Cameroun, Nigerian Border Communities to Form Republic of Ambazonia

President Goodluck Jonathan

Jude Okwe 

Nigerian border communities have resolved to join forces with their counterparts in Cameroun to form the Republic of Ambazonia to spite Federal Government’s refusal to appeal the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which ceded Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroun in 2002.

The border communities have formed an association to galvanise support to solicit recognition by the United Nations (UN) and other countries.  The association will act as a lobby group and reach out to those that matter in international politics.

Leader of the association and former member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr. Cletus Obun, unfolded the agenda of the group yesterday in Calabar in a chat with some newsmen, saying the Federal Government’s lukewarm attitude to call for the appeal was clearly an indication that any Nigerian border community can easily be handed over to Cameroun.

Accompanied by representatives of border communities from Boki, Bekwarra, Bakassi, Obanliku, Etung and Obudu Local Government Areas, Obun said the association was ready to apply to the UN for a plebiscite on the self-determination quest.

“We will embark on a serious mobilisation across the local government areas bordering Cameroun, in collaboration with the Efiks in Bakassi and the Southern Cameroun for an independent state of Ambazonia.
“We are going to seek for a plebiscite under the UN Charter on Human Rights”, he said.

He revealed that the plan for Ambazonia Republic was not new as it began long ago, and called for the support of all well-meaning people both within and outside Cross River to actualise the envisaged country.

According to him, the English speaking part of Cameroun long marginalised its French counterpart in development and political leadership of the country has been agitating for self rule and was at the vanguard of the envisaged country.

“We have the right under the UN charter on human and peoples rights, to pursue self freedom; we therefore solicit the support and cooperation of Nigerians and the International community,” he stated.

In his comment, a member of one of the communities in Obudu, Mr. Emmanuel Okwe, said that the people were ready for self-determination considering that Nigerian government does not care about border communities.

``We are ready to use all legal means to under the protection of the UN to achieve our freedom, ‘’ he said.

Some local government areas in Cross River North senatorial district share international boundaries with Southern Cameroun.
ThisDay

Ikomi, Keystone Bank CEO, Resigns

Mr. Oti Ikomi

Goddy Egene and Obinna Chima

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Keystone Bank Limited, Mr. Oti Ikomi, has resigned from the bank, THISDAY learnt Thursday.

Ikomi, who confirmed this development, informed THISDAY that his decision was based on personal and health reasons.

Responding to enquiries from THISDAY, Ikomi, who was appointed into the position 14 months ago, said in a text message: “Mr. Oti Ikomi has resigned for personal and health reasons. He remains a proud member of the Keystone Bank family.”

A statement from the Bank’s Head, Corporate Communication, Mr. Dafe Ivwurie, also confirmed the development.

Keystone is one of the three commercial banks that were acquired by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), through a bridge bank process. The bank was established from the carcass of the defunct BankPHB.

AMCON’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mustapha Chike-Obi, declined to comment on the matter, saying “if there is anything, ask the chairman of the bank.”

However, THISDAY gathered that the board of Keystone Bank would meet today to consider Ikomi’s resignation and probably appoint a new chief executive officer for the bank.

From indication, any of the five executive directors may succeed Ikomi, except AMCON decides otherwise.

The executive directors are: Mrs. Sally Mbanefo (Commercial Bank); Mrs. Yvonne Isichei (Retail Bank); Dr. Shehu K. Muhammad (Corporate Bank); Mr. Ademola Adewale (Operations and Technology); and Mr. Shehu Abubakar ( Public Sector).

Under Ikomi, Keystone Bank, which was one year on August 5, had set a mission — to set the pace in financial services delivery and creating utmost value for our stakeholders.

Ikomi has a vast geographical business and working knowledge in Africa covering over 30 African countries from West, East, Southern and North Africa.

His banking career commenced at Citibank where he worked for 15 years and had international postings responsible for East Africa and later West Africa for Global Transaction Services.

Ikomi had in a recent interview with THISDAY said: “The major challenge that a bank like Keystone faces is really how to ensure that we meet the needs of our customers and grow our market share. We are extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with the current level of market share that we have. I tell my members of staff and executives that it gives me sleepless night. We have to take this bank to the next level.

“So it is unacceptable to be where we are now. So how can we grow the business and win an extensive support from large base of untapped customers out there? That is our major challenge.”
ThisDay

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala explains why oil benchmark was fixed at $75

The Federal Government is insisting on the benchmark price of $75 per barrel of crude oil in order to shore up the economy and make for macroeconomic stability, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said.
Okonjo-Iweala, who spoke to journalists shortly after the presentation of the 2013 budget proposals to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday, said $75 was the sensible price to fix the benchmark.
The National Assembly, however, is insisting on a benchmark of $80 per barrel, after backing down from $85 that its joint committee had earlier recommended.
The minister said the budget was predicated on the assumption that the country would produce 2.53 million barrels of crude oil daily.
According to her, another reason that makes the $75 benchmark attractive to the Executive arm of government is the need to ensure prudent management of finances.
Okonjo-Iweala said in order to reduce friction, the Executive would be meeting with the National Assembly to put forward the argument why government retained the $75 benchmark in the budget proposals.
She said, “The benchmark is based on an econometric module that estimates five and 10 years moving averages. Government cannot just take the number from anywhere. You have to have a basis for developing the benchmark.
“The benchmark for Algeria is $37; Venezuela, $50; Qatar, $55; Kuwait, $60; Saudi Arabia, $60; Oman, $75; and Angola, $77. What government is proposing is within the ambit of what other countries are proposing. We don’t see any country with $80 benchmark.”
She added, “The benchmark price will safeguard what is precious to the economy, which is the macroeconomic stability of the country. If we go with a high benchmark, a lot of liquidity will be thrown into the system, because it is not just the Federal Government we have to worry about.
“The benchmark also affects the money that goes to the states. So, even if you are trying to reduce the Federal Government’s fiscal deficit, the states are not under that obligation. They will be spending and that will throw up a lot of liquidity, which can lead to higher inflation and depreciation of the exchange rate, which will force the Central Bank of Nigeria’s governor to raise interest rates, which is not pleasant for the private sector.”
The minister argued that the uncertainties currently ravaging the world and occasioning low demand would affect countries that depended on a single product.
She added that a petroleum product’s subsidy of N971bn was provided in the 2013 budget as against the 2012 figure of N888bn.
Okonjo-Iweala explained that the attention given to women in the budget was part of the administration’s agenda for improving the country’s human development indicators.
 BusinessNews

Pharmaceutical Company Sues Taskforce On Counterfeit Drugs

In a bid to redress the injustice alleged to have been meted out to them, two Directors of a pharmaceutical company, Mr. Samuel Ediu and Superintendent pharmacist, Alexander Ani Eton and their company, Edichart Investment Limited, have renewed their legal battle against Lagos State Taskforce on Counterfeit, Fake, Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food in a N157 million suit field before a federal high court in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
Others joined as co-defendants in the legal battle are Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, Pharmacist (Mrs.) G.O. Balogun, one Pharmacist (Mrs.) Adeoye and the Attorney-General of Lagos State.
In an amended statement of claim filed before the court by a Lagos lawyer, Barrister Ethel Onuoha on behalf of the plaintiffs, it was alleged that from 1992 to 2007 Edichart Investment Limited registered and was issued its premises licence for each of the years to sell, dispense, mix and compound drugs within its premises as a registered pharmaceutical outfit.
However, sometime in 2007, the Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Anthony Bola Oyewole, paid an unscheduled visit to the company and demanded to know whether the company had been licensed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, for the year 2007 and the plaintiff answered in affirmative. Thereafter, Bola Oyewole retorted assertively that Edichart Company licence for the succeeding year 2008 shall not be renewed.
Mr. Alexander Eton alleged that in 2008 he paid the renewal fees of N25,000 and further paid N20,000 he was ordered to pay for the purpose of routine inspection of the premises, but after the payment, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria failed to issue a renewed premises licence to his company. Instead, a licensing officer demanded that their shop located at 23, Olorunlogbon Street be partitioned and converted it to a wholesale premises despite the fact that their shop and premises had been previously partitioned, even after complying with the order, the renewal licence was not issued.
Again, in 2009, the plaintiff paid for renewal fees and yet the renewal licence was not issued, to the extend of building their permanent site at 54, Olorunlogbon Street, Anthony village, Lagos with fully knowledge, for relocation, inspection and approval of their new location by the pharmaceutical council and its chairman, Pharmacist Familusi Abiodun Olanrewaju.
After the completion of the new site with permission and supervision of the Pharmaceutical Council, the inspection team who did not enter into the company’s new location and did not inspect the facilities later reported to the Pharmaceutical Inspection Committee that the company’s new site location was not registrable, and while the renewal fees of the company were paid for years 2010, 1011 and 2012 respectively, the licence of the company was not renewed.
However, on 20 May, 2010, Pharmacists, G.O. Balogun, Mrs. Adeoye, Familusi Abiodun Olanrewaju and Anthony Bola Oyewole in company with Mr. Luke Adeeko, Samuel Onoja, Pharmacist Afuye, Anieh Felix, anieh Akwuewe and armed policemen, invaded the Edichart Pharmacy shop at 54, Olorunlogbon Street, Anthony Village and carted away ethical drugs in several rice sacks, one multi links land line telephone, and pharmacist Alexander Ani Eton’s practising license for 2010 and the premises licence for 2007.
The plaintiffs averred that the defendants, majority of whom are pharmacists, were selective in the drugs they carted away from the company as they painstakingly spotted ethical and expensive drugs worth several millions of naira. The inventory of the drugs carted away was not taken.
Seven days after the invasion, the plaintiffs were summoned to appear before a panel of inquiry comprising Mrs. G.O. Balogun, Mrs. Adeoye, Lanre Familusi and Taiwo Familusi. They were then shown a contravention notice and alleged to have committed the following offences: selling and displaying for sale, drugs and medical consumables in a place not duly licensed or registered, resisting and obstructing taskforce members in the execution of their duty, carrying out pharmaceutical business outside the direct personal control and management of the superintendent pharmacist and training pharmacy students as wholesale premises.
The plaintiffs duly denied and answered all the allegations against them and thereafter appealed severally to unseal their company and release their annual premises renewal licence, but they were ordered to pay N500,000 administrative fine, swear to an affidavit to desist from carrying out malpractices in their premises, write and sign an undertaking forfeiting their drugs worth over N30 million carted away by the defendants on the ground that they have been burnt, to absolve the defendants from any blame and the shut down of their pharmacy shop within 14 days of the written undertaking.
The plaintiffs refused to pay the fine, neither did they sign any undertaking. Instead, the plaintiffs wrote a petition to the registrar of Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and copied the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, the governor of Lagos State and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Lagos State.
After the attack and sealing off of the plaintiffs’ company on 20 May, 2012, the defendant proceeded to publish the attack and seal off on 7 June, 2010 in some national daily newspapers.
On 1 June, 2010 the defendant contended that the licence of the company was not renewed because the company’s location was close to an existing pharmacy shop, which is not less than 200 metres from the company’s new location.
The company was unsealed on 5 August, 2010 after the intervention of the Commissioner of Health, Lagos State.
In view of these scenario, the plaintiffs, while claiming the sum of N157,650,000 against the defendants as general damages, loss of income and business for 317 days and value of drugs carted away by the defendants, are also urging the court to restrain the defendants from further attacks and carting away of their drugs.
 BusinessNews

“The budget for 2013 better than that of 2012″ – Economist

An economist, Katchy Ononuju on Thursday said that next year’s budget as proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan before a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday is by far better than that of 2012.
Mr Ononuju, who was a guest on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily, said: “This is a much better budget as a proposal of intent than the last one we had. In this, we’ve been able to reduce our exposure to recurrent expenditure. We actually brought it down from the former 72 percent to now 68 percent.”
The economist said the reduction of recurrent expenditure will help release more money for capital expenditure. He said those in government need to ‘put something in for those who voted politicians into place.’
 BusinessNews

14 killed in renewed attacks in Plateau State

Nigerian Police yesterday confirmed that militants have in less than a week killed 14 people including three children in attacks across trouble spots in Plateau State.
The state has witnessed scores of violence involving the Fulani, an ethnic group of Muslim devotees, and indigenous Christian communities.
It is still unclear who was behind the latest violence.
Plateau State Police Command spokeman ASP Emmanuel Abuh was quoted as saying “Yesterday at about 1900 hours 6pm, two men who were half-brothers were shot dead by unknown gunmen who ambushed them.”
“A woman and her three children were also killed in their home,” saying the Tuesday attacks happened in the Riyom local government area, near the state capital Jos.
The family killings followed an attack during the weekend in the Barkin Ladi area of Plateau that saw eight people shot dead, Abuh added.
In July, two prominent politicians from the mostly Christian Berom ethnic group were shot dead while attending a funeral in Barkin Ladi. They include senator representing Plateau North, Gyang Dantong, and Majority Leader in the State House of Assembly, Gyang Danfulani. The House of Representative member representing Riyom/Barkinladi Federal Constituency, Simon Dawu Mwadkwon, was also fatally wounded.
DailyPost

How we made millions from selling stolen fuel – Suspects

Some suspects arrested for alleged oil bunkering, have said they made millions of naira from the illegitimate business.
The suspects, were on their way to deliver petrol to a Chinese-owned rubber processing and manufacturing company in Ikorodu, Lagos State when they were nabbed by operatives of the Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit, Force Headquarters annex, Lagos.
PUNCH Metro learnt that a truck, with registration number XX574APP, laden with 33,000 litres of petrol, was recovered from the suspects.
The suspects are Alison Vitus, Polycarp Ajeh, Amechi Iloama, Onekule Roman and Chukwuebuka Ezema.
Vitus, who is based in Delta State, said he was into genuine oil business before he was introduced to bunkering by a man he identified only as Papa.
He said, “I felt it was a better way of making money when Papa who I met in the course of my business, told me that I can make much gain in this business undetected.
“He is the one who organises the boys that vandalise the pipelines. My duty is to bring my truck close to an agreed spot and they would load it with any available product.
“Sometimes, he supplies me crude oil popularly known as black oil. All we do is to pick it up at Auchi, Edo State. Normally my driver, Chukwuebuka, would drive my truck to meet papa at Auchi where the truck would be loaded with 33,000 litres of crude oil. I would wait at Owo, Ondo State where I consider safe enough to take delivery of the product.
“I usually pay N1m for every 33,000 litres supplied. All I need to is to pay N500, 000 in and pay N500, 000 as soon as the product is delivered. I made millions after re-selling the product.”
When quizzed on how they got buyers, Vitus said he was introduced to the rubber processing company by Ajie.
According to him, they usually bribe security agents they encounter on the roads, adding that he did not know that operatives of the task force were on the ground.
Ajie, the alleged middle-man, said he took to the crime because it was profitable.
He said, “No one sees an opportunity to make good money and ignores it. Officially petrol is sold for N97 per litre but instead of that price, I offered buyers N94 which any business man would gladly accept. For 33,000 litres, we get N3.1m.
“I was carried away by the fact that I made more than a million per delivery. I suspected that the product was vandalised but like I said, if they can travel as far as Kogi State or Auchi in Edo State to Lagos undetected, who am I to reject such business opportunity?
Confirming the arrest, Friday Ibadin, who is in charge of the task force, said the police acted on a tip- off that some suspected vandals were on their way to Lagos to sell stolen fuel.
“Investigation is still on to ascertain why anyone should aid and abet the stealing of the product which Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has the sole right to sell,” Ibadin said.
 DailyPost