imf to scrutinise fg's 2016 budget

...towards a better life for the people

N150

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016**

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Mr & Mrs

Igbo tradersbemoan Buhari’seconomic policies,harsh businessenvironment

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IMF to scrutiniseFG's 2016 budget•Says with right policies, Nigeria has no reason to borrow

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$2.1bnarmsprobe:PDP'sOlisaMetuhspendsfirst nightin EFCCcell

•P.16

See storyon Page 8

2016: Statesincrease expenditureby N700bn 6&14

BELLO, SON DOCKED— Former Minister of Defence and former Acting Chairman of the Peoples DemocraticParty, PDP, Mohammed Bello Halilu on wheelchair at the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, over alleged money launderinginvolving about N300m. Right: His son, Abba Mohammed Bello,also facing charges at the court being escorted by EFCC operatives.Photos: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Wife ofBiafra leader,NnamdiKanu givesbirth to babyboy

Ajimobi, Olubadan face-off:

Gov soft-pedals, torecognise 9 Ibadanhigh chiefs 47

Alleged N300m fraud: EFCC docks ex-PDP chairman, Bello, son •P.10

CO

LU

MN

ISTS: P.20

DEAR

BUNM

Pregnantfor my bestfriend's brother

Is a good dictatorshipbetter than a corruptdemocracy?

TABIA

PRINCEWILL

P.17

ROTIMI

FASAN

P.19

Prophecies,Nigeriansand 2016?

2 — Vanguard, 2 — Vanguard, 2 — Vanguard, 2 — Vanguard, 2 — Vanguard, WEDNESWEDNESWEDNESWEDNESWEDNESDAYDAYDAYDAYDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

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Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, WEDNESWEDNESWEDNESWEDNESWEDNESDAYDAYDAYDAYDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016 — 3

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CMYK

POCKET CARTOON6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

IT'S UP TO YOUBY AYO ADIO

TAKE HEARTBY ELLA RANDLE

2016: States increaseexpenditure by N700bn

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

Why should a ram remain at a party evenafter hearing that the meat has beenaxhausted?

Those who get ahead in life do so because theydare to be different— Take Heart Quotes

WE do the best we can to make our worldbeautiful, as everyday people surviving in an

everyday world, people are just like the flowers inthe fields, full of diversity but uniquely beautiful.Every so often one or a small family group dares toreach for the stars, growing taller than thesurrounding flowers, this act alone makes them shinemore brightly, but also subject them to the harsherenvironment of being against the wind, and otherelements. Yet they brave the challenges to reach formore sunlight.

NEVER outsource your responsibility to God,in you he placed all the tool kits to enable you

succeed. Get up and make it happen. It's up to you.

BUHARI RECEIVES IMF BOSS— From left: Vice President YemiOsinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari; the IMF Managing Director,Christine Lagarde and the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele as the Presidentreceived the IMF MD at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: AbayomiAdeshida.

LAGOS—INSPITE ofthe dwindling

economic fortunes of thecountry and projecteddrop in revenue accrualsfrom the FederationAccount the cumulativefinancial figures of stategovernments haveshown that about 12states have effected hugeincreases in expendituretotalling N697 billion intheir 2016 budget witheconomy experts sayingthey will run into funding

crises.Though 20 states re-

duced their figures themassive increases in the12 states ensured thatcumulative figure ofN5.388 billion surpassed2015 figure of N5.267.

The FederalGovernment and the 32states that haveannounced their budgets,collectively, will spendN11.4 trillion this yearcompared to the N10.3trillion they spent in 2015(see table).

In the breakdown oftheir 2016 budgets sent totheir various legislaturesas at last week, some of

the 12 states expandedtheir expenditure by over100 per cent.

The states are CrossRiver which jumped toN350 billion from N127.85billion, an over 173 percent increase followed byOyo state jumping by over113 per cent to N165.1billion from N77.1 billionlast year.

Other states with hugejump in expenditure

estimates include Sokotowith over 55 per centjump to N174.5 billionagainst N112.5 billionlast year, Jigawa with 35per cent jump to N137.2billion from N101.6billion, Lagos with over35 per cent jump toN662.6 billion fromN489.6 billion and Kanowith over 30 per centraise to N275 billion fromN210.7 billion.

Five other states re-corded significant in-creases includeAdamawa with over 19per cent increase, Nigerand Yobe states with over10 per cent increaseseach and Delta andEbonyi with about fiveper cent increases each,while Kwara has amarginal two per centincrease in itsexpenditure plan.

Altogether, the 12 statesthat declared higherfigures will spendN2.531 trillion this yearas opposed to the N1.834trillion they spent in 2015.In essence, in 2016, theywill spend N696.984billion more than theydid last year.

The developments arecoming on the heels of asimilar significant jumpin the expenditure planof the FederalGovernment in 2016Appropriation Billshowing over 20 per centjump to N6.1 trillion fromN5.1 trillion in 2015.

While the FederalGovernment indicated itsintention to bridge theexpected funding gapthrough internal andexternal borrowings, theaffected states did not

give any such indicationexcept that they intendto increase their inter-nally generated revenue,IGR, which over the yearshave consistently fallenshort of projections.

Also most of the statesare already indebted tobanks so much that theycan no longer borrowgiven the debtmanagement optionalready in place for them.

Some other states,however, slashed theirexpenditures, apparentlyreflecting the gloomyrevenue prospect of thecurrent fiscal year.

The states include Abia,Akwa-Ibom, Anambra,Benue, Borno, Edo, Ekiti,Enugu, Gombe, Imo,Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi,Kogi, Nasarawa, Ogun,Osun, Plateau, Rivers andTaraba.

The trend inexpenditure increasesand reductions cut acrossparty lines as both APCand PDP states wereinvolved in both.

States that are yet topresent their 2016budget proposals areBauchi, Bayelsa, Ondoand Zamfara states.

The prevailing free fallof crude oil price, whichas of yesterday was $37.2per barrel is alreadyhurting Nigeria’s fiscalplan as the existingrevenue projections at$38 per barrel is alreadyhitting a shortfall.

A decline last yearaccounted for why manystates went for a bailoutfrom the FederalGovernment to pay theirworkers salary arrearslate last year and they arestill owing.

Utomi,Akinwunmispeak

Reacting to theexpansionary budgetarypositions of the states, aleading economist andone-time presidentialaspirant, Professor PatUtomi, told Vanguard: "Iam assuming they areeither hoping to borrow,but who will lend tostates?

"They are either hopingto increase IGR, alsolikely to be challenged asbusinesses restructure inthe face of difficult accessto foreign exchange, orthey are hoping for afuture bail out. Otherwiseit may just be that thebudgets are not realistic.

"My hope is that thecurrent challenges mayencourage us to rethinkhow we budget and thediscipline of the budgetprocess. What the statesneed at a time ofuncertainty with swingingrevenue flow is repetitivebudgeting or scenariobudgeting".

Speaking to Vanguardon the 2016 fiscalexposures of the states theChief Economist at FSDHMerchant Bank Limited,Mr Ayodele Akinwunmi,attributed the increases inthe expenditure plan ofthe states to their push forcapital expenditure as away of stimulating theirstates’ economy. But healso warns that thedevelopment may haveadverse effect on theirability to maintain their

Continues on Page 14

States (N Bn) 2016 2015 % Diff Capital RecurrentAbia 96.7 102.4 5.6* 37.8 (39.09%) 58.9Adamawa 120.127 100.890 19.1 60.071(50.01%) 60.056Akwa Ibom 426 484 11.98* 245 (57.51%) 92.964Anambra 101.4 164.496 38.36* 52.8 (52.07%) 48.6Benue 133.394 135.3 1.4* 67.4 (50.52%) 65.9Borno 155.735 212.777 26.8* 104 (66.78%) 51Cross River 350 127.85 173.8 294 (84%) 56Delta 265.6 252.943 5.0 112.444 (42.34%) 153.16Ebonyi 101.155 96.52 4.8 62.397 (61.69%) 38.758Edo 111.5 127.01 12.2* 58.9 (52.83%) 52.6Ekiti 67.044 80.78 20.48* 24.935(37.19%) 42.11Enugu 85.179 96.735 11.95* 43.736 (51.35%) 41.795Gombe 76.5 88.9 13.95* 34.443 (45.02%) 42.565Imo 102.208 143.318 28.68* 41.110 (40.22%) 76.074Jigawa 137.23 101.650 35 71.31 (51.96%) 62.92Kaduna 171.7 200.7 14.45* 109.3 (63.66%) 62.4Kano 275 210.7 30.52 192 (69.82%) 83Katsina 111.4 115.2 3.3* 72.7 (65.26%) 38.7Kebbi 107 116.8 8.39* 73 (68.22%) 34Kogi 75 88.6 15.35* 29.6 (39.47%) 45.3Kwara 116.164 114.664 1.31 57.5 (49.50%) 48.1Lagos 662.588 489.6 35.33 383.678 (57.91%) 278.91Nasarawa 77.917 107.905 27.79* 35.198 (47.12%) 39.502Niger 74.7 68.7 8.73* 35.198 (47.12%) 39.502Ogun 200.201 210.3 4.80* 99.291(49.60%) 9.91Osun 150.7 201.7 25.29* 67.984(45.11%) 82.744Oyo 165.1 77.16 113.97 72.73(44%) 92.37Plateau 154.073 215.466 28.49* 78.954 (51.25%) 75.019Rivers 307 443.055 30.71* 187 (60.91%) 120Sokoto 174.39 112.5 55.01 123.392 (70.76%) 50.553Taraba 68.8 97.3 29.29* 26 (37.79%) 42.7Yobe 88.93 80.6 10.35 41.14 (46.26%) 47.79Sub total(N Trn) 5.308 5.267 2.30 2.544 (47.93%) 2.764FGN (NTrn) 6.08 5.066 20.02 1.846 (30.36%) 4.23TOTAL (N Trn) 11.388 10.333 10.21 4.839 (42.49%) 6.450

FEDERAL AND STATE GOVTS 2016 BUDGET

NB: * Indicates lower budget than 2015

•Lagos, C’River, 10 others account for 50% of state budgets•States may face difficulty in funding their budgets—Utomi

By Emeka Anaeto,Economy Editor &Clifford Ndujihe,Deputy Political

Editor


CMYK

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

BRIEFING: From left, Director of African Affairs, International Monetary Fund (IMF),Seyeh Antoinette; Managing Director of IMF, Christine Lagarde, and Minister of Finance,Mrs Kemi Adeosun, addressing a news conference after a meeting of the IMF boss withPresident Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

IMF to scrutinise FG's2016 budget—LagardeSays she is not in Nigeria to negotiate loanNotes with right policies, Nigeria has no reason to borrowBacks Buhari's fight against corruptionMinisters'll give account of funds —Buhari

By Emeka Anaeto,Economy Editor &

Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA — THERE wereindications that the 2016

Appropriation Bill may besubjected to further scrutiny andamendments by the InternationalMonetary Fund, IMF, despitebeing already presented to theNational Assembly for legislativeaction.

Managing Director of IMF, MsChristine Lagarde, who is visitingNigeria, told newsmen in Abuja,yesterday, that the multilateralfinancial institution would bediscussing the budget next weekwith Nigerian officials.

Lagarde responding to questionon the 2016 budget said: "A teamof economists is going to comehere (Nigeria) next week to reviewand audit (the bill) and have agood discussion with thegovernment authorities to reallyassess whether the financing is inplace, whether the debt issustainable, whether theborrowing costs are sensible andwhat strategy must be put in placein order to address challengesgoing forward.”

The IMF boss, who heldmeetings with the Central Bankof Nigeria, CBN; FinanceMinister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, aswell as a closed door sessions withPresident Muhammadu Buhariand Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,had refused to comment directlyon the content of the 2016Appropriation Bill because thereare procedures at the IMF thatmust be followed.

She noted that she will continueto have discussions with Nigeria’sFinance Minister and CBNGovernor on issues of fiscaldiscipline, financing, monetarypolicies and the degree offlexibility, because despite“Nigeria being a vibrant and largeeconomy still has to deal with a lotof poor people with a lot ofinequality. Those two componentsshould certainly always be thedrivers of reforms, whether it islooking at subsidies, how they arestructured and how they can befaced out.”

Don't strangulatepoor Nigerians

Following the dwindling oilprices that have apparentlyaffected the national income ofmost countries, the IMF bosswarned the Federal Governmentnot to strangulate poor Nigerianswith rigid economic policies.

She also stated that it wasconcerned by the condition ofteeming population of poorNigerians who would be affectedby the rigidity of policies, stressingthe need to inject fiscal disciplinein the policy formulations.

According to Lagarde, hermission to Nigeria was notconnected to the negotiations ofany loan with any kind ofconditionalities but to havediscussion on the economicreforms and objectives of thepresent government.

A lot has changed inNigeria

Recalling the tremendousprogress Nigeria has made inits democratic process, Lagardesaid a lot had changed in thecountry since she last visitedfour years ago.

She said: “I was in Nigeriafour years ago and in four years,many things have changed.That has been the topic of ourdiscussions with PresidentBuhari and his team. Lookingback four years ago, massivedemocratic change has occurredin this country peacefully.Nigeria has become the largesteconomy in Africa, certainly themost populated and with a veryattractive market.

“But things have changed ina more complicated way in thesense that the source of revenueto the government of Nigeriawhich was predominantly oilhas seen its price divided bymore than half and the financingcost around are beginning to riseif only because the economicsituation in the United States hasimproved and interest rates willbegin to rise. Added to whichemerging countries economiesare decelerating their growth.

Not here tonegotiate loan

“First, let me make it clear thatI’m not here nor is my team inthis country to negotiate a loanwith conditionalities. We are notinto programme negotiationsand frankly at this point in time,given the determination,resilience displayed by thePresident and his team, I don’tsee why an IMF programme will

be needed. So, of course,discipline is going to be needed,of course, implementation isgoing to be key for the objectivesand the ambitions to serve thecountry well, in order for it to beactually sustainable.

“We believe that with veryclear primary ambition tosupport the poor people ofNigeria, there could be addedflexibility in the monetary policy,particularly if as we think, theprice of oil is likely to be possiblylow for longer, because clearlythe authorities should notdeplete the reserves of thecountry, simply because of rulesthat will be exceedingly rigid.I’m not suggesting that but thatrigidity be totally removed butsome degree of flexibility will beenough.

“We have excellent discussionswith Buhari and we discussedthe challenges ahead stemmingfrom oil price reduction. Thenecessity to apply fiscaldiscipline and the need to alsorespond to the population needswhile addressing the MediumTerm specifics of improving thecompetitiveness of Nigeria andyet also focusing on the shortterm fiscal situation whichrequires that revenue sources beidentified in order to compensatethe shortfall resulting from oilprice decline.

“Oil is not the majorcontributor to the Nigerian GDP,it is only about 40 per cent but itis a big source of revenue for thegovernment.

To discuss budget nextweek

“We discussed with thePresident, Vice President andthe Minister of Finance andMinister of Budget how moreefficiency, more transparency,better accountability, enlargingthe base of revenue couldactually contribute to soundbudget going forward.

“It is not for me here and nowto actually approve orcomment on the budgetbecause we have proceduresin the IMF under which a teamof economists is going to comenext week actually to do whatwe call the Article 4 which is toreview....good discussion withpartners, IMF on one hand,country’s authorities on theother hand to really accesswhether financing is in place,whether the debt issustainable, whether theborrowing cost are sensible andwhat strategy put in place inorder to address challengesgoing forward.

On war againstcorruption

“But what I certainlymentioned to Mr. Presidentwas that his fight and hisdetermination to fightcorruption and hisdetermination to bring abouttransparency andaccountability at all levels of theeconomy are very importantagenda item and veryambitious goal that needed tobe deliberated upon which he,himself is definitely committedto as he indicated this morningand as he inspires his teammembers.

“With that I am going to havemore discussions with the financeminister, with Governor of CentralBank. We will be discussing issueof fiscal discipline, financingmonetary policies and the degreeof flexibility, all that with the factthat Nigeria with a vibrant largeeconomy still has to deal with poorpeople, a lot of inequality and thosetwo components should certainlybe the drivers of reforms, whetherit is looking at subsidies and howthey are structured and how theycan be phased out, whether it ismonetary policy and the flexibilityneeded and knowing what effect ithas on the poor, all, of those areambitions that we could quicklyrecognize and support."

IMF backs Buhari'swar against corruption

The IMF MD, who was flankedby the Minister of Finance, MrsKemi Adeosun, at the beefing alsolauded the anti-corruption fight ofPresident Buhari, saying that thecourse would engender theneeded transparency andaccountability in the financialsystem of the country.

“But what I certainly mentionedto Mr. President was that his fightand his determination to fightcorruption and his determinationto bring about transparency andaccountability at all levels of theeconomy are very importantagenda item and very ambitiousgoal that needed to be deliberatedupon which he, himself isdefinitely committed to as heindicated this morning and as heinspires his team members,” shesaid.

Ministers'll give accountsof funds —Buhari

Meanwhile, President Buharihas said that his ministers willrender accurate account of everykobo they spent in their respectiveministries.

He also said that hisadministration will enforceregulations to stop financialleakages and adopt global bestpractices in generating morerevenue to mitigate the effect ofdwindling oil prices on theNigerian economy.

The president, who gave theassurance when he received theIMF boss at the Presidential Villasaid that his administration willenforce greater discipline, probityand accountability in all revenuegenerating agencies of the FederalGovernment.

He said: “We have just come outof budget discussions after manyweeks of taking into considerationthe many needs of the country, andthe down turn of the economy withfalling oil prices and the negativeeconomic forecasts.

“We are working very hard andwith the budget as our way forward,we will do our best to ensure thatour country survives the currenteconomic downturn.

“We have also told all heads ofMinistries, Departments andAgencies of government that onour watch, they will fully accountfor all funds that get into theircoffers.”


CMYK


Alleged N300m fraud: EFCCdocks ex-PDP boss, Bello, son

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — THE Economicand Financial Crimes

Commission, EFCC, yesterday,docked former Chairman of thePeoples Democratic Party, PDP,Dr. Haliru Bello, before aFederal High Court sitting inAbuja.

Bello, a one-time Minister ofDefence, was arraignedalongside his son, Abba, on afour-count criminal chargebordering on alleged N300million fraud.

Whereas Bello’s son wascharged as the first accusedperson, a firm, BAM Projectsand Properties Limited, whichthe EFCC said was used toperpetuate the fraud, was citedas the 2nd accused person inthe matter.

The anti-graft agency allegedthat the accused persons,through the firm, withdrewN300 million from an accountthe Office of the NationalSecurity Adviser, ONSA,operated with the Central Bankof Nigeria, CBN.

The fund was said to havebeen transferred to the accusedpersons by the embattledformer National SecurityAdviser, NSA, Col. SamboDasuki (retd), 11 days to the2015 presidential election.

Brought to court inambulance

Meanwhile, the ex-PDP boss,who was brought to courtyesterday in an ambulance,took his plea in a wheelchair.

The defendants pleaded notguilty to the four-count chargedated December 23 butamended on December 30,2015, even as their lawyers,yesterday, prayed the court tookay their release on bail.

Both father and sonpredicated their separate bailapplications on sections 162and 165(1) of theAdministration of CriminalJustice Act, 2015, as well assections 35 and 36(5) (6) of the1999 Constitution, as amended.

They told the court, yesterday,that they were ready to answerto the charges against them.

Bail applications

Specifically, the former PDPboss, through his lawyer, Mr.Abdulaziz Ibrahim, urged thecourt to grant him bail on selfrecognition.

Bello told the court that hewas still recuperating from aspinal cord surgery he had inthe United Kingdom, stressingthat he was previously grantedadministrative bail by theEFCC.

Besides, Bello tendered fiveexhibits in support of his bailmotion, among which includedthree photographs he tookwhile undergoing surgery.

He also tendered medicalreport issued to him by thehospital in the UK, as well as aletter his lawyer wrote to the

EFCC, which indicated hiswillingness to surrenderhimself for investigation.

According to Bello’s lawyer,“the important factor whichyour lordship is enjoined toconsider in granting orrefusing bail is the availabilityof the accused person tostand his trial.

“Here is the 3rd defendantwho just had a critical spinalcord surgery in the UK.Immediately after thesurgery, he was summonedby the EFCC. With thewound from the surgery stillfresh, my client had to berushed to another hospital inNigeria.

“He was brought to thiscourt this morning straightfrom his hospital bed in anambulance. Is this the kindof person that can take aflight if granted bail? Theanswer is no.

“Health condition is aserious factor to beconsidered. The 3rddefendant is over 70 yearsold, an elder statesman whohas served this countrymeritoriously in variouscapacities.

“My lord, he is not only aformer Minister of theFederal Republic of Nigeria,but also former chairman ofone of the biggest politicalparties in Africa.

“We pray this court to granthim bail on self recognitionor in the alternative, granthim bail in the most liberalterms. He has responsiblepersons that are ready tostand surety for him.”

Similarly, his son, Abba,through his lawyer, Mr. O.

Osoka, also prayed the courtto grant him bail on healthground.

He tendered an order madeby another court headed byJustice Okeke, which he saidokayed his release on bail.More so, the accused personscontended that the chargeagainst them are ordinarilybailable.

While Bello’s bail requestwas dated December 31, hisson filed his motionDecember 30, 2015.

EFCC opposesbail applications

Meantime, the EFCC, viatwo separate counter-affidavits that were deposedto by one of its detectives,Mr. Mohammed Goji,yesterday, opposed therelease of the accusedpersons on bail.

EFCC lawyer, Mr. AliyuYusuf, argued that the accusedpersons did not placesufficient evidence to warrantthe court to exercise itsdiscretion in their favour.

The prosecution urged thecourt to consider the severityof the charge which it saidattracts a maximum of 14 yearsimprisonment, as well as theproof of evidence against theaccused persons, and denythem bail.

It argued that neither Bellonor his son adduced anyevidence to show that theywould not get proper medicalattention from the prisonhospital.

EFCC maintained that theaccused persons, if released,have the capacity to interfere

with the cause of justice.He said: “We submit that

this court has discretion toeither grant or refuse bail.That discretion must beexercised judicially andjudiciously.

“Looking at the evidencebefore this court, thedefendant/applicants havenot placed sufficientmaterials to warrant theexercise of discretion in theirfavour. The accused personsare facing a very seriousoffence.

“On the whole, we urge,my lord, to refuse the bailapplication and invokesection 19(2b) of the EFCCAct, 2004, and orderaccelerated hearing of thiscase.”

After listening to all theparties yesterday, JusticeMohammed, reservedruling on the matter tilltomorrow.

While remanding the sonin prison custody, JusticeMohammed held that sinceit was not in doubt that Bellowas brought to court from hishospital bed, “the 3rdaccused is hereby put underthe supervision of theInspector General of Policepending the determinationof his bail application.”

Justice Mohammedordered the chief registrar ofthe court to immediatelydraw the attention of the IGPto the court order.

Shortly after the rulingyesterday, the formerChairman was conveyedback to the hospital in anambulance belonging toAbuja clinics.

FG to establishinter-ministerialcommittee tofast-trackNNPC reforms

By LevinusNwabughiogu

ABUJA — PRESIDENTMuhammadu Buhari

has said that hisadministration would soonestablish an inter-ministerialcommittee to ensure thespeedy reform of theNigerian National PetroleumCorporation, NNPC.

The President stated this ata meeting with the ChiefExecutive Officer of theInternational FinanceCorporation (IFC), Jin-YongCai, at the Presidential Villa,Abuja, yesterday.

According to the President,the re-organisation of theNNPC was extremelynecessary due to allegedmonumental corruption andabuse of its present structure.

The President added thathis government wasdetermined to maximizeincome from every source ofrevenue as a furtherimperative for reforming theNNPC, stressing that thenational revenue needed aboost to effectively implementits programme of change andsignificantly improve theliving conditions ofNigerians.

Also speaking, Mr. Jin-YongCai, who is also the VicePresident of the IFC, statedthat proper reformation and re-organisation of NNPC couldmake it Africa’s largestcompany.

“You have broughtmonumental changes sinceyou got to power. You havebrought in strong leadershipand Nigeria has theopportunity under you tobecome highly reputable."

BIRTHDAY: The celebrant, Prof. Biodun Jeyifo (left); Prof. Wole Soyinka and Prof. John Pepper Clark at 70th birthdayof Biodun Jeyifo at the University of Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

We’re ready for trial, Bello, son tell court

Brought to court in ambulance, took plea in wheelchair

Judge determines bail applications tomorrow


CMYK


Bayelsa supplementary poll: Be neutral, PDPtells Buhari

By Henry Umoru

By Samuel Oyadongha

....As LG Chair denies alleged anti-Dicksonactivities

Doctors,dentistsprotestcolleague'skidnap inDelta

By Festus Ahon

ABUJA—AHEAD ofSaturday’s Bayelsa State

governorship run-off electionin Southern Ijaw LocalGovernment Area, the nationalleadership of PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, hasasked President MuhammaduBuhari to steer clear of theelection by remaining neutral.

The PDP has however, vowedto rally its formation in thestate and particularly SouthernIjaw council, to use all meansnecessary in a democracy toresist any move by the AllProgressives Congress, APC,to rig the election.

In a statement by PDPNational Publicity Secretary,Chief Olisa Metuh, the partysaid that it has since beenmade aware of plots by theAPC to use compromisedsecurity operatives andIndependent NationalElectoral Commission, INEC,officials to attempt to producefictitious votes and declareitself winner, but vowed thatany such unholy bid would begreeted with vehementresistance and direconsequences.

Metuh, who reiterated thatSouthern Ijaw was a well-known PDP stronghold, said itwould never accept any resultthat did not reflect the will ofthe people.

He said: “We issue thisstatement as direct notice tothe APC and theircompromised INEC, militaryand other security operativeswho have been stationed toostensibly assist to producefictitious votes with which theAPC intends to declare itselfwinner.

“Let it be known to all thatthe PDP is fully mobilized forSaturday’s supplementaryelection. Our members acrossSouthern Ijaw have beenstationed in every pollingunit, every collation centreand every exit and entry point

in the area, and have beendirected to use all meansavailable in a democracy tostop the APC in its trail.

“Southern Ijaw council isa well-known stronghold ofthe PDP and we will not inany way accept anythingshort of free, fair and credibleelection, abundantlyreflecting the will of thepeople.

“Anything to the contrarywill attract terribleconsequences. We restateour resolve that never againwill the PDP allow itself tobe manipulated out in any

election at any level, nomatter the intimidation by theAPC-led administration.

“Consequent upon our lossof confidence in INEC andsecurity agencies, we herebymake public our instruction toour members and supportersnot to leave the polling areaafter casting their votes butto remain alert within thedistance provided by law andgo ahead to use all meansnecessary to defend andprotect their votes, shouldthere be any attempt byanybody to rig the process.”

...warns APC, INEC against rigging

YENAGOA—CHAIRMANof Southern Ijaw Local

Government Area, BayelsaState, Elder Remember Ogbe,has denied report that he wasinvolved in alleged activitiesagainst the re-election ofGovernor Seriake Dickson andplanning to dump the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, for AllProgressives Congress, APC,in the state.

Ogbe, who was reported tohave fallen out of favour withthe governor in the wake of the

botched December 6governorship poll in thecouncil and planning to defectto the APC, described theclaims as false, insisting thathe remains a loyal member ofthe PDP in the state.

The Southern Ijaw councilboss, in an interview,yesterday, in Yenagoa,described the allegation as anew attempt by somemembers of the PDP in thecouncil to divide the partyahead of the Saturday re-runelection in the area.

“The claim is false and

nothing of such happened.First, after the December 5election, they claimed thegovernor beat me up with achair and injured me.Governor Dickson is a friendand not a political foe. He is aman that has the zeal as a truefriend and I can never betrayhim,” he said.

Ogbe noted that due to thesupport enjoyed from theadministration of GovernorDickson, the council under himhas brought dividend ofdemocracy to the people of thearea.

Credible election, the greatest changeNigerians need —Mimiko

By SamuelOyadongha

YENAGOA—ONDOState governor and

Chairman of PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP,Governors Forum, ChiefOlusegun Mimiko,

yesterday, challengedPresident MuhammaduBuhari and other relevantagencies of government toensure that elections in thecountry were conducted ina free and fair manner.

He said the only changeneeded from the ruling AllProgressives Congress,APC, was a free, fair andcredible election.

Governor Mimiko statedthis when he paid a privatevisit to his Bayelsa Statecounterpart, SeriakeDickson, at GovernmentHouse, Yenagoa.

ASABA— DELTAState chapter of

Medical and DentalConsultants Association ofNigeria, MDCAN, and theAssociation of ResidentDoctors, ARD, Delta StateUniversity TeachingHospital, DELSUTH,yesterday, staged apeaceful protest against thekidnap of one of theircolleagues, Dr. ObiaboYahaya.

The doctors, whomarched to the stateGovernment House inAsaba in white attires,decried the kidnap of theircolleague, lamenting thatthey have becomeendangered species in thehands of kidnappersfollowing the kidnap of Dr.Yahaya, a Neurologist,who was abducted onDecember 29, 2015.

In its protest letter read byMDCAN Vice Chairman,Dr. Ejiroghene Umuerri, theassociation urged the stategovernment and securityagents to ensure the releaseof their colleague within thenext 24 hours.

The letter which read inpart, said: “It is with a heavyheart that we make thissubmission thatkidnapping in Delta Stateand indeed Nigeria hasbecome a very lucrativebusiness with hugefinancial returns and littlerisk as the kidnappers arehardly apprehended whilethe victims' families are leftwith no option than to payransom in order to securethe safe release of theirloved ones.

“The kidnappers collecttheir ransom and move tothe next victim certain thatthey would not be caughtand the ransom demandedmust be paid."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016—13

Edo 2016: Osagie faults Oshiomhole's allegedendorsement of Obaseki

By Simon Ebegbulem

2016: Prophecy of doom againstNigeria'll fail —Onuesoke

Police banprotests, publicprocessions inDelta

B E N I N — F O R M E RMinority Whip of the

House of Representatives, MrSamson Osagie, has said that itwas wrong for Governor AdamsOshiomhole to endorse MrGodwin Obaseki ahead of the2016 governorship election,warning that the ruling AllProgressives Congress, APC,may lose the governorshipelection if a level playing fieldwas not provided for them.

He said: “This fear is palpableamong APC members and someof the party’s apologists acrossthe state. I have no reason todeny that same exists,especially as one of the latestvictims of a mismanagedelectoral process in the 2015general election by the rulingAPC. The party mismanagedthat election when candidateswho won primaries particularlyin the Ovia axis of the EdoSouth senatorial district weredenied their tickets and the lackof planning and preparations bythe party for the election.

“This year's governorshipelection is going to be the truetest of Governor Oshiomhole’scapacity to sustain his party’shold on power in the state orlack of it. There is no doubt thathe is already on the way tocausing the party irreparabledamage by the way things are

going in the party just now.This position is underscored bythe deliberate attempt andaction of those who hold thereins of authority in the stateto label some aspirants andtheir supporters as enemies ofthe governor who must bedealt with while others mustbe submerged politically, all ina bid to secure ticket for ananointed candidate who by

himself does not understandthe ensuing dynamics of thestate politics particularly inEdo South.

“It’s almost forgotten bythose who have constituted acabal around the governorand himself that there is goingto be an election after theprimaries and one wonderswhether the bad blood that isbeing encouraged and fuelled

by the sycophants around thegovernor just now will deliverthe votes when the real electioncomes sometime in July.

“The governor must knowand realize quickly that he isnot going to be on the ballotand as such he must bemindful not to become acampaign director to anyaspirant who seeks to governEdo people at least before theprimaries."

By Emma Amaize

Ijaw group threatens to disrupt crude oil supply toWarri Refinery

ASABA—THE Ijaw OilProducing and Pipeline

Communities in Warri andEnvirons, IOPPCWE, Delta State,yesterday, threatened that it wouldhalt the flow of crude oil from Ijawlocations to Warri Refining andPetrochemical Company, WRPC,if the company refuses to recallits kinsmen fired lately andemploy more Ijaws in the ongoingrecruitment of new workers.

The group, in a statement by itscoordinator, Mr. AnthonyZikorebai, said: “We wish to warnthat if Ijaw people who weresacked like other neighbouringcommunities’ workers are notrecalled and employed in theongoing recruitment of newworkers, crude oil produced inIjaw communities would nolonger be allowed to be piped tothe Warri Refinery.

“The Ijaw Oil Producing andPipeline Communities in Warriand Environs are calling on themanagement of WRPC, especiallythe acting Managing Director ofthe WRPC, Mr. Adewale Solomon,to stop the discrimination andmarginalization of Ijaw people inrespect of retrenchment andrecruitment of staff and contractopportunities.

“People of Ijaw origin weredeliberately and unfairly sackedin the last retrenchment andomitted in the recall of somesacked staff and newrecruitment that is ongoingdespite the fact that the Ijaw

communities are substantialstakeholders in the affairs of theWarri Refinery.

“The Warri Refinery surviveson the crude oil produce insome Ijaw communities andpiped again through Ijaw

communities to the WarriRefinery for its refining and otherpurposes. Hence, it is unfair anddiscriminatory for themanagement of Warri Refineryto subject Ijaw people to unfairtreatment."

Tompolo: Ex-militants warn against attempton whistle blower’s life

EX-MILITANTS in theNiger Delta and Ijaw

youths have warned thatshould anything happens tothe man that called attentionto alleged diversion ofmoney meant for theacquisition of land forNigerian MaritimeUniversity at Okerenkoko,Chief Micheal Johnny, theIjaw traditional rulers andleaders know those to holdresponsible.

The ex-militants at abriefing in Yanagoa, BayelsaState, yesterday, saidJohnny ’s stance on thealleged diversion was not anoffence for which his lifeshould be threatened,adding, “The God of truthwould protect him.

“We are aware of threats to

Johnny’s life, and we arecalling on those plottingsuch to have a rethinkbecause the consequence

could be disastrous andregrettable, as killing a fellowhuman being is an offencebefore God and the law."

AS the world celebratesthe New Year coupled

with the usual habit ofNigerian clerics forecastingdoom for the country, aPeoples Democratic Party,PDP, chieftain, Chief SunnyOnuesoke, has said thatthose prophesying doom forthe country in 2016 will fail.

Onuesoke, at his countryhome in Agbarha-Otor,Ughelli North LocalGovernment Area, DeltaState, when he hosted some

key members of PDP in hisward to a dinner, wonderedhow long Nigerians wouldcontinue to listen to prophetsof doom.

He said that while othercountries were planning onhow to make it in 2016,Nigerian clerics were busyprophesying doom everyyear, adding that Nigeria hadbeen taken hostage by liarsand con men who paradethemselves as politicians andprophets.

Lawyerdemands EdoAttorneyGeneral'sresignation

By AkpokonaOmafuaire

WARRI—TO ensurepublic safety, Delta

State Police Command,yesterday, banned all forms ofstreet protests andprocessions, insisting thatspecial permission must besought should the need arise.

The order was given in astatement by Mrs CelestinaKalu, Police Public RelationsOfficer in the state.

Kalu warned that the bantakes immediate effect acrossthe state, adding that a breachof the order would be met withfull measure of the extant law.

By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN—A Benin-based lawyer, Mr.

Olayiwola Afolabi has calledfor the resignation of the EdoState Attorney General andCommissioner for Justice, Mr.Henry Idahagbon, over theinability of the stategovernment to pay eightmonths salary arrears ofjudiciary workers in the state.

He also said thatMagistrates were being owedthree months arrears ofsalaries.

He called for autonomy forthe Judiciary in Edo State toenable that arm of governmentto function effectively as inAnambra and Delta Stateswhose judiciary enjoyautonomy.

Afolabi, who yesterday inBenin, staged a one-manprotest over the issue,carpeted the Edo State chapterof the Nigerian LabourCongress, NLC, for claimingthat the state government wasnot owing any of its civilservants.

He said, “I am calling on theAttorney General of Edo Stateand all legal practitioners inthe state government’semployment to resign theirpositions because thegovernmrnt has failed workersin the area of salaries,especially during theChristmas and New Year.

“In fact, a woman attachedto High Court 4, simply calledJustina, died because shecould not afford to pay hermedical bills. I call on the AGto resign from office becausethis is the first time in thehistory of the state thatjudiciary workers are beingowed and nobody is sayinganything."

VISIT: His Royal Majesty, the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof. Chike Edozie (left) and theDirector General, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Chief Clement Ofuani,when the DG visited the Asagba to brief him on the developmental plans by the agency forthe state capital in his palace in Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Henry Unini.

Continues from Page 6


2016: States increase expenditure byN700bn

current level ofworkforce except if theyplan to retrench, whichwould also create prob-lems with the labour un-ions.

Some states are alreadyindicating the possibilityof a downward review ofthe minimum wage,blaming it on revenuedecline.

More allocation torecurrentexpenditure

As usual, most of thegovernments have alsoallocated lower sums tocapital expenditure(provision of infrastructureand amenities amongothers). Collectively, theFederal Government andthe 32 state governmentsthat have announced theirbudgets will spendN4.839 trillion or 43 percent of their budgets oncapital expenditure whilespending N6.450 trillion(57 per cent) on recurrentexpenditure (salaries,emoluments of public

servants and political of-fice holders, runningcosts, among others).

Last year, the govern-ments allocated 47.63per cent of their budgetsto capital expenditureand 52.37 per cent to re-current expenditure.

This year, the FederalGovernment allocated30.36 per cent of itsbudget to capitalexpenditure as opposedto the 14.6 per cent it didin 2015.

High recurrentproject states

Among the states, Ekiti(37.19 per cent) is worseoff in terms of allocationto capital projects. It isfollowed by Taraba (37.79per cent), Abia (39.09 percent) and Kogi (39.47 percent).

Pro-capital projectstates

States that allocatedhefty sums to capitalprojects are Cross River(84 per cent), Sokoto(70.76 [per cent), Kano(69.82 per cent), Kebbi(68.22 per cent), Borno

(66.78 per cent), Katsina(65.26 per cent), Kaduna(63.66 per cent), Ebonyi(61.69 per cent) andRivers (60.91 per cent).

We will stimulate theeconomy – Buhari

While presenting thebudget to a joint sessionof the National Assembly,President MuhammaduBuhari said the proposal,the first by hisgovernment, "seeks tostimulate the economy,making it morecompetitive by focusing oni n f r a s t r u c t u r a ldevelopment; deliveringinclusive growth; andprioritizing the welfare ofNigerians. We believe thatthis budget, while helpingindustry, commerce andinvestment to pick up, willas a matter of urgency,address the immediateproblems of youthunemployment and theterrible living conditionsof the extremely poor andvulnerable Nigerians."

Lagos to borrowfrom capital market,more tax bullish

Lagos State, according

to Mustapha Akinkunmi,the commissioner for fi-nance, will be approach-ing the bond market toraise N43 billion to partlyfund the budget. On theother hand, the chairmanof Lagos State InternalRevenue Service, LIRS,Olufolarin Ogunsanwosaid the governmentmight be bully about taxcollections using theinstrumentally of the law.

Cross River budgetof deep vision

The Governor of CrossRiver State, Ben Ayade,who christened the N350billion proposal, of whichN294 billion would beexpended on capitalprojects as “Budget ofDeep Vision”, said theincrement was as a resultof expected funds fromForeign DirectInvestments and supportfor his signature projectsby the FederalGovernment, adding thathe would make judicioususe of the availableresources for the good ofthe people.

We want to live

within our means– Fayose

Unarguably, Ekiti Statewith N67.04 billionproposal is the leastspending state in 2016.Governor, Ayo Fayose,who christened the 2016appropriation bill as"budget of reality" andpromised that 10,000indigent citizens acrossthe state would be paidN5,000 monthly from thismonth, said the miserlybudget was informed bythe desire to live within themeans of the state andachievable estimate ratherthan decorate the budgetwith unrealistic figures.

He said 39 per cent ofthe budget would befunded by the revenuefrom the Federalallocation accounts whilethe internally generatedrevenue source isexpected to fund 15 percent of the budget.

Sokoto’s peoplebudget

Speaking on why he isallocating over 70 per centof the N174.39 billionSokoto State 2016 budgetto capital projects,Governor AminuTambuwal, who describedthe proposal as "Peoples’budget", said it represents

the government’s overallstrategy to meet the needsand yearnings of itscitizens.

“The policy thrust of theBudget is to ensuresustainable developmentof the State by focusing onthe critical sectors ofinvestment in Education,Agriculture, Health,Environment SolidMinerals and RuralDevelopment.”

Anambra’sproductivity andefficiency budget

In Anambra, GovernorWillie Obiano, who is oneof the few governors whoannounced lower budgetsthan they had last yearand allocated the largerchunk of it to capitalprojects, tagged theN101.4 billion proposal as“Budget for efficiency,optimisation, productivityand Job creation.”

The governor projectedthe capital expenditure atN52.8 billion while therecurrent expenditure waspegged at N48.6 billion.The figures imply aCapital to RecurrentExpenditure ratio of 52:48as against 67:33 in thecurrent year.


CMYK


UCHECHI, WIFE of theembattled Director of Radio

Biafra and leader of theat an undisclosed hospital.

The birth of Kanu’s childwas announced in amessage posted on theFacebook page of RadioBiafra London.

At press time, Vanguardcould not independentlyverify if Mrs. Kanu put tobirth in Nigeria or London,where Kanu was basedbefore his arrest in Lagos,Nigeria on October 17,2015.

The statement read:“Good morning greatBiafrans. With joy in ourhearts and celebration ofnew arrival to IPOB family,our first lady, the wife of oureminent leader, JoshuaNnamdi Kanu, has beendelivered of a healthy babyboy. Mother and child arein good health.”

The statement added:“The child of freedom isborn. Yes... Nnamdi KanuIII has been born to thefamily of the Leader of theIndigenous People OfBiafra and Director ofRadio Biafra/BiafraTelevision, Mazi NnamdiKanu, in the early hours ofTuesday, being January 5,2016. For unto Biafrans, aChild of Freedom has beenborn and the victory ofBiafrans has beenguaranteed through hisbirth.

“This little Biafransoldier, shall bring freedomto Biafrans. Heunderstands the Biafrastruggle and was sent amessage,which most of uscannot understand. Yes, amore fearless and braveNnamdi Kanu has beenborn and freedom isdrawing near.

“We thank God forgranting us our heart'sdesires towards thisstruggle and sending us amessage which only thespiritual minded can figureout. We, the IndigenousPeople of Biafra, arecongratulating the family ofour leader Mazi NnamdiKanu and the entire IPOBfamily at large."

Wife of Radio BiafraDirector, Kanu delivered ofbaby boy

THE ONGOINGinvestigation by the

Economic and Financial CrimesCommission has landed thespokesman of the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP, ChiefOlisa Metuh, in theCommission’s cell in Abuja.

Metuh, who was arrested byfour operatives of the anti-graftagency from his Abuja home,spent the first night with hisinterrogators at the headquartersof the EFCC, answeringquestions on how the sum ofN1.4 billion strayed from the

account of the Office of theNational Security Adviser into acompany, Destra, linked to him.

Interestingly, it was the suspect,who first hinted that the formerPresident, Goodluck Jonathan,had given him a job to do andthat he successfully completedthe said job, but failed to say whatit was and how much he was paidfor and when.

The revelation by Metuh,according to EFCC officials,prompted the agency to beam itssearchlight on cash paymentsfrom the ONSA, leading to thediscovery that he was one of themajor beneficiaries of slush funds,now a subject of investigation and

Indigenous People of Biafra,IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday,reportedly gave birth to a baby boy

prosecution by the FederalGovernment.

It was learnt that out of the $2.1billion arms funds, N400 millionwas transferred from ONSA to thecompany on November 24, 2014which previously had a balanceof N6, 676,576.06 only before themajor transfer from the ONSA.

A top source in the EFCC saidthat Metuh was also receiving amonthly pay of N4 million fromONSA.

A top EFCC source said Metuhwas likely to spend the night withthem given the weight of financialtransactions in ONSA traced tohim and his company.

The source said: “We arrested

Chief Metuh this morning(yesterday) and as we speak heis still being questioned and it isnot likely that he will be releasedtoday.

“We want to finish theinterrogation of Metuh at once,so that we can decide whetherto charge him to court or let him

to go," the source said.Metuh, has, however slammed

his arrest by the EFCC, claimingthat he was being persecuted.

“I have not done anythingunlawful. Whatever I have donein pursuance of my office, I candefend it anywhere, any time,”he said.

$2.1bn arms cash: Olisa Metuh spends first night in EFCCcell over N1.4bn traced to coy

By Soni Daniel,Northern Region Editor

CMYK

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016 —17

*Tabia Princewill is astrategic communicationsconsultant and public policyanalyst. She is also the co-host and executive producerof a talk show, WALK THETALK which airs onChannels TV.

[email protected]

Is a good dictatorship betterthan a corrupt democracy?

ON the subject of the President’s media chat, some say

they found his declarations “dic-tatorial. So, allow me to play devil’sadvocate and ask: Is a good dic-tatorship better than a corrupt de-mocracy?

In asking this question I’m re-minded of an article “Dictatorship,Democracy and Development bya political scientist, Mancur Ol-son where he points out thatstudies show no large group hasever been able to reach a volun-tary agreement to ensure law andorder. Is law and order in every-one’s interest?

The honest truth is that it isn’t.Nigeria is a prime example of this.Those who have looted publicfunds go abroad and see howthings are done but it is not intheir interest to develop Nigeriaor to give us the sort of schools,roads or healthcare that exist inother climes.

With their short term mentalityand lack of creativity, what busi-nesses could they start whichwould give them the sort ofinstant, wild returns that publicoffice does? Many of thoseaccused of corruption could notsurvive if Nigeria had a levelplaying field with opportunitiesfor all.

Talented, brilliant Nigeriansabound who would quickly dis-place the political class were thegates to be opened to them andtheir contributions. Democracyand openness is not man’s natu-ral state. It isn’t what lays the foun-dation for law and order either.

Strong men, those with thesame frugal, disciplined natureas Buhari, those are the sorts whodemand that the law beunwavering and apply to all. ThePDP has incredibly positioneditself as a defender of a would-bedemocracy.

But in effect, what it has super-vised for 16 years is a kleptocracywhere certain groups saw it fit andfound it incredibly easy to takefrom Nigeria and give nothingback. Kleptomaniacs are describedas people with an obsessivedesire to steal. This corrupted formof democracy has not benefittedNigerians. With Buhari, I believethere is another way.

Dictatorialexperience

Typically, it is said that dictator-ships enable faster development(decision-making is streamlined)and instill discipline and order. Itis interesting then that our militaryrulers installed and perfectedkleptocratic government ratherthan develop Nigeria.

Indeed, one factor was missingin our dictatorial experience: thelove of country. Or if you’re morecynical, the understanding of sim-ple economics. None of ourmilitary rulers seemed to under-stand (or care?) that there wouldbe more money to be made forthemselves and their proxies in astate where things work andNigerians are empoweredenough to purchase goods andservices which could have beenoffered by them!

How do monarchies work? Thewhole of Britain, in essence, worksand exists to pay the royals a salary.Why have the Emirati or Saudimonarchies never been toppled?

They provide health care andeducation, these governmentshave given their citizens not justthe basics, but empowered themwith enough spending power toconveniently ignore that the sameindividuals have been in controlof their destinies for centuries.

Dictatorships work: except inAfrica where unfortunately, thereis no national cause, no sense ofpurpose, love of country or great-ness to strive for. President Buhariis definitely not a dictator (adictator would not have been ableto resist the temptation of throwingOlisa Metuh, Ayo Fayose or FemiFani-Kayode in jail for theinsulting, inhumane commentsthey often make) but if by dictatorhis critics mean someone who willdo the right thing no matter whose

interests are at stake, or someonewho won’t listen to groups whocome to Aso Rock to “beg for oneguilty man or another, thenplease, let Buhari keep on“dictatoring.

Singapore achieved an econom-ic miracle in an impossible timeframe: Lee Kuan Yew, a “dictatorof sorts, a man who knew rightfrom wrong and kept enemies ofsocial order and collectiveprosperity at bay, stabilised hiscountry completely.

So, if today young Singapore-ans can even aspire to more rightsand freedoms, it is because of him.Without order and an end to thesort of reckless stealing we inNigeria have witnessed, there canbe no development, no freedoms.

If we would stop clamouring forthe liberty of accused individualsto keep killing us with impunity,we would realise that

Recklessstealing

Buhari’s federal budget for in-stance, which favours health andeducation (the back bone of anydemocracy) for the first time inyears is not just a game-changer,but the motivation Nigerians needto eschew our differences in thelong term.

In a country led by kleptomani-acs, there has never been any in-centive for Nigerians to produce:our non-oil exports are laughablefor a country as large and as rich.To use a metaphor from the articleI previously mentioned: past gov-ernments were wolves preying onunsuspecting elk. Buhari is the

ranch owner who makes sure hiscattle are protected and givenwater.

Some have criticised the Presi-dent for his comments on Dasu-ki’s trial. The President said: “Ifyou see the atrocities these peoplecommitted against this country,we can’t allow them to jump bail.What of the over two millionpeople displaced, most of themorphans whose fathers have beenkilled? We cannot allow that. Iwonder how these purportedactivists can claim to be pro-peoplewhile they defend those accusedof killing Nigerians. Justice, theconcept of fairness is universal.Unfortunately, in its applicationby human beings who are of course

fallible and prone to monetary per-suasions, temptations and corrup-tion, the law or rather lawyers andjudges, can fall short of justice.

In such cases it is morallyjustifiable to ignore them. Afterall, slavery and the holocaust wereonce legal and those who assistedBlacks or Jews were outlaws.Margaret Thatcher regrettablyonce called Mandela a criminal.

So, that some courts grantedNnamdi Kanu, the leader of theIndigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) movement, a group withviolent, separatist tendencies, bailand that government refused torelease him because they believehim to be a threat to public order,is fine.

Nigeria cannot afford to oper-ate like it once did. We are at war,a war against corruption, a war tokeep this country together. Thosewho are proven menaces to thesuccessful waging of said war,which is in the interest of Nigeri-ans, those who have proventhemselves to be enemies of thestate cannot be allowed to walkthe streets freely.

If they are, what will they do ifnot use their stolen wealth to fightback, to fight not just government,but the average Nigerian, usingour own money to further kill andoppress us?

True leaders don’t allowseparatism, ethnic hate to thriveor greedy elite to knowingly harmtheir citizens. If that makes Buharia dictator then let him “dictate rightfrom wrong all he wants.

Labaran Maku

AS a people, we are incredibly fond of speaking after

the facts. The former ministerof information has called for theremoval of the immunity clausefor elected officials from theconstitution.

Interestingly, he didn’t pushfor such measures while apolitical appointee. TheAttorney General of theFederation must prosecute thereal dictators.

The former Chairman of theEFCC, Nuhu Ribadupresented a report to theNational Assembly in 2006detailing corruption cases andindictments involving 31former governors. The sort of

individuals who use publicfunds meant to develop thepoor to fulfill their own selfishwhims, they are the real mon-sters who have supervised thekilling of the masses.

Rich kids of Instagram

PICTURES of SmartAdeyemi (a former

senator)’s daughter ’s £19kgold wristwatch (like formerFCT Minister Bala Moham-med’s son’s luxury cars) havesparked much debate on so-

cial media as to the provenanceof the funds used to purchaseit, amidst allegations thatAmerican reality TV stars dat-ed oil magnates rumoured tobe connected to former Petro-leum Minister Diezani Ma-dueke. Is it suicidal for politi-cally connected persons toflaunt their wealth in the Bu-hari era? Time will tell.

President Muhammadu Buhari

Labaran Maku

President Buhari isdefinitely not a dictator(a dictator would nothave been able to resistthe temptation ofthrowing Olisa Metuh,Ayo Fayose or FemiFani-Kayode in jail forthe insulting, inhu-mane comments theyoften make)

CMYK

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

OPINIONEverything is wrong with Mutunji

•Mr. Isah, a public affairs commentator,wrote from Abuja.

By Ahmed Isah

“The test of the morality of a society is whatit does for its children’’ – DietrichBonhoeffer

IN the first week of November 2015, Itook a business trip with my brother to

a town called Mutunji in Dan SadauEmirate, Maru Local Government Area ofZamfara state. Mutunji is a town with nosmall population and is not far from DanSadau. There, I saw a microcosm of thelarger Nigeria society playing out to mydisgust all over again. Education,security, healthcare all in total collapseas poverty, crime and neglect reignedsupreme.

What made me sadder was the sight ofchildren neglected by a country thatrefers to them as leaders of tomorrow. AsDietrich has opined, a society’s is tested byhow well it treats its children but I gofurther to add that the true test is how asociety treats the children of the poor andthose without power. This test is one thatNigeria has failed and in Dan Sadau andMutuji the evidence is clear.

EducationAt every stage of human history, the

quest for knowledge have always been aconstant. That quest is what has ensuredman achieves civilisation and continuesto strive for the growth of his society. Thefuture of every society depends entirelyon how much effort the current generationputs in to ensure the younger people getaccess to quality education.

In Nigeria, however, the reverse is thecase. Access to quality education is theexclusive reserve of the rich and those inpower. In Mutunji, education is in totalcollapse and the only primary schoolthere is in tatters. There is no singlesecondary school between Dan Sadau andMutunji.

There are thirteen primary schools inDan Sadau Emirates without teachers.For many years, there are no teachers toteach children ready to learn and thoseready find no one ready to pay for theirwork. No single child has finished primaryschool in Mutunji since 2005. Few monthsbefore our visit we were told, thecommunity came together and made adecision to employ two teachers whomthey are to pay 8000 Naira monthly toteach the children. To get the fee, theydecided to levy every parent N100 a child.This community’s initiative is what hasbrought education back to Mutunji. If thisis not an indictment on our leadersespecially the senator and house membersrepresenting these areas, nothing else is.

Security is lifeThe trip from Gasau to Dan Sadau was

long and torturous. Along the way, fromMagami while approaching Yar-TasharYari, the driver turned to us and said weshould expect the unexpected. Thesecurity of our lives from then on was upto us and God. Until we got to Mutunji, myheart beat was faster than the sound of thebreeze coming through the window. It isan anomaly for citizens to resort todepending on each other for securing theirlives and properties. It is a big recipe forchaos because the power of humans isn’tone and same. Security of lives andproperty is the fundamental responsibilityof the government. If government cannotsecure the lives and property of its citizens,then there is no need for such governmentto exist.

Our visit to Dan Sadau Emiratesrevealed a total collapse of law and orderespecially in Mutunji. Forced marriages,kidnap of young girls, murder, banditry,and arson are rife in Mutunji. Constitutedauthority turn blind eyes to theseincidents and the stories hardly make it tomainstream media. Armed militia operatein the open, impose taxes and run opencourts in villages like Dutsen Kura, Tasa,and Chapi.

In villages like Mai Awaki and Guruthere is constant case of kidnap of younggirls, who are forcefully given away inmarriage. In Umguwar Galadima, about200 hundred people were allegedlymurdered for holding a meeting to findsolution to the many problems bedevillingtheir community. No single word from the

authorities or any sign of an investigation.In Kaduru, 40 people were said to havesuffered the same fate. Villages like MaiGoge, Kalgo and Jesa could hitherto boastof thousands of cows but because of theactivities of cattle rustlers like Madaka,Gajeran, Kauye they no longer own asingle cow. These men and their likesattack the villages constantly, stealingcows and selling them off in other statesthrough the assistant of middlemen andcouriers.

The many crimes in this part of thecountry continue to go unpunished. Evenwhen such suspected criminals arearrested, they walk away free after a dayor two from police stations that are mostlyunderstaffed, ill-equipped and corrupt.

Acquiring power to failPower acquired if not for the

advancement of citizens is largely useless.The reasons why people seek to assumepolitical positions is centred aroundmaking life better for people in theirsocieties and to ensure such societies don’tresult to chaos. This however looksdifferent from what is obtainable inNigeria. Increasingly, we have people whoassume positions and result to self-aggrandizement forgetting the people whovoted them. I advise governments at thefederal, state and local government levelsto look into cases like the one in Mutunji,where human lives have becomeworthless. Citizens vote so they can beprotected and have improved socialstandards not neglected.

Citizens vote so theycan be protected andhave improved socialstandards notneglected.

Appeal Court conflicting judgments inelection petitions

IN every constitutional democracy,the judiciary is one of the major pillarsthat sustains its principles and tenets.It is an embodiment ofequity,fairness,justice and rule of law.Without the judiciary which isregarded as the last hope of theaggrieved,law and order will stand ontheir heads. It is against this backdropthat justice must not only be done bythe institution but must be seen by allto have been done.

Until the amendments of theElectoral Act 2010,it was only thepresidential election petition that gotto the Supreme Court. Perhaps,theperceived injustice some of thepetitions suffered partly informed theamendments. Hence,governorshipelection petitions in particular,nolonger terminate at the Court ofAppeal. The apex court is the finalarbiter.

Interestingly,the 2015 generalelections and the colour ofjudgements emanating from the Courtof Appeal have somewhat lent

credence to the wisdom that informedthe Electoral Act amendments. In thelast couple of months,the AppealCourt had delivered what can best betermed conflicting judgements insome of the National Assembly andgovernorship election petitionsbrought before them. Curiously,someof the facts and principles of thepetitions are similar.

While we will refrain fromcommenting on some of these casesin adherence to ethical standards we,however, commend the timelyintervention of the Chief Justice ofNigeria CJN,Justice Mahmud

Mohammed. The CJN used the annualconference of Court of Appeal inAbuja to express his concern on theissue.

In an apparent reference to theopposition Peoples Democratic Party,PDP accusation that the appeal courtjudgements were delivered to favourthe ruling All Proggresives Congress,APC, in his admonition that thejustices are guardian, of the law andmust not only be just but must alsodispense certainty, could not have beenmore timely.

That is why we are adding our voiceto that of the CJN to urge the threewise men(including women) on the

Court of Appeal bench to employdeeper jurisprudential perspectives intheir judgement delivery, especially incases with similar facts. As it is thepractice in court system,the AppealCourt, in deference to the SupremeCourt as the highest court in theland,should be guided by and followthe latter’s precedents. This is sobecause as Justice Mohammedobserved,there cannot be justice,where there is confusion as to the stateof the law as pronounced by the court.

We also recommend the CJN’spiece of advice on the need for theCourt of Appeal to have an internalLaw report for Justices use eitherelectronically or in print. Equallyimportant is the wise counsel of NikiTobi JSC (as he then was) thatimmediately a judgement is deliveredin one division of the Court ofAppeal,it should be sent to the otherdivision instantly. This will engenderuniformity and consistency injudgements.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016—19—19—19—19—19

Send Opinions & Letters to:[email protected]

DOWN the ages, philosophershave speculated on time as

both an arbitrary and anartificial construct. Time for thisclass of people is a continuumwhich humanity has for its ownconvenience divided into timepast, time present and futuretime. Otherwise, time has noboundaries. But dividing timeinto parts is one way throughwhich people make sense of theirexistence, have some notion ofhow far they’ve come and whatprogress or lack of it has beenmade. So when at the end of ayear people take stock of their life,it is time that makes it possible.Otherwise, human life could beone long night of darkness orslumber without a beginning,middle or end. Time thus givehuman life a sense of purpose.And just as time can serve as aninstrument to measureindividual progress, it can alsoserve as a calibrating tool fornational progress. It is in thissense that we as a people mustmake sense of the strides we’vetaken as a nation. Have we moved,and if yes in what direction has ourmovement taken us- forward orbackwards? Now 2015 belongs to

Prophecies, Nigerians and2016?

the ages, what can we make of2016?

All sorts of fortune tellers, stargazers and necromancers arealready at work. These modernday futurologists, close siblingsof Godspower Oyewole, Prof.Okozua and Nostradamus havebeen availing us of a peep into theimmediate future. Even whenthe message from their books offortune and crystal balls hints athope and give a slight sense ofnational rebirth, the dominanttone of their message is ratherunderwhelming. Without anyclose reading of their reports theheadlines say it all. They projecta sense of looming nationaldisaster with the usual caveatthat things might turn aroundfor good if certain actions aretaken under certain conditions.

If at the end of December 2015many Nigerians could not saywhen or where their next mealwould come from, many morepassed the holiday season notknowing if they would still be ableto keep the same job they’ve hadwith no salary to take home formore than a year, with orwithout federal bailout- if themost reported news item and

newsmakers were respectively themindless looting of the nationaltreasury and persons underprosecution for corrupt diversionof public funds for personalenrichment, if the last few hours of2015 ended with the prospect ofyet another breakdown ingovernment/labour relations andpossible worsening of the energycrisis that has lingered with us formany months- if these pictures ofaggravated disruptions of normalexistence defined the better part oflast year, one wonders if anyNigerian needs a seer of whateverpretensions to tell them that 2016would not be the same as taking acup of kunu.

We will need to demand a lotfrom our leaders by insistingthat they meet theirresponsibilities than is presentlythe case. This people would needto see public office not asopportunity for wealthaccumulation and self-puffingbut rather as a means to impactmeaningfully on the economicand social existence of the vastmajority of Nigerians. We wouldall need to keep these so-calledleaders on their toes and demandthat they fulfil some of theminimum demands of elected

leadership - provision of jobs, solidhealth care and educationsystems among others. Those ofthem who see public office as amere cushion from the hardliving that their irresponsibleand corrupt ways have imposedon ordinary Nigerians wouldneed to be called out to accountfor their actions. It shouldn’t be thecase that all our leaders would listas achievements are the numberof carnivals they were able toorganise in the last days ofDecember and the number of theircronies sent on religiouspilgrimage at public expense. Aleader’s achievement should notbe the number of Christmas treesthey were able to erect during theholiday period or the number offree train or bus rides theyprovided people who wouldrather stay home than go out forrecreation during holidayweekends.

But more than demanding a lotfrom our leaders, 2016 should bea year we demand a lot more fromourselves. We should be willing totake more active interest in ourcivic responsibilities. We should beready to do more to make lifebetter and more liveable for ourfellow citizens. There should beno reason why we should leavethe fight against corruption inpublic office in the lonesomehands of President MohammaduBuhari who has promised to tackleit headlong. The level ofcorruption among public officeholders should get us thinking.Corrupt persons should not beprovided ethnic and religiouscover among us. God has Hisplace in our lives always but thegreatest part of our problemsdemand personal will andexertions from us.

It is neither Buhari nor BukolaSaraki that hoards or diverts intothe black market fuel meant fordistribution across the country.

Neither Dogara nor Gbajabiamilais there when a fuel attendant sellsfuel above approved pump price.It’s ordinary Nigerians whoengage in these activities; it’s theywho make life difficult for theirneighbours. We should be willingand ready to take responsibilityfor the injury we inflict on oneanother in the name of gettingby. If we show ourselves to beresponsible people in our ownlittle corners and try to break thecircle of corruption in the land,we may be able to demand samething from those who in thename of claiming to be ourelected representatives destroythe country in the name ofeverybody. We need nosoothsayer to tell us that only wecan make our country into whatwe want it to be.

Considering how much hangs onit, we must in this new year also beready to take a second look at andfinally lay to rest this bogey of fuelsubsidy. Let’s all search our heartsand truly ask ourselves what realbenefits come to us all from theso-called subsidy. Should oursubsidy be only in words or shouldit be something we can all measurein real terms? What’s the benefit ofpegging the fuel price at a so-called subsidised rate of N87, N86or even N65 per litre when nobodybuys it for anything less thanN130 or more? Who benefits fromthis unhealthy state of affairs?In the event Nigerians have todo without ‘subsidy’ how do weensure that the extra kobo thatcomes in goes into the rightchannel? Beyond the propheciesof doom these are the type ofissues that should exerciseNigerians in this year. Happy2016!

Lagos revenue, vehicles and road worthiness:An exercise in frustration

SO many unusual things happen everyday in our society - and typical of us as

Nigerians, we never bother to ask whysome of these things happen the way theydo.

Maybe because an average Nigerian ismore obsessed with the desire to make endsmeet, and as such is more preoccupiedwith issues like the hike in fares and whythere are long queues in most fillingstations across the country rather thanbother about some compelling issueswhose consequences are even more lethal.Or better still, may be because ours is asociety where we have never felt the needto hold our leaders responsible andaccountable for their actions as isobtainable in most developed societies.

Looking at some of these issues and more,one would be forced to reiterate on some ofthe promises of Governor AkinwunmiAmbode of Lagos State during theelectioneering periods in which hepromised to run a one day economy amongother campaign promises. While the tenetsand canons of this concept might not betotally clear and important to a lay man, itis believed that the policy entails running atransparent government in which everycitizen of the state would have access toinformation from public offices and iscarried along in the entire democraticprocess. Well, maybe that’s an issue foranother day.

Have you ever tried to obtain informationon any aspect of the revenue of Lagos Statefrom any of the government’s ministries atAlausa? Was it possible to obtain therequired information or did you withdrawfrom the quest? Well, our experience was not

a pleasant one. We had set out to find howmuch revenue accrued to the stategovernment from the registration of vehicles,licences and road worthiness certificates lastyear. To achieve this, we presented aquestionnaire in August 2015 to the Officeof the Accountant General of the State atthe Ministry of Finance, Alausa, Ikeja. Thatwas the beginning of sorrows that spannedmore than three months.

The questionnaire was submitted to Room212 and we were asked to return after oneweek for the information. We went and weredirected to Room 10, the FinancialIntelligence unit to witness a ratherfrustrating scenario. At first, the officerassigned the task was either not on seat, orat a meeting, at a seminar in Lagos or inAbuja. Later he was said to be on leave. Whenhis colleagues called him to come fromhome to the office to release the information,he said there was no light to print same forapproval by his boss at the ministry. Thefollowing week, he was reportedlytransferred to another ministry. Hiscolleague who should have provided theinformation announced rather gleefully thatwe needed to start a fresh process by filing anew questionnaire for him to start with, andthat was the end of the story!

By virtue of provisions of Section 2 of

the said matter.An erstwhile commissioner for

transportation in Lagos State, KayodeOpeifa, had declared in April 2015, thatthere were about two million vehicles onLagos roads with a density of 224 vehiclesper kilometre. Despite his assurances, theunwillingness of state governmentofficials to release information on therevenue base make comparison of thesefigures pretty difficult. Indeed, the last andonly public data from the Lagos Stategovernment on motor vehicles revenueswas posted on its website in 2010 and isentitled Motor Vehicle RegistrationStatistics, Lagos State 2009. The 2010report indicated that 210,798 newvehicles were registered in the state in2009 compared with 239,992 of theprevious year.

Of this figure, 153,781 vehicles were forprivate use and were in the category ofsaloons/station wagons. That report alsoreflected an increase in the number ofregistered commercial buses from 28,425in 2008 to 32,490 with mini buses andomni buses accounting for 13,802 and232 respectively.

The Motor Vehicle AdministrationAgency, MVAA, was set up by the LagosState Government in 2007. Its coremandate includes issuing of certificate oftitle of motor vehicles, renewal of allcategories of motor vehicles and driverslicences, in collaboration with the FederalRoad Safety Commission, FRSC, learnerspermit and other related matters.

The agency also has powers to revoke,suspend or withdraw any licence grantedto anyone who infringes on the enablinglaw.

At the moment, the MVAA performs itsresponsibilities through 46 licensing stationswhere owners of vehicles can register and

the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, theOffice of the Accountant General of LagosState, which is under the Ministry ofFinance, at the state secretariat, Alausa,Ikeja, is in all material particular, a publicoffice, and it is duty bound to openinformation at its disposal to public access.

The department’s refusal to provide theneeded information, in our view, is aviolation of provisions of the Freedom ofInformation Act 2011. Of special notice isSection 4 of the Act which states, "Whereinformation is applied for under this Actthe public institution to which theapplication is made shall, subject tosections 6, 7 and 8, of this Act, withinseven days after the application is received

(a) Make the information available tothe applicant

(b) Where the public institutionconsiders that the application should bedenied, the institution shall give writtennotice to the applicant that access to all orpart of the information will not be granted,stating reasons for the denial, and thesection of this Act under which the denialis made. Well let’s not bore you too muchwith all these legal terms.

In the extant case, no notice was issuedto state reason for the denial, and officialsof the Accountant General’s Office simplyrefused to accept responsibility for theprovision of information under their care.If the officials had offered any excuse thatthe information was fully domiciled inanother government department, andredirected the request to that department,our quest would have been assuaged.

With this frustrating encounter at theOffice of the Accountant General of LagosState, we had to turn to the internet for anypossible information on the issue.Unfortunately, even the Lagos Stategovernment that prides itself as the centreof excellence has no current postings on

By Udo Ibuot & Muyinat Akinyemi

Continues tomorrow on page 18

•Messrs. Ibuot & Akinyemi, LASU post -graduate students, wrote from Lagos.

Unfortunately, even theLagos Stategovernment that pridesitself as the centre ofexcellence has nocurrent postings on thesaid matter

We need nosoothsayer totell us thatonly us canmake ourcountry intowhat we wantit to be

20—V20—V20—V20—V20—VANGUANGUANGUANGUANGUARD, WEDNESDARD, WEDNESDARD, WEDNESDARD, WEDNESDARD, WEDNESDAAAAAYYYYY, JANU, JANU, JANU, JANU, JANUARY 6, 2016ARY 6, 2016ARY 6, 2016ARY 6, 2016ARY 6, 2016

Share your problems and releaseyour burden. Write now to

Dear Bunmi,Vanguard Newspapers,

P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, [email protected]

Pregnant for my best friend’s brother

Help me get my life back

My husband’s second wifedoesn’t know I exist

He threatens me with violence

Dear Bunmi,A few months ago, my best

friend’s brother paid a visit toone of the top managers in theoffice I worked for. He didn’tknow I worked there and wasactually glad to see me. He

offered me lunch and we hada lovely time. When he askedwhere I stayed, I told him. Ithought he was just beingpolite but you can imaginehow surprised I was when Isaw him at my doorsteps a few

days later. He said he was inthe neighbourhood to see afriend.

I invited him in and weended up sleeping together.Afterwards we both regrettedit because he’s married withtwo young children, and weagreed not to say a word toanyone. The trouble is, I thinkI might be pregnant, and he’sthe father. I don’t know whatto do or where to turn. I can’ttell my friend as she’d neverspeak to me again. I haven’ttold her brother either.

Susanna,by e-mail.

Dear Susanna,You have some very tough

choices to make. Tell yourfriend or her brother andchances are you would breakup a family and most of thepeople connected to thisproblem would turn you intothe enemy. As hard as the factis, you’re on your own. If youdecide to keep the pregnancy,then you would have to raisethe baby alone. Even if youdecide on a termination, youwould be on your own so tospeak.

You need to go forcounselling and consultwildly with close friends toarrive at a solution that willcause you less emotionalstress. In the meantime, takea pregnancy test before youtake the next step.

Dear Bunmi,Last year, I had a reasonably

comfortable life. I went towork and had a boyfriend anda good group of friends. ThenI became ill and washospitalised. When I cameout, I discovered myboyfriend’s moved on to a newgirlfriend. Weeks later, mylandlord threw me out whenI couldn’t afford the rent.

Now my boss seems to be fedup with me because I’malways off on sick leave.

I have a lot of bills I’mworried about and I feeldepressed.

I used to be strong but nowI feel weak and I’m tired offighting life’s problems.Please help me find my wayback before I give up.

Shade,by e-mail.

Dear Shade,Most of us get out of life

precisely what we expect fromit. To expect more from liferequires expecting more fromyourself, and expectations ofthe self are the basis of

confidence. Imagine yourself-confidence as a musclethat needs regular stretchingand exercise. Start slowly; goto the cinema on your own;take up a sport or join a gym.Change your hair-style ormake-up for a while, justbecause you can. Or wearbright colours you’ve neverworn before.

If your professional life isgoing nowhere, then it needsa push. Think about yourdream career and educateyourself about necessaryqualifications and find outwhere you can start trainingwhile you’re still young to gofor it. Increase yourknowledge, increase yourconfidence. Remember,education doesn’t stop withchildhood. Sooner than youthink, your health issues willbe behind you. When youmeet new people after you’reback on your feet, concentrateon them and ask questionsabout what they do. It willstop the paralysing anxietyyou feel about your state ofhealth.

Dear Bunmi,My husband and I have

been married for close to 15years and I love him. He lovesme too in his own way and isa good father to the children.

Recently, his love has turnedto vicious jealousy. Hebelieves I‘ve always indulgedin secret affairs and hascompiled a list of ‘suspects’which includes my formerboss, a friend’s husband andmy new boss.

Now he’s resorting toviolence. He’s threatening hewould maim me if I don’tconfess to all these drummedup affairs and the children aregetting a bit frightened ofhim. The last straw was whenhe recently grabbed me by thethroat because I was dancingso seductively at an outdoorparty.

I’m thinking of leaving himas I don’t want to lose my lifeor limbs because of a crimeI’m not guilty of but he saidhe would kill the two of us if I

tried to leave.Should I go to the police?Awawu,by e-mail.

Dear Awanu,Jealousy in small doses is

fine, but your husband isparanoid and needs help. Ishe happy in his job? Whyshould he start exhibitinginsane jealous traits all of asudden? Unfortunately,jealous people are dangerouspeople and if your husbanddoes not want to seek medical

help, I’m afraid you have tofind an alternateaccommodation away fromhim. You are right, yourchildren need you alive thanmaimed or dead.

Have a word with him andshow him you’re prepared tohelp him beat his illness if hewould seek help. If possible,involve his close friends.

You’ll also discover thatmost often, the type of threatshe issues have no bite tothem once you top-up hisconfidence.

Have a wordwith him and show him

you’re prepared to help him beat hisillness if he would seek help; if

possible, involve hisclose friends

Excessive hair growthembarrasses me

Mum wants a big weddingbut I don’t

Dear Bunmi,My husband took a second

wife without my knowledge.We’ve been married for sevenyears and still remainchildless due to his own fault(doctor’s report). I heard fromthe grapevine that he took asecond wife over a year ago.The irony of it all is that heclaimed to be single, so theother woman doesn’t know ofmy existence. What do I do?Does he still deserve my love?At times I feel like runningaway. I hurt and stay awakeevery night he stays away. Iam dying in silence.

Bola,by e-mail.

Dear Bola,Have you really confirmed

that your husband has asecond wife by asking him?

It’s amazing theunnecessary pain we putourselves through because oflack of dialogue.

Men could be asemotionally strung as women.The fact that your husbandcan’t give you a child mustbe devastating to him andsome men in his shoes havehappily accepted other men’spregnancies to save face.

You obviously still love yourhusband and you need toseek urgent medical solutionsto your childless state. Lastly,you too have to decide if youlove your husband enough tostay married to him withoutthe prospect of a child. Thelonger you leave these soul-searching questions withoutseeking answers, the morefrustrated you’ll become.

Dear Bunmi,I’m getting married to my

boyfriend of two years in acouple of months’ time but I’mdreading it. We both wanted asimple wedding with closefamilies and friends, but mymother wouldn’t hear of it. I’mthe only girl of the family andshe’s really pushing out the boatfor this wedding, picking aso-ebiand arranging a lavish reception.

In short, she has taken over thewhole day and I have hardlybeen involved at all.

My fiance says we should lether get on with it if it would reallymake her happy as she is paying,but I feel resentful that she hashijacked my day in this way.

I feel like running off to have aquiet wedding.

Halimat,by e-mail.

Dear Halimat,You’re likely to cause a lot of

upset if you run away to getmarried. Really, there is no needfor you to resent your mother fortrying to control your life. As it’sonly one day, does it reallymatter? All that’s important isthat you and your fiance arehappy together. He’s notcomplaining; all you need to dois relax, humour your mumwho’s happy to be the ‘mother-of-the-bride’ and enjoy all thefuss. You might even look backat your wedding day in futureand feel a lot of gratitude for yourmum for being in control of sucha memorable day!

Dear Bunmi,For quite a while now I’ve got

what looks like a dark moustacheon my upper lip, and recently,I’ve started to sprout hairs on thechin and my chest. Not exactlymagnet when you want to pull aman, you’ll agree. I’ve triedshaving, but it seems toencourage the growth.

Are there lasting remedies?Uju,by e-mail.

Dear Uju,Quite a number of women have

noticeable facial hair on thechin, upper lip or as side-burns,and you can get it on yournipples, shoulders and lower

abdomen. It may not be sexy, butyou shouldn’t let your growthbother you. It is all down to over-sensitivity of the male hormone,testosterone, which can either beinherited or triggered by drugslike steroids, used to treat skinconditions like dermatitis.

For permanent hair removal,electrolysis is best.Unfortunately, you can’t easilyget it in the country. Shaving isquite effective; so are hair-removing creams.

Occasionally though, excesshair is symptom. If you haveirregular periods, acne, greasyhair and a tendency to gainweight, see your doctor for ablood test.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016 — 21


CMYK

INSURAN ,

,

Stories by RosemaryOnuoha

PRESENTATION: From left, President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers(NCRIB), Mr. Kayode Okunoren presenting the council’s souvenir to Ogun State Commissionerfor Finance, Mr. Adewale Oshinowo, during a working visit to the commissioner at the statesecretariat, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

If you want to have a goodretirement after the many yearsyou put in as a worker, you haveto identify and develop requisiteskills around your innate ability

IF you want to have a goodretirement after the many

years you put in as a worker, youhave to identify and developrequisite skills around yourinnate ability. This is one of thecritical ways of effectivelyplanning for life in retirement.

Accordingly, there is need forfinancial planning because it willhelp you as a retiree to meetunforeseen and identified needsas well as ensure that moneymade during active years are wellutilised during retirement.

However, according to experts,

Develop skills for retirementdespite the many benefits offinancial planning, dependingon it alone as a buffer might notbe enough due to changes inglobal economy and longer lifeexpectancy that puts strain onpension funds pool.

Former Deputy Governor of theCentral Bank of Nigeria, Mr.Tunde Lemo said, “You need todevelop skills that will be veryuseful when your normal nine tofive job is no longer there.Everyone has innate personalcapability that is superior tosomeone else’s. Just as we haveunique biometric features, thereis something God has depositedin you that is better than others,including your bosses.

“So, you need to ask yourself,what is it that I am capable ofdoing and doing better thanothers and begin to build skillsaround it. That is your majorretirement benefit that will payyou much better than any otherinvestment option,” he said.

Also, as a retiree, you need tobe healthy to be able to enjoy yourretirement years therefore it is

important that you maintain ahealthy lifestyle. A change inlifestyle will enable you shrinkyour expenses to be able to savethe surplus to fall back on post-retirement.

Retirementplanning

According to Lemo, some of thepitfalls in retirement planninginclude starting too late, puttingaway too little and investingconservatively. To avoid this, youshould focus on investments thatgive real returns.

Mr. Sulaimon Adedokun,CEO, Meristem WealthManagement Limited, said thatwhat is of utmost importance isto ensure that available resourcesare well allocated in the face ofrising inflation. “How you saveand invest towards yourretirement is just as important ashow much you save. Inflation isone of the key factors to considerwhile adopting a diversifiedincome generating strategy forinvesting. The type of investmentyou make determines how muchyou will have saved at retirement.By diversifying, you reduce riskand more likely improve return,”he said.

“For us, it is about managingthe entire asset allocation; thetransition from what you do fromasset allocation to incomeallocation becomes somethingvery important. At retirement, youare no more focusing on assetallocation; you are focusing onincome allocation.

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, National Pension

Commission (PenCom), Mrs.Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, has emphasized theneed for pension fundmanagers and regulators inAfrica to ensure safety of theretirement savings of workersacross the continent.

Anohu-Amazu spoke duringthe just concluded AnnualLeadership Symposiumorganised by the Africa 2.0Organization in Maputo,Mozambique, saying pensionfund assets in Nigeria hadrisen to $26 billion as atOctober 2015.

The fifth edition of Africa 2.0Annual LeadershipSymposium had “The Wholeis Greater Than the Sum of the

PenCom advocates safetyof pension funds in Africa

Parts - What’s Your Role” asits theme. Reflecting oninvestment in Africa, theDirector General said pensionfund managers in Nigeria areamenable to investing part ofthe pension funds ininfrastructure and real estatethrough viable and secureinvestible outlets. She alsoharped on the need for bothpension regulators andoperators to ensure theinstitution of adequate riskmitigation tools, saying thisshould be the guidingprinciple in the investment ofpension assets.

Guidingprinciple

She further emphasised theimperative of timely paymentof retirement benefits ofworkers in order not tocompromise their comfort aftertheir active working period,which is the main objective ofsaving towards retirement.

Meanwhile, the symposiumaimed at achieving acommitted community whounderstand their part in thewhole, their contribution andhow they will work togetherfor impact Africa 2.0.

It also sought to align plansfor action that contribute to theAfrica 2.0 whole and will;make systemic and lastingimpact and effectivepartnership between all actorsincluding government, mediaand civil society and put inplace an innovative contentand ideas that spark a globalconversation both during andafter the event.

A change in lifestylewill enable youshrink yourexpenses to be ableto save the surplusto fall back on post-retirement

She also harpedon the need forboth pensionregulators andoperators toensure theinstitution ofadequate riskmitigation tools,saying thisshould be theguiding principlein the investmentof pension assets

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There is need for financial planningbecause it will help you as a retireeto meet unforeseen and identifiedneeds as well as ensure that moneymade during active years are wellutilised during retirement

THE hope that reinsuranceprices would stabilise at the

key January 2016 reinsurancerenewals have been dashed,according to broker Willis Re,with further price declines seenacross the bulk of the market.

Willis Re InternationalChairman James Vickers saidthat while there had been hopeearlier that the worst of thereinsurance rate declines werebehind us, the market has seenits hopes dashed and pricescontinue to fall.

He said, “Rates in the UK andEurope are reported to havebeen most affected, with the UKseeing property catastrophereinsurance rates down by -10%to -15%, Europe -5% to -12.5%.The U.S. did see morestabilisation of pricing, but stillongoing declines, witnessingprices falling by -2.5% to -7.5%.”

Vickers said that forconditions to change the marketneeds to see some reinsurers

Reinsurance price declinesto persist – Willis Re

THE Board of Directorsof Royal Exchange Plc

has announced theappointments of AlhajiAuwalu Muktari as theActing Group ManagingDirector of the companywhile Mr. Francis Okoli, isnow the Group ChiefFinance Officer.

Muktari was the formerGroup Executive Director,Marketing & Sales beforethe appointment whileOkoli was the AssistantGeneral Manager andHead of Accounts, RoyalExchange Prudential Life, asubsidiary of RoyalExchange Plc.

In a statement, thecompany said that theappointments comefollowing the expiration ofthe employment contracts ofthe erstwhile GroupManaging Director andManaging Director, Mr.Chike Mokwunye and theresignation of the formerChief Financial Officer.

Chairman, Board ofDirectors, Royal ExchangePlc, Mr. Kenneth Odogwu,extolled the virtues of theexiting officers, especiallythe retiring GroupManaging Director, Mr.Chike Mokwunye andcommended their esteemedservices and contributions tothe growth and success ofRoyal Exchange Group. TheBoard also expressedsincere appreciation toMokwunye for the cordialand harmonious workingrelationship that existedbetween the board andMokwunye during his five-year tenure as GroupManaging Director.

Speaking further,Odogwu said that Muktariwill work closely withMokwunye, pending hisfinal disengagement.

Francis Okoli has directresponsibility to oversee theFinance and Accounts

Auwalu appointed ActingGMD of Royal Exchange

THE Nigerian Council ofRegistered Insurance

Brokers (NCRIB) has condoledwith management of GalaxyTelevision which station wasgutted by fire recently in Lagos.The Council also extended thesame message to victims ofrecent fire outbreak in Lagosand other parts of the Country.

In a statement signed byPresident of the Council, Mr.

NCRIB advocates insurance againstfire to save nation from losses

function of all thesubsidiaries in the Group.

Muktari completed his 1stdegree in BusinessAdministration and later hisMasters Degree in Bankingand Finance at BayeroUniversity Kano in 1993 and1995 respectively. He alsoattended Ahmadu BelloUniversity Zaria where heobtained a Diploma inInsurance at Credit Level in1983. Having attendedHagagawa Primary School,Bichi, Auwalu completed hissecondary education at KanoCommunity CommercialCollege in 1981. He startedhis working career with theKano based insurancecompany, Kapital InsuranceLimited and rose throughthe ranks to become Head ofRe-insurance Department.

Okoli joined the servicesof Royal ExchangePrudential Life Plc inDecember 2010 as the ChiefFinancial Officer. Prior tothis appointment, he was aSenior Associate and Headof Financial Control at BGLSecurities Limited.

Exceptionalvalue

Before joining BGL Group,he worked at Hallmark BankPlc and rose to the positionof a Senior Manager/DeputyChief Financial Officer untilthe bank was acquired byECO Bank Plc. He also hada stint at both Owena BankPlc and Kazel Savings &Loans Ltd.

Royal Exchange startedoperations in 1921 andcontinues to be driven byinnovation and adetermination to offerservices that are ofexceptional value to itscustomers. Following therecapitalisation exercise in2007, the company wasreorganised into a groupstructure comprising RoyalExchange Plc as the holdingcompany and five strategicsubsidiaries namely, RoyalExchange GeneralInsurance Company Limited(Non-Life InsuranceServices); Royal ExchangePrudential Life Plc (LifeAssurance Services); RoyalExchange Finance andInvestments Limited(Financial AdvisoryServices); Royal ExchangeHealthcare Limited (HMOand Health Insurance) aswell as Royal ExchangeMicrofinance Bank Limited(Banking Services).

Kayode Okunoren, the Councilnoted that it was most regretfulthat the outbreaks of fires havebecome a recurring decimal inthe country, draining the nationof substantial material resourcesand loss of human lives.

Okunoren stated thatindividuals and businessowners needed to devote moreattention to risk preventionmechanisms, of which,insurance is pivotal, in

preserving their materialresources.

“Individuals and businessowners need to understand riskvulnerability occasioned by thepresent harsh weatherconditions and poor townplanning policies, and in sodoing, engage insuranceexperts to advise them on riskprevention”, Okunorenadvised.

He said while the painfulincidents of fires with itsravenous effects had beenwitnessed in Ibadan, Nnewiand Kaduna in recent times,Lagos State has also had itspainful share of the incident.

Massiveeducation

He however enjoined StateGovernment to get involved inmassive education of its citizenson need to engage riskprevention mechanism withspecial emphasis on insurance.

Recently, the Lagos State FireService disclosed that 1,898 fireincidents were recorded in 2015with billions of naira lost and80 deaths. The records showthat the outgoing year recorded200 fire incidents over that ofprevious year.

The NCRIB advocated asynergy between the insuranceindustry and variousorganisations and agencies tocontinually brainstorm onpreventive strategies andevolvement of publicenlightenment activities toreduce the menace of fireincidents in the country.

reporting poor results, as untilthat time the low level of majorlosses and continued ability torelease reserves would likelybuoy reinsurance firms results.

“However even if results canbe maintained, profitability willdecline further. The need fortraditional reinsurers to remaindisciplined and to become moreefficient, or gain scale throughM&A, will be a constantpressure throughout 2016 onceagain.

“It’s an early indication thatthe pre-renewal commentaryhas been largely accurate, withthe worst declines seen inregions where competition fordiversification remains high.The ongoing competitionensures another year aheadwhere the influence of thecapital markets on reinsuranceis going to be a key topic offocus, as lower-cost capital andefficiency in terms of businessmodel remain key.”

PRESENTATION: From left: Mr. Segun Balogun, Deputy Managing Director, LasacoAssurance Plc; Mr. Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi , Managing Director, Lasaco Assurance; Dr. K.BSofoluwe, Rector Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu and Mr. DimejiOlona, General Manager, Lasaco Assurance at the presentation of ICT to the school.

Royal Exchangestarted operationsin 1921 andcontinues to bedriven byinnovation and adetermination tooffer services thatare of exceptionalvalue to itscustomers

24—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

PAGE 29

THE 2016 budget was a mixture of surprises. Whilesome sectors jubilate, others areracking their brains on how to sortout the confusion the budget hasput on their operations. Forinstance, the Ministry ofCommunications and two of itsagencies are to share N15, 997,128, 516 billion as their totalbudgetary allocation for the year2016. While this is a greatimprovement upon last year'sN9.9 billion, it also has its ownflaws. The budget did not

provide for capital expenditure,CAPEX, for the Nigeria PostalService, NIPOST. This meansthat the sub-sector may notengage in any meaningfulinnovations in 2016. It will onlyhave to pay salaries from itsN6,694,205,844 recurrentallocation.

The ministry ofcommunications has the NigeriaCommunication Satellite,Nigeria Postal Service asagencies under its supervision.

According to the summary ofthe budget, a total ofN600,239,582 was proposed forpersonnel services;

N240,879,440 for overhead;N841,119,022 for recurrentexpenditure, while a total ofN5,000,000,001 was apportionedfor capital projects for the ministryheadquarters, bringing the totalallocation for the Ministryheadquarters to N5,841,119,023.

For the NigeriaCommunication Satellite, thesummary also showed that a totalsum of N2,310,489,133 wasproposed for personnel cost;N71,314,517 foroverhead;N2,381,803,650 for recurrent andN1,079,999,999 for capitalexpenses, which brings theentire allocation to agency to

N3,461,803,649 for the year.

Entire allocationto agency

For the Nigeria Postal Service(NIPOST), a total of N6,694,205,844 was proposed forboth personnel cost and recurrentexpenditure, bringing the totalallocation to N6,694,205,844.

The above figure brings theentire personnel budgetproposal for the ministry for theyear in review toN9,604,934,559. The overheadwas N312,193,957 andN9,917,128,516 for recurrent,while N6,080,000,000 wasmapped out for capital and thisbrings the total allocation toN15,997,128,516.

A breakdown of the budget

proposal showed that FederalGovernment proposed N533,546, 295 as allocation for salariesand wages for the ministryheadquarters.

N52,804,164 was appropriatedfor miscellaneous expenses,N5,770,296 for utilities-general,N1,918,072 for maintenance ofplants/generators andN14,142,734 for securityservices.

Further breakdown of thebudget revealed thatN256,721,015 was budgeted asallowances and socialcontribution for the staff ofNigeria Communication Satellitewhile, N18,786,778 wasappropriated for miscellaneousexpenditure.

N2,007,279 was, however,proposed for travel and generaltransportation; N2,381,680utilities-general uses, whereas,N4,240,296 was formaintenance services, fuellingand lubricants receivedN22,844,634 .

For the NIPOST, while therewas zero allocation to capitalexpenditure, recurrent gotN6,694,205,844.

2016 Budget:

•Communications Minister:Complaining ?

•President Buhari presenting 2016 budget

Tech trendsto watchthis year

Female developerlaunches app toreduce maternalmortality PAGE 32

By Emmanuel Elebeke

No innovations for NIPOST,as budget denies it CAPEX

CMYK

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016—25

NO one knows tomorrow.Even before the hit song

by Nigerian musician, Asa, thissaying has proven itself to be truetime and time again. But thatdoesn’t stop tech lovers from

Tech trends towatch this year

Samsung Smart School to train10,000 teachers within five years

IT is a popular saying that any foodthat tastes good was cooked with a lot of

money. Many brands use it as an excuse tocharge exorbitant prices for their products.The case however, seems to be different forthe Samsung Galaxy J7. It seems akin to foodthat tastes good, but does not cost an armand a leg.

The J7, which plays in the mid-rangesegment of the mobile phone market, alsooffers impressive spec and features. Manybig smartphones tend to be highly priced andbeyond the reach of majority of people. Thisis where the Galaxy J7 stands out: to giveusers a big device at a price that won’t dig ahole in their pockets.

With the introduction of the Galaxy J7 tojoin the immensely popular, Galaxy J5,Samsung is set to continue its dominance ofthe mid-range smartphone segment, thus withspecifications raising the bar. This uniquesmartphone, according to Samsung, lets usersget the most out of their mobile experiencewith functions and features that take mobility

making calculated guesses inlight of existing proofs. That said,there are five things most likelyto happen in the tech industry inNigeria and the world over this2016.

•Better telecoms servicesThe MTN issue goes to court

this year and regardless of theoutcome, telecommunicationscompanies will be forced to situp with regard to their services.Recall that new communicationsMinister, Mr. Adebayo Shittu saidrecently that regulators have beenhandling operators with ‘kid

gloves’ until the newadministration. For fear of finesand sanctions, there is likely tobe a decrease in dropped calls,unsolicited text messages andpoor network coverage.

•Self-charging phonesNew technologies are enabling

phones to charge throughwavelengths. Japanese telecomcompany KDDI Corp. will in2016 showcase a product, calledCota, that will automaticallyrecharge mobile phones at adistance, similar to how WiFitransmitters deliver data fromrouters to devices.

Existingtechnologies

This follows existingtechnologies that takeadvantage of smartphones’wireless charging standard,known as Qi. The company QiWireless, for example, producespads that charge phones whenplaced on them. Home-growntechnologies such as theDamaris-Solaris bag whichcomes with a charging unit arealso setting the pace for it.

•Solar PowerNigerian tech companies are

finally doing something about thepower situation. Omatektechnologies for exampleentered into solar simply becausea client-school the company wasto supply computers complained

of a power situation. Now theentire company not only runs onsolar power, but is providingreliable solar-solutions tocompanies. With the uncertainfuture of petrol prices and powertariffs in 2016, solar is bound togrow in leaps and bounds.

•Virtual realitiesAccording to the Tech insider,

three major headsets that willrevolutionize the way peopleexperience virtual reality willfinally be available for consumersthis year. The Oculus Riftheadset, which has been indevelopment since its landmarkKickstarter campaign in 2012, willfinally be released for consumersin the first quarter of 2016. TheHTC Vive headset, as well asthe Sony VR Headset which iscompatible with Playstation fourwill also be released.

• Smarter cars While it still may be a few years

until we see fully autonomousvehicles, experts believe thatthere has been recent movementfrom both a technological andregulatory standpoint that mighthelp make 2016 a stand-out yearfor smart-car tech.

In December, reportssuggested Google and FordMotor Co. could join forces tocreate a joint venture that willdevelop self-driving vehicleswith Google’s technology. 2016will likely be a year for more ofsuch partnerships.

SAMSUNG Electronics WestAfrica has said that the company

will train 10,000 teachers within thenext five years through its SmartSchool Initiative.

This commitment was made duringthe launch of the Samsung SmartSchool for Teachers at the FederalGovernment Boys College in Apo,Abuja, in partnership with the FederalMinistry of Education Abuja, recently.

The Samsung Smart School forTeachers in Apo will be the first of fivelaunched in Nigeria, with othersplanned for Ogun, Rivers, Delta andImo states. This will result in acollective 10, 000 teachers receivingtraining as primary beneficiaries, anda further 5, 000 students impacted assecondary beneficiaries, over a fiveyear period.

“The Samsung Smart School conceptis implemented in urban schools withthe infrastructure, but not the skillsneeded to use IT for teaching andlearning,” said Managing Director,Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr.Brovo Kim,. “In line with the UnitedNation’s Sustainable DevelopmentGoal to improve education, we believeit is essential to equip teachers withbasic computer literacy, as well as thetools they need to use ICTs forcurriculum development and moreimpactful teaching; and the SamsungSmart School for Teachers is animportant step in achieving this.”

With the launch of the Samsung

Smart School for Teachers at theFederal Government Boys College,teachers will receive training toempower them to access digitalcontent, share it with students,monitor students’ progress andconduct assessments. The initiativeis part of Samsung’s global efforts touse technology to increase thequantity of students who have accessquality learning materials andfacilities, as well as to improve thequality of education given out bytutors.

Representing the newlyappointed Federal Minister ofEducation, Mr. Adamu Adamu, thePermanent Secretary, Ministry ofInformation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esanexpressed her excitement about theimpact this will have on educationin Abuja. “We are indeed grateful toSamsung for tapping into the goalof the ministry of education to trainquality teachers. We encourage allbeneficiaries of this project to takefull ownership of the project and letthe improved quality of teachingreflect in our students’ results” shesaid.

Expressing his gratitude, theprincipal, Federal Government BoysCollege, Apo, Mr. JonathanMbaakaa added that for relevancein the digital age, teachers must doa lot in the area of ICT knowledgeand application, if the teachingprofession is to transform to globallevel of relevance andcompetitiveness.

to an entirely new level. From thebrilliant screen, with advancedresolution, contrast, and colorreproduction, viewing text, images andvideo, user experience has never beenbetter.

Capturing images also provesimpressive with manual aperturesettings and even a flash on the front-facing camera. With the Galaxy J’sAdaptive Fast Charging feature, userscan finally enjoy everything the GalaxyJ7 has to offer, without the fear of the

Galaxy J7 bringsaffordability toinnovation

•Galaxy J7

By Laju Iren

By Prince Osuagwu

By Laju Iren

battery needing a recharge so often. Its ultrapower saving mode also lets users make themost of their last battery power, helping themstay connected for longer periods. Inemergency situations, the use of Ultra PowerSaving Mode squeezes additional juicefrom the battery to extend phone use.

Samsung’s Galaxy J features hasadvanced technology on both the front andrear cameras. Users can now enjoy takingamazing shots with friends and of theirsurroundings. The J7 Palm Recognitionfeature allows users to take photographs byshowing their palms to the camera lens –ideal for taking selfies.

An Octa core Processor paired with 3GBof RAM delivers easy multitasking,lightning-fast screen transitions, powerfulbrowser performance, and minimalapplication loading time. The Galaxy J7is powered by the latest Android 5.1“Lollipop” operating system that providesusers with stunning graphical capabilities.

CMYK

26—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

IT was indeed a very merryChristmas for Mrs. Victoria Obi and

Mrs. Nnamdi Oji, winners of the AirtelRed Hot Promo who had the opportunityto take their friends and family on an all-expense paid trip to Dubai courtesy ofthe telecommunications network.

The trip gave the winners theopportunity to visit exciting places inDubai such as Burj Khalifa, the tallestbuilding in Dubai, Dubai Mall, FerrariWorld in Abu Dhabi and the Safari Desert.

Obi, a business woman in Lagos,selected her three kids, Mariam, Michaeland Raphael to travel with her on theDubai trip, while Oji, a web developer/entrepreneur, chose his friends HenryWhite, Joy Njoku and Cynthia Edokwe.

Eight of them admitted that the Airtelsponsored trip to Dubai was their firsttrip ever to the United Arab Emirates. Mrs. Obicommended Airtel Nigeria forgiving her and the children theopportunity to enjoy the Christmasholiday in a special way.

Christmasholiday

She said: “The Airtel Red Hot Promo 3came at the right time; my children areso excited to go on the wonderful trip toDubai. It was not an easy decision forme to pick just three family members forthe trip, but my husband willinglysuggested that our three children shouldgo. We really appreciate the Dubai tripcourtesy of Airtel. We thank the networkfor rewarding their customers with thisprogramme.”

Similarly, Mr. Oji said: “I am reallyexcited with this amazing trip to Dubai.I experienced the sight and sound ofthe much talked about city. I went withmy friends and workmates. I say a bigthank you to Airtel Nigeria for offeringme this wonderful opportunity.”

The company said that apart from theDubai trip, which is for a total of 240people, other prizes await Airtelcustomers. It noted that as the promoruns from 4th of December to 1st ofFebruary, one smart phone is given outevery 24 hour. N1 Million is being givenon a daily basis to a lucky winner and adifferent denomination of airtime is givento thousands of winners each day.

IF facts and figures from theUnited Nations Children’s

Fund, UNICEF are to be reliedupon, about 2,300 childrenunder the age of five and 145women of child-bearing age diein Nigeria on daily basis.However, all hope is not lost. Female app developer, MissKesandu Nwakolo is hopingthat with the launch of her newmobile app, CradleCount,specially designed forpregnant women, tomorrowwill be different.

CradleCount which isavailable for free at the Googleplay store, helps pregnant

women and healthpractitioners accuratelycalculate the expected date ofdelivery using the lastmenstrual period; informs thepregnant women how manydays to the delivery of thebaby; regularly alerts pregnantmothers to register and followup with their antenatal care.

The app can also workwithout internet connectionand sends regular pregnancyand health tips to expectantmothers. It is well designedwith good aesthetic values andbackground colours thatmothers can change to suit thegender of the baby they areexpecting.

Nwakolo, speaking on themotivation behind the app toldHitech: “A woman’s chance ofdying from pregnancy andchildbirth in Nigeria is 1 inevery 13. Nigeria has the 10thhighest maternal mortality inthe world.

Although many of thesedeaths are preventable, thecoverage and quality of healthcare services in Nigeriacontinue to fail women andchildren.

Presently, less than 20 percent of health facilities offeremergency obstetric care andonly 35 per cent of deliveriesare attended by skilled birthattendants. About 6 out of 10

women have their babies athome where the delivery is notsupervised by a skilled birthattendant. And errors inestimating the expected date ofdelivery could lead to the babybeing delivered supposedlyunexpected.”

Continuing, she said:“Technology and innovationcan help solve these problems;this is where CradleCountcomes in. It is my desire thatthis app will drastically reducematernal and child mortalityacross Africa.”

•Motherand child

Female developer launches app toreduce maternal mortality

MINISTER of Communications,Mr. Adebayo Shittu has said that

Information CommunicationsTechnology, ICT solutions are urgentlyneeded to tackle insurgency,unemployment and other vicesdisrupting Nigeria’s economic growth.

The Minister, during a dinner hostedby the Nigerian Computer Society afterthe foundation laying ceremony of theNCS’s Information TechnologyInnovation Center told the gatheringthat robust technology innovation andcommitted effort were needed to fightthis vices to the barest minimum.

In his task of equipping the Nigeriannational workforce technologically anddigitally, he said that the solution tothe nation’s insecurity challenges liesin science and technology.

“The obvious solution, as expertshave pointed-out, according to him, isto diversify the productive base of ournational economy and urgently trainand re-train our national workforcetechnologically and digitally.

Nationalworkforce

“Today, as we make history by layingthe foundational cornerstone of thisTechnology Innovation Centre, I ampersuaded that the NCS is sending outa strong message which announces itsrobust buy-in and optimal compliancewith Mr. President’s ‘Change’ agenda.A Centre dedicated to technologicalinnovation will clearly be a major partof the answer to the national objectiveof training and re-training our nationalworkforce technologically anddigitally”,he said. The Ministerbelieves strongly that the NCS’stechnology Innovation center wouldgenerate several technological anddigital innovations that would turn ournational economy around for good.

The time, according to him, has comefor Nigeria, as a member of the MintBloc, to deliver innovative productsand services to the world and therewithassert itself on the world stagealongside the Western and the Bric

nations presently leading the world.Gap between research out from

Nigerian UniversitiesThe Minister noted with concern the

gap between research output fromNigerian universities and the level ofindustrial commercialization accordedthem.

To address this concern, the Ministerproposed a high-level tripartitedialogue between his Ministry, theFederal Ministry of Education and theNCS.

With optimism, he said that thetechnology innovation center wouldalso be able to bridge part of this gap.Inadequate incubation centers Earlierin his address, the President of theNCS Prof. Sola Aderounmu reaffirmedthe commitment of the NCS inpartnering with the FederalGovernment to build an inclusive,prosperous and digitally enablednation. According to the NCSPresident, twenty seven technologycentres across the nation wereinadequate and could not provide jobsfor millions of unemployed Nigerians.

“None of these centers focused onincubating ideas coming out of ouruniversities, that is precisely focusedon taking ideas from the laboratory tothe market place which allow for

commercialization of universityresearch. Hence, there is urgent needto set up an incubation center to focuson addressing weak university /industry linkage.

For 21st century Nigeria, the NCSagain recommender the following to theFederal Government of Nigeria

*Priority be given to the use ofregistered local IT professionals andregistered local IT companies toexecute IT jobs. In particular such ITfirms and professionals should beinvolved in Strategic IT projects;

*A deliberate focus on youthinnovation to generate massiveemployment for millions of our youththrough riding on the startup boom inNigeria;

* The use of innovative IT tools andsolutions to frontally address the majorconcerns of bribery and corruptionfacing the nation;

*Appoint seasoned IT professionalson the boards of MDAs to maximizeand deepen the benefits of electronicgovernance and digital transformationin Nigeria;

*Deployment of IT tools and solutionsto enable interception of criminal,terrorist and related communications;

*Urgent deployment of IT to tackleBoko Haram and terrorism in Nigeria.

ICT applications still solution to insurgency,unemployment — Minister

From left: Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu; former President,Nigerian Computer Society, Sir. Demola Aladekomo and former NCSPresident, Alhaji Ladi Oguneye at the foundation laying ceremony of the NCSIT Innovation Centre, in Lagos. Photo: Emeka Aginam

By Emeka Aginam

By Laju Iren

By Richard Udofia

Airtel Red Hotpromo winnersreturn from Dubai

CMYK

CMYK

ONITSHA — IGBO traders and businessmen have

cried out over what theydescribed as the recent harsheconomic policies introduced bythe Federal Government, sayingthat such policies were allegedlyintroduced to cripple theirbusinesses across the country.

A vox pop conducted by theSouth East Voice across the fivestates of the region showed thatthe traders were angry with theFederal Government forintroducing the $5,000 BasicTraveling Allowance, BTA, aswell as for making Kano State the“clearing house for all importedgoods in the country."

Those, who spoke at separateinterviews, also, faulted the banon importation of certaincommodities like shoes and other

agricultural products. They saidthat efforts should have beenmade to encourage localproducers instead of banningthem without warning.

The Ogirishi of Igboland, ChiefRommy Ezeonwuka, who spokein Onitsha, said that although itwas good for the government toban the importation of furniture,toothpicks and rice, amongothers, the policy should havebeen carried out in phases toenable local producers come toterms with the situation.

“It is an insult to import textilesinto this country while our textileindustries are not flourishing. Butthe current government policiesare targeted at suppressingNdigbo as a race. Such policiesinclude the current clamp-downon foreign exchange and makingKano the clearing ground forimported goods. How can oneleave Port Harcourt or Lagos andtravel to the extreme north to

clear his goods? These are wrongpolicies because they willdiscourage local and foreigninvestments.

“In the same vein, the Buhari’sregime is not observing theconstitutional provisions forfederal character in politicalappointments. The governmentis also discriminating againstNdigbo in the area of executionof projects as the South East Zoneis excluded in the provision ofsocial amenities. This is very bad.

Buhari should focus onachieving uninterruptedelectricity supply. Thegovernment should even

encourage building ofindigenous private refineriesrather than relying on the oilcabals, who are deceiving thegovernment and making lifeunbearable for the entirecitizenry, Onwuka who is also theproprietor of Rojenny SportsResort, said.

In his contribution, ChiefGilbert Bravo Obi, chairman,Nigerian Importers Association,Anambra State branch said: “Weheard that President Buhariwants to transfer the clearinghouse for all imported goods toKano. Since he assumed office,traders have not been findingthings easy. There is no moreimportation business in Nigeria,and you know, that majority ofimporters are Ndigbo.

Importationbusiness

However, I must emphasizethat it is still too early to draw aconclusion that Buhari’s policiesare either favourable to Ndigboor not, or that they are favourableto business environment or not.

At Nnewi, the PublicitySecretary of Anambra StateTraders Association, Dede UzorUzor said that, “the governmentof President MuhammaduBuhari has stayed for over sixmonths now, adding that it hadhit him adversely as abusinessman.

"The economic policies of thepresent administration has

affected me personally; as abusinessman, who trades ontextile materials andpharmaceutical products. Theadministration introduced thepolicy of $5,000 as BTA. Thatmeans that you can only traveloutside Nigeria with only $5,000.Tell me how a trader, who importsfrom overseas can survive withsuch amount of money. It is notpossible for a trader to survivewith that amount, after payingover N200, 000 for your air ticket.

“The government knows thosesiphoning money to theiroverseas bank accounts, but hasleft them to pounce on ordinarytraders, who are doing theirbusinesses in order to hampertheir operations. The other timeabout seven Onitsha mainmarket traders were arrested andtheir money seized because oftheir alleged involvement inmoney laundering. What moneylaundering? “Tell me how atrader can survive in this presentadministration with this policy of$5,000 as BTA?

"So, the government ofPresident Buhari is not helpingtraders. This government iskilling us, quote me. The tradersare crying, so he should reviewthe policy because it is affectingeverybody. Nigerians aresuffering because of that policy,because if it does not affect youas a trader or importer, it willaffect you as a consumer.

Big timetraders

“Nigerians are crying over thehigh prize of goods and services,which have skyrocketed to highheavens. The average man onthe street is crying. Buhari shoulddiscard that policy because about80 per cent of Nigerians areeither petty traders or big timetraders while 20 or 30 per centare civil servants. Tell me howthese people can survive whenNigeria does not produceanything; virtually nothing, so insituations like this thegovernment should listen to theyearnings of the people.

“Democracy is supposed to begovernment of the people by thepeople and for the people, butthis one is government of thepeople by the people, against thepeople. This is man’sinhumanity against man. This iseconomic blockade and PresidentBuhari must review the badpolicy or other policies that arenot just against the people butthe economy.

"Nigerians know those whohave stolen their money. Buhariknows those who have stolenNigeria’s money.

“He should go after them and

By Emeka Mamah,Nwabueze Okonkwo &

Chimaobi Nwaiwu

-Page 28

Igbo traders bemoan Buhari’s economicpolicies, harsh business environment

Continues on Page 30

Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu

But the currentgovernment policiesare targeted atsuppressing Ndigboas a race. Suchpolicies include thecurrent clamp-downon foreign exchangeand making Kanothe clearing groundfor imported goods

Awgu, Aninri council areasunveil Ekweremadu’s sculpture

Beverages firm donates three patrolvans to Anambra State Police


VOL. 1 NO 51

28—Vanguard, 28—Vanguard, 28—Vanguard, 28—Vanguard, 28—Vanguard, WEDNESWEDNESWEDNESWEDNESWEDNESDAYDAYDAYDAYDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

CMYK

THE TEAMSupervising Editor:Chioma Gabriel, Lagos(08052201257)Editor:Emeka Mamah - Enuguemail:[email protected])Anayo Okoli, Umuahia

Vincent Ujumadu, Awka

Austin Ogwuda, Awka

Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri

Peter Okutu, Abakaliki

Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi

Francis Igata, Enugu

Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba

Enyim Enyim, Onitsha

Chinoso Alozie, Owerri

Chinenye Ozor, Nsukka

Eric Ugbor, Aba


AWKA AFTER four monthsof bickering and name -

calling, the strike action by thejudiciary workers in AnambraState has finally been called off,thanks to an agreement reachedon December 31, 2015 betweenthe workers and the stategovernment. With thedevelopment, courts in the state,which had remained under lockfor the past four monthsreopened on Monday.

A statement signed by the statechairman of the Judiciary StaffUnion of Nigeria, JUSUN,Comrade Mark Ifezue directedthe workers to resume work onMonday, January 4, 2016. Ifezuesaid the suspension of the strikefollowed an agreement JUSUNreached with the stategovernment.

The statement circulated byIfezue and circulated in Awka

read: •gFollowing the resolutionof the industrial dispute betweenthe Judiciary Staff Union ofNigeria and the Anambra Stategovernment, as shown in theagreement entered between theparties this 31st day of December, 20015, the industrial actionembarked upon by the judiciaryworkers of Anambra State on the7th day of September , 2015 ishereby suspended.

The union appreciates theefforts of the leadership ofNigeria Bar Association, NBA, inAnambra State towards theresolution of the crisis,particularly the committee of theNBA chairmen and secretaries.

The union, in a special wayappreciates the efforts of theintervention group, co-chaired bythe emeritus chairman of theNLC, Comrade CharlesOnyeagba and Chuka ObeleChuka and we remain gratefulto governor of Anambra State,Chief Willie Obiano for hisunderstanding.

Before the suspension of thestrike, officials of JUSUN held ameeting with the stategovernment officials, duringwhich it was agreed that theworkers•f outstandingSeptember and October, 2015salaries would be paid in twoinstallments, instead of threeinstallments as governmentearlier offered.

According to the newagreement, the workers•fDecember, 2015 salary would bepaid upon resumption of work,while September and October2015 salaries would be paidalong with January and February2016 salaries respectively.

Indeed, the strike had its tollon the state judiciary while itlasted as both the litigants andcourt workers, including Judgesand Magistrates, remained athome. Both the state governmentand officials of JUSUN met

severally to find a way ofresolving the matter, but could notagree during the early stage ofthe strike.

At a time government and theleadership of the workers weretrying to reach an agreement, thenational leadership of JUSUNput a wedge on the wholesituation by asking its statebranch to suspend furtherdiscussions with governmentuntil there was a definite date forthe commencement of theimplementation of ConsolidatedJudiciary Staff Salary,CONJUSS, which they saidmany states were alreadyimplementing.

Judiciaryworkers

The strike, however, took a newdimension when some of thejudiciary workers who callthemselves •eConcernedstriking judiciary workers ofAnambra State• issued astatement calling on theircolleagues to resume workimmediately.

The splinter group was led byComrade F.O. Chirah and ChikeIweka who, at a meeting of theirgroup, alleged that the strike wasinfluenced by external forces inthe state and argued thatcontinuing with it no longer madeany sense.

To them, the agreemententered into by the governmentand JUSUN was fair to allconcerned and asked therepresentatives of JUSUN to stopfoot dragging in the signing ofthe said documents since bothparties mutually agreed to it.

But they were soon to discoverthat they were alone as theworkers chose to only obey theirrecognized leaders and theywaited till their chairman, Ifezuedirected them to return to work.

By Vincent Ujumadu

Anambra govt, judiciary workers endface off — Courts reopen

High Court complex gate in Awka under lock since September 7, 2015

NNEWI HEADS of FederalEstablishments and

Parastatals Forum, HFEPF, inAnambra State has honoured theChairman and Chief Executiveof G.U. Okeke and Sons Limited,Chief G. U Okeke as anEminent Person of the Year forhis support and immensecontribution in securitymanagement in the state inparticular and Nigeria as a wholefor his relentless efforts in fightingviolent crime in the state.

The honour to Okeke was partof the activities marking the 2015Federal Staff Week Grand Finale/Send Forth of federal officers,which featured the Investiture ofEminent Persons, andLaunching of the Federal StaffRecreational Centre/ BuildingProject of HFEPF, held at UdokaHousing Estate Awka, the statecapital.

The Inspector General of Police,IGP, Mr. Solomon Arase was alsohonoured as •gthe mostprofessional Nigerian InspectorGeneral of Police, for managinghis men not compromisingdecent and disciplined, andbeing modern and fitting into theinternational best practices of themodern policing.

Other people honoured by theforum included Chief LawrenceNwuruku, nationalcommissioner INEC, the DrJoseph Odumodu, DirectorGeneral Standards Organizationof Nigeria, SON, Dr JosephOdumodu; Obiora Chukwukaand Chief Barth Nwibe.

The group also sent-forth Col.Mohammed Bello, formerCommander, Onitsha MilitaryCantonment, Ben Diloru,Assistant Commander General,Nigeria Security and CivilDefense Corps, NSCDC, Alhaji

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

Heads of Federal Establishmentsand Parastatals Forumhonours G. U. Okeke

K.O. Yusuf, now Comptroller,Prison Headquarters Abuja, Mr.Alex Okeiyi Director, Departmentof State Services, DSS, and Mrs.Miriam Minkiti, GeneralManager, Radio Nigeria PurityFM, Anambra State.

Speaking on the occasion,Chairman of HFEPF, Dr. DaveUgonna said •gChief Okeke hasbeen a colossus in securitymanagement issues in Nigeria,South East and Anambra Statein particular; he has been in thefore front of securitymanagement. He is doing a lotin protecting life and property ofthe people and to ensure thereis peace in South East.

We decided to honour andencourage him to do more,because security is a veryimportant issue in the life of thepeople, and this man hascontributed a lot in helping thegovernment of Anambra State toensure security in the state.

Spirit ofcooperation

Ugonna said the forum wasconcerned about the security ofall sections of the country as wellas the efforts by all the securityagencies to achieve their cardinalmandates of fostering the spiritof cooperation and unity amongmember establishments,maintaining cordial relationshipbetween the Federal Civil/PublicServants and their statecounterparts even as exchangeof ideas among members inseeking solutions to identifiedchallenges affecting memberestablishments remained a majorchallenge.

He said that the criteria forselecting those honouredincluded their backgrounds,inputs or contributions andservices rendered and how theyhave impacted on the nation atlarge among others.

Responding Chief Okeke saidhe was to God for the honour,pointing out that everything hehad done that had impacted onthe people was through Hisgrace. “I must not also fail tothank Governor Willie Obiano ofAnambra State for what he isdoing in his administration, heis a very good governor, who issecurity conscious.

Without security you cannot dobusiness, look at the way we arecelebrating Christmas peacefully.There is no security threat orcomplaints; everybody is movingabout peacefully.

Chief Dr. G U Okeke (right), receiving his award fromDr Dave Ugonna, Chairman of Heads of FederalEstablishments & Parastatals’ Forum, Anambra State.

We decided tohonour andencourage him to domore, because thisman has contributeda lot in helping thegovernment ofAnambra State toensure security in thestate

CMYK

30— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

not traders who have notoccupied any government officesor done any government jobs orcontracts. We have been sufferingover the years; doing our buyingand selling businesses. Some ofus have graduated from smallscale businesses to importers andnow you want to kill ourbusinesses with one policy thatsomebody just woke up andintroduced. This has madepeople to abandon theirbusinesses. It is inhuman. Thepolicy lacks human face.

Dr Okey Umeano, anindustrialist, medical doctor anda politician said that the FederalGovernment was not serious withany economic policy that wouldlead the country to prosperity.What they are doing is trial byerror. The government is stillgrappling with the issue ofpetroleum subsidy and there isno economic direction yet by thegovernment. When they come upwith one, we will know.

“It is unfortunate that duringthe government of formerPresident Goodluck Jonathan,some people were againstpetroleum subsidy; those peoplecriticized it and even sponsoredprotests against Jonathan oversubsidy.

“Those people who wereagainst Jonathan must beashamed of themselves now .Weare waiting for them to come outand criticize the presentgovernment for removingpetroleum subsidy.

“Actually, this governmentsurprised us with its $5000 BTApolicy for business travels amongothers. Those who introducedthat policy are wicked. The policyis aimed at witch haunting somepeople, but at the end of the daythey have used it to cripple theeconomy of some people buteverybody is now suffering.When you bring up suchpolicies, you have to introducemeasures to cushion the effects.We are not producing some of thethings that they are discouragingpeople from importing into the

Continued from page 27country.”

Mr Rob Emeka Eze, a smallscale industrialist and movieproducer also spoke on the issue.

He said, “The economic policyof the present administration hassucceeded in crippling theeconomy. I do not know how theycame up with some of theseeconomic policies. Sometimes, Ido wonder the type of economicadvisers the presentadministration has. They aremisleading the government.President Buhari should listen tothe yearning of the masses andreverse some of these economicpolicies that are killing theeconomy. They are crippling theeconomy; we are not doinganything these days.

“We believe that they areexperimenting with theseeconomic policies with the hopeof dropping some of the ones thatare not working, like the $5000BTA. They have crippled ourbusinesses with that policy andit is affecting everybody I hopethey will review it.”

Economicpolicies

Mr Alphonsus Eze Okete, whotrades on kernel also criticisedthe present economic policieswhich he said had “locked downthe country for six months now,saying that people were nowbeing arrested for swallowingforeign currencies at airportsinstead of drugs because of theharsh economic policies of theFederal Government.

“The whole thing was meantto cripple the Igbo. That is whypeople have now resorted tosmuggling the dollar and othercurrencies instead of hard drugs.It is like cutting your nose to spiteyour face. We have takenourselves back by 50 years andthis is ridiculous.

“What traders do now is tocollect money among themselvesand smuggle same throughcouriers. That is the reason forthe upsurge in the trafficking onthe dollar and other currencies,Eze added.

Igbo traders

PEOPLE FEEL that thepolice in America and

Europe are more active thanour policemen and womenhere, but that is not true. Wehave more active policemenhere than anywhere in theworld.

“The Police do more manualjobs here than in thosecountries, where they do moreof electronic jobs which aremore easy. The police in theUnited States are differentbecause once you call them,they have all the electronicgadgets to stay in a place to dotheir jobs.

It is the promptness of thepolice in America and Europein attending to security mattersthat make them different andthat is because they have all therequired equipment they needto do their jobs and I am sure ifyou give the Nigerian policehalf of what they have inAmerica and Europe, they willdo better and excel and that iswhy we are giving out some ofthese things they need tothem," he said.

Operationalenvironment

Also speaking on theoccasion, the Plant Manager ofIntafact Beverages Limited, Mr.Godwin Alen said that "webelong to an organizationwhere we are so conscious ofthe environment where weoperate... the people in thecommunity of our operation,security is everybody'sbusiness.

"This is one of the ways thatwe as an organization cancontribute to the security issuesin our operational environmentand in our nation and we wanta situation whereby people canmove around freely andproperties are protected andpeople are happy and goingabout their lawfulbusinesses...

"We shall do more because weare a responsible andresponsive organization. Wemake beer and other drinks andwe want our customers to beprotected while patronizing usand this is part of the thingswe can do to ensure their safety

Beverages firm donates three patrolvans to Anambra State Police

I travel out of thecountry, the kind ofmanual job thepolice do here isnot doneoverseas..., so weneed to assist themwith equipment,communicationgadgets and otherlogistics to workwith

The three Patrol Vans donated by InterfactBeverages Limited Onitsha to NigerianPolice Anambra State Command.

Igwe Peter Anugwu handing over thekeys to the vehicles to DCP BashiruMakama while Mr Umunna and MrAlen watch.

Public Affairs Manager of the company Mr. ChumaUmunna and Plant Manager of the Company Mr.Godwin Alen chatting, while another member of staffof the company and police officers watch.

and help our communityand the government in theirefforts in providing securityand peace in ourenvironment.

"The police will always dotheir jobs, and we know thatour vehicles and theirpapers are all intact, we donot have any issue whenour vehicles are stopped,for checks. its part of policeroutine security jobs. Weare only asking for asituation where the checkswill be done with dispatch,so that they do not impedeour movements.”

ENUGU PEOPLE livingwith sickle cell disorders

have lamented over what theydescribed as the continuedincrease in “carrier marriagesby couples who in the name of blind love, produce babieswith cell anaemia and laterturn round to victimise them.

The National Coordinator ofthe Association of People Livingwith Sickle Cell Disorder, AishaEdward, made this known inAwka, Anambra State at theirend of year party yesterday.

Her words, “more carriermarriages are still beingcondoned with the resultantincrease in the number of sickle

People living with sickle cell disorder call for ban oncarrier marriages

By Emeka Mamahcell babies being added to thestock.

“Most parents who, out of socalled blind love, obstinatelycopulate to produce sickle cellbabies, still turn around tobecome the ones that victimizethem the more.

She, however, said thatmembers of the association“have initiated a campaign tokeep drumming it into theconsciousness of all and sundrythat carrier marriage is amortal sin and the worst evilagainst humanity.

“It should be banned, onceand for all in this country This,I believe, is the only way wecan break the jinx of the scourgeof sickle cell disorder in oursociety.

On members of theassociation who had turned todrug addicts due to frustration,she urged the various levels ofgovernments to establishcounseling centres for them.

“Our drug addicts and in factall of us still urgently needgood and accessible counselingcentres; we still need more firstaid kits and are still agitatingfor government sponsoredNHIS cards; patronage by thegovernment through SickleCell clinics in all thegovernment General Hospitals.

Meanwhile, the associationhas urged all the Non-Government Organisations,NGOs, collecting money fromboth government, individualsand corporate organisations in

the guise of catering forpeople living with sickle celldisorders to stop doing soforthwith.

According to Edward, “fakeNGOs existing in the name ofSickle cell disorder patientshad been collecting billingsfrom unsuspecting individuals,government and corporateorganisations for promoting thewelfare of members of sicklers.

For examples, “what aboutthe billions of Naira beingpumped into Sickle CellFoundation Nigeria by MTNNigeria I ask myself, given thatevery one minute from everycall made on the network isdonated to that singularfoundation?

CMYK


CMYK

32—Vanguard, 32—Vanguard, 32—Vanguard, 32—Vanguard, 32—Vanguard, WEDNESWEDNESWEDNESWEDNESWEDNESDAYDAYDAYDAYDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

CMYK


THE five suspected killersof a 20-year-old artisan

identified simply as Shina atCele-Nica along the BadagryExpressway in Lagos, havestated that they knew nothingabout the murder of thedeceased.

The suspects: ChristianaAkpan (31), a sex worker,Oluwasina Aregbo (34), a discjockey (DJ), Tureeb Ganiyu(22), Kelly Onochie (23), andBamidele Ajibade (41); whopolice alleged were arrested atthe scene of the crime, rathergave differing accounts of howthey were arrested.

How it happened: It wasgathered that the unfortunateincident took place onNovember 26, 2015, at about8pm, at Cele Nica Bus stopalong Badagry Expressway,after thugs armed withcutlasses, axes, guns and otherdangerous weapons, invadedthe place and attacked thevictim.

Sex worker speaks: Akpannarrated her own side of thestory: ‘’I am from Akwa IbomState. I am a prostitute at BrightInternational Hotel located atCele Nica Bus stop alongBadagry Expressway. I don’tknown anything about the manthat was killed. I was with mycolleagues at the hotel when Iwas arrested.

Aiding theneighbourhood

"On that day, people weresaying that somebody had beenkilled around the bus stop. I wasat our hotel when I heard thestory. I was about to put on myslippers when the person whoalerted me asked what I waswaiting for, and if I did not hearthat policemen were raiding theneighbourhood becausesomeone had been killed.

"I have been doing this job forabout two years. The personthat introduced me to the job isnot here any more. I got into itbecause I am an orphan and Ihave three children who I haveto cater for. My children livewith my elder sister in AkwaIbom State. That’s is all I knowabout the case.”

DJ narrates story: Narratinghis own story, the secondsuspect, Aregbo, the disc jockeysaid: ‘’I am from Ilaje area ofOndo State. I work at BrightInternational Hotel as a DJ.Usually, I play for them onFridays, Saturdays and

We are innocent —SuspectsBy Esther Onyegbula

Sundays. I was employed lastyear November by the directorof the hotel.

"On the day I was arrested, Iheard that someone had beenkilled in the neighbourhood.Christiana, one of the prostitutesat the hotel, called me that Ishould not come around thepremises, that there was aproblem. That was why I didn’tcome that very day.

"Later the following day,Friday, she called me to say thatshe had heard some gunshotsclose to the hotel and that it waslike someone had been killed.She also told me that everyonehad run out of the hotel becauseof the incident.

"Then I asked her where shewas, and she said she was atthe bus stop. I then asked herto look for somewhere safe atthe bus stop to wait for me.

“When I met her, we both wentto a hotel in Okokomaiko wherewe lodged for the night. I couldnot take her home because I ammarried with two kids. The dayafter, Saturday, we both went tosee the director of Bright

International Hotel. I was stillat the hotel when police officersfrom Iyana-Sashi arrived andsaid they wanted me at thestation. When I got to the station,I was arrested and detained. Iexplained to them that I didn’tknow anything about thevictim’s death."

“I don’t know the victim”In his defence, Ganiyu said:

“I wanted to go to Abuja with afriend to repair a vehiclebecause I am a mechanic. So, Iwas supposed to travel around6am. Unfortunately, I woke upafter 8am and by the time I gotto my friend’s house, they saidhe had already travelled. Ididn’t have any money to goback home. I then went to thebus stop and pleaded with oneof the NURTW members to give

me N100 to enable me return toBadagry. I didn’t know himbefore but he assured me thathe would talk to a driver orconductor to help me get toBadagry.

"We were still at the bus stopwhen I was arrested alongsidethe man I had asked for help. Itwas when I got to the stationthat I realised that someone hadbeen killed. I have never seenthe deceased. I don’t even knowwhether he is fair or dark.”

“I am a driver, dancer andmember of NURTW”

The fourth suspect, Onochie,also had a different story to tell:“ I am a driver, a dancer and amember of NURTW. I have beenliving at Pako-Ketu for more than13 years. I am married with twochildren. I started working at

the new Pako/Ketu Bus stopwhere I collect toll fromcommercial motorcyclists aswell as motorists. I startedworking with them whendriving and dancing did notfavour me.

"I stopped driving because Idon’t have licence. I had the olddriver ’s licence which Imisplaced, so I had to stopdriving because of policefrequent harassments on theroad. I was arrested in themorning at about 9am.

"The deceased was a streetboy. I know his mother andsisters. We both went toAjangbandi High School. I don’tknow much about him becausehe did not participate in any ofthe community activities.

Communityactivities

"I cater for my family from thetoll I collect and make deliveryof N2,000 daily to the youthchairman of the community.”

“My hands are clean”The last suspect, Ajibade, who

claimed to be an electricalengineer said: “They arrestedme as a murder suspect. I don’tknow anything about themurder of Shina. I was arrestedin my house at Ajibade Close.After I was arrested, peoplefrom the community came andthe Police said I had beentransferred.

"Later, the Police said theywere still investigating and thatafter investigations, if theyfound me clean, I would bereleased. I have known Shinafor about 20 years, when he wasstill a little boy. Then, I used tohelp my mother who owns agrinding machine, to grindpepper. That’s all I know aboutthe case.”

•The suspects

NEMA partners Reps on emergency anddisaster preparedness

THE National EmergencyManagement Agency

(NEMA), yesterday partneredmembers of the House ofRepresentatives Committee onemergency on issuespertaining to emergency anddisaster preparedness.

This is just as the agency saidit has begun profiling of the15,000 Nigerian returnees whohad sought solace in Cameroonin the aftermath of the BokoHaram destruction of theirvillages.

The Director General ofNEMA, Alhaji Sani Sidi, madethis disclosure at the retreat for

the senate committee on specialduties and house committee onemergency and disasterpreparedness.

While acknowledging thecurrent success in the fightagainst insurgency in theNorth-East through the effortsof Armed Forces, Sidi said thehumanitarian challenges in theregion has changed from oneof relief to reconstruction,rehabilitation and recovery.

He said, “In the last decade,it has become imperative to putin place effective disastermanagement strategies andmainstream disaster riskreduction in our nationaldiscuss.

“NEMA strongly believes thatthis goal is unachievablewithout proper legislations andsupport from the NationalAssembly.

“Therefore, this retreat isintended to focus amongstother things, on the waysforward for Nigeria in the areasof disaster management anddisaster risk reduction.

“It goes without saying thatthe way forward must includea strong partnership betweenNEMA and the NationalAssembly through itsinstruments of oversightfunctions by the senate andHouse of Representativescommittees.”

By Esther Onyegbula

When I met her,we both went to ahotel inOkokomaikowhere we lodgedfor the night, Icould not takeher homebecause I ammarried with twokids

MURDER OF ARTISAN IN LAGOS:


CMYK

Super Eagles head coach, SundayOliseh, is pleased with the

team’s preparations for the 2016African Nations Championship(CHAN) in Rwanda which kicks off onJanuary 16.

CHAN: Eaglespreparations excite Oliseh

The Super Eagles commencedpreparations for the CHAN a fortnightago in Abuja and have since arrivedin Pretoria, South Africa for the finalleg of their tune-up for thetournament in Rwanda.

•Oliseh with Eagles

Gabon name 23-man CHAN squad

Gabon’s locally-based nationalteam coach Stéphane

Bounguendza has announced his final23-player squad which will compete atthe 2016 African Nations Championship.

The continental competition will takeplace in Rwanda between 16 Januaryand 7 February 2016.

The Panthers’ team is based around acore of Missile FC, CF Mounana andAS Mangasport representatives, withthe three local heavyweights providinga total of 15 players, while CF Mounanakeeper Stéphane Bitséki is the onlysenior international included.

Gabon will play a warm-up friendlyagainst Uganda in Kampala on 10January, before launching their CHANcampaign against Morocco in Kigali on16 January.

The Panthers will then face hostsRwanda on 20 January, and their finalGroup A opponents, Côte d’Ivoire, on24 January.

Oliseh has no issueswith the preparationsof his charges andbelieves the SuperEagles “can do well inRwanda.”

“We started ourpreparations twoweeks ago in Abujaand now we havedecided to come toPretoria.

“It has almost thesame altitude likeRwanda and alsoSouth Africa is goodfor my players.

“Nigeria has a goodrelationship withSouth Africa,” Olisehtold SABC.

The Nigeria trainerthen spoke about hisside’s chances at thetournament explainingthat it is important tohit the groundrunning.

“I think they (SuperEagles) can do well inRwanda because wehave a very goodteam.

“But then in atournament, you neverknow.

“We just pray wehave a good start,” hesaid.

Nigeria’s SuperEagles have beendrawn in Group C ofthe CHAN alongsideTunisia, Niger andGuinea.

The Super Eagleswill play two groupgames (against Nigerand Tunisia) at Stade

Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali onJanuary 18 and 22 respectively beforerounding off their preliminarycampaign against Guinea atUmuganda Stadium, Gisenyi onJanuary 26.

NIGERIA U-23 coach SamsonSiasia has said he plans Europe

training camps and test matches as partof his team’s preparations for the RioOlympics in August.

Nigeria will be in Rio as African U-23champions after they last featured at theOlympics in 2008.

The former Super Eagles managerdisclosed that the African championswill commence preparations for the RioOlympics in the first week of February.

Siasia, who also led the U-20 boys tothe African title and runner-up position at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in The Netherlands in 2005, statedthat he intends to utilize all the FIFAwindows available to him and hisassistants to see other players at closequarters.

“For now my plans are to utilize fullyall the FIFA windows beginning withthe one in March, with the hope oftaking players selected to an accessiblecountry in Europe where all theoverseas -based players can come with ease, play one or two friendly gamesand then have them return to theirrespective clubsides,” he said.

Siasia said he plans to use the

February camping in Abuja to see anynew player who could add value to theteam who won the Africa U-23 Cup ofNations in Senegal last month.

“Since we qualified for the footballevent of the Rio Olympics, a lot of

you, no player is yet guaranteed a shirt in theteam, as I have always said only the best legs will make it to Rio de Janeiro.

“For now, time is not on our hands and as such,we need to start work in a bid to present a teamthat will make Nigerians proud in Brazil.

Siasia plans European friendlies ahead Rio Olympics

•Dream Team in action

players both athome and abroadhave been callingme that they wantto play for thecountry, so myselfand my assistantsintend to use thefirst week ofcamping to seethese players whowill bear the costof their trip to thecamp anda c c o m m o d a t ethemselves,” hesaid.

“Any of themselected will nowbe added to theplayers who madeus proud inSenegal for a fullcamping. Mind

•Siasia

Kano Pillarssack 10 players

The management of Kano PillarsFootball Club has fired 10 of its

players ahead of the 2015/2016 GloPremier League season.

Idris Malikawa, Media Officer of theclub made this known in an interviewyesterday in Kano.

Malikawa said the 10 players weresacked based on medical ground andpoor performance.

“The management of the club felt theonly way to make headway in the planto have a good season in the NPFL is toweed out 10 aged and unproductiveplayers. This is to make way for newboys that will strengthen the team,”Malikawa said.

The media officer disclosed that theclub would recruit new players “to beefup the team in some critical areas.”

He said the team had already resumedtraining ahead of this year’s campaign,assuring that the transfer formalitieswould be completed on time.

Enyimba keepEfugh waiting

Nigerian champions, Enyimba,have not completed the signing

of Chinedu Efugh from rivals,Heartland.

Efugh has become one of the topplayers on the wishlist of the PeoplesElephant following the potentialdeparture of Markson Ojobo from Aba.Ojobo has been linked with a move toSunshine Stars.

However, the deal to bring Efugh toAba is still pending as Enyimba are stilllocked in discussion with their southeastrivals, Heartland.

Efugh, it was understood is keen tomake the move across from Owerri toAba based on the lure of featuring inthe CAF Champions League.

“Nothing is done yet on signing him.Talks are still on,” said an official ofEnyimba.

Enyimba are currently preparing forthe 2016 CAF Champions League andare camped in the southwest town ofOtta in Nigeria.


CMYK

Paris Saint-Germain defender NgoziEbere faces a tough battle against

Cameroon’s Gabrielle Onguene andGaelle Enganamouit as well as theGhanaian Portia Boakye for the CAFWomen’s Player of 2015 Award onThursday.

The Nigeria defender’s main threatin this contest is Cameroon strikerGaelle Engananouit, who netted a hat-trick at the 2015 FIFA Women’s WorldCup in Canada in a 6-0 thrashing ofEcuador.

The 23-year-old midfielder alsofinished as top scorer in the Swedishleague in 2015 while playing forEskilstuna United.

Falcons ace Ebere is a top qualitydefender who showed class at the 2015World Cup after winning all the majorlocal honours with Rivers Angels.

An African champion with Nigeria in2014, she is strong in the tackle, blessedwith great anticipation and is full ofenergy.

Her performance with the Falcons inCanada did not go unnoticed as sheattracted interest from teams in USAbefore she decided to join PSG inFrance.

Nigeria stars who have won thisprestigious individual accolade include Mercy Akide, Perpetua Nkwocha andAsisat Oshoala.

Benitez exitwill not affectBale – Toshack

•Benitez

Former Wales and Real Madrid bossJohn Toshack has dismissed

suggestions that Gareth Bale could leavethe Santiago Bernabeu for ManchesterUnited following the dismissal of RafaBenitez.

Bale enjoyed a close relationship withBenitez following the latter’s arrival at theBernabeu ahead of the 2015-16 campaignand the 55-year-old’s exit has reportedlyunsettled the Wales international, withUnited believed to be keeping a close eyeon his situation.

Nevertheless, Toshack is adamantBenitez’s departure will not influenceBale’s situation in the Spanish capital.

“I don’t see Benitez’s exit affectingGareth at all,” Toshack told BBC.

“I don’t see that as a problem.”Madrid opted to part company with

Benitez following Sunday’s 2-2 draw withValencia, replacing him with ZinedineZidane, and Toshack feels the ex-Napolicoach always faced an uphill task tosucceed at the Bernabeu.

“Benitez was up against it right from theoff,” he added.

“Right from the minute he walkedthrough the door something was not quiteright. I don’t think his face fitted.

CAF WOMEN’S AWARD 2015:

Ebere battles Cameroon stars

•Ebere

bodies to support social causesin the lastsix years, features a qualifier eventscheduled for Saturday January 23,2016 at the Golf Section of Ikoyi Club1938.

Chairman of the tournament’sOrganisingCommittee, Pat Bassey, whohas coordinated all previous editions,said that the event connects well withthe golfing community because it fills avacuum that a number of golfers haveyearned for over time.

“We have a huge number of golfers whoneed the platform that this event provides,so that they can connect with the indigentand the less privileged in the society. Theincreasing interest, year after year, only goesto show that their expectations are beingmet.”

Over 200 players are expected during thequalifier to vie for slots at the final of theevent, the committee members haveinformed.Players who scale through theone-day qualifier would be drawnalongside invited players and guests at thefinal of the tournament in February.

Paris Saint-Germain have also showninterest in taking him to France, butGuardiola has now made clear wherehis next port of call will be.

“The reason I have not extended mycontract is simple. I want to manage inthe Premier League,” declaredGuardiola, speaking for the first timesince his Bayern departure wasannounced.

THE appointment of ZinedineZidane at Real Madrid is a

“risky” one, according to their formergeneral manager Jorge Valdano.

Zidane was announced as the club’snew manager on Monday followingthe sacking of Rafael Benitez, wholasted just seven months in the job.

The Frenchman spent six years as aplayer for the Spanish giants and beganhis coaching career at the club, taking

over the Real Madrid Castilla side in2014.

However, Valdano believes Zidane’s lack of experience makes it a riskyappointment.

“Zidane taking over is such a riskymove because of his lack of experience,”he told El Larguero.

Valdano also gave his thoughts onwhy he believes the Benitez andMadrid relationship did not work out.

Zidane a risky appointment – Valdano

JORDON Ibe says he is desperate to winsilverware with Liverpool as the Reds

prepare for the first leg of their League Cupsemi-final against Stoke on Tuesday.

Jurgen Klopp’s men saw off Southampton inthe fifth round in some style, winning 6-1 at StMary’s Stadium.

And Ibe hopes the Merseyside giants can geta good result at the Britannia Stadium onTuesday to boost their chances of capturingsilverware.

“The club has not won a cup in a few yearsnow so it’s vital for us to try and win one. It’smassive,” he told the official Liverpool website.

“It could [also] build confidence for the other

cups we’ve got and for the Premier League.It’ll give us the confidence to do better.

“It seems like we’re so close. Two gamesuntil Wembley and we’re so close to actuallywinning a cup for Liverpool.”

However, Ibe realises Stoke will be nopushovers and has urged his team-matesnot to take the away game lightly.

Ibe desperate for Liverpool silverware

•Zidane

Pep Guardiola has issued a come-and-get-me plea to the PremierLeague elite, by declaring: “I want

to manage in the PremierLeague”.

The Spanish bossannounced in

December

Golfers at Ikoyi Golf Club in Lagoshave commenced preparation for

the biggest charity event on the club’scalendar - the DOAM FoundationCharity Golf Tournament, scheduled forSaturday, February 6, 2016.

The tournament, which has provideda platform for members and corporate

Golfers warm up for DOAMF Charity Golf

that he would be leavingcurrent club BayernMunich next summer,when his three-year dealin Bavaria expires.

The former Barcelonachief, 44, has been heavily-linked with a move to Manchester City, and areunion with former Barcabosses Ferran Soriano andTxiki Begiristain, while Chelsea and Manchester United havealso been mooted aspotential destinations.

•Guardiola

GUARDIOLA:I want to managein the PremierLeague

•Zidane


Don’t pay lip service to peace, Olu of Warritells youth leaders

Lawyer petitions Buhari, IG over alleged invasion by soldiers

Bayelsa poll: Religious leaders endorseDickson

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

By AkpokonaOmafuaire

Don't stopwork on NMU,communityleader begs FG

CTC Chairassures onsecurity inRivers LG

By Jimitota Onoyume

WARRI—THE Olu ofWarri, Ogiame

Ikenwoli, has admonishedyouth presidents in DeltaState and other parts of theNiger Delta not to pay lipservice to peace, saying thattruth was important forpeaceful co-existence aseveryone should worktowards genuine peacebuilding.

The Warri monarch handeddown the advice at his palacein Warri, Delta State, whenhe played host to youthpresidents of Ijaw, Urhobo,Isoko, Ndokwa and Itsekiriethnic nationalities.

Blaming politics for thedisharmony that occasionallyoccurs among ethnic groupsin Delta State, the Oluadvised youth presidents inthe state to communicate andrelate more with themselvesto erase mistrust anddisharmony.

He enjoined the youthpresidents to carry on themessage of peace and unityto all parts of Delta State,adding that the presence ofPere of Ogulagha, Obi ofOnitsha, Ooni of Ife and othertraditional rulers during hiscoronation on December 12,2015 was a thing of joy to him.

Speaking earlier, Presidentof Ijaw Youth Council, IYC,Udengs Eradiri, said that theyouth presidents came toseek the fatherly advice of the

Olu of Warri with a view toworking with him.

The IYC President,represented by IYCspokesman, Eric Omare, whospoke on behalf of youthpresidents of Urhobo, Isoko,Ndokwa and Itsekiri,explained that the task beforethe youth presidents was topromote ethnic harmony inline with the Olu of Warri'spromise in his maiden media

briefing.President of Itsekiri National

Youth Council, Esimaje Awani,led the youth presidents to theOlu’s Palace.

The Senior Special Assistantto Delta State Governor onYouth and CommunityDevelopment, as well asPresident of Isoko NationalYouth Assembly Worldwide,Victor Egbo, President ofUrhobo Youth Council and SA

to Governor Ifeanyi Okowaon Youth and CommunityDevelopment, Terry Obieh,President of NdokwaNational Youth Movement aswell as aide to GovernorOkowa, BenjaminOnwubolu, were amongyouth leaders who paid thesolidarity visit to the Olu,who was flanked byprominent chiefs of WarriKingdom.

By Emma Amaize

ASABA—A legalpractitioner, Emmanuel

Obakpolor, has called onPresident MuhammaduBuhari, the Inspector Generalof Police and the Chief of ArmyStaff to call to order, soldierswho allegedly raided adrinking spot, Lady Warm-UpBar, at Ogharafe, Ethiope WestLocal Government Area, DeltaState, molesting the customersand destroying items worthmillions of naira.

Obakpolor, in a letter toPresident Buhari, said thelatest incursion on therestaurant by soldiers, whocame in a Hilux vehicle withplate number, DT JUL 023,occurred on December 6, 2015.

He said that among theitems destroyed were drinksand chairs, adding that thesoldiers also made away withmoney and violated the rightsand freedom of movement ofthe customers to peacefulassembly.

The lawyer noted that earlieron July 12, last year, soldiers,led by an army captainreportedly attached to an oilcompany in the area, stormed

the bar, beat up people andwarned the victims to stoppatronizing the restaurant.

Obakpolor said the soldiersthreatened to shut down the barat the time and their latest

offensive was clearly tointimidate the owner.

Wondering why soldiersshould be involved in a civilmatter, he stated that thesoldiers did not find anything

incriminating in the bar, yetthey would not allow peacereign even after they hadasked the dazed customers togo to another bar on OkhoroRoad, Ogharefe.

Delta NSCDC arrested 20 suspectedpipeline vandals in 2015 —Commandant

NNEWI—A group ofreligious leaders made

up of Bayelsa and non-Bayelsaindigenes, Clergy in Support ofContinuity of Good Government,has endorsed the re-election ofGovernor Seriake Dickson ofPeoples Democratic Party, PDP fora second tenure in office.

The clergymen also prayed forfree, fair and credible election inthe re-run election that is holdingin the state this Sartuday.

They also urged Bayelsans toreward former PresidentGoodluck Jonathan for his goodwork in the state and allowingpeace to reign in Nigeria byconceding defeat to PresidentMuhammadu Buhari, by electingthe candidate of his party for asecond tenure.

Addressing newsmen inOnitsha, Anambra State, after theirvisit to Bayelsa State, to assess thedevelopmental projects carriedout by the incumbent GovernorDickson, spokesman of thereligious leaders, said they aresure that Governor Dickson will

win the poll.“We have seen that Governor

Dickson is receiving greatsupport from Bayelsans, whohave confirmed his peacefuland all embracing leadership inthe state inspite of provocationsfrom other contestants."

By Festus Ahon

ASABA—DELTA StateCommand of the Nigeria

Security and Civil Defence Corps,NSCDC, yesterday, said that itarrested 20 suspected pipelinevandals and oil thieves in 2015.

In a statement by its stateCommandant, Beatrice Irabor,NSCDC said it recovered “Sixtrucks and two mini-lorries, 22plastic tanks filled with suspectedstolen petroleum products, twoJ5 buses, 88 drums filled with

suspected stolen petroleumproducts and 237 jerry cans of25 litres each filled with diesel,”noting that the recovered itemswere being used by the suspectsto carry out their illegal trade.

She added that fourconvictions were secured atvarious law courts by the legaldepartment of NSCDC, addingthat the command destroyedillegal refineries and other toolsused by the hoodlums “at Ekatucamp, Tekele camp and Oseleall in Delta State."

DEMONSTRATION: Abia State Deputy Governor, Mr. Udeh Okochukwu, addressingmembers of Movement for Abia State Reunion during a peaceful demonstration against theAppeal Court judgment on Abia State governorship election, in Umuahia.

W A R R I — T H ES e c r e t a r y ,

Okerenkoko FederatedCommunities of WarriSouth-West LocalGovernment Area, DeltaState, Ernest Bebenimibo,has urged the FederalGovernment not tojeopardize the future of hispeople by stopping theactualization of theNigerian MaritimeUniversity, Okerenkoko.

Speaking yesterday inWarri, Bebenimiboreasoned that stoppingwork at the university'spermanent site was anindirect indication ofstoppage of the project.

He said that their fearsstemmed from the directiveby the Minister ofTransport, Mr. RotimiAmaechi, that ongoingwork should be stoppeddue to some on-goingprobes.

According to him, “Theuniversity is the answer toour development, it is theonly visible gain from ourNiger Delta struggle."

PORT HARCOURT—C A R E T A K E R

Committee Chairman, AsariToru Local Government Area,Rivers State, AmbassadorSobomabo Jackrich, hasassured people of the councilthat he will continue to takesteps to guarantee security oflives and property in the area.

Jackrich, yesterday inBuguma, headquarters of thecouncil, said that since heassumed office, he hascontinued to give specialattention to security of lives.

He recalled that theBuguma beach party held inthe last week of December waswithout any incident, stressingthat the atmosphere of peacewould be consolidated.

“We had our Buguma beachparty last week and it was wellattended. There was no crisis.Nobody was molested byanybody. You can see thatpeace has fully returned to ourcouncil. As Chairman of theCaretaker Committee, I willcontinue to take steps that willpromote peace in our localgovernment,” he said.

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38—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6 , 2016

PEOPLE SPEAKBy Bartholomew Madukwe

(08102479985)[email protected]

On petrol price at N86 per litre

The issue is notpronouncing a lower

price, but enforcing it. Cur-rently, marketers arecharging about two to threetimes the official price. Low-ering the price by 50k isinviting more trouble forinnocent Nigerians. -Mr.Femi Igwe, Engineer

But why can’t this petrolbe sold at N35 per li-

tre even as crude continuesgoing down in price. WhenGEJ reduced the price fromN97 to N87 APC criticizedit, now what is happening.This type of scenario is re-ally making me to laugh. -Mr. Borris Onyeka, Self-Employed

This will boostemployment and qual-

ity of life in the country. Thesolution is more refineriesto be built. Subsidy is eviland enemy of developmentbecause it favours only afew, to the detriment ofmany Nigerians. -Miss Vic-toria Kelvin, Student

I remember APC tellingGEJ government to re-

duce the fuel price fromN97 to N86 a litre, sincecrude oil has dropped to 65dollars per a barrel. Nowcrude oil is 35 dollars perbarrel, they have to do theircalculation well. -Mrs.Morayo Simeon, Worker

The new pump price ofpetrol is not only a

mockery on the Nigeriapeople, but also playing onour intelligence. Jonathanreduced pump price fromN97 to N87/litre, Nigeriansinsulted him and called himnames. -Mr. SunnyAgiamah, Worker

If government is notderegulating and

throwing the businessopen to all, then impor-tation should be done byNNPC only, so govern-ment takes the blamewhen things go wrong. -Mrs. Constance Nduba,Model

ONITSHA—LEADER ofBiafra Independence

Movement, BIM, Chief RalphUwazuruike has appointed aCatholic Priest, Rev. Fr. SamuelAniebonam as Chairman ofBiafra Independent NationalElectoral Commission, B-INEC.

Announcing the appointmentat Ojukwu Memorial Library,Owerri, Imo State, Uwazuruikeexplained that the measure wasin line with BIM’s principle ofnon-violence towardsestablishing a sovereign controlover the territorial boarders ofthe new Biafra.

In a statement in Onitsha,Anambra State by the newlypromoted Biafra Director ofInformation, Chris Mocha,Uwazuruike noted that Fr.Aniebonam and his team ofother members of B-INEC wouldconduct and supervise theinternal election for all theoffices of BIM on February 22,2016.

The statement said that theunveiling of the new appointeescame as the Biafran leader,presented his 2016 budget offreedom speech, adding that allthe elections shall be by openballot system popularly knownas Option A4.

Uwazuruike directed that byMay 22, 2016 elections for allthe offices would have beencompleted, adding that a periodof 90 days (between February 22and May 22) had been set asidefor elections in the New BiafraGovernment, just as his choiceof open ballot system was toensure there would be norigging and other electoralmalpractices in the region.

“Our election will not be likethat of Nigeria. It will be donein a transparent manner. InBiafra, there won’t be electoralfraud. The tenure of the elected

regional governor or ministerwould be four years and ninemonths. There shall be nosecond tenure.

“Once you are defeated in anelection, you won’t file anappeaat a tribunal against youropponent. This is why membersof the commission would bemen and women of God,”Uwazuruike said.

Uwazuruike used the occasionto decorate Mr. Chris Mochawho was promoted from therank of Deputy NationalDirector for Information to therank of Biafra Director ofInformation.

During budget speech,Uwazuruike said as formerMASSOB’s Chief LiaisonOfficer, CLO, and ex-NigeriaPolice Officer, tMr. Mocha hascontributed immensely to thedevelopment and progress ofthe Biafran struggle, havingserved the organisation indifferent capacities includingSecretary, Biafra IntelligenceAgency, BIA, AssistantDirector, Information, O/CMASSOB Secretariat, hisPersonal Assistant on MediaMatters, Anambra NorthSenatorial district leader andmember, Biafran elders-in-

council, among others.He explained that

MASSOB/BIM were thegreatest thing that God hasdone for people of the zones,noting “Although we started tohave some challenges alongthe line, but such challengeswe have overcome.”

He expressed confidencethat the non-violence methodadopted by MASSOB/BIMwill never die, as he approvedthe elevation of AhamefunaOnyenuma to Deputy Directorand Mr. Jude Udeji, AssistantDirector for Information,respectively.

Group warns political parties againstviolent protests, incitements

By Eric Ugbor

Reps memberdisbursesN65mempowermentpackages

By Peter Okutu

ABA—CAMPAIGNERS ofGood Governance And

Peace, CGGP, a civil societygroup, has called on all politicalparties in Abia State to warntheir supporters against violentprotests which in most casesclaim innocent lives, causeinjuries and disruptedcommercial activities in Aba, the

commercial nerve city of Abiaand other parts of the state.

Aba, the commercial hub of thestate had witnessed series ofprotests in the past few monthsoccasioned by the demand bythe group Indigenous PeopleOf Biafra, IPOB, calling on theFederal Government to releasefrom detention their leader, Mr.Nnamdi Kanu.

The protests which lasted fordays saw the closure of shops

and markets that paralyzedcommercial activities in the city.

The latest political protests whichhas continued for days in Aba wassparked off by the judgment of theAppeal Court in Owerri, ImoState, which last Thursdaynullified the election of GovernorOkezie Ikpeazu of the PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP anddeclared Dr Alex Otti of the AllProgressives Grand Alliance,APGA governor of the state.

The judgment cancelledelections in three localgovernment areas of the statewhich include Obingwa,Osisioma And Isiala Ngwaestimated to have over 300,000number of registered votersincluding that of the stategovernor who hails from Obingwa.

The people from these areashave since the Appeal Courtverdict, men, women, youths andchildren continued with protestsin Aba, blocking roads, disruptingmovements and commercialactivities and denounced thejudgment which they said de-enfranchised them.

A B A K A L I K I —M E M B E R

representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo federalconstituency in EbonyiState, Linus Okorie, hasdistributed constituencyempowerment packagesvalued at over N65 millionto constituents.

The exercise at hiscountry home, in Onicha-Igboeze in Onicha LocalGovernment Area of thestate, witnessed thedistribution of 245Motorcycles, 30 Tricycles,18 cars, 20 grindingmachines, 20 Industrialsewing machines, 98 powergenerating sets, 30 HairDressing sets, 10 barbingsets, 10 vulcanizingmachines, two Dormansawing machines and 18computer sets.

Okorie, Chairman,House of RepresentativesCommittee on AgriculturalColleges and Institutions,tagged the scheme, “Hon.Linus OkorieEmpowerment Scheme.”

Speaking during theexercise, Okorie wholauded his political party,the Peoples DemocraticParty, PDP, said that therewas no amount of items hecan provide that will equalthe mandate given to himby his constituents.

He pleaded with hispeople to make good useof items provided to uplifttheir living conditions,adding that he would tapfrom his oversight functionsto enhance agriculturalpractice in his constituencyand in the entire EbonyiState.

Biafra: Uwazuruike appoints Catholicpriest Biafra’s electoral helmsman

By NwabuezeOkonkwo

Cleric lauds Buhari

A CLERIC and GeneralOverseer of the Chosen

of The Lord Ministries,Prophet Martins John-Oni,has said that PresidentMuhammadu Buhari has beenspecifically sent by God at hisripe age of over 70 years torescue Nigeria from mis-governance and give thecountry a good direction to thepromised land.

In his New Year Message tothe nation, Prophet John-Onisaid Nigerians should be

patient with the President andnot rush him in his divinemission of taking Nigeria outof the woods and deliveringdividends of democracy to allNigerians irrespective ofcreed or religion.

John Oni who said it was bydivine arrangement thatPresident Buhari had beenchosen to preside over theaffairs of the country in hisage, added that he has notcome to compromise with anyreligion.


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Suspected herdsmen kidnap Delta monarchBy Festus Ahon

ASABA—APPREHENSION,yesterday, enveloped Ubulu-UkuKingdom in Aniocha South LocalGovernment Area of Delta State,following the kidnap of itsmonarch, HRM Akaeze Edward,Ofulue III by suspectedherdsmen.

The incident, Vanguardgathered occurred about 4p.m.,at a bad spot between Igbodo andObior which had become aflashpoint in recent times.

The unsuspecting king, whowas driving from Obior endtowards Igbodo in his ToyotaLand Cruiser jeep, wasintercepted by the suspectedherdsmen, when the driverslowed down on the bad spot.

A source, who pleadedanonymity, said the suspectedabductors came out of the bushon sighting the car, shootporadically into the air whichcaused the driver to get stuck ina ditch while attempting to makeU-turn for fear of being hit bybullets.

The source said the suspectedherdsmen numbering over sixcaptured the king, his driver andled them into the bush, addingthat the abandoned SUV wasrecovered from the spot by acombined team of policemenattached to the Igbodo policestation and local vigilante fromIgbodo and Obior communities.

Speaking further, the source,said a commercial motorcyclistwho rode through the spot about10 minutes before the incident,confirmed that he saw a youngman with the Hausa attire

hovering around the spot.“The cyclist, who rode back not

later than five minutes, saw theSUV with the doors openedwithout the occupants. He wasone of those who drew attentionof the people of the area to theincident,” the source added.

Contacted the State Police PublicRelations Officer, Celestina Kaluwhile confirming the incidentsaid: “I cannot confirm theoccupants of the jeep now, but ourmen have gone into the bush insearch of them.”

DSS invaded my home, Eziuche Ubani cries outBy Anayo Okoli &

Ugochukwu Alaribe

UMUAHIA—FORMERmember of House of

Representatives and now AbiaState Commissioner for Works,Mr. Eziuche Ubani has raisedalarm over the invasion of hishouse by operatives of theDirectorate of State Service,DSS and soldiers.

Ubani said that the operativesinvaded his house in Aba byscaling his high fence at 2a.m.

Ubani was one of thecoordinators of the peacefulprotests that greeted Abafollowing the Court of Appealjudgment which sackedGovernor Okezie Ikpeazu anddeclared Dr. Alex Otti of AllProgressives Grand Alliance,APGA, the winner of the April2015 governorship election.

According to him, theoperatives came in a violentmanner, banging on the doorsand beat up his driver who theyfirst met at the boys' quarters.

The former lawmaker said thatwhen he came out to meetthem, they accosted him with asearch warrant, on thesuspicion that he wasstockpiling arms.

Showing journalists, some ofthe impact of the invasion onhis gate and inside his studies,Ubani lamented that he was

held ransom for four hours,adding that at the end of theexercise, they found nothingincriminating, which he saidthe team acknowledged.

He said that the team said theyhad a report that he wasstockpiling arms in his house andthat he was training thugs todisturb the peace of Abia State,and that he wants to kill APGAleaders including Dr. Otti,Ahamdi Nweke and others.

He lamented that he was never

invited by the security operativeson account of the said petitiononly for them to invade his house.

“It is a premeditated plan tohumiliate or kill me. Who orderedthem to come? I am worried aboutthis nation. If it can happen to me,then the ordinary Nigerians arein real trouble. The said petitionwas not even shown to me.

“They came as if I had planneda coup, that I want to overthrowthe Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He accused Dr. Otti of being

behind his ordeal.Reacting to the alleged invasion,

the Commissioner for Information,Boni Iwuoha condemned it,saying that it was unfortunate.

Iwuoha said that Abia StateGovernment demandsexplanation from the securityoperatives, as it was embarrassedby that action.

Iwuoha said that thegovernment also demandsapology from the securityoperatives.

Ekweremadu defends purchase of cars for Senate c'ttees

By Chidi Nkwopara &Chinonso Alozie

OWERRI —THE DeputySenate President, Chief

Ike Ekwerenmadu, has de-fended the cash provision forthe purchase of vehicles forSenate Committees, describ-ing it as “a necessary expend-iture.”

Chief Ekweremadu, in Umu-numo, Ehime Mbano LocalGovernment Area of ImoState, during the presentationof about 100 tertiary scholar-ship awards to students, spon-sored by Senator AthanAchonu, also linked the hugecost of procuring vehicles forthe lawmakers on the prevail-ing exchange rate for theUnited States' dollar.

“It is an indisputable fact

that the exchange rate to thedollar has hit the skies in thesedays and age and this has ad-versely affected every othercommodity in the country,”Ekweremadu said.

Attributing the high cost ofthe purchase of vehicles for theSenate committees’ assign-ment to the increase in the ex-change rate, Ekweremaduopined that it was not unusualfor Nigerians to blame the AllProgressives Congress, APC,for the outcome of what theysaw as abnormal.

“It is not a crime to buy vehi-cles for the use of Senate com-mittees. This would enable members of the various com-mittees to carry out their as-signments without hitches,”Ekweremadu said.

He explained that he was inOkigwe senatorial zone of Imo

State, to witness what he de-scribed as “a life changing ed-ucational empowerment pro-gramme, where SenatorAchonu is giving hope to theindigent but academicallysound students, to studythrough the university and ac-quire knowledge in order tohave an educated society.”

Speaking earlier, SenatorAchonu, representing Okigwesenatorial zone of Imo State,pointed out that “whatever cri-sis facing Nigeria under thegovernment of the APC wastraceable to lack of manage-ment.”

He said that Nigeria remainsthe most blessed by God in theAfrican continent and shouldbe able to harness its resourcesfor the benefit of Nigerians.

Achonu said that politically,“the APC has planned to make

Nigeria a one political partystate,” a step he said, was con-trary to what the Peoples Dem-ocratic Party, PDP, governmentbelieved in.

Madam Duru for burial January 9

MADAM ANGELA Duru ofUmuhu Enyiogugu in Aboh

Mbaise Local Government Area ofImo State is dead, aged 87.

Until her death on December 19,2015, she was a committed memberof St. Paul Catholic Church EgbeluUmuhu in Aboh Mbaise.

Her wake-keep comes up onJanuary 8, 2016 while burial takesplace January 9, 2016 at hercompound, after funeral mass at St.Paul Catholic church.

She is survived by children, grand andgreat grand children, among whom Mr.Alexander Duru and Mr. Julius Duru. Late Madam Angela Duru

VISIT : Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung (sitting), inspecting NYSC computerroom. With him, from left, Permanent Secretary, Mr. Christian Ohaa; Director-General of NYSC,Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, and the state NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Cyril Akanemen, during hisvisit to NYSC premises in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: NAN

SOCIO-EconomicRights and Ac-

countability Project(SERAP) has sent peti-tions to the Economic andFinancial Crimes Com-mission (EFCC) and theIndependent CorruptPractices and Other Relat-ed Offences Commission(ICPC) requesting themto investigate the degreeof complicity of Nigerianbanks including the Cen-tral Bank of Nigeria(CBN), and financial in-stitutions in the large-scale stealing of over N70billion meant for the pur-chase of arms for Nigeri-an soldiers fighting BokoHaram in the northeast ofthe country.”

In the petition dated 5January 2016 and signedby SERAP executive di-rector Adetokunbo Mu-muni, the organisationexpressed “concern thatwhile the CBN turned theblind eyes to corruptioninvolving high-rankinggovernment officials, itcontinues to engage inanti-poor policies such asintroducing charges foruse of Automated TellerMachine (ATM) cards,and threatening to sendto jail economically andsocially disadvantagedcitizens who use dollarsfor local transactions.”

According to SERAP,“this inconsistent and dis-criminatory approach ofpenalising the economi-cally and socially disad-vantaged citizens for mi-nor infractions whileshowing no concern aboutthe over N70 billion sto-len arms purchase fundsis unlawful as it is contra-ry to national and inter-national anti-money laun-dering standards and bestpractices.”

DASUKIGATE:SERAP wantsEFCC, ICPC toprosecute ex-ecutives ofCBN, otherbanks


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52 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

SAUDI/IRANIAN CRISIS: Tension rises inM/East as Kuwait recalls envoy•Why both countries don’t get along

•Role of Iranian revolution

KUWAIT hasannounced it is re-

calling its ambassador toIran as a regional rowover the execution of aShia cleric in Saudi Ara-bia deepens.

This came as Iran’sPresident Hassan Rouha-ni said Saudi Arabia’sdecision to cut diplomaticties with Tehran “cannotcover its crime” of execut-ing Nimr al-Nimr.

Sunni Muslim SaudiArabia and Shia Iran aremajor rivals for power inthe Middle East and backopposing sides in the con-flicts in Syria and Yemen.

Saudi insists peace ef-forts should not be affect-ed by the dispute but hascriticised Iran’s contribu-tion to the process.

Iran has reiterated itscondemnation of SaudiArabia, with PresidentHassan Rouhani saying itcannot “hide its crime ofbeheading a religiousleader by severing politi-cal relations with Iran”.

The Kuwaiti governmentsaid it was recalling itsambassador from the Ira-nian capital, describingthe attacks as a “flagrantbreach of internationalnorms”.

It did not expel Tehran’sambassador or downgradediplomatic ties.

Saudi Arabia’s unex-pected decision to carryout the executions - fol-lowing convictions overterror offences - promptedan expression of “deepdismay” from the UN sec-retary general, while theUS accused Saudi of ex-acerbating tensions “at atime when they urgentlyneed to be reduced”.

But since then, SaudiArabia has gained support

from some allies in its re-sponse to the attacks onits missions in Tehran andthe Iranian city of Mash-had.

Saudi authorities onSunday severed diplomat-ic relations with Iran.They said that all commer-cial and air traffic linkswere being cut and thatSaudi citizens werebanned from travelling toIran.

As well as the moves byBahrain, Sudan and Ku-wait, the United ArabEmirates (UAE) has down-graded its diplomaticteam in Iran.

And on Monday, the UNSecurity Council issued astrongly worded statementcondemning the attack onthe Saudi embassy - mak-ing no mention of the ex-ecution of the cleric.

The Iranian revolutionThe rift between Iran

and Saudi Arabia can betraced to the Iranian rev-olution of 1979, whichsaw a pro-Western leadertoppled and Shia reli-gious authorities takingover.

Tehran began backingShia militias and partiesabroad, and Riyadh - con-cerned at the growing in-fluence of a newly-stri-dent Iran - strengthenedlinks to other Sunni gov-ernments, including theformation of the Gulf Co-operation Council.

The 1980s saw tensionsbetween Saudi and Iranescalate - Saudi Arabiabacked Iraq’s SaddamHussein, and after clash-es at the hajj in 1987killed hundreds of Irani-an pilgrims, Saudi Arabiasuspended diplomatic tiesfor three years.

Another key milestonewas the US-led 2003 in-vasion of Iraq, when theoverthrow of SaddamHussein saw a Shia-ledgovernment come to pow-er in Riyadh’s neighbour.

The Arab Spring sawIran support its ally, Syri-an President Bashar al-Assad, with the Saudisbacking the oppositionwhen popular proteststurned into civil war.

In Bahrain, Sauditroops helped put downanti-government protestsby the majority Shia pop-ulation there.

Saudi Arabia felt threat-ened by last year’s Ira-nian nuclear deal, fearingthe easing of sanctionswould allow Tehran to fur-ther support Shia groupsin the Middle East.

If you add to this the Iranian fury over a dead-ly stampede during lastyear’s Hajj pilgrimageand a more assertiveSaudi foreign policy since the new king tookcharge, then the row overthe execution of SheikhNimr becomes just the lat-est in a long-runningstruggle.

Days ahead danger-ous, uncertain

What happens next isunclear, but the situationis dangerous

Perhaps the only thingwe can be certain about isthat hostile Iranian-Saudirelations will only prolongthe misery of Yemen andSyria, with a diplomaticsolution unlikely and bothsides keen to prevent theother gaining influence.

International reactionhas been predictable, withSaudi allies such as Bah-rain also taking measures

to downgrade or end re-lations with Iran.

World powers havecalled for de-escalation.The US is in a delicateposition, being a long-term ally of Saudi Arabiabut seeing a thaw in tieswith Iran in the wake ofthe nuclear deal.

American foreign policyis undergoing a “pivot”towards Asia; the US en-joys greater energy secu-rity following a frackingboom - how far wouldWashington be preparedto wade into the row?

The gloomiest predictionfrom commentators is thatthe region could be enter-ing a version of the ThirtyYears’ War, which sawCatholic and Protestantstates battle for suprema-cy in the 17th Century.

South African Facebook postsparks #RacismMustFalloutrage

SOUTH Africa’s rulingANC party on Tuesday

launched legal action overa white estate agent’sFacebook comments thatcompared black beachgoersto monkeys in a growing rowabout post-apartheid racism.

The African NationalCongress, which led thestruggle against white-minority rule, said it waspursuing a case againstPenny Sparrow and a recentspate of other allegedly racistonline postings.

Sparrow’s commentssparked a storm of protestand renewed debate aboutracism among white peoplein the country 22 years sinceNelson Mandela came topower vowing nationalreconciliation.

The ANC said in astatement that it was laying“charges of crimen injuria(intentionally impairing thedignity of others) against anumber of South Africanswho have made racistremarks on a number ofsocial media.”

Sparrow, a real estateagent from Park Rynie in thesouthern province ofK w a Z u l u - N a t a l ,complained on Facebookabout black people litteringbeaches during New Year’scelebrations.

“From now I shall addressthe blacks of South Africa asmonkeys as I see the cutelittle wild monkeys do thesame — pick and drop litter,”she said in the posting onSaturday.

The ANC said it wouldalso lodge a complaint withthe South African HumanRights Commission(SAHRC) because suchcomments “belittled” and

“insulted” black SouthAfricans.

“It is troubling that bigotswho once kept their viewsto themselves now seememboldened,” partyspokesman Zizi Kodwa said.

Sparrow later deleted thepost and apologised, sayingshe did not “mean it to be apersonal insult to anyone”.

Several other white SouthAfricans have also beensubject to fierce criticismover tweets with allegedlyracial connotations.

Prominent economicanalyst Chris Hart wassuspended by StandardBank after tweeting about agrowing “hatred towardsminorities”.

Prominent economicanalyst Chris Hart wassuspended by StandardBank for what it said were“racist undertones” in atweet suggesting there wasa a growing “hatred towardsminorities”, seen asreferring to the treatment ofwhites.

The furore has highlightedracial divisions andsensitivities in South Africa,which faces a dire economicoutlook as growth slowssharply and massunemployment persists.

A survey in December bythe Institute for Justice andReconciliation concludedthat most South Africans felt“race relations have eitherstayed the same ordeteriorated” since the firstdemocratic elections in 1994.

The main oppositionDemocratic Alliance party, ofwhich Sparrow is a member,stressed it abhorred racismand laid criminal chargesagainst her for“dehumanising black SouthAfricans”.

Gambia orders femaleworkers ‘to cover hair’

THE Gambia’sgovernment has

banned its femaleemployees from leavingtheir hair uncovered atwork, a leaked memoquoted by privatenewspapers says.

Women should use a“head tie and neatly wraptheir hair”, the memo said,without giving reasons forthe ban.

Last month, The Gambia’sPresident Yahya Jammehdeclared the Muslim-

majority country an Islamicrepublic.

He added that no dresscode would be imposedand citizens of other faithswould be allowed topractise freely.

The Gambia is popularwith Western touristsbecause of its beaches.

Mr Jammeh withdrewthe former British colonyfrom the Commonwealth in2013, describing theorganisation as neo-colonial.

The manSheikh Nimra l - N i m r

SHEIKH Nimr al-Nimr, who has been

executed by Saudi Ara-bia, was a prominent,outspoken religiousleader drawn from thecountry’s marginalisedShia minority.

He was arrested in2012, the year after pro-tests broke out in oil-richEastern Province follow-ing the Arab Spring.

During his arrest aftera car chase in the prov-ince’s Qatif district hewas shot four times in theleg - three people werekilled in the days of pro-tests that followed.

Nimr al-Nimr, who wasin his 50s, had been avocal supporter of themass anti-governmentprotests in the province,where a Shia majorityhave long complained ofmarginalisation.

President Jammeh of Gambia and his wife ZinebYahya Jammeh


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with the team inPretoria expressedoptimism about thematch adding that hewas happy with the levelof fitness in the team.

The skilful Angolanteam finished as runner-up at the 2nd AfricanNations Championshipin Sudan five years ago,while Nigeria finishedin third place at the lastedition in South Africaheld in 2014.

Oliseh furtherconfirmed that the SuperEagles will also face theIvory Coast on January11.

“The friendlies re toget us (sharpened) as wecannot just rely on ourtraining sessionsalone,”he said.

“We will use thefriendlies to see if whatwe have corrected

EaglesContinues from BP (during our training

sessions) can be put towork.”

Angola and the IvoryCoast have bothqualified to take part inthe 2016 CHAN.

Nigeria will battleTunisia, Niger andGuinea in Group C.

The Nigeriandelegation will fly intoRwanda on January 15,three days before theteam trade tackles withNiger Republic in theirfirst match of thetournament, at the astro-turf Stade RegionalNyamirambo in Kigali.

The Super Eagles willalso play Tunisia andGuinea in Group C, withthe match against theGuineans scheduled forthe city of Rubavu.

The championship willbe held from January 16to February 7, 2016.

“Gbolahan is thecaptain, but as he hasopted out. I’m hisassistant, so I need tocarry on,” Akas said.

“He is my friend, wedo everything togetherand I really miss him.But I have to carry onwith the rest of theplayers.

“We have to work veryhard in our preparation.And go to Rwanda andwin the championship,”he concluded.

On Tuesday, Tunde

AkasContinues from BP

Adeniji’s brace plusIfeanyi Mustapha’slone strike helped theteam beat University ofPretoria football club ina friendly game.

Nigeria will opentheir campaign againstNiger Republic onJanuary 18 in Kigali,before facing Tunisiaand Guinea in thepreliminary stages.

The Super Eaglesfinished in third place atthe 2014 tournamentheld in South Africa.

football doesn’t phasehim.

The 19-year-oldNigerian, who has fourgoals from just 275minutes of action thisseason, wasn’t named inthe club’s initialChampions Leaguesquad but an injury toSamir Nasri, which islikely to keep theFrenchman out untilaround the semi-finalstage, means a gap has

IheanachoContinues from BP appeared.

City can submit analtered selection afterthe transfer windowcloses, with manysuggesting Iheanachoshould be the man toreplace Nasri.

“Football is just thesame,” Iheanacho says.“It’s a big tournamentand I haven’t played init before, so you justhave to do your best andkeep doing what you aredoing.

“It’s the same playersI train with, so it’s notgoing to be easy but Ireally have to help myteam if I’m in.”

Iheanacho hasperformed superblywhenever he’s beengiven an opportunitythis season and could beforgiven for feelingsomewhat frustrated byManuel Pellegrini’sreluctance to give himan extended run in theside, yet his focus ispurely on the positives.

“Everyone has beengreat to me,” he says.“Yaya and everyone.''

Zidane

from the team aftersustaining some muscletweaks in the 2-2 drawwith Valencia, in which hescored Madrid’s second.He was the only seniorplayer not to take part inZidane’s first session,watched by 6,000 fans.

Continues from BP The Welshman hasalready been linked witha move away from Madridand could potentiallyhead back to Englandafter Benitez’s departure.

Former Liverpool,Chelsea and Napoli bossBenitez left Madrid afteronly seven months incharge, overseeing 25games and 17 victories.

Madrid are third in LaLiga, two points behindBarcelona and four behindleaders Atletico Madrid.Barcelona have a game inhand on both Madridclubs due to theirparticipation in the ClubWorld Cup.

Only the best ‘ll go to Rio – Siasia

COACH SamsonSiasia has said

no player is certain of aplace in Nigeria U23squad for the RioOlympics.

The Dream Team VIqualified for the globalsports showpiece havingemerged as Africanchampions at the CAFU23 Africa Cup ofNations in Senegal.

Despite the burden ofselecting his provisional

squad for the men’sfootball event, hedisclosed that only thebest players will bepicked to represent thecountry as he targets theOlympics gold medal.

“Any of them selectedwill now be added to theplayers who made usproud in Senegal for afull camping,” Siasiasaid.

“Mind you, no playeris yet guaranteed a shirt

in the team, as I havealways said only the bestlegs will make it to Riode Janeiro.

“Since we qualified forthe football event of theRio Olympics, a lot ofplayers both at homeand abroad have beencalling me that they wantto play for the country, somyself and my assistantsintend to use the firstweek of camping to seethese players who willbear the cost of their tripto the camp anda c c o m m o d a t ethemselves.

“For now, time is not onour hands and as such,we need to start work ina bid to present a teamthat will make Nigeriansproud in Brazil. For me,after winning silver at the2008 Olympics inBeijing, my next target isto go all out for gold inRio, and I stronglybelieve we have theplayers that can achievethis.”

He also intends tomake use of all the Fifafree days for friendliesthat would help him andhis technical crewmonitor invited playersvery closely.

•Siasia

BARCELONA haveregistered a

whopping 77 playersfollowing the expiration ofthe Liga side’s 14-monthtransfer ban.

The Catalans weresanctioned by Fifa forbreaching rules regardingthe acquisition andmovement of playersunder the age of 18.

However, while Barcawere prevented fromregistering new arrivals forthe past two transferwindows, they were notblocked from doing deals.

Indeed, both Arda Turanand Aleix Vidal weresigned last summer, fromAtletico Madrid andSevilla, respectively, andthe pair are now eligibleto make their belatedBlaugrana debuts.

Barca have already lifted

Barcelona sign 77 playersas transfer ban ends

the Uefa Super Cup andClub World Cup thisseason and will now hopeto retain their ChampionsLeague, Liga and Copadel Rey titles in 2016.

However, as well asstrengthening LuisEnrique’s first-teamsquad, last season’s treblewinners have alsosnapped up another 75players across allcategories.

Osimhen’s transfer complicated, saysWolfsburg boss

GOLDEN Eagletsand FIFA

Under-17 World Cupstar, Victor Osimhenmay not realise hisdream of playing inEurope early as issuescontinue to block hismove to the big league.

VFL Wolfsburgsporting director, KlausAllofs reaffirmed hisclub’s interest to sign theplayer, but he admitted,there were so manydetails to be ironed out,and it was a difficultprocess.

Allofs, a formerGerman internationallisted that too manyagents are claiming therights to Osimhen, andthis was contrary to theregulations of FIFA.

“We have stretched oursensors but it’s not quitethat simple, becausemany interests cometogether. There aredifferent things to beclarified, “ Allofs toldKicker.

Arsenal, Inter Milan,

Anderlecht and SportingLisbon have all beencredited with havinginterest in the 17 - year- old since he puthimself in the shopwindow at the Fifa Under17s in Chile.

•Osimhen

IT emerged fromWarri Tuesday

morning that the wife ofSuper Eagles playerFegor Ogude has beentaken by Kidnappers.

Maimunat Ogude, was

Kidnappers grab Eagles player’s wifegrabbed by armed menon Monday night inWarri, Delta State, thekidnappers have yet tomake contact withOgude who plays inRussia.

“My wife, MaimunatOgude, went out with mykids. Barely two hoursthat I left the house, myyounger brother Ogaga,called me to say thatsome armed men came tothe house to take my wifeaway,” the midfielder,

who has 16 Internationalcaps told the cableonline.

“I was told that theythrew my kids out of thecar and just took my wifein my car.

“Immediately I heardthis, I had to go to thePolice station to reportthis. And after makingthe report, I tried tracingthem to see if by chanceI could get the directionthey went to.''

•Ogude


CMYK

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How to Play Sudoku

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line canhave two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (alsonine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within abold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1through 9. This means that no number can appear twicein any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, divisionor multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

FRIFRIFRIFRIFRIDDDDDAAAAAY'S ANSY'S ANSY'S ANSY'S ANSY'S ANSWERSWERSWERSWERSWERSTTTTTODODODODODAAAAAY'S PUZZLEY'S PUZZLEY'S PUZZLEY'S PUZZLEY'S PUZZLE

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

CMYK

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

QUICK CRQUICK CRQUICK CRQUICK CRQUICK CROSSOSSOSSOSSOSSWORDWORDWORDWORDWORDACROSS1 Fashionable (4)4 Mouthful (3)6 Shortage (4)8 Gaol (6)9 Character (6)10 Cur (3)12 Plant (5)14 Brush (5)15 Skinflint (5)18 Consent (6)20 Combined (6)24 Sum (5)26 Muzzle (5)28 Clearing (5)30 Beer (3)32 Decent (6)33 Imagined (6)34 Slight (4)35 Obscure (3)36 Certain (4)

DOWN2 Discordant (5)3 Dress (7)4 Remit (4)5 Twinge (4)6 Subsequently (5)7 Rust (7)11 Mineral (3)12 Ocean (3)13 Offer (3)16 Fixed (3)17 Groove (3)19 Regulate (7)21 Horse (3)22 Sickness (7)23 Expire (3)25 Bird (3)27 Higher (5)29 Object (5)30 Parched (4)31 Cheese (7)

ACROSS: 2, React 7, Index 8, Expel 10,Build 12, Has 13, Steed 15, Defiled 17,Teller 19, Cab 20, Demonic 23, Late 25, Trip26, Emerged 30, Awe 31, Dampen 34,Madness 37, Metre 38, Boa 39, Sprat 40,Petty 41, Geese 42, Under.

DOWN: 1, Unite 2, Rebel 3, Exuded 4, Cold5, Exhibit 6, Beset 9, Pal 11, Decoded 13,Stall 14, Elite 16, Fan 18, Repress 21, Crypt22, Spine 24, Emanate 27, Ewe 28, Damage29, Label 32, Meter 33, Erase 35, Dot 36,Spin.

Eagles battleAngola in Pretoria

IN CHARGE: Madrid manager Zidane (r) talks to fellow Frenchman KarimBenzema during a training session on Tuesday

6,000 Real fans watchZidane’s first session

AHEAD of the 4thAfrican Nations

Championship (CHAN),the Super Eagles willtoday confront thePalancas Negras ofAngola in aninternational friendly inPretoria, South Africa.

Barca sign 77 players as transfer ban ends — Page 53

I’ll lead Nigeria toCHAN glory – Akas

The encounter wouldbe used to fine tune theNigerian team ahead ofthe CHAN tournamentslated to commenceJanuary 16 in Rwanda.

Head coach, SundayOliseh who has been

SUPER EaglesT e a m

B captain, ChimaAkas has declared hisreadiness to lead thecountry to success at theAfrican NationsChampionship inRwanda.

Akas who was namedas captain of the SuperEagles side followingGbolahan Salami’sabsence has promisednot let the country downin Rwanda whileadmitting Salami wouldbe missed.

Only thebest ‘ll goto Rio,saysSiasia— Pg. 53

THOUSANDS ofReal Madrid

supporters applaudedZinedine Zidane at theValdebebas trainingground as he put hisplayers through theirpaces for the first timesince being appointedmanager.

The 43-year-old wasannounced as RafaBenitez’s replacementon Monday in a decisionwhich has ignitedexcitement among fans.

The Frenchman,

preparing his side for hisfirst match in chargeagainst seventh-placedDeportivo La Coruna onSaturday at theBernabeu, did not haveGareth Bale inattendance at the opensession.

Bale is believed to bedoing gym work away

Continues on Page 53•Akas

Iheanachoready forChampionsLeague

Continues on Page 53 K E L E C H II h e a n a c h o

believes he is ready tohelp Manchester City inall competitions and saysthe prospect of playingChampions LeagueContinues on Page 53

•Iheanacho Continues on Page 53

imf to scrutinise fg's 2016 budget

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