25042019 - Free web operators threaten national security — EXPERTS

OLU FASAN
STATE OF THE NATION
Lord, give
Nigeria bold,
incorruptible
judges
31
EL-ZAKZAKY:
Reps adjourn, as
protesting Shi’ites
storm NASS, pull
down gate
8
Emotions as
Ugwuanyi, Amaju visit
Chairman Chukwu
•Otedola presents $50,000
cheque
ECA gets boost as Bonny Light hits $75.04 per barrel
45
19
VOL. 26: NO. 63794 THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
BUHARI IN LAGOS....
VANGUARD ECONOMY FORUM ON TELECOMS
President Muhammadu Buhari (Middle) and from left: Governors Ibikunle
Amosun of Ogun; Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; Governor-Elect of
Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State
and Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, during the commissioning of the
Oshodi Transport Interchange in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.
From left: Dinesh Balsing, Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria; Chidi Ibisi,
Executive Director, Business Development Broadbased Communication, NCC; Mr
Eze Anaba, Editor, Vanguard Newspapers; Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, ALTON;
Bako Wakeel representing Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, NCC;
Chijioke Ezeh, National Coordinator, Wireless Application Service Providers of
Nigeria, WASPAN and Olusola Teniola, President, Association of Telecommunications
Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) at the Vanguard Economy Forum on Telecoms
themed "Unlocking the Revenue and Growth Opportunities in the Telecoms Sector in
a Changing Business Model and Digital Technology Environment: Role of Regulator,
Operators and OTT Service Providers. Photo: Akeem Salau.
Free web operators threaten
national security — EXPERTS
•Conference participants list dangers to Nigeria by Over The Top, OTT operators
•As experts, stakeholders call for urgent, strict regulation of OTTs
Reps move to probe $27bn
oil revenue loss to IOCs
•Ask FRSC to penalise
indiscriminate parking of tankers
8 9
Absence of committee chair;
vice at Senate plenary stalls
2019 budget passage
9
STORY
ON
PAGE 5
C
M
Y
K

2 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 3

4 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews
Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 5
POCKET CARTOON
IMN MEMBERS FORCE NASS GATE OPEN— Members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria protesting
at the National Assembly, trying to forcefully enter the National Assembly in Abuja yesterday. Photo:
Gbemiga Olamikan.
Free web operators threaten national
In
security — EXPERTS
By Prince Osuagwu,
platforms that
Hi-Tech Editor & Telecoms Sector in a traditionally act as a abroad in the form of SMS
Juliet Umeh Changing Business controller or distributor of
Continues on Page 41
“Foreign Direct
LAGOS — The
security and
well-being of
Nigeria and its peoples
may be under serious
threat from the
operations of OTT (Over
The Top) service
providers in the nation’s
telecommunications
sector, unless serious,
concerted action is
taken.
This was the
summation of experts
and stakeholders at a
workshop, Unlocking
the Revenue and Growth
Opportunities in the
Model and Digital
T e c h n o l o g y
Environment: Role of
Regulator, Operators
and OTT Service
Providers, organised by
Vanguard Media Ltd in
Lagos yesterday.
Over the top (OTT),
according to Wikipedia,
is a term used to refer to
content providers that
distribute streaming
media as a standalone
product directly to
viewers over the
Internet, bypassing
telecommunications,
multichannel television,
and broadcast television
such content
Indeed, many
participants at the
workshop agreed that the
nation and her peoples
may be headed for
another form of slavery
unless the operations of
OTT service providers,
which also cut across
virtually every sector of
the economy, are
subjected to “full
disclosures and
regulation.” This, they
said, is because
"telecommunications is
the infrastructure of
infrastructure."
addition,
participants warned
leaders in the corridors
of power to be wary of
initiatives coming from
Investment”, usually
quoted in foreign
currency, which could
destroy the economic
base of the country.
Not done, the nation
was also warned of
dangers of free internet
services, free messaging
services, free broadband,
and others, which they
said will have the effect
of under-developing the
nation and her peoples.
The workshop, which
focused on the impact of
OTT operators in the
Nigerian telecom also
sector x-rayed dwindling
revenues of service
providers, and fleshed
out national security
implications if OTTs are
not brought under
regulatory cover.
Executive Vice
Chairman of the Nigeria
Communication
Commission, NCC, Prof
Umar Danbatta, kickstarted
the discussion
with a keynote speech on
the theme of the event:
Operators still
focus voice,
— NCC boss
Danbatta, represented
by Director, Technical
Standards and Network
Integrity, Eng. Bako
Wakil, said that most
industry players still
focus traditional services
like voice call and Short
Messaging Services,
SMS, which are now
suffering decline while
OTT services such as
WhatsApp, Snapchat,
Facebook Messenger
and Skype are fast
replacing them as
primary methods of
communication.
COLUMNISTS GAMBO DORI 17 IKECHUKWU AMAECHI 40
Mr & Mrs
By Bose Adelaja,Yinka Latona,
Chiamaka Uba, Tolulope
Oke&Erinfolami Abdulkudus
Collapsed state of Lagos roads, worsening traffic gridlocks (4)
He noted that the
business
of
telecommunication
requires partnerships,
and challenged the
telcos to urgently tweak
their business models to
confront erosion of their
revenue base by the
OTTs, headlong.
He added that the old
business models created
by the operators are no
longer sustainable,
saying this is why they
are suffering gradual
erosion of their Average
Revenue Per User,
The Lagos-Badagry
Expressway has
become synonymous with
traffic gridlock because of
pot holes. Also, the
situation is not helped by
the reconstruction which
has been going on on that
road for a very long time.
I appeal to the authorities
to hasten work on that
road.
Miss Dada Folasade
Blogger
It's
disheartening
considering the fact
that that road is very
important to the people.
That road has been under
construction for years,
and it's high time the
government did
something about it.
Enough is enough!
Mr.Victor Paul
Animation artist
I
think the Ambode-led
government is just too
inactive. Why would he
abandon a project he
inherited? The Lagos/
Badagry road
construction was fast
when Fashola started it
but nothing happened
since Ambode took over.
My take is that the state
government is less
concerned about us.
Miss Gbwa Mercy
Student
LAGOS being a cos
mopolitan state has
a deficit of infrastructure
coupled with bad roads
in most parts. They have
been the major reasons
we have traffic gridlock.
I think these major challenges
in Lagos today
are as a result of failed
leadership. The only way
out is for stakeholders to
be involved in the formulation
and implementation
of a long term
plan.Mr.Ifeanyi Okoye,
Analyst
I
want to know if
A p a
pa Oshodi Expressway
and Lagos/Badagry
Expressway are no
longer in Nigeria. How
could a government be
this insensitive to the
plight of taxpayers? Is
the problem beyond
what the federal and
state governments can
address? I am very angry
as I am talking to
you because people die
every week as a result of
the state of the roads.
sumed office in 2015.
Mr. Rufus Obomenfo,
Worker
I
have decided to
s t o p
complaining because
those concerned
do not care about us.
They only care when
they need our votes. I
want to plead with the
incoming governor, Babajide
Sanwo-Olu to
save those of us living
in Ojo, Badagry and
Amuwo Odofin Local
Government Areas.
Mr. Shola Adedotun,
Carpenter

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
LOVE TURNED
SOUR: Death
toll rises to 8
as 3 other
family
members die
in hospital
We took alcohol before storming police station to
free detainees, say suspects who killed 4 cops
By Dayo Johnson
A KURE—THREE
other members of a
family that were set ablaze
by a jilted lover, Deji
Adenuga, at Igbodigo in
Okitipupa council area of
Ondo State reportedly died
yesterday.
The death toll has risen
to eight.
Recall that a loverboy,
Adenuga, who is on the
run, set the family house
where eight members of his
estrange lover’s family were
sleeping ablaze. Five of
them died in the inferno
while three others were
rushed to the hospital.
The family live in a room
at Adetuwo Street in the
town.
Vanguard gathered that
the suspect sprayed the
room at about 2am with
petrol before setting it
ablaze.
However, report had it,
yesterday, that the other
three members of the family
that were admitted in the
hospital had died because
of the degree of burns they
sustained in the fire.
Police source gave the
names of the deceased as
Glory Alade, Mercy Alade,
Joy Alade, Adebayo Alade,
Aladesewa Alade, Johnson
Alade and Ayorinde Alade.
Contacted the police
spokesperson, Femi
Joseph, said the three
people died as a result of
the injury they sustained in
the fire.
“For the suspect, we are
still on his trail and we will
soon get him.” Joseph
vowed.
Joseph added that Titi “is
currently on admission in
a hospital because she is
still traumatized.”
The suspects
By Alemma-Ozioruva
Aliu
BENIN CITY — ONE of the six
suspects arrested in connection
with the killings of four policemen,
including the Divisional Police Officer,
DPO; Divisional Crime Officer, DCO,
an Inspector and a pregnant station
officer in Afuze, Owan East Local
Government Area, Edo State,
yesterday, narrated how they carried
out the raid.
One of the suspects, 24-year-old
Agunu Ernest, during the parade of
the suspects by the state
Commissioner of Police, Danmallam
Muhammed, said they stormed the
police station after consuming alcohol
to free their colleagues earlier arrested
at Ihievbe for stealing a motorcycle.
He said: “I was in Benin when I
was contacted to come to Afuze, that
our boys were arrested and detained
at Afuze Police station. On arrival, I
met Abaga who told me to join in the
operation to rescue some detainees.
It was after we had some alcohol that
we moved to the station. He (Abaga)
gave me a gun and on getting there
he started shooting.
“He ordered the four policemen into
one of the offices and asked them to
pull their uniforms and shot them
before setting the detainees free.”
Men who sold 3 siblings
arrested
Also paraded, yesterday, were two
men, Kenneth Ofeke and Stephen
Obi, who allegedly sold three siblings
for N500,000 in Port Harcourt, Rivers
State. The names of the siblings,
two of which are twins, were given
as Wisdom, Kenneth and Sunny.
According to 26-year-old
Kenneth, “I hail from Ebonyi State.
We are from the same state. I have
not paid her bride price. She gave
birth to twins. She was not okay
after delivery. The children were
not well. My parents are not alive
so I sought to look for help. I called
one aunty in Port Harcourt.
“We took the children to Port
Harcourt. The aunty made some
inquiries. I gave her the children to
take care of and she gave me N500,
000.
“We didn’t discuss price. She just
gave me the money. I am a welder.
There is no help and the children are
not well. Their mother was my
girlfriend. She had Wisdom for a man
before I met her. She took in after we
parted but said the man she had the
twins for does not care for her.”
Stephen, aged 48, said he only
provided his Goodness and Mercy
Orphanage for the children to be
adopted and not sold. He said he
collected N50,000 as logistics per
child.
But the police described Kenneth
as a serial child trafficker, who had
earlier sold a yet-to-be identified
baby for N1 million in Port Harcourt.
Pastor petitions IGP over sexual harassment,
illegal detention by police in A-Ibom
By Harris-Okon
Emmanuel
UYO—A DIVORCEE and a
pastor in Mountain of Fire
and Miracle Ministries, Margaret
Udoh, has petitioned the acting
Inspector-General of Police,
Mohammed Adamu, demanding
justice over alleged sexual
harassment and physical assault
on her by officers of the IGP’s
Intelligence Response Team.
Besides, she called on Nigerian
Bar Association, Civil Liberties
Organisation, CLO, and other civil
rights organisations to assist her
with a view to ensuring that the
culprits were made to face the law.
Vanguard learned that about 20
officers of the squad invaded her
resident at St. Christopher
Avenue, Nung Uko in Ibesikpo
Asutan Local Government Area
of Akwa Ibom State, with two
4 NEMA staff kidnapped, another shot in Rivers
By Femi Bolaji, with
agency reports
FOUR senior staff of
National Emergency
Management Agency, NEMA,
have been kidnapped by
unknown gunmen while
another was shot Tuesday
evening in River State.
PRNigeria gathered that the
incident took place in Abua-
Odual Local Government Area
of state, while the officers were
on official duties.
The officers were in the state
to conduct an enumeration
exercise to determine the
number of farmers, who were
either affected by flood or
conflicts to benefit from the
National Emergency Agricultural
Intervention Fund.
The fund, which is under
National Food Security
Programme of the Federal
Government, is to cover 18 states
of the federation.
Those abducted include a
woman and three men who had
successfully completed the
enumeration exercise they were
carrying out in some parts of the
state.
It was gathered that the officers
were returning from the
assignment when the
unexpected incident occurred.
“I can authoritatively tell
you that four emergency
workers with NEMA are
currently in captivity. They
were kidnapped at Abua
Odua, near Ahoada in Rivers
State yesterday, after an
undertaken official
assignment,” the source said.
He added: “However, one of
the NEMA staff who was shot
in the leg escaped being
kidnapped alongside his
colleagues, after he
pretended to be dead. He
has been admitted at an
undisclosed health centre
Hilux vans at about 1am on the night
of Saturday, April 13, 2019.
They were said to have allegedly
jumped the fence and broke the
protectors with hammers and axes
before finally gaining access to her
room.
How they stormed
my house
Udoh who narrated the gory
experience said: “I was terrified
and awoken by heavy bangs on
my gate at about 1am on Saturday
night and before I could gather
myself to see what was wrong, I
saw men jumping the fence into
my compound.
“They headed to the protectors
and immediately started banging
the doors. It was at this point that I
summoned courage and started
making calls to my neighbours for
help.
“When the intruders heard that
I was making calls, they shouted
at me to switch-off my phone and
told me that they were policemen.
They asked me to open the door,
which I refused. My refusal was
based on the fact that there have
been incessant cases of armed
robbery in the area for awhile now.
“It took them two hours to break
into my house by using axes,
hammers and broken blocks. They
met me inside the toilet where I
ran to hide and they dragged me
out naked.
“One of them used his hand to
abuse my private part and breasts.
He even called me a witch. I was
seriously manhandled. My doors,
ceilings and windows were
completely shattered.”
Continuing, she said when her
assailants gained entrance, they
asked her to produce her husband
and she said “I am a minister with
Mountain of Fire and Miracle
Ministry and that my husband
divorced me 18 years ago.
“At that point they allowed me
to dress up and later took me
outside where two Hilux vans
were waiting with over 20
policemen. I was taken to Nsit
Ibom Local Government Area
that night. One of them said they
should kill me and throw me
away that I am a witch but
another said it was not yet time.”
“Amidst the argument, I was
taken to B Division in Ewet
Housing Estate, Uyo. I was not
told my offence or crime but was
thrown into the cell. It was when
I peeped through the charge
board that I saw Robbery and
Kidnapping written against my
name.
“I have never been detained in
my life and I have not been held
for any offence before, so I am
surprised at the offences written
against my name”.
Police react
Police Public Relations Officer,
Odiko Macdon, a
Superintendent of Police said the
command was yet to receive such
information, adding that he
would dig into it.
However, a female police
sergeant at B Division, Ewet
Housing, who spoke on condition
of anonymity, confirmed that the
suspect was brought in by the
IGP’s team on Saturday night but
refused to speak further because
she was not permitted to speak
on the matter.
A member of the family and a
retired Superintendent of Police,
SP Antia Umoren, who signed
the bail bond, accused the police
of “seriously manhandled and
falsely charged for robbery and
kidnapping.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019—7
My colleague asked me to steal female
underwear for N30,000 —Suspect
By Esther Onyegbula
OPERATIVES of Lagos State Police
Command, Satellite Town Division, has
arrested two persons for allegedly stealing
female pant at Mile 2 under bridge.
The two suspects identified as Friday
Emmanuel (21) and Obiora Nwabueze (29) were
arrested after they engaged each other in
fisticuffs following the failure of one of the
parties to keep to the terms of agreement
regarding the stealing of the pants.
It was learned that 29-year-old Obiora
Nwabueze contracted his partner in crime,
Friday Emmanuel, to help him get female
underwear, with a promise to pay him N30, 000
afterwards.
The pant, as gathered, was stolen from where
it was spread to dry in the densely populated
Ajegunle area of Lagos.
However, trouble started after Emmanuel
succeeded in stealing the pant and Nwabueze
reneged to pay him the agreed sum of N30,000,
which led to both of them physically attacking
each other.
Suspect’s account
According to one of the suspects, Friday
Emmanuel, “my friend, Obiora Nwabueze, asked
me to steal used female pant for a fee of N30,000.
He was pestering me to get him female
underwear that he desperately wanted to
become rich.
“After I successfully accomplished the task,
The suspects.
Fire guts 72 shops in Agbara
Scene of the inferno.
By Evelyn Usman
GOODS worth several mil
lions of naira were consumed
by an early morning fire, which
engulfed motor park market in Agbara
area of Ogun State, yesterday,
razing 72 shops.
The fire also left some traders
homeless as the shops also
served as their abode.
Its cause was attributed to illegal
connection of electricity as
Vanguard gathered that it started
from one of the shops at
about 3am.
Nwabueze reneged on his promise and
attempted to forcefully collect the pant from
me, but I refused and we began to fight.
Sincerely, I regret listening to him.
Confirming their arrest, Lagos State Police
Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana said
the two suspects were charged to Magistrate's
Court 23, Mbah Road, Ajegunle, Lagos,
yesterday, for conspiracy and stealing.
Some traders who lived in the
makeshift complex comprising
105 shops , scampered in different
directions for safety, with some
of them sustaining minor injuries.
Effort to salvage the situation
failed as the raging fire spread to
other shops.However, some of
those at the other extreme, were
able to salvage some of their belongings.
Contacted, Chief Public Affairs
Officer, Lagos State Fire Service,
Bola Ajao, said no life was lost in
the inferno, which, according to
her, was brought under control at
about 8.10 am.
She explained that a distress call
was received at about 5.08 am,
consequent upon which a fiveman
team led by Assistant Chief
Fire Superintendent, Abel Wusu
, at the Badagry fire station
rushed to the scene.
Director, Fire Service, Rasaki
Musibau, also called for caution
in the handling of fire and advised
Lagosians to be fire safety conscious
at all time.
Ondo bank robbery: Court remands five suspects
By Dayo Johnson
AKURE—A
Chief
Magistrate's Court sitting
in Akure, Ondo State capital,
yesterday, ordered that five
suspected armed robbers, who
allegedly robbed a bank in
Idoani and killed seven
persons be remanded in Police
custody.
The suspects were arraigned
on a seven-count charge by the
Ondo State police command.
They include Isiah Yusuf,
Joshua Egumah Abuse, Idris
Alli Abdullahi, Philip Adeni,
Odeh Friday Francis and
Peter ufomadu.
The Chief Magistrate,
Victoria Bob-Manuel, after
listening to arguments from
the prosecution, Olawoye
Ezekiel and defence counsel,
A. Y. Aliu, ordered that they
be remanded in prison
custody till May 2 pending
the advice from the Office of
Director of Public
Prosecution.
Recall that the suspects
invaded a bank in the town
and during the operation shot
dead seven persons including
the bank Manager and a Vice
Principal of a school in the town.
Five other persons were
seriously injured during the
robbery operation.
With the use of dynamite the
robbers blew off the security
door and the Automated Teller
Machine after which they
escaped with an unspecified
amount of money.
However, one of the suspects
was arrested by the soldiers that
were deployed to the scene to
combat the robbers.
... with Emma'nKen (08163121378)
...Or you speak your native language
That is if they will ever understand you
That is the way we roll

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25 , 2019
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
El-Zakzaky: Reps adjourn, as protesting
Shi'ites storm NASS, pull down gate
By Kingsley
Omonobi &
Emman
Ovuakporie
ABUJA—THE House of
Representatives ended
its sitting abruptly, yesterday,
following the invasion of the
National Assembly complex
by protesting Shi’ites who
pulled down one of the gates
of the facility.
The Shi’ites, who are also
members of Islamic
Movement of Nigeria, IMN,
have been protesting the
continued detention of their
leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky,
calling for his release by the
Federal Government.
A witness told Vanguard
that the IMN members
overpowered security and
broke down the first gate,
before proceeding towards
the second gate.
Deputy Speaker of the
House, Yusuf Lasun,
announced that members of
the IMN crashed into the first
gate of the National
Assembly, as lawmakers
were at plenary.
The development forced
the legislators to abruptly
adjourn their plenary, which
was on before the
announcement. Lasun said
more security operatives had
been deployed to the second
gate, which is just metres
away from where the
lawmakers hold their sitting.
Security has also been
beefed up around the
premises of the legislative
chamber.
Members of the IMN have
held regular protests to
demand the release of their
leader since December 2015.
Their leader, Ibrahim El-
Zakzaky, was arrested along
with his wife after soldiers
killed hundreds of IMN
members in Zaria, Kaduna
State, between December 12
and 15, 2015. Some of Mr El-
Zakzaky’s children were
amongst those killed.
Police dispel
insinuations
But reacting to the
development, FCT Police
Command dispelled
insinuations and reports that
members IMN broke the
gates of the National
Assembly..
Deputy Commissioner of
Police in charge of operations,
DCP Umar Usman, however,
noted that the Shi'ites
protesters tried to broke into
the police barricade mounted
by officers of FCT command
to no avail.
He added that sanity later
prevailed when the group
was persuaded to present the
letter containing their
grievances to Sergeant-at-
Arms of the National
Assembly, who promised to
deliver it to the NASS
leadership for action.
“Consequent upon the
collection of the letter, the
Shi'ites peacefully dispersed.
There was no shooting of tear
gas, no confrontation and no
Shi’ite was arrested,” the DC
Ops said.
Asked why no arrests were
made, he noted that since
they elected to be peaceful
and not confrontational or
unruly by embarking on
destruction of property, the
Police had no reason to arrest
any of them.
HEARING: Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun (left); Dr Yusuf
Ali (SAN) (right) and Chief Wole Olanipekun, during the Court of
Appeal hearing, in Abuja, yesterday.
Dogara decries high rate of foreign medical
trips, brain drain among professionals
By Levinus
Nwabughiogu
ABUJA—SPEAKER of
the House of
Representatives, Yakubu
Dogara, has decried the
high rate of foreign medical
trips by Nigerians.
He also described as
worrisome the attendant
brain drain in the heath
sector, which has prompted
mass exodus of medical
professionals to foreign
countries.
Suggesting a quick
intervention to guarantee
efficient and effective
service delivery, Dogara
called for total overhaul of
the health sector.
The speaker spoke at a
public hearing on two bills
organised, yesterday, by
the Chike Okafor-led
Committee on Health at
the National Assembly.
The two bills are a bill for
an Act to Repeal the Health
R e c o r d s
Officers(Registration, etc)
Act, CAP. H2 of the Laws of
the Federation of Nigeria,
2004 and Re-enact the
Health Information
Practitioners Council of
Nigeria for effective and
efficient Health Information
Management, Regulate
the Training, Practice and
Management of Health
Information System in
Nigeria and a Bill for an Act
to Amend the Institute of
Chartered Chemists of
Nigeria Act, CAP 1.112,
Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria, 2004, provide for
the Role of the Chemist, the
Regulation of Practicing
Fees by members of the
Institute; and for Other
Related Matters.
Dogara said: “The
ultimate aim of these
legislation is to ensure that
we have a more efficient
service delivery in the
health sector. There is a
compelling need for us to
overhaul our health sector,
in view of the continuous
public outcry against our
defective healthcare
delivery.
‘’The high number of
Nigerians who go on
foreign medical trips and
the brain drain that we
witness among our
professionals in the sector
are indications that our
health sector requires a
serious surgical operation.
“On our part, the National
Assembly will always use
its powers to legislate for the
betterment of our health
sector as a matter of priority.
‘’In this digital age, there
will always be need to
update our laws to meet
with the contemporary
global best practices, and
the National Assembly will
continue to be responsive
in that regard."
MTN Nigeria moves to list on
NSE, converts to a public
company — Official
L AGOS—MTN
N i g e r i a
Communications, MTN,
yesterday announced that
it had completed its
conversion from a private
concern into a public
company.
Chief Executive Officer of
MTN, Mr Ferdi Moolman,
said the conversion to a
public company was a legal
requirement and key
milestone in the
preparatory process for the
company’s listing on the
Nigerian Stock Exchange,
NSE.
According to him, MTN’s
intended listing on NSE
will create a new telecoms
asset class for investors and
provide a wider group of
Nigerians with a chance to
participate in the MTN
investment opportunity.
He said: “Our conversion
to a public company is a
major step towards listing
by introduction on the
Nigerian Stock Exchange
in the first half of 2019.
“It is a re-affirmation of our
long-term commitment to
expanding investment
opportunities for Nigerians,
in addition to providing
everyday services to them.
“We look forward to
continuing our
engagement with the
SEC and NSE to take
forward the listing
process.”
Govt programmes've created
about 8m jobs— Ngige
•Says Nigeria has enough doctors
THE Minister of Labour
and Employment, Mr
Chris Ngige, said, yesterday,
that programmes of the
Federal Government have so
far created about eight
million jobs through
agriculture and vocational
skills training.
He also said there was
nothing wrong with doctors
leaving Nigeria as the
country has “more than
enough” medical personnel.
Ngige, who disclosed this
on a Channels TV
programme, Sunrise, noted
that rice production had
created new groups of
millionaires in Nigeria.
Decrying the responses
given to blue collar jobs by
youths in the country, he
said: “We did food security
arrangements, tackled
agriculture. The
government went into
agriculture, started
encouraging farmers.
“Government programmes
have yielded a lot of fruits if
you go to the Agric belts of
Nigeria; Kano, Jigawa,
Katsina, Anambra, Enugu,
Ogun, Kebbi states. Rice
production created a new
group of millionaires, the
farmers.
"And there is the backward
integration of the rice mills,
jute bag manufacturers and
the rest of them all, a lot of
jobs have been created
numbering about eight
million now. He said the
government had embarked
on advocacy, promoting
blue collar jobs.
“We did advocacy and told
people not to look at white
collar jobs, there are blue
collar jobs, skills. You have
to train your hands, you have
to do plumbing, carpentry,
tailoring.
“We have a mini in collaboration
with the state
government, we send
people to the skills centre to
train them and people come
in there as an apprentice and
after we finish with them, we
empower them. But the
problem is that how many
people are ready to come
here and train?
“The responses to the
programmes are low, they
regard those jobs as
unbefitting to people’s status,
but it is not true,’’ the minister
said.
On brain drain in the
health sector, the minister
said there was nothing
wrong with doctors leaving
Nigeria as the country has
“more than enough” medical
personnel.
He defended the doctors
searching for green pastures
elsewhere, saying “if you
have surplus, you export.”
Ngige’s comment comes
weeks after Saudi officials
stormed Nigeria to recruit
medical doctors, an
opportunity that was highly
sought for.
One of the programme
anchors had asked him if he
was worried about the rate
doctors leave Nigeria to
which he responded: “No, I
am not worried (about
doctors leaving the country).
We have surplus. If you have
surplus, you export.
“It happened some years
ago here. I was taught
chemistry and biology by
Indian teachers in my
secondary school days.
“There are surplus in their
country and we also have
surplus in the medical
profession in our country. I
can tell you this. In my area,
we have excess."
Malabu Oil scandal: Adoke
asks court to set aside order
of arrest
FORMER Minister of
Justice, Mr
Mohammed Adoke, has
asked a High Court of the
Federal Capital Territory
to set aside its earlier
order issued for his arrest
over his alleged
involvement in deals
regarding the sale of
Malabu oil.
Justice Danlami Senchi
had on April 17, 2019,
issued an order for the
arrest of Mr Adoke, a
former Minister of
Petroleum, Dan Etete and
four others over their
complicity in the Malabu
oil scam.
The others are Raph
Wetzels, Roberto Casula,
Stefeno Pujato, and
Sebastiano Burrato.
The bench warrant for
the arrest of the defendants
was sequel to an
exparte application by
the Economic and
Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC.
But Adoke in a motion
exparte filed on April 23,
by his lawyer Mike
Ozekhome, asked the
court to set aside the order
for his arrest on grounds
that the court was missed
in the first place in
issuing the order by the
Federal government
(plaintiff) in the other suit.
The motion with number
M/5494/19, is also praying
the court to strike out the
name of Adoke as a
defendant in the suit by
the Federal government
against Shell Nigeria
Exploration Production
Company Limited and 10
others.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019—9
NYSC debunks rumour of N31,800 stipend for corps members
By Luminous
Jannamike
A BUJA—NATIONAL
Youth Service Corps,
NYSC, has dismissed as
fake news reports making
the rounds on social media
that serving corps members
will be paid N31,800 as
monthly stipends,
following the signing of the
new minimum wage into
law by President
Reps move to probe $27bn oil revenue
loss to IOCs
...ask FRSC to penalise indiscriminate parking of trailers
By Emman
Ovuakporie &
Levinus
Nwabughiogu
ABUJA—THE House of
Representatives
yesterday resolved to
probe the $27 billion oil
revenue loss to
international oil companies,
IOCs, from 1999 till date.
The resolution was
passed after the debate on
the executive bill which
seeks to increase Federal
Government’s share of the
revenue accruing from oil
trading.
The Committee in charge
of the probe was given one
week to report back for
further legislative action.
Lawmakers also asked
the leadership of the House
for more time to enable them
conduct adequate research
toward passing a more
beneficial amendment to
the current Deep Offshore
and Inland Basin
Production Sharing
Contract Act of 2004.
The lawmakers who cited
Order 12 Rule 3 of the
House Standing Orders
dealing with matters of
legislative compendium,
called for the allocation of
additional legislative days
for the debate on the bill to
Muhammadu Buhari.
A Deputy Director at the
NYSC headquarters Abuja,
Eddy Megwa, told
Vanguard yesterday that the
federal government was
yet to inform the Scheme of
any increases in the
stipends of serving corps
members.
He stressed that though
the NYSC does not pay
corps members directly, the
be total and thorough.
Leading the debate on
the executive bill titled: ‘A
Bill for an Act to Amend the
Deep Offshore and Inland
Basin Production Sharing
Contracts Act, Cap. D3
Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria, 2004 to Review the
share of the Federation in
the Additional Revenue
under the Production
Sharing Contracts; and for
Related Matters’, Deputy
House Leader, Ahmed Idris
Wase, urged his colleagues
to urgently give the bill all
necessary support.
However, Uzoma Nkem
Abonta, a PDP member
from Abia State cited order
12 sub-Rule 3, saying he
didn’t have a copy of the
bill by way of compendium
which he would have used
to prepare adequately for
the debate, considering the
importance of the bill.
His views were also
supported by Ossai
Nicholas Ossai, from Delta
who called for the debate
to be suspended, pending
the availability of the
compendium to members
willing to do a good job on
the amendment.
Advancing the argument
further was the Deputy
Speaker, Sulaimon Lasun
Yussuff, who urged the
speaker to allow the debate
federal government will
inform the Scheme of any
increases before a stipend
figure different from the
current N19,800 was made
available to the public.
He said: “The NYSC
does not pay corps
members any sum of
money directly as stipends
but the federal government
does.
“Until the government is
to go on, while appealing
that more legislative days
be set aside for the debate
to enable members exhaust
their thoughts on the
subject matter.
“The way things stand,
we may end up being
pushed out of the sharing
formula in future because
the IOCs own the expertise
and the funds and they can
even decide to apply
international laws to claim
that the locations of the
deep offshore wells are
outside our shores," Yussuff
noted.
According to the existing
Act authorising the sharing
formula, IOCs are to drill
crude and sell with the
proceeds shared between
them and the government
on a 60/40 basis at $20 per
barrel of crude.
This, according to the
House, means that the
companies keep and have
been keeping whatever
excess revenue they
generated arising from
increase in the price of
crude and share, based on
$20 agreement, irrespective
of the prevailing market
price.
...ask FRSC to
penalise
indiscriminate
ready to implement the
N30,000 minimum wage,
we cannot say what corps
members will earn for their
service to the nation.
“Disregard any figure
you find making the rounds
on social media. When the
federal government is
ready, it will inform NYSC
and we will announce it to
corps members through
official channels.”
LAUNCHING: From left—Onyinyechi Nwosu, Brand Manager, Molped Sanitary Pads and
Familia Tissues & Papia Tissues categories; Ayobami Kalesanwo, Asst Brand Manager,
diapers category; Roseline Abaraonye, Marketing Manager; Hakan Misri, MD, Hayat Kimya
Nigeria; Mr Yunus Atmaca, Group Campus and Plant Manager, Hayat Kimya; Chioma
Mgbaramuko, Senior Brand Manager, diapers category (Molfix & Bebem); and Motayo
Latunji, Sales Director, Hayat Kimya Nigeria, at Molped Sanitary Pads and Molfix Pants
product launch event at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday.
parking of trailers
Also yesterday, the House
of Representatives urged
the Federal Road Safety
Corps, FRSC, to give strict
warnings and
subsequently penalize any
trailer that parks
indiscriminately on the
Ogolonto-Ebute road.
It also urged the
Nigerian Ports Authority,
NPA, to take advantage of
vacant land along the
Lagos-Ikorodu road to
create modern trailer parks
and ensure that only trailers
scheduled for loading had
access to the lighter
terminal vicinity.
Members of the House
reached the resolution
following a motion, titled
“Urgent Need to
Rehabilitate Ebute-
Ogolonto Road that Leads
to Ikorodu Lighter Terminal
and Address the
indiscriminate parking of
Trailers on the Road”,
sponsored by Hon.
Babajimi Benson from
Lagos State at the plenary.
While moving the motion
at plenary, Babajimi
Benson (Lagos) noted that
the traffic situation caused
by the trailers had become
unbearable.
He urged the Federal
Ministry of Power, Works
and Housing to
immediately commence
palliative works on the
Ebute-Ogolonto road that
leads to Ikorodu Lighter
Terminal.
Absence of c'ttee chair,
vice at Senate plenary
stalls 2019 budget
passage
•As Senate throws out motion to
recognise Kogi as oil producing state
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA—THE passage
of 2019 Budget,
yesterday suffered another
setback, following the
absence of Chairman of the
Appropriation Committee,
Danjuma Goje, and his
vice, Sunny Ogbuoji, at
plenary.
Consequently, the Senate
has for the second time in
a week, postponed till next
week passage of the
Appropriation Bill.
The postponement
yesterday became
imperative as Senators
were not able to get details
of the budget prior to
plenary.
Therefore, as part of
moves to ensure that the
budget is passed next
week, Senate President, Dr.
Bukola Saraki, who
presided, urged the Clerk
of the Senate, Nelson
Ayewor, to ensure that all
109 senators had printed
copies of details of the
budget by Monday, April
29.
Earlier, Senate Majority
Leader, Ahmad Lawan
(APC, Yobe) had informed
his colleagues that the
Chairman, Committee on
Appropriations, Senator
Danjuma Goje, APC,
Gombe Central and the
Vice Chairman, Senator
Sunny Ogbuoji, APC,
Ebonyi South were absent.
In his remarks, Saraki
said: “The Chairman (of the
Appropriations Committee,
Danjuma Goje) did speak
to me that some of the
members had not got
printed copies of the
details. And I have directed
the Clerk to make sure that
latest by Monday, we all
have printed copies of the
budget so that everybody
can see the details of the
budget.
‘’By so doing, we can
now pass it at the next
legislative day, because we
don’t want to run into
problems where we pass it
without details and our
colleagues will now
comment on that.”
Senate throws out
motion to recognise
Kogi as oil
producing state
In another session
yesterday, the Senate,
threw out a motion seeking
to recognise Kogi State as
an oil producing state.
The Upper legislative
chamber said it lacked the
constitutional powers to go
into such a proposal.
The rejection followed
observations by lawmakers
on the impossibility of the
Senate to recognise Kogi
as one of the oil producing
states through what it
described as the adoption
of mere motion sponsored
by Senator Isaac Alfa, PDP-
Kogi East.
Efforts by senators to
convince the sponsor to
withdraw the motion didn’t
yield result as he declared
that “I have made the
motion and I’m not ready
to withdraw it”.
The Senate has, however,
urged the governors of
Anambra, Dr. Willie
Obiano, Enugu, Mr.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and
Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya
Bello, to resolve the
communal crises among
the various communities in
their states.
It also advised the
communities of Ibaji, Igga
and Aguleri in Kogi, Enugu
and Anambra states to
sheath their swords and
allow peace to reign, while
the National Boundary
Commission delineate the
correct boundaries.
The Senate also urged the
federal government to
direct the commission to
immediately release its
report on the determination
of the boundaries
contiguous to OPLs 915 &
916.
Similarly, it asked the
government to ensure that
the displaced communities
in the disputed area, were
allowed to return to their
ancestral homes and
compensated for their loss.
Further more, the Upper
chamber directed its
committees on States and
Local Governments,
Petroleum Upstream,
National Security and
Intelligence to ensure
compliance with the above
resolutions.
Presenting the
motion,entitled, “Need to
recognize Kogi State as an
Oil Producing State “ before
its rejection, Alfa informed
that oil exploration
commenced in Ibaji as far
back as 1952 by three
companies, including Shell
BP, now known as Shell
Petroleum Development
Company, SPDC; Elf, now
Total Fina Elf, and AGIP
Energy.
He said the companies
collectively drilled 25
exploration wells, two
appraisal wells and eight
core drill wells in the entire
Anambra Basin, out of
which majority of them fell
within Kogi State with facts
made available through a
letter, dated November 21,
2003, to the President by
the former manager,
drilling (NPDC-NNPC),
Engr. Sam A. Uchola.

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
By Clifford Ndujihe,
Olasunkanmi Akoni,
Chioma Obinna,
Kingsley Adegboye,
Johnbosco
Agbakwuru &
Monsuru Olowoopejo
LAGOS—NATIONAL
Leader of the All
Progressives Congress,
APC, and former Governor
of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu, was absent,
yesterday, as President
Muhammadu Buhari
showered praises on
Governor Akinwunmi
Ambode over his
performance in the state.
Buhari, who was visiting
Lagos for the second time
this year, commissioned
three projects, including
170-bed reconstructed
Ayinke hospital, the new
Oshodi Transport
Interchange and the
reconstructed Murtala
Mohammed International
Airport Road.
The president, in a written
address for the events, said:
"The three key projects by
Lagos State are perfectly
aligned with the efforts of
the Federal Government to
improve the country’s
infrastructure especially in
the transport sector. Your
Governor, Akinwunmi
Ambode, has performed
satisfactorily and we should
all commend him for his
contributions to the growth
and development of Lagos
State."
ROLL CALL
Notable South-West
leaders at the event
included; Governors
Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun),
Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rotimi
Akeredolu (Ondo), Kayode
Fayemi (Ekiti), Jubrila
Bindow (Adamawa), and
Acting Governor of Edo
State, Philip Shaibu. Also
present were Lagos State
governor-elect, Babajide
Sanwo-Olu; his deputy,
Obafemi Hamzat and Oba
of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu
among others.
Why Tinubu was absent
— Media aide
Asiwaju Tinubu, with the
support of Lagos APC
leaders, refused to support
Ambode for second term for
allegedly maltreating party
leaders and members.
They joined forces to
ensure he lost the APC
ticket to Sanwo-Olu,
making him the first civilian
governor of Lagos that was
denied a re-election ticket.
Others before him – Alhaji
Lateef Jakande, Tinubu,
and Babatunde Fashola
were given re-election
tickets by their various
parties and they did two
terms.
The other civilian
governor, late Sir Michael
Otedola’s tenure was
truncated by military rule.
Tinubu's Media Aide,
Tunde Rahman, said the
former governor, who is out
of the country, did not
boycott the event.
He told Vanguard on
phone: "Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu is out of the country
at the moment. He has been
away for like a week now.
He was working on the
initial schedule under
which President Buhari was
to be in Lagos April 29 and
LAGOS VISIT: Tinubu absent as Buhari honours
Ambode
30. With that in mind, he had
planned his itinerary
abroad. So, it won’t be
correct to say he boycotted
or deliberately stayed away
from the event. He has no
reason to stay away
whatsoever. The president
is aware of his trip abroad’’
However, sources in the
camp of the former Lagos
governor blamed his
absence on poor
communication .
Projects will positively
impact citizens — Buhari
However, Buhari, who
also commissioned mass
transit medium and high
capacity buses, and 500-
capacity Lagos Theatre,
located at Oregun, said the
projects by Ambode ‘’clearly
demonstrate the need to
continue to provide high
impact projects for the
development of
infrastructure and job
opportunities at all levels.
Just as this transport
interchange with three
different terminals is going
to change the face of public
transportation, the mass
transit buses totaling 820
will move the people of
Lagos State in a more
comfortable and more
efficient manner.’’
"To complement the
Oshodi transport
interchange, the Federal
Government recently
approved the reconstruction
of Apapa-Oshodi
Expressway up to
Oworonshoki and old toll
gate which was last
attended to, 40 years ago,’’
he added.
Ayinke hospital, a critical
intervention in health
sector — Ambode
Speaking at the
commissioning of the 170-
bed Ayinke Hospital, also
known as Institute of
Maternal and Child Health
located within the premises
of Lagos State University
Teaching Hospital,
LASUTH, in Ikeja, Ambode
said Ayinke House was
upgraded from an 80-bed
facility to a 170-bed
healthcare centre with stateof-the-art
medical
equipment, as well as
information technology
services.
He hopes that Ayinke
House, which is the biggest
maternity hospital in the
country would provide
world-class childbirth
and maternal care
services to Lagosians and
Nigerians at large.
Recalling how the journey
began, Governor Ambode
said the facility was
commissioned exactly 29
years ago, with the late
businessman and
philanthropist, Sir Mobolaji
Bank-Anthony donating the
first dedicated maternal and
child care facility to the State
Government, in memory of
his mother; hence the name
“Ayinke House.”
He said the hospital,
which started with just one
surgical theatre soon
assumed a life of its own as
a first-class childbirth and
maternal care centre in the
health sector of Nigeria as
•Ambode’s performance satisfactory, his projects align with FG’s efforts — Buhari
•Commissions 170-bed Ayinke hospital, Oshodi interchange, Airport Road
•Why Tinubu was absent — Media aide
•Ayinke hospital now a digitalised, state-of-the-art facility — Ambode
BUHARI IN LAGOS: From left; Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewole; Governorelect
of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Special Guest, President Muhammadu Buhari; Chief
Host, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; his Ogun State counterpart, Mr Ibikunle Amosun and Deputy
governor-elect, Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, with others, during the commissioning of the
newly-built Lagos Theatre at Oregun, Ikeja Lagos yesterday.
well as first choice for
expectant mothers.
The governor noted that
the hospital later became
over-stretched beyond
capacity and somehow
became obsolete.
He said in a bid to
recognize the need to
sustain Bank-Anthony’s
philanthropy, the State
Government, during the
administration of former
Governor Babatunde
Fashola now the
Minister of Power, Works
and Housing, awarded
the contract for the
expansion and
reconstruction of the facility.
According to him,
“Today, seven years after
the closure of the facility,
the new edifice is now a
170-bed facility with five
surgical theatres. It has a
16-bed emergency care
units with three organ
support facilities, 30-bed
special baby care unit, five
neo-natal intensive care
units, a fully equipped
laboratory with support
services, laboratories and a
blood bank.
“Beyond the significance
for the health sector, this
institute is a major
contribution to our education
sector also as it becomes a
veritable platform for our
medical students in the State
University to enhance their
exposure and experience
with the top-class medical
equipment provided.”
Governor Ambode said
that Ayinke House had also
been completely digitalised
with state-of-the-art medical
equipment as well as
information technology
services supported by the
State Ministry of Science
and Technology.
He said in view of
President Buhari’s
determination of making
universal and basic primary
healthcare one of the
cardinal priorities of his
administration, the State
Government, under him,
had consciously worked to
bring quality, affordable and
modern healthcare to the
citizenry among other
initiatives in the health sector.
He said: “Just last year,
we launched the Lagos
State Health Insurance
scheme to allow residents
access top quality medical
care with a little
contribution and support
from the state
government.
“These and other efforts
are directed at improving
the lives of our people,
especially the women and
children; and by
extension the productivity
of our nation.”
500-seater Lagos theatre
On the 500-seater Lagos
Theatre in Oregun, Ikeja,
Ambode said it is one of the
four simultaneously
constructed by his
administration to increase
arts spaces and create
standard platforms for
talented citizens of the state
to showcase their skills.
Three other theatres with
the same specifications are
also ready for
commissioning in Igando,
Badagry and Epe.
N6 billion was expended
on LASUTH project
Earlier, at LASUTH, the
State Commissioner for
Health, Dr Jide Idris
disclosed that approximately
N6 billion was expended on
the project.
Also, LASUTH Chief
Medical Director, and
former medical director of
Ayinke, Prof Adetokumbo
Fabanwo said the
commissioning was
historical for him because he
was present when they
commissioned the old
Ayinke House in 1990.
“I was one of the three
consultants that worked here.
Today, I happened to be the
Chief Medical Director to
open the new Ayinke
House.”
On staffing of the facility,
he disclosed that 250
additional staff were
recruited for the new Ayinke
House by Ambode, last year.
“The recruited staff have
been on standby and now
they have moved in to the
new edifice to work. We have,
as we speak, 21 obstetricians
and gynaecologists, and
about 30 resident doctors on
ground,” Fabanwo stated.
Trucks disappear from
Oshodi-Apapa road
On arrival for the one-day
visit, President Buhari was
welcomed to a rousing
reception at the VIP of the
Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Ikeja,
at about 9am by Governor
Ambode.
Major roads around
Ikeja and environs were
shut during the period for
the presidential visit.
Traffic was a bit chaotic
as motorists were
diverted to other routes
due to closure of major
roads.
Indeed, President
Buhari’s visit to Nigeria’s
commercial capital,
caused articulated trucks
and tankers that have
constituted a nightmare on
the ever-busy Oshodi-Apapa
Expressway to disappear.
Vanguard observed that
most of the trailers and
tankers that were parked
perpetually along Oshodi-
Apapa Expressway, Eko
Bridge, Ijora, Orile and
other major roads along that
axis had been moved.
The fascinating thing about
the development is the
mysterious nature of the
vehicles’ disappearance from
these major highways.
Vanguard gathered that
there was a change of baton
at the Western Naval
Command that led to the
redeployment of the former
Taskforce chairman to Abuja.
For over five years, these
articulated trucks and
tankers had caused untold
hardship to business
owners, residents and
commuters plying these
roads, especially Oshodi-
Apapa Expressway.
Traffic congestion
created by the trucks also
affected economic
activities, with business
owners losing billions of
Naira. Some people have
even lost their lives, while
others have lost valuable
items to hoodlums on the
road as a result of the
gridlock caused by these
vehicles.
But before now, the
question agitating people’s
minds was whether the
trucks and tankers could be
cleared off the ever-busy
Oshodi-Apapa
Expressway.
Vanguard further
observed that the trucks and
tankers that were moved
out of the expressway, were
diverted to the already
congested service lane.
Specifically, the vehicles
have now taken over the
entire service lane of the
expressway beginning from
Toyota Bus Stop to Ijesha.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 11

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI'S VISIT TO LAGOS
From left—Philip Shaibu, Deputy Gov of Edo State; Gov Jibrila Bindow of Adamawa
State; Gov Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Governor-elect of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Governor-elect of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwoolu;
Sanwo-Olu; President Muhammadu Buhari; Gov Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; President Muhammadu Buhari; and Governor of Lagos
Gov Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Gov Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; and Gov State, Akinwunmi Ambode, commissioning a project at
Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, during the commissioning of the Oshodi Transport LASUTH, Ikeja, Lagos.
Interchange in Lagos, by the president yesterday.
From left: Lagos State
Governor, Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode;
Special Guest,
P r e s i d e n t
Muhammadu Buhari;
Governor-elect of
Lagos State, Mr.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu,
at the unveiling of the
plaque to commission
Muritala Muhammed
International Airport
Road, redesigned
and reconstructed by
Lagos
State
government.
Chief Lateef Ajose, Opeluwa Onido of Lagos (left) and
Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, the Erelu Kuti of Lagos, during
the commissioning of Muritala Muhammed
International Airport Road.
From left—Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; President
Muhammadu Buhari; Governor-elect of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide
Sanwo-Olu; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; and Permanent
Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Folarin
President Buhari with some children after their performance shortly
Adeyemi, during the unveiling of the plaque to commission the newly
after commissioning one of the Lagos Theatres. With them are from
reconstructed Institute of Maternal and Child Health, LASUTH, (Ayinke
left, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi
House), Ikeja.
of Oyo State, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos, Governor-elect of
Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo
State, during the commissioning of the newly built Lagos Theatre at
Oregun, Ikeja.
The newly redesigned and reconstructed Muritala Muhammed
International Airport Road
A cross section of All Progressive Congress, APC supporters, during
the commission of Muritala Muhammed International Airport Road.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 13´
VANGUARD E-CONOMY FORUM ON TELECOMS
Vanguard Economy Forum on Telecoms with the theme: Unlocking the revenue and growth opportunities in the telecom sector in a changing
business model and digital technology environment: Role of regulator, operators and OTT service providers, held at Civic Centre, Ozumba
Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos yesterday. PHOTOS BY JOE AKINTOLA, PHOTO EDITOR, LAMIDI BAMIDELE & AKEEM SALAU.
From left; Wole Famurewa, Anchor, CNBC Africa, Moderator; Olusola Teniola, President,
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON); Mr Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman,
Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators in Nigeria (ALTON); Bako Wakeel, Head, Technical
Standards and Network Integrity; Chijioke Ezeh, National Coordinator, Wireless Application Service
Providers Association of Nigeria and Damilola Runsewe, Senior Manager, MTN SME Segment.
Deinde Abolarin, Regional Vice President, NERA, West Africa
Region (left) and Sumbo Olawaiye, Public Affairs Department,
Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.
Mr. Lawrence Wilbert (2nd right) with members of the WASPAN Group.
From left; Ginika Iyam, Business Development, ICN; Barclinton Ngadi,
Head, Business Development, ICN; Uche Agbamuche, Manager Legal/
Regulatory, Interconnect Clearing House Nig. Ltd and Eno Udoma-Iniang,
Chairman, Legal and Regulatory committee, ALTON.
From left; Funsho Aina, External Relations Manager, MTN Nigeria;
Adekunle Adekoya, Deputy Editor, Vanguard and Erhumu Bayagbon, Head
of Corporate Communications, Airtel.
Cross section of the participants at the event.
Rotimi Akapo, Partner (left) and Lateef Bamidele,
Associate, both of Advocaat Law Practice.
Bisi Onabanjo, Relationship Manager (left) and Tosin
Ijelu, Senior Sales Manager, both of Telnet Nig Ltd.
Yinka Adaramola, Principal Manager, Zenith General
Insurance Co. Ltd (left) and Engr David Amune, Project
Manager, Softworks Limited.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019—14
Northern group demands
APGA national chairmanship
By Innocent Anaba
K
A D U N A —
NATIONAL
Convention, a group of
Northern stakeholders
within the All Progressives
Grand Alliance, APGA,
has demanded that the
position of the National
Chairman of the party be
zoned to the North.
The group further asked
for equity in the distribution
of other offices of the party
in line with the federal
character principle.
In a communique at the
end of its meeting in
Kaduna,Northern
Stakeholders of APGA
which had in attendance a
former National Secretary/
Secretary of the party’s
Board of Trustees and
governorship candidate of
the party in Zamfara State,
Sani Shinkafi, Polycarp
Gankon, state Chairmen
and Secretaries from the
Northern states of the
federation and all other
constitutionally recognised
members of the National
Executive Committee, NEC, of
the party resolved that the
party’s constitution provided for
the zoning of national offices.
The communique reads, “After
exhaustive deliberations on
various important issues as it
affects the party especially an
assessment of the present state
of the party and the forthcoming
wards, states congresses and the
National Convention of the party
the meeting resolved as follows;
“That a vote of confidence be
passed in the governor of
Anambra State, Willie Obiano,
the National Leader of the party
and the Chairman Board of
Trustees of APGA for his
spectacular performance in office
in all facets of governance, the
economy and other socio-cultural
activities despite the very trying
times that the nation found itself
as it concerns the worst recession
in the modern history of Nigeria.
“The Northern stakeholders
also congratulates our
representatives in the National
Assembly and states Assembly,
who won their elections in the
recently concluded 2019 general
election and charged all our
candidates that are in the
electoral tribunals to diligently
pursue their petitions up to its
logical conclusion."
African Voices at 10: CNN
hosts Glo, viewers
CNN —
INTERNATIONAL’S
celebration of the 10th
anniversary of African
Voices reaches a climax
today with a cocktail party
in honour of Globacom, the
programme sponsors for
the past nine years.
According to a statement
issued by the telecom
operator, the party will be
held at 6.30 p.m. at the
Sky Lounge, Eko Hotel,
Victoria Island, Lagos. It
will be attended by the
cream of society including
business executives,
media entrepreneurs and
style icons who have been
invited for the event.
“We are proud of the
partnership with CNN to
spotlight Africa’s finest change
makers in business, arts, travel,
entertainment, sports and
technology. It is noteworthy that
we share the same values of
innovation, creativity and
excellence in service delivery”,
Globacom stated.
The grandmasters of data said
it was delighted that African
Voices had over the years
fulfilled its objective of positively
projecting to the world the
continent’s talented
personalities who were making
a difference in several fields of
endeavour. It added that the
programme had also projected
Globacom to CNN’s business and
consumer audiences across
Europe, the Middle East and
Africa, thereby helping the
company reach millions of
online users through cnn.com.
African Voices has in the
past decade contributed greatly
in changing the African story by
offering a platform for Africa and
its people to tell their own story
to the world without
misrepresentation.
Gombe killings: NSCDC to
conduct psychological screening
on personnel
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA—IN
the
aftermath of the Easter
Day killing of 10 members
of the Boys Brigade in
Gombe state by a personnel
of the Nigerian Security
and Civil Defence Corps
NSCDC, Commandant
General of the Corps,
Abdullahi Gana
Muhammadu has directed
the immediate profiling of
all civil defence personnel
with a view to conducting
a psychological evaluation
on them.
The Corps in a statement
yesterday in Abuja, by its
spokesman, DCC
Emmanuel Okeh, among
others said, "he has also
directed the Forensic
Psychology unit of the
Corps to work out the
timetable for the security
profiling and psychological
test of all personnel of the
Corps against future
occurrences.
"Apart from the testing to
re-examine the
psychological and physical
stability of personnel, he
noted that the Corps will
embark in massive training
and retraining programs for
all personnel irrespective of
the Cadre in line with
global best practice."
ASSESSMENT: From left—Ogun Deputy Governor-elect, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Governor-elect, Prince
Dapo Abiodun, Olu of Ifo, Oba Samuel Atanda , Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bashir Dabup Makama
and Director State Security Service,Mr. Tuska David, when the Governor-elect visited Ifo for on-the-spot assessment
of the mayhem which occurred in the town.
Cattle ranches'll resolve herders/farmers
clashes — NCNE boss
By Abdulmumin
Murtala
KSecretary ANO—EXECUTIVE
of the
National Commission for
Nomadic Education,
NCNE, Professor Bashir
Usman yesterday in Kano
state advocated for the
establishment of ranches
across the country as a way
of solving the persistent
problem between farmers
and herders which has
claimed several lives
among others.
Prof. Usman who spoke
during the opening
ceremony of a 3-day
workshop on the Advocacy
and Sensitization
workshop on the remodeling
of grazing
reserves into ranches in
Kano said the workshop
became imperative
because the commission
now focused on advocacy,
mobilization, and
sensitization initiative to
motivate the herders to
move into grazing reserves
expected to be re-modeled
into ranches.
According to him, “the
Fulanis are not completely
abandoned. But there is a
certain degree of
abandonment particularly
the people that we were
asked to educate. The
attitude is also a factor. It is
a two-way thing; they
themselves are very
difficult to work with. I have
also said that the incessant
fighting that we are
witnessing also has
political undertones."
“This is not to say that
there are no criminal
elements among the
Fulanis. Not to say also that
some of these criminal
elements don’t want to
repent, they want to
repent. So everybody
should be given chance
and that is why we are here
for the workshop. We need
to bring them together for
dialogue, there is need for
dialogue.”
On how much is needed
to rehabilitate the Fulanis,
he noted that, “until and
unless we know the volume
of people we are dealing
with, we cannot start saying
this is the amount of money
we need to rehabilitate
them. We are committed to
educating farmers and
herders on the need to
maintain peace. The crisis
that has characterized the
current herding practice has
adverse effect on the nomadic
education programme as some of
the schools across the country
have either been abandoned or
destroyed. Many lives and
properties loss, while pupils,
teachers and members of
communities displaced and are
considered as internally displaced
persons (IDPs).”
“All hands must be on
deck to transform the
livestock sub-sector from
extensive to intensive
production system to complement
government’s effort at boosting
livestock production in the
country. The responsibilities are
vested on various stakeholders
including the National
Commission for Nomadic
Education to drive the policy to
the grassroots with a view to
increasing educational access
and equity.”
Crisis: Plateau PDP suspends Damishi
Sango, deputy
It is illegal, unconstitutional — Sango
By Marie Nanlong
JDemocratic OS—PEOPLES
Party, PDP
in Plateau State yesterday
suspended its Chairman,
Hon. Damishi Sango and
his Deputy, Amos Goyol,
over alleged financial
misconduct even as Chris
Hassan, the erstwhile Vice
Chairman, Northern Zone
of the party has been
named acting chairman.
But in a swift reaction,
Sango in a joint statement
with State Secretary,
Emmanuel Tuang said the
purported suspension was
illegal as those who
claimed to have suspended
them did not follow the
party’s constitutional
requirements.
According to the text
among others, “be that as
it may, and for the
avoidance of doubts, here
are our responses to the
issues they raised:
Suspension of Party
Chairman and his Deputy.
This is illegal as the 16 did
not follow the constitutional
requirements. Resources
sent to the state for the
presidential elections.
We state that this matter was
appropriately reported to
the State Campaign
Council. The template was
also discussed and
approved by the Campaign
Council. It was not to be
reported to the party since
it was the party that
constituted the council.
“In addition, the funds
were not signed for and
collected by the party
Chairman and/or his
Deputy as alleged. Rather,
the funds were rightly
signed for and collected for
by a team led by the
gubernatorial candidate,
and this was disclosed in
full to the State Campaign
Council. Money for the
Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs); It is true
that the Deputy Chairman
was chairman of committee
handling the IDP funds.
“Other members were
Vice Chairman, Northern
Senatorial Zone Hon. Chris
Hassan, State Organising
Secretary Yabuku Chocho,
Chairmanship Candidate
of Jos North LGA Hon
Aminu Zang, Vice
Chairman Central Zone,
Hon. Benedict Shignuhul,
and Assistant State
Secretary of the party Hon
Felix Penswang who was
also the Secretary of the
committee.
However, the state party’s
Publicity Secretary, John Akans
earlier in a text said, “We the
members of the State Executive
of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Plateau State Chapter in a
meeting held on the 24th day of
April 2019 at the State Party
Office due to imminent issues
arising from elections & party
affairs; a vote of no confidence is
passed against the Party
Chairman, Hon. Dimishi Sango
and his Deputy Hon. Amos
Goyol.
“In the bid to save the Party
the following resolutions have
been reached: That the Party
Chairman Hon. Dimishi Sango
and his Deputy Hon. Amos
Goyol are hereby suspended and
stand suspended based on the
following reasons: That the
resources sent to the State for
the Presidential elections were
not accounted for by the
Chairman aided by the Deputy
Chairman concealed the amount
sent by the Presidential
Campaign Committee and
created a fraudulent unseen
template used as “a sharing
formula” unknown to the State
Party Structure and up till date
no disclosure has been made by
the Chairman and/or the Deputy
Chairman.
“The moneys raised and saved
by the Party to help Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) relieve
their pains were also not
accounted for up till this moment.
No mention has been made of
the stated funds. It is worthy to
note that the Deputy Chairman
is the Chairman Committee on
IDPs for the party. The money
meant for P. D. P Plateau state
retreat was equally not
accounted for by the Chairman
and/or the Deputy Chairman."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019—15
Imo APC elders back Uzodinma before tribunal
...seek speedy judgment on Imo North senatorial election
By Chinonso
Alozie
OWERRI—IMO State
elders council of the
All Progressives Congress,
APC, led by Edmund
Joseph Onyebuchi
yesterday, affirmed their
full support for the Imo
APC governorship
candidate, Hope
Uzodinma on his move to
challenge the outcome of
the 2019 election at the
tribunal.
Onyewuchi alongside
other APC elders and
chairmen from the 27 local
government areas met at
the party’s state secretariat
in Owerri, saying that it
would address what they
called anomalies during the
said elections.
The chairman while
reading the position of the
elders council said: “This is
a sad and melancholy
situation, for it becomes my
duty to inform you that the
elders council of the Imo
state chapter of the All
Progressives Congress,
met and deliberated
extensively on the present
day issues affecting our
party, APC.
“We support and
participate actively in
Senator Hope Uzodinma's
petition at the tribunal
because if an honour is
awarded where it is not
merited, then it has been
denied where it is justly
due.”
On the Imo North
Senatorial election, “We
appeal to the judiciary to
expedite judgement on the
Imo North Senatorial seat.
The Imo APC elders council
respect the position of
INEC with regards to the
Imo West senatorial seat
imbroglio.
“We support and assist all
candidates of APC for the
Imo House of Assembly
elections at the tribunal.
“We wish to state
categorically that we are
firmly of the opinion that the
beginning of wisdom in
Imo State politics is to fight
any clandestine
organization that operates
in a subtle way behind the
scene and influencing the
direction of election
results.
“In conclusion, the Imo
State elders council wishes
to state categorically that
no manipulation is
insuperable in Imo State.”
It was their belief that “the
election tribunal will restore
Hope Uzodinma’s
mandate given to him by
Imolites who courageously
re-affirmed their
commitment to APC, not
only as the trustee of the
future but also as the
vanguard of our national
on-going revolution under
the leadership of our
respected President
Muhammadu Buhari.
Battle for Speaker of Abia Assembly begins
By Anayo Okoli
U MUAHIA—AHEAD
of the inauguration of
the 7th Abia State House of
Assembly, the battle for who
becomes the Speaker is on
and names of ranking law
makers from Abia Central
Senatorial District where
the seat is zoned to are
currently being bandied
about.
By the unwritten microzoning
arrangement in the
state, Abia central
Senatorial District is
allocated the position of the
speaker.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu
who has been re-elected for
another four years is from
the south and his deputy,
Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu
is from the north. The
arrangement changes
when the seat of governor
moves to another zone.
Among those eyeing the
speakership seat are: the
current Speaker,
Chikwendu Kalu; the
leader of the House,
Chinedum Orji; and
Kennedy Njoku who was
elected Speaker in
December 2017 when
Martins Azubuike was
impeached but was forced
to resign less than 24
hours.
Abia Central is unique by
its composition in that it is
made up of three local
government areas of
Ngwa stock: Isiala Ngwa
North, Isiala Ngwa South
and Osisioma; and two
local government areas of
Umuahia people: Umuahia
North and Umuahia South,
while Ikwuano makes up
the other council.
The current speaker,
Chikwendu Kalu is from
Army officers undergo training
on firing in Imo
By Chinonso
Alozie
OWERRI—Over two
hundred army
officers have been trained
in weapon handling and
firing at the 34 Artillery
Brigade Command in
Owerri, Imo State.
The Public Relations
Officer, PRO, 34 Artillery
Brigade, Obinze in Owerri,
Mohammed Bawa,
confirmed this yesterday,
adding that it was part of
the 82 Division Inter
Brigade Corporal and
Below competition for 2019.
It was his opinion that the
training was in line with the
vision of the Chief of Army
Staff, to equip the troops in
order to brace up for
challenges of security
before them, as well as on
how to deal with obstacles
while on duty.
Bawa told Vanguard that
other areas in which the
hundreds of Army officers
were trained included
point-to-point map reading,
swimming, physical fitness,
obstacle crossing and drill
competition among the
soldiers.
Isiala Ngwa South. He
succeeded Martin
Azubike, also from Ngwa,
specifically Isiala Ngwa
North, who was impeached
three years ago after which,
another Ngwa law maker,
Kennedy Njoku was
pressured to resign less
than 24 hours after he was
elected to replace
impeached Azubuike.
Information pieced
together from political
stakeholders indicated that
the battle for the
speakership of the 7th Abia
House is a straight battle
between the current
Speaker, Chikwendu Kalu
and the Leader of the
House, Chinedum Orji.
The leader who is very
popular among the law
makers and influential in
the House was instrumental
for the emergence of the
Beware of conmen, HOSTCOM warns
members in Anambra
By Nwabueze
Okonkwo
O NITSHA—
MEMBERS of
Anambra State chapter of
Host Communities
Producing Oil and Gas,
HOSTCOM have been
charged to beware of
dupes who are going about
extorting them in the name
of offering them
employments.
National chairman of
HOSTCOM, Chief
Benjamin Style Tamaraebi
who gave the charge at
Aguleri in Anambra East
Local Government Area
during a familiarization
visit to officers and
members of the state
chapter, said the conmen
have been going about
extorting many people
under the pretence that they
would be made directors of
a non-existent modular
refinery in the state.
According to Tamaraebi,
“These conmen have
collected a lot of money from
many people for
employment in modular
refinery, cooperatives and
pipeline surveillance
squad, even when they
knew that all these
programmes are in the
pipeline but are yet to
materialise to warrant
employing anyone, not to
talk of paying money for
such vacancies.
“It is a pity they have
already duped many of you
here before we begin to
realize what is going on.
However, HOSTCOM will
not rest on its oars until we
clip the wings of these con
men any moment from now
as we have launched a
manhunt for them”.
current speaker. But the
people rooting for him are
arguing that it is time the
seat moves to the Umuahia
area of the district as the
current Speaker is from the
Ngwa area of the zone.
Howebver, those in
support of the Chikwendu
Kalu argued that he was
only elected to complete the
years left by the pioneer
Youth devt must be taken
seriously —Obi
FORMER Governor of
Anambra State, Mr.
Peter Obi has called on
government at all levels to
take issues concerning
youths seriously.
He spoke yesterday at his
home town, Agulu, during
an interactive session with
stakeholders and the youth
of the town.
During the meeting, Obi
noted that beyond the call
on government to take care
of the youths, wealthy
individuals in every
community should show
concern about the progress
of the youths in their
various towns.
Obi who has been
speaker of the 6th
Assembly, Martins
Azubuike.
Njoku who was speaker
for only 24 hours is also said
to be showing interest so
that he could go in to fully
serve as Speaker. From
every indication, the battle
may be tight but the odds
seem to favour the leader,
Chinedum Orji.
consistent in the
empowerment of the youth
and women of his town
through various projects,
including the institution of
revolving loan scheme
among women and
purchase of buses for the
youth said he was prepared
to strengthen the scheme,
especially now he had
observed that most youths
were just in the village
drinking, smoking and
wasting their lives. “If the
government and wealthy
people do not show interest
in the progress of the
society, it will breed
anarchy in future.”
Speaking at the meeting,
the traditional ruler of
Agulu, Igwe Innocent
Obodoakor said he
shedded emotional tears
when Mr. Peter Obi called
him and requested the
meeting for the issues
regarding the youths of the
town to be discussed.
The President General of
the town, Chief Andy
Orakwue said he was the
most fortunate President
General for having a good
and noble man as Obi in
his town.

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
AGM: From left— Taiwo Okeowo, Deputy Managing Director, FBNQuest Merchant Bank; Dr. Omobola
Johnson, Non-Executive Director, FBNQuest Merchant Bank; U.K. Eke, GMD FBN Holdings; Mallam
Bello Maccido, Chairman, FBNQuest Merchant Bank and Mr. Kayode Akinkugbe, MD/CEO FBNQuest
Merchant Bank, at the bank's Annual General Meeting in Lagos, yesterday.
Edo community denies preventing chief priest
from performing his duties
By Alemma Aliu
BENIN CITY—THE
elders and people of
Ofumwegbe community
in Oredo local
government area of Edo
state have denied
allegations against them
that they have been
depriving one Jolly Owie
from Egbirhe community
from performing his
rituals in Irhe river but
that such support has
never been sought.
They also clarified that
the palace of the Oba of
Benin did not cede any
part of Ofumwegbe as
part of the possession of
Owie but to only conduct
the needed rituals in the
river.
The statement signed
by the Odionwere of
Ofunwegbe, Pa William
Isibor and the elders
said “The palace
admitted that
Ofumwegbe village is an
independent community
with well established
delineated and recorded
boundaries executed by
the Oba’s Palace between
Egbirhe and
Ofunmwegbe plus other
neigbhouring villages;
Ohne Jolly Owie of
Egbirhe village should
however be supported
whenever he makes such
request to carryout
sacrifices in the Irhe
river shrine. This is the
message from the Oba of
Benin”
Corroborating the position
of the elders, a community
leader,
Ogbezuwa Amos said the
community was ready to
provide the needed
support for the sacrifices
to be made in the river
but insisted that support
for the sacrifices in Irhe
River does not translate
to Owie now claiming
ownership of the river
and its environs.
Nasdaq hits record, S&P
nears all-time high on upbeat
earnings
The S&P 500 moved closer to its all-time high yester
day, while technology stocks nudged the Nasdaq to
a record level, as investors took heart from a largely
upbeat earnings season.
The S&P 500 is just 6 points shy of its intra-day record
high of 2,940.91 hit in late September. The index has
rallied 17percent this year, supported by a dovish Federal
Reserve, hopes of a U.S.-China trade resolution
and a largely upbeat earnings season.
“For the most part, stocks are fully priced in and markets
are having trouble finding reasons to go to even
higher levels,” said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane
Investments in New Vernon, New Jersey.
Boeing Co gained 0.6percent after the planemaker
scrapped its 2019 outlook and reported quarterly revenue
below estimates due to grounding of its 737 MAX
jets. Its shares have lost 11percent since the deadly Ethiopian
crash in early March.
Caterpillar Inc fell 2.4 percent as rising costs hit margins
in its construction equipment business and the company
reported tepid sales in the Asia Pacific region.
Profits of S&P 500 companies are expected to decline
1.1 percent for the first quarter, according to Refinitv
data. However, the estimates have improved since the
start of April, with 77.5 percent of the 129 companies
that have reported so far surpassing earnings estimates.
At 11:29 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average
was down 10.90 points, or 0.04 percent, at 26,645.49.
The S&P 500 was up 0.44 points, or 0.01percent, at
2,934.12 and the Nasdaq Composite was up 10.45 points,
or 0.13 percent, at 8,131.27.
Occidental offers $38 billion for Anadarko, topping Chevron
Oil and gas producer Occidental Petroleum Corp yesterday
started the first takeover battle for a major oil
company in years, offering $38 billion, or $57 billion including
debt, for Anadarko Petroleum Corp, a bid that
topped an offer by Chevron Corp.
Gold worth billions of dollars
smuggled out of Africa
Billions of dollars’ worth of gold is being smuggled
out of Africa every year through the United Arab
Emirates in the Middle East – a gateway to markets in
Europe, the United States and beyond – a Reuters
analysis has found.
Customs data shows that the UAE imported $15.1 billion
worth of gold from Africa in 2016, more than any
other country and up from $1.3 billion in 2006. The total
weight was 446 tonnes, in varying degrees of purity –
up from 67 tonnes in 2006.
Much of the gold was not recorded in the exports of
African states. Five trade economists interviewed by
Reuters said this indicates large amounts of gold are
leaving Africa with no taxes being paid to the states
that produce them.
Previous reports and studies have highlighted the
black-market trade in gold mined by people, including
children, who have no ties to big business, and dig or
pan for it with little official oversight. No-one can put
an exact figure on the total value that is leaving Africa.
But the Reuters analysis gives an estimate of the scale.
Reuters assessed the volume of the illicit trade by comparing
total imports into the UAE with the exports declared
by African states. Industrial mining firms in Africa
told Reuters they did not send their gold to the
UAE – indicating that its gold imports from Africa come
from other, informal sources.
Informal methods of gold production, known in the
industry as “artisanal” or small-scale mining, are growing
globally. They have provided a livelihood to millions of
Africans and help some make more money than they
could dream of from traditional trades. But the methods
leak chemicals into rocks, soil and rivers. And
African governments such as Ghana, Tanzania and
Zambia complain that gold is now being illegally produced
and smuggled out of their countries on a vast
scale, sometimes by criminal operations, and often at a
high human and environmental cost.
Artisanal mining began as small-time ventures. But
the “romantic” era of individual mining has given way
to “large-scale and dangerous” operations run by foreign-controlled
criminal syndicates, Ghana’s President
Nana Akufo-Addo told a mining conference in February.
Ghana is Africa’s second-largest gold producer.
All stories credited to Reuters

The return of Tiger Woods
ERHAPS nothing had
Pbestirred the sporting world
in the last many years than the
dramatic manner Tiger Woods
returned to the top ranks of golf
on Sunday, April 14. That day I
became glued to my set watching
the Masters, hoping for a miracle
to happen.
Though Tiger Woods was among
the bunch competing towards the
close, not many gave him half the
chance to make it at the end. I
wasn’t much hopeful like many
others watching the same match
all over the world. But when at
some critical juncture one of the
leading contenders sent his shot to
a tree which bounced off and
headed to water, the excitement
started building up.
Suddenly it was the name of
Tiger Woods that was ringing all
over. And when he made that final
shot to clinch the title I was really
ecstatic. But the pleasure wasn’t
mine alone. It was shared by many
lovers of golf particularly those
that had followed the career of this
golf icon who had been focussed
in the last few years to getting back,
after a career setback. A setback
that had shut him off from the very
top of the league where truly he
belonged. Winning this
tournament was Tiger Woods' first
By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye
MONDAY, April 22, was the 81st
birthday of Gani Fawehinmi, the late
brilliant and successful lawyer and one of the
very few credible human rights activists that
ever walked on Nigeria’s soil. As rulers impose
themselves on the people and ride roughshod
on them with utmost impunity, Gani’s brand
of selfless activism is being sorely missed. He
was a true hero.
Sadly, Nigerians of today are very good at
crowning false heroes. Just open any Nigerian
newspaper you can find near you and see how
many people that are recklessly described on
its pages as “credible” politicians, “honest
and selfless” Nigerians, or worse,
the “conscience of the nation”. You would be
shocked to see the number of people who
carelessly allow themselves to be associated
with such superb, ennobling qualities even
when they are fully aware that by their personal
conducts, it might even appear as a generous
compliment to dress them up in the very
opposites of those terms.
Over the years, these words and phrases have
been so callously and horribly subjected to the
worst kinds of abuses in Nigeria with hardly
anyone making any attempt to intervene and
seek their redemption. I won’t in the least,
therefore, be surprised to wake up tomorrow
and hear that decent people in this country
have begun to protest and resist any attempt to
associate them with such grossly debased
terms.
As a people sharing the same country with
an ever-growing tribe of shameless, exceptional
experts on the egregious art of effective and
perpetual devaluation all that ought to inspire
awe and noble feelings, it should not come to
us as a shock any day to be assaulted by the
news that some Nigerians felt grievously
insulted that their dogs were, for instance,
nominated for “National Honours”. Even the
poor dog may bark all day to register its dismay!
But do we need to wait for this to happen before
we quickly rouse ourselves from our longlasting
moral slumber and hurriedly stop this
overly revolting charade of “honouring”
C
M
YK
major win in 11 years. Already this
feat is being touted as the greatest
sporting comeback in history. But
that is arguable, of course.
Nevertheless, I liken the
dramatic manner Tiger Woods
returned to the golfing top to the
moment, in October 1974,
Mohammed Ali the boxing icon
defeated George Foreman, then
the reigning World Heavyweight
Champion, to reclaim the title. The
title was yanked away from him in
1967 when he refused to be drafted
into the US Armed Forces. His
boxing licence was suspended for
many years. And when the licence
was restored, and he returned to
the rings, he was a bit rusty and
had a couple of defeats before he
was set up to fight George
Foreman, in a bout that was fought
in Kinshasa, Zaire.
The fight that was dubbed, "The
Rumble in the Jungle", was said to
be one of the greatest sporting
events of the 20 th Century. It was
watched by a record estimated
television audience of one billion
viewers worldwide, making it the
most-watched live television
broadcast at the time. I must have
been counted as part of that
statistics, because I recall watching
the gruelling match while resident
in Kongo campus, ABU, Zaria
Who is Nigeria’s conscience?
people whose only contribution to their
fatherland may just be their ecstatic
participation in the mindless looting of its
resources and effective supervision of its
wholesale devastation.
Yes, Nigeria’s “National Honours List” has
indeed worked extremely hard to distinguish
itself as a worthless piece of paper always
starring people who ought to be in jail for the
humongous effort they had contributed to the
brutal abortion of this country’s lofty dreams
and aspirations.
And as you look at the haggard and
impoverished nature of a country that
celebrates this long list of “illustrious” and
“honest” sons and daughters who are honoured
for their “selfless” and “invaluable” services
to their fatherland, you cannot help wondering
why it is very difficult, if not impossible, to see
any positive impact their so-called “immense
contributions to the growth and progress” of
their country were able to register on that same
country and its people.
Why is a country that has over the years
accumulated such a very long and
intimidating list of “patriotic achievers” and
“nation builders” still be one of the most
backward in the world despite being also
endowed with rich, abundant natural
resources? How long shall this debilitating selfdeception
continue to plague Nigeria? What
beats me is why some otherwise decent people
still allow their names to be used to add some
pinch of dignity to that totally worthless list
and actually carry themselves to the venue of
that festival of the philistine to be decorated
with those medals of dishonour?
The problem is that when we look around
and there are no genuine heroes to celebrate,
we simply invent some. For instance, today, it
can safely be said that Nigeria as a country no
longer possesses any “conscience”. If we had
any persons who truly qualified to be described
as such, they are long dead and buried or yet to
hug the limelight. But because we are unwilling
accept that very stark reality, we just had to
pounce on anyone we find around and
proclaim him the “Conscience of the
Nation”, whether he merely represents a
where I was a fresher in the School
of Business.
Not many people gave
Mohammed Ali a chance because
Foreman was then at the peak of
his career. A brutal fighter who was
reputed to have lately seen off
equally brutal fighters, Joe Frazier
and Ken Norton, the two who had
previously defeated Mohammed
Ali on his return to boxing
reckoning. Just like in this case of
Tiger Woods, Mohammed Ali went
all the way to give a good account
of himself to defeat George
Foreman by a technical knockout
and reclaim the title of World
Heavyweight Champion.
I must confess that the game of
golf had never meant much to me
before Tiger Woods arrived the
scene in April 1997 to win his first
Tiger Woods made
the game of golf look
less elitist while
expanding its field of
popularity; even those
who did not play it at
the time picked
interest in watching it
on TV
major, the Masters, one of the four
major championships in
professional golf. He was the
youngest, at the age of 21, to win
the tournament but the attraction
for us in this part of the world was
the fact that Tiger Woods was the
first Black to win that important
cup. Two months later, he was also
said to have set the record for the
fastest ascent to the number one
position in the official world golf
Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 —17
17
ranking. He went on to win the
PGA Championship in 1999, the
US Open in 2000 and the
following year. Winning just
became routine to him, taking all
the major championships and
garnering laurels all the way.
He became to many of us a
symbol worthy of emulation. Tiger
Woods made the game of golf look
less elitist while expanding its field
of popularity. Even those who did
not play it at the time picked
interest in watching it on TV. I did
not pick up the game of golf until
when in 2003 I was posted to the
Nigerian Institute of Policy and
Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru to
act as Secretary/Director of
Admin. The National Institute was
then a haven for golf players. When
I reported to Kuru, the National
Institute was still mourning the
sudden death in 2002 of its muchloved
Director-General, Major-
General Joseph Garba, one-time
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister in the
1970s, and later in the 80s,
Permanent Representative to the
United Nations.
One thing staff and participants
in the Institute remembered the
late DG was his fervent love for
golf. His everyday life revolved
around the office and golf. The
General had even constructed a
one-hole golf course a few steps
from the administrative building
adjacent to the main gate for all to
tee off at will. But Jos itself is
Nigeria’s home of golf, as the
Rayfield Course built in 1913
would probably be the oldest in the
country, older than the one built in
Kaduna in 1921 and Ikoyi in 1938.
Coincidentally General M.C.
Osahor, whom I met in Kuru as
successor to Joseph Garba, is
another golf enthusiast and he
gave orders to the staff to help guide
debasement of that term or not.
It should be quite clear that anyone seeking
to be crowned “Nigeria’s conscience” should
be able to rise above partisan and other
considerations in his interventions in the
country and always stand on the side of the
truth and the oppressed. It is not everyday that
we produce the likes of Gani Fawehinmi or
Chinua Achebe who would always use the same
yardstick to evaluate either an Obasanjo or a
Jonathan, and if they were still alive today,
would use the same for a Buhari.
Not for them the sudden,
unabashed revision of their well-considered
and widely circulated opinion on an any ruler,
not because of some new “evidence” of
redeeming qualities they have suddenly
stumbled upon about him, but merely because
the fellow has now banded together with their
friends to capture political power. Those who
truly qualify to be referred to as a “country’s
conscience” always put their country first -
always place the welfare of the hapless, longsuffering
citizens far above the primitive
interests of their politician friends.
We should just tell ourselves
the plain truth: for now, this
country has no conscience;
indeed, conscientious and
discerning people will know
when one eventually emerges
When President Jonathan, for instance,
sought to decorate Achebe with a “National
Honour”, the legendary writer rejected it by
saying that the situation that made him to
earlier reject the same “honour” awarded to
him by the Obasanjo regime had not changed
under Jonathan; and so, he had to once again
excuse himself from it. That was his way of
telling those rulers that unless they deployed
conscientious efforts to fix Nigeria and make
life more tolerable for the citizenry, they lacked
the qualification to honour him. Achebe would
have told the same thing to the now clearly
groping Buhari regime were he still alive and
me pick up the game. I did, and
played a lot particularly at the
picturesque grounds of Rayfield
and the one-hole course in the
National Institute.
Playing golf in that period
inevitably got one to focus on the
number one golfer of the time,
Tiger Woods. It was exhilarating
watching Tiger winning
tournament after tournament.
However, the winning streak
floundered about 2008 when his
career seemed to have unravelled
and he just went downhill.
He had some extramarital
indiscretions and being the
celebrity he was, the media made
a mountain out of the affairs, left
him with no breathing space, with
lurid stories of his frolics
highlighted here and there. This
must have caused him endless
stress. To worsen matters for Tiger
Woods, he was beset with elbow,
knee and back problems requiring
rounds of surgeries over the next
many years. Obviously all these
had impact on his performance, his
ranking and earnings.
Many even began to worry about
his mental stability when he fired
his long time caddie in 2011. His
performance still continued to
deteriorate until his ranking fell
to an abysmal low. Somehow after
that bad spell his performance
seemed to lift away and he started
to improve. It was a slow journey
for Tiger Woods to come up again.
There was one set back or the
other. At a time due to the surgeries
Tiger missed all the four majors
and hardly played any golf in
2017. But by the end of that year,
his performance at the Hero World
Challenge in Bahamas was
sufficient to give notice to the
golfing world that the tiger is back.
Welcome Tiger.
such an “honour” extended to him?
Of course, Gani would have done the same
thing too. He was not one to brazenly take
sides in a political conflict, offering high-profile
support to one party in the conflict even when
it was public knowledge that he was in some
way benefiting from his association with the
public officers he was lending some support.
He would have hastened to realise that there
was something called “conflict of interests”,
and that you do not unduly stretch the people’s
trust, beyond its malleable limits. Put another
way, you don’t sleep on Delilah’s lap and hope
to wake up in Abraham’s bosom.
Somebody who allows himself to be
described as “Nigeria’s conscience” cannot
afford the luxury of a credibility perennially
stained by his very close association with (if
not public endorsement of) people generally
perceived as strategic, generous contributors
to Nigeria’s current chronic problems, a people
whose mere appearance anywhere
immediately inspires unqualified disgust in
the citizens. Anybody can occasionally throw
front-page-grabbing “bomb shells” (it is not
rocket science), but such pronouncements only
make sense to informed people if the person
who throws them is able to demonstrate that
he is not merely a “situational activist” who
only finds his voice when the target is a “safe”
one. To him, corruption does not lose its
egregious hue when accusing fingers are
pointing at a friend.
The danger now is that a growing number
of people have already begun to look a bit too
closely and have begun to discover that even
the loud “king” whose ill-fitting, borrowed
costume had engaged their unqualified
admiration and awe for a very long time now
is actually unclad like the rest, and that beyond
well-aimed pronouncements, much of what
they had witnessed so far is just an unduly
stretched farce, despite the unending, drab
“oriki” booming from tireless praise singers.
I think we should just tell ourselves the plain
truth: for now, this country has no conscience!
Indeed, conscientious and discerning people
will know when one eventually emerges.
When Gani was here, we all knew and
acknowledged his worth.
•Ejinkeonye, a public affairs analyst , wrote
from Lagos

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
AMONG many others, two
prominent Nigerians during the
Easter weekend, raised the alarm
over threats posed by hunger and
poverty in Nigeria.
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu
Sanusi II and the Aare Onakakanfo
of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, drew the
attention of President Muhammadu
Buhari to the twin threats at different
fora, urging him to do something
drastic to address them.
Emir Sanusi, who spoke at the 36th
Aminu Kano Annual Memorial
Symposium at Mambayya House,
Kano, said poverty and hunger are
twin evils that clearly define backward
countries.
Adams participated in a conference
in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday last week
where the Special Adviser to President
Muhammadu Buhari on Media and
Publicity, Femi Adesina, claimed that
life had improved in Nigeria under
Buhari’s watch.
Although the fact of pervasive
The looming hunger, poverty time bomb
hunger and poverty in the land should
be pretty obvious to any serious
leader, the clarion call from these
leaders who interact with the
grassroots everyday should be taken
very seriously.
As of February 2019, the World
Poverty Clock recorded that 91
million of the nearly 200 million
Nigerians live in abject poverty, with
the country already classified as the
“the poverty capital of the world”.
Emir Sanusi, in his address at the
symposium, affirmed the longestablished
fact that much of the
poverty is pervasive in the North as
only “20 per cent” of the extremely
poor live in the Southern parts.
It is also obvious that the widespread
hunger verging on famine is not only
an offshoot of poverty itself, it has
been exacerbated in recent years by
an escalation of insecurity across the
land.
The entire food belts of Nigeria in
the North East, North West, North
Central and Southern parts have been
under siege by Boko Haram Islamist
insurgents, the so-called bandits,
armed herdsmen militias, kidnappers
and other violent armed groups.
Many farming communities have
been displaced and are living either
in refugee camps or have fled to
larger towns for safety. Insecurity is
fuelling poverty and hunger in a way
never seen before, not even during
the Nigerian civil war.
Insecurity, poverty and hunger have
become elements of a self-reinforcing
vicious circle rapidly pushing
Nigerians towards the edge of the
precipice.
We call on newly re-elected
President Muhammadu Buhari not to
dismiss the distress signals coming
from the grassroots as mere rants of
disgruntled political enemies. The
situation is dire and real.
Buhari must use his renewed
mandate to turn the security situation
around for the better to enable
Nigerians return to their communities
and produce food to feed our people.
If urgent steps are not taken and
soon, we fear that alternatives may
be patently unbearable. The time to
act is now.
NEDC: Another drain pipe?
By Sunny Ikhioya
ON Friday, April 9, 2019, the Senate
confirmed the appointment of retired
Major General Paul Tarfa and other members
nominated for the board of the North East
Development Commission, NEDC.
It is neither the constitution of the commission
nor the appointment of board members that is
the issue here; the issue is whether this project
will not become another drain pipe where rent
seekers and carpetbaggers will have a field
day. That is, an avenue for political settlements
and an appeasement for family members,
friends and other cronies of those in Abuja.
We have seen it in OMPADEC (Oil Mineral
Producing Areas Development Commission),
NDDC (Niger Delta Development
Commission) and other state controlled
commissions that deal with resources
allocations. We have seen the urge for
individuals to grab and the opportunity for the
big guys at Abuja - they control these agencies
- to allocate jobs and contracts to their very
own and in the process subverting the purpose
for which these commissions are set up.
This fear is not misplaced. The Babachir
Lawal case is still fresh in our memory. The
Deputy Senate President, Ike Eweremadu,
expressed this sentiment when he said: “The
NDDC is steeped in a lot of protocol and
bureaucracy, so this commission (NEDC)
should learn from this”.
What he failed to mention was the
shenanigans going on underground, outside
the official norms, where invoices are tendered
and paid for without substantive proof. What
reigns in the commissions that we have seen so
far are the manifestations of new sets of the
super rich enabled by their privileged
appointments and unlimited access to
government money, while the conditions in
the areas for which these commissions are set
up continue to deteriorate.
You will also discover that the administrative
costs of running these commissions will soon
outstrip costs of envisaged projects; that is our
way. The NEDC was specifically set up to
“coordinate the rebuilding of the insurgencyravaged
North-East region of Nigeria”.
Already, N10 billion, out of the N55 billion
allocated for the first year, has been earmarked
for administrative and other bureaucratic
functions.
If you ask me, this appears to be a huge chunk
of the budget given the situation in the country
presently. One would expect that things will be
done in a very austere manner, with the purpose
of meeting the needs of the people and in the
event turn them away from acts of insurgency
and sabotage against government. The idea
of creating the NEDC is a good one, but looking
at the way we are going about it, it is destined
to end up a sham like its predecessors.
I came to this conclusion because we have
not properly addressed the insurgency issue.
You cannot build on nothing; there is nothing
on ground to show that we have established
peace in the region. Up till last week, we were
still witnessing Boko Haram attacks in towns
and villages in Borno and Adamawa states,
villages beING over run and people displaced
from their ancestral lands.
Our armed forces are yet to find a permanent
solution to the killings and displacement of
people in the region. How can you build in an
atmosphere of crises? I believe we are putting
the cart before the horse. We should not be in a
hurry to take wrong decisions because we want
to please our people. If the purpose for this
project is not met, then the whole thing will
become another drain pipe to the nation which
OPINION
is in need of funds to execute vital projects across
the land.
The NEDC, as it is today in the North-East,
will not work unless peace is restored to the
region. You remember the late Umaru
Yar’Adua and his amnesty policy which paved
the way for militants of the Niger Delta to
surrender their arms? That brought about
peace in the Niger Delta area which has
remained till date. You want to build for the
Boko Haram to destroy? What then is the
purpose for building? Our priority for now
should be on how we can properly equip our
armed forces to cope with the ravaging Boko
The NEDC, as it is today in
the North-East, will not
work unless peace is
restored to the region
Haram insurgents, killer herdsmen and
kidnappers in the land; until peace is achieved,
reconstruction will be difficult to achieve.
We must beat the Boko Haram to
submission, to the point where they will never
rear their head again; and when that is
achieved, then we can begin to rebuild. The
Marshall Plan to reconstruct Germany and
other war-ravaged regions of the world did
not take effect until victory was achieved after
the Second World War; until the opposition
was properly brought to submission.
They capitulated and conceded defeat and
were ready for the transformation that was to
take place in their lives. So, what the North
East zone of Nigeria needs for now is a lot of
sensitisation of the populace. This government
has a lot to do in this regard, with the Minister
for Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
leading the way.
The people in the zone must be made to
realise that they are destroying their entire
history, culture and future if they continue in
this manner. The ones that have demonstrated
good prospect for change should be properly
rehabilitated. The liberation of the North-East
must start with education and reorientation;
the same people who are giving Boko Haram
information will turn their back on them if
they are properly reoriented.
Let there be peace in the land; let the people
be properly rehabilitated back to their lands;
then we can start the rebuilding and
reconstruction processes.
Another thing is, how can we separate the
foreigners from the true Nigerians? It is clear,
from the way these people operate, that a large
percentage of them are foreigners. So,
destroying properties, killing and looting in
the land means nothing to them since they
have no filial connection to the land. You cannot
standby or partake in the destruction of your
ancestral land unless you are a bastard.
At the moment, a video is trending in the
social media showing how Nigerians are being
tortured by fellow Africans in Angola. Same
thing happening in South Africa, a country
that we helped to liberate. Same with Ghana.
Nigerians are serially attacked and forced to
return to their country.
Why is it only in Nigeria that foreigners are
holding the whole country to ransom and
nothing is being done about it? We used to play
the big brother role to all, but see how they
have paid us back. I don’t know how we can go
about it, but we must, by all means, start
identifying ourselves, beginning from the
North-East region.
The conspiracy of our northern brothers with
the immigrants from Chad, Mali, Niger and
the rest is not doing this country any good.
Again, if peace is not achieved, all that have
been recommended here will not work, so we
go back to where we started from.
•Ikhioya, www.southsouthecho.com
Twitter: @SunnyIkhioya

Bonny light hits $75.04 per barrel
By Prince Okafor
THE price of Bonny Light,
Nigeria’s premium oil
grade, yesterday, crossed the
$75 mark trading at $75.04 per
barrel as the Organisation of
Petroleum Exporting
Countries, OPEC, continues to
eliminate excess oil from the
international market.
This gives a significant boost
to the Excess Crude Account,
ECA, which has suffered huge
depletion in the past one year.
Nigeria pushes oil revenues
that come above budgeted oil
price benchmark into the ECA.
The 2019 benchmark is $60.
The uptrend in the Bonny
Light is coming against a trend
reversal in the prices of other
oil grades – Qua Iboe, Brass
River, Brent and OPEC Basket
dropping from $75.15, $75.01,
$73.89 and $74.30 to $74.96,
$74.91, $73.84 and $73.3 per
barrel respectively.
According to a market
analyst at Forex Times, FXTM,
Lukman Otunuga, “The
conflict in Libya and US
sanctions on Venezuela and
Iran are constraining Oil
supplies, even as OPEC
producers press on with output
cuts through June 2019.
“Rising oil prices will remain
a welcome development for
Nigeria, given how a
handsome chunk of export
revenues are sourced from Oil
sales. Appreciating Oil prices
are likely to provide foreign
exchange stability, ability to
implement 2019 budgets and
economic growth.”
However, Mohammad
Sanusi Barkindo, Nigerian
born OPEC Secretary General
stated: “Every country
understands the importance of
achieving full and timely
conformity with their voluntary
production adjustments under
the decisions of the 175th
Meeting of the OPEC
Conference and the 5th OPEC
and non-OPEC Ministerial
Meeting, on the 6 and 7
December 2018.
CURRENCY BUYING SELLING
US DOLLAR
POUNDS
EURO
FRANC
YEN
CFA
WAUA
RENMINBI
RIYAL
SDR
DANISH
RAND
$90.80 -0.70
2,270.00 -34.00
$12.63 -0.01
$74.41 -0.10
$65.78 -0.52
305.9 306.4 306.9
396.2017 396.8493 397.4969
342.8527 343.4131 343.9735
300.3142 300.805 301.2959
2.7352 2.7396 2.7441
0.5053 0.5153 0.5253
423.6531 424.3455 425.038
45.526 45.6009 45.6758
81.569 81.7023 81.8356
424.3445 425.0381 425.7317
45.9158 45.9908 46.0659
. 21.3157 21.3506 21.3854
CBN Exchange rate as at 24/04/2019
“Overall conformity levels to
the new voluntary production
adjustments, reached almost 90
per cent for the month of
February 2019, which is up from
83 per cent in the month of
January. We expect them to
improve further in the coming
months.
“While we have seen a
marked improvement in market
conditions in the first quarter
of 2019, compared to the
Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25 , 2019 — 19
turbulence and volatility of the
fourth quarter of 2018, with
the market steadily moving
towards a more balanced
state, we still believe we need
to see inventory levels drop
further.”
LAUNCH: From left: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Blueprint Technologies
Ltd., Saheed Alao; Chief Executive Officer/Founder, GLOW Health Enterprise, Adanna
Monde, and Group Managing Director./CEO, United Bank for Africa Plc, Kennedy Uzoka,
at the official launch of GLOW Health in Lagos.
FG, AfDB to create $500m Technology
Innovation Fund
By Elizabeth Adegbesan
The federal government,
yesterday, said it is
working in collaboration with
Africa Development Bank (AfDB)
to create a $500 million
Technology Innovation Fund to
support start-ups that had
attracted foreign investments
into the economy.
The Senior Special Adviser to
the President on Information
Communication Technology
(ICT) , Lanre Osibona,
disclosed this at the
ongoing Fintech Week
in Lagos.
According to the
chairman of the
organizing committee
for the event, Dr. Yele
Okeremi, the
programme was a
medium for
stakeholders in the
sector to articulate what
must be done to
challenge the status
quo and change the
subsisting narratives
on technology about
Nigeria internationally.
In his keynote
address, Osibona
stated: “The event is
remarkably apt at this
stage of our journey as
a nation towards
becoming a Digital
Economy. This is so
much so the case
because we have a
huge opportunity to
ride on the Fourth Industrial
Revolution towards economic
diversification and growth,
social inclusion, job creation,
with resultant efficiency and
transparency of process across
sectors. It will enable boundless
innovation in the manner we
deliver medical health services,
in agriculture, education and no
doubt access to finance and the
associated cost of finance.
“Worthwhile for me to mention,
one of the dominant topic of
discuss in our many
conversations towards
supporting innovation is the
need for affordable and patient
capital to support our
burgeoning start-up ecosystem,
and counterpart funding for
those start-ups that have
successfully attracted foreign
investment from Seed & Angel
investors and Venture Capitals.
We are working on putting
together a Technology
Innovation Fund in
collaboration with AfDB to the
tune of $500 million.”
On her part, Mrs.
Oluwatoyin Albert, Group
Head, Switching and
Processing Terminal Services at
Express Payments, said that
innovations, collaborations and
adequate infrastructure are
needed for Fintechs to explore
huge opportunities inherent in
the digital economy.
Pension scam on the decrease — PTAD
By Rosemary Onuoha
The Pension Transitional
Arrangement Directorate
(PTAD) has said that efforts to reduce
pension scam are yielding results
even as number of pensioners that
reported receiving scam calls in 2018
reduced to 160 from over 200 in
2017. About 34 actually paid money
to the fraudsters.
Pension scam calls are made by
fraudsters to targeted pensioners
requesting fees or cash to help them
track and solve their pension
complaints and ease payment of
their outstanding pension
entitlements, a proposal they never
execute after collecting the fees.
Executive Secretary of PTAD,
Sharon Ikeazor, who disclosed this
at the verification exercise for
eligible parastatals’ pensioners
under the Defined Benefit
Scheme in Lagos, noted that
PTAD is committed to entrenching
zero tolerance to pension fraud.
Ikeazor said that the Directorate
commenced the Verification of
104,133 pensioners and Next of
Kin of 270 federal funded
parastatals.
She disclosed that the directorate
arrested three impersonators who
attempted to fraudulently get
enlisted into PTAD’s payroll,
adding that efforts were being
made to apprehend the
individuals who gave the
impersonators the forged
documents.
The verification exercise which
NCDMB laud
Pinnacle Oil
over local
content devt
By Prince Okafor
The Nigerian Content
Development and
Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has
commended Pinnacle Oil and Gas
for championing local content
promotion in the nation’s oil and
gas industry.
Pinnacle Oil was recognized as
the downstream operating
company with the most impactful
local content development
initiatives at the just concluded
Nigerian Oil and Gas
Opportunity Fair (NOGOF), in
Bayelsa State.
The company was formally
recognized by the Nigerian
government for its contribution
to local content development in
the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
Speaking during the NOGOF
fair, the Chief Executive Officer,
Pinnacle Oil and Gas, Peter
Mbah said, “We have intensified
our investment in the local oil
industry. The award is a
confirmation of our confidence
and continuous investments in the
Nigerian economy.”
Famed for its first mover
advantage in pioneering the
development and construction of
a world class petroleum products
handling facility at the Lekki Free
Trade Zone in Lagos, Pinnacle Oil
was, among other achievements,
recognized by the NOGOF for
this facility which would comprise
a 600,000 MT tank farm for
storage on the shore, connected
to Single Point Mooring (SPM)
and Conventional Buoy Mooring
(CBM) facilities.
The SPM/CBM which Pinnacle
oil and gas has pioneered in
Nigeria, are infrastructure for the
offshore offloading of large
vessels without any need for them
to come to shore or use a jetty.
The detailed Nigerian content
opportunities for which Pinnacle
was recognized are, hands on
training in the assembly of SPM
and CBM; welding and
fabrication works’ hands on
training; tank farm erection;
instrumentation installation; sub
contracts, security, insurance and
financial services.
It had the objective to bring
together major players across the
upstream, midstream and
downstream sectors as well as the
government and industry
regulators to showcase
opportunities in the Nigerian oil
and gas industry and present
available in-country opportunity.
started Tuesday, April 23rd is
expected to round off Thursday, May
29 and is taking place across the six
geopolitical zones and Lagos.
Amongst the pensioners
undergoing verification were the
defunct/privatized agencies namely
Nigeria Aviation Handling Company
( NAHCO), Assurance Bank,
Nigerian National Shipping Line
(NNSL) and Aluminium Smelter
Company Of Nigeria (ALSCON)
PTAD explained that the exercise
is to validate inherited payrolls from
the various defunct pension boards
and offices which handled payment
to the pensioners under the Defined
Benefit Scheme and to create a
comprehensive digital database of
pensioners.

20 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019

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22 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019

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24— Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 —25

26 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 27

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
NAS, Vitafoam hold roundtable
on depression, suicide for
children, women
... ask govt to initiate efforts to prevent depression, suicide
... call senate to pass mental health bill
BY EBUNOLUWA
SESSOU
Nigerian Academy of
Science, NAS, has asked
federal government to initiate
efforts to preventing depression
and suicide attempt in Nigeria,
even as it calls on senate to pass
the mental health bill.
The call was made during the
media roundtable organised by
NAS on ‘Depression and Suicide
Prevention’ in partnership with
Vitafoam Nigeria Plc recently.
Speaking duirng her
presentation on “Depression and
Suicide prevention”, Prof.
Olayinka Omigbodun, Consultant
in Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, UCH, Ibadan said, the
risk factor of depression in
children co-morbid psychiatric
disorder particularly
anxiety,abuse and negect, child
labour, physical, emotional, sexual
abuse at home and school,
negative parenting styles,
rejection, lack of care, parental
mental disorder, parent-child
conflict, family, extended
fostering, bullying, child and
adolescent offenders, children in
institutions, refugees and
homeless.
The implication according to her,
is that one out of five children
presents with health issue hence,
the association of psychiatries in
Nigeria is currenting pushing a
bill on mental health in the
national assembly.
“You cannot talk about proper
prevention of depression and
suicide in children if there is no
proper policy. There is need to
engage politicians on why they are
supposed to pass the bill.
“We should have policy and
legislation for our children to have
access to quality health. Our
religious leaders should be
involved in preventing mental
health and depression. It is
imporant to give talks and lectures
on depresssion enlightenment”,
she said
Explaining how depression is
presented is children, she said, it
varies from one child to another.
“It is different from the normal
“blues” and everyday emotions
that occur as a child develops.
When symptoms last and interfere
with social activities, interests,
schoolwork, and family life, the
child may have depression. While
depression is a serious illness, it
•Prof Olayinka
also is a treatable one.
Depression in children can be
caused by any combination of
factors, including physical illness,
stressful life events, environment
including family problems, family
history, alcohol or drug use”,she
said.
Easter: Mrs Akeredolu assures Ondo people
of more dividends of democracy
As Christians all over the
world celebrate Easter,
which is the commemoration of the
resurrection of Christ and his
victory over death, wife of Ondo
State Governor, Her Excellency
Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-
Akeredolu, joined the
congregation of Chapel of Grace,
Government House, Alagbaka
Akure in a Holy Eucharistic
service to mark the festival.
Speaking during the service,
Mrs Akeredolu expressed her joy
over Christ’s victory over death,
with repeated thunderous Alleluia
chorus and the popular Christians’
confession, “Christ is Risen”.
The sunshine state First Lady
used the opportunity to reassure
the good people of Ondo state of
the relentless commitment of the
Akeredolu-led administration in
the state to deliver more dividends
of democracy to the people.
In her words, “It gladdens my
heart that the people are seeing
what is happening in Ondo state.
You know change takes a long time
to happen. When we talk about
graduate unemployment, for you
to create employment
opportunities, you need to have
strategies, you need to plan, and
these things don’t just happen
overnight, but I’m very excited that
just in about two years, things are
really happening.
“Anybody who is not aware that
industrial revolution is taking
place in Ondo state as I speak,
should go to Ore and see for
themselves. Those are the
industries that will gainfully
employ your children.
I plead with you to exercise
patience with Arakunrin, more
will come. This is not Social
Media, Print or electronic media
advertisement. It is real! Go to Ore
and see what is happening.”
Earlier in her remarks, the
regent of Aaye community, HRH
Taiwo Oyebola Agbona, who led
the chiefs and the people of Aaye
community in Ifedore LGA to a
special thanksgiving, appreciated
the Governor of Ondo State for his
giant strides in the state,
particularly in the area of
industrialization and road
infrastructure, and appealed to
him to give attention to the roads
in Aaye community.
In his homily, the guest preacher,
Evang. Madu Ihekoronye,
enjoined Christians to always
emulate Christ and also take
advantage of the message of
Easter and make the world a
better place to live.
•Depressed girl
She explained that, “Every child
with depression may present with
a unique set of symptoms
including irritability, anger,
persistent feelings of sadness,
hopelessness, withdrawal from
previously enjoyed activities as
well as from friends and family,
increased sensitivity to rejection or
criticism, changes in appetite,
changes in sleep, crying or temper
tantrums, difficulty concentrating
and focusing, fatigue and low
energy, physical complaints, such
as stomach aches, headaches that
do not respond to treatment,
reduced ability to function during
activities at home or with friends,
in school, extracurricular
activities, and in other hobbies or
interests,feelings of worthlessness
or guilt, thoughts or talk of death
or suicide”, she added.
According to her, not all
depressed children will have all
of these symptoms. In fact, most
will have different symptoms at
different times and in different
settings. “Although some children
may continue to function
reasonably well in structured
environments, most kids with
significant depression will suffer
a noticeable change in social
activities, loss of interest in school
and poor academic performance,
or a change in appearance.
Experimentation with drugs or
alcohol may also be a sign of an
underlying mental illness.
“Children with a family history
of violence, alcohol abuse, or
physical or sexual abuse are at
greater risk for suicide, as are
those with symptoms of
depression.
Also speaking, a consultant
Psychiatrist University College
Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, Prof. Oye
Gureje FAS disclosed that, it is the
responsibility of the ministry of
health to put a bill to the senate
on issues regarding mental health
without involving bribing.
He said, sadness, feeling down,
having a loss of interest or pleasure
in daily activities are are
symptoms familiar to people
adding that if they persist and
affect people’s lives, it may be
depression.
“Depression seems to be more
common among women than men.
And symptoms include lack of joy
and reduced interest in things that
used to bring a person happiness.
Life events, such as
bereavement, produce mood
changes that can usually be
distinguished from the features of
depression.
“The causes of depression are
not fully understood but are likely
to be a complex combination of
genetic, biological, environmental,
and psychosocial factors”, he said.
He continued that,
psycohological therapy is 70
percent, pharmacological and
specialist care is 85 and 15 percent
respectively are best ways of
addressing depression.
He noted that, there is need to
develop primary care system to
develop ourselves. “Depression
kills, increases the risk of coronary
heart disease including angina
and myocardinal infarction as well
as stroke.
“About 800,000 commit sucide
every year adding that more than
50 percent of these among people
aged 15 and 44 years. Adding
that, recognition of the problem is
best done early by the primary
care practitioners”, he concluded.
However, the Company
Secretary, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc,
Mr. Olalekan Sanni, in his
goodwill message said, the
company decided to partner with
NAS in order to give comfort to
life.
“We are hoping that with the
collaboration of the media, what
we are advocating for would be
achieved. We have lots of things
that could lead to depression in
Nigeria including the state of
economy, bad roads among others.
“But, with this kind of this kind
of forum, it will go along way to
bring succour to people who are
already in that state of mind so
that we do not continue to have
incidence of depression and
suicide.
“With the partnership, we
believe that the comfort of
Nigerians will be upheld and I
believe with the category of
journalists present, the message
will be well projected and it will
go along way to ensure that
objectives of the programme are
fulfilled”, he said.
C
M
Y
C
M
YK

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019—29
WIMBIZ challenges
female politicians
on good
representaion
BY EBUNOLUWA
SESSOU
WOMEN in Management
Business and Public
Service,WIMBIZ, has challenged
all female politicians elected
during the 2019 general elections
to be good represenatives at all
levels of governance even as the
body congratulated them on their
election into various political seats
of all the 36 states of the
federation.
All female elected candidates
including the state houses of
assembly, house of
respresentatives, senates as well
as the deputy governors.
It will be recalled that 7 female
were elected into the senate while
11 were elected into the house of
representatives and 31 into
various state houses of assembly
across Nigeria and 4 deputy
governors as declared by the
Independent National Electoral
Commission,INEC.
According to the statement
signed by WIMBIZ
communications team, the
congratulatory message is given
to all female candidates at all
levels that participated in the just
concluded 2019 general elections.
“The Board of Trustees and
Executive Council of WIMBIZ
commend their passion and
commitment towards national
growth and development which
has propelled them to serve the
nation through participation in the
electoral process of Nigeria.
“WIMBIZ congratulates all who
were successful at the elections
and all who participated from the
expression of interest, nomination,
all the way to the election victory.
“The 2019 election is considered
remarkable owing to the increase
in participation and victory of
women across various levels.
“This new wave of emerging
The Ikeja Electric has said that
it is saddled with the
responsibility of ensuring
adequate power supply to
Nigerians especially women and
children that suffer whenever
there is power outage.
This assurance was made during
the community forum organised by
the organisation with over 45
CDAs in both Lagos and Ogun
states recently.
Speaking during the parley,
Engr Olajide Kumapayi, Head
Technical Opeartions, IE
explained that, the organisation is
working hard to improve its
services including the Human
Relation, HR as well as all
activities that will improve
adequate power supply.
“The way the staff talk to people
will be encouraging. We commend
communities for their efforts and
we promise that the relationship
will be enchanced. One of the
important things in life is
Houston, Texas —The Offshore Technology Conference, OTC and
United Against Human Trafficking UAHT, have said that they
would continue their five-year partnership to provide awareness,
education, and outreach to end human trafficking.
In a statement signed by the OTC Public Relation, Anthony Triana
disclosed that, utilizing UAHT resources, OTC helps educate attendees
and exhibitors about the warning, signs of human trafficking in
communications before and during the conference. Adding that, the
outreach includes an education booth for UAHT, located in NRG Center,
Level 1, Hall D, throughout the forthcoming conference between 6 and
9 of May.
“OTC is proud to sustain its partnership with United Against Human
Trafficking in 2019,” OTC Board of Directors Chairman Wafik Beydoun
said. “This agreement exemplifies OTC’s dedication and desire to raise
awareness and educate industry professionals in ways to recognize
potential trafficking situations.
“Based in Houston, UAHT increases awareness by training law
enforcement, first responders, healthcare workers, social service
providers, and business owners on how to identify and combat human
trafficking in the greater Houston community.
“The vision of UAHT is to aspire for all people to experience freedom
and live beyond bondage to others. OTC is proud to support this vision”,
she said.
In his contribution, the UAHT Executive Director Timeka Walker
said,”We are grateful to continue the partnership with the Offshore
Technology Conference,” United Against Human Trafficking is
dedicated to uniting the community in the fight against human
trafficking. We are thankful for the opportunity to partner with OTC on
this very important issue that impacts our city.”
“UAHT is one of the many charities supported by OTC. In fact, the
51-year-old conference maintains a strong commitment to serving the
greater Houston community through the OTC Beneficiary program,
which has donated more than USD 1.7 million to local charities over
the past eight years”, he said.
IE promises women, others adequate power supply
...says prepaid meter will be supplied
BY EBUNOLUWA
SESSOU
OTC,UAHT continue five years
partnership to end human trafficking
communication and we will
continue to ensure adequate
commnuication for good services.
Licensing of MAP
On MAP, he said, “With the
enactment of the Electric Power
Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) in 2005
and the subsequent privatisation
of Nigeria’s electricity sector in
2013, the provision of meters to
electricity customers to ensure
efficient billing and collection of
electricity tariffs became the
statutory responsibility of the
electricity distribution companies
(DisCos).
“In a bid to eliminate the
estimated billing practices in the
Nigerian Electricity Supply
Industry (NESI), attract private
investment into the metering
services industry, close the
metering gap through accelerated
meter roll out and enhance
revenue assurance for the NESI,
the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory
Commission (NERC) has issued
the 2018 Meter Asset Provider
Regulations (the Regulations). The
Regulations were made under
Section 96 of the EPSRA.
“The objective of the
Regulations is to provide standard
rules to encourage the
development of independent and
competitive metering services in
the NESI. Under the Regulations,
the NERC shall licence prequalified
Meter Asset Providers
(MAP) who will finance, install,
maintain and where necessary,
On Friday April 18, a
coalition of NGOs from
the South East Nigeria honored
two outstanding women of Igbo
extraction.
The duo, Icons Prof. Uche
Azikiwe, MFR, and Prof. Joy
Ngozi Ezeilo,OON, were
recognised for their
achievements in
academics and service
to humanity.
They have
contributed
immensely to the
development of
Igboland and Nigeria;
hence reinforcing the
important role of
women in the
development of the South East
replace end-user electricity
meters.
“As a first step in the licencing
process, NERC shall prequalify
applicants by conducting due
diligence on the applicants and
issuing a ‘No-Objection’ to enable
them to participate in the
procurement process. NERC shall
also appoint a Tender Auditor who
shall audit the bid process
conducted by the DisCos. The
DisCos will lead the procurement
process for the MAP and will
request prospective MAPs to
submit their bids. Upon final
evaluation of the submissions, the
DisCos will name the successful
bidder and will offer to enter into
a Meter Service Agreement
(MSA) with the successful bidder
for the provision of metering
services.
“The MAP framework appears
to be a viable means for the
eradication of estimated billing
and ensuring a more efficient way
of reducing commercial and
collection losses in the NESI.
However, this can only be
achieved if there is an adherence
to and enforcement of due process
in the procurement process, and
proper implementation of the
metering service charge in a
transparent manner. It is expected
that success of the Meter Assets
Providers regime will relieve the
Discos of the burden of providing
metering services and enable
them to give more focus on their
core responsibility of power
distribution.
“Also, Nigerian-owned meter
and Nigeria.
The keynote speaker, President
General Ohanaze Ndigbo
Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo
said that the contributions of the
women in the development of
Nigeria especially in the area of
advocacy for the emancipation of
*Prof. Joy
Ngozi Ezeilo
•Prof. Uche
Azikiwe
manufacturing companies and
meter assembling plants can
expect to a have greater
participation in the metering
industry as MAPs are required to
obtain at least 30% of their meters
from local sources. This may, in
turn, lead to additional foreign
direct investment into the country,
while also ensuring transfer of
technology to Nigeria.
“On Meter Access Provider,
MAP, he said, 50,000 customers
will be supplied We made
suggestion that IE should visit us
in all our geneeral meetings. To
acquire meter through MAP,
Nigerians are expected to pay for
it and it should be paid to NERC
and not IE.
Estimated bills
On estimated bills, he said,
“There are lots of estimated bills
problems and we acknowlege that
there are customers tnat we overestimate
and there are customers
that are under-estimate too. There
are lots of plans to investigate
areas where there issues of
estimated bills are raised and we
believe that all things will be
sorted out. Those who acquire
shops, houses are advised to due
diligence before they engage
themselves.
“This sector is one of the most
misunderstood sector in Nigeria
today. Even the professors have
decided to misunderstand the
sector. This is the only sector
where you buy water at N10 and
you are expected to sell at N1.
There is no sector in the whole
world that operate like that. One
of the problems in Nigeria is that
everybody thinks, he has an idea
of how the sector operate.
“The reality is that Ikeja Electric
is expected to collected 1000
megawatt everyday which is 18
percent of our allocation but we
can only get 403 megawatt at
times, 430 which is a major
problem for people to have 24
hours power supply.
“Nobody in the DisCos is
getting its allocation and these are
the fundamental issues but there
are lots of collaboration going on
to ensure things are put right.
“It is the government that is
metering customers and there is
nobody that will not get prepaid
meter. Nobody is saying that there
is no error in estimated billling but
we believe that things will be
done right. There is an avenue to
correct those abnormalities and
the avenue will be achieved.
Continues on page 27
South East women celebrate two Igbo amazons
women and girls cannot be
overemphasized.
The Program oganised by
the Women’s International
League for Peace & Freedom,
WILPF, Nigeria in
partnership with Women’s
Aid Collective WACOL,
Widows Lifeline, WIL,
Women in Political
Forum,WIPF, as well as
Women Radio was held
at KOBB event Centre,
Enugu state.
Highpoints of the
activity include a paper
presentation on “Women
As Transformative
Leaders” Breaking
Boundaries for effective
Leadership.

30— Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
IE promises
women, others
adequate power
supply
Continues from page 25
the avenue will be achieved.
“The company has a standard
and that is why it will not jettison
human relationship for thing.
Unfortuantely, Nigerians are still
patronising some of the workers
whose appointment with IE has
been terminated because of fraud,
errors and wrong represenation.
Every week, people get dismissed
for such crime. We also replace staff
and we have over 3500 staff. There
is cluster replacement for staff. “IE
does not want anybody to be too
comfortable in a location and that
is why we keep rotating people and
once some pranks have been
suspected,we intervene.
“We have issues but we are trying
as much as possible to be
transparent enough to resolve the
issues. We are ready to start MAP
and we have over 30,000 metrers
that we were using but we cannot
install because we have been
informed that MAP will
commence operation in 2019.
Meter
“It is the government that says
people must pay for meter and not
DisCos. It is not in anybody’s
interest not to meter anybody.
Unfortuantely customers see only
one side of the prepaid meter and
that is why we are taking our time
to explain to people. Most of the
overloaded transformer issues, the
areas we have metered, lots of
people are complaining. This
meeting will be an on-going
process because we are committed
to customer service.
Repair of prepaid meter
“IE cannot repair prepaid meter
but if there is complaint on meter
that is damaged, there is a way we
will investigate it to know the
cause of the problem and we will
advise people on what to do.
Some of the residents
highlighted some of the problems
they face and urged the authorities
to expedict action addressing to
issues raised by the communities.
“We have taken our details and
we request that the company
should be in dialogue with us for
better relationship.
“All communities from various
business units have challenge
with human relation of IE which
has dented the image of the
company. NEPA 2, NEPA 3 are
working for their purses.
BY MICHAEL EBOH &
GABRIEL EWEPU
The National Agency for the
Prohibition of Trafficking in
Persons, NAPTIP, has accused
states yet to domesticate and pass
the Child Rights Act, CRA, of
inadvertently aiding and abetting
human trafficking and modern
day slavery in the country.
This was even as NAPTIP, in
collaboration with the United
Kingdom Aid, UK Aid/
Department for International
Development, DFID, have
launched a new campaign, tagged
‘Not for Sale’, aimed at curbing,
trafficking in persons, especially
for sexual exploitation in Edo and
Delta States.
Speaking during the launch of
the campaign, Director General of
NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli,
said the agency would support and
partner with the 13 states to
ensure they adopt the Act.
Okah-Donli further stated that
to effectively curb the menace of
sex slavery and human trafficking
in Nigeria, the fight should not be
left to the Federal Government
alone, but that all state
governments in Nigeria should
empower women in rural areas via
effective skill acquisition
programmes.
According to her, empowering
rural women would cut off supply
of victims of trafficking and also
ensure that the women earn good
living and in turn, impact their
communities positively.
She further called on all state
governments to make primary and
secondary school education free
and compulsory and also empower
returnees with skills and the tools
to work, especially as education
and empowerment are critical to
curbing illegal migration.
Fashion as an art of beauty has
moved to a height. And designers
both local and international have
strived to recreate the
conventional narrative of fashion
as mere dressmaking to an
evolving global trend, thereby,
inculcating fashion education for
a general understanding of the
industry as a reputable business
with a further push to re-educate
emerging designers.
In respect of this, Department of
Fashion Design, Yaba College of
Technology in collaboration with
Fashion Designers Association of
Nigeria (FADAN) engaged fashion
students in a fashion public talk
Stat
ates yet to adopt t CRA, , are fuelling
human traffic
ficking
— NAPTIP
Okah-Donli further stated that
the initiative, the ‘Not for sale’
campaign provided a visible
platform for stakeholders within
the various states and
communities to forge common
ground in enlightening
vulnerable young women in the
society on the potential dangers of
buying into false promises of a
better life abroad.
According to her, such false
promises normally range from
involuntary servitude to rape,
forced marriages, adding that
these had cost many women their
lives. She noted that
approximately 80 per cent of
Nigerian women who take the
dangerous journey overseas end up
being trafficked and forced into
prostitution, adding that the ‘Not
For Sale’ initiative thus provides
these women with the support
services that enables them to seek
out training and opportunities in
their home land Nigeria.
She explained that the
collaborative efforts of NAPTIP and
UK Aid in driving positive
conversations through the Not for
Sale campaign, was making
immeasurable impact in the fight
against modern slavery issues and
its effect on vulnerable persons,
especially young women, in the
country.
The NAPTIP boss explained that
the initiative aimed to inspire,
enable and empower young women
in Edo and Delta states to find
success on their own terms without
paying the terrible price paid by so
many others, who look for success
abroad.
Also speaking, Deputy Head of
Office of the DFID, John Primrose,
added that the United Kingdom
was also working with state
governments in Nigeria to launch
a programme that would stamp out
modern day slavery in the country.
The event was also attended by
Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior
Special Assistant to the President
on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora
issues and Yinka Omorogbe,
Attorney General & Minister of
Justice for Edo State among
others.
L-R: John Primrose, Deputy Head of Office, Department for International Development Nigeria; Dame
Julie Okah-Donli, Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP),
Gift Oje Jonathan, Not for Sale Campaign Ambassador, and Tim Singleton, Director of Communications,
Department for International Development (DFID) Nigeria, at the launch of the Not for sale campaign
held in Abuja
FADAN, Yabatech collaborate on school fashion for global business
BY CHRIS ONUOHA
held at the school’s auditorium,
held at the school auditorium
Thursday, 18, April, 2019, with a
renowned Nigerian international
fashion designer, Fred Eboka as a
guest speaker.
With the theme: “Reimaging
fashion education: for successful
global fashion business”, one
important goal the organisers
intends to achieve was to inculcate
the spirit of professionalism in the
students. During the interactive
section with students, Fred Eboka
went at length to define the art of
fashion. Speaking on the business
of fashion, he described it as a
career that involves attitude,
seriousness, and commitment. He
stressed that fashion designing is
more of critical thinking beyond
mere dressmaking.
From his wealth of experience,
Fred Eboka tried to define design
in simple terms: “Speaking
generally about the business of
fashion designing, a lot of people
call themselves designers but do
not have a clue of what design is
all about. Some people usually get
confused in defining what it takes
to be a designer: a dressmaker
or a tailor will confidently say I
am a designer but not.”
Why we run gender sensitive
programmes for women, girls —Harry
BY ELIZABETH UWANDU
THE empowerment of women
and girls especially in
science, technology, engineering
and mathematics, STEM cannot
be overemphasized.
Mr Njideka Harry,
founder and Chief
Executive Officer, CEO,
Youth for Technology
Foundation, YTF, non for
profit organisation in an
exclusive interview with
Vanguard shared how
Nigeria and Africa in
general will benefit more
in the sustainable
development and
empowerment of her
female gender.
According to social
entrepreneur, “YTF, an
international non -profit
organisation, NGO
founded 19 years ago in
Nigeria, with branches in
Kenya, Uganda and in
the United States of
America, USA focuses on the
promotion of technology in
education and entrepreneurship
among women and girls, especially
from rural areas.
According to her, “Our targets
are primarily young people and
women living alone especially
those in undeveloped
communities. In addition, Our
mission is simple. We create,
enrich the learning communities
with the appropriate use of
technology.
“ However, our programmes take
a gender sensitive approach in
order to address the gender gap
and gender bias for women and
girls. This is as almost all our
students in YTF academy are girls
at the secondary school and
university level. YTF Academy
basically introduces students to
basically digital literacy, free
mobile and application software
development and then we
introduced emerging technologies
into our curriculum”, she
explained.

EVERY Easter, like the
one celebrated this week,
Nigerian leaders send
messages to Nigerians,
exhorting them to be good
citizens. Yet, if the leaders
examine themselves, they
would realise they are the ones
who need exhortations: to be
good leaders. Indeed, few
people need the redemption
and renewal that the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ
brought to humanity more than
Nigerian leaders!
Throughout the Bible and
other holy books, God places
huge responsibilities on
political leaders and judges.
Not surprising; after all, God
Himself established human
laws and government. After
man failed during the long age
of freedom of conscience, God
instituted human laws and
government to regulate man
(Genesis 8:15). It’s because
human laws and government
have their foundations in God
that citizens are enjoined not
only to obey governmental laws
and authorities (Romans 13: 1)
but to pray for those in authority
(1 Timothy 2:1-3). But God put
a huge duty on leaders to run
government and on judges to
administer laws in accordance
with certain ordinances.
Unfortunately, Nigerian leaders
and judges fail woefully to live
up to these ordinances.
Let’s start with the ordinances
for political leaders. According
to the Bible, a leader must,
among others, be able and Godfearing
(Exodus 18:21); truthful
(Deuteronomy 16:19);
Lord, give Nigeria bold and
incorruptible judges
conscientious (Deuteronomy
1:17); wise and understanding
(Deuteronomy 1:13); of a
disposition to refuse bribes
(Exodus 23:8). He or she must
hate covetousness (Exodus
18:21) and love justice
(Deuteronomy 1:16). These
Biblical injunctions have their
modern law equivalents, but my
aim here is to remind Nigerian
leaders of the responsibilities
that God places on them to
govern and administer laws in
accordance with His moral
injunctions.
So, here is the question: Which
of these injunctions do Nigerian
political leaders, at whatever
level, keep? How many are
really able and God-fearing?
Would able, wise and
conscientious leaders allow
Nigeria to become a nation
adrift as it is? How many hate
covetousness and have a
disposition to refuse bribes or
refrain from looting the public
treasury? What about justice?
Do Nigerian leaders love
justice? If they do, why is there
so much poverty, inequality
and injustice in this country?
Nigeria, sadly, is a country
where politicians wear their
religion on their sleeves, but are
hardly influenced by any
religious or moral code in their
In any society,
politicians may be
corrupt and rig
elections, powerful
elites may abuse their
influence, but if
judges adhere to the
rules in Deuteronomy
16:19, there is hope
for the society
actions: they govern without the
fear of God; they display
appalling incompetence in
running the affairs of state,
failing to provide even the most
basic amenities for the people;
they amass stupendous wealth
in office, enriching themselves,
Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019—31
families and cronies; and, above
all, act with absolute impunity
and arrogance!
But where politicians fail,
judges must not. Which brings
me to my real focus: judges. God
Himself established the
institutions of judges and
courts. Indeed, the first lower
court and the first Supreme
Court were established by God.
In Deuteronomy 16:18, God
said: “Judges and officers shall
thou make thee in all thy gates
…” And in Deuteronomy 17:8-
10, He said: “If there arise a
matter too hard for thee in
judgement, then thou shall
bring it unto the priests the
Levites, whose judgement shall
be final"(I paraphrase!).
However, in Deuteronomy
16:19, God laid down the basic
laws of justice, the basic
ordinances for judges: “Thou
shall not pervert justice; thou
shall not respect persons;
neither take a gift: for a gift doth
blind the eyes of the wise, and
pervert the words of the
righteous”.
The judiciary is not just the
last hope of common man, it’s
the last hope in any democracy.
In any society, politicians may
be corrupt and rig elections,
powerful elites may abuse their
influence, but if judges adhere
to the rules in Deuteronomy
16:19, there is hope for the
society. Which is why the
United Nations’ “Principles on
the Independence of the
Judiciary” contains provisions
on impartiality and
inducements similar to those in
Deuteronomy 16:19. As one UN
Send Opinions & Letters to:
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report puts it, “judges who
cannot be corrupted inspire and
compel corruption-free conduct
in society as a whole”. Fearless
and incorruptible judges are
powerful countervailing forces
against corruption and abuse of
power.
But the prevailing view is that
the Nigerian judiciary is largely
corrupt. The image last week of
the former Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, in
the dock and his subsequent
conviction by the Code of
Conduct Tribunal on a six-count
charge of corruption were a sad
moment for Nigeria’s judiciary.
And at the heart of this, let’s face
it, are gifts and bribes. The CCT
said Onnoghen failed to explain
how he amassed “huge
amounts of money in his
account”. Many countries have
introduced “Unexplained
Wealth Orders, UWO” for such
reasons. Surely, if such monies
come as “gifts”, as they
probably do, judges must
remember Deuteronomy 16:19.
Gifts are the innocence that often
constitutes the crime!
After the Bible, the greatest
authority on human
government and laws is the
Magna Carta. Here’s what it
says in Clause 45: “We will
appoint as justices, constables,
sheriffs or other officials, only
men that know the law of the
realm and are minded to keep
it well”. Sadly, many Nigerian
judges don’t fit that description.
Pray, therefore, that the Lord
will give Nigeria bold and
incorruptible judges and
officers!
Okowa-Otuaro’s visit to Akparemogbene
By Ekanpou Enewaridideke
IT is beyond any argument that the Okowa-
Otuaro canoe is professionally hollowed
out of the Kuru tree, fired and beached to be
untied for transformational visits to the
communities in Delta State. Over the years the
Okowa-Otuaro canoe has become the
personification of transformational voyages.
Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, the Governor
of Delta State, and his deputy, Burutu Kingsley
Otuaro, had not thought of embarking on a
transformational voyage to Akparemogbene
- that peaceful and law-abiding community in
Burutu Local Government famous for its
morally and aesthetically alluring
kaleidoscopic cultural displays and
entertainments during festive seasons and
during the visit of notable personalities. That
is until their recent visit to South Africa and
England respectively when they were
approached by two renowned writers for an
unpremeditated conversation.
Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali, a great South
African poet known for his poem, "The
Washerwoman’s Prayer", told Okowa and
Otuaro he had been to Akparemogbene many
times and that the development challenges of
Akparemogbene were worse than the
predicament of the washerwoman in his poem.
Another intimation came from William
Wordsworth after the departure of Mtshali.
Wordsworth the famous English poet known
for his poem "The Solitary Reaper",
maintained that the developmental
predicament and hopelessness of
Akparemogbene parallel the plight of the
solitary reaper in his poem. Okowa and Otuaro
were immediately arrested by the storied
hopelessness of Akparemogbene. The two gods
of Delta State became enraptured like that poet
enraptured by the song of the solitary reaper
in "The Solitary Reaper":
‘I listened, motionless and still,
And, as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more’
In their enraptured state in England, Okowa
decreed a historic transformational visit to
Akparemogbene in March 2019. However, as
a prelude to the proposed visit, an advance
party led by Chief Boro Opudu (Chairman,
Delta Waterways and Land Security
Committee) was dispatched to
Akparemogbene in February 2019 to prepare
the ground for a smooth visit. The people of
Akparemogbene grew jubilant on the
intimation that Okowa and Otuaro were
coming to initiate them into their confraternity
of transformation because it would be the
governor’s maiden visit to the
underdevelopment-stricken Island of vibrant
culture and tourism potentials.
Sadly, when Okowa and Otuaro were about
to launch the beached Okowa-Otuaro Canoe
unto the waters of River Forcados for onward
progression to Akparemogbene, they suffered
infiltration and intrusion in the hands of
demonic diversionary rumour-peddlers that
Akparemogbene was located in a nonnavigable
creek inhabited by wild pythons
ready to swallow visitors alive. Governor
Okowa, and his deputy Otuaro, gave the
Satanic rumour-peddlers the worst
embarrassment when they ordered their
immediate expulsion from their sight. Because
Okowa saw Wordsworth and Mtshali as
reliable personalities, he said the decreed
transformational visit to Akparemogbene was
unstoppable. Okowa and Otuaro saw
themselves as the magi in T.S. Eliot’s poem,
"Journey of the Magi" who journeyed to see
Jesus Christ and presented to the child the
symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh,
undeterred by the challenging distractions
associated with the journey.
The engine kept chugging, the Okowa-
Otuaro canoe mounted the black waters of the
fordable Akparemogbene creek on the
appointed day. Alas, it was a rainy day! The
canoe went aground when they were still many
kilometres away from Akparemogbene
because it was an ebb tide. The Akparemogbene
creek being fordable, silty, muddy and horribly
shallow, the Okowa-Otuaro canoe was
imprisoned and immobilised by the outgoing
tide whose speed was amazingly faster than
any other day. Governor Okowa and his deputy
Otuaro had to wait for five hours for the
incoming tide to make the creek navigable for
their canoe. When it was feared Okowa and
Otuaro would be bored and provoked to cancel
the visit, they did not, despite the torrential
rain.
The journey threatened by torrential rain that
got Okowa and Otuaro bedraggled like J. P.
When it was feared
Okowa and Otuaro would
be bored and provoked to
cancel the visit, they did
not, despite the torrential
rain
Clark’s poetically cast ‘bats’ and ‘owls’ and the
burden of a horribly shallow and fordable
creek of ‘lakuwa’ weeds were forgotten when
the Okowa-Otuaro canoe reached
Akparemogbene. The first entertainment was
a comic dramatic show led by Mrs. Timiebi
Maika, followed by a kaleidoscope of cultural
Owigiri, Weirei, Wabu, Egebu, Filete, Ongusei,
Ekpedesei, Agene and Andasei dances.
Captivated, Okowa and Otuaro clapped their
hands unconsciously and effortlessly in
appreciation. Akparemogbene Oyei! Oyei!
However, Governor Okowa’s visit was to
commission two blocks of three classrooms
each for Omotimipere primary school,
Akparemogbene. While the primary school
blocks were commissioned, he was
embarrassed by the existing dilapidated old
primary school buildings constructed years
ealier. He promptly ordered renovation of the
existing structures coupled with construction
of a new teachers quarter. Dan Yingi, the
member representing Burutu North
Constituency in the Delta State House of
Assembly, was instantly detailed to see to the
completion of the project through his legislative
oversight function.
For Akparemogbene, and a sister
community, Amasuomo, in Burutu Local
Government Area geographically located
opposite Akparemogbene community, it was
indeed a transformational visit because they
got more than what they anticipated from
Okowa and Otuaro. It was an uproarious
drama of prayerful wishes of safe journey for
Okowa and Otuaro by Akparemogbene
people when the two transformational visitors
wound up and left.
Now that Governor Okowa, and his deputy
Otuaro, are back home from Akparemogbene,
may they always be haunted by the
irrepressible need to revisit the community and
transform it; may Okowa and Otuaro feel like
the Magi who find pleasant discomfort in the
old system when they come back from their
visit; may Akparemogbene radiate their hearts
and thoughts so much that they will be
stunningly enveloped by transformational
thoughts; may the experience of Okowa and
Otuaro become exactly like the magi in T.S.
Eliot’s poem, "Journey of the Magi", so that
they will developmentally become perpetual
visitors of Akparemogbene community and
consequently unburden their minds like the
unburdened minds of T.S. Eliot’s magi.
•Enewaridideke, a social commentator,
wrote from Akparemogbene, Delta State.

32 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
YOUR LUCK TODAY
By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139
TAURUS; If what you’re doing today’ll depend on tomorrow’s
event it’s better you’re more careful now. Even things may not go
according to your personal plans today. Yet it’s important you plan
both your immediate and far future carefully now
GEMINI; If you take to aggression, your ego would be deflated by
your superior colleagues, but your being co operative in a civilised
way’ll prevent trouble.
CANCER; Those willing to put you to shame one way or the other’ll
be disappointed with the turn of things today. It’s good to secure
support of your spouse
LEO; You’ve had enough of fun in the recent times and it’s now time
you settle down for hard work in order to prevent avoidable trouble.
Be patient please.
VIRGO; Your concentration level and determination are the pillars
of your success today. Yet you’ll need to respect your senior
colleagues and protect your image
L E I S U R E
TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE
“We are unlimited beings. We have no ceiling. The
capabilities, talents, gifts and the power that is
within every single individual that is on this planet,
is unlimited.” -Micheal Beckwith-
When you believe in yourself the rest will fall into
place. Have faith in your own abilities, work hard,
and there is nothing you cannot accomplish.
-Ella Randle -
TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”
SAYINGS OF
OUR PEOPLE
A housewife who
complains that there
is not enough foodstuff
in the market
should remember
that if her husband
adds to what is
already available,
there would be more
for everyone.
~Nigerian Proverb
By Kola Fayemi
LIBRA; It’s true you’re willing to work harder but you just have to
drop both aggression and mental arrogance to allow things roll
accordingly. Then, you’re accident prone within your working arena.
Respect the law and its agents today.
SCORPIO; Serious thought may be giving to matters of the heart
but it’s better you tarry a while. Joint ventures of short duration
today may be an invitation to avoidable trouble
SAGITTARIUS ; If you back your financial plans with concrete
and positive actions things’ll go according to your desire. If you fail
to realise importance of your spouse you would work your way
into avoidable trouble.
CAPRICORN; Your intelligence, competence and level of concentration
may today bring you envy, which you don’t deserve within
your working arena in a negative form but, you’ll succeed.. Entertain
no fear, and take advantage of your sex appeal for love.
DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE
AQUARIUS;. Placement of the Moon highlights your Solar
second house of money which is good but, if you try to buy true love
with money, you’ll be disappointed
PISCES; Placementg of the Moon may gives you new confidence
and with new supports from the powers that be, it’s like you are now
un stop able. But be cautious, especially with the veterans within
your base of operation.
ARIES; Tomorrow is your better day. But you will today need to do
away with non productive argument and/or agreement. Try to be
more diplomatic now.
ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING
ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING
Send your date e and place of birth th to the Astr
trological
Counselling, P.M.B 100
007, 7, Apapa, Lagos
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SAGITTARIUS
Sagittarius is a mutable sign by its quality. It ‘s element is
fire, symbolised by half horse half man and/or an Archer
aiming at the sky. Mutable means changes and experimentation,
while fire is all about enthusiasm, taking of the initiative
and leadership ability. Thus, you are the type that
will exhibit strong interest in an important project that
catches your fancy and you will not mind to experiment
with ideas just to achieve your objectives and aims. Sagittarius
is 9th of the twelve Zodiac signs that rules philosophy,
RELIGION, law, foreign land, higher mind/higher institutions,
lawyer, long (distance) travelling, in laws, future,
optimism and bluntness. Major problem or weak points of
Sagittarians are excessive openness/bluntness and sometimes
fanatical approach to religion.
Being a born adventurer, you are not afraid of exploration
and new beginning. Sagittarians are incurable optimists
and ever ready to listen to and eager to believe others.
Honesty is truly in your inner self You are a tolerant person
but you are not ready to compromise your FREEDOM
Sagittarius as a fire sign can make you a quick tempered
person. Half horse half man as the symbol, of Sagittarius
indicates dual (double) personalities known in different
circles with different personalities. Yet, you are not a pretender.
As the Archer aims arrow into the sky so also
Sagittarians have many lofty ideas and ambitions. But sometimes
their ideas and/or ideals are not practical enough for
realisation. Many times, they start too many things at the
same time only to .either forget or lose view of their original
target.
Development of practical approach is more important for
Sagittarians this is in order to make success of many of their
brilliant ideas, otherwise they tend to become dreamers.
In reality, Sagittarians are dreamers (by this 1 mean real
dream many use to have at night when sleeping) and many
of their dreams usually come to pass. Sometimes their
dreams are vividly prophetic.
VIRGINIA
HOME & ABROAD
dadadekola@yahoo.com
By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 33
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
Okowa committed to well-being
of Deltans — OGORUGBA
EXHIBITION: From left; Master Tailor, Kachins Bespoke Couture, Mubarik Hussain; Business Development
Manager, Kachins, Anil Ramchandani and Sales Manager, Mahammad Sadik, during Kachins' fashion exhibition
held at Eko Hotel, Lagos.
Bayelsa NLC seeks quick implementation
of new minimum wage
By Emem Idio
Y Nigeria
ENAGOA—THE
Labour
Congress, NLC, Bayelsa
State council has pleaded
with state governors across
the country to ensure
speedy implementation of
the N30,000 new minimum
wage as signed into law by
President Muhammadu
Buhari, recently.
Chairman of the state
NLC, Mr John Ndiomu,
who stated this yesterday
in a chat with journalists in
Yenagoa, also commended
the Bayelsa State
Government over its
directive for payment of
promotion arrears to civil
servants promoted in the
state.
Ndiomu, who is seeking
for another term as the
chairman of NLC, said
when he returns as the
labour leader, he will tackle
the issue of gratuity for
retire civil servants in the
state.
He said that labour union
under him pressed on the
government to employ
about 1500 graduates into
the state civil service to
replace those that retired.
He said the union also
fought for workers that had
temporary appointments,
which forced the state
government to document
them and employ them.
He said: “When I came
into office as chairman in
2014, some staff in the
Ministry of Employment
Stop playing God with Okowa, Deltans,
Solomon tells Oshiomhole
By Festus Ahon
A
S A B A —
DIRECTOR-
General of the disbanded
Delta State Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP
Campaign Council, Chief
Funkekeme Solomon, has
told the National Chairman
of All Progressives
Congress, APC, Mr Adams
Oshiomhole to stop playing
God in the political arena,
especially with Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa and the
politics of Delta State.
Solomon, who spoke to
newsmen in Asaba as part
of activities to mark his 57th
birthday, said Oshiomhole
must realise by now that
who God blesses, no one
can bring down.
“He should stop playing
God with his vainglorious
Okowa’s aide gives succour
to widows at Easter
By Onozure Dania
SENIOR
Special
Assistant to Delta
State governor on Women
Mobilisation, Chief
Odjuvwumiderhi
Majemite has empowered
widows with several food
stuff and money in
commemoration of Easter
celebration.
Majemite gave out the
items in her Abraka
residence, Ethiope East
Local Government Area of
the state to celebrate the
women, especially widows
for their contribution to the
re-election of Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa in the las
governorship election. She
also hosted ward chairmen
of the party in the council.
Addressing the women,
ward chairmen and youth
leaders of the party, she
said: “In time like this,
while we celebrate the risen
Christ, it is imperative to
show love to the
downtrodden and widows.
“Before the governorship
election as an SSA to the
Governor on Women
Development, I held
several meetings with the
women on how we can
deliver our governor,
Okowa and by the special
grace of God, they all went
back to their different units
and wards and came out
victorious and that is what
we are celebrating.''
and Environment had
issues and were not paid
their salaries for three
months. We fought to
ensure that the over 160
affected staff were paid.
“We also had promotion
that were outstanding in
boastfulness, particularly as
it affects Governor Okowa,
the politics and peoples of
Delta State. He can as well
be a garrison commander
in the APC, but he should
not overstretch his luck and
overreach himself in the
process.
“God will continue to
disappoint him in the
affairs of Delta even as PDP
is set to dethrone APC in
his home state, Edo in the
next round of elections.”
Solomon who is the
immediate past
Commissioner for Works
and former Deputy
2016, we secured the first
promotion for civil servants.
After 2015 election, about
200 staff were involved in
some election issues,
their salaries were
stopped, we fought as
labour leaders to ensure
that they were brought
back to the system.”
Speaker of the State House
of Assembly, said Okowa
won the hearts of Deltans
through his good works,
adding that Deltans stood
firm for Okowa and the PDP
despite Oshiomhole’s
boastfulness and
intimidation.
Solomon, who is the
Chairman of Delta State
Polytechnic, Ozoro,
commended the media,
Deltans and political
stakeholders for their
massive support which
culminated in the reelection
of Okowa for a
second term in the recentlyconcluded
gubernatorial
election in the state.
UNIPORT plans for 2021 - 2024
cycle
By Egufe Yafugborhi
O R T
P HARCOURT—
UNIVERSITY of Port
Harcourt, Uniport, Rivers
State, has inaugurated a
new team to fashion out its
next five years Strategic
Plan, before its current plan
runs out in 2020.
The 2021-2024 Strategic
Plan drafting committee
inaugurated by the Vice
Chancellor, Prof Ndowa
Lale is headed by Prof
Stephen Okodudu of the
Department of Sociology,
Faculty of Social Sciences.
Prof Lale charged
members to, within three
months, develop a result
oriented strategic plan,
formulate a vision statement
for the plan and incorporate
objectives and strategies for
actualising the vision in
line with prevailing
realities.
The VC further charged
the committee “To
conceptualise a future in
the growth of the university
in a continually changing
environment in terms of
students population,
infrastructural
development, academic
expansion, innovations
and
financial
requirements.”
Lale said, “Every Unit of
the University must submit
a memorandum and
defend it before the
Committee. I trust the
capacity of members of the
Committee to deliver on
this onerous assignment.”
Chairman of the
Committee, Prof Okodudu,
pledged that, “We will
work expeditiously within
the timeframe to deliver a
realisable document for the
development of the
University for the next five
years after the expiration of
the ongoing strategic plan.
next year.”
By Ochuko Akuopha
O
Z O R O —
CHAIRMAN of
the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, in Isoko North
Local Government Area,
Delta State, Prince Godwin
Ogorugba has said that
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa
was committed to the wellbeing
of all Deltans.
Ogorugba stated this in
Erawha community when
leaders of the PDP in Otor-
Igho ward paid a thankyou
visit to members of the
party in the ward, as bags
rice, cow, drinks and
various sums of money
were presented to the
various units in
appreciation for their
unflinching support into
the party in the recently
concluded general
election.
Commending the party
leaders, Mr. Joe Ukodhiko,
Mr. Peter Odunwa and Mr
Jude Ogbimi for joining
him to embark on the thankyou
visit, Ogorugba said
Okowa’s was out to build
on his achievements in his
first tenure and make Delta
a state that the people will
be proud of.
Ogorugba explained that
the visit was a modest way
to “Show appreciation to
members of the party for
voting overwhelmingly for
the PDP and for standing
firmly to defend their votes
in the midst of unbridled
harassment and
intimidation by soldiers.”
Group gives Oporoza community
executives 14 days ultimatum to
hand over
By Prince Okafor
A
group, Concerned
Indigenes of
Oporoza Community,
CIOC, yesterday, urged
the current executive of
Oporoza community in
Gbaramatu kingdom, Delta
State to hand over power
within 14days to avoid
dissolution of the body.
It also called on various
stakeholders, including the
International Oil
Companies, IOCs,
DESOPADEC, the local
and state governments to
stop dealing with the
Johnbull Demebi-led
executive council.
A statement by
spokesperson of the forum,
Mr. Freeborn Abraye said
the leadership refused to
hand over power even after
the expiration of its tenure.
It said, “Every
organisation, international
oil companies, cooperate
bodies and the local and
state governments should
stop dealing with the
current executives until the
issues are resolved. We call
on the cooperate bodies to
heed this advice in order
not to cause undue tension
in the community.
“The Demebi-led
executive should call for a
general meeting to address
the issues and make
necessary arrangements
for the inauguration of a
new executive committee.
“We are giving the
incumbent leadership a
maximum of two weeks to
call for the general meeting
and make the necessary
arrangements for the
handing over to a new
executive body, as failure to
do so shall lead to the
automatic dissolving of the
executive body, which will
be disgraceful to the
executives.”
Bankers’ c'ttee trains over 62,000
students on financial literacy
THE
Bankers’
Committee said it has
trained over 62,000
students on financial
literacy, as part of activities
to mark the 2019 Financial
Literacy Day and Global
Money Week.
Speaking on the
initiative, Chairman,
Financial Literacy and
Public Enlightenment Sub-
Committee (FLPE), Mr.
Emeka Emuwa at this
year’s programme titled
“Learn. Save. Earn”.
Financial Literacy Day said:
“The importance of
financial education for
young Nigerians cannot be
overemphasised.
''We are proud to see the
financial institutions in
Nigeria take up the task of
educating Nigeria’s youth
on financial literacy, and
increasing awareness on
the importance of earning,
managing and saving
money in order to have a
secure future. We are
pleased with the students’
response and this will
encourage us to continue
developing programmes
and activities that will
further empower them.”
Financial Literacy Day
is a day set aside by the
Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) during the Global
Money Week to focus on
increasing the level of
awareness among the
youth on the importance
of earning, managing
and saving money in
order to have a secure
future.
Bank Chief Executive
Officers and their
employees visited schools
across the country to tutor
and mentor students and
youths on basic money
management skills. A total
of 488 schools in 193 local
governments were visited
nationwide.
Each financial institution
in the country selected five
schools across the six geopolitical
areas where their
employees taught and
engaged students during
the campaign.

34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
Burglars raid Vanguard
reporter’s home in Aba
By Anayo Okoli
ABA—BURGLARS last
Friday, again broke
into the residence of the Aba
correspondent of Vanguard
newspaper, Mr.
Ugochukwu Alaribe and
carted away laptops,
television set, clothes,
undisclosed amount of cash
and other personal
belongings at his Ogbor
Hill area of the commercial
city.
The hoodlums were said
to have gained entrance
into the house through the
ceiling of the building from
where they broke into the
rooms.
The criminals had earlier
broken into the house on
Tuesday, where they took
away the laptops and other
personal effects. They
returned Friday afternoon
and made away with a
television set as well as
other items they could not
take away when they first
struck on Tuesday.
According to Alaribe, “I
left home for work and there
was no one at home. My
wife returned home at about
2.35pm and saw our doors
open. When she went into
the house, she discovered
that my two laptops, her
clothes, a Techno phone
and cash had all been taken
away.
“On Friday, when we had
left for our businesses, they
struck again in the
afternoon and took away the
flat screen television set,
our wedding gifts,
clothings, phone chargers
and some bags of materials
my wife bought for sale.
“All the household items
I laboured for in life have
been taken away. I need
protection from the police.
My family is no longer
safe. I am appealing to the
security agencies in Aba to
rise up to the increasing
level of insecurity in the
city,” Alaribe lamented.
According to him, he had
since reported the incident
to the Ogbor Hill Police
Division. He appealed to
the security agencies to fish
out the culprits behind the
crime.
Ugwuanyi offers automatic
employment to Christian
Chukwu’s son
E
N
U G U —
GOVERNOR
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of
Enugu State, a delegation
from the Nigerian Football
Federation, NFF, led by its
President, Amaju Pinnick
and the representative of
Femi Otedola, Founder of
Zenon Petroleum and Gas
Ltd,
Philip
Akinola,yesterday, visited
former Green Eagles’
Captain and Coach of
Super Eagles, Christian
Chukwu at his Enugu
residence.
Ugwuanyi who
expressed delight at
Chukwu’s level of recovery,
offered automatic
employment to his first son,
Emeka, an Engineer, to
work in the Ministry of
Works and Infrastructure in
furtherance of his
administration’s assistance
and commitment to the
family’s wellbeing.
Speaking during the visit,
the NFF President, who
was also delighted to see
Chukwu in high spirits,
described him as “a super
living legend”, noting that
he “has paid his dues for
the people of Nigeria”. He
equally described Chukwu
as “a legend that we love
so much” adding that “we
believe that his name has
been written in people’s
hearts and in the annals of
football in Nigeria”.
Mr. Pinnick, who
appreciated Gov.
Ugwuanyi’s administration
for its prompt intervention
in offsetting the medical
bills of the former captain
of Rangers International
Football Club during his
treatment at a clinic in
Enugu, disclosed that the
NFF under his leadership
decided to be part of the
healing process.
His words: “I have to
thank the governor, who
has been amazing, he is a
role model for many people
in terms of display of total
humility, he is a man of
destiny, you see a lot of
positives radiating around
him. This shows that he is
a man of the people
genuinely despite that he
is a politician. I say thank
you, Your Excellency, the
good people of Enugu
State are solidly behind
you”.
Commenting on the
$50,000 donation by
Otedola for Chukwu’s
treatment abroad, which
was presented via a cheque
to the family by his Chief
Operating Officer, Akinola,
the NFF President
commended the Nigerian
businessman and
philanthropist for his
display of “dexterity”
describing him as an
“astute administrator”.
The NFF boss, who
promised Chukwu the
continued support of the
Enugu State government,
the NFF, Otedola and other
Nigerians, disclosed that
arrangement is ongoing to
fly him to England for
further medical treatment,
and reassured him that he
would be much better after
the trip.
Abia North: PDP vows to upturn Kalu’s
election
...Asks INEC to retrieve his certificate of return
By Joseph Erunke
ABUJA—THE Abia
chapter of the Peoples
Democratic Party,PDP, has
vowed to upturn the
election that produced
Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, as
senator representing Abia
North under the umbrella
of the ruling All
Progressives
Congress,APC.
The party said it will not
rest until its candidate in
the February 23 national
assembly election for Abia
North, Senator Mao
Ohuabunwa, recovers what
it described as a “stolen
mandate” from Kalu.
“We have overwhelming
evidence to expose
widespread manipulations
of the result by the APC
candidate and former
governor of Abia
State,Chief Orji Uzor-
Kalu,”the Abia North zonal
chairman of PDP, Hon
Matthew Ibe,told
newsmen yesterday in
Abuja.
“We appeal to Governor
Okezie Ikpeazu and other
party chieftains in the state
not to rest until justice is
done,”he said.
The party, he
said,”assured Senator
Ohuabunwa of its
unflinching support in his
bid to recover his ‘stolen
mandate", adding that “his
rival,Chief Kalu of the APC
will not get away with the
mandate.”
Recall that the zonal
chairman had earlier on
Monday, led a delegation
of the zonal leadership and
other chieftains of the party
on a solidarity visit to the
senator in his Arochukwu
country home, saying Abia
North PDP as one united
family ,would stop at
nothing until “the people’s
mandate given to our
candidate but forcefully
stolen by APC is returned.”
The former lawmaker
expressed shock that the
Independent National
E l e c t o r a l
Commission,INEC, issued
a certificate of return to Kalu
“even when he was never
returned nor declared a
winner of the Abia North
senatorial contest by the
Returning Officer.
“We urge INEC to
withdraw Kalu’s certificate
of return and organise rerun
election in all the
polling units and wards
where votes were
cancelled,”he insisted.
THANKSGIVING: From left—The Presbyter’s wife, Dorcas Solubi; class leader, Carlene Alaja-
Browne; class leader, Gloria Ebun Williams; her husband, Dr. Charle Oladeinde Williams; the
newly elevated cleric, Very Rev Kehinde Popoola; the Guest Preacher, the Presbyter, Wesley
Cathedral, Olowogbowo Lagos, Very Rev John Olanrewaju Solubi; and another class leader,
Remi Disu, at the 2019 annual Palm Sunday and thanksgiving service of the Wesley Cathedral,
Olowogbowo, Lagos.
Otti felicitates with Abia people, says Ikpeazu
lacks love for leadership
national chairman of All
...As groups accuse Otti, Ogah of distracting Ikpeazu Nigeria Ethnic
By Ugochukwu
Alaribe
A
B A — T H E
gubernatorial
candidate of All
Progressive Grand
Alliance, APGA, in Abia
State, Dr. Alex Otti, has
described the current PDP
government in the state, led
by Okezie Ikpeazu, as
lacking in love and
therefore incapable of
bringing any meaningful
development to the people.
Otti, while speaking at an
event in Arochukwu, as
part of the Easter
celebration, said it was only
love that can move a leader
to serve the people
selflessly.
He described Easter as
the greatest story of love
ever told in the history of
mankind.
“Easter is about love. In
fact, it is the greatest story
of love ever told. God
Almighty demonstrated
His love towards mankind,
by giving His only Son as
a sacrifice, so that mankind
can be redeemed from
eternal death”, he
preached.
He said a situation where
government seemed to
have turned blind eyes to
the plight of the people it
professed to serve, ran
antithetical to the very
essence of Easter.
“I’m often amazed how
the governor of a state, like
Abia, would go to sleep and
be comfortable, knowing
fully well that thousands of
the civil servants and
pensioners in the state are
languishing, due to the fact
that they are owed many
months arrears of their
salaries and pensions by
the government”, he
recounted in a statement
signed by the director of
media and publicity of the
Alex Otti Campaign
Organisation, Kazie Uko.
Otti called on the people
of Abia State to remain
united in love and hopeful
for a glorious future for the
state, irrespective of the
present difficulties and
challenges that confront
them as a result of poor
leadership and
governance.
Groups accuse Otti,
Ogah of distracting
Ikpeazu
Meantime, two sociocultural
groups in Abia
State, Ukwa/ Ngwa
Democratic Alliance and
Ukwa/Ngwa Prayer Forum,
have accused
governorship candidates of
the All Progressives
Congress, APC, Dr. Uche
Ogah, and his All
Progressives Grand
Alliance, APGA,
counterpart , Dr. Alex Otti,
of seeking to distract
Ikpeazu through litigation.
Speaking during a
courtesy visit to the deputy
Nationalities Youth Leaders
Forum, Mazi Okechukwu
Isiguzoro, in Aba,
spokesmen for the groups,
Chief Esiwoko Ogbonna
and Rev. Ekeoma
Nwokeleme, respectively,
described the litigations by
Ogah and Otti as another
plot to distract Ikpeazu from
consolidating on his modest
achievements in the state.
They said: “We have
uncovered a plot by Dr.
Uche Ogah and Alex Otti
to employ litigations to
distract Governor Okezie
Ikpeazu from
consolidating on his
achievements in office. This
is just a repeat of the
unnecessary litigations that
greeted the governor’s
victory in 2015 which
almost tore the state apart.
"We acknowledge that
Dr.Uche Ogah and Dr.
Alex Otti are exercising
their constitutional rights,
but we urge them to put
Abia first as Dr. Otti has
always claimed."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25 , 2019—35
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
NDDC denies N50bn tax indebtedness
to Rivers
•You owe, we are carrying out a court order —RIRS
By Egufe
Yafugborhi
PORT HARCOURT—
NIGER Delta Development
Commission, NDDC,
has denied claims by the
Rivers State government
that the commission owes
the state N50 billion in tax
default.
However, the Rivers Internal
Revenue Service,
RIRS, which had the
NDDC Port Harcourt Head
Office sealed since Monday
over the said tax default,
maintained that the
amount and the consequential
sealing of the commission
were backed by a
court order.
Mr Charles Odili,
NDDC Director, Corporate
Affairs, said in a statement
yesterday: “NDDC has not
defaulted in meeting its tax
obligations to the RIRS. The
commission is surprised
that the state revenue agency
is claiming an outstanding
N50 billion. Our
records show that this is
not correct.
“It is rather curious that
the RIRS would rush to seal
gates of the commission,
disrupting activities at its
headquarters without any
notification. We have had
cause to discuss our tax obligations
with RIRS in the
past and all grey areas resolved
amicably.
“It was, therefore, in bad
faith for the revenue agency
to begin to take actions
that impugns on the reputation
of an interventionist
agency serving people of
the Niger Delta region. For
avoidance of doubt, the
commission has as recently
as January this year settled
its outstanding tax obligations
to RIRS.
“We have cleared all Withholding
Tax, WHT, on enterprises
and Pay As Your
Earn, PAYE, up to March
2019, including arrears. If
there is any other issue of
outstanding tax obligation
(underpayment), it will only
come up after reconciliation.”
You can’t deny owing, we
have court order —RIRS
Meanwhile, Chief
Thankgod Norteh, Executive
Chairman, RIRS, told
Vanguard, yesterday, that
the revenue agency was
following due process,
armed with a court order.
He said: “If you recall, we
had sealed NDDC before.
At that time, they had admitted
owing over N600
million. That amount was
collected over a period of
time. That N600 million also
meant self assessed, meaning
the commission has not
been audited since then.
“However, on paying that
money, we decided that let
them sit with us for a reconciliation.
We will go and
look at their records. We
havesince been saying we
want to look at their
records. They refused repeatedly.
“We had no option than
to put up a Best Of Judgment,
BOJ, assessment
which is what they are agitated
about now. We reasoned
that these people are
not allowing us access to
their record, so let us give
them a BOJ.
“When we did that, they
had the right to object, to
say they were not owing that
money, or they were not
owing at all, this they did
not do, never objected. And
when you don’t object, it
means you have admitted
it is correct, until the statutory
period for objection
passed.
“When that happened, it
now became final and conclusive,
to the tune of that
N50 billion. And they are
not making any payment.
Remember also that the
N600 million they paid
when we sealed last year
had accrued interests on
penalty.
“If you deduct money on
behalf of the government
and do not remit it, you
keep the money, it attracts
interest on penalty while
the money is in your hand
in default of remitting it as
at when due. It is the law.
“So if you look at it from
all sides, they are certainly
owing us. What they could
have said is that they are
not owing up to N50 billion,
and if so, they would have
opened their records for us
to see. They are not responding
to that and not
allowing the RIRS to see
the books."
LECTURE: From left, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of
Technology Akure, FUTA, Professor Joseph Fuwape; Lecturer,
Professor Adebayo Owolabi; his wife, Esther, and the Lotujama of
Ondo Kingdom, Professor Adeyemi Aderoba, after FUTA's 107th
inaugural lecture entitled "Mobility Equations: Transportation
Engineering Perspective."
Attack on IGP squad: Fear of arrest
grips Cross River youths
By Emma Una
CALABAR— YOUTHS
in Okuku, Yala Local
Government Area of Cross
River State are now living
in fear following directives
by acting Inspector General
of Police, Mr Mohammed
Adamu, for immediate
arrest and prosecution of
those involved in the attack
on four policemen, who
were on mission to arrest
robbery suspect in the area.
Many of the youths have
deserted the area for fear
that they might be arrested
anytime the team of
policemen arrived the area.
When Vanguard visited
the area, many shops were
seen locked up by their
owners and the army of
motorcycle riders that
usually throng the area has
significantly reduced.
Mr Eddie Achi,
Chairman of the council
security committee, told
Vanguard that the
policemen were mistaken
for armed robbers, which
prompted the action of the
youths.
He said the "suspect,
Ikenga Amama, who
bought the stolen vehicle
that the policemen came to
arrest had been kidnapped
in the past. So, when he was
ordered by the plain clothe
policemen into a vehicle, he
raised the alarm that he was
being kidnapped again.
“The policemen were not
on uniform and we have
record of kidnappings in
this area and when the men
simply identified
themselves as policemen,
as they were about to force
him into a vehicle, he raised
the alarm.”
Delta govt tackling insecurity
in Uwheru Kingdom—Otuaro
By Etop Ekanem
DEPUTY Governor of
Delta State, Kingsley
Otuaro, has said peace and
security were pivot and form
the policy thrust of the
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa-led
administration and he will
scale up same in Uwhere
Kingdom, Ughelli North
Local Government Area the
state.
Otuaro spoke to
newsmen after a closed
door meeting with
traditional ruler and chiefs
of Uwheru Kingdom after
which they expressed
satisfaction with the state
government’s intervention
through the deputy
governor on the security of
their king and farming
challenges by activities of
herdsmen.
He said: “Senator Okowa
is concerned about security
of lives and property in
Uwheru Kingdom as
elsewhere in the state. We
are talking about alleged
attempted abduction of the
King of Uwheru Kingdom
here. We have stressed that
traditional rulers are key to
peace and security, which
in turn constitute the pivot
of our policy thrust. We
have made progress and
will scale up security. We
had a successful meeting.”
Secretary to the King of
Uwheru Kingdom, Chief
Benjamin Ohworeko and
Prof. Patrick Muobaghare,
former Commissioner for
Education in the state, who
also spoke to newsmen as
representatives of Uwheru
Kingdom said they were
“satisfied with the
intervention of the state
government through the
deputy governor.”
Initiate ideas to change your
lives, Dokubo tells Ijaw youths
SPECIAL Adviser to the
President on Niger
Delta and Coordinator,
Presidential Amnesty
Programme, PAP, Professor
Charles Dokubo, has
tasked Niger Delta youths
to put on thinking caps and
initiate life-changing ideas
through the PAP to improve
on their lives, communities
and environment.
Dokubo spoke in Abuja,
when he received a
document, "Ijaw Youth
Development Strategy and
Action Plan 2019—2023: 9
Goals to Transform
Ourselves and Our
Future," a strategic
document produced by the
Ijaw Youth Consultative
Forum, IYCF, which
recommended a nine-goal
development action plan to
be achieved within four
years.
He promised to create a
platform for collaboration
and exploration of the ideas
and plans in the
development plan and
urged youths of the Niger
Delta to initiate and proffer
responsive ideas, plans,
programmes and solutions
to better their lives through
the instrumentality of the
Federal Government’s
Amnesty Programme.
He said: “It is interesting
for me to listen to this
conversation. It is good for
young men and women of
my area to sit down and do
something good like this.
I’m also happy in the sense
that this is different from
what we are used to. It is
not crying for non payment
of stipends or calling for
removal of Charles
Dokubo. The fact is that as
people of Niger Delta, it is
now we’ve realised what we
need, and also what we can
make use of within the
ambit of this programme.”
Earlier, IYCF Executive
Director, Mr. Tonte Ibraye,
said the group was formed
and registered with the
Corporate Affairs
Commission to work for the
development of Ijaw nation
to the benefit its youths.
NOSDRA, NIMASA sign MoU
to end marine oil spills
By Chris Ochayi
ABUJA— NATIONAL
Oil Spill Detection and
Response Agency,
NOSDRA, and Nigerian
Maritime Administration
and Safety Agency,
NIMASA, yesterday,
signed a Memorandum of
Understanding, MoU, to
curb marine oil spills in the
Niger Delta region.
The MoU is to enable the
two agencies achieve the
Nigeria’s common goals of
quick and effective
response to marine oil spill
incidents.
Speaking during the
signing of the MoU,
Director-General/Chief
Executive of NOSDRA,
Mr. Idris Musa, said the
MoU represented the
renewal of the fruitful
cooperation between both
agencies.
According to him, “this is
Uduaghan condoles Bishop
Emamezi over his wife's death
By Akpókóna
Omafuaire
W ARRI—THE
immediate past
governor of Delta State, Dr.
Emmanuel Uduaghan,
yesterday, paid condolence
visit to Rev. Odafe
Emamezi, Bishop of
Western Izon Diocese of the
Anglican Communion,
Patani, Delta State on the
passing away of his wife,
Ajirioghene Pearl, aged 62.
Uduaghan during the
to harmonise the responsibilities
of both agencies especially
during oil spill in
the marine environment
knowing that NOSDRA
has the mandate as lead
agency for oil spill management
as contained in its
Establishment Act No 15
2006."
In his remarks, Director
General of NIMASA, Dr.
Dakuku Peterside, who
was represented by Director
of Operations at NIMASA,
Mr. Joseph Fashaki,was
optimistic the MoU will
make response to marine oil
pollution incidents in
Nigeria efficient and
effective.
Peterside noted, however,
that proactive and well
calculated response to
marine oil spill was very
complex and requires a
well-coordinated effort by
the parties involved.
condolence visit said,
“Ajirioghene Pearl was a
great companion to her
husband. I was a
beneficiary of her
clairvoyance when I was
governor. Her demise is a
call to eternal life. We thank
God for His grace upon our
bishop, his family and the
diocese.”
Uduaghan called on
Christians to be prayerful
and watchful, saying, that
everyone will die but those
who stand firm to the end
will get the rewards.

C
M
Y
K
36 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
By Dayo Adesulu
CAMEROON has beaten
Nigeria to clinch the $7.8
million Global Partnership for
Education (GPE) fund to support
the education of 36,500 children
displaced by conflict and violence
in neighbouring countries.
Cameroon is bordered by
Nigeria to the west and north; Chad
to the northeast; the CentralAfrican
Republic to the east; and Equatorial
Guinea, Gabon and the Republic
of the Congo to the south.
The donor said that the new
funding would help the
Government of Cameroon to
provide schooling for children
fleeing from conflict in Central
African Republic, Chad and
Nigeria.
More than half of the 3.3 million
people who have sought refuge in
Cameroon are school-age children
with urgent education needs.
The Chief Executive Officer,
Global Partnership for Education
(GPE), Alice Albright while
congratulating the Government of
Cameroon said:We congratulate the
Government of Cameroon for
supporting education programs for
refugee children and are pleased
to be able to respond quickly to their
request for help.
Albright, who stated that GPE had
determined to ensure that no child
misses the opportunity to unlock
his or her full potential, adding that
her organisation was pleased to
provide urgent support for children
whose lives have been torn apart
by crisis while ensuring a longterm
development perspective.
Her words: ‘’Responding to
Countries' applications must meet GPE funding criteria.
How Nigeria lost $7.8m
UNICEF/GPE Education funding
urgent education needs of refugee
and displaced children as well as
children of host communities far-
North, East and Adamawa regions
of Cameroon, the grant will help
local schools to prepare accelerated
learning programs for 1,000
children currently not in school,
build 300 primary classrooms and
32 latrine blocks and help promote
good health and better hygienic
practices at school, including by
providing 2,000 hygienic kits to
girls in the upper grades. UNICEF,
as GPE grant agent, will
implement the program in
partnership with the government
and other partners.
‘’The funding will also support a
more inclusive and protective
learning environment by training
teachers on peace education and
social cohesion, psychological
support for traumatized children
and distributing 36,000 education
kits, school supplies and textbooks
on maths and reading. Part of the
funding will also be used to assess
the needs of students in the western
areas of Cameroon, which have
Lizzy never attends Caleb Nursery and Primary School — Magn't
By Dayo Adesulu
Authorities of the Caleb Nursery
and Primary School Saturday
refuted the allegation that one Lizzy
who is presently undertaking drug
rehabilitation at the Freedom
Foundation Rehab facility was one
of their students.
It said that contrary to the viral
video on social media that Lizzy who
is undertaking drug rehabilitation
attended Caleb Nursery and Primary
School, adding that she was never a
student of the school.
According to the Management
statement: “Caleb Nursery and
Primary School was highly disturbed
with this unfortunate and misleading
information as our primary
investigation and record proved that
she was not a former student of Caleb
Nursery and Primary School.
“However, the Management of
Caleb Nursery and Primary School
has sent a representative to Freedom
Foundation, the organization in
charge of the rehab home where
Lizzy is currently being reformed to
provide financial support to her on
compassionate and humanitarian
ground.”
While presenting the financial
support to Lizzy, Mr Elvis Otobo
who represented Dr. Ola Adebogun
, the proprietor of the school,
reiterated Caleb Nursery and
Primary School commitment to
raising Godly leaders who would
achieve a consistent record of moral
and academic excellence.
Stressing further that the proprietor
is interested in the full rehabilitation
and reintegration of Lizzy into the
society, he advised parents to pay
attention to the activities of their
teenagers, the friends they keep
and know their whereabout.
He said: “Parents are to
provide support and set godly
example for their children at all
time, adding, “Youths are to
spend their time only with
friends they trust.”
In his remark, Adeshola Bello
of Freedom Foundation who
received the financial support
on behalf of Lizzy lauded the
kind gesture of Dr Adebogun.
She thanked the proprietor of
Caleb group of schools, Dr Ola
Adebogun for his
philanthropic
gesture especially
after ascertaining
that Lizzy was never
a former student of
Caleb Nursery and
Primary School.
She noted that
many youths are
suffering from drug
addiction and the
problem is
enormous, urging
that coordinated
efforts from men
and women of
goodwill and
government to pay
more attention to
resolving this
menace is key.
been affected by unrest since the
end of 2016. ‘’The grant builds on
progress from an ongoing GPE
grant of US$53.3 million which
supports the recruitment of
qualified teachers and their
deployment to areas most in need,
the dissemination of textbooks to
improve children’s learning and
the establishment of a learning
outcomes unit in the education
ministry to improve the availability
and analysis of education data.’’
For some Nigerians who wonder
why GPE never looked at the
direction of Nigeria who has
similarly challenges of children that
are displaced by conflict and Boko
Haram insurgency, there are
certain conditions applicants must
meet before the grant.
According to her, the funding
follows a request from Cameroon
in March to fast track a part of their
GPE funding allocation to support
the government’s humanitarian
response plan. GPE’s accelerated
funding process enables countries
to access up to 20% of their grant
funds for which they are eligible to
respond to emergencies. To ensure
a clear bridge between the
humanitarian response needs and
long-term development, the
accelerated funding must be
agreed between both the local
education group and the
humanitarian education cluster. If
Nigeria Government meets the
above criteria, it would receive the
education grant for our displaced
children in the North.
GPE approach is to provide
grants to strengthen education
systems where 30% of the funds are
linked to achieving results in
equity, efficiency and learning
In approach target inequalities,
train teachers, build schools,
empower girls, support data
collection and monitoring and
improve learning.
GPE also established fund
evidence-based education sector
planning that help coordinate all
partners to align their support for
national education strategies and
systems and to also help countries
undertake analytic work to develop
clear and measurable education
sector plans.

F r o m
left: Prof.
Afinpinsoro
Olumuyiwa,(L)
P r o f .
Simeon
Nnaji, (R)
Presenting
Certificate
to DSP
Adedoyin
Kamardeen
and Wife
M r s .
Adedoyin.
Academics, sports develop students' skills
– Director GS Int’l Schools
By Oghenefego Obaebor today, many houses are
going to lose but their
MANAGING
Director of
Greater
Scholars International
Schools, Ajah, Lagos, Mrs.
Comfort Ukpong has urged
students to combine
academics with sports,
adding that when students
engage in sporting
activities, lot of skills are
developed.
She said: ‘’Sport is very
important in education
because there are a number
of skills that the children
will acquire in the course
of preparing for sporting
activities.’’
According to her, when
children engage in sports,
leadership skills, ethics,
discipline, communication,
resilience is developed.
The Director who spoke
during Greater Scholars
International Schools 9 th
Annual Inter-house sport,
pointed out that when
students engage in sporting
contest, it makes students
learn how to win and lose
gracefully.
She explained: ‘’In the
course of preparing for the
inter-house, students have
began to understand that to
win a competition, you have
to develop resilience to pick
yourself up after you have
lost the competition.
Winning and loosing
during sporting activities,
teach students that outside
school in real live you will
win in some cases, you will
lose at some other times,
but when you lose, you
don’t give up, you get up
and try again. Through
inter-house sports, we
understand the value of
good leadership as well as
good following.
‘’Today, many student are
going to lose but their
houses are going to win,
students will win
something together. At the
end of the event, they are
going to celebrate as a
successful family.
She also added that
sporting activities make
people lose weight. ‘’I can
say that many of my staff
and students have lost
weight in the course of
march past rehearsal which
is good for the heart.
Also speaking, CEO,
Eyemasters Group and
Chairman of the event, Dr.
Obinna Awikak described
sport as one universal
language that even the
body understands. He
said:’’It is one universal
language that everybody
speaks and it happens to
be intervention of Special
Olympic. Special
Olympics, he explained is
when children with
intellectual disability are
able to come together and
engage in sporting
activities. According to him,
it has been researched that
people with intellectual
disability can be very good
at sports.
‘’Sport is also a form of
education. It builds
confidence in the children,
it makes them understand
that you can win today and
you can lose tomorrow and
even when you lose ,you
are not downcast, because
you know you can try again.
He continued, ‘’Sports
helps children build a team
spirit because you are not
just interested in yourself
winning, you want your
house to win.''
You are cheering the
people that are running for
your house, you support
them to be winners, so at
the end of the day if the
house wins, everybody
wins both the people that
partake and the people that
did not partook would be
winners.’’
Cross section of Nelson Mandela House of Greater Scholars International Schools,
Ajah, Lagos while celebrating their victory with friends during their 9 th Annual
Inter-house sport held at Ajah, Lekki, Lagos.
WAEC tasked on standard, integrity
By Dayo Adesulu
PRESIDENT of Sierra
Leone, Rtd. Brigadier
Julius Maada Bio has
tasked authorities of the
West African Examinations
Council (WAEC) on the
need to continue to uphold
standards and integrity in
its assessment process. He
said there should always be
relevance between
assessment and curriculum
so that the outcomes of
assessment would
accurately reflect the
individual’s competence or
attainment in relation to
tasks or further studies.
Bio spoke during WAEC
67th Annual Meeting in
Freetown, Sierra Leone
with the election of the
country’s Chief
Government Nominee on
Council, Dr. Alhaji
Mohamed Kamara, as
Vice-Chairman for a one-
Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 37
EAU honours notable
Nigerians
THE
European
America University
in Common Wealth of
Dominican has conferred
honorary doctorate degrees
on notable Nigerians. The
awardees include: Oba
Muftau Hamzat the Olu of
Afowowa Sogaade, Ogun
state. Dr (Mrs.) Apolonia
Eke, the executive director
Amazing Care
Foundation, DIG
Emmanuel Tom Iyang rtd.
Former HOD, ITC
Department, Nigeria Police
Force and DSP, Adedoyin
Karmarudeen,
Headmaster Police
Training School, Ikeja
Lagos, and Dr. Bala
Mohammed, Transport
Officer, Ecological Fund
Office, Office of the
Secretary to the
Government of the
Federation.
Speaking at the
year tenure.
Represented by the Chief
Minister, Professor David
John Francis said in his
keynote address described
WAEC as a veritable subregional
body
administering credible
examinations and unifying
the member countries. He
lauded the Council for
constantly demonstrating
its commitment to academic
excellence.
FoodCo
Nigeria
Limited has
announced the first batch
of beneficiaries of the
Adegbenga Sun-
Basorun Scholarship
Scheme for indigent
secondary school
students in Ibadan, Oyo
State.
The Scholarship, aimed
at promoting the legacy
of the late philanthropist
and chairman of the
company, Dr.
Adegbenga Sun-
Basorun, will cover
tuition from JSS2 until
graduation for 1000
students.
NIGERIA Bottling
Company (NBC)
Limited, a member of the
Coca-Cola Hellenic
Bottling Company
(CCHBC) and bottler of
Coca-Cola brands in
Nigeria has donated items
including Plasma
Televisions and air
conditioning systems to the
management of Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria as
part of its contribution
towards empowering
youth in the country by
improving their learning
environment.
Speaking shortly after the
donation of the items to the
university, the Regional
Public Affairs&
Communications
Manager (North),
conferment held at
UNILAG, the EAU Africa
representative, Professor
Simeon Nnaji in his
remark explained that the
EAU proposed through its
African Operation Office to
confer honorary doctorate
degrees on those who have
made outstanding
contribution in academics,
politics, business,
administration, religion
and service in the
development of humanity
in general.
Meanwhile, an erudite
scholar and senior lecturer
at Alders-gate University
Philippines, Dr. Cole who
delivered the key note
address on “Nigeria as an
Emerging Economy” said
that Nigeria is a large
market for the world.
According to him, Nigeria,
as a large market for the
world, proper care must be
taken to harness the natural
and human resources.
50 students receive
Adegbenga Sun-Basorun
Scholarship
Speaking during a
ceremony to unveil the
first batch of 50
recipients, Ade Sun-
Basorun, Executive
Director, FoodCo Nigeria
Limited, stated that the
late Sun-Basorun was
passionate about
assisting the less
privileged, especially
children; and that the
scheme will provide a
platform for indigent
students to actualize
their educational
aspirations as well as
help reduce the burden
of out of school children
in Oyo State.
ABU Students’ Union get s
NBC electronics donation
Nigerian Bottling
Company Limited, Mr.
Aminu Mohammed who
represented the Public
Affairs
and
Communications Director,
Ekuma Eze said the
donation was a
demonstration of the
company’s confidence in
Nigerian youths and
support for academic
excellence as youth
development remains a
major focal area of the
Company’s Corporate
Social Responsibility
framework.
Mohammed said: “Over
the years, our community
investments have evolved
from unconnected
philanthropic initiatives to
long-term programmes.

38 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
YORUBA - IGBO TIES: Oduduwa
was never last born to Igbo
prince — OLUWO
By Gbenga Olarinoye
OSOGBO—IN a bid to
set the records
straight over Yoruba-Igbo
ties to rest, the Oluwo of
Iwoland in Osun State,
Oba Abdulrosheed
Adewale Akanbi,
yesterday, insisted that
Oduduwa was never the
last born to the Igbo prince
as claimed by Ohanaeze
Ndigbo.
Oluwo described the
claim as false and
misleading to the stalwarts
of history, beseeching Igbo
community to further their
research on the adventure
of their own Oduduwa
rather than demeaning the
status of Yoruba rallying
point.
In statement by his press
secretary, Alli Ibraheem,
the Oluwo said: “Yoruba
nation was founded by
Oduduwa. Oduduwa
brought the first civilization
which is the crown.
“Oduduwa demonstrated
an unequalled leadership,
shrewd, peculiar,
unparalleled, unmatched,
quintessential and
different, served his people
and became rallying point
for his services to humanity.
He gave us the best
tradition, so respectful and
obedience. Yoruba culture is
rich, very beautiful and
unblemished emanated
from Oduduwa.
“Worldwide, Yoruba land
is the source of every natural
crown. Our crowns are
spirit, divinely ordained
and sacred. It was brought
by Oduduwa. And we owe
a duty as his progenitors to
defend everything about
him”
“The fact that Oduduwa
means last born in Igbo
language does not make
anyone bearing similar
name Igbo born. Ours was
Oduduwa meaning he
came out black.
“Oduduwa was an
immortal symbol of merit.
Oduduwa was never a
subject to anybody in West
Africa. Our own Oduduwa
was one different from your
own Odudunwa meaning
last born. We have countless
last borns in Yoruba called
“Abikanhin”. There may be
many Odudunwas but only
one Oduduwa.
“Oduduwa was the source
of every natural crown
worldwide. He has been in
existence even before
traditional governance was
extended to the Igbos. How
then can you be a prince to
what you preceded?”
OSUN GOV DISPUTE: A’Court reserves
judgement on Oyetola, APC’s appeal
By Ikechukwu
Nnochiri
ABUJA—THE Court
of Appeal sitting in
Abuja, yesterday, reserved
its judgment on the appeal
Governor Gboyega Oyetola
of Osun State filed to set
aside the tribunal verdict
that sacked him from office.
Oyetola, candidate of the
ruling All progressives
Congress, APC, is urging
the appellate court to nullify
the declaration by the Osun
State Governorship Election
Petition Tribunal that
Senator Ademola Adeleke of
the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, was the valid
winner of the September
2018 governorship election
held in the state.
A five-man panel of
Justices of the appellate
court led by Justice Jummai
Sankey adjourned to
determine whether the
tribunal was right or wrong,
after all the parties argued
and adopted their respective
briefs of arguments.
Other members of the
appellate court panel that
heard all the appeals
yesterday were Justices
Abubakar Yahaya, Ita
Mbaba, Isaiah Akeju and
Bitrus Sanga.
•As Adeleke urges court to uphold tribunal’s verdict
Aside Oyetola’s appeal
marked CA/A/EPT/246/
2019, the APC, through its
lead counsel, Chief Akin
Olujimi, SAN, equally
filed a separate appeal
listed as CA/A/EPT/256/19,
wherein it prayed the
court to hold that the
tribunal went beyond
issues that were brought
before it by the parties.
Similarly, INEC, in its
appeal marked CA/A/EPT/
259/19, sought the
nullification of the
tribunal’s judgment, while
Adekele and the PDP, in a
cross appeal with No. CA/
A/EPT/295/19, challenged
the minority verdict of the
tribunal that upheld
Oyetola’s victory.
Oyetola wants tribunal
verdict reversed
Meantime, in his 39-
ground of appeal,
Oyetola, urged the
appellate court to reverse
the majority decision of the
tribunal that voided his
return as winner of the
Osun governorship
contest, describing it as
“perverse.”
He challenged the powers
of the tribunal to invalidate
the outcome of the
September 27, 2018, re-run
election that led to his
victory.
Arguing through his
lawyer, Chief Wole
Olanipekun, SAN,
Oyetola, insisted that it was
wrong for a member of the
tribunal panel, Justice
Peter Obiora, who did not
attend the entire
proceedings of the tribunal,
to deliver the lead
judgment that removed him
from office.
Olanipekun said: “My
lords he reviewed what
happened on February 6,
even when he was not
there. Our position is that
adjudication is not akin to
video watching. It cannot
be done by proxy.”
Both APC and the
Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC, told the tribunal that
they were in support of the
appeal, even as they urged
the appellate court to vacate
the judgment that was
delivered in Adeleke’s
favour.
Adeleke’s defence
However, Adeleke’s
lawyer, Dr. Onyechi
Ikpeazu, SAN, insisted
that the appellants failed
to adduce any evidence to
prove their allegation that
Justice Obiora did not
attend all the proceedings.
Ikpeazu said: “Looking at
totality of the proceedings,
there is obviously a conflict
which cannot be resolved
without affidavit evidence.
It cannot be resolved
against a judge who has
not been given the
opportunity to explain.
“It is not a matter that an
inference can be drawn
from the Bar that the Judge
was not there. They have
failed to adduce any cogent
evidence that Justice Obiora
was not there.”
More so, Adeleke’s
lawyer argued that the
Appellants failed to show
how the alleged absence of
Justice Obiora affected the
substance of the judgment.
He said: “In a case
where over 100 witnesses
testified, they have not
proved how the evidence
of two witnesses that
testified on the day they
contended that Justice
Obiora was not around,
rendered the entire
judgment of the tribunal a
nullity.
“The party on appeal
must show an element of
miscarriage of justice.”
The tribunal had in a twoto-one
split judgment it
delivered on March 22,
upheld a petition that
Adeleke and the PDP
lodged against the
declaration and return of
Oyetola as winner, based
on the outcome of the
supplementary
governorship election.
We must restructure our education sector
— FIRST BANK CHAIRMAN
By Dayo Johnson
A Chairman KURE—THE
of First
Bank Plc, Mrs. Ibukun
Awosika, yesterday,
called for a complete
restructuring of the
nation’s education
system to enable them
meet modern realities.
Awosika said this
while delivering the 3rd
convocation lecture at
Elizade University,
Ilara-mokin, titled: The
Nigerian University
System and the
challenge
of
internationalization.
Awosika said:
“Institutions must build
leaders that are committed
to make things work out,
not selfish leaders; those
that will affect the lives of
others. Our education
system must build people
to solve our nation’s
problems.
“Every day is a
changing world. We
need to change how we
teach. As a people, if we
don’t take care of this
generation, we are in
problem. We need to
think on how to turn the
universities we have to
be solution-centred, not
certificate-centred.
“A university that is not
producing solutions is
not providing anything.”
The Vice Chancellor of
the institution, Prof.
Olukayode Amund said
they were committed to
providing quality
education and leadership
EFCC lawyer tasks SON over
war against fake products
By Innocent Anaba
L Economic
AGOS—AN
and
Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC,
prosecutor and teacher
in Faculty of Law,
University of Lagos, Mr
Wahab Shittu, has called
on the management of
Standards Organisation
of Nigeria, SON, to live
up to the agency’s
mandate of combating
adulterated products.
This came as Director
General of SON, Mr
Osita Aboloma, said the
organisation had
confiscated fake and
substandard products
worth over N300 billion
across the country in the
last few months and top
of the list of seizures
were adulterated
lubricants, electric cables
and cylinders.
Shittu, who spoke on
SON Act: Enhancing
quality, harnessing
opportunities at a
stakeholders workshop
on SON Act 2015 in
Lagos, called for
skills that will bear
positively on the
development of the
nation.
periodic training for staff
of the agency as well as
comprehensive welfare
packages that would
motivate them in the
discharge of their
responsibilities.
He said: “I believe that
this statute SON Act
2015 if well-managed
and enforced by all and
sundry, Nigeria shall be
rid of defective, fake,
hazardous and
inhumane products.
What I believe is a
concerted efforts by all
and sundry to implement
the extant provisions of
this Act.”
Also speaking at the
event, Mr Paul
Ananaba, SAN,
represented by Mr
Okey Barrah said:
“This, in our opinion is
commendable in the sense
that if the structures are put
in place to register, track,
maintain surveillance and
assess the quality of
products produced or
imported in Nigeria, then
there won’t be such influx
of fake and substandard
products in our market.”

Picture emerges of well-to-do
young bombers behind Sri
Lankan carnage
DETAILS began to
emerge in Sri Lanka
on Wednesday of a
band of nine, well-educated
Islamist suicide
bombers, including a
woman, from well-to-do
families who slaughtered
359 people in Easter Sunday
bomb attacks
The Islamic State militant
group claimed responsibility
for the coordinated
attacks on three
churches and four hotels.
If that connection is confirmed,
the attacks looks
likely to be the deadliest
ever linked to the group.
Both the Sri Lankan
government and the
United States said the
scale and sophistication
of the coordinated bombings
suggested the involvement
of an external
group such as Islamic
State.
The Islamist group released
a video late on
Tuesday through its
AMAQ news agency,
showing eight men, all
but one with their faces
covered, standing under
a black Islamic State
flag, declaring loyalty to
its leader, Abu Bakr Al-
Baghdadi.
The one man in the
video with his face uncovered
was Mohamed
Zahran, a Sri Lankan
preacher known for militant
views.
While the video
showed eight men, Sri
Lanka’s junior defence
minister, Ruwan Wijewardene,
said there were
nine suicide bombers.
Eight had been identified
and one of them was
a woman, he said.
“Most of the bombers
are well-educated, come
from economically
strong families. Some of
them went abroad for
studies,” Wijewardene
told a news conference.
“One of them we know
went to the UK, then
went to Australia for a
law degree. Foreign
partners, including the
UK, are helping us with
those investigations.
Two of the bombers were
brothers, sons of a
wealthy spice trader and
pillar of the business
community, a source
close to the family said.
Intelligence officials
and Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe believe
that Zahran, a
Tamil-speaking preacher
from the east of the
Indian Ocean island
country, may have been
the mastermind.
He was well-known
for his militant views
and fiery Facebook
posts, according to Muslim
leaders and a Sri
Lankan intelligence report
issued earlier and
seen by Reuters.
The government suspects
two Sri Lankan Islamist
groups - the National
Thawheed
Jama’ut, of which Zahran
was believed to have
been a member, and
Jammiyathul Millathu
Ibrahim - were responsible,
with outside help.
VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 39
Scaffolding firm says workers smoked at
Paris’ Notre-Dame
A
scaffolding firm
that has worked on
the roof of Notre-Dame
said some of its workers
had smoked on the site,
but ruled out that a cigarette
butt might have
started the fire that destroyed
the cathedral’s
oak-framed roof last
week.
A spokesman for family-owned
Le Bras Freres,
confirming a report in
French weekly Le Canard
Enchaine, told Reuters
that some workers of its
Europe Echafaudage
scaffolding unit had informed
police that they
had “sometimes” smoked
on the scaffolding, despite
a smoking ban on
the site.
“We condemn it. But the
fire started inside the
building... so for company
Le Bras this is not a
hypothesis, it was not a
cigarette butt that set
Notre-Dame de Paris on
fire,” Le Bras Frères
spokesman Marc Eskenazi
said.
The Canard Enchaine
reported that police had
found the remains of
seven cigarette butts in
the burnt-out cathedral.
“This is not wrong,”
said a source close to
the investigation, who
declined all other comm
e n t .

40—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
Imo and the politics of transition
THE allegory of the tortoise
that willfully refused
entreaties from concerned friends
who desperately tried to dissuade
him from a disaster prone journey
fascinates me. Asked when he
would return, his “not until I am
disgraced” retort was both
instructive and foreboding. His
friends, aghast, must have
wondered what would spur him on
such nihilistic mission.
I get the same feeling these days
anytime I reflect on the infantile
theatrics of the outgoing Imo
State governor, Owelle Rochas
Okorocha. Like the axiomatic
tortoise, Okorocha at the twilight
of his administration has decided
to swim against the tide of decency,
decorum and graciousness. His
friends are horror-struck. If the
governor is a man given to
introspection, he wouldn’t even
wait to be dissuaded. Enlightened
self-interest would have come to
his rescue.
But Okorocha, blinded by
hubris, sees himself as the charmer
who cannot fail. But, is he? No! If
he thought he was, the outcome of
the 2019 elections proved
otherwise, and his well-wishers had
hoped he would beat a retreat
thereafter.
He didn’t. Instead, he is doubling
down on the perfidious road which
ultimate destination is the land of
disgrace. While other outgoing
governors are in the transition
mode, preparing their handover
notes and working towards a hitchfree
hand over of the reins of power
to their successors, Okorocha,
typically, is navigating a different
tangent, elevating mischief to a
statecraft. Okorocha has vowed not
to allow the state governor-elect,
Emeka Ihedioha, have an easy ride
to power. It is an ill-advised gambit
but like the axiomatic tortoise, he
has vowed not to retreat until he is
disgraced.
Possible
dissolution
So, on the eve of his departure
from office, Okorocha, who
abdicated governance for a long
time, suddenly remembered it is
time for him to govern.
On April 5, he inaugurated
boards of 38 parastatals,
admonishing the members “not to
fear over possible dissolution by the
incoming government” and “to
deploy their wealth of experience
to ensure that they bring the
desired results in their respective
boards and parastatals”. Was
Okorocha’s administration
allergic to such desired results?
As if that is not bad enough,
barely one month to the end of his
eight-year governorship, Okorocha
bizarrely inaugurated a six-man
committee, headed by Prof. Chima
Iwuchukwu, to establish six new
universities, two colleges of
education and four polytechnics,
which he claimed were fully ready
to resume academic activities.
Most comical is the so-called
University of Medical Sciences,
Ogboko, which he claimed will
be serviced by the non-existent
new ultra-modern 200-bed
hospitals in each of the 27 local
government areas in the state.
While the governor is thumping
his chest for turning the state into
a haven for medical tourism,
doctors in the state commenced
an indefinite strike to protest
what they called open
marginalisation of medical
practitioners in the state. The
media is awash with stories of
alleged massive looting in the
state. Government properties are
allegedly being carted away. And
fingers of blame are pointing
directly at officials of Okorocha’s
government.
The greatest drawback of
Nigeria’s democracy is its ability
to mass produce dictators who
rarely see leadership from the
prism of service and ability to
positively influence others
towards achieving ennobling
goals. They hug the hubristic
absolutism of King Louis XIV of
France and his ‘L’etat c’est moi’ (I
am the state’) avowal with
fanfare, even when Nigeria is a
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l
democracy. Nigerian governors
have acquired the very unhealthy
Why would
Okorocha not
ensure that there
is a smooth
transition of
power even if the
power is being
transferred to an
opposition
party?
appetite of absolute monarchs,
behaving as if they are the state
writ large. In Nigeria, there is
hardly any difference between
private purse and public till.
Impunity is the new normal.
Okorocha is immune to reason.
He hugs impunity with relish.
Seamless transition of power is the
norm in every democracy.
Okorocha benefitted from such
process eight years ago. It is
foolhardiness to work against the
norm.
Outgoing governments should
be as interested in transition
committees as those coming to
take over from them because it is
a statutory prerequisite for any new
administration.
So, Okorocha is not being asked
to do anything new. He is not
reinventing the wheel. In fact, Imo
has the unique position of being
the state where transfer of power
since 1999 has been from a ruling
party to an opposition party.
When Achike Udenwa who
governed the state for eight years
under the platform of
the PDP was leaving
office in 2007, he
handed over to Ikedi
Ohakim who won on
the platform of
Progressive Peoples
Alliance, PPA.
Ohakim, who later
defected to PDP
handed over to
Okorocha who won on
the platform of the All
Progressives Grand
Alliance, APGA, in
2011 without any
hassles. So, why would Okorocha
not ensure that there is a smooth
transition of power even if the
power is being transferred to an
opposition party?
Imolites are watching and
keeping records even as the
governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha,
moves on in spite of Okorocha’s
shenanigans.
And Imolites are also working
to ensure that the man they
collectively and unequivocally
handed their mandate does not
fall into the malcontent ditch dug
for him.
While inaugurating the
handover committee on Tuesday,
April 9, Ihedioha called for “a
sombre ceremony devoid of the
usual pomp and pageantry
heralding a new
administration,” even as
he acknowledged that “the PDP
and Imo people are entitled to a
little celebration of a hard won
victory that heralded the
liberation of the state from the
shackles of bad governance.”
Imolites are in a hurry to catch
up with development. For them,
Okorocha is not part of that future.
That explains the unprecedented
level of enthusiasm and
commitment of the people to the
Imo project.
Shackles of bad
governance
They are revelling in the
“liberation of the state from the
shackles of bad governance, maladministration,
destruction of the
structures and institutions of
representative government,
nepotism, and absolute lack of due
process in the way governmental
business is conducted.”
That explains the large number
of people who are volunteering to
work pro-bono in both the
transition technical committee set
up to help prepare a road map for
governance and the inauguration
committee.
Ihedioha did not need to tell
members that “the work of the
committees is basically voluntary
with little or no remuneration”, or
that Okorocha had refused to
commit government money to the
transition process.
The people already know and
are determined to move forward
despite Okorocha. They
appreciate the great and difficult
task ahead and are prepared.
The only Imolite who does not
seem to appreciate the fact that
with the outcome of the March 9
governorship poll, the people have
decided to move on is Okorocha
himself. He does not seem to
appreciate that the train has left
the station and is headed to a new
destination.
Imo people are angry. The anger
is real, potent and palpable. It is
pity that the man who ought to
know is oblivious of this fact. The
good thing is that the choice not
to turn back from this ill-advised
journey is personal. The disgrace
is assured.
AAUA students protest
hike in tuition fee
•Ibarapa Poly shut over non-accreditation of
courses
campus on Monday, May 20,
By Dayo Johnson & Ola
Ajayi
AKURE—AUTHORITIES of
the Adekunle Ajasin
University, Akungba Akoko,
AAUA, in Ondo State, yesterday,
ordered the closure of the
institution following students' riot
over hike in tuition fees.
The institution was shut last year
when the tuition fees were hiked
by the school authorities.
The tuition fee was hiked from
N35,000 to N200,000 but was later
reduced following the State
Government's intervention.
Vanguard learned that the
school authorities imposed
additional payment of N10,000 for
late registration on the students.
The students reportedly
protested after the management
insisted that those who failed to
pay the school fees, at a specific
period, should pay for late
registration.
They reportedly resisted all
attempts by their Deans and Head
of Department to effect the nopay-no-test
policy as directed by
the management.
A circular released by the
University authorities directed
"the students, who are yet to pay
their tuition to pay an additional
N10,000 for late registration and
whoever fails to pay and register,
would not be allowed to write first
semester 2018/2019 examination,
tagged No Registration, No
Examination."
The circular, signed by the
Registrar, Dr Sunday Ayerun,
directed all Deans and HODs to
implement the policy.
One of the student leaders, who
spoke with Vanguard, said: "How
can you expect a student that is
yet to pay normal school fees to
pay additional N10000 as fine for
late registration?
"I know if such student or their
parents have the tuition, they
would have paid since, these
days, some of our leaders that
enjoyed scholarships are now
putting more financial burden on
the less privileged."
Institution shut
Meanwhile, the school
management, in a bid to avoid
breakdown of law and order on
the campus, has approved a midsemester
break for all students of
the university.
In a statement, the university
registrar, Sunday Ayeerun said:
"All students of the university are
to vacate campus and proceed on
the Mid-Semester break with
immediate effect.
"Students are to resume to
By Elizabeth Uwandu
LAGOS—COLLEGES of
Education Academic State
Union, COEASU, at its 50th
South-West Zonal delegate
Congress has called for the
revitalization of all internally
generated revenue programmes;
the payment of 53.37 percent of
allowances and arrears among
other demands.
The Congress, held at the
Adeniran Ogunsanya College of
Education, AOCOED, saw Union
leaders across the South- West
zone present situational reports
of their colleges.
Chairman of COEASU-
AOCOED and host of the
2019."
Ibarapa Poly shut over nonaccreditation
of course
Similarly, the continued protest
by ex students of Ibarapa
Polytechnic over non issuance of
certificates that would allow them
to participate in a compulsory one
year National Youth Service Corp,
NYSC, scheme has led to
paralysis of academic activities in
the institution.
The protesting students
complained that the management
had allegedly failed in their
responsibilities to resolve the
issue due to alleged
mismanagement of funds meant
for the accreditation of the
Engineering course of the
instituition.
All the gates leading to the
institution were locked as early
as 8am.
The National Senate President
of the Federation of Oyo State
Students Union, FOSSU, Mr.
Wasiu Oke said: "We have not
heard anything about this issue
since our last protest. All our
efforts to get in touch with the
authority proved abortive and our
problems are yet to be attended
to. That's why we are here to show
our grievances."
Also, chairman of the National
Association of Nigerian Students
in Oyo State, Mr. Olujuwon
Asubiojo said the association
would no longer condone any
excuses again.
"What we are requesting from
the school management is to
resolve this problem on time. The
Oyo State Government should be
ready to fund the accreditation
and the management also should
be accountable for all the money
they have collected", he said.
We have shortage of funds—
Rector
Reacting to the issue, the Rector
of the institution, Mr. Eyitayo
Iyiola said that the major problem
in the whole issue was shortage
of fund from the Oyo State
government and misinformation
from the Faculty of Engineering
of the institution.
Iyiola said: "The management
of the school didn't have enough
fund to buy engineering materials
to accredit the engineering
courses and we have been
misinformed by the Faculty
concerning the accreditation.
"This problem will be resolved
very soon because the National
TETFUND has promised us some
funds, together with other
individuals who have shown
interest in assisting us."
COEASU demands payment of 53.37%
allowances, arrears
Congress, Ige Ajayi said: "A union
is measured by its number of
agitations turned to
achievements. Our union is not
unaware of the many challenges
being faced. However, with the
support of our Congress, these
agitations shall be addressed.
"These agitations are:
Resuscitation of all College
internally generated revenue
programmes, IGRP. Honestly,
that is the only way our college
can survive the economic turmoil;
Signing of National Certificate of
Examination, NCE certificate by
the Provost and the Registrar of
Colleges should be extended to
the State Colleges; Life salary for
our chief lecturers have been done
to the professors in the
universities."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 41
vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews
NEWS HOTLINES
018773962,
08052867058
Free web operators
threaten national security
— EXPERTS
Continues from Page 5
ARPU.
Wakil also said that for
now, the regulator is not
regulating the activities
of OTTs in any form even
though “conversations
are on-going” on
possible ways of creating
a middle ground
between the telcos and
OTTs so that both can
coexist in a friendly
ecosystem.
Nätional
security under
threat; NCC
comes under
fire
Immediately Wakil
finished
his
presentation, operators
faulted the regulator’s
stance, saying it would
not only violate local
content policy but could
also create a dangerous
national security
question.
Chairman of the
Association of Licensed
Telecom operators in
Nigeria, ALTON, Engr
Gbenga Adebayo
countered that instead of
technology neutrality the
NCC should collaborate
with the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN to evolve
a regulatory framework
capable of making both
OTT players and
mainstream telecoms
operators remain in
business without the
dagger-point
relationship that exists
today.
Adebayo argued that
the surge in OTT
services have enormous
social, economic,
security implications due
to the fact that they are
neither licensed nor
regulated which now
pose trade danger for
telecoms.
His words: “The OTT
service providers are not
regulated and that means
there is no limit or scope
to what they can do; no
control over the services
and content they can
provide.
“In real truth, the
problem is that the
proliferation of Over The
Top messaging apps
(applications) and
internet calls, which use
the internet to deliver
content, is eating into the
revenue of Main
Network Operators
(MNOs) used to enjoy.
Over the top service
providers utilizes
traditional Mobile
Network Operators
(MNOs) infrastructure to
offer social networks,
voice and instant
messaging services to
retain user loyalty and
drive stickiness, with a
view to creating large
on-line communities and
eventually attract huge
advertisement revenues.
The telcos have neither
rights nor control over
OTT services, as
customers have the
discretion to use the
internet as desired.
“Telcos invest a lot on
network infrastructure in
order to provide basic
and innovative services
to customers. Even as
core voice and SMS
revenues are decreasing
continuously due to
impact of OTT players
who offer voice, video
and messaging services
free of charge to users,
the telcos will continue to
invest a lot to make the
networks support the
data tsunami generated
by the OTTs. That means
the telcos incur the costs
while OTT players make
Naira down at N359/$ in parallel
market
By Elizabeth Adegbesan
The naira yesterday was stable at N359.3 per dollar
in the parallel market.
According to naijabdcs.com, the live exchange
rate platform of the Association of Bureaux De
Change Operators (ABCON), the parallel market
exchange rate dropped to N359 per dollar yesterday
from N359.3 per dollar on Monday, translating to
30 kobo appreciation of the naira.
Similarly, the naira yesterday appreciated by 29
kobo in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window
due to a 86 percent rise in the volume of dollars
traded.
Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative
exchange rate for the I&E window dropped to N
360.29 per dollar yesterday from N360.52 per dollar
on Monday, translating to 29 kobo appreciation for
the naira.
The volume of dollars (turnover) traded on the
window yesterday rose by 86 percent to $ 261.73
million from $ 141.02 million traded on Monday.
FIRE—Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed to the Niger Delta, Rear Admiral Akinjide
Akinrinade, speaking during his arrival at scene of the fire incident on a vegetation at Awoba, at the
Nembe Creek Trunk Line in Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: NAN.
the money without
paying anything either
to telcos or
government”.
National
security at risk
Adebayo said that
beyond all these is the
security risk their
operations pose to the
nation.
He said: “OTT players
also hold many
customers’ personal data
they can use for any
desired purpose without
risk of being sanctioned
by the government while
telcos are forbidden to
use or disclose
subscriber information to
third parties.”
He, however,
recommended that the
NCC give special
incentives to telcos to
cushion the effects of
their revenue losses or
adopt the “same service,
same licensing” regime,
which he described as
international practice, to
avoid distortion in the
nation’s telecom sector.
OTTs, banks
killing small
operators
Also, the National
Coordinator, Wireless
Access Services
Providers of Nigeria,
WASPAN, Mr Chijioke
Ezeh, agreed with
Adebayo that leaving the
activities of OTT service
providers open will
endanger the economy
further than it has
already done.
Ezeh said that the
number of value added
service providers has
dwindled since
patronage to their
services now go to the
OTTs and banks. He
specifically lamented
that both recharge card
manufacturers and
vendors have been put
out of business as the
services are rendered by
banks who introduce
vending apps on their
platforms.
According to Ezeh,
“there have been
arguments that there is
a competition among
OTTs Telcos and VAS.
This is akin to calling a
match between the Super
Eagles and Principal
Cup winners a
competition.
“Competitions have
rules set on a level
playing field. What is
currently obtainable
today is that whereas
Telcos, VAS and OTTs
offer similar services
such as voice, text and
data services, only Telcos
and VAS are licensed
and heavily monitored.
OTTs have a free rein.
“Nigeria’s telecoms
industry is summarily
owned by foreigners. In
the earliest days,
investments and forexbased
investments were
heavy. However, the
market has expanded
By Emman
Ovuakporie and
Levinus
Nwabughiogu
ABUJA—ONE of the
key aspirants for the
speaker’s position,
Mohammed Umar Bago,
has advised newly
elected members to
remain calm over threats
that open ballot will be
adopted in the National
Assembly elections.
According to him, the
legislature has an
established tradition that
can’t be altered.
Bago, who stated this in
an interactive session
into several other
categories, which should
have encouraged more
local investor
participation.
The primary
responsibility of market
creation for indigenous
participation and
investment is the
regulator’s. Therefore,
NCC must develop
attractive incentives to
woo local investors to
take advantage of lowbarrier
opportunities
particularly in the
service and last-mile
areas”
He regretted that to
date, there’s yet to be
known, any generally
acceptable, and
comprehensive industrywide
strategy for
harnessing the potential
benefits of the telecoms
industry, adding that
“this is why frameworks,
policies and guidelines
aren’t always in tandem
with themselves or with
federal government
programs.
Examples of such are
the disparities between
the Ease-of-Doing
Business in Nigeria and
the Executive Order 5 on
Local Content in ICT
among others.
Still lamenting the
dwindling revenues in
the industry, Executive
Director, Business
Development,
B r o a d b a s e d
Communications limited,
Mr Chidi Ibisi, made a
passionate appeal to the
NCC to reconsider its
neutrality stance and
ensure that the
businesses of licensed
operators in the country
are protected. “when we
are saying technology
neutrality, are we
considering the licensed
operator who borrowed
money from the bank;
who is thinking how to
repay the loan and
equity? Are we thinking
of invasion of foreign
operators we do not
know where they are
operating from? We
should be wary of
invasion of our national
security”he added.
Speakership: Don’t be threatened by calls for
open ballot —Bago tells Reps-elect
•Says NASS has established tradition
with major stakeholders in
Abuja yesterday, said:
“The developing story is
that I have withdrawn
from the race. That is not
true. I am in the race and
I am going to the floor on
the day of the
inauguration and by
God’s grace, I will come
out victorious, because the
issues we are calling for
have not been addressed;
the issues of justice and
equity.
“All men and women of
faith have continued to
encourage us on this
journey and we are not
going to rest on our oars.
“We have our colleagues
behind us and by the
grace of God, just the 360
of us will be in that
hallowed chamber on that
day to elect one of us.
“When people talk
about loyalty, I laugh. Can
there be anybody more
loyal to the party than we
are? We have come with
President Muhammadu
Buhari from the time of
The Buhari Organisation,
TBO, Congress for
Progressives Change,
CPC, merger, to the APC
and now next level. Our
CV is too much for us to
throw away at this time.
“We are very loyal to the
party and we are core
Buharists. We are
disciples of a leader who
has taught us to do things
rightly. "

42— VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
08152060944
Atiku Vs Buhari: Legal fireworks as tribunal set
to begin
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ALL is set for President
Muhammadu Buhari of
the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC,
to defend the allegation that
he was not the legitimate
winner of the February 23
presidential election.
The Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC,
had on February 27, declared
that Buhari garnered a total of
15,191,847 votes to defeat his
closest rival, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar of the opposition
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
who it said polled a total of
11,262,978 votes.
The result had since elicited
varied reactions, with four
political parties approaching
the Presidential Election
Petition Tribunal sitting in
Abuja to challenge President
Buhari’s re-election.
The actors
Aside the petition marked CA/
PEPC/002/2019, which was
entered against Buhari by the
PDP and its candidate, Atiku,
on March 18, the second
petition marked CA/ PEPC/
001/2019, was by the
presidential candidate of
Hope Democratic Party, HDP,
Chief Ambrose Owuru who
secured a total of 1,663 in the
election.
The third petition, CA/PEPC/
004/2019, was lodged by the
presidential candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Movement,
PDM, Pastor Aminchi Habu,
who is seeking a fresh election
on the basis that his party’s
logo was not included in the
ballot paper.
The last petition with suit No
CA/PEPC/003/2019, was filed
by the Coalition For Change,
C4C and its presidential
candidate, Geff Chizee Ojinka,
who are contending that
Buhari’s re-election was vitiated
by substantial non compliance
with mandatory statutory
provisions.
The petitioners maintained that
the irregularity substantially
affected the election, “such that
the 1st Respondent was not
entitled to be returned as the
Winner of the Presidential
election”.
Remarkably, unlike in all the
other petitions where only
Buhari, the APC and INEC
were cited as Respondents, the
C4C, which garnered a total of
2,391 votes at the presidential
poll, cited the Vice President,
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as the 2nd
Respondent in its case.
Meantime, notwithstanding the
innocuousness or otherwise of
the last three cases, there is no
doubt that the petition by the
main opposition PDP and its
candidate will assume the focal
point in the coming days.
Specifically, in their joint
petition, Atiku and his party,
PDP, insisted that data they
secured from INEC’s server,
revealed that they clearly
defeated President Buhari with
over 1.6million votes.
President Muhammadu Buhari
The petitioners alleged that
INEC had at various stages of
the presidential election,
unlawfully allocated votes to
President Buhari, saying they
would adduce oral and
documentary evidence to show
that result of the election as
announced by the electoral
body, did not represent the
lawful valid votes cast
Atiku alleged that in some
states, INEC, deducted lawful
votes that accrued to him, in its
bid to ensure that Buhari was
returned back to office.
The petitioners said they would
call evidence of statisticians,
forensic examiners and fingerprint
experts at the hearing of
the petition to establish that the
scores credited to Buhari were
not the product of actual votes
validly cast at the polling units.
More so, in one of the five
grounds of the petition, Atiku
and the PDP maintained that
Buhari was not qualified to run
for the office of the President,
contending that he does not
possess the constitutional
minimum qualification of a
school certificate.
The petitioners serialised
results that were recorded from
each state of the federation in
order to prove that the alleged
fraudulent allocation of votes to
Buhari and the APC, took place
at the polling units, the ward
collating centres, local
government collating centres
and the State collating centres.
They argued that proper
collation and summation of the
presidential election results
would show that contrary to
what INEC declared, Atiku,
garnered a total of 18,356,732
votes, ahead of Buhari who
they said got a total of
16,741,430 votes.
The Petitioners stated that
whereas the actual number of
voters accredited at the
election was 35,098,162, the
1st Respondent wrongly
suppressed and/or reduced
the number of accredited
voters to 29,394,209 to the
detriment of the Petitioners.
Part of their prayers includes
an order directing the 1st
Respondent, INEC, to issue
Certificate of Return to the 1st
Petitioner as the duly elected
President of Nigeria.
In the alternative, the
petitioners prayed the tribunal
to nullify the February 23
presidential election and
order a fresh poll.
Atiku’s petition vague,
nebulous- Buhari
However, in a swift reaction,
both Buhari and the APC, filed
preliminary objections to
challenge the competence of
the petitions, even as they
challenged Atiku’s locusstandi
to even participate in
the Presidential poll.
In his objection, Buhari
described Atiku as a serial
loser, boasting that he had
always defeated him in every
electoral contest that they took
part in.
President Buhari insisted that
electorates always chose him
ahead of Atiku in both interparty
or intra-party contests,
using the 2014 presidential
primaries of the APC, as an
instance.
Besides, President Buhari,
queried the powers of the
tribunal to nullify his election
victory at the poll, contending
that the joint petition Atiku and
the PDP entered against him
was incompetent as it was
based on conjectures.
Insisting that reliefs the
petitioners are seeking from
the tribunal were “vague,
nebulous and lacking in
specificity”, they argued that
Notwithstanding
t h e
innocuousness
or otherwise of
the last three
cases, there is no
doubt that the
petition by the
main opposition
PDP and its
candidate will
assume the focal
point in the
coming days
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
most of the issues and
grounds of the petition were
not only “mutually exclusive”,
but also outside the jurisdiction
of the tribunal.
He contended that by virtue of
section 31(5) and (6) of the
Electoral Act, 2010, as
amended, only the Federal
High Court or High Court of a
State has jurisdiction to
adjudicate on some the issues,
among which included the
allegation that he was bereft of
the requisite educational
qualification.
Atiku is an Alien- PDP
Likewise, his party, the APC, in
its own objection, branded Atiku
an alien, alleging that he is not
a Nigerian by birth and
therefore was not qualified to
contest the February 23
presidential poll. APC told the
tribunal that the PDP candidate
is a Cameroonian.
According to APC, Atiku, was
born on November 25, 1946 in
Jada, Adamawa, in Northern
Cameroon and is therefore a
citizen of Cameroon and not a
Nigerian by birth.
It told the tribunal that prior to
1919, Cameroon was being
administered by Germany,
adding that following the defeat
of Germany in World War 1,
which ended in 1918,
Cameroon, became part of a
League of Nations mandate
territory which consisted of
French Cameroon and British
Cameroon in 1919.
APC noted that in 1961, a
plebiscite was held in British
Cameroon to determine
whether the people preferred to
stay in Cameroon or align with
Nigeria.
It stressed that while Northern
Cameroon preferred a union
with Nigeria, the Southern
Cameroon chose alignment
with the mother country, saying
it was as a result of the plebiscite
that Northern Cameroon, which
included Adamawa, became
part of Nigeria.
The ruling party argued that
contrary to Atiku’s claims in his
petition, he had no right to be
voted for as a candidate in the
election to the office of President
of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria held on February 23,
2019.
It averred that by reason of
Atiku’s ineligibility to contest
the election, all votes credited
to him and the PDP in the
February 23 election ought to be
deemed as wasted votes.
APC contended that most of the
claims contained in Atiku’s
petition have become statute
barred, arguing that the Tribunal
was therefore bereft of the
jurisdiction to entertain it.
I am a full blooded Nigeria-
Atiku
However, in a further response
he filed before the tribunal,
Atiku, rebuked the APC,
describing the allegation that he
is a Cameroonian as puerile,
face saving, vexatious,
absolutely and completely
unfounded.
Atiku maintained that he is a full
blooded Nigerian, even as he
urged the tribunal to ignore what
he termed as “extraneous facts,
contradictory, diversionary,
evasive, speculative and vague
assertions”, by both the APC and
President Buhari.
Atiku told the tribunal that
contrary to APC’s allegation that
he is an alien, he said he is a
Nigerian by birth and a Fulani
by tribe, adding that his parents
were from Jigawa and Sokoto
states.
He told the tribunal that he has
been a Nigerian politician for
about 30 years, adding that in
1992, he contested in the
Presidential Primaries under the
platform of the Social Democratic
Party (SDP) alongside the late
Chief M.K.O Abiola and
Ambassador Baba Gana
Kingibe.
“The averments in the aforesaid
paragraphs are indeed
fabricated, contrived, made in
bad faith and designed to
embarrass the 1st Petitioner”, he
said.
INEC Responds
Meantime, INEC was not left
out in the exchanges, as the
electoral body, in a preliminary
objection it filed before the
tribunal, challenged the validity
of figures Atiku claimed was
obtained from its back-end
server.
The commission further
contended that contrary to
Atiku’s claim, it did not
electronically transmit results to
its server, using the Smart Card
Reader Machines.
As the tribunal gets set to
commence hearing, there is no
doubt that the February 23 poll
will go down in history as one
of the most disputed
presidential election.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019— 43
Nigerian lawyers as an endangered species
By Olukayode Majekodunmi
In 2015, Justice Gabriel
Kolawole of the Federal High
Court sitting in Abuja,
delivered a judgment in the case
of Registered Trustees of Nigeria
Bar Association vs. Attorney
General of the Federation and
Central Bank of Nigeria suit No:
FHC/BS/173/2014.
The decision effectively struck
out Legal Practitioners as one of
the non-financial institutions
required to file Cash Transaction
Report with Special Control Unit
Against Money Laundering
“SCUMUL”, an enforcement
hitherto under the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission-
EFCC pursuant to the provisions
of the Money Laundering
(prohibition) Act 2011.
The EFCC sometime in 2017
placed a freezing order on the
account of Mike Ozekhome,
SAN where N75milion was
reportedly found or traced to
have been paid by the Ekiti State
Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose. The
contention of Messrs Ozekhome
and Fayose was that the money
was the professional fees of the
learned silk for his services to
the government of Ekiti state in
several legal matters.
The peremptory act of EFCC
procuring a freezing order on
Ozekhome’s account brought to
fore afresh issues relating to
relationship between legal
practitioners and their client
legal practitioners Vis a viz the
Money Laundering
(Prohibition) Act 2011.
The trial judge, Justice
Abdulazeez Hanka found in
favour of Ozekhome and
described the action of EFCC as
illegal, unconstitutional and
unorthodox for freezing the
senior lawyer’s chambers
account into which N75m was
paid by Governor Fayose of Ekiti
state, as part payment of his
professional fees for eight cases
the lawyer was handling for the
governor and the state.
In a related case, Fayose then
governor of Ekiti State
challenged EFCC where the
commission had frozen his
personal account after they
allegedly said they traced N4.7b
from the office of the National
Security Adviser to his account.
The governor had approached
the Federal High Court by an
ex parte order seeking a
mandatory order defreezing the
accounts but after directing that
the respondents be placed on
EDITORIAL
Innocent Anaba
( Head)
Ikechukwu
Nnochiri
Contributors:
Henry Ojelu,
Onozure Dania
Usoro SAN
notice and taking the response
of the EFCC, Justice Taiwo in a
considered judgment held that
the Commission’s actions
breached the governor’s
fundamental rights to fair
hearing as the Commission did
not make him a party to the
proceedings for the interim
freezing of the accounts.
The focus of this piece is to take
another look at cases of Lawyers
in Nigeria and their inglorious
encounters with EFCC. The
criminal matter instituted by the
EFCC against the President of
NBA, Paul Usoro is very
instructive as it manifests the
intention of EFCC to harass,
intimidate and force the legal
practitioners into submission.
This focus will be particularly
important in the light of the
decision of Justice Kolawole
which effectively struck out legal
practitioners as one of the nonfinancial
institutions required to
file Cash Transaction Report with
Special Control Unit Against
Money Laundering
“SCUMUL”, an enforcement
entity under the EFCC pursuant
to the provisions of the Money
Laundering (prohibition) Act
2011.
In a communique issued at the
end of NBA’s National Executive
Council, NEC, meeting held in
Abuja, the association insisted
that the fees that are paid by a
client to his lawyer are not only
a matter of privilege but also
contractual.
The NBA communique spoke
Rejoinder
Our attention has been
drawn to an error in the
headline of our March 28,
2019 edition of Law and
Human Rights, titled, ‘NBA
must stop acting like a
labour unions-Sofola, SAN’.
We have since realised that
Mr. Sina Sofola, SAN was
quoted out of contest. We
regret any inconveniences
this may have caused.
against the background of
arraignment of Paul Usoro in a
Federal High Court in Lagos,
over N1.4 billion money
laundering allegations levelled
against him by the EFCC. The
sum was alleged to have been
received from the Akwa Ibom
State Government. It was noted
that Usoro was investigated by
the EFCC based on the inflow
of the sum of N300m inflow into
his law firm’s account on March
14, 2016. It was also further said
that he reported that subsequent
disbursements from the account
went to various Legal
Practitioners between March 22
and 23, 2016.The NBA NEC
observed that the inflow was
payment by Governor Udom
Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State
in respect of an Election Petition
Appeal that was determined by
the Supreme Court, for which
Usoro served as the
coordinating counsel.
The NBA said it observed that
the EFCC appeared to be
straining hard to criminalise the
fees that were earned by the
lawyers for their legitimate work.
It said “Usoro’s case was not the
first of these intrusions. There
was also reference made to the
case of Mike Ozekhome, when
the EFCC attempted to forfeit his
fees on the pretext that the funds
came from illegal sources. The
NBA also said: “If these EFCC
incursions are not checked, the
Bar and the practice of our
profession
are
doomed.”According to the NBA,
the practice of law is founded on
the independence of the Legal
Practitioner and his courage to
advocate on behalf of his client
to the best of his ability and
conviction.
The association held and one
should agree that client, lawyer
privilege has over time been
judicially and historically
acknowledged. Until the illadvised
onslaught by EFCC on
the Legal Profession it was
reasonably settled law that
issues of fees, as between a
lawyer and his client, was a
matter of privilege.
The NBA referred to the recent
decision of the Court of Appeal
in the matter between Central
Bank of Nigeria v Registered
Trustees of the NBA which
affirmed this position. It is setting
a bad precedent for lawyers’ fees
to be questioned especially in
the light of recent cases that said
otherwise. By questioning
lawyers on the legitimate fees
that they have earned from
clients, the EFCC is breaching
the lawyer-client privilege and
showing complete disregard for
the judgments of the courts in
this regard.
The implication of the
prosecution of Paul Usoro for his
earnings from Akwa Ibom state
government is a very bad
development that tends to
promote impunity. There is a
subsisting decision of justice
Gabriel Kolawole that legal
practitioners cannot be
prosecuted under the money
laundering act and it is settled
that that decision is yet to be set
aside. So on what basis are
lawyers still being harassed
without just cause in
contravention of the judgement
of a Court of Superior record?
The legal profession should
show its spine to stare down the
unfolding Monster of
Frankenstein and speak with
one voice not because it is Paul
Usoro, but in the lager interest
of our noble profession, and the
liberty and dignity of all Legal
Practitioners.
L-R: Head, Ports and Border, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, who represented the
Director-General; Managing Director, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Mr Taiwo Adeniyi; Head of
Chambers, Dr. Paul Ananaba (SAN) & Co, Mr Okey Barrah and lecturer, Faculty of Law,
University of Lagos, UNILAG, Mr Wahab Shittu at the Stakeholders Forum on SON Act 2015
in Lagos, yesterday.
C
M
Y
K

44 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
Pogba tells
teammates he
wants to leave
Paul Pogba has told his Manchester
United teammates that he wants to leave
the 20-time English champions in this
summer’s transfer window.
Pogba’s numbers for United this season are
impressive - scoring 16 times and contributing
11 assists in 43 appearances in all competitions.
The 26-year-old’s form has been inconsistent,
however, and it is widely thought that bids from
Real Madrid and Juventus will arrive in this
summer’s transfer window.
According to L’Equipe, the 2018 World Cup
winner has made it clear to his United
teammates that he wants to seek pastures new
ahead of the 2019-2020 campaign.
Earlier this week, it was claimed that Madrid
were ‘in advanced talks’ to sign Pogba, who has
previously called Los Blancos ‘a dream club’.
The Frenchman’s current deal with United will
expire in the summer of 2021, but the Red Devils
do have the option of an additional 12 months.
Club sacks player after penalty miss
•Parra
Gullit’s son makes his professional debut
Maxim Gullit, son of
Dutch footballing
legend Ruud Gullit made
his debut for AZ Alkmaar’s
B team at 17 years old
against FC Twente.
Aplayer has been shown the door by his
club after his attempted Panenka
penalty was saved in a Copa Sudamericana
game.
Bendrix Parra was playing for Paraguayan
side Independiente Campo Grande against
Colomia’s La Equidad in the last 32 of South
America’s equivalent of the Europa League.
When the tie, goalless after two legs, went
to a shoot-out, Parra stepped up to take the
third of Independiente’s spot-kicks – but his
attempted Panenka ended up being saved by
the chest of goalkeeper Diego Novoa.
As if the embarrassment of his very public
failure was not punishment enough, the
Venezuelan midfielder was subsequently
shown the door by his club.
Independiente president Eriberto Gamarra
told ABC Color’s Cardinal Deportivo: “The
board made the decision because his way of
taking the penalty was very irresponsible.
“We are all responsible for not reaching the
next round of the Copa Sudamericana but it’s
true that there was some upset in the group
and they blame him.”
The game ended in a
scoreless
draw
and Gullit came off the
bench with 19 minutes to go,
substituting left back Joris
Kramer for his first
•Pogba
Moise Kean has been one of the stand-out players this
season for Serie A champions Juventus and the Turin based
are now working to ensure the striker commits his future to
the Italian side by offering the player an enhanced deal that
will see the teenager’s salary increased four-fold
Kean currently earns 550.000 euro per season and the new
deal would see that increased to 2 million euro per campaign.
Juve club directors Pavel Nedved and Fabio Paratici will
represent the club in the negotiation process with agent Mino
Raiola representing the
striker, report Tuttosport.
Apart from Kean´s prolific performances for
Juventus this season bagging six Serie A
goals, with many coming from the bench, the
19-year-old also earned his first full international
caps for Italy and was on the score sheet twice
for the “Azzuri” in Euro 2020
qualifying games against Finland and
Liechtenstein.
•Sarri
•Kean
Sarri charged by FA
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has been charged
by the FA for his role in a touchline brawl
against Burnley.
It had been alleged that Sarri was called a ‘s***
Italian’ by Burnley coaches during the 2-2 draw on
Monday.
However, the FA has found the former
Napoli Coach guilty of ‘misconduct’ as
he was sent down the tunnel.
The 60-year-old has until 18:00 BST
on Friday to respond to the charge.
Volleyball player faints mid-way through live TV interview
•Carvalho
•Kean
Juve set to break
bank for Kean
Jaqueline Carvalho fainted mid-way
through a live interview.
The former Olympic gold medallist,
35, passed out during a chat in a Brazilian
league game.
Carvalho won gold at both the Beijing
Games in 2008 and London in 2012 with
her native Brazil, but suddenly
collapsed in a recent interview.
During the talk, she can be seen
energetically chatting about the
Superliga game between Sesi Sao
professional outing.
“The debut is a very special
moment,” he said to Fox
Sports.
“It doesn’t bother me being
the ‘son of somebody’.
“I’m Maxim Gullit and
I’m going to work hard to
keep moving forward.”
The young Dutch defender
not only has his father’s
genes, as his mother Estelle
Cruyff is a niece of Johan,
arguably the greatest Dutch
footballer of all time.
Both parents showed their
pride in their son’s
professional debut on their
social media accounts.
Paulo and EMS Taubate Funvic.
As the interview goes on,
Carvalho’s eyes begin to droop
and she sways side-to-side.
Suddenly, the Brazilian legend
collapses to the floor, triggering
onlookers to rush to her aid.
According to doctors, Carvalho
suffered a rapid loss in blood
pressure due to the heat in the
arena.
She was prevented any serious
harm thanks to Sesi team doctor,
Sergio Xavier, after he darted
over to help her.
Carvalho - who is a superstar
in Brazil, with 774,ooo followers
on Instagram - won her first
Olympic gold in 2008 in China.
Four years later, Carvalho
made it back-to-back golds with
the top gong in the London team
event.
Carvalho also won silver in the
2006 and 2010 World
Championships - both in Japan
- as well as bronze in Italy in
2014.
A 2007 World Cup silver is also
on her CV, while winning gold
in two World Gran Champions
Cups in 2005 and 2013.
Carvalho has also won give
World Grand Prix golds - and two
silvers.
SWAN commends NFF
over appointment of
members as Media Officers
The President of Sports Writers
Association of Nigeria (SWAN),
Honour Sirawoo has commended the
Amaju Pinnick-led Nigeria Football
Federation for appointing members of the
association as media officers of various
national football teams.
Recognising the gesture as the first time
in the history of the association to have
such numbers, Sirawoo stressed that the
NFF has further deepened SWAN’s
determined efforts to ensure that only
licensed sports journalists are saddled with
such responsibilities.
Among those appointed are Pius Ayinor
(Super Eagles B), Sharif Abdallah (Olympic
Eagles) and Andrew Randa (Flying Eagles).
Others include Cecilia Omorogbe
(Falconets), Francis Achi (Golden Eaglets),
Faith Meremegbunam (Flamingos) and
Tobi Adepoju (U15 National Boys-Future
Eagles).
Retained are Toyin Ibitoye (Super Eagles)
and Jane Nweze (Super Falcons)
Sirawoo expressed joy that the untiring
efforts of SWAN under his leadership were
paying desired dividends, adding that the
association will continue to explore more
partnership for members’ benefit.
•Messi
Messi reaches
his century as
Barca captain
Lionel Messi reached another career
milestone in Vitoria on Tuesday
night, celebrating victory with Barcelona in
his 100th match as team
captain. Messi started the game on the bench
and took to the pitch when Barça had already
gone 0-2 up, coming on to replace Ousmane
Dembélé on 61 minutes and was immediately
handed the skipper’s armband by Sergio
Busquets.
Messi first captained Barça in the Week 29
meeting with Celta de Vigo in on 30 March
2013, because Carles Puyol was out injured.
He got on the scoresheet that afternoon at
Balaídos but the points were shared
after Borja Oubiña hit a late equaliser. Leo
wouldn’t skipper the team again until the
2014/15 season under Luis Enrique when he
took over captain’s duties for the games
against Villarreal, Almería and Eibar. He
became vice-captain to Andrés Iniesta ahead
of the 2015/16 season and was promoted to
become the team’s first captain at the start of
this season following Iniesta’s move to Vissel
Kobe in May last year.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 45

46 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 — 47

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019
TODAY’S PUZZLE
Sudoku
FRIDAY’S ANSWER
TODAY’S CROSSWORD
QUICK CROSSWORD
THURSDAY’S SOLUTION
How to Play Sudoku
ACROSS
1 Oversees (10)
7 Abbreviate (7)
8 Sorcery (5)
10 Greasy (4)
11 European country (8)
13 Japan (6)
15 Dealer (6)
17 Madness (8)
18 Young cow (4)
21 Intense sorrow (5)
22 Unlawful taker of game
or fish (7)
23 Adornment (10)
DOWN
1 Mar (5)
2 Compassion (4
3 Kidnapper’s demand (6)
4 Unripe (8)
5 Betrothed (7)
6 Amazing (10)
9 Anaesthetic (10)
12 Back and forth (2,3,3)
14 Leisure activity (7)
16 Imaginary Perfect
place (6)
19 Very pale (5)
20 Indian dress (4)
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.
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