine, you immediately have 

diesel, kerosene and petrol 

and the foreign aircrafts 

bringing relief materials were 

also kind enough to bring in 

the materials which we used to 

blend the kerosene to get 

aviation fuel. So, in Biafra, there 

was no shortage of anything, 

not fuel, not diesel or kerosene. 

So, they started bombing those 

locations, in the bush. 

Restructuring means reengineering 

the polity to 

confirm to the present day, 

modern standard to move the 

country forward. Some say they 

don't understand it but the truth 

is that they do but they want 

the status quo ante to continue 

because it suits them. They are 

prolonging the evil day. 

What is the evil day? 

Most state governments can't 

pay salaries. Out of the 36 

states, only six can pay 

salaries. How can anybody 

employing labour not pay 

them? If you don't pay them, 

they become criminals. They 

do things which they shouldn't 

be doing in a normal set up 

which is why the rate of crime 

is increasing in Nigeria by 

more than ten times and 

Nigerians are stealing and 

doing things criminally which 

they were not doing because 

it’s against our cultural 

ambience to do such things. 

Now, people steal even pots of 

soup which a woman is 

preparing. This is outrageous, 

an inherent outcome of a nonrestructured 

polity; a non-reengineered 

system of living. 

Our culture is an elevated 

culture. Before the advent of the 

white men, there was nothing 

like stealing in the villages. 

Stealing was punishable by 

death. Under the Igbo culture, 

if you forget something in the 

market, you'll go back and still 

find it there. Anybody who 

steals it and they find the 

person, in our culture, they use 

a six-inch nail on the person's 

head and drag it into the skull. 

You don't steal chicken, you 

don't steal goat and you don't 

steal yam. Stealing is abhorrent 

in our culture but when the 

white man came, when you 

steal, they arrest you and then 

grant you bail and even tell you 

the name of the person that 

reported you. Then, you go back 

and turn on that person. That 

was the white man's system of 

governance and law which was 

bad. Now, we are talking about 

restructuring. We want to get 

back to the ways where crime 

and telling of lies were less. In 

our culture, you tell the truth 

and people will have mercy on 

you and do the necessary 

things. So, when we are talking 

of restructuring, it includes 

morality, it includes 

restructuring our system of 

education. How can somebody 

in Abuja be doing primary 

education in Bayelsa. What 

does he know? Whoever says 

he doesn't understand 

restructuring is lying if he 

doesn't. Why then put it in your 

party manifesto? Why didn't 

you explain everything in your 

manifesto so that whoever 

doesn't understand will do? It 

is a big lie to pretend not to 

understand restructuring. 

What we are fighting for 

today is not for ourselves but 

for our children and children's 

children so that they will not 

continue to be slaves. But let 

me ask you, why should we 

borrow foreign money to 

balance our budget?

44— VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

Mugabe granted immunity, assured of 

safety in Zimbabwe 

ZIMBABWE’S former 

president Robert 

Mugabe was granted 

immunity from prosecution 

and assured that his safety 

would be protected in his 

home country as part of a 

deal that led to his 

resignation, sources close 

to the negotiations said on 

Thursday. 

Mugabe, who had led 

Zimbabwe from 

independence in 1980, 

stepped down on Tuesday 

after the army seized power 

and the ruling party turned 

against him. Emmerson 

Mnangagwa, the former 

vice president sacked by 

Mugabe earlier this month, 

is set to be sworn in as 

president on Friday. 

A government source 

said Mugabe, who is 93, 

told negotiators he wanted 

to die in Zimbabwe and 

had no plans to live in exile. 

“It was very emotional for 

him and he was forceful 

about it,” said the source, 

who is not authorised to 

speak on the details of the 

negotiated settlement. 

“For him it was very 

important that he be 

guaranteed security to stay 

in the country...although 

that will not stop him from 

travelling abroad when he 

wants to or has to,” the 

source said. 

Mugabe resigned on 

Tuesday as parliament 

began a process to impeach 

him, sparking wild 

celebrations in the streets. 

His rapid downfall after 37 

years in power was 

triggered by a battle to 

succeed him that pitted 

Mnangagwa against 

Mugabe’s much younger 

wife Grace. 

“The outgoing president 

is obviously aware of the 

public hostility to his wife, 

the anger in some circles 

about the manner in which 

she conducted herself and 

approached ZANU-PF 

party politics,” a second 

source said. 

“In that regard, it became 

necessary to also assure 

him that his whole family, 

including the wife, would 

be safe and secure.” 

Deal signed to return Mynamar Rohingya 

BANGLADESH has 

signed a deal with 

Myanmar to return 

hundreds of thousands of 

Rohingya Muslims who 

fled a recent army 

crackdown. 

A statement from the 

Bangladesh foreign 

ministry said displaced 

people could begin to 

return within two months. 

The two sides say they are 

working on the details. The 

crisis has been called ethnic 

cleansing by the UN and 

the US. 

Aid agencies have raised 

concerns about the forcible 

return of the Rohingya 

unless their safety can be 

guaranteed. 

The Rohingya are a 

stateless minority who have 

long experienced 

persecution in Myanmar, 

also known as Burma. 

More than 600,000 have 

fled to neighbouring 

Bangladesh since deadly 

Rohingya attacks on police 

posts prompted a military 

crackdown in Rakhine state 

in late August. 

On Wednesday, US 

Secretary of State Rex 

Tillerson said Myanmar’s 

military action against the 

minority Rohingya 

population constituted 

ethnic cleansing. 

“The ‘Arrangement’ 

stipulates that the return 

shall commence within two 

months,” a press release from 

the Bangladeshi 

government said. 

Few other details were 

released following the 

signing of the memorandum 

in Myanmar’s capital Nay 

Rwanda offers refuge to enslaved Libya migrants 

RWANDA has offered to 

give refuge to around 

30,000 African migrants 

stuck in Libya often in 

enslaved conditions. 

It comes in the wake of a 

video, released by CNN 

last week, showing men 

being auctioned off as farm 

workers. 

“Given our own history... 

Explosion’ detected in hunt for 

Argentine vessel 

THE Argentine navy 

says an event consistent 

with an explosion was 

recorded near where a 

submarine disappeared last 

week with 44 crew on 

board. 

An “abnormal, singular, 

short, violent, non-nuclear 

event” had been detected in 

the south Atlantic, a 

spokesman said. 

•A woman reacts as she watches a television broadcast of the court proceedings of 

former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic in the Memorial centre Potocari near 

Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. REUTERS 

we cannot remain silent 

when human beings are 

being mistreated and 

auctioned off like cattle,” the 

foreign ministry said. 

Hundreds of thousands of 

Africans travel through 

Libya every year as they try 

to make their way to 

Europe. 

They are often held by 

The information came from 

an Austria-based antinuclear 

test watchdog, 

Capt Balbi said. 

It follows a report of a loud 

noise in the same area. 

The ARA San Juan 

disappeared last 

Wednesday. More than a 

dozen countries including 

the US, Russia and the UK 

have sent assistance. 

smugglers and forced to 

work for little or no money. 

During Rwanda’s 1994 

genocide, some 800,000 

ethnic Tutsis and moderate 

Hutu were massacred in 

100 days while most 

countries did little to help. 

“Rwanda, like the rest of 

the world, was horrified by 

the images of the tragedy 

currently unfolding in 

Libya, where African men, 

women and children who 

were on the road to exile, 

have been held and turned 

into slaves,” the foreign 

ministry statement said. 

Foreign Minister Louise 

Mushikiwabo said Rwanda 

was a small country but it 

would find space. 

She told the progovernment 

New Times 

newspaper that Rwanda 

was in talks with African 

Union (AU) Commission to 

determine how to intervene 

and resettle them. 

Pyi Taw. 

Bangladesh Foreign 

Minister Mahmood Ali said 

it was a “first step”. Senior 

Myanmar official Myint 

Kyaing said it was ready to 

receive the Rohingya “as 

soon as possible”. 

Myanmar’s conditions of 

return remain unclear, and 

many Rohingya are terrified 

of being sent back. Refugees 

at Kutupalong Camp in 

Bangladesh said they want 

guarantees of citizenship 

and their land returned. 

“We will go back if they 

don’t harass us and if we can 

live life like the Buddhists 

and other ethnic minorities,” 

one man, Sayed Hussein, 

told Reuters. 

“I don’t trust the Myanmar 

government. My husband 

left three times and this is my 

second time to leave. The 

Myanmar government is 

always like this,” a woman, 

Narusha, said. 

Last week Myanmar’s 

powerful military head, Min 

Aung Hlaing, told Mr 

Tillerson that Rohingyas 

could return to Myanmar 

only if “real citizens” 

accepted them, referring to 

ethnic Rakhine members of 

the country’s Buddhist 

majority. 

Both countries are under 

pressure on the issue, for 

different reasons. 

Bangladesh wants to show 

its population that the 

Rohingya will not be 

permanent residents - it was 

already hosting about 

400,000 before the latest 

influx. 

North Korea’s wounded 

defector ‘nice guy,’ says 

surgeon 

NORTH Korea’s latest defector, a young soldier 

known only by his family name Oh, is a quiet, 

pleasant man who has nightmares about being returned 

to the North, his surgeon said on Thursday. 

“He’s a pretty nice guy,” said lead surgeon John Cook- 

Jong Lee, who has been operating and caring for the 

24-year-old. Oh has become a focus of worldwide 

attention after he was badly wounded by fellow North 

Korean soldiers as he scrambled across the border in the 

Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South on 

Nov. 13. 

Video of Oh’s escape released on Wednesday showed 

him stumbling over the border and being dragged 

unconscious through the undergrowth by South Korean 

troops. 

Surgeon Lee has been almost the only person to speak 

with Oh since he arrived at the hospital, he told Reuters 

in an interview at his office at Ajou University Hospital, 

just a few floors away from where the defector lies 

guarded by South Korean special forces and intelligence 

officers. 

The surgeon, who has hung a South Korean flag in 

the soldier’s room, said he is avoiding subjects that may 

disturb his patient. Oh is eating his first “clear liquid” 

food such as broths, and can smile, talk, and use his 

hands, Lee said. But when his patient woke on Sunday 

he cried out in pain, and Lee said he is still anxious 

about the South Korean guards. 

Lee said Oh told him that he had joined the North 

Korean army when he was 17, right after secondary school 

graduation. The soldier’s hair is styled “like a jarhead, 

like a U.S. Marine, so I actually joked ‘why don’t you 

join the South Korean Marines?’ He smiled and said 

that he would never ever go back to the military system 

again.” 

Facebook to expose Russian 

fake news pages 

FACEBOOK plans to let people see if they had “liked” 

pages created by “foreign actors” to spread propaganda 

during the US presidential election. 

The social network has previously said as many as 126 

million Americans may have seen content uploaded by 

Russia-based agents over the past two years. 

It is building a tool to let people see whether they had 

followed now-deleted pages made by the Russia-based 

Internet Research Agency. 

The tool will be launched in December. 

The Internet Research Agency was behind hundreds 

of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts and posted 

thousands of politically-charged messages. 

Many of the pages such as Heart Of Texas, Being 

Patriotic and Secured Borders were designed to look like 

they were created by US citizens. 

In November 2016, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg 

said it was a “pretty crazy idea” to suggest misinformation 

spread on the social network influenced the US 

presidential election. 

Since then, the company has identified thousands of 

posts and paid advertisements placed by Russia-based 

operatives. 

It has been criticised for allowing propaganda and fake 

news to spread on its platform and taking too long to 

address the problem. 

Zimbabwe needs immediate 

economic reforms, warns IMF 

ZIMBABWE must act quickly to dig its economy out of a 

hole and access international financial aid, the 

International Monetary Fund has warned. 

Government spending and foreign debt are too high and 

it needs structural reform, Zimbabwe mission chief Gene 

Leon told Reuters news agency. 

The country’s incoming leader Emmerson Mnangagwa 

has pledged to grow the economy and provide “jobs, jobs, 

jobs”. 

The once-thriving economy is now seen as a regional 

basket case. 

“The economic situation in Zimbabwe remains very difficult,” 

Mr Leon told Reuters. 

He said high government spending should be reined in 

and Zimbabwe should address the large international debt 

it has defaulted on. “Immediate action is critical to reduce 

the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, 

and re-engage with the international community to access 

much needed financial support,” Mr Leon said. 

Robert Mugabe’s policies, including disastrous land 

reforms and printing too much money, are blamed for the 

calamitous state of Zimbabwe’s economy. 

On Thursday, Zimbabwe’s main opposition called for deeprooted 

political reform to dismantle the repressive apparatus 

that sustained Mr Mugabe’s regime.


By Dapo Akinrefon & 

Gabriel Olawale 

What would have ordinarily 

brought joy to residents of 

Orile Ogunmakin Village in 

Obafemi Owode Local 

Government Area of Ogun State, 

leaves them with sorrow, tears 

and blood as they are left with no 

other option than to vacate their 

ancestral home. This is as a result 

of rock blasting by Reynolds 

Construction Company, RCC, 

around the village. 

The agony, which the 

community has been subjected to 

in the last three years, has 

reached a level where urgent 

steps must be taken by relevant 

government agencies to save 

their lives and property. 

When Vanguard visited the 

community, hardly can one sight 

a house that has not suffered one 

form of crack or another while 

some roof tops have been 

changed countless times. 

Residents lament 

Narrating her ordeal, a resident, 

Mrs. Comfort Adegunle, whose 

house is less than 100 miles to 

the blasting site, said that it all 

started about three years ago 

when she discovered that some 

people came around to clear the 

forest. 

She said: “I raised alarm that 

their aim was to blast rock at the 

back of my house. I reported this 

to the King and series of meetings 

were held. 

“When they began their 

blasting, they promised to 

compensate us but I didn’t receive 

a single penny up till today. The 

rock blasting has damaged my 

house, I have used all the money 

my children sent for my upkeep 

to carry out repairs. At night, I 

cannot sleep due to the 

vibrations.” 

Adegunle disclosed that her 

effort to approach human rights 

office in the community did not 

yield any positive outcome. 

According to her, "I lodged 

several complaints and they 

invited the King because he was 

the one that supervised the whole 

process and shared money, but 

at the end, the King told the 

human rights group that RCC 

had seen him.” 

Mrs Christiana Ewebiyi did not 

mince words when she recounted 

her ordeal as a result of vibration 

due to blasting. 

“I cannot count the number of 

times I have taken my children to 

the hospital, and the doctor told 

me that it was due to vibrations 

from the blast. He also made me 

to know that if care is not taken, I 

might suffer ear impairment,” 

Ewebiyi narrated. 

Village head absolves self 

The son of Baale of Ogunmakin, 

Mr. Jamiu Ogunmakin who stood 

in for his late father said that prior 

to commencement of rock blasting, 

•One of the affected buildings 

ROCK BLASTING: Our lives are in 

danger — Orile Ogunmakin villagers 

representatives of RCC came to 

their community because it was 

people from Oyo State that sold 

the rock to RCC but they in 

Ogunmakin are under Ogun 

State but share boundary with 

Oyo State. 

He said: “We are the ones at 

the receiving end. Their activities 

have contaminated our water and 

all they promised us, we have not 

seen any. They promised us four 

things - water, town hall, 

employment and scholarship - but 

up till now, we haven’t seen 

anything tangible. The town hall 

they started remains 

uncompleted, we didn’t see 

water, our people now buy pure 

water. If they can fulfill their 

promises, there will be no 

problem. 

“Anytime they want to blast the 

rock, we all leave the community, 

both old and young. The elderly 

who cannot walk, I select people 

to assist in carrying them come 

rain or shine. 

“The suffering has been too 

much in the past three years 

without anybody coming to our 

rescue. The blasting is affecting 

our houses and our elderly are 

dying due to shock. We are over 

1,000 people living here.” 

Cleric wants urgent steps taken 

Rev. Solomon Olabode said that 

in 2007 when Jide Taiwo valued 

his one-storey building in the 

community, it was estimated to be 

worth N30 million. 

Lamenting, Olabode said: 

“Presently, if you enter that house, 

the building has cracked and 

anytime they blast, it widens the 

crack. If they continue like that in 

the next two years, I may lose that 

house.” 

Olabode said that aside from 

the damages recorded in the 

community which runs into 

billions of naira, RCC has not 

•Uncompleted Town Hall 

completed any project they 

promised the town. 

He, however, challenged the 

company to present proof of the 

projects they have completed. 

He said: “Our people are 

suffering, they have turned the 

village upside down. People 

cannot stay in their houses in 

peace. Our demands are very 

simple, we want the blasting to 

be suspended because houses 

are cracking and our people live 

in fear and danger. 

“I was trying to renovate my 

father’s house, this is the second 

time I am doing it because once I 

Our people are 

suffering, they 

have turned the 

village upside 

down; people 

cannot stay in their 

houses in peace. 

Our demands are 

very simple, we 

want the blasting 

to be suspended 

do it, immediately they blast, it 

will crack again. I have about 20 

hectares of land we want to use 

to build an estate but the vibration 

did not allow the project to 

commence in the last two years. 

“I have had to repair burial 

grounds where some of our 

parents were buried because 

some of them have collapsed due 

•Rev Olabode 

to vibration. You will see stones 

flying everywhere in the 

community once blasting starts. 

Monarch reacts 

Reacting to the development, 

Olu of Ogunmakin, Oba 

Olugbenga Sodiya said the 

reason why they didn’t make any 

trouble with RCC at the initial 

stage, was because they were told 

that the rock blasting was not for 

commercial purpose but for the 

construction of the Lagos-Ibadan 

Expressway. 

He said: “In 2014, all the 

families in our community held a 

meeting with RCC and signed a 

Memorandum of Understanding, 

MoU, that they should 

compensate people that have 

houses close to where RCC is 

working. Based on the MoU, 

each compound got N100,000 as 

compensation and they promised 

to construct a town hall complex 

and provide potable water. 

“The town hall they want to 

construct for us is too small so I 

thought of how to make it bigger 

in order to generate income for 

the community. We still have 

agreement with RCC that will 

elapse in the next two years. 

RCC reacts 

The Community Liaison Officer, 

RCC Quarry, Mr. Oladipupo 

Oluwafemi said they have been 

working in that location for the 

past three years and are at the 

point of rounding off. 

He explained that they signed 

an MoU with the community and 

the community has received some 

benefits from RCC. 

Oluwafemi said: “As regards 

some of their issues, their lawyer 

had written to us. But I need to 

state clearly that there is no project 

we promised that we didn’t do. 

“Any time they knock on our 

door for assistance, we are always 

available for them. Just about two 

weeks ago, they asked us for 

something and we did it.” 

Dangers in rock blasting 

—Geologist 

A former Director with the 

Nigeria Mining Corporation, Mr 

Femi Akingbade, warned that 

people living around quarries risk 

health hazards and damage to 

property. 

Akingbade noted that the crude 

methods adopted by construction 

companies to blast rocks was 

harmful to residents. “Explosions 

can cause heavy vibration and this 

consequently affects buildings 

around the environment. But 

most construction companies in 

the country do not comply with 

environmental laws, especially 

the Environmental Impact 

Assessment Act. 

“The construction companies in 

Nigeria are only interested in 

contracts, bulldozing the forests, 

contaminating the water, produce 

gaseous emissions and pollute 

the environment,’’ he said. 

Akingbade said no country in 

the world witnesses the level of 

environmental pollution being 

perpetrated by construction 

companies in Nigeria. 

“They engage in mass blasting 

of rocks, excavation of soil and the 

generation of dust from quarry, 

which are all detrimental to people’s 

health. “Chemical compound such 

as mercury fulminate was being 

used in blasting dynamite and it 

could be ignited either by a burning 

fuse or a spark. 

“Quarrying, mining, foundation 

excavating and other activities 

involving the use of dynamite on a 

considerable scale have always 

caused damage to people’s 

property, especially residents 

within the area of such operation. 

“Some of such damages can be 

broken windows, cracked 

foundations and cracked wall 

plaster. “Apart from this, there is also 

noise, which is not conducive to 

brain work, as well as disturbance 

from rest and air pollution, which 

are injurious to the respiratory 

system. 

“People with asthma problem 

can also have their health situation 

worsened by this,’’ he said.


Eagles drop on world rankings despite 

rising profile 

Nigeria football fans 

have been 

l e f t 

wandering why the Super 

Eagles dropped nine places to 

the 50th position in the 

November FIFA World 

rankings released yesterday. 

This result was in the face of 

the Super Eagles win against 

highly ranked Argentina and 

also beating Zambia and 

drawing with Algeria in their 

last FIFA World Cup qualifiers. 

Nigeria is the lowest ranked 

African country going to the 

World Cup having also slipped 

to the 8th position on the 

continent. 

“I don’t know how this FIFA 

ranking thing works. The 

current ranking is not a 

position of the way things are. 

It’s just not fair we dropped 

despite the performances we 

put up in the qualifiers and 

even in the friendly match 

against Argentina. 

“However, it doesn’t matter 

whatever position we are 

ranked. We are still a team to 

watch out for at the World 

Cup,” said Super Eagles 

midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi. 

Senegal moved up nine 

steps to 23 from 32 on the Fifa 

World Rankings for November, 

to reach their highest ever 

position. 

They have also moved above 

Tunisia an Egypt to become the 

highest-ranked team on the 

continent. 

The Teranga Lions rise 

comes on the back of two wins 

over South Africa in November 

that saw them qualify for next 

year's World Cup in Russia. 

Defending champion Germany 

leads an unchanged top-five 

ahead of Brazil, Portugal, 

Argentina, and Belgium. Spain 

is up two places to No 6. 

African Rankings: 

Senegal - (23) 

Tunisia - (27) 

Egypt - (31) 

DR Congo - (36) 

Morocco - (40) 

Burkina Faso - (44) 

Cameroon - (45) 

Nigeria - (50) 

Ghana - (51) 

Ivory Coast - (61) 

Robinho sentenced 9 yrs 

for rape 

BRAZILIAN footballer 

Robinho has been 

sentenced to nine years in 

prison for taking part in the 

gang rape of a woman in 

Milan in 2013. 

An Italian court ruled the 33- 

year-old and five other 

Brazilians assaulted the 

Albanian woman, who was 22, 

after plying her with alcohol 

in a nightclub. 

The forward, who left AC 

Milan in 2015 after five years, 

was not in court but pleaded 

not guilty via his lawyer. 

The sentence will be put on 

hold until the appeals process 

is completed. 

Robinho, capped 100 times by 

his country, spent two years 

at Manchester City and 

currently plays for Atletico 

Mineiro in Brazil. 

A post on Robinho’s 

Instagram page said he had 

“already defended himself 

against the accusations, 

affirming that he did not 

participate in the episode” 

and that “all legal measures 

are being taken”. 

Stoke, West Ham, Everton 

chase Ighalo 

English Premier League 

sides Stoke City, West 

Ham and Everton are reported 

to have an interest in signing 

Super Eagles striker, Odion 

Ighalo. 

Ighalo, left Watford last season 

for China's Chanchun Yatai where 

he seems to have recovered his 

form. Ighalo who was speaking 

on Channels TV in Lagos 

confirmed that he has received 

contacts from England and was 

very interested in going back to 

the EPL. 

“English Premier League is the 

best in the world. I have tasted it 

and that is why I made the name 

everybody knows me for today. 

So if the opportunity arises again, 

I will gladly take it and go back 

to the Premier League,” he said. 

11 teams to feature in S/West 

Pre-Season tournament 

The Chairman, South West 

Football forum, Seyi 

Akinwunmi said that Pre-Season 

tournament, will feature 11 teams. 

The competition will hold 

between Dec 3 to Dec 8 at the 

Golfer 

ers s storm Enugu for Captain’s ain’s Inaugural 

al 

THE city of Enugu is agog as 

numerous golfers from 

different clubs in Nigeria 

assemble for the 2017 Enugu 

Captain’s Inaugural Tournament 

holding at the Enugu Golf 

Course on Saturday. 

Indeed, it will be a day that 

ardent golfers will test their skills 

at the uniquely different golf 

course which holds great delight 

for players and which also 

embraces modernity with open 

arms as it conserves the traces of 

antiquity. 

Chuks Ugwoke, the captain of 

Enugu Golf Section is upbeat 

about the tournament. “All of us 

here (Enugu) are eagerly 

waiting to receive our friends 

from other clubs who shall be here 

for the event,” he said. “We will 

do everything within our capacity 

to make sure that our guests have 

•Kelechi Iheanacho... in action agaist Man. City 

lasting positive memories of their 

participation. 

“Luckily, we have a Local 

Organising Committee that is 

doing so much to ensure that we 

host a worthwhile tournament. 

Beyond that, the Executive 

Committee and I have continued 

to receive tremendous support 

from our members and friends, 

and for which we’re eternally 

grateful.” 

Indeed, the chairman of the Local 

Organising Committee, Maj-Gen. 

Alphonsus Chukwu (rtd) has been 

working so tirelessly with his other 

members to bring about a credible 

event. “Enugu has a reputation of 

being hospitable and nice to our 

visitors and with God on our side,” 

he says, “we shall not fail. I want to 

pledge our commitment to provide 

the environment that golfers always 

love. 

Agege Township Stadium. 

Akinwunmi said the competition 

would serve as a platform for the 

clubs playing in the league to assess 

their teams. 

'' The regional tournament could 

serve as an appraisal for the team 

on their preparedness for the new 

season. 

''The Pre-Season tournament is 

aimed at giving the clubs 

campaigning in the league a 

veritable platform to assess their 

team before the commencement of 

the league,'' he said 

Akinwunmi who is also First Vice 

President of the Nigeria Football 

Federation (NFF) said that the 

regional championships to provide 

a synergy for football 

developmental programmes 

among the south west clubs. 

''It is also an avenue for the 

discovery of young players in the 

South West Zone,'' he said. 

Akinwunmi said that the 

organisers were satisfied with the 

level of preparedness of the teams 

that had registered for the 

tournament. 

``We are satisfied with the level of 

preparation for the championships 

. The teams are getting prepared". 

R U S S I A 2 0 1 8 

Eagles can cope with tough 

group opponents, says 

Echiejile 

Super Eagles defender, 

Elderson Echiejile has 

said that the team will be ready 

to face whichever group 

opponents, the FIFA World Cup 

Draw scheduled for December 

1 will throw up. 

The Super Eagles qualified for 

the World Cup with a game to 

spare and have even 

demonstrated that they could 

compete with the world top ten 

teams by beating Argentina 4- 

2 in a friendly in Russia. As fans 

await the Draw, there are fears 

the Eagles might get tough 

group competitors, who could 

limit their chances of advancing 

to the next round. 

“We are not afraid of anyone, 

any team. We just want to keep 

our preparation in top form, play 

quality friendly games and we 

will be ready for anyone in our 

group,” Echiejile said on Brila 

FM. 

“This could be our time, right 

now we have things going well 

with the team, so we are not 

afraid of anyone,” Echiejile said. 

He added that the win against 

Argentina was a big boost for 

the team's confidence. 

“The win is enough motivation 

for everyone in the team that 

we can actually dispose any 

team at the World Cup without 

fear or jittery”. 

Reporters annoy Neymar with 

Real questions 

Paris Saint-Germain forward 

Neymar stormed away 

from reporters after being asked 

questions regarding a potential 

move to Real Madrid. 

Reports emerged earlier this 

month that Madrid President 

Florentino Perez had met with 

Neymar's father to discuss a move 

back to Spain. 

He is thought to be seen as a 

long-term replacement for 

Cristiano Ronaldo — who turns 

33 in February. 

However, the 25-year-old, who 

joined PSG in the summer for a 

world record fee of £198million, 

has clearly had enough of the 

continued speculation. 

Asked about the reports 

following his two-goal display in 

PSG's 7-1 thrashing of Celtic on 

Wednesday, Neymar, wearing a 

Floyd Mayweather jacket, 

responded in anger. 

“For f***'s sake,' he is quoted 

as saying by AS. 'Have you got 

nothing else to talk about?” 

Mata eyes playing until 40 

Juan Mata would like to 

extend his stay at 

Manchester United and has not 

ruled out playing until he is 40 

years old. 

The Spain international's current 

contract expires next summer, 

although United hold an option to 

keep him at the club until 2019. 

Mata says he would like to 

remain at Old Trafford, and when 

asked whether he would like to 

sign a new long-term deal and 

finish his career at the club, the 

midfielder insists he is open to all 

possibilities. 

He told ESPN: "Why not? I'm 

29 and hopefully I can play football 

for some more years. It would be 

great to play until I'm 40 like Ryan 

Giggs. But that's still a bit far, still 

11 years. 

"I'm happy here. The club is 

massive, the support we have is 

massive. I've been settled down in 

the city since year one. Now it's 

my fourth year in Manchester. 

"You never know what can 

happen in football and in life. But 

my feeling now is that I'm happy 

here and I wouldn't have any 

problem continuing here for more 

time." 

Mata moved to Old Trafford from 

Chelsea for a then club-record fee 

of £37.1 million in January 2014. 

Ozil demands Barcelona offer 

him £330,000-a-week 

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil 

wants a £330,000-a-week 

deal to move to La Liga giants 

Barcelona. 

The German international has 

told Barca he will only sign for them 

if his wage demands can be met. 

According to Spanish outlet AS, 

Ozil would be on an income of 

£17million gross per year and will 

also ask for a sizeable signing-on 

bonus. 

Barca are plotting a £17m 

January swoop for Ozil amid a stall 

in talks to extend his Emirates 

Stadium deal as they look for an 

alternative to Liverpool midfielder 

Philippe Coutinho. 

Joshua trains on Dubai hotel 

rooftop 

WBA and IBF heavy weight 

champion, Anthony 

Joshua took his training to a 

different level Wednesday. His 

trip to Dubai was a bit different 

to that of typical celebrities. 

The rich and famous visit to 

relax, get some sun and swim in 

the sea but the Nigerian-born 

British pugilist preferred to work 

up a sweat in a makeshift ring 

atop the Burj Al Arab Hotel in 

Dubai. 

Joshua was put through his 

paces and looked in peak 

physical condition as he went 

through a series of drills on top of 

the luxurious hotel.


Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 

Sudoku 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

ACROSS 

1 Conflict (6) 

4 Short fast race (6) 

8 Dire (5) 

9 Vein in the neck (7) 

10 Beseech (7) 

11 Demonstrated (5) 

12 Dispirited, downcast (9) 

17 Perfunctory kisses (5) 

19 South American 

country (7) 

21 Trembling (7) 

22 Aggregate (5) 

23 Festival in spring (6) 

24 Burns, Scottish 

poet (6) 

DOWN 

1 Remained (6) 

2 Disproved (7) 

3 Untrue (5) 

5 Mythical winged 

horse (7) 

6 Inuit abode (5) 

7 Despot (6) 

9 1940s dance (9) 

13 Leisure activity (7) 

14 Enthusiastic supporter (7) 

15 Not transparent (6) 

16 Wooden hammer (6) 

18 Category (5) 

20 Numbers game (5) 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can 

have two of the same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, 

(also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block 

within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number 

from 1 through 9. This means that no number can 

appear twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, 

division or multiplication, just plain logic and your 

imagination. 

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 

01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com 

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: EZE ANABA. Phone: 01-4548355, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

24112017 - I was never sacked, still in active service—MAINA

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