Banks sack 8,663 workers in first half of 2017

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, has revealed that no fewer than 8,663 banks’ employees lost their jobs in the first half of 2017.
The agency disclosed in a report released on Sunday that an average of 360 workers have been sacked every week from January to June 2017, stating that the figures were higher in the first quarter and lower in the second.
The report entitled: ‘Selected Banking Sector Data: Sectorial Breakdown of Credit, ePayment Channels and Staff Strength’ has it that a total of 8,663 persons lost their jobs and more contract staff were employed during the period.

Banks lobby

In the first quarter of 2017, there were 174 executive staff but the figure reduced to 161 in the second quarter.
From 20,483 senior staff in the first quarter, the number dropped to 19,826 in the second quarter.
The drop was larger in the junior staff category where the number dropped to 33,783 in the second quarter from 36,202 in the first quarter.
However, the bureau pointed out that the number of contract staff increased from 20,237 in the first quarter to 21,837 in the second quarter.

DPO arrested over escape of suspected ritualist

A Divisional Police Officer in Rivers State has been arrested on the orders of the State Police Command for his alleged involvement in the escape of one Ifeanyi Dike (pictured) who killed an eight-year-old for alleged money ritual, Punchng reports.
.A reliable police source disclosed that the DPO, who was arrested on Monday, was deeply involved in telephone calls between him and Johnbosco Okoroeze, a dismissed police sergeant, which indicated that there was a premeditated action by him to allow the suspected ritual killer to escape.
.It was gathered that while preparations were ongoing by both the father of the deceased, Dr. Ernest Nmezuwuba, and the suspect (Dike) to write their statements, several calls were received from the said DPO by Okoroeze.

Uniport

.The top police source said, “We have enough evidence to believe that the DPO was working hand in hand with the ex-sergeant, who has been remanded in police custody. The DPO has been arrested.
Even the father of the girl that was killed had said that there was communication with the IPO (dismissed sergeant) handling the matter and somebody that has not been disclosed. This happened while they were bringing the suspected ritual killer to the State Police Headquarters.
.All these and many more will serve as evidence against the DPO, who we believe has a lot to explain about his possible involvement in the escape of Ifeanyi Dike, who killed an eight-year-old boy, ostensibly for money ritual.”
Ifeanyi Dike had allegedly raped, killed and removed vital organs of an eight-year-old girl, Victory Chikamso, before escaping from police custody. He was able to escape because one of the policemen on duty on Saturday night had unlocked the handcuffs for him to write his statement.

Police abort Uber's driver from diving into lagos lagoon

Hammed Olojo, 31 was on Sunday afternoon restrained by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad on patrol of Third Mainland Bridge from jumping into the Lagoon.
.Olojo, who drove himself to the Third mainland Bridge in a Uber Toyota Corolla saloon car, belonging to Kalejaiye Oluwaseyi, had written a short note and left it in the car when he was restrained by the officers who monitored him a while before walking up to him.

uba driver

.Questioned by RRS Commander, ACP Tunji Disu on why he contemplated suicide, Olojo, an ex – convict, explained that he was owing N10,000 in Court 3, Ikeja High Court and the owner of the vehicle N80,000. He stated that things have been difficult for him and that he had tried all possible means to survive with no success.
Olojo disclosed that his wife persuaded him from going ahead with his plan but his mind was made up and was fed up of everything. Olojo, had planned to leave behind a short note in Yoruba and translated into English in the car before leaping into the Lagos Lagoon.

Suicide note

The letter read in part “I killed myself because of the challenges I have been facing in life. I tried my best and everything has come to nothing”. The car owners, Kalejaiye who was at RRS office in company of his wife noted that for two weeks, he had not remitted N40,000 per week lease to him yet and he Kalejaiye, has been paying for the service of the car.
.He noted that although, he told him to hand over the car last Thursday, at no time did he force him not to drive the car. He noted that he was aware that he had a court case, at no time did he put him under pressure about the car.
In the note which was dated 27th August, 2017 and signed by him, Olojo indicated his phone number and the car owner’s number. Confirming the development, Police PRO stated that the case had been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

Motorist condemn poor state of Asaba-Onitsha expressway

Motorists plying the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway have decried the poor state of the road and called on the government to come to their aid.
As a result of how bad the road has become, gridlocks have become a constant and motorists spend hours just to get through.
This has taken a toll on their activities and their businesses and many of them do not think they can continue to go through the nightmare.
In reaction to the gridlock, security operatives have been drafted to the area to ensure order and improve the flow of traffic.

Asaba Onitsha road

Unfortunately, some of them take advantage of the situation.
Apart from the potholes on the road, some motorists accused the security operatives of worsening the situation by stopping trucks to collect money from the drivers.
The Delta State government believes that the devolution of powers to states will help solve the problem.
Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said, “The Federal Government tends to have carried so much load that they cannot shoulder. If you have an amount of federal roads across the 36 states and you don’t have enough time to attend to them, why not leave those roads for the states and then let the money you are taken on account of that also move to the states in which case the states are able to address them?”

Nigerian biggest tomatoe factory lay idle

At a state-of-the-art plant in northern Nigeria, shiny machines stand next to a conveyor belt ready to crush tomatoes to satisfy the country’s insatiable demand for tomato paste.
But a lonely cleaner mopping the floor is the only sign of activity in Nigeria’s biggest tomato factory, equipped with the latest Italian and German technology. There aren’t enough tomatoes to run it.
It’s a powerful symbol of Nigeria’s uphill challenge to build up agricultural production and end costly food imports to feed its 190 million people. The West African nation imports staples from milk to wheat to tomato paste, with funds it mainly earns from exporting oil.
The conglomerate of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, launched the plant in March 2016, contracting Italian engineers working for months on a 350 euro-a-day allowances to set up the machines outside Kano, the main city in the north.

Dangote tomatoes

On paper this looked like a smart move as Nigeria imports up to 400,000 tonnes of tomato paste annually. The tinned paste is an ingredient in Nigerian tomato stew, used as the base for a host of traditional meat stews, sauces, soups and rice dishes that are staples of Nigerian cooking.
Dangote Group had thought of every technical detail, even setting up a control room linking its engineers to experts in Italy in case there was a problem.
But it underestimated the difficulties involved in getting tomatoes, despite signing deals with some 5,000 farmers guaranteeing them to pay more than the market price.
Lacking fertilizers and working with their bare hands, the farmers have been unable to produce the quality and quantity the plant needs to make paste. Much of the last season’s output was wiped out by a pest.
The plant has been so far unable to find other supplies despite Nigeria producing some 1.5 million tonnes of tomatoes annually. A lack of good roads due to decades of corruption means tomatoes would perish on the way. Half of the country’s output gets wasted.
Barely a few weeks, the plant has been standing idle, said its frustrated manager said A.L. Kaito, the managing director of Dangote Farms in charge of the plant.
“We are trying to weather out the storm, the cost is horrendous,” said Kaito. “It’s a nightmare.”
Dangote spent some 4 billion naira ($12.74 million) on the plant and now plans to set up its own tomato cultivation scheme for around ten billion naira to cover up to 70 percent of its needs, buying land and tractors. Experts from Israel, Mexico and Spain will be flown in.
PROBLEMS
The tomato plant hopes to restart work in January at just half of its capacity of 1,200 tonnes a day after the next season, in the meantime costing 5 million naira every month.
Dangote has kept workers sitting at home on the payroll: the Italians spent months training them on the new machines.
The investment is paltry for its owner, who is spending billions of dollars on cement plants, sugar and rice schemes across Africa. His cement business alone posted revenues worth in 615 billion naira in 2016.
But for President Muhammadu Buhari the idle plant is a major setback after another tomato factory in Lagos threw in the towel in November 2016, unable to import tomatoes due to a lack of hard currency as Nigeria struggles with recession.
Buhari had, since his election in 2015, made it a priority to end dependency on food under the motto: “We must produce what we eat.”
To encourage agriculture investments like the Dangote plant, the government has waived duties for greenhouse and processing equipment.
It is also giving subsidies to rice farmers and is considering expanding the scheme to tomato growers, a senior official in the federal ministry of agriculture said.
Officials had hoped to create jobs in agriculture to fight poverty in the north where some unemployed young men have joined an eight-year insurgency by Boko Haram jihadists.
But experts and farmers say, after decades of corruption holding back road and electricity projects and an obsession with producing oil, it will take time to improve the tomato output.
Low quality seed and a lack of power for pumping water means tomatoes can be grown only during the dry season, which creates a glut in March.
Farmers then lay out their tomatoes alongside highways hoping motorists will buy them. Anything that does not get sold within 24 hours is usually wasted due to a lack of cold storage.
They also ship some to Lagos, the southern megacity 1,000 km (600 miles) south of the factory. A basket of tomatoes sells for 2,000 naira in Lagos, but only around 10 percent of that ends up in farmers’ pockets as traders and truckers take their cut.
“We don’t have fertilizers and there is no power for cold rooms,” said Sani Yadakwari, chairman of the some 10,000 tomato farmers in Kano state. “We need subsidies for our production.”
Dangote has been supplying farmers with a Dutch seed which is expected to gradually boost the yield to 50 tonnes of tomatoes a hectare from 10 to 15 tonnes now, said Kaito.
But Adamu Sani, an agronomist working for the World Bank, was sceptical production would rise soon as farmers needed to get trained to use the new seeds which had not been tested yet on a large scale in Nigeria.
Dangote calls the plant the biggest in Africa. But the size might be a disadvantage: “The minimum capacity of the Dangote plant is too high for the little volumes you can get from farmers,” Sani said.
Reuter

ACLEVS and Ughwanogho foundation organizes 2017 urhobo challenge final

         by Eduje Martins.

The Africa Centre for Leadership, Entrepreneurship and vocational studies (ACLEVS) in conjuction with Dr Ovie Ughwanogho foundation (DOUF) recently put together a competitive programme Theme: “catch them young” for young talented Urhobo speaking students drawn from various schools across the 25 local Government Areas of Delta state at the main Hall of Government College Ugheili where a staged competition to determine their fluency in urhobo language was put to test.  

Comr. Marcus Ekure, Director Africa for Leadership, Entrepreneurship and vocational studies (ACLEVS) in an opening speech told the congregation how the ACLEVS has been existing since 2010 and the purpose of the NGO. He further explains how they train youth in various endeavors and empowering them, and the challenges they have been facing as an organization. He said the organization is out to teach youth how to fish not to give them fish, since the foundation of every child needs to be satisfied, he also said the organization has created jobs to jobless graduate in the society through their Data base. That most of these youth caught young are working in different places with the skills and talent given to them.

DR.Ughwanogho & COMR. Marcus

Comr. Marcus who said the most difficult challenge that the organization was a bus and laptop computers for office use and to reach people but today the problem has been solved a God sent Philatropist/Achiever who has been monitoring the organization (ACLEVS) on nets and that person is Dr. Ovie Ughwanogho, the Director, Dr. Ovie Ughwanogho foundation (DOUF) and the Sponsor and initiator of the days program.

The initiator of the program Urhobo Challenge 2017 Dr. Ovie Ughwangho appreciated all that were presented during the Leadership of Late Chief Mukoro of blessed memory and past Urhobo Leaders of old who exemplify good leadership because they were transparent, truthful and Straight forward. They Fought for the progress of Urhobo Land. They built Urhobo College and sent Mr. Ejaife to the United Kingdom (UK) for Studies and returned home as the first principal of Urhobo College Effurun, with the first Urhobo Graduate in 1948.

Dr. Ovie Ughwanogho said he like dealing with the real Urhobos that are truthful, Striaght forward, intense and polite in their doings, that the known urhobo to him are those that are ready to develop Urhobo land without creed and selfishness.

He further stressed on the unknown Urhobo as the opposite that are not proud of their culture, full of Destruction, Creed and Selfishness, Political thuggery or Political Jobbers and involve in Kidnapping and cultism. That these set of Urhobo does not represent the interest of Urhobo nation.

Dr. Ovie Ughwangho said “The Urhobo we try to build today are the truthful and self assure ones that can represent the interest of the Urhobo’s that can present the best not being the best alone, provide solutions and the objective of building the Urhobo Nation”.

The representative of the Hon Commissioner for Basic Education Dr. Onokpa (P.S) said Urhobo Language has been approved by the state government into the school curriculum as from Sept. 2017. He however appreciates the initiative of Dr. Ovie Ughwanogho for such a wonderful programme in developing the Urhobo Students. He also promised the state government readiness to partner with the organization when the need arises.

The Urhobo Challenge Competition which started a Month ago came to an end today 26^th August, 2017 with Nine(9) Student Competing for  1^st , 2^nd and 3^rd Position. These students are:

1. Micheal Amos – Egbo Urie Grammer School

2. Onome Emmaculate – Baptist High School.

3. Oghene Yonre Akpevweoghene – Avhawarinhien Grammar School.

4. Omonigho Raphel – Erho Secondary School Abraka.

5. Okabure Joy- Okpare mixed Secondary School, Okpara

6. Otuaga Maria – Delta State mixed Secondary school

7. Okpako Confidence –Okpare Secondary School, Olomo

8. Iboyi Oyiwike Comfort – Nehemiah  int. School, Okuokoko

9. Irikefe Oghenetega –Alegbo Secondary School, Effurun.

The nine contestants that contested for the finals

The Competition which was first of its kind in the annals of urhobo nation has Urhobo speaking Lecturers from Delta State University Abraka as panel of judges and top urhobo Chiefs and personalities, Members  Ministry of Education Delta State, School Teachers, principals and parents as witnesses’. The competition started at exactly 1:41pm and came to a close at 3:14pm with Ominigho Raphel of Erho Secondary school Abraka, emerging 1^st with 58%, Iboyi Oyovwike Comfort of Nehemiah Int. School Okuokoko 2^nd with 43^1/2 % while the 3^rd went to Okpako confidence of Okpare Secondary School Olomu with 39^1/2 % . The 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Position got the sum of #250,000, #150,000 and #100,000 each, while the other 6 contestants went home with the sum of #50,000 each. Those that crashed out at the semi-finals were compensated with the sum of #5,000 each with their teachers going home with #10,000 each.

Some highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of drama by some of our Urhobo Actors or Drama Group drawn from Ughelli to add colour to the ceremony and the presentation of cash gifts and certificate to the best students and school by Hon. Commissioner for Basic Education represented by the P.S.  Dr. Onokpa and Dr. Ovie Ughwanogho Director, Dr. ovie Ughwanogho Foundation Sponsor/Initiatives of the Programme.

Some dignitaries at the occasion include Notable Chiefs from HRM the Ovie of Ephron Otor, Dr. Onokpa representing the Hon. Commissioner for Basic Education Asaba, Dr. Emmanuel .U. Tonukari Associate Dean, faculty of Arts DELSU Abraka, Dr. Sunny Awhefeada, Dept. of English & Literary Studies, DELSU Abraka. Mr. Moses Darah Lecturer, Dept. of Languages & Linguistics DELSU Abraka, Mrs Okparavero Obaro Mercy of Papio’s communication Lagos, Dr. Akpoki, Mr. Odenama Godspower, Principal Govt. College Ughelli, Isreal Akpokere (C.I.E) UVWIE  L.G.A , Principals of Different Schools Staff of Ministry of Education and Host of Others. Isoko mirror captured the ceremony.

Delta govt. Considers public, govt. ownership of Delta line

                                          by Owho Warri

Executive Assistant (Communications) to His Excellency the Governor of Delta State, Barrister Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe has debunked news trending on social media that Delta State Government sold Delta Line out rightly to God is Good Motors.

The EA Communications in a statement issued in Asaba said government is making solid plans to divest part of its shares in the transport company to pave the way for joint ownership with the highest bidder, adding that the divestment of shares became necessary to make the company viable and better managed by tested and trusted stakeholders in the transportation sector.

 

GOV OKOWA PODIUM

"The state government is not comfortable with the poor financial status of Delta Line despite the huge investments in billions of Naira pumped into it in the past; a development so frightening due to inability of the company management to pay staff salaries and maintain its fleet tankless of making profit for government.

"Similar transport companies in the state and elsewhere managed by private investors are doing very well, declaring huge profits year after year while Delta Line continue to degenerate; and all efforts put in place to make the comany viable proved abortive hence government decided to divest part of its shares and partner with professional managers in the transport sector to manage Delta Line efficiently and profitably.

 

DELTA LINE BUSES

"The huge leakage of funds became unbearable which led to the sack of various key management staff of the transport company and strict checks and balances were introduced. These measures could not also solve the problems as rogue elements within the system quickly deviced new unscrupolous methods of stealing money.

"The comapny was unable to save money to pay backlog of salaries and entitlements and therefore could not function effectively and efficiently without partial funding by government."

On the allegation that the Delta State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) offered N2 billion in its bid but government decided to sell its shares to God is Good Motors, Oghenesivbe explanined that there is no concrete evidence that NLC presented financial statements showing capacity to pay for the shares, adding that it is hazy as to NLC strict compliance with the bid.

On the unconfirmed rumour that some members of Delta State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are planning to stage protest to force government to reverse its decision to stop the divestment process, Oghenesivbe said the decision subsists and cannot be put on hold or jettisoned for any reason whatsoever, adding that the divestment is the best option and strategy to revive Delta line, manage it efficiently, imbibe good corporate governance and make profits for government and other shareholders.

 

DELTA LINE BUSES

"APC Delta is completely out of the political radar in the state hence its leaders and docile handful of members want to busy themselves with a matter that was well deliberated upon and proper decisions taken for the interest of the state and Deltans.

"APC should concentrate on how to manage its three years old internal crisis rather than meddle with issues of good governance alien to the party's (APC) mediocre leaders and their overzealous followers in Delta State.

"The co-shareholders saddled with the responsibility of managing Delta Line shall retain the work force after critical staff audit and competence evaluation exercise expected to weed out ghost workers and redundant human elements in the now unprofitable transport company.

"There is nothing to worry about because the name and corporate colours of Delta Line shall be retained, operational routes and scope of daily commercial and administrative activities sustained and modified except for strategic restructuring as may be effected by the new managers for the purposes of good corporate governance and viability," the statement added.

Heart of 1-yr-old discovered inside church. *Pastor 6 others arrested

There was pandemonium, yesterday, at 3, Okon Edak Street, off Atamunu, Calabar, premises of a church, when the fresh heart of a one-year-old girl, Miss Success Ime, was discovered in the church.
Subsequently, the General Overseer of the Ministry, a Reverend, was arrested for allegedly using the girl for ritual.
Vanguard gathered that other fetish items, including goat heads, dead chicken, male and female effigies, wooden boat, crafted camel among others, were uncovered by men of Uwanse Police Division.
The grandmother of the victim, Mrs Arit Ime, told Vanguard that at about 3a.m. yesterday, they heard banging on their door, following which two masked men entered their room at 8, Okon Edak Street.
Mrs Ime said: “We were sleeping and at about 3a.m. when two men, who were fully masked, entered and started ransacking the house. They told us to lie face down or we will be shot.
“Initially, we thought they were robbers not knowing that they came for my little girl, Success, who was just one year and six months old.

Church and baby

“They took off with her, after which we raised the alarm. In the process, some of our neighbours made phone calls to the Police and one of them was apprehended.
“But as we speak, little Success is nowhere to be found. Part of the items we were told that was discovered included a fresh heart of a little child and we have no doubt that it is hers.”
Police confirms incident
A Police source told Vanguard that they got a distress call from the area and swung into action and that while looking for Success’ assailants, some people in mask were arrested.
The source said: “Some persons have been arrested including one Okon, who said he was sent by the Reverend to kidnap the girl.
“Six other persons were arrested alongside the General Overseer of the church with various fetish items, including a human heart in a bag with a photograph of a lady, effigies of both male and female, wooden canoe, goat head exhumed from the altar as well as other fetish items.”
When contacted the Police spokesman, Irene Ugbo, told Vanguard that that the matter was now a murder case and that seven persons, including the General Overseer of the church have been arrested.
Ugbo said: “We have arrested seven people, including one Reverend. We discovered a shrine in the church as well as other fetish items, including a fresh human heart, believed to be that of a child.”

Irene said investigation was ongoing to arrest other suspects who are still at large.

ENCOUNTER

The Problem we have is mismanagement and corruption – HOSTCOM Boss
Comrade Morrister Idibra is the chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSTCOM), Isoko Chapter and secretary general of the Fitters Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.

He sheds light on the pressure group's activities, both at the ethnic and national level, the Petroleum Industry Bill and the People's Democratic Party politics in Isoko in this encounter.

HOSTCOM Boss

Excerpts:
How long have you been chairman of host communities of Nigeria (Hostcom), Isoko chapter?
This is my fourth year as chairman. I was assistant public relations officer at the state level from 2009 to 2013. By 2013, I became chairman of Isoko chapter.

You are aware that there is a faction in hostcom. What's your take on this?
There is really no faction but decedents. I do not want to use the word faction because HOSTCOM is a constituted body, a legal entity having a constitution. If anything is done outside the constitution, even in the eyes of the law, it is wrong. We have some persons at the Isoko level, at the state level and presently, at the national, who think power should be gotten outside the constitution. And so, we do not regard them as a faction, but as decedents.

These decedents, are they not in a way negatively affecting hostcom's effectiveness in Isoko communities?
To some extent, yes. Unfortunately too, some of the persons they brought in to support them were people who knew nothing about HOSTCOM. They were being deceived by stories of certain funds coming in that will be shared. And with the high rate of poverty, they followed. But I can assure you today that if you check the statistics, they are dying down. Because they later realised that they were being deceived. There was no money to be shared.

Presently, they go about collecting money, #2,000 to #3,000, for forms from people saying they will give them forms for surveillance contract jobs. Many times, we have told people that there is no such contract because we are fighting for it and it has not been approved. For anyone to begin to sell forms, it is fraudulent.

The painful part of it is that some of our traditional rulers were the ones given the forms to sell in each of the communities. We keep telling them that there is no form for surveillance and if the contract is awarded, nobody will buy a form. It is a community thing. When it comes, the host communities and the leadership will sit to look at the slot for each community.

However, there is move for reconciliation. They realize the path they are going will lead to destruction so, there is need for us to come together. We also agreed. We set up committees and are meeting to see how we can integrate them back.

There is a formula the Urhobo people adopted, which we will also adopt to accommodate some of the key people that are coming so that everyone can be carried along. Certainly, once there is division, organisations capitalize on it to deny the people what is due to them. To answer you directly, yes, the decedents to an extent is affecting the activities of HOSTCOM in Isoko.

This four years of your chairmanship chairman, what has hostcom achieved in isoko?
First, HOSTCOM is not an employment creating agency but a pressure group. We pressurize for the development of our communities, for projects to be sited. Especially, through oil related revenue.

Before I became chairman, as a founding member of HOSTCOM, we pressurized the federal government and it gave directives to the then state governor, James Ibori, that 50% of the 13% derivative be given to the communities. This led to the creation of DESOPADEC and this is one of the achievements of HOSTCOM. Unfortunately, the expected miracles have not been seen from DESOPADEC.

The other thing we have done is the fight for the betterment of the Host communities. When Uduaghan's tenure was about to elapse, he wanted to break DESOPADEC into five different groups to represent each of the ethnic groups. We saw it as killing the dream of HOSTCOM, so we moved to the House of Assembly in Asaba and told them that the commission be left the way it is and that law did not see the light of day.

Secondly, when we discovered that the money meant for the development of host communities is not been utilized by the then administration of Uduaghan, we petitioned him to EFCC and and we took him to court because at the eighth year of his tenure, N225 billion that ought to be budgeted for was not. This information was gotten from the federal account office. That money belonged to the host communities and it should have been budgeted for. That matter is still in court. Politics was into it. At the point of giving judgement, the judges would handover the case. Till today, judgement has not been given, but it is our determination to see that that money comes to the host communities. We have reported the matter to EFCC that the money be recovered. We are not really talking about budget not paid. This N225 billion is amount that ought to reflect in the budget and EFCC is on top of the matter.

Talking about achievement, as a pressure group, by law we are limited. There are certain things we cannot do, but the power we have is the power of protest and advocacy. And that we have been doing in this present government. We have met with the governor himself and have told him our dislikes about certain activities happening regarding the funding of DESOPADEC. Those are some of the achievements locally.

Then, at the national level, Isoko and Delta state are part of the team pressurising for the pro of gas commission. The case was taken seriously in the petroleum industry bill (PIB). A lot of proposals were submitted by HOSTCOM and a lot of visitation have been made to Abuja and other relevant federal government agencies to see reasons for the PIB to be passed, and the interest of host communities, on how they will be accommodated in that bill. And whether anybody likes it or not, when it is done, credit will be given to HOSTCOM for its steadfastness and commitment.

The last one still in the pipeline is the issue of surveillance. You will recall that before the tenure of Goodluck Jonathan expired, the Isoko and Urhobo HOSTCOM in particular, protested the manner in which surveillance contracts were awarded to strangers. We wrote a lot of letters, paid adverts to the presidency and all relevant agencies that strangers cannot in anyway, better guide the facilities at our backyard. And even if soldiers and other security operatives are brought in, without the locals, they do not know the terrain, our backyard. We can see that the government is giving listening ear. And it is the effort we have put in so far that some people want to turn into a money making machine where they have started selling forms for jobs that have not been awarded. We hope that the surveillance of the oil facilities in Niger Delta will be given to the host communities. And if it is given, I can even assure you that there will be no destruction of facilities. For example, where I am from in Uzere, if the community people are involved, once someone with suspicious moves is seen, it will be reported. And they will be happily doing it because each has a stake. The surveillance equipments are not permanent. The helicopters will hover and go but when you engage the native, they are permanently there.

Can you throw light on your recent talks on the passage of a bill in the NASS?
The PIB is in three parts; the petroleum industry governance which has to do with the commercialization or unbundling NNPC. The second part is where the interests of host communities are. Before now, we made proposal that a fund should be generated from the PIB, that is kept out for the development of host communities who bear the brunt of oil exploration and exploitation. We have that 10% equity participation that hopefully will be part of the PIB when it is passed into law. If this is done, there is going to be practical benefits of the oil exploration and exploitation. The monies that will be coming to the region will be deducted before tax and the host communities will have stakes. Each community will have a stake and the ability to equal shareholder, unlike what we have now. We do not know where the oil is coming from or how it is taken. All we know is they take oil and we are feeling the heat. So when the bill is passed, it will help.

Technically, some companies have started doing such in the Niger Delta. Like Seplat, operating in Sapele area have 3% of their total production set aside for the host community. And Niger Oil company in Kwale-Ebendu area, also has specific amount set aside for the host community as trust. This is a reference point. Since Seplat took over oil operations in Sapele area, you hardly hear of crisis because they are part of it. In that Ebendu area too, there is no problem because they know that in every barrel explored and exported they have a percentage coming in. So they take it as a responsibility to ensure there is no crisis. That is what the PIB tends to address, making the host communities to be part of the production and share.

We went to Abuja June 2 for a public hearing, I represented Isoko. There is another bill gas commission bill. People from the Niger Delta experience unusual heat, that causes sicknesses, diseases as a result of the gas flare. The National Assembly have proposed that the gas flare should be stopped and the host communities supported it.

If you are close to a flow station, there is permanent day, because the light is constant. Of course, the effect of the gas flare, for people who are in such areas, we discover that the roofs do not last. And when it rains instead of getting relatively clean water, what we see is like oil, black.

We also proposed that within the time frame that gas flaring will be stopped, any multinational company that will not stop, the penalty should be very high so as to cause discouragement. We discovered that the penalty paid per cubic gas flare is N10, so many have decided to pay that N10 instead of stopping the flare. Hence we are proposing that the minimum of N350 per cubic gas flare be imposed as a fine to any company that fails to stop because we want a cleaner environment. Pollution is a very wide word. Some of the effects you do not see now but when you grow old. Some strange occurrence we have, giving birth to deformed babies is as a result of all these. By the time gas flare is stopped, our environment will be clean. Some of these ailments, premature deaths will be things of the past.

We are seriously in support of the Senate for the bill to be passed. And when this is done, in the process of stopping the gas flare, lots of jobs will be created because the gas will be converted to something else. This will bring development to the Niger Delta. Just like the Escravos Gas to Liquid (EGTL) project which started in 2009. It started with about $9 billion and ended with about $50 billion. It created thousands of job.

This heritage company that wants to buy over oil facilities in isoko, why are they not following due process?
The problem is not Heritage's, it is the problem of our community leaders at various strata. They are conspiring with Heritage to do what the company is doing. Today, HOSTCOM Urhobo and Isoko chapters have a forum with the president generals of communities in OML 30. We protested the handling by NPDC. We suggested that the original owner of the OML take over and not NPDC managing it because we felt NPDC lacked the ability to handle it. Ordinarily, we should be happy that Heritage has taken over but the problem is there are cabals from almost all the communities in Isoko and Urhobo in OML 30 that do not want Heritage to do the right thing. You will recall that some persons protested the coming of Heritage. What was the reason behind that protest? I think it was because they had understanding with NPDC which was working well for them, so Heritage coming would thwart that understanding. But I am sure along the line, Heritage called for a meeting and they now have an understanding. The cabal that existed in NPDC has been transferred to Heritage. Heritage will not do the right thing because few people will benefit from doing the wrong thing. When you look at Niger Energy, they held a meeting with the community and have an MoU which they follow. It is what the community presents to the company and they follow it judiciously, it is only then results will come out.

When the OML 30 had an MoU of 1.4 billion with NPDC, HOSTCOM was not part of it. But when we had meetings with NPDC, we discovered no part of that money had been paid. Workers were being owed up to eight months. We discovered that the cause was from both NPDC and some of these contractors. We gave NPDC ultimatum that the money, the GMoU, be paid. The Cluster Development Board transformed themselves to the community. After we protested, the money was paid. The contractors were paid and workers too. As soon as the money started coming CDB began to say that anything that has to do with oil be addressed by them, not with the PGs. Whereas the CDB was created to manage that GMoU, but looking at what is involved, they have transformed themselves to become even PGs of communities. They wrote a letter to NPDC then, that anything that has to do with oil should not be discussed with chairmen or PGs. They went to court but I do not know how the matter went. So you can see the intrigue at play.

If any oil major knows that there is division, they will take sides to fight the other. That is why Heritage cannot do more because there are people working with them to thwart their efforts.

What is hostcom doing about it?
HOSTCOM has not done much since Heritage came in. When Heritage came, we wanted them to settle down before discussing with them. But one thing we kicked against was when we heard the headquarters was to be taken to Asaba. We wrote to relevant agencies that the headquarters must be in one of the cashmere areas. The intrigue over who Heritage should relate with is still at play. Some see HOSTCOM as too powerful, that its coming in will take food from their mouths. But that will not stop us.

Is the fall of crude oil price not affecting revenue for developing these host communities?
If the price of crude is sold for $1 per barrel, there will still be enough money. Even if it is sold for 50cents, there will still be enough. The problem we have is mismanagement and corruption.

Now, I do not also agree that the lack of funds is the problem in our host communities. DESOPADEC is an institution created by law. And there are provisions that the 50% of the 13% of derivation fund for Delta state should be given to DESOPADEC. For example, the Uduaghan report I gave earlier. Then the board members who see the commission as their oil wells, not that they are there to represent people. In most of our communities, no board member will call the leaderships to ask what project they want in a year. What Uzere might need in a particular year may not be what Oleh might need. You discover that when they do not seek the people's opinion, such projects will not add any value.

Apart from that, projects are overestimated. A job that is supposed to be done at N10 million, a contractor can even go home with about two to three million naira as profit, but such project will be awarded for N20 million. Hence, you discover that the money coming in is not well managed. Some of the projects are only on paper, you do not see them on ground and this is a problem. So the issue per say is not really that there is no money. There is money but the money is not well managed.


Again, derivation is the source of the money. Project allocation ought to also be by derivation, how much is contributed or received from a community. But it is not like that but base on political relevance. So the problem of DESOPADEC is management, lack of equity in the execution of projects.

How is your relationship with other hostcom leaders both at the state and national?

My relationship with the host communities at large is very cordial. We work as a team. As ethnic chairmen, we hold meetings regularly and when there are critical issues, we take a collective decision and file documents together.

What is your take on Biafra secession?

Politically, it is not realistic. But for me, the way the agitators are reacting, shows that they are not even serious about the agitation for their Biafra. If you say you want to go on your own and the people of the territory you live in say 'go on your own within three months', I expect them to clap and say 'God has answered our prayers.' While the three months would not be realistic, they could say, 'yes, we shall go but let us have understanding on how we will go because we have invested here and your people are also in our territory.' But when they say they are going nowhere, it means they were not serious about the creation of Biafra.

How do you see the politics of Delta State?

The way the government is going about the politics of Delta in People's Democratic Party (PDP), it is helping to divide PDP in Isoko to be specific and Isoko South in particular. We are all PDP members, we worked for PDP in our own capacity to deliver the party. But the governor is seeing some people as second class PDP in Isoko South. And I am among those he sees as second class members. Many of us are not happy about it because if I belong to a party and you are trying to discriminate in the same party we all belong to, you are trying to push people out or are encouraging people to also do what some other persons have done.

I do know that in the last election, there were people who voted PDP for governor and APC for other candidates and the governor seem to be very comfortable with those people. Then those of us who said we must vote for all PDP candidate, are being seen as second class PDP members. So, he is teaching us a political lesson that might be practised in the near future.


What is your advice to isoko leaders?

The problem we have in Isoko is an arrowhead, leadership arrowhead is the problem we have in Isoko. And everybody who has the opportunity to hold one office sees himself as a leader and it is not helping Isoko as a nation.

My advice to those at the higher cadre of our leadership is that they should come together, let them subject themselves to one another so that we can have one arrowhead as the Isoko leader. This will help us resolve a lot of problems.


Are you talking about politics here?

This is not about politics. For example, the structure of the Itsekiri kingship makes the Olu head of all Itsekiri both traditionally and otherwise. But in our Isoko, every village has a king and in fact, every quarter is beginning to clamour for a king and all kings are assumed to be equal, so there is no rallying point.

Now politically, we may not be able to have only one leader because of political differences. But we should have an ethnic leader. For the Ijaws, whether E. K. Clark belongs to PDP or not, every Ijaw person sees him as his leader. When an issue comes, he is consulted and when he speaks, people largely listen.

But in our Isoko, it is not so. At a time, Ekpre Otobo played that role but some persons sprang up to say 'no', late Senator Francis Okpozo tried to play that role, some persons also came up to say he cannot be. We need to look at somebody, the person may not be a politician but who has an independent opinion, also connected, if I may, nationwide. So that when he speaks, people will know that somebody has spoken. We should look at somebody who has national interaction.

Okowa’s aide Oghenesivebe for Channel TV Academy training

The Executive Assistant (Communications) to His Excellency the Governor of Delta State, Barrister Fred Oghenesivbe is among the few selected communication experts invited to attend a special capacity building training programme for government spokespersons jointly organised by the management of Channels TV Academy and the United States Embassy.

The Permanent Secretary, Government House and Protocol, Mr Eddy Ogidi-Gbegbaje in a statement conveying approval for his participation in the programme, said the training will hold from 11-15th September, 2017 at the Channels Tv Academy in Abuja.

The statement added that Barr. Oghenesivbe and other participants will engage in critical brain storming exercises and practical skills acquisition that will further enhance their efficiency and capacity to manage press interviews and disseminate credible government information in a democratic society.

The invitation letter from Channels Academy and signed by its Assistant General Manager (Operations), Mr Kingsley D. Uranta, read in part:

Fred Oghenesivbe during a recent phone in programme at Bridge FM Asaba, Delta State

"The training will also consist of lectures as well as practical exercises that will permit the participants to work on skills development, including how to be effective in an interview or press briefing as well as lessons in crisis management.

"The outcome of the training will certainly be a marked improvement in both the recognition of the participants of the need to acquire accurate information and their ability to communicate that information in a convincing manner."

Gbegbaje disclosed that the State Government considered it necessary for the Executive Assistant (Communications) to acquire additional professional skills to further enhance strategic and effective discharge of his core assigned official responsibilities.

Oghenesivbe was appointed Executive Assistant on Communications to Governor of Delta State in April and has demonstrated considerable tenacity and well coordinated skills in media politics and political communication.

He holds a degree in Political Science, Law and a Masters degree in Public and International Affairs plus a doctorate degree in Literature.

The dogged media politician is a full member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), member of the Human Rights and Political Communication Committee of the American Political Science Association (APSA); a lawyer and a Rotarian.

Why Buhari rates Okowa as favourite of media

If you are wondering how Governor Ifeanyi Okowa became the “favorite” of the fourth estate of the realm, ask Mr. President.
Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of oil and gas wealthy Delta state is a friend of President Muhammadu Buhari, Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as a serving Governor under a serving President, loyalty cannot be easily wished away.
At the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Delta State governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, was among the first few selected state governors that accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to India on a fact-finding mission for Nigeria’s economic gains.
The governor has oftentimes prayed for the speedy recovery and quick return of President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigeria while he was recuperating in London, United Kingdom, saying nobody should wish the President otherwise.

Buhar and Okowa

He said: “Let nobody wish President Buhari otherwise as life and death are in the hands of God. We will continue to pray for his quick recovery.”
Although, Governor Okowa has been touted in many quarters as “non performing”, majority of Deltans are think that the governor has implemented many of his campaign promises, hinged on the SMART agenda policy within two years of his first tenure in office.
The media, however, has also helped in laundering the good part of the governor’s image of delivering on his campaign promises to actualize the sing-song of “prosperity to all Deltans.”
President Muhammadu Buhari, at the closed-door meeting with state governors at the Presidential Villa on Friday, August 25, 2017 remarked to the Delta state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa that he is the favourite of the Nigerian Press.
In the meeting attended by at least the 35 state governors except Governor Fayose of Ekiti, President Buhari had a hand shake with the governors as they arrived for the meeting.
To Governor Okowa, Buhari said, “You are a favorite of the press.”
Some say Governor Okowa may have earned the accolade from his recent role in the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a key opposing political party to President Muhammadu Buhari’s ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) by successfully organizing a Special Non-Elective National Convention at Eagles Square, Abuja, which extended the tenure of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s led Caretaker Committee for a period of four months.
As as Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee, Senator Okowa assured that “This is a new PDP and with the excitement we saw after the supreme court victory amongst Nigerians and not only PDP followers, I believe that a lot of people who thought that the party was going to implode by itself will realise that we are back alive and ready to offer what it takes to better the lives of Nigerians.
“From the way things are going presently in this country, I believe Nigerians will realise that PDP is the only alternative that can bring Nigeria out of her present economic challenges.”, he added.
Others, however, have alluded the feat to his near frantic zeal to contribute his quota in the solid infrastructure development of the state.
According to Mr. Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu, the Chief Press Secretary to Delta State, Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the state has recorded huge socio- economic and political transformation under the governor’s watch.
Specifically, the Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration since assuming office has embarked on the construction of more than 98 roads, covering a distance of over 612 kilometers, realizing that road development and construction is the backbone for the achievement of the SMART agenda.
These roads are intended to link up our various communities to enhance social- economic development in the state. The movement of farm produce from one locality to another has been enhanced with the provision of motorable roads linking communities.”
The unprecedented growth in Asaba, the state capital, has moved away from a glorified local government headquarters to something that looks more like an urban center.
In the area of education, the sate government has registered a level of progress by paying more attention to vocational training for students to reduce the incidence of unemployable graduates and focusing on graduating students who can not only employ themselves but become employers of labour.
It is on record that the state government has repositioned the technical and vocational schools in the state by investing huge resources to ensure that they become center of excellence, as Governor Okowa has approved the upgrade of infrastructure and equipment in Agbor, Ofagbe, Sapele, Issele-Uku, Ogor and Utagba-Ogbe technical colleges.
A lot of policy initiatives have also been directed at the tertiary institutions as the Delta State University and the state polytechnics have received various degrees of attention from the government in recent times in terms of upgrade of facilities and funding.
The state has also achieved a lot in the areas of Agriculture, Transport, culture and tourism as well as healthcare by sustaining programmes for mother and child healthcare, care of the aged, introduction of the contributory health insurance scheme and revamping of hospitals.

Aniagwu pointed out that “As a state government we are not owning our workers, just as the state government has taken steps to pay the pensioners. The recession that is ravaging the country will not permit for frivolous spending, rather such funds would be channeled towards uplifting the life of Deltans. Governor Okowa is building on the foundation laid by the administrations of Chief James Onanefe Ibori and Dr. Emmnauel Eweta Uduaghan.”

Firm to introduce electric vehicle into Nigeria next year

An indigenous firm, Nigus Enfinity said it is set to introduce Electric Vehicles (EVs) into the Nigerian automobile market from 2018 just as it plans the first local assembly plant for EVs in 2020.

The Chairman, Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim at an interactive session in Abuja yesterday told newsmen that many countries have set targets for phasing out petrol-fuelled vehicles with India targeting 2030, and the United Kingdom by 2040.

Electric car

Prince Malik noted that Nigeria and Africa needed to look inward to be at the fore of the automotive revolution or they may become waste bin for the phased-out combustion-driven vehicles.
Malik, the first African to lead the Formula 1 Team global race car competition in 1999 said his firm which is building 100 megawatts (mw) solar power plant in Katsina and another in Adamawa state has also partnered with Chinese auto giant, BYD (Build Your Dreams) to bring EVs massively into Nigeria at affordable costs form 2018.
“We are also working with BYD to get a local brand and start an electric vehicle assembly plant for Nigeria from 2020. Gradually we will move to an EV with the African DNA starting in Nigeria,” he added.

Shell starts new exploration in Niger Delta

The Nigerian subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell said Wednesday that hundreds of thousands of new barrels of product are expected from a project in the Niger Delta.

Shell said it started production from the second phase of its Gbaran-Ubie project in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. The company said 18 wells have been drilled at the site already and a new pipeline connects it to a nearby plant.
Peak production is forecast at 175,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2019, though most of that would be in the form of natural gas.

shell starts new work in nigerian niger delta

“Today’s announcement is a positive step for Shell’s global gas portfolio,” Andy Brown, Shell’s director of exploration and production, said in a statement. “It is also good news for Nigeria as gas from Gbaran-Ubie Phase 2 will strengthen supply to the domestic market and maintain supply to the export market.”
While noted for its natural gas prospects, the development is important for Nigeria because of security-related issues in the Niger Delta. Militants in July targeted the Trans-Niger crude oil pipeline, sidelining about 150,000 barrels of oil per day.
Nigeria is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, but exempt from its multilateral effort to draw down a global glut of oil through managed production declines because it needs the revenue from oil to address national security issues.
The collective effort has come under pressure from supply gains from Nigeria and Libya, also exempt, but committee members monitoring the deal at a recent conference in St. Petersburg said Nigeria considered a cap to production as soon as it was able to sustain a level of 1.8 million barrels per day.
Secondary sources reporting to OPEC said Nigeria produced about 1.75 million barrels of oil per day in July.

Port harcourt youths protest over escape ritual suspect from police custody

Some youths in Eliozu area of Port Harcourt have staged a protest against the escape of the ritual killer suspect from police custody in Rivers State.
The suspect, an undergraduate of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), escaped from police custody after he was arrested for allegedly raping and killing an eight-year-old girl in the state.

Rivers youths

The Police said they have begun a search operation to apprehend the suspect and assured the public that the search would soon produce meaningful results.
The protesters, however, barricaded a section of the road in the state capital on Wednesday to condemn the dastardly act and the escape of the suspect.

Why delta govt sells delta line equity shares

The Delta State Government has explained its decision to sell part of its equity stake in Delta Transport Services Limited, saying that the company failed to be commercially viable.
Because of its nonviable nature, the state government was injecting capital into the company from time to time as a way of support because of its unique position as the only government-owned and branded transport company.

Okowa

A statement emanating from the office Delta State Commissioner for Information revealed that the state government in the past invested heavily in the company through the provision of 160 brand new Toyota Hiace Buses, 76 brand new Toyota Corolla Cars and other incentives in cash or kind.
Furthermore, from 2012 to April 2015, the state government released monthly palliatives to the company to mitigate the effects of fuel-price increase which occurred at that time.
According to the statement, unlike others who benefitted from the allocation of the government buses, Delta Line never remitted any revenue to the state government, instead the company was riddled with debts made up of salaries and wages of staff, allowances and claims of staff, contractors, and suppliers obligations.
The statement noted that the Workers Union interference in the affairs of management did not help matters.
In a bid to sanitize the company, government sacked the General Manager and suspended some other principal officers and directed the Directorate of Transport to supervise and oversee the activities of the company, with an inherited six-month salary debt.
It stated that to stem the tide of further deterioration, the government opted for sale of part of its equity stake and this was duly advertised in national dailies for expression of interest and respondents submitted their bids plus necessary documents in line with due process following which the successful bidder was considered.
The statement disclosed that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) did not indicate interest at the time of advertisement and neither did it provide details of how it would source funds for the purchase of the shares to be sold, noting that the entire process followed due process and a memo was forwarded to the State Executive Council accordingly.

World bank monitoring team ranks edo state high on transpiracy, job creation

The World Bank Implementation Support Team, monitoring the implementation of State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) projects in the Niger Delta region, has ranked Edo State high on transparency and job creation for youths.
The leader of the support team, Mr. Ismaila Ceesay, who led his members on a courtesy visit to the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House in Benin City on Monday, said the state was doing well in the execution of component A1 of the projects.
The Component A1 projects include the creation of direct jobs for unemployed youths in Edo State.
According to Ceesay, the World Bank team was on a working visit to assess the execution of the various components of the SEEFOR Projects in the four implementing states of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.

Raw

“Edo is one of the four states that produce its financial statements and have them audited within six to seven months of the fiscal year and have the report published,” Mr. Ceesay said.
He urged Governor Obaseki to sustain the culture of financial accountability and remain a beacon of transparency in public finance.
The team leader, however, noted that the state should ensure that all segments of the projects are active in the state.
He pledged that his team was ready to work with the state execution team to address challenges that may arise in the process of executing the projects .
In his remarks, Obaseki said his administration would work with the team to develop work plans for the reactivation of the TVET and FADAMMA activities in the state,
The governor noted that the state has paid over N400 million as counterpart fund since his administration was inaugurated and commended the World Bank for releasing $1.6 million for the renovation of the Benin Technical College.

Pupil drags FG, Minister, NECO to court over non-release of result

A 10-Year- old Lagos pupil, Ogheneyorheme Malcolm Omirhobo has dragged the Federal Government, Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and National Examination Commission (NECO) to Federal High Court in the Lagos Judiciary Division Holden in Ikoyi over the non release of the details of his score of the result of 2016/2017 of the National Commission Entrance Examination.
Omirhobo had earlier written a petition dated July 21st 2017 to the office of the Minister at Abuja in which he complained that having sat for the examination, he was informed by National Examination Commission (NECO) that he passed the examination and short-listed for interview without giving him the details of his scores and the criteria for his being short-listed.

Education minister mallam Adamu Adamu

Master Ogheneyorheme Malcolm Omirhobo
The graduate of Joanah Memorial Nursery and Primary School, Okota, Lagos lamented that the failure, refusal and/or neglect of National Examination Commission (NECO) to release the details of his examination result, puts a negative mark on the transparency of the entire examination exercise and also shows a smack of corruption.
In the petition, he urged the Minister Of Educaton, Adamu Adamu to direct National Examination Commission (NECO) to release detail of his result, failure in which he threatened to sue the examination body.


The suit dated August 14th, 2017 directed thus, “You are hereby commanded that within thirty days of the service of this writ on you, inclusive of the day of such service you do cause an appearance to be entered for you in an action at the suit of MALCOLM JNR. OGHENEYORHEME OMIRHOBO and take notice that in default of your so doing the Plaintiff may proceed therein, and judgment may be given in your absence.”
The writ issued by Chief Malcolm Omirhobo Esq of Malcolm Omirhobo & Co, the plaintiff claims damages against the defendants jointly and severally as follows,”
“A DECLARATION OF COURT that it is the Plaintiff’s right to have the scores and/or result of the National Entrance Examination of 2017 which he sat for published by the Defendants.
“A DECLARATION OF COURT that it is the responsibility of the Defendants to publish the scores and/or details of the National Entrance Examination conducted yearly throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“A DECLARATION OF COURT that the failure, refusal and/or neglect of the 2nd Defendant to direct the 3rd Defendant to publish the details of the scores and/or result of the 2017 Common Entrance Examination is improper, unlawful and illegal.
“A DECLARATION OF COURT that the failure, refusal and/or neglect of the 2nd Defendant to direct the 3rd Defendant to publish the details of the scores and/or result of the Plaintiff’s 2017 Common Entrance Examination which he sat for despite letter of request is improper, illegal and unlawful.
“AN ORDER OF COURT compelling the Defendants to release the details of the result of the Plaintiff and other affected children for the 2017 National Common Entrance Examination.
“The sum of N1, 000,000.00 as Damages against the Defendants for unlawful withholding of the Plaintiff’s result for the 2017 National Common Entrance Examination and the sum of N250, 000.00 as cost of litigation.”

Landlord, tenate appears in court for defiling 13-yr-old housemaid

The police on Tuesday brought before a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court in Ikeja a 51-year-old landlord, Ishola Idris, and his 35-year-old tenant, Linus Okonkwo, for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old housemaid.
The housemaid was said to be living with her guardian on Celestial Road, Igando, Lagos, where the incident happened. Both Idris and Okonkwo were arraigned on two counts bordering on child defilement and sexual assault, which they pleaded not guilty to.

landlord and tenants

.The landlord allegedly deflowered the girl, ‘sodomised’ her and turned her to a sex toy. He also allegedly threatened to kill the girl if she ever told anybody. It was learnt that the minor confessed under pressure when blood was spotted in her anus.
.The two counts preferred against the defendants read, “That you, Ishola Idris, sometime in January 2017, on Celestial Road, Igando, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully defile one 13-year-old child (name withheld) by having sexual intercourse with her.
.That you, Linux Okonkwo, sometime in March 2017, on Celestial Road, Igando, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully sexually assault one 13-year -old by penetrating into her private parts.”
The alleged crime, according to the police, is punishable under Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The Magistrate, Bolanle Osunsanmi, granted each of them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum. The matter was adjourned till October 12, 2017 for trial.

Ozekhome slams presidency over Rats invation

Human rights lawyer and legal luminary, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) on Tuesday blasted the presidency over statement credited to it that President Muhammadu Buhari would have to work from home pending the cleaning of his office which was invaded by rats and rodents.
Ozekhome, a constitutional lawyer also lampooned the Buhari’s government of deriding Nigeria in many respect, as the country has never been so bad since amalgamation by Lord Lugard and his wife, Flora Shaw.
He said: “It is a very shameful and disgraceful statement that emanated from the presidency to the effect that PMB, after a whole 105 days abroad on medical grounds, cannot work from his office because of rats and rodents.

Ozekome

“So, a whole Julius Berger, the German construction giant has to be called in to drive them away and repaint the office! This statement further derides and shames Nigeria as a country. Why didn’t the same, or similar rodents pursue Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan during their presidency?” he asked.
Ozekhome maintained that “for truth, there is another mini office at the villa quite different from the official residence and main office. Let Buhari work from them.
“Let’s see our president working, not through still photo shopping. For how long will this government take the Nigerian citizens for a ride and for robots?
“Who told the image makers we are as brainless as they are? Don’t they know that lies have expiry date and that propaganda cannot substitute for image making? Goebel was a fantastic World War propagandist, but failed woefully as information minister.
“Let this opaque government of barefaced misinformation, lies, deceit and cluelessness know that its directionlessness and incapacity to govern are hurting this country badly.
“The economy is in horrific tatters, image bald-battered, security shattered, governance mangled and transparency and accountability interred. Nigeria is today more divided, more hate-inebriated, more crisis- ridden and more dangerous precipice-prone than ever before.
“Nigeria is today more derided, more excoriated and more corrupt than it has ever been. Nigeria has never had it so bad since her forced amalgamation on January 1,1914,by imperious Lord Lugard and his wife Flora Lugard (nee Shaw, who actually named the country after Niger-Area), Ozekhome added.