Monday, November 19, 2012

Alleged N44m fraud: CJ transfers Hembe, Ifeanyi’s case fi le

Yet to decide on 2015

Says First Lady still recuperating from illness Govt won’t negotiate with Boko Haram

Manitoba contract intact

Vol. 2 N0. 494 Monday, November 19, 2012 N150

AYO OLESIN AND UDEME AKPAN

The non-payment of fuel subsidy arrears, amounting to over

N140bn, has resulted in the virtual closure of bank credit lines to major and independent oil marketing

companies who need such funds to import petrol into the country.

The situation, which has resulted in the Nigerian Na-tional Petroleum Corpora-

FG owes oil marketers N140bn Banks shut credit lines

Fashola defends policies, blasts critics

President didn’t buy jet for Oritsejafor, says CAN

Northern govs to speak on PIB soon –Kwankwaso

P.6

P.7

PDP not losing sleep over ACN, CPC merger –Metuh

AYO OLESIN, ROTIMI FADEYI, JIDE OMOJOLOMOJU, SINA FADARE AND FELIX NWANERI

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday disclosed that there

was no plan by his admin-istration to totally remove fuel subsidy now or in January 2013, saying he was misunderstood on the issue.

Speaking yesterday on the third edition of the presidential media chat aired live nationwide, Pres-ident Jonathan assured Nigerians that government would not remove fuel sub-sidy just as it happened on

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>


P.4,13

EXCLUSIVE

Alison-Madueke

Gunmen kill pastor in Maiduguri P.51

No plan to remove fuel subsidy –Jonathan

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo (right) with Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswan at the Fidau prayer for the late Dr. Olusola Saraki at the Metropolitan Square, Ilorin, yesterday.

Oritsejafor

Agric agencyengages 610,000farmers for dryseason farming

BUSINESSTHE SECTION

Free inside

0

Free inside

Aganga urgesNigeria, S’Africa to strengthen economicgrowth in Africa

P.A5,A6

P.51


L-R: Mr. Muhamed Kudu Abubakar of the Nigerian Television Authority; President Goodluck Jonathan and Editor, Saturday Mirror, Gbemi Olujobi, at the presidential media chat in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: STATE HOUSE.

No plan to remove fuel subsidy –Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

January 1, this year, saying the 2013 budget had already provided for fuel subsidy.

“I did not say we are deregulating, already we have provision in the 2013 budget for subsidy, if we want to remove subsidy from January as you are afraid that another Janu-ary is coming, we couldn’t have made provision but we have made provision from January,” the Presi-dent said.

Jonathan who was react-ing to reports that Nigeri-ans should brace up for to-tal removal of fuel subsidy, saying that he was totally misunderstood.

“Frankly speaking, I think I was totally misun-derstood, in the statement I made. I received NIPSS, they submitted their re-port, normally it is a re-search work and they did their analysis and they say that in Canada, they have 16 refineries; in Nigeria, we have only four refineries.”

Jonathan noted that it was discovered that the 16 refineries in Canada were privately owned with some regulations, stressing that total deregulation of the oil sector in the country still remains the solution to rapid investment in the industry, stressing that it would encourage private investors to the sector particularly in the area of building refineries.

2015 PresidencyThe President also said

that he has not decided whether or not to contest in the 2015 general election because it was too early to take such decision, saying that Nigerians should wait till 2014

Jonathan said that the question of contesting for second term was one of the reasons that he advocated for single tenure

His words: “I plead with journalists that it is too early to ask a sitting president whether he would contest election and this was one of the reasons we are advocat-ing for single tenure because if the President tells you today that he is contesting, it would generate a lot of is-sues, if I say am not contest-ing, it will generate issues.

“If I say am not contest-ing, some of my cabinet Ministers may even resign and go because most of them are qualified if not all of them qualify to contest

the position”“Four years is very short

time for a person to make an impact, immediately he starts talking about election, he is unnecessar-ily heating the polity, give us time, before you ask whether Mr. President will contest or not, wait until 2014, give me some time to make sure myself and cabinet work, I don’t want to distract members of my cabinet.”

He asked that Nigerians should give him and his team time to face the task of nation building before talking about 2015.

Constitution amendmentPresident Jonathan also

reiterated his belief in the ability of the National As-sembly to fashion out an acceptable amendment to the 1999 Constitution, even as he said that it was the duty of the National As-sembly that is empowered to handle the amendment.

The President said he cannot teach the National Assembly their job on con-stitution review even if he supports a referendum. “It will not be proper for me now to begin to impose my ideas,” he added.

He advised proponents of the sovereign national conference to liaise and partner with the National Assembly on constitution review.

The President insisted that he can’t dictate to the National Assembly on the areas of the constitution that should be amended or decide for the lawmakers on the issue of referendum.

He stated that the Na-tional Assembly is an in-dependent body that would take decision on such matter, stressing that he could make some inputs only when the amendment comes to him for assent.

Boko Haram On the issue of insur-

gency in some states in the North and the proposed dialogue with the Boko Ha-ram sect, President Jona-than said the Federal Gov-ernment is at present not in any dialogue with the group.

According to him, no one has come out claiming that that he is a member of the sect and ready for dia-logue, saying that govern-ment cannot dialogue with faceless people.

Jonathan disclosed that

the government was not ne-gotiating or dialoging with the sect.

He said that members of the Boko Haram Islam-ic sect are still wearing a mask, they have not come out for dialogue.

He said the group is still operating under cover and there is no way the govern-ment will dialogue with Boko Haram when there is no face to parley with.

“Government is at pres-ent not in any dialogue with Boko Haram. The group is still operating un-der cover, so there is no face to parley with,” Jonathan said, assuring that despite the daunting challenge of insecurity to his govern-ment, Nigeria’s future re-mains bright.

His words: “The future of Nigeria is bright though we have security challenges in form of the Boko Haram and kidnapping in some states in the South. The fu-ture is bright, especially in the area of agriculture and I want to assure Nigerians that there would be no food scarcity due to the recent flood, as envisaged in some quarters.

“We are empowering our farmers affected by the flood to produce more food. We are really moving as a nation. The foreign direct investment within a short period of recent has been very impressive. By the time we get to 2015, Nigerians will know that Jonathan and his team re-ally meant well for this country.”

Lagos-Ibadan expressway contract

On the problematic Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession contract award-ed to Bi-Courtney Highway Services Limited, Presi-dent Jonathan indicated that the concession would likely be revoked as the company had not demon-strated capacity to imple-

ment the project.According to the presi-

dent, “a final decision” is to be taken on the concession as it seems that the conces-sionaire is not on a position to do the project.”

Pointing out that the ex-pressway is the busiest road in Nigeria and a strategic link between the South and other parts of the country; he said the government “would not want to be held to ransom because of a transaction that was not properly done.”

Aviation sectorThe President said the

government was going to organise a retreat to look at the problems of the avia-tion sector especially the airlines as several inter-ventions appeared not to be working.

According to the presi-dent, the aviation sector had been in the hands of private sector as it is the practice all over the world citing the example of Brit-ish Airways, which he de-scribed as one of the most successful airlines in the world.

He said that several air-lines had been floated by pri-vate companies in Nigeria but many had collapsed over the years just as it was the case of the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways.

He said the government had tried to help the air-lines with interventions funds provided by the Cen-tral Bank of Nigeria and more recently with incen-tive such as the removal of taxes on aircraft and spare parts import yet they still had problems.

We are going to do a re-treat next year where we will invite experts and analyse the problems of the sector. Putting in mon-ey has not been working, so what is the problem? Is it management issue? We will have a retreat to look at all these.

On First LadyThe president acknowl-

edged that the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan had been ill and was still recuperating though; he insisted that she was “OK”. He said his wife attended church service with other family members this morn-ing but was yet be very ac-tive as before.

Power sectorThe President also

praised the appreciable progress so far made in the power sector. He said: “We are yet to get 24 hours of electricity in our cities but you will agree with me that difference is clear. We have moved from below 3,000 megawatts, we are now generating more than 5,000 megawatts, but we have the problem of evacuation be-cause of weak infrastruc-ture.”

Manitoba contractPresident Jonathan has

said the Federal Govern-ment has not cancelled the contract deal on power with Manitoba as errone-ously being speculated in the media, noting that there has been a misconception about the whole exercise, especially by the public.

He added that a holistic approach has been accord-ed the energy sector hav-ing realised how critical it is to the nation’s develop-ment, pointing out that the government is on course to meet up with the nation’s demand by the middle of next year.

His words: “Manitoba contract has not been re-voked. There were some issues raised due to misun-derstanding. In 2006 when it all started, Manitoba and others also bid. As of that time, it was the Bureau of Public Enterprise that handled the whole exercise. There was confusion and they placed procurement

on Manitoba as a consul-tant to manage our trans-mission. But with the law we have now, the due pro-cess law, it has painted that procurement differently.

“It was just discovered that the process of priva-tisation did not follow the law strictly. Every country must keep to its law.”

The president pointed out that ”we saw some loop-holes that were not prop-erly done and we say look, we should do it properly so that if we leave, after few years, nobody will come and ask you questions. We believe that we should rec-tify what was not properly done, therefore give the relevant section of govern-ment up to next Tuesday to get all things sorted out, so that if it requires my au-thorisation, l can do it. Let me assure you that we did not cancel the Manitoba contract.”

Heads of states and PHCH successor companies

On the issue of the in-volvement of the former Heads of State, the presi-dent noted: “On the issue of the former heads of state, the former heads of state have to live, just like any other citizen. That you are a former head of state does not mean that you should go and sleep; you need business to survive.

“But let me assure you that whether the person has been a former head of state or not, it would not af-fect the process. The priva-tisation that is going on is not only being handled by Nigerians alone. The World Bank is also involved. The former heads of state may probably have shares in the companies taking part in the bidding. I don’t think the whole company is owned by him.

”Single term tenure proposal

Speaking on the single

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, November 19, 20122 News

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3Monday, November 19, 2012

L-R: Wife of former Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Oluwakemi Alao-Akala; Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu; Chief Tony Anenih; former Information Minister, Mrs. Dora Akunyili and Chief Medical Officer of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Temitope Alonge, during the commissioning of Chief Tony Anenih Geriatric Centre, UCH, Ibadan, at the weekend.

L-R: Ambassador, Institute of Hospitality for Sub-Saharan Africa; Mr. Trevor Ward (left) presenting certificate of fellowship to former Departmental Head, Nigerian Hotel and Catering School, Mrs. Adetokunbo Ajayi, during the First Chairman’s Dinner and Fellow’s Award Ceremony of the institute in Lagos at the weekend. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

L-R: President/Chairman, Chartered Institute of Bankers, Mr. Segun Aina; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi and President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, Chief Lugard Aimiuwu, at the 46th Annual Bankers’ Dinner in Lagos, at the weekend.

L-R: Director, Public Private Partnership, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Babatunde Ekunsumi; Chairman, Bi-Courtney Ltd, Dr. Wale Babalakin and Managing Director, Roughton Group, Dr. Bernard Obika, during the 4th Africa Public Private Partnership Conference in Abuja, on Thursday.

EFCC. I think they are alleg-ing bias or something close to that and you know in law, the most honourable thing to do in such circumstance is for the trial judge to hands off proceedings and remit the case file to the honour-able Chief Judge for re-as-

signment.“I can confirm authori-

tatively that Justice Peter Kekemeke of Court 19, Apo has been assigned to hear the case de novo.”

Hembe, through his counsel, Okutepa, had contended in his “no case

CHIDI UGWUABUJA

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corpora-tion has exceeded

its target for Gas-to-Power aspirations and is taking steps to grow the nation’s crude oil reserves to 40 bil-lion barrels and daily crude oil production to four mil-lion barrels per day by 2020.

This, according to NNPC Group Managing Director, GMD, Andrew Yakubu, is to ensure that a solid plat-form is laid for the rapid economic growth and de-velopment of the country.

Yakubu made the dis-closure during the 42nd Annual General Meeting, Conference and Exhibition

of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, NSCHE, with the theme: “Harnessing Water Re-sources for National Devel-opment,” in Abuja.

The GMD noted that the strategic focus of the man-agement under his watch was to ensure that between 70 and 80 per cent of gas produced in the country was channelled to power generation to achieve the robust ambition of stabilis-ing electricity supply to Ni-gerians and to industries operating in the country.

He said: “One of the strategic focuses we had when we came on board was to ensure that gas availability to power was met and I am glad to tell

submission” that there is only one issue for determi-nation which is, “whether from the totality of the evi-dence before this honour-able court, the complain-ant has made out a prima facie case against the ac-cused persons to answer.”

He submitted that “to ask the 1st accused person to enter into his defence will require him to prove his innocence,” saying “this is contrary to the presumption of innocence enshrined in S. 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitu-tion as amended.”

you that as at today, we are in surplus of gas availabil-ity to power in line with the Federal Government’s power initiative.”

Yakubu promised that NNPC would consolidate on gas to power and indus-try to boost economic activ-ities in the country, adding that the aggressive com-mercial framework put in place by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, had added impetus to the current arrangement.

He said the gas aggre-gator and the other key commercial initiatives had helped in stimulating in-vestment in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

On gas flaring, the GMD disclosed that a lot of in-vestments had been put in

place to ensure gas flare down, noting that as at to-day gas flare had been re-duced to about 15 per cent.

He added that export initiatives on gas had been stepped up, noting that plans were on to achieve zero gas flare.

Yakubu commended the NSCHE for the capac-ity growth contributions to the NNPC workforce and the Nigerian society, adding its their impact on the petroleum sector was far-reaching.

He described the theme of this year’s conference: “Harnessing Water Re-sources for National Devel-opment,” as apt and neces-sary, noting that there was a global paradigm shift from the use of fossil fuel to renewable energy.

NNPC exceeds gas-to-power target –GMDSays gas flare down by 15%

Alleged N44m fraud: CJ transfers Hembe, Ifeanyi’s case fi leEMMANUEL ONANIABUJA

There appears to be disquiet in the camps of the sus-

pended Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Mar-ket, Hon. Herman Hem-be, and his Deputy, Hon. Azubuogu Ifeanyi.

There are indications that the Chief Judge, CJ, of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Justice Lawal Gummi, has trans-ferred their case file to Justice Peter Kekemeke of Court 19, Apo.

The implication of this development is that the criminal trial will start de novo (afresh), when it comes up on November 26, the same date the accused were scheduled to address the previous court presid-ed over by Justice Abuba-kar Sadiq Umar, on their “no case submissions”.

Having made separate submissions to counter the allegation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission, EFCC, that they abused their privileges as chairman and deputy

chairman respectively, when they allegedly con-verted into personal about N600,000 being money alleg-edly released by the Securi-ties and Exchange Commis-sion, SEC, for them to travel to the Dominican Republic for a refresher conference in October 2011, counsel to the two men, Jibrin Okute-pa (SAN) and Linda Ikpea-zu, had made oral applica-tions for extension of time within which to file and exchange written addresses in support of their no case submissions.

The applications were not opposed by counsel to the anti-graft agency, Onje-fu Obe, hence the adjourn-ment till November 26 for adoption of addresses.

However, an impeccable source confided in National Mirror that while this was going on, the EFCC sent a petition to Gummi, in which it expressed dissatisfaction with the proceedings and consequently asked for the case to be transferred to an-other judge.

The highly-placed source, who craved anonymity, said: “The transfer of the case file is at the instance of the

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, November 19, 20124

National News

Photo News

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Fire fighters at the scene of kerosene tanker explosion in Abuja, yesterday.

No plan to remove fuel subsidy –Jonathan

FG owes oil marketers N140bn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

tion, NNPC, remaining the only importer of products, accounts for the persistent fuel scarcity across the na-tion as the corporation has not been able to bring in enough fuel in addition to grossly inadequate logistics infrastructure to distribute the products imported.

There are fears that the situation could worsen as the Yuletide approaches and global demand for oil.

Investigations showed that the oil companies have suspended participation in the third and fourth quarter import programmes due to uncertainties over payment of subsidy arrears and an-ticipated delays in payment of subsidy for imports due to stringent new conditions imposed by the Ministry of Finance for such payments following the massive cor-ruption discovered in the administration of the fuel subsidy regime.

The managing direc-

tor of one of the nation’s largest petrol companies who does not want his name mentioned disclosed to National Mirror at the weekend that they had to suspend imports due to paucity of funds.

“If you have borrowed to import and you are not be-ing paid, we cannot contin-ue to incur more liabilities from the banks, it is as sim-ple as that. The NNPC used to import 50 per cent of products, now it is the only importer and it is obvious that when other major play-ers are out of the system, there will be problems,” he said.

A tank farm owner in Port Harcourt, who is also a major receiver of im-port, said he had not done any business in the last four months despite being cleared by the Ministry of Finance.

“My bankers have de-cided that the N900bn pro-vision for fuel subsidy is

not enough and they think that if we import fuel now, we won’t’ get paid until next year, yet we hear that government will deregulate eventually. The situation is not very clear,” he said in a telephone interview yester-day.

According to him, the subsidy liability generated so far this year had reached almost N2.7trn and most of this money would likely go to the NNPC, which is now the sole importer. “I don’t see the difference, if they pay the subsidy to us or to the NNPC. If government does not want to pay subsi-dy, it should deregulate the market and let us compete,” he added.

The Executive Secre-tary of the Major Market-ing Companies of Nigeria, MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Ola-wore, who confirmed the development in a telephone interview over the weekend said: “About N140bn is be-ing owed the major and in-

dependent marketers. This high level of indebtedness constrained them from raising loans to import products.”

Olawore said the banks are not willing anymore to provide loans because there is no guarantee that marketers who face great difficulties in raising funds would soon be paid.

The Senior Special Ad-viser to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Paul Nwabui-kwu did not take calls or respond to messages over the weekend. But informed sources said the rigorous process of verifying claims has greatly affected regular payment of subsidy claims.

In fact, it was learnt that since September, this year no claims have been paid to marketers who have made several trips to Abuja to resolve issues with the min-istry.

The General Manager in the Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Dr.

Omar Farouk, however, said: “We have enough pet-rol and other products to meet demand.”

He said consumers; es-pecially motorists should desist from panic buying as the present stocks can meet demand for several weeks.

But marketers, whose officials queue for weeks at private jetties where the NNPC imported products are stored face distribution - related challenges in the process of taking the prod-uct from the jetties to their retail outlets.

Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, said: “We pay higher than required to lift the product from the jet-ties belong to members of Depot and Petroleum Prod-ucts Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMA. This constrained us them from selling at the controlled N97 per litre.”

He said: “The regulatory agencies should be blamed for their inability to enforce and sanction operators in-terested in exploiting the masses.”

The spokesman of NIP-CO, Mr. Taofeek Lawal said: “The stocks are declining gradually because market-ers depend on NNPC to meet the demand of con-sumers. If subsidy is paid as when due, they would be empowered to bring in more products.”

He said: “The situation could worsen as we move closer to Christmas and New Year celebrations, characterized by increased movement of commuters from one part of the nation to another.

According to him, “The increased movement would

call for more consumption of petrol and other prod-ucts, particularly as power supply has not yet been sta-bilised in different parts of the nation.”

The General Manager in the Group Public Af-fairs Division of the firm, Mr. Omar Farouk said the Corporation has commer-cial stocks of the products in different parts of the na-tion.

He said: “Consumers, especially motorists should avoid panic buying as NNPC has sufficient quan-tity of petrol and other products in different parts of the nation.”

Investigations showed that distribution has great-ly been hampered as a re-sult of pipeline vandalism. For instance, the attack of Arepo pipeline has greatly affected the distribution of petrol to many parts of the nation.

A visit to Arepo over the weekend showed that members of the joint task force on vandalism were till guarding the facility, even though its operation re-mained shut. It was learnt that close policing of the area would culminate in putting appropriate mea-sures in place for NNPC en-gineers to return for main-tenance of the facility.

The NNPC spokesman said: “We cannot move into the area for rehabilitation of the pipeline now. We would do so as soon as se-curity agencies are ready to provide the required secu-rity backup for the work.”

Spokesman of the De-partment of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Mr. Paul Osu did not take calls or responds to messages sent over the weekend.

tenure proposal, President Jonathan said that the idea, which came from consulta-tion with other political parties, was meant to re-duce the tension generated by the second term syn-drome in the polity, saying that he had to mellow down on the proposal when Nige-rians reacted negatively to it.

Why PDP not winning recent elections

On why the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

has not been winning elec-tion in recent times, Presi-dent Jonathan replied that the PDP is the party to beat yet in Nigeria, saying that the PDP is doing well and it’s not winning elections is good for the nation’s de-mocracy.

He said: “The PDP is doing well and that it is not winning elections is good for democracy. It would have been danger-ous for our democracy if the PDP wins election in all the states. In the case of Ondo State, Olusegun

Mimiko was a member of the PDP. When he con-tested in 2007, his running mate was the state chair-man of the PDP, so it was more of a PDP family af-fair.”

CorruptionOn corruption, Presi-

dent Jonathan said: “We have been fighting cor-ruption frontally. We can make bold to say that we have combated corruption in the electoral system; we have also tackled cor-ruption in the agriculture

sector, especially in the distribution of fertilisers to the local farmers.”

Jonathan said: “If you keep money on a table where there are so many people and the money is disappearing, why not keep it in a shelve?”

He added: “I can assure Nigerians and the global community that this gov-ernment is fighting cor-ruption frontally.”

On poverty, he said: “I never promised to reduce poverty. I promised to cre-ate wealth.”

On corruption, which is seen as the greatest problem confronting the country, Jonathan said his administration was doing all in its power to tackle it, adding that no administration before his had put so much into com-bating corruption.

He said: “The effort this government has put in in fighting corruption, I don’t think any other person has done that.”

Speaking specifically on the corruption in the oil sector as revealed by

the probe of the disburse-ment of subsidy funds, Jonathan said the best way out was to ensure there was no money to be stolen.

Jonathan explained that his government was making steady progress in power, agriculture, economy and the provi-sion of employment, and tacking corruption in all areas while assuring Nigerians that his trans-formation agenda would start to yield fruits before he leaves office.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, November 19, 2012 5News

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net6 National News Monday, November 19, 2012

The Christian As-sociation of Nige-ria (CAN) yester-

day asked Nigerians to dismiss the insinuation that President Goodluck Jonathan bought a plane for its President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, describ-ing those peddling the rumour as evil minds.

The association spe-cifically fingered the

General Overseer of Lat-ter Rain Bible Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, in the orchestrated scheme to drag President Jona-than into the aircraft is-sue.

The Public Relations Officer of the 19 North-ern States of CAN and Abuja, Mr. Sunny Oibe, who made the clarifica-tion, was reacting to the

allegation by the Public-ity Secretary of Congress of Progressive Change (CPC), Mr. Rotimi Fasha-kin, that the President bought an airplane for Oritsejafor because he “anointed” him for Chris-tians.

Oibe said: “First of all, the allegation is baseless, mischievous and orchestrated by the

evil minds to tarnish the soaring and good im-age of the President of CAN in the person of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. The reason for all these attacks on Oritsejafor is not because of the plane, but because he has been against Boko Haram and had suggested that Mu-hammadu Buhari should be arrested.

“That is why the CPC is attacking Pastor Orit-sejafor, who was the only person who said Buhari should be arrested and in an ideal society, Buhari should be locked behind bars. It is because of all these that all of them are supporting Bakare to at-tack Pastor Ayo Oristse-jafor.

“I say authoritatively

that President Jonathan has never given a dime to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor because he is too big to ask for money from any of these politicians. The people who are saying that Jonathan bought a plane for Oritsejafor were the same persons accus-ing him of not compro-mising on any national issue”.

UDEME AKPAN

Manitoba Hydro International of Canada remains

the manager of Transmis-sion Company of Nigeria (TCN), National Mirror can authoritatively reveal.

Investigations revealed at the weekend that the firm’s much talked about $24 mil-lion contract was not termi-nated. The firm still plays its role as TCN contractor.

A source close to the firm said: “We are still working because we have not yet re-ceived an official letter ter-minating the contract.”

The Chairman of the Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatization, Mr. Atedo Pe-terside, exclusively told Na-tional Mirror that the con-tract was never cancelled.

He said: Manitoba Hydro’s contract was nev-er cancelled. The public should not confuse intent with actual action.”

Peterside said it was un-fortunate that some people are spreading rumours as far the termination of Man-itoba contract is concerned.

JOHNSON OKANLAWON AND STANLEY IHEDIGBO

As the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Mon-etary Policy Com-

mittee (MPC) meets today and tomorrow to review the monetary policy stance, the Lagos Chamber of Com-merce and Industry has asked the CBN to relax its liquidity tightening stance to create conditions that would stimulate growth, boost economic activities and create jobs.

The MPC had in Sep-tember retained the bench-mark Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 12 per cent, the banks’ Cash Reserve Ra-tio (CRR) at 12.0 per cent and the Net Open Position (NoP) at 1.0 per cent.

According to the LCCI, the sustained monetary policy tightening might have effectively moderated

inflation and stabilised the exchange rate, but it is at the expense of stimulation of growth and employment generation.

In a statement issued yesterday, the chamber’s President, Mr. Goodie Ibru, said that stimulating the economy at this time is cru-cial.

The statement explained that the reduction in infla-tion rate to the year low of 11.3 per cent in September suggests two mutually in-clusive effects, an effective monetary policy and de-clining domestic demand, weaker inventory and frag-ile growth prospect.

“Lending rates have risen beyond the reach of many corporate and small busi-nesses. Both prime and max-imum lending rates have risen from 16.28 per cent and 23.13 per cent in March 2012 to 16.37 per cent and 24.67 per cent respectively.

TORDUE SALEMABUJA

A member of the House of Represen-tatives Committee

on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Hon. Emman-uel Jime, yesterday assured stakeholders that the House would soon pass the Petro-leum Industry Bill (PIB).

The lawmaker said with the collapse of the National Frontier Bill, which seeks oil exploration in the North into the PIB, the piece of legislation was “good to go”.

He said: “The PIB will certainly be passed by the House, because I believe that the bill itself, besides two or three clauses that need amendments here and there, seeks to liberalise the sector for greater effi-ciency.”

According to him, the

House also decided to con-solidate PIB with the bill seeking to compel the Fed-eral Government to explore oil in the North, to create a resource-wealth balance between the South and the North and to shore up the country’s revenue base.

“The House also decided to consolidate the PIB with the National Frontier Bill which also seeks the explo-ration of oil in the North, and I think with that the House would certainly pass the bill soon.

Investigation showed that since the ‘intention’ to terminate the contract was announced last Wednesday, many stakeholders, includ-ing the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE and Na-tional Council on Privatisa-tion, NCP have made efforts to explain the process that culminated in the appoint-ment of the foreign firm to President Goodluck Jona-than and other authorities, including legislators.

Consequently, President Jonathan, who is said to have partly based his de-

cision of the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP allegation that BPE did not have the force of the law to ‘procure’ Manitoba to man-age TCN for the govern-ment has backpedalled on the issue.

A reliable Presidency source who preferred not to be named said: “There are indications that the government was misled to take that decision. We have the right to do what we did. Fortunately, many people, including legislators be-lieve it is too late to fault the

process that led to the emer-gence of the firm.”

He said: “It will be easy for the government to back-pedal after all it has not yet issued a letter of contract termination to Manitoba. I can confirm to you that Manitoba has not yet been served any official letter to that effect.”

Some stakeholders said there was a great need for the government to recon-sider its decision because of the serious implications it could have on the nation’s power reforms.

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

Former Deputy Na-tional Chairman f the Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has expressed the party’s determination to reclaim the mandate freely given to it by residents of Badagry Central and Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council De-velopment areas of Lagos State.

George gave the hint in a statement entitled: “A wake up call on Lagosians,” where

he drew attention of the people to what he called the “brazen and blatant attempt by Bola Tinubu to pervert justice and subjugate the col-lective will of Lagosians to his own whim and caprices.”

George said the result of the 2011 local government election in the state showed that the PDP candidate in Badagry Cetral LCDA, Tafa Dada, won the election, ac-cording to the result declared by the returning officer, who declared 7,355 votes in favour of Dada as against the votes cast for the Action Congress

of Nigeria (ACN) candidate, who polled 6,383, the result, he said, was video-taped and properly documented.

He added: “Despite all this, Tinubu’s self-appointed Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) overturned Dada’s victory without any justifi-cation and crudely awarded victory to the ACN candi-date. Such daylight robber-ies would be replicated in Alimosho, Agboyi, Eredo, Ikoyi-Obalende, Somolu and several other local govern-ments.”

Manitoba still TCN contractor –Investigation

Lagos LG: PDP ’ll reclaim its mandate – George

LCCI urges CBN to ease monetary policy

Reps will pass PIB soon, says lawmaker

Jonathan didn’t buy jet for Oritsejafor, says CAN

President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential Media Chat at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

Tambuwal

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7NewsMonday, November 19, 2012

MURITALA AYINLA

Lagos State Gover-nor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday

rendered an account of his stewardship to resi-dents of the state with a stern defence of his ad-ministration’s policies, saying not everybody will be happy with the prog-ress made.

Fashola defends administration’s policies, lashes out at FG, critics

TORDUE SALEMABUJA

Deputy Leader of the House of Rep-resentatives, Hon.

Leo Ogor, has assured Ni-gerians that the on-going constitution review pro-cess will transform the country.

The lawmaker called on Ni-gerians to continue to support the ongoing review process and cooperate with the House in making an organic and more democratic constitution.

The deputy leader gave the advice at the weekend in a chat with journalists in Abuja.

Ogor, who represents Isoko Federal Constituency said that the interest shown by Nigerians during the just concluded “Peoples Public Sessions” showed that the House of Representatives was right in taking the con-stitution review process to the people.

He said the leadership of the House and the Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review will do everything possible to authenticate the process and satisfy the yearnings of the people.

Ogor, however, lamented that the town hall meetings have also become platforms for political detractors to launch unnecessary cam-paigns of calumny against legislators including himself.

He debunked reports in some newspapers and on-line news media that the public session was marred by violence in Isoko Federal Constituency of Delta State.

The media had reported that Ogor had a brawl with a youth leader during the town hall meeting held to get the views of the people on the re-view of the constitution.

But Ogor said that at no time did he engage in any physical combat with any-one during the event or at his residence.

According to him, one Isaac Egbuwoku, the youth leader referred to in the on-line report had a disagree-ment with one of his (Ogor) political aides but the issue was resolved amicably by some eminent personalities at the scene.

The lawmaker described the reports that linked him with an “imaginary fracas” as nothing but falsehood de-signed to tarnish his image.

“The said publication was not only orchestrated to rub-bish my image but to paint a negative impression of Leo Okuweh Ogor before the en-tire world.

“Over the years, I have built a flawless reputation and a political career of in-tegrity and credibility. I be-lieve that this kind of publi-cation is aimed at smearing my name and rising politi-cal profile, especially now that we are approaching another election period,” Ogor said.

Constitution review process’ll transform Nigeria –Lawmaker

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

The Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),

Mr. Osita Chidoka, yester-day identified personal and collective responsibility as solution to road traffic crashes in the country.

A statement signed by the Deputy Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, said that Chidoka made the state-ment in Abuja at a service to mark this year’s African Road Safety Day and World Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims.

According to the state-ment, the day is set aside in line with the decision of the African Union and the United Nation’s resolu-tion to set aside the third Sunday of November every year as Road Safety Day to commiserate with road crash victims and to sensi-tise road users on the need

for improved consciousness on road safety.

The corps marshal also outlined activities for this year’s programme such as prayers in Mosque and Churches nationwide, a marathon race, visitations to hospitals and a candle light procession in part-nership with the Federal Ministries of Health and Transport.

The statement read in part: “I want to enjoin road users to cultivate good road behaviuor to enable every-one to use the road without hitches and with the con-viction of returning home to meet their loved ones in piece.”

Collective responsibility, solution to road crashes –FRSC

OLUFEMI ADEOSUNABUJA

The Economic and Financial Crimes C o m m i s s i o n

(EFCC) has arrested a bil-lionaire ex-council chair-man of Sabon Gari Local Government, Mr. Kasimu Abubakar.

Abubakar was report-edly arrested by the opera-tives of the commission.

The arrest, according to a statement by the spokes-man of the commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren in Abuja, followed a petition alleging that the former council boss abused his of-fice to enrich himself.

Other allegations con-tained in the petition, ac-cording to the statement, included illegal acquisition of property worth billions of naira.

In the course of inves-tigating the allegations, EFCC said its operatives visited the council only to discover that the evidence that would have assisted the investigation had been destroyed in an inferno that gutted the council secretar-iat building, particularly the Treasury Department.

The statement read in part: “However, in the course of executing a search warrant at the home of the suspect, several of-ficial documents belonging to the local government including, but not limited to original copies of pay-ment schedule of the lo-cal government staff, tax clearance certificates and official files of the local gov-ernment that are not sup-pose to be in his custody as an ex-official of the council, were recovered.”

EFCC arrestsex-council chairman

OMEIZA AJAYIABUJA

The Federal Capital Territory Admin-istration, FCTA,

says it has completed all procedures and conveyed about 2,455 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-Os) to bonafide property owners in the territory between January and now.

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, spoke at the weekend after a meet-ing with senior officials of the Abuja Geographic In-formation Systems (AGIS).

According to him, with-in the same period, he has signed 727 C-of-Os of land whose owners have met “all the laid down criteria especially the mandatory payments of land charges.”

FCTA issued 2,455 C-of-Os in 11 months –Minister

Fashola, who lashed out at his critics over some of his policies, including the celebration of his num-ber of days in office, cited the example of the erratic power supply in Nigeria, saying that some Nigerians are smiling to the banks as a result of the nation’s in-ability to generate stable electricity.

Fashola justified the introduction of Chinese language in public schools, the restriction on the opera-tion of commercial motor-cyclists and other policies that generated criticisms,

saying they are carefully thought out policies to bet-ter the lots of the generality of the public.

Speaking during the oc-casion of his 2000 days in office held at the Blue Roof, LTV8, Agidingbi, Ikeja, the governor said it was nor-mal for a section of the pop-ulace to criticise policies, even when majority of the people are appreciating the administration’s achieve-ments.

His words: “You can’t stop people from disagree-ing with you. When there is pain, not everyone is sad be-

cause some people are bene-fiting from it and whenever there is progress not every-one will be happy about it.”

The governor, who also came hard on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government for what he termed “clueless policies,” said his admin-istration has continued to make progress in its devel-opmental initiatives.

He lamented the inabil-ity of the Federal Govern-ment to tackle the problem of fuel scarcity and repair the Apapa-Oshodi Road.

His words:”I thought

that it might interest you to know that their party at the national level has started a very unimaginative and poor imitation of our ac-counting process, by em-barking on what they call a “Good Governance Road Show.”

“Please keep an eye on them, because they may soon come to you to tell you what good governance is, as if you do not know.

“I hope their Lagos chap-ter will remind them that you are queuing to buy fuel, that you cannot complete telephone conversations on

your phones anymore and that Apapa-Oshodi Road re-quires urgent attention.

“But please remember to thank them for main-taining the 3rd Mainland Bridge. In spite of their party’s cluelessness and local cynism, we continue to make progress with our developmental initiatives.”

The governor said the introduction of Mandarin otherwise known as Chi-nese language in all the public school curriculum was an economic decision owing to the country’s giant strides in global economy.

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; his Deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, during the rendering of account of stewardship by Governor Fashola to commemorate his 2000 Days in Office in Lagos, yesterday.

Chidoka

as “unsubstantiated that has no basis in ethics of noble journalism, which demands for proper and balanced story before go-ing to press.”

“We hereby state that the alleged $50,000 bribery scandal is false and lack fair substance,” he noted.

Muyinwa expressed surprise on how could “an existing programme which has been ongoing will now result to scandal, in which $50,000 was alleged to have exchanged hands between the officials of the state gov-ernment and the embassy officials.”

HAKEEM GBADAMOSIAKURE

About 3,489 students of Federal Univer-sity of Technol-

ogy Akure (FUTA) will be awarded with various degrees at the 24th convo-cation ceremony of the institution while various developmental projects would be inaugurated to mark the 30th anniversary of the institution.

Chairman of the com-mittee in charge of the ceremony, Prof. Adedayo Fasakin, disclosed this while briefing journal-ists on the activities lined up for the convoca-tion and anniversary.

He said former Minis-ter of Defence, Maj-Gen. T. Y Danjuma (rtd) and the Vice-Chancellor of Univer-sity of Mines and Technol-ogy, Ghana, Prof. David Gy-imah, would be decorated with honorary doctorate degrees of Management and Science respectively during the graduation cer-emony coming up on No-vember 24, 2012.

Fasakin said 415 of the students would be awarded with diploma certificate, 1,960 with first degree, 738 with post-graduate diplo-ma, 31 master degree and 41 doctorate degree.

WALE FOLARINOSOGBO

Governor Rauf Aregbesola has appointed Justice

Gloria Oladoke as the Acting Chief Judge of Osun State.

The governor made the announcement in a statement issued yester-day in Osogbo, the state capital, by his Direc-tor of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon.

During the screening of Justice Adebola Ojo as the nominee of the government for the post of the CJ, members of the state House of As-sembly asked the gover-nor to appoint an Acting CJ for the state, pending the determination of the case against the Judicial Service Commission in which the House and the governor were joined.

Okanlawon said the governor took the action pursuant to Section 271(4) of the 1999 Constitution.

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has promised to

immortalise the former governor of the state, Al-haji Lam Adesina.

Ajimobi spoke at the fi-dau prayer held for the late Adesina. The former gov-ernor died at a Lagos hos-pital penultimate Sunday after a protracted sickness.

The Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, venue of the fidau prayer, was thronged by friends, family members, political associates and oth-er eminent Nigerians.

Among them were for-mer Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Ti-nubu; the National Chair-man of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi Akande; Governors Baba-tunde Fashola, Rauf Areg-besola, Ibikunle Amosun, Kayode Fayemi and Ad-ams Oshiomhole of Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti and Edo states respectively; for-mer President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Gover-nors Omololu Olunloyo and Rasheed Ladoja; the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji and the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu.

Ajimobi said no honour done to the late Adesina was too much in view of his contribution to the growth and development of the state.

He then announced the establishment of Lam Ad-esina Scholarship Endow-ment Fund through which scholarship would be given to brilliant, but indi-gent students in the state up till university level.

Ajimobi promises to honour Lam Adesina

Osun State Govern-ment yesterday re-futed a media report

recently published by a na-tional daily, alleging that a South West state in col-laboration with some staff of Ukrainian Embassy and a tertiary institution were involved in a US$50,000 visa scandal.

Speaking on behalf of the state government, Mr. Yinka Muyinwa, a solici-tor to the government, said

though the media report did not mention Osun State, the evidence on ground showed that the target of the report was Osun State.

He said: “Having studied the story we are of the be-lief that there was no other state government from the South West that the al-leged story was referring to except Osun State, which has been having an exist-ing cordial relationship between the Government

of Ukraine and Osun State Government, through an exchange of programme in education and other areas.

“It was based on this un-derstanding that the gov-ernment sends her medi-cal students to Ukraine to further their studies.”

Muyinwa denied the in-volvement of the state gov-ernment in the visa scam, saying “there was no time any official of the state government or its agent

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) has kicked against

the proposed dialogue be-tween the Federal Govern-ment and the Boko Haram Islamic sect, saying that members of the sect should be treated as criminals.

NBC President, Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, spoke at the weekend during an interactive session with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, warning

the Federal Government not to legitimize the sect and its wanton killings and attacks on churches.

Ayokunle, however, wondered how the idea of dialogue with the sect came into being and de-scribed as admittance of failure on the part of the Federal Government its acceptance to dialogue with the religious funda-mentalists.

The cleric, who asked whether the Federal Gov-ernment would dialogue with armed robbers, kid-

nappers and corrupt pub-lic officials as well as oth-er criminals in the society, said it is unthinkable that the Boko Haram be sin-gled out for dialogue.

Ayokunle insisted that the government should tell Nigerians why it is not able to arrest the members of Boko Haram sect and deal with them decisively in accordance with the law, describing as injustice, an-noying and unthinkable the unnecessary compro-mise by the advocate of dialogue between the gov-

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

A chieftain of the Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP)

in Lagos State and former Commissioner for Trans-port and Health, Segun Ogundimu, has called on Governor Babatunde Fashola to have a rethink over the ban on the opera-tions of commercial mo-torcyclists.

The medical doctor-turned politician, who was also former chairman of Lagos State Water Cor-

poration and Petroleum Products Distribution and Monitoring Committee, spoke yesterday at a press conference held at the par-ty secretariat in Ikeja.

Ogundimu said the law relating to the activities of the commercial motorcy-clists popularly called oka-da riders should not make the governor to lose sight of the necessity to protect the travelling public.

He said: “When an ag-gressive mosquito lands on ‘the place,’ caution is nec-essary to get rid of the nui-sance pest, else the force

will break ‘the place’ and the mosquito will escape.”

Comparing the chal-lenges of transportation during his time as trans-port commissioner with what obtains now, Ogun-dimu said the challenges included increasing popu-lation of ill-kitted and un-trained okada operators, some of whom were grad-uates and non-indigenes, whose primary aim was to eke a living out of the yawning gap in the state’s supply of public transpor-tation; increasing tenden-cies of operators to be

hired by negative groups to perpetrate nefarious activities state-wide, espe-cially rendering services to people of questionable characters; active and outright participation of operators in armed and unarmed crime as being reported by security op-eratives; increasing vio-lation of traffic laws e.g. riding against traffic with overloading; increasing road traffic accidents with serious orthopaedic consequences to outright death of one or both rider and passenger.

Osun refutes $50,000 visa scandal report

FG asked to shun dialogue offer by Boko Haram

Fashola urged to reconsider stance on Okada ban

was involved in any alleged $50,000 visa payment to any Ukrainian embassy official or its agent for the purposes of procuring visa either for her students or officials.”

The state government noted that the report was an attempt to strain the cordial relationship exist-ing between Osun State and the good people of Ukraine.”

In a statement, Muy-inwa described the story

ernment and the sect.He said: “Let the crimi-

nals face the maximum penalty for the offence com-mitted and if dialogue is now seen as the solution to all criminal activities in the country, let it be inscribed in our constitution.”

Ayokunle, however, lauded the Federal Govern-ment for what he described as pragmatic approach to the recent flood recorded in some parts of the country, urging that efforts should be intensified to prevent recurrence in future.

L-R: Children of the late Lam Adesina, Nike; Dr. Wasiu; his widow, Sarata and wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, at the eighth day fidau prayer for the late politician in Ibadan, yesterday.

FUTA graduates 3,489 students, to celebrate 30th anniversary

Osun gets Acting CJ

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, November 19, 20128 South West

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Monday, November 19, 2012 South West

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

The Academic Staff Union of Nige-rian Universities

(ASUU), at the weekend, reiterated its determina-tion to frustrate the pro-posed total removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

President of the union, Dr. Nasir Fagge, made the declaration at a reception organised by the Dr Segun Ajiboye-led executive of the University of Ibadan chap-ter of the union.

The occasion was to cel-ebrate the National Trustee of ASUU, Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, father of the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was conferred with Doctor of Science (ho-noris causa) by the Univer-sity of Ibadan.

He said President Good-luck Jonathan might have been misinformed by the committees he set up by calling for the removal of subsidy when there is no subsidy being enjoyed by Nigerians.

He said that statistics

available to the union showed that fuel ought to be sold at about N40, add-ing that the political class in the country seems to thrive better by impover-ishing the masses.

The ASUU boss said ASUU will work in col-laboration with other civil society organisations and labour to fight against re-moval of subsidy, noting that it plans to use sensiti-sation, mass mobilisation and collaboration to fight what he described as an in-sensitive proposition.

His words: “We are con-

vinced that that there is nothing like fuel subsidy in this country. The statistics are there to show. If we are going to go back to real pric-ing of fuel in this country, we should be selling petrol at about N40 per litre.

“I can see that this gov-ernment is hell bent on making life difficult and making people to suffer, we in ASUU will fight against this. We will be working with civil society organisa-tions and labour to ensure that the proposal is not im-plemented.”

Fagge said rather than

inflicting more hardship on Nigerians, President Jona-than should stop shielding corrupt friends of govern-ment who are destroying the oil industry in the coun-try.

He noted with sadness that rather than spending their lives behind bars for corruptly enriching them-selves at the expense of the nation, “Corrupt friends of government are apprehended and later seen walking on the streets as free men and in some instances take up higher politi-cal appointments in the coun-try.

“We in ASUU are con-vinced that when there is an investigation and it is clear that somebody is found want-ing, they must be brought to book to move our country forward.”

We’ll protest proposed fuel price hike, says ASUU

SINA FADARE

Stakeholders on envi-ronment have called on the Federal Gov-

ernment to, as a matter of urgency, put a stop to gas flaring that has been ille-gally carried out by multi-national corporations with impunity and the conniv-ance of government agen-cies.

This call was made at the weekend at the fifth annual environmental consulta-

tions programme organ-ised by the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth (ERA/FOEN) in Lagos.

The group said since 1984, gas flaring in the coun-try has become an illegal business, adding that the court judgement delivered in 2005 reaffirmed this ille-gality.

The two-day consul-tation, with the theme; “Corporate Accountabil-ity and the Environment,” observed that the practice

and principle of corporate social responsibility is a misnomer and an escape route for corporations, add-ing that rather than talking about corporate social re-sponsibility, corporations should be held accountable and liable for their actions and inactions.

The environment ex-perts, who said the Petro-leum Industry Bill (PIB) in its present form does not represent the interest of Nigerians, but that it is de-signed to serve the whims

Stop gas fl aring, stakeholders tell FG

MURITALA AYINLA

The General Man-ager of the Lagos State Traffic Man-

agement Authority, LAST-MA, Engr. Babatunde Edu, yesterday said that the ban on junior officers of the organisation from arresting offenders was to instil discipline among the rank and file of the or-ganization.

The LASTMA boss, who was worried by the com-plaints of motorists in the state about the unethical conduct of some officers, said that 38 officers have been dismissed for various acts of misconduct, adding that some are currently be-ing prosecuted in courts for collecting bribes and other unethical conducts.

His words: “Over 50 of

them have just appeared before an administrative panel on issues of derelic-tion of duty, absent without leave and extortion while scores are slated for appear-ance before Personal Man-agement Board (Discipline) before the month ends.

“Therefore, to instil discipline in LASTMA, 38 officers have just been dis-missed for various acts of misconduct; some are cur-rently being prosecuted for collecting bribes.”

To flush out bad eggs in the organisation, Edu add-ed; “The Provost Marshal Department of LASTMA has been reorganised with the appointment of a new head, the deployment of ad-ditional staff and the pro-vision of new logistics has been made to carry out ef-fective monitoring of staff on duty.”

‘Why we banned junior LASTMA offi cials from arresting offenders’

Certificates to be is-sued by the Ekiti State University,

Ado Ekiti, will henceforth carry the photographs of their recipients, as well as other security features.

State Governor, Dr Kayo-de Fayemi, made this known in Ado Ekiti, at the weekend, during an interactive ses-sion/dinner hosted for stu-dents of tertiary institutions in the state as part of the ac-tivities marking the maiden edition of the International Students’ Day organised by the Ekiti axis of National Association of Nigerian Stu-dents (NANS).

The governor said the in-troduction of the special se-curity features became im-perative in the bid to curb

cases of certificate forgery and impersonation that have been on the increase in recent times.

Fayemi said no fewer than 200 names were sent to the university for authentication of certificate by the Govern-ment of Ogun State during the biometric capture carried out by the state. He said if the cer-tificates had carried the pho-tographs of the recipients, it would have made the authen-tication easier for them.

While stressing that edu-cation remains the shortest route to poverty eradication, Governor Fayemi said his administration is commit-ted to providing functional education by introduc-ing life-changing skills in schools.

Ekiti varsity certifi cates to be embossed with picture, security features

ABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI

No fewer than 5,000 youths from Ekiti State are to

be employed under the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P), Chairman of the State Im-plementation Committee (SIC) of the programme, Hon Femi Akinyemi, has said.

Akinyemi said this at a meeting with Ekiti State stakeholders on SURE-P at the weekend in Ado Ekiti that 3,000 youths would be employed before the end of the month, while another 2,000 would be employed next month.

He said SURE-P was de-signed for the eradication of poverty, upliftment and the development in the state, adding that

the SIC was prepared to carry out the programme with zeal and vigour.

Akinyemi’s words: “There is the Graduate Internship Scheme for our young graduates. There is also going to be the recruitment of 3,000 beneficiaries for the month of November 2012 while another 2,000 will be recruited in December 2012.”

SURE-P to engage 5,000 Ekiti youths –Committee

and caprices of corpora-tions and their allies within the ruling elite.

The group therefore re-jects the current version of the PIB and urges the Na-tional Assembly not only to receive inputs from Nigeri-ans but to also ensure that such inputs are reflected in the final bill such that Ni-gerians can lay claim to the law when eventually passed.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the two–day event and signed by the Executive Director, ERA/FoEN, Mr. Nnimmo Bassey and the Chairman of the Communiqué drafting Committee, Mr. Chima Wil-liams, the group called on government at all levels to be alive to its responsibili-ties and desist from ceding the sovereignty of the peo-ple to multinational corpo-rations while urging the citizens to be vigilant. The group also urged Nigerians to organise and mobilise to push the corporations out of the captured spaces.

President Jonathan

L-R: Managing Director, Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Limited, Mr. Lucas Scaraffiotti; Chairman, Mr. Kola Balogun and Minister of State for Power, Hajia Zainab Kuchi, during a courtesy visit to the company on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Olowotedo village in Ogun State, at the weekend. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

CHRIS NJOKUOWERRI

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is not a true

Igbo leader, it was learnt at the weekend.

The Movement for the Ac-tualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said that Governor Okorocha would have been denied the gover-norship ticket of the All Pro-gressives Grand Alliance (APGA), if the MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazur-uike, had not brought him to the late Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the then leader of the party.

He said Chief Uwazur-

uike presented Okorocha to Ojukwu even as Dim Ojukwu was not comfort-able with him because he (Okorocha) was anti-Igbo

Madu said: “When Chief Uwazuruike brought Okoro-cha to the late Ojukwu, the latter did not like him because of his anti-Igbo stance.

“At that time, there was urgent need to replace the former Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim, who had brought fake treasonable charges against Chief Uwa-zuruike.”

He said Ojukwu would not have accepted Okorocha as the governorship candi-date of APGA, but Chief Uwazuruike pleaded on his behalf.

DENNIS AGBOENUGU

The Secretary of Government of the Federation (SGF),

Senator Anyim Puis Anyim and Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, have urged their fellow 1988 classmates at the Nigeria Law School to support ef-forts aimed at protecting the nation’s democracy.

In the same vein, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Mr. Moham-med Bello Adoke, advised lawyers on ethics and dis-cipline, asking them to con-tribute in repositioning the legal profession.

Adoke urged lawyers to strive towards restoring the ethical values of the profes-sion, maintaining that as barristers they are also fi-duciaries, but must also as-sume duties to the court as ministers in the temple of justice.

The trio spoke at the weekend during the 4th edition of the Nigeria Law School Class 88 re-union held in Enugu hosted by

Anyim.Anyim said the meeting

was aimed at re-examining the performance of mem-bers of class 88 and redirect efforts towards ensuring that lawyers deploy their profession in entrenching democracy in Nigeria.

Governor Fashola, who chaired the accession, ad-vised his co-classmates to support aimed at building a better Nigeria.

Delivering a lecture, Adoke said: “The practice where lawyers seek the at-tainment of Senior Advo-cates of Nigeria (SAN) for material acquisitions most be frowned at, while admis-sion racketeering in univer-sities should be fought to a standstill in order to ensure sanity in our society.”

CHARLES OKEKEAWKA

Governor Peter Obi has asked the people of Anambra North

Senatorial District to pres-ent a credible candidate for the 2014 governorship elec-tion in the state.

Obi said that he fully supports the wish of the Northern Senatorial Dis-trict to produce the next Anambra State governor.

Obi assured the people of the Northern Senato-rial District of his support for their campaign to have the governorship zoned to them in 2014.

He said his commitment to support their agitation was because of the prom-ise he made to them while he was contesting.

Obi said that it is fair and equitable that the senatorial district should produce the next governor, going by the fact that since the state was created over 20 years ago, the zone has not produced governor.

He asked the people of the zone to bring out their best candidate for the gov-ernorship post.

DENNIS AGBOENUGU

The Federal Govern-ment at the weekend flagged off construc-

tion of the Nenwe-Uduma Road in Enugu State.

The project was facili-tated by the Deputy Sen-

ate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

Contract for the 26 kilo-meter road was awarded to SETRACO construction company by the Federal Government at the cost of N11.6 billion.

Senator Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu

West, said the project would be completed in 30 months.

Ekweremadu recalled that he promised people of the Uduma and Nenwe com-munities during his pre-elec-tion campaigns that contract for the construction of the road would be awarded be-fore the end of 2012.

Okorocha not true Igbo leader, says MASSOB

Anyim, Fashola ask mates to support nation’s democracy

2014: Obi backs Anambra North

Ekweremadu attracts N12bn road to constituency

OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

The Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) has said that the

death of the Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka Od-umegwu-Ojukwu, would create a smooth sail for it to the Anambra State Gov-ernment House in 2014.

PDP said since Chief Ojukwu, who it described as the major factor behind Mr. Peter Obi’s emergence

as the Anambra State gov-ernor is no longer alive, PDP would win the 2014 governorship election.

Answering question from journalists at the weekend, the PDP Nation-al Deputy Secretary, Onwe Solomon Onwe, said that PDP was not celebrating the death of Ojukwu, but added that the party lost Anambra State to the All Progressives Grand Alli-ance (ANPP) during the last election because of

the influence of Ojukwu, who was the leader of the party.

He said: “I don’t want to be quoted that maybe PDP is celebrating the death of Ojukwu; the issue is that the late Ojukwu stood be-hind Peter Obi in the last election and there is no Nigerian that can say that Ojukwu was not a serious factor, not only in the poli-tics of South-East, but in the politics of the entire country. His support for

Peter Obi made his victory easier.

“PDP is well rooted in Anambra State. If you con-duct a free and fair election in Anambra State, PDP will win. There were fac-tors that led PDP to lose the governorship election.

“First of all is the late Ikemba Nnewi factor, he stood behind Peter Obi during the election and in the politics of the South-East nobody can underrate the Ikemba.

“The second factor was the issue surrounding the emergence of Charles Soludo as the PDP gover-norship candidate. There was no opportunity for primary, many candidates aspired, but the Ogbula-for-led National Working Committee of the PDP just picked Soludo to run for the governorship and many stakeholders did not like that and instead of work-ing for the success of Solu-do, some of them worked

against him underground. That was why the PDP lost the governorship in Anam-bra. But with what is on ground now, PDP is going to clinch the governorship seat in Anambra State in 2014.

“Why we are saying that PDP will win the state in the next election is because of the reconciliation we are embarking on; we are going to reconcile all the aggrieved members of PDP in Anambra State.”

‘Ojukwu, Soludo cost PDP Anambra governorship’

Zik’s virtues extolled at posthumous birthday OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

The first president of Nigeria, the late Nnamdi Azikiwe,

has been eulogized as a man of peace and a nationalist who worked and fought for the unity of Nigeria.

This was the contention of Debe Odumegwu-Ojuk-wu, the son of the late Ikem-ba Nnewi, Dim Chukwue-meka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the 2012 Zik Day, to com-memorate the birthday of the late nationalist held at the weekend in Lagos.

He said he felt proud chairing such an occasion

and to be associated with the celebration of immor-tality because the great Owelle of Onitsha, Azikiwe, still lives on in the minds of the people even years after his demise.

He stressed that the country’s independence from the colonialist won’t be complete without the mention of the late Zik for his patriotic and nationalis-tic tendencies.

Debe, however, flayed the incessant terror attacks on innocent Nigerians by an insurgent group.

He told those in power that sustainable develop-ment among the people and nation was the key to a last-

ing peace. Speaking on the occa-

sion, former Deputy Na-tional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, lamented that those who fought for the country’s independence would be chuckling in their graves today because this was not the Nigeria they envisaged.

He said his fondest memories of the great Zik dated back to his teenage years when Dr. Azikiwe was campaigning in Lagos which drew crowds with an electrifying aura that befits a man of his status and elo-quence.

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi addressing the people while flagging-off Okpuno Road construction, at the weekend

Anyim

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net10 Monday, November 19 2012South East

11National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, November 19, 2012 South South

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiom-hole, has said that

what Nigerians need is a people-oriented constitu-tion that will protect their rights and enable them live in any part of the country.

Speaking during an in-teractive session with mem-bers of the House of Rep-resentatives from the state and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) caucus leaders at the Government

House in Benin City, the gov-ernor said the indigene and settler dichotomy, which di-vides the people, should be adequately addressed by the new constitution.

According to him, “Edo people are energetic and enterprising and reside in all parts of the country. We should therefore work out a constitution that re-moves discrimination in all guises so that people are free to live and thrive wher-ever they choose to live in. “People cannot continue to be strangers in a place they choose to live and settle in.”

His words: “I want my children to inherit a nation united on a purpose and not on a configuration of ethnic divide.”

He urged the lawmakers, as representatives of the people to be more reflective on the issue so as to arrive at decisions that will “serve the interests of our people and safeguard their wel-fare and well-being.”

He urged the National Assembly to grab the op-portunity of the ongoing efforts to amend the 1999 Constitution to ensure the outcome is geared towards

building a nation where ev-ery citizen has a stake and benefits from the rights and privileges available to all free people.

Governor Oshiomhole said from his experience in the last election in Edo State, where he won across the 18 local government areas, the people will sup-port their leaders if they provide the right direction, maintaining that the start-ing point to amending the constitution is to ask the question, ‘who is this de-mocracy meant to work for, the elite or the masses?’

EMMA GBEMUDUYENAGOA

Residents of Yenagoa and its suburbs in Bayelsa State have

embarked on the fumiga-tion and cleaning of their homes to check the inci-dence of snakes and other dangerous reptiles even as the flood that had ravaged the state recently recedes.

The situation has jerked up the price of fumigation materials and paints in the state capital.

Investigation by Na-tional Mirror revealed that many residents have killed several snakes especially at Agudama-Epie, Akenfa, Igbogene, Swali and other communities in the state capital as a result of the flood.

Also, residents in flood-ed apartments have been busy scooping out dirty and smelly water from

their apartments, as they washed them with deter-gents and germicides be-fore fumigating them.

An accountant in the employ of the state gov-ernment, Ebie Williams, said he had thrown away his set of leather chairs de-stroyed by the flood in his three-bed flat apartment at Akenfa-Epie.

The civil servant, who abandoned his home in the wake of the flood, also had his two refrigerators, books and other items damaged by the flood.

A 70-year-old farmer and another flood victim in Agudama-Epie, Joe Mi-chael, lamented that he had his thatch house de-stroyed by the flood.

Michael had already commenced the building of another thatch house in the area, as he urged public-spirited individuals to come to his aid.

SAM OLUWALANA

The senator rep-resenting Rivers South-East Sena-

torial District, Senator Magnus Abe, has given financial support to no fewer than 40 newly ac-credited students for the Nigerian Law School from the district.

Making the presenta-tion in Port Harcourt, the senator restated his com-mitment to infrastructur-al and human capital de-velopment in the district.

He said the nation de-

sires more lawyers to address the shortfall in crime and arbitration matters, a situation he ob-served must be explored to the advantage of law scholars from the district.

“Nigeria need more lawyers, if we have a so-ciety where people are conscious of what law-yers do; where people pay lawyers for services rendered, you will find out that we don’t have enough; that society will come in the future and by then you will be posi-tioned to take advantage of it”, he remarked.

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

Trainees under the Presidential Am-nesty Programme

for Niger Delta youths, at the weekend, recorded yet another feat in Ghana as they designed electrical equipment that regulates power voltage.

Known as the magnetic box, it regulates low and high voltage with a built-in timer.

The equipment was among several other products displayed by the trainees at a mini-exhibi-tion programme at their graduation from the Na-tional Vocational Train-ing Institute (NVTI) in Accra.

One hundred and nine-ty eight delegates under-went training in Welding and Fabrication, Electri-cal Installation, Auto Me-chanic, and Plumbing/

Pipe Fitting at five centres across the country.

Speaking at the event, an elated Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Ademola Onafowokan, said the feat achieved by the trainees was “another milestone in Nigeria’s endeavour to create a pool of skilled in-dividuals.”

The envoy, who paid glowing tributes to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua for the amnesty initiative, said the gradu-ates are living testimonies to the laudable vision of the Nigerian government.

“President Goodluck Jonathan and other Ni-gerians are very proud of these youths who have demonstrated resilience and hard work,” the high commissioner said.

He advised them to syn-ergise and work together to become self-reliant en-trepreneurs and employ-

ers of labour with the skills they have acquired.

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, in his remark, commended the trainees for their inven-

tion and innovativeness.His words: “Many

youths in the Niger Delta did not believe in the am-nesty offer but you did. To-day, some of your former colleagues are also in vari-ous institutions in Nigeria and overseas”.

CHINEDUM EMEANAPORT HARCOURT

The Rivers State gov-ernment has said that it will close its

flood relief camps opened to provide succour for many people displaced by the recent ravaging flood that adversely affected four local government areas, displacing almost one mil-lion people.

There are 26 such relief camps opened by the state government.

Rivers State Special Du-

ties Commissioner and member of the State Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee, Hon. Emeka Nwogu, who announced this over the weekend, said the closure of the camps will take place in batches as the flood recedes and dries up in the affected communities.

The commissioner, who spoke while receiving donated relief materials from Prime Medical Con-sultants led by Dr. Franca Ikimalo, its medical direc-tor, also announced that the

Rivers State government is planning for post-flood relief aimed at addressing the immediate needs and challenges of the displaced

flood victims in the four af-fected council areas of the state.

The post-flood plan, the commissioner explained, would cater for the food, healthcare, sanitation and housing needs of the victims. He added that the state government has commenced talks on relief collaboration and urged multinationals, corporate organisations for support, as the magnitude of the flood and anticipated prob-lems should not be left to government alone.

Amnesty trainees design voltage regulator

Rivers begins closure of fl ood relief camps

Flood: Yenagoa residents fumigate homes

40 Law students get Magnus Abe’s fi nancial support

Nigerians need people-friendly constitution –Oshiomhole

Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly members in a group photograph with Governor Godswill Akpabio, during a courtesy call at the Government House in Uyo, recently.

Gov. Amaechi

not be afraid; we shall try our best to continue to take good care of them. But we must equally see all of them supporting us just as they supported our father.”

Meanwhile, the Nige-rian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the government of Kwara State to rename the state Government House after Dr. Olusola Saraki, who died last week after a pro-longed battle with cancer.

The association also called on his eldest son, Senator Bukola Saraki, to build a cancer diagnosis and treatment centre in his memory to serve as a panacea for reducing the burden of the disease in Nigeria; in the memory of the late statesman.

These were contained in a condolence message made available by the group to National Mirror, yesterday and signed by its President, Dr. Osahon

EZEKIEL TITUSBAUCHI

Bauchi State Gover-nor, Isa Yuguda, is to commission two

projects worth N9.7billion in his efforts at consolidat-ing on the gains of democ-racy in tandem with his administration’s promise of ensuring sustainable development in the state.

The projects are the Bauchi International Airport, rated as the fifth largest in the country and the Bauchi Modern Specialist Hospital worth

N7.9billion and N2billion respectively as work on the projects has reached 95 percent completion.

Yuguda, who disclosed this through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ishola Micheal Adeyemi, during a visit to the projects’ sites in company of journalists said, government has al-ready provide 70 per cent payment to all the contrac-tors handling the projects to ensure timely completion.

Among the projects ready for commissioning, the chief press secretary added, is the famous and

the only adult and non-for-mal education institute in the north located in Kan-gare, along Gombe Road in the state capital.

The chief press sec-retary said the Federal Government has ordered for the commencement of cargo planes operation from Kano State when the international airport is finally put to use, saying one million people are ex-pected to use the airport at a time with four to seven Boeing aircrafts.

On the specialist hospi-tal, Adeyemi said govern-

WOLE ADEDEJIILORIN

The family of late governor of Kwara State, Mohammed

Lawal, at the weekend in Ilorin, said they bear no grudge against anyone, nei-ther do they see anybody as their enemy.

Lawal’s immediate fami-ly said this at the sixth anni-versary of his death which they marked with a special prayer session and lecture with invited Muslim clerics

in attendance.The late former governor

and Dr. Olusola Saraki, who was his (Lawal’s) godfa-ther and mentor disagreed later and the political battle that ensued became quite bloody in their life time and ironically, Saraki died on the very day the former’s death clocked six years.

An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Habeebullahi Adam Al Il-ory (son of Sheikh Adams El-ilory), who preached at the occasion counselled the family of late the Lawal

never to join partisan poli-tics for now.

The first son of the late governor, Hakeem, while speaking with journalists later said that his late fa-ther told members of the family that he had no en-emy and admonished each and every one of them to also have none.

The sixth year anniver-sary later became a reunion of the political followers of the late governor who thronged his home in their hundreds.

WOLE ADEDEJI AND MARCUS FATUNMOLE

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Vice-President Na-

madi Sambo and five state governors were at the fi-dau prayer for the repose of the soul of the late Dr. Olusola Saraki in Ilorin yesterday.

The governors include Dr. Babangida Aliyu of Niger; Adams Oshiom-hole of Edo; Gabriel Sus-wam of Benue; Idris Wada of Kogi and Seidu Dank-ingari of Kebbi States and former Governor Danju-ma Goje of Gombe State.

The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir led four other cler-

ics to preach at the occa-sion. He admonished the children of the late politi-cian and other leaders in Nigeria to emulate the life that Saraki lived.

The Imam of Offa, Al-haji Nurudeen Hussein, whose preaching was quite touching, enjoined the children of the late politician to bury whatev-er might have been the dif-ferences among them as a mark of respect to their late father.

Dr. Bukola Saraki, the first child of the deceased, in his remark, begged the people of Kwara State in general and Ilorin in par-ticular to give them the same support given to their father to be able to sustain his legacies.

Elder statesman, Al-haji Shettima Ali Monguno at the

weekend, disagreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent comments on President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-sponse to corruption and the Boko Haram threat, noting that the former Ni-gerian leader was wide off the mark.

Obasanjo had, during an occasion to mark the 40th anniversary on the pulpit of clergyman, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, criticised Presi-dent Jonathan’s handling of government’s response to corruption and the mur-derous activities of the Boko Haram.

The former President also faulted government’s approach in arresting the threat, insinuating that Pres-ident Jonathan was weak.

Obasanjo added that the present government missed an opportunity to solve the problem by not going tough on the insurgents at the ear-ly stage comparing the pres-ent approach of President Jonathan to his response to the killing of 19 soldiers in Odi in Rivers State.

But Alhaji Monguno, speaking to journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State, faulted the former presi-dent, noting that he has no moral right to criticise his successors.

His words: “Somebody who wanted to extend be-yond the constitutional term, tried his very best to

extend but was rejected is now advising government to do the wrong thing.”

The former minister of petroleum noted that his pre-scription of military action, the type he unleashed on Odi community would only com-pound the problem.

“I do not agree with our former president that President Jonathan should use force, use the military to crush what they always call the Boko Haram,” Al-haji Monguno said, adding that though he was always careful of what he sees, hears or reads in the media, describing the president as weak does not even arise. He said even in the military, soldiers do not want to go to war unless it is absolutely necessary.

He noted that even the world body, the United Na-tions does not believe in using force in situations like this and advised for-mer President Obasanjo to have a second look at his military and political ways of life.

Alhaji Monguno said rath-er than use force, President Jonathan should explore peaceful means of resolving the Boko Haram threat.

“The President could come out and still employ the same tactics, which he and the late President Umaru Yar’Adua employed to solve the problem of the militants in the Niger delta then. He could employ the same method to the Boko Haram issue.”

Obasanjo, Sambo, govs grace Saraki’s fi dau in Ilorin Name Kwara Govt House after him –NMA Enabulele.

The statement read in part: “Since hearing of his demise, members of the Nigerian Medical Associa-tion and indeed all medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria have not been able to hold back tears, for distinguished Senator Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, was not only a very dear, forthright and purposeful colleague, he was a very significant member of the medical community.”

His words: “We give God all the glory for the worthy life of our late fa-ther. Those of us he left behind will carry on from where he ended. We shall continue in what he lived and died for.

“Our father left behind a big political family, es-pecially the women who never betrayed him. We saw many of them lament-ing his exit, they should

ment’s decided to award the contract even with the establishment of Abuba-kar Tafawa-Balewa Teach-ing Hospital (ABTU) by the Federal Government and its commitment to provide health services in the state.

Prominent among them were the immediate past Chief Judge of the state, Justice Raliat Elelu Habeeb, Alhaji Alarape Salman (SAN), Justice Salihu Mo-hammed of the Sharia Court of Appeal, Dr. Amuda Aluko, Prof. Shehu Jimoh, a for-mer member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Yinusa Yahaya and Alhaji Razaq Lawal as well as mem-bers of the legislative house and state executive council during the tenure of the late former governor.

L-R: Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Senator Bukola Saraki; Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, during the fida’u prayer for the late Dr. Olusola Saraki in Ilorin, at the weekend.

Boko Haram: Obasanjo is wrong –Monguno

Yuguda to commission N9.7bn projects in Bauchi

We have no enemy, says Lawal’s family Yuguda

News National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, November 19, 201212

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

Ahead of the pro-posed merger of the Action Con-

gress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians to reject the merger of parties that are existing under the influence of an individual.

The ruling party also stated that it is not losing

sleep over the arrange-ment, saying that the na-tion has moved beyond a democratic system where an individual controls the destiny of the whole nation.

The PDP, in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday by its Na-tional Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, noted that 2015 will not be decided by personal insults on those in elected offices nor won on the pages of newspa-pers, saying no amount of

attack on the President or the PDP will “shift our fo-cus from delivering on our mandate.”

The PDP further asked that ACN to resolve the sore question hanging around its one-man ownership as well as the CPC’s consistent trajectory of violence as raised in the party’s reac-tion to their merger deal, which it though described as good for democracy, in-stead of dressing up fiction as a historical facts or tak-

TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

Worried by the state of insecurity and other problems in

Nigeria, the National Con-science Party (NCP) yester-day announced a shadow government of 10 minis-tries to provide the people with alternative voice to the working of government.

Addressing a world press conference in Lagos, the na-tional chairman of of the party, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said NCP is not comfort-able with the trend in the country and that is why the party has deemed it fit to set up the 10-man shadow gov-ernment.

His words: “As a politi-cal party, we have resolved

glaring facts and seek ways out of the situation or to continue with the delusion that the merger of brood of dictators which does not disguise its relish for the funeral train, is what Nige-rians need at the moment.”

PDP said that the ACN is entirely owned by Bola Ti-nubu and brooks no opposi-tion to his dictates. “It is no secret that the governors of Lagos, Osun and Ekiti states as well as the woe-fully failed candidate of the party in the recent Ondo governorship election were Tinubu’s direct imposition. It is also a fact that Tinibu unilaterally chased out Opeyemi Bamidele who won the primaries for Ekiti Central Senatorial District and imposed his preferred candidate. Nigerians can still remember how Tinu-bu’s wife made her way to the Senate.”

The PDP added that the comments of the cross sec-tion of Yoruba leaders on

the recent victory of the Labour Party in Ondo State against an earlier call by the ACN for regional inte-gration as the pivot of its campaign is an unmasked rejection of the ambition of one man to lord over an entire region.

The party asked: “Does the ACN have a constitu-tion beyond what Tinubu dictates? For a start, Tinu-bu’s position as the leader of the party has no place in the constitution of the ACN yet the man usurps the functions of the party’s constitutional structures, rendering the officers re-dundant. The National Working Committee of the ACN which is supposed to meet every two months ac-cording to sections 7, 18a & c of its constitution has only met twice in February and August this year while the de facto NWC meetings hold daily at Boudillion, Lagos Court of Tinubu, the Emperor.”

HAKEEM GBADAMOSIAKURE

The Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State yesterday

dissociated itself from a congratulatory message to the governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko on his re-election as the state gov-ernor.

The party in a statement signed by its Director of Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, said the message was aimed to ridicule the party in the state.

Fadaka described the congratulatory message placed in a national news-paper as the handiwork of a group of mercenary poli-ticians with no established pedigree in honour and commitment.

He said the party will not be a part of that arrange-ment as they, the PDP in the state, has filed a petition at the Election Petitions Tri-bunal to challenge the vic-tory of Mimiko in the last governorship election in the state.

Fadaka said: “We state most unequivocally that the said advertisement was sponsored by the handlers of Dr Mimiko whose mind-set is mainly primed on misinformation, generat-ing disinformation and sus-tenance of falsehood all in a desperate attempt to paint a picture of a non-existent mass acceptance of a gover-nor who stridently pursued an agenda in office to com-promise the last election.

“It is also important to state that the drama cur-rently playing out in the Accord Party that made the leadership of that party to expel its candidate in the last election simply because he is challenging his unlaw-ful exclusion by INEC is still the handiwork of Dr. Mimiko who is currently deceiving the leadership of that party of his intent to merge his Labour Party with them.

“It is now established that he paid the Accord Par-ty the sum of N150 million to make them expel their candidate,” Fadaka said.

to step up our struggle to win power for the Nigerian masses and release the peo-ple from perpetual bond-age. We therefore announce a shadow government of 10 ministries to provide the people with alternative voice to the working of gov-ernment. These 10 minis-tries shall take critical look at the proposed budget of 2013 as against our internal research to verify claims made by government to step up and the actual de-livery of dividends of de-mocracy to the people and what they use our collective wealth to do.”

The ministries and the shadow ministers are; Ministry of Finance (Dr. Yunusa Tanko); Ministry of Works, Labour and pro-

ductivity (Comrade Ayo-dele Akele); Ministry of Women Affairs (Princess Funmi Adebola); Ministry of Youths and Person with Disability (Barrister Mo-hammed Fawehinmi); Min-istry of Defence (Comrade Amitolu Shittu); Ministry of Agriculture (Comrade Suleman Mohammed); Ministry of Education (Dr. Isa A. Abdullahi); Ministry of Health (Comrade Peters Omoragbon); Ministry of Trade and Investment (Prince Goodluck Obi) and Ministry of Transport (Comrade Tochukwu Ik-wesi).

The shadow government is to be headed by the NCP National Chairman, Tanko, who expressed support for the convocation of national

conference in Nigeria. “We also support the

convocation of the people constituted conference in-volving market women, bricklayers, okada riders, youth, men and women of impeccable character to discuss on how to move this country forward.

“We are also convinced that corruption can only be eradicated when our lead-ers exemplify their action by being fair, equitable and just in their dealing with the people without refer-ence to tribe, religion, sex, but based on credibility and good track record. We are ready to give the people the true government they de-serve come 2015, but we de-mand that people be ready for that change,” he said.

...Dissociates from Mimiko

ing the usual descent to the gutter.

Metuh reiterated that while the PDP is not los-ing sleep over the merger of the two opposition po-litical parties since it is an exercise in democracy and since both parties cannot defeat PDP at elections, it is however not out of place to point out the major defects of the merger and why Ni-gerians will continue to re-ject it as an alternative.

According to him, “the onus is entirely on these two parties to accept these

PDP not losing sleep over ACN, CPC merger – Metuh• Blasts Tinubu over party’s ownership

L-R: National Treasurer, Campaign for Democracy (CD), Bayo Obatugashe; Chairman, South-West, Obi Goodluck; President, Joe Okei-Odumakin; National Chairman, National Conscience Party (NCP), Tanko Yunusa and Secretary General, Solomon Sobade, during the Lagos State branch CD convention and State of the Nation Summit in Lagos at the weekend.

NCP announces 10-man shadow Federal Government

PoliticsNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net 13Monday, November 19, 2012

Fresh controversy trails state creation

14

Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) of the National Assembly and the Deputy Senate

President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu came under scathing criticisms from his col-league senators recently. His “sin” was that his open confession that the current exer-cise of constitution review process and indeed the 7th National Assembly cannot fulfill the demands of state agitators by cre-ating additional states in Nigeria.

Ekweremadu anchored his pessimism on the stringent provisions of section 8 of the 1999 constitution as amended, which specifies conditions to be met before any new state can be created in the country.

He said the process of constitution amendment was so rigorous that all 109 senators and the 360 members of the House of Representatives are involved as well as all the members of the State Assemblies in the 36 states of the federation.

Ekweremadu stated that it was based on the rigorous constitutional provision that he has always advised state agitators that the possibility of creating additional states in Nigeria is very slim.

“I was in Enugu on Sunday where I met with my own constituents regarding the constitution amendment exercise and I made it clear to them that Nigerians are confusing things and that is why anyone can begin to expect that at the end of this exercise, somebody will come up to an-nounce that states have been created. That is not going to happen because the constitu-tion does not make such provisions. So, the issue of state creation is completely differ-ent from what we are doing because if you look at section 8 and section 9, there are two different issues,” the lawmaker said.

Last week, Ekweremadu was confronted with the same issue by a reporter during an interactive session with Senate correspon-dents before the commencement of the zonal public hearings on the constitution review. The reporter expressed concerns that Ekweremadu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Eme-ka Ihedioha being chairman and deputy chairman respectively of the constitution review committee may be facing a hostile Igbo kinsmen if at the end of the day, they are not able to use their positions to ensure the creation of at least an additional state for the South-East.

Ekweremadu in his response restated that, “It is something you don’t expect that at the end of the constitution amendment exercise, this committee or indeed the Na-tional Assembly will announce states that have been created, that is not going to hap-pen. So, I don’t think that the South-East will expect either myself or any person to announce that they are going to get a state tomorrow or next tomorrow because that is not what the constitutions says.”

But without knowing it, Ekweremadu

has inadvertently incurred the ire of a number of his colleagues who rode to po-litical power, albeit, the National Assembly on the false assurances that they would in-fluence the creation of additional states for their people.

Take the case of the Senate President, David Mark, for example. During the cam-paign period in 2010, he consistently as-sured his Idoma kinsmen that if elected back to the Senate, he would use his posi-tion to ensure the creation of Apa State. In-deed, even if after he successfully emerged as a senator, Mark has consistently main-tained the same position. During the recep-tion in his honour by his people immediate-ly after the 2011 elections, Mark reiterated the assurance when he stated: “If there is going to be only one state created in Nige-ria today, you can be well assured that that state is going to be Apa State,” to which his people thunderously applauded.

So, it was not surprising that Mark have had to come out strongly to continue to re-assure Nigerians about the possibility of additional state creation in the country de-spite the fine and sincere arguments of his deputy on this issue.

Is state creation possible?With the uncanny optimism often exhib-

ited by Nigerian politicians, if this ques-tion is posed to any typical politician, his or her obvious response would no doubt be a resounding yes. Mark for instance, typifies this class of politicians. He has consistent-ly been a strong advocate of state creation. During the South West zonal public hear-ing on the constitution review, Mark reiter-ated his belief that state creation is one is-sue amongst many others that the National Assembly is better placed to achieve and will strive to fulfil.

Even recently, when he was a guest of the Ogun State government at the Ojude-Oba Festival 2012 held in Ijebu-Ode, Mark did not only speak about the desirability of more states but also assured of its pos-sibility.

But if the truth must be told, under the present provisions of section 8 of the 1999

nance nearer to the people at the grassroots. This school of thought is in line with what Mark told the people of Ogun State during the Ojude-Oba festival two weeks ago, when he said that, “creation of additional states can only make government closer to the people contrary to the view being expressed in certain quarters that we do not need ad-ditional states in the federation.”

Apart from the old Bendel State that was created from the former Western region in 1963, no civilian democratic government has been able to repeat the same feat till date. All the subsequent states that were created after 1963 in Nigeria were created by the military through military decrees. So, aside from bringing development and governance nearer the people, state cre-ation also leads to job creation and man-power development.

Is state creation viable?This is one question that will attract as

many divergent views as many responses. For instance, it is the general view of devel-opmental experts that out of the 36 states that exists in Nigeria today, not perhaps more than five are viable, at least in terms of economic viability. Even at that, most of the states that may be classified as viable today are so because of their huge depen-dence on federal allocation and not neces-sarily through internal generated sources of survival. It is also a general belief that most of the states that fall under the cate-gory of unviable states today in the country are mainly states from the northern parts of the country.

Earlier this year, for instance, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi from Ekiti State raised the alarm that many states in the country are insolvent. Following the debate on a motion by the lawmaker on the “State of bankruptcy of states,” and the damning facts exhibited by Olubunmi to back the motion, senators were torn between recom-mending the outright merger of existing states of the federation and the continued retention of the 36-state structure.

To further his argument that many states were bankrupt, Olubunmi exhibited a study by the governors’ forum, which showed that the resource bases of the affected states were not coping with the states’ responsi-bilities. The report showed also that most states in a bid to address their resource gaps resorted into heavy domestic borrowing and commercial credits, resulting into their being indebted to many banks. In addition, the states are also exposed to the capital market where they raise bonds to do things that the appropriations from the federation account and from their internally gener-ated revenues cannot handle.

Against this background, many antago-nists of state creation are of the position that instead of creating new and additional states, the existing ones, particularly those that are not economically viable should be merged to make them viable.

But protagonists of state creation have always pushed for additional states not con-sidering the factor of viability. Indeed, it is members of this school of thought that ac-counted for the 56 additional state demands that are now before the constitution review committee of the National Assembly.

For members of this school of thought, the factor of political necessity, geographi-cal contiguity, land mass, cultural homoge-neity and other primordial considerations should receive precedence over economic viability.

constitution, it will be very difficult, if not absolutely impossible to create new states in Nigeria. As Ekweremadu put it, creating a new state under the conditions that are precedent in the constitution now, will be akin to a carmel passing through the eye of a needle.

Perhaps, the only possible way out of it will be as Ekweremadu suggested, first, to use the National Assembly, albeit, the cur-rent constitutional review mechanism to press members of the National Assembly and indeed, members of the State Houses of Assembly to come up with criteria that will be favourable to state creation by amending the provisions of section 8 of the constitution. If this is then achieved, the cumbersome process of state creation would have been addressed sufficiently so that the people can now begin to be hopeful about state creation.

Is state creation desirable?Of course, the obvious response to this is

in the affirmative. Theoretically speaking, it is difficult to fault the reasoning that state creation brings development and gover-

IT IS SOMETHING YOU DON’T EXPECT

THAT AT THE END OF THE CONSTITUTION

AMENDMENT EXERCISE, THIS

COMMITTEE OR INDEED THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WILL

ANNOUNCE STATES THAT HAVE BEEN

CREATED, THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN

Fresh controversy trails state creation

The recent remarks by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, that the National Assembly cannot create additional states in the country has once again raised fresh challenges about the de-sirability, viability and possibil-ity of state creation in Nigeria, writes GEORGE OJI.

Mark

Ekweremadu

14 Politics National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, November 19, 2012

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 15ViewMonday, November 19, 2012

SONI EHIASUELIMEN

[email protected], 08023459055 (SMS ONLY)

Roadmap

The kingdom of heaven allows vio-lence and only the violent takes it by force -Saint Mathew 11:12

The kingdom of heaven on earth means simply obeying rules to enjoy God’s natu-ral resources first on earth’s temporary sojourn before returning home to heaven or hell as each individual chooses under a freewill. It appears it is only the petroleum cabal, made up of NNPC, PPPRA, Ministry of Petroleum and Presidency in collabora-tion with foot-soldiers marketers that mus-ter the requisite violent force to expropri-ate this kingdom of heaven on earth, while the majority chooses to remain spectators.

I had on August 27, forewarned that “An-other cabal’s fuel price-hike campaign be-gins”, usually with contrived and orches-trated scarcity, which eventually gets the suffocated economy and people gasping for breath of life. A recap: “As fuel price-fixing deceit, masked as deregulation, was in the beginning 30 years ago, so it is today and may remain unchanged world without end. The tactics and strategies of Nigeria’s fuel cabal are predictable. The current artificial scarcity of petroleum

products in Abuja may be a prelude to an unholy scheme, which could gradually culminate into cowing the government to approve unjust price hike demand in Janu-ary 2013. Surely, this would trigger public uproar, and thereafter some deaths and destruction of destruction. Before then, the cabal’s scarcity demons would have successfully toured the nooks and cran-nies of the federation, provoking public angst. As in the past, government officials and petroleum marketers will engage in vicious blame game, spewing all manner of excuses, mouthing fraudulent deregu-lation, touting elusive welfare palliatives, but never giving a report on previously promised remedies. Last week, the Petro-leum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), indicated that fuel price might go up because of current rise in crude oil price from $100 to $103 per barrel. It said this had shot up current subsidy on petrol from N72 to N75 per litre. I see this as a sub-tle push for a total removal of questionable subsidy regime”.

Three months after, Presijo is proving my assumptions okay by saying last Thurs-day that fuel subsidy must go without tell the modalities to achieve it without hurt-ing the people and economy. Before govern-ment takes us through avoidable circus of deceit, President Goodluck Jonathan must tell us the outcome of investigations into fuel subsidy mismanagement following last January’s paralysing protests nation-wide. For a competent petroleum minister, will it take eternity to know the quantity of petroleum products consumed daily: 59 million or 33 million litres per day in or-

der to accurately determine the quantity deserving subsidy? What quantity do four domestic refineries account for and what’s the probe outcome of roundtripping in which fuel from domestic refineries are falsely labeled imported in order to collect fraudulent subsidies?

Said Yar’Adua: “We have an issue with the marketers. They don’t want deregula-tion. That government is even looking at it, they are not happy. They normally im-port about 40 per cent and NNPC imports the balance of 60 per cent. In addition, the stoppage of this importation has produced supply gap.... This deregulation is not about bringing hardship on Nigerians. But the subsidy does not reach the people it is intended. A very strong cartel is benefit-ting. Deregualtion will change the great-est institutional corruption we have in the history of the nation.” Well spoken, except that Yar’Adua did not have the political will to confront what he described as his-toric, greatest institutional corruption. In effect, Presijo cannot deceive anyone he is ignorant of the Presidency being hands in gloves with the cabal that has made God’s blessing a curse.

However, Yar’Adua was not entirely cor-

rect that only marketers opposed genuine deregulation. The resident cabal in the Presidency fed him with wrong informa-tion deliberately to cover up their tracks and therefore perpetuate stranglehold that overwhelmed Babangida, Abdulsalami, Obasanjo and Yar’Adua. Why are foot-sol-dier marketers targeted only for arrest and prosecution for subsidy thefts and regula-tory government officials are uninvestigat-ed and untried and we expect to uproot cor-ruption that has made Nigerians to hunger and thirst in the midst of plenty?

Will the cabal that rubbished his former boss also defeat Presijo, an indigene of Bay-elsa, which God used to bless Nigeria, via commercial oil first discovery in Oloibiri 53 years ago? I wrote in August thus, “Three years after Yar’Adua stopped subsidies on kerosene... the recent House of Represen-tatives’ probe revealed that NNPC, CBN, Presidency, PPPRA, and Auditor General illegally approved and paid N350 billion illegal kerosene subsidy in 2011 alone, in spite of presidential prohibition”. Who shared the kerosene loot in Presidency?

Mr. President and Madam Oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, what is the posi-tion on kerosene in terms of subsidy? In-cidentally, NNPC, which is more the sole supplier of kerosene, sold the bulk to fuel depot owners at inflated prices while they sold to retailers at over N100 per litre, ac-cording to Legislature’s investigations. Is the kerosene subsidy roguery that dis-tressed Yar’Adua to death continuing un-der go-slow Presijo, as kerosene still sells at N130+ per litre in Ota, Ogun State and more in the hinterland?

Deregulation deceit and looming fuel price hike

Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: [email protected] [email protected] or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

I SEE THIS AS A SUBTLE PUSH FOR A TOTAL REMOVAL OF QUESTIONABLE

SUBSIDY REGIME

Governors, thugs and Boko Haram

terrorizing the entire country. The recent upsurge in the activities of

the Boko Haram, has elicited a lot of pro-vocative views across the country. The hei-nous Christmas bombings in Suleija near Abuja, the killing of mourners in Mubi, and other provocations, point to impend-ing civil war if government does not nip it in the bud. People erroneously accuse all Muslims of complicity in the activities of the sect, without knowing that the factor leading to the emergence exists all over the country. There is no doubt that the remote cause of the sect’s uprising has to do with ignorance, illiteracy, poverty and misuse of the privileges of western education by some northern elites. However, such im-poverishment has been tolerated for more than half century of Nigeria’s Indepen-dence until the recent volatile reactions.

The recent crisis is a reaction to the usual use and dump tendencies of Nige-rian politicians. The former Governor of Borno State Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, re-cruited some members of the sect, armed and mobilized them as thugs to help him win re-election. The sect was promised a

lot of spoils if he is returned. Encouraged by that, they constituted themselves into a group known as “ECOMOG”,that special-ized in unleashing mayhem on political op-ponents, especially of the ruling PDP and helped secure second term victory for Sher-iff. The governor, like his colleagues all over the country, reneged on his promises. They were actually treated like lepers when the spoils of office were being distributed. The sect members saw those who did nothing to retain the status quo buying lands, building mansions, and going abroadfor holidays, while they were left to start life afresh. Of course, they reached the irrevocable con-clusion that people who claim to have gone to school are all deceivers, thieves, looters, and betrayers. They then decided to fight western education with arms.

Their campaign gained notoriety be-cause they have excess arms obviously purchased with state funds. With these, they started a series of local attacks until fifth columnists infiltrated their ranks, gave them sophisticated trainings, funding and intelligence. What happened in Borno was the same among the other state gover-nors. The only difference was that, either the ring leaders were settled at the expense of their followers or were intimidated and blackmailed into submission by security agencies of the various states.

The use of armed intimidation against political opponents, the sponsor of various armed thugs and use of state apparatus to give them cover should be banned by the Federal Government. This kind of ille-

gality that birthed Boko Haram exists all over the country. The people in possession of arms turn into militants, insurgents, armed robbers, kidnappers and hired as-sassins. It was after the 2003 elections that arms flowed towards the Kogi axis and Lokoja –Okene road became a nightmare to travellers due to daily armed robbery at-tacks. After 2007 elections, Argungu- Birnin Kebbi road in Kebbi, Talata Mafara axis in Zamfara and Okigwe- Aba road in Abia State, Ajaokuta-Anyangba-Otukpa road in Kogi/ Benue states, became danger zones due to activities of dare-devil robbers.

The Boko Haram leader could have turned his gang to armed robbers and hired assassins but he chose to give his members an ideological identification which later went out of control when infiltrators joined the ranks.

President Jonathan should as a matter of urgency, stop state governors, ministers, Senators and politicians, irrespective of party affiliations from using thugs. This is to prevent the rise of another violent group capable of collaborating with Boko Haram to destroy Nigeria.

Akukwe wrote from Lagos

OBINNA AKUKWE

Recently the Boko Haram gave con-ditions for ceasefire and talks with the Nigerian Government. Accord-

ing to their spokesman, Abu Ibn Abdu-laziz, part of the conditions includes the arrest of former governor, Ali Modu Sher-iff. A month ago, the JTF, said that a high profile Boko Haram commander, Shuaibu Moammed Bama, who has been on the wanted list was arrested in a serving Sena-tor’s house. In his reaction, Senator Zanna, representing Borno Central replied that, “they did not arrest me in my house, rath-er when they did not find me; they arrested my children and put them in the hot sun while beating them. They asked whether they know Shuaibu Bama, and one of them answered yes. He then led them to where they arrested Shuaibu Bama”.

Zanna had insinuated that Bama was arrested in Senator Sheriff ’s House and that it was a deliberate frame-up. But in his defence, Senator Sheriff accused Zanna of being a terrorist giving ‘’ his obvious in-volvement with Boko Haram, and his past antecedence, when people accused him of illegal arms importation”.

It is obvious from these accusations and counter accusations, that these politicians know more about Boko Haram than people think. They have in the past sponsored armed terrorism against political oppo-nents and the monster they created is now

THIS KIND OF ILLEGALITY THAT

BIRTHED BOKO HARAM EXISTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

16 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netEditorial Monday, November 19, 2012

ON THIS DAY

All the Facts, All the SidesAll the Facts, All the SidesA PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD

BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER

STEVE AYORINDE MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

YELE AKINROLABU ED OPERATIONS

SEYI FASUGBA DAILY EDITOR

BOLAJI TUNJI SUNDAY EDITOR

GBEMI OLUJOBI SATURDAY EDITOR

LANRE OYETADE GENERAL EDITOR

DOZIE OKEBALAMA COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

ADESOYE ADEKOYA CONTROLLER, PRODUCTION

CALLISTUS OKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

KAYODE BALOGUN JNR SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

FRANK OBOH HEAD, GRAPHICS

ON THIS DAY















ON THIS DAY

TO BE FORE WARNED IS TO BE FORE ARMED;

LEST THE FG BITES ITS FINGERS IN UTTER

REGRET















For the umpteenth time and for all the right reasons, the International Monetary

Fund (IMF), recently warned the Nigerian government against its persisting culture of profligacy buttressed by huge spendings, especially on non-productive projects, against the backdrop of anticipated global headwinds due to the slowed economic recovery of the United States and Europe. The Fund’s Senior Resident representative in Nigeria, Scott Rogers, while presenting the ‘World Economic Outlook’ in Abuja, the nation’s capital, advised the Federal Government to take advantage of the current strong oil prices to strengthen the nation’s fiscal position by saving for the future in the face of grim prospects for early global economic recovery. “The global economic outlook remains uncertain. The global context has continued to witness slowing growth mostly marked in the advanced economies. The US housing prices remain depressed and that nation’s weak economy is impacting negatively on many countries of the world because the US is an export destination of many countries”, Rogers said. He stated that the prevailing depressing economic situation had impacted on export growth in Sub-Saharan Africa; and that the situation could be worse if America’s newly re-elected

president, Barack Obama, failed to strike a deal with the US Congress by January to raise the country’s deficit ceiling.

Should Obama fail to secure new deficit heights, it is projected that the US economy would go over what has been described as “fiscal cliff”, in other words, a situation where the government would be forced to raise taxes and cut expenditure across-the-board. The fear of the possible trend is that it could in turn lead to further weakening of or outright recession in the US, with serious implications for Nigeria in oil earnings.

We agree with IMF’s wise counsel that the FG should prune down its expenditure, especially on recurrent items, on the basis of the unpredictable nature of oil prices. If heeded, the warning has the capacity to compel the FG to generate a fiscal surplus and build up reserves as buffer against low earnings while oil prices are still high. We recall that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi

Okonjo-Iweala; as well as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had likewise canvassed the IMF position; but in their desperation for accruals from the Federation Account, state governors seem unappreciative of the dangers ahead; and have insisted on sharing proceeds drawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) at the slightest opportunity. For obvious self-serving excuses, the governors had also supported the contentious raising of the 2013 budget benchmark from $70 to $80 per barrel of crude.

Saddening as it is unfortunate, the fact remains that despite the outrageous expenditure by the FG and states, and their penchant for internal and external borrowing; social services and infrastructure required to create jobs, reduce widespread unemployment, poverty and destitution, and improve the quality of lives of citizens, are still in huge deficit. Nonetheless, it is up to the FG to save for the rainy day to avert the doomsday foretold. We recall that the oil price shocks of 2008 resulted in a 25-30 percent devaluation of the naira and set the stage for huge loan defaults that culminated in the banking crisis that followed.

Of note as well is the puzzle that the almost $60 billion reserves built during former Preside nt Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian

era was squandered just a few months into the successive administration. Besides, there are endless leakages in the economy occasioned by monumental corrupt practices; with the quantity of crude lifted daily by oil majors still unknown, in addition to rampant oil theft; payment of subsidy for refined fuel not imported; huge sums spent on turn-around-maintenance of redundant national refineries; monumental frauds and wastages at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and government’s inability to drastically cut recurrent expenditure and raise capital votes to be able to meaningfully tackle the chronic problem of infrastructure provisioning.

It has equally become obvious that with the US now into oil export, the price of crude in the global market is bound to crumble, and when that happens, a global price crash will follow. That is why we insist on the sustenance of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), with institutional safeguards to ensure proper disbursements strictly for priority national projects. The time to reverse government’s unrestrained profligacy and wasteful spending is now. To be forewarned is to be forearmed; lest the FG bites its fingers in utter regret.

IMF’s warning against government’s reckless spending

Cold War: In Geneva, former United States president Ronald Reagan; and Soviet Union ex- leader, Mikhail Gor-bachev, met for the first time. The Cold War, often dated from 1947–1991, was a sustained state of political and mil-itary tension between the powers of the Western world, led by the US and its NATO allies, and the communist world, led by the former Soviet Union, its satellite states and allies. This began after the success of their tempo-rary wartime alliance against Nazi Germany.

November 19, 1985 November 19, 2010The first of four explosions took place at the Pike

River Mine in New Zealand; killing 29 people in the nation’s worst mining disaster since 1914. The Pike River Mine disaster was a coal mining accident that began on November 19, 2010 in the Pike River Mine, 46 kilometres (29 mi) northeast of Greymouth, in the West Coast Region of New Zealand’s South Is-land. A first explosion occurred in the mine at ap-proximately 3:44 pm (NZDT, UTC+13).

November 19, 2002

The Greek oil tanker ‘Prestige’ split into two halves and sank off the coast of Galicia, releasing over 20 million US gallons (76,000 m³) of oil in the largest environmental disaster in Spanish and Portuguese history. The Prestige was a Liberian-owned oil tanker, operating under a Bahamian flag.The tragic incident happened off the coast of Galicia in Spain. The ship was built by Hitachi Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Maizuru, Kyoto, Japan.

Cover

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, November 19, 2012 A2 18 Business CourageCourage

For the major part of last week, particularly between Wednesday and Friday, key actors

in the power sector were prac-tically on each other’s jugular

The electricity reform programme appears to be on a cliff hanger as intrigues and high wire politics take centre stage, particularly with the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria

By Salami Semiu

A Publication of GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTDBARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER

SEMIU SALAMI EDITORBAMIDELE OBAFEMI ASSOCIATE EDITORADEJUWON OSUNNUYI STAFF WRITERFESTUS OKOROMADU STAFF WRITERTAYO ADELEKE SENIOR REPORTER

OLATOYE RAPHAEL HEAD, PRODUCTIONSEYI OKUMODI SENIOR GRAPHIC ARTIST

BusinessCourage

and the catch line remains the three-year management con-cession contract won by the Canadian fi rm, Manitoba Hydro International (MHI) to manage the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

After months of intrigues and dithering by the Federal

Government, the N3.79 billion ($24 million) management con-tract awarded to Manitoba Hy-dro International for the man-agement of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) was terminated, citing lack of due process in the award of the con-tract.

The Presidency in a state-ment signed by Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public-ity, said that the contract was cancelled with immediate ef-fect because due process was not followed in the award of the contract. “The President would not want to compromise due process in anyway. I assure you that this does not in any way affect the ongoing privatisation of the power sector,” the state-ment said.

Events leading to last Wednesday’s cancellation of the contract had been quite in-triguing. For some weeks now, Business Courage gathered

that some powerful interests believed to be benefi tting under the present arrangement have been strategising on the modal-ities to be adopted to frustrate the Manitoba/TCN deal. India’s Power Grid Corporation, one of the three fi rms originally short-listed for the contract along with Manitoba Hydro and Electricity Supply Board of Ireland was be-lieved to have enlisted the sup-port of key government offi cials and other powerful individuals outside government to swap the deal in its favour. Sources say that Power Grid had previously written to BPE, alleging that Manitoba’s selection was done before the fi nancial bids were

Zainab Kuchi, Minister of State for Power

Unending power sector riddle

Cover

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, November 19, 2012 A3 19Business CourageCourage

that Eze, in his memo, informed the president that a manage-ment contract was distinct from a privatisation transaction or concession, and since the pro-curement of all Federal Govern-ment contracts, including those covering professional services are covered by the Public Pro-curement Act; the BPP should not have superintended the se-lection process.

The BPP DG was also said to have picked holes in the con-tract, querying why the desig-nated managing director was 57 years old, an age he was alleged to have considered too old, insisting that the contract be cancelled because the BPE had misled the NCP by procur-ing the management contrac-tor.

The BPE in response to the BPP’s allegation of mis-pro-curing the management con-tractor for TCN, explained that such interpretation by BPP of its actions was wrong in view of provisions in the extant laws, which backed its action. The BPE said that “The exclusive right of NCP to preside over the privatisation and sale of pub-lic assets was also recognised by the Public Procurement Act (2007) when it stated in Part X – Disposal of Public Property (Section 55) that ‘this section shall apply subject to the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act 1999.’

“This implies that the pow-ers that the BPP exercises do not extend to the BPE as the Act establishing the BPE’s pro-cesses had made it superior to that of BPP.”

The privatisation agency

held further that “Our under-standing of the above provision is that the powers of NCP to ap-prove privatisation transactions have not been taken away by the BPP’s Act but rather, con-stitutes an exception to the ju-risdiction where BPP can exer-cise such power.”

It added that “We believe that the assertion in your letter that BPE should take its approval requests to Federal Executive Council (FEC) is wrong and not in accord with the extant laws of the land. It further means that BPP cannot confer or ar-rogate to itself any powers or authority not bestowed on it by the Act of parliament creating it, even when it is approached by whatever means to do so, as it will be acting ultra vires on its powers and therefore null and void its action”.

The BPE said that the im-plication of BPP’s overreaching and interpretation of the BPP Act is that “all approvals given by NCP since June 2007 with-out recourse to BPP are wrong, null and void as it is ultra vi-res their powers and not just the Manitoba privatisation, the subject of your letter.”

BPE explained that a man-agement contract is a form of privatisation, like liquidation, concessions and others, and wondered why the BPP did not demand that it took the sale of generation and distribution companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to FEC for ap-proval.

However, to keen followers of the Manitoba/TCN contract saga, the event of last Wednes-

Namadi Sambo, Vice President Jonathan

opened, a decision they saw as not being in conformity with the rules set out by the BPE.

Of the four fi rms that had expressed interest in manag-ing TCN in 2007, Manitoba and Power Grid were the only two that had their bids prequali-fi ed when the process to select a management contractor for the transmission was restarted by the BPE in 2010. The Indian company contended that it had won the bid in a rigorous exer-cise conducted in 2007, which made it the preferred bidder for the transmission company.

However, what appears to have helped the bid of the anti-Manitoba elements was the memo sent by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), which for several weeks, had been pushed for the cancella-tion of the contract on the prem-ise that it did not pass through due process as provided under the Public Procurement Act.

BPP’s Director General, En-gineer Emeka Eze, was said to have kicked against the ap-pointment of Manitoba because a few material irregularities were said to have been noticed in the process that led to the company’s selection.

Business Courage gathered


Coverday would not come totally as a surprise. The handwriting, suggesting that the government either lacks the needed political will to push through the reform or was itself up to a mischief has been clear on the wall for some time now.

The fi rst sign of unclear commitment on the part of the government was the inabil-ity to execute a takeover of the TCN by Manitoba though since July 23 when the contract was signed, the company started drawing funds from the con-tract through the advance pay-ment of commitment sum of N400 million ($2.5 million).

Until President Goodluck pulled the brake last Wednes-day, the stalled scheduled take-over of September 1 and the failure to name a supervisory board of about seven persons that will work alongside the in-coming TCN expatriate fi rm’s management have given many suffi cient reasons to doubt gov-ernment’s commitment.

If the power reform timetable had been followed; Manitoba Hydro International would have taken over the full management of the TCN by September 1, 2012, which would have kicked off the stabilisation and secu-rity of the national grid, reduc-tion of electricity losses during transmission and staff reorien-tation as some of the key objec-tives of the contract.

Under the contract, MHI will have on ground eight expatriate principal management offi cials who would be in charge of the offi ces of the Chief Operating Offi cer (COO) and directors of Transmission Service Provider, System Operations, Market Op-erations, Finance Director, ICT, National Control Centre and Human Resources and 30 as-sociate Nigerian offi cials. The current Chief Executive Offi cers (CEOs) of TCN would become deputies to the eight expatriate MHI offi cers. After six months, the CEOs can be changed with other Nigerian senior executives by MHI, if they are not found to be assets to the full realisation of the specifi cs of the contract.

To ensure a seamless transi-tion from current leadership of TCN and incoming MHI execu-tives, a workshop and briefi ng session between the new man-agers and the workers was held on July 26, 2012 to sensitise members of staff of TCN, al-lay their fears and secure their commitment to the execution of the contract agreement.

Nigeria’s power reform road-map is anchored on the estab-lishment of an independent reg-ulator for the sector (Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commis-sion (NERC), setting up of the commercial framework for the sector (via cost refl ective elec-tricity tariffs) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Com-pany (bulk trader), privatisation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria’s (PHCN) six successor

generation companies and 11 PHCN successor distribution companies, and the continued strengthening of the fuel-to-power segment.

But sources said that some interest groups within the Min-istry of Power are uncomfort-able with certain aspects of the contract agreement, including the specifi cation that the mar-keting director of the TCN un-der the contract would be an expatriate. They would rather prefer that a Nigerian is the oc-cupant of the post as the offi ce is “powerful” in terms of respon-sibilities of disbursing fi nancial values in the TCN.

As at the close of work last week, the exact position with regards to the Manitoba/TCN contract still remains hazy. The Abati’s statement, the maga-zine gathered that the princi-pal actors are yet to be offi cially informed, though there are re-ports that those opposed to the deal are doing everything to frustrate the offi cials of Mani-toba. For instance, it was learnt that the forces have gone ahead to dismantle communication fa-cilities including the telephone lines of MHI at the headquar-ters of the PHCN, where the company shares offi ces with the TCN.

Manitoba Hydro Industry’s Chief Executive Offi cer, Don Priestman said last week that the current situation has put his fi rm in a confused state. “Well, I heard about the cancel-lation of the contract through the media. There has been no form of communication. We are disappointed. We are here to do a job and we have not been given the authority we need. The transmission is essential in the privatisation process. If the privatisation process is to suc-ceed, the transmission system is very important. And we have

the expertise and what it takes to do the job. We do not want to be caught between the confl icts between government organisa-tions. We are still hopeful that common sense will prevail and we will be asked to do the job for which we came here. We are watching and waiting for what government is saying,” he said.

Priestman said that the fi rm had a clear contract and was meant to be given delegation of authority, but that did not hap-pen, stressing that “There are forces working against reforms of the power sector in Nigeria, as similar contract Manitoba in Kenya is working well.”

Already, Business Courage gathered that those kicking against the MHI may have start-ed pushing for “a management contractor” like Power Grid of India which sources say is pre-pared to toe the lines of those pushing its case. Those who consider the likes of Power Grid unsuitable for the job insisted last week that, being a govern-ment institution that manages a centralised market in India, the fi rm may not have the re-quired experience in a market driven operation as envisaged in Nigeria.

This is the issue of the 30-day directive given to the Min-istry of Power, not the BPE to organise a new management contract bidding process and get a winner. One source said:

As at the close of work last Friday, it was not clear what the true position was as there are reports that the Presidency may have preferred to approach the issue more tactically in order not to give those whom presi-dency sources say are bent at stalling the power reform the opportunity to undermine the government.

Though the president was said to have given the Power

Ministry 30 days to procure a new contractor for TCN, many people believe that the direc-tive was a tall order that can-not be met. Besides, there are those who believe that the Min-istry lacks the requisite experi-ence to push through the as-signment. National President of National Union of Electric-ity Employees (NUEE) Mansur Musa, for instance, questioned the credibility of the Ministry of Power to conduct a thorough selection process for another management contractor within 30 days, saying that the min-istry lacked the wherewithal to even attempt the process.

A source who spoke under anonymity last week expressed the fears that the BPP was “in-advertently working with anti-privatisation forces in mislead-ing the President in claiming a management contractor can be procured in 30 days. This may be a tall order. It is not as easy as it sounds. The most feasible period could be six months.”

The source said that while the BPP complained that BPE shortlisted from its data base of world class management con-tractors, the fact that BPP has recommended to the President that a shortlist of fi ve manage-ment contractors be under-taken, he says showed that the agency may be working towards a predetermined goal. “Again, the Ministry of Power, which is saddled with the job of con-ducting the bidding, has no ex-perience of privatisation as the management contract is a form of privatisation. The BPE, de-spite its experience in privatisa-tion spanning over two decades, still needed the expertise of for-eign consultants. And check the records, BPE worked for over a year with British Power International, a reputable con-sultancy, as advisers in procur-

ing a management contractor. I think someone may be deliber-ately misleading Mr. President in order to halt any progress in ensuring regular supply of electricity in the foreseeable fu-ture,” he said.

Already, industry operators are expressing fears that the termination of the contractor has the potential of jeopardising the power reform and privatisa-tion programme, stressing that the government’s action could deter potential investors select-ed for the distribution and gen-eration companies last month by NCP from going ahead with the transaction.

“It has cast a cloud of un-certainty on the entire process,” said one preferred bidder, who did not want to be named, stressing that If this could hap-pen to Manitoba, which has been frustrated every step of the way, what’s to stop the govern-ment from taking similar action when we invest our hard earned money in these assets. This is certainly shocking,” he said.

An analyst familiar with the power sector reform in Nigeria, tsaid last week that if the Fed-eral Government goes ahead to cancel the Manitoba contract, it would have two immediate implications on the power sec-tor reform. “One, the World Bank will most certainly with-draw its Partial Risk Guarantee (PRG), which provides comfort to Independent Power Project developers that they will be paid, if they were to enter into power purchase agreements with bulk traders.

“Secondly, we can all expect that the fi nancing costs for the preferred bidders for Discos and Gencos will rise astronomi-cally, as the risk premium goes through the roof in the midst of uncertainties created by the government.” BC

Bolanle Onagoruwa, Bureau of Public Enterprise, DG Eze


NewsOvia, Visafone boss donates N1bn to flood victims

The Chairman of Visafone Telecommunication, Jim

Ovia has donated N1 billion to the fl ood relief fund launched last week by President Goodluck Jonathan. Besides, the former Managing Director of Zenith Bank promised that Visafone would set up emergency call centers across the country to curtail future natural disaster like fl ooding.

The huge commitments made by Visafone was part of the on-going efforts at generating funds for the rehabilitation of victims of the recent fl ood disaster across the country. The Ovia’s N1 billion donation has effectively put the telecoms company at a vantage position as a corporate organisation that understands the concept of given back to the society and make Nigeria a better place for all.

While imploring other corporate organizations not to be left out in the joint task of providing relief for the victims, Ovia said: “We have made our humble donation and we are still looking at other areas of assistance we can render. Plans are afoot towards setting up emergency call centres to mitigate the effect of future occurrence. Since it’s a natural occurrence, we may not be able to stop it but at least, lessen the effect on both the people and our environment through timely action which the call centers can facilitate.”

It would be recalled that in response to the disaster, the Federal Government, as a stop-gap measure, announced the disbursement of N500 million to the highly impacted states, N300 million to the moderately impacted ones and N200 million to the least impacted states, to enable them cushion the effects of the fl ooding.

Thereafter, it set up a 34-man Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation co-chaired by Aliko Dangote and Olisa Agbakoba which organized in Abuja, a dinner to raise fund for the victims of the fl ooding during which over N11 billion was realized. Dangote was however the highest donor with a donation of N2.5 billion.

Ovia said his donation was informed by the need to support government in the onerous task of resettling the affected citizen who are currently sheltered in different camps in the states.

He explained that the victims having been displaced would be psychologically traumatized as a result of the untold misery and that it iwa the responsibility of fellow

Nigerians to help them in this time of need.

According to him, millions of our compatriots are currently grappling with the reality of having lost their homes, farmlands and sources of livelihood to the fl ood and our natural instinct is for all to rally round them for succour and to alleviate their suffering.

The Visafone founder pointed out that since the Federal Government had led the path towards the victims’ reintegration, it behoves on other well-meaning Nigerians to follow suit and contribute to the fund to help their kinsmen at this moment of discomfort.

Meanwhile, the labour and the Organized Private Sector have commended the gesture of Visafone in partaking in the relief efforts describing it as a good development which should be emulated by other telecommunication companies.

Henry Okechukwu of the cement sector of the Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN) said the donation by Visafone would go a long way in assisting the Flood Relief Committee realize its mandate of providing succor to the victims.

In his own comment, Tajudeen Abegunde of the Iron and Steel Union lauded Visafone as the only visible telecommunication company during the fund raising saying it only goes to show that Visafone has displayed unparallel patriotism as an indigenous company that is ready to positively affect the people and environment within which it operates.

“It will be good if other telecom companies can follow Visafone’s example and donate generously to alleviate the pains of the victims of the fl ood disaster”, he stated.

Agric agency engages 610,000 farmers for dry season farming

The Sokoto Rima River Basin Development

Authority (SRRBDA) has engaged 610,000 farmers at its Talata Mafara irrigation site in Zamfara to boost dry season farming.

The Managing Director of SRRBDA, Halidu Yusuf, stated this at the Talata Mafara irrigation site last week during the launch of wheat production and the 2012/2013 dry season operations for the year.

He said the launch was the outcome of a two-year transformation programme of the authority towards the eradication of poverty and increased food production for the wellbeing of the people.

L-R: Chairman of Visafone Telecommunications, Jim Ovia discussing with the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote at the fund raising dinner for the fl ood victims, held in Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, last week

Yusuf recalled that the project cultivated 11,000 hectares in 2011 and produced a large quantity of rice and wheat through double farming, which had encouraged the project to invest more for the year.

He said other food crops, such as cowpea, sweet potato, maize and beans would be cultivated on the land in the current season through triple cropping by farming communities in Mafara, Maradun and Bakura local government areas.

He said the authority had accepted to train 50 youths, sent by the Federal Government, in improved wheat production during the season.

He appealed to the Federal Government to continue to buy more farming equipment, herbicides and other implements to ensure sustainability of the scheme and ensure increased agricultural production.

Similarly, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources has said that 11, 000 hectares of land would be utilised at the Bakolori Irrigation project in Zamfara for dry season operation. It was learnt that the irrigation scheme has the potential of irrigating 23,000 hectares while only 4,000 hectares were utilised in 2011.

The Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe, made this known at the launching of wheat production and the fl ag of 2012/2013 dry season farming on Thursday in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State. Ochekpe said that the objective of the event was to encourage farmers to take advantage of irrigation projects to boost food production in the country. “We still have 12,000 hectares still left to be developed; many more can come on board, the launching p of the project shows that Nigeria has a lot of potential to create jobs

through irrigation. “We want to sustain this development for some couple of years until we are able to put the whole 23,000 hectares into use.

“Even a lot of youths out there thinking there are no jobs, can take the opportunity of the irrigation schemes to go into farming and empower themselves. According to her, the Federal Government is giving emphasis to wheat and rice production to reduce the importation of such crops. The minister said: “I am aware that one of the major complaints of the wheat farmers is market for their produce. “ I would like to assure them that government has machinery that they are encouraged to produce more by ensuring there will not be glut.

“Government in conjunction with the private enterprises in the spirit of Public Private Partnership will be involved in improving the value chain of these crops’’. The event, she said was part of the Federal Government’s effort to boost food production in order to mitigate some of the food shortage that might occur due to the recent fl ooding in parts

of the country. In his address, Gov Abdul-Aziz Abubakar of Zamfara said that as part of agricultural initiatives, his administration introduced a special irrigation scheme in 2011.

Under the programme, the governor said that 1,000 tube wells and wash bores as well as 1,000 water pumps for irrigation farming had been provided. He said the programme had been specially designed to target vast array of peasant farming communities across the state with a view to making dry season farming rewarding. “Based on the report we have received so far, the pilot projects has been overwhelmingly successful.

“The Beauty of this programme is that all the required inputs, seeds, seedlings, fertilisers and agro chemicals were given to farmers on loan. “Repayment would be made through raising of improved seedlings of economic trees that would be planted to address the menace of desert encroachment and generate income to the farmers’’ he added. The governor thanked the Federal Government for allocating three rice mills to the state, noting that the state government had indentifi ed three sites of fi ve hectares each for the project. Also speaking, Halidu Yusuf, the Managing Director, Sokoto Rima River Development Authority, said the offi ce was expected to revitalise and cultivate twice or thrice the size presently cultivated. “With the re-introduction of wheat production, maize, sweet potatoes, cowpea and other vegetables, we are putting a road map towards doubling and in some cases tripling cropping in the project.

“Thereby, engaging over 610,000 people in the three local governments hosting the

Governor Abdul Aziz Abubakar


Newsproject. He, however, solicited more support on seeds and other farms inputs such as fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides and additional farm machinery. The highlight of the event was the distribution of wheat seeds to some selected farmers.

Ochekpe tasks farmers on dry season farming

Sarah Ochekpe, the Minister of Water Resources, has

urged farmers to embrace dry season farming to boost food production in the country.

Ochekpe gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin. She said that the government had set aside suffi cient funds to boost agricultural production for the dry season. ``Nigerians should not only rely on farming during the rainy season but explore other opportunities.

``People are doing farming on a small scale but we want more people to be involved in this dry season farming. ``That way, we are also creating more jobs, getting many people busy,’’ she said. The minister also said that the government would soon launch dry season farming in Katsina, Maiduguri and Bakolori, Zamfara.

``We are working on that because President Goodluck Jonathan had informed Nigerians that we would embark on the transformation of the Agricultural sector,’’ she said. The minister also said that reservoirs built in various parts of the country were aimed at boosting fi sh production and irrigation farming.

DANA Steel workers protest mass sack, exploitation

Workers of DANA Steel Company, Katsina, last

week protested what they called ‘``mass sacking and exploitation” by management.

The spokesman for the workers, Peter Obi, told newsmen in Katsina that the union and management of the company had met in Lagos the previous week and agreed on issues relating to staff retrenchment and retirement age. Obi said during the meeting, the management promised that it would not retrench any worker. ``But to our surprise, just within four days, more than 30 workers were sacked for unknown reasons, and they have families to take care of.’’ He said that some of the sacked workers were later given contract appointment, and placed on fl at salary scale, irrespective of their qualifi cations and working experience.” ‘’We want our head offi ce and the world to know that this is what is happening in the company.

“They don’t recognise certifi cate and they treat us like slaves; this only happens to Nigerians working in the company.’’ Obi alleged that recently, machines of the company cut off the hands of two workers and injured fi ve others, but the management failed to cater for their medical treatment.

‘’We will not resume normal work until the company recalls all the sacked workers and treat us like human beings.” Reacting to the allegations, the company’s Human Resources Manager, Alhaji Abdussalam Kabir, said the organisation did not victimize any worker. ``There must be reason for sacking a worker and I don’t need to explain this.” Kabir also said that the management had never violated any agreement and would discuss with the union’s representatives to solve the matter amicably.

Aganga urges Nigeria, S.Africa to strengthen economic growth in Africa

Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Trade and

Investment, has urged Nigeria

and South Africato take advantage of the window of opportunities available in their economies to strengthen economic growth on the continent.

Aganga who stated this at a dinner dialogue organised by the Nigeria Consulate in South Africa and co-hosted by Financial Times and Brand South Africa in Johannesburg, said that the two countries must not allow the opportunities to pass without being exploited for the benefi t of their citizens and for the people in the continent..

``Nigeria and South Africa have the fastest economic growth in the continent, if Africa must take advantage of the current global economic meltdown to boost growth in the africa, then the two countries need to work together.

``The two countries have to complement each other in area of comparative advantage. There is no countries that can develop its economy without industrialisation, South Africa is the leader in Africa in that area.

``But Nigeria has the advantage in area of market and raw material over many countries, Nigeria has the largest population in Africa, an investment in Nigeria is a gateway into the ECOWAS with about 300 million population, Nigeria is a market nobody can ignore, Aganga said.

He said that Nigeria is no longer interested in investors coming into the country to export raw material out of the country.

``What we want are investors setting up industry and manufacturing plants in the country, to help provide employment for our youths and ever growing population.

``Nigeria is discussing with South Africa on ways to collaborate in setting up automobile plants in Nigeria. There are opportunities in mining, not for exportation alone, but for mining of the mineral for processing and production,’’ Aganga said.

He said that there were untapped potentials in the agricultural sector, saying, `` Nigeria is blessed with 84 million of acre of land, where everything and anything can grow. But the agriculture sector of our economy is not fully tapped.

``We want investors in the agriculture sector not only in the area of planting and harvesting of agriculture product, but also in area of food processing and storage, this is an area where South Africa can come in, because they are well ahead of other Africa countriesin food processing and storage.

``There are also business

opportunities in oil and gas, Nigeria is the largest producer of oil and gas in the continent and investment opportunities in that sector is open,’’ Aganga said.

He said Nigeria can also learn from South Africa in service and infrastructure development.

Aganga said the Nigerian government has put in place economy policies to encourage foreign investment.

``Nigeria government as provided incentives to foreign investors to come and invest in the country.

``Part of the new policy is 48 hours company registration, 100 per cent foreign ownership, generous corporate tax holiday and repatriation of profi t and dividend through legal means.

`Àlso stability of exchange rate for a long time is part of government economic policies to encourage foreign investment,’’ Aganga said.

Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, Nigerian Foreign Affairs minister represented by Amb. Sonni Yusuf, Nigerian High Commissioner inSouth Africa, said South African business community should take advantage of liberalisation of visa requirement to visitNigeria.

``There have been a deliberate policy to liberalise visa requirements into Nigeria. in this regard, a policy of three years multipleentry visa has been approved, while in extreme cases, visa can could be issued at points of entry to genuine business people.

`Àlso all our foreign mission are mandated to streamline issuance of visas within 48 hours, to businessmen and women,’’ Ashiru said.

He, however, call on South Africa government to reciprocate the Nigeria government visa policy to encourage friendly business relationship between the two countries.

Nigerian Consul-General, Okey Emuchay said the dialogue was a follow up to the agreement reached between Nigeria and South Africa during the Bi-National Commission held in Cape Town in May.

``Nigeria is a huge country with lot of opportunities; I call on South Africa investors to tap into the incentives given by Nigerian government to foreign investors and invest in the Nigerian economy.

``There is need for regular dialogue between the two countries to engage each other and strengthen the much needed trustand collaboration towards building stronger economic relationship, ‘’ Emuchay said.

Chief Executive Offi cer of Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce, Dianne Games, in her remarks, said Nigeria andSouth Africa have lot to gain from each other.

She, however, emphasised the need for trust, cordial economic and political relationship between the two countries.

Govt urged to make port operations less expensive

Stakeholders in the Maritime sector have urged

the Federal Government to formulate policies that would make operations in Nigerian ports less expensive.

The stakeholders, who made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said that the measure would rank Nigeria among the best 20 nations in the world by 2020.

Emeka Apara, Director of Publicity, National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents, said that it was not about making policies but ensuring that the policies were implemented.

``Trade is a thing that has to do with cost and that is why companies all over the world are looking for where they can get the lowest costs and when they get it, they tend to patronise that place.

Ochekpe

Aganga

Lucky Amiwero, President, NCMDLCA


News

Hathiramani, MD, Dana Steel

`Ìf a country is operating under a policy that is low, then the cost of production will drop and when it drops, it will make you have a bigger market and the bigger market is the competition which everybody and the nation want to key into.

``We are talking about maritime trade and trade is about the goods getting to the people at the most minimal cost and most importers at present have found that in our neighbouring ports,’’ he said

Uchu Block, the General Secretary, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, said that the high cost of doing business in the Nigerian ports did not augur well for the nation’s economy.

`Ì have done business in some other ports and I found our ports most expensive. You fi nd that you are being charged for services not rendered,’’ Block said.

He said that before the Common External Tariff (CET) was introduced, the charges at the ports were very fair and reasonable because of the waivers granted by government.

Block urged the government to be proactive and put a regulator in the port to check the arbitrary charges imposed on importers by the concessionaires.

Inua Mohammed, former President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), said that the Destination Inspection scheme was not working due to high cost of operations in Nigerian ports and too many documentation.

Increase Uche, Secretary General, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), said because of the arbitrary charges at the ports, most importers abandoned their cargoes.

Uche said the concessionaires had taken the opportunity of the absence of a commercial regulator to increase the terminal handling charges.

``The government should appoint a commercial regulator to regulate the activities of the concessionaires and service providers at the ports to stop arbitrary charges’’, he said.

Nigerian Ports can compete with Singapore, Dubai seaports, says NPAStories by Francis Ezem

The Nigerian Ports Authority has said that if given

the needed support and cooperation it deserves, the

Federal Government is willing and able to transform the nation’s seaports and make them compete favourably with other effi cient seaports in the world including those of Singapore and Dubai.

The government had six years ago concluded a reform of the seaports, which entailed stripping NPA of its cargo handling functions, which were taken over by private terminal operators as part of measures to be effi cient and competitive.

Newly appointed managing director of the authority, who spoke during a visit to the Tin Can Island Ports Complex, Lagos last week said that Nigerian ports are strategically located and can compete favourably with the Ports of Dubai, Singapore and other modern ports across the globe if the effort of the government in making the ports a Hub in the sub-region is complemented by other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the authority has extended the lease agreement of two terminals Ports and Cargo Terminals extended from 10 to 15 years and Tin Can Island Container Terminal extended from 15 to 20 years.

According to him, government will continue to diligently perform its functions under the port concession agreement, which are geared towards making the ports effi cient and competitive with their peers all over the world, will also transform the ports to destination in the continent of Africa.

The managing director in assessing the performance of the terminal operators noted that some of them have done very well especially in the areas of infrastructure development and acquisition of the necessary plants and equipment, but noted that there is room for improvement.“Some of them have fulfi lled some of the agreement they signed with the Federal Government before the ports were concessioned to them, many of them have invested several billions of naira to boost cargo clearance at the ports”, he admitted.

Abdullahi, who was accompanied by the top management team of the authority including the executive directors, said he was happy that the terminal operators have developed the ports to an enviable height, saying he decided to visit the ports in order to identify some challenges facing the ports with a view to proffering solutions.

According to him, the new management came on board about three months ago but that they decided to allow the two new executive

directors, who were appointed from outside the system to have a little knowledge of the workings of the port system so that the visit would be meaningful to them.

He however frowned at the indiscriminate parking of trucks at the access roads of the various terminals, which he said limits the capacity of the ports and also impede the free movement of trucks and other equipment within the ports.

The NPA-boss said he was on assignment at the authority to transform the seaports and make them effi cient and therefore enlisted the support and cooperation of his colleagues, which he said were critical to the success of his mission at NPA.

Port manager of the complex, Ephraim Efi oita, had in the course of the visit disclosed that the period of concession for some terminals have been extended, but was however silent on the role of the Bureau of Public Enterprise in the extension exercise.

According to him, the extension was given after an agreement was reached with the concessionaires over portions of concession areas that NPA was still occupying, which were supposed to be occupied by the concessionaires in line with the concession agreement.“TICT was extended from 15 to 20 years, while Port and Cargo was extended from 10 to 15 years, at the time the concession was conceived, there are certain portions that are presently occupied by NPA that were actually meant to be given to the concessionaires”, he said.

It was gathered that the decision of the authority to extend the lease period follows it inability to vacate the TICP administrative building and some other areas, which had been concessioned.

“We had to sit down with the concessionaires to arrive at certain agreements. That

was what brought about the extension. For the TICT, there are certain areas that would have gone to it in line with the concession which we could not, that was one of the reasons”, he said emphatically.

You can’t sustain Destination Inspection, stakeholders tell Customs

Less than two months to the expiration of the Destination

Inspection contract entered into by the Federal Government with fi ve service holders, stakeholders have expressed serious doubts over the ability of the Nigeria Customs Service to take over the scheme in line with the contract agreement.

The Federal Ministry of Finance had following the suspension of the Pre-Shipment Inspection scheme, which was fraught with several irregularities entered into a seven- year Build, Own, Operate and Transfer contract with the fi ve DI service providers, which include, Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited, Global Scan Systems, SGS and Webb Fountain.

Under the contract, the service providers are to provider Computerised Risk Management System for all imported goods through the air, seaports and land borders, provide scanning services and also train an agreed number of offi cers of Customs to take over the scheme at the expiration of the contract on December 31, 2012.

Meanwhile stakeholders, who spoke at a one-day seminar, which held in Lagos on the theme: Destination Inspection: Which Way Forward after December, organised by Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria, observed that less than two months to end of the deal, nothing on ground shows that Customs has the least capability to take over and sustain the scheme.

Chairman of the occasion, Otunba Kunle Folarin, observed that the silent disposition being maintained currently by the Federal Government and other relevant agencies including Customs was worrisome and might spell doom for the system.

Foralin, who is the chairman of Nigerian Seafarers’ Welfare Board, observed that as an import dependent nation, the DI scheme is critical to the Nigerian economy since more than 85 percent of imported goods come through the seaports.

While going through the memory lane, he observed

that PSI inspection scheme, which was introduced some time in 1979, was designed to check malpractices such as foreign exchange scams like over-valuation etc, slow cargo processes, among others, regretting that such vices have now been replaced with under-valuation, over-invoicing and outright smuggling, among others.

“From all indications, there seems to be a disconnect somewhere between Customs and the service providers, as it appears they treat each other with suspicion, a development that requires that the government must look at the system again in any case where the contract is to be extended or the service providers would be asked to go”, he noted.

Former national president of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Inua Mohammed, while speaking at the event, observed that seven years into the contract, the port cargo clearing systems is still fraught with so many documentations, characterised poor mode of payments, which impede the success of the DI scheme.

“Elsewhere, goods leave the ports in six hours but that has not been possible with the Nigerian system despite the series of reforms done on the Customs”, he observed.

“ I think it would be very dangerous for the government to allow the service t take over the DI scheme totally now because most of the offi cers and men that would man the systems have motives that run contrary to that of the government, and that might be very dangerous for now”, he warned.“An offi cer being posted from Maiduguri for instance to Apapa for instance has a mind frame and has given himself a target of how much he would make in the short period he would work there and so it might spell doom to ask such offi cer to man the scanner”, he noted further.

Meanwhile national secretary of the National Associational Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Increase Uche, who took a swipe at some of the service providers, noted that the Risk Assessment Report generated by the service providers are most of the time ignored by the service.

He noted that despite the training being given to some offi cers and men of the service, most of them have failed to utilise them, adding that there are scores of offi cers that are not computer litrate and so submitted that Nigeria’s economy would be at great risk if such offi cers are allowed to handle strategic cargo clearing processes.

President of MARAN had

Abdullahi


BC

earlier in his welcome address observed that cargo dwell time which stands at an average of 24 days in most Nigeria’s seaports remains the highest in Sub-Sahara Africa.According to him, the implication of high dwell time of cargo is increased cost of doing business at the ports, adding that corruption and bureaucratic bottlenecks are still preponderant in ports, which is a major reason for the high cost of doing business.

“There is need therefore to simplify processes associated with cargo clearance. We also need to increase automation of our processes in order to reduce human contacts”, he submitted.

NOSDRA assesses impact of oil spill in Ibeno

National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency

(NOSDRA) has said that the environmental impact assessment of the Nov. 9, spill from the Qua Iboe oil fi elds, near Ibeno, Akwa Ibom was ongoing.

Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), operator of the Qua Iboe oil fi elds, had reported that a spill from its offshore facilities discharged some 200 barrels into the Atlantic Ocean.

The spill, which occurred at the company’s offshore platforms, reportedly sipped into the Atlantic coastline on Nov. 11.

Irvin Obot, Zonal Director, NOSDRA, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the agency was conducting the exercise with offi cials of the oil fi rm, community representatives and other stakeholders.

``The joint inspection and investigation exercise is in progress, we are visiting and inspecting the coastline to ascertain the level of impact on the shoreline, so far, we have fi nished with Ibeno.

``We are still going to visit Esit Eket, Ikot Abasi, Eastern Obollo and Mbo to verify reports that the spill had stretched to those places,” Obot

said.Obot further said that the

inspection and investigation would ascertain the actual quantity of crude discharged in the spill.

NAN learnt that more than 500 oil spill response workers were deployed to clean up the spill site.

SON appoints four firms to ensure best practices in offshore goods

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has

appointed four Independent Accredited Firms (IAF) for accreditation of imported goods in line with the global best practices.

Dr Joseph Odumodu, the Director General of the organisation announced this during the signing of agreement between the SON and the fi rms last Friday in Lagos.

Odumodu said that SON appointed the new IAFs ``to tackle the infl ux of substandard goods into the country.’’

He underscored the importance of the new appointment as it conformed to the SON Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP).

He described SONCAP as a fl agship programme of the organisation.

According to him, the SONCAP is in charge of regulatory activities of the organisation, critical to its campaign of zero tolerance on substandard products.

``We have successfully created necessary background for the stoppage of substandard products in the country and expectations of Nigerians have been heightened.

``Nigerians are eager to see the adherence to the zero tolerance slogans against substandard products and we cannot afford to disappoint them.

`Ìt is the same way that the expectation is high from the government to ensure that the country is rid of substandard products to ensure employment generation and wealth creation,’’ he said.

Odumodu urged the IAFs to strive toward desirable achievements of SONCAP by ensuring thorough inspection of imported goods.

He said that SON would begin to issue the SONCAP certifi cate to goods coming into the country.

The director general listed two of the accredited fi rms to include the Intertek International Ltd., and Cotecna Trade Services.

``They have the technical competence to deliver the best service to Nigerians,’’ Odumodu

said.Mathieu Delorme, the

Chief Operating Offi cer of the Cotecna Trade Services, assured Nigerians of excellent performance in monitoring imported goods.

Ekiti to establish all season irrigation farming, grazing reserve

Ekiti State Government has said that it will soon es-

tablish an all season irrigation farm and grazing reserves in the state.

Ganiyu Owolabi, Secretary to the State Government made this known at an Agric forum in Ado Ekiti on Friday.

He explained that the new initiative was part of efforts by government to boost food secu-rity and create employment.

Owolabi said that the gov-ernment had already prepared a large expanse of farm land around Oke Ako for the project.

He said that the zeal and passion displayed by Ekiti farmers of old had disappeared among the youths.

He stressed that the present administration had made up its mind to make farming at-tractive once again to new gen-eration of young farmers.

``We are embarking on all these in order to resuscitate the enthusiasm for farming that Ekiti people were known for,’’ the SSG said.

Owolabi, however, empha-sised the need for proper men-toring and guidance of the new generation farmers by the old ones.

He added that government needed all the support it could get to achieve its aim of turning the state to a food basket.

He called on corporate bod-

ies to support government’s effort at achieving economic emancipation of youths in the state.

Western Union to open new business opportunities for SMEsJohnson Okanlawon

Western Union has showed its willingness to open

business opportunities for small business owner to compete abroad for every consumer with fi nancial needs.

Western Union Senior Vice President, Middle East and Africa Mr. Jean Claude Farah stated this on Friday during the Western Union Ecobank launch of Account Based Money Transfer(ABMT) in Lagos.

According to him, Western Union Vision is to be the premier fi nancial provider for undeserved consumers and businesses.

He said, “Making our services more convenient and accessible to our customers is a worthy goal, but for us, it’s much more than that. We are a mission-driven brand. We have a higher purpose”.

He noted that African diaspora today consist of approximately 30 million adults, who send around 40 billion dollars annually to their families and communities back home.

“Last year this accounted for an average of 2.3 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Africa and in some markets this was as high as 10-20 per cent.

“Western Union is pleased to strengthen this mutually productive and benefi cial relationship with the inclusion

Folarin

of electronic banking channels that are customer-centric and technologically advanced,” he said.

Further commenting on the launch, Aida Diarra, Vice President North, Central and West Africa, Western Union, stated that, “The inclusion of Account Based Money Transfer systems reinforces our relationship with Ecobank. This also demonstrates Western Union’s continual commitment to providing reliable and convenient world-class money transfer services”.

The Group Executive Director, Domestic Bank of ETI, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan, said “Leveraging technology to take banking to the people by providing convenient, reliable and affordable fi nancial products and services is a key part of Ecobank’s strategy, therefore we are pleased to be partnering with Western Union to be the fi rst to offer such an innovative and convenient banking service to our customers.

Linus Adaba, Group Remittance Manager, Ecobank noted that the fi nancial services industry is a major driver of Africa’s economic growth, particularly as international migration continues to expand, fuelling the global remittances market.

He said that Ecobank and Western Union play a pivotal role by moving money across the continent in innovative and cost-effective ways.

“Ecobank Retail Banking intends to offer the Western Union ABMT service in more than 2,600 Agent locations across its footprint of 31 countries in the coming months. The new electronic service launch is an extension of the two companies’ successful collaboration across Africa, “ he added.

L-R: Group Head, Liability Product, Sterling Bank Plc, John Akingbade; Manager, National Lottery Commission, Ita Calix ; Brand Management and Communications, Kate Edoho and CEO, Advalue, Branding, Marketing,Communications, Charles Monwuba, at the 4th draw of the onging Sterling Bank Saver’s Promo, held in Lagos last Friday

News


Continue on pg A8

Dr. Umaru Abdul Mutallab, a Fellow of both the Associa-tion of Chartered Certifi ed Accountants (FCCA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (FCA), is one of the longest serving chairmen of the board of direc-

tors of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, where he served for 10 years. The Katsina-born banker and a onetime Minister of Economic Develop-ment, was born in Katsina town, Katsina State, North-West Nigeria on December 15, 1939. He attended the popular Barewa College, Zaria, Kaduna State, before proceeding to Accra, Ghana to com-plete his secondary education at Achimota College. He attended the South West London College where he studied accounting. Ab-dul Mutallab started his working career with Fuller Jenks Beecroft & Co in London in 1965 as a Management Accountant. After his sojourn in the United Kingdom, he returned to Nigeria to take up a higher responsibility as Chief Accountant/Acting General Man-ager, Defence Industries Corporation in Kaduna. He was also the Financial Controller of the company.

Dr. Abdul Mutallab later rose to become the General Manager, New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC) from 1968 to 1975. In 1975, he was appointed as Federal Commissioner (i.e. Minister) for Economic Development and Reconstruction and was re-assigned to the Federal Ministry of Cooperatives and Supply in 1976.

Effectively, Mutallab was a member of the Federal Executive Council from 1976 to 1978 and his public service career was cut short following a call to duty in the corporate sector of the economy. At age 50, he left government to serve as Executive Vice Chairman/Managing Director, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, a position he held for 10 years before he left the scene in 1988. Meanwhile Abdul Mutallab’s exit from the banking industry was temporary as he returned 11 years later as chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

At First Bank, Dr. Abdul Mutallab as chairman, along with his colleagues on the board, steered the ship of the bank for 10 years, between 1999 and 2009. He was a major stabilising factor for First Bank as he carefully guided the bank through the period of re-

A shrewd investorAt separate times, he occupied vantage positions in two of Nigeria’s top banks. First at United Bank for Africa as Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for 10 years and later as Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc for another ten years. This is the story of Dr. Umaru Abdul Mutallab, a chartered accountant, banker, investor and co-founder cum Chairman, Board of Directors, Jaiz Bank International Plc, Nigeria’s first Islamic bank. A discerning investor and board room guru, the 72- year- old retired banker has investments that cut across sectors like construction, oil and gas, textiles amongst others.

By Bamidele Obafemi

Mutallab


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capitalisation when it recorded a landslide success, raising over N500 billion from the capital market in 2007 through a hy-brid offer.

The offer, popularly called “The Big Offer”, set an unprec-edented landmark with a sub-scription in excess of 750 per cent, and was lauded as the biggest and most successful in the history of public offers in Nigeria. The bank’s epoch-making achievement was again reinforced when it became the fi rst quoted company in Nige-ria to achieve the feat of hitting the trillion naira mark in mar-ket capitalisation, the clearest evidence of the market’s estima-tion of its worth. Till date, and despite the downturn in the stock market, the bank remains the most capitalised stock on the fl oor of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Part of the achievements re-corded by FirstBank during the time of Abdul Mutallab as chair-man includes the establishment of a wholly owned banking sub-sidiary in the United Kingdom in 2002. That move made the bank, the fi rst Nigerian bank to own a full-fl edged bank in the United Kingdom as it is under the regulation of Financial Ser-vices Authority.

In 2007, FBN Bank (UK) obtained authorization to set up its Paris offi ce to serve as a marketing base to service fran-cophone West Africa. First Bank also has Representative Offi ces in Johannesburg, South Africa and Beijing, China, established in 2004 and 2009 respectively.

Business Courage was told that with the bank’s global reach through its operations in the United Kingdom, France, South Africa, and China, it provides prospective inves-tors wishing to explore the vast business opportunities that abound in Nigeria, an interna-tionally competitive world-class brand and a credible fi nancial partner.

Beside giving the bank a global focus during his tenure, Abdul Mutallab promoted the principles of good corporate governance, himself being said to adhere strictly to issues of in-tegrity. Financial experts have said First Bank’s corporate gov-ernance practice remains at the industry’s leading-edge. The bank’s continuing commitment to strong corporate governance and improved disclosure levels in the reporting of its fi nancials was reinforced in November 2008 when it won The Nigerian Stock Exchange Quoted Com-pany of the Year Award. The bank also emerged joint winner of the NSE’s President’s Merit Award for the banking sector “for the presentation, qual-ity and depth of its annual re-port and accounts for the year 2007”.

In further evidence of the bank’s strength, a foundation which many believed was laid

during Abdul Mutallab’s leader-ship, two foremost international risk-rating agencies, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) and Fitch, at different periods rated the bank highly. Standard and Poor’s assigned the bank a long term rating of “BB-“ and “B” short term rating, which mirrors the country’s “BB” (long term) and “B” (short term) ratings by the same agency, against the back-drop of the global economic meltdown. The agency noted that “The ratings on First Bank were supported by the bank’s good market position, adequate capitalization and moderated fi -nancial performance”.

Fitch assigned the Bank “B+” (long term) and “B” (short term), while it also affi rmed the Bank’s “A+” and “F1” (nga) na-tional long-term and short-term ratings for the past seven (7) years respectively up to 2009.

Global Credit Rating Com-pany Limited, a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) licensed rating agency also as-signed the bank national long-term and short-term ratings of “A” and “A1+” respectively, with positive outlook, as in the two previous years; while Agusto & Co, a national credit rat-ing agency, in 2009 assigned it “Aa+”, with stable outlook, same as the previous year, not-ing that “Our rating is justifi ed by the Bank’s strong brand, stable and experienced man-agement team, strong capital base, strong industry position, a strong liquidity profi le support-ed by a country-wide branch network, good asset quality and a good earnings profi le”.

First Bank has been the winner of the “Best Bank in Nigeria”, “Best Trade Finance Bank in Nigeria”, and “Best

Foreign Exchange Bank in Ni-geria” awarded by the US-based Global Finance magazine for fi ve consecutive years. These are in addition to receiving NSE Award of Excellence as the Quoted Company of the Year 2007, and award for the best presentation, quality and depth of Annual Report and Accounts for the Year 2007, to mention a just a few.

In November 2009, just be-fore the exit of Abdul Mutallab from the board of First Bank,

the bank was awarded “Best Bank in Nigeria” by the EMEA Finance Magazine.

It would be recalled that the bank’s Century II Enterprise Transformation Project peaked in 2004; fi ve years after Abdul Mutallab took over the reins of the affairs of its board. The board led by Mutallab had re-portedly tasked Bisi Onasanya, current Group Managing Direc-tor who was then in charge of the project with the mandate to manage what is acknowledged today as the most critical phase

Mutallab

Besides banking, Dr. Abdul Mutallab widely described as one of Africa’s wealthiest personality, has a vast interest in the construction industry


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of the bank’s early transforma-tion, to ensure continuous com-petitiveness. With a good record of performance and technology-driven operations, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, undisputedly, towers above competitions in Nigeria’s sometimes complex and dynamic fi nancial services industry. “This enviable posi-tion was not achieved by short-cuts. It was a result of carefully crafted and vigorously pursued transformational initiatives that seek to position the bank, not just as a national banking icon, but also an international player”, a source familiar with the bank disclosed.

The transformation agenda which debuted in 1996 with the theme “Century II Busi-ness Transformation Project” was to reposition the brand to enable it align with the con-stantly changing features of the modern day market place. That project was revalidated in 2001 with the theme, “Century II – The New Frontier”. In 2004, the transformation peaked with the unveiling a new corporate iden-tity and logo, which signalled its readiness to redefi ne its pro-cess, service delivery, product offerings and human capital development.

Interestingly, Onasanya be-lieves strongly that embarking on that journey was worth-while. Looking back now, he says the transformation efforts encouraged and supported by Abdul Mutallab had yielded radical improvements in ser-vice delivery and renewal of trust by all classes of custom-ers of the bank, adding that the results of the robust trans-

formation were evident in the bank’s standing as a symbol of trust, stability and superior performance in the fi nancial services sector.

Besides banking, Dr. Abdul Mutallab widely described as one of Africa’s wealthiest per-sonality, has a vast interest in the construction industry. He is the chairman of Impresit Bakol-ori (Nigeria) Limited, a construc-tion company which is popular in the Northern part of Nigeria. Impresit Bakolori is an associ-ated company of IMPREGILO S.P.A, an Italian construction fi rm of long standing and was founded in the 1980s. In alli-ance with IMPREGILO, Impresit Bakolori have handled and still handles high level construction projects for most state govern-ments in the northern region. For instance, the company handled the aqueduct exten-sion project in Sokoto State, north-west Nigeria between 1986 and 1989. A few other projects which Abdul Mutallab has infl uenced for Impresit Ba-kolori include the Niger State aqueduct located in Suleja. The project was designed and constructed by the CIBA Con-sortium formed by IMPREGILO S.p.A. The project involved two contracts, one for the construc-tion of the dam and ancillary works and the second for the treatment plant and distribu-tion network.

The small dam has a con-crete spillway and an intake tower connected by pipelines to the pumping station. The wa-ter treatment plant has 50,000 m³/ day maximum capacity.

The water distribution sys-

tem includes 20 km of trans-mission mains and 84.5 km of distribution mains; two con-crete service tanks of 4,000 m³ capacity and one concrete ser-vice tank of 10,000 m³ capacity.

Similarly, the Jibiya irriga-tion project which Impresit Ba-kolori concluded for the Katsina State government in 1992 was equally a proof of the strength of Abdul Mutallab in his terri-tory.

The Jibiya reclamation proj-ect is located in Katsina State, on the border with the Republic of Niger. It is part of the social development programme for the Sokoto-Rima basin.

The dam includes an un-gated concrete spillway and an intake tower for irrigation purpose. “The reservoir has a capacity of 142 million m3 as a barrier against the encroach-ing desert and to supply drink-ing water to the town of Jibiya and neighbouring villages. An irrigation system over 3,500 ha, consisting of a pumping sta-tion, two regulating reservoirs, about 200 km of canals and over 100 km of drainage chan-nels. A road network of 160 km completes the system infra-structure.

A drinking water supply sys-tem serving 200,000 people. After treatment, the reservoir water is distributed through 70 km of steel pipes of varying di-ameters”, Bakolori disclosed.

Most recently, Dr. Abdul Mutallab and a team of inves-tors put an end to the long time controversy about the introduc-tion of Islamic banking in Ni-geria, when Jaiz Bank Plc was quietly commissioned to com-mence operations on Friday, January 6, 2011 in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Jaiz’s eventual emergence follows repeated failures in the past to begin operations more than fi ve years after it launched itself into the public conscious-ness to raise funds from the capital market. The bank was actually incorporated on April 1, 2003 as a public limited li-ability company with an autho-rised share capital of N2.5 bil-

lion. But sources close to the bank claimed that it is yet to re-fl ect the infl uence of the master banker as it allegedly rolled out its operations in haste, not leav-ing room for a thorough strate-gic planning expected from the board and management. As at January 2012, according a re-port, there was only two bank-ing product offerings. They are simply corporate and individual current account while other of-ferings such as internet bank-ing and saving accounts, among others were said to be on hold. Meanwhile, Business Courage investigations show that Jaiz may really not yet be fully pre-pared for business as it has no website where customers can easily interface with it.

The initial shortcomings notwithstanding, Jaiz, accord-ing to inside sources, intends to operate as a full fl edge bank, operating children’s account, fi xed deposit account as well as offer a range of services includ-ing internet banking and ATMs among others.

Dr. Mutallab, a Fellow Insti-tute of the International Bank-ers Association of the United States (FIBA) and Fellow In-stitute of Bankers of Nigeria, holds the Nigeria National Hon-our of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and the Italian National Honour of Commander of the Order of Merit. He was awarded a Hon-ourary Doctorate Degree by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pen-man Pensions Limited. In the past, Mutallab had also served on the boards of several com-panies such as Arewa Textiles Limited, NEPA, NACB, NCC, Ni-geria Agip Oil, and the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria [CCNN]. He was Chairman, Business Support Group of the Vision 2020:20.

Dr.Umaru Abdul Mutallab represents different things to different people. The Times of London, in 2009, said Mutal-lab was “one of the richest men in Africa”. The New York Times towed the same line when it re-

ported that he was “among Ni-geria’s richest and most promi-nent men”. The Telegraphs in its own account said Mutal-lab was one of Nigeria’s most prominent bankers while The Guardian took him to be “one of the country’s most respected businessmen”. However, the enviable track record which Ab-dul Mutallab had built over the years was almost tarnished by the action of one of his sixteen children, Umar Farouk Abdul-mutallab who attempted to det-onate plastic explosives aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on December 25, 2009.

Farouk, upon graduation in London where he studied me-chanical engineering, returned to Nigeria and informed his father that he intended to un-dertake a master’s degree pro-gramme in Cairo, Egypt. But having been aware of his son`s extreme religious views, Umar Abdul Mutallab and his family rebuffed his request to study in Egypt, the home town of Ayman al-Zawahiri and chose Dubai instead.

However, weeks after arriv-ing in Dubai, Umaru Farouk sent words home to his family that he was relocating to Ye-men, an Al Qaeda stronghold, where he allegedly received some training on explosives and IED`s.

But the septuagenarian was exonerated from being an ac-complice in the terrorism crime by the American government because he took a proactive step in alerting both the US and Nigerian government that his son was up to a mischief. The United States government represented by Senator John Kerry, a U.S. Congress man amid the crisis which shook the world of Dr. Umaru Abdul Mutallab to its very foundation, still described him as ‘heroic’. The U.S. applauded the father of the jailed terrorist thus: “Mr. Abdulmutallab acted in a he-roic fashion by informing U.S. authorities of his concerns about his son’s whereabouts and activities and by seeking to disrupt what he believed could have been a dangerous situa-tion,” the letter from Kerry, D-Mass., said.

Hence, he was accorded a rare privilege to appear before the U.S. Congress to discuss his experience with his son and to provide his recommenda-tions on the process by which he worked with U.S. authori-ties.

Though, Dr. Abdul Mutallab is retired from active service, his investments in all the com-panies where he has interests continue to yield sumptuous returns for him. It is interest-ing to know that at the point when he was exiting the Board of First Bank as chairman in 2009, he was the second largest single shareholder in the bank with over 340 million units of shares.

Mutallab

It is interesting to know that at the point when he was exiting the Board of First Bank as chairman in 2009, he was the second largest single shareholder in the bank with over 340 million units of shares


Management Principles

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

Practices that kill employees prodtuctivity

Effective leaders set their teams up for success. This requires that they avoid any management practices that could potentially kill employee productivity. Inept leadership styles come in all fl avours, from the disorganized or forgetful

boss to the extreme micromanager. Here are fi ve practices that are guaranteed to sink your workers’ effi ciency — and the alternatives to supercharge it.

Fear mongering Fear is a powerful motivator, but managers who regularly threaten job security and employees’

livelihood run the risk of paralyzing their team. Employees who are afraid to lose their job may bow under pressure, waste company time looking for jobs “just in case” or gossip with co-workers — all activities that kill morale and decrease productivity.

Instead, cultivate a culture centred on trust, respect and engagement. Such a work environment encourages growth, learning from one’s mistakes and effective communication. Engaged workers who aren’t afraid of being fi red can relax and focus on doing their best work. Similarly, disengaged workers can destroy team morale from within.

Calling employees out in public Managers should praise publicly and counsel privately. Criticizing a team member in front of his

peers is embarrassing for him; it also has an awkward, de-motivating effect on his co-workers, who may now be fearful to make a mistake.

If you need to counsel an employee, do so in a way that won’t attract attention or distract others. This is especially important in offi ces with glass-walled meeting rooms or open fl oor plans, where it’s easy for others to see and hear sensitive meetings.

When I worked in an open-plan offi ce, I’d initiate all one-on-one “development” meetings with an instant message or a short email that explained why I wanted to speak with the team member. Then I’d approach the employee and say something like, “Hey, let’s go take a walk. Will you be free in 10 minutes?” We’d then head to a nearby park, where we could speak freely. Because the company had cultivated a culture of trust, feedback and engagement, employees learned to look forward to these

Bamidele Onibalusi, sim-ply known as Oni in the internet world, stum-

bled on his present business, an online information marketing through blogging and writing. His adventure into the world of infopreneurs begun three years ago when he learnt he could make money online. “I was a big Bill Gates fan then, due to the fact that he was the richest man in the world and his suc-cess was largely due to work-ing with computers. I wanted to be like him; I wanted to be rich, to have the kind of lifestyle I want without working for any-body, so I was so excited when I fi rst heard about the concept of making money online,” he said in a recent interview.

Having discovered his pas-sion, Oni was ready to give it all it takes to become very suc-cessful in the online business as his ambition from the onset was clear- ‘to become a very wealthy infopreneur’.

To begin the long journey into greatness, Oni disclosed that he invested about 20 hours at a stretch creating his fi rst website. And having come up with what he considered an exciting creation, he had hoped to see the money rolling in al-most immediately as he started to write and create contents to attract clients. But that would not happen in spite of his ex-citements and great hopes. Yet, being a dogged internet

A teenage infopreneurBamidele Onibalusi, 18, is one of Nigeria’s fast rising internet entrepreneur who earns a living through blogging and writing. He runs YoungPrePro.com as Managing Director/CEO. His passion is to show as many young Nigerians as possible how not to depend on government, corporations or even their parents for a living, as he believes the only way to live a fulfilled life is by embracing entrepreneurship. Onibalusi hopes to become a computer scientist one day

By Bamidele Obafemi

entrepreneur, he was ready to go back to the drawing board to review his strategies after a seemingly futile effort in the fi rst three months of starting the business. In a bid to dis-cover what was wrong with his style, Oni started reading vari-ous blogs and articles about how to make money online, and it was then that he discovered an article by Steve Pavlina. “It was an article that changed ev-erything”, he said. “The article made me realize how blogging works, and, most importantly, it also made me realize the im-portance of giving free value without expecting anything in return. That was when I dis-covered blogging and writing online, and that was when ev-erything changed. Bill Gates was a big inspiration in terms of mentality, but Steve Pavlina gave me the kick I needed to get started” he added.

However, after discovering the secrets of becoming a suc-cessful blogger and writer as shared by his business men-tor, a myriad of challenges still stirred Oni in the face, but one after the other, he cleared them out of his way, as he was bent on achieving success at all cost.

Perhaps, the most threaten-ing of the challenges that stood on his way was the need to be connected online almost 24 hours of the day in an environ-ment where electricity and in-ternet connection still remain a

big issue. But Oni, being a die-hard entrepreneur who would not take no for an answer, sim-ply entered into a partnership with a cafe owner in his area who offered him free access to the computer and internet since he lacked the fi nancial wherewithal to acquire a com-

puter and internet facility at the start-up stage. “My mother is a widow with six children, so burdening her with a “new” business that I’m the only one who believes will work won’t cut it. I was a little bit familiar with how computers work then, and I was into hacking and net-

working, so I started offering my skills as a freelancer locally, and to individuals that needed help with their computers; this made it easy for me to get mon-ey for hosting and maintaining my blog. I also participated in a few online contests to fund my business”, he recollected.

Onibalusi


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Personal Finance

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

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“walks” as opportunities to improve.

Avoiding project ownership Managers who hold the strings in every regard aren’t

leaders — they’re tyrants. Employees who are mere pawns can quickly become disengaged; they have little incentive to go above and beyond in any particular task.

Employees who have ownership over a project are emo-tionally vested in its success. That small measure of recog-nition builds accountability. An employee who is the point person for a project may go above and beyond to coordinate

his teammates, meet project deadlines and communicate their progress with you.

Ignoring top performersWhat practices separate your peak performers from your aver-

age performers? Ineffective leaders micromanage top performers or ignore their prowess altogether, essentially getting in their way or de-motivating them.

Good managers recognize and acknowledge high-performance workers. Give these team members responsibilities that best lever-age their skills. Meet with these individuals and ask what tools they need to do their very best work. Try to understand their work processes and how they may differ from the rest of your team.

Running ineffective meetings Managers love meetings because it enables them to catch up on

projects and disseminate instructions to key team members all at once. Many employees hate meetings because they’re poorly man-aged, irrelevant to their work responsibilities or held at a time of day that isn’t conducive to a long attention span. This disconnects be-tween managers’ needs to stay “in the loop” and employees’ distaste for meetings can add up to energy lulls and decreased productivity.

In an offi ce setting primed for productivity, every leader would intuitively know how to manage their teams to peak effi ciency. By avoiding these management practices, managers will be fi ve steps closer to that optimal environment.

Keeping family business running smoothlyKeeping family business running smoothly

Many home-based and other small- or even medium-sized businesses are family-owned and operated. And while there are certainly a whole host of perks to

working closely with the ones you love the most, the dynamics in the family-owned operation can pose their own unique set of challenges.

Here are some tips to mitigate or even prevent any negative fallout that could be a direct result of your business being a family-run operation:

CommunicationCommunicate often, regularly and with a set agenda. It’s far

too easy to get side-tracked talking about more personal fam-ily matters and avoid in-depth and strategic business-related discussions. Carve out time on a regular basis to talk about nothing but business in a structured way.

Keep business and home separateIn keeping with the prior point, business belongs at the

offi ce and personal matters belong at home. Never the twain shall meet.

Keep documentThe failure to document in writing what has been agreed

upon between family members who are in business together is probably the number one most costly mistake family business owners make. There is no place for “trust me” or “I’m insulted” when it comes to business. You must clearly defi ne the terms of any business relationship in writing, family or not.

If things get tricky, hire an outside facilitator. Hire a pro to help you settle your differences sooner rather than later. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than ending up in a court room.

Invest in training and professional developmentAlthough a business owner can certainly pass along much

of his/her wisdom to the next generation, there’s always room for your staff, whether they are family or not, to improve their management, administrative and other business-related skills. As a bonus, they’ll probably come back with a thing or two to teach you too.

Hold family members accountableFamily members must be treated the same way you’d treat a

non-family member in business; they must be held accountable for their actions or lack thereof. This is critical if you want to lessen the possibility of resentment within your organization.

Foster inherited professional and personal alliancesIntroduce your key personal and professional contacts to

your successors and foster those relationships wherever and whenever possible.

Know that a good idea is a good ideaDon’t be too proud to accept a good idea when you hear one

or to change the way you do things when it’s the right thing to do, even if the idea or suggestion comes from a family member who is younger or with whom there may be some rivalry.

Worry about fair, not equalPay and compensation among family members should be

based on fair market value, not some misplaced commitment to everything being equal. Fair is not always equal, and equal is not always fair.

Formalize a suc-

cession planYour business suc-

cession plan is every bit as important as your personal estate planning. Failing to plan for the future of your business means you’re really okay if it eventually collapses. The question is, “Are you?”

Meanwhile, getting people to trust him enough to patro-nise the products he is offering them online turned out to be another big obstacle he had to surmount before the business would thrive. This is because of the perception of the global community about Nigeria espe-cially as it relates to doing busi-ness online. But that again, he was able to put behind him by choosing to be consistent in the value he offers, and by lever-aging the brand and platform of other successful bloggers to grow his business.

Marketing, being a major problem every entrepreneur especially infopreneurs face in business, Oni was able to over-come it by writing guest posts for popular blogs in his niche.

Yet, he had to write as much as 270 guest posts before his business began to take off. “It was around then that I got my fi rst client, and that I started to notice signifi cant increase in my traffi c. The problem with my approach then was that my guest posts were focused mostly on smaller blogs, and I had little to no SEO knowledge so I didn’t maximize my guest posts”, he confessed.

Today, in spite of the initial challenges and a stifl ing operat-ing environment in the country, Oni says the tide has turned, as

he has fi nally discovered the secret of mak-ing money almost effort-lessly in the business.

T h o u g h making money is very dear to him, the youngster ac-k n o w l e d g e s that life does not start and end with gen-erating cash. Therefore, one of the things he does to give back to his immedi-ate commu-nity is to offer assistance by teaching people how to also make money from the internet business. This is how he puts it: “I have a passion for helping people, and the majority of my income comes from client work. In fact, even when I sometimes mentor people offl ine, I do it for free. I believe that the more you give, the more you get. Also, it is not that I have no plans to charge. Everything is a matter of time, and I believe now isn’t the right time to charge; I’m still taking my time to under-

stand the real problems writers face online, and I’ll be happy to charge when I have something worth paying for”.

Above all, he said his great-est joy as an entrepreneur is the freedom he enjoys. Meanwhile his focus at the moment is to generate more valuable con-tents that will help drive more traffi c to his blog. “One article I’m writing right now will take at least 30 hours to complete, and I type at around 70 words per minute; it’s content like this that I want to focus on, and that I believe can impact my brand”, he enthused.

Being an entrepreneur driv-en by passion for what he does, Oni, in spite of his abhorrence for routines would leave no stone unturned to achieve his goals once he has set them. “I hate routines, and that has been a problem for me. I’ve tried it several times to create a schedule to follow, but it makes it impossible for me to get any-thing done. My typical day is so erratic, and I don’t think I have a “working day”. I can work for a whole week sometimes, and the next week might be spent watching movies. Usually, I start my day by checking my emails, and I sometimes start the day by writing when I’m on a deadline. I spend an average of 40 hours working in a week, and it can be as much as 80 hours depending on my mood” he said.

But while Oni hopes to con-centrate on his blog in the short term, his long term plan is to become a computer scientist. He said his plan is to replicate what one of his mentors; Bill Gates did with Microsoft in the fi eld of computing.


The ban on existing and ap-proved telecommunication companies’ promotions and

lotteries last week by the Nige-rian Communications Commis-sion (NCC), no doubt, might have come to many Nigerian telephone subscribers as a welcome devel-opment.

In the last few months, mak-ing a telephone call successfully for most subscribers has been like a camel passing through the needle’s eye, as most subscrib-ers are daily faced with the chal-lenges of dropped calls, call diver-sion, weak call signals to activate calls, poor voice clarity, delay in SMS delivery, among others. The general belief is that these dif-fi culties are the consequences of the various exciting, innovative and sometimes hard to believe promos and lotteries rolled out by the telecos.

For instance, while the De-cember period which is known for rash of promos is yet to come, determined to win more subscrib-ers, most of the operators have since August, been on rampage with the introduction of various promos including an out of the ordinary 500 per cent bonus offer amidst low call tariff. Aside offer-ing free bonus credit for subscrib-ers to make calls, leading tele-communications company in the country, MTN, for instance, came up with what it termed the biggest promo in town with the promise of an aeroplane with a price tag of N64 million worth as a star prize. However, with the low tariff and free credit offered, the condition had been that subscribers must make use of the 500 per cent bo-nus on the calls before midnight.

Hence, with such midnight ex-piration, the offer had encouraged more people to make calls, either necessary or not in order to get such daily bonus. The attendant effect of this, many believed, has been a worsened service qual-ity since the capacity on ground cannot accommodate the surge in daily traffi c. This is believed to have aggravated incidences of the unconnected calls, dropped calls, call diversion, weak call signals to activate calls, poor voice clarity and delay in SMS delivery.

MTN’s Chief Technical Offi cer (CTO), Karl Toriola himself admit-ted that with the lowered tariff, subscribers tends to make more calls. “When you reduce tariff,

Good riddance to telecom promos?

depending on the elasticity, and the appeal to the customers, you fi nd that people may make a lot more calls than they previously had, under a higher tariff regime. This drives signifi cantly more traffi c on the network and as a consequence, if the traffi c is more rapid than what was forecasted, it could lead to congestion on the network,” Toriola said.

If this is true, then it becomes obvious that the telecoms regula-tor might not have been wrong in its decision stopping the telecos from embarking on promotions that either increase subscribers’ minutes or add to the subscriber base as they might have accom-modated more than they can carry. Notably, since the free calls saga began, the monthly sub-scriber base has been moving up geometrically.

For instance, at the end of August, the country’s mobile telephone subscriber base hit a record 105.2 million from 103.4 million active telephone lines re-corded in July. In August alone, it means over 1.8 million new lines were added.

While the total connected lines increased to 141.2 million in that month, the NCC data showed that GSM companies such as MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat attracted most of the new sub-scriptions between January and August, while the Code Division

Multiple Access (CDMA) operators such as Visafone, Multi-Links, Starcomms and ZoomMobile continued to witness month-on-month decline in combined sub-scriber base.

According to the NCC data, while active mobile subscrip-tions on the GSM networks in-creased from 91 million in Janu-ary to 101.4 million at the end of August; the CDMA operators’ subscriber base shrank from 4.4 million to 3.3 million during the eight-month period. The GSM ac-tive subscriptions, which stood at 91 million in January, 2012,

increased to 92 million in Febru-ary and 94.5 million at the end of March. The subscriptions con-tinued the upward growth trend, reaching 96.6 million in April and 97.5 million in May.

Interestingly, last month, as the promos thickened, the sub-scriber base increased further with about 2.1 million additions. The additional lines which rep-resented a two per cent increase for the month of October pushed the total active telephone lines to 107.3 million.

With the alarming rate of sub-scriber base. Hence, it was not surprising when Minister of Com-munication Technology, Omobola Johnson fi rst gave a warning, threatening to stop all promo-tions that tend to increase the subscriber base of telecommuni-cations operators in the country. According to her, the decision to curtail the rate at which the fi rms embark on promotions was borne out of the discovery that such pro-motions put stress on their base stations. “In the coming days, the Nigerian Communication Com-mission would curtail or stop all promotions that either increase subscribers minutes or add to the subscriber base that are causing additional congestion on the net-work,” she had said.

While the government, the minister said, would again re-view the quality of service by the operators next month, she added that any network operator found wanting would be sanctioned.

And true to the minister’s threat, Tony Ojobo, Director of

Public Affairs of NCC stated that the commission had verifi ed that the various promotional sales campaigns by the telecom opera-tors had led to network conges-tions, and contributed greatly to the poor QoS experienced in the country.

Ojobo noted that the Commis-sion had carefully evaluated the complaints received especially against the backdrop of sustain-ing the integrity of the networks, the general interest of the con-sumers, the socio-economic impact of these promotions on operators and other relevant stakeholders.

Announcing that the ban cov-ers all proposed and approved promotions and lotteries on which it has given approval further to the Memorandum of Understand-ing (MoU) entered into with the National Lottery Regulatory Com-mission (NLRC), Ojobo noted, “The Commission is also mindful of its statutory responsibilities to protect and promote the interest of consumers against unfair prac-tices, promote fair competition in the industry by protecting opera-tors from misuse of market power and anti-competitive/unfair prac-tices by other operators.”

While the ban is said to be with immediate effect and shall continue to remain in force until such a time as may be determined by the Commission, affected in this latest ban are: Globacom Ltd (operators of Glo Mobile), MTN, Intercellular Nigeria Plc, Visafone, Etisalat, Airtel and Multilinks.

To Ojobo, the Commission

Mixed reactions trail the directive banning telecoms promos and lotteries in the country as a result of persistent poor quality of service. But it’s yet to be seen if this alone would bring about better quality of service to the telecoms industry

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

Johnson


TechnotipsTechnotips

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had taken into cognizance the im-plications of its actions as the de-cisions were taken in the interest of consumers as it observed that these promotions have increased the number of minutes available to subscribers for use within a limited period of time thereby cre-ating congestion in the networks as subscribers try to use up the available minutes within the stip-ulated time.

“That on-net call was now be-ing offered by operators at tariffs well below the prevailing inter-connect rates thereby introduc-ing anti-competitive practices and behaviour. Termination of calls was becoming increasingly diffi -cult from one network to another and overall consumer experience on the networks has become very poor, thereby making it extremely diffi cult for subscribers to make calls successfully,” Ojobo said.

Expectedly, many Nigerians have applauded the decision of the Commission. For instance, President, National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), Deolu Ogunbanjo noted that the move would free-up the network and stop cur-rent congestion of the networks. Ogunbanjo said that stopping the promotions would compel tele-com operators to upgrade their services to meet up with their promotions.

“By this decision, telecom op-erators will want to expedite ac-tion to improve on their networks, knowing that their promotions always attract more subscribers into their various networks. All these promotions here and there are also affecting the quality of service; it’s a good decision that the Federal Government has tak-en. Let us see if the stoppage will have positive effect on the quality of service and if operators want to continue to give back to sub-scribers, they must fi rst focus on quality of service to subscribers,” he said.

Ogunbanjo said that sales promotions are good if the issue of quality of service is addressed, adding that operators should fi rst improve on their networks before continuing with the promotions.

Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, President, Teledom Group, said that the decision could not have come at a right time. Wondering why despite poor quality of ser-vice to subscribers, telcos are still engaging in promotions, Ekuwem noted, “Looking at it hypothetical-ly, if 10 million subscribers in the country play a promo per SMS at the rate of N100, that equals to N1 billion. Every other thing put into consideration, if such opera-tor, let’s say, deducts N3 million for logistics from the N1 billion, it shows that per SMS they have gained N7 million,” he reasoned.

An industry analyst who didn’t want his name in print submitted however believes that, “Perhaps the situation would have been better if it had been one or two of the operators engaging in the pro-mo; at least, Nigerians subscrib-ers, most of who use more than one network would have opted for the alternative, if one gets worse. Unfortunately, in the spirit of competition, all the operators are

in it, thus, leaving the entire net-works in a mess of poor service.”

“And now that that the service is even getting worse, if the opera-tors pretend not to know that the incessant promos are aggravating the problem, then, the regulator, whose duty it is to ensure that the people get value for their money should call the operators to order. Of what value is a free call credit that cannot make one successful call till it expires? Of what benefi t is a cheap tariff plan, when you cannot make the important call at the time it matters? Quality, rather than quantity should be the focus for the industry,” he emphasised.

But it is obvious that many subscribers would lose opportu-nity of free calls. Like Ogunbanjo rightly observed, “Telecom pro-motions have in one way or the other reduced tariffs across the networks and that has encour-aged subscribers to enjoy talking freely.”

Complying with the directives, Globacom last week sent out SMS to its numerous customers in-forming them of the NCC’s action. “Dear Customer, in line with NCC directive to all GSM operators, the following GLO promotional offers have been suspended; Text4Mil-lions Season 3, Triple Instant Bo-nus, Made for life & 500 per cent usage bonus. Any inconvenience is highly regretted. Rule your world”

In the same vein, Akinwale Goodluck, MTN’s Corporate Ser-vice Executive speaking with our correspondent at the presentation of the winner of its aeroplane star prize in the just concluded MTN Ultimate wonder promo, affi rmed the suspension of all MTN’s pro-mos in line with NCC’s directive. “We have to obey the laws and the regulator. For instance, the regu-lator has imposed an embargo on promos that have minutes of use on the network. That is ongoing. But this promo of the aeroplane was unaffected, because this pro-mo had ended before that direc-tive was issued,” he said.

While the promo might have been suspended with the belief that quality of service will im-prove, investigations carried out by Business Courage last week revealed that it may not yet be Uhuru. For instance, as at the time of fi lling this reports, many are still experiencing incessant

dropped calls, weak call signals to activate calls, poor voice clarity as well as delay in SMS delivery.

Giving credence to why poor service might still continue for a while, most operators believe problems of equipment vandalism, fi -bre cuts and lately fl ooding needed to be addressed as they remain major causes of the poor quality service.

Minister of Communi-cation Technology seems to be in agreement with the operators. While she partly blamed the current poor service on the fi rms’ lack of investment in ex-pansion, modernisation and upgrade of their infra-structure to cope with the demand for voice, data and

SMS services, she also affi rmed that the recent attacks on base stations in North-East and fl ood-ing in parts of the South might have contributed to poor service delivery by telecoms companies.

For instance, MTN Nigeria re-cently said its network moderni-sation being implemented as a part of its $1.3 billion capital ex-penditure budget is being chal-lenged by the fl ood disaster and the increasing wave of insecurity in some parts of the country. The operator, while appealing for un-derstanding from its customers and other key stakeholders as it continues its network upgrade said the pace of work has been considerably challenged by the spate of insecurity coupled with the unprecedented fl ooding being experienced in many parts of the country.

The network optimization ex-ercise affects over 4,000 base sta-tions out of over 10,000 across the country. In at least 13 states, fl ooding has created additional logistic impediments such that the pace of the ongoing network modernization efforts has slowed down.

The upgrade began in July and it is expected to cover the entire country and was originally expected to span a period of nine months. Its objectives are to con-siderably enhance capacity on the MTN network and improve service quality. Under the project, which is being implemented by a com-bined team of MTN engineers and technical partners that include Ericsson, Huawei and ZTE, key network components are being swapped with the latest upgrades in the industry. In addition, cur-rent power systems are being re-placed with hybrid power systems which are more environment-friendly.

With these barrages of chal-lenges, it is very clear that that good quality of service might not be expected in the nearest future as Goodluck said, “There are lots of environment issues affecting good quality of service in the coun-try. While operators are working, the government is working, the regulator is working, if all these things come together, by then we would see signifi cant appreciation in the quality of service.”

But the question remains, how soon?

Ojobo

There are many reasons why you would want to check if an unauthorized party is using your wireless network. It may be that you’re experiencing a slower

than normal Internet connection or you simply don’t want anyone getting a free ride while you pay the bill. Of course, there are also security and legal implications if he uses your connection for piracy or other illicit activities.

Whatever the case, it’s better to stay on the safe side. Many may have already taken some basic precautions when setting up their wireless network and know their way around troubleshooting these issues. This brief guide is aimed mostly at novice users in need a hand to fi nd out if, indeed, their Wi-Fi is being stolen.

Check the devices associated with your routerThe fi rst thing you need to do is login to your router’s

administrative console by typing its IP address directly into the browser address bar -- typically 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 depending on which router you have. If you don’t know your router’s default address check out this guide or simply go to the command prompt (Start > Run/Search for cmd) and enter ipconfi g. The address you need should be next to Default Gateway under your Local Area Connection.

Alternatively, if you are on a Mac, you can fi nd the default address by going to Network under System Prefer-ences. It should be listed right next to “Router:” if you are using Ethernet, or by clicking on “Advanced…” and head-ing to the “TCP/IP” tab if you are using Wi-Fi. Next, point your browser to that address and enter your login details -- if you haven’t changed the default settings, it should be a combination of “admin” and “password” or blank fi elds. Here’s a default username and password list (PDF) you might fi nd useful, but we recommend you change this afterwards.

Once inside your router’s administrative console,look for a section related to connected devices or wireless status. In the old DIR-655 from D-Link it’s available under Status > Wireless but you’ll fi nd it as “Attached Devices” in Netgear routers, under DHCP Clients Table on Linksys routers, “Device List” if you are using the Tomato fi rmware, and so on.

DHCP client list examples on D-Link and Linksys

routersThis should provide a table with the IP, MAC address

and other details of every device currently connected to the router. Check that list against your gear to fi nd any intrud-ers. You can fi nd out the MAC/IP address of your comput-ers by going to the Command Prompt again and entering ‘ipconfi g /all’. The MAC address will be shown as the physi-cal address. I’ll let you fi gure it out for mobile devices like smartphones and media players since I can’t possibly list all options.

Taking actionThe best and simplest solution is to set up a strong

password using WPA2 or WPA -- WEP is very easy to crack so avoid that if possible. There are some other methods you can use to beef up security, like switching off the SSID broadcast (which prevents it from advertising the name of your network to nearby Wi-Fi devices) or setup a fi lter for allowed or blocked devices by MAC address. It won’t stop the most determined intruder but it will slow him down.

That should be more than enough for most users but if you need to actually track down who’s been breaking into your network it’s possible to pinpoint his physical location using a tool called MoocherHunter. You’ll need to burn a Live CD to boot your laptop with and walk around to track down unauthorized wireless clients. According to the pro-gram’s description, it detects traffi c sent across the net-work and can fi nd the source within 2 meters accuracy.

Needless to say, we’re not suggesting you take mat-ters into your own hands, but it might come in handy if someone is getting you in trouble with authorities using your network for illegal purposes -- or simply to have a cool story to tell.

How to check if someone is using your Wi-Fi


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HP, Microsoft, others bag RIMA awardStories by Adejuwon Osunnuyi

Hewlett-Packard company, an American multina-

tional information technology corporation which provides products, technologies, soft-ware, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and large enter-prises, including customers in the government, health and education sectors has emerged winner of Project of the Year Award at the 8th edi-tion of Records and Informa-tion Management Awareness Conference, Awards and Exposition (RIMAC and RIMA Awards 2012) held in Lagos recently.

Also, recognised as the Product of the Year was Mi-crosoft’s SharePoint. Micro-soft SharePoint is a Web ap-plication platform developed by Microsoft. First launched in 2001, SharePoint has his-torically been associated with intranet content management and document management, but recent versions have signifi cantly broader capabili-ties.

The Records and Infor-mation Management Aware-ness Conference, Awards and Exposition (RIMAC and RIMA Awards) annual events are organized by the Records and Information Manage-ment Awareness Foundation (RIMA), a non-profi t NGO that seek to promote proper management and security of records and information in Nigeria and Africa.

The event with the Theme: “Freedom of Information: En-hancing democratic engage-ment, building confi dence in government institutions and strengthening credibility and effectiveness” had in atten-dance representatives of both the Hon. Minister of Informa-tion, Labaran Maku and the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Aderemi Ibirogba.

The 2012 event addressed major issues surrounding the implementation of the FOIA in Nigeria with emphasis on how it could augment demo-cratic engagement, building confi dence and strengthening credibility and effectiveness in government institutions.

The 2012 exhibition also had in attendance, leading information management, security and technology solu-tion providers and agencies like First Bank of Nigeria, Pet-rodata Management Services Ltd, Havilah Merchant, MZ Consulting, Busicon Nigeria Limited, Rabonni Tech. Ltd, Docudata Custodian Services Ltd, Templeton Business Consulting, Golden Scepter Ltd, Meniko South Africa, Ke-

cam ventures, and Deliz Global Concept Ltd.

SkyVision to invest more in Africa

SkyVision Global Networks Ltd, a leading global

provider of IP connectivity over satellite and fi bre optic systems, has announced that it will continue expanding its local presence across Africa.

Following an intense stra-tegic process, it became clear that in order for SkyVision to keep its position as a major African player offering ser-vices specifi cally designed for the rapidly developing African markets, it will also need to enhance its local presence in key African markets.

The company’s CEO, Ben Sira stated: “It was clear from day one that if SkyVision was to enhance its market lead-ership in Africa, the com-pany would have to expand its strong and reliable local pres-ence. I am proud to say that we have made a major leap in this direction over the past year and will continue to do so moving forward into 2013.”

One of the steps taken to make this happen was to establish a local offi ce and teleport in South Africa. SkyVi-sion South Africa is positioned in a prime tactical position to respond to South African busi-nesses requiring high quality communication services over fi bre, wireless and satellite to Africa and from Africa.

SkyVision’s new iDirect hub in Johannesburg supports the latest iDX 3.1 iDirect release, and takes full advantage of the Amos 5 satellite with its broad coverage of southern and sub-Saharan Africa both on C Band and Ku Band.

SkyVision has also recently initiated a major expansion into Western Africa with the acquisition of Afi nis. This purchase is a natural move for SkyVision and ensures the effective delivery of compre-hensive services to new and expanding markets in Franco-phone Africa.

Afi nis is seamlessly in-tegrating into SkyVision’s corporate identity in terms of services provided, overall coverage, local presence, and the professional quality of the

staff. SkyVision is also leverag-ing Afi nis’extensive knowledge in corporate market segments, particularly in Oil & Gas, min-ing and fi nancial services.

Airtel digs deeper into promotion of Nigerian culture

In its effort at promoting the Nigerian culture, Airtel Nige-

ria has emerged the headline sponsor of this year’s edition of the Ahiajioku Festival which takes place in Owerri, the Imo State capital, from November 22-23, 2012.

Ahiajioku Festival, the sin-gle most important intellectual and cultural festival among the Igbos, is an annual event that attracts the best and brightest academic and cultural afi ciona-dos from the continent and the black Diaspora.

With the theme, Equity and Justice in Igbo Jurisprudence in the Nigerian Polity (Ok-ezue Ogbu Ala), Professor Uba Nnabue, Dean Faculty of Law, Imo State University, is ex-pected to be the guest lecturer of this year’s edition of the Festival.

Over the years, the festival has gained prominence and international recognition in intellectual circles attracting renowned scholars and path-breaking intellectuals like Chi-nua Achebe who was the Guest Lecturer at the 2009 edition of the lecture series.

Speaking on Airtel’s spon-sorship, the Director of Com-munications and CSR, Emeka Oparah, explained that Airtel is determined to provide the critical intervention that helps to build and sustain bridges of friendship across cultural and geographical boundaries in Nigeria.

“The aspirations of Ahia-jioku Festival are similar to the basic idea behind our ‘Best Friends theme campaign’ through which Airtel hopes to fuel friendships and part-nerships that will lead to the emergence of a better Nigeria of our dreams. We can only pursue scholarly excellence and cultural renaissance in a friendly climate. Airtel fuels friendships with our bouquet of revolutionary products that speaks to the needs of diverse

market segments,” Oparah further explained.

Cashless: Stakeholders seek e-fraud reporting centre

Stories by Kunle Azeez

The Central Bank of Nigeria has been urged to set up an

information repository centre for the systematic reporting of all fraudulent activities as part of strategic measure to tackle electronic fraud in the country’s nascent cashless economy.

This recommendation was contained in communiqué issued at the end of the third Annual Payments Systems and Fraud Conference for West Afri-ca, organised by the Electronic Payment Providers Association of Nigeria in conjunction with the Nigeria Electronic fraud fo-rum (NeFF), in Lagos recently.

The communiqué signed by the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Offi cer of E-PPAN, Onajite Regha, said there should be a structure and process to capture data and information on all types of commercial fraudulent activi-ties which will be strategically shared for statistics purposes. This, the communiqué said, can help with forecast of elec-tronic payment fraud trends and protect the industry.

It also advocated that there should be consistent knowl-edge sessions such as work-shops, trainings for all arms of the security agencies involved in the investigation and pros-ecution of electronic fraud; that the industry should embark on an industry wide awareness campaign on electronic fraud; and that the industry should establish a process of employee background checks for all employments in the fi nancial industry.

The stakeholders, in the communiqué, also advocated the need for West Africa opera-tors to engage in collaboration with international and local agencies to develop effective strategic responses to preven-tion and investigation of e-frauds and also to keep abreast with international fraud trends and global best practices.

“The industry should orga-nise themselves into advocacy pressure groups for the speedy passage of all necessary bills to give a legal framework to elec-tronic payment,” he said.

In the course of delibera-tions and knowledge exchange at the conference, the stake-holders at the conference observed had observed that there was no clear or accurate data on the extent of electronic fraud being perpetrated on the Nigerian Payments System; and that there was a knowl-

edge gap in the process and procedure for prosecution in electronic fraud.

They also noted that security agencies such as the police, Economic and Finan-cial Crimes Commission, the judiciary and law makers did not have adequate knowledge on the processes of electronic payment, to help them un-derstand the trends of fraud and help them better prepare for their roles in e-fraud in-vestigation and prosecution.

TAA offers update on NCC’s broadband expansion project

Telecoms Answers Associ-ates (TAA), a consulting

fi rm appointed by the Nige-rian Communications Com-mission to drive the Broad-band Expansion Programme (BBExPro) for the country, has provided new update on the activities that should be expected by participating companies in the scheme.

According to the Program Leader, BBExPro, Titi Omo-Ettu, a workshop, which is going to be the forerunner of activities planned for the scheme is the fi rst and very important assembly of the participating fi rms.

He said the participating fi rms will be represented by delegates, noting, however, that a participating fi rm may send more than one delegate to the Workshop.

The Broadband Expan-sion Programme (BBExPro), which TAA conceived based on results of several study and summit works done so far on the subject.

The programme will help in the mobilisation of players who will participate in the accelerated spread of broad-band internet infrastructure and services across Nigeria.

For several years, TAA has built a track record for critical study of the industry and used research results to shape industry focus via conferences, summits and training.

The journey to this fi nal stage of the programme started in 2010 with Broad-band for Nigeria (BB4NG), through broadband invest-ment summit in 2011 and now BBExPro.

Omo-Ettu, the immediate past President, Association of Teelcoms Companies of Nigeria, while providing the new update, said the objec-tives of the workshop are to share information on how the BbExPro will run and to re-ceive a publication titled Ni-geria’s Broadband Expansion programme 2013 purposely published as a networking document for all players of the Nigerian communication technology industry.Sira

Oparah


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BELIEVABILITY INDEX

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As the year draws to a close, many investors in the Nigerian capital market may have started taking

stocks of their personal performance during the year. As it is the case with every venture, it is either head or tail. That is, you either win or lose. But when losses are recorded across a particular sector, it then becomes unique, raising concern as to what prospect such a sector holds for investors in the future.

Available statistics from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) indicate that prior to 2012; one sub-sector that had remained the toast of investors is the petroleum product marketing. The reason been that, it was a sector where investors are almost certain of getting one return or the other on their equity at the end of the year. Investors were sure of getting plum dividend rewards or price appreciation on their stocks.

Hitherto, almost all the stocks in this sub-sector were assumed to belong to the blue chip category, because of their fi nancial performance as well as value creation for shareholders. But this is fast becoming history and this to a large extent, proves how dynamic the capital market is as well as how sensitive it can respond to information. The year 2012 will go down as a year when all the stocks in this subsector recorded price depreciation and a good number of operators possibly posting loss by year-end.

This perspective was unveiled by a performance analysis carried out on 193 listed equities on the Daily Offi cial List of the NSE last week. The report simply indicated that investors who bought equities in this subsector at the beginning of the year may be counting their losses now. The analysis shows that all the equities listed in the petroleum market sub-sector recorded price depreciation from the price they commenced the year to date.

Using Monday, November 12, 2012 as the closing date as against the opening price stocks of companies listed in the subsector traded at the commencement of the year, it was observed that all

expect one recorded price depreciation. Those whose share prices fell during the period include Afroil, MRS, Oando, Conoil, Total, Forte Oil, Eterna Oil, and Mobil. However, Beco claimed an exception as its share price remained static at the nominal price of 50 kobo throughout the period.

The value of losses incurred calculated in percentage, Afroil Plc shed the highest weight. At the inception of the year, the stock sold for N20.71, thanks to the technical suspension it was placed on, but as at the date used for this analysis, it has depleted to 0.34 kobo following the lifting of the suspension, indicating a 98.36 per cent price loss year-to-date. This made the stock the leader in the losers’ chat in the oil subsector as well as among the 193 equities reviewed. The condition of equity was further complicated recently when the NSE slated it for delisting due to its inability to meet post listing requirements.

It terms of price depreciation among equities in the subsector, MRS comes next as it declined by 50.59 per cent to close at N29.15 per share down from N59. Trailing MRS is Oando with a 47.32 per cent price cut to N11.80 from N22.40. Conoil and Total followed suit at a price depreciation of 43.33 and 33.39 per cent respectively, their share prices having declined to N17.85, and N125 from N31.50 and N188.10 respectively.

In terms of ranking, Forte Oil Plc (former AP Plc) came next, having lost 19.83 per cent of its initial share price of N11.60 to fall to its current market price of N9.30, while Mobil Oil recorded 14.12 per cent loss to trade at N115 per share on the day used for the analysis compared with N133.91, the price at which it commenced trading in the year. The share price of Eterna Oil recorded the least depreciation with its share price reducing by 11.29 per cent to N2.75 from N3.10.

To further complicate the situation of investors who bought shares of these companies, a few of the companies have started posting losses in their quarterly fi nancial accounts, thereby heightening the fear that their share price may continue to decline. A case at hand is MRS Oil Nigeria Plc. The company’s third quarter accounts for the period ended September 30, 2012 clearly reveals

that the industry is passing through tough time and the much anticipated respite is still far away.

Clearly, the result runs contrary to the views expressed by Sayyu Dantata, Chairman, Board of Directors of the company earlier in the year when he indicated that there are rays of hope when he spoke to shareholders during the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

Reviewing company’s performance in 2011 at that meeting, Dantata said, “With all pleasure, I make bold to say that our company performed creditably well in spite of the unfavourable economic impact emanating from local and global challenges. This impressive performance index is a direct testimonial of the purposeful management and committed workforce that our company - MRS Oil Nigeria Plc – has in place”.

Perhaps the purposeful management and committed staff have been overwhelmed by recent developments in the market place. The account for the third quarter showed a reduction in sales as turnover declined by 1.13 per cent to N52.54 billion from N53.14 billion in the similar period of 2011. Worst still, the company recorded a loss before tax and after tax of N36 million during the period, unlike in the corresponding period of 2011 when a profi t before and after tax of N570

million and N81 million respectively was posted.

Consequently, Earnings per Share (EPS) has turned negative, to (0.09kobo) as against 0.19 kobo in similar period of 2011. It will be recalled that the company was benevolent enough to reward shareholders with a dividend of 0.70 kobo per share for the 2011 fi nancial when its EPS was 0.97 kobo, thus reducing the attractiveness of the stock to prospective investors whose desire is to make quick gains.

Furthermore, the current report to some extent negates Dantata’s proposition to shareholders as to what they should expect by year end. Forecasting on the company’s outlook for the year at the last AGM, he had said that “It is envisaged that the 2012 will, much like 2011, bring forth new challenges that will enhance and expand the scope of our business activities, albeit positively”. In order to deliver the positive results the chairman said, “We will meet the challenges in the industry head-on and build on our unique and entrenched Pan African roots while leveraging on our present position and strength within MRS Group”.

He went ahead to assure shareholders of the board’s determination on what he called benefi cial value for them. His words, “On our part, we have resolved to continue to create benefi cial shareholders value through the delivery of profi table business results”. These certainly will have to be a long term objective.

The table seem to have turned mid way. These promises will for now remain what they are made to be, “dreams”. However, the question demanding answer now is, how long will shareholders continue to count their losses in the hitherto blue chip stocks? It is certainly not within the current fi nancial year.

Nevertheless, shareholders of MRS Oil can take solace in the fact that, the capital market will always have its ups and down seasons. Perhaps, when the ongoing probes and investigations in the Nigerian petroleum industries are over, things will begin to look up again.

Oil stocks misfortunes: Can MRS still deliver on its promises? By Festus Okoromadu

Dantata

Long before now, the signs that the Federal Government was up to something with regards to the down-

stream sector of the oil industry have been very clear. Unlike the January 1, 2012 hike in pump price of petroleum prod-ucts which caught many unawares, the impending raise from the current price of N97 does not look like the one that would probably shock many.

The handwritings have been too clear in the past few months. Besides, many have envisaged that given the way the Federal Government was frustrated to back down on the January 1, 2012 full de-regulation, it won’t be long enough before the issue was revisited.

In the past few months, many states across the country have had to con-tend with acute fuel scarcity, where long queues, reminiscent of the dark old days become common feature at few of the fi ll-ing stations dispensing the product.

Abuja, the seat of government was the fi rst casualty as motorists spent hours un-ending scavenging for the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as Petrol. Gradually, the anguish spread to other parts of the country with Lagos, Nigeria’s

Another crisis beckonscommercial hub having more than its fair share of what has been tagged petragony.

Unfortunately, the scarcity that hits Lagos and most states in the South West and some parts in the East was traced to the vandalisation of the Arepo pipeline. To worsen the situation, three engineers with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corpora-tion who were fi xing the damaged pipe-lines were also killed. About three months after, the problem has refused to abate.

The most interesting part of the story is that, even as the long queues persist, with more and more fi lling stations getting the product, only a handful of them sell this product at the offi cial pump price of N97 per litre. In fact, with the exception of few major oil companies that dispense PMS at N97 per litre, more than 75 per cent oth-ers sell between N110 and N150 per litre. Black market operators sometimes sell a litre for between N250 and N400 depend-ing on the location.

While all these were going on, the De-partment of Petroleum Resources (DPR), a subsidiary of the NNPC, whose traditional responsibility is to monitor and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulation was either overwhelmed or it

simply acquiesced, a case of offi cial com-plicity.

In fact, it was the reluctance of the DPR and other agency of government to stem the arbitrary hike in pump price of PMS that fi rst raised my suspicion that, something was about to happen.

This was the more reason why Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan’s pronounce-ment last Thursday at a meeting with stu-dents of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Abuja that total fuel subsidy removal was a must didn’t re-ally surprised me.

President Jonathan stated that only total removal of subsidy on petroleum products would attract investors to the oil sector and end the importation of fuel, throwing up the worn out argument that fuel subsidy is a drain on national re-sources, which Nigeria cannot afford and that deregulation will attract more inves-tors into the sector especially investments in new refi neries. The President indeed blamed the lack of investments in refi ner-ies and the fuel shortages on the failure to fully implement the deregulation of the sector.

If the government goes ahead to imple-

ment total deregulation, it is certain that the Jonathan administration would have to brace up for another season of nation-wide strikes, reminiscences of the one that practically paralysed key parts of the country for one week early this year.

Already, the labour unions as well as the civil society groups, the masterminds of the last massive one-week strike have warned that the unrest that will follow any such action could be at best imagined.

The union are arguing that the cur-rent spate of fuel scarcity is contrived to force Nigerians to accept subsidy removal, stressing that government should focus on tackling corruption in the sector instead of infl icting pain. There are more than enough reasons to believe this.

For now, no one can say with exacti-tude, what Nigerians reactions to another round of subsidy removal would be but what looks plausible is the fact that gov-ernment’s failure to institutionalise struc-tures and framework for full sector liber-alisation may hinder its ability to get key stakeholders to buy into the deregulation agenda.

Besides, the fact that almost one year after, the government still shows no clear signs of its commitment to fl ush out sleaze in the oil sector may make a fresh argu-ment for full deregulation a hard sell.

Is Nigeria set for another long drawn fuel subsidy battle?


Behind d WheelsThis page is open to sponsorship

The Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid offer additional value for 2013

with more standard equipment, new option packages and audio systems. A new Highlander Plus model grade replaces the former Tech Package and adds numer-ous popular features, including a rear back-up camera.

The 2013 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid models fea-ture changes to standard and optional multi-media technol-ogy for 2013, with Display Audio made standard on Highlander, SE and Highlander Plus grades; the Highlander Hybrid now in-cludes as standard Display Au-dio with Navigation and the En-tune™ multimedia package.

Assembled at Toyota’s Mo-tor Manufacturing Princeton, Ind., facility, the Highlander is a three-row crossover that offers a choice between four-cylinder and V6 power, front-wheel drive (FWD) and full-time four-wheel drive (4WD). The Highlander Hybrid provides an exceptional blend of performance and fuel economy. All Highlander Hybrid models are equipped with four-wheel-drive with intelligence (4WD-i) and are available in Hy-brid and Limited grades.

The 2013 Highlander is avail-able in Highlander, new High-lander Plus, SE and Limited grades with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or full-time four-wheel-drive (4WD). A 270-horse-power, 3.5-liter V6 is standard on the SE and Limited grades and available for the others. Full-time four-wheel drive is available on all V6 grades.

Performance and Effi ciencyThe Toyota Highlander offers

three distinct levels of perfor-mance. A 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine, standard for Highlander and Highlander Plus, produces 187 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 186 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,100 RPM and offers an EPA-estimated 25 MPG rating in highway driving. The engine is equipped with a variable intake manifold and dual Variable-Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), which controls phasing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts to optimize torque and fuel effi ciency. The 2.7-li-ter engine is teamed exclusively with a six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmis-sion.

The available 3.5-liter V6 (standard on SE and Limited) produces 270 horsepower at 6,200 RPM and 248 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,700 RPM. The V6 is also equipped with dual VVT-i and a variable intake manifold.

2013 Highlander, a mid-size cros The Toyota Highlander is a mid-size sport utility vehicle, engineered with Toyota’s legendary quality and designed to stand out. A smooth performer, the Highlander also boasts of progressive safety technologies and a spacious, flexible interior that seats seven in comfort; an available flip-up rear lift gate window provides quick access to the cargo area

A fi ve-speed, electronically con-trolled automatic transmission (ECT) offers selectable manual sequential shifting.

The Highlander Hybrid mod-el’s Hybrid Synergy Drive sys-tem pairs a 3.5-liter V6 gaso-line engine with a high-torque electric drive motor-generator for total system output of 280 net horsepower. The 4WD High-lander Hybrid uniquely gener-ates rear-wheel power with a separate electric motor that pro-vides additional drive torque on demand. Thus, the Highlander Hybrid 4WD-i system does not require power-transfer gearing or a driveshaft from the front. The system electronically varies front and rear torque distribu-tion depending on traction con-ditions.

Activating an EV-mode switch located on the front cen-tre console allows the driver to operate strictly in electric-mode under certain conditions for a limited distance at low speeds, or in some stop-and-go driv-ing conditions. An ECON drive-mode switch activates a throttle-control program that adjusts the throttle response during acceler-ation, enhancing fuel economy. The Hybrid System Indicator in

the instrument gauge panel pro-vides the driver with a guideline to help optimize fuel consump-tion.

Handling and RideThe Toyota Highlander con-

tinues to build on its strength of delivering one of the most ca-pable, smooth and quiet rides in the segment. Four-wheel in-dependent suspension is via MacPherson struts in front and a dual-link strut rear suspen-sion system. Highlander, SE and Highlander Plus grades are equipped with standard 17-inch alloy wheels with 245/65 R17 tires; the Limited features standard 19-inch alloy wheels with 245/55 R19 tires. A direct tire-pressure-monitoring system is designed to alert the driver if pressure in a tire drops to criti-cal levels.

Active SafetyHighlander comes standard

with Toyota’s Star Safety Sys-tem, which integrates operation of enhanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Electric Power Steering (EPS) and the anti-lock brake system (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD),

Brake Assist (BA), and Smart Stop Technology (SST).

Enhanced VSC helps the driver maintain control by auto-matically adjusting engine out-put and braking force at each wheel under certain conditions, while also providing steering assistance in the appropriate direction through EPS. Gaso-line Highlander models are also equipped with a straight-line steering feature. When varying traction causes ABS to apply dif-ferent left/right braking force, the system can apply steering torque to help offset left/right pull.

The Highlander Hybrid em-ploys the advanced Vehicle Dy-namics Integrated Management (VDIM) system. VDIM is designed to enhance handling, traction and braking systems that nor-mally react to vehicle driving conditions by anticipating tire slippage before a skid, slide, or wheel spin occurs and helps to make corrections in a smooth, progressive way. In addition to integrating all of the Highland-er’s dynamic control systems (VSC, TRAC, BA, EPS, EBD and ABS), the VDIM system also em-ploys powerful proprietary soft-ware to integrate the Electronic

Throttle Control with intelligence (ETC-i) and Electronically Con-trolled Brakes (ECB).

All Highlander models incor-porate a corner-braking feature. Harnessing the integration of the vehicle’s dynamic control sys-tems, this feature limits brake pressure on inside wheels during cornering to help enhance con-trol through the turn. Standard on all models, Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) helps prevent the vehicle from rolling backward from a stop by applying braking pressure for approximately two seconds.

Downhill Assist Control (DAC) is standard equipment on all Highlander gasoline 4WD models. The DAC feature is de-signed to maintain a constant speed and maintain handling and steering control by reduc-ing wheel lock under braking even at slow speeds on slippery descents.

The V6 package, enabling up to 5,000-pound maximum tow-ing capacity, is now standard on all V6 models. The four-cylinder tow package has been discontin-ued.

Comfort and ConvenienceAll Highlander models fea-


Behind d Wheels

AutocareThis page is open to sponsorship

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Toyota to recall 2.8 million vehicles worldwide

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Driving a car with a manual transmission can be tricky. Drivers learning how to drive a stick shift

could end up with an unpleasant ride if they poorly execute the transition between gears, causing the car to jerk forward or backward. However, understanding how your car works could help smooth your drive. The key is timing.

Basic ControlsA manual car has three pedals: one on the far right to

control the gas, a break in the middle and the clutch on the far left. The gear shifter, usually in the middle con-sole, allows you to change gears. All of these pieces are involved in initially moving the car, speeding it up and slowing it down.

To get the car moving forward, you must push down the clutch, shift into fi rst gear and gradually let off the clutch, while alternately pushing down on the gas pedal. Shifting between gears requires a similar, but less touchy process. You release the gas pedal, push down on the clutch, shift the gear shifter, and then release the clutch. You can then give the engine more gas.

What the clutch doesTo understand why your car is jerking between gears,

you should understand what the clutch in your vehicle does. Basically, it provides the transition between a con-stantly spinning engine and your wheels, which may or may not be spinning.

Engaging the clutch, which occurs when your foot is off the corresponding petal, allows the clutch plate to make contact with the spinning fl ywheel of the engine and transfer that torque through the transmission to the wheels. Disengaging the clutch when your foot pushes on the petal releases that pressure from the clutch plate, at which point you can shift without the gears grinding together.

Understanding RPMsIn the few moments while you disengage the clutch,

shift gears, engage the clutch and reapply the gas, your engine revolutions per minute have dropped. If you have an RPM meter on your car dashboard, you can watch this occur.

Your car will jerk if the RPMs don’t immediately match up with the speed your car is going at the new gear. In order to avoid the jerking, you must create the smooth-est transition between the torques of the engine to your wheels.

Shifting from fi rst to second gear is the most suscep-tible to that telltale jerk. This is because the difference in gear size ratio between the two gears is the greatest, re-quiring a greater precision in timing to execute smoothly.

Perfecting the timingYou can tell whether your RPMs are falling too fast

or too slow by how the car jerks. If it slows suddenly, sending your body forward, the RPMs were too low. You should try shifting faster or applying a bit of gas to bring the RPMs back up.

If the car surges forward, pushing you back, the RPMs were too high. Try waiting longer for the RPMs to fall more before letting go of the clutch. Slipping the clutch, allowing for some friction between the clutch plate and fl ywheel, also might help.

The more practice shifting between gears, the easier it will be.

Automatic carsIf your automatic car is jerking while changing gears,

you have maintenance rather than an operation problem. Check the transmission fl uid levels. If that doesn’t help, something could be wrong with your transmission itself. Your mechanic could diagnose the specifi c problem.

sover SUV

ture a standard 50/50 split third-row seat and rear climate control. Generous standard features on

the Highlander grade include front and rear air conditioning; eight-way adjustable driver’s seat; power

door locks and windows with driv-er’s window jam protection and auto-up/down feature; manual tilt and telescopic steering wheel; cruise control; multi-function key-less entry system; UV-reduction windshield and rear privacy glass; digital clock; conversation mirror; illuminated entry system; sched-uled maintenance indicator light; full-size spare tire and more

The new-for-2013 Highlander Plus grade equips this popular crossover with a 3.5-inch Multi-In-formation Display that includes a clock, outside temperature, warn-ing messages, and cruise informa-tion such as average fuel economy, average speed, distance to empty, current fuel economy, and trip timer. The rear back-up camera displays in the 6.1-inch audio head unit. The front and second-row seats get easy-clean fabric, and the driver’s seat adds power lumbar adjustment. Additions that enhance interior comfort in-clude dual extendable sun visors and second-row reading lamps.

For greater versatility, the Highlander Plus model grade is equipped with black roof rails and a lift-up glass hatch. The cargo area gains one-touch fold-fl at le-vers for the second row, and a car-go area cover is included. Metallic accents are used on the steering wheel and interior door handles. Outside, the Highlander Plus fea-tures standard fog lamps, and a standard engine immobilizer adds to vehicle security.

Why cars jerk when changing gears

A month after announcing its biggest single recall ever, Toyota has revealed some new quality prob-

lems that will force it to make safety-related repairs on another 2.8 million vehicles – including its high-profi le Prius hybrid models.

The news could deliver a further blow to the Japa-nese giant’s image. It also puts Toyota in a position where it again is vying with Japanese rival, Honda for the dubious distinction of having the most vehicles of any manufacturer recalled in the this year.

The newest recall is the result of a water pump problem and a steering shaft defect. These can result in steering problems with a variety of Toyota products using the components. The maker commonly shares parts on numerous models to reduce costs – but that approach risks the possibility of creating widespread recalls if there’s a problem. In this case, two problems may exist on the same vehicle.

The steering shaft defect is involved in the recall of 1.51 million vehicles in Japan and another vehicles sold in other parts of the world and among the most notable models impacted are the compact Corolla and the Prius, the world’s most popular hybrid. About 670,000 of those vehicles were sold in the U.S. be-tween the 2000 and 2009 model-years.

About 620,000 of those vehicles also may be equipped with the defective water pump. That list includes not only the Prius but four other hybrid models, Toyota confi rms. Vehicles that may need both parts repaired were sold between 2001 and 2010 in Japan and from 2003 to 2011 in the U.S. and other overseas markets.

Meanwhile, another 10,000 Toyota vehicles are be-

ing recalled solely due to the defective water pump.The new recall comes as a signifi cant setback for

Toyota and for a variety of reasons. Just a month ago the maker – which is on track

to again be the world’s best-selling auto manufac-turer – announced its biggest recall ever. A total of 7.43 million vehicles were involved, more than a third of those in the U.S., also making it the largest recall in the world for the past 16 years.

With about 3.2 million vehicles involved in just these two safety repair campaigns, Toyota is now chasing Honda as the most recalled manufacturer in the U.S. The smaller maker earned that unwanted distinction last year but Toyota was top of the list in 2010, primarily as a result of the millions of vehicles that were involved in the so-called “unintended accel-eration” scandal that led corporate CEO Akio Toyoda to tearfully testify before the U.S. Congress.

What’s potentially problematic about the latest recalls is the fact that it includes products sold as recently as the 2011 model-year, after President Toyoda began his much-ballyhooed push to correct Toyota’s quality issues.

Despite the potential tarnishing of its safety image, Toyota continues to rack up sales, with the maker forecasting it will near the milestone 10 mil-lion mark for the current fi scal year, which ends on march 31. That led to a tripling of earnings during the most recent quarter.

But Toyota does face other problems, notably a boycott in the booming Chinese market that recently les the maker to slightly cut its overall sales forecast for the year.


Deregulation dilemma

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There are indications that the Board of Directors of Linkage Assurance Plc may have succumbed to

the request of the shareholders of the company to quit the proposed merger with Cornerstone Insurance Plc. The board has therefore fashioned a recapitalization programme aimed at raising fresh capital to resuscitate the ailing company.

According to a notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week, the board is proposing the issuance of about 2,897,207,843 ordinary shares from the authorised share capital of the company, through a Special Placing, at a price of 50kobo each.

Directors of the company also requested that they be authorised to raise the desired capital, either through the issuance of bonds, medium term notes or other instruments such as obtaining loans, as well as the determination of the terms and conditions subject to regulatory approval.

The decision to recapitalise the company came on the heels of shareholders rejection of a proposal to merger with Cornerstone Insurance at a ratio of 30:70 in favour of the latter. The merger plan met a stiff resistance from the shareholders of Linkage Assurance at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) a few weeks ago.

Prior to the AGM, both companies had notifi ed the authority of the NSE in September of their intentions to merge the two entities into one. Part of the notifi cation sent to the NSE then read, “The merger will thus, result in the transfer of all assets, liabilities and undertakings, including real properties and intellectual property rights of Linkage Insurance Plc to Cornerstone Insurance Plc, and the cancellation of the issued shares of Linkage Insurance Plc). Accordingly, shareholders of the Linkage Insurance will be entitled to 30

Linkage Assurance aborts merger deal; seek shareholders approval for fresh capitalBy Festus Okoromadu

per cent shareholding of Post-Merger Cornerstone Insurance Plc.

During the AGM which came ahead of a proposed court ordered meeting meant to get shareholders approval for the merger, they (the shareholders) told the board that they would resist the move, describing it as unnecessary. As a solution, they (shareholders) advised that the board should come up with a Rights Issue; pursue and recover its N1billion trapped with the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and admit an estimated N1.7billion currently in escrow account said to have been offered by the Bayelsa State Government to secure a majority holding in the company.

The chairman of the board, Babatunde Fatai-Williams was reported to have assured the shareholders that the board will give considerations to their demand. “The board have received the message from shareholders and would go back and consider it appropriately”. The current move is believed to be part of the response to the shareholders decision. It is therefore obvious that the merger has fi nally been cancelled.

Omatek Ventures Plc last week, reported a N187 million profi t for its unaudited second

quarter fi nancial period ended June 31 2012. Based on the results released to the Nigeria’s Stock Exchange, Profi t After Tax (PAT) in the review period moved from N46 million in 2011 to N187 million in 2012, indicating a growth of 308 per cent or N141 million. Gross profi t also increased from N210 million in 2011 to N341 million as at half year 2012; representing 62.4 per cent increase. Turnover as well grew by 88.9 per cent to N1.12 billion in 2012 from N595 million in 2011. Details of the results shows total assets increased by 11.5 per cent to N9.29 billion while total liabilities closed at N3.4 billion represent 29 per cent growth from N2.64 billion in 2011.

The performance could be traced to the company’s recent initiatives in term of expanding its product line. The company recently came up with various initiatives such as the Omatek Express, a consumer scheme designed to assist Nigerians own computers through a convenient payment plan

Omatek ventures grows profit by 308 per centBy Tayo Adeleke

that spans between 12 and 24 months. It will be recalled that Omatek got funding instruments from offshore and local partners amounting to over N1billion turnover in 2011, from not just its existing computer products but also from its newly innovative products, such as the 24-hour solar/inverter/battery hybrid solutions that were being sold to schools, offi ces and homes.

Seriki, MD, Omatek Ventures Plc

Wiggle, MD, Linkage Assurance Plc

After months of crippling fuel shortages across the nation, President Goodluck Jonathan

though it wise to revisit the vexing is-sue of the deregulation of the down-stream oil sector, proclaiming at a meeting last week with students of the National Institute for Policy and Stra-tegic Studies that oil subsidy must go.

The familiar argument is that fuel subsidy is a drain on national re-sources, which Nigeria cannot afford and that deregulation will attract more investors into the sector especially investments in new refi neries. The President indeed blamed the lack of investments in refi neries and the fuel shortages on the failure to fully imple-ment the deregulation of the sector.

Of course the labour unions have threatened fi re and brimstone if the subsidy is removed. The Nigeria La-bour Congress, which along with oth-er civil society groups spearheaded a massive one-week strike cum protests in January following the removal of fuel subsidy and subsequent doubling of fuel prices, said the unrest that will follow any such action could be at best imagined.

The union repeated its argument that the fuel scarcity was largely con-trived to force Nigerians to accept subsidy removal and that government should focus on tackling corruption in the sector instead of infl icting pain on Nigerians as we approach the Yuletide.

Let me say right away that I am in support of full liberalisation of the oil downstream but the conditions must be right.

The subsidy problem arose simply because of inadequate refi ning capac-ity in country so Nigeria has to virtu-ally outsource refi ning to other more sensible countries while trying to keep prices at levels that would have pre-vailed if all fuel consumed was refi ned locally, given that shipping costs, duty, taxes and sundry levies imposed on imported fuel would have been elimi-nated from the cost profi le of refi ned products.

However, the simple reason why the government cannot get other stakeholders to buy into its deregula-tion agenda is that it has failed to con-vince us about the benefi ts and more importantly it has not yet emplaced the structures and framework for full sector liberalisation in which the Ni-geria National Petroleum Corporation will no longer play the role of regulator cum competitor as well its consistency in sending confusing signals about which direction it really wants to go.

Taking on the refi nery issue, if gov-ernment was bent on liberalising the sector, why is it investing more money in the plants instead of simply selling them to private players? Dangote and co had bought the refi neries in 2007 as Obasanjo was about leaving offi ce.

The vested interests feeding fat on the confusion therein misled the late Presi-dent Umaru Yar’Adua in cancelling the sale. I would have bet my right eye that those plants would have been up and running at full steam with others al-ready built if that myopic decision was not taken.

The subsidy funds being pocketed by criminal elements in the oil sector would have been better managed if the local refi neries were allocated crude at a discount, in short the subsidy will be deployed at the production and not consumption level, which makes more sense and we would not be battling with the hundreds of “illegal refi ner-ies” being fed by stolen oil in the Niger Delta.

Again, very few will buy govern-ment’s deregulation argument now given the revelations of massive corrup-tion in the various probes of the oil sec-tor that have been conducted this year. What is clear is that a few privileged Nigerians including businessmen, offi -cials of the Ministry of Petroleum and the NNPC have cornered the sector and looted public funds in more ways than one, yet we do not see any signs that any serious punishment awaits them.

Indeed, we are being told that the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission is already negotiating the charges with some of the accused per-sons including the son of the Chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party. It is easy to predict that these charac-ters will only get a slap on the wrist eventually, while other lesser Nigerians get slammed for years in jail for stealing mobile phones.

Jonathan’s problem is about not demonstrating the required serious-ness in reforming the oil sector. Most of the recommendations of the sundry probe panels are already contained in the Petroleum Industry Bill now being debated before the National Assembly and he should wait until it is passed into law before pressing on with dereg-ulation.

One understands that huge funds go into subsidy, but the current situ-ation where only the NNPC imports fuel as a result of the inability of major marketers to obtain credit lines due to uncertainties in getting subsidy pay-ments down the line, only means that the NNPC is getting the subsidy.

The government should end this artifi cial scarcity by allowing credible players to return to the import pro-gramme instead of imposing a virtual blanket ban on importers by discredit-ing them, when it knows that the NNPC lacks capacity to feed the entire system.

Nigerians are already paying well above the offi cial N97 per litre of petrol even in Lagos, and they will pay more eventually, but deregulation must not be imposed by way of blackmail. It must be by consensus.

Stock Updates

GAINERS

COMPANY OPENING PRICE CLOSING PRICE CHANGE

CADBURY 25.20 25.89 0.69

NCR 13.74 14.40 0.66

PRESCO 14.02 14.45 0.43

NESTLE 600.15 600.50 0.35

NASCON 6.20 6.47 0.27

LOSERS

COMPANY OPENING PRICE CLOSING PRICE CHANGE

NEWGOLD 2,645.00 2,634.00 -11.00

GLAXOSMITH 43 40.85 -2.15

CONOIL 17.85 16.96 -0.89

ASHAKACEM 19.40 18.89 -0.51

OANDO 11.42 11.00 -0.42

Inter-Bank Rates

TENOR RATE%(PREV) 08-Nov-2012 RATE%(CURR) 15-Nov-2012

CALL 10.5000 – 12.7500 10.5000 – 11.5000

OBB 10.2500 – 12.9300 10.2500 – 13.1000

Primary Market Auction

TENOR AMOUNT (N’mn) RATE (%) DATE

91-Days 32,057.31 12.75 07-Nov-12

182-Days 50,000 13.03 07-Nov-12

364-Days 47,786.39 13.05 07-Nov-12

Open Market Operation

TENOR AMOUNT (N’mn) RATE (%) DATE

83-Days 50,000 13.95 09-Nov-12

76-Days 50,000 13.94 09-Nov-12

84-Days 100,000 13.99 08-Nov-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED MARKET DEMAND AMOUNT SOLD DATE

$200m $200m $200m 14-Nov-12

$150m $150m $150m 12-Nov-12

Market Indicators for Week Ended 16-11-12All-Share Index 26,400.94 pointsMarket Capitalisation N8,413,189,709,023.95


BC

BC

Tourist Company Plc struggles to stay afloat as profit nosedives By Festus Okoromadu

Tourist Company of Nigeria Plc, owners of Federal Palace Hotel & Casino,

has recorded a marginal improvement in turnover as well as a reduction in losses incurred in its fi nancial account for the fi rst quarter ended September 30, 2012.

The hospitality company posted a turnover of N866 million in the fi rst quarter of 2012, compared with N808 million in similar period of 2011 representing 7.1 per cent increase in sales. The increase in sales indicates improvement in trading activity even in the face of escalating competition.

However, bottom-line remains negative as the company continues to post losses. The account for the quarter shows a loss after taxation of N197 million as against N283 million in 2011, representing 30.38 per cent growth.

The company’s auditors, PKF Professional Services had earlier in the year drawn shareholders attention to the persistent losses posted by the company in addition to its negative working capital. Expressing its concern over the precarious fi nancial situation of the company, the auditors only highlighted the issues for shareholders considerations but stated that her opinion was not qualifi ed.

“We draw attention to note 2 to the fi nancial statements which describes the persistent

losses sustained and the negative working capital position. Our opinion is not qualifi ed in respect of these matters”, PKF warned.

According to the Auditors, the company’s fi nancial account for was prepared as a going concern basis. The company had posted a loss after taxation of N522 million for the year ended June 30, 2012 as against N1.37 billion posted in the 18 months ended June 30, 2011. During the year in review, it sustained a working capital defi ciency of N546 million compared to N803 million in 2011. These developments, the auditor noted, raise potential concern about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, but stressed that the company’s liabilities are due to related parties.

The directors were reported

to have expressed confi dent that the company’s shareholders and lenders will continue to provide the necessary support it. The auditors stated that it was therefore appropriate to prepare the fi nancial statements on the going concern basis.

Despite the little improvement recorded in the profi t and loss account in the fi rst quarter results, there are no indications that the fi nancial statement has improved. As the defi cient working capital rose to N558 million from N546 million, similarly borrowings increased to N7.48 billion from N7.39 billion while non-current liability grew to N1.76 billion from N1.68 billion. On the other hand non-current assets depleted to N9.931billion from N10.03 billion.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the company, Goodie Ibru, has attributed the precarious situation of the company to increase in competition in the industry. Addressing shareholders at the annual general meeting held in Lagos recently, Goodie said: “Competition within the hospitality industry in the Victoria Island/Ikoyi/Lekki axis is set to escalate, as more international branded hotels currently under construction commenced trading”. He as well noted that “Federal Palace’s Casino is expected to continue to experience competition from unlicensed Casinos”.

Having gotten s h a r e h o l d e r s ’ endorsement for the

listing of its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) during its last Annual General Meeting (AGM) in August this year, the management of Geo Fluids Plc is set to list the company’s shares. According to a release from the NSE Friday last week, the company’s listing will be by way of introduction on Friday November 24, 2012. This will give its shareholders opportunity to trade their shares on the fl oor of the Exchange immediately after the exercise. Geo-Fluids, a company operating in the Oil and Gas Services sub-sector of the Nigerian economy between May and June 2008, raised N12 billion from the investing public through a Private Placement (PP). In raising the N12 billion, Geo-Fluids offered to investors by way of Placement 2.4 billion Ordinary Shares of 50 Kobo

Geo Fluids to list on NSEBy Tayo Adeleke

each at N5.00 per share. Geo Fluids Plc is a wholly indigenous drilling mud, work-over, chemical supply, engineering and marketing company incorporated in Nigeria in 1994.

The highlight of the fi nancial position of the company for the period ended December 31, 2011, showed an enhanced recovery from a consolidated loss before profi t of N118.6 million and loss after tax of N210.3 million in the year 2010 to a profi t before tax of N116.8 million, while consolidated profi t after tax stood at N15.2 million in 2011.

Other performance measuring indices revealed that overall turnover increased from N2.1 billion in 2010 to N3.0 billion in 2011, representing an increase of 35 per cent. Balance sheet fi gures for property, plant and machinery which went from barely N4.8 billion to N9.7 billion represented more than 100 per cent growth in tangible long

term assets of the company with a corresponding appreciation of shareholders fund from N5.4 billion to N5.43 billion in 2011.

On the company’s outlook, the company’s Managing Director, Dr. Ala Ibanibo, said the company was in the fi nal stages of discussion with foreign partners in order to aid the injection of fresh funds of over $100m into the various functional business units of the Group over the next one year. Ibanibo explained further, “The measure is meant to deepen our pockets to take advantage of the huge business opportunity coming our way and also position Geo-Fluids as a formidable and foremost player in the sub-sector. Consequently, your company has been restructured into four distinct companies with between three to four business units centres each. This is meant to ensure greater effi ciency in the deployment of resources within the group and also create an internal integration designed to ensure robustness in revenue and profi t base”

Ibru, Chairman, Tourist Company Plc


BC

Julius Berger Plc; Financial Data 2012 =N=(‘Nm) 2011 =N=(‘Nm)Turnover 137,479,534 130,170,984Cost of sales 106,029,239 98,932,143Gross Profi t 31,450,295 31,238,841Profi t Before Taxation 7,496,986 6,768,892Profi t After Taxation 3,785,038 2,737,482Total Assets 186,542,906 177,297,390Shareholders fund 10,997,179 7,954,491Working Capital 3,483,014 25,111,802Current Asset 84,065,943 91,939,609Current Liabilities 80,582,929 66,827,807Fixed Assets 58,328,177 55,245,358Current Assets-stocks 67,252,379 77,328,280Trade Debtors 62,733,103 58,259,212Trade Creditors 49,650,410 46,966,433Sales Growth(%) 5.61 -22.24PAT Growth (%) 38.27 -43.84Cost of sales (growth) 7.17 -26.24Profi tability Ratios Return on Equity(%) 34.42 34.41Gross profi t Margin (%) 22.88 24Profi t Margin(%) 2.75 2.1Pretax Margin (%) 5.45 5.2Liquidity Ratios Current Ratio 1.04 1.38Quick Ratio 0.83 1.16Debtors(No of days) 166.55 163.36Creditors(No of days) 170.92 173.28

Financial analysis carried out on Julius Berger Ni-geria Plc has revealed an

average performance in its fi -nance in the last nine months of 2012. The company recorded a marginal growth in majority of its measuring indices with rev-enue of N137.5 billion in 2012 as against the N130.2 billion re-corded in 2011.

What’s New?Julius Berger Nigeria Plc

has been trying to diversify its business. It has established PrimeTech Design and Engi-neering Nigeria Limited for the provisions of design and engi-neering support services to the company. It has also incorpo-rated another subsidiary, Ju-lius Berger Medical Services Limited (JBMSL), as a health care provider for the operation of medical service centres, hos-pitals and all forms of medical and health care services.

Recently, German construc-tion giant, Bilfi nger Berger, has outlined plans to sell 90 per cent of its investment in its Nigerian business, Julius Berger Interna-tional (JBI) to Julius Berger Ni-geria (JBN) by the end of 2012. JBI consists of the engineering and services activities of Bilfi n-ger Berger Nigeria. The strategy will initially see 60 per cent of JBI acquired by JBN, with a further 30 per cent bought by the end of the year. JBN itself is 39.9 per cent owned by Bilfi nger Berger and the deal to consoli-date JBI within the company is part of Bilfi nger’s wider strategy of edging out of Nigeria by ulti-mately selling its stake in JBN.

Financial Performance

The construction giant re-corded an impressive earning growth in its third quarter re-sults. The unaudited third quar-ter 2012 result shows that the company posted N137.5 billion turnover, an increase of N7.3 billion compared with N130.17 billion in the corresponding pe-riod of 2011. Gross profi t moved from N31.24 billion in 2011 to N31.45 billion in the review pe-riod. The company was able to manage its cost effectively dur-ing the period as operating ex-penses declined from the third

Julius Berger: Diversifying to boost future earnings By Tayo Adeleke

quarter 2011 fi gure by 2.29 per cent to N22.88 billion from N23.37 billion in 2011.

Consequently, this trans-lates into an improved bottom line indices during the period. JBN Profi t before Tax (PBT) in-creased signifi cantly by 10.76 per cent between 2011 and 2012 to N7.5 billion from N6.77 billion. The tax provision which decreased by 7.9 per cent in the review period to N3.71 bil-lion from N4.03 billion resulted in the Profi t after Tax of N3.79 billion, up from N2.74 billion in 2011, a growth of 38.27 per cent. JBN plc is targeting N175 billion incomes by December 2012. The company’s latest forecast shows that cost of sales will increase to N138.6 billion against N134 billion in 2011 while Profi t after tax projection is N5.250 billion compared with N4.9 billion in fi nancial year ended December 2011. Julius Berger’s earning per share fore-cast is 438 kobo. Financial ana-lysts believe that the projection is achievable based on current run rate.

Profi tability RatioJBN recorded a mixed per-

formance in its profi tability ratios indices. Return on Eq-uity closed at 34.42 per cent, represent marginal increase of 0.01 basis points from 34.10 per cent. The Profi t before Tax (PBT) margin in the third quar-ter of 2012 increased over the third quarter of 2011. The PBT margin increased to 5.45 per cent in third quarter, 2012 from 5.20 percent as at third quarter of 2011. Profi t margin current-ly stands at 2.75 per cent up from 2.10 per cent in the cor-responding third quarter period of 2011. The result also revealed that the percentage of turnover, PBT, and PAT in the third quar-ter of 2011 to the full year au-dited turnover, pre-tax profi t and profi t after tax for the pe-riod ended December, 2011 are: 82.14 per cent, 72.53 per cent and 77.82 per cent respectively.

Liquidity Ratio

JBN’s liquidity ratios show weak performance between 2011 and 2012. This implies that the company could not

meet up with its fi nancial obliga-tion as at when due during the period under review. As at nine months period ended Septem-ber 2012, the monetary value of the company’s readily avail-able assets (current assets) are almost equal its short term debt obligations as the current ratio dropped from 1.38:1 to 1.04:1 in 2012. The illiquidity posi-tion is also refl ected in its quick ratio which declined sharply from 1.16:1 in 2011 to 0.83 in 2012. Trade debtors closed at N62.73 billion from N58.26 bil-lion in 2011 while trade creditor stood at N49.65 billion. Thus, the company’s debtors made payment within 167 days (trade debtors) while it took the com-pany 170 days to pays its credi-tors. The short term borrowing grew by 58 per cent to N26.38 billion from N16.72 billion in 2011. Working capital dropped signifi cantly to N3.48 billion from N26.92 billion. This is un-derstandable as bulk of its capi-tal might have been channelled to various ongoing construction projects.

Assets Quality

Julius Berger’s balance sheet shows a strong assets base in the review period. Fixed assets had 5.6 per cent increase to close at N58.33 billion from N55.25 billion in 2011 and up from N55.49 billion recorded as at fi nancial year ended Decem-ber 2011. The company made a strategic investment within the third quarter of ongoing fi -nancial year as investment ac-counted for N7.32 billion com-pared with N213.99 million in 2011 represents 3322 per cent growth. Receivable and fi nan-cial assets was N32.91 billion,

up by 41 per cent from N23.27 billion posted in 2011 while de-ferred tax assets closed at N3.37 billion. These entire fi gures helped the company to boost its total assets for the period. Total asset climb to N186.54 billion in within nine month in 2012 from N177.3 billion achieved in 2011.

Investment Ratios

In light of the company’s increased earnings in 2011, shareholders of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc got increased divi-dend of 240 Kobo (N2.40), re-sulting in a total gross dividend payment of N2.88 billion. It will be recalled that the dividend for the 2010 was 200 Kobo per each ordinary share.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange share valuation of the company

as at beginning of July 2012 was N27.63 per share, which is higher than the quotation price of N27.5 per share at the end of September 2012. This im-plies that the share price of JBN dropped by 0.36 per cent in the third quarter 2012 compare to 20 per cent growth attained by NSE in the same quarter. This reduction in the company’s stock value did not refl ect the overall trend across all sectors, especially in the third quarter of 2012.

Prospects The management of JBN has

assured its stakeholders of bet-ter return on their investments in years ahead. According to Mohammed Nuruddeen Imam, Chairman Julius Berger Nigeria plc “I can assure you that the Board, Management and staff are working in your best inter-est at each and every turn. To-gether we will continue on our journey into the future of our great company and in order to provide you exceptional returns, we will continuously analyze our strategies and where necessary, adjust our objectives based on the business environment”.

The company recently clinched the contract to reha-bilitate the Economic Com-munity of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament Building in Abuja. This is expected to boost fi nancials by the end of the year. Meanwhile, analysts remain positive on the company in view of the ongoing restruc-turing programme, which could result in even more signifi cant cost savings. Specifi cally, the company is expected to witness consolidation of earnings, fol-lowing the gradual divestment of Bilfi nger Berger, and the streamlining of the company’s businesses.

Muhammed Nurudeen Imam, JBN Plc Chairman

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, November 19, 2012 A23 39

STOCKWATCH

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC NT NT 0.64 0.50 2 200 000 000 0.00 N/A NTOKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 34.00 716 34.01 14.53 476 955 000 8.23 -1.45 34.50PRESCO PLC 14.45 864 732 16.15 6.40 1 000 000 000 1.69 3.21 14.00Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. NT NT 4.26 4.26 60 000 000 0.00 N/A NTLivestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 1.34 124 248 1.70 0.48 1 199 549 736 0.04 -13.55 1.55CONGLOMERATES Diversifi ed Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 1.29 10 000 2.54 0.74 2 191 895 983 0.21 0.00 1.29CHELLARAMS PLC. NT NT 7.60 5.81 963 900 300 0.30 N/A NTJOHN HOLT PLC. NT NT 8.82 5.32 389 151 408 0.00 N/A NTS C O A NIG. PLC. NT NT 8.28 5.52 821 666 666 0.35 N/A NTU A C N PLC. 40.00 85 574 42.50 28.70 1 600 720 323 7.03 N/A 40.22CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. NT NT 26.00 14.09 148 500 000 0.00 N/A NTCAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT NT 95.49 95.49 196 876 000 4.50 N/A NTBuilding Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. NT NT 7.97 2.46 920 573 765 0.00 N/A NTG CAPPA PLC NT NT 14.46 14.46 125 000 000 0.00 N/A NTNon--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 29.10 264 288 62.26 21.55 1 200 000 000 4.11 -4.93 30.61ROADS NIG PLC. NT NT 8.69 3.01 20 000 000 3.66 N/A NTReal Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT NT 7.28 7.28 0.00 N/A NTUACN PROPERTY DEV 11.98 104 664 20.15 8.82 1 375 000 000 1.66 5.09 11.40Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC NT NT 100.00 97.00 20 000 000 11.75 N/A 100.00UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INV NT NT 50.00 50.00 250 019 781 0.75 N/A NTCONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC 0.50 6 500 0.50 0.50 4 772 528 415 0.00 N/A 0.50Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. NT NT 4.63 2.23 900 000 000 0.00 N/A NTGOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. NT NT 0.68 0.68 272 160 000 0.03 N/A NTGUINNESS NIG PLC 251.85 152 425 265.00 186.00 1 474 925 519 12.04 -4.96 265.00INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 13.30 537 500 12.83 5.23 2 112 914 681 0.07 N/A 12.75JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. NT NT 3.20 1.61 562 000 000 0.00 N/A NTNIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 135.50 1 043 265 138.85 72.50 7 562 562 340 5.21 0.89 134.30PREMIER BREWERIES PLC NT NT 0.97 0.93 126 000 000 0.00 N/A NTBeverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 40.00 38 394 48.91 38.31 640 590 362 3.15 N/A 40.95Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 2 000 000 000 0.00 N/A NTDANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 7.81 266 323 19.90 4.15 5 000 000 000 0.00 -0.51 7.85DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 5.45 1 573 856 16.20 3.64 12 000 000 000 0.59 0.00 5.45FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 63.02 276 544 95.00 52.50 1 879 210 666 3.60 0.00 63.02HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 2.19 900 216 6.60 1.91 7 930 197 658 0.36 -3.10 2.26MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NT NT 2.70 1.00 3 722 493 620 0.00 N/A 1.00N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. 20.41 51 685 43.96 20.41 178 200 000 1.20 N/A 20.41NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 6.47 1 093 501 6.70 3.86 0.81 6.94 6.05P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. NT NT 5.66 5.66 40 000 000 0.16 N/A NTU T C NIG. PLC. 0.67 82 200 0.88 0.50 1 233 375 004 1.13 -4.29 0.70UNION DICON SALT PLC. NT NT 4.22 4.22 360 000 000 0.00 N/A NTFood Products--Diversifi ed CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 25.89 222 671 29.20 9.15 3 129 188 160 1.24 5.67 24.50NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 600.50 81 160 684.00 367.83 792 656 250 21.21 -5.03 632.33Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. NT NT 15.58 10.03 3.90 N/A NTNIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. NT NT 42.66 34.39 63 360 000 1.61 N/A NTVITAFOAM NIG PLC. 3.70 311 337 6.75 3.01 819 000 000 0.54 -5.13 3.90VONO PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT 3.67 2.66 300 000 001 0.00 N/A NTPersonal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 28.07 170 887 43.50 22.07 3 176 381 636 0.51 1.67 27.61UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 41.60 496 742 41.60 22.56 3 783 296 250 1.32 0.00 41.60Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT NT 0.97 0.57 843 284 027 0.00 N/A NTFINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 8.56 5 578 396 11.10 4.76 17 888 251 479 0.63 -1.15 8.66DIAMOND BANK PLC 4.05 16 857 350 9.27 2.01 14 475 243 105 0.00 -0.74 4.08ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 11.01 1 552 270 17.05 9.97 9 873 614 567 2.61 0.09 11.00FIDELITY BANK PLC 2.18 12 001 895 3.20 1.14 28 974 797 023 0.19 4.31 2.09FIRST BANK OF NIG. PLC 15.15 8 244 958 17.01 8.50 32 632 084 358 1.37 -4.96 15.94FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. 3.25 1 658 424 8.30 3.04 16 271 192 202 0.60 0.93 3.22GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 19.90 6 802 397 20.30 11.64 29 146 482 209 0.59 -1.00 20.10SKYE BANK PLC 4.05 606 244 10.17 2.73 13 219 334 676 0.39 -0.49 4.07STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC NT NT 11.38 6.40 18 750 000 000 0.54 #VALUE! NTSTERLING BANK PLC. 1.54 2 755 766 2.91 0.97 12 563 091 545 0.43 -1.28 1.56U B A PLC 4.80 4 841 258 5.21 1.64 32 334 693 693 0.01 -3.81 4.99UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 7.67 445 421 10.07 1.96 13 509 726 273 2.20 -4.13 8.00UNITY BANK PLC 0.58 5 056 038 1.92 0.50 33 675 576 085 0.00 0.00 0.53WEMA BANK PLC. 0.50 2 695 003 1.75 0.50 12 821 249 880 1.34 -7.41 0.54ZENITH BANK PLC 17.95 7 706 545 18.20 11.70 31 396 493 790 1.41 1.13 17.75Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 20 585 000 000 0.00 N/A 0.50AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 0.58 1 460 801 1.01 0.50 7 809 391 256 0.09 0.00 0.58CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.64 0.61 211 626 000 0.00 N/A NTCONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 6 000 000 000 0.06 N/A NTCONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 0.80 15 568 1.20 0.61 10 372 624 157 0.10 0.00 0.80CORNERSTONE INS. COY. PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 8 820 010 363 0.01 0.00 NTCUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 1.17 613 530 3.51 1.31 5 100 846 808 0.27 0.00 1.29EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 8 847 298 420 0.00 N/A NTGOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.69 0.50 4 549 947 000 0.00 N/A NTGREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 3 827 485 380 0.00 N/A NTGUINEA INSURANCE PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 720 000 000 0.00 N/A NTINTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INS. PLC 0.54 1 852 926 0.80 0.50 5 061 804 000 0.06 N/A NTINTERNATIONAL ENERGY INS. PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 6 420 427 449 0.00 0.00 NTINVESTMENT AND ALLIED ARN. NT NT 0.50 0.50 28 000 000 000 0.02 N/A NTLASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 150 000 0.50 0.50 7 323 313 227 0.02 N/A 0.50LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. NT NT 0.61 0.50 3 437 330 500 0.10 N/A NTLINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 1 541 134 0.50 0.50 4 083 713 569 0.00 0.00 0.50MANSARD INSURANCE PLC 1.87 545 000 1.93 0.95 10 000 000 000 0.08 6.25 1.76MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 7 998 705 336 0.10 N/A NTN.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 0.50 10 630 512 0.66 0.50 5 332 830 881 0.25 -7.41 0.54NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. NT NT 1.11 0.50 5 649 693 923 0.01 N/A 0.50OASIS INSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 5 003 506 791 0.02 N/A NTPRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.50 312 029 2.35 0.50 2 508 315 436 0.11 -3.85 0.52REGENCY ALLIANCE INS. COY PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 6 668 750 000 0.03 N/A NTSOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 0.50 30 000 0.52 0.50 5 203 757 266 0.10 0.00 0.50STACO INSURANCE PLC 0.50 220 000 0.50 0.50 6 141 087 609 0.00 N/A 0.50STANDARD ALLIANCE INS. PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 8 493 173 450 0.00 N/A 0.50UNIC INSURANCE PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 2 581 733 505 0.00 N/A NTUNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 13 000 000 000 0.01 N/A NTUNIVERSAL INS. COMPANY PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 16 000 000 000 0.00 N/A NTMicro Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NT NT NTNPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NT NT NTMortgage Carriers, Brokers &Services ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC NT NT 1.51 1.33 4 200 000 000 0.03 N/A 1.37ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 8 679 148 676 0.10 N/A 0.50RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC 0.50 15 000 000 0.50 0.50 13 175 732 404 0.00 N/A 0.50UNION HOMES SAVINGS&LOANS PLC NT NT 0.99 0.50 7 812 500 000 0.00 N/A NTOther Financial Institutions CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. 0.50 1 100 000 0.61 0.50 3 778 005 975 0.00 N/A 0.50DEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC NT NT 2.02 2.02 1 333 333 333 0.00 N/A NTNIG SEW. MACH. MAN. CO. PLC. NT NT 0.15 0.15 5 880 000 0.00 N/A NTNIGERIA ENERYGY SECTOR FUND NT NT 552.20 555.20 2 500 000 12.68 N/A NTROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.50 300 0.66 0.50 3 608 657 661 0.05 N/A 0.50HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. 5.05 1 000 5.31 5.05 498 600 908 0.12 N/A NTMedical Equipment UNION DIAGNOSTIC &CLINICAL PLC 0.50 100 0.50 0.50 3 553 138 528 0.00 N/A 0.50Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. NT NT 10.54 7.39 152 178 750 0.00 N/A NTPharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 1.32 200 1.45 0.50 486 473 856 0.19 0.00 1.32FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 1.07 3 318 477 3.20 0.76 1 500 000 000 0.27 1.90 1.05GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 40.85 64 408 39.00 19.30 956 701 192 2.41 -2.48 41.89MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 1.46 59 422 5.61 1.62 980 000 000 0.21 -8.75 1.60

NOTE NT=Not Traded on 16-11-12 N/A=Not Avialable

NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 0.98 146 382 1.96 0.76 1 925 717 268 0.09 -3.92 1.02NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. NT NT 12.91 8.59 153 786 012 0.00 N/A NTPHARMA-DEKO PLC. NT NT 4.28 3.50 100 000 000 0.00 N/A 2.73ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SLN PLC 0.50 5 000 0.52 0.50 2 960 000 000 0.08 0.00 0.50Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 2 941 789 472 0.04 N/A NTElectronic Communications Services MTECH COMMUNICATIONS PLC NT NT 0.91 0.91 4 966 666 668 0.00 N/A NTIT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. 14.40 109 105 18.28 13.12 108 000 000 1.82 N/A 13.09TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. NT NT 3.59 2.41 492 825 600 0.00 N/A NTProcessing Systems CHAMS PLC 0.50 3 000 0.50 0.50 4 620 600 000 0.00 N/A 0.50E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC NT NT 4.97 4.04 4 200 000 000 0.00 N/A NTTelecommunications Carriers STARCOMMS PLC NT NT 1.47 0.50 6 878 478 096 0.00 N/A NTTelecommunications Services IHS NIGERIA PLC PREF SHARES NT NT 2.25 0.00 0.00 N/A NTIHS PLC NT NT 3.50 2.46 4 400 000 000 0.00 N/A 2.25MTI PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 4 893 594 400 0.00 N/A NTINDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. NT NT 3.32 2.86 260 000 000 0.00 N/A NTASHAKA CEM PLC 18.89 553 654 30.00 9.10 2 239 453 125 1.60 4.94 18.00BERGER PAINTS PLC 8.41 184 628 12.57 7.27 217 367 585 0.15 0.12 8.40CAP PLC 28.35 25 750 43.98 14.50 560 000 000 1.76 -4.99 29.84CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 5.10 520 602 15.49 4.20 1 241 548 285 1.83 -7.44 5.51DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 121.05 145 966 132.51 95.00 15 494 019 668 8.01 -1.18 122.50DN MEYER PLC. NT NT 3.51 0.93 242 908 200 0.00 N/A NTFIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC NT NT 0.75 0.50 2 109 928 275 0.00 N/A NTIPWA PLC NT NT 0.99 0.91 513 696 000 0.00 N/A NTLAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 57.95 81 569 56.50 37.00 3 001 600 004 1.74 0.77 57.51PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC 1.89 100 000 3.36 0.52 792 914 256 0.16 N/A 1.98PORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC 3.83 20 000 5.28 2.27 400 000 000 0.39 N/A 3.71PREMIER PAINTS PLC. NT NT 13.40 10.93 75 000 000 0.00 N/A NTElectronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC NT NT 2.00 2.00 0.03 N/A 2.00CUTIX PLC. 1.52 50 000 2.50 1.33 510 396 608 0.11 -1.30 1.54NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. NT NT 0.73 0.50 2 220 000 000 0.00 N/A NTNIGERIAN WIRE IND. PLC NT NT 2.58 2.58 15 000 000 0.00 N/A NTPackaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT 3.98 3.98 25 000 000 0.00 N/A NTAVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS NT NT 6.91 2.19 683 974 528 0.15 N/A NTBETA GLASS CO PLC. NT NT 10.50GREIF NIGERIA PLC NT NT 15.03 13.28 42 640 000 0.90 N/A NTNIG. BAGS MANFACT. COY PLC 1.98 3 232 756 3.60 1.60 6 215 000 000 0.22 1.54 1.95POLY PRODUCTS (NIG) PLC. NT NT 1.86 1.05 240 000 000 0.30 N/A NTW A GLASS IND. PLC. NT NT 0.63 0.63 199 066 550 0.00 N/A NTTools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC NT NT 8.69 8.26 265 409 280 0.00 N/A NTSTOKVIS NIG PLC. NT NT 0.14 0.14 2 918 000 0.00 N/A NTNATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. 5.69 68 189 9.20 5.70 393 120 000 0.93 0.00 5.69Metals ALUMACO PLC NT NT 7.75 7.75 75 600 000 0.00 N/A NTALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. NT NT 12.39 10.55 100 000 000 0.13 N/A 10.55Non-Metallic Mineral Mining MULTIVERSE PLC 0.50 700 0.50 0.50 4 058 989 226 0.00 N/A 0.50Paper/Forest Products HALLMARK PAPER PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT 3.22 3.22 50 000 000 0.04 N/A NTTHOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. NT NT 1.38 1.38 220 000 000 0.00 N/A NTOIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SER. PLC 0.58 3 550 089 1.87 0.54 6 262 701 716 0.16 -3.33 0.60Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 11.00 943 218 78.97 13.95 2 262 711 568 7.47 -9.84 12.20Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors AFROIL PLC NT NT 20.71 20.71 125 487 475 0.00 N/A NTBECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 0.50 39 092 848 0.70 0.50 3 716 976 579 0.00 N/A 0.50CONOIL PLC 16.96 129 662 41.89 19.61 693 952 117 5.98 -4.99 17.85ETERNA PLC. 1.74 188 410 5.59 2.12 1 249 162 828 0.88 -6.45 1.86FORTE OIL PLC. 9.30 28 367 28.69 9.12 1 080 280 628 0.00 -2.11 9.50MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 115.00 5 534 163.50 111.51 300 496 051 13.06 0.00 115.00MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 29.15 1 000 72.00 32.29 253 988 672 4.08 N/A 29.15TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 125.00 88 166 240.00 125.00 339 521 837 11.22 0.00 125.00SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC 0.50 150 000 0.72 0.50 4 035 497 307 0.00 N/A 0.50Apparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. NT NT 3.48 3.48 0.19 N/A NTAutomobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 1.55 224 871 3.65 1.12 980 294 400 0.22 -4.91 1.63Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 3.09 513 055 3.67 2.11 589 496 310 0.63 -2.83 3.18TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. NT NT 6.40 3.28 198 819 763 0.26 N/A NTEmployment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 0.50 10 000 1.64 0.85 865 808 912 0.20 N/A 0.50Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC NT NT 0.75 0.50 3 211 627 907 0.01 N/A NTHotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC NT NT 8.00 3.00 1 548 780 000 0.18 N/A NTIKEJA HOTEL PLC 0.99 406 200 2.59 1.16 2 078 796 396 0.92 -3.88 1.03TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. NT NT 4.76 4.31 1 772 884 297 0.00 N/A NTTRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 0.98 5 771 971 1.82 0.50 25 813 998 283 0.22 -2.00 1.00Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.50 2 000 0.50 0.50 8 000 000 000 0.00 N/A 0.50Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. NT NT 3.68 1.64 403 200 000 0.14 N/A NTLEARN AFRICA PLC 2.00 111 620 8.00 1.94 771 450 000 0.29 N/A 2.00STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. NT NT 2.92 2.78 0.01 N/A NTUNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 4.16 251 960 6.82 3.09 425 641 111 0.50 -8.97 4.57Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC NT NT 0.80 0.50 1 507 000 000 0.00 N/A 0.50Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC NT NT 5.15 4.90 236 699 511 0.00 N/A NTSECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC NT NT 1.88 0.80 5 631 539 736 0.03 N/A NTTransport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 2.62 171 000 2.78 1.54 634 000 000 0.38 N/A 2.50NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 5.75 209 585 11.75 5.15 1 230 468 750 0.81 0.70 5.71ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC NT NT 1.43 1.04 45 000 000 0.12 N/A NTCONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC 0.97 11 000 1.02 1.02 201 885 335 0.00 N/A 0.97Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. 0.60 500 0.60 0.60 30 000 000 0.00 N/A 0.60HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals AFRIK PHARMACEUTICALS PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 24 898 850 0.00 N/A NTINDUSTRIAL GOODS Electronic and Electrical Products NT NT NTADSWITCH PLC. 1.63 500 1.88 1.63 125 005 250 0.00 N/A 1.63NATURAL RESOURCES Metals W.A. ALUM. PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 6 650 000 0.00 N/A NTOIL AND GAS Petroleum & Petroleum Products Distributors ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC. NT NT 0.21 0.21 24 200 000 0.00 N/A NTCAPITAL OIL PLC 0.50 20 000 0.50 0.50 5 857 500 000 0.00 N/A 0.50RAK UNITY PET. COMP. PLC. NT NT 0.31 0.31 15 000 000 0.00 N/A NTUNION VENTURES & PET. PLC NT NT 0.63 0.63 98 600 000 0.00 N/A NTSERVICES Apparel Retailers UDEOFSON GARMENT FACT. NIG PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 20 000 000 0.00 N/A NTFood/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers NT NT NTJULI PLC. 2.76 16 000 3.05 2.76 194 700 000 0.00 N/A 2.76ETF’s Sector ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND 2 638.00 100 2 706 2 422 0.00 2 638.00

PRICE 52 WK 52 WK SHARES MOV.SECURITY (=N=) QUANTITY HIGH LOW OUTSTANDING EPS (%) Previous

PRICE 52 WK 52 WK SHARES MOV.SECURITY (=N=) QUANTITY HIGH LOW OUTSTANDING EPS (%) Previous

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net40 Monday, November 19, 2012

The drama that was initiated in the judicial landscape on November 5, 2012 by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, when she refused to swear-in Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo as a Justice of Court of Appeal, has continued to generate severe criticisms in annals of judiciary appointments in the country. Assistant Head, Judiciary Desk, KAYODE KETEFE, explores the issue.

An unprecedented thing happened in the Nigerian Judiciary sector on No-vember 5, 2012, when the incumbent

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, refused to swear-in Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo alongside 11 other jurists into the Court of Appeal. The discretion of the CJN to exclude Jombo-Ofo was rested on the assumption that she was ineligible by virtue of her being nominated by a state which is not, Anambra, her state of origin but a state of origin of her husband, (Abia)

Justice Jombo-Ofo was, until the latest development, the Chief Judge of Abia State.

A group which was discontent about her

emergence as a Justice in the Court of Appeal had sent a petition to protest her nomination to Justice Mukhtar, urging the CJN not to swear-in Justice Jombo-Ofo on the grounds of the alleged irregularity in using the slot reserved for “another state” (Abia) when, in fact, she hails from Anambra.

The CJN, surprisingly acted on the petition while apparently basing her discretion not to swear-in Jombo-Ofo on the provisions of the Federal Character Commission Act which states that a woman’s state of origin shall be the guiding consideration in making appointment, rather than the state of origin of her husband.

The Nigerian Senate waded into the matter within 24 hours and recommended to the CJN, on November 6, 2012, that she should swear-in the excluded judge as a Justice of the Court of Appeal “without further delay”

In condemnation of the measure, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, had said “if the CJN’s action is sustained, the sanctity of marriage will be destroyed. I believe we want to encourage professional women to maintain their profession and keep their marriage.

“If allowed it will compel professional women in Nigeria to choose between their professions and their marriages, “which will not encourage family life in this country.

“This will make us think twice about the emphasis on indigeneship and place of origin. If you are resident in a place why can’t you take appointment there? But particularly on this issue, I think it is just a mistake and that the mistake will be corrected.”

The advisory directive to the CJN has not been obeyed at the time of writing this piece. However, National Mirror learnt that Justice Mukhtar has summoned an emergency meeting of the National Judicial Council, (NJC), to decide the fate of Jombo-Ofo against the background of severe criticisms trailing her exclusion from swearing-in ceremony and in the light of the Senate’s recommendation.

Under Item 1 of the Part Two of the Federal Character Commission Act, it is provided thus “A married woman shall continue to lay claim to her State of origin for the purpose of implementation of the federal character formulae at the national level.”

However, section 42 of the 1999 Constitution provides that “A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:-

(a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative

Law & Justice“On no account should courts of law be hungry or have

gluttony for jurisdiction.”JUSTICE NIKI TOBI, RETIRED JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA


[email protected]

42

46

45 CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Exit of Kayode Eso, judicial colossus

Jombo-Ofo: CJN Mukhtar in whirlwind of controversies

Justice Mukhtar

IF THE CJN’S ACTION IS SUSTAINED, THE SANCTITY

OF MARRIAGE WILL BE DESTROYED

Lawyers no longer observe rules of professional ethics –Yusuf Ali

How community lost bid to stop Ooni’s royalties’ rights

President Goodluck Jonathan

42 Monday, November 19, 2012 Law & Justice National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net

Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali is an Ilorin-based lawyer. He was conferred with the exalted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1997. As the principal partner in the law firm of Yusuf O. Ali & Co, Ghalib Chambers, he also engages in extensive law practice in Abuja and Lagos. In this interview with WALE IGBINTADE, he speaks on the allegation of corruption in the judiciary and the ethics of the legal profession, among other issues. Excerpts.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Moham-med Bello Adoke, alleged sometimes ago that some senior lawyers often engaged in ‘’sharp practices”. What is your take on this allegation?

Well, there is no smoke without fire, I will be the first to admit to you that ethical standard in the pro-fession has really fallen and I will also be the first to agree with you that all is not well in terms of the ob-servance of the rules of professional ethics amongst all cadres of lawyers. But, I see that allegation in the context of calling attention to the fact that all is not well at the topmost echelon of the profession. The position itself, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria is not only a position of honour; it is also a position in which you are supposed to be a good example to other people, lawyers and non-lawyers. I think we should thank the Attorney-General for calling the attention to it. Be-cause if you want to know a fish that is bad, once the head is rotten, the whole body is gone and the body of Senior Advocates is the head of the profession. It must remain wholesome at all times.

Last month, Nigeria celebrated her 52nd indepen-dence anniversary, what are the prospects and chal-lenges of the judiciary?

The challenges of the judiciary in the last 52 years have been one of lack of adequate facilities to work with. There is erosion of the rule of law by the ex-ecutive, especially during the times of election in the last 52 years. The military ruled for a period of more than 30 years. Observance and the upholding of the rights of the citizens, especially during the period of military rule, were at zero level. The quality of per-sons who get appointed to the Bench over the years has gone down. In the past, it was certain members of the Bench would invite people they thought were outstanding in the legal practice to come and join the Bench. Now, unfortunately, we have situations where people apply and people lobby for these positions. Those are the challenges. Of course, the challenges of the inadequacy of division of infrastructure, inad-equacy of funds for the judiciary are also there. Chal-lenges of not providing enough for the judiciary and starving them unnecessarily of their tools of trade. A good library, a good and comfortable chambers for the Judges, Internet facilities, IT compliance in the judiciary, all these are goals that ought to have been attained during this period, but most of them have not been attained. These are the challenges.

However, all is not dark, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I was privileged to be present at the open-ing of the new legal year of our judiciary here, at the valedictory of our out-gone Chief Judge and we could see that there are some snippets of hope in terms of ef-forts being made by the government to install record-ing machines and other gadgets that can fast track justice delivery. I think the prospects are quite high, especially if all the stakeholders are up and doing. As I am talking to you, I am aware that there are propos-als to increase the age of entrance to the Bench, at the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the apex court so

that there is maturity and experience in the level of the output. I think the judiciary has bright prospects if we follow through all the indices that are available.

Not long ago, the House of Representatives passed a resolution against the proposed policy on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to introduce N5, 000 note. What is the position of the law, does the CBN need approval of the National Assembly to introduce the new note?

As far as I know, there is no such requirement un-der the CBN Act. The only approval the CBN needs for such policy is the President approval. But having said that, Vox Populi Vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God), what the CBN needs to do is to mount an extensive enlightenment campaign both for the mem-bers of the National Assembly and ordinary Nigeri-ans as to the economic benefits of the introduction of the note. I think many people don’t really understand reason for the introduction of a new currency. I see what is happening as a call on the CBN to justify the introduction. Don’t forget that we are in a democracy and rightly or wrongly, the majority must have their way. So as it is now, majority of Nigerians, either due to the fact that they don’t really understand what is involved or they are not convinced so far about the ar-guments put forward, either way the CBN needs to do more to allay the fears of majority of the people that the introduction will lead to negative development in our economy.

Do you see Nigeria as a true federation?The problem we have is that we have a skewed fed-

eral system of government in Nigeria. I stand to be corrected, Nigeria is the only federation I know where at the end of the month, people assemble at the cen-tre to distribute money like hand-outs or meal tick-ets to States. In real federal states, the States generate money and they contribute to the centre, based on an agreed proportion of funds. What happens in the Unit-ed States, for example, is that, Federal Government of United States relies on taxes, taxing things that come from the States, in terms of resources. I think that our over-reliance on petroleum has made everybody to become economically lazy, people are not looking at Nigeria where they can really generate funds and that is why, as I am talking to you today, of the 36 States, I am not sure without sharing the federation account, anyone of them can survive to pay salaries.

That is a misfortune and that is what defeats the ar-gument of those that say they want additional states because these States are not economically viable. So, if you create additional states, you are just creating additional bureaucracy and a drain on the resources of the country in terms of payment of salaries for new numbers of governors, new numbers of members of the house of assembly. I think the governors have their reasons why they say they want to go to court. But I think the interest of Nigerians should all be par-amount to all parties. What is best for Nigeria should be the concern of our leaders at all levels.

The issue of N2.4 billion bribe allegedly offered by the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori to the EFCC is still in court. Who do you think owns the money, the State or the Federal Government?

Nigeria is an interesting country, you are talking

Lawyers no longer observe rules

THERE IS EROSION OF THE RULE OF LAW BY THE EXECUTIVE,

ESPECIALLY DURING THE TIMES OF ELECTION IN THE LAST 52 YEARS

Ali (SAN)

43Monday, November 19, 2012 Law & JusticeNational Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.neta

about the money that it was said to be a bribe. Has it being proven that the money was from the purse of Delta State? Because there are basic questions you must answer, who owns the money, really? So, you have to determine the owner of the money before it can be for somebody. You cannot rely on the rule of the tongue, if truly the money belongs to the Delta State oh! They are entitled to have it, but if it is proven that the money did not belong to the Delta State govern-ment or Federal Government, it belongs to an individ-ual, then let the individual come and explain his or her sources of income. If he or she is able to establish that it was his legitimate earning, but if none of the parties can prove its ownership, no individual or cor-porate body comes to say something, then the money should go to the federation account. That is an income for the Federal Government, not the Federal Govern-ment at the centre no, it should go to the federation account, it belongs to all Nigerians, that is what I am saying.

The wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, was reported to have been represented by a federal Minister at a book launch. Constitutionally, can she delegate such duty to a Minister?

Constitutionally, there is no constitutional provi-sion for the wife of the President or the wife of Gov-ernor, but there is constitutional provision for the ap-pointment of Minister. Our president may be someone who is not married. I think the answer to your ques-tion is obvious. The constitution does not create the office of the wife of the President, but the constitution creates the office of a Minister. I think the answer is clear.

There is controversy over the action of some States, which recently launched new Coat of Arms in their respective States. What is your take on the issue?

We have our own Coat of Arms in this (Kwara State; Osun State has its own, so also Lagos State has. Some-times, things that should not become issues, we pro-mote them because we don’t have sufficient things to occupy us positively. Even if your family wants, let them launch their own Coat of Arms, as long as they are not declaring a dissension or disintegration. Some of these things we promote them out of the ordinary. I don’t see anything fantastic about it, which is the truth. Any State that wants to have Coat of arms, let them have it. The Coat of Arms is a symbol of identi-fication. It is just like the plate number. All the states of the federation have their own. Kwara, (State of Har-mony), Sokoto State, (State of the Caliphate). I see it as a means of identification; let us face some more seri-ous things, challenges of infrastructure, of electricity, of health, of good roads. Let’s talk about these things.

As a senior member of the Bar, how do you feel about the allegations of corrupt practices in the judiciary?

I feel bad, but you see, Nigerians are very interest-ing, we just like allegations. People say these things sometimes to malign other people, sometimes libel oth-er people. Please, anybody who has concrete evidence of corruption in the judiciary, can they please come forward? Go to security agencies, let them even come to the Nigerian Bar Association and buttress their al-legation. I think we should rise above allegations. Ni-gerians like allegations, they just like allegations. It appears we have many fertile minds of allegations for imagination because, in the process, they will destroy other peoples’ good names. I am not saying that the judiciary is made up of angels, but don’t paint every-body with the brush of shame when you don’t have facts to support the allegations. I want to appeal to the Nigeria Press to assist us, if somebody comes forward and say so and so person is corrupt, once he or she doesn’t have the proof, don’t even publish it, because other people’s names, good names sometimes are de-

stroyed based on allegations. Because Nigerians are bad losers in anything, be it sports, be it court cases, anybody who loses a court matter must, first of all, raise allegation of corruption against the Judge. My take is that if people think somebody is corrupt on the Bench, let them come forward, let them be forthcom-ing. If they don’t want to go to the police, then let them come to the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Associa-tion and they will see that action will be taken.

Because of the prevailing high rate of corruption among elected officials, many of your colleagues have called for the removal of section 308 of the 1999 Con-stitution, which deals with the immunity clause in the constitution. Do you share their view?

Let me say this one, it is so easy to point accusing fingers, I am not holding fort for the elected officials, it is a matter of common knowledge that there are lots of unwholesome things going on, but who in Nigeria is upright? Directly or indirectly, we all aid and abet corruption. If your brother is a Minister today, things that you are not entitled to, you will demand them from him, that is corruption. Your child does not score the minimum mark in JAMB and post JAMB, but because the Vice-Chancellor or the Registrar is your friend, you will influence your child to be taken instead of those who are better qualified at the same examina-tion, that is corruption. Corruption is taking benefit of something of which you are not entitled lawfully. It could be social, it could be economic, it could be financial.

My take is, if we want to fight corruption, let us be holistic about it. I don’t subscribe to the theory that it is only the leaders that have problem, the fol-lowers in Nigeria are worse than their leaders. All societies that are upright, such uprightness is dic-tated by the led. They will insist Mr. Governor, Mr. President you can’t do this because it is immoral. But, Nigerians don’t do that. If the President is from X tribe, he can never, ever be wrong as far as his tribe is concerned in Nigeria. All other tribes, all other people believe, oh, the man is evil, his own people, quote and unquote, will say oh, he is an angel. There is no patriotism even in our approach to national issues. So, even on the issue of corruption, our ap-proach is selective. A governor will be said to be cor-rupt as long as he doesn’t come from a particular part of the state, his own people will believe that the man is upright. If we want to fight corruption, let all of us re-dedicate ourselves. I have said it several times that in proven cases of corruption, such people should be executed. As far as I can tell you, we have gone to the level where we should ask public officials to come and account for what they have and that is why we said let there be public declaration of assets so that people can verify. In a society where people do anticipatory dec-laration of assets, things they don’t have when they assume office, they declare it in advance, because they think they will be able to cover it. So if we want to fight corruption, let’s fight corruption, some of these things are too cosmetics.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has asked the President to re-instate the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami. But up till now, it has not been done. How do you view this issue?

I have said it, the excuse given by the Federal Gov-ernment was that look, there are court cases. But you see, I’ve also made the point elsewhere that govern-ment must be consistent. When the NJC took the ini-tial decision of suspending his Lordship, there were court cases; the Presidency, at that time, accepted the recommendation to suspend the man. Now that the same NJC is saying look, it was a mistake, don’t sus-pend him anymore, reinstate him. I think the path of honour for the Federal Government is to follow the recommendation otherwise, that is why people are reading meanings to the stance of the Federal Gov-ernment, that maybe there is more than what the eyes could see in what is involved. I think to be able to preach consistency and transparency, the Federal Government should just go ahead and carry out the wishes of the NJC because we all knew there were court cases when the matter was on and there are still court cases when the NJC made its recommendation. That is the way I see it.

of professional ethics –Yusuf Ali

ANYBODY WHO LOSES A COURT MATTER MUST, FIRST OF ALL, RAISE ALLEGATION

OF CORRUPTION AGAINST THE JUDGE

action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions, or political opinions are not made subject; or

(b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions, or political opinions.

(2) No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth.”

With the non-discrimination provisions in the constitution quoted above, it would appear that the operations of the clause in the Federal Character Commission Act would cease to have effect in the light of the supremacy of the constitution which is enshrined under the section 1 of the 1999 Constitution. Nonetheless, the issue is made more complicated by virtue of subsection 3 to the section 42 of the constitution, quoted above, which recognises circumstances under which some apparently discriminatory actions may be justified.

The said subsection provides thus “3) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall invalidate any law by reason only that the law imposes restrictions with respect to the appointment of any person to any office under the State or as a member of the armed forces of the Federation or member of the Nigeria Police Forces or to an office in the service of a body, corporate established directly by any law in force in Nigeria.”

Whether or not the proviso to section 42 may be rightly invoked to justify the CJN’s action on Jombo-Ofo remains controversial.

Be that as it may, a deluge of criticisms has traced the CJN’s decision with many lawyers describing the action as strange, uncalled for and illegal.

Truly, this is not the first time that a female jurist would use the slot allocated for her husband’s state to get judicial appointment.

As a matter of fact, two justices of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili and Justice Olufunmilola Adekeye, who retired from the Apex court recently, are from Imo and Ondo States respectively.

They had used the slots of the states of their husbands, Rivers and Ekiti respectively, to get to the Supreme Court without any objection being raised against their candidacy. Lawyers have also condemned the CJN’s act as discriminatory and a violation of Jombo-Ofo’s constitutional rights not to be discriminated against. This said non-discriminatory clause, lawyers said, should have preponderated over the provisions of the Federal Character Commission Act which is a lesser law to the 1999 Constitution in the light supremacy clause enshrined

in section 1 of the constitution. The said section 1 (1) and (3) states that “This

Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on the authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“If any other law is inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail, and that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.”

The lawyers also believe that the subsection (3) of the section 42 quoted above could not justify the CJN’s action.

National Mirror sought the views of some lawyers on this development, especially against the background of Senate’s recommendation that the CJN should jettison her objection and swear-in the jurist as well as the question of legality of the decision not to swear-in Jombo-Ofo in the first place. In his own view, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said “The directive of the National Assembly is merely advisory in nature. It has no legal force and, therefore, cannot be legally enforceable. It is not an Act of parliament.

“However, Justice Jombo-Ofo herself can go to court to enforce her fundamental right not to be discriminated against. Only she, Jombo-Ofo has the locus to challenge the decision not to swear her in at the court.

“Having said that, I think the decision not swear her in by the CJN was very wrong, very backward, retrogressive, unjust and unconstitutional. It cannot be justified on any grounds.

“In Nigeria, we use patrilinear system and not matrilineal. Patrilinear system allows women to have entitlement in their husbands’ place. It would be very unfair to women if this practice is sustained”

Chief Ganiyu Adetola-Kazeem (SAN) said, “The Senate can only advice; they cannot compel the Judiciary, which is another arm of government. So, on this issue, the Senate cannot mandate the CJN to swear-in the judge.”

In his reaction, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), said, “The decision can be challenged in court because the judge had fulfilled all the procedure. The NJC had given its nod and the President had approved it. That means the appointment is already made.

“Even if any petition was pending, she should have been sworn-in first while the petition is examined later if it has merit.

“Under the provision of section 42 of the 1999 Constitution, it is wrong to discriminate against any person on the basis of sex, place of birth etc. The law under which the CJN acted is called Federal Character

Commission Act, which provides that a woman’s state of birth and not her husband’s state should be used as basis of appointment.

“But since the Constitution is superior to the Federal Character Commission Act, Justice Jombo-Ofo can go to court to challenge the decision on the grounds that it is not constitutional.”

The Immediate past NBA Chairman, Ikeja branch, Mr. Adebamigbe Omole said, “The Senate’s directive is advisory, if it is not obeyed, it cannot be enforced by legal means. But of course, the judge herself can go to court to contest the decision.

“Having said that, Let me state what is done to Justice Jombo-Ofo is nothing, but injustice, and one did not expect such a thing from the CJN, Justice Mukhtar, who herself is a woman.

“The case of a woman using her husband’s state to get judicial appointment is not new. It happened in the case of Justice Olufunmilayo Adekeye, who is from Ondo, but used the slot of Ekiti State to get appointment to the Supreme Court.

“The same thing happened in the case of Justice Mary Odili who is now at the Supreme Court. She used the slot of Rivers State which is her husband’s state to get appointed to the Supreme Court. So the decision of the CJN was not right”

A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Yahaya Oladeji, said “It is very wrong in the first place for the CJN to refuse to swear-in Jombo-Ofo, that is technical error from the legal perspective because swearing-in is a mere ceremony.

Look at the provision of section 238 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, it states thus: “The appointment of a person to the office of President of the Court of Appeal shall be made by the President on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council subject to confirmation of such appointment by the Senate.”

Going by this provision, the substantive thing is the recommendation by the NJC and the endorsement by the President both of which procedures she had undergone.

So, she is already a judge of the Court of Appeal in the eyes of the law. The CJN should just heed the call of the Senate now and swear-in Jombo-Ofo.

The Executive Director of Legal Defence and Assistance Project, Mr. Chino Obiagwu, in a statement, said “LEDAP is concerned that the decision was arbitrary and unfair, and inconsistent with previous instances in which a number of female justices have been appointed, promoted or elevated on slots from their states of marriage rather than states of birth.

“LEDAP is worried that such practice of denying married women judicial appointments because of their state of marriage negates the principles of fairness and would be detrimental to women in judicial service. It is contrary to the entire values of marriage and of the Nigeria society.”

44 Monday, November 19, 2012 Law & Justice National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41

‘Mukhtar’s action is discriminatory, unconstitutional’

Falana Adetola-Kazeem

JUSTICE JOMBO-OFO HERSELF CAN GO TO COURT TO ENFORCE

HER FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT NOT TO BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST

Obiagwu

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 45Monday, November 19, 2012 Law & Justice

The exit of retired Supreme Court Justice Kayode Eso, last Friday, is a loss to the legal pro-

fession. In his 12 years of sojourn on the Apex court Bench, he bestrode the court like a colossus. Within the legal circles, he was greatly venerat-ed as the most courageous judge who ever sat on the Bench of the Supreme Court. The late jurist was also one of the greatest analytical minds that ever adorned the Apex court. While on the Bench, he was both a monu-ment and a model. Eso’s immense ex-perience at the Bar, the public service and on the Bench spanned a total time frame of 46 years. Justice Eso was usually called ‘The Denning of our time’ ‘because of his uncanny analy-sis of the law and for being an unre-pentant advocate of undiluted justice for every man, woman and child.

Eso attended Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha regarded as one the Io-nian Group of Schools at that time. He later studied Law at the Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) . The double degrees of BA, LL.B in one stretch proved a great attraction in prefer-ence to London, to which he had also been offered admission.

After his return from overseas, he had a short spell in Ibadan, but soon became disillusioned with the sharp practices of some lawyers and their political entanglements. He decided to move his base to Jos where he estab-lished a flourishing law firm. His old friend, Abdul Fatai Dabiri, joined him to set up the law firm of Eso & Dabiri, Law and Equity Chambers.

Eso suddenly abandoned the lucra-tive practice in Jos and later joined the Civil Service as a salary earner. He moved first to Ibadan and then to Lagos.

He was first appointed a Protocol Officer In the Ministry of External Affairs in Lagos and on his third day in the service as a protocol officer he resigned his appointment. He then re-turned to Ibadan, joined the Ministry of Justice and was appointed Senior Crown Counsel Grade 11. He later be-came Principal Crown Counsel.

In every role he found himself, he maintained a principled commitment to the rule of law and justice, rather than loyalty to any political authority or group.

Eso was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Western Region in 1965 directly from the post of Legal Drafts-man. To Eso, a judge was subject only to the law and to his own conscience.

He was a one-time Acting President,

Western State Court of Appeal. In his nine years as an appellate judge, he brought qualities of equity, fairness and maintenance of integrity of the judiciary to bear.

Eso joined the Supreme Court in 1978 during the military era. This was the period when there was a calculated attempt to humiliate the Supreme Court and erode its authority and bastardise its independence. His membership of the Apex court and the cases before the

court soon departed from the restrictive pro-executive concept of some of his col-leagues.

He belonged to the realist school of ju-risprudence which sees law as a veritable instrument of social change.

In all, he delivered 464 considered and reported judgements, 70 of them were lead judgements, 390 were concurring judgments and four were dissenting judgements.

There were many cases in which Eso displayed his knack for judicial courage, single-mindedness and progressive inter-pretation of the law. While on the Bench, he was noted for bold and imaginative decisions in the mould of Thurgood Mar-shall of the US Supreme Court for his dogged and uncompromising dedi-cation to the pursuit of justice, and creative and purposeful interpreta-tion of the law, referred to as judicial activism.

Eso headed a panel to sanitise the judiciary. The Eso panel was set up on December 29, 1993 and its report and recommendations gave a comprehen-sive blueprint for the restoration of the lost glory of the Judiciary.

Eso married his heartthrob, Helen Aina (nee Agidee) on January 16, 1954 and the marriage is blessed with

two children, a daughter , Funmilayo, and a son, Arc. Olumide Eso.

The jurist was born in 1925 and he retired from the Bench in December 1990.

Eso had to his credit some publi-cations namely; The Mystery Gun-man - written by Eso himself. This is about the trial of Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Laureate. During the Western Region crisis, he was alleged to have broken into a radio station and forced the operators on duty to replace the Premier’s recorded message with his own. The case was assigned to Justice Eso. Another book, Kayode Eso-The Making of a Judge was written by the duo of Prof. Festus Ade Ajayi and Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George.

Eso through the cases In Awolowo-v-Shagari (1979) ISCI,

one of the most controversial judge-ments ever given in this country. Jus-tice Eso of the seven justices wrote the only dissenting opinion in which he held that ‘’at least 2/3 of 19 states could only be 13 and not 122/3’’.

The dissenting opinion speaks vol-umes of his independence and fear-lessness. He stood doggedly with the truth and that stance for truth continued unabated until his retire-ment.

In Nwobodo-v-Onoh (1984),which was another election petition case, he similarly dissented from the ma-jority of the Supreme Court justices.

In Ojukwu-v-Military Governor of Lagos State (1986) INWLR (Part 18), Justice Eso read the lead judgement in which the Supreme Court dis-missed the myth about the infallibil-ity of a military government.

Justice Eso declared that the force-ful seizure of Ojukwu’s property when a case in respect of it was pending in the Court was a demonstration of ex-ecutive lawlessness and an attempt ‘’ to infuse timidity into the court and operate sabotage of the cherished rule of law’’.

In Garba-v-Federal Civil Service Commission (1988) INWLR (Part 71) 499 he states thus:

‘’The Rule of law knows no fear, it is never cowed down; it can only be silenced. But once the only arm that can silence it does not silence it, it must be accepted in full confidence to be able to justify its existence’’’.

In Fawehinmi-v-Akilu (1987) NWLR (Part 67) 797, Eso canvassed a broader view of locus standi and thereby ex-hibited his boldness in upholding the rule of law.

He also had cause to handle a num-ber of human rights cases notably; Adeyemi-v-AG Oyo State (1987) IN-WLR (part 53) 678 Garba & ors -v-Univ of Maiduguri (1986) INWLR (part 18) 550 Prof Olaniyan & ors -v- UniLag (1985) 2 NWLR (part 9 pg 599

Fawehinmi-v- LPDC (1985) 2 NWLR (part 7) 300 Akinfe-v- The State (1988) 3 NWLR (Part 85) 729. Ransome-Kuti-v- AG . Fed (1985) 2 NWLR (pt 6) 211.

Exit of Kayode Eso, judicial colossus The demise of eminent jurist, Justice Kayode Eso, last Fri-day evokes memories of his life and times on the Bench. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Ag. Head, Judiciary writes.

ESO DELIVERED 464 CONSIDERED

AND REPORTED JUDGMENTS, 70 OF THEM WERE LEAD JUDGMENTS, 390

WERE CONCURRING JUDGMENTS

AND FOUR WERE DISSENTING JUDGMENTS

Late Justice Eso

How community lost bid to stop Ooni’s royalties’ rights Monday, November 19, 2012Law & Justice46 National Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net

FAMOUS CASES

Oba Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi was a Nigerian political figure and the Ooni of Ife who reigned

in the ancient town from 1930 till 1980. The Ooni also served as the governor of Western Region, Nigeria, between 1960 and 1967.

During the colonial era, the Ooni gained a considerable amount of pow-er due to the colonial policy of indirect rule and belonged to the status of a first class Oba among traditional rul-ers in Yoruba land.

The Ooni, with the consent of the leading Yoruba political leaders used his position to close the gaps of exploi-tation of divisional differences among Yorubas and tried fervently to rally the Yoruba towards a common goal.

Sometimes in the early 1960s, Baale Adedire and other members of Ife community had dragged the Caretaker Committee of Ife Divisional Council and Aderawos Timber Company Lim-ited to an Ibadan High Court over a concession deed made in 1954.

At that time, the Ooni of Ife, apart from being the head of Ife Divisional Council, also had substantial interests in the timber company.

In the statement of claim, Adedire and others claimed against the timber company, among others, an order to set aside a Deed of Concession dated 6th January, 1954 between the Ife District Native Authority and the company.

They also asked for an account of all profits derived by the timber com-pany from the concession and an order to pay the sum found due into the Ife Divisional Council Treasury, and an injunction to restrain the firm from further exploiting the concession.

Adedire and others contended that they were members of the Ife Commu-nity and sued as such and as taxpayers.

They further alleged that the forest area, the subject-matter of the conces-sion, was the communal property of the Ife community which was held in trust for the community by the Ife Dis-trict Native Authority, whose succes-sor was the first defendant; and that Sir Adesoji Aderemi, the Ooni of Ife, was, at the material time, the trustee of Ife communal lands and a principal shareholder of the appellant company.

Adedire and others said that the Ooni, with his council, signed the con-cession on behalf of the Ife District Native Authority and as “the tradition-al authority on behalf of the commu-nal owners of the land”. They said the monarch acted in a dual capacity as Ooni of Ife and as a major shareholder in the company, and that the Conces-sion Deed ought to be set aside on the ground that the Ooni’s interest as shareholder conflicted with his duty as trustee of communal lands.

The timber company and its share-holders, in their defence, claimed that the claim was barred by section 62 of the Native Authority Ordinance (Cap. 140) and/or by section 242 of the Local Government Law 1957. The company denied the allegations of Adedire and others and claimed that the conces-

sion was duly made under the powers vested in the Native Authority by law.

Justice Kester dismissed Adedire’s claim. He held that Adedire and the community had failed to prove their right to bring the action.

Besides, the court held that the Ooni of Ife was not a trustee in respect of the Forest Reserve and, therefore, no question of his acting in a dual ca-pacity arose. It declared further that the concession was a valid deed and that the claim was statute-barred.

On appeal, the Federal Supreme Court reversed the decision of Kester J.

The three Justices of the Supreme Court who sat on the panel were, Lord

Moris, Lord Hodson, and Lord Guest, who delivered the judgement of the court.

In the judgement delivered on July 28, 1963 in suit No. P.E. No. 33 of 1963, the court held that Adedire and others had a locus standi entitling them to bring the action.

The court also held that the Ooni of Ife acted in a dual capacity in relation to the concession, in that he was in a fiduciary position as Ooni of Ife and a major shareholder in the appellant company and that the concession deed should, on this ground, be set aside and that the action was not statute-barred. There followed an order by the Federal Supreme Court setting

aside the Deed of Concession and oth-erwise in terms of the respondent’s claim.’’

Apart from elaborate general con-siderations made by their Lordships, the court considered that there was great force in the observations of Kes-ter J. to this effect.

“Who are the communal owners?’ Although the plaintiffs claimed as members of the ‘Ife Community’ there is no evidence before the Court as to what constitutes this community. The identity of the ‘communal owners’ is not clear or certain.

‘’Apart from the first plaintiff, there is no evidence about who the other plaintiffs are. No evidence whatever about their identities. Paragraph 1 of the statement of claim was denied by the defendants. In the circumstances, therefore, I am unable to hold that the words ‘communal owners’ in Exhibit ‘A’ refer to the unidentified class of persons described as ‘lfe Community’ which the plaintiffs claim they belong and by which right they have brought this action.”

Lord Guest said there was no satis-factory proof that the first plaintiff, as a native of Ife community, had a lo-cus standi to sue.

The court acknowledged that the lo-cus standi of the respondents was sup-ported in the Federal Supreme Court by a reference to the evidence of the first plaintiff who said his family name was Ogunleye and that he was the head of that family which still hunted in the Forest Reserve.

The only basis for the respondents’ title as a member of the Ogunleye fam-ily must be contained in the Second Schedule to the Ife Native Authority Forest Reserve Order 1941 as amended by the Ife District Native Authority Forest Reserve (Amendment) Order 1953, whereby the Ogunleye family’s rights to reside, farm, hunt and fish are reserved.

According to the verdict, their Lord-ships have therefore reached the con-clusion that the respondents have not established their locus standi to bring this action to set aside the concession deed. It follows that it is unnecessary for their Lordships to consider the re-maining points, namely whether there was a fiduciary duty owed by the Ooni of Ife to the Ife community or whether the claim was statute barred, matters upon which they express no opinion.

The justices, therefore, said the logi-cal result of their conclusions would be to allow the appeal and restore the judgement of Kester J. dismissing the action.

Their Lordships, therefore, humbly advised Her Majesty that the appeal be allowed, the judgement of the Federal Supreme Court set aside with costs and the judgment of Kester J. restored.

About 50 years ago, the Federal Supreme Court declared that Baale Adedire and Ife Com-munity lacked the power to checkmate the expanding economic influence of the late Ooni of Ife, Sir. Adesoji Aderemi. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Ag. Head, Judiciary writes.

BALE ADEDIRE AND OTHERS HAVE NOT

ESTABLISHED THEIR LOCUS STANDI TO

BRING THIS ACTION TO SET ASIDE THE

CONCESSSION DEED

Late Ooni of Ife, Oba Aderemi

Law & JusticeNational Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 47Monday, November 19, 2012

MATTHEW BURKAA

Continued from October 31

It is not in doubt that the na-ture of the office and func-tions of a judge call for a

very high sense of duty, probity, integrity and transparency, as such any Judge so appointed without possessing the above fundamental qualities is no doubt bound to be a clog and obstacle to justice. As someone would say-

For,- a Judge with little or no learning can be a most dangerous clogs in the administration of jus-tice.”

(iv) Incorruptibility of the Bench: A corrupt bench can only worsen the fight against corrup-

tion. For the Judiciary to position itself properly against the fight against corruption it must first purge itself of corruption. It will be a very sad day indeed for the court which is seen as the bastion of hope of the common man to stand as an “accused” in the fight against corruption. This indeed will signify the end of everything.

(v) The prosecuting agen-cies must provide proper train-ing for prosecutors of corruption cases.

(vi) The courts must be properly equipped with modern facilities to be able to fast-track the determination of corrup-tion related cases and indeed understand the modus operandi of persons accused of cases of corruption.

CONCLUSION

The fight against corruption as stated earlier is a collective one and all hands must indeed be on deck in order to ensure a corrupt-free Nigeria. The court which is final arbiter in our criminal Jus-tice system but be well-positioned and prepared both intellectu-ally and otherwise to handle the great challenge posed by the ever changing dynamics and face of corruption. It must first purge and cleanse itself of all forms of corruption and discharge its du-ties without fear or favour.

Concluded

Burkaa, a counsel in the law firm of Tayo Oyetibo & Co, Barristers and Solicitors deliv-ered this paper recently at the SERAP Media Roundatable in Lagos .

Role of judiciary in combating corruption in Nigeria

Case for sport business legislation

Bar Jokes

Legal dispute

The judge never knew I was a new wig –Wahab Shittu

Culled from Bar Jokes.Com

OLA OLATAWURA

The embarrassing status of Nigeria’s sporting prow-ess and administration

in the comity of nations reached the lowest point possible with the outcome of the London Olympics 2012. With a population of over 120 million consisting of some of the most naturally virile individuals and races, the country’s individ-ual sportsmen and teams in the last decade have been putting on a no-show in major sporting events, particularly in ‘national sport’ cat-egories. Clearly things are wrong in a lot of places. If President Jon-athan wants to transform Nige-ria’s sport sector, the opportunity has been given to him on platter of gold. Sport is now an important contributor to the development of economic and social relations. It is evident what Muhammed Ali, Mi-chael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt, and Barcelona FC and Real Madrid FC have done for their countries in Nigeria alone, not to mention the globe. The usual causes generally fingered for the national disgrace are no doubt correct, though some seem to be declining in relevance, and many most times exaggerated or misdi-agnosed. The funding of sport is of the latter category. While gov-ernment spending has either been criticised as too little or too late, the basis and framework for an alternative private financial con-tribution to the development and organisation of sport has not been appreciated. Substantial sustain-able private long term investment and financing of sport related ac-tivities is the key to success on the sporting field. What inhibits this is the lack of a focused regulatory framework. Since 2006, the author has been arguing for such a re-gime, as part of a revolutionary shake-up of the sport sector. Resis-tance has come from beneficiaries

of the present malformed system, mostly ‘old school’ methodolo-gists, beneficiaries of the skewed operating system, quacks and cor-rupt practitioners in various sport related fields.

Why should an Act be pro-moted?

Sport is a huge global business. It contributes up to 3 per cent of European Union GDP and signifi-cantly combines with other en-tertainment sectors to contribute 20 per cent of US’ GDP. Nigeria is a potential leader in growing a sport industry in Africa and be-yond. Research estimates show that the development of the foot-ball sub-sector can generate at least $200million per annum to the economy. However, the legal framework for the peculiarities of private sport finance and in-vestment industry does not ex-ist. To develop the Nigerian sport industry, generate employment, prevent abuse, incompetence, corruption, monopoly, financial handicap, and uncertain reli-ance on government, an Act is imperative. It is necessary that a special or focused Act is enacted to tap its potentials in Nigeria. The current general legal frame-work does not support a systemic or coherent development of sport or sustainable massive private in-vestment. Only big corporations and high risk takers can comfort-ably invest in sport. A dedicated sport business legislation will ensure certainty, provide rights

necessary for sport investors that are not fully addressed or cur-rently available in Nigerian law, provide enforceable duties on states, local government, sport administrators and investors, protect sport persons, promote professionalism and manage-ment, and prevent abuse of pow-er and intrusion by government. The legitimate roles and powers of FG and state Government will be fully defined in accordance with a Sport Policy. The economic global meltdown supports the review of government funding, reprioritisation, and down grad-ing, while justifying an effective legal investment framework for massive private sector activity and participation in sustainable sport development and industry. The argument that predominant government control and funding of sport is imperative as a means of national unity and public rela-tions is now over – exaggerated and even counter- productive. Fi-nally, it will be a testimony to the world that Nigeria is serious about promoting and protecting sport business and stakeholders.

Sport Promotion and Protec-tion of Investment Act

The public and private status of sport administration and or-ganisation has generally been unsettled. Ordinarily, as a consti-tutional policy, government can-not exercise predominant control – as it is- of sport. See section 16 (1) and (2), CFRN 1999. Ironically, most regimes that government rely on do not exist, having been repealed. The National Sport Commission NSC Act 1971 has been repealed since 2004. The la-cuna makes it difficult to enforce due process and other statutes.

To be continued next week

Dr. Olatawura, a senior partner in Goldmann Lagos Transnational Lawyers writes from Abuja.

A Lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a Sheriff’s Deputy. He

thinks that he is smarter than the Deputy because he is sure that he has a better education. He decides to prove this to him-self and have some fun at the deputy’s expense...........

Deputy says, “License and registration, please.”

Lawyer says, “What for?” Deputy says, “You didn’t

come to a complete stop at the stop sign”

Lawyer says, “I slowed down, and no one was coming.”

Deputy says, “You still didn’t come to a complete stop. License and registration, please.”

Lawyer says, “What’s the dif-ference?”

Deputy says, “The difference is, you have to come to a com-plete stop, that’s the law. License and registration, please!”

Lawyer says, “If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop, I’ll give you my license and registration and you give me the ticket, if not you let me go and no ticket.”

Deputy says, “Exit your ve-hicle, sir.”

At this point, the Deputy takes out his nightstick and starts beating the ever-loving crap out of the Lawyer and says: “DO YOU WANT ME TO STOP OR JUST SLOW DOWN?”

One day a lawyer was riding in his limousine when he saw a guy eat-

ing grass. He told the driver to stop. He got out and asked him, “Why are you eating grass?”

The man replied, “I’m so poor, I can’t afford anything thing to eat.”

So the lawyer said, “Poor guy, come back to my house.”

The guy says, “But I have

a wife and three kids.” The lawyer told him to bring them along.

When they were all in the car, the poor man said, “Thanks for taking us back to your house; it is so kind of you.”

The lawyer replied, “You’re going to love it there... the grass is a foot tall!”

Generous lawyer

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOOTBALL SUB-SECTOR CAN

GENERATE AT LEAST $200 MILLION PER

ANNUM TO THE ECONOMY

At my first day in court I was eager

to make impres-sion. It was before the current Chief Justice of Nige-ria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, who was then a judge of the High Court in Kano. I was assigned a brief filed by A.B. Mahmud SAN who was then the Head of the civil litigation in the Kano State Ministry of Justice. I announced my ap-

pearance and did the best I could to articulate my case without fear. That was not because of any super intelli-gence on my part I was just determined to do well and I was courageous. Even go-

ing by the confidence with which I spoke she did not suspect I was a new wig. My advice to upcoming lawyers is that they should not be lack-ing in courage to express their views. This is because if you allow yourself to be overwhelmed by fear; that is self-defeatist in na-ture. The greatest strength of the law-yer is advocacy and courage is part of the art of advocacy.

Shittu

Oddities

Drug defendant asks judge for one more joint

Police arrest man with mobile offi ce in car

A judge’s offer to al-low an Ohio drug defendant the

chance to stay out of pris-on if he’d give up marijua-na might have just gone up in smoke.

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Melba Marsh says she was astonished by the response from 19-year-old Damaine Mitchell on Wednesday.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported

Thursday that Mitchell told the judge he likes smoking weed and staying off it so he could stay out of prison would be “a challenge.” He told the judge he could try to quit but made a request: Could he “at least get one more joint in?”

The judge quickly said no. She wants Mitchell back in court next week before she decides what to do with his trafficking case.

Forget texting while driving. German po-lice say they nabbed

a driver who had wired his Ford station wagon with an entire mobile office.

Saarland state police said Friday the 35-year-old man was pulled over for doing 130 kph (80 mph) in a 100 kph zone while passing a truck Monday.

Built on a wooden frame on his passenger seat they found a laptop on a docking station tilted for easy driver access, a printer, router, wireless internet stick, WLAN antenna, and an inverter to power it all.

A navigation system and cellphone mounted to the windshield completed the array.

Since there was no evidence he used the office while moving, he got away with a �120 ($153) speeding ticket and a possible fine for having unsecured items in his car.

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (45)“When one door of happiness closes, another opens but often

we look so long at the closed door that we don’t see the one that has been opened for us.”

–Helen KellerWorries and anxieties has the power to blind us to the opportu-

nities that abounds around us. Once I was looking for 700,000 naira to do a particular business and was almost at the verge of taking loans when my eyes were opened to a long time investment that I once did which miraculous turned to millions of naira. As a mat-ter of fact the document was under my reading all the time and I didn’t know!

Let’s keep our eyes open. When one door closes millions are wide open somewhere. I believe this implicitly!

Someone says many look but only few see!

TEL 08104942999E-MAIL [email protected] me @TwitterOWOTIDE

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

The vehicle with its interior wired up like a mobile office. PHOTO: AP

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net48 Monday, November 19, 2012Cocktail

World NewsObama defends Israel, warns against escalating Gaza crisis


50

At least fi ve killed in Kenya grenade attack

Rebels in the Democratic Repub-lic of Congo have seized another town after clashing with government troops backed by UN peacekeep-ers’ helicopters.

The M23 fighters are said to be in a place called Monigi, 4km from Goma, increasing fears that they are advancing towards the oil-rich region’s main city with the aim of capturing it.

The rebels said on Sunday that they have reached the “door” of Goma. “We’re at the door... we are not in the city of Goma. It’s not our ambition to take Goma. Neverthe-less if (President Joseph) Kabila’s army attacks us, we will pursue the enemy until it is repelled very far from Goma,” Vianney Kazarama, a rebel spokesman, told the AFP news agency.

Long lines of voters have braved the heat in Sierra Leone to choose a new government to bring prosperity to the poor West African nation a decade after a devastating civil war.

Despite a few glitches such as some polling booths opening late on Saturday, observers praised the peaceful process as voters patiently waited to cast ballots for a new president, lawmakers and local government.

Polls closed late on Saturday night and ballot counting contin-ued yesterday with citizens sitting around radios listening to provi-sional results filtering through from individual polling stations across the country.

It is the third time Sierra Leone has voted since the end of its 11-year civil war in 2002, and the stakes are high in what is seen as a tight race between incumbent President Ernest Koroma, 59, and his main challenger, Julius Maada Bio, 48.

DR Congo rebels seize another town

Ballot count continues in Sierra Leone, after peaceful poll

Mozambique’s national airline workers embark on strike

Pilots and crew members at Mozambique’s national airline have gone on strike, grounding the carrier.

Linhas Aerrreas de Mocambique Ltd. flights out of Mozambique’s capital Maputo had been stopped Sunday by the strike. Workers told journalists that they wanted higher wages and better working condi-tions.

Joao de Abreu, an official with the state-owned airline, said that ne-gotiations were ongoing to end the strike. He said international flights to Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe had been cancelled over the strike.

WORLD BULLETIN

Egypt installs new Coptic pope

PAUL ARHEWEWITH AGENCY REPORTS

At least five people were killed when a grenade tore through a minibus

in Nairobi’s Somali-dominated Eastleigh neighbourhood on Sunday, a Reuters witness and police said.

“I saw bodies ripped apart,” the Reuters photographer said.

The force of the explosion tore apart the vehicle’s roof and seats and shattered the window of a nearby cafe. Two other cars were damaged, the photographer said.

Kenya has suffered a string of deadly attacks in its capital Nairobi, the southern port city of Mombasa as well as the east-ern garrison town of Garissa over the past year.

The attacks have been blamed on Somali militants and their sympathizers in re-taliation for Kenya’s decision to send troops into Somalia last year to drive out al Qaeda-linked militants which Nairobi has blamed for attacks on its territory.

African Union peacekeepers, led by Kenyan forces, drove al Shabaab militants out of their last major urban stronghold of Kismayu in southern Somalia seven weeks ago.

Nairobi regional police com-mander Moses Ombati said the grenade had been thrown into the minibus, commonly re-

ferred to as matatus in Kenya.Ombati confirmed five peo-

ple had been killed, while the Kenya Red Cross said on its Twitter account that seven peo-ple had died and 24 people had been taken to hospital.

There was no immediate

claim of responsibility for the attack.

In July, masked assailants launched simultaneous gun and grenade attacks on two churches in Garissa, killing at least 17 people.

Armed cattle raiders killed

at least 32 Kenyan police offi-cers in a military-style ambush last weekend. That attack ex-posed how ill-equipped Kenya’s police force is, at a time when they are facing new challenges, including a presidential elec-tion next March.

The Coptic Orthodox church staged a ceremony rich in ritual on Sunday to in-

stall its pope, Tawadros II, who Christians hope will guide them through the new, Islamist-led Egypt.

The 60-year-old pope was picked on November 4 and the ceremony on Sunday filled with incense, elaborate robes and chanting marked his formal as-cendance as the 118th leader of the church.

Coptic Christians, whose church predates the arrival of Is-lam in Egypt, make up a tenth of Egypt’s 83 million people.

Many fear their community, the biggest Christian group in the Middle East which has long com-plained of discrimination, will be squeezed to the sidelines of soci-ety under Islamists now ruling

the Muslim-majority nation.“We chose him because he is

man who is obedient to God,” said Bishop Bakhomious, who was pope in the interim period after Shenouda III died aged 88 in March after four decades in office.

“God had listened to our prayers and did not wish to leave us orphans for long,” he added, as priests and bishops prayed for the new pope, dressing him in lavish embroidered vestments.

In the final stages, a red and gold mitre was placed on his head before he sat on a throne. The bearded and bespectacled pope trained as pharmacist before be-ing ordained.

President Mohamed Mursi, propelled to power by the Mus-lim Brotherhood, did not attend the ceremony in the cathedral in Cairo’s Abbasiya district to the

dismay of some Christians who said it undermined his claim to be a leader for all Egyptians.

But he sent his prime minister, Hisham Kandil. Other officials and dignitaries also attended.

Tawadros II faces challenges delivering on the hopes of his flock. He told Reuters at a desert monastery west of Cairo a day af-ter his was picked that the church

would oppose any new constitu-tion that only met Muslim con-cerns.

Liberals, moderate Muslims and Islamists are tussling over the shape of the constitution and extent of Islamic references in the document. A group of technical advisers quit the assembly draw-ing it up on Saturday, saying their voices were not being heard.

Pope Tawadros II, attending his enthronement ceremony at St. Mark Cathedral in Abbasiya, Cairo, yesterday Photo; Reuters

Residents looking at the wreckage of the mini-bus (matatu) after it was hit by an explosion in Nairobi Photo: Reuters

“Sending weapons to Syrian rebels will threaten regional stability and increase the risk of terrorism.”

- IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ALI AKBAR SALEHI

50 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, November 19, 2012 World News

President Barack Obama said yester-day an incursion

by Israel’s forces into the Gaza Strip could only deepen its death toll, cau-tioning against an escala-tion even as he defended the Jewish state’s right to defend itself. Obama also warned Palestinians the crisis could crush peace hopes for years.

“Israel has every right to expect that it does not have missiles fired into its territory,” Obama said at the start of a three-nation tour in Asia.

“If that can be ac-complished without a ramping up of military activity in Gaza, that’s preferable,” he said. “It’s not just preferable for the people of Gaza. It’s also

preferable for Israelis, because if Israeli troops are in Gaza, they’re much more at risk of incurring fatalities or being wound-ed.”

Obama’s comments came as Israel’s campaign against Hamas militants in Gaza blasted into its fifth day. Israel is at a crossroads of whether to launch a ground inva-sion or pursue Egyptian-led truce efforts. Obama sought to defend the U.S. ally’s rights while push-ing for a halt in the vio-lence.

L-R: President Obama and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra holding a joint press confer-ence at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. Photo: AP

Obama defends Israel, warns against escalating Gaza crisis

Hundreds of thou-sands of griev-ing supporters

thronged the streets of Mumbai yesterday for the funeral of Bal Thac-keray, a Hindu extremist leader linked to waves of mob violence against Muslims and migrant workers in India.

Nearly 20,000 police-men were on hand be-cause of the violent his-tory of the group. The mourners, however, re-mained calm and order-ly as the body of Thac-keray was cremated at Shivaji park where he had made political debut by addressing his first public rally 46 years ago.

His son and succes-sor, Uddhav Thackeray, lit the funeral pyre amid chants of “Thackeray is immortal” by the sup-porters, some of whom wept.

India holds funeral for Hindu extremist leader

Senator sponsors free cleft, palate surgery in Nasarawa

Tears as slain Kano lawmaker is buried

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima (middle) inaugurating the construction of 750 houses for flood victims in Damassak, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

INUSA NDAHIMAIDUGURI

As the killings on the streets of Maiduguri, the

Borno state capital con-tinue unabated, gunmen yesterday morning in-vaded the resident of a retired Pastor of COCIN church in Polo ward, Revd Ilaisha Kabura, and shot him dead in the presence of his family

members.Revd Kabura, 70, Nation-

al Mirror learnt, was shot by his assailants at about 8:am while preparing to set out for Sunday service.

An eye witness, who did not want his name mentioned, said that the two gunmen were sighted in front of Revd Kabura’s family house before they fired several shots at him.

He said initially when he sighted the gunmen,

IGBAWASE UKUMBALAFIA

Senator Abdullahi Adamu represent-ing Nasarawa West

Senatorial District in the Senate has sponsored a non-governmental organ-isation, Cleft Care Foun-dation, to carry out a free cleft and palate surgery on indigent patients in his senatorial district.

About 22 indigent pa-tients have so far had sur-gical operations on their cleft and palate ailments, while 60 more indigent pa-tients have been listed for similar operations.

Addressing the indi-gent patients at the week-end during the exercise at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Keffi, Senator Adamu said the exercise would soon be ex-tended to Lafia, the state capital, as well as the Na-sarawa North Senatorial District.

He said: “For sustain-ability of the exercise, I will approach the manage-ment of the Keffi Federal Medical Centre to provide a space in the hospital to enable me construct a per-manent centre for the free cleft and palate surgery for indigent patients with-

AUGUSTINE MADU-WESTKANO

The body of Hon Ibra-him Garko, a member of Kano State House

of Assembly shot dead on Saturday night by some gunmen, was laid to rest in the early hours of yesterday in his Garko home.

The body of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker was buried amidst tears, anger and anguish from his associ-ates and family members.

The police said Garko was shot dead by gun-men, who also wounded his friend, one Abdullahi Danladi, a member of staff of Kano State Minis-try of Rural Development.

in and outside the shores of Nasarawa State.”

Adamu, however, en-couraged persons who are suffering from the ailment not to be ashamed of their deformity where ever they found themselves.

The former governor, however, commended the Director of the Cleft Care Foundation, Dr. Saidu Bel-lo, for prevailing on him to sponsor the exercise.

Chief Medical Direc-tor of the Keffi Federal Medical Centre, Dr. Joshua Gyan, applauded the efforts of the sena-tor particularly in build-ing the maternity and

antenatal/gyneacology wards of the hospital.

A patient’s mother, Mrs. Rita Eze, appreciat-ed the senator’s gesture, which according to her, “has rescued her daugh-ter from the jaws of cleft ailment.”

Danladi was with Garko when the gunmen struck.

Family sources hinted that the incident was the third time the gunmen would attempt the life of the former lawmaker.

There was also no re-cord with the police to in-dicate that such a high gov-ernment functionary was being trailed by gunmen.

Garko was, however, attacked at Yanhawaki, near AY Rimi Filling Sta-tion by gunmen who rode on motorcycle.

The Kano State Com-missioner of Police, who confirmed the incident, said the injure friend had been taken to the hospital for treatment.

The body of slain law-maker was buried at about 10:am yesterday in Garko.

Gunmen kill pastor in Maidugurihe thought they were visitors to the victim, but heard sounds of gun-shots a few minutes later.

The witness added that men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) arrived at the scene later to con-vey the body of the de-ceased to an undisclosed hospital in Maiduguri metropolis.

Confirming the in-cident in a telephone interview, the Police

Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gideon Jubrin, said: “Some gunmen sus-pected to be members of the Boko Haram sect yes-terday morning trailed Revd Ilaisha Kabura and shot him dead while pre-paring to attend Sunday service.”

He said no arrests had been made, but assur-ing that security agent would apprehend the killers.

ADEMU IDAKWOLOKOJA

The Kogi State Council of Ula-mau has called on

Governor Idris Wada to constitute the state chap-ter of the Nigeria Inter-religious Affairs Council (NIREC) in order to fos-ter peaceful co-existence among the adherents of various religions.

The Kogi State execu-tive secretary of the Is-lamic association, Jus-tice Abdulkarim Aruwa, made the call yesterday during the celebration of this year’s Islamic calen-dar in Lokoja.

He said though the state had been witnessing relative peace among fol-lowers of major religious groups, but to ensure the sustenance of the situa-tion, a mechanism should be put in place to ensure the continuity through constant dialogue.

Justice Aruwa, who commended the state governor for promoting religious tolerance in his effort to provide good governance for the peo-ple, equally urged him to warn his aides and ap-pointees against corrupt practices.

He said: “We Muslims in Kogi State appreciate your commitment to peace and good governance, but we want you to muster courage to tell your ap-pointees to shun all forms of evil and corruption.”

Earlier, Governor Wada told the gathering that his administration would ensure the sus-tainability of peace and security in the state.

AUGUSTINE MADU-WESTKANO

Kano State Gover-nor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has

said that governors of the 19 Northern states will soon come up with a posi-tion on the proposed Petro-leum Industrial Bill (PIB).

The bill is before the Na-tional Assembly. Kwank-waso spoke yesterday at the commissioning of the Ser-bian General Consulate of-fice in Kano, where Farouk Adamu Aliyu was made Honourary Consul General by the Republic of Serbia.

He said the governors would ponder on the pro-posed bill to ensure it ben-efits the region.

Governor Kwankwaso said: “We will soon come together on a round table to make our stand known on the PIB and very many other sundry matters.”

He said that as a former member of the House of Representatives and a for-mer Minister of Defence, his vast knowledge on what was shared among

oil producing states was staggering and did not require any additional money or advantage to the affected states.

He said in this context,

many states, especially those from the South-South are ahead of North in terms of incomes from the Federation Account, adding: “This means that some are getting richer while others are getting poorer by the day and their people wallowing in devastating poverty.

“We in the North are keenly watching and we will not allow our region to be plunged into yet an-other uncertain future. We will do all we could to make sure that there is eq-uity and sense of belong-ing to every citizen.”

While commenting on the opening of the Serbian Consulate office in Kano, the governor said that the office would be used for the benefit of both Nige-ria and Serbia.

He described the new honorary Consular Gen-eral, Alhaji Faruk Adamu Aliyu, as a man of honour and integrity.

Former Heads of State General Muhammad Bu-hari and General Abdus-salami Abubakar also commended the appoint-ment of Farouk Adamu Aliyu, describing it as de-serving because of his im-mense leadership quali-ties and good conduct.

Wada urged to constitute inter-religious council

Northern governors to speak on PIB soon –Kwankwaso

Wada

Adamu

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, November 19, 2012 51North

52 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, November 19, 2012

Community Mirror“We are strategising to make sure that robbery cases in Lagos and

Ogun are reduced to barest minimum, if not totally eradicated.”AIG IN CHARGE OF ZONE II, MAMMAN TSAFE

Kuduru residents bemoan lack of medical facility

FRANCIS SUBERU

The traditional ruler of Lisa town, High Chief Najeem Oladele Odug-

bemi, has appealed to the Chair-man, Ifo Local Government Council, Hon. Oluwole Enilolo-bo, to include the community in the scheme of developmental projects.

Speaking during a courtesy call on the Chairman, Chief Odugbemi lamented the poor infrastructural development es-pecially the roads leading to his community, noting that the only visible government project is the memorial arcade built in honour of those who died in the Bellview

airline crash on October 22, 2005.He urged the Chairman not to

renege on his campaign promises as Lisa community voted mas-sively during the last election.

The traditional ruler urged the Chairman to pay an official visit to Lisa in order to have a first-hand assessment of the develop-mental needs of the community especially in the area of education.

“The only school serving Lisa community and its environ is the Community High School, Oluke and the school is filled to capacity with the government doing little or nothing to assist them in renovating the classrooms”.

He called on the Local Govern-ment Chairman to live up to expec-tations in alleviating the sufferings

of Lisa community.He said: “After the plane crash, an

arcade was built in memory of the victims of the plane crash. The road that leads to Ijoko from Lisa was also constructed, the then government of Ogun State in collaboration with the Local Government promised to turn the memorial arcade into a tourist destination that would re-ceive a boost from the government.

“They promised that social ame-nities like potable water, health care delivery, etc that would make life more meaningful will be provided by the then government, but to our utter surprise no meaningful progress has taken place as far as the government’s promise was con-cerned. All we recorded in the past years was a total neglect of the com-

munity’’. According to him, ‘’the Lisa-Ijoko

road that was constructed after the incident is now in a very sorry state, as we speak Lisa will soon be cut off from other towns and villages that make up Ifo Local Government if something urgent is not done to put the road back in better shape’’.

“As a result of the neglect; we decided to take our destiny in our hands by embarking on self-help development projects. As at date, we have been able to put in place a model market to promote the eco-nomic activities of the communi-ty and its environ, a police station is also near completion in Lisa, a health centre that will take care of health delivery in the commu-nity will also be completed soon’’.

In his reply, the Chairman, Hon. Oluwole promised to pay a visit and support the effort of the community, stressing that his ad-ministration will soon mark its 100 days in office with the com-missioning of two developmental projects in Ibaragun and Omitoro towns.

He stated that funding possess major challenge but the adminis-tration will do its best to build the road, even as he noted that five of the six wards comprising Ifo Lo-cal Government passes through this Ijoko road.

“We have a duty to ensure there is good road for our people and we will do our best”. He urged Lisa community to have a functional representative in the CDC, not-ing that his administration has earmarked 30 different vocational centres for youths in his 100 days in office.

Traditional ruler tasks LG on poor infrastructure Flooded street on Bale Road in Orile Iganmu in Lagos. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

The Kuduru community in Bwari Area Council of the FCT, has decried the

lack of medical facility in the area.

Community Mirror gathered that the only health centre in the village was inaugurated on May 16, 2011 and was yet to begin opera-tions.

The Community Leader, Mr Peter Ade, said the people trekked several kilometres to get medical attention at Bwari General Hospi-tal. It was also revealed that people

usually spend more than an hour to get medical attention, as result of which many lives have been lost.

He said the health centre is in a state of abandonment. According to him: “The clinic has been there

since early last year and since it is not in use, lizards and snakes have made it their home, while the whole building is over grown with weeds.’’

Ade, who is also a business man,

blamed the area council adminis-tration for neglecting the centre; even as he suggested that it could assist by equipping the health cen-tre with some basic drugs for the people.

The security man at the centre, Mr. Danjuma Ali told journalists that the place had become haven for reptiles as they roamed around unhindered.

“I intend to see the council chairman for some money to cut the grass, I cannot stay here with snakes around,” he said.

Mr Samuel Agbor, who owns a block industry adjacent to the cen-tre, said that the last time an official of the council visited the health centre was in February. He claimed that the official was there to take stock of items allegedly stolen from the facility after it was burgled.

Agbor also said that security guards attached to the block in-dustry had foiled many attempted burglaries at the abandoned health centre; urging the local council to equip it so as to start offering medi-cal services to residents.

The councl’s Head of Health, Dr Goji Sunday, said that provisions had been made in the 2012 budget for equipment, drugs and medical personnel to the centre. He said ef-forts are on to replace some fittings that were vandalised at the centre.

Goji pledged to visit the four health facilities under the Bwari Area Council at Ushafa, Shere, Kawu and Igu, to assess the prob-lems so as to effectively activate them for the benefit of residents.

Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency Ian Mcon-ville, has commended the organis-

ers of the 8th Obudu Mountain Race and assured of his country’s resolve to collabo-rate with Nigeria in sports development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) re-ports that Mconville was among 100 profes-sional mountain runners who participated in the race at the Obudu Mountain Resort.

The envoy said that he was happy to hit the 12.3 kilometre race with “some wonder-ful world class in the athletes.”

“I really enjoyed participating and I think the authorities have done very well

and the World Mountain Running Associa-tion has done a great job too. I am not as well prepared as someone might think but I try to keep fit all year and do a couple of 10 to 12kms run each week. It is helpful to be healthy and fit and not indulge in excessive eating,” the Ambassador added.

Ethiopia’s Abebe Dinkesa won in the male category while his compatriot, Etenesh Dironeda, won in the female cate-gory at the 2012 meet. By this feat, the Ethi-opian duo carted away the prize money of $50, 000 USD each.

Dinkesa had previously won the event at the 2008 edition of the annual mountain race.

Australian envoy hails Obudu Race

SportNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net 53Monday, November 19, 2012

55

I think we can still go through to the Champions League knock-out stage. We have to believe in God

–Man City’s midfi elder, Yaya Toure

Osaze returns with bang, as Musa nets eighth goal

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is yet to decide on the allow-ances and bonuses which the Super

Eagles will earn during the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in January.

Chairman of the Nationwide League and spokesman of the NFF Board, Chief Emeka Inyama, said the Federation could not have fixed winning bonuses for match-es when its 2013 budget had not been ap-proved by the National Assembly and sent to President Goodluck Jonathan for as-sent.

The NFF board member said this yes-terday, while speaking with National Mir-

ror in reaction to an online story which said that each member of the Super Eagles could earn “as much as $100,000 should they win the AFCON in South Africa.”

“This is November and the Nations Cup is in January. How can we (NFF Board) be talking of fixing bonuses when we’re still waiting for the approval of our budget that is before the National Assembly.

“We’re presently sourcing for funds to prosecute the Nations Cup. It’s when we get money that we start planning how to spend it. The story is not true; the Board has not discussed nor approved any bonuses,” In-yama said.

But MTNFootball.com yesterday quoted an anonymous “top official” of the NFF as saying that incentives would not be the Su-

per Eagles’ problem at the Nations Cup.The unnamed official said, “If they go

all the way and win the competition, they will each take away about $95,000 and when you add that to their daily allowances of around $5,000, you will have about $100,000. And the chief coach (Stephen Keshi) will get double this amount.”

National Mirror learnt that in its 2013 budget before the NASS, the NFF proposed that each Super Eagles player would earn $10,000 for a win in the first round of the AFCON, where Nigeria is drawn against defending champion, Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.

NFF yet to decide on Eagles’ AFCON bonuses – Inyama

Super Eagles’ players celebrating their qualification for the AFCON in South Africa, after beating Lone Star of Liberia in Calabar on October 13 this year

Gov. Fashola

…Asoju Oba Cup to boost Lagos

Eko 2012: Oyo targets top threeOyo State Commissioner for

Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Adedapo Lam-Adeshina,

has challenged Team Oyo to do the state proud at the forthcoming 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) being hosted by Lagos State, by finishing in the top three.

Lam-Adeshina said in Lagos at the weekend that the athletes must justify the confidence reposed in them by the state government, by excelling at the fiesta.

“Our athletes and coaches have received enough motivation to excel at the forthcoming NSF. Clinching at least the third position would go a long way to encourage the state government to further invest in sports,” he said.

The commissioner told NAN that he recently hosted the coaches, athletes and executives of the sports council in his office to evaluate the state’s prepa-rations for Eko 2012.

The 44th annual Asoju-Oba Table Tennis Championships serves off today and it’s expected to be a

rehearsal of sorts for Team Lagos’ play-ers preparing for the forthcoming 18th National Sports Festival tagged “Eko 2012”.

With the competition coming up close to the November 27 opening ceremony of the NSF, the state’s players in the ta-ble tennis event would no doubt have a head start over other participants.

As the most viable platform for bud-ding talent to showcase their skills, participants are always on the lookout for what could be rightly described as a flagship table tennis competition.

This edition of the championship promises to be as thrilling as previous ones and no fewer than 70 players in the junior, intermediate and senior catego-ries are set to strut their stuff.

CAN U-17 Final

Nigeria 2-0 Mali

Ambassador Mconville

54 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netSport Monday, November 19, 2012

Eko 2012: Jordaan, others for seminar

Taekwondo starlet wants actionTennis: Atseye eyes Dala title

Sani Ndanusa

Danny JordaanZambia players after their Mandela Challenge victory in Johannesburg on November 14

AFOLABI GAMBARI

Football Association of Zam-bia (FAZ) President, Kalu-sha Bwalya, yesterday con-

firmed that Zambia has accepted the apology from the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) over the stoning incident that followed Chipolopolo’s 1-0 win over Bafana Bafana in the Nelson Mandela Challenge in Johannesburg on November 14.

Some Bafana fans had found the loss unbearable and resorted

AFOLABI GAMBARI

Chief Executive Offi-cer of the South Africa 2010 World Cup, Danny

Jordaan, has confirmed to attend a one-day seminar organised by the Local Organising Commit-tee (LOC) for the 18th National Sports Festival scheduled for Thursday in Lagos.

LOC Secretary General, Kweku Tandoh, said yesterday that the seminar was aimed at raising sports profile in Nigeria through mutual understanding and collaboration ahead of the festival which commences on No-vember 27.

“We want to use the opportu-nity of the number of people and sports administrators that would be in Lagos during the festival to brainstorm on the very impor-tant aspect of hosting a sporting event that we believe should be brought into the limelight,” Tan-doh explained.

“We also want to look at the benefits and legacies of hosting the event, as well as the link-ages between sports and tour-ism, sports and business, sports

and science, so that we can come up with solutions that will cre-ate structural readjustment in sports,” he further said.

National Mirror gathered that the Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Development, International Olympic Committee (IOC), Ganda Sithole, and a University of Kent, United Kingdom lecturer, Dr. Sakis Pappous, would be among the speakers at the event where Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi will be Guest of Honour and La-gos State Governor Babatunde Fashola will be Chief Host.

YEMI OLUS

Winner of the girls’ 10-11 category at the recent Chika Chukwumerije

Sports Foundation International Taekwondo Championship, So-phia Nwogu Chigozie, has called for more taekwondo activity in the country.

The 11-year-old scholar of Ea-glets International School Ower-ri, Imo State told National Mirror over the weekend that it would serve the sport well if well-mean-ing Nigerians complemented the Beijing 2008 Olympic bronze med-alist, Chika Chukwumerije, by or-ganizing similar competitions for

Nigerian youths.“I think the organisers have

proved worthy of helping the youths to grow and contribute their quota to national develop-ment,” Chigozie said.

Despite fighting with injury to win her fourth taekwondo title, the taekwondo starlet insisted that her exploits in the sports had derived from encouragement she received from her parents who are both Police officers as well as tae-kwondo practitioners.

“I believe that more talents can be discovered by the Nigeria Tae-kwondo Federation (TFN) with more competitions like the CCSF tournament,” she admitted.

YEMI OLUS

Top player Henry Atseye has expressed confidence in his ability to win the

26th edition of the Dala Hard Court Tennis Championship as the main draws serve off today in Kano.

Atseye got to the second round of the first leg of the La-gos Governor’s Cup last month though he pulled out of the sec-ond leg due to injury. But the 2011 winner of the men’s singles at the annual Central Bank of Nigeria Open Tennis Champi-onship believes that he is pre-pared for the tournament.

“I believe that the Governor’s Cup prepared me in a way and I am glad that I gathered my ATP points which ensured that I can travel across the world to feature in tournaments,” Atseye, who is ranked 1671 in the world said, adding, “I just returned from the African Nations Cup which took place from November 5 to 11 in Senegal where I reached the quarterfinals in the singles and semis in the doubles. So, I am ready for Dala.”

It is not clear what prize awaits the Dala Court winner this year, although last year’s men’s singles winner carted home N1m while the women’s category winner got N500, 000.

National Mirror learnt yes-terday that only N 11.7m had been received out of N20.2m earmarked for the tournament where 20 men and 10 ladies would play in the main draws.

…Niger to gulp N75mPRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

Niger State Commissioner for Sports, Alhaji Hassan Abdullahi, said yester-

day that the government had ap-proved N75m for the state contin-gent to the 18th National Sports Festival scheduled to begin in La-gos on November 27.

According to the commission-er, the state will present 200 ath-letes and 50 officials at the festival.

“We will compete in 19 events during the sports festival,” Abdul-lahi said, adding that the sports include athletics, para-athletics, basketball, boxing, chess, deaf sports (athletics) and handball.”

“Others are handball, hock-ey, judo, kick boxing, scrabble, squash, swimming, table tennis, Taekwondo and Tennis volleyball

Weightlifting and Wrestling.Part of this release the Com-

missioner said was for the pur-chase of kits and equipment that will be used by athletes during the tournament.

Assuring that Team Niger will do the state proud in Lagos the commissioner said the team which has been in closed camp at two venues, Ahmadu Bahago Secondary School and the Women Teachers College both in Minna because the traditional camp at Paiko is being used for the ongo-ing orientation programme of members of the National Youth Service Corps.

Abdullahi also told newsmen that the new kits for the athletes will be unveiled to the public before the team departs for Lagos on the 24th of this month 3 days before the commencement of the festival.

Soccer City incident: Soccer City incident: Zambia Zambia has forgiven SA has forgiven SA –Kalusha–Kalusha

to hurling missiles at the Zam-bian players and officials as their bus left the Soccer City after the game.

Goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene and midfielder Felix Katongo suf-fered injuries as the bus was hit by huge rocks which shattered the windows.

Bwalya, who spoke to National Mirror yesterday, said he had in-formed all concerned to put the incident behind them in the in-terest of football and relationship between both countries.

“It is unfortunate that all ef-

fort and skills displayed on the field by both teams had trailed the unfortunate incident in prior-ity,” Bwalya, himself an ex-inter-national and Zambian greatest player of all time, said.

“Apologies have been offered and accepted,” the African Foot-baller of the Year 1988 stressed.

Meanwhile, Afcon 2013 Chief Executive Officer, Mvuzo Mbebe, has condemned the incident but said it would not affect the repu-tation that South Africa had over the years in hosting major tour-naments.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 55SportMonday, November 19, 2012

IKENWA NNABUOGOR

Super Eagles’ striker, Osaze Odem-wingie, returned to his scoring ways, hitting the winner in West

Brom’s famous 2-1 win over Chelsea at the Hawthorns on Saturday night in the English Premier League. It was also a night which had all the three goals come from headers.

Odemwingie, playing in his newly-deployed deep role planted a delight-ful header to Shane Long’s cross for the Baggies’ second goal in the 561st minute which also proved to be the match win-ner for the fourth-placed West Brom. The goal upped his tally to five in nine ap-pearances.

Still in England, the Chelsea duo of John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses could do just little to prevent the hosts from snatching maximum points. Mikel, as usual, helped keep things tight in the midfield but found tough matches in Long and Morrison, though, he still found space to hit a shot from a distance which went wide as he continued to search for his first Premiership goal. He was howev-er pulled out with just eight minutes left on the clock.

Moses was on from start to finish; his second start so far this season for Chel-sea, but failed to add to his lone goal tally. He missed a great chance that would have evened scores for the Blues. He has so far made six appearances since his summer switch from Wigan Athletic.

Super Eagles debutant Shola Ameobi was introduced at the start of the second half for Newcastle, who were felled 2-1 at home by visiting Swansea City. He’s still in search of his first goal this season, hav-ing featured eight times.

In the lower leagues in England, for-gotten Super Eagles striker Sone Aluko netted a brace for promotion-chasing Hull City in their 3-2 away defeat of his former club Birmingham City. Aluko put his side’s noses in front as early as 14 min-utes. He doubled his and Hull City’s ac-count 12 minutes later. Hull hit the third goal in the 33rd minute before the hosts rallied to reply two times but that was not enough.

Meanwhile, his compatriot, Seyi Olo-finjana, who had been sidelined for al-most the better part of last season, was handed a starter’s shirt alongside Aluko. But he managed to last till the 63rd min-ute when he was pulled out. The former Wolves midfielder has only played 10 times for the manager Steve Bruce’s side.

In France, former Golden Eaglet Simon Zenke was in action for bottom-placed AS Nancy who managed a point in their 3-3 draw at Troyes on Saturday. The former Strasbourg Academy player was substi-tuted in the 76th minute but not after as-sisting in their third goal scored by Bra-zilian defender Andre Luiz. He played his seventh league game of the season.

Missing on the visitors’ side was Ea-gles returnee defender Onyekachi Apam, who was dumped on the bench for 90 min-utes in their Friday night encounter PSG which they famously won 2-1. Apam has so far played two games this season.

In Belgium, big Nigerian striker Mi-chael Uchebo’s patience paid off netting his debut goal for bottom-placed Cercle Brugge, who surprisingly beat RC Genk 3-1 on Saturday. The former VVV Venlo

Osaze in joyous mood after scoring goal against Chelsea

Osaze returns with bang, as Musa nets eighth goal

striker came off the bench to finish off the visitors with the third goal in the 78th

a sitter against Real Madrid on a wet pitch penultimate weekend, has now scored five goals in eight outings for his new club this season.

In the second division in Spain, Su-per Eagles striker Ikechukwu Uche grabbed two goals for Villareal as they stepped up their promotion drive, hu-miliating Racing Santander 3-0 before their home fans on Saturday. Uche en-sured victory by supplying the last two goals in the 39th and 53rd minutes, re-spectively. Manu had opened scoring in the 33rd minute as the victory helped the Marines maintain their fourth spot on the log. The Eagles talisman has now hit his seventh goal of the season from 13 outings so far this season.

In Russia, Super Eagles winger Ahmed Musa has refused to stop scor-ing, netting once in CSKA’s 3-0 victory over Amkar Perm. Musa was clever to direct Alan Dzagoev’s through ball into the net for the league leaders’ sec-ond goal and turned provider for Lat-via international Aleksandrs Cauna’s third and winning goal. The win has now stretched their points to 39 after 16 league games. He has now scored eight goals, making him the third joint top scorer in the chart. He has incurred the referees’ wrath once in 16 league out-ings thus far.

In Ukraine, forgotten Eagles left back Taye Taiwo returned to Dynamo Kiev’s starting line up after missing four league games, to play 90 minutes in Dynamo Kiev’s 1-0 loss at Metalurh Do-netsk on Saturday. He was playing his ninth league game for his on-loan side

so far this season.His compatriot Haruna Lukman con-

tinued his superb resurgence by playing from start to finish in his third consecu-tive appearance for the multiple Ukrai-nian champions. He has so far played five times, getting a caution.

Still in Ukraine, Benin-born striker Lucky Idahor was on for 72 minutes for Zorya, who pulled a point in a 0-0 draw at Metalurh Zaporizhya on Saturday. He’s scored twice so far in 15 appearances for his new club. He has so far gone into the referees’ books once.

In Turkey, Kalu Uche failed to hit the target for newly-promoted Kasimpasa as they hit fellow newly-promoted Akhisar Belediyespor 2-0 yesterday. Uche, who, as usual, started the game, was pulled out in the 82nd minute. He had returned to his scoring ways, netting from the spot on the dot of 90 minutes penultimate weekend, having gone five games with scoring. He has scored six goals in 12 appearances and has yet to pick a yellow or red card.

Earlier on Saturday, Super Eagles cap-tain Joseph Yobo was in action for Fen-erbahce who pulled a point in a 1-1 draw at Eskirsehispor. Yobo was on for 90 minutes. The former Everton star who returned from injury, has so far played eight times for the Turkish champions. He has so far remained card free.

minute. The victory was their third this season as they continued to wallow in the relegation waters after 15 games.

Still in Belgium, former Qatar-based striker Derick Ogbu was in the thick of action for start to finish for OH Leuven who were humbled 3-1 at home by Mons on Saturday. Ogbu, who was club’s top scorer last season with 10 goals could only manage an assist for Cameroon striker Christian Pouga to pull a goal back. He has so far scored four goals in 16 league appearances this season. He has also been cautioned thrice so far.

Young Nigerian striker Imoh Ezekiel was in action for Standard Liege until 68 minutes when he was substituted for Standard Liege who forced hosts Zulte Waregem to a goaless draw yesterday. The 19-year-old hit man has so far five goals in 12 appearances for the mul-tiple Belgian champions. He has also been yellow-carded and red-carded once apiece.

In Spain, Obafemi Martins returned from the Venezuela friendly with a goal for Levante as they punished sinking Deportivo La Coruna 2-0 yesterday. Mar-tins opened scoring in the 40th minute after being teed off by Barkero before the latter put the icing on the cake eight

minutes from time. Martins, who missed

Euro Leagues – Results

England

Arsenal 5 – 2 Spurs

Norwich City 1 – 0 Manchester Utd

Reading 2 – 1 Everton

Aston Villa 2 – 3 Manchester Utd

Manchester City 5 – 0 Aston Villa

West Brom 2 – 1 Chelsea

QPR 1 – 3 Southampton

Liverpool 3 – 0 Wigan

Newcastle 1 - 2 Swansea City

Fulham 1-3 Sunderland

Germany

Eintracht Frankfurt 2 – 2 Augsburg

Hanover 1 -2 Freiburg

Nurmberg 1 – 1 Bayern Munich

Borussia Dortmund 3 – 1 Greuther Furth

Hamburg 1 – 0 Mainz 05

Spain

Deportivo La Coruna 0 – 2 Levante

Real Madrid 5 – 1 Athletico Madrid

Barcelona 3 – 1 Real Zaragoza

Valencia 2 – 1 Espanyol

Osasuna 0 – 0 Malaga

DuroMeseko

Guest Columnist

Vol. 02 No. 494 Monday, November 19, 2012 N150

WORLD RECORD

Most expensive kidney stone

Printed and Published by Global Media Mirror Ltd: Head Offi ce: Mirror House, 155/161 Broad Street, Lagos Tel: 07027107407, Abuja Offi ce: NICON Insurance House, Second Floor, Central Business District Area, Abuja Tel: 08070428249, Advert hotline: 01-8446073, Email: [email protected]. Editor: SEYI FASUGBA. All correspondence to PMB 10001, Marina, Lagos.

Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Ondo State. ISSN 0794-232X.

NFF President, Aminu Maigari

Golden Eaglets of Nigeria were N1million richer yesterday following a

show of magnanimity by the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Mai-gari.

Maigari gave the players and officials the amount inside the Dressing Room of the U. J. Es-

uene Stadium, Calabar after the Eaglets battled a 2-0 win over the ‘much more matured’

Mali U-17 side in their final 2013 African U-17 Champion-ship qualifying fixture, first leg.

Defender Wilfred Ndidi and midfielder Alhassan Ibrahim

got the goals for Nigeria in an entertaining game that was pockmarked by whistle-happy Ivorian referee, Kouame Ndri.

“We are going to protest to CAF concerning this Malian team. Physiologically, it is not possible that the players are un-

der the age of 17,” observed Bar-rister Chris Green, chairman of the NFFTechnical Committee.

The return leg will take place in Bamako in a fortnight with the winner on aggregate quali-fying for the finals in Morocco next April.

Sport Extra

Maigari splashes N1m on Eaglets

Printed and Published by Global Media Mirror Ltd: Head Offi ce: Mirror House, 155/161 Broad Street, Lagos Tel: 07027107407, Abuja Offi ce: NICON Insurance House, Second Floor, Central Business District Area, Abuja Tel: 08070428249, Advert hotline: 01-8446073, Email: [email protected]. Editor: SEYI FASUGBA. All correspondence to PMB 10001, Marina, Lagos.

Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Ondo State. ISSN 0794-232X.

Saraki: Tribute to a great NigerianOn 18 January 2006, it was announced that Star Trek actor William Shatner (USA) had sold a kidney

stone that he had passed the previous year for $25,000 (then £12,700) to online casino GoldenPalace.com. Shatner donated the money from the sale to the Habitat for Humanity housing charity.

The call came exactly 2.00pm that day in 1998. I was then the State House Correspondent of Thisday

Newspapers in Lagos. It was an urgent one from a colleague and friend, Onyeka-chi Nwosu, who was formerly London Correspondent of Thisday but had been, appointed Head, Corporate Affairs, So-ciete Generale Bank (SGBN).

The message was very brisque: “Duro, how would you feel working with Oloye?” I was transfixed on the phone for a while. Then I replied that, working with Oloye (late Dr. Olusola Saraki) was a lifetime experience “No sane being would like to miss”

He then went on to say that if I was serious on the proposition, I should pro-ceed to the headquarters of SGBN on La-gos Island to see Dr. Bukola Saraki. I did.

His son, Bukola told me they were not just looking for a Chief Press Secretary but a political strategist, who would

draw a blueprint for the campaign head-quarters of “Baba Oloye” as the late Saraki was fondly called. He went on to give me an assignment which I was to submit in three days time. I left with a warning that I was not the only journal-ist involved and that I must be the best to get the job. Off I went and was back the next day.

Later, I was introduced to Oloye as his new Chief Press Secretary and he immediately took me in as a son. He told me that I would learn and benefit a great deal if I was hardworking and honest. He asked if my salary had been fixed and I said yes. He laughed and said he would double it but with a ca-veat, that “you must not allow Bukola know about it”.

However, the bubble bust when Bu-kola discovered that Baba paid twice the salary approved. I was summoned and given a scolding of my life. Prompt-ly, my salary was slashed. Baba got to know about it and invited me to his of-fice, where he admonished that I should not take the issue seriously. He said, “Bukola would pay your normal salary and I will top it and don’t let him know of it,” he warned. That was how this great and benevolent man treated me all through my stay with him.

Baba Oloye was indeed an enigma whose political shoes will be difficult to fill.

He was benevolent to a fault. Above

all, a core family man who wanted the best for his children. I recall how he showed me a cheque Bukola wrote in support of his presidential ambition. “Bukola just contributed N100millon to my campaign efforts. Would you imagine?”He said very proudly. The bond between him and his children was very strong indeed.

One thing that really endeared me to Baba was his style of politics. Baba believed so much in party su-premacy. He also believed that any member of a political party must be fiercely loyal to the party. That was why Baba invested billions of naira in politics.

All through my stay, I did not re-call a day without him financially as-sisting party faithful.

After my appointment, I was op-portune to get closer to the late busi-ness and political mogul and realised he was an intellectual of the highest order. His private library boasts of some of the largest collection of

books anywhere. And of course, he was an avid reader who most times engaged in philosophical works. Saraki was not all about money; he was indeed an intellectual giant.

Much as he loved and appreciated people around him, he had no room for betrayal in any form. You could only betray him to your peril. A case in point was the crisis between him and former Kwara State Governor, Moham-med Lawal. While the quarrel was on, he called me to say: “Duro have you see what Lawal did to me? But I assure you his days in office are numbered. I will do whatever it takes to stop him from get-ting a second term”. That was quintes-sential Oloye. Lawal, later learnt the hard way as he was booted out of of-fice.

Saraki believed so much in the Ni-gerian project and worked tirelessly for it. He had his blueprint on how to make the country great. His dream was to win the Presidency but it was not to be. Not quite a few believed that the country missed the services of a great administrator who would have built a modern Nigeria.

Late Saraki will be remembered for his avid interest in sports, especially lawn tennis. I am yet to see any Ni-gerian as interested in this game as Baba. He will never miss Wimbledon or any other major championship for anything. Of course, he was not just a lover of the game; he was also a great player.

Nigerians and indeed the entire world will miss him. Will miss his philanthro-py, benevolence, political sagacity; dis-cipline and above all, his never- say- die spirit! Adieu.

Meseko, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Idris Wada, was former Chief Press Secretary to late Olusola Saraki

SARAKI BELIEVED SO MUCH IN THE

NIGERIAN PROJECT AND WORKED

TIRELESSLY FOR IT

Aminu Maigari

Documents

Monday, November 19, 2012