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Tag: strokes

  • Pupil gets six strokes of the cane for stealing

    A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, has ordered that an 18-year-old pupil, Victor Obadiah, be given six strokes of the cane for stealing a phone.

    Obadiah, who lives at Kado village, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to a count charge of theft.

    The Judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, gave the order after the convict pleaded guilty, and begged the court to temper justice with mercy.

    He said the court might not be lenient with him  next time.

    The prosecutor, Mrs. Florence Avhioboh, had told the court that the matter was reported by Deyoung Ikpi of Dape village, Abuja, at Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on February 10.

    She said the convict on that day snatched  the complainant’s phone at Angwa Cement bus stop, Abuja, while going home.

    Avhioboh said the convict was chased and caught, while the complainant recovered his phone.

    The prosecutor said during investigation, the convict confessed to the crime.

    She said the offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.

  • Strokes for a troubled society

    Strokes for a troubled society

    Different Strokes, an exhibition of contemporary art works by Phillips Nzekwe and Gab Awusa holding at the Terra Kulture, Lagos, shows deep concerns for a society at war with itself.  Edozie Udeze, who spoke to the artists during the opening ceremony, reports.

    The exhibition was titled Different Strokes involving Phillips Nzekwe a sculptor and Gab Awusa, a painter and was held at the Terra Kulture, Lagos.  The works involved different genres of the visual art dwelling deeply on contemporary matters.  For a long time both artists were off the radar with many people wondering where they’d gone to.  However, in different strokes, there was that profound acknowledgement of the various experiments that showed that these two artists – Nzekwe and Awusa – are committed and determined.

    Nzekwe explained the idea behind the exhibition thus: “It is about two artists coming together in a show to tell a common story – there are different stories fused in one-yet it is a common story.  It is a story of Nigeria in 21st century, full of people living in a 21st century in a country without freedom of expression.  We are made to know that we are living in a democratic era, yet there is no freedom of expression.  There are lots of disaffections in the system – people complaining every now and then.  There’s hunger, there’s poverty.  And some parts of the country now agitate for self-freedom and independence”.

    In one of his works coming out in series and titled Crush, Nzekwe, an Asaba-based sculptor, dwelt on a metaphorical journey into the different foyers of the Niger Delta oil conundrum.  He said, “It is a representation of that oil in the Niger Delta and what it has done to destroy rather than build lives and societies in the Niger Delta.  Crush therefore is a paradox.  When we talk of people who can’t express themselves, we know it is a society where there is fear.  But in this work, I used kids, a boy and a girl, to talk about expressions and emotions that are bottled up – that are left unexpressed.  So, you can see the image of these two kids staring at each other – they can’t pick the courage to speak, to say what is troubling them.  Therefore the image of crush is juxtaposed to express this in these paintings”, he said.

    Nzekwe who runs one of the most vibrant Art studios in Asaba, Delta State, named Academik Studios, is also a well-known sculptor.  He brought some of his sculptures on board and you could see those elements of works of protests in the background.  The vibrancy of someone who wants to present the sentiments of protests, of the subjugation of the society, the suffering of the masses and so on, speak volumes in his works.  “It is the nature of the environment and the type of society we are in that inhibit people from openly expressing themselves in Nigeria.  Through art works, you show these sentiments to help the society,” he said.

    However, those works showcased proved how committed Nzekwe is as an artist.  He believes that a beautiful, colourful and peaceful environment free from pollution is attainable if the beauty of the Nigerian nation and its diverse cultural diversities can be allowed to outshine clouds of greed, overexploitation and marginalisation.  This was why his works drew their inspirations from the landscapes of Nigeria.  Even his sculptural pieces also assert some level of aesthetic appeal to show that sculptures are integral part of the lives of the people.

    He had 15 works on display with each pointing at serious issues that need urgent attention in order to salvage the nation forthwith.

    In his own comment, Awusa described the exhibition as a way of showcasing life generally.  In Sprout, one of his works also done in series, Awusa, known for his love for surrealism used plants to depict the beauty of hope, love, life and many other issues that help to give man the inspiration to live and work.  “In plant, there is no retirement.  Every season there is either growth or withering.  There is time for the leaves to sprout, there is also time for them to fade away.  When we relate it to human beings, we see that the natural order is that a man should remain productive until his last day here on earth.  So, this is a metaphor; it is the symbolism of what plants are and what lessons we need to learn from them”, Awusa, a Lagos-based artist, said.

    For Awusa, who said that nature speaks to him and when it does, he listens, went further to explain the ingredients of his works. “You see, divinity as a subject interests me a lot.  Consequently, this triggered my quest to study Theology.  I did it to satisfy my knowledge of the universe and what creation portends”.  Over time, however, this knowledge had impacted tremendously on his paintings, making him interrogate nature, life, the universe and more.

    “Oh, yes”, he said reminiscing; “nature speaks to me.  Whatever I hear, I interpret into paintings and drawings.  In this way, the female figure is the symbol and the strength of the family.  I therefore try to use a lot of works on women to demonstrate this.  The survival of humanity rests squarely on her shoulder.  Without her the divine mandate to mankind to be fruitful and multiply can never be fulfilled.  Therefore, for me, there is more to this complex human being called woman.  It goes beyond her physical attributes and nature” he said.

    This was why almost all his works at the exhibit focused on women.  There were works done with charcoal, pencil and more.  Such had a symbolism on the nature of women.  Breastfeeding, for instance, formed one of the pivot points of Awusa’s numerous works on women.  “Thank God, some of our younger women now realize the place of breast milk in the rearing of children.  The generation who did not feed their children with breast milk is regretting it now.  In fact, those children equally behave like animals because they lived on animal milk.  A woman’s breast is not for decoration or for show.  No, it is for the continuity of the divine work on earth”, Awusa decided.

    In a statement Oni-Ere Rotimi said “In this case the exhibition is a joint show with Gabriel Awusa and their synergy springs from a mutual respect and shared inspiration from the organic forms of nature (flora and fauna). They are also interestingly both concerned with the presence of ‘yellows’. Palm trees are an important economic plant to West Africa; a dominant but abused species in the land of the rising sun and its environs. Their waning existence, explored extensively in this collection, a symbol of the ongoing conflict caused by over exploitation of crude oil in the riverine areas to the detriment of all other potential economic earners and of its people.”

    Rotimi is also an artist well versed in the works of these two artists

    The exhibition which opened on June 17th runs till the 28th.  It is an eye-opener on a lot of issues that trouble the society.  The works are colourful; the deep colours express love, they express hope and give new meanings to man’s constant quest to interrogate his society to have a better tomorrow.

  • It’s possible to make strokes a thing of the past

    It’s possible to make strokes a thing of the past

    Being aware of the risk factors and taking preventative measures can greatly reduce the chances of becoming a victim of stroke

    The key to reducing the frighteningly high incidence of stroke is taking control of the modifiable risk factors for the condition. And number one of these factors is high blood pressure or hypertension, which is a contributing cause in more than 50 per cent of strokes, according to the Stroke Association’s State of the Nation: stroke statistics report.

     

    High blood pressure

    The NHS says that ideally blood pressure should be below 120 over 80. Readings above 140 over 90 are considered hypertension. This puts strain on blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of strokes.

    “High blood pressure is by far the most important risk factor for stroke”

    Gareth Beevers, professor of medicine at the University of Birmingham and a trustee of Blood Pressure UK, says: “High blood pressure is by far the most important risk factor for stroke. In fact, when antihypertensive drugs became widely available in the 1960s, strokes were substantially reduced.”

    In a review of 14 clinical trials involving a total of 370,000 people with high blood pressure, antihypertensive drugs such as beta-blockers (heart rate lowering medications) and diuretics (water pills) reduced strokes by 35 to 40 per cent.

     

    Other risk factors for stroke

    However, other factors are at play. Obesity, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, lack of exercise, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption all increase the chances of having a stroke. And these are greater for individuals with atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and people who have a family history of stroke, or are of south-Asian or African-Caribbean background.

    As for increasing age, it’s worth noting that, while strokes are more likely among the elderly, one in four affect people younger than 65, according to the Stroke Association.

    This plethora of risk factors means blood pressure shouldn’t be considered in isolation, but in the context of other patient characteristics, explains Dr Nicholas Summerton, a GP in East Yorkshire and former clinical adviser in primary care diagnostics to the Department of Health.

    “A high reading matters more if, for example, you have diabetes or are a smoker. And a normal reading doesn’t necessarily mean you are problem free. It depends on your overall stroke risk,” he says.

     

    Promoting and supporting prevention

    Doctors can calculate a person’s stroke risk using a computerised tool (QRISK2) recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which provides national guidance on disease prevention and treatment.

    This enables timely, personalised prevention. And prevention can save lives. In a report on hypertension, Public Health England says: “In 10 years, 45,000 years of life could be saved, and £850 million not spent on related health and social care, if we achieved a reduction in the average population blood pressure.”

    But, achieving this goal requires a collaborative effort. On one hand, government and healthcare commissioners and providers must promote and support prevention. There are examples, such as the Department of Health’s Change4Life campaign, which encourages people to eat healthy and exercise more, and the NHS Health Check, a mid-life MOT offered to everyone aged 40 to 74. On the other hand, individuals must be willing to embrace prevention.

    The good news is there are effective ways of integrating prevention in everyday life. Lucy Wilkinson, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, recommends “reducing salt intake to less than six grams per day, as this is directly linked to hypertension; aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week; and losing excessive weight”.

    She says: “Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption is also important. New guidance advises men and women to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, and to have at least two or three alcohol-free days.”

     

    Regular blood pressure monitoring

    People should also have regular blood pressure checks. This is key to the early detection and treatment of hypertension, for the condition develops silently over many years, before the first symptoms become obvious.

    Ms Wilkinson points out: “Nearly 30 per cent of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, but about half – around seven million people – are not receiving treatment because they don’t know they have the condition.”

    Professor Beevers adds: “Every adult should have their blood pressure checked every five years or every six to 12  months if their blood pressure is borderline. The current recommendation is that higher-than-normal blood pressure should be brought below 140 over 90. But the general consensus is that interventions should be more aggressive and aim for readings below 120 over 80.”

    Pippa Tyrrell, professor of stroke medicine at the University of Manchester, agrees and highlights the importance of monitoring approaches that can help with this, such as ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, whereby patients are fitted with an electronic device that measures their blood pressure throughout the day as they move around, and self-monitoring at home.

    “They provide a large amount of data from readings taken in the patient’s own environment, helping with diagnosis and treatment decisions,” says Professor Tyrrell. Plus, evidence suggests that home self-monitoring, which a survey by the University of Birmingham estimates is already used by about 30 per cent of UK hypertensive patients, may improve health outcomes.

    In a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, by an Oxford University team headed by Professor Richard McManus, self-monitoring led to greater blood pressure reductions than readings regularly taken by a doctor.

    “Wearable technology can also help with certain risk factors,” says Dr Summerton. “For example, pulse monitors can detect heartbeat irregularities due to atrial fibrillation, which is associated with a five-fold increased risk of stroke. And fitness bands seem to encourage people to exercise more. But the evidence supporting wearables’ efficacy is limited.”

    So there really are effective ways to control high blood pressure, address other risk factors and, ultimately, reduce the likelihood of a stroke. And these same measures can help those who have already had one. Therefore, the majority of strokes shouldn’t occur. As Professor Beevers concludes: “They should be almost a thing of the past.”

    •Culled from New York Times

  • DIFFERENT STROKES:

    DIFFERENT STROKES:

    • Nigerians recount mixed experiences as fuel scarcity nearly shut nation down

    THE situation has variously been described as hellish, harrowing or catastrophic. Whichever way it is described, Nigerians will for long remember the hassles they passed through in the last one week and pray never to experience such again.

    Although the people are already accustomed to the trauma of epileptic power supply and fuel scarcity, nothing could have prepared their minds for the total lockdown instigated by complete blackout and lack of fuel.

    crowdThe experience was mixed feelings for residents of Lagos. While a larger percentage of the people lamented the double-edged trauma of blackout and fuel scarcity, others smiled to the banks as they made unprecedented gains from brisk business.

    For several days, many residents of the city resorted to trekking long distances as commercial motorists hiked fares beyond their reach. Findings also revealed that many hospitals and their patients, especially those who were to undergo surgical operations, suffered grievously as there was no power supply or sufficent fuel to power their generators.

    Lamenting the situation, a nurse in one of the public hospitals in Alimosho area of Lagos State recalled that the hospital literally went through the eye of the needle to get petrol to save the lives of their patients.

    She said: “We would have lost so many patients, especially those that were to undergo surgical operations. When we were about exhausting the petrol that we had left, our chief medical director became very angry and instructed us to comb every nook and cranny of the state to get petrol so that the lives of the patients would not be endangered.

    “Luckily for us and the patients, we got some fuel on the outskirts of Lagos, albeit at very high price. We used the fuel strictly for the patients and had to do away with air conditioners and other electrical appliances which could have consumed more fuel. It was not a good experience but the sacrifice was worth it because we saved the lives of our patients.”

    While many Nigerians bemoaned the hardship and prayed that the situation would end as soon as possible, petrol attendants, black market operators, water sellers and motor park touts, among others, smiled to the bank, praying that the problem would persist.

    gallonsWhile many major filling stations in the city had no fuel, black market operators displaying gallons of the product on major roads and selling at exorbitant rates. At a point, they sold five litres for as high as N5, 000. And even in spite of the astronomical rates, motorists and other users of the product begged to buy it from them.

    A trader who spoke with The Nation said: “How can I wish that the scarcity would end? Would you wish that your source of income shuts down? My standard of living has improved in the last few weeks that the scarcity started. It is a very lucrative business that can make one to become stupendously rich within a short time.

    “We get it from the petrol stations above the official pump price and add our own margin when selling to the people. There is no fixed profit margin. Demand determined the price we sold the products. If it were possible, I would wish the scarcity continues indefinitely because it would enable me to raise sufficient money to start a viable business.”

    Before the scarcity began, Shuaib Adamu, a water seller in Akoka, Yaba area of the state, charged N300 each time he delivered 10 jerry cans of water to his clients. But with the scarcity, Adamu jacked up his fee to N600, forcing his clients who had difficulty getting petrol to pump water for household use to pay through their noses.

    He said: “It is true that I am making more money than I was doing before. But the truth is that, I did not increase my fee to exploit my clients. I am forced to increase the price because the price has also increased where I buy the water from. The people also use petrol, which they have been buying at high prices to pump water. And for them to recover the money they have invested in the business, they have no alternative but to increase the price.”

     

    Motor park touts have also made the most of the problem as they equally hiked the tolls they usually collect from commercial drivers, who in turn hiked their fares by more than 200 per cent in some areas.

    A tout, who asked not to be named, said: “It is not possible for us to continue to collect what we were collecting from them in the past. The fare determines how much we charge, but it is always an addition of what two passengers pay. If the passengers pay N200, we would collect N400 from them.

    “It has been a bountiful season for us. Although we remit a substantial part of the money to our bosses, we have been smiling home since the scarcity started. There is a season for everything in life. For us, this is our season and there is nothing anybody can do about it.”

    The blackout was another opportunity for some smart Nigerians to make brisk business. Among them were those who charged handsets at public places. Aside from jacking up their charges from N20 to N50, they also added charging of rechargeable lamps to their business.

    A lady, who identified herself as Busayo, confessed that the business is her own little way of getting increased income.

    She said: “This is an opportunity for me to up my income. It doesn’t come all the time. Those of you doing white collar jobs would have your salaries increased every year. I have not had this kind of patronage in a very long time. I have the scarcity to thank for it.

    “But for the scarcity, would all these people come and charge their phones and lamps here? I would appreciate if it continues because it has been helping me to pay my bills, although I also have some areas of life where it also affects me.”

    In Kano, the scarcity of fuel inflicted untold hardship on residents, just as business and commercial activities were affected. Vehicular movement was reduced as car owners abandoned their cars and elected to use the few commercial vehicles available. Many who could not afford the high fares charged by transporters trekked long distances to their places of work.

     

    A banker, Mrs. Patricia John, who spoke to The Nation, said she was forced to rise up earlier than she used to in order to get to work early.

    She said: “I am a banker, and as such, must report to the office before 8 am. I don’t have a car yet, so I depend on public transport. Before the fuel scarcity, I spent N200 on transportation every day. But now, I spend nothing less than N800. For that reason, I have resorted to trekking to work every day. It is a terrible situation.”

    Investigations also revealed that many traders in the city have resorted to trekking to the market with astronomical rise in transport fares. In most parts of the ancient city, residents now sleep outside at night because of intense heat.

    With the total blackout across the city, coupled with high cost of fuel at between N200 and N250, only a few rich could afford it to power their generators. For many, the situation opened an opportunity for local producers of hand-fans to make brisk business.

    Checks across the city also showed that most filling stations had no fuel to sell to motorists, with queues of vehicles, motorbikes and tricycles stretching several kilometers.

    A filling station manager, Alhaji Manir Sule, said: “There is trouble in the land. There is no fuel supply coming from the depots, we are experiencing bad market and we don’t know when this scarcity will subside. We are praying to Allah to come to the rescue of the people who are suffering from this perennial fuel scarcity in the country.”

    Mr. Denis Ukauwa, another station manager, said: “It seems there is sabotage in the present scarcity. I cannot rule out the possibility of oil merchants engaging in racketeering by deliberately hoarding fuel and making life unbearable for Nigerians.”

    It was also observed that fuel sold at different prices in most of the filling stations visited by our correspondent. Most independent marketers in the city sold petrol between N200 to N250 per litre. Interestingly, the gates of most major marketers were under lock, with ‘no fuel’ sign pasted on their gates. The fare for a distance of about a kilometre or two, which previously went for N50 has since been increased to N100.

    Speaking with our correspondent, the North-West Zonal Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Muhammadu Lawal Danzaki, said that the fuel scarcity that is being experienced in the country will linger for a while. He blamed the scarcity on what he described as the nefarious activities of the Deport Market Association of Nigeria (DAPMAN) and major marketers of fuel.

    Danzaki explained that the major marketers and deport owners association may have resorted to their present action because of the fear of the policy the incoming administration may adopt. To end the scarcity, Danzaki said the government needs to build new refineries, while the old ones are refurbished and put back on track.

    In Calabar, the Cross River State capital, the first indication that something was amiss was the unusually quiet and empty roads. For a city known for hustling and bustling, the situation has virtually turned Calabar into a ghost town.

    In the capital city, almost all filling stations were shut while the few that were selling sold for between N150 and N200 per litre. Major marketers, like the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mobil and Oando, among others, did not have the product.

    The few filling stations belonging to independent marketers, which sold fuel, had long queues of vehicles as motorists fought tooth and nail to get the product. Expectedly, black market operators cashed in on the situation to sell at N300 per litre.

    Transport fares also doubled, even as many commuters were stranded due to the scarcity of taxis and buses on the roads. Heated arguments between commercial drivers and passengers became common place. The passengers would argue that salaries had not been paid, insisting they would not pay more than they used to. The drivers on the other hand would point to the prevailing fuel situation to say they would not collect the usual rates.

    Prices of foodstuff and other necessities sky-rocketed, leaving some residents to describe their experiences as hellish.

    An independent marketer, who did not want to be named, said: “Sincerely, I cannot explain what is happening. Initially, I thought it was because of politics, but I cannot really say so any longer. In my two filling stations, as I speak to you, we don’t even have fuel and it is unfortunate. The only way out of all these is that our refineries should be fixed, and this is a task I hope the Buhari administration should maake a priority.”

    David Effiong, a car owner in Calabar, said in dealing with the situation, he had to park his car and resort to public transportation despite the double price. “My brother, I cannot even find petrol to buy. So the best thing is just to leave the car at home,” he said.

    Asuquo Inyang, another car owner, said he had stopped using his car, except for very important assignments. “For me, there is no more frivolous driving around town. I take the shortest cuts to wherever I am going now. I go there straight and I come back home. No detours.

    “At home, we ration petrol. At least, I was lucky to have up to 20 litres in the house now to use for the generator. I have also ensured that the generator is not put on until 10 pm. With that, we can ration the little fuel and make sure it lasts us up to eight days.”

    In Lokoja, Kogi State, the untold hardship visited on residents of the state as a result of grueling fuel scarcity is better imagined. At the onset, the effect of the fuel debacle was limited to motorists and commuters. But with time, it became more biting.

    With the total blackout in most parts of the capital city, a large part of Lokoja ran on generator. Across the city, fuel sold at N280 per litre in some of the filling stations, while black market operators charged more. The result was a near paralysis of both economic and social activities.

    There was also a threat of epidemic, with refuse piling up on public roads as a result of the inability of the state waste disposal unit to evacuate refuse dumped at strategic points. With the reported breakdown of the greater Lokoja water system due to lack of fuel to run the machines, the city is gradually being taken over by stench.

    All around town, the few filling stations with fuel sold at between N200 and N250 per litre. A particular filling station in the city opened its gates to motorists, selling at N120 per litre. But by the end of the same day, the filling station had increased the pump price to N280.

    In some parts of the capital city, residents resorted to sleeping in the open at night to avoid the suffocating heat indoors, while several closed water wells were reopened. Several households went back to using firewood for cooking.

    A resident, who pleaded anonymity, blamed the situation on the outgoing government. According to him, the government ruined the nation’s economy and put the future of the people in jeopardy.

    In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while motorists and other petrol users lamented non-availability of fuel in the country. Black market operators smiled to the banks, celebrating the huge profits they made from the sale of fuel.

    Black market operators said they wanted the fuel scarcity to bite harder so that they could continue to make more money.

    Across the city, more and more filling stations shut their gates, while those who managed to have fuel adjusted their metres in order to make more money.

    A visit to filling stations located at Ada-George Road, Rumueme in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, showed that they sold fuel for N200 per litre. Black market operators also seized the opportunity to sell the product at N300 per litre.

    Speaking with The Nation, some black marketers confessed that they had made between N500, 000 and N800, 000 in the last one week, adding that they were enjoying the situation and praying it would linger.

    A black marketer, who did not want to be named, said he had made enough money to take care of his needs for the whole year, adding that he was praying fervently for the scarcity to continue.

    “I don’t want the scarcity to end for now. I even pray that the whole thing should get worse. Since I was born, it is in the last few days of fuel scarcity that I made the highest cash in my life. As for me, Nigeria is in a good condition.

    Another black marketer said: “I supplied to banks and other companies in town. Before now, almost all the marketers had shut down their filling stations. It was only the black marketers that were selling. Even the filling stations that were selling were over-crowded, so the people were left with no choice but to patronise us.

    “The serious black marketers get their products from the men in the creek and shift them down to town for quick money. To be frank, I wish the condition should continue for a long time.”

    However, commercial drivers see the situation differently. Mr. Emeka Ejiofor Martin, a bus driver said: “We are living in hell now. It is actually very difficult to cope with the present challenges. My family members are suffering. Some passengers prefer to trek than pay the high fares we are charging them.”

    A female cab driver, Nkechiyere Oha, said: “I am solidly behind President Buhari for saying that he will have nothing to do with subsidy. Let this country forget anything about subsidy and let the product be available at all times. Nigerians are suffering and we don’t know what to do.”

    The situation was the same in most parts of Kwara State as the residents groaned under the yoke of fuel scarcity and total blackout. In most filling stations in Ilorin, the capital city, fuel sold for between N120 and N160. Many of the filling stations owned by major petroleum marketers put their gates under lock and key.

    A few of the stations run by members of the Independent Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) sold a litre of fuel for between N130 and N150.

    To compound an already harrowing situation, it was gathered that a few of the filling stations which had fuel did not have gas or diesel to power their generators.

    The ubiquitous commercial motorcyclists had a field day as they charge between N70 and N100 per drop, depending on distance.

    A factional Chairman of IPMAN in the state, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Olopade, said that most independent marketers buy the product at private depots in Lagos.

    “Before you can talk of availability of petrol, it has to be complemented with loading from Ilorin depot. Once we are not loading from Ilorin depots, we find it difficult to regularise or regulate anything.”

    Authorities of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) had to suspend the second semester examination for three days. Spokesperson of the Students Union Government (SUG), Kamil Sodiq DanFulani, said that the reason for the postponement was to reduce the stress associated with the prevailing situation ahead of the semester exam.

    Also, almost all private schools in the state instructed their students to stay away from school for three days.

    “We will like to inform you that the school will be closed for three days only (due to fuel scarcity) starting on Wednesday, May 27 (Children’s Day), May 28 and 29 (Democracy day),” a text message to the parents read.

    Just like in the other parts of the country, residents of Kaduna State continued to lament lack of fuel at most filling stations across the state.

    Some residents who spoke with The Nation described as unfortunate the pain they were going through. While most of the filling stations within Kaduna metropolis were under lock and key, the few filling stations which had stock of the product sold for between N140 to N150 per litre.

    Within the Kaduna metropolis, major marketers like Total, Oando and Mobil, occasionally dispense at the official N87 per litre. Black marketers who displayed fuel along major roads in the city sold the product ‎‎in gallons at between N200 to N250 per litre. It was observed that most of the vendors, who chose to display their products near popular filling stations, sold 10-litre fuel at N2,000 while those who operated outside filling stations sold at N2,500.

  • Different strokes from Ebola

    Different strokes from Ebola

    It’s pain for some, blessing for others

    THE deadly Ebola virus disease has claimed the lives of two Nigerians with 198 others placed under watch by the Federal Ministry of Health to contain the spread. Besides these deaths however, is the enormous toll that the disease is taking on the economy and individuals’ businesses and lifestyles, among others. Indeed, since the EVD made its way into the country, it has been woeful tales from a segment of the populace whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by the fear of the disease.

    Certain businesses, retailers and others who make popular local delicacies such as pepper soup and grilled meat or suya are daily counting their losses due to the decrease in sales because of the fear of contracting Ebola. Suya and pepper soup sellers, for instance, have been badly affected by the Ebola scourge, with patronage very low.

    Some of the operators who spoke with The Nation lamented that they have been recording low sales since the Ebola virus disease broke out in the country.

    A beer parlour operator who gave her name as Patricia Okon said: “This is a bad business period for us. Ebola has seriously set back our business now that we are supposed to be enjoying good patronage because pepper soup sells very well during the rainy season. Before now, I used to make two big pots of pepper soup, but since this problem began, I barely can sell half of one of the pots.

    “People are really scared and careful of what they eat these days. We don’t use bush meat to make pepper soup, yet people avoid it like a plague. They would say it is better avoided than take a risk. Many customers who previously would not drink beer except pepper soup was available don’t bother about it again. We have resorted to cooking small quantity to meet the demands of the few people that still crave for it,” she stated.

    Mallam Adamu, a suya seller in Lagos, also narrated his plight. Said he: “Wallahi, this thing they call Ebola has adversely affected our sales. Before now, if you came here, you would see large number of people milling around me to buy suya. But since this problem started, they have stopped coming.

    “Only a few people come around to buy these days. Initially I thought I was the only one affected by the problem. But when I spoke with some of my colleagues that are into the same business, they also had the same ugly story to tell.”

    To him the fear of suya meat was unfounded as neither bush meat nor monkey is used in preparing it.

    “I want people to know that suya is not made from bush meat or monkey. It is simply made from cow meat (beef). The government should also help us to make people understand that they cannot have Ebola from eating cow meat. They should help us because Ebola has crippled our business and making life very difficult for us.”

    It’s not this group alone who are experiencing slump in sales. Some operators in the hospitality industry and fast food business are also facing difficulties in the wake of the scourge.

    Recounting their frustrations since the dreaded sickness broke out, one of them, who simply identified himself as Samson, bemoaned the sharp drop in the number of lodging, saying “This is unbelievable. It is unfathomable that we would be having this kind of low patronage by this time of the year when sales are supposed to be on the high side.

    “I don’t know what Ebola has got to do with lodging in hotels. We always wash our bed sheets and maintain good hygiene. Therefore customers don’t have to fear that the sweat of other customers who previously used the room could affect them. Our pool side that used to be a beehive of activities has been deserted since this problem of Ebola started. People no longer come to swim as they used to do in the past. This is causing us serious loss. We hardly make enough sales for the running of the business since the virus broke out in the country. I wonder how salaries of staff would be paid with the way things are going.

    “The government has channeled all its efforts and energy to launching campaigns about Ebola to the detriment of the economy. The campaigns have put a lot of fears in the people and it is seriously affecting business activities and human interaction. They should endeavour to come up with campaigns that would highlight things that cannot cause Ebola so that the fears of the people can be mitigated.”

    Sporting activities curtailed

    Even sporting activities, particularly foreign competitions, are being affected by the scourge. Some sportsmen and women who spoke to The Nation expressed dismay over the development, stating that it could have a negative effect on sports in the country.

    A wrestler who identified himself simply as Sunday, said the EVD poses serious threat to his ambition and that of his colleagues.

    “The EVD calls for concern, especially for sportsmen, because we often have body contacts with our opponents. The body unfortunately comes with profuse sweat through which one can contract the virus. Some of us in this field have been expressing fears about it because it has two serious implications for us.

    “First of all, it has health implications because of the body contacts. The second implication is that it might begin to affect our chances of participating in international championships. From the way things are going now, many countries may not allow us to come to their countries for any competition.

    “This would in no small measure prevent us from getting the resources we ought to ordinarily have. Besides, it denies us the exposure we are supposed to get by participating in such international competitions.”

    Another athlete named Bose also shared Sunday’s line of thought. She feared that athletes from the country might begin to experience ridiculous treatment because of the development.

    “Ebola appears to have come to worsen our international image. Before now, when you travel abroad, you would be subjected to some thorough checks because of the bad image that some unscrupulous Nigerians have given the country.

    “Now that Ebola has crept into the country, the ridiculous treatment might worsen, especially for us who are sports people. Even if you do not have Ebola, they might isolate you for checks simply because you are from Nigeria. Something needs to be done,” she stated.

    The media officer of the Nigeria Football Federation, Demola Olajire, however allayed any fears about the national teams’ participation in international competitions.

    He said: “We do not foresee any problems with the national teams’ participation in international competitions. The virus is being tackled adequately by the Federal Government, so there shouldn’t be any reasons for anybody to be afraid.”

    Asked if any country has expressed fears about competing with the country in any competition, he said: “When Lesotho’s Under 20 team wanted to come to the country for a football engagement, they got in touch with us to inquire about the EVD. We simply explained to them the way we have explained to you now that it is not an epidemic. We are going to do the same thing to any other country that expresses fears about coming to the country to engage our national teams.

    President of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Hon. Daniel Igali, also ruled out any fears about his athletes’ participation in international competitions. He however, feared that the presence of Ebola in the country might pose an issue to Nigerian athletes at one time or the other.

    He said: “We don’t have any fears about Ebola in our federation. We have been doing everything possible to keep our athletes in good health condition.

    “I am writing a letter to the International Wrestling Federation to inform them of all that we are doing to make sure that our wrestlers live healthily ahead of the international competition we have ahead.

    “Our athletes are currently camped in a place where they are getting the best education on how to live healthily.

    “I foresee a situation where our athletes might begin to have issues because of the EVD. I want international bodies to understand that the problem is not a national thing. It is a localised issue and should not be used to stigmatise the whole country.”

    Commercial sex workers also cry

    Since the outbreak of the dreaded Ebola disease in Lagos, the fear of Ebola has curtailed the nocturnal activities of the average commercial sex worker in red light districts of Lagos such as Ikeja, Ojuelegba and Victoria Island. However, with growing knowledge about the disease in metropolitan Lagos, more and more sex workers have been relaxing their guard though doing more of prevention or caution against the dreaded disease.

    As Eliza, a sex worker in a brothel at Ipodo area of Ikeja, Lagos, stated, “this Ebora or Ebola of a thing that you are talking about is the worst disease. From what we hear, it is worse than gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV/AIDS. So even before it came to Nigeria, we have been very cautious of diseases in general.

    “Although it affected our business the first three nights after it was announced the first time that the Liberian man died, business has picked again. Like I told you, we have always been cautious of diseases because it can spread easily.”

    Asked in what ways she and her colleagues have been preventing possible contact, she had this to say: “We have been listening to the news. People have been telling us to wash our hands regularly. We have been doing that and also maintaining general cleanliness around us.

    Unfortunately, our work involves contact. So personally, it is only God that can totally protect us.”

    Asked further if it weas possible for her and her colleagues close shop while the government looks for a cure or solution to the Ebola problem, Eliza suddenly looked alarmed. “How can that be?” She asked.

    “Do you want us to starve? We will continue to do our work.”

    Ebola or no Ebola, during the week, sex workers poured out in their various locations around the city of Lagos. Indeed, it was business as usual for this set of people. This much was confirmed by Joy who works in another part of the city.

    Joy said: “I didn’t come out the day that Ebola was announced. Most of my friends stayed indoors too. But by the next day, we came out for business. We are careful but there is not much we can do. As for me, I look at a person very well. If you appear sick, I run (she and her friends laugh).

    Joy, like her friends however admitted that business had been dull in the last two weeks. But what they did not collectively agree on was whether it was due to the outbreak of Ebola disease in Lagos.

    She said: “Our business has good and bad seasons. Sometimes things change too. At month end for instance, we have more customers than at other times. But then, one single person can come and change things for days or even more. He can spend more for a girl than she has been making for days. So our business is not predictable. Also, it depends on where you are working.”

    We asked Joy what would happen to her business if Ebola continues to spread. Will she still be coming out to work?

    Joy responded: “That is what we do not pray for (laughs). The funniest thing is that whether it continues to spread or not, people will still come to meet us. It will then depend on whether we want to work or not. I don’t know. I cannot say for now.”

    All around the joints where sex workers abound, activities continued during the week. But more importantly, most of the sex workers were aware of the outbreak of Ebola. They were conscious of the fact that there is an outbreak of the disease in Lagos.

    But that did not prevent them from their normal interactions and play with one another, or with their customers.

    However, Rose, who says she moves from one end of the city to another on a good night, she asks each of her customers if they he sick or has in anyway contracted the disease. “If they say no, then there is nothing I can do about it, I have to accept them,” added Rose.

    Molue riders defiant

    The campaign that EVD can be contracted through sweat appears not to be getting the attention of public transporters and passengers, especially in Lagos State.

    Checks showed that passengers in the state continued to patronise the services of mass transit buses that are often overcrowded. In molue buses, for instance, passengers who prefer to stand in order to pay cheaper fares are often crammed together in the narrow passage, causing them to sweat profusely.

    In spite of the high risk of contracting Ebola in that situation, most of the passengers appear unruffled. The operators, on their part, have continued to smile to the bank in the face of clear and present danger.

    A passenger who gave her name as Idaya Semiu dismissed any fear of contracting Ebola through sweat in public buses.

    She said: “I have been boarding this bus for more than 10 years without contracting any ailment. The molue is a vehicle for the masses and God who knows that it is poverty that makes us to board it will not allow any affliction to come upon us. In actual fact, boarding molue does not make one to contract Ebola. Did those that have contracted it get it from boarding molue?”

    Mr Oladipupo Idowu, another molue passenger saw no problem in boarding the bus. He however opined: “We have to stop shaking people’s hands and endeavour to avoid body contacts in the public.”

    Mr. Balogun, a mass transit driver, said fears about Ebola is not out of place. “I’m afraid of Ebola, especially with news that a nurse who was part of the team in the hospital that attended to the first identified case in Nigeria has died. The anxiety is understandable since it takes just one person to infect an entire community.

    “We as commercial bus drivers don’t have control over the passengers. They sometimes force themselves to stand in our buses. Never would we encourage any act that affects the well being of the people.”

    Mr Eze Obi, a commercial motorcycle rider, said he and his colleagues have no reason to be afraid of Ebola while doing their job. “We don’t have to be afraid. What we need is an improvement of the health care sector as well as emergency responses,” he said.

    Different strokes

    While for some business outfits like hotels and eateries the Ebola scourge has been more of a curse, it has been a blessing for others. These include manufacturers and retailers of disinfectants, soaps, gloves, nose guards and other protective coverage against germs and diseases.

    Efforts of the government as well as the media in educating the public on the need for preventative measures against the disease has resulted in lots of people becoming more health conscious and maintaining good hygiene.

    Investigations show that more Nigerians have started washing their hands more regularly than they were doing before.

    Madam Bose Iyanda, a major distributor of soaps and detergents at Oke Arin Market in Central Lagos noted that “business in soaps and detergents has always been good for us. But people are buying soaps and detergents very well now. Even this Ebola thing will help us to sell more and more because the business is moving well.”

    Asked which of them is selling the most, she simply laughed and replied: “They are all moving well in the market now.”

    Our investigation at Agege Market where locally made soaps are popular took us to Omobolanle who trades in them. She confessed that they are now fast selling products. But what has been the use of soaps and sanitizers with regards to Ebola prevention. Mrs Lydia Egbuson, who operates a medicine store in Ogba area of Lagos, said: “Although people have been coming in to ask for medicated soaps more than before, what people are buying the more are sanitizers because it is easier to carry them about. Today alone, I have sold many.”

    Mrs. Egbuson’s comment was justified by a sampling our correspondents did. More and more women were found with one form of sanitizer or another in their bags. Most women inside the market at Ogba area had soaps or sanitizers at easy reach. The most popular sanitizer we found the women using is a gel that is said to kill 99.9 per cent of germs.

    Mrs. Glory Emeh, a kerosene seller, also said she had witnessed a rise in sales since the outbreak of Ebola.

    She said: “I was scared when I heard about the disease. But I don’t believe that hot water and salt can cure it. I made a lot of sales as people were scared of the virus.

    They came to buy kerosene to boil water for their baths. I think the cold weather also added to the increased demand for kerosene. It was only at that period of announcement that I made a lot of sales. Since then, the kerosene market has slowed down. It is like people have stopped using hot water.

    Erihkan Akpankpan, another kereosene seller, said: “People bought a lot of kerosene on that day. I made a reasonable amount of money. It was like magic to me because it had been a long time we experienced that kind of profit. I was even scared to collect money from my customers the day the announcement was made, thinking whether one of the customers had been infected with the virus.

    “I ensured I avoided body contact and washed my hands regularly with the use of sanitizers. I was so scared I had to use hot water and salt to bathe for like three days. It was after the third day that I calmed down.

    Oluchi Felix, who sells bitter kola, is also experiencing a boom in sales.

    She noted: “Since the day the news broke, so many people have been buying bitter kola from me. I used to sell like a bag and half before, but that very day, I sold more than five bags of bitter kola. But I don’t believe that bitter kola cures Ebola. They are just buying it because they are scared as they buy for themselves and family members. But it is not solving any issue.

    “I’m not scared of the virus, so I don’t eat it. It is just a temporary business gain. But if bitter kola is the cure for the deadly virus, it will become scarce and more expensive.”

  • Different strokes for different banks

    Different strokes for different banks

    For many banks, the second quarter which ended in June was not a season to cheer about. Their profits dipped. Some are blaming it on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policies which reportedly cut banks’ loanable funds and income margins. But, what was the magic for those that made profit? COLLINS NWEZE reports.

    Capital is key to business. This explains why banks panicked when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) on public sector deposits from 12 per cent to 50 per cent in July, last year. In March, the ratio was raised to 75 per cent.

    CRR on private sector deposits also rose by 300 basis points from 12 per cent to 15 per cent during the last CBN Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in March.

    Seeing the effect of previous hikes on banks’operations, the MPC left CRR, Monetary Policy  Rate (MPR) and other indicators unchanged at its last month’s meeting. For many banks, especially those with weak deposit base, it was bad business.

    These policy adjustments creamed  off over N1.5 trillion from banks’ vaults and put it in CBN’s custody. When banks started releasing their fiscal year 2013 results, many pundits were interested in knowing the impacts changes in cash reserve, reduction on Commission on Turnover (COT), removal of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) charges and increase in contribution to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) levy had on their profit.

    Some of the banks posed good results; other had a poor showing.

    The half year ended June 30 result of Skye Bank indicated that its Profit Before Tax (PBT) dropped to N7.266 billion as against N10.545 billion during the corresponding period in 2013. Profit after tax also decreased to N5.786 billion as against N8.428 billion the previous year.

    With gross earnings of N63.9 billion, interest expense dropped by 24 per cent yearly to close at N20.7 billion compared to N27.2 billion as at June, last year, in line with the bank’s operational strategy of increasing the volume of low cost funds in its deposit portfolio.

    “Our loan impairment charge increased by 100 per cent year-on-year to N5 billion, being a deliberate policy of aggressive provisioning early in the year to enable a fairly sustained position and avoid high-figure concentration in the last quarter. Exchange earnings improved by five per cent to N5.8 billion compared to N5.5 billion of the corresponding period in 2013,” the bank said.

    Giving insight on the reasons for poor outing of most banks, Timothy Oguntayo, the new Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director Skye Bank Plc, at a briefing, said the 0.5 per cent sinking fund being contributed to the Assets Management Corporation affects operating expenses.

    Fidelity Bank Plc’s PBT for the half year ended June 30, stood at N9.43 billion, its Chief Executive Officer, Nnamdi Okonkwo, has said. The PBT represents a drop of 16 per cent from N11.2 billion recorded in the Half Year ended June 30, 2013. However, second quarter PBT was N4.97billion, which represents a growth of 12 per cent from N4.45 billion recorded in first quarter of the year.

    Total Customer Deposits declined by five per cent to N766 billion as at June 30, this year from N806 billion as at December 31, last year as we rebalance our deposit book on account of high Cash Reserve Requirement on public sector deposits and continuous re-pricing of the deposit book.

    “On a quarterly basis deposits recorded a marginal growth in second quarter 2014 while interest expense remained flat in a period of increased monetary tightening. Net Loans and Leases grew by three per cent to N438 billion as at June 30, 2014 from N426 billion as at December 31, 2013, loan growth was 19 per cent from June 2013 to June 2014,” it said.

    Okonkwo said the result is in line with the lender’s 2014 fiscal year and medium term Return on Equity (ROE) target, adding that the lender’s shareholders’ funds stood at N166.38 billion within the period.

    He said the result showed a gradual impact of some of the transformation it commenced at the beginning of the financial year, adding that the PBT rose by 12 per cent in the second quarter and net interest income improved by 32 per cent between June 2013 and June 2014.

    “We are confident that the profit and efficiency momentum will be sustained in the coming quarters as we implement our newly tested lending structures, to grow the loan book in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and retail segment while consolidating on our niche corporate banking play,” he said. He said the lender’s gross earnings grew by one per cent from N62.9 billion recorded in first half of 2013 to N63.3 billion that of this year.

    Also, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Group second quarter result for the period ended June 30, 2014 showed the PBT grew by 4.6 per cent to N11.14 billion, while PAT rose by 3.2 per cent to N9.6 billion during the period.

    FBN Holdings Plc, the holding company for First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Limited and its previous subsidiaries, grew its top-line by 7.9 per cent to N212 billion in the first half of this year.

    Interim report and accounts of FBN Holdings for the period ended June 30, this year released at the weekend showed that gross earnings rose by 7.9 per cent to N212 billion in first half 2014 as against N196.4 billion recorded in comparable period of 2013. The top-line showed mixed performance from the interest and non-interest incomes.

     

    Analysts’ views

    Equities analyst at Renaissance Capital (RenCap), an investment and research firm, Adesoji Solanke, said lenders must be disciplined on the cost line, and properly manage their impairment charges before they could deliver earnings growth. He said most banks’ managements acknowledged the current challenges and their initial focus will be on reducing the funding costs by continuous downward re-pricing of costly term deposits.

    For Fidelity Bank, Solanke said the lender would be significantly more focused on driving e-banking products for customer mobilisation. On the asset side, he said Fidelity is positioning itself to be a Small and Medium Enterprise-focused bank, and, coupled with its payroll lending retail book, management expects combined exposure to rise to 50 per cent over the medium term (2017), from 28 per cent last year.

    He said the bank’s management has also been re-pricing the existing loan book and plans to periodically review all concessions and lending rates. “The turnaround process is under way, but we think in the short term, investors are likely to retain a preference for the more liquid and relatively cheap tier one names,” he said.

    Vetiva Capital Management analysts predicted that on an aggregate level, the banking industry 2014 gross earnings would take a potential $690 million annual hit, assuming a 12 per cent yield on the newly sterilised CRR deposits. They said the impact will vary from bank to bank depending on how much public sector deposits on their books.

    But Sterling Bank Executive Director, Abubakar Suleiman, disagreed that banks have performed poorly. “If you look around, most banks in Sub Saharan Africa did not do better than 15 per cent Return on Equity (ROE) in 2013. Nigerian banks are averaging 20 per cent ROE. So, that is not poor performance. Also, it is at a time that the sector is also growing. Is it true that the headwinds exist? Yes,” he told The Nation.

    Suleiman said the cost of resolution for the crisis of 2009 is something that will be with banks for a while but that, he added, should not stop them from aspiring to deliver good returns. “These are difficult times. A time when the government and regulatory authorities are trying to stabilise prices, including exchange rates and interest rates, and the choices available to them are limited”.

    And again, these are not policies that will be there forever. They will be applied in the best interest of the country, and when things stabilise, we expect some of these policies to be reversed and profitability will improve for the banks,” he said.

    He said the CBN could not allow a certain level of liquidity in the system when there is pressure from the exchange rate. “And even the banks themselves are not better-off if liquidity is allowed in the system because what they gain, in terms of interest income, they may end up losing if there is significant devaluation or devaluation that is not managed properly. In my view, the CRR hike is something that must happen, and is not going to prevent any serious minded bank from returning decent ROE,” he said.

    Suleiman said his bank achieved its objective, and the target that was set for last year despite the difficult operating environment. Suleiman said the increase in top line performance is impressive considering the harsh regulatory environment and the tightening stance of the CBN which have put pressure on earnings of most banks.

    “Most importantly, we also reduced our cost to income ratio, and we are a more efficient bank today than we were before. We also achieved a 40 per cent growth in our risk assets, and 22 per cent growth in total assets. So, it is an encouraging performance that we are very proud of and intend to repeat in 2014,” he said.

     

    Banks’ reactions

    Banks are raising dollar-funds to fund businesses in power, oil and gas sectors. The lenders are also embracing e-payment to reduce cost of operation while also improving their commitments to Small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector. There is also renewed zeal to fund mortgage, agricultural and educational businesses. Banks are also reviewing their business development strategies aimed at achieving improved earnings.

    In late April, the Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Phillips Oduoza,  announced a major shift in the lender’s business model and strategy to improve its earnings in Nigeria and African subsidiaries. The bank has 18 subsidiaries across Africa.

    The lender had in May 1, split its operations into two broad directorates, UBA Africa and UBA Nigeria, both under UBA Plc. The bank also appointed two deputy managing directors to head the UBA Africa and UBA Nigeria directorates, and mandated each division to contribute 50 per cent to the lender’s group profit targets.

    He said competition between the two directorates will be positive and improve its earnings. “We have taken a decision on how to drive Nigeria and African divisions and earn the full benefits of our investments,” he said.

    Oduoza said the bank was not restructuring, but was redeploying its resources in a  optimally to achieve its objectives and improving earnings.

     

  • Different strokes for different students

    For students who underwent industrial training last year, it is time to defend their reports. While some are confident to stand before their lecturers to defend their acquired skills, many have developed cold feet. These students are not happy over the challenges they faced during the training.

    For science and engineering students in universities and polytechnics, the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is compulsory. The SIWES is a programme designed by the Federal Government for students to gain practical skills of what they are taught.

    Part of the scheme’s goals is to provide adequate manpower to foster industrial and economic growth through learning and practice. To sustain the programme, the government established the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to promote and sustain the acquisition of industrial skills through financial motivation of participants.

    Students always look forward to the scheme to which the second semester is devoted by 200-Level and 300-Level students. For final year students, SIWES is held for three months during the first semester, after which the graduating students defend their industrial training skills with their final year project researches.

    These days, instead of going for full training in industries, students undergo a minimum of one month and stay at home for the rest of the period. During holidays, students besiege companies in search for where they will undergo the training. The well-connected get places of their choice; many others are frustrated by rejection. Many who could not get placement lose hope and stop applying.

    Students are required to write comprehensive reports on what they learnt during the training. The reports must be signed by institution- and industry-based supervisors. On returning to school, they are given a deadline for submission of their log books, which contain the reports. Students become agitated during this period, especially those that did not undergo the training. On various campuses, SIWES defence is seen as judgement day.

    To escape the “Armageddon”, many students, who did not participate in the scheme, copy and manipulate reports done by others. Such students often avoid the procedure because they feel they would not score an ‘A’ after the exercise. They manipulate SIWES report and log books by forging reports, signature and designing fake companies’ stamps.

    Some frustrated students told CAMPUSLIFE that their inability to get placement on time shortened their SIWES period. “Before my application was considered to undergo my SIWES, I had already spent three months at home doing nothing,” said Timothy Asadu, who did his six-month industrial training in a soap company in Lagos.

    Hurried resumption is included in the challenges students complained about. To recover the time lost to strike and other crises that may affect the academic calendar, some institutions hurriedly fixed resumption dates, thereby compelling students to abandon their training for school.

    Industry supervision and orientation of participants are part of the responsibilities of the ITF to make the scheme successful. Some trainees have abandoned their training because of non-payment of their allowances by the ITF.

    “Many of us have been turned to labourers in companies where we undergo our training. Without giving us kobo, those companies see IT students as extra workforce and stress us beyond the limit. But since the ITF won’t make our allowances available to us during the training, many students stop the SIWES and stay at home,” an engineering student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) told our correspondent.

    It appears the ITF is overwhelmed by the challenges facing the scheme. At the second annual seminar for Trade and Investment Correspondents and Business Editors organised by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment in Abuja last December, Prof Longmas Wapmuk, ITF boss, said government owed SIWES students N12 billion in allowance. Given the huge debt, Wapmuk said the Fund would rather want the government to scrap the N2,500 stipend approved for students instead of accumulating huge debt.

    Wapmuk said the scheme’s idea to marry practical with theory in order to prepare students for employment after graduation is being marred by poor funding.

    “Left to us in the ITF, we prefer that we have a cashless SIWES, because students have been taking care of themselves already during the SIWES period and since the Federal Government is not in a position to give us the money required because of the demands from other sectors of the economy, we feel we should have a cashless SIWES so that ITF can pay more attention to supervising the students instead of accumulating debt. There is no need to accumulate debt that we cannot pay because we are not meeting the demand of these students,” he said.

    The objectives of SIWES may not be bad after all but the problem of funding may have affected its goals. Some respondents, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, urged the government not to allow the scheme die, asking for more funding to motivate students towards acquiring adequate industrial skills.

    Obianuju Asouzu, 500-Level Environmental Protection and Resource Management, University of Calabar (UNICAL), urged the government to find means to secure industry placement for prospective SIWES students to curb forgery of companies’ stamps.

    Cyril Akpan, 400-Level Environmental Technology, FUTO, said SIWES was a good programme that helped graduates to get jobs easily. “The practical knowledge acquired through the scheme helped some people to get employed after their graduation. If SIWES can be strengthened, I am of the opinion that the unemployment riddle will be solved,” he said.