17072018 - PLANNED PRO-RESTRUCTURING RALLY: South, M-Belt leaders blast FG for aborting Benue trip

49 die in Katsina flood; 

many others missing 

•260 livestock, 90 

houses destroyed 

OPEN GRAZING: 

APC has given 

me Red Card 

Aribisala 

today writes 

on the Ekiti 

polls, and 

posits that 

3 PDP's loss is 

bad news 

— Benue Gov, Ortom for APC and 

6 37 

Nigeria 

** 

VOL. 26: NO. 63594 TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 

PLANNED PRO-RESTRUCTURING RALLY: 

South, M-Belt leaders blast 

FG for aborting Benue trip 

•Makurdi airport a military facility ,says NAF spokesman, AVM Adesanya 

What has happened to us today 

shows a continuing tendency to 

slide into a dictatorship in a 

democratic government. That is 

condemnable. — NWODO 

THE KATSINA FLOOD DISASTER 

It was sabotage; they knew we 

were going there to discuss 

restructuring. Those who don’t 

believe in it decided to sabotage it. 

— CLARK 

We want a situation where 

everyone will be equal. 

Restructuring is long overdue, we 

are all one, nobody can separate us. 

— ADEBANJO 

By Henry Umoru, 

Peter Duru & Joseph 

Erunke 

ABUJA—There was 

drama at the 

Nnamdi Azikiwe 

International Airport, 

Abuja, yesterday, as 

leaders under the aegis 

of Southern and Middle 

Continues on Page 5 

Naira 

depreciates 

to N361.85/ 

$ 

Mr & Mrs 

40 

Scenes at Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, where early morning heavy downpour killed about 49 persons, destroyed 

90 houses, 260 livestock and dozens declared missing. Photo: Bashir Bello. 

KILLINGS: FG’s done a lot to 

combat insecurity—Presidency 

Oando refutes Executive Order to 

Volpi’s claim on stop corruption 

2019: 

Buhari has 

right of first 

refusal, says 

IMF upgrades 

Nigeria’s 

2019 gdp 

growth 

3 

forecast to 

4 19 

London Court ruling fighting back—FG APC 

3 2.3% 

COLUMNISTS ERIC TENIOLA 18 ODUMAKIN 17 MAILAFIA 31 

4 

SEE 

INSIDE

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018—3 

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

2019: Buhari has right of first refusal —APC 

•Oshiomhole swears in Erue as new Delta APC chairman 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

ABUJA— As political 

parties gear up for their 

presidential primaries slated 

for between August and 

October 2018, the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, said, yesterday, that the 

incumbent, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, has 

the right of first refusal. 

National Chairman of the 

party, Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole, who 

announced this in Abuja, 

while swearing in the new 

chairman of the APC in Delta 

State, Prophet Jones Erue, 

said: “I just want to publicly 

advise you that from my own 

background, legal victory 

can be sweet but even 

sweeter is the people’s 

victory. 

‘’The court cannot give that. 

I have vested interest in 

Delta State because I come 

from Bendel and as 

Bendelites, we are 

committed to ensuring that 

APC wins the next election 

in Delta State. 

“In a democracy, you will 

be useful according to the 

amount of peace and unity 

you are able to help build in 

Delta State. 

"Given the overall 

circumstances that led to 

where we are, I will advise 

and on a future date, we will 

meet along with other 

stakeholders in Delta State 

and without questioning the 

legal status of putting in 

place a functional state 

executive in Delta State. It 

will require that we make 

sacrifices where necessary, 

persuading people who, 

even in the eyes of the law, 

are properly in office. 

"But in the spirit of give and 

take, we will be ready to offer 

to vacate so that we can coopt 

other persons in a way 

that gives every stakeholder 

a sense of ownership and a 

sense of belonging. I believe 

we need that. 

“So, my plea to you is that 

once you have become the 

state chairman, you are not 

at liberty to be the agent of 

any of the aspirants, whether 

for House of Assembly, 

House of Representatives, 

Senate or governorship. 

‘’The only partisan position 

you might be able to pursue 

within limits is, maybe, with 

regards to the presidential 

candidate because that, as far 

as we know today, no one 

has yet expressed interest to 

contest the presidential 

election and so, it appears 

that the party understands 

that the incumbent has the 

first right of refusal and even 

the governors have publicly 

kowtowed to that.’’ 

Oshiomhole also spoke on 

the need to reconcile all 

aggrieved stakeholders in 

the state, saying it was 

necessary if the party must 

make headway in the next 

elections. 

On his part, Erue 

promised to work with all 

stakeholders of the party to 

ensure its success in the next 

elections. 

“For us in APC in Delta, 

our major concern is to repeat 

the Ekiti feat, that is 

winning elections and you 

know what it means to win 

elections. You must be 

prepared to bring everyone 

together and I am prepared 

as the chairman to bring 

together those who are 

willing so that we can 

pursue one goal and that 

goal is to win elections,” he 

said. 

CLOSING GONG: President, Chartered Insurance Institute of 

Nigeria, Mrs Funmi Babington-Ashaye (left) and Mr Bola Adeeko, 

Head, Corporate Services of Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE, during 

the closing gong ceremony at the NSE. 

Grazing law: APC has given 

me red card—Gov Ortom 

•We didn’t push him out — APC 

By Peter Duru & 

Omeiza Ajayi 

MAKURDI — 

GOVERNOR 

Samuel Ortom of Benue 

State, yesterday, bade 

goodbye to All Progressives 

Congress, APC, saying the 

party had given him the red 

card over his insistence on 

implementing the open 

grazing law enacted to check 

the spate of attacks on the 

citizenry by alleged 

herdsmen. 

The governor’s vow to 

remain with his people, 

irrespective of the dictates of 

party interest, was 

immediately countered by 


party, Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole, who said the 

party did not push out the 

governor as he alleged. 

The governor has, 

however, not given indication 

of his next political party, 

though there were signals 

that he could pitch his tent 

with his former political party, 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP. 

He said his decision was 

premised on the fact that the 

ruling party gave him “a red 

card” for standing and 

speaking the truth on matters 

that directly affected the 

people of the state, promising 

to always stand for the truth 

and his people. 

The governor, who made 

this known during the 

inauguration of his new 

Special Adviser on Local 

Government and Chieftaincy 

Affairs, Mr. Jerome 

Torshimbe, in Makurdi, said: 

“That is the more reason we 

all need to come together as 

a people and not allow 

political party or ethnicity 

divide us. 

“Many people have been 

asking that after dedicating 

the state to God we are still 

facing challenges, but I know 

that the God that saw the 

Israelites pass through the 

wilderness, and took them to 

the promised land will also 

see us through our difficult 

times. 

“I know one thing, all these 

challenges that we see today, 

we shall see them no more. 

All that we are required to do 

is not to begin to be wayward 

in our conduct but to move to 

the righteous side of God. 

Once we do that, things will 

work out for our good. 

“Looking at what is 

happening to us, sometimes 

I am tempted to think that we 

are dying like people who do 

not have God. 

“But we must choose the 

path of working with God, 

obeying and serving him. If 

we do that and ensure that 

His values get into our hearts 

and we work with Him, 

development will be 

inevitable. Let us work and 

encourage those things that 

can develop us. 

“As for party, I have been 

given red card and I’m 

outside the pitch. So, if I have 

been given red card and I’m 

standing outside, I’m a free 

man. 

“So I don’t know what will 

happen next but I’m waiting. 

If others approach me, then I 

will tell the Benue people that 

I’m joining another football 

club. I’m a child of destiny 

and it’s only God that will 

decide what I will be.” 

We didn’t push 

him out — APC 

Speaking, yesterday, in 

Abuja shortly after a meeting 

of the APC National Working 

Committee, NWC, National 

Chairman of the party, Adams 

Oshiomhole, said the 

governor had on several 

occasions promised that he 

would not leave the ruling 

party except he was pushed 

out. 

“I know that Governor 

Ortom is a very senior 

member of the party and he 

has said so repeatedly in print 

and has said to me one-onone 

that he will not leave the 

APC unless he was pushed 

out. 

“I have, since I assumed 

chairmanship of this party, 

along with my colleagues in 

the NWC, and I know for a 

fact that we have not shut out 

any governor and certainly 

not Governor Ortom. And in 

these days of social media, I 

will not be responding on the 

basis of rumours and 

unverified reports,” he said. 

Oando refutes Volpi’s claim 

on London arbitration ruling 

OANDO Plc has said it 

is not true that the 

London Court of 

International Arbitration, 

LCIA, ordered its Group 

Chief Executive, Mr 

Adewale Tinubu, and 

Deputy Group Chief 

Executive, Mr. Omamofe 

Boyo, to pay $680 million to 

Gabriel Volpi, the owner of 

Ansbury Investment 

Incorporated. 

The company stated this, 

yesterday, in a statement in 

response to a press release 

on the LCIA’s ruling issued 

by the lawyer and legal 

counsel of Ansbury 

Investment Inc, Mr. Adrea 

Moja. 

The statement read: “The 

LCIA ruling follows months 

of arbitration on a loan 

repayment dispute between 

Oando Plc’s Group Chief 

Executive, Adewale Tinubu; 

Deputy Group Chief 

Executive, Omamofe Boyo, 

beneficial owners of 

Whitmore Asset 

Management Limited and 

Gabriel Volpi the beneficial 

owner of Ansbury Inc. 

‘’The dispute dates back to 

2017 when Gabriel Volpi 

allegedly attempted to breach 

a loan repayment agreement 

between him and Whitmore 

Limited in the British Virgin 

Island. 

“Ansbury and Whitmore 

Limited incorporated, a joint 

venture investment vehicle in 

the British Virgin Islands 

called Ocean and Oil 

Development Partners, 

OODP BVI. OODP BVI, 

owns a 99.99 per cent stake 

in Ocean and Oil 

Development Partners 

(OODP Nigeria) who in turn 

My govt believes in 

democracy — Buhari 

By Henry Umoru 

& Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA— PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari 

said, yesterday, that the 

current administration has a 

firm believe in democracy and 

was working very hard to 

entrench it. 

He also said government 

was putting in place measures 

to sustain it. 

According to him, the 

government will remain 

committed to advancing the 

Change Agenda, through 

sustained and effective 

legislative practices and 

processes. 

Declaring open a four-day 

National Assembly Open 

Week organised by the 

National Assembly, in 

collaboration with National 

Institute for Legislative and 

Democratic Studies, NILDS, 

President Buhari said the 

need for continued 

harmonious working 

relationship between the 

Executive and the Legislature 

must be based on respect for 

owns 57.37 per cent stake in 

Oando Plc. 

“Contrary to media 

speculations, the LCIA had, 

in fact, ruled that OODP BVI 

in which Gabriel Volpi owns 

a 60 per cent stake should pay 

Ansbury (his own company) 

a total sum of $600 million, 

while Whitmore pay Ansbury 

$80 million. 

‘’Going by the ownership 

structure, this implies that 

Gabriel Volpi would, in fact, 

be paying himself $360 

million. Payment terms are 

yet to be released by the LCIA 

and is expected to be made 

known to the parties in due 

course. 

“The dispute between 

Ansbury and the Whitmore 

principals arose when 

Gabriel Volpi called in his 

loan repayment before its due 

date, January 1, 2018. Volpi 

had allegedly invested $750 

million used for Oando’s 

purchase of Conoco Phillips 

Nigeria assets. 

"He further breached the 

jurisdiction of the law 

governing OODP BVI by 

petitioning the Nigerian 

Securities and Exchange 

Commission, accusing 

Oando Plc of ‘financial 

mismanagement and cooked 

books, a company his counsel 

claims he has a majority 

shareholding in, all in a bid 

to recoup his loan from the 

principals. 

“Oando’s public documents 

have proven that the claim of 

Volpi’s shareholding is false. 

OODP Nigeria, as at the time 

of this report, remains the 

majority shareholder in 

Oando with a 57.37% stake 

in the company." 

separation of powers. 

The President said it must 

be a win- win situation in the 

overall interest of Nigerians 

and Nigeria. 

Represented at the event by 

the Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation, SGF, Boss 

Mustapha, President Buhari 

noted that the primary 

objective of government, as 

enshrined in the constitution, 

was the security and welfare 

of the people. 

Earlier in his remarks, 

Senate President, Dr. Bukola 

Saraki, said the affairs of 

government must be carried 

out in a very transparent 

manner, stressing the need for 

the executive and legislature 

to work together with 

commitment. 

Also in his remarks, Speaker 

of the House of 

Representatives, Yakubu 

Dogara, noted that any leader 

who failed to understand the 

rule of law and separation of 

powers should have no 

business leading a 

democracy.

4—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 


BRIEFING: From left, Tope Ajao, Director; Kazeem Tewogbade, Managing Director; 

Olumide Soyombo, Co-founder; and Bolaji Afolabi, Vice President, Sales & Business 

Development, all of Bluechip Technologies Limited, during media briefing on its 10th 

anniversary, in Lagos. 

Killings: Govt's done a lot to 

combat insecurity —Presidency 

•Says success is guaranteed 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—THE 

Presidency, yesterday, 

debunked insinuations that 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari has not done enough 

to protect the lives and 

property of the citizenry. 

According to the 

Presidency, government has 

recorded tremendous success 

to guarantee security of 

Nigerians. 

It specifically stated that 

President Buhari met a 

tattered security situation 

where Boko Haram 

insurgents had taken over 

some communities in the 

North-East, noting that after 

three years of the 

administration, Boko Haram 

insurgents had been beaten 

back. 

Special Adviser to the 

President on Media and 

Publicity, Chief Femi 

Adesina, said in a statement 

in Abuja: “In May 2015, 

when the administration 

emerged, the security 

situation was in tatters. It 

pulled up its bootstraps, rolled 

up its sleeves, set to work, 

and the Boko Haram 

insurgency was beaten back. 

It was eventually degraded. 

“Other security challenges 

are being tackled and will 

subsequently become history. 

Not doing enough, as some 

critics claim, is not part of the 

deal, nor is it reality. No, not 

by any stretch of imagination. 

A lot is being done and 

success is guaranteed. 

“A popular refrain from 

some quarters is that the 

President is not doing 

enough to combat the 

insecurity that has 

beleaguered the country in 

recent times. 

“Lest that untruth begin to 

wear a garb of reality, let us 

consider some initiatives 

taken under the leadership 

of President Muhammadu 

Buhari to rein in the security 

situation, particularly since 

January, 2018.” 

Chronicle of 

Buhari's 

achievements on 

security 

Chronicling the 

achievements of the Buhari 

in the areas of security 

administration, Adesina 

said: “Leadership of the 

police was deployed to 

Benue State, after mass 

killings reportedly committed 

by herdsmen. This was 

followed by a fact-finding 

team, led by Minister of 

Interior, and deployment of 

Special Forces of the military 

to restore law and order. 

“National Economic 

Council sets up 10-man 

committee on farmers/ 

herdsmen clashes, headed 

by the Vice President. 

“The 1 Division of Nigerian 

Army, Kaduna, launched a 

special operation, Karamin 

Goro (Small Kolanut), in 

collaboration with the Air 

Force, Police, Department of 

State Services, and Nigerian 

Security and Civil Defence 

Corps, NSCDC, to tackle 

kidnapping, robbery and 

cattle rustling in parts of 

Kaduna and Niger states 

(Minna-Birnin Gwari- 

Pandogari and Minna-Sarkin 

Pawa general areas). 

‘’In February 2018, the 

Nigerian Army commenced 

Exercise Ayem Akpatuma, 

covering Benue, Taraba, Kogi, 

Nasarawa, Kaduna and 

Niger states to tackle the 

cases of kidnappings, 

herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, 

among others. 

“The Nigerian Air Force 

(NAF) inducted its first 

indigenous operational 

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, 

UAV, Tsaigumi. The newlyinducted 

UAV has day and 

night capability, an 

operational endurance in 

excess of 10 hours, a service 

ceiling of 15,000 feet and a 

mission radius of 100 km, 

and is capable of being used 

for policing operations, 

disaster management, 

convoy protection, maritime 

patrol, pipeline, power line 

monitoring as well as 

mapping and border patrol 

duties. 

“The Nigerian Air Force, 

NAF, established a total of 10 

new units as NAF had 

concluded plans to set up 

Quick Response Wings, 

QRWs, across Nasarawa 

State, in a bid to tackle the 

herders/farmers clashes 

plaguing some states within 

the axis. 

"In March this year, 

President Buhari began 

sympathy visits to states that 

had experienced wanton 

killings in the country. 

“The Nigerian Army 

extended Exercise Ayem 

Akpatuma in Taraba State by 

two months. 

“The committee set up by 

National Economic Council 

on farmers/herdsmen clashes 

submits report, making far 

reaching recommendations 

for peace, including ranching 

in five states. 

‘’In April this year, Nigerian 

Air Force took delivery of a 

second batch of two brand 

new Mi-35N helicopter 

gunships to boost internal 

security; deployed Special 

Force to Zamfara State to 

combat criminality.” 

Buhari committed 

to ending killings 

—Ogbeh 

Also, yesterday, Minister of 

Agriculture, Chief Audu 

Ogbeh, said President Buhari 

was committed to finding a 

lasting solution to the 

frequent clashes between 

herders and farmers in the 

country. 

Speaking in an interactive 

session with Nigerian postgraduate 

students in 

Wageningen University and 

Research Centre, WUR, 

Netherlands, widely 

regarded as one of the world’s 

top agricultural research 

institutions, the minister 

assured the students that government 

was on top of the 

security situation in the 

country. 

He was responding to 

concerns raised by the 

students about the security 

situation in some North 

Central states in the country, 

particularly the clashes 

between pastoralists and 

farmers. 

Ogbeh; Minister of State, 

Industry, Trade and 

Investment, Aisha Abubakar; 

National Security Adviser, 

NSA, Major-General 

Babagana Monguno (retd); 

Governor Simon Lalong of 

Plateau State and Governor 

Rotimi Akeredeolu of Ondo 

State, who are part of 

President Buhari’s official 

delegation to the 

Netherlands, had visited the 

research centre for 

greenhouses in Bleiswijk, 

operated by WUR. 

Remain neutral, grant 

fair hearing to parties, 

CJN warns judges 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—Chief Justice of 

Nigeria, CJN, Justice 

Walter Onnoghen, 

yesterday, warned judges to 

remain impartial and accord 

fair hearing to all the parties 

in any dispute brought 

before them for adjudication. 

He said National Judicial 

Council, NJC, would not 

hesitate to deal with any 

judicial officer found to have 

acted in breach of his oath of 

office and code of conduct. 

Justice Onnoghen gave 

the admonition in a keynote 

address he presented at the 

opening ceremony of the 

2018 Orientation Course for 

newly appointed 

Magistrates at National 

Judicial Institute, NJI, in 

Abuja. 

He stated: “Democracy in 

itself is nothing if the 

implication of the 

fundamental principles 

enshrined in the constitution 

of this nation cannot be 

readily determined in 

constitutional adjudication 

by a judiciary manned by 

upright judicial officers. 

“This is premised on the 

fact that as the society 

depends on equity and 

justice, those who are 

appointed to adjudicate to all 

manner of persons must 

ensure that they themselves 

are standing erect far away 

from all manner of injustice. 

“Therefore, much energy, 

skill and experience must be 

devoted to strengthening the 

underlying principles of 

impartiality, diligence, 

competence, propriety, 

qualitative justice, strict 

Executive Order 6 is to stop 

corruption fighting back — FG 

By Emmanuel 

Aziken, Political 

Editor 

THE recently pronounced 

Executive Order Number 

6 is the death knell against 

corruption and is meant to stop 

allegedly corrupt persons 

fighting back and crippling 

the administration’s anticorruption 

war, the Federal 

Government has said. 

Addressing a press 

conference in Lagos, 

weekend, Minister of 

Information, Culture and 

Tourism, Alhaji Lai 

Mohammed, dared any critic 

of the measure to challenge it 

in court. 

The Executive Order No. 6 

of 2018 issued by President 

Muhammadu Buhari at the 

beginning of the month seeks 

to, among others, restrict the 

use of assets in 155 corruption 

cases amounting to N595 

billion. 

Noting the determination of 

the administration to stop 

corruption fighting back, 

Mohammed said: ‘’The order 

aims to deprive alleged 

criminals of the proceeds of 

their illicit activities, which can 

otherwise be employed to 

allure, pervert and/or 

intimidate the investigative 

and judicial processes. 

‘’The truth is that, having 

realised the potency of the 

order in giving muscle to the 

fight against corruption, which 

by the way is one of the three 

cardinal programmes of our 

administration, the corrupt 

and their cohorts have become 

jittery. They have every reason 

to be. Henceforth, it won’t be 

business as usual 

"For those who claim that the 

Executive Order Number 6 is 

dictatorial, it is clear they have 

not even read it. Section. 3 (i) 

of the order states that any 

person who alleges that his 

rights have been violated, are 

being or are likely to be 

contravened by any of the 

provision of this Executive 

Order may apply to a 

adherence to the Rule of 

Law, speedy dispensation of 

justice and fair conduct of 

cases with a view to 

ensuring that justice is not 

only done but must be seen 

to be done. 

“It is only when these 

factors are present that 

judicial functions can validly 

and effectively be exercised.” 

He said the theme of the 

course, "Promoting Judicial 

Excellence in the 

Administration of Justice," 

was apt and topical, 

considering the fact that 

judicial integrity and the 

Rule of Law are the 

underlying principles of 

justice and the bedrock of 

democracy. 

“This course has served as 

a constant reminder to 

magistrates, of their crucial 

role in the society and the 

need to balance conflicting 

interests with a bid to 

ensuring a stable polity,” the 

CJN noted. 

Meanwhile, in her 

welcome address, 

Administrator of the NJI, 

Justice R. P. I. Bozimo, urged 

the newly appointed 

magistrates to shun every 

vice capable of bringing the 

judiciary into disrepute. 

She said: “As participants, 

seeing you come from 

different parts of the country 

to attend this programme 

attests to the importance of 

this workshop. 

“You must not indulge in 

practices such as lateness to 

court, accepting any form of 

gratification or other forms of 

inducement. Any person 

found wanting will face the 

consequences of such 

unruly acts." 

competent court in his jurisdiction 

for redress." 

He said President Buhari is 

the not the first democraticallyelected 

Nigerian President to 

sign Executive Orders, 

adding: ‘’In 1980, then 

President Shehu Shagari 

issued an Executive Order to 

modify the Public Order Act. 

This was unsuccessfully 

challenged in court by then 

Governors of Ogun and 

Borno states. 

"In 1999, then President 

Obasanjo issued Executive 

Orders to abolish the 

Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) 

and to proclaim May 29 as 

Democracy Day.’’ 

On the constitutionality of 

Executive Order Number 6, 

Alhaji Mohammed said the 

President had the power, 

under Section 5 of the 1999 

Constitution as amended, 

which extends to the execution 

and maintenance of the 

constitution, all laws made by 

National Assembly.

Vanguard, TUESDAY JULY 17, 2018—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

BUHARI IN NETHERLANDS—President Muhammadu Buhari after 

a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr Mark Rutte, 

at The Hague, yesterday. STATE HOUSE PHOTO. 

Southern, M-Belt leaders blast 

FG for aborting trip to Benue 

Continues from Page 1 

Belt Leaders Forum, had 

their flight to Makurdi 

allegedly aborted by the 

Nigerian Air Force, which 

denied the flight landing 

rights in the Benue State 

capital. 

The leaders were to 

travel to Makurdi to 

participate in the Middle 

Belt conference which 

held yesterday. 

It was learned that after 

waiting for several hours 

to get clearance from 

Makurdi Airport 

Commandant, Lt. Col. A. 

Audu, for an approved 

landing permit for the 

aircraft to no avail, the 

leaders aborted their 

flight. 

They didn't apply for 

landing permit — 

NAF 

Director of Public 

Information, Nigerian Air 

Force, NAF, Air Vice 

Marshal Tokunbo 

Adesanya, who confirmed 

the development last 

night, told Vanguard on 

phone that the leaders 

did not apply for landing 

permit. He said NAF 

reserved the right to 

determine who should 

come into Makurdi 

Airport and those who 

should not come. 

According to him, 

Makurdi Airport is a 

military facility and not a 

civil one. 

Addressing journalists, 

yesterday, in Abuja on the 

incident, President 

General of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia 

Nwodo, who described 

the action of the 

government as an 

infringement on their 

fundamental human 

rights as enshrined in the 

Constitution, however, 

decried what they 

described as serious 

violation of the 

fundamental human 

rights of its members to 

freely associate, travel, 

and express themselves. 


leaders, the aircraft 

chartered by them to join 

other leaders in Makurdi 

was grounded on the 

premise that the landing 

permit at Makurdi airport 

was not approved. 

The leaders, who 

condemned the action, 

warned that the nation 

was gradually sliding into 

chaos, anarchy and 

military form of 

government. 

Also at the press 

briefing which took place 

at the Asokoro residence 

of South South Leader 

and former Federal 

Commissioner for 

Information, Chief Edwin 

Clark, were Chief Ayo 

Adebanjo; Chief 

Chukwuemeka Ezeife; 

Chief Supo Shonibare; 

Yinka Odumakin, Dr. 

Alfred Mulade; Col. Tony 

Nyiam (retd); Francis 

Doukpola; Ambassador 

Ozor; General C.R. 

Eherika, among others. 

Our ordeal — 

Nwodo 

Narrating their ordeal at 

the Airport, Nwodo 

explained that members 

and leaders of the forum 

from the Southern part of 

Nigeria had gathered at 

the Nnamdi Azikiwe 

international airport, 

Abuja, to board a 

chartered aircraft to 

Makurdi to be part of the 

Middle Belt Summit on 

restructuring, but was first 

told that the weather in 

Makurdi was not good 

enough for landing. 

He explained further 

that after waiting for 

some hours, another 

reason the aircraft would 

not be allowed to fly was 

given to them, this time, 

that the Makurdi Airport 

Commandant, Lt. Col. A. 

Audu, had demanded to 

see an approved landing 

permit for the aircraft. 

The Ohanaeze 

President-General, who 

explained that the permit 

was immediately sent by 

fax to Makurdi, however, 

lamented that no word 

was heard for several 

hours from the 

commandant, adding that 

information was later 

passed to them that “for 

security reasons, civilian 

aircraft were no longer 

allowed to fly into 

Makurdi airport.” 

Speaking further, 

Nwodo, who noted 

Continues on Page 40 

How to curtail rise in ritual killings (2) 

By Bose Adelaja, Ebun 

Sessou & Abasifiok Johnson 

It is high time the 

government and the law 

enforcement agencies 

became proactive to nip in the 

bud these dreaded crimes by 

carrying out public awareness 

campaigns through the 

National Orientation Agency 

and others. Also, they should 

institute special Anti-Ritualists 

Unit in the Nigeria Police 

Force, as well as promulgate 

new laws on Anti-Ritual Bill 

both at the National Assembly 

and 36 States Houses of 

Assembly, while all traditional 

herbalists and cohorts who 

engage in this illicit act must 

be brought to book and 

sanctioned appropriately. 

-Mrs Saidat Shittu 

Make-up artiste 

We need to find out the 

following: What is 

the cause of ritual killings? Is 

it the traditional belief in 

appeasing the gods through 

human sacrifices and the 

quest to get rich quick? We 

can end ritual kiilings by 

educating the ritualists that 

the deities they are appeasing 

are the creators of lives, so, it 

sounds foolish that the creator 

will fold his arms and watch 

you kill his creatures. 

Also, those who want quick 

wealth should change their 

orientation while the 

government should make 

Nigeria a land of 

opportunities where young 

people can fulfil their 

dreams. 

- Mr Awokunle Henry 

Teacher 

This is criminal and 

whosoever is found 

culpable should be made 

to face the music. 

The most terrible thing 

is that they endanger 

families and friends, 

those close to them as 

victims. The most 

common is the use of 

thier girlfriends, wives, 

parents etc., as sacrificial 

lambs, not minding the 

consequences which 

include untimely 

death, insanity, open 

confession and horrible 

experiences they go 

through. 

-Otunba Dayo Ajiteru 

Presenter 

Ignorance is the 

c a u s e 

of ritual kllings in 

the sense that many 

don’t know the 

repercussion. It is not 

good to kill fellow 

human beings. 

Religious organisations 

should preach against it 

all the time. 

Young ones should 

learn how to work with 

their hands and brains 

rather than killing 

people to get rich. 

-Mr Paul Nwokporo 

Petty trader 

First and formost, 

everyone must be 

security-conscious. 

Security is everyone’s 

business. Ritual killing 

will always happen in 

this part of the world. 

Parents must not leave 

their children all to 

themselves. Even as 

adults, we must be very 

observant of any 

strange and suspicious 

events/movements. 

-Daniel Nse 

Engineer 

There is nothing you 

make up your mind 

to do that is not 

achievable. These ritual 

killings today can be 

stopped if we have a 

government that has the 

interest of her people at 

heart. 

Secondly, a good 

security policy has to be 

put in place. What stops 

the government from 

using a good surveillance 

system on our roads? 

C.C.T.V cameras 

powered by solar system 

won’t cost them so much. 

These can be monitored 

by trained experts and the 

so-called Special Anti- 

Robbery Squad, SARS. 

-Israel Oriaku 

Self-employed

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 

By Evelyn Usman, 

Esther Onyegbula & 

Victor Aji 

A29-year-old female student of 

the College of Education, 

Akoka, in Lagos, who visited a 

Muslim cleric, popularly known as 

Alfa, for spiritual help, is currently 

barking like a dog after 

undergoing cleansing in Ikorodu 

area of Lagos State. 

The Alfa, Mustapha Hammed, 

23, who was subsequently 

arrested, admitted to have put a 

live frog in the water the 

undergraduate used to bathe 

during the cleansing process. 

Investigations by the Police 

further revealed that the suspect 

raped the student on discovering 

that she is a student. Thereafter, 

he used a piece of cloth to wipe 

her private part. 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867058, 08035483885 

Undergraduate begins to bark after spiritual cleansing by Alfa 

2 accused of 

chopping off 

man's finger 

By Onozure Dania 

LAGOS—TWO men, 

Ramon Olowu and 

Mutiu Sasore, 

businessman and cobbler, 

respectively, who allegedly 

chopped off a man’s finger, 

stabbed another on his 

forehead and also stole 

their phones were, 

yesterday, arraigned before 

an Igbosere Magistrate’s 

Court in Lagos. 

Olowu 25, who resides at 

Freeman Street, Lagos 

Island, and Sasore of 

Adams Street, Lagos 

Island, are facing a sevencount 

charge bordering on 

conspiracy, assault, 

grievous harm, stealing, 

unlawful display of arms 

and breach of peace, 

preferred against them by 

the Police. 

The duo were docked 

before Magistrate M. O. 

Ope-Agbe. 

Police prosecutor 

Sergeant Friday Mameh, 

told the court that the 

defendants and others, 

who are still at large, conspired 

among themselves 

to commit the offences. 

He said the incident 

occurred between July 12 

and 13. 

Mameh said: “The first 

defendant, Olowu, while 

armed with cutlass, 

unlawfully assaulted Mr. 

Gerald Nwaneri, cutting off 

the fourth finger on his left 

hand. 

“Olowu also stole a 

phone valued at N50,000 

and another valued 

N10,000, property of 

Nwaneri.” 

The prosecutor also said 

Olowu unlawfully stabbed 

Me Toheeb Akorede in his 

forehead and also stole his 

phone valued at N20,000. 

•I deceived, slept with her because I want to marry her—Suspect 

Parading the suspect before 

journalists at the command 

headquarters yesterday, the 

Lagos State Police 

Commissioner, Imohimi 

Edgal, said: “On July 12, a 

case of sexual assault by 

penetration was brought 

from Bariga Police Station 

to the Gender Section for 

further investigation. 

“The suspect, Mustapha 

Hammed, who claims to be 

an Alfa, was introduced to 

the survivor through a 

mutual friend. 

“The Alfa deceived the 

victim, saying he saw 

in a vision that she 

was going to die within 24 hours. 

He took the girl to Ikorodu, 

Lagos, for cleansing so that she 

By Bashir Bello 

KATSINA—FLOOD, after a 

downpour that lasted hours, 

yesterday, killed no fewer than 

49 persons, with dozens declared 

missing, while over 90 houses 

were destroyed in Jibia Local 

Government Area of Katsina 

State. 

The Executive Secretary, 

Katsina State Emergency 

Management Agency, SEMA, 

Dr. Aminu Waziri, confirmed 

these to Vanguard. 

Waziri, who said his men were 

on search-and-rescue and 

assessment missions in the 

affected areas, had earlier said: 

“Over 38 were confirmed dead. 

Over 200 houses destroyed.” 

The District Head of Jibia, 

Alhaji Rabe Rabi’u, had earlier 

confirmed about 25 persons dead, 

dozens declared missing, 90 

houses destroyed, 260 livestock 

killed and farmlands submerged. 

It was gathered that additional 

corpses were found near Niger 

Republic, where the flood 

dragged the lifeless bodies to. 

Meanwhile, Governor Aminu 

Bello Masari of Katsina State 

visited the affected areas to 

sympathise with victims and 

assured them of urgent 

government’s intervention. 

It was also gathered that 

persons who lost their lives in the 

disaster have since been buried 

according to Islamic rites. 

Hours of down pour 

The downpour, which started at 

about 11p.m. on Sunday night 

and stopped around 1a.m. 

yesterday, also claimed lives of 

about 260 livestock and destroyed 

farmlands in the area. 

District Head of Jibia, Alhaji 

Rabe Rabi’u, confirmed the 

development yesterday, saying 

“we have discovered 25 corpse, 

including mothers and children 

and many are still missing. 

would not die. 

“At Ikorodu, he 

forcefully 

h a d 

carnal 

knowledge 

of the 

girl who 

was a 

virgin 

a n d 

allegedly 

wiped 

off her 

blood with 

a white 

handkerchief. Since then her 

father alleged that the girl has 

been behaving abnormally 

because she was devastated 

and traumatised by the 

incident.” 

Confession 

The suspect admitted to 

have raped the victim, but 

denied wiping the blood with 

a cloth. 

He said his girlfriend 

brought the victim to him for 

consultation and in the 

process, he decided to marry 

her. 

He said: “I told her 

(victim) that during 

divination, I saw that she 

had a spiritual husband. She 

confirmed it and said that 

had been the cause of her 

problem. I told her she 

would need to undergo 

spiritual cleansing in my house 

at Ikorodu. 

“When we got there, I 

instructed her to bathe and pray 

three times. After the first bath, 

I secretly put a live frog in her 

water. When she saw it, she ran 

out to inform me. 

“I told her it was a bad omen 

and that the only solution was 

for her to sleep with a man. I 

told her to call her boyfriend, but 

she said I should sleep with her 

since he was far away. 

“I did it because I love her and 

intend to marry her. But because 

she is my girlfriend’s friend, I 

couldn’t express my love for her. 

I did not clean the blood with a 

cloth.” 

The suspect, according to 

Edgal, will be charged to court. 

49 die, many missing in Katsina 

flood; 90 houses destroyed 

“Over 260 cows, sheep and 

goats were killed by the flood. 

The heavy rainfall started around 

11 p.m. on Sunday night and 

stopped by 1a.m. this morning 

(yesterday). 

A resident in the area said the 

downpour caused the rivers in 

the affected villages to overflow 

their banks, resulting in loss 

of lives and properties. 

The source said a food 

vendor, Halima Zubairu Jibia, 

and two of her children, were 

killed by the flood, which 

swept away her container 

shop around Sabuwar 

Mosque area of Jibia. 

Meanwhile, several persons 

have also been rendered 

homeless from the downpour 

which affected about 10 

communities. 

The communities badly affected 

include Kwata, Dantudu, 

Sabuwar, Tukare, Tsohuwar 

Tukare and Ungwar Mai Kwari.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018—7 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews 

Suspected killer of ex-Ondo Dep 

Gov’s daughter remanded in prison 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—THE suspected 

killer of the daughter of the 

former Ondo State deputy 

governor, Seidu Sakiru Adeyemi, 

has been remanded in Olokuta 

Prison by an Akure Chief 

Magistrate’s Court. 

Adeyemi was charged to court 

on a two-count charge of 

conspiracy and murder, contrary 

to Section 316 of the Criminal 

Laws of Ondo State, 2006. 

In the charge sheet, Adeyemi 

was alleged to have killed 25-yearold 

Khadijat Oluboyo who was his 

girlfriend, and buried her in his 

room. 

The charge read: “That you, 

Seidu Sakiru Adeyemi, and others 

at large, on July 27, at about 

7:30p.m. at Aratusi Street, Oke 

Aro, Akure, did conspire with 

others to murder contrary to 

Section 324, Ondo State Law of 

2006. 

“That you did kill one Khadijat 

Oluboyo, 25, by strangulating 

her to death and burying her 

inside your room contrary to 

Section 316, Ondo State Law, 

2006.” 

Police prosecutor, Mary 

Adebayo, briefed the court that 

the accused killed and tried to 

cover up the killing by burying 

the body of victim inside his 

room. 

Adebayo prayed the court for 

an application to remand the 

accused, pending the advice 

from the Department of Public 

Prosecutions, DPP. 

He told the court that since it 

was a murder case, the court had 

no jurisdiction and pleaded for his 

remand in prison 

Counsel to the suspect, Taiwo 

Gbadebo, did not oppose the 

application. 

In her ruling, Magistrate 

Victoria Bob-Manuel ordered 

the suspect remanded in 

Olokuta Prison till August 23 for 

review, pending advice from 

DPP. 

Victoria also directed the Police 

to hand over original copies of 

his case file to the Ministry of 

Justice for legal advice. 

Whereabouts of 

suspect’s family unknown 

Meanwhile, the family of the 

suspected killer is yet to return 

to their house after they left last 

Thursday. 

The father of the suspect, 

Alhaji Alani Alao; mother, 

identified as Alhaja, and the 

three tenants living in the boys 

quarters with the suspect, 

disappeared since the suspect 

was paraded by the state Police 

Command. 

One of their neighbours told 

Vanguard, yesterday, that the 

family members have not 

returned to the house located at 

Oke Aro Extension in Akure 

metropolis, after leaving on 

Thursday night. 

The neighbour said: “Nobody 

has returned to the two buildings 

since they left last week Thursday. 

“They did not leave any 

forwarding address. In fact, they 

left hurriedly after their son was 

paraded on television by the 

BENIN—EDO 

State 

government and Inspector 

General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, 

have announced a N15 million 

reward for anyone who can provide 

information that can lead to the 

arrest of killers of 11 policemen in 

Abuja and Edo State. 

While Edo State government 

placed N10 mlilion bounty on the 

killers of four policemen in the 

Sabon-gida Ora, Owan West Local 

Government Area of the state, the 

Police boss placed a N5 million 

bounty on killers of seven 

policemen in Abuja. 

Special Adviser to the Governor 

on Media and Communication 

Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, after 

an emergency security meeting 

between the governor and security 

chiefs in Benin, announced the 

bounty yesterday. 

According to Osagie, the 

meeting had in attendance heads 

and representatives of the Police, 

the Army, Department of State 

Services, DSS; Nigeria Security 

and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC; 

and Nigeria Drug Law 

Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. 

According to him, “Governor 

Obaseki described the situation as 

appalling and has ordered a 

comprehensive investigation into 

the killings and the arrest of the 

assailants. 

“He announced a N10 million 

Police.” 

Sources said some detectives 

came to the house last Friday, 

but were shocked that the house 

was deserted. 

Edo govt, IG place N15m bounty 

on killers of 11 policemen 

By Gabriel Enogholase 

& Joseph Erunke 

By Femi Bolaji 

J ALINGO—HOODLUMS, 

yesterday, attacked Taraba State 

Commissioner of Police, David 

Akinremi, and broke his head in 

the process. 

Spokesperson of the state 

Police Command, ASP David 

Misal, who confirmed the 

incident to newsmen in Jalingo, 

said the Police boss was attacked 

by the hoodlums while he was 

trying to restore normalcy in 

Tudun Wada and Gadan Boboji 

following the resurgence of 

unrest in the areas. 

He said: “Yesterday (Sunday), 

some irate youths armed with 

dangerous weapons such as 

cutlasses, axes and other objects, 

started disturbing the peace of 

residents around Tudun Wada 

and Gadan Boboji areas of 

Jalingo town. 

“Our men were deployed there 

and normalcy returned. 

However, 

this 

reward for anyone with useful 

information that can lead to the 

arrest of the criminals that 

carried out the act. 

“The governor also pledged 

to support the families of the 

four policemen killed while on 

duty and maintained that the 

killers must be arrested and 

brought to book.” 

Recall that four policemen on 

routine patrol in Sabongida 

Ora were, weekend, killed. 

According to reports, the four 

policemen attached to the 

Sabongida-Ora Divisional 

Police Headquarters, 

were killed at a road block at 

Uzebba-Aviosi Junction along 

Ifon Road, Sabongida-Ora. 

Similarly, IGP in a statement 

by the Force Public Relations 

Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said: 

“In order to arrest the other 

suspects still at large in the 

first incident, the Force is 

desirous of more credible 

information from the public, 

and hereby pledges a reward 

of N5 million to any member 

of the public that provides 

useful information that leads to 

the arrest of the remaining 

perpetrators of the ambush 

and killing of seven policemen 

in the Federal Capital 

Territory, Abuja, on July 2 or 

the recent ambush and killing 

of four policemen on patrol at 

Sabon Gida Ora in Edo State 

on July 14.” 

Hoodlums break Taraba 

Police Commissioner's head 

morning(yesterday) we got 

reports that the boys had 

come out again in large 

numbers, brandishing these 

weapons and the situation 

was so bad that the CP 

decided to go there himself 

with other officers. 

“In the course of addressing 

the youths to calm them down, 

he was stoned in the head and 

immediately rushed to the 

hospital where he was treated 

of his injuries. 

“For now, he has been 

discharged and is taking his 

rest at home. As we speak, a 

serious operation is going on 

there to calm the situation and 

forestall further breakdown of 

law and order in the area.” 

ASP Misal, who condemned 

the attack on Akinremi, noted 

that some arrests had been 

made in connection with the 

incident, adding that the 

perpetrators will be made to 

face the full wrath of the law. 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Nathaniel Basseey! Issokay. You left 

Halleluyah Challenge for the World Cup abi? 

That's how we get NEWS... 

from grownup children 

Toyin, don't mind bad belle people, 

you look like Croatia's President

8 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018—9

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 


PASSING-OUT PARADE: From left — Commandant Jennifer John Ogundire, 

Commandant, Nigeria Navy Secondary School, Imeri, Ondo State; Rear Admiral 

Oladele Daji, Command Staff Officer, Western Navy Command, Lagos; Senator 

Bode Olajumoke; Captain S.A. Ogwu and Navy Commodore Isaac Mankilik 

(retd.) during the passing-out parade/graduation of the first set of Nigerian 

Navy Secondary School, Imeri town, Ondo State. Photo: Kehinde Shonola. 

Sex-for-marks scandal victim nowhere 

to be found — UNILAG PANEL 

...Victim graduated in 2016 – Student’s Records 

By Dayo Adesulu 

L University AGOS—THE 

of Lagos, 

UNILAG, Fact Finding 

Panel set up to look into the 

allegation of sexual 

harassment levelled 

against a male lecturer in 

the Department of English, 

Professor S. Awonusi, has 

said that the female victim 

graduated in the 2015/ 

2016 academic session. 

A press release by the 

institution’s Information 

Unit, yesterday, said: ‘’The 

alleged victim was 

identified as Miss Joy 

Nwanna by Profesor 

Awonusi in the course of his 

interactions with the Panel. 

‘’Student records of Miss 

Joy Nwanna revealed that 

she was admitted into the 

Department of English as 

a direct entry student in the 

2012/2013 session. She 

graduated from the 

University in 2015/2016 

academic session.’’ 


Management, all attempts 

by the Fact Finding Panel 

to contact Miss Nwanna 

via the telephone numbers 

in her student records and 

e-mail proved abortive. It 

said: ‘’The Panel also 

attempted to contact Linda 

Ikeji, the originator of the 

story, to convince the 

alleged victim to come 

forward but Linda Ikeji was 

not forthcoming in that 

regard.’’ 

It explained that the 

Panel conducted its 

investigations and recently 

submitted its report, adding 

that the preliminary 

findings indicated that the 

allegation of sexual 

harassment was not 

substantiated by the alleged 

victim or any other person. 

‘’The preliminary 

Varsity don tasks students 

on technological skills 

By Cynthia Alo 

LAGOS—A university 

don, Mr. Balogun 

Idowu, an associate 

lecturer, Department of 

Geography and Planning 

of the University of Lagos, 

has encouraged youths to 

acquire technologicallydriven 

skills to improve 

their well-being and 

contribute meaningfully to 

the society. 

He gave the charge while 

delivering a keynote 

address tagged: ‘What 

next?’ at the 15th 

valedictory service of 

Kristbethel College, Lagos. 

‘’You must continually 

acquire new skills 

alongside academics 

because digital evolution is 

the reality now. Acquiring 

skills embedded in 

technological advances 

guarantees that if and 

where traditional academic 

training and its reward fail, 

the skills will become 

handy,’’ he advised. 

According to him, 

students must also learn to 

be time cautious, multitask, 

and avoid frivolities, and 

ungodly association, which 

he said are hindrances to 

accomplishing goals in life. 

Mrs. Christiana Ojo, 

proprietress of the 

college, stated that 

bringing up a child in this 

21st century is highly 

demanding, tasking and 

challenging compared to 

past centuries, noting that 

the average parent 

needs Godly wisdom 

and wise counsel to 

excel in holistically 

bringing up a child. 

investigations have raised 

certain questions and 

issues that need to be 

investigated further. 

Investigations are ongoing. 

The University is making 

efforts to confirm the 

authenticity or otherwise of 

the pictures that were 

released. The University 

also requires Miss Joy 

Nwanna to come forward 

to substantiate the 

allegations.’’ 

1,000 security operatives holding 

Fayose hostage at Govt House 

— BROTHER 

Cross section of the graduating students during the passing-out parade. 

Maritime workers threaten strike 

over Oshodi-Apapa Expressway 

By Victor Ahiuma- 

Young 

L AGOS—MARITIME 

Workers Union of 

Nigeria, MWUN, has 

expressed disgust over the 

deplorable state of access 

roads to the nation’s sea 

ports especially the 

Oshodi-Apapa 

Expressway, saying it is 

totally unacceptable. It 

noted that industrial unrest 

appears to be the only 

option to draw 

government’s attention to 

the plight of road users, 

business owners and 

residents of the area. 

Addressing leaders of the 

union and other 

stakeholders at the union’s 

National Executive Council, 

NEC, meeting in Lagos, 

President-General of the 

union, Comrade Adewale 

Adeyanju accused the 

Federal Government of 

breaching the agreement 

reached with the union 

that the Oshodi-Apapa 

Expressway would be 

made motorable before 

the end of July. 

He lamented that despite 

HEAVY RAINFALL: LASG warns residents 

against indiscriminate refuse dumping 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

L 

A 

G O S — 

FOLLOWING 

current heavy rainfall in 

some neighbouring states, 

the Lagos State 

Government, yesterday, 

urged residents to shun the 

act of dumping refuse in 

drainage to prevent 

environmental disaster, 

even as it assured that the 

on-going flood abatement 

and ocean shore protection 

measures would prevent 

flooding in the state. 

Commissioner for 

Information and Strategy, 

Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, 

in a statement, said the 

BROTHER of Ekiti 

State governor, 

Ayodele Fayose, alleged 

yesterday that over 1,000 

security operatives have 

taken over Government 

House, Ado-Ekiti, making it 

impossible for the governor 

to exit his office. 

He also alleged that all 

the radio and television 

stations in the state had 

been shut, adding that all 

the telephone lines of the 

governor have been blocked. 

•Say industrial unrest appears only option 

Government had already 

commenced the 

maintenance of all primary, 

secondary and tertiary 

drainage channels under 

the Cleaner Lagos Initiative, 

CLI. 

According to Bamigbetan: 

“Governor Akinwunmi 

Ambode’s administration is 

mindful of the terrain and 

geographical location of 

Lagos State being very close 

to the coast which makes it 

relatively prone to flooding 

and as such has come up 

with global best practices 

through the engagement of 

reputable and competent 

contractors for all year 

schedule maintenance of all 

primary, secondary and 

He said: ‘’As we speak, 

all the mobile lines of His 

Excellency, Ayodele Peter 

Fayose have been blocked, 

and 1,000 security officials 

are blocking Government 

House in Ekiti State. 

‘’Nobody can leave the 

Government House as we 

speak. We are all being held 

hostage in Government 

House. We fear for our lives, 

and the life of the Governor 

because they want to kill 

him. All the television and 

radio stations in Ekiti State 

have been shut down.'' 

tertiary drainage channels 

in the five divisions of the 

State.” 

He listed the areas 

undergoing dredging 

and cleaning to include: 

Adetokunbo Ademola 

collector drain; 1004 

collector drain – 1004 – 

Bishop Aboyade Cole to 

IGI; Idejo collector drain 

– Idejo – Adeola Odeku 

to Ozumba Mbadiwe; 

and others. 

the Federal Government’s 

promise that the road would 

be fixed before the end of 

second quarter, only the 

Ijora/Apapa Wharf had 

been partially fixed while 

the Tin Can Island end 

remained unattended to. 

He said: “This is not 

acceptable to the union. The 

ports deal with 

containerised goods. When 

you have trucks carrying 

containers in a deplorable 

road, how do you expect 

such goods to get to their 

destinations? We once gave 

ultimatum to the Federal 

Government. There was a 

meeting with Nigerian 

Ports Authority, Managing 

Director, Minister of Labour 

and Employment, Senator 

Chris Ngige, officials of 

Ministry of Transport and 

other stakeholders over the 

road which has now 

worsened since then. The 

NPA management through 

the MD, Usman Bala, made 

a commitment to repair the 

road. We agreed on a 

specific time which is close 

and we are still expecting. 

So, there is no way 

business can thrive in a 

place that the road is not 

accessible most time.'' 

Supreme Court dismisses 

appeals against Honeywell 

By Adekunle Aliyu 

L AGOS—THE 

Supreme Court has 

dismissed Ecobank’s 

appeals against Honeywell 

in the ongoing dispute 

between the two companies. 

In a unanimous decision 

on July 13, the learned 

judges of the Supreme 

Court ruled that Ecobank’s 

applications lacked merit 

and reprimanded Ecobank’s 

lawyers for wasting the 

Court’s time by filing 

appeals which it described 

as frivolous, particularly in 

light of the myriad of critical 

matters before the apex 

court. 

The apex court also 

warned Ecobank’s lawyers 

against filing such 

applications in the future 

and awarded N2, 500,000 

against the bank. 

Prior to the Supreme 

Court rulings, Ecobank had 

previously suffered defeat 

in its dispute with 

Honeywell at the Court of 

Appeal where the appellate 

court also ruled against it. 

In a unanimous decision 

delivered by the Court of 

Appeal on March 30, 2016, 

the appellate court 

discharged the exparte 

injunction/asset freezing 

orders obtained by Ecobank 

against Honeywell. The 

Court of Appeal also 

affirmed the jurisdiction of 

the Federal High Court, 

Lagos to hear the suit filed 

by Honeywell against 

Ecobank while ordering 

accelerated hearing by 

the trial court.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 — 11 


EKITI POLL: Buhari not a democrat — FAYOSE 

•Says I will laugh last 

By Adekunle Aliyu, 

Online Editor & Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

Aapplauding DO-EKITI—BY 

and 

approving what he 

described as “a charade 

that passed for the 

governorship election in 

Ekiti State last Saturday,’’ 

Governor Ayodele Fayose, 

yesterday said President 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

shown that he lacks 

democratic credentials. 

Reacting to a statement by 

President Buhari’s Media 

Aide, Mallam Garba 

Shehu, entitled: “Fayose: 

In the end, a high-powered 

nothing,” Fayose, in a 

stament by his Chief Press 

Secretary, Mr Idowu 

Adelusi, yesterday, said if 

President Buhari was a 

democrat, he would not 

have supported a situation 

whereby the will of the 

people was subverted 

through the use of brutal 

force. 

He said: “President 


should not be happy and 

applaud this situation 

whereby the police, army, 

civil defence and INEC 

were used to snatch the 

collective mandate freely 

given to the Peoples 

Democratic Party 

Candidate, Professor 

Kolapo Olusola and 

delivering it to the All 

Progressives Congress 

Candidate who Ekiti people 

rejected... Can you call that 

election? Of course not. It 

was a contest between 

Olusola and the INEC and 

security agencies. 

“There was indiscriminate 

arrest of our party leaders, 

harassment and 

brutalisation of voters in a 

massive scale especially in 

Ado Ekiti, Ikere and others 

areas. The thugs imported 

by the APC operated freely 

under the cover of security 

agencies to snatch ballot 

boxes, create confusion, 

cause mayhem and drive 

away voters in PDP strong 

holds. Our party agents 

were driven away with 

guns. 

“Buhari has 

demonstrated truly that he 

is not a democrat, but a 

dictator who is yet to get 

over military mentality. 

Muscling of democracy in 

Nigeria today by the Buhari 

administration is not about 

Ekiti alone. Presidential 

aspirants and PDP states 

should prepare to have 

taste of the brutality of this 

LAUNCH: From left; Lion Bintu Adigun, Mother of the Day; Ambassodor Lateef 

Oduguwa, Chairman of the occassion/Vice Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, 

Lagos State; Mrs Folashade Omojola, Director, Virtuous Women Nigeria; Mrs Busayo 

Shodipe, Secretary, Virtuous Women Nigeria; Hajia Tolani Salawu, President, Virtuous 

Women Nigeria, and Alhaji Rasheed Kotun, chief launcher, during the launching of 

book, Inner Journey to A Purposeful Life'', and the 2nd anniversary of Virtuous Women 

Nigeria, at St Anthony Event Centre, Egbe, Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

Thugs attack, injure PDP leaders in Ondo 


IDANRE—SCORES of 

people have been 

hospitalised and properties 

destroyed as thugs 

attacked Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP 

chieftains and members in 

ldanre Local Council area 

of Ondo State while 

celebrating the victory of 

Ekiti State Governor-elect, 

Dr. Kayode Fayemi. 

Some PDP leaders on 

admission include lrowo 

Ward Chairman, Fredrick 

Akindayomi and Chief 

Lisagha Olatunji. 

However, the Ondo State 

Police Command said 

members of the PDP and 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC clashed over Dr. 

Fayemi’s victory. 

The party secretariat 

located at Alade/Atosin 

ward was destroyed by the 

thugs alleged to be 

sponsored by some APC 

leaders in the council. 

Vanguard gathered that 

the thugs immediately after 

the announcement of 

Fayemi as the winner of the 

election invaded the houses 

of the PDP leaders in the 

council and unleashed 

mayhem on them. 

The Ondo State Publicity 

Secretary of the APC, Alex 

Kalejaiye, denied the attack, 

saying it was a ruse. “ lt does 

not make sense that we will 

attack the opposition after 

winning an election,’’ he 

stressed. 

Narrating their ordeal, the 

Director of Media, Ondo 

PDP Central Senatorial 

District, Hon Mayokun 

Akinmoladun, alleged that 

one Adelanke 

Adegunsoye and Jones 

Akinrinlola led the thugs 

to attack the party’s 

leaders and members. 

Sofolahan urges Ogun Assembly to make 

Yoruba subject compulsory 

By Daud Olatunji 

A popular BEOKUTA—A 

lawyer and 

author, Barr. Sunday 

Sofolahan has urged the 

Ogun State House of 

assembly to enact a law to 

make teaching of Yoruba 

subject compulsory. 

Sofolahan, who marked 

his 70th birthday, last 

weekend, in Abeokuta with 

the launch of a book, titled: 

‘’Atupale Owe Yoruba,’’ 

warned that except 

stakeholders took the issue 

of teaching and 

encouraging speaking 

Yoruba in offices and 

schools, the language 

might go into extinction. 

He said he compiled the 

book as part of his 

contribution to the 

language, adding that 

parents, governments and 

teachers must promote 

Yoruba culture. 

He said: “I urge the 

Ogun State House of 

Assembly to enact a law like 

Lagos state assembly to 

make Yoruba compulsory in 

secondary schools in the 

state. The book is for the 

development of Yoruba 

culture because our 

language is going into extinction 

and anybody that 

loses his language has lost 

it all. 

“If we don’t promote our 

language, that will result to 

our second colonisation. If 

we don’t develop our 

language to make our 

children speak the 

language, we may lose it.” 

Prominent personalities 

that attended the event 

include former Nigeria 

National Petroleum 

Corporation boss, Engr. 

Funsho Kupolokun and 

Chairman, Board of Trustees 

of the Action Democratic 

Party, Chief Alani Bankole, 

among others. 

administration. This is why 

we all need to stand up to 

rescue Nigeria from 

Buhari. 

“I am Peter Ayodele 

Fayose, I hold my head 

high. I can never be 

suppressed. I don’t lose 

battles and I will not lose 

this. I will laugh last. Those 

waiting for me, will wait in 

vain. They should 

remember what the prophet 

said to that heady king in 

the Bible, which applies to 

them. He that wears the 

armour should not boast as 

he that removes it.” 

According to him, immediately 

the victory of Fayemi 

was announced, the 

APC thugs “moved in 

multitude to attack Idanre 

people especially PDP 

people in Idanre. They 

wounded many people 

most serious of them is the 

party chairman of Irowo 

Ward, Mr Fredrick 

Akindayomi aka Joogbe 

who is now in the hospital. 

“They destroyed the party 

secretariat of PDP in Alade/ 

Atosin Ward, Idanre, and 

800 blocks were equally 

destroyed at the secretariat. 

They felled ornamental 

trees at the house of a PDP 

leader, Chief Lisagha 

Olatunji, in Idanre. They 

destroyed the motor cycle of 

Mr Fredrick Akindayomi 

among other things all in 

the name that they were 

celebrating the victory of Dr 

Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti 

State.’’ 

Akinmoladun said the 

attack was reported at 

Olofin police station. 

Speaking on the issue, the 

Onde State Police lmage 

maker, Femi Joseph, 

confirmed that members of 

both PDP and APC clashed 

in Idanre after the victory of 

Fayemi was announced. 

Joseph said only one 

person was injured while a 

vehicle was destroyed 

during the clash. 

NWC’S AWAITED SANCTION: 

Allegations against me 

laughable — KASHAMU 

By Daud Olatunji 

A BEOKUTA— 

SENATOR Buruji 

Kashamu, PDP Ogun East, 

has described as laughable 

the allegations levelled 

against him by members of 

the rival faction of the 


PDP in Ogun State. 

PDP National Chairman, 

Prince Uche Secondus and 

members of the National 

Working Committee, NWC, 

had held a meeting with a 

faction of PDP loyal to a 

member of House of 

Repreentatives,Oladipupo 

Adebutu in the state and 

promised to take a decision 

on their allegations about 

Kashamu, this week. 

Reacting to the 

development, Media aide 

to the senator, Mr. Austin 

Oniyokor said Kashamu 

believes in the integrity of 

members of the NWC and 

urges them to follow the 

rule of law as promised by 

the national chairman. 

Oniyokor said: “I have 

gone through the video 

clip of the section that was 

done in honour of our 

National Chairman, Prince 

Govt officials scale fence as 

ex-militants protest in Ondo 


AKURE—NO fewer 

than 100 former 

militants from Ese-Odo area 

of Ondo State, yesterday, 

held officers at the 

Governor’s Office hostage 

over none payment of their 

amnesty allowances. 

During the protest, some 

government officials 

escaped by scaling the fence 

and for hours, other top 

officials in the governors 

office, Alagbaka were held 

hostage by the ex-militants. 

The angry protesters 

literally shut down the 

Governor’s office, singing 

solidarity songs and 

accusing the state 

RCCG denies writing appreciation 

letter to Fayose over Ekiti poll 

By Sam Eyoboka 

THE 

Redeemed 

Christian Church of 

God, RCCG, has 

dissociated itself from a 

purported letter of 

appreciation to the Ekiti 

State Governor, Mr. Ayodele 

Fayose for picking Mr. Deji 

Kazeem Ogunsakin as the 

PDP deputy governorship 

candidate for last Saturday’s 

governorship election. 

The letter titled: “Re-Letter 

to Governor Ayodele Fayose 

on Mr. Deji Kazeem 

Ogunsakin” and signed by 

the church’s Head of Media 

and Public Relations, Pastor 

Olaitan Olubiyi, declared 

“unequivocally that the 

letter dated July 2, 2018 is 

Uche secondus, there was 

nowhere he said he will 

take action against Senator 

Kashamu. The allegations 

against him are laughable. 

It is laughable that anybody 

in his right senses will 

make such allegations. 

“This is the man they said 

could not win an election, 

he contested and won. 

Now, they are talking about 

him not willing to win 

elections and alleged that 

he is working for the 

opposition. The man has 

remained with the same 

party that he joined since 

he began partisan politics. 

Those who are making this 

allegation have jumped 

ship from one party to the 

other... 

“Our chairman has said 

that PDP is a rebranded 

party that will follow the 

rule of law. He also said the 

day of impunity is gone. 

How can the excos 

produced by the congress 

in 2015 sanctioned by 

INEC and affirmed by two 

judgements of Federal 

High Court and two 

judgements of the court 

of appeal in Lagos be 

discarded? 

government of collecting 

their guns and refusing to 

give them amnesty. 

Eyewitness account had it 

that security operatives at 

the gate were helpless as 

the protesters drove into the 

premises and blocked the 

entrance. Security 

operatives who put up 

resistance were threatened 

to be shot. 

Governor Rotimi 

Akeredolu was however not 

in the state as he had 

accompanied President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

The Netherlands to attend 

the 29th anniversary of 

Rome Statute of 

International Criminal 

Court, ICC. 

fake as it did not originate 

from the said parish neither 

was the signature to it that 

of the pastor of the parish.” 

According to the RCCG, 

the letter-head used for the 

purported letter by one of 

the parishes of the Church, 

the Victory Chapel located 

in Magodo area of Lagos 

is “grievously different from 

that of the parish. 

“Our pastor whose name 

was placed as the writer of 

the letter is not and could 

not have used the 

designation of Parish Pastor 

as used in the letter. Our 

pastors are called Pastor-incharge 

of parish. He does 

not use the signature 

appended to the letter,” the 

church maintained.



VISIT: Ovie Richard Layeguen Ogbon, the Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom 

(right) and His Excellency Amb. George Adesola Oguntade CFR, CON, 

during a courtesy call on the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom at 

the Nigerian High Commission office in London, yesterday. 

Delta govt blames poor power 

supply on BEDC monopoly 

By Festus Ahon 

A SABA—DELTA 

State Commissioner 

for Energy, Mr Newworld 

Sefugha, yesterday, blamed 

the poor distribution of 

power in the state on the 

monopoly of Benin 

Electricity Distribution 

Company, BEDC, saying 

the Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa’s administration 

had committed over N4 

billion to various electricity 

projects in the last three 

years. 

Sefugha who stated this 

during the ongoing 

ministerial press briefing in 

Asaba, said BEDC 

monopoly had 

compromised effective 

power service delivery in 

Delta, Ekiti, Edo and Ondo 

States being operated by 

BEDC. 

He explained that over 

N4 billion was used to 

procure transformers for 

Sikuade passes on at 92 

ONE of the oldest 

Senior Advocates of 

Nigeria (SAN), Chief Akin 

Sikuade, is dead, aged 92. 

A well known legal 

practitioner, Chief Sikuade, 

is listed as number 36 on 

the roll of SAN, and was 

called to the class of Senior 

Advocates in 1993 

alongside Chief Philip 

Umeadi, Babatunde 

Benson, A.B.C. Iketuonye 

BEDC to facilitate the 

distribution of power to 

boost economic activities in 

communities across the 

state, adding that 1/ 

60MVA, 132/33KVA power 

transformers were 

connected to the existing 

330KV Benin-Onitsha 

transmission line to the 

National Integrated Power 

Project, NIPP, through the 

intervention of the state 

government. 

He said that the Okowa 

administration had also 

reconnected 22 

communities to the national 

grid, reinforced, 

rehabilitated and upgraded 

electricity power supply 

infrastructure throughout 

the state, disclosing that 

“the state is now being 

served by six different 132/ 

33KV transmission substations, 

five of which are 

located in Sapele, Ughelli, 

Oghara, Asaba and Agbor." 

and Chief Abayomi 

Sogbesan, the last two 

having died much earlier. 

He was the Principal 

Partner of Akin O. Sikuade 

and Company, a leading 

law firm. 

Among his children is 

Mrs Sally Udoma, former 

General Counsel for 

Chevron Europe, Eurasia 

and Middle East and wife 

of the Minister of Budget 

and National Planning, 

Senator Udoma Udo 

Udoma. 

Late Akin Sikuade 

Donald Duke to PDP: You can’t zone my 

constitutional rights 

FORMER governor 

of Cross River State, 

Mr Donald Duke, has said 

that the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, cannot zone his 

constitutional rights, 

adding that he has the right 

to aspire, win or lose the 

party’s presidential ticket. 

Duke, who was governor 

from 1999 to 2007, said he 

had always wanted to be 

president since 2005, with 

the plan to solve Nigeria’s 

productivity problem. 

He said about two thirds 

of the total population of the 

country, about 132 million 

people, are unproductive. 

Speaking in an interview 

with Osasu Igbinedion on 

The Osasu Show, Duke 

said the lack of productivity 

was responsible for the 

insurgency, insecurity and 

unemployment in Nigeria. 

He said that the lack of 

will by leaders was another 

factor responsible for the 

challenges plaguing the 

country, adding that he has 

this will to change the 

country. 

“I have had interest in the 

FG wades into C’River/Ebonyi land 

dispute 

Release panel report on Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh 

crisis —Urhobo youths 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

W 

A R R I — 

URHOBO 

youths have enjoined the 

Delta State Government to 

implement the Panel of 

Enquiry report on the 

disputed issue between 

Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh to 

bring the crisis to an end. 

Speaking under the aegis 

of Youth Wing of Urhobo 

Progress Union, in 

Mosogar, Ethiope West 

Local Government Area of 

the state, president of the 

VISIT: HRM Ovie Richard Layeguen Ogbon, the Ohworode of Olomu 

Kingdom (3rd left); His Excellency Amb. George Adesola Oguntade, CFR, 

CON, (4th right) and others, during a courtesy call on the High Commissioner 

to the United Kingdom. 

presidency since 2005. It 

has always been there. The 

reason is that there is a 

certain level of frustration, 

we seem not to be making 

the requisite progress we 

ought to be making as a 

nation and we all know that 

we are better than what we 

are today. 

“And to me, the answers 

to our problems are not farfetched. 

What I find missing 

is the will to make it 

happen and this is what I 

By Ike Uchechukwu 

C ALABAR—THE 

F e d e r a l 

Government has waded 

into the persistent conflicts 

between Igbeagu 

community in Izzi Local 

Government Area of Ebonyi 

State and their neighbours, 

Ukelle, in Yala Local 

Government Area of Cross 

River State that had often 

led to huge loss of lives and 

Youth Wing, Mr Louis 

Anidi and the Secretary, Mr 

Kelly Umukoro, said 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa 

should implement the 

report, expressing strong 

hope that it would bring the 

incessant crises that have 

claimed several lives to an 

end. 

“We use this opportunity 

to advise the government 

to do the needful because 

they know the truth, they 

have gone to the Nigerian 

Boundary Commission and 

what is left now is to 

bring to the table. 

“What I will like to do, to 

move our nation forward, 

we need to address the 

productivity of a Nigerian. 

Here you are, a nation of 

almost 200 million people. 

Two-thirds are not 

productive. Two-thirds 

actually depend on onethird. 

“When you see the 

problems we are having, 

whether it is Boko Haram, 

militancy or kidnapping, it 

property. 

Minister of Interior, Lt.- 

Gen. Abdulrahman 

Dambazau (retd), made 

this known, yesterday, 

when he paid a courtesy 

visit to the Acting Governor 

of Cross River State, Prof. 

Ivara Esu, at Government 

House, Calabar. 

Dambazau said he was in 

the state to visit the affected 

area, interact with the 

people and get first hand 

implement the panel’s 

report. 

“We are a peace-loving 

people, if you remember 

sometime ago, we gave 

Ijaw people a 21-day 

ultimatum to leave our 

area, but the IYC came to 

meet with us and we had a 

discussion and we called it 

off. Urhobo youths want 

peace, we are 

accommodating, but we 

won’t be fooled this time 

around to allow anybody 

play politics with the issue," 

they said. 

is all borne of the fact that 

people are discontented 

and the discontent is a 

result of not being able to 

fend for oneself. So, we 

have to address the 

productivity. If every 

Nigerian were productive, 

believe me, we wouldn’t 

have Boko Haram.” 

Duke further said that the 

statistics of unemployment 

and failure of leadership in 

Nigeria “is what fuels my 

interest” to run for 

presidency. 

information on the current 

state of things in Ukelle 

community. 

According to him, he was 

in the state, not just as 

Minister of Interior but also 

as a member of the National 

Food Security Committee 

because such conflict had 

a negative impact on food 

security. 

“As a member of the 

committee, I am mandated 

to look into this particular 

case of Cross River and 

Ebonyi States, which to a 

large extent affects farming 

communities. 

“This conflict is about 

land which the people 

depend on for survival 

because most of the people 

are farmers. It is important 

to look at how these 

conflicts impact on food 

security in the country,” he 

said. 

He expressed 

displeasure that the crisis 

which erupted over the 

struggle for land 

ownership had claimed 

many lives and destroyed 

farmlands and properties 

worth millions of naira.



APC’ll take over Delta in 2019 —Ogodo 



State Chairman of 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, Chief Cyril Ogodo, 

has restated the resolve of 

the party to take over the 

state in 2019. 

Speaking at the maiden 

expanded State Executive 

Committee, SEC, held at 

the party's state Secretariat 

in Asaba, Ogodo said: “The 

APC is on a rescue mission, 

we want to rescue Delta 

from PDP's misrule.” 

While thanking party 

faithful and stakeholders for 

standing firm in the face of 

the many challenges the 

party faced during the 

recent congresses, he 

acknowledged the 

existence of a faction, which 

according to him, 

conducted parallel 

congresses and claimed 

Buhari turning Nigeria to banana 

republic —Owie 

By Gbenga Oke 

FORMER 

Chief 

Whip of the Senate 

and one of the leaders of 

Action Democratic Party, 

ADP, Senator Roland Owie, 

has slammed President 

Muhammadu Buhari, for 

allowing Nigeria turn into 

what he called a banana 

republic. 

Owie also said that with 

the treatment given to 

Governor Ayodele Fayose 

of Ekiti State, it simply 

shows that the Federal 

Government had brought 

so much hate into 

governance. 

In a statement by Owie, 

he accused the Police of 

behaving in an uncivilised 

manner and treating a state 

governor in a wicked 

manner. 

His words, “Though 

Governor Fayose behaves 

sometimes in an 

uncivilised manner, it is 

wicked for the police to treat 

a sitting governor that way 

and it is very evident that 

PMB has turned Nigeria 

into a Banana Republic. 

Since the incident 

happened, PMB has been 

quiet as usual. 

“President Buhari should 

sleep and ask God to allow 

him have access to Idi Amin 

and Mobuto Seseko, then 

he will know that he needs 

to change now from his 

compassion-less ways and 

toe the path of justice and 

equity. I also urge the Vice- 

President Yemi Osinbajo, a 

good and humble child of 

God, to re-consider his 

position with the Buhari 

government. 

“This government has 

brought so much hate, 

shedding of innocent blood 

Gov Emmanuel didn’t donate N5bn to 

fund Ekiti poll —PDP 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

U YO—PEOPLES 

Democratic Party, 

PDP, in Akwa Ibom State 

has denied allegation that 

the state governor, Mr 

Udom Emmanuel, spent 

N5 billion to fund last 

Saturday's governorship 

election in Ekiti State. 

The opposition All 


APC, in the state chaired 

by Chief Ini Okopido, had 

legitimacy through a 

contentious court consent 

judgment. 

He expressed his resolve 

to reconcile all aggrieved 

parties in the state. 

Also speaking, leader of 

the party in the state, 

Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor, 

congratulated Chief Ogodo 

and his executives for their 

successes at the congresses 

and their successful 

swearing-in. 

and wickedness that a true 

child of God like the Vice- 

President shouldn’t be part 

of. It is said that those who 

see evil being done and 

refuse to talk are guilty of 

the sin. It was reported that 

the blood letting herdsmen 

struck in Sokoto, one of the 

most peaceful states in 

Nigeria and yet, Buhari 

was not bothered. How do 

we trust a government that 

cannot protect its citizens? 

“How do we trust a 

government that abolished 

fuel subsidy and increased 

fuel to N145 per litre and 

in a statement in Uyo, 

weekend, alleged that 

Governor Emmanuel, who 

chaired the governorship 

election committee, 

donated the sum to woo the 

Ekiti electorate. 

But the Publicity 

Secretary of PDP in the 

state, Ini Ememobong, in a 

statement yesterday in 

Uyo, dismissed the 

allegation as “a concoction 

of lies, fabricated by those 

still nursing the pains of 

Emerhor said: “The 


party along with the 

Presidency have mandated 

Dr Ibe Kachikwu to bring 

all warring groups together 

to achieve unity and peace 

in the party. 

“I am ready to work with 

the Minister in his bid to 

reconcile all parties and 

achieve peace in order to 

defeat PDP in 2019.” 

WORLD CUP: From left: Events and Sponsorship Manager, MTN Nigeria, Okundola Bamgboye; 

Senior Manager, Go-to-Market, MTN Nigeria, Chinyelu Onochie; Goge Africa Host, Nneka Moses; 

Marketing & Strategy, Sponsorship & Promotions Manager, MTN Nigeria, Njide Ken-Odogwu and 

Manager, Propositions and Go To Market, MTN Nigeria, Isioma Okonkwo, at the live viewing of the 

World Cup finale Match in Eko Atlantic. 

silently paid subsidy? 

“Nigerians are tired of the 

misrule of President Buhari 

and I urge people like 

General Gowon, General 

Abubakar, General Ibrahim 

Babangida, Aliyu Gusau, 

Col. Gwadabe, Col. Umaar, 

General Ike Nwachukwu, 

and others to speak up now 

because the night is almost 

falling on Nigeria and the 

country is fast walking 

towards the road to 

Rwanda. Let everyone 

wake up now since it is 

daylight so that we can 

collectively chase away this 

dragon of war in Nigeria." 

having lost the 2015 

elections to the ruling PDP.” 

Ememobong described 

the claim by the APC in the 

state as totally 

unsubstantiated and 

practically impossible, and 

enjoined Akwa Ibom people 

to ignore the wild alarm, 

assuring that Governor 

Emmanuel has been 

prudent in the 

management of the state 

resources. 

OML 30 communities demand 

removal of CDB 

By Perez Brisbe & 

Ochuko Akuopha 

U GHELLI— 

INDIGENES of 

oil bearing communities in 

Oil Mining Lease, OML 

30, in their hundreds, 

yesterday, stormed Ughelli 

North Local Government 

Area secretariat, Delta 

State, demanding the 

termination of the tenure of 

the Community 

Development Board, CDB 

of the oil block. 

The placard-carrying 

protesters, who defied the 

heavy rainfall, marched 

through the major streets of 

Ughelli metropolis, 

lamenting the continued 

stay in office of the CDB, 

whose tenure, they said, 

expired on February 5, 

2018. 

Speaking during the 

protest, one of the 

protesters, self-styled ‘Gen’ 

Richard Oshegu, accused 

the CDB of “diverting the 

pipeline surveillance jobs 

meant for ex-militants and 

youths of the host 

communities to nonindigenes 

of the 

communities while the 

local content act 

requirement was not being 

followed. 

“The present board 

should relinquish the 

pipeline surveillance 

contracts so that a new CDB 

can be put in place to carry 

the youths of the 

communities along in the 

surveillance of oil and gas 

pipelines in their domains.” 

Another protester, who 

identified himself as Kelvin 

Omobaye said, “Since we 

don’t want bloodshed, we 

are appealing to the local 

and state governments to 

urgently call the CDB to 

order to avoid the 

breakdown of law and 

order in OML 30.” 

Bomadi PDP lauds Okowa over 

Labo’s appointment 

By Onozure Dania 

B 

O M A D I — 

PEOPLES 

Democratic Party PDP, 

faithful from Ward 5 

(Kalafiogbene/Ekamta), 

Bomadi Local 

Government Area of 

Delta State, have 

commended Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa for 

appointing Mr Pius Labo 

as Special Assistant on 

C o m m u n i t y 

Development. 

Mr. Idowu Tobi, 

Chairman, PDP Ward 5, 

at an enlarged party 

meeting in Bomadi, 

noted that the 

appointment given to 

their leader would 

further spur the people 

in the ward and beyond 

to show more 

commitment to the 

governor and the party. 

Tobi who described 

Labo as a front line 

politician whose 

antecedents and 

commitment in the party 

at the ward and the 

Bomadi council would 

always be appreciated by 

all a sundry, said that he 

knows that Labo would 

perform his duties to the 

delight of the people 

and the governor. 

This came as Mr Troffy 

Kirifagha, Assistant 

Auditor of PDP in the 

state and Mr Monday 

Ekotoru, Councilor, Ward 

5, commended Okowa 

for the concern shown to 

the people of the ward 

and Bomadi council. 

Capital market, engine room of 

modern economy —Idoko-Akoh 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

C ALABAR— 

ISAIAH Idoko- 

Akoh, Chairman, 

Investment and Securities 

Tribunal, IST, has called 

on the people of the 

South-South region to 

urgently key into the 

opportunities provided by 

the capital market as it was 

the engine room of any 

modern economy. 

He also said that the 

apathy on the part of 

Nigerians to Capital 

Market had given rise 

and credence to the 

growth of wonder banks, 

ponzi schemes and 

multiplication of 

fraudsters in the zone due 

to shortage of market 

operators in such 

locations. 

Idoko-Akoh disclosed 

this, yesterday in Calabar, 

Cross River State, at a 

three-day Public 

Enlightenment Workshop 

for state, federal and 

Appeal Court judges and 

capital market investors 

in Cross River and Akwa 

Ibom states. 

Idoko-Akoh said: “No 

state can afford to remain 

a fringe player in the 

capital market industry 

considering the fact that 

the market is considered 

to be the engine room of 

any modern economy."

14 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 17 2018 

Army denies losing troop in 

recent Boko Haram attack 

•Says only 2 soldiers wounded by insurgents 

By Joseph Erunke 

A Nigerian BUJA—THE 

Army has 

denied that five soldiers 

died in recent attack 

launched against troops in 

Bama Local Government 

Area of Borno State. 

The Army said media 

reports that the insurgents 

did not only kill many 

troops but also carted away 

their operational vehicles 

were false, saying the 

reports were mischievous. 

The Director of Army 

Public Relations, Brigadier 

General Texas Chukwu, in 

a statement insisted that the 

report was untrue just as he 

said it was blown out of 

proportion. 

The statement read thus: 

”The attention of the 

Nigerian Army has been 

drawn to news making the 

round alleging attack on 

soldiers and capturing of 

military vehicles by Boko 

Haram in Bama Local 

Government Area of Borno 

State. The Nigerian Army 

wishes to state categorically 

that the report is not only 

untrue but misleading as 

the said report is blown out 

of proportion by the media. 

Contrary to the report, the 

Nigerian Army wishes to 

put the record straight on 

the issue and assure 

members of the public 

particularly residents of the 

Austria, Germany, Switzerland 

to improve foreign 

investments in Nigeria 

L 

A G O S — 

DELEGATES 

from Austria, Germany, 

Switzerland, AGS, to 

deepen their business 

interests have disclosed 

plans by companies in their 

countries to improve 

business investment in 

Nigeria. 

This came as leader of 

delegates of German 

Industry and Commerce in 

Nigeria, Marc Lucassen, 

disclosed that AGS 

companies in Nigeria 

would increase headcount 

before the end of 2018. 

In his presentation at the 

third Austria-German- 

Swiss Business Outlook, 

AGSBO, in Lagos, 

Lucassen said: “The three 

major factors affecting 

investment activities in 

Nigeria are the supply of 

foreign exchange, 

transportation 

infrastructure and overall 

security. 

“Many of the AGS 

companies’ management 

in Nigeria are optimistic 

about the economic climate 

of Nigeria. Most expect a 

strong growth in their 

businesses and headcount 

in 2018.” 

Also, the Deputy Consul 

General of the German 


North East to disregard 

the report as their safety 

is guaranteed. 

“The Nigeria Army 

wishes to state that there 

was an attempted attack on 

troops at Kwakwa and 

Chingori communities in 

Bama area of Borno State 

by suspected Boko Haram 

Terrorists as a result of 

difficult terrain where our 

vehicles bugged down. 

“The terrorists also 

attempted to cart away 

troops operational vehicles, 

but were successfully 

repelled by our gallant 

troops with the support of 

the Nigerian Air Force. 

“About 22 members of 

Boko Haram terrorists were 

neutralised while several 

others escaped with 

gunshot wounds. Efforts 

are being intensified by the 

troops to get the fleeing 

members of the Boko 

Haram terrorists. 

Unfortunately, one officer 

and a soldier sustained 

injuries and are currently 

receiving medical attention 

at the military medical 

facility. 

“While the Nigerian 

Army would not join issues 

with the media, certain facts 

must be reported with 

caution particularly now 

that numerous successes 

have been recorded by the 

troops in the fight against 

insurgency.'' 

Consulate General in 

Lagos, Ms. Alexandra Herr, 

said: “Indeed Nigeria is 

Germany’s largest trading 

partner in the ECOWAS 

region, with a bilateral trade 

volume of 3.5 billion Euros, 

more than 85 German 

companies are currently 

active in Nigeria. 

“There is already a long 

history of partnerships and 

business connections 

between Nigeria and 

Germany spanning over 

160 years and cutting across 

sectors such as agriculture, 

food processing, and 

manufacturing. I am 

confident that the interest in 

the Nigerian market will 

continue to translate into a 

series of initiatives, visits of 

trade delegations etc. in the 

months to come. We will 

continue to work tirelessly 

in order to promote our 

bilateral trade relations.” 

In the same vein, the 

Consul General of 

Switzerland in Lagos, Yves 

Nicolet, said: “Despite the 

fact that Switzerland already 

has about 45 companies 

registered in Nigeria, the 

Consulate General of 

Switzerland continues to 

promote the economy and 

the investments of 

Switzerland in Nigeria.'' 

FG expresses reservation on AfCTA 

•As VP says Africa sees enormous market in Nigeria 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA—THE Federal 

Government 

yesterday expressed 

reservations over the 

signing of the African 

Continental Trade 

Agreement, AfCTA, despite 

the promise by President 

Muhammadu Buhari that 

he would soon sign the 

agreement. 

President Buhari when 

hosting the South African 

President, Cyril 

Ramaphosa at the State 

House Abuja last week, 

assured that the Nigerian 

government would sign the 

agreement after studying its 

implications, though he said 

he was a slow reader. 

But speaking at the 

Quarterly Presidential 

Business Forum in Abuja, 

Vice President Yemi 

Osinbajo said although 

there were advantages for 

the country in the 

agreement, Nigeria must 

ensure it got the best 

possible terms in trade and 

commerce. 

According to him, “With 

respect to the AfCTA, there 

are clearly huge advantages 

for us no question about it 

at all. The rest of Africa see 

the enormous advantages of 

Nigeria’s participation, 

everybody is waiting for us 

naturally and that is because 

they see a huge market, 

there are advantages of our 

being there. But we must 

ensure to get the best 

possible terms for Nigerian 

trade and commerce. Our 

experiences with dumping 

and other injurious practices 

make it obvious to us that 

AWARD: From left; Olori Adesola Ifayemi; Oba Olamilekan Ifayemi (Oba 

Saala Ogboni); Olori Olayinka Ifayemi and Dr Femi Oni, CEO, Ayanfe 

Eledumare Multimedia Group, Alausa when the monarch was presented with 

an award of excellence by Dr Oni at his palace in Ikorodu. 

Dasuki sets to regain freedom as Judge signs bail application 

ANational BUJA—FORMER 

Security 

Adviser, Colonel Sambo 

Dasuki (retd) is to regain his 

freedom in any moment as 

a Federal High Court 

Judge, Justice Ijeoma 

Ojukwu formally endorsed 

the bail application granted 

him on July 2, 2018. 

Dasuki has been in 

detention camp of 

Department of State Service 

(DSS) since December 29, 

2015 when he was 

rearrested by security 

operatives. 

Justice Ojukwu endorsed 

the bail application after 

Dasuki perfected all the 

conditions imposed on him 

by the court. 

Family sources said the 

ex-NSA through his 

associates and sell-wishers 

perfected the bills which 

were verified by the officials 

of the Federal High Court 

in confirming their 

authenticity since last week. 

The endorsement of 

Justice Ojukwu by signing 

the bail papers today has 

cleared the way for Dasuki’s 

release. 

Family members, 

our market could be a real 

target, our local 

manufacturing could 

become unprofitable, our 

agricultural advantage 

could be reversed. 

“Consequently, we have 

embarked on an extensive 

consultations with trade 

groups, manufacturers and 

organized labour in all the 

six geo-political zones to get 

a clear sense of concerns as 

we navigate the process of 

signing the treaty. I think 

the general resolve favours 

engagement but the 

concerns remain around 

improving the domestic 

environment for greater 

competitiveness, concerns 

of power supply and 

investment in 

infrastructure. I have 

noted the various studies 

that MAN will like to see 

done, I think those 

associates and well-wishers 

of the detained NSA were 

said to have been arriving 

Abuja in anticipation of his 

release in compliance with 

the court order. 

After over two years in the 

detention, the Court had on 

July 2, 2018 admitted 

Dasuki on bail in the 

fundamental human right 

background checks are 

important as to what works 

and what doesn’t work and 

what is going on with the 

industry and all that. 

“I think those concerns are 

very crucial and I think 

many of them are being 

done already. But at the 

same time, we must be 

careful not to give the 

impression that these are 

minimum pre-conditions for 

engagement with the 

process because the 

question has been asked 

when will we be ready? 

Also speaking, the 

Minister Power, Works and 

Housing, Mr. Babatunde 

Fashola said Nigeria 

should consider the 

countries that have already 

signed the agreement. 

He said, “But if the 

decision on whether to sign 

or not was mine, I will look 

suit filed by him. He had 

applied to the court to admit 

him to bail on the ground 

that his detention since 2015 

without trial was a breach 

of his fundamental right to 

freedom of liberty. 

Although charges were 

filed against Dasuki by the 

Federal Government in 

four different High Courts, 

at the countries that have 

signed. The interesting 

thing about the countries 

that have signed is that, 

unlike us where we have 

Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, Port 

Harcourt, Lagos, Owerri, six 

different cities that can land 

an air plane and other cities 

like that, the countries that 

have signed are one-city 

countries - Rwanda - Kigali, 

Niger - Niamey, Ghana- 

Accra, those are the 

countries that have signed 

and we are afraid. 

“How much power do we 

have and we say we are not 

ready? Just listen to me and 

you can fact-check this, as 

at 2016 Rwanda was trying 

to get to 106 megawatts 

of electricity, the suburbs 

of Rwanda are on 

generators. The only place 

that I saw that has dual 

carriage way when I visited 

last year was the GRA.'' 

he was granted bails by the 

courts but was not allowed 

to enjoy the bail. The 

ECOWAS Court of Justice 

had also ordered his release 

and imposed a fine of N15 

million on the Federal 

Government for his 

unlawful detention but yet 

the government did not 

comply with the verdict. 

Itsekiri leaders identify solution to minority status 

By Dave Oso 

W Itsekiri ARRI—FIVE 

leaders, Pa 

Jackson Ireyefoju, Sir 

Amorighoye Sunny Mene, 

Air Vice Marshall Terry 

Omatsola Okorodudu 

(retd.); Engr. Victor Wood 

and Comrade Amaechi 

Ogbitse Ogbonna have 

identified the re-integration 

of quality representations 

and leadership, as evident 

in the first and second 

republics’ Itsekiri political 

class, as well as prior to 

1999, as solution to the 

challenges facing the 

Itsekiri Nation in today’s 

Nigeria. 

The Itsekiri leaders made 

the postulation in Warri, 

Delta State, during the 21st 

national convention and 

inauguration ceremony of 

National Association of 

Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, 

weekend. 

While Dr. Ireyefoju 

rhetorically asked if Itsekiri 

Nation was not small in 

population when they 

dominated the space in the 

political dispensations prior 

to 1999, Comrade Ogbonna 

posited that the problem of 

Itsekiri Nation started in 

1999 when Itsekiris began 

to “play politics of money.” 

Secretary of Itsekiri Leaders 

of Thought, ILOT, Sir 

Mene averred that Itsekiri 

people have been exposed 

to tyranny since the minority 

right protection was 

expunged from the 

constitution by the military 

in 1966. 

Sir Mene, while stating 

that the plight of minority in 

Nigeria is much worse 

today than 100 years ago, 

opined, “It’s only in Nigeria 

that democracy is a game of 

number, instead of the 

people’s rights” as practised 

in other countries.'' 

Air Vice Marshall 

Okorodudu in a remark, 

declared that those who go 

against Itsekiri values 

should be ostracized.



2019: Alignments without 2023 Igbo 

presidency will not stand—APGA CHIEFTAIN 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

O NITSHA—A 

member of the Board 

of Trustees, BoT, of All 

Progressive Grand 

Alliance, APGA, Chief 

Rommy Ezeonwuka has 

warned that any alignment 

or re-alignment being 

made by political parties in 

the country which is not 

based on giving Ndigbo a 

presidential slot in 2023 

would not stand. 

He believed that if 

Buhari’s second term can 

guarantee Igbo presidency 

in 2023, it could be 

managed and seen as a 

better option than following 

other sweet-tongued 

political parties and 

politicians who do not have 

the interest of Ndigbo at 

heart. 

Speaking to newsmen 

yesterday at Oba, Idemili 

South Local Government 

Area of Anambra State, 

while reacting to mergers, 

accords and alliances being 

made by some political 

parties, against the All 


APC, Ezeonwuka 

declared: “Any alignment 

that will not give Igboman 

presidency in four years 

time will not work. We can 

manage this madness 

called the Buhari 

administration for another 

four years provided the 

South-East zone will get 

the presidency at the end 

of the four years.” 

He described the NPP/ 

NPN accord of 1983 as the 

best form of alliance ever 

between two rival political 

parties in the country, 

adding that it was through 

that alliance that most of the 

major federal roads in the 

South East zone were 

awarded and constructed 

during the Shehu Shagari/ 

Alex Ekwueme second 

republic regime. 

Ezeonwuka however 

noted that APGA was not 

yet part of any alignment 

with any political party. 

MEETING: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (middle) with the chairman, Joint Tax Board, Mr. 

Tunde Fowler (3rd right); Executive Secretary of the Board, Sir. Oseni Elamah (2nd right); Enugu State 

Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Eucharia Offor (3rd left); Chairman, Enugu State Internal Revenue Service, 

Prince Emeka Odo (4th left), and others, during the 141st meeting of the JTB, in Enugu, yesterday. 

Take bold step against herdsmen’s 

threat, S-East govs advised 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

OWERRI—South East 

Governors have been 

advised to take another 

bold step in seeking a 

lasting solution to the 

rampaging herdsmen’s 

threat, instead of just 

stopping at passing 

resolutions and reading 

communiqués. 

The Anglican Bishop of 

Okigwe South, Rt. Rev. 

David O. C. Onuoha, gave 

the advice while reacting to 

the decision of the South 

East Governors, not to 

allow cattle ranching of any 

kind, in the geo-political 

zone. 

“The decision of South 

East Governors not to allow 

cattle ranching of any kind 

in the geo-political zone, is 

a welcome development”, 

the cleric said. 

It was also his considered 

opinion that “given the 

density of the population 

and the land space 

available, ranching in the 

manner being suggested, 

would mean creating space 

for cows at the expense of 

human existence”. 

While affirming that there 

is a huge market for cow 

meat in the South East that 

has sustained the cattle 

business, he however 

Anglican Church abolishes wedding 

before traditional marriage 

By Odogwu Emeka 

Odogwu 

ANGLICAN Bishop of 

Aguata Diocese, 

Anambra State, Rt 

Reverend Samuel Ezeofor 

has abolished the wedding 

of couples in the diocese 

without first performing 

their traditional marriage 

rites. 

Bishop Ezeofor who 

announced this at the 

Cathedral Church of Saint 

John Ekwulobia in Aguata 

Local Government Area 

during a thanksgiving 

service to mark the end of 

the first session of the fifth 

Synod of Aguata Diocese, 

urged would be couples to 

first observe the traditional 

marriage rites before 

wedding in the Church. 

Ezeofor who is the 

President of the Synod 

charged Christians to take 

active part in the nation’s 

electoral processes, even as 

he urged eligible voters to 

endeavour to obtain their 

Permanent Voter Cards in 

order to exercise their 

franchise during the 2019 

general elections and 

subsequent ones in the 

country. 

Contributing, the 

Episcopal Secretary of the 

Church of Nigeria 

Anglican Communion and 

Bishop of Okigwe South 

Diocese, Right Reverend 

David Onuoha who called 

for more synergy between 

the government and the 

Church in development, 

urged the federal 

government to sustain 

efforts in ending the 

menace of herdsmen in 

the country. 

Earlier in a sermon, the 

guest preacher, Venerable 

Israel Odita of the Diocese 

on the Niger who 

described conversion as 

necessary foundation for 

Christian life, called on 

Nigerians to get connected 

to God in order to reap His 

abundant blessings. 

lamented that some people 

have sadly come to the 

point of placing more value 

on cows than human life. 

“The most intriguing 

aspect of the whole thing 

is that the merchants of this 

business that spreads horror 

and death across the land, 

do not eat beef. It is certain 

that mere wish or repeated 

issuing of statements, no 

matter how strong they 

may be, will not produce 

the desired effect”, Bishop 

Onuoha said. 

Answering a question on 

what the governors should 

do, Onuoha said that the 

most effective solution lies 

in providing alternatives to 

cow meat. 

“The huge facilities like 

the Avutu and Ogwe Poultry 

Farms in Imo and Abia 

States respectively have 

been lying waste since the 

administration of Chief 

Sam Mbakwe was sacked 

in 1983. This is a sad 

commentary on the near 

lack of commitment of our 

leaders to the overall 

interest of the people”, 

Onuoha said. 

He further advised that 

making deliberate efforts to 

develop the traditional form 

of animal husbandry and 

encouraging huge 

investment in the same 

area by both the public and 

private sectors would yield 

the desired result. 

Enugu beats 15% UN tax 

revenue to GDP 

benchmark—FOWLER 

…commends Ugwuanyi for effective 

IGR utilisation 

E 

N U G U — 

CHAIRMAN of 

the Joint Tax Board, JTB, 

Mr. Tunde Fowler has 

commended Governor 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of 

Enugu State for putting in 

place a proficient and 

“unparalleled” tax regime, 

which has ensured that the 

state exceeded the 15 per 

cent tax revenue to GDP 

benchmark suggested by 

the United Nations for the 

funding of budgets. 

The JTB chairman, who 

is also the chairman of 

Federal Inland Revenue 

Service, FIRS, also 

applauded Ugwuanyi for 

the unprecedented growth 

in the Internally Generated 

Revenue, IGR, of Enugu 

State as well as the 

judicious utilisation of the 

said funds for the rapid 

development of the state. 

Fowler, who spoke 

during the 141st meeting 

of the board holding in 

Enugu, which had in 

attendance chairmen of the 

Board of Internal Revenue 

from the 36 states of the 

federation, also lauded the 

governor for his quality 

leadership, giant 

development strides in the 

state and “excellent” 

hospitality. 

He, therefore, called on 

other governors to emulate 

Ugwuanyi’s measures in 

enhancing the efficiency 

and productivity of his 

state’s Board of Internal 

Service for improved 

revenue profile in their 

various states. 

The chairman stated that 

the objective of the 

meeting, themed: 

“Leveraging on ICT for 

Efficient Tax Administration 

and Revenue 

Enhancements, Focusing 

on States IRS,” was to 

discuss tax matters and 

how to provide better 

services as well as “look at 

contracts executed with tax 

payers’ money.” 

While further 

appreciating Gov. 

Ugwuanyi for his effective 

utilization of tax payers’ 

money for the rapid 

development of the state, 

Fowler advised the visiting 

chairmen of BIR to share the 

experience with their 

governors, accordingly. 

He said: “As you come to 

Enugu, you can see how 

tax monies were used. 

Following the testimony 

given by the chairman of 

Board of Internal Revenue 

of Enugu State, Mr. Emeka 

Odo, all the chairmen are 

supposed to have the 

copies of advance sheets to 

their governors for them to 

see what was going on in 

Enugu State and how 

things are supposed to be 

done”. 

He maintained that tax 

revenue is “no doubt the 

only means to ensure 

sustainable economic and 

social development”, 

emphasizing their role “as 

tax administrators to carry 

out our duties diligently to 

ensure that all the current 

tax revenue is collected as 

at when due.” 

Alleged N3.2bn fraud: Kalu 

asks court to dismiss charge 

By Innocent 

Anaba 

FORMER Abia State 

governor, Dr. Orji Uzor 

Kalu, yesterday, asked a 

Federal High Court sitting 

in Lagos, to 

discountenance the second 

amended charge filed 

against him by the 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, over alleged N3.2 

billion fraud. 

Also urging the court to 

dismiss the said second 

amended charge were 

Kalu’s company, Slok 

Nigeria Limited and his 

former Commissioner for 

Finance, Udeh Jones 

Udeogu. 

Kalu and other 

defendants are standing 

trial before Justice 

Mohammed Idris, who has 

been elevated to Court of 

Appeal, on charges of 

alleged fraud of N3.2 

billions from Abia State 

Government’s treasury 

between 2001 and 2005. 

They were also alleged to 

have used the following 

banks to perpetrate the 

alleged fraud: Manny 

Bank, Spring Bank Plc, the 

defunct Standard Trust 

Bank and Fin Land Bank, 

now First City Monument 

Bank, FCMB. 

At the resumed hearing 

of their matter yesterday, 

the defendants through 

their lawyers, Chief Awa 

Kalu, Chief Solo Akume 

and Chief Kingsley Nwofo, 

all Senior Advocates of 

Nigeria, told the court to 

strike out the second 

amended charge, as the 

prosecution had failed to 

formally apply to the court 

before filing same. 

In urging the court to 

strike out the second 

amended charge, Kalu’s 

lawyer, Kalu (SAN) said: 

“We have a motion against 

the second amended 

charge brought by the 

prosecution. The motion is 

dated June 5, and filed on 

June 12, 2018, it has four 

reliefs, and its supported 

with a 16 paragraphaffidavit, 

and a written 

address, also dated June 5."


GRADUATION: From left— Graduate, Adebanke Aladeloye; Special Adviser on Security and 

Intelligence to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Adekunle Ajanaku; Group Managing Director, Halogen 

Security Company Ltd, Mr. Wale Olaoye and Commandant, Lagos State Command, Nigeria Security 

and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Tajudeen Balogun, at the graduation ceremony of Academy Halogen's 

Diploma in Security Management in Lagos 

:Van- :@ : 

Monarch, others back 

lawmaker's 2nd term bid 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

AWKA—THE three 

traditional rulers of 

Nawfia, Enugwu Ukwu 

and Enugwu Agidi in 

Njikoka local government 

area of Anambra State, 

which make up the Njikoka 

1 constituency have 

endorsed the second term 

bid of the member 

representing the 

constituency in the 

Anambra State House of 

Assembly, Mr. Timothy 

Ifediora, in line with the 

existing rotational 

agreement in the area. 

Although the royal fathers 

of Enugwu Ukwu and 

Enugwu Agidi had earlier 

signed the agreement 

along with their Presidents’ 

General and one 

stakeholder as required, 

the traditional ruler of 

Nawfia, Igwe Chujioke 

Nwankwo said yesterday 

that the lawmaker had his 

full support, explaining that 

he did not sign when 

others did because he had 

pending court issue with 

the President General of his 

community. 

According to him, there is 

an existing arrangement 

that the position should be 

rotating among the three 

towns for eight years each, 

adding that since Ifediora 

had done only one term, the 

three communities had 

agreed that he should be 

allowed to go for a second 

tenure. 

He said: “Honorable 

Timothy Ifediora has my 

full support. I want to make 

it clear that I am in 

agreement with the other 

two Igwe in our 

constituency. 

BRIEFING: From left— Ms. Camille Proctor, Executive Director/Founder, Color Autism Foundation; 

Dr Anna Lamikanra, Executive Director, Blazing Trails International Centre, BTIC; Oyinade Adegite, 

Head Corporate Communication & External Affairs, GTbank; Mrs Joyce Onafowokan,Special Adviser 

to Lagos State Governor on Social Development and Mrs Adedotun Akande, Founder and Director, 

Patrick Speech and Languages Centre, at the briefing to announce the 8th annual Austim programme 

sponsored by GTbank in Lagos. 

BEAUTIFICATION: From left— Valentine Izuchukwu, General Manager, Business Development; 

Tobechukwu Okigbo, Corporate Relations Executive, both of MTN Nigeria, Mrs Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, 

GM, LASPARK; Adekunle Adebiyi, Sales and Distribution Executive, MTN Nigeria And Obinna Nweje, 

GM, Regional Operations, MTN Nigeria, at the beautification of the POWA Shopping Complex in 

Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Ekiti Polls:Poverty as a weapon of engineering 

SOCIAL engineering is 

the use of centralised 

planning in an attempt to 

manage social change and 

regulate the future 

development and behaviour of 

a society. 

Events around us suggest 

that the Nigerian ruling elite 

may have deliberately 

employed the tool of poverty 

to create a tranquilized polity 

with a dovish populace too 

hungry to act in their 

enlightened self interest and 

so vulnerable to all 

manipulative tendencies. 

A friend of mine argued years 

ago that the Nigerian elite 

would engineer natural 

disasters if it were within their 

powers in order to fleece the 

common till... It may sound 

uncharitable but I have not see 

a group more wicked then 

those who govern Nigeria. 

They are so self-centred, 

greedy,crooked and without 

compassion of any kind. 

Their dutiful service in 

deepening inequality in the 

land has finally landed 

Nigeria at the dungeon of 

misery and overtaking India 

by becoming the World 

headquarters of poverty in the 

first quarter of 2018. 

The Brookings Institution in 

its report painted a sobering 

picture of the poverty situation 

in Nigeria. 

Its data showed that Nigeria 

has 87 million people in 

extreme poverty as against 

India’s 73 million. 

The report suggests that the 

poverty situation in Nigeria is 

so damning that six people fall 

below poverty line every 

minute. 

The 87 million people 

recorded by the Brookings 

Institution report is just below 

half of the official poverty rate 

recorded in Nigeria. 

It is said that in the mouths 

of two witnesses shall every 

truth be confirmed.The 

National Bureau of Statistics, 

NBS, has also revealed that 

that 112 million Nigerians live 

below poverty line. 

The Africa Development 

Bank, AfDB, has even given a 

more scary outlook about 

poverty in Nigeria. 

The bank believes that 80 per 

cent of Nigerians live below 

poverty line. 

Judging from the AfDB data, 

it is obvious that 153.6 million 

out of an estimated population 

of 192 million live below 

poverty line. 

The difference with the 

Brookings Institution is that 

Map of Ekiti state 

it only only records those in 

extreme poverty. 

The federal government has 

did not joined issue with 

The reality on 

ground however is 

that poverty in 

Nigeria may have 

been under 

reported by the 

Brookings 

Institution. All 

around us we see 

poverty walking on 

four legs 

AfDB’s poverty figures or had 

contested the figures given by 

the NBS. 

But it has obviously picked 

the gauntlet with the figures 

from the Brookings Institution 

probably because it would 

have been proud to be UN 

Headquarters or that of OAU 

at least instead of being the 

World Secretariat of poverty. 

Okechukwu Enelama, 

Nigeria’s minister of trade and 

investment in dismissing the 

Brookings report argued that 

the data might have been 

compiled when Nigeria was in 

recession. 

He listed the steps taken by 

government to combat poverty 

and concluded that the 

situation on ground was better 

than what the Brookings report 

suggested. The reality on 

ground however is that 

poverty in Nigeria may have 

been under reported by the 

Brookings Institution. All 

around us we see poverty 

walking on four legs. 

India that handed the 

headquarters to Nigeria had 

its poverty index rooted in a 

population of over one billion 

people.They have been able to 

effect measures to improve the 

conditions of their extreme 

poor in spite of not having the 

type of resources available to 

Nigeria. 

Nigeria’s poverty is the 

creation of its conspicuous 

consumptive rulers.The social 

inequality in the country has 

seen less than 5,000 

politicians cornering most of 

available resources. More 

than N1.2 trillion of the 

country’s annual budget is 

spent on them. 

A huge chunk of what is left 

in the budget is looted by the 

same class of people through 

project duplication and 

inflated contracts.Corruption 

is not just an affliction of 

officials in Nigeria but the 

monster is an official. 

Before the deliberate use of 

poverty as a weapon of social 

engineering by the ruling 

elite, Nigeria used to have a 

vibrant civil society and when 

we saw bizarre things 

happening in some African 

countries the refrain used to 

be "it can't happen in Nigeria". 

But the escalation of poverty 

turned Nigeria to a land of 

"anything is possible ." 

The systematic destruction 

of the formal sector threw a 

large chunk of the population 

to the informal sector eking 

daily living. That froze social 

mobility as those who live dayby-day 

cannot afford to go on 

any long drawn battle before 

the pangs of hunger call them 

to order. 

That Nigeria has fallen 

below imaginable levels hit us 

graphically as Ekiti went to 

the polls last Saturday to elect 

a governor. What was 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 —17 

it "dibo ko sebe"(vote and cook 

soup).Of course, the people 

are too dirty and poor to throw 

the illicit dole outs from these 

criminal politicians in their 

faces. It is the reality of the 

cold fireplace in an empty 

kitchen. 

That these crooked beings 

have the audacity to rub it in 

on our people that they can't 

afford to cook soup except they 

sell their conscience is what 

philosopher Yinka Ayefele had 

in mind when he sang that 

whatever the world turns your 

fortune to, it abuses you with 

it. 

The Nigerian wicked elite 

may think they have found 

answer to the electorate by 

exploiting their poverty to 

throw cash around on election 

days to secure victory,but how 

sustainable is that? For crying 

out loud, it's not! Some day, 

monkey will go to the market 

and will not return . 

It would come to a point 

when the words of Kennedy 

would come alive in this 

hopeless arrangement: Any 

free society that cannot help 

the many who are poor cannot 

protect the few who are rich. 

The day the rage of the poor 

will come,many of those taking 

advantage of them now will 

flee, leaving their illicit 

acquisition behind. 

supposed to be an exercise in 

civic engagement of 

democratic choices became a 

crazy bazaar. 

That our people have been 

turned to commodities to be 

purchased was evident on the 

eve of the elections with 

allegations that billions of 

Naira were being moved into 

the rural areas in the state . 

All doubts that inducement 

was the name of the game in 

an era of anti-corruption 

propaganda and deception 

were removed when a video 

by the BBC went viral with 

voters confessing they were 

being induced with N4,000 to 

to part with their votes.Poverty 

stricken residents were seen 

running all over the place to 

partake of the vote buying 

debauchery. As the day went 

by, there were reports of the 

stake going up as much as 

N10,000 per vote in the state 

capital . 

The BBC report found echo 

in The Punch Newspapers 

account which stated : 

"A resident of the 

Immigration area, along the 

Poly Road, in Ado-Ekiti, the 

state capital, who spoke on 

condition of anonymity, said 

one of the parties was with a 

list of some targeted voters 

and was inducing them with 

N4,000 each." 

The resident said the party’s 

agents had come to his 

residence and given out 

money to three persons in the 

house. 

He said, “Politicians started 

distributing money to 

influence voters to cast their 

votes for their candidates in 

the election. We were already 

asleep on Thursday night 

when they came and knocked 

on our gate and handed 

envelopes to three persons 

whose names were on their 

lists. 

“They gave three persons, 

but I was not given because I 

didn’t register as a voter in the 

area. I think they used the 

voter register unit-by-unit to 

identify those they had given 

money to. They would have 

given me if my name was on 

their register. Those who were 

given envelopes opened them 

and discovered that there was 

N4,000 inside each 

envelopes.” 

Many of the observers at the 

election have also confirmed 

the corruption of the electoral 

process with financial 

inducement and tainting the 

entire process and robbing it 

of any credibility. 

The shameful conduct of the 

political class in Ekiti is the 

boldest statement of the utter 

contempt they have for the 

people they have pauperized. 

It is a sign that they place 

more value on the ballot box 

which they at least place at the 

polling units to give the 

impression that voting was 

taking place. But the 

electorate are just commodities 

to be purchased at a price. In 

my part of the county there is 

a catchword for this rape of the 

democratic process. It is called 

Bob Marley keeps knocking 

the door of my heart : 

Redemption Song 

Bob Marley 

Old pirates, yes, they rob 

I 

Sold I to the merchant 

ships 

Minutes after they took 

I 

From the bottomless pit 

But my hand was made 

strong 

By the hand of the 

Almighty 

We forward in this 

generation 

Triumphantly 

Won't you help to sing 

These songs of freedom? 

'Cause all I ever have 

Redemption songs 


Emancipate yourselves 

from mental slavery 

None but ourselves can 

free our minds 

Have no fear for atomic 

energy 

'Cause none of them can 

stop the time 

How long shall they kill 

our prophets 

While we stand aside and 

look? Ooh 

Some say it's just a part 

of it 

We've got to fulfill the 

Book 

Won't you help to sing 

These songs of freedom? 

'Cause all I ever have 




C 

M 

Y 

K


THE Presidential Amnesty 

Programme, which was established by 

the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua in 

June 2009 as a peace offer to the Niger 

Delta militants to unconditionally drop 

their agitation in exchange for a number 

of Federal Government beneficial 

packages (especially human capacity 

building) has endured through three 

regimes though it was initially meant 

to last for only five years. 

That is because stakeholders in the 

Niger Delta, especially the youths and 

other agitators, have held onto this 

programme which official reports 

claim, has benefited over five million 

people, as one of their conditions for 

peace. After initially trying – and failing 

– to force its way through, the President 

Muhammadu Buhari regime decided 

to continue with the programme by 

appointing Bayelsa State-born retired 

Brigadier-General Paul Boroh as its 

Coordinator. 

Curbing corruption in the Amnesty Programme 

Since it was set up nine years ago, 

the Presidential Amnesty Programme, 

which has gulped nearly N500 billion, 

has swum in allegations of corruption. 

The Coordinators, who are also 

Presidential Advisers on Amnesty, have 

always been accused of involvement 

inhumongous sleaze. Former 

President Goodluck Jonathan’s Adviser 

and Coordinator of the Programme, 

Mr Kingsley Kuku, has been in and out 

of the net of the Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), 

while the first Coordinator appointed 

by President Buhari, Boroh, was fired 

on 13th March 2017, for alleged 

corruption. 

In spite of the open anti-corruption 

stance of the current Amnesty 

Coordinator and Presidential Adviser, 

Professor Quaker Dokubo, committees 

he set up to evaluate all the sectors of 

the Programme still discovered that 

only 314 out of 1,061 students slated to 

participate in the programme for the 

2017/2018 session were actually found 

in the database of the Amnesty 

Programme. 

It has been over one year since Brig- 

General Boroh was sacked. The 

discovery by Professor Quaker’s 

committee of this tranche of “ghost” 

participants simply means that 

corruption in the establishment goes 

beyond its Chief Executive Officers. The 

rank and file of the staff are neck-deep 

in it. For the organisation to be rid of 

graft there must be a comprehensive 

check on its activities since its inception, 

and all who are found culpable should 

be severely punished for corruption 

and sabotage of the programme. 

A situation where less than one third 

of students meant to benefit from the 

training programmes of the Amnesty 

Office are actually enrolled while the 

fund for the rest 647 “ghost” students 

ended up in the pockets of crooked staff 

cannot be allowed to go unpunished 

or the trend will simply continue. 

The Amnesty Programme is one of 

the reasons there is relative peace in 

the oil-rich Niger Delta. Corruption 

should not be allowed to derail its noble 

objectives. There must be zero 

tolerance for corruption in that 

establishment. 

A 

NAME that was missing 

during the ceremonies that 

had to do with those honoured on 

the June 12 Presidential 1993 

election was Mr. Walter C. 

Carrington. 

He was the American Ambassador 

to Nigeria between August 10, 1993 

and October 7, 1997. Married to a 

Nigerian, an Edo woman, Arese 

Ukpoma(60), a medical doctor, Mr. 

Carrington played a crucial role 

after the annulment of the 

presidential election. He was a thorn 

in the flesh of the government of 

General SaniAbacha and the reign 

of terror that attended the 

annulment. Mr. Carrington, a black 

American spoke in bold terms of 

how the hope of the black man could 

be manifested if Nigeria could 

succeed as a great nation. At a time, 

he was seen more or less as the leader 

of opposition to the then government 

and he offered no apologies for his 

role. Till he handed over to Mr. 

William H. Twaddel, he was no doubt 

a man of courage. It is not unusual 

for the British High Commissioners 

and the American ambassadors in 

Nigeria, to play crucial roles in the 

destiny of the country. Having served 

in the Federal Government, I know 

that the British and American 

diplomats have at diffeent times 

defined the directions which this 

country should take. They have 

played that role and will continue to 

no matter what. 

In the calculation of hermajesty’s 

government, Nigeria is still a British 

colony. As for the Americans, Nigeria 

is a trading partner and an important 

African country. 

On January 16, 1966, the British 

High Commissioner in Nigeria, Sir 

Francis Cumming-Bruce could have 

prevented the coup that brought 

Major General Johnson Thomas 

Umanakwe Aguiyi Ironsi(1924- 

1966) to power. At that time, the 

British troops deployed to protect the 

Commonwealth leaders who 

converged in Lagos to discuss the 

issue of Zimbabwe, were still around 

on the high seas. Sir Bruce was 

waiting for the then Prime Minister, 

Crucial roles of American and 

British ambassadors 

Sir AbubakarTafawaBalewa (1912- 

1966) to contact him for Military 

assistance so as to quell the 

insurrection by the Army. Some of 

the Ministers of Sir Abubakar 

Tafawa Balewa notably Dr..K.O, 

Mbadiwe, Chief Richard Akinjide, 

Alhaji Maitama Sule, Alhaji Shehu 

Shagari, ShettimaAli Mongonnu, 

Alhaji Bukar Dipcharima Alhaji 

Abdul Razak and others contacted 

him but he wanted a written note 

from Sir Balewa himself. But at that 

time, Sir Tafawa Balewa had been 

assassinated. Following the medical 

trip of the non-executive President, 

Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe 

(1904-1996) to the Caribbean 

Island, the highest government 

official around then was the Senate 

President, Dr. Abyssinia Akweke 

Nwafor Orizu (1914-199) from the 

royal family of Nnewi in Anambra 

state, who did not make the request. 

When Balewa’s Ministers 

approached Sir Cumming-Bruce 

persistently to do something, he told 

them there was nothing he could do. 

A few months later, that is on July 

30, 1966, the same Sir Bruce and the 

American ambassador to Nigeria, 

Mr. Albert Matthews were at Ikeja 

cantonment when the Northern 

troops were debating whether or not 

Northern Nigeria should break 

away. For three days during that 

period, Nigeria was without a leader 

and there was apprehension in the 

country. Before then, the Head of 

State, General Aguiyi Thomas Ironsi 

was missing and the most Senior 

Military Officer, Brigadier 

Babafemi Olatunde Ogundipe 

(1924-1971) gave an order to a 

sergeant in the army and the order 

was disobeyed. So the Northern 

soldiers then met at the Ikeja 

cantonment to decide on the next line 

of action. Among those who visited 

the Northern military officers then 

were the Chairman of the Federal 

In the calculation of 

hermajesty’s 

government, Nigeria 

is still a British colony 

Public Service Commission Alhaji 

Sule Katagum, the head of the 

Northern Region’s civil service 

Alhaji Ali Akilu, MuktarTahir( a 

relative of Lt-Col Murtala 

Muhammed, the Chief Justice Sir 

Adetokunbo Ademola and several 

civil servants and permanent 

secretaries including Alhaji Musa 

Daggash (Defence), Abdul Aziz Attah 

(Finance), B.N. Okagbue (Health), 

M.A. Tokunbo, Eneli (both 

Establishments), Allison Ayida 

(Economic Planning), S.O. Williams 

(Works), Solicitor-General 

Booyamin Oladiran Kazeem, 

Phillip Asiodu, Ibrahim Damcida, 

H. A. Ejueyitchie, Yusuf Gobir, 

Anirejuoritse, Ahmed Joda and 

BubaArdo. Police participants 

included the Inspector-General of 

police, Alhaji Kam Salem, 

Commissioner of Police Theophilus 

Fagbola, and the head of the Special 

Branch Alhaji M.D. Yusuf. Some 

others not physically present 

participated by telephone (including 

the military governor of the Mid- 

West Lt-Colonel David Ejoor and the 

former Northern Region Governor 

Sir Kashim Ibrahim). Other 

Northern officers (including from 

other locations) filtered in and out 

after the debate began. The military 

participants according to Mr. Max 

Siollun present included Lt-Colonel 

Murtala Muhammed, Majors 

Martin Adamu ,Theophilus Yakubu 

Danjuma,Shittu Alao, and Musa 

Usman, Captain Joe Garba, 

Lieutenant Malami Nassarawa, D.S. 

Abubakar, Paul Dickson and Lt-Col. 

Yakubu Gowon. Although Lt- 

Colonel Gowon knew that Aguiyi- 

Ironsi was dead, this information 

was consealed and the public was 

simply told that Aguiyi Ironsi was 

“missing”. 

The British and American 

ambassadors, Sir Francis Cumming 

Bruce and Albert Matthews made it 

clear at the meeting that both the 

British and United States 

governments would oppose the 

breakup of Nigeria. They both 

threatened that both governments 

would not give aid to any part of 

Nigeria that decides to secede. 

Throughout the Civil war, that was 

the stand of both the British and 

American governments even when 

some notable countries including 

France, Gabon, and Cote de Ivoire 

recognized Biafra. If Britain and 

America had acted otherwise, I am 

sure Nigeria would have ceased to 

exist as a nation. From 

Independence till date both 

countries are still prominent in the 

affairs of Nigeria. That is the bitter 

truth. 

Since Independence to date, the 

following have served as American 

Ambassadors to Nigeria- Mr. Joseph 

Palmer, Mr. Elbert G. Matthews, 

William C. Trueheart, John 

Reinhardt, Donald B. Easum, 

Stephen Low, Thomas R. Pickering, 

Thomas W.M. Smith, Princeton 

Nathan Lyman, Lannon Walker, 

William Lacy Swing, Walter C. 

Carrington, William H. Twaddel, 

Howard Franklin Jeter, Donald K. 

Steinberg, John Campbell, Robin 

Renee Sanders, Terence P. McCulley, 

James F. Entwistle and the 

incumbent, W. Stuart Syminton. 

The following too have served as 

British High Commissioners to 

Nigeria- Antony Head, Sir Francis 

Cumming-Bruce, Sir David Hunt, 

Sir Leslie Glass, Sir Cyril Pickard, 

Sir Martin Le Quesne, Sir Sam 

Falle, Sir Mervyn Brown, Sir 

Hamilton Whyte, Sir Martins 

Ewans, Brian Barder, Christopher 

MacRae, Thorold Masefield, Sir 

Graham Burton, Sir Phillip Thomas, 

Sir Richard Gozney, Robert Dewar, 

Andrew Lloyd, Sir Andrew Pocock 

and the incumbent, Paul Arkwright. 

Although the media, highlights the 

events of what happens in various 

countries but the cables sent by 

diplomats to their home countries 

count more. It is these cables that 

the home countries rely on before 

they take decisions on foreign 

countries. 

It is in the light of these that I 

welcome the new British High 

Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona 

Wendy Campbell Laing from 

Zimbabwe whom I understand will 

resume in November at the peak of 

our campaign for both the 

Presidential, National Assembly and 

Gubernatorial elections. Married to 

Mr. Clive David Bates, she has 

worked in United Nations mission 

in Somalia and also worked in 

Botswana. She has been British 

High Commissioner to Zimbabwe 

since 2014. I do not know what role 

she played in the eventual downfall 

of Mr. Robert Mugabe last 

November but I understand in 

Harare that Ms Laing an 

Economist, is regarded as a “trouble 

shooter.” And never underrate the 

power and influence of a diplomat 

especially the British and American 

diplomats. Their power and 

influence go beyond what we 

imagine. Ms Laing is most welcome 

and I wish her a happy stay in 

Nigeria.

IMF upgrades Nigeria’s 2019 GDP 

growth forecast to 2.3% 

•Retains 3.9% forecast for global economy 

By Babajide Komolafe 

THE 

International 

Monetary Fund (IMF) 

yesterday upgraded its growth 

rate forecast for Nigeria’s Gross 

Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019 

to 2.3 percent, while retaining 2.1 

percent for 2018, citing improved 

crude oil prices. 

The IMF announced the 

upgrade in its World Economic 

Outlook (WEO) Update, July 

2018 titled, ‘Less Even 

Expansion, and Rising Trade 

Tensions’. 

The 2019 GDP growth forecast 

of 2.3 percent announced for 

Nigeria was 0.4 percentage 

points higher than the 1.9 percent 

announced in April this year. 

Though the IMF retained GDP 

growth forecast of 3.4 percent for 

the Sub-Saharan Africa in 2018, 

it upgraded its forecast for 2019 

to 3.8 percent, from 3.7 percent 

announced in April, citing rise in 

commodity prices. 

The IMF stated: “The recovery 

in Sub-Saharan Africa is set to 

continue, supported by the rise 

in commodity prices. For the 

region, growth is expected to 

increase from 2.8 percent in 2017 

to 3.4 percent this year, rising 

further to 3.8 percent in 2019 (0.1 

percentage point higher for 2019 

than forecast in the April WEO). 

The upgraded forecast reflects 

improved prospects for Nigeria’s. 

“Its growth is set to increase 

from 0.8 percent in 2017 to 2.1 

percent in 2018 and 2.3 percent 

in 2019 (0.4 percentage point 

higher than in the April WEO for 

2019) on the back of an improved 

outlook for oil prices. 

“Despite the weaker than 

expected first quarter outturn in 

South Africa (in part due to 

temporary factors), the economy 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$107.05 0.00 

$2,517.00 00.00 

$11.21 0.25 

$72.15 -3.18 

$68.09 -2.92 

304.8 305.3 305.8 

400.751 401.4084 402.0658 

354.8786 355.4608 356.0429 

303.2836 303.7811 304.2786 

2.7089 2.7133 2.7177 

0.5225 0.5325 0.5425 

427.3581 428.059 428.7602 

45.4713 45.5463 45.6214 

81.2692 81.4025 81.5358 

428.1221 428.8244 429.5267 

47.5797 47.6577 47.7358 

22.8846 22.9221 22.9597 

CBN Exchange rate as at 16/07/2018 

is expected to recover somewhat 

over the remainder of 2018 and 

into 2019 as confidence 

improvements associated with the 

new leadership are gradually 

reflected in strengthening private 

investment.” 

Furthermore, the IMF retained 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 — 19 

its growth forecast for the global 

economy at 3.9 percent for 2018 

and 2019, but expressed concerns 

over mounting risks to growth, 

calling on fiscal authorities to 

avoid protectionists’ measures 

and seek cooperative solutions 

that promote growth. 

From Left: Mr. Stephen Oke (Associate at Banwo & Ighodalo), Vivian Uyanneh, Zola Okpara 

(Founder - Zolala Learning Centre), Nneka Ofili (Associate Counsel - Sofunde Osakwe 

Ogundipe & Belgore), Jide Ayegbusi (CEO Edusko) at the 2018 Oxford and Cambridge Club 

of Nigeria Alumni in Lagos. 

Bright outlook for LNG up to 2030s — Report 

By Udeme Akpan 

THERE are indications that 

the output of the Nigerian 

Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, 

train-7 will attract higher demand 

globally, going by the forecast by 

DNV GL, a globally renowned oil & 

gas research organisation. 

In its latest report obtained by 

Vanguard, DNV GL stated: “Nearly 

half of senior oil and gas 

professionals are actively preparing 

for the transition to a lower-carbon 

energy mix. The clear majority agree 

that gas will play an increasingly 

important role over the 

next decade; the stage is 

set for it to become the 

world’s largest energy 

source in the mid-2030s. 

“The energy transition 

is the primary driver for 

investment in natural gas 

and liquefied natural gas 

(LNG) projects in 2018. 

As the oil and gas sector 

prepares for gas to 

overtake oil as the world’s 

primary energy source in 

the mid-2030s, nearly 

two-thirds (64%) of the 

industry’s senior 

professionals expect to 

increase or sustain 

spending on gas projects 

in 2018.” 

The report stated 

further: “Nearly threequarters 

(72%) believe 

that, as traditional coal 

energy generation is 

significantly reduced 

over the coming decades, the longterm 

attractiveness of gas will 

flourish. 

“The organisation predicts that 

global oil demand will plateau over 

the coming 15 years, peaking in 

the early 2020s, adding that global 

gas demand will grow for another 

two decades, peaking only in the 

mid-2030s. 

It stated: ‘’By then, gas demand 

will be around 15% greater than in 

2017, and gas will have overtaken 

oil to become the world’s largest 

energy source. Of the 813 senior 

industry professionals surveyed for 

our 2018 Oil and Gas Industry 

Outlook, nearly half (44%) report 

that their organization is actively 

preparing for a shift to lower-carbon 

energy mix this year. 

Already, NLNG has disclosed 

that it is seeking $7 billion from the 

global financial markets to sustain 

its operations and expansion 

projects which will increase its 

production capacity from 22 Million 

Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) to 30 

MTPA. 

In a statement sent to 

Vanguard, the company said, “At 

a ceremony in London today (last 

week) to commemorate the 

repayment of a US$5.45 billion 

Shareholder loan for its existing 

trains, the Managing Director 

and Chief Executive Officer of 

NLNG, Tony Attah, revealed that 

funds being sought will cover the 

company’s expansion program 

(construction of Train 7) and 

investment in the upstream gas 

sector in Nigeria that will ensure 

the sustainability of feedgas 

supply to its existing trains (Trains 

1 to 6) and the new Train 7.” 

Adopt new measures to deepen Nigeria’s capital 

market — SEC DG 

By Peter Egwuatu 

THE Securities and 

Exchange Commission, SEC, 

has charged operators to ensure 

that they adopt best practices to 

deepen the capital market in order 

to achieve increased economic 

development in Nigeria. 

Addressing members of the 

association of Stock broking Houses 

of Nigeria (ASHON) in Abuja last 

weekend the Ag. Director General 

of SEC, Ms Mary Uduk, noted 

that a well-functioning capital 

market is essential to Nigeria’s 

economic development, adding, “to 

realise its full potential, the country 

must have a world class capital 

market that is strong, sustainable, 

effective, and plays a central role 

in economic development.” 

Uduk commended members of 

the group on their efforts so far in 

deepening the market especially 

for their support towards the 

financial literacy campaign of the 

SEC and assured them of the 

Nigeria’s digital 

economy to 

generate $88bn 

by 2021 

By Prince Okafor 


investments in digital 

economy will generate $88 billion 

and create three million jobs for 

Nigerians before the end of 2021. 

Consequently, the minister of 

Industry, Trade and Investment, 

Mr Okey Enelamah, who spoke 

at the “Invest In Nigeria” Summit, 

Silicon Valley, California, USA, 

stated that the Federal 

Government is resolute on 

creating an enabling environment 

for operators. 

According to him, “The 

technology sector has recorded 

some good strides - more than 

doubling in size over the past nine 

years, now accounting for 9 

percent of our Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP. 

“From the $20m fundraise in 

Andela, to $10m fundraise in 

Flutterwave, to the $7m in 

SureRemit via a blockchain ICO, 

$1.1m in Piggybank. There are 

easily scores of these today and 

counting. 

“Today we have brought you 

some of our best: from the 

government, from the private 

sector, technology companies, 

local finance, policy makers. I hope 

this leaves no doubt as to our 

commitment to establishing a 

winning partnership with you in 

Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.” 

He stated, “The Nigerian 

delegation, led by the Vice 

President, Yemi Osinbajo, 

included senior government 

officials, regulators, companies 

leading the charge of innovation 

in Nigeria and some leading 

technology talents. 

“The primary purpose of the visit 

is towards attracting investments 

into Nigeria’s burgeoning tech 

space. It follows the Vice 

President’s inauguration last 

month of the Advisory Group on 

Technology and Creativity, 

established by President 

Muhammadu Buhari as part of an 

effort to boost industrial policies 

and competitiveness for the 

country. 

“The committee has a good 

number of private sector members 

with roots in one technology 

operations or the other. As our 

source would reveal, the Vice 

President’s entourage comprises 

a number of tech-savvy 

entrepreneurs from that advisory 

board.” 

readiness of the SEC to continue 

to work with them. 

Speaking earlier, Chairman of 

ASHON, Chief Onyewechukwu 

Ezeagu, pledged the commitment 

of the group to the growth of the 

capital market, adding that 

whatever is done to make the 

market work is of concern to the 

association. 

“We have always worked with 

SEC and will continue to do so and 

accord you all the co-operation you 

require to succeed,” Ezeagu said.


Coastal erosion: NCF seeks FG's, 

Lagos Govt's urgent intervention 

Says Lagos Island may go under water by 2030 if.. 

By Kingsley Adegboye 

Disturbed by the devastating 

effect of the fast eastward 

ocean current eating up several 

meters of land daily on the Lekki 

and Victoria Island corridors, 

thereby threatening lives and 

property along the axis, the 

Nigerian Conservation 

Foundation, NCF, has called for 

urgent intervention of the Federal 

Government to save Lagos 

coastline from imminent total 

collapse. 

Already, several coastal 

communities have been washed 

away by coastal erosion, and the 

entire Lagos might be 

submerged if nothing is done, 

following reports that the Lagos 

Island would be underwater by 

2030 and the whole of Lagos by 

2050. 

The management team of 

NCF who made the appeal in 

Lagos at the weekend during an 

advocacy campaign for coastal 

area along Lekki-Lagos Island 

axis, commended Lagos State 

Government for constructing 15 

groins along the shoreline which 

have minimised coastal erosion 

along the axis, pointing out 

however, that the extension of 

the groins up to Escravos would 

be permanent solution to the 

problem. 

Leading the campaign, Mr. 

Ede Dafinone, Chairman, Board 

of Trustees, NCF, said the entire 

Lagos metropolis was being 

threatened by coastal erosion 

and urgent intervention by the 

Federal Government was needed 

to avert the looming dangers 

ahead. 

Dafinone who, said it had been 

forecast that Lagos Island would 

be under water by 2030 and the 

entire city to be submerged by 

2050, explained that the 

problem of coastline erosion 

started during the colonial era 

when moulds were created to 

protect the Apapa-Wharf. 

He said the impact of the 

erosion caused a backlash on the 

Lekki axis causing an overflow 

of the Bar Beach, pointing out 

however, that the Eko Atlantic City 

project which commenced in 

2012, had been protecting the Bar 

beach but pushing the problem 

further downstream. 

NCF chairman who disclosed 

that Lagos State Government 

began the construction of groins 

around the Eko Atlantic City and 

Bar beach towards Elegushi 

beach to solve the problem, 

added that the initiative to erect 

five groins had effectively 

protected and replenished 14 

kilometres along the coast. 

According to Dafione: “It costs 

about a N1 billion to construct one 

groin and Lagos State 

Government’s inability to 

continue with the project suggests 

that they were overwhelmed by 

the problem. That is why we are 

seeking Federal Government's 

urgent intervention now.” 

In his presentation, Mr. Joseph 

Onoja, NCF's Director, Technical 

Programme, said by mid-2011, 

the Eko Atlantic Project 

protected the beach but the 

problem moved eastward 

between 2015 and 2016. 

•Coastal community affected by erosion 

According to Onoja, “In May 

2000, in Okun Alfa community, 

the length from the house to the 

shoreline was 109 metres. The 

coastal communities such as 

Igbo-Efon,Okun-Ajah, Okun- 

Alfa, Lafiaji which were about 

13,000 metres from the Kuramo 

waters had no fear for coastal 

erosion. 

“By mid 2011, in preparation for 

Eko Atlantic city project, and 

protecting the bar beach coast, 

sand-filling had reached about 45 

per cent. The effect along other 

coastal communities and the 

length from the house reduced to 

72 metres. There was a road 

between the house and the 

shoreline. But today, the road is 

completely washed away. 

“Between December 2015 and 

April 2016, the distance between 

the house and the road was 47 

metres, but in April 2016, the 

distance had reduced to 33 

metres. Unfortunately, before 

the construction of the groins, 

the building had been washed 

away. Since the timely 

construction of the groins, 

further damage has been 

prevented and the beach is now 

replenishing itself.” 

He, therefore, emphasised the 

urgent need for the Federal 

Government to intervene to 

protect the shorelines to ward off 

the fast ocean currents worsened 

by climate change and other 

human activities. 

“It took only 24 hours for a 

whole community to be wiped 

off in Kuramo Beach. Other 

countries are protecting their 

shorelines and we in Nigeria 

must do same”, Onoja stated. 

The Director-General, NCF, 

Mr. Muhtari Aminu-Kano, in his 

remarks, appealed to both the 

Federal Government and Lagos 

State Government to intervene in 

the protection of the shorelines as 

far as the Escravos to avert 

disaster. 

According to the DG: “The 

immediate solution is for Lagos 

to take the groins construction 

all the way to Escravos. We are 

appealing to the managers of 

the ecological fund to look in the 

area of these shorelines in 

Lagos.” 

Housing: FG grants 0% equity for loans not exceeding 

N5m to civil servants 

By Chris Ochayi 

The Federal Mortgage 

Bank of Nigeria, 

FMBN, has been mandated 

to grant 0 per cent equity for 

loans not exceeding N5 

million to federal civil 

servants. 

Minister of Power, Works 

and Housing, Mr. Babatunde 

Fashola, disclosed this while 

speaking at the 7th National 

Council on Lands, Housing, 

and Urban Development, in 

Gombe, the Gombe State 

capital. He also announced 

a reduction of equity from 20 

per cent to 10 per cent for 

loans up to N6 to N15 

million. 

Fashola said: “As for those 

who wish to buy houses, 

mortgages are the solution 

and we must issue more. This 

is in addition to a planned recapitalisation 

and the opening 

of the National Housing 

Fund, NHF, to nongovernment 

employees. 

“Between May 2015 and 

July 10, 2018, the FMBN has 

issued 3,862 mortgages to 

Nigerians to acquire their 

own homes. But this is not all 

that is happening or can 

happen in the economy with 

an appropriate commitment to 

housing.” 

The minister, while 

speaking further at the 

National Council on Housing 

with the theme: Why Housing 

Can and Should be the 

Catalyst for Development and 

Sustainable Economic 

Growth, said President 

Muhammadu Buhari was 

determined to make housing 

affordable to Nigerians. 

According to him: “Once 

again, the President has 

asked me to thank all those 

Governors who gave us land. 

Because of them, we are able 

to employ averagely, a 

thousand people at each of 

those sites, and this is only for 

the pilot stage. If you have 

been involved as I have been, 

you will know that the people 

employed at housing sites are 

builders, welders, carpenters, 

electricians, bricklayers, water 

and food vendors, and other 

suppliers along with 

labourers. 

“They are the people who are 

largely paid on a daily basis 

or on weekly, or at best 

monthly basis. 

These are some of the most 

vulnerable people in our 

economy as they are in other 

economies. Whenever 

government can reach these 

people and provide work for 

them, you know that such an 

economy is working. 

“President Buhari has 

reached these people. I have 

met them and we need to do 

more by multiplying the 

Housing commitment. But 

beyond building houses, there 

is the problem of affordability 

and definition. It seems to me 

that whether it is to buy or to 

rent, affordability will always 

be an issue. But we must start 

by making clear to our people 

that not everyone can afford to 

buy or own a house, but it is 

ideal to at least seek to shelter 

everybody who has a job, by 

rental which is affordable. 

“The question, therefore, is 

that after we have provided 

work for these vulnerable 

people, which pays them 

weekly or monthly in arrears, 

is it affordable for them when 

they seek to rent houses, and 

we ask them to pay one or two 

years rent in advance? This is 

not government, this is us, the 

landlords, and we can change 

this by accepting monthly 

rent in arrears secured with 

their employers' guarantee. 

“If this happens, we will 

see how housing will 

catalyse our economy. When 

my rent is matched with my 

income, you and I will be 

witnesses to a release and 

relief of millions of people 

who seek help to pay their 

rent even though they have 

a job. As for those who wish 

to buy houses, mortgages 

are the solution and we must 

issue more,” Fashola noted. 

Meanwhile, the minister 

equally disclosed that his 

ministry was working with 

the Ministry of Petroleum 

Resources to develop 

standards for pipes and 

installations that will 

facilitate domestic use of gas 

for cooking and heating. 

Fashola, lamenting that the 

country is underutilising its 

gas resources especially in 

the area of domestic use for 

cooking and heating, said: 

“The oil and gas sector can 

also benefit enormously from 

housing if we all commit to 

implementing the gas 

master plan.”


By Chris Ochayi 

Stakeholders in the built 

industry have mapped 

out strategies with which to 

address the issues of local 

production of building 

materials and access to land, 

which over the years, have 

remained a major 

impediment to the growth 

and development of the 

sector in the country. 

Apart from the 

encumbrances of land 

acquisition and building 

materials, the burning issue 

of mortgage financing and 

funding construction, also 

form part of the agenda to 

be addressed as 

stakeholders converge on 

Abuja, the nation’s capital 

for the 3rd Abuja Investment 

EXPO 2018. 

Speaking on the exhibition 

slated for 24th to 26th, July 

2018, Vice- President 

(Commerce), of Abuja 

Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry, ACCI, Johnson 

Somadina Anene, assured 

that the conference would 

come up with solutions to 

most of the problems 

militating against housing 

development in the country. 

Stakeholders to brainstorm on difficulties 

of accessing land, local building materials 

The theme of the EXPO is: 

Land as a Catalyst for 

Economic Advancement. 

Speaking further, Anene 

said: “You know the 

importance of shelter and we 

know that we have serious 

deficiencies in the housing 

sector of the country. So, we 

want to use this expo to 

address that and it is 

intended to project the 

provision of quality and 

affordable housing for the 

people. 

“And we also want to use 

it to canvass for the local 

production of building 

materials which we are sure 

will contribute in reducing 

the cost of housing. 

Secondly, we are also going 

to use that to address the 

issue of difficulty in 

LG Electronics showcases 

sustainable environment 

products at Lagos Expo 2018 

Electronics giant, LG 

Electronics, in its 

drive towards products 

that are environmentally 

sustainable and ecofriendly, 

exhibited its 

latest innovative products 

that can be described 

as technological 

breakthrough at the 

just-concluded West Africa 

HVAC Expo 2018 in 

Lagos. 

These products are 

designed to help home 

owners, mall owners, 

commercial property 

owners, offices, churches 

and others reduce energy 

consumption without 

causing environmental 

nuisance. 

The West Africa HVAC 

is a unique platform for 

leading brands in the 

technology industry to 

showcase their latest 

innovations. The 2018 

edition of the expo took 

place between Tuesday 

and Thursday last week 

at the Landmark Centre, 

Victoria Island, Lagos. 

The event offered an 

unrivaled opportunity for 

companies to further 

make public statements 

in terms of their 

positioning in the 

industry and their new 

offerings. 

The three-day event 

played host to thousands 

of trade buyers and many 

participants as the 

leading trade event for air 

conditioning, installation 

system, refrigerator, 

water treatment, and 

insulation. The gathering 

also played host to 

professionals, 

contractors, wholesalers, 

•Low income residential estate 

dealers, architects and 

others, under one 

umbrella to showcase 

their latest products. 

Participants were 

obviously impressed with 

the products displayed at 

LG Electronics booth as 

they kept visiting the 

stand in their numbers, to 

catch a glimpse of LG's 

latest products. The array 

of products on display 

include; Multi V 5 Air 

Conditioning system, 

Smart Inverter Floor 

Standing and all new 

Gencool AC 

Commenting on the 

company’s performance 

at the exhibition, Mr. C. 

Y. Park, General 

Manager, Air Solutions 

Division, LG Electronics 

West Africa Operations, 

said: “We are proud to be 

part of this exhibition, 

and as it was clearly 

observed, LG Electronics 

displayed its array of 

unbeatable innovative 

products which have 

stood it out among other 

brands.” 

Park added that the 

conceptualisation of this 

whole idea is laudable 

and must be commended. 

The main attraction at 

the exhibition stand is the 

LG’s Multi V 5 which is 

the 5th generation of 

Multi V designed to 

endure any ultimate 

environment. It has an 

Ocean Black fin heat 

exchanger that is a 

leading example of the 

new technologies which 

have been devised to 

tackle these problems 

head on. 

According to Park, “the 

Multi V 5 is designed to 

enhance corrosion 

resistance and long 

lasting performance. 

LG’s exclusive Ocean 

Black Fin heat exchanger 

brings durability and 

long lasting performance 

even in environments 

that are packed with 

corrosive elements. It is 

designed from the 

ground up to offer 

durability with 

conventional models that 

operate a three-sided 

heat exchanger 

alongside an impressive 

four-sided heat 

exchanger. “LG’s 

corrosion resistance 

technologies allowed the 

Multi V 5 to pass the ISO 

accelerated corrosion test 

conducted by an 

independent test 

organisation paving the 

way for a validation of the 

test result by the global 

certification organisation 

UL (Underwriters 

Laboratories. 

“The Multi V 5 has 

large capacity outdoor 

unit with biometrics 

technology-based fans of 

Multi V 5 which 

increases air flow rate and 

reduces power 

consumption. Along with 

other improvements in 

core parts, Multi V 5 

single outdoor unit can 

provide large capacity up 

to 26HP. The large 

capacity outdoor units of 

Multi V 5 allows flexible 

use of floor space by 

minimising installation 

area and significantly 

decreasing total installed 

weights,” Park stated. 

accessing land and also the 

difficulty in registering land 

titles. 

“Thirdly, the expo will seek 

to also address the burning 

issue of mortgage financing 

and provision of funds for 

construction because if the 

cost of construction is high, 

it will add to the cost of 

delivery and on the long 

run, the final consumers will 

bear the brunt. 

“So, the bottom line is to 

try as much as possible to 

reduce the cost of production 

because if you cannot 

reduce the cost of 

production, it now becomes 

even more difficult to reduce 

the selling price of any 

product. You have to work 

on the cost of production, 

get it as low as possible so 

that the delivery price will 

be able to come down. 

“The theme: Land as a 

catalyst for economic 

advancement, does not 

mean that we are restricting 

ourselves to construction 

and using local materials 

despite the importance of 

housing for human beings, 

but we know that whatever 

we do is on land even if you 

are rendering services. 

“So, the focus here is on 

land not on building or 

construction. The theme: 

Land as a catalyst for 

economic advancement, 

means that every economic 

activity has a bearing 

whether directly or 

indirectly on land. This 

further means that land is 

very key to anything, any 

economic activity that you 

wish to engage in. 

“If we can make access to 

land easier and more 

affordable, it will affect every 

other thing. That is why we 

have pinned it down to 

land, that is, making land 

more easily accessible to 

business people for 

economic activities”, Anene 

noted. 

According to him, “This 

expo is also intended to 

help in furthering Federal 

Government’s initiative on 

poverty alleviation and job 

creation and by so doing, 

improve the security of lives 

and property 

“This is the third edition, 

it started in 2016. The last 

two editions held at the 

Yar’Adua Centre and they 

were successful and we are 

confident that this year’s 

edition will be very 

successful given the level of 

cooperation and patronage. 

“We are sure it will impact 

very positively on the 

participants both foreign 

and local on the one hand, 

and the nation on the other 

hand. Most of the 

embassies are interested in 

the expo, and quite a good 

number of companies from 

those countries have 

indicated their willingness 

to attend this programme 

and Nigerian business 

organisations too. 

“The programme is going 

to be in several folds; there 

will be exhibition of products 

and services, business 

seminars, business to 

business meetings and talk 

shows. It is meant to 

exchange ideas for those 

that are looking for partners, 

agents, new markets and 

those aspiring to explore 

new business 

opportunities,” Anene said.

22— Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 

VOL. 1: NO. 175 

75 TUESDAY, , JULY Y 16, 6, 2018 

18 

DELTA... 

................. 

How Presco changed our lives 

– Host communities 

* The company gives us jobs, contracts – Edo, Delta villagers 

* With 6 companies like Presco, life will not be the same – Chief Adjene Ojo 

By EMMA AMAIZE & 

PEREZ BRISIBE 

HOST communities in Edo 

and Delta states have 

spoken well of the Nigerian 

market leader for specialty fats 

and oils, Presco Plc, for turning 

around the lives of men and 

women in the localities and 

giving the people grounds to 

smile. 

Community leaders and 

representatives, who spoke to 

NDV, maintained that the fully 

integrated agro-industrial 

establishment with oil palm 

plantations, palm oil mill, palm 

kernel crushing plant and 

vegetable oil refining and 

fractional plant, has been a 

source of blessing to the people, 

and they would want the various 

communities, governments of 

Delta and Edo states to support 

the company that produces 

excellent quality products to 

customer satisfaction for greater 

benefits to the people. 

A leader of Ugbigun 

community in Orhiohmwon 

Local Government Area, Edo 

State, Mr. John Palmer, whose 

forefather originated from Igun 

community in Ethiope East 

Local Government Area, Delta 

State, said: “Presco is just two 

years old in the area (Ugbigun) 

and they have tried in terms of 

youth empowerment and job 

creation.” 

Over 100 Ugbigun 

indigenes engaged – Palmer 

“For now, in my community, 

over 100 persons made up of 

men and women have 

benefitted. They are new in that 

area, but have done a lot for us, 

including grading our road. 

“The little problem we are 

having now is just noise over 

farmlands, which we believe is 

a normal thing but for now, in 

my area, the people are 

gradually adjusting because 

most of them now have jobs 

with the company, while 

others upon being 

compensated, moved to other 

areas to continue with their 

farming,” Palmer said. 

He clarified that though his 

forefather was from Igun in 

Delta state, he went across the 

river to settle down in the 

present-day Ubigun, where he 

(Palmer) was born and attended 

Primary School 

His words: “We in Ugbigun 

community have always been 

under Orhionmwon Local 

Government Area right from the 

Mid-West era to the creation of 

defunct Bendel State and now 

Edo State. The Ubigun Primary 

School is being supervised by 

the Ministry of Education in 

Orhionmwon.” 

…Provided contracts for 

locals, Pator Atoe, Orogho 

community 

Speaking for Orogho 

community, Pastor Blessed 

Nosa Atoe, who represented the 

Enojie told NDV: “I was 

formerly the chairman of the 

Orogho Development 

Association before the Oba 

dissolved it. We have common 

boundary with Delta 

communities. Some of the ones 

close to us include Eku, Abraka 

and Orogun. Before the arrival 

of Presco in our area, 

criminality was on the increase 

amidst high rate of 

unemployment and food 

insufficiency. 

“Also, the company has 

provided contracts for locals in 

the area with prompt payment 

upon the completion of such 

contracts. Anyone in the area 

claiming that the company has 

no positive impact on them, I 

would consider such a person 

as ungrateful. 

“I have never heard of the 

name Ovre’Eku, I have only 

heard of the name Eku 

•Jackson Orogun 

community, Igun, Abraka 

and a bunch of other 

communities which are 

closer to us. 

No forceful entry in our 

area 

Before Presco started 

operation in the area, 

there were series of 

communications and 

meetings with us 

while I was in 

position as chairman; 

they told us of their 

plans before they 

came in, they did not 

come in with force 

•Section of Sakponba Estate oil palm nursery 

•John Palmer 

“Before Presco started operation 

in the area, there were series of 

communications and meetings 

with us while I was in position as 

chairman. They told us of their 

plans before they came in, they 

did not come in with force, 

preference was given to the 

community in terms of jobs. 

“Ivwebo is a community under 

the Enojie of Orogho. Ivwobo has 

a primary school called Ato 

Primary School. The people living 

there are farm settlers who were 

not chased out of their settlement. 

Even before Presco launched into 

that area, assessment was made, 

after the company carried out the 

assessment, many that were 

having crops on ground 

benefitted, according to the sizes 

of their farms and other things 

involved. 

“So, Presco did not just walk into 

the place and start chasing people 

out of the community. I know 

that the very first time they went 

to access the area, they came to 

my place. 

“The people of the area have 

at no time ever resisted the 

Enojie as their head, even 

when he calls on all community 

heads to see them in his palace, 

Ivwebo would be ably 

represented. I remember three 

years ago when Enojie did Igue 

festival, he toured round all the 

communities and he was 

welcomed warmly at Ivwebo,” 

he said. 

Presco’s activity speaks 

for it in Ivwebo- Edevbie 

Mr Emmanuel Edevbie, a 

leader of Ivwebo community 

told our reporters: “I am a 

leader of Ivwebo community. I 

represent the Edo State 

Government and the Enojie in 

the community. Ivwebo is a 

name known in the government 

system; we have an electoral 

system there, a school and other 

government establishments. It 

is pronounced as Ivweborho by 

the Urhobos. 

"The impact of Presco in the 

area is there to speak for itself. 

If I have the opportunity to 

approach the Delta State 

Government, I would have done 

so by telling them that they 

should appreciate Presco for 

what they are doing in that 

axis,” he added. 

80% of employees in 

Sakponba Estate are 

Deltans 

Edevbie disclosed: “Sakponba 

Estate is owned by Presco and 

of the number of persons that 

have been employed in that 

area, about 80 per cent are from 

Delta State and I expect the 

state government and the 

Ethiope East Local Government 

Council, which most of the 

Delta workers come from, to 

appreciate this company 

because there would be no 

development when the people 

are not employed. 

“And each time salary is paid, 

you see the boom in commercial 

activities at Eku market and if 

you go to Eku every morning 

when the workers are going to 

work, you would see a large 

number of Deltans leaving Eku 

to Edo State for work and this 

is just a fraction of the number 

of persons to be employed for 

this project. So, it is like an open 

door for both indigenes and 

non-indigenes of the place. The 

impact is immeasurable if you 

ask me,” he said. 

Nobody drove us from our 

land 

The community leader 

disagreed that the company 

forced people out of the area, 

saying: “There were 

consultations at some levels 

before the misapprehension, so 

the company pulled out, met us 

at Ivwebo, had series of 

meetings, then the Eku 

Traditional Council, Eku, Delta 

State, also invited them for 

similar meetings, they came 

with the chairman but the 

meeting met a deadlock as 

there was no mutual agreement 

and before they carry out any 

project, they normally embark 

on sensitisation of the people, 

especially as regards their High 

Conservation Area, for people 

to steer clear of such areas.” 

According to him: “The 

people of Ivwebo were not 

chased away and there are 

people living there. Like I said 

earlier, we have a school there, 

a church and a borehole erected 

by the Edo State Government 

and a school built by New Cross 

Petroleum and I am the 

Community Liaison Officer, 

CLO. We are not having any 

problem with New Cross as 

well. 

“In my community, Ivwebo, 

Presco has not tampered with 

any land there though Ivwebo 

Continues on Page 23

How Presco changed our lives 


is in their concession, and they 

had also acknowledged that 

they would come in to extend 

their farms because the 

community is in the middle of 

their Certificate of Occupancy, 

C of O, but that does not mean 

that we would not have a place 

to farm. Where they are now is 

the desert area and other 

unreserved area. 

“Talking about compensation, 

yes, it has been paid. So many 

of the farmers if not all, have 

been compensated except those 

who were not on ground,” the 

community leader said. 

Secretary-General of Ivwebo 

community, Mr. Robinson 

Ohwojeheri, who also spoke to 

NDV, said:”Presco should stay 

because they have actually 

impacted our communities and 

environs positively. Immediately 

Presco came in following the 

economic meltdown in the 

country, they did some 

employment, and in no time, I 

personally noticed that the 

market place that I used to pass 

has started booming, especially 

when the salaries of Presco staff 

are paid and the Eku people can 

testify to that.” 

Iwevbo founder is from 

Eku- Ohwojeheri 

"The company has employed 

Ivwebo people, who are firstly 

Eku people because the founder 

of Ivwebo is from Eku. He 

crossed over and founded the 

place, so by implication, the 

founder of Iwvebo crossed over 

from Eku to found the place. 

“And I also want to appreciate 

the Okarho of Eku for his 

understanding because at a 

time, he was misled, but when 

he saw the goodness that the 

company is bringing down to 

Eku, himself and other elders 

of the community stopped 

listening to those against 

Presco,” he revealed. 

Criminality reduced 

Ohwojehri said: “They now 

realise that armed robbery and 

other forms of criminality have 

reduced. If you go to Eku now, 

you would see new motorcycles. 

The people having worked in 

Presco have been able to save 

some money, buy new 

machines, and embark on 

transportation after the close of 

work. The Delta State 

Government should be happy 

about the presence of this 

company. 

“I heard a woman who said 

she has been into farming for 

donkey years and she has not 

been able to change her 

mattress and buy a television, 

but for the few months she was 

employed by Presco, she has 

been able to buy new mattress, 

television and now pay her 

THE TEAM 

THE TEAM 

Emma Amaize - Editor 

Samuel Oyadongha -Yenagoa 

Simon Ebegbulem - Benin City 

Jimitota Onoyume - Warri 

Gabriel Enogholase- Benin City 

Festus Ahon- Asaba 

Egufe Yafugborhi -Port Harcourt 

Emmanuel Una- Calabar 

Harris-Okon Emmanuel - Uyo 

Akpokona Omafuaire- Warri 

Godwin Oghre- Sapele 

Chioma Onuegbu -Uyo 

Ike Uche -Calabar 

Davies Iheamnachor -Port Harcourt 

Emem Idio -Yenagoa 

Brisibe Perez - Ughelli 

Theresa Ugbobu - Agbor 

Ochuko Akuopha -Oleh 

Nath Onajoke - Asaba 

Chijioke Nwankpa - Port- Harcourt 

•Pastor Blessed Nosa Atoe 

•Chief Adjene Ojo 

children’s’ school fees and this 

also does not stop her from her 

little farming activities. When I 

heard her story, I was elated,” he 

stated. 

“Go to the Eku Police Post, they 

would tell you that since the 

presence of the company, the 

incidence of stealing has reduced 

to the barest minimum, so I would 

say that Presco has impacted us 

positively. Apart from that, we have 

people that have vehicles and 

equipment which are hired by the 

company for the transportation of 

workers, and other uses. 

Farming can’t stop 

development 

“It is also worthy of note to state 

here that farming cannot stop 

development and I cannot see 

reasons with those clamouring that 

they would not see garri to eat 

because development is coming to 

us,” he said. 

Big relief to 

Obanakhoro 

community – 

Orogun 

Mr. Jackson Orogun 

from Obanakhoro 

community in 

Orhionmwon, Edo 

State, stated 

categorically: “As far as 

Presco is concerned, 

they are a very nice 

company. The first time 

they came in, nobody 

understood their 

views, but to the best 

of my knowledge, 

Presco is a very good 

company and their 

coming has become a 

very big relief to so 

many people in terms 

of employment and 

other areas. 

“I am a community 

representative of the Enojie or 

Orogho under the community 

Elders Council in 

Obanakharo. At Presco, if we, 

indigenous contractors and 

others, meet them for contract, 

they always stand by us and 

do it. So we have been living 

peacefully with them as 

regards this project. We have 

never had any fight with 

Presco. 

It was our forefathers 

that went to 

Iwevbo to found 

the place, but the 

land in question is 

an Edo land; but at 

the time, there was 

nothing like Edo 

and Delta states 

“Presco has a new plantation 

called Sakponba Estate and I 

think Obanakhoro has the 

largest land in that estate. 

Presco has never done 

anything bad to us, we have 

been working peacefully with 

the company and as I speak 

with you now, they are all in 

the field working,” he stated. 

With 6 companies like 

Presco, life will not be the 

same - Ojo 

Another community leader 

from Iwevbo community, Chief 

Adjene Ojo, asserted: “Presco 

has really done well for us. The 

only issue we have is in the 

area of compensation. The 

company only paid 

compensation for crops on the 

•Robinson Ohwojeheri 

•Edevbie Emmanuel 

Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 — 23 

land, but for persons like us, my 

father has up to 10 acres where 

people farm and when the 

company came to do the 

enumeration, my tenants were 

compensated, but I that own the 

land, the officer in charge told 

me that he is not paying for the 

land, this is the only area I see 

that did not go well with us. 

“That aside, it is now that I 

know that when you finish 

school, there is opportunity for 

you to have employment because 

the word, employment, had died 

a natural death, especially in 

Delta State, but with Presco, you 

would see that they have room 

for various categories of people, 

both educated and uneducated. 

People troop to Eku 

“In nearby communities like 

Eku, if you see the population, it 

is much as people have been 

trooping in to see how they can 

get jobs. We did not even know 

that we had such population that 

are looking for jobs. 

“This has also improved the 

society and environment. People 

even came from Warri, including 

Calabar. In short, if we can see 

six companies like Presco, I 

believe the problem of 

unemployment would be solved 

and at the same time, the crime 

in the area has also reduced as 

prior to now, we have had cases 

of breaking and entry into 

people’s houses to steal as little 

as garri. 

“I reside in Eku in Delta State 

and I am from Ivwebo community. 

Not everybody in the community, 

however, has a job with Presco 

to feel the impact of the 

company. Some have land but 

do not have farm, people rent 

their land. Like in my area, they 

took land, for which people had 

earlier paid me rent, but I had to 

refund money to them, so in such 

cases, not everybody would be 

happy. 

Nothing like Edo, Delta 

when Ivwebo was founded 

“While in the defunct Bendel 

State, it was our forefathers that 

went to Iwevbo to found the 

place, but the land in question 

is an Edo land. But at the time, 

there was nothing like Edo and 

Delta states. As at then, there 

were people taking 

responsibility for the teachers in 

Ivwebo and same also applies 

during electoral process, but 

now that they have carved out 

the two states of Edo and Delta, 

boundary adjustment has not 

been made. 

Why there is divergence 

"There is impact of Presco in 

the area. But like the King of 

Abraka now, he has palm trees 

in the area, so now that Presco 

has taken the place, his own 

needs to be removed so that 

Presco can use the land; this is 

where you see crisis. 

"Besides, to enter Abraka, 

there should be proper 

negotiation, that I do not know 

if they did, but in Eku, they 

came, in Ivwebo, they came, but 

I cannot tell in the case of 

Abraka. Also, some persons 

would feel they were not 

properly compensated, if not, 

everybody feels the impact, 

including those residing in 

Abraka with many also 

demanding to be employed. 

Undercover from Eku to 

Sakponba state 

With the buzz about Presco 

and employment index in Eku, 

one of our reporters joined the 

workers undercover from Eku to 

Sakponba Estate in Edo State 

recently. 

“The average day of a Presco 

staff starts from 5.30 am and 

ends at about 12 noon from 

Monday to Sunday depending 

on the department/unit of the 

staff. 

Presco buses arrive the 

various bus stops at Eku, 

Samagidi and Sanubi, all in 

Delta State and Obanikhoro, 

Orogho communities in Edo 

State. A huge chunk of the staff 

reside in Eku community, which 

has eight buses conveying 

workers to Sakponba Estate, 35 

minutes away from Eku main 

town. 

The staff, most of whom work 

at the Palm field, are grouped 

into gangs (units) with a 

headman/headwoman 

overseeing their daily activities. 

Gangs are made up of 30 

workers and are placed under 

a Division, which has an 

average of 400 workers. The 

headman/headwoman reports 

to the Technical Officer 

answerable to the Estate 

Manager. 

Commencement/End of 

day activities 

From the bus stop, the 

workers are dropped off at their 

various muster points for 

onward dispersal as gangs to 

their respective work outlets 

which starts at about 8 a.m. 

At the muster points, each 

worker records his/her 

presence for the day’s job by 

entering their thumbprint on a 

biometric device, which is 

monitored by a biometric officer 

stationed at the various muster 

points in the estate. This is done 

alongside a headcount by the 

headman/headwoman of the 

respective gangs in a bid to 

check absenteeism by the 

workers. 

The workload of the workers 

includes slashing, ring 

weeding, fertiliser application 

and wire collaring. 

At the end of the day, the 

workers after clocking out using 

the thumb printing machine, 

are conveyed back to their 

respective bus stops with the 

company buses. 

Another empowerment for 

locals 

The bus providers, mainly 

people from the communities, 

are paid by Presco for conveying 

the workers to and from work. 

This is a goodwill gesture 

aimed at empowering people 

from the community.

24— Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 

Work in progress at Presco’s 

Sakponba Estate 

AN NDV reporter travelled anonymously from Eku, Delta State, the major 

base of Presco Plc with the field workers to the company’s fledgling 

Sakponba Estate in Edo State to observe the workers at work. His findings 

are captured in pictures. 

•Workers disembarking from vehicles at a muster point 

•A worker thumb printing 

•Workers at a morning devotion before moving 

to their respective work units 

•Technical Officer briefing workers at the muster 

point after a prayer session 

•Some female workers getting ready for the day’s 

work 

•Newly planted seedlings 

•Already sprouted palms 

•Men at work at the plantation

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 — 25

26— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 

Safaricom 

positions Nairobi 

as Africa’s Jazz 

hub 

Jazz exists in many forms. It can be relaxing, 

upbeat, slow, fast, erratic, and so many other 

variations. The best jazz music can transport a 

listener to a different time and place, wringing every 

ounce of emotion out of them before bringing them back 

to the present.Finding these experiences involves making 

other, more physical journeys. The best place to find the 

latest and greatest jazz is at one of the many jazz festivals 

held annually around the world. If you have an inclination 

to travel to see Jazz Festivals then you certainly have must 

have experienced the Safaricom Jazz Festival. Held each 

year since 2014, the International Jazz Festival has evolved 

into a huge celebration of jazz music. The Festival prides 

itself in bringing together talented musicians from all over 

the world and has played a significant role in nurturing 

the Kenyan jazz scene, making the genre more accessible 

to fans and bringing together music lovers for a good 

cause. The event is exclusively owned by Safaricom, 

Kenya’s largest provider of converged communication 

solutions. Safaricom Limited is also Kenya’s leading 

Mobile Telephone Operator. It was formed in 1997 as a 

fully owned subsidiary of Telkom Kenya. Safaricom is 

listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and trades on the 

telecommunications and technology segment. Bob 

Collymore discusses the legacy of the festival. 

What is the Safaricom 

International Jazz Festival all 

about? 

The Safaricom International 

Jazz Festival is about four 

things: (1) Giving fans an 

international jazz music 

experience (2) Supporting 

local jazz musicians by giving 

them a platform to showcase 

their talents as well as share 

the stage with internationally 

acclaimed musicians (3) 

Raising money to support 

Ghetto Classics, a music 

programme that seeks to teach 

music skills to youth aged 10- 

19 years(4) Raising the 

standards of jazz in Kenya to 

create a jazz music festival that 

is just as big – if not bigger 

than – the Cape Town 

International Jazz Festival. 

What inspired you to start a 

jazz festival in Kenya? 

We saw an opportunity 

created by the vacuum in the 

jazz space. There were live 

music events but there was 

none specifically for jazz 

lovers, so we came up with a 

concept that we felt would fill 

that vacuum and give jazz/ 

live music fans an event to 

look forward to, apart from 

the smaller performances in 

bars and restaurants. But for 

me, the truly inspiring 

element of the festival is the 

opportunity to allow children 

from less privileged parts of 

Kenya to access music. The 

Ghetto Classics program aims 

to uplift children from 

Korogocho by providing them 

with access to music lessons 

and providing them with the 

access to global mentors who 

are part of the Jazz Series. 

What is the long term vision 

of the Safaricom 

International Jazz festival? 

We see the Safaricom 

International Jazz Festival as 

having the potential to be one 

of the biggest live jazz music 

festivals in Africa, attracting 

music lovers from all over the 

world and positioning Nairobi 

as a jazz music hub in Africa. 

We’ve grown significantly 

since we had the first event 

two years ago. We’ve grown 

from a crowd of 5000 people 

at Ngong’ Racecourse in 2014 

to 11,000 people last year, so 

we’re clearly on to 

something.We’d like to see 

more local and international 

jazz musicians perform at the 

Safaricom International Jazz 

Festival, enjoying a crosscultural 

exchange that will 

influence the growth and 

development of jazz music in 

Kenya.Having seen the 

impact of the Festival on 

Ghetto Classics, we also plan 

to keep supporting the 

programme so that it can 

scale up and transform the 

lives of more Kenyan youth, 

especially those from lower 

income neighborhoods. 

What milestones has the 

Safaricom International jazz 

festival achieved so far? 

The growth in numbers has 

been more than we 

anticipated. Going from 5000 

to 11000 in the first two years 

is a sign that our audience 

appreciates what we’re doing, 

so we’re constantly pushing 

ourselves to do more to 

Bob Collymore 

sustain the momentum. 

We’ve brought in a good lineup 

of big name artists, 

including: Kunle Ayo, 

Jonathan Butler, Jimmy 

Dludlu, Richard Bona, 

Rhythm Junks, The Nile 

Project, Grammy Award 

winners Kirk Whalum& 

Norman Brown, multiple 

Grammy Award nominee 

Gerald Albright, Salif Keita 

and Shelea. The Kenyan 

musicians have proved to be 

just as talented as the 

international stars, with 

performances by Aaron 

Rimbui, Chris Bittok, Eddie 

Grey, Juma Tutu and the 

Swahili Jazz Band, James 

Gogo and the Gogosimo 

Band, Afrosync and Edward 

Parseen and the Different 

Faces Band. 

We’ve also raised over 

Ksh.12 million since 2014, 

money which has helped 

support the Ghetto Classics 

programme. So far, over 500 

children have benefitted from 

the programme, with 300 still 

currently taking music 

lessons. This must be the 

biggest achievement for us so 

far: seeing these children 

excel in music and their 

studies, and get a chance to 

escape the poverty and 

hardship that is life in the 

slum. We are using music to 

transform their lives, and are 

seeing the impact extend 

beyond these youngsters to 

their families and friends. 

There are other Jazz 

festivals in Africa including 

the Cape Town Jazz. What 

would make jazz lovers from 

around the world diarize the 

Kenyan Jazz festival? 

Kenya is a great destination 

overall. We’ve got sun, sand, 

safari, rich culture and now, 

jazz music. Coming to Kenya 

for the Safaricom 

International Jazz Festival 

will be nothing short of a 

CEO, Safaricom 

memorable experience, and 

will complete any tourist’s 

holiday or visit.Not many 

countries can offer you a game 

drive in the morning, a jazz 

festival in the afternoon and 

signature Kenyan cuisine 

(nyamachoma) to end your 

day. 

Is Safaricom benchmarking 

the festival with other 

festivals? Which festivals are 

these? 

We’re looking at the most 

We see the 

Safaricom 

International 

Jazz Festival as 

having the 

potential to be 

one of the 

biggest live jazz 

music festivals in 

Africa 

popular jazz festivals around 

the world: Cape Town 

International Jazz Festival, 

New Orleans Jazz and 

Heritage Festival, Montreal 

International Jazz Festival 

(Montreal, Canada), 

Montreux Jazz Festival 

(Montreux, Switzerland) and 

Copenhagen Jazz Festival 

(Copenhagen, Denmark) 

The proceeds go to the 

Ghetto Classics Program. 

What made Safaricom support 

this programme? 

Our mission is to transform 

lives, and in this case to 

transform the lives of youth in 

Korogocho through music. 

When we saw how talented 

the children in the Ghetto 

Classics programme were we 

decided to form a long-term 

partnership that would be 

supported by the Safaricom 

International Jazz Festival. 

There is a tourism aspect to 

the Safaricom International 

Jazz Festival. Last year there 

was for the first time a 

festival in Mombasa. You had 

mentioned last year that the 

festival would be going to 

Maasai Mara. What is the 

tourism and travel aspect of 

the festival? 

We haven’t yet settled on the 

next venue for the Festival, 

although we’re definitely still 

interested in growing it 

beyond Nairobi. 

We see an opportunity for 

music lovers to travel to 

Nairobi to attend music 

festivals we just like they do 

for other music festivals 

around the world. Kenya is 

already one of the world’s 

most loved travel 

destinations, and we’re 

positioning the Safaricom 

International Jazz Festival as 

another offering in addition to 

sun, sand and safari. 

The Festival is about music, 

food, and fun in one of Africa’s 

most culturally heterogeneous 

cities, and we believe that 

with time it will have the 

capacity to attract both 

domestic and international 

tourists. 

How is Safaricom using this 

festival to grow Kenyan 

talent? 

We have a lot of really 

talented jazz musicians in 

Kenya but many of them only 

get to play to relatively small 

crowds at bars, restaurants 

and corporate events. One of 

the aims of the Safaricom 

International Jazz Festival is 

to provide a platform for local 

jazz musicians to showcase 

their talent to bigger crowds, 

as well as share the stage 

with international musicians. 

We hope that this kind of 

exposure will help them grow, 

as well as grow the market for 

live jazz music in Kenya and 

therefore make it profession 

that more talented musicians 

can make a living from. 

How will the Safaricom 

International Jazz festival 

impact the music scene in the 

long term? What is its legacy? 

In the long term, we see the 

Festival becoming one of the 

top 5 jazz festivals in the 

world. We want it to contribute 

towards making Nairobi a 

hub of live jazz music and 

growing our musicians into 

internationally acclaimed 

names. 

We also hope to see more 

talent nurtured through the 

Ghetto Classics programme 

that we support; we believe 

this talent can shape the 

future of Kenya’s music scene. 

Do companies have 

responsibilities to the 

communities around them to 

support and grow the artistic 

scene? 

Companies have a 

responsibility to support the 

communities they operate in, 

be it by supporting the arts or 

other programmes. It would 

be great to see more 

companies supporting the 

local arts scene though. 

There’s a lot of talent out 

there, and we’ve seen this 

through our support of the 

Michael Joseph Centre and 

Ghetto Classics.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 —27 

Adegbohungbe appointed ED/COO, Coronation 

Merchant Bank Group 

THE Board of Directors 

of Coronation Merchant 

Bank Limited has announced 

the appointment of 

Banjo Adegbohungbe as an 

Executive Director and 

Chief Operating Officer of 

the Group. He will be responsible 

for the Operations; 

Information Technology; 

Digital Channels and 

Administrative Divisions of 

the bank and its subsidiaries. 

He joins Coronation Merchant 

Bank having worked 

over 11 years at Access 

Bank Plc in various leadership 

capacities including 

Group Head, Global Trade; 

Group Head, Global Payments 

and most recently, 

Group Head, Corporate 

Operations. He began his 

career in Citibank Nigeria 

(formerly Nigeria International 

Bank Ltd) in April 

1993 and rose through the 

ranks to become an Assistant 

General Manager in 

charge of the bank’s Trade 

Operations – a position he 

occupied before joining Access 

Bank in March 2007 as 

a Deputy General Manager. 

In 2011, he was promoted 

to General Manager, a position 

he held until his recent 

appointment as Executive 

Director/Chief Operating 

Officer of Coronation 

Merchant Bank. 

Banjo is a seasoned 

banker with over 25 years 

of banking experience, covering 

various aspects of 

banking including Technology, 

Payments, International 

Trade, Fixed Income, 

Loans, Process Improvement 

and Product Management. 

He holds an MBA 

from the International Institute 

for Management, IMD, 

Switzerland and is an alumnus 

of Obafemi Awolowo 

University, Ife where he 

earned a B.Sc. in Mechanical 

Engineering. He is an 

Honorary Senior Member of 

the Chartered Institute of 

Bankers and has also attended 

several executive 

management and banking 

specific developmental programs 

in leading educational 

institutions around 

the world. 

Announcing the new appointment, 

the Chairman of 

Coronation Merchant Bank 

Group, Mr. Babatunde 

Folawiyo stated that: “As a 

Bank, we maintain high corporate 

governance standards 

and ensure that 

Board appointments are in 

line with global best practices 

and industry standards.” 

He further stated, 

“Banjo brings to us a rich 

portfolio of experience garnered 

over the years in various 

leadership capacities. 

He could not have joined us 

at a more promising time in 

our journey to become 

Africa’s premier investment 

bank. I am confident his 

appointment will further 

strengthen and position the 

group for improved performance.” 

Coronation Merchant 

Bank Group was established 

to fill the gap in a longunderserved 

market segment, 

seeking to address the 

need for long-term capital 

across key sectors of the 

economy. 

The Group offers Investment 

and Corporate Banking; 

Private Banking/ 

Wealth Management and 

Global Markets/Treasury 

Services to its diverse clients. 

It also offers Securities Trading/Brokerage, 

Asset Management 

and Trustees services 

via its subsidiaries; 

Coronation Securities Limited, 

Coronation Asset Management 

Limited and 

Coronation Trustees Limited 

respectively. 

Sporton becomes chief executive of the Global Cement 

and Concrete Association 

THE Global Cement 

and Concrete Association, 

GCCA, has announced 


Benjamin Sporton as its 

Chief Executive. He will 

take up the role in early 

October. 

Benjamin Sporton joins 

the GCCA from the World 

Coal Association where he 

has served as Chief Executive 

for almost four years. As 

Chief Executive of the 

newly-formed GCCA, Benjamin 

will lead the 

association’s efforts to drive 

advances in sustainable construction, 

working to enhance 

the cement and concrete 

industry’s contribution 

to a variety of global social 

and developmental challenges. 

Albert Manifold, Chief 

Executive Officer of CRH 

Plc and GCCA President 

said: “Benjamin’s appointment 

is an important step in 

establishing the GCCA as 

a respected industry voice 

and trusted source of information 

on sustainable construction. 

His impressive 

background and experience 

in the area of industry policy 

and advocacy will help the 

association to quickly commence 

the important work 

of addressing the challenges 

facing the cement 

and concrete industry globally.” 

Benjamin Sporton said: “I 

am delighted to have been 

appointed Chief Executive 

of the Global Cement and 

Concrete Association. Concrete 

is the most consumed 

man-made product on 

earth; its role in building 

today’s modern world is absolutely 

critical, particularly 

*Sporton 

when more than one billion 

people are expected to 

move into cities by 2030. 

Concrete has proved durable 

and resilient since 

Roman times, but innovations 

in the industry are ensuring 

it meets the challenges 

of the 21st Century. I 

look forward to working with 

the industry to shape a sustainable 

future for cement 

and concrete and demonstrate 

how our product can 

help build a better world.” 

A dual Australian/British 

national, Benjamin Sporton 

joined the World Coal Association 

as its Policy Director 

in 2010 and became Deputy 

Chief Executive two years 

later. Before his appointment 

as Chief Executive in 2014, 

Benjamin led the World 

Coal Association’s strategic 

and business planning and 

was responsible for its policy 

and advocacy work with a 

particular focus on sustainable 

development and climate 

change issues. As 

Chief Executive, he has established 

the World Coal Association 

as a thought leader 

on energy and climate issues. 

Benjamin holds an 

honours degree in politics 

from the University of 

Adelaide and has also studied 

at the University of 

Buenos Aires and the Australian 

Institute of Management. 

Radisson Hotel Group appoints Feijs Regional 

Director, Francophone Africa & Egypt. 

RADISSON Hospitality 

AB, publicly listed 

on Nasdaq Stockholm, 

Sweden and part of 

Radisson Hotel Group, is 

proud to announce the appointment 

of Frederic Feijs 

as Regional Director for 

North Africa & Egypt with 

immediate effect. 

Frederic rejoins Radisson 

Hotel Group, where he 

started his career in the hospitality 

industry in 1998, at 

the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel 

Brussels. Since then, 

Frederic has held leadership 

positions across multiple 

countries and continents 

until his most recent 

position as Regional General 

Manager in French 

Polynesia. 

In his new role, Frederic 

assumes responsibility for 

the group’s presence in 

Francophone Africa and 

Egypt and will play a key 

*Adegbohungbe 

*Feijs 

role in the evolution of the 

brand in these markets. 

Frederic will be based at the 

Radisson Hotel Group’s 

Area Support Office in 

Dubai. 

Frederic is a Belgian national 

with extensive experience 

in Francophone Africa 

having worked in Tunisia, 

Ivory Coast, Mali and 

Egypt in recent years with 

Radisson Hotel Group. “I 

am very excited to re-join 

Radisson Hotel Group and 

honoured to lead the team 

in Francophone Africa and 

Egypt. Our mission is to 

enrich the lives of our 

guests, team members and 

the community in this 

unique area and make every 

moment matter,” says 

Frederic. 

Tim Cordon, Area Senior 

Vice-President, Middle 

East, Turkey and Africa, 

Radisson Hotel Group, 

said: “I am thrilled to announce 

Frederic’s appointment 

as he assumes responsibility 

for some of our 

key territories in Africa, one 

of Radisson Hotel Group’s 

core growth markets. 

Frederic’s past experience 

in this territory will play a 

significant role in strengthening 

our network in the 

region and increase operational 

synergies, for the 

greater benefits of owners, 

employees and ultimately, 

our guests. 

FG appoints Registrar for ICCON 

THE Federal Government 

has confirmed 


Mr. Wilford Zungkat 

Iwalshik as the substantive 

Registrar/CEO of the 

Institute of Chartered 

Chemists of Nigeria, 

ICCON, making him the 

third substantive Registrar 

since inception of the 

Institute. Until his appointment, 

Mr. Wilford 

Zungkat Iwalshik was an 

Assistant Director and 

Head of Research, Federal 

Capital Territory Water 

Board. Born on 3rd 

September, 1968 in 

Bwonpe, Plateau State, 

Mr. Iwalshik is a product 

of Abubakar Tafawa 

Balewa University, 

Bauchi, graduating with 

a B. Tech (Hons.) degree 

in Industrial Chemistry in 

1991. He later obtained 

M.Sc in Analytical Chemistry 

from University of 

Abuja in 2002. He joined 

the services of Engineering 

Department, Federal 

Capital Development Authority, 

FCDA, Abuja in 

February 1993 as Scientific 

Officer II and was subsequently 

posted to the 

Federal Capital Territory 

Water Board. He rose 

through the ranks to attain 

the position of Assistant 

Director /Head, Research 

in 2013. 

Mr. Wilford has served 

ICCON as well as the 

Chemical Society of Nigeria, 

CSN, in various capacities. 

These include: 

Secretary and subsequently 

Chairman, Abuja 

Chapter of the CSN, 

2009-2013 and 2013-2017 

respectively); Member, 

Local Organising Committee, 

CSN - Federation 

of African Societies of 

Chemistry, International 

Conference held in Abuja 

((2015); Council Member 

of CSN 2013 – 2017; 

Chairman, LOC, 6th 

ICCON Continuing Professional 

Development 

Programme held in Abuja 

(2014); and Member, 

ICCON Governing Council 

(2017), among others. 

A chemist with great passion 

for the Chemistry profession, 

Mr. Wilford was 

awarded the Fellowship of 

the CSN in 2012 and 

ICCON in 2018; American 

Chemical Society, ACS, 

Chemistry Ambassador in 

2015 for promoting chemistry 

and chemists in the 

community. 

He has served in various 

committees and has been 

assigned different responsibilities 

within the FCT 

Water Board which include 

Member, Committee 

for the production of Operational 

Manual/Guidelines; 

Senior Staff Disciplinary 

Committee as well 

as resource person for inhouse 

training for Quality 

Control staff. 

Klappa resigns as Addax 

Petroleum MD, Chen 

takes over 

ADDAX Petroleum 

Development Nigeria 

Ltd., a Chinese-owned 

oil firm on Wednesday announced 

the resignation 

of the Senior Vice-President/ 

Managing Director, 

Mr Colin Klappa from the 

company. 

Mrs Dorothy Atake, the 

General Manger, External 

and Government Affairs 

disclosed this in a 

statement made available 

to newsmen in Lagos. 

Atake said Mr 

Yonghong Chen, the current 

Deputy Managing 

Director, Operations, 

would take over as the 

acting managing director 

with effect from Monday, 

June 18. 

She said that Chen 

would succeed Klappa 

who has decided to leave 

the company on Sept. 30 

to pursue other interests. 

She stated: ‘’The Management 

of Addax Petroleum 

Development (Nigeria) 

Ltd. hereby announces 

the appointment 

of Mr Yonghong Chen, 

the current Deputy Managing 

Director, Operations, 

as the Acting Managing 

Director with effect 

from Monday June 18, 

2018. 

‘’He succeeds the Senior 

Vice-President & Managing 

Director, Mr Colin 

Klappa who has decided 

to leave the company on 

September 30, 2018 to 

pursue other interests.” 

Smart emerges NIA Chairman 

MANAGING Director 

of NEM Insurance 

Plc, Mr. Tope Smart 

has been elected Chairman 

of the Nigerian Insurers 

Association, NIA. 

Also elected as council 

members of the association 

were Group Managing 

Director, Aiico Insurance 

Plc, Edwin Igbiti; Managing 

Director, Mutual Benefits 

Assurance, Segun 

Omosehin and Managing 

Director, Capital Express 

Company Limited, Mrs. 

Bola Odukale. Six more 

members are expected to 

be brought into the council 

Ẇhile addressing NIA 

members, Smart said he 

will do everything possible 

to move the industry forward. 

He called on members 

to support him in moving 

the industry forward.


Power sector loss rises by 13% in 1week as inadequate gas persists 

… NNPC to increase gas supply from 1.5 to 5 bscf/d by 2020 


THE nation’s power 

sector lost a total of 

N10.7 billion in the first week 

of July 2018, showing an 

increase of 13 per cent 

compared with N9.3 billion 

recorded in the last week of 

June 2018. 

A report obtained by 

Vanguard from the office 

of the Vice President Yemi 

Osinbajo, attributed the 

development to insufficient 

gas supply as well as poor 

distribution 

and 

transmission infrastructure. 

It stated: ‘’On July 11, 2018, 

average power sent out was 

3,935MWh/hour (up by 

111.85MWh/h from the 

previous day). 2, 046.3MW 

was not generated due to non 

availability of gas. 

‘’115MW was not generated 

due to unavailability of 

transmission infrastructure, 

while 883.1MW was not 

generated due to high 

frequency resulting from 

unavailability of distribution 

infrastructure. 240MW was 

recorded as losses due to 

water management. 

‘’The power sector lost an 

estimated N1, 577, 000, 

000 (One billion five 

hundred and seventy seven 

million naira) on July 11, 

2018 due to insufficient gas 

supply, distribution 

infrastructure and 

transmission infrastructure. 

‘’The dominant constraint 

on July 11, 2018 remained 

unavailability of gas – 

constraining a total of 

2,046.3MW from being 

available on the grid. Peak 

Generation for July 11, 2018 

stood at 5, 004MW.’’ 

It added: '‘Peak Generation 

to date – 5, 222MW 

(December 18, 2017). 

Estimated Amount Lost to 

Insufficient Gas Supply, 

Distribution, Transmission & 

Water Reserves to date in 

2018 – N254, 690, 000, 000 

(Two hundred and fifty four 

billion six hundred and 

ninety million naira only).’’ 

This has consequently 

affected the supply of 

electricity to individuals, 

households 

and 

organisations nationwide. 

NNPC’s promise 

Meanwhile, the Group 

Managing Director, Maikanti 

Baru said: “Within the next 

three (3) years, with our 

Joint Venture partners, we 

are committed to increasing 

natural gas availability from 

the current 1.5bscf/d to 

about 5bscf/d in 2020. 

Consequently, the 

government will supply 

enough gas to generate up to 

15GW of electricity to the 

power sector by 2020 and 

stimulate gas-based 

industrialisation. 

“In terms of gas 

production, the domestic 

demand for gas in Nigeria is 

unprecedented, with a 

current daily realistic gas 

demand of 4,000mmscfd 

which is expected to grow 

exponentially to about 

7,500mmscfd in the next 5 

years. 

“We would continue to 

Source: Ministry of Power, Works and Housing 

progress with our Seven (7) 

Critical Gas Development 

Projects (7CGDP) which has 

also been established to 

deliver about 3.5bscfd of gas 

to the domestic market by 

2020 which is expected to 

support power aspirations 

and boost the economy. 

“Recently, we sanctioned 

the $2.8billion, 614Km 

Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano 

(AKK) pipeline project as a 

demonstration of our 

commitment which anchors 

on developing structured gas 

architecture across the 

length and breadth of Nigeria. 

This trajectory will continue 

to be our priority in the 

medium to long term. 

Osibanjo, Wabote woo investors to Nigeria 

THE average price 

of Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

Countries, OPEC’s 

basket of 14 crudes in 

the past one week was 

$74.05 compared with 

$75.13 recorded the 

previous week. 

According to OPEC’s 

calculation, the 

highest price of crude 

was recorded on July 

10, 2018, which 

averaged $76.34 per 

barrel, while the 

lowest price for the 

period under review 

averaged $72.15 

“Aside infrastructure, the 

continued implementation of 

the Gas Master Plan remains 

a core focus of the NNPC. Gas 

pricing has been adjusted to 

export parity, legacy debt 

owed by the various sectors 

to gas suppliers are being 

paid through an intervention 

fund arranged by the Central 

Bank of Nigeria (CBN). 

“Gas supply agreements will 

continue to be made effective 

with terms that assure 

bankability to provide the 

relevant comfort to the 

producers. The World Bank's 

Partial Risk Guarantee (PRG), 

will be sustained to provide 

securitisation of gas 

revenues. 

These 

By Udeme Akpan 

VICE-President, Prof. Yemi 

Osibanjo and the 

Executive Secretary of the 

Nigerian Content Development 

and Monitoring Board, 

NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Kesiye 

Wabote have wooed foreign 

investors to invest in Nigeria's oil 

and gas industry. 

The duo made the call at the 

Silicon Valley, California, USA, 

while addressing major investors 

on sectors such as oil, gas, 

power, agriculture and solid minerals. 

The delegation also highlighted 

Nigeria's market size, entrepreneurial 

spirit, vibrant young 

demography, fiscal incentives for 

pioneer investments. 

In a statement sent to Vanguard, 

NCDMB stated: ''Wabote 

was invited on the trip to expatiate 

on the NCDMB's strategies 

to deepen collaborations and sectorial 

linkages between the Oil 

and Gas Industry and the ICT 

sector. 

''The Executive Secretary used 

the opportunity to discuss with 

top fund managers, sister 

agencies and the founders of the 

start-up companies on the Board's 

focus areas in Research and Development 

and support for 

companies domiciled in Nigeria. 

''The Board has developed a 

pathway for developing research 

and development capabilities in 

the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry 

and is partnering with various 

local and international stakeholders 

on the initiatives it is pursuing 

in this regard. 

''About 11 Nigerian start-up 

interventions are boosting 

confidence in the gas sector.” 

NNPC signs $3.7bn 

agreement on gas devt 

NNPC has signed an 

agreement with Shell 

Petroleum Development 

Company, SPDC, Seplat 


Company Plc, Oando Plc and 

other partners on the 

implementation of seven 

critical gas development 

projects worth $3.7 billion to 

bridge the gas supply 

shortfall in the domestic 

market. 

Baru, identified the five 

projects by the NNPC joint 

ventures and two projects by 

the Nigerian Petroleum 

Development Corporation, 

NPDC, a subsidiary of the 

corporation, as the seven 

projects. 

According to him, some of 

the projects include, full 

utilisation of Uquo Gas Plant 

to deliver 200 million 

standard cubic feet of gas per 

day (mmscfd), through the 

NPDC's Utapate gas in Oil 

Mining Lease (OML) 13; and 

the joint development of OML 

24, a joint venture between 

the NNPC and Newcross and 

OML 55, a JV between the 

corporation and Belema Oil. 

The other projects are the 

full utilisation of Seplat 


Company Plc's Oben Gas 

Plant to deliver 465mmscfd of 

gas; and the full utilisation of 

Pan Ocean's Ovade Gas Plant 

to deliver 130mmscfd. 

companies in innovation and 

technology had the opportunity 

to make presentations to the foreign 

investors on their business 

models and the support they require. 

''The presentations covered the 

application of technology and 

innovation to address challenges 

in logistics, procurement, 

healthcare, financial services and 

insurance.'' 

It added: ''The Vice-President 

thanked the investors for honouring 

the invitation and the Nigerian 

delegation for the efforts put 

into planning the event to make 

it a resounding success. The delegation 

also visited the offices of 

Google and Linkedin in the Silicon 

Valley. 

''Other key officials in the Nigerian 

delegation included the 

Minister of Industries, Trade and 

Investment and the heads of 

Bank of Industry, BOI, Nigerian 

Investment Promotion 

Commission, NIPC, Nigerian 

Export Promotion Council, 

NEPC, Nigerian Film 

Corporation, NFC, and Nigerian 

Information Technology 

Development Agency, NITDA.'' 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Egina FPSO 

P R O M O : 

From Left: Mr 

Hubert Ngoka, 

MD, SIXXCO Oil; 

Mr John Titus, 

winner of a Tool 

Box; Mr Diepriye 

Ominorisa, 

winner of a 

mobile phone 

and Mr Steve 

Ezendiokwere, 

M a n a g e r , 

Lubricant Sales 

and Marketing 11 

Plc (former Mobil 

Oil Nigeria Plc) 

during prize 

presentation to 

winners in the 

ongoing Mobil 

Super Peel and 

Win Promo in 

Port Harcourt. 


Vanguard’s 

Electricity watch 

/ 

We are not t sentimental, emotional wor 

orking on PIB - Reps 

By Michael Eboh 

THE House of Representatives 

said it 

has eliminated sentiments 

and selfishness 

associated with Petroleum 

Host and Impacted 

Communities Development 

Bill, PHICDB. 

The PHICDB, currently 

before the National Assembly, 

along with two 

other bills, is seeking to 

include some northern 

states among petroleum 

host and impacted communities, 

especially 

those hosting oil and gas 

facilities or the facilities, 

like gas, crude oil or petroleum 

products pipeline 

passing through 

them. The northern states 

are captured as 'impacted 

communities.' 

Speaking in Abuja at a 

By Michael Eboh 

AN indigenous firm, 

M u d i a m e 

International Limited, said 

it would invest $273 

million, about N98 billion, 

to strengthen local content 

and human capacity 

development in the 

country, especially in the oil 

and gas industry. 

The Managing Director of 

the company, Mr. Sunny 

Eromosele stated in an 

interview that as part of the 

investment, which spans a 

period of 10 years, 

Mudiame International 

was at the verge of 

completing a university 

with primary focus on 

addressing human capacity 

challenges, which are 

hindering the growth of 

local content in Nigeria. 

He further stated that 

Mudiame International, an 

ISO 17025-accredited 

Nigeria-based testing, 

calibration and inspection 

company, had been able to 

manage the issue of quality 

control in Nigeria. 

He said: "As a company 

leading in the aspect of 

quality control, we are 

investing in human 

capacity development. 

That is very important. The 

people need to be 

developed first. That is why 

we set up a welding 

institute. We are not ending 

with that, to be able to 

stakeholders' conversation 

around the PHICDB, 

organised by Order 

Paper Advocacy 

Initiative, Chief Whip of 

the House of Representatives, 

Mr. 

AlhassanDoguwa, said 

the legislators had 

resolved to jettison personal 

and sectional interest 

for national interest 

and ensure that the final 

bill serves the interest of 

all Nigerians. 

He said: "Do not mind 

the sentiments that might 

have been involved in the 

bill. Of course, you cannot 

rule out sentiment 

when it comes to the 

PHICDB. However, I 

want to say that as it is 

today, we have been able 

to reduce a lot of 

sentiments and a lot of 

selfishness as far as the 

capture the sector better, 

we are setting up a 

university. We are going to 

have an industry-based 

university that will support 

the oil and gas and 

manufacturing industry." 

Eromosele noted that work 

is already on-going and on 

legislative process is 

concerned. 

"Members from across 

both divides of the Niger 

had agreed to come together 

and work in the interest 

of Nigeria. 

"Our expectation is that 

we would have this kind 

of legislation that would 

represent only the interest 

of Nigeria and not the 

interest of any one of us. 

The law is going to be 

made for Nigeria, not for 

the southern part or 

northern part of the country." 

The PHICDB is seeking 

to foster sustainable 

shared prosperity 

amongst host and impacted 

communities; provide 

direct social and economic 

benefits from petroleum 

operations to 

host and impacted communities 

and also to 

Mudiame to invest N98bn, boost local content 

the verge of completion at 

the proposed university, 

Mudiame University, 

located in Irrua, Esan 

Central Local Government 

Area of Edo State. 

He decried lack of 

government support for the 

organisation, adding that 

enhance peaceful and 

harmonious coexistence 

between settler and 

host and impacted communities. 

Also speaking, Mr. Oke 

Epia, Executive 

Director, Order Paper 

Advocacy, said it plans 

to deepen engagement 

among 

key 

stakeholders, especially 

between the populace 

and the legislators on 

critical issues in the 

PHICDB, along with other 

bills at the National 

Assembly. 

Specifically, he disclosed 

that issues of host 

communities had been 

one of the major reasons 

why the Petroleum Industry 

Bill had lingered 

at the National Assembly 

over the last two 

decades. 

the efforts of the company 

had not been appreciated 

as most requests made to 

the Nigerian Content 

Development and 

Monitoring Board, 

NCDMB, remained 

unattended to for years. 

Shortage of quality lubricants encourages adulteration - 

Mobil 

SHORTAGE of quality lubricants has been identified as a major reason for 

the emergence of adulterated products at Ikoku Spare Parts Market, Port 

Harcourt, Rivers State, but the management of 11 Plc, formerly known as Mobil 

Nigeria, has promised to flood the market with genuine lubricants. 

Manager, Lubricant Sales and Marketing, 11Plc, Steve Ezendiokwere, gave 

the assurance recently at a ceremony organised by the company to reward winners 

of the on-going Mobil Super Peel and Win Promo in Port Harcourt. 

He said: "Before now, Ikoku Automobile Spare Parts market is hub of those 

involved in the adulteration of the lubricants. We are not saying everybody is 

involved and unavailability of products in the past paved way for adulteration of 

lubricants. 

"With us, the era of unavailability of product is gone as 11Plc has taken steps to 

ensure steady availability of products. Mobil lubricants will always be available 

for purchase, forthwith. We are aligning with changing trend in the country and 

the promo is our way of saying thank you to loyal customers." 

General Manager, Lubes, 11Plc, Umesh Malik, said the promo was first of its 

kind for Mobil in Nigeria, just as he thanked leadership of National Automobile 

Technicians Association for robust relationship with the company over the years, 

expressing hope that a member of the association wins the Grand Prize. 

"The promo is targeted at rewarding our loyal customers for their patronage 

over the past years. It is on 4L packs of our Mobil Super 1000 X1 which is blended 

locally in our Apapa Plant. 

"Other prizes include: tricycles, generators, motorcycles, cookers, toolboxes 

and many more. The more purchases a customer makes, the higher his chances 

of winning the Star prize. 

"However, Rivers State is hosting the second of seven draws, after the first was 

done in Ibadan. Other draws to be done are Enugu, Benin, Kano, Abuja. Promo 

Products can be purchased from all Mobil Stations, NIPCO stations and major 

lubricant retailers nationwide." 

Also, Victor Etuk, one of the winners said: "I am a witness and beneficiary and 

I urge people to seize the opportunity of the promo to enjoy the amazing prizes 

being offered.'' 

Source: NCC Daily Operational Report 

NNPC to generate 14MW electricity 

from Cross River bio-diesel project 

By Chiamaka Meribole & Fortune Eromosele 

HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, 

Tyesterday, said the 26,000 hectares Cross River State 

oil palm-based bio-diesel project would generate 14 

megawatts of electricity. 

The NNPC, in a statement by its Group General Manager, 

Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said the 

electricity would be generated from empty fruit bunches 

and the residue from oil palms. 

He explained that the 26, 000 hectares facility was 

designed to accommodate an oil palm plantation co-located 

with bio-diesel, crude palm oil co-generation plants and 

other facilities. 

Under the arrangement, Ughamadu said the oil palm 

would be processed into fuel grade Biodiesel and industrial 

crude palm oil as by-products. 

According to him, the Biodiesel would be blended with 

diesel in a mix of 20 per cent biodiesel and 80 per cent diesel 

and sold as B20 in the domestic market, while any utilized 

biodiesel quantity would be exported to the international 

market. 

He explained that the NNPC Cross River bio-fuel project 

was in tandem with renewed drive by the corporation to 

develop biofuels in Nigeria through partnership with core 

investors to create a low carbon economy and link oil and 

gas sector to the agricultural sector. 

The NNPC spokesperson noted that the project would 

also mitigate the adverse effect of climate change and the 

transformation of NNPC into an integrated energy company 

with diverse portfolio. 

He said, "The business model would involve a Special 

Purpose Vehicle (SPV) comprising NNPC, State Government 

and the Core-investor. The state Government is expected 

to provide land as equity while core investor takes more 

than 50 per cent equity and operate the venture leaving 

NNPC and state Government with minority share of less 

than 50 per cent. 

"So far, Kebbi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, Jigawa, Kogo, 

Adamawa have shown interest in partnering with NNPC in 

biofuels projects."


Global gas sector set for 5-year big growth - IEA 

By Sebastine Obasi 


strong demand growth 

from China, greater industrial 

demand, and rising supplies 

from the United States, will 

transform global natural gas 

markets over the next five 

years, the International Energy 

Agency stated in its latest 

market forecast. 

Global gas demand will grow 

at an average rate of 1.6 per cent 

a year, reaching just over 4,100 

billion cubic meters (bcm) in 

2023, up from 3,740 bcm in 2017, 

according to the IEA's latest annual 

gas market report titled: 

Gas 2018. 

"In the next five years, global 

gas markets are being re-shaped 

by three major structural shifts," 

said Dr Fatih Birol, IEA's executive 

director. 

"China is set to become the 

world's largest gas importer within 

two-to-three years, US production 

and exports will rise dramatically 

strongly and industry 

is replacing power generation as 

the leading growth sector. While 

gas has a bright future, the industry 

faces tough challenges. 

These include the need for gas 

prices to remain affordable relative 

to other fuels in emerging 

markets and for industry to curb 

methane leaks along the value 

chain." 

Chinese gas demand is forecast 

to grow by 60 per cent between 

2017-2023, underpinned 

by policies aimed at reducing local 

air pollution by switching 

from coal to gas. 

China alone accounts for 37 

By Ediri Ejoh 

THE 

Independent 

Petroleum Marketers 

Association of Nigeria, 

IPMAN, has called on the 

National Assembly as well as 

the Presidency to expedite the 

assent to the Petroleum 

Industry and Governance Bill, 

PIGB, to attract investments to 

the oil and gas sector. 

Making this appeal while 

speaking to newsmen in Lagos, 

Mr. Debo Ahmed, the 

Chairman, Western zone of 

IPMAN, said the growth and 

opportunities in the petroleum 

industry may not improve until 

the bill was passed as the 

challenges confronting the 

industry were well known. 

He said if the critical 

elements of the PIGB were 

implemented, they would 

attract investments to the 

petroleum industry, hence the 

need to urgently pass it into 

law. The critical elements 

include governance, host 

communities, fiscal reforms 

and downstream bills. Ahmed 

explained that the idea of 

breaking the PIGB into four 

parts was well thought out by 

government. 

He, however, cautioned on 

over reliance on fossil fuel, 

saying that the focus should 

now be on renewable energy. 

"It has become clear that with 

the anticipated growth in 

energy demand, the world is 

per cent of the growth in global 

demand in the next five years 

and becomes the largest 

natural gas importer by 2019, 

overtaking Japan. 

The IEA also forecasts strong 

growth in gas use in other parts 

of Asia, including South and 

Southeast Asia, driven by strong 

economic growth and efforts to 

improve air quality. 

For end-use sectors, industry 

rapidly moving towards an age 

of cleaner sources of energy. 

"For fossil fuels, this will mean 

a greater reliance on gas and 

less reliance on oil and, 

especially coal. 

Sahara Group canvasses investments in emerging 

markets at Europlace forum in Paris 

By Maxwell Tochukwu and 

Chiamaka Meribole 

TONYE Cole, Executive 

Director, Sahara Group 

joined experts from various 

global markets to deliberate on 

harnessing unfolding opportunities 

in emerging markets at 

the 2018 Paris Europlace International 

Financial Forum 

on July 11, 2018. 

Billed as one of the largest C- 

level financial services events 

in the EU, the forum took place 

at the historic Pavillion 

d'Armenoville. Over 1,500 

representatives of Corporates, 

international investors, financial 

institutions, brokers, law 

firms and consultants deliberated 

on the theme, "Europe 

in a Disruptive World", including 

some sessions on how best 

to navigate, grow and diversify 

Emerging Capital Markets in 

a highly dynamic environment. 

Cole the frontline African 

entrepreneur said emerging 

markets were witnessing progressive 

steps towards meeting 

widely accepted pre-conditions 

for attracting invest- 

will become the largest contributor 

to the increase in global gas 

demand to 2023, taking the 

lead from power generation, 

which had historically held this 

role. 

The change is especially 

marked in Asia and other 

emerging markets thanks to 

higher gas use in industrial 

processes and as feedstock for 

"In addition, hydroelectric and 

gas powered cars will replace 

diesel engines and with time, 

gasoline engines. "Add to this 

the growing investments in 

renewable sources of energy 

chemicals and fertilisers. 

Overall, industry accounts for 

over 40 per cent of growth in 

global gas demand to 2023, according 

to the IEA, followed by 

26 per cent for power 

generation. 

Major changes are also evident 

on the supply side, with the 

United States leading gas production 

growth worldwide to 

2023, thanks to the on-going US 

shale revolution. 

PRESENTATION: From Left: Eleanor Adaralegbe, General Manager, Seplat Petroleum 

Development Company Plc; Jay Smulders, Technical Director, Seplat Petroleum Development 

Company Plc; Roger Brown, Chief Finance Officer (CFO), Seplat Petroleum Development Company 

Plc; Ms. Tinuade Awe, Executive Director, Regulation, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Austin 

Avuru, Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc; Effiong Okon, 

Operations Director, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc; Dr Chioma Nwachuku, General 

Manager, External Affairs & Communications and Cyril Eigbogbo, Chief Finance Officer, NSE 

during a Facts-Behind-the-Figures presentation at the Exchange. 

Assent PIGB to shore up businesses in oil industry - IPMAN 

urges NASS, Presidency 

ments. These include: macroeconomic 

stability, transparency, 

diverse investment opportunities, 

reliable banking 

systems, robust institutional 

framework, investor protection 

as well as adequate Regulation 

and Supervision. 

such as solar and wind, and it 

becomes evident that Nigeria 

must rethink its energy policy 

to solidify on the gains in the 

oil and gas industry." 

He noted that investments in 

emerging markets at this time 

would strengthen and accelerate 

the establishment of these 

pre-conditions, while opening 

a world of opportunities for 

good return on investments, 

economic empowerment and 

sustainable development. 

PTDF to deepen capacity, 

sponsors Nigerians to 

Germany, France, China 

THE Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, yesterday, 

disclosed that its decision to sponsor Nigerians to Germany, 

France and China was aimed at deepening capacity in the Nigerian 

petroleum industry. 

Speaking at the induction programme for its 2018/2019 Overseas 

Scholarship Scheme, OSS, scholars in the MSc and PhD category, 

Executive Secretary of the PTDF, Mr. Bello Gusau, said the programme 

would ensure that in the near future, Nigerians take over all operations 

in the country’s petroleum industry. 

Gusau noted that the process of mobilizing the successful candidates 

to the three countries would begin this week, while the conclusion of 

the mobilization would depend on visa arrangements with the various 

countries. 

He said, “The whole idea of the programme is to develop capacity for 

the Nigerian oil and gas industry, so that going forward, virtually all 

operations in the oil and gas industry would be taken over by Nigerians. 

That is the whole purpose of the exercise. 

“The takeoff depends on how soon we can conclude the visa 

arrangements with the different countries and that is commencing 

this week. 

“However, those going to Nigerian universities are three or four 

times the numbers of those travelling abroad. We patronize each and 

every Nigerian university, especially for the undergraduate 

programmes.” 

SPDC lifts 

force majeure 

on Bonny Light 

Export 

..as Brent price 

dips to $75.07/bbl 


SHELL 

Petroleum 

Development Company 

oNigeria Limited, SPDC, 

operator of the SPDC Joint 

Venture has lifted the force 

majeure on Bonny Light 

exports, one of the country’s 

major sources of oil revenue. 

Force majeure is a legal clause 

that allows companies to 

cancel or delay deliveries due 

to unforeseen circumstances. 


Spokesperson of the company, 

Bamidele Odugbesan, “The 

force majeure on Bonny Light 

exports was lifted, following 

the repair and re-opening of 

the Nembe Creek Trunkline 

(NCTL) by the operator, Aiteo 

Eastern Exploration and 

Production Company Limited. 

“The SPDC declared force 

majeure on Bonny Light 

export on May 17, 2018 

following the shutdown of the 

NCTL by the operator. Please 

contact the NCTL operator for 

any enquiries on the reason 

for the shutdown of NCTL.” 

Exports of Bonny Light are 

expected to run at around 

195,000 barrels per day, bpd. 

Prior to the declaration of 

force majeure on Bonny Light 

exports, the nation’s crude 

shipments were already 

witnessing delays following a 

leak on the 200,000 to 

240,000 bpd Trans-Forcados 

pipeline was shut down in May, 

effectively cutting deliveries of 

Forcados, the country’s 

largest crude grade. 

Trans-Forcados pipeline was 

shut down after a leak was 

found. Repairs are on-going. 

About 25 cargoes of Juneloading 

Nigerian cargoes were 

still available; although traders 

said around half of that total 

were held by Total and Shell. 

Meanwhile, oil prices dropped 

yesterday, following concerns 

about supply disruptions as 

Libyan ports resumed export 

activities, while traders eyed 

potential supply increases by 

Russia and other oil producers 

Brent crude futures were down 

26 cents, or 0.4 percent, at 

$75.07 a barrel, while the U.S. 

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) 

crude was down 27 cents, or 

0.4 percent, at $70.74 a barrel. 

Supply outages in Libya and 

strike action in Norway and 

Iraq pushed oil prices higher 

late last week, although prices 

still ended down for a second 

straight week. 

"Crude oil prices fell as fears of 

supply disruptions eased. News 

that Libya's state oil producer 

had restarted output from a 

major oil field ignited the selloff 

earlier in the week," ANZ Bank 

stated. 

The market focus shifted 

towards possible supply 

increases, even as a Norwegian 

union for workers on offshore 

oil and gas drilling rigs stepped 

up a six-day strike.


The Middle Belt reawakening and 

the future of Republic 

A 

HISTORIC Summit of the 

peoples of the Middle Belt 

holds this week. The event began 

yesterday Monday with a rally 

and will conclude today Tuesday 

with a conference on security and 

development in the region. It was 

the great novelist Chinua Achebe 

who once said that, “unless the lion 

learns to tell his own story, his 

history will always be written by 

the hunters”. The peoples of the 

Middle are desirous of telling their 

own story. They will not wait for 

the hunters to tell it on their behalf. 

The Summit has been graced by 

the presence of leaders of the 

South – Afenifere of Yoruba land, 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Pan- 

Niger Delta Development Forum 

(PANDEF). It’s a great show of 

solidarity. They are firm in their 

conviction that, together, they can 

make this country work. 

The Middle Belt is not just a mere 

geographical expression. The 

Middle Belt is about identity. The 

Middle Belt is about solidarity of 

the peoples of central Nigeria. Our 

history is that of great heroes. We 

were never conquered by the 

invaders. Our forefathers 

successfully resisted all foreign 

impostors who wanted to take over 

the land under the pretext of a 

religious ideology. We defeated 

them then; we will defeat them now. 

The Middle Belt is about solidarity, 

about freedom, equality and 

justice. 

Let nobody deceive you: We are 

the true Nigerians. We did not just 

walk across the border from 

yesterday. We have been here for 

By Akintola Benson-Oke 

THE Lagos State Government under 

the able and effective leadership of 

His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, 

has long demonstrated its full and unalloyed 

commitment to the transformation of the 

Lagos State Public Service into the leading 

public service in Africa. To this end, the 

governor has approved, and the Lagos State 

Ministry of Establishments, Training and 

Pensions has delivered, a number of targeted 

trainings aimed at exponentially expanding 

the capacities of officers of the Lagos State 

Public Service. 

It is therefore gratifying that third parties 

have taken notice of the commitment of the 

State government in this regard and, no less 

an institute as the Nigerian Institute of 

Training and Development has decided to 

confer an award of excellence on the Lagos 

State Government in recognition of 

government’s commitment to capacity 

development. 

On behalf of the Governor and the 

entirety of the State government, I wish to 

express our sincere appreciation for this 

recognition by the Nigerian Institute of 

Training and Development, NITAD. 

In our view, NITAD plays a crucially 

important role in Nigeria’s human 

resources development and management 

ecosystem. The mission of this professional 

Institute to improve the practice of human 

resources development in both the public 

and private sectors of the economy is 

commendable and vital. Furthermore, the 

Institute’s commitment to enhance 

effectiveness, efficiency and productivity as 

well as to promote high professional 

standards in human resource development, 

utilization and evaluation in Nigeria has 

attracted the admiration of many. 

It is notable that NITAD has, during the 

period of its existence, facilitated the 

exchange of knowledge, skills and 

experience for those engaged in training 

and development and for staff in different 

centuries, if not millenniums. The 

great Kwararafa Kingdom was 

famous throughout history for its 

military prowess. It embraced a 

wide expanse of territory and 

included ethnic communities such 

as Jukun, Kutep, Igala, Idoma, 

Igedde, Shendam and many 

others. The even older Nok 

civilisation is also part of the 

heritage of the Middle Belt 

peoples. The famous Nok Culture 

goes as far back as the Egypt of 

the Pharaohs. Without the Middle 

Belt – without this bridge that links 

the North to the South, this 

country could not possibly survive. 

The theme of the Summit and 

Conference is, “Restructuring and 

Reawakening”. 

Some Nigerians have been rather 

sceptical about the entire gospel 

of restructuring; believing it to be 

a mere vehicle used by those who 

want to unleash the forces of 

disintegration. But having 

observed what is happening today, 

I we have no choice but to join the 

restructuring bandwagon. Any 

system that does not adopt or 

evolve will sooner or later run into 

crisis. This is why the dinosaurs 

disappeared. They could not adapt 

to the changing eco-system of the 

planet and had to disappear. 

We believe that for Nigeria to 

survive and flourish in the coming 

years we need to re-engineer or 

federation so that our institutions 

can deliver the greatest good for 

the greatest number under an 

atmosphere of social justice, 

patriotism, freedom, the rule of 

law and democracy. 

Developed capacities: Do more with less 

organisations. The innovative means by 

which the Institute has sought to promote 

the achievement of a better utilisation of 

human ability and potential in business, 

industry and government are also 

commendable. Furthermore, the Institute’s 

promotion of interactions and members’ 

exposure through a strong affiliation and 

co-operation with the International 

In our envisioned future 

of work, the importance of 

eliminating waste cannot 

be overemphasised 

Federation of Training and Development 

Organizations, IFTDO, based in Geneva, 

Switzerland is very crucial and forwardlooking. 

One must also commend the Institute’s 

penchant for stimulating discourse on 

topical issues in the human resources space. 

This is a worthy endeavour and we do hope 

that the Institute will continue to promote 

such healthy and consequential discourses. 

This is why the theme for the Institute’s 

26thAnnual Trainers’ Conference has caught 

the attention of stakeholders in the industry. 

The state governor and the Lagos State 

Ministry of Establishments, Training and 

Pensions have long been dedicated to 

envisioning the future of work in the Lagos 

State Public Service. In our view, the future 

for the Lagos State Public Service is heavily 

dependent on the systematic, yet aggressive 

development of capacities and the 

innovative and creative use of resources so 

as to do more with less. 

I have always emphasised that high 

performances have been known to increase 

The reawakening of the Middle 

Belt is a part and parcel of the new 

transformation of Nigeria. The 

Middle Belt want to have regional 

autonomy and self-governance 

within a more democratic and 

more prosperous Nigeria. They 

want to see their lives and those of 

their children go forward, in 

conformity with the humane spirit 

of our people. The Middle Belt 

Political science 

scholars have found 

democracies to have 

a greater propensity 

to generate terrorist 

activities than 

military 

dictatorships and 

other repressive 

regimes 

represent the humanist spirit of 

ancient Africa; a people that are 

innately generous, humane and 

God-fearing. 

The bitterest evil that has 

befallen the Middle Belt has been 

the ongoing genocide and rapine 

by so-called Fulani “herdsmen” – 

deadly armed militias that are also 

merciless and incredibly cruel. 

They are strangers both to God and 

to Humanity. It is incredible that 

the entire world has remained 

silent in the face of the genocidal 

massacres that have been ongoing 

in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, 

Adamawa and other places in the 

Middle Belt. 

Only a few weeks ago we got 

some hopeful signs. We are pleased 

that, for the first time, the 

international community is 

expressing concern at the ongoing 

atrocities. Amnesty International, 

the global human rights group, 

has raised serious concerns 

regarding the atrocities while the 

United Nations has decried the 

lack of concern by constituted 

authorities as our people continue 

to be killed and hounded on all 

sides. 

The besieged peoples of the 

Middle Belt have no choice but to 

defend their communities. 

International law and global 

ethics, in addition to the Nigerian 

constitution, make it abundantly 

clear that a people who face an 

existential threat to their very 

survival have a bounden duty to 

defend themselves. Only a fool or 

a murderous conspirator can tell 

them not to defend themselves in 

the face of such murderous evil. 

Going forward, I would insist 

that the new governance 

architecture of the New Nigeria 

that we yearn for must be premised 

on the new paradigm of securitybased 

human development. 

Human security provides an 

expansive framework beyond the 

narrow scope of ‘national security’ 

which is anchored on the defence 

of the state and its apparatus. By 

securing the lives, livelihoods and 

well-being of people against 

hunger, disease, want, war and 

natural catastrophes, the state 

fulfils its primary mandate as the 

servant of the people rather than 

their master. 

Most often, when governments 

refer to ‘national security’ they are 

referring to the survival of the state 

and the rulers rather than the 

security of the people. The fragility 

of multi-ethnic states such as those 

of Africa heightens the potential 

for conflict and instability which 

compounds the challenges of 

security. This traditional 

conception of security has to be 

distinguished from the new 

paradigm of human security which 

transcends the narrow reference to 

the state and its institutions. 

Human security has been 

defined in terms of “the obligation 

of the state to provide a facilitating 

environment for equality and 

individual participation through 

democracy, adherence to human 

rights and the participation of civil 

society”. Human security 

embraces the responsibility to 

protect individuals and 

communities within and across 

in organisations that expose their human 

capital to development through capacity 

development trainings. It has been noted 

that, “human capital resources are viewed 

as strategic assets, and managers in 

particular are often identified as a key 

source of competitive advantage. Given 

their importance, a critical question arises 

regarding what individuals need to learn to 

become more effective and productive. Are 

there particular skills that are more or less 

important for predicting overall 

organisational success?” 

To address this question, one must first 

identify the types of skills that are required 

in order to develop capacity in 

organisations. Across multiple rating 

sources (e.g. supervisors, peers, and 

subordinates) and different instruments . . . 

it has been identified that there are four 

overarching skill dimensions: 

a) technical skill; 

b) administrative skill; 

c) human skill; and 

d) citizenshipbehaviour.” 

Thus, organisations must explore the ways 

to enhance, on a continuous and sustainable 

basis, the core skills that managers and key 

officers need for success as well as the 

personal effectiveness skills required. 

The earlier-cited HR expert, Fionnuala 

Courtney, further articulated six of the big 

benefits that leadership training can offer 

any organisation. According to her 

submissions, any organisation, including 

the Lagos State Public Service, can benefit 

from capacity development trainings by 

increasing productivity, helping to retain 

people, nurturing future managers, and 

increasing employee engagement. 

In our envisioned future of work, the 

importance of eliminating waste cannot be 

overemphasised. Countless studies have 

shown that, with good and sound processes 

nations from the physical and 

emotional insecurity from war, 

violence and conflict as well as 

natural and man-made disasters. 

Conflict is, of course, inherent in 

human societies. Ever since 

Aristotle, politics has existed 

because human beings living in 

communities cannot always agree 

on what constitutes the Good Life 

or on how scarce resources should 

be distributed – how to decide on 

who gets what, when and how. This 

is also part of the reason why the 

institution of civil government 

exists and why we have 

constitutions, laws and the 

judiciary. In democracies old and 

new, political parties provide the 

institutional framework within 

which political contestations are 

organised and channelled into 

electoral processes to decide who 

has the popular mandate to 

govern. 

In fragile democracies and in 

transitional societies such as those 

of Africa, those who lose out in the 

political process may resort to the 

pursuit of power by other means, 

i.e. through recourse to violence 

and other forms of self-help, 

including terrorism. Paraphrasing 

German military strategist Carl 

von Clausewitz, we could say, 

therefore, that terrorism amounts 

to the pursuit of power – and 

indeed the continuation of politics 

— by other means. 

Ironically, political science 

scholars have found democracies 

to have a greater propensity to 

generate terrorist activities than 

military dictatorships and other 

repressive regimes. On the other 

hand, new democracies that suffer 

from high levels of corruption and 

institutional weakness, such as 

Nigeria, would tend to generate 

considerably more levels of 

terrorist activities. At the other 

extreme are failed states such as 

Somalia, which provide a fertile 

ground for terrorism and all 

manner of terrorist groups. 

The mandate of civil government 

in Nigeria as elsewhere is to 

safeguard the lives and properties 

of its citizens and manage conflict 

within an eco-system that 

guarantees security, welfare and 

prosperity for all. 

relating to management of time and 

resources, one finds that meagre resources 

can be extended to produce outstanding 

results. In other words, organisations and 

individuals can achieve more with less. 

An article by McKinsey & Company states 

as follows: “Governments around the 

world want to deliver better education, 

better health care, better pensions, and 

better transportation services. They know 

that impatient electorate expect to see 

change, and fast. But the funds required to 

meet such expectations are enormous— 

particularly in the many developed 

economies where populations are ageing, 

and the public sector’s productivity hasn’t 

kept pace with that of the private sector. The 

need to get value for money from 

governments at all levels is therefore under 

the spotlight as never before. But costcutting 

programmes that seek savings of 1 

to 3 percent a year will not be enough and in 

some cases, may even weaken the quality of 

service.” 

The author of the article then stated that, 

in order to “address the problem, publicsector 

leaders are looking with growing 

interest at ‘lean’ techniques long used in 

private industry. From the repair of military 

vehicles to the processing of income tax 

returns, from surgery to urban planning, lean 

is showing that it cannot only improve public 

services but also transform them for the 

better. Crucially for the public sector, a lean 

approach breaks with the prevailing view 

that there has to be a trade-off between the 

quality of public services and the cost of 

providing them. 

I fully agree with the viewpoints expressed 

above and I do hope that NITAD will come 

forward with position papers that will guide 

and adumbrate on these issues for the 

benefit of stakeholders in the industry. 

*Being speech delivered by Dr. Benson 

Oke on the conferment of the award 

of excellence and outstanding on the 

Lagos state govt by NITD in Abuja . 

C 

M 

Y 

K


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

CANCER; Professional advice may be needed over 

your finances but if you are sure of what you are doing 

you can go ahead. Be more family minded. 

LEO; Some of you who are travelling purposely for 

love are in for a rewarding day. All of you will need 

to take your social life more seriously. 

VIRGO; Unusual co-operation may come your way 

today but if you are carried away by this the whole 

thing may change soonest. Respect your spouse. 

LIBRA; Tomorrow will prove more rewarding 

financially but you will have good opportunity to do 

things rightly within your working arena. Be loving. 

SCORPIO; Although tomorrow may be your best 

day good opportunity to enhance your financial 

prospects will come your way even today. Try to be 

more practical however. 

SAGITTARIUS; This is your day when both your 

personal efforts and element of good luck will bring 

you much desired result. The more self assertive you 

are today the better for you. 

CAPRICORN; Tomorrow is your day; although 

there will be some challenges within your base of 

operation today, eventual success will be yours. Be 

more family minded. 

AQUARIUS; Even if friends have failed to live up 

to expectation in the recent days you will need to 

leave the past behind you and forge ahead. Lovers 

are fairly favoured. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“When you say yes to others, make sure you are not 

saying no to yourself.” --Paulo Coelho 

Often you are pulled this way and that in an attempt to 

please another, only to discover that no matter how hard 

you try, you cannot consistently move in any pleasing 

direction, and so, you are not able to please them, but 

you also do not please yourself. And because you are 

being pulled in so many different directions, your path 

to where you want to be usually gets lost in the process. 

--Ella Randle 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

Advice is a 

stranger; if he’s 

welcome he 

stays for the 

night; if not, he 

leaves the same 

day. 

~Malagasy 

Proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

PISCES; Business challenges of yesterday 

notwithstanding pleasant surprises are possible. The 

more financially ambitious you are today the better 

for your cause. 

ARIES; Better opportunities indicated for those of 

you willing to be as self assertive as possible, and it 

could turn out to be a happy day to be remembered 

by real lovers. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

TAURUS; Although you will need to keep your 

secrets for the next few days that is not to say you 

should not pursue your financial interest. Take care 

of your health. 

GEMINI; Don’t wait till tomorrow before you make 

an important move because good luck and success 

are closer to you today than you image. Be hopeful. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date e and place of birth th to the Astr 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

Tell me who I am? 

Dear Joshua, 

Please keep my birth data secret, but I want you to 

analyse my horoscope bluntly so that I can know who 

am I; talking about my personality. Who am I ? 

Toyin, Kaduna. 

Dear Toyin, 

What you will find here under will prove useful if 

you take them seriously and utilise them. 

ANALYSIS OF YOUR HOROSCOPE 

DATA/PLANETARY PLACEMENT 

Aries that hosted the most important heavenly body 

(the Sun) together with indicator of mental focus 

lens-Mercury, is known for special leadership quality 

and higher degree of positive aggressiveness. Yes 

you were endowed with leadership talents which can 

manifest either in the business world or POLITICS 

and probably both. 

It is true that Aries can be very aggressive, but with 

many planets placed in more mild Star signs, with 

less than 50% of push-full influence, loving Venus as 

most influential planet when you were born, certainly 

aggression of Aries is greatly water down to the 

minimum . That is not to say you the timid type but 

yours is a balanced personality. You are gentle, honest 

and straight forward person. Preponderance of fixed 

and earth in your chart are pointers to the fact that 

you are the careful type who will not change his mind 

just for the fun of it. Then as peace loving Venus was 

the most influential planet when you were born, peace 

and harmony will always come first whenever you 

want to take any (important and/or) decisive action. 

Placement of mighty Sun (indicator of basic-self 

hood) the Moon (indicator of sub-conscious self/ 

emotion) and the Stellium (that is more than two 

planets in one Star sign} in Aries, Pisces and Taurus 

respectively meant that basic characteristics of the 

three Star signs stated in this paragraph are highly 

pronounced in your inner-self. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa



Group advocates ban on dental amalgam products 

B 

E 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

N I N — 

CHAIRMAN of 

a civil society group, 

Phase-out of Dental 

Amalgam Use in Nigeria, 

Dr. Leslie Adogame, has 

lamented that Nigeria has 

remained one of the 

dumping grounds for 

Amalgam products in the 

world. 

He made the disclosure 

Armed youths invade Delta monarch’s 

palace, four injured 

By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, 

South-South 

A SABA—GUN- 

WEILDING youths 

of Agbarho community, 

Ughelli South Local 

Government Area, Delta 

State have laid siege to 

the palace of their 

monarch, King Samson 

Oghugunwa, raging over 

the manner of deployment 

of the community’s 

vigilante by the 

traditional ruler. 

Speaking to Vanguard 

on the development in 

Asaba, Commissioner of 

Police, Delta State Police 

Command, Muhammad 

Mustapha, disclosed that 

four persons, Oruwa 

Godswill, Ikurusu 

Aghogo, Ochuko Shishe 

and Collins Eneayevwa 

were injured when the 

protest escalated to the 

streets. 

He said police had 

brought the matter under 

control, while the injured 

were rushed for treatment 

and were in stable 

condition at Eloho Clinic, 

Agbarho. 

Mustapha disclosed that 

in Benin City, Edo State, 

while addressing a 

stakeholders’ meeting on 

Phase Down of Dental 

Amalgam use in Edo State, 

an event put together by 

Sustainable Environment 

Development Initiative, 

SEDI Nigeria. 

Speaking on the theme: 

“Towards Mercury free 

Dentistry in Edo State,” he 

noted that it had become 

worrisome that the country 

had remained a dumping 

the youth of Agbarho, led 

by a community leader 

and retired army general, 

“Came en masse to protest 

against the absolute 

control of the community's 

vigilante by the 

traditional ruler, King 

Oghugunwa. 

“The youth forced their 

way into the king’s palace 

and drove away the 

vigilante’s Toyota Hilux 

vehicle parked in the 

palace. 

“The protest continued 

into the streets of the town 

Give God preeminent position to 

overcome hopelessness —Muoka 

By Sam Eyoboka 

G 

E N E R A L 

Overseer of the 

Lord’s Chosen 

Charismatic Revival 

Movement, Pastor 

Lazarus Muoka, has 

admonished Nigerians to 

turn from their wicked 

ways to experience the 

wonder working power of 

God in the nation. 

Speaking at the just 

concluded Edo State 2018 

crusade, titled ‘God has 

ground for such product as 

dangerous as Amalgam. 

He said, “Though the 

product is cheap and 

affordable but when we 

consider havoc done to 

one’s health and the 

environment, it becomes 

clear that it is more 

expensive compared to 

other dental products. 

“Amalgam is now 

recognised as “more 

expensive than most, 

possibly all, other fillings 

with the young men 

burning tyres and 

shooting during which 

some people were injured 

by stray pellets, but with 

the quick intervention of 

the police, the situation 

was brought under 

control,” he said. 

Meanwhile, a 48-yearold 

contract worker with 

Chevron Nigeria Limited, 

Escravos, in Warri South- 

West Local Government 

Area of the state, Francis 

Onyesaanu, who hailed 

from Ilaje, Ondo State, 

power to do this or that’ 

at the open field of the 

University of Benin 

Teaching Hospital 

(UBTH), Benin City, 

Muoka said “Until we 

begin to accord the 

Almighty God preeminent 

status in our 

lives, we shall continue to 

wallow in hopelessness.” 

The two-day crusade 

which was initially 

mistaken for a political 

rally ahead of the 2019 

presidential election by 

considering environmental 

costs. Even when environmental 

costs are not 

taken into account, 

alternatives can still be the 

same price or even less 

expensive than Amalgam. 

“For example, automatic 

restorative treatment costs 

only half as much as 

Amalgam restorations.” 

He appealed to the 

Ministries of Environment 

and Health to work in 

synergy to phase out the 

product from the country. 

COMMISSIONING: From left: Head Teacher, Abesan Primary School, Mrs. Fatuase Abiodun; Director, 

School Support Services, Lagos State Universal Education Board, SUBEB, Ade Abatan; Head, Commercial Banking 

& Public Sector, Ecobank Nigeria, Rotimi Morohunfola; Vice Chairman, Mosan Okunola LCDA, Dayo Osinowo 

and Head, Finance Operations & Cost Management, Ecobank Nigeria, Tunde Aderupoko, at the official 

commissioning/hand over of Abesan Primary School Borehole project constructed by Ecobank in Lagos. 

slumped along the 

laundry walkway and 

died shortly after he was 

rushed to Chevron clinic. 

Commissioner Mustafa, 

who also confirmed the 

incident, said a Security 

Supervisor with Chevron, 

Debo Balogun, reported 

the incident to the police. 

“While his corpse had 

been deposited in the 

company’s morgue, 

arrangement was made to 

transfer the corpse to a 

mortuary in Warri 

awaiting post mortem 

examination,” he added. 

many passersby later 

provided a platform for 

many to reunite with their 

maker, while several 

others took advantage to 

tap into the miraculous 

power of God and were 

miraculously healed of 

their infirmities. 

The General Overseer 

further admonished 

participants to desist from 

looking down on God’s 

power to turn things 

around for good in their 

lives and in the country 

generally. 

MOSOP flays Shell, military 

over alleged repression of 

Ogoni farmers 

MOVEMENT 

for 

the Survival of the 

Ogoni People, MOSOP, 

has condemned the alleged 

violation of the rights of 

Ogoni people by Nigerian 

soldiers attached to Shell 


Company of Nigeria 

Limited, SPDC. 

MOSOP's Publicity 

Secretary, Fegalo Nsuke, in 

statement, yesterday, said: 

“We are deeply saddened 

that the repression of our 

people continues unabated 

as soldiers attached to 

SPDC continue to harass 

our women and farmers 

and prevent them from 

accessing their farmlands, 

destroying crops and 

forcibly lay pipelines 

through Ogoni farms. 

“It is disheartening that 

despite the precarious 

conditions of the Ogoni 

people consequent upon 

the massive pollution of 

farmlands, streams and 

rivers, Shell continues to 

inflict monumental pains 

on our people by 

preventing them from 

working on their farms 

while using Nigerian 

soldiers to lay pipelines in 

Ogoni without our consent. 

“We note that the activities 

of Shell constitute danger 

to the security and rights of 

our people especially 

women who have reported 

harassment by soldiers 

attached to SPDC." 

NGO alleges neglect of 

women in Ogoni clean-up 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT 

HAR- 

COURT—A Nongovernmental 

organisation, NGO, in 

Rivers State, Lokiaka 

Community Development 

Centre, has expressed 

sadness over alleged 

neglect of Ogoni women in 

the clean-up process in the 

area. 

The body sated this in 

Eleme Local Government 

Area of the state while 

training women on raising 

Ogoni forest resources, 

nurseries, in support of the 

environmental clean-up, 

remediation and restoration 

process of Ogoniland. 

Executive Director of the 

NGO, Martha Agbani, 

expressed dismay at what 

she said was the total 

neglect of Ogoni women in 

the clean-up exercise, 

harping on the need for the 

involvement of Ogoni 

women in the remediation 

process. 

DTHA aspirant dispenses free 

fuel to 500 Okada riders 



State House of 

Assembly aspirant in 

Ughelli North constituency 

II, on the platform of All 


APC, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, 

has dispensed free fuel to 

over 500 commercial 

motorcyclists, popularly 

known as ‘Okada’ riders, in 

Agbarho in the 

constituency. 

In a chat with Vanguard 

moments after, Egbo said: 

“The Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP- led 

Don't give up dreams, Warri 

South LG boss charges youths 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

W 

A R R I — 

CHAIRMAN 

Warri South Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State, Mr Michael Tidi, 

has graduated with a 

doctorate degree in 

Energy Studies with 

Specialisation in Oil and 

Gas Economics from the 

University of Ibadan. 

An elated Tidi told 

administration in the state 

has failed. PDP must be 

voted out in 2019 for the 

state to move forward. 

“The majority of projects 

that have been executed in 

the state in the current 

dispensation were done by 

the Federal Government 

through the Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC. 

“For some years now, we 

have not had effective 

legislators who know their 

onion. We believe that the 

work of a legislator is like 

that of an advocate. It's all 

about lobbying." 

newsmen that the PhD 

was a dream come true, 

adding that it was his 

passion for education that 

was the driving force. 

He urged youths to 

pursue their great dreams 

to reality, saying they 

should not be discouraged 

midway. 

Tidi also spoke of efforts 

by his administration to 

strengthen education in 

his council.



Okorocha denies row with Igbo 

ministers 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

OWERRI—IMO State 

Governor, Rochas 

Okorocha, yesterday, said 

he was not quarrelling with 

any minister or leader from 

the South-East, as 

insinuated in some 

quarters. 

He said his political 

decisions at the moment 

were borne out of his 

genuine concern for the 

future of the Igbo nation, to 

enable Ndigbo to take their 

rightful position and play 

significant role in nationbuilding. 

The governor also 

maintained that President 


would win in the South- 

East in 2019, adding that 

the South-East geo-political 

zone had come to realise 

and appreciate the fact that 

the best politics it could play 

in 2019 would be voting for 

Buhari. 

Governor Okorocha 

spoke, weekend at a dinner 

tagged: “Emerging 

Leaders and Aspirants in 

the South-East for Buhari,” 

at the Imo International 

Convention Centre, IICC, 

Owerri. 

He explained that he 

does not have any personal 

score to settle with any 

minister or leader from the 

South-East. 

He faulted a situation 

where Igbo leaders prefer 

to live in Abuja, leaving the 

younger politicians with 

nobody to guide them at 

home, unlike their 

contemporaries in the 

North and West. 

His said: “On the home 

front, there is no goal 

keeper. All our leaders live 

in Abuja, even former 

governors. All our leaders 

are in Abuja and there is 

no one to fall back on at 

home unlike our 

contemporaries in the 

North and West. 

Muhammadu Buhari is the 

President but Shehu 

Shagari is in Sokoto. 

Ibrahim Babangida is in 

Minna, Abdulsalami 

Abubakar is also in Minna. 

Obasanjo is in Ota, Ogun 

State. Bola Tinubu is in 

Lagos. They are goal 

keepers and elder 

statesmen to their younger 

ones and giving support to 

their future generation, 

“But for us, our case is 

different. Our old 

politicians keep rocking 

back and front, usurping 

the political future of our 

younger generation. So, I 

am of the firm belief that we 

should have a new and 

virile Igbo nation so that the 

younger ones can begin to 

take their rightful positions. 

That’s what we mean by 

emerging leaders and not 

that you are not leaders in 

your own rights”, he stated. 

According to Okorocha 

“The Igbos must change 

their style in politics. This 

is a period for us to have a 

rethink. I have seen the 

problem. It is possible that 

Igbos can get there and 

because we are not 

together, it seems to be an 

uphill task. And there is no 

better time for Ndigbo to 

work with singleness of 

heart than now. We must 

destroy the fabrics of the 

Amalekites in Igboland”. 

The governor equally 

stated that they would also 

engage Igbos in diaspora 

to bring them on the same 

page because what most of 

them post on the social 

media do not help the Igbo 

nation in any way and do 

not also help in answering 

the Igbo question in 

Nigeria. 

The governor charged all 

those who have ambition for 

elective positions in APC in 

the South-East to start 

coming out and should not 

withhold such ambition or 

aspiration for any reason, 

adding that APC won’t 

leave any stone unturned 

now in the South-East. 

Anglican Communion laments religion, ethnic 

division under Buhari 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

N NEWI—CHURCH 

of Nigeria Anglican 

Communion, Diocese of 

Aguata yesterday said 

Nigeria had never in her 

history and existence been 

divided along regional, 

ethnic and political lines as 

in the current 

administration. 

The church also said 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari's age and health 

had been serious barriers 

to his efficient performance 

as President of Nigeria and 

therefore he is unfit for a 

second tenure and should 

drop his second term bid. 

The Bishop of Aguata 

Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr 

Samuel Ezeofor said this in 

his Presidential address/ 

Charge at the First Session 

of the Fifth Synod, with the 

theme, “Jesus Christ: The 

BRIEFING: From left—Grace Oshoko, Executive Assistant, Revival 

Assembly Cathedral; Anselm Madubuko, General Oversea, Revival 

Assembly Cathedral; Nike Onwurah, Associate Pastor; and Emeka 

Ikade, Head of Media Department, during a press conference on 

Azusa 16 Camp Meeting, In Lagos. 

Foundation and the Chief 

Corner Stone.” 

The cleric said: “In the 

history of Nigeria, there has 

never been any time of our 

existence as a country that 

there was so much division 

along regional, ethnic, 

religious and political 

divides as now. 

“Hate is the thick cloud 

that covers the entire 

geographical atmosphere 

of Nigeria from North to 

South, with open 

confrontation and abuses. 

The Nigerian State is filled 

with hate speech 

everywhere, including in 

market places and worst of 

them all in the 

electioneering campaign. 

“The first bacteria and 

virus that affected President 

Buhari’s administration, 

was former President 

Goodluck Jonathan’s 

alleged misrule until 

Nigerians could no more 

...says president’s age, health make 

him unfit for second term 

take that as reason for his 

non performance. 

“The current 

administration's series of 

complaints and numerous 

blame game, continuous 

vendetta and shower of 

every wrong doings against 

the administration of former 

President Goodluck 

Jonathan also makes him 

unfit to continue to lead 

Nigeria. 

“That was followed by the 

National Assembly's refusal 

to approve the budget; his 

ill health; the cabal not 

allowing him work; rats 

sending him packing from 

office to his bedroom and 

now, the budget said to 

have been grossly cut by 

the National Assembly. 

“The deliberate delay in 

declaring the bloodletting 

killer herdsmen who are 

mainly Fulani as terrorists 

coupled with his age which 

is affecting his performance 

makes him unfit for the job. 

He is not fit for the job of a 

leader of Nigeria and he 

does not belong to the age 

for the job.” 

According to the Church 

of Nigeria Aguata Diocese, 

“If the country will have 

stable and enduring 

democracy, they must elect 

a president that can lead 

and coordinate Nigeria as 

a whole and his office 

detached from religious 

bigotry and become 

responsible and 

responsive. 

“The leader of Nigeria 

must not be the office, but 

the office must be the leader 

but in our situation, the 

President of Nigeria has 

been badly infested with 

political bacteria and 

viruses that affect one 

mentally and 

intellectually.” 

Ekiti election result 

should be nullified if... 

—Udeogaranya 

By Ebun Sessou 

A 

chieftain and 

presidential aspirant 

of the All Progressives 

Congress, Chief Charles 

Udeogaranya has asked 

the Independent Electoral 

Commission, INEC, to 

nullify the just conducted 

Ekiti gubernatorial election 

where Dr Kayode Fayemi 

emerged winner. 

According to him, “I am 

appalled that with 

thousands of lawupholding 

agencies of 

government, ranging from 

Police, DSS, Civil Defence 

and military deployed to 

ensure the rule of law in 

supervising the Ekiti 

governorship election, 

electoral illegality and 

malpractices were still the 

order of the day as videos 

in social media revealed 

and as reports showed. 

“One of the sacrosanct 

laws of election is that 

campaign ceases a day 

before the election, but 

shreds of purported 

evidence of vote buying on 

the day of the election with 

such magnitude that has 

never been witnessed 

before, was beyond 

comprehension by any 

civil-minded citizen. 

“I, therefore, urge that the 

election should be nullified 

if the shreds of evidence are 

confirmed true and the 

main purported culprit’s 

parties (APC and PDP as 

shown on videos) of 

massive vote-buying be 

banned in a rescheduled 

election. 

“We must as a nation and 

a people who desire a better 

Nigeria, eschew all manner 

of corrupt practices and 

uphold nobility in all 

ramifications of 

governance”. 

Nigeria maintains China top trade 

partner as trade volume improves 

By Ebun Sessou 

THE Consul-General, 

Republic of China in 

Lagos, Chao Xiaoliang has 

assured that bilateral 

relations between Nigeria 

and China will continue to 

improve with more 

understanding of Nigeria's 

customs policies by 

Chinese business 

communities in Lagos. 

He said this yesterday 

during a seminar organised 

by his office between 

Chinese business 

community in Lagos and 

Nigerian Customs, headed 

by the Zonal Coordinator, 

Nigerian Customs, Zone ‘A’ 

Mr. Aminu Mohammed 

Dahiru. 

At the end of the seminar 

which succinctly analysed 

the role of Nigerian 

Customs Service with 

regard to importation and 

exportation process among 

others, Xiaoliang 

remarked that the seminar 

would go a long way to 

tighten the knot of 

economic relations that has 

been existing between the 

two countries. 

“Two years ago, we 

organized a joint seminar 

with Nigerian customs 

service which brought a lot 

to bilateral economic 

exchange. 

“With the rapid 

development of China- 

Nigeria relation, I do 

believe that this kind of 

seminar has practical 

meanings in the new era” 

he said. 

The Consular-General 

also noted that China- 

Nigeria strategic 

partnership had enjoyed 

great progress in recent 

years, with bilateral 

economic and trade 

exchanges becoming more 

frequent. 

4-storey building collapses in 

Anambra 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

AWKA—A 4-storey 

building under 

construction at Owelle-Aja 

layout, Obosi in Idemili 

North local government 

area of Anambra State 

collapsed in the early hours 

of yesterday. 

The building was said to 

have collapsed around 

7am when the workers 

were yet to resume at the 

site. 

According to a resident in 

the area, the building 

originally had foundation 

for two-storey before the 

owner later decided to add 

two extra floors, adding that 

before the collapse, there 

were several cracks in the 

building. 

He said: “People hardly 

build such multi-storey 

buildings here. What are 

common here are twostorey 

buildings. Besides, 

the building has been 

under the rain and sun for 

years which was enough to 

weaken the foundation.” 

Chairman of Landlords 

Association, Chief Chuka 

Chukwudebelu said the 

collapse might not be 

unconnected with the use 

of substandard materials, 

coupled with the fact that 

the building was 

abandoned for a long time 

before construction 

resumed. 

He said: “The landlord 

was not in a hurry to 

complete the building, 

probably because of 

inadequate funds. "



Katsina, World Bank fight erosion, desertification with N50bn 

KATSINA 

State 

government says it is 

working with the World 

Bank to spend N50 billion 

to tackle erosion, 

desertification and flooding 

in the state. 

Governor Aminu Masari, 

who made the disclosure 

during an interview, said 

the money would be 

provided through the 

Nigeria Erosion and 

Watershed Management 

Project, NEWMAP. 

Governor Masari said his 

government has been 

doing a lot to address 

environmental challenges 

since inauguration in 2015. 

According to him, the 

administration has spent 

over N5 billion on the 

construction of drainage 

across the state over the last 

three years and sensitising 

the people against building 

houses with substandard 

materials to reduce 

damage by windstorm. 

“People should seek the 

advice of experts with 

regards to directional flow 

of wind before building 

houses,” he added. 

He said the government 

would continue to provide 

information on weather 

condition for the people to 

take appropriate measures. 

INNER WHEEL: From left— Former Inner Wheel International President, Mrs Oluyemisi 

Alatise; past Governor, Rotary International, District 9110, Dr. Deinde Shoga; Mrs Matilda Felix Ibru; 

new District Chairman, Mrs Abimbola Shoga; immediate past District Chairman, Mrs Adegbemisola 

Rufai, both of Inner Wheel, District 911, and National Representative and President, Inner Wheel Nigeria, 

Mrs Nnenna Opebiyi, at the installation Mrs Shoga in Lagos. PHOTO: Agbonkhese Oboh. 

‘North-East tops adult illiteracy’ 

By Charles Agwam 

BAUCHI—THE Centre 

for Information 

Technology and 

Development, CITAD, an 

international nogovernmental 

organisation 

has disclosed that the northeast 

has the least adult 

literacy rate in Nigeria, with 

all states in the geo-political 

zone scoring lower than the 

national average rate. 

CITAD revealed this 

yesterday in Bauchi, when 

it led the team of the North- 

East Social Accountability 

in Education Cluster, a 

project supported by the 

United States Agency for 

International Development, 

USAID, supervised by 

CITAD, on an advocacy 

visit to Bauchi State House 

of Assembly Committee on 

Education. 

Leader of the team, Isah 

Garba, told the committee 

that the region had the 

worst education statistics, 

noting that Yobe and Borno 

have the lowest male adult 

literacy rate with 31.9 

percent and 35.1 percent, 

respectively. 

Garba said: “Yobe and 

Borno states are worst hit 

with 31.9 and 35.1 percents, 

respectively. Corresponding 

figures for female 

adult literacy are 14.9 and 

18 percent, respectively, for 

Yobe and Borno states. 

“A recent survey showed 

that a high percentage of 

children between six and 

16, who have never 

attended school, is, on the 

average, 61 percent in 

Borno, Yobe and Bauchi 

states. Only 20 percent of 

school age girls get to 

attend school.” 

By Demola Akinyemi 

ILORIN—KWARA State 

government has said it is 

committed to improving 

standard of education 

through adequate funding. 

The state Commissioner 

for Education and Human 

Capital Development, 

Hajia Bilikisu Oniyangi, 

spoke yesterday in Ilorin at 

Responding, Chairman, 

House Committee on 

Education, Mr. Yusuf 

Dadiye, appreciated the 

organisation’s efforts, 

saying they help to 

... as Kwara restates commitment to 

raising education standard, funding 

By AbdulSalam 

Muhammad 

K ANO—FORMER 

Governor of Jigawa 

State and presidential 

aspirant on the platform of 


PDP, Alhaji Sule Lamido, 

yesterday, decried the 

worsening security 

situation in the country, 

declaring that Nigeria is 

under siege. 

Lamido said: “We are 

under siege. It means all 

the key security chiefs 

appointed by this 

government have failed to 

deliver. Nigerians are now 

sleepless, watching. 

“They have so many 

a briefing on the maiden 

Inter-Secondary School 

Mathematics and English 

Competition sponsored by 

Saliu Mustapha 

Foundation on the theme 

Investment in Education, 

the Solution to All 

Problems. 

Hajia Oniyangi said the 

ministry has designed 

policies and programmes 

Nigeria under siege—Lamido 

things on their minds 

whether to go for what they 

know is safety, security and 

prosperity or to go for this 

culture of violence, which 

is now defiling the 

country.” 

The presidential aspirant, 

who hosted reporters in his 

Kano home, explained that 

“before it was Boko Haram, 

now it is inter-tribal crisis.” 

He blamed the All 

Progressive Congress, 

APC-led administration for 

the failure, as he stressed 

that “the three factors that 

they used during their 2015 

campaign— economy, 

security, fighting 

corruption— are all zero 

almost three years on.” 

advance the development 

of education in the state. 

He assured the Cluster 

that the committee on 

education will work on the 

recommendations. 

aimed at rejuvenating the 

education sector and accord 

it the place of pride. 

She explained that 

education was seen as a 

collective responsibility in 

advanced climes with 

private individuals and 

corporate organisations 

meeting infrastructure 

needs in schools through 

endowment funds. 

She said: “It must be 

placed on record that the 

present government is 

committed to improving 

the standard of education 

in the state through 

adequate funding and 

provision of necessary 

infrastructure. The Ministry 

of Education, under my 

leadership, has set out 

policies and programmes 

towards this direction.” 

Earlier, the representative 

of Saliu Mustapha 

Foundation, Mr. Yakub 

Isowo, disclosed that the 

inter-school competition 

will commence 

simultaneously with 

preliminaries among 20 

secondary schools in 

Kwara South, 20 in Kwara 

North and another 20 in 

Kwara Central on July 21. 

Ekiti governorship: 

Labour preaches peace 

KADUNA National 

Union of Textile, 

Garment and Tailoring 

Workers of Nigeria, 

NUTGTWN, has urged 

Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, candidate, 

Kolapo Olusola, to 

accept the outcome of the 

Saturday governorship 

election in Ekiti State just 

as the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, 

candidate, Kayode 

Fayemi, accepted the 

outcome of the keenly 

contested election in 

2015. 

Speaking through its 

General Secretary and a 

member of the National 

Executive Council, NEC 

of Nigeria Labour 

Congress, NLC, Mr. Issa 

Aremu, in a statement 

By Agbonkhese Oboh 

THE Governor of 

Rotary International, 

District 9110 Nigeria, 

Mr. Lola Shodipo, has 

said if government and 

leaders make projects 

continuity a policy, 

irrespective of party 

affiliations or location of 

projects, Nigerians will 

be better for it. 

Speaking at the 

commissioning of a 

three-classroom block at 

State Community 

Primary School, 

Ewutuntun, Oshodi, 

Lagos, Mr. Shodipo 

pointed out that true 

leadership focuses on 

the welfare of the people 

and not on who began a 

project, where it is 

located or which political 

party it is linked to. 

According to him, “in 

Rotary there is smooth 

transition from one 

leader to another and 

projects are executed in 

a continuum. Our goal 

while congratulating Dr. 

John Fayemi, the union 

said the “real victory goes 

to Ekiti people who, 

notwithstanding intense 

partisan campaign, made 

a wise choice in an 

election globally 

adjudged to be 

transparent, free and 

fair.” 

He attributed the 

successful conclusion of 

the election to what he 

called “the electoral 

maturity and patriotism” 

of the electorate. 

Aremu commended the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, under the 

chairmanship of Professor 

Mahmood Yakubu, for the 

successful conduct of the 

election. 

Rotary advocates 

projects continuity in govt 

THE BUA Group will, 

today, commission its 

$350 million Kalambaina 

Cement Plant in Sokoto 

State, with the Vice 

President, Professor 

Yemi Osinbajo, 

performing the 

ceremony alongside state 

governors, National 

Assembly members, 

monarchs, business 

associates and captains 

of industries. 

The Kalambaina Plant, 

part of the company’s 

expansion plan, has an 

installed capacity of 1.5 

is to serve humanity, so 

when a leader cannot 

finish a project he started 

or inherited, his successor 

continues with it. 

“While in a democracy it 

is not possible to have our 

kind of succession plan, 

leaders and governments 

can serve us better if they 

see projects and policies as 

service to humanity and 

not loyalty to party or a 

particular people. 

“That way, a project 

started by one leader, 

administration or 

government can be 

completed by another in 

good faith.” 

Speaking in the same 

vein, Mr. George 

Ikpekhia, immediate past 

president of Rotary Club of 

Maryland, which 

executed the project, said 

the club has adopted the 

school and that it is 

fulfilling to see the project 

completed and 

commissioned in his 

successor, Mr. Adekunle 

Adeniyi’s tenure. 

BUA commissions $350m 

Sokoto cement plant 

metric tonnes per annum, 

a total capacity of 32 

megawatts captive power 

plant, high capacity coal 

mill and a multi-fuel plant. 

It has the potential to 

create about 2,000 

employment and 10,000 

indirect jobs. 

The plant brings the total 

production capacity of all 

BUA Cement assets in 

Nigeria to about six 

million metric tonnes per 

annum, which is over 35 

percent total volume of 

cement production in the 

country.


SELECTION: From left, Jide Oguntuase, Assistant Coach, 

Rexona XI Street to Stamford Academy; Kennedy Boboye, Head 

Coach, Rexona XI Street to Stamford Academy; George Enema, 

Assistant Category Manager, Skin Care & Deodorants, Unilever 

Nigeria and Haruna Olubunmi, Assistant Coach, Rexona XI Street 

to Stamford Academy at the ongoing Top 100 Rexona Football 

Academy selections, in Lagos. 

AWARD: Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr 

Friday Osanebi (left), receiving Law Maker of the Year 2017 award 

from Mr Frank Osafile, Secretary of Team SMART, in Asaba, Delta 

State. 

GRADUATION: 2018 graduating students of The Diadem 

College, Ifako-Gbagada, Lagos during their graduation ceremony/ 

10th anniversary of the school, in Lagos 

SEMINAR: From left, Mr. Cheche Kalu, Secretary, Lagos 

Chapter, DeNorsemen Kclub Inc., DNKI; Dr. Steve Akoni, Chartered 

Administrator; Dr. Adeshola Giwa, International President and Mr. 

Jubril Babatunde Guv'nor, Lagos chapter, DNKI, during a seminar 

on leadership organised by DNKI, Lagos chapter, in Lagos

WITH the declaration that 

Kayode Fayemi has won the 

gubernatorial election in Ekiti, 

APC spin-doctors went into 

overdrive. Lai Mohammed, 

well-loved by all and sundry 

for his vacuous bombasts, 

came out shouting on the 

rooftops that the Ekiti election 

is a referendum on the Buhari 

administration. However, 

the honourable minister needs 

a gentle reminder that Buhari 

was not on the ballot in Ekiti. 

Femi Adesina, the 

president’s Special Adviser on 

Media and Publicity, also 

proclaimed: “With the victory 

of the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in the justconcluded 

Ekiti governorship 

election, Nigerian people have 

spoken, and they have spoken 

loudly, about their perception 

of the APC-led Buhari 

administration. The election 

was more than one state’s 

gubernatorial poll. It was a 

referendum on the 

performance of the Buhari 

administration.” 

This is a lot of hot air. 

Nigerians did not speak in the 

Ekiti election: only the good 

people of Ekiti spoke. The 

election was not a referendum 

on the performance of the 

Buhari administration. The 

Buhari administration did not 

perform in Ekiti. At best, the 

election was a referendum on 

the performance of the Ayodele 

Fayose administration in Ekiti, 

especially since the PDP 

candidate was Fayose’s 

deputy governor. 

Bad omen for APC 

On the assumption that 

the election was free and fair 

(a position hotly contested by 

the PDP), what the people of 

Ekiti did was to throw out the 

government in power. To that 

extent, the one person in the 

APC who correctly 

acknowledged the message 

sent by the people of Ekiti 

through the election was 

governor-elect Fayemi 

himself. He described his 

victory as a symbol of 

liberation from hunger, 

poverty, and indignity 

suffered by the people of the 

state under the Governor 

Fayose-led administration. 

Transposed to the national 

level, this assessment should 

not provide any cause for 

jubilation on the part of the 

APC. On the contrary, it 

should provide ample grounds 

for trepidation. Let me draw 

clearly the lines of 

comparison. The people of 

Ekiti were so dissatisfied with 

Fayemi as governor in 2014, 

they threw him out and 

replaced him with Fayose. 

However, since 2014, they 

have become so dissatisfied 

with Fayose that by 2018, 

they would rather have 

Fayemi back than continue 

with the Fayose 

administration, as represented 

by his deputy. 

Similarly, Nigerians were 

dissatisfied with Goodluck 

Jonathan of the PDP in 2015, 

they threw him out and 

replaced him with Buhari of 

the APC. 

Why PDP’s loss in Ekiti is bad news 

for the APC and Nigeria 

In 2015, the cry for change 

led the Speaker of the House 

of Representatives, Aminu 

Tambuwal, to switch 

allegiance from the PDP party 

that elected him, to the APC 

that did not. As a result, 

Tambuwal was elected 

Governor of Sokoto State under 

the APC. Today, 2018, 

Tambuwal is no longer 

enamoured of the APC. The 

governor has not endorsed 

Buhari’s re-election bid and is 

said to be considering a 

presidential bid of his own 

against the president. 

Like Tambuwal, Bukola 

Saraki, the current Senate 

President who defected from 

the PDP and came to power 

under the APC, is now 

disaffected with APC. He 

was hounded in APC for using 

the same shenanigans that 

APC approved for Tambuwal 

to become Speaker in 2011, to 

become Senate President in 

2016. Having finally been 

discharged and acquitted by 

the Supreme Court for the 

same crime for which Bola 

Tinubu was discharged and 

acquitted, all Saraki’s 

henchmen have ditched the 

hostile APC and returned to 

the PDP; waiting for him to 

make his move. What this 

means is that things are not 

looking good for APC in 

Kwara in the 2019 election. 

T h e 

continued 

desire for 

change has 

now led to the 

ousting of the 

Fayose team 

and the 

return to 

Fayemi in 

2018 

The same goes for Kano, 

whose gargantuan votes 

virtually swung the election to 

Buhari in 2015. Then, the 

point-man for Buhari in Kano 

was Rabiu Kwankwaso, the 

former governor. But now 

Kwankwaso is no longer with 

Buhari. Neither are the other 

members of the faction that 

broke up from the PDP in 

dissatisfaction in 2014 and 

merged with the APC; 

fashioning themselves as the 

new PDP. Apart from Rotimi 

Amaechi, they are now 

dissatisfied with the APC, 

have re-fashioned themselves 

as the Reformed APC and 

returned to the PDP. 

Vanguard, TUESDAY JULY 17, 2018—37 

2015 is now completely 

disaffected with APC. It is now 

working for Kingsley 

Moghalu. 

Everything under this APC 

government has gone from 

bad to worse. 

We are saddled with a 

government that watches 

while we are being murdered 

in our homes, farms, mosques 

and churches. We are 

saddled with a government 

that tells us the choice we 

have is either to lose our land 

to carpetbaggers or lose our 

lives. We are saddled with a 

government that defines itself 

as a northern, instead of a 

national government; with all 

its security architecture in the 

hands of northerners. This 

is certainly not the change 

Nigerians bargained for in 

2015. 

Therefore, the same 

government that came to 

power shouting change no 

longer believes in change. It 

has changed its slogan from 

History, they say, has a 

tendency to repeat itself. 

All dealings that formed the 

bedrock of the APC in 2014 

has now come back to haunt 

the party in 2018. 

In the 2015 election cycle, 

some prominent Nigerians 

became so dissatisfied with 

the PDP, they asked for change 

and ultimately opted for the 

APC. These included people 

like former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo, Professor 

Wole Soyinka, and Reverend 

Father Ejike Mbaka, who 

came out of the woodwork to 

support Buhari. All these 

people are now against the 

president. 

Father Mbaka says: “Mr. 

President wake up; sit up; God 

said you are toying with the 

privilege given to you; there 

is no time; Nigerians are 

dying in your hand; people are 

not happy with your system. 

Change or you will be 

changed.” Says Wole 

Soyinka: “We simply cannot 

continue one day longer to 

endure this forceful feeding of 

human blood. The plain 

expression is ‘ethnic 

cleansing’ and we must not 

beat around the bush. The 

shade of Rwanda hangs over 

the nation. 

The Obama media group 

that helped Buhari mount his 

internet publicity effectively in 

change to progress. But 

there can be no progress in 

Nigeria without change. The 

desire for change led to the 

ousting of Fayemi and his 

replacement by Fayose in 

2014. The continued desire 

for change has now led to the 

ousting of the Fayose team 

and the return to Fayemi in 

2018. 

Same-old, same-old 

But therein lies the danger 

for Nigeria. The people of 

Ekiti were dissatisfied with 

Fayemi. They replaced him 

with Fayose. Now they are 

equally dissatisfied with 

Fayose. But who do they 

replace him with? They 

replace him with the same 

Fayemi they were dissatisfied 

with before. 

Should this be replicated on 

the national level, we would 

be back again with the PDP. 

Nothing recommends the 

PDP today beyond the fact 

that APC has been abysmal. 

Therefore, another roundrobin 

to the PDP cannot be in 

Nigeria’s interest. We need 

new blood. 

This is where a man like 

Kingsley Moghalu deserves 

serious consideration. 

Moghalu is not part of the 

musical chairs of the PDP and 

the APC. He is not a political 

hack or has-been. He is not 

a Nigerian Bourbon who 

has learnt nothing and 

forgotten nothing. He is not 

an old horse that cannot learn 

new tricks. He is young, 

erudite, experienced, 

educated and forwardlooking. 

He belongs to the 

new generation of leadership 

that Nigeria sorely needs. 

An anonymous wise man 

says: “Insanity is doing the 

same thing over and over 

again and expecting different 

results. Certainly, the 

Nigerian electorate is not 

insane. Therefore, come 

2019, we need to say in one 

accord:Enough is enough. 

Let us give competent hands 

like Kingsley Moghalu a 

chance. 

C 

M 

YK

38— VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 

OSUN APC PRIMARY: Exco 

descends into war 

By Gbenga Olarinoye 

THE Osun State chapter of 

the All Progressives 

Congress, APC was 

yesterday descending into war 

after the party executive broke 

into factions over the mode to 

be used in conducting this 

week’s primary election for the 

party’s governorship 

candidate. 

The acrimony broke out after 

11 of the 16 member state 

executive rose in rebellion and 

suspended the chairman and 

the secretary; respectively 

Prince Gboyega Famodun and 

Abdul Rasaq Salinsile with 

immediate effect over alleged 

imposition of direct mode for 

primary election slated for this 

week Thursday. 

The group of 11 at the end of 

an emergency meeting in 

Osogbo yesterday directed 

that, their deputies, Alhaji Isa 

Azeez Adesiji and Alhaji 

Rasheed Bakare Idera should 

take over the mantle of 

leadership as acting state 

Chairman and Secretary 

respectively. 

The move was immediately 

rebuffed by the duo through a 

statement by the party’s 

director of media, Barrister 

Kunle Oyatomi who described 

the suspension as illegal. 

The spokesperson of the 11, 

Barrister Goke Ogunsola, the 

legal adviser of the party who 

read their resolutions, stated 

that, the party did not have 

confidence in the duo any 

longer as their leaders. 

He said:” We read with 

dismay, statements credited to 

Prince Gboyega Famodun that 

members of state working 

Committee and non-members 

of state working Committee of 

the party in the state, who did 

not support the direct mode of 

primary election to pick the 

APC candidate for 

governorship election are 

disgruntled ones.” 

“This attack on the members 

of the state working Committee 

that have taken a principled 

stand on a critical issue at this 

critical moment is uncalled for 

unwarranted and height of 

disservice to the APC in the 

state.” 

“It is sad that the party 

chairman could condescend to 

the level of taking directive 

given in bad faith to the 

detriment of the wishes of the 

majority of the members of the 

party in the state.” 

“Many months ago, members 

of the state working committee 

advised the party chairman to 

•Oyetola 

call meeting of the relevant 

organs of the party to direct the 

affairs of the party in 

accordance with the 

constitution of the party.” 

“In response to the advice the 

party chairman told the 

members of the state working 

Committee that he did not have 

confidence in the present state 

working committee members 

and non state working 

committee and as a result, he 

will not call meetings of the 

relevant organs of the Party.” 

Oyatomi in a swift reaction 

asked the public to disregard 

the suspension of the party 

leaders. His words: “The APC 

is calling on all loyal and 

•Salaam 

faithful members of the party 

to discountenance frivolous 

statement made by a few 

disgruntled members of the 

State Executive who are saying 

that the party chairman in the 

state, Prince Gboyega 

Famodun and the State 

Secretary, Alhaji Rasaq 

Salinsile, have been 

suspended from the party. 

“That statement is absolute 

nonsense. They have no such 

right constitutionally to say 

what they have said and their 

purpose is purely anti-party. 

Obviously, these members 

have other interest to protect 

than what the party stands for. 

“The public as well as our 

•Adeoti 

•Babalola •Lasun •Akere 

*Direct primary election will give every member of the party 

the opportunity to be involved in the nomination process as 

against the indirect primary 

*That a direct primary will signify popular participation by 

ensuring the largest participation of members of the party 

across the state 

*That a direct primary system promotes democracy, reduces 

the intimidation of delegates, bribery and other electoral 

malfeasance. It promotes popular participation and prevent 

monetization of the process and intimidation. 

*That the direct primary system will also address the fear of 

imposition of any person as candidate of the party being 

alleged in some quarters. 

*That Osun APC has been using direct primaries for all its 

internal electoral activities since 2014. For instance, the 

governorship primaries of 2014 and the recent local 

goverment election in January 2018. And this has enhanced 

members should be informed 

that the APC is solidly behind 

our leadership and nothing of 

the sort is happening inside our 

ranks. 

“We are absolutely certain that 

fifth columnists within the 

party, who feared they could 

lose out in the coming primary 

exercise are trying to introduce 

confusion into our ranks. But 

they will fail woefully. 

“Our members are therefore 

urged to stay calm and resolute 

and they should not allow 

themselves to be deceived by 

people who have the least 

interest of Osun and APC at 

heart. APC is solid united and 

unshakeable”, he added 

Why we want direct primary by Kunle Oyatomi 

THE APC Director of Research and Publicity, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, 

said the decision on direct primary was reached at a meeting 

presided over by the chairman last weekend. His reasons: 

•Oyatomi 

popular participation of 

members at the primary and 

the subsequent general 

elections. 

*That direct primary helps to 

mobilising members and 

popularizing the party in the 

state. 

Thugs invade APC 

press conference, 

brutalise 

journalists, party 

members 

*PDP denounces 

resort to violence 

THUGS yesterday pounded 

journalists and other 

stakeholders at the venue of 

the press conference 

organised by the factional 

executive members of the 

APC executive where the 

chairman and secretary of the 

party were suspended. 

The thugs who came who 

came in a 14-pasasenger bus 

numbering about 20 wielded 

different dangerous weapons 

caused serious panic and 

pandemonium at the venue, 

as hundreds of party 

members who attended the 

briefing alongside newsmen 

scampered to safety. 

Meanwhile, the Osun State 

Chapter of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

condemned the acts of 

violence unleashed on 

journalists and other innocent 

members of the public by 

thugs he said were loyal to a 

faction of the APC in the state. 

The party expressed this 

condemnation in a release 

issued by the State Publicity 

Secretary, Hon Sunday Bisi. 

Hon Bisi recalled that the 

violent attack was sequel to 

the purported suspension of 

the State APC chairman, 

Prince Gboyega Famodun 

and the State Secretary by a 

faction of the party 

leadership. 

The PDP said it was rather 

unfortunate that the APC 

would resort to such acts of 

violence on members of the 

fourth estate of the realm who 

were only performing their 

duties as guaranteed by the 

Nigerian constitution. 

The party also warned the 

APC and State Government to 

avoid any conduct which 

might jeopardise the fragile 

peace of the State and 

truncate the processes 

leading up to the 

governorship election in 

September. 

“Finally, we want to inform 

the head of various security 

agencies in the state, more 

especially the Commissioner 

of Police, Osun State that the 

lives of members of Integrity 

Group within APC, which cut 

across the organs of the party 

in the state across the 30 

Local Government Council 

Areas, and the Area office are 

being threatened from certain 

quarters because of their 

stand against direct primary.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018— 39 

2019: I want to correct anomalies 

in Imo East — Nwachukwu 

A senatorial aspirant 

on the platform of All Progressives 

Grand Alliance, 

APGA, in Imo East 

Senatorial District, Mr. 

Mike Nwachukwu, in 

this interview, speaks on 

the reasons he is seeking 

to represent his people. 

M y childhood: 

I attended Saint 

Joseph Primary School, 

Uwani Enugu in Enugu 

State where I obtained 

my First School Leaving 

Certificate. I proceeded 

to Owerri Government 

Secondary School (OGS- 

SIAN) where I obtained 

my ‘O’ Level Certificate 

in 1981. I attended University 

of Nigeria (UNN) 

and graduated with a 

Bachelor of Science degree 

in Political Science. 

This was followed by a 

Master’s degree in Business 

Administration from 

the University of Port 

Harcourt. I joined Diamond 

bank after my 

MBA in April 1992 and 

left for Equatorial Trust 

Bank in 1997. Seven 

months later, I joined 

Fortune International 

Bank and retired from 

the banking industry in 

2002. 

Foray into politics 

I joined APGA alongside 

Chief Martin Agbaso 

and his supporters 

in 2005. This coincided 

with the party’s congress, 

where I contested 

for the office of the State 

Secretary and won. I remained 

the State Secretary 

for about six years. 

During this period, we 

worked hard for Chief 

Agbaso’s gubernatorial 

ambition in 2007. We 

were in court between 

2007 and 2011. It was an 

unfortunate experience. 

Aspiring for 

greater heights 

I have reviewed the 

kind of representation 

our people have been 

getting at the National 

Assembly and decided 

that I could offer more to 

the people of Owerri 

zone in terms of effective 

representation. Given my 

experience as a business 

person domiciled in Abuja, 

who has worked on 

legitimate government 

jobs, I have a deep understanding 

of what it 

entails to be a legislator. 

I know that if you do the 

right thing, one can effectively 

address the infrastructural 

deficits that 

are prevalent in our environment. 

I am sure I 

would be well suited to 

represent my people in 

•Mike Nwachukwu 

the Senate. 

Given my experience 

as a business 

person domiciled 

in Abuja, 

who has worked 

on legitimate government 

jobs, I 

have a deep understanding 

of 

what it entails to 

be a legislator 

On chances 

I come from Imo East 

Senatorial District. In 

the history of Owerri Senatorial 

zone, our folks 

from Mbaise, Mbaitolu, 

and Ikeduru have always 

represented the zone in 

the Red Chamber. It has 

been like that since1979. 

We have Chief Tony Anyanwu 

from Umu Okirika 

in Mbaise, Chief Isidore 

Obasi from Ihite 

Afor-Ukwu also in 

Mbaise, Senator Bright 

Nwanne from Ezinihite. 

After him came Senator 

Evan Enwerem from Atta 

in Ikeduru, who later became 

the Senate President 

and the late Senator 

Ama Iwuagwu, who 

hailed from Mbieri in 

Mbaitoli. 

When Senator Ama 

Iwuagwu passed on, 

Senator Eze Ajoku from 

Owerri North stepped in 

to fill the vacuum for 

about nine months. After 

the expiration of the 

term, Senator Chris Anyanwu 

from Mbaise 

stepped in and did two 

terms. After her, the pendulum 

swung back to 

Mbaise which resulted 

in the election of Senator 

Sam Anyanwu. He is 

perhaps going to run for 

the governorship seat on 

the platform of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP. 

That created a vacuum 

which I thought I could 

key into, using my experience 

as a retired banker. 

I feel this is the right 

time for us in the old 

Owerri Local Government 

Area to have the 

opportunity to represent 

Nde Owerri zone. A lot 

of people are well qualified 

to seek office from 

the old Owerri zone, but 

I have decided to 

present myself. Presenting 

myself does not stop 

any other person from 

coming out. We present 

ourselves to our people 

to make their choice. For 

me, I think I understand 

what the issues are. To 

me, it is key to addressing 

the deficits prevalent 

in our environment. 

On Imo politics 

The reality of the situation 

is that I am encouraged 

by my fellow APGA 

members and my friends, 

who belong to other parties. 

It has been encouraging. 

Everybody tells 

me that I have what it 

takes to do it. They urged 

me to work hard because 

the major hurdle that I 

have to cross is to ensure 

that I get the ticket of 

APGA. 

Everybody tells me that 

they are not looking at 

parties this time. The 

focus this time is on individuals, 

and their abilities. 

I am encouraged by 

that. Again, it essentially 

boils down to the fact 

that they will vote for me. 

That is my expectation. If 

I wasn’t sure that I will 

get the support of my 

people, I will not be in 

the race. 

The level of infrastructural 

deficit that we are 

experiencing in our 

place is alarming. From 

Aboh Mbaise to Eziniihite, 

Ikeduru, Ahiazu to 

Owerri North to Mbaitolu 

Ikeduru, the story is 

the same. Even from 

Owerri Municipal that is 

the state capital, to Ngor 

Okpala and Owerri West, 

it is not a different story. 

The road to Inyishi is 

horrible. From Nworie 

Ubi to Mbieri is also 

nothing to write home 

about. If you are going to 

Itu in Mbaise through 

Ihite, it is horrible. I can 

begin to mention the entire 

places one after the 

other. I intend to effectively 

engage the interventionist 

agencies of 

the Federal Government, 

Ecological Fund office, 

Border Communities Development 

Agency, and 

the Federal Ministry of 

Works, among others.

40—Vanguard, TUESDAY JULY 17, 2018 

SUMMIT—From left: Director-General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita 

Okechukwu; Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Sen. Suleiman 

Adukwe; Board Chairman of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), 

Alhaji Ikra Bilbis; Director-General of NBC, Alhaji Modibo Kawu; and Gov. 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, during a Content Summit organized by 

the NBC in Enugu, yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

Southern, M-Belt leaders blast 

FG for aborting trip to Benue 


that each unit of the 

Southern and Middlebelt 

Forum had held rallies 

across the country to drum 

support for their 

agitations for 

restructuring and better 

Nigeria in South-West, 

held in Ibadan; South 

East which took place in 

Awka and that of South 

South which was held in 

Yenagoa, the Bayelsa 

State capital, before 

yesterday’s rally which 

took place in Makurdi. 

Nwodo said: “We have 

called you to express our 

anger and disgust at what 

happened to us today. We 

the people of Southern 

Nigeria and the Middle 

Belt have a forum called 

the Southern and Middle 

Belt Leadership Forum. 

Our major identity is our 

agreement that the only 

way to push our country 

forward and prevent a 

looming disaster, that is 

NAIRA WATCH 

about to befall us, 

economically and 

politically, is to to 

restructure the Nigerian 

federation. 

“Each of the component 

units of this organization 

has held a summit of their 

leaders expressing their 

support for this policy. 

The first was held in the 

South West in the ancient 

city of Ibadan, where all 

of us attended. The next 

was held in Yenegoa in 

the South-South region of 

Nigeria; all of us were 

there, including the 

people of the Middle Belt. 

"The next was held in 

Awka where the South 

East expressed its support 

for the restructuring of the 

federation. The last of the 

zones to hold its rally is 

the rally holding today 

(yesterday) in Makurdi 

by the Middle Belt. 

“This is not the second 

time we have gone to 

Makurdi on behalf of the 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

Naira depreciates to 

N361.85/$ 

The naira yesterday depreciated by 23 kobo to 

N361.85 per dollar in the Investors and Exporters 

(I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the window rose to N361.85 per 

dollar yesterday from N361.62 per dollar last week 

Friday, indicating 23 kobo depreciation of the naira. 

However, the naira appreciated by 50 kobo to N358 

per dollar in the parallel market yesterday. 

According to naijabdcs.com, the live exchange rate 

platform of the Association of Bureaux De Change 

Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), the parallel market 

exchange dropped to N358 per dollar from N358.5 

per dollar last week Friday, indicating 50 kobo 

appreciation of the naira. 

Southern and Middle 

Belt Leadership Forum. 

When there were killings 

in Benue, with 100 people 

buried the same day, we 

went on behalf of this 

forum. We took a 

chartered aircraft and 

there was no difficulty 

whatsoever in landing in 

Makurdi or obtaining 

permission to take off 

from Abuja. 

Breach of human 

rights 

“We arrived in time for 

our flight today at 12 

noon, the airport 

commandant disallowed 

us from flying and said 

we needed to go and get 

permission to land in 

Makurdi. We consider 

this fundamental 

infringement on our 

democratic rights of 

freedom of movement 

and freedom of 

association. 

"There is nothing in our 

law precluding us from 

moving to wherever we 

like, from holding an 

opinion, in so far as we 

do not breach any law in 

Nigeria. What has 

happened to us today 

expresses a lot of doom 

for fundamental human 

rights in our country, for 

the free exchange of 

ideas as unavoidable 

instruments of achieving 

growth and development 

of our polity. 

"We deprecate the 

treatment that we were 

given today, which 

treatment prevented us 

from physically joining 

our brethren in the 

Middle Belt in ..a 

common view, which we 

all hold, a very patriotic 

view, which we think will 

be the only way to 

guarantee the future of 

our country. 

“Please publicise this 

for many reasons. One, 

the teeming crowd that 

you saw on television in 

the Middle Belt are our 

brethren who showed us 

solidarity in other zonal 

summits. The fact that we 

were barred from showing 

them this solidarity is 

bound to hurt them. 

"Through this press 

conference, we want to 

express our solidarity 

with them. We want them 

to know that we are one 

and the same in our views 

of the restructuring of the 

Federation. 

“Secondly, to deprecate 

these new tendencies, not 

too long ago, the 

President signed into law 

an Executive Order 

which gives him the right 

to seize peoples assets. 

This is almost like a 

military government. And 

we think that this is an 

intrusion into the 

principles of separation of 

powers in our country. 

"It is the responsibility 

of the legislature to make 

law, of the executive to 

implement the law and 

the judiciary to interpret 

the law. I do not think 

that Section 5 of the 

Constitution gives the 

President such Executive 

authority to make laws. 

The right to property is 

a fundamental right in a 

democracy. It cannot be 

expropriated here 

without a decision of the 

court. 

"What has happened to 

us today shows a 

continuing tendency to 

slide into a dictatorship 

in a democratic 

government. That is 

condemnable.” 

It's sabotage — 

Clark 

Reacting yesterday, 

Chief Clark described it 

as a sabotage by those 

who do not believe in 

restructuring to sabotage 

the rally. 

He said: “No group of 

persons, no one ethnic 

group is superior to the 

other. The people say 

that they are Middle Belt 

and some people say that 

they are not, are you the 

one to tell them who they 

are? Everybody in 

Nigeria has an identity, 

your identity is not 

superior to my identity. 

No ethnic nationality is 

superior to mine. 

“It was sabotage, they 

knew that we were going 

there to discuss 

restructuring, those who 

don’t believe in it 

decided to sabotage it.” 

Also speaking on the 

development yesterday, 

former National 

Democratic Coalition, 

NADECO, chieftain, Air 

Commodore Dan 

Suleiman, retd, who 

publicly put a call to the 

leaders while addressing 

the gathering at IBB 

Square in Makurdi, 

Benue State capital, 

cautioned that the 

leaders of the Middle 

Belt would not be cowed, 

promising that the 

region would continue to 

work together to ensure 

safety and victory for its 

people. 

The retired senior Air 

Force officer said: 

“Despite challenges 

confronting the region, 

the Middle-Belt will 

remain united and 

continue to march 

forward to greatness. 

“There is need for 

Nigeria to be 

restructured to give way 

to fair sharing of 

resources because 

justice must be 

delivered to the people 

of the regions. 

“Middle Belters are not 

cowards. We shall march 

unto victory. Forward 

ever, backward never. We 

all must liberate the 

Middle Belt. This 

current nonsense must 

not be allowed to 

continue. We must 

strategize for a common 

front and we will get 

there.” 

Ishaku, Adebanjo 

react 

Speaking, Governor 

Darius Ishaku, who 

attended the event, 

appreciated the effort of 

the National Assembly in 

initiating a bill to 

establish state and local 

government police. 

He faulted the 

provisions of the 1999 

constitution which was 

drawn from USA, noting 

that the US Constitution 

provides for local 

and state police, 

wondering why it was 

deliberately not 

incorporated in Nigerian 

Constitution. 

He sued for 

accelerated attention 

and passage of the bill, 

stressing that if passed 

and subsequently signed 

into law, it would go a 

long way to address the 

incessant killings in the 

country, particularly in 

the Middle-Belt. 

He said: “Killing 

people is another form of 

corruption and the worst 

of it all. When one steals 

one million, he is 

prosecuted but when 

some persons kill 

innocent people in their 

sleep, they are allowed 

to walk free. 

“This must stop. 

Nigeria is a great 

country but it is wasting 

away. Every state in 

Nigeria is a potential 

country of its own.’’ 

Despite their absence 

at the rally, the southern 

leaders made their 

speech through a phone 

call and contributed to 

the theme of the 

c o n f e r e n c e : 

‘Restructuring Nigeria 

and Reawakening”. 

The Afenifere leader, 

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said 

people would resist any 

attempt to stop activities 

of Middle Belt forum. 

He noted that in 

Nigeria, no ethnic group 

was subordinate to 

another, adding “we are 

all one in this fight, we 

want a situation where 

everyone will be equal. 

Restructuring is long 

overdue, we are all one, 

nobody can separate 

us.’’ 

Former Minister of 

Defence, General 

Theophilus Danjuma, 

retd, who was 

represented by General 

Zamani Lekwot, retd, 

decried the mindless 

killings in Middle Belt 

but said he would not be 

silent and see Nigeria 

break up. 

“Some of us fought hard 

to keep the country 

together, many died 

while defending their 

fatherland, we will not 

allow these sacrifices to 

be in vain,’’ he added. 

In his speech, Benue 

State governor, Samuel 

Ortom, reiterated his call 

for the arrest of leaders 

of Miyetti Allah Kautal 

Hore who he said openly 

vowed to unleash terror 

on the Benue valley and 

eventually carried out 

their threat. 

He said: “Which hate 

speech is more than what 

the Miyetti Allah Kautal 

Hore gave and they are 

not arrested? 

“We all need each 

other, big ethnic groups 

need small ethnic 

groups, vice versa, we 

are all key stakeholders 

in the Nigeria project.” 

Ortom, who also threw 

his weight behind 

restructuring of Nigeria, 

charged Nigerians to 

remain committed to a 

one Nigeria. 

Resolutions 

Resolutions reached at 

the end of the meeting, 

which were read out by 

the legal adviser of the 

forum, Mr. Mark Jack, 

include the restructuring 

of the country, creation of 

two more states in the 

eastern and middle belt 

regions of the country. 

Others are endorsement 

of the recommendation of 

the 2014 confab to address 

the noticeable imbalances 

in the country. 

The gathering also 

recommended a 

presidential system of 

government that makes 

provision for three vice 

presidents.


Alarm over rise in 

skin bleaching among 

Nigerians 

•Only 81 dermatologists serving 198m people 

By Chioma Obinna 

WORRIED by the 

increase in skin 

bleaching among 

Nigerians and 

unregulated sale of 

bleaching agents in the 

country, dermatologists 

have raised the alarm over 

the effects of the practice. 

The dermatologists 

under the auspices of the 

National Association of 

Dermatologists, NAD, 

have called for urgent 

enforcement and 

regulation of the use and 

illegal sale of skin 

bleaching/lightening 

agents. 

Making the call in Ile 

Ife during its 2018 

Scientific Conference and 

Annual General Meeting, 

the specialists said the 

move became necessary 

to check the rampant cases 

of skin and kidney cancers 

and other related disorders 

in the country. 

According to the World 

Health Organisation, 

WHO, an estimated 77 per 

cent of Nigerian women 

use skin-lightening 

products, the figure which 

is reputed to be the world’s 

highest percentage. 

Good Health Weekly 

findings show that not only 

By Gabriel Olawale 

IN line with the Federal 

government of Nigeria’s 

commitment to achieve 27 per 

cent modern Contraceptive 

Prevalence Rate, mCPR by 

2020, 

Pharmaceutical Society of 

Nigeria-Partnership for 

Advocacy in Child and 

Family Health at Scale; 

Nigerian Urban 

Reproductive Health 

Initiative; Palladium 

Technical Support Unit 

among other stakeholders 

have called for inclusion of 

non-clinical private providers 

in family planning service 

provision. 

They said that expanding 

access to family planning and 

other primary healthcare 

services through inclusion of 

women are obsessed with 

bleaching their skins even 

men are involved in the 

practice. 

Many of the bleaching 

creams and lotions contain 

chemicals such as mercury, 

allantoin, irgasan, etc that 

have been identified as 

being carcinogenic. 

Over the years, experts at 

the dermatology 

departments of Teaching 

Hospitals across the 

Federation have decried 

the practice of skin 

bleaching, which they 

described as a major 

challenge to all 

dermatologists in Africa 

andone that deserves 

urgent political action due 

to the devastating 

consequences of skin 

cancer, ochronosis, fungal 

infections, acne, and striae. 

Lamenting what they 

described 

as 

"disproportionate" number 

of specialist dermatologists 

in the country, NAD 

lamented that only 81 

dermatologists are 

currently serving the 

nation’s population of 198 

million (a ratio of 1:2.4 

million). 

Appealing for urgent 

action, the dermatologists 

urged the Federal 

government to focus on 

government. 

NAD maintained that 

there should be provision 

of requisite infrastructure 

and incentives to enhance 

dermatologic care in rural 

areas in addition to 

frequent outreach 

programmes by 

dermatologists; training of 

general practitioners 

resident in the communities 

on the diagnosis and 

treatment of common skin 

diseases among others. 

According to the experts: 

"The dermatologic needs of 

rural communities in 

Nigeria have not been met 

due to the virtual absence 

of dermatology care in 

these communities." 

Another source of worry 

is the absence of 

dermatologic coverage 

under the National Health 

Insurance Scheme, NHIS, 

despite the fact that a third 

of visits to hospitals are 

skin related. 

NAD argues that 

inclusion of dermatologic 

services in the NHIS would 

increase access. 

They identified 

Neglected Tropical 

Diseases, NTDs, in 

dermatologic practices in 

Nigeria, noting with 

dismay the absence of 

dermatologists in the 

relevant committees 

saddled with the 

responsibility of assisting 

the World Health 

Organisation, WHO, 

achieve its goal of reducing 

and/or eradicating NTDs. 

"Majority of NTDs have 

skin manifestations and 

close to half can be 

diagnosed by their 

Include private sector in family planning service provision, FG tasked 

non-clinical private providers 

such as Community 

Pharmacists and Patent & 

Proprietary Medicines 

Vendors remain one of the key 

strategies to actualise the goal. 

Speaking during the Lagos 

State Stakeholders 

Sensitisation/ Consultative 

Policy Dialogue, Senior 

Programme Officer, 

Pharmaceutical Society of 

Nigeria-Partnership for 

Advocacy in Child and Family 

Health at Scale, Edwin 

Akpotor, said that about 60 per 

cent of Nigerians obtained 

their Contraceptives from the 

Private Sector while 30 per 

cent from Public Sector. 

“In the Private Sector, both 

Community Pharmacists and 

Patent Medicines Vendors are 

responsible for over 60 per 

cent of Primary Health Care 

increasing interest in 

dermatology through 

continuous sensitisation 

of students and 

residents about the 

scope and range of the 

specialty. 

In a communique the 

National President, Dr 

Grace Okudo and 

Secretary General Dr 

Chinwe Onyekonwu 

stressed the need to 

improve access to 

dermatologic care at the 

community levels 

through the provision of 

adequate funding by the 

According to 

the World 

Health 

Organisation, 

77 per cent of 

Nigerian 

women use 

skin-lightening 

products, 

which is 

reputed to be 

the world’s 

highest 

percentage 

needs of Nigerians. So there 

is a need for the government 

of Nigeria and other relevant 

stakeholders to ensure 

essential Primary Health Care 

Services are Task Shifted or 

Task Shared with Community 

Pharmacists and Patent 

Medicine Vendors bearing in 

mind their unique 

contribution. 

“If both non-clinical private 

providers such as Community 

Pharmacists and Patent & 

Proprietary Medicines 

Vendors Community 

Pharmacists and Patent 

Medicines Vendors are 

included in the TSTS Policy, 

contraceptive coverage would 

increase from 30 per cent to 

90 per cent,” he noted. 

Corroborating this view, 

Reproductive Health 

Coordinator, Lagos State, Dr 

Saidat Okaga said that the 

goal is to raise the CPR from 

15 per cent to 36 per cent and 

contribute to the reduction of 

MMR by 75 per cent and IMR 

by 66 per cent by 2020. 

“Achieving the Blueprint’s 

goal would avert 1.6 million 

unintended pregnancies, and 

400,000 infant and 700,000 

child deaths. 

She disclosed that in 2017 

an estimated 600,000 women 

are using a modern method 

of contraception in Lagos state 

which helps the state averted 

143,000 unintended 

pregnancies, 46,000 unsafe 

abortions and 900 maternal 

deaths. 

Okaga disclosed that Lagos 

State aimed to strengthen 

demand for a full range of 

contraceptive methods and 

family planning services by 

delivering targeted, accurate 

FP information to men and 

women and addressing 

common FP myths and 

misconceptions. 

“Ensure youth are well 

informed on reproductive 

health issues and FP services 

available, Increase coverage 

and access to high-quality 

integrated Family planning 

services and commodities 

through the private sector, 

faith-based organizations, 

private hospitals/clinics, 

pharmacies and PPMVs as 

appropriate for some 

methods. 

“Strengthen the capacity of 

healthcare workers to provide 

safe, high-quality FP services, 

including counselling, 

provision, and removal of 

long-acting reversible 

contraception. 

characteristic cutaneous 

features. These cutaneous 

manifestations are largely 

responsible for the 

morbidity, stigmatisation, 

social isolation, and 

psychosocial impact of 

these diseases. 

"The role of 

dermatologists in ensuring 

early and accurate 

diagnosis, effective 

management, and 

eventual control of NTDs 

cannot be overemphasised, 

thus if the 

goal of reducing the 

burden of NTDs is to be 

achieved, dermatologists 

must be at the forefront of 

such programmes," they 

noted. 

They however, 

recommended that 

dermatologists in 

collaboration with other 

medical workers should 

increase surveillance and 

reporting of NTD at the 

Local, State, and Federal 

levels. 

There is also the need for 

involvement of 

dermatologists at all stages 

of programmes targeted at 

the control, elimination, 

and/or eradication of NTD, 

including policy making, 

programme development, 

planning, implementation, 

monitoring and evaluation. 

While recommending 

that dermatologists should 

assist in training competent 

hands in the identification, 

diagnosis and 

management of these 

diseases, they noted the 

need for increased 

government and donor 

funding for disease 

surveillance, research and 

treatment protocols for 

NTDs.


Streamline training programme for cardiothoracic surgery, Yawe tasks FG 


PRESIDENT of the 

West African Col 

lege of Surgeons, 

WACS Professor King- 

David Terna Yawe, has 

urged Nigeria government 

to streamline the 

training programme for 

cardiothoracic surgery in 

other to have two or three 

well equipped centres 

that can meet international 

standards. 

Cardiothoracic surgery 

also known as thoracic 

surgery is the field of 

medicine involved in surgical 

treatment of conditions 

of the heart and 

lungs. Yawe who spoke 

during the official commissioning 

of the permanent 

secretariat of the 

West African College of 

Surgeons, WACS, in Lagos, 

said such decision 

would be a boost to the 

sub-region and as a College 

they are willing to 

offer technical advice and 

support for its actualisation. 

He also expressed 

willingness to assist the 

Nigerian Armed Forces to 

set up a Post Graduate 

Medical Programme. 

“In this regard, we commend 

the numerous 

strides of President Muhammadu 

Buhari in improving 

the health sector. 

We congratulate the Nigeria 

government for 

signing into law the Residency 

training Programme 

bill and the generous 

allocation made in 

the 2018 Appropriation 

Bill to address health 

needs of the country. 

Yawe pointed out that 

the actualisation of the 

secretariat building 

which cost the college 

N1.2 billion was a symbol 

of unity of West Africans. 

“It is another example 

of Anglophone-Francophone 

integration, cooperation 

and the pride 

of West African Surgeons 

who levied members and 

raised N1.2 billion for the 

permanent secretariat 

without bank loans or 

support from the public 

sector. 

“It was the dream and 

desire of the founding fathers 

and successive generations 

of College leadership 

to build a befitting 

office for our operations. 

In 2010, the first step was 

taken to raise funds for 

this project under the 

leadership of Emeritus 

Professor O.O. Mbonu. 

“In 2012 land was purchase 

during the tenure 

of Professor OK 

Ogedengne and foundation 

was laid in 2014 by 

Professor Herve Koffi 

Yangni-Angate Jnr. 

Yawe recalled that when 

he assumed office in 

2017, he chose middle 

and high-level surgical 

manpower development 

and extension of safe sur- 

gical services to the 

grassroots a priority. 

“In partnership with the 

Presidential Committee 

on the North-East Initiative 

and Pro-Health International, 

we have 

been conducting outreaches 

in Yobe, Borno, 

Adamawa, Gombe and 

Bauchi States and in Kebbi 

State where tens of 

thousands were offered 

free surgical services. 

“We also carried out 

similar outreaches in 

Enugu and Abia states. 

Our Surgical Outreaches 

Committee has been performing 

credibly in many 

other nations and has 

been requested to assist 

Central African states in 

the same vein. 

“To ensure essential surgery 

is readily available, 

our Surgical, Anaesthesia 

and Obstetric Plan Committee 

is working to generate 

data and develop 

National Surgical plans 

for each nation in line with 

global trends as captured 

in World Health Assembly 

Agenda 68, SGDs and 

AU Agenda 2063. 

In his remark, Past President 

of the College, Prof. 

Olajide Ajayi stated: “It 

is another tutorial on unity 

in diversity, pragmatic 

decision-making processes, 

balanced judgments, 

strategic planning, 

personal sacrifices, 

courage and devotion to 

duty, institutional trusts 

and abiding faith in the 

Divine guidance which 

permeated successive 

generations of our college 

leadership.” 

• Cross section of dignitaries during the official commissioning of the permanent 

secretariat of the West African College of Surgeons, WACS, in Lagos recently. 

Foundation empowers widows with 

free healthcare, skills acquisition 


WORRIED by hardship faced wid 

ows in the communities, Chinwe 

Bode-Akinwande (CBA) Foundation has 

empowered widows within Iberekodo 

community area of Lagos with skills acquisition 

even as it offered free medical 

treatment to all participants. 

The founder, CBA Foundation, Mrs 

Chinwe Bode-Akinwande who noted 

that the foundation was set out to empower 

women, especially widows in 

Nigeria explained that the skill acquisition 

programme was teach the women 

how to fish and be independent on their 

own. 

"We have trained them on how to make 

liquid soap, how to design clothes, how 

to make small chops and many other 

things. Beyond skill acquisition, money 

and food items that the foundation 

gave to the widows, the founder said 

the foundation also ensured that nurses 

and doctors are available to treat any 

who are sick. 

"It may be a big deal for them to go to 

the hospital for treatments, hence the 

reason we decided to bring along the 

medical doctors and nurses who will 

help to diagnose them and give medications 

as required. As for critical cases, 

a referral letter would be given to 

such patients to the nearest government 

health facilities where they would be 

treated, " she added. 

On the agenda of the foundation, 

Bode-Akinwande disclosed that CBA 

foundation is a Non-Governmental Organisation 

that has an agenda geared 

towards women empowerment, in the 

form of skills acquisition and financial 

assistance; health intervention; basic 

education for kids of the underprivileged 

in the society and nutrition. 

She said, "We go round Nigeria to help 

the underprivileged widow in the society 

and today we are at Iberekodo community. 

We do collaboration and partnership 

with organisations and we are 

still reaching out to government and 

individuals to assist us, so that we can 

reach out to a larger number of widows 

and underprivileged in the society " 

Recognising support of the state government, 

she said, "Few weeks ago, 

Lagos state wrote us to send five widows 

from our profile. They had a seminar 

where they talked to the widows, 

gave them money, food items and lots 

of goodies, which to me is quite applaudable 

and I am very expectant that 

many more opportunities would come 

for this underprivileged widows. We are 

also hoping that organizations would 

come in to assist us also." 

Responding one of the widows, Mrs 

Cecilia Adenuga said since her husband 

died in 2007, leaving her with 10 

children to cater for alone, she has been 

moving from one relative to another, 

begging for alms. For her, with the training 

and capital given to her she would 

start up her own business on soap making. 

•Beneficiaries of the Chinwe Bode- 

Akinwande Foundation empowerment 

drive for widows in some Lagos 

communities


LASG, PharmAccess unveil finance 

scheme in health 

...outsource 43 PHCs to private care providers 


IN a move to improve 

healthcare delivery at 

the primary level of care, 

the Lagos State 

Government in 

collaboration with 

PharmAccess Group 

weekend launched a 

financial framework for 

Small and Medium Scale 

Enterprises in the health 

sector even as it outsources 

43 Primary HealthCare 

Centres, PHCs to private 

care providers. 

The unveiling which was 

done through the Lagos 

State Ministries of Health, 

Wealth Creation and 

Employment and 

PharmAccess was to 

expand businesses as 

well as create 

employment in the state. 


partiers, the financial 

framework for the health 

SMEs will attract a 50 

percent funding from the 

Lagos State Employment 

Trust Fund (LSETF), 

Bank of Industry (BOI) 

and Medical Credit Fund 

(MCF), with a total of N1, 

075, 000, 000 disbursed for 

the Scheme. 

Speaking at the 

unveiling, the State 

Commissioner for Wealth 

Creation and 

Employment, Mrs. 

Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf 

noted that the private 

sector provides over 65 

percent of healthcare 

services in Lagos, with 

SMEs in the healthcare 

space constituting 

majority of the providers. 

Uzamat said the 

propagation and growth 

of the health SMEs has 

been greatly stunted as 

they are mostly 

underfunded and unable 

to attract investment 

capital 

On his part, the 

Commissioner for Health, 

Dr Jide Idris announced 

that as part of the reform 

strategies, 43 defunct 

Primary Healthcare 

Centres in the state have 

been selected to be 

outsourced to private 

providers under a Public- 

Private Partnership, PPP. 

Idris said government's 

idea to collaborate with 

the private healthcare 

providers was to ensure 

sustainability, reduced 

mortality and morbidity 

rates, access to quality 

and cheaper health 

solutions to all residents 

of Lagos state. 

Idris further explained 

that the framework was in 

two components, - Access 

to Finance and Medical 

Equipment Leasing 

Scheme, MELS, aimed at 

developing vibrant and 

viable healthcare service 

in the state to provide 

service delivery in 

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL) 

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primary health centres 

that are dilapidated. 

Idris said the identified 

PHCs located in the East, 

West and Central of Lagos 

state will serve as a pilot 

for the state's Access to 

Finance for Health SMEs 

Scheme and also used as 

part of the facilities to 

provide quality 

Healthcare Services to the 

Lagos State Health 

Insurance Scheme. 

Speaking, the Country 

Director Nigeria, 

PharmAccess Foundation, 

Njide Ndili identified 

gaps in service delivery 

in the PHCs, noting that 

rather than build new 

facilities by the private 

providers, the old would be 

revitalised through the PPP 

with the financial scheme. 

"We provide the avenue 

for the funding the health 

SMEs through bringing 

in the BOI. We leverage 

on our Safecare 

methodology to ensure 

renovation of PHCs; 

ensure the right care and 

service is given to the 

citizens." The Africa 

Initiative, World Bank 

Group, Prof. Khama Rogo 

who stressed the need for 

a fair playing ground in 

matters concerning the 

health sector, urged the 

government to engage 

private healthcare 

providers in its policy 

dialogue. 

*Oghenerukevwe Erekawre 

Oghenerukevwe seeks N9m 

for corrective heart surgery 

By Sola Ogundipe 

LIFE has not been rosy 

for 10-year-old 

Oghenerukevwe 

Erekawa. Born with a 

serious heart 

complication, the young 

boy has not lived an 

appreciable quality of life. 

Following series of tests, 

a medical report from the 

paediatric department of 

the Delta State University 

Teaching Hospital, 

DELSUTH, Oghara, 

Delta State, confirmed the 

diagnosis of the medical 

health condition known 

as Tetralogy of Fallot with 

Pulmonary Artesia. 

C o n s u l t a n t 

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Paediatrician Dr. B. O. 

Okperi, who signed the 

report, noted that 

Oghenerukevwe requires 

urgent cardiac surgical 

intervention. 

Ufuoma, the boy’s 

mother told Good Health 

Weekly that the family has 

been running from pillar 

to post ever since, taking 

the ailing youngster from 

one hospital to the other 

in the search for relief. 

"From DELSUTH he was 

referred to Obafemi 

Awolowo University 

Teaching Hospital 

Complex, OAUTHC, Ile 

Ife, in Osun State, then to 

the University of Ilorin 

Teaching Hospital, UITH, 

Ilorin from where he was 

referred back to 

OAUTHC. 

"After all the tests and 

examinations including 

contrast computerised 

tomograpy, pulmonary 

angiography and 

echocardiography 

radiology investigations, 

we were told at the 

hospital in Ile Ife that he 

requires three separate 

surgeries to correct the 

heart deformity. Each 

surgery is estimated to 

cost N3 million, making it 

a total of N9 million.” 

Ufuoma who is 

unemployed lamented 

that the family is currently 

broke from spending all it 

has on Oghenerukevwe's 

condition. 

The family is barely 

subsisting through kindhearted 

Nigerians thatare 

enabling her to move 

around in search of 

succour for her son. 

Appealling for help from 

Nigerians, Ufuoma said: 

“I am on my knees 

begging Nigerians to 

kindly help this poor boy 

so that he can survive. 

Please help me save him 

and only God can repay 

you,” she pleaded. 

Benevolent persons 

have been assisting to 

help raise money for the 

family to seek the 

required medical 

assistance. If you are 

moved to assist, kindly 

send your donations to 

Erekawa Ufuoma, 

Account No. First Bank 

3125887215. or call 

09060736157 for more 

details.


Gynaecologist links multiple 

sex partners to vaginal 

infection 


WOMEN 

who 

indulged in multiple 

sex partners have been 

urged to desist from the 

practice as studies have 

linked the act to incraesing 

risks of vaginal infection. 

A renowned Consultant 

Obstetrician and 

Gynaecologist, Military 

Hospital, Ikoyi, Lagos, Dr. 

Chukwuemeka Odeigha, 

who gave the warning in 

Lagos also advised women 

to desist from washing 

their vagina with soap and 

antiseptics, saying “it can 

cause vaginal acidity, 

giving room for infection.” 

The expert, who spoke in 

Lagos at a meeting of the 

Society of Gynaecology 

and Obstetrics of Nigeria, 

SOGON where – Klovinal 

was endorsed for the 

empirical treatment of 

vagnitis (vaginal infection), 

explained that the vagina 

is not a sterile tissue organ 

in the body as it has its own 

bacteria which are normal 

flora, adding that the 

presence of these bacteria 

does not indicate infection 

as they only serve to protect 

the tissue from harmful 

pathogens. 

Odeigha said that the 

common habit of washing 

the vaginal with soap, 

detergent and antiseptic, 

uses of certain 

contraceptives and condom 

with spermicides, 

including having multiple 

sexual partners among 

others exposes women to 

vaginal infections. 

Speaking further, the 

expert noted that contrary 

to what many women 

think, douching, which is 

the use of soap or detergent 

and water to wash the 

vagina, does not make it 

clean; it rather destroys the 

normal flora of the vagina 

and thereby doing more 

harm than good. He added 

that every woman has 

normal vaginal discharge, 

which is expected to be 

clear, scanty, odourless and 

not associated with itching. 

The gynaecologists also 

noted that aside from 

douching, women should 

also desist from other 

similarly unhealthy habits, 

such as indiscriminate use 

of antibiotics and wearing 

of tight clothes, as these 

could cause vaginal 

infection as much as 

enabling the breeding of 

candidiasis which leads to 

vaginal infection. 

“But the implication is 

that while trying to wash 

the vagina off its 

NAH tasks Buhari on supplementary 

health budget 

By Arinola Kolade & 

Uchechukwu Afamefune 

THE National Advocates 

for Health, NAH, 

appealled to President 

discharge, the normal 

bacteria-lactobacillus is 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

increase health budget and 

ensure timely releases in 2018 

as part of efforts to imrpove 

the country’s detrioriating 

health system. 

The group committed to 

track the implementation of 

the Basic Health Care 

Provision Fund, HUWE, 

using an accountability 

framework after its one day 

Symposium on "Framing for 

Advocacy and Accountability 

for Effective Implementation 

of 2018 National Health 

Budget, Basic Health Care 

Provision Fund, BHCPF, and 

Global Financing Facility, 

GFF, in Abuja observed that 

the 2018 approved budget 

was about N9.12 trillion out 

of which N356 billion was 

earmarked for health which 

represents 3.9 percent. 

The group chaired by 

Professor Dapo Ladipo notes 

that; "When compared to the 

2017 health budget, which 

was an aggregate sum of 

N308.464 billion being 4.15 

percent of the 2017 approved 

budget; the Federal 

Government commitment to 

the 2001 Abuja declaration of 

allocating at least 15 percent 

of total national budget to 

health was declining rather 

than improving. 

They noted that the 2018 

approved budget earmarked 

in the health capital 

expenditure the sum of 

N55.15 billion to the Basic 

Health Care Provision Fund, 

BHCPF. 

Noting that the approval 

was commendable, they 

said: “We notice that it is not 

captured as a statutory transfer 

as provided by section 11 of 

the National Health Act, 

2014.” 

"Not committing the BHCPF 

as statutory, means if there is 

any paucity of funds within the 

year, it will suffer severe 

wiped off. Once the 

bacteria- lactobacillus is 

budget cuts and poor 

implementation as the section 

28 of the Fiscal Responsibility 

Act has empower the Minister 

of Finance on budgetary 

matters as follows "Where, by 

the end of three months, after 

the enactment of the 

Appropriation Act, the 

Minister determines that the 

targeted revenues may be 

insufficient to fund the heads 

of expenditure in the 

Appropriation Act, the 

Minister shall, within the next 

30 days of such 

determination, take 

appropriate measures to 

restrict further commitments 

and financial operations 

according to the criteria set-in 

the Fiscal Risk Appendix, 

such provisions shall not 

apply to Statutory or 

constitutional expenditure." 

The 2018 

approved budget 

was about N9.12 

trillion out of which 

N356 billion was 

earmarked for 

health which 

represents 3.9 

percent 

“We call on the President 

to submit a supplementary 

health budget to the National 

Assembly in order to raise its 

percentage to at least 7.5 

percent this year and in 

subsequent years raise the 

budget by 1 pecent point 

increase. 

“The president is called upon 

to also direct his Minister of 

Finance to release the N55.15 

billion at once earmarked for 

the Basic Health Care 

Provision Fund and when 

commencing 2019 budgetary 

process to ensure it is captured 

as a statutory transfer,”they 

added. 

off, the acidity increases 

and the pH of the vagina 

is reduced and becomes 

suitable for other 

organisms to thrive. 

Odeigha who called for 

more awareness said that 

many do not know that 

vaginal is a self-cleaning 

organ, and that it does not 

need to be washed with 

soap or douche for it to be 

clean. 

Recommenation 

Recommending 

Klovinal for treatment of 

vaginal infections, 

Odeigha said this is 

because it contains 

clotrimazole, 

metronidazole and 

lactobacillus spores 

pessaries, which are 

indicated for the 

treatment of vaginal 

infections – both fungal 

and bacterial, such as 

vulvovaginal 

candidiasis, bacterial 

vaginosis, and 

Trichomonas vaginalis. 

Klovinal is a good 

product as it treats the 

causes of vaginitis and 

its also able to restore the 

balance in the vaginal, 

hereby preventing 

further reoccurrence of 

the infection. So, these 

and many more are what 

Klovinal does and I have 

been using it for 

sometimes now with 

good results,” Odeigha 

said. 

Also speaking at the 

event, Area Manager of 

S e a g r e e n 

Pharmaceuticals 

Limited, Pharm. Aje 

Akinyele, noted that 

Klovinal is a brand of 

polyactive pessaries 

marketed by Seagreen 

Pharmaceuticals 

Limited. “It is specially 

designed and 

formulated for the 

management of 

vaginitis due to bacteria, 

fungi and protozoans.

President Donald Trump participates in an expanded bilateral meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir 

Putin. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque 

Helsinki Summit: Shock as Trump backs Putin on 

election meddling 

US President Donald 

Trump has defended 

Russia over claims of 

interference in the 2016 

presidential election. 

After face-to-face talks 

with Russian President 

Vladimir Putin, Mr 

Trump contradicted US 

intelligence agencies 

and said there had been 

no reason for Russia to 

meddle in the vote. 

Mr Putin reiterated that 

Russia had never interfered 

in US affairs. 

The two men held nearly 

two hours of closeddoor 

talks in the Finnish 

capital Helsinki on Monday. 

At a news conference 

after the summit, 

President Trump was 

asked if he believed his 

own intelligence agencies 

or the Russian president 

when it came to the 

allegations of meddling 

in the elections. 

“President Putin says 

it’s not Russia. I don’t see 

any reason why it would 

be,” he replied. 

US intelligence agencies 

concluded in 2016 

that Russia was behind 

an effort to tip the scale 

of the US election against 

Hillary Clinton, with a 

state-authorised campaign 

of cyber attacks 

and fake news stories 

planted on social media. 

Former U.S. President 

Barack Obama 

urged Kenya’s leaders on 

Monday to turn their 

backs on the divisive ethnic 

politics that have frequently 

spilled over into 

violence and to stamp 

down on corruption. 

Opening a school in his 

father’s home village of 

Kogelo in western Kenya, 

Obama praised a rapprochement 

between President 

Uhuru Kenyatta and 

opposition leader Raila 

Odinga but said they must 

In a strongly-worded 

statement, US House 

Speaker Paul Ryan said 

Mr Trump “must appreciate 

that Russia is not 

our ally”. “There is no 

moral equivalence between 

the United States 

and Russia, which remains 

hostile to our most 

basic values and ideals,” 

he said, adding that 

there was “no question” 

Moscow had interfered 

in the 2016 election. 

“The United States 

China is saddling 

poor nations with 

unsustainable debt 

through large-scale infrastructure 

projects that are 

not economically viable, 

the head of the U.S. Overseas 

Private Investment 

Corporation (OPIC) said 

on Monday. 

The criticism of Beijing 

- targeted by President 

Donald Trump in a trade 

war that has sent ripples 

through economies 

around the world - comes 

as Washington seeks to 

ramp up development finance 

in the face of China’s 

global ambitions. 

Unveiled in 2013, President 

Xi Jinping’s “Belt 

and Road” initiative aims 

to build an infrastructure 

must be focused on holding 

Russia accountable 

and putting an end to its 

vile attacks on democracy.” 

Senior Republican 

Senator John McCain 

said it was a “disgraceful 

performance” by a US 

president. “No prior 

president has ever 

abased himself more abjectly 

before a tyrant,” 

Mr McCain said in a 

statement. Another senior 

Republican, Senator 

Lindsey Graham, who is 

a member of the Senate 

Armed Services Commit- 

network connecting China 

by land and sea to 

Southeast Asia, Central 

Asia, the Middle East, 

Europe and Africa. 

China has pledged 

$126 billion for the plan, 

which has been praised 

by its supporters as a 

source of vital financing 

for infrastructure-starved 

partners in the developing 

world. 

But in an interview with 

Reuters in Johannesburg, 

OPIC CEO Ray Washburne 

warned that the 

Chinese strategy created 

a debt trap for many poor 

nations. “Just look at any 

project in these countries 

and they’re overbuilding 

the size,” he said. “We try 

to have countries realise 

tee, said Mr Trump had 

sent the Kremlin a message 

of US “weakness”. 

He tweeted: “Missed 

opportunity by President 

Trump to firmly hold Russia 

accountable for 2016 

meddling and deliver a 

strong warning regarding 

future elections.” 

In a series of tweets, 

Senate Democratic leader 

Chuck Schumer said 

Mr Trump’s actions had 

“strengthened our adversaries 

while weakening 

our defences and those of 

our allies”. 

‘China overloading poor nations with debt’ 

that they’re indebting 

themselves to the Chinese.” 

Washburne is not the 

first to warn of growing 

debt linked to Chinese 

infrastructure projects. 

International Monetary 

Fund Managing Director 

Christine Lagarde in 

April cautioned China’s 

Belt and Road partners 

against considering the 

financing as “a free 

lunch”. Sri Lanka formally 

handed over commercial 

activities in its main 

southern port in the town 

of Hambantota to a Chinese 

company in December 

as part of a plan to 

convert $6 billion of loans 

that Sri Lanka owes China 

into equity. 

Obama urges Kenyan leaders to soothe ethnic tensions 

do more to heal the rifts 

between Kenya’s 40-odd 

ethnic groups. In the 

worst recent outbreak of 

ethnic conflict, 1,200 people 

were killed in fighting 

that followed disputed 

elections involving Odinga 

and Kenyatta in 2007. 

“It means no longer seeing 

different ethnicities as 

enemies or rivals but rather 

as allies; in seeing the 

diversity of tribes not as a 

weakness but as a 

strength,” Obama, whose 

father was Kenyan, said. 

America’s first black 

president, whose eight 

years in office preceded 

Donald Trump’s election 

in November 2016, was in 

Kenya to open the centre, 

which is run by his half 

sister Auma through her 

charity, the Sauti Kuu 

Foundation. 

It was his fourth trip to 

Kenya. He made his first 

in 1987, a journey he 

chronicled in his book 

“Dreams From My Father”, 

followed by a 2006 

visit as a senator and then 

in 2015 as president. 

During his visit, Obama 

avoided any public mention 

of his successor and 

the divisive politics that 

have taken root in the 

United States since 

Trump’s victory over Democrat 

Hillary Clinton. 

Obama also noted the 

corruption scandals that 

have blighted Kenyatta’s 

administration, saying 

graft held back economic 

development and undermined 

public faith in the 

government. 

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 — 45 

Eritrea reopens embassy in Addis 

Ababa 

ERITREA reopened its embassy in Ethiopia on 

Monday in further evidence of a rapid thaw 

between two countries that a week ago ended two 

decades of military stalemate over a border war in 

which tens of thousands died. 

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrea’s 

President Isaias Afwerki re-opened the embassy 

in the capital Addis Ababa in a brief ceremony, 

a Reuters witness said. One week ago the leaders 

declared their “state of war” over and Isaias spent 

the weekend in Ethiopia. The rapprochement could 

help Ethiopia, a landlocked country of 100 million 

people with the largest economy in East Africa, by 

making access to Eritrea’s ports possible. 

At the same time, better ties could help Eritrea overcome 

decades of relative isolation. 

The leaders jointly raised the Eritrean flag inside 

a newly refurbished embassy as a military band 

played Eritrea’s anthem. They then toured the building 

and looked at its furniture and two rusting cars 

that belonged to Eritrea’s last ambassador. 

Iran takes US to ICJ over 

re-imposed sanctions 

IRAN has filed a complaint with the Interna 

tional Court of Justice (ICJ) to “hold the US accountable 

for its unlawful re-imposition of unilateral 

sanctions,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad 

Javad Zarif said on Twitter Monday. 

“Iran is committed to the rule of law in the face of 

US contempt for diplomacy & legal obligations. It’s 

imperative to counter its habit of violating int’l law,” 

the tweet read. Zarif did not expand on the claim it 

would bring before the ICJ, but officials have repeatedly 

accused the US of imposing illegal sanctions 

on Iran after pulling out of the Joint Comprehensive 

Plan of Action (JCPOA), known colloquially 

as the Iran nuclear deal, in May. 

Under the deal signed in Vienna with six world 

powers - the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, 

China and the European Union - Iran 

scaled back its uranium enrichment programme and 

promised not to pursue nuclear weapons. 

In exchange, international sanctions were lifted, 

allowing it to sell its oil and gas worldwide. However, 

secondary US sanctions remained. 

Following that withdrawal, the US announced it 

would re-impose sanctions targeting critical sectors 

of Iran’s economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, 

and financial sectors. Last week, Trump said 

that with the US increasing sanctions on Iran, “at a 

certain point they’re going to call me and say ‘let’s 

make a deal,’ and we’ll make a deal.” Iran responded 

to those remarks by saying it would not be Iran 

that would call the US, but Trump would call Iran. 

Buhari orders repatriation of 

Nigerians stranded in Russia 

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the 

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, 

and Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, 

to commence the process of repatriating Nigerians 

stranded in Russia. Malam Garba Shehu, the 

President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and 

Publicity, confirmed this development in a statement 

in Abuja on Monday. The News Agency of Nigeria 

(NAN) reports that the affected Nigerians had travelled 

to Russia for the FIFA 2018 World Cup but got 

stranded after the competition. 

The football fans got stranded in the country following 

the activities of some unscrupulous travel 

agents who cancelled their return tickets and abandoned 

them to their fate. The presidential aide observed 

that already the Minister of Foreign Affairs 

and the Minister of Aviation had in compliance with 

the President’s directive taken the necessary actions 

to bring the Nigerians back. 

Former US President, Barack Obama, who is visiting 

Kenya assists his grandmother at the Sauti Kuu Resource 

Centre near his ancestral home in Kogelo


NFF Crisis: Dalung dares FIFA, 

insists on Giwa 

SPORTS Minister Solomon 

Dalung has insisted that 

Chris Giwa remains the president 

of the Nigeria Football Federation 

as was declared by the Supreme 

Court judgment made on April 

27, 2018. 

President of the world soccer 

governing body Gianni Infantino 

while speaking during the world 

cup, had warned that Nigeria 

risked a ban as FIFA only 

recognises Amaju Pinnick as the 

president of the NFF. 

“If any external body thinks that 

they can change the situation, 

then of course Nigeria will risk 

being banned as it has happened 

with other countries because we 

have processes that need to be 

respected. It’s a very clearcut and 

simple case. We have made this 

very clear,” Infantino said during 

Russia 2018. 

However, Dalung told NAN in 

Abuja Giwa remains president as 

the ministry was obeying the 

courts and the rule of law. 

“FIFA has not written me that 

•Okagbare 

THE maiden Higher 

Institutions Football 

League (HIFL) will kick off on 

August 1 according to the organisers, 

Green White Green (GWG) Sports. 

A retreat was held at the Kanem 

Suite in Utako, Abuja with the aimed 

of building the capacity of the 

officials for smooth running of the 

league had in attendance 24 

referees, eight assessors, 10 match 

commissioners and all the 

participating team coaches. 

Speaking at the retreat, CEO of 

the Green White Green, Alhaji 

Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, said 

the coming on-stream of Higher 

Institution Football League as a 

good platform for students to exhibit 

their talents to the world is long 

•Infantino 

HIFL kicks off August 1 

they recognise one person over 

the other and you know 

government does not operate on 

rumour, government is 

administration. 

“The leadership in NFF, I think 

is very categorical. The Federal 

High court in Jos has ruled 

orders. I, as a co-defendant, was 

served with the order, ordering 

me to recognise Giwa as the 

president. 

“That is the order against me and 

I have done that, the order to the 

Inspector General of police is that 

he should go and put Giwa in 

office. 

“The Attorney-General of the 

Federation has done his job. So 

we are living under the rule of law 

and we are following the rule.” 

Pinnick who was at the World 

Cup in official capacity is being 

expected in the country this week 

and it remained to be seen what 

will happen next. 

Asaba 2018 AAC: Dibaba, Okagbare 

other greats enter hall of fame 

TOP African athletes will be 

inducted will be 

inducted into the Confederation 

of African Athletics (CAA) Hall 

of Fame as a build to the 2018 

African 

Athletics 

Championships in Asaba, Delta 

State. 

The event, organized by CAA 

and Delta State Capital Territory 

Development Agency is slated 

for 5pm on July 31, 2018 at the 

Event Center, Asaba. The State 

Governor His Excellency Dr. 

Ifeanyi Okowa, IAAF President 

Sebastian Coe, CAA President 

and members of his executive 

committee, top government 

officials at Federal and State 

level, diplomats and the LOC 

led by its Chairman Solomon 

Ogba will graced the occasion. 

Some of the inductees include 

Blessing Okagbare 

Ighoteghonor and other 

overdue. 

“But I am happy we are finally 

kicking off the games. At the end 

of this maiden edition, we hope 

to have convinced our sponsors 

and indeed Nigerians that 

collegiate sport is ripe in Nigeria. 

Then, we may be thinking of 

expanding to other sports.” 

The participating universities 

are University of Ibadan, Obafemi 

Awolowo University, University of 

Lagos, University of Nigeria, 

Bayero University, University of 

Benin, University of Port- 

Harcourt, University of Jos, 

University of Uyo, University of 

Maiduguri, Usman Dan Fodio 

University and University of 

Ilorin. 

•Dalung 

members of Team Nigeria’s 

4x200 quartet that won gold at 

the 2016 IAAF World Relay in 

Bahamas, Olusoji Fasuba and 

Tosin Oke 

Others include Olympics and 

World Champion Tirunesh 

Dibaba and Mesert Defar 

Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia. 

South Africa duo of Caster 

Semanya and Wayde van 

Nieckert both Olympics and 

World Champions will be 

inducted. Also on the list are 

Kenyan trio of Vivian Cherivyot, 

the king of 800m David Rudisha 

and Ezekiel Kemboi. 

Meanwhile the Security 

subcommittee for the 21st African 

Senior Athletics Championships 

has begun background and 

security checks on volunteers that 

have indicated interest to be part 

of CAA Asaba 2018. 

The Security Chief for CAA Asaba 

2018, Navy Commodore Omatseye 

Nesiama (Rtd) revealed that over 

3000 individuals were present to 

undergo the preliminary stage of 

the screening process on Monday. 

REIGNING African Boxing 

Union (ABU) 

welterweight champion, Olaide 

“Fijaborn” Fijabi, has vowed to 

Kazeem “Iberu” Ariyo, his 

opponent for the national light 

welterweight challenge bout slated 

for GOtv Boxing Night 15 on 29 

July. 

The bout, which is the second one 

between the two boxers, is one of 

the seven scheduled to hold at the 

Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi 

Awolowo (formerly Liberty) 

Stadium in Ibadan. 

Ronaldo: At my age players 

go to China 

CRISTIANO Ronaldo said 

yesterday he was happy 

signing for Juventus adding that 

he was in Turin to help the club 

win titles. 

The Portuguese star who was 

unveiled yesterday said: 

“ Juve? It wasn’t a difficult 

decision for me. Juve are one of 

the best clubs in the world of 

football. 

“This was a decision that I took 

a longtime ago, I am happy to be 

in a club like this. 

“They are used to winning and 

they have a great president. It was 

an easy decision. Future? I am 

still pretty young, I always liked 

challenges. Sporting, Manchester, 

Real Madrid and now Juventus. 

“I am very happy and confident 

that we will do very well. 

“Well players of my age normally 

go and play in China and in 

NEW Chelsea head coach 

Maurizio Sarri is 

relishing coming up against 

Manchester City’s Pep 

Guardiola and Manchester 

United manager Jose Mourinho 

in the Premier League. 

Sarri was officially announced 

as Chelsea head coach last 

weekend, after spending three 

seasons at Serie A side Napoli. 

He told Chelsea’s official club 

app The 5th Stand the Premier 

League leads the way when it 

comes to the calibre of 

managers. 

“Chelsea is one of the most 

important clubs in the most 

Qatar. This is why i am so happy 

to join a club like Juve. 

“National team? If it is possible, 

then I would like to keep helping 

them out. I don’t have anything 

else to prove but as I’ve said, I 

love challenges.” 

Sarri braces up for Guardiola, 

Mourinho challenge 

LALIGA’s huge influence 

on this summer’s World 

Cup continued right through to last 

Sunday’s final, with MVP Antoine 

Griezmann of Atletico Madrid 

scoring one and setting up two as 

France topped Croatia 4-2. 

Meanwhile, Real Madrid 

midfielder and Croatia captain 

Luka Modric was voted player of 

the tournament despite his country 

falling just short at the final hurdle. 

Eleven LaLiga players were 

involved in the decider at 

Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium, more 

than any other league. Griezmann 

clinched his third MVP award of 

the tournament with an impressive 

performance. It was his free-kick 

that was knocked into the net for 

important championship in 

Europe,” the Italian said. “In the 

Premier League there are all the 

most important coaches in 

Europe, maybe in the world. 

“It will be for me very exciting 

to play against Guardiola, 

Pochettino, Mourinho, Klopp 

and the others.” 

Chelsea finished fifth last 

season, missing out on a place 

in the Champions League. 

They were 30 points adrift of 

Guardiola’s title-winners City 

and Sarri concedes the standard 

of the other teams in the Premier 

League will make instant 

success difficult. 

La Liga celebrates Griezmann, 

Modric others in World Cup final 

the game’s opening goal, his 

penalty which put France 2-1 up 

and his assist which led to France’s 

third. Atletico defender Lucas 

Hernandez laid on France’s fourth 

and final goal, with his fellow 

defenders Samuel Umtiti of 

Barcelona and Raphael Varane of 

Real Madrid also impressing, 

while Sevilla’s Steven N’Zonzi was 

a second half substitute as Les 

Bleus saw out their victory. 

Croatia also had Barça’s Ivan 

Rakitic in midfield along with 

Atletico’s Sime Vrsaljko at rightback, 

while Mateo Kovacic was on 

the bench. New Atletico signing 

Thomas Lemar and Barça’s 

Ousmane Dembele were unused 

subs for France. 

GOtv Boxing Night 15: Iberu will not survive, Fijaborn boasts 

The former national welterweight 

champion boasted that his 

opponent will fall in the first round. 

“I have defeated him before and 

I know what to do to defeat him 

again. I am a knockout specialist 

and Iberu will be knocked out in 

the first round,” Fijaborn bragged. 

The biggest fight on the night is 

the African Boxing Union (ABU) 

lightweight title bout between 

Ghanaian challenger, Nathaniel 

Nukpe, and reigning king of the 

division, Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph. 

Other bouts on the card at the 

•Ronaldo 

event include the cruiserweight 

clash between Michael “Lion 

Heart” Godwin and Idowu “ID 

Cabasa” Okusote, international 

light middleweight contest between 

Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku of Nigeria 

and Franc Houanvoegbe of Benin 

Republic. The event, sponsored by 

GOtv and Bet King, will be beamed 

live on SuperSport in 47 African 

countries. The best boxer at the 

event will go home with a cash prize 

of N1 million alongside the 

Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial 

Trophy.


2018 FIFA WC: Two die, 

others injured as French 

celebrations continue 

•Team get Legion of Honour 

TWO people died 

and another three 

were injured in France as 

the country celebrated their 

national football team’s 

triumph. 

According to the French 

TV channel BFMTV, a 

driver, who was celebrating 

the success of Les Bleus, 

crashed into a tree and died 

of a heart attack in Saint- 

Felix commune in Northern 

France. 

Another fan broke his 

neck after jumping into a 

canal in Annecy, French 

newspaper Dauphine 

Libere reported. 

Three little children 

suffered severe injuries as 

a young biker hit their whole 

family in Frouard 

commune. 

Croatia team 

receives 

heroes 

welcome in 

Zagreb 

THOUSANDS 

of 

Croatia’s 

supporters welcomed 

their national team in 

the Croatian capital 

Zagreb, where the FIFA 

World Cup runners-up 

arrived on Monday. 

Croatia delivered their 

best performance at a 

FIFA World Cup so far, 

going all the way to the 

final where they lost 4-2 

to France at Moscow’s 

Luzhniki Stadium. 

“Croatia celebrated the 

country’s success at the 

2018 FIFA World Cup 

late into the night. But 

it’s not the end since 

thousands of people are 

expected at the team’s 

welcoming ceremony. 

The plane to landed at 

Zagreb Airport at about 

14:00 local time,” the 

HRT reported. 

Meanwhile the World 

Cup champions and their 

head coach Didier 

Deschamps will be 

awarded the Legion of 

Honor. 

According to the French 

daily Le Figaro, the award 

ceremony will take place in 

a few months’ time with the 

exact date yet to be 

specified. 

Deschamps was awarded 

the rank of Chevalier of the 

Legion of Honor in 1998, 

after he captained the 

French national team to their 

maiden World Cup title. 

The Legion of Honor is the 

highest French order of 

merit for military and civil 

merits. It was established in 

1802 by Napoleon 

Bonaparte. 

FRANCE forward 

Kylian Mbappe 

said Brazil legend Pele 

would “always remain 

king” after the threetime 

World Cup winner 

joked earlier in the day 

that he might return to 

football if Mbappe kept 

emulating his 

Thierry Henry quits 

THIERRY Henry has 

quit his role as a 

television pundit to focus 

on a future in coaching. 

Henry was an assistant to 

Roberto Martinez as the 

ex-Everton boss guided 

Belgium to a third-place 

finish at the World Cup, 

having juggled the role 

with his on-screen duties for 

the past two years. 

But the former Arsenal 

and France striker has 

elected to walk away from 

the small screen after 

completing his UEFA Pro 

France are boring, Lovren blasts 

DEJAN 

Lovren 

s l a m m e d 

France’s World Cup tactics 

and insisted Croatia were 

the better side in last 

Sunday’s final. 

The Liverpool 

defender also criticised 

referee Nestor Pitana’s 

decision to award 

France a controversial 

first-half penalty after a 

VAR review. The 

Argentine adjudged 

Croatian team players arrive Zagreb. 

Ivan Perisic to have 

handled the ball. 

Lovren said: ‘We have 

been better today and 

overall we have been 

better. France didn’t 

play football. They 

waited for their chance 

and they scored. They had 

their one tactic and you 

have to respect it. They 

played every game of the 

tournament like that. 

‘I am disappointed 

because we lost the game 

but we played much better 

football then them. 

‘I am proud of what we 

achieved, second in the 

world. I’m proud of 

everyone and for the 

country. We have regrets 

now when we look at 

decisions, but it doesn’t 

make sense anymore. It’s 

hard to describe. Maybe 

after a couple of months I 

will have everything 

straight.’ 

On the disputed 

penalty, Lovren added: ‘I 

was sure he would not 

give the penalty. Our 

player could not react, it’s 

impossible when you are 

so close to the ball. It was 

a critical moment.'' 

Pele is forever king of football, says Mbappe 

Licence through the 

Football Association of 

Wales last year. 

“Over the last four years 

I have had some extremely 

rewarding coaching 

experiences in football,” he 

tweeted. 

“These experiences have 

only made me more 

determined to fulfil my 

long-term ambition to 

become a football manager. 

“It is with sadness, 

therefore, that I have 

decided that I must leave 

Sky Sports to enable me to 

French captain Hugo Lloris and coach Deschamps 

touch down in Paris. 

achievements. 

The 19-year-old Paris 

Saint-Germain striker 

became only the second 

teenager in history to 

score in a World Cup 

final as he netted his 

fourth goal of the 

tournament to help 

France beat Croatia 4-2 

spend more time on the 

pitch and concentrate on 

my journey to achieving 

that goal. 

ARGENTINA legend 

D i e g o 

Maradona, who has 

signed a three-year 

contract to become FC 

Dynamo Brest’s chairman, 

praised the organization of 

the 2018 FIFA World Cup 

in Russia on Monday, 

saying that it was 

“wonderful.” 

Maradona arrived in 

in Moscow. 

“The king will always 

remain king,” Mbappe 

said in a response to 

Pele’s Twitter post. 

Pele, who is now 77, 

was only 17 when he 

bagged a double in 

Brazil’s 5-2 victory 

against hosts Sweden in 

the 1958 FIFA World Cup 

final. The Brazilian is 

widely regarded as one 

of the best footballers 

ever. 

Musa’s strike makes ‘goal of 

the tournament’ list 

SUPER Eagles striker, 

Ahmed Musa’s 

goal against Iceland in 

their group D World Cup 

match has been 

nominated along 16 

others for the goal of the 

tournament award. 

Musa scored a brace to 

lift Nigeria above 

Iceland, but it was his 

second goal that caught 

the fancy of football fans. 

He had rounded the 

Iceland defence kept his 

composure before 

jabbing the ball into the 

net. 

The effort has not gone 

unnoticed as it has been 

shortlisted along strikes 

from Portugal duo 

Cristiano Ronaldo and 

Ricardo Quaresma, 

PAUL Pogba became 

just the fourth 

ever Manchester United 

player to win the World 

Cup and the first since 

1966 to lift the 

prestigious trophy as 

France beat Croatia 4-2 

in Sunday’s final. 

Maradona rates Russia 2018 high 

Belarus earlier on 

Monday. The 57-year-old 

had signed the contract 

with Dynamo Brest in 

May but could not take up 

is role earlier because of 

the FIFA World Cup in 

Russia. 

“The organization was 

wonderful, every detail 

was taken into 

consideration,” Maradona 

•Ahmed Musa 

Croatia captain and 

Golden Ball winner Luka 

Modric, Spain defender 

Nacho, Brazil’s Philipe 

Coutinho, Russia 

attackers Denis 

Cheryshev [2] and Artem 

Dzyuba for the best goal 

in the global football 

showpiece. 

The forward will also 

battle Argentina’s Lionel 

Messi, Angel Di Maria, 

France’s Benjamin 

Pavard, Belgium trio of 

Adnan Januzaj, Dries 

Mertens and Nacer 

Chadli, England’s Jesse 

Lingard, Germany’s Toni 

Kross. 

The winner will be 

announced after voting 

close on July 23 according 

to a statement from Fifa. 

Pogba taunts critics 

•Pogba 

told journalists. 

He added that “there 

were some people who 

wanted to do damage to 

the tournament,” but the 

security services worked 

efficiently. 

“We’ve seen a very good 

tournament, many countries 

surprised me, many players 

made a good showing,” 

Maradona added. 

The Luhzniki Stadium 

in Moscow saw an 

action-packed contest as 

Pogba scored France’s 

third to top off another 

impressive performance 

for his country this 

summer. 

A jubilant Pogba sent 

his message to critics 

around the world after 

full-time: “It’s just 

unbelievable, 

magnificent, wonderful, 

a dream come true. 

“People criticise and 

talk bad about us at the 

start of the World Cup but 

today we won, and now 

I want to hear them, 

because they’re going to 

celebrate with us, and it’s 

fine, we invite them to 

celebrate with us. 

“We like when people 

do not believe with us 

and we showed them 

they have to believe in 

us. The only answer we 

can have is always on the 

pitch, the criticism is 

always going to be 

there.” 

Pogba has had an 

inspired summer though, 

and he’ll be hoping to 

continue his fine form 

into the 2018-19 season 

as it could very well be 

third year lucky in his 

search to find 

consistency at United.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2018 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’SOLUTION 

ACROSS 

1 Competent (4) 

3 Gossip (8) 

9 Tropical cyclone (7) 

10 More judicious (5) 

11 Fracture (5) 

12 Artist (anag) (6) 

14 Paradise (6) 

16 Maintenance (6) 

19 Specimen (6) 

21 Smell (5) 

24 Long narrow range of hills (5) 

25 Exact copy (70 

26 Holiness (8) 

27 Move by slow degrees (4) 

DOWN 

1 German motorway (8) 

2 Become void (5) 

4 Fair-and-square (6) 

5 Tall building (5) 

6 Antagonistic 97) 

7 Sailors (4) 

8 Turf accountant (6) 

13 Come near (8) 

15 Forsake (7) 

17 On the dot (6) 

18 Lebanese capital (6) 

20 Fold sewn or pressed 

into cloth (5) 

22 Edible bulb (5) 

23 Part of the eye (4) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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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