Wednesday, May 3, 2023 Edition

Buhari commission’s N9.5bn

FHA’s 748 housing units in Abuja

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

President Muhammadu Buhari has to commissioned 9.5billion Naira 748 housing units constructed by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) in Zuba, in the Federal Captial Territory(FCT)Abuja.

Commissioning the project,Buhari said the completion of the estate was part of his administration’s policies to take Nigerians away from poverty.

The president, who lauded the board and management of FHA for the project, urged it to complete other projects it is handling across the country, and called on the beneficiaries to live harmoniously, and to maintain the asset adequately,

He said: “Today, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the chairman, board, and staff of the Federal Housing Authority for the successful completion of this estate. The commitment of this government is to make life better for our people.

“The new owners who benefitted from this estate have taken a step up the prosperity and away from poverty. They

will remember the services rendered to them by building this estate. Of course, I am mindful that there is more to do for our community to benefit, I can only urge you (FHA) not to relent but to continue in the same vein and complete other projects going on in other states.

“One of the measures that we have partially deployed to reduce poverty, create prosperity, and develop our economy is aggressively developing our infrastructure. I convey my heartfelt congratulations to the new owners of this estate.

“I urge you all to live together, harmoniously and peacefully. Above all to work consciously with the Federal Housing Authority to ensure that this estate is properly maintained and the environment made safe for all”.

Also speaking, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who said the grant for the project was approved in 2018, disclosed that over 13,000 workforces benefited from the project directly and indirectly from 75 contractors.

He said beneficiaries of the estate include those who paid through a mortgage, one-off

payment, and rent-to-own.

“The completion of the project indicates our commitment not to leave abandoned projects. Its construction gave employment to Nigerians including artisans and food vendors who frequent the area to make money for themselves and their families.

“Instead of an abandoned project, we now have 746 housing units for Nigerians and their families to shelter in. But this is more than a story on shelter and homeownership, it is to that small story, I want to go into. Many artisans and laborers, over 13,000 also have a story of inclusion and opportunity to tell about this estate.

“All of these people have a story to tell about the Zuba Housing Estate from transporters, food vendors and their families and the government policies to lift people out of poverty. Although they will not meet you (the president) personally, your policies and programmes have met them personally at point of need”, Fashola said.

Earlier, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of FHA, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, who said the project was one

of the Federal Government’s initiatives to address housing challenges, had explained that the estate consists of 336 units of one-bedroom flats; 264 units of two-bedrooms; 128 units of three bedrooms; and 20units of three bedroom Terrace duplex. Ashafa, who acknowledged the efforts of his predecessor, Professor Mohammed Al-Amim in whose tenure the project commenced, said it was funded through an N7.5bn grant from the government and N2bn from its internally generated revenue.

He added that the project provided job emplyoment to 13,600 Nigerians, saying that 25 percent of them were professionals in the built industry, while the remaining 75 percent were artisans and others from the imformal sector.

Meanwhile,the project, which was initiated in 2017, is about 18.5 hectares of land and gulped the sum of N9.5bn. consists of 16 blocks of 3-bedroom flats in a block of 8 flats;

32 blocks of 2-bedroom flats in a block of 8 flats; 14 blocks of 1-bedroom flats in a block of 16 flats and 5 blocks of terrace duplexes in 4 rows.

2023: Niger State elections Tribunal receives 34 petitions

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

The Niger state National Assembly and State House of Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal 2023 has so far received

34 petitions.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Angela Ataluka stated this at the inaugural session of the panel held at the High Court complex in Minna, assuring to do justice in all

the petitions without fear or favour.

Justice Ataluka advised all learned counsels to arm themselves with the schedule order/ report/ guidelines and come with them every day for trial.

She said that the procedure to be adopted in the preparatory period for filling election petition and responding to it is strict , adding that it gives no room for mistakes.

front roll seat from left: Chief Justice of Nigeria, justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Grand Khadi, Sharia court of Appeal, Borno State Khadi Umar Ramat Mukaila and others with the magistrates during the Refresher Course for Judges of the Lower Courts, yesterday in Abuja Photo; Mahmud Isa

Housing: We’ve fulfilled our promise, says Buhari

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari

on Tuesday presented keys to some new homeowners at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Zuba, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging them to live together in peace and harmony.

‘‘I convey my hearty congratulations to the new homeowners in this estate. Our promise of change has been fulfilled for you,’’ the President said in his speech at the inauguration of the estate, which covers a total of 18.5 hectares of land, consisting of 748 units of various house types in 75 blocks.

The President charged residents of the estate to consciously work together with the FHA to ensure the maintenance of the property and safety of the environment.

Commending the Chairman, Managing Director, Members of

the Board and Staff of FHA on the successful completion of the Estate, the President noted that the project was another testament of his administration’s commitment to lift people out of poverty.

‘‘Housing supply is one of the indices of multi-dimensional poverty that challenges our people and the completion of this estate provides a solution for the beneficiaries.

‘‘The new home owners who benefit from this estate have taken a step up on the ladder of prosperity and away from poverty,’’ he said.

President Buhari, who acknowledged that more Nigerians are waiting to benefit from the mass housing project, urged the management of FHA not to relent in delivering other projects at various stages of construction and development across the states.

‘‘One of the measures that we have consciously deployed to

attack poverty, create prosperity and develop our economy is the aggressive provision of infrastructure nationwide,’’ he said, noting that such investments also lead to creating employment opportunities for artisans and other skilled members of the society.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the completion of the project was a product of team work and leadership by the President, who gave approval for appointments into the leadership of FHA Board and Management.

‘‘Instead of abandoned projects, we now have 748 completed housing units for Nigerians and their families to shelter,’’ he said, adding that 75 contractors were engaged in the course of the project, while over 13,000 Nigerians were employed both directly and indirectly.

Fashola told the President that the 5 beneficiaries who received keys

to their flats, including Tina Orkpe, Salisu Iliyasu, Ado Maude, Rabina Abdulkadir and Flight Sgt. Musa Mohammed, subscribed through FHA Rent-to-Own delivery model.

‘‘Although many of the beneficiaries of this project will never meet the President personally, your policies and programmes have met them personally at the point of their needs,’’ he said.

In his remarks, Chairman, Board of Directors, FHA, Senator Shuaibu Lawal thanked the President for providing the grant of N7.5billion for the project to commence in May 2018.

‘‘Without that grant, which served as the seed money, this project would not have been possible. Mr President, you take all the credit for what we are seeing here today,’’ he said. Lawal, who noted that the Estate is ideal for Nigerians who cannot afford houses in areas

such as Maitama and Asokoro in the FCT, lauded the Minister of Works and Housing, FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello, for their passionate commitment to the project.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Office of FHA, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, described the commissioning of the project as a manifestation of the visionary and deliberate housing policy of the President, who in keeping with the promise of providing shelter to Nigerians approved the grant to FHA.

He said the Authority delivered the project at a total cost of N9.5billion with the subvention of N7.5billion from the Federal Government.

He explained that the balance of 2billion of construction cost came from the Authority’s other projects which was ploughed into to complete the estate.

Senate Presidency: Group cautions Tinubu, APC not to consider undeserving zones

From: Femi Mustapha Oyelola,

The Northwest Progressives Forum (NPF) has cautioned the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to beware of ambush by politicians seeking to take undue advantage of the APC’s electoral victory to divert the Senate President slot to undeserving geopolitical zones.

Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna yesterday, the group’s Coordinator, Nasir Dambatta said they are worried by the ongoing regional struggle for the position of the President of the 10th Senate that has been going on since the conclusion of this year’s presidential election and the emergence of Tinubu as president-elect.

Dambatta said they were aware of moves and counter-manoeuvres by regionalist political actors seeking to place their respective zones at the advantage where it was not deserved.

According to him, official election result figures showed that the North West produced the highest number of votes for Tinubu which made it the natural and legitimate claimant to the number

three position in Nigeria.

“While we do not expect President-elect Tinubu and the APC to give to any zone, not least the North-West, what it does not deserve, we however, feel it would only be fair to reward the people that toiled for and earned it.”

“The rule of fairness, justice and decency demands in this circumstance, that the North-West, and not any other zone, deserve to be rewarded for its commitment to the APC and the Asiwaju ideals which it aptly proved at the polls.

We therefore join the call for the APC and the president-elect to act justly and fairly by zoning the position of the Senate President to the region that gave him more than 30 percent of his winning votes,” Dambatta said.

The group called attention to the standard northern tradition of never compromising national unity whenever given the opportunity and cannot afford the residing of Executive, Legislative and Judiciary Powers in one region.

“It is also on record that the North has been tested and trusted with power, making the region eminently eligible for the Senate Presidency to stabilise and balance

power,” he said.

The North-West, according to the Group, also has the record of giving the APC ticket the most volume of votes, which positions the

region as the natural and legitimate claimant to Senate Presidency.

“We feel obligated, after considering so many factors, to suggest that when eventually

the slot is micro-zoned to the Northwest, the person that is eminently competent for the job is former Zamfara State Governor, AbdulAziz Yari,” he said.

L-R: Vice Chairman, South West, Joint Task 10th Assembly, Hon. Wale Raji, Chairman of the Joint Task, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo, Secretary, Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki and Vice Chairman, North West, Hon. Abubakar Bichi, during the inauguration of the joint Task-10th Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Reps probe $700m pan disbursement Cabotage Vessel fund

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives

on Tuesday directed its Committee on Local Content to immediately commence investigations into the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund to determine all monies that have accrued to the Fund since its establishment in the year 2003,and report to the House within 14 days.

The House equally Invited the Minister of Transport and the Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to report to the House Committee on local content on the state of the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund and

how the funds have been applied over the past 20 years

The Green Chamber also directed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to immediately stop the planned disbursementof $700 million to Nigerian citizens and companies and to lay before the floor of this House, an audited statement of account showing all monies that have accrued to the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fundnotlater than 7days from the date of this resolution. The House resolution followed a motion of urgent importance

on the “Urgent need to stop the plan disbursement of $700m Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund and investigate the total a crual of the fund” Sponsored by Hon. Henry Nwawuba.

Presenting the motion, he said “the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund was established by the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage)Act, 2003 to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity by providing financial assistance to Nigerian operators in the domestic coastal shipping; “Aware that in addition to

monies allocated to the fund by an Act of the National Assembly, the fund draws from two percent (2%) of all contract sum performed by any vessel engaged in the coastal trade,and all monies generated pursuant to the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage)Act, 2003;

“Concerned that since the establishment of the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund, there have been no reliable data as to the total amount that has so far accrued to the Fund and thus, there is no certainty as to the actual worth of the fund at the moment;

“Also concerned that since the establishment of the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund in the year 2003, there is no record of any Nigerian citizen or company who have officially benefited from the fund as stated in the Act; recalls that in 2018, the thenDirector General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Dr Dakuku Peterside said the agency had concluded necessary documentation needed for the disbursement of the CVFF. He gave the accruals from the fund at that time to be in excess of US$100 million however, there is no records of such disbursement;

*Summon Minister of Transport, DG NIMASA to appear

Buhari okays exclusion of MOFI from TSA

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja approved the partial exclusion of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) from the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

The President also granted the request of the Board of MOFI to charge management and transaction fees; and the inclusion of the Minister of Power in the Governing Council.

According to a statement by the presidential media adviser, Femi Adesina, the President, who conveyed the approval at the 1st Governing Council meeting of MOFI, recalled that the new MOFI was launched on February 1, 2023 to transform it from a registry of investment records to a

*investment coy to charge transaction fees

World-Class Asset and Investment Management Company.

As a government-owned investment company, the President stressed that MOFI must be supported to exercise its responsibility of achieving strong returns on investments, while also contributing to broader economic development of the country, the statement said.

Buhari, according to the statement, commended the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, the Chairman Board of MOFI, Shamsuddeen Usman, and the entire Executive Team of MOFI for the job well done, three months after inauguration.

‘‘MOFI’s mission is to generate

strong risk-adjusted returns, contribute to the well-being of Nigerians, and be a trusted steward of our nation’s assets and investments.

‘‘With a vast portfolio and strategic investments that span across multiple sectors, MOFI has the potential to shape industries, spur innovation, and support economic growth.

‘‘I am glad to note, from the Board and Management update, the crucial activities and positive engagements by MOFI in just three months after inauguration,’’ he said.

President Buhari, therefore, charged staff and management team of the investment company to continue to work closely with

other government agencies, the private sector, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and other stakeholders to ensure that they achieve shared goals and objectives.

On the restructuring of MOFI, the President explained that it is a clear indication of the government’s commitment to harnessing and creating value from its assets and investments, adding that the Federal Government is now positioned to optimize its assets, make strategic investments, diversify the economy, generate more revenue, revive public enterprises, and increase transparency in the public sector.

The President reminded members of the council that they

have been carefully chosen because of their expertise, experience, and dedication to serving the nation.

Expressing confidence in the abilities of each Council member to bring unique perspectives, insights, and skills that would enrich collective decision-making, the President said:

‘‘Our role as the governing council is many-sided. We must ensure that MOFI’s investments are aligned with Nigeria’s economic objectives.

‘‘We must ensure that we put in place strong governance policies; We must uphold the highest standards of governance and transparency.

‘‘We must engage with MOFI to understand their aspirations, needs, and challenges, we must continue to adapt and innovate in a rapidly changing world.’’

Senate Presidency: My experience as governor qualifies me for the job -Umahi

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engineer David Umahi has said that he is well experienced to become the President of the Senate in the 10th Assembly. He made the remark on Tuesday, in an interview with State House Correspondents, after he paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The governor also said he ws in the State House to invite President Buhari to commission the newly constructed airport named after him in the state.

Governor Umahi who is a Senator-elect for Ebonyi South Senatorial District, also argued that the South-Eastern region deserved the position of the President of the Nigerian Senate, which is the third highest political office in the country.

He said having given the needed support to the president-elect, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leading to his success at the polls, the people of the South-East should be compensated with the position of Senate President.

The governor further noted that zoning the position to the South-East is the right thing to do,

depicting equity and justice.

”I think that every region clamoring for the presidency of the Senate to be zoned to it is the right of such people. If you look at the true reflection of our society, you will agree with me that the right thing to be done by our leaders without prejudice to their rights and thinking is that the South East deserves the number three position.

“This is very important and I

have always said that you can deliver somebody by the reason of the majority votes of particular regions but you also need the cooperation of the minority people to have a holistic nation to govern.

“So, for inclusiveness, unity of the country and for everybody to be carried along, the South-East deserves the position and so far, nobody has been able to say this is the reason why the South-East

should not be given that position and I am pleading for that,” he said.

Governor Umahi stressed that the zone worked so hard for the APC even before the presidential election thus, the strides it made in winning other elective positions.

“I know what effort we made as a people for the unity of the country. I know the way we were regarded and we understand that we are stronger while we are together and we made

vows to our people while we were campaigning for APC, we assured them that we belong to an equitable and fair Nigeria.

“Now it has come to a point where that position we took should be put to practice and that is what we are begging for because the chain is as strong as the weakest link and it is time for healing, inclusiveness as well as the time to move this country forward,” he added.

L-R: National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, Acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Umar Damagun, member elect from Gombe State, Hon. Ali Isa Jese and Deputy National Secretary of PDP, Mr. Setongi Koshedo, during the PDP Caucus of the National Assembly met with Party Leadership, held at Transcorp Hilton Hotels, yesterday in Abuja.

World Press Freedom Day: We’ve kept the faith, Buhari declares

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari has said under his watch, the rights of Nigerian journalists have been fully protected.

He stated this Tuesday in a statement to felicitate with journalists in the country on the occasion of the annual World Press Freedom Day.

“This year’s celebration marks 30 years since the UN General Assembly’s decision proclaiming an international day for press freedom, and the President says the landmark is a tribute to media professionals, who risk their lives to keep society informed and educated.

“On this year’s theme, “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights”, President Buhari is delighted that the rights of Nigerian journalists have been protected and upheld in the past 8 years.

“We have kept the faith. We have

ensured that Nigerian journalists have had unfettered freedom to practice their art, and on this occasion of World Press Freedom Day, we recommit to that resolution, even as we wind down in office,” the President said. Accordingly, he charged media professionals to continue to be patriotic, work for the cohesion of the country, and exercise their freedom with a high deal of responsibility.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

*Says rights of Nigerian journalists protected

How we’re repositioning military to be force of reckoning -Buhari

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu

Buhari Tuesday in Abuja said the repositioning of the military, through training, networking and equipping, will turn it into a force of global reckoning, while urging officers to keep giving their best to the nation.

Speaking at the commissioning of a Nationwide Secure Defence Headquarters Communications Network, GIWA 2 Project, Phase One, President Buhari assured that the government will sustain its role in meeting the demands of the Armed Forces by evolving necessary initiatives to enhance their position.

“As the Armed Forces of Nigeria continue to reposition to provide the enabling environment for enhancing the security and well-being of the citizens, I implore all our troops to give their best in the service of the nation,’’ he said.

The President said the GIWA 2 Project would provide real-time secure means of communication and incident reporting, as well as information exchange between the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

“It also stands to enhance collaboration between our Defence, Intelligence and Security Community while providing the platform for the denial of freedom of action to all perpetrators of insecurity across Nigeria,’’ he stated.

President Buhari noted that the project initiative was in alignment with some of the main focus areas of the Federal Government in security, economic progress and technological development.

“These benefits of the GIWA 2 Project informed the timely support of the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, to ensure that the Centre is commissioned as one of the proud landmarks and enduring achievements of the Armed Forces of Nigeria under this Administration,” the President further said.

President Buhari directed the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to collaborate and support the Defence Headquarters in the project, which could impact on Rural Telephony.

“To this end, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is to support the Defence Headquarters in

ensuring that the infrastructure available for Rural Telephony are fully deployed for the attainment of GIWA 2 Project deliverables. The Federal Government shall support the full actualisation of the other phases of GIWA 2 Project,’’ he added.

President Buhari extolled the Armed Forces for their patriotism, loyalty, sense of duty and gallantry.

“Nigeria is blessed with professional and vibrant Armed Forces, which have continually displayed the unflinching capacity to protect the territorial integrity of our country.

“Our Armed Forces have continually demonstrated resolve to provide a safe, secure and enabling environment to

promote national security,” the President noted.

President Buhari said his government had made significant strides to enhance the capacity and capability of the Armed Forces to tackle the multiple security challenges.

The President listed some of the efforts including the establishment of Joint Task Forces and the creation of several new military formations to facilitate the conduct of decisive operations against all threats.

“Other efforts to reposition the Armed Forces of Nigeria include acquisition of new armaments and technology platforms to enhance the conduct of military operations and massive infrastructural development

to provide our personnel with befitting accommodation as well as formulation of policies and initiatives to improve the welfare of troops and their families,’’ he further stated.

President Buhari commended the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, other Service Chiefs and stakeholders for the conceptualisation and remarkable work in the establishment of the GIWA 2 Project.

“I urge the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and all personnel to work assiduously towards enhancing our national security. I am confident that, together we can pave the path for creation of new opportunities to usher Nigeria into a bright future

driven by a safe and prosperous environment,’’ he said.

In his welcome address, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor stated that the commissioning of the GIWA 2 Project was the culmination of President Buhari’s directives in 2021 that the Defence Headquarters must ensure that farmers displaced by insurgency went back to their farms, noting that the project would ensure a secure communication for the military in carrying out its responsibilities.

General Irabor extolled the President’s sterling leadership that had enabled the Nigerian Armed Forces to accomplish so much in the nation’s fight against insurgency and other criminalities across the country.

Adamawa polls: INEC REC in Police custody, as investigations continue

The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of Barr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who was alleged to have announced the candidate of the All Progressives Congress winner of the gubernatorial elections during the recently concluded supplementary elections following calls for his arrest and investigation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the basis of alleged impropriety in the course of supplementary

gubernatorial polls in the State.

The Police in a statement issued yesterday by CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, said Barrister Ari, who was arrested by the Police Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team in Abuja on Tuesday 2nd May, 2023, is currently in Police custody and is being grilled to ascertain the motives and motivations behind

his alleged improper actions during the supplementary elections in Adamawa State.

“In addition, other officials and individuals culpable in the saga are being interrogated by the team.

“The Inspector-General of Police has given clear assurance that every individual involved/ indicted in the matter will be apprehended and investigated in line with the provisions of the law for possible prosecution. The

Inspector-General of Police has assured of the commitment of the Force to ensuring that justice is served in this case and that all guilty parties are brought to justice.”

Meanwhile, sources close to Ari said yesterday that the Adamawa REC voluntarily reported to police, not arrested.

The police invited him for interrogation on May 5, and he voluntarily went on May 2nd. He was said to have been driven to the Force Headquarters by a Senator.

Kaduna Police Command Paraded Suspected Phone Snachers, drug dealers and others form of Crims, at the Command headquarters, yesterday in Kaduna State.

*Other fingered officials under interrogation

*Says govt will support military to enhance rural telephony

Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has tasked the incoming government to initiate deliberate and sustained policies and programmes to promote freedom of expression, media freedom and safety of journalists.

The Guild noted that there were conscious efforts in the past few years by some members of the National Assembly – working in collaboration with officials of the executive arm of government, to criminalise journalism practice in Nigeria.

The umbrella of all the editors in Nigeria, which stated this in a statement yesterday to mark this year World Press Freedom Day, also promised to engage the incoming government over the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act and the Broadcast Code of Conduct - with the aim to amend and reform them to conform to the global best practices.

The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day, celebrated every May 3, is “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a Driver for all Other Human Rights”, which the UN said signified the ‘’enabling element of freedom of expression to enjoy and protect all other human rights.’’

In a statement signed by its President Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the NGE said that pluralistic mass media predicated on freedom of expression, freedom of information and free press is fundamental to any effective and functional democracy all over the world, stating that Nigeria can’t be an exception.

‘’We share the popular notion that freedom of the media is indispensable for the protection of all other human rights. Instances abound where inhuman treatments, torture, corruption, misuse of power, impunity and nepotism were exposed because of the reports by the media. Informing members of the public is often the first and essential step to begin remedying human rights violations and hold governments to account.

‘’Disturbing signs of repression, violations of media freedom and several cautious attempts to criminalise journalism practice, have been observed in the past few years in our country. There have been different forms of control, censorship, and pressure over the content of mass media in Nigeria, especially the broadcast stations, which have hindered their independence and pluralism.

‘’Cases of journalists who are deprived of their inalienable rights due to their work continue to occur over and over again. Cases of harassment, intimidation, violence - and even murder - have been documented in the past eight years - by both local and international pro-media rights groups’’, the NGE stated.

The NGE added that the case of two Nigerian journalists – Gidado Shuaib and Alfred Olufemi, who were recently convicted by an inferior court in Kwara State, ought not to have been charged, let alone convicted, for publishing an investigative report about a factory.

The conviction of the two

NGE tasks incoming govt on press freedom, safety of journalists

•Promises to engage authorities on review of NBC Act, anti-media laws

journalists has sent disturbing signals to the mass media that pointed out the necessity to urgently reform our laws and ensure journalism is not criminalized in Nigeria in line with the intention of anti-media forces.

The NGE said it is nevertheless, not unaware of the media’s shortcomings, saying the professional body will continue to provide useful advice on the improvement of journalism

profession.

The body advised members of the public to make use of the recently inaugurated nine-member board of the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), otherwise known as the National Ombudsman, to report cases of media misconduct.

‘’As earlier stated by the commission, the inauguration of NMCC is a major step by the media industry to strengthen public

confidence in the media through prompt resolution of issues bordering on ethical breaches in media content.

‘’The process is being driven by the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO,) comprising the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild

of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), along with other strategic media players and the civil society, in particular the MacArthur Foundation’’, the editors added.

The NGE added that the commission was created to serve as an independent forum for resolving complaints about the press quickly, fairly, and free of charge; maintaining high standards of Nigerian journalism and journalistic ethics; and defend the freedom of the press and the rights of the people to know.

L- R: The president, National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Mr Israel Eboh, The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Otunba Olusegun Runsewe and the President Federation of Tourism Association (FTAN), Mr Nkereuwem Onung, during the programme on Cultural Peace & Nat’l Rebirth. (a new agenda setting,) Organise by the NCAC, held yesterday in Abuja.

JAMB releases 2023 UTME results

By Maryam Abeeb

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted between Tuesday, 25th April, 2023, and Monday, 1st May, 2023.

A total of 1, 595, 779 candidates had registered to take the examination in 708 Computer Based Test (CBT) centres in 105 examination towns in the country.

In a statement, the head of public affairs and protocol, Dr Fabian Benjamin noted that the released results excluded those of candidates who were rescheduled to take their examination on Saturday, May 6, 2023, those absent and those under investigation, as well as those of the visually impaired candidates, which are undergoing processing.

“To check the results, all a candidate needs to do is to simply send UTMERESULT to 55019 or 66019 using the same phone number that he/she had used for

registration and the result would be returned as a text message.

“ Also to be noted is the fact that the released results, when checked by candidates, would return the status of the candidates. For instance, with respect to absent or rescheduled candidates, or those under investigation, the response would be: YOU WERE ABSENT, RESCHEDULED OR UNDER INVESTIGATION. Therefore, only candidates who are not under any of these categories would have a returned result,” the statement said.

The statement urged all candidates whose examination were rescheduled to to print their slips on or before Thursday, 4th and Friday 5th May, 2023, so as to know the time and venue of their examination.

“Candidates are to note that they would be grouped in a central location within their respective States to sit the examination hence the need for them to print their notification slips latest by Thursday, 4th May, 2023, so as to make sufficient arrangements to take their examination,” it said.

Nurses want upward review of salaries to avoid greener pastures elsewhere

By Albert Akota

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, has urged the Federal Government for upward review of their salaries and allowances ranging from Chief Duty, Call Duty, Peculiarity, teaching allowances among others to avoid seeking greener pastures elsewhere.

National President of NANNM, Comrade Michael

Nnachi made the call in Abuja at Eagle Square, during the Workers Day celebration.

He said the demand for the review of salaries and allowances was owing to the socio-economic condition of the country, saying that the value of naira has drastically reduced.

According to him, “The value of naira is so low that even our salary is nothing to write home about.

“But I expect that if the

Federal Government can give us 70 percent of our consolidated salary, at least it will be able to buy sachets of water, biscuits and other things.

“Nigerian workers have suffered a lot under non-review of salary, difficulties that are unpalatable, some of which are political. Even the issue of COVID-19, for those of us in the health sector, we had suffered a lot.”

Comrade Nnachi also demanded that Nurses should

be carried along in policy issues that have to do with decisions about the health sector, adding that over the years, nurses have not been appointed into various key positions of leadership and governance of the country.

“Among our colleagues, we have categories of scholars such as Professors, PHD holders in various universities across the country. We have our people there and there is no position you can think of that nurses cannot hold”, he said.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

By Christiana Ekpa

The House Representatives on Tuesday passed through second reading, a Bill for an act to give effect to the provisions of the African Union convention for the protection and assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria and for related matters.

The bill sponsored by Honourable Dachung Bagosgos seeks to domesticate an African Union convention on the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons.

The Sponsored of the bill, Hon. Baggos says it has as its ultimate goal the elimination of the root causes of internal displacement and the mitigation of its resultant effect.

“In a bid to do this, the bill purports to establish an Internal Displacement Coordination Committee which will collaborate with state actors, non state actors and all competent authorities to provide a comprehensive and gender friendly framework for national

Reps moves to domesticate AU Convention on IDPs

*As bill passes Second Reading

response, coordination and collaboration for the protection, assistance and humanitarian interventions relating to internal displacement. Further, the committee shall outline obligations and impose responsibilities on all relevant government agencies in order to ensure that rights of internally displaced persons are protected,” Baggos said.

He said that the Internal displacement of individuals has been a great threat to peace and security in Nigeria and Africa at large.

“In recent times, Nigeria has been faced with unpleasant

experiences such as erosions, flooding, oil spillage and clashes as well as disputes between herdsmen and farmers which have all led to some form of abuse of the rights of persons affected; causing them to abandon their homes, property and their family and terminally leaving them displaced. In light of these unfortunate occurrences that have plagued the country, it is evident the need to domesticate a legislation such as this is crucial.

“Failure to apply more vigorous efforts to protect citizens during armed conflict and other violences will

result in Increasing national displacement figures. Internally displaced persons are among the most vulnerable of all civilians and with a lack of the domestic normative and policy frameworks needed to respond to their specific needs and vulnerabilities, it will be impossible to effectively protect them.

“ Further, Internally displaced persons just like every other human being have rights that are protected by both international and domestic human rights legislations. Therefore, in situations of armed conflict, internally displaced

persons should enjoy the same rights as other civilians to the various protections provided by international humanitarian law,” the bill said.

It also pointed out that, as a paramount element of sovereignty, it was impedient upon Nigeria to domesticate the piece.

“It is the general premonition and the honorable thing for the Nigerian government to be responsible for protecting and safeguarding the rights of the of the internally displaced persons within her polity. Therefore, I urge Mr Speaker and my distinguished colleagues to support this bill for second reading,” he said.

Sensitization will reduce incessant union strike in Education sector -ABU VC

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Kabiru Bala has said that there must be good planning and sensitization in order to avert the effect of pandemic and unions strike in the Nigerian education sector.

He stated this at the 61st Meeting of the Committee of Provost and Deans of Postgraduate Colleges and Nigerian Universities (CPDPGCS) held at the ABU Postgraduate Auditorium yesterday.

According to him, there must be a serious synergy between the industries in order to exploit means of research on energy.

“whatever we can do from the government and industries, we have to do a very good research in order to achieve the aims and objectives of the research.”

Professor Bala maintained that research and postgraduate

studies are going hand in hand which make them very important in the area of educational development.

In her welcome address, the President of the association, Prof. Philomina Ebokwe said that the meeting is aimed at building a strong network between provosts and deans of postgraduate schools in respect of postgraduate studies,

which can be used by colleges and postgraduate schools for studies. The president charged participants to think about how to move forward and how to move postgraduate education forward in Nigeria.

According to her, the 21st Century is characterised by the many challenges of technological advances and globalization that

make them compete with world class Universities because we can remain in one place.

She said the theme of the meeting is, ” Paradigm shift in the delivery of Postgraduate studies and research is Nigeria”.

In his remarks, the Dean Postgraduate School Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Sani Abdullahi said the meeting

is aimed at finding a lasting solution of issues that is hindering postgraduate students’ programmes when there is striking and pandemic.

Prof. Abdullahi said, the theme of the meeting is apt, considering the compositions of scholars assembled to deliver papers whom he said they will do justice to it.

N130m Property: Osakwe sues Malami, Asabe Waziri for abuse of office, seeks N1b damages

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

An international businessman and property developer, Mr Cecil Osakwe, has dragged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, to court over abuse of office.

Osakwe is praying the court for an order of N1b damages against the AGF.

Also dragged before the court alongside the minister is a civil

servant, a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Ms Asabe Waziri, who is said to be at the centre of the case the AGF is being accused of bias in its prosecution.

Asabe, a civil servant was said to have bought a property worth N130m in Maitama District of Abuja.

Osakwe, through his lawyer, Mr Victor Giwa, said his reputation have been damaged through the actions and decisions of the AGF in a civil case between

two individuals.

Osakwe sued Malami in his personal and official capacity for abused of his office, as minister of justice, when he preferred charges against him, and used the charge as a tool to blackmail and arm-twist him to give out two units of 3-bedroom flats in one of his properties at Mekong close Maitama, Abuja to Asabe Waziri, even against valid Court Order.

Giwa also claimed that the attorney general, used his office

to supervise the continuous harassment of Osakwe, by men of the Nigerian police force on matters that are purely civil with respect to the sales of the property.

According to him, his client brought the action against the AGF both in his official and personal capacities, claiming that Malami acted with malice, and abused his office in raising charge of “collecting money under false pretence’’ from Asabe Waziri, when he was fully aware

that Asabe Waziri moved into the property and lived in the said property for over eight months before she was eventually vacated from the property by a lawful court order that terminated the sales transaction between both parties.

Asabe Waziri and Cecil Osakwe have been in a fierce battle over the control of two units of 3-bedroom flats which was sold to Asabe Waziri by Abeh Signature Ltd, a company owned by Cecil Osakwe.

New Kaduna Police Command, CP. Musa Garba,- addressing the press during the New Commissioner arrive the Command in kaduna on tuesday 2/5/23

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives has Urged the Federal government of Nigeria to take all diplomatic steps and other necessary interventions regarding the travails of the Ike Ekwermadu’s family.

The House equally appealed to the Central Criminal Court, UK and the government of the UK to temper justice with mercy in sentencing Senator Ike

Zamfara Gov-elect charges 2023 transition C’tee on patriotism

Ekweremadu: Take all diplomatic steps to intervene -Reps urge FG

•Appeal to Uk Government to temper Justice with Mercy

Ekweremadu and Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu.

The House resolutions followed a motion of urgent Public Importance on the “need for Clemency for Senator Ike Ekweremadu” moved by Hon. Toby Okechukwu on the floor of the House on Tuesday.

He said “Aware that Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a Nigerian Citizen, serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, and former Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and his wife, Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu, were tried and convicted by the Central Criminal Court, London, the United Kingdom (UK) for offences relating to the breach of the novel Modern Slavery Act 2015.

“Aware that the sentencing of couple is scheduled for May 5, 2023.

“Aware that it is a common practice in international relations for nations, including the UK, to seek relief for their citizens involved in situations such as that of the Ekweremadus.

Also aware of the longstanding history and cordial ties between Nigeria and the UK.

“Cognisant that elder statesmen such as former Military Head of State and President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, have made a passionate plea for clemency, testifying also to Senator Ekweremadu’s character as a patriot, god-fearing, progressive citizen, who has served Nigeria and West Africa as former three-term Deputy President of the Senate as well as Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.

democratic governance in Nigeria, Ike Ekweremmadu has served the people of his community, his state and his country with vigour and dedication. For most of that time, he has been a member of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

of service, both Ike and his wife can yet atone for their failings and find forgiveness before God and man.

“He has used this office to advance the cause of democracy, champion critical reforms and advocate for the development of his constituency. Through his Ikeoha Foundation, he and his wife have helped provide access to quality education and healthcare for thousands of people in his community and his state. Their public service and private philanthropy have helped improve the social, economic and political fortunes of their communities and aided the personal and professional progress of many.

“The welfare of two young Nigerians lies at the heart of this case. I hope that after all this is done, Mr David Nwamini, the complaining witness, will go on to a long and productive life, free from the trauma of his recent travails. For Ms Sonia Ekeremadu, Ike’s young daughter, whose well-being necessitated the unfortunate actions that have now led to these terrible consequences for all involved, the nightmare of a dangerous diagnosis is compounded beyond measure by the real possibility that the two people most responsible for her care may shortly be committed to terms of punishment from which they will be unable to offer even a loving embrace when nothing else will do.

From

Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

Zamfara State Governorelect, Dr. Dauda Lawal has charged the 2023 transition committee to ensure patriotism and diligence in discharging their assigned responsibilities aimed at rescuing the state from derailment under the outgoing administration.

Dr. Lawal made the declaration on Tuesday during inauguration ceremony of the 60-member transition committee led by the former Inspector General of Police, IGP MD Abubakar which was held at Garba Nadama hall Jibrin Yakubu Secretariat.

The Governor-elect further charged them of ensure total checks on commitments by the outgoing government in both financial and awarded contracts with a view to helping in designing a competent map as planned by the incoming administration for the delivery of expected democratic dividends in the state.

He urged them to apply their most needed hard earned experiences to investigate fully into activities carried by all the ministries under the outgoing government as such will facilitate his administration acquire easy point for the start immediately after swearing in ceremony come 29th of this month.

Aware that Senator Ike Ekweremadu acted within his limited knowledge of the UK laws and did write to the UK High Commission to support the medical visa application for the potential and did declare the purpose of the trip.

“Cognisant of the fact that Senator Ekweremadu and Mrs. Beatrice acted under the natural instincts of parents to save an ailing daughter, and not for commercial purposes.

“Aware that several Nigerian national dailies have also joined the call for clemency for the Ekweremadus through their editorials.

“Cognisant of the predicaments of Ekweremadu’s ailing daughter, who needs the financial support and parental love of her parents to scale through her dire health challenge.

Aware that the Ekweremadus must have learnt their lessons” he said

The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila while ruling on the motion said “ For twentyfour years since the return to

“None of this suggests that either Ike Ekweremadu or his wife should be above the law or held to a different standard than any other citizen. I recount these things to present a whole perspective so that in this moment of consequence, the judgment of the court may take into consideration the Ekweremadu’s history of honourable living and distinguished service, their contributions to a better world and the possibility that, given a chance, through the penitence

“Surely, it is within our means to live under the law and be just and merciful all at once. I urge the court to consider the noble acts of Ike Ekweremadu’s life and judge him on the totality of that life rather than solely on this last worst act. I am confident that Ike Ekweremadu and his wife have learned from their recent experiences and will be guided by their better angels for the rest of their days. If nothing else, for the sake of their ailing daughter, Sonia, let mercy temper justice for this family” he said.

2023 general election is one of the fairest polls – Organisation

No Alternative To Tinubu 2023 (NATT 2023), a political pressure group, says the 2023 general election remains one of the fairest elections recorded in the country.

This is in spite of acknowledged few irregularities perpetuated by the major political parties during the polls, the group said.

The National Coordinator of NATT 2023, Mr Vincent Uba, in a statement he issued on Monday in Abuja, said that the 2023 presidential election was clearly won by Sen. Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He described the Presidentelect as God’s anointed candidate that would be inaugurated as the 16th President of Nigeria on May 29, irrespective of hatred by opposition parties.

“Let me say this and I say

it as a Christian with clear conscience and without making any bones.

“The 2023 presidential election, though with some pockets of irregularities perpetuated by the three major political parties (APC, PDP and Labour Party), was one of the freest.

“It is one of fairest elections in Nigerian history and Tinubu won clean and clear to become the President-elect,” Uba said.

He, however, expressed concerns on the level of desperation shown during the general election campaign period, especially among some religious leaders, who used the House of God for political campaign.

“They abandoned the cardinal objectives of preaching love, tolerance, charity and righteousness, which are the hallmark of Christ’s attributes

and teachings,” Uba said.

He said that though Tinubu is not a Christian, he ranked high, especially in charity, which is one of the bedrocks of Christianity and Godliness.

Uba said that those who do the will of God are ‘Christly Christians’ who are imbibed with the virtues of charity, tolerance and hospitality in love.

“Tinubu, in his act of service/ governance as Lagos State governor was charitable and generous enough not to restrict his cabinet appointments to Lagosians alone.

“He spread the same to other ethnic nationalities, including Igbos.

“Again, in his acts of charity and generosity, he had empowered and mentored countless numbers of persons without placing emphasis on ethnicity and religious background,” he said.

Uba added that Tinubu performed excellently as the governor of Lagos state, laying a solid foundation for a modern Lagos and bequeathing to Lagosians, the legacy of development that subsequent governors have been building upon.

Uba commended Tinubu’s acts of generosity, track record of achievements, detribalised standing, religious tolerant attributes and mentorship acumen.

He advised those always quick to judge Tinubu to be cautious and take counsel from the saying of Mother Theresa that “if you judge people, you have no time to love them”.

“Joy Marino/Pinterest also said that every time you judge someone, you reveal a part of yourself that needs healing,” Uba said.

(NAN)

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has assigned Max Air as airline to airlift the 5,917 intending pilgrims of Kano state to Saudi Arabia during this year’s Hajj exercise.

Recall that the decision of NAHCON to assign Azman Air to airlift the pilgrims of the state last year was greeted by huge criticism by the Kano state Pilgrims Welfare Board and the state government.

Max Air has been airlifting the state’s pilgrims to Hajj for a long time until last year when the then new leadership of NAHCON

Hajj 2023: NAHCON assigns Max Air to airlift Kano pilgrims

assigned Azman Air, the decision that was resisted by the state.

In a press conference on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of the board, Muhammad Abba Dambatta, disclosed that the Hajj commission had assigned Max Air for this year’s Hajj operations.

He added that the airline is efficient and had three aircrafts

with the capacity of more than 1,000 pilgrims each.

In the same vein, Dambatta also announced that the board had closed fresh Hajj registration in accordance with NAHCON’s directive.

According to him, the state’b pilgrims had exhausted all the almost 6,0000 slots allocated to

it by the Hajj commission, adding that 4,900 intending pilgrims had paid their Hajj fare complete, while others, who deposited N2.5 million, would pay the remaining in the next couple of days.

The Executive Secretary also disclosed that the board is fully ready for this year’s Hajj, saying “ we have completed

all preparations, ranging from accomodations, feeding, transportation from Jeddah to Makkah and Makkah to Madina.

“We are ready for airlift. We have made a good arrangement that justify the fee paid by our intending pilgrims. Our intending pilgrims will live a good live in Saudi Arabia,” Dambatta assured.

Sudan Evacuation: Difficulties flow from interagency disagreements overlapping mandates - Gbajabiamila

By Christiana Ekpa

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Tuesday said the House has noted intelligence disagreement, overlapping mandates and the absence of established operational guidelines for such circumstances as some of the difficulties in Evacuating Nigerians from Sudan.

This was just as the Speaker said that, he has requested the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to invite the honourable minister of Foreign Affairs and officials from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to appear before the House to give an account of the status of evacuation efforts.

There had been Intense clashes between Sudan’s military and the country’s main paramilitary force that have killed hundreds of people and sent thousands fleeing for safety, as a burgeoning civil war threatens to destabilise the wider region.

It was also reported that the Nigerian government earlier announced that it had loaned 40 buses for the evacuation. The buses cost $1.2 million, an official announced.

Gbajabiamila who disclosed this while reading his address at the resumption of the House yesterday, described the situation as an Unfortunate one which rapid descent into the carnage of violent conflict that entrapped many Nigerians resident in Sudan

He said “Over the last few weeks, the Republic of Sudan has descended into war. Unfortunately, this rapid descent into the carnage of violent conflict has entrapped many Nigerians resident in that country. Efforts are underway to ensure that our

citizens resident in the Republic of Sudan, as students, business people and in other vocations, are evacuated quickly and safely.

“I have requested the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to invite the honourable minister of Foreign Affairs and officials from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to appear before the House to give an account of the status of evacuation efforts.

“The House is aware of ongoing difficulties with the evacuation efforts and the federal government’s response to the developments in the Republic of Sudan. We are also mindful that some of these difficulties flow from interagency disagreements arising from overlapping mandates and the absence of established operational guidelines for such

circumstances.

“While our priority is to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of our fellow citizens caught in this war, we must further revisit the statutory and other frameworks that have left us seemingly unprepared to respond promptly and effectively.

“The conflict in the Republic of Sudan reminds us once more of the fragility of nations. In pursuing our political objectives, we must never lose sight of the fundamental truth that in war, everybody loses; in peace, everybody can win. All our personal, partisan and sectional interests must always succumb to the overarching and overriding interest of ensuring the unity and stability of Nigeria. If we fail in this regard, nothing else will matter, and none of us will be absolved in the judgment of history.

“Thank you all for being here

today to do the people’s business as we wind up our activities in the 9th House of Representatives.

I thank you all once more for being here this morning.Good morning”, he said.

CSOs urged to step up advocacy in health sector

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the health sector have been urged to step up advocacies on various health related issues in the country.

Francis Ohanyido, Director General of West African Institute of Public Health, stated this at the weekend in Abuja, during Save the Children (SCI) sensitization meeting to mark the 2023 World Immunization Week.

He said the time has come for the CSOs to champion health advocacies and place health related issues in the front burner.

“We need to understand what is happening in the sector. We need to be getting update from the ministry either on monthly or quarterly basis so that we can effectively function.”

Speaking further, he told the members of the CSOs that their lackadaisical attitudes could create room for corruption the sector.

“We need to stress our advocacies in areas of immunization and why it is necessary. Many people are relying on us and we should not let them down.”

While speaking on the role of the media in improving immunisation coverage in Nigeria, Line editor of the NGO/ CSO page and Correspondent of Blueprint Newspaper, Adeola Akinbobola identified media as a critical components in ensuring immunized across the country.

She said there are always misconceptions about vaccines and immunisation making it difficult for people particularly at

the grassroot to accept them.

“To change these attitudes, strategic media campaigns targeted at creating understanding and acceptance is required.

“Journalists can counter these threats with accurate reporting on disease outbreaks and immunization.

“And so, there is need for an effective communication strategies that can address some of these issues by making more people aware of the benefits of immunisation; correcting false beliefs, rumours, or concerns that prevent people from getting immunised; and informing people where and when to get immunised, thereby potentially increasing vaccination rates.”

On his part, the Director of Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media, Save

the Children International (SCI) Nigeria,Amanuel Mamo said, ‘Going forward, we should create an enabling environment and strengthen the three gateways to deliver Basic Healthcare Provision Fund as the principal funding vehicle for the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS) which includes immunisations integrated with other services and implemented at primary healthcare facilities across Nigeria, using data to drive decision-making while ensuring the implementation of the zerodose operational plan (Z-DOP)”.

He said Save the Children International Nigeria calls upon the Federal and State governments to keep immunization high on their sustainable development agenda as vaccinated communities will be healthy, productive and resilient.

Gbajabiamila

FG to explore alternative funding model for oil,

gas industry

The Nigerian Upstream Downstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says the Federal Government has concluded plans to explore alternative funding models for development of the country’s oil and gas resources.

Mr Gbenga Komolafe, the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, said this on Monday during the opening ceremony of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) pavilion and exhibition stand at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), in Houston, Texas, United States.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fiveday conference has as theme: “Energy Transition and AfCFTA: Key Reforms for Sustainable Development of the African Oil and Gas lndustry”.

Komolafe said that the need to develop the country’s hydrocarbon resources required huge funding, hence the decision of the commission to develop alternative funding model for the industry.

According to him, Nigeria will not be left behind in the energy conversation discussion as the country is a place where needs meet opportunities.

“Africa and by extension Nigeria is well positioned because it has all it takes to bridge the energy gap in the light of energy transition.

“Nigeria with abundant oil and gas reserves and other sources of energy mix, is well positioned to be a super power if all these hydrocarbon resources are well coordinated,” he said.

development – NUPRC

Komolafe said the signing into law of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) had created a landmark reform in the petroleum industry which included attractive fiscal and regulatory regime.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, Mr Gabriel Aduda, said that the PETAN pavilion at the OTC had showcased Nigeria’s diversity in oil and gas industry.

Aduda said: “We are looking at African countries collaboration toward developing the oil and gas sector.

“This is especially important

because we in Nigeria are totally aware of the need to carry the entire continent alone.

“And we are not looking at this entity as just Nigeria alone but the whole of African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO).

“So, we are looking at these beyond us. We are looking at the APPO,” he said.

He said about eight African countries were part of the ongoing exhibition, adding that other African countries would join the conference.

According to him, this is extremely important because the

place of local content cannot be over emphasised.

“That is why we are so happy with what PETAN is doing because PETAN is providing the capacity for local industry players to be able to strive,” he said.

In his remarks , Mr Nicholas Odinuwu, Chairman, PETAN, said the OTC continues to discuss on building a sustainable oil and gas industry across the African continent in light of the energy transition, using the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) , as a veritable tool.

Odinuwu said: “With our

collective efforts, we are charting a new pathway for our industry and the energy future of almost two billion people that Africa is home to.

“Nigeria has taken the lead by developing an energy transition plan, launched in 2020, which outlines the technologies and support needed to achieve universal energy access and netzero emissions by 2050.

“The fact is that Africa requires sustainable energy sources to meet the growing needs of all sectors of its economy and the energy transition is a crucial enabler of sustainable development.”

NAN reports that 12 Nigerian companies are participating at the PETAN oil and gas exhibition, at the ongoing OTC. (NAN)

CAN wants employers to treat workers with dignity, respect

By Albert Akota

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on governments and other employers to treat workers with dignity and respect, and provide them with decent conditions, fair wages and job security.

CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, made the call in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja.

Kebbi workers demand pension increment

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The Kebbi State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has appealed to the out going Governor of the State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu to give approval for the harmonization of three

Minister

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

increments of pensions which are 12%,15% and 33% agreed to at different times but not approved 29 days to his exit as Governor of the State.

The congress also demanded for the implementation of the 30% consequential adjustment occasioned by the approval

of N30,000 minimum wage of April 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

While delivering his speech, Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Kebbi State, Murtala Usman also urged the state government to pay the gratuity of workers omitted in 2017 and

2018. He pleaded with government to implement hazard allowance for the national association of Nigerian nurses and midwives, CONHESS, salary adjustment for lecturers in the state school of nursing and improve security of the health workers.

lauds DG, NWRI on projects

The Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, has said he is pleased to associate with the successes and initiatives of the Director-General of the National Water Resources Institute, (NWRI), Prof. Emmanuel Adanu.

The minister made the commendation during the commissioning of some key capital projects at the NWRI in Kaduna yesterday.

Engr Adamu said the NWRI

has been one of the most vibrant and consistent parastatals in the Ministry of Water Resources that is contributing to national development and representing Nigeria internationally, hence it deserves modern technological facilities to operate.

He added that the evidence available is that, confidence reposed on the NWRI is not misplaced. The projects commissioned include; a 50 Bedroom Students Hostel, that provide conducive accommodation for short course middle-and high-level participants

from within and outside Nigeria at affordable cost.

The other project is a Hydraulic Modelling Centre initiated to provide knowledge and necessary skills for fluid flow system such as a water system, dams, reservoir analysis, sewer system or a storm system, used to analyse systems’ hydraulic behaviour.

The Minister also commissioned a 100 Seater Lecture Theatre initiated to provide a conducive learning environment and sitting minimum capacity for 100 participants.

“I enjoined the management,

staff and students maintain these facilities and double their efforts and commitment towards making Nigeria great again,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the DG of NWRI, Professor Emmanuel Adanu, thanked the minister for his support of the Institute since his assumption of office in 2015.

He also said the ongoing plan to upgrade the Institute to a full fledge Water Resources university initiated by the minister is a welcome development, and pleaded for him to push more to make it a reality.

Archbishop Okoh praised the resilience, dedication and hard work of Nigerian workers, who had continued to drive the economy forward in spite of numerous challenges.

He said CAN recognised invaluable contributions of Nigerian workers to the growth and development of the nation.

He said: “We recognize the sacrifices they make daily to ensure that their families and the nation at large has a better future.

“As Christians, we believe that work is not just a means of earning a living but also a means of fulfilling our God-given purpose on earth.

“We, therefore, encourage all Nigerian workers to continue to approach their work with diligence, excellence and integrity, knowing that their labour is not in vain.

“We also want to use this occasion to express our solidarity with Nigerian workers who have been adversely affected by the current economic situation,” it said.

L-R: Director Market Access, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Mrs Uduak Etokowoh, Director General, Abuja Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mrs Victoria Akai, 1st Deputy President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Barr. Dele Kelvin Oye, Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and the Chairman of the Technical Committee on the Utilization of AGOA, Mr Suleiman Audu, during the presentation of the report of the Committee to the Minister, held yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo.

The Nigeria of my dream

By Yahuza Usman

Isee a Nigeria where we all play our part in its development.

The government must take responsibility for providing good governance and leadership. They must prioritize the welfare of the citizens and make policies that are inclusive and beneficial to all. The citizens, on the other hand, must be active participants in the democratic process. We must also prioritize unity, peace, and tolerance and work towards bridging the gap between different ethnic and religious groups.

Nigeria, the giant of African land and a country with a rich cultural heritage, diverse natural resources, and a population of over 200 million dwellers across six geographical regions, has long—since its independence—been grappling with myriad inescapable, breath-stopping challenges, ranging from issues of corruption to poor governance, ethnicity to nepotism, and political to economic instability. It’s been one of my burning dreams all the time to see that, someday, Nigeria becomes the world’s greatest country with a diverse range of progress in every sector of development. So here, this piece will intensively discuss the Nigeria I always dream to see in reality.

To begin, the Nigeria of my dream is, undoubtedly, one that is characterized by sustainable economic growth through industrialization, the application of technology to agriculture, and crude oil exploration; political stability through the absence of religious crises, regional crises, tribalism, ethnicity, and nepotism; gender equality through the lack of showing difference in terms of employment and leadership engagement; and unity through social justice, brotherhood, peaceful coexistence, and a thriving culture.

Inevitably, one of the biggest and most terrible diseases delaying the growth of Nigeria is the issue of corruption. Corruption is a cancer that eats away at the fabric of society, and it has had an overwhelmingly devastating impact on Nigeria’s development. In order to build the Nigeria that will cook smiles for our daily consumption, it is imperative that we tackle corruption head-on. This will require a concerted effort by government officials, civil

society organizations, and ordinary citizens. The government must take concrete steps to reduce opportunities for corruption, such as reforming the procurement process, strengthening anti-corruption institutions, and improving transparency in government operations. Civil society organizations must hold government officials accountable for their actions and demand that they act in the best interests of the Nigerian people. And ordinary citizens must be vigilant in reporting corrupt practices and holding their leaders accountable. Currently, corruption has become the food that almost all, if not all, of the citizens of Nigeria consume on a regular basis. As an instance, when one is looking for admission in some tertiary institutions, employment with government agencies or private enterprises, or driving from one state to another—or, terribly, when being convicted by the laws of the country—the only thing that works in all those mentioned points is who are you, who knows you, and whom do you know? If there is or is not any answer, the end of the story is that, unfortunately, one must be a fish—serving as a source of income to the fishermen—and money is mainly what secures employment, opportunities, and illegally frees one from any crime in this country. It would be over someday.

Painfully, another major challenge facing Nigeria is the issue of insecurity. Nigeria has been plagued by various forms of insecurity for many years, including terrorism, banditry, Boko Haram, kidnapping, and communal violence. Overcoming this while beholding my dream will require a multi-faceted approach that includes improving intelligence gathering and sharing, enhancing border security, and investing in the training and equipping of security personnel. The citizens must also work to address the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion.

Economic development is another critical issue that must be addressed in order to build the Nigeria of my dreams. Nigeria is a country with enormous potential, but this potential has yet to be fully realized. In order to unlock this potential, we must create an environment that is conducive to business growth and investment. This will require a focus on building infrastructure, improving the

ease of doing business, and reducing the cost of doing business. We must also invest in education and skills development, as a well-educated and skilled workforce is essential for economic growth and development.

Sadly, social justice is another key component of the Nigeria of my dream. Nigeria is a country with deep social inequalities, and these inequalities have been exacerbated by years of poor governance and economic mismanagement. In order to build a more just society, citizens must work to reduce inequality and promote social mobility. This will require investments in education, healthcare, and social protection programs. They must also work to address the root causes of inequality, such as discrimination and marginalization, and promote greater social inclusion.

Also, the Nigeria of my dream is one that is characterized by a thriving culture. Nigeria is a country with a rich cultural heritage, and its citizens must work to promote and celebrate this heritage. This will require investments in cultural infrastructure, such as museums and galleries, as well as support for cultural activities such as music, literature, and the arts. They must also work to promote intercultural dialogue and understanding, both within Nigeria and with the wider world.

More so, the Nigeria of my dream is undeniably a nation that is united, peaceful, and prosperous. I envision a country where people from different tribes, religions, and regions live together in harmony and respect for one another. A Nigeria where ethnic, religious, and political differences are celebrated and not used as a tool for division. A Nigeria where every citizen enjoys equal opportunities and is not discriminated against based on their tribe or religion.

In addition, the Nigeria of my dream is a country where the government is accountable and transparent. I envision a Nigeria where corruption is eradicated and public funds are used for the benefit of the people. A Nigeria where leaders are elected based on their competence and not their affiliation to a particular party, region, or religion.

12 potential marriage partners to avoid

By Azuka Onwuka

Those who are tied to the apron strings of their parents make tasteless marriage partners. Such spouses are a constant source of frustration and sadness. In their eyes, you will always be wrong. You will always be vilified.

Marriages – especially those of celebrities – seem to be crashing faster these days than before. Couples thought to be happy suddenly announce separation or divorce. Outrageous stories start flying around about their marriage. People are shocked that such a seemingly happy couple, who regularly posted videos, photos and stories of marital bliss, could have undergone such unimaginable experiences in each other’s hands.

But there is nothing shocking about such occurrences. The couple only continued to endure each other’s shortcomings or continued to fear what the public would say, until they reached the tipping point. It is rare to see any marriage that crashed as a result of traits that suddenly manifested after marriage. During courtship, couples see these traits that eventually lead to unhappiness and eventual divorce. But they are usually optimistic that their spouse would change or that they would make their spouse change through showing them love and care, or leading by example and guidance. In reality, people rarely change. They simply get worse as the years roll by and the marriage gets older.

Therefore, the easiest time to prevent a divorce or an unhappy marriage is before marriage. There is no gainsaying that love can have such an intoxicating effect on the about-towed which makes clear danger signals seem inconsequential to them, while hope becomes the only commodity. After all, is it not said that love conquers all? Great! But what type of love is meant there? Agape or eros?

There are traits that some people cannot drop. It is like hoping that a right-handed spouse will one day become lefthanded: a classic case of waiting for Godot!

If you are searching for a wife or a husband, please be wary of these sets of people.

Those who can never apologise: They would hurt you, annoy you, disappoint you, but would never apologise, because they believe that it would belittle and demean them. They would rather die than say to their spouse: “I’m sorry.” When you are wrong, you apologise to them, and when you are right, you still apologise to them, hoping that they would learn and change. But they never do. You start to feel irritated and agitated. The love

and respect you felt for them start to wear away.

Those who can never say ‘thank you’: Whatever you do for them, they are never grateful. “Why should I say ‘thank you’ when you are just doing your duty?” Some would say that their gratitude is in their heart. If you want the gratitude, maybe you have to open their heart to get it? Such an attitude causes irritation and frustration and unhappiness. Sadly, those who find it hard to appreciate usually find it easy to excoriate. And it is worse when such people don’t just criticise the offence but the person. Such people also believe the world owes them a lot. They go about with an entitlement mentality. They are difficult to please.

Those who have excessive libido or low libido: Sexual Intercourse is a very important factor in marriage, but when you have a spouse that needs it for breakfast, lunch and supper, it is difficult to have any peace in the family. If the other partner does not have the same level of libido, infidelity lurks around the marriage. Conversely, when you have a spouse that hates sex or has very low libido, there is always some form of frustration and irritation in that marriage. Infidelity is also a possibility.

Men who think women are to be seen but not heard: Some men still live in the 17th century, in spite of the depth of education they profess. It is true that marriage is not a zone for feminist crusade, but if a man has archaic views about women, then please avoid him like the Ebola virus. Watch out for statements like: “How can an ordinary woman want to be the CEO?” “How can a woman chat with men?”

Women who believe they don’t need a man in their life: Such women believe that they are self-sufficient in all things. They have the I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude. Men feel ill at ease when they are with women who don’t allow a room in their lives for a man to fill. Such women find it difficult to express love. They fly into quarrels easily. This creates frustration and conflicts.

Men who are looking for housemaids, not wives: These are men who still live in the 15th century. They have an archaic idea of what the role of wives is. They believe that women are only meant to cook, clean the house, bear children, and serve the men.

They believe that when a man talks, the woman must just obey. The man can keep mistresses, but the woman should keep quiet and not even be seen greeting a man. A woman should not work, should not step out of the house, and should not complain whatever the man doles out to her.

Those who can never trust anybody: These are those who believe that everybody is an enemy with evil intentions. They

have an obsession with fear of people, including their spouse, that is irritating. Once a spouse cannot be trusted, there can never be joy in the family.

Those who have no respect for others: People can mouth love, but without respect, a marriage can never be happy. Women who love to prove a point by insulting their husbands, or men who believe in treating their wives like their door mat in the name of cutting their wives to size: such people make terrible marriage partners.

Women who see all men as competition that must not be given an inch: Marriage is not a place for activism. A woman who sees a man as a competitor rather than a complement is a dangerous person to marry. When a man has to contend with a woman every minute, when a man is always too conscious of what to say or do to his wife, then there is a problem.

Those who can’t control their temper: Hot-tempered people are dangerous. They can say or do anything in anger. They can be violent. Their words can be venomous. Afterwards, they are filled with regrets, but the harm has already been done.

Those who cannot forgive: Forgiveness makes us look superhuman. But there are those who cannot forgive, no matter the circumstances or the apologies. Not only can they not forgive, they can also not forget. Because they can’t forgive, they usually think of how to get revenge.

Those who have not been weaned by their parents: Age has little to do with maturity in marriage. Those who have not been “weaned” by their parents make poor marriage partners. They are full of “Mummy said,” Daddy said.” They take every family discussion to their parents. They cannot do anything unless their parents approve. They allow their parents to run their homes in the name of showing respect.

Those who are tied to the apron strings of their parents make tasteless marriage partners. Such spouses are a constant source of frustration and sadness. In their eyes, you will always be wrong. You will always be vilified.

In summary, although marriage is not a bed of roses and there is nobody without some faults or idiosyncrasies, it is foolhardy to walk into a landmine with one’s eyes open, praying and hoping that the explosive would not go off. To avoid heartache, don’t allow blind love or desperation to get married push you into a marriage with someone who will cause you nothing but pain, sadness, and sorrow.

–Twitter: @BrandAzuka

Yahuza Usman writes fom Jalingo, Taraba State.

AI: Will human interaction and apprenticeship be replaced?

By Caleb Onah

In addition, our human voice is a reflection of our inner emotion and emotional state. There is a big difference in the tone of people when we are happy, moody, excited and sad. The tone and pitch of the voice change the entire communication process. AI and ML tools are robots and there is no emotion in them.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has certainly proven to be a leap forward that has taken global technological advancement to the next level and with plans to completely change our way of life. We can see it in self-driving cars, self-diagnosis of health problems, smartphones, homes, and personalised treatment.

Today, the usual arrangements for apprentices may no longer be relevant, as online learning can take place in almost any location. Building on the huge amount of big data collected by data analysts around the world over the past few years, modern AI developments are being used to improve all kinds of business needs – from marketing to sales, to customer service, and to human resources (HR).

New predictive models of human behaviour are becoming more refined, and new sciences, such as social physics, are emerging to help us understand society as a whole. But as a leader, one of the most controversial uses of AI and ML is augmented analytics to understand and emulate human behaviour and interactions.

Oxford University Professor and New York Times best-seller, Nick Bostrom’s, in his book Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies originally published in 2014, this book resonated with these debates by highlighting everything that can go wrong with AI. But in a recent conversation with Bostrom, he conceded that AI technology has significant advantages.

Since Bostrom’s book was written in 2014, artificial intelligence, machines, and deep learning have made rapid progress. Artificial intelligence is being discussed publicly, and most governments have some sort of strategy or roadmap to tackle and implement AI. In his book, he talks about AI like kids playing with a time bomb that can explode at any moment. “There’s a mismatch between our level of maturity in terms of our wisdom,

our ability to cooperate as a species on the one hand and on the other hand our instrumental ability to use technology to make big changes in the world. It seems like we’ve grown stronger faster than we’ve grown wiser”, explained Bostrom.

We are facing the challenge of artificial intelligence (AI) that is changing the way we interact with each other as humans. With new technologies changing the delivery of learning programs, especially in terms of methodology and localisation. Advances in information and communication technology tend to blur the conventional lines between the workplace, classroom and human interaction, where on-the-job and off-the-job training has traditionally taken place, side-lining human emotional interactions.

The leading career and transformational skills academy based in Manchester trains future practitioners in science, technology and business leadership who are responsive to the latest developments and developers in the world of artificial intelligence (AI) – with Google’s AI chatbot, OpenAI/Microsoft’s, and the emergence of ChatGPT, Bard and the threat it poses to job skills and apprenticeship training, asserts while many industry experts are calling for impact analysis of the latest AI chatbot tool to join ChatGPT, the big question for everyone is how AI will affect and disrupt business operations and daily life interactions.

Jemma Perks, director of science at S&A Academy of Sciences & Labs, advocates using AI as a substitute for learning and human learning for science education and lab learning will have an adverse impact on apprenticeship and vocational training. Interaction between people and society is an essential component of the apprenticeship training process. One of the biggest downsides is the lack of human-to-learner interaction, AI cannot replace the experience of social interaction and can lead to feelings of isolation and inefficiency with learners or apprentices. With complex topics, learners can get frustrated with the process, which will hinder their progress, and with too much reliance on AI it can affect thinking skills.

Furthermore, according to Laurence “Floz” Martin, Head of Product & Innovation at S&A Transform Group, although we are right to be concerned about the advancement of AI and its impact

on business, industry and society, but this does not pose a threat to job skills and industry training at this stage,“If we look at AI and ChatGPT, it’s no different from Stochastic Parrotry. Stochastic uses calculations to analyze what would be the best answer that pleases us – so that’s statistical analysis. Parrotry in this sense isn’t about inventing anything someone hasn’t done before, effectively repeating millions of lines of code and information it has read”.

Earlier, the great Stephen Hawking of blessed memory in 2014 once told the BBC that “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race…Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded”. However, it can be conclusively stated that, based on human reasoning and interaction, as Bostrom advises, rather than avoid pursuing AI innovation, “Our focus should be on putting ourselves in the best possible position so that when all the pieces fall into place, we’ve done our homework. We’ve developed scalable AI control methods, we’ve thought hard about the ethics and the governments, etc. And then proceed further and then hopefully have an extremely good outcome from that”.

Based on technical experience, machines can “never” reach 100% efficiency, the correlation between AI and accuracy calculated in different studies will always hold different values due to the multitude of AI forms. Some studies tell us that machine learning is about 90% accurate, plus or minus 5%. However, it is important to note that AI is, in fact, man-made and may not necessarily be so precise. If you’ve used an AI-powered device in the past, you’ll notice that some of their answers to your questions aren’t quite right.

No matter how advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications are today, they still lack the warmth and care that is central to human interaction. Robots may be good listeners and give appropriate advice, but they have no emotions. They cannot comfort wounded souls or offer anything other than simple advice. Based on context and environment, as humans, we can understand context (because we grew up in it or because we were taught) – and the robot will not or wouldn’t be able to conduct analysis and appropriate context.

Caleb Onah is a Public Policy Analyst.

Russia needs to adopt more sustainable development-oriented policies for Africa

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

For more than three decades, Russia has been trying to regain part of its Soviet-era economic influence in Africa, but such efforts have regularly hit stumbling blocks which policy experts attribute to pitfalls in its policy towards Africa. Now several reports have urged Russian authorities, first to move away from their illusionary dreams, and to adopt a more comprehensive sustainable development-oriented policies which meet the contemporary challenges facing African countries.

The latest report titled ‘Ways to Increase the Efficiency of Russia’s African Strategy under the Crisis of the Existing World Order’ co-authored by Professors Irina O. Abramova and Leonid L. Fituni castigated or reprimanded authorities who are squeezed between illusions and realities with policy ambitions in Africa. Against the backdrop of geopolitical challenges and in terms of great power competition, Russian authorities really need to have an insight understanding into the practical investment and economic possibilities in the continent.

The authors said that “it is time for Russia, which over the past 30 years has unsuccessfully sought to become part of the West, to abandon illusions and reconsider its foreign economic and foreign policy strategy, reorienting itself to states that are turning from outsiders into significant players in the international political and economic space and are willing to interact with our country on a mutually beneficial and equal basis.“

In addition, the report underlined the fact that the Russian elite demonstrates a somewhat arrogant attitude towards Africa. Highranking officials have often used the phrase We (that is, Russia) are not Africa to oppose attempts to change the status quo, to change approach towards Africa. Despite the thoughtless imposition of the idea of Africa as the most backward and problematic region of the world in Russian public opinion, qualified Africanists, including Western experts, call Africa the continent of the 21st century, attributing this to the stable growth rates of the African economy over the past 20 years and the colossal resource and human potential of the African region.

Modern Africa is gradually becoming both a significant consumer market and a supplier of labor for the global economy. Africa’s population already exceeds 1.2 billion and is growing at the fastest rate in the world. According to UN forecasts, in 2050 more than a quarter of the world’s population will live in Africa. Today, 60% of this population are young people under the age of 25, and it is young people who provide the demand for modern goods and services. The consumer market in Africa doubles every five years,

and the growth rate of the middle class, which forms the basis of demand for modern goods and services, already exceeds the corresponding indicators of Asian states.

It is noteworthy that the landmark event in the development of the African continent, was the signing of an agreement on the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on March 21, 2018 (at the emergency summit of the AU heads of government in Kigali, Rwanda). It aims at creating a continental market for goods and services, with free movement of businesspeople and investments in Africa. If successfully implemented, this project will lead to the emergence of the largest free trade zone in the world in terms of the number of participants, with a market uniting the population of 55 member countries of the African Union.

The report acknowledges the fact that African countries consider Russia as a reliable economic partner, and it is necessary interacting with African public and private businesses on a mutually beneficial basis. It notes, however, that the hopes of Africans to intensify cooperation with the Russian Federation should be supported by real steps in the economic and political spheres and not be limited to verbal declarations about the “return of Russia to Africa” especially after Sochi gathering which was described very symbolic.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, which had viewed interaction with the African continent as a major component of its foreign policy, Russia, despite the colossal efforts and funds invested in the development of Africa, practically curtailed relations with African states. This was done clearly purposefully by the people who headed the foreign policy and foreign economic departments at that time, and were mainly oriented towards the West. In other words, in the 1990s, not only were the economic foundations destroyed, but so was the entire infrastructure of cooperation with Africa.

“Today, we find ourselves in the same boat with Africans, and not only in terms of Western pressure on our political and economic agency and the desire to free ourselves from old and new forms of colonialism. We have common goals and objectives. We are mutually interested in the formation of a just multipolar world, where every country and people can find a worthy place,” according Professors Abramova and Fituni.

Both experts, however, maintain that officials need analyse the strategies of old and new players on the African continent, and visavis with the current areas of Russian-African cooperation in the short, medium, and long term, and adopt practical mechanisms and tools necessary to intensify interaction, including informational and financial-economic levers. The key direction in the near future, which will become attractive for African countries and will contribute to the successful economic development of the Russian

Federation, maybe Russian investments in those areas of Africa’s economy that are of mutually-beneficial interest to both the Russian Federation and African states.

In practical terms, Russia when formulating its strategy, should seriously consider the interests of African states formulated in the strategic document of the African Union – Agenda 2063, according to which Africa should turn into a prosperous continent with advanced infrastructure and industry and qualitatively new human potential. At the same time, it is necessary to understand clearly how interaction with Africa will contribute to the solution of Russia’s own development tasks, its economic and technological breakthrough, and ensuring national security against the backdrop of aggravated confrontation with the West.

Many other reports have argued that Russia’s policy have largely excluded non-public organizations and institutions. In other words, Russia policy focuses on state-centric approach, anything outside this is not within Russia’s designed gaols in Africa. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meets regularly African foreign ministers, has officecentered discussions and nothing more. He has not, not even at one-time, delivered public lecture in any educational establishment neither meet with groups of African entrepreneurs. Lavrov could also interact to share his multipolar views with distinctive youth and women groups inside Africa.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov consistently praises China’s performance in Africa. And why not Russia? Beijing’s growing influence in Africa is due to purposeful government policy. China is Africa’s largest trading partner. The volume of bilateral trade in 2021 reached $254 billion, which is 35% more than in 2020. China’s leading partners are South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These five countries account for more than half of all Sino-African trade. China has established 25 economic and trade cooperation zones in 16 African countries.

There are now more than 10,000 Chinese companies operating across the continent. Almost a third is employed in the manufacturing industry, a quarter in the service sector, and about one-fifth each in trade and construction. 12% of Africa’s industrial output already comes from Chinese companies. In the sphere of infrastructure, China’s dominance is even more tangible. Large investment projects are usually implemented by state-owned companies with the support of banks such as China Exim Bank, China Development Bank and ICBC. Large state-owned companies tend to pave the way for smaller private companies, usually in retail and services.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

Benue transport union expels chief scribe over alleged

corruption

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Aleading Tricycle Association in Benue state, Peace Tricycle Association of Nigeria has been enmeshed in allegation of corruption.

The Association has therefore expelled its Secretary General, Comrade Stephen Vembe over the issue.

The crisis started following reported issues of gross financial misconduct brought against the ousted chief scribe of the association which metamorphosed into his immediate removal.

Chairman of PTAN in the state, Comrade Asember Boston, Secretary Javis Iju, and other stakeholders in a statement, advised Comrade Vembe to henceforth stop parading himself as a member of the union.

The union leaders warned members of the public against transacting any business of the union with the deposed PTAN scribe on its behalf, and further cautioned him "to stop parading himself as a member of the union”.

They noted that the decision to expel Comrade Vembe was taken during the union's general congress with stakeholders which unanimously endorsed his expulsion from the union following his gross misconduct and corrupt charges levied against him",the statement said.

Clergy urges youth to strive for excellence

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Senior Pastor of House of Purpose Ministry U/ Sunday, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Apostle Yakubu Yusuf, has called on Christians, especially the youths to exhibit excellent spirit in all areas of their lives.

The cleric gave the advice at the 2023 Purpose Youth Convention with theme; “Excellent Spirit” held in Kaduna yesterday.

Teaching on the subject ‘ Spirit of Excellence’ Apostle Yakubu described distinction as “excellence that sets someone apart from others, distinction for every believer will be based on honour and son-ship”.

Reading from the book of Luke 1:3 the clergy said divine purpose gives divine order and an excellent spirit produces good characters.

NSCDC debunks killing of middle aged man in Minna

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger state Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has denied involvement in the

killing of a man in the early hours of Tuesday at Brighter area of Minna.

The command in a press statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, DSC Nasir D. Abdullahi, said it was a false

OTC 2023: FG plans to recommend

The Nigerian Upstream Downstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says it will recommend for an establishment of ‘African forum of regulators’, to benchmark and standardise regulatory framework in the upstream oil and gas sector across the states of African nation.

Mr Gbenga Komolafe, the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, said this in an interview session with journalists at the ongoing 2023 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, U.S., on Monday.

Komolafe reiterated that the Federal Government was committed to achieving carbon neutrality, ending energy poverty, and driving economic growth in the country.

He noted that the conversation around energy transition was gathering high momentum in the country and government was doing all it could to fine-tune its policies and regulations to ensure it meets the global carbon neutrality.

He said that the Nigerian government was firmly working toward its commitment at United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, UK, to cut its carbon emission to net zero by 2060.

“Nigeria has outlined its

allegation labelled against NSCDC personnel.

The Command while debunking the allegation described as false and baseless.

It called on the general public to

disregard the allegation.

According to the statement, NSCDC as a trained and lawabiding security organisation will never act in such barbaric and unethical manner.

L-R: Dr. Adelana Olamilekan, MD/ CEO Zenith Carex international Ltd and Mr. Will Stevens, Consul General, U.S. Consulate General, Lagos at the 2023 SelectUSA Investment Summit, Maryland, yesterday in USA.

‘African forum of Regulators’ for upstream operations

energy transition plan and for us as a regulatory commission, we are in line with every plan to ensure smooth transition.

“Right now, the commission has created a department to handle its decarbonisation process.

“This is a way to ensure it gets carbon credit and follow all global best practices and benchmark,” he said.

On update on Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP), Komolafe affirmed that the process was progressing well.

He said that very soon the commission would announce the names of the successful bidders.

He noted that this was coming at a time of energy crisis and transition, and on the backdrop of government’s decade of gas policy.

He said that the development seeks to tame decades of gas flaring in the oil producing region and enable the federation to generate billions of dollars in investment and signature bonuses.

He said in recognition of the funding challenges facing some of the awardees of the 2020 Marginal Field Bid Round licences, the commission was also planning a production based lending engagement that

would help them source needed capital to commence full field development toward hitting first oil.

He said that this was an initiative of the commission to ease challenges in the sector.

The NUPRC boss said that the engagement which had been planned to begin soon would be between the Commission, Petroleum Production Licence (PPL) Awardees, Exploration and Production (E&P) service providers and Banks.

”It is to provide platforms for strategic partnership and alliance between the awardees and the service providers for Well Re-entry and drilling services.

“The arrangement is to be offered on service fee recoverable by the service providers from production to be attached.

‘’What the commission is doing is a landmark plan to organise an E&P International Financing Road show for financiers, investment bankers, private equities, and multilateral institutional investors.

“The initiative is to showcase the high value quick win opportunities available to investors in the recent PPL awards, the ongoing National Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, as well as the ongoing mini-bid awards,” he

added.

Komolafe said that the Commission developed a Corporate Governance Framework for upstream petroleum operations.

According to him, this is to create clarity and restore confidence in the industry , which is very important.

”Also, the framework is to enhance sustainability, environmental and corporate governance requirements and to facilitate capital attraction by investors for the optimal and efficient development of the PPLs and other assets.

He commended the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) leadership for leading a quality delegation to the 2023 OTC.

He urged them to sustain the tempo and continue the development of indigenous capabilities in the oil and gas sector.

He said that PETAN was indeed doing the nation proud by extending its capacities in other frontiers in Africa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference has as its theme: “Energy Transition and AfCFTA: Key Reforms for Sustainable Development of the African Oil and Gas lndustry”. (NAN)

Abia Assembly suspends Deputy Speaker, eight others

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Abia State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Chief Ifeanyi Uchendu and eight other members have been suspended.

The members were suspended during plenary on Tuesday presided over by the embattled Speaker, Chinedum Orji.

Recall that Orji was earlier reportedly impeached by 18 of the 24-member of the House on Tuesday.

Prior to the Orji’s reported impeachment, the police took over the premises of the Assembly. Shortly after, it was announced that the Speaker had been impeached.

However, a few hours later,

Orji emerged and presided over the plenary of the House.

It was learnt that 9 members were present during the sitting.

A source close to the Speaker said, “Orji remains the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly. Eleven members are with him. As you can see, nine of them attended the sitting, while two, who are currently out of the

10th Assembly: Bura concerned citizens declare support for Betara as Speaker

country, took permission.”

During the sitting, Uchendu was suspended alongside Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu, Hon Chukwudi Apugo, Hon Aaron Uzodike, Hon Chukwu Chijioke, Hon Thomas Nkoro, Hon Mike Ukoha, Obinna Ichita and Hon Okey Igwe.

The House said the suspension would take immediate effect, without pay.

By Usman Shuaibu

The Bura Concerned Citizens Initiative (BCCI) has declared support for the Honourable Mukhtar Aliyu Betara to be the speaker of the 10th House of Representatives at the National Assembly.

10th NASS: APC must be on their toes

for Nigeria - Damagum tells PDP Reps-elect

By Christiana Ekpa

Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, the Acting National Chairman of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Umar Damagum has charged the party’s members-elect to put the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on their toes. Damagum also enjoined the members to be firm in lawmaking.

Speaking at a meeting members-elect to formally welcome and congratulate them on their electoral victory in Abuja on Tuesday, the national chairman said that putting the ruling party on their toes was one of the ways of making them work for the country.

He said “You have a daunting task before you because of the state of the nation. You have been elected at a time when the country is no longer what we used to know. It has been bedeviled by so

many vices and people are looking up to you to correct the rot.

“When you make laws, it is expected that you are helping the society and in act of making laws you should be mindful of the fact that the society is no longer what you use to know and you have to be firm. You have to be loyal to your country first and then the party. Loyalty to the country because it is only when you have a country that you can even exist as a lawmaker.

“Most of you that have spoken have been grateful to the party for giving you the platform to here today. We don’t expect anything else from you rather than to be a loyal party member. Most of you will be concerned about the current situation of the party, it is always like that. When you have an election year there will be a lot of crisis. If you look at from your primaries up to the time when

you were elected, you have gone through a lot and I know the party is going through the same kind of situations. But one thing I want to assure you is that PDP has the mechanism to solve its own problems.

“The initiative you have taken upon yourself before we even call upon you to make this gathering possible is also one of reasons why I said we have the mechanism. You have done well, I have interacted with some of your leaders towards being up this gathering and I don’t expect any PDP member to be less in terms of that acumen and capacity, we have always been known to be full of capacity in terms of what we want to achieve. I don’t expect less from you. I want to reiterate like some of you have said here that this 10th Assembly should come and make sure that it gives the right opposition that is expected of you.

In related development, a group of the members-elect across the 8 political parties that won various seats in the national assembly under the aegis of “Joint Tast-10th Assembly” has said it will abide by the zoning formula of APC.

Chairman of the forum, Hon. Usman Kumo made the pledge at the inauguration of the forum in Abuja on Tuesday.

He however said that the forum had no preferred candidate for the office of the speaker of the 10th House but to ensure that the expectations of Nigerians were met.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it gladdens my heart to stand before you here today on the occasion of the inauguration of the ‘Joint Task – 10th Assembly.’ The issue at stake is the leadership of the incoming 10th House of Representatives.

Senate asks Sirika to halt demolition of aviation agencies’ offices in Lagos

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Senate Tuesday directed the Minister of Aviation , Senator Hadi Sirika to stop forthwith, planned demolition of some Aviation agencies ‘ offices and headquarters in Lagos pending outcome of intervention being made by its committee on Aviation.

Resolution of the Senate to this effect , followed a motion

moved by Senator Biodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South) on urgent need of Senate intervention on the intending warning strike by Aviation Unions.

Olujimi in the motion called the attention of the Senate to intending warning strike by the Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, National

Association of Aircrafts Pilots and Engineers etc.

She noted that the strikes have become too many and too frequent to be let low as issues in contention are not new some of which according to her , have lingered for over eight years with several agreements signed between the unions and government but not honoured.

She pointedly stated that continuous threats of outright

demolition of the Aviation agencies (FAAN, NCAA and NAMA Headquarters) in Lagos by the Ministry without making reasonable provisions for befitting alternative offices , is making the affected unions to fight back through strike actions.

She therefore urged the Senate to intervene in the matter by mandating its committee to interface with all stakeholders for possible way out of the crisis.

The Chairman of BCCI, Useni Bata Ndahi who made the declaration while presenting a two – page speech during the press briefing which took place at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Chapter, Zone 5 Utako, Abuja on Saturday.

According to the Chairman, Hon. Betara is one of the most senior legislators who had served as Chairman in various committees, e.g. NDIC Banking and Currency, Interior, Army, Defence and presently Appropriation. With the experiences above, Bura Concerned Citizens Initiative sees him worthy to pilot the renewed hope of the president – elect.

He then called on the people who matters across the states, zones as well as political parties to deem it necessary to support Right Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara for the position of the 10th speaker of the House of Representatives.

He said “Once again, my dear Nigerians, partisanship had ended with the elections and now it is time for governance. Therefore, the choice of those who lead the process cannot be left to political calculations rather competence, character and capacity. That is why Bura Concerned Citizens Initiative does not only throw her weights behind Right Hon. Mukhar Aliyu Betara, but respectfully present him to Nigerians and most importantly the members of the 10th Assembly to beam their research lights for the selection of those who lead them by choosing Right Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara as the next speaker”.

He said the Honourable Betara was a leader who had been tested and proven in the chamber, pointing out that he was re-elected for the 5th term in the National Assembly.

The BCCI Chairman, however, commended Hon. Betara for carrying out developmental projects across his constituency in Borno State, as he disclosed that Betara was bestowed with an award of Excellence by the Nigerian Union of Journalists North-East Zone in 2013.

Meanwhile, Bura Concerned Citizens Initiative was incorporated with the six members of Board of Trustees which included Hon. Justice Mwada Balami (Rtd), Chief Bata Madaki Auta, Useni Bata Ndahi, Chief Isaac Balami, Dr Sunday Jijiya Bwala and Barr. Daniel Machar.

*We will go by APC zoning arrangements for Reps’ Speaker - Joint Task Group

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

All Progressive Congress (APC) support group, under the auspices of Concerned All Progressive (APC) Youth Movement, has enjoined the President elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint the Coordinator of Tinubu Support Group (TSG), James Faleke, as his Chief of Staff (CoS).

This is just as the group expressed its full support for the President-Elect, Tinubu, saying he was voted for overwhelmingly by Nigerians on February 29, irrespective of political party affiliation.

In a statement signed yesterday by the group’s National Spokesman, Comrade Abdullahi Dauda Little, the National Secretary, Hon Adamu Garbajo Yola, National Women Coordinator, Hajiya Bahijja Mahmood Bauchi, the group noted the hardwork and dedication of Hon. Abiodun Faleke, Hon. Adamu Garbajo Yola and all others who provided the support through proper coordination of all support groups.

While reminding the President elect that his success as recorded in the past was largely due to his knack for head hunting competent, loyal and capable citizens who share his vision to entrust them with positions of responsibility with little supervision to deliver, the group said having worked with many of his appointees, especially in the lead up to the 2023 general elections, they have come to the conclusion that Hon. Faleke stands heads and shoulders above others for the position of Chief of Staff.

“Our conviction was strengthened by his commitment to the Tinubu/ Shettima Campaign where he played the pivotal role of coordinating various

2023 polls aftermath: APC support group backs Tinubu, lobbies for Faleke as CoS

Support Groups which came together to form the Tinubu Support Group.

“After ensuring that the Tinubu brand emerged victorious during the APC Presidential Primaries, the TSG under his leadership took its assignment to the next level by campaigning vigorously for the Tinubu/ Shettima Campaign which by God’s Grace, led to the victory we are all celebrating today.

“We are not asking for the office for Falake only as compensation for his hard work which is obvious, but because of his consistency, loyalty and above all competence.

“He has been a

member of the House of Representatives and a committed party member and has remained a student of the Asiwaju Tinubu school of politics from the very beginning. We want our President to succeed, to put enemies of Nigeria to shame and to do this, our President in waiting will need strong hands who share his vision and commitment to the Nigeria project. One of such men is Hon. James Faleke.

“With Faleke, our President can rest assured that the engine room of his administration in terms of staff is in safe hands. The candidate knows every nook and cranny, he knows those who worked hard

and contributed to our President’s victory from all across Nigeria and can under the guidance of Mr. President-Elect, ensure that hard work is not only rewarded but that Nigeria ultimately benefits”, the group said in the statement.

Admitting that Tinubu’s victory and his election, like most elections before it, generated a lot of interest within and outside Nigeria, the support group said Nigerians looked beyond partisan, ethnic and religious biases to vote for the APC and the Tinubu/ Shettima ticket.

The statement also said “What all Nigerians irrespective of party and

political preferences expect now more than ever before is good governance which we are confident Tinubu who has demonstrated this at a smaller scale in Lagos will do better on a larger scale as a president for all Nigerians.

‘We thank our party’s leadership, especially members of the National Executive Council and the National Working Committee led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, for leading the party to victory.

“We also thank members of the Tinubu/ Shettima Presidential Campaign Council who worked tirelessly to ensure that APC won.”

APC disowns purported removal of Giadom, Udosen

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the purported removal of Chief Victor Giadom and Chief Ita Udosen from their positions as Chairman and Secretary of the South South Zonal Executive Committee as unlawful, unconstitutional.

The APC, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the action, which was taken by individuals who have no legal authority should be disregarded.

He said Giadom and Udosen remain the South-South Zonal Vice Chairman and Secretary of the party.

The party in the statement warned the persons behind the statement issued in the name of South-South Zonal Executive Committee to be ready to face disciplinary actions.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the South South Zone of the

APC has denied that the Zonal Executives met to suspend any of its Exco.

The South South Zonal APC noted it was a well-choreographed

misinformation on social media and surprisingly mainstream media.

According to a statement by the South South Zonal Publicity

Secretary, Dave Okumgba, “The constitution of the APC 2022 as amended is an instrument powerful enough to deal with all internal party matters.”

Group congratulates Iwuanyanwu on his ratification as Ohanaeze PG

By Musa Baba Adamu

Pan-Igbo sociopolitical pressure group, the South East Revival Group (SERG) has congratulated elder statesman, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu on his ratification as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide by the highest decisionmaking organ of the apex Igbo organisation, the Imeobi.

The SERG in a statement issued by its President and

National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said that “the affirmation of the emergence of the Chairman of the Elders’ Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo as the new PresidentGeneral of the socio-cultural organisation by the Imeobi is a clear testimony of his general acceptance, unifying ability, and rare leadership qualities.”

He emerged following the death of the former PresidentGeneral of the Igbo group, Prof. George Obiozor. The business

mogul was nominated to complete the tenure of the late Igbo leader by Ohanaeze elders in Imo State where late Prof. Obiozor hailed from.

According to the SERG, Iwuanyanwu “is a leader who has distinguished himself and an elder statesman who has at many occasions stood for Ndigbo as a result of his unwavering love for Igbos at home and in the diaspora.

“We join all Igbo speaking communities globally to

congratulate this exceptional leader and lover of the culture and traditions of Ndigbo.

“We’re confident in his leadership qualities and love for Igbos.

“We believe that he will defend Ndigbo amid the incitements and embers of hatred being fanned in certain quarters against Igbos in the country.

“We urge the new PresidentGeneral of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide to deploy his

experience, goodwill and contacts to reintegrate Ndigbo in the national affairs despite deliberate exclusion of Igbo speaking natives of Nigeria”.

“The years of exclusion, hatred and abandonment by the Federal Government of Nigeria has culminated in the ongoing youth restiveness and agitations in the old South East region to call global attention to the anomalies in Igbo land”, the SERG noted.

Wike shuts down Rivers govt for Tinubu, declares public holiday on his visit

By Musa Baba Adamu

Ahead of the presidentelect, Asiwaju Bola

Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike has declared Wednesday, 3rd of May a public holiday to enable residents give him a rousing welcome.

The Governor in a state broadcast on Tuesday announced that Tinubu would inaugurate Rumuola/ Rumuokwuta Flyover and the ultra-modern Magistrates’ Court Complex, Port Harcourt during his two days official visit to the state on

Wednesday and Thursday.

Wike, during the broadcast, explained that the proposed visit to Rivers would be the presidentelect’s first official visit to any state since he was elected.

He said: “For us, it is an honour to the people of Rivers State and the government to host the President-Elect on this historic visit. Consequently, I urge all Rivers citizens to come out en masse to receive His Excellency Senator Bola Tinubu and display the traditional Rivers hospitality as he commissions these

legacy projects to God’s glory and the advancement of the state development.

“Given this, I hereby declare Wednesday, 3rd of May 2023, a public holiday to enable the people of Rivers State to receive our President-Elect rousingly.”

Wike also ordered all shops and business premises along Rumuola to Rumuokwuta roads in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area of the State to remain closed on Wednesday from 8.00 am to 3.00 pm and urged all labour unions and security agencies to comply with the closure order.

Osun APC receives knocks on repositioning plans

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Aformer Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Elder Lowo Adebiyi has welcomed moves by the party to reposition itself in the state.

In his reaction to the moves, the former Chairman of The Osun Progressives, TOP aligned with a former governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola, said there are some conditions that must be met before the repositioning.

He insisted that those conditions must be met before Aregbesola’s supporters would appear before the panel.

Adebiyi said, “It is a welcome development but we are not aware. It is a good thing if they think it is now time to reposition the party, we are still in the APC but we are not aware and not involved in the committee issue.”

He said the faction loyal to Rauf Aregbesola would not appear before the committees.

“How do we appear before the committee? Is that a panel to probe us? If they feel like coming to us, we will let them know the way forward, but we will not appear before them, it is not possible.”

The immediate past governor of the state, Adegboyega Oyetola had on Monday inaugurated an 11-man committee to reposition the party in the state.

The committee which is chaired by Professor Isaac Adewole, a former Minister of Health is tasked with formulating and recommending steps to be taken to reconcile and rehabilitate the party structure, administration and activities in the state.

The APC had lost three Senatorial seats, nine House of Representatives and all but one of the 26 member House of Assembly seats.

Also, the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye vowed that party members involved in AntiParty activities would be dealt

with.

In their reaction to the development, the Osun Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in a statement by its Caretaker Chairman, Akindele Adekunle alleged that APC’s loss in the general elections was a result of its monumental failures.

The Osun PDP also denied

that the reversal in the fortune of the APC was caused by Osun stakeholders.

While calling on former Governor Oyetola to leave the PDP out of his woes, Adekunle said, “blaming its woeful performance in recent elections in the state on assumed connivance of some APC stakeholders with

the PDP, called into question, the leadership and mental stamina of the ousted former governor.

“If anything, Mr Gboyega Oyetola should be bold enough and come out clean to accept his failure during his time as governor, stoop on all kneels and apologize to the people for his discretional failure in office.”

I have no regrets announcing Binani as Adamawa Governor – INEC REC, Hudu Ari

By Christiana Ekpa

The suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa Ari has said he had no regrets over announcing Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani as the winner of the just concluded Adamawa Governorship election

Hudu Yunusa Ari, who spoke in an interview with BBC Hausa

Zamfara

on Tuesday, said he did not regret his decision to announce the results and denied receiving a 2 billion Naira kickback

He claimed the law gave him the power to announce the result adding that he was ready to hand himself over to the Nigeria Police who invited him.

Recall that Ari had announced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), candidate in Adamawa State as the winner of the governorship election, even while results from the local

government areas of the state, were still being collated

.However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), immediately annulled the declared result and postponed the announcement.

The electoral umpire after dissociating it self from Ari’s actions, summoned him to the INEC headquarters in Abuja, there were reports, however, that Ari disappeared from radar and had not been seen, since the infamous incident.

APC commiserates with Bebeji plaza traders over Monday’s inferno

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The All Progressives Congress, APC in Zamfara State has commiserated with traders at the Bebeji Plaza, Gusau whose shops and properties were razed by an inferno on Monday night.

A press statement issued by the State Party Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris Gusau said the unfortunate incident

has indeed affected the business strength of the state and will put hundreds of families and dependents of the shop operators and owners in very difficult situations.

“Mobile phone owners in the state will seriously be affected by the disaster as most of them rely heavily on the services provided at the plaza, which is also referred to as GSM Village”, the statement

added.

“While appealing to the government and other wellmeaning individuals within and outside the state to come to the aid of the victims, we call on them to consider what happened as an act of Allah and be rest assured that the Almighty will come to their aid in multiples.”

The statement also noted that the party appreciates

the good people of the state and sympathizers who joined security and fire service personnel in the protection of people’s lives and properties while putting out the fire.

“We also wish to enjoin the people to always have fire extinguishing equipment at their business premises which will serve in emergencies and minimize damage before the arrival of firefighters”

Hudu Yunusa Ari

Governor Nyesom Wike

Azman Air gets FG’s approval to airlift Nigerians from Egypt

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Azman Air has received the approval of the federal government to airlift Nigerians “stranded at the Egyptian border” due to the war in Sudan.

On Monday, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), said Egypt had opened its border for the Nigerian students fleeing the war in Sudan.

In a tweet a few hours later, the Nigerian airline said it got the federal government’s approval to commence evacuation on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.

“Azman Air has received the approval of the federal government to evacuate Nigerians stranded at the Egyptian border amid the Sudan crisis with the 409-seater Airbus A340-600,” the aviation firm tweeted.

“Evacuation is expected to commence from Tuesday 2nd May as we await final clearance from Egypt to depart.”

Meanwhile, prior to this development, the federal government had sent 40 buses to evacuate Nigerians from Sudan following the civil unrest that erupted in the Northeast region.

The buses cost the authorities about $1.2 million.

Geoffery Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, said the high cost of the evacuation was to provide security cover for the Nigerians’ journey to the Egyptian borders.

Last week, the government said it expected the first batch of Nigerians stranded in Sudan to arrive in Abuja on Friday.

It also said a boeing 777 from Air Peace would depart Lagos and transport the first batch home, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

However, things did not go as planned owing to unexplained diplomatic constraints.

The conflict between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, has killed over 400

IBM to stop hiring in plans to replace 7,800 jobs with AI

Arvind Krishna, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), says the company will pause job recruitment for human roles that could be replaced with artificial intelligence (AI) in five years.

Krishna, in an interview with Bloomberg on Monday, said hiring in back-office functions such as human resources will slowly fade out as he believes AI would literally replace them.

The CEO of the giant technology firm said with the company having 26,000 workers handling non-customer-facing

roles, he could “easily see 30 percent of that getting replaced by AI and automation over a fiveyear period.”

This means about 7,800 jobs will be lost.

Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. Specific applications of AI include expert systems, natural language processing, speech recognition, and machine vision.

“More mundane tasks such as providing employment verification letters or moving employees between departments

will likely be fully automated,” Krishna said.

“Some HR functions, such as evaluating workforce composition and productivity, probably won’t be replaced over the next decade.

“IBM currently employs about 260,000 workers and continues to hire for software development and customer-facing roles. Finding talent is easier today than a year ago.”

Earlier this year, the IBM announced job cuts expected to affect about 5,000 workers once completed. However, Krishna said IBM has added to its workforce overall, bringing on about 7,000

people in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, the IBM boss’ comments comes at a time when people around the world are fascinated by the ability of AI technology following the launch of Microsoft Corp-backed OpenAI’s viral chatbot, ChatGPT, in November last year.

Recent reports have also shown that machines or AI will take over millions of full-time jobs from humans.

Late last year, a number of organisations such as Meta, Amazon among others have laid off workers due to macroeconomic challenges.

Subsidy: Salary payment unlikely after June, says Obaseki

From Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, said the Federal Government might not be able to pay workers’ salaries beyond June 2023 without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy.

Obaseki disclosed this while delivering his address during the 2023 May Day celebration with the theme, “Workers’ rights and socio-economic justice,” held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City.

The governor, who reassured the workers that his government would sustain reforms and projects to improve the welfare of workers and ensure better livelihoods for the Edo people, urged the workers in the country to shift from the tradition of reacting after policies that affect them have already been made.

He therefore charged the workers to hold governments accountable for their policies and programmes.

Obaseki said, “It would be a miracle for the Federal Government and state governments to pay salaries beyond June this year without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy. Either of these decisions will bring more hardship and pain to Nigerians, particularly workers.

“We must all make sure that the burden and pain of these measures, which must be taken, are not carried by workers alone. Workers must now rise and ensure that they champion any discussion on subsidy removal.

You must shift from the tradition of reacting when these policies have been made but insist that you take charge and ensure full transparency and disclosure. If we are all undertaking a reform, then the benefits and pains that will come out of the reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians, not just the downtrodden.”

Reaffirming his government’s commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, Obaseki noted, “I am proud to say that Edo workers are currently the bestpaid workers in Nigeria. When we announced the increment of the minimum wage to N40,000 at this venue last year, I expected that the Federal Government and other state governments would follow suit immediately but I am surprised that it has taken them one year already.

“My promise to Edo workers here today is that the day the federal government is able to pay its new minimum wage and hand over a cheque to any federal worker, that day, we will match the federal government and do the same for state workers.

“As your governor, I will ensure that workers are fairly treated so that your take-home pay can really take you home. Our government has kept faith with prompt and regular payment of staff salaries and retirees’ benefits in the State in the last six years.

“As a tradition, salaries are paid latest on the 26th day of every month and for any holiday celebrations, our workers are paid before the celebration so that they have money to celebrate.”

He added, “We currently do not owe arrears of promotion

in Edo State because I have approved the promotion of all staff for 2022 which I believe will boost the morale of staff and the performance of our workers.”

Hailing the workers’ contributions to the growth and development of the state, the governor stated, “Our vision is to make Edo State the best place to work and live in Nigeria.”

He explained, “I appreciate the sacrifices of our workers and their unwavering dedication and zeal as these have led to the growth and development of our dear State in the last six years despite the difficulty suffered following the poor management of the nation by the Federal Government.

“Our workers are the unsung heroes of society and the engine that powers our economy and we will continue to prioritize your welfare. This is why we will continue to embark on a series of reforms to boost your morale

and productivity, ensuring the right incentives and enabling the environment to deliver quality service to Edo people. This is in addition to the reforms we have embarked on in education, healthcare, technology, economy, agriculture, and many other sectors.”

He added, “We are investing in Infrastructure to provide our workers with a modern, more equipped, and dignified work environment to enable them to become more productive and deliver quality service to our people.

“We are installing fiber optic cables across all local governments so that government offices will now have an Internet connection. The John Odigie Oyegun Service Academy is the best in Africa and is being effectively used daily to train our workers to make them the best in Africa.”

Mr. Godwin Obaseki

N3.6b scam: Prosecution applies for summons

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Following the failure of Michael Ukiye Diongoli and UK Dion Investment Limited to appear in court, the prosecution has applied to Justice Zainab Abubakar to issue a criminal summon to ensure the accused appears in court on June 19th for commencement of trial.

When the matter came up for arraignment Tuesday, the defendant was not available in court prompting the representative of the Attorney Generals’ office, Mr. Moshood Adeyemi to request a new date as well as a criminal summon.

In the two count charge brought against Michael Ukiye Diongoli, UK Dion Group And UK –Dion Investment Limited all of No. 21 Buhari

•as Defendant Absent at Arraignment

Street, Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, they are alleged to have on or between the year 2021 and 2022 within the jurisdiction of the honourable court did commit a felony to wit: conspired among themselves together with their staff to do an illegal act –diversion of investment funds to the tune of over N3.6billion belonging to the investing public which includes Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi and others you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of Criminal Code Act, laws of the Federation, 2004.

“That you Michael Ukiye

Diongoli, UK Dion Group And UK –Dion Investment Limited all of No. 21 Buhari Street Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, they are alleged to have on or between the year 2021 and 2022 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High and together with your other staff, did commit a felony to wit: diverted investment funds to the tune of over N3.6billion belonging to the investing public which includes Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi and others you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383(2) F of Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable

under Section 390(7) of the same Act.

Justice Abubakar sought to know why the matter was being heard in Abuja when the defendant is currently resident in Lagos and the court was informed that most of the victims of the crime are resident in Abuja and environs.

Making the application for a new date, Adeyemi said, “The defendants were duly served the court processes since March 31, 2023, I do not know why they have failed to turn up in court today. I hereby wish to apply for Another date for the arraignment and also apply for a criminal summon to ensure that the accused appears in court”.

Nigerians To pay more over hike In telecoms, large motor vehicles taxes

Barely one week after announcing its plans to suspend its move to remove fuel subsidy, the Nigerian government has introduced new taxes on imported goods, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, single-used plastics, telecommunication services and motor vehicles with large engines.

The federal government announced the new Fiscal Policy Measures (FPM) for 2023 via a circular dated 20 April 2023 signed by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.

Some of the highlights of the new taxes include; Supplementary Protection Measures (SPM) – which relates to the implementation of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff 2022-2026. The changes are effective from 1st May 2023 subject to a 90-day grace period for importers who had opened Form M before 1st May 2023.

Items on the list include rice, woven fabrics, ceramics tiles and sinks, steel, containers for compressed or liquified gas, aluminum cans, washing machines, electric generating sets and rotary converters, smartphones, new and used passenger motor vehicles and electricity meters. The applicable duties for most of the items are unchanged from the 2022 FPM rates.

Sudan: Dangote Foundation supports evacuation efforts

From Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

The Board of Trustees of the Aliko Dangote Foundation announced it has resolved to be fully involved in the evacuation and resettling of thousands of Nigerians that are stranded in Sudan.

In a statement , the foundation said it would collaborate with the federal government and Air Peace to ensure seamless transportation of the stranded Nigerians and provide logistics and succour to the evacuees.

Revised Excise Duty Rates

– the memo hinted at an additional excise taxes ranging from 20% to 100% increases on previously approved rates for alcoholic beverages, tobacco, wines and spirits have been introduced effective from 1 June 2023. These are further increases over and above the 2022 FPM’s approved Roadmap for 2022-2024 in the form of new and higher ad valorem excise duties and specific rates. The excise duty rate on non-alcoholic beverages is however retained at the rate of N10 per litre.

The memo saw the introduction of a Green Tax by way of excise duty on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) including plastic containers, films and bags at the rate of 10%. Also, an Import Adjustment Tax (IAT) levy has been introduced on motor vehicles of 2000 cc to 3999 cc at 2% while 4000 cc and above will be taxed at 4%.

Vehicles below 2000 cc, mass transit buses, electric vehicles, and locally manufactured vehicles are exempted. The new rules take effect from 1 June 2023.

Telecommunication services earlier introduced via the Finance Act 2020 and prescribed in the Official Gazette No. 88, Vol. 109 of 11th May 2022 approved by the President. The tax is applicable on mobile telephone services (GSM), fixed telephone and

internet services, both postpaid and prepaid at the rate of 5%.

Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PwC, Taiwo Oyedele while breaking down the new taxes said on Legality: “It should be noted that the Green Taxes are not supported by a specific enactment to provide the legal framework or delegated authority for the imposition of the tax as is the case for beverages and telecommunication services for instance.

“The design of the Green Taxes and how the revenue generated will be utilised to fund CO2 net-zero initiatives appear hazy.” He added.

He said the additional excise taxes represent further increases over and above the previously approved rates per the 2022-2024 Roadmap approved via the 2022 FPM.

Oyedele said there is no information to suggest that a proper impact assessment was carried out to determine the impact of the new taxes on affected stakeholders across the value chain.

He said: “Contrary to the requirements of the approved 2017 National Tax Policy, there was no engagement with critical stakeholders, especially the industries that are directly affected by the changes.

“The 2023 FPM was yet to be published in the Official Gazette as at the time it was released. Section 13 of the

Customs, Excise Tariff Act provides that an order made under the law shall have effect from the date of its publication in the gazette. Besides, the National Tax Policy requires a minimum of 90 days before the implementation of tax changes.”

David Akinwale, leadership trainer and human resource professional said: “More taxes and the economy is not friendly. I wonder how they create more problems driving policy than solutions.”

CEO at C Advisory, Wole Ogundare said: “Policy inconsistencies at both macro and micro levels. Little wonder why the economy has been on a negative trend. These types of policies have been a recurring theme over the last few years and its demerits are well documented.”

Some other people who spoke with Nigeria newspaper are concerned that the new taxes are introduced without proper planning and impute from the affected industries.

They urged the government to take more time to consider the import of these taxes and how they will be implemented.

Oyedele said: “To avoid the potential negative consequences of the new changes on the people, struggling businesses and the fragile economy, the 2023 FPM should be suspended and revisited.”

According to the statement, Zouera Youssoufou, the managing director and chief executive officer of Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), has been in contact with the management of Air Peace and the federal government to indicate the foundation’s readiness to support the stranded Nigerians.

“The Foundation will collaborate with the Federal Government and Air Peace in ensuring seamless transportation of the stranded Nigerians and more importantly provide logistics and succour to the evacuees, to make them settle more comfortably when they return to Nigeria,” she said.

She noted that ADF understands the challenges of the federal government and Air Peace and has contacted relevant federal government agencies involved in humanitarian disaster relief intervention and it will ensure that all Nigerians stranded in Sudan are brought back home safely.

“It would be recalled that Aliko Dangote Foundation supported the Nigerian government with logistics support for the Nigerian volunteer health workers who supported the Ebola containment efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone upon their return to the country in 2015.

“Also, during the recent Covid pandemic, ADF supported the return of Nigerians from India and Dubai during the outbreak of the pandemic with specially chartered flights and Covid testing and quarantining when they arrived back in Nigeria.

“Since 2011, ADF has supported several thousand IDPs in Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, and Abuja with a total spending of over 25 billion naira in the provision of food, shelter, and health services,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, a joint press

BU$IN€SS

Reps want FG to halt planned concession of Ajaokuta, Iron ore companies

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives

yesterday asked the Federal Government to suspend the ongoing process for the concession of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the National Iron Ore Mining Company for proper stakeholder consultations.

The House equally invited the Minister of Mines and Steel Development to appear before it in plenary session to explain details of the concession process.

These resolutions were sequel to adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, moved by Abdullahi Halims from Kogi state at plenary on Tuesday.

Moving the motion, the lawmaker said there was an advertorial by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development published on page 20 of the Punch Newspapers of Friday, April 21, 2023 and in other national dailies titled requesting qualification for the concession of the companies.

He said the steel industry remains the backbone of development meant to provide the basic raw materials for public infrastructure development in key sectors of the economy therefore very important in any meaningful efforts towards achieving

economic prosperity and development of the nation as no economy can survive without its steel industry functioning optimally.

The lawmaker expressed worry that the eleventh hour request for the concession of these strategic national assets like the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the National Iron Ore Mining Company at the twilight of the current administration, having left with less than 30 days to the

end of an 8-year tenure seems to be self-serving, unpatriotic and not of national interest.

“Also worried about the timing of the concession arrangement, why now? why the hurry to concession such strategic national assets within a narrow window of less than six weeks? Why the rush to consummate a concession deal during this transitional period and not leave it for the incoming administration which stands inaugurated on the 29th

of May 2023.

“Concerned that the public and major stakeholders in the steel sector and other relevant industrial sectors of the economy may not have been adequately informed and carried along or due process not followed considering the speed at which the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development is carrying out the concession exercise.

“Desirous that robust stakeholder consultation

and adoption of proper procurement, due diligence and due process protocols are well adhered to and observed in the said concession deals and in the best national interest” the lawmaker said.

The House while adopting the motion, mandated the Committee on Steel to investigate allegations of infractions to due process and noncompliance with due diligence procedures.

FG bars online banks from accessing customers’ photos, contacts

From Abubakar Yunusa, ABUJA

Loan apps on Play Store will lose their ability to access their users’ contacts or photos from May 31, 2023.

This came as the Federal Government said it would enforce the latest policy by Google, saying the action was consistent with the Nigerian authorities’ move to curtail the invasion of customers’ privacy by loan app firms.

The Federal Government had in recent time taken major decisions aimed at tackling the violation of customers’ privacy by loan apps. Notably, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission had recently registered 170 loan apps out of the 200 operating in the country.

Google, in its April 2023 policy updates, said the new policy update would provide respite for loan app users in Nigeria and other places that have become accustomed to crude loan retrieval methods employed by a majority of loan apps.

Google said, “Policy preview (effective May 31, 2023): This article previews changes included in our April 2023 policy updates.

“We are updating our personal loans policy to state that apps aiming to provide or facilitate personal loans may not access user contacts or photos.

“We are introducing additional requirements for personal loan apps targeting users in Pakistan. Personal loan apps in Pakistan must submit countryspecific licensing documentation to prove their ability to provide or facilitate personal loans.”

This new policy is coming after the firm announced updates to its Developer Programme Policy, mandating digital money lenders in Nigeria, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Kenya to conform to regulatory rules or be taken down by January 31.

According to the firm, only digital money lenders that have adhered to and completed the Limited Interim Regulatory/Registration Framework and

Guidelines for Digital Lending, 2022 (as may be amended from time to time) by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and obtain a verifiable approval letter from the FCCPC will be allowed on Play Store in Nigeria.

Commenting on the new policy , the Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, stated that it was a welcome development and shows that Google was institutionalising its regulatory policy.

He said, “It is a welcome development effort and is consistent with the position the FCCPC has taken and what we are enforcing.

“Google is now institutionalising our regulatory effort as a policy, which is very welcome. It is certainly important for proper regulatory oversight of the industry, and we commend Google for taking a position that is consistent with our position as regulators.”

He added, “Recall that we took this position earlier and what has happened is that Google has looked at the regulatory

landscape, looked at the regulatory priorities, and is supporting those priorities by institutionalizing those regulatory priorities and position.”

The FCCPC recently stated that it has approved 173 digital lending applications to operate in the country. 119 of these got full approvals while 54 got conditional approvals. This move became necessary after loan apps started harassing Nigerians by sending defaming messages to their contacts, and more.

The commission’s ‘Limited Interim Regulatory/Registration Framework and Guidelines for Digital Lending 2022’ is an attempt to regulate the digital lending space and make registration and approval a prerequisite for companies seeking to operate in the space.

Although, Google’s policy states that it does not “allow apps that promote personal loans that require repayment in full in 60 days or less from the date the loan is issued,” many loan apps in the country do not adhere to it, exposing many Nigerians to confidential data leak.

R-L: CEO / Founder, Across Atlantic , Mr. David Apollus, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Sen. Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora and the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh, during signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI) and Across Atlantic Development(AAD) United Kingdom (UK) for the development of Science and Technology Park, held yesterday at the Hon.Minister’s Conference Room . Photo; Justin Imo-owo

School resumption: FCTA assures improved safety, space for students

By Stanley Onyekwere

As schools resumed yesterday for third term of 2022/2023 academic session, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured that measures are in place to ensure safety and more space for students and teachers to perform optimally in educational institutions in the Territory.

Also, the FCTA described the rate of resumption across the schools for the conclusion of the academic year as satisfactory, given the high number of students in attendance during the first day of school.

While making this assertion during school resumption inspection to select schools in Karshi axis of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), the FCT Secretary for Education, Hon.Sani Dahir El-Katuzu said the FCTA has doubled its effort to tackle insecurity and overcrowding in schools, in order to improve learning in the FCT.

El-Katuzu, who led FCTA education management team round 4 schools namely: Government Secondary Schools, Junior Secondary School, LEA Primary School, and Vocational Training Centre, all in Karshi as well as Loyola Jesuit College, Gidan Mangoro, respectively, however, noted that a lot still needs to be put in place, because the security of property and lives is most important to the society.

He said already, contract has been for the award of installation of critical facilities in schools including not only surveillance cameras, but even alarm systems whereby if anything happens, there should be a trigger from the school that lets security operators around to know that something is happening within the school premises.

The Secretary added that always, the pressing problems are related to congestion in the schools especially public schools, as there are so many students in so little space.

According to him: “Resumption generally is satisfactory, only in the Primary school in Karshi that we met scanty attendance, but all other schools visited have fully resumed as school activities are progressing wonderfully.

•Says attendance satisfactory

“We need more hostels, classrooms, better furniture and retraining of our teachers, so as to cope with modern requirement. These are the challenges we face.

“We have to provide the space required for educating our young lads, otherwise, we are not planning for our future. So it is a matter mandate not thinking, but sometimes we are constrained by resources.

“And you know government has a lot of things to spend money on, but it will do us a lot of good if the government could spare a little to improve the provision of these materials in schools”.

On the issue of insecurity, he said: “ a lot of measures have been taken by the government to protect both staff and students in our educational institutions, but a lot still needs to be put in place, because the security of property and lives is most important to the society.

“The improvement in the number of security men guarding our schools and provision of gadgets especially the installation of alert system that would alert security operators surrounding the schools is commendable.

“We have already given contract for the award of installation of these facilities in schools including not only surveillance cameras but even alarm systems whereby if anything happens, there should be a trigger from the school that lets security operators around to know that something

is happening within the school premises. We have already engaged people on it.”

On expanding facilities for vocational training, he noted that modern requirement or trend in the world is skills based more than the academics that are offered in most of the schools.

“Our vocational schools are very narrow as the space is too narrow for our requirement, and we need to expand them. So, we should improve on our vocational training, as that is what is bow invoke, and it is what we should involve ourselves with.”

Earlier, Principal Government Secondary

School, Karshi, Yahaya Muhammad, revealed that out of the population of over 2,000 students, 662 students are on ground on the first day of resumption.

He added that all the teachers are around and all the staff are ready to go ahead with the teaching and other learning activities in the school.

He also disclosed that the school is earmarked for total renovation, in order to improve its learning condition for optimal performance.

Similarly, Principal, Junior Secondary School, Karshi, Mrs Rose Onoja, said there is a lot of improvement in the current school resumption as it is impressive.

She added that out of 1,800 students in the school, over 800 students reported to the classrooms for academic activities on the first day of school resumption.

On his part, Principal Loyola Jesuit College, Reverend Father, Chikere Ugwuanyi, said the visit by the FCTA officials was a welcome development as it ensures that what the school is doing is in the tune with the educational vision and aspiration of Nigeria.

Not left out, Director, FCT Department of Quality Assurance, Mrs Magdalene Uzoanya, noted that adequate budgetary allocation or appropriation is what will enable to facilitate measures to improve quality education in public institutions.

The FCT Secretary for Education, Hon.Sani Dahir El-Katuzu, addressing some students at the Government Secondary Schools, Karshi, yesterday, during school resumption inspection in the area.

A cross section of students of Loyola Jesuit College, Gidan Mangoro, Abuja, during an inspection by FCTA Education Management team to the school, yesterday.

Even bodies found in US search for missing teens, say Oklahoma police

Seven bodies have been found on a property in Henryetta, a small town in rural Oklahoma, during a search for two missing teenagers.

Police said they believe the girls they were looking for, Ivy Webster, 14, and Brittany Brewer, 16, were among the dead.

The corpse of Jesse McFadden, a felon and registered sex offender who police said the girls were travelling with, was also found.

Police did not list the cause of death.

Local officials have not publicly identified the other four bodies, but Janette Mayo, 59, of Westville, Oklahoma told AP News the other victims were her daughter, Holly Guess, 35, and her grandchildren, Rylee Elizabeth Allen, 17, Michael James Mayo, 15, and Tiffany Dore Guess, 13.

Ms Mayo said the sheriff’s office had notified her. She told AP her family had not known about McFadden’s criminal record until a few months ago.

“He lied to my daughter, and he convinced her it was all just a huge mistake,” she told the outlet.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol issued

an endangered missing person advisory for Ivy Webster and Brittany Brewer on Monday.

They were reported to have been friends with Holly Guess, and to have spent the weekend with the family.

Authorities executed a search warrant at McFadden’s home after he failed to attend court on Monday morning. He was due to stand trial for 2017 allegations of soliciting a minor and possession of child pornography.

Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice said he believed Ivy and Brittany were found in the search, but said the state medical examiner would need to confirm their identities.

“Our hearts go out to the families and friends, schoolmates and everyone else,” Mr Rice said.

Brittany’s father, Nathan Brewer, told local news he was in shock.

“I’m lost. I’m really lost. End of school’s fixing to be here, she ain’t gonna be there. I mean she’s gone,” he said.

“I have five kids but she was like my sidekick.”

“Brittany was an outgoing person. She was actually selected to be Miss

Henryetta ... coming up in July for this Miss National Miss pageant in Tulsa. And now she ain’t gonna make it because she’s dead.”

At a vigil held on Monday night, Mr Brewer told the crowd “it’s just a parent’s worst nightmare”.

Henryetta Public Schools posted on Facebook that it was mourning the loss

of several of its students. It cancelled a graduation planned on Monday for kindergarten students until further notice, and said it would provide students with grief counselling and access to mental health professionals.

“Our hearts are hurting,” the post read. “Please continue to keep these families in your thoughts and prayers.”

Fang Bin: China Covid whistleblower returns home to Wuhan after jail

Fang Bin, who documented the initial Covid outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has been freed from jail after three years, sources told the BBC.

Mr Fang is one of several so-called citizen journalists who disappeared after sharing videos of scenes in Wuhan, the epicentre of the pandemic.

After disappearing in February 2020, he was sentenced to three years in jail at a secret trial in Wuhan, sources said.

He was released on Sunday and is in good health, they added.

Mr Fang is now back home in Wuhan. The BBC could not reach his family for comment.

The video that caught the attention of the outside world was one where he counted eight body bags outside a Covid hospital in the space of five minutes. He said he was detained that night but released. Then came a video with the message: “All people revolt - hand the power of the government back to the people”. That was the last video he shared.

Although activists have welcomed his release, they are concerned about the fate of another whistleblower - Zhang Zhan, a 39-year-old former lawyer, was detained in May 2020 and jailed for four years in December 2020.

Like Mr Fang, she too was convicted for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, according to activists who say the vague offence has often been used against critics of China’s government. Two other citizen reporters Chen Qiushi and Li Zehua also disappeared in Wuhan in February 2020, but surfaced months later.

Their videos provided a rare glimpse into Wuhan in the early months of 2020. Cases were climbing and lockdowns had come into force, but information from officials remained scarce. Wuhan’s 76-day

lockdown - which inspired the country’s harsh zero-Covid strategy - put the city under severe strain.

Ms Zhang, who lived in Shanghai, travelled to Wuhan in February 2020 to report on the outbreak after reading about a resident’s experience. She was active on YouTube and Twitter, both of which are banned in mainland China, and continued sharing videos despite reportedly being threatened by local authorities.

“Maybe I have a rebellious soul... I’m just documenting the truth. Why can’t I show the truth?” she said in an interview with an independent filmmaker that was obtained by the BBC.

Shortly after the arrest, she began a hunger strike and was sometimes force-fed as her weight plummeted to under 40kg (88lb), according to the Free Zhang Zhan group. It’s unclear if she is still on a hunger strike. Her family knows little about her condition.

Last December, her brother uploaded photos of a letter written by Ms Zhang in now-deleted tweets. She drew flowers on the envelope to reassure their mother, he said.

In the letter, Ms Zhang mostly asked after her mother, who had recently undergone surgery and chemotherapy. She added that she was being treated well by the authorities.Image source, Twitter / Jeffreychang81

Mr Fang’s release came quietly and with no warning as China tries to move on from the pandemic. Years of gruelling lockdowns and unyielding Covid rules took a huge toll, but their abrupt end late in 2022 brought on a devastating Covid wave.

The country has reported 120,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Nearly half of those were recorded

between 8 December 2022 and 12 January 2023. But the numbers don’t represent the true toll.

In February, the Chinese Communist Party’s top leaders declared a “decisive victory” over Covid, boasting the lowest fatality rate in the world. They also said the country’s Covid exit was a “miracle”.

A new history textbook talks of how the government “achieved major achievements in co-ordinating the prevention and control of the pandemic”.

And China’s swift and effective censorship machine also means that the videos and accounts shared by those such as Mr Fang or Ms Zhang will likely fade from memory, if they haven’t already.

“I visited China in March, and my observation is that people there want to move on and leave the past behind,” says Yanzhong Huang, senior fellow for global

health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“They had to endure the draconian zero-Covid for a prolonged period, and now they yearn for a return to a more normal way of life.” But, he adds, that this desire to move on is also driven by the lack of public discussion or debate.

Not everyone in Wuhan has forgotten what life was like in early 2020.

One 31-year-old resident, who did not wish to reveal his full name, said he had not heard of Fang Bin but does remembers Li Wenliang, a doctor who tried to warn the world about the coronavirus and died after contracting it. Mr Li was investigated for “spreading rumours”, although local authorities later apologised to him.

He says he often talks about the pandemic with his friends, even though he admits they might be a minority.

“Society is revising the memory of this

Police believe the body of Ivy Webster was among the seven found in a rural Oklahoma home

Fang Bin has been released after three years in jail, sources say

N ews F rom A F ric A

Sudan crisis: Civilians facing catastrophe as 100,000 flee fighting - UN

More than 100,000 people have fled Sudan since heavy fighting broke out between rival forces on 15 April, the UN has said.

Officials warned of a “full-blown catastrophe” if fighting does not end.

A further 334,000 people have been displaced within Sudan.

Fighting is continuing in the capital, Khartoum, between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), despite a ceasefire due to be in force.

Diplomatic efforts are being stepped up to try and get the warring parties to the negotiating table.

On Tuesday, South Sudan’s foreign ministry said the army and RSF had agreed “in principle” to a new seven-day truce from 4 May, and had promised to send representatives to talks.

Its statement came a day after the UN special envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes, told the AP news agency that the two sides had agreed to negotiate a “stable and reliable” ceasefire.

Saudi Arabia was a potential venue for the talks, he added.

If talks take place, it would be the first meeting between the two sides since the conflict started.

More than 500 people have been killed and more than 4,000 have been wounded in the fighting, according to Sudan’s health ministry.

A series of temporary ceasefires

have failed to hold, with the military continuing to pound Khartoum with air strikes in a bid to weaken the RSF.

The paramilitary group said it shot down a MiG fighter jet over the city, but there is no independent confirmation of the claim.

Heaving fighting has also taken place in Darfur in western Sudan.

UN refugee agency spokeswoman Olga Sarrado told reporters in Geneva that the 100,000 total included people from Sudan, South Sudanese citizens returning home, and people who were already refugees within Sudan fleeing the fighting.

Refugees have also been fleeing over Sudan’s border with Egypt in the north and Chad in the west.

Most European states have completed the evacuation of their nationals, but Russia said on Tuesday that it was sending four military planes to fly out more than 200 people - including its nationals and those from “friendly countries” - from Sudan.

In Khartoum, food, water and electricity are running out, but desperately needed aid supplies - shipped by the UN into Port Sudan - are being warehoused because of the violence. Meanwhile, widespread looting means there is no safe way to deliver them.

World Health Organization (WHO) regional director Ahmed al-Mandhari said that health facilities have come

under attack in Khartoum, and some are being used as military bases.

“Up to now there were around 26 reported attacks on healthcare facilities. Some of these attacks resulted in the death of healthcare workers and civilians in these hospitals,” he told the BBC.

“Also you know some of these hospitals are used as military bases and they have thrown the staff, they have thrown patients out of these healthcare facilities,” he added.

Uganda waters down anti-gay law

Uganda’s parliament has watered down an anti-homosexuality bill that originally criminalised people for simply identifying as LGBTQ+.

When it was first approved in March, the proposed legislation outraged human rights defenders.

Members of the public were going to have to report individuals in same-sex relationships to the authorities.

An activist told the BBC the debate around the bill had led to fear of more attacks on gay people.

“There is a lot of blackmail. People are receiving calls that ‘if you don’t give me money, I will report that you are gay’,” they said at the time.

Later on, the bill was returned to parliament after President Yoweri Museveni suggested changes. He said the clause penalising people who identify as gay would have led to the prosecution of people simply for their physical appearance.

Same-sex acts have long been illegal in Uganda as a legacy of colonial rule.

Even though this latest version of the bill has been watered down since its first appearance last month, it is still one of the toughest pieces of anti-gay legislation on the continent.

Landlords who knowingly rent premises for homosexual acts risk going to prison for seven years.

The bill still prescribes the death penalty for what it calls aggravated offences - such as child abuse.

And public will also be required to report to the authorities any form of homosexual abuse against children or other vulnerable people.

The bill was passed with an overwhelming

majority, with only one MP opposing it. The next step will be for the president to sign it into law.

The draft law has been widely condemned by international human rights groups.

A similar law was struck down by Uganda’s constitutional court in 2014.

Last week, a report found that the UK, EU members and the US had given at least $75m (£60m) in funding to anti-LGBTQ+ groups in Uganda.

“Several of these projects are unexpectedly coded as support for women’s rights and say they are focused on gender equality,” said researchers for the the Institute for Journalism and Social Change.

Uganda waters down anti-gay law

Uganda’s parliament has watered down an anti-homosexuality bill that originally criminalised people for simply identifying as LGBTQ+.

When it was first approved in March, the proposed legislation outraged human rights defenders.

Members of the public were going to have to report individuals in same-sex relationships to the authorities.

An activist told the BBC the debate around the bill had led to fear of more attacks on gay people.

“There is a lot of blackmail. People are receiving calls that ‘if you don’t give me money, I will report that you are gay’,” they said at the time.

Later on, the bill was returned to parliament after President Yoweri Museveni suggested changes. He said the clause

penalising people who identify as gay would have led to the prosecution of people simply for their physical appearance.

Same-sex acts have long been illegal in Uganda as a legacy of colonial rule.

Even though this latest version of the bill has been watered down since its first appearance last month, it is still one of the toughest pieces of anti-gay legislation on the continent.

Landlords who knowingly rent premises for homosexual acts risk going to prison for seven years.

The bill still prescribes the death penalty for what it calls aggravated offences - such as child abuse.

And public will also be required to report to the authorities any form of homosexual abuse against children or other vulnerable

On Monday, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Abdou Dieng, said that more than two weeks of devastating fighting risked turning the country’s humanitarian crisis into a “full blown catastrophe”.

“Even before the current crisis, onethird of Sudan’s population, nearly 16 million people, already needed humanitarian aid. Some 3.7 million people were already internally displaced, mostly in Darfur,” he said

people.

The bill was passed with an overwhelming majority, with only one MP opposing it. The next step will be for the president to sign it into law.

The draft law has been widely condemned by international human rights groups.

A similar law was struck down by Uganda’s constitutional court in 2014.

Last week, a report found that the UK, EU members and the US had given at least $75m (£60m) in funding to anti-LGBTQ+ groups in Uganda.

“Several of these projects are unexpectedly coded as support for women’s rights and say they are focused on gender equality,” said researchers for the the Institute for Journalism and Social Change.

Source: BBC

The latest fighting has worsened the humanitarian crisis in Sudan

Afghanistan: ‘Nothing we can do but watch babies die’

Three-month-old Tayabullah is quiet and motionless. His mother Nigar moves the oxygen pipe away from his nose and puts a finger below his nostrils to check if she can feel him breathing.

She begins to cry as she realises her son is fading.

At this hospital in Afghanistan, there is not a single working ventilator.

Mothers hold oxygen tubes near their babies’ noses because masks designed to fit their small faces are not available, and the women are trying to fill in for what trained staff or medical equipment should do.

Every day, 167 children die in Afghanistan from preventable diseases, according to the UN children’s fund Unicef - illnesses that could and should be cured with the right medication.

It is a staggering number. But it’s an estimate.

And when you step inside the paediatric ward of the main hospital in the western province of Ghor, you will be left wondering if that estimate is too low.

Multiple rooms are full of sick children, at least two in each bed, their little bodies ravaged by pneumonia. Just two nurses look after 60 children.

In one room, we saw at least two dozen babies who appeared to be in a serious condition. The children should have been continuously monitored in critical care - impossible at this hospital.

Yet, for the million people who live in Ghor, this basic facility is still the best equipped public hospital they can access.

Public healthcare in Afghanistan has never been adequate, and foreign money which almost entirely funded it was frozen in August 2021 when the Taliban seized power. Over the past 20 months, we have visited hospitals and clinics across this country, and witnessed them collapsing.

Now the Taliban’s recent ban on women working for NGOs means it’s becoming harder for humanitarian agencies to operate, putting even more children and babies at risk.

Already defeated by a lack of resources, medics at the Ghor hospital used whatever little they had to try to revive Tayabullah.

Dr Ahmad Samadi was called in to check his condition, fatigue and stress visible on his face. He put a stethoscope to Tayabullah’s chest - there was a faint heartbeat.

Nurse Edima Sultani rushed in with an oxygen pump. She put it over Tayabullah’s mouth, blowing air into it. Then Dr Samadi used his thumbs to perform compressions on the boy’s tiny chest.

Watching on looking stricken was Tayabullah’s grandfather Ghawsaddin. He told us his

grandson was suffering from pneumonia and malnutrition.

“It took eight hours on rubble roads to bring him here from our district Charsadda,” Ghawsaddin said. The family, who can only afford to eat dry bread for meals, scraped together money to pay for the ride.

For half an hour, the efforts to revive his grandson continued. Nurse Sultani then turned towards Nigar and told her Tayabullah had died.

The sudden silence which had enveloped the room was broken by Nigar’s sobs. Her baby boy was wrapped in a blanket and handed over to Ghawsaddin. The family carried him home.

Tayabullah should be aliveevery disease he had was curable.

“I’m also a mother and when I saw the baby die, I felt like I’ve lost my own child. When I saw his mother weeping, it broke my heart. It hurt my conscience,” said Nurse Sultani, who frequently does 24-hour shifts.

“We don’t have equipment and there is a lack of trained staff, especially female staff. When we are looking after so many in serious conditions, which child should we check on first? There’s nothing we can do but watch babies die.”

Minutes later, in the room next door, we saw another child in severe distress, with an oxygen mask on her face, struggling to breathe.

Two-year-old Gulbadan was born with a heart defect, a condition called patent ductus arteriosus. It was diagnosed six months ago at this hospital.

Doctors have told us the condition is not uncommon or hard to treat. But Ghor’s main hospital is not equipped to perform routine surgery that could fix it. It also doesn’t have the medicines she needs.

Gulbadan’s grandmother Afwa Gul held down her small arms, to try to prevent the little girl from pulling down her mask.

“We borrowed money to take her to Kabul, but we couldn’t afford surgery, so we had to bring her back,” she said. They approached an NGO to get financial help. Their details were registered but there’s been no response since then.

Gulbadan’s father Nawroze stroked her forehead, trying to soothe his daughter who winced with every breath she took. Stress etched on his face, he pursed his lips and let out a sigh of resignation. He told us Gulbadan had recently begun to talk, forming her first words, calling out to him and other members of their family.

“I’m a labourer. I don’t have a stable income. If I had money, she would never have suffered this way. At this moment, I can’t even afford to buy one cup of tea,” he

said.

I asked Dr Samadi how much oxygen Gulbadan needs.

“Two litres every minute,” he said. “When this cylinder gets empty, if we don’t find another one, she will die.”

When we went back later to check on Gulbadan, we were told that’s exactly what had happened. The oxygen cylinder had run out, and she died.

The oxygen production unit at the hospital isn’t able to produce sufficient oxygen because it only has power at night, and there isn’t a steady supply of raw material.

In a matter of a few hours, two children died of diseases that could have been prevented or cured. It’s a crushing but all too familiar blow for Dr Samadi and his colleagues.

“I feel exhaustion and agony. Every day we lose one or two beloved children of Ghor. We have almost got accustomed to it now,” he said.

Walking around the rooms, we saw an overwhelming number of children in distress. One-year-old Sajad’s breathing was raspy. He’s suffering from pneumonia and meningitis.

In another bed is Irfan. When his breathing became more laboured, his mother Zia-rah was

given another oxygen pipe to hold near his nose.

Wiping tears that rolled down her cheeks with her upper arm, she carefully held both pipes as steady as she could. She told us she would have brought Irfan to the hospital at least four or five days earlier if the roads had not been blocked by snow.

So many simply can’t make it to hospital, and others choose not to stay once they get there.

“Ten days ago a child was brought here in a very critical condition,” Nurse Sultani said. “We gave him an injection, but we didn’t have the medicines to cure him.

“So his father decided to take him home. ‘If he has to die, let him die at home’,” he told me.

What we saw in Ghor raises serious questions about why public healthcare in Afghanistan is crumbling so quickly, when billions of dollars were poured into it by the international community for 20 years until 2021.

Where was that money spent, if a provincial hospital doesn’t have a single ventilator for its patients?

Currently there is a stop-gap arrangement in place. Because money can’t be given directly to the internationally unrecognised

Taliban government, humanitarian agencies have stepped in to fund salaries of medical staff and the cost of medicines and food, that are just about keeping hospitals like the one in Ghor running.

Now, that funding, already sorely inefficient, could also be at risk. Aid agencies warn that their donors might cut back because the Taliban’s restrictions on women, including its ban on Afghan women working for the UN and NGOs, violates international laws.

Only 5% of the UN’s appeal for Afghanistan has been funded so far.

We drove up one of the hills near the Ghor hospital to a burial ground. There are no records or registers here, not even a caretaker. So it’s not possible to find out who the graves belong to, but it’s easy to distinguish big graves from small ones.

From what we saw, a disproportionate number - at least half - of the new graves belong to children. A man who lives in a house close by also told us most of those they are burying these days are children.

There may be no way to count how many children are dying, but there is evidence everywhere of the scale of the crisis.Source: BBC

Tayabullah breathes oxygen through a tube held by his mother

There are no oxygen masks in the hospital small enough to fit a baby’s face

Property

ShelterAfrique to hold 42nd AGM in Abuja

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

ShelterAfrique will be hosting their 42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Symposium Of Shelter Afrique (SHAF)in Abuja, Nigeria .

This was contained in a statement signed and issued by Lere –Adams, Blessing, Director (Press and Public Relations).

The statement confirmed that the AGM will be to be holding from the 7th -12th of May ,2023.

Shelter Afrique (SHAF) is a company for Habitat and Housing, established in 1982 by African Governments, the African Development Bank (AFDB) and African Reinsurance Corporation (African–Re).

This company is dedicated to providing funding solutions for affordable housing projects across Africa

Nigeria is a founding member of this company and holds position as the second largest shareholder after Kenya with investments totaling (USD) $30,724,961:00 and a shareholding of 15.80 %

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Shelter Afrique Constitutes the main policy organ of the company and it provides a forum for shareholders to collectively review and deliberate on the performance of the company once every year.

On the other hand, the Annual Symposium held during the AGM, is one of the key activities of Shelter Afrique, which is an avenue for collaboration and synthesizing emerging lessons, knowledge, best practices and innovations. Over the year the symposium has served to document and disseminate information to African Countries, stakeholders and key partners on the provision of affordable housing in Africa.

Nigeria, as at present is the first Vice –President of the 41st AGM Bureau recently held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in July of 2022; making her to be in the pole position to become the Chairman of the 42nd AGM Bureau In this wise, the country is going to host the 42nd AGM Symposium in Abuja by May 2023.

Some of the key stakeholders expected at the meeting are:

Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Mortgage Bankers Association of Nigeria (MBAN), Family Homes Fund(FHF), Nigeria Mortgage Reinsurance Company (NMRC) and Federal Mortgage Bank of

Lagos -Ibadan express:FG appeals for

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna’s

As the reconstruction work on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway enters its final phase, the Federal Government has appealed for patience and understanding of motorists on account of the heavy traffic being experienced on the stretch from Toll Gate to Kara Bridge in Lagos.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola in a Press Release signed by his Special Adviser on Communications, Hakeem Bello, said he empathizes

with members of the public who have had to endure longer than usual traffic as the reconstruction work in the heavily built-up stretch progresses towards the finish line.

According to the Minister, the intensity of work and the high volume of traffic which had to be accommodated at the same time have been complicated by impatience on the part of some motorists who drive against the planned traffic flow and breakdown of vehicles.

He however noted that the Federal Ministry of Works and

Nigeria (FMBN).

Others are Federal Housing Authority (FHA)

, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN)

, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP)

Federal and State Ministries and Agencies in charge of

Housing, Urban Development, Finance and Economic Matters. Activities during this AGM are:

Ministerial Roundtable session with Ministers of Planning Economy and Business Development Investor Relations Session as side event. It promises to be an impactful session.

more understanding from motorists

Housing is working with the Lagos State Government, all traffic management and security agencies to minimize the discomfort of motorists.

The Minister also explained that the contractors are also being encouraged to ensure that the final challenging phase of the LagosIbadan Expressway reconstruction work are concluded as soon as possible.

While noting that the earlier envisaged April 30 date for conclusion of the final stretch could not be achieved due to a

combination of factors, work within the OPIC area between Kara Bridge and the Long Bridge has been completed and would be opened to traffic tomorrow, Sunday (April 30). This means that the main carriageway, both bounds, from Berger (New Garage) and Sagamu Inter-change on Section 1 of the Project has been completed.

All attention, according to the Minister, would now be focused on the outstanding work between Otedola Bridge and Berger (both bounds).

Property still main investment aspiration

Athird (32%) of Brits say that buying property is their main investment goal over the next five years, a study from Cornerstone Tax has revealed.

This rises to nearly half (47%) of Londoners – demonstrating that property still has an allure despite the less favourable investment landscape.

Demand from house hunters is 43% lower than a year ago, which has contributed to the average property price falling by nearly £6,000 over the past year.

However the rental market is becoming

ever more costly, meaning people are still prioritising buying.

David Hannah, property expert and group chairman at Cornerstone Tax, said: “Sellers will appreciate a buyer who has everything in order and can provide everything needed in a timely manner.

The most important thing to have in place is your mortgage loan – if this is agreed in advance then you will become more attractive to sellers as it will help reduce delays and make the process quicker.

“You will also need to analyse the extra

property fees you will need to pay and be prepared. A lot of buyers overlook extra prices such as stamp duty and find themselves in a bad situation when they have to pay.”

Stamp duty is seen as a major barrier for buyers, as a quarter (26%) say they are unable to buy a residential or commercial property because they can’t afford the stamp duty.

Hannah added: “Cash buyers present the safest option for sellers as they know that there’s no dependent sale that could complicate things. If it is possible, then try to be as close to a cash buyer as you can – it

will give you more chances to negotiate on the price as sellers will see you as a more attractive buyer.”

“There is nothing wrong with trying to buy a property for under the asking price, within reason. Your first offer is very important as it can define how realistic the seller perceives you to be, if you make an offer which is significantly under the asking price it could discourage the seller completely. If it is a property that you want, then make sure you are reasonable and fair with your first offer.”

Source : Property wire

L:R- Minister of Work and Housing , Babatunde Fashola and President President Muhammadu Buhari at the commissioning of 748 housing units constructed by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) in Zuba, in the Federal Captial Territory(FCT)in Abuja, Yesterday.

Kenya starvation cult: ‘My wife and six children followed Pastor Mackenzie’

Kenyan preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie has appeared in court following the discovery of scores of bodies in a remote forest. He is accused of encouraging followers to starve themselves to death - hundreds of relatives are now wondering what happened to their loved ones.

When the leader of the Good News International Church, Pastor Mackenzie, said the world would end in June 2023, Stephen Mwiti’s wife believed him.

Now, he is certain that she starved to death along with their six children.

The 45-year-old, who makes his living selling mandazi, or fried bread, holds up a crumpled photograph of his wife and four of his children asking if anyone has seen them.

He has been doing this over and over again in the town of Malindi, south-east Kenya, since she disappeared from there last August.

Mr Mwiti has also been to look for them in the Shakahola forest, where members of Pastor Mackenzie’s church had isolated themselves.

His wife, Bahati Joan, was pregnant when she left last year with their children: Hellen Karimi, nine years old, Samuel Kirimil, seven, Jacob Kimathi, three, Lillian Gatumbi, 18 months, and Angelina Gatumbi, seven months.

Mr Mwiti later found out that his wife had given birth to a son, who also died.

She had been an ardent follower of Pastor Mackenzie since 2015 and had first gone to Shakahola in 2021, and then kept coming and going.

After alerting the police numerous times and failed personal attempts to rescue them, he learned recently from other children who had escaped and were being held by Kenyan police, that his own children had died.

“They could identify them from the pictures. They knew their names and where Jacob and Lillian had been buried,” he recounts, fighting back tears.

“I was told not to try to look for my children again. They were all dead. I was too late.”

He believes they were buried

in the forest but their bodies have not yet been identified.

Forensic teams have been exhuming dozens of bodies from shallow graves in the forest

Shakahola is a Swahili word that loosely translates as “a place where worries are lifted”.

It is nestled in the expansive 50,000-acre (20,000-hectare)

Chakama Ranch in the coastal county of Kilifi.

Pastor Mackenzie is reported to have owned 800 acres of the forest area.

The entrance to the forest, down a rough track off the main road, is a two-hour drive from Malindi, the nearest main town.

Thorn bushes and thickets dot the landscape and make the journey into Shakahola difficult. The heat swelters almost all year round and elephants occasionally roam the area.

The deeper inside, the more cut off it becomes. There is no mobile network, no internet connection.

But it was here that a new Holy Land was established.

The area had been partitioned into villages, each given biblical place names.

Some of Pastor Mackenzie’s followers lived a life of deprivation in Judea. Others holed themselves up in Bethlehem. There was also Nazareth.

“I learned that my wife and children lived and died in Jerusalem,” Mr Mwiti says. But he has not been there since officials began to exhume bodies from marked gravesites.

In the forest, detectives had initially mapped out 65 sites where people were buried. Each had several shallow graves with bodies huddled close to each other.

‘Children were first to die’

Those who exhumed the corpses say the sight of people buried without dignity haunts them. So far 110 people have been confirmed dead, but there are fears the death toll could rise as more of the forest is searched.

Post-mortems still have to be carried out but police and state prosecutors say as well as dying from starvation, some members may have been strangled, suffocated or beaten to death

An additional attraction was that “Mackenzie was also selling land to his followers. That appealed to me. I bought 15 acres. But when I saw his preaching was odd, I chose to leave.” Mr Mwiti says he had heard accounts of how his infant son was breast-fed only once. Then he was suffocated to death

with blunt objects.

Former members of the Good News International Church have said they were forced to starve as part of their adherence to its teachings.

Titus Katana, who managed to escape, says those who tried to leave the cult were branded as traitors and faced violent attacks.

He also suggested there was an order in which people were supposed to die ahead of the end of the world.

“The children were the first to die. Then after the children, they went for the unmarried. Then after, the mothers and the elderly were next in line.”

The church leaders were supposed to be the last to die.

Explaining what drew him to the church, Mr Katana said he thought that Pastor Mackenzie was “charismatic and preached God’s word well”.

An additional attraction was that “Mackenzie was also selling land to his followers. That appealed to me. I bought 15 acres. But when I saw his preaching was odd, I chose to leave.”

Mr Mwiti says he had heard accounts of how his infant son was breast-fed only once. Then he was suffocated to death.

“I heard that when my son was killed, instead of the cult members grieving, they clapped and rejoiced that he had ascended and met Jesus,” he

says.

A BBC analysis of Pastor Mackenzie’s sermons on video do not show him directly ordering people to fast, but there are many references to followers sacrificing what they hold dear, including their lives.

At the end of last week, the Kenya Red Cross reported that 410 people, including 227 children, who were thought to have some connection to Pastor Mackenzie’s church, were missing.

Their relatives are now milling around Malindi’s hospital and police station, waiting for news of their loved ones.

Source; BBC

Stephen Mwiti has been looking for his wife and children since last year

In this screenshot from one of Pastor Mackenzie’s YouTube films he can be seen preaching to a large congregation

PUBLIC

KINDNESS BEYOND BORDERS CHARITY INITIATIVE

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10. ITODO SUNDAY

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3 EGWUATU EMMANUEL DUME

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UNION SECONDARY SCHOOL AWKUNANAW 2012 ALUMNI

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Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool boss charged by FA over comments about referee Paul Tierney

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been charged by the Football Association for his comments about referee Paul Tierney after his side’s 4-3 win against Tottenham on Sunday.

The German, who said he regretted the headlines created by his comments, said Tierney appears to have something “against” his team.

The FA alleged Klopp’s comments constitute “improper conduct”.

Klopp has until Friday, 5 May to respond to the charge.

“It is alleged that the manager’s comments regarding the match official during post-match media interviews constitutes improper conduct in that they imply bias, and/ or question the integrity of the referee, and/or are personal/ offensive, and/or bring the game into disrepute,” the FA said.

“The whole situation should not have happened at all,” said Klopp, speaking on Tuesday

before his side’s game against Fulham on Wednesday.

“It was out of emotion and anger in that moment. That’s why I celebrated the way I did.

“We won a game 4-3 in a spectacular manner and the only headlines I created and I really regret that. It’s not necessary and not how it should be.”

Klopp should be banned for behaviour, says Sutton

Klopp was furious with Spurs being awarded a free-kick which led to their equaliser and ran to scream at the fourth official after the winner, hurting his leg in the process.

He was shown a yellow card by the referee after his celebration and, speaking after the game about when he was booked, Klopp claimed what Tierney said to him was “not OK”.

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body responsible for Premier League referees, said Tierney “acted in a professional

manner” throughout the game and when cautioning Klopp, adding that match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system.

Klopp says he regrets some of the things he said about the official in his post-match interviews but denies he lied about their conversation.

“I tried to calm down but it didn’t work out properly, go into all the interviews and then I said what I said,” he added.

“I know he [Tierney] is not doing it intentionally but we have a history, you cannot deny that.

“I’m not a resentful person, not at all, but these kind things that have happened in the past in decisive games. They didn’t happen intentionally but they are still there.

“The referees are really angry about what I said. I shouldn’t have said a couple of things but lying was not involved.”

Klopp was given a one-match

ban after he was sent off against Manchester City in October for berating the referee’s assistant after the FA appealed against the original punishment.

He was also fined £30,000 and warned about his future conduct.

The history between Klopp and Tierney

In 2020 Tierney reportedly told Klopp to “get over it” after the referee admitted he had missed a foul on Georginio Wijnaldum in a game against Aston Villa.

Tierney was also in charge of a Liverpool game at Tottenham in December 2021 when Spurs striker Harry Kane escaped a red card before Liverpool leftback Andrew Robertson was dismissed.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw which resulted in the Reds losing ground to Manchester City in their Premier League title fight.

Tierney was also the referee when Everton were denied a

late penalty in a 1-0 defeat by Manchester City in February 202.

City midfielder Rodri appeared to control the ball with his arm and, while Tierney and video assistant referee Chris Kavanagh did not deem it worthy of a spot-kick, former PGMOL head Mike Riley later apologised to the Toffees for the decision.

Liverpool went on to miss out on the Premier League title by one point to City that season.

In January this year after a loss to Brentford, Klopp said he had approached the officials - including Tierney - to discuss decisions made during the game.

“That’s exactly the same as I would talk to my microwave, you get no response, really, it’s always the same,” he told beIN Sports.

Earlier this month, Tierney booked Liverpool’s Robertson after an incident involving assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis.

S P R T

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has threatened to not broadcast the Women’s World Cup in five European countries unless TV companies improve their rights offers.

Infantino said “disappointing” offers from the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and France were a “slap in the face” of the players and “all women worldwide”.

He added it was Fifa’s “moral and legal obligation not to undersell” the event.

The World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, starts on 20 July.

Infantino said European broadcasters had offered world football’s governing body $1m-$10m (£800,000-£8m) for the rights, compared with $100m-$200m for the men’s World Cup.

“Should the offers continue not to be fair, we will be forced not to broadcast the Fifa Women’s World Cup into the ‘big five’ European countries,” Infantino said at a World Trade Organization meeting in Geneva.

“I call, therefore, on all players, fans, football officials, presidents, prime ministers, politicians and journalists all over the world to join us and support this call for a fair remuneration of women’s football. Women deserve it, as simple as that.”

Rights offers for previous tournaments were bundled together with other events including the men’s World Cup, but Fifa has now separated the bidding process.

In calling for improved offers, Infantino said all TV revenue for the tournament would be reinvested in women’s football and that public broadcasters in particular, such as the BBC, have a “duty to promote and invest in women’s sport”.

The BBC held the sole broadcast rights in the UK for the 2019 Women’s World Cup but shared the rights for the recent men’s World Cup in Qatar with ITV.

It has widely been reported that the BBC and ITV will share broadcasting rights for this summer’s tournament, although no announcement has been made.

A BBC Sport spokesperson said it did not comment on sports rights negotiations.

Last year the Women’s World Cup and European Championship were both added to the ‘crown jewels’ of British sporting events, which require free-to-air coverage.

The official spokesman for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he had not seen Infantino’s comments but added: “I think the Prime Minister, like everyone in the UK, would want to see such an important event televised, not least following the huge success of our Lionesses.”

Infantino added that Fifa had trebled the total prize money to $152m compared with the 2019 tournament in France and reiterated the organisation’s desire to have equal pay for the men’s and women’s World Cups by 2026 and 2027, first announced at its annual congress in March.

According to Fifa’s data, 1.12

Women’s World Cup: Fifa president Gianni Infantino threatens tournament blackout in Europe

billion people watched the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France - the most watched women’s tournament ever.

Almost half of total viewing hours were from Europe, with the average viewing time of 4.14 hours per person across the whole tournament more than double the average of the rest of the world.

That could be partly attributed to the favourable time zone and that seven of the eight quarter-finalists were European, with England reaching the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners the United States.

Kick-off times for the 2023

World Cup are less favourable, ranging from 01:00 to 12:00 BST, though England’s three group games start between 09:30 and 12:00 and the final is scheduled to kick off at 11:00.

“Maybe, because it is in Australia and New Zealand, it’s not played on prime-time in Europe, but still, it is played at 9am or 10am, so it is quite a reasonable time,” added Infantino.

Interest in women’s football continues to rise, with a record global audience of more than 365 million watching last summer’s Euro 2022 in England, with 50 million tuning in for England’s victory over Germany in the Wembley final.

Domestically, the Lionesses’ triumph was watched by a peak BBC One television audience of 17.4 million, making it the mostwatched women’s football game on UK television. There were a further 5.9 million streams of the game on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Research from the Women’s Sport Trust (WST) revealed that the amount of time the average UK viewer spent watching women’s sport in 2022 was more than double the 2021 figure.

In a statement, the WST said: “Given this is the first women’s tournament that Fifa has sold

broadcast rights unbundled from the men’s, it is hugely significant. Broadcasting major events like the Fifa WWC are key to igniting fandom.

“British broadcasters have been big supporters of women’s sport over the last few years so this roadblock won’t be about not wanting to show the tournament. Going forward it’s important to have more open conversations about value.

“We hope that all parties involved will find a solution that gives the players, fans and sponsors the World Cup they deserve.”

president Gianni Infantino

PEOPLES DAILY

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY MAY 3, 2023

Sudan crisis: Any lessons for Nigeria?

Lionel Messi suspended by Paris St-Germain for two weeks over Saudi Arabia trip

My fellow country men and women, we are taking so much for granted as a country and as a people; really, we have been so lucky and rather fortunate that despite all our attempts to breed and escalate internal conflicts and wars in the country over the years, we have repeatedly and till now, escape with near misses. It has not been the same for other countries, most of which have not even done a quarter of what we are doing here in the most populous black nation on earth. It may not always be this way and it is about time we stopped and reflect earnestly on forging genuine peaceful coexistence and lasting tolerance. Sudan, the latest theatre of conflict and war was just like us, and see where the country is now. At this point, what we should be seeing from the Sudan crisis is not only the evacuation of citizens, but rather, why and how they got there and how it relates to us.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been suspended by Paris St-Germain for two weeks after travelling to Saudi Arabia without the club’s permission this week.

The trip followed the French club’s home defeat by Lorient on Sunday, in which Messi played the full 90 minutes.

Messi will not train or play for PSG during the period of his suspension.

It is understood the 35-yearold asked permission to make the journey to carry out commercial work but was refused.

Messi, who has also been fined by the club, has a role as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia.

The World Cup winner’s twoyear contract with PSG expires this summer.

Barcelona vice-president Rafael Yuste claimed in March that the Spanish club were in contact with Messi about a return to the Nou Camp.

Messi has scored 31 goals and contributed 34 assists in 71 games in all competitions for PSG, and won the Ligue 1 title last season.

He is set to miss matches against Troyes and Ajaccio as PSG, five points clear with five games to go, look to clinch a ninth league title in 11 seasons.

Lionel Messi has taken a decision that effectively calls time on his Paris St-Germain career.

Yes, they have three games left after Messi’s suspension has been completed and there is work remaining to secure another Ligue 1 title, but PSG are on a different course now - and it does not involve Messi, who less than five months ago achieved the crowning glory of his stellar career by lifting the World Cup.

Sudan gained independence in 1956 from the United Kingdom, four years earlier than Nigeria. Unfortunately for the nation and up till now, it has only enjoyed eleven years of peace in all its post-independence years; the country has seen nearly fifty years of civil wars arising from the collision of cultures, religion, ethnicities and other conflicting values which were magnified by the Sudanese above national unity and integration despite all entreaties. How could that be? What could be responsible for the multiple woes of the nation so blessed and endowed and with so much an enviable prospect from the beginning?

The country boasts of the largest landmass in the Africa continent; bordered by nine countries and blessed with pluralities across many lines that ought to be used as stepping stones to even greater heights of development. Very similar to Nigeria, Sudan was populated by multireligious citizens cutting across Islam, Christianity, and Animists. The country is also multi-tribal, with the major tribes being the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa; just the the way Nigeria is majorly divided into the Hausas, Yorubas, and Igbos.

Very much like Nigeria, Sudan is a nation blessed abundantly with a large area of arable land, a very significant gold deposit, and a massive deposit of crude oil reserves across the country. It was a nation doing great agriculturally, with massive activities in cotton and peanuts cultivation which employed about eighty percent of the nation’s workforce and contributed about 39 percent of its GDP. The country has about 3 billion barrels of oil reserves accounting for about 73 percent of the country’s total export revenues. It had a bubbling oil economy; oil pipelines extend from southern oil fields through Khartoum to the Red Sea and a steady crude export.

It is important to state as part of the opening of this piece that very much like Nigeria, Sudan from the onset has its fierce competition for land between herders and farmers, including violent battles between Fur farmers and Arab herders from 1987 to 1989, and continuously afterward. This competition has fueled most of the conflicts in Darfur and the rest of the country, up till the demarcation into South and North Sudan and now even beyond.

The major problem of the country began with much recognition for regional considerations and integrity; the North and the South respectively concentrate more charges on themselves, than on the common center. As of 1956, when the country attained independence from the British Empire, civil war was already

brewing between the two regions. Not exercising any restraint to curb the tribal and regional errors, religion also became a major divisive factor for the country. The first civil war began as an aftermath of an attempt to impose Sharia law on all parts of the country; the Christian and Animist-dominated South, led by the People’s Liberation Army rose up against the central government and a bloody civil war that would engulf the whole of a blessed nation began because they could not draw the lines between religion, tribal and national unity.

Tribal affiliations and religious inclinations have become the issues in the country; the Al-Bashir-led government pushed further nothing but religious agendas that pull the country further away from any meaningful compromise. Attempts to end the civil war in 2023 was truncated by continuous accusations and counter- accusations of regional, tribal and religious neglect in government affairs, including appointments into top government offices.

Unable to control its appetite for the wrong elements, the country has become savaged with internal conflicts and wars again and again. The first civil war 1955 to 1972, between the North and South over demands for more regional autonomy by the Southern Sudan region led to the deaths of about 500,000 citizens. The second civil war spanned through 1983 to around 2003 between the central Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Believed to be a continuation of the first civil war that was responsible for the killing of some two million people of the country, the war led to the independence of South Sudan in 2011.

It was expected that the breakup of the country would bring an end to hostility and herald lasting peace in the separated nations, but no; it was far from it, rather than the peace, it has remained the hellish story of aggression, continuous dominance of religious and tribal considerations, even in the newly formed nation. Again, in 2003, and running through 2020, another war broke out between the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel groups against the government on the back of accusation of the oppression of Darfur’s non-Arab population, and a terrible response from the government that led to a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Darfur’s non-Arabs and the reported killing of about 300,000 in the pogrom. Now, again, in 2023, another internal scuffle; power struggle within the military government has led to another civil war ravaging Sudan.

From independence and now, there have been stories of non-development, social interruptions, unnecessary killings and the undermining of the country’s capacity to grow and develop at the back of its blessedness. The nation has become a shadow of itself, without any reckoning in the continent. Death tolls have surpassed four million and the displaced

unaccountable. Why? Because the country and its people chose to prioritise religion and tribalism above national coherence.

The lessons from Sudan; I do hope we would learn from them and correct our errors before we finally collapse under the weight of the lines we are drawing across - religion, tribal and regional differences at the expense of peace and our national development.

Religion is meant to be simple, leading people to God and transforming their lives positively, and not parading charlatans and simpletons masquerading themselves as mouthpieces of God who have complicated it to a political factor, exploiting adherents economically, determining national directions arbitrarily and compromising citizens’ interrelations condescendingly. From false doctrines to pernicious fanaticism and hypocrisy, they have transformed the worthy element into a national menace. Now, instead of using religion as a tool to escape poverty, misery and ignorance, religion has become a warring tool, a virulent virus fostering crises across the nation. Nigeria has become more polarised across religious lines than any other considerations; and has seen cracks and divisions that are nearly unamendable created among adherents of various religions in the country. We have gotten to the point that we would most likely pick weapons against ourselves for the causes of perceived infiltrations on our faiths and religious beliefs. For politicians, it has become a choice weapon to win elections; set the people against each other along religious lines and wait to harvest the figures and premeditated outcomes.

And then, what has our over dwelling on tribalism done to our national prosperity and coherence? We have gone down too far away from peaceful coexistence and compromised development, all because it has become a near impossible task for us to come together and truly work together across tribal and regional affiliations. When at the heart of all our national dealings whereby, we willfully prioritise tribal sentiments, it should be expected, by recompense, that we are creating a distorted interrelationship among tribes, and setting the table for disagreements, brewing hostilities and silent wars and at worst, if we are unlucky, expectedly, the Sudan Way, if we are to reap the right recompense of what we sow.

We just had an election; and now, we are still debating whether the election is fair and credible enough. On the average, what do the observers say about the election? Do all the eventful and non-precedent results across the states and places import nothing to the credibility of the elections? Must we focus on Obi’s defeat while ignoring the unbelievable losses of the ruling party in places and areas no one could expect them to lose? The elections speak for itself, but for our religious and tribal sentiments, we have remotely concluded to refuse to accept the results of such a credible and fair elections. And now, rather than being

bothered about the wellness of the country, what we are seeing now are gang ups, on the back or religious, parochial and other considerations to pull down the country. The Americans had their presidential election in 2020; we are all aware of what followed afterwards: the claims of stolen mandates, the legal tussles, the attack on the capitol, and the continuous trials of all those responsible across the country, including the Republican candidate, Donald Trump.

Donald Trump claimed the election was stolen from him without evidence, and had his cases thrown out of court one after the other, but would still refuse to accept the credibility of the election till now. It is the same America, PDP and the Labour Party are going to stage the “mother of all rallies” to reclaim their stolen election mandate in a keenly, fairly and very credible election, that even the U.S. has observers in the conduct of the elections, who had reported that the election was fair enough. WHY do we do these to ourselves and desire to tear the country? They know they lost at the polls and they know already what the outcome of the legal tussles would be, but they would still choose to heat up the system, stirring up hatred for the system, all because they have begun to prepare for 2027.

The enraged Obidients, the ignited church, waiting to catch fire and burn down the country, fighting for their tribe, religion and political leanings, at the expense of peace, growth and development of the country, would only lead us to the Sudan Way. Just like Sudan, the main reason for our lack of development at par with our potentials, from the beginning and up till now, has been political instability, primarily caused by our refusal to jettison religious, tribal and regional considerations as factors for our coexistence. Our unity has been in precarious balance with the resulting conflicts, both covert and overt, becoming more complex by the day; and our ability to resolve them diminishing by the day. All candidate solutions so far, are altogether inappropriate in keeping up with the development pathway that is desirable and sacrosanct to our sustenance. As an evolving democracy, and as compatriots and well-meaning citizens, we must keep striving to engage one another in civil manners and to keep iterating solution candidates that will salvage our dear nation. We must never lose or waver hope.

GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!

DAN GAYE

DAN GAYE

Lawyer asks Appeal Court to stop Tinubu’s inauguration —News

Is he a Nigerian lawyer?