15102019 - What Benin, Niger must do to get borders reopened — FG

MINIMUM WAGE: 

Our country will 

never live up to its harassed, 

Your letter to 

promise of greatness 

unless we illegally arrested, 

SGF, declaration 

hand over the torch 

of trade dispute, 

to a new generation 

who possess detained this 9 

Ngige tells 

the courage of their 

convictions 

41 

year — AMNESTY Labour 

Financial inclusion rises marginally to 63.2% in 2 yrs —CBN 

MAILAFIA 

31 19 journalists 

E-DAILY 11 

BBNAIJA: 

OAP Dotun 

gets death 

threat over 

Tacha 

19 

VOL. 26: NO. 63918 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 

What Benin, Niger must do to 

get borders reopened — FG 

•Our neighbours must meet commitments signed several years ago — Finance Minister 

•No imports, exports through land borders — Customs boss, Alli 

•Adds: Border shutdown to enhance national security 

•Nigerians lament closure as prices of food items soar— P.6 

5 

ACQUISITION... 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo here presents the Discharge Certificate for the acquisition of Transcorp Hilton Hotel to Chairman, 

Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu while Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed (m) looked on 

during a meeting of the National Council on Privatization chaired by the Vice President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. 

Photo by Abayomi Adeshida. 

ATIKU VS BUHARI: 

S’Court blasts 

CUPP, says we 

don’t pander to 

dictates of 

anybody 

9 

Nobody 

12 

attacked 

Oshiomhole, 

says Edo CP 

Chained 

children found 

at religious 

centre in 

Daura 

7 

Govt has 13 

abandoned us to 

our fate, parents 

of abducted 

Kaduna school 

girls lament 

ODUMAKIN TENIOLA See inside 

17 18 

600 DAYS IN 

CAPTIVITY: 

Leah’s 

father 

laments 

FG’s 

inability to 

secure 

daughter’s 

release 

10 

Mr & Mrs

2—Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019 — 3


Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 — 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

committed themselves to 

respecting past 

agreements with Nigeria. 

He spoke in Abuja 

yesterday at a press 

briefing on the joint 

border patrol, codenamed 

“ E X - S W I F T 

RESPONSE.” 

He disclosed that 

operation EX-SWIFT 

RESPONSE had yielded 

tremendous results as, 

according to him, goods 

worth N1.4 billion have 

been seized since it 

started in August. 

He added that 146 

illegal immigrants had 

been deported; 317 

smugglers arrested; and 

21,071 bags of 50kg borders. 

Government of breaching 

parboiled rice “Let me add that for the the ECOWAS protocol on 

From right: Chairman House Representatives Committee on Judiciary Hon. impounded. 

avoidance of doubt that free movement of people 

Onofiok Luke; Deputy Chairman Hon. Haruna Isa Dederi and a member of Other items seized are, we included all goods and goods, the NCS boss 

the Committee Hon. Ifeanyi Anthony Ibezi, during the inauguration of the according to the Customs because all goods can said, “when it comes to 

committee at the National Assembly Abuse. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan CG, are 190 vehicles, 891 equally come through our security, all laws take back 

drums of petrol, 2,665 seaports. 

seat.” 

Jerry cans of vegetable oil, “For that reason, we He explained further: 

66,000-litre tanker of have deemed it necessary “We want to make sure 

vegetable oil, 133 for now that importers of that our people are 

What Benin, Niger must do motorcycles, 131 bags of such goods should go protected. You must be 

NPK fertilizers used for through our controlled alive and well for you to 

making explosives, boarders where we have begin to ask for your 

to get borders reopened 

among others. 

scanners to verify the kind rights. Your rights count 

of goods and how healthy when you are well and 

By Emma Ujah, adding that Nigeria’s challenges that brought 

to our people can be 

‘It’s in national 

alive. 

Abuja Bureau Chief interest was uppermost in about closure of the 

conducted.” 

“Go and ask the people 

the border issue. borders are addressed on interest’ 

The Ex-SWIFT in Maiduguri, when Boko 

Meanwhile, the Nigeria both sides but especially, The C-G maintained RESPONSE is 

ABUJA — The Federal 

Haram was harassing 

Customs Service said it we want our neighbours that the decision to close coordinated by the Office 

Government has 

their lives, the only 

has seized N1.4 billion to meet the commitments the borders were in the of the National Security 

commenced negotiations 

question was survival, 

worth of goods since the we signed unto several interest of the nation’s Adviser (ONSA) 

with the nation’s 

there was no question of 

enforcement of partial years ago. 

security and would not be comprising the Nigerian 

neighbours, especially 

right. This time, Nigeria 

closure of the nation’s “Once those discussions compromised for any Police Force, Nigerian 

Benin Republic and 

must survive first before 

borders. 

are concluded, the borders reason. 

Customs Service (NCS), 

Niger, with a view to reopening 

Nigeria’s 

rights.” 

we begin to ask for our 

Responding to a will be opened again.” Col. Ali advised all Nigerian Immigration 

question on the border 

importers and exporters to Service (NIS), the 

borders with them. 

closure, the Minister 

Minister of Finance, 

Borders remain use the sea and airports Nigerian Armed Forces 

said: “It is not forever. 

where the government and other security 

‘People must 

Budget, and National 

shut, till... 

There will be an end to it. 

was sure to effectively agencies to address transborder 

security issues are Customs, 

travel where there 

Planning, Mrs. Zainab 

The government of 

Reiterating the monitor all goods coming 

Ahmed, disclosed this at 

Nigeria is currently in 

minister’s stance, or going out of the He insisted that despite 

the 2020 Budget briefing, 

discussions with the 

Comptroller-General (C- 

Immigrations’ 

country. 

the rights for movement of 

in Abuja, yesterday. 

governments of 

G) of Nigerian Customs He said: “For now, all persons the enabling 

On his part, 

She said that once the 

neighbouring countries, 

Service, Col. Hameed Ali, goods, whether illicit or ECOWAS protocols, there 

Comptroller-General, 

neighbours demonstrated 

including Niger and 

retd, yesterday, insisted non-illicit, are banned must be primacy of 

Nigeria Immigrations 

enough commitment to 

Benin Republic. 

that the borders would from going and coming security over such rights. 

Service, Musa 

past deals, the borders 

“We are negotiating to 

remain shut until into Nigeria at the land Responding to critics 

would be re-opened, Continues on Page 41 

make sure that the 

neighbouring countries 

who accused the Federal 

By Abosade Adelaja & Olayinka Latona 

On FG's plan to introduce communications tax (2) 

The FG is making ef 

forts to shore up revenue 

and improve the 

country’s fiscal health. 

I believe it would carry 

every stakeholder along 

and explain to them that 

this increase is for the 

benefit of all 

Nigerians. And I think 

the proceeds will help 

the masses if well managed. 

i believe it is a 

good idea if properly 

communicated. 

*Okoli N. Blessing, 

Content developer 

Ithink there could be 

better ways to 

generate money than 

inflicting more pains and 

killing businesses. 

Nigerians do not deserve 

this recurrent form of 

injustice from 

government. The cost of 

running government 

should be reduced 

instead of increasing the 

pains of Nigerians. This 

is a bad idea ans should 

be resisted. 

*Aliu Kehinde, Web 

Designer 

This is clearly ab 

surd. In a nation 

where unemployment 

and poverty are on the 

increase, yet those who 

ought to make life easier 

are hell bent on going 

the opposite way! 

Where and how will they 

utilise the tax money? It 

will still go down the 

drain, as usual. Our 

leaders appears to be 

clueless. 

*Dahunsi Olabode, 

Student 

It is a welcome devel 

opment if it will be 

done properly with some 

exemptions. Senior citizens 

and the underage 

should be exempted because 

the juvenile are 

yet to get jobs while the 

senior citizens have 

served and are supposed 

to enjoy after 

serving the nation if the 

government actually 

wants to appreciate this 

set of people. 

*Afusat Agbalaya, Artiste 

The solution is not by 

placing more burden 

on the masses because 

FG appointees and 

political leaders will not 

pay tax, they enjoy the 

booties and the masses 

suffer. For instance, it 

was discovered before 

the elections that some 

aspirants have been 

evading tax and nothing 

was done to curb this 

until during the screening 

exercise. 

*Oluwaseun Ajibose, 

Presenter 

If the FG wants to im 

plement such policy, 

first, we need to have 

access to credit facilities 

as well as tax refund. 

Education and health are 

supposed to take the 

lead in our budget; 

therefore, government 

should empower and 

subsidize production. If 

the citizens enjoy all 

these, then we are set 

for taxes on communications. 

*Olamide Yusuf, 

Property consultant

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 

35-yr-old 

mechanic 

rapes 

10-yr-old girl 

in Benue 

By Peter Duru 

MAKURDI—A 35-yearold 

mechanic, 

Emmanuel Ogbile, has been 

arraigned by the Police for 

allegedly raping a 10-yearold 

girl in a bathroom at 

Obarike Ito, Obi Local 

Government Area of Benue 

State. 

The accused was 

arraigned before a Makurdi 

Chief Magistrate’s Court on 

a two-count charge of 

criminal trespass and rape. 

According to the First 

Information Report, FIR, 

filed before the court by the 

prosecuting Police Officer, 

Assistant Superintendent 

Michael Iorundu, “one Mrs 

Justina Ope had, last week, 

reported at Obi Police 

Division Obarike-Ito that at 

about 7p.m., the accused 

trespassed into her 

compound in search of the 

home of an unknown pastor. 

“She stated further that 

she left her compound 

shortly after, but the said 

Emmanuel Ogbile went into 

the bathroom where her 10- 

year-old daughter, name 

withheld, was bathing and 

forcefully had sexual 

intercourse with her without 

her consent. 

“He also injured her in her 

private.” 

During the Police 

investigation, the said 

Emmanuel Ogbile was 

arrested and he confessed 

to committing the crime 

contrary to Sections 349 and 

284 of the Penal Code of 

Benue State, 2004.” 

Meanwhile, after 

mentioning the case, no 

plea was taken for want of 

jurisdiction. 

But the trial Chief 

Magistrate, Mrs Joy Ayia, 

adjourned further mention 

of the matter to December 

19, and ordered that the 

accused be remanded at the 

Makurdi Medium Prison. 

By Daniel Nkwor 

NIGERIANS have been 

lamenting, as the prices of 

commodities skyrocket due to 

closure of the Nigerian borders, 

with rice, frozen foods and other 

commodities recording 75% 

hike. 

According to traders in some 

markets, the action is punitive 

because a lot of them who are 

doing legitimate businesses 

now have their containers 

stranded at the border. 

Couple abandons baby over N139,000 medical bills 

By Paul Olayemi 

SAPELE—DUE to their 

inability to pick their child’s 

medical bills of N139,000 after a 

major operation was performed 

on her at a private hospital in 

Sapele, Delta State, a couple 

abandoned the baby. 

It was gathered that Baby 

Deborah was abandoned six 

weeks ago by her father, 38 yearsold 

man, Mr. Destiny Uregha, 

and his wife. 

A source, who spoke on the 

condition of anonymity, told 

Vanguard at the hospital that 

“after Mrs Udegha’s delivery, a 

friend was helping out to bath the 

baby when the child had a burnt 

on her navel, which affected her 

health. 

“They then started running from 

one hospital to another until 

someone recommended the 

hospital to them. 

“They took Deborah to the 

hospital and the hospital 

management demanded one 

hundred and thirty-nine 

thousand naira for an operation. 

“After paying an advance of forty 

By Ugochukwu Alaribe 

UMUAHIA—A 16-year-old 

boy, identified as Paul 

Ikwecheghi, has allegedly 

sodomised a 10-year-old girl to 

death. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

deceased, who hailed from 

thousand naira and unable to 

come forth with the 

balance, the husband 

left and he did not 

come back. 

“The next day, the 

wife told someone 

she was going to 

buy something 

along the road 

and did not 

return. 

“ T h e 

hospital’s 

management, 

on discovery 

that the parents 

were missing, 

took over the 

responsibility of 

caring for the 

baby. While 

still trying to 

locate the parents, 

they stationed a nurse 

to take care of the 

baby.” 

When Vanguard visited the 

hospital, one of the nurses was 

seen trying to calm baby Deborah, 

who was crying. 

The hospital's management, 

Baby Deborah 

Nkporo, in Ohafia council area 

of Abia State, was said to have 

been taken away from her 

residence at 51 Emeonye Street 

by the suspect. 

She was paralysed after the 

incident and was receiving 

medical attention at an 

undisclosed hospital before her 

however, declined comment, 

directing all enquires to a mobile 

number that was switched off. 

However, when Vanguard 

dialled the mobile number, 

Mr. Uregha provided on 

the first day of baby 

Deborah’s admission, a 

voice said the couple is 

still trying to raise the 

funds. 

But the speaker 

refused to admit if he 

was Mr. Uregha, before 

switching off the phone. 

At press time, the Police 

could not be reached to 

confirm if the issue had been 

reported at the Police station 

or not. 

...as man impregnates 

daughter in Gombe 

Meanwhile, the Chief 

Magistrates’ Court 10 in Gombe, 

yesterday, remanded 72-year-old 

Ibrahim Yunusa in prison custody 

for allegedly raping and 

impregnating his biological 

daughter. 

Yunusa of Dadinkowa, Yamaltu/ 

Deba Local Government, Gombe 

State had, on arraignment, 

pleaded not guilty to the charge. 

Chief Magistrate Daura Sikkam 

ordered the remand of the 

accused person and adjourned 

the case to November 13 for 

further mention to enable police 

complete investigation. 

Earlier, reading the police First 

Information Report, FIR, Dalaky 

Wanma, the court clerk, said the 

accused committed the offences 

several times between December 

2018 and January 2019. 

He said Yunusa forcefully had 

carnal knowledge of his 17-yearold 

biological daughter (name 

withheld) and impregnated her 

in his house. 

The clerk said the offence is 

contrary to Sections 390 and 282 

of Penal Code. 

The Police Prosecutor, Sergeant 

Bako Shekari, also told the court 

that the Police had just 

commenced investigations into 

the matter. 

He, therefore, asked the court 

for an adjournment to enable the 

Police to complete investigations 

and seek legal advice from the 

Ministry of Justice. 

Some parents of the six kidnapped students of Engravers 

College, Kakau Daji, Chikun Local Government Area of 

Kaduna State at a briefing on efforts to secure the release 

of their children, yesterday. PHOTOS: Olu Ajayi. 

16-yr-old boy sodomises 10-yr-old girl 

to death in Abia 

The price of a bag of rice that 

was sold between N12,000 and 

N15,000 before, now sells about 

N28,000. Also, a carton of frozen 

food (orobo chicken) that sold 

before for N8,000 or N10,000 

now sells for N13,000 to 

N15,000. 

For rice retailer, Mr. Uchenna, 

who sells at Ikotun Market in 

Lagos, the locally-produced 

rice which was the reason why 

borders were shut, were not 

available. 

He said: “We have been 

battling with the price because 

since the borders were shut the 

price kept increasing.” 

A resident, Mr. Ernest, added 

that the pains that arose from 

border closure were much than 

what the citizens could afford, 

noting “government should 

have considered making the 

alternatives in abundance 

before closing the borders. 

“The claims that we are rice 

sufficient have been defeated 

because after the borders’ 

closure, not only do we have 

death. 

It was gathered that she 

identified Paul as the culprit 

leading to his arrest by the Police. 

A resident of the area said: “We 

discovered that Paul took the little 

girl from her parents’ residence 

to where he perpetrated that act. 

“I learned that he consumes 

tramadol. After the incident, the 

girl became paralysed and 

identified Paul as the culprit. The 

family took her to the hospital, 

Nigerians lament border closure, as prices of food items soar 

shortage in supply, but the 

prices of locally-produced rice 

have gone up. 

“If we are self-sufficient in rice 

production as claimed, we 

should by now be exporting the 

product to other countries.” 

A major supplier of frozen 

food, Mama B, said: “To be 

frank, frozen foods are scarce in 

the market now. Only a few of 

us that have it in stock, increase 

the prices. 

“So customers don’t have a 

choice but to buy.” 

while Paul was arrested by the 

Police. 

“The little girl wept until she 

died on Wednesday, while 

receiving medical attention at the 

hospital. The damage done to her 

anus was much. Paul is still with 

the Police and I don’t know if 

anything is going on that case 

because no one has heard about 

it.” 

Contacted, Abia State 

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ene 

Okon, who confirmed the 

incident, explained that the 

reported death of the victim has 

taken the case from rape to 

murder. 

He vowed that the Police would 

ensure that justice is done on the 

matter. 

His words: “The case was 

transferred to state CID last week. 

But if the victim has died as 

information is saying, I will now 

intimate the CID that the girl has 

eventually died and that will turn 

the case to murder and will be 

investigated as a murder. 

“Trust us that justice will be 

done.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019—7 

Chained children found at 

religious centre in Daura 

•Some inmates are from Ivory Coast, Cameroon 

By Bashir Bello 

KATSINA—POLICE 

in 

Katsina State have 

uncovered and sealed off another 

illegal rehabilitation centre in 

Daura Local Government Area 

with over 300 inhabitants found 

shackled with chains on their legs. 

The innmates claimed they 

were subjected to homosexuality, 

tortured and maltreated. 

This is coming barely weeks 

after the Police in Kaduna State 

uncovered an illegal 

rehabilitation centre, September 

27, in Rigasa, Igabi Local 

Government Area. 

Speaking while inspecting the 

rehab centre located in Sabon 

Garin Daura, Nassarawa 

quarters, Katsina State 

Commissioner of Police, Sanusi 

Buba, said the owner of the 

centre, Malam Bello Abdullahi 

and two of his aides have been 

arrested, while his son, Umar, 

who runs the centre, is on the run. 

How we discovered 

the place—Police 

Buba said the development and 

activities of the illegal centre was 

brought to the attention of the 

Police after the inhabitants of the 

centre, on Sunday, revolted 

leading to about 200 of the victims 

escaping from the facility. 

According to him, “this place, 

from preliminary investigation 

conducted, belongs to Malam 

Bello. He has been a Quranic 

teacher for close to 40 years that 

he has been around here. 

“From here he graduated to the 

level of collecting children to 

rehabilitate them, some of them 

underage, while others of age 

brought here by their parent for 

rehabilitation. 

“This Malam, I understand, 

started well and gradually the 

By Shina Abubakar 

OPERATIVES of the 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, EFCC, 

Sunday night, raided nightclubs 

in Osogbo, Osun State, and 

arrested some suspected internet 

fraudsters. 

The raided clubs are Secret 

Underground, Riverside and 

Green Arcade all on the Ibadan- 

Iwo Road of the state capital. 

About 19 exotic cars, laptops, 

scores of sophisticated mobile 

phones and other items were also 

seized from the suspects. 

A statement by EFCC’s Head 

of Media and Publicity, Wilson 

Uwujaren, alleged that the 

nightclubs were known for 

hosting parties for suspected 

fraudsters, to celebrate their loot. 

The statement said: “The weehour 

operation was sequel to an 

intelligence report hinting that 

centre degenerated into this 

unfortunate circumstance. 

Shabby looking accommodation, 

six rooms to accommodate over 

300 people, each to accommodate 

over 40 with chains and subjected 

to all forms of dehumanisation 

unbecoming of any civilised 

rehabilitation centre. 

“The situation became so bad 

that they could not bear it and so 

they revolted yesterday (Sunday) 

and started rioting and escaping 

from this facility. 

“Our attention was brought to 

it and I expeditiously mobilised 

my men to come and seal off the 

facility. And I also directed the AC 

CID to come and get the details 

and effect the arrest of the owners 

of the facility, including Malam 

Bello himself, who is the leader. 

“In the course of the 

investigation, I was made to 

understand some of the teachers, 

who indulged in homosexual acts 

with the victims, escaped. 

“I understand that some cases 

are reported to the Malam. But 

he may not even know the 

atrocities committed by some of 

his aides in the name of teaching 

these people some Quranic 

knowledge and trying to 

rehabilitate them. 

“I was made to understand that 

he doesn’t even accept insane 

people. Thieves and drug addicts 

were brought here by their 

parents for reformation. 

“Their parents bring monies, 

food items and what have you for 

their upkeep, which doesn’t get 

to them. They are being 

maltreated, manhandled, 

underfed, not medically taken 

care of and in this most 

dehumanising situation. Close to 

200 escaped, while about 60 of 

them were left behind. 

“We are still going to continue 

with investigation and all these 

the suspected internet fraudsters 

were organising a night party for 

Sunday, October 13, during 

which some of them intended 

to celebrate their loots. 

“A discreet operation on the 

club had earlier been carried out 

to ascertain the authenticity of 

other aides of the Malam, who 

are implicated in this dastardly 

act of homosexuality and other 

maltreatment will be traced and 

tracked down. 

“So far, we have arrested the 

owner of the facility, and two 

others.” 

Emir reacts 

After inspecting the illegal 

rehab centre, the Police boss 

drove to the palace of the Emir of 

Daura, Dr. Umar Farooq Umar, 

to brief him on the development. 

Reacting, the Emir told the 

Commissioner of Police to 

discharge his duties according to 

the law and that the law should 

catch up with the culprits. 

The Emir expressed 

dissatisfaction with the incident, 

which he said has brought a bad 

image to the people of Daura, 

particularly President 

Muhammadu Buhari. 

He promised to personally 

inform the President about the 

development. 

Homosexuality, torture 

Earlier, one of the victims, 

simply identified as Zahra, said 

son of the owner of the facility, 

called Saadu and also known as 

Dankani, Malam Hassan, 

subjected him to homosexuality. 

Another victim, Fahad Jubrilla 

Mubi, said due to the unbearable 

condition of no food, no 

medication, six persons died in 

his presence. 

He added that two sane 

persons brought to the facility 

developed mental problem due 

to the unbearable condition. 

Meanwhile, the victims were 

said to be brought to the centre 

by their parents for rehabilitation 

from as far as Cote D’Ivoire, 

Cameroon, Niger Republic and 

Adamawa State,among others. 

EFCC raids Osogbo nightclubs, arrest 94 

suspected internet fraudsters, seize 19 vehicles 

By Festus Ahon 

A SABA—SUSPECTED 

gunmen reportedly 

whisked away two school 

children from a private school 

(name withheld) at Izele-Asagba, 

Aniocha North Local Government 

Area of Delta State. 

It was gathered that the 

gunmen, who drove into the 

school premises around 10a.m., 

took the children away in a black 

the information. 

“The confirmation led to the 

mega raid. The suspects are 

currently undergoing further 

interrogation and those indicted 

would be charged to court as 

soon as investigations are 

concluded.” 

Gunmen kidnap 2 children 

from Delta school 

SUV after avoiding the school 

security men at the gate. 

The source, who pleaded 

anonymity, wondered how the 

suspected abductors were able to 

beat the school security. 

At press time, efforts were still 

being made to reach the school 

management. 

Contacted, the state 

Commissioner of Police, Mr. 

Adeyinka Adeleke, could not 

confirm the report. 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Mr. Lecturer, come out. 

Something must kill man 

Do you know the power 

distribution company that 

supplies this area? 

This is 

how you 

know 

church 

bench 

warmers


VISIT: From left, Adeyinka Shonekan, Divisional Head, Business Development, Central 

Securities Clearing System, CSCS, Plc; Tunde Amolegbe, 1st Vice President, Chartered 

Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS; Haruna Jalo-Waziri, MD/CEO, CSCS; Dapo Adekoje, President, 

CIS; Oluwole Adeosun, 2nd Vice President, CIS; and Adedeji Ajadi, Registrar and Chief 

Executive, CIS, during a courtesy visit to CSCS in Lagos. 

Revenue: Buhari writes Senate, 

forwards PSC 2019 Amendment Bill 

By Henry Umoru 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari 

has forwarded to the Senate 

for consideration and 

subsequent passage the 

Deep Offshore and Inland 

Basin Production Sharing 

Contracts, PSC 

(Amendment) Bill, 2019. 

In a letter to the President 

of the Senate, Senator 

Ahmad Lawan, President 

Buhari explained that the bill 

sought to reflect the current 

realities in the oil and gas 

sector as well as secure 

increased revenue for the 

Federal Government to fund 

projected expenditure in the 

2020 and subsequent 

budgets. 

In the letter dated October 

10, 2019, the bill is entitled 

“An Act to Amend the Deep 

Offshore and Inland Basin 

Production Sharing 

Contracts Act, 1999, to review 

the Share of the Government 

of the Federation in the 

Additional Revenue Under 

the Production Sharing 

Contracts and for Other 

Related Matters.” 

According to the President, 

the short title of the bill is “ 

This Act may be cited as the 

Deep Offshore and Inland 

Basin Production Sharing 

Contracts ( Amendment) 

Act, 2019.” 

The letter to be read today 

at plenary today, stated: 

“Amendment of the Deep 



Contracts Act, 1999 the Deep 



Contracts Act, 1999 ( in this 

Act referred to as 'the 

Principal Act') is amended as 

set out in this Act. 

“Amendment of Section 16 

of the Principal Act. Section 

16 of the Principal Act is 

amended by adding a new 

subsections (3) and (4) 

immediately after subsection 

(2) as follows: 

“16.(3) In accordance with 

the provisions of subsection 

(1) of this section -a royalty 

rate by price of 50 per cent 

shall apply for the Additional 

Revenue in the contract area 

of the production sharing 

contracts under this Act. 

“The additional revenue 

shall be determined by the 

product of the volume of 

crude oil or condensate sold 

and the difference between 

the actual nominal sales price 

of the oil or condensate and 

the value of $20 per barrel 

(1999 real terms), at the time 

of sales, provided the value 

of $20 per barrel (1999 real 

terms) shall be determined 

based on relevant US all 

items Consumer Price 

Index, CPI, as published by 

the US Bureau of Labour 

Statistics. 

“Without prejudice to the 

provisions of subsection (2) 

of this Act, the Minister may 

from time to time make 

regulations for the effective 

implementation of this Act.” 

Recall that President 

Buhari had on Tuesday, 

October 8, while presenting 

a total budget estimate of 

N10.33 trillion for 2020 fiscal 

year at a joint session of the 

National Assembly, 

promised to forward a bill to 

amend the Deep Offshore 

and Inland Basin Production 

Sharing Contracts. 

Buhari had said: “In 

addition, we need to quickly 

review the fiscal terms for 

FG engages ICPC to check 

corruption in SIPs 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA—THE Federal 

Government said, 

yesterday, it was engaging 

the services of Independent 

Corrupt Practices and other 

related offences 

Commission, ICPC, in 

fighting corruption in the 

implementation of its Social 

Investment Programmes, 

SIPs. 

The partnership, which 

will officially be made public 

tomorrow at the auditorium 

of the State House, Abuja, 

will also witness the 

launching of a toll-free 

whistle-blower hotline. 

Communications 

Manager, National Social 

Investment Office, NSIO, 

Justice Tienabeso Bibiye, 

who disclosed this at a 

briefing, said the aim of the 

partnership was to establish 

a systemic structure to 

identify, curb and address 

corrupt tendencies in the 

programme 

He said: “The NSIO/ICPC 

partnership, which would be 

formally launched at an open 

event on Wednesday, 

October 16, 2019, at the 

auditorium of the State 

House in Abuja, is among 

other things, aimed at raising 

awareness to garner public 

support in fighting the 

menace of extortion, fraud 

and intimidation in the 

delivery and scaling up of the 

four projects under NSIP at 

the field level. 

“It also aims at stimulating 

thinking and synergy 

around determining practical 

solutions and innovative 

approaches towards 

resolving the challenges 

NSIP beneficiaries (and their 

target audience) face, 

thereby improving the 

implementation of NSIP for 

the benefits of the general 

populace and more 

specifically, for the benefits 

of the poor and vulnerable. 

“It is also an opportunity 

to establish a systemic 

structure to identify, curb 

and address corrupt 

tendencies in the 

programme. 

deep offshore oil fields to 

reflect the current realities 

and for more revenue to 

accrue to the government. 

‘’The Deep Offshore and 

Inland Basin Production 

Sharing Contract 

(Amendment) Bill 2018, was 

submitted to the 8th National 

Assembly in June 2018 but 

was unfortunately not 

passed into law. 

“I will be re-forwarding the 

Bill to this Assembly very 

shortly and, therefore, urge 

you to pass it. We estimate 

that this effort can generate 

at least $500 million 

additional revenue for the 

Federal Government in 

2020, and over $1 billion 

from 2021.” 

•Launches toll-free 

whistle-blower hotline 

“A major highlight of the 

programme, which will be 

flagged off by the Minister 

of Humanitarian Affairs, 

Disaster Management and 

Social Development, Sadiya 

Umar Farouk, is the launch 

of a toll-free whistle blower 

hotline 0800- Call-ICPC 

(0800-22554272).” 

Bibiye said the event, 

which is expected to produce 

positive outcomes that would 

further strengthen the 

execution of the SIPs for the 

benefit of Nigerians, would 

be opened to civil society 

organizations, anticorruption 

agencies, SIP 

monitors and the media. 

He recalled that President 

Muhammadu Buhari had in 

a nationwide broadcast to 

mark Nigeria’s 59th 

Independence Anniversary, 

restated his administration’s 

commitment to consolidate 

on the huge gains of the 

National Social Investment 

Programmes NSIPs, which 

have empowered over 12 

million poor and vulnerable 

Nigerians in the last three 

years. 

Attack on Oshiomhole 

shows APC has 

disintegrated —PDP 

By Dirisu 

Yakubu 

ADemocratic BUJA—PEOPLES 

Party, PDP, 

has said the recent attack on 

the National Chairman of All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, Adams Oshiomhole, 

was an indication of 

disintegration of the ruling 

party. 

It also stated that the fact 

that APC members openly 

took up arms against its 

leadership was a huge 

demonstration of their 

eternal rejection of APC and 

the Buhari Presidency, 

particularly for the ruins they 

had caused the nation. 

In a statement by its 

spokesman, Kola 

Ologbondiyan, yesterday, 

the PDP said Nigerians 

have now realized that all 

along, the leadership of the 

ruling party had on its neck, 

a burden of graft allegations, 

now in the open to haunt it. 

The statement read: “For 

APC members to publicly 

insult the national chairman, 

as reported in the open 

media, amply captures the 

mood of majority of 

Nigerians, including APC 

members, that the APC and 

its government are havens 

for thieves, criminal gangs 

and corrupt persons. 

“The indisputable fact 

among Nigerians is that APC 

has become torn apart within 

its core. The manifest greed 

of its leaders, particularly in 

the Presidential villa, in 

addition to endless infighting 

over positions has further 

exposed the party as a 

soulless mob. 

“The APC has never been 

a genuine platform for 

governance. It has neither 

the predisposition nor the 

design for operable peopleoriented 

policies and 

programmes. If anything, it 

has remained a special 

purpose vehicle for power 

grabbing, hijacked by an 

oppressive and exploitative 

cabal no iota of interest in the 

welfare of Nigerians. 

“Nigerians expect 

Oshiomhole to respond to 

the demands of his party 

members who are chasing 

him around like a common 

tout and for which he was 

reported to have hidden in 

a hotel in Benin City. 

“Is it not absurd for a 

national chairman of a 

political party that claims to 

have won an election just a 

few months back to require 

the services of truck load of 

policemen and personal 

thugs to escape from Benin 

to Abuja?" 

My father not arranging a 

new wife for Buhari, says 

Mamman Daura’s daughter 

FATIMA, daughter of 

Mamman Daura, has 

refuted social media claims 

that her father is arranging 

a second marriage for 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari. 

Daura, who is Buhari’s 

older nephew, is often 

described as the head of the 

so-called cabal that takes 

most decisions under the 

current administration. 

The cabal is said to have 

asked the president to marry 

Sadiya Umar Farouq, the 

Minister of Humanitarian 

Affairs, to spite Aisha, his 

wife of 30 years, over 

constant criticism of the 

clique. 

The rumour was so strong 

last week with the purveyors 

picking Friday, October 4, for 

the wedding ceremony that 

never was. 

In an interview with BBC 

Hausa Service monitored by 

TheCable, Fatima said her 

father and Buhari are 

monogamists. 

She said: “Wallahi, it is a 

lie. It is all part of what I am 

saying about the false 

allegations against our 

father. He is not even aware 

of the rumours about the 

marriage issue because he 

doesn’t use the social media. 

They are both monogamous. 

"Both my dad and the 

president practise 

monogamy. They are all lies 

aimed at blackmailing him. 

They keep falsely accusing 

him. It does not tally with 

reason.” 

Buhari’s wife has taken pot 

shots at the cabal in the past, 

saying those who did not 

campaign for her husband 

during the 2015 elections 

were the ones calling the 

shots in his government. 

Fatima specifically denied 

the insinuation that her 

father was teleguiding the 

president, describing him as 

a shy person who only 

minds his business. 

Asked if her father was 

indeed controlling the 

president, she replied: “I 

think the question should be 

directed to her (Aisha). If one 

would be objective, one 

would understand that they 

(Buhari and Daura) grew up 

together, shared the same 

friends and did a lot of 

things together, so if any one 

is appointed that is close to 

our dad, that person is also 

close to the president. 

"They have been together 

and they do things together. 

Everyone has his own 

confidant that he listens to. I 

think that is the reason for 

the allegations. They are very 

close friends. They are also 

related by blood so there is 

no way you can separate 

them.” 

She swore that her father 

is not the one controlling the 

president.


Atiku vs Buhari: S’Court blasts 

CUPP, says 'we don’t pander to 

dictates of anybody' 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—The Supreme 

Court, yesterday, lashed 

out at Coalition of United 

Political Parties, CUPP, for 

alleging that All 


APC- led Federal 

Government was mounting 

pressure on the Chief Justice 

of Nigeria, CJN, Justice 

Tanko Muhammad, to 

handpick a panel of justices 

that will hear the appeal 

against President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection. 

CUPP had in a statement 

last Thursday, claimed that 

it uncovered a subterranean 

plot by the ruling party to 

persuade the CJN to jettison 

the age-long tradition of the 

judiciary which ensures that 

only most senior Justices of 

the Supreme Court were 

empanelled to hear the 

appeal the opposition 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, and its candidate, Atiku 

Abubakar, filed to challenge 

the outcome of the February 

23 presidential election that 

was declared in Buhari’s 

favour. 

However, the Supreme 

Court in a statement, 

yesterday, berated CUPP for 

engaging in what it 

described as “blatant 

falsehood, misinformation 

and malicious rumour.” 

While cautioning the 

group against “unbridled 

utterances and 

prevarication” it said would 

only endanger the progress 

and cohesiveness of the 

country, the apex court 

HEALTH TIPS 

By Sola Ogundipe 

Drugs that don’t mix 

with food 

You may know that some 

medicines don’t work well 

together. But what you eat 

and drink can have an effect 

on some drugs, too. Before 

you take a medication for the 

first time, talk with your 

doctor or pharmacist to see if 

there’s anything you should 

stay away from. 

Grapefruit changes the 

way certain cells in your gut 

take in and move medication 

through your body -- it can 

affect more than 50 drugs. 

Milk can make it harder for 

your body to process certain 

antibiotics. Minerals in milk 

like calcium and magnesium 

are part of the reason, along 

with the protein casein. If 

you’re taking antibiotics, 

make sure to find out about 

the foods or beverages you 

should stay away from. 

A chemical in licorice, can 

weaken the effect of some 

drugs, including 

cyclosporine, used to keep 

people who’ve had 

maintained that its 

operations are strictly guided 

by the Constitution and 

extant laws, saying: “We 

don’t pander to the dictates 

of anybody or association”. 

The apex court said since 

it is not a secret society; it will 

notify Nigerians when a 

panel is constituted to hear 

the appeal challenging the 

tribunal judgement that 

affirmed Buhari’s re-election. 

The statement from the 

Supreme Court, entitled, 

“CUPP And Its Campaign Of 

Calumny,” which was 

signed by its Director, Press 

and Information, Dr. Akande 

Festus, read: “In the light of 

the blatant falsehood, 

misinformation and 

malicious rumour being 

generously peddled by the 

Coalition of United Political 

Parties, CUPP, through its 

spokesman, Imo 

Ugochinyere, we wish to 

state clearly that the 

association is not and can 

never constitute itself into an 

agency of the Nigerian 

Judiciary or assume the role 

of an alternate Supreme 

Court of Nigeria. 

“We have been watching 

rather cautiously the drama 

of the absurd being exhibited 

on daily basis by this 

association which sadly 

debases our collective 

morality and sense of 

decency as people from a 

civilized and well cultured 

society like Nigeria. 

“Sensitive issues like the 

presidential election appeal 

should not, in all honesty, be 

taken to the altar of frivolous 

drama and misguided 

oration." 

transplants from rejecting 

their new organs. 

Dark chocolate in particular 

can weaken the effects of 

drugs meant to calm you 

down or make you sleep. It 

also can boost the power of 

some stimulant drugs. It can 

make your blood pressure 

dangerously high. 

Iron supplement pills can 

lower the effects of thyroid 

hormone when your body 

doesn’t make enough (a 

condition called 

hypothyroidism). If you take 

this medication and a 

multivitamin, check to see if 

the vitamin has iron in it. 

Alcohol makes certain 

drugs less effective or even 

useless, including some 

blood pressure and heart 

medicines. It also can make 

others stronger than they 

should be or cause 

dangerous side effects. 

Coffee can weaken 

antipsychotic drugs but boost 

the effects -- and side effects 

-- of others. It can also make 

it harder for your body to take 

in and use iron. 

BREAKFAST ROUNDTABLE: From left, Lise Kingo, Executive Director, United Nations Global 

Compact; His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II, Emir of Kano; Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, 

Oando Plc, and Mrs. Bola Adesola, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered 

Bank Limited and Vice-Chair UN Global Compact at the recently concluded United Nations Global 

Compact Network Nigeria, CEOs breakfast roundtable, hosted by Oando at its head office, Victoria 

Island, Lagos. 

19 journalists harassed, illegally arrested, 

detained in 2019— Amnesty Int’l 

•As NUJ, JDHR, lawyers raise alarm over devt 

By Innocent 

Anaba, Gabriel 

Ewepu & Onozure 

Dania 

A 

M N E S T Y 

International, 

yesterday, raised the alarm 

that journalists, bloggers 

and activists in Nigeria were 

increasingly being harassed, 

intimidated, sometimes 

physically assaulted and 

arbitrarily arrested by 

Nigerian authorities simply 

for doing their job or 

expressing dissenting 

opinions. 

At the launch of its report, 

Endangered Voices, at a 

briefing on state of freedom 

of expression and media 

freedom in Nigeria in Abuja, 

yesterday, Director, Amnesty 

International Nigeria, Osai 

Ojigho, said no fewer than 

19 journalists were detained 

at various times this year. 

This came as the Nigeria 

Union of Journalists, NUJ, 

and Journalists for the 

Defence of Human Rights, 

JDHR, also raised the alarm 

over the development, 

noting that offensive move 

against journalists was a 

threat to free speech, 

freedom of expression and 

media freedom. 

Similarly, lawyers equally 

condemned the 

development, noting that 

once there was a successful 

clamp down on freedom of 

speech and freedom of 

information, all other human 

and people’s rights become 

a mirage. 

Ojigho at the briefing said: 

“Increasingly, the human 

rights cost of receiving and 

sharing information for 

journalists, bloggers and 

activists comes with 

dangerous consequences, 

forcing journalists, bloggers 

and activists to operate in a 

climate of fear. 

“Journalists, bloggers and 

activists are facing increased 

risks simply for publishing 

articles and demanding 

accountability from the 

authorities. This is totally 

unacceptable. The 

authorities must immediately 

put an end to this hostility 

towards human rights. 

“Amnesty Int’l has been 

examining the cases of 

journalists, who were 

detained, threatened or 

intimidated over the past five 

years. The organisation’s 

investigation reveals a 

disturbing escalation in the 

authorities’ threats and 

attacks against Nigerian 

journalists who have 

expressed critical opinions of 

the government on both 

conventional and social 

media. 

“In some cases, security 

forces intimidated and 

harassed journalists who had 

asked probing questions or 

expressed critical opinions of 

government policies. In 

some states, authorities used 

security agencies to harass, 

intimidate and target 

bloggers and silence 

dissenting opinions. 

Arbitrary arrests and 

harassment 

“The escalating 

clampdown on the right to 

freedom of expression and 

media freedom is mostly 

perpetrated by the Nigeria 

Police Force, the military and 

officials of Department of 

State Services, DSS. 

“Journalists, activists and 

bloggers face intimidation, 

harassment or arbitrary 

arrests when they seek 

access to information, share 

information or express 

critical views which could 

drive public opinion, 

particularly around issues 

such as national security, 

elections or high-profile 

corruption. 

“On July 23, 2016, Abiri 

Jones, a publisher of Weekly 

Source, was arrested by 

members of the DSS, and 

held incommunicado 

without access to family or 

lawyers for two years. He 

was released on August 15, 

2018 and re-arrested on May 

20, 2019 before being put on 

trial for terrorism and 

cybercrimes charges. 

“In October 2018, 

publisher Ja’afar Ja’afar at 

the online Daily Nigerian 

also received several death 

threats against himself and 

his family after publishing 

videos of a serving governor 

allegedly receiving a bribe. 

“Kofi Bartels, a broadcast 

journalist with Nigeria Info 

92.3 FM, a radio station in 

Port Harcourt, was assaulted 

on June 4, 2019, by police 

officers from the Special Anti- 

Robbery Squad, SARS. He 

was then arrested, detained 

and tortured for attempting 

to film policemen who were 

beating a teenager in Port 

Harcourt, Rivers State. 

“Mary Ekere, a journalist 

with Akwa Ibom-based The 

Post newspaper was 

assaulted by officials of 

Akwa Ibom Environmental 

Protection and Waste 

Management Agency for 

filming them while they were 

beating street traders. They 

also seized her phone and 

arrested her. 

“Saifullah Mika’ilu was 

arrested two years ago over 

suspicion of posting on 

Facebook, a picture of 

Katsina State governor in 

female dress. Even though 

he denied posting the 

picture, SARS police officers 

detained him for five days. 

He was tortured during 

interrogation and forced to 

confess a crime he did not 

commit. 

Raids and demolition 

“In the first week of 2019, 

security forces raided the 

Abuja and Maiduguri offices 

of the Daily Trust 

newspaper, arresting two 

reporters and confiscating 

computers and mobile 

phones. 

“Over the past two years, 

two radio stations critical of 

the government were 

stopped from broadcasting. 

The facilities of Breeze FM 

in Lafiya, Nasarawa State, 

and Fresh FM in Ibadan, 

Oyo State, were demolished 

by state authorities allegedly 

for their non-compliance 

with land administration 

laws. Both stations were 

previously harassed by the 

authorities and were part of 

a targeted campaign to 

silence dissenting voices." 

Journalism is not a 

crime —NUJ 

Reacting to development, 

President of NUJ, Mr Chris 

Isiguzo, said: “No doubt, we 

are concerned with the 

challenges facing free 

speech in the country but as 

a union, we’ve taken it up 

with authorities including 


Buhari, during our visit to 

him earlier in the year. 

"Apart from him, we’ve 

also interfaced with other 

groups, including Nigeria 

Governors’ Forum, DSS, 

Police and the Army on the 

need to put a stop to the 

incessant harassment, 

intimidation and 

clampdown of journalists in 

the country." 

JDHR’s Programme 

Officer, Chinonso 

Ekwuribe, said: Journalists 

for the Defence of Human 

Rights, JDHR, today 

(yesterday) welcome the 

report by Amnesty 

International, which captures 

the horrible and inhuman 

treatment Nigerian 

journalists are being 

subjected to. 

"As a non-governmental 

and media organisation, we 

expressed concern that the 

unprecedented attacks on 

journalists happened under 

the watch of a government 

that came to power with a 

promise to be transparent 

and accountable. 

On his part, Adesola 

Abimbola, Chairman, 

Nigeria Bar Association, 

NBA, Epe Branch (Lagos), 

said: “From public 

knowledge, I know that 

several journalists are being 

clamped down and arrested 

and prosecuted under the 

regime of President Buhari. 

Its unfortunate, are we going 

back to the bad days of 

military dictatorship, I hope 

not. But I want to put to the 

fore that the freedom of the 

press, freedom of expression 

is a tonic for democracy."

10 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 

INVESTITURE—Builder Tijani Shuaib, Chairman of the ocassion; Lion Oluwasanmi Ojo, Past 

President; Lion Ajijola Abraham, President, Yaba Centennial Club, district 404A1, his wife, Magret, 

and Lion Adekunle Adedoyin Adedipe, District Governor, during the Investiture and Fundraising 

ceremony, held in Lagos, at the weekend, PHOTO: Kehinde Shonola. 

MINIMUM WAGE: No going back on nationwide 

strike — Ondo NLC 

By Dayo Johnson 

A 

K U R E — 

CHAIRMAN of 

the Nigeria Labour 

Congress, NLC in Ondo 

State, Comrade Oluwole 

Adeleye, yesterday, 

insisted that there was no 

going back on the 

proposed nationwide 

industrial action by the 

NLC. 

World Thrombosis Day: Experts 

worried over rising blood clot 

deaths 

By Chioma Obinna 

LAGOS— TO mark the 

2019 World Thrombosis 

Day, the Nigerian Society 

of Haematology and Blood 

Transfusion, NSHBT, has 

raised the alarm over the 

increasing deaths of 

Nigerians from a silent 

killer disorder called 

thrombosis just as it urged 

Nigerians to demand 

screening and prophylaxis 

from their physicians. 

Thrombosis, which has 

two different types - Arterial 

and Venous – and 

popularly known as 

V e n o u s 

Thromboembolism, VTE, is 

the formation of potentially 

deadly clots within the 

blood vessel. 

The society, however, 

lamented low awareness 

on the disorder that kills its 

victims within 40 to 60 

seconds of its occurrence. 

Addressing a press 

conference to mark the day 

in collaboration with 

multinational 

pharmaceutical company, 

Sanofi in Lagos, a 

Consultant Haematologist 

Adeleye said this in 

Akure during a chat with 

newsmen. 

The NLC leader, 

however, said: “Only 

favourable outcome of 

the meeting between the 

labour and the Federal 

Government today would 

stop the proposed strike. 

” We received a mail 

precisely on October 11 

at the Lagos University 

Teaching Hospital, LUTH, 

Professor Sulaimon 

Akanmu said patients on 

admission in the hospitals 

should insist they are 

screened for thrombosis to 

enable them know their risk 

and also demand 

prophylaxis to prevent 

complications from VTE. 

Prof. Akanmu said: “In 

Europe, Deep Vein 

Thrombosis, DVT/ 

Pulmonary Embolism, PE, 

events are responsible for 

more deaths each year than 

A c q u i r e d 

Immunodeficiency 

Syndrome, AIDS, breast 

cancer, prostate cancer, and 

traffic accidents combined. 

Sadly, in Nigeria, 50 

percent of the cases show 

no symptoms and most of 

the diagnoses are done 

during post-mortem.” 

Also in a communiqué, 

jointly signed by the 

President and Secretary of 

the society, Professor Aisha 

Gwarzo, and Dr. 

Abdulazizz Hassan, the 

society noted that the 

disease is sometimes 

unrecognized or undertreated 

in Nigeria. 

from the National 

Headquarters of NLC 

alerting us in the state to 

get prepared for national 

industrial action that it’s 

going to be total. 

”But in that letter, we 

were made to 

understand that the 

Federal Government, 

through the Minister of 

Labour 

and 

Employment, has invited 

the labour to a meeting 

tomorrow (today). 

”Don’t forget the 

ultimatum will lapse on 

the 16, that’s 

Wednesday, and if they 

are able to give us what 

we have demanded from 

them, which is 29 

percent increment for 

workers between level 

seven and fourteen and 

24 percent increment for 

workers between fifteen 

and seventeen, then 

there’s no point going 

on strike. 

“But anything short of 

that, we are going to 

prove to the whole world 

that we are ready to get 

what we want because 

we know the 

Government can pay.” 

”Minimum wage is 

not a gift or award. It is 

a negotiated salary 

which was sent to the 

National Assembly as a 

bill and passed as a law 

and assented to by the 

President himself on 

April 18. That makes a 

national issue and a 

matter of law. 

”It is criminal on the 

part of government not to 

obey the law of the land 

which was assented to by 

the Federal Government. 

”It took us two years 

to get to where we are. 

Is it going to take us 

years for them to 

implement it? We started 

with N65,000 and came 

down to N30,000. 

“The last time there 

was an increment of 

salaries in the country 

was 2011 and that was 

N18,000. Between 2011 

and now, the indices for 

determining increment 

in salaries have shown 

that workers deserved 

more than N30,000. For 

example, the pump price 

was increased from N87 

to N145 per liter. That’s 

over 60 percent 

increment." 

FELABRATION 2019: Stop 

celebrating opportunism, 

Falana tasks Nigerians 

By Benjamin Njoku 

L rights AGOS—HUMAN 

activist, Mr. 

Femi Falana, SAN, 

yesterday, urged 

Nigerians to desist from 

celebrating opportunism, 

saying “they have not 

been conquered by the 


B u h a r i - l e d 

administration.” 

Falana said this while 

reacting to the recognition 

accorded the presidential 

candidate of the Young 

Progressive Party, YPP, in 

the last general elections, 

Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, at 

the flag off of the 2019 

Felabration in Lagos, with 

a symposium referred to as 

The FELA Debates. 

The topic for this 2019 

Symposium is Teacher 

Don’t Teach Me 

Nonsense. 

Faulting the public 

recognition accorded 

Moghalu, Falana urged 

Nigerians to desist from 

celebrating opportunism. 

His words: “I think it is 

600 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY: Leah’s 

father laments FG’s inability to 

secure daughter’s release 

By Sam Eyoboka 

LAGOS—AFTER 600 

days in captivity, Mr. 

Nathan Sharibu, father of 

the only remaining female 

student abducted by ISIS- 

WA from Dapchi school in 

2018, yesterday, lamented 

the inability of the Federal 

Government to keep its 

pledge to release his 

daughter. 

Leah Sharibu was 

kidnapped at the 

Government Girls’ Science 

and Technical College, 

GGSTC, Dapchi in Yobe 

State in 2018. 

In a telephone interview 

from his Yola base, the 

distraught father of two 

wondered why the Federal 

Government, which had 

vowed to rescue his 

daughter from her 

abductors, chose to be quiet 

over the matter. 

Mr. Sharibu said: “We 

were very expectant while 

the President was, in a 

nationwide broadcast, 

addressing the nation on 

A BUSINESS DO-EKITI— 

activities 

were paralysed in Ado 

Ekiti, Ekiti State as 

members of Road Transport 

Workers of Nigeria, 

RTEAN, yesterday, 

engaged one another in a 

violent clash. 

the 59th Independence 

anniversary but our hopes 

were dashed as no mention 

was made of my daughter 

who was spending 589th 

day in captivity while her 

fellow school mates were in 

school.” 

Sharibu, however, 

lamented that a few days 

after the independence 

anniversary was the 

International Day of the 

Girl, when “we again 

hoped to hear the voice of 

our daughter but nothing 

happened.” 

According to him, there 

was no call from any 

government quarters to the 

family even for an update 

about the welfare of Leah 

Sharibu who was abducted 

at the age of 14 from school 

along 104 other schoolgirls, 

who were one month after 

released to their parents in 

a very dramatic fashion. 

Leah Sharibu was kept 

behind because she refused 

to denounce her Christian 

faith for the Islamic faith. 

Police arrest 3 persons, as drivers 

clash in Ekiti 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

unfair to single out Dr. 

Moghalu for recognition. 

We should not celebrate 

opportunism. Here is a 

politician, who contested 

on the platform of a party 

and has conveniently 

moved to the APC, and 

they have even given him 

an appointment. It’s very 

big a challenge to his own 

political party. I don’t 

think that is fair enough.” 

Also, speaking in the 

same vein, awardwinning 

novelist, 

Chimamanda Adiche, 

traced the problem of this 

country to leadership. 

While in conversation 

with Yemisi, head of the 

Ransome-Kuti family, 

Adiche decried a situation 

in the country where 

leaders are selected and 

not elected as the case may 

be. 

She, however, advised 

Nigerians to stop selling 

their conscience for 

peanuts, especially in a 

system that is unkind to 

them. 

The violent clash was 

reported to have started in 

the morning around 

Okeyimi area of Ado Ekiti 

while also stretching to Post 

office, Old garage, Ijigbo 

and Ajilosun. 

A report had it that the 

hoodlums freely used 

Cutlass, knives, bottles and 

guns during this clash. 

The ugly development 

was said to have caused a 

logjam on some major 

streets of the capital city as 

some motorists abandoned 

their vehicles and took to 

their heels, while market 

women and school children 

also scamper for safety. 

As of the time of writing 

this report, details of this 

violent clash was still 

sketchy as there were 

conflicting reports from 

eyewitnesses. 

However, in a statement 

by the Nigerian Police, Ekiti 

State Command, the 

Command’s Public 

Relations Officer, DSP 

Ikechukwu Caleb, 

described the violence as a 

case conspiracy, malicious 

damage and unlawful 

possession of firearms. 

He said the command 

recovered some dangerous 

weapons from the 

hoodlums. 

Caleb said: “Today about 

0500 hours, information 

received that some 

hoodlums suspected to be 

Aderiye Adebayo AKA 

Ojuigo, barricaded the 

roads at Oke Yinmi, Post 

office, Ijigbo Area in Ado 

Ekiti. 

“On sighting the Police, 

the hoodlums fired 

sporadically and shouted: 

‘we are for Ojiugo, police 

no road for you.” 

DSP Caleb, however, 

confirmed that three 

suspects have been 

arrested.


BBNaija: OAP 

Dotun gets death 

threat over Tacha 

… TeeBillz apologises... 

•Tbliss 

•Dotun 

Zidiq thrills with 

‘African Mama’ 

Fast-rising Nigerian afro-pop artiste, Zidiq has 

dropped a new single titled “African Mama”, which 

is currently enjoying massive airplay on top radio 

stations across the nation. The new single is his first 

since he got signed to Anacaona Records, an American 

based record label. 

In African Mama, the multi-talented vocal power house 

eulogised the African woman, extolling her physical and 

innate attributes. For Zidiq, it is the sum of these 

cherished values that sets African women apart from 

their counterparts. 

African Mama is unique for its perfect blend of the 

widely accepted Afro sound, garnished with the 

energetic Electro Dance Music tune called Afro 

Electronic Dance Music. AEDM is the height of 

this form of creativity and is the brain child of 

Anacaona records, headed by Michel Dessources Jr 

. The soulful song is produced and mixed by Irish 

producers Brian Sheil and Alex Flood and released 

from the stables of Anacaona Records. 

Zidiq whose undying love for house music 

cannot be underplayed admires the vocal prowess 

of Wande Coal, the energetic vibes of Burna Boy 

as well as the royal swaggz of the Queen of 

House music – Niniola. 

O 

n Air Personality Dotun has 

threatened to cancel a sched 

uled interview with disqualified 

housemate in the just concluded Big 

Brother Naija show, Tacha. Dotun had 

earlier announced on his social media 

platforms that he will be having an 

interview with Tacha this Wednesday 

October 16th. 

“How about if I flipped an almost 

impossible script & make it into a 

“BLOCKBUSTER” How about if 

“TACHA” finally grants her 1st radio 

interview. It is happening Wednesday 

16th 2019 12noon on the Midday Oasis” 

His announcement immediately took a 

different turn as Tacha’s fans, who refer 

to themselves as Titans, stormed his 

page to drag him. Apparently, Dotun 

publicly condemned Tacha’’s attitude to 

her fellow housemates during the show. 

In a post on his IG page, Dotun 

announced that he might have to cancel 

the interview. His words: “You send me 

a death threat over a radio interview? I 

might have to cancel it… This is way out 

of line .. I am done. I didn’t ask for this 

interview .. @TeeBillz323 did cos he runs 

her management, but mehn this is way 

out of line. 

However, Dotun seems to be carrying 

on with his interview with Tacha as he 

shared a recent post on his Instagram 

page saying that the threat is not enough 

to scare him. 

Also, Tacha’s manager, Teebillz, has 

apologised to OAP Dotun over the 

attacks he received from the reality TV 

star’s fans earlier this morning. Teebillz 

in a post shared on his page, stated that 

the reality TV star is out on a fresh start 

and will need her fans to spread love 

always and stop with the trolling. 

Life is too short, 

happiness is too rare 

— Gifty Powers 

… shares raunchy photo 

Reality TV star, Gifty Powers has set social media on fire 

with a nude photo of herself. The former Big Brother 

Naija housemate, who is currently in the United States, 

teased her fans as she stylishly covered her boobs and private 

part in the photo she shared on Instagram. 

The photo was captioned: “ If There’s Even A Slight Chance 

At Getting Something That Will Make You Happy, Risk It. 

Life’s Too Short And Happiness Is Too Rare.” 

Schooled in Accra, the BBNaija alumnus and mother of one, 

who draws inspiration from her mother, returned to Lagos to 

make her dreams happen. She has since featured in a few 

Nollywood monster hits. 

Blackface leaks phone 

conversation with Faze 

… says there’s a conspiracy against him 

Blackface has released an audio of the conversation he had with 

Faze, after expressing displeasure with the later for recently 

performing on stage with 2face. 

Recall that the trio were members of the defunct Plantashun Boiz, 

however Faze performed with 2Face at an event in Abuja. This 

apparently didn’t’ sit well with Blackface who has been at loggerheads 

with 2Face over song theft. According to him, Faze did wrong 

by performing a song with 2face which has his 

own contribution in it. Blackface decided to 

leak a 43-minute phone conversation he had 

with Faze, where they talked about 

Plantashun Boiz, 2Face Idibia and other 

issues. 

Blackface said ‘I know it was 

totally wrong of me to release audio 

of my conversation with Faze but it 

was the only way for people to 

understand #theconspiracytheory 

planned a long time ago by some 

people in the industry’. 

Continuing, he said, ‘I hate 

to do this, but you fall my 

hand again Faze. After our 

conversation you went on 

to perform Plantashun 

Boiz songs with my 

contributions with 2Face 

at his event? When is this 

going to stop? You both 

sound like artists that lost 

it, what examples are you 

both portraying going on 

stage without rehearsals? 

You both don’t sync and it 

makes my hard work 

look poor, please, please, 

please, I no go beg again. 

I just uploaded our convo 

for the world to know the 

facts of what’s going on 

with all 

#theconspiracytheory’.


AWARD: From right, Tony Attah, MD/CEO, NLNG; Dr Nike Akande, former Minister of 

Industries and awardee; Prof. Michael Adikwu; Prof Barth Nnaji; Prof. Alfred Susu and 

another guest during NLNG Award Night, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. 

There was no attack on Oshiomhole, 

Edo CP insists 

By Gabriel 

Enogholasae 

BENIN CITY—EDO 

State Commissioner of 

Police, Mr. DanMallam 

Muhammed, has restated 

the command’s position that 

there was no attack on the 

person or residence of former 

governor of the state and 

National Chairman of All 


APC, Mr Adams 

Oshiomhole. 

Muhamme in a chat with 

journalists in Benin City, 

yesterday, denied 

allegations of an attack on 

the former governor, warning 

troublemakers to steer clear 

of the state. 

He said: “To the best of my 

knowledge, no one had 

access to the house of the 

National Chairman. When 

he came into the state, we 

beefed up security around 

him, from his house to the 

Oba’s palace, from there to 

the airport before he left for 

Abuja. 

“Let me use this medium 

to warn trouble makers that 

Edo State is very peaceful 

and calm. The state is the 

most peaceful in the South- 

South region. We will do 

everything according to the 

law to ensure that the peace 

the people of Edo State enjoy 

is not truncated and any 

attempt by anyone to cause 

trouble in the state will be 

resisted with maximum 

force.” 

A chieftain of the APC in 

the state, Charles Idahosa, 

has described the allegations 

as efforts by unscrupulous 

elements to heat up the polity 

so that evil elements can 

have their way. 

According to him, “the 

state Commissioner of Police 

has come out to state 

categorically that there was 

no such attack on 

Oshiomhole. The state 

government has also denied 

knowledge of such an attack. 

But these people keep 

insisting that the former 

governor was attacked. They 

have brought in other actors 

to corroborate what never 

happened. That is the height 

of spreading fake news. 

“It is obvious that they are 

concocting these attacks to 

get public sympathy. They 

should quit the charade. We 

want to warn them not to 

heat up the polity. The Edo 

State government is led by a 

man who puts a premium on 

law and order, as can be seen 

in Governor Godwin 

Obaseki’s numerous reforms 

as well as other public 

engagements.” 

Another APC chieftain, Dr 

Peter Ologun, said it was 

regrettable that a national 

chairman of the ruling party 

would resort to spreading 

fake news to draw sympathy 

to himself. 

...Obaseki insists on zero-tolerance for 

thuggery in Edo 

THE Edo State 

government has 

condemned attempts by some 

unscrupulous elements to 

cause a resurgence of 

thuggery in Edo State, 

insisting that the state 

government will not tolerate 

acts of hooliganism in any 

form or guise in the state. 

The state government also 

urged the National Chairman 

of All Progressives Congress, 

APC and former governor of 

the state, Mr Adams 

Oshiomhole, to always put 

the state chapter of APC and 

the government on notice 

when visiting so that he can 

be accorded courtesies due 

him as a national figure. 

In a statement by Secretary 

to the State Government, 

Osarodion Ogie, the 

government said its attention 

“has been drawn to reports 

in the media over activities of 

some unscrupulous elements 

attempting to create a 

resurgence of the menace of 

thuggery in the state, which 

this administration has 

worked assiduously and has 

succeeded in bringing to an 

end. 

“On October 10, 2019, some 

hoodlums invaded a meeting 

of the APC in Ikpoba Okha 

Local Government Area of the 

state and this was followed 

by an attack on the Chief of 

Staff to the Governor, Mr. 

Taiwo Akerele, at Protea 

Hotel on October 12, 2019. 

“This development is most 

unfortunate, totally 

condemnable and as a 

government, we condemn it 

in its entirety. This 

administration will not 

tolerate the resurgence of 

•Urges Oshiomhole to notify 

state APC, govt when visiting 

thuggery or hooliganism in 

any form or guise in our state. 

“We have worked extremely 

hard to ensure that 

opportunities are created for 

all citizens to leverage on 

government initiatives and 

earn a living legitimately 

without resort to crime and 

criminality. 

“With regards to the 

purported attack on 

Oshiomhole, the state 

government wishes to 

reiterate the comment of the 

Edo State Commissioner of 

Police, Dan Mallam 

Muhammed to the effect that 

the purported attack 'never 

happened'. 

“As National Chairman of 

the ruling party, APC, and 

former governor of the state, 

Oshomhole is a national 

figure and his safety is of 

utmost importance to us as a 

government. 

"Accordingly, it is expected 

that the state government and 

the state chapter of the APC 

would be put on notice 

whenever the National 

Chairman desires to visit the 

state so that adequate security 

and logistics are made and 

courtesies deserving of his 

status are accorded 

throughout the period of his 

stay." 

PIB: Stagnation hits nation's 

oil reserves —FG 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA— THE Federal 

Government, yesterday, 

lamented that the non 

passage of the Petroleum 

Industry Bill, PIB, since 2007 

for required regulation of the 

oil Industry was affecting the 

growth and development of 

the economy. 

According to the Federal 

Government, the dragging 

of the PIB has discouraged 

investments in the sector, 

thereby leading to stagnation 

of the nation’s oil reserves at 

37.5 billion barrels. 

Speaking, yesterday, in 

Abuja at a public hearing 

session organised by the 

Joint Committee on 

Petroleum (Upstream), 

Finance, Gas and Judiciary 

of the Senate on Deep 

Offshore and Inland Basing 

Sharing Contract 

(Amendment) Bill 2019, 

Minister of State for Petroleum, 

Timpre Sylva, said 

reviewing the Petroleum 

Industry Act to meet current 

economic realities in the 

sector had become 

imperative, as Nigeria must 

boost investments and 

production in the oil 

industry. 

He said: “From 2007 to 

2019, our reserves stand at 

37.5 million barrels. That 

means that we have grown 

a reserve within a period of 

about 12 years by just 500 

million barrels. If you 

compare it with the growth 

between 1999 and 2007, you 

will know that the only thing 

that is different was a clear 

regulatory environment and 

between 2007 and now, it 

has been quite unclear 

because of the regulatory 

laws to govern the oil 

industry." 

Firm demands $285m 

judgment from FG 

Bayelsa guber: 867,088 

persons to vote as INEC 

displays voter register 

By Emem Idio 

YENAGOA — 

INDEPENDENT 

National Electoral 

Commission, NEC, has said 

that a total of 867,088 registerd 

voters will cast their votes in 

the November 16 Bayelsa 

State governorship election. 

INEC National 

Commissioner, incharge of 

Bayelsa, Edo and Rivers 

states, Mrs May 

Agbamuche-Mbu, disclosed 

this in Yenagoa, yesterday, at 

the official display and 

presentation of INEC voter 

register to the 45 political 

parties contesting the election 

in the state 

Agbamuche-Mbu, who 

also presented the soft copies 

to the parties, explained that 

the document revealed 

number of registered voters 

in each polling unit, 

registration area and local 

government areas. 

According to her, the 

exercise is “to enable eligible 

voters to check their details 

and know the location of their 

polling units.” 

She also called on the 

political parties to submit 

names of their party agents 

to the commission not later 

than 14 days before the 

election. 

In his remarks, Director of 

Voters Registry in the 

commission, Iro Gambo, who 

was represented by Mr Paul 

Ayaeze, said out of that, a 

total of 923,182 voters were 

registered in Bayelsa at the 

end of the 2017 and 2018 

Continuous Voter 

Registration, CVR, exercise 

but only 867,088 voters were 

able to collect their Permanent 

Voter Cards, PVCs. 

Deep seaport: Ayade pays 

N200m as compensation to 

Bakassi people 

GOVERNOR 

Ben 

Ayade of Cross River 

State, yesterday, announced 

the payment of N200 million 

as compensation to the 

people of Bakassi for the 

donation of 35,000 hectares 

of land for the development 

of deep seaport. 

The governor announced 

the monetary compensation 

during a stakeholders 

meeting at the state 

Executive Chamber, 

Calabar, with leaders and 

traditional rulers of the area 

led by the Paramount Ruler 

of Bakassi, Etinyin Etim 

Okon Edet. 

Ayade, who was 

overwhelmed by the 

donation, said: “We as 

parties have come together 

to say we will support the 

people of Bakassi Local 

By Henry Ojelu 

Communications firm, 

Interstella Communications 

Ltd, has appealed to 

the Federal Government to 

comply with a $285million 

Supreme Court judgment 

over a alleged breach of contract. 

The Supreme Court had in 

a judgment delivered on 

Dec. 15, 2017 in Appeal No. 

SC 500/2014 ordered that 

$285 million be paid to Insterstella 

Communications 

Ltd. and Mr Obi Thompson 

over breach of the terms of a 

telecommunications contract. 

The creditors had sued 

Nigerian Telecommunications 

Ltd (NITEL) at the Federal 

High Court Umuahia, 

Abia in suit No. FHC/UM/ 

CS/04. Judgment was delivered 

in favour the judgment 

creditors on Nov. 6, 2007. 

In October 2008, the judgment 

debt stood at N23billion 

and $48million and an interministerial 

committee was 

set up by the Federal Government 

for amicable settlement 

of the judgment debt. 

As a result, Interstella Ltd 

and Thompson (judgment 

creditors) accepted N12 billion 

as full and final settlement 

of the judgment debt. 

With the consent of the 

Federal Government (FG) 

and the Attorney-General of 

the Federation (AGF), the 

sum (N12billion) was entered 

as consent judgment 

in court. The judgment 

creditors alleged that the FG 

and AGF reneged on the 

agreement by paying less 

than 30percent of the judgment 

sum. 

Due to the alleged failure 

of the FG to pay the full 

judgment sum, Interstella 

Communications Ltd and 

Thompson launched garnishee 

proceedings against 

the FG and AGF which was 

made absolute by the High 

Court. 

Government Area of the state 

with a token of N200 million 

for donating 35,000 hectares 

of land for the development 

of the Bakassi Deep Seaport. 

“While we appreciate that 

the ultimate beneficiary of 

the port is Bakassi council, it 

is noteworthy to state that it 

is for the good of the nation 

and indeed Africa. The N200 

million is not value for the 

land but a token as 

compensation.” 

Earlier, Paramount Ruler of 

Bakassi, Etinyin Edet, told 

the governor that “the land 

is all yours, it is for the Deep 

seaport project. We have 

given the land, all we need 

is the assistance of the 

Federal Government to 

enable the project come to 

fruition. I am the Paramount 

Ruler and the people 

concerned are all here.”

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 — 13 

MDI PROGRAMME: 

From Left—Director, 

Executive Education, 

Lagos Business 

School, LBS, Lilian 

Uwaeme; President, 

Healthcare 

Federation of Nigeria 

and CEO, JNC 

International, Clare 

Omatseye; Academic 

Director, LBS, 

Professor Olayinka 

David-West, and 

Academic Director, 

Management 

Development 

Institute, MDI, 

Programme, Dr. 

Obinna Muogboh, 

during the opening 

ceremony of the MDI 

Programme 2019. 

PICTURE: Oscar 

Ochiogu. 

Govt has abandoned us to 

our fate, parents of abducted 

Kaduna school girls lament 

By Ben Agande 

K 

A D U N A — 

PARENTS of the 

six students and two 

teachers abducted at 

Engravers College, 

Kakau Daji, Kaduna, 

yesterday alleged that 

the state government had 

abandoned them to their 

fate, saying “it is we the 

parents that have been 

struggling to see how 

our children can be 

released. There is no 

g o v e r n m e n t 

involvement. Nobody is 

helping us.” 

Briefing in Kaduna, 

spokesman of the 

parents, Chukwuemeka 

Adindu, alleged that the 

pronouncement of 

government officials that 

government was on top 

of the matter might have 

hardened the criminals, 

begging the abductors to 

release the six children 

and their two teachers. 

According to Adindu, 

the parents of the 

students had rallied 

round and paid what the 

kidnappers demanded 

but the students were not 

released. 

He said “we are the 

parents of the six girls 

and two teachers 

kidnapped at Engravers 

College, Kakau Daji and 

we are here to let you 

know that they have not 

been released because of 

misinformation in the 

media that the State 

Government was on top 

of it. The government 

said they were doing 

everything possible to 

bring our children back 

which happened only on 

the paper. 

“But we the parents 

and staff of the college 

don’t know anything 

about government 

negotiating with the 

kidnappers. The 

kidnappers are still 

calling and threatening 

us. It is that government 

pronouncement that 

made them go wild and 

said they were waiting 

for the government. We 

were making efforts to 

get our children. The fact 

is that, the school is a 

private school and 

government is not 

negotiating and that is 

what we want to clarify. 

“It is we the parents that have 

been struggling to see how our 

children can be released. There 

is no government involvement, I 

repeat, nobody is helping us. 

“It is only we the parents that 

are suffering and if you look at us 

you will know we don’t look like 

people who government is 

helping. They should please 

release our children. We have 

tried our best as parents to do all 

we can. We did as we were told, 

but up till now, they have not 

been released to us. What they 

are holding-on to is the 

government pronouncement 

which is making them demand 

for more,” he said. 

Niger govt shuts 2,000 private 

schools in Suleja LG, others 

M INNA—NIGER 


closed down over 2,000 

privates schools in Suleja 

Local Government Area 

and other parts of the 

state for operating below 

government approved 

standard. 

Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, 

Permanent Secretary of 

Niger Ministry of 

Education, disclosed this 

yesterday when he 

received the state 

Chapter of the National 

Association of 

Proprietors of Private 

Schools, NAPPS in 

Minna. 

The members of the 

association were in the 

state Government House 

to mark the 2019 NAPPS 

Day celebration. 

Aliyu informed that 

Plateau, viable investment hub in tourism 

industry —Lalong 

By Therese 

Nanlong 

J Simon OS—GOVERNOR 

Lalong has 

described Plateau as “a 

viable investment hub in 

the Nigerian tourism 

industry”. 

Lalong spoke 

yesterday in Jos while 

declaring open the 2019 

Jos International Trade 

Fair which commenced 

on October 10. 

He said the cool 

temperature, serene and 

enchanting beauty and 

other natural gifts of the 

state were begging to be 

utilised. 

According to him “I 

invite both local and 

foreign investors to come 

and invest in holiday 

resorts, game reserves, 

hotels and picnic sites. 

They can also invest in 

entertainment, fashion 

and other opportunities 

that will meet global 

standard and improve 

tourism business. 

“As part of making the 

investment climate more 

friendly, our Rescue 

Administration is putting 

in place infrastructure 

such as roads and street 

lights on major and 

feeder roads in the state 

capital.We are equally 

beautifying roundabouts 

with the support of 

c o r p o r a t e 

organizations.” 

He assured that his 

administration was ready 

to do more in line with 

its commitment to 

providing a conducive 

atmosphere for smooth 

operations and 

partnership with private 

sector under Public 

Private Partnership 

arrangements. 

The governor said the 

trade fair had 

undoubtedly provided a 

window to showcase the 

beauty, people and 

endowments of the state. 

Lalong noted that the 

fair also served as a 

forum for dialogue and 

exchange of ideas 

between producers and 

consumers of goods and 

services. 

“the schools were closed 

down for operating below 

standard in terms of 

infrastructure, offices, 

toilets, water and human 

resources. We have a 

monitoring team from the 

private school 

management board that 

monitors schools both in 

the state and local 

government areas to 

ensure that they operate 

within the approved 

standard. This is part of 

government efforts in 

ensuring we provide 

qualitative education in 

the state.” 

Aliyu gave assurance 

that government would 

address the issue of 

multiple taxation 

bothering operators of 

private schools. 

“I will relate your 

complains to the 

governor so that we can 

come up with policy that 

will harmonise payment 

of taxes by private 

schools.” 

Earlier, Dr Sally 

Bolujoko, National 

President of NAPPS, 

said the celebration 

would provide an 

opportunity for the 

association to examine 

relevant issues in the 

education sector and 

proffer solutions. 

Kwara PDP accuses Abdulrazaq 

of using state apparatus to 

intimidate political opponents 

LAGOS—WEMA Bank 

has signed a multicountry 

partnership 

By Demola 

Akinyemi 

I State LORIN—KWARA 

chapter of the 

Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, has accused 

Governor Abdulrahman 

Abdulrazaq-led 

administration of using 

instruments of the state 

to intimidate political 

opponents and settle 

political scores. 

In a statement 

yesterday by its State 

Chairman, Kola Shittu, 

the PDP alleged that the 

All Progressives 

Congress-led State 

government was using 

the Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission (EFCC) to 

witch-hunt its members 

and coerce them into 

joining the APC. 

The statement reads, “ 

Few days ago, on the 

directive of the Governor 

Abdulrazaq, vicechairmen 

and councilors 

of local government 

Wema Bank partners BOA Group 

to improve trade services for Africa 

agreement with Bank of 

Africa Group (BOA) as it 

looks to facilitate bilateral 

trade services for its 

customers across Africa. 

The partnership 

agreement was executed 

on October 14, 2019, by Mr 

Ademola Adebise, MD/ 

CEO of Wema Bank Plc and 

Mr Amine Bouabid, CEO 

of BOA GROUP in the 

presence of Mrs Funmilayo 

Falola, Head Brand and 

M a r k e t i n g 

Communications, Wema 

Bank and Mr. Brahim 

Benjelloun Touimi, BOA 

GROUP Chairman, and 

other executives of both 

banks. 

Mr Adebise signed for 

Wema Bank Plc while Mr 

Bouabid signed on behalf 

of all BANK OF AFRICA 

subsidiary banks both 

within and outside the 

African continent. Under 

councils in the State were 

invited to the 

Government House, 

where they were 

addressed by a former 

Kwara South senator and 

chieftain of the APC in 

the State. At the meeting, 

the vice-chairmen and 

councilors were told to 

denounce the PDP and 

join the APC or else, 

EFCC will come after 

them. 

“We will, therefore, not 

be surprised if in the 

coming days, the antigraft 

agency drag the 

council vice-chairmen 

and the councilors on 

cooked allegations of 

corruption. One is left to 

wonder if the 

Commission has now 

become an arm of Kwara 

APC. This is the same 

way Governor 

Abdulrazaq has been 

using the State Assembly 

to perpetuate his 

vendetta mission against 

political opponents in 

the State." 

Saraki not a factor in Kogi 

Politics —APC 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

L Secretary OKOJA—THE 

of the 

Media and Publicity 

Committee of the All 

Progressives Congress 

APC, Campaign 

Council in the 

forthcoming Kogi State 

governorship election, 

Dr Tom Ohikere has said 

former Senate President, 

Bukola Saraki does not 

command the influence 

to be able to facilitate 

reconciliation within the 

Kogi State PDP and 

rescue the party from 

defeat. 

The PDP National 

Chairman, Prince Uche 

Secondus, had Friday 

named the immediate 

past President of the 

Senate, as the chairman 

of a five-man 

reconciliation committee 

charged with the task of 

reuniting Jonathan and 

Idris with the PDP 

chapters in their 

respective home states. 

Secretary of the media 

and publicity committee 

of the APC Campaign 

Council, Tom Ohikere in 

a chat with journalists 

yesterday described 

Saraki’s task as an 

impossible mission. 

He said: “What does Bukola 

Saraki know of Kogi politics. 

He never established any 

warm relationship with our 

people, even the state 

chapter of the PDP even 

when he was Senate 

President." 

the terms of the agreement, 

the two financial institutions 

committed to deepening the 

relationship between them 

around the Pan African trade 

ecosystem (trade facilitation, 

correspondent banking etc.). 

Speaking on the partnership 

agreement, Mr Adebise said: 

“At Wema Bank, digital 

innovation is in our DNA and we 

are bringing that same creativity 

to our partnership with BOA. This 

partnership will allow us to 

expand and redefine the galaxy 

of opportunities available to our 

individual and corporate 

customers as we lead them into 

the African continent off the back 

of the new African Continental 

Free Trade Agreement." 

On behalf of the BOA, Amine 

Bouabid said this about the 

agreement: 

“We are very happy to conclude 

this partnership with Wema Bank 

because it is in line with our will 

to always offer innovative, simple 

and useful solutions to our 

customers, and in this case in 

particular, to the companies that 

trust us."


VISIT: From left, Christos Giannopoulos, CEO PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc; Mrs Harriet 

Thompson, Deputy British High Commissioner, and Ms Joyce Folake Coker, Executive Director, 

Human Resources and Admin, on the occasion of the British Deputy High Commissioner's 

visit to the management of the company, in Lagos. 

World Food Day: We’re producing enough 

food, no hunger in Nigeria —Minister 

By Gabriel 

Ewepu 

ABUJA—AHEAD of 

tomorrow’s World Food 

Day, Minister of Agriculture 

and Rural Development, 

Mohammed Nanono, 

yesterday, said Nigeria was 

producing enough food and 

that there was no hunger in 

the country. 

Nanono at a briefing on the 

forthcoming 2019 World 

Food Day with Minister of 

State for Agriculture, 

Mustapha Shehuri; Food 

and Agriculture 

Organisation, FAO, and 

officials of the ministry, said: 

“I think we are producing 

enough to feed ourselves. I 

think there is no hunger in 

Nigeria. 

"There is good 

inconveniences, when 

people talk about hunger in 

this government I just laugh. 

But it is possible that people 

are unable to have three 

square meal. When you take 

into consideration, Nigeria is 

a buffer zone for migration 

for all of the West African 

sub-region. 

“The migration of our 

people in the West African 

sub-region to other countries 

would have even doubled if 

it was not providing the right 

amount of food. 

"The policy of government 

is to feed ourselves. I think 

when the government came 

out with a policy on rice, most 

people were uneasy because 

they were used to importing 

foreign rice. 

“Most of our neighbours 

became a dumping ground 

for some of this expired rice 

smuggled into this country. 

That is the basis for the 

closure of the border. I think 

Nigeria tried to make these 

neighbouring countries 

understand our predicament 

but to no avail. So the 

decision was taken to close 

the border to sanitise those 

stakeholders.” 

“About last week, one of the 

largest producers of 

Nigerian rice came to my 

office and while we were 

discussing he said before the 

policy was announced he 

had about 600,000 tonnes of 

Nigerian produced rice in 

his warehouse but within a 

week the border closure came 

into effect, 50 per cent of the 

stock in his warehouse was 

sold and I can tell you the 

farmers are smiling now 

because they are getting 

better price for the rice. 

“With the recent border 

closure, Nigeria Customs 

Service will double its 

revenue because importers 

are forced to go through the 

ports. That is the reality of 

the situation. If we allow this 

to continue, who is going to 

lose? It is us who will lose.” 

“So long as this countries 

bordering us will not respect 

Nigerian stand on food 

importation the borders will 

remain closed.” 

Emir of Katsina urges FG to 

overhaul security architecture 

By Demola 

Akinyemi 

ILORIN—EMIR 

of 

Katsina, Alhaji 

Abdulmumini Usman, has 

warned that unless the 

Federal Government purges 

and reforms the current 

security architecture, the 

security challenges facing 

the country will continue. 

The monarch, who is also 

the Chancellor of University 

of Ilorin, UNILORIN, in an 

interview culled from the 

university bulletin ahead of 

the convocation ceremony of 

the institution, expressed 

concern that the current 

insecurity in the nation was 

devastating and that the 

government must rise up to 

the challenge to bring peace 

and stability to the polity. 

The royal father also called 

on the government to 

incorporate the traditional 

institutions in the 

reformation and recruitment 

of security personnel, noting 

that the royal fathers in the 

country had resolved to assist 

the government toward 

achieving a crime-free 

society. 

Usman, who expressed 

preference for parliamentary 

system of government over 

the presidential system 

currently in practice, said: 

“The presidential system is 

very expensive, and it 

breeds corruption and 

crimes. 

“A governor steals trillions 

of naira and uses the money 

to create crises in the same 

society he stole from. 

Presidential system of 

government promotes 

lawlessness because 

politicians have a lot of 

money to bribe judges and 

this is making the system 

very difficult to run by 

sincere people. In 

parliamentary system, you 

are elected to be a minister 

and where your government 

does not met with the 

expectations, you are 

dissolved.” 

On the state of education 

in the country, the monarch 

canvassed for a sound 

primary education in the 

country. 

According to him, “it is the 

foundation upon which any 

meaningful educational 

development can be 

achieved." 

NNPC to achieve 40 

million barrels of oil 

reserves by 2023 —Kyari 

By Tordue Salem 

A Managing BUJA—GROUP 

Director, 

GMD, of Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, has 

said the corporation is 

working towards achieving 

the target of 40 million barrels 

of oil reserves by 2023. 

Besides, the GMD said the 

country was approaching its 

oil production target of three 

million barrels per day, 

saying 2.8 million barrels per 

day was achieved last week. 

Kyari, who spoke, 

yesterday, at an interactive 

meeting with the House of 

Representatives Committee 

on Petroleum (Upstream) led 

by Musa Sarki Adar (APC, 

Bauchi) said: “It is also true 

that our production target has 

not materialised over the 

years. 

"Indeed, the national 

target of three million barrels 

per day of oil production and 

40 million barrels of reserves 

have not been attained. But 

what I can assure you is that 

we are very focused today 

and we know this is possible 

and we are taking steps to 

ensure this is realised before 

the end of 2023 because it’s 

possible. 

“A number of interventions 

are ongoing, including our 

elaborate intrusion into the 

frontier basin, which the 

chairman is aware. We have 

just announced oil discovery 

in the Gongola basin and we 

expect many more to 

happen, especially in the 

Benue trough, including 

Chad basin. All these are 

possible, we have very good 

prospects and we are positive 

that the possibility of attaining 

40mb of oil reserves is very 

possible. 

“On increasing the 

production, which is very 

paramount, we are taking 

critical steps and there are 

part of it that legislation must 

come in. Since 2007, there 

was no significant investment 

decision made by this 

industry in our country. The 

highest that was done was 

an increase of about $500m 

since 2007. 

“That means there is 

something responsible for 

this and one of them is fiscal 

clarity. As you are aware, 

efforts to bring the petroleum 

legislation on the table have 

not materialised. 

"I know today that this 

assembly is very determined 

that the petroleum legislation 

is put in place to address the 

issue of fiscal stability 

because investors must be 

convinced that your laws will 

not change, you have a 

stable fiscal regime, before 

they put their investments. 

“I believe that when we get 

our legislation, and able to 

have a stable fiscal regime, 

it will be easier to get 

investors to invest in our 

country." 

Earlier, chairman of the 

committee lamented that the 

nation had not been able to 

meet up its proposed target 

in any fiscal year since 1999 

and wondered where the 

projected N10.33 trillion will 

be gotten to execute the 2020 

budget. 

“In my 13 years in the 

National Assembly, the 

country has not been able to 

realise its revenue target. 

Where can we get the 

N10.33 trillion proposed for 

2020? There is paucity of 

funds, but we need this 

money and who is going to 

produce this money? 

Certainly, it is the NNPC,” 

he stated. 

Farouq takes charge of SIP, 

gets briefing from Uwais 

Maryam 

MINISTER 

of 

Humanitarian Affairs, 


Social Development, Sadiya 

Farouq, has taken charge of 

the Social Investment 

Programmes, SIP. 

Ahead of this, Farouq, 

yesterday, met with Maryam 

Uwais, Senior Special 

Assistant to the President on 

Social Investment. 

Until recently, SIP was 

being coordinated by the 

Office of Vice-President Yemi 

Osinbajo. 

But in his Independence 

Day broadcast, Buhari had 

announced that the newly 

created ministry would be in 

charge of the scheme. 

He said: “Our ongoing 

N500 billion Special 

Intervention Programme 

continues to target these 

vulnerable groups, through 

the Home-grown School 

Feeding Programme, 

Government Economic 

Empowerment Programme, 

N-Power Job Creation 

Programme, loans for traders 

and artisans, Conditional 

Cash Transfers to the poorest 

families and social housing 

scheme. 

“To institutionalise these 

impactful programmes, we 

created the Ministry for 

Humanitarian Affairs, 


Social Development, which 

shall consolidate and build 

on our achievements to date." 

The minister, who was out 

of the country for a UN 

campaign against poverty, 

tweeted pictures of the 

meeting with Uwais. 

“It is a busy week. 

#MovingForward, I met 

with the SSA to @MBuhari 

on @NSIP_NG. She briefed 

me on the activities, 

programmes, achievements 

and challenges of the 

establishment. NSIP 

manages Social Investment 

Programmes in Nigeria & is 

presently under the purview 

of the @FMHDSD,” she 

tweeted.


BUA announced as sponsor of Africa CEO Forum 

BUA Group has been 

announced as the main 

sponsor of the 2020 edition of 

Africa’s largest private sector 

forum, the Africa CEO Forum, 

holding in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 

in March 2020. This was revealed 

during a joint briefing by BUA 

Group, the Africa CEO Forum 

and the Jeune Afrique Media 

Group at the BUA head office in 

Lagos. 

In attendance were the Group 

Chief Operating Officer, BUA 

Group, Chimaobi Madukwe; 

Founder/President of the Africa 

CEO Forum, Amir Ben Yahmed 

and senior executives from both 

organisations. 

In his speech, O’tega Ogra, 

Group Head, Corporate 

Communications, BUA Group, 

said the partnership with the 

Africa CEO Forum is in line with 

BUA Group’s “Africa by Africans 

for Africa” vision. 

In his comments, Chimaobi 

Madukwe, Group Chief 

Operating Officer of BUA Group 

who signed the agreement on 

behalf of the company, said the 

partnership was timely and that 

BUA was pleased to be the main 

sponsor of the Africa CEO Forum 

2020. 

According to Madukwe, “this 

signing will mark the first time a 

Nigerian company will be main 

sponsor of the Africa CEO Forum. 

It is also significant because it will 

be the first Forum since Nigeria 

signed the African Continental 

Free Trade Agreement.” 

Also speaking, Yahmed, 

President and Founder of the 

Africa CEO Forum as well as the 

Managing Director of Jeune 

Afrique Media Group, said BUA 

Group’s stature and active 

participation in the forum in 

recent years made the expanded 

collaboration possible. 

He thanked the Chairman of 

BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, 

for his commitment to the platform 

and explained that the forum will 

keep seeking to identify new 

business opportunities with the 

world’s most influential business 

leaders and build lasting 

relationships with government 

officials, who are looking to create 

strong alliances and business 

partnerships. 

BUA: From left—MD, Relais Consulting, Jean Haas; President, Africa CEO Forum/MD, Jeune Afrique Media Group, 

Amir Ben Yahmed; Group Chief Operating Officer, Chimaobi Madukwe; Company Secretary and Chief Legal Adviser, Ahmed 

Aliyu, and Group Chief Operating Officer, Cement, Finn Arnoldsen, all of BUA Group, at the partnership signing ceremony 

between BUA Group and the Africa CEO Forum, in Lagos, yesterday, where BUA was announced as the main sponsor of Africa 

CEO Forum holding in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in March 2020. 

Igbo leaders keep mum on agenda for 

after the brief statement. 

meeting with Buhari Those who attended the 

By Dennis Agbo 

ENUGU—IGBO leaders 

have failed to disclose the 

agenda for their meeting with 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

scheduled to hold this week. 

Emerging from a meeting in 

Enugu, yesterday, with South- 

East governors, the leaders said 

they were going to discuss the 

welfare of Ndigbo with 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

O NITSHA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari has, 

at last, given approval for the 

rapid transformation of many 

development projects in the 

South-East geo-political zone. 

Minister of Labour and 

Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, 

who disclosed this in Onitsha 

during the Ofala annual 

cultural festival of the Obi of 

Onitsha, Igwe Alfred 

Nnaemeka Achebe, said though 

the zone did not vote for Buhari, 

he still regards them as his sons. 

Ngige mentioned the 

ongoing Second River Niger 

project; the Enugu-Onitsha 

Expressway with the Umunya 

section already completed; 

President Buhari. 

Chairman of South-East 

Governors Forum and Governor 

of Ebonyi State, Chief David 

Umahi, told newsmen that “we 

resolved to see Mr. President 

for the welfare of our people. 

“When we come back, we will 

give you the content of our 

meeting with the President.” 

Governor Umahi refused to 

take questions from newsmen 

Uga/Akokwa/Arondizuogu/ 

Umulolo/Okigwe Higway, 

which is ongoing. 

Others, he said are Enugu/ 

Okigwe/Umuahia/Aba/Port 

Harcourt Expressway, where 

aggressive work would resume 

as soon as the rains subside 

and, above all, the the Third 

Niger Bridge, which is the 

coastal rail line starting from 

Onitsha to Asaba, Warri, Itakpe 

to Abuja. 

He therefore, urged people of 

South-East to thank Buhari for 

his consideration to give the 

zone a face-lift, adding that 

they should give him the 

necessary support to achieve 

that feat, adding that those 

demanding for compensation 

for their lands in the ongoing 

Second Niger project should 

meeting were governors of 

Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia States, 

and Deputy Governor of Imo 

State, Mr. Gerald Irona. 

Other Igbo leaders in 

attendance included the 

President-General of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; 

Senators Jim Nwobodo, Victor 

Umeh and Enyinnaya Abaribe. 

Others were the Catholic 

Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Dr. 

C. V. C. Onaga; the Methodist 

soft pedal and come up with 

minimal demands and not 

maximum demand to avoid 

Buhari changing his mind. 

The Labour Minister also 

urged Ndi-Anambra to give 

their unalloyed support to 

Governor Willie Obiano to 

enable him accomplish his lofty 

objectives in the area of 

transforming Anambra into an 

enviable state. 

Anambra govt 

Responding, Deputy 

Governor of Anambra State, Dr. 

Nkem Okeke, commended 

Buhari for extending his 

development oriented 

programmes to the state. 

He added that with Governor 

Willie Obiano’s administration 

developing all the state roads 

Archbishop of Enugu, 

Christopher Ede, among 

others. 

Vanguard, however, learned 

that the issue of the stalemated 

reconstruction of Akanu Ibiam 

International Airport, Enugu, is 

top on the agenda of the 

meeting with the President. 

It was also learned that three 

representatives were drawn 

from each state of the zone to 

form part of delegation for the 

meeting with President 

Muhammadu Buhari. 

Buhari paying attention to capital projects in S-East— Ngige 

and maintaining security 

network and Buhari 

developing federal roads in the 

state, Anambra would be 

transformed into an enviable 

status. 

Okeke advised criminals still 

operating in the state or having 

the intention to start operating 

to steer clear as the newlylaunched 

Phase II of 

Operation 

Kpochapu 

would not 

spare them 

once the 

C C T V 

cameras 

detect 

t h e m , 

while in 

action. 

We'll lift 

60,000 out of 

poverty by 

2023— Umahi 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI— 

GOVERNOR David 

Umahi of Ebonyi State has said 

his administration has a target 

of lifting over 60,000 people in 

the state out of poverty with a 

profit and capital base of N1 

million each. 

Governor Umahi stated this 

while delivering a lecture 

entitled Preparing Ebonyi 

State for Tomorrow’s Zero Oil 

Economy, during the 59th 

Founders’ Day celebration of 

University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 

at Princess Alexandria 

Auditorium and Unity Hall, 

Nsukka Campus. 

He added that the over 

60,000 Ebonyians will have a 

cash profit balance of N60 

billion by 2023. 

According to him, with 

proper investment in physical 

and human development, 

Nigeria can survive without 

relying on oil and may even 

grow faster. 

His words: “One way to do 

this would be to ensure that 

all revenues from oil are 

applied only to infrastructure 

development. 

“It is sub-optimal for Nigeria 

to be using its oil wealth to 

fund recurrent expenditure. 

This promotes a dependency 

culture that stifles innovation, 

creativity and productivity. It 

also encourages a bloated 

governance system with the 

attendant high cost of 

governance. 

“If we insist that recurrent 

expenditure be funded from 

non-oil revenue, it will focus 

the minds of governments on 

productivity. It will also make 

it imperative to improve tax 

collection, which will in turn 

drive accountability as citizens 

start to ask what is being done 

with the taxes they pay. 

“In Ebonyi, we have started 

preparing, as Confucius 

advised. The journey will be a 

long and difficult one but we 

are laying the foundations for 

sustained economic growth 

and prosperity in our state, 

beyond the era of oil. 

“We have made the modest 

strides we have made in our 

state through a combination of 

prudence, preparation for the 

future and diversification of our 

economy beyond oil.”


AWARD: From left— 

Executive Head of 

Department (Ag) 

Operations, Olumide 

Idowu, Finance Director, 

Oluseyi Olanrewaju, 

Finance Manager 

Treasury, Fejiro Adaka 

and Finance Manager, Tax, 

Yusuf La-Kadria all of 

Vodacom Business 

Nigeria, at the 5th Nigeria 

Finance Innovation Award 

where the company won 

awards for CFO of the 

year and Finance team of 

the year in Lagos. 

No opposition comment: APC frustrated over 

leakage of its plan on Atiku's appeal —CUPP 

•Asks party to stop day dreaming of a one party state, 3rd term 

By Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA—THE Coalition 

of United Political 

Parties, CUPP, yesterday 

carpeted the ruling All 


APC, over the statement 

credited to the party on 

Sunday that Nigeria lacked 

opposition and was drifting 

towards a one-party state. 

The coalition in a 

statement, said the ruling 

party’s claim was borne out 

of frustration that it leaked 

its plan to alter seniority in 

the Supreme Court justices 

that will preside over the 

appeal between candidates 

of the APC and the 

opposition Peoples 

Democratic Party, 

PDP,President 

Muhammadu Buhari and 

former Vice President Atiku 

Abubakar. 

In the statement by its 

spokesman, Ikenga 

Ugochinyere, CUPP said it 

noted what it described as 

the uncharitable words 

used by the party’s 

spokesman, Lanre Issa- 

Onilu, in describing the 

CUPP which had remained 

a thorn in the flesh of the 

APC government whose 

sole agenda is to subdue 

the legislature, judiciary, 

the media, opposition 

members and those it felt 

made it accountable. 

The statement read: 

“Coalition of United Political 

Parties, CUPP, has read a 

statement credited to the All 


APC, that Nigeria under its 

government is becoming a 

one party state. 

“We also note the 

uncharitable words used by 

the party’s spokesman, 

Lanre Issa-Onilu, in 

describing the CUPP which 

has remained a thorn in the 

flesh of the APC 

government whose sole 

agenda is to subdue the 

legislature, judiciary, the 

media, opposition 

members and those it feels 

makes it accountable. 

“The party’s outburst 

against opposition parties 

did not come to us as a 

surprise. The APC has 

shown that it is pained by 

CUPP’s recent exposure of 

its plan to alter the seniority 

tradition of selecting 

Supreme Court justices 

who sit on presidential 

election appeal, hence the 

outburst. 

“The attack by the APC is 

part of the party’s failed evil 

agenda to turn Nigeria to a 

Uromi leaders back Okiye as Edo Speaker 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE 

Uromi Leaders of 

Thought, ULT, yesterday, 

threw their weight behind 

Hon. Frank Okiye as 

Speaker of Edo State 

House of Assembly. 

The leaders made this 

position when they paid a 

courtesy call on the speaker. 

Made up of elder statesmen 

including the 

intelligential, businessmen, 

members from the academics 

and others, the group 

also called on the Speaker 

to extend the olive branch 

to members yet to be inaugurated 

to make it possible 

for them to be inaugurated. 

Presenting an address on 

behalf of the group, 

Professor Mike Obadan 

said: "Mr Speaker, your 

election did not come to us 

as a surprise because in 

your previous two terms, 

you distinguished yourself 

as a reliable representative 

of your Constituency. We 

therefore have faith and 

implicit confidence in you 

to do more in this new 

dispensation." 

The group also 

commended Governor 

Godwin Obaseki for the 

developmental work his 

administration is doing in 

the area particularly the 

Uromi - Ugboha water 

works which it was 

gathered has the capacity 

to serve the whole of Edo 

Central Senatorial District. 

The leaders urged the 

speaker to use his position 

to influence government to 

address some challenges in 

the area including security, 

the abandoned cassavita 

industry which they said 

since it was built 20 years 

ago, it has never been put 

to use, the dilapidating 

state of Esan Grammar 

School and a development 

plan for Uromi. 

In his response, Okiye 

said he was humbled by 

the support he got from such 

array of prominent sons from 

Uromi. 

He said considering the 

fact that late Chief Tony was 

one party state and to get 

third term for President 

Muhamadu Buhari. 

“We want the APC to 

know that this unwarranted 

attack will not deter us from 

continuing to expose all the 

evil plans of this 

government. We advise 

the party to forget these evil 

agenda because they will 

not materialise in Nigeria. 

“Nigerians will not allow 

enemies of the country to 

build a Museveni or Paul 

Biya country here. They 

should stop their day 

dreaming. 

“We also ask the party, 

since it claimed it has no 

opposition, to settle down and fix 

Nigeria. This is the least 

Nigerians expect from them. Or 

are they blaming their supposed 

lack of opposition as the cause of 

their woeful performance?” 

from the area and a pillar 

of the Peoples Democratic 

Party, he was able to win his 

election because the support 

he got from the group 

whose membership cut 

across several Political parties. 

Okiye said the Obaseki 

administration with his redesigned 

security architecture 

would tackle the security concerns 

raised by the elders. 

TGI Distri launches campaign to feed 10,000 

indigent persons 

By Prince Okafor 

LAGOS—WITH over one 

billion people 

undernourished globally, 

TGI Distri, has launched its 

campaign to give free meals 

to over 10,000 

underprivileged 

individuals nationwide. 

This development 

according to the company 

will commence from the 

16th of October, to 

December, 2019. 

TGI Distri Ltd market and 

distribute all products of 

Tropical General 

Investments, TGI, Group 

companies such as Terra 

seasoning cubes, Renew 

Starch, Shine All 

Dishwashing Liquid, Shine 

All Scouring Powder. 

According to the 

Managing Director, TGI 

Distri Limited, Mr. Sunil 

Sawhney, "this Terra 

Cares4Naija initiative is a 

way to reciprocate the 

overwhelming love and 

affection received by Terra 

Cubes & Big Bull Rice since 

inception, by doing our 

humble bit for over 10,000 

Nigerians. 

“Our products are made 

by Nigerians, for 

Nigerians, in Nigeria and 

our watch words are: Food, 

Care and Love. 

“Do we have the power to help 

Nigeria and the world solve the 

problems they are facing? No, but 

we can help to put smiles on people’s 

faces, our products are made 

in Nigeria and with Nigeria materials”. 

Also speaking at launch, Mr 

Govind Agarwal, Marketing 

Manager, TGI Distri Limited 

(Marketers of Terra Seasoning 

Cubes, Renew Starch amongst 

others), stated “The 

TerraCares4Naija initiative is true 

to the values which make Tropical 

General Investments (TGI) 

Group, a responsible business 

entity in Nigeria. Through the 

Terra Cares4Naija initiative, we 

aim to put beautiful smiles on the 

faces of over ten thousand fellow 

Nigerians”. 

Stocks meander on caution over 

trade talks, dollar gains 

T 

HE U.S. dollar gained on Monday as initial opti 

mism ebbed over a potential U.S.-China trade deal 

that President Donald Trump outlined last week, but a gauge 

of global equity markets was little changed as investors 

sought details. 

Oil prices fell more than 3 percent as scant details about 

the first phase of a Sino-U.S. trade deal undercut optimism 

over a thaw in the dispute that has sparked a slowdown in 

global growth. 

A slide in Chinese exports picked up pace in September 

while imports contracted for a fifth straight month, evidence 

of further weakness in China’s economy as tariffs 

take their toll. 

China’s exports fell 3.2% from a year earlier in September, 

the biggest fall since February, customs data showed. 

Zimbabwe unveils plan for $12 bn 

in mineral revenue by 2023 

ZIMBABWE is targeting a fourfold increase in 

revenue from minerals by 2023 but an ambitious 

plan unveiled by Mines Minister Winston Chitando 

on Monday gave little detail on how the government 

would achieve this. 

The policy document, known as the Strategic Road 

to the Achievement of US$12 Billion By 2023, sees 

gold exports at $4 billion and platinum at $3 billion as 

the government focuses on “value addition, enhanced 

investment within the sector, increased productivity 

and employment creation and increased exports and 

foreign-currency generation.” 

However, the document makes no mention of an eagerly 

awaited overhaul of the country’s mining legislation 

that would be crucial in attracting foreign investment 

to the industry. It states that “in several cases 

the companies undertaking the various projects 

have been indicated. Where negotiations are yet to be 

concluded and or where the companies in question 

are quoted on stock exchanges and relevant announcements 

are yet to be made, reference will only be made 

to an investor.” 

AfDB,CIF partner to develop green 

financing instruments for Africa 

The African Development Bank, AfDB in 

partnership with the Climate Investment Funds 

(CIF) has commissioned the Coalition for Green 

Capital (CGC)) to prepare a study on the creation of 

national climate change funds and green banks in 

Africa. 

CGC will identify and work with six African countries 

to conduct feasibility studies for the project, which was 

initiated at the Green Bank Design Summit held in 

Paris in March 2019. The Summit tasked 23 developing 

countries to craft a new model to mobilise and 

accelerate investment in clean energy. 

Andrea Colnes, Director of Global Green Bank 

Development at the CGC noted: “For countries to 

better access climate finance and fully engage the 

private sector, the climate finance system must reorient 

toward national financial capacity that is able to 

channel capital to projects and markets where it is 

needed most.” 

EIN set to boost energy sustainability 

in Nigeria 

ENERGY Institute Nigeria, EIN in partnership with 

the UK Department for International Trade (UK DIT) 

is set to hold this year's edition of its annual Energy Sustainability 

Conference. The conference, scheduled to hold 

from 16th to 17th October 2019 at the Lagos Oriental 

Hotel presents a suitable platform for all stakeholders 

within the energy industry to discuss, share ideas, and 

make valuable recommendations that will enhance further 

growth and development of the sector. 

Under the theme "Energy Landscape: Minimizing Risks 

and Maximizing Opportunities", this 2-day conference 

seeks to enable knowledge transfer, foster relations, and 

sharpen skills of participants through specialist hubs, 

breakfast sessions and various industry specific panel sessions. 

Speaking about the conference, the Chairman of Energy 

Institute Nigeria Mr. Osten Olorunsola FEI said "The 

dual challenge of meeting the demand and the supply 

side of energy on one hand, as well as being environmentally 

responsible and sustainable on the other hand, simply 

means that industry practitioners have to devise a 

means of pulling in two opposite directions at the same 

time". "This is the reason we gather all players across the 

energy spectrum to co-create solutions to global energy 

challenges" he added. 

Reiterating its undertaking to be Africa's leading investor 

by 2022, Emma Wade-Smith, Her Majesty's Trade 

Commissioner to Africa said: "Promoting the merits of 

Nigeria and the broader African continent as an economic 

partner, means advancing one of the continent's most 

prosperous sectors to realize its optimal potential."

Arewa songs of Araba 

THOSE who know history 

will not find it very difficult 

to put a string to the lullabies 

of leading Arewa voices lately. 

Second Republic House of Representatives 

member, Dr Junaid 

Mohammed and former Vice- 

Chancellor of ABU and 

Convener of Northern Elders 

Forum,Prof Ango Abdullahi 

have lately been leading voices 

in the unfortunate “Araba” 

orchestra from the land of 

DanFodio. 

“Araba” is the Hausa word for 

“let us break it“ and the first signal 

of it was during the riots that 

started from Kano in 1953 after 

Mr Anthony Enahoro of 

Action Group, AG, moved the 

motion for Nigeria to become 

self-governing in 1956.How any 

people should embark on violent 

protests against those advocating 

independence and not 

against the colonialists remains 

at the heart of the clash of civilization 

that has stopped 

Nigeria from becoming a nation 

59 years after its eventual 

independence in 1960. 

By the time the bloody riots 

were over, the North came up 

with an eight-point demand to 

return to the Federal parliament 

in Lagos 

It may be necessary here to reproduce 

this programme so we 

can properly to locate why leading 

lights of the North became 

enemies of restricting (return to 

federalism).The North asked 

for the following: (1) That each 

region shall have complete 

legislative and executive 

autonomy with respect to all 

matters except the following: 

External Affairs, Defence, 

Customs and West African Research 

Institutions; (2) That 

there should be no central 

legislative body and no central 

executive or policy making body 

for the whole of Nigeria; (3) 

That there shall be central 

agency for all regions which will 

be responsible for matters mentioned 

in Paragraph (1) and other 

matters delegated to it by a 

Region; (4) That the central 

agency shall be a neutral place 

preferably Lagos; (5) That the 

composition and responsibility 

of the Central Agency shall be 

defined by the Order-in-Council 

establishing the constitutional 

arrangements. The agency shall 

be a non-political body. (6) That 

the services of railway, airport, 

posts and telegraphs, electricity 

and coal mining, shall be organised 

on an inter-regional basis 

and shall be administered by 

public corporations. These corporations 

shall be independent 

and covered by the statutes under 

which they are created by 

the board of experts with a minority 

representation of the regional 

governments; (7) All the 

revenues shall be levied and collected 

by the regional government 

except Customs revenue at 

the port of discharge by the Central 

Agency and paid to its treasury; 

(8) The administration of 

the Customs shall be so organised 

so as to assure that goods 

consigned to the region are separately 

cleared and charged to 

duty. Each region shall have a 

separate public service. 

Those who demand restructuring 

from the South and Middle 

Belt of Nigeria today don’t 

go this far but the discovery of 

oil after 1953 and VAT subsidies 

that Lagos generates about 

60 % and takes home just 7% 

have made federalism an unpopular 

word to hear by those 

who now reap without sowing. 

The forces of 

negotiation will 

continue to push for 

restructuring as we 

cannot allow Abuja 

to continue the decimation 

of our lives 

Re: Banditry, kidnapping not 

exported to the North 

Yinka, thank you for the above 

article . It is a pity that some of our 

brothers from the North often 

come out to distort historical facts. 

It likely that this is the reason for 

stopping the teaching of history in 

our primary and secondary 

schools. I would like the two 

people you mentioned in your 

write up to answer the following 

questions:1.Where did the 

trafficking in human beings across 

the Sahara begin in the area that 

later became Nigeria? 2.The Head 

of State that dipped his hands deep 

into the nation’s treasure vaults and 

had multiple foreign bank 

accounts is he from which part of 

the country? 3.The person behind 

the controversial boxes of money 

at a time Nigeria was changing her 

currency is he from which part of 

the country? 4.The man 

connected with our missing oil 

money ranging in billions of 

American dollars, is he from which 

part of Nigeria?5.The first man 

who forged the nation’s travelling 

document , where is he from? 6.. 

Those who threatened to make the 

country ungovernable for a sitting 

president and eventually did so, 

are they from which part of the 

country? The questions are 

endless.Please, let these our 

brothers from the North think 

twice before making statements 

that can incite people from other 

parts of Nigeria. They should 

allow us to make do with the 

fragile peace we now enjoy in this 

country. Enough is enough.- Tony 

O. Ekwe. 

Re :Taxing poverty Nigeriana 

Hi Yinka, 

I am your fan, but I think you are 

beginning to miss the point. 

Do you believe sincerely that any 

president of any country will 

deliberately allow their country 

which they swore to secure its 

LIVES and PROPERTIES and 

ENHANCE THE CITIZENS’ 

WELLBEING, to go down so 

deplorably within five years? 

No. That’s why I said you are 

missing the point. 

Firstly, Mr President can’t swear 

falsely; he is a devout Muslim and 

a man of integrity, remember? 

Secondly, he is a soldier who 

knows one or two things about 

security; he wouldn’t allow rag-tag 

armies of Boko Haram and all 

kinds of marauders to overrun his 

beloved country. 

I say no again. Yinka you are 

missing the point if you continue 

to dwell on the erroneous belief 

that our president has deliberately 

reneged on his campaign 

manifesto and promise that 

Nigeria would return to federal 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 —17 

FEEDBACK 

The spirit of of 1953 was further 

solidified in the July 1966 

revenge-coup from the North 

against the January 1966 

coup.The coup was code -named 

“Araba” and there was no government 

in Nigeria as officers 

from the North insisted on 

breaking up the country after 

the putsch. It took British and 

American diplomats that length 

of time to make the North see 

the disaster they were going to 

bring upon themselves if they 

left Nigeria for a country without 

resources and unprepared. 

They eventually agreed to remain 

within Nigeria on the condition 

that Lt.Col Yakubu Gowon 

who had seniors from the 

South ahead of him in the Army 

must become the Head of State. 

This desire to sustain the original 

iniquity is why Dr Junaid 

Mohammed would tell a bareface 

lie against the decisions of 

the federalism-inspired decisions 

of the 2014 National Conference 

that were unanimously 

adopted without voting once.I 

recall Pastor Tunde Bakare crying 

for joy the day the conference 

ended and the 492 delegates 

held hands and sang: “Nigeria 

we hail thee!” 

There was excitement in the 

land that a new day had dawned 

for Nigeria prior to the 

“change” of 2015 that returned 

power to those who believe the 

status-quo that has robbed Nigeria 

of its status among dignified 

countries must be sustained 

at all cost . 

Dr Mohammed who was a delegate 

with us at the conference 

now claims that decisions not 

taken at the conference were 

smuggled into the final reports 

by former President Goodluck 

Jonathan and some unnamed 

people. 

This is an amazing claim for 

a conference whose first daily 

business was to look at the votes 

and proceedings of the previous 

day’s business and whose hansards 

are public records. Not 

once did we have any delegate 

rise up to say the records were 

different from our proceedings. 

Of course Dr Mohammed was 

grumpy and disgruntled 

throughout the conference. We 

were introduced to ourselves in 

2002 by former governor of Lagos 

State, Senator Bola Ahmed 

Tinubu. I could not recollect if 

we greeted for more than once 

or twice on the floor of the conference 

as he was grunting about 

as we adopted resolution after 

resolution for the progress of Nigeria. 

He was to later drop a very 

treasonable one last week when 

he said the North would remove 

any Southerner who becomes 

President and tries to implement 

the 2014 National Conference 

report. A very senior colleague 

and one of the best Nigerian 

journalism ever produced 

sent the following to me 

after reading Mohammed’s inflammatory 

comments: 

“Undoubtedly, I have always 

known we are not the same people. 

We are too far apart. The ingredients 

for compatibility are 

just not there. See the arrogance, 

see the recklessness. He does not 

believe other nationalities 

amount to anything. I posted it 

round for those who brought Buhari 

to the helms to see the harm 

they have brought on everybody! 

system of government instead of 

the unitary system former 

President Goodluck Jonathan and 

his predecessors in PDP were 

practising! 

Instead of hitting the nail on the 

head, you are blaming paid 

labourers like Fashola and Lai 

Mohamed who must justify their 

wages. 

Instead of having some pity on 

our dear President and pray 

fervently for him to be rescued 

from the hijacking cabals so we 

can have back our dear president 

who we so religiously trusted and 

thought to be infallible, especially 

in matters of curruption. 

A woman “in the other room” 

once cried as early as two years 

ago that her husband wasn’t in 

charge. But Nigerians never 

believed her, especially Nigerians 

from the South-West who should 

know better. Today, most of them 

are blaming my dear innocent 

president! Why? None of you can 

be closer to him than the wife. 

If he were to be in charge we 

won’t be going through this 

harrowing experience that is 

unprecedented in the annals of this 

beleaguered country. If he was in 

charge he won’t be crying that 

foreigners from Libya and other 

war-torn counties are killing our 

farmers and raping their wives. No 

he wouldn’t be saying that and 

They were warned by our leaders. 

Imagine him calling the 

2014 a fraud. Can any documents 

be more fraudulent than 

the imposed 1999 Constitution 

that even lies against itself? 

What do they take us for? All of 

you participated in the conference; 

we know how divisive issues 

were negotiated. I remember 

Akintola confronting Coomaise! 

They think we are afraid. 

Who were the people who won 

the Biafran war? Was it not the 

Yorubas? No group can threaten 

us. Not at all. See him talking 

as if we are slaves; indeed talking 

down on everybody else. We 

don’t accept their population. 

Nigeria is the only country in the 

world where as you head towards 

the desert the population increases 

and as you head towards 

the forest region which, everywhere 

in the world, is the centre 

of economic activities, the population 

decreases! It is contrary 

to the law of economic activities. 

And it affronts common sense 

and logic. He has even forgotten 

that the Creator is up there in 

His Realm and His inflexible 

and incorruptible Laws do not 

permit of injustice. Where injustice 

reigns the contraption must 

collapse from its own weight. 

Some day, we shall definitely 

have Gorbachev.” 

And as if to complement 

Mohammed, Prof Ango Abdullahi 

has added his voice to the 

Arewa songs of division when he 

said that having taken political 

power in the country, the North 

will not relinquish power for the 

next 100 years. 

He said: “81% of Buhari votes 

in 2015 and 2019 came from the 

North. Though I am not a cardcarrying 

member of any political 

party, I am not sure whether APC 

has any arrangement like this. 

Hence, they don’t have the issue 

of power shift and zoning does 

not arise. It could be right or 

wrong to adopt it, yet the decision 

is left to the party. I think 

it’s something that we have to 

be careful about. I think there is 

nothing wrong at all if the north 

keeps power for a century because 

democracy is all about 

numbers and we have it.” 

It is clear that it’s another Araba 

season in Arewa land but 

the forces of Aburi(negotiation) 

will continue to push for restructuring 

as we cannot allow 

Abuja (domination)to continue 

the decimation of our lives. If 

this child would die, let it be on 

the mother’s lap! 

then goes ahead to tell them to 

register within six months or risk 

being sent back from whence they 

came! The President I knew would 

have known that we don’t need 

extra mouths to feed and extra 

“visitors” to shelter when we are 

now the number one in poverty 

and a substantial number of our 

citizens are living in IDPs camps! 

As early as October 1, he promised 

to make lives easier for our suffering 

masses. But this same begoted 

cabal reversed it within days by 

imposing all kinds of taxes on the 

same citizens. See what I mean? 

He says yes, they say nay. He goes 

this way, they go that way. 

So my dear, stop blaming Mr 

President. I assure you, whenever 

he comes around and puts his acts 

together, he will make the crooked 

parts straight and all valleys shall 

be filled and all mountains shall 

be made low. Trust me. I have 

known him since my secondary 

school days and I am 62 years now. 

Yes, I know he can do it. I know 

this can’t endure. This too, shall 

come to pass, because: “This 

illness is not unto death; it is for 

the glory of God, so that the Son of 

God may be glorified by means of 

it.” (John 11.4). No prayer is ever a 

waste and we have not been 

praying amiss. 

*Patedy Printedge 

C 

M 

Y 

K

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 

Emergency on Lagos roads 

At last, the administration of the 

new Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde 

Sanwo-Olu, has roused itself 

into action after months of anguish 

that residents have had to bear while 

commuting on roads across the citystate. 

On Sunday, October 13, 2019, the 

Governor announced a “state of 

emergency” on roads at a ceremony 

in Lagos House, Marina. The state 

government also signed memorandums 

of understanding with renowned 

construction companies, such 

as Julius Berger, CCECC, Arab Contractors, 

Metropolitan Construction, 

Slavabogu Construction, Rajaf Foundation 

and RCF Nigeria Limited, 

whose reconstruction efforts will be 

complemented by the ongoing palliative 

works being carried out by the 

Lagos State Public Works 

Corporation, LSPWC. 

Some of the critical main arteries 

that will receive urgent attention include 

the Ojota section of Ikorodu 

Road where a bad patch caused a 

truck to tip over recently, Motorways- 

Kudirat Abiola Way, Babs Animasaun 

Road (Surulere), Apongbon Highway 

in Lagos Island and Agric/Isawo and 

Ijede Roads in Ikorodu. In the Lekki 

Peninsula it will also involve Abraham 

Adesanya-Eleko and Lekki Epe 

Expressway, among others. 

Sanwo-Olu assured residents that 

the Lagos State Traffic Management 

Authority, LASTMA, will be on duty 

“round the clock” to ensure free flow 

of traffic and reduce the pain the massive 

public works are liable to cause. 

This is the long-expected cheering 

news. Successive administrations in 

Lagos State have always been known 

for their quick response to major outcries 

such as the scandalous situation 

of the roads. We hope that the Sanwo-Olu 

government will seize this 

opportunity to reassure the residents 

that, with its “For A Greater Lagos” 

mantra, it will not depart from the 

progressive path that made Lagos 

State a shining example for the rest 

of the states and Abuja. 

The question that should occupy the 

minds of the LASG is: Why did roads 

throughout the state suddenly deteriorate 

after just one rainy season? 

The answer is not far-fetched. Perhaps 

because of political distractions, 

the regime of former Governor Akinwunmi 

Ambode might not have 

been on top of its game in the area of 

monitoring of contractors to ascertain 

the quality of work they were doing. 

A big case in point was the Oshodi- 

Abule Egba Expressway which was 

broken down and reconstructed with 

a special corridor for the Bus Rapid 

Transport, BRT, services. This road 

started developing a rash of potholes 

barely three months after completion. 

The four month-old Sanwo-Olu regime 

has already patched sections of the 

road twice yet the collapse continues. 

We call on Governor Sanwo-Olu and 

the relevant committees of the Lagos 

State House of Assembly to conduct 

routine inspections of public works to 

ensure quality control. It will also keep 

the personnel of LASTMA on their 

duty posts and making life easier rather 

than abandoning commuters to 

their fate. 

The emergency on Lagos roads is 

welcome. We shall monitor it. 

DURING the interim 

government under Chief 

Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde 

Shonekan (83) in January 1993, the 

following were appointed as 

Ministers of State: Alhaji Isa 

Mohammed (Agriculture), Alhaji 

Bello Dogondaji (Commerce and 

Tourism), Alhaji Umaru 

Baba(Defence), Professor Ben 

Nwabueze(Education and Youth 

Development), Alhaji Saidu 

Isa(Foreign Affairs), Dr.(Mrs) 

Laraba Daggash(Health and Human 

Services), Alhaji Oladuni 

Ayandipo(Power, Mines and Steel), 

Mrs Emily Imoukhuede (States and 

Local Government Affairs) and 

Yusufu Galadima (Transport and 

Communications). 

In the first term of President 

Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, he 

appointed 22 Ministers of State. They 

are Alhaji Musa Elayo Abdullahi 

(Justice), Chief Chris Agbobu 

(Agriculture), Alhaji L. Ade Haruna- 

Elewi (Communications), Mallam L. 

Tukur Batagarawa (Defence, Army), 

Mrs. Modupe Adelaja (Defence, 

Navy), Dan Chuke(Defence, Airforce), 

Alhaji Bello Usman (Education), Dr. 

Imeh T. Okopido (Environment), Mr. 

Solomon S.A. Ewuga(Federal Capital 

Territory), Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye 

(Finance), Chief Dubem 

Onyia(Foreign Affairs), Dr.(Mrs.) 

Aminat Ndalolo (Health), Chief 

Lawrence Nwuruku (Industry), Dr. 

Mohammed Shata (Internal Affairs), 

OPINION 

Two burning issues 

facing ministers (4) 

Alhaji Danjuma Goje(Power and 

Steel), Mrs. Pauline K. Tallen(Science 

and Technology), Mr. Isa 

Yuguda(Tranport), Chief Precious 

Ngelale(JP) (Water Resources), Mr. 

Garba Madaki Ali(Transport), Mr. Yomi 

There have always been 

conflicts between Ministers 

and Ministers of State and 

there will always be, 

especially when they have 

one Permanent Secretary 

Edu(Special Duties, The Presidency), 

Prince Vincent Ogbulafor (Economic 

Matters, The Presidency) and Alhaji 

Ibrahim Umar Kida(Inter- 

Governmental Affairs, The 

Presidency). 

There have always been conflicts 

between Ministers and Ministers of 

State and there will always be, 

especially when they have one 

Permanent Secretary. This issue was 

treated at the fourth retreat for 

Ministers and Permanent Secretaries 

between 23 and 25 September 2001 at 

the National Institute for Policy and 

Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos. It was 

organised as usual by the Office of the 

Secretary of the Government of the 

Federation. I attended the retreat. In 

a paper presented by the then 

Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs, 

office of the Secretary to the 

Government of the Federation, Dr. 

Hakeem Baba Ahmed, he pleaded for 

restraint among Ministers and 

Ministers of State. In the paper, he 

said: “Ministers must acquaint 

themselves thoroughly with the rules, 

regulations and objectives of the public 

service as an institutions, including its 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

strengths and weaknesses; educate 

and sensitise the top echelons of the 

service on the essentials of their 

mandate, including general and 

specific goals; demonstrate the highest 

standards of personal and official 

integrity, competence and leadership 

qualities in dealing with all levels of 

civil servants; cultivate an environment 

which accords respect for the civil 

servant, his profession, and concern 

for his welfare and the security of his 

job. Conversely, the Ministers need to 

ensure they do not operate, or seek to 

achieve goals and targets outside the 

established framework of the Public 

Service, or to do so through a selective 

approach to conformity with rules and 

regulations, or by showing ignorance 

and/ or contempt of the service, or 

isolate the top echelons of the Civil 

Service from a full appreciation and 

understanding of the demands of their 

political mandate as well as the 

collective goals of the leadership; 

compromise, in personal or official 

conduct, the extremely high moral and 

ethical standards of the present 

leadership, or show incompetence in 

managing the demands of their offices, 

or disrespect for fair play and justice 

in their relations with civil servants and 

demonstrate contempt or disrespect for 

civil servants, their professionalism, 

welfare or security”. 

In a communique issued at the end 

of the retreat, it was adopted that both 

Ministers and Minsters of State 

must Concluded work together as a team. 

They both need each other.

Financial inclusion rises marginally to 63.2% in 

two yrs -CBN *As financially excluded population drops to 36.6m 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

Rate of financial inclusion in 

Nigeria rose marginally by 

4.4 percentage points to 63.2 

percent in two years to 2018, 

from 58.4 percent in 2016, a 

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 

report shows. 

The data contained in the "Annual 

Financial Inclusion Report", 

(2016-2018) also indicated 

that the number of financially 

excluded adults dropped by 

9.0 percent to 36.6 million from 

40.1 million during the period. 

The report stated: “After a dip 

in the financial inclusion headline 

number in 2016, the biannual 

financial inclusion survey 

number shows a marginal increase 

from 58.4 percent in year 

2016 to 63.2 percent in 2018. 

“The measurement also disaggregated 

financial inclusion 

data on state-by-state level for 

the first time. While the data 

showed significant improvement 

in the North West and 

North East zones, the two zones 

remained more dis-proportionally 

excluded than any other 

zone at 62 percent and 55 percent 

exclusion rates respectively. 

The Southwest remained the 

only region to have surpassed 

the targeted 20 percent exclusion 

rate by 2020, with 19 percent 

exclusion rate recorded in 

2018. 

“Between 2016 and 2018, 

banked population increased 

slightly from 38.3 percent to 39.6 

percent (which translates to an 

increase of 1.3 percentage 

points). 

“Excluded population also 

dropped slightly from 41.6 percent 

in 2016 to 36.8 percent in 

2018 (representing 4.81 percentage 

point growth). 

“On the gender gap, female 

exclusion rate dropped by 5.7 

percentage points (46.6 percent 

in 2016 versus 40.9 per cent in 

2018), while male exclusion 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$ 93.35 -2.10 

$2,450.00 43.00 

$12.37 - 0.04 

$58.55 0.23 

$53.06 0.47 

305.95 306.45 306.95 

374.391 375.0029 375.6147 

337.3711 337.9224 338.4738 

308.1688 308.6724 309.1761 

2.846 2.8507 2.8553 

0.4931 0.5031 0.5131 

417.2203 417.9022 418.584 

42.9382 43.0089 43.0795 

81.5606 81.6939 81.8271 

417.8359 418.5188 419.2016 

45.1613 45.2351 45.3089 

20.1814 20.2144 20.2474 

CBN Exchange rate as at 10/10/2019 

From left: Mr. Ashish Bakhshi, Head of Markets (Ernst & Young, EY West Africa), Mr. 

Henry Egbiki, Regional Managing Partner for West Africa (EY); Mrs. Tokunbo Uko of 

EcoBank; and Mr.Roderick Wolfenden, Head of Markets (EY Africa) at the official launch 

of EY Africa Attractiveness Survey Report 2019, held in Lagos 

rate dropped by 4.3 percentage 

points (36.8 percent in 2016 

versus 32.5 percent in 2018). 

The foregoing statistics are 

moderate progress the country 

has made in 2 years.” 

The Nigerian National Financial 

Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) 

was launched on October 23, 

2012. The aim was to reduce the 

percentage of adult Nigerians 

who do not have access to financial 

services from 46.3 percent 

in 2010 to 20 percent in 

2020. In addition, the strategy 

stipulates that 70 percent of 

those to be included in the financial 

system by 2020 should 

be in the formal sector. 

The regulator noted that despite 

the progress in financial 

inclusion during the period, indicators 

showed that the actual 

performances across all indicators 

were below the target for 

2018. It stated: “For instance, 

the planned target for payments 

penetration for 2018 was 63.2 

percent, but the actual target is 

36.2 percent. 

“Actual targets were also less 

than planned target across all 

ABCON calls for downward review of cashless 

processing fees 

By Babajide Komolafe 

The Association of Bureaux De 

Change Operators (ABCON) 

has called for a downward review 

of the cash processing fees 

introduced by the Central 

Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 

under the cashless policy. 

The Association made 

this call in the ABCON 

Quarterly Economic Review 

for third quarter of 

the year (Q3’19), stressing 

that though the objective 

of the policy is laudable, 

the cash processing fees 

will have severe impact 

on small businesses across 

the country. 

The Association said: 

“The policy stipulates 

three percent processing 

fees for withdrawals and 

two percent processing 

fees for lodgments of 

amounts above N500,000 

for individual accounts 

while corporate accounts 

would attract five percent 

processing fees for withdrawals 

and three percent 

processing fees for lodgments 

of amounts above 

N3,000,000. 

“While the objectives of 

the policy are quite laudable 

and developmental in nature, 

a major observation is the consequent 

effect on small and medium 

scale business circles in Nigeria 

where business confidence is still 

largely low. Because of this, a good 

volume of businesses are still largely 

in cash especially in the rural 

areas. Thus due to the likely negative 

effects in this critical segment 

of the economy, we have recommended 

a lower processing fees 

of between 0.5% to 0.75% and 1% 

to 1.25% for individual and business 

account holders respectively. 

“The impact on the general economic 

performance and compliance 

to cashless policy would be 

observed and analyzed for further 

amendments.” 

ABCON also cautioned against 

the proposed increase in the Value 

Added Tax (VAT) to 7.2 percent 

from 5.0 percent, insisting that the 

increase will lead to more unemployment 

and poverty in the country. 

The Association also faulted the 

move to expand the VAT net while 

also increasing VAT rate at the 

same time, as a conflicting strategy 

İt stated: “The immediate implication 

is that every Nigerian will 

either directly or indirectly be affected 

by the whopping 50% in- 


products categories. The statics 

is similar for the channel indicators. 

Actual achievement of 

Commercial Bank branches per 

100,000 customers was 4.8, 

which is 2.7 less than the target 

of 7.5. Actual achieved for 

Automated Teller Machines 

(ATMs), Point of Sale (POS) 

and Agents are all less than 

planned. While total number of 

registered Bank Verification 

Number (BVN) increased by 15 

percent when compared to 

2017, savings in formal institutions 

declined by 13.3 percent”. 

*Says VAT increase will aggravate unemployment, 

poverty 

crease in VAT. The average VAT 

collection in the past six years is 

about N900 billion. The revenue 

is shared 15% to the federal government, 

50% to states and 35% to 

LGs net of 4% cost of collection to 

FIRS." 

DMO lists N15bn green bond on NSE 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

The Debt Management Of 

fice, DMO, has listed Federal 

Government of Nigeria 

(FGN) N15billion Green Bond 

on the official list of the Nigerian 

Stock Exchange, NSE. 

The 7-year green bond issued 

at coupon rate of 14.50% on 

June 13, 2019 is due to mature 

on June 13, 2026. 

The Series II green bond issued 

to finance renewable energy, 

afforestation, and transportation 

projects, followed the 

debut Sovereign N10.69 billion 

green bond that was issued in 

December 2017 and listed on 

the NSE in July 2018. 

Commenting on the listing 

yesterday, Mr Jude Chiemeka, 

Head, Trading Business Division, 

NSE, said, “We are 

pleased to admit the Series II 

Olam pays 

N120bn to 

acquire Dangote 

Flour Mills 

By Peter Egwuatu 

Shareholders of Dangote 

Flour Mills Plc (DFM), yesterday, 

unanimously approved the 

acquisition of the company by 

Crown Flour Mills Limited, the 

Nigerian subsidiary of the global 

food and agri-business conglomerate, 

Olam International Limited, 

after a whopping payment of 

N120 billion to the shareholders. 

Olam International has made an 

offer for the acquisition of 100 percent 

equity in Dangote Flour Mills 

Plc for a consideration of N24.00 

per share. The acquisition was carried 

out through a Scheme of Arrangement. 

Most of the shareholders 

who spoke at the meeting lauded 

the company’s management for 

the noble decision, describing it as 

one, in the best interest of the shareholders. 

Nonah Awoh, a shareholder 

activist, thanked the Management 

on the offer of N24 per 

share and reminded other shareholders 

that the last time the share 

price of the company increased significantly 

to N20 per share was in 

the year 2010. 

Another leader of the shareholders 

group, Mr. Boniface Solomon, 

described the deal as a very good 

one for the shareholders. He said 

the stock has really been struggling 

in view of the current realities 

in the nation’s economy, stating 

that the N24 per share is indeed 

a good price for his members. 

Managing Director of Crown 

Flour Mills Limited, Anurag Shukia 

said his company intends to 

maintain and expand DFM’s business 

as well as provide enhanced 

manufacturing capacity and create 

synergies to deliver improved 

products to customers across the 

country. “With the acquisition, the 

entire 4,994,886,771 ordinary 

shares of 50 kobo each in DFM 

held by the scheme shareholders 

of the company will be transferred 

to Crown Flour. The N24 per share 

that will be given to the shareholders 

for 50 kobo shares held represents 

a 124 per cent premium on 

the share price of DFM as at the 

close of April 18, 2019 being the 

last business day prior to the date 

the proposal was received and announced 

on the floor of the Exchange; 

and a 145 percent premium 

on the three-month weighted 

average share price of the company 

as at 18 April, 2019.” 

Explaining the benefits of the 

acquisition, he said: “The benefits 

to the shareholders include but not 

limited to: opportunities for shareholders 

of DFM, other than Crown 

Flour, to enhance the value of their 

investment in the company and exit 

at an attractive pricing. 

FGN Green Bond to our Green 

and Sustainable Bond Market. 

Our collaboration with the Ministry 

of Environment (MOE) 

and the DMO on deepening 

the green bond market, which 

dates back to 2016, reinforces 

the Exchange’s commitment to 

position Nigeria as a financial 

center for green and sustainable 

financing. The recent partnership 

with the Luxembourg 

Stock Exchange (LuxSE) further 

demonstrates NSE’s passion 

to provide enabling environment 

for issuers and investors 

in the Nigerian capital 

market. The Exchange will continue 

to work with key stakeholders 

in transitioning to a 

low-carbon and sustainable 

economy as well as develop innovative 

products and services 

in close collaboration with the 

market”.


Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019—21

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019—21


Furore over Buhari’s 2020 health budget proposal 

.Less than N300 allocated for each Nigerian; Stakeholders predict doom in healthcare sector 

LAST week, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

proposed a capital 

expenditure of N46 billion 

for the Ministry of Health 

in the 2020 appropriation 

budget submitted to the 

joint session of the 

National Assembly in 

Abuja. The proposal is N4 

billion and N10 billion 

short of the 2019 and 2018 

capital expenditures 

respectively. The President 

also proposed N44.5 billion 

for the Basic Health 

Provision Fund, BHCPF - 

a fundamental healthcare 

funding provided by the 

National Health Act, first 

introduced into the 

National budget in 2018. 

An examination of the 

2020 budgetary proposal 

shows that health is 11th 

on the hierarchy, trailing 

a number of less fancied 

Ministries. 

From an aggregate 

expenditure of N10.33 

trillion for the 2020 budget, 

the allocation to health is 

a paltry 0.4 percent which 

is a far cry from the 2001 

Abuja Declaration target 

of 15 per cent. 

For decades, health 

watchers have decried the 

abysmal budgetary 

allocation, bedevilled by 

late release or non-release 

and poor implementation 

which have led to Nigeria 

having one of the worst 

maternal, infant and 

Under-5 health statistics 

in the world. Good Health 

Weekly team, Sola 

Ogundipe, Chioma 

Obinna and Gabriel 

Olawale spoke to major 

stakeholders in the health 

sector. Thy bare their 

minds on their fears, 

worries, disappointments 

and expectations. 

Excerpts: 

I see doom about access 

to healthcare 

— Dr Casmir,Publicity 

Secretary, AMLSN 

In the views of the 

Publicity Secretary, 

Association of Medical 

Laboratory Scientists, 

AMLSN, Dr. Casmir 

Ifeanyi said: 

“The proposed allocation for 

health in the 2020 budget is 

inadequate. What we need to 

look at is the Abuja AU 

declaration for funding to 

health sector, That N46 billion 

does not represent that. We 

also need to avert our mind to 

what percent of N10.3 trillion 

that the N46 billion represents 

and if you look at it, you will 

see that 10 percent of 10 trillion 

is 1 trillion, that simply means 

that 46 billion is less than 10 

percent of 10 trillion, and 

therefore it can rightly be said 

that in fact 0.4 percent of 10 

trillion, that is very abysmal. 

That is nothing near to AU 

L-R: National Pubility Secretary, AMLSN, Dr Casmir Ifeanyi; President PSN, Pharm. Sam Ohuabunwa; President, NMA Dr Francis 

Faduyile and the National President, Association of General Private Nurses Practitioners of Nigeria, Balogun Ajiboye. 

declaration which was done 

in Abuja to encourage 

countries to make 16 percent 

of their budget available to 

health sector, if out of N10 

trillion we are only 

appropriating N46 billion, for 

a population said to be over 

200 million people, that is 

shameful, and speaks 

volumes as to how Nigerians’ 

health is being valued 

particularly by the present 

government. 

This is the government that 

promises to put an end to 

medical tourism, unfortunately 

the head of government 

continue to engage in medical 

tourism, now in the budget we 

cannot find provision to 

support the end to medical 

tourism. 

In the build up to this 

budget, Nigerians were told, 

even though it was done 

secretly, that about 20 federal 

health institutions had been in 

concession for PPP, nobody is 

discussing that, I think that is 

the reason why they are 

making paltry allocation in the 

2020 budget, having 

concluded a deal through the 

ICRC to filter away health 

services at the tertiary health 

institution, where over 20, and 

they call it pilot study into the 

hand of private people, if you 

take away the health of our 

people and hand it over to 

capitalist I see danger, I see 

doom, I am worried about 

access, the whole campaign 

about access to health, 

availability of health service, 

universal coverage begins to 

border me, if you divide N46 

billion, with 200 million, that 

simply means that our 

government is allocating just 

a little over N200 for the health 

of every Nigerian walking the 

street. 

That is very discouraging, it 

is terrible that we have come 

down. Almost N300 billion is 

provided for work, what we 

expect is a similar provision for 

health sector and education, 

these are critical areas but not 

up to health sector. 

It is after health sector that 

you can talk about 

infrastructure and education, 

you have to be alive to do other 

things. I here appeal to the 

National Assembly, led by Dr. 

Ahmed Lawal, and 

Gbajabiamila, to do the 

needful. They have been 

perceived as people's 

assembly, we want to urge 

them to prevail on the 

Executive to revisit this paltry 

allocation to health sector and 

make it up so that we can 

revive the sector and curtail 

medical tourism. 

Nigerians also need to resist 

the concession of our health 

system into private hands, that 

PPP template in health sector. 

It is robbing Peter to pay Paul.” 

It is a huge misnomer 

— Adeniran, Chairman 

PSN Lagos State 

In her submission, 

Chairman, Lagos State 

Pharmaceutical Society of 

Nigeria, PSN, Pharm. Bola 

Adeniran said: The N46 

billion capital budget for the 

health sector is a huge 

misnomer as it represents less 

than 1 percent of the N10.3 

trillion budget. Some of the 

realities are that for the 5th time 

running, the Federal 

government has not factored 

the 1 percent Consolidated 

Fund which should energise 

the procurement of drugs at 

PHC level and social health 

insurance which are twin 

drivers for Universal Health 

Coverage. 

As usual the Federal 

government has not made 

provision for Research & 

Development in the research 

institutes notably National 

Institute of Pharmaceutical 

Research & Development, 

NIPRD, and Nigerian Institute 

of Medical Research, NIMR. 

Government has, from a 

superficial perspective, not 

budgeted enough to take care 

of personnel costs especially 

specialist allowances and 

funds for adjustment of 

CONHESS scale as was done 

with CONMESS since 2014 

for health workers. These are 

issues that usually lead to 

avoidable strike actions in our 

volatile sector. We do hope that 

government is not calculating 

dividends of its ill-conceived 

concession arrangements in 22 

Federal Health Institutions, 

FHIs, as there are reflections 

of income generation in the 

2020 budget estimates from 

privitisation. 

On the flipside, Federal 

government ineptitude 

continues to encourage 

unprecedented corruption in 

most of the FHIs and agencies 

in healthcare. Government 

must therefore do more than it 

is doing to rescue dwindling 

fortunes in the health sector. 

There is need for greater 

prioritisation of health 

—Dr Faduyile, NMA 

President 

The details are not yet out 

but looking at the disclosed 

ones, especially when the 

fiscal space is contrasting. For 

instance, Basic Health 

Provision Fund, BHCPF, 

trajectory in 2018 was N55.1bn, 

in 2019- N51bn and now in 

2020- N44.8bn. So, the 1 

percent BHCPF is reducing. 

But the NMA appreciates 

the government for domiciling 

the BHCPF rightly where it is 

prescribed to be by the National 

Health Act - Statutory transfers 

as against the service wide 

votes in previous years. 

For Capital allocation, in 

2018 it was N71.11bn, 2019, it 

was N46bn and now 2020 it is 

now 48bn. This proposed 

capital expenditure cannot do 

much to achieve the 

rehabilitation of certain tertiary 

hospitals as earmarked by the 

federal government in the 

effort to mitigate medical 

tourism. No information yet 

on proposed total government 

expenditure on health for the 

2020 fiscal year. 

There are outstanding issues 

in salaries and emoluments for 

medical and other health care 

workers. The NMA prays that 

they are captured in the 2020 

Appropriation to forestall 

industrial upheavals in the 

already ailing health sector. 

Summarily, there's a need for 

greater prioritisation of health 

in the national expenditure 

profile to accelerate the nation's 

aspiration towards UHC. 

My worry is how the 

budget will be utilised 

—Ohuabunwa, 

President, PSN 

On his part, President, 

PSN, Pharm. Sam 

Ohuabunwa said: The real 

issue is not the size of the 

budget to health. First, will it 

be cash-backed and second 

will the budget be efficiently 

utilised? When you combine 

the direct allocation to the 

Health Ministry and the 

statutory transfer to the health 

fund provided by the National 

Health Law, we have a fairly 

tidy sum. 

My worry is how the budget 

will be utilised to address the 

key issues affecting Nigeria's 

health care. How much will 

go to providing primary care 

and improving access to quality 

medicines. How much will be 

used on taking care of the civil 

servants? 

How much will actually go 

into preventive healthcare, 

ameliorating infectious 

diseases and noncommunicable 

diseases. That 

is the real question, not just 

the size of the budget. Can we 

get value for money? 

Budget grossly 

inadequate for 200 

million people 

—Ajiboye, National 

President, AGPNP 

Corroborating their 

views, National President, 

Association of General 

Private Nurses 

Practitioners, AGPNP, 

Balogun Ajiboye, said: “It 

is the general belief that health 

is wealth and an unhealthy 

society cannot achieve 

maximum productivity level. 

Therefore, for any nation to 

develop, healthcare must be 

funded adequately. If 

Universal Health Coverage is 

about giving all Nigerians 

affordable, accessible and 

available healthcare services, 

regardless of their economic 

status, sex, religion, location 

and tribe, ensuring healthy 

lives and promoting the 

wellbeing at all ages is what 

the sustainable development 

is all about, N44.5 billion for 

BHCPF and N46 billion for 

health totalling N86.4 billion 

out of N10.33 trillion budget is 

grossly inadequate for the 

health care of 200 million 

unhealthy population like 


Also, if we want to base this 

proposal on precedence, it is 

not impossible that 60 percent 

of the capital project will not 

be released or probably 

released in December, and 

which might likely go for 

Christmas bonus for the boys.

Chaotic supply chain bane of health, 

economic development — ARC 

By Chioma Obinna 

A 

supply chain trans 

formation expert, 

Azuka Okeke, has lamented 

that chaotic supply 

chains are negatively 

impacting health, development 

and economic outcomes 

in Africa. 

Okeke who is the Regional 

Director of the Africa 

Resource Centre 

(ARC) and overseeing 

healthcare supply chain 

interventions around the 

continent in a presentation 

at the recent SAPICS 

Spring Conference in Johannesburg, 

showcased 

the strides being made in 

Nigeria to professionalise 

supply chain management. 

The Nigerian -based expert 

outlined lessons that 

can be learnt from the successful 

public health and 

private sector collaboration 

that is improving 

healthcare delivery in Nigeria. 

Noting that a key focus 

of Nigeria’s supply chain 

transformation has been 

building in-country supply 

chain talent, Okeke 

said the shortage of 

skilled supply chain personnel 

has been identified 

as a key driver of logistics 

under-performance in 

countries. 

“A functional supply 

chain ensures that health 

facilities are always 

stocked above a certain 

minimum level, ensuring 

the availability of commodities. 

Since logistics 

costs represent 20 to 40 

percent of commodity 

costs, it follows that efficient 

local supply chain 

Mrs Azuka Okeke, Regional Director, ARC. 

management can help to 

achieve a significant reduction 

in commodity 

prices, too. If less money 

must go out of Africa to 

design, plan and implement 

healthcare supply 

chains, there will be more 

left to get medicines to the 

last mile.” 

She disclosed that ARC 

has spearheaded an integrated 

centre of excellence 

model for supply 

chain and logistics management, 

to help build 

more efficient and effective 

supply chain systems 

in Nigeria and across Africa. 

“ARC, an initiative of 

Bill and Melinda Gates 

Foundation, is an independent 

strategic advisor, 

promoting collaboration 

with the aim of improving 

the availability of medi- 

cines and health products 

in Africa. 

“Our model encompasses 

short, medium and 

long-term elements to rapidly 

develop supply chain 

management and logistics 

expertise in Nigeria 

and beyond,” Okeke expanded. 

“Our key objectives 

are to rapidly 

strengthen and scale-up 

in-country capacity, skills 

and expertise to meet local 

and regional needs, 

and to leverage and contribute 

to the global network 

focused on advancing 

supply chain excellence.” 

“Already underway and 

contributing to improved 

healthcare outcomes in 

Nigeria is the capacitybuilding 

ARC Academy, 

which represents the first 

part of ARC’s strategy 

and to date enrolled more 

than 120 participants from 

government, private sector 

and academia with 

several participants now 

equipped with industry 

leading certifications 

from the International 

Supply Chain Education 

Alliance (ISCEA) and other 

bodies,” Okeke revealed. 

She said that for longterm, 

ARC is actively 

building coalitions with 

leading American and 

Nigerian business councils, 

government agencies 

and development finance 

institutions in order to 

deliver Africa’s first Massachusetts 

Institute of 

Technology (MIT) Global 

Supply Chain and Logistics 

Excellence (SCALE) 

Centre in Nigeria, for 

long-term improvements 

across Africa. 

The MIT Global SCALE 

Network is an international 

alliance of leading research 

and education centres 

dedicated to supply 

chain and logistics excellence 

through innovation. 

The MIT Global SCALE 

Network was formed in 

2003 with the opening of 

the Zaragoza Logistics 

Centre (ZLC) in Zaragoza, 

Spain. 

The network now encompasses 

six centres of 

excellence on four continents, 

with more than a 

dozen educational programmes 

(both online 

and in residence), more 

than 55 academic partners, 

80 researchers and 

faculty, 150 corporate 

partners, and over 1000 

alumni working worldwide. 

“We must institutionalize 

the learnings, to ensure 

that every person in 

Africa has access to basic 

healthcare and medicines 

to live a healthy, happy 

and productive life.” 


Less than 300 psychiatrists 

treating 30m patients in 

Nigeria — Dr. Nubi Peter 

Nigeria needs huge investment to 

achieve health for all ---- Dr Ola Brown 

By Chioma Obinna & Chinelo Azike 

Despite the rise in suicide cases in Nigeria, the country 

is still faced with a dearth of psychiatrists as less 

than 300 psychiatrists serving a population of over 200 

million, a Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. Nubi Peter has disclosed. 

Peter who is also a World Health Organisation, 

WHO, certified mental health advocate further disclosed 

that studies have shown that about 30 million Nigerians 

suffer from one mental illness or the other. 

In an interview with Good Health Weekly during a Walkathon 

organised by Grace Cottage Mental Healthcare, Ilupeju, 

Lagos, Peter who is also the Chief Executive Officer 

of the hospital said mental health has become a medical 

emergency sadly, little or nothing is being done to ensure 

victims’ adequate access to treatment in Nigeria. 

Throwing light into the acute shortage of specialists in 

Nigeria, he said: “In a population of an average of 200 

million, we are having roughly one in a ratio of one million 

and they are not sparsely distributed, as a chunk of 

them are concentrated in the cities, like Lagos, Jos, Port- 

Harcourt, Abuja among others. In terms of WHO recommendation, 

we are far behind. 

“In terms of prevalence, research has shown that over 30 

million Nigerians have one mental illness or the other. When 

I say mental illness is not that they are moving on the road 

or eating from the dustbin, we are saying they have mental 

issues. Some people have emotional issues they are dealing 

with. emotional issues. 

“When we talk about mental illness the picture that comes 

to mind is that man on the road wearing tattered clothes, 

eating from the dustbin, laughing and but people have failed 

to realize that mental illness include depression, anxiety, 

phobia, sexual addiction, internet addiction, gambling etc 

also, constitute mental illness.” 

Lamenting none passage of the Mental Health Bill he 

said” This is the 10th year, every world mental health day I 

have the opportunity of talking about it. It is quite unfortunate 

the 9th assembly is here now, the 8th assembly was 

almost getting it right, first reading passed, second reading 

passed and then they left and now we are having the 9th 

assembly and yet we have not passed it. 

He explained that if the bill is passed into law, it will 

support and protect people suffering from mental illness, 

ensure that they are adequately taken care of and catered 

for in society. “The bill will ensure they are employed. 

Companies will be forced to at least take or not reject anyone 

with a history of mental illness; they will have the opportunity 

to marry. It will help to improve facilities because 

the bill talks about the establishment of more facilities, 

the bill talks about subsidizing medication. Peter appealed 

to Federal and state governments to support people 

with mental illness, by subsiding the treatment and hasten 

the passage of the mental health bill. He disclosed that due 

to lack of support, Nigerian patients go to Benin Republic 

to get free medication. “The bill will ensure that you don't 

just pick somebody and say he is mad, and discriminate 

against the person, the bill will also protect the doctors 

among others. “It is a myth, the same way you take care of 

hypertension, arthritis, diabetes so also you take care of 

mental illness. Don't let us forget the fact that diabetes is 

affecting the pancreas, hypertension is affecting the heart, 

asthma is affecting the lungs, these are organs in the body 

the same way arthritis will affect the bones, mental illness 

is affecting the brain.” 

Noting that every 40 seconds 

one person loses his or 

her life to suicide, he said suicide 

can be prevented. 

“In line with WHO’s World 

Mental Health Day’s theme, 

suicide is real, never take 

any treat lightly, if anybody 

says I want to kill myself, 

please render support. 

When people say how are 

you and people respond I 

am fine, it doesn't mean they 

are fine, let us do away with 

I don't care attitude, let us 

continually be our brothers 

and sisters keeper, let us 

bring back the old-time, the 

togetherness that we share 

as Africans, that communalism 

because we are gradually 

moving away from extended 

family structure to a 

nuclear family.” 

By Juliet Umeh 

In order to achieve Uni 

versal Health Coverage 

for Nigerians, the Managing 

Director of Flying Doctors 

Nigeria, Dr Ola Brown, 

calls for more investment in 

the health sector. 

Brown said until there is a 

large investment in the sector, 

access to healthcare for 

all may not be possible. 

She said this last week, at 

the sideline of Ease of Doing 

Business in Nigeria,’ a programme 

organised by the 

Presidential Enabling Business 

Environment Council, 

PEBEC, in partnership with 

the Lagos State Government. 

Addressing concerns on 

five percent allocation to 

primary healthcare emergency 

and it's impact so far, 

Brown said: "The budget of 

National Health Insurance 

Scheme, NHIS, in England 

is almost $200 billion and 

the population of the United 

Kingdom, is just $65 million. 

Nigeria's federal budget 

for health care is $1billion 

and the population is 

almost 200 million. 

"That means that if the UK 

was to give us one year budget, 

they can fund our budget 

for 200years. 

"We need to donor more 

money into the health ciiare, 

until we get a large investment 

in the healthcare with 

every single person in every 

single place begins to feel it," 

Brown explained. 

Also responding to high 

import duties for medical 

equipments, she said: "We 

need to look at the duties on 

medical equipment, and see 

how we can bring which 

ever taxes or duties down to 

zero and that would make 

people to be able to bring 

more medical equipment in 


"Also, I do feel that the 

medical equipment available 

globally is actually a bit 

too expensive for what people 

can afford. For example, 

the ventilator that we use,is 

$50, 000. Now what fees are 

you going to charge a patient 

to use that machine. 

"So what is happening in 

India is that they have been 

designing their own equipment 

that is far cheaper and 

because of that, that's part 

of the reasons why health 

care is so cheap in India. 

"So that requires investment 

in education and research 

so that we can start 

designing our own equipment 

that is far cheaper than 

what is available else where. 

Meanwhile, Flying Doctors 

Nigeria is a company 

into the business of moving 

patients from areas where 

the health care is not so good 

to better areas of help care. 

Giving her opinion on 

emergency medicine, Brown 

said emergency medicine is 

such an important component 

of health care because 

it ensures that people can get 

to the right medical facility 

that can take care of them 

within the right time frame, 

thereby preventing deaths 

and disability for young and 

active members of the population. 

Dr. Nubi Peter.


Underutilisation of nurses, midwives 

fueling poor health indices says AGPNP 

By Chioma Obinna & 

Chinelo Azike 

THE National President 

Association of General 

Private Nurses 

Practitioners, AGPNP, 

Balogun Ajiboye has traced 

Nigeria’s poor health 

indices to underutilisation 

of nurses and midwives 

despite the World Health 

Organisation’s recognition 

of midwives as skilled 

labour. 

Ajiboye said certain State 

governments preferred 

what he described as 

charlatans and ad-hoc 

technicians to do the work 

of nurses rather than 

engaging professionals. 

Speaking during the 

Association’s 9th Annual 

National Scientific 

Conference with the theme: 

“Strengthening qualitative 

Primary Healthcare 

Through Private Nursing 

Practice in Nigeria”, Ajiboye 

further alleged that 

negative laws and policies, 

particularly in the states are 

affecting their practice. 

Quoting sections of the 

Constitution, he said: “As of 

today, we do not know the 

status of health in Nigeria 

whether it is business, 

national health says you 

attend all medical 

emergency but forgot to 

mention who will pay in 

case the patient does not 

have the money, who bears 

the brunt? 

He identified lack of 

enabling environment; 

interprofessional crises and 

quackery as drivers of high 

mortality in healthcare. 

“I appeal to government 

at all levels to take 

healthcare as fundamental 

human right and stop 

politicising it. 

“Nurses and Midwives 

should practice in 

accordance with Act Cap 

N143, Laws of Nigeria 24 

at all levels. Some of our 

members’ facilities are in 

the rural areas, we appeal 

to NHIS and health to 

develop insurance interest 

in our facilitie and inspect 

and accredit them 

promptly. 

While appealing to other 

health professionals to work 

as a team, he said 

expansion of nursing 

scope has become 

imperative as the health 

sector is witnessing acute 

shortage of workers in 

almost every profession 

that has led to quackery 

and charlatans taking over 

the system thereby 

resulting to increasing poor 

health indices. 

In his remarks, the 

Minister of Health, Dr 

Osagie Ehanire urged the 

nurses to guide against 

capitalist tendencies as 


emphasised quality 

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL) 

DURING intercourse, when I ejaculate, what comes 

out is really small - Zikora 

Sperm quality has nothing to do with semen quantity. 

Sperm quality is what determines your ability to get a 

woman pregnant while semen quantity merely leads to a 

longer ejaculation time and more enjoyable intercourse. 

So relax – Uche 

When I am fully erect, my organ is 6 inches long. I 

want a penile extension that can enable me satisfy my 

wife after I have ejaculated. I hear you have such - 

Maurice 

At the moment we have the 7 inch penile extension. 

Also you don’t have to wait till you ejaculate before 

wearing it. Penile Extensions can be worn just like 

condoms to prolong action and prevent premature 

ejaculation – Uche 

I have been married for six years and intercourse has 

been a problem at times. I don’t get wet easily and I am 

bruised after sex sometimes – Nneka 

Sorry. Not all women lubricate adequately during sex, 

even with foreplay. That is why every woman is advised 

to always keep a lubricant close by. Get the Luscious 

Flavored Lubricating Gel. Apply it generously over your 

genitalia before intercourse and the pain will stop and 

sex will be fun again – Uche 

Just used my African Superman pills for the first time. 

Solid. Super-duper performance. Four rounds in forty 

minutes. I have never had it that good. Thanks bro. You 

are the man! I will tell my friends about you guys – 

Chuks 

You are welcome - Uche 

Sometimes I ejaculate and stain my trousers even 

before sex takes place. It is that bad and embarrassing - 

Chris 

Such drastic premature ejaculation that takes place 

before penetration is common when you don’t have sex 

regularly or when you are in a new relationship. It stops 

eventually when your sex life is up and running so don’t 

worry about it too much. Get the Max Man Delay Cream 

and combine it with a Penis Sleeve. Together they will 

help you have sex for longer – Uche 

I have little sexual experience and just got married. 

assurance of services, 

adding that health is a right 

and not social contract. 

Represented by the 

Chairman, Medical 

Advisory Committee, 

CMAC, LUTH, he urged 

them key into the nurse 

internship programme by 

offering the graduate 

nurses a place for 

internships to reduce the 

backlog. 

‘I want to urge you to 

restrict your practice within 

the tenets of your profession 

and make sure you only 

engage qualified 

professionals.” 

Samsung’s free eye surgery excites cataract patients 

By Gabriel Olawale 

ATOTAL of 115 cataract 

patients benefitted 

from the 2019 free eye 

surgery sponsored by 

Samsung Heavy Industries 

Nigeria Limited, SHIN, in 

collaboration with the Lagos 

State University Teaching 

Hospital, LASUTH and 

Vision Care, an arm of the 

World Health 

Organisation, WHO 

dedicated to restore and 

improve vision. 

Two-year-old Victor, one 

of the patients remarked: 

"Daddy I can see balloon.” 

That was his first statement 

after doctors removed the 

bandages from his eyes. 

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*L-R: Director of Clinical Services, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, 

Dr. Mustapha Ibrahim Akinwunmi; CMD of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo; 

CEO, SHI-MCI, Mr. Suh Dongseong; and Team Leader, Vision Care, Milyung Oh, 

during the presentation of a plaque to Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited 

(SHIN) by LASUTH in appreciation of the free eye surgeries at the hospital recently. 

Overwhelmed with joy, 

Victor’s father, Sunday, said 

that his son was diagnosed 

a year ago, but it was 

difficult raising money for 

the surgery. 

"He was a year old when 

we noticed he couldn't see. 

When I heard about this 

free surgery I decided to 

give it a trial and thank God 

today, my son can now see. 

He couldnt go to school 

before, but I am happy he 

can start school now." 

Mrs. Iweroma Grace, 70, 

based in Delta State, to no 

avail. “I have bought 

several yet no changes 

until I came here and was 

told that it's cataract that 

requires surgery.” 

Mr. Dehinsilu Miniru, 63, 

another beneficiary, said: “ 

"Before the surgery, I don't 

use to see clearly, on 

regular occasion, if 

motorbike is coming I won't 

know until it gets close to 

me,” he said. 

"I heard about this free 

surgery by Samsung last 

year but it was late. I waited 

another year to benefit ,” he 

added. 


surgery at LASUTH, the 

Chief Executive Officer of 

SHI-MCI and the 

representative of Samsung 

Heavy Industries Nigeria, 

Mr. Dongseong Suh, 

revealed that his company 

has been working hand-inhand 

with Vision Care 

since 2015 and that the free 

eye surgery was part of 

SHIN’s Corporate Social 

Responsibility, CSR 

projects in Nigeria. 

He said that the cataract 

surgery intervention was 

targeted at the most 

vulnerable people who 

could not afford the cost of 

the surgery. 

Also speaking, the 

Volunteer Team Leader, 

Vision Care, Milyung Oh, 

said that the organisation 

was passionate about 

collaborating on missions 

that would restore 

immediate vision to 

citizens.


From left: Controller/Head, Human Resource, Administration and Corporate Communications, Davis Iyasere; Director-General, 

Mrs. Yetunde Ilori; and Controller, Information Technology, Research & Statistics, Mrs Bola Omole, all of Nigerian Insurers Association, 

NIA, at a briefing in Lagos. 

Insurance sector or stakeholder 

eholders s raise 

alarm over er disruptive e tech 

Stories by Rosemary Onuoha 

Insurance 

industry 

stakeholders have hinted of 

looming huge losses arising from 

disruptive technologies catching 

the insurers unprepared. 

They are lamenting that 

regulatory response by the 

National Insurance Commission, 

NAICOM, is not enough. 

This was the summation of 

stakeholders at the annual 

workshop of the Offices 

Representatives Committee, 

ORC, of the Chartered Insurance 

Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, in 

Lagos last week. 

Speaking on the topic, 

‘Disruptive Technologies, the 

Game Changer for Insurance 

Business’, Managing Director/ 

CEO of Oradian, a Lagos based 

Financial Technology firm, Mr. 

Moses Sule, said that NAICOM 

and the Insurers Committee must 

put strategies in place to tap into 

opportunities being created by 

disruptive technologies. 

Sule stated: “The movies 

industry was disrupted by 

Netflix, Hulu, HBO; the music 

industry was disrupted by 

Spotify, Apple Music; retail 

shopping by Amazon, Jumia; 

hospitality by Airbnb; taxi by 

Uber, Bolt; logistics by Lori, Kobo 

360, MAX; while retail lending by 

Branch.io, RenMoney, Paylater. 

“Therefore, NAICOM must 

adapt to disruptive technologies 

just as the Central Bank of 

Nigeria, CBN, has been flexible 

in adapting to the change. It will 

be ridiculous if NAICOM 

continue to be laid back because 

most people in NAICOM were 

first operators before moving on 

to become regulators.” 

He also noted that in the 

banking sector, a lot of 

technological disruptions 

happened because the CBN and 

the Bankers Committee had to 

make them happen. 

Speaking on the topic, ‘How the 

Insurance Industry is adapting to 

Disruptive Technologies’, Chief 

Technology Officer of Custodian 

Investment Plc, Esomchi Nwofor, 

said that companies that fail to 

adapt to disruptive technology 

lose market share or die 

completely. 

According to Nwafor, 

“Disruptive technology refers to 

any enhanced or completely new 

technology that replaces and 

disrupts an existing technology, 

rendering it obsolete. It is 

designed to succeed similar 

technology that is already in use. 

“The insurance industry needs 

to take the back seat and think, 

‘what are the people looking for? 

Insurers as well as brokers need 

to adapt to disruptive technology 

or get ready to fall out of the 

market.” 

Speaking on the topic, 

‘Leveraging Technology for 

Product Management: Lessons 

from the e-payments space’, 

Head, Product management, 

Nigeria Interbank Settlement 

System, NIBSS, Sarah 

Chidebelu-Eze, said that the 

banks were able to adapt 

disruptive technologies despite 

the stiff competition among them. 

She stated: “Although there is 

stiff competition going on in the 

banking sector, the banks have 

been able to come together to 

collaborate to adapt disruptive 

technologies which gave birth to 

various initiatives like the BVN, 

the POS, etc. 

“Most people don’t know about 

insurance because the sector has 

Insurance consumers should investigate before 

taking up a cover — NIA 

By Cynthia Alo 

Director General of the 

Nigerian Insurers 

Association, NIA, Mrs. Yetunde 

Ilori, has urged the public to 

always do thorough investigation 

on any insurance cover before 

purchase to avoid possessing fake 

insurance. 

Ilori gave the charge during a 

press briefing in Lagos when she 

disclosed that the NIA is set to 

carry out enlightenment campaign 

to let members of the public know 

their rights and be able to 

differentiate between fake and 

genuine insurance. 

According to her, the Association 

has begun plans to clamp down 

on fake insurance with the reintroduction 

of the USSD and an 

enlightenment campaign across 

the country. 

She said: “As long as people can’t 

differentiate genuine from fake, 

people will still buy fake. I believe 

that when people do personal 

check on what they are buying, for 

example, if you meet someone and 

they say that they are from a 

remained conservative for too 

long. There is such a huge gap in 

communications and as a result 

most Nigerians don’t know what 

particular insurance company like 

Acen Insurance that died long 

ago, you should check on NIA 

website to verify. If Acen is not 

there, you can sum up the courage 

to tell them that they have not 

been uploaded there. 

“With the rate of fake insurance, 

we have seen the need to 

enlighten people more. We want 

insurers have to offer. In essence, 

the sector must wake up and adapt 

to changing dynamics if it must 

remain relevant.” 

AXA Mansard advocates sound 

financial management for women 

AXA Mansard, a member of AXA, has said that 

the financial decisions that women need to make in their journey 

as professionals, entrepreneurs or business women are very vital and 

should be properly managed at the start through to their retirement. 

Head of Business Development at AXA Mansard Pensions Limited, 

Mrs. Naomi Aduku made the assertion when the company partnered 

with LagosMums to hold the 6th edition of its annual Parenting 

Conference and exhibition. 

Aduku said, "It is safe to say that women have become an important 

market for the insurance and financial services sector. Whether as 

entrepreneurs or heads of household, women now make financial 

decisions more than they used to. Women own one-third of the world's 

businesses, and their average income in emerging markets continues 

to increase. As such, the financial decisions that women need to make 

in their journey as professionals, entrepreneurs or business women are 

very vital and should be properly managed at the start through to their 

retirement. This is why AXA Mansard Pensions is proud to be a part of 

this event which encourages engagement of women in various works 

of life. AXA sees women as valuable clients and employees and will 

continue to be their trusted partner." 

The annual event has become a popular way for mothers to meet, 

network, share experiences, talk about parenting, discuss ways to 

achieve work-life balance and many more activities. 

By Cynthia Alo & Jennifer Obinwa 

Royal Exchange Plc has said 

that its gross written premium 

grew from N12.8 billion to 

N14.7billion in the 2018 financial 

year representing a 15 percent 

increase. 

Chairman of the company Mr. 

Kenny Odogwu, disclosed this at 

the company's 50th annual general 

meeting in Lagos. 

Odogwu said: "During the 

period under review, the company 

generated gross written premium 

of N14.71billion, while that of the 

preceding year was N12.8billion 

everybody to know their right 

because when the fake can’t find 

anybody patronizing them, 

automatically the shops will close. 

As long as people don’t know 

their rights, the numbers would 

remain high. 

“However, it is not enough to 

buy something without knowing 

the right one. When you know that 

Africa controls 

only 0.7% of 

world's agricultural 

premium 

- WAICA Re 

Despite that Africa has about 17 

percent of the world's 

pastures and arable land, the value 

of premiums for agricultural 

insurance in Africa represents less 

than 0.7 percent of the world's total. 

The Group Managing Director, 

WAICA Reinsurance Corporation, 

Mr. Abiola Ekundayo, who stated 

this, noted that with climate 

change negatively affecting 

farmers' productivity across the 

world, especially, in Africa, there 

is an urgent need for increase in 

agriculture insurance uptake by 

players in the agricultural sector 

value-chain to cover risks that 

could lead to low farm yield. 

Speaking at the WAICA Re 

International Agriculture 

Insurance Seminar held in 

Harare, Zimbabwe recently, 

Ekundayo noted that the low 

figure is deplorable when one 

considers that about 60 percent of 

the active population in Africa is 

working in the agricultural sector 

and that with the advent of climate 

change, the risks in agricultural 

activities are becoming even more 

frequent and severe. 

Ekundayo said, "For smallholder 

farmers, agriculture insurance 

offsets risks associated with 

weather fluctuations. Risk 

reduction can make it more likely 

that a farmer will qualify for credit 

and thus invest in the tools and 

resources, such as, seed, fertilizer, 

labour, among others, needed prior 

to harvest that would potentially 

increase crop yields. 

"Agric insurance provides 

farmers with the peace of mind 

required to invest savings into 

businesses. This also increases 

their confidence to engage in 

contracts with buyers and 

processors." 

Speaking on agricultural 

microinsurance, he suggested the 

development of index insurance, 

an approach that pays out benefits 

on the basis of a predetermined 

index, such as, rainfall level, 

livestock mortality rates, and so on, 

for loss of assets and investments 

resulting from weather and 

catastrophic events, without 

requiring the traditional services 

of insurance claims assessors to 

assess individual losses. 

there is a fake and genuine one, 

you owe yourself to check for the 

genuine one.” She added. 

She noted that NIA will 

continue to find sustainable 

means of putting a stop to fake 

insurance adding, “We have an 

ongoing campaign, we will look 

at what next we should do and it 

is going to be sustained. 

Royal Exchange grows GWP to over N14bn in 2018 

amounting to an increase of 15 

percent. Also, the claims expense 

for the year amounted to 

N3.2billion in comparison with 

N3.4billion reported in 2017; 

signaling a dip of eight percent. 

Underwriting expenses grew by 

32 percent from N2.6billion in 

2017 to N3.4billion in 2018," he 

added. 

Also, the company's net 

premium income grew to 

N9.1billion in 2018 from N7.1 

billion representing a 29.7 

percent growth over the 2017 

figure. The net underwriting 

profit rose to N9.7billion in 2018 

while underwriting profit went up 

to N3.7billion in the 2018 

financial year, up from 

N1.05billion in 2017, while net 

income stood at N4.35billion, 

from the corresponding figure of 

N2.4billion in 2017. The operating 

results showed that the total 

assets of the group witnessed a 

growth of 6.74percent, from 

N33.2billion in 2017 to 

N35.53billion in 2018. The net 

claims paid for the period under 

review amounted to N3.1billion, 

an eight percent marginal 

reduction from the 2017 figure of 

N3.42billion.


Buhari administration earned N16.6trn from oil in 

four years …Jonathan’s govt received N29.5trn 

By Michael Eboh . Domestic Crude Purchased By NNPC •Source: NNPC 

A 

THE administration of 


Buhari earned N16.647 trillion 

from the oil and gas industry in its 

first tenure, from May 2015 to April 

2019. 

According to data obtained from 

various reports of the Central Bank 

of Nigeria, CBN, the country’s 

earnings from the petroleum 

industry was from crude oil and 

gas sales, royalties, Petroleum 

Profit Tax, PPT, and other sources. 

The money was earned by 

Nigeria only and does not include 

earnings by oil and gas companies 

operating in the country. The total 

oil revenue represented the 

amount that was later shared to 

the Federal, State and Local 

Governments after the inclusion 

of non-oil revenue, as well as after 

other deductions and transfers. 

However, from the reports, it was 

observed that the amount earned 

by Buhari in the first four years of 

his administration was 43.6 per 

cent lower than the N29.514 

trillion earned by the 

administration of President 

Goodluck Jonathan from May 

2011 to April 2015. 

Giving a breakdown of oil 

revenue recorded during the 

Buhari administration, the CBN 

reports stated that from May 2015 

to December 2015, oil revenue 

stood at N2.3 trillion; in 2016, 2017 

and 2018, earnings from the 

industry stood at N2.693 trillion, 

N4.109 trillion and N5.63 trillion 

respectively, while from January 

to April 2019, the country earned 

N1.882 trillion. 

On the other hand, the 

administration of President 

Goodluck Jonathan earned 

N29.59 trillion from the petroleum 

industry, broken down into N6.321 

trillion from May 2011 to 

December 2011; N8.094 trillion, 

N6.809 trillion and N6.793 trillion 

in 2012, 2013 and 2014 

respectively, while from January 

to April 2015, the administration 

recorded oil revenue of N1.497 

trillion. 

The amount earned by the 

Buhari administration in its first 

tenure represented 61.42 per cent 

of the country’s budgets for 2015 

to 2018. Specifically, between 2015 

and 2018, the Federal 

Government’s total budgets stood 

at N27.1 trillion. 

In 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, 

the Federal Government’s budget 

estimates were N4.5 trillion, N6.06 

trillion, N7.44 trillion and N9.1 

trillion respectively. 

Commenting on earnings from 

the petroleum industry during the 

Buhari administration, the 

immediate past president of the 

THE average price 

of Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

countries, OPEC’s basket 

of fourteen crudes in the 

past one week averaged 

$61.47 compared with 

$59.37 recorded the 

previous week. 

According to OPEC’s 

calculation, the highest 

price of crude was 

recorded on September 

10, 2019, which averaged 

$62.74 per barrel, while 

the lowest price for the 

period under review 

averaged $60.02. 

Nigerian Association for Petroleum 

Economists, NAPE Professor 

Omowumi Iledare, argued that 

the money was better utilized.” 

Energy demand to rise by 33%, requires 

$11trn investment — Barkindo 

By Udeme Akpan 

THE Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

Countries, OPEC, has predicted 

that energy demand would rise 

by 33 per cent from 2015 to 2040. 

According to OPEC, the rise in 

demand would require almost 

$11 trillion in oil and exploration 

and production during the 

period. 

OPEC Secretary General, HE 

Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, 

who made the disclosure at the 

SPE Kuwait Oil & Gas Show and 

Conference, October 13, 2019 in 

Kuwait City, said: “Overall 

energy demand will increase 

33per cent from 2015 to 2040, 

with almost 95per cent of that 

demand coming from 

developing countries, led by 

India and China. Crude oil will 

continue to account for the 

largest share of the energy mix 

by 2040 – around 28per cent – 

and oil and gas together are 

projected to make up more than 

50per cent of the global energy 

needs. 

“Worldwide oil demand is 

forecast to grow by around 14.5 

million barrels per day, rising 

to nearly 112 million barrels per 

day by 2040. Road 

transportation will remain one 

of the main drivers of oil 

demand – even taking into 

account advances in efficiency, 

tightening emissions policies 

and the growth of electric 

vehicle use. Our projections 

show that the total vehicle stock 

is estimated to grow by around 

1.1 billion between 2017 and 

2040, to 2.4 billion vehicles, with 

electric vehicles accounting for 

just 13per cent of the overall 

fleet by 2040.” 

He stated: “The largest 

incremental demand growth for 

crude oil is projected to come 

from the petrochemicals sector, 

according to the Outlook. While 

the outlook for the petroleum 

sector is bright, the industry also 

has a responsibility to be part of 

the solution to the challenge of 

climate change. We must be 

more than a stable energy 

supplier. 

“Let me identify three important 

and interconnected points on 

how we can retain a competitive 

position while addressing the 

climate issue. First, the oil 

industry needs both a seat at the 

table in the discussions on the 

energy future – and a level 

playing field when it comes to 

energy policy making. This is 

why OPEC has supported the 

Paris Agreement and is fully 

engaged at the multilateral level 

in discussions on climate 

policy.” 

He said: “The ‘Declaration’ has 

been a game-changer for the 

industry. The production 

adjustments undertaken by the 

participating countries over the 

past three years have reversed 

the severe oil market crisis of 

2014-2016 and restored durable 

stability to the global oil market. 

“The success of the partnership 

and the market-balancing 

measures it has undertaken owe 

much to the unwavering 

support of Kuwait that 

continues to serve on our 

JMMC and the steadfast 

leadership now being set forth 

by Khaled Al-Fadhel. In July this 

year, the 24 participating 

countries in the ‘Declaration of 

Cooperation’ unanimously 

endorsed a ‘Charter of 

Cooperation’. This voluntary 

initiative puts us in a stronger 

position over the longer term to 

address areas of common 

interest, including energy 

security, the energy transition 

and the challenge of climate 

change.” 

Electricity: 

Firm emerges 

with water 

technology 

• As supply hovers 

at 3, 480MW 


S Nigeria continues to 

search for adequate and 

steady power supply, Buserve 

Limited, an indigenous company 

has emerged with water powered 

technology to boost supply. 

In a statement sent to 

Vanguard, managing director of 

the company, Mr. Laitan Aderinto 

stated: “Water to Hydrogen Gas 

mass production technology 

represents a major scientific 

breakthrough of the utmost 

importance. This patented 

technology is based on an 

advanced proprietary scientific 

process which includes the 

invention of using Thermoplasma 

to convert water into Hydrogen 

Gas in high volume for power 

generation and at much lower cost 

than any other hydrogen 

production technology. 

“Furthermore, since H2 

production is done in real time, 

according to actual power 

production requirements, there is 

no requirement for hydrogen 

storage which is one of the 

greatest challenges in using 

hydrogen gas as a renewable fuel 

source, not to mention avoiding a 

storage model is also much safer.” 

He added: “On average with 

this technology Power is 

generated at about 10per cent of 

the cost of diesel fuel and very 

importantly no fossil fuel 

component is required to mix with 

the H2 when using this 

technology. Water is the input and 

less than 10per cent of the gross 

energy production is required to 

power the equipment. 

“For each Liter of Water fed into 

the retrofit system the net output 

exceeds 1m3 of H2 gas. This is a 

no pollution technology designed 

to shift existing and future 

industrial power production away 

from fossil fuels and therefore 

reduce the world’s harmful 

emissions, currently approx 25% 

of the world’s harmful emissions 

is caused by Industrial Power 

Production, this technology seeks 

to bring this number as close to 

zero as possible.” 

Meanwhile, a report obtained 

from the ofice of the Vice 

President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, 

Power Advisory Team, stated that, 

the average energy sent out to the 

11 Distribution Companies, 

DISCOs, stood at 3,480 

Megawatts per Hour, MWH/ 

Hour (up by 254.02 MWH/Hour 

from the previous day). 

it stated:“1,726 MW was not 

generated due to unavailability of 

gas. 

“0 MW was not generated due 

to unavailability of transmission 

infrastructure, while 2777.3 MW 

was not generated due to high 

frequency resulting from 

unavailability of distribution 

infrastructure. 

“The power sector lost an 

estimated N2,162,000,000, due to 

constraints from insufficient gas 

supply, distribution infrastructure 

and transmission infrastructure.” 

C 

M 

Y 

K


SIGN-OFF: From left: Chief Operating Officer, Ikeja Electric, IE, Folake Soetan, CEO, IE, 

Anthony Youdeowei, Chairman GRA Ikeja, Lagos, Muiz Banire, and Chairman, Energy 

Committee, GRA Ikeja, Mr. anyiam Osigwe, at the signing of Premium Power Agreement, between 

Ikeja Electric and GRA Ikeja in Lagos. 

How lack of synergy, others affect power 

sector — Operators 

By Ediri Ejoh 

OPERATORS in the 

power sector have 

identified lack of synergy and 

other factors as the major bane 

on the development of Nigeria's 

power sector. 

Speaking with Vanguard over 

the weekend, in response to 

president Muhammadu Buhari's 

independence speech, 

Executive Secretary, Generation 

Companies of Nigeria, GEN- 

COs, Dr. Joy Ogaji, said: "First 

and foremost, I believe it is too 

early to expect the President's 

plans to have been utilized, considering 

when the Memorandum 

of Understanding, MOU 

was signed and the proposed 

timelines." 

She said: "However, if the 

plans are properly implemented 

by engaging all the major 

players; GENCOS, Transmission 

Company of Nigeria, TCN 

and DISCOS, there would be a 

fundamental improvement in 

the power sector. I believe that 

a major challenge in the power 

Vanguard’s Electricity 

watch 

Source: NCC Daily Operational Report 

sector is the lack of synergy between 

the players in the value 

chain, by this, I mean the regulator, 

policy makers and the licensees, 

and this is a major problem 

affecting not just the sector, 

but also the Country at large. 

"There is a serious leadership 

and coordination gap. The various 

agencies and stakeholders 

all operate in a silosized manner. 

For the past five years, 

there had been bulk passing 

among power stakeholders 

within the value chain each 

blaming the other for poor electricity 

supply in the country. 

"Each player is viewed as a 

competition rather than a partner 

in ensuring the success of 

the sector. There is need to put 

efforts and hopefully, if there is 

synergy across the chain, the issues 

will be solved. The realization 

that if there is a problem 

with one part of the value chain, 

it affects the whole chain is lacking. 

There is little or no synergy 

between the Power Sector 

and other interrelated MDAs, 

such as the Ministry of Finance 

and the Ministry of Petroleum. 

By virtue of Sections 62(7) and 

75 of the Act, NERC is empowered 

to discipline or penalize 

any licensee that is contravening 

or violating the terms and 

conditions of its license, the market 

is not sure whose duty it is 

to bring about market discipline 

in the sector." 

She stated: "Another issue is 

the ineffectiveness of the industry 

agreements. There is lack of 

clear policy directions, which is 

evidenced by an absence of 

leadership and coordination in 

the Sector. As a result, there is 

no compliance with the laid 

down sector regulations, policies 

and governance codes. Unfortunately, 

there seems to be no 

framework for monitoring and 

implementation of these policies 

and regulations." 

Ogaji argued that the issue of 

liquidity in the power sector 

cannot be overlooked, adding 

that "The DISCOS constant poor 

remittance to the market, especially 

with regards to GENCOS 

Invoice has resulted in overwhelming 

debts, as GENCOS 

are being owed over a trillion 

naira, which has greatly inhibited 

their operations, as well as 

their expansion plans. 

By Kehinde Adeyanju 

THE price of Liquefied 

Petroleum Gas, LPG, 

popularly known as cooking gas, 

has remained stable in the 

domestic market because of 

steady supply. 

Investigation by Vanguard 

showed that the domestic supply 

comes from mainly from the 

international market and Nigeria 

LNG Limited. 

It showed that the prices of six 

kg, 12.5kg and 25kg go for N1, 

500, N3, 000 and N6, 000 

respectively 

In a document obtained from 

its website, the NLNG Limitd 

stated: “NLNG commenced the 

supply of Liquefied Petroleum 

Gas (LPG) otherwise known as 

cooking gas to the domestic 

market in 2007 when refineries 

became challenged and supply 

was grossly inadequate. Since 

then, the issue of inadequate 

supply has become a thing of the 

past. 

“The intervention, which is in 

line with company's vision of 

helping to build a better Nigeria, 

has significantly contributed to 

the stimulation and development 

of the domestic LPG market in 

Electricity: Ikeja Electric, GRA 

Ikeja residents sign PPA to 

deliver 24 hours daily supply 


IKEJA Electric (IE), 

weekend, signed a Power 

Purchase Agreement, PPA, with 

residents of Ikeja GRA to deliver 

24 hours of supply daily. 

Inline with its Bilateral Power 

Agreement with GRA, IE noted 

that the development will see 

streets like Oduduwa, Isaac John, 

Joel Ogunaike, Fani Kayode, 

amongst others, enjoy a minimum 

of 24 hours of power supply for 

residents daily. 

The company in August had 

signed a similar power purchase 

agreement with residents of 

Magodo, providing them with 24 

hours of power supply daily. 

Residents of Magodo, have 

enjoyed steady power since then 

and are thought to be paying about 

N47 per kilowatt-hour of power 

compared to the MYTO tariff which 

is N23.10 for residential customers. 

According to the Chief Executive 

Officer, IE, Anthony Youdeowei, 

"With this agreement, IE will 

provide the residents with 

electricity supply beyond the 

existing standards, with 

guaranteed performance levels. In 

addition, there will also be access 

to dedicated Customer Care and 

Technical teams for prompt 

resolution of queries and/or 

technical issues within the estate. 

"The Power Purchase Agreement 

suggests residents of the Ikeja GRA 

will enjoy a steady power supply 

when compared to non-residents. 

However, they will have to pay 

tariffs much higher than is 

provided for in MYTO." 

Also, the Chief Operating Officer, 

IE, Mrs. Folake Soetan expressed 

confidence in the success of the 

trend-setting agreement, which 

she noted was in line with the 

Federal Government’s willing 

seller, willing buyer policy. 

On his part, Chairman, GRA, 

Ikeja, Muiz Banire, stated that, "It 

is a power purchase agreement 

between the residence of the GRA 

in Ikeja and IE, towards providing 

premium service for the resident 

there. 

Nigeria and has effectively 

brought down the price of 

cooking gas from over N7, 000 in 

2007 to less than N3, 500 per 

12.5kg cylinder today. 

“NLNG is committed to 

delivering 350,000 tonnes of LPG 

"We believe we will be able to 

protect our environment which is 

most important beyond even 

money that we spend on diesel and 

maintenance of generating service. 

The reality is that, even if we have 

the money we are killing our selves 

gradually and environmentally, in 

terms of pollution of the 

environment. 

"Because what we realize in our 

country Nigeria is that people are 

said to die suddenly. Nobody die 

suddenly anymore in the world, we 

die instrumentally because of the 

pollution from various generator 

emission. 

"Our expectation is that we have 

practically ,all round the day going 

forward, at least we can not actually 

rule out such challenges 

occasionally, for example 

transmission problem or some 

major technical issues, basically we 

have substantially for the 

residence." 

Meanwhile, the company joined 

the global community to mark the 

Customer Service Week, while reassuring 

customers of improved experience 

and commitment to providing 

exceptional service delivery, 

According to Youdeowei, the 

Ikeja Electric brand is driven by an 

endless desire and resolve to offer 

customers an extraordinary experience 

as the company will stop at 

nothing to ensure that each interaction 

across all its touch points culminates 

in something more for the 

customer. 

“As a responsible customer centric 

organisation, we are determined 

to ensure that provision of 

quality, reliable and improved services 

to our esteemed customers 

remain our priority”, he said 

Youdeowei said the 2019 Customer 

Service Week theme “The Magic 

of Service” underscores the company’s 

acknowledgement of the 

strategic importance of its customers, 

which according to him is the 

reason why Ikeja Electric will continue 

to creating sustainable initiatives 

that will foster improved customer 

services. 

LPG price remains stable on steady supply 

into the Nigerian market annually 

and has signed Sales and 

Purchase Agreements (SPAs) 

with fifteen off-takers (all 

Nigerian companies) for the 

lifting of LPG for the domestic 

market.” 

Eunisell presents business solutions 

for marginal oilfields 

EUNISELL 

has 

announced an extended 

range of comprehensive 

solutions for Nigeria’s 

marginal oil field owners. 

The new products and 

services include: well testing, 

enhanced well testing, data 

services, well blowback 

solutions, multiphase flow, 

well clean up and early 

production facilities. Others 

are offshore production units, 

enhanced production 

solutions, facilities upgrade, 

and repairs, operations 

management; sand 

management solutions 

produced water solutions, 

drill stem testing, electronic 

memory gauge services, and 

pumping services. 

Speaking on why the 

extension became necessary, 

Mr. Chika Ikenga, Eunisell’s 

Group Managing Director, 

stated that field owners are 

vital to economic growth, and 

must be provided with every 

opportunity to operate 

efficiently and effectively. 

“Through experience, we 

often find that skills gaps 

exist spanning financial, 

technical skills and resources 

- crucial facets to an operation 

being viable and profitable. 

Eunisell closes the gap with 

a unique range of business 

solutions and we have just 

announced an extension to 

the services we offer.” 

/

28—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019 

VOL. 1: NO. 211 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 

Federal roads in S-South: 

Citizens reject FG’s decision 

not to refund states for repairs 

Ekpoma axis of Benin-Auchi-Okene-Abuja Road. 

A diversion from the highway near Ehor, Edo State. 

By Emma Amaize (NDV 

Editor), Samuel 

Oyadongha, Jimitota 

Onoyume ( Asst News 

Editor), Gabriel 

Enogholease, Festus 

Ahon, Egufe Yafugborhi, 

Harris-Okon Emmanuel, 

Ike Uchechukwu, Chioma 

Onuegbu, Davies 

Iheamnachor, Emem Idio, 

Perez Brisibe, Ochuko 

Akuopha, Alemma- 

Ozioruva Aliu and Paul 

Olayemi 

ASABA—LEADERS and 

stakeholders across the 

South-South region have 

criticised the decision of the 

Federal Government refund 

states that undertook repairs of 

federal roads that have 

depreciated and turned death 

traps in Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom, 

Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa, 

describing it as insensitive and 

unacceptable. 

They condemned the 

nonchallance of successive 

governments over the terrible 

Trucks on queue, approaching one of the bad spots alon 

Benin-Auchi Road. 

condition of federal roads in the 

region, the untold hardship it has 

subjected the people to and the 

latest resolution to mount 

tollgates on the ramshackle 

highways. 

However, there was indication 

that governors might have 

accepted the FG's decision on 

grounds that it was cash 

strapped, as Delta State governor, 

Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, 

corroborated the claim, last week, 

in Asaba, saying Federal 

Government was not buoyant 

enough to repay states that 

carried out repairs on federal 

roads. 

Gov Okowa speaks out 

Okowa said: “I do not think the 

Federal Government is in the 

financial position to take on all the 

roads. We cannot shy away from 

the fact that the economy of this 

country is not where it ought to 

be and, therefore, we are facing 

challenges. 

“Personally, I do not think there 

is any contradiction as the Federal 

Government has said it will not 

be making refunds. Actually, why 

we sought for clearance before 

embarking on the road 

intervention is not because we 

were soliciting for refunds, but 

because when we tried same in 

2017, we had issues. 

“Hence, this time we needed to 

get clearance and we did not 

intervene because we had money, 

but because the roads became a 

huge challenge for us Deltans and 

road users from other states 

coming into Delta.” 

The governor also said there 

was nothing wrong in the Federal 

Government establishing tollgates 

to raise money to rebuild the 

roads, since it had admitted that 

it did not have money to make 

refunds. 

He also explained that his 

government’s intervention on the 

Benin-Sapele-Warri road was not 

to handle the entire road, but to 

amend the terribly bad portion. 

Other governors of the region, 

who spoke to NDV through their 

aides, were noncommittal. 

Senior Special Assistant, Media 

& Publicity, to Governro Ben 

Ayade of Cross River State, Mr. 

Christian Ita, said: “We are not 

interested in how and when to go 

for refund or what the Minister 

(Fashola) has said. Our aim at this 

time is to make sure the people 

have good access roads. 

“We are not thinking about the 

refund for now, we want our 

people to go to work and come 

back as and when due, and not 

to be stuck on the road wasting 

productive man hours. We are 

trying our best to put an end to 

this. 

“Then after the job is done, we 

can now go the Federal 

Government to process the 

refunds. For now, refund is not 

our major priority, providing good 

road is more pivotal.” 

Forget tollgates 

— Chief Nduese Essien 

One of the prominent leaders 

and former House of 

Representatives member, Chief 

Nduese Essien, told NDV, “in 

Akwa Ibom State and generally 

in the South-South, we do not 

have federal roads; the federal 

roads are all bad. The one from 

Calabar to Ikot Ekpene is 

completely bad, the East-West 

Road is not completed and the 

one from Uyo/Ikot Ekpene to Aba 

is bad.” 

Essien, who is the Atta of Ekid, 

noted: “In fact, we have been 

wondering where they are going 

to mount the tollgates they are 

talking about. We had expected 

the Federal Government to do the 

roads first before mounting the toll 

gates. 

“We will, therefore, advise the 

Federal Government to forget the 

idea of mounting tollgates until 

they have provided good roads.” 

Essien pointed out that if the 

Federal Government refunded 

Akwa Ibom State all the money 

the Godswill Akpabio 

administration spent on federal 

roads, such money would have 

enhanced the construction of state 

roads in the state. 

Way out—Nkanga, ex-MILAD 

Former Military Administrator 

of Akwa Ibom State, Air 

Continues on Page 29

Federal roads in S-South: Citizens reject FG’s 

decision not to refund states for repairs 

Continues on Page 29 

Commodore Idongesit Nkanga 

(retd), blamed the condition of the 

roads on the unitary system of 

government, saying there was so 

much responsibility on the central 

government. 

His words: “One of the three 

pillars of restructuring is fiscal 

federalism. That on its own will 

put more resources in the hands 

of the federating units because 

they will have the opportunity to 

explore and exploit the resources 

in their domain and have the 

opportunity to develop 

themselves. 

“You are talking about federal 

roads. We have 65 items in the 

exclusive list of the central 

government. If you remove some 

of the items, there will be less 

responsibility on the Federal 

Government and more 

responsibility on the federating 

units. 

“We can never move forward the 

way the structure is because the 

foundation is wrong. That is why 

you see so many states going into 

repairing of the federal roads and 

asking for refunds. That is not the 

way we should run the country.” 

FG doesn't cares 

about S’South—Umoette 

A former youth leader of Uruk 

Uso in Ikot Ekpene Local 

Government Area, Mr. Manasseh 

Umoette, stated: “I feel sad that 

we do not have government that 

is passionate about the 

development of the country, 

especially the South-South 

region. This is one region that is 

neglected by the government at 

the centre in terms of road.” 

Umoette complained that 

several appeals to the Federal 

Government to fix the Ikot 

Ekpene-Aba Road have not 

yielded results, noting that award 

for the construction of the road 

only ends on the radio, television 

and pages of newspapers. 

His words: “Government has 

been paying lip service to fixing 

these roads. Are we supposed to 

be crying and begging 

government to come and repair 

its roads? 

“And this particular road has 

gone so bad that if Akwa Ibom 

people must go to Aba through 

THE TEAM 

Emma Amaize - Editor 

Samuel Oyadongha - Yenagoa 

Jimitota Onoyume- Warri 

Gabriel Enogholase- Benin City 

Festus Ahon- Asaba 

Egufe Yafugborhi- Port Harcourt 

Emmanuel Una- Calabar 

Akpokona Omafuaire- Warri 

Paul Olayemi- Sapele 

Harri Emmanuel- Uyo 

Chioma Onuegbu-Uyo 

Ike Uchechukwu-Calabar 

Davies Iheamnachor-P’Harcourt 

Emem Idio- Yenagoa 

Brisibe Perez- Ughelli 

Theresa Ugbobu- Agbor 

Ochuko Akuopha- Oleh 

Chancel Sunday - Bomadi 

Alemma Aliu- Benin City 

Nath Onajoke- Asaba 

Chijioke Nwankpa- P'Harcourt 

that road, they must use either a 

bicycle or commercial motorcycles 

because no vehicle can ply that 

road in its current state, not even 

the heavy vehicles like trucks, 

tipper-lorries. 

“The economic importance of 

that road to our people cannot be 

overemphasised because Aba is 

a commercial nerve centre. 

Majority of Akwa Ibom people go 

to Aba on daily basis to do 

business. The traders are most 

affected and the rate of motorcycle 

accidents on that road is 

alarming. Many of them have 

lost their lives, while others have 

lost their limbs in motorcycle 

accidents.” 

Our ordeal—A’Ibom 

drivers, commuters 

Similarly, ABC Transport driver, 

who identified himself as Mr. 

Evarestus, lamented his horrible 

experience on the Ikot Ekpene/ 

Obot Akara-Umahia Road for 

over 10 years, urging the Federal 

Government to allow states to 

handle all roads. 

He said: “I left Enugu by 8a.m., 

arrived Umuahia by 10.45a.m. 

and then from Umahia to Uyo by 

12:35a.m. Imagine the number of 

hours. That federal road is 

something else. We have suffered 

a lot and government is not doing 

anything about it. Every regime 

will come during campaign and 

promise us that they will do the 

road, but they will not do it. After 

eight years, another regime will 

come to give us the same 

promise. 

BAYELSA… 

THE JERUSALEM OF IJAW 

NATION 

By Emem Idio 

OTUOKE—FOR Rev (Mrs) 

Ethel Diete-Spiff, her love 

for the people of Ogbia extraction, 

particularly the Oloibiri clan, 

Bayelsa State, where Nigeria first 

struck oil in commercial quantity, 

is legendary. From the very first 

day she visited the site of the 

country’s first oil well, about three 

decades ago, her love for the area 

has been unwavering. 

For 30 years she has been 

working with all the three tiers of 

government through her nonprofit 

organisation, Mothers for 

Peace Initiative, MIP, to see to the 

realisation of a befitting 

monument and museum at the 

site of the first oil well. 

While the museum is not getting 

desired attention of government 

in spite of her spirited efforts and 

advocacy, she has channeled her 

energy and resources in giving 

youths of the area a sense of 

belonging through various youth 

capacity-building ventures. 

Worried by the rate of 

unemployment and lack of 

“I have been using that road for 

10 to 11 years now. It started 

going bad gradually. Every year, 

you notice one failed portion. 

Sometimes we use bush path. 

There was a day that I used a 

bush-path and a Police boss and 

an escort were using the same 

route. My vehicle was in front, 

and they said I should clear to 

the side that was impassable to 

enable them pass and I told them 

no, that my vehicle will sink. 

“They forced me because they 

were carrying gun and as I did 

as they asked me to, my vehicle 

sank. I called them to push my 

vehicle out, you can imagine they 

had to put their legs in the water 

and helped push my vehicle out. 

I did not even have time to tell 

them thank you because I crossed 

to the other side so that their own 

vehicle can pass. 

“And this happened about 

6p.m.” 

FG should hands 

—Off roads 

Continuing, the veteran 

commecial driver said: “I want to 

say that Federal Government 

should hands off roads. Let the 

state government be responsible 

for doing roads. Federal 

Government cannot be in Abuja 

and know what we are suffering 

here; it is not possible. 

“I strongly believe only states 

can help to tackle this road 

problem issue. Recently, Federal 

Government said they cannot 

refund money to any state 

government that did Federal 

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019—29 

roads, so it is better they allow 

state government to take care of 

all the roads.” 

He said road transportation 

business has gone down in Akwa 

Ibom State, as many vehicles that 

used to ply Uyo to Owerri, Enugu, 

Port-Harcourt and Warri are not 

there anymore, adding that even 

the few on ground hardly get 

enough passengers. 

His words: “As we speak, it is 

almost time for ABC bus to leave 

for Enugu, but there are only few 

passengers. This is because 

when you carry passengers and 

ply the horrible roads, next time, 

they do not want to travel on road. 

Therefore, the terrible condition 

of the road has reduced the rate 

people travel. 

“Some now prefer to use their 

phones to do their businesses. 

Sometimes, they waybill their 

goods just to avoid the bad road 

because it is a nightmare. So I am 

advocating that roads should be 

left for state governments.” 

Unsafe and dangerous 

—Kingsley 

A public servant and a motorist, 

who simply identified himself as 

Mr. Kingsley, an indigene of Imo 

State, residing in Uyo, lamented 

that the bad condition of federal 

roads linking the state to 

neighbouring states exposes 

commuters/transporters to risks. 

According to him, “Obot Akara- 

Umuahia and Ikot Ekpene 

Umuahia roads are not safe. If 

you are going through Umuahia, 

you have to divert to Isiala Ngwa, 

instead of the normal Ikwuano 

road. The roads are eyesore. They 

need urgent attention and they 

have gone beyond what FERMA 

can handle. 

“The rate at which Dangote 

trucks fall on the Ikot Ekpene- 

Umuahia Road is very high. In 

addition, there is no day that we 

My mission to make N-Delta youths self-sufficient 

—Rev (Mrs) Diete-Spiff 

Rev (Mrs.) Diete-Spiff presenting certificate to one of the 

participants. 

entrepreneurship among youths 

of the area, Rev (Mrs) Ethel 

Diete-Spiff, wife of first Military 

Administrator of old Rivers State, 

His Royal Majesty, King Alfred 

Diete-Spiff, the Amanyanabo of 

Twon Brass, recently organised a 

four-day entrepreneurship retreat 

for youths. 

The retreat, facilitated by the 

Small and Medium Enterprises 

Development Agency, 

SMEDAN, and the National 

Drug Law Enforcement Agency, 

NDLEA, had students and youths 

from Ogbia Local Government 

Area and its environs as 

beneficiaries 

Mrs Diete-Spiff commended 

SMEDAN and other groups for 

the collaboration, saying at the 

end of the retreat, the participants 

should organise themselves into 

smaller groups and form 

cooperatives through which they 

can access the needed finances 

to start their businesses. 

She added: “Our youths do not 

just represent our future, they are 

our present too, and they have 

the energy to power our economy 

and the minds to innovate and 

succeed in every sphere of life. 

My mission for the Niger Delta 

youths is to help them to be selfreliant. 

“When we do not create 

avenues for them to channel their 

do not record two or three 

accidents on these roads. 

“Moreover, most times, if you 

reach the bad spots you will 

always see not less than 10 

vehicles, including commercial 

vehicles, parked due to damage. 

Those in transport sector change 

engines regularly because of the 

bad. It is affecting everybody. 

“Some of the hoodlums now 

take advantage of the situation to 

attack, rob passengers, especially 

vehicles from long distances like 

Lagos, Abuja, Warri that arrived 

the failed portions very late in the 

night or those that are stranded 

because their vehicle broke down 

there. 

“The situation has also made 

cost of living very high in the 

state, because when those into 

business travel and return, they 

add much money to the goods 

because of increased 

transportation fare and 

sufferings on the road. The 

consumers now purchase the 

goods at very high prices.” 

Travelling on federal road 

makes me sick— Daniel 

A businesswoman, Mrs 

Uduak, said sometimes, two 

people sit on one motorcycle so 

that they can afford the transport 

fare from Ikot Ekpene to Aba on 

a business trip. 

A passenger at the AKTC 

Motor Park Uyo, Daniel, said: 

“The last time I used the Ikot 

Ekpene Umuahia Road was 

sometime in 2018. The condition 

of that road discourages me from 

travelling regularly. When I 

remember how bad it is, the delay, 

the shaking, it makes me feel sick 

to travel. 

“Government should do 

something about that road. We are 

not animals. Government should 

be concerned about the plight of 

its citizens.” 

energy, they will resort to crime 

and violence that we are currently 

witnessing. This is why Mothers 

Initiative for Peace, MIP, 

organised this programme to 

contribute to government's effort 

at addressing youth 

unemployment and the root 

causes of youth restiveness and 

unemployment, which will to a 

large extent prevent crime and 

violence in our society. The 

training underscores 

government’s commitment to 

addressing these perennial 

problems.” 

One of the participants and 

Youth President of Otuebula I 

community in Ogbia Local 

Government Area, Loveday Ikisi- 

Jackson, commended the 

Foundation for reaching out to the 

youths with the retreat, and 

expressed the satisfaction that the 

training would spur the youths 

interest in entrepreneurship. 

He said: “Entrepreneurship is 

now the most important thing and 

we have benefited from the 

training, particularly those of us 

that are already into one form of 

business or the other, because we 

have been educated on how to 

grow our business as well as 

access funds. 

“We are grateful to MIP 

Foundation for this well-thought 

out initiative and we urged other 

well-meaning organisations to 

take a cue from them.”

30—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019

30 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019


Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

Leadership and moral conscience 

THE art of leadership is difficult enough in 

normal times. In an age of upheavals, the 

complexities are infinitely more daunting. 

Political leadership is the one vocation to which 

many are called but few are really chosen. Today, 

sadly, the world is truly bereft of great 

leaders. 

You wouldn’t, for example, call Prime Minister 

Boris Johnson of Britain a great leader. Anybody 

who goes and deceives Her Majesty the 

Queen and decides to lock up parliament for 

weeks ought to be tried for high treason. Nor 

would we dare to tag Donald J. Trump with the 

undeserved appellation of a statesman. Some 

psychologists believe that his entire cognitive 

corpus — by way of concepts, lexicon and cosmology 

— does not transcend that of a high 

school teenager. I wouldn’t pass the torch to the 

young Emmanuel Macron who fancies himself 

the god Jupiter who dishes out ex cathedra pronouncements 

to the uncomprehending hoi-polloi 

Ȧnd there are still a few madmen around: 

North Korean strongman Kim Jong-un is a good 

example. Robert Mugabe, as you all know, has 

gone where his types normally end up. I am not 

exactly sure where to place the de facto ruler of 

the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince 

Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. 

In the West, Chancellor Angela Merkel of 

Germany fulfils some of my basic requirements 

of a visionary leader. She has served Germany 

well. In Africa I would defer to Paul Kagame of 

Rwanda — warts and all. Recent Nobel laureate 

Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia has deservedly earned 

rock-star status within and outside his country. 

He is a breath of fresh air in Ethiopia where the 

people have been strangers to freedom for more 

than a century. Tanzania President John Joseph 

Magufuli is also making the right waves. 

By real leaders I mean those servants of 

the people who have the courage of their own 

convictions — who make things happen and 

who transform our world — transformational 

rainmakers who have the capacity to move 

societies from a low level to a higher one. 

One of the principal qualities that sets apart 

great leaders from the common run is conscience 

and moral conviction. By moral conscience 

we are referring to the still, small voice 

which tugs tremulously on our hearts; urging 

us on when we are on the right and warning 

us when we are on the wrong. Every human 

being is born with a moral conscience. Conscience 

lies at the foundation of moral law. 

And it is largely from the moral law that natural 

justice and equity arise as precepts of 

jurisprudence. Conscience tells us that we 

must do unto others as we would wish them 

do unto us. It also tells us that it is wrong to 

bear false witness against another or to take 

what is not ours or to take another’s life or 

property. Conscience dictates that we treat 

others with fairness and justice. It also tells 

us that all life is sacred. 

It all goes back to Socrates, the Greek philosopher 

and ancient gadfly of Athens. He 

claimed to have been guided all his life by a 

voice. When he was doing the right things, 

the voice always expressed approval. But 

whenever he was derailing, the voice would 

always give a reprimand or warning. The inner 

voice compelled him never to accept the 

dominant idols and prejudices of the age, but 

to always question them. It soon got him 

into trouble with the ruling establishment. 

Our country will never live 

up to its promise of greatness 

unless we hand over the torch 

to a new generation who 

possess the courage of their 

convictions 

He was eventually tried on false charges of 

treason. He was forced to drink hemlock to 

his own death. Socrates was one of the most 

remarkable human beings who faced the prospect 

of his own death bravely and without 

bitterness. He recognised the awful fact that 

some lives would have to be sacrificed in the 

defence of truth, virtue and justice. 

His last words, as recounted by his student 

Plato are extraordinarily haunting: “Wherefore, 

O judges, be of good cheer about death, and 

know of a certainty, that no evil can happen 

to a good man, either in life or after death....The 

hour of departure has arrived, and we go our 

ways—I to die, and you to live. Which is better 

God only knows.” 

Martin Luther King Jr famously observed 

that a man has not begun to truly live until he 

has a cause for which he will willingly give his 

life. That is the foundation of conviction leadership. 

Mere politicians are two for a penny 

these days. It is almost considered to be a 

mark of political sophistication for a public 

servant to be shorn of politics and convictions. 

Three thinkers are guilty for this current 

state of affairs. 

The first is Niccolo Machiavelli. The Florentine 

political thinker famously proclaimed 

that “the end justifies the means” and that it 

is better to be feared than to be loved. The 

most dangerous type of leaders are those who 

read The Prince out of context. Machiavelli 

was writing at a time when renaissance Italy 

was made up of warring city-states. What he 

wrote was a treatise on how the statesman 

might secure the existence of a free republic 

in an age of internecine strife. It is therefore 

not surprising that those who read him out of 

context are likely to behave like beasts. 

The second culprit is the 17th century 

English political philosopher Thomas Hobbes. 

Hobbes’s famous work, The Leviathan, 

was written during the years of the brutal 

bloody English civil war. His pessimistic temper 

was shaped by those violent experiences. 

The Leviathan emerged as a thought experiment 

of how a sovereign must govern under 

what he terms “the state of nature”. In 

that primordial condition in which life is “solitary, 

nasty, brutish and short”, the sovereign 

must rule with an iron hand. Moral considerations 

are to be suspended when what is imperative 

is protection of human beings from 

devouring one another like beasts. 

The third culprit is Robert Greene, the author 

of The 48 Laws of Power. An aspiring 

politician once gave me a tour guide of his 

library at his palatial home. The only book 

on the sprawling oak table was Greene’s 

book. He looked at me knowingly. Deep in 

my heart, I concluded that this man has become 

a lost soul. I believe that 70 percent of 

our politicians have read The 48 Laws of 

Power. The irony is that when all of you have 

read the same book and are trying to play the 

games recommended by the book on each other, 

it all becomes a fools’ market. You know 

that I know that we are all playing the games 

of power. In the end it all leads to nowhere 

but a common dungeon of moral nihilism. 

What will ultimately save our country is 

conviction politics. We may never all agree 

on values. This is why Winston Churchill 

described democracy as the worst system of 

government — except for the others. And because 

this is so, we must be prepared to subject 

all our principles to the rigorous marketplace 

of ideas — to reason, debate and dialectical 

logic. The godfathers and moneybags 

that control our political and party systems 

abhor such things. They prefer pliable operators 

in dark, smoke-filled chambers. Most 

of our politicians think strictly in terms of 

religion, ethnicity, tribe and region. Rare are 

the statesmen and women who believe in 

Nigeria, her common good and her manifest 

destiny within the temple of humanity. 

I daresay that our country will never live 

up to its promise of greatness and will never 

transcend its mediocrity unless we hand over 

the torch to a new generation who possess 

the courage of their convictions — who are 

guided by conscience and the ideals of enlightenment 

and civilisation. 

74th UNGA and Nigeria’s new international face 

By Ayo Akanji 

The role of the United Nations is to set 

the mental clocks of the world leaders 

from past problems to the present opportunities, 

and from local power mindset to 

global welfare mindset – Amit Ray 

NIGERIA is steadily charting a new 

and dynamic course for itself, diplomatically, 

on all fronts, be it regional, 

continental and global. These gains can 

be ascribed to recent shuttle diplomacy 

by President Muhammadu Buhari. Nigeria 

can be said to be part of the power circle 

with foreign policy initiatives well 

focused, and which would help create 

and reinforce favourable images of a 

country to the external world. 

Consequently, Nigeria’s foreign policy 

has been rooted on its Afro-centric 

policy, big market for Euro-America, antiapartheid 

policy, and her policy of technical 

aid and assistance. 

The cooperation President Buhari has 

been able to garner from countries visited 

during his shuttle diplomacy has created 

commitment of collaboration and 

cooperation from key international partners. 

And this is indicative of his acceptance, 

integrity and credibility. Mr. President’s 

foreign policy thrust has given Nigerian 

businesses the opportunity to explore 

and partner with their foreign counterparts. 

Nigeria’s domestic policy is indeed, intrinsically 

linked to her foreign policy. 

Under the current administration, deliberate 

focus is made on improved relationship 

with other military forces worldwide, 

promoting the welfare of Nigerians 

abroad to ensure they are treated with 

respect, improved bilateral and multilateral 

trade among nations. 

President Buhari’s participation and 

speech at the 74th United Nations General 

Assembly, UNGA, was not only strategic 

but a poignant pointer to what 

straight lines can be achieved when a 

right-thinking leader is employed by the 

citizenry to articulate a dynamic position 

for not just Nigeria but the African continent. 

In short, the dynamic leadership of President 

Buhari is attracting a great deal of 

goodwill for Nigeria, as was witnessed in 

the strategic decision to unanimously 

elect, by acclamation, Ambassador Tijani 

Muhammed - Bande as President, 74th 

session of UNGA by the 193-member 

states. The presidency rotates between 

representatives of the five regional 

groups in UNGA. The General Assembly 

is one of the six principal organs of the 

UN. 

Nigerians are currently manning key international 

positions, from the Deputy 

Secretary General of the UN, to the current 

president and the permanent representatives 

of the African Union, AU to 

the UN, the President of the African Development 

Bank, ADB, just to mention a 

few, are all flying the Green-White-Green 

flag. 

UNGA is the most representative organ 

of the UN, its presidency is a position voted 

for by representatives on a yearly basis. 

It rotates annually between the five 

geographic groups: Africa, Asia-Pacific, 

Eastern Europe, Latin America and Caribbean 

and Western and other States. Ambassador 

Bande’s endorsement by the 

Economic Community Of West African 

States, ECOWAS, AU and other member 

states signaled the acceptance of Nigeria 

as a dependable leader. He was named Nigeria’s 

permanent representatives to the 

UN in 2016 where he served as Vice President 

of 71st General Assembly. Nigeria 

joins Argentina and Ecuador as the only 

countries to have supplied twice a president 

of UNGA, Nigeria’s first, being its 

permanent representative Joe Garba in 

1989. 

Ambassador Muhammad-Bande will be 

a highly effective face of African and Nigerian 

diplomacy, his top priorities which 

cut across poverty eradication, inclusion 

and quality education are important policy 

thrusts for Nigeria and Africa. 

“Today in New York I join other World 

Leaders to address the United Nations Climate 

Action Summit, with the theme: “A 

Mr. President’s foreign 

policy thrust has given Nigerian 

businesses the opportunity 

to explore and partner with 

their foreign counterparts 

Race We Can Win; A Race We Must Win”, 

said President Buhari. It was a welcome 

opportunity to restate Nigeria’s commitment 

to fulfilling all our obligations under 

the Paris Agreement. 

President Buhari, an advocate of climate 

change, aside restating Nigeria’s commitment 

to fulfil all her obligations under the 

Paris Agreement, used the international 

platform to raise awareness and advocate 

action against the worsening state of the 

Lake Chad Basin, which has affected the 

livelihood of more than 45 million people. 

The expansion of the United Nation Security 

Council, UNSC, “to reflect the diversity 

and dynamics of the 21stCentury” 

– the fight against Illicit Financial 

Flows in which Nigeria lost $157 billion in 

just nine years and the African continent 

loses $50 billion annually, are other 

welcome developments from the 74th 

UNGA . 

In the same vein, President Buhari highlighted 

how his administration is fighting 

corruption head-on, by stating that Nigeria 

won’t tolerate attempts by international 

criminals to defraud Nigeria, citing the 

prosecution of Process and Industrial Development, 

P&ID over the controversial 

$9.6 billion judgement it obtained from a 

London court and called for collective efforts 

by all countries to address the menace. 

In short, President Buhari in his speech 

underscored the importance of the industrial 

nations to partner with developing 

countries. “As the world grows richer, 

there are regrettable signals in the World 

Economic and Political Order. Millions in 

Africa and around the world remain in 

abject poverty raising the tide of racism, 

xenophobia, resurgent nationalism,” said 

Buhari. Going further, President Buhari 

called for a Marshal Plan for Africa, 

reminiscent of the United States’ Marshal 

Plan for Europe in 1945. He opined: “A 

developed Africa will not be antagonistic 

to industrialised countries but will become 

friends and partners in prosperity, security 

and development”. 

*Akanji, a foreign policy analyst, 

wrote from Abuja 

C 

M 

Y 

K


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 22)It is important you resist the temptation 

to become careless with money and movable possessions. 

It is better to ensure good state for your health. 

SCORPIO (Oct 23 – Nov 21)This is the wrong time to ignore 

the importance of other people’s support even though 

your ideas are superior to their own. Write down your new 

ideas. 

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec21)Both important and regular 

folks around you will remain cooperative with you. Give 

priority attention to both your work and stability of your health. 

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)You were born with innate 

practical ability but, sometimes you let it go for a while. And 

today is one of those days when you can mistake financially 

dangerous adventure for genuine enterprising business. Do 

away with gambling with love. Be yourself. 

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)The atmosphere around you 

may become a bit charged for few hours but the whole thing 

will work favourably for you. Think of your family members. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“When you forgive, you in no way change the past 

but you sure do change the future.” 

— Benard Meltzer 

Holding on to the weight of anger, resentment and 

hatred will not only hold you back, but also block your 

present blessings and opportunities. You’ve just got 

to drop some things to move forward. 

— Ella Randle 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

Judge not your 

beauty by the 

number of 

people who look 

at you, but 

rather by the 

number of 

people who 

smile at you. 

~African Proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 19)Your mind is clearer today. And 

you will have many brilliant and good ideas you will need to 

put down to avoid forgetfulness. Avoid unnecessary argument 

today. 

ARIES ( Mar 21 – Apr 19)As the saying goes ‘’money is the 

root of all evils” you will need to do away with misunderstanding 

arising from money capable of setting friends against each 

other. 

TAURUS ( Apr 20 – May 20)The Moon operates in your 

Star sign today and tomorrow to the betterment of your mood. 

However if care is not taken, you would over do things to the 

resentment of others. Do away with mental arrogance and 

refusal to reason with others. 

GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)You will have much to loose if 

you agree to participate in secretive deal you are not sure of 

the originator. Do away with mental arrogance. Be moderate. 

CANCER (June 21 – July 22)If you think your ideas are the 

best today, others will prove you wrong with superior argument. 

Separate friendship and real love related affairs. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” “HOT” By A.O.OLAIDE 

LEO (Jul23 – Aug 22)Do not allow competitors without 

competence to give you cause to worry. although you will need 

to protect your image and well being of your family members. 

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)Some of you will be willing to 

have feelings of sentimental bug .It is important you take into 

consideration legal implications of what you say and do today. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date and place of birth to the Astrological 

Counselling, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos 

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TAURUS-YOUR SUN-SIGN 

RULER = LOVING AND MONETARY VENUS.QUALITY 

=FIXED. 

ELEMENT = EARTH. SYMBOL = THE BULL.GROUP = 

FEMININE. 

ZODIACAL NUMBER = 2ND . 

Taurus although, second sign of the zodiac, is the first of the 

earth signs, and that means leadership ability especially when it 

comes to reckoning with who is who among people that have, 

staying power and those that can be regarded as serious minded 

(hard workers) and practical set of people. Through Venus — its’ 

ruler, Taurus rules money, movable possessions, and steadfastness. 

That is why Taurus born people hate whatever can lead to or 

be regarded as insecurity and they are good managers of both 

money and other material related resources. 

You appear cool headed and like true Taurus, you can exhibit 

ability to be patient and the degree of perseverance in your inner—self 

is truly high. With the influence of Taurus in you, you are 

more of a person with powerful personality with strong determination 

to wear both oppositions and obstacles out of your way via 

renewed struggle and consistency. You see, people that do not 

really understand you may label you an obstinate or excessively 

stubborn person; in fairness to them, there is some degree of 

stubbornness in you. 

However, if you rightly or wrongly think that failure is starring 

you at face, the bull in you can induce you to act like all head no 

heart type of a person. Taurus born people attach importance to 

money and security (you are not an exception) . In fact, financial 

crisis can lead to despondency for them. 

Natives, of earth signs are cautious and reliable and they will 

rarely day dream. The quality of Taurus which is fixed makes it 

easy for you to always determine to see your important projects to 

logical conclusion. Because of your unwillingness to change your 

mind unnecessarily, some people may call you a rigid person, but 

nobody can rightly accuse you of laziness. In-fact, fixed quality of 

Taurus is another indication of reliability in your horoscope. 

As Venus— the planet of ARTS, music, beauty, money and elegance, 

rules Taurus, you are endowed with artistic and creativity 

talents. These can manifest through appreciation of good music, 

fine appearance and everything that symbolizes beauty, elegance 

and comfort. Beauty and splendour are parts of Taurus’ make up. 

And for you to be totally happy you must not ignore things ruled by 

Venus, especially the ones enumerated in this paragraph. 

Even, if few disgruntled elements or ignorant hold any wrong 

view about you, the larger society appreciates you, and you will be 

adequately rewarded for your outstanding qualities and 

hardworking ability. 

VIRGINIA 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

HOME & ABROAD 

By Lawrence Akapa


NJC absolves Justice Akon 

Ikpeme of bribery allegations 

By Emma Una 

C ALABAR— 

NATIONAL 

Judicial Council, NJC, has 

absolved a state High Court 

judge, Justice Akon 

Ikpeme, of bribery 

allegation levelled against 

her by Senator Smart 

Adeyemi in a petition he 

sent to the council in 2015. 

The judge, who headed 

the National Assembly 

Elections Petitions Tribunal 

in Kogi State, was accused 

of taking bribe and 

compromising her ruling in 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

UYO—THE Publicity 

Secretary of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Akwa Ibom State chapter, 

Mr. Ini Ememobong, has 

supported renewed call for 

the number of political 

parties in the country to be 

reduced. 

Ememobong, who spoke 

the petition filed by Senator 

Adeyemi. 

The NJC, which set up a 

three-man panel to 

investigate the allegation, 

dismissed the petition after 

four years in a report to the 

NJC, absolving her of the 

allegation. 

Speaking to newsmen in 

Calabar, Cross River State, 

Mr. Mba Okweni(SAN), 

counsel to Justice Ikpeme 

during the hearing, said 

there was no truth in the 

allegation by Adeyemi 

which prompted the NJC 

to throw out the petition. 

while fielding questions 

from newsmen in Uyo, 

noted that such a move 

must be done with extra 

caution in order not to 

create confusion in the 

polity. 

His words: “I agree that 

we cannot continue with the 

number of political parties 

we have now, but the 

number to which it should 

He added: “The council 

in its meeting held on April 

18, deliberated on the report 

submitted by the panel and 

accepted its findings and 

subsequently dismissed 

the petition for lack of 

merit.” 

Ukweni explained that he 

was among the team of 

lawyers that defended 

Justice Ikpeme before the 

NJC three-man panel. 

“The three man panel 

appointed by NJC to 

investigate the complaints, 

duly and meticulously 

investigated the complaints 

be reduced is what we need 

to discuss. 

“Soon we may even have 

up to 500 political parties. 

Imagine how the ballot 

paper with 500 political 

parties will look like. Let’s 

have very strong political 

parties. In fact, there is need 

to revisit the entire electoral 

architecture. 

“This is a discussion that 

and found them to be false 

and unfounded,” he said. 

“The judge denied 

making confession to 

anybody and challenged 

the petitioners to produce 

anyone before whom she 

was alleged to have 

confessed to taking bribes, 

but they were unable to do 

so,” he added. 

He stated that the Court 

of Appeal, in a unanimous 

decision, upheld the 

judgement of the tribunal 

headed by Justice Ikpeme, 

which is a proof that the 

ruling was not lopsided. 

From left—Meilleur Ouvrier de France Fromager, Pierre Gay; Chief Operations Officer, Strategy and 

International, CNIEL, Laurent Damiens, and Chef Christian Abégan at the Afrogourmands Lagos event 

organised by CNIEL and the European Commission. PHOTO: Kehinde Shonola. 

PDP scribe backs call for reduction of political parties 

OML30: Heritage promises 

sustainable patronage of local vendors 

By Babatunde Jimoh 

HERITAGE Energy 

Operational Services 

Limited, HEOSL, has reassured 

local vendors and 

community contractors in 

OML30 of sustainable and 

continued patronage. 

HEOSL’s Manager, 

Government and 

Community Relations, Mr. 

Edesiri Akpomudjere, 

gave the assurance at a 

meeting with Chairman of 

Burutu Local Government 

Area of Delta State, Angelle 

Godbless, at the company’s 

office in Edjeba, Warri. 

Akpomudjere said there 

was need for all 

stakeholders and 

government to collaborate 

to curb oil theft, adding that 

the worrisome situation 

where youths of host 

communities will not grant 

access to contractors to 

contain a spill should be 

discouraged. 

He said: “On greater 

community participation, 

this is one of the 

requirements of our GMoU 

and this is reflected in 

employment opportunities, 

contracting, scholarship 

awards, pipeline 

surveillance contracts 

which are better handled by 

local contractors for obvious 

reasons.” 

Akpomudjere 

acknowledged the efforts 

and commitment of the 

council authorities within 

Heritage’s areas of 

operations in OML30, 

pointing out that Heritage 

had made significant 

achievements in that area. 

Godbless, on her part, 

said the people in riverine 

areas were impoverished 

and pleaded with the 

company for a helping 

hand to enable the council 

provide basic amenities and 

infrastructure development 

for the people. 

should be opened to every 

Nigerian. Every Nigerian 

should be heard so that we 

can agree on what is to be 

done. So, you look at the 

fact that people have 

freedom to choose where 

they like to belong.” 

He stressed that having 

two or more political 

parties has its merits and 

demerits, noting that in 

placing any cap on the 

number of political 

parties, the parametres 

used must be such that 

are mutually accepted 

across the country and 

parties concerned. 

He added: “It may not 

also be right to narrow it 

to only two, because the 

two can conspire to deny 

one person a ticket. We 

should have a proviso that 

says if your party does not 

make so and so, it should 

go so that we can have a 

very strong political party. 

“Politics must be 

humanised. The absence 

of humanisation in 

politics will make politics 

very crude. It will return 

to that definition of life 

that says it is short, crude 

and brutish.” 

Ogbebor urged to drop 

agitation against Okumagba 

By Emma Amaize 

E FFURUN— 

NATIONAL 

President of the Federated 

Union of Urhobo Youths, 

FUUY, in Delta State, 

Chief Luckyson Oniyan, 

has called on the Itsekiri 

ethnic nationality to 

prevail on Chief Rita Lori- 

Ogbebor, one of its 

prominent leaders, to drop 

her opposition to the 

appointment of Chief 

Bernard Okumagba, an 

Urhobo, as Managing 

Director-designate of the 

Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC. 

Oniyan made the call at 

a Delta State Oil 

Producing Area 

Development 

Commission, 

DESOPADEC, town hall 

meeting in Effurun, near 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT— 

ITALIAN Energy, ENI, 

parent company of 

Nigerian Agip Oil 

Company, NAOC, has 

entered into an agreement 

with Aggah community in 

Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni 

Local Government of 

Rivers State, to end annual 

flooding in the area. 

For over 40 years, Aggah 

community has been 

witnessing flooding 

occasioned by the operations 

of NAOC in the area. 

Egbema Voice of 

Freedom, EVF, the body 

fighting the marginalisation 

in the area, had 

petitioned ENI over 

neglect 

and 

environmental issues in 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

W ARRI—ROTARY 

Club of Warri, 

District 9141, has donated 

exercise books to some 

primary schools in Warri, 

Delta State. 

Acting President of the 

club, Bridget Ideji led 

members of the club for 

the donation at Alders 

Town Special primary 

School and Merogun 

Primary School, all in 

Warri. 


donation, she said: 

“Rotary International has 

set aside the month of 

September as the month 

that Rotarians go out to 

encourage people in their 

Warri, Delta State. 

He said: “Urhobo and 

Itsekiri people are the 

closest neighbours in 

Delta State. We have 

lived together, we intermarry 

and we will 

continue to live together. 

“When the issue of 

Chairman of 

DESOPADEC arose, our 

union also called for 

calm, cautioning our 

Urhobo brothers to allow 

peace reign over the 

appointment of Mr. 

Michael Diden, an 

Itsekiri, as DESOPADEC 

Chairman. 

“It is in that spirit of 

oneness that we call on 

Itsekiri leadership and 

people to call one of their 

leaders, Chief Ogbebor 

to order not to endanger 

the existing peace in 

Warri metropolis.” 

Italian firm, Rivers community 

partner on flood control 

the host communities 

with support from 

Advocates for Community 

Alternatives, ACA, 

and Chima Williams & 

Associates, CWA. 

They filed a complaint 

against ENI before 

Italy’s OECD National 

Contact Point, with the 

support of International 

Federation for Human 

Rights, FIDH. 

In a joint statement 

yesterday in Port 

Harcourt, EVF, 

represented by Pastor 

Evaristus Nicholas 

(complainant), ACA, 

Jonathan Kaufman, 

CWA, Prince Chima 

Williams and FIDH, 

Sacha Feierabend, noted 

that the agreement 

followed a thorough 

investigation by ENI. 

Rotary donates notebooks 

to Warri primary schools 

communities and let 

them know the 

importance of getting 

education. 

“Without education, 

humanity can make no 

impact. Rotary has six 

focal areas by which we 

serve humanity, and 

basic education and 

literacy is one of such 

areas.” 

Head Teacher of Alders 

Town Primary School, 

Mrs Rita Ugbameta and 

her counterpart at 

Moreogun Primary 

School, Mrs Elizabeth 

Omehoruwa, thanked 

the club, adding that 

some of the students 

resumed without 

notebooks so the 

donation was timely.


2,700 beneficiaries of 

skill acquisition pay 

homage to Ugwuanyi 

R EPRESENTATIVES 

of over 2,770 youths 

across the communities in 

Enugu State, who were 

trained in various skills, 

free of charge, under the 

Gburugburu School of 

Free Skill Acquisition 

scheme, yesterday, 

converged on 

Government House, 

Enugu, to express 

gratitude to Governor 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. 

The jubilant trainees, 

who displayed their 

products such as liquid 

and bar soaps, perfumes, 

metal chairs, cakes 

and photo frames, 

among others, told 

Govenor Ugwuanyi that 

they were delighted that 

“the wonderful skills 

acquisition initiative you 

created in Enugu State 

since 2015” has yielded 

the desired positive result. 

They said the governor 

has “set an unbreakable 

record as your school has 

trained 2,776 youths 

comprising men and 

women in different skills 

free of charge,” adding 

that the initiative has put 

food on their table and 

enabled them to become 

self reliant. 

The trainees, who stated 

By Anayo Okoli 

ENUGU—THE Police 

in Enugu have 

interrogated one Dr. 

Izuchukwu Okam, a 

Medical Doctor working 

at the University of 

Nigeria Teaching 

Hospital, UNTH, Enugu 

for failure to appear in 

court over an alleged 

criminal defamation of a 

colleague, one Dr. Uzoma 

Ossai. 

Dr. Okam was accused 

of criminal defamation 

against his colleague, Dr. 

Uzoma, a former General- 

Secretary of the 

Association of Resident 

Doctors, ARD, in UNTH. 

He was said to have 

alleged that Uzoma 

forged a bank statement of 

account of the association. 

He was alleged to have 

given the allegation 

publicity by posting it on 

several WhatsApp 

platforms including, 

Enugu West NMA's 

WhatsApp platform and 

National Association of 

Resident Doctors South 

East Caucus WhatsApp 

platforms. 

Irked by the allegation, 

Ossai petitioned the state 

Commissioner of Police, 

that the governor has 

“reduced poverty to its 

barest minimum in 

Enugu State” disclosed 

that the school offers 

about 27 subjects to the 

people of the state. 

They requested the 

state government to 

consider them for 

contracts to supply their 

products as a means of 

encouragement. 

Speaking, their patron 

and traditional ruler of 

Umuawalagu, 

Unataeze, Nkanu East 

Local Government Area, 

HRH, Igwe Abel 

Nwobodo, attributed the 

success story of the 

trainees to the sound 

vision of Governor 

Ugwuanyi to alleviate 

the sufferings of the 

people, especially the 

less-privileged in the 

rural communities. 

Responding, 

Ugwuanyi appreciated 

the commitment of the 

trainees to utilising the 

opportunity given to 

them to acquire the skills 

and earn a living, 

reassuring them of his 

administration’s resolve 

to encourage those in 

the rural areas politically 

and socio-economically. 

Police quiz UNTH doctor over 

defamation of colleague 

pleading defamation of 

character, damage to 

image and criminal libel. 

Acting on the 

petition, the Enugu 

State Police Command 

invited Uzoma 

questioning. 


petitioner, the 

allegation has adversely 

injured his reputation 

and has exposed him to 

hatred, contempt and 

ridicule before his 

colleagues. 

Police sources said 

Uzoma was later served 

an arraignment notice to 

a Magistrate Court for 

last Friday, but that he 

did not appear, which 

made the Police invite 

him of questioning, 

yesterday. 

However, another 

arraignment notice had 

been issued to him for 

Tuesday before an 

Enugu South 

Magistrate’s Court. 

State Police Public 

Relations Officer, Ebere 

Amaraizu, confirmed the 

development, saying the 

case was reported in 

2018 with investigation 

concluded and 

arraignment ordered by 

the Commissioner. 

ROYAL OAKS: From left— Customer Relations Officer, Glory Owolabi; Business Development 

Executive, Genevieve Ononuju; MD/CEO, Augusta Ikpea-Enaholo; Customer Service Executive, Monica 

Nesegbe; Customer Service Supervisor, Martha Nweke-Chinonso, and Facility Officer, Oluwole Babatunde, 

all of Royal Oaks Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos, during the celebration of Customer Service Week. 

Failed roads show Okorocha’s 

cruelty to Ndimo — PDP 

By Chidi Nkwopara 

O WERRI—PEOPLES 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Imo State chapter, has 

blamed the failed road 

network in the state on what 

it called “Chief Rochas 

Okorocha’s cruelty to 

Ndimo.” 

The party’s position was 

made public via a 

statement by its state 

Publicity Secretary, Mr. 

Damian Oparah. 

“PDP has noted the 

difficulty experienced by 

drivers and commuters in 

the state capital, owing to 

the poor state of roads in 

Owerri and by extension 

the entire state, caused by 

substandard and poor 

construction of these roads 

by the former Governor, 

Rochas Okorocha,” 

Oparah said. 

According to the Publicity 

Secretary, “the party saw it 

before time and by our 

series of publications, we 

condemned in strongest 

terms, the inferior road 

constructions and 

rehabilitation done by 

Rochas Okorocha’s 

administration, but some 

persons took our candid 

advice and patriotism as 

playing opposition to 

O k o r o c h a ’ s 

administration.” 

He lamented that there is 

hardly any state capital with 

worse roads than Owerri, 

stressing that “what made 

it very unfortunate and 

cruel is that in less than six 

months after Okorocha’s 

tenure, the roads in Owerri 

have been washed away 

and decorated with 

potholes, making driving in 

the state capital an 

unpleasant experience and 

a strenuous activity.” 

While saying that the life 

span of these roads would 

have rightly expired, if they 

were constructed years 

ago, he noted that “they 

were done some months 

ago, by nameless 

companies with poor 

materials and at the same 

cost for a quality 

construction.” 

Oparah noted that no 

reputable construction 

By Ikechukwu Odu 

N 

S U K K A — 

UNIVERSITY of 

Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, 

has suspended no fewer 

than 15 staff for their 

alleged involvement in job 

and admission racketeering 

and sexual harassment. 

According to a statement 

By Chinedu Adonu 

E NUGU—NIGERIAN 

Correctional Service, 

Enugu State Command, is 

set to collaborate with 

Nigeria Police to deradicalise 

youths roaming 

the streets to ensure a 

peaceful and secured 

environment in the state. 

The understanding was 

reached during a working 

visit by Enugu state 

Controller of Correctional 

Service, Mr. Joseph 

Chinedu, to the state 

Commissioner of Police, 

Mr. Ahmed Abdurrahman. 

Chinedu, who called for 

synergy among all sistersecurity 

agencies in the 

state, noted that it would 

ensure safety of lives and 

properties. 

company was engaged by 

Okorocha to work on the 

roads, pointing out that 

“what we have as roads in 

Owerri is heaven, 

compared to the roads in 

the rural communities. 

“Travelling from Owerri to 

Mbaise or Owerri to Orlu 

is one sure way of having a 

bad day. Imo citizens and 

residents have never had 

by the Public Relations 

Officer of the institution, 

Okwun Omeaku, their 

suspension is a bold 

statement of the university 

administration’s zero 

tolerance for corruption, 

misconduct and amoral 

behaviours among staff 

and students of the 

university. 

According to him, 

peaceful and conducive 

environment contributes to 

economic development of 

the country. 

He added: “I am here 

today on a familiarity visit 

and to synergise to 

maintain peace and safety 

of lives and properties in 

the state. 

“If we show undivided 

commitment to 

complement each other’s 

role, we will ensure the 

safety of lives and 

properties and the overall 

peaceful coexistence of all 

persons and businesses 

in Enugu State.” 

Responding, Enugu 

Police 

boss, 

Abdurrahman, 

commended Chinedu for 

the visit and promised to 

it this bad. Okorocha 

consciously unleashed 

wickedness of the highest 

order on Imolites.” 

Continuing, Oparah 

however expressed 

happiness that the issue 

of bad roads in Owerri 

and the entire state have 

started receiving the 

attention of Governor 

Emeka Ihedioha. 

UNN suspends 15 over admission, 

job fraud, sexual harassment 

Nigerian Correctional Service, 

Police partner on youth reformation 

Part of the statement 

read in part: “The 

administration will not fail 

to take decisive action on 

any staff or student, 

whose action will drag 

the hallowed image of the 

university to the mire. 

“The eagle is still 

watching and many 

people are on the radar.” 

partner with him and 

other relevant security 

agencies to create a 

conducive environment in 

the state. 

Abdurrahman, however, 

cautioned parents and 

guardians not to allow their 

wards and children to be 

used in truncating existing 

peace in the state. 

His words: “I am highly 

honoured by your visit 

today and assure of 

partnership with your 

command and other 

sister-security agencies to 

fight crime in the state.” 

The areas of cooperation 

discussed included joint 

operations, intelligence 

gathering, sports and 

capacity building of the 

rank and file to ensure 

esprit-de-corp across board.


TRAINING: Security expert, Dr. Ona Ekhomu (middle), flanked by former Director of Naval Intelligence, 

Rear Admiral Peter Ebhaleme (retd) (4th right); Chief of Administration, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice 

Marshal Kingsley Lar (5th left) and other dignitaries and students at the inauguration of the Certified 

Protection Officer Training Programme Abuja Course 6 at Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Asokoro, 

Abuja. 

Boko Haram: Repent and seek God’s 

face, Shekau tells Borno residents 

•Blasts Gov Zulum on 'insurgents tired of fighting' 

LEADER of the Boko 

Haram sect, Abubakar 

Shekau, has asked the 

people of Borno State to 

repent and seek the face of 

God. 

In an audio he released on 

Sunday, the sect leader said 

there were lot of infidels 

among the people of the 

state, which has come under 

serious attacks in the last 

decade. 

He also tackled Babagana 

Zulum, governor of the state, 

for saying some insurgents 

were tired of fighting. 

Zulum had called on Boko 

Haram fighters, who wanted 

to turn a new leave, to lay 

down their arms and 

embrace the amnesty 

programme of his 

administration. 

But in the audio, Shekau, 

who spoke in Kanuri 

language, said his men 

would die fighting. 

He said: “I decided to 

deliver this message to 

clarify an issue in order for 

the public to understand our 

stand so that they would not 

be misguided. 

“I’m speaking on the 

claims of the governor of 

Borno State that some of our 

members were forced to join 

us against their will and now 

they are tired of fighting. I 

want to tell the governor that 

we are not tired yet. We have 

not even started. It is our 

wish to die fighting. We are 

on top of our game and by 

the grace of God we are 

going to die doing this. We 

are still here. 

“You should know that in 

Islam, you cannot receive the 

forgiveness of Allah if you 

die without accepting Islam. 

Even the disciples of Islam, 

including the parent of a 

prophet of Islam, were not 

pardoned by God because 

they died without accepting 

Islam. 

“The governor should 

know that Islam is not 

Borno’s religion, it is not 

religion of Yobe or Kano; it is 

not a religion from Nigeria 

or Niger or Cameroon. It is 

God’s religion sent down 

from heaven and explained 

to us clearly by the prophet. 

“For that reason, people 

should desist from giving 

wrong interpretation to the 

verses of the Holy Quran. For 

example, the verses that the 

governor quoted about 

forgiveness were not only 

wrong but used out of 

context; even this is enough 

shame on you governor. 

“It is not for us to repent; it 

is your governor of Borno 

that needs to repent. You 

cannot get paradise with 

what you are doing now. 

“The world is full of people 

seeking its secular gains, 

and it abounds for all, but 

heaven is only for those that 

worked for it. Paradise is 

meant only for those who 

follow the path of God. 

Neither power nor wealth 

can earn one paradise. The 

people of Borno should 

repent and seek the face of 

God… This is my message 

to the people of Borno.” 

Tension in N/Delta over non-payment 

of entitlement to sacked Mobil’s workers 

•Asari-Dokubo warns firm 

By Harris 

Emanuel 

UYO—TENSION is 

growing in Niger Delta 

following the alleged nonpayment 

of severance 

entitlement of about N11.4 

billion to no fewer than 1,444 

sacked workers of Mobil 

Producing Nigeria 

Unlimited. 

Apparently irked by the 

development, former 

militant leader, Alhaji 

Mujahid Dokubo Asari, has 

stepped into the fray, 

describing as unacceptable, 

the nonpayment of the 

former workers since 2012, 

when they left the services 

of the major oil producing 

company. 

Mobil’s Media and 

Communications Manager, 

Ogechuukwu Odeagha, did 

not respond to enquiry on 

the fate of the sacked workers 

at press time. 

In a letter to the In–Country 

Lead Manager/Managing 

Director, Mobil Producing 

Nigeria Unlimited, entitled, 

“Urgent Need to Address 

Unpaid Benefits to 1,444 

Disengaged Service 

Contract Workers” by his 

publicist, Emy Iyalla, Asari, 

former leader of Niger-Delta 

People’s Volunteer Force, 

NDPVF, expressed concern 

over the poor treatment of the 

workers who are bona fide 

indigenes of Niger Delta. 

He said such treatment 

would not be accepted and 

warned the company to 

urgently address the issue. 

He said: “I write to express 

my concern over the unjust 

manner in which your 

company has so far handled 

the issue of unpaid benefits 

to the 1,444 disengaged 

service contract workers of 

your company. 

“I have gathered from the 

group’s representatives and 

available documents, most of 

which are attached as 

appendices to this letter, that 

your company has been both 

unfair and evasive to the 

concerned group most of 

who are bona fide indigenes 

of Niger Delta. 

“This is unacceptable. Your 

company has been warmly 

accommodated by our 

people and it is only fair that 

you do the right thing while 

carrying out businesses on 

our land. 

“As you may already be 

aware, your company 

disengaged the said group 

around May 2012. You had 

agreed at a meeting on 

January 21, 2008 with a 

union of which this category 

of workers were members 

that, if any member of your 

contract workers was affected 

by massive termination that 

you would be carrying out 

then, the existing Labour 

Contract (Collective 

Bargaining Agreement) of 

July 2010 will be used." 

Spokesman for the group, 

Mr Godwin Idim, accused 

Mobil of refusing to honour 

the contractual agreement it 

signed with the ex-workers 

in 2010 with all parties being 

signatories to the agreement. 

Also, counsel to the ex 

workers, Mr. Jacob 

Udobang, said MPN had 

been reminded on the need 

to settle with the workers, 

since the existing labour law 

(CBA) it signed with 

NUPENG and the service 

contract workers on July 1, 

2010 subsists. 

CRC partners Nova Credit to 

transfer credit history of Nigerian 

immigrants 

By Kingsley 

Adegboye 

CRC Credit Bureau has 

partnered Nova Credit, 

the premier cross-border 

credit reporting agency, to 

enable Nigerians relocating 

to the United States of 

America use their 

international credit history to 

apply for credit products. 

The partnership will enable 

credit worthy Nigerian 

newcomers to have access to 

credit opportunities 

previously unavailable to 

them because of a lack of 

credit history in the US. 

According to a statement by 

CRC Credit Bureau Limited, 

“the new service Nova 

Connect, accesses data from 

CRC Credit Bureau, to enable 

Nigerians relocating to the 

US authorise the translation 

of their Nigerian credit 

Entrepreneurship, key to 

unlocking doors of prosperity 

—Okowa 

By Festus Ahon 

A SABA—GOVERNOR 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State has said 

entrepreneurship is the key 

to unlocking the doors of 

prosperity and personal 

fulfillment, urging graduates 

of tertiary institutions in 

Nigeria to pursue 

entrepreneurship rather than 

rely solely in pursuit of white 

collar jobs. 

Speaking at the 2nd 

combined convocation of 

Delta State Polytechnic, 

Ogwashi Uku, Okowa said 

the reality of today’s 

turbulent economy was that 

even the best graduates were 

likely to be without a job for 

relatively long period of time 

after graduation and the 

solution to this problem was 

job creation through 

history into a US, an 

equivalent credit score in a 

format familiar to American 

underwriters. Nigerian 

newcomers can then apply for 

financial products including 

credit cards, loans, and more. 

“Credit cards are more 

popular in the US than in 

many other countries. The 

average American has four 

accounts. Today, only 10 

percent of US payments 

worth $25 or more are paid 

for in cash. 

"With this new opportunity, 

immigrants from Nigeria 

don’t have to start from the 

scratch, and can start to 

benefit immediately from the 

credit history they built in their 

home country when they 

immigrate. By using their 

international credit history to 

get a credit card or other 

products when they arrive, 

Nigerians can begin to build 

a US credit score." 

•As Delta poly 

graduates 20,933 

entrepreneurship. 

Okowa said: “This is why, 

as a government, we have 

made entrepreneurship 

training the pivot of our 

educational policy and job 

creation programmes. 

“In this new world 

characterised by dazzling 

speed and rapid change, 

graduates who excel are 

those whose best skill is 

thinking outside the box. Be 

prepared to learn new things 

and acquire new skills." 

Announcing a grant of N50 

million for the development 

of entrepreneurship units of 

the institution, Okowa also 

announced the appointment 

of one of the graduands, 

Francis Osedume, as a 

Special Assistant to him, for 

the leadership role he played 

as one of the leaders of the 

students of the institution. 

We demand probe of Diri by 

CCT —Group 

BAYELSA Coalition for 

Good Governance and 

Accountability, BCGGA, has 

called for the immediate 

probe by the Code of 

Conduct Tribunal, CCT, of 

the candidate of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, in the 

November governorship 

election in Bayelsa State, 

Senator Bouye Diri, over 

allegations of non declaration 

of assets. 

The group in a statement 

in Abuja said it stands by its 

petition that "PDP candidate 

did not declare his assets 

whilst he held sway as the 

Chief of Staff to the Governor 

of Bayelsa State." 

The group in a statement 

by its Director of Media and 

Publicity, Kingsley Arthur, 

said: “We wish to bring to 

the attention of the general 

public and Bayelsans in 

particular that we asked for 

an expedited investigation 

in our petition dated 

September 7, 2019 and 

which was duly 

acknowledged by the Code 

of Conduct Bureau on which 

the subject petitioned would 

appear before it. 

“We demand expedite 

investigation and we have 

not seen that happen.” 

Kebbi govt 

donates 6 

buses to 

female 

schools 

By Kabir 

DanKatsina 

BIRNIN 

KEBBI— 

KEBBI State 

government has donated 

six buses to six female 

secondary schools in the 

state aimed at easing 

transportation problems by 

the students. 

President, All Nigeria 

Conference of Principals of 

Secondary Schools, 

ANCOPSS, Kebbi chapter, 

Alhaji Mustapha Gwandu, 

disclosed this at a briefing 

in Birnin Kebbi. 

He noted that the chapter 

had continued to record such 

efforts by the government 

under the leadership of 

Governor Abubakar 

Bagudu. 

According to him, ‘’ this 

efforts did not stop 

there,Governor Abubakar 

has excelled in educational 

sector. It was based on this 

record that the national 

leadership of NigeriaUnion 

of Teachers, NUT, on October 

5 this year, awarded the 

governor with a 

distinguished award of 

excellent in promoting 

education in Kebbi State.’

36 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019

36 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, , 2019 — 37


SWEARING IN—Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (left) 

swearing in the new Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural 

Resources, Mathew Idu, at the Government House, Enugu. 

WOMEN CONFAB—A Cross section of Members of Committee of Wives of Lagos 

State Officials, COWLSO, led by Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, during the Awareness Walk, 

as part of activities to mark the 2019 Annual National Women Conference, in Lagos. 

PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez. 

PAD-A-GIRL PROJECT—Students of Ikolaba Grammar Scool, with Miss 

Beauty Nigeria 2019, Julia Anthony, during the Pad-a-Girl project of the 

beauty queen, yesterday, in Ibadan. 

CELEBRATION: From left—Chief Executive Officer, Tolaram Group West 

Africa, Mr. Pawan Sharma; Former First Lady Of Lagos State, Mrs. Abimbola 

Fashola; Group Public Relations and Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods 

Plc., Mr. Tope Ashiwaju; Winner of 2019 Indomie Independence Day 

Physical Bravery Awards, Master Yayah Zaki; Minister of State for Health, 

Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora; Chief Executive Officer, Colgate Tolaram 

LFTZ Enterprises, Mr. Girish Sharma and Chief Executive Officer, CMC 

Connect, Mr. Yomi Badeji-Okusanya, at the 2019 Indomie Independence 

Day Awards celebration, in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem salau.

*Members of the National Guard block a road during an operation to halt a caravan of migrants and 

asylum seekers from Africa, the Caribbean and Central America, hours after they embarked 

towards the United States (Jose Torres/Reuters) 

Pro-Trump massacre video prompts media 

condemnation 

American 

media 

groups have urged 

the White House to condemn 

a parody video 

showing the US president 

massacring media 

outlets and political rivals. 

The White House Correspondents’ 

Association 

said it was “horrified” 

and urged Mr Trump to 

denounce the video. 

It was on shown at an 

event organised by American 

Priority, a pro-Trump 

group. Organisers said 

the video had been part 

of a “meme exhibition”. 

President Trump’s 2020 

re-election campaign has 

disavowed it. 

Campaign spokesman 

Tim Murtaugh told the 

BBC on Sunday: “That 

video was not produced 

by the campaign, and we 

do not condone violence.” 

On Monday, White 

House spokeswoman 

Stephanie Grisham wrote 

on Twitter that Mr Trump 

had “not yet seen the video”. 

“But based upon everything 

he has heard, he 

strongly condemns this 

video,” she said. 

However US media 

groups demanded that 

the president personally 

censure the video, which 

was played at a Trump 

resort in Miami, Florida, 

last week. “All Americans 

should condemn this depiction 

of violence directed 

toward journalists and 

the President’s political 

opponents,” said Jonathan 

Karl, president of the 

White House Correspondents’ 

Association. 

Violent clashes erupt as Spanish court 

jails Catalonia leaders 

Protests erupted in Bar 

celona after Spain’s 

Supreme Court sentenced 

nine Catalan separatist 

leaders to between nine and 

13 years in prison. 

The separatists were convicted 

of sedition over their 

role in an illegal independence 

referendum in 2017. 

Another three were found 

guilty of disobedience and 

Turkey-Syria offensive: Assad’s army 

‘enters Manbij’ 

Syria’s army has moved 

swiftly into towns and 

villages in the north-east of 

the country, setting up a potential 

confrontation with 

Turkish-led troops. 

State media said Russianbacked 

Syrian forces entered 

the town of Manbij as 

part of a deal reached with 

Kurdish-led forces previously 

allied with the US. 

Meanwhile, Turkish 

troops and allied Syrian 

militias were gathering 

near the town as they continued 

their incursion. Turkey’s 

offensive aims to push 

Kurdish forces from the border 

region. Syrian state media 

said government forces 

had entered Manbij, in the 

area where Turkey wants to 

create a “safe zone” cleared 

of Kurdish fighters. Earlier, 

the army pushed into Tal 

Tamer and Ain Issa, where 

residents celebrated their 

arrival. 

The deal is seen as a boost 

for President Bashar al-Assad 

as his troops return to 

those areas for the first time 

since 2012. The deployment 

came hours after the US 

announced that up to 1,000 

American troops would 

leave northern Syria. 

The Turkish offensive and 

US pullout have been internationally 

criticised as the 

Kurdish-led fighters were 

crucial allies of the coalition 

against the Islamic 

State (IS) group in Syria. 

There are fears about a possible 

resurgence of IS and 

the escape of prisoners 

amid the instability. 

On Monday, President 

Donald Trump said a “small 

fined, but not jailed. All 12 

defendants denied the 

charges. 

Large crowds of pro-independence 

protesters clashed 

with police at Barcelona’s 

international airport. 

Footage showed people 

attempting to break 

through a police line blocking 

one area of the building, 

while in another, officers 

hit protesters with batons 

and attempted to disperse 

the crowds with gas. 

Thousands of Catalan independence 

supporters also 

marched in the city centre, 

blocking some streets and 

access to metro stations. 

After the ruling, a new arrest 

warrant was issued for 

former Catalan President 

Carles Puigdemont, who is 

living abroad. Mr Puigdemont 

told a press conference 

that Catalonians were victims 

of a “strategy of repression 

and revenge”. 

Some of the 12 leaders 

sentenced on Monday had 

held prominent positions in 

Catalonia’s government 

and parliament, while others 

were influential activists 

and cultural advocates. 

During four months of 

hearings, they told the court 

in Madrid that they were 

victims of an injustice in a 

trial built on “false” charges. 

Tensions high as Mozambique gears up 

for high-stakes elections 

Tensions are high in 

Mozambique on the 

eve of elections which will 

likely see President Filipe 

Nyusi and his ruling Frelimo 

party maintain their 

grip on power amid fears the 

violence that marred the 

campaign may continue on 

polling day. 

While Nyusi is widely expected 

to win a second term 

in Tuesday’s presidential 

vote, the main opposition is 

eyeing the opportunity for 

a strong performance in 

provincial and legislative 

races. The polls will mark 

the first time provincial 

governors, previously appointed 

by the president, will 

be elected in Mozambique 

According to local NGO 

The Centre for Public Integrity, 

44 people were killed 

footprint” of US personnel 

would remain in southern 

Syria to continue to fight the 

remnants of IS. 

According to the Kurdishled 

Syrian Democratic 

Forces (SDF), Sunday’s 

agreement will allow the 

Syrian army to deploy 

along border areas controlled 

by Kurdish forces to “repel 

[Turkish] aggression”. 

during the election campaign 

- most in road accidents 

and some in a stadium 

stampede at a pro-Nyusi 

rally, but seven were murdered. 

The United States’ embassy 

warned on Friday of 

“credible threats” of violence 

in Nampula City, advising 

the US citizens to 

avoid the northern city. A 

travel advisory was also issued 

for Xai-Xai, the capital 

of Gaza province, where 

this month the head of local 

election observation efforts, 

Anastacio Matavel, 

was shot dead by a group of 

special operations police. 

“We’ve never had free and 

fair elections, but these are 

the worst yet because of the 

gravity of the violence,” said 

Alice Mabota, a veteran 

human rights campaigner. 

Mabota was running as an 

independent, backed by the 

new Democratic Alliance 

Coalition, but her candidacy 

was blocked over allegations 

that some of her nomination 

signatures were 

fake. 

Nampula, the country’s 

biggest city outside of the 

capital, Maputo, and the 

adjoining city of Matola, 

are run at the municipal level 

by the main opposition 

Renamo party. 

Renamo leader Ossufo 

Momade is the favourite to 

win the governorship in 

Nampula province - such a 

result will see Momade becoming 

the first provincial 

governor from a party other 

than Frelimo, which has 

been in power since Mozambique 

won independence 

from Portugal in 1975. 


More than 100,000 affected 

by floods in Cameroon’s Far 

North region 

Local authorities said on Monday that more than 

100,000 people had been affected and many families 

displaced after the Logone River in Cameroon’s Far North 

region overflowed. 

According to Oumara Maliki, the prefect of Mayo- 

Danay division, the river overflowed early on Monday following 

heavy rains on Sunday, triggering devastating 

floods, which affected Mayo-Danay and Logone-et-Chari 

divisions. 

“The situation is still very disturbing and difficult. People 

have lost everything they worked for, we are still to evaluate 

what has been destroyed. 

“We have cases of malaria, typhoid, and diarrhoea. 

“We also have people who have been injured because of 

the buildings that fell on them. 

“We are trying to save them with very limited resources,” 

Maliki added. 

Authorities said that Rescue missions are searching for 

missing persons, fearing the flooding impacts could be 

aggravated by high levels of food insecurity and the degree 

of poverty in the region. 

Queen Elizabeth breaks from 

tradition, wears lighter crown 

Queen Elizabeth II, broke the tradition by wearing a 

lighter crown for Monday’s state opening of parliament, 

instead of the heavier one she had worn for the same event 

64 times before. 

The Imperial State Crown, encrusted with nearly 3,000 

diamonds, was placed on a table close to the throne from 

which she delivered her Queen’s Speech setting out Prime 

Minister Boris Johnson’s work programme. 

The 93-year-old monarch wore the lighter Diamond Diadem, 

also known as the George IV diadem, as she read 

the speech from a throne, accompanied by her eldest son 

and heir, Prince Charles, 70. 

The queen has previously worn the diadem en route to 

state openings of parliament and for many other official 

events. 

In a BBC documentary in 2018, the queen said the Imperial 

State Crown, which weighs 1.3 kilogrammes, was very 

unwieldy. 

The crown was made for the coronation of her father, 

King George VI, in 1937 and worn by the queen for her 

own coronation, as well as 64 previous state openings of 

parliament. 

“Once you put it on, it stays,” the queen told the broadcaster. 

Tunisia presidential election: Kais 

Saied declared winner 

Independent law professor Kais Saied has won Tunisia’s 

presidential election with 72.71 percent of votes, the country’s 

electoral commission has confirmed. 

Saied secured 2.7 million votes against one million received 

by his opponent, Nabil Karoui, in Sunday’s runoff vote, the 

commission said on Tuesday. 

Karoui, a business tycoon who was in jail for most of the 

campaign, conceded defeat earlier on Monday. 

The electoral commission said turnout stood at 55 percent, 

higher than during the first round on September 15, in Tunisia’s 

second free presidential election since the 2010-11 uprising 

that toppled long-standing ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. 

Saied, 61, is an independent candidate with no political experience. 

Backed by the conservative Ennahdha party, he has 

pledged to fight corruption and support decentralisation. 

His austere demeanour earned him the nickname “Robocop” 

during campaigning, while his anti-establishment platform 

helped to woo younger voters disenchanted with politicians 

whom they accuse of failing to improve their lives since 

the Arab Spring uprising. 

Some 90 percent of 18-to-25-year-olds voted for Saied, according 

to estimates by the Sigma polling institute, compared 

with 49.2 percent of voters over 60. 

Iran arrests opposition figure 

‘directed by French intel’ 

Iran has arrested an opposition figure who had been “directed by 

France’s intelligence service” and he is now in custody in the Islamic 

Republic, the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday. 

Ruhollah Zam, who ran a “counter-revolutionary” Telegram channel, 

has been detained in a “sophisticated and professional operation” 

by the IRGC’s intelligence organisation, the IRGC said in a 

statement. 

Zam reportedly lived in exile in Paris, but the IRGC statement did 

not specify when or where he was arrested. 

The IRGC said he was “trapped” by its intelligence organisation. 

It said this was despite the fact he had been “directed by France’s 

intelligence service and supported by intelligence services of America 

and the Zionist regime (Israel).” 

The IRGC said they managed to “deceive” foreign services and 

arrest him by “using modern intelligence methods and innovative 

tactics”. 

It said the operation showed Iran’s enemies were “lagging behind” 

its own intelligence services. 

Last year, Iran’s telecoms minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi 

demanded Telegram shut Zam’s Amadnews channel, saying it 

was inciting an “armed uprising”.


:Vanguard 

News 

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

SERVICE OF SONGS: Photos From left—Mrs. Adenike Akande, sister; Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola, First Lady of Osun State; Mr. Adebode 

Adefioye, husband, and Aderemi Adefioye, son...and far right: Mr. Bolaji Balogun, Adebayo Jimoh, Arc. Bankole Adefioye, and Dr. Gbenga 

Olowo, during the Service of Songs for late Mrs. Adetoke Adefioye (Nee Adeoya), held at Ikoyi Baptist Church in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau 

Ogbomoso not sole owners of 

LAUTECH, workers warn monarch 

* Seek Tinubu’s intervention over 11 months unpaid salaries 

O 

S 

By Shina 

Abubakar 

O G B O — 

WORKERS of the 

Ladoke Akintola University 

of Technology, LAUTECH, 

Ogbomoso, College of 

Health Sciences, Osogbo, 

yesterday, called on 

Governor Gboyega Oyetola 

of Osun State and his Oyo 

State counterpart, Seyi 

Makinde, to caution the 

Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba 

Ajagungbade Oladuni and 

indigenes of the town from 

parading themselves as the 

sole owners of the 

institution. 

They also called on its 

Chancellor, Asiwaju Bola 

Tinubu and other 

stakeholders in Nigeria to 

wade into the impasse 

rocking the institution to 

find a lasting solution to it. 

Besides, they expressed 

worry over their 11 months 

of unpaid salaries. 

Addressing journalists at 

the College of Health 

Sciences campus, Osogbo, 

Jumoke Fapohunda, said it 

is time stakeholders into 

the crisis in the interest of 

workers' unions and 

students of the institution. 

Workers at the gathering 

were armed with placards 

bearing various 

inscriptions such as Soun 

Palace Not the Seat of 

LAUTECH Administration, 

LAUTECH is Not 

Ogbomoso’s Property; 

Oyo, Osun Governments 

come to Roundtable to 

discuss progress of 

LAUTECH”, Governor 

Oyetola Kindly save us 

from likely Xenophobic 

Attacks at Ogbomoso” 

among others. 

She further enjoined 

Governor Gboyega Oyetola 

of Osun State and his Oyo 

State counterpart, Seyi 

Makinde, to do everything 

within their reach to ensure 

fairness, justice and equity 

in the distribution of the 

institution's assets to ensure 

effective management of 

the institution and also put 

an end to the lingering 

crises. 

Olajumoke said: “Despite 

all intimidation from 

Ogbomoso indigenes, 

there is no occasion that 

indigenes of Osun, who 

are LAUTECH staff, 

responded or retaliated. 

Osun and Oyo 

Governments should 

prevail on the Soun of 

Ogbomoso to stop 

interfering in the daily administration 

of LAUTECH. 

“Inequity in the distributions 

of faculties, programmes 

and projects of 

the university had been a 

major challenge and the 

need to address such 

issues is pertinent. Staff 

ratio is extensively skewed 

to favour Oyo state, despite 

that Osun still pays 

salaries. 

“We should know that 

since 2013, Oyo 

government had stopped 

paying salaries of the 

Teaching Hospital staff in 

Osun which is only the 

hospital recognised by the 

edict of the university. 

“Economic importance of 

the institution is 

monopolised by Ogbomoso 

which is worrisome.” 

He said: “I wished the 

institution becomes a 

Federal University if 

circumstances demand, I 

am of the view that it could 

herald a lasting solution to 

this crisis." 

….As UI professors flay alleged anti-Islam policy 

By Ola Ajayi 

IBADAN—NO 

fewer 

than 38 professors from 

the University of Ibadan 

have petitioned the 

management of the 

institution for allegedly 

promoting anti-Islam 

policies. 


professors, the 

management had allegedly 

denied them of 

involvement in various 

important statutory 

meetings in the institution. 

They alleged that the 

university fixed its Senate 

meeting for Friday beyond 

the normal stipulated time. 

The extension, they 

claimed, had encroached 

into the Muslim Friday 

prayer. 

The new insensitive 

policy, they maintained, 

contravened the agreement 

earlier reached that the 

hours of 12noon to 3 pm 

should be left free and that 

no statutory academic and 

administrative activities 

should be fixed for the 

period. 

Alluding to the university 

special release of August 23, 

2010, that supported their 

actions, they reiterated that 

Management Consulting holds confab Oct 16 

L Management 

AGOS—THE 

Consulting Conference 

will hold on the 16th and 

17th of October 2019 at 

the Sheraton Hotel, 

Mobolaji Bank Anthony 

Way, Ikeja, Lagos. 

The conference, 

convened by Lewis 

Partners Consulting, 

LPC, in collaboration 

with the Institute of 

M a n a g e m e n t 

Consultants of Nigeria, 

IMCON, was 

established in 1979 by 

the Centre for 


Development, CMD, the 

agency of Government 

with the oversight 

function to regulate the 

practice and 

development of 


Consulting Practice in 


Prof. Epiphany Azinge 

will chair the event, 

while the Speakers at the 

conference include, Dr. 

Tunde Adekola (World 

Bank Specialist), Dr. 

Nosike Agokei FCIS 

( G o v e r n a n c e 

Professional), Mrs. Kemi 

Ogunmefun (Member of 

the Board of Access 

Bank), Mrs. Ayo Olojede 

(Group Head Emerging 

Business, Access Bank; 

Mr. Benson Uwheru 

(Partner, Business 

Advisory, Ernst n Young) 

Dr. Chris Itsede former 

DG WAIFEM, Mr. Baba 

Yusuf, for MD NEFZA, 

Mr. Yomi Adebanjo FCIS, 

Governance Professional 

and Mr. Paul Ayim 

(Phillip Consulting) 

among others. 

The Conference with 

the theme: The Evolving 

Economy: The role of 

management consulting 

in the Public and Private 

sector, will address the 

standards, among other 

things yardsticks, to be 

put in place to manage 

the practice of 

management consulting. 

In a statement by the 

publicist of the 

conference, Mrs. 

Jacqueline Odiadi, said: 

“The current state of the 

lectures, meetings, and other 

statutory engagements on the 

campus had been banned 

between those hours. 

Efforts to get reactions from the 

Director of Public Affairs of the 

institution, Mr. Tunji Oladejo, 

were unsuccessful. 

But, a top staff of the institution 

confirmed that it was true that 

such a petition was written and 

forwarded to the university 

council. 


Consulting sector in 

Nigeria calls for deep 

introspection; the 

understanding of the 

profession and practice 

of management 

consultancy portrays a 

lack of depth and 

skewed understanding 

of the subject matter. 

“Notwithstanding, we 

have several ‘briefcase’ 

or ‘shadow consultants’ 

across all the sectors; all 

thriving within the same 

economic space. We need 

to come together and 

brainstorm on how to 

move the profession 

forward.” 

We’ll fix deplorable roads in Ogun 

—Gov Abiodun 

By James 

Ogunnaike 

A GOVERNOR BEOKUTA— 

Dapo 

Abiodun of Ogun State, 

yesterday, said his 

administration would not 

relent on its efforts to fix the 

intra and inter-city roads in 

the state despite the 

torrential rainfall. 

Governor Abiodun said 

he has issued firm directive 

to the Public Works Agency, 

OGPWA, handling the 

palliative 

and 

reconstruction works across 

the State to step up its 

game and that he would not 

accept any excuses about 

rain. 

The governor, in a 

statement by his Chief 

Press Secretary, said: “We 

are even going beyond 

State and township roads, 

we have taken it upon 

ourselves to fix federal 

roads that run through the 

State. 

The statement reads: 

“Consultant to the State 

Governor on Works and 

Infrastructure, Engr Ade 

Akinsanya, told me that the 

Governor is mounting 

pressure on the leadership 

of OGPWA to ensure that 

our people have roads to go 

about their business as a 

matter of right. Indeed, he 

challenged us to reverse the 

public infrastructure deficits 

in the State within the next 

few months – rain or no 

rain. 

“We are poised to make 

our people heave a sigh of 

relief at the earliest possible 

time. We are only 

appealing for time to do a 

thorough job and that is 

why we are doing the works 

in phases.” 

“What we have done is to 

segment the works into 

phases. There are some 

that could be done in the 

rain. These ones, we are 

doing straightaway. The 

ones that cannot be done in 

the rain will have to wait till 

the raining season is over. 

But the Governor is 

pushing us hard to deliver 

on public works and 

infrastructure." 

Tinubu extols late Justice Jinadu’s 

virtues 

LAGOS—A National 

Leader of the All 


APC, and former Lagos 

governor, Asiwaju Bola 

Tinubu, yesterday, 

described the former 

Solicitor-General of the 

Federation, Justice Yahaya 

Abiodun Jinadu, who died 

last Thursday at 93 as a 

“man of unimpeachable 

character, competence and 

courage.” 

In a condolence letter to 

Justice Jinadu’s wife and 

children, Tinubu recalled 

that the late judge who was 

elevated to the High Court 

Bench in Lagos State in 

1973 from being the 


Federation, resigned from 

the bench in 1984 on 

principle. 

Tinubu, in the letter, said: 

“Please accept my deepest 

sympathy and condolences 

over the passing of Justice 

Yahaya Abiodun Jinadu, 

the patriarch of Jinadu 

Family and former 


Federation, on Thursday, 

October 9, 2019. 

“Justice 

Jinadu 

contributed immensely to 

the judiciary and 

jurisprudence. He was a 

man of unimpeachable 

character, competence and 

courage, which would have 

accounted for why he was 

elevated to the High Court 

Bench in Lagos State in 

1973 from being the 


Federation 

“Whether at the Federal 

Ministry of Justice or on the 

bench, late Justice Jinadu 

conducted himself with 

respect and dignity. He 

believed strongly in the 

independence of the 

judiciary and it’s on record 

that he retired from the 

bench in 1984 on principle. 

“A devout Muslim, he 

gave to his community and 

mankind generally as 

much as he gave to the 

legal profession. 

“His death is a loss to the 

judiciary, to the legal profession, 

to Lagos and Nigeria and to 

humanity generally for he was a 

exemplary judge and an 

excellent human being. 

“We give gratitude to God that 

he lived to a ripe age of 93 and 

left behind good children and 

good deeds. My prayers are with 

you, children and other members 

of the family.”


What Benin, Niger 

must do to get 

borders reopened 

Continues from Page 5 

Babandede, in his 

remarks, said the border 

closure also affected 

movement of people, 

adding that ECOWAS 

Protocol on Movement of 

People had rules which 

must be obeyed. 

His words: “There are 

rules of this operation in 

ECOWAS protocol, which 

says you must arrive or 

depart via a recognized 

port with the right travel 

documents. You must 

travel where there is 

Customs and 

Immigration.” 

He disclosed that 


Buhari has approved 

amnesty for over-stayed 

migrants to register from 

now till January 19, 2020. 

He said: “Foreigners 

have latched on this 

opening. 60% of those 

coming forward have 

irregular papers. After 

this window, anyone 

caught will be deported.” 

Brigadier-General Aliyu 

Ndagi from the Office of 

the National Security 

Adviser, described 

border security as critical 

to national security and 

urged local communities 

to volunteer information 

of illegal activities of 

cross-border criminals. 

Half year budget 

performance 

The Finance Minister in 

her briefing also 

disclosed that N450 

billion had been provided 

to cover fuel price underrecovery 

as a cost for the 

operations of the Nigeria 

National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC. 

She said: “We have a 

provision for underrecovery. 

N450 billion has 

been provided for the 

NNPC because it is a cost 

of its operations.” 

According to her, the 

Federal Government is 

expected to recover the 

sum of N237 billion from 

looted funds and channel 

them to fund the budget. 

The overall revenue 

performance at the end of 

the first half of the year, 

according to the minister, 

stood at N2.04 billion (58 

per cent of the target), 

which she blamed on 

some items, such as the 

N710 billion expected 

from the Oil Joint Venture 

Asset restructuring which 

were yet to be actualized. 

She added that fiscal 

deductions by the Nigeria 

National Petroleum 

Corporation for federally 

funded projects also 

exceeded target. 

The breakdown of the 

various sectors showed 

that only Nigeria 

Customs Service, NCS, 

which collected N184.10 

billion exceeded its 

target. It recorded 100.47 

per cent performance. 

Oil revenue at N900 

billion was 49 per cent; 

Companies Income Tax 

yielded, N349.11 billion 

(86 per cent); Value 

Added Tax, VAT, stood at 

N81.36 billion (71 per 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

cent). 

Giving an update on the 

Executive Order 007 on 

Infrastructure Tax 

Scheme, the minister said 

many private investors 

had shown interests in 19 

roads, and that the first 

request had been made 

by the Dangote Group 

and the Nigeria Liquified 

Natural Gas, NLNG, 

which were being 

considered by the Federal 

Inland Revenue Service, 

FIRS. 

Mrs. Ahmed noted that 

considerable success had 

been recorded in 

containing the insurgency 

in parts of the North-East, 

with economic activities 

picking up in that area. 

She, however, observed: 

“Recurring conflicts 

between farmers and 

herders in some parts of 

the country as well as 

incidences of flooding 

have affected agricultural 

production.” 

In order to shore up its 

revenue, the minister said 

the Federal Government 

was considering new 

taxes but did not give 

details. 

On increasing tax 

revenue, the minister 

disclosed that the Federal 

Government would 

deepen the VAT database; 

extend VAT automation at 

source where possible; 

and extend withholding 

VAT to include Public 

Interest Entities, PIEs. 

She added that the 

government was 

planning to deploy a 

single trade platform 

aimed at easing trade 

through trade touchpoints. 

Mrs. Ahmed added that 

the Treasury Single 

Account, TSA, 

implementation would be 

Minimum Wage: Your letter to SGF, declaration of trade 

dispute, Ngige tells Labour—As FG, TUC/NLC Negotiation team meet today 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA — Minister of 

Labour 

and 

Employment, Senator 

Chris Ngige, yesterday 

told organized labour 

that the letter it wrote to 

the Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation, SGF, was an 

indication of a trade 

dispute, though the 

dispute form was not 

filled. 

The Minister also told 

the government team in 

the ongoing negotiations 

for the consequential 

adjustment on the 

payment of the new 

national minimum wage 

to bring its papers 

regarding the budget in 

today’s meeting. 

This is even as 

organized labour alleged 

that the Minister 

appeared to be under 

pressure from the 

government in his stance 

on concession on the 

Naira appreciates to 

N362.46/$ in I&E window 

The Naira, yesterday, appreciated to N362.46 per 

dollar Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the window dropped to N362.46 

per dollar yesterday from N362.50 per dollar on 

Wednesday, translating to four kobo appreciation of 

the naira. 

The volume of dollars (turnover) traded yesterday 

in the window dropped by 10 percent to 

$191.67million from $136.83 million on Wednesday. 

However, the naira yesterday was stable at N360 

per dollar in the parallel market. 

consequential 

movement. 

The Consequential 

Adjustment Negotiation 

Team is expected to meet 

today to find a solution 

to the disagreement 

between government 

and labour over 

consequential 

movement, especially for 

workers on Grade Levels 

7-17 

Recall that organized, 

through the leadership 

of the Nigeria Labour 

Congress, NLC and the 

Trade Union Congress, 

TUC, had penultimate 

week given government 

two weeks ultimatum to 

conclude issues on the 

consequential movement 

on or before October 16 

and threatened not to 

guarantee any industrial 

harmony, if the 

government failed to 

comply with the 

resolutions. 

However, in a meeting 

with the labour leaders in 

his office yesterday, 

Senator Ngige said the 

letter from organized 

labour to the SGF 

indicated that labour had 

already declared a trade 

dispute. 

Ngige, did not disclose 

the content of the letter 

to the SGF, said: “I told 

you last time that even 

though you didn’t fill 

form TDN to declare a 

trade dispute,you have 

declared one with that 

letter to the SGF he 

copied me. 

“So, even if it is on 

radio, I will do the 

needful, I will do my 

work and part of my work 

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) cutting the tape to 

commission the Douye/Ewhrudjakpo PDP Gubernatorial Campaign Office at 

Yenue-gene, Yenagoa, while the PDP Gubernatorial candidate, Sen. Douye 

Diri (right) and the Director General, Diri/Lawrence Campaign Organization, 

Dr. Nimibofa Ayawei (left) look on. 

is to make sure that there 

is quiet industrial milieu 

so that the workforce can 

bring out their full 

productivity and 

businesses will not also 

be disrupted. So that is 

why we called you 

again.” 

He said the Federal 

Government will open 

up the 2019/2020 

budgets for the 

leadership of organized 

labour to enable both 

parties have a 

dispassionate 

discussions on the 

lingering consequential 

adjustment of the wage 

of N30,000 minimum 

wage approved for 

Nigerian workers 

It would be recalled 

that the Minister had 

continued to draw 

attention of labour to the 

inability of government 

to sustain the additional 

N580 billion demand by 

labour as consequential 

adjustment, adding that 

government might have 

to sack workers to meet 

labour’s demands. 

Addressing labour 

representatives in his 

office shortly before the 

meeting went into a 

closed-door session, 

Ngige said he was 

neither for the 

government nor labour 

but to ensure there was 

harmonious working 

environment in the 

country. 

He explained that the 

meeting was a 

consultative one to 

“soften the ground” and 

pave way for successful 

negotiations with the 

larger negotiation team 

to avert further 

breakdown in 

negotiations. 

He said: “If we don’t 

soften the ground, 

bullets will fly and at the 

end of the day, we will 

come back to the 

negotiating table. That is 

why we are doing this as 

a proactive measure. 

“Part of my work is to 

ensure that there is a 

quiet industrial milieu, 

workforce bring out their 

full productivity and 

employers, businesses 

will not be disrupted. 

That is why we called 

you again. 

“Tomorrow (today), we 

are going to do the 

mixed grill meeting. 

That mixed grill meeting 

tomorrow can be one 

hour meeting, it can be 

two hours, or it can be 

twelve hours, depending 

on what we are able to 

achieve today. I appeal 

to everybody to show 

some understanding. 

“We are going to 

discuss dispassionately. 

Nothing will be hidden 

from anybody. The books 

of government, I talked 

about it before, when I 

mean books they are 

budgets – 2019/2020, we 

will make it bare. 

“I have warned them 

and I have advised them 

that if they come, they 

should be prepared to 

present their case 

meaningfully and 

successfully. I will stay in 

the middle as an arbiter 

because that is what I 

am going to do in this 

instance. 

optimized, as well as, the 

payment gateway system 

for government revenues; 

while moving to a system 

of quarterly remittances 

of operating surpluses by 

Government Owned 

Enterprise, GOEs. 

“This is actually an 

information sharing 

meeting so that we can 

be able to arrive at our 

destination together. 

Information is power, 

when there is lack of 

information, nations can 

go to war. 

“Because we want to 

smoothen some rough 

edges, I am conciliating 

this meeting neither for 

government nor for 

labour. I am for 

everybody, I am for 

Nigerians. The workers 

are Nigerians and those 

on the government side 

too.” 

Also speaking, Deputy 

President of NLC, 

Comrade Amaechi 

Asugwuni, who noted 

that the actions and 

inactions of labour 

would be geared towards 

the clear position it had 

taken in line with the 

poor state of the 

economy, said labour was 

at the meeting with an 

open mind. 

He advised the Federal 

Government to avoid 

further delay in 

concluding the 

negotiations in order to 

ensure implementation 

of a new wage for 

workers in the country. 

He said: “We are here 

today with the full 

mandate of our members 

to actually represent 

their interest and to see 

to it that we do 

everything humanly 

possible to ensure that 

this minimum wage of a 

thing is put to rest 

because we have waited 

for too long.

42— VANGUARD, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 

SMS only: 08088693107 

Email: ebellistic@yahoo.co.uk 

How we’re reducing 

number of 

out-of-school children 

— Hajia Turai Kadir 

With the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria rising 

astronomically in the last few years, from 10.5m, to 13.2m 

and now over 16m according to the Minister of Education, Adamu 

Adamu recently, discerning minds know that it is a time bomb 

waiting to explode! Insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, armed 

robbery and other forms of criminality, are on the rise in 

Nigeria and there seems to be no end in sight because 

there is a ready supply of arsenal – an army 

of uneducated, jobless, unempowered and 

unmotivated youths ready to be used by 

unscrupulous elements in society. Amidst the 

darkness and bad news, Hajia Turai Kadir and 

her team at the American University of 

Nigeria, Yola, are doing everything possible 

to drastically reduce the number of out-ofschool 

children and save Nigeria from the 

looming catastrophe. She spoke to Vanguard 

in Yola recently. 

Excerpts: 

By Ebele Orakpo 

Tell us about yourself 

I am the Community 

Development Advisor at the 

Atiku Center, Coordinator, 

Centre for Women and 

Adolescent Empowerment in 

Yola, a founding member of the 

Adamawa Peace Initiative, an 

activist on Women Human 

rights, and a trained teacher. 

How did the Feed & Read 

program start? 

The Atiku Centre for 

Development is part of the 

Adamawa Peace Initiative, API, 

which started the Feed and 

Read Program. The API is a 

brainchild of the former 

President of the AUN, Dr 

Margee Ensign. She started the 

API with some dignitaries in the 

community. She later developed 

the Feed & Read program on a 

personal basis. 

It all started one day while 

going home, Dr Ensign noticed 

a lot of poor boys running after 

her car, begging for alms, she 

stopped and gave them N100 

each and there were many of 

them. The following day, as she 

passed, double the number 

came and she gave them 

money and the number kept 

increasing. One day, she called 

me and said: “Turai, the 

number of these children is 

increasing, where are they 

coming from and why are they 

on the streets?” I told her they 

were coming from different 

mallams who brought them to 

Yola and they were on the 

streets because there was no 

food for them to eat. A mallam 

cannot feed over 30 children so 

they go out in search of food. If 

they happen to get good food, 

they take it back to the mallam 

because he too would like some 

good food. If they are given 

money, they would take some 

back to him. The parents of 

these boys don’t send food or 

money to the mallams so they 

have to fend for themselves.I 

told her that the money she was 

giving them would be taken to 

the mallams and they would not 

see the money so it was better 

to feed them. 

Food vendors 

That was how she arranged 

with food vendors to be giving 

them food. The number kept 

increasing, over 200 children! 

So what we did was to give 

them coupons. You are given a 

coupon, you come and eat and 

after eating, you give back the 

coupon to the vendor and then 

Dr Ensign’s driver would collect 

them. She asked why they were 

not in school and I said it may 

be because there was nobody to 

sponsor their education. She 

suggested we put them in our 

local schools but I reasoned that 

if we put them in our local 

schools, they may not go, or they 

may only go when they want. If 

there is no food or money 

coming from the school, they 

would not go. 

Ensign asked me how we 

could help them to go to school 

and I told her that taking them 

to school would not be easy 

because the mallams and their 

parents may not agree because 

they may not understand the 

value of western education. She 

insisted we give it a try. 

Educating the kids 

One day, she said to me: 

“Since they are many, why can’t 

we start giving them a little 

education, may be they will 

show a little interest and refuse 

the almajiri lifestyle. I told her 

there was no way they would 

refuse the mallam’s teaching 

because it is their religion, if we 

start doing that, it would bring 

problem but what we could do 

was to call the attention of the 

community leaders. 

That was how Feed and Read 

started. We feed them and give 

them some lessons every day. 

The food was enticing them to 

come. 

Bureaucracy 

There is a lot of bureaucracy 

when you want to do this sort of 

thing, the mallams, community 

leaders, religious leaders are all 

there and without their 

knowledge and permission, there 

is no way you would do this. So 

with people like members of the 

API, made up of eminent 

personalities in the community, 

academicians, religious leaders, 

community leaders (mai 

angwas) and market association 

leaders; so because of that, it was 

easy to talk to the mallams, 

religious and community leaders. 

Since it is about religion, we 

lobbied and sensitised them 

because most of them were 

thinking that we were trying to 

stop them from reciting the Koran 

they do with the mallams, but that 

was not the aim. So a lot of 

sensitisation was done. 

Eventually, the religious 

community here in Yola like 

CAN, and the rest, called all the 

mallams together and we had a 

meeting with them. We told them 

we were not stopping them from 

what they were doing, we just 

want to put them in school and 

see if they are interested and if 

they are, we will sponsor their 

education; the mallams agreed! 

We also agreed that the mallams 

would be given foodstuffs also 

because these children were 

assisting them to get food and 

now, we want to take them to 

school. 

Now, the number is 

lower, we have just 

about 70 boys because 

we couldn’t raise 

money for the girls; so 

the program is 

succeeding only that 

the number is 

increasing and no 

funds 

•Hajia Turai Kadir 

Funds 

The program started with a lot 

of funds. Dr Ensign is a very 

strong and courageous woman, 

she got a lot of funds from a group 

she called Friends of Nigeria. 

They were giving money so it was 

not AUN that kept the program 

running; it was Ensign that kept 

it going. She kept getting funds 

from outside to give these 

children a decent education. 

Getting girls on board 

You know there are no female 

almajiris, if you see a girl on the 

street, she is either with her 

mother, or leading a blind mother 

but they don’t come out to beg 

like the boys. So on my own, I 

told Dr Ensign that if we can 

assist these boys in getting 

education, why can’t we get girls 

into the program? She bought the 

idea immediately and asked how 

we could do it. I told her we have 

communities with young girls 

that don’t go to school, especially 

the IDPs and some hawking on 

the streets. We went into 

communities, asking for girls who 

are not in school. They came in 

their numbers so we took the 

number we felt we could manage. 

We took 150 girls, the boys were 

150 also. When we got the 150, 

others were still coming but we 

told them it was closed until that 

batch finished the program and 

then we can take another batch. 

It was great! We got some 

organisations that brought food 

and non-food items and uniforms 

from the US. If you see them, you 

would think they are American 

kids, you won’t believe they are 

from this community. Ensign 

tried and they enjoyed it. 

Paucity of funds 

After the first set, by this time, 

Ensign had left so we didn’t have 

enough funds to cater for another 

300 children so we decided to cut 

it to the number we could take 

care of. Luckily, our grand 

administrator, Audu Liman, 

looked for funds and we 

continued though the numbers 

reduced. We finished the second 

phase. Now, we are doing the 

third phase and it is ending soon. 

What do you teach them? 

Numeracy and literacy and 

then religious studies and 

hygiene. If you see them now, you 

won’t believe they were the 

almajiri boys that were taken off 

the streets. Upon graduation, if 

you don’t follow up, they will go 

back to the streets so we tried to 

look for people who would fund 

their education in our local 

schools. Some of them got 

sponsors; one person took about 

seven children. Some of the 

children don’t like reading and 

writing but prefer livelihood 

training so we look for places 

where they could be trained in 

auto mechanics, tailoring etc. 

Now, the number is lower, we 

have just about 70 boys because 

we couldn’t raise money for the 

girls. 

Has the program helped 

reduce the number of out-ofschool 

children? 

Yes, it has. Those who have 

passed through our program get 

back to their mallams and try to 

pull the others to go to school so 

every day, we see them coming. 

Those that we trained are no more 

on the streets, the ones you see 

on the streets now are new ones. 

There is no way you can stop the 

Koranic classes because they are 

supposed to learn the Koran but 

the way they make them learn is 

what we don’t want. 

Because some of these parents 

have a lot of kids at home and 

can't feed them, they just send 

them away. There is nowhere the 

Koran says you have to give your 

child out to go and learn the 

Koran. Anywhere you go to in 

Africa, there are Koranic mallams 

in the community. Let the 

mallams stay in the communities 

and when these children grow, 

they can, on their own, go to the 

mallams for Koranic studies; that 

time they are adults and won’t 

be begging. The mallams are 

poor people, there is no way they 

can take care of all the kids, even 

when these kids are made to 

farm, the food won’t be enough 

for them. 

You know the misconception of 

the religion is there; people 

interpret the religion the way they 

want. There is no way I can hand 

over my kids to someone to go 

and learn while he can learn at 

home. A child who is with his 

parents can learn better than the 

one who is not. So the program 

is succeeding only that the 

number is increasing and no 

funds. 

How can government come in? 

There was a time the 

government started building 

some settlements for the mallams. 

But when it comes to funding, you 

won’t hear anything. 

Government may provide the 

funds, but it won’t get to them. 

Those settlements were 

converted to guest houses where 

they put mallams from out of-town 

before they eventually go to town 

to fend for themselves. The 

buildings are standard with 

boreholes and light.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 — 43 

KWARA: Why APC can't 

afford to underrate Saraki 

– Bolarinwa 

Kwara State Chairman of the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Hon Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, in 

this chat with journalists among others spoke on the 

situation in the state after the "O to ge" political machine 

that swept away former Senate President Bukola Saraki 

and his loyalists who held sway in the state for about 20 

years and installed a brand new political leadership with 

Alhaji Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman as governor. 

By Demola Akinyemi 

Since the APC came to power 

in Kwara State, how has it been? 

As a party, we are trying to make 

things work. We have a very big 

responsibility to deliver dividends 

of democracy to the people of the 

state. We have been trying to put 

our house in order. Every effort is 

being made to see that our party 

is strengthened at all levels. You 

know that when the APC came on 

board we brought people of different 

groupings, and camps together. 

We buried our differences 

and and won the elections. 

However, as a party chairman I 

saw that we needed to do more 

than that because I know that after 

the victory some people somehow 

will be pushed aside. And I 

don’t want a situation where anybody 

will feel alienated. I tried as 

much as possible to ensure that 

most party members are on board 

so that there will be less complaints 

from any of the quarters. 

One of the first things we did was 

to put in place caucuses at all the 

levels of the party. Going by the 

Constitution of our party, we are 

allowed to have local and state 

government caucuses. But beyond 

that I saw that the provision of the 

constitution may not be enough 

for us. 

Standing on that section which 

allows us to float caucuses we 

tried as much as possible to come 

up with something that will better 

suit our situation and that was why 

we expanded our local government 

caucus in which some notable 

elders will come on board. 

In the constitution of the party 

there is nothing about senatorial 

advisory committee but we had to 

put that in place to create an avenue 

in which leaders in each of 

the districts will be able to interact 

with one another. 

Beyond that what we did was to 

also expand the state caucus in 

which we have notable elders and 

members of the party to be part of 

that as a way of taking care of a 

lot of our party members. We don’t 

want a situation where our members 

will complain of lack of 

information at any level. Those 

caucuses that will put in place by 

the time we oil them regularly and 

by the grace of God any other election 

that will be coming up will 

always be a work over for us. 

Are you afraid that sometime 

former Senate President Bukola 

Saraki could launch a comeback? 

Of course, as politicians we will 

be fooling ourselves if we think 

that Saraki is not lurking in the 

corner. That is why we are trying 

to put our house in order; to see 

that the governor is also on his toes 

at all times. It is working together 

and in cooperation that will make 

us ward off whoever comes to challenge 

us. 

How has Governor AbdulRahman 

AbdulRazaq fared in terms 

of performance? 

So far so good, don’t forget that 

the state was in shamble by the 

time APC took over. Virtually 

there was nothing on ground. The 

governor declared that his predecessor 

beyond having looted the 

treasury there is virtually nothing 

that could be pointed at. Even to 

the extent that the office of the 

governor is leaking. As I am taking 

to you now both the governor 

and his deputy do not have good 

offices to operate from. They are 

just trying to make use of guest 

houses converted to offices. It is 

as bad as that. The same thing 

goes for infrastructure in the state. 

And above that nothing to fall 

back on in terms of money left 

behind. 

But since he came in over three 

months ago the governor has been 

putting his pieces together to see 

that things are put in shape. That 

is why the governor has made 

some notable achievements in his 

first 100 days in office. When I say 

notable achievements, there were 

so many services the people of the 

state were hitherto deprived of, 

which they now have the opportunity 

of getting. 

For instance for several years the 

state has had to contend with 

acute water shortage. The governor 

has come on board a temporary 

measure which allows some 

parts of the state capital to have 

supply of potable water. The same 

thing goes for the other two senatorial 

districts of Kwara South 

and North. 

Secondly, in the area of education, 

the Universal Basic Education 

Commission (UBEC) counterpart 

funding expected of a state 

which the previous government 

had not thought right to pay for 

so many years has now become a 

thing of the past. The governor 

released money for the counterpart 

funds which now allows 

UBEC to release some funds to the 

state. If this fund is released it will 

assist the government in its educational 

policies. This will ultimately 

lead to an improvement 

in the poor standard of education 

in the state. 

Don’t forget that this state has 

not been part of the Federal 

Government school feeding programme 

because the role which 

the state is expected to play has 

not been so in the past government. 

This governor has thought 

it right that the programme takes 

off in the state, because he knows 

the effects of that in the state. One 

of the effects of that is increment 

in school enrolment and also improvement 

in the standard of education. 

What do you want to teach 

a hungry pupil? 

In the health sector, recently 

there was health summit which 

the government actually organized 

to look into the sector. All the 

challenges in that sector too have 

all been collated together and they 

are receiving attention from the 

governor. The governor has been 

able to do so many things in a very 

•Bolarinwa 

short period of time and we are 

looking forward to seeing better 

things to come from him. What 

we have seen so far are just tips of 

the iceberg. 

How do you feel about the victory 

of your party at the governorship 

elections tribunal? 

Naturally I feel extremely happy. 

Even though, we know very 

well that those who went to court 

just wanted to waste the time of 

the court and also wasted their 

own resources. We on own know 

that our party had done proper 

screening. We know that there was 

nothing wrong with the qualification 

of our candidate to contest 

the election. What the Electoral 

Act says now is that parties are to 

screen their candidates. If any of 

the parties puts up a candidate 

that has k-leg then it is the party’s 

cup of tea when there is a problem. 

Our party has done a thorough 

job. What the tribunal did 

was to confirm a very good job 

that our party had done. 

What accounts for the delay in 

the formation of Governor AbdulRazaq’s 

cabinet? 

Well I think people should be 

patient regarding that. Although 

it is something that ought to have 

been done, but I don’t want to see 

that as a delay. Up till now there 

are still some states that are yet to 

have commissioners. But then, 

another thing we need to know is 

that the governor is just coming 

on board and he needs to take his 

time. 

This is a state that has been ruled 

for several years by the people in 

opposition now. He needs to take 

his time in choosing the right set 

of people that will be working with 

him. 

I guess that is what is holding 

him down and I think in no time 

the list of the commissioner-nominees 

will be completed. Already, 

four names have been forwarded 

to the state House of Assembly. 

How do you think APC can 

emerge victorious in the November 

governorship elections in 

Kogi and Bayelsa state? 

We are confident that our party 

will win the two states by the grace 

of God. There will always be differences 

and we are in a situation 

that there will always be dissenting 

views because these days people 

don’t realize that governance 

should be also likened to a 

position of the breadwinner of 

the family like the father of the 

house. The father of the house has 

a lot of challenges. At the end of 

the month he has to pay for house 

rent, food, school fees and other 

things. 

Read more on 

www.vanguardngr.com 

Regulation: Can the FCCPC 

navigate overreaching provisions 

of the FCCPA? 

By ENYINNAYA UWADI 

ON January 30, 2019, Ni 

geria joined the ranks 

of nations with an all-encompassing 

Competition Law 

upon the enactment of the 

Federal Competition and 

Consumer Protection Act 

(FCCPA). This development 

which was long overdue 

received several accolades 

both locally and internationally, 

as Nigeria being Africa’s 

biggest economy lagged 

behind in this important law 

needed to ensure fair play in 

the market as well as regulate 

abuse of dominant and 

monopoly power by big firms. 

Although it is expected that 

the enactment of the FCCPA 

and the creation of a new competition 

regulator known as 

Federal Competition and 

Consumer Protection Commission 

(FCCPC) will herald 

a new dawn and lead to the 

efficient competition regulation, 

there are fears that this 

may be a wishful thinking 

owing to the several challenges 

facing the FCCPC in 

this complex task, notable 

among them are some of the 

overreaching provisions of the 

FCCPA which shall be discussed 

hereunder. 

Natural justice principle 

Firstly, the provision of Section 

38 appears to subject the 

right of over the decisions of 

the FCCPC to the regulations 

made by the same FCCPC, 

who will certainly be a respondent 

on appeal before the 

Competition and Consumer 

Protection Tribunal (CCPT). 

This provision which offends 

the natural justice principle of 

nemo judex in causa sua, in 

my opinion is counter-productive 

and defeats the overall 

purpose of justice. The 

regulations for appeals procedures 

to the CCPT ought not 

to be the responsibility of 

FCCPC whose decision is being 

appealed against, but that 

of a neutral body like the 

CCPT. Retaining this provision 

may lead to arbitrariness 

and misuse of power by the 

FCCPC as it may intentionally 

adopt complex appeal 

procedures while drafting of 

the regulations, which may 

systematically foreclose aggrieved 

parties from having 

recourse to appeal, thereby 

technically rendering its decision 

on some matters final, 

which I believe contravenes 

the purpose of the FCCPA. 

Secondly, is the provision of 

Section 2(3)(a) which provides 

that the FCCPA shall 

apply extraterritorially to a 

conduct by a Nigerian citizen 

or a person ordinarily resident 

in Nigeria. The literal 

interpretation of the above 

section is that the FCCPA applies 

outside Nigerian borders 

to any conduct by a Nigerian 

citizen or someone 

who resides in Nigeria even 

if the conduct in question was 

committed outside Nigerian 

territory. This means that a 

Nigerian citizen resident and 

trading only in the UK for example, 

could be investigated 

The FCCPC as of 

today is not at a 

vantage position 

to discover, investigate 

and prosecute 

cartels, owing to the 

challenges of it 

being a new agency 

and prosecuted in Nigeria 

under this provision irrespective 

of the fact that his/her 

business is solely within the 

UK and has no bearing on 

Nigeria. Inasmuch as the extraterritorial 

provision, which 

is a feature of modern competition 

legislations globally, 

as provided under Section 

2(3) are commendable, one is 

left to wonder how Section 

2(3)(a) whose basis of application 

is the mere fact that the 

conduct in question was committed 

by a Nigerian citizen, 

will be successfully implemented. 

Furthermore, as much as I 

commend the strong anti-cartel 

position of the FCCPA in 

criminalizing cartel activities, 

there is a high possibility that 

if a leniency program is not 

immediately adopted by the 

FCCPC, this will be an overambitious 

target. This is because 

the FCCPC as of today 

is not at a vantage position to 

discover, investigate and 

prosecute cartels, owing to the 

challenges of it being a new 

agency with a shortage of 

technical skills, while operating 

in a developing country 

with a weak competition culture. 

Indeed, competition authorities 

from developed 

countries with their expertise 

and funding still have some 

difficulties in detecting cartels. 

This led to the adoption 

of the leniency programs by 

developed countries in the 

fight against cartels. South 

Africa followed this example 

and recorded tremendous success 

in cartel prosecution following 

the adoption of the leniency 

program in 2004, but 

experienced a downward 

trend upon the 

criminalization of cartel in 

2016. This should be a lesson 

for the FCCPC. 

Enyinnaya is doctoral student 

at the University of 

Abuja. He holds an LLM degree 

in Energy Law from the 

Centre for Petroleum, Energy 

Economics and Law, University 

of Ibadan. At present he 

is undertaking an LLM degree 

in International Commercial 

Law with Competition 

Law and Regulation at the 

University of Reading, England, 

where his dissertation 

reviewed the FCCPA 2019. 

Enyinnaya is at prsent undertaking 

an LLM degree in 

International Commercial 

Law with Competition Law 

and Regulation at the University 

of Reading, England, 

where his dissertation reviewed 

the FCCPA 2019.


How EU’s interventionist projects are 

impacting Nigerians 

*As it plans to make renewable energy sustainable in Nigeria 

Stories by Kingsley 

Adegboye 

In its quest to make Nigeria 

renewable energy 

efficient, the European Union 

(EU) is supporting a number of 

solar energy projects across 

Nigeria through its funding 

assistance mechanisms. 

Specifically, the EU targets 

three priority sectors of the 

nation’s economy in its 

intervention in Nigeria in its 

current 11 th European 

Development Fund (EDF) 

development assistance. These 

include social, economic and 

political governance sectors. 

In the social sector, EU is 

improving access to quality 

primary health care, the fight 

against malnutrition and 

measures to strengthen resilience 

and promote social protection. 

The organization is also 

supporting routine and polio 

immunization campaigns, 

activities to improve access to 

clean water and sanitation, and 

livelihoods and revenue 

generation in rural populations 

through food and nutrition 

security. 

In the economic sector, the 

Union is increasing access to 

sustainable electricity, supporting 

efforts to improve conditions for 

economic growth with a focus on 

improving competitiveness and 

diversification, development of 

renewable energy and energy 

efficiency measures, while 

strengthening public finance 

systems at state and federal 

levels, to create a stable 

environment for trade and 

investment activities. 

In the political governance 

sector, it is embarking on activities 

to strengthen democracy in 

Nigeria, the fight against 

corruption, the fight against 

human trafficking, drugs and 

small arms, the reform of the 

justice system, measures to 

manage migration more 

efficiently and effectively, and 

capacity building for civil society 

organizations. 

All these are made possible 

through the main instrument for 

the EU assistance which is the 

European Development Fund. 

Most EU development 

cooperation activities in Nigeria 

are funded primarily through the 

allocation of •689 million from 

the 10 th EDF and •562 million 

allocation from the 11 th EDF. 

The Head of the EU Delegation 

to Nigeria and Economic 

Community of West African 

States (ECOWAS), Ambassador 

Ketil Karlsen, who disclosed this 

during the unveiling of a solar 

tree at the EU Delegation Office 

Complex in Abuja, said the solar 

tree was unveiled to spotlight 

EU’s current actions in Nigeria 

and as part of activities to 

highlight the use of the sun as a 

source of clean, renewable 

energy. 

According to Karlsen,, “We 

decided to put the spotlight on 

one particular issue that is vital 

for everything else and that is the 

accessibility to affordable energy. 

“ For the availability of jobs, it 

is absolutely vital that businesses 

can thrive and for businesses to 

thrive, it is important that they 

have access to affordable energy 

in order to compete”. 

EU boss revealed that the 

Union set aside •165 million to 

help bridge the gap in energy 

supply in the country, with over 

90 million Nigerians and 

business owners without access 

to the national grid. 

“ A very significant number of 

people do not have access to 

affordable energy options. As a 

result, the EU has set aside •165 

million, supplemented by other 

financing opportunities with 

specific funding for Nigerian 

businesses in order to promote 

better use of renewable energy 

in this country. 

“ This room we are sitting in, is 

being fueled by renewable 

energy, very soon we will unveil 

the source of that energy in this 

compound that will be fueled by 

solar energy. 

“ We thought that instead of 

preaching this, we should walk 

the talk ourselves by making use 

of renewable energy sources for 

our own day to day work. Now, 

we need to reach out to the 

people that need renewable 

energy all over Nigeria”, Karlsen 

noted. 

Meanwhile, a significant 

allocation from the 11 th EDF 

(about •1 billion) is used for 

regional cooperation in West- 

Africa, mainly coordinated with 

the regional organizations like 

ECOWAS and West African 

Economic and Monetary Union 

(WAEMU), in the areas of peace 

& security, economic integration 

(including infrastructure) and 

natural resources management 

and resilience. 

The EU has equally launched 

a •30 million sustainable energy 

investment fund for off-grid 

solution development in the 

country in its effort to drive the 

renewable solar energy project. 

The fund, Electrification 

Financing Initiative (ElectriFI), 

would be granted to investors in 

Renewable Energy (RE) under 

some criteria such as viability of 

ideas with the ultimate aim of 

growing strategic movements to 

close the energy gap. 

Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, who 

disclosed this at the 4th edition 

of Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF), 

in Lagos, tagged, “Up-scaling 

Clean Energy for Sustainable 

Development”, said finding the 

right mix to diversify Nigeria’s 

energy supply is important and 

has to be fueled by investments 

and infrastructure to give 

opportunities to entrepreneurs 

and developers in the sector. 

L-R Dr. Muhammadu Buhari, Lecturer, Bayero University, Kano, Mr. Guillaume de Kerdrel, 

French Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Ketil Karlsen, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and Mr. Kayode 

Ebatamehi, Managing Director, Bluebird Communications at the European Union climate 

sustainability event themed “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future” held at Dangote 

Business School in Kano recently. 

SON introduces standards for recycling of pet 

bottles to boost healthy environment 

Weeks after tasking 

importers on the need 

for backward integration, the 

Standards Organisation of 

Nigeria SON, has approved a 

new set of 128 Nigeria Industrial 

Standards NIS, to boost the 

nation’s manufacturing sector. 

The move according to the 

standards body was to contribute 

its own quota to the real sector 

of the economy, while also 

making the sector competitive. 

The Director General, SON, 

Osita Aboloma, at the Nigerian 

Standards Council 5th meeting 

held in Lagos, said the 

standards were also ready for 

publication, dissemination and 

use by stakeholders in Nigeria 

to drive economic advancement 

by processors, assemblers, 

importers of products and 

services. The Director General 

posited that the approval by the 

SON Council will further boost 

industrial and commercial 

activities in the country in view 

of the imminent implementation 

of the African Continent Free 

Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). 

According to him, the 

agreement has further 

necessitated rapid development 

and harmonisation of standards, 

conformity assessment 

procedures as well as mutual 

recognition of quality marks, to 

cover all sectors and facilitate 

trade across the continent 

through the elimination of 

technical barriers. 

He enumerated areas covered 

by the approved standards as 

including civil/building 

NCF partners 

Lagos on rally 

for nature 

The Nigerian Conservation 

Foundation NCF, in 

partnership with Lagos state 

government through its Ministry 

of the Environment and Water 

Resources, has concluded plans 

to hold the 12 th edition of the 

annual “Walk for Nature”, with 

the theme “Plastic Pollution: The 

Enemy of Our Development 

Agenda” taking place on 

October 19, 2019. 

According to a statement by 

NCF, this year’s theme has been 

chosen to create more awareness 

about the need for Lagosians to 

collectively tackle the menace of 

plastic pollution. 

The NCF/LASG Walk for 

Nature is an initiative aimed at 

raising awareness on a wide 

variety of contemporary 

environmental issues 

confronting everyday living in 

Nigeria by demonstrating the 

importance of nature 

conservation, sustainable use of 

natural resources and 

environmental education. 

This partnership with the 

Lagos state government for the 

walk is in its 12 th year, 

supported by corporate 

organisations such as Chevron 

Nigeria Limited, Fidelity Bank 

Plc, IHS Towers, as well as Fan 

Milk Nigeria Plc, Mobile 

Classroom, Nestle Waters 

among others that share in the 

vision of a Nigeria where people 

prosper while living in harmony 

with nature. 

The three km walk takes 

participants through a 

designated route of inner and 

outer Marina, with participants 

donning branded t-shirts 

bearing the theme of the event. 

Relevant government agencies 

will be present to provide 

support services which include 

the Lagos State Traffic 

Management Authority 

LASTMA, Lagos State 

Ambulance Service 

LASAMBUS, and Lagos State 

Environmental Sanitation Corps 

LAGESC. The Police, supported 

by the Lagos Neighbourhood 

Safety Corps will equally be on 

ground. 

technology, chemical 

technology, electrical and 

electronics, food/codex, 

petroleum products as well as 

liquefied petroleum cylinders 

among others. 

In his opening remarks, 

Council Chairman, Mr. Edet 

Akpan, Permanent Secretary, 

Federal Ministry of Industry, 

Trade and Investment 

congratulated the SON 

Management for its promptness 

in dealing with staff promotions 

and disciplinary matters.

Lawal now Managing Director ADC in Nigeria 

*Lawal 

Toshiba: Flores appointed Vice Chairman 

TOSHIBA Memory 

Holdings Corporation, 

which will officially rebrand 

as Kioxia Holdings 

Corporation on October 1, 

2019, has appointed Lorenzo 

A. Flores as Vice Chairman, 

effective in November, 

2019. 

Flores brings a proven 

track record of strong executive 

leadership to the company 

with extensive financial 

experience in the technology 

industry. 

Flores will work closely 

with the executive management 

team to help lead global 

business expansion. 

Flores previously spent 

eleven years at Xilinx Inc., 

where he served as Chief 

Financial Officer since 

May of 2016, and Executive 

Vice President since February 

of 2018. In addition to 

his finance roles, Mr. Flores 

had responsibility for the 

company's Information 

Technology function. 

During his tenure as Chief 

Financial Officer, Xilinx established 

all-time highs for 

Revenue, Earnings Per 

Share, and Operating Cash 

Flow. Prior to joining Xilinx, 

Flores served as Assistant 

Vice President of Financial 

Planning and Analysis at 

Cognizant Technology Solutions. 

He also spent ten years at 

Intel Corporation, serving 

in a variety of positions including 

Controller for the 

Intel architecture’s CPUs 

Group. 

Flores holds bachelor’s 

degrees in Civil Engineering 

and Management Science 

from the Massachusetts Institute 

of Technology, and a 

Master of Business Administration 

from University of 

California, Los Angeles. 

“We are thrilled that 

Lorenzo is joining us in this 

crucial leadership role at the 

beginning of Kioxia’s history,” 

said Stacy J. Smith, Executive 

Chairman of 

Toshiba Memory Holdings 

Corporation. 

“With Lorenzo’s excellent 

experience and knowledge 

of the semiconductor industry, 

he is a great addition to 

an already deep and experienced 

leadership team. 

There is no doubt he is the 

perfect person to help lead 

our company through its 

next phase of growth as Kioxia.” 

“I am excited to take on 

this position and honored to 

join the team as it begins its 

exciting new journey as Kioxia,” 

said Mr. Flores. 

“Toshiba Memory has always 

been a leader in the 

memory industry, and Kioxia 

is well positioned to lead 

us into a new era of memory.” 

*Flores 

RTC Advisory: Nwani now Managing Consultant 

RTC Advisor Limited, a 

consulting firm has announced 

the appointment of 

Dr. Vincent Nwani as its 

Managing Consultant. He 

becomes the second Managing 

Consultant of the firm 

after 18 years of its operation. 

Prior to his appointment, 

Vincent served at the Lagos 

Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry (LCCI) as Director 

where he supervised Research, 

Business Policy Advocacy 

and Training Services 

of the Chamber for about 

seven years. Before joining 

LCCI, he served as the head 

of research at First Bank of 

Nigeria Plc, Economist and 

Investment Executive at 

BGL Group Plc and Consulting 

Executive at Magnartis 

Finance & Investment 

Ltd. Vincent earned the Doctor 

of Philosophy (Ph.D) in 

Economics from Monarch 

Business School in Switzerland, 

Master and Bachelor 

of Science (M.Sc & B.Sc) Degrees 

in Economics from the 

university of Ibadan and Port 

Harcourt respectively. 

D r. Nwani is a proven 

*Nwani 

leader and has built a profound 

track record in the 

Nigerian private sector as 

an Economist, Business/Investment 

Strategist, Project 

Specialist, Trade Facilitator, 

Policy Analyst and a seasoned 

Research Fellow over 

the last 15 years. 

Speaking on his appointment, 

Dr. Vincent Nwani 

said, ”I am happy to lead 

RTC Advisory ltd and I am 

confident that together with 

the innovative team and our 

stakeholders, we will build 

on the existing legacy of the 

firm and position it for more 

Microsoft has elevated 

Gafar Lawal to the 

position of Managing Director 

of its Africa Development 

Centre in Nigeria, 

launched in May 2019. 

With more than 20 years 

of experience in various business 

functions, Lawal returns 

to Microsoft from 

Morgan Stanley where he 

served as Managing Director 

and Global Chief Technology 

Architect for the 

Wealth Management Division. 

Prior to his time at 

Morgan Stanley, Lawal 

spent over six years working 

at Microsoft’s US headquarters 

in Redmond, WA as Partner 

Architect in the Windows 

server group and Windows 

phone services division. 

He also spent ten years 

as First Vice President and 

Chief Technology Architect 

at Merrill Lynch. 

“The ADC is unlike any 

other existing investment on 

the continent – enabling us 

to better listen to our customers, 

develop locally and 

scale for global impact – in 

the grand scheme of things, 

presenting a strategic opportunity 

for us to comprehend 

a continent that is rapidly 

adopting cloud technology 

May & Baker: Mrs Danjuma 

takes over as Board Chairman 

By Abolade Oyeneye 

May and Baker Niger 

ia Plc has appointed 

Senator Daisy Ehanire Danjuma 

as the new Chairman 

of the Board, with immediate 

effect. The company disclosed 

this in a notice to the 

Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE. 

According to the notice, 

Danjuma will replace Theophilus 

Yakubu Danjuma, 

whose tenure expired September 

27, 2019. 

Senator Daisy Ehanire 

Danjuma was born on the 

6th of August, 1952 in Benin 

and massive innovation at 

the intelligent edge,” says 

Mike Fortin, corporate vice 

president at Microsoft. 

“We’ve been actively sourcing 

talent to join our team 

of engineers and are delighted 

to have Gafar bring 

his leadership skills to the 

team.” 

ADC engineers are already 

working with local partners 

and customers on key issues 

for Nigeria, Africa, and the 

rest of the world. Through 

the creation of an employment 

pipeline, local graduates 

and experienced technologists 

from industry can 

join Microsoft at the ADC in 

Lagos to begin or continue 

exciting careers in areas that 

include AI, mixed reality, 

and application development 

– making meaningful 

contributions on a local and 

global scale. 

“I am looking forward to 

embarking on this incredible 

new journey with the 

Microsoft team and effectively 

playing my part in 

bringing digital transformation 

to the continent at large. 

I hope that as we continue 

to not only identify and nurture 

talent but also bring 

about unprecedented 

change, that we will continue 

to aid every individual 

involved to achieve more,” 

concludes Lawal. 

City, Edo State, She was first 

appointed to the Board of 

Directors of our Company 

on 30th July, 1999 until 8th 

October, 2003 and later on 

30th May, 2019. 

She is a law graduate of 

the Ahmadu Bello University 

Zaria with over four decades 

post-call experience 

having been called to the 

Nigerian bar in 7977, She 

worked as a State Counsel 

in Lagos State Ministry of 

Justice, a pioneer legal counsel 

to the Legal Aid Council. 

She was the Company 

Secretary/Legal Adviser to 

the Nigerian Television Authority, 

NTA, from l982 to 

1992. 

She was elected as Senator 

of the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria 2003-2007, while 

in the Senate, she was a 

member of the Commonwealth 

Parliamentary Association, 

CPA and Chairman, 

Women and Child Right 

Committee of the Economic 

Community of West African 

States (ECOWAS Parliament). 

She was also the Chairman, 

Senate Committee on 

Women Affairs and Youth 

Development, She served as 

Member, Senate Committees 

on Health, Education, 

Finance, Land and Transport 

of the National Assem- 


Chams Plc : Young appointed 

Group CEO 

Mr Gavin Young has 

scaled up the 

corporate ladder with his 

appointment as the Group 

Managing Director and 

Chief Executive Officer of 

Chams Plc. 

He succeeded Engineer 

Femi Williams who retired 

after many years of 

meritorious service. Until his 

recent appointment, Young 

was a strategic consultant to 

key subsidiaries of Chams Plc 

: Chams Switch Limited and 

Chams Mobile Limited. 

.Young 

A seasoned Fintech 

professional with a proven 

track record in managing 

companies, including 

subsidiaries of listed 

companies spanning diverse 

geographical areas of Africa 

.Young brings to Chams Plc, 

over three decades of robust 

industry experience to raise the 

bar in all the company’s 

performance indicators. 

Young, specifically focuses on 

all areas of Electronic Banking 

and Fintech; Issuing, 

Acquiring, Switching etc. His 

Primary areas of specialization 

are payments switching and 

processing, developing and 

managing payment card 

schemes, terminal and other 

electronic infrastructure 

TechWomen: Ms Adekunle 

represents Nigeria 

arketing and 

M e d i a dia platform amplifying the 

Entrepreneur, Adejoke 

Adekunle, has been tech with its debut podcast 

stories of African women in 

shortlisted as one of the edition launched in 2018. 

2019 emerging leaders in Prior her entrepreneurial 

growth and sustainability.” 

STEM across Africa, Central journey, she was Chief Operating 

Officer at DigiEn- 

Commenting on the appointment, 

Mr. Opeyemi 

and South Asia, and the 

Middle East, invited to gage - a digital consultancy 

Agbaje, the Pioneer Chief 

participate in the USgovernment 

sponsored and held a Content Manag- 

under the Bluebird Group 

Executive Officer and 

Founder, RTC Advisory 

TechWomen Programme. er & Senior Editor role at 

said, ”We are confident 

The programme which is a Nigeria’s foremost jobs site 

that RTC will benefit from 

mentorship and exchange - Jobberman. 

Dr. Nwani’s creative insights 

and specialised approach 

as we continue to 

in the United States from 

programme will commence 

advance our strategic goal 

September 28th. 

of wealth creation by positioning 

governments and 

of only 28 emerging leaders 

She joins an exclusive list 

private institutions in Nigeria 

and ultimately in West 

ticipated in the programme 

from Nigeria who have par- 

African sub-region. His ideals 

are exactly what RTC 

of the youngest Nigerian rep- 

since 2013. At 28, she is one 

needs as it enters its next 

resentatives at the programme. 

Through the pro- 

chapter of expanded impact, 

institutionalisation, intelligence 

and thoughts leaderorating 

on a series of projects 

gramme, she will be collabship, 

broader frontier and 

together with mentors at 

strategic alliance even as 

Twitter Headquarters in San 

we elevate the quality of policies 

& value delivery, prod- 

Adekunle holds a decade 

Francisco. 

ucts and services to the highest 

level attainable riding on 

ing. She is the founder and 

long experience in market- 

best of advisory/consulting 

CEO of VVM - a digital consultancy 

focused on Finance, 

practice. We count on the 

continued support of our esteemed 

clients and other 

brands across Africa. She’s 

Agriculture and Energy 

stakeholders and invite all 

also the founder and 

to join us in welcoming Dr. 

managing partner of The 

Nwani on board”. *Mrs. Danjuma African Tech Woman, a me- *Adejoke Adekunle 

management, transaction 

processing, transaction 

acquiring systems, and mobile 

payments among others. 

Industry watchers hailed 

Young’s appointment as a 

strategic move by Chams PLC 

to reinforce its brand 

positioning and deliver value 

to the company’s 

stakeholders. 

A consummate banker who 

had worked for key Pan- 

Regional Banks such as 

Barclays Bank, Stanbic Bank 

and First National Bank of 

South Africa where he worked 

for 20 years, Young is 

entrepreneurial and skilled at 

building organizations, 

partnerships and alliances, 

formulating business strategy 

and negotiating business 

agreements. He was the 

Deputy Managing Director at 

Chams Mobile Nigeria 

Limited from January 2014 to 

March, 2018 and currently a 

Director on the company’s 

board. He was the Managing 

Director at ChamsSwitch 

Nigeria Limited 

At First National Bank of 

South Africa, he implemented 

most electronic banking, card 

systems and infrastructure; 7 

years at Visa as Country 

Manager, sub-Saharan Africa, 

including South Africa, UK 

and Nigeria, where, after 

developing the Visa CEMEA 

for Nigeria, volunteered to 

reside in the country in order 

to work with all payment 

entities to implement Visa 

cards and payments across all 

banks in Nigeria. 

Young, is credited for growing 

a good number of Visa issuing 

banks in sub-Saharan Africa, 

from 22 to over 120 in 4 years.


Nwosu tips Aribo 

to takeover 

Mikel's role 

Ex international, Henry Nwosu believes Super 

Eagles midfielder, Joe Aribo has the potential 

to fill the void left behind by Mikel Obi in 

the senior national team. 

Aribo netted the goal for 

Nigeria in the team’s 1-1 draw 

against the Samba Boys of 

Brazil in Sunday’s 

international friendly game 

in Singapore. 

Recall that the Glasgow 

Rangers star was also on 

the score sheet in 

Nigeria’s 2-2 draw 

against Ukraine in last 

month”s friendly tie at the 

•Aribo 

Dnipro Arena. 

In a chat with Soccernet, t h e 

1980 Africa Cup of Nationsp layer, 

stated that Aribo’s confidence and 

determination would pilot him to a higher 

level. 

He also revealed that his performance 

against Brazil could have cemented a 

permanent shirt in the Super Eagles and 

has what it takes to replace Mikel in the midfield. 

“The performance of the Super Eagles against Brazil was 

superb and I am impressed with the way the players 

approached the game,” Nwosu said. 

“One player that caught my attention was Joe Aribo because 

he’s just playing in his second game for the Super Eagles 

and displayed some high level of football. 

“The goal he scored was also genius based on his quick 

movement with the ball before beating Brazil goalkeeper, 

Ederson. If he continues this way, I simply believe he has 

what it takes to replace Mikel Obi in the heart of the Super 

Eagles midfield.” 

Rangers fans taunt coach 

over Aribo doubts 

from south London this summer 

and has been impressing while 

on international duty. 

“Great time to remind everyone 

of Lee Bowyer’s comment,” one 

fan responded. 

A second added: “Lee Bowyer 

right now,” accompanied with a 

GIF of a man crying. 

A third said: “Lee Bowyer 

watching?” 

“What was it Lee Bowyer said 

Rangers fans made fun of 

Charlton boss Lee 

Bowyer, after their Joe Aribo 

scored against Brazil in 

Sunday’s friendly against the 

Super Eagles. 

Bowyer, a former England 

international had doubted if 

Aribo could make any impact 

by joining the Scottish giants. 

The 23-year-old made the 

£300,000 switch to Glasgow 

about Aribo again? He’s just 

scored against Brazil,” a fourth 

user wrote. 

Bowyer sat down with Aribo 

upon being appointed the 

permanent boss of Charlton to 

discuss his future. 

He later revealed his frustration 

that the 23-year-old wanted to 

leave for Rangers. 

“I worked so hard to get him to 

this situation he is in now,” he told 

the South London Press in June. 

Handball League: Abia 

Valiants pip Owena Queens 

By Solomon Nwoke 

Abia Valiants raised their 

game yesterday as they 

defeated Owena Queens 28-27 in 

a game between relegationthreatened 

teams at the Prudent 

Energy Handball League at the 

Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex 

in Yaba, Lagos. 

The teams were inseparable for 

the entire game as they exchanged 

the lead several times before 

Valiants took the game in the dying 

moments. The Queens had a good 

chance to draw the game but they 

lost their last throw to handover 

victory to the Abia side. 

Owena Queens’ Mary Olawuyi, 

one of the experienced players who 

were called back from retirement, 

said that they only have seven 

players available for selection with 

three injured and one other sick. 

She noted that playing with few 

players have hindered the team in 

the competition, adding that it has 

been tough to get decent results in 

the championship. 

“Four players are injured, we 

have no bench and we have been 

playing with seven players since 

four days ago but we have 

continued to give our best”, she 

said. 

In other female events, the 

Seasiders Babes of Lagos gave a 

good account of themselves 

yesterday by beating Kada Queens 

27-25 in a close encounter. Safety 

Babes appeared to have clinched 

the league title as they defeated 

second placed team, Edo Dynamos 

27-24. 

In the men’s event, Niger United 

defeated Prison Key Boys 38-34 

while Owena King lost to Sokoto 

Rima 30-35. 

•Mikel 

Moses, 

Chukwueze 

caused 

Brazil 

problems 

—Rohr 

Super Eagles Head 

Coach Gernot Rohr 

has singled out Samuel 

Chukwueze and Moses 

Simon for praise after the 

draw with Brazil in the 

international friendly last 

Sunday. 

Moses set up Joe Aribo 

for the games opener, but the 

Wingers did more to keep 

Brazil’s attacking prowess 

on the wings in check. 

Rohr lauded his team’s 

fighting spirit and solidarity 

for the duration, despite 

Brazil leveling in the second 

half through midfielder 

Casemiro. 

The 66 year-old insists the 

Eagles gave their more 

flamboyant opponents 

“problems” despite 

conceding possession to the 

South Americans. 

“The team did very well, 

big solidarity, because 

Brazil wanted to win the 

game,” Rohr said. 

“They scored very early in 

the second half and when 

they scored we had another 

44 minutes to play, so, it was 

really not easy but with a lot 

of solidarity, fighting spirit 

and also counter attacks 

especially our wingers; they 

were very strong today, and 

we gave them problems.” 

•Maduka 

Rohr: Why I selected Okoye ahead 

of Ezenwa 

Super Eagles coach Gernot 

Rohr has explained his 

thinking behind bringing on 

Fortuna Düsseldorf goalkeeper 

Maduka Okoye instead of 

Ikechukwu Ezenwa when 

Francis Uzoho suffered an 

injury in the 63rd minute of his 

side’s 1-1 draw against Brazil. 

The Franco-German tactician 

noted that Ezenwa, who is 

number two in the pecking 

order of goalkeepers, has not 

tasted action since the 

conclusion of the 2019 Africa 

Cup of Nations whereas Okoye 

EDO 2020: LOC adopts Queen 

Idia 

ia’s face for NSF 

By Blessed Evans 

The Local Organizing 

Committee for the 2020 

National Sports Festival ( 

NSF) has adopted Queen 

Idah as the face of the festival 

as it also named Bet9ja as 

official betting company. 

The Chairman of the 

Publicity and Communication 

Sub-Committee Mr. Tony 

Akiotu made this known in 

Benin City during a meeting 

at the weekend. 

Akiotu, who is the Group 

Managing Director of Daar 

Communications, owners of 

Africa Independent Television 

(AIT) and Raypower FM, said, 

“The LOC has adopted 

popular Benin Warrior, Queen 

Idah as the face of the 2020 

NSF,” addind that “the choice 

was a unanimous one”. 

The Chairman also 

disclosed that Bet9ja has been 

officially chosen as the betting 

company of the festival 

having met the Marketing 

Sub-Committee’s 

requirement. 

“Bet9ja is the official betting 

company of the Edo 2020 

National Sports Festival. The 

Company’s bid of one 

billion Naira (N1billion) has 

been accepted. 

Aside Bet9Nja, the 

marketing department is 

•Akiotu 

working round the clock to 

raise enough money for the 

hosting of the festival,” he said. 

He also disclosed that a 

Theme Song for the festival, 

which was sang in the three 

major languages in Edo state, 

has also been chosen 

“The LOC has chosen a 

Theme Song sang by the Edo 

state chapter of PMAN in Bini, 

Esan and Afenmai. It is a well 

orchestrated song that will be 

loved by all when it is 

eventually launched on 

October 17 and 28 in Benin 

City and Lagos respectively.” 

Akiotu added that in 

picking the Theme Song, the 

rich culture of Edo state, 

particularly Benin, was put 

into consideration. 

The chairman said the NTA, 

DAAR Communications, Edo 

Broadcasting Service(EBS) 

and Super Sports are the 

official broadcast stations of the 

National Sports Festival. 

•Rohr 

Rohr predicts good future 

for Eagles after Brazil draw 

Five-time 

world 

champions Brazil held 

Nigeria to a 1-1 draw last 

Sunday at the Singapore 

National Stadium, a result that 

is satisfactory to the team’s 

German head coach. 

The 34th ranked team in the 

world had several key players 

missing including captain 

Ahmed Musa while still 

adjusting to the recent 

retirement of two stars but they 

still matched the Copa 

America champions man for 

man and their 66-year-old 

tactician is pleased with the 

feat. 

Nigeria national team coach 

Gernot Rohr has expressed his 

delight after his young team – 

with an average age of 23.5 

years – gave as much as they 

got from Brazil. 

Joe Aribo – making his 

second appearance for the 

Super Eagles – scored the 

opening goal in the 35th 

minute before Casemiro’s 

second-half effort saved the 

South American champions 

from defeat. 

Rohr could not hide his 

pleasure with the performance 

of his side but he was quick to 

admit that his young side still 

have to improve. 

“It was tough for us as the 

second game because Brazil 

would not have wanted to leave 

Singapore without winning, 

and it feels very good to know 

that we can play so well against 

some of the biggest names in 

football,” Rohr told the press 

after the match. 

“We didn’t have our best 

team here, but our wingers 

gave Brazil a lot of problems 

on the counter-attack and I 

am proud of our players. 

They can have a good future. 

“We can still improve in 

defending set-pieces. We 

have height, with players 

as tall as two metres, but 

we have to be better in the 

air. 

was active for Fortuna 

Düsseldorf’s reserve team in 

the Regionalliga West. 

‘’We decided to put in 

Maduka because Ezenwa 

didn’t play for months, not even 

in the CHAN Team,’’ Rohr said 

in an interview with the Super 

Eagles Media Team. 

‘’He didn’t have any 

experience of competition in 

the last three months so we 

decided to play with Maduka 

because he was playing for his 

club’’. 

Ahead of Nigeria’s first 

competitive games post- 

AFCON, Rohr is hopeful the 

injury suffered by Uzoho is not 

serious. 

Senegal top 

WAFU Cup 

contest, 

Nigeria to 

host in 2021 

Hosts Senegal finally tasted 

success in an 

international final as they won the 

WAFU Cup of Nations for the first 

time, beating Ghana on penalties. 

The game finished goalless after 

90 minutes and 1-1 after extra 

time. 

Goalkeeper Pape Saidou 

Ndiaye was the hero for the 

Teranga Lions, saving two spot 

kicks from Ghana’s Justice Blay 

and Augustine Okrah. 

Fatawu Mohammed also 

struck the crossbar to hand the 

home team a 3-1 victory in the 

shootout. 

The result ends a miserable run 

for Senegal in major finals, having 

lost Africa Cup of Nations finals 

in 2002 and 2019 as well as three 

Under-20 Afcon finals. 

“We played against a strong 

opponent who were tactically 

sound and have a solid defence 

which was difficult to beat,” said 

Senegal coach Seringne Saliou 

Dia. 

Nigeria will hosts the next 

edition of the biennial WAFU Cup 

of Nations in 2021. 

GOtv Boxing 

Night Mini 

debuts 

A 

mini version of the hugely 

successful GOtv Boxing 

Night, tagged GOtv Boxing Night 

Mini, is set to start. The inaugural 

edition will hold on 16 November 

at the Rowe Park, Yaba, Lagos. This 

was announced yesterday by the 

organisers, Flykite Productions, at 

a media sit-in in Lagos. 

Jenkins Alumona, CEO Flykite, 

explained that GOtv Boxing Night 

Mini is conceived to provide more 

frequent opportunities for boxers as 

a means of ensuring that they get 

requisite number of fights to make 

them eligible for sub-regional, 

continental and international title 

bouts. 

“Our boxers have, despite the 

best efforts of GOtv Boxing Night, 

inadequate opportunities to fight 

and build their fight records, which 

they need to become eligible for 

international titles. GOtv Boxing 

Night Mini, which will be staged 

with more frequency than the main 

event, will address this challenge,” 

he said. 

Alumona also explained that 

the 20th edition of GOtv Boxing 

Night, which was planned to hold 

last Saturday, has been fused into 

the mega edition of the event slated 

for December. The development, he 

said, was imposed by the injury 

suffered in training by Oto “Joe 

Boy” Joseph, African Boxing 

Union (ABU) lightweight 

champion, who was scheduled to 

defend his title against Rilwan 

“Real One” Oladosu, West African 

Boxing Union (WABU) champion 

in the much-anticipated headline 

bout.


Allegri to include Evra on his backroom 

staff if appointed United boss 

Massimiliano Allgeri 

would want Patrice 

Erva to join him on his 

backroom staff at 

Manchester United if he 

is appointed manager. 

Evra played for the 

English giants between 

2006-2014 - winning five 

Premier League titles 

and one Champions 

League - and a return to 

Old Trafford would prove 

a hugely popular 

decision among fans. 

Allegri, who has also 

attracted interest from 

Tottenham, is being 

courted as a future 

manager at United after 

a disappointing start to 

the season, which sees 

them sit 12th in the 

Premier League. 

Evra has often 

expressed his desire to 

return to Old Trafford to 

help the club return to 

the glory days after 

losing their dominant 

title within England. 

The Italian boss - 

currently out of a job 

after stepping down as 

Juventus boss at thew 

end of last season - has 

•Porch 

Mauricio Pochettino 

would snub bossing 

Manchester United as his 

Tottenham squad is stronger. 

That's according to ex- 

England manager Sam 

Allardyce, whose verdict is 

another sign of United's 

declining status as pressure 

mounts on their manager 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

United's displays this 

season have been as poor as 

their results, notably a 0-0 

draw at AZ Alkmaar and a 

1-0 Premier League loss at 

Newcastle. in their last two 

games. 

And Pochettino has long 

been linked with the United 

•Evra 

•Allgeri 

promised the former 

French left-back to 

include him among his 

backroom team in the 

event of an agreement 

with United. 

Allegri and Erva won 

two Serie A titles 

together at Juventus and 

the pair enjoyed a very 

NO MAUR HOPE 

Pochettino will snub 

Man Utd as Spurs have 

a ‘better squad’ 

•Ole 

job, even before Solskjaer's 

superb start as caretaker 

chief last December was 

replaced by a slump since 

April. 

But former Everton, West 

Ham and Newcastle boss 

Allardyce believes 

Pochettino would be 

deterred by the huge 

rebuilding job needed at 

Old Trafford. 

The Metro report Big Sam 

as saying: "I can’t see 

Mauricio going anywhere at 

the moment. 

"Tottenham are a better 

squad than Manchester 

United – and that is a telling 

fact". 

strong relationship during 

their time in Turin. 

Evra would be the 

perfect understudy for 

Allegri due to his wealth 

of knowledge of both 

English football and 

United in particular. 

With Evra's experience 

in Manchester and 

Allegri's pragmatism, 

United would be in safe 

hands in their bid to cut 

the gap between them 

and Europe's top clubs at 

present. 

Evra watched 

Tottenham's Champions 

League defeat vs Bayern 

Munich with Allegri 

Allegri would continue 

to have his deputy, Marco 

Landucci, beside him at 

Old Trafford despite the 

involvement of Evra. 

Alexis Sanchez out for three months 

Inter Milan forward Alexis Sanchez faces "two or 

three months out" after injuring his ankle on 

international duty, Chile boss Reinaldo Rueda says. 

Sanchez - on loan at the Italian club from 

Manchester United - was hurt in Chile's 0-0 friendly 

draw with Colombia in Alicante on Saturday. 

The Chilean Football Federation said the 30-yearold 

had dislocated tendons in his left ankle. 

Sanchez, who joined Antonio Conte's Inter on a 

season-long loan deal in August, scored on his first 

start for the Serie A title hopefuls against 

Sampdoria on 28 September and he also impressed 

in their Champions League defeat at his former 

club Barcelona. 

•Sanchez 

Alisson set for 

Liverpool comeback 

at Old Trafford 

Alisson is primed to make his return in Liverpool's 

biggest game of the season at Old Trafford after 

recovering from a serious calf issue. 

The Brazil international has been absent since 

he tore his calf muscle in the 37th minute of the 

opening game of the campaign against Norwich, 

an injury that was so severe it left him on crutches 

for a short period. 

Liverpool initially had a time frame of eight weeks 

in mind for Alisson's absence but they have been 

careful not to ask him to do too much, too soon to 

minimise the potential risk of him suffering a 

setback. 

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool's manager, toyed with the 

idea of starting Alisson in the final Premier League 

game before the international break against 

Leicester but, as he had only just returned to full 

training, the German erred on the side of caution. 

Provided he comes through the next week without 

any reaction, Alisson will be between the posts for 

the clash with Manchester United as the league 

leaders look to consolidate their place at the top. 

Alisson, who was signed for £64.6million in July 

2018, had a huge impact in his first season on 

Merseyside and his outstanding performance in the 

Champions League final ensured he was 

recognised as the world's finest goalkeeper at the 

FIFA Best awards last month. 

It is a reflection on how well Adrian has done in 

Alisson's absence, however, that he has not been 

missed as much as Liverpool initially feared. 

Neymar ruled out for four weeks 

with hamstring strain 

Neymar has been ruled out for four 

weeks with a grade two 

hamstring strain. 

The 27-year-old begun his recovery 

in Paris on Monday after picking up 

the injury against Nigeria during 

international duty with Brazil. 

The Paris Saint-Germain star posted 

a photo on Instagram of himself on a 

bed in Paris with the caption 

'recovery'. 

Neymar will miss PSG's two 

Champions League clashes against 

Club Brugge but should be back in 

time to face Real Madrid. 

Brazil national team doctor Rodrigo 

Lasmar had initially said the 27-yearold 

did not have a serious injury. 

Lasmar told Globo Esporte: 

'Worrying situation, of course. He did 

not cite very sharp pain. 

'He felt discomfort. A slightly vague 

•Neymar and Tite 

complaint. He asked to continue, but soon 

realized that it was not very normal and 

asked to leave to have no complication. 

'The first evaluation is always for greater 

care, but you need the image (exam) to 

understand what happened, if it was just 

muscle fatigue or if 

you need more care.' 

Neymar was 

replaced by midfielder 

Philippe Coutinho 

after feeling an injury 

in his left thigh. 

The forward missed 

this year's Copa 

America because of a 

right ankle injury. He 

only returned to action 

two months later. 

•Alisson 

•Uzoho 

•Pope Francis and Mancini 

Uzoho vows to 

come back 

stronger 

Super Eagles’ goalkeeper 

Francis Uzoho has said that he 

would be over his injury suffered 

while manning the post in 

Sunday's international friendly 

against Brazil. 

Uzoho, who showed some 

improvement in his skill, was 

stretchered out in the 63rd minute 

after an awkward landing in the 

box. The extent of the injury has 

not been disclosed but the Cyprus 

based keeper said via Twitter that 

he be back stronger and better. 

“A big thank you to you all. I will 

be be back stronger and better in 

CHRIST ALONE, “Uzoho 

tweeted. 

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr 

said he regrets the injury to Uzoho 

and hoped that the goalkeeper will 

recover quickly for the Africa Cup 

of Nations qualifiers. 

“Francis had a great game, we 

regret his injury. He will have 

examinations tomorrow (today), so 

we will see exactly what the 

problem is,” Rohr stated. 

"He is playing well in his club 

so he can come back with us. I 

hope he will not be out for a long 

time because we have two 

important matches to play. So, we 

have a lot of work to do.” 

Mancini gives 

Pope Francis a 

personalised shirt 

...as Azurri visit Vatican 

after sealing Euro 

2020 qualification 

The Italian national team visited 

Pope Francis at the Vatican on 

Sunday, a day after securing 

qualification for Euro 2020. 

Roberto Mancini's team beat 

Greece 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico 

in Rome on Saturday, making it 

seven wins out of seven and 

guaranteeing the Azzurri top spot 

in qualifying Group J. 

And a day later, the whole squad 

suited up to visit Pope Francis, 

presenting him with a personalised 

Italy national team shirt, with 

Francis' actual surname 'Bergoglio' 

on the back. 

Pope Francis also greeted the 

President of the Italian Football 

Federation Gabriele Gravina, and 

members of the backroom staff 

during the approximate 40 minute 

meeting.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

ACROSS 

1 Change over (6) 

4 Season of growth (6) 

8 Pleated frilling (5) 

9 Authentic (7) 

10 Meat from the breast 

of an animal (7) 

11 Humorous (5) 

12 Comfortable seat (4,5) 

17 Citrus fruit (5) 

19 Naturally grown (7) 

21 Ideas (7) 

22 Use a divining-rod (5) 

23 Select (6) 

24 Hole for a lace or cord (6) 

DOWN 

1 Bushes (6) 

2 Slope (7) 

3 Make sure (5) 

5 Cure for all ills (7) 

6 Colloquial saying (5) 

7 European country (6) 

9 Communicate successfully 

(3,6) 

13 Wavy, winding (7) 

14 Renovation (7) 

15 Health centre (6) 

16 Take willingly (6) 

18 Favourite saying (5) 

20 Dizzy (5) 

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

of the same number). 

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

from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine 

blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no 

number can appear twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or 

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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15102019 - What Benin, Niger must do to get borders reopened — FG

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