By Tayo Joseph, Lagos

Contrary to reports that Edgal Imohimi had been demoted to his old rank of deputy commissioner, he still remains the acting Commissioner of Police Lagos state. A reliable source at the Police Service Commission informed Scroll Report that the letter allegedly reverting Imohimi to his old rank was not signed by the commission. “It is total falsehood. We did not sign any letter reverting Imohimi’s rank.” Said the source

Imohimi was appointed acting Commissioner of Police Lagos in September. Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos State Governor, expressed confidence in Imohimi’s ability to deliver on the enormous task before him in effectively policing the state.

Reports recovery of 100MW from the damaged Afam IV Power Plant, energizing of Jebba-Kainji 2^nd 330KV line and the 2^nd Ajaokuta-Abuja 330KV line by TCN, others

By Tayo Joseph, Lagos

The Minister of Power Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has allayed the fears of the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) over the promotion of the deployment of more solar power through mini-grids and other Federal Government initiatives aimed at improving service in the Power Sector.

Fashola, who spoke while presiding at the 20^th Monthly Meeting of Power Sector Operators in Owerri, Imo State, said that the Sector had made noteworthy progress since the 19^th Meeting held in Lagos and collectively the challenges that lay ahead in the roadmap to incremental, stable and uninterrupted power would be engaged.

The initiatives over which the DisCos wrote a letter to the Government dated 27^thSeptember 2017 and titled, “Federal Government of Nigeria’s Initiatives in the  Electricity Sector and the Impact on Electricity Distribution Company Activities”, include the provision of meters to consumers through licensing of meter suppliers and provision of more power to consumers through licensing of eligible customers.

Other initiatives are the provision of Independent dedicated Power to Universities, promotion of the deployment of more solar power through mini-grids and expansion of the Distribution Network of the DisCos so that they can take additional 2,000 MW of power now available for supply.

Fashola, who noted the concern of the DisCos about the impact of the initiatives on their businesses, however, pointed out that the initiatives were targeted at improving service to the people. He, however, commended them for the decision to channel their complaints to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) by a jointly signed letter, a decision he described as “a welcome departure from the previous order”, which should to be encouraged.

“It is my understanding that you fear that you will lose some income or some customers if Government proceeds; and on the question of meters, you seek to have technical compatibility with what the licencee will operate. In respect of possible investment in Distribution equipment you seek that Government should route the investment through the DisCos. Understandably you are concerned about investment recovery and in your views, the solution is a tariff review”, the Minister noted.

He, however, pointed out that while their concerns about business viability, financial stability and cost recovery were well understood and indeed supported by the Electric Power Sector Perform Act of 2005 (EPSRA) which Government would respect, Government’s focus was also strong on the issue of service to the people, adding, “There must be a balance somewhere in the middle”.

Fashola said as far as the promotion of solar and other sources of independent power was concerned, they were not only supported by the ESPRA, but were “consistent with our Paris Climate Change Agreement Obligations and with emerging global practice”.

Pointing out that Government was yet to take position on the best way forward on the issue of channelling investment into Distribution assets through the DisCos, the Minister declared, “DisCos have nothing to fear about solar. It is a space in which they are entitled to play but in which they cannot exclude others from playing”.

He added, “The ESPRA did not contemplate a monopoly for any licensee, unless it is expressly stated in the license”, pointing out, however, that Government was clear that a solution must be found quickly to the inability of DisCos to take about 2000 MW of power that would imminently increase as the sector got more incremental power.

Fashola, who maintained that the concerns contained in the letter under reference could and would be managed through consultations by NERC “ to help to build consensus about how best to serve customers, instead of festering gulfs of Disagreement”, added, however, that as a 40 per cent shareholder of the DisCos (on behalf of the Federal, State, Local Governments and Workers), “Government has a self-benefitting interest in the wellbeing and efficiency of the DisCos”.

The Minister noted that while the letter and concerns of the DisCos focussed first on their business, the Government initiatives focussed more on service, adding, “Consensus should give us both the service and the business”.

Reviewing the progress made in the sector in the last one month, Fashola informed the meeting that in the last month the sector has recovered 100Megawatts from the damaged Afam IV Power Plant, which he recalled, had been inoperative since January 2015.

The Minister also reported that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has energized the Jebba-Kainji 2^nd 330KV line and the 2^nd Ajaokuta-Abuja 330KV line both of which were inoperative since 2015 while in the last one month, “specifically on Wednesday 4^th October 2017”, the Federal Executive Council has approved the verified sum of Federal Government MDA debts of N25.9Billion, and its payment by setting it off against the debts owed by the DisCos to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET).

The Minister, who promised to communicate soon to the Meeting how the amount has been applied to reduce debts owed by DisCos to NBET, informed also that promising progress was being made in recovering debts due from international Customers adding that the Meeting would also “be notified of how much has been received when the appropriate accounts confirm that they have received value for the credits we have been notified of”.

Also recalling the progress report of the last meeting, Fashola listed the successful connection of power to Magboro, Ibafo and neighbouring communities in Ogun State, the metering of 196 out of 244 customers on Ajijedidun, Adamolekun and Abiola Alao Streets in Ijeshatedo in Lagos, particularly and the progress made to restore power to 16 out of 36 communities in Ondo North (Akoko Communities) and the challenges in Okitipupa.

The Minister gave kudos to the Judiciary for its various interventions and support towards the development of the Power Sector, particularly commending it for its judicial support to stop corruption, enforce the law and promote liquidity in the sector as well as the recent practice directions issued by the Chief Justice of Nigeria for the full enforcement of Arbitration clauses in power contracts.

Noting that the practice direction would take such Arbitration cases out of the tedium of regular trial and place them in the hands of commercially sensitive adjudicators, Fashola also welcomed with delight the conviction and sentencing to three years’ imprisonment by the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, of one Okechukwu Anoke for tampering with electricity fittings.

Also welcomed with delight by the Minister was the intervention in the Court of Appeal in the case involving the tariff review, which the Trial Court had earlier set aside declaring the tariff setting process illegal, but which, according to him, the Appeal Court has reversed and ordered that the case be tried afresh.

Emphasizing the critical role of the judiciary and law enforcement in the power sector, Fashola pointed out that the efficacy of the practice directions issued by the CJN for the strict enforcement of Arbitration clauses did not rest with the Judicial officers alone adding the Nigerian Bar Association has a pivotal role to play in ensuring that Arbitration clauses were enforced.

“This is because it is often the Lawyers, not the clients that file and initiate processes that invoke the jurisdiction of the Court”, the Minister said, adding, “It seems to me that there might be something that potentially crosses the line of ethics which should arouse the interest of the Bar Association if one of its members fails to avail a client of his rights under an Arbitration agreement”.

On the report that the Yola DisCo has not been actively participating in the affairs of the Association of Electricity Distribution Companies, the Minister, who reiterated his position about the right and freedom of individual DisCos to associate, pointed out that Government also has the right to associate or dissociate with the DisCos “by lack of recognition or grant of recognition; because rights are not absolute and because they impose duties”.

“All I need say is that we must respect the right of Yola DisCo to also choose whether it wants to associate or not. That is a duty we all have if we must enjoy the freedom and right to associate”, he said.

Thanking the Plateau State Governor, Mr Simon Lalong for hosting and the Operators for participating in the 3^rd National Council on Power, which he described as very successful, Fashola, noted that the State used the opportunity offered by the occasion to present its Rural Electrification Roadmap to all. He urged the Operators to “follow up with the State Governments to assist you in enforcing the law against energy theft, right of way protection, metering of state government offices and buildings, the verification and prompt settlement of bills”.

On the Order signed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) which reduced the timeline for making (New) Electricity connections from 145 days to 40 days, the Minister declared, “While DisCos are also expected to comply and file reports of compliance to NERC and copied to my office, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has advised that the focal DisCos that will affect Nigeria’s ease of doing business rating will be Lagos, Ikeja, Kano and Kaduna because of the sample size that the population they serve represent”.

By Adebisi Adeyemi, Lagos

Justice Abdulaziz Anka of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, ordered the final forfeiture of a total of 56 houses belonging to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to the Federal Government.

The properties valued at about $21,982,224 are located in Lagos and Port Harcourt, River State.

The order followed an exparte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The EFCC, in an affidavit in support of the application, stated that Alison-Madueke, who is currently in the United Kingdom where she is also being investigated for money laundering, had acquired the houses between 2011 and 2013 with suspected proceeds of crime.

The properties, the EFCC also stated in the application, include 29 terraced houses comprising eight four-bedroom penthouse apartments; six three-bedroom apartments; two three-bedroom marionettes; two twin bedroom apartments and one four-bedroom apartment all located at 7, Thurburn Street and 5, Raymond Street, Yaba, Lagos.

The properties valued at N973million were bought through a company named Chapel Properties Limited.

Others are: 16 four-bedroom terrace at Heritage Court Estate, Omerelu Street, Diobu GRA, Port Harcourt, River States valued at N928 million, which was bought through Blue Nile Estate Limited; 13 three-bedroom apartment with one room maid’s quarter at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi, Abuja valued at N650 million, which was bought through Azinga Meadows Limited and six flats of three bedroom and one boys’ quarter at Plot 808 (135) Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos valued at N805 million, which was bought through Vistapoint property Development Limited.

In granting the order, Justice Anka held that none of the respondents-Diezanni, Donald Chidi Amamgbo, Chapel Properties Limited, Blue Nile Estate Limited, Azinga Meadows Limited and Vistapoint Property Development Limited- responded to the applicant’s Motion on Notice for final forfeiture served on them.

The judge further held that “I have gone through the affidavit attached to motion for final forfeiture as well as the submissions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s counsel, Anselem Ozioko. The court has no option considering the incontrovertible evidence filed by the EFCC than to grant the application. The motion for final forfeiture is accordingly granted as prayed. All parties have a right of appeal.”

By Yemi Babalola Lagos

The Nigeria women football leagues’ (NWFL) Super 4 has started with a bang in Edo state. Where the top four teams from the women’s league are already slugging it out on the pitch to produce the season champions.

Match day 1 saw, the defending champions Rivers Angels losing 2-0 to Delta Queens, courtesy of goals scored by Amerat Adebisi and Rosemary Okezie. Still on Match day 1, Nasarawa Amazons defeated Bayelsa Queens by 1-0 courtesy of Ugochi Emenayo’s spot kick in the 30th minute of the match.
Match day 2 which had the Deputy-Governor of Edo state Mr. Phillip Shuaibu in attendance, saw Rivers Angels losing to Nasarawa Amazons by 2-1 courtesy of goals by Chinyere Igboamalu, Anam Imo for Nasarawa Amazon and a consolation scored by Mercy Amanze. This means Nasarawa Amazons have automatically qualified for the Super 4 Final. While Bayelsa Queens played out a one all draw with Delta Queens.

Looking at the table standings, Nasarawa Amazons are leading with 6 points, followed by Delta Queens who have 4 points, Bayelsa Queens are third with a point and Rivers Angels have no points from the two matches all teams have played.

Match day 3 which would kick off on October 12 2017, would see Nasarawa Amazons taking on Delta Queens and Rivers Angels taking on Bayelsa Queens. Delta Queens would be hoping to get a draw against Nasarawa Amazons to ensure they book a spot in the Finals of the competition. While, Rivers Angels would take on Bayelsa Queens, for the latter they would be hoping for a win to compete for the second team to make the finals, though that hinges on if Delta Queens lose to Nasarawa Amazons.

It promises to be an interesting Match day 3 to look forward to in the Nigeria Women Football League Super 4, which is taking place at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin, Edo state.

By Yemi Babalola Lagos

Christine Ohuruogu is the amazon on focus for this week’s edition of Sport Amazon. She was born on May 17 1984 to Nigerian parents of Igbo descent East London. Christine from a tender age showed interest in sport. She has eight siblings and one of one of whom is sprint star Victoria Ohuruogu.

Christine began her track and field career representing England as a 19-year-old junior athlete in 2003 where she won the Bronze medal in the 400-meter race at the Under-20 European Junior Championships held in Tampere, Finland. She became the triple A champion in the 400 meter in 2004, was a semi-finalist in the 400 m at the Athens Olympics of 2004, also taking part in the 4 x 400 m relay team that finished 4th.
In the 2005, at the age of 21 at the European under 23 Championships, she took the silver medal, losing individual gold by a hundredth of a second. She also won silver in the 4 x 400 m relay. After reaching the semi-final at the 400 m at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics, she won a bronze medal in the women’s 4 x 400 m relay alongside Lee McConnell, Donna Fraser and Nicola Sanders.

Christine was banned for a year in 2005 due to missing drug tests. She came back in 2006 at the Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne, Australia; she won a Gold medal for England in the 400-meter race. She could have won another Gold in the 4×100 meter relay but her team was stripped due to some protest from the Australian relay team. At her next Commonwealth outing, which was held in Glasgow in the year 2014, she won Bronze alongside her relay team in the 4×400 meter relay.

Having returned from the suspension for missing drug tests, she won Gold for England at the 2007 Athletics World Championships held in Osaka Japan, despite not been competitive the year before.
Looking at Christine’s overall medal haul so far, in her Olympics participation she has won Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 400-meter race and Bronze in the 4×400 meter relay alongside her relay squad in the same year. At the London 2012 Olympics, which was held on her home soil, Christine won Silver medal in the 400-meter race. While at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, she won Bronze medal in the 4×400 meter relay.

Christine in her World Championships career has won two Gold medals and she won individually, one Silver medal and five Bronze medals, all of which were won in the 4×400 meter relay with her relay team.
Christine in her World Indoor Championships outing has a Gold medal won at the Istanbul, Turkey 2012 championships in the 4×400 meter relay and a Bronze medal in the same race held in Sopot, Poland in 2014. At the European Indoor Championships, she won Gold alongside her relay team of Eilidh Child, Shana Cox, and Perri Shakes-Drayton in the 4×400 meter relay.

In the World Athletics Final, in 2007, Christine won Bronze medal in the 400-meter race and improved the following year by winning Silver medal at the same race, both of which were held in Stuttgart, Germany. At the European cup held in Florence, Italy in 2005, she won Gold with her 4×400 meter relay team and in 2008 edition held in Annecy, France in the same competition, she won Silver medal in the 200-meter race.

While, at the European Team Championships held in Leiria, Portugal in 2009 she won Bronze in the 200-meter race and in the 2013 edition held in the United Kingdom she won Gold in the 4×400 meter relay.
Despite been active in sports, Christine is a graduate of Linguistics from the University college London in 2005. Christine was appointed MBE (Member of the British Empire), at the 2009 New Year Honours, and conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the University of East London. She is also an author, and any moment from now could become Britain’s most decorated female track-and-field athlete at the Games, barring IAAF’s decision on the Russian doping scandals.

By Tayo Joseph Lagos

The Federal Government is working on modalities for setting up focused labs in some critical areas of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) to further consolidate the gains of the economic diversification programme.

Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma while briefing members of the Senate Committee on National Planning on the state of the economy said the labs are intended to bring all the relevant stakeholders in the public and private sectors into weeks of intensive working sessions to brainstorm on practical steps to overcoming any identified challenges in the selected areas.

The central objective of the labs, he explained, will be to bring in private capital to finance a number of development projects across the country.

The Minister said government has already engaged some economic and development experts from the private sector and the academia on ERGP implementation to facilitate the process.

He told the Senators that an implementation unit has been set up in the Ministry to closely monitor the implementation of the critical initiatives of the plan and periodically evaluate implementation progress against set targets and milestones.

The unit is also to provide early warning signals of potential risks and work closely with the MDAs to articulate actionable measures to be taken against any identified constraints.

Referring to the recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report which announced the country’s economy exit from recession, the Minister said even though a GDP growth rate of 0.55% is not a substantial growth rate, it nevertheless is significant because the downward drift has been arrested.

That fact that the downward drift has been arrested and the economic indicators are pointing upwards is a significant step forward in the effort to reposition the economy which took a downward trajectory beginning 2014 and slipped into a recession in the second quarter of 2016, he said.

He explained that with population growth rate at about 3%, the 0.55% growth in GDP was not likely to make any appreciable impact on people’s lives, but he was optimistic that by the time the 2020 target of 7% is realized, the full impact of the growth will be felt by Nigerians.

The Minister said the gladdening aspect of the development is that some very promising growth levels are being recorded in the non-oil sector, with agriculture posting 3.01% in the second quarter of 2017 and Industry turning positive for the first time in nine quarters.

Compared to the situation last year where 27 out of 46 economic activities recorded negative growth, only 21 recorded negative in the second quarter of 2017. “Headline inflation has declined since January reflecting tight monetary policy and strengthened Naira in the foreign exchange market”, he added

While appreciating the efforts of government in repositioning the economy, chairman of the Committee, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso said the achievements would be more appreciated when the people start feeling the impact of the economic reforms in their daily dealings.

A member of the Committee, Senator Madaki Bukar advised that serious consideration should be given to the establishment of micro-finance banks in the rural areas to enable local farmer have access to credits.

He said if the economic fortunes of the local farmers and small scale entrepreneurs improve, the larger economy will benefit from some kind of multiplier effect.

…Commissions Modern Bus Stop, Lay-By In Alapere-Ketu

By Tayo Joseph Lagos

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to construct multilayer car parks in strategic locations across the State as part of the traffic management and transport sector reforms aimed at ensuring seamless connectivity within the State.

Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Engr Ade Akinsanya, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said the multilayer car parks would be constructed across the State within the next 12 months.

While stating that the State Government was open to partnership with interested investors willing to collaborate with government on the project, Akinsanya said the move to construct the multilayer car parks was a prelude to the enactment of revised Parking Authority Law, all in a bid to rid the State of indiscriminate parking on the roads which in turn contribute in no small measure to traffic gridlock.

He said: “The Lagos State Government is desirous to have multilayer car parks across the State in the next 12 months. This is in consonance with the government’s proposed traffic management and transport sector reforms and as a prelude to the enactment of the State’s revised Parking Authority Law.
“Consequently, interested investors with either private lands or proposed government land suitable for the construction of multilayer car parks and auxiliary structure are hereby requested to submit proposals for the approval for construction of the car parks in any of the following areas – Ikoyi, Ikeja, Victoria Island, Badore, Ajah, Lekki Phase 1, Ipaja, Yaba, Ikorodu, Mushin, Surulere, Festac Town, Lagos Island and other areas deemed suitable,” Akinsanya said.

Meanwhile, the State Government has completed the construction of a modern bus stop and lay by in Alapere, Ketu area of the State.

Speaking while commissioning the bus stop, the State’s Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi said the project was in line with the vision of the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to ensure that all Lagosians have access to a proper and efficient public transport system compared to anywhere in the world.

He said the facility, aside going a long way to ensure that transport activities are conducted in a safe and comfortable environment, it would also ensure free-flow of traffic as there would no longer be any disruption to vehicular movement in the axis.

He added that the bus stop was a prototype of the three hundred (300) bus stops and lay-bys that would be constructed across the State under the Bus Reforms Initiative (BRI) which is a project of the present administration designed to be bequeath world class transportation system to the State.

Giving details, Elegushi said: “Facilities at the Alapere Bus Stop include a comfortable Bus Shelter, Lay-by, Lighting, Walkways, Guard-rails and Wire-mesh Fencing for pedestrian protection, passenger information system, amongst others.”

The Alapere Bus Stop was conceptualized, designed and constructed by an indigenous construction firm, Planet Projects Ltd.

By Tayo Joseph  Lagos

Fresh facts are emerging after the outburst by the Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari. There are allegations that the perpetrator behind this scandal is Jalal Aribi. It is alleged that:

1. salaries of internship doctors are collected and put in a fixed deposit account for his benefit.
2. only a sum of 14 million naira has been spent on drugs this year
3. an X ray machine was repaired at a ridiculous cost of 4 million naira
4. 21 million naira was deducted for the National Health Insurance Scheme yet no staff benefitted from it.

In the administrative block , there are also allegations that: Travel agents are owed large amounts of money thereby grounding their business. Also, Since he was not allowed to purchase new cars Jalal allegedly sabotaged the cars on ground. Scroll report learnt that cars of the wives of president and the vice had on some occasions broken down embarrassingly while on convoy. Aisha Buhari and the Wife of the Vice President are said to be fuelling their cars from their pockets for official  assignments, as Jalal allegedly refuses to release funds for them.
A bus which 27 million naira was allegedly purchased for 85 million naira. The whistle blower who allegedly leaked the story was said to have been transferred from the administration block. It is alleged that it took the intervention of President Buhari for the staff to be brought back.

By Afolabi Oluwatobi, Lagos

Year 2016 saw an infiltration of over three billion records, which looks awful on paper but even worse in reality, this year has also experienced its fair share of attacks.

From reconnaissance, malware attacks, ransoms, session hijacking and even extortion attempts. 2017 is left with less than three months, yet several organizations have been attacked, millions of systems penetrated and a wealth of classified hacking tools leaked .

Corey White, senior vice president of professional services at cyber-security software firm Cylance, and chairman of the CompTIA Cyber-security Advisory Board, Said “The increase in extremely damaging data breaches has certainly led to an increase in demand for skilled cyber-security workers and leading-edge services,” White continued. “We are among many companies who will always be looking to hire highly qualified, well-trained professionals.”
According to the cyber-security jobs supply and demand map CyberSeek.org, there were nearly 300,000 job postings for cyber-security positions in the roughly 12-month period from mid-2016 to mid-2017.

Which is why the U.S. information technology (IT) sector added an estimated 3,200 new jobs in September, countering employment slowdowns in other areas of the economy, according to an analysis by CompTIA, the world’s leading technology association.

Computer and electronic products manufacturing recorded its best month for employment in 2017, adding 3,000 jobs, the monthly “CompTIA IT Employment Tracker” reveals.
While the monthly BLS employment report does not break-out cyber-security occupations, job posting data and surveys of business leaders suggest continued strong demand for cyber-security expertise across the economy.

“Whether short-term job numbers rise or fall, there is simply no question that IT and specifically IT security specialists are going to remain in extremely high demand,” He said.

“Additionally, because every IT worker, and even most knowledge workers, have some level of involvement in cyber-security, demand for cyber-security skills is much broader than the dedicated cyber-security roles reflected in the job posting data,” said Herbert.

The importance of cyber-security readiness is heightened during October, designated as National Cyber Security Awareness Month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; and President Muhammadu Buhari, when the governor met with the president, in his office, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja… on Tuesday. Photo: Oyo State Governor’s Office

L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari; and Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, when the governor met with the president, in his office, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja… on Tuesday. Photo: Oyo State Governor’s Office