BusinessDay 31 May 2020

Parents, children in anxious wait for school resumption

Ondo, Edo guber: What direct primary may mean for Akeredolu, Obaseki

and undergraduates have been home for over two months now following the outbreak of the coronavirus in Nigeria. The gates of

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illions of Nigerian p u p i l s , students

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Adamu Adamu

Equities, bonds attract $1.08bn via capital importation in first quarter 2020

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Vol 1, No. 315

Life after COVID-19 Diversification, tax cuts key to sustain economy - LCCI, NECA DGs ‘Economy will no longer sustain politicians’ jumbo pay’ Revive dead, dying research institutes - Experts Nigeria needs urgent revival of Ajaokuta, energy sector to spur manufacturing

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Has the NDDC opened the can of worms at last?

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, decorating a Frontline Health worker, Tajudeen Bankole - Security Officer of Mainland Hospital Yaba and the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat during the Governor’s award presentation to Frontline Health workers as part of activities to commemorate his administration’s First Year in Office, at Lagos House, Marina

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How we survived the lockdown Dollar-a-day women tell their stories

Who is thinking for tourism?

AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

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elina Agbor is a 45-year old woman that deals on clothing materials in a popular Iyana-

Oba market located at the Ojo area of Lagos State.

Agbor, who manages to fend for her family through the clothing business, nearly lost her children to hunger during the fiveweek lockdown clamped

on Lagos, Ogun State and Abuja to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In a chat with BDSUNDAY, the mother of four with a husband who is out of a job, shared her

pathetic experience.

“Few days before the lockdown started, I went to Yaba market to stock up my clothing shop. This was exactly one week after I also renewed my house rent. So, at the start of the

lockdown, which caught me unawares, I had no money and no reasonable food stuff at home for my family,” she said.

According to her, “Things See page 6

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Sunday 31 May, 2020

Cover

Life after COVID-19 CHUKA UROKO, JOSHUA BASSEY, OBINNA EMELIKE and INNOCENT ODOH

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oronavirus, a global health emergency, otherwise called Covid-19, has changed the world fundamentally and almost irredeemably.

The deadly virus has exposed how fragile and vulnerable societies are.

But, on the flipside, it has created a chance for societies to think introspectively to build a more sustainable future.

As a disease, coronavirus has been a huge experience and, as an experience, it has been an encompassing and all-conquering phenomenon. Economists and students of Sociology and Anthropology are yet to come to terms with the consuming impact of this virus on human existence.

This is not, however, time to ‘lay wreaths’; not time to sing the Nunc Dimittis. It is rather time to reflect on individual and group experiences and to work with the lessons learnt so as to build not only a sustainable, but also a resilient future, bearing in mind that experience does not consist in what happened, but the lessons learnt from what has happened.

A major lesson learnt from the coronavirus experience is that man, irrespective of colour or creed, has capacity to think deeply and act fast in the face of an emergency like Covid-19. Again, it has opened the eyes of world leaders, particularly African leaders, that change can happen within a short period of time.

However, the challenge which Maje Gopel, a transformation expert, poses as a question to the world in general and Nigerians in particular is how they can harness these awareness (lessons learnt) to bring about systemic transformation that will put them in better stead to face future unexpected challenge(s).

The world today is in agreement that life after Covid-19 will be tough. The virus has already brought global economy on its knees. Experts say that for a monoproduct economy like Nigeria that depends on oil, which is struggling to find buyers at the international market, it is going to be a long trek to recovery.

Though economists argue that Nigeria’s path to recovery from the fiscal and social crisis resulting from the collapse of oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic cannot come from government quarters alone, there are still some structural changes that if made, could avail much for the country.

Like the United States of America (USA), Nigeria runs a presidential system of government. But unlike America, Nigeria runs a bogus and unwieldy government that offers jumbo pay to government functionaries, and more to members of parliament whose bloated take home pay has no moral or ethical justification anywhere in the world.

Again, unlike America, Nigeria runs a government in which politi-

cal and economic powers are overconcentrated at the centre. This has not only made the federating units docile, but also reduced them to almajiri status, always out with their bowls waiting for the next ration when it is due.

From an Olympian height of over $100 per barrel, the price of crude oil at the international market has tumbled to below $40 per barrel at the moment. That means the country’s oil revenue has gone down by over 60 percent, living it in dire situation economically.

“We don’t need any sermon for us to know that the tea party is over, no thanks to coronavirus.

Without a doubt, life after this pandemic is going to be tougher than we can imagine. The economy can no longer sustain the current jumbo pay package of political appointees and legislators,” Brown Oledibe, an economist working with an accounting firm, says.

Anayo Nwosu, a communication expert, agrees, stressing that “the economic hardship that will befall countries like Nigeria after and during Covid-19 is better imagined than experienced.” He likened what will happen to what the Igbos suffered after the Nigerian civil war.

Nwosu reasoned that the experience would be worse now that foreign nations who normally come to the aid of Nigeria are also challenged because the suspension of economic activities due to coronavirus has hit them hard too.

He anticipates a situation where states that depend only on federal allocation would beg to be merged with other states, saying that the whole Southeast will soon find out that they only need one house of assembly not five. This realisation, according to him, will lead to states crying for restructuring.

Since this suffering is inevitable, the concern of all Nigerians should be about survival, not only of the people, but also of the economy.

But as a short term measure, Chukwuebuka Idoko, a public affairs commentator, recommends cutting down on the bogus cost of governance at all levels.

Idoko is very particular about the salaries and allowances of political office holders. “Surplus money saved from this should be given as stimulus package to ordinary Nigerians in cash (not palliatives) on caliberated bases.

Salaries and allowances as well as cost of running the National Assembly should be reduced by 50 percent”, he advised.

Besides placing a ban on foreign travels and reviewing the 2020 budget downwards, Oludayo Taiwo, a research fellow in a federal government agency, wants the federal government to place embargo on the purchase of vehicles and other non-essential items by National Assembly members.

“Pruning down the retinue of advisers and personal assistants is also a way to go at a time like this,” he said, canvassing support for small and medium scale entrepreneurs to enable them to drive the economic development of the nation.

Ebenezer Osunyomi, an Ibadanbased entrepreneur, shares Taiwo’s view, adding that banks should be enabled to give almost free interest loans to small scale business owners. Private schools owners, he noted, are among the worst hit by the lockdown. “Funds should be made available to them to provide all the necessary amenities and gadgets that will make the guidelines for staying safe among the pupils and students possible and easy,” he said.

Osunyomi believes that in time of war or extreme emergency, the paramount goal is survival. For that reason, he says, the federal government should tell itself the truth about the whereabouts of all recovered loots, sincerely channeling same to farming, both small and large scales.

Diversification, tax cuts key to sustain economy - LCCI, NECA DGs Experts and key operators in the organised private sector (OPS) say the only way to keep the nation’s afloat post-COVID-19 is

to immediately diversify, saying a further slag will puts the economy at greater risk.

Muda Yusuf, the Director-General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), who spoke with BDSUNDAY, said in diversifying the economy, three critical areas have become imperative.

These, according to him, are the quality of infrastructure, the quality of policies and the quality of institutions.

The DG said it was crucial to get these key parameters right and also critical to ensure proper alignment among these key variables to ensure sustainable economic diversification.

“The policy factor has many dimensions – monetary policy, forex policy, interest rate policy, tax policy, trade policy, procurement policy and investment policy. Each of these policies has a major role to play in the economic diversification process,” he said.

He explained that the policy mix must be right for the desired outcomes to be achieved.

“The monetary policy for instance should be designed to drive domestic investment through a moderation of the monetary tightening stance of the CBN. This is needed to moderate interest rate in the economy,” he said, stressing that it is difficult to drive domestic investment at current levels of interest rate which is well over 25 percent for most economic players.

According to the DG, the economy needs investment, especially domestic direct investment to drive diversification, expressing the delight that, this, however, is beginning to change with the recent policy measures introduced by the CBN and the various interventions in the development finance space.

Aside the above, Yusuf said foreign exchange policy remains another important policy component which impacts on economic diversification.

He pointed out that a foreign exchange regime that perpetuates a rent economy would not serve

the cause of diversification, as it creates opportunities for arbitrage, corruption, resource misallocation, impedes the inflow of investment as well as transparency issues in the allocation of forex.

Stating that the multiplicity of rates is inimical to sustainable economic diversification, the GD observed that inappropriate forex policies could impede the inflow of foreign exchange into the economy and contribute to the weakening of the currency.

“It is also important to avoid a forex policy regime that penalises domestic production and incentivises imports. Such policies inadvertently undermine the country’s drive towards self-reliance.

The renewed aggressive tax drive is focused more on investors than consumers. The burden of taxation is more on the investors in the economy than the consumers.

It is therefore inherently disincentive to investment and economic diversification. The three tiers of government targets investors more than consumers,” said Yusuf.

The LCCI DG explained that this is not in consonance with best practice principles in taxation, adding that in an economy in which almost 50 percent is informal, this structure of taxation is not investment- friendly. The formal sector of the economy bears the largest burden of the tax system. The tax policy needs to be better attuned to economic diversification through a reduction in the tax burden on investors in post COVID-19 and going forward.

On his part, Timothy Olawale, the director-general of Nigeria Employers’ Association of Nigeria (NECA), said to reflate the economy and put it back on the path of recovery and growth, it was important for the government to bolster aggregate demand through increased government spending and tax cuts for businesses.

He said direct grants and levies waivers should be given to the manufacturing and other hard-hit sectors to enable their recovery.

Olawale also canvassed import duty waivers for critical manufacturing equipment and tools as well as institute structured and strategic cash-transfers/grants for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to increase economic activities.

“The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as well as State Inland Revenue Services (SIRS) should waive payments on personal and corporate income tax for the second and third quarters of 2020, considering that COVID-19 has affected the income and profits of businesses. This will increase the disposable income of citizens and enhance the capacity of businesses to engage in economic activities,” said Olawale.

The DG further noted that CBN’s decision to increase the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) from 22.5 percent to 27.5 percent in January 2020 should be revisited to provide liquidity for banks so that they can, in turn, provide needed credit to the private sector, especially the manufacturing and MSMEs.

Sunday 31 May, 2020

He further called on for FIRS and SIRS to delay tax collection for the worse-hit sectors including tourism, the airline industry, manufacturing, MSMEs and hoteliers in order to enable them recover from the steep decline in demand.

“Operatives at the various ports in the country including Customs should facilitate economic activities rather than become hindrances to business operations. While the naira has been adjusted as a result of FOREX shortage, it is important that the CBN maintains exchange rate stability by deploying external reserves in order to maintain investors’ confidence and reduce capital flight,” he added.

Olawale also stressed the need for the government and its agencies to honour Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption list contained in the Finance Act 2019, and not charge VAT on importation of milk and other basic food items, which are now exempted, saying this would prevent additional burden on businesses.

“As the pandemic has shown the fragility of our revenue base, government should step-up effort to diversify the economy to prevent external shock from disrupting the economy.

Immediate steps should be taken to deregulate the downstream oil sector and eliminate the billions of naira wasted on subsidy.

“Government should drastically cut the cost of governance,” he said, adding that several unnecessary retinues of aides at cost to the state are needless.

He pointed to the ingenious idea of corrupt practices known as security votes and foreign travels by state government functionaries as examples of cuttings in avoidable expenses draining state government purses.

Olawale, however, commend the steps and measures so far taken by government at all levels and urge that a more concerted, coordinated and all-encompassing strategy should be embraced for the quick recovery of the Nigerian economy.

Nigeria is in Catch-22 situation and the rampaging Covid-19 pandemic has compounded the situation for the country. Crude oil, Nigeria’s major Foreign Exchange earner has seen its prices falling amid the pandemic in recent months. The national budget has been slashed and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is on borrowing spree to address the dire situation confronting the nation at the moment.

However, what appears to be a more desperate measure to diversify the economy was when President Buhari inaugurated the Ajaokuta Presidential Project Implementation Team chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha while the Minister of Mines & Steel Development is the alternate chairman.

According to the SGF, Buhari’s regime “is focused on making the Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASC) West Africa’s largest fully integrated producer and most importantly to accelerate industrialization in steel-related industries.”

While this appears as the regu-

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lar slogan of past and present governments, which have wasted precious resources and time on the Ajaokuta project, without the plant producing a single slab of steel in over 40 years, it is now apparent that the present government itself will find it difficult to survive if it fails to revive Ajaokuta and also revamp the energy especially the power sector to attain self-sufficiency.

These are the sectors that can lead to industrialization and spur manufacturing otherwise Nigeria will continue to deteriorate. It has become like they say “a task that must be done.”

‘Nigeria needs urgent revival of Ajaokuta, energy sector to spur manufacturing’ A public Affairs analyst, Majeed Dahiru, told BDSUNDAY that resolving the power challenges of Africa’s’ largest economy is most paramount at this time. He alluded to the fact that privatization in the power sector has not helped Nigeria, saying “private sector economy runs better when the public sector is efficient. Without an efficient public sector the private sector will be comatose, it will be a replica of public sector and a privatised problem in the country.

We have seen that in the failure of the Nigerian privatization drive since 1999. Nigeria’s competitive edge has blunted largely by political considerations which has led to a paralysis of the private sector.

That is why you see the failure in the power sector.”

In this critical sector, Nigeria still has stake in transmission as a public corporation, Nigeria has stake in Distribution Companies (DICOS), Nigeria has stake in the National Independent Power Projects (NIPP), Nigeria also has stake in Generating Companies (Gencos) but the country together with the private partners struggle to generate a meager 7,000 megawatts of electricity and can only transmit 5,000 megawatts to a population of about 200 million people. This is grossly inadequate.

What experts think is the right way to go is to generate resources to invest into power generation, transmission and distribution in order to make Nigeria self-sufficient in power so that it can be used to actually drive industrialization and

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manufacturing.

Majeed warned that a country that can generate only 7,000 megawatts of electricity and evacuates only 5,000, cannot sustain manufacturing on such a large scale level that can be competitive in the international market, adding that only sustainable power supply can spur manufacturing in the country especially as the nation still has the potential to grow in that sector.

The expert believes that once the problem of power, is addressed, government again must put in efforts to resuscitate the Ajeokuta steel plant and all other steel and allied companies in Nigeria. It is widely believed by experts that Ajaokuta kind of industry is something that no private sector can do for a nation. It is a challenge that the government must take up because this is the building block of any economy, it is this foundation that the private sector can now thrive upon.

“Ajaokuta is to too humongous to be handed over to the private sector it is the responsibility of government because it is a national economic security asset. Its profits may not be in form of naira and kobo. The profit should be in form of how many jobs it was able to spur and how it was able to support the economy to create jobs and put money in the pocket of Nigerians.

So the money it is able to put in the pockets of Nigerians is the profit from government whereas a private sector entity would want to profit directly in terms of naira and kobo,” Majeed said.

It is dangerous at this time to toy with the destiny of Nigeria because most of the advanced countries may not have time for a country like Nigeria in the post Covid-19 era as they would be preoccupied with their own crisis.

Therefore, it is only self-sufficiency in steel production that will save the nation’s critical forex from import of steel from China, and Europe. It will also allow the nation’s start–ups in iron and steel as well as in other allied industries to use Ajeokuta as bedrock for industrialisation. It is therefore, pertinent that the Nigerian government should take Ajaokuta as a serious state-owned company.

This may not preclude any other foreign investor from setting up its

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own steel plant.

Revive dead, dying research institutes - Experts Since late February, when the first case was reported till now, there has not been a homegrown solution despite the over 20 research institutions, university teaching hospitals, medical research companies among others.

Sadly, Nigeria was happy to receive solutions developed by local medical professionals in Madagascar. Then, how is the country the ‘giant of Africa’ when smaller countries are showing strength in areas Nigeria should ordinarily shine?

Of course, the truth is that research institutes across the country vested with the responsibility of finding solutions for cases like the pandemic are not well funded.

The ones that are well funded still cannot deliver because of corruption, which make the leadership of the institutions to divert research money to private pockets.

At a recent joint meeting of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and Federal Ministry of Health, Professor Doko Ibrahim, director general, Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC), was happy to announce that the research council has developed PPE, face masks, surgery gowns and gloves according to World Health Organisation’s standard.

But Nigerians had expected the agency, which is under the supervision of Fed Ministry of science and technology go beyond that to promote the utilisation of the health kits because government still imports those kits from abroad.

Nigerians are also waiting for the vaccine for coronavirus, which the University of Ilorin on May 4,2020 said it would soon produce by a team of medical experts and scientists led by Mathew Kolawole, professor of Medical Virology.

The university also stated that the research team had developed three viable proposals for research on various aspects of the contagious disease.

But many are skeptical about the University of Ilorin’s promise going by the poor funding of research in Nigeria, especially in universities.

Ferdinand Aduki, a senior pharmacist with a global pharmaceutical company in Lagos, noted that the team at University of Ilorin can achieve that feat if they have enough funding, dedicated team and trials to confirm the efficacy of the vaccine.

He further noted that many quality drugs have originated from experiment at university laboratories, and that it takes a team of dedicated people to do that.

Citing instance with RMRDC, Ademola Fadahunsi, a marketing expert, lamented that Nigerians would prefer imported health kits instead of the ones manufactured here. “If I am an investor, I will not put my money in products Nigerians prefer to be imported because no matter how cheap or quality, they will go for imported ones”, he said.

He noted that the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Ibadan has recorded many feats in agricultural production, agronomy among others, but that a lot of Nigerian farmers and even governments prefer imported seedlings, fertilizers and other incentives.

“When Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Umuahia was a research institute, it recorded many feats that were even exported. Today, you hear less of the institution in terms of breakthroughs. It is sad”, Fadahunsi said.

Aduki noted that the Federal Government should look into Oronsaye Report on the merging of ministries, parastatals, and agencies for efficiency and collapsing moribund ones.

“We have over 20 research institutes across the country and you wonder what they are researching on and we still remain where we are. Government should review Oronsaye Report implement the recommendations to save money, encourage efficiency and productivity,” he said.

While many are calling for better funding of the research institutes, Amos Nnadi, a university don, said that the mindset of most staff of the institutes is wrong.

“Research is a serious thing, but most of the staff of the institutes think they are civil servants. So, if you give them all the funds, they will embezzle it. We need to change their mindset or employ people who know that research is a serious business,” Nnadi said.

According to him, ordinarily, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control should be offering solutions now if they were well funded, but the pandemic made government to focus on them.

He noted that the fire-brigade approach will not work in research because there are procedures to follow if you want good result.

“If you visit Pax Herbals in Ewu, Edo State, you will understand what team work, dedication and research mean. Reverend Father Anselm Adodo set up an international research laboratory that uses natural materials to formulate their drugs, which is working for many. For me, that is breakthrough and more private sector initiatives like this should be encouraged,” he said.

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News

Nigeria’s Interstreet offers technological response to COVID-19 testing MIKE OCHONMA

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nterstreet Biosafety Te c h n o l o g i e s (a division of Interstreet Messenger Limited) has unveiled a new TS Moduletmwhichisapressure test sample collection booth for COVID-19.

Th e n e w a d v a n c e d technology product is a 2-station booth which delivers a sealed, sterile environment for the medical staff, while also ensuring zero direct contact between healthcare professionals and patients.

As a result, no personal protective equipment (PPE) is required by the medic, thus freeing up scarce PPE for other frontline workers.

Having two stations allows for simultaneous sample collection that maximises booth use and delivers optimal return on investment. TS Moduletm is 100 percent designed and manufactured in Nigeria.

A highly advanced technological product, the cabin pressure is always higher than the atmospheric pressure, thereby ensuring that air from outside the booth cannot flow into the booth.

Azuka Ijekeye, managing director and chief executive of Interstreet Biosafety Technologies, said this leaves inside the booth sterile and

the occupants safe from infection.

He said that, a sensor system, designed and developed by the company, monitors the atmospheric conditions within the booth, and a digital screen displays real time readings of booth pressure, temperature, humidity and pressure altitude.

The integrated HVAC system serves to maintain comfortable temperature within the booth as well as balance cabin pressure.

Taking reference from mean sea level (MSL), the TS Moduletm pressurisation system has been carefully designed to ensure optimum positive cabin pressure is constantly maintained with respect to the prevailing ambient pressure.

In the submission of Ijekeye, “The TS Moduletm is 100 percent manufactured in Nigeria, and its production will add jobs at this time of job loss across sectors, while helping to flatten the curve of Covid19 new infections.”

Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e

managing director, “Our team of industrial designers, engineers, programmers and production specialists are all Nigerian, and have taken up the challenge of seeing the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity that must drive our adoption and development of home grown advanced technology.”

Th e b o o t h s c a n b e deployed in federal and state owned hospitals, big clinics and other suitable locations around Nigeria, especially in the hardest hit locations in Lagos, FCT, Kano, Katsina, etc.

With total confirmed COVID-9 cases under 9,000 but rising, the need to continue ramping up testing capability, while guaranteeing the safety of the front line worker, is top priority for the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC).

Ijekeye confirmed that there are more products being developed that will reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medical and laboratory equipment.

COVID-19: Foundation takes sensitisation campaign to A/Ibom rural communities ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

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gainst the backdrop of the rising cases of coronavirus across the country, Shiftlink Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO), has taken its sensitisation campaign to rural communities of Akwa Ibom State.

At the time of filing in this report, Nigeria had close to 9,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with more than 240 deaths and over 2,300 discharged.

In Akwa Ibom State, a 300-capacity isolation centre has been completed for use, according to government sources as the state records over 24 confirmed cases, two deaths and nine cases currently on admission.

The campaign, which included the demonstration of

proper method of hand washing, distribution of face masks and hand sanitisers kicked off in Awa Iman, Onna council area of the state.

According to Andy Kingsely Ukpong, a resource person, the campaign aims at halting the spread of the pandemic in rural communities through proper hygiene and nutrition and targeting at the elderly.

“Since the elderly and the aged are the most vulnerable and susceptible group of people due to underlying aliments, it is important we carry them along significantly and provide rich information to them on how they can avoid getting infected and this can only be achieved through grassroots-centred approach,” Ukpong said, adding that “This COVID-19 pandemic is a public health issue that requires serious

efforts to contend, thus, all hands must be on deck.

“As a public health foundation, we are worried about a possible explosion in the number of confirmed cases, especially among the aged and we do not want that to happen,” he further said.

Ukpong spoke on the importance of healthy nutrition and diet for the elderly and aged people.

He advised that since there was no cure or vaccine for the pandemic yet, it was important people ate healthy in order to boost their immune system in case they are exposed to the virus.

He advocated for the consumption of food items and fruits rich in Vitamin C, while cautioning that for the aged, there are numerous delicacies that should not be found on their menu.

COVID-19: Ogah flags off distribution of palliatives to Abians UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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etermined to cushion the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown on Abians, Uche Ogah, minister of state for Steel and Solid Minerals, has commenced distribution of food items as palliative to Abians.

The items include 20,000 bags of rice ranging from 5kg to 50kg, 1000 bags of 100kg beans, 10,000 cartons of indomie noodles and spaghetti as well as hand sanitizers.

Ogah, while distributing the items at his Onuaku Uturu country home, said he was touched by the economic hardship Abians and residents of the state were passing through as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown which had affected economic activities all over the world.

The 2019 governorship candidate of the All ProgressiveS Congress (APC), who spoke through Kingsley Ugbaja, director-general of his Campaign Organisation, urged Abians not to despair but have confidence in God for his protection against the dreaded pandemic.

He also urged the people to continue to observe all the necessary protocols and personal hygiene against the global pandemic, adding that the scourge was not a death sentence. Ogah noted that the cases of the pandemic were not high in the state but urged the people to be vigilant and comply with government directives towards stemming the spread. He said the palliatives were his personal contribution in the fight against

Ogah

the pandemic, and a way of identifying with the people at this trying time, adding that the gesture would get to every family in the state.

According to him the relief materials would be distributed in batches until it reaches every household particularly the vulnerable groups.

In the meantime, some of the beneficiaries at flag-off of the event include the Christian Association of Nigeria( CAN), Abia State chapter; APC members in all 17 councils in the state, community leaders as well as journalists in the state. Emmanuel Agomuo, the CAN Chairman in the state, who led all the leaders of the five blocs in the Christian body, commended Ogah for the gesture.

He said it was the first time any private individual would be giving out massive palliatives in the state to complement government’s efforts.

The cleric, who promised

equitable distribution of the materials, prayed God to bless the donor, while urging other privileged people in the state to emulate him.

In his response, Obinna Ibe, the Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) thanked the Minister for including journalists on the list of beneficiaries of his stimulus package.

Ibe noted that journalists have been putting their lives on the line as part of those at the front line in the fight against the pandemic, but often neglected.

He said Ogah by this gesture, had encouraged journalists not to relent in their sacrificial services to society.

In the same vein, Ugochukwu Nwankwo, chairman of Abia State Online Media Practitioners Association, thanked Ogah for extending his good gestures to members of the association.

COVID-19: MTN Foundation donates over 70, 000 PPEs to NCDC SEYI JOHN SALAU

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ollowing MTN’s commitment of N500 million to support the acquisition of critical medical supplies for healthcare professionals on the frontlines, the MTN Foundation has delivered a first batch of over 70,000 pieces of essential personal protection equipment to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The consignment includes 30160 masks, 8000 aprons, 2000 pairs of boots, 11,000 disposable gowns, and 20,000 items of protective clothing.

Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, chairman, MTN Foundation said frontline medical staff are

absolutely critical to the fight against COVID-19, hence the communication company is particularly pleased to be able to deliver some protective equipment to help keep them safe while at work.

“As the world responds to this unprecedented crisis, our thoughts and prayers are with all the people and communities affected,” AdelusiAdeluyi said.

According to him, the items were selected in careful consultation with the NCDC and will be used where most needed across the nation.

Adelusi-Adeluyi opined that MTN and the MTN Foundation are providing support at multiple levels in the fight against the pandemic. “...working hard to ensure our employees, our customers, the federal and

state governments and healthcare professionals have the resources they need at this difficult time,” he stated.

Chikwe Ihekweazu, the director general, NCDC while commenting on the donation said, “One of our major priorities in this response, is protecting our frontline health workers and providing the protection that they need to maintain our defences against COVID-19,” he said.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formally know and addressed as Akinola Doris Adejumoke and now wish to know and addressed as Ogundele Doris Adejumoke. And my correct date of birth is 7th of July, 1972 All other document remain vialed. General public please take note.

Sunday 31 May, 2020

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News Wike in 5th year anniversary, points to roads, hospital, school repairs … Laments the pains of coronavirus

…Correction Centre, Motherless Babies Homes, others get food items

Ignatius Chukwu

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o v e r n o r Nyesom Wike of Rivers State marked five years in office and one year in second term on May 29, 2020, with self-praise in the areas of road projects, healthcare, education, and lamentation over the pains of the coronavirus.

In a state-wide broadcast, the governor talked about the year of abnormal times and moments marked by loss of 12 lives to coronavirus.

“In the last six months, the coronavirus has wrought nothing but pain, sorrow and destruction on humankind.

And it is most unfortunate that the speed and vigour of our emergency response measureshavenotsucceeded in stopping this virus from spreading in our state. The reality therefore, is that we mustallaccept tolivewith this virus and its consequences until an effective vaccine is discovered.”

The governor heaped hope on discovery of vaccines and cures but said for now, the solution lies in each person’s hands. “We pray for the quick success for the global search for vaccines and therapeutics, but until

Governor Wike

then, the responsibility is still on every one of us to strictly and effectively comply with the established mitigating measures.

“Regrettably, we have observed that the advisories, directives and regulations on social distancing and the compulsory wearing of face masks are being ignored at alarming proportions in the state, much to our collective discomfort and peril,” he pointed out.

“So, many people are moving about on our streets and into other public places without face masks. We have sighted businesses, including banks and shopping centres attending to customers without face masks or

maintaining physical distancing.

“Wehavealsoseenpeople on our streets buying and selling without face masks or observing social distancing in clear disregard of the ban on clustered trading activities and unauthorised social gatherings,” he further said.

He threatened to return the lockdown if citizens did not adhere to health protocols. “These are all very irresponsible and risky behaviour in the face of the invisible and ravaging pandemic and the enormous threat it poses to public health and the safety of human lives. Those who continue to exhibit or encourage such callous

behaviour or trivialise the fatal power of this virus or still live in denial of its existence are either insane or the worst enemies of mankind,” he said.

On the positive side, the governor mentioned ongoing construction of three flyovers, the coming of the fourth one at the GRA-Mummy Road, and numerous road projects in the state.

He went on: “Apart from roads, we also made significant progress in the last one year on the progressive delivery of healthcare and education infrastructure and services.

The mother and child hospital is virtually completed, fully furnished, equipped and only undergoing necessary testing and preparations for commissioning.

Also completed is the comprehensive health centre at Odiokwu in Ahoada West Local Government Area.

“We fully built, completely equipped and converted the formerBraithwaiteMemorial Hospital to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, which is reckoned as one the best in the country, leading to the accreditation of the programmes of that facility for the training of medical students by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria,” he said.

Lagos arrests 34 dredgers over illegal activities MIKE OCHONMA

T

h e La g o s S t a t e Ministry of Wa t e r f r o n t Infrastructure Development has said that between May 2019 and May 2020, a total of 34 illegal dredgers operating illegal dredging sites as well as dredging illegally for reclamation within the state were arrested and prosecuted by the state taskforce on environment and special offences.

Speaking during the year 2020 ministerial press briefing to commemorate the first year in office of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the governor of Lagos State, Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi, state commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development said that there would be no hiding place for illegal dredgers and that such illegal activity would not be allowed to thrive in the state.

The commissioner said

that his ministry would continue to monitor dredging activities on the Lagos waters to ensure compliance with stipulated dredging laws and health, safety and environmental guidelines of the state during the period under review.

“A total of thirty four (34) illegal dredgers operating illegal dredging sites as well as dredging illegally for reclamation were arrested

Governor Sanwo-olu

COVID-19: ACCIMA donates hand washing machines to Abia govt, Army, Police

and prosecuted by the State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences during the period under review,” he said.

Ab d u l l a h i l a m e n t e d that the illegal dredging activities has continued to bring about a degradation of the shoreline and road infrastructure as well as environmental pollution.

He regretted that the interference of National

Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has prevented the ministry from generating adequate revenue from the dredging activities within the state.

The commissioner called on NIWA to increasingly refocus its attention to its primary mandate which is creating channels for boat navigation on the waterways as against what they are doing now such as land speculators, sand sellers and creating land for property developers.

Despite challenges that the ministry faced in the past one year, the commissioner said that the ministry of waterfront infrastructure development surpassed its 2019 budget by about 300 percent through its assiduousness.

Th e c o m m i s s i o n e r disclosed that plans are also being put in place to achieve a higher revenue record this year even through the ministry`s 2020 budget despite the ravaging effect of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

GODFREY OFURUM, Aba

A

ba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), a city chamber, has donated hand washing machines to Abia State Government, the Army and the Aba Area command of the Nigeria Police, to help contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Abia State.

Th e c h a m b e r a l s o donated food items (rice, beans, tomatoes, noodles and canned fish), soaps and sanitizer to inmates at the Aba Correction Centre, motherless babies’ homes and the needy at different locations in Aba. The aim is to support the state government in its effort at providing for members of the society, especially the less privileged, who need help in these trying times, including those in correction centre, Lawrence Obetta, president, ACCIMA, stated.

He commended the government of Abia State and its ministerial committee onCOVID-19fortheirefforts at containing the coronavirus pandemic in the state, the Army and other security agencies for maintaining law and order in the state.

Obetta , who led ACCIMA delegation to the Government House, Umuahia , where he presented the hand washing machine to Chris Ezem, secretary to Abia State Government (SSG), who is also chairman of Abia Ministerial Committee on COVID-19, states thus, “We are here again to thank the government of Abia state and the state’s inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19 on the efforts they have made so far in containing the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic in Abia State.

“We were here recently to donate food items, soaps and sanitizers to support the committee. We are here again to donate a hand washing machine to the government to boost the campaign of regular washing of hands.

“We want to commend you again for the wonderful work that you are doing in the state. Governor Ikpeazu has remained firm in managing this pandemic within our state. We also learnt that two index positive cases in the state have been managed and discharged, we thank God for that”.

While briefing the SSG on its distribution of palliatives

to the less privileged in Aba and environs, the ACCIMA president also stated that the chamber also donated hand washing machines to the 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia and the Aba area command of the Nigeria Police.

According to him, “The machine we are donating to the state and other agencies of government, was manufactured by a member of the chamber, so the machine is “made-inAba”, it was not imported.

Ezem, in his response, appreciated ACCIMA for the gesture and love for the people of Abia state, describing its commitment to the fight against COVID-19, as unparallel and unequalled.

“You’ve shown much dedication, you’ve shown so much concern, you have devoted your time and professionalism in different aspects and that was what has led to your manufacturing of this hand washing machine.

“I commend you for this selfless effort, I commend you for that display of great statesmanship and show of love, because what you are doing is to bring to bear what you know in the collective effort to fight COVID-19.

Solomon Kumapayi, a brigadier general and commander 14 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ohafia, who was elated at the donation, opined that the machine would boost their efforts at containing the dreaded virus in the barrack.

According to him, “If this pandemic hits the barrack it will spread like wildfire, because we are many and in a cluster. This donation is well appreciated. We are all happy.

He assured that the Army will continue to collaborate with ACCIMA and every other stakeholder in crime fighting, stressing that the chamber of commerce plays critical role in security.

Samuel Anekwe, deputy correctional officer, Aba Correction Centre, while receiving food items from ACCIMA Covid-19 Committee, led by Sir Chris Agbo, thanked the Aba business community for remembering inmates at this time and prayed God to continue to bless them.

Fo r Ud o k a Oh i a g u , manager,Joy-RitaMotherless Babies Home, Abayi, Aba, one of the benefiting homes, explained that the materials will go a long way in supporting the home to cater for the children.

6 BDSUNDAY

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News

How we survived...

Continued from Page 1

Bayo Omoboriwo (r), founder, Bayo Omoboriowo Foundation, handing a food package to Ola Sule in Ibadan, during the Three Crowns Milk intervention programme for low-income families in partnership with NGOs, held in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Two Nigerian students win laurels in science, technology in Singapore UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

T

woNigerianstudents have won medals for distinguishing themselves in an international Science and Invention competition that took place in Singapore.

The two students, Jonathan Anagu Sunday and Yahaya Makun are students of Niger State Teacher Professional Development Centre, Mararraaban Dan-Daudu.

According to Nenschel Chinaka, programme coordinator of FOCAST, an NGO based in Umuahia, Abia State, and a Foundation for Creativity in Agriculture, Science and Technology, the global contest, tagged ‘AsianInvent 2020’ took place between April 3rd and May

14th through online virtual participation as a result of Covid-19.

Chinaka said while briefing select journalists in Umuahia that from many entries by Secondary Schools all over the country, FOCAST selected the best for participation in the global competition.

He said the two projects selected which won the Silver and Bronze medals are: Design and Development of an early warning mechanical flood detecting signals device presented by Anagu Jonathan Sunday which won Silver while Yahaya Makun presented Design and development of an electronic pest control device which garnered him a silver medal also.

The Programme coordinator disclosed that both

students were supervised

by Daniel Yisa, their Science teacher. He further disclosed that 228 entries from around the world, including Canada, Malaysia, Oland, Thailand among others submitted but out of the figure only10 entries participated in the final stage of the contest.

He said Morocco was t he onl y ot her Afri can country that took part in the final stage of the event adding that judging and assessment of projects was carried out by the prestigious European Academy of Science (EAS).

Chinaka noted that the projects developed by the students had economic significance, one of which was the use of electronic devices to control pests instead of chemicals.

COVID-19: Multina stresses importance of brand sharing

M

altina, one o f Ni g e r i a ’s leading malt b r a n d s , has said that its #RamadanWithMaltina campaign was aimed at showing how a brand can show warmth in the coldness of a global pandemic, coronavirus.

“It is aimed at answering the call through sharing, interpreted as a helping hand, prayers, food on the table, drinks to enjoy, knowledge to learn, or a reason to be happy,” it said.

Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e

promoters of the campaign, “The first lesson is never stop sharing; to this end, Maltina has continued on its mission to share happiness across Nigeria, even in the midst of a global pandemic.”

Since the beginning of the Ramadan season, Maltina has been sharing cases of its refreshing malt drink every Friday to consumers at select Mosques and Islamic leaders across Nigeria.

Ap a r t f r o m s h a r i n g free drinks, in a campaign designed to create a ripple effect of sharing across communities and sharing as

much happiness, hope, and joy from one person to others around them, the brand took it further by sharing Maltina care boxes.

It also explained that the sharing was with “with a purpose”, hence Maltina sent care boxes to Muslim influencers, including iconic actors, Ali Nuhu, Rahama Sadau, and Femi Adebayo.

Maltina also shared with celebrated Nigerian artistes like Sound Sultan, Reminisce, Kaffy Shafau, and several others.

The selected influencers across the country from Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, to Kano, were empowered to in turn share the care boxes to people in their communities.

The special Maltina care boxes contained highly nutritious and essential foods like rice, beans, fruits, vegetables, and Maltina drinks. The gifts also bore letters conveying hope and uplifting prayers, capturing the happiness Maltina continues to stand for as a brand.

became so bad that my children and I barely managed to survive the first week of the lockdown after which we started begging for assistance from friends, relatives and neighbours.

The situation became so terrible that I had to join a friend of mine, who is into buying and selling of food stuff. To go into the business, I had to borrow N5,000 from my co-tenant to start the food stuff business.”

Agbor said that she used to join her friends and colleagues also in the business to go to Oyinbo Market to buy the stuff that she sells in the market. “ Th o u g h , w e d o n ’ t usually go to the market everyday because we always alternate it and go every two days. Going to Oyinbo those days used to be very tough because the lockdown made it very difficult for traders like us to move about even when our business was classified under the essential services,” she stated.

Narrating further, she stated that “As early as 4:00am, we would have left home to board the vehicle that usually take us to the market and we also return in group as well because moving in groups does not only bring down the transportation cost but also helps to smoothen the journey especially as regard the several harassments by law enforcement agents. I wasn’t used to such kind of business but I had to feed my children because if I don’t bring money home, there wouldn’t be any food at home to eat.”

Agbor, who stated that at the beginning, it was very tough because the market women (the union) did not allow her to put her table in the market to sell for the reason that she was not a registered member, said that she had to do the necessary things to ensure that food is available for her children.

Agbor’s experience during the five-week of lockdown was not different from what many other women, who depend on daily earnings for survival, told BDSUNDAY. Awoman,whoidentified herself as Comfort, who sells food stuff, said she and her colleagues used to go to Otto Market in EbuteMeta during the lockdown, as early as 3am to buy stocks. She said that they usually chatter a vehicle at exorbitant fare, to take them to the market.

Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e woman, who is in her early 50s, but craved anonymity,

It was very difficult because going to people’s houses was a greater risk to take in terms of contracting COVID-19 because you would not know who the person you are going to make her hair has mingled with in the past but then, I had to feed my family “On one of the days, we were arrested by policemen at Itire Police Station, and we were detained. We were over 20 in number. We were all sent inside the cell.

“My greatest fear was that one could contract the coronavirus there. The policemen did not see the danger in what they were doing. No social distancing, no nothing; we were all lumped inside a tiny cell. We were there from that past 3am to about 10am when they moved us to Yaba, where we bailed ourselves.

From that day, I decided I was not going to go to Otto Market again until the lockdown was over.

So, I continued to manage the little things I had in my shop. It was a traumatic experience for all of us.”

“Come to think of it, these are all women, struggling to provide for their families at a time most of our husbands were either out of job, or at home due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

We heard that government shared palliatives, but it did not get to us. It was sad that trying to fend for ourselves and our families was now viewed as a crime by the police. It made me to think about what a country we are in. That experience will remain a sad memory all the days of my life,” she further said.

On her part, a hair stylist, who identified herself as Iya Bolu, told BDSUNDAY that surviving the lockdown was not easy at all because the Lagos State Government did not allow beauty salons to open even up till this moment.

“After staying at home for the first two weeks, I was forced to find a way to survive because my three children, myself and my husband, who were virtually doing nothing, had to feed. First, I started going to people’s houses to render home service to my customers if they call me on phone to come and make their hair,” Iya Bolu stated.

According to her, “It was very difficult because going

to people’s houses was a greater risk to take in terms of contracting COVID-19 because you would not know who the person you are going to make her hair has mingled with in the past but then, I had to feed my family.

“With home service, I was now able to earn money little by little to be able to feed my family. The major thing is that before going to people’s houses, I try as much as possible to wear face mask, distance myself from the next person and make it a point of duty to wash my hand immediately I finish with the customer.”

Another trader, who gave her name as Mama Ejima told BDSUNDAY that she used to go to Mile 12 Market in Lagos to buy baskets of tomatoes, which she sells wholesale to retailers in Ikotun Market.

But during the lockdown, it became very difficult to go to Mile 12 everyday due to the scarcity of commercial vehicles. She resorted to calling her ‘Alhaji supplier’ to waybill the tomatoes to her.

“Depending on waybill wasn’t easy for me because one would pay money to the supplier, who would send goods of his choice to you and it takes like two days before the goods would get to you. By the time it arrives, the tomatoes would no longer be the same; that is after buying it at a very expensive amount. Before lockdown, one would go to the market, buy goods of excellent choice and come back with them. I managed to do the waybill method few times and it nearly put me in debt. That was why I was forced to stop,” said Mama Ejima.

She stated that when she was forced to stop buying from her Alhaji supplier in Mile 12 Market, she started buying smaller basket from the Mallams around and resells to customers.

“That was how my family and I survived during the lockdown,” she said.

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Inside Lagos

7

LASG to supply 20, 000 prepaid meters to communities

…sets to activate street lights on 39,000 major roads JOSHUA BASSEY

O

ver 20,000 households in some communities across Lagos are to benefit from free prepaid electricity meters being executed by the state government.

The government is also to activate street lighting across all major streets in the state. This will see to the reactivation of all damaged and vandalised streetlights in different parts of the metropolis.

The metering, according to Lere Odusote, commissioner for energy and mineral resources, is planned not only to connect the communities to the national grid, but also to relief residents of the burden of estimated billing by the electricity distribution companies operating in Lagos. There are two distribution companies in the state- Ikeja Electric (IE)

R-L: Quadri Odusote, commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources; Ganiyu Ayuba, special adviser, Physical Planning and Urban Development; Idris Salako, commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development; Lola Akande, commissioner for Commerce and Industry; and Oladele Ajayi, special adviser, Commerce and Industry, during year 2020 Ministerial Press Briefing today at JJT Park Alausa, Ikeja-Lagos.

and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).

Both have been unable to provide prepaid meters for a larger chunk of their cus-

Lagos arrests 34 dredgers over illegal activities MIKE OCHONMA

L

agos State ministry of waterfront and infrastructure development says it arrested 34 persons operating illegal dredging sites between May 2019 and May 2020.

The suspects, the ministry added have been prosecuted by the state taskforce on environment and special offences.

Speaking during the 2020 ministerial press briefing, Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi, commissioner for waterfront infrastructure development, said there would be no hiding place for illegal dredging activities in the state in the quest of the current administration of the state towards putting in place a safe and decent environment.

The commissioner said that his ministry would continue to monitor dredging activities on the Lagos waters to ensure compliance with stipulated dredging laws and health, safety and environmental guidelines of the state during the period under review.

Abdullahi lamented that, the illegal dredging activities within the state water-bodies, enabled by the indiscriminate activities of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has continued to bring about a degradation of the shoreline and road infrastructure as well

as environmental pollution.

He regretted that, the result of the interference of NIWA has prevented the ministry from generating adequate revenue from the dredging activities within the state.

The commissioner called on NIWA to increasingly refocus its attention to its primary mandate which is creating channels for boat navigation on the waterways as against what they are doing now as land speculators, sand sellers and creating land for property developer.

Despite challenges that the, it faced in the past one year, the commissioner said that, the ministry of waterfront infrastructure development surpassed its 2019 budget by about 300 percent through its assiduousness.

The commissioner disclosed that plans were also being put in place to achieve a higher revenue record this year even through the ministry`s 2020 budget despite the ravaging effect of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

He maintained that the ministry under the current administration is committed to the provision of infrastructure and services at the Lagos State waterfront by harnessing resources to ensure well protected environment, which is attractive to tourists and observers.

tomers, leaving them to writhe in burden of ‘crazy’ electricity bills even as supply nationwide remains poor and erratic.

The meters would ensure that the communities pay the value of their consumption as against the current situation where the Discos

slam estimated bills on their faces with or without supply and insist on payment.

Odusote, at a session with journalists to mark the first anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in office, said the installation of the meters would be in phases, starting with low income meters.

To ensure this succeeds, the state government would be partnering with the distribution and generation companies, while also seeking innovative solutions to facilitate the local production of affordable meters “The governor approved the procurement and installation of 20,000 units of prepaid energy meters for communities in Lagos State. Electricity distribution franchising arrangement has been concluded with electricity distribution companies.

Collaboration arrangement with a leading smart metering solution company- Elsewedy Electric on meter supply to target low income communi-

ties has being firmed up,” said Odusote.

The commissioner said his ministry was also reactivating public lighting with the replacement of all damaged lighting poles and high voltage pressure light with led light across 39,000 major streets in the state.

He further noted that the state was working on policy guidelines to promote the commercialisation and industrialisation of gas for residential, commercial and automobile usage in line with the clean energy initiative of the Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

He disclosed that the government was also leveraging local capacity towards improving electricity distribution and monitoring as well as identified transmission infrastructure challenges across Lagos while engagement with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on prioritising requisite upgrade had since begun.

10 km Lekki regional road will be built despite economic crunch - Official JOSHUA BASSEY

T

he proposed 10 km Lekki regional road would be undertaken by the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu notwithstanding the economic challenges thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lagos State government has assured.

Plunge in the prices of crude at the international market, which forms Nigeria’s major foreign exchange earner, as well as sliding internally generated revenue (IGR) due to the lockdown of the economy to contain the

spread of COVID-19, have made it difficult for government at different levels to meet up their obligations and hamper the commencement and delivery of some projects.

The Lagos State government for example, last week, announced a review of its 2020 budget, slashing it by 21 percent from N1.169 trillion earlier approved by the House of Assembly and signed into effect by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to N920.5 billion, citing the impact the of COVID-19 as the major reason.

Bu t n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g this, the state government is hopeful to push through its proposed Lekki regional

road. The special adviser to the government on works and infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye, who spoke with journalists last week, said the government would embark on the proposed multi-billion naira project.

The 10 km road is designed to spans Victoria Garden City (VGC) scheme 1, connecting Ikate Elegushi, Ikota, Chevron Drive, Ajiran, Pinnock Beach Estate, Gracefield Island, and Orange Island, up to Freedom Road to Freedom Way at Lekki.

The road when undertaken and completed would ease the heavy congestion currently being experienced around the

Lekki axis and as well further attract investments to the area.

According to Adeoye, the road upon completion would serve as an alternative to the Lekki-Epe Expressway, which is presently the only road serving the Lekki sub-region, connecting directly to the Osborne/Third Mainland Bridge corridor.

In the Sanwo-Olu’s T. H. E. M. E agenda in which the T stands for transportation & traffic management, we look at pothole, gridlock and how we can ease the traffic,” Adeyoye said, adding that the introduction of Lagos ferry service, was also to ease traffic on the road.

LAMATA approves increase in passengers, 2 fare zones for BRT JOSHUA BASSEY

R

egulated high capacity buses in Lagos operated by Primero Transport Services Limited, operator of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme, and Lagos Bus Services Limited, can now carry 42 passengers seated and no standing, Lagos State government has announced.

The announcement followed a review of its earlier order which limited commuter occupancy to 21 passengers but still ensures that occupancy is not more than 60 per cent

of bus passenger capacity. The review took effect from Friday, May 29, 2020.

Abimbola Akinajo, managing director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the regulator of the BRT system, said the government has also approved two fare zones for BRT services. Bus services between Ikorodu and Fadeyi will attract a fare of N300 and trips beyond Fadeyi will attract N500.

She explained that the decision to establish the fare zones was taken following extensive consultation with stakeholders, majority of whom are those who use regulated bus services

daily.

She stated that operators must ensure that passengers wear facemasks at all times, sanitise their hands with alcohol-based sanitiser or wash with soap under running water before and after each trip.

Besides, she said passengers’ temperature must be measured before being allowed entry into the buses.

Operators would be expected to disinfect their vehicles, and depots regularly and continuously.

She said operators must ensure bus terminals and bus stops are not overcrowded with passengers and com-

mercial activities, at any point in time, in line with the social distancing protocol for passengers queuing to board buses.

Akinajo said operators and their staff are mandated to always wear personal protective equipment while in transit and dispose non-reusable ones appropriately.

Akinajo said passengers may report any operator that failed to comply with the guidelines to the monitoring officer at sight, call LAMATA on 09099-LAMATA (09099526282) or write to LAMATA stating the vehicle registration number, its unique code, time of incident and location.

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Inspiring a greater Lagos

Frank Aigbogun

editor Zebulon Agomuo DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGY, INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS Oghenevwoke Ighure ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude FINANCE MANAGER Emeka Ifeanyi 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

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Sunday 31 May 2020

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MANAGING DIRECTOR Dr. Ogho Okiti

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Tayo Ogunbiyi Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

H

ow time flies! The Babajide Olusola SanwoOlu administration is a year old. No doubt, the past one year has been an intriguing experience for both the government and the people.

Through a combination of strategic thinking and pro-active engagements, the administration has positively impacted on the lives of Lagosians.

The socio-economic landscape of the State from May 2019 till date has been positively altered by the T.H.E.M.E.S (acronyms for Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21ST Economy, Entertainment and Tourism and Governance and Security) agenda of the current administration, which was espoused to inspire a ‘Greater Lagos’.

Considering its conviction that the entrenchment of a well-oiled social security system is essential for the evolvement of a better society, the Sanwo-Olu administration

has put in place several innovative strategies to address the fears of the people in varied scopes.

Thus, from the ‘BOSKOH Health Mission’ to the ‘Thought for Snacks’ initiative to ‘Sanwo-Olu Cares’ and many other such people-friendly initiatives, the narrative has been that of consistent acts of benevolence to the people.

With the strong impact of the inventive EKO EXCEL training programme, the landscape of public education has been radically altered in the State. An acronym for, “Excellence in Child Education and Learning”, the EKO EXCEL programme is designed to reposition public education in the State and improve method of teaching to meet demands of the 21st century.

In its resolve to develop public education in the State, the current administration also introduced programmes and initiatives such as the home grown feeding for primary school pupils, school rehabilitation, Public-Private-Partnership dialogue, recruitment of 3,000 teachers in public primary and secondary schools and improved welfare schemes for teachers, just to mention but a few.

Farmers have benefitted from partnership with the State Government programme of decentralizing access to inputs such as fertilizer and seedlings as well as access to training in new farming, processing, storage and marketing techniques.

In a record act, 492 allotees received keys to the Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande Gardens, a proof

that the rent-to-own scheme of the administration is on course. More opportunities have been created for more residents to own houses as four new housing schemes at Igbogbo, Lekki and Badagry have been commissioned.

A network of 30 roads was commissioned at a go in Ojokoro LCDA. 1,017 new LASTMA officers were inducted and deployed to manage traffic at strategic locations across the State. Eight new state-of-theart ferries were commissioned on 4th February to boost water transportation.

The historic completion of the Continuous Beam Bridge for the Sea-Crossing of the Lagos Rail Line Project at Marina, Lagos effectively signaled the renewal of efforts towards intermodal transport system.

It is quite important to stress that in all its plans, policies, programmes and activities, the people is at the core of every move of the administration.

Thus, as it repairs and enlarges roads, builds hospitals, clears the drains, invests in intermodal transport, empowers more residents, creates more opportunities for economic enhancement and valiantly confronts the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, the foremost drive of the administration has always been to improve the lots of the people.

This is not really surprising, considering the people-centric philosophy of the administration that safeguarding the interest of the people must always be the driving

force of government.

This is because of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s conviction that the citizens are the bedrock of democracy. Consequently, the State government has never derided itself of having the monopoly of knowledge with regards to finding the right solutions to the myriad of challenges in the State.

It has, therefore, consistently thrown its doors open to divergent opinions and views from various sources. As a people’s government, the Sanwo-Olu administration has established an effective communication strategy between the government and the citizenry.

This is quite fundamental in view of Mr. Governor’s promise to Lagosians that the core of his government’s policies will be defined by their needs. Consequently, it is apparent that the profound promise to mobilize resources to better the lot of the vulnerable is well on course.

The visible achievements of the administration in terms of infrastructure development, quality health care delivery, environmental regeneration, employment generation, upliftment of the youth, upgrading of public infrastructure, provision of security, entrenchment of law and order among others, have created a sense of relief among Lagosians and, indeed, Nigerians that, at last, they have a government that is capable of delivering enduring positive change, which they have for long been clamouring for.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD 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

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9

Politics 21 years of democratic experiment: Whither Nigeria?

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ZEBULON AGOMUO

ast Friday, Nigeria did not witness the usual razzmatazz that hallmarks the celebration of Democracy Day in the country. The reasons are two-folds: The celebration has been moved to June 12, and the coronavirus pandemic was also a factor.

What was not lacking was a gale of congratulatory and goodwill messages on the pages of newspapers, which reminded one and all that the spirit of May 29 is still very much active in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari, had, with a stroke of the pen on June 6, 2018, pronounced June 12 of every year as the Democracy Day. Until last year since 2000, the day was marked on every May 29.

May 29 became a public holiday in Nigeria following the return of the country to civil rule. It was also a day President Olusegun Obasanjo administration was inaugurated and the reins of power were transferred to him from General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

June 12 was the day Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO) presumably won the presidential election. Abiola, however, died on July 7, 1998 after the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, had detained him on charges of alleged treason.

Every May 29 affords political office holders, particularly elected president and governors, the opportunity to present their score cards to Nigerians for assessment. However, over the years, there has been a gulf between what is claimed as good performance by government and public perception.

Analysts speak in tandem that the date (May 29 or June 12) should not bury what should be the real essence of the day.

Over the years, Democracy Day has been reduced to a day of merriment and squandermania without genuine reflection on the poor state of the nation and the squalid nature of living of greater percentage of citizens.

The question on the lips of many Nigerians is to what extent their lives have been positively impacted in the last 21 years?

Except those in the corridors of power, the consensus opinion is that majority of citizens have become poorer today than they were in 1999. The country itself has sunken deeper into the mire of hopelessness than it was when the country returned to civil rule 21 years ago.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic that is ravaging many countries of the world, Nigeria inclusive, elected office holders at the federal and state levels, last Friday, engaged in chestbeating exercise over their performances in office.

The Presidency also rolled out a list of acclaimed achievements in the last five years of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. There have been divergent views, however, on the progress of Nigeria, not just in the last one or five years, but since the return of the country to civil rule in 1999.

In a release to the media, titled, ‘President Buhari’s strides in five years,’ Femi Adesina, senior special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said: “Between May 29, 2015, when it was inaugurated for the first term, and now, the Buhari administration has made salutary impact in almost all the facets of Nigerian life.”

According to him, “Agriculture has been given a fillip, manufacturing has got a shot in the arm, and solid minerals are contributing

President Muhammadu Buhari

a large chunk to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The country is very close to food security, with rice, beans, maize, millet, and all sorts of grain no longer imported. We now eat what we grow.”

In an attached five-year fact sheet of the Buhari administration, the presidency said that the work of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (inaugurated

by President Buhari in August 2016) and the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) has resulted in Nigeria moving up 39 places on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings since 2016. In the last three years, Nigeria has twice been adjudged one of 10 Most Improved Economies in the rankings, it said.

For Doing Business 2020, the 10 top improvers are Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Togo, Bahrain, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, China, India and Nigeria. For 2018, the top 10 were El Salvador, Djibouti, India, Malawi, Brunei Darussalam, Kosovo, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Zambia and Nigeria.

The document further said the Finance Act, 2019 is the first time Nigeria is accompanying the passage of a budget with complementary fiscal and business environment reforms legislation. The 2020 budget is also the first time in 12 years that a federal budget has been restored to the January-December cycle.

Our checks show the last time Nigeria had a Jan-Dec budget cycle was 12 years ago. However, the passage of budget accompanied by a Finance Act is new only since transition to civilian rule in 1999.

Another achievement of the Buhari administration, according to the document, is the Renminbi-Naira Swap Agreement between the Peoples Bank of China and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

On April 27, 2018, the CBN signed a threeyear bilateral currency swap agreement with the Peoples Bank of China (PBoC), worth Chinese Yuan (CNY) 15 billon – equivalent to N720.00 billion or US$2.5 billion.

Other achievements of the Buhari administration, according to the document, include

the issuance of Nigeria’s first Diapsora bond in the international capital market, a US$300 million bond with a tenor of five years which proceeds were used to part-finance the 2017 budget. The bond was oversubscribed by 130 percent.

It also listed CBN’s policies and directives, which led to the fall of Treasury Bill rates – which represent domestic borrowing costs for the Government –from 16-18 percent per annum in 2017 to 2-6 percent per annum in 2019/2020.

Last year, CBN banned non-bank local investors from the OMO market, which caused rate on NTBs to fall significantly lower than OMO bills effectively lowering domestic borrowing cost for FG. Laolu Akande, senior special adviser to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, who spoke on a television programme Friday, monitored by BDSUNDAY, said that the democratic experience had given Nigerians the opportunity to determine what happens to them. He also said that the current administration has been able to establish a political culture for people to own the process.

According to him, for the first time, government has made a conscious effort to ensure that the resources of state are used for the welfare of the people.

“For the first time, the resources of Nigeria are being spent on the people,” he said. He also claimed that the N-Power programme had positively impacted over 500,000 people; the conditional cash transfer has touched millions of Nigerians, and that the school feeding programme had benefitted between nine and 10 million children.

Vincent Nwani, a Business and Investment consultant, however, believes that although the Federal Government may have good intentions in its programmes, it has failed to deliver them well.

According to Nwani, there is a huge difference, between intentions and actions.

“You just don’t look at efforts but results.

If you go out there and ask questions, I don’t think Nigerians are better off today than they were in 2015. Nigerians are poorer today

than they were in 2015,” he said.

Supporting his claim with data, Nwani said that the nation’s GDP is not strong as it has continued to oscillate between I and 2 percent. He insists that Nigeria must emulate her peers by growing at double-digit.

He also said that despite the good intention of the government to ensure that it achieves about 10,000 megawatts of power generation; Nigeria is still doing 4,000 megawatts with far less amount of that in distribution.

He noted that the country’s currency has continued to grow weaker, exchanging for between 380 and 450, as against N195 in 2015.

Nwani further said that inflation and unemployment rates have both trended higher than before. According to him, even though Nigeria has made marginal improvement, “it is not as strong as government intended.”

Rufus Okey, a Computer analyst, who spoke with BDSUNDAY, said: “I listened to Laolu Akande on Sunrisedaily programme of Channels Television saying that the present government had lowered the price of fertilizer from N11,000 (Eleven thousand naira) to N5,000, and that through Anchor Borrowers Scheme a lot of Nigerians had been positively impacted.

“But Akande did not tell us how many Nigerians lost their farms or were driven away from farming by the rampaging killer Fulani herdsmen. Across the country, many farmers deserted their farms on account of incessant attacks by herdsmen. You cannot be talking about crashing the price of fertilizer, when the same government closed its eyes on the activities of killer herdsmen and kidnappers that scared Nigerians away from faming.”

According to Okey, “He also talked about Social safety net; the question is; how many Nigerians benefit from some of these interventions? A larger percentage of Nigerians are not captured. Look at the simple COVID-19 palliatives; how many Nigerians got anything? It became a controversial political tool to further divide Nigerians or rather to show how divided the country is. Government may have good intentions, but they are not properly implemented. They are not striking the right chord.”

A political affairs commentator who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Nigeria has degenerated to a point that the people no longer determine who leads them through the power of ballot. At 21, the country has become a headquarters of electoral fraud.

Fraudulent polls have been institutionalised, whereby voters are chased away on the election day; thugs are hired to wreak havoc on voters who dare to go to the polling units, and ballot boxes are carted away or burnt, depending on instructions from their sponsors. Today, people know the outcome of elections before they are even fixed. Elections in Nigeria have lost credibility.

“So, when presidential aides talking about Nigerian people now having the power to determine the process, I begin to wonder if they had been aliens or if they were not in the country during the 2019 general election.

“For me, we are not better in terms of democratic or political culture than we were a decade ago. And it pains me silly that we have not learnt anything. How can we learn when those who should lead the process of change in that process are hiding behind their finger?”

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Sunday 31 May 2020

Politics Ondo, Edo guber: What direct primary may mean for Akeredolu, Obaseki …No shaken, Edo governor insists Iniobong Iwok

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s preparation for the gubernatorial elections in Ondo and Edo State gathers momentum, political gladiators in the camps of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the two states have intensified alignment and realignment of forces ahead of the parties’ primaries.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that the timetable for both gubernatorial elections slated for September 19 in Edo and Saturday 10th October, 2020 for Ondo State remain sacrosanct.

The Commission last Monday released document on the conduct of both elections in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that both elections would go ahead but voters must compulsorily use face masks.

Meanwhile, in both states the incumbent governors have indicated interest to stand for re-election. In Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki whose election comes first, however, appears to face an uphill task to clinch the APC ticket based on events in the state in recent time and the turmoil in the state chapter of the APC which had led to its fragmentation into two camps, with a faction loyal to the governor and the other to Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the party whose relationship with Obaseki, his presumed political godson, is said to have gone sour.

The situation is said to be same in Ondo State, where Governor Rotimi Akeredolu is said to have been having a running battle with some leaders of the party both in the state and at the national level.

The crisis in Ondo APC allegedly led to the party losing the state to the opposition PDP in the 2019 presidential election, while also losing several state and federal legislative seats to the PDP. The leaders of the APC in the state had accused Akeredolu of working for the opposition, and ahead of the party’s primary there are strong indications that these forces within the party are bent on working against him from securing the second term ticket of the broom party.

Akeredolu has on several occasions dared the leadership of the party on his ambition, boasting that APC would lose Ondo State if the ticket is not given to him.

Meanwhile, the APC has announced its intention to use the direct primary method to elect its gubernatorial candidates in both states.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party after a meeting recently said the direct primary option would first be used for the Edo State governorship primary slated for June 22, 2020.

A direct primary is a system where all the registered members of the party openly vote for who they want to be the flag-bearer of their party. Unlike the indirect primary, where only delegates are involved, a representative type of voting, direct method involves every registered party member like in a general election.

The APC had in 2019 general election adopted direct primaries in choosing their gubernatorial candidates in Osun and Lagos

Adams Oshiomhole

Godwin Obaseki

Rotimi Akeredolu

States.

Although the 2010 Electoral Act allows for either of the two processes, Nigeria’s major political parties have often opted for indirect primaries since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

It is believed that the direct method has been discovered to serve as a whip in the hands of national leaders of the party, to punish any member considered to be unyielding. A former Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode was denied a return ticket by means of direct primary method.

Indirect method used to give the incumbents the edge as they banked on the votes of all their aides, members of the cabinet, and hangers-on to populate the venue and smile home with victory. But direct method is at the instance of organizers of the primary election, who most of the time, have a pre-determined result.

In recent years, political observers have criticised the indirect method, saying that it is often easily manipulated by politicians, party leaders and delegates.

And even though the vote does not bind delegates to support a particular candidate, they are sometimes expected to align with constituency or party.

Jhon Bayeshia, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and political commentator, believes that the reason for the adoption of the direct primary method by the APC was to satisfy the interest of few individuals, while accusing the party of double standard.

“The APC is guilty of double standard; what happens is, they would use the direct primary method for somebody they want to knock out and indirect primary method for someone they want to retain. That is my view and that is what I have discovered,” he said.

According to him, “In recent times, there is no transparency in the system; when you set out to knock someone out it would always be suspicious, whatever is done is with prejudice and malice; there is no transparency.

“We saw that in Lagos State the way Akinwunmi Ambode was humiliated out of the system; so, he had to comply because he did not want to be killed. I just think it is not done with good intentions; we have seen that in recent times.”

Ayo Kusamotu, a lawyer and political analyst, however, expressed optimism in the direct primary method, saying that it was better than imposition of candidate and forcing a candidate to step down, stressing that the process could work better if the party had a strong data base of its members and good organisational structure.

“The direct primary method to me is difficult to organise than the indirect primary; the party would need to have a data base of its members across board to be able to organise such primary well. I also think it is easy to manipulate,” he said.

According to Kusamotu, “If they can keep record and have good organisational structure, it is better than imposition of candidate on the people and the party by some leaders, asking candidates to step down like we do here.”

Speaking recently, the immediate past national chairman of the APC, John OdigieOyegun equally raised concern about the quality and transparency of the direct primary election that will produce the candidate, saying that the primary could determine the fate of the APC. “Transparency must start with the guidelines as to how the primary elections will be conducted. This is yet to be issued, even though dates have been announced. The nature of the primary election in Edo State will determine the shape and survival of APC as a political party. It will show Nigerians and, indeed, the world whether APC is a party of truth, change and progress, driven by the principles of fairness, social justice and equity, or if it has become a party that believes and promotes business as usual,” he said.

According to him, “Given the widelyknown peculiarities of Edo State, if a consensus cannot be built behind the incumbent, everything must be done to ensure that the persons in leadership of the party at the centre who are part of the contrived crisis in Edo State must not even remotely be allowed to plan, participate or supervise; the primary should be seen even by the blind man, to be free and fair, otherwise, there would be political consequences.

Allowing any member(s) of the national leadership who have been involved in the contrived crisis in Edo State would equate

making such person or persons a judge or judges in their own case. This is contrary to the principle of natural justice and will be naturally resisted.”

Also recently, Odigie-Oyegun, in an advertorial published in some national newspapers said he was aware that President Muhammadu Buhari had endorsed that the two governors should be given right of first refusal.

“I also welcome most warmly the news that President Buhari has firmly endorsed the agreement reached to settle the disruptive leadership crisis at the national level that was threatening the very existence of the APC. “The immediately relevant part of the agreement was that both Governors Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki of Edo State and Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu (SAN) of Ondo State have performed creditably and should be returned unless they do not so wish. This means that the party, in unity, should organise to support the return of both governors,” he said.

The former party chairman however, said: “Our democracy, of course, has no room for imposition; so, the party must accept and also present members that offer themselves to serve in the positions being occupied by the incumbent governors”.

No shaken, Edo governor insists Despite the decision of his party to adopt direct primary method, Obaseki has said he was confident of emerging victorious in the exercise.

He anchored his faith in divine intervention, saying that with God’s intervention, his victory as the party’s candidate was unstoppable irrespective of the method that would be used in conducting the governorship primary election.

“It doesn’t matter whether direct or indirect, I will win because I am on ground and we know what we have done; we know the amount of work we have done for our people in Edo.” “As long as He (God) is alive, and wants me to continue, then I will. No man can stop me; power comes from God. It does not matter whether it is direct or indirect primary election, I will win,” he reiterated.

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11

Politics Igbo presidency as quid pro quo UCHE OKWUKWU

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ifty years after the civil war; fifty years after Ndigbo rightly or wrongly believed they have been marginalised and persecuted in Nigeria, it becomes morally incumbent on the rest of Nigerians to make concession to them so that the land can be healed and this negative perception addressed. This is particularly so considering that we are dealing with a greater percentage of Igbos who never witnessed the war; but who hang on to the stories that we were hated and not allowed to rule because we went to war against the rest of the country. If you concede the presidency to a Nigerian of Igbo extraction then this will right the perceived wrong against the Igbo.

To get it right, Ndigbo must be proactive because nobody gives you power. You must take practical steps to get it. The first thing Ndigbo must do to recover power is to support the government and policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC), government of President Muhammadu Buhari. It is manifestly clear and predictable that the APC will win the 2023 presidential election. There is no alternative to the APC. Secondly, Buhari is larger than life. He is now a metaphor. You can’t rule the country without his name particularly in the North West. Of course, you can’t deal with the APC in the South West without the support of Asiwaju Ahmed Bolaji Tinubu. Tinubu has a firm control of his constituency working with great minds like Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Bisi Akande, Ogbeni Rauf Arigbesola, Babatunde Fashola, etc.

Why I’m saying this is for the Igbo to support Buhari and the policies of the APC because the party will win the 2023 elections.

Nobody gives you mark in an examination you did not write. So, we must be part of the APC to participate in the examination, being the presidential primary. We can always say, look we have been part of the programmes of this party and therefore, must be allowed to produce the presidential candidate in 2023.

Another condition precedent for 2023 is that Ndigbo must support the APC in the Anambra State 2021 gubernatorial election.

We must see to it that the APC wins. Of the 95 Local Governments Areas in Igboland, Imo State has 27. Anambra has 21; bringing the two states to 48 LGAs. From the other three states we have 47 LGAs with Ebonyi 13, Enugu 17 and Abia 17. If we win Anambra with 21 LGAs and with Imo already gone, we can now approach the APC and say, we’ve already given you 48 LGAs chairmen and 48 Assembly members. Please, on moral ground, give us the presidency because we are stakeholders.

In politics, number matters. You can’t come to a party and be asking for presidential ticket when in your constituency you have nothing. The circumstances that produced President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 were different from what obtains today. Nigerians sat down and said that because of June 12, to heal the wound in the land, concede the presidency to the Yoruba.

But it is not the same scenario now. Ndigbo have the opportunity to join the right party that can give us the presidency. If we fail to do that others will join and take it. That is my argument.

Quote me; the APC will survive beyond 2023. The fear of it being deliberately collapsed to pave way for a new platform is baseless. A leader is equal to the organisation he leads; just as an organisation is a true reflection of its leader. The leader of APC, President Buhari, is no longer human in terms

Nnia Nwodo, president-general, Ohanaeze Ndigbo

of the ordinary. He’s an institution. When he contested before 2019, he was fighting from a disadvantaged position. But today he has everything capable of making a man win an election: Capacity to fund election, neutral INEC and entire security institutions.

Prospects of Igbo Presidency The Igbo president should continue with the campaign against corruption initiated by the present government. He must never take state funds to buy choice properties in Dubai and London while Nigerians are pulverised by poverty. The abuse of public office should be checked. Since he’s the reference point for others to emulate, we expect him to dematerialise his soul while spiritualising his conscience.

Industrialisation must be prioritised to create massive employment capable of reducing tensions in the land. Anger, killings and frustration will reduce. You cannot talk about moving Nigerians forward without cheap and constant energy. The Nigerian president of Igbo extraction must be quick latching on renewable energies. Different energies for different parts of Nigeria. Hydro energy for those with access to big rivers.

Wind corridors for those near the Atlantic Ocean and Sahara Desert. Solar energy for those in the far North. That is creativity.

He must develop our teaching hospitals to enviable standards to reverse expensive medical tourism. Our universities must be able to offer certain courses not presently available in Nigeria and encourage our lecturers abroad to come home. The Igbo president must pursue the fundamentals of international cooperation by opening his doors to friendly nations to help us. We need to develop fast without compromising standards. Critical infrastructure must be provided across the country and not done on the basis of nepotism or party consideration.

But the Igbo president must not be prejudiced by events of the past otherwise he would shoot himself in the foot from the beginning. This is because while hunting for a perceived enemy someone else will hunt him. At times where there are no enemies we mistakenly create one. The Igbo have no enemy and so none must wake up one morning and create one. He must have a broad mindset to love humanity and fear God.

Uche Okwukwu

Role of Ohanaeze Delegates to the Ohanaeze 2020/2021 general elections must be courageous to elect a broad-minded Igbo as our next PresidentGeneral. We want an Igbo who will not in the pursuit of personal interests undermine the Igbo interests in the short run, long run or the very long run. Without mincing words, all the steps Nnia Nwodo took as president of Ohanaeze were meant to undermine the interests of Ndigbo.

Nwodo’s hatred for Buhari is traceable to 2003 when the latter declined to make him a running mate. Buhari chose the effervescent Senate President Chuba Okadigbo instead.

For that Nwodo as Ohanaeze president refused to work with Buhari to the great

OPINION disadvantage of Ndigbo. Buhari asked Ohanaeze to submit the name of a sixth state for creation in the South East. The Professor Chigozie Ogbu-led Ohanaeze Committee on State Creation recommended Aba State for creation but Nwodo refused to submit this recommendation to Buhari.

Our envisaged Ohanaeze President should be realistic enough to know that there are things you don’t achieve through war but diplomacy, arbitration and mediation. This is democracy. Nobody will listen to you if you say you want to go to war. People will tell you to go and sort things out amicably. You can’t say that in Nigeria today, with all the people and infrastructure, you want to go to war. The world will ignore you as not-deep-enough in reasoning.

The next president of Ohanaeze must be calm, resourceful and intelligent. He must be a consummate negotiator, capable of engaging other groups and nationalities to back Igbo presidency. His language and body language, we pray, would show the world that we’ve gotten one who will represent our interests and speak for us. And with God on our side, we’ll get Igbo presidency come 2023.

Possible candidates I said that the APC will win the 2023 presidential election; meaning that possible candidates for Igbo presidency will be those in APC. We look forward to having three

Igbo governors on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) moving to the APC. That will broaden the space for the emergence of APC in Igboland and emergence of Igbo presidency from APC. Even so, our definition of Igbo includes the Igbanke of Edo. The Ikwerres, Etches, Egbemas, Ekpeyes, etc, of Rivers are all Igbos.

Ndigbo would be happy to have a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction who comes from the South-South or South East.

All the Igbo shining stars in APC are qualified to be president. Senator (Dr) Chris Ngige, former governor of Anambra State and two-time minister, stands out as one of our very best candidates. Senator Ngige, the wonder man who turned around a failed Anambra State, remains unrivaled as cerebral federal legislator serving as Vice Chairman of 7th Senate Committee on Power, Metallurgy and Steel Development.

Ogbonnaya Onu, former governor, twotime minister and a leading pioneer of APC, is qualified. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former governor, Speaker, Chairman of Conference of Speakers, Chairman of Governors’ Forum and two-time minister, is qualified.

Chief Hope Uzodinma, former Senator of the Federal Republic and present governor of Imo, has lofty credentials fit for the highest office. Also qualified is Senator Rochas Okorocha, former Adviser to President Obasanjo, two-time governor of Imo and Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum.

Ken Nnamani, former Senate President and chieftain of APC, will serve meritoriously.

Ndigbo have more than enough qualified candidates for 2023.

We must be able to tell Nigerians, these are our sons and daughters who did their party and country proud. You should be able to pick whom you can work with. But if Nigerians say, oh the Igbo want to show that they have sense. We shall tell them to take the sense and give us Igbo presidency.

Nigerians did that in 1999. They took the sense and gave the Yoruba the presidency.

That was how President Obasanjo emerged.

In their own sense, let Nigerians give us a Nigerian president who is an Igbo and we shall be happy.

• Dimm Uche Okwukwu is Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. Email: uokwukwu@ yahoo.com. Phone: 080 3708 7483.

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Sunday 31 May, 2020

NewsFeature Parents, children in anxious wait for school resumption Continued from Page 1 schools have since remained shut.

Apart from the debate of opening churches, another bone of contention is the issue of school reopening.

The Lagos State government is already in consultations with the Federal Government concerning the reopening of schools and the necessary procedures that should be taken.

The authorities are cautious and want to observe the behaviour of the pandemic before schools are reopened.

Amid confusing reports and growing speculations on the possible date for school reopening, many parents, private school owners, children and other stakeholders are increasingly becoming apprehensive over the true position of things.

A cross section of parents, private school prioprietors and analysts who spoke with B DSU NDAY s ai d th at the situation with increasing cases of the coronavirus in the country and the level of infrastructure unpreparedness on the part of most government-owned public schools may present a cause for concern.

According to them, it may be catastrophic should schools resume now considering the current state of most public schools with little or no contingency plans put in place to contain the coronavirus.

Adebisi Felicia, a mother of four children told our correspondent that she wants school to resume not only because of the private school teachers or school owners, but because of the academic future of her children.

“My fear however, is that I don’t know if government will take up their responsibility of putting the necessary measures in place to ensure the safety of students. As much as I yawn for school resumption, all hands must be on deck to tackle the threat posed by this virus because COVID-19 is real,” she suggested.

On his part, Bayo Ogunjimi, another parent, wants the school to reopen but said that all the necessary safety measures must be put in place in schools.

Ogunjimi opines that if markets and banks could resume without threat, then government should allow schools to resume.

He observes that the online initiative being carried out by some private schools for primary and secondary schools are all scam, adding that students could hardly learn under that condition.

Ogunjimi who is also a teacher, opines that school should open because there is no alternative means of survival and no palliative from anywhere for private school teachers and owners.

“It is only when government reopens schools that I will work, earn my full pay and be able to perform my responsibility as a

parent to my children,” he said.

C o n t r a r i l y, Ug o c h u k w u Ihejirika, a concerned parent, says he doesn’t think that the schools should reopen now for physical academic activities.

According to him, aside the monetary loss to private school owners, I don’t think school owners should be calling for schools resumption at this time that numbers of confirmed cases of Covid-19 has been on the rise.

“To me, the government is not and can never be ready because over time successive have proved by their actions that they are not for the masses. My children will not go anywhere until the coast is clear. Do they love my kids more than I do?” he asked.

Ihejirika further said: “Honestly, I think schools can resume in S e p t e m b e r. G o v e r n m e n t should pay teachers and other staff palliatives both in public and private schools. Losing 3-4 months in the academic calendar can be recovered. After all, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has gone on strike for six months before and nobody died. I have written off 2020 already.”

The coronavirus pandemic which has ravaged economic activities in the entire globe, has laid bare Nigeria’s failed educational system. The sector has been one of the biggest losers since the outbreak of the pandemic forced the government to close schools completely.

Unlike other countries of the world that have resorted to the use of technology to facilitate e-learning , Africa’s largest economy has been left in the shade due its high infrastructural deficit, high poverty level and widening inequality gap that have cast a spell on the nation’s ability to use digital technology to drive an inclusive learning for its burgeoning population.

The pandemic has exposed the weakness in the country’s educational system with a more devastating effect on the

underserved populace, according to Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education in Nigeria.

For the rich, who could afford some of the best private schools, the school closure presents an avenue to explore the use of digital learning.

B D S U N DAY c h e c k s o n public schools in Nigeria shows that due to poor funding by government, many public schools have overcrowded classrooms, dilapidated infrastructure, poor sanitary facilities, lack of running water and sick bay while in some cases, students practice open defecation in nearby bushes.

These cultures have not only gone further to expose public school pupils but have also shown potential threat to health, should school resume now with no available vaccine or cure for the virus at present.

While public schools grapple with the challenges of infrastructure and readiness to resume, their private counterparts have far building infrastructure

We are watching the behaviour of the pandemic to see what happens next and we are working with the Federal government on the reopening of the schools in the country

that would enable learning post Covid-19.

For instance, schools such as Greensprings School have been training their entire staff on the precaution to take to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among the students and staff of the school.

“We have nurses who had additional training on the sensitisation of the Coronavirus.

We have warning posters all around the school premises and automatic sanitisers gel dispensers in every bathroom and public administrative area, and we have body temperature scanners which would be applied to everybody entering the school premises,” said Lai Koiki, executive director of the school.

According to Koiki, schools under the Association of Private School Educators (APEN) of which Greensprings is one of them, are ready for resumption post Covid-19, adding that she does not know the preparedness of public schools in term of measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus.

“Like all private schools, we are a fee paying school. It has cost schools like Greensprings School millions of naira to get ready for resumption. This will be an on-going course until we are safely out of the coronavirus health issue”.

Stella Uzodinma , School proprietress in Lagos, who said that the Federal and Lagos State Governments have given guidelines for the resumption of school, assured that school owners have started putting measures in place in their various schools.

“I would suggest as a parent that health official should go round from time to time to check if these guidelines for resumption are properly follow to the teeth and any school found lagging behind should be sanctioned or even outright closed if need be,” she said.

Wondering the role the State Inspectorate Division of

the Ministry of Education has played in monitoring the sanitary conditions of schools, she however stated that that majority of the private schools are ready to reopen.

BDSUNDAY gathered that while parents, School owners and students anxiously await resumption of school, the minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba have given insight that government is looking at adopting a two-shift system and allowing those who will write examinations to return earlier than others.

The model, he said, will ensure that all the children do not return to their schools at the same time to ensure physical and social distancing as well as proper sanitation and hygiene at every school.

Nwajiuba said government was also considering allowing Se n i o r Se c o n d a r y Sc h o o l students to finish first before others resume at a later date given that it was virtually impossible to practice social distancing in the schools.

Speaking recently during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, the minister stated that schools would reopen when government is sure that children can go to school and return safely without taking Covid-19 home.

He stressed the Federal Government will rely on the opinion of experts and the guidance of the World Health Organisation (WHO) before announcing any school resumption dates.

On h e r p a r t , Fo l a s h a d e Ad e f i s a yo, La g o s St a t e Commissioner for Education, equally stated that just like other sectors already approved by the Federal Government to reopen, the state government is meeting with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education to design guidelines that must be adopted before the schools will reopen. “ We a r e w a t c h i n g t h e behaviour of the pandemic to see what happens next and we are working with the Federal government on the reopening of the schools in the country. This is not a decision that any state can unilaterally take on its own. If we are certain that the children are safe, we will reopen the schools,” she said.

Ac c o r d i n g t o h e r, “ We are working with the Federal Ministry of Education and they are working with Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on the guidelines that could be adopted when the need arises for schools to reopen. After the protocol is completed and health officials assures us that the coast is clear, we will give the schools some days to adjust their premises in accordance with the guidelines on commencement of academic activities”, Adefisayo said.

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13

High Flyer

Doctoora: How a Nigerian start-up is re-defining healthcare service delivery

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ADIO AYODELE ADIO

hen Emeka visited Nigeria from Germany to spend the Christmas holiday with his family, he did not plan to come down with a fever – but he did. Unable to reach his doctor in Germany on phone, he was left with no other option than to visit a Nigerian hospital. To cut out the lengthy and unnecessary waiting time that was typical of Nigerian hospitals, he telephoned an old friend of his, a doctor, to help him schedule an appointment with any reliable doctor who could attend to him without much delay. As he drove into the building his friend had described to him over the phone, he was impressed with how serene the environment appeared and thought to himself how expensive their services would be.

Boldly affixed to the wall of the reception, as he made his way into the office was a signage that read “Doctoora.”

“Good afternoon, Sir. Are you Mr. Emeka?” a young lady at the front desk asked. “Yes. I’m here to see Dr. Ron.” “You’re welcome, Sir. Let me take you to see him.” Dr. Ron would later tell me that Emeka was not only impressed with his consulting but with the facilities, ambiance and the flexibility of booking an appointment with a doctor without the usual hassle and long queues.

Doctoora e-Health Ltd, is a healthcare startup that connects patients, consumers and professionals to quality healthcare practitioners and their services. One could describe them as the “Airbnb” of healthcare delivery in Nigeria and it would not be out of place. Whilst Doctoora creates access and convenience for patients, it also provides economic opportunities for healthcare practitioners who are unable to set up their stand-alone private practice.

Founded by Dr. Debo Odulana, a young medical doctor who returned to Nigeria in 2011 after his studies abroad, Doctoora has grown from a two-bedroom apartment in Opebi, where it was launched in November 2017, to over 20 centers across Lagos and Abuja. “I remodeled the 2-bedroom flat where I was living in Opebi, kept a room for myself and used the living room and the guest room as the reception and consulting room.

It wasn’t long after, that we had our first client.”

Debo left medical school

with a drive to pursue a career as a neo-natal surgeon. He soon realised, however, that only a few of such procedures were happening in Nigeria and the experts were very few. He then opted to take job at St. Nicholas Hospital where he quickly rose to become the Quality Assurance lead at the hospital and

“

I felt like if I continued on my journey to becoming a neo-natal surgeon, I’d be a surgeon that doesn’t operate because there are very few centres which many Nigerians cannot even afford

was involved in the hospital management.

“I became more interested in stepping out of clinical practice to do more impactful things,” Debo said. “I felt like if I continued on my journey to becoming a neo-natal surgeon, I’d be a surgeon that doesn’t operate because there are very few

centres which many Nigerians cannot even afford.” It was at St. Nicholas that he observed the three things that would inspire him to launch Doctoora.

First, he observed that St. Nicholas did not keep top consultants or surgeons on their payroll. They were only invited when they had cases that needed their expertise. Secondly, he realised that the hospital usually had excess capacity (in terms of bed space and consulting rooms) whereas several other hospitals, especially government-run hospitals, were grossly overstretched. His final observation was the waiting time for patients. Patients had to wait a while on several occasions before they could see a doctor. All three of these observations became the foundation upon which he imagined a blue ocean opportunity to create an excellent business model for healthcare delivery.

The idea to set up Doctoora did not catch steam until one afternoon in England when Debo and his partner Beatrix Wu (from Hong Kong) were approached by two Asians who wanted help with a business plan for an algorithm they had created for restaurants to sell tables at off-peak periods. Debo and Beatrix took up the challenge and, in the process, they learned something new about utilising excess capacity. It was then Debo decided to approach hospitals with spare capacity for partnership in a bid to connect more patients and doctors to such facilities.

He approached St. Nicholas

where he had worked previously before resigning to pursue a master’s degree in healthcare management. They turned him down, as so did several other hospitals and investors. Undeterred, he and his team, including Dr. Shakira Saliu would work hard on several other market entry strategies. Not long after and with help from Debo’s uncle, they set up the second centre in Ogudu: a 6-bedroom duplex that was unused by his uncle.

Three months after the Ogudu centre was launched, Debo got into a German accelerator programme and was able to raise 35,000 dollars for the business from Co-Creation Hub (an innovation centre in Yaba, Lagos.). By the end of 2018, they had about 18 facilities running. The team got another 5,000 dollars from the Tony Elumelu Foundation and another 4 million naira from family and friends which put the business in a good position. Debo tells me that “we have now gotten the business to a point where we make about $1,000 monthly and investors are starting to see that we’ve got something good going. We now have a marketplace where people can buy a gym membership, food plans, fitness plan and so on. We are now seriously considering the medical tourism market as a new focus area.”

Dr. Kafayat Ogunsola, a consultant psychiatrist who runs a private practice and is creating a mental health bank through her organisation Empathy Space Consulting, came across Doctoora when she sought a place to meet with her patients without having to worry about setting up a clinic and dealing with all the overheads. “I have a great relationship with Doctoora and there has never been any issue with using their centre to meet with any of my clients. More so, their platform has offered me an opportunity to make an extra income.”

In December alone, Dr. Kafayat consulted for at least 30 patients using the Doctoora centre. Needless to say, she and other doctors who use the platform are allowed to set their consulting fees. All that is required of them is to pay a small rental fee to Doctoora for the use of the space. Dr. Debo and his team have certainly found a way for doctors in private practice to make extra income and for patients to meet with doctors at their convenience.

His eyes, however, is now fixed on solving one of Africa’s biggest healthcare challenge: medical tourism.

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Sunday 31 May 2020

Sunday Special Has the NDDC opened the can of worms at last? …There is no missing N200bn …Mr. President has not commissioned any single NDDC project in the region …500 items padded into the NDDC 2019 budget …Everybody wants to fund elections from NDDC; why? …Nobody wants the forensic audit to go on, but it must

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IGNATIUS CHUKWU he affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have for almost 20 years been conducted like secret society.

The only thing evident seems to be that any man or woman that passes through the Commission even for one hour as an executive turns into a multi-billionaire.

It has been hushed all the way that some men in the National Assembly and in the presidency were like gods, dictating what happens in Port Harcourt and what happens to about N300billion yearly budgets.

Now, a big clash seems to have taken place between the NDDC and the National Assembly (NASS) or the two committees of the NASS that have oversight functions over the cash-cow called the NDDC. Both groups and those fighting the Commission seem to drag their dirty linen into the open.

The NASS insists on probing the NDDC, the Commission counters, saying the agenda is to scuttle the forensic audit the President ordered in the place.

Each group says it is trying to help the suffering people of the Niger Delta, but the opposite seems to be the case.

Now, Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC), professor of virology at the Niger Delta University (NDU) in Bayelsa State, who is the acting managing director of the Commission, decided he has had enough of the intrigues; He summoned the media on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, and laid it all bare. He took 10 questions thereafter and unveiled more worms from the 20-year-old can.

Managing Director opens up: There is no missing N200bn There has been a flurry of media activities and these are spurious accusations to railroad the IMC from working to make the NDDC deliver on its core mandate. We have been accused of every amount: N200bn squandered in two months; later revised to N40bn missing in two months, etc. The recent one says N25bn spent on undone road works.

It is very painful that even the mainstream media have joined in purveying stark falsehood. When lies are repeated over and over, they now appear to be the truth.

It’s very painful that the media houses are not even taking time to check properly.

The NDDC operates accounts only in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and it is highly regulated. Anybody who wants

to check the NDDC account is free to find out how N200bn can disappear, how N40bn can disappear or how N25bn can disappear. Just like in the Bible times, some people have also decided that until this IMC is removed, that they would not know any rest; whether or not the people of the Niger Delta benefit is not their concern.

Sad, no single project commissioned by Mr. President so far in the Niger Delta They are not taking into consideration that there has not been one single project that has

approved and we got a letter of approval on March 20, 2020, but the real hard copy that was signed was only made available to us by April 10, 2020. From that date to May 31, 2020, does not give us the leverage to advertise properly for contracts to be executed. So, everything was done to scuttle this. Even the hard copy was only released when we started making complaints.

I do not want to go into what has passed on between the Commission and the two committees in the NASS because those two committees have put the

Prof Pondei addressing the media in Port Harcourt been commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in this region, but they are interested in daily reports of IMC this or that.

They want to scuttle the forensic audit which is bringing out a lot of things.

Virement matter and 20219 budget Th e N AS S c o m m i t t e e s brought this issue out, but we cannot talk about it without giving a background about the 2019 budget. Today is May 26, 2020 (when he spoke), and the 2019 budget of the NDDC will expire on May 31, 2020, without any single project being achieved, mostly because the Budget came from the NASS very late. It was

NASS in very bad lights whilst we know that the majority of the lawmakers in both Houses have no knowledge of what these two committees were doing to their image. All the faults lay in those two committees which operate as one-man committees because even the members of those two committees are not aware of the efforts being made to ruin the destiny of the Niger Delta people and set their destiny backward.

Forensic audit is their target I state categorically without fear of anybody that the 2019 budget was frustrated for personal reasons of some people in the NASS and also the unwarranted probes that they have to

“

We have been paying for historical contracts that the Commission has incurred over time and we got a letter from the NASS now asking us not to pay for these old contracts that exceeded the threshold

bring up is to make mockery of the forensic audit. I do not know if we understand what a forensic audit is; we got a letter from one of the committees asking the forensic auditors to be part of our team to appear before their probe panel. That is totally unacceptable and cannot be done.

The forensic auditors are not subject to us and we cannot command them.

We are not part of them and we do not supervise them. We only provide the enabling environment for them to conduct the audit, and we also provide requisite information when they need it. Most of the documents they are asking us to bring for those phantom probes are the things we have already given to the forensic auditors, and that must be why they are asking us to come with the forensic auditors. I do not think I have power to drag along forensic auditors I did not appoint. They were appointed by the FEC headed by Mr. President.

500 items padded to the 2019 budget, reason for virement When we now saw that the time frame was very short and the budget that was sent back to us was no longer recognisable by us. We had been hearing about budget padding; this was a classical case of it. Almost 500 new projects were added to the budget. The appropriation was done in such a way that meaningful projects listed there got very little sums of money so that we could not meet any of the commitments. So, at one of the meetings between the Execu-

tive Project Director (Dr. Cairo Ojugboh) and the committees of the NASS, they now said ok, for there to be peace, write a letter to us for virement of these funds.

So, with the letter that was supposed to be written through the minister by the President then to the NASS, so, send us an advance copy to save time. Immediately they got this advance copy, they leaked it to the press, even when it was clearly marked SECRET and for the eye of the NASS only.

What they did not tell the public was the second document where we suggested to them where to appropriate such monies to. For instance, we have commitment to the partnership with international federation of agricultural development (IFAD); the counterpart funding for 2019 is N1.32bn but what was put for all counterpart funding in Agric was N150million. So, we asked them, we need to pay this N1.32bn for this programme right away, can you remove money from all these programmes that are not viable and put there? What we saw in the social media and in Arise TV debate is that we were asking for virement to cover for fraud; can something that has not been done be called payment for fraud.

Let’s put it on record, the IMC has not awarded any road contract or any contract at all. The only contract is the COVID-19 one approved by Mr. President himself. We have been paying for historical contracts that the Commission has incurred over time and we got a letter from the NASS now asking us not to pay for these old contracts that exceeded the threshold. But they had earlier forced us to pay their own old contracts they awarded which we were not supposed to do, but we did just for peace to reign. Now, they are coming to blackmail us. Let me stop here.

10 Questions & Answers Is the FEC aware of these allegations and media attacks that the IMC is going through especially as you said the President is the one that approved the procurement of COVID-19 items? And what is the role of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in all of this?

On whether the Federal Executive Council (FEC) is aware of all these accusations; of course, I am very certain that they should be aware. We have a supervisory ministry (Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs) headed by the senator, Godswill Akpabio. From time to time, we give update and we have done that from inauguration as expanded IMC. We have given a status update, complaining about most of these things you said and sent to the minister.

Whether he has transmitted that

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Sunday Special

Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta to the FEC or President, I am yet to know, but we have done so.

The minister is supervising the NDDC on behalf of Mr. President. That is his role.

You said you have incurred debts and these people have forced to pay for these contracts which they awarded; who are they?

Why the NASS members are involved in contracts I would not know, but if they are the ones adding contract jobs to the budget, of course, it means it is projects they are interested in and that they might get the Commission to award to themselves. But we have not awarded contracts; so, I can’t say how it comes about.

You mentioned the issue of historical jobs, yes, government is a continuum and people that were given contracts long ago, they executed them by about 2016 – 2019 and they have yet to be paid.

We came in and saw a lot of them, some amounts were scandalous, just N1m for five years? So, we started clearing those ones. To date, we have cleared about 400 of those companies.

When I came into the IMC on February 2020, the 2019 and 2020 budgets had already been transmitted to the NASS. The 2019 budget was now laid before both chambers. Now, there is a process after approval, there has to be harmonisation of both budgets before they are signed.

For that to be done, we were told to pay for certain contracts, else, the harmonisation meeting would not take place. You can quote me. That was relayed to us through the chairman of House of Representatives (HoR) Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). We were waiting for the meeting on a Monday and since we did not pay, the meeting did not take place on Monday, Tuesday; until on March 17, 2020, we now managed to pay some and paid the others on March 19, 2020. That was when the approval for the

budget was transmitted to us by the Clerk on March 20, 2020. So, we were forced to pay to almost 20 companies. I can give you the list of the companies, and you can go and crosscheck.

From what we are hearing from staff members here, this is the regular thing over the years. You have to accede to them or you don’t get a budget.

It was lack of budget in 2016/17 that led to past management to devise what is now called emergency projects that would not go through budget. That was the only way they could get some projects through; until it now became a very big burden.

So, until we go back to the drawing and have a transparent budgeting process that is free, until the stranglehold on the NDDC by the two committees with oversight functions are removed and the NDDC is able to get a proper budget, all this problem will continue. If you bring anybody from even outer space with excess management capabilities to run the NDDC today, and you did not remove all these things, the problem will continue.

I came here with a vision of what I want the NDDC will do, I want water in every community but they are giving me a budget without water projects. So, how can the Niger Delta region change. People are clamouring for change but that will just be changing of people without solving the real problem. The problem is not who is running the place but the processes that lie underneath that are very rotten that need to be sorted out.

Can you further hit the nail on the head; from your in-house investigations, what really is the motive behind this barrage of attacks on the IMC and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs?

Why do you think the NASS is insisting on going on with probing the IMC? That is already very clear.

Lanre Olusola

Sometime last year (2019), there was a board that was screened by the NASS to run the NDDC, but was not inaugurated before an IMC was instituted.

Now, many people who felt that that should not be have continued to fight until the people they want to run the Commission are put in place. Now, I think there is something very wrong there in the sense; how can the NASS nominate people to run the NDDC and give the list to Mr. President but Mr. President will now pass the list to the NASS for those same people to come and run the NDDC. There is separation of powers and Mr. President has the right to nominate while the NASS only screens them. Mr. President has the power to hire and fire and they should leave him to exercise that power. They are dabbling into the powers of Mr. President; that is reason for all this blackmail.

Now, the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs is supervising this, it is believed that he is the one that is nominating everybody that Mr. President is appointing. So, they need to fight him to remove him. That is reason for all these attacks, but they have failed to look at his track record of transforming Akwa Ibom.

The detractors are saying no, they do not want the region to be transformed. They want the region to remain the way it has always been, a place to generate

money for elections. We cannot allow the region to continue like that. The elections in 2023 are the focus.

The Niger Delta Rights Advocates said the N40bn you asked for is to cover the money the IMC has spent; any truth in that?

It is 100 percent false. What the IMC has spent from February 20, 2020 till date is very available.

I cannot do something that can be covered. Contractors have been paid; are they stolen monies? We can give you the list of all the contractors and ask you to contact them to find out if they were paid or not. We would have put the amounts there but we do not want anybody kidnapped.

We give you a list of all the contractors that have been paid and you please go and confirm. We are not covering up anything.

How these accusers arrive at their figures, I do not understand.

The NDDC operates account only in the CBN. NDDC does not give a cheque. The NDDC pays money into your account and it is traceable. There is Freedom of Information Act. Let people use it maximally.

Last year, your former governor (Seriake Dickson) and the present Rivers State Governor (Nyesom Wike) accused the NDDC of being a pool for politicians to deep hands and draw huge sums to facilitate their political pursuit. Now, intrigues for general election of 2023 have started as far as we know. Are you under pressure; how will you resist them because we know that in every appointment there are certain people behind that appointment.

Will you resist those who assisted you to be here?

It is getting personal, but ideally I should be talking about the IMC. I am not a politician and what the governors said earlier is what I am saying, that it is about raising a war chest for elections.

How do you do that? You raise people that are pliable and when you put them in charge of the NDDC, then you ask them, go and bring this, and they bring it for the election. As far as that continues, the NDDC will not make any progress. That is why we are trying to have a paradigm shift.

Now, on whether I will be able to withstand those types of demands, with the help of you all here, when we start doing everything transparently. We are happy you are asking us questions, but it should not be only when we call press conferences.

Come and check things and ask

“

Contractors have been paid; are they stolen monies? We can give you the list of all the contractors and ask you to contact them to find out if they were paid or not. We would have put the amounts there but we do not want anybody kidnapped

questions so we can open the books. If the committees of the NASS were doing their oversight functions, there would be no need for a forensic audit in the first place. If you go to Premium Times, there is a report they have done about water projects in Delta South senatorial district; none-existing water projects between 2004 and 2012. Nobody is probing those things but they have all been paid for. They did an earlier report on health centres built in either Imo or Abia states. Some of them have been converted to private schools. A lot has gone wrong in the NDDC. That is what the forensic audit seeks to correct. By the time the reports come out properly, if it allowed to continue to the very end, it is going to unveil the rape of our people and all those that ideally should be brought to book would be. Just the beginning of the forensic audit alone has sent some contractors back to site. There are contractors that were supposed to do supplies since 2014, they want to do the supplies now. It is the COVID lockdown that delays them. A contractor is ready to do some agricultural supplies of 2014 now.

There are many others who have eaten these monies who are not ready to refund them and they are ready to do anything to frustrate the forensic audit.

Does the NDDC have SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), a process agreed upon of doing anything so that when this process is being breached, alarm will trigger off ? Again, before the Nisma Ekere regime came, the NDDC tried to introduce an online kind of system where all your operations were uploaded; location of contract, contractor, amount paid so far, percentage of completion, etc.

Newsmen needed not come to ask basic questions. Is there an SOP you met, if not, can one be established?

You must be a prophet because we had a meeting of the directors yesterday morning and we discussed on SOPs; that there should be SOP for every directorate, every procedure, every activity. We are looking at this ICT component, unfortunately, there is a litigation with the service provider. I think it is Vodacom. We are trying to resolve that because that is the way to go to reduce the interface between the contractors and the staff members of the Commission because continuous human interface has led to a lot of corruption and percentages and all things giving the Commission a very bad name.

As you rightly said, I do not know the reason why that was stopped but I want to assure you that it is one of the things we have on our drawing books that we are trying to do, if not for all this unnecessary distractions.

Like, you will go and spend two weeks in Abuja defending things we did not do when we should have used that time to solve problems at home.

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Sunday 31 May, 2020

Tiffany’s survival story Tiffany’s survival story

I I GIVE IT TO HER, GIVE IT TO HER, BECAUSE SHE CAN BECAUSE SHE CAN

KEMI AJUMOBI

T T

KEMI AJUMOBI imes have changed.

T h e have c l a mchanged. our for imes women’s involvement T h e c l a m o u r f o rin leadership, governance, women’s involvement in on boards and more has leadership, governance, been coming to the and foremore in recent on boards has times.

It is indeed plausible been coming to the fore in because recent many proven that times. Itwomen is indeedhave plausible because they fit for have ‘that’proven position not manyare women that merely of their gendernot but they arebecause fit for ‘that’ position because of their optimistic agenda merely because of their gender but for the position desireagenda and are because of their they optimistic qualified for. they desire and are for the position Truth however is that, aside being qualified for. qualified, one reason for Truth however ismajor that, aside being this set back because wefor are qualified, one ismajor reason yet this to setachieve back is gender becauseequality, we are which is one of the United Nations’ yet to achieve gender equality, Sustainable Development Goals; which is one of the United Nations’ achieving gender equality, including Sustainable Development Goals; in economic achieving genderdecision-making equality, including processes. in economic decision-making Interestingly, despite holding 17.9% processes. of the board seats onholding Fortune 1000 Interestingly, despite 17.9% companies, female on boards differ of the board seats on Fortune 1000 in different business companies, female onsectors. boards differ According to datasectors. governance in different business company gender According Equilar to data Inc., governance representation on Inc., the boards company Equilar genderof directors at companies the Russell representation on theinboards of 3,000 Index (which represents about directors at companies in the Russell 98 percent all publicly traded U.S. 3,000 Indexof (which represents about companies), that women now 98 percent of shows all publicly traded U.S. hold 20.2 percent board seats. companies), showsof that women now That notpercent all, every company in the hold is 20.2 of board seats.

S&P 500 has acompany womaninon That is notnow all, every theits board of directors.

S&P 500 now has a woman on its In 2019, slightly more than oneboard of directors.

In 2019, slightly more thanACWI1) onethird (36%) of global (MSCI third (36%) (MSCI ACWI1) boards hadof atglobal least three women, up boards hadinat2018. least three women, up from 32% from 32% Let’s bringinit2018. home. Reports reveal Let’s by bring it home.

Reports reveal that 2050, one-quarter of the that by 2050, one-quarter of the

world’s population will be African, implying that one inbe eight people world’s population will African, will be an African woman. implying that one in eight people Seems right?woman.

Well, it may even be will be anfar African farther if a larger number of Africans Seems far right? Well, it may even be still believe that women should be farther if a larger number of Africans seen and not wonder, still believe that heard. womenLittle should be when comes to Little politics, women seen anditnot heard. wonder, aren’t encouraged because when it comes to politics, womenthe support isn’t there like it is usually aren’t encouraged because the with the men. support isn’t there like it is usually According with the men.to data from the African Development women hold According to dataBank, from the African only 12.7% of the women board seats Development Bank, hold in Africa’s top companies only 12.7% of listed the board seats inand African women are barely Africa’s top listed companies present and even in boardrooms within Africa, African women are barely present where 95% of CEOswithin are men. even in boardrooms Africa, Reality check, this are is quite where 95% of CEOs men.worrisome because this disconnect can have Reality check, this is quite worrisome negative because thiseconomic disconnecteffect. can haveThe saying, “When you teach negative economic effect.a woman, The you teach a you nation” apt, you saying, “When teachisa so woman, know why?

The average woman you teach a nation” is so apt, youis a natural multitasker despite know why?

The averageand woman is a the setbacks they encounter at the work, natural multitasker and despite because of things they need to do setbacks they encounter at work, as mum, wife, mother andtoworker, because of things they need do always find a way to asthey mum, wife, somehow mother and worker, weave it all in, balancing the to scale they always somehow find a way and giving ‘assignment’ weave it all in,each balancing the scalethe attention needs. and giving it each ‘assignment’ the I am notitsaying attention needs.this ‘set back’ doesn’t occur other first countries, I am not in saying this ‘setworld back’ doesn’t I amin only saying the prominence occur other first world countries, in Africa alarming and worrisome.

I am onlyissaying the prominence in Do you know that, if Africa must reach Africa is alarming and worrisome. itsyou true potential, women cannot Do know that, if Africa must reach ignored?

Their involvement itsbetrue potential, women cannot in politics, economy, begovernance, ignored? Their involvement in governance, politics, economy,and leadership in the workplace leadership the workplace and in places of in obligation, including places obligation,roles, including in be seniorofexecutive cannot senior executive roles, cannot be derelict. derelict.

EDITOR EDITOR Kemi Ajumobi Kemi Ajumobi Email: kemi@businessdayonline.com Email: kemi@businessdayonline.com TEAM: TEAM: Desmond Okon Desmond Okon Osaromena Ogbeide Osaromena Designed byOgbeide Aderemi Ayeni Designed by Aderemi Ayeni

met my abuser when I was 14.

At first, there wasn’t physical met my abuser was 14. abuse, itwhen was Iemotional.

At first, wasn’t physical me Hethere would embarrass abuse, it wasme emotional. or make feel inferior in He would embarrass me from front of other people. It went or make me feel inferior verbal to physical real fast.inWhen frontI of other people.

It went from he was seven months pregnant, verbal to physical real fast.

When beat me until I was on the floor, I was seveninmonths curled a ball. pregnant, he beat me until I was on the floor, While I was in the hospital having curled in a ball. my child, he cashed my mom’s While I was in the hospital having cheque and bought drugs to sell. my child, he cashed my mom’s We were behind on rent, and the cheque and bought drugs to sell. landlord took everything I owned We were behind on rent, and the out of the home and put it on the landlord took everything I owned curb. out of the home and put it on the Finally, I made up my mind: I curb. wasn’t going back. He managed Finally, I made up my mind: I to track me down. He showed up wasn’t going back. He managed at my doorway, and just like that, to track me down. He showed up it was on again. Mentally, I was at my doorway, and just like that, broken. He made me believe he it was on again. Mentally, I was was the only person who would broken. He made me believe he ever love me. was the only person who would When I was seven months pregnant ever love me. with myseven sixthmonths child, he pulled a gun When I was pregnant on me.

I saw a big flash light and with my sixth child, he pulledof a gun my jaw swayed.

I saw my shirt. It on me. I saw a big flash of light and was swayed. red. TheI doctors my jaw saw my told shirt.me It that the only reason that the shot was red. The doctors told me thatdidn’t kill me wasthat because had the the only reason the shothe didn’t wrong bullet in the gun. kill me was because he had the While I was seated wrong bullet in the gun.on my doorstep, bleeding from a bullet hole in While I was seated on my doorstep, my jaw, the police came bleeding from a bullet hole in and I’ve been diagnosed with post- been through. I didn’t realize how to lockcame me up if I did my threatened jaw, the police and traumatic stress with disorder. many people watched not tell to them I’ve been diagnosed post-I shake been through.

I didn’t had realize how it, but threatened lockwho me shot up if me.

I didI gave in crowds.

I’m always looking for doors started opening. namewho of my but later traumatic stress disorder. I shake many people had watched it, butI do a lot not the tell them shotabuser, me. I gave an exit. I can’t read a book anymore of public speaking and have even myabuser, statement the recanted name of my but because later inI crowds. I’m always looking for doors started opening. I do a lot because I can’t retain information, been askedand to work a play about an exit.

I can’t read a book anymore of public speaking haveon even was scared and told the prosecutor recanted my statement because I myImind is constantly scrambling. my story. because can’t retain information, been asked to work on a play about that I shot myself.

They dropped was scared and told the prosecutor My is kids suffer. scrambling. my story.

It’s important for women in that my mind constantly the myself. chargesThey against him, but thatall I shot dropped D e s p i t e e v e r y t h i n g t h a t ’s situation hear from My kids suffer.

It’s important for to women in thatsomeone he ended upagainst going to jail but for three all the charges him, happened, Iham determined to who understands.

A lot of people D e s p i t e e v e r y t i n g t h a t ’s situation to hear from someone years because of a probation he ended up going to jail for three raise awareness about domestic might say, A“You’re so stupid, you happened, I am determined to who understands. lot of people violation from a previous offense. years because of a probation violence.

I posted a video on should have been long gone.” But raise awareness about domestic might say, “You’re so stupid, you I’ve had sixasurgeries, and I am still violation from previous offense.

Facebook I was crying but I they don’t understand the hold an violence.

I posted a video on should have been long gone.”

But the physical I’ve living had sixwith surgeries, and I ameffects still of wanted to tell people what I’d don’t abuser has on the his hold victim.

Facebook I was crying but I they understand an the shooting as well as the trauma. living with the physical effects of the shooting as well as the trauma. wanted to tell people what I’d abuser has on his victim.

Sunday 31 May, 2020

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BDSUNDAY 17

Girls forced into marriage in Girlsexchange forced into marriage in for food - Nankund exchange for food - Nankunda DESMOND OKON

into marriage by their parents in “By closing schools to exchange for food. I have had to spread of Covid-19, the p DESMOND OKON closing to limit the into marriage their parents in “By has removed a primary make calls to threaten some parentsschools ope Nankunda, the by of Covid-19, the pandemic for food. havepolice had to to spread for girls and and Ilink some of the safeguarding regional exchange coordinator hasare removed source of and pro makeBrides, calls to threaten some ope Nankunda, homes.

It’s parents sad that girls lookeda primary harder to identify of the Girls Not safeguarding for girls and made and link police to some of the regional coordinator Uganda, said that at as objects to exchange for food,” at risk of child itmarriage a protect those of Girls Not Brides, homes. sad that girls aresaid. looked harder to identify and human rights violations,” s many young girlsIt’s are Nankunda at risk of child marriage and other at asby objects for food,” Uganda, said that Mwangovya, human right being forced into marriage their to exchange She explained that the COVID-19 rights ” said said. lockdown has tied girlshuman many young girls are forNankunda Before theFlavia pandemic, A parents in exchange food. down to theirviolations, Mwangovya, human rights being forced into marriage by their She explained that the COVID-19 been one of th She made the revelation while abusers, adding that many girls who always activist. has tied girlsto down their at Before pandemic, Africa has for prac parents in exchange forknowledge food. prevalent zones sharing onlockdown the effects used findtorefuge school the where always been one of the highabusers, adding that many girls who She made the revelation while of COVID-19 on child marriage as they spent more time, are now stuck are harmful to girls like F zones for practices that As the p sharing knowledge on the effects to find refuge at schooland where child marriage. a panelist in an onlineused conference in homes manyprevalent witnessing are harmful to girls like FGM and the sit they spent more time, are now stuck of COVID-19 on child marriage as rages, worsening hosted by Zamara Foundation, domestic violence day in day out. child marriage. the and pandemic in homes and According many witnessing a panelist in an online conference girls women in vu a feminist organisation working to another expert who As domestic violence day part in dayin out.the online rages, worsening the situation ofand fuell hosted by Zamara Foundation, towards strengthening voices took panel communities, a feminist organisation working According to another expert who girls and women in vulnerable of women and girls, and closely discussion, due to the harsh marriage, the panelists sai towards strengthening voices took part in the online panel communities, and fuelling child economic impacts of the virus, and programmes that mus monitored by Women’s Hub. of women and girls, and closely discussion, due to the harsh marriage, the panelists said policies The COVID-19 pandemic has forced marriage is being used as communities, raise aw economic impacts of the virus, and programmes that must educate monitored by Women’s Hub. increased concerns for the welfare of an opportunity to acquire wealth engage legal and religiou The COVID-19 pandemic has forced marriage is being used as communities, raise awareness, involve parents, and empo women and girls following a surge in through dowry. increased concerns for the welfare of an opportunity to acquire wealth engage legal and religious leaders, domestic violence. But its effect on It is also acting as a catalyst on the through education and em involve parents, and empower girls women and girls following a surge in through dowry. women and girls, especially those in harmful practices of child marriage are crucial to ending child domestic violence. But its effect on It is also acting as a catalyst on the through education and employment disadvantaged communities seems as some communities have taken “An educated girl is an em women and girls, especially those in harmful practices of child marriage are crucial to ending child marriage. to be far reaching as lockdowns this time to engage in rites of passage girl. I wish every paren disadvantaged communities seems as some communities have taken “An educated girl is an empowered have become a catalyst for harmful which involves female genital realise how much they b to be far reaching as lockdowns this time to engage in rites of passage girl. I wish every parent would practices to girls. mutilation which is followed by educating their children,” N have become a catalyst for harmful which involves female genital realise how much they benefit by said.

“Many young girls are being forced child marriages. practices to girls. mutilation which is followed by educating their children,” Nankunda said.

“Many young girls are being forced child marriages.

H H

CHICKEN & BACON ALFREDO PASTA CHICKEN & BACON ALFREDO PASTA

BY CHEF EBUNOLUWA JAMES

A A

BY CHEF EBUNOLUWA JAMES warm, rich and creamy bowl with bitewarm, rich pasta and creamy size chicken pasta bowl with bite- bits and smokey bacon is a size chicken bits and feast on the smokey bacon is a palette. To create option, feast aonlow-fat, the palette.

To substitute with coconut cashew cream. Ideal create a low-fat, option,orsubstitute foror lunch or dinner. with coconut cashew cream. Ideal for lunch or dinner.

FOR PASTA FOR PASTA INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS • 2 chicken breasts (cut into • 2 chicken1”cubes) breasts (cut into • 3 rashes of bacon or ¼ cup pre1”cubes) • 3 rashes ofcut bacon or ¼ cup prebacon cubes cut bacon cubes • ½ tsp grated fresh chili pepper • ½ tsp grated fresh chili pepper (optional) (optional) • 1 tsp minced garlic • 1 tsp minced garlic • 1 tbsp Olive or Canola oil • 1 tbsp Olive or Canola • 1tsp flour oil • 1tsp flour • 1tsp butter • 1tsp butter • 2 chicken seasoning cube • 2 chicken • seasoning 1tbsp dry cube white wine (optional) • 1tbsp dry (optional) • white 1 cupwine double cream • 1 cup double cream • Ground black pepper • Ground pepper • black 1 pack 500g Penne • 1 pack •500g ¼Penne cup parmesan cheese (grated) • ¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated) • Handful of fresh parsley • Handful of fresh parsley

3. While pasta is cooking, add bacon 4. Cover the pan and gently cook PREPARATION 3.

While pasta isincooking, add bacon 4. Cover the panover anda gently cook a medium frying pan, fry for low heat for 3minutes until PREPARATION 1. C u t b a c o n i n s t r i p s inl iakmedium e frying pan,till fryitfor a low heatthe for sauce 3minutes until thick, (sauce 2-3 minutes, releasesover its oils, is slightly 1. C u t b a c matchsticks; o n i n s t r i p sseason l i k e chicken 2-3 minutes,remove till it releases oils,set aside. the sauce thick, baconitsand Add is slightly should coat(sauce the back of a spoon matchsticks; season chicken with1 chicken season cube, 1 bacon remove and Addchicken should backdone). of a spoon 1tsp ofset oil,aside. then the cubescoat the when Drain pasta and, with1 chicken cube, 1 garlic season clove, and a pinch of1tsp black of oil, then chicken cubes done). add Drain and, sauce, with andthe brown it on all sides,when add to to pasta the alfredo garlic clove, and a pinch black and brown itthe oncrisp all sides, addAdd to equal addparts to the alfredo withand toss till it’s pepper.

Chop of parsley bacon. some sauce, parmesan pepper. Chop parsley the crisp bacon.

Add equal parmesan toss till it’s butter and flourparts and fry onsome the pan all and combined.

Serve with more 2. Cook the Pasta in a large butter pot ofand flour andcombined, fry on the pan all wine, combined.parmesan Serve with more till it’s add white and a generous handful 2. Cook the Pasta in boiling a large water pot ofwith atilllittle rapidly it’s combined, add wine, it with parmesan a generous handful cream in white and loosen a little and of fresh parsley.

Enjoy. rapidly boiling wateroil, with salt and fora little 10-12 minutes cream in andpasta loosenwater it with(if a little fresh desired).ofAdd inparsley. Enjoy. salt and oil, for 10-12 minutes according to Packet instructions, pasta water garlic, (if desired).

Addbacon in chicken, and chili PS: (You can replace bacon with according tender to Packetbut instructions, replace bacon with eat pork) not soggy. (usually if you don’t garlic, chicken, bacon and chili pepper, season to taste.PS: (You can Shrimps tender butcalled not soggy. (usually Shrimps if you don’t eat pork) “Al dente”). pepper, season to taste. called “Al dente”).

16 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 31 May, 2020

Sunday 31 May, 2020

www.businessday.ng

KEMI AJUMOBI

T T

KEMI AJUMOBI imes have changed.

T h e have c l a mchanged. our for imes women’s involvement T h e c l a m o u r f o rin leadership, governance, women’s involvement in on boards and more has leadership, governance, been coming to the and foremore in recent on boards has times.

It is indeed plausible been coming to the fore in because recent many proven that times. Itwomen is indeedhave plausible because they fit for have ‘that’proven position not manyare women that merely of their gendernot but they arebecause fit for ‘that’ position because of their optimistic agenda merely because of their gender but for the position desireagenda and are because of their they optimistic qualified for. they desire and are for the position Truth however is that, aside being qualified for. qualified, one reason for Truth however ismajor that, aside being this set back because wefor are qualified, one ismajor reason yet this to setachieve back is gender becauseequality, we are which is one of the United Nations’ yet to achieve gender equality, Sustainable Development Goals; which is one of the United Nations’ achieving gender equality, including Sustainable Development Goals; in economic achieving genderdecision-making equality, including processes. in economic decision-making Interestingly, despite holding 17.9% processes. of the board seats onholding Fortune 1000 Interestingly, despite 17.9% companies, female on boards differ of the board seats on Fortune 1000 in different business companies, female onsectors. boards differ According to datasectors. governance in different business company gender According Equilar to data Inc., governance representation on Inc., the boards company Equilar genderof directors at companies the Russell representation on theinboards of 3,000 Index (which represents about directors at companies in the Russell 98 percent all publicly traded U.S. 3,000 Indexof (which represents about companies), that women now 98 percent of shows all publicly traded U.S. hold 20.2 percent board seats. companies), showsof that women now That notpercent all, every company in the hold is 20.2 of board seats.

S&P 500 has acompany womaninon That is notnow all, every theits board of directors.

S&P 500 now has a woman on its In 2019, slightly more than oneboard of directors.

In 2019, slightly more thanACWI1) onethird (36%) of global (MSCI third (36%) (MSCI ACWI1) boards hadof atglobal least three women, up boards hadinat2018. least three women, up from 32% from 32% Let’s bringinit2018. home. Reports reveal Let’s by bring it home.

Reports reveal that 2050, one-quarter of the that by 2050, one-quarter of the

world’s population will be African, implying that one inbe eight people world’s population will African, will be an African woman. implying that one in eight people Seems right?woman.

Well, it may even be will be anfar African farther if a larger number of Africans Seems far right? Well, it may even be still believe that women should be farther if a larger number of Africans seen and not wonder, still believe that heard. womenLittle should be when comes to Little politics, women seen anditnot heard. wonder, aren’t encouraged because when it comes to politics, womenthe support isn’t there like it is usually aren’t encouraged because the with the men. support isn’t there like it is usually According with the men.to data from the African Development women hold According to dataBank, from the African only 12.7% of the women board seats Development Bank, hold in Africa’s top companies only 12.7% of listed the board seats inand African women are barely Africa’s top listed companies present and even in boardrooms within Africa, African women are barely present where 95% of CEOswithin are men. even in boardrooms Africa, Reality check, this are is quite where 95% of CEOs men.worrisome because this disconnect can have Reality check, this is quite worrisome negative because thiseconomic disconnecteffect. can haveThe saying, “When you teach negative economic effect.a woman, The you teach a you nation” apt, you saying, “When teachisa so woman, know why?

The average woman you teach a nation” is so apt, youis a natural multitasker despite know why?

The averageand woman is a the setbacks they encounter at the work, natural multitasker and despite because of things they need to do setbacks they encounter at work, as mum, wife, mother andtoworker, because of things they need do always find a way to asthey mum, wife, somehow mother and worker, weave it all in, balancing the to scale they always somehow find a way and giving ‘assignment’ weave it all in,each balancing the scalethe attention needs. and giving it each ‘assignment’ the I am notitsaying attention needs.this ‘set back’ doesn’t occur other first countries, I am not in saying this ‘setworld back’ doesn’t I amin only saying the prominence occur other first world countries, in Africa alarming and worrisome.

I am onlyissaying the prominence in Do you know that, if Africa must reach Africa is alarming and worrisome. itsyou true potential, women cannot Do know that, if Africa must reach ignored?

Their involvement itsbetrue potential, women cannot in politics, economy, begovernance, ignored? Their involvement in governance, politics, economy,and leadership in the workplace leadership the workplace and in places of in obligation, including places obligation,roles, including in be seniorofexecutive cannot senior executive roles, cannot be derelict. derelict.

EDITOR EDITOR Kemi Ajumobi Kemi Ajumobi Email: kemi@businessdayonline.com Email: kemi@businessdayonline.com TEAM: TEAM: Desmond Okon Desmond Okon Osaromena Ogbeide Osaromena Designed byOgbeide Aderemi Ayeni Designed by Aderemi Ayeni

@Businessdayng

BDSUNDAY 17

DESMOND OKON

into marriage by their parents in “By closing schools to exchange for food. I have had to spread of Covid-19, the p DESMOND OKON closing to limit the into marriage their parents in “By has removed a primary make calls to threaten some parentsschools ope Nankunda, the by of Covid-19, the pandemic for food. havepolice had to to spread for girls and and Ilink some of the safeguarding regional exchange coordinator hasare removed source of and pro makeBrides, calls to threaten some ope Nankunda, homes.

It’s parents sad that girls lookeda primary harder to identify of the Girls Not safeguarding for girls and made and link police to some of the regional coordinator Uganda, said that at as objects to exchange for food,” at risk of child itmarriage a protect those of Girls Not Brides, homes. sad that girls aresaid. looked harder to identify and human rights violations,” s many young girlsIt’s are Nankunda at risk of child marriage and other at asby objects for food,” Uganda, said that Mwangovya, human right being forced into marriage their to exchange She explained that the COVID-19 rights ” said said. lockdown has tied girlshuman many young girls are forNankunda Before theFlavia pandemic, A parents in exchange food. down to theirviolations, Mwangovya, human rights being forced into marriage by their She explained that the COVID-19 been one of th She made the revelation while abusers, adding that many girls who always activist. has tied girlsto down their at Before pandemic, Africa has for prac parents in exchange forknowledge food. prevalent zones sharing onlockdown the effects used findtorefuge school the where always been one of the highabusers, adding that many girls who She made the revelation while of COVID-19 on child marriage as they spent more time, are now stuck are harmful to girls like F zones for practices that As the p sharing knowledge on the effects to find refuge at schooland where child marriage. a panelist in an onlineused conference in homes manyprevalent witnessing are harmful to girls like FGM and the sit they spent more time, are now stuck of COVID-19 on child marriage as rages, worsening hosted by Zamara Foundation, domestic violence day in day out. child marriage. the and pandemic in homes and According many witnessing a panelist in an online conference girls women in vu a feminist organisation working to another expert who As domestic violence day part in dayin out.the online rages, worsening the situation ofand fuell hosted by Zamara Foundation, towards strengthening voices took panel communities, a feminist organisation working According to another expert who girls and women in vulnerable of women and girls, and closely discussion, due to the harsh marriage, the panelists sai towards strengthening voices took part in the online panel communities, and fuelling child economic impacts of the virus, and programmes that mus monitored by Women’s Hub. of women and girls, and closely discussion, due to the harsh marriage, the panelists said policies The COVID-19 pandemic has forced marriage is being used as communities, raise aw economic impacts of the virus, and programmes that must educate monitored by Women’s Hub. increased concerns for the welfare of an opportunity to acquire wealth engage legal and religiou The COVID-19 pandemic has forced marriage is being used as communities, raise awareness, involve parents, and empo women and girls following a surge in through dowry. increased concerns for the welfare of an opportunity to acquire wealth engage legal and religious leaders, domestic violence. But its effect on It is also acting as a catalyst on the through education and em involve parents, and empower girls women and girls following a surge in through dowry. women and girls, especially those in harmful practices of child marriage are crucial to ending child domestic violence. But its effect on It is also acting as a catalyst on the through education and employment disadvantaged communities seems as some communities have taken “An educated girl is an em women and girls, especially those in harmful practices of child marriage are crucial to ending child marriage. to be far reaching as lockdowns this time to engage in rites of passage girl. I wish every paren disadvantaged communities seems as some communities have taken “An educated girl is an empowered have become a catalyst for harmful which involves female genital realise how much they b to be far reaching as lockdowns this time to engage in rites of passage girl. I wish every parent would practices to girls. mutilation which is followed by educating their children,” N have become a catalyst for harmful which involves female genital realise how much they benefit by said.

“Many young girls are being forced child marriages. practices to girls. mutilation which is followed by educating their children,” Nankunda said.

“Many young girls are being forced child marriages.

H H

I I GIVE IT TO HER, GIVE IT TO HER, BECAUSE SHE CAN BECAUSE SHE CAN

@businessDayNG

Girls forced into marriage in Girlsexchange forced into marriage in for food - Nankund exchange for food - Nankunda

Tiffany’s survival story Tiffany’s survival story

met my abuser when I was 14.

At first, there wasn’t physical met my abuser was 14. abuse, itwhen was Iemotional.

At first, wasn’t physical me Hethere would embarrass abuse, it wasme emotional. or make feel inferior in He would embarrass me from front of other people. It went or make me feel inferior verbal to physical real fast.inWhen frontI of other people.

It went from he was seven months pregnant, verbal to physical real fast.

When beat me until I was on the floor, I was seveninmonths curled a ball. pregnant, he beat me until I was on the floor, While I was in the hospital having curled in a ball. my child, he cashed my mom’s While I was in the hospital having cheque and bought drugs to sell. my child, he cashed my mom’s We were behind on rent, and the cheque and bought drugs to sell. landlord took everything I owned We were behind on rent, and the out of the home and put it on the landlord took everything I owned curb. out of the home and put it on the Finally, I made up my mind: I curb. wasn’t going back. He managed Finally, I made up my mind: I to track me down. He showed up wasn’t going back. He managed at my doorway, and just like that, to track me down. He showed up it was on again. Mentally, I was at my doorway, and just like that, broken. He made me believe he it was on again. Mentally, I was was the only person who would broken. He made me believe he ever love me. was the only person who would When I was seven months pregnant ever love me. with myseven sixthmonths child, he pulled a gun When I was pregnant on me.

I saw a big flash light and with my sixth child, he pulledof a gun my jaw swayed.

I saw my shirt. It on me. I saw a big flash of light and was swayed. red. TheI doctors my jaw saw my told shirt.me It that the only reason that the shot was red. The doctors told me thatdidn’t kill me wasthat because had the the only reason the shothe didn’t wrong bullet in the gun. kill me was because he had the While I was seated wrong bullet in the gun.on my doorstep, bleeding from a bullet hole in While I was seated on my doorstep, my jaw, the police came bleeding from a bullet hole in and I’ve been diagnosed with post- been through. I didn’t realize how to lockcame me up if I did my threatened jaw, the police and traumatic stress with disorder. many people watched not tell to them I’ve been diagnosed post-I shake been through.

I didn’t had realize how it, but threatened lockwho me shot up if me.

I didI gave in crowds.

I’m always looking for doors started opening. namewho of my but later traumatic stress disorder. I shake many people had watched it, butI do a lot not the tell them shotabuser, me. I gave an exit. I can’t read a book anymore of public speaking and have even myabuser, statement the recanted name of my but because later inI crowds. I’m always looking for doors started opening. I do a lot because I can’t retain information, been askedand to work a play about an exit.

I can’t read a book anymore of public speaking haveon even was scared and told the prosecutor recanted my statement because I myImind is constantly scrambling. my story. because can’t retain information, been asked to work on a play about that I shot myself.

They dropped was scared and told the prosecutor My is kids suffer. scrambling. my story.

It’s important for women in that my mind constantly the myself. chargesThey against him, but thatall I shot dropped D e s p i t e e v e r y t h i n g t h a t ’s situation hear from My kids suffer.

It’s important for to women in thatsomeone he ended upagainst going to jail but for three all the charges him, happened, Iham determined to who understands.

A lot of people D e s p i t e e v e r y t i n g t h a t ’s situation to hear from someone years because of a probation he ended up going to jail for three raise awareness about domestic might say, A“You’re so stupid, you happened, I am determined to who understands. lot of people violation from a previous offense. years because of a probation violence.

I posted a video on should have been long gone.” But raise awareness about domestic might say, “You’re so stupid, you I’ve had sixasurgeries, and I am still violation from previous offense.

Facebook I was crying but I they don’t understand the hold an violence.

I posted a video on should have been long gone.”

But the physical I’ve living had sixwith surgeries, and I ameffects still of wanted to tell people what I’d don’t abuser has on the his hold victim.

Facebook I was crying but I they understand an the shooting as well as the trauma. living with the physical effects of the shooting as well as the trauma. wanted to tell people what I’d abuser has on his victim.

www.facebook.com/businessdayng

CHICKEN & BACON ALFREDO PASTA CHICKEN & BACON ALFREDO PASTA

BY CHEF EBUNOLUWA JAMES

A A

BY CHEF EBUNOLUWA JAMES warm, rich and creamy bowl with bitewarm, rich pasta and creamy size chicken pasta bowl with bite- bits and smokey bacon is a size chicken bits and feast on the smokey bacon is a palette. To create option, feast aonlow-fat, the palette.

To substitute with coconut cashew cream. Ideal create a low-fat, option,orsubstitute foror lunch or dinner. with coconut cashew cream. Ideal for lunch or dinner.

FOR PASTA FOR PASTA INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS • 2 chicken breasts (cut into • 2 chicken1”cubes) breasts (cut into • 3 rashes of bacon or ¼ cup pre1”cubes) • 3 rashes ofcut bacon or ¼ cup prebacon cubes cut bacon cubes • ½ tsp grated fresh chili pepper • ½ tsp grated fresh chili pepper (optional) (optional) • 1 tsp minced garlic • 1 tsp minced garlic • 1 tbsp Olive or Canola oil • 1 tbsp Olive or Canola • 1tsp flour oil • 1tsp flour • 1tsp butter • 1tsp butter • 2 chicken seasoning cube • 2 chicken • seasoning 1tbsp dry cube white wine (optional) • 1tbsp dry (optional) • white 1 cupwine double cream • 1 cup double cream • Ground black pepper • Ground pepper • black 1 pack 500g Penne • 1 pack •500g ¼Penne cup parmesan cheese (grated) • ¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated) • Handful of fresh parsley • Handful of fresh parsley

3. While pasta is cooking, add bacon 4. Cover the pan and gently cook PREPARATION 3.

While pasta isincooking, add bacon 4. Cover the panover anda gently cook a medium frying pan, fry for low heat for 3minutes until PREPARATION 1. C u t b a c o n i n s t r i p s inl iakmedium e frying pan,till fryitfor a low heatthe for sauce 3minutes until thick, (sauce 2-3 minutes, releasesover its oils, is slightly 1. C u t b a c matchsticks; o n i n s t r i p sseason l i k e chicken 2-3 minutes,remove till it releases oils,set aside. the sauce thick, baconitsand Add is slightly should coat(sauce the back of a spoon matchsticks; season chicken with1 chicken season cube, 1 bacon remove and Addchicken should backdone). of a spoon 1tsp ofset oil,aside. then the cubescoat the when Drain pasta and, with1 chicken cube, 1 garlic season clove, and a pinch of1tsp black of oil, then chicken cubes done). add Drain and, sauce, with andthe brown it on all sides,when add to to pasta the alfredo garlic clove, and a pinch black and brown itthe oncrisp all sides, addAdd to equal addparts to the alfredo withand toss till it’s pepper.

Chop of parsley bacon. some sauce, parmesan pepper. Chop parsley the crisp bacon.

Add equal parmesan toss till it’s butter and flourparts and fry onsome the pan all and combined.

Serve with more 2. Cook the Pasta in a large butter pot ofand flour andcombined, fry on the pan all wine, combined.parmesan Serve with more till it’s add white and a generous handful 2. Cook the Pasta in boiling a large water pot ofwith atilllittle rapidly it’s combined, add wine, it with parmesan a generous handful cream in white and loosen a little and of fresh parsley.

Enjoy. rapidly boiling wateroil, with salt and fora little 10-12 minutes cream in andpasta loosenwater it with(if a little fresh desired).ofAdd inparsley. Enjoy. salt and oil, for 10-12 minutes according to Packet instructions, pasta water garlic, (if desired).

Addbacon in chicken, and chili PS: (You can replace bacon with according tender to Packetbut instructions, replace bacon with eat pork) not soggy. (usually if you don’t garlic, chicken, bacon and chili pepper, season to taste.PS: (You can Shrimps tender butcalled not soggy. (usually Shrimps if you don’t eat pork) “Al dente”). pepper, season to taste. called “Al dente”).

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Feature African Alliance: Life insurer’s 60 years of sustainable service Modestus Anaesoronye

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he history of insurance in Nigeria cannot be complete without the mention of African Alliance, the country’s foremost life insurer which berthed in Africa’s most populous nation some 60 years ago.

Incorporated on the 6th of May, 1960, the company was founded by the inimitable duo, S.L. Edu and Talabi Braithwaite, widely regarded as the first Chartered Insurance practitioner in this clime. M.E.R Okorodudu provided legal support while the global reinsurer, Munich Re, provided not just technical support but also co-owned the business. Their vision was simple: to be the most preferred life insurance company of choice. To achieve these, the company set out to make the customers the primary focus, and create a lasting legacy for themselves in the life of every Nigerian.

In building a lasting legacy and achieve the vision of a company, it is important that the internal stakeholders have a sense of ownership and belonging. This much has been the driving force behind African Alliance’s staying power: the family bond. Members of Staff see themselves not as colleagues but as members of one big family. Little wonder the company boasts perhaps the highest number of long service personnel anywhere around. And it starts with the leadership, one ingrained with the culture and vision and is able to pass it on. The current crop of leaders mostly began their careers in the company and grew through the ranks. From the beginning till date, African Alliance has enjoyed homegrown inspirational leadership that works.

Ope Oredugba, a former managing

Funmi Omo director, worked forty years at African Alliance and retired as the managing director. “I was recruited by the first CEO, Talabi Braithwaite, who handed me to the best hands within the business who never gave up on me despite my tendency to be rascally,” he said.

Funmi Omo, MD, started her career at African Alliance in 1990, thirty years on, she leads a crop of professionals devoted to the company. “When I joined African Alliance, I was a young passionate employee, and like many young people the concept of being a CEO of such a large company was

far into the future…Today, I have seen our company rise and rise. I have witnessed transformations beyond my imagination. I have seen our people develop and become a family,”she said in a recent interview.

Building a lasting legacy means having a string of innovations under your belt. African Alliance is notably famous among others for being the life insurance company to introduce Takaful in Nigeria. This feat was achieved under the leadership of the then CEO, Ope Oredugba in 2002, who had, in the wake of the introduction of the Sharia

law in parts of the north, felt there was a niche in that line of insurance that could appeal to the region. Takaful also known as ethical insurance is based on the principles of mutual co-operation, solidarity, common interest, shared responsibility, joint indemnity and brotherhood against unpredicted risk or catastrophes, in which the participants involved, are expected to contribute genuinely. The innovation of Takaful in Nigeria enabled ethically minded Nigerians to participate in insurance and get life covers for themselves and their families without any worry of their principles being compromised. The impact of Takaful in Nigeria was so great that less than six months into the formal launching of Takaful, an Islamic compliant insurance scheme, African Alliance was being inundated with request from within and outside the African continent by those seeking the benefit from the products. It gets interesting. Today, Takaful has grown into one of the most viable business lines in the company so much that it has easily warmed its way into the hearts of non-muslims alike.

In building a lasting legacy, African Alliance Insurance has ensured that they have been woven into the fabrics of Nigeria’s history. This created love for the African Alliance brand in the east and till date, the east, especially Onitsha, is one of the company’s most lucrative locations in terms of premium income earned. This singular act demonstrates integrity, one of the core values the company upholds. This has been further demonstrated again and again in the historyof claims settlement. In 2019 alone, the company paid over N9 billion in claims settlement.

Where there is history to be made and national interest to be protected, there you will find African Alliance.

When covid-19 broke, the company dug deep and started its charity from home, supporting a food outreach for residents of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, its immediate community. African Alliance also made financial contributions to the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) Covid-19 support fund.The NIA Covid-19 support fund was an initiative of the Nigerian Insurers Association aimed at mitigating the further spread of the virus in Nigeria. The funds raised were used in acquiring and distributing protective gears to the public as well as to the healthcare workers fighting against the Covid-19.The funds were also used to provide N1million free life insurance cover to healthcare professionals taking care of infected citizens.

Consistent and significant growth is essential in building a lasting legacy, for the past 60 years, African Alliance insurance has steadily grown from being a life insurance company among many, to being among the top five life insurance companies in the country. From humble beginnings at 112 Broad Street, Marina, African Alliance has expanded its operations to 18 branches nationwide and has a regional subsidiary, Ghana Life based in Accra. The company’s customer base has also grown with overfifty thousand (50,000) policyholders in its books. After 60 years of such a thriving legacy, the most natural question is what next? According to the company’s executive director, Finance, Olabisi Adekola, African Alliance has no plans of slowing down: “…we give gratitude to our shareholders and our staff who are the reason we have grown into such a strong organisation. At African Alliance we are a family, and as families do, we are planning for an even greater future where we can give so much more value to our stakeholders.”

PWAN Plus tickles thirst buds of Aba real estate consumers Iniobong Iwok

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here is definitely no dull moment for real estate guru and Managing Director of PWAN Plus Business Concerns, Julius Oyedemi. Not even the economic challenge of the time is enough to stunt his creative prowess, marketing fecundity and innovative real estate products.

The property wizkid got land vendors falling head over toes as they rush to acquire a parcel of land in his Crestville Estate, just launched in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State recently. Barely three weeks after, Oyedemi dazzled residents of Aba, the commercial nerve center of Abia State, when he blazed the trail for unprecedented real estate activities in Osisioma Local Government of the state.

Could it be his way of saying ‘thank you’ to Enyimba City, as Aba fondly called, for the hospitality he enjoyed when he was a marketing executive for National Mirror and New Telegraph newspapers? While unveiling Lush City, the latest among his sprawling Cedarwood brand of exclusive residential grooves over the weekend, the ace property developer explained: “This is the first time that a real estate company is coming to Aba and it is

the first outing by Property West Africa Network (PWAN) Group to Aba. Lush City is situated near Enyimba International Stadium, National War Museum, Azumili Blue River and the famous Aiaria International Market, amongst others landmarks in the state.”

Oyedemi added: “Our coming to Aba will address the prevailing housing deficit here. It is not an exaggeration to say that in most Nigerian cities, many people are homeless. Aba, definitely, has its fair share of the debilitating housing deficit. We at PWAN Plus, owners of Cedarwood Estate, have brought ideal solution to the housing deficit here.

“Now, son, daughters and even the Abia State government can leverage on our home ownership made easy skills/products to enhance quality living. We are also passionate to affect the social and economic aspects of the people of Abia State positively as we unveil Lush City by Cedarwood in Aba.” According to the chief executive of PWAN Plus, the process had already commenced. “Everyone can be a proud owner of an exquisite apartment in Lush City.

Our home ownership made easy approach actually guarantees that; and it’s just as easy as make a deposit and get instant plot allocation while balance payment

Governor Wike Julius Oyedemi

is spread over 12 month’s installments.”

No doubt, the property giant is set to tickle the thirst buds of consumers of real estate products in Abia State and environs. It’s collection of highbrow residential estates dotting the fast developing Ajah, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, and Epe areas of Lagos State as well as an appreciable presence in Owerri, the Imo State capital, speak eloquently of the professional and financial competence of PWAN Plus. In the same vein,

the glowing testimonies coming from the firm’s numerous clients convey the genuineness of any property acquired through the PWAN Group. “You can go to sleep if you buy a property from PWAN. All encumbrances associated with getting genuine title documents, instant allocation, land owners’ troubles and other issues are taken off your shoulders while you enjoy trouble free possession, ease of payment and excellent facilities,” said Mazi Okorie, one of the firm’s clients.

“We have come to unleash a regime of affordable but 9exquisite residential estates here.

Igbo people are known for their love for good homes. An average Igbo man believes that he is incomplete without a roof over his head. But like every part of Nigeria Abia State is saddled with the responsibility of making up for over 20percent housing deficit, Oyedemy further pointed out.

He explained that with the arrival of PWAN Plus, the deficit will not only witness improvement, opportunities will also be crested for thousands of young people in the state to have genuine means of livelihood. Beyond that security architecture, education and other social and economic aspects will receive serious boost.

“When you have a massive estate that boast of befitting schools,

recreational facilities, shopping malls, sporting complex and other live supporting facilities, trade and commerce will flourish more because Lush Estate City by Cedarwood will offer unique opportunities for people, especially those who buy and sale properties.

“As you know people don’t buy buildings just to live in it, they acquire properties to commercialise. Real estate has indeed contributed tremendously to the nation’s GDP, it’s part of that we will spread across Aba and the entire Abia State,” Oyedemy assured.

He however, noted that housing is indeed an essential part of every government pointing out that over the years, subsequent governments have continued to build low cost housing for its citizens. The title of Lush City plots is covered by Registered Survey & Power of Attorney. Precisely, price & payment plans are as follows: N900k (232sqm) & N1.8m (464sqm) on 0-6 months outright. 12 months installment also available.

“PWAN Plus is ready to partner with governments and other interested parties to make home ownership easy for all. Our passion is to leave a mark in Aba and we are very concerned about Abia State as a choice location,” the real estate guru said.

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Feature

CACOVID has been Nigeria’s COVID-19 response hero, and more

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KAZEEM ADEDEJI o prior experience, global upheavals (like the second World War), nor humanity’s collective experience with pandemics could have prepared the world for how the year 2020 turned out. When the story of how we emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic is told years from now, what will be most prominent is how humanity came together to fend off its invisible enemy. The private sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) will also be heralded as one of Nigeria’s heroesat the forefront of Nigeria’s fight against the pandemic.

CACOVID started off as two people’s answer to the call for social responsibility, two organization’s move to respond, and now over 100 organizations and individuals are seamlessly working together to achieve the common goal of eradicatingCOVID-19 from Nigeria.

Herbert Wigwe and Aliko Dangote, through their respective organizations, Access Bank and Aliko Dangote foundation, partnered to start a movement that has been central to the successess recorded so far in Nigeria’s fight against the novel coronavirus. So far, CACOVID has raised over 27 Billion Naira to help Nigeria in combating COVID-19, through the provision of treatment, testing, training and isolation centersacross the country as well as donating medical equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to existing centres. The Coalition has also offered support to the most vulnerable with palliatives to make the enforced lockdowns, which became necessary to contain the spread of the disease, easier to bear. Furthermore, CACOVID has supplied relevant agencies with kits to aid the government’s effort to ramp up testing in Nigeria.

CACOVID has not reneged on its promise. It has done all that it pledged and more.

Successes The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced in the latest of its daily updates on COVID-19, that the country has so far recorded 8,733cases , 2,501 recoveries and 254deaths. Staying true to its promise, CACOVID has been instrumental in shoring up the country’s preparedness to fight the pandemic.

The appropriate response to COVID-19 as advised by WHO is to practice social distancing, while keeping proper hygiene, and ramping up testing within

countries in order to gauge the scale of the pandemic within national borders. The latter created a surge of demand for testing kits around the world, making the much-needed kits highly prized, with countries queuing up to receive as well.

In response to this,CACOVID ordered250,000 supplies of test kits and another 150,000 extraction kits to allow for proactive containment of the virus.

This was the first in a series of interventions the coalition will deploy.

As part of the first phase of CACOVID interventions, the coalition had helped to either build Isolation centres or donated medical equipment and PPEs to states that have isolation centers. CACOVID has since expanded to cover all 36 states in Nigeria and the FCT. In the span of one month alone, the coalition has commissioned isolation centers in Rivers, Anambra, Kwara, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Kano, Delta, Borno, Plateau, Osun, Zamfara , Adamawa, Bauchi, Abuja, Gombe and Kogi.

“

As some of the country’s major cities were rounding up a fourth week of lockdown, CACOVID unveiled a palliative drive to feed 1.7 million households across the country. This ambitious plan is targeted to feed 10% of Nigeria’s 200million+ population. The Coalition has reportedly procured 200-truckload full of food items spanning 10kg bags of rice, 5kg bags of garri, cartons of noodles, 3 to 5kg packs of sugar, 1kgbags of salt, pasta and more. Each household will be receiving the relief items ofabout 20 to 22kg.

To ensure that these items reach those intended, CACOVID has put in place a robust logistics plan that will cater to door to door deliveries. Leveraging the expansive network of its members, representatives of the Coalition will be assigned in all 774 local governments in Nigeria to ensure the relief items get to the intended beneficiaries.

The food relief provision comes at an appropriate time as hunger has become a prominent theme in households across the

In response to this,CACOVID ordered250,000 supplies of test kits and another 150,000 extraction kits to allow for proactive containment of the virus. This was the first in a series of interventions the coalition will deploy

country.

Looking beyond the pandemic As many countries and world capitals have been put under strict lockdown, major industrial production chains have been brought to a halt.

The travel industry has been significantly affected, with airlines cancelling all flights and customers cancelling business and holiday trips due to travel bans introduced by world governments. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global economy will shrink by 3% this year. The IMF described the decline as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Although it said that the coronavirus has plunged the world into a “crisis like no other”, it does expect global growth to rise to 5.8% by 2021 if the pandemic fades in the second half of 2020.

Many businesses, that had prior to the crisis seemed stable enough to weather any storm, have taken strict measuresto maintain profitability or in other cases, to keep the business afloat long enough to outlast the pandemic.

In some parts the world, countries with the best healthcare systems have reported cases outweighing the availability of their care facilities and equipment, showing the gravity of the pandemic.

Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e Wo r l d Health Organization, Nigeria has one of the largest stock of Human Resources for Health (HRH) in Africa but, like the other 57 HRH crisis countries,

has densities of nurses, midwives and doctors that are still too low to effectively deliver essential health services (1.95 per 1,000).

In recent years, migration to foreign countries has declined and the primary challenge for Nigeria is inadequate production and inequitable distribution of health workers. The health workforce is concentrated in urban tertiary health care services delivery in the South -West part of the country, particularly in Lagos. The resultant effect of this has been that the healthcare facilities in most states will not be adequate in the event of major COVID-19 outbreaks.

To bridge this gap, the donations by CACOVID, ranging from the full construction of centres in locations like Lagos to the refurbishment of others (Abuja, Enugu, etc.) and the donation of equipment and PPEs, will go a long way in not only Nigeria’s COVID-19 response, but also improve the general standing of healthcare in Nigeria.

CACOVID’s response to this global crisis has inspired renewed faith in private-sector institutions which had hitherto only been in the collective consciousness of Nigerians as mere service providers and no more. As the world continues to wait patiently for concrete progress on the treatment and eradication of COVID-19, Nigeria’s private sector hopefully continues to play its part, arming the government with requisite tools to protect its indigenes and ensuring the most vulnerable citizens are catered for.

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Travel

Who is thinking for tourism?

Obinna Emelike

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fter months under the heavy weight and impact of coronavirus, the world is beginning to talk about recovery from the pandemic.

In weeks to come, travel restrictions will be more relaxed, and businesses will open their doors to customers again.

Though the number of coronavirus cases in Nigeria is rising daily, the country has also joined in the recovery plan and life after the virus.

Unfortunately, tourism, which is, no doubt, the lowest hanging fruit for job creation and economy diversification, seems to be left out of the recovery plan.

Before now, stakeholders have been calling for standalone tourism ministry for better attention and action plan to lift the sector from mere merriment to huge revenue generating status.

Today, the stakeholders seem to have taken the back seat as all sectors are meeting and discussing with government on ways to help their sector to recover from the impact of the pandemic, while little or no noise is heard from the tourism sector.

From Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Nigerian Association of Travel Agencies (NANTA), Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA) and Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN, the umbrella body of the tourism private sector in the country, the noise for inclusion in the government recovery plans has not been much.

But going by the huge losses occasioned by the impact of coronavirus, one had expected the loudest noise from the tourism sector.

It would be recalled that Saleh Rabo, president, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria

(FTAN), in a letter of appeal to president Muhammadu Buhari through the Economic Sustainability Committee headed by Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President, asked the federal government for N150 billion stimulus package for the sector.

That has been the only attempt at getting government’s attention to the sector on the edge of collapse.

Before the letter by the FTAN president, the tourism sector was not included in the N500 billion stimulus package announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Yet, the tourism sector, according to the FTAN president, is losing over N12 billion daily as a result of the impact of Covid-19, while the hotel sub sector loses N2 billion daily.

The huge loses should have been enough reason for the stakeholders to shout, but a few are talking.

Again, hotels are still shutdown across the country except the few being used as isolation centers for coved-19 or accommodation for health workers.

This, ordinarily should have made the stakeholders to query their exclusion in the recovery plans and stimulus package of the government.

Moreover, Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, recently inaugurated a committee that will assess the impact of the pandemic on the creative industry and proffer solutions.

Tourism was erroneously included in the creative industry instead of being assessed as a standalone sector for effectiveness and was even given a back seat as ‘Nollywood actors’ lead the committee.

One can forgive the minister because he has always dealt with creative industry and can easily quote earnings from the sector, but what about the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, which also toed the

Freedom Park Lagos

line of the Federal Ministry in the creation of its committee to assess and proffer solutions for the recovery of the tourism industry.

If the minister does not reckon with tourism earnings, at least Lagos State makes huge revenue from tourism with data to buttress it.

The state recorded over N50 billion cash transactions in December 2018, especially during Christmas and new year festivities, according to Steve Ayorinde, the then commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture.

The state may have earned more in 2019 if the figures were disclosed.

Again, Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lagos State, recently

inaugurated a Covid-19 Pandemic Review Committee with Joke Silva, renowned actress as the chairperson, with Ali Baba, ace comedian, among members of the committee.

The commissioner noted during the inauguration that tourism is among the worst hit by the pandemic, but the committee leadership and membership did not reflect the seriousness and importance attached to tourism in her statement.

The committee has two weeks to submit their report and recommendations, but many fear that the report would not be comprehensive as the tourism sector is not well represented and stakeholders will not corporate with the committee.

According to Akani Amao, a hotelier, the make up of the committee is not broad enough to accommodate all the stakeholders.

“The key tourism stakeholders such as Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria, Lagos Hotel Owners, NATOP, NANTA among others are not represented. So, how do we expect a comprehensive report and recommendations that will impact the tourism sector”, Amao queried.

Some other tourism stakeholders are also not happy for their exclusion in the committee.

Amusement park owners, beach resort and ferry owners groan over their exclusion despite being drivers of tourism in Lagos, as well as, their huge losses since the lockdown took effect.

UNWTO releases guidelines for reopening tourism

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he World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has released a set of guidelines to help tourism sector emerge stronger and more sustainably from COVID-19. The guidelines highlight the need to act decisively to restore confidence.

In a statement released recently by the UNWTO, the global tourism body also stated that it has strengthened its partnership with Google to embrace innovation and the digital transformation of global tourism.

The guidelines were produced in consultation with the Global Tourism Crisis Committee and aim to sup- Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary general, UNWTO port governments and private sector to recover from an un- paralleled crisis. Depending are lifted, the United Nations on when travel restrictions specialized agency warns that

international tourist arrivals could fall by between 60

percent and 80 percent. This puts 100-120 million jobs at risk and could lead to US$ 910 billion to US$ 1.2 trillion lost in exports. Speaking on the guidelines, Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO secretary-general, said, “These guidelines provide both governments and businesses with a comprehensive set of measures designed to help them open tourism up again in a safe, seamless and responsible manner. They are the product of the enhanced cooperation that has characterized tourism’s response to this shared challenge, building on knowledge and inputs from across the public and private sectors and from several UN agencies as part of the UN’s wider response.”

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BDSUNDAY 21

Travel

Stakeholders raise concerns over relocation of aviation agencies Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE

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takeholders in the aviation sector have continued to raise concerns over the decision of the aviation ministry to relocate corporate headquarters of aviation agencies to the Federal Capital Terrritory (FCT), Abuja.

Stakeholders say this is one of the poor policies the government has reeled out in recent years that could eventually hinder the growth of the sector.

They allege that the relocation of these agencies is not unconnected to the crave of satisfying political aspirations of few individuals holding key positions in government.

Few weeks ago, Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, issued relocation order to aviation agencies in Nigeria.

This is however not the first time such an order would be issued in the last two decades, but it has been reversed timelessly by the government at the centre or succeeding ministers in the sector.

For instance, in the early 1990s, the Government of Sani Abacha ordered all the Federal Government’s agencies including the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited to move their headquarters to the Federal Capital territory (FCT), Abuja, but that decision was reversed in 1999 immediately President Olusegun Obasanjo came into power.

Obasanjo returned most of the agencies to Lagos, including the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) corporate headquarters, Ship House, which was fully built, but later released to the Nigeria military.

Also, in 2008, Felix Hyat, the then Minister of State for Air Transportation, directed all aviation agencies to relocate their corporate headquarters to Abuja.

Hyat then argued that the Federal Government‘s directive was in the best interest of the industry and the nation.

But, barely a week after the removal of Hyat, the decision was overturned by the succeeding Minister, Babatunde Omotoba.

Since the order was overruled, successive ministers in the sector

have been silent on the issue, until earlier in the month when Sirika gave a 45-day ultimatum to all agencies to relocate their corporate headquarters to FCT. A letter dated May 4, 2020 with the reference number: FMA/ PMD/7061/T/4 and the head: ‘Relocation of Aviation Agencies’ Headquarters to Abuja,’ signed by Muhammad Shehu, Director, Human Resource Management on behalf of Sirika, indicated that the 45 days ultimatum would elapse by June 19, 2020.

The letter, which was made available to some journalists covering the aviation beat, recalled that the directive to move to Abuja had been on since 2012 and ordered the CEOs of the agencies to comply with the directive immediately.

Like his predecessors, Sirika argued that the relocation of the agencies’ headquarters out of Lagos would “enhance efficiency and service delivery between the ministry and the agencies.”

This is coming from the minister despite the arrays of technologies in the world that have been adopted by every agency.

Affected agencies included the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and NCAA. The other two agencies were already outside Lagos; Nigerian

Meteorological Agency (NiMET) has always been in Abuja, while the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), has its head office in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The letter read in part: “I am directed to remind you of the presidential directive issued in 2012 requesting agencies under the ministry to relocate their corporate headquarters to the Federal Capital Territory for efficient and effective coordination and enhanced service delivery between the ministry and its agencies and to note that, eight years after the directives, the agencies are yet to comply.

“Accordingly, considering the current situation and the economic impact worldwide, as well as the need to reduce the cost of governance and manage the scare resources in a sustainable way, it has become imperative and further to the Honourable Minister’s directives (copy attached) to request that you facilitate and complete the relocation exercise of your corporate headquarters to Abuja within the next 45 days, in line with earlier directives.”

Since the directive was leaked to the media, it has emitted several reactions with most stakeholders and industry unions severely kicking against it, while the affected staff grumble in silence and described the directive as “regressive and needless.”

Most analysts also wondered

why the government insisted on relocating the agencies out of Lagos at a time coronavirus pandemic had disrupted business activities and crumbled plans of most of the agencies.

A stakeholder who didn’t want his name in print, but claimed to be a part of the committee set up in 2012 to review the relocation plan of the agencies, explained that the submission of the committee was that the move was counterproductive.

He said: “This was contemplated in 2012 and was found to be counterproductive. The cost of relocation alone will fund some very important system that will improve the Nigerian airspace architecture if the fund is even available. More than 70 per cent of Nigerian aviation businesses take place in Lagos.

“This will necessitate even more shuttles between Abuja and Lagos thereby quadrupling the cost the ministry of aviation is trying to cut.

Then, no work done. I speak from benefit of hindsight because I was in the committee that looked into the proposed relocation. After all, American aviation policies are churned out from Oklahoma not Washington DC.” Also, Olayinka Abiuoye, the immediate General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport of Employees (NUATE), declared that the decision to move the agencies out of Lagos was because of

political reasons, rather than administration.

Abioye further posited that regular invitations of the CEOs to Abuja by the minister were unnecessary and time wasting just to justify supervision by the ministry, stressing further that there was no budgetary allocation to the agency to relocate to Abuja in the 2020 budget.

He said: “One other interesting thing not mentioned is the fact that some of those invitations of the CEOs to Abuja before now are meaningless and also political in order to justify certain aspects of supervision. Which job or work do they do when they get to the ministry while huge official duties are left behind in their respective headquarters?

“If they now move to Abuja, will they not be coming to Lagos as regularly as they do Abuja and will the supervising minister and his team not also be visiting? At the same costs? Is this movement in the budget for this year? Where will NAMA, AIB, NCAT get funds to build their headquarters? He queried.

NUATE in a letter to Sirika with the reference number: NUATE’GS/ HMS.FMT/ENP/004-20, dated May 15, signed by Comrade Ocheme Aba, its General Secretary, declared that rather than pretend under frequent summoning of the CEOs to Abuja as one of the reasons for the relocation, the ministry could adopt virtual meetings to save cost for the sector.

He said: “We truly understand the intention of the government to reduce the cost of governance through this exercise. The chunk of this reduction is to be realised from the savings from the heads of the agencies’ frequent trips to Abuja to answer the calls of the Honourable Minister of Aviation.

“But, most believe, ourselves included that these frequent calls are really unnecessary and actually amount to undue distraction and interference from the ministry.

Besides, as Covid-19 has taught us, virtual meeting has become the other of the day. This can be veritable resort by the ministry to save the severe headache orchestrated by the present disconcerting relocation order to the agencies.”

IATA declares principles for industry re-start

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he International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a commitment by the airline CEOs on its Board of Governors to five principles for re-connecting the world by air transport. These principles are: Aviation will always put safety and security first: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to: Implement a science-based biosecurity regime that will keep our passengers and crew safe while enabling efficient

operations and ensure that aviation is not a meaningful source for the spread of communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

Aviation will respond flexibly as the crisis and science evolve: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to: Utilize new science and technology as it becomes available, for example, reliable, scalable and efficient solutions for COVID-19 testing or immunity passports.

Develop a predictable and ef-

fective approach to managing any future border closures or mobility restrictions.

Ensure that measures are scientifically supported, economically sustainable, operationally viable, continuously reviewed, and removed/replaced when no longer necessary.

Aviation will be a key driver of the economic recovery: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to: Reestablish capacity that can meet the demands of the economic

recovery as quickly as possible and ensure that affordable air transport will be available in the post-pandemic period.

Aviation will meet its environment targets: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to: Achieve our long-term goal of cutting net carbon emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050 and successfully implement the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

Aviation will operate to global

standards which are harmonized and mutually recognized by governments: Airlines commit to work with our partners in governments, institutions and across the industry to: Establish the global standards necessary for an effective re-start of aviation, particularly drawing on strong partnerships with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and ensure that agreed measures are effectively implemented and mutually recognized by governments.

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Sunday 31 May 2020

Arts NCAC rallies creative industry with innovative dialogue Stories by OBINNA EMELIKE

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n view of the disruption caused by Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) is rallying the creative industry with innovative dialogue series.

On May 14, 2020, the Centre organized its first virtual platform/zoom meeting on the theme, ‘Covid­­­­­-19: Impact on the Nigerian Creative Industry’.

The digital dialogue, the first in many series to come, was an agenda setting initiative for the Nigerian creative industry in view of the new normal set by coronavirus pandemic. It drew industry stakeholders across the country, including; industry regulators, practitioners and the media to discuss topical issues in the industry and way forward in the post pandemic.

At the inauguration of the dialogue series at NCAC headquarters in Abuja, Olusegun Runsewe, director general, NCAC, noted that the initiative, which include se-

ries of editions touching on major aspects of the industry, is geared towards gathering industry regulators and practitioners to ‘think outside the box’ in charting the way forward for a workable PostCovid-19 era.

According to him, following the realities of our time, it has become necessary for the industry practitioners to explore other alternatives in carrying out their responsibilities as the usual way has become unconventional in the face of the pandemic and afterwards.

With regards to the disruption caused by the pandemic, which has initiated social distancing, safety and health precautions in doing business, the director general affirmed that the industry stakeholders need to restrategize their operations in line with the new normal or way of doing things.

S p e a k i n g f u r t h e r, Runsewe noted that the impact of the pandemic on government and the creative industry is enormous as both government and operators are still counting their losses from the lockdown.

2 Weeks In Lagos debuts in drivein cinema amid social distancing

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We e k s i n L a g o s makes history as it becomes one of the very few movies ever to be shown in a drive-in cinema dignified style in Nigeria.

It is finally set to hit the cinemas starting from May 29, 2020 at Abuja Central Park in collaboration with Genesis Cinemas and Prixair in Abuja.

2 weeks in Lagos is directed by Kathryn Fasegha, Canadian based award-winning director, and it stars a mix of top and fast rising Nollywood actors such as Toyin Abraham, Beverly Naya, Mawuli Gavor, Joke Silva, Deyemi Okanlawon, Shaffy Bello, Jide Kosoko, Tina Mba, Patrick Nnamani, Efe Irele, Uto Usman, Steve Onu (Yaw) and a host of others.

The movie is a promising, captivating and electrifying masterpiece that would blow your minds. It projects the hustle and bustle, stirring emotions and liveliness that accompany the day to day life in Lagos and it also depicts the entangled nature of Lagos where anything can be achieved in two weeks.

Being an unusual love story, 2 weeks in Lagos drives us through the enthralling journey of the love affair between Ejikeme (Mawuli Gavor) and Lola (Beverly Naya). It was

love at first sight from the very beginning when they cross paths at the time Ejikeme, an investment banker, returns from United States to invest in Lagos.

They immediately embarked on the journey of nurturing the new love but as fate may have it, they must struggle against an ominous action that poses a threat to tearing them apart and causing a forever rift between their families.

The cinema viewing of the movie is tagged ‘Drive-in Cinema’ as it has been arranged in such a beautiful way that everyone will be to see the movie on a large screen right from the comforts of their cars. This is done to also conform to the social distancing protocols in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking on the movie release, the director said she was excited and “could not wait to get the audience feedback on the movie”. She also stated, “I am grateful to everyone who contributed to bringing this movie to life, from the cast to the crew and everyone indeed. Tickets are selling fast online on Nairabox, so grab yours now because you cannot afford to miss the scintillating masterpiece!

Olusegun Runsewe

In view of finding viable options for doing business in the face of the pandemic, the director general urged the stakeholders to migrate to virtual platform for agenda setting and to chart a new way forward.

Runsewe explained that adopting virtual platforms

would enable the industry to recover from the pandemic earlier.

“In our search for economic diversification, the creative industry presents enormous potential, especially with about 29.5 million jobs and over N250 billion dollars annual revenue that

is generated globally from the sector”, the director general said.

According to him, the stakeholders need to be proactive and plan in order optimize the opportunities across the sector going forward.

The inaugural edition of the dialogue series also featured Israel Eboh, president of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Art Practitioners (NANTAP), as the key speaker, among over 80 participants including Shameem Ahsan, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nigeria, top management of the NCAC, other heads of MDAs in the ministry, artists and media practitioners.

In his presentation, Eboh called on the stakeholders and industry practitioners to embrace technology as their counterpart abroad are doing in order to be relevant and to stay afloat in business as virtual reality points the way forward in the industry.

“This pandemic has hit the very core of the industry. The industry thrives on people gathering, and if people cannot converge on locations any longer, then the artist is

in danger of losing his or her livelihood.

“That said, many artists have started virtual exhibitions, others are exploring possibilities in virtual concerts”, the key speaker said.

He also noted that the initiative is a proactive one as much of what have been seen from the public sector has been reactive. “Creating financial intervention or palliatives for firms and individuals affected by Covid-19 is only reactive, but this NCAC initiative is proactive because it is looking at the way forward,” Eboh declared.

“The online zoom series Agenda Setting for the Nigerian Creative Industry is a platform to engage with critical stakeholders in order to aggregate views and opinions of industry players in various sub-sectors to set agenda for the creative industry,” Runsewe concluded, while urging the public and stakeholders to join in the upcoming digital series.

The digital series continued on Saturday May 30, 2020 on a fresh topic, “Emergency trends in the Nigerian cultural industry”.

Big boost for film industry as SwiftThink hosts drive-through cinema in car park

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inema culture got a bold rethink when SwiftThink, an innovative idea development and management company, hosted a novelty drive-through pop-up experience with its eye-catchy mobile High Definition LED screen.

It fired an arm shot of hope at Nigeria’s thriving moviegoing experience, which has taken a hit from the negative economic impact of the COVID19 pandemic. As a result of physical distance regime, Nigerian cinema has been practically grounded alongside all leisure and tourism activities.

Organizers transformed the open-air grounds of Car Park B, Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway into a drive-through pop-up cinema arena accessed only by cars.

The experience held in from March 23 and lasted a few days that included over 17 different sessions of absorbing activities such as live games, karaoke sessions and of course, movie screenings.

At its peak, the pop-up experience recorded over 71 vehicles with occupants sitting comfortable in the safety of their cars from where they beheld the imposing LED screen.

The cars were subjected to strict scrutiny at the entrance in compliance with safety guidelines for COVID19 as dictated by the authorities. While some days featured one session, others had two sessions. On

average, the morning session lasted two hours, while the evening viewing session stretched to a little more than four hours.

The beauty of it is the truck’s HD screen throws out crisp pictures over a distance radius of 200 metres such that the movie was visible to those who are parked far away. And the sound travels farther than that. The roaster of content encompassed different genres including religious films, local films and foreign flicks, all censored to avoid obscenities.

According to Ayoola Jolayemi, CEO of SwiftThink Limited, the experience was inspired by lockdown of activities by the authorities. “People stayed in their houses from morning till night because of the lockdown. So we thought of what to do to help people ease boredom while ensuring people observed strict adherence to social distancing guidelines,” Jolayemi explained.

On whether it could compromise social distancing protocol, Jolayemi said, “We made it known to people from the start that the only way to gain entry into the park is to arrive in a car––no car, no entry. So, people came in their cars.”

A few attendees shared their opinions about the experience. Victor volunteers from his experience, he revealed “I want the program to continue as it helps to relax the mind and helps to ease boredom and twice in a week won’t be bad.”

He is particularly delighted with the strict enforcement and compliance with the social distancing protocol by the organisers and attendees respectively. The coordinators, he notes, were well organized and polite.

Tofunmi gives a more colourful assessment saying, “It was an awesome initiative with an awesome experience.

Especially during this lockdown

era, it helped with a little sense of freedom and fun. It was well coordinated. It gives a sense of purpose day by day and the movies also impacted on me positively.”

On plans to consolidated on the experience, Ayoola disclosed, “It is something that we would explore after the lockdown, for profit or partnership purposes. We will be reaching out to companies, religious organizations and development agencies to engage the services of the truck for their events and advocacy activities across cities. For instance, one of the major telecommunication companies used the trucks for something similar four years ago when they did Campus Activations across some selected cities in Nigeria, so we are open to partnerships with established brands and SMEs that want to take advantage of this idea in taking their messages to target areas using the tool of outdoor cinematic entertainment.

SwiftThink, established in 2009, has played leading roles in the advertising, live events, experiential and project development/management space, being of service to a slew of government and private agencies. The agency has worked on the development of gamechanging ideas, project management, SME growth and brand development, especially indigenous African ideas and companies.

Sunday 31 May 2020

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23

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Life&Living Mistakes you shouldn’t make when you get laid off due to COVID-19 pandemic Ijeoma Nkwonta, Guest writer

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his is an unprecedented season, and no one, not even C-suites understand in entirety the times. No clarity yet on when the economies and businesses will pick up wholesomely.

However, Linkedin, Glassdoor and other job boards are still recording some job adverts flowing in, in the healthcare, retail, warehousing, freight delivery and disaster relief nonprofits industries. More so, other industries not earlier mentioned are interviewing (low key) alongside those industries earlier stated, although offers are being stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

At the very least, you want to be on the pipeline of those who are interviewing. Here are my thoughts to increase your chances of achieving just that, without sabotaging yourself.

1. Commenting with “I am interested” or “interested” on all vacancies: Unknown to you, all your comments are seen by your LinkedIn connections and you may come off as desperate or not mindful, to some who don’t understand your predicament. Moreso, when desperation sets in, you unintentionally reduce your negotiating power and per-

ceived value to potential companies.

Your likely argument: “I don’t care, I just want a job right now. I have dependants to support and bills to pay, Ijeoma.”

Proposed strategy: There are other ways to go about this, you can send an email to the email address indicated in the job advert. If that option is not available, send a private LinkedIn email to such recruiters, or ask your mutual connections to share the recruiters email with you, then pitch yourself to the recruiter.

Light bulb moment: If the recruiter clearly stated in the job advert

that you should type “interested,” in the comment section on LinkedIn please, do not. That statement should help you discern that the recruiter/brand does not understand standard recruitment practice, and as a talented professional that you are, you should apply caution in how you get associated with such brand(s).

Not engaging at all: You read posts, you find them extremely interesting and of value, but you do not like, comment, or share your perspective for others to appreciate or benefit from you. You have

an opinion on something you know people will find valuable, but you don’t share (Never have you posted anything on LinkedIn).

Your likely argument: “Ijeoma, I am not the talking type naturally, that is my style”. Or you say, “I am out of a job Ijeoma, and I feel so ashamed of myself.”

Proposed strategy: My dad says, “it is only a lady who goes out and is seen, that gets a husband.” Thanks to Linkedin, you can go out and be seen, while in the comfort of your home. How about that? Use it as your leverage. You should be engag-

ing on posts you find interesting, as it boosts your chances of appearing on people’s feeds. It helps them to remember you exist, so that when a job comes up, you are on top of mind.

Light bulb moment: Linkedin is a powerful tool, that boosts your visibility chances in that peradventure you have ten people engage on your post (ie. Like, comment, reshare) and all ten people have an average of fifty connections, Linkedin is positioned in a way that such post of yours can be seen by those 10 * 50 = 500 people who may not even be in your first level connection, ceteris paribus. Lastly, the issue of your job loss is a past happening. Please, don’t allow that to affect what the future holds for you – it is indeed promising.

Trusting this post served you.

Also I urge you to share this post with a loved one who was affected by the COVID-19 layoffs, you maybe that Hidden Hero that would give someone’s career a major boost.

Ijeoma Nkwonta is a Career Management Specialist with multi dimensional experience across multiple sectors including Energy and Consulting and countries such as Nigeria, US, UK and India. She supports senior and mid-level professionals gain clarity on their career development goals and make novel career progression and transition into new career paths.

Tips and tricks to applying makeup for different skin types

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Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

eople have different skin tones, colours and types and because of this, women should not have a ‘one size fits all’ approach to using beauty products and putting on makeup.

The beauty industry in Nigeria has emancipated growing in multiple folds with increasing value worth billions of dollars. This certainly shows that makeup and beauty is serious business and should be taken more seriously as not just a craft but a study of skill.

Experts in the industry reckon that Nigeria’s beauty and personal care sector was worth $595.8 million in 2011, up from $439.8 million in 2006 and by 2016, Nigeria’s young and aspiring population pushed sales to $620.6million.

As a result, make-up artists at the fore front of Nigeria’s makeup industry revolutions such as Tara Fela-Durotoye, Banke Meshida-Lawal, Elaine Shobanjo, Labisi Folawiyo and others are laden to raise the standard for makeup application by embedding skin therapy to makeup application.

Choosing the right foundation, moisturizer, primer and other makeup products for you face is very important. Just because someone else with a similar skin tone to yours uses a particular product that suits her does not mean that it is good for you. The

ingredients in products really matter and should be carefully examined before use on skin.

Here are the different skin types and what they need to glow; Normal skin: Normal is the term widely used to refer to a well balanced skin which is neither too oily nor too dry. A normal skin normally has fine pores, a velvety soft and smooth texture and no blemishes.

Dry skin: This sin type produces

less oily secretion (sebum) than normal skin. As a result of the lack of sebum, dry skin lacks the lipids that it needs to retain moisture and build a protective shield against external influences. If your skin feels tight, rough and looks dull, then you probably have dry skin. There a different degrees of dry skin.

Oily skin: Usually characterized by visible pores, this skin type has heightened sebum production and

so your face is usually oily looking.

Combination skin: As the name suggests, a combination skin type is a mix of skin types. Skin types vary between the T-Zone (fore head, chin and nose) and the cheeks on combination skin. The T-zone is usually oily while the cheeks are either dry or normal.

Skincare products and makeup should be selected to match skin type and address skin condition. There

are just so many different formulas, textures and ingredients out there and that is why choosing the perfect one for your skin matters.

It is recommended that people with Acne prone skin use medium to full coverage foundation on their skin.

Your moisturizer and face primer should also be water base and not oil base. When applying foundation to acne prone skin, make sure to use a clean brush or sponge to apply the product in a stippling motion.

For aging skin, try and avoid the use of heavy products that can settle into fine lines and wrinkles. Skin tends to become drier with age, so opt for light coverage liquid foundation or a tinted moisturizer to get younger looking, luminous skin.

To quench your dry skin throughout the day, experts recommend using light coverage hydrating foundation. Use your fingertips which are warmer than using a brush or sponge to press the product into the skin. Do not rub foundation around your face, instead tap/dab into your skin. Also try not to further dry out your skin by washing in very warm water. Use cold water instead.

To ditch the shine on oily skin, choose a medium to full coverage foundation. When you apply products to your face use a sponge or brush. This is because using your fingers can transfer the oil from your hands to your face.

24 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 31 May, 2020

TheWorshipper

‘The Church more organised to combat COVID-19 physically and spiritually’ The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Ikeja Central Province, scheduled a special online empowerment service for Tuesday 26 May, which was to be anchored by Pastor Muyiwa Maku, the General Overseer of Guided Missiles Church, themed ‘Pentecost vs COVID-19’. However, the programme was called off at the last minute over bad network; Pastor Tope Ilesanmi, the coordinator, PFN Ikeja Province, in reacting to why it was important to prepare worshippers ahead of life realities of the post COVID-19 changes, speaks on the adjustment made by the church in Lagos, especially in response to the lockdown. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU So far, can you tell us your experience of the lockdown, especially as it relates to the church? he global pandemic called COVID-19 brought upon the church a season of indepth re-evaluation of all things. The only available means to reach our members was Online broadcast via Facebook.

Older members that were once idle in the church became house fellowship Pastors in their homes.

They responded to the challenges wholeheartedly.

Some new converts who we couldn’t reach online, also took up the courage to start and sustain fellowship in their homes. Today, such new converts are already enlisted into the workers’ mainstream.

How have you been coping with the financial implications of the lockdown?

We had to exhaust both personal and church purse to give palliative to the church members.

As the Chairman of a ministerial body, report got to me that many Pastors were financially down with the challenges of meeting their members’ needs. The PFN, Ikeja Province shared over a million naira to Pastors and widows to cushion the effect of the lockdown. As I speak, some financial members of the church are now dependent on me because some have exhausted their savings, while others have lost their jobs.

Considering the economic

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Pastor Tope Ilesanmi

effect of the extended lockdown on individuals and corporate organisations, the government proactively considered easing the lockdown. So, are we not trying to rush the government into reopening worship centres?

Churches should be opened immediately to give room for corporate prayers and worship.

Alternative means of fellowship

through social media are ineffective due to bad internet services.

The Church is more organised to combat COVID-19 physically and spiritually. The Church can easily meet the rules of COVID-19 compared with local markets which is a free for all entry and exit.

As a major essential service provider in the area of ‘emotional therapies’, the populace needs to

freely have access to their pastors for counselling and prayers at a time like this when many are getting depressed because of economic hardship.

One would ordinarily expect religious leaders to preach obedience to members; but why are some churches secretly holding services?

I don’t expect any organisation including churches to disobey government order on the lockdown. However, if any church or organisation does, please find out critically what led to such. You will agree with me that the government on her own part, failed to consult with the churches sufficiently before issuing her order.

One thing we must tell the world is that the Resurrection Power is not confined to walls built by human hands. He is a Spirit, and travels faster than Coronavirus.

No COVID-19 can even withstand Him, else it will be roasted. So, shutting down Church auditoriums does not reduce His efficacy. Souls are being saved online. Healings, deliverance, impartation and all his wonders are going on online.

Praise God! Many Nigerians have come forward with claims of a possible cure for the treatment of this pandemic; do you support the call for local solutions?

I want to appeal to all Nigerians to watch our broadcast on COVID-19 on PFN Ikeja Province Facebook dated 12/5/20. It will guide our decisions on handling

this pandemic with both spiritual and local herb preventive measures.

In all of this, the bible says, ‘Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,’ Rom8:37-39.

Some say COVID-19 has come to stay; what do you think the effect would be on the church post-lockdown?

Head or tail, the church will get stronger after COVID-19. Why? We provide essential services freely. As long as we continue to meet needs, people will continue to come, and the church will grow.

One such needs that the church often meets is ‘Healing Needs’. So, coronavirus shall die at the gate of the church. The gates of hell shall not prevail in Jesus Name. I appeal to fellow ministers to remember that we operate by faith, not common sense, or scientific reports only. We shall respond to this other reports wisely, but never at the expense of ‘Faith’. Finally, what became the lot of Judas who sold Jesus? He hung himself without spending the proceeds of the corrupt business. The enemies of the Church will soon face the same consequence except they repent.

Christian women tasked on capacity building, successful living SEYI JOHN SALAU

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he Lady Superintendent of Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), Ayobami Akinadewo has tasked Christian women on capacity building and self development towards attaining all-around success in a changing world both at the circular and religious front.

Akinadewo stated this at the MCCSW’s Good Women

Day tagged ‘Women: The Key to Sustainable Development and Quality Life in the Family’, stating that it was necessary for women to make themselves available to be used by God, as inability to do such amounts to being replaced.

The MCCSW lady superintendent also advised Ch r i s t i a n w o m e n t o s e e themselves as catalysts in helping their spouses, children and others draw closer to God and maximise potentials.

According to her, women

have the capacity to attain lofty heights as long as they are willing to develop their capacity and yield to God’s leading.

Akinadewo opined that keeping the home front, entails wise women manage their homes well, making their homes heaven while the unwise are unsupportive, cause pain to family members and others around them.

“Make yourself available for God to use you; if you don’t, God will replace you. As a woman of God you can be what God wants

you to be in your home. You can build with your hands anything you want for your life,” Akinadewo said.

She stated further that a good woman will make her home the best place for those around her.

“If you want to be a wife that will bring glory to God and comfort to your husband; make yourself a good wife. There are bad and good wives, even the Bible attests to it,” Akinadewo stated.

Accordingtoher,“Awisewoman increases material possessions, health and other blessings of her

family, while the unwise causes blessings to depart from her home.”

Akinadewo also urged women to pay more attention to personal development. “You must learn to be a good administrator otherwise no resource will be enough for you.

“Are you a woman that stands by her husband during crisis or the type that runs away? If you are the type that runs away, it shows you are not wise. Remember, when you stand with him to overcome the crisis, you will enjoy the blessings thereafter,” she stated.

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BDSUNDAY 25

TheWorshipper Inspiration With Rev. Yomi Kasali

info@yomikasali.com

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ust before I went to bed, I reflected about the previous day as usual and took a book to read towards edu cating my mind, I ran into a statement about failures and didn’t agree with the author. I dropped the book and meditated briefly, then took my iPad and tweeted my own thought on ‘Failure and Failing’.

Tweeting is a way of expressing my views on sensi-

You are not a failure! tive and vital issues of life.

I enjoy tweeting and don’t care if there are retweets or not.

The tweet read thus, ‘I’ve succeeded overtime because I’ve failed several times...You are not a failure because you failed in some endeavors, there is no man on earth who hasn’t failed a test before’. I strongly believe that statement and know there is no one who can disprove my tweet. It’s very reassuring to know that it got many retweets and comments as well.

I’ll love to Inspire you today on the tweet above and get you back on your feet if you feel downcast, despair, depressed and rejected because you failed in something you were doing, maybe you even failed in a relationship, work, project, you lost your job, made a big mistake and got ejected from home, you failed an exam after several trials, you failed a driving test or an IQ test, your fiancé left you for broke, whatever the situation and however the setback may look, You Are Not A Failure.....

The good news is that the Bible supports this view as well, ‘For A Just Man Falleth (Fails) Seven Times, and Riseth Up Again...’(Prov 24

v 16). A very comforting scripture to note that even Just and Righteous men fall and fail in life, but they always got back up again; don’t let setbacks keep you down. In fact, the Apostles failed when they fled and betrayed Jesus during His arrest, David failed God when he committed adultery and killed Uriah. Moses failed God when he struck the rock twice and cursed the Israelites. Our own beloved Abraham failed God when He fathered a child outside wedlock and didn’t want to let go of the woman... The list is endless of great Men of God who

failed but are not considered Failures in life.

I read something that got my attention on failing and failure, it’s quite refreshing to note that the men we admire today in science and technology also failed at some point in their lives. ‘Albert Einstein failed his first university entrance exams on his first attempt.

Thomas Edison spent two million dollars on an invention which proved to be of little value. Henry Ford forgot to put a reverse gear in his car’. What a world, full of Successful people who had their failing moments.

Let me drop my pen

today by sharing five (5) of the most Inspiring Quotes I’ve read on Failings and Failure. It’s important we read them at least twice and please, drop me a note.

Fi v e ( 5 ) i n s p i r i n g quotes on failing and failure Falling down doesn’t make you a failure but staying down does (Theodore Roosevelt).

Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker.

Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour not a dead-end street (Unknown Author) Knowing how to ben-

efit from failure is the key to success (Zig Ziglar) We have come to fear failure too much. Failure is the practice essential for success (Charles F. Kettering) The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed (Lloyd Jones) I love the First and Last quote the most and hope you can get inner strength from these quotes as well.

You have to repeat this statement several times for it to become a position within you; you are not a failure!

Drop me a note of acknowledgment and encouragement and also follow me on my Social media handles below: Instagram: @yomi_ kasali Twitter: @yomi_kasali Facebook: www.facebook.com/revyomikasali Youtube: www.youtube.com/revyomikasali Be Inspired!

Rev Yomi Kasali is Senior Pastor, Foundation of Truth Assembly (FOTA), Surulere, Lagos.

COVID-19: Cleric urges Methodist Bishop advocates Christians to draw closer to God abolition of state of origin SEYI JOHN SALAU

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he serving overseer o f Fi r s t Lo v e Assembly, Simeon Afolabi has urged Nigerian Christians to draw closer to God and be fervent in service by strengthening their walk with God amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic.

According to Afolabi, the advent of COVID-19 has added to the reality of the God-factor as well as heaven and hell, as he advised Christians to serve God like never before.

“We are in the days of fearful things and we must begin to anticipate the Lord’s coming and be prepared for it. Let us look for opportunity to serve Him like never before; these are the things we need to do so that when the kingdom of God comes upon the earth, we can hear well done from him,” Afolabi said.

He further said that limited understanding of the scriptures has pushed

some people to believe that the devil is on the loose to destroy the earth through the virus.

“Though we live in a fallen earth, I want to submit that God is still in control of the earth. It still belongs to the Lord. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness there of… It’s not my picture of the Bible that the devil can just do anything he likes,” Afolabi said.

According to him, “God still has his redemptive plan of the earth. Hence, the devil does not have the power to do just about anything

Simeon Afolabi

without God’s permission.”

Quoting the experience of Job from the Bible, Afolabi said the devil cannot go all the way in doing anything without the Lord’s approval.

“Whatever power the devil has, whatever liberty he has is on lease and he is bound and restricted. The devil can’t go all the way, he cannot do anything without the approval of the Father,” he stated.

The cleric reiterated that the earth still belongs to God and he would take the glory at the end of the global crisis caused by COVID-19. “ Th e d e v i l c a n n o t just jump on any life; he cannot carry out any act without God having a foreknowledge about it and without God drawing a line saying, ‘Satan, you cannot go beyond this line’. “ I t e ll yo u , t h e r e is already a line drawn by God against coronavirus that it cannot go beyond. God has drawn the line when that mark is reached you will be surprised about what God would do,” he said.

UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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unday Ndukwo Onuoha, a bishop of Methodist Church and president of Vision Africa Radio (VAR), has called for the abolition of state of origin in Nigeria which he said runs counter to the spirit of unity, peace and love.

Onuoha, who stated this in his office in Umuahia, Abia state when he hosted leaders of the Moslem community in the state during the Eid-el- Fitr holidays to mark the end of fasting of Moslems, noted that it should be enshrined in the constitution that wherever one was born should be one’s state of origin irrespective of tribe, language and ethnicity.

He emphasised that if somebody from any part of the Northern states is born in Abia, his/her state of origin should be Abia and vice versa.

Onuoha congratulated

Sunday Ndukwo

his Moslem brothers and sisters for having gone through the rigours of fasting for many days. He thanked them for prayers they offered for the nation, particularly at this trying period of Covid-19.

The Methodist Church Bishop noted that Moslems, Christians, Jewish religions were bonded by a common humanity.

“God will reveal those creating problems in the name of religion in Nigeria.

People will always drop the word religion to cause havoc. When you

are smiling, others should equally smile,” he enthused.

Al l i Uk i w o ( Sh e i k ) , t h e Ch i e f I m m a n o f M o s l e m c o m m u n i t y, Umuahia, in his remarks during the occasion, said that something “like this gathering had never happened in history”.

He enjoined other clerics and religious leaders to emulate Onuoha in that direction.

“If there will always be meeting like this, there will always be peace in Nigeria and there will never be religious rancours. We should always live our different patterns as Bishop has brought religious people together to show that we all are one. All of us should live the pattern set

by God,” he said.

Emmanuel Agomuo, (Apostle), chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, Abia chapter, in his remarks disclosed that he had organised a programme with the Chief Imman in the past.

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Perspective How not to police a pandemic Victor Ikem

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s soon as the COVID-19 pandemic was announced and its widespread implications made public, everyone including governments around the world went into a panic mode. Fear! The media went berserk with many conspiracy theories and junk news hitting the airwaves. Soon, it was a dose of news of deaths from Wuhan-China.

Next, it was to Italy, and America’s cases were rising daily, then index case in Nigeria, and before you say ‘Corona’ the entire world had been overwhelmed by the virus.

Back home in Nigeria, the rush was on slowly, but soon hit the peak and the ‘small’ panic soon turned to another ‘big’ power game of a sort, providing opportunities for officials of government and politicians to demonstrate their competence or lack of it. Mind you, in a short time it was no longer about public health concern of COVID-19, but more about the demonstration of character and competence that soon transformed into overzealousness and brutality.

Gradually, we all forgot that we are all equal victims. Those in government soon saw themselves as more morally anointed to teach, and most times flog, everyone else into compliance. It must be a total lockdown!

Suddenly, the army shooting was announced in Warri. Some residents were said to have revolted the alleged killing and an army official was alleg-

Ikem edly beaten. Then, a video went viral on social media in which some supposed uniformed officers threatened to unleash their anger on residents of Warri. They promised all manner and forms of vengeance, all because of Coronavirus! Not only that, in Anambra State, a man left his home in his car to get money from the Automated Teller Machine, where he was accosted by some police officers

and had his life threatened and his car tyre shot off. Another resident of Abuja was seen in a video chased and bullied by officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

This health crisis, once more, has exposed our penchant for abuse of power, state brigandage, and rascality by those in power. How do we explain this? That a state government would embark on the demolition of

properties in the name of COVID-19.

How do we explain that a state governor would advocate for the flogging of citizens and journalists, because of COVID-19? How do we explain the brutalities and extortion by officers of the law in the name of ‘Task Force Agent on COVID-19”?

There is something fundamentally wrong in our value system.

The bribery on our highways.

While the interstate lockdown was still in force, several reports showed that agents of the state had embarked on tips collection to allow travelers access to other states under lockdown. This is another demonstration of a lack of faith in the battle to combat the pandemic.

Several cases of victimisation and stigmatisation were reported in some states. Chief amongst which is that of a lady who arrived from the United Kingdom and was quarantined for almost 40 days without having to properly brief her on her status and reasons why she was still being held after series of tests. It was evident that governments (state and federal) did not have a proper communication mechanism to ensure that those infected or suspected to have been infected would not feel stigmatised or victimised on account of the disease. Confidence building through effective communication remains a fundamental element of health risk management. Anything otherwise will breed suspicion, doubt, and resistance from the public.

On palliatives, whereas the governments at both the state and federal levels have pretended to be giving out palliatives in form of food items, the majority of the households were left unattended to and those who received items lamented the very poor nature of the palliatives.

This goes to show that governments across the country are not prepared enough for any form of crisis or a major national emergency.

While the COVID-19 pandemic still ravages the world with its aggravated impact felt in Nigeria, it is an opportunity to identify the loopholes in our national security, crisis response, and welfare systems to mitigate these, so far, bad experiences. There is a need to develop a national response strategy to crises, whether global or local, in such a manner that the nation will not be deeply exposed as in this case; poor human rights record and poor welfare systems.

In policing the pandemic, Nigeria has fallen deeper into state repression, tyranny, and human rights violations with claims of massive corruption attending the distribution of palliatives and cash transfers to the vulnerable. It is hoped that the right lessons should have been learned by relevant governments and agencies to ensure that there is no recurrence of these kinds of negative events. Nigerians need care not false palliatives, brutalisation, or stigmatising.

Ikem, a Public Policy analyst, writes from Lagos

Quantitative easing, a necessary Monetary Policy tool for post-coronavirus economic recovery Continued from back page reserves are transferred to the commercial banks for lending to the private sector. Again, the goal is to spur economic growth through increasing the availability of credit and capital to participants in both the real and informal sectors.

Although the mechanisms of QE are unconventional and often times complex, the stated goals remain relatively the same.

First, encourage economic growth through ensuring the availability and affordability of capital to the credit market. Second, promote lending through the assurance of low interbank interest rates. The major drawbacks to QE are its preponderance to creating Net Negative inflation which can result to stag inflation. The other is the devaluation of domestic currency.

Quantitative Easing practices in the advanced economies The US started implementing QE in 1932 to combat the great depression. About USD 1 billion was created through quantitative easing during this period.

However, this did not yield the desired results. Japan is reputed as the first country that started implementing in 2001 the current version of the QE when it expended YEN 50 trillion between 2001 and 2006. But it wasn’t until the 2008 financial crisis that central banks of developed countries used QE at such regular intervals to stimulate their economies, increase bank lending and encourage spending. For instance, some of the post 2008 global financial crisis QE programs for the U.S., Europe, U.K. and Japan amounted to about USD 1.75 trillion (U.S. QE1 2008), (EUR 489 billion in Dec 2011), GBP 200 billion in the U.K. (2009-2010), and YEN 65 trillion in Japan (2012) respectively. In

Europe, the ECB has implemented three asset purchase programs since 2011. In Japan, the central bank added YEN 10 trillion to its already existing asset purchasing program, thus raising the ceiling of the program to as much as YEN 80 trillion` The resort to QE as a monetary tool by the US Federal Reserve during the financial crisis of 2008 was in response to a massive freeze in the credit market.

It targeted the “bail out” of government-backed mortgage providers in addition to large investment banks that were hard hit by the downturn in the US housing market. In November 2008, the Fed. pledged US$100 billion to Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE), and US$500 billion to Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS). The capital was increased in March 2009, as another US$200 billion went to GSE and MBS received capital totaling US$1.25 trillion. In addition to the mortgage bailout, the Federal Reserve cut interbank interest rates to near zero and pledged to purchase US$300 billion of longterm treasury securities from the US government. Quantitative easing remained a crucial part of US monetary policy with the launch of QE2, QE3 and QE4 between 2009 and 2014.

From a purely empirical standpoint, the era of QE in the United States has brought lower mortgage rates, stable inflation and an improved employment situation.

Advocates of the QE programs in the United States claim that the capital created by the Fed loosened up credit markets, stymied unemployment and provided a boost to equities valuations.

Opponents of QE claim that the bond-buying practices and capital creation enacted by the Fed will ultimately lead to extreme

dollar devaluation and a financial burden being placed upon future generations.

The application of Quantitative Easing in developing countries The application of QE as a monetary tool has not been without challenges in the developing countries. Primarily, the vulnerabilities of the economies of these countries have been their dependency on imports, predominance of weak currencies, debts and balance of payments dominated in hard foreign currencies. In the light of these challenges any attempt by developing countries to print money to stimulate its economy will not produce the desired results. The currency gets devalued making both debt and balance of payment obligations more expensive, leading to higher inflation, budget deficits as more local money is needed to pay for debts and imports.

This produces a chain in either more quantitative easing or more foreign borrowing that results in foreign exchange risk. These reasons have placed Africa and other developing countries stick to conventional economic stimulus programs like rate hikes/cuts, reserve ratio balancing, increased government spending and the (un)conventional yet widely employed borrowing.

The Nigerian experience in the implementation of Quantitative Easing Perhaps the most challenging of the present characteristics of the economy in Nigeria is the adoption of a quantitative easing stance by the management of the Central Bank. Monetary data shows a sharp rise in the extent of CBN financing of the government deficit. Nigeria’s Central Bank has been printing money to fund the government’s spending.

Statistics showed much of the rise in the CBN’s financing of the federal government in 2017 with the purchase of government bonds.

Nigeria’s government has not been able to recover in any meaningful way from the collapse in oil prices. Specifically, since December 2016, the government’s borrowing from the CBN has risen tremendously more than its lending to the commercial banks. The CBN’s purchase of treasury bills had a 30percent rise to the tune of N454bn; a 5percent increase in the government overdraft to N2.8 trillion; and an increase in the mirror account to N1.5 trillion in April 2017 from just N3billion in December 2016. Quantitative easing has actually been deployed by the Central Bank as evidenced in the sharp rise in its financing of the government’s fiscal deficit. By increasing the size of its balance sheet, the CBN can intervene to bring relief to the ongoing economic downturn in Nigeria caused by the corona virus pandemic. Adopting unconventional measures of monetary easing, the CBN seek mainly to stimulate growth, bring down joblessness to reasonable levels and support the banking systems by pumping more money into the economy to boost spending.

However, the CBN has been criticised for providing ‘piggy bank’ services to the federal government and starving commercial banks of liquidity, raising the amount of reserves they must park with it. To keep a lid on inflation, the CBN has to balance out the increased government lending with a tightening of the amount of cash banks could lend.

It does this by raising the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of banks, effectively taking money out of circulation. Thus, the private sector is “crowded out” for the sake

of the government. The effect of increased government lending is making it practically impossible for the private sector to pay it the taxes it desperately needs.

Completing the vicious cycle, the government must then borrow more to fund its spending.

Defending its role in creating quantitative easing, the CBN noted that it was lending against the federal government’s deposits in its Treasury Single Account (TSA) which currently stand at N5.2 trillion. The TSA is a mechanism whereby all cash resources of government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are consolidated in a single account with the CBN. The policy had been half-heartedly implemented for several years but president Buhari finally expanded it to cover the entire government in 2015.

Unlike Quantitative Easing

by Federal Reserve and Bank of England that came with built-in mechanisms for their eventual unwinding, there is no clear-cut mechanism by which the CBN can roll back the expansion of its balance sheet. While central banks in developed economies have deployed monetary easing to ameliorate the impact of the recession, the collective magnitude of monetary easing may have unintended consequences in developing countries. The reason is simple. As economies are more integrated, the implementation of QE in developed countries can cause excess flow of liquidity in emerging countries and inadvertently disrupt their currencies, exports, inflation levels.

Dr. Iwuala, Operations at Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) PLC, writes from Abuja. iwualaemeka@ yahoo.com

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CapitalMarket Equities, bonds attract $1.08bn via capital importation in first quarter 2020

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TELIAT SULE

quities and bonds attracted $1.08 billion through capital importation in the first quarter of 2020. According to the report on capital importation as released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), equity investment that came into the country through foreign direct investment (FDI), and equity and bond investments that came into the country in the form of portfolio investment amounted to $1.085 billion.

Nigeria attracted $5.85 billion as capital importation in the first quarter of 2020, representing 53.97 percent increase over $3.80 billion capital imported in the last quarter of 2019, and a decrease of 31.19 percent when compared with $8.51 billion brought in in the first quarter of 2019.

The FDI equity investment equalled $213.84 million representing 3.7 percent of the $5.85 billion that came into the country through capital importation in the first three months of this year.

The FDI equity investment for Q1 2020 fell by 14.31 percent when compared with $249.55 million that came into the country in Q4 2019 and decreased by 13.31

Source: NBS, BRIU

percent when compared with $246.67 million that came into the country as capital importation for FDI equity investment in the first quarter of 2019.

Equity form of portfolio investment attracted $639.72 million in the first quarter of 2020. In the last quarter of 2019, investors brought in $353.65 million, and $656.23 million in the first quarter of 2019.

11 Plc, Ardova post N1.8bn profit in first quarter 2020 TELIAT SULE

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1 Plc, formerly Mobil Nigeria Plc, and Ardova Plc, formerly Forte Oil Plc, both recorded double-digit growth in their revenues in the first quarter of 2020.

11 Plc grew its Q1 2020 revenue by 17.8 percent to N54.28 billion up from N46.07 billion in Q1 2019. But its cost of sales mirrored revenue generation in that it grew by 22.1 percent from N42.4 billion in Q1 2019 to N51.8 billion in Q1 2020.

The implication of the rising cost of sales in the first quarter is that cost to sales rose from 92.1 percent in Q1 2019 to 95.5 percent in Q1 2020.

Consequently, gross profit declined by 32.6 percent to N2.46 billion in Q1 2020 from N3.65 billion in Q1 2019. Other income grew by 2 percent from N2.01 billion to N2.05 billion during the reference periods.

But that increase was cancelled out by an 8 percent and 5.5 percent increase in selling and administration expenses and administration expenses respectively.

“The Covid 19 crisis continues to impact all businesses, with the effect expected to be more pronounced in the future. The priority for us is to protect the health, safety and welfare of all stakeholders under

our duty of care as well as support the government and its agencies as they work to reduce the impact of the outbreak. The company has a strong balance sheet, and the board and management are focusing on efforts to mitigate the impact on our business”, 11 Plc stated.

Operating profit declined by 41.6 percent to N1.86 billion from N3.18 billion during the reference periods. Profit after tax declined by 37 percent to N1.28 billion in March 2020 down from N2.04 billion in March 2019.

Ardova Plc exhibited a similar trend in its financials at the end of March 2020. Revenue grew by 22.3 percent to N52.05 billion in March 2020 from N42.56 billion in March 2019. However, growth in cost of sales by 24.7 percent surpassed that of the growth in revenue.

Cost to sales rose to 94.6 percent in March 2020 from 92.8 percent in March 2019. Gross profit declined by 9 percent to N2.79 billion down from N3.06 billion in the previous year.

Profit before tax fell by 81.5 percent to N580.30 million in March 2020 from N3.13 billion in March 2019. Profit after tax fell by 85 percent to N497.44 billion in March 2020 as against N3.32 billion in March 2019.

On a quarterly basis, equity portfolio investment increased by 80.89 percent while on a year on year basis, it fell by 2.52 percent. This form of investment represented 10.9 percent of the entire capital importation in the first quarter.

Bonds also attracted $231.22 million in the first quarter of 2020.

This amounted to 3.9 percent of the entire capital imported into Ni-

geria in the first three months. On a quarterly basis, the first quarter equity portfolio investment skyrocketed by 388.23 percent but fell by 59.23 percent of a yearly basis.

By sector, the banking sector attracted $2.99 billion which is 51.08 percent of the entire capital imported into the country in Q1 2020. Investment in shares gulped $817.38 million which amounted

to 13.96 percent. Financing activities attracted 22.77 percent of the total capital importation which was $1.33 billion in the first quarter of 2020. in spite of the inflows into shares, which was 13.96 percent of the total capital importation in the first quarter, the equity market closed in the negative territory, at -20.65 percent at the end of the first quarter of 2020. Put in another way, the equity market shed N1.86 trillion going by the closing figure of the market capitalisation at N11.10 trillion by March 31 2020 as against N12.96 trillion on the last trading day of 2019.

On the contrary, the bond market appreciated in value, closing the first quarter of the year at over N13 trillion as fixed income instruments became the toast of investors following the bearish sentiment that swept the market.

Investors brought in28.3 percent of the total capital importation through Standard Chartered Bank in the first quarter of 2020.

Next is Stanbic IBTC through which investors channelled into the country 23.6 percent. Citibank was responsible for 11.8 percent; First Bank, 11.6 percent; Rand Merchant Bank, 10.4 percent while 4.4 percent came in through Access Bank.

NSE to host sustainable forum to promote green finance in West Africa

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he Nigerian Stock Exchange in collaboration with the Milken Institute, is set to host the inaugural edition of our Webinar Series on Sustainable Capital Markets for West Africa on Friday, 5 June 2020 by 2:30pm. The webinar themed, “Fundamentals of Developing Green Bond Markets”, is supported by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The forum will provide a platform for policymakers, government, regulators, West African financial market participants, domestic and international thought leaders on green finance, investors and other market stakeholders to share valuable experiences and best practices on green finance and promote the development of sustainable finance market segments within securities exchanges in the region. Interested participants should register at https://zoom. us/webinar/register/WN_hYf0Aa_rSeaA73_udnBbtg.

Speaking to the strategic objectives of the webinar, the Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Oscar Onyema, said, “At the NSE, we are resolute in our commitment to promoting sustainable finance

because we recognise that urgent action is required to combat climate change and its impact as enshrined in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We are committed to fostering the growth of sustainable financial products which integrate the financial risks and opportunities associated with climate change and other environmental challenges.”

“Our collaboration with the Milken Institute to host this webinar, therefore, provides us with an opportunity to further contribute to the advancement of the green finance markets, as well to highlight our leadership role in this area. This journey began with the launch of the first fully certified Sovereign Green Bond in Africa by NSE, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Debt Management Office, and has since led to various strategic partnerships and landmark listings,” Onyema added.

The Executive Director, Milken Institute, Staci Warden, “We are pleased to support the Nigerian Stock Exchange in their commitment to developing green bond markets at home and in West Af-

rica. Nigeria’s experience building its local market and its recent green bond issuance can provide valuable insights for West African countries.

Building these markets takes intentional and coordinated efforts to create a regulatory environment that can attract qualified issuers and investors. This virtual meeting will help countries as they design and navigate their own road maps for creating sustainable capital markets.”

The NSE continues to promote the development of the Green Finance market evidenced in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange in 2019 to promote the cross-listing and trading of green bonds in Nigeria and Luxembourg. This partnership has already yielded its first fruit with the successful cross-listing of Access Bank’s N15 Billion Green Bond on the NSE and LuxSE. Furthermore, The Exchange supports capacity development and investor awareness through the NSE X-Academy, a specialized learning center that offers bespoke capital market and business courses including courses across the Sustainable Finance theme.

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SundayBusiness Covid-19: Time for fresh initiatives and new mortgage products

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s the global health emergency, Covid-19, continues to take toll on global economy, contracting economic activities and shrinking individual and household income, operators in Nigerian mortgage market need, more than ever before, to think of fresh initiatives and new products that can help both lenders and borrowers.

Already, the operators are edgy with repayment defaults arising from reduced income of borrowers many of whom are workers that have either lost their jobs or have their salaries cut.

Both existing and intending borrowers need new products, especially consumer products, and fresh initiatives or full implementation of existing ones that can cushion the impact of coronavirus on them.

When the federal government established the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) as a secondary mortgage institution that would function like the Fanne Mae in the United States of America, it did not stop there. The National Housing Fund (NHF) followed almost immediately after.

There has also been the recapitalization and consolidation of the primary mortgage banks (PMBs) coupled with a revision of their operational guidelines which confined them to their core business of providing mortgage services including housing loans for homeownership.

The establishment of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) is the latest attempt by the government to, not only grow the market by increasing liquidity in the mortgage system, but also facilitate homeownership through affordable housing delivery.

Though these two institutions are doing their best, that best is not yet good enough for them. This is creating inequality in terms of lack of affordable housing. This inequality has placed moral obligation on all housing stakeholders to use every tool at their disposal to find solution to the problem of sustainable and affordable housing finance.

NMRC has however raised some hope and it is this hope that industry experts want the company to give more push to in this Covid-19 era.

As a secondary mortgage institution that is private sector-driven with the public purpose of developing the primary and secondary mortgage markets by raising long‐term funds from the domestic capital market as well as foreign markets for providing accessible and affordable housing in Nigeria, the company is addressing this problem.

Before now, there has been spirited efforts by the refinance company to, not only reposition the country’s mortgage sector, but also to break down barriers to home ownership by providing liquidity, affordability, accessibility and stability to the housing market.

The company has the vision to

be the dominant housing partner in Nigeria by providing liquidity and access to affordable housing finance and, in line with that, it has come out with initiatives aimed to improve mortgage market transactions and also fast-track affordable housing delivery.

When the company was established, the mandate given to it was to promote wider spread of home ownership, accessibility and affordability which explains the setting up of what the company calls ‘Housing/Mortgage Market Information Portal (MMIP)’ aimed to enable it to gather data for intelligence and profiling of federal, states civil servants and informal sectors (offtakers) for affordable housing.

This is an effective policy and decision making tool on land allocation, infrastructure and concessions and, according to sources close to the company, MMIP enables decision on creating polycentric cities in order to decongest major urban centres. The pilot implementation of this initiative is already taking place in some cities including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Enugu, Port Harcourt.

Another initiative the company has come up with is the Mortgage Market System (MMS) which is a transformational change that integrates the entire housing market, covering construction finance, primary and secondary mortgage.

The system which is available to all players in the housing industry has the benefit of removing dupli-

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com)

cations of efforts in gathering data and documents; improving the turnaround time, reducing the cycle time of transactions and helping in making homes more affordable.

Described as a world class system that aims to bring all players in the mortgage and housing market into a centralised technology ecosystem, MMS allows a systematic market to operate and concentration of activities to take place.

What the system seeks to achieve, besides bringing credibility and attracting investors to the mortgage market, is also to let players and sundry individuals know what is going on in the market. People often ask about the mortgage market but they cannot get verifiable and dependable information, but this system creates a marketplace where there is information flow and people can see what is going on.

The system is a national market that is not only about mortgage but also the entire housing finance and so it allows the company to see the pipeline projects and know who is bringing what to the market. As a refinancer, it also allows the company to time and determine when

to go to the market to raise bonds.

MMS also allows market operators to track all the activities within the construction industry. With it they can see which developer is doing what and in which location.

It also allows them to begin to compare prices and know which property is being sold and in which location. This way, the developers will begin to be more competitive in the way they do their developments.

For the mortgage banks, the new system allows them to begin to manage their own systems by themselves, using the uniform underwriting standards which NMRC has produced and, with that, they can evaluate their applications based on the underwriting standard.

It is hoped that the use of these systems, especially the MMIP, for federal and state governments’ mortgage asset registry, will reduce cost of homeownership; eliminate breaks in the chain of title; improve hard naira savings on each loan for homeowners and lenders, and reveal identity of servicer and investor available to homeowners via phone or internet.

SAPIENCE: Rethink How to turbo-charge your business with

Toluwanimi Osinowo info@cantab-associates.com Obinnae-mail: Emelike Lesson 2: Reorder your priorities (Contd.) our business is not about you. Your business does not exist to perpetuate its own existence – it exists to improve the welfare of someone else. You are in business to serve. To care for your customers in the same way you would like to be cared for - to seek their wellbeing and welfare. Your customers do not exist to make you great; you exist to make them great. Your priority should be the customer (if we can call them that at this stage).

Re-ordering your priorities in this light means that you have to move away from a profit-centered business model. The aim of your business is not profit - profit is ultimately a consequence of your business.Many people tend to struggle with this concept be-

Y

cause we have generally accepted that profit is the true primary aim of a business (whatever else we may say to deflect this).

This then leads to a paradox – the way to make good and sustainableprofit is NOT to have profit-making as your aim! We must be honest with ourselves here - retaining profit as a motivation but prioritizing customer service as the means to your profit is not the same thing as reorienting your mindset. Remember that our true motivations and reasoning will be tested and eventually leak out into everything we do. The better approach is this –genuinely seek to bring true delight to others and then watch the rewards come in.

When profit is the motivation, we may very well make some profit but then we limit ourselves in other ways, especially in cre-

through turbulent times (Part 7) ativity and innovation – which eventually limits our ability to makea profit. Invention and innovation involve exploration and discovery. Innovation requires fluidity of mind – the more fluid your thinking can be, the more innovative you can be. But a profitcentered mindset inhibits your fluidity.Ideas percolate up in your mind through a series of “gates”.

The true state of your mind determines the parameters of these gates – allowing only ideas that fit into your defined parameters.

Remember the parameters are determined by the true state of your mind, not what you say it is or what you want it to be! When you have a profit-centered mindset, you essentially block out a lot of ideas that are not obviously profitmaking. And that is the problem - that part of your mental mapthat seems unattractive profit-wise, is exactly where your next breakthrough idea is hiding. This entire process typically happens long before the idea has crystallized in your consciousness. But even if one of these potentially great

ideas makes its way to your conscious mind, you are unlikely to recognise its worth because your mindset is profit-oriented. This may be difficult for you to believe, but this is true.

As a thought experiment, consider the difference between a goat and a man. They are both living organisms- the human is a relatively higher order organism compared with the goat. They both require energy (profit) to survive and thrive but go about it in very different ways. The goat moves from place to place in search of food using precious energy that must at least be replaced, or it risks death. It therefore focuses on its own survival.

Even though the goat is thinking and planning its movement, its thinking is limited because it focuses on energy (profit).

The human uses his brain differently. The main difference is that the human uses his brain primarily to explore and discover the truth about his environment and not to find food. The paradoxical result of this is that the human

gets to acquire more food than he needswhile developing the ability to shape his environment.

As we can see, the higher the order of the organism, the less it focuses onfood.In a similar way, the higher the orderof the business, the less the focus on profit.

What kind of business are you running – a lower-order business or a higher-order business?

No part of this article may be reproduced, copied or used in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission of the author.

Dr. Osinowo is a thinker and teacher: coaching high-potential leaders, advising organizations and originating breakthrough ideas. He is the founder of CANTAB Associates and the pioneer of SAPIENCE which is both a philosophy and methodology of thinking. He previously worked in the London office of the leading global strategy consulting firm Bain & Company. He studied Medicine at the University of Cambridge where he was a Cambridge Commonwealth Scholar. He can be reached for your questions and comments. e-mail: info@cantab-associates.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toluwanimiosinowo

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SundayBusiness LG to receive AHRI performance awards News Gbajabiamila, Abayomi, others seek more for the second consecutive year

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G El e c t r o n i c s (LG) was recently recognised for its differentiated technology and performance in the US for its HVAC solutions used in commercial and residential segments.

Following last year’s s u c c e s s , LG w o n t h e Pe r f o r m a n c e Aw a r d s b y Ai r - C o n d i t i o n i n g , Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) for six air-conditioning product categories.

For the Performance Awards, it is difficult to receive as all products from each category randomly selected by the AHRI must pass the first performance test for three consecutive years. After AHRI chooses 20 percent of each manufacturer’s products in each product category at random, experts from leading standard certification authority, Intertek, assess whether actual performance matches up with the listed specifications. The award is given based on the results of performance tests for North American models of the product categories.

Fo u n d e d i n 1 9 5 3 , AHRI has a membership of approximately 350 air conditioning manufacturers from around the globe. The organisation is well-known for thorough product evaluation, therefore is highly trusted by consumers.

From 2016 to 2018, a total of 63 models of LG air conditioning systems across the six flagship product categories passed the performance evaluation conducted by the organisation for the third consecutive year, including Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF), Unitary Small Heat Pump (USHP), Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner

synergy among states in tackling pandemic Iniobong Iwok

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(PTAC), Packaged Terminal Heat Pump (PTHP), WaterCooled Screw Chiller, and Air-Cooled Screw Chiller.

Multi V, LG’s flagship large capacity the outdoor unit stands out in the commercial air-conditioning market due to its Ultimate Inverter Compressor with high performance and energy efficiency. The product is popularinthenorthernpartof the US, where temperatures in winter are much lower, as it can be operated even in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit).

Multi VS is a compact yet powerful VRF for premium residences such as condominiumsandmansions.

Up to 16 indoor units can be connected to one outdoor unit, enabling smooth cooling and heating of even in large residential areas. Indoor units can be installed in a wallmounted, ceiling cassette,

or duct-type configuration, giving consumers incredible flexibility.

PTAC is an all-in-one air conditioning solution, commonly installed in hotels due to its outstanding durability. LG increased the capacity of durability by applying special coating technology to prevent corrosion of heat exchanger.

Based on differentiated and distinctive technology, LG has been growing for 11 consecutive years in the US air conditioner market.

Also, the company’s sales have more than doubled, compared to five years ago.

“LG will strengthen competitiveness in the US market with its differentiated technology and certified air conditioning solutions” said Lee Kam-gyu, executive vice president of the Air Solution Business Unit at LG’s Home Appliance and Air Solution Company.

COVID-19: Jumia partners International Breweries, Unilever to increase consumers’ access to food, beverage products SEYI JOHN SALAU

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umia, Nigeria’s e-commerce platform has announced a partnership deal with global beverage company, International Breweries and Unilever to make consumer goods and beverage products accessible and available to Nigerians on the Jumia platform as individuals and corporate organisations continue to adjust to economic realities of COVID-19 and the post-pandemic era.

In addition to the partnership, both companies will be

offering free deliveries on select products on the Jumia platform across the country.

Massimiliano Spalazzi, CEO Jumia Nigeria said the partnership is a reflection of Jumia’s commitment to soften the unpleasant effects of the lockdown to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.

“This partnership is in line with our ‘Stay Safe’ campaign.

We strive to continue operating so that customers continue to stay at home, use e-commerce to shop, and stay safe in this trying time.

“We are proud to partner with Unilever and Interna-

tional Breweries as part of our commitment to provide customers easy access to essentials such as food and beverage products in the face of this pandemic,” he said.

According to Spalazzi, with the new partnership customers on the Jumia platform will be able to order from a range of Unilever and International Breweries products such as Trophy Premium Lager, Budweiser Lager Beer, Omo detergent, Knorr seasoning, Pepsodent, Lux and get them delivered at their doorsteps via the Jumia delivery services.

emi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has called for more synergy among states and agencies in the country to aid the fight against the covid-19 pandemic.

Gbajabiamila disclosed that the House was working with the Senate to enact a legislation aimed at offering tax relief and other stimulus packages for companies to cushion the effect of the pandemic.

He stated this Friday while featuring in a webinar interactive session organised by the Emmanuel Chapel Methodist Church with the titled, ‘State of bio-system; national emergencies and covid-19 disruption’.

The interactive session also featured Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health in Lagos State, Abdulrazaq Garba Habib, an infectious disease physician; MajorGeneral Lucky Irabor, Chief

of Defence Training and Operations.

The programme was held to inform the public on the state of bio-security in the country and attempt to update laws on the preventing and containment of infectious diseases.

Gbajabiamila stressed that the House was desirous about strengthening necessary laws to help tackle outbreak of pandemic and diseases in the country, which informed moves to pass the infectious diseases bill. He stressed that the House had also taken moves to collaborate with the executive to expand the social investment programme to touch more vulnerable Nigerians.

According to him, “We are working at passing the infectious diseases bill and working on legislation that would allow companies to cut 50 percent of their tax; I mean tax reduction and other stimulus packages for companies; that bill is in the Senate.

“We are also working on

social investment to take care of vulnerable Nigerians, but the geographical spread would be determined by law.”

In his contribution, Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health in Lagos, said the state was able to respond rapidly to the coronavirus pandemic because it had set up a biosystem infrastructure and policies to shape in place together with the required professionals.

Major-General Lucky Irabor, in his speech, expressed the readiness of the military to deal with security threat in any part of the country that could arise from the deaths associated with the covid-19 pandemic.

Irabor stressed that the military formations had taken extra precaution by carrying out a general enlightenment on the covid-19 pandemic, and fumigation of most Army barracks, while officers who had gone on course outside the country were often isolated upon return to the country.

MindBody & Soul

with Chioma Nwosu

When sorry is just not enough!

- The Art of forgiveness

“C

hioma he took my innocence, he pointed a gun at me and told me that if I ever spoke to anyone about this he would kill me. I was only twelve years old.” Sobbing, she continued: “For years, I blamed myself, maybe, if I had worn trousers to bed, maybe, if I didn’t start developing early.” I asked her: “How do you feel? Have you forgiven yourself? Do you understand that none of this is your fault? Have you forgiven the perpetrator?” she responded with shock in her eyes, “Forgive him? Chioma, he has apologised over and over but his sorry and apologies are not just enough!”

Have you ever found it difficult to forgive, even in cases that do not seem as serious as the story above?

Have you been in a situation where you’ve tried to accept the apology of the person who has hurt you, but you just can’t? Or a situation where you have to forgive someone even when there hasn’t been

any form of apology rendered.

Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they deserve your forgiveness.

Forgiveness is extremely hard, people find it difficult to forgive because they don’t want to be taken for granted or seen as weak but forgiveness is the first step to healing. When you forgive you free your mind and it is at peace. You don’t forgive because of the other person, you forgive because of you.

People misunderstand the meaning of forgiveness and how far they have to go when forgiving, however, I’d say forgiving doesn’t mean that your feelings towards the situation aren’t valid, or that you are pardoning the person who did you wrong, it doesn’t mean you should forget the incident, or keep the person who wronged you, in your life.

Forgiveness means that you

love yourself enough to put yourself first and choose not to let the actions of another define your emotion.

Think about this; hurt people, hurt people. A lot of people are living with baggage from the past or even present situations. If you don’t learn to forgive, heal and let go, you’ll also be trapped in the cycle of damaged and toxic people, who also go around hurting others. This cycle goes on and on.

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover that the prisoner was you.” - Lewis B. Smedes

Chioma Nwosu is a mental health/positive psychology advocate, speaker and founder of Olamma Cares Foundation an NGO focused on encouraging the social acceptance of developmental disabilities and mental disorders, finding and implementing long term solutions of these conditions through training, capacity building, advocacy and intervention.

Email: cnwosu@olammacares.com Instagram: _olamma_

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Health&Science COVID-19: Military trains 300 medical personnel

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Doctor, we cannot get pregnant again!

CONTRIBUTOR

GODSGIFT ONYEDINEFU, Abuja he Nigerian Military says it has trained 300 medical personnel to boost the management of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations (DMO), who made this known on Thursday recalled that the military had trained 80 medical personnel, but said due to the increase in number of cases, it became necessary to train an additional 220 personnel, bringing the total number to 300.

The Coordinator also recalled that at the commencement of Armed Forces of Nigeria’s intervention in the containment of COVID-19 pandemic, it made available 21 medical facilities to be used as isolation and treatment centres.

“Additionally, 80 medical personnel were concentrated in Abuja and trained on COVID-19 case

ABAYOMI AJAYI

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Management/Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), who were thereafter deployed to different geo-political zones of the Country and the FCT. “Due to rising cases of COVID-19 in the country, it was considered necessary to train additional personnel in selected Hospitals across the Armed Forces of Nigeria to boost the capacity of medical personnel in the management of COVID-19,” he said.

Enenche explained that the training package is a Train-the-Trainer, where the beneficiaries are expected to train other personnel at hospitals, related medical

facilities and other places of deployment, to enhance capacity building in the management of the pandemic. “ C o n s e q u e n t l y, t h e Armed Forces of Nigeria COVID-19 case management/IPC training will be conducted in 8 designated military centres across the country, namely Headquarters 1 Division Kaduna, 6 Division Port Harcourt, 7 Division Maiduguri, 81 Division Lagos and Headquarters 82 Division Enugu. Others are Headquarters Eastern Naval Command Calabar, Headquarters Tactical Air Command Makurdi and Headquarters Guards Brigade Abuja,” he said.

Nigeria protein deficiency awareness campaign kicks off ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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he Nigeria Protein Deficiency Awareness Campaign, tagged the Protein Challenge, has officially kicked off in Nigeria.

Protein Challenge, a protein-pull media campaign supported by the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC)and other partners,seeks to create awareness about the prevalence, status and impact ofproteindeficiencyinNigeria.

It is also a platform to, not just boost awareness of the importance of protein in every diet, but to equally foster collaboration among stakeholders, that would bring about positive, lasting change in Nigeria’s protein deficiency narrative.

A key feature of the launch of the nation-wide campaign is the unveiling of the Nigeria Protein Deficiency Report.

The report is the result of a nationwide survey that was con-

ducted in 2019, to empirically determine the current status and dimensions of protein deficiency in Nigeria.

Highlightsofthereportindicate, as most Nigerians probablywouldexpect, thatcarbohydrates are the most consumed food amongst Nigerians. Rice topped the list, with 91 per cent,closely followed by ‘swallows’ such as eba, pounded yam, fufu, amala, etc. at 83 per cent.

The report also showed that the most important factors determining the choice of meal items consumed across the country are availability, 79 per cent, and affordability, 68 per cent.

Highcostwasidentifiedasa major disincentive for the consumption of most protein food sources. 51 per cent of respondents do not have adequate protein-rich foods, due largely to their relatively high cost.

The challenge is that when people do not get adequate amounts of protein from their

diet, it leads to protein deficiency, which is today a major cause of malnutrition, especially among children.

In Nigeria, several reports indicatethatproteindeficiency poses not only a major health problem but also an economic and social burden. It is the most important risk factor for illness and death, with millions of pregnant women and young children particularly affected.

ThegoaloftheProteinChallenge campaign is to create wide-spread awareness about the benefits of proteins and encourage Nigerians from walks of life to embrace their regular consumption, regardlessofthe source – ALL protein is good protein!

This campaign will focus on the (healthy) importance of regular intake of protein in the diet and work assiduously to contribute to efforts to improve the quality, quantity and consistency of the different types of proteins consumed across Nigeria.

NCDC to set up testing center in Kwara, commends state government SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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heNigeriaCenterforDisease Control (NCDC), has commended the Kwara State Government’s effortsinthefightagainstnovel Coronavirus.

NCDC team leader, Okoli Innocent (Dr) gave the commendation when he led other members of the Center to Kwara to inspect laboratories in preparation for establishing of Molecular Testing Centre in the state to test for the virus.

According to a statement

by Modupe Joel, Cheif Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Okoli explained that the Director-General of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu (Dr) who sent the team on inspection visit is appreciative of the Abdulrahman administration’s strides in the health sector and pledged the NCDC’s support to the state in the fight against COVID-19.

He says that he was not surprised that kwara State is ranked fourth in preparation for health emergency in the country, given the availabil-

ity of state of the art medical equipment such as ten ventilators, six gene Xperts, ICU beds among many others in the state’s health facilities visited by the team.

Okoli, who is a Molecular Biology expert gave an assurance that as soon as the team’s final report on staff training and re-training, provision of more molecular diagnostic equipments,aswellasreorganization oflaboratoriesisconcluded,the NCDCwouldswingintoaction to optimize and increase the state’s testing capacity.

ou got married about four years ago and barely a month afterwards you were already pregnant with your first child. The child was not even quite a year old when you and your spouse decided you wanted another. At the time, it didn’t seem overconfident to think of this as a decision and not merely a hope. But here you are, almost three years later still waiting and hoping for the magic of conception to happen again.

You easily conceived and carried your first child only to face a shocking diagnosis: secondary infertility. For no particular reason or explanation, your dream of another pregnancy has remained a distant reality and you cannot understand why?

You have done everything and consulted high and low.

No luck. Even before you were referred to the fertility specialist, you have been wondering what could be the problem.

Doctor, we cannot get pregnant again! It is an all so common scenario when couples want to have another baby, but pregnancy is stubbornly elusive.

You have asked questions over and over, but no answers are satisfactory, even though you have a valid argument. If you were able to conceive without problem the first time around, why should it be so hard to get pregnant again? However, one of the lessons in human biology is that fertility is not always within your control.

Medically, secondary infertility occurs when after a previous successful pregnancy and birth, you are unable to conceive another child after 12 months of unprotected intercourse.

An experience of recurrent miscarriage is part of the issue, but the result is the same. There is a blank space in a family where a child is longed for. It is a surprisingly common problem.

One of the best-kept secrets of the fertility industry is that nearly a quarter of couples seeking treatment are already parents. A rule of thumb is that in fertility, past success is no guarantee of future success.

You may have had trouble conceiving the first time, so you already know what you’re up against when you try again. But many others are stunned to learn that they are infertile the 2nd or 3rd or 4th time around.

If you are suffering secondary infertility, you are only half as likely to seek treatment as those facing primary

infertility. This reluctance stems from emotional denial.

Previously fertile people tend to think if they do all the right things it will just happen naturally. Though such measures as lifestyle changes undoubtedly enhance general health, they won’t cure infertility.

To complicate matters, there may be assumptions that there’s no medical reason when a couple that has previously demonstrated fertility takes an unusually long time to conceive. Unfortunately, such a wait-and-see approach can allow an untreated problem to become an untreatable one.

The No.1 cause for the decline in fertility between a first and a hoped-for second pregnancy can often be attributed to age.

A woman’s most fertile years are between ages 15 and 30, with a drop-off occurring at 30 and a quite precipitous plunge at 35. In fact, by 36, it is not unlikely that almost 25 percent of women may already be infertile.

As a woman you may be unaware of this reality and delaying your first-time pregnancy until 30 or beyond is not advised at all because it means you would be even older when seeking a second.

Your eggs are as old as you are and it is known fact that your eggs suffer chromosomal damage as they age; the older your eggs, the more damaged they are, and the less likely they are to become fertilized or become babies.

Passing time also means that other conditions, not specifically age-related, can develop where they didn’t previously exist. Hormonal shifts or other endocrine problems can crop up, altering your body’s delicate balance. Endometriosis is a big issue. It is an ailment in which the uterine lining attaches itself to other pelvic organs, worsens over time if left untreated, creating tubal blockages that prevent conception or cause ectopic pregnancies (when the fertilized egg implants itself somewhere other than the uterus).

Male-factor causes such as low sperm count or poor sperm motility are the culprit in about 40 percent of infertility cases. Occasionally, the change in a man’s fertility can be traced to a chronic illness such as hypertension or diabetes. More often, though, the reason for the change simply can’t be pinpointed, making the diagnosis especially bewildering. Hidden scars are another possible cause.

Untreated infections (after a D&C, or childbirth) can leave abnormal tissue in the uterus. These adhesions may prevent a fertilized egg from implanting properly or create scarring in the fallopian tubes, which keeps an egg from reaching the uterus.

Infection can develop without you realizing it. Even if you have never had a baby before, you could be completely unaware of how much postpartum pain or bleeding is normal, and may have

symptoms of infection you never report. This may diminish your fertility and it won’t be discovered until you try to conceive again.

But the most common diagnosis by far, in as many as 20 percent of all cases, is simply unexplained infertility.

There’s no diagnosis at all. It’s not clear whether some factor has been in existence all along and you were just lucky or whether the factor has become pronounced over time.

Because it is so vague, the “no known cause” verdict can be particularly hard to accept, more so as you already have living proof of your fertility.

So how long should you wait? This is subjective because even at the peak of fertility, your chances of conceiving during any given cycle are about 25 percent. If you are under 35, give it 12 months; if you are over 35, you should try for six months. If you’ve had no success after six to nine months of treatment, see a specialist.

As hard as it may be to believe, the emotional effects of secondary infertility are identical to those of primary infertility. Being treated for secondary infertility is just as depressing for women as it is for those who don’t have a biological child. Worse still, as a secondary-infertility patient, you are bound to cope with emotional issues not faced by childless patients.

You are in a kind of noman’s land. On one hand, you are a parent, on the other, you are still aspiring. As a parent, you’re shunned by the infertility world because you already have a child. As an aspiring parent for another conception, you feel alienated from the fertile world because you cannot conceive again. Sometimes you feel guilty because you’re told that you should be grateful for the child you have. You are grateful, but that doesn’t take away the longing for another child.

The desire is just as urgent, just as desperate and allconsuming as it was the first time around. The good news is that secondary infertility is more likely to be treatable than primary infertility. If you act promptly, consult with a specialist, and faithfully follow the prescribed treatment plan, you have every reason to feel confident that eventually, you’ll have another baby.

If you conceived through IVF the first time, you will likely need it again if you want another child – and the odds are better the second time around. If you had a successful live birth following IVF, you have up to 8o percent chance of delivering a second baby following three cycles of IVF although this decreases with your age.

Almost half of the couples who have previously had an IVF baby return to try again and those who need more than one cycle are more likely to return.

Abayomi Ajayi, MD/CEO Nordica Fertility Centre info@abayomiajayi.com.ng,

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Sports

Premier League returns June 17 after 100-day shutdown

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ANTHONY NLEBEM

he Premier League plans to restart on June 17 after a 100day shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with new staggered kickoff times to make sure every game can be shown on TV, as fans are prevented from attending games.

The clubs agreed that the competition should resume with a Wednesday night doubleheader featuring Manchester City playing Arsenal and Aston Villa hosting Sheffield United — two games that were postponed during earlier rounds.

However, the league still needs formal approval from the government.

“This date cannot be confirmed until we have met all the safety requirements needed,” Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said, “as the health and welfare of all participants and supporters is our priority.”

After those makeup games are played, the 30th round will start on Friday, June 19 at 8 p.m. (1900 GMT) — if authorities ap-

prove safety plans.

“Positive to see further steps on the return of football today,” Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden tweeted. “We are still working on government guidance before we green light sports’ return.”

It’s still unclear where games will be played when the league resumes. Police have said only neutral venues should be used over

concerns fans would congregate outside, but that plan was opposed by the 20 clubs.

The Premier League agreed to a government request for all remaining 92 fixtures to be aired live in Britain. Only 200 of the 380 games each season are normally broadcast live domestically while all are available to view internationally.

For the first time since

t h e Pr e m i e r Le a g u e launched in 1992, games will be shown live by freeto-air broadcaster BBC, which has four of the remaining games.

“At a time when sports fans across the country are in need of lift, this is very welcome news,” BBC director of sport Barbara Slater said.

Saturdays will see an additional late game start at 8 p.m. after fixtures at 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

There will be a new early and late slot on Sundays of 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. between the usual 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. kickoffs. The Friday and Monday night games will be at usual at 8 p.m.

Football has already resumed in Germany, with threeroundsoftheBundesliga played in empty stadiums. The Spanish league has government approval to restart after June 8.

But lockdown measures have only just been eased to allow full practice sessions to resume at Premier League clubs.

Liverpool is on the verge of winning the Premier League, sitting 25 points in front with nine games remaining.

Serie A given green light for June return ANTHONY NLEBEM

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taly’s Serie A was given the green light to resume on June 20 after a three-month absence as one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic begins to ease restrictions.

Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said that the government’s Technical and Scientific Committee (CTS) had agreed to the health protocol proposed by Italian football chiefs.

“Italy has started to return to normal life again, it is only right that football should do the same,” said Spadafora.

“The federation assured me that it had a Plan B and a Plan C. “In light of these considerations, the championship can resume on June 20.”

Italian football feder-

ation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina told the minister during the video conference that a play-off system would be used if the championship were again interrupted, while the existing standings would be used if it were stopped.

“We had a very useful meeting,” said Spadafora. “From the start, I said that football could restart once all the security conditions had been met.”

No top-flight matches in Italy have been played since Sassuolo beat Bres-

cia 3-0 on March 9.

One of the hardest hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic with over 33,000 deaths, Italian football now faces a scheduling nightmare, for matches which will take place behind closed doors.

Most teams have 12 league games left to play, but there were four postponed fixtures.

Spadafora suggested that the Italian Cup could be concluded the week before the return to Serie A action.

The semi-final return

leg matches between Inter Milan and Napoli and AC Milan and Juventus, could be played on June 13-14 with the final on June 17.

“I also hope to be able to send a positive signal to the whole country by taking advantage of the week from June 13 to 20 to conclude the Italian Cup,” he added.

The announcement of the resumption of the Italian league comes just after the English Premier League confirmed it will restart on June 17.

The German championship has already resumed and Spain’s La Liga will return to the pitch the week of June 8.

Among the five major European championships, only the French Ligue 1 has been definitively stopped.

Kompany turns down City offer to be Guardiola’s assistant ANTHONY NLEBEM

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incent Kompany has turned down an offer from Manchester City to become Pep Guardiola’s assistant coach, according to various Belgian media reports on Friday.

The former City captain is under contract as playermanager of Anderlecht until 2022, having left the Etihad Stadium last year following a trophy-laden 11-year spell in England.

Kompany, who has never concealed his desire to one day be City manager, said he wanted to stay at Anderlecht.

Belgium’s most successful club responded to re-

cent financial difficulties as Wouter Vandenhaute took over from Marc Coucke as president.

Anderlecht finished only eighth in the Belgian league season, which was curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, their worst post-war position.

City boss Guardiola has been looking for a new assistant since Mikel Arteta left Manchester to become Arsenal manager last December.

Kompany, 34, won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups with City and is widely regarded as one of the club’s greatest ever players.

FA Cup final set for August 1 he FA Cup final is set to take place on August 1 after the English Football Association announced provisional dates to finish the competition on Friday.

Af t e r t h e P r e m i e r League revealed they plan to resume the season on June 17, the FA Cup has

The semi-finals will be played on July 11 and 12, with the intention being for those matches and the final to be played at Wembley as usual.

All the ties will be behind closed doors.

The news will be a boost to the FA from a financial perspective, with its chief executive Mark Bullingham warning in April of the governing body suffering

now returned to an English fixture list thrown into chaos by the coronavirus.

The FA Cup was halted before the quarter-finals because of the pandemic, but tournament organisers hope to complete it alongside the Premier League.

The four matches in the last eight will be played over the weekend of June 27 and 28, with no decision reached yet on whether these will be played on a home-and-away basis as normal or at neutral venues.

Leicester take on Chelsea, Newcastle face holders Manchester City, Sheffield United play Arsenal and Norwich meet Manchester United.

losses of up to £150 million ($184 million) as a result of the disruption caused by the health crisis.

“The competition has been an integral part of the English football calendar for nearly 150 years, and we’d like to thank the Premier League executive and clubs for their support in scheduling the remaining matches during this unprecedented time,” Bullingham said on Friday.

“This has been a difficult period for many people and while this is a positive step, the restart date is dependent on all safety measures being met. The health and well-being of players, staff and supporters remains our priority.”

ANTHONY NLEBEM

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Reviving the economy after COVID-19

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he hard lessons that the COVID-19 bitter experience has come to teach us as the game changer in the global healthcare delivery system will be here with us for eons. For instance, now we are back to Mother Nature to benefit from the healing herbs. Again, the wise choice of the right types of food items to take to boost our body’s immunity against sundry diseases has become an imperative. The paradigm has also shifted as far as the conduct of our businesses is concerned.

The apt application of digital technology to several transactions is on the upswing.

Online businesses are booming. If in doubt, ask Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com set to become the world’s first trillionaire!

Nigeria is also compelled to rejuvenate the agriculture sector with the application of modern technological practices. These range from the use of high-tech tillers and harvesters to the supply of herbicides, pesticides as well as high-yielding, diseaseresistant and early maturing hybrid seedlings, made available to the rural farmers.

In essence, increase in agricultural produce would not just be to enhance food security but for youth empowerment and increase in export potentials, as it was during the First Republic. The pain and the paradox in all these however, is the inexcusable gap which has persisted between our rich, vast natural resources and the country’s parlous production level.

If we are ever going to take giant strides towards economic growth, we have to look deeply at the root causes of our current woes.For instance, back in 1953 the International Bank Mission to Nigeria had this to say about the factors responsible for the impoverished state of the country.’’Production methods are still primitive, the great majority of the population is illiterate and standards of nutrition, housing and medical care are low. The people are anxious to produce more goods in greater variety; they want to become better educated… ‘’There is lacking however, the supply of technical and managerial skills and the knowledge of the country’s resources

‘’ What we need (for this crisis) is something unusual, it is not business as usual.

It is not marginal action.

It is radical action’’ -Donald Kaberuka at the Second Edition of UBA Africa Day Conversation. necessary to carry out anaccelerated programme of economic development.’’ This is an excerpt from the book titled, ‘Storms on the Niger’ by Mokwugo Okoye.

It is therefore, depressing that 67 years after, the factors listed as having failed to rejuvenate the economy back then are still here with us.If we are still grappling with similar issues as at this day, it is a clear indictment on the leadership class-both military and civilian- that Nigerians have had to contend with over the decades.

The worry, this time around is that the country has to brace up to economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic when it is currently enmeshed in belowthe-per Human Development Index (HDI) indices. These include recording the world’s highest extreme poverty level andthe world’s highest number out-ofschool children that has thrown up the Almajiri crisis. Othersare the abysmal food and nutrition insecurity and of course, the escalating rate of unemployment, at a time it is contending with a debilitating debt trap!

There is no way that the rich would not have to make huge and impactful sacrifices to move the economy forward, this time around. And that is for their own safety too because a hungry people are an angry bunch. Anger, you know corrodes simple reasoning or call it common sense!

Yes, Tony Elumelu has enjoined Africans that this is not the time for finger pointing but for global collaborations.

Truth be told however, our political leaders and those that drive the economy have to think and act differently as Kaberuka

has rightly admonished.

To do so, yours truly hereby calls on Nigeria’s political leaders again,to face the reality and do the needful. Firstly, all the political parties should reduce the huge cost of accessing political power in the country, which is the source of corruption. Let leadership be for service of the people instead of the greed-driven political elite.

Let the humongous pay packages of politicians in government be drastically scaled down. Let the people stop asking elected politicians for any form of favour, but task them to deliver on their mandates. Let the people remove their elected representatives who violate constitutional provisions using the instrument of the rule of law.

In fact, this pandemic has shown us that a drastic reduction in the cost of running government machinery has become a necessity.

So also is the crying need torestructure this cumbersome entity called Nigeria. Only recently, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed was compelledby circumstances to hit the nail right on its head-that the country is too big to be managed as it is being done, by an all- controlling federal centre. The chickens are coming home to roost. If it is the North and its leaders that have been acting as stumbling blocks to the call for restructuring, as alleged, they should realize that they have been shooting themselves in the foot.

Imagine how Zamfara state would have been driving its economy with proceeds from its quantum of gold, how Benue would have been feeding the nation and exporting processed farm products to several countries outside our shores. And what about Kogi state with the Ajaokuta Steel complex, if completed and Nassarawa state with several precious minerals waiting to be tapped?

Restructuring would not only unleash these potentialities but the competitive spirit in us as Nigerians.

It would make nonsense of the faulty

AYO OYOZE BAJE Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘Drumbeats of Democracy’

fiscal policy that has our state governors going cap-in-hand to Abuja for peanuts from the master’s table.

Another means of breathing life into the post COVID-19 economy is reaching down to the grassroots as the George Weah-led government has been doing in Liberia. He had this to say at the recent UBA Conversations.’’ In Liberia, we have been taking measures to ease the burden on vulnerable business in the informal sector by providing small loan assistance to SMEs.’’ Note that he did not add any political colouration, as in some freaky economic climes where loans and palliatives have been politicized. As George Chikoti of ACP rightly noted, the huge task of economic recovery on the continent, at this critical time rests on both the government and the private sector.

As reflected in the book, ‘Elements of Development’, edited by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Prof. Akin Mabogunje (1991) which came as a product of extensive brainstorming by erudite scholars from across the African continent, funding of the health sector is an imperative. ‘’ In an era of dwindling resources …the inability of the state to provide adequate financial and human resources for an effective health care delivery system becomes more acute than ever.’’

Such is the situation Nigeria currently finds itself in. The need for our leaders to think and act outside the box and for effective public private partnerships is now a must, to revive an already comatose economy.

Quantitative easing, a necessary Monetary Policy tool for post-coronavirus economic recovery LARRY CHUKWUEMEKA IWUALA Dr. Iwuala, Operations at Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) PLC, writes from Abuja. iwualaemeka@yahoo.com

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igeria will face revenue challenges in the prosecution of the 2020 Budget because of the low accretion to revenue caused by the global glut in oil as a result of the pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic has affected the economies of most countries will also require ejection of more resources to restore balance at the immediate, near and long terms. The European Union, World Bank, IMF, AfDB have all been releasing what many economist call ‘rescue response funding’ to aid faster recovery of many challenged economies globally.

Most countries have also released targeted response stimuli to different sectors of their economy, some as palliatives and others to support sectors that are burdened by this pandemic.

Nigeria’s 2020 budget which was premised on oil benchmark of $57 per barrel is now oscillating under $35 per barrel on a 2.18 million barrels per daily oil production

has been reduced to 1.9million barrels per day. This reduction in revenue projection from the initial approved amount of N8.41tn to N5.08tn was due to unprecedented drop in global crude oil prices elicited by a slump in demand due to economic lockdowns in several countries. Central banks as drivers of the monetary policy tools of a country operate independently of the government.

To support price stability, it needs to control inflation and create a stable economic environment. These measures could be applied through the monetary policy.

There are two types of monetary policy: restrictive (tight, contractionary) and accommodative (loose, expansionary). The first one is conducted when the amount of money in the economy is huge, so the bank increases the interest rate in order to reduce the money supply and encourage a lower level of inflation. On the other hand, the accommodative policy is used when GDP growth is slow. In that case, a central bank increases the money supply and decreases the interest rate. Low interest rates attract investors and are intended to generate more cash inflows into the economy. When the rate is decreased to practically 0% and a central bank still thinks about more supportive measures, it applies quantitative easing.

At first, a bank creates electronic money or, as you may have heard, “print money”, although no cash is created. As a second

step, it buys different equities. A classic form of quantitative easing involves buying government bonds, also known as Treasuries, by a central bank. Holders of the bonds receive cash and the bank adds bonds to the balance sheet as assets. However, Treasuries are not the only form of equities a central bank can buy. For example, the European Central Bank bought private sector bonds. The Federal Reserve in the USA buys mortgage-backed loan products.

It is not fashionable that central banks don’t buy bonds directly from the government. That case is known as debt monetisation (monetary financing) and it’s illegal in monetary policy. Otherwise, central banks buy bonds, or debt, from large investors, such as banks or investment funds.

When money is “injected” into the economy, it increases the number of usable funds in the financial system.

Following the basic economic law, such an inflow of money generates the supply of cheap money, thus, commercial banks and other financial institutions reduce interest rates to encourage businesses and consumers to borrow more.

If consumers and investors spend more, it increases the levels of employment and inflation. Therefore, it boosts the economy. When a central bank stops

buying new bonds, it holds on to those in its balance sheet. If these bonds mature (most of the bonds have a maturity date, when the initial investment is repaid to the bond’s owner), they are replaced by new ones. In addition, a bank can either let bonds to mature without replacement or sell them to the market.

Quantitative Easing (QE) Under QE a central bank can create new money through the process often referred to as “printing money.” This can be seen as a misnomer because in reality, no physical money is created. The created money is in the form of balance sheet credits referred to as “central bank reserves. The newly created central bank reserves remain at the disposal of the central bank until a course of action is chosen by which to introduce the reserves into circulation. The new money can be introduced into the money supply ecosystem through the purchase of large-scale assets from both the public and private sectors and the acquisition of government-issued bonds, corporate bonds, and commercial papers on behalf of the central bank. The central bank can also increase the money supply through directly issuing loans to commercial banks.

Essentially, the newly created central bank

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