NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER REVIEW MAY 31, 2016

NEWSPAPER REVIEW, Tuesday, May 31, 2016 AUTHORITY Biafra Day: Protests turn bloody....policemen, agitators killed, others injured Hundreds arrested in South-East, South-South 50 days in EFCCs Detention: Concern over health of Jonathan’s ex-aide I want to put Anambra on the world map—Ubah Jonathan, a great patriot, says Buhari Another Niger Delta militant group emerges, targets private oil installations Ozekhome tackles FG on job creation Atiku to chair book launch on Biafra BLUE PRINT I still respect Jonathan---Buhari ...says I underrated PDP’s 16 year rots..... ‘Change mantra saw hell’ PDP moles, looters scheming to serve Buhari’s govt.---Tinubu Pipeline vandalism: Stop food supplies to South-South---Northern group Nigeria faces maize scarcity—Institute FG inaugurates presidential committee on loan recovery Buhari committed to cleaning Ogoni---Minister One year after, Buhari has inspired hope--Mumuni NIGERIAN PILOT Biafra anniversary turns bloody... Dogara introduces electronic voting, e-parliament to Reps NJC places Judge under watch over PDP convention 2019 VP Ticket: Sheriff also played on Akpabio, Udom’s greed Suspectd Cattle rustler kill police officer, 9 others in Katsina Shell launches Nigeria campaign on energy sufficiency AFDB says Africa won’t revert to 1990s-style debt trap Ben Bruce accuses Buhari of passing blame for failures International friendly: Super Eagles tango Luxembourg tonight NATION UK detectives in Nigeria for Alison-Madueke’s case Bloody pro-Biafra protests in Onitsha, Asaba, others PDP crisis: BoT raises three-man panel to meet Sheriff Buhari inherited burden from Jonathan, says Soyinka Ex-Chadian President Habre gets life for war crimes I respect Jonathan for conceding defeat, says President Military deploys fighter jets in hunt for Avengers Way out of conflicting judgments, by SANs, others Fed Govt sets up presidential committee on loans recovery Four held over hotelier’s death Ogun PDP: One chapter, three chairmen THISDAY Dozens Killed, Several Injured as Biafra Day Rallies Turn Bloody Soldiers Take over Tompolo’s Residence, Father Escapes Arrest Buhari: Jonathan’s Sense of Patriotism Shocked Me FirstBank Gets $13.745m Forex Allocation from CBN Fayose Dares FG to Stop Him from Foreign Trips Poll rates Buhari very low on economy, job creation House Introduces e-Voting System FG Constitutes Committee to Recover AMCON Loans Pharmacists Seek Waivers on Importation of Raw Materials PUNCH Nigeria risks losing oil buyers to Iran, Saudi Arabia President seeks speedy passage of anti-money laundering bill Stock market lost N1.732tn in one year under Buhari Pro-Biafran activists, security agents in bloody clashes • 30 feared dead in Onitsha, two cops, five others killed in Delta Jonathan shocked me by conceding easily, says Buhari I told Buhari I’ll tackle cultism, insecurity – Wike Drug producers to brainstorm on health care June 2 Unfulfilled dreams of presidential hopefuls Courts’ll conclude corruption trials in six months–Sagay Buhari can’t stop me from travelling abroad, says Fayose LEADERSHIP Kano To Commercialise Its Justice System – Gov Ganduje APC Laying Foundation For New Nigeria – Okorocha 6 Science Museums To Be Set Up By FG This Year Salaries: Niger Will Be In N10bn Debt By December – Gov Bello PMB To Launch Ogoni Land Clean-up June 2 I’ll Not Commit State Resources To Salaries Alone – Al-Makura EFCC Records 140 Convictions In 6 Months – Magu APC Tackles Fayose Over Ekiti Debts FIFA U-17 WWQ: Nigeria To Face Brazil, Korea DPR VANGUARD I’ll soon reveal how Abacha, Abiola died, says Al-Mustapha 2015 polls: Jonathan shocked me for conceding defeat- Buhari AMCON: Buhari okays Malami to head presidential c’ttee on loan recovery FG deploys 5 warships, 100 gunboats, fighter jets to Delta creeks South-East burns as Biafra Day turns bloody Nigeria loses N13bn to oil theft, vandalism in one month Why I Killed My Aunt, By 28-Yr-Old Man Unwholesome Silence On Herdsmen’s Menace Wind Power To Supply 10% Of US Electricity By 2020 Ogun Community Deserted, As Pipeline Vandals Engage Police In Gun Battle SPORTING SUN International friendly: Eagles hunt Luxembourg Omeruo, Ndidi may start....Yusuf sure of victory Davis Cup: Team Nigeria names 6 players Rio Olympics: Basketball star dreads Zika virus FIFA Under-17 World Cup: Flamingos draw Brazil, England, Korea DPR City dumps Pogba Emenike returns to Fernabache Messi fraud trial begins. It's Tuesday. Have a wonderful day.

J K GADZAMA IS BETTER, VOTE FOR HIM.

 NBA PROACTIVE FEMALE FORUM SUPPORT J K GADZAMA FOR NBA PRESIDENT 2016, he has being tested and trusted, 
NIGERIAN LAWYERS, VOTE FOR JK FOR TRANSPERANCY, CREDIBILITY AND COMPETENCE.
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CHIEF J-K GADZAMA AT A GLANCE Chief J-K Gadzama, SAN was born in Mubi Adamawa State on the 28th of November 1961. He obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1975 from the L.E.A Primary School, Kaduna and proceeded to Teachers’ College, Song (Now Adamawa State) where he obtained the Teacher’s Grade II Certificate. He graduated from the University of Maiduguri where he obtained the LL.B Degree in Law and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986 after successful completion of the Nigerian Law School Programme. He started his professional training in 1986 as a Legal Trainee in the Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Justice, Kano State. He thereafter joined the firm of A. Ismail Gadzama & Co. (Solicitors & Advocates) in Kano from 1986 – 1988. He established the firm of J-K Gadzama LLP in 1989 with offices in Abuja, Lagos and Maiduguri and has affiliate offices in the UK and US. He was appointed a Notary Public in June 1996 and elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigerian (SAN) in 1998. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a CEDR accredited Mediator. He has been an active member of the NBA since 1986 and has served the Nigeria Bar Association in various capacities. He is a Member of the General Council of the Bar (Nigeria), the General Practitioners’ Council and National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association. He was a Member of the Council of Legal Education, from 2002 to 2003; Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja Branch from 2003 to 2004; Chairman of the NBA Conference Planning Committee for Annual Conference, which held in Jos in 2005. He was also the Chairman, Organizing Committee of the 2006 Maiden Conference of the Section on Legal Practice of the NBA and Council Member, NBA Section on Legal Practice (SLP). He was the Pioneer Chairman of the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) 2006 to 2010. Under his watch, SPIDEL grew from humble beginnings to one of the robust specialized sections of the NBA with strong focus on the promotion and application of law to economic development and the growth of Public Interest Law in Nigeria. Chief Gadzama, SAN is also a member of various regional and International Bar Associations such as: the West African Bar Association (WABA); Life Member, Council of the African Bar Association (AFBA); Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA) and Pan African Lawyers’ Union (PALU). #J-K IS OK!

Uwajumogu is the right candidate for Okigwe zone, Imo state.

A vote for Uwajumogu is a vote for total upleftment of Okigwe sons and daughters.

Be wise, avoid buying toxic fuel.

 Be wise, avoid buying toxic fuel — 30th May 2016 By Adewale Sanyaolu
 ALTHOUGH the partial de­regulation of the downstream sector by the Federal Govern­ment is expected to pave way for investors wishing to enter into the importation of petro­leum products into the country, there have been apprehension among members of the public that this announcement may lead to the circulation another round of toxic fuel in the coun­try due to the inbuilt corrup­tion in the sector. Nigerians cannot be in a hur­ry to forget the news of the ves­sel christened Ostention laden with toxic fuel. The Italian vessel gained access to Nige­rian territorial waters in 1996, where unsuspecting members of the public innocently bought contaminated fuel as genuine petrol resulting in the massive damage of automobiles, genera­tors and other forms of machin­ery that use fuel as their source of energy. That year, Nigerians car own­ers, recorded huge losses that were neither compensated for by the Federal Government nor the respective fuel stations where this contaminated prod­uct was bought. At that time, the only feature that exposed the fuel as being contaminated or substandard was the horrifying odour that came with it which was not syn­onymous with the usual smell of fuel. But because that was the only one available, Nigerians just as­sumed nothing was wrong, un­til automobile engineers began to record high turnover of dam­aged engines. The 1996 incursion of toxic fuel christianed ‘Abacha Fuel’ was the most reported due to the far reaching effects it had on consumers. This was fol­lowed by that of 2003 and the Oando toxic fuel saga of 2008. Of all the cases recorded, it was only that of 2003 that happened five days into the announce­ment of deregulation. Enter 2016 deregulation The pronouncement by the Federal Government on May 11, 2016, that it has withdrawn from further subsidising pre­mium motor spirit (PMS) was received with mixed reactions. While the masses felt it was a way of inflicting further hard­ship on the common man, im­porters of petroleum products received the news with excit­ment because they have always canvassed for the deregulation of the downstream sector to al­low more private sector players come in and subsequently de­termine the price of products. Though stakeholders have argued that what the Federal Government has done was not complete deregulation it re­mained a first step towards de­regulation. Following the announce­ment, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) released a new pricing template which adjusted the price of petrol from N86.60 to a new bandwidth of N135-N145. The agency equally an­nounced that with the com­plete removal of subsidy, other private sector operators who may be interested in the impor­tation of petroleum products can now begin to do so. Prior to May 11, only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a few members of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nige­ria (MOMAN) were importing fuel. In fact, at a point, MO­MAN members had to pull out of petroleum products importa­tion because they had no access to foreign exchange coupled with the huge backlog of sub­sidy arrears owed them. How to avoid buying toxic fuel Now that the sector has been subtly deregulated and all man­ner of players can now come in to import petroleum products, there is the tendency to have a repeat episode of the 1996, 2003 and 2008 toxic fuel episodes as some unpatriotic businessmen and saboteurs may use the op­portunity to flood the market with substandard petroleum products capable of damaging vehicles and being injurious to health due to the taxity of some regulators. But the best way to avoid being a victim of toxic fuel is to patronise known and estab­lished names in the petroleum downstream sector because they have a pedigree and adhere strictly to standards set by the Department of Petroleum Re­sources (DPR) and the Interna­tional Standards Organisation (ISO) approved specification for PMS approved by Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). A toxic fuel, according to a former Group Executive Direc­tor, Refining and Petrochemi­cals, Nigerian National Petro­leum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Anthony Ogbuigwe, has high sulphur content and other harmful chemicals, which re­sult in high incidence of dis­eases with attendant high cost in health and development. Regrettably, he revealed that Nigeria and some other African countries have been importing toxic fuel, with an average $1.6 trillion spent yearly to treat dis­eases traceable to petroleum products. But one of the easiest ways to identify a bad fuel is through its foul odour. Most contaminat­ed or substandard fuel have a unique smell different from the usual smell of petrol known to a regular buyer. Ogbuigwe who is also the President of African Refiners Association said, “unfortunate­ly, many of these poor quality petroleum products are com­ing from outside Africa because the industry is unregulated and people are bringing in prod­ucts that have higher sulphur content and other chemicals, which are affecting our health. “Many respiratory illnesses and sarcomatosis illnesses are traceable to this poor quality fuel. So, African Refiners Asso­ciation (ARA) is saying, we are going to go to African regional bodies like African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), South African Development Commission (SADEC) and East African Community to plead with them for us to adopt specifications for better quality products.” DPR, MOMAN react But the Head, Public Affairs, DPR, Mrs. Dorothy Bassey, in a reaction to Daily Sun’s enquiry said there was no cause for alarm as regards the incursion of toxic fuel into the country. She explained that with the space open for everyone to get involved in the importation of petroleum products, DPR has equally concluded arrange­ments to tighten the noose on anyone that may want to per­petrate evil by bringing in sub­standard products. ‘‘Our officers have been put on the alert across the coun­try while our laboratories are equally equipped with modern equipment to detect any form of substandard petroleum prod­uct. Once any vessel berths on Nigerian territorial waters, we are already on ground to carry out the necessary tests.” She said the agency was poised to protect unsuspecting members of the public against falling prey to the antics of un­scrupulous businessmen, add­ing that once a vessel convey­ing petroleum products into the country falls short of the prescribed standards, such ves­sel would be sent back to the country of origin. ‘‘No businessman will want to waste his resources by hav­ing his vessel returned to the country of origin as a result of it not meeting the prescribed standards. Once this happens, the importer loses his resourc­es and would be subsequently handed over to law enforce­ment agents.” She said the agency was more prepared than ever because it is aware that there would be in­creased activities in the down­stream sector, especially with the coming on board of more importers, hence the decision of DPR to have two dedicated telephone numbers for the use of members of the public to report any sharp practices no­ticed on the part of importers or marketers. On his part, the Executive Secretary of MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, told Daily Sun that the appointment of two inspection agents – SGS and PSI – to carry out pre-des­tination inspection would have made the importation of sub­standard fuel impossible. He maintained that the two inspection agents are reputable organisations that cannot col­lude with importers to influ­ence the report of results car­ried out on petroleum products anywhere in the world. ‘‘Yes, the door has been thrown open for every inter­ested party to follow but there are guidelines to follow. Even in deregulation, there is a regu­latory framework. If you look at the telecommu­nications sector, there is NCC and if it has to do with oil and gas, we have the DPR looking at quality and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) looking at the quantity. “As I talk to you, I am aware that both agencies are working on fresh guidelines to guide the operations of downstream sec­tor operators, especially as it relates to who does what,’’ he said. Olawore said with the lib­eralisation of the sector, DPR would be alive to its responsi­bilities because the process is full proof with double checks before the products leave the country of origin and the sec­ond one carried out before the ship enters the country’s ter­ritorial waters and berths at the jetty; samples are picked and tests carried out to ensure product integrity has not been compromised.

Killer husband nearly beat wife to death last year. wonders shall never end.

Home Metro Plus.
Killer husband nearly beat wife to death last year’ May 30, 2016
 The couple Afeez Hanafi The younger sister of late Mrs. Roseline Sougie, who was allegedly killed by her husband of 26 years, says the suspect nearly beat her to death sometime in 2015. The sister, Mrs. Philomena Shaibu, told PUNCH Metro that the husband, Jafaru Sougie, in anger used a pillow to stifle the mother of five while she was sleeping. She added that Roseline’s death on Friday in their rented apartment on Araromi Street, Oshodi, Lagos, was the end of a long period of domestic abuse. This is just as the last child of the family, Happiness, marked her 9th year birthday at Shaibu’s house in Ikorodu on Sunday. Our correspondent had reported that unemployed 49-year-old Jafaru allegedly used a knife to slit the wife’s throat around 2am on Friday, after which he took a poison. He was vomiting in the bathroom when one of their children, Richmond, and his aunt, who had slept in the living room, went into the inner room to wake up Roseline only to discover that she was dead. Forty-six-year-old Roseline, a frozen foods seller in Ijora, was the breadwinner of the family and had reportedly wanted to quit the marriage, but was advised to rescind her decision for the sake of the children. However, Shaibu on Sunday, said her sister fled to their village in Edo State in 2015 after the husband stifled her during another argument. She said, “Last year, my sister was sleeping when her husband used a pillow to cover her mouth and she nearly died. She managed to escape and fled to our village. The case was reported to the police in Oshodi. He went to the village to beg her and after three months they reconciled. “It was the children that kept her in the relationship. It was unfortunate that she died because of the children. All I want is that he should not go unpunished. My sister suffered a lot to keep the marriage going. We want justice for her.” The President, Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said her group had contacted the police on the matter and would monitor it to ensure justice in the end. She said, “There is a curious rise in the spate of domestic violence; husband killing wife and vice-versa. People must be careful about the kind of relationship they get into. We have taken this up. Roseline’s death is a colossal loss. We stand with the family at this time of grief. We wait for the autopsy report of Roseline. Jafaru must be alive to face justice.” But the second child of the family, 16-year-old Richmond, a Senior Secondary School 2 pupil, said he had forgiven his father. “We just have to move ahead with our lives. Mum meant a lot to us; she was our hope, but at the same time, I have forgiven dad,” he said. Meanwhile, it was gathered that Jafaru, who is in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, had yet to speak to investigators on the incident as he was still recuperating from the poison he took. The Lagos State deputy spokesperson of the police, DSP Damasus Ozoani, said, “The matter is still under investigation. The suspect has not given the police his own version of the incident and the circumstance in which the act was committed has yet to be determined.”

Falana, Rewane, others react as Buhari fails to name looters

Falana, Rewane, others react as Buhari fails to name looters May 30, 2016
 President Muhammadu Buhari Olalekan Adetayo, Friday Olokor, Ade Adesomoju and Femi Asu Some legal practitioners and economists have expressed support for the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to unveil the names of looters and the amount of looted assets so far recovered. The President, had, in an interview in London, while attending the anti-corruption summit organised by British Prime Minister, David Cameron, recently, promised to disclose the figure in his Democracy Day address to the nation. Buhari, however, on Sunday, dashed the hopes of millions of Nigerians who were waiting to be told how much his administration had so far recovered from individuals and firms accused of looting the nation’s treasury. In his nationwide address to mark his one year in office on Sunday, Buhari failed to disclose the figure as promised. Rather, the President promised Nigerians that the Ministry of Information and Culture would be publishing the details which he said would be updated periodically. He simply said “significant amount of assets” had been recovered. Buhari promised that when forfeiture formalities were completed, the money would be put in the nation’s treasury and be spent transparently to fund developmental projects. The President said, “The processes of recovery can be tedious and time-consuming, but today, I can confirm that thus far, significant amount of assets have been recovered. A considerable portion of these are at different stages of recovery. “Full details of the status and categories of the assets will now be published by the Ministry of Information and updated periodically.” A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, and Lagos-based lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, said on Sunday that Buhari’s directive to the Minister of Information to release details of the looted funds periodically, was in order. In separate telephone interviews with one of our correspondents, the human rights lawyers believed the President’s directive the ministry was the best approach. “That is the correct approach because it is an ongoing process,” Falana said. But the Executive Secretary of Anti-corruption Network, Ebenezer Oyetakin, said Buhari’s speech did not meet the expectations of most Nigerians, who expected him to name the corrupt elements as he promised. Oyetakin stated that the people also expected some shake-up in the structure of government, adding that disappointment occurred because people thought that Buhari would never say what he would not do. He added, “He must embrace immediately a single policy that is capable of disarming the moneybags, who uses their stolen wealth to sponsor destabilisation projects. He must as a matter of urgency and courage deflates such people immediately before they rocked his government.” Ogunye said he would not have expected the President “to be reeling out names of looters in his Democracy Day speech”. He said, “The President cannot be reeling out the names of looters in his speech because there is no way he will give details of the recovered loot without giving the names of the looters or from whom what amount was recovered. “It is the duty of the Minister of Information to speak for the government. The strategy adopted by the President is the best.” Falana however said the Buhari administration had yet to address “some inbuilt leakages” in government’s funds. He argued that the government needed to mobilise other anti-corruption agencies in the country in the fight against graft, contending that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was already overwhelmed by the huge number of cases it was contending with. He said, “The other anti-graft agencies ought to be reorganised. More importantly, the government should mobilise the Nigerian people to own and take over the fight against corruption.” Falana stated that the Buhari administration’s fire brigade approach would not solve the current economic crisis in the country. He said, “The economy cannot be fixed through the fire brigade approach of the government. Why should the Central Bank of Nigeria be wasting the country’s scarce foreign reserves on the importation of consumer goods for our pampered elite? “The goods produced by companies funded by the bank are not patronised because imported ones are cheaper. “Why has the CBN not increased duties on imported goods, which can be produced locally? In some of our neighbouring countries, public officers wear locally produced dresses. Can’t the government lead by example?” Also, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, said, “He is not going to mention it (list of looters) in a broadcast. The President said ‘the government’; he didn’t say he would mention it himself. “So, the government will still mention it.” On the plan to keep the Naira exchange rate steady, Rewane stated, “It is a national wish. Every government strives for currency stability. But the markets are the ones that determine the value. So, I think the President is coming to terms with the fact that markets work in a modern-day economy, and what the government can do is to strive to make sure that it is stable within the parameters of market forces.” On his part, Prof. Sheriffdeen Tella of the Department of Economics, Olabisi Onabanjo University, said, “About the three or four days ago, the EFCC chairman was asked and he said they were still compiling the list and that some money was just coming in, which has not been properly recorded. So, that could be responsible for the delay.’’ Tella, who described the President’s speech as inspiring, said, “He knew that he has not done much, and he couldn’t have done much within the given time, considering the magnitude of what he met on the ground. “My only concern is that you put money into the economy and you find that all the things you are going to buy are imported. If they are leading to improvement in local production, I think it will be good for us.’’ Tella stressed the need for a national plan to drive the growth and development of the economy. Buhari again read the Riot Act to the Niger Delta Avengers, who have been vandalising pipelines in the Niger Delta, saying the perpetrators and their sponsors would be apprehended and brought to justice. He said his administration was committed to implementing the United Nations Environment Programme report and was advancing clean-up operations. “The recent spate of attacks by militants disrupting oil and power installations will not distract us from engaging leaders in the region in addressing the Niger Delta problems. “If the militants and vandals are testing our resolve, they are much mistaken. We shall apprehend the perpetrators and their sponsors and bring them to justice,” the President vowed. Buhari described his one year in office as “a year of triumph, consolidation, pains and achievements.” He accused the previous government of not saving for a rainy day when there was oil boom and leaving critical infrastructure in decrepit state. The President said, “The past years have witnessed huge flows of oil revenues. From 2010, average oil prices were $100 per barrel. But economic and security conditions were deteriorating. “We campaigned and won the election on the platform of restoring security, tackling corruption and restructuring the economy. “On our arrival, the oil price had collapsed to as low as $30 per barrel and we found nothing had been kept for a rainy day. Oil prices have been declining since 2014 but due to the neglect of the past, the country was not equipped to halt the economy from declining.” The President said the measures to be taken might lead to hardships. Buhari added, “We resolve to keep the Naira steady, as in the past, devaluation had done dreadful harm to the Nigerian economy. Furthermore, I supported the monetary authorities’ decision to ensure alignment between monetary policy and fiscal policy. “We shall keep a close look at how the recent measures affect the Naira and the economy. But we cannot get away from the fact that a strong currency is predicated on a strong economy. “And a strong economy pre-supposes an industrial productive base and a steady export market. The measures we must take, may lead to hardships.” The President stated that his administration identified 43,000 ‘ghost’ workers, therefore saving the government N4.2bn in salaries. Apart from making savings, Buhari said his administration had changed the way public money was spent. The President explained the rationale behind the recent increase in fuel price to N145 per litre, describing the decision as painful. Buhari added, “It is even more painful for me that a major producer of crude oil with four refineries that once exported refined products is today having to import all of its domestic needs. This is what corruption and mismanagement have done to us and that is why we must fight these ills.” He said the policy measures and actions taken so far by his administration should not be seen as some experiment in governance, stressing that he was fully aware that the vested interests, who had held Nigeria back for so long, would not give up without a fight. “They will sow divisions, sponsor vile press criticisms at home and abroad, incite the public in an effort to create chaos rather than relinquish the vice-like grip they have held on Nigeria,” he said. The President said the economic misfortune the nation was experiencing in the shape of very low oil prices had provided his government with an opportunity to restructure the economy and diversify. He said his administration was in the process of promoting agriculture, livestock, exploiting solid mineral resources and expanding industrial and manufacturing base. Buhari expressed delight in the return of two of the abducted Chibok girls, saying he had been in agony over the fate of the over 200 girls kidnapped in their school in Borno State in 2014.

Saudi executes Nigerian for police murder

​ Saudi executes Nigerian for police murder On May 29, 20166:01 Saudi authorities put to death a Nigerian on Sunday after convicting him of murdering a policeman, the latest in a surge of executions that has drawn concern from human rights groups. It was 95th execution of the year in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom, which imposes the death penalty for offences including murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape and apostasy. Fahd Houssawi was put to death in the western city of Taif, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency. Fahd Houssawi Fahd Houssawi He had been found guilty of strangling the policeman and beating his head against the ground until he died, the ministry said. Amnesty International has warned that at the current rate Saudi Arabia could see more than 100 executions in the first half of 2016 alone. The London-based watchdog says that the kingdom carried out at least 158 death sentences last year, making it the third most prolific executioner after Iran and Pakistan. Its figures do not include secretive China. The executions this year are “higher than at the same point last year,” Amnesty said. Murder and drug trafficking cases account for the majority of Saudi executions, although 47 people were put to death for “terrorism” offences on a single day in January. They included prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr whose execution prompted Iranian protesters to torch Saudi diplomatic missions triggering the severing of relations between the Middle East’s leading Sunni and Shiite powers

Enlarged Breasts in Men: Causes and Treatment.

Enlarged Breasts in Men: Causes and Treatments By Stephanie Booth WebMD Feature Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, DO, MS Some men get enlarged breast tissue. It’s called gynecomastia. Maybe you've heard people call the condition “man boobs.” It’s usually not anything to worry about. Nor does it have to be permanent. Here’s what you should know. Causes It’s normal. Seventy percent of boys get it during puberty. It’s caused by natural changes in estrogen (a "female hormone" that men also have) and testosterone. Newborn babies sometimes have short-term gynecomastia, too. That’s because some of their mothers’ estrogen stays in their blood for a while after birth. Middle-aged and older men can also have the condition. It could be due to aging (which also shifts hormone levels) or because of certain medicines, including some: Marijuana and drugs like heroin, amphetamines, and steroids can cause it. So can drinking too much alcohol. Herbal products that contain tea tree oil or lavender oil can also increase breast size. That’s because they have natural estrogen that can upset your body’s normal hormone levels. Sometimes it happens because of another health problem, like an overactive thyroid, kidney disease, or a tumor on one of the glands that controls your hormones. Symptoms Men with gynecomastia have a firm, rubbery mass underneath the nipple area. It’s usually less than an inch and a half across and may be tender. Sometimes there aren’t other symptoms. You may notice some fluid discharge. It can affect one breast or both. Diagnosis The cause of gynecomastia isn’t always clear. So it’s a good idea to check in with your regular doctor or an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in hormone imbalances. During your appointment he may ask you: How old were you when you noticed a change in your breast size? Does the condition run in your family? Have you noticed a difference in your nipple size? Have you had any discharge or pain? How's your overall health? Do you drink alcohol, use drugs, or have you had infertility problems?

10 ways people kill their cars.

10 ways people kill their cars May 29, 2016 'Kunle Shonaike The famous dictum “If you look after your car, your car will look after you” is certainly true in many respects. Sadly, though, few motorists are knowledgeably caring for, or fully understand, the way their vehicles work. Some functional knowledge will keep your relationship with your automobile running smoothly! Many drivers are actually unknowingly damaging their vehicles or, at the very least, making themselves quite vulnerable to some mischievous roadside mechanics. The following are the 10 of the most common mistakes motorists make every day while completely oblivious of the damaging consequences. Most of these points will, at the very least, hit us in our pockets in the near future. How many, if you can eat the humble-pie, are you guilty of? Oil changes and servicing: Engine oil is a vital component in your car. Some people will wrongly assume that if the car takes five litres of oil and they have topped up this year by five litres, then there is no point in changing the oil. Oil degrades, and the reduction in oil level is due to the thinner high-quality oil getting burned or just seeping out of the engine; the sludge, grime and metal particles build up in the residue. So topping up is not the same as changing the oil. The oil level is dangerously low in over 70 per cent of cars – check your oil levels today. Incorrect tyre pressures: This (overinflation, in particular, which is very common in Nigeria due to the ignorance of roadside “vulcanisers”) causes additional heat to build up in the tyres due to extra-flexing. The car has to work harder, reducing fuel economy. With under-inflated tyres, the handling becomes unpredictable at best because the tyre naturally goes bouncy. Braking is also significantly reduced. Not allowing turbo to cool down: How many people with turbo-driven engine drive it hard and then fail to allow the turbo to cool down properly? In Europe, increasingly production cars have turbos to meet emissions and power requirements. The turbo is spinning at between 100,000 rpm and 200,000 rpm and gets very hot. The moment the engine is turned off, you starve it of fresh oil, unless your automobile’s oil pump keeps running. The oil in the turbo gets fried and essentially leaves your turbo spinning with no lubrication! Your turbo will soon need replacing if this is your driving style. Driving hard on a cold engine: Don’t use higher engine rpm’s (like revving or over-revving the engine) when it’s cold (especially early in the morning), until an engine is warm; it will run rich—i.e. dumps fuel into the combustion chamber. Your engine is most at risk from damage when cold, so putting undue stress on it by high revving will exponentially increase the damage done. The combustion process does not become efficient until the engine reaches its operating temperature. An inefficient burn leaves acids and other toxins that eat your engine. The oil also takes a short while to flow properly at start up; so, ideally, you should let the engine tick over for three to ten seconds, then drive off at a steady pace keeping under 23,000 rpm. Do not use the top half of the rev range until the engine reaches operating temperature. This applies as much to modern engines with catalytic converters as it does to older engines. Don’t leave the engine idling to warm it up, just drive it (after giving it 30 seconds for the oil pressure to come up and get the oil to fully circulate). Short journeys: Just as driving off too quickly damages an engine, so will doing short journeys. The problem with a short journey is that the engine never reaches its operating temperature. So, for the reasons detailed in the ‘driving off too quickly’, do not drive many short distances regularly. Use the under-one-mile walk philosophy!) While cold, the catalyst is unable to operate at peak efficiency, thus, reducing the life of your expensive catalyst. Revving too high: The red line indicates the maximum permissible engine speed. At this point, the engine is under enormous stress and the components are moving at their fastest speed. Slight imbalances in the engine are emphasised at high rpm and if you prolong the high rpm for a period of time, you will more than likely throw a connecting rod through the sump (or worse). The older an engine is, the lower the red line should be. As an engine starts to produce most of its power across the middle third of its rev band, there is little point exceeding this. Hand on gear stick: So many people do this but it can actually cause premature gear wear, especially if you wiggle the stick around. The stick is connected directly to the gearbox (in many cars), so the slightest pressure is transmitted to the gear selector. This is enough to cause wear and eventually your gearbox will start to grind and crunch as you change gear. Riding the clutch in a manual transmission: Again, keeping a foot on the clutch is enough to prevent it from fully engaging. The clutch plate will tend towards slip and will prematurely wear. Keeping the clutch depressed in traffic or at traffic lights is also a bad idea. Just put the car in neutral when you are stationary. When the clutch is depressed you’re forcing the clutch against the release bearing. Eventually, the release bearing will just give up, having done 60,000 miles worth of pressure in just 10,000. Also in manual, wrong gear selection: Nothing puts a strain on the engine like forcing it to pull the car in the wrong gear. Too high a gear strains the bottom end of the engine around the crank and con rods. Too low a gear will mean you are revving more than you need to, so the top end of the engine around the valves, cams and lifters are working too hard. Driving a dirty car: This one is a little contentious but corrosion takes effect more easily on a car which is covered with a layer of dirt. A thorough clean each month and a coat of good quality wax (not polish) will do much to enhance the cars defence against corrosion.

Niger Delta Avengers bomb Aiteo, Agip pipelines

Niger Delta Avengers bomb Aiteo, Agip pipelines May 29, 2016 Niger Delta militants Simon Utebor and Femi Asu The Niger Delta Avengers have blown up trunk lines belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company and Aiteo Oil company in Bayelsa State. Our correspondent learnt that the Avengers blew up Nembe 1, 2, and 3 Brass to Bonny trunk lines belonging to the two oil majors in Nembe Local Government Area, on Saturday. When contacted, Shell spokesman, Joseph Obari, told SUNDAY PUNCH that its trunk line blown up had been “left” by the company since 2014. He, however, clarified that the second trunk line belonged to Aiteo Oil Company and not Shell anymore. “Kindly contact Aiteo, the operator of the reported assets for information on their status,” Obari said in a text message. It was learnt that the militants and a crack team of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps battled in the creeks of Bayelsa on Saturday following the twin blasts that ruptured pipelines belonging to Agip and Aiteo. The NDA claimed on its Twitter handle, @DAvengers, that it attacked the facilities at 2:15am, in Nembe and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas of the state. Nembe’s attack occurred at a creek opposite Orubiri community. The creek warlords, who were said to have accessed their targeted pipeline through speedboats, reportedly used dynamites to blow up the oil facilities. A civil defence operative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said another blast happened along a pipeline located at Legosgbene in Southern Ijaw area. He said, “As I am talking to you now, our team has advanced to the Legosgbene. The perpetrators are there laying ambush.” The Bayelsa State Commandant, NSCDC, Desmond Agu, confirmed the incident and said the militants were engaged in gunfire with his men at Southern Ijaw. Agu said, “We have deployed two teams in the two different locations where Agip pipelines were attacked in the state. Our team heading for the Southern Ijaw location discovered that the militants laid an ambush in the area. We will soon clear the area and ascertain the extent of damage done to the pipeline”. Meanwhile, Bayelsa State government has condemned the NDA attacks on the two crude trunk lines operated by Aiteo and Agip. Aiteo, new owners of one of the lines could not be reached for comments. Aiteo had in 2014 acquired the 100-kilometre Nembe trunk line from Shell which SPDC relied on to convey crude to Bonny Export Terminal from Bayelsa State. The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jonathan Obuebite, who confirmed the attack in an email on Saturday afternoon, condemned the twin attacks, describing it as one attack too many. Obuebite, who expressed concerns on the economic impact of destruction of the key oil facilities on the country and Niger Delta region in particular, wondered why the militants would go to that extent. He noted that despite concerted efforts of the government to move against such atrocities, the militants were still unrepentant in their acts of vandalism. Obuebite urged the group to embrace dialogue, adding that their activities is adversely affecting people residing in areas where oil facilities were destroyed. The commissioner also called on security agents to be more alert and to devise new means to protect important oil and gas facilities in order to prevent further attack. Obuebite equally urged Bayelsa residents, especially those in oil communities to be vigilant and work closely with security agents to apprehend anyone or group attempting to undermine key national assets. Meanwhile, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said the Federal Government would not engage with people destroying oil and gas facilities in the country. He said the government was already engaging with people nursing genuine grievances, adding that destruction of oil pipelines and export facilities was criminal conduct. Osinbajo stated this on his official Facebook page on Saturday while highlighting responses to questions during an interactive session he held with select individuals on Friday in Abuja. A new militant group, named Niger Delta Avengers, have claimed responsibility for most of the attacks on installations in the Niger Delta since the beginning of the year. Asked about the government’s stance on the Niger Delta Avengers, he said, “When people have genuine grievances, the government has an obligation to engage. We are engaging with those who have genuine grievances. However, the wanton destruction of oil pipelines and export facilities is criminal conduct. We will not create monsters by engaging anyone who participates in destruction.”

Plane makes an emergency landing in Lagos.

 Plane makes emergency landing in Lagos — 29th May 2016 …Over suspected drug trafficker’s health condition By Christopher Oji AN Emirates flight EK 262 from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Dubai, United Arab Emirates made an emergency land­ing in Lagos at the weekend due to the deteriorating health condition of a suspected cocaine trafficker. Screening by anti-narcotic officials found four pas­sengers positive for drug ingestion, who are currently under interrogation. One of the suspects in critical health condition was immediately hospitalized even as doctors were making spirited efforts to save his life. Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mu­stapha Abdallah (retd.), who said that the suspect is re­sponding to treatment called for stiffer penalty against drug trafficking. NDLEA commander at the Murtala Muhammad In­ternational Airport (MMIA) Lagos, Mr. Ahmadu Gar­ba said that the Emirates flight left Sao Paulo, Brazil to Dubai but was forced to come to Lagos due to the health condition of a passenger on board who ingested cocaine. “A passenger complained of severe abdominal pains and later suffered three recurrent seizures thus neces­sitating an emergency landing in Lagos. Upon arrival, four passengers tested positive for narcotic ingestion. They are Okeh Desmond, Ezeanya Nnaemeka, Christopher Nonso and Chibusi Promise. All the suspects are under observation,” Garba stated. Recall that the NDLEA has been beaming its search­light on flights originating from Brazil and Dubai in recent times because of their notoriety in cocaine traf­ficking.

Efcc to prosecute 43,000 ghost workers discovered on FG paroll.

EFCC to prosecute 43,000 ghost workers discovered on FG payroll –Finance Minister — 29th May 2016 …Says verification has saved N4.5billion By Segun Olatunji, Abeokuta THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will soon com­mence the prosecution of the 43,000 persons so far discovered as ghost workers on the payroll of the Federal Government. Also, the Federal Government said it has saved the country about N4.5billion through the ongoing na­tionwide Integrated Payroll and Per­sonnel Information System verifica­tion exercise. The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun disclosed these in Sag­amu, Ogun State during her visit to the venue of the ongoing IPPIS verifica­tion of staff on the payroll of the Nige­ria Police Force at the Area Command in Sagamu, Ogun State. According to Adeosun, the Federal Government has commenced discus­sions with EFCC regarding plans to prosecute the ghost workers already detected through the ongoing IPPIS verification exercise. She added that more ghost workers were expected to be detected through the current IPPIS verification exercise and eliminated from the government payroll. “Yes! We are in talks with the EFCC and they are going to start the prosecutions very soon. Some do not exist but get into the payroll through a fraudulent way and some people are col­lecting salaries from two or three places. In fact, some people died and no one told us about their demise but through this exercise such people will be discovered. “But when people are fraudulent, they should be prosecuted and if it is an error may be you resigned and you have writ­ten letters that the government should stop paying salaries into your account, but they have refused, it will be unfair to prosecute such people. “The figure (ghost workers) keeps changing. Just as I have said. Every day we keep cleaning up the pay-roll and this has been going on for a long time, but so far, it seems it is about 43,000, and it keeps on increasing. And we would con­tinue until we remove all, because every time we remove those who shouldn’t be there, it creates room to employ those who are ready to work and create money to spend on things the country needs,” Adeosun said. The finance minister also disclosed that the IPPIS has reduced the monthly payroll of the Federal Government by N4.5billion. She further assured that the govern­ment would not relent in its efforts to further scale down its monthly payroll by eliminating every ghost worker from the system. “So far we have reduced what we pay monthly by N4.5billion and it has been increasing every day, because ev­eryday those that are not supposed to be on the pay-roll are being removed. And we would keep on doing that until we are sure that everybody receiving salary from the Federal Government is valid and the only way we can do that is to pay salaries directly into their accounts, and we can also verify by using BVN to ensure that no multiple payment and that the people are alive. I think it is a very good thing,” Adeosun said. The finance minister expressed de­light at the conduct of the exercise, say­ing it would fast track the payment of salaries of all staff on the Federal Gov­ernment payroll. She said, “As you can see, the cap­turing is going on smoothly, it takes an average of four minutes to capture the biometric data of each police officer, which I think is very good, and the po­lice is one of the biggest employers of labour on the Federal Government pay­roll. Getting them into IPPIS is a great achievement of this administration. “The officers are happy because it means their salaries will be paid much more earlier and directly into their ac­counts and they will have better service from the Federal Government.

Those against my appointment are ignorant-Soyinka

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• Those against my appointment are ignorant –Soyinka — 29th May 2016 …As Ambode launches activities to mark Lagos @50 celebration NOBEL Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has said those kicked against his appointment as co-chair of Lagos at 50 Committee were only exhibiting ignorance. Soyinka said this last Friday during the official launch of the one-year-long activities to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of the state. While stating that he would not join issues with such people, Soyinka said his family was a pioneer in the devel­opment of the state, and that it was unfortunate that the so-called Lagosians were denying themselves the opportunity of knowing Lagos which his committee would offer. Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Am­bode while launching the activities to commemorate the an­niversary of the state said the programmes lined up would showcase to the world the unique achievements, culture, heritage and the tourism potentials of the state. Governor Ambode, who spoke at a special children’s pro­gramme tagged, “Vision of the Child” to officially kick-start the one-year-long activities for the Golden Jubilee of the state, said the celebration was put together to provide historical opportunity to propel the state into unimaginable greatness as well as put it on highest pedestal in the league of world megacity states. The governor, who assured that the events would be the biggest celebration in the 50 years history of the state, added that Lagosians should expect nothing short of world class events. He said: “This golden jubilee celebration will show La­gos for what it is – a home for all and a land of opportunities where dreams are made and fulfilled. “This celebration will be all inclusive and in furtherance to this, each of the five administrative divisions of the state will have one month to showcase their culture and land­mass. In this way, we will expose to the world the unique­ness and diversity of our culture and tradition as well as our great tourism potentials.” Speaking on the vision of the child initiative, the gover­nor who said the state had consistently supported the ini­tiative explained that it was aimed at promoting creative thinking, literary arts and painting skills. Besides, Ambode commended the Lagos At 50 Com­mittee headed by Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka and Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, and expressed optimism in their ability to showcase the state to the world and organize memorable events. The governor also solicited the support of individuals and corporate organizations towards the successful hosting of the celebration. In his remarks, Soyinka clarified that the idea of the one year long celebration was just to create consciousness in the minds of the people, and not that events would be orga­nized every day. He said for instance, a month of solidarity would be dedi­cated to victims of Boko Haram, while the people would equally be given the opportunity to know more about La­gos.

Man finds out new girlfriend is a man and commits murder

Man finds out new girlfriend is a man and commits murder May 28th, 2016 by admin kill A 21 year old Texas College football player, Carlton Champion Jr. met his 24 year old girlfriend and fell quickly in love with her. His new girlfriend was Tyrone Lee underwood who went by the name Tyra. The couple had been chatting for several weeks on a dating mobile app and quickly fell in love but hadn’t met each other face to face. Tyra had a feeling that Champion was cheating on her and decided to end the relationship by text. Because Champion was so in love with Tyra, he sent a text to her apologizing saying he would make it up to her. Champion was seen on surveillance camera leaving his College dorm at about 2 am. Tyler Police were called by neighbours who said they heard multiple gun shots in the area and a suspicious vehicle. When Police got there, they found a Toyota Camry off road and a dead black male behind the wheel who had been shot. Police interviewed Underwood’s friends and checked her computer and found out that the last person she chatted with was Champion. In their investigation, police interviewed Champion’s father, Carlton Champion Sr., who “stated that he heard Carlton Jr. was meeting the victim and thought the victim was a female.” Officer Nathan Elliott wrote in the arrest affidavit. “According to Champion Sr., Carlton Jr. was supposed to get some type of sexual favor from the victim but realized the victim was a male.” He was promptly arrested on Thursday and charged with murder. The campus surveillance video also showed Champion returning to his college dorm just 15 mins after he had initially left, wearing a black leather jacket. The jacket was tested and it came out positive for blood. He is being held at Smith County jail and his bail has been se for $1million.

Ese Oruru: Yinusa names baby Fatima from prison.

Ese Oruru: Yinusa names baby Fatima from prison — 28th May 2016 From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa Yinusa Dahiru, the 18-year-old boy alleged to have abducted, raped and impregnated 14-year-old Ese Oruru, has named the baby girl delivered Fatima. Ese was delivered of a baby girl on Thursday morning at the Government House Clinic after she went into labour at her Police Officers Mess temporary residence. Yinusa who was granted bail since April but unable to meet the bail conditions and is remanded at the Okaka Medium Security Prisons was said to have broken into smiles when he was told that Ese had given birth to a baby girl. According to sources, when the story appeared on social media, one of the members of the legal team called to confirm and upon confirmation, the story was broken to the Dahiru family and Yinusa was also informed. Sources at Okaka Prison said Yinusa was very elated over the news and he immediately said he was going to name her Fatima, a name borne by the daughter of Prophet Muahammed. Yinusa was said to have expressed eagerness to see his daughter when he was told that the girl took after his complexion. “ Yinusa has been told about the birth of a baby girl by Ese Oruru. He was called from Kano and told that he has a daughter after the Internet pictures were confirmed to be true. He was very elated over the news and he immediately gave her the name Fatima after the daughter of Prophet Mohammed and because of the circumstances surrounding the birth of the girl, which he believes is divine. The name Fatima is the personification of high virtues and purity. As I talk to you, I can tell you that he is eagerly waiting to see the daughter”. However in an interview, the father of Ese, Mr. Charles Oruru said he is yet to give a name to his granddaughter. According to him the family has no money and it is not planning any naming ceremony in line with the tradition. Mr. Oruru who declared that he is not interested if Yinusa has been told about the birth of the baby said, the family is willing to forgive Yinusa if he shows remorse and apologises for his mistakes in abducting Ese to Kano. “I don’t want to know if he has been told about the birth of the girl and has given her a name. All I know is that I am yet to give her a name. We don’t have money, so we are not thinking of a naming ceremony. As I said before, we are grateful to God that she delivered safely. As for Yinusa he has not realized his mistakes for him to show remorse. He has to apologise for the whole world to hear before we would now talk of forgiveness because the case is beyond us now, the whole world is aware”

Igbo marginalisation: Obi urges S'East govs, leaders to speak out

Igbo marginalisation: Obi urges S’East govs, leaders to speak out — 28th May 2016 FROM PETRUS OBI, ENUGU FORMER governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has decried the inability of the South-East governors’ and other notable leaders of Igbo extraction to speak out on what is perceived as neglect of the people of the zone by the Federal Govern­ment. The former governor spoke during a public lecture with the theme, “Religion and Culture in Modern Igbo Context,” organised by the Alaigbo Development Foun­dation (ADF) at the Toscana Hotel, Enugu yesterday. Obi who harped on the growing need for Igbo to unite and speak with one voice also appealed to the traditional rulers and mem­bers of the clergy in the zone to quickly help to bring the Igbo people together, rather than allowing the politicians to talk on matters affecting the them. “When I was in office, it wasn’t easy to bring even the governors of the South-east together for our parleys but we achieved it, and for two years since we left, they’ve not been able to come to­gether. Our religious and tra­ditional leaders should come together and proffer solutions to this problem. “Another problem we have is that our means of engage­ment is very low. The quality of our politicians is very low and as such they can’t prof­fer solutions. For instance, in the Senate, we need quality people there. Today, we have very important committees in the senate. Rabiu Kwankwa­so, former governor of Kano is heading Planning, Dan­juma Goje, former governor of Gombe is heading Appro­priation and Wammako, and former governor of Sokoto is heading Education. Can you beat that? “I’m not just talking about political leaders. Our means of engagement is very low. For instance, is Prof Wole Soyinka an elected person? When he speaks, everybody listens. We have such people here but they have refused to be part of the engagement. Igbo need to work togeth­er. I’m urging the church to intervene and bring us to­gether. If we have our best in everything we do, it will augur well for us. For me, governance is about service, when I hear people saying different things at the same time, I simply shudder, I passed through the process and we were able to achieve a lot “Our means of engage­ment is very low, not just those elected, even the fol­lowers. We have to come out with the voices of quality. We must up our game”, he noted. Other leaders who la­mented the fate of Ndigbo in the present administration included Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Joe Nwaorgu and the organ­isation’s former President- General, Dozie Ikedife, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, the ADC to late Ikemba Odu­megwu Ojukwu, Bishop Obi Onubuogu; Archbish­ops of Catholic, Anglican and Methodist churches and other traditional rulers. They expressed dismay that the present administra­tion had relegated the Igbo to the background, noting that in the present arrange­ment, the people of the zone have been shut out from the nation’s security apparatus especially in the military and paramilitary, a development they insisted portends great danger for the peop

CAF slams 5-year ban on Chris Giwa, 4others

 CAF slams 5-year ban on Chris Giwa, 4 others — 28th May 2016 CONFEDERATION of African Football, CAF, has slammed a-five-year ban on embattled Chris Giwa and four others from participating in all foot­ball related activities nationally and continentally. The four others affected by the continental ban are: Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong. This was contained in a letter signed by CAF’s Secretary-General, Hicham El Amrani to NFF’s President Amaju Pinnick, and it states in parts: “CAF has well noted the decision of the NFF’s Dis­ciplinary Committee dated May 12 placing five(5) year ban from all football related activities for the following people. 1. Christopher Giwa 2. Muazu Suleyman 3. Yahaya Adama 4. Sani Fema 5. John­son Effiong.”

NEWSPAPERS REVIEW, FRIDAY, MAY 27 2016

NEWSPAPER REVIEW, Friday, May 27, 2016 NATIONAL MIRROR We’ll gat Omisore, insists Magu, EFCC boss Reps accuse oil companises of evading payment of 2billion dollars to FG Adeosun advocates cut in cost of governance We don’t have Buhari’s mandate to privatize refineries—Kachikwu 19,000 projects ababdoned in Nigeria, says ex—BPP boss 14 year old Ese Oruru puts to bed in Yenogoa BLUE PRINT Metuh ready to refund 400million naira---Family Oil firms evaded 2billion dollars taxes—Reps 14 year old Ese Oruru gives birth to baby girl PDP: Withdraw al suits, BoT tells Sheriff, Markafi Ex-Customs boss accuses CCT Chair of corruption Herders’ attacks: We’ve so far made 18 arrests---IGP Kawu joins Blueprint staff on national service AUTHORITY Niger Delta Avengers blow up 2 Chevron pipelines ...oil firm shuts down operations after attack....FG, Niger Delta leaders woo militants Criminal herdsmen must be fished out, says Okoroacha Jonathan Cousin’s Detention: EFCC inviting anarchy—Court May 27: Buhari unveils 105.7billion naira package for children Poor Reports: Auditor-General under fire Metuh’s life in danger, family cries out FG has delivered on its promises—Lai Mohammded International friendly: Eagles battle Mali in France today NATION Oil crisis gets worse as militants step up attacks Production down to 1.67m barrels as price rises above $50 EFCC gets 140 convictions in six months PDP BoT backs Makarfi’s caretaker panel Ese Oruru … it’s a baby girl Uduaghan urges dialogue with Avengers N940m for grazing reserves? Workers accuse Fayose of insincerity as strike begins ‘No plan to impeach Oyo Speaker’ Anambra PDP protesters demand certificates from INEC Buratai: herdsmen ‘affiliated’ to Boko Haram DAILY SUN Dasukigate: We’ll refund 400million naira—Metuh’s family PDP: Mantu group embraces Makarf, shuns Sheriff Full implementation of 2016 budget difficult—CBN Again, militants blow up Escravos pipeline Drama as G15 lawmakers resume sitting in Kogi Unregistered drugs likely cause of kidney, liver diseasdes--NAFDAC NLC: FG, Oshimhole dump Ajaero Ese Oruru gives birth to baby girl NIGERIAN PILOT Boko Haram now dress like herdsmen, Buratai warns Children’s Day: I’l protect children from violence, forced marriages—Buhari Reps: Oil companies owe FG 2billion dollars FG spent 64billion naira on foreign trips in 2015---Adeosun Corruption allegation: Metuh begs to refund 400million naira FRIDAY MAGAZINE: Rites galore as Benin awaits 38th Oba Annual Reports: Senate slams AGF, orders issuance of certificate to cleared MDAs LEADERSHIP Children’s programmes to gulp 12.6billion naira PMB vows to rout Boko Haram....to protect children against forced marriage Ex-militants to return for pipeline protection—FG Chibok Diary Day 771...Our advocacy continues until all Chibok Girls return Cover—Nigeria’s top ten Heritage Sites Senate slams Auditor-General over MDAs Annual Reports Oil companies owe Federal Government—2 billion dollars---Reps My travails in Sambisa Forest---Female Escapee PUNCH Don’t assess Buhari now, Reps urge Nigerians Nigeria built on fraudulent federalism, says Amosun 46% of households borrow to eat in North-East —UNDP NHRC probes Kano toddler’s torture Drama as 15 Kogi lawmakers hold session Nobody can arrest Jonathan, Ijaw youths tell Buhari Colonel jailed seven years for duping church of N34.5m Ezuruonye, Uti Nwachukwu’s messy secrets exposed US carrier, United Airlines, stops flights to Nigeria Rejected suitor remanded for allegedly killing lover High-tension wire kills school- leaver, injures landlord SPORTING SUN International Friendly: Eagles battle Mali in France At last, Red Devils capture Mourinho....special one is United’s 25th Manager Scandal! Russia names Sharapova for Olympics Balotteli returns to Liverpool Rio 2016: Gunners free Iwobi Nadal joins club 200 Nigerians pick Suarez best striker Arsenal opens 38million pounds bid for Morata. Good morning. TGIF and Happy Children's day.

Court orders worldwide freeze of $1.8billion in assets of kola Aluko and Jide Omokore-

27/05/2016 Court orders worldwide freeze of $1.8billion in assets of Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore - Sahara Reporters A federal high court in Lagos has granted a Mareva injunction permitting the Nigerian government to freeze assets owned by two Nigerian businessmen Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore, and their company Atlantic Energy. The individuals are linked to former Nigerian oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke in a wide range shady business dealings that illegally transferred Nigerian oil assets to them and their companies The legal documents, exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, demanded a global freeze of $1.8 billion in assets stolen by Atlantic Energy executives Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore. This development follows reports that Mr. Aluko sold his lavish Bel-Air mansion in Los Angeles, USA at a $2 million loss. Mr. Omikore has also been under intense scrutiny by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which seized a 2 million pound wristwatch from him on April 27th, 2016 and raided his Nigerian homes on October 2nd, 2015. Atlantic Energy was granted enormous contracts from the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) under the direction of the embattled former Minister for Petroleum Resources Madueke. According to reports, when Mrs. Madueke granted Atlantic Energy contracts through the Strategic Alliance Agreements (SAA) the company did not even legally exist. According to legal documents, available below, Mr. Aluko and Mr. Omikore stole more than $1.7 billion from the Nigerian government. Assets specifically mentioned include three mansions in Los Angeles, two high-end apartments in New York City, properties in Santa Barbara, California; numerous properties in Lagos including 43 apartments in Banana Island, 58 vehicles, the Galactica Star yacht, and three airplanes.

27/05/2016 🔴SOLEMN PRAYER🔴 Join me to pray for all our children. Please take a moment to say this prayer for your children My children (name them) are gifts and testimonies and for this, they shall be blessed in Spirit and Soul. Their bodies shall be full of vitality of the Lord, their lives are garnished with wealth & abundance, as they are experiencing peace all around. I shall not mourn over my children, because they are satisfied with long life, they shall live long and take care of me. They will eat the good of this land and any land they step their feet. The Lord will not take them where there is no grace. The Lord will keep us together as a united family and our relationships will be more fruitful than ever before. AMEN Send this declaration to ten parents and watch God bless your family richly and abundantly. You will make 10 or more parents to pray for their children. Please even if you have kids or you do not have kids, it doesn't matter just forward it... THANKS 🙏BLESS EVERY HOME🙏

House of Reps passes 19 critical Bills in one sitting.

27/05/2016 House of Reps passes 19 critical Bills in one sitting In continuation of its resolve to improve on the quality of bills and reduce the time frame within which they are passed, the House of Representatives on Thursday passed 19 bills. The bills, which, however, require concurrence of the senate and presidential assent to be made laws, cover serious areas of concentration of the present administration including anti-corruption, national minimum wage, strengthening of small and medium businesses, manufacturing sector, among others. It will be recalled that the House only recently passed 130 bills through first reading on the same day. Many of those bills, it will be noted, have scaled through further legislative processes. Some of the bills that were passed on Thursday include the bill for an Act to amend the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences act, a bill for an Act to Amend the Dangerous Drugs Act, a Bill for an Act to amend the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund Act and a bill for an Act to amend the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act to modify the definition of Bank and Money Instrument, review the composition of the commission and harmonise the tenure of offices of members. Also passed were a bill for an Act to Establish the National Child Protection and Enforcement Agency, a bill to Amend the provisions of the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency Act and a bill for an Act to Amend the Value Added Tax Act to review upwards the fines and penalties specified for offences under Act. Another very relevant bill that was passed by the House is that of an Act to Regulate the Rights and Obligations under Tenancy Agreements and the relationship between the landlord and the tenant, including the procedure for recovery of premises in the Federal Capital Territory and other related matters.

President Mugabe pardons all female prisoners in Zimbabwe.

 

  President Mugabe Pardons All Female Prisoners In Zimbabwe May 26th, 2016 by admin bvf In an amnesty published in Government Gazette No 36, general notice 85/2016, Mugabe pardoned all convicted female prisoners regardless of offences, with the exception of a few serving life sentences. “A full remission of remaining imprisonment is, hereby, granted to all female prisoners regardless of offences committed, save for those sentenced to life imprisonment and to death,” part of the order reads. Chikurubi Female Prison, which was home to 246 prisoners, released 139 inmates yesterday. Some of the prisoners were due to serve lengthy jail terms for murder, fraud and armed robbery. Those who remained behind are inmates still on remand and a few foreigners, who will be released to their respective governments. Mosline Chakamufuna (25), who was sentenced two weeks ago to 10 years in prison for murdering her child, was one of the beneficiaries of the presidential pardon. She joins Adlaidy Murombo (21), who was jailed for 10 years in 2014 for attempted murder, after striking her uncle with an iron bar in the eye. Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) acting public relations officer, Superintendent Priscilla Mthembo said more than 2 000 inmates were likely to benefit from the latest presidential pardon. “We don’t have the total figure at the moment because the verification process is still going on, but we expect over 2 000 prisoners to be released under the amnesty order issued by the President,” she said. For male prisoners, Mugabe pardoned all those who are under the age of 18 regardless of offences committed, and those over the age of 60, who have served two-thirds of their prison terms and all inmates in open prison. Terminally-ill prisoners, who were unlikely to survive their prison terms, were fully pardoned regardless of offences. At Chikurubi Farm Prison, there was still uncertainty, as prison officers were still compiling names of beneficiaries, particularly those jailed for stocktheft, who have served a third of their sentence. The officer-in-charge of the male prison, Superintendent Tonderai Magwaza, said so far, he had vetted 190 prisoners, who would be released. Male inmates convicted of murder, rape, armed robbery and treason were not part of those pardoned. The jail, which has a holding capacity of 560 inmates, currently has 681 prisoners. Mthembo said the amnesty had the effect of decongesting the 46 prisons around the country, which were currently overpopulated by nearly 16%. Currently, the correctional facilities have a population of 19 900 inmates, although their total holding capacity is just 17 000. Source http://www.todaynewsreview.com

ABOUT DIABETES.

26/05/2016
  What is peripheral vascular disease? Diabetes is associated with poor circulation (blood flow). Inadequate blood flow increases the healing time for cuts and sores. Peripheral vascular disease refers to compromised blood flow in the arms and legs. Poor blood flow increases the risk that infections will not heal. This, in turn, increases the risk of ulcers and gangrene, which is tissue death that occurs in a localized area when there is an inadequate blood supply.
Elevated blood glucose levels can cause foot problems. A doctor tests for feeling on a patient's foot. A foot with ulcers due to the loss of adequate blood circulation to the feet. A diabetes check box. Athlete's foot is a fungus that causes itching, redness, and cracking. Nails infected with a fungus may become discolored, thick and brittle, and may separate from the rest of the nail. Calluses are a build-up of hard skin, usually on the underside of the foot caused by an uneven distribution of weight. Corns are a build-up of hard skin near a bony area of a toe or between toes. Blisters can form when your shoes rub the same spot on your foot.
Bunions form when the big toe angles toward the second toe and becomes red and callused (where the big toe joins the rest of the foot), usually due to wearing shoes with narrow toes. Dry skin can crack, allowing germs to enter. An infected foot ulceration requiring surgery to drain the underlying abscess. A hammertoe is a toe that is bent because of a weakened muscle that makes the tendons shorter, causing the toes to curl under the feet. Ingrown toenails occur when the edges of the nail grow into the skin causing redness, swelling, pain, drainage, and infection. Plantar warts look like calluses on the ball of the foot or on the heel and are caused by a virus that infects the outer layer of skin. Learn how to prevent foot problems if you have diabetes. Take care of your diabetes by keeping your blood glucose level within the range recommended by your doctor. Check and examine your feet every day. Wash your feet every day and keep them nice and moisturized by applying lotion. Smooth corns and calluses with an emery board or pumice stone. Check and trim your toenails once a week. Wear socks or stockings and proper shoes at all times. Put your feet up to maintain good blood flow. Smoking can make blood flow problems worse. Visit your doctor or podiatrist for regular check-ups on your feet, even if you don't have any foot problems. A nurse receives a call for a patient appointment. Loading Next Slideshow What are common foot problems of people with diabetes? The following images show common foot problems that anyone can get; however, those with diabetes are at increased risk for serious complications associated with these conditions, including infection and even amputation. Athlete's foot Fungal infection of the feet is called athlete's foot. Cracked skin, itching, and redness are associated with the condition. Fungus enters cracks in the skin causing an infection that must be treated with antifungal medications. Oral medications or topical creams may be used to treat athlete's foot.
 Fungal nail infection Thick, brittle, yellow-brown, or opaque nails are common with fungal nail infections. The infected area may crumble or seem to pull away from the rest of the nail. Fungus thrives in the warm, moist, dark environment created by wearing closed-toed shoes. Nail injury also increases the risk of fungal nail infection. These infections are difficult, but not impossible, to treat. Oral medications work best to treat fungal nail infections. Topical treatments are only effective for a few types of fungal nail infections. Sometimes, surgery is necessary to remove infected areas of the nail.
Calluses are hard areas of thickened skin that build up on the bottom of the feet. Uneven weight distribution, a skin abnormality, or ill-fitting shoes may cause calluses. Use these tips to care for calluses: Rub the area with pumice stone after a shower or bath. Ask your doctor the best way to do this. Place cushioned insoles or pads in shoes. Ask your doctor about prescription medication to soften calluses. It's normal to have some calluses. It's important to never try to cut a callus using a sharp object. Doing so can cause serious injury.
Corns A corn is a thickened, button-like area of skin that builds up between the toes or near a bony area of a toe. Pressure and friction cause corns. Use these tips to care for corns: Rub the area with a pumice stone after a shower or bath. Consult your doctor before doing this. Avoid over-the-counter corn removal treatments. Never try to cut the corn with a sharp object. Doing so can cause serious injury.
 Blisters are raised, fluid-filled areas of skin that form due to friction. Popping a blister is not a good way to treat it since the skin covering the area helps guard against infection. To care for a blister, keep the area clean, apply antibacterial cream or ointment, and cover it with a bandage to reduce the risk of infection. 
 Bunions A bunion is a sore, red, callused area that forms on the outside of the joint of the big toe. Bunions make the big toe angle inward. They may appear on both feet and tend to run in families. Wearing high-heeled shoes with inadequate toe room increases the risk of bunions by pushing the big toes into an unnatural position. Covering the bunion with padding or a foam cushion helps protect it. Special toe separators and other devices may be used to keep the toes in proper alignment. If the bunion is very painful or unsightly, surgery may be used to alleviate the symptoms.
Dry skin Dry, cracked skin allows bacteria and other germs to enter your body, potentially causing an infection. Moisturizing soaps, lotions, and other products can help keep the skin barrier soft, intact, and healthy. 
 Foot ulcers Foot ulcers are dangerous wounds that can affect people with diabetes. When a minor scrape, skin break, or sore on the foot becomes infected, a sore can result. In people who have diabetes, sores heal slowly or fail to heal. Early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to reduce the risk of complications. Your doctor is the best source of information on how to properly care for a foot sore.
Hammertoes Weakened muscles in the toes contribute to the curled appearance known as "hammertoes." This weakness shortens the tendons in the toes, causing them to contract. Hammertoes can be hereditary. They can also be caused by wearing shoes that are too small and provide inadequate toe room. Hammertoes can cause foot problems such as calluses, sores, blisters, and difficulty walking. Corrective footwear and splints can help reposition and treat hammertoes. Sometimes surgery may be needed to straighten the affected toes.
 Ingrown toenail Ingrown toenails derive their name from growing into the skin along the edges of the nail. An ingrown toenail may cause pain, pressure, and even cut into the skin leading to an infection. Wearing tight or ill-fitting shoes increases the risk of ingrown toenails. High-impact activities such as running and aerobics may contribute to the problem. Walking, toe crowding, and inadequately trimmed toe nails may also cause ingrown toenails. The best way to prevent ingrown toenails is to keep the nails trimmed. Professional medical treatment is necessary if an ingrown toenail is severe or if there is an infection. Sometimes surgery is necessary to remove the affected part of the nail and the growth plate from which the nail grows. 
 Plantar warts Thickened areas on the soles of the feet that have small black spots or pinholes are likely plantar warts. Plantar warts are caused by a virus. The affected patches of skin are painful and may occur alone or in clusters. It's a bad idea to use over-the-counter remedies to treat a wart. When in doubt, a doctor can determine if a lesion is a callus or a plantar wart.
Can these foot problems be prevented? Taking good care of your feet can prevent problems before they start! Use the following tips to reduce your risk of common foot problems and serious complications associated with them.  Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #1 Living with diabetes requires you to pay special attention to your health and your condition, Follow your doctor's instructions regarding diet, exercise and medication. Keeping your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the recommended range is one of the best things you can do to control your condition and protect your feet.
 Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #2 Carefully inspect your feet daily for redness, blisters, sores, calluses, and other signs of irritation. Daily foot checks are especially important if you have inadequate blood flow.
Elevated blood glucose levels can cause foot problems. A doctor tests for feeling on a patient's foot. A foot with ulcers due to the loss of adequate blood circulation to the feet. A diabetes check box.
Athlete's foot is a fungus that causes itching, redness, and cracking. Nails infected with a fungus may become discolored, thick and brittle, and may separate from the rest of the nail. Calluses are a build-up of hard skin, usually on the underside of the foot caused by an uneven distribution of weight. Corns are a build-up of hard skin near a bony area of a toe or between toes.
 Blisters can form when your shoes rub the same spot on your foot. Bunions form when the big toe angles toward the second toe and becomes red and callused (where the big toe joins the rest of the foot), usually due to wearing shoes with narrow toes. Dry skin can crack, allowing germs to enter. An infected foot ulceration requiring surgery to drain the underlying abscess. A hammertoe is a toe that is bent because of a weakened muscle that makes the tendons shorter, causing the toes to curl under the feet. Ingrown toenails occur when the edges of the nail grow into the skin causing redness, swelling, pain, drainage, and infection. Plantar warts look like calluses on the ball of the foot or on the heel and are caused by a virus that infects the outer layer of skin. Learn how to prevent foot problems if you have diabetes. Take care of your diabetes by keeping your blood glucose level within the range recommended by your doctor. Check and examine your feet every day. Wash your feet every day and keep them nice and moisturized by applying lotion. Smooth corns and calluses with an emery board or pumice stone. Check and trim your toenails once a week. Wear socks or stockings and proper shoes at all times. Put your feet up to maintain good blood flow. Smoking can make blood flow problems worse. Visit your doctor or podiatrist for regular check-ups on your feet, even if you don't have any foot problems. A nurse receives a call for a patient appointment. Loading Next Slideshow Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #3 Follow these foot care tips to properly care for your feet: Wash your feet daily with non-irritating soap and warm water. Avoid soaking your feet. Dry your feet completely after bathing, paying special attention to the areas between the toes. Avoid applying lotion to the areas between the toes. Ask your doctor which lotion is best for your skin type and health condition.
Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #4 After bathing, use a pumice stone or emery board to smooth hardened areas of the feet that contain corns and calluses. Working in one direction is most effective. Consult your doctor on the proper way to use a pumice or emery board.
Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #5 Use the following toenail care tips to help prevent ingrown toenails. Once a week, examine your toenails. Trim toenails straight across using a nail clipper. Avoid rounding or trimming down the sides of toenails. Smooth rough nail edges with an emery board after clipping. Consult your doctor for the proper way to care for your toenails.
Elevated blood glucose levels can cause foot problems. A doctor tests for feeling on a patient's foot. A foot with ulcers due to the loss of adequate blood circulation to the feet. A diabetes check box. Athlete's foot is a fungus that causes itching, redness, and cracking. Nails infected with a fungus may become discolored, thick and brittle, and may separate from the rest of the nail.
Calluses are a build-up of hard skin, usually on the underside of the foot caused by an uneven distribution of weight. Corns are a build-up of hard skin near a bony area of a toe or between toes.
Blisters can form when your shoes rub the same spot on your foot. Bunions form when the big toe angles toward the second toe and becomes red and callused (where the big toe joins the rest of the foot), usually due to wearing shoes with narrow toes. Dry skin can crack, allowing germs to enter. An infected foot ulceration requiring surgery to drain the underlying abscess. A hammertoe is a toe that is bent because of a weakened muscle that makes the tendons shorter, causing the toes to curl under the feet. Ingrown toenails occur when the edges of the nail grow into the skin causing redness, swelling, pain, drainage, and infection. Plantar warts look like calluses on the ball of the foot or on the heel and are caused by a virus that infects the outer layer of skin. Learn how to prevent foot problems if you have diabetes. Take care of your diabetes by keeping your blood glucose level within the range recommended by your doctor. Check and examine your feet every day. Wash your feet every day and keep them nice and moisturized by applying lotion. Smooth corns and calluses with an emery board or pumice stone. Check and trim your toenails once a week. Wear socks or stockings and proper shoes at all times. Put your feet up to maintain good blood flow. Smoking can make blood flow problems worse. Visit your doctor or podiatrist for regular check-ups on your feet, even if you don't have any foot problems. A nurse receives a call for a patient appointment. Loading Next Slideshow Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #6 Proper footwear, socks, and stockings can go a long way to help protect your feet. Follow these tips: Choose well-fitting socks and stockings that contain soft elastic. Wear socks to bed if your feet get chilly. Avoid sandals and walking barefoot, even at home. Wear properly-fitting shoes. Choose shoes made of soft materials – such as leather or canvas – and take time to brea
 Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #7 Follow these tips to keep blood flowing to your feet: If you can, prop your feet up when sitting down Wiggle your toes frequently. Take frequent breaks to flex and point your toes and circle your feet in both directions. Avoid crossing your legs, especially for long periods.
Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #8 Avoid smoking and if you do smoke, quit. Smoking aggravates blood flow problems.
Diabetes and Foot Problems Prevention Tip #9 People who have diabetes should see a foot doctor (podiatrist) every 2 to 3 months, even when not experiencing foot problems. At each check-up, ask the doctor to thoroughly examine your feet. An annual foot exam should include:
An examination of the tops and bottoms of the feet and in between the toes An assessment of skin warmth and redness An assessment of pulses in the feet and temperature of the feet An assessment of sensation using a monofilament tool.
 When should I contact my doctor? Call your doctor if you notice any of the following with your feet: Changes in skin color or temperature Foot or ankle swelling The appearance of corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, infected toenails, or dry, cracked skin Leg pain Foul-smelling, persistent, or unusual foot odor Ingrown toenails or toenails infected with fungus Oozing, open sores that appear to be draining and/or are slow to heal [8:38PM, When should I contact my doctor?
Call your doctor if you notice any of the following with your feet: Changes in skin color or temperature Foot or ankle swelling The appearance of corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, infected toenails, or dry, cracked skin Leg pain Foul-smelling, persistent, or unusual foot odor Ingrown toenails or toenails infected with fungus Oozing, open sores that appear to be draining and/or are slow to heal

THISDAYLive Home Breaking Stocks Rise, Naira Falls to N350/$ as Investors Await Flexible Forex Policy May 26, 2016 2 10107 17

 Senate laments economic recession, summons finance minister, CBN governor Goddy Egene, Obinna Chima in Lagos, Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Nigerian equities market appreciated to about five-month high wednesday as positive sentiments continued to trail the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) plan to introduce a flexible foreign exchange policy. But feeling that the economy was regressing, the Senate yesterday summoned the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, and the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to brief it on the monetary and fiscal policies the executive arm had adopted to salvage the economy. In the equity market, however, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index surged 3.8 per cent to close at 28,260.61, while market capitalisation added N353.4 billion to be at N9.7 trillion. The market had gained 0.80 per cent on Tuesday when the decision was taken. However, the naira dipped on the parallel market in reaction to the central bank’s pronouncement as it fell to N350 to a dollar yesterday, weaker than the N346 to a dollar it closed the previous day. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN announced on Tuesday that it voted unanimously to adopt a flexible exchange rate policy, while retaining a small window (from the CBN) for critical transactions. This, it said, would be made public in the coming days. To analysts at Lagos-based CSL Stockbrokers Limited, the move by members of the MPC appeared to be a formalisation of the parallel market, adding that it was in line with what they had been expecting for the currency. Its report said: “The flexible interbank exchange rate is likely to be far lower than the rate at which the CBN has been selling dollars to banks. We think this rate is initially likely to be around the current parallel market rate of N340/US$1 as pent-up demand for hard currency is released onto the market. “Over time, the move is likely to increase the supply of US$ liquidity to the interbank market as remitters and exporters are likely to be more willing to sell dollars at the lower interbank rate. Similarly, we believe that investors who have been sitting on the sidelines for fear of not being able to get hard currency out of the economy will now be more willing to commit. With this increased supply, we expect that the flexible interbank market rate will gradually appreciate towards N310-N320/US$1. “Overall this greater flexibility will be positive for the economy as it will improve access to foreign exchange (albeit at a higher rate) for firms which have been struggling to buy hard currency. The inflationary impact, we believe, will be fairly limited because many importers who were accessing dollars were already doing so on the inefficient parallel market.” On their part, analysts at Ecobank Nigeria Limited pointed out that while it might be difficult to fully dimension the full impact of the expected adjustment in the operation of the interbank foreign exchange market, they opined that the flexible interbank exchange rate was likely to be above the current rate of $1/N197, at which the CBN had been selling dollars to banks. They predicted that the expected currency adjustment would be around the current parallel market rate of N340/US$1 as pent-up demand for dollar was released onto the market. “The effectiveness of this policy is likely to depend on the size of the allocation to ‘critical sectors’ (as well as the sectors that fall into this category) and the amount that is left available for the newly-autonomous interbank market. The system could be open to abuse. However, this opportunity to roundtrip is not new and has been available under the system that was in place until today’s announcement,” Ecobank analysts said. But the Managing Director/Head of Research for Africa at Standard Chartered Bank, Razia Khan, in a note to THISDAY, pointed out that markets dislike uncertainty, and urged the central bank not to delay the announcement of the policy change. According to him, “The talk of maintaining a small window for transactions for critical sectors is a concern. Any two-tier forex rate would still introduce a distortion in the system, and even with the best will in the world, still encourage round-tripping. If support were to be given to critical sectors, it would be far better to find a less-distortionary means of doing so.” Analysts at Renaissance Capital in a note yesterday, stated that the ideal scenario would be for the central bank to let the market set the new interbank forex rate without restriction, and in so doing, allow for an appropriate level to be found. They said: “We think this is somewhere between the fair values suggested by our two real effective exchange rate models – N255/$1 and the longer dated one, at N315/$1. At this new price for the naira, demand and supply would be brought into equilibrium through a decrease in forex demand (rationing effect) and increase in forex supply (the incentive effect). “This would imply short-term pain, not least because of the inflationary effect, and high interest rates. But we believe decent growth would return, particularly given the low base effect. “We believe the central bank may set a ceiling for the interbank forex rate, or specify a band within which the naira may trade. If the ceiling or band proves to be too low, say N240/$1, only limited forex liquidity will come into this market, and the interbank forex rate would soon hit the ceiling, or weak end of the band.” At the Senate, however, senators expressed grave concern over the state of the economy, summoning the Minister of Finance, Adeosun, and the CBN governor, Emefiele, to brief them on the monetary/fiscal policies that the executive arm had adopted to salvage the worsening economic situation. The resolution followed a motion by Senator Bassey Akpan (Akwa Ibom North-east), who reviewed the economic score card recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which he said showed that the economy had relapsed into a recession with a decline of 0.3 per cent year-on-year real terms. He said the scorecard showed a drastic drop from 2.11 per cent in the gross domestic product (GDP) of the fourth quarter of 2015. According to him, unemployment rate rose from 10.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2015 to 12.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, while underemployment also rose from 18.7 per cent in the same period to 19.1 per cent. Furthermore, he said inflation rose from 9.6 per cent in January 2016 to 13.8 per cent in April 2016, while prices of commodities had continued to be on a geometric rise. Akpan said aside the high inflation rate, the declining GDP and rising unemployment rate were indices of unfruitful economic policies, which he said required an urgent review if the government cared to avert further economic recession. The senator also argued that the current economic situation was the first major crisis of the Nigerian economy since 2004, which he said the CBN classified as 12-year low, while the World Bank called it 21-year low. He also recalled how the CBN had in March 2016, deployed a contracting monetary policy, which he said increased the benchmark for interest rate from 11 per cent to 12 per cent and also raised the cash reserve ratio from 20 per cent to 22.5 per cent, querying the rationale behind the contracting monetary policy instead of expanding it to boost economic activities at such a precarious times like this. Akpan said if the persistent complacent state of the Nigerian economy continued unchecked, it would graduate into a full blown economic recession at the end of June 2016 in accordance with CBN alert, adding that non-availability of forex to boost the importation of raw materials for Nigeria’s domestic industries would only worsen the current unemployment and poverty rates in the country. The senator further lamented that the declining oil production in the Niger Delta to the tune of 800,000 barrels per day against the backdrop of projected 2.2 million barrels per day as a result of the damages to oil pipelines, coupled with the incapacity of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to meet their revenue targets as a result of cash crunch, would further worsen the situation. Noting that naira had been completely devalued in accordance with the newly announced forex flexibility by the CBN while the exchange rate approved in the medium term and expenditure framework (MTEF) 2016-2018 remained N197 to $1, Akpan said the fate of ordinary Nigerians on the streets was uncertain. He concluded his debate, saying that in view of the current economic recession, achieving key revenue projections in 2016 budget would be an illusion as he advocated the urgent need to strategise against budget deficit or poor implementation in this fiscal year. Senate President Bukola Saraki, who presided over the session before later yielding his seat to his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, while on his way to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), disallowed a debate on the motion to avoid tension among the All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators. However, while seconding the motion, Senator Biodun Olujinmi (Ekiti South) noted that the executive arm had no feasible economic policy. According to her, everything was wrong with the economy, which she said had resulted in belated devaluation of the naira, insisting that Adeosun and Emefiele must not just appear before the Senate but that they must also come up with the federal government’s economic blue print. But despite agitations from the floor by senators to debate the motion, Saraki declined the demand, saying merely passing a resolution through a voice vote to summon the government officials was enough. Thus, when the issue was eventually put to a voice vote, it was passed amid dissenting voices. The Senate also expressed concern over the indiscriminate dissolution of local government councils and their frequent replacement with caretaker committees by state governors. It said the trend had always resulted in low morale and poor performance of the councils to the detriment of the people at the grassroots.