Friday, January 6th, 2023 Edition

EEDC mobile mapping for mass metering project in Anambra begins Jan. 10 – Official

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) will begin the 2023 mobile mapping process for mass metering in Anambra on Jan. 10.

This, it said, was to ensure that customers in Anambra were captured and provided with prepaid meters within 48 hours under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) project.

Mr Emeka Ezeh, Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC said this in a statement on Thursday.

Ezeh said the exercise would allow customers to pay, get metered, and get reimbursed with the value of the cost of the meter through energy supplied over a period of time.

He said the programme would take place in Ogidi District on Jan. 10 at St. Paul Anglican Church, Ogidi, Ochendo Hall, Ogidi and

Afor Market Town Hall, Obosi and would run for three days.

He said the single-phase meter sold for N63,061.27 while the three -phase meter was N117,910.69 inclusive of VAT.

He said the mapping system was a conscious approach the company had adopted to close the existing metering gap in its network.

Ezeh said it was designed to be implemented according to Feeders, with three different locations selected within the areas covered by the Feeder where meters would be supplied simultaneously.

According to him, customers within these areas will be prenotified of when the exercise will be carried out within their neighborhood.

“Customers residing in the listed locations are expected to

visit the site along with a valid form of identification including Drivers License, Voters Card, NIN or International Passport and a copy of their bills.

“At the location, EEDC officials will assist customers with the MAP application process, and installation will be made once payment is confirmed,” he stated.

Ezeh urged customers to take advantage of the opportunity and get metered, reminding them that they would be reimbursed with the full value of the cost of the meter through energy supplied over a period.

He said MAP was a metering intervention designed and approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to close the existing metering gap in the sector.

“It will be recalled that in

June 2022, EEDC launched the pilot of mobile MAP metering in Enugu and has executed the same in several locations within the metropolis.

“EEDC reaffirms that it is in its best interest to have all its customers metered, which informs its commitment towards ensuring that its customers are metered.

“The exercise was in conjunction with its MAP partners,” he said. (NAN)

NASENI positioned to tackle unemployment — Boss

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The Executive Vice Chairman of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna has described the establishment of the agency as a way of tackling unemployment and drugs addiction in the country.

He stated this yesterday while delivering an opening remarks at the groundbreaking and foundation laying ceremony of NASENI Skill Acquisition Center in Bagudo local government area of Kebbi State.

He added that the future of the nation is predicted and reflected on the attitude and preparedness of the young men and women.

Fees hike: Varsity students may stage nationwide protest

From: Shehu Abubakar, Maiduguri

University students in the country have threatened to, in the next two weeks, stage a nationwide “mother of all protests” if the governing councils of universities do not withdraw the registration fees hike they imposed on them.

The National Vice President Special Duties of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Suleiman Muhammad Sarki, disclosed this at a news conference in Maiduguri, Thursday, January 5.

He said the fees hike could chase a huge population of Nigerian students into insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, as they

drop out of school due to the inability of their parents to pay.

“I, for example, last year, I paid N29,830 last year in University of Maiduguri, but this year it has jumped to about N74,000,” the NANS leader said, disclosing, “I don’t have the money to pay this; I may have to quit my studies.”

Sarki maintained: “The recent hike in registration charges by some Nigerian universities does not only come to us as a surprise but as an affront to the war against insurgency, banditry and kidnapping.”

He explained: “Students who are unable to pay the new fees might end up becoming dropouts and this will add to the rising number of youth restiveness in Nigeria, which may also in return

increase the number of insurgents, bandits and kidnappers.”

While expressing the hope of the Nigerian students that the fees hike “will not see the light of the day”, he said the students plead to government, elder statesmen, relevant stakeholders in the Educational sector, traditional rulers, Ulama and Priests to intervene and prevail of the governing councils to rescind their decision on the fees hike.

“We expect that within the next two weeks they will intervene for the fees increase to be withdrawn,” the NANS leader said.

“We will lead students across the country on this mother of all protests after the two-week ultimatum, and we will not stop

until the decision is rescinded,” he threatened.

“Our own increase is the least,” Professor Maina Gimba, the Dean of Students Affairs, University of Maiduguri, told PUNCH, explaining, “the increase is based on departmental activities, because departments, Arts and Humanities, Sciences or any other, with more academic activities have higher increases.”

Gimba said the current least registration fees now at the university is N58,000 while the highest, which is that of the Medical College, is N238,000.

Attributing the fees hike on inflation, he expressed the fear that they might be hiked after the next two years, if inflation is not checked.

L-R: Aminu Abubakar Suleiman (Director), Abbas Jega (Chairman), Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, Yusuf Usman Yahaya (Managing Director), Umar Abdullahi (Director) and Maryam Mohammed (Company Secretary) during a condolence visit to the Emir by Kaduna Electric’s Board of Directors over the recent electrical incident in Zaria, yesterday.

APC campaign rally: I will serve, protect Nigeria-Tinubu

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu has promised to serve and protect Nigerians home and abroad if elected as the president.

Tinubu, who delivered short speech during his presidential rally held at the Sani Abacha stadium in Kano on Wednesday, pledged to serve and protect Nigerians from all works of life.

The APC presidential candidate who was happy by the unprecedented crowd, briefly demonstrated his dancing skills as party supporters chanting praises on him.

He said, “Today, I have come to Kano to dance. I promise I will serve you, I will serve Nigeria and protect all. I will keep my promises. Thank you,” he said. In his speech The host Governor Abdullahi.

Umar Ganduje of Kano state explained that all the variables of what will make one a president of Nigeria has been taken into consideration by the state and Tinubu poseses all of them. “We have put into consideration the credentials of our Presidential candidate and his running mate. Tinubu is a tasted and trusted person,” he said.

“Together we provided employment for youths and women empowerment as well as infrastructural development for the people of Kano state among others,” he said.

Chairman of APC Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi state Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, in his remarks said there was no friction in APC as being insinuated by some persons, stressing that “they are all together as one”

The APC National Chairman Senator Abdulahi Adamu presented the party’s flag to the Kano state Governorship candidate.

Meanwhile, thousands supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from seven states in the Northwest bisieged the streets of Kano on yesterday, to witness the campaign rally of the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Scammers behind January 8 aptitude test —NSCDC warns

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has warned applicants in the ongoing recruitment exercise to beware of scammers who are trying to take advantage of the exercise to extort them.

A statement by the spokesman of the Corps, Olusola Odumosu, Thursday in Abuja said the scammers have been circulating messages on social media directing applicants to attend a test on January 8.

“The attention of the Nigeria

Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been drawn to an erroneously crafted message to applicants about the recently advertised NSCDC 2022 recruitment exercise circulating in the media, various social media platforms and WhatsApp groups.

“The message states that ‘The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) wishes to inform the general public that the Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) for recruitment into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps

(NSCDC) will hold on the 8th of January, 2023 in the 36 States of the federation and FCT’.”

Odumosu said the message is fake, misleading and a calculated attempt by fraudsters and cyber criminals to take advantage of the recruitment process in order to extort unsuspecting applicants of their money by causing panic and creating unnecessary tension with the said write-up.

“Members of the public and desperate job seekers are hereby warned not to fall victim to extortions and job scams

through a grandiose attempt by job racketeers to misinform and confuse them into parting with different sums of money in the name of helping to shortlist them for the aptitude test and getting placement in NSCDC.

“We enjoined the public to remain calm and patient for the authentic update and information on the recruitment process. “All updates with regards to the 2022 recruitment exercise would be published officially and made available to the public by the Board in due course,” he said.

State Pilgrims Walfare Agency Executive Secratery, Yusuf Yakubu,addressing the Emir of Zazzau, Nuhu Bamalli,- during the Zazzau Emirate Council Launching of 2023

Contributery Hajj Saving Scheme, yesterday in Zaria kaduna state

Buhari, Kaigama describe Benedict XVI as ‘Humble lover of Christ’

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, His Grace Ignatius Kaigama has described late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as a humble follower and lover of Christ.

He stated this at a requiem mass in honour of Pope Benedict at the Our lady Queen of Nigeria Pro Cathedral Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late Pontiff, Born Joseph Ratzinger, died on Dec. 31, 2022 in Vatican at the age of 95 after resigning on health grounds a decade ago.

Kaigama said the Pope’s death is a reminder that we belong to Christ and our request to return to him can be any time.

He said the church was consoled that the pope lived a long prayerful and productive life.

The cleric outlined lessons to be learned about the life and times of the pope to include, his focus on bringing God back to the centre of all human endeavour.

“He also addressed the need to purify the church and ourselves.

“He hated and discouraged bribe; he faced up the issues of immorality-sexual abuse, abortion,

homosexuality.

Monsignor Antonio GuidoFilipazzi the ‘Apostolic Nuncio’ to Nigeria and other Clergies during mass.

” He stressed the importance of interreligious and intercultural dialogue. He worked to build bridges between Christian and other faiths.

“The Pope was interested in a true meaningful dialogue and unity of the church.

“The pope showed interest in dialogue and econiumcum of the church

” After his surprise resignation, Benedict the 16th was only known to have left the Vatican briefly and was rarely seen in public.

” He had a very cordial relationship with other church leaders,“he said.

Kaigama said that the pope loved and promoted unity and peace in African countries through prayers and encounters.

Kaigama further encouraged African leaders to emulate the late Pope.

“He lived a commendable, exemplary and God centred life,“he said.

Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese His Grace Ignatius Kaigama in an interview with newsmen.

In his remark, President Muhammadu Buhari condoled the Vatican, Clergies and Catholics over the Pope’s death and described him as a true servant of God.

The President was represented by the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen.

“I hope he will be remembered as a true servant of God, who lived in humility and peace.

” I pray God to accept his soul whom he lived to serve all his life,” he said.

Also speaking, Monsignor Antonio Guido- Filipazzi the ‘Apostolic Nuncio’ to Nigeria, thanked all laymen and clergies who had come to sympathise with the church.

“I thank the Archbishop and Bishops Emeritus, John Cardinal Onaiyekan,Clergy, Nigerian leaders and authorities, members of the diplomatic corps who have come to express their condolences to the Holy See.

“To be a Pope has a great responsibility and we need to pray for God’s mercy on the soul of the

faithful departed, “he said.

Other Christians, who expressed their sympathy, said the late Pope lived a fulfilled life.

Prof. Gabriel Okenwa of the Papal Knight of St Sylvester, described the Late Pope as classic leader.

” For me Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was a quintessential servant of God on earth.

“I easily saw him as a world class theologian, he represented a lot and I can further here describe him as an epitome of the church’s institutional memory.

” I also saw Pope Benedict as a man of God who came and redefined the process of peace making.

Rev. Fr Patrick Alumuku, Director of Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja said” Pope Benedict the XVI was a gift to the church and to the world”.

“He was a great theologian and a great intellectual.

” One of the greatest intellectual the church had in our own time.

“We miss him a lot today, we love him because he had thought us a lot, he had thought us the love of God and about our faith,“he said. (NAN)

Intelligence: NFIU warns against huge cash withdrawals

The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has warned the public and private entities against massive cash withdrawals.

The Director and Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Malam Modibbo HammanTukur, gave the advisory in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

He spoke on the state of the nation’s security threats and financial liquidity.

HammanTukur advised all federal Ministries, Departments, parastatal Agencies (MDAs), State Governments, Local Government Councils, corporate bodies as well as, civil servants, public and private officers to embrace the cashless policy of money transactions to deepen national security.

This is to strengthen the country’s security and financial systems, he explained.

Benue APGA Deputy Gov candidate decries infrastructural decay

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Dr. Isaac Ode has decried the endemic infrastructural decay in Benue State.

Dr. Ode who made the lamentation in an interview with Peoples Daily yesterday in Makurdi, regretted that the State has not flourished over several administrations.

He also, frowned at the bad State of rural roads particularly the dilapidated Oju road which takes over 3 hours to ply as well as the Guma road which leads to the Governor’s home country

The academia equally, lamented the high rate of poverty amongst the people, noting that as an agrarian State,the people ought not to be poor.

According to him, the Federal and State Governments as well as the 774 local government councils have made cash withdrawals of about N200 billion, N156 billion and N120 billion, respectively, from 2015 to date.

To curb this excesses, the Federal Government has directed and ordered the stoppage of “direct cash withdrawals by public institutions and officers” with effect from March 1

, this year, HammanTukur stated.

He therefore advised all stakeholders to adopt new technologies of financial transactions and abide by the withdrawal limits or thresholds earlier prescribed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for corporate and individual

transactions.

It would be recalled that the CBN had in December 2022 prescribed a threshold of N5 million only for corporate accounts and N500,000 only for individuals per week.

HammanTukur however explained that no infractions have been recorded so far, but noted that cash withdrawals are still higher than deposits.

“Liquidity is needed to finance our markets”, he noted, adding that there is no threat to the corruption and money laundering crusade yet.

Besides, the director assured that any body with genuine need for huge cash transactions would seek presidential approval as there was no “standing waiver” on this policy.

While warning that the

“guideline is not reversible”, he stressed that any cash withdrawal beyond the approved limit would trigger a red flag by the relevant anti-graft agencies.

He reasserted that Nigeria has been designated as a noncash society by the World Bank, IMF and ECOWAS, among other stakeholders, with effect from March 1.

This is in addition to the categorisation of Nigeria as a “high risk” country by the concerned parties because of the enormous security challenges facing the nation, HammanTukur said.

“We can’t flow with politicians” because of obvious complications, while the set March 1

deadline was sacrosanct, according to him.

He however expressed optimism that the cash transactions would drop from the current N3 trillion to about N1 trillion when the policy became effective.

The NFIU director reminded Nigerians that three years imprisonment, payment of equivalent value of money involved or both punishments awaited violators of the cashless policy.

HammanTukur underscored the teeth of the “Rnforcement, guidelines and policies for mitigation of money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation of weapons and prevention of predicate crimes” Act of 2022.

He particularly cited Sections 2 and 22 of the NFIU laws of 2022 to buttress his threat.

(NAN)

Governor

Military

debarment

The Military Pensions Board (MPB) on Thursday began the payment of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) to eligible military retirees and next-of-kins of the deceased pensioners.

The Chairman of the board, Rear Adm. Saburi Lawal, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Lawal said the payment was sequel to the approval by President Muhammadu Buhari for the SDA to be paid to retirees who originally were not covered by the Nov. 9, 2017 effective

date.

He said it was also in line with the agreement reached at the ensuing tripartite meetings of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Finance and representatives of the veteran associations.

According to him, the board has commenced payment of the first and second tranches covering first and second quarters.

Lawal said the beneficiaries were military retirees on MPB database who retired before Nov. 9, 2017, deceased military retirees who were alive

when the Manual of Financial Administration (MAFA) 2017 was signed in 2017 and nonpensionable retirees who retired before Nov. 9, 2017 but were only paid gratuities.

He said the SDA was calculated as a function of 10 per cent of the retirees’ annual basic salary as at the time of retirement, multiplied by the number of years served in the services.

He urged all concerned military pensioners and NOKs of the deceased military personnel to contact their banks for their

entitlements.

The Chairman thanked President Buhari for his support to military retirees and the NOKs of deceased personnel.

“The Board would like to thank our esteemed military retirees for their patience and understanding during the process of getting funds for commencement of payment of this outstanding allowance.

“On its part, the Board pledges to ensure prompt payment of subsequent tranches of this arrears, once funds are made available,” he said. (NAN)

pensions board begins payment of security

allowance to pensioners, next-of-kins

of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal with PDP gubernatorial Candidate of the state, Mallam Saidu Umar, receives rousing welcome, during the PDP gubernatorial campaign rally at Tureta Local Government area of Sokoto state, yesterday.

Tragedy struck on Wednesday when 18 persons were burnt beyond recognition in an auto crash at Narbodo village in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi state.

Yusuf Abdullahi, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), disclosed this in a road traffic report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Thursday.

The FRSC boss who said the accident involved one Toyota Hiace bus and an articulated vehicle, revealed that three people on board the trailer were unscathed.

According to him, the accident occurred around 4:40 p.m. and it took the personnel of the corps

18 die in Bauchi auto crash – FRSC

barely seven minutes to arrive at the scene of the crash to clear the site.

He attributed the cause of the crash to speed violation which led to a head-on collision between the two vehicles.

“Twenty one people were

involved in the road crash and there were 18 male adults and three children.

“Eighteen people who were all inside the Toyota Hiace bus were burnt beyond recognition as the vehicle went up in flames after having a head-on-collision with

the trailer,” he said.

Abdullahi also stated that mass burial was immediately carried out for the victims by the Nigeria Police Force.

The sector commander, however, advised road users to always be conscious of traffic

rules and regulations while plying the roads.

He urged vehicle owners and drivers to ensure having good tyres, driving on average speed, routine vehicle maintenance and sound state of mind. (NAN)

2023: APC campaign committee begins voters’ sensitisation in Lagos

The Lagos Mainland All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Committee has kicked off activities for members and voters sensitisation ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Committee Chairman, Mr Ayodeji Abdulrauf made it known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

Abdulrauf said campaign activities started on Wednesday at Ward A Mainland with Members Engagement and Voters Sensitisation held at Otto Primary School.

According to the committee chairman, activities laid down includes, Members Engagement and Voters Sensitisation taking place across the Wards in both Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba LCDA respectively.

He said: “These programmes are slated for Jan. 4 to 22 at 4.00 p.m. daily while there will be a Re-visit of some wards from 22 to 30.

“This is necessary for strategic purposes.

“Thereafter, from Feb. 1 to 10, Wards House to House campaign begins and it will be monitored by the local government campaign committee members for effectiveness.”

Abdulrauf added that on Feb. 11, a ‘Walk Thru Rally’ would be

held for APC Candidates while on Feb. 18, Lagos Mainland APC would hold its Unity Rally.

For effectiveness and successful outcome of the election, the chairman noted that

Yoruba and Pidgin jingles would also be deployed to complement the party’s campaigns activities. He, therefore, sought the support and understanding of members and voters for

a successful outcome of the election.

Abdulrauf also appealed to the people to get their PVC’s while ensuring they came out to exercise their civic rights on election day.

He noted that without the PVC, the electorate would not be able to exercise their power, adding that it was the only tool that could be used to do the best for the country. (NAN)

I reorganized NAFDAC despite inheriting 3.2bn debt —Adeyeye

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said she has reorganized the agency despite inheriting 3.02 billion naira debt which she paid off within her first year in office.

She added that about 180 million naira of the sum were discovered to be fictitious.

Adeyeye made this known at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja while

reeling out the agency’s strategic goals for the years 2023-2028.

The NAFDAC boss said the IGR of the agency have tripled from N700 million to 2.5 billion naira based on her financial management initiative.

“User fees have more than doubled to 15 billion naira.

“From 2019-date, International Partners funding (Cash and Technical Support) received - amounted to $3,927,186.00. These funds are currently being utilized for specified purposes.

“NAFDAC was reorganized and more

directorates created (from 13 to 27) for effective management.”

She added that she established a continuous training culture in customercentric Quality Management System (QMS) for all NAFDAC mandates.

“Accreditation on QMS (ISO 80012015) in 2019 and yearly re-accreditation since that time. We motivated staff through trainings and better emoluments.”

On the state of laboratories in the country, she said more infrastructures were built in Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe, Ogun,

She

“There will be use of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, drama and comedy artistes to convey importance of quality, safe, efficacious and wholesome regulated products as well as make media parley more structured.”

Kwara, Osun and Ebonyi; plus, Ports Inspection Directorate Airport NAHCO Office and Yaba Drug Laboratory are completed or near completion respectively to meet WHO specifications.

said additional media outlets whould be used to disseminate information on NAFDAC activities.

L-R: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Power, Hon. Magaji Da’u Aliyu with Minister of State for Power, Mr. Goddy Jedy-Agba, during the committee on power public hearing on the bill for an act to amend electric power sector reform act 2005 to provide the legal and institutional frame work for the implimentation and coordination of rural electrification projects, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Bishop calls for National, moral rebirth

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

As Nigerians celebrate the New Year, the Bishop of Anglican Communion Kaduna Diocese, Rt. Rev. Timothy Yahaya has called for National, moral rebirth, and attitudinal change across the board for the country to progress and develop.

Speaking while delivering his New Year message at the Cathedral of St Michael Anglican Church, Kaduna on Sunday, Reverend Yahaya tasked Nigerians to eschew religious and ethnic sentiments and vote for leaders who posses required qualities to lead the country out of the security and economic challenges bedeviling it into era of progress and development during the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

“The rate at which our nation is going, there is a need for national rebirth. Morality is down, sincerity is absent, life is worthless, ritual money, ritual killings all over the place. The tomato seller, the groundnut seller is not spared, everybody should come on board. We must reconsider our way to rebirth the nation. Everybody needs to be patriotic, nationalistic, we need to defend Nigeria to make Nigeria work.

“Because we are calling for national rebirth, the forthcoming general election should be peaceful and credible. National rebirth is all inclusive, politicians must play a game of unifying the country so that it would not be a mere geographical expression as our forefathers say. When a leader comes to campaign to vote, we look at ethnicity and religion, instead of looking at the quality of the leader and voting credible candidates.

“ We should disregard message of division and embrace message of unity. Except we are united, this country would not go far. We must disregard division.”

Speaking on the various attacks on INEC offices nationwide and their impacts on the 2023 general elections, Reverend Yahaya said security agents should have taken severe actions to nip it in the bud long ago. “Vandalism of INEC offices started a long time ago, where is the security? The Even INEC chairman had to call on the Federal Government for security. We don’t need that call. I pray these are not the detractors of our democracy or people who want to pull our country down. Burning down INEC offices would not change the result of the elections.

“I call on Nigerians not to sell their votes. Your votes speak for another four years. Whoever sells his vote is worthless. How much would they sell you as an individual? Money is not everything, they are not buying your vote, they are insulting you.

“For those under bandits’ captivity, we are saddened by their situation. Our security must be on top of their game. No area should be said to be difficult. We should use technology to cater for all. “

Fuel scarcity: NMDPRA seals 14 filling stations for selling petrol at higher prices in Kano

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Kano state office of Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed 14 filling stations for selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petroleum at higher prices.

Addressing journalists shortly after surveillance operation in Kano on Thursday, state coordinator of NMDPRA, Aliyu Muhammad Sama said the the operation was part of daily regulatory function to ensure price regulation of the product.

According to him, even in December last year, the agency

had sealed over 100 filling stations of independent marketers for selling petroleum above stipulated prices.

He said the sanction was imperative in view of the fact that major marketers are selling petroleum at N185 per litre while the independent marketers sell the product at N290, N295 and N30 per litre.

He said the affected marketers would pay the fine of N150,000 per pump while the filling stations would remain sealed until the owners agree to revert to stipulated prices.

According to Sama, although there is no official pump price of petroleum presently, the filling stations are selling the product

above reasonable price of between N250 and N280 a litre.

“We have not yet prosecuted any affected marketers because prosecution is the last resort.

“We have just imposed a fine of N150,000 per pump on them. If they fail to pay the fine, we also impose transaction cabellation on them,” he said.

The Coordinator explained that transaction cancellation is one of the most painful punishment to erring marketers.

He said “if the transaction is cancelled, a marketers may not get his bridging fund of not per litre,”

Sama disclosed that “even in December, we have invalidated 16 transactions of erring marketers.

We will not condone any action capable of inflicting hardship on innocent people.

“We will continue to raid filling stations that sell petroleum at exorbitant prices until they revert to affordable price,” Sama said.

Some of the sealed filling stations include Azman Oil, Red Star, A. Y. Maikifi, SID, Alaj and Danlami.

Others include 2 stations belonging to Audu Manager, Rimi Holdings, Rabash Oil, IDM Makole, Alhaji Ahmadu Ila & Sons and Haab, among others.

Peoples Daily reporter, who was among the journalists that cover the operation, observed that all the sealed filling stations were at the Kano metropolis.

NEMA begins second -phase of food distribution to 8,000 IDPs in Borno State

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced the second phase of food distribution from items donated by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) for 8,000 households of Internally Displaced Persons in four camps and host communities in Borno State.

This was contained in statement signed and issued by Manzo Ezekiel NEMA Press Unit.

Director General NEMA Mustapha Habib Ahmed who flagged off the distribution in Maiduguri on Thursday said at

conclusion of the second phase of the distribution, about 16,000 IDPs households in Borno State would have benefitted from the food donation by KSrelief. The first phase of the food distribution was done in December 2022.

He said the distribution would be carriedout in four camps that are located around Maiduguri namely: Muna Kumburi, Gongulon, Madinatu I and Madinatu II. These, according to him were in addition to the earlier distribution in December 2022, during which about 8,000 households benefitted in five camps at El-Miskin, Doro, Ashiri, Shuwarin and Nganzai.

The NEMA DG who was

represented by the Director of Planning Research and Forecasting Hajiya Fatima Suleiman Kasim said each of the households is expected to have 59.8 kilograms food basket, made up of 25kg of rice; 25kg of beans; 4kg of Masa vita flour 2kg of tomato paste; litres of ground nut oil; 1kg of salt and 0. 8kg of maggi cubes.

While appreciating the King of Saudi Arabia, His Majesty, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammad Bin Salman for the donation delivered through KS relief, the NEMA DG Mustapha Habib Ahmed said the gesture would go a long way to benefit the

IDPs and complement the efforts of the Federal Government.

He said “our partnership with KSrelief dates back to 2018. Between 2018 and 2021, the Centre donated relief items (food baskets) to some Internally Displaced persons in Borno, Yobe and Zamfara States.”

He further that “KSrelief has been very benevolent to the Country. Interventions have been beneficial as evident from the positive testimonies from the IDPs.”

The food distribution is being carriedout directly to the IDPs in their places of abodes at the camps by NEMA Staff in collaboration with staff of Borno State SEMA.

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (right) with the Ona of Abaji HRH Alh. Adamu Yunusa during the Minister’s condolence visit to Kwali over the death of Etsu Kwali, HRH Shaban Nizazu III in Kwali, FCT, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Gwagwalada okada union forum gets new executives

By Usman Shuaibu

Alegal luminary, Barr Andrew Ofoji has sworn-in the newly elected officials of Gwagwalada Okada Union Forum in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Some of the newly elected officials are: Mallam Yushua Hassan Akula; Chairman, Mr Owudah Hassan; Vice-Chairman, Mr Abubakar Muhammad; Secretary-General, Mr Sani A. Isah; Treasurer and the position of Assistant Secretary went to Mr Emmanuel Moses.

Speaking at the occasion, the Aguma of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Muhammadu Magaji who was represented by the District Head of Gwagwalada, Mallam Muhammad Lakai, advised the okada riders to carry out their duties with the fear of God.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri, who was represented by his Protocol II at the occasion, said his administration would take the okada riders along in the affairs of things in the area.

In an interview, the Chairman of Okada Union Forum in Gwagwalada, Mallam Yushau Hassan Akula, said he would provide purposeful leadership capable of satisfying the aspirations of okada riders in the area.

Akula, therefore, appealed to the administration of Gwagwalada Area Council to assist the union with a bus for the smooth running of the union.

On his part, the Unit Head Operation of FRSC in Gwagwalada, Mr Salihu Abubakar Gada, charged the okada riders to avoid riding in one-way, as he counselled them against riding at 11pm.

NDLEA arrests 4, seizes 298 bags of cannabis in Kaduna

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Kaduna State Command says its operatives have arrested four suspects with 298 bags of Cannabis Sativa.

NDLEA’s Commander in the state, Mr Ibrahim Braji stated this at a news conference in Kaduna on Wednesday.

He said that operatives of the agency arrested the suspects in the evening of Jan. 3, at Tasu

Mahuta community on Refinery Road, Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

The Commander said the operatives apprehended the suspects comprising two females and two males in possession of cannabis weighing 3,576kg.

The matter, he said, is being investigated to unravel other suspects for arrest and prosecution, adding that the command had expended its

operational structure in the state to curtail the influx and outflow of drug.

He listed the new area commands to include Makarfi, Soba, Kaduna North and Kaduna South, adding that patrol vehicles had been deployed to Samaru, Zaria and Sanga area commands due to its proximity with many states.

Braji further said that as the 2023 general election was

approaching, the command would carry out enlightenment campaign to sensitise the youth to dangers of drug abuse and its negative impacts.

“The sensitisation will be at schools, religious bodies, traditional institution and vulnerable places,” he said, and urged the youths not to allow themselves be hoodwinked by bad elements as tools of destruction to the society.(NAN)

Centre lauds Buhari’s social policy for the elderly

The Director-General of National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), Dr Emem Omokaro, has lauded the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari for remarkable achievements made so far in addressing issues concerning older persons in the country.

Omokaro gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

“The government of President Buhari is the first administration in the history of Nigeria that has done so well for older persons in terms of policy, legal framework, institutional and architectural procedures mechanism.

“This is the government that is walking the talk. So we can rightly say that older people, through NSCC have been really mainstreamed into development endeavours of the country.

“Currently, the Centre is working with the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), to have a separate Social Register strictly for older people. Also older people would be extracted from the general social register and add to the one for them.

“This is to ensure that a larger percentage of older people benefit for the various policies of the Federal Government, donor agencies and International Non

Governmental Organisations and others.

“It is also worthy to note that the revised Social Safety Protection Policy left out older people, but now it has included them. This means that there is a positive hope for older people across the country,” Omokaro said.

The NSCC boss explained that the agency’s mandates cut across all other government Ministries, Department and Agencies, thus, collaboration became a fundamental necessity for the ultimate actualisation of the Centre’s mandates.

She said the centre was serious in addressing issues of healthcare,

income, security and financial independence, intergenerational exchange and mentorship, abuse of older people, justice for older people and many more.

“We also have a programme called ‘Grand Mother Arise’. But please note that it is not only for women, because we are also sentimental about grandfathers.

“You know, there are a lot of stereotypes against Grand Mothers, some see them as witches and the father wizards, but if you observe closely, these people are doing a lot for their community but have not been acknowledged.

“The programme is aimed at acknowledging the roles of

grandmothers and fathers in the communities and also adds value to their farm produce through partnership and collaboration with private sector and other stakeholders.

“We are getting the buy-in of royal fathers and even religious leaders to ensure that the Grand Mother Arise programme achieved its desired goals for the older persons in the various communities across the country,” Omokaro explained.

According to Omokaro, “all these are made possible by the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq.” (NAN)

L-R: Sokoto State PDP Chairman, Hon Bello Aliyu Goronyo, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Sokoto State PDP Governorship Candidate, Mallam Saidu Umar and others, during the PDP gubernatorial campaign rally at Tureta Local Government area of Sokoto state, yesterday.

Only countries investing in technology can develop -NASENI EVC

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna yesterday said only countries investing in technology can develop.

He said it was time to revive craft schools, technical and vocational centres and technical colleges to train critical mass of artisans needed by Nigeria.

He also said the quality of human capacity in a nation shapes and determine its progress.

Haruna made the submissions at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the NASENI Skill Acquisition Centre, Bagudo in Kebbi State.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari approved construction of skill development centres to meet the challenges of technology gap and fill the vacuum created by shortage of artisans.

He said: “It is the quality of human capacity in a nation that shapes and determine its progress and sustainable development and not commodity or natural resources.

“Experience has shown that countries that invest adequately in technology acquisition and deployment are the leaders in socio-economic development even if they import all raw material needs of their economy.”

Haruna called for the revival of craft schools, technical and vocational centres and technical colleges to train critical mass of artisans needed by Nigeria.

He said it was important to promote technical education to protect the future of young men and women who are the leaders of tomorrow.

Gov Yahaya

implore synergy to tackle insecurity

From David Hassan, Gombe

Gombe state governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has implored synergy in tackling insecurity in the country.

The governor also said tackling insecurity will help boost the nation building.

He stated this when he paid homage to the Emir of Dukku Alhaji Haruna Abdulrasheed on Thursday when his campaign train landed in Dukku town.

He called on electorates to do the needful by collecting their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to enable them vote people of their choice he said.

He added: “Craft schools, Technical and Vocational Centres and Technical colleges to train critical mass of artisans needed by Nigeria have either been abolished in most states of the federation or have deteriorated in structures and in workshop equipment and laboratories.

“The skill development centres approved for establishment by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR for NASENI across the nation such as the one we are commencing construction in Kebbi are designed to meet the challenges of technology gap and fill the vacuum created by shortage of artisans, craftsmen, and women.

“The centres will be adequately equipped with basics to advanced modern training facilities and equipment for training competitive workforce ready for self-employment generation and entrepreneurship.”

“The future of nations and societies is predicted and reflected on the attitude and preparedness of the young men and women who are the leaders of tomorrow.

“An unemployed critical mass of the young ones who waste the most energetic period of their lives in drug addiction, political thuggery and many crimes and social vices do not represent a bright future for any country. Indeed, an idle mind (hand) is a devil’s workshop. “

Haruna explained that with NASENI’s focus on skills acquisition, the nation will be able to maintain its critical infrastructure.

He said: “The on-going skill development, youth empowerment and the establishment of skill development centres across the country is in fulfilment of Federal Government new employment generation and provision of a competent manpower for the country.

“The soft component of manufacturing or knowledgebased economy is the quality human resources. This is the most important component, absence of which the country will remain an import-oriented economy.

“The technical know-how needed to guarantee sustainability and maintainability of massive infrastructure such as Railway, Aviation, Bridges, the Health sector, Energy and Water resources to mention only a few which are provided by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and also, what is needed to transit Nigeria to a manufacturing economy.”

Laying the foundation, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi

State appreciated the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and NASENI for bringing the project to Kebbi.

“We appreciate the minister, Abubakar Malami SAN, for his influence to bring the project to Kebbi, we also appreciate NASENI for its move to establish a centre for manufacturing of farming machines and farming implements in the state.

“We also appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for what he has been doing for Kebbi, especially, 100-bed hospital, Immigration Training Centre, the only one in Africa and Federal College of Education (FCE) all in Bagudo Local Government, Area,”

he said.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) appreciated God Almighty for using him to facilitate the project with the support of the governor

He praised NASENI for not only bringing the project to Kebbi but also for distributing modern cooking stove and pots to 350 households in the area.

He said the items would go a long way in minimizing incessant felling of trees.

He explained that the centre would train youths on renewable energy, modern farming techniques as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

INEC begins online media accreditation for 2023 general elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced online accreditation for Journalists and media organisations wishing to cover the 2023 general election.

According to the flier issued

by INEC on Thursday in Abuja, interested media organisations wishing to deploy journalists to cover the election are to apply via: https://imap.inecnigeria.org.

It stated that the portal would be accessible from Thursday, Jan.

5 to Sunday, Feb. 5.

“Late submission shall not be entertained as the portal will automatically shut down on Sunday. Feb. 5 at 5pm.

“There shall be no manual accreditation.

For further enquiries, INEC adviced media organisations to contact Chinwe Ogbuka –08033141836; Nathaniel Gana – 08033802792; and Patience George – 08032861058. (NAN)

Emir of Zazzau lauds FG efforts in tackling insecurity

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Emir of Zazzau, His Riyal Highness, Amb Nuhu Ahmed Bamali has appreciated the efforts of the federal government in addressing security concerns but called

for improved measures across Northwestern states.

He also commended the federal government for completing the Kaduna-Zaria and charged them to do the same along the KadunaAbuja highway.

The Emir made the

commendation when the Vice Presidential candidate of the APC Senator Kashim Shettima paid him a courtesy visit in his palace in Zaria, Tuesday.

Sen Shettima said the Tinubu/ Shetima presidency will place a premium on tackling all forms

of insecurity in the Northwest if elected.

He acknowledged the success achieved in the counter insurgency fight across states in the Northeast and promised that same will be done in the Northwest.

AA sets to flag off Presidential campaign on Saturday

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Action Alliance (AA) said it is set for the official flag off of

its Presidential Campaign for the 2023 Presidential Election on Saturday in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

The National Chairman of AA Dr Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje stated this in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna

yesterday.

According to him, the party’s Presidential candidate Okanigbuan Solomon-David iruobe will

take the campaign to all the States, Local Government Areas, Wards and Polling Units across the country.

L-R: The APC Governorship candidate in Kebbi State, Dr. Nasiru Idris Kaura Gwandu, Governor Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami(SAN) and the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the NASENI Skill Acquisition Centre, Bagudo in Bagudo in Kebbi State yesterday. PHOTO: NASENI

Mrs Roselyn Yuhe, a Writer and Educator has narrated her ordeal, many years after her sexual and domestic abuse encounter.

Yuhe, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, said that it took great courage to finally speak about her experience in her latest book, The Power of Purpose and Intention.

According to her, the world, including members of her family would get to know about what she went through as a child for the first time, in the book.

“My story can best be described as turning scars into a healing balm for others.

“I was raped by my school teacher at the age of 15, but no one in my family knew about it because I couldn’t tell anyone, they will all get

to read it in my new book.

“I have been traumatized for years.

“The experience altered my performance in class back in school then, also, I noticed later in life that my grace dropped and I wasn’t ever the same again.

“It affected my lifestyle, I began to make wrong choices, one of which was getting to marry a wrong partner who ended up violating me as well.”

Yuhe added that the experience reduced her confidence and made her to contend with low self-esteem which limited her growth and progress in life.

She explained that she couldn’t speak out then, because her environment and the society normalized domestic violence and expected victims to endure such marriages.

She said: “In the past, a typical African setting would expect a woman to endure and not to leave her matrimonial home, especially when she has children.

“Unfortunately too, my in-laws were not on my side and never liked me for reasons I never got to know.

“Then, I couldn’t leave also because I was afraid of what people would say. It was believed that once you return home, you become a prostitute or wayward especially as a single mother.

“Fortunately for me, leaving my marriage after a thorough thought opened my eyes and I realized my potentials and discovered I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.

“Today, I’m a trained educator, a school proprietor and an education counselor.”

Yuhe said the book would encourage other women who may

have encountered any form of abuse to remain focused and determined to explore life.

Female writer narrates ordeal, years after sexual, domestic abuse Governor Fintiri mourns NUT Chair, Rodney Nathan

She said that such victims should not allow societal beliefs, pressure and past experiences to deter them from achieving their goals in life and impacting positively on the society.

“No matter who you are, you can break free. If I can, you can as well. This is one of my message to especially single mothers.

“The fact that you are single does not make you a prostitute but you can strive to live an exemplary life that can be emulated, especially for your children’s sake.”

Yuhe said that the book, which was launched on Dec. 10, 2022 and already selling, would also encourage women to speak out, show up and distinguish themselves from others irrespective of their past. (NAN)

From Umar Dankano, Yola

Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa state has commiserated with the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), over the demise of the State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Rodney Nathan.

Late Nathan died on Tuesday at a private hospital in Jos, Plateau state after an illness.

Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Humwashi Wonosikou disclosed the development through a press statement issued in Yola Wednesday commiserating with the family and associates of late Nathan.

Governor Fintiri described the late Chairman as a successful administrator and educationist, who got to the top by hard work.

“Rodney Nathan would be remembered for his exemplary lifestyle. He was a man who demonstrated great commitment to the service of the Union and the new thinking of our administration towards the growth and development of the education sector as reflected in the various leadership roles he played in the promotion of cordial working relationship and revamping of education in Adamawa State”.

The Governor described the late NUT Chair as a decent and diligent unionist, saying his death was a major loss not only to his family, the Bwatiye race, the Teachers Union in the North, but also the entire State.

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger state government has inaugurated the Technical Working

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS in diaspora elected Comrade Prince John Ogar from the

Committee of the State Road Safety Advisory Council (SARSAC) with the deputy governor Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso to serve

University of Sierra Leone, as its new president.

Prince Ogar took over from Evidence Ahayere, whose tenure has come to an end.

He was declared the winner

as the chairman.

The deputy governor during the inauguration at government house Minna, said the committee is about

after he scored the highest votes to beat comrade Abdulrazak Abdulrahman from the South Africa University of the union election held online.

The new NANS diaspora

the peoples’ safety and assured of doing the needful on the state roads, Ketso lamented over non compliance with the traffic

president in a statement after his victory vowed to make issues of students in diaspora his priority.

He said, “My administration will do everything to engage government agencies,

rules and regulations by most drivers.

He also called for discipline on the part of the road users.

Niger Govt inaugurates State Road Safety Advisory Council NANS in diaspora elects Ogar as new president

developmental partners, especially those in charge with the responsibility to promote and finance and invest more in our education system.”

L-R: Ekiti State First Lady, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji; Renowned Film maker, Tunde Kelani and Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji; when the First family hosted Kelani at their Ikogosi country home shortly before the screening of one of his movies at the Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort, Ikogosi, yesterday.

Electricity workers oppose N3trn FG funding for into private power coys

By Christiana Ekpa

Organised Labour on Thursday kicked against over N3 trillion injected by Federal Government into the privatised electricity companies owned by individuals, without commensurate increase in power generation over the past 10 years.

The Secretary General of the National Union of Electrivity Employees (NUEE), Comrade Joe Ajaero expressed the concern during the public hearing on a bill to amend Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.

The amendment also seeks to provide the legal and institutional framework for the implementation and coordination of Rural Electrification projects, establishment of the National Power Training Institute and Regulatory provisions to strengthen the sector for efficient services delivery and for related matters.

The public hearing was held at the instance of House Committee on Power chaired by Hon. Aliyu Magaji.

In his remarks, Hon. Magaji explained that the public hearing was to address the

Adamawa

SDP gubernatorial candidate commiserates with families of late NUT Chair

From Umar Dankano,Yola

The Adamawa state gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP),Dr.Umar Ardo has condoled the families of the late state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT. Comrade Rodney Nathan.

Ardo consoled the immediate family and relatives of the deceased at his residence in Dandu quarters of Yola South local government area on Thursday.

He urged them to take solace in Almighty God saying, “He gives and takes life at wish for a purpose“.

concerns raised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on the directive of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, before the consideration of the Committee’s report on the public hearing held on the 14th December, 2021.

Comrade Ajaero who argued that the privatisation has further compounded the economic woes, maintained that the privatisation policy was designed to fail from the onset.

He maintained that “there has not been meaningful improvement or contribution by the current investors nine years after privatization and 17 years after the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005 was signed into law.”

While stressing the need to review the entire privatization exercise, the NUEE Scribe said: “Our position on privatization is clear, but we are worried whether these amendments are critically based on market private public where we belong now.

“Having tried privatization for 10 years, and we are doing just the amendment of sections of the act and even the review provision in the act which gives provision for the review of the sector after five years and we have written consistently and it has not happened.

“This Act, are we really obeying

it? If there is provision for review after five years, and Nigerians are groaning, consistently Nigerians are complaining and we say privatization was based on the fact that government doesn’t have any business in it and government is pumping in money to an individuals business.

“As we speak now, almost N3 trillion has been pumped into the power sector which wasn’t there when it was owned by the government. So what’s the logic to say Government has no business in business and government now has to pump and fund the business of another man. And we need to sit down and see what is working for us.

“That is why we came here to say the laws we made by ourselves, we can pause and look at it and move on. Since nobody has to talk about reversion of privatization, but let’s us see how it can ft us.

“As we are speaking today, the issue of tariffs is on, if government is pumping in trillions and Nigerians are being compelled to pay, you can see what is happening, the country is suffering.

“If you put two trillion (naira) in the economy of Nigeria today it will thrive, but it is being pumped into business owned by individuals. Let’s look at. What is the cost benefit analysis of this if we have to take our money,and go

and check the records, for about 10 years before privatization, government didn’t put ten percent that money into the sector but it’s putting it now.

“For another 10 years no increase in generation, no conscious master plan, there is no plan in the country that by next year power plant will come into the system. Non for the next two years nor three years for power generation to be constant, at 4,000 Megawatt, and demand will continue to increase because more houses will be built, connect on and on.

“So if this is reduced to public hearing and no action is taken further on how to make the system work, and Nigeria is still at the bottom of countries suffering power poverty all over the world.

“The normal concept is one million people to one thousand Megawatt, and we have a country of 200 million people with 4 to 5 thousand Megawatt, nobody is talking about it.

“During the Babangida era there was feasibility study on Mambila which had the capability of giving what we are having in this country today and from that period till now nothing has happened. The same thing with Zungeru.

“The union doesn’t want to bask in the euphoria of the Act/ law which does not provide one

Megawatt to the system. The union doesn’t want to bask in the euphoria of having 19 companies, 19 MD’s and ED’s on 4,000 Megawatts.

“The company that was owned by one ED before will now multiply. The multiplication of 19 successor companies did not add one Megawatt. So what’s the honest sense of sweeping in 200 companies knowing the generation is constant,” Comrade Ajaero noted.

In the bid to address myriad of challenges facing the industry, Comrade Ajaero underscored the need for review of shareholding of the industry.

According to him, “The option of Government controlling 60 percent shares of the facilities as against the present 40% (inclusive of the negotiated 10% equity shareholding for staff in line with the Laws setting up the National Council on privatization (NCP) is imminent as the Private Sector Operators have clearly shown lack of capacity to construct a simple Power Plant since the last 9 years.

“Besides, the Federal Government has continued to fund the Sector. Available statistics shows that about N400 billion was realized from the privatization of the Power sector with the Federal Government investing over one trillion thereafter,” he stressed.

Society of Diplomats appoints Nigerian as Deputy Sec. Gen.

The Governing Council of the International Society of Diplomats (ISD) has appointed a Nigerian, Mr Tunji Asaolu, as its Deputy SecretaryGeneral.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Secretary-General of ISD, Manuel Fernandez on Thursday in Abuja.

Fernandez in statement said that Asaolu’s appointment was confirmed on Dec. 30, 2022 and

with immediate effect.

He said Asaolu has been confirmed as Deputy SecretaryGeneral, African Affairs and Ambassador to the African Union by ISD for an initial two years term that is renewable for another two years.

“I am pleased to convey to you, the approval of your appointment as the Deputy Secretary-General, African Affairs by the Governing Council of ISD.

“By this appointment, you are also admitted into the International Advisory Council.

“In line with the mandate of ISD, you are expected to liaise with the international headquarters in discharging the functions of this office, develop programmes and activities.

“Provide regular updates on ISD progress; promote international cooperation with other relevant authorities.

“Provide expert advice on issues related to your line of duties, including International diplomacy, economy, trade and investment, peace and social justice.”

ISD is an A-class international organisation with core mandate to promote diplomacy through friendship, trade, investment, international cooperation, peace and social justice, for development and advancement of humanity. (NAN)

ABU urges students to resume

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Ahmadu Bello University has implores parents, guardians, and other stakeholders to ensure that their wards return to

school immediately.

The university said lectures for all undergraduate students of Ahmadu Bello University have commenced in earnest in line with the revised academic calendar for

the 2021/2022 academic session approved by the Senate of the University.

This was contained in a statement by the Public Affairs Directorate, Office of the Vice-

Nupe celebrates cultural festival

By Usman Shuaibu

The leadership of Nupe Development Association (NDA) which comprised of Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has celebrated the first Nupe cultural festival, special award ceremony and

launching of the 2023 calendar in a grand style.

The first Nupe cultural festival which took place at Angwan Dodo Primary School in Gwagwalada was attended by the important dignitaries within and outside the FCT.

Speaking at the occasion, the president of NDA in charge of

Zone A, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Makun said: “The association is formed for the purpose of promoting unity, peace and progress of its members thereby setting a pace for our future generation yet to come”.

He called on those who have not registered as the members of Nupe Development Association

to do so, saying that the door is opened for every Nupe person in the FCT.

He then appealed to highly placed individuals to support the association both cash and kind to purchase a plot of land to erect a befitting secretariat for the association in the FCT.

Makun thanked the executives

Chancellor, and made to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

The statement stated that only a few students turned out for lectures in all the places visited on the 3rd of January, 2023.

of the association as well as the members for their efforts towards the progress of the festival.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Mohammed Saba who is the Secretary of Gwagwalada Area Council, said he would not hesitate to assist the association when the need arises.

Open letter to presidential candidate

By Abdussamad Umar Jibia

Is it Energy? I am afraid some of the people being accused of embezzling monies meant for the creation of new Generation stations may be among those working hard to make sure that you become. Are you going to investigate them?

Your Excellency the Presidential candidate of his party

You are right. My name sounds familiar. I wrote in support of the Muslim-Muslim ticket before the APC primaries. I am a supporter of that ticket. I would like to believe that if Nigerian Christians had the numerical advantage Muslims have, no Muslim would smell the number two position, much less dream of becoming the President of this great country.

No worries. I am not writing to ask nonMuslim presidential candidates to step down. Nigerians will step down anyone they don’t like, many thanks to Buhari for making the votes of Nigerians count. Before 2015 many Nigerians had resigned to fate and watched helplessly as PDP wielded the power to rig anyone it wanted in and out of office. May we not have a repeat of that era. Amin.

I write to sympathize with you for being foolish enough to seek to rule 200 million people. The implication of this is that you will stand before God for judgment with 200 million people, their children and their great grandchildren yet unborn. There, you will explain how you generated and distributed their commonwealth. You are also expected to prove that you equally distributed every opportunity among

Nigerians as required of a just and true leader. That you did not corner any part of it for your children and cronies. That you did not leave any opportunity that will better their lot without seizing it. That as their leader you did not sleep well in Abuja while people in rural areas are awake, unsure of when next they will be attacked.

I am surprised how you wash your face and look into the faces of Nigerians and tell them that it will be rosy when you become president. Something must be wrong with you; but not you alone. The people around you who do not tell you the truth and the thousands of poor masses who collect peanuts to come out to the streets to hail you should also be examined.

I wonder where you will start. Our Educational system? Which part of it? Primary and Secondary Education? The tertiary education? Polytechnics, universities or colleges of Education? Where are you going to start? Will you give free education or you will commercialize it a little? Who will pay? The majority of Nigerian parents who cannot give two meals to their families in a day? Will it continue to be free? Where would you get the money to steal if all of it goes into educating the children of poor people?

Do you think our educational system as it is now is okay for an underdeveloped economy like ours? The last major reform we had in the Education sector was more than 30 years ago with migration to the 6-3-3-4 system. Since then nobody cared. People like you vie for election, win and appoint ministers of Education whose primary objective, just like your Excellency, is to make money. They finish their days, others come and life continues.

May be you would look at the health sector first? What incentive do you have for health professionals to stop their mass exodus to foreign economies? Do you know that native doctors are establishing their shades in the vicinity of our hospitals? Their medicine is cheaper than the unaffordable drugs being prescribed in our hospitals. Are you going to spend Nigeria’s money to give healthcare to poor people? This one, like Education, will leave no money to steal. Remember, you would need money when you come to seek reelection.

Is it Energy? I am afraid some of the people being accused of embezzling monies meant for the creation of new Generation stations may be among those working hard to make sure that you become. Are you going to investigate them?

Let me not take much of your time. When I sat to write this piece I had only one thing in mind. Insecurity. My local Government is one of the worst hit in terms of insecurity in Nigeria. The problem is soluble; unfortunately you cannot solve it. You are either part of it or you are currently struggling to win the hearts of those who are behind it. So why should I say it all here?

If I say all I wanted to say I will either be in my grave or some ‘correctional’ centre by the time you or one of the other candidates will be sworn in May. And in any case it will not be implemented. So the best thing is to watch and pray.

By CUI Jianchun

On the New Year’s Eve, Chinese President XI Jinping, at his 2023 New Year Address, extended greetings to all nationals as well as friends and people in the world, while claiming that, since COVID-19 struck, China has prevailed over unprecedented difficulties and challenges. China has entered a new phase of COVID response, where tough challenges remain. Everyone is holding on with great fortitude, and the light of hope is right in front of us.

After three year’s fighting against the pandemic, the whole world is much more convinced that, virus itself is the common enemy of all human beings. Till now, the corona virus is still lingering over the world, with far-reaching social, economic and political consequences in different countries, and also with its sub-variants, such as Omicron, prevalent in many countries including China.

From the very beginning of its response against the pandemic, China has always taken responsible policies on a science-based and targeted approach, by putting people and their lives above all else, and by adapting measures dynamically and proactively. It has been proved and widely recognized that China’s COVID response policies over the past three years have realized the goal of achieving the best results at the least cost.

In the past three years, China has provided the greatest extent possible of protection to the people. China has made the best effort to protect the life and health of its 1.4bn people, and poured all resources into treating every patient, no matter its own nationals or foreigners living there. China has effectively responded to five global COVID waves, and avoided widespread infections with the original strain and the Delta variant, which are relatively more pathogenic than the current spreading variants. Globally, China has had the lowest rates of infection and mortality. Despite the pandemic, average life expectancy in China rose from 77.93 years in 2020 to 78.2 years in 2021.

In the past three years, China has witnessed the stability of its economy and also its supply chain to the world. One of the key focuses of China COVID policy is to minimize the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development. With joint efforts of the whole country, China’s economy has managed to consolidate its resilience and maintain sound fundamentals, making it a reliable driving force of global economic growth.

The country’s GDP expanded at an average annual rate of 4.6 percent from the third quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2022, which is well above the world average, according to data released by the OECD. Besides, China has also led the world in terms of trade volume, goods production and energy production, and kept its inflation rate at a relatively low level. Chinese people’s basic livelihood has been guaranteed during the pandemic. In 2022, despite a global food crisis, China has secured a bumper harvest for the 19th year in a row.

In the past three years, China has witnessed the large-scale vaccination internally. China’s efficient response policies have bought precious time for researching and developing vaccines and medicine, and raising the vaccination rate of the whole population. As of last December, more than 3.46 bn COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland, with over 90 percent of the population fully vaccinated. However, due to most of the vaccination has been done a year ago, it is hard for a large part of the Chinese population to retain a high immunity level against various mutant strains. Recently, the second booster shot campaign has been pushing forward nationwide, with special attention on elderly people and people with serious underlying health conditions.

In the past three years, China has promoted the robust international solidarity. Since COVID-19 began, China has actively participated in international response. China shared the genome sequence of the virus at the earliest opportunity, making important contributions to the drug and vaccine research around the world. The competent authorities in China has kept regular communications with the WHO, carried out dialogues with partner countries to exchange technical experience, and shared information in a timely, open and transparent manner in accordance with the law, aiming at an early global victory over the pandemic. Meanwhile, to strengthen global defenses, China has provided anti-pandemic materials to 153 countries and 15 international organizations, sent medical expert groups to 34 countries, and offered over 2.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations.

In the last quarter of 2022, China adapted and refined its response policies, in line with a changed landscape of viral contagion. This shift is science-based, timely and necessary. It fully took into account of the much less pathogenic and deadly

status of the globally spreading Omicron variant, as well as of the progress that China’s treatment, testing and vaccination capacity steadily on the rise, and would concentrate its response from stemming infection to caring for health and preventing severe cases.

According to this adaptation, people infected with corona virus will no longer be quarantined and their close contacts will no longer be traced. Moreover, China is one step closer to fully opening to the outside, as domestic and foreign airlines will operate scheduled passenger flights, with limits on flights no longer applicable including closed management, nucleic acid testing, and quarantine measures.

Countries adjusting the COVID policy would invariably go through a period of adaptation. China is no exception. However, China’s current COVID situation on the whole remains predictable and under control, as many cities have gone through the peak. This adaptation by China is also important from a strategic and long-term perspective, for effectively coordinating COVID response with economic and social development. American, British, German and other foreign chambers of commerce in China commend this downgrade adaptation, noting this will clear the way for resumption of people-to-people exchange and business travel, and enhance foreign investors’ confidence in the Chinese market.

Comparing with the natural virus, what we should be much more vigilant on is the political virus. As many international health experts indicate that, the main variant now spreading in China is the same one prevalent in other countries, it is senseless to impose extra restrictions on travelers from China. Political manipulation of COVID response measures by few countries would only bring chaos to world’s solidarity. In this regard, we highly commend the Federal Government of Nigeria for its science-based and proportionate COVID response measures, which has featured from the very beginning of its response.

The light of hope on final victory over pandemic is right in front of us. Just as appealed by President Xi at his New Year Address, “let’s make an extra effort to pull through, as perseverance and solidarity mean victory”.

H.E. CUI Jianchun is the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria

Prof Abdussamad Umar Jibia a commentator on National Issues.

Adaptation is the key characteristic of China’s policy against COVID-19

All pollsters that rated Obi as most preferred candidate cannot be wrong at the same time

By Isaac Asabor

To internationalize the context of this piece, it is expedient to make reference to the US Polls in 2020 where not a few Pollsters in their findings came up with the results that Biden would win the election, irrespective of the fact that his opponents doubted the findings and dismissed them to be faked, Biden eventually won the election.

In the month of April 2022, Peter Obi, the presidential aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was tipped in an independent poll as the most preferred candidate in the upcoming 2023 presidential election among 14 others.

The poll, which was jointly conducted by NexTier, a multi-competency advisory firm, and Data-Tier, a data analytics and digital communications firm, said the study population consisted of voting-age Nigerians in the country and in the Diaspora, while respondents were chosen randomly from each of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

It will be recalled in this context that NexTier and DataTier said the aim of the poll was to “Guage Nigerians’ preferences for a presidential candidate; to understand the challenges Nigerians would like the next government address promptly, and to decipher to what extent ethnic engendered biases would inform the next election.”

Thus, the result revealed that almost half of the respondents (46.04 percent) selected Peter Obi as their most preferred candidate for president in 2023.

In a similar vein, Bloomberg’s opinion poll conducted in September last year has it that Obi, whom it referred to as being a third-party candidate, was the top choice to become the next president of Nigeria.

It stated that “A clear majority of respondents said they intend to vote for Peter Obi, a former state governor, in elections scheduled for February 2023. The results of the survey conducted for Bloomberg

News by Premise Data Corp. were published on Wednesday as the official campaign to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari kicked off.” Not only that, it said of the 92% of participants who said they’ve decided how to vote, 72% named Obi as their first choice. Of those who are still unsure, 45% said the 61-year-old is their preferred candidate.”

Ostensibly to double-check its poll that was conducted in September 2022 on the chances of presidential aspirants in the forthcoming election in February 2023, NOI Polls Limited in conjunction with ANAP Foundation in December released the findings of its second poll which again shows that Obi is ahead of the three other frontline candidates.

A recently conducted survey carried out by Market Trends International (MTI) on all presidential candidates in the 2023 election has placed Obi, ahead of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), and Rabiu Kwankwaso of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), among others.

Ostensibly out of fear or pride, Obi’s opponents have for the umpteenth time dismissed the surveys predicting Obi to be victorious. They have in their condemnations mischievously and bigotedly labeled the surveys to be fake and “paid for,” and urged Nigerians to disregard the findings.

It is sad to say that the same politicians and their supporters that are in the ongoing political dispensation condemning polls that favor Obi were alive when the presidential election opinion polls conducted for ANAP foundation in 2015 and 2019 clearly said the then candidate of the APC, Muhammadu Buhari had a better chance of winning the last two presidential elections.

Paradoxically, the two polls that are in favor of Obi; that is in September and December, and which have been raising dust were conducted by the same ANAP Foundation and NOI polls that are now being discredited by politicians and their followers that are

opposed to Obi’s presidential aspiration.

In the same vein, Bloomberg which also rated Obi to be ahead of other presidential aspirants ahead of the forthcoming elections had in the past been rated to be unbiased and reliable in its analysis cum fact reporting.

To internationalize the context of this piece, it is expedient to make reference to the US Polls in 2020 where not a few Pollsters in their findings came up with the results that Biden would win the election, irrespective of the fact that his opponents doubted the findings and dismissed them to be faked, Biden eventually won the election.

Personally speaking, it is difficult to ponder over the level of partisan politics being played against Obi by his traducers given the fact that most of them are either university or polytechnic graduates who ought to know that when knowledge is consistent with research findings that were variously conducted by pollsters that there is a strong reason for people to be more confident that it is accurate. Against the foregoing backdrop, why have unarguably educated and well-informed Nigerians always doubted the veracity of the polls that say Obi is ahead of other presidential aspirants?

Even from a casual perspective, the crowd that Obi has been pulling wherever he goes for a campaign; the endorsement galore he has been gaining, and the favorable mention of his candidacy by not a few Nigerians; online and offline, should be enough for his traducers to eschew disputing findings that are favorable to his presidential candidacy by reputable and credible Pollsters. Rather, they should work harder instead of playing the ostrich.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to say that all pollsters who variously rated Obi as the most preferred presidential candidate cannot be simultaneously wrong.

Isaac Asabor is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Triggers that can lead to suicide

By Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh

When I turned these words over in my mind, I thought that there was some sense in it. Look at it this way; what will stop you from going to bribe your lecturer in order to pass you when you find out that everyone else was doing the same thing? Why would you hesitate to lie when everyone else was lying?

In today’s article, I bring you the remainder of the several triggers that can lead to suicide and, it is my hope that this discussion will not only inform you but will also transform your perspective about the choices you make. this is because at the end of the day, you still have power to decide what you wanted to do with your life this 2023. But remember that whatever you did, happiness should be your overall focus. Read on..

Pervasive persons have always existed from time immemorial; their contribution to the growing spate of suicide is tied to the fact that their population is massively increasing. Who are the pervasive? They are those who practiced sodomy, lesbianism, masturbation, prostitution, 419, armed robbery as well as the production of pornographic films.

I always say that Nigeria has a keg of dynamite on her bosom but seems to preoccupy herself with tribal, religious and political sentiments when the real issues that destroy society are ignored. When our youths interact in the education, religion and community spaces with proponents of the LGBTI, how can we know?

But more importantly is the ‘what can we do’ question. This is because 6 in 10 young persons are daily conditioned to think that life is about cruise. This

pervasive mindset is reason why when they come out of school and there are no jobs coming; they become depressed. Overtime, they begin to contemplate death.

Someone once said to me that the reason for the increased competition to acquire nowadays is because the secret to getting money has been exposed. And I became interested to know more; so I asked him to explain further. Then he said that people now know that most wealthy societal big boys are thieves!

When I turned these words over in my mind, I thought that there was some sense in it. Look at it this way; what will stop you from going to bribe your lecturer in order to pass you when you find out that everyone else was doing the same thing? Why would you hesitate to lie when everyone else was lying?

So, it keeps getting worse because most of those we thought were role models are actually villains. Now, this is how this negativity can lead to suicide. This increased competition to acquire has destroyed contentment and many youth now see materialism as basis for personality definition or happiness and; when they lacked riches, they believe they’re cursed or not fit to live.

Some will internalize their situation of lack to the extent that it affected their self-image. To this category of people; it is either get rich by any means or exit the stage.

The greatest tragedy that befell human society in contemporary times is the death of communalism or the communal spirit. Nowadays, when accidents occurred, victims (who are mostly in painful agony) are surrounded by a crowd of onlookers who did nothing but to watch, take pictures or make videos they would publish on the social media.

Agreed that our laws contributed to this nonchalant behavior but then, it can also be said that modern men have lost the heart to empathize. Nowadays, the individualistic mindset has forced people to hide their troubles from their neighbors and to rather die in silence.

In this way, it becomes a walkover for someone who’s been depressed overtime to now commit suicide. In fact, the shock we normally expressed upon receiving the news of someone’s suicide is testament of the dangers of the individualistic or nonchalant mindset.

If we are a little bit more empathic, there wouldn’t have been putrefying stories like the woman who had 2 sons with her employer while living with a husband all the while. The trauma of this shameful act – you now know – drove the husband to commit suicide while the remorseless wife would relocate to the USA with her sons.

In the final analysis, it turns out that these 5 triggers exemplified the 3 main reasons (unhappiness, lack of emotional intelligence and lack of emotional sagacity) I gave in the first article for why suicide cases are quite rampant.

And like I would not fail to mention here; one major factor that contributed to these 5 reasons is the lack of self-awareness. This implies that self-awareness remains the best content in any sensitization or reorientation or policy drive in our attempt to prevent suicide. This is my area of expertise should you have the need to call on a resource person for any of your program.

Comrade Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh; a mental health activist writes from Abuja. 08062577718

Group warns DAPPMAN, others to stop sabotaging Nigerians, threatening NNPCL over fuel supply

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Acitizens-led anti-sabotage group on the aegis of The Natives has cautioned Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) and other stakeholders in the oil sector to stop threatening the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited in its efforts in the supply chain of petroleum products, thereby causing hardship for Nigerians.

The group also asked all the stakeholders in the oil industry to start preparing for fuel subsidy removal by June 2023, saying the country cannot continue with the regime of fuel subsidy that benefits only the few.

The anti-sabotage organisation was reacting to a media report credited to the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, (PTD-NUPENG) threatening another strike.

Kwali Bababye of Gade tasks Council Chair on employment

By Usman Shuaibu

The Bababye (chief) of Gade in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Yusuf Adamu, has called on the Area Council Chairman, Hon. Danladi Chiya to provide jobs for the youths to alleviate their suffering in the area.

He also charged the youths especially the graduates to engage themselves in meaningful ventures that would reduce their suffering in the society.

Bababye made the call in an interview with newsmen during the celebration of his chieftaincy title in Dabi on Saturday, further urged the youths to shun immoral acts in the society.

He, therefore, appealed to the entire residents of Kwali Area Council to continue to live in peace with one another irrespective of their religious and tribal differences.

He said he would continue to work towards the unity of Gade and other tribes in Kwali Area Council for the benefit of togetherness and tasked Kwali Chairman to carry every tribe along in the affairs of things.

Commencing on the 2023 general elections, Bababye of Gade pleaded with the people of Kwali and its environs to collect their PVs in order to vote for the candidates of their choices, while thanking those who graced the occasion.

In the report NUPENG had accused security agents of “illegal activities and high-handedness” particulalrly the Military Task Force operating in the Port Harcourt zone of the Union.

But in a statement signed and released Thursday in Abuja, by the President General of The Natives, Hon. Smart Edwards, the group said instead of threatening the NNPCL and sabotaging Nigerians, DAPPMAN and other Unions in the oil sector should devise another productive means of resolving impasse among the stakeholders and not causing Nigerians to be panic.

The statement said: “We read with disappointment the media reports credited to NUPENG against efforts to enforce sanity by joint task force on illegal activities by marketers and we called on DAPPMAN and other Unions in the Oil Sector to stop sabotaging the masses.

“We call on Depot Owners in the oil sector to stop their acts

of economic sabotage capable of imposing hardship on the masses. We believe that your businesses should be done within the law. It is an act of sabotage when you purchase products at regulated prices and go on to sell at prohibitive prices to independent marketers, what then do you expect? This is profiteering at the expense of Nigerians and therefore evil.

“Nigerians are not having this conversation amnesia. In 2022 the nation witnessed a great discovery of a network of pipes shortchanging Nigeria’s crude oil pby collaborative theft, the same which led to a joint action to collapse and curb this evil venture by NNPCL and Tompolo’s company, we will therefore not take lightly any act capable of reinstalling this kinds of economic sabotage.

“The players in this sector must seek new ways of doing things with transparency and not transferring their sole goal of making profits

on the masses. Lifting and storing of products are services rendered in a critical sector that affects all Nigerians, so it must not always be about threats.

“We must seek with the managers of the oil sector to begin to do things differently. Depot owners must begin to be patriotic.

“Again fuel susbidy will be removed in June this year and it is a must, therefore DAPPMAN and all other unions and associations must be ready to make sacrifices as the year progresses.”

While calling on all the Unions and associations in oil sector to be patriotic, The Natives demanded for elevation of transparency in their businesses.

“We also wish to make it abundantly clear that certainly transparency and patriotism must be elevated.

“We call on IPMAN, PTD and NUPENG to begin to look inwards, sanitize their midst and purge themselves and expel from their midst some unscrupulous

members and unpatriotic players who engage in smuggling, to desist from this retrogressive acts declared on the Nation, so as to carry out their businesses without let or hindrance rather than accusing the military or security agencies of taking actions based on intelligence gathered.

This is a new year and the budget already is seeing N3.6 Trillion Naira been earmarked for fuel susbidy, when youths are earnestly yearning for jobs and better livelihood.

“Nobody will save us as a country except we ourselves. Nigeria’s resources are bleeding in the midst of blessings in natural resources, and citizens have been responsible for it, now that the country is aware, we cannot fold our hands, we all must set Eagle eyes on the players and cronies of the sector.

“We are tired of the blame games always let’s enthrone transparency.”

Lagos AP guber candidate tasks residents on credible leaders

Pastor Peter Obayuwana, Lagos State Accord Party (AP) Governorship Candidate, has advised residents of the state not to make 2023 a year of mere wishes, but year of decisive action by electing credible leaders.

Obayuwana said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that 2023 should be made a turning point for the state by electing leaders that would address challenges facing the people.

“We all need water, electricity, food, shelter, good transportation system, security and a government that cares about the needs of the people.

“Borrowing the wise and honest words of President Muhammadu Buhari, I believe that the leadership of Lagos had tried its best.

“It is for us the good people of Lagos to decide whether this best deserves another four-year mandate in a state where there is rising insecurity, corruption and many other problems challenging the growth of the economy.

“Globally, there is economic incoherence. Even world powers are affected,” he said.

He added: “Sadly, economic downturn cannot be arrested like we did (near excellently) with COVID-19 and Ebola where a lot of funds were spent to provide the needed structure and prevent

further spread of the diseases.

“An economic downturn requires strategy and sincerity of purpose, openness and a leadership that gives hope to its people.’’

He said that 2023 should not be a year for populist views, but one for introspection for both candidates and the electorate.

“As a candidate you should ask yourself what have you done? What will you do?

“As a citizen, for whom will you vote? It is a year for you to ask yourself tough questions devoid of sentiments.

“Make this year 2023 your leap year. Not according to the Gregorian calendar but the transformation agenda.

“Take a leap of faith. Vote for an unusual candidate,’’ he said.

Obayuwana promised to address the needs of Lagos residents and transform the economy of the state, offer a leadership that restore the excellence Lagos known for, when elected the state governor.

He said that when voted he would use his expertise, quality team and experience to transform the state.

“Like you, I am a Nigerian, a Lagosian and I am badly affected by the incessant price hikes, rising, yet subtle insecurity within our cosmopolitan city of Lagos.

“I understand the needs of the people and can identify with your pains,” he said.(NAN)

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (right) presenting a letter of condolence to the Chairman Kwali Area Council , Danladi Chiya on the death of Etsu Kwali HRH Shaban Nizazu III in Kwali, FCT, yesterday Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Aformer Ambassador of Nigeria to Jordan and an All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain, Faruk Malami Yabo has dumped the APC and embraced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State.

The former Ambassador declared his intention to join PDP during the party’s campaign rally in Yabo town, Yabo Local Government Area of the State, saying that his defection to PDP was a homecoming.

“PDP has always been my party and my returning to my party could be linked to the story of the prodigal son”

2023: Peter Obi’s most formidable

foe is violence in S’East – NEF spokesman

By Christiana Ekpa

The National Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed has said that Peter Obi’s presidency “could end the Biafran cause.”

Baba-Ahmed said Obi’s “most formidable foe” is “the violence in the East.”

In his weekly article, BabaAhmed noted that it would be difficult for Obi to emerge victorious in February due to the battling “titans,” Tinubu and Atiku.

Baba-Ahmed said the Labour Party, LP, would have made more impact if it distanced itself from the titans.

The NEF spokesman lamented that Obi’s supporters believe in miracles than negotiating for votes.

According to Baba-Ahmed: “Peter Obi’s Labour Party would have made a greater impact if he had earlier charted a different course as a different politician and created greater distance from the titans that he is fighting today.

“His primary constituency is wrought with multiple crosscutting political interests, and he is unable to resolve a primary contradiction.

“His presidency could end the Biafran cause, wiping out a lot of the beneficiaries of an idea whose essence can be found in every inch of Nigeria.”

Sokoto: Former Nigeria Ambassador to Jordan dumps APC for PDP

He thanked the people who were part of the movement, promising to do everything within his power to ensure success

for the PDP in the state.

Reacting, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal described Yabo’s defection as a

welcome development. Governor Tambuwal commended the former Ambassador for his wise decision to return to the

party, saying he took the bold decision in the interest of the party and the people of the state.

Ebonyi APC chairman, Emegha denies involvement in Ekoli Edda shooting, killings

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Ebonyi State and special security consultant to the state government, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha has said he did not provoke shootings in Ekoli Edda, Afikpo South Local Government Area of the state.

Recall that the alleged shooting in the area resulted in the killing of his younger brother and his houses and vehicles set ablaze by unknown gunmen. A policeman and a youth leader were also killed

when the thugs struck.

Emegha described, as wicked, false and mischievous, the reports in some sections of the media that he was blowing sirens and shooting sporadically which provoked the killings.

He wondered why he was linked to the shootings in the community which started in Ameke village in the area where he went to inspect a town hall he was building for the people after receiving traditional rulers and elders of the community.

He opined that the traditional rulers have absolved him of the

shootings before the governor, David Umahi.

The APC chairman, however, expressed confidence in the security agencies in the state, who he said will unravel the truth and bring perpetrators of the mayhem to book.

Emegha also applauded Governor David Umahi for his quick intervention and peaceful leadership which he said prevented the crisis from escalating.

According to him: “I was there inspecting the building when I started hearing gunshots. As a

peaceful person and a man under grace, I ordered security personnel that were with me not to respond to the shootings because it will lead to many things which I will not like; they obeyed me and we left the community immediately.”

A reliable source who spoke anonymously said a bullet from the thugs would have killed him, if not that he dodged it.

According to the source: “What happened in Ameke, Ekoli Edda on 26th December 2022 was a clear assassination attempt on myself and the state APC Chairman.”

G-5 governors committed members of PDP – Gov Ortom

By Musa Baba Adamu

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom says the G5 governors are committed members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and are working round the clock to ensure that the party wins all elections in their respective states.

Governor Ortom stated this Thursday, 5th January 2023 in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the PDP State gubernatorial campaign flag-off.

He said the G5 governors

and other members of the party working with them in the integrity group are “committed members of the PDP in their various states” and would work to ensure that candidates of the party in their states were elected in the forthcoming polls.

The governor stressed that the problem of the PDP at the national level was prolonged as a result of the failure of the leadership of the party to deploy its internal conflict resolution mechanisms to settle issues that arose after the national

convention.

Governor Ortom was full of praises for the commitment to the development of Oyo State by Governor Makinde and expressed optimism that the people of the state would return him for a second term.

He thanked the people of Oyo State for their support to the PDP and Governor Makinde, pointing out that their massive turnout at the campaign flag-off was an indication that the election in March this year is a done deal for the party.

By Musa Baba Adamu

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has mocked his All Progressives Congress (APC), counterpart, Bola Tinubu, over President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence at his campaign rallies.

Atiku said Buhari’s absence from APC presidential campaign rallies was an indication that he lacked confidence in Tinubu’s ability to win next month’s election.

He made the remark while reacting to Tinubu’s claim that he lacked the integrity to rule Nigeria.

Atiku spoke through the spokesman of the

Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan.

In a statement by Ologbondiyan, Atiku said Tinubu is talking about integrity when there are several graft allegations against him.

“Is it not an absurdity that a presidential candidate that is beleaguered by several allegations bordering on corruption, perjury, [and] identity theft could muster the courage to address any gathering whatsoever on the issue of Integrity?

“The Atiku/Okowa campaign says the continuous absence of President Buhari at the APC presidential campaigns showcases a concern by Mr President that Tinubu will lose a free, fair

and credible poll at the February 25 presidential election,” the statement reads partly.

2023: Buhari lacks confidence in your capacity to win – Atiku blasts Tinubu

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

Gov Ortom

You’ve made big mistake endorsing Peter Obi –Kwankwaso tells Obasanjo, Clark

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has claimed political leaders are making a mistake by publicly endorsing candidates ahead of next year’s elections.

Kwankwaso stated this on Wednesday when he visited the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House in Benin.

In the past few days, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Ijaw national leader, Edwin Clark, have come out to endorse the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

Kwankwaso has now said the endorsements were based on religious and ethnic sentiments.

“Some of the people… we have seen on the news that they are supporting Mr A or Mr B, I think it is a big mistake. These are leaders I respect. There is a time in your life when you become a real statesman, not a politician.

“I can tell you also that any candidate or party that comes out with the face of ethnicity or the issue of religion, that party, that candidate, I can assure, at the national level, has failed that election before it starts.

Insecurity: PDP chieftain, Anya decries worsening killings in Imo

By Musa Baba Adamu

Aformer National Vice President of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Comrade Anya S. Anya, has taken a swipe at the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma,

over the deteriorating insecurity challenges ravaging many parts of the state.

Anya, who currently doubles as the Southeast Coordinator of Coalition of Saraki Advocates for Atiku (COSAA), was baring his minds in a statement on Thursday, against the backdrops of a recent repeated onslaught

on Aku Ihube and Umulolo local communities in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state by suspected operatives of Ebubeagu regional security outfit.

He said, “In line with this Aku, Ihube and Umulolo wards all in Okigwe LGA remains case studies of these repeated

onslaughts on its citizens at the behest of the Governor’s directives.”

Continuing, Anya also regretted the actions by the APCcontrolled administration in Imo and further accused the state government of policitiziation of the persisting security problems besetting the eastern state.

2023: Adebutu reveals types of leaders Ogun deserves

By Christiana Ekpa

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, has said that the state deserves a leader like the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Moshood Abiola.

Adebutu said Ogun deserves better than it is getting from the present administration, asking the current leaders to emulate people like Awolowo.

Adebutu, flanked by his running mate, Adekunle Akinlade, spoke at Iperu in Ikenne Local Government, while kicking off his campaign.

Adebutu, who sought accountability from the ruling government, said: “We can no longer allow a state where Chief Awolowo, Chief Olusegun

Obasanjo, Chief MKO Abiola come from to be run by indicted fraudsters.”

Adebutu, who said Ogun State deserves better, promised that the PDP would offer Ogun indigenes the opportunity to be ruled by great men again like Awolowo.

He begged the Ogun people to join the PDP, saying, “we implore you, be our volunteers, canvass for us and perform your civic duty; free yourself of the toga where your taxes and money accrued to Ogun State disappeared without [a] trace.”

He said his administration, when elected, would add value to the socio-economic development of Ogun, urging party members to move out en masse and mobilize more voters for the party during elections

In Edo, Tinubu says Obasanjo unfit to recommend president for Nigerians

By Musa Baba Adamu

All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu , said former President Olusegun Obasanjo is not qualified to recommend or endorse anyone as President of Nigeria because of his failures.

While speaking on Thursday at the APC Presidential Campaign rally held at the University of Benin Sports Complex, Ugbowo Campus, Benin, the APC flagbearer said Obasanjo failed to develop the country when he had the opportunity, but rather was fighting his then Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, while accusing each other of spending the country’s money for their personal comfort.

Tinubu noted that after spending $16billion on electricity, Obasanjo and the PDP government could not deliver electricity for Nigerians to make even popcorn.

As Governor of Lagos, Tinubu recalled how he brought Enron Power to generate electricity

and solve the power problem in the commercial nerve centre of the country but the project was frustrated by the Obasanjo-led PDP government.

“I brought Enron to solve electricity problem and help Lagos economy but Obasanjo and PDP frustrated it. They punished me and Lagos people and even began deducting our money. I created Local Governments in Lagos to accelerate development and create employment for our people but Obasanjo siezed our allocation and punished us for that. That was wickedness and such a man said he endorsed a man for you to vote as President. Can you follow such a man? Can Obasanjo recommend a leader for anyone in Nigeria? A man who does not know the way cannot show the way.”

On his main opponent, Atiku Abubakar, the former Governor of Lagos said the PDP presidential candidate is not qualified to be President of Nigeria having indicted himself on his record as a civil servant.

“Atiku and Obasanjo accused

themselves of using Nigeria’s money to buy cars for their comfort. Atiku was a custom officer who said he made money selling cars, that is smugling. He didn’t even know that a civil servant can not do any other business apart from agriculture. That is enough to disqualify him and he is not fit to be President.”

On his plan for the economy and Edo people, Tinubu said it is time to eliminate darkness and make the economy of the country productive through massive industrialisation, promising to make Edo State a hub of industrial activities and an energy state.

At the very electrifying rally, Tinubu told the people that prosperity and happiness have come. He applauded the return of Benin artefacts by some Western nations but urged the countries to pay some money to Edo State having made huge money from the returned artefacts through tourism and exhibitions.

“Edo people, prosperity has come, happiness has come, hope is back in your homes, knowledge

is back in your community. I am happy about the returned artefacts. They are bringing our artefacts. I support the Oba of Benin who said our heritage must come back but I disagree with the Europeans. They have used our artefacts for exhibitions and tourism for decades in their museums to make money. They should not just send them back without money. When I become President I will ask them to pay us restitution. I will contribute to the building of the museum in Benin.”

On his competence and readiness for the job, Tinubu told the mammoth crowd that his administration would focus on job creation through small scale industries, build a credible credit system for capital formation, bring multibillion dollar investments to Edo State and end estimated electricity billing.

In his address at the rally, former governor of Edo State and Deputy Director- General of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said come February 25, Edo

people would use their PVC to appreciate Tinubu as a father of multi-party democracy in Nigeria.

He charged the mammoth crowd at the rally to mobilize their relatives and friends back home to vote for the APC candidate.

Oshiomhole also threw jibes at Presidential candidates of Labour Party, Peter Obi, and that of PDP, Atiku Abubakar, asking Edo people to reject them.

“Peter Obi is a joke,” he said, adding that Obi could not address the erosion problem in his state of Anambra.

Oshiomhole said Atiku cannot unite this country. “Someone who cannot unite his house, how can he unite Nigeria?”

Edo State APC Chairman, Col David Imuse (rtd), said Edo had always been with Asiwaju Tinubu and would always be there for him to ensure victory in the February 25 election.

“There is no political party that has a candidate that is as qualified as our candidate, in terms of experience, in terms of pedigree and performance.”

Gov Okowa

As long as I’m alive, I’ll keep contesting for president – Atiku tells Wike, others

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has told Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike and others expecting him to retire from politics if he fails to win in next year’s general election, that presidency is a life-long ambition, vowing to keep pushing until he succeeds in becoming Nigeria’s president.

Speaking with Financial Times, the PDP presidential candidate said he would keep pursuing his ambition as long as he is alive and healthy.

“It is a life-long ambition and as long as I’m alive and strong and healthy, I will continue pursuing it,” Atiku said.

The former Vice President is one of the top candidates vying for the 2023 presidential election.

It’s widely believed that the Waziri of Adamawa has been vying for the presidency since 1992 when he stepped down for MKO Abiola.

During the last presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari defeated him to retain power.

However, mixed feelings have continued to trail Atiku’s 2023 presidential pursuit, as some believe that he has no chance while others feel he is better positioned to win. During the last presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari defeated him to retain power.

However, mixed feelings have continued to trail Atiku’s 2023 presidential pursuit, as

2023: INEC establishes two committees for election collation, other arrangements

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, established a National Situation Room and Collation Centre where the results of Presidential elections will be collated.

The International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, according to INEC, will serve as the venue for this important exercise.

This was confirmed in a statement yesterday an INEC National Commissioner and Chairman

Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye in Abuja.

Accordingly, the Commission has established two committees for this purpose.

First, according to the statement, is the Collation Secretariat, where Presidential results from the States will be collated. This will be headed by the Chairman of the Commission,

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in exercising his constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the Presidential election.

The statement explained that in addition, a few technical staff will assist the INEC Chairman.

The second is the Situation Room and Collation Centre Committee, which shall be responsible for the preparation of the venue, seating arrangement, utilities and services, security, the accreditation of party agents, as well as the national and international observers and media among others.

The statement by Okoye reads, “The Commission held its regular weekly meeting today (yesterday), Thursday, 5th January 2023 and deliberated on several issues, including the venue for the National Situation Room and Collation Centre for the 2023 General Election.

“As general elections approach,

the Commission establishes a National Situation Room and Collation Centre where the results of Presidential elections are collated. Once again, the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja will serve as the venue for this important exercise.

“Accordingly, the Commission has established two committees for this purpose. First is the Collation Secretariat, where Presidential results from the States will be collated.

“ This will be headed by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in exercising his constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the Presidential election. In addition, a few technical staff will assist him.

“The second is the Situation Room and Collation Centre Committee, which shall be responsible for the preparation of the venue, seating arrangement,

utilities and services, security, the accreditation of party agents, as well as the national and international observers, media, etc.

The Committee has the following membership: Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, National Commissioner - Chairperson, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, National CommissionerMember, Barr. Festus Okoye, National Commissioner - Member, Director, Electoral OperationsMember, Director, ICT - Member, Director, Planning and Monitoring - Member, Director, SecurityMember, Director, Election and Party Monitoring - Member and Director, International Cooperation and ProtocolMember

“The Situation Room and Collation Centre Committees were inaugurated by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who charged them to commence work in earnest and to discharge their responsibilities diligently”, the statement said.

Delta Boat Mishap: APC chieftain, Onowakpor condoles bereaved families

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The All Progressives Congress

(APC) Candidate for Delta South Senatorial District for the 2023 general elections, Joel-Onowakpo Thomas has condoled the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate boat mishap on their way back from a campaign in Ugborodo and Okerenkoko, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Joel-Onowakpo, in a condolence

message signed by himself and made available to newsmen in Warri, Delta State, expressed deep sympathy with those directly affected and the APC family, urging them to take solace in the Lord.

While describing the incident as tragic and unfortunate, he said that the only thing one can do in these circumstances is to pray to God to give the families the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses.

According to the message, “I want to sincerely express my heartfelt condolences to the families that lost their loved ones

in a boat mishap on December 20th, 2022, after the governorship campaigns at Ugborodo/Okerenkoko in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.”

“This is a tragedy! I am deeply saddened and my heart is broken by the unfortunate occurrence.”

“My heart and prayers are with the bereaved families. May God give them the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable and irreparable loss.”

Two persons were confirmed dead,

three still missing, and seven others in hospital following the boat mishap involving loyal party members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress.

The incident which took place in the night was said to have happened when a commercial boat travelling in the opposite direction rammed into the boat carrying the party’s supporters, as they were returning from a rally in Okerenkoko, Warri South West Local Government Area, 20th December 2022.

L-R: Sokoto State PDP Chairman, Hon Bello Aliyu Goronyo, Sokoto State PDP Governorship Candidate, Mallam Saidu Umar and Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, during the PDP gubernatorial campaign rally at Tureta Local Government area of Sokoto state, yesterday.

Amazon to sack 18,000 workers over ‘uncertain economy’

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Amazon, an American multinational technology company, says it is planning to sack over 18,000 employees from its total workforce.

The figure, which is the largest number of layoffs in the company’s history, represents 1.2 percent of its 1.5 million employees across the globe.

Andy Jassy, chief executive officer of Amazon, announced the development in a public staff note on Thursday.

He attributed the job cuts to the “uncertain economy” and the company’s rapid hiring over the last several years.

“As I shared back in November, as part of our annual planning process for 2023, leaders across the company have been working with their teams and looking at their workforce levels, investments they want to make in the future, and prioritising what matters most to customers and the long-term health of our businesses,” the Amazon CEO said.

“This year’s review has been more difficult given the uncertain economy and that we’ve hired rapidly over the last several years. In November, we communicated the hard decision to eliminate a number of positions across our devices and books businesses, and also announced a voluntary reduction offer for some employees in our people, experience, and technology (PXT) organisation.

“I also shared that we weren’t done with our annual planning process and that I expected there would be more role reductions in early 2023.

“Today, I wanted to share the outcome of these further reviews, which is the difficult decision to eliminate additional roles. Between the reductions we made in November and the ones we’re sharing today, we plan to eliminate just over 18,000 roles.”

Jassy said while the layoffs will be carried out across departments, it would majorly impact Amazon Stores and PXT organisations.

He added that all the affected employees will receive packages that also include external job placement support.

“S-team and I are deeply aware that these role eliminations are difficult for people, and we don’t take these decisions lightly or underestimate how much they might affect the lives of those who are impacted. We are working to support those who are affected and are providing packages that include a separation payment, transitional health insurance benefits, and external job placement support,” he explained.

According to Jassy, the announcement was not expected to be released this early but was done so after an Amazon teammate allegedly leaked the information.

“We typically wait to communicate about these outcomes until we can speak with the people who are directly impacted. However, because one of our teammates leaked this information externally, we decided it was better to share this news earlier so you can hear the details directly from me,” he said.

Jassy said the company will start informing affected staff from January 18.

In November last year, multiple outlets had reported that Amazon had planned to fire around 10,000 employees.

The company later confirmed the layoffs but it didn’t disclose how many employees would be affected.

NNPC denies exporting 17.87m barrels of oil without documentation

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it did not export 17.877 million barrels of crude oil without proper documentation from 2016 to 2020.

A report, quoting the former auditor-general of the federation (AuGF), had accused some exporters of shipping crude oil without completing the required Nigeria export proceeds (NXP) forms.

The AuGF was also said to

have faulted NNPC Limited for appointing inspection agents in 2017, in flagrant disregard of a preceding directive by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Responding to the report in a statement on Thursday, Garba Deen Muhammad, NNPC’s spokesperson, said the claims were ‘malicious’.

Muhammad said the AuGF’s report mentioned 32 oil marketing companies involved in the noncompletion of NXP forms.

He added that the issue did not affect repatriation of sales proceeds to the national oil

company and subsequently, the federal accounts, for the period in question.

“Our attention has been drawn to an online publication, alleging that NNPC Limited exported 17.877 million barrels of crude oil without proper documentation in four years (2016 to 2020),” the statement reads.

“The auditor-general’s report in reference did mention 32 oil marketing companies involved in the non-completion of the NXP forms but that does not in any way mean that the proceeds from the sale of the said crude were

not repatriated into the coffers of NNPC Limited and consequently into the federation accounts for federation related barrels.

“It should also be noted that NNPC Limited does not appoint inspection agents as alleged, but rather, it is the sole responsibility of the federal ministry of finance.

“Therefore, the general public is advised to disregard the said malicious publication, and instead, visit the relevant auditorgeneral’s website to see the full content of the audit report, and be guided accordingly.”

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The Kogi government says it has commenced the disbursement of funds to the micro and small business owners in the state to boost entrepreneurial development.

The gesture is said to be done in collaboration with the Kogi enterprise development agency (KEDA).

In a recent statement by Yemi Balogun, public relations officer, KEDA, the agency said the funds disbursed to beneficiaries is a project by the COVID-19 action recovery and economic stimulus (KG-CARES) targeting businesses that were adversely affected by the pandemic.

In March 2021, Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi said he had no need for vaccines, insisting that there was no coronavirus in the state.

“COVID-19 is not our business

in Kogi state. We have more prominent issues,” Bello had said.

But the state government continued to receive COVID-19 relief funds from the federal government.

Speaking on the disbursement, KEDA said the funds are meant to facilitate the recovery of MSEs and enhance the capacities of small businesses in the operational sector, not leaving behind those who took loans from financial institutions and for information communication technology enhancement.

It added that the funds include, DLI 3.1 (a credit grant), DLI 3.2 (an operational grant), and DLI 3.3 (an ICT enhancement grant).

Rekiya Sanni, managing director, KEDA, said the governor has shown “unparalleled commitment” to business growth and wealth creation in the state.

“As a matter of fact, this is

a grant and not a loan given to beneficiaries and they are not expected to pay back,” she said.

“The governor put us on our toes and gave us a marching order to ensure business owners get the funds in the first week of January.

“My staff went to work to deliver on the mandate of his excellency because we know and understand his passion for business growth in the state. Let me reiterate the fact that KEDA is desirous of monitoring the application of the funds to ensure they are used for the purposes they are meant for.

“This is just an iceberg of support queued by the new direction government to Kogi business communities.”

Also speaking on the government financial support, Eniola Jethro, one of the beneficiaries, said the funds received would be used to expand

his business.

“I woke up to an alert from the KG-CARES this morning and I was wondering if it was a dream. But it is a reality. While we were celebrating Christmas and New Year, our government was busy working to put smiles on our faces,” Jethro said.

Eniola Olayemi, deputy coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kogi West, lauded the efforts of the KEDA for the “sterling transparency in selecting beneficiaries”.

According to Olayemi, the nation will be better if people with genuine needs and business plans are treated in the manner the state is currently doing.

“With the mechanism KEDA set up in line with the governor’s principle of equity and transparency, it was so seamless and everyone is satisfied,” he said.

Entrepreneurs affected by COVID receive grants in Kogi

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Pat Utomi, professor of political economy, says the 2023 budget will lead to massive inflation and loss of jobs in the country.

Utomi said this on while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.

The Labour Party (LP) chieftain said if care is not taken, the exchange rate may go above N1000/$ and the inflation rate may hit 50 percent.

Utomi’s remark comes hours after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the 2023 appropriation bill of N21.83 trillion into law. It is the eighth and final annual budget of the incumbent administration.

“What is the goal of the Buhari administration? It says it wants to create 10 million jobs in 10 years or something. This budget — will it create one job? No. It will lead to loss of jobs, it will lead to massive inflation, it will lead to a collapse in the exchange rate,” Utomi said.

“Let me explain why, it’s very simple. This is a budget of debt service. You are going to have revenues of what — nine trillion? You are projecting expenditure of what — 21 trillion. You are already in an unsustainable debt situation.

“Tell anybody who understands economics what this means. This is going to mean serious inflation.

“If you were in a situation where people are rushing to invest in Nigeria, you would say revenues that flow in would accelerate production and when you ask people who manage the economy, they say to you — you see the problem is not that our debt situation is not unsustainable, the problem is that of collecting revenue.

“God forbid, if we don’t do something dramatic, the effect of this budget is that the exchange rate will go past N1000, that is a direct effect of this budget. You are going to see inflation probably go up to 50 percent.”

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Air Peace has asked regulatory authorities to investigate a recent damage to its aircraft elevator by a ground handling equipment belonging to the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO).

Confirming the development, Stanley Olisa, spokesperson of Air Peace, said the incident occurred at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

Olisa said the affected aircraft is an Airbus A320 belonging to Air Peace with the registration number: A320 ES-SAZ.

He explained that the aircraft was scheduled to transport passengers to Owerri from Lagos but the flight schedule was disrupted after the ground handling equipment — operated

by NAHCO’s staff — rammed into it.

Air Peace: How NAHCO staff damaged our aircraft, disrupted flight Exchange rate may surpass N1000/$, says Pat Utomi on 2023 budget

“This same aircraft was positioned for about 10 flights on the same day, however, the incident changed all that, causing a ripple that affected the airline’s schedule,” he said.

“This is the third time in one month that the aircraft is grounded and we don’t know when it will be up again.

“The NAHCO staff had no reason to be where he was and he was not assigned to the aircraft and how he rammed into our aircraft is still shocking.

“This is going to cause revenue loss for us as an airline because the aircraft was scheduled to operate several flights today (Wednesday), but could not do so.

“This has caused flight disruptions and delays hence,

the authorities should investigate the incident and take necessary actions.”

Olisa further said the airline had made a formal complaint to NAHCO management on the incident.

Meanwhile, Sola Obabori, group executive director, business and corporate services (GED), NAHCO, confirmed the incident.

Obabori said it was not possible for its staff to deliberately and maliciously damage one of its major customer’s aircraft.

He added that the company had filed a report on the incident, adding that NAHCO had commenced engagements with the airline on the matter.

“We have a very cordial relationship with the airline and we have been together all these

years, we serve them diligently and professionally,” Obabori said.

“Our staff are well-trained, accidents do happen. You will agree with me that aircraft do crash due to human error.

“In this particular case, the staff was driving on the runway to attend to another flight that arrived before Air Peace.

“He was driving towards that direction and wanted to support that operation, but he committed an error in terms of processes he was supposed to follow, which he didn’t follow.”

Obabori also said the staff might have had a blind spot, which “prevented him from seeing well”.

He, however, assured that the company would review the situation so that such an incident would not reoccur.

DMO: Incoming president to inherit N77trn debt

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Patience Oniha, director general, Debt Management Office (DMO), says the incoming administration would inherit about N77 trillion as debt by the time President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure ends in May.

Oniha said this while fielding questions from journalists at the public presentation and breakdown of the highlights of the 2023 appropriation act in Abuja on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Buhari signed the N21.83 trillion 2023 budget into law, with a deficit of N11.34

trillion.

The deficit represents 5.03 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, had said the federal government would finance the deficit by borrowing.

On funding sources for the N11.34 trillion 2023 budget deficit, the minister said 22 percent of projected revenues will come from oil-related sources while 78 percent will be earned from non-oil sources.

To fund the deficit, according to Ahmed, N7.04 trillion would be borrowed from domestic sources,

N1.76 trillion from foreign sources, N1.77 billion from multilateral and bilateral loan drawdowns, while privatisation proceeds would provide N206.18 billion.

Meanwhile, the federal government borrowed N6.3 trillion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the first 10 months of 2022 through ways and means.

Ways and Means is a loan facility through which the CBN finances the government’s budget shortfalls.

In October 2022, the federal government said it will repay the N20 trillion debt owed to the

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with securities such as treasury bills and bonds issuance.

But speaking at the budget presentation, Oniha explained that the move by the federal government to securitise the loans (ways and means) from the central bank would drive up the debt to about N77 trillion.

Although data released by the DMO had put Nigeria’s public debt at N44.06 trillion as at the third quarter 2022, the federal government plans to borrow more to finance both the supplementary and 2023 budgets.

“There are a lot of discussions on the ways and means. In

addition to the significant cost saving in loan service we would get by securitising it, there is an element of transparency in the sense that it is now reflected in the public debt stock,” she said.

“Once it is passed by the national assembly, it means we will be seeing that figure included in the public debt. You will see a significant increase in public debt to N77 trillion.

“The other area of the debt stock we are trying to highlight is to say the debt stock is also growing from the issuance of promissory notes, which are not true borrowing as such by the government. “

Stock Watch: Thursday, January 5, 2023

Low OPEN Volume Close High Symbol CHANGE Trades

2.80 3.15 0 5.80 6.00 ACCESS -0.35 0 1.94 3.94 0 3.94 3.94 AFRIPRUD 0.00 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 AGLEVENT 0.00 0 0.64 0.64 0 0.64 0.64 AIICO 0.00 0 4.60 8.60 0 8.60 8.60 BERGER 0.00 0 37.00 68.30 0 67.00 67.00 BETAGLAS -1.30 0 3.79 4.21 0 3.79 3.79 BOCGAS -0.42 0 9.65 10.05 0 9.65 10.05 CADBURY -0.40 0 31.50 34.00 0 31.50 31.50 CAP -2.50 0 1.90 1.92 0 1.90 1.90 CAVERTON -0.02 0 18.45 18.45 0 18.45 18.45 CCNN 0.00 0 1.72 1.84 0 1.72 1.72 CHAMPION -0.12 0 23.25 23.25 0 23.25 23.25 CONOIL 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 CORNERST 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 COURTVILLE 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 0 6.10 6.10 CUSTODIAN 0.00 0 1.75 1.75 0 1.75 1.75 CUTIX 0.00 0 186.00 186.00 0 186.00 186.00 DANGCEM 0.00 0 6.00 6.65 0 6.00 6.25 DANGFLOUR -0.65 0 14.60 14.55 0 14.60 14.60 DANGSUGAR 0.05 0 1.80 2.00 0 1.80 2.00 DIAMONDBNK -0.20 0 3.37 3.37 0 3.37 3.37 EKOCORP 0.00 0 4.30 4.70 0 4.30 4.30 ETERNA -0.40 0 14.00 14.00 0 14.00 14.00 ETI 0.00 0 7.35 7.80 0 7.45 7.60 FBNH -0.35 0 1.62 1.65 0 1.62 1.67 FCMB -0.03 0 1.91 1.96 0 1.92 1.98 FIDELITYBK -0.04 0 4.95 4.95 99 4.95 4.95 FIDSON 0.00 0 0.33 0.33 0 0.33 0.33 FIRSTALUM 0.00 0 21.85 21.85 0 21.85 21.85 FLOURMILL 0.00 0 29.60 30.70 0 29.60 29.60 FO -1.10 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 FTNCOCOA 0.00 0 12.20 13.05 0 12.20 12.20 GLAXOSMITH -0.85 0 32.60 32.95 0 33.50 33.50 GUARANTY 0.55 0 72.00 72.00 0 72.00 72.00 GUINNESS 0.00 0 1.18 1.18 0 1.18 1.18 HONYFLOUR 0.00 0 1.53 1.53 0 1.53 1.53 IKEJAHOTEL 0.00 0 31.50 31.50 0 31.50 31.50 INTBREW 0.00

0.11 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.43 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.05 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 124.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 3.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 18.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 78.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 0.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 2.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 552.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99

METRO

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has charged the new Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, in charge of Zone 7 Headquarters Abuja, Kayode Egbetokun to keep up the momentum in the fight against crime and criminality in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

Bello gave the charge when he received a delegation of senior police officers from the zone led by the AIG on a courtesy visit to the FCTA, on Wednesday.

The Minister noted that a lot of progress has been made in the fight against serious crime such as kidnapping especially in the rural areas of the FCT with the arrest of kidnappers as well as their financiers and supporters.

This, Bello, in a statement from Director of Press, Office of The Hon. Minister, FCTA, Anthony Ogunleye, explained has led to the rescue of many victims and called on the AIG to ensure that the progress recorded continues.

Sustain fight against crime in FCT, Minister charges new Zone 7 AIG

In the words of the Minister “I want to say that within the recent past, a lot of progress has been made by your officers and men, starting from your zone, the Command of the FCT, as well as the DPO levels and I think this is very commendable.

“The issue of kidnapping had been of grave concern especially to our rural communities. I’m very happy that tremendous success has been recorded in the last few weeks, resulting in a lot of releases, rescue and also arrest of those who are involved, including their financiers and their supporters. I pray that this continues.”

According to him, the relationship between the FCT Administration and the police Zonal Command is a very long symbiotic partnership in which the FCTA will continue to provide the

needed support and requirement to the police, to enable it effectively carry out its responsibilities, which will ultimately augur well for the country and send out the right signals to the international community.

He therefore urged the new AIG to work hard in his new post and wished him the best saying that serving in the FCT has a lot of advantages.

He adds: “Serving in the FCT has a lot of advantage. If you work very well, easily, it is seen. If you look at the history of all those who served as AIG Zone 7, most of them ended up being propelled to higher responsibilities.

“My prayer to you is that you will serve well here and may God make it easy for you and make you have a very successful tenure.

Earlier, AIG Kayode Egbetokun disclosed that the primary purpose of

his visit to the FCTA was to express his appreciation to the FCT Minister for his commitment to ensuring security in the FCT and for the support granted to Zone 7 and FCT Police Command, especially for the operational vehicles given to the police in 2022.

He said: “I thank you very much for the commitment that you have shown for the protection of lives and property in the FCT. I also want to assure you that those vehicles you gave us have been put into judicious use and they have seriously impacted on operations within the FCT.

“I am also here to assure you that we are doing our best to support your efforts in protecting lives and properties in the FCT.

“We are improving on our deployment every day. We are doing our best and working so hard to ensure

that there is efficient utilization of resources available at our disposal.

“We are constantly reviewing and reassessing our anti-crime strategies with a view to evolving new strategies that will meet evolving challenges. We are committed to the training of our officers and men to ensure that they are sensitive to the rule of law and that they are committed to protection of human rights”.

It was gathered that also present at the courtesy visit were the FCT Commissioner of Police, Idris Abubakar Sadiq, the Chief of Staff to the Minister, Malam Bashir MaiBornu, the SSA on security to the Minister, Amb. Salihu Mohammed, Director Department of Security Services, FCTA Mr Adamu Gwary and other senior officials of the FCTA and the Nigeria Police Force.

Tourism: Foundation harps on unlocking potentials of Ladi Kwali Pottery Center

By Stanley Onyekwere

ANon Governmental Organisation (NGO) has stressed the need for sustainable interventions for Ladi Kwali Pottery Center, Suleja, to enable it serve as a tourist center for people across the globe to visit and tour for historical purposes of pottery.

Also, the NGO noted that the Centre serves as a museum for any pottery foundation in the world, because there are some artifacts from Dr. Ladi Kwali and Micheal Cardew, as their products and features are made at the center.

It added that some of the significance of the center is that it serves as the origin of pottery in Nigeria, where Dr. Ladi Kwali

started her pottery before it was transferred to the present Dr. Ladi Kwali pottery center in Kwali, because Suleja is the old Abuja while Kwali is the new Abuja now, this center can serve as a tourist center for people across the globe who are willing to visit there for historical purposes of pottery.

Founder of the NGO, Mrs. Maryamu Isa Barnabas, said to this end, the foundation embark on excursion with some students, in order to expose Northerners to the historical antecedent of pottery in Nigeria.

Barnabas noted that about 85% of the Northern students who are interested in pottery are women, with just about 10-15% of the men interested in pottery from the Northern part of Nigeria.

She revealed that the Foundation said it was able to train about thirty (30) students, with the support of MacArthur Foundation, the trained students are supposed to embark on excursion like this to help them in their skills.

She added that they also visited some treasure sites where they can get clay, cauline, etc to help their work easier as they can get it by themselves now.

According to her, the project will last for two years they have done one and a half year. It is looking forward to round up by June this year. Through this project, MacArtur was able to invest thirty (30) million Naira into Ushafa Pottery Center.

“Foundation for over seven (7) years ago, it has been functioning at Ushafa throughout the period. This

foundation has been training people especially women in vocational skills such as pottery, ceramics e.t.c before MacArthur discovered them and gave them grant or contract to train over two hundred and fifty people in pottery, ceramics and other skills to promote the cultural heritage of their people.

“It was discovered that pottery and ceramics making is one of the fastest growing economic activity that helps the people put food on their table before the moving of FCT to Abuja, which destroyed many of their mini historical pottery centers, causing the younger generation to loss the touch of their cultural heritage of pottery.

“This foundation has been looking for mass trainers on pottery, it’s not been easy for them but

thank God they found the late Mamakande Ushafa, who happen to be the colleague of late Dr. Ladi Kwali. It was a great lost but she was able to transfer her knowledge to her son, Mr. Tanko Dakwai who is the consultant in charge of the pottery training in the Mairo Women Foundation now.

“The Foundation are grateful to MacArthur for their support and intervention in the training of the students. The interesting part of pottery, both the local and modern is that it explains the culture and the environment of this people as they display what they do for a living and their environment on the outer part of the pottery and ceramics beautifying and telling their culture through pottery and ceramics,” she stressed.

FCTA targets zero Okada on Abuja roads

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Administration has stepped its enforcement of its on the spot confiscation and crushing of commercial motorcycles caught within the nation’s capital city centre and other restricted areas, until it records zero level of the meance. To this end, during the fifth edition in the series of the signature exercise, yesterday, the FCTA impounded and crushed over 200 motorcycles.

Speaking during the exercise, Director, FCTA’s Directorate of Road Traffic Services ( DRTS), Dr. Abdulateef Bello, noted that although it has substantially

reduced the number of motorcycles in Abuja, said there is no going back until the administration gets rid of them.

He said: “But it seems as if the efforts would still be on until we achieve the zero level of this exercise but something tells me that most of these motorcycles riders are those that engage in criminal activities like drug peddling. As they are not tired we won’t be tired.

“There are over 200 that we are crushing today. We will continue to take them week by week untill we get rid of them.

“We have already given order to all our commands that anywhere they are sited

they should be impounded and handed over to DRTs.

Once they are sited at the wrong route they should be impounded and handed over to us”.

Similarly, Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, lamented that despite the warnings and advocacy from the administration, the motorcycle riders continue to violate traffic rules in FCT.

He described as unacceptable the increasing presence of motorcycles in the heart of the city especially at Guzape, Jahi, Asokoro, Durumi, and Garki

respectively.

According to him, “It is a new year and we are surprise at the number of motorcycles we got.Look at the number, may be some persons who travelled home came back with their motorcycles. And these really cost money and it is very painful.

“The FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello had made it clear that motorcycles cannot operate in these key areas Garki, Asokoro, Lugbe, and city center.

However, the SSA, while making a passionate appeal to the commercial motorcycle riders, said: “Please go and operate where it is legal, and won’t have problems .

“The legal areas are large kwali, Abaji, Gwagalada, etc but the areas that are Illegal include, airport road, Garki, central area, Wuse Kubwa etc. All the relevant Department and Secretariat’s have been doing lots of advocacy. The biggest pain is for those who bought the motorcycles. We are all pained doing it”.

Among those who witnessed the crushing of the motorcycles include: Ochi Samuel, FRSC FCT sector commander, Lt col. Murudeen Olawale (Commanding officer AHQ Garrison and DC Felix Ikwuegbu 2iC NSCDC FCT Command.

world news

Ukraine war: Putin orders 36-hour ceasefire over Orthodox Christmas

By Will Vernon in Moscow & Samuel Horti in London

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his defence minister to impose a 36-hour ceasefire on the Ukrainian frontline, beginning on Friday.

The ceasefire, scheduled to start at 12:00 Moscow time (09:00 GMT), will coincide with the Russian Orthodox Christmas.

Mr Putin asked Ukraine to reciprocate, but Kyiv quickly rejected the request.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said: “Keep hypocrisy to yourself.”

The Kremlin statement appeared to stress that President Putin ordered his troops to stop fighting not because he was de-escalating - Putin never de-escalatesbut because he had listened to an appeal from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Kirill had, earlier in the day, called for a Christmas truce to allow believers to attend church services for Orthodox Christmas.

The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas Day on 7 January, according to the Julian calendar.

A Kremlin statement said: “Taking into consideration the appeal by [Kirill], the president hereby instructs the minister of defence of the Russian Federation to impose a ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact in Ukraine” for the 36-hour period.

Mr Putin’s order called on Ukraine to reciprocate so that the “large numbers of Orthodox believers [who] reside in areas where hostilities are taking place” could celebrate Christmas Eve on Friday and Christmas Day on Saturday.

In a statement on Twitter soon after, Mr Podolyak said there could be no “temporary truce” until Russian forces withdrew from all the areas they had occupied.

Truce could demonise Ukraine

The Kremlin’s ceasefire fits in nicely with a common narrative in Moscow, one that is aimed primarily at the domestic audience. That is - that the Russians are the good guys, and it is Ukraine and the West that are threatening Russia.

The truce is also a handy tool that can be used to demonise Ukraine - as the Ukrainians have dismissed the proposal, Moscow will claim that Kyiv does not respect religious believers and has no desire for peace.

But it should not be forgotten that it was Russia who started this war by launching an unprovoked invasion of its neighbour.

The move also comes just a few days after a large number of Russian troops were killed in a Ukrainian strike on a temporary barracks in the occupied Ukrainian city of Makiivka.

The Russian Defence Ministry put the death toll at 89, making it the highest single loss of life admitted by Moscow since the war began.

Relatives of the dead, as well as some politicians and commentators, expressed anger over what happened in Makiivka and blamed incompetent military officials. The incident happened on New Year’s Eve - the most important holiday in the Russian calendar.

Political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya says that it is possible the Kremlin wants to ensure no more major loss of life occurs on another important Russian holiday.

“Putin really does not want a repetition of that on Orthodox Christmas Day,” she wrote.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Mr Putin to declare a “unilateral” ceasefire in Ukraine so that both sides could negotiate.

The Russian Orthodox Church is by

far the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches, but there are others.

Some people in Ukraine celebrate Christmas on 25 December, others on 7 January. Both days are public holidays in the country.

This year, for the first time, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine said it would allow its congregations to celebrate Christmas on 25 December, as do some other denominations in western Ukraine.

The church split with the similarly named Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in 2018.

The UOC itself was tied to Moscow’s religious leadership until Russia’s invasion, and some of its top clergy have been accused of still covertly supporting Moscow.

Prince Harry accuses Prince William of physical attack in book

Prince Harry has claimed his brother William physically attacked him, according to the Guardian, which says it has seen a copy of the Duke of Sussex’s memoir, Spare.

The newspaper reported that the book sets out an argument between the pair over Prince Harry’s wife Meghan.

“He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor,” the Guardian quotes Harry.

Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have both said they will not comment.

The palaces - which represent Prince William and the King respectivelyseem to have adopted the strategy that any controversial claims will fizzle out faster without a response.

Meanwhile, in a new clip previewing an interview with ITV, Prince Harry refuses to commit to attending the King’s coronation in May.

He says there is a lot “that can happen between now and then” and the “ball is in [the Royal Family’s] court”.

Prince Harry’s memoir will not be published until next Tuesday, but the Guardian said had it obtained a copy amid what it called “stringent prelaunch security”.

BBC News has not yet seen a copy of Spare.

The book has, however, accidentally

been put on sale in Spain five days ahead of its anticipated publish date - entitled En La Sombra, which translates as “In the shadow”.

Book shops in the UK say they are under a strict embargo to ensure the autobiography is not released early.

According to the Guardian, the book claims the row was sparked by comments Prince William made to Prince Harry at his London home in 2019.

Prince Harry, the paper says, writes that his brother was critical of his marriage to Meghan Markle - and that Prince William described her as “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”.

The Duke of Sussex reportedly writes that his brother was “parrot[ing] the press narrative” as the confrontation escalated.

Prince Harry is said to describe what happened next, including an alleged physical altercation.

“He set down [a glass of] water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast.

“He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor.

“I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”

Harry writes that William left but returned “looking regretful, and apologised”, the Guardian says.

When William left again, Harry is said to write that his brother “turned and called back: ‘You don’t need to tell Meg about this.’

“’You mean that you attacked me?’

“’I didn’t attack you, Harold,’” Prince William is said to have responded.

Harry’s name is not short for Harold - his actual full name is Henry Charles Albert David.

Photographs suggest Harry regularly wore a dark necklace at events such as the Invictus Games, and on foreign tours with Meghan, as recently as September 2019.

The revelations create the bleak impression of a family fight, right at the centre of the monarchy, that shows no sign of being reconciled.

This is still the territory of an acrimonious divorce rather than the reconciliation.

Source: BBC

Putin

Dmitry Rogozin who lost his job as head of Russia’s space agency in July is known for his anti-Western rhetoric

The Somali gold rush endangering frankincense and myrrh

The three kings of the biblical nativity carried three precious gifts to mark the birth of Jesus - but a modernday gold rush in Somaliland is putting the ancient perfume trade in frankincense and myrrh at risk.

“The gold, frankincense and myrrh brought by the three wise men to baby Jesus definitely came from here,” said the old man sitting in the dust under a tree.

I met Aden Hassan Salah on Daallo Mountain, part of the Golis range that straddles the self-declared republic of Somaliland and Puntland State in Somalia. Both territories claim the area.

“The routes of the camel caravans that for centuries transported them from here to the Middle East can be seen from space,” he said.

The Bible refers to how these animals carried the gifts to Bethlehem where it is believed that Jesus was born.

A younger man, dressed in a sarong and Manchester United football top, sprang up from the ground. His name was Mohamed Said Awid Arale.

“As I’m sure you know, ‘Puntland’ means the ‘land of exquisite aromas,’” he said.

“One thousand, five hundred years before Jesus was born, Egypt’s most powerful female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, made a famous expedition here. She ordered the construction of five boats for the journey, filled them with the three precious substances, and sailed back home.

“Gold was used to adorn Hatshepsut’s body, frankincense was burned in her temples and myrrh was used to mummify her after she died.”

Gold, frankincense and myrrh have been exported from the region for thousands of years. Much of the world’s frankincense comes from the Horn of Africa.

Today, one of the gifts brought to baby Jesus, gold, is sowing the seeds of destruction of the other two.

The men on Daallo Mountain are part of the problem.

They spearheaded a gold rush which began around five years ago and has led to the uprooting of frankincense and myrrh trees, some centuries old.

“Gold-miners have swarmed into the mountains,” said Hassan Ali Dirie who works for the Candlelight environmental organisation.

“They cut down all the plants when they clear areas for mining. They damage the roots of the trees when they dig for gold. They block crucial waterways with their plastic bottles and other rubbish,” he said.

“Day by day, they are ensuring the slow death of these ancient trees. The first to go are the myrrh trees, which are uprooted when the diggers clear the land for surface mining.

“Frankincense trees last a bit longer as they grow on rocks and are destroyed once the miners dig deep into the earth.”

Woody perfume

A little further up the hill is a frankincense village where the trees have been passed down from generation to generation.

A woman sat on a turquoise plastic chair in her porch surrounded by children, their mothers and baby goats.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Racwi Mohamed Mahamud

when I asked her about the story of the Magi bearing gifts.

“All I know is that my family has owned these trees for hundreds of years. They are passed from great-great-grandfather to great-grandfather to grandfather to father to son.”

She ordered a young man to fetch some frankincense recently tapped from a tree. He came out carrying a cloth bundle, set it on the ground and opened it. The air was filled with a delicious woody perfume.

We sifted through the sticky substance to find nuggets of frankincense. These are cleaned, dried and graded before being sold to middlemen who export them across the world to burn in churches, mosques and synagogues and to create medicine, essential oils, expensive cosmetics and fine perfumes, including Chanel No 5.

Ms Mahamud looked at me blankly when I asked her what she thought about her frankincense eventually ending up in fancy department stores promising miracle anti-ageing properties and mysterious, seductive aromas.

“That sounds like nonsense to me,” she said.

“We burn frankincense to chase away flies and mosquitoes. We inhale it to clear colds and we consume it to cure inflammation. That’s it.”

The tappers and graders get very little of the money made from frankincense, with a kilogram selling for between $5 (£4.15) and $9. There have been scandals involving ruthless middlemen and greedy foreign companies.

They get slightly more for myrrh which currently sells for $10/kg. Like frankincense, it is a resin tapped from small, thorny trees. It is used to embalm dead bodies and to make perfume, incense and medicine.

It is believed to have antiseptic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory qualities and is used in toothpaste, mouthwash and skin salves.

The villagers explained how the goldminers came to their area with their

shovels and pickaxes.

“We stood firm against them,” said Ms Mahamud shaking her fist.

“We said: ‘You have come here for your crude, yellow gold. We have our green gold and nobody can take it away from us.’”

The miners ran away and never came back.

The atmosphere in the frankincense village was completely different from that in the goldminers’ settlement.

It was basic, but there was a sense of community.

People young and old strolled about, chatting, drinking tea and complaining about how low frankincense prices made it difficult to make ends meet, especially during this time of high inflation and severe drought.

Drugs and jihadist taxes

It took a while to work out what was so strange about the goldminers’ place.

Eventually I realised there were no women or children there.

“We don’t really know what has happened to our families,” said Mr Salah, the old man I met sitting under the tree.

“We used to be nomads but endless failed rainy seasons and droughts meant we had to give up our traditional way of life.”

He explained how they came to the mountains in 2017 to look for gold.

“There was nothing here when we arrived. It was just a dry river bed. This was the first place where gold was found. We have built it up into a kind of village,” he said pointing at some shacks built from sticks.

I asked Mr Salah and the few dozen other men sitting with him whether they preferred the gold-digger’s life to that of a nomad. They shook their heads and shouted out in rage.

“As nomads we had dignity. We depended on nobody. We lived with our families, our camels, goats and sheep. We lacked for nothing,” he said.

“The camels carried our shelters and cooking pots. The livestock provided our

food and milk. We cannot eat or drink the gold we find. It cannot carry our shelters and belongings.”

The miners explained how they sold the mineral to traders who smuggled it by sea to Dubai.

Gold-mining is not only destroying the environment. It is wrecking their lives.

“We have become drug addicts,” said Mr Arale, the man in the red Manchester United shirt

“We are hostages to khat dealers,” he said, referring to a narcotic leaf chewed by many Somalis.

“They control our lives. We spend all our money on khat instead of our families, which are lost to us.”

As they spoke, a land cruiser drove into the village. Two well-dressed men emerged from the vehicle. The miners said they were the khat dealers.

“Gold has ruined our lives in other ways too,” said Mr Salah. “It has driven some of us mad, like our friend who found $50,000 worth of gold and lost his mind.”

Candlelight’s Mr Dirie explained how gold was destroying the local community.

“Some schools have closed because all the teachers have left to join the gold rush. Students are leaving too.”

He said Somalis from other regions were coming into the mountains leading to deadly clan clashes.

“Many of the miners are armed,” he said. “We must turn around and leave now. It is not safe to stay here for a long time.”

Miners said the Islamist groups, alShabab and the Somali branch of Islamic State, had started to demand taxes from the gold-diggers.

As we drove out of the mountains on the long dusty road, I wondered if those who buy expensive perfumes, cosmetics and jewellery have any idea where the substances used to make them come from, how many hands they pass through and how much destruction they have caused.

Source: BBC

The Gambia is known to many outside the country as an ideal beach holiday location

ews F rom A s IA

Australia helicopter collision: Passenger tapped pilot before crash, footage shows

Asurvivor of a deadly helicopter collision in Australia had tried to warn a pilot of impending danger, a video appears to show.

In the footage, a passenger in the backseat of the aircraft is seen tapping the pilot’s shoulder.

Pilot Michael James turns his head in response, while the passenger then grips his seat.

The helicopter and another collided a moment later, killing a UK couple and two Australians on the other aircraft.

The footage - obtained by Australia’s 7 News - was filmed on board a Sea World sightseeing helicopter that was descending on the Gold Coast on Monday afternoon.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Mr James managed to land the helicopter safely after the rotor

blade of an ascending helicopter crashed through its windscreen.

Five of the six people on board the descending helicopter suffered minor injuries.

Three other people on board the other aircraft were badly injured, after it fell rapidly to the ground.

The four people killed were Sydney resident Vanessa Tadros, British couple Diane Hughes, 57, and her 65-year-old husband Ron, and 40-year-old Sea World Helicopters pilot Ashley Jenkinson, who was originally from Birmingham.

The Hugheses’ family put out a statement saying they were “still in a state of shock”, ABC News reported. Ms Tadros’ husband, Simon, sought prayers on social media for their 10-year-old son Nicholas, who is one of those badly injured and in intensive care.

Both helicopters were operating tourist flights for Sea World, a popular theme park on the Gold Coast.

The company that owns Sea World, Village Roadshow Theme

Parks, offered condolences, and said Sea World Helicopters is an independent operator.

Investigators say they are looking into what caused the collision, including the situation

in the two cockpits. “What we do need to know now is what was occurring inside those two cockpits at the time,” air safety commissioner Angus Mitchell told reporters on Wednesday.

China Covid: Celebrity deaths spark fears over death toll

The growing number of Chinese public figures whose deaths are being made public is prompting people to question the official Covid death toll.

The death of Chu Lanlan, a 40-year-old opera singer, last month came as a shock to many, given how young she was.

Her family said they were saddened by her “abrupt departure”, but did not give details of the cause of her death.

China scrapped its strict zero-Covid policy in December and has seen a rapid surge of infections and deaths.

There are reports of hospitals and crematoria becoming overwhelmed.

But the country has stopped publishing daily cases data, and has announced only 22 Covid deaths since December, using its own strict criteria.

Now only those who die from respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia are counted.

On Wednesday the World Health Organization (WHO)

warned that China was underrepresenting the true impact of Covid in the country - in particular deaths.

But the deaths of Chu Lanlan and others is sparking speculation about greater losses than those reported on official accounts.

According to the specialist news website Operawire, Chu Lanlan was a soprano who specialised in Peking Opera - a theatrical art in which performers use speech, song, dance and combat movements to tell stories - and was also involved in charitable causes.

On New Year’s Day news of the death of actor Gong Jintang devastated many Chinese internet users.

Gong, 83, was known to many households for his performance in the country’s longest-running TV series, In-Laws, Out-laws. His portrait of Father Kang had captivated fans for more than two decades since the show first aired in 2000.

The cause of his death is

unclear, but many social media users linked it to the recent deaths of other older people.

“Please god, please treat the elderly better,” his co-star Hu Yanfen wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

“R.I.P Father Kang. This wave have really claimed many elders’ lives, let’s make sure we protect the elderly in our families,” one user wrote on Weibo.

Acclaimed scriptwriter Ni Zhen was also among recent deaths. The 84-year-old was famous for his work on the 1991 film Raise the Red Lantern, which is widely considered to be one of the best Chinese films by critics.

Meanwhile Hu Fuming, a former journalist and retired professor of Nanjing University, died on 2 January at the age of 87.

He was the main author of a famous commentary published in 1978 that marked the start of the China’s “Boluan Fanzheng” period - a time of eliminating chaos and returning to normal

after the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution under the country’s first Communist leader Mao Zedong.

According to a tally by Chinese media, 16 scientists from the country’s top science and engineering academies died between 21 and 26 December.

None of these deaths were linked to Covid in their obituaries, but that hasn’t prevented speculation online.

“Did he also die of ‘bad flu’?”

one of the top-rated comments under news of Mr Ni’s death said.

“Even if you trawl through the whole internet you can’t find any reference to his cause of death,” said another internet user.

But there was also criticism of demonstrators who took to the streets in November in rare political protests calling for the end of leader Xi Jinping’s zeroCovid policy.

“Are those people happy now, seeing old people... now paving

Haldwani: India Supreme Court stays order on mass evictions

India’s top court has given temporary relief to thousands of people who were facing forced eviction from their homes in Uttarakhand state.

The top court put on hold an earlier high court order and said a “workable solution” must be found.

Government officials have alleged that the affected people have encroached on land that belonged to Indian Railways.

In December, the state high court asked railway authorities to clear the land after giving them a

week’s notice.

But residents have been protesting, saying they have nowhere to go.

Reports say around 50,000 people would have been homeless if the high court order was carried out. They live in neighbourhoods situated on a 2km-strip (1.24 miles) of land near Uttarakhand’s Haldwani railway station.

On 20 December, a two-judge bench of the high court had asked the railways to “use the forces to any extent determining upon need” to evict the “unauthorised

occupants” after giving them a week’s notice.

But the Supreme Court said “thousands cannot be uprooted overnight” and added that a rehabilitation scheme should be put in place before evictions.

The legal battle began after a public interest litigation on illegal mining in the area was filed in 2013 - later, the scope of the case was widened to include the alleged encroachments as well.

From 1 January, the residents started getting eviction notices, The Indian Express newspaper

reported.

Hundreds of peopleincluding women and children - have been protesting for days against the order.

Some residents told The Times of India newspaper that they were being harassed without cause and asked how schools and hospitals could have operated in the area without permission.

“How can one deny the structures that were made during the British era? The railways has no documents to support its claim,” one man told the

newspaper.

A senior official has said that the Indian Railways has “old maps, a 1959 notification, revenue records from 1971, and the results of” a 2017 survey to prove their claim.

The state’s chief minister had said that his government will follow whatever the Supreme Court decides.

Uttarakhand, a hilly state, is currently experiencing a cold wave, with the minimum temperature hovering around the 1C mark. Source: BBC

One of the helicopters landed safely after the mid-air collision

Opera singer Chu Lanlan died in December aged 40

Feature

Sri Lanka crisis: Parents forced to pick which child can go to school

Ten-year-old Malki is too excited to stay in bed.

She’s up an hour before her two sisters and two brothers so that she can scrape some bright red gloss off her fingernails.

Today is her first day back at school and she wants to be spotless.

But her siblings must stay at home - her family can only afford to send her.

Six months ago, Sri Lanka was in the eye of the storm for its worst economic crisis since independence.

While calm has largely returned to the island nation, the full impact of mass unemployment and dramatic price rises is now visible among many families.

Every parent’s nightmare

Malki’s mother Priyanthika has had to pause her children’s schooling so they can earn money by selling fireworks.

Food prices in Sri Lanka reached record levels when inflation hit an all-time high of almost 95%.

Some days, no-one in Malki’s family eats.

While school is free in Sri Lanka, meals are not provided. When you add in the cost of uniforms and transport, education is a luxury Priyanthika can no longer afford.

She says she needs about 400 rupees per day ($1.09, 90p) for each child if they are to return to school.

Sitting in her one-bedroom home on the bed everyone shares, she wipes the tears from her face.

“All these kids used to go to school every day. I don’t have the money to send them now,” she says.

Malki can go to school because her shoes and uniform still fit.

But her younger sister Dulanjalee lies in bed crying, upset that today is not her turn.

“My darling, don’t cry,” says Priyanthika. “I’ll try and take you tomorrow.”

A shattered education

As the sun rises, children who are going to class hurry

along dirt roads in white cotton uniforms, jumping on the back of motorcycles or piling into tuktuks.

Across town, Prakrama Weerasinghe sighs wearily.

He is the principal of Colombo’s Kotahena Central Secondary College and sees the economic distress every day.

“When the school day begins, when we have the morning assembly, children tend to faint from hunger,” he says.

The government says they have started distributing rice to schools but several schools contacted by the BBC say they have received no help.

Mr Weerasinghe says student attendance fell as low as 40% before he was forced to ask teachers to bring in extra food to keep students returning to class.

Joseph Stalin is General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union.

He believes the government is wilfully unaware of the increasing numbers of families giving up on education because of the cost.

“Our teachers are the ones who see the empty lunch boxes,” he says. “The real victims of this economic crisis are the children.”

“[The government] are not looking for an answer to this issue. It’s been seen and identified by UNICEF and others, rather than the Sri Lankan government.”

UNICEF say it will get harder for people to feed themselves in the months ahead, with inflation in the cost of basic goods like rice continuing to cripple families.

It’s expected more children across the country will be forced to stop attending class.

The last hope?

With the government seemingly unable to manage the situation, charities have had to step in.

Samata Sarana is a Christian charity which has been helping Colombo’s poorest for three decades.

Today, its food hall is packed with hungry students from schools across the capital.

While the charity can help around 200 children daily, it

is clear it’s struggling to meet demand.

“They give us food, buses to go home, they give us everything so now we can study,” says fiveyear-old Manoj as he waits in line for lunch with a group of friends.

When Malki returns home from her first day back at school, she tells her mother how much she enjoyed seeing her friends again.

But she also tells her mother she needs a new workbook and says her teachers are asking for extra money to buy materials for a school project.

Money that the family does not have.

“If we manage to find today’s meal, we go on to worry about how to find something to eat tomorrow,” says Priyanthika.

“That has become our life.”

Source: BBC

She says she needs about 400 rupees per day ($1.09, 90p) for each child if they are to return to school. Sitting in her one-bedroom home on the bed everyone shares, she wipes the tears from her face. “All these kids used to go to school every day. I don’t have the money to send them now,” she says.

Malki is able to return to school but at a cost to her younger sister

Priyanthika had to pause schooling for all her children except Malki

Parents are unable to send their children to school every day due to the economic crisis

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2025 AFCON: if Morocco becomes an obstacle, we’ll crush them –Peseiro B

Super Eagles Head coach Jose Peseiro has vowed to “crush” any team that will stand in the way of the Super Eagles as they prepare to go all the way and win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON title

Giving credit to Morocco, the Portuguese tactician agreed that Morocco has put football in Africa on a higher pedestal; but he still insists that Morocco will be crushed should they pose an opposition to his team.

“Morocco’s performance as the World Cup shows African football has come of age and many teams especially from the rest of the world will now show more respect to teams from the continent,” Peseiro told the Media.

“On our part, the aim still remains to win the next AFCON and we are ready to beat any team that comes our way.”

“That’s the target and it remains the same,” he added.

The gaffer further stated that he’s got his tactics, which will be transmitted to the players, and when the transmission is finally over with everybody understanding each other, even Argentina will not stop them.

Peseiro was in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup which ended on Sunday to understudy teams and their tactics.

Enzo Fernandez: Benfica boss criticises Chelsea pursuit of Argentina midfielder

enfica manager Roger Schmidt has criticised Chelsea in their pursuit of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

The Blues are in talks about signing the 21-year-old 2022 World Cup winner from the Portuguese club.

Fernandez, who joined Benfica from River Plate in August 2022, has a release clause of about £106m.

“What the club is doing who wants Enzo, it’s disrespectful against all of us, against Benfica and I cannot accept what they are doing,” said Schmidt.

“To make the player crazy, and then to pretend they can pay the clause and later they want negotiate I think is not what I understand about a good relationship between clubs who maybe want to discuss about the player.”

Fernandez played 89 minutes for Benfica in a 3-0 defeat against SC Braga following his return to Portugal after playing a key part in helping Argentina win the World Cup.

“Enzo, we don’t want to sell him, nobody wants to sell him at this club,” said Schmidt. “Everybody knows he has a clause in his contract and, of course, if the player wants to leave and somebody comes and pays the clause we cannot work against that and so then maybe we will lose the player.

“There’s a club who want our player, they know we don’t want to sell the player, they tried to get the player on their side and they know that they only can get this player when they pay the clause so it’s a very clear situation.”

He added: “First of all Enzo is a very good boy and a fantastic football player. We like him a lot and, of course, we want that he stays at Benfica.

“Of course, the situation for him is not so easy because he played the World Cup, he became world champion, he got offers, and there’s a lot of money on the table.

“In this situation as a young player you think about that, [it can] confuse you a little bit. I think that everybody can understand but, nevertheless, he’s a very good boy.

“He was not there last week, he had no permission to go to Argentina. He missed the training so that is not acceptable [and] that’s why it will have consequences.”

Ahmed Musa unveils ultra-modern sports complex in Kaduna

Super Eagles captain and Nigerian star, Ahmed Musa, shared a video of the imposing, ultra-modern sports complex that he built and which was unveiled in Kaduna State.

On account of how frequently he has given back to society, the 30-year-old

has managed to capture the hearts of many people in Nigeria and all across the world. The latest facility is situated in Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria, in the Old Kamazo, Janruwa Layout, along the Yakowa motorway.

In the video of the complex that the former

Leicester City forward shared on Twitter, courts for badminton court, volleyball, lawn tennis, squash court, and a football field can all be seen with an embedded gymnasium to complete the top-of-the-line facilities.

Musa is a forward and left winger for the Nigerian

national team as well as Sivasspor in the Turkish Super Lig. He is one of only three Nigerian centurions crossing the 100-cap mark, having played in 107 games so far, scoring 16 goals, and helping the Super Eagles to lifting the Africa Cup of Nations.

Novak Djokovic into Adelaide International last eight with win over Quentin Halys

Novak Djokovic earned a hard-fought win against Quentin Halys to move into the quarter-finals of the Adelaide International on Thursday.

The Serb rallied back from 5-2 down in the first set and 5-3 in the second to beat the Frenchman 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5).

Djokovic will face Canada’s Denis Shapovalov on Friday as he continues his build-up to the Australian Open.

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the second week of the Adelaide tournament with an ankle injury.

The 27-year-old also pulled out of last week’s United Cup and so will have had limited match time going into the Australian Open, which gets underway on 16 January.

The world number 22 could go into the first major tournament of the season having not played a singles match since an ATP event in Tokyo in October.

Meanwhile, Djokovic, who beat Kyrgios in the 2022 Wimbledon final, will be bidding for his

10th Australian Open title in an attempt to equal Rafael Nadal’s overall men’s Grand Slam record of 22.

The former world number one is set to miss this season’s Indian Wells and the Miami Open after the United States extended its requirement for international visitors to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Djokovic, who was deported prior to the 2022 Australian Open because of his Covid-19 vaccination status, said “it is what it is” when asked about the prospect of missing more tournaments.

“If it is official then it is. What can I do? Nothing,” the 35-yearold said.

“I’m hoping [to play], but if I can’t go, I can’t go.”

Seventh seed Shapovalov, Djokovic’s quarter-final opponent, raced through Thursday’s second-round Adelaide International tie with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Russian Roman Safiullin.

IOC boss, Bach congratulates Gumel on re-election as NOC President

By Amaechi Agbo

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), President, Dr Thomas Bach, OLY, has congratulated President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee Engr. Habu Gumel on his re-election.

Dr Bach conveyed his congratulatory letter to Engr Habu Ahmed Gumel who is an a Honorary Member of the IOC from Lausanne, dated December 20.

In the letter personally beside by the IOC Boss, added that the International Olympic Committee is predisposed to collaborating with Nigeria Olympic Movement to continue

to support and assist NOC in performing its mission and daily activities.

‘’Please allow me to extend my sincerest congratulations to you on your re-election as President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee on 15 December 2022, and my very best wishes for a successful term.

‘’The IOC looks forward to pursuing its fruitful collaboration with your NOC and remains fully at your disposal to continue to support and assist your NOC in performing its mission and daily activities.

‘’Wishing you and your NOC a happy and successful New Year 2023, remain, Thomas Bach,’’ the statement stressed.

Right, Engr Habu Gumel, NOC President in a handshake with IOC President, Dr Thomas Bach recently

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African studios and bridges to a circular economy

Akpo of Ivarest Global echoed this by saying, “We actually need the government to create laws which will mandate building contractors to use products made from recycled waste on their building and make funds accessible for innovators in the green space to scale up their operations.”

Guest Columnist

By

Greg Odogwu

Chelsea have signed France defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco for £35m on a seven-and-a-half-year contract.

Badiashile, 21, has spent five seasons in Ligue 1 and made 135 league appearances for Monaco.

The central defender made his senior international debut in September against Austria and has two caps.

“I’m very happy to be here at Chelsea. I can’t wait to see the fans and start playing in the best league in the world,” said Badiashile.

Badiashile joined Monaco in 2016 and made his Ligue 1 debut against Paris St-Germain in November 2018 when Thierry Henry was manager.

He has featured in the Champions League and Europa League for the French club and has scored six goals and registered three assists.

“Benoit’s growth over the last two-and-a-half seasons from a young player struggling to fully bring his talent to bear is testament to his and the staff’s attitudes in adopting a higher professional standard,” said Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell.

“Signing with one of Europe’s biggest clubs is the fruit of the work being accomplished within our academy and first team and once again highlights Monaco’s ability to develop young players to the highest level.”

Blues chairman Todd Boehly said: “We’re delighted to welcome Benoit to Chelsea.

“He’s an excellent young player who has quickly established a strong reputation for himself and has a huge amount of experience for his young age. We are sure he will form an important part of our team in the years ahead.”

Graham Potter’s side are currently without defenders Wesley Fofana, Reece James and Ben Chilwell through injury.

The location was Lagos, Nigeria. The year was 2002. A young boy sat in a corner and watched his uncle work his machine. He was not an apprentice but he loved how the man wTAYho took care of him when he was not in school, used technology to feed his family. Other fathers he knew were lawyers, doctors, traders, drivers, farmers, and they were making money. His schoolmates looked up to them as role models. In fact, every other child wanted to finish school and join the rat race. But not this young Nigerian. He was intrigued by technology, and he wanted to work his own machines when he grew up.

Today, 20 years later, the child’s dream has come true. He is Everest Akpo, the Chief Executive Officer of Ivarest Global, a startup that converts plastic waste to sustainable building materials. The entrepreneur, after graduating from the University of Benin in 2014, with a degree in applied mathematics, designed and engineered the machines used in these productions.

Akpo was one of the Nigerian entrepreneurs that presented their circular initiatives to the world at the last edition of the World Circular Economy Forum that took place in Rwanda, from December 6 to 8, 2022. They did it from Lagos, in one of the five designated African Studios, broadcast live in tandem with the Kigali, Rwanda programme. A circular concept in itself, the African Studios was organised by the African Circular Economy Network as a local inperson event that supported the main forum from five locations in Africa. The studios in Lagos, Cape Town (South Africa), Lusaka (Zambia), Yaoundé (Cameroon), live-streamed the Rwanda programme while facilitating various other networking activities and initiatives.

Each studio brought together up to 100 local business leaders, policymakers, academia, youth and experts, who discussed local economic barriers and opportunities and how they relate to the main programme. There were also roundtable discussions, workshops, exhibitions and field trips, facilitated to explore and highlight the national and regional circular economy agenda. Considering that the aim of the African Studios is to create

a space where local stakeholders can learn from each other and from other participants around the globe, network with like-minded people, access invaluable information about the circular economy and share their learning with interested parties; the African Studio in Lagos could be said to have set three clear agenda for the circular economy in Nigeria and the sub-region.

They are circular trade, circular cities and finance for circularity. There is a thread that runs through the three because ours is a region with a housing deficit, low export trade as a result of over-dependence on the extractive industry, and a financial sector that is driven by a rent-seeking public sector. In building these bridges to a circular economy, there are also three critical stakeholders that must work together: The government, development partners, and organised private sector. The government provides the enabling environment, the partners provide the direction and capacity, and the private sector takes the initiative to translate their ideas into societal values.

This underlines the strategic importance of the circular entrepreneurs at the African Studios. From Kevin Conroy of the craft beer makers, Bature Breweries, to Zamy Agha of the recyclers, RIDA National Plastics, the refrain in their enterprise story is the identification of societal demand, but which must be supplied with the environment as the first consideration. However, these values would not be patronised by society if the government does not make the alternative less attractive both to investors and consumers. This was how renewable energy was widely adopted in the developed world, and this is why the world is calling for the removal of subsidies on fossil fuels.

Akpo of Ivarest Global echoed this by saying, “We actually need the government to create laws which will mandate building contractors to use products made from recycled waste on their building and make funds accessible for innovators in the green space to scale up their operations.”

One of his products is pallets manufactured from plastic waste.

Pallet is critical to the trade value chain, so a model which incentivises the production of waste-materialmade-pallet would automatically lessen the burden of waste on the environment while reducing the depletion of forest wood – from which present-day pallets are made. Of course, the onus lies on the government to structure these relevant incentives and promulgate commensurate rebates and tax holidays. Without this acceleration, the circularity concept will not find the required traction to change the face of the national economy.

A pallet is a flat transport structure, which supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, a pallet jack, a front loader, a jacking device, or an erect crane. It is the structural foundation of a unit load, which allows handling and storage efficiencies. Goods in shipping containers are often placed on a pallet secured with strapping, stretch wrap or shrink wrap and shipped. Since its invention in the twentieth century, its use has dramatically supplanted older forms of crating like the wooden box and the wooden barrel, as it works well with modern packaging like corrugated boxes and intermodal containers commonly used for bulk shipping. Hence, the universality of this material sets it up as a potential catalyst.

Thankfully, the Federal Government has said it has adopted a circular economy model to address plastic issue challenges which have endangered human health and the environment in the country. The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, inaugurated the project steering committee for the project, “Promoting sustainable plastics value chains through circular economy practices,” in collaboration with the government of Japan and implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization. But, as has been highlighted above, there needs to come into the mix the third leg of the circular economy tripod –private sector – whom the laws are actually made for.

The opportunities are immense, both for the entrepreneurs and the environment. Today, more than five trillion pieces of plastic are floating on our oceans, a combined mass

of more than 250,000 tons, and growing. Every year at least eight million tonnes of plastics leak into the ocean – which is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. This is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050, at which stage there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans. It is the circularity concept that can stop this future monster before it berths.

Take toothbrush for instance. Over 99 per cent of the toothbrushes the world uses are plastic; the kind of plastic that is not recycled, and which ends up in landfills or the ocean and never breaks down. There are an estimated two trillion toothbrushes in the world, all made from plastic. An estimated one billion plastic toothbrushes enter landfill every year in the United States alone. These plastics not only go into the land but also into the oceans. Just like pallets, toothbrush making could provide new environmental and economic value for society.

The other bridge is finance, and just like was highlighted at the Lagos African Studio, stakeholders need to make the circular economy attractive enough to draw the banking sector. This is done when more people patronise their goods and services. Banks go with the crowd because that is how they guarantee the deposits, which is the oxygen of their operation. In other words, finance for circularity should not come from the government and development agencies alone; but from the people themselves.

Therefore, there is a need for a deliberate convergence of the driving pillars in order to push society to a sustainable future where circularity defines household attitudes.

Greg Odogwu is a Public Policy Analyst.