BusinessDay 13 Sep 2020

Why Nigeria should be easier to manage, by Nevin, PwC chief Nigerian households’ finances suffer deeper strain Offering reasons for his declaration, Andrew S. Nevin, partner and chief economist, PricewaterhouseCoopers ( Pw C ) Ni g e r i a , w h o made the statement in a

OBINNA EMELIKE and IFEOMA OKEKE

N

igeria , the most populous African country, has been described as the easiest country in the world to manage and lead.

2

Andrew S. Nevin

As food prices, services’ cost spiral PMS, electricity hike should be accompanied with relief packages – Analysts BUNMI BAILEY

T

he rising spate of food prices coupled with the recent

hike in fuel and electricity costs is causing a strain on the already-squeezed purchasing power and income of Nigerian

households, thereby making them miserable amid the drastic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on

2

Stakeholders point to Rivers’ hidden treasure outside oil, gas

19

BDSUNDAY BUSINESS DAY

www.businessday.ng Sunday 13 September 2020

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Vol 1, No. 328

N300

Wasted billions, missed opportunity

Despite N31bn Covid-19 fund, Nigeria fails to build world-class health facilities See page 4

As medical tourism resumes

Edo guber: Obaseki, Ize Iyamu on final push

13 How prepared are security agencies to tame renewed Boko Haram threat in Abuja?

Seyi Makinde, Oyo State governor (l), presenting frame to Suleiman Bogoro, executive secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), during a dinner party in honour of Bogoro, held at Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.

PHOTO: Oyo State Government.

14 A chat with the Amazons in the C-Suite

Six months after Abule-Ado explosion Allegation of partial compensation trails Lagos govt promises Property owners complain of neglect Hardest hit Bethlehem Girls College relocates Residents still await report on cause of blast Desmond Okon

16

P

iles of building materials are packed in many corners of AbuleAdo. Labourers moving

in and out; patching up shattered homes.

In some streets, some buildings have been rebuilt up to the point of roofing, while others have only shacks erected for the sake of securing and protecting their properties

from hoodlums.

Scavengers are still roaming the streets too—looking for their daily bread— by sawing metals from the residue of collapsed structures on empty lands in the neighbourhood.

Th e g r e e n g r a s s e s found in many areas of the community hint of a fresh start and nature’s will to force the people to forget their horrid experiences.

That was the state of things when BDSUNDAY v i s i t e d Ab u l e - Ad o, a

sleepy community around FESTAC Town, in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, Lagos State, Nigeria.

Recall that in the morning of Sunday, March 15, 2020, a deafening explosion had

28

2 BDSUNDAY

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

News

Nigerian households’ finances suffer deeper strain Continued from Page 1

L-R: Lion Abiodun Ibrahim, Club Convention chairperson, Ikeja Metro Lions Club; Lion Anigbo Ikechukwu, 2nd vice president; Lion John Oriazowan, Zone 6A chairperson and Lion Emmanuel Okoduwa, Club Social director, at the Zone 6A District Governor’s Advisory Committee Meeting in Lagos.

Lagos communities seek Sanwo-Olu’s intervention over planned demolition Iniobong Iwok

T

he residents of Ijegun, Ije-Ododo and Abule-Odo area of Iba, IgandoIkotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Iba and Alimosho of Lagos State have appealed to the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene and save them from planned demolition of over 200 houses in the communities.

In a reminder letter dated September 2 signed

by JB Alalade, the counsel to the affected residents of the area and addressed to the governor and other agencies responsible for infrastructural development, including the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, they appealed to concerned authorities to spare all the existing buildings that were marked for demolition from Ijegun, IjeOdodo road down to Abule-Ado area of Iba and Igando–Ikotun Local

Government Area.

The letter reminded the relevant authorities that thousands of residents of the communities would be affected and rendered homeless by the planned demolition, adding that it was not a good way to reward the residents who had voted for the administration in the 2019 election.

The residents said that all the owners of properties in the areas have approved registered survey plan and approved certificate of occupancy by the Lagos State government.

Residents of the communities have been worried since January when the state government announcedplanstoconstruct a 19.39km road to link Ijegun, Ijeododo to Abule-Ado. But they got the shock of their lives on August 27, when houses numbering over 300 were marked for demolition forbeingontheproject’sRight of Way (RoW).

Meanwhile, the state government responding to the agitations of the resident

last week sent a visitation team from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority(LASPPPA)to look into the residents’ complaints and inspect the project site.

Th e r e s i d e n t s h a d lamented that the road project was being taken out of the original Lagos State plan that had earlier been delineated with landmarks and which was far from the NNPC pipeline’s RoW also in the same area.

Receiving the government delegation in his palace, the Onijegun of Ijegun Kingdom, Nureni Alani Akinremi, urged the officials to be honest in the discharge of their assignment of inspecting the communities and the original places marked for the construction of the road.

According to him, “The master plan had marked out a particular place for a road construction project. I, therefore, plead that, as representatives of government, you go to the archive and get the original plan for the road.

Why Nigeria should be easier...

Continued from Page 1

monitored speech, noted t hat the West African country is a self-organising nation.

“I have been all over the world and lived all over the world but Nigeria is a self-organising nation,” he confessed.

S p e a k i n g f u r t h e r, the PwC chief said that considering events that have happened successfully in the country, groups of people are not told by anyone what to do, but they get together and accomplish things, while many of the organised private sector actors, who are doing very well, organise their own power, infrastructure and

training.

“They have to build every part of the system to make it work and this happens at every level of the society. You have the Igbo Apprentice system, you have people that organise t h e m a r k e t , yo u h a v e churches and mosques,” he noted.

Nevin also commended what he described as the extraordinary abilities of some self-regulating organisations such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria ( I C A N ) , t h e Ni g e r i a n Bar Association (NBA), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), among others.

He further observed that in Nigeria, people get

together and organise things, while noting that the country is the easiest place to realise self-organising power and unleash it.

“There was an article in Guardian about a Ballet school in Oshodi and it is in the UK Guardian. It is an extraordinary story of someone who built a Ballet school and no one asked her to do it but she just did it and now these people are getting scholarships to go to New York Ballet School”, he revealed.

With the incredible organising ability, all Nigeria needs to do, according to him, is to “unleash a little bit and when you unleash, things will begin to happen in Enugu, Cross River and Sokoto”.

their finances.

A BusinessDay survey on how consumers are coping withtheunpalatablesituation shows that while some have trimmed their expenses to match their income levels, others have ventured into other businesses aside their normal jobs to make ends meet.

Ayodele Shittu, a lecturer in one of Nigerian public universities, said that it has not been easy coupled with the fact that his salary has not been consistent. “I have not been paid since June.

And for my family to survive, we had to cut down on our expenses to the barest minimum. Normally, a loaf of bread that is bought every day and buying snacks for the children have reduced,” Shittu said.

Kayode Akinolue, a Lagos-based medical doctor expressed concerns over the inability of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to make things easier for the average Nigerian. “For my company that I co-manage with a friend, we had to stop paying ourselves salaries so that we can pay our staff.

And as a result, I had to start doing some personal jobs like online teaching and training to feed my family,” Akinolue said.

With consumers’ real income dwindling in light of persistent rise in domestic prices, households with savings have been forced to fall back to it to augment their earnings. “It has affected my disposable income because now I am spending more. I am using most of my saving to compensate for my family expenses,” Damola Akinyemi, a researcher, said.

Since the increment in pump price of petroleum products and electricity tariff, Nigerians have been showing their displeasure by partaking in several protests to get the attention of government.

Ayorinde Akinloye, a consumer analyst at CSL Stockbrokers, said it was a challenge for them because incomes are shrinking, salaries are being slashed and many people have lost their jobs.

“So, the increases are putting a serious strain on their incomes. Most consumers will now decrease spending on those items that are not needed so that they can compensate for the essential,” Akinloye further said.

Th e p r i c e p r e s s u r e stems largely from the removal of fuel subsidy by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 following the collapse of oil prices to as

low as $15 per barrel. The corporation announced a market-based pricing regime in which petrol price will be determined by the prevailing trends in the international oil market. The recovery of oil prices coupled with a weaker exchange rate means that Nigerian consumers are now purchasing the commodity at a relatively higher price at the pump, and this translates to higher transport fares, higher production costs as well as higher logistics costs in conveying food items from farms to markets.

In another development, the Federal Government abolished subsidy on e l e c t r i c i t y t a r i f f, a n d enforced transition to a service-reflective regime in which tariff will be consumption-based.

However, the increment applies to customers enjoying grid supply for at least 12 hours each day.

“The intense pressure on prices we are currently experiencing reflects the short-term impact of the reforms implemented by the government,” said Damilola Adewale, a Lagos-based economic analyst. “Those reforms are prerequisites to securing credit facility from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank”.

Adewale stated that it was unfortunate the hike was introduced at a time consumers are grappling with the impact of the pandemic on their finances. ‘ Th o s e c o n d i t i o n s cannot be avoided since the government needed funds to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 crisis. As we speak, they are still talking with the World Bank for a fresh $1.5 billion facility. Ideally, those reforms are in the best interest of all economic agents, but we just have to endure this phase till the impact of these reforms start materialising in the medium term,” Adewale further said.

During a two-day First YearMinisterialPerformance Review Retreat held in Abuja recently, government said that they were extremely mindful of the pains that higher prices mean for consumers at this present time. It however, added that it was necessary to raise funds as the Covid-19 pandemic led to a severe downturn in the funds available to finance the nation’s budget.

Currently, households are struggling to cope with the impact of the pandemic and are deploying strategies that may have negative longterm consequences on their welfare.

According to a recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in all four states (Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Rivers), at least, two-thirds of

households had spent their savings to cover their living expenses. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Income and Expenditure approach at 2010 purchaser’s values shows that consumption expenditure of households has been declining at varying pace since it rose by 1.5 percent in 2015.

Worse still, the per capita income in Nigeria has declined to $2,049 in 2018 from $3,268 in 2014, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

According to the NBS, headline inflation, which serves as a measure of consumer prices, rose at a faster pace for 11-consecutive months, reaching a 27-month high of 12.8 percent in July, while Nigeria’s unemployment rate came to 27 percent in Q2 2020, as more and more people were rendered jobless from the impact of the pandemic.

Steve Hanke, a global and renowned economist, twitted on his personal twitter handle last Monday that amidst depressed oil prices, decades of corruption and the pandemic, Nigeria now ranks 7th on his World Misery Index.

When it comes to the provision of palliatives by the government to help relieve its citizens to offset the economic impact of the pandemic, Nigeria may have failed to emulate its global counterparts who have been at the frontline in providing massive support to households, businesses and corporates hit hard by the virus.

According to a recent survey conducted by SBM Intelligence, only 1.2 percent of respondents received some form of support from the government while 98.8 percent of respondents claimed not to have received any form of support or palliatives.

“Deregulation relief packages for specific vulnerable groups and specific periods of time are needed. In the late 1980s, Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) relief packages were given to workers for six months for example,” Ayo Teriba, CEO of Economic Associates, said.

Teriba further said: “You should however, include other vulnerable groups in addition to workers. The Petroleum Trust Fund was indeed created in the 1990s to cushion the pains of subsidy removal. But cash transfers or vouchers are more welfare enhancing than distribution of noncash benefits like the famous ‘essential commodities’ of the 1980s.”

Sunday 13 September 2020

C002D5556

3

4 BDSUNDAY

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

Cover

Wasted billions, missed opportunity

Despite N31bn Covid-19 fund, Nigeria fails OBINNA EMELIKE, IFEOMA OKEKE, ANTHONIA OBOKOH (Lagos) and GODSGIFT ONYEDINEFU (Abuja)

N

igeria’s government has continued to receive knocks for failing to maximise the opportunities presented by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic to improve the country’s dilapidated health care system, with renewed concerns that the sector will remain in its different levels of rot, especially as the airspace has been reopened for politicians to resume their medical tourism.

It is estimated that Nigeria loses about $1billion to medical tourism yearly, which causes a huge burden on the nation’s fledgling economy. This is due to poor service delivery, poor funding, unavailability of human capital, poor infrastructure, absence of specialist services, among other flaws.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria is currently ranked 187 out of 190 countries in the health index.

These concerns come at a time the Federal Government announced that it spent some N30,540,563,571.09 in last 4 months out of the N36.3 billion public funds and donations.

The Accountant General of the Federation who disclosed the spending said the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 spent N22 billion, 36 states spent N7 billion for the deployment of assets in support of Covid-19 operations and Nigerian Police spent N500 million on personal protective equipment.

The Coalition against Covid-19 (CACOVID), anchored by the Central Bank of Nigeria in conjunction with the private sector also donated over N30billion to government, as at June 2020.

Also, an official at the NCDC disclosed that the centre received the highest funding ever, to the tune of N5bn from government.

Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the centre had said that government will respond to the pandemic while also building a resilient health system.

Seven months into the pandemic, government at all levels have been tongue-lashed for doing nothing to improve the state of Primary, secondary and Tertiary levels of care in terms of infrastructure, human personnel, basic amenities, among others and the wave of the pandemic is already going down in the country.

The welfare of medical professionals, one of the factors fuelling medical brain drain has continued to be a struggle. On September 7, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) again began a nationwide strike over Federal Government’s failure to honour demands including the implementation of residency funding, Covid-19 allowance, payment of hazard allowance and the outstanding salary shortfall of 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, who, during the pandemic frowned at the dilapidated state of Primary Health Care (PHC), facilities which he described at the crux of health care delivery, said government would remodel and rebrand the health care centres to ensure they carryout 24-hour operations.

But, not a single PHC was rehabilitated or remodelled on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, the PHCs were not even useful throughout the pandemic as a number of them were under lock and key as discovered

by BusinessDay. Experts say Nigerian authorities missed a critical opportunity to incorporate the pillar of every health care system- the primary health care centres.

Buhari

“I am disappointed and angry, I felt Covid-19 provided the best opportunity for our leaders to finally fix our health care sector, because they were victims too, having been locked up and seeing the advantage of a good health system, but nothing was done, the situation seems hopeless”, Senator Iroegbu, publisher, Global Sentinel, cried.

“All government was doing was to convert buildings into isolation centres, what they were praying is for the pandemic to be over so that they can go, some of them were even smuggled out despite the lockdown. If our leaders don’t get it right now, when will they?” he queried.

Iroegbu also observed that government does not care about Nigerian health sector because they do not patronise it, including the Aso Clinic which receives funding to the tune of billions of naira.

The outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic further exposed the huge deficit in quality healthcare facilities across the country. It also presented ample opportunity for Nigeria to close the gap by investing in the healthcare sector, and even collaborating where necessary, to upgrade existing facilities or install modern ones.

The sad reality is that N22.16 billion, which represents 72 percent of the huge sum, was

Ehanire

expended on procurement of things needed for the fight, feeding of patients and treatment, instead of establishing local medical material manufacturing companies, or installing life-saving, ultramodern diagnostic machines and other needed facilities to save the country from losing money to medical tourism again.

Some people argue that some part of the money should have been used to establish at least a personal protective equipment (PPE) factory, ventilator assembly plant, grants to local pharmaceutical companies for clinical trials of possible vaccines for the virus, importation of ultramodern medical facilities for treatments, among others.

But none of these possibilities were considered by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 chaired by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the Federation. The task force is taking glory in flattening the pandemic curve and improving recovery rate; feats, which many Nigerians ascribe to the weather condition and divine intervention.

Within the five months the Nigerian airports were shut down in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19, Nigerians, who used to access health care in other countries, could not do so.

Travel agents and experts have observed

Ihekewazu

that people looking for medical care for various ailments constitute a huge percentage of those who are travelling or those booking tickets to travel outside the country, one week after the airports re-opened.

Susan Akporiaye, president, of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, (NANTA), told BDSUNDAY that Nigerians are still travelling and that many Nigerians travel for medical reasons.

Akporiaye explained that because of the rise in Covid-19 cases in the United States and Canada, Nigerians are now going to Turkey and Dubia for their medicals.

“We have been having some of our clients book tickets to go to Dubia and Turkey for medical reasons. Medical tourism is quite cheap in Turkey,” she said.

Roland Aigbovo president, National Association of Resident Doctors, FCT, said the resumption of international flights will only result in further decay of the health care sector as government has not shown any seriousness in fixing its health care facilities.

According to him, the Nigerian authorities were only forced to make pledges on using lessons from the pandemic to fix the health sector, because there were no flights for them to seek alternative care.

“Now that international flight has opened, at

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY 5

Cover

to build world-class health facilities

Faduyile

Boss Mustapha

any point in time, they will jet out of the country; let us just forget the idea that they will do something because they will not. Imagine something as minute as hazard allowance, which is the right of health care workers, doctors have to go on strike, what does that tell you?” he said with a lot of concern.

Aigbovo stressed that in the area of health infrastructure, workforce and welfare of personnel at all levels of care, government has done nothing and will do nothing.

“All they do is to churn information through the media claiming they have done this or that; they think Nigerians are fools. Pay a visit to hospitals; nothing has been done throughout the pandemic.

As long as I am concerned, PHCs is non-existent, whatever they say is just wishy-washy!” he said.

Aigbovo recalled that president Muhammadu Buhari had during the early months of his first tenure, travelled to the UK, where he spent months seeking medical care, but regrets that four years down the line, the president is unable to replicate the state of care he enjoyed outside the country, in his own country, not even at the State House Clinic in the Aso Villa.

On August 8, 2020, Aisha Buhari, the First Lady, reportedly travelled to Dubai, using evacuation flight for medical attention over a pain she was experiencing in her neck.

Considering the huge sum expended so far on the fight against Covid-19, Ohaka Ajurue, a medical

consultant at Federal Medical Centre, Abakiliki, Ebonyi State, noted that with the N31billion, Nigeria could have built at least five world class hospitals that are well-equipped to provide quality healthcare service and also stop medical tourism abroad.

“In India, where many Nigerians are now thronging for medical tourism, it takes less than $5 million to build a standard cancer hospital, but we have that money in private accounts, in bullion vans and in underground tanks, yet no one can fund a cancer hospital here. They prefer jetting out, and making mockery of our medical professionals here,” he lamented.

Ganiu Ojolanre, a medical equipment supplier, descried that while Nigeria has been romancing China in recent time, the country would have used that opportunity to partner China in establishing medical equipment manufacturing plants here, which could become hub for the West African region deliveries.

“We have money to establish companies that can manufacture some medical equipment and materials here, but we have failed to do so over the years because of corruption and lack of will power. Our billionaire philanthropists are not helping too, instead of building world class health facilities and donate to the people, they prefer to donate to political parties to safeguard their interests,” Ojolanre said.

He noted further that China and India, which have invested heavily in healthcare, medical business and equipment manufacturing, are among countries that are reaping from the fallout of Covid-19 today.

According to People’s Daily, an English publication in China, “China has exported medical supplies with total worth of 10.2 billion yuan since March 1, 2020 and these include test kits, masks, and ventilators”. The news publication went further to list quantities per product supplied as follows, 3.86 billion masks, 37.52 million protective suits, 2.41 million infrared thermometers, 16 000 ventilators, 2.84 million test kits, 8.41 million googles.

A significant part of the medical kits and material donations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) are supplied from China.

In the same vein, James Akanni, a medical laboratory technician and laboratory owner, decried that the Covid-19 fund was not wellspent, considering the number of quality laboratories a quarter of the money would have established across the country, which

would improve diagnosis, treatment, save money and lives.

“It is very expensive to establish world class laboratories, especially procuring ultramodern diagnostic machines and maintain them. The likes of Clinx, Afriglobal, among others are huge private sector investments in healthcare. Government should have encouraged more private sector participation in quality healthcare delivery by giving them part of the Covid-19 fund as loan to establish more facilities. The money has finished now and we are back to square one,” Akanni decried.

But Martins Okopi, a public affairs analyst, insisted that Nigerians are not surprised the way the Covid-19 money was spent, describing it as another round of national cake for those who are closer to the corridors of power.

“Governors who are not working are now using Covid-19 as excuse, yet they were quick at collecting fund from the Federal Government to fight the pandemic, which they have shared already. We pray that there will not be a second wave of the pandemic because the Federal Government and private donors may not raise money again, the initial fund has been shared and not necessarily used for the fight against the pandemic. The feat achieved today in the fight is by God and not Covid-19 fund,” Okopi disclosed.

The angry Okopi also disclosed that N31billion would have started the foundation of a new city in Nigeria, built two good schools in 10 states, built 10 quality hospitals in 10 cities, and even a refinery to curb the huge foreign exchange expended on importation of fuel by selfish business people.

Covid-19 curve flattening, yet deadly diseases abound While Nigeria and her agencies channeled all energies toward the fight against Covid-19, little thought was spared on diseases and infirmities that had for years claimed many lives in the country.

Tanko Sununu, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Services, recently noted that it was estimated that Nigeria loses about one billion dollars annually on medical tourism as almost 500 Nigerians go abroad monthly to seek medical intervention.

He noted that even before Covid-19, many of Nigeria’s key health interventions- on polio eradication, vaccination programmes, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and maternal and child health- remained almost entirely dependent on foreign donors, with the government committing less than $10 per citizen to health under its current budget.

Sununu, a laparoscopic surgeon, wondered what Nigeria would do now since the donor countries may not be in the position to dole out money, as according to him, “every country faces its own Covid-19 nightmare.”

Likelihood of more brain drain With the way Nigeria treated health workers during the pandemic; there is the likelihood of the country recording more brain drain this time around.

Doyin Odubanjo, public health expert, former chairman, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, said that as international flights resume, Nigeria will get an increase in medical tourism, adding that in the last two weeks, close aides to the presidents were jetted out of the country despite the airport’s being closed.

Odubanjo explained that the elite and the political class have definitely lost interest in using the nation’s healthcare system, and the lockdown was just an inconvenience.

He said now that the borders are opened,

they will definitely embark on their trips as soon as possible but not only will they embark on their trips, heath personnel will also leave the country as soon as possible because many countries in the world now have become more desperate for healthcare workers .

“Nigeria has shown the stalled health care delivery even in the midst of a pandemic. So much more than before, we will have an exodus of healthcare workers and the exodus of people on medical tourism.

“The Nigerian government has not really shown any serious commitment in making the health sector better unlike some other countries has shown despite the Covid-19 .We try to copy a few things at the surface level.

“The government has not paid proper attention for health workers’ welfare and remuneration which are all things that shouldn’t be adjusted for the Covid-19 period but it calls for attention to address these challenges permanently so that the entire situation of migrations will be brought to an end rather.

“However we did not do it and we are seeing the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) going on strike in all states of this country in the last five months. It has only shown us that we have not learnt any lessons and our healthcare system is not going to get better but rather because worse,” Odubanjo explained.

Innocent Ujah, president, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), told BDSUNDAY that the opening of the border will not stop or reduce medical tourism in Nigeria, people can travel to any country to have their treatment but the only issue is that government monies should not be spent.

“Travel for treatment is a right of an individual but the cost should not be borne by the government. Except of course, it is necessary and that will come where there is a medical board that evaluates the need when the services are not available in this country, this happens in other places.

“Some people move from America to India because they feel that the cost of treatment is cheaper. I think that the people have the right to move to wherever they want to move.

“There will be an increase in medical tourism; that is the mobility of international travel.

I think that there’s nothing wrong with that.

We are all concerned about the use of government funding for what is avoidable, and that can be treated in Nigeria,” Ujah said.

The Nigerian Guild of Medical Directors also shared similar concerns that the rot in the Nigerian health care system will remain as government failed to use the opportunity of the pandemic to overhaul the sector.

The president of the Guild, Olufemi Emmanuel Babalola lamented that no fundamental change was brought to bear during the heat of the pandemic; rather what was seen was a fire brigade approach in tackling the pandemic.

Babalola said even the achievement touted by government in terms of revamping diagnostic and laboratory capacity falls below what other countries in Africa have been able to achieve.

“The guild of medical directors is not optimistic that things will change, things will return to business as usual for political elite, because they are not concerned about the welfare of the people. Even during the pandemic, some of them were travelling to seek medical care, despite the official travel ban.

Barth Ufoegbunam, Anchor, WAP TV Health Matta (TV Health Talk Show) also noted that what government achieved dur-

Continues on page 6

6 BDSUNDAY

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

News Wasted billions, missed opportunity Despite N31bn Covid-19 fund...

Continued from page 5 ing the pandemic was hardly enough and just a drop in the ocean for a population of over 200 million Nigerians.

“Unfortunately, the rave has died down, the energy has also died down at all levels of government,” Ufoegbunam said.

He however, noted that during the pandemic, government started from the scratch in building capacity to respond to the pandemic, such as ramping up test laboratories from five to over 70 across the country. He also said, some of the equipment will stay for many years to come.

To this end, Ufoegbunam stressed that it was important for government to find a way to sustain the achievement it was forced to make.

Olujimi Oyetomi, director, Public Relations, Ministry of Health, however, argued that the Federal Government is engaging with state governments to ensure that the lessons from the pandemic do not go to waste.

Oyetomi claimed that government has already begun addressing the infrastructure at the Tertiary level of Care across the country by increasing bed spaces, number of medical consultants and has increased the special hazard allowance for health care workers.

He added that at the secondary level, government is making a conscious effort to ensure that each LGA has a general hospital, while talks are ongoing with state governments to remodel and revamp PHCs. Olayinka Oladimeji, an official at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), also said plans were underway to upgrade primary health care centres, but added that lack of resources in the face of dwindling government revenue is a challenge In the same vein, Chinwe Ochu, head of Prevention Programmes and Knowledge Management Department at NCDC, said the centre has seen progress in the aspect of investment for health security in the last six months.

This, she said, has enabled the centre scale-up national diagnostic infrastructure, strengthen supply chain, improve the use of technology for data collection and strengthen the implementa-

tion of Infection, Prevention and Control measures among healthcare workers and in health facilities.

“We have also seen increased mobilisation of the private sector with big private sector conglomerates organising themselves as CACOVID (Coalition Against COVID-19) to support Nigerian government’s response efforts,” she said.

“We recognise the need to build long-term capacity, not only for NCDC as Nigeria’s National Public Health Institution (NPHI), but also for other agencies with similar responsibilities in the prevention, detection and control of infectious disease outbreaks.

“We are still not where we want to be, but we will keep pushing to utilise the lessons learnt during this crisis to build back better for the future”, Ochu added.

A lesson for Nigeria The NMA president explained that Covid-19 pandemic should be a lesson for not just Nigeria, but for all countries of the world, because Covid-19 helped expose the weak health system in Nigeria.

He suggested that a lesson that Nigeria can learn from the pandemic is to be able to document the weaknesses and then plan how it can intervene to improve the healthcare quality and provide facilities and training capacity development for health workers, doctors.

“If we were able to sit down, document facts, share experiences, and learn lessons, then I believe that the government should be able to intervene and plan to improve the facilities, the deplorable facilities in many of these hospitals.

“Before Covid-19 pandemic, we had three or four PCRs in this country but today, I think we’re getting close to 60 and that is a national response to the pandemic.

“So that even if the pandemic is flattened and begin to decrease, these equipment will continue to be used

by Nigerians not just for Covid-19 but for other infectious diseases, such as testing of the Human papilloma virus for cancer of the cervix and some other tests that have been done.

So it will not be a waste and we believe that that has brought a positive effect in terms of the availability of the PCR machines,” Ujah noted.

Covid-19: Reddington offers free medical treatment to international travellers on arrival Iniobong Iwok

A

s part of its contribution t o w a r d s eradicating the dreaded coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, Reddington hospital is offering free medical treatment to all international air travellers arriving Nigeria at its newly commissioned Armoured Shield Medical Centre.

The hospitals, however, says provided PCR test must be done at Reddington Zaine Laboratory recently accredited as the only private Covid-19 facility to test and treat patients in Nigeria.

A statement by the management of Reddington over the weekend said while the outcome of most of the tests are expected to be negative, in the event of a positive Covid-19 test, the facility will offer free doctors’ consultation, X-ray or CT scan, home isolation treatment and 50% discount of hospital treatment at the Armoured Shield Medical Centre.

Olusola Oluwole, Medical Director of Armoured Shield Centre and Reddington Zaine Laboratory, explained that to qualify for the free treatment services, all international air travellers must choose and register Reddington Zaine Laboratory as their preferred laboratory for their PCR test on the NCDC travel portal and arrival documents while PCR test must be carried out on the 7th day of arrival

in Nigeria.

He said that sample collection centres have been opened at 26, Joel Ogunnaike street, GRA Ikeja with walk-in and drivethrough facilities for those on the mainland and 6B Bendel Close off Aboyade Cole Street , Victoria Island for those on the Island while sample collection at Lekki facility will be on appointment.

Oluwole further stated that special arrangement has been made for sample collection at home for VIPs on demand.

A

s the Covid-19 p a n d e m i c continues to negatively impact the Nigerian economy, Chris Wulff-Caesar, marketing director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, has called on Nigerian marketers to rise and steer their businesses out of thedifficultmomenttriggered by the virus outbreak.

He made the call-to-action during a chief marketing officers tiered webinar themed‘MarketinginaVUCA Environment’ organised by the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) recently.

Wulff-Caesar says the whole world, not just Nigeria, is now in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) environment and business leaders therefore

positive patients in different locations in Lagos under Biosecurity environment,” he explained.

He said that the medical centre has such facilities as five star isolation wards, high dependency and Level 3 Intensive Care Units (ICU) with ventilators, organ life support machines, CT Scan, X ray, laboratory, telemedicine, emergency response ambulances among other equipment and seasoned medical personnel required to treat all cases of Covid-19 in both adults and children.

Investiture of Sylvester C. Offor, as the 26th chairman of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Lagos Mainland & District Society by David Alaribe (l), who represented Onome Joy Adewuyi, ICAN president

Re-strategise to survive Covid-19 impact, WAMCO boss tells marketers Josephine Okojie

The Reddington Zaine Laboratory which was recently commissioned by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, is equipped with state-of-the-art Class 3 Biosecurity Safety Technology which delivers results within 24 hours.

Oluwole said the facility is the only private hospital in Lagos currently accredited both for testing and treatment of Covid-19. “ Th i s a l l o w s f o r a seamless treatment and management of all Covid-19

have a responsibility to evolve with the tides and re-evaluate the ways of marketing to consumers whose lifestyles and habits are evolving rapidly.

He stated that there is a rapid changes attributed to peoples buying behaviour in locally made products, shopping within proximity and an almost absolute inclination to digital-first penchants.

“There is no gainsay that the pandemic has caused an enormous shift in the consumer lifestyle and the subsequent demand for the use of technology,” he said in a statement.

“When we continuously focus on the consumer in our businesses,welearnalotmore about what has changed, their new preferences This makes us more agile in our decision making to meet their demands”, Wulff-Caesar pointed out.

Coalition moves to tackle issues faced by women in business Ngozi Okpalakunne

T

he Association for Nigerian Women Business Network (ANWBN), a coalition of over 50 different women groups focused on business and career development of its members, has concluded plans to host its first Nigerian Women Business Virtual Summit (NWBS 200).

A statement signed and made available to B D S U N DAY e x p l a i n e d that the summit which is scheduled to hold between September 29 and October 1, 2020, will come under the theme, ‘From Fear to Hope: Scaling Women Business Impact for a Decade of Action’.

The release also stated that the event would serve as a platform to launch

t h e u p d a t e d Wo m e n National Business Agenda and also galvanise action towards addressing the five identified key challenges faced by women who do business in Nigeria. “NWBN serves as the apex body committed to mitigating the challenges faced by women pursuing business and career growth and has a combined membership of over four million women entrepreneurs,” the statement added.

Renowned international and national speakers and panelists drawn from the public and private sectors as well as civil society, will converge to discuss and proffer solutions to issues such as lack of access to finance, gender inequality, insecurity, poor infrastructure andinadequatepower,among others. Over 30,000 guests are expected to attend.

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY 7

News Banks, EFCC, police place Edo on watch list over governorship election EMMANUEL UDOM

T

here are strong indications that banks operating in Edo State could monitor closely, daily banking transactions, ahead of the September 19 governorship election, where over two million registered voters are expected to decide the fate of the state in the next four years.

Statistics release by Festus Okoye, commissioner, information and voter education, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), have it that 20, 974 officials of the commission are expected to conduct the election in 192 wards and 2,627 polling units in the state.

However, the Economic a n d Fi n a n c i a l Cr i m e s Commission, (EFCC) Benin zonal, is also said to have advised Compliance officers of banks to report suspicious transactions to the Commission.

Muhtar Bello, Benin Zonal head of the EFCC, dropped the hint during a meeting with compliance officers of various banks in Benin City, Edo State.

Dele Oyewale, head, Media & Publicity for the agency, said Bello spoke to

the bankers on behalf of the acting Executive Chairman, Umar Abba Mohammed, charged the bankers to be at alert as politicians may want to use banks for illicit transactions before, during and after the elections. “Once the transaction is above the stipulated threshold, you have a duty to report. So, be alert,” he said.

He noted that bankers have a key role to play in the fight against corruption and economic and financial crimes, but bemoaned the fact that most of the frauds

committed by fraudsters were aided by bankers.

“Sometimes, bankers are culpable because they do not always carry out due diligence and comprehensive ‘Know Your Customers’. That should be a continuous process,” he said.

He charged bankers to adhere strictly to banking rules, shun temptation in the line of duty and report any transaction that fails the simple rules of integrity.

“Adhere to the rules of ‘Know Your Customer’ and acquaint yourself with the

Money Laundering Act, so you don’t fail in your duties,” he said.

Re c a l l t h a t Ad a m u Muhammed, the inspectorgeneral of Police, has earlier warned politicians and their supporters in Edo and Ondo States, where governorship elections are scheduled to hold on September 19, 2020 and October 10, 2020 respectively, to conduct themselves properly, play by the rules and steer-clear of tendencies capable of undermining the electoral process in the two states.

The Founder, Rare Gems Jewelry, Talatu Ogunlana, flanked by her management team, marking the 20th anniversary with a foundation laying ceremony of the company’s proposed factory in Epe, Lagos

‘Lack of continuity in project execution responsible for high level of unemployment in Akwa Ibom’ ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

S

ome indigenes of Akwa Ibom seem to validate the recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which ranked the state as the second highest in terms of unemployment.

Though this has been r e j e c t e d by t h e s t a t e government saying the report was faulty, many have continued to accuse the state government of abandoning projects that could have

provided jobs for the teeming youths.

Gabriel Umoh, a professor of Agricultural and Development Economics at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), noted that “the private sector has b e c o m e d i sc o n n e c te d from government to the point where only hotels and recreational centres are owned by politicians in government thrive”.

According to Umoh, “ Ak w a Ib o m h a s n o strong private sector to complement government’s policies and programmes.”

He said unemployment would continue to be a recurring issue if the private sector was not strengthened to create more jobs.

Ekpenyong Bassey, a community leader, has also accused politicians of allegedly stealing money to erect palatial houses which he said ended not being occupied “In highbrow areas of Uyo, especially Ewet Housing, Osongama and Shelter Afrique, you cannot count a number of palatial and imposing buildings built by politicians; they are too

many.

“Most of these homes are now lying fallow with only security guards keeping vigil, while their owners live in other mansions elsewhere in Abuja, Lagos and abroad.

“If these monies used in erecting such marvelous structures were invested in businesses, especially housing, cottage industries, oil and gas and export and import businesses, the government would only have the burden of creating the right environment for businesses to thrive,” he said.

Igbo youth groups urge Nigerians to reject Water Resources Bill GODFREY OFURUM, Aba

O

h a n a e z e Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) worldwide and Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), two socio-political youth organisations in the SouthEast region of Nigeria, have urged well meaning Nigerians to reject the proposed “Water Resources Bill”, by the National Assembly, which seeks to confer control of water resources within states to the Federal Government.

Th e y d e s c r i b e d t h e proposed bill as anti-people and urged the National Assembly not to pass it into law.

The OYC in a statement signed by Okechukwu Isiguzoro, president-general and Okwu Nnabuike, its secretary general and made available to BDSUNDAY, warned that passage of the bill could lead to serious issues that the Federal Government cannot handle, urging the Federal Government to resist the temptation inherent in the bill.

“Nigeria will be doomed,

if the National Assembly passes the National Water Resources Bill 2020 into law, as Federal Government cannot withstand the consequences this controversial bill will bring.

“If they forcefully deposed Nigerians in coastal areas of their rights of survival, especially in fishing and farming, there’ll be civil unrest capable of breaking up the unity of Nigeria.

“The timing of the National Water Resources Bill, 2020 is wrong and will fuel arms struggle and ethnic agitations, especially in the coastal regions,” the groups said.

OYC d e s c r i b e d t h e proposed Water Resources Bill, as obnoxious, draconian and anti-people, and capable of making Niger Delta Militants see enough reasons to join Biafra agitators and “pick up arms against President Muhammadu Buhari’s government”.

OYC insisted that issue of water resources remains a domestic matter and advised the Federal Government to reconsider the implication and resist the temptation of taking over control of Water Resources from state and local governments.

Experts call for update of Nigeria National Reporting Standard Ngozi Okpalakunne

E

xperts in the oil sector have called for the update of Nigeria National Reporting Standard, saying that such will play a great role in the national planning and economic development.

Speaking as a guest lecturer at the 2020 Public LectureandAwardsorganised recently by the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) Lagos chapter, which came under the theme, ‘Robust Evaluation of Nigeria’s Petroleum Reserves and Resources: A case for updating the National Reporting Standard’, Saka Adelola Matemilola affirmed that the Nigeria National standard (NNS) should be in conformity with the global standard.

According to Matemilola who is the chief Petroleum En g i n e e r, F I RS T E & P, Lagos as well as a Visiting Associate Professor at the African University of Science and Technology Abuja , NNS should be a guide for optimisation and exploitation of the nation’s mineral resources as well as a source for sustainable and diversified economic development of the nation. Enumerating attributes of NNS, the Associate Professor said it should recognise and report maturity status of discovered hydrocarbon resources; linked the approved Field Development Plans which should cover primary

development, secondary and tertiary recover plans; recognise and report maturity level of exploration opportunities which include trackexplorationvolumesand set targets for commitments on exploration and appraisal activities and serve as basis for planning oil and gas production and aspirations, including routine audit.

On his part, Director of Petroleum Resources, Sarki Auwalu commended the organisers of the programme, saying the theme of the lecture was apt.

According to Auwalu, who was represented by the Head Engineering and Standards, Petroleum Resources, Akenn Musa, Petroleum industry serves a very important role in powering the world, adding that as the mainstay of the Nigeria economy and revenue-earner, its significant is immeasurable.

Considering attempts to overcome the massive decline that has seen the price of oil and associated derivatives plummet, he said: “Taking a cursory look at sustaining the viability of the oil and gas industry is a service worth emulating.”

“Reckoning of appropriate government take from oil and operations, prevalence of sophisticated financial instruments and transactions, significant growth in corporate acquisition and increases cross-border trade and globalisation necessitates the strict and unbiased implementation of national reporting standard.

Stakeholders call for regular review of basic education plans to meet current trends SEYI JOHN SALAU

S

takeholders in the education sector have called on the government to ensure regular review of Nigeria’s Basic Education plans to meet current trends amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

This, they said, would ensure effective and better efficiency in pursuance of quality basic education in Nigeria, Lagos State in particular as model towards achievement of better outcomes in basic education.

Their position was stated in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day training for basic education handlers which include heads of education at the local government areas, education districts, TESCOM officers, school administrators and selected teachers in Lagos.

The workshop was aimed at determining the strategies needed in ensuring quality basic education in Nigeria, especially Lagos State.

OlufunsoOwasanoye,executive director, Human Development Initiatives (HDI), said basic education was compulsory for every child of school age and planned to drastically reduce incidents of drop out from the formal school system.

According to her, government should ensure strict compliance to UNESCO recommendation on budgetary allocation for education, while all projects once initiated should be completed.

Owasanoye opined that there should be strategic mobilisation of all stakeholders on the need to embrace and support basic education to achieve its desired goals.

“Government should put more effort to involve more practical oriented subjects and special attention given to talent hunt to arouse interest of students,” Owasanoye said.

Folayemi Ajayi, head of Education, Ajah LCDA, said basic education set the foundation on which a nation’s educational system is built; so, it is a human right and for public good.

8

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

Editorial Publisher/Editor-in-chief

Frank Aigbogun

editor Zebulon Agomuo DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja MANAGING DIRECTOR Dr. Ogho Okiti EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGY, INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS Oghenevwoke Ighure ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS Obiora Onyeaso BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (South East, South South) Patrick Ijegbai COPY SALES MANAGER Florence Kadiri DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Linda Ochugbua GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)

Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (South) Ignatius Chukwu HEAD, HUMAN RESOURCES Adeola Obisesan

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

comment is free

Send 800word comments to comment@businessday.ng

Fuel subsidy removal: Let today’s pain lead to tomorrow’s gain

T

he decision and courage of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to remove the subsidy on fuel imported and consumed in Nigeria is, arguably, a bold one given that the subsidy issue has been, over the years, a bull in a China shop.

The removal of the subsidy marked the end of an era in this country when billions of naira found their way into the pockets of just a few Nigerians in privileged positions.

This is coming on the heels of the hike in electricity tariff following government’s decision to enforce a transition to a servicereflective regime in which tariff will be based on the level of consumption.

All these are part of overarching reform measures which, according to its officials, are being implemented by the government in order to raise money to fund developments in the country, especially in the area of infrastructure.

But these measures, considered by many as harsh and insensitive, are raising problems and causing outrage among the citizens some of whom have taken to the streets to vent their anger.

Obviously, the problem and the spreading outrage at the

moment are not whether the removal of the subsidy is good or bad. They are rather, in our view, about trust and the inability of the government to convince its citizens on its good intensions.

The Federal Government in its wisdom believes that subsidy removal will work because it has worked in other counties. It believes too that subsidy removal will work based on its analysis on how our common wealth goes down the drain daily as a result of fuel subsidy and many giant companies are beneficiaries of this ‘anomaly’.

Government is, apparently, looking at the bigger picture, saying that the money that goes down the drain on the subsidy removal could be used to invest in the future gain it sees so clearly.

Part of the future gains are jobs that will be created, good roads to be constructed, and investment in electricity that will be made to satisfy the needs of the people.

We see the bigger picture along with the government and believe that the present pain, which is crystalising and touching on various aspects of our existence, is simply a purveyor of future gain.

But many Nigerians do not believe the government because they do not trust people in government and the govern-

ment itself. Our government and its officials have trust deficit burden and it is such that even when they come up with good policies, the people hardly take them seriously.

Nigerians had seen otherwise good policies and programmes of government, especially housing and road projects started, stopped or hijacked by powerful people in society and that is after poor people have been subjected to hardship including loss of business premises, demolition of houses, family dislocations, among others.

This is why, even as convincing as government’s argument sounds, the people are still doubting and protesting; asking if the government, for the first time, will clear their doubt and make the subsidy work as it does in other jurisdictions, and also bring the expected gain.

It is not lost on us, and we hope it should not on other Nigerians too, that before we start seeing the gains, that is, before subsidy removal works, we as a people must wail, we must all sweat, we must all grit our teeth in anguish. Indeed, we must all develop tough skin to be able to absorb the pains.

But, overall, we expect that the present pain which differs in degrees according to socio-eco-

nomic levels, will lead, without fail, to future gain. And to make this happen, we urge the government to live up to citizens’ expectations by investing proceeds of causes of the present pain in the economy.

It is heartwarming that an official of the present administration was quoted to have condemned the same step taken some years ago by the then government.

“In any case, when President Jonathan met with the ACN and other political parties, we (ACN) told him clearly what the government had to do before contemplating fuel subsidy removal, if at all there is a subsidy. We said existing refineries must be made to work while new ones must be built, so we can stop exporting expertise, technology and jobs with crude oil.

“ACN said it remains convinced that fuel subsidy removal is not in the interest of Nigerians, hence will not support it, and that – based on informed analysis – the average true price of a litre of fuel is 34.03 naira, which means Nigerians have been overpaying for the product,” the political actor said.

Today, Nigerians are expecting that this government will walk its talk since it has found itself taking that same route it had scoffed.

Imo Itsueli Mohammed Hayatudeen Afolabi Oladele Vincent Maduka Opeyemi Agbaje Amina Oyagbola Bolanle Onagoruwa Fola Laoye Chuka Mordi Mezuo Nwuneli Charles Anudu Tunji Adegbesan Eyo Ekpo Wiebe Boer Paul Arinze Boye Olusanya Ayo Gbeleyi Haruna Jalo-Waziri Clement Isong Konyin Ajayi

Enquiries NEWS ROOM 08169609331 08116759816 08033160837

} Lagos Abuja

ADVERTISING 01-2799110 08033225506 SUBSCRIPTIONS 01-2799101 07032496069 07054563299 DIGITAL SERVICES 08026011296 www.businessday.ng The Brook, 6 Point Road, GRA, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria.

01-2799100 Legal Advisers The Law Union

Mission Statement To be a diversified provider of superior business, financial and management intelligence across platforms accessible to our customers anywhere in the world.

OUR Core Values

BusinessDay avidly thrives on the mainstay of our core values of being The Fourth Estate, Credible, Independent, Entrepreneurial and Purpose-Driven.

• The Fourth Estate: We take pride in being guarantors of liberal economic thought • Credible: We believe in the principle of being objective, fair and fact-based • Independent: Our quest for liberal economic thought means that we are independent of private and public interests.

• Entrepreneurial: We constantly search for new opportunities, maintaining the highest ethical standards in all we do • Purpose-Driven: We are committed to assembling a team of highly talented and motivated people that share our vision, while treating them with respect and fairness. www.businessday.ng

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

https://www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY 9

Perspective Nigeria, Lapite’s policies and Saworo-Ide OLUDAYO TADE Dr. Tade, a sociologist sent this piece via dotad2003@yahoo.com

Jogbo is unstable. Our leaders are looting. The masses are thirsty People are starving. Our government should wake up (Saworo-Ide, 1999)

P

ost-colonial Nigeria has become a complex forceful contraption where a few corners what belongs to the majority and justify their actions with deceit, force and various silencing mechanisms. Though its handlers claim to be practising democracy, it is a democratic experience which pushes agenda through warped logic and subtle dictatorship. While the creation of the world started with light, Nigeria thrives on generator economy with billions budgeted yearly to service government offices. Regardless of the principal stakeholders, its handlers shocked their countrymen and women with the increment of electricity bill and pump price of petroleum products.

This is done in a bid to meet the demands of money-lending neocolonialists’ institution. Without electricity, companies privately generate electricity while consumers pick up the bills due to increasing cost of production. Informal business men and women cannot thrive due to unease conditions of doing business. The electricity distribution companies cannot pro-

vide meter and their workers enrich themselves through estimated billing and private sorting. Communities purchase electricity cables and transformers. Yet, they pay the electricity distribution companies that will make money from it for installation. It has not been this bad when Abolore Adigun (9ce) sang about how poor economic management was making Nigerians ‘mad’.

Olamide, also known as ‘Badoo’ followed this up with his ‘Poverty die’ song, as Nigeria leads as the global headquarters of the poor. Falz de Bahd guy was worried about the country when he released ‘This is Nigeria’ to unpack the rape attitude of the Nigerian system where corrupt people continue to win elections and are admitted into the hall of fame of ‘Lapite’s party in jogbo kingdom. From ‘change’, people of Jogbo added 4 + 4 = 8 and got next level treatment from ‘Lapite’ and his parasitic advisers.

Directed by Tunde Kelani and released in 1999, “Saworo-Ide” (Brass Bells), a Mainframe production is an allegory that captures what was and what is affecting Nigeria. It shows how the kingdom of Jogbo was subverted by king Lapite and his parasitic chiefs who were instrumental to his ascendancy to the throne. Just like the bitter policy of hike in fuel price against the promise of fixing local refinery which would have made it needless importing fuel or paying ‘frauducy’ otherwise called subsidy, people of Jogbo were served bitter pills of lack of electricity, water, hospitals and other essential things of life.

Just like the civic public are being clamped down or are shrinking in Nigeria, the media, activists and labour leaders are either silenced with death or arrested through the instrumentality of the police.

Lapite and his chiefs opened their

economy to foreigners to destroy their kingdom through reckless exploitation of forest resources which is the mainstay of Jogbo economy.

Lapite and his chiefs pretended to be interested in developing the kingdom but arranged with foreign investors to send their share of the loot to their foreign accounts. Lapite’s chiefs approach the investor for their share. Lagbayi, the investor, insulted those in power of asking to be paid kickbacks even when king Lapite has agreed to favour them with laws. The Foreign Direct Investor insults Jogbo chiefs who ask for kickbacks saying ‘the dogs want theirs, the goats, the frogs, and even puffy-cheeked cats too with their flowing robes and tall caps, peddling dubious documents but we will not forget you. We shall award you contracts and release funds for you’. The chiefs also negotiated that their kickbacks be paid into foreign accounts. Through this, Jogbo people only see companies with little or no impact felt since monies return to investor’s enclave through transactional leadership structure.

Lapite’s policies strain the hapless with consequences of rising poverty, insecurity, banditry, and infrastructural deficit. This twist of fate unleashed by Lapite against his social contract with people of Jogbo which is to protect local industry, conscripted Jogbo people to mobilise against foreign investors working illegally across the kingdom. Their leaders were arrested and the press who dared to ask questions during king Lapite’s anniversary was arrested. Musicians sing about the restiveness in jogbo occasioned by bad policies of Lapite. An elderly man at the doorstep of the king, Opalaba had warned the chiefs not to allow Lapite swear to an oath or take traditional incision of saworo-ide. He

reasoned that those who become king in Jogbo don’t become rich because they serve their people but whoever wishes to be rich must not commit himself to the traditional oath taking. Lapite acted the script and failed to take the oath which would have made him accountable to the people; hence, his daring and despotic attitude.

Saworo-ide as a drum of change was emplaced to hold Onijogbo accountable. Not taking oath by Lapite, exposed the people of Jogbo to heartless policy because Lapite was not bound to them. Nigeria’s own Lapite has failed to ensure local refining of jogbo’s mainstay commodity which is against his promised next level. When jogbo people protested against king ‘Jona’, they described his reign as fraudulent and clueless. If elected, Lapite, a former military dictator promised to check graft, improve Jogbo’s economy and ultimately end insecurity. But six-years into the reign of Lapite, people of jogbo are poorer and more miserable than they were under deposed king Jona.

Lapite and his family who promised to fix community health and stop people from going to foreign land to seek medical help leads the team of the privileged who seek medical help in foreign land. Not even the mighty ‘kuruna’ plague which restricted his movement and shut the economy of Jogbo and those of other kingdoms makes him rethink his selfish disposition. Rather, Lapite’s queen was among the first to ride on state horse to the land of foreign investors to see her doctor while millions of Jogbo people die of malaria because Lapite could not provide quality health care for them.

In contemporary jogbo, lyrics of songs by town musicians reflect the confounding state of jogbo kingdom where it is hard for people

to plan their lives due to incoherent policies of Lapite. Informal discussions among jogbo people query why King Lapite should spend billions on refineries that are not refining products and no one is made to answer for it? They cannot understand why Lapite creates loopholes for parasitic associates and now asks the masses to face the consequences? To them, is increment in the prices of utilities the new normal for jogbo people to live with? They are also worried why hitherto active pressure groups and Unions are docile allowing Lapite’s reign to make life unbearable for the masses. The hapless think the pressure groups and Unions are co-creators of present day hardship facing jogbo kingdom. This is a kingdom where the minimum wage is $78 dollars per month. While some will conform and adjust to the new normal hardship, those unable to reach their goals will innovate with new dimensions of corruption and criminality.

Is there any difference between king Jona’s reign and king Lapite?

Were jogbo people right to have rejected Lapite three times before a ranking chief positioning himself to become king in the future packaged Lapite as the messiah that Jogbo needs? Opalaba in SaworoIde warns us to weigh the consequences of our actions before going ahead with it. He sings: Kò ì yé won, yí ò yé won lóla, (They can’t understand now, they will understand tomorrow). As at today, Jogbo is bitter; her people are bitter and more hopeless than ever before.

The tunnel is getting longer to see any light. The kingdom still awaits Bosipo (the restorer), who will use agogo eewo (gong of taboo oath) to check parasitic chiefs and make them accountable to the people of Jogbo so that this kingdom can be great again.

Lagos and the ease of doing business TAYO OGUNBIYI Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

L

agos State is unique in many ways. It is the sixth largest city in the world and the most populous State in the country.

It is also the leading non-oil sector contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic product (GDP).

It contributes more than 30percent of the nation’s GDP, consumes more than 60percent of its energy, pays 65percent of its value Added Tax (VAT), and accounts for 90percent of Nigeria’s foreign trade and 70percent of all industrial investments.

With three lighter terminals and two ports, Lagos generates 50percent of Nigeria’s port revenue while the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, is the major hub for aviation within West Africa, and between the region and Europe.

Lagos is equally the country’s financial, commercial and indus-

trial nerve centre, with over 2,000 manufacturing industries and over 200 financial institutions.

The State alone harbours about 60 per cent of the Federation’s total industrial investments and foreign trade, while also attracting 65 percent of Nigeria’s commercial activities.

Currently, the State government’s expenditure focuses on developing infrastructure. Waste management is also experiencing improvement while the public transport system is being re-engineered.

Improved government financial control and other steps to create a favourable climate for investment have seen confidence grow in Lagos as a destination for investors.

Recently, the government signed the $629 million financing facility aimed at completing the Lekki Deep Sea Port with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), thus reflecting the plan to explore investments and partnerships that would accelerate growth and benefit residents of the State.

It is this strong belief in the private sector that propels the government’s collaboration with the OPS in various vital areas of the T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda of the Sanwo-

Olu Administration’s development strategy. The government regularly meets with the business community to discuss issues of mutual interest. The last of such was held last July.

In the last 12 years, through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), the OPS and the government have been battling to put in place a seamless security plan with the aim of creating a conducive environment for economic undertakings. The success of this novel model has made other States replicate same.

In order to protect businesses, the implementation of additional reliefs and measures to further ease the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on taxpayers and businesses have begun.

These incentives are sequel to the initial 3-month extension of the deadline for filing of annual returns (from March 31 to June 30, 2020). Also, taxpayers are to enjoy a waiver of penalty for late payment of liabilities under PAYE (Pay As You Earn) that was due during the period of March-May, 2020 when the State was under COVID-19 lockdown.

The 2018 Land Use Charge (LUC) Law was reviewed to bring

a huge relief to all, including corporate organisations. The penalties for 2017, 2018 and 2019 have been waived. This translates to over N5 billion potential revenue loss for the government.

There is also 48percent reduction in the Annual Charge Rates, just as the annual rate for Agricultural land has been reduced from 0.076percent to 0.01percent, which represents an 87percent reduction from the old rate.

On power supply, in collaboration with the private sector, the State government has, in the last 12 years, built 13 Independent Power Plants (IPPs) across the State. In furtherance of this, the government has unveiled a Smart Meter Initiative tagged “The Lagos Smart Meter Hackathon 2020”.

In respect of issuance of C of Os, Lagos is the first to begin an automation process of the process in 2001 and the procedure is getting faster by the day. On May 29th, 2020, the government published over a thousand C-of-Os that were ready for collection, the highest figure ever at a go. Thanks to the effectiveness of the e-process.

The various commitments of the government towards ensuring a safe haven for investors is already

paying off. In the last one year, the State has attracted the sum of $192.10million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Also, bureaucratic processes in business registration have been reduced. By the same token, processing of relevant construction permits is now faster and better. In terms of enforcing contracts, litigation time has also reduced drastically.

There is also reduction in incidence of loss of files as data are now kept and transferred electronically.

Equally, the time frame for property registration has been radically reduced while more land is now available for investors.

No doubt, Lagos is the prime investment destination in West Africa. The State, together with Kano, is responsible for the country’s jump to 131 from 146 in the 2020 World Bank Ease of Doing Business (EDOB) Report. The State was presented with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Award on EODB in recognition of its performance at the 2018 EODB Sub-National Ranking, in Abuja by the VicePresident, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Undoubtedly, Lagos is ready for business and things can only get better.

10 BDSUNDAY

www.businessday.ng

https://www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

Perspective Women empowerment is economic empowerment (Part 1) NKEM OKOCHA Okocha is founder/CEO, Mamamoni.

#

BeingFemaleInNigeria means that as a rural woman, you are not likely to have the title deed for land – a vital source of collateral for accessing business loans. The extent to which female business owners are neglected is most evident when it comes to access to credit and formal financial services that they need to start or grow their business.

This affects women like Rakiyah, a private school teacher and mother of young twin girls, who was unable to take out a loan for her petty trade and salon because, as a woman, she did not have the collateral required by conventional banks.

Most financial systems have been designed by and for men, resulting in systemic obstacles to women’s financial inclusion.

That is especially true for the marginalised women at the bottom of the pyramid in Nigeria who disproportionately face financial access barriers that prevent them from participating in the economy and from improving their lives.

Five years ago, Nigerian women started a global conversation – inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “We Should All Be Feminists” talk

– that allowed Nigerian women to share their experiences of gender inequality, sexism and misogyny in the country using the hashtag #BeingFemaleInNigeria. Refreshingly, some men also took to the hashtag.

One common thread that runs throughmostofthe#BeingFemaleInNigeria stories is the gap between what women know their potential to be and what society would deem it to be. The impact of #BeingFemaleInNigeria points to broader discussions we should be having about gender and sustainable development.

Global movements, like #BeingFemaleInNigeria are refocusing attention on the discrimination that women face in their social and professional lives. However, we must not forget that in the most impoverished communities, poverty, hunger, domestic violence and discrimination remain endemic obstacles to achieving real progress regarding the situation of women in society. The women at the bottom of the pyramid care more about feeding their children, educating them, growing their businesses and not having to worry about whether or not one small illness will be the straw that renders them homeless.

How can we ensure that movements like these translate to a better life for ALL women?

How can we achieve inclusive and equitable economic growth if women do not have access to the same opportunities to thrive and be successful?

The cost of gender inequality Gender discrimination is not just wrong; it is expensive. Evi-

dence suggests that gender and income inequalities can impede labour market productivity, which is one key component of economic development; however, this effect is even more detrimental to Nigeria’s growth due to the significant role women play in the economy. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that 49.5 percent of the population is female. Consider how gender inequality may affect our economic growth and development; by excluding half of the population from participating fully in economic activities, we are automatically reducing the quantity and quality of skilled labour as a factor of production.

Let us take agriculture as a reference point. In Nigeria, agriculture remains one of the most important sectors of the economy and women contribute between 40 percent to an estimated 60-79 percent of the labour force in Nigeria’s agricultural sector depending on if you agree with the World Bank or Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Consequently, when female farmers are not empowered and do not have access to credit to make better decisions about land that they work, it is impossible for them to effectively utilise land as a means of food production and income generation. In the same vein, a micro-business entrepreneur can hardly save for the rainy days. With 5 ​ 9 percent of women in Nigeria living in rural areas, many of them have limited access to banks, mobile phones

and economic activities.

Looking at China, data on the effect of gender-specific earnings on gender inequality shows that increasing female income, holding male income constant, improves survival rates for girls and increases educational attainment of all children. In contrast, increasing male income, keeping female income steady, worsens survival rates and educational attainment for girls, with no impact on boys. The data illustrates that there is significant economic value that empowering women will add to addressing and correcting institutional constraints that feed gender inequalities, which hurt economic growth.

Ripple effect All data points in the same direction: investing in women’s economic empowerment is critical to unlock their economic and social potential. Yet, they are continuously side-lined in critical roles and Nigerian women continue to rank lower on all indexes of human development.

One of the most effective ways to create an enabling environment for women anywhere, especially the women at the bottom of the pyramid, is to promote their financial independence. Empowering them with information and needed skills that can be commercialised within their small area of influence is a good start. When a woman is able to feed herself and her children in dignity, she is encouraged to imagine the possibility of a better life and future for her children which includes better nutrition and schooling.

By providing small sustainable loans that are easily accessed either via co-operatives or microfinance banks, Rakiyah can increase her business stock, diversify her income by setting up a salon, manage her finances in a way that she can successfully repay it, making room for more women to access even more loans. The value proposition of non-conventional banks is the guarantee of access to credit at zero to low interest rates, requiring no collateral.

In our work at Mamamoni, we have found that encouraging the financial independence of women helps increase the awareness and respect for women’s human dignity.

A few months ago, Joy was brought to our Innovation centre by her sister-in-law. She was despondent and contemplating suicide because she had no means of taking care of herself or her children. The lockdown was in its second month and we had just received some food palliatives from the Federal Government’s Victim Support Fund (VSF); so, we gave her a bag. Then we launched the Mamamoni Covid-19 Relief Grant and gave her a small loan to start a petty business. She bought cooking oil, crayfish, garri, melon and other soup condiments for sale in small bits – she literally transformed physically because of this new source of livelihood. She laughs more, is happy and does not default on her loan repayment which is structured to suit her cash flow. She is planning to put her kids in school next January.

To be continued next week

Nigeria’s striking doctors: To treat the headache or the brain tumour?

CHINASA (‘NASA) KEN-UGWUH

T

he pun in the title of this article is clearly intended and rather apt too, I borrowed it from my friend Tina when she was trying to describe a situation where the symptoms of an issue were being addressed as opposed to the underlying issue itself.

For as far back as I remember being a teenager, teachers and doctors have always gone on strike over salaries in Nigeria. It is however, disheartening to learn that these strikes still persist, and sadly, over the same reasons.

The Nigerian doctors in some state-run hospitals reportedly went on an industrial action

over remuneration, inadequate facilities and a lack of protective equipment during a pandemic as vicious as Covid-19. While this was not a shock, as it has essentially become “our way of life”, the response from the relevant government quarters was shocking. The proposed solution was for the hospitals to replace the striking doctors with medical National Service Youth Corpers to fill any service gaps – typical reactive solutions that don’t make the problems go away for long.

This response was for me, cringeworthy, as it had me wondering about the premium the

government places on the quality of healthcare and how replacing doctors with corpers is a lasting solution to the problem.

First of all, the reasons for the strike were definitely not unfounded and while one can question the moral element of the situation, given the Hippocratic oaths doctors swear, we mustn’t forget that they are still human beings, contrary to the super-hero attributes society has conferred on them.

Secondly, it appeared there was an assumption that the corpers would not be as sensitive to the needs noted by the striking doctors, which for me, further highlights, the degree to which essential workers are valued by government.

The big question however is this – Why is it difficult to nip in the bud this repeated strikes by placing the right premium on our essential workers?

We keep highlighting how rich Nigeria is in untapped human capital resources and complaining

about brain-drain, failing health systems etcetera, but the incentives to promote the former and curtail the latter respectively are non-existent.

If nothing at all, the Covid-19 pandemic has shown, more than ever, that a country is only as strong as its healthcare and education sectors, and so if the people who operate in these sectors are truly valued (which they should), one of the ways to demonstrate it is by providing decent welfare benefits for them at the very least.

The government, as at the time of writing this article, has reportedly committed to addressing the concerns of the striking doctors, however, I’m a bit jaded, and rightfully so, because this is the typical dance. There are no guarantees that the solution that will be proffered will be sustainable or adequately address the issues.

That said; I hope that during their deliberations, the following considerations are taken on board to ensure that we start to

treat the brain tumour and not the headache: Firstly, 42percent vibrant and growing youth population with so much potential that must be harnessed and not cut short due to poor healthcare; secondly, the recent positioning as the world capital for under-five deaths as reported by the United Nations Children’s Fund – the right investments must be made in our health sector to change this narrative, and thirdly, poor doctor-patient ratio as at March 2020 stood at 1: 2753 against the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of 1:1320. This is indicative of the effects of braindrain and the lack of incentive to practise in Nigeria’s heath sector On this note, I’ll end with this quote with the intention for it to serve as reminder to the relevant authorities - “The obligation of the government is to protect the public health, safety, morals and general welfare.”– Allan Wolf IG: @with_nasa LinkedIn: Chinasa Ken-Ugwuh

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

11

Politics PIGB, constitutional amendment, others top agenda as NASS resumes Tuesday James Kwen, Abuja

T

he pending and widely waited Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB), constitutional amendment, electoral reforms, 2021 appropriation, amongst other critical legislations would mostly be top on the agenda as National Assembly resumes from their 2-months annual recess on Tuesday, September 15, 2020.

The National Assembly, following strictly its calendar had embarked on its long annual recess on July 23 to resume on September 15.

Many critical bills such as the PIB and Electoral Act amendment which most Nigerians had been yearning for did not received attention as assured particularly by the House of Representatives due to the distortion of the legislative calendar by the advent of COVID-19 pandemic.

At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic the National Assembly shut down plenary and most legislative activities for over one month (March 24 - April 28) and even after resumption, plenary was held once or at most twice a week.

Both the PIGB and Electoral Act amendment for instance were passed by the 8th Assembly but rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari who withheld his assent and the 9th Assembly, particularly the House of

Godwin Obaseki

Femi Gbajabiamil

Representatives in its first year promised to revisit them but could not till the end of that year and nothing had been done on them till the National Assembly embarked on annual recess.

But at the last plenary before the long vacation commenced, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila announced that work on the PIGB would start during the

recess of the House by a Committee chaired by the Chief Whip of the House, Mohammed Monguno with the Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the House Committees on Petroleum Resources Upstream, Downstream, Gas and Local Content as members.

While BDSUNDAY checks revealed that the Committee has not started work on the PIGB, President Buhari had received the new

version of the Bill which was recently transmitted to him by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, It is expected that same would be transmitted to the National Assembly as it resumes from recess.

As recently confirmed by the Speaker himself during the 2020 Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) virtual conference constitutional and electoral reforms are going to be top on the agenda when the National Assembly (House) comes back from annual recess.

Gbajabiamila had also disclosed that the House is working on a Bill that will provide alternative source of funding for security agencies which will be given speedy passage and sent to the President for assent.

“The issue of reform or constitutional amendment is on the table of the House of Representatives. We already have a committee in place, and they will start work as soon as we return from our recess on September 15. For me, the constitutional reform and the electoral reforms are issues we take seriously”, he had said.

Also, work on the 2021 Appropriation Bill (Budget) is to be on the front burner when the National Assembly resumes as the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed had in a meeting with Principal Officers of the National Assembly said the President has directed Ministers work hard for the budget Continues on page 13

Obaseki: Reengineering the future of Edo Tony Usidamen

I

nnovate or die! This is the single, most important mantra in the business world since the turn of the millennium. The indication is that companies that fail to innovate risk extinction. And that is the stark reality! But the innovation imperative is not one for corporate enterprises alone.

The government must also reinvent itself to fulfill its responsibilities to its citizens, as well as to guarantee a more sustainable future.

That means new ways of thinking and doing.

From the moment he declared his intention to run for governor, Godwin Obaseki had a clear vision for the state. That is, a modern and progressive Edo where every citizen is empowered with opportunity to live life to its fullest. And, upon assuming office, he laid down a strong marker. His government would harness the inventiveness and expertise of the private sector in providing better public services for the people. It was not going to be business as usual.

Accordingly, Obaseki assembled a Strategic Planning Team (SPT) to help in setting policy and program priorities for the state.

The SPT held a series of workshops and thematic sessions with critical stakeholders. And a consensus was reached on the six main pillars for growth. These are Institutional Reform, Infrastructure Development, Economic Revolution, Social Welfare Enhancement, Environmental Sustainability, as well as Culture and Tourism.

Portfolios were aligned with the priority sectors. And Ministries, Boards, and Agencies (MDAs) were reorganised. A formal governance structure—with SOPs and MoUs—was also put in place to ensure a united front across multiple jurisdictions and disciplines.

Today, all the systems and processes within the government are driven by the use of ICT. The multifarious reforms have led to increased efficiency and transparency in public services.

The Obaseki government is focused on improving the quality of infrastructure in Edo. Thus, providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. In addition to the 460MW Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant, it entered a Power Purchase Agreement of 55MW with CCETC-Ossiomo Power Limited to boost electricity supply in the state. Upon completion, the plant would power housing estates, hospitals, hotels, as well as industrial clusters.

Thanks to Obaseki’s relentless drive— including the establishment of an Investment Promotion Office that has helped to improve the Ease of Doing Business in the state—the dream of a dynamic economy running on rapid enterprise development is becoming a reality. His administration’s policy agenda is anchored on access to capital, technology, and skills development.

And it is geared towards creating opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.

The Edo State Agripreneur Programme was launched in 2017. And thousands of Edo youths have been engaged in agribusiness through the scheme. Over the last three years, the government has attracted more than N25bn investment in large-scale commercial farming, built around key crops with a natural adaptive advantage in the state.

These include rice, maize, cassava, oil palm, and rubber. Obaseki’s efforts also led to the revamp of the Edo Fertilizer Company.

The plant can produce up to 60,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer in a year.

Recognising its ability to provide a transitional opportunity to the labour force in agriculture, and the multiplier effect for job creation in the services sector, the Obaseki government has also given the manufacturing sector a boost. It set up the Edo Production Centre where artisans and small-scale manufactures have access to 24-hour power supply, factory space, as well as access to finance through the Bank of Industry. It has also secured a $250million commitment by

an anchor tenant, who has started setting up shop in the Benin Industrial Park.

Obaseki is as committed to building people as he is to building systems and structures. More than 230 schools have been rehabilitated, and about 12,000 teachers have been trained and equipped with digital skills under the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme. This has helped to improve learning outcomes for students. Over 25 primary healthcare centers have been revamped and upgraded with new facilities. And a health insurance scheme has also been developed to make healthcare affordable and accessible.

An Office of the Public Defender was created to provide legal representation in criminal and civil cases to the indigent and defenseless citizens of the state. Also, a

Comment dedicated Agency for Domestic Violence & Child Abuse was set up, and the Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking was established. This government has facilitated the return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of more than 3000 victims of human trafficking over the last three years. And many have been equipped with skills to make them employable, or to start their own business.

Through the Edo State Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs), suitably qualified youths have been matched with jobs in the public and private sectors. The Edo Innovates programme has also helped to develop the entrepreneurial competencies of many in ICT. It is no wonder that Edo state has the lowest unemployment figure of 19percent in the south-south region, according to the latest data released by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics. Under the Obaseki administration, salaries of civil servants are regular and prompt. And monthly pensions and death benefits are paid as and when due.

Balancing economic productivity with

environmental sustainability is a top priority for this government. And it is committed to internalising pollution externalities and managing natural resources for the long term rather than the short. Thus, ensuring a clean and green future. Amongst the initiatives to help achieve these goals is the reconstitution of the Waste Management Board, as well as the introduction of the “Clean Up Edo” Campaign to encourage voluntary citizen engagement in environmental discipline. Also, there are several flood alleviation and protection construction works ongoing in the state.

Another major interest of this government is to restore Edo’s pride in the arts both locally and on the global stage. As “Commissioner” of the Nigeria Pavilion in Venice, Governor Godwin Obaseki was instrumental to the country’s first-ever showing at the world’s most important international art festival— Venice Biennale—in May 2017. Edo painter, Victor Ehikhamenor, was one of three artists who represented Nigeria at the 122-year old biennale. The government is also exploring opportunities for investment within the broader hospitality and tourism realm, including hotels, resorts, and festivals.

As the renowned political philosopher, Herbert Croly, noted in The Promise of Progressivism: “A better future would derive from the beneficent activities of expert social engineers who would bring to the service of social ideals all the technical resources, which research could discover and ingenuity could devise.” This is what Obaseki has modeled in the last four years. For him, governing means not just addressing discrete challenges as they arise, but formulating comprehensive policies aimed at giving large social systems more rational and coherent forms and functions. And Edo state is the better for it. Given another term in office, Edolites can rest assured that our best days are ahead of us.

Tony Usidamen, a public affairs analyst, writes from Benin.

12

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

Politics Nigeria has lost its bearing as long as governance is concerned - Yabagi

Southwest congress: Lagos PDP endorses Olafeso, others

Sani Yabagi, national chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), in this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, assesses the state of the nation, the September 19 gubernatorial election in Edo State, among other issues. Excerpts:

A

T

What is your take on the spate of killings and general insecurity in Nigeria? he killings are bad, and the death of a single person is a loss to humanity.

The President is not doing enough; because the buck stops at his table, so he is the one we are looking up to. Whatever he is doing, if we don’t see the result, we would think he is not doing anything. Whatever the service chiefs are doing without result we would perceive they are not working.

Because the loss of lives should not happen in the manner it is happening now. So, if they do not have the ability, why still keep them in office? This is not the first time, second time, or third time; the killings are happening and no changes, its means they are not doing enough.

You want him to remove the service chiefs?

There is nobody that still supports him keeping them in office up till now. Everyone has constantly urged him to change them. Have you ever heard anyone supporting them? Nobody knows why he is still keeping them; I believe that Nigeria is bigger than all of us. They know what their responsibilities are and they have failed woefully.

The situation is not getting better; they should be able to stop these killings.

Nigeria is not a small country like Mali, we are a big country and we have the resources to take care of these things.

Sani Yabagi

Is your party still in the Edo gubernatorial election race?

Yes; ADP would win. It is not true that our candidate stepped down for anybody; they are looking for cheap publicity.

But that can also be because of the way they are set up. They are helpless; they don’t have power to fight PDP or APC. The government sets them up and pays their salary.

Are you concerned that the election may be marred by violence based on what we have seen in the campaign so far?

We would hold the two major parties responsible; they are the ones that hold the machinery and have been causing violence in Edo State. Rather than beat the drum of war they should tell the Edo people what they have done and would do. These two major parties have nothing to tell the people; they have run out of ideas; that is why they are resorting to violence.

Otherwise, you should sell your programmes and convince the people; that is why we are asking them to vote for ADP. You would convince people to vote for you and not kill them or harm then, why should you resort to violence?

Is your party thinking of going into alliance with any major party ahead of the Edo polls?

No; we cannot have a better candidate than what we have now; so, there is no need to collaborate with anybody. We have confident that he would do well in the election.

Do you have confidence that the election would be free and fair?

Well, if you ask INEC they would say the election would be free and fair; that they are carrying out their mandate, but in reality that is not what we do see; they are often highly compromised.

There are agitations that Nigeria should return back to a two-party system.

What is your view?

Yes, I would support that, but I think the two major parties; the PDP and APC should give way because they have failed Nigerians. We should have thought about ADP and another party. The two parties are not supposed to exist again; they have become violence-prone because they don’t know what to tell the people again.

They should be deregistered; what they are doing is against the INEC law.

INEC should be bold enough to deregister them so that we can have ADP and another party. So, the country can begin to follow democratic path.

Are you concerned about vote-buying in the Edo election?

The blame should go to PDP and APC, because they have failed and don’t have anything to tell the people. The only method they have resorted to is votebuying, bribing the people.

They killed people just because of votes; look at all the elections and the scenarios. They bribe, intimidate voters; the country cannot be in their hands forever.

What is your take on the Magu’s probe?

I am not surprised with what happened.

That is to tell you that the country has lost its bearing, as long as governance is concerned. It is to say that the anti-graft war has not been fought the way it should be fought. Who would fight corruption when the people in power themselves are corrupt?

What is your take on the fuel price and electricity tariff increase?

I am not surprised because we have a lazy government in power; they have no solution to our problems. They can’t think; look at the issue of fuel, why don’t we have our refineries working? Why are we importing? Of course, if you import the prices would be high. The government needs to create an enabling environment so that citizens would not be exploited.

Iniobong Iwok

head of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Southwest regional congress, the Lagos State chapter of the party has endorsed Eddy Olafeso, immediate past national vice chairman South-West, and his executive committee members, for a second term.

The delegates made their position known at the weekend when Olafeso, Bunmi Jenyo, immediate past regional secretary and other members of the exco visited the Lagos State delegates to solicit their votes at the forthcoming congress.

Dignitaries from across the region who were in attendance, included Bimbo Ogunkelu, Sunday Adekunle, secretary of Ogun State chapter of the party, and other chieftains from Osun, Ogun and Ekiti States.

Deji Doherty, chairman of the party in Lagos, while confirming the decision of 90 percent of the Lagos State delegates to vote for Olafeso and his team, stressed that the decision was taken based on the track record of the leaders.

He maintained that PDP had always followed democratic norms, pointing out that as delegates to the congress, only Olafeso and his team sought their support and considering their contributions in their first two years in office where they liberated Lagos from what he called slavery.

“Olafeso and his team helped to unite the party in the region that is why you can see 90 percent of the delegates seated here. We had successful primary elections on Saturday for Lagos East senatorial zone and Kosofe constituency 2 by-elections, which were rancorfree. These are some of our achievements in seven months,” Doherty said.

Doherty, while regretting that the Lagos chapter had been relegated to the background in the area of representation at regional and national levels, placed demands on the aspirants.

“We don’t have more than one substantive position in the zonal level. We are going to give our votes but our representation in the South West zone must increase. We must have a member of the chapter at the National Working Committee (NWC).

“We requested a member at the Board of Trustees which has gone through first approval and final approval will come when Eddy Olafeso becomes the chairman,” he added.

Olafeso, while stating his reason for contesting, said that he was concerned about uniting the party in the region, stressing that even though Oyo State was achieved; he had an unfinished project of strengthening the party and winning more states for the party in the region.

According to him, “We are committed to serving with humility and ensuring that our people get whatever they are seeking from the party, not only at the zonal level but across the country.

“Talking about the challenge of having a robust opposition, it is a problem which is peculiar to developing countries. We are gagged, and we don’t have enough finance to do the things that we would want to do, coupled with the role of the ruling party in dividing the ranks of the opposition party.

“We will try hard to ensure that we deliver the dividend of democracy to Nigerians. As you can see the country is ungovernable, we have issues of insecurity, economic depression, unemployment, and suddenly they have removed subsidies and our people are languishing in poverty.”

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

13

Politics Edo guber: Obaseki, Ize Iyamu on final push Iniobong Iwok

T

his week is very important in Edo State. The state will witness the mother of all political campaigns this very week. All manner of promises will be made; new alliances will be struck and there will be more betrayals also. It is a game of politics, where everything and anything goes, particularly, in Nigeria.

Next Saturday, September 19 voters in Edo State would go to the poll to elect who governs the state in the next four years.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a total of 2,210,534 registered voters would decide the next governor of the South-South state.

The commission had also published a list of fourteen candidates for the election, but in the last few weeks several of them have stepped down to give their support to either the incumbent Governor and candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Godwin Obaseki, or the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osagie Andrew Ize-Iyamu.

This leaves Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu to slug it out in a two-horse battle.

Recall that similar situation took place in 2016; both had contested the gubernatorial election in which Obaseki emerged winner. However, four years later, the two candidates have swapped camps.

The election is expected to be keenly contested. In the last few weeks, Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu had been embroiled in bitter campaign that had pitched them against each other.

The two gladiators have been moving round the state with their supporters to sell their manifestos to the electorate in a bid to win votes and emerge victorious.

However, a look into their manifestos shows that both candidates have promised to place priority on job creation, education, health and infrastructural upgrade in the state.

Obaseki’s MEGA agenda is anchored on a 12-point action plan, which entails key developmental programmes in education, health care, critical infrastructure, agriculture and natural resources, peace and security, environment, public service, public finance and public revenue, art and culture, legal reforms, chieftaincy and religious affairs, transport, women, children, youth and sports.

While the APC candidate says his SIMPLE agenda is the tonic needed to turn the state around.

The SIMPLE Agenda is an acronym for Security, Infrastructural development, Manpower development, Public Private Partnership, Leadership and Employment creation.

The governorship candidate said recently that his agenda for the state as a ‘SMART’ document, means, it is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and of course, Time-bound.

For Ize-Iyamu, the thrust of his manifesto is to create employment in every sector of the state, head promised to create 70,500 jobs in four years in the areas of education, agriculture and rural development, housing, fire service, waste management system, and industrialisation, among others.

PIGB, constitutional amendment, others top agenda ...

Continued from Page 11

Godwin Obaseki

Osagie Ize-Iyamu

However, observers are anxious to see the outcome of the election. In 2016, when Obaseki who was the APC candidate, he won the election with 52percent of the vote, defeating the then PDP candidate, Ize-Iyamu, who polled 41percent.

Going by the record and performance of the two candidates in the 2016 election, the battle is expected to be intense this time around.

This is because so much has changed in Edo State and in the political life of the two candidates that would likely affect their fortunes and performance in the gubernatorial election.

In 2016, Obaseki had massive support from Oshiomhole his presumed political godfather who was then the governor of the state and leader of the party.

Oshiomhole who had the resources of the state at his disposal used it to work and campaign victoriously for his emergence as governor.

With the turn of events, political watchers say that with Obaseki now in the PDP, an opposition party in the country, it is not clear if he would be able to muster the required votes to win the election.

undermine the will of the voters.

Just after the announcement by INEC that the candidate of APC, Governor Yahaya Bello had been re-elected for second term, suspected political thugs set ablaze Acheju Abuh, the women leader of PDP’s Wada/Aro campaign council while in her home.

Ahead of the Edo election, observers say that if the election is free and fair, Obaseki would carry the day.

However, there is the fear that the APC may deploy its federal might in desperate move to win at all cost.

“Personally, I think, the election would be a close one; Ize-Iyamu is not a push over; check his performance in 2016 election.

“However, I think Obaseki has an edge, being an incumbent governor and looking at his performance depending on how you see it. He may get sympathy votes too, based on what has happened between him and his godfather, Adams Oshiomhole. But don’t rule out federal might, watch out; anything can happen,” Wale Ogunade, an analyst, said.

Meanwhile, as the day of the election draws closer, what, is, however a major source of concern to the electorate is the feelers which indicate that the gubernatorial election may be marred by violence.

It is imperative that INEC and security agencies allow the will of the people to prevail.

Speaking in an interview with BDSUNDAY, Adelaja Adeoye, national publicity secretary of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), warned that INEC must ensure that there is a level playing ground for all candidates in the forthcoming Edo election, stressing that, it must not be a do-or-die affair.

“There must not be room for rigging, because Nigerians already have a mindset about stand alone elections like this, where instruments of the state are used to suppress the voters, against their wishes,” Adeoye said.

According to him, “INEC and those saddled with the conduct of the election must prove to Nigerians that, they are not complicit in election rigging.

“We are calling on the Federal Government, to work against those who may want to cause violence and disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election”.

Federal might Since APC came to power in 2015, federal might has been a factor in winning elections in the country which may work in Ize-Iyamu’s favour.

The ‘federal might’ oftentimes translate to the undemocratic practice of using the military, police, and other federal agencies to influence election outcomes.

Analysts are of the opinion that recent elections in Nigeria have not been determined by voters. Events in the gubernatorial elections in Osun and Kogi States, in particular, attest to that fact.

The conduct of gubernatorial elections in both states fell below the acceptable norm and left much to be desired. The elections generated a lot of controversy, and the credibility was questioned.

The Kogi gubernatorial election was marred by violence and intimidation of voters. There were complaints that opposition party supporters were intimidated, beaten and even killed by supporters of the ruling party who in some instances were alleged to have the backing of security agencies, all in desperate attempt to

to be delivered to the National Assembly by the end of September.

Already, the National Assembly Committees on Finance were interacting with Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the 2021-2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Fiscal Strategy Paper ( (MTEF/FSP) during the recess on the House shut down all meetings and probes.

It is also expected that the House of Representatives in particular would begin implementation of its updated legislative agenda which contains critical Bills and legislative interventions upon resumption from the long vacation.

In the revised legislative agenda, the Green Chamber intend to amend the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007, to require revenue generating agencies (MDAs) to deposit at least 80% percent of their revenue into the Consolidated Revenue Funds (CRF) instead of their operating surplus which they arbitrarily determine.

Others are introduction of a Bill to ensure: effective coordination of donors, efficient / judicious use of all funds from foreign Official Development Assistance, amendments of National Health Act (NHA), NCDC Act, NHlS Act, Electricity and Power Sector Reform Act No. 6 of 2005 b), Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) Act and Ecological Fund Act. Apart from Bills, the House particularly would upon redemption consider the report of the alleged financial recklessness in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by the Committee Niger Delta Development which was stepped down at the last plenary before recess due to sufficient copies for all Members.

Also, several probes such as the $500 billion China loans to finance the Lagos-Ibadan rail line and other projects by the House Committee on Treaties, Agreements and Protocols, N300 billion unremitted revenue to the federation account by MDAs by the Committee on Finance, queries raised by the Accountant-General of the Federation against MDAs by Public Accounts Committee (PAC), amongst others would resume at the end of the recess.

BDSUNDAY gathered that many motions which were stepped down for want of time during the last plenary of the House and motions on emerging issues such as the fuel price hike and flooding are expected to feature prominently at resumption of plenary.

Reliable sources in the Rules and Business Committee who did not want to be mentioned told BDSUNDAY that some of the motions earlier stepped down such as Need to investigate the Refusal of Access Bank Plc and Other Banks to Call back their Fourty–Five Percent Staff Recently Laid–Off despite the Directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Need to Investigate the Purported Concessioning of Airports in Nigeria, Need to Approach the Countries Relocating Multinational Companies from China due to Mishandling of the Covid–19 Pandemic to Relocate to Nigeria would resurface.

“Motions like the Urgent Need to Direct the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to Review Its Ban on Direct Electricity Supply from 33kv Feeders Which is Currently Posing as Impediment to Government’s Quest of Energising Most Parts of the Country, Need to Address the Menace of Incessant Motor Accidents and the Unnecessary Gridlock on LagosIbadan Expressway, and Need to Curtail the Rampant Armed Herdsmen Attacks in Zango Kataf LGA of Kaduna State would come back when the House resumes”, the source added.

14

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

Feature

How prepared are security agencies to tame renewed Boko Haram threat in Abuja?

Innocent Odoh, Abuja

L

ast week, the bugbear of renewed threats of Boko Haram to attack targets and the residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja caused serious panic among the citizens and probably jolted the security agencies into hurried measures to tackle the imminent threat.

First, it was the Nigerian Customs Service that issued a statement warning that Boko Haram and their allies-the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and al-Qaeda have massed hardened terrorists including suicide bombers around the nation’s capital. They were reported to have camped into cells in several designated places within the FCT. Although the Customs later denounced their own statement, the alert had gone viral and the citizens in hysteria.

Reacting to this threat, the FCT Police Command announced through its spokesman, Anjuri Manzah, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) that the Command has beefed up security across the nation’s capital especially in the designated places, where the terrorists are said to have massed in cells.

The Police Command reassured members of the public that the police have deployed measures to tame terrorists’ threat including other criminal activities.

The statement read: “The FCT Police Command wishes to reassure members of the public that the Command has deployed proactive intelligence gathering mechanism and crime-fighting measures to beef up security across the Federal Capital Territory.

“This is to affirm the Command’s commitment to the protection of life and property and forestall any act that could lead to a likely security breach.

“The Command is also working in close synergy with sister security agencies in its ongoing effort to strength security in FCT.” The Nigerian army has also issued statement expressing their readiness to tackle the threat.

Between 2011 and 2015 the nation’s capital was filled with blood, sorrows and tears when the terrorists besieged the city with bomb attacks at public institutions, places of worship, recreational centres and shopping malls among others before shifting their bloody campaigns to mainly the north east.

The deaths and destruction wreaked on Abuja by Boko Haram may have started in 2011 with the bombing of the headquarters of the Nigerian Police, which was perhaps the first suicide bombing in Nigeria’s history. The attack occurred on 16 June 2011, when a suicide bomber, named Mohammed Manga, drove a car bomb onto the premises of the police headquarters killing six people. The then Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringbim was lucky to escape the attack.

The international community was shocked when on 26 August 2011, a suicide car attack was carried out by Boko Haram at the United Nations House in Abuja, killing at least 18, which drew international condemnation and pressure on the administration of the former President Goodluck Jonathan.

There were series of bombings also around neighboring states around the

Tukur Yusuf Buratai

FCT with the attack on a Catholic Church in Madallah, Niger State, near Abuja on Christmas Day 2011. This attack killed about 50 people.

Then On 14 April 2014, Boko Haram unleashed perhaps the biggest attacks in Abuja when the group detonated a bombladen vehicle at a crowded bus park in Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja, killing over 100 people and injuring over 300 others. The early morning blast also destroyed several high capacity buses popularly called “ElRufai Buses” which were filled to the brim as it was the rush hour for commuters coming into the Abuja city centre.

Boko Haram also claimed responsibility for the bomb explosion at the Mammy market inside a Mogadishu military cantonment popularly called Abacha Barracks in Abuja on New Year’s Eve in 2010, killing nearly 10 people.

On June 25, 2014, Boko Haram report-

edly bombed the popular Banex plaza shopping complex in Wuse district, Abuja, killing at least 21 people and injuring 52 more.

So, Boko Haram has a bloody history in Abuja and the threat of resurgence of the evil days in the city scares the residents as most lament the danger.

Speaking to BDSUNDAY on Friday, an Abuja resident, who gave his name as Timothy Emmanuel, said: “I am worried to hear that Boko Haram and allies are again targeting Abuja. This is so scary, how do we cope with the casualty figures especially now that the sect has acquired more deadly sophistication. I think we are in trouble but the security agencies must wake up to this challenge.”

But of particular worry was the arrest of some of those who masterminded the blasts in Abuja and other places but no useful information regarding the judicial

process over their matter. For instance, nothing has been heard about the alleged mastermind of the 2014, Nyanya blast, Aminu Saddique Ogwuche, who was arrested in Sudan and brought to Nigeria. The same for Kabiru Sokoto, who bombed the Catholic Church in Madalla among others so far arrested by the security agencies.

Speaking on these issues, a former Presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party in the 2019 elections and a public affairs analyst, Tanko Yunusa, called on Nigerians in FCT to be more alert over the threat since it appears the security agencies are not capable.

He said: “If the Nigerian government has shown its incapacity as regards to taking care of security, the people should be on alert to prepare for any kinds of attack because security is the business of everybody. We should face it squarely but most importantly I expect the security agencies to act on the heels of such information.”

On the seeming silence over the arrest and prosecution of alleged masterminds of terror attacks, Yunusa said “that is one of the major deficiencies of this government with regards to the issue of communications. They should give the people access to information as regard to some of the things they are doing so that we will not lose complete confidence.

“As it is now we are expecting that any arrest can lead to further arrests that is why we are so disturbed about the silence, and it gives room for doubts and people are asking are we sure it is the right people that are being arrested or people are just being arrested just to calm the nerves of Nigerians yet the perpetration of this crime continues. So, we don’t know what is happening and the government and the Nigerian state must come out open to tell us what is happening.”

A Security Expert and Columnist, Majeed Dahiru who also spoke to BDSUNDAY warned that Nigeria could be “witnessing coordinated attacks right at the seat of power if something drastic is not done.”

He further said that it would be devastating if that happens, especially in these very difficult economic times as well as the multifaceted complex web of security challenges facing Nigeria at all fronts today.

“We have over 28 armed groups operating in about 26 states. So, Nigeria is contending with heavily armed non-state actors that are trying very hard to destabilise the Nigerian state.

“So, we may not be able to have a coordinated response against these onslaughts at the very heart of our nation until something proactive is done to root out elements of Boko Haram in different parts of the country particularly the FCT through serious surveillance and close scrutiny,” he said.

On the question of the seeming silence on those arrested for terrorist attacks, Majeed noted that it is quite worrisome.

“We don’t know how far the judicial authorities have gone in bringing justice to the perpetrators of such heinous crimes and it is disturbing because we do not know the intention of the state behind arresting suspects and we will never hear anything about them anymore.”

He called on the government to come open on the current state of the judicial proceedings as regards to the punishment that should be meted for the heinous crimes.

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY 15

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Our belief in Nigeria is proof of our long-term commitment to the market - JCDecaux Grace Lake manager Dele Odugbemi is the Country Manager of JCDecaux Grace Lake, a foremost Out-of-Home advertising firm which has contributed greatly to the digital progression in Nigeria’s multi-billion Out -of-Home business. In this interview, Odugbemi who is an experienced and respected C-Level Executive and who has demonstrated expertise in the marketing and advertising industry speaks on a number of issues including, digital shift in advertising, its LATIS product in Lagos to assist motorists navigate traffic and the impact of Covid-19 on advertising. He said with digital, Out-of-Home industry is moving away from being real-estate based . Dele who has worked on world class marketing and advertising campaigns across Africa links Nigeria’s economic growth to Foreign Direct Investment. Excerpts You launched Nigerian operations in 2018; what has been your experience thus far? t has been an interesting journey for us. We don’t have just a Nigerian story to tell but an African story as well. JCDecaux first entered the African market in 2015 by buying Continental Outdoor in South Africa. With that, the company established a presence in 15 countries with Nigeria being the 16th. A rapid expansion followed in just a few years with a lot of learnings along the way. What is great about the Nigerian experience is that unlike the other markets that already had operations in the country, JCDecaux started from scratch by partners to form JCDecaux Grace Lake. Nigeria provided a well-established market where Digital Out of Home advertising had taken hold and the quality of our network is therefore much higher than other African markets. This also puts us ahead of those markets, as they look to us to set benchmarks of what their respective futures will be. It’s a responsibility we have had to accept and learn to enjoy.

You’ve worked across the continent with major advertising agencies and organizations; what makes the Nigerian advertising sector unique?

My regional experience has been very useful in settling into the job in Nigeria. As Africa’s biggest market, the country is a special place for most marketers. There is a sophistication the media market here has that isn’t obvious to those who haven’t practiced outside Nigeria. It’s surprising to find, for example, that South Africa has four terrestrial TV stations while Nigeria has 140 and counting. All of South Africa’s TV stations are national whereas none of ours are national. It makes media planning more challenging in our own environment and having seen where the rest of the continent is, coming home to make a contribution to the growth of the industry has been a privilege.

The world continues to shift to digital advertising, How would you thus rank the outdoor advertising sector’s chances of survival, especially in Africa and Nigeria?

The digital shift in advertising has forced the evolution of traditional media into interactive platforms. About a decade ago, digital was talked about as

I

Dele Odugbemi

a possible replacement to existing channels but time has shown that it coexists, rather than replace. Outdoor in particular has coped quite well with structural upgrades from static to digital screens. More importantly, real time advertising is now possible with geo tagging/location based scheduling. With digital, the out of home industry is moving away from being real-estate based where location affects pricing, to programmatic buying that is more about the relevance of the audience to available inventory.

This makes digital out of home a possible competitor to digital platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

JCDecaux Grace Lake currently operates in Lagos; are there plans to expand your services across the country?

Lagos remains our immediate focus, but to service the types of clients we hope to have, we are continuously exploring possibilities and options of more locations.

What is the LATIS system and how does it work?

LATIS is an acronym for the Lagos Traffic Information System, a proprietary tool made up of a network of sensors, a monitoring system, a traffic information system, digital management system

and traffic arches. LATIS provides a reprieve for the rather protracted traffic problem in Lagos by focusing on decongestion. By using LATIS to estimate the time it will take to travel from one point to the other, we can ease traffic flow as the natural inclination is to choose a faster option. At critical traffic decision making points across Lagos, our traffic arches provide estimated travel times to popular destinations. We highlight through colour bars areas that are congested; for example a red highlight is an indication for that road to be avoided as it’s likely blocked or has standstill traffic. In the two years of LATIS’ deployment we have seen the average speed of cars on the roads increase significantly. On Ikorodu road for example, one of the analyses done showed an average increase of 40% in car speed over a one year period, suggesting less congestion. We believe that with more information provided by LATIS, we will be able to gradually reduce congestion on our roads.

You recently announced the expansion of the LATIS system across Lagos state. What informed this decision? And what would you describe as the impact of LATIS on your operations in Nigeria?

Public service is at the heart

of JCDecaux Grace Lake’s vision of how an Out of Home Company can make a contribution to society. LATIS is the lead public service project we have in Nigeria and since its introduction in 2018, it has added a new dimension to the out of home industry. What we recently announced isn’t just the expansion of LATIS, but also other parts of our Lagos intervention strategy which includes other public service offerings like Bus Shelters and the automatic flush toilets currently located in Ojodu and Oworonshoki.

The expansion of these services across Lagos was always on the cards, and although we were slightly impacted by COVID-19 like everyone else, our belief in Nigeria is proof of our long-term commitment to the market. LATIS and the other products we have in the market have served as a major differentiator for us.

There is an expectation that comes with being the world’s biggest out of home company and our market-entry has thus been about pioneering new ideas, deploying world class infrastructure and attracting talents that will help shape the industry for years to come.

Other than trademark gantries, should we be on the lookout for other forms of outdoor advertising in Nigeria, courtesy JCDecaux Grace Lake?

Absolutely. We are noted for iconic designs across the world.

Our global heritage gives us access to the best designers in the world which means the Nigerian market is now also plugged into this ecosystem. This will definitely reflect in the quality of the structures we will deploy across the country and we are excitedly looking forward to that.

What would you say is the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on Nigeria’s outdoor advertising industry?

The pandemic has given us all a cause for pause. A once in a generation type plague has turned out to be a game changer and we have had to re-evaluate the relevance of the advertising industry to the global economy.

At the start of the pandemic earlier in the year, people needed assurances that the world would still be there after the crisis. The advertising industry rose to this challenge and the narrative changed quickly to hope and perseverance. The

onus of leadership often fell to brands, many of whom took the lead in educating and sensitising the public about the spread of the virus and the precautions necessary to mitigate its spread.

The Nigerian outdoor industry in particular rose up to the challenge by donating spaces for the government’s public enlightenment programmes. I have no doubt that the intervention of the industry helped tremendously in the fight to flatten the curve, and this is something we can all be very proud of, as the public’s interest was put ahead of profitability. There was also exemplary leadership from OAAN and LASAA, and we are proud to have been able to support them.

The notion of the “New Normal” means a lot of things have to change vis-à-vis how they were done previously; what are some of the changes you envisage in your business world?

We expect remote working to be a part of how we work going forward. A digital first approach to the ways of working has now become a necessity; thankfully the technology to ensure seamless connectivity and collaboration is now available. There was always going to be an eventual need to pivot to remote working, but the pandemic definitely accelerated its adoption over the past few months Finally what advice would you give to the Nigerian government on how to move the economy forward especially from an outdoor advertising perspective?

Three words: Foreign Direct Investment. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy and the possibilities open to investors, the government and people, are endless. The Lagos State Government for example has done an incredible job in attracting world class investments and creating an enabling environment for these businesses to thrive - the partnership between the global giant JCDecaux and the Nigerian investment firm Grace Lake Partners symbolizes this synergy extremely well. With more FDI in the Nigerian economy, more jobs will be created, more sectors will be revitalised or created anew, and the Nigerian economy will be better positioned to take its place as a global economic powerhouse.

16BDSUNDAY

Sunday 13 September 2020 www.businessday.ng

A chat with A CHAT WITH A CHAT WITH THE AMAZONS the Amazons THE AMAZONS INinTHE THE C-SUITE the C-Suite IN C-SUITE KEMI AJUMOBI

KEMI AJUMOBI BusinessDay, in partnership with The Nigerian Stock Exchange, recently organised Top CEOSwith & Next Awards, 2020 and on the BusinessDay, inthe partnership TheBulls Nigerian Stock Exchange, programorganised was a session in conversation 3 outstanding recently the Top CEOS & Nextwith Bulls Awards, 2020women and onwho the were scheduled to be in in conversation dialogue withwith me. They included,women The MDwho of program was a session 3 outstanding Cadbury, Oyeyimika Adeboye, Founder/CEO of Sankore Investments, were scheduled to be in dialogue with me. They included, The MD of Titi Odunfa Adeoye and President/CEO, Transnational of Cadbury, Oyeyimika Adeboye, Founder/CEO of SankoreCorporation Investments, Nigeria, Owen Omogiafo (who had to leave for a crucial meeting but Titi Odunfa Adeoye and President/CEO, Transnational Corporation of responded through (who emailhad to the questions her) but Nigeria, Owen Omogiafo to leave for a meant crucialfor meeting responded through email to the questions meant for her) International group, Mrs. Adeboye the Chief Financial Officer and OYEYIMIKA ADEBOYE International group, Mrs. Adeboye Director of Finance at Nigerian MD, Cadbury Nigeria Plc the Chief Financial Officer and OYEYIMIKA ADEBOYE Bottling Company Plc (NBC).

Director of Finance at Nigerian MD, Cadbury Nigeria Plc Bottling Company Plc (NBC).

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

educational, industrial and etechnological d u c a t i o n a l , idevelopment n d u s t r i a l a nof d Nigerian youths who may be unable technological development of to gain access towho higher Nigerian youths mayeducation. be unable Asgain partaccess of hertophilanthropic work, to higher education.

Adeboye is a member of the Board As part of her philanthropic work, of Trustees of YEO Foundation Adeboye is a member of the Board which provides various initiatives of Trustees of YEO Foundation to empower less-privileged women. which provides various initiatives She also contributes her time to to empower less-privileged women. partner Handmaidens WiLS, She alsowith contributes her time to a Christian NGO, which seeks to partner with Handmaidens WiLS, mentor and empower professional a Christian NGO, which seeks to women along an ethicalprofessional career path. mentor and empower women along an ethical career path.

Agenda as Managing Director of Cadburyas Nigeria Ltd Director of Agenda Managing Cadbury Nigeria My agenda, (and Ltd this has been my agenda for a long time), to take My agenda, (and this has is been my the business fromtime), West is Africa, to agenda for a long to take more than double in size for the the business from West Africa, to next five and doing so, more thanyears, double in in size for the bring in more other brands.

We next five years, and in doing so, work for a multinational, that We has bring in more other brands. multiple brands, but not many of work for a multinational, that has the brands are currently in Nigeria multiple brands, but not many of the brands are currently in Nigeria

@businessDayNG

Sunday September2020 2020 @BusinessdayngSunday 1313 September

the people who supported the COVID-19 and all the the the people venture who supported pictures are pictures of men.

COVID-19 venture and all theI personally know a lot of of women pictures are pictures men. I that have done a lotaoflot work this personally know of over women period but they are not being put out that have done a lot of work over this there for whatever reason.

So, I used period but they are not being put out the ‘sponsorship’ weI used need there for whatever because reason. So, to loud ourselves as women, we the ‘sponsorship’ because we need need to make everyone know we’re to loud ourselves as women, we available to beeveryone on boards.

There are need to make know we’re a lot of capable women out there available to be on boards. There are really notwomen because they are aand lotitofiscapable out there women but because they’ve worked and it is really not because they are for it and havethey’ve the credibility women butthey because worked and credentials to be boards, for it and they have theon credibility but for whatever reason, in boards, Nigeria, and credentials to be on we’re seeing reason, it. but fornot whatever in Nigeria, I k n onot w seeing i n o tit. her countries, we’re for example, our I k n o w i n o t h e rcompany c o u n t r iis e sa, multinational and one of isthe for example, our company a requirements from multinational and the oneUSofstock the exchange is thatfrom you have to have requirements the US stocka certain number of women in your exchange is that you have to have a company.

So, there is a deliberate certain number of women in your attempt toSo, make sure who company. there is women a deliberate merit it are put where they belong. attempt to make sure women who There itare excuses tobelong. put the merit arenoput wherenot they women in there.

Our Nigerian There are no excuses not to putstock the exchange needsOur to do the same to women in there.

Nigerian stock encourageneeds more women onsame boards. exchange to do the to encourage more women on boards.

How have you navigated the strange waters especially this How have you navigated the covid-19 season? strange waters especially this

O

yeyimika Adeboye joine d the Board yeyimika Adeboye of Cadbury joine d the Nigeria Board PlcCadbury as Finance and of Nigeria Strategy Director in Plc as Finance and November 2008.

She was appointed Strategy Director in as Managing Director Cadbury November 2008.

She wasofappointed Nigeria Plc on 1 April 2019 and as Managing Director of Cadbury Cluster Director of Mondelēz Nigeria Plc on 1 April 2019 and International West Africa on 1 July Cluster Director of Mondelēz 2019.

International West Africa on 1 July Adeboye is also a director on the 2019.

Board of is Cadbury Ghana Limited.

Adeboye also a director on the Prior to joining the Mondelēz Board of Cadbury Ghana Limited.

Prior to joining the Mondelēz Kemi Ajumobi Associate Editor, BusinessDay Kemi Ajumobi kemi@businessdayonline.com Associate Editor, BusinessDay kemi@businessdayonline.com TEAM: Desmond Okon TEAM: Osaromena Ogbeide Desmond Okon Designed byOgbeide Aderemi Ayeni Osaromena Designed by Aderemi Ayeni

Oyeyimika worked for the Nigeria Accountingworked Practicefor of the Oyeyimika theerstwhile Nigeria accounting Practice firm of Arthur Accounting of theAndersen erstwhile & Co, andfirm the of United accounting Arthur Kingdom Andersen Practice of Midgley & & Co, and the UnitedSnelling Kingdom Co.,Chartered Accountants, where Practice of Midgley Snelling & she also trained as an articledwhere clerk Co.,Chartered Accountants, after graduating with a Bachelor’s she also trained as an articled clerk Degree in Economics Social after graduating with a and Bachelor’s Studies in from University Degree Economics andCollege Social Cardiff, Wales.

Studies from University College AdeboyeWales. is a Fellow of the Institute of Cardiff, Chartered England Adeboye is aAccountants Fellow of thein Institute of and Wales and a Member of the Chartered Accountants in England Institute of Chartered Accountants and Wales and a Member of the in Nigeria.

Institute of Chartered Accountants Oyeyimika in Nigeria. is a member of the Board of Odutola Oyeyimika is aHoldings member ofLimited, the Boarda family-owned group of companies. of Odutola Holdings Limited, a She is also a member the Board family-owned group ofof companies. of Trustees of the Timothy She is also a member of theAdeola Board Odutola a familyof TrusteesFoundation, of the Timothy Adeola owned philanthropic Odutola Foundation,foundation a familyset up for the purpose of providing owned philanthropic foundation set up for the purpose of providing

and in West Africa. My desire is to be the bring in some and in first Westperson Africa.toMy desire is to world brands into this shore and be the first person to bring in some to bring in, not to be imported but world brands into this shore and to be locally manufactured.

That is to bring in, not to be imported but also big request coming from to bealocally manufactured.

Thatthe is background of ourcoming nation and also a big request fromwhat the we need to do in Nigeria, and to background of our nation andalso what endneed up exporting to otherand countries. we to do in Nigeria, also to end up exporting to other countries.

Women on boards Women My beliefon is boards that board nominations are based on board merit, based on My belief is that nominations experience, based on exposure. are based on merit, based on The reality isbased that, there are a lot experience, on exposure. of capable out are there; The reality iswomen that, there a lotI know that for sure because of capable women out there;weI have a that boardfor with some very strong know sure because we women on our board.

Sometimes, have a board with some very strongI think it’sonsponsorship.

Men tend toI women our board. Sometimes, recommend other men to boards, think it’s sponsorship. Men tend to women rarely do.

Looking at the recommend other men to boards, document that was published women rarely do. Looking at the by one of the newspapers about document that was published by one of the newspapers about

covid-19 season? to our business It’s not peculiar alone agile, It’s nothowever, peculiarwe to are ourvery business very resilient and we survive in alone however, we are very agile, anything.

When the pandemic very resilient and we survive in came and the lockdown came in, anything.

When the pandemic even before the lockdown, there came and the lockdown came in, was a lot of prep work being done even before the lockdown, there because countries had done been was a lot other of prep work being locked down before us, so there because other countries had been were lessons learn and that locked downtobefore us,preps so there we could do to prepare ourselves were lessons to learn and preps that for could what do was our way. we to coming prepare ourselves Secondly, we have the support of so for what was coming our way. many stakeholders, Lagos State Secondly, we have the support ofwas so fantastic.

The governor and many stakeholders, Lagoscalled State was asked us what we needed through fantastic.

The governor called and this period and made sure our asked us what we needed through operations were facilitated.

We had this period and made sure our all the support needed. We had operations werewe facilitated.

I’m gratefully for our board in all the support we needed.

Cadbury, a board that to us, I’m gratefully for our says board in ‘call us 24/7.

Any help you need, Cadbury, a board that says to you us, can us call24/7. me’,Any andhelp I’m calling people ‘call you need, you at 11:30 pm to say ‘I’m trying to get can call me’, and I’m calling people this done, can I do?’

And the at 11:30 pmwhat to say ‘I’m trying to get team itself, our sales force was very, this done, what can I do?’ And the extremely Thewas markets team itself,innovative. our sales force very, were locked, and we were trying to extremely innovative. The markets sell.

You can imagine going doorwere locked, and we were trying to to-door trying to sellgoing to people sell.

You can imagine doorwith nose masks on and bags of to-door trying to sell to people provisions your hands. with nose in masks on andEveryone bags of recognised that we need to pay provisions in your hands.

Everyone salaries, and the only way salaries recognised that we need to pay would beand paid is only if weway thought out salaries, the salaries of the box.

So, there was a lot of would be paid is if we thought out thinking out of the box, there was of the box. So, there was a lot of a team spirit, thinking out ofthe the manufacturing box, there was team worked 24/7, the sales team a team spirit, the manufacturing was on the field even withteam the team worked 24/7, the sales lockdown, the support staff who was on the field even with the had to worked home, lockdown, the from support staff(thank who God for technology) were to had to worked from home, able (thank do so, accounts were prepared on God for technology) were able to time. justprepared happened. do so, Everything accounts were on It was a seamless process.

So, it time. Everything just happened. wasn’t me and what I did, It was aabout seamless process.

So, itit was about the team and what wasn’t about me and what I did,the it teamabout did tothe ensure carried was teamthat andwe what the on through seasonthat that we we weren’t team did toaensure carried on through a season that we weren’t

sure of how it’s going to go on, but we knew thatit’s wegoing needed to pay our sure of how to go on, but bills, and we needed to make sure we knew that we needed to pay our that the business continues to thrive. bills, and we needed to make sure that the business continues to thrive.

The first thing to change if you become firstto female president The firstthe thing change if you of Nigeria become the first female president of Nigeria don’t want to be the I sincerely female don’t president of to Nigeria.

Ifirst sincerely want be theI cannot play politics.

Integrity is veryI first female president of Nigeria. important to me, and what I in cannot play politics. Integrity issee very my face today, whether it’s in the important to me, and what I see in US or in Nigeria is pure politics my face today, whether it’s in and the a lot of questions around integrity.

US or in Nigeria is pure politics and I do is to pursue my circle of aSo, lotwhat of questions around integrity. influence and circle of influence So, what I do is my to pursue my circle of is not just mymy work, also the influence and circlebut of influence community I live in, and there is not just my work, but also theI do the things thatin, areand important community I live there I to do impact I want to do the to things thatlives. are important continue to impact lives but it’s not to do to impact lives. I want to through playing politics and being continue to impact lives but it’s not the president of Nigeria. through playing politics and being

Sunday 13 September 2020 Sunday Sunday13 13September September2020 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

wealth creation and the trend in wealth creation onethe of the things wealth creationand and trend in you see globally that, women wealth creation andis one of the things do tend cluster is in that, areas women that are you see to globally notoriously bad at helping them do tend to cluster in areas that are create wealth, and it could be that notoriously bad at helping them we maywealth, be looking flexibility.

So, create and for it could be that you see women pick businesses that we may be looking for flexibility. So, maysee notwomen be thepick typebusinesses of businesses you that that can them build long may nothelp be the type of wealth businesses term.

For example, a lotwealth of women that can help them build long cluster into beauty businesses. term. For example, a lot of women Beauty businesses are great but what cluster into beauty businesses. are the odds of creating wealth in Beauty businesses are great but what that business? are the odds of creating wealth in

not for me”. But we want women to rethink that. But andwe actually go for it.to not for me” want women

that business?

if you are lending, you will also see

rethink that and actually go for it.

Women and access to loans Women and access to loans From the experience of speaking to lenders, I don’t think that the From the experience of speaking problem is women not getting access to lenders, I don’t think that the to loans.

In fact, a lot of the financial problem is women not getting access institutions I’ve spoken to, want to loans. In fact, a lot of the financial to lend to more women because institutions I’ve spoken to, want women do payback.

But what you to lend to more women because find in any is that, women dofinancial payback.platform But what you thereinis always a 70/30 split,ismen, find any financial platform that, women who use that platform.

So, there is always a 70/30 split, men, if you are lending, you will also see women who use that platform. So,

the president of Nigeria.

TITI ODUNFA-ADEOYE

Founder/CEO, Sankore Investments TITI ODUNFA-ADEOYE

Founder/CEO, Sankore Investments

Sankore Investments founded by Titi Odunfa Adeoye founded is a wealth Sankore Investments by management firm that runs Titi Odunfa Adeoye is a Nigeria’s wealth only “Wealth firm as a that Service” management runs platform Nigeria’s offering investment only “Wealth as a Service”strategy, platform products, investment advice and technology offering strategy, to the clients of Private Banks and products, advice and technology other to the financial clients ofinstitutions.

Private Banks and Titi’s financial interest in financial markets other institutions. began at the age of 13 and it grew into Titi’s interest in financial markets a passion when she began investing began at the age of 13 and it grew into her own for firstinvesting time at aon passion when shethe began 17.

Experiencing the tech bubble on her own for the first time at at that age made her passionate 17. Experiencing the tech bubble about rules and at thatunderstanding age made herthe passionate strategies that guide the investments. about understanding rules and Her skills that in investment strategy strategies guide investments. were honed at firms like Goldman Her skills in investment strategy Sachshoned in New Yorklike where she were at firms Goldman was able to learn the intricacies Sachs in New York where she of asset andintricacies portfolio was ableallocation to learn the optimisation. of asset allocation and portfolio Her area of expertise is strategies optimisation. for area the creation, and Her of expertisegrowth is strategies preservation of individual or family for the creation, growth and wealth in Africa with a focus on preservation of individual or family “alternative” asset classes like wealth in Africa with a focus on Venture Capital, Realclasses Estate like and “alternative” asset Agriculture dueReal to the higher Venture Capital, Estate and potential for due financial andhigher social Agriculture to the returns.

She is an active venture and potential for financial and social angel investor across various sectors returns. She is an active venture and particularly those thatvarious impactsectors wealth angel investor across building in Africa. particularly those that impact wealth Titi Adeoye serves on the board of building in Africa. several companies andthe non-profits Titi Adeoye serves on board of including Centurion Registrars, several companies and non-profits Verifi.ng, One Fi, and the Nigerian including Centurion Registrars, Higher Education Foundation.

Verifi.ng, One Fi, and the Nigerian Higher Education Foundation.

How are you helping women to beare empowered as awomen wealth How you helping management firm? to be empowered as a wealth management firm? called Wealth We have a service for Women.

What do with that We have a servicewe called Wealth service is, we try to speak to women for Women. What we do with that in smallis,groups help them think service we try to to speak to women about wealth and wealth creation, in small groups to help them think we partner with some organisations about wealth and wealth creation, to do this.

One of the key take-aways we partner with some organisations wedoare trying to the shine light on to this.

One of keythe take-aways is helping women be aware we are trying to shine the lightthat on it’shelping very important to select is women for be us aware that the very rightimportant careers that usselect build it’s forhelp us to wealth term.that help us build the rightlong careers We spend lot of time studying wealth long aterm.

We spend a lot of time studying

@businessDayNG

those who have what it takes to be in politics because thinktothat those who have whatI do it takes be wepolitics can’t allbecause afford toIbe the sidein doon think that lines.

Butall some of to usbe also that we can’t afford onknow the sidewe have to contribute in other ways lines. But some of us also know that andhave I’m to a big believerin inother the power we contribute ways of business tobeliever impact lives. and I’m a big in the power But, if I weretotoimpact be president, of business lives. I think the only thing I will focus onIisthink rule But, if I were to be president, of law because youfocus dealon with rule the only thing I ifwill is rule of law, I think that the business of law because if you deal with rule people, care of law, I enterprise think that can the take business of everything else. Power is also people, enterprise can take carea challenge andelse.

I think thatisshould of everything Power also a be sorted by the private sector, even challenge and I think that should food…everything can be sorted be sorted by the private sector, even by the private sector. strong food…everything canI’m beasorted believer in the private sector to grow by the private sector. I’m a strong a country, but the one thing that the believer in the private sector to grow sector difficult to aprivate country, but would the onefind thing that the do is put good money after bad. private sector would find difficult to If you theafter sanctity do is putdon’t goodhave money bad. of contracts, if you have a way If you don’t havedon’t the sanctity of in which if you and contracts, youinvest don’t money have a way you knowyou youinvest can keep to and the in which money rules of that investment, then it’s you know you can keep to the a problem. actually think rules of that Iinvestment, thenthat it’s is the number onethink thing that that athat problem.

I actually the country should try to get done. that is the number one thing that Even infrastructure cantobeget done by the country should try done. private money.

If we want roads, Even infrastructure can be done by if we want rails,Ifallweofwant that can be private money. roads, by therails, private sector, ifdone we want all of that but can the be government has to make done by the private sector,sure but that the there is the rule of law, and government has to make surethat’s that actually really to that’s solve. there is athe rulebigofproblem law, and Honestly, any new coming actually a really big president problem to solve. in, if they just one thing and Honestly, anytake newthat president coming focus on that one thing, it would be in, if they just take that one thing and good for us anditthe private focus on the thatrest oneofthing, would be sectorfor can the good thedo rest of rest. us and the private sector can do the rest.

OWEN OMOGIAFO

President/CEO, Transnational OWEN OMOGIAFO Corporation of Nigeria President/CEO, Transnational So, if a woman is looking for flexibility andif ashe wantsis looking to buildfor a business, So, woman flexibility we try to encourage her do a bit and she wants to build atobusiness, of deeper thinking about the type of we try to encourage her to do a bit business couldabout still deliver that of deeper that thinking the type of flexibilitythat but actually lead to wealth business could still deliver that creation, the particular skillset of flexibility but actually lead to wealth women.

A lot of people don’t know creation, the particular skillset of that there are lots of don’t very know good women.

A lot of people women software developers, and that there are lots of very good the particular attention to details women software developers, and thatparticular we talk about women having the attention to details is actually very good for software that we talk about women having development and I mentioned that is actually very good for software because, it’s one few skillthat sets development andofI the mentioned that you can do from home. because, it’s one of the few skill sets So, ifyou youcan want be anhome. entrepreneur that dotofrom in that space, you can actually create So, if you want to be an entrepreneur a team of young software developers, in that space, you can actually create and do work for large atrain teamthem, of young software developers, institutions.

Much of it can be train them, and do work for large project-managed fromofhome. institutions.

Much it canSo,beif you think about the women into project-managed from home.

So,the if beauty business selling hair, and the you think about the women into the womanbusiness who hasselling hired ahair, teamand of four beauty the or five developers and is actually woman who has hired a team of four building enterprise applications, the or five developers and is actually wealth path is completely different building enterprise applications, the for these twoispeople.

So, for us, it’s wealth path completely different very important to help women think for these two people. So, for us, it’s about the selection of their careers, very important to help women think select the where they want to put their about selection of their careers, energies. select where they want to put their I’m on a panel with very highenergies. powered womenwith whovery havehighalso I’m on a panel taken the path less taken which powered women who have also is quite taken themale-dominated path less taken path. whichI think we do have to go into male-I is quite male-dominated path. dominated we think we doareas have knowing to go intothat maledo bring our own skillsets.

You don’t dominated areas knowing that we need to our think that you will any do bring own skillsets.

Youdodon’t worse.toI think think that in adomaleneed that being you will any dominated be worse.

I thinkenvironment that being in acan malehelpful to you as a woman in some dominated environment can be ways. People often look at helpful to you as a woman in those some male-dominated areas and “it’s ways. People often look atsay those

less or 30 percent of those who are borrowing will be of women.

Because less or 30 percent those who are lenders arewill seeing that women do borrowing be women.

Because pay more, they would prefer to lenders are seeing that women do want to lend to women.

So, I think pay more, they would prefer to the issue is sometimes not want to lend to women.women So, I think feeling comfortable with taking the the issue is sometimes women not debt, or with the process of taking feeling comfortable with taking the the debt.

For instance, I know debt, or with the process of Access taking bank and other firms have the debt. For instance, I knowcreated Access propositions to help bank and otherspecifically firms have created women access these loans a bit propositions specifically to help better. We try ourthese best to workawith women access loans bit them whenever webest can.toI’m actually better.

We try our work with on thewhenever board of an that them weorganisation can. I’m actually does similar. The that key on thesomething board of an organisation point at the end of the day is for us to does something similar. The key be aware that this is something that point at the end of the day is for us to willaware take that some time.

It’s a cultural be this is something that thing and it’s going to some will take some time. It’stake a cultural time to solve. problem more thing and it’s The going to takeissome on getting women comfortable time to solve. The problem is more withgetting the process, andcomfortable I think a lot on women of these firms have done with the process, and I thinkreally a lot good work withhave regards to really trying of these firms done to create where these good workstructures with regards to trying women would be handheld through to create structures where these the process. women would be handheld through Butprocess. it’s something we also have to the do with our friends. point But it’s something weThe alsokey have to is just letting people know that you do with our friends. The key point can getletting a loan,people and you should is just know thatget youa loan, but only when it isshould productive. can get a loan, and you get a We don’t want women to go out loan, but only when it is productive. borrowing for consumption.

We don’t want women to goBut outif it’s to grow afor business, acquire assets borrowing consumption.

But if thattocan help you further grow and it’s grow a business, acquire assets generate more income, then we that can help you further grow and recommend it. generate more income, then we

male-dominated areas and say “it’s

hypothetical question; I also admire

recommend it.

The first thing to change if you become firstto female president The firstthe thing change if you of Nigeria become the first female president of Nigeriaalso not be interested, I would o w e v e also r, a nnot s w ebe r i ninterested, g it as a Ih would hypothetical question; I also h o w e v e r, a n s w e r i n g i tadmire as a

Corporation of Nigeria

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY17

Anthropology from the University of Benin, an M.Sc. in Human Resource Anthropology from the University of Management from the Resource London Benin, an M.Sc. in Human School of Economics andLondon Political Management from the Science and is an alumnus of the School of Economics and Political Lagos Business School and Science and is an alumnus ofIESE the Business School, School Spain. and IESE Lagos Business Owen isSchool, also aSpain. member of the Business Chartered Institute of Personnel Owen is also a member of and the Development, UKofand a Certified Chartered Institute Personnel and Change Manager Prosci Development, UK with and athe Certified Institute, USA..

Change Manager with the Prosci She has received multiple awards Institute, USA.. and named as one of Africa’sawards top 100 She has received multiple Female CEOs. and named as one of Africa’s top 100 Female CEOs. What is your agenda as the President/CEO, Transnational What is your agenda as the Corporation of Nigeria?

President/CEO, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria?

The overall agenda is to deliver on Transcorp’s purpose The overall agenda isofto“Improving deliver on Lives, Transforming . We Transcorp’s purpose ofNigeria” “Improving will deliver this through aggressive Lives, Transforming Nigeria”. We business and aggressive optimum will delivergrowth this through return on investment built on a solid business growth and optimum foundation of operational efficiency return on investment built on a solid and robustofcorporate governance. foundation operational efficiency Working with various stakeholders, and robust corporate governance. we will be looking unlock the Working with variousto stakeholders, hidden value within Transcorp. we will be looking to unlock the Specifically, we within will deepen our play hidden value Transcorp. in the sectors currently in Specifically, wewe will deepen invest our play – Hospitality, Power and Oil & Gas in the sectors we currently invest in whilst exploring new investments –– Hospitality, Power and Oil & Gas that will go further in delivering – whilst exploring new investments sustainable value for nearly that will go further in our delivering 300,000 shareholders and Nigeria. sustainable value for our nearly In the Hospitality sector, despite 300,000 shareholders and Nigeria. thethe ravages from the impact of the In Hospitality sector, despite COVID-19 pandemic on the sector, the ravages from the impact of the we remainpandemic focused onon maintaining COVID-19 the sector, ourremain number one position in that we focused on maintaining space through deploying an our number one position in asset that light strategy, leveragingan best in space through deploying asset class technology and continuously light strategy, leveraging best in d r i v itechnology n g t h e hand i g h econtinuously st service class driving the highest service

Leveraging the evolving events within the power sector and our Leveraging the evolving events own experience in the sector, having within the power sector and our successfully managed the 972MW own experience in the sector, having Transcorp Power Ughelli, we are successfully managed the 972MW working onPower deepening our we playare in Transcorp Ughelli, the sectoronindeepening a viable and impactful working our play in manner. seek and to diversify our the sectorWe inalso a viable impactful energy mix via a focus on renewable manner. We also seek to diversify our energymix andvia offa grid This energy focussolutions. on renewable will also move us closer to our energy and off grid solutions. This medium-term objective. will also move us closer to our In the oil andobjective. gas space, we are medium-term working towards commencing the In the oil and gas space, we are production of oil and gas from our working towards commencing the existing OPL 281and asset. production of oil gas This from will our further diversify revenue existing OPL 281the asset.

This base will of the diversify Group and the further the enhance revenue base shareholders’ value. of the Group and enhance the The COVID-19 pandemic has shareholders’ value. also thrown up new business The COVID-19 pandemic has opportunities that we arebusiness exploring also thrown up new as we all strategically for the opportunities that weposition are exploring new future. as we all strategically position for the new future.

Traversing your responsibilities b e i n g h e ayour d o vresponsibilities er the other Traversing companies under your b e i n g h e a d o v e r tsupervision he other companies under your supervision As President/GCEO I am primarily responsible for driving the overall As President/GCEO I am primarily corporate strategy and execution responsible for driving the overall of the Group’s vision for all its corporate strategy and execution subsidiaries.

This strategic oversight of the Group’s vision for all its covers Transcorp’s investments subsidiaries. This strategic oversight in Hospitality, Power, Oil & Gas, covers Transcorp’s investments and new sectors we are looking to in Hospitality, Power, Oil & Gas, expand into. and new sectors we are looking to Assuming the role at the beginning of expand into. the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, Assuming the role at the beginning of brought unique opportunities and the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, challenges as one had to deal with brought unique opportunities and the new normal on bywith the challenges as onebrought had to deal pandemic, whilst also charting the the new normal brought on by the path for a successful and sustained pandemic, whilst also charting the future. with the strong path forWorking a successful andvery sustained leadership team in Transcorp future. Working with the very strong Group, Christopher leadership team inEzeafulukwe Transcorp leading Transcorp Power and Dupe Group, Christopher Ezeafulukwe OlusolaTranscorp leading Transcorp leading Power andHotels, Dupe navigating the Transcorp aforementioned Olusola leading Hotels, responsibilities has been quite navigating the aforementioned rewarding. Jointly, webeen havequite been responsibilities has able to deploy strategies hinged rewarding. Jointly, we have been on staff engagement, able to deploy strategiesbusiness hinged diversification, business on staff engagement, innovation business and operationalbusiness efficiency to stay on diversification, innovation track as a group. and operational efficiency to stay on track as a group.

If you were to be the First Female President whatFemale will be If you wereoftoNigeria be the First the first thing you willwhat change?

President of Nigeria will be

Owen Omogiafo is the President/ CEO ofOmogiafo Transnational Owen is theCorporation President/ of Nigeria.

Prior this, she CEO of TransnationaltoCorporation was the MD/CEO of Transcorp of Nigeria. Prior to this, she Hotels and Executive Director was thePlc MD/CEO of Transcorp of Transcorp.

She has over two Hotels Plc and Executive Director decades of corporate experience of Transcorp. She has over two in organisational development, decades of corporate experience human capital management, in organisational development, banking, capital change management and human management, hospitality. banking, change management and Owen holds a B.Sc. in Sociology & hospitality.

Owen holds a B.Sc. in Sociology &

standards. We have always been highly safetyWe conscious but with the standards. have always been pandemic, we have amplified this highly safety conscious but with the consciousness through our clean pandemic, we have amplified this stay initiative. consciousness through our clean In the Power sector, our medium stay initiative. term target is to generate of the In the Power sector, our25% medium total target powerisrequirement in Nigeria. term to generate 25% of the Last power year, we bid for andinemerged total requirement Nigeria. the preferred bidders for the Afam Last year, we bid for and emerged Genco, in linebidders with thisfor target. the preferred the Afam Genco, in line with this target.

the you will change?

If I first werething to become the President of Nigeria, rather than looking to If I were to become the President change, I will be looking to improve of Nigeria, rather than looking to upon what have change, I willmy be predecessors looking to improve done, building on the foundation upon what my predecessors have they have laid. In fewfoundation days’ time, done, building onathe Nigeria will be 60. the they have laid.

In aI will fewbuild days’on time, foundation of the past 60 years and Nigeria will be 60. I will build on the look towards the next 60 years foundation ofwhat the past 60 years and should bring.what It willthe be critical pay look towards next 60to years close attention to catalytic sectors should bring. It will be critical to pay that can deliver on the visionsectors of past close attention to catalytic leaders and create a sustainable that can deliver on the vision of past future for that are coming leaders andthose create a sustainable after us.

Platforms should created future for those that arebecoming to provide more opportunities for after us. Platforms should be created women andmore the youth to have a voice to provide opportunities for in governance.

We have soamuch women and the youth to have voice talent and opportunities in in governance. We have soNigeria much that properly harnessed in will place talent and opportunities Nigeria Nigeria on the map as a world super that properly harnessed will place power. on Continuing the path of Nigeria the map ason a world super implementing longterm systemic power. Continuing on the path of reforms to improve thesystemic ease of implementing long- term doing business in the country, reforms to improve the ease of will gobusiness a long way in attracting doing in the country, private to make long term will go investors a long way in attracting commitments intoour economy.

As private investors make long term the Chairman of Transcorp, Tony .O. commitments in our economy. As Elumelu CONofalways says, Tony “private the Chairman Transcorp, .O. capital goes where it is welcomed.”

Elumelu CON always says, “private capital goes where it is welcomed.”

18

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

Women’s World The only way to grow your business is to embrace technology as an enabler – Williams Yetty Williams, founder, LagosMums and Digital Media Marketing Consultant, is passionate about helping businesses, particularly womenowned enterprises, leverage technology to scale up. In this interview with MODESTUS ANAESORONYE, the Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Mathematics holder from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA strategy and finance holder from the Yale School of Management, USA, shares her knowledge, experience and expertise on how businesses could leverage available opportunities to thrive. Excerpt:

A

s the founder of LagosMums and Digital media marketing consultant with over 20 years working experience, what has been the best thing about your journey so far?

The best thing about the journey so far is seeing my passion and purpose come together in such a beautiful way. As an entrepreneur, one of the most fulfilling things is to be able to make an impact and provide value at the same time.

When it comes to the benefits of using digital media to grow my business and connect with thousands of people online, I am aware that the benefits of technology when used the right way are almost immeasurable. When I started LagosMums as a new mum with two young children, it was because I realised that there was a world available online to give me information and access to other parents. As a new mum and a google warrior, I realised that there were gaps in the information available for a parent in Lagos and Nigeria. As a person who believes in trying things, I decided to start an online forum to connect mums so we could support each other and answer questions about motherhood and parenting. This was in 2011, Instagram was not even born yet, but yet I found that people were connecting online. As we continued to grow and connect mums to each other, my passion grew into a sense of purpose. I realised that this was a real need and mothers wanted to connect with each other. Digital media became the enabler to connect parents in a way that was not readily available before.

When you started out with your brand, you were coming into the industry armed with an MBA degree (Finance and Strategy) from the Yale School of Management and Strategic Digital Marketing from the University of Cambridge and Upgrad. How did the Nigerian space respond to your innovations? What were the hurdles you had to overcome?

When I started LagosMums it was a complete hobby and in fact, was started while I was staying at home with my toddler and new baby. I call my journey with LagosMums, my 3 P’s from passion, to purpose to profit. It was initially just a passion to connect mothers with each other to get advice and information on parenting and also to provide information that was relevant to parents in Lagos and Nigeria. Simple things like where to find a brand of food, school recommendations or how to hire staff were being answered. Following this passion, it led to my purpose where I realised this was not just a

hobby, but something that I loved to do and was fulfilling to me. I loved to connect parents and to be a source of information.

The third P, profit, came into play when an agency for a Multinational

marketing to gain even more skills and expertise. I know digital media marketing works and it was important for me to learn even more and become an expert in this field.

My unique mix of practical ex-

Yetty Williams got in touch with me to write for them on my blog and to review a product that they had for mothers in Nigeria. This particular company had been following my activities online and on social media and believed in our message and knew we had a good community. This was the first time I realised that this passion and purpose could be monetised. I could say that this was when I brought all my past experiences both from my professional and educational degree as an MBA holder together to create a business structure. After seeing the growth of the company, and the possibilities available from building a business 99 percent online, I realised there was a real opportunity to use technology and digital media to grow and scale. As the first Nigerian blog dedicated to parents, we had a head start and have stayed committed to our audience and mission. As a lifelong learner, I kept growing and learning, adding more expertise to my arsenal of skills.

It was after running by business for years that I decided to get a degree in strategic digital media

perience, educational exposure and willingness to continue to learn and grow has positioned my brand to continue to be a trusted go-to destination for parents and businesses.

As a successful woman techpreneur in Africa, what do you think are the biggest challenges facing women in the sector?

What I have seen with over 20 years of professional experience and over 10 years in the digital media space is that women are generally hesitant to embrace new innovations and technology. Some of the reasons for the hesitation are when women believe that they do not understand technology or digital media and so cannot use it. Being a certified life coach and neurolinguistics practitioner, I understand that if you have limiting beliefs it can be difficult to grow, or embrace new tools and innovations. In general, I advise all business owners to make digital part of their business strategy. You cannot afford to separate it because the only way to scale, grow your business is to embrace technology as an enabler. As a techpreneur, I also understand that

confidence comes from stepping out, trying new tools and learning along the way. A sound digital media strategy ensures that you can scale exponentially, and take control of the growth in your business.

LagosMums was selected as the programme partner with the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, Nigeria to implement the POWER programme in Nigeria, West Africa; what do you think you did right that led to this?

I believe in the power of networking and finding ways to discuss topics that are important. Because I believe in abundance and that opportunity is always available I operate as such. During a networking event, I mentioned to members of the economic team from the US consulate about empowerment and growth for women-owned businesses. I shared that I truly believe that more women-led businesses should see technology as an enabler to grow their business and to scale. It turned out that the POWER initiative was just being put together at that time, and I was invited to submit a proposal on how I think technology could be used as an enabler for growth for women.

I immediately saw this as a great opportunity, put my best foot forward, worked on the proposal and submitted it. Many times we need to ensure that we are positioned to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves.

When did you first start working on this initiative and what prompted you to partner with the US Consulate in Lagos and the POWER initiative.

Over my years as a social entrepreneur and working with many women, especially mothers through my work as the founder of LagosMums and as the lead consultant at Slay with Digital, my digital media marketing consultancy. I realised that women need to embrace technology and digital media marketing tools to grow their business. In essence, I am a self-taught techpreneur as I learnt while running my business. However, over the years, there are many strategies that I have learnt work, I also understand how women think and I can empathise on what can hold you back. Because I have been there, and I am there, I can help women scale this hurdle when it comes to finding the right way to use technology to grow. The truth is that passion and purpose take you further than you can imagine, I am always talking about sound parenting and embracing digital tools.

This was something that piqued the interest of the US consulate in Lagos and they believed I would be a good partner for the POWER initiative.

What I tell everyone is to embrace being uniquely you, you might not always know where it is headed, but be open and keep being consistent.

Many years ago at the beginning of my Business, I understood very clearly that provision comes after obedience. If God lays something on your heart, there is a reason; so do your best and step out in faith, do the work and keep improving.

Access to the internet and the explosion in social media is one of the best things to happen to small businesses in Africa. How will Technology as an enabler for growth help women, in terms of giving them access to business opportunities and sustainability? Will this scheme impact their long-term growth?

The addressable market for any business is not thousands but billions! Thanks to the connectivity and possibilities with technology and digital media channels. In fact, recently, I saw a report that said that more than half of the world population is now online. The current pandemic has exponentially increased the number of people who are online and using various social media platforms. The opportunities are immense and it is so critical for all business owners to tap into the possibilities for their business.

It is not only about surviving but about thriving as a business, no matter the industry you are in. However, to ensure that your business does scale and is sustainable you need to understand your customers, understand their habits and understand how to use technology and various digital media platforms to connect with them. Many people know they should be using technology to work smarter and scale, but the question is how.

ThePOWERinitiativeinpartnership with the LagosMums academy will ensure that the women who go through this program will be equipped with the how. Over the years through my platforms LagosMums and my digital media marketing consultancy, I have run specific digital skills training for over several women lead businesses and they always share testimonials about how they were able to scale their business because they understand how to implement these tools in their business. When a woman is empowered with information in an enabling environment she is better equipped to implement the knowledge.

Women learn differently, they appreciate concepts being explained simply and it is helpful when they have people in their communities who have either grown through this path before or who are also on the journey at the same time.

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

19

News Feature Stakeholders point to Rivers’ hidden treasure outside oil, gas

A

IGNATIUS CHUKWU s the quest for economic diversification intensifies, stakeholders have pointed to what they describe as hidden treasures that could propel Rivers State and the Niger Delta region to a non-oil export-driven economy. They have pinned this to the creative industry underlined by art and craft.

This is as veterans lamented over the demise of the celebrated Rivers State Festival of Arts and Culture (Carniriv) as well as the neglect of a film industry in Port Harcourt whereas the Garden City supplies over 60 per cent of Nigeria film industry participants and star groomed in the womb of the art school of the University of Port Harcourt.

The veterans regretted that apart from the Alfred Diete-Spiff administration that developed a robust creative industry policy and backed it up with action, other subsequent administration have failed to build on it, thus causing a lull and a crash of an art economy. The reactivation of the Carniriv during the second term of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi died again during the political crisis that dog-tailed his exit and has remained dead to this day.

Now, the Federal Government through the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) says it wants to recreate an art economy in Port Harcourt mostly for export purposes and as part of non-oil economic diversification exercise.

The South-South zonal Coordinator of NEPC, Joseph Itah, told newsmen in Port Harcourt last week at a workshop for art industry leaders that the push was necessitated after an assessment of areas that can yield export prospects with low hanging fruits for immediate action.

He said in an interview with BDSUNDAY after the workshop that the Council realised there were pockets of art people and the creative industry in Rivers State.

On why the market value of the creative industry could not be stated at this stage, Itah said a survey has been commissioned to identity the prospects. “We are yet to get figures but we see great potentials such as art shops (galleries) and artistes that may not be functioning to full capacity. Seeing this as a novel niche and a unique angle of traditional art export, we want to see how we can make then export-ready. That is when we can quantify their worth in the art market.”

On what the FG through the NEPC hopes to achieve in the nearest possible time, the Zonal Coordinator the coronavirus had caused setbacks but that there is a need to create an e-community so to bring art people together and share experiences.

According to him, “We want to

L-R: Benedict Itegbe (head, product/ market Department, NEPC; Pamela Cyril-Egware (Uniport Art school); Joe Itah, zonal coordinator, NEPC; and Ogwunka Anoriochi of Rivers State Ministry of Art, Culture and Tourism

know why cultural services that are thriving elsewhere are not thriving in the Niger Delta; and how to create something that would lead the region through the value chain. We are not the industry experts but we will create linkages.

“Now, we are looking at the N7billion Bank of Industry (BoI) Creative Fund, a huge fund for those in the creative industries who have need for production, equipment, distribution works, digital transformation, etc. So, NEPC is saying, since we have sister agencies, it is our duty to step in. We are not a financing agency but we can show you where the funds are and how you can make an export if your product is ready. We can show you where the market is. If you are not ready, we show you what to do.

“We found out that all art people talk of absence of finance, but it is when opportunity meets preparation that something can happen.

You have to be ready before the banks can be interested.”

Joe Itah: ‘We see art as Rivers one-state-one-product prospect’ On the death of the Carniriv which started in the state and was later exported to the FG to lead to the National Festival of Art and Culture (FESTAC) that attracted the entire world, Itah art/craft may become Rivers one-state-oneproduct choice. “We make a state take up one product and work on it for export. So, we work with the state governments to identify areas of competitiveness and areas of volumes in international reckoning.

We see art and culture as something strong in this area.

“We have been able to secure the attention of the Rivers State government to work with us on the one state one product scheme. We are able to get off-takers and we can work on the whole value chain, we help them prepare their products in terms of marketing, branding, segregation, etc. At the end of the day, this is where this product will land you and how much you may get. It is difficult for individuals or exporters to get to that limit if these

building blocks are not there.

“We are working the state government and we have a nominee in Rivers State (former president of PHCCIMA, Dr. Membre Otaji) who is going to work with us. Here we have palm oil and cassava. We realise it can change. It is already tilting to art and culture. If there are online trade fairs and exhibitions, our people can participate. There is a lot online. There is the issue of how to move your gallery to Europe. So, it is catalogues, internet, etc. These we can help in. Some of them do not even have these skills. These are the missing gaps that prompted us to organise this workshop,” he further said.

Rivers can do it - Ogwunka Anoriochi, government official Many stakeholders pointed at gaps which they saw as lack of preparedness of the state government, but an official of the Rivers State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism, Ogwunka Anoriochi (PhD), spoke on the Rivers State Strategic Objectives in Promoting Art for Economic development with intent on the role of Rivers State in art &

“

You spend money to make money. You don’t need to go out to bring in bags, key holders, etc. They can be done by local artists. Government must empower them to do so instead of importing

craft for economic transformation, said the state is participates in international festivals such as in Brazil, Sao Tome & Principe, Germany, etc.

He said Rivers State has been wining prizes most often from these outings; because Rivers State people have what he termed unmatchable cultural materials and artworks. “This was, we sell the state”.

He said most materials for art and craft are sourced locally and outlined numerous activities the ministry embarks on over the years to include pottery. He said the state has the finest clay and silica (sand from the sea). “We provide enabling environment for art industry. In 1970, Rivers State was the first state to start an art & craft institute which later became the Arts Council we have today.

Anoriochi however, said more incentives were needed to boost art & craft in Rivers State, saying there is need to attract the interest of the government of the day. He revealed the coming of a policy framework to reinvent art and craft in the state.

He said a committee has been set up and they are working on creating a policy on art and how to harness the art and craft talents in the state and look after their welfare and market them. It has submitted a report sent to the Ministry of Justice and the policy document would be sent to the Rivers State House of Assembly soon which would conduct public hearing before a law is enacted. Soon, the state would have an action plan from the enacted law.

He talked about a likely outcome of the policy saying it would make the culture and tourism sector to be included under an umbrella to showcase their activities. “They can now exhibit their activities. For now, they cannot get anything because there is no policy to accommodate their interest and promote it.”

On what the ministry has so far achieved in harnessing the huge potentials of this state, the official the state has taken delivery of a modern art house to work and move the sector forward. “We will

be glad if this administration could deliver this policy on art and craft.”

Veterans explode, crave for action If the organisers and government officials were hopeful, the veterans and experts that attended the event did not seem to be.

Michael Ogolo (PhD), art critic: Youth art to recapture the youths Only government can move art & craft forward in Rivers State.

Carniriv should not have died. They claimed that there is juju in it, but we laugh at those saying such, looking at their backgrounds in Christianity. There is need for push by the governments of the Niger Delta and the multinational corporations so the youths can diversify.

So far, its individuals that have been trying their level best which actually is not enough. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is the first government to put money into film making or Nollywood. If Rivers Stategovernmentdoesnotseehow art can boost IGR, do not hope to convince them to bring in funds.

We know that 90 per cent of film people in Nollywood are from Port Harcourt (Uniport) which has strong department in theatre arts, fine arts and design. Sad that Rivers wealthy people do not support art.

A Rivers man killed my proposal in NLNG and Intels even after a Lebanese had approved it. After Diete Spiff, no other governor is art-friendly. It is not just about the present administration.

I agree with Dr Pamela on her criticism because Rivers people are creative and colourful. The only problem is lack of synergy with individual artistes or their associations and bodies that can sponsor them to stand out.

We are talking of earning a lot of money for the state or country but you spend money to earn money.

Our creative people have to be supported to be big enough for export.

That is where the real money comes in. If your spend say N10million to produce export quality movie and you earn $10million, you will see the impact.

So, it is time for the government and corporate bodies to look towards creative art in the Niger Delta. Oil money is falling and it may soon even fizzle out. Where do we fall back to? Nigeria was into cocoa, groundnut, palm oil, etc. They had their times but these phased out due to rapid transformation of global economy. We cannot insist on oil alone. Oil is beginning to drop. The creative industry is there staring us in the face. All over the world, they are looking out for Nollywood, no matter how poorly made in comparison with Hollywood, they are selling and fetching foreign currency. Some actors have made their countries to stand out. Tourism has made UAE to stand out, not oil. We look inwards, to what God have us, creativity, the power to create things and make them work. The world is waiting for Rivers State and

20

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

News Feature Colon cancer: All you need to know WALE AJUMOBI

T Joe Itah, zonal cordinator, NEPC

Michael Ogolo (Art Critic)

Nigeria in the creative art.

I am getting scared that this oil will dry up one day, and what happens?

Art schools are dying, no new teachers, art may die Pamela Cyril-Egware: HOD, Fine Art & Design, Uniport There is need to teach art people how to produce for export. Emphasis should be on commercial art and creative art. Try to attract investors.

Art schools are universities such as Uniport, ABU, UNN. Teachers are retiring without being replaced. Will art soon die? You spend money to make money. You don’t need to go out to bring in bags, key holders, etc. They can be done by local artists. Government must empower them to do so instead of importing.

Clay: Glazing facilities and modern kilns are needed for mass production. Poor power supply is a problem against mass production and equipment handling. The issues include power supply inadequacies, lack of equipment, facilities, etc.

We must salute Akwa Ibom State government which is actively collaborating with the Society of Nigerian Artists to mount sculptured art works at strategic locations in the state capital. This way, the state government empowered the sculptors. In Rivers, it is never so. Efforts to bring this idea to Rivers State have failed. The few jobs they give are on personal connections. There is need for the state governments to help art to grow.

Besides, art people are not in the committees that plan school curriculum in Rivers State, and so, they make no input. They are not even in policy positions to speak for art and to influence policies for the art community. Everything is to individuals.

There are no art exhibitions in Rivers State and so, art people have to go to Lagos, Abuja, Ghana, Senegal, etc. So, there is no art market in the state and the appreciation is very low. Rivers artists can’t go for exhibitions.

The Arts Council does not collaborate with art school in the Uniport. There are no joint exhibitions where the best could be selected to go for national and international competitions; but when there is any national exhibition contest or show, wonderful artworks would spring up. This forces art community to suspect that these are bought for display.

Traditional art producers are not integrated into what the government is doing. There are no art galleries in Rivers State except private

art shops. This ought to attract tourists and visitors to the state. There is no state-run museum, except one belonging to the federal government which is even old and no new acquisitions. (The state official later came and said the state has one).

Art people are roasting plantain (bole) on the streets because there is no encouragement or career in it in this part of the world. NEPC and producers should please collaborate.

Expose art works in universities instead of locking them up in stores after each year’s project work. This can attract investors. Promote standards, quality etc. Let there be regular inspections at art sites and schools with aim to create standards. It will encourage the students and others. Uniport has been winning prizes in this sector, so there is something to support.

Areas of activity in school are many including drawing, painting, galleries, museums, digital works, etc. Internet is very important in promoting and marketing artworks.

Conclusion: Art & craft is good as tool for the diversification of the economy and for economic development. Tribal textiles from Rivers State can be allocated to different local council areas for purpose of intensity of activity.

Michael Ibanmi; President, Rivers Visual Arts Association: Rivers State seems uninterested in art economy. There are no sculptured works in Port Harcourt.

We implore the state government to give attention to visual art (sculptured works). They can help project government messages and deliver the values of the state in government projects. So far, no attention is given to visual arts.

Bartholomew Gerald Aguugo: Chairman (emeritus), Actors GuildofNigeria,RiversStateChapter Rivers State is supplier of Nollywood practitioners but there is no art community in the state.

Instead, after Lagos, Enugu took it up and established an art community. Delta and Imo states followed in taking the movie industry very serious. This sector employs many. You can get 100 crew members on set for one movie, before you talk about the actors.

Let the Rivers State government step into this sector and help set it up and running and hand over. Many meetings have been held with the state government but nothing comes out of them.

he world mourns the loss of a superhero.

Chadwick Boseman, the actor that brilliantly portrayed T’Challa (Black Panther), the King of Wakanda, passed away at the age of 43 after a 4-year battle with colon cancer. This led to a renewed interest in colon cancer (more accurately known as colorectal cancer) even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Physicians, health organisations, cancer survivors and advocates have used the opportunity to shine a light on colorectal cancer (CRC).

What is colorectal cancer?

It is cancer that originates from the colon or rectum. The colon is also known as the large bowel. The rectum is the lowest part of the large bowel and connects the colon to the anus.

CRC is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in the world according to the World Health Organisation.

According to a study published in the Journal of Cancer Science & Therapy in 2019, CRC is the 2nd most common cancer among Nigerian men and the 3rd most common cancer among Nigerian women.

In the United States, African Americans are twenty percent more likely to have colorectal cancer and are forty percent more likely to die from colorectal cancer. On average, there are about 150,000 cases of CRC in the United States every year and more than 50,000 deaths per year from the disease.

CRC is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people. In 2020, about 18,000 (12percent) of all colorectal cancer cases in the U.S. will be diagnosed in people under 50. The reason for this rise in early-onset CRC is not completely known but environmental factors like processed food and obesity are suspected.

What causes colorectal cancer?

The cause of most colorectal cancers is unknown. It is said to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Environmental factors like smoking, excessive alcohol intake, obesity, foods like processed meat, red meat, processed grain like white bread, and sugary drinks. People with family history of colorectal polyps or cancer as well as certain genetic diseases are more likely to have CRC. Can I inherit colorectal cancer?

Some CRC are inherited. It should be suspected in a person with CRC at a young age, multiple different cancers, more than ten precancerous colon polyps, multiple family members with CRC or a family with many different cancers across multiple generations.

About 3percent-5percent of all colorectal cancers are due to Lynch syndrome, an inheritable form of colorectal cancer.

What are the signs of colorectal cancer?

CRC can be asymptomatic.

This is why screening is important. Some of the symptoms and signs of CRC include rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, change in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea), change in stool caliber, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, and iron deficiency anemia.

What are the stages of colorectal cancer?

Colon cancer stage ranges from stage 0 in which the cancer is confined to the innermost layer (mucosa) of the colon to stage 4 in which cancer has spread to distant organs like the liver or lungs.

How is colorectal cancer treated?

Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer. Growths confined to the innermost layer of the colon can be removed during colonoscopy.

Most require surgery alone or surgery in combination with chemotherapy and radiation.

Is colorectal cancer preventable?

Colorectal cancer is preventable. There are three simple ways to prevent CRC. Know your family history When and how often to screen for CRC depends on your family history. AfricanAmericans should start at age 45 according to the American College of Gastroenterology.

A person with one first degree relative with a history of CRC or adenomatous polyps before the age of 60 or two or more first-degree relatives at any age should start screening at age 40 or 10 years earlier than the age of the affected relative.

Persons with a first-degree relative with a history of CRC or polyp at age 60 or older or two second-degree relatives with CRC should start screening at age 40. A person with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) should start screening at age 10-12. Persons with Lynch syndrome should start screening at age 20-25 or 10 years younger than the youngest affected immediate relative.

Get screened There are several options for screening for colorectal cancer.

These include guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT), fecal immunochemical test (FIT), FIT-DNA test (Cologuard®) flexible sigmoidoscopy, CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy), and colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is the gold standard because it allows the removal of precancerous polyp anywhere in the colon before it grows into cancer.

Adopt a healthy lifestyle Do not smoke tobacco. Drink alcohol in moderation. Avoid excessive intake of processed meat, red meat, white bread, and sugary drinks. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fiber is good for your colon health.

Whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, barley, millet and whole wheat bread are high in fiber. Exercise regularly and keep the weight off.

The best strategy against CRC is prevention through healthy lifestyle and screening. Next is early detection and treatment when symptoms are present.

Colorectal cancer is preventable and treatable.

In a resource-limited country like Nigeria and in a world ravaged by COVID-19 and economic crisis, colorectal cancer takes on a new face with new challenges. Low-cost high value approach is needed. Do not abandon indigenous Nigerian meals rich in fiber and nutrients for highly processed western diets. If there is no gym, walk. Talk to family members about any history of cancer. If colonoscopy is not available or accessible, get a stool test. Check your stool for blood. If you are ill, seek medical attention from a qualified health professional.

Ajumobi, MD, MBA, FACP, FACG is a board-certified gastroenterologist. He is on faculty at the University of California, Riverside and Eisenhower Health, California. He has received the American College of Gastroenterology Service Award for Colorectal Cancer Outreach, Prevention & Year-Round Excellence (SCOPY) multiple times.

He is the Founder and Editor of www.bowelprepguide.com and can be reached @ajumobiMD.

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY 21

TheWorshipper Why this government lost the trust of the people, by Archbishop Ojo Joseph Ojo, the presiding Archbishop of Calvary Kingdom Church (CKC), Lagos, speaks on the recent hike in pump price of petrol and how the government missed a golden opportunity of winning Nigerians over on subsidy removal. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU We were at this point of remove/don’t remove petrol subsidy in 2012; can we trust the government this time around on subsidy removal? he problem we have in this country is that the people at the helm of affairs, the executive arm especially, do not think Nigerians are good enough to seek their opinion before they carry out a major decision like the subsidy removal. They are supposed to carry out a simple random sampling to know how people will feel: the economy has been so tight, and so to ask whether we can trust them; we would have trusted them if maybe they sought our views on the issue. They just looked at it, hoping it will not lead to the death of many people that are already in a tight situation and cannot even survive. I don’t think this will be the end of subsidy removal.

Some people are saying that the timing of the removal was wrong considering that the country is just coming out of a pandemic?

The truth is that this government came in having the

T

trust of the people but the people didn’t have their trust.

If the government after completing one tenure in office; it just show they have been waiting for this last tenure of the administration to nail the coffin of Nigerians. The truth of the matter is, if the president had come out and addressed the nation and let us know the pros, the cons of subsidy; probably they would have told Nigerians this is the amount being used on subsidy but in the next one year we are going to use that money to revamp our refineries and probably build one more. After that we are very sure fuel price will drop if we are refining our crude oil here; it is importation that is causing this hike. So, the president would have come to tell us, please bear with us we never know the situation was like this; one can agree, in the next one year the subsidy removal will be used to refurbish our refineries so that we will not be importing fuel - it is the importation that is responsible for subsidy, but nothing is said and that means they are going to be depending on external importation; so we are at the mercy of both the importer and the country we

Joseph Ojo

are importing from. So, they would have told us for six months or one year we want to fix the refineries; then one can trust them and wait for that one year. I would rather say let us forgive them for they don’t know what they

‘Agriculture shall continue to be bedrock of nation’s economic prosperity’ SEYI JOHN SALAU

H

umphrey Olumakaiye, Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), has said that revamping the Agricultural sector as alternative to reliance on oil has become a matter of urgency considering the state of the Nigerian economy at the moment.

“Any government desirous of attaining faster economic growth and diversification would among other possible solutions embrace Agricultural revolution as the first stop solution,” Olumakaiye said.

He stated this at the second session of the 34th Synod of the Diocese of Lagos, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) held at Our Saviour’s Church, with the theme ‘Pray, Serve and Grow’.

According to the Anglican bishop, Agriculture and digital economy are the panacea for Nigeria’s economic malaise.

“With the enormous human resources that abound in our nation, particularly among the

youth and younger Nigerians, we recommend to government to consider investing in the untapped technological potentials of our youth and young graduates roaming the streets,” Olumakaiye said.

He said that under the scheme, funds are made available for young investors and inventors in the areas of technological equipment development that are capable of boosting Nigeria’s technological and industrial growth.

The cleric further said that investing in agriculture and technology ecosystem would undoubtedly boost the economy and help attract foreign exchange, “boost youth employment and remove several of our ‘wasting’ and potentially dangerous youth population from the streets,” Olumakaiye said.

While speaking on the socio-economic situation in the country, Olumakaiye noted that Nigeria and Nigerians have been going through a lot in the recent past, especially on what could be better described as myriads of problems and challenges.

He said government and those saddled with the responsibility of managing the nation’s economy deserve some commendation because if nothing had been done, it could have been worse.

The Bishop, however, pointed out that available facts and social economic indices per capita income, low standards of living are pointing to the fact that a lot more, may still need to be done.

“Nigeria shall move forward when our leaders at all levels of governance understand the enormous power of a united country,” Olumakaiye said, emphasising that the country should aim for unity and not uniformity, “Differences must be integrated, not annihilated,” he said.

He also warned that “The political class should stop using religion, ethnic or tribal differences as a weapon for political gains.”

On the need for a stronger private sector, the Diocesan bishop of Lagos wants government to give attention to the private sector of the economy.

are doing.

But, how is that possible when we have a president that does not speak with Nigerians?

He can; he could have used his media aides; however, the people advising

him appear to be obsolete.

If he is to address the nation, he will be reading a prepared speech. However, we are hoping that in the next three years when a better technocrat comes in, he will be able to reconsider. But, for the remaining three years, let us pray; all we need is prayer, prayer and prayer.

The CAMA Act 2020 is still generating controversies weeks after it was signed; what is your position?

My position is that they should ensure they are not doing it to negatively affect one religion; if it is for all, so be it. I think they are just envious of very few pastors that are perceived as living in affluence - they are making mistake because over 95 percent of Nigerian pastors are down the ladder. So, maybe because they perceive the success of not-more-than three, four, five pastors to judge others; they will be halting themselves, they will be halting the economy, and they will be halting millions of people. So, I think CAMA should be reverted to what it was before and I think our leaders are talking, so we should allow them do the

talking. Am sure the issue will die down.

For about six months schools have been shutdown; as we anticipate a reopening, how prepared are you and how have you managed your teachers?

I cannot speak for others but for myself; I have a nursery and primary school and a secondary school that we just started not too long ago. In the first two months we were able to sustain them with the little we had but after that we lock everything praying that resumption will take place. So, they have been at home and we have given palliatives to different schools but it does not go anywhere. There are people who have eaten what is supposed to be for development and it has been like they are out of jobs for the past six months. Although schools will be reopening now, we are not even sure that some of the teachers will return because they would have laid their hands on something more profitable that they would not want to come back, because they don’t know if after a month or two, they will say coronavirus is visiting Nigeria again.

NEWS NRC partners CLO to monitor procurement process in railway projects EMMANUEL UDOM

K

enny Martins, chairman, Lagos State chapter of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), at the weekend in Lagos, disclosed that the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation is in partnership with the leadership of CLO to monitor procurement processes in the on-going railway projects, nationwide.

Speaking with BDSUNDAY at his office in Agege, Lagos, Martins said the management of the corporation, determined to ensure transparency, accountability, openness, and sincerity in the procurement processes for the project and formally invited the CLO team to its office in Lagos three weeks ago for the partnership meeting.

It could be recalled that Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, and other stakeholders involved in the project, had been under the heat from informed sectors

and government agencies in recent times on the project.

However, Amaechi, based on the heat generated was compelled to tell the entire world through Channels Television on June 12, this year, that China is set to approve the sum of $5.3 billion for the ongoing railway projects across the country.

According to the minister, “China had assisted Nigeria by disbursing cash to fund infrastructure in the country, especially railway”.

His words: “The Chinese government and people have been very helpful to Nigeria. They have released $1.6 billion for Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway (SGR). “They’ve agreed to approve and we hope that by October, they should be able to approve the $5.3 billion for the Federal Government so that we can commence and complete construction of Ibadan-Kano railway.”

Statistics available at the public domain stated that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the release of $318 million as part

of the 15percent counterpart funding for the Ibadan-Kano rail line; more funds would be released next year.

He said that the Federal Government had planned to complete the Lagos-Ibadan rail line in May, and then start the Ibadan to Kano segment

by June or July, but with the outbreak of Covid-19 in March, the project had been stalled.

However, there was a presidential directive to start work on the project before September and as such, meetings were being held with the Chinese concerning strategies that would be applied while considering the health implications of Covid-19.

Amaechi also talked about plans for the BonnyPort Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line. He said: “We believe at the end of July, we should be at the cabinet seeking approval for the Bonny-Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line with the Bonny deep seaport and industrial park at Port Harcourt. That’s where we are now.”

22 BDSUNDAY

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

NewsFeature

FG urged to mandate Ngige, Keyamo to lead adjustment of CONHESS

T

he Federal Government has been urged to authorise Chris Ngige, minister of Labour and Employment, and Festus Keyamo, minister of state, Labour and Employment, to lead the team that will address the clamour for the adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).

Speaking at a press briefing recently in Abuja, Chairman of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), Biobelomoye Josiah said such was necessary to guarantee fairness and justice to all parties concerned.

Josiah explained that Chris Ngige has not been able to live up to the status of an ideal arbiter because of his background as a medical doctor who has vested interest to align with the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

Also, he called for the unconditional payment of all withheld salaries at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, JUTH, LUTH and the compliments of April and May, 2018.

Josiah further st re sse d t h e n e e d fo r the implementation of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) consent judgment and added that an undiluted implementation will go a long way to returning the lost harmony which will in turn enable

effective, efficient and affordable healthcare delivery to the masses.

“Even though the Federal Government has been mandated through specific intervention plans with timelines to ameliorate the restiveness of our members, since December, 2019

(L-r) Chairman Lagos chapter Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) Dr. Uche Obiajulu, Larry Toweh, Ibidun Toweh and chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Ikeja branch Funmi Akingbagbohun, during a Public Lecture and awards on “Robust Evaluation of Nigeria’s Petroleum Reserves and Resources : A case for Updating the National reporting Standard” organised by Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers held in Lagos recently.

Group laments more burden on Nigerians over fuel price hike, others …Tasks government on citizens’ welfare

T

he Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria (GPAAN) has observed with concern that at a time when leaders across the globe are doing everything within their power to alleviate the hardships caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on their citizens, Nigerians are being burdened with increase in the prices of utilities.

In a statement signed

by Victor Anya, general secretary of the association, GPAAN condemned the recent increase in the price of petrol from N143 to N151: 52.

“Recall, towards the end of August, the price of electricity was hiked from N22 per kilowatt to N66 per kilowatt and Nigerians have not recovered from the shock caused by that increase; that of fuel was added to it within a space of one week,” it noted.

GPAAN, led by Ayo Baje as national president, also recalled that “In November 2019, Value Added Tax (VAT) was raised from 5percent to 7.5percent and in the same month, VAT was also placed on telephone communication. These

through a Consent Judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), this development is a product of many years of rigmarole and discriminatory disposition of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) on issues that border on JOHESU demands,” he said.

burdens are too much on the ordinary Nigerians and they must stop.”

The group pointed out that Nigeria appeared different from other parts of the world, noting that “during this period of the coronavirus, leaders of other nations are providing succour to their citizens by asking them not to pay house rent for a period of time and also giving allowances to those that have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Governments of some countries are giving grants to small business owners in order for them to remain in business. In some countries, governments are paying the salaries of employees of big corporations so that such corporations do not retrench their employeesall in a bid to mitigate the pains brought on them by the coronavirus.”

It also reiterated the fact that as coronavirus is a global problem that affects all citizens of the world, if leaders of other countries deem it fit to support their citizens, the case of Nigeria should not be different.

“In this regard, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to revert to the

A

f r i c a n Vo i c e s Changemakers, the 30-minute ma g a zine pr ogramme sponsored by Globacom on CNN International, will showcase two female entertainment superstars in this weekend’s edition.

The artistes who will star on the show are Nigeria’s Kele Kele Love singer, Tiwa Savage, and Gambia’s kora performer, Sona Jobarteh.

African Voices Changemakers is broadcast on DSTV channel 401 at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday and is repeated at 4.30 p.m., 7.30 a.m., 12.30p.m. and 6.30 p.m. on Sunday and at 5.30 a.m. on Monday at 5.30 a.m.

The hugely successful Nigerian singer and songwriter is expected to talk about her latest album and how she is helping women in the music industry and beyond. On her part, the Gambian musician will discuss how she is expanding her cultural academy and how she is popularizing kora, a plucked musical instrument of the 14th to the 17th centuries resembling the guitar but with a flat, pearshaped body.

Tiwa began her music career as backup singer for international stars, George Michael and Mary J. Blige. Reputed for her blend of Afrobeat , hip-hop and pop, she released her first album, Once Upon a Time, in 2013. It was nominated for Best Album of the Year at the 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards and for Best R&B/Pop Album at The Headies 2014.

She has won several awards such as Best African Act at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards, Best Female West Africa Award in 2017 and 2018 and the Soundcity MVP Award for African Video of the Year in 2020.

Jobarteh is the first female professional kora player to come from a family of celebrated griots. She attended the Royal College of Music in the United Kingdom where she studied cello, piano and harpsichord. She also went to the Purcell School of Music, England, to study Composition.

Her debut album was Afro-Acoustic Soul which contained songs about bittersweet love and social themes.

Covid-19: Akwa Ibom trains 2,234 administrators ahead of school resumption ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

old prices of petrol and electricity- N143 per litre and N22 per kilowatt, respectively,” it said.

The group further said: “President Muhammadu Buhari should endeavour to repair the existing four refineries and also build additional two refineries to complement them so that the importation of refined petroleum products will come to an end.

“It is a known fact that the reason for the incessant increase in the prices of refined petroleum products is because we are not refining our crude oil but depend on importation of these products. Why is it so difficult for us to refine our crude oil?”

It also recalled that during the electioneering in 2015, one of the promises of President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) was to build a new refinery each year.

“What has happened to this promise after five years in office? Has the construction of a refinery become a rocket science?

Government should consider the human factor in coming up with economic policies,” GPAAN said.

Glo’s CNN African Voices features Tiwa Savage, Gambian artiste

A

kwa Ibom State government has trained over 2,234 school administrators on corona virus prevention in centres across the state in anticipation of the resumption of classes.

Emmanuel Ekuwem, secretary to the state government who declared the training open at Aka Community Secondary School, Uyo, said the safety and wellbeing of pupils, students and teachers were important to expose school managers to the precautionary measures of Covid-19 pandemic.

Ekuwem, who is also the state chairman, Covid-19 Management Committee, lauding the State Universal Basic Education Board for organising the exercise, said: “The state government is committed to checkmate the spread of the deadly virus; the very reason Governor Udom has ensured the erection of a world class isolation centre and other measures to combat the pandemic in our state.”

In her remarks, Enobong Mbobo, commissioner for education, called on the participants to accord the training maximum attention, saying that their ability to follow the exercise was important to the safety of the pupils, students and teachers, when school reopens.

Mbobo said Basic Education was the foundation of knowledge, and that teachers, therefore could not afford to toy with this level. He further said that if the foundation was faulty, the entire structure will be of no use.

Earlier, Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Maria Ikorok commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for his proactive approach to the control of the coronavirus in the state as well as passion about improving the quality of basic education.

According to her, “This is seen in the timely payment of the 50percent of the counterpart fund for UBE Matching Grant Intervention Projects, which has made it possible for the construction and renovation of classroom blocks, provision

of instructional materials and equipment in schools.”

She also applauded the governor for initiating the School-on-Radio programme to engage the children while at home.

According to her, the teachers who took part in the School-on-Radio presentations and recordings during the lockdown deserve commendation.

She reiterated that the Board has carefully selected experts who have been involved in the control of Covid-19 in the state as resource persons, to train school administrators on guidelines and protocols for safety as government is strategising to get children back to school.

She urged the participants and Basic Education stakeholders to make optimal use of the training for their personal benefits, as well as that of the schools and the state in general.

At the training, one of the resource persons, the Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Ime Udoh took the participants on overview and facts about the pandemic and strategic management and Covid-19 safety in schools.

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

23

@Businessdayng

Arts ‘Aso Ofi speaks volumes on our cultural heritage and African fashion’

For 10 years and running, Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, the great-grand daughter of Ooni Ajagun Ademiluyi of Ile Ife Kingdom, has successfully promoted African cultural heritage and fashion through Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL), her brainchild. Riding on the achievements of the event, the Ife Princess and cultural ambassador is stepping up awareness for African heritage on a global stage with her partnership with Olufolake Abdulrasaq, the First Lady of Kwara State, to showcase Kwara’s Aso Ofi, an indigenous hand-woven fabric, the weavers behind it and its production at Sustainable Fashion Week New York this September. In this interview with Obinna Emelike, the princess speaks on the local fabric, the fashion show, commendable efforts of the First Lady, among other issues.

A

Why the interest in fashion? t Africa fashion week London & Nigeria , we do not just showcase fashion, we use it to showcase our heritage, and our fashion is our cultural identity. In Africa, it is easy to tell where a person comes from through their fashion statement. We use fashion to pass messages and our fashion is designed to reflect significant events, African fashion is so loud, so bright and so bold that it makes us stand out.

What do you intend to achieve with it?

To use fashion to tell our stories; the origin of our indigenous fabrics, the history behind it, the evolution and the influence African fashion has on the global fashion industry.

Why the partnership with Kwara State?

Our collaboration with Her Excellency, Folake Adbulrazaq, the First Lady of Kwara State, is to showcase the state’s local fabric, Aso Ofi at the Sustainable Fashion Week New York, through a fashion film documentary. It will take us through the journey of local craftsmanship of the Aso Ofi industry in Kwara State, how it is made, the weavers behind it,

how the craft is passed over to generations, the process from the threading to the looming, the production process that goes into to it, and most importantly, the social and economic impact on Kwara State and efforts of Her Excellency at making it accessible to a global audience.

As a culture ambassador, do you think our fashion can be used in promoting our heritage?

African fashion is a very significant part of our cultural heritage, Africa has up to 3000 tribes and each tribe has its own fashion culture.

For instance, the Aso Ofi, also known as the Aso Oke is an important part of the heritage of Yoruba, the biggest tribe in Africa. It is the royal African indigenous hand-woven fabric and any time you wear it, it makes you feel like royalty.

What is the uniqueness of the Aso Ofi fabric?

Aso Ofi is synonymous with the Yoruba people and our heritage. It is a timeless piece that has been worn by Yoruba kings centuries ago and still worn by Yoruba kings today. Our forefathers and mothers participated in this craftsmanship and it has been passed down to generations.

Princess Ronke Ademiluyi

Its reinvention over decades has made it sustainable and relevant, hundred years after it was created.

It is used in weddings, coronations, naming ceremonies, funerals to mention a few.

Are there plans to also use the event to promote culture and tourism in the state?

Through fashion tourism, Africa Fashion Week and Her Excellency will use fashion to promote the culture and tourism of the state. As I mentioned earlier, she is our ma-

SMO Contemporary Art presents Neo Custodians ...a virtual exhibition

S

MO Contemporary Art is delighted to present Neo Custodians, a virtual exhibition of 16 paintings, illustrations, hyper realistic drawings and collage by Ifeatuanya “Ify” Chiejina , Nwakuso Edozien, and Johnson Eziefula, three young artists, who redefine, interrogate, and celebrate their identity. Each artist examines layers of socio-cultural and genealogical influences.

Ify Chiejina, a first-generation American, considers the complexity of being raised by African parents in the west.

Her works are part of an ongoing series consisting mostly of self-portraits, each drawing representing different facets of her identity.

Inspired by her mother who was a proud African fashion designer, Ify experiments

with patterns, recreating the renown Ankara prints in each portrait.

Nwakuso Edozien, a recently graduated NigerianGerman architect currently based in the United States, explores the concept of identity from a generational point of view. She creates layered portraits and illustrations with finely drizzled three dimensional textures, exploring depth and interconnectedness.

Johnson Eziefula, a graduating senior of the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Lagos, adopts a more scientific approach in a series celebrating cultural hybridity; his hyper realistic portraits emphasize the intersection of a myriad of influences from colonization to globalization, and technological socialization, and their effects on com-

munities and cultures.

Speaking of her works, Edozien said, “My art is, and always will be about my Nigerian heritage. So, Neo Custodians for me means keeping safe something that is integral to me, integral to a nation, cultures, traditions, narratives and stories. It is about showcasing Nigerian cultures and traditions proudly, through art in a new way“.

Also commenting on his series in the virtual exhibition, Eziefula said, “It is my attempt to bring forth consciousness of the change going on in the world today, the interconnection between several parts of the world, and how I see our reception to new cultures being an element to foster unification...”

The exhibition runs virtually from September 6 - 30, 2020.

tron at Africa Fashion Week London and part of our plans for next year is to host an Africa Fashion Week Meets Kwara State. The event will enable us to invite both local and international designers and media to the state to experience not just the fashion week or the weaving industry, but also tourist destinations of the state.

Is there a commitment from the First Lady on the event, and its sustainability?

Her Excellency is the Matron of Africa Fashion Week London &

Nigeria. She is at the forefront of showcasing the indigenous textile of Kwara State, the weavers behind it and further promoting its local production to a global audience. According to her, it is very important for Kwara State, and Ilorin in particular, which now has so many educated people involved in the trade amid apprentices. Her Excellency was part of the speakers at the Business Forum of Africa Fashion Week London 2019, where she highlighted the importance of promoting our indigenous textiles. During Africa Fashion Week Nigeria 2019 last December, Kwara State, under her office, sponsored eight designers from the state to show their collection on the runway. Her continuous effort at putting the state’s Aso Ofi on the global map is the reason we are showcasing the Aso Ofi at Sustainable Fashion Week New York and to make it accessible globally.

What are some of the excitements of the event?

We are super excited as the first time Africa Fashion Week London is partnering with Sustainable Fashion Week New York to showcase our ingenious textile. It would be streamed online to a global audience of over 10,000 view-

ers. It is Africa’s time to shine!

How would you describe the 2020 edition of the African Fashion Week even with the pandemic limitation?

We are in uncertain times and we have had to adjust with most of our activities now online. We are diversifying into education and partnering universities and colleges in the UK in terms of inclusion and are hosting mentorship programs for young Black British designers.

What is the economic value of the event for the Kwara State government?

The aim of Her Excellency is to continue to promote the local Aso Ofi fabric of Kwara State to a global audience and to make it accessible so that clients from any part of the world can purchase it. This will increase the demand and supply of the fabric and consequently impact the economy of the weavers, the local production chain and the state at large.

The Aso Ofi trended with the blue-eyed couples, what stands the brand out?

Her Excellency featured the blue eyed lady and her husband in the fashion film documentary, both of them looking very regal in the Aso Ofi.

Centre Pompidou Paris acquires Iba by Oseloka Osadebe from SMO Contemporary Art

T

he Centre Pompidou Paris has acquired Iba, made in 1967 by Oseloka Osadebe, Nigerian artist.

With the acquisition, the museum welcomes into the collection a work by a pioneer but lesser known member of the Society of Art in Zaria.

Osadebe has played an important role in the growth of contemporary art in Nigeria.

The Zaria School and its more popular rebels, Uche Okeke, Yusuff Grillo, Bruce Onobrakpeya and Demas Nwoko, sustain a spotlight in the contemporary Nigerian art world. With finding his entrance into the collection of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Osadebe receives now an international seat of honour amongst his renowned contemporaries.

In 2018 SMO Contempo-

rary Art curated a retrospective and exclusive exhibition of rare works that Osadebe created from 1960 to 2014 at the National Museum in Onikan. The exhibition highlighted the importance and impact of the artist for the first time locally with an international outreach.

SMO Contemporary Art is proud to have shed light on this extraordinary artist and his rich legacy, and that will now be included in one of the world’s most prestigious museum collections.

Already during his studies Osabebe started to develop a deep interest in the interpretation of religious motifs in traditional architecture. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1967, Osadebe made a design that he called Iba, originating from the tra-

ditional ancestral house.

The artist has been especially drawn to the design of this very particular religious enclave where only the man went for ceremonies and fasting. “The design was so good. It is rectangular and there are vents that protect it.

The concept was beautiful“, Osadebe said.

Oseloka Osadebe, born in 1924 in Onitsha, was trained at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology in Zaria where he became a member of the Zaria Art Society. After his graduation in 1962 in painting and sculpture he worked as a lecturer at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka before he left the country in 1965 on an Aggrey Fellowship to pursue graduate studies at the Art Institute of Chicago in the United States.

24 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 13 September 2020

SundayBusiness TIENS supplements supporting cellular nutrition Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

A

n emerging feature of the post-pandemic era is the increasing interest in human nutrition. People are looking out for means of increasing their knowledge on the values that several food items add to the quality of their health. That is in terms of boosting their immunity to different diseases; making them more energetic, enhancing the performance of their different organs, or to look younger and slow down the ageing process.

It is not surprising therefore, to come in contact with marketers of sundry food supplements who are ever ready to enlighten you on the nutritional benefits of what they sell. Furthermore, they would go to great lengths to convince on how to gain more money from them when one joins their crowd-funding techniques or network marketing gimmicks. That brings into focus my

recent encounter with one of such marketers in the person of Mister Ossai Napoleon. He sells TIENS Supplements. We got talking and he provided some answers to my questions: To begin with, what is TIENS all about?

TIENS has it origin from Tiangin China since 1992. The headquarters is in Beijin, China as its manufacturing base. TIENS is into health care products, food supplements, health gadgets, home appliances, beauty and personal care products amongst others. It was registered with under WFDA (World Federation of Direct Selling Association, with the chairman and founder of Tiens as one of the CEOs of that body.

Today TIENS has become a global company represented i n o v e r 1 9 0 c o u n t r ie s an d regions, with branches in more than 110 countries. It has now metamorphosed into One Body Multiple Wings Strategy. Other branches of the business have emerged over the years. Besides the One body which health, TIENS is into Real Estate, Tourism, Education, e-commerce and the hospitality industry globally. Today, TIENS is into Fortunes 500, and rated as one of the fastest growing multi-level marketing company in the world, and it products are revolutionary.

Its healthcare products are classified into four series: cleansing, balancing , replenishing and preventing. Many of such products have won international awards and certificates, including FDA certificates, ISO certificates, halal certification, Jewish certification, and in Nigeria it is NAFDAapproved. TIENS products are

Oxford Int’l group opens Lagos offices

J

ust weeks after fastest growing real estate company, Oxford International Group expanded its business tentacles to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to reduce the stress and bring an adequate solution to the housing issues in the country; it has launched Oxford’s Lekki 2 and 3 offices for commercial purposes in Lagos.

At the event held at the office premises in Lekki Admiralty way, Lagos, the company said it was out to address lack of proper mortgage system which has been attributed as the cause of the country’s housing deficit, currently estimated at about 17 million.

The Group Chief Operating Officer, Oxford Group, Kunle Ad-

Kunle Adesanya

esanya, explained that the company’s major objective is to bring down the huge housing deficits in Nigeria with premium services and products while also giving opportunities for low-income earners to own lands and houses.

Adesanya further said: “Our major focus is to reduce the housing deficit in Nigeria, also considering the fact that houses in Lekki are very expensive. We are opening these offices to give the opportunity to low-income earners to own a house or land in Lekki.”

Lesley Ademola, executive director, Lagos Island and Abuja branches of Oxford International Group, said the company has created a special package for small, medium and large investors to invest in real estate business, pointing out that the launch would give its loyal customers access to premium and affordable products and services.

The Executive Director, Business Development of the company, Olusegun Ayo, reiterated that opening of the new offices was to get closer to its customers around Lekki and environs, maintaining that in the past four years, its track record has shown that Oxford Group is in for a long haul.

natural and organic, nutritional healthy food that are safe for human consumption.

In a nutshell TIENS lofty pursuits is to provide humanity with high quality healthcare products to improve their lives, and to provide humanity with career opportunities and rewrite human history, by creating millionaire’s across the globe, through the network marketing platform.

How did you get to know about TIENS? I got to know TIENS in 2008, but became actively involved in the career business as a partner some two years ago. Through TIENS business opportunity I have broken free from a life of struggling for survival to a life if financial fulfillment toward gaining financial freedom. Today I’m a proud landlord in Lagos, courtesy of the successful marketing of its valuable products.

What are the challenges in marketing TIENS products?

In life there are always many challenges. Well, I think it is just the ability to get out of one’s comfort zone in order to give people awareness of the excellent big business platform created by TIENS to everyone globally. By applying different methods, through social media, and one on one, the challenges become few if any.

What are the training programmes?

TIENS has modules of training yearly, quarterly, monthly and weekly. And these training are categorised into what we call: NDO,( New Distributors Orientation).Others include Junior Distribution Training, Senior Distributor Training and

Top distributors Training amongst others.

What are the marketing strategies?

Si n c e t h e c o m p a n y w a s registered as a direct-selling company, the business of marketing is based on the work of mouth advertising. It is fit for those who want to do the business and achieve great success. They need to engage in the training program according to the training module I have mentioned.It is all based on the threeR-principles of Recruitment, Re-consumption and Retail.

What piece of advice do you have for those who want to join in the marketing of TIENS products?

My advice is that they should believe in themselves first, then in the efficacy of TIENS products and to believe in TIENS Compensation Plan. The plan is such that it pays 55.5% to Distributors and Partners at different levels. This is indeed a highly profitable business by working closely with the team of partners and Line of Sponsorship (LOS).

With a team following a

system as instituted by TIENS and benefiting from the compensation plan one will achieve his dream of excellent health and financial freedom.

What do you have to say about the nutritional supplements?

The nutritional supplements are our health insurance.They are made to use the best approach which is to attack the root causes of oxidative stress and all degenerative diseases.

They provide adequate nutrition to the cells at optimal level. It is about health, not diseases. This preventive approach is certainly the best way to care for, and protect our health.

For instance we have the TIENS high nutrient calcium 1, for preand-post-menopausal women with decreased level of estrogen.

The high nutrient calcium 2 called the pumpkin recipe is for diabetic patients. They convert sugar to energy.

There is the TIENS Slimming tea for those who want to get that fantastic shape back but cannot resist delicious foods. It is also for those who find it difficult to defaecate and also for people with weak intestinal functions. The Vitality Softgels are for those who want to age gracefully, while the Cordyceps, made from mushrooms assist those with low immunity, who are susceptible to cold and smokers who cough often and asthma patients. TIENS Galax is for men who want great performance in bed.

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 07068638066

Abiodun appoints Olaleye Ogun internal revenue service chairman

O

gun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has approved the appointment of Olugbenga Anthony Olaleye as the new chairman for the State Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS).

A renowned accountant, auditor, mortgage banker and tax consultant, a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin said the new OGIRS boss, comes to the job with practice experience spanning more than 34 years.

Somorin said the new OGIRS chairman, “started his career with extensive exposure in Accounting, Audit, and Tax Management Consulting with international firms of Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Arthur Andersen (now KPMG in Nigeria).

“A distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), a Fellow of the Chartered Taxation Institute of Nigeria (FCTI) and a John Maxwell (JMT) certified coach. A well-trained Tax, Accounting and Management professional with highly rated qualifications and professional practice and licenses from relevant professional bod-

ies, Olaleye had his first degree in 1984 from the University of Calabar and was the best graduating student for in Mathematic/Education Department. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1989, became a Fellow of ICAN in 1997.

He became a Fellow of the Chartered Taxation Institute (FCTI) of Nigeria in 2011. He had two international mini-MBA Certifications from CWC School for Energy and American Management Association (AMA), USA. Gbenga has at-

Olaleye

tended various international and in-country Management Development Programmes with renowned organisations such as Lagos Business School (LBS), Management Centre Europe (MCE), PetroSkills USA, to mention a few,” the statements further reads.

Olaleye spent 12-year career with Diageo Plc, the parent company of Guinness Nigeria Plc (GNPlc), working across Africa and the United Kingdom, which further gave him deep and extensive international experience. He was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of South Atlantic Petroleum Ltd. (SAPETRO), an indigenous Upstream Oil & Gas company in Nigeria for over 6 years to April 2016.

His major skills cover almost all areas of Accounting, Auditing, Taxation, Management Consulting, Corporate Finance, Receiverships & Liquidations, Project Evaluation, Risk Management, Internal Audit, Controls & Compliance, Strategic Planning and People Development. He is also culturally sensitive to enabling environment and the people.

The Governor wishes Olaleye a successful tenure as OGIRS chairman.

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY 25

SundayBusiness Leveraging FMBN’s mortgage loan products for homeownership

O

wning a home is a capital-intensive venture. A combination of low wages and high cost of living limits the capacity of millions of Nigerians to save towards building or purchasing a house of their own. The result is a huge housing deficit estimated at between 17 and 22 million units.

To increase access to housing, many countries promote the widespread adoption of mortgages as the preferred path to homeownership.

Essentially, a mortgage is a loan that a financial institution gives an applicant to purchase a house with the good faith that the debtor will repay the loan with interest attached to the life of the loan.

Both the debtor and the lender benefit if nothing goes wrong.

Over many years, the borrower repays the loan, plus interest, until he or she owns the property free and clear. Mortgages have helped millions of people all over

the world to buy homes.

It is against this backdrop that the role of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) in promoting mortgage adoption in the country is so significant.

Established as a wholesale mortgage finance institution, FMBN provides primary mortgage banks with low-cost funds to enable them to provide affordable mortgages to Nigerian workers.

Notable features of FMBN mortgage loans include zero equity requirements for loans less than N5million, and 10 percent equity contribution for loans ranging from N5-15million. Others include single digit interest rates from 6 to 9 percent per annum and long payment tenors of up to 30 years.

FMBN’s housing products are available to contributors to the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme, a social savings programme designed to mobilize long-term funds from Nigerian workers, banks, insurance companies, and the government to

boost access to affordable housing finance.

Take the FMBN National Housing Fund (NHF) Mortgage Loan, for instance. FMBN uses funds from the NHF scheme to give loans to accredited Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) at a singledigit interest rate of 4 percent.

The mortgage banks, in turn, use the funds to provide loans to qualified applicants at 6 percent interest with payment tenors of up to 30 years.

Loans under N5million attract zero equity down payment, those ranging from N5 million-N15 million require 10 percent equity and a worker is qualified to apply after six months of consecutive contributions to the NHF scheme.

Besides the NHF Mortgage Loan, FMBN has been innovating to ensure a match between its housing products and the financial capacity of an average Nigerian worker.

In the past three years, under the dynamic leadership of Ahmed Dangiwa, the bank developed and

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com)

introduced two creative housing products.

First is the individual Home Construction Loan. The loan provides up to N15million at 7 percent interest rate to NHF contributors with unencumbered land, appropriate titles, and approved building plans to undertake self-construction. Beneficiaries can pay back over a period of up to 30-years depending on their age and number of years left in service.

Second is the FMBN RentTo-Own Housing Scheme. The scheme makes it possible for beneficiaries to move into an FMBN-owned property as a tenant and pay towards ownership of the property in monthly or annual installments for periods of up to

30 years at an interest rate of 9 percent.

Another equally affordable home product that FMBN has upscaled within the past three years is the home renovation loan. The loan provides up to N1million to beneficiaries who already own their homes to carry out improvements.

Overall, to tackle the housing deficit, there is a need to increase mortgage penetration levels in the country, especially within the low-medium income segments of the economy. A low hanging fruit is to empower the FMBN to scale the size of its mortgage loans to Nigerians.

Contributed by John Mark Ikyaave, Abuja-based public policy analyst.

Covid-19: Experts offer insights into what businesses should do on the road to recovery CHUKA UROKO

A

fter five whole months of r a v a g i n g impact of the global health emergency known as coronavirus or Covid-19, global, regional and national economies are picking the pieces with businesses left with the task of evolving strategies for the challenging road to recovery.

The impact of the deadly virus has been so deep that of the 19 major sectors of the Nigerian economy, 13 had a negative growth, according to the second quarter 2020 report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), meaning that the road to recovery is not only demanding, but also competitive.

Th i s e x p l a i n s w h y experts say businesses have to be creative, innovative and introspective. The experts who spoke at a Webinar hosted by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) with the theme ‘Road to Recovery’ advised

that businesses have to brace up as Covid-19 impact is long term.

Th e We b i n a r w h i c h recorded 1086 participants from 10 different countries of the world took a hard look at the economic impact of Covid-19 in the West African Region. It noted that the impact will be long lasting and so, it is critical that not only the problems, but also the solutions are understood.

“Organisations need to keep their plans and various options constantly under review. They must work with a flexible plan.

The outlook of the impact of Covid-19 is uncertain; therefore, they must work with a short to medium t e r m p l a n , ” Kw a b e n a Situ, Associate Director, Business Process Solutions at Deloitte Ghana, advised.

Situ noted that most businesses did not have their business continuity plan and even if they had, it had never been tested, disclosing that they did a quick review of the business continuity plan to see if it could stand the test of time while looking

at the likely impact of the Covid-19.

Among other measures, he recommended that organizations, in planning for the road to recovery, should be looking at the area of liquidity forecasting, reviewing of clients cash flow for the next three months, and also identifying what mitigation actions could be taken to preserve cash in the short and medium term.

Situ explained the role of accounting firms to SME’s and large organisations; h o w acco u n t in g f ir ms are helping businesses to respond and also how his company, Deloitte is working with clients to increase their chances of survival.

He said that there were always opportunities for SME’s, noting, “at Deloitte, we help businesses to respond, recover and thrive; we offered certain pro-bono services where we could go in to carry out an impact assessment and also the likely impact of the Covid-19 on the business.”

Re l a t i n g Ni g e r i a ’s experience, Taiwo Oyedele, the Tax Leader at PwC, noted that Covid-19 was a crisis like no other, pointing out that the challenges cut across government, private sector, individuals and SMEs. “In Nigeria, we have seen some innovation around transportation companies, who were most impacted,

trying to adapt by switching to logistics. There’s also some level of creativity from restaurants who now engage in home delivery of cooked meals,” he noted further.

All of these innovations, according to him, show the extent to which the human mind could process ideas if people do not limit themselves, adding that it also meant people could weather the storm and come out stronger in the end.

On other innovative and creative approaches businesses have embraced in trying to adapt, Laoye Jaiyeola , CEO, Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), said there has been innovations in the textile

Lyon

Oyedele

Jaiyeola

industry which could also be seen in the education sector.

“People are leveraging on technology as much a s t h e y c a n . Th e r e ’ s discussions and emphasis on broadband and fin-tech related matters deployed to all the various sectors and even the agricultural sector. As we enable those people, we will see new skills and employment and people will rethink how they do their business,” he noted.

In more ways than one, coronavirus has made fundamental changes in the lives of humans and businesses. According to Jamie Lyon, ACCA’s Global Head of Business, “to some extent, the pandemic has accelerated some of the things that were already on track.”

“Market is changing.

The competitive landscape is shifting dramatically.

Businesses need to be much more agile in terms of how they devise their strategy and how they implement it.

A lot of organisations have had to be innovative around their business model,” he added.

26 BDSUNDAY

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

SundayBusiness NibblesNG restates commitment to making local cuisines accessible to urban Lagos communities IFEOMA OKEKE

N

ibblesNG, an indigenous breakfast and brunch outlet that specialises in southwestern street cuisine for busy folks has restated its commitment to making local cuisines accessible to urban communities in Lagos State.

The idea was birthed out of the need to emphasise the beauty of local cuisines in south-western Nigeria and to make them readily accessible to the urban community in core Lagos who otherwise are stuck with fast-food, junk or nothing at all for breakfast which technically is the most important meal of the day.

NibblesNG presents Lagos street food wellpackaged in eco-friendly packs that are compliant with the United Nations Sustainable Development

Goal 12 and offers delivery to ensure ease of access to consumers.

To preserve meal quality, the focus of NibblesNG is presently on delivering to nearby areas like - Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Lekki and some Lagos Mainland areas but intends to expand to other areas as it grows its operations.

In an interview with B D S U N DAY, Ma y o w a Oladipo, co-founder NibblesNG, said NibblesNG, a registered business under the parent company, MIS, which was registered in 2016, targets busy people who work in Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki axis and who need to eat proper breakfast to boost their productivity at work.

Mayowa disclosed that thebusinesswassettolaunch early this year but operations were stalled due to the pandemic till September 1 when the business was officially launched.

Oladipo

Speaking on the kind of dishes NibblesNG delivers, Mayowa said they provide Lagos ‘Street’ Food such a s Du n du n , Od u n ku n , Dodo, Ewa, Akara, Ponmo alata, Eran didin, Eja dindin, Tapioca etc. (Fried yam, Fried potatoes, Plantain, Bean cakes etc.). “ At N i b b l e s N G w e currently have a 6-man team. This is exclusive of independent and external partners who ensure freshness and guarantee quality of the meals “In 5 years, I see NibblesNG opening up a ch ain e at - in o u t le t s

where people can come and be served traditional breakfast meals typical to the south-west region whilst listening to beautiful songs like ‘Ojumo ti mo’

by ASA or ‘owuro lojo’ by beautiful Nubia and just appreciate the beauty of our motherland in all of her glory.

Ten years down the line, I see Lagos, Nigeria becoming a cuisine tourist destination with NibblesNG as a major player,” he explained.

The young entrepreneur who has carved a niche for himself in the fast food marketadvisedyoungpeople who are still unemployed to look beyond the nation’s weaknesses and begin to explore their strengths and advantages.

“So youths, there’s no reason to be unemployed, identify your ‘sweet-spot’ (The intersection between what you know how to do and the opportunities around you) and get to work,” he added.

Benue to partner Innoson Group to promote local content BENJAMIN AGESAN Makurdi

B

enue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has pledged the resolve of his administration to partner Innoson Group, also known as IVM, in order to promote made-in-Nigeria brands.

Governor Ortom made the pledge when

the Chairman and Chief Ex e c u t i v e O f f i c e r o f Innoson Group, Innoson Cbukwuma visited him.

He promised to encourage the company to continue to provide jobs for Nigerians and thereby reduce capital flight, saying that the task of growing the country’s economy rests upon its people.

Governor Ortom said

his visit to Innoson Plastic Industry in Enugu some years ago gave him the inspiration to go into the business.

He described Cbukwuma as a highly innovative entrepreneur who has had incredible impact on the business c o m m u n i t y i n Ni g e r i a in particular and the c o u n t r y ’s e c o n o m y i n

general.

Alfred Nwosu, director in charge of external relations, Innoson Group, who spoke on behalf of his Chairman, acknowledged Governor Ortom’s giant strides in the state, saying the company believes that its partnership with the Benue State government would yield numerous benefits for people of the state.

Agric agent enjoins cassava growers/ farmers to embrace best practices UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

N

ze Placidus Eberendu, the Agricultural Extension agent coordinating Umuahia North L.G.A, of Abia State, has enjoined cassava growers/farmers to embrace the best agricultural practices in their future scheduled planting.

Eb e r e n d u g a v e t h e advice in Umuahia, the state capital, while educating cassava farmers under the umbrella of JEMACK Multipurpose Corporative Society, Umuahia.

Eberendu, who is the Agric Extension Agent for Kolping Society of Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation working in partnership with Africa Cassava Agronomy Initiative and also appointed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, for training of cassava producers, stressed on the need for the farmers to embrace the best practices of cassava agronomy like farm clearing, scheduled planting, fertilizer rate, weed management, varieties of cassava to be planted, time for fertilizer application and time for harvest.

He noted that as an emerging concept, smart agriculture means managing farms, using modern Information and Communication Technologies to increase

the quantity and quality of products while optimising the human labour required.

The Agric Extension agent said: “In smart farming, there are certain parameters to be considered such as the type of crop, properties of soil, climate, among others.

Depending upon these parameters, farmers decide which crop to be cultivated at what time of the year and place.”

In an interview with journalists shortly after the seminar, the Chairman JEMACK Multipurpose C o r p o r a t i v e S o c i e t y, Umuahia North, Caleb Ogwe insisted that Agribusiness remained the best for Nigeria and not petroleum products.

He pointed out that Ma l a y s i a o u t o f t h e i r wisdom came down to Nigeria, took palm seeds and planted in their country, whic h toda y they a r e financially vibrant while Nigeria abandoned theirs for petroleum products which are no longer yielding meaningful dividends.

“Agribusiness remains the best for Nigeria and not oil. That was where we were before oil well came out to deceive us. Despite warnings that someday in the future we will regret our actions, we felt that agriculture was strenuous and we started drilling oil and dollars were flowing in.

Now, we have seen it. The oil did not last forever and everything has collapsed,” he noted.

LG presents “Life’s good from home’ vision for future of home living

A

t IFA 2020, LG Electronics (LG) presented a new consumer experience, unlike any previous IFA show. LG CTO Dr. I.P. Park took to the stage in hologram form to talk about Life’s Good from Home, the company’s vision for the future. LG’s future vision maximises three core home values of care, convenience and entertainment.

“These unprecedented times have made us more uncertain about the future,” remarked Park. “LG believes this presents a unique opportunity to make real change in the world by realising a new potential for the home. As a leading lifestyle innovator, we’ve doubled-down on our commitment to developing new and improved products and services that provide a good life for consumers the world over.”

LG’s AI platform, LG ThinQ, continues to evolve and innovate to create new services, solutions and business models to lead change.

“LG ThinQ is the beating heart of our life-enriching innovative experiences,” Park said when demonstrating how the updated LG ThinQ app delivers a user-centric experience that extends from customer support to purchasing supplies. Using the app, the AI-based Proactive Customer Care (PCC) can analyse and report back the operational status of appliances and even provide maintenance or repair advice.

LG has spearheaded innovation that transcends the home, investing in wideranging technologies as it pursues improving everyday life. LG’s CLOi line of robots can provide a safe, socially distant way to deliver services in restaurants

and hospitals and since July 2020 LG CLOi ServeBots have been deployed in commercial locations throughout Korea. As a pioneer in robotics, LG has set its sights on expanding the robot ecosystem through its CLOi platform, focusing on automated driving, situation analysis, and movement control by reducing the time it takes to develop cutting edge products, a

driving force for the industry’s growth. Dr. Park highlighted how CLOi 2.0 could serve as an efficient substitute for human interaction, compatible with the open source Robot Operating System (ROS) 2.

LG is also developing technology for remote healthcare management as part of its digital transformation efforts. “Through AI, we can easily and more

precisely monitor the health of consumers 24/7,” said Park. “Recently in Korea we successfully administered a pilot project with Seoul National University in using AI to improve the monitoring and care of patients with chronic conditions.”

Kim Kyung-ho, executive vice president of the LG’s Business Solutions Europe, followed Park on stage to introduce LG ThinQ Home.

An actual living space and complete home solution in the South Korean city of Pangyo, known as Korea’s Silicon Valley, ThinQ Home is a real demonstration of LG’s Life’s Good from Home vision as the ideal future residence designed to deliver a safer, more convenient lifestyle through the company’s latest appliances and IT technologies.

In Korea, the flesh and blood Park guided the IFA audience through LG ThinQ

Home and demonstrated Home Concierge, a smart mirror that allows easy and complete home control by monitoring appliances and home energy usage through a state-of-the-art energy panel. Connected to the home’s electric car charging station, the high-tech panel lets homeowners charge and monitor their electric car remotely.

In addition to its holographic media event, LG’s videos illustrate its vision for accelerating everyday innovation, one featuring a special guest appearance

by K-pop star Henry Lau touring the LG ThinQ Home.

This video and more can be enjoyed on the LG Global YouTube channel (www. youtube.com/GlobalLG) while LG’s virtual exhibition (http://Exhibition.LG.com) provides a vivid experience of LG’s innovative products and services at IFA 2020.

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

27

Travel Obangogo Hill: An enthralling nature within

economic and social values of the festival by providing the necessary infrastructure like accessible roads, electricity and accommodation. Perhaps, it may not be out of place to task wealthy and influential sons and daughters of Kabba to step out and provide the facilities, if the government fails to do so.

Since the Kogi State government has not shown a desire to exploit the vast tourism potentials in different parts of the state like the Colonial Heritage in Lokoja, expecting government intervention in Obangogo, while desirable, may be far-fetched. The Kabba people can force the hand of the government to see the vast revenue that can accrue to it and the incredible streams of revenue that come to the locals if Obangogo is developed to maximize its advantage for sight-seeing, adventure, picnic, holidays and business.

A group of Kabba indigenes led by Steve Babaeko, the founder and CEO of X3M Group, have begun a deliberate process to elevate Obangogo Hill into the reckoning for consideration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The undiluted culture and natural history recommend the great tourist attraction for such global recognition. This may not be a difficult task since all they need to do is to follow the laid-down procedures, which similar sites like the Sukur Kingdom and Osun Osogbo Grove followed to achieve this much needed global recognition.

Ben Owoleke, the curator of Obangogo Hill, has been striving to catch the attention of the world by creating awareness for the hill. Since 2013 when visitors started visiting the mountain, the number of visitations has increased every year. But Owoleke thinks the rural enclave has all the trappings to lure more numbers than it receives now. He is leading a committee that is commissioned to woo more visitors to the awesome hill, and surrounding beautiful rural enclave.

But, he is urging the public to visit, especially those who have not visited before to see and appreciate nature within.

Stories by OBINNA EMELIKE

I

f you are an adventure lover, Mother Nature beckons once again for a spectacle, which it carefully tucked in a rural enclave.

The Obangogo Hill is a breathtaking sight worth beholding any day. Standing at an imposing height of 700 meters, the hill, which is located in Egunbe community in Kabba, Kogi State is an inspiring fascination and awe in equal measure. The humongous size makes it an adventure that awaits nature lovers.

Moreover, among the dozens of hills that surround Kabba, Obangogo is singled out for its myth. While the fables surrounding it, which may sound ridiculous, are chiefly promoted by the locals, its allure is being discovered all over again in recent years by an increasing stream of visitors who are out to verify the supernatural powers that reside in the mountain or simply take advantage of the leisure benefits.

Obangogo is many things to many people. For some, it is a natural wonder of a kind, and for many, especially the locals, it is a mesh of interlocking caves where the people hid from advancing armies and slave raiders in times past. There are legends alluding to a King, Elegha, the Ako Kereje, Kereje whose coffin turned into a stone. One of the myths about the hill is that a part of it is said to sound like the talking drum.

Beyond the myths, natural wonders dot the hill. At the peak of Obangogo is a pool of spring water, which is believed to possess healing powers. Similar curative ability is believed of the five mystical lakes on the hill called ‘Ako’. The rock formation on the hills provides a spectacular and engaging phenomenon that will interest photographers and filmmakers.

However, many have to come see Obangogo as a haven of peace for meditation.

The hill is wonderful. There are caves in the

hill that people hide in during the wars and slave raiding.

It is also believed that any prayer rendered on the hill will manifest.

The hill is located about five kilometers off the Okene – Kabba Expressway by the permanent site of College of Education (Technical), Gbeleko. The increasing pride of Kabba indigenes in promoting their cultural assets has compelled many of them to join the celebration tied around Obangogo during the Christmas period. As the scope of the festivity expands every year, the Kogi State government may have to exploit the

More than 50% global destinations ease travel restrictions as caution remains - UNWTO

A

majority of destinations around the world about 53 percent have now started easing travel restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though many remain cautious in view of the development of the pandemic, the seventh edition of the UNWTO “COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions: A Global Review for Tourism” confirms the ongoing trend towards the gradual restart of tourism.

Analysing restrictions up to September 1, 2020, the research carried out by the United Nations specialized agency for tourism found that a total of 115 destinations (53 percent of all destinations worldwide) have eased travel restrictions, an increase of 28 since July 19, 2020. Of these, two have lifted all restrictions, while the remaining 113 continue to have certain restrictive measures in place.

Zurab Pololikashvili, the UNWTO secretary-general said: “Coordinated leadership and enhanced cooperation between governments means tourism is slowly but steadily restarting in many parts of the world. Starting to ease restrictions on travel opens also the doors for tourism’s social and economic benefits to return. While we must remain vigilant and cautious, we are concerned about those destinations with ongoing full travel restrictions, especially where tourism is a lifeline and economic and social development are under threat.”

Speaking further, Pololikashvili called for deepening tourism intelligence, noting that coordinated leadership and enhanced

cooperation between governments means tourism is slowly but steadily restarting in many parts of the world.

For the first time, according to him, the COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions report includes key data on the health and hygiene infrastructure in place at destinations, while also analyzing rate of notifications of new COVID-19 cases. This allows UNWTO to determine the factors that are influencing destinations’ decisions to ease restrictions.

Notably, the report shows: Destinations,

which have eased travel restrictions generally, have high or very high levels of health and hygiene infrastructure. They also tend to have comparatively low COVID-19 infection rates.

Within advanced economies, 79 percent of tourism destinations have already eased restrictions. In emerging economies, just 47 percent of destinations have done so.

About 64 percent of those destinations, which have eased have a high or medium dependence on air as a mode of transport

for international tourism arrivals.

At the same time, the report shows that many destinations around the world are extremely cautious about easing travel restrictions they introduced in response to the pandemic and some have passed severe measures in an attempt to keep their citizens safe. Also, 93 destinations (43 percent of all worldwide destinations) continue to have their borders completely closed to tourism, of which 27 have had their borders completely closed for at least 30 weeks.

Furthermore, more than half of all destinations with borders completely closed to tourism are classified as being among the World’s Most Vulnerable Countries. They include 10 SIDS (Small Island Developing States), one Least Developed Country (LDC) and three Land-Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs). More than half of destinations with full restrictions still in place are also highly dependent on aviation, with at least 70 percent of their tourist arrivals coming by air, causing significant connectivity impacts for their citizens and economies.

UNWTO continues to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on tourism. From the start, the UN specialized agency has advised that the situation is fluid and that, even as tourism restarts in some regions, in others, restrictions may be tightened and borders re-closed. Similarly, UNWTO has observed a rise in travel advisories being issued by governments for their own citizens, alongside more and varied restrictions and other measures directed at passengers arriving from specific countries or regions.

28

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

Focus

Pictures of Celestial Church of Christ, Ileri Oluwa showing impact of the blast and renovations

Six months after Abule-Ado explosion Continued from Page 1 rocked the area , leaving in its wake tears and blood. Six months after, the scars are visible on victims.

Although efforts are being made, through rebuilding process, to erase the signs of the fire incident, tales of bitterness abound.

Major complaint that inundated our correspondent by victims or relations of victims, as he visited the community, was alleged lack of support to residents whose properties were wrecked. “ Th e b l a s t a f f e c t e d m y church. We started building back the church two weeks after the blast, gradually. We have so far spent over N900, 000,” said a clergyman, Kehinde Oyerinde, of Celestial Church of Christ, Ileri Oluwa.

Oyerinde’s church stands directly opposite Bethlehem Girls College and was heavily impacted by the blast.

He alleged that the government has neglected those who lost properties and only compensated the families of the people who died.

“They should come and help us to stay alive,” he begged, as he stared into the open space that was once filled with academic life.

At the house of another landlord, Innocent Okoye, you could almost touch the smell of fresh cement everywhere. Apart from the visibly new roof and fence, labourers were still mixing sand and cement at the time of visit.

The roof of his house was affected. His fence was brought down and he lost his car and other valuables to the explosion.

Though grateful for being alive, Okoye is single-handedly bearing the cost of his repairs and renovations despite being assured of support and compensation.

“Since then, we’ve not heard from anybody. No assistance.

We’ve been struggling from hand to mouth to make sure that we put our properties in order,” Okoye lamented.

He said the government promised to help them, but nothing has been done since the

The site where Bethlem Girls College once stood. One part is of the land has been taken over grass, pawpaw and coconut trees. 2

disaster shook the community, adding that their association is still in talks with government to know if there would be any palliative.

“The government should please come and assist us in any way they can. It’s not easy for us,” he said.

Nurat Jimoh, a former landlady, and a businesswoman in the community, who now squats from one place to another, survives daily on meagre donations from friends and sometimes distant family members.

Jimoh, who is also a widow, lost her house which had a shop where she sold provisions. She currently has a rickety shack on her land for security reasons.

She said she was in the bath-

room on the day of the blast, when the “entire building collapsed on me and my children,” she told BDSUNDAY, pointing to her skin covered in scars.

“I have nothing now, not even a place to stay. I’ve been sleeping in different places, squatting from one place to another.

“Government should help me out with my building. Anything they can do for me, I don’t mind. I just want to have a place to stay,” she said in a desperate tone.

On March 15 this year, an explosion shook Abule-Ado community, demolishing buildings, damaged many other properties, wreaked a serious havoc on businesses, killing many people and leaving some in critical states.

More than 300 properties

A building affected by the explosion undergoing roofing

were also destroyed and hundreds of residents displaced in the aftermath of the incident.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State’s governor, had constituted a committee to look into how to rebuild and reconstruct the place, and ensure that it moves back to a normal society with good infrastructures.

The committee was headed

by Obafemi Kadiri Hamzat, deputy governor, and co-chaired by Paul Tayo Bamgbose Martins, commissioner, Ministry of Special Duties.

The state government also set up a N2billion Abule-Ado Emergency Relief Fund for the victims, with a N250million donation from the state.

In addition, the Federal Government also promised to find ways to support victims and help them get back to their normal lives. But while residents could not speak much about the Federal Government’s intervention, they said and insisted that Sanwo-Olu’s government has done nothing much to help them.

“When it happened, they promised us that they would help those who lost their properties, and that they would treat us well, but at the end of the day, we didn’t see anything.

“There was a day they called us to assemble at Bethlehem School; when we came, we were given rice that has stones in it. What can we do with those things?” Taofeek Sanusi, a block maker, said.

Sanusi, who could not hide his disappointment, claimed he lost about N6million on that fateful day. He said that his trailer of cement got burnt completely, and all his blocks, both six and nine inches, were smashed.

He further said that the lorry he used to deliver his products also got burnt, adding that he could not salvage anything out of his two shops where his blockmoulding machines were installed.

Sanusi claimed that he is currently in debt of about N2.8 million and his suppliers have stopped supplying him the cement with which he runs his business, and are on his neck for their money.

“When I got here that day,

I couldn’t recognise my shop a g a i n . Ev e r y t h i n g w a s d e stroyed,” he recalled. “Since the government has refused to help, what can we do?” he added resignedly.

Exclusion from compensation and state government’s position The general feeling of the majority of sources who spoke to BDSUNDAY was one of exclusion from the compensation package of the state government which only favoured the families of the bereaved.

Multiple sources told the reporter that about N2.5 million was given to families of victims who died from the explosion.

“I heard they gave the families of people who died in the explosion about N2.5 million each,” a resident said.

While efforts to reach families who received the money were fruitless, Jimoh Raheem, Baale of Abule Soba, said the government has done well, and that he knows they will also keep all their promises to the people.

The traditional ruler said there are two layers of compensations.

While the first has to do with the people that died, the other is about those that lost property, adding that the families of the dead were compensated with the sum of N2.5 million per dead.

Raheem explained that due to the high number of properties that were demolished, the government would have to make its plans before disbursing money.

“We had many houses that were damaged, and you know they have to do their own plans before they can start disbursing money. They have continued to promise that they are going to fulfil their promise,” he said.

Raheem further said that apart from compensations, there is still an access road government is planning to Ijedodo; he said that the project has already started.

He debunked claims by some residents that they were homeless.

He said those that were homeless were taken to the internally displaced peoples (IDPs) camp at Igando and are even given free food.

He told BDSUNDAY that all the people that came to him and reported homeless, were taken to the camp after he called the authorities who came with their vehicle and took them to the camp.

“I’ve not seen anybody that is homeless. If I did, I would tell you,” Raheem said.

BusinessDay in April reported that the state government commenced the disbursement of N2.5 million to each of the families that lost their loved ones in the Abule-Ado explosion.

Th e d i s b u r s e m e n t c o m menced after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the the money, and the approval was also conveyed to victims/ families affected by the incident.

“Each named next of kin of a deceased victim of the Abule

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

29

Focus

Nurat Jimoh, a former landlady, was in the bathroom when her house crashed on her and her children. With no where to stay, she now squats from one place to another. She poses for a photo with her grand daughter in front of a shack.

Soba pipeline explosion will be given N2,500,000 by the Lagos State government,” said the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) in a statement The affected members were reportedly asked to attend a meeting for verification, identification, and collection of the N2.5million financial support scheduled to hold at the Deputy Governor’s Office at the secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja by 11: 00a.m on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

Speaking to BDSUNDAY on the compensation plan for those who lost properties, a source from LASEMA, said the government is “yet to take any specific decision on the nature of compensation to those who lost their properties.”

FG still mum on cause of explosion Present at the explosion site on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, Sadiya Umar Farouk, minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, had said that the Federal Government would join hands with the Lagos State government to bring succour and relief to the victims.

Admitting that the level of destruction was devastating, and “very worrisome,” she said they would work with the Lagos State in investigating the root cause, and setting up a strategic framework to address the issues once and for all.

“We’re also going to work

in the area of rebuilding these structures that have been destroyed,” Farouk assured.

BDSUNDAY, however, understood that nothing has been done in regard to help and support to the victims from Abuja.

Apart from the financial burden, the Abule-Ado residents are still worried about the actual cause of the explosion.

Despite the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s statement that it was a gas explosion, residents are still saying it was a bomb blast due to the spread of the explosion’s impact. They are also still expecting a report on the cause.

“Till now, the government has not given us any vital information as to the cause of the blast,

whether it was a bomb blast or gas explosion, Joseph Okechukwu, a resident who is currently rebuilding from scratch, said.

A former worker of the ruined Bethlehem Girls College and other residents suspect cover-up of the cause, insisting that the government cannot “go straight to say what the cause was because everyone is trying to protect himself.”

They argued that the public knows that it was a bomb blast as that was not the first time a gas explosion would happen in the area.

“The government can’t say it’s a bomb blast, all they are saying is that it’s a pipeline explosion. But they know it’s a bomb blast. If only they can say the truth, they know what happened because the entire nation knows it’s a bomb blast,” a security personnel, who asked not to be named, said.

By the same token, the Baale of Abule Soba, (mentioned earlier) believes it was a bomb blast too. But he said the government has not come out fully to say it was a bomb blast, and that he was yet to know the result of the investigation.

Speaking to BDSUNDAY, Oladotun Hassan, Oluomo of Abule-Ado, said intervention programmes in terms of assistance, damages, in terms of attention, are supposed to come from by the Federal Government because the pipeline being talked about is owned by the NNPC, a Federal Government oil, and gas body.

He further said that the Federal Government has not done any meaningful intervention.

A building under construction in one of the affected streets

Innocent Okoye, a landlord, giving instructions to the labourers patching up his house. The blast brought down the roof and fence of his house. His car was also badly danaged

This is Taofeek Sanusi’s makeshift cement factory, giving him a fresh start in life after losing two of his shops in the blast. He is currently in huge debts.

Many businesses like his were damaged

“

Government should help me out with my building. Anything they can do for me, I don’t mind. I just want to have a place to stay In a telephone conversation, he said the Federal Government has not only failed to provide financial assistance, or accommodation, but has also not conducted an environmental impact assessment of the incident postmortem.

“We’re yet to see a forensic report on the issue,” Hassan said.

He also wondered: “Is there no insurance from the pipeline regulatory company that is involved in activities whereby when there is a pipeline burst, there should be a property insurance company which ought to take responsibilities for the damage that occurred in that regard?”

On the cause of the explosion, Hassan averred that comprehensive report is expected of the government as they cannot conclusively hold to the government’s account that a truck hit a gas pipeline.

More so, he stated that there was no gas pipeline in the area where the incident occurred, and further questioned what could have led to such a blast that went to shook a thousand kilometres of the area.

Hassan, who commended the Lagos State government for playing some intervention role, however, said it was not enough to cater for all the victims.

He said victims and families who own small and medium scale businesses were not com-

pensated, and that these are issues that call for concern.

“There are plans to keep pressing on the government for more to be done because nothing equivalent to the damage has been done,” he told BDSUNDAY. Updates on Bethlehem Girls College Although no student died from the blast, Bethlehem Girls College remains a huge loss to the community, particularly, at a time when girl-child education is being advocated.

The explosion destroyed almost all the school buildings, leaving a hostel which has now been demolished.

Our correspondent found out that the college site, which once had beautiful structures, has now become a convenient spot for vehicles to reverse.

One part of the land has been developed into what looks like a subsistence type of farm with coconut and pawpaw trees sighted.

However, the property now belongs to the government of Lagos State, according to Emeka Ogbu, chief security officer of the school.

“The place is now under the government. No more school on the site again. Nobody will allow their children to go to school there again because they do not know what would happen next,” he said.

Ogbu told BDSUNDAY that the government wants to build a fire service station on the property, adding that the school was given some amount of money and has since relocated to Festac Town.

He could not however, confirm the exact amount given to the school.

Speaking on the matter, Raheem confirmed that the school authority was compensated and relocated to another site in Festac Town.

“They have already relocated the school. The land is now a property of Lagos State government. They have given the school another site in Festac Town, and the Lagos State government wants to build that school back again for them,” Raheem said.

Efforts made to further verify the exact amount that was given to the school and what the land will be used for were fruitless.

30 BDSUNDAY

www.businessday.ng

https://www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@Businessdayng

Sunday 13 September 2020

Health&Science How Nigeria can sustain winning streak against coronavirus - Issa

What every infertile couple should know

SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

B

abaIssa,aProfessor of medicine University of Ilorin and the Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kwara State chapter, has said Nigerians must be circumspect in all their dealings in order to sustain the winning streak against the COVID-19 pandemic, even with the declining trend in the infection rate.

Issa, who declared this in an interview with BDSUNDAY in Ilorin, posited that Nigeria was winning the war against the virus because of the declining trend in the national statistics of reported cases of Covid-19.

According to him, going by the recorded number of cases announced by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the last six months, the statistics show the rate of infection is declining, which means that Nigeria is managing the pandemic right.

“I think we are generally winning the war against the COVID-19, more and more people are becoming enlightened and aware of the reality of COVID-19,” he said.

The senior medical consultant pointed out that from very high daily figures initially, the infection rate in the country fell to “one thousand and something, five hundred, four hundred, and recently to about one hundred and something - that means the figure is declining despite increase in testing.

“For example in Kwara State, when the thing started we were not a testing state then, we had to take sample from here to Ibadan for test but now with the intervention of the state governor, AbdulrahmanAbdulrazaqand his Commissioner for health; Raji Abdulrazaq (Dr), we now have testing center in Ilorin. In

ABAYOMI AJAYI, MD/CEO Nordica Fertility CENTREINFO@ABAYOMIAJAYI. COM.NG,

fact, very soon it will be more than one because UITH will soon be testing. In spite of increase number of testing, we are achieving decline in the number of new cases, which means we are winning the war.”

Issa, however, warned that people must be aware of a possible resurgence of the pandemic or what is called a “second wave, third wave and so on”, saying “it happened during previous infections, including influenza infection in the nineties.”

The NMA chairman had, while appealing to some people who are yet to believe Covid-19 is real not to endanger their lives, counseled “we hope we should not be complacent but we should be circumspect in all our engagements.”

“Let us follow the Nigeria Disease Control guidelines.

The appropriate wearing of face mask and face shield, hands and personal hygiene, maintaining adequate cough and sneezing etiquette must be strictly adhered to.”

Issa explained that the danger in the current trend of wearing face shields, is not a replacement for face mask.

“Anybody who would wear a face shield should also wear a face mask. The common teaching was ‘don’t touch your mouth, your nose or eyes’ because those are the possible portals of entry of this virus,” he added.

He says the face mask covers the mouth and the nose leaving the eyes uncovered but declared that the eyelids, the water and the lacrimative fluid have some protective effects. So, since the face shield would only cover the face, it is not a replacement for the mask which covers both the nose and mouth.

“If we observe all those things by wearing proper face masks, washing our hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer regularly, we are going to win the war completely and we may not have the subsequent waves,” Isa explained.

On the incessant cases of strike in the health sector, Isa identified inadequate funding of the sector and agitation among medical practitioners in recent times as major causes of the phenomenon.

“The issue of availability and accessibility of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), occasioned by COVID-19 is one of the problems.

“Anybody who is going to treat the patient must, first of all, protect himself as well because COVID-19 is not written on anybody’s face and if that is not done properly, the doctor risks his or her own life,” he added.

The medical practitioner noted that Doctors are not immune of coronavirus, giving instances of Doctors contractinganddyingfromCOVID-19, although he clarified Kwara State not recorded any case of death among the Doctors.

‘Nigeria needs more campaigns for people to understand Covid-19 is real’ ANTHONIA OBOKOH

R

otimi Jaiyesimi, a consultant obstetrics and gynecologist, has said the country needed more campaigns for people to understand that coronavirus (Covid-19) was real.

The expert, at a virtual media roundtable discussion organised by the Nigerian Academy of Science, said Nigeria was currently facing a war against Covid-19 and misinformation shrouded in myths could hinder the progress in containing the pandemic.

“There is no vaccine; there is no definitive treatment.

Covid-19 is real and Nigeria has not reached the peak of the disease and far from

flattening the curve; there is need to dispel the myths and misinformation. Countering disinformation is a public service and the role of the media is a critical success factor,” Jaiyesimi said.

Speaking on ‘Covid-19 in Nigeria: Knowing the Myths and Facts,’ he compared the fight against the pandemic to a war situation where it is necessary to “know where the enemy is, their strike force and the backup they have.” According to him, “These are vital strategies in defeating the enemy and the same can be said of the fight against Covid-19.”

“This is a new disease; fear factor will not dispel the myths. Nigeria should be led by the evidence, collabora-

tive work, learning from others and educating the public including school children,” the medical expert pointed out.

“A time like this, we need good political leadership and report accurately,” he said.

Obinna Onwujekwe, a professor of Health Economics, Systems and Policy, speaking on ‘Expenses and Health System Responses of Covid-19: What pointers for the future’, noted that Covid-19 actually affects all the building blocks of the health system.

“Governance, leadership and accountability, also health financing and service delivery are approaches to the health system response based on the health system building blocks,” he said.

T

reatment for infertility is now so diverse that choice may range from simple education and counseling, to the use of medications that treat infections or promote ovulation, to highly sophisticated medical procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). These new advances in medical technology are giving hope to more couples, even though some are also raising questions about ethical and legal issues such as sex selection, the consequences of multiple births and the changing nature of the family.

Nevertheless, conception and successfully carrying a baby to term remains a complex process. Even though there has been a revolution in the field of reproductive medicine to help couples achieve conception, success is still largely dependent on the couple. It may surprise you to know that 25 percent of couples have more than one factor contributing to infertility. Even when you have successfully conceived before, you might have fertility issues later in life.

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive and deliver a child despite trying for between six months to one year, depending on the age of the woman. This applies to you if you are a woman who is able to get pregnant but then have repeat miscarriages. A diagnosis of infertility means that becoming pregnant may be a challenge but not impossible. Your infertility may be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause and available treatments to correct it. It may be due to factors

affecting the woman, the man, or both of you. It may be due to a single cause or a combination of factors. In some cases, a specific cause can’t be identified.

If you want to get pregnant, the first step is working with your doctor to find out what your fertility issues are.

In about 85 to 90 percent of infertile couples, a cause can be determined, but without any treatment intervention, 15 to 20 percent of couples previously diagnosed as infertile will eventually become pregnant.

You should be aware that having difficulty getting pregnant can have many causes, and some of them you cannot change, such as your age; some of them you can change, such as your weight.

Age is the single most important factor in whether you, as a woman, can conceive and deliver a baby. In men, injury to the testicles or tubes which carry sperm are common reasons for male infertility.

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) success rates are highly dependent on the age of the woman ranging from 37 percent in women under the age of 35, to around 11.0 percent or lower in women aged 41 and above. As an infertile couple, you need to be aware that pregnancy rates begin to decline slowly, beginning in your early 30s. Throughout your late 30s and early 40s there is an even greater decline in pregnancy rates. Only 2 percent of babies are born to women over the age of 40.

As a woman, your fertility generally begins to decline much earlier than you think.

Peak fertility occurs during your early 20s, begins to decline in your early 30s and accelerates after age 35. Few unassisted pregnancies are recorded after the age of 45.

It’s estimated that up to a third of couples over 35 won’t be able to have a successful pregnancy without assistance. As you age the quality and quantity of your eggs that remain in your ovaries decrease while their chances of having health problems that may interfere with your

fertility increase.

A gradual decline in fertility is possible in men older than 45 too. While the changes may not be as clearly defined as they are in women, if you are a man aged 50-andover, you often may find a decline in your quality of sperm, and sometimes discover a slight drop in testosterone levels and a dwindling libido.

The problem of infertility used to be thought to be a problem with the woman only, but we now know that’s not the case. About 30-to-40 percent of infertility is diagnosed as a female problem, 30-to-40 percent as a male problem, 10-to-20 percent related to both and the remainder remains unknown.

There must be sufficient numbers of healthy sperm traveling through open pathways so that one can penetrate a healthy egg. The fertilized egg must then implant itself in the lining of the uterus and the uterine environment must remain hospitable for the egg to develop. When any one of these factors is impaired, infertility can result.

Some of the significant factors for female infertility include, a history of absent, irregular or painful menstrual cycles, pelvic inflammatory disease or repeated miscarriages. In men, a low sperm count, history of testicular, prostate or sexual problems. Being overweight or underweight can affect hormone production. This imbalance may impair your ability to conceive or produce a healthy child.

Infertility treatment success is defined as the birth of a healthy infant. A cause can be determined for about 85 to 90 percent of infertile couples. Without any treatment intervention, 15 to 20 percent of couples previously diagnosed as infertile will eventually become pregnant.

More than half of couples who seek infertility treatment get pregnant without advanced techniques such as IVF. Note: The rest of this article continues in the online edition of Business Day @https://businessday.ng

Substance abuse, mental illness: A tale of two behavioural disorders ANTHONIA OBOKOH

M

any Nigerians are living with a mental or substance use disorder and do not pay attention to signs that signal the impairment of personal functioning.

The burden of these disorders continues to grow with significant negative impacts on health, wellbeing, and economic growth.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country has the highest caseload of depression on the continent and ranks 15th in the world in the frequency of suicide, according to the World Health

Organisation (WHO).

Experts say both substance use disorder and other mental illnesses are caused by overlapping factors among which are genetic and epigenetic vulnerabilities, early exposure to stress or trauma, and issues with certain areas of the brain.

In fact, in 2019, United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) found that over 14 million Nigerian adults used drugs at least once and 3 million people are living with a drug use disorder, and one in sevenperson aged 15-64years had used drugs and One in four Nigerians - some 50 million people - are suffering from some sort of men-

tal illness, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

It is important to remember that asking for help is a normal part of life, and you should never feel like you have to take on the world alone. If you are concerned that you or someone in your life may be drinking too much, using drugs, or dealing with mental illness, there are resources available to help.

Psychiatrists say that the high prevalence of comorbidity between substance use disorders and other mental illnesses does not necessarily mean that one caused the other, even if one appeared first.

Sunday 13 September 2020

www.businessday.ng

https://www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY 31

Sports

Premier League to defer fan test Stories by ANTHONY NLEBEM

T

he Premier League said it would defer holding test events to bring fans back into stadiums because the UK government’s cap of 1,000 supporters was too small.

The English top-flight was forced to finish last season behind closed doors when it resumed after the coronavirus lockdown.

Th e 2 0 2 0 / 2 1 c a m p a i g n kicked off on Saturday, with stadiums around England remaining empty due to the continued threat of the pandemic as infection numbers show an alarming spike.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this week that pilot events for sport in September would be restricted to 1,000 fans, with strict conditions in place.

He also said plans for spectators to attend sporting events in England from October were to be reviewed.

But the Premier League said a limit of 1,000 fans would not

SIKIRAT SHEHU, ILORIN

K allow it to properly test and evaluate safety measures and matches would be loss making.

“Premier League clubs will defer holding test events until a sufficient number of fans are allowed back to enable thorough trials to take place,” it said in a statement.

It gave a stark warning of the financial damage to the game as a result of empty stadiums.

“For each month of the season without fans, more than £100 million ($128 million) is lost to football across the leagues, with consequent damage to the local and national economy,” it said.

“It also harms the employment prospects of more than 100,000 people whose jobs depend on matchday activities.”

The Premier League said clubs could offer larger-scale trials to prove it was possible to produce safe environments.

“As the government begins its review of the 1 October date for the return of spectators to sport, the Premier League asks that the high safety standards which can be achieved by our clubs are fully taken into account before any decision is taken and that sport is not left behind other indus-

Manchester United get Paul Pogba boost

P

aul Pogba has resumed training with Manchester United – but is a doubt for next weekend’sPremierLeagueopener.

Pogba was forced to observe a period of quarantine after testing positive for coronavirus, but has now returned to training ahead of the new season.

United host Crystal Palace at Old Trafford a week on Saturday in their opening game of the new season, but the £89million club record signing Pogba is unlikely to be involved.

Man United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “Paul’s had a couple

of training sessions, so he’s lost out on a few sessions because of the virus, of course.

“But Paul is quick to get fit. Of course, he worked really hard to get back after lockdown last time and played the majority of the games.

“Hopefully, he’ll be ready for next weekend. I’m not 100 per cent sure though.”

An ankle injury restricted Pogba to just 22 appearances last season, 14 of them coming after the season resumed following the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Barcelona considering move for Bellerin

W

ith the Lionel Messi saga now over, Barcelona are set to reshape their squad in earnest and one of the first positions on the agenda is at right-back, with Los Cules considering a loan move for Hector Bellerin should they find a buyer for Nelson Semedo.

Having been touted as one of the brightest prospects around whilst at Benfica, Semedo was brought to the Camp Nou to secure the position for many years when the Blaugrana’s original pursuit of Bellerin came to an unsuccessful end.

Since then, Semedo has struggled to reach his potential, leading to the continued use of Sergi Roberto at right back.

Barcelona hope there will be a club ready to pay between 40 and 50 million euros for the

Rashidi Yekini to be immortalised - Kwara Gov

defender this summer.

Whilst this sounds wholly unlikely looking in from the outside, Barcelona are planning for life without Semedo and are looking to bring Bellerin back to the Camp Nou.

The Spanish club have contacted the right-back to see what his situation at Arsenal is, and whilst the favoured option is a loan deal it hasn’t been dismissed that a full transfer could occur.

wara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has said the administration would hold consultations with various stakeholders in the state especially in the sports industry as the state is poised to rename a major monument after the late Football legend Rashidi Yekini.

The Governor noted the consultations would be followed by him forwarding a bill to the Kwara State House of Assembly to rename a major sports facility — possibly the stadium complex or its main bowl — after Yekini who scored Nigeria’s first World Cup goal in US 94.

Abdulrazaq explained the state is also considering renaming some monuments after the late George Innih, a former governor of the state who built the Kwara State Stadium Complex, among other major facilities in the state.

The governor made the comments during a visit to the Minister of Youths and Sports Development ,Sunday Dare in the capital city Abuja on Thursday, during which he reassured sports lovers of the readiness of the administration to immortalise the late

football star.

The Sports Ministry in Abuja has repeatedly requested successive Kwara State Governments to immortalise Yekini — a request Abdulrazaq told Dare is now being considered to properly accord the late footballer his right of place in the history of his own native state.

Meanwhile, Abdulrazaq is pushing for Kwara to be made the north central regional headquarters for the national creative industry training programme which the Ministry of Sports and Youths Development is coordinating, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye.

The Governor secured assurance of the ministry to support the Kwara State Football Academy to become a major national football talent hub, the statement added.

Arteta looks to strengthen Arsenal squad

M

ikel Arteta said Arsenal’s FA Cup triumph last season had raised expectations at the club as he chases new signings to boost their Premier League challenge.

The Gunners finished eighth in the top-flight last season, their lowest position since 1995, but defeated Chelsea in the FA Cup final and overcame Liverpool on penalties in the Community Shield, the season’s traditional curtain raiser.

“Every new season brings new expectations,” said Arsenal’s Spanish boss, whose side kicked off the new Premier League season on Saturday at newly promoted Fulham.

“I think obviously the way we ended last season and where we are starting this one with a title, obviously people want to see more and more and more.

“This is a really positive sign. We want that type of energy to drive our team forward and tomorrow we have a great test at Fulham.”

Arteta said his players were not content with what they had achieved in his first season at the Emirates but they had been boosted by winning silverware.

“What I see from them is that they want more,” he said at his prematch press conference on Friday.

“They are not satisfied and this is what we want to show tomorrow, that we want to go another step forward.”

Arteta praised new recruits Willian and Gabriel Magalhaes but said the club were still active in the transfer market because his squad lacked balance.

“They’ve been training really well, they are adapting quickly, they are really excited to be here with us, really good energy from both of them,” he said.

“Big talents, both in different phases of their careers -- someone that is already very established in the Premier League with an incredible quality and another one that has

to adapt to this league but has huge potential to become a key player for us in the future.”

But despite his desire for reinforcements, Arteta said the transfer market, which closes on October 5, was challenging.

“We have to bear in mind the complications with this transfer market, the complexity and as well the timings,” he said.

“Because you can see that clubs are behaving in many different ways and it is a little bit uncertain how this is going to evolve in the next few weeks.”

The Spaniard calmed the nerves of Arsenal fans by saying he was even more confident than he was at the end of last season that star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would sign a new deal.

And he also dismissed suggestions fellow striker Alexandre Lacazette could depart during the current transfer window, adding: “He is really happy here. He wants to keep improving and contributing to the team.”

Arteta, who has been promoted from head coach to first-team manager, said it was “nice to be recognised”.

“I just want to bring this club to be the most successful as quickly as possible and in a sustainable way and that’s my ambition,” he said.

BDSUNDAY

NEW YOU CAN TRUST

I

SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2020

www.businessday.ng

https://www.facebook.com/businessdayng

@Businessdayng

Imperatives of the North-Central Peoples Forum

F

“

reedom at last?’’ someone responded to the post with the above-stated title on Facebook. “Wow, this is an act of courage, coming at the right time!” another reader stated.

“This is a great move but long overdue,” was that of yet another concerned Nigerian. Their reactions of course, trailed the recent piece of news that some prominent leaders from the North-Central geopolitical zone have announced their exit from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), citing the worsening insecurity conundrum still ravaging several states in the northern geo-political axis of Nigeria. Furthermore, the leaders announced the formation of the North Central Peoples Forum (NCPF) as a platform to fight insecurity and marginalisation in the country.

Coming on the heels of the recurring agitations for the creation of Biafra Republic by the embattled members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the call for Oduduwa Republic, as well as the formation of the Amotekun security outfit by the SouthWestern states all give an indication that all is not well with our country, Nigeria, in terms of unity. But why? That is the question that troubles the minds of patriots.

Addressing journalists in Abuja recently, the NCPF expressed its serious concern that in spite of the abundant mineral and human resources in the zone, the NorthCentral was bedeviled by sundry crimes and criminality such as kidnapping for ransom, brazen banditry and terrorism that have snowballed from the far northern states. The new North-Central group is being led by a former Minister of State for Health, Gabriel Aduku, who is the interim chairman.

Others include Senator Jerry Useni, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory; a former Military Administrator of Kwara State, Col. David Bamigboye (retd.), and a former deputy chief of staff to the President, Olusola Akomode. The list also has the names of a flamboyant former politician, Ibrahim Mantu; the publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah; a former Nigeria Ambassador to South Africa, Ahmed Ibeto; a media consultant, Tajudeen Kareem; a former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Stephen Lawani and Alfa Mohammed, among others.

“Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression. There are no ‘Nigerians’ in the same sense as there are ‘English,’ ‘Welsh,’ or ‘French.’ The word ‘Nigerian’ is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria and those who do not.”

-Chief Obafemi Awolowo (of blessed memory)

More like the Afenifere (for the SouthWest) and Ohanaeze-Ndigbo (for the South-East) geo-political zones, the NCPF has come into existence with the salutary aim to articulate and canvass things of common interest for the North-Central zone. So said Jerry Useni. Similarly, the forum would do all within its powers to unite the good people of Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in their quest to ensure that peace and stability reign supreme.

Besides, the forum would push for the rapid industrialisation across all nooks and crannies of the zone. And it would pursue policies and processes that would ensure that the massive solid mineral and agricultural endowments were adequately harnessed for the benefits of their people.

Members do not want their people to be used as willing tools to facilitate other people’s agenda to their own exclusion.

Should anyone fault their moving mantra and the driving principles in the face of the harsh, socio-economic and political realities facing Nigeria at the moment? None, except the arch-enemies of restructuring that keep driving the nation-state into a state of preventable social unrest and economic quagmire.

In retrospect, it would be recalled that the late Senator Joseph Tarka saw the signs of the relevance of the now formed NCPF decades ago. Even in death he remains one of the most celebrated nationalists in North-

Central Nigeria, otherwise referred to as the Middle Belt Region for championing the cause of ethnic minorities in the Middle Belt generally and the Tiv in particular.

He faced a lot of tribulations from the powers that be, but he was undeterred.

As rightly noted by Patrick Ukase on August 2, 2018, “Through his struggles and agitations, he raised the consciousness, not just among his people; he also drew the attention of the Nigerian Federal Government and other regions to the plight and concerns of his people.

This development eventually led to the creation of Benue State.”

The recent gathering of the political bigwigs from the North-Central zone is therefore, a further step to strengthen a similar one held in Makurdi precisely on Monday, July 16, 2018. Present amongst the dignitaries then were Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Darius Ishaku of Taraba State. The agenda then, as re-echoed by the NCPF is to “Examine the plethora of issues and challenges bedeviling the region and to also drum support for the restructuring of the country”.

It would be recalled that the speakers were unanimous in condemning the incessant attacks on communities within the region by fully armed Fulani herdsmen. Painfully, such attacks have led to the loss of thousands of irreplaceable lives, brutal and wanton destruction of properties as well as the displacement of thousands of innocent and unarmed citizens from their ancestral homes.

Worse still, not one perpetrator of this heinous crime against humanity has been brought to justice! With NCPF, the peace-loving people are saying that enough is enough of the cruel culture of recurring impunity! In saner climes, all lives should be equal before the law. But given the insidious superiority complex of those with scarce regard for other people’s lives, we are where we are today!

Perhaps, there is no better time to listen to the root causes of these ethnic-related agitations than now.

AYO OYOZE BAJE Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘Drumbeats of Democracy’

For instance, the coalition group known as Yoruba Liberation Command (YOLICOM) that met on July 27, 2017, during the World Press Conference Day held in Lagos State felt that the South-Western geo-political zone was being dragged back by the allcontrolling federal centre in Abuja.

As far as the leaders of the coalition are concerned, the Yoruba race has the capacity, knowledge, intellect and resources- both human and natural- to transform the proposed republic to a super power in the next 20 years.

Similarly concerned about the insecurity in the country, Kunle Oshodi, the Aare Agbekoya of Yoruba land, told reporters that after a thorough assessment of happenings in the country, the Agbekoya was the last hope of the Yoruba people.

All said, the pertinent question keeps recurring-where do we, as a country go from here? There is an urgent need for a revisit of the 2014 CONFAB to institute the principles of the holistic restructuring of Nigeria. The command-and-obey structure reminiscent of feudalism or military dictatorship, as fostered by the 1999 constitution can never move the country forward. Let the geo-political zones control their resources and develop at their own pace. With vast gold deposits in Zamfara State, several minerals, huge agricultural potentials and human capital in both the North-West and North-East zones, restructuring would do them a world of good, just as the NCPF has identified its own economic potentialities.

The chickens have finally come home to roost. The reality before this government is true fiscal federalism and political restructuring. It is a call whose time has come and the earlier taken, the better for us all.

When will Buhari address rising fears of Nigerians about the present?

IKEDDY ISIGUZO .Isiguzo, a major commentator on minor national issues, writes from Abuja

A

more apt headline for this piece would have been ‘Where is President Muhammadu Buhari?’ One did not want to give the impression that the President was missing in action or inactive. Certainly, the President’s presence in the affairs of Nigerians is missing or we are missing it.

He tends not to understand Nigerians.

His breezy assessment of his administration, awarding full marks to himself for his wonderful performances amidst challenges vary with the realities of Nigeria. The President should be aware or should he not?

Nobody should make further excuses for him. He recounted a meeting with American President Donald Trump with details. If he remembers that he should remember the promises that brought him to office.

Covid-19 is not responsibility for where Nigeria is. The befuddlement is unnecessary. Our refineries never worked before the pandemic. The games being played with electricity supplies and prices we pay preceded Covid-19. These are only but a few reminders that the President should look at his Nigeria again.

Food scarcity will remain if insecurity

scares our farmers from their farms. This is more basic than the other troubles with our food production.

The times are more challenging than ever.

Everywhere one turns, there are complaints about the failures of our government. Prices are rising; incomes – for those who earn any – are falling. Uncertainty appears to be Nigeria’s new certainty.

It is not enough for the President to offer global explanations for what is happening, including the approaches to the management of Covid-19. Our challenges were there five years ago. They have worsened. While we are trying to put our lives together, the absence of assuring voices from our governments, and most importantly the President, poses more challenges.

Some insist that the President’s silence is a better option. He could say a few things that would throw Nigerians into more despair. He just did at the retreat for his Ministers.

All we hear are price increases for essentials- fuel, electricity, foods, and as the impact of the price increases swirl through all sectors of the economy, the gloomy picture that looms becomes drearier when governments keep warning us about more taxes, more price hikes.

Yet, the President awards himself high marks for sterling performances.

It is not as if the present pains would give way to a better future. Anyone who has lived in Nigeria for more than two decades would remember that petroleum products’ price

increases are prefaced with the lie that today’s sacrifices were for a prosperous future. We remember those promises and the emptiness they deliver.

How would Nigerians paying higher prices for petroleum products amount to the removal of subsidy of the “downstream sector” of the oil and gas industry? The currency is weak and weakening, we are importing the same products that we have all the raw materials and refineries that are perpetually under repairs. Have we not had the same arguments for decades?

One can easily predict that the prices of imported petroleum products will keep rising. If we are paying more at a time of low crude oil prices ($42.97 per barrel, on September 9, 2020, according to World Oil) what happens if prices of crude hit $60 per barrel?

In whose interest is the importation of refined petroleum products? What is difficult in having functioning refineries in five years? If the refineries worked, would they not create jobs, save the billions spent annually on importation of petroleum products? Would the impact of working refineries on prices not be more reasonable than any subsidy can sustain?

Can the President still address these concerns with the retort that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) did nothing in 16 years? Was it not on the failures of PDP that All Progressives Congress

(APC) rode to power?

Where the harsh economy fails to get us worried enough, other things kick in, chiefly, insecurity. Has the President given up on making lives safer anywhere in Nigeria?

More Nigerians are investing their creative energies in migrating. They are not only professionals. The unskilled in higher numbers are making their way out of Nigeria. Many fall victims to crooks who promise to get them to countries of their choice but their experiences have failed to stop others from trying.

Plight of those who perish in the desert, sink in the Mediterranean, trafficked for organ harvesting, sold into slavery, or quietly die in their little corners have failed to attract enough attention of our government.

There are lots of reasons to worry about the Nigerian condition. Feeble attempts to defend where we are fail to recognise how we got here. Even why we got here is more important. President Buhari told us five years ago that he was building a different country. He was truthful. We are the guilty party for failing to interrogate the meaning of change.

He understood us. We did not understand him. Our meaning of change is entirely different from the President’s.

To be continued next week Please share. Your comments, complaints, concerns, and commendations are welcome.

Published by BusinessDAY Media Ltd., The Brook, 6 Point Road, GRA, Apapa, Lagos. Ghana Office: Zion House, Shiashie, OIC-Galaxy Road, East Legon, Accra.

Tel:+ 233 243226596, +233244856806: email: bdsundayletter@businessdayonline.com Advert Hotline: 08033225506. Subscriptions 01-2950687, 07045792677. Newsroom: 08054691823 Editor: Zebulon Agomuo, All correspondence to BusinessDAY Media Ltd., Box 1002, Festac Lagos. ISSN 1595 - 8590.