The Nation Newspaper

Tag: war

  • Anambra South: Uba brothers at war

    Anambra South: Uba brothers at war

    The Uba brothers – Andy and Chris – have resumed hostilities in Anambra South Senatorial District. The duo are fighting over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket in the zone. NWANOSIKE ONU reports.

    The crisis trailing the Anambra South peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial primaries has not abated. Two brothers-Senator Andy Uba and Chief Chris Uba-are still in court over the outcome of the shadow poll.

    Although the party has affirmed that Chris is the candidate, supporters of Andy are  kicking against the verdict.

    Andy was until 2007 a presidential assistant. He contested for the governorship. He was declared as the winner in error. After a protracted legal battle, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, was declared winner by the Supreme Court. Obi had claimed that his tenure had not ended when the election took place. The Federal Government could not save Andy from the disaster. Andy barely spend 17 days in the office.

    At that time, Ugochukwu, Andy’s elder brother, was the  senator representing Anambra South. Chris was perceived as the godfather.

    The Uba dynasty was in total control. Efforts by other groups and individuals to pull the structure down failed. Many political office holders in the state were sponsored by Chris. Even, before Andy could become the governor, he sought approval from his younger brother. Unlike Andy and Ugochukwu, Chris is a street boy. He is at home with the grassroots. He is generous. Many people in the towns and villages have testified to his kindness.

    However, many were not happy that Chris, fondly called Eselu, has been calling the shots. Some money bags rose up to challenge his domineering influence. But, it was a futile.

    Chris has a predictable reputation in the PDP. He is perceived as a committed chieftain, who has not jumped ship, unlike his brother, Andy, who once defected to the Labour Party (PDP), following disagreement with some chieftains. He was instrumental to the emergence of Dr. Chris Ngige as the governor in 2003. In fact, he became the party leader when Ngige was in the saddle. Later, things fell apart between Chris Ngige and Chris Uba.

    When that centre could no longer hold, it was alleged that the Ubas went back to the drawing board to hatch a plot against Ngige. When the former governor was attacked on July 10, 2004, and when he was later abducted in November 4, many alleged that the Ubasa were behind the mayhem.

    The plot was mismanaged by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, the late Mr. Raphael Ige. It degenerated into arson. Public buildings were in flames. There was commotion. Later, peace returned to the state under Obi. The peaceful atmosphere is also being sustained by his successor, Chief Willy Obiano.

    However, Andy and Chris have not relented in their quest for power, despite the electoral tragedy that has hit the PDP in Anambra. Andy became a senator in 2011. He had planned to have a second term. Little did he know that the bid will be truncated by Chris, his blood brother.

    Chris’s supporters have alleged that Andy has not represented the district well. They claimed that their representative has been a “dumb” person in the Upper Chamber. They also said he has not done anything for the zone, since he was elected, almost four years ago.

    Thus, women, youths and other artisans were mobilised to protest against his re-nomination bid. As they chided Andy for poor performance, they were singing the praise of Chris, saying that he will be a better senator, if given the opportunity. The representatives of the protesters stormed Chris residence in Akwa, Enugu and Abuja to draft him to the race.

    Chris, the kingmaker, had to combine two roles of an aspirant and godfather. He has been spending his money on candidates since 1999. But, in 2015, he has to sponsor himself. Some people have raised eyebrows. But, past senators, House of Representatives membbers and state lawmakers who have benefitted from him, could not kick against his ambition.

    Following pleas by stakeholders, Chris threw his hat into the ring. He obtained the senatorial form and kicked off intense campaign in the district. The elite were against him. But, he forged ahead because he had the support of the down-trodden.

    Chris ran an effective campaign. On the campaign train were beneficiaries of his philanthropy across the local governments. He has money to spend. He has materials to distribute. He has a solid structure. He laso has the backing of the party.

    According to a PDP chieftain, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Ochiagha Chris is a nice person. This is a man who fights for others without thinking of what he has to gain. He helps the poor and the needy and feels the pulse of the people.

    “But, his brother Andy is a dangerously quite person, who does not show sympathy and can not allow people to come close to him. He can not talk to you and you hardly know what is on his mind.

    “Since he went to the Senate, you hardly see or discuss with him. His aides and security personnel will not allow you to come close to him. They always shield and barricade him and he is always afraid of those who elected him.

    “For us to continue having such a man as our senator is like committing suicide and that is why the people have decided to beg his younger brother, Chris, who always remembers the people, to come out and he will enjoy our support.”

    The clash of ambition has divided the Uba family. It has also polarised the party. Andy and Chris attented two separate primaries. Thus, initially, there were two candidates for one slot. There was a primary  at  Doris Hotels, Awka. There was another primary at Udoka Housing Estate conducted by  Ejike Oguebego, amid tight security. The latter was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials.

    INEC’s spokesperson, Mr. Frank Egbo, said the commission was impartial, adding that it was not interested in any of the camps. tored its primaries.

    He said: “Whether the party has 20 factions or not, it is not the concern of the INEC. What we did was to monitor the primaries conducted by Ejike Oguebego led-PDP in the state as required by the law.”

    Chris, according to the electoral agency, is the flag bearer. But, the ripples generated by the controversial primaries remain unsettled.

  • Waging the culture war

    Waging the culture war

    In many higher institutions, students have established indigenous associations to promote local dialects. Will their efforts save Nigerian culture and languages from the threat of civilisation and technology? DAVID AJAYI (400-Level Pharmacy) writes.

    To preserve culture in higher institutions, students established various indigenous organisations, which are known in many schools as parapo (cultural clubs).

    In many schools, it is not strange to hear of Oodua Students Association, Federation of Igbo Students Union and Arewa Students Association. They are socio-cultural groups, representing the major ethnic groups making up the country. Under these apex organisations, there are many distinct sub-cultural groups representing ethnic groups formed to promote culture and heritage of the concerned people.

    In the University of Benin (UNIBEN), for instance, there are such groups as National Association of Benin Students (NUBS), National Association of Delta State Students (NADESTU) and National Association of Etuno Students (NAES). There is no ethnic group without an active association.

    These associations are seen as symbol of unity for students that share the same traditions, beliefs and languages. During their cultural celebrations, members turn out in traditional attires, dancing to their local music to showcase their rich cultures.

    But the motivation for setting up the indigenous clubs is becoming weak, with many students preferring to wear ‘alien’ garments to the cultural events. Even in many cultural functions, hip-hop songs are played to entertain participants, rather than normal traditional music. The excitement that always trailed cultural dance has been replaced by pleasure of Azonto, Skelewu and Alanta, which many culture-orientated students see as alien.

    In most of the parapos, activities are conducted in English, a trend, which many said endangers local dialects. “Our mother tongue is being relegated to the background,” Osarenren Osunbor, a NUBS founding member, said.

    He added: “This is a threat to our culture. We are not supposed to be speaking any language except our local dialect in parapo meeting. How will strangers respect our language and tradition when the custodians of the culture are either ashamed of it or don’t want to project it?”

    For Matthew Odion, who can barely speak his Bini dialect, joining parapo in his first year as undergraduate was a home-coming. But he was disappointed when members of his indigenous organization conducted the affairs of the group in English.

    He said: “I thought coming to the University of Benin would finally help me to speak and understand Bini, my language, which I never had the opportunity to learn because I was not brought up with it. But in my three years of study, I am yet to understand the language because members of NUBS always hold the affairs of the union in English. When I made to associate with students, who could speak the dialect, I found out that a host did not have deep understanding of the language.”

    Aloofness of students from their ethnic group on campus is another factor contributing to the waning influence of tribal associations. Some students prefer to stay away from traditional activities or gatherings on campus.

    Kara Ufuoma, a graduate of Chemical Engineering at UNIBEN and a Corps member in Abia State, is Urhobo but he was born in Lagos State and brought up in Kaduna. Kara had only visited his village in Delta State once and is unable to speak his dialect.

    As an undergraduate, Kara did not participated in parapo but he admitted that he missed the opportunity to learn his culture because of his indifference to Urhobo students’ activities.

    Ezekiel Efeobhokhan, a 400-Level Pharmacy student of UNIBEN, is an Esan but he is a resident in Benin City. He can neither speak Bini nor Esan, his dialect. Although he said he understands the dialect in when spoken to him.

    There are many cases cultural disconnection among students, which are affecting preservation local languages.

    Some parents’ attitude towards their children who speak local dialects has been identified to erode cultural values. In many homes, it is a taboo to speak any language apart from English.

    Is there a remedy? Kayode Oseh, 300-Level Biochemistry student and NAES president in UNIBEN, strongly believes leadership of parapo groups has important role to play in redeeming the lost values. He said emphasis must be placed on local dialects as the official language in indigenous associations.

    He said: “When I was elected, I discovered there were many members who could not speak Etuno dialect. These students can now pick a few words in the dialect because we always hold the affairs of the association in Etuno. Many could master the language before their graduation.”

    Ajayi Onaivi, 600-Level Optometry student, thinks the regular payment of bursary by governments could draw students back to their indigenous association. “If students are assured that they will get constant bursary, nobody would want to be left out of the indigenous association,” he said.

  • Cold war

    Cold war

    Aircondition producing companies are striving one another to outdo by rolling out more technologically-savvy products at no additional energy cost. Samsung, LG, Panasonic and PZ Haier Thermocool are in this race for relevance. PZ Haier Thermocool is banking on its new sets of air condition to stay ahead as it marks 40 years of operation in Nigeria, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    SWOT analysis is not new in the marketing landscape. It is a tool for auditing an organisation and its environment. SWOT analysis is the first stage of planning and it helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

    According to experts, strengths and weaknesses are the internal challenges that constrain a brand from meeting the needs of the market and make profit. Threats are external SWOT factors, such as government policies and economic downturn, among others, that impede the growth of a brand. To overcome threats, brand owners are often advised to look inward and see opportunities in what appears to be a threat.

    “We should aim to turn our weaknesses into strengths, and our threats into opportunities. Then, finally, SWOT will give managers options to match internal strengths with external opportunities,” said experts.

    In the air conditioning arm of the electronics market, the major competitors have had their own share of the SWOT. With financial power, strong technology, global brand status at their disposal as strength, they have been weakened and threatened by internal and external market realities, such as increasing hot temperature in living room and offices, energy cost, poor sanitation and low disposable income, among others for a long time.

    While many consumers manage  to bear the challenges to instal AC in their homes and offices, the use of alternative power has not really helped them to fully enjoy them. As a result, manufacturers of ACs suffered much with loss of patronage.

    Today, the AC brands’ owners have won their thinking cap. Through investment in researches and developments, they have diagnosed the market; saw their strength, weaknesses, threats and opportunities to restore confidence in the market category, especially in a country like Nigeria where the economy is highly volatile.

    The results of these market research has enhanced new value propositions which every AC brand owners are now mustering to edge one another for market share. With arrays of ACs that explore high cooling capacity, energy efficiency, low voltage operation to save energy cost, healthy air functions, healthy dehumidification capacity and lots more as value proposition, the market is now becoming receptive again.

    Giving the market this breather, more households are now awash with offerings and are made to believe that beyond providing a cooling atmosphere, AC also now has an inbuilt mechanism that kills germs in their air.

    However, these new found opportunities, backed by the player’s strengths (cutting-edge technology, financial power and global brand reputation) have now created stiff competitions among players within the electronic market. Samsung, Haier Thermocool, LG and Panasonic who ordinarily jostle for market dominance in others market categories such as TV, DVD, Home Theatre, Fridge, Stabiliser are now tapping into the opportunities in the AC market category after reawakening the market through quality, reliable and innovative electrical AC by harnessing cutting edge technology to address these everyday household challenges.

    This surprised many brand analysts to see “some old brands that had almost gone into extinction in the market suddenly reappeared, while many new ones also found their ways into the market.”

    Despite the strong brand reputations the brands command in the electronic market generally, their venture into strengthening their game in the AC category appears not enough, even though they are leaders in other electronic market category. For instance, Samsung and LG seem to be leading in the distribution of flat screen televisions but Panasonic is becoming more visible in the air-conditioning. However, LG, according to analyst, foray into air-conditioning in the market has almost turned a misadventure as the name ‘LG’ only exists in recall as far as promoters of AC are concerned in the market. Also, Haier Thermocool, came up with series of AC products during the year as part of efforts to thank Nigerians for standing by the brand in the last forty years.

    Irrespective of the area of their strengths in each category of the electronic market, they all now bring new values to address the previous lull in the market. During the launch of its new set of Air conditioners under Haier Thermocool brand name into the Nigerian market, the Managing Director, Thermocool Nigeria, Mr. Panos Katsis, stated the entry of the new Air Conditioners is a result of long term research for a product that will be a one stop experience for customers.

    “Research has shown that the relationship between office work performance and temperature is due to the thermal comfort level of body, when the temperature is too high or too low, the body does not perform to maximum efficiency. So, the role of the air conditioner is to regulate the temperature of your environment, so that you have a better work atmosphere, to work effectively or enjoy sound sleep at home. Humidity also, plays a critical role in making an environment comfortable or uncomfortable. These new ranges of Haier Thermocool air conditioners will help to regulate and provide the right atmosphere,” said Katsis.

    “In recognising the desire of Nigerians for good quality in household or office appliances; we have deliberately designed our products to meet these standards. Our customers in Nigeria appreciate our innovative, time tested approach to delivering quality experiences through our range of products. That is why we are still here and we hope to continue, adding value especially to the Nigerian family while not neglecting their comfort,” Katsis said.

    The Marketing Director, Mr. Vikramjeet Singh said the product is available in different ranges and “horse power” capacities such as: the 1-HP, 1.5-HP, 2-HP, 3-HP, 5-HP and 10-HP with value creation that address market challenges AC makers are having over the years. “Inverter range offers consumer 51 per cent energy saving, while turbo plus offer fast cooling operation, Eco and Eco plus series offers low voltage operations. All the ranges come in various design options and equipped with copper condenser and 3-year warranty on cabinet and compressors,” he said.

    Singh stated further that the innovation is driven by the threat in the market place part of which is dynamic nature of consumers. “However, we believe that as the market keeps changing, consumer needs also keep changing. One of the major needs these new range of Haier Thermocool Air Conditioners will be solving is the issue of electricity power because electricity is one of the major concerns we have in Nigeria. While our government is doing a lot in terms of building infrastructure for electricity generation, in the mean time, we need appliances that can withstand the low voltage supply we presently experience. To cater for this need and ensure our customers get satisfaction, all the new ranges of these Air Conditioners have been designed with features that will enable them withstand lower power voltage,” he said.

     

  • Why Ife, Modakeke are at ‘war’

    Why Ife, Modakeke are at ‘war’

    Fresh facts have emerged on why the people of Modakeke and Ife are planning another round of war against each other.

    It was gathered that the Ife people are accusing  Modakeke residents of voting against their interest in the August 9 governorship election, which Governor Rauf Aregbesola won.

    Following the result, the Ife people were said to have demanded that the residents of Modakeke, who are predominantly farmers, should not return to the farmlands owned by the Ife.

    The Ife were also said to be demanding royalties on the farmland which the Modakeke have resolved not to pay.

    It was further gathered that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, during his campaign rallies to Modakeke communities, promised  to appeal to Ife elders and traditional chiefs to allow the Modakeke return to the farmland on the condition that they would vote for him.

    But with the more than 90 per cent votes in Modakeke for Aregbesola, this allegedly created “deep seated” animosity between Ife and Modakeke, resulting in a renewed plan by the two communities to go war.

    The Modakeke and Ife communities fought a war from 1997 which lasted about five years over creation of Ife-East Local Government and the citing of the new council’s headquarters within Ife.

    Many lives and property were lost to the war, until the Federal Government under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, intervened and ended it.

    Last week, Modakeke youths blocked the roads leading to Amokegun, Oyolowa, Alapata villages and would not allow motorists plying the areas to Ore in Ondo State have a thorough fare.

    Armed with cutlasses, axes and guns, the youth, who were shooting into the air, made a bonfire on major roads across their communities.

    Police spokesperson Mrs. Folasade Odoro said riot policemen have been drafted in the area.

  • How to win anti-graft war, by Judge

    Authorities of the Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, have held a public lecture with the theme: “The anti-corruption war in Nigeria: A reality or a ruse? The lecture was delivered by Justice Obande Festus  Ogbuinya.

    Speaking during the programme, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie, said public lectures were avenues for the institution to expand its frontiers on research and scholarship.

    Describing the problem of corruption as a cancer that must be won, he praised the state government for its efforts to fight the scourge.

    The Chairman, Committee on Inaugural and Public Lectures, Prof Izu Marcel Onyeocha, charged participants to live a life devoid of corrupt practices.

    In his lecture, Justice Obande said the war against corruption could only be won when everyone joins the fight, saying “the war becomes effective when it becomes everyone’s fight and when the society sees it as an anathema and isolates or ostracises anyone found to be corrupt.”

    The Acting Registrar, Austin Igbokwe, said the anti-corruption war must start from the family unit, saying that building personal integrity was crucial to ensuring a corrupt-free society.

    Speaking at the event, former head of department of English and Literary studies, Dr Vitalis Nwulu, stated that the lecture was an eye-opener.

    “It was quite illuminating and it further brings us to the understanding of the several laws that are germane to the anti-corruption war in Nigeria and what the lecturer has done is to let us know why we need to be part of that war as the family is the basic structure to which this war can be fought in a larger society,” he stated.

    The event featured presentation of awards to Justice Obande, dance exhibitions and choir ministrations.

    The ceremony was also attended by Commissioner for Health, who was represented by Dr Sam Madugba; HRH Eze Obiefule, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof Collins Ubochi and other principal officer of the institution.

     

  • How to win terror war, by lawyers

    How to win terror war, by lawyers

    With the reported annexation of some parts of the country by Boko Haram, many, including lawyers, are urging the government to up its ante in the fight against the insurgents. They scored the government low in its approach, saying that the Goodluck Jonathan administration has failed in its constitutional responsibility of providing security for the people. Eric Ikhilae reports.

    From the inception of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, many have skeptical about its commitment to ending the insurgency ravaging the Northeast.

    The scepticism was stoked mainly, not by government’s inaction when the insecurity was at its infancy between late 2010 and 2011, but the utterances and body language of those in government.

    President  Jonathan once told a bewildered nation that he was unwilling to confront the insurgents forcefully, but would rather court them because he is the President of all Nigerians, including Boko Haram members.

    Despite some recent half-hearted military operations, that have seen the country’s military losing some grounds to the insurgents, there seems not to be a major shift in the position of the government, going by its handling of issues surrounding the Boko Haram menace.

    This position is, again, supported by the claim by an Australian, Dr Stephen Davis, who gave a picture of the internal workings of the sect. Rev  Davis, an Australian, went a step further to reveal that the sect allegedly enjoys the patronage of some prominent personalities, including a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff.

    As would be expected of every government, committed to its primary responsibility of securing the lives and property of the people, on whose behalf it wields powers, many had expected the government to act on the information provided by Davis.

    Everyone was however, disappointed when the Presidency released pictorial evidence a few days later, to the effect that one of those named by Davis as major supporters of the deadly sect, has been hobnobbing with President Jonathan to the extent of accompanying him on a recent state visit to neighbouring Chad Republic.

    President Jonathan’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, denied that the ex-governor was part of the government’s delegation to Chad and presented the government’s side of the story.

    However, Abati’s denial was yet to sink in when reports came in last week, that the same Sheriff stormed Maiduguri, Borno State capital, under the protection of about 200 soldiers provided by the Federal Government, shortly after he had allegedly, at the instance of the Nigerian government, helped broker a peace meeting between the Presidency and representatives of the sect in Mali.

    The outcome of this meeting, it was said, informed the President’s reported assertion that activities of the insurgents will be over by October.

    Observers however, doubt this. They wonder whether the President sees the about- five-year-old insurgency merely as a game which he assigns a terminal date.

    They argued that by allowing the Boko Haram crisis to fester, to the extent that the sect was annexing some parts of the country, the government has failed in its primary constitutional responsibility of providing security for the people.

    The 1999 Constitution, in Chapter 2, Section 14 (2)(b)  states that: “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” Section 20 went further to state that: “The state shall protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air, land, forest and wildlife of Nigeria.”

    Aside, the government has not made any meaningful effort to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the claims by Davis. It has also chosen to hide behind the fingers in relation to the recent embarrassing arrest of some Nigerians in South Africa with about $9.3m cash allegedly meant for arms purchase.

    Many argue that the government’s handling of the revelation by Davis and the cloudy nature of the “South Africa deal” support the general suspicion of the state being complicit in the allegation that the Boko Haram crisis has been politicised and that the need to end the security problem has taken a back seat in the face of government’s seeming commitment to the “2015 project.”

    Lawyers, including Femi Falana (SAN), Dr. Uthman Abdulazeez, Festus Keyamo,  Abayomi Omoyinmi and a group, Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative (ASRADI) are of the view that the government has not adequately discharged its constitutional responsibility to the people by the way it has handled the security challenge.

    Aside putting a lie to the denial by Sheriff concerning his alleged link with the Boko Haram sect, Falana reminded the government of its many failings. He argued that it was incumbent on the government to investigate the information provided by Davis rather than court those named as the sect’s sponsors.

    He reminded the government that prior to the revelation by Davis, a Presidential panel headed by Ambassador Usman Galtimari, set up by President Jonathan sometime in 2012, to investigate the genesis of the insurgency in the Northeast, had among others, “traced the origin of private militias in Borno State in particular, of which Boko Haram is an offshoot, to politicians, who set them up in the run-up to the 2003 general elections.

    “The militias were allegedly armed and used extensively as political thugs. After the elections and having achieved their primary purpose, the politicians left the militias to their fate since they could not continue funding and keeping them employed. With no visible means of sustenance, some of the militias gravitated towards religious extremism, the type offered by Mohammed Yusuf (the murdered founder of Boko Haram).”

    The panel, in its report, recommended that “the Federal Government should direct the security agencies to beam their light on some politicians who sponsored, funded and used the militia groups that later metamorphosed into Boko Haram and bring them to justice.”

    Falana noted that “owing to the connection of Alhaji Sheriff (the ex-governor) with the Presidency, the security agencies have failed to implement the directives of the Federal Government, which were handed down since May 2012.”

    He threatened to sue, should the security agencies continue to ignore the directive to investigate those behind the insurgents. Falana promised to apply to the Federal High Court for a writ of mandamus (a compelling order) to force the security agencies investigate and prosecute the indicted sponsors of terrorism in the country.

    Abdulazeez is of the opinion that aside the fact that the government has failed in its responsibility of providing adequate security to the people by the manner it has handled the insurgency problem, the people too have been docile in demanding that the government stands up to its responsibilities.

    “This issue, to me, is less legal than social. The government owes it a duty to secure the people’s lives and property. If it fails in this regard, it is left for the people to demand action from the government.

    “As I see it, I think the people need to be more assertive. We need to demand that the government performs its roles and meets its responsibilities to the people. It is left for us to ask, because this group of political leaders today, led by the President, does not care about the wellbeing of the people. It is so unfortunate,” he said.

    On the failed South African deal, the lawyer faulted the government’s position and argued that beyond violating the South African laws, the movement of such volume of cash out of this country equally violated Nigeria’s extant laws on money laundering Act and foreign exchange transactions.

    Keyamo said government’s reaction to the embarrassment in South Africa “is not only ludicrous, it is laughable, untenable and a story only fit to be told to the marines.”

    He argued that the discovery in South Africa was an indication of how public funds are being smuggled out of the country on a regular basis under the guise of security matters and with the active connivance of security agencies.

    “Little wonder, then, that the insurgency, rather than waning, is gathering momentum because certain persons, somewhere, are feeding fat on the situation whilst innocent lives and limbs are being wasted,” he said.

    He wondered why the South African government was not informed beforehand if indeed, the matter involved security issues like the purchase of arms by a foreign government like Nigeria.

    “How could the South African government be sure that the arms were purchased legitimately by the Nigerian government and not by insurgents if they were not officially informed beforehand?

    “The truth is, any transaction the world over that is done by cash, in a huge volume like this and in this manner can only point to one thing: It is an illegal transaction or a transaction for an illegal purpose that is meant to be untraceable.

    “This was a covert, illegal operation that went horribly wrong. The position of the Federal Government is a cock-and-bull story meant to be shoved down the throat of Nigerians, but some of us are not fools,” Keyamo said.

    Omoyinmi said the commitment that the presidency has demonstrated in ending the current security problem is nothing to write home about. He added that very unfortunately, is the fact that election and re-election are top of the agenda for the presidency, thereby losing its focus on genuine efforts in combating the insecurity in the northern part of the country.

    “The government should ensure that its military are well equipped with all types of ammunition needed for this fight. It must take control of Nigerian towns sharing border with countries in the northeast. The military must work in collaboration with security personnel in those countries with equal understanding that the insurgency is not only a threat to Nigeria, but to their countries as well.

    “It is a basic Nigeria constitutional provision that lives and property of every citizen must be adequately protected. The government seems to have succumbed to the fact that they are not prepared and cannot ultimately win this war and that they may have been overwhelmed due to their lack of sincerity, hence their propaganda, which is also lacking in transparency and truth.

    ASRADI, why faulting government’s position on the South African issue, said anything short of a transparent public inquiry would not be acceptable to Nigerians.

    It asked: “What proof is there that those involved in this transaction are not working for Boko Haram?”

    All said, it is no doubt a fact that every responsible government is required to place premium on the security of its people, as against other considerations, particularly a future election when today is yet unsecured.

     

  • Travails of a war hero

    His name conjures fear. When many hear the name Benjamin Adekunle, they look behind their shoulders to see if he is coming. As the legend goes, Brig – Gen Benjamin Maja Adekunle aka Black Scorpion was a brave and ruthless soldier. Many heard the tales of his exploits during the 1967-70 civil war. Gen Adekunle’s fame grew during the war. As small as some of us were then, we heard how he handled the enemy and treated his soldiers who fell out of line.

    There was a myth surrounding Gen Adekunle. It was said that he could disappear and reappear to wreak havoc on enemy territory. Of course, many of the stories were embellished, but the people chose to believe them because they suited those times. People believed anything thrown at them so far the Nigerian side was winning the war. The Adekunle myth grew as he was said to be a soldier that the enemy could not touch because he wielded certain powers.

    The Adekunle myth followed him home after the war. Many wonder till today if he actually did all that people said he did during the war. The man is tough no doubt and he showed early in life that he is going to be a non-conformist. For a boy to run away from home at the age of nine to fend for himself is enough evidence that he will not allow people to trample upon him anyhow when he becomes an adult. This rebellious streak in him stalked him all the way. At military training schools in the United Kingdom (UK) and India; in the Nigerian Army; as aide-de- camp (ADC) to the former Eastern Region Premier, the late Sir Akanu Ibiam and at the war front, Gen Adekunle played by his own rules.

    But he could not be ignored by his bosses because, according to those who should know, he was a damn good soldier. The Black Scorpion fought the war as if his life depended on it. Those in his command remember him as a commander’s commander. Hear one of them, Brig – Gen Alabi Isama, who was Adekunle’s chief of staff during the war : ‘’What did these people (Adekunle and others) do wrong to the society? They went to the war and came back alive. But what did they get out of it? Nothing! Today, Adekunle is forgotten by the country. That is the hero of the civil war. He won all the battles…’’ Yes, as Gen Isama said, the Black Scorpion ‘’won all the battles but not the war’’.

    By that statement, Gen Isama was referring to the sorry state of Gen. Adekunle, who is lying critically ill at home. Should a person in such a condition be kept at home? The answer is no, but the Black Scorpion is being treated at home because an air ambulance is not readily available to fly him to Ghana. When I read his story in last Saturday’s edition of this paper, I shook my head in disbelief that a thing like this is happening to someone of Adekunle’s calibre. No matter what some may consider as his eccentricities then, Gen Adekunle does not deserve to be treated as a nobody in this country.

    Our country owes a lot to people like him for fighting to ‘’keep Nigeria one’’. If they did not make that sacrifice, we may not be where we are today. The war in which he played a leading role ended 43 years ago, but it seems some people are still holding that against him. What could he have done to warrant being treated like this at the ripe old, age of 77. He was 77 yesterday. Happy birthday sir. But the best birthday gift we can give him as a country is to assist his family in getting him to Ghana fast for further treatment. All the family needs to do that is an air ambulance. The family says it has written to the army to assist in that regard without success. The army worldwide does not abandon its own. It rallies round its operatives and does everything to protect them.

    Where they are ill or wounded in battle, the army ensures that they get the best of treatment. And here, we are talking of Adekunle. Does he have to beg before he gets his right? This is the tragedy of our country. We treat our heroes with contempt and give looters of the treasury red carpet treatment, thereby sending a wrong signal to those coming behind. The Adekunle family seems to be at its wit’s end in its bid to get the authorities to help in flying its patriarch out of the country. Hear Abiodun, son of Gen. Adekunle : ‘’He is very weak and not in control of his memory. It is more of memory problem. He is not able to recognise people around him or anything. But, at some other times, he recognises people. So, it is an on and off thing. I have tried very hard to get the Nigerian Army to come to his aid without luck. Here is a man who spent his youth fighting a war to keep the country one. In other organised societies, he would be treated as a hero. But unfortunately, here in Nigeria, he has been forgotten by all’’.

    Let those in authority listen, whatever is done for the Black Scorpion today cannot be too much. As they say, he has paid his dues. Many, if not all in Service today, are his juniors. Will they watch and allow their superior to die all because of his family’s inability to get an air ambulance to fly him to Ghana? It is Gen Adekunle that we are talking about today, we don’t know what may happen tomorrow to those still in office. God forbid, if they become seriously ill after leaving office and help is not forthcoming as in the case of Gen Adekunle, how will they feel about their country? In Gen Adekunle’s present position, he cannot be happy that a country he fought to preserve seems to have abandoned him at his hour of utmost need.

    To those in authority, I commend, Gen Isama’s remarks in this paper last Saturday. He said: ‘’Everybody is aware that he (Adekunle) is battling to stay alive. But, should we wait until he dies and then roll out the drums, shouting that he was a hero and start marching round the town? Every January 15, the whole country gathers to remember our fallen heroes. What about our living heroes?…As the Commander of the Third Marine Commando, he captured Calabar…he sent me to capture the whole place. We captured the whole of what is today known as Cross River State…So, Adekunle was our leader. But, unfortunately for him, he was not a thief like many of them. If he were a thief like many, his condition would not have been like this today. Can’t you see the others? Don’t you see where they live? Adekunle’s house was renovated by Ogbomoso people…Let this country rise and help this man to live a little longer in comfort because he has denied himself such comfort while fighting in the war. There was no commander of the Nigerian Army that is better than Adekunle. Why should he be the worse off today?’’

    Indeed, Adekunle or any other retired officer for that matter should not beg for bread. They should not be made to see their service to the country as a curse after retirement otherwise we may start breeding officers, who will be more interested in making money rather than serving the country.

    There is still room to make amends in Adekunle’s case; it is not too late to do that. The country awaits the Chief of Army Staff’s prompt response to this matter. Whatever he does, he should remember, he will be doing for a senior colleague and only God repays such a kind gesture.

     

    Footnote : This article was first published on June 27, 2013, when the Benjamin Adekunle family cried out for help  over its patriarch’s failing health. The much sought help never came. But since Gen Adekunle’s death last Saturday,  many, including his colleagues, have been shedding, what I call crocodile tears, and also singing his praise. Where were they when he needed them most?  What a world! Certain people don’t matter to us when they are alive, but they become saints when they die.

  • $62million war chest against Ebola in Nigeria, others

    $62million war chest against Ebola in Nigeria, others

    Microsoft founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen have donated over $60 million to contain Ebola in West Africa.  Allen is donating $9 million,  in addition to the earlier  $2.8 million to the American Red Cross for its work on the outbreak. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $50 million to the United Nations.

    Microsoft Corp  co-founder, Paul Allen, is donating $9 million to support the fight against the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, just a month after donating $2.8 million to the American Red Cross for its work on the outbreak.He joins the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has pledged $50 million to United Nations agencies and other international groups to purchase supplies, such as protective gear for healthcare workers treating Ebola patients, and to expand the emergency response.

    Allen’s gift to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention comes at a time when international groups, including Doctors Without Borders and the World Health Organisation, have said resources to contain the epidemic and treat those affected are falling tragically short.

    “The tragedy of Ebola is that we know how to tackle the disease, but the governments in West Africa are in dire need of more resources and solutions,’ Allen said in a statement. ‘The developed world needs to step up now with resources and solutions.”

    Allen said the donation from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation will help CDC establish emergency operations centers in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where the worst Ebola outbreak on record has killed about 2,300 people and shows no sign of slowing six months after it began.

    U.S. President Barack Obama asked Congress for $88 million in new Ebola funding, including $25 million for CDC, but this week congressional leaders said they would provide no more than $40 million.

    Allen said his foundation’s gift would help CDC establish and equip emergency operations centers in the three most-affected countries, focusing on public health, not patient care.

    The centers will use ‘data management and communication systems for disease and patient contact tracing, to detect and stop the disease from spreading,’ Allen said.

    They will also expand lab testing to identify new outbreaks, and disseminate information about the epidemic to the public.

    ‘A winnable battle should never be lost,’ Allen said.

    CDC has just more than 100 public health experts in the Ebola zone, and plans to send more.

    ‘Ebola is raging through parts of West Africa like an out-of-control forest fire but it can be controlled if the world comes together,’ CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said in a statement.

    The CDC Foundation, which was established by Congress in 1994 to raise funding to augment what CDC gets from Congress, recently committed $1 million to the Ebola response, including money for computers, personal protective equipment and thermal scanning thermometers for airport screeners, and training for healthcare workers.

    Since resigning from Microsoft in 1983, Allen has become a prominent philanthropist, supporting scientific research through the Allen Institute for Brain Science and the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

    He also owns the Seattle Seahawks football team and the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team.

    The donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will also support emergency response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa — and represents the charity’s largest donation to a humanitarian effort.

    ‘It became clear to us over the last seven to 10 days that the pace and scope of the epidemic was increasing significantly,’ said Chris Elias, president of global development for the world’s largest charitable foundation.

    The Seattle-based foundation said the money will go to the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the CDC and international organizations involved in fighting transmission of the virus.

    The money will be used to purchase supplies and to develop vaccines, therapies and better diagnostic tools.

    ‘By fighting Ebola now, we can make sure it doesn’t become an endemic in (West) Africa,’ Gates tweeted on Wednesday.

    The foundation wants to help stop the outbreak as well as accelerate development of treatments and improve prevention.

    Elias said foundation officials have been talking to its partners around the world to assess the best use of its dollars and could not say yet how much would be spent on the emergency response and how much on research and development.

    ‘One of our key advantages is flexibility,’ he said.

    Global health and development dominate the work of the foundation, which has given away $30 billion since 1997.

    The foundation formed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife reported an endowment worth $40billion as of March 2014.

    The foundation was particularly influenced by the request on Friday by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for $600million to fight the Ebola outbreak.

    Ban said efforts in the next few weeks would be essential to stopping the virus that has killed more than 2,000 people in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

    The $50million includes $10million the foundation previously committed for emergency operations, treatment and research. Of that money, $5million went to the World Health Organization for emergency operations and research and development.

    Another $5million went to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to purchase medical supplies, coordinate response efforts and spread information.

    Some of the $50million will support strengthening existing health care systems in the countries affected by the outbreak, the foundation said.

  • War of words over ATM charge

    War of words over ATM charge

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and others in financial circles have been defending the return of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) charge, which was N100 before it was abolished in 2012. It was restored few weeks ago at N65 and it will take effect from September 1. Depositors are not impressed with arguments for its return. They perceive the policy as a ploy to shortchange them, reports COLLINS NWEZE.

    The reintroduction of N65 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) charge took many bank depositors by surprise. The N100 ATM charge was abolished in 2012. But, a few weeks ago, the charge was reintroduced but with a different amount of N65.

    Depositors believe its return is  another policy targeted at further enriching the banks and impoverishing them.

    But the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in a statement last week, said the policy was intended to enhance the process of ATM transactions and ginger lenders to invest more in the machines. The CBN also wants customers to understand that banks need the charge to improve ATM services and achieve the seamless cash-less banking they have been asking for.

    The CBN said it noted some public comments on its recent circular in respect of fees/charges on the extended use of other banks’ ATMs. These reactions, it said, had been mixed with most commentators showing great understanding and others expressing clear lack of understanding of the rationale for the decision of the Bankers’ Committee.

    To experts, N65 per transaction on remote-on-us ATM cash withdrawals is a step in the right direction. Remote-on-us are transactions done by a card holder on another bank’s ATM.

    The policy, which will take effect from September 1, is generating mixed reactions.

    Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), Mr. Bismark Rewane, described the reinstatement of the charge as appropriate.

    He said it was wrong for the CBN to have removed the charge in the first place. Rewane insisted that the charge was necessary given that the dynamics of banking are such that banks would  continue to invest and re-invest in infrastructure to ensure that they continue to provide quality service to customers.

    He noted that banks are carrying the burden of paying the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) levies; the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) premium, adding that the commission on turnover (COT), which is also a cash spinner for lenders is also almost being removed by the apex bank.

    An Executive Director at Sterling Bank, Abubaker  Suleiman, said that the re-instatement of cost recovery for the use of other banks’ ATM was intended to limit the cost incurred by banks and does not constitute profit.

    He said: “Banks are still left with the burden of three free withdrawals a month, which translates to N195 monthly charge.   While this cost is less than the income on medium and high value accounts, it is sufficient to render most low value accounts unprofitable, which will force banks to discontinue marketing such accounts.”

    Suleiman argued that the last thing the country needs at this time is a rollback of the financial inclusion campaign, which has resulted in a noticeable uptick in customer enrollment by banks and has created access to financial services for more than one million Nigerians in just over a year.

    He stressed that the previous policy on limitless withdrawals might have benefitted those who were already financially included in the short-term but would have harmed mostly poor people with banks scaling back investments for mass market and refocusing on the middle class.

    Furthermore, emphasised that the burden on banks arising from the combined weight of NDIC premiums and AMCON levy as well as the increasing cost of Cash Reserves gave little room for pushing additional cost to banks.

    He added that these costs has become a source of concern for investors and could have negative impact on capital flows. “When it comes to the cost of using ATMs, Nigerian banking customers still have one of the best deals you can find in any jurisdiction” Suleiman averred.

    But chairman of the National Humans Rights Commission (NHRC) Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, kicked against the policy, saying does not benefit the poor and should be discouraged. “So the CBN Governor has decreed that each ATM transaction shall henceforth attract a charge of N65. Clearly, providers of banking services exist to make profits for their shareholders. But regulatory powers are a public good. There is a legitimate question to be raised here: (how) does this serve the public good?,” he queried.

    Odinkalu continued: “Nigeria is a country that is heavily under-banked; banking penetration is low; retail banking is poor in many places. For these deficiencies, customers are to be levied what is in effect a financial services tax of N65 per withdrawal. And this in a country in which no bank recorded a loss in the last year. I do understand ATMs need a back-end. But if the banks are already profitable, while introducing the fee”.

    Does anyone know the figures for average trip to a cash-point per customer per annum? That would give a sense of ? how much this tax is worth. “With the level of hardship we have here, how many Nigerians can afford this tax? I would like to get a legal team to review this because there may be room to get the CBN to justify itself under the applicable rules of judicial review,” he said.

    Central Banking Report, international online researchers, said the CBN is defending the ATM policy because it feels the reintroduction of fee will hinder abuse of expensive ATMs and promote its cash-less policy. It also said fee was abolished in 2012 to encourage use of ATMs and promote the cash-less banking initiative.

    According to Chairman Rockview Consulting Limited, Kingsley Obinna, pressure on some banks’ ATMs is likely to rise with the new policy. This, he said would lead to poor service quality and loss of fund by customers.

    However, he said since ATM has become lucrative, it more banks which found no reason to expand their ATM figures will be forced to invest more in new machines.

    Also, he said customers of banks with limited number of ATMs will be disadvantaged if they have to rely on their banks which may be far away from their homes.

    For him, lenders are finding ways to defray the burden of the cost from themselves despite the huge billions declared as profit every year from credit interest and bank charges.

    Also an electrical parts merchant in Balogun, Lagos, Emeka Onyewuchi lamented that apart from the fact that the reintroduction would impoverish ATM users, it would also discourage people from using the ATMs.

    Likewise, a textile dealer based in Oshodi, area of Lagos State, Michael Obi, said it was surprising that the CBN could take such a decision when people are been encouraged to go cashless.

    He called on the apex bank to reverse the decision as it capable of send­ing wrong signal the banking populace.

    Speaking in an interview in Lagos, Director, Banking and Payment System Department, CBN, ‘Dipo Fatokun, said the policy will not affect the apex bank’s financial inclusion campaign. He also insisted that the policy was not a re-introduction of charges.

    Fatokun said prior to the amendments in December 2012 it used to be N100 on any remote-on-us withdrawal. But he said the N100 was removed then so that people would be encouraged to go to other banks’ ATMs.

    “But the truth is that, as we said in the circular, that of the N100, N35 goes to the payment bank, which has now been completely waived. But in going to other ATMs to make withdrawals, your bank, which is the acquirer bank, incurs a cost of N65 which they pay to the switches and the owner of the ATM that you are using.

    “Between 2012 and recently, when the review was done, it was discovered that people have actually turned ATMs into their personal purses because nothing is charged. Somebody needs N500, N1,000, he will go to an ATM to withdraw, such that in a day, some people can patronise ATMs up to five times,” he said.

    According to him, this has created a huge cost burden for the banks that issued the cards. It was the major reason the central bank decided that even though remote-on-us would still be encouraged, a customer can go to other banks’ ATMs and withdraw up to three times and there would not be any charges. But the customer would be charged N65 when he makes the fourth withdrawal.

    “Of course, if you go to the ATM of your bank, you are free to withdraw as much as you like. So, it does not discourage financial inclusion,” Fatokun argued further. The central bank had explained that it took the latest decision as a result of the unintended consequences on banks.

    It had said the earlier arrangement had resulted in substantial cost burden incurred by banks in defraying the cost for the service. According to the CBN, the re-introduction of the fee was also to cover the remuneration of the switches, ATM monitoring and fit-notes processing by acquiring banks.

     

    What the policy says

    The CBN had reintroduced Automated Teller Machine (ATM) fee it scrapped in December, last year. The apex bank said from September 1, customers will commence payment of N65 as against the N100 fee charged previously.

    Fatokun, who made this known in a circular, the re-introduction of Remote-on-us ATM cash withdrawal fee of N65 per transaction, is to cover the remuneration of the switches, ATM monitors and fit-notes processing by acquiring banks.

    He said the new charge shall apply as from the fourth transaction in another bank’s ATM. “The fee shall apply in “Remote-on-us” withdrawal (in a month) by a card holder, thereby making the first three (3) ‘remote-on-us transactions free for the card holder, but to be paid for by the issuing bank. September 1, 2014 shall be the effective date for the implementation of the new fee,” he said.

    However, all ATM cash withdrawals on the machine of issuing banks shall be at no cost to the card holder. He advised banks to conduct adequate sensitisation to their customers, on the introduction of the new fee.

    The Nation’s findings showed that the top five banks – FirstBank, GTBank, Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa and Access Bank – are worst hit by the removal of the ATM fee. However, it is expected that the reintroduction of the fees is a plus for these lenders and would boost their revenue base.

    For instance, FirstBank of Nigeria operates an extensive distribution network with over 750 business locations (623 branches, 61 quick service points and 69 cash centres/agencies), over 2,397 ATM’s and over nine million customer accounts. The bank has five subsidiary companies, providing a comprehensive range of financial services. Equally, banks will fewer ATMs are likely to lose some of their customers as they drift to the bigger banks over the policy.

     

  • The cement war rages

    The cement war rages

    Some ‘powerful forces’ representing certain multinational interests are said to be set to frustrate plans for a higher cement grade by blackmailing the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). Assistant Editor Chikodi Okereocha reports.

    The Director-General (DG) of  the Standards  Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, is under intense pressure to soft pedal on the  upgrade of cement directive.

    Odumodu appears free from  importers and manufacturers of sub-standard products. Those on his neck are powerful forces opposed to the introduction of new guidelines and standards for cement.

    The SON to  sanitise the building and construction industry, formulated a policy to review the standard of cement, classified it into three grades and stipulated their uses.

    The policy, which was okayed by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, classified cement into  32.5, 42.5 and 52.5 grades. While restricting the use of the 32.5 grade to plastering of structures, the policy recommended that the 42.5 grade be used in construction of buildings, beams, load bearing columns, pillars, block moulding and other structures. The 52.5 grade is recommended for the construction of bigger projects, such as bridges, flyovers and high rise buildings.

    The guidlines pegged the product’s standard at NIS 444-1-2014, which is the new criterion for cement.

    SON also released 10 testing standards as national requirements for the product in the country.

    The review, according to SON, incorporated information on application of the various grades of cement as well as additional information and features on cement bags. The features/information include: colour code for proper identification according to strength and class. The coloured part of the bag with the labelling information should take one-third of the bag surface on both sides. While the location, or address of manufacturer, batch number and expiry date must be stated on the cement.

    The  guidelines and standards, however,  did not go down well with some importers and manufacturers, particularly those importing, or producing the 32.5 grade. They are insisting that it would not only lead to increase in the price of the product, but result in its scarcity.

    Some of them argued that it would be difficult for some manufacturers to respond to the new requirement in the production lines.Those advancing this position include Lafarge WAPCO, United Cement Company of Nigeria (UNICEM) and Ashaka Cement. To them, restricting the use of 32.5 grade to plastering  amounts to its ban.

    However, it is not their hard line position against the policy that is giving observers serious cause for concern; rather, it is the way they are campaigning to force SON to submission.

    Although the so-called powerful forces, allegedly representing certain multinational interests, have dragged SON to court over the issue, there are fears that the same forces may have included blackmail and intimidation to their list of strategies to cow the agency. Added to this is feeling that they may have enlisted the support of unions and organisations outside the industry to advance their course.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), for instance, may have been sold the dummy that the new guideline on cement would lead to job losses as they have joined the fray.

    In a statement, its President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, said the review “portends danger to the fragile economy”.

    He said: “The government should avoid manipulations that would eventually harm our collective aspirations for society that benefits the populace and not individual interests.

    “The combination of the West Africa Portland Cement, UNICEM, Sokoto Cement, Ashaka Cement, Purechem and others that are presently surviving the hardship unleashed on the productive manufacturing sector in Nigeria, have thousands of people in their employ, which is scandalously too inadequate for an industry that is key to infrastructural development in a country with a population above 160 million.”

    The NLC accused SON of carrying out “orchestrated campaigns that incidents of building collapse in different parts of the country occur simply because the quality of cement currently in use in the country is not the 42, 5 type.”

     SON has, however, responded that it would not join issues with the Labour. The agency, however, said it had become pertinent to state that unseen hands had erroneously convinced the Labour over the implications of the  guidelines and standard grades for cement.

    To SON, the involvement of labour was part of the plot to vilify and discredit the agency. The organisation believes that as a government agency, it must not shirk its responsibility or seen to be intimidated or cowed by anybody.

    “Why should companies and firms dictate to a government agency how it should be regulated? It has never happened in other climes,” a policy analyst argued.

    According to the expert, who declined to be mentioned, what is curious is the fact that SON, in its determination to ensure that it carried all stakeholders along, decided to give the manufacturers enough grace period before monitoring and enforcing the new regime.

    The agency, he said, as part of its statutory work, invited all cement manufacturers in Nigeria to a stakeholders’ consultative meeting in Lagos. At the meeting, it was resolved that in line with the implementation of the new standard NIS 444-1: 2014, new guidelines are to be followed.

    The guidelines include: a 60-day frame for cement manufacturing firms to inscribe manufacturing and expiry dates on cement bags; best before use dates as well as batch numbers on their products.

    All adverts by cement producers, SON directed, must be cleared with the agency before they could be run. Also, all claims in adverts on the integrity of products and conformity requirements are to be cross-checked by the agency before they are aired or printed.

    Besides, storage facilities of cement firms must meet the stipulated standards required for the product (dry cold).

    Sources close to the meeting told The Nation that representatives include Dangote Cement, Lafarge WAPCO, Unicem, Ashaka cement, Ibeto, Sokoto and Pukemcem. They promised to support SON to ensure that the guidelines are adhered to.

    The General Manager, Operations, Lafarge, Larry Opakunle, observed that more time was needed for Lafarge to install the new technology.

    At the meeting, Odumodu explained why SON opted for the guidelines for cement. According to him, the regime is necessitated by the need to ensure public safety and best practices.

    According to him, SON came up with the policy because of the safety of consumers most of who have had to bear the brunt of the rising cases of collapsed structures in the country. The new guidelines, he said, would allow end-users make the right choice, help to avoid unethical application of the different types of cement; enhance proper identification of the different cement classes for traceability as well as to guide the users.

    “I have a responsibility to ensure public safety. We need to ensure that ethical standards are applied in products usage; we also need to act in the best interest of the country, because people have died, people are still dying due to the problem of building collapse. We must, therefore, take corrective and preventive measures,” he said.

    Odumodu made the clarification that the agency has not banned the production of 32.5 grade of cement, saying it has only limited its use to plastering of structures. He said cement firms, including Lafarge WAPCO only needed to increase their production capacity of the 32.5 grade to rse market output and retain staff.

    He allayed the fear of possible loss of jobs due to the new standards, describing it as unfounded and misguided. He also dismissed the recent claim by Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) that it did not have a component laboratory for determining cement quality.

    SON, according to Odumodu, has put measures in place including a task force to effectively ensure compliance when the new cement regime kicks off.

    It would recalled that as part of efforts at eliminating the menace of building collapse, the agency embarked on the standardisation of the basic inputs in building and construction such as iron and steel, roofing materials. Having enforced standardisation in other building inputs, the agency set out to review cement standard by adopting a holistic approach to ensure that standards are maintained in all spheres of the building process.

    SON’s technical committee  consulted widely with stakeholders from all sectors including COREN; Universities; Research Institutes; builders; consumer associations; Block Molders Association of Nigeria and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), among others, who participated in the activities leading to the review of the cement standards.

    All the stakeholders agreed to streamlining cement types, with 42.5 grade for general purposes, while 32.5 will be restricted to plastering. The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Public Investigative Hearing on the Composition and Pigmentation of Cement (Cement Quality) in Nigeria, headed by Hon. Yakubu Dogara, recommended that only 42.5 grade should be produced to tackle  building collapse. The House subsequently asked SON to enforce the measure.