Thursday, April 6, 2023 Edition

UK Defense

Brigadier Matt Munro, Deputy High Commissioner, Ms Gill Athinson, the outgoing United Kingdom High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Catriona Campbell Laing, daughter, Miss Anya Laing, President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama and Chief of Staff Prof Ibtahim Gambari during the farewell audience at the State House yesterday in Abuja.

PHOTO; State House

Court sacks LP Chair, Sec, others as Nat’l officers

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

AFederal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Maitama, has ordered the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Mr Julius Abure, National Secretary, Alhaji Farouk Ibrahim and two others from parading themselves as National Officers of the party.

The National Organizing Secretary, Mr Clement Ojukwu and the Treasurer of the party are

also affected by the restraining order of the court.

The order by Justice Hamza Muazu is following an ex-parte application argued by James Ogwu Onoja, SAN.

Onoja had in the application informed the court how the restrained national officers allegedly forged several documents of the FCT High Court to carry out unlawful substitutions in the last general elections.

Among the documents were the receipts, seal and affidavits of the Court to carry out criminal activities.

He tendered several documents which confirmed that the Chief Registrar of the Court wrote the Labour Party to disown several documents used for the alleged criminal activities by Abure and three others.

Further in his submission, he said that following their indictment by police

investigation, the four people are to be arraigned in court adding that warrants for their arrest have already been obtained.

In a brief ruling, Justice Muazu held that the application and the supporting affidavits have a good case for the request to be granted.

Subsequently, he ordered that the four people should immediately stop parading themselves as National Officers of Labour Party.

I had fabulous time here, says British High Commissioner in farewell visit to Buhari

By Egena Sunday Ode

Outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Her Excellency

Catriona Wendy Laing, said she was fascinated by Nigeria, particularly the music, dance, culture, and she’s had “a fabulous time here.”

She spoke Wednesday during a farewell visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at State

House, Abuja, after four-and-a half years tour of duty.

“I’m sad to be leaving,” said the High Commissioner. “Nigeria is so much fun, I had a fabulous time here, and I’ll be back. I love the dance, the music, the culture. It’s been good to experience Nigeria. I’ve been to over 20 States, and I’ve told my successor to also do the same. I’ll be back, and still travel wider.”

She congratulated President Buhari for very successful 8 years in office, saying he had done very well to hold the country together.

The President said the United Kingdom was second home for many Nigerians, and relations between the two countries will continue to wax strong.

“In fact, some wealthy Nigerians don’t feel complete

till they’ve had a home in the UK,” he added.

President Buhari said he looked forward to retirement in Daura, Katsina State, after handing over on May 29, reiterating: “I’ll be as far away from Abuja as possible.”

He lauded UK for cooperation on many fronts, particularly in the rebuilding of the North East, hitherto ravaged by insurgency.

L-R; The outgoing United Kingdom High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Catriona Campbell Laing and President Muhammadu Buhari during the farewell audience at the State House, yesterday in Abuja. PHOTO; State House

Reps speakership aspirant, Gagdi vows to correct anomalies in budget

By Christiana Ekpa

NSCDC deploys 30,000 personnel for Easter

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Yusuf

Gagdi, the member representing Pankshin/Kanam/ Kanke Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the House of Representatives and speakership aspirant for the 10th Assembly has promised to correct some anomalies in the country’s budget.

According to him, he intends to stop reinitiation of projects not completed in a budget cycle in another appropriation document due to political intention, thereby wasting taxpayers’ money.

The chairman, House committee on Navy said this while briefing journalists after interaction with Alex Otti, the Abia state governor-elect and House of Representatives members-elect on the platform of Labour Party (LP) as well other stakeholders in Enugu state.

The lawmaker promised to be a speaker for all Nigerians irrespective of religious, ethnic and political differences; promote good legislation, justice and progress of the country.

Gagdi said for fairness and equity, the position of the speaker in the 10th Assembly be zoned to the north-central even as he promised to adhere to the decision of his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The former deputy speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly said who announced that he will be flagging off his campaign between April 25 and 30, said he has visited 24 governors across the country about his ambition.

“Yesterday I commenced my public engagements which I have visited Lagos to meet with Governor-elect Abia state and members of Labour Party. Abia has seven members from the Labour Party in the House of Representatives. From there I flew to Enugu to engage and have interaction with state party chairman of Labour Party as well as the governorship candidate of Labour Party in Enugu state.

“Those are important for me because someone will wonder why this aspirant for speakership going to visit a governorship candidate that was just declared a governor. Engaging a governor who has majority in the House of Representatives is important.

“Yesterday was the first public engagement I had but silently I have visited 24 governors across the country. I am looking at the 25th of this month to 30th to flagoff my campaign.

“I intend to stop initiation of proliferation of projects. Project will commence with tax payers money and it won’t be completed, another similar project will be initiated due to political intention. That is what is wasting taxpayers money.

“I have intentions to correct these, in the area of justice I feel I’m from the north-central and the region deserves to be speaker if you are zoning it to northern Nigeria.

It’s only north central that has not produced speaker in the past years.

“I want to be speaker for the Nigerian people. I don’t want to be regional speaker. God’s willing I will be speaker for the Nigerian people irrespective of tribe, religion. I will be speaker that my primary responsibility is to add value to the people of this county.

“The qualities that I will expect from the next speaker is capacity, sincerity, honesty and commitment. I want to see a just speaker. A speaker that will protect the interest of the people of all the geopolitical formations in Nigeria irrespective of population and what have you,” he stated.

Determinedto ensure a hitchfree Easter celebration, the Commandant General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered the deployment of 30,000 personnel from FCT, states, zonal commands and the National headquarters to beef up security across the country.

NSCDC in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson Olusola Odumosu said the CG gave this order at the National Headquarters, Abuja, while addressing personnel on the need for effective policing of the nation against any atrocious activities of dangerous elements planning to cause breakdown of law and order.

He directed all Special Forces in the Corps such as the Armed Squad, CG’s Special Intelligence Squad, CG’s Special Anti- vandal monitoring Squad, CG’s Marine

monitoring unit, Special Female Squad, Diretorate of Intelligence and Investigation (DII), RRS, Agro Rangers, SWAT, K9, Counter Terrorism unit and CBRNE to join forces with the regular officers to ensure a hitch-free celebration across the country.

“As the Easter celebration approaches, I want to see massive deployment of personnel everywhere in the country.

“All special forces and regular officers must go all out to protect lives and properties of citizens.

“You must look out for criminals, hoodlums and mischief makers seeking to compromise the integrity of the country and deal decisively with them,” CG said.

Audi explained that the massive deployment will cover all public utilities, suspected flashpoints, worship centres, markets, recreational facilities, shopping malls, parks, gardens and other crowded locations.

He stressed that the tight security measures being put in place is to protect lives, infrastructures and prevent any occurence of national emergencies given reports of various political agitations and planned protests in different parts of the country.

“Reports have it that some people want to take advantage of the Easter celebration to cause breakdown of law and order, chaos and destruction of critical national assets in the name of election protests and other political agitations but we will not allow that to happen.

“You must prevent any unlawful gathering, assembly or protests which failed to obtain necessary permission from the police which is the lead agency in internal security.

“You must also ensure proper synergy with other security agencies to forestall any threat to the peace of the nation.

“Note that I will not tolerate any excuse for failure, so, ensure you quell any form of insecurity in sights to sustain the relative peace the nation is currently enjoying, CG charged.

He added that the Corps will be working in collaboration with other security agencies and no stone would be left unturned in ensuring that adequate security is provided and sustained in the country.

The Corps helmsman congratulates all Christians in the country on the celebration of Christ’s ressurection and charged them to pray for peace, progress of the nation and a successful transition of power to the incoming government.

He warned holiday makers to celebrate in moderation and be law abiding in their activities, urging them to assist security agencies by giving timely and credible information to nip crime in the bud.

CARB International, yesterday in Lagos

NUPRC issues operators ultimatum to resolve host community trust issues

TheNigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has given operators of the Oil Mining Lease 42 (OML 42) two weeks ultimatum to resolve the Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) issues.

NUPRC said if the oil operators failed to comply with its directives, they would be sanctioned in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Captain John Tonlagha, Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Environment and Communities (HSEC), NUPRC, gave the directive in Abuja at the NUPRC’s meeting with the operators and OML 42 Community Forum.

The NEPL and NECONDE Energy Ltd. are operators of the OML 42 under Joint Ventures (JV).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 14 host communities including Odidi, Egwa, Kantu, Ajuju, Omamominogho and Jones Creek among others, made up the OML 42 which have four wells/assets and located in Delta State.

The PIA mandates the incorporation of host communities’ development trust by companies/settlors under the PIA which is to be done within a particular timeframe.

NAN gathered that the companies/ operators had failed to engage the communities or set up Board of Trustee (BoT) members to be approved in principle by regulators and registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission

(CAC) with due process.

Tonlagha explained that the worried OML 42 community forum had complained that the operators had not registered the host communities in line with the provisions of chapter three of the PIA.

He said the operators were supposed to have done the registration with the CAC but were yet to do that while other operators had submitted their HCDT for vetting.

“The communities are worried, so we had to bring everybody together to see ways to help by ensuring that the lingering issues are tackled,” he said.

He said after the registration, the communities would be able to derive the three per cent benefit of the host community development trust fund which was meant for them as part of the shareholders.

He expressed displeasure over the delay by the operators, adding that the delay and lingering issues were at the detriment of the communities.

“We have given them two weeks to incorporate the host community development trust fund and appoint the Trust’s Board of Trustee, if they failed to do that after two weeks we might be forced to sanction them,” Tonlagha said.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the host communities had expressed worry over the negligence on incorporation of the host communities development trust by the operators and lack of infrastructural development in the communities.

NAN also gathered that the host communities are proposing to have a different HCDT BoT for each of the four oil fields.

The OML 42 community forum Chairman, Windfree Atemubaghan who sued for peace said it was time the operators realised that the project was community based adding that host communities had suffered due to serious tussle between NEPL and NECONDE.

“Lack of understanding and agreement between the partners is affecting the development of our communities negatively in view of the PIA implementation.

“We appeal to the regulators to expedite action and resolve these matters because we will not want to shut the asset down because if we do so, it will not be beneficiary to our society and country,” he said.

Chief Samson Oyimi, Public Relations Officer, OML 42 community forum, said the oil wells could produce over 100,000 barrel oil per day still the communities trust were not incorporated while three per cent fund had not been implemented.

“The operators are dragging the payment to the expense of the oil communities,” he said.

Oyimi, while calling for a lasting solution, decried the fact that the operator/settlor of the OML continued to drag issues without any positive outcome to benefit the communities.

Amb. Billy Ekele, Chairman,

Omamominogho Community, decried that the Federal Government has made a law to develop Niger Delta region but the companies operating in the region were not complying to the law hence the attention of the regulatory agencies were needed.

“Oil exploration continues to go on but communities’ development is poor. We are crying out to the world to come and help us,” Ekele said.

The NEPL’s representative said it had engaged its partners as a strategy for implementing the PIA, adding that the PIA implementation strategy brought out complex issues in the joint ventures.

The company said the issues it had with the NECONDE Energy Ltd. were numerous and not limited to the PIA implementation, adding that they could not be resolved ordinarily rather with serious involvement of NECONDE management.

Also speaking, the representative of NECONDE said there were some engagements prior to the PIA implementation, adding that it would like to see the process close out for peaceful oil production, communal prosperity and economic growth.

The company said the misunderstanding between the NEPL and its consultant called Amaranta that had been interfacing on its behalf with the communities prior to PIA also contributed to the delay. (NAN)

L-R: Eugenia Abu, Veteran Broadcaster, Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda, Lagos ,Prof Stella Okunna, Deputy VC, Paul University, Awka Mr Lanre Idowu, Director, Diamond Awards for Media Excellence; Emeka Ezeze;, Chairman of the newly inaugurated Committee; Mrs Dupe Gbadebo-Ajayii, Editor, Arbitrator and Dr Husaini Abdu,Country Director,

Reps probe NCC over inability to spread Telecom Services across Nigeria

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to set up an Adhoc Committee to probe the inability of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to promote the spread of telecommunication services in the country.

The House resolution followed a motion of Urgent Public Importance moved at plenary by Hon. Sergius Ose Ogun, on the ‘Need To Investigated the Non-Provision of Mobile Telecommunication Network Services to the Underserved and Unserved Areas of Nigeria by the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Presenting the motion, the Lawmaker noted that Section 3 of the Nigerian Communications Act, Cap. N97, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, established the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with the responsibility of regulating the communications sector in Nigeria.

He further noted that by the provisions Section 4 of the Nigerian Communications Act, Cap. N97, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is saddled with the responsibility of facilitating investments in and entry into the Nigerian market for provision and supply of communication services, equipment and facilities.

“Aware that in the wake of the

rapid expansions of the Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM) in Nigeria, most of the mobile telecommunication network operators were reluctant to move to the rural areas owing to business considerations. Also aware that the Nigerian Communications Act, Cap. N97, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, empowers the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to receive two and a half per cent (2.5%) of the annual turnover of the mobile telecommunication network operators as annual license renewal fee. Further aware that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is expected to utilize the funds generated from the contributions of mobile telecommunication network operators, for implementing Universal Access Strategy and programme in accordance with the Federal government policy of ensuring that telecommunications services penetrates all nooks and crannies of the country”. He said.

He noted that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on its own, decided to contribute 40% of the fund generated from the 2.5% annual turnover from mobile telecommunication network operators translating to 1% of the annual turnover of the operators to the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), a practice common throughout Africa.

According to him, the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), is

to be used to build infrastructure in the underserved and unserved areas of Nigeria, which can subsequently be made available to the mobile telecommunication network operators, who will in turn utilize such infrastructure in serving the areas that are hitherto underserved and unserved.

The Lawmaker further informed that the first major infrastructure project attempted by the NCC in this regard was the Emergency Response System (ERS), which led to the construction of Emergency

Communications Centers all over the country, with little or no results, although the contract was awarded in millions of US dollars with annual fiscal appropriations for the said project.

He said that he was disturbed that the inability of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to utilize the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to promote the widespread availability and usage of network services and applications throughout Nigeria as enshrined in Section 112 of the Nigerian

Communications Act, Cap N97, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, is a great disservice to the nation.

The House therefore resolved to set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the failure/inability of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to promote widespread availability and usage of mobile telecommunication network services throughout Nigeria, including the underserved and unserved areas and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

Buhari inaugurates National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship

says Pantami

By Egena Sunday Ode

PresidentMuhammadu

Buhari

has inaugurated a 14-member National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NCDIE).

The establismnet of council is a requirement of the Nigeria Startup Act, 2022 (NSA, 2022), which was signed into law in December 2022.

The inauguration held shortly before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja.

The NCDIE, which is chaired by the president has 13 other members including the President as Chairman, Vice President as Vice Chairman, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, who shall preside over the council in the absence of the chairman and vice chairman.

Other members are ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning, industry, Trade and investments, Science, Technology and Innovation, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, four representatives of the startups consultative forum and one representative of the Nigerian Computer Society, one representative of the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria and the Director General of the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as secretary of the council.

The council is charged with the responsibility of promoting the development of the country’s digital economy and providing a supportive environment for entrepreneurs to thrive.

It will also oversee the implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act 2022, which aims to stimulate the growth of innovative startups and small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

In his opening remarks, President Buhari highlighted the importance of the NCDIE in driving economic growth and job creation as well as consolidate on the gains recorded in the sector under his administration.

He said the Act provides incentives for startups such as tax breaks, access to funding, ease of doing business, intellectual property protection and participation in public procurement.

The President noted that the Act became law after approval by the federal executive council on 15 December 2021 and presidential assent 19 October 2022.

He commended the efforts of Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, and the Chief of Staff for the achievement.

He noted the remarkable growth of startups worldwide of over $400 billion of venture funding in 2022.

He said this was fueled by the demand for digital services, as people worldwide turned to technology to stay connected, work remotely and access essentials goods and services, largely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Buhari further noted that in Africa, the startups ecosystem has been growing at a remarkable space. He observed that Africa startups grew to $5.4 billion in funding.

“Nigeria has been at the

forefront of this growth with Nigeria start up rising from over $400 billion between 2019 and 2022.

He noted that Nigeria’s startups still face significant challenges, such as access to funding, support infrastructure and security payment.

“These remain major barriers to the growth of the ecosystem particularly for early stage startups.

The provisions of the Nigerian Startups Act 2022, present an important step towards addressing these challenges and promoting the growth and inclusive startups ecosystem in Nigeria.

“Furthermore, the implementation of the Act, led to consolidation and further development of the gains recorded in the digital economy.”

He described the inaugurated council as a critical government structure in the implementation of the Act, which will ensure government agencies, entrepreneurs, investors and support organizations collaborate in the startups ecosystem to achieve goals of promoting the growth and sustainable startups ecosystem.

He reiterated his earlier directive to the secretariat to commence the immediate development of the implementation plan, one of which is the development of the startup portal which will serve as platform that will drive the implementation of the the Nigerian Startups Act 2022 in collaboration with all stakeholders.

He urged all council members to support the secretariat in implementing the provision of the Act.

The council is to meet in May 2023, to make further progress on the implementation of the Act.

Pantami, earlier in his opening remark, said the inauguration of the council will support the administration to consolidate the gains and achievements recorded so far in the digital economy sector.

He recalled that the administration has set three unprecedented records with regards to ICT contribution to the GDP. He noted that in the first quarter of 2020, ICT alone without digital services, contributed 14.07 percent to the nation’s GDP and in the second quarter of 2021, ICT alone without digital services contributed 17.92 percent, while in the second quarter of 2022, the sector also contributed 18.44 percent to the nation’s GDP, describing the feat unprecedented.

He said: “Year in year out, this administration has been setting a new world record when it comes to ICT contribution to the GDP.”

Pantami said, a recent evaluation conducted by OSGF, FCDO and KPMG, indicated that the current administration under President Buhari, has increased revenue generation in the ICT sector from $51 billion in 2019 to $408 billion in 2022, an increase of 594 percent.

“This is commendable and I believe this will consolidate the achievements and the gains we have recorded so far.”

The minister also recalled that engagement Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to provide broadband access across Nigeria, last year December resulted in

a partnership agreement being signed.

According to him, “today in Nigeria, we can safely say with our landmass of 590 kilometers approximately, you will get access to Star-links services in every part of this country.

“Furthermore, in Africa, as at February 2023, we had seven unicorns companies. Unicorn is a company with a valuation of over $1 billion. We have seven unicorn companies in Africa from 53 countries, four of those unicorns originated from Nigeria. All these four unicorns from Nigeria attained this position during this administration. The first was in 2019, the second , third and fourth attained thus position in 2021.

“If computed, 57.14 percent of African unicorns originated from Nigeria, while the market value of seven of them combined as at February 2023, was $11.45 billion and the four from Nigeria contributed $7.4 billion of the total amount. So percentage wise, we can safely say, 55.21 percent unicorns originated from Nigeria with a contribution of 65.21 percent to the entire unicorns of Africa. This is a clear indication and a success story of the contribution of this administration.

“I want to congratulate you, Mr President and this administration on this giant stride and I believe this council to be inaugurated that brought together, government officials, academics, industry players among others will go along way in consolidating the achievements we have recorded so far.”

• ICT revenue generation increased from $51bn in 2019 to $408bn in 2022,

NYSC Director General Brigadier General Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed presenting a souvenir to the Lead Economist of the World Bank Youth Employment and Skills Development Team, Elena Glinskaya when she led other members of the team on a courtesy visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NYSC

10th Assembly Race: We ‘ve greater majority to take leadership positions -Opposition parties

By Christiana Ekpa

The members-elect of the House of Representatives from the opposition political parties under the umbrella of minority caucus have vowed to forge a common front to protect their interests.

Describing themselves as the “greater majority” in the incoming House, the caucus also assured it will checkmate the ruling party and deepen democracy.

Recalled that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) jostling for the speakership of the 10th House produced 162 members-elect out of the 325 seats declared so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The details of the results showed that the People’s

Democratic Party (PDP) has 102, Labour Party (LP) has 34, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) will control 18 seats,

Similarly, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won 4 seats, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) have 2 seats each while the (Young Progressives Party (YPP) has one.

Supplementary elections in about 32 federal constituencies are due to be conducted on April 15 to complete polls in the 360 federal constituencies that made up the House.

Speaking at an inaugural meeting held late night on Tuesday in Abuja, a co- convener, Hon. Agbedi Yeitiemone Frederick from Bayelsa State said that the meeting was to enable them familiarize with each other

and form a united front to deepen opposition politics in the 10th House.

He said: “It is with great honor that I welcome you all on behalf of the co-conveners and other leaders on this auspicious occasion of the inaugural meeting of the minority caucuses that I refer to as the “Greater Majority” of the expected 10th Assembly of the Federal House of Representatives.

“I also congratulate us on our election victory which was not easy to achieve but by the grace of God, this puts on our shoulder responsibility not only to represent our people but see Nigeria as one constituency where our contributions should make life meaningful to all.

“This session is to enable us network, interact and familiarize

ourselves as people that the results of 2023 General election has thrown up as a new phase, having numbers that gives us greater strength to deepen opposition politics and democracy.

“Therefore, we need to realize such and bond for the interest of our parties and the people we here to represent.

On this note, I once again welcome us all and wish us successful deliberations”.

Also speaking, a former chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations and a member of NNPP, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin said the opposition parties must checkmate the activities of the ruling party.

He said: “We understand that for us to be able to put through our collective interest,

for us to be able to protect our ideals as minority parties that fundamentally serve as a check to the ruling party, and to be able to contribute to nation building, we must come together. If we do not put ourselves together, we will not be able to marshal through our interests.”

Also speaking, Hon. Beni Lar from Plateau State (PDP) said with their number, they can achieve a common goal.

“All of us put together are now the majority and a greater majority. This is something that many parliaments around the world seek to achieve but cannot achieve. I believe that with our numbers, strength and with our doggedness, we can achieve our common goal and purpose,” she said.

President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun on his re-election for his 2nd term at the State house, yesterday in Abuja

Fuel subsidy removal: FG secures $800m World Bank grant for palliatives

By Egena Sunday Ode

The World Bank has granted the Nigerian government $800 million dollars to put up a comprehensive palliative scheme for citizens, prior to the removal of fuel subsidy by June, 2023.

Minister of Finance,

Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed revealed this on Wednesday, shortly after the Federal Executive Council ( FEC), meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to Ahmed, the Nigerian government has resolved to end subsidy by June, hence has begun moves to mitigate the

impact on the citizens.

The minister noted that already there had been meaningful engagements with the newly established Presidential Transition Council ( PTC) and the incoming administration, with a view to driving the palliative program.

“We have secured a modest

sum of $800m from the World Bank to drive the palliatives and we are targeting about 10m households or 50m vulnerable Nigerians in the first instance,” the Minister stated while briefing State House Correspondents. She noted that a good chunk of the funds will go to the 10million

households considered to be most vulnerable, to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal.

“We are currently engaging with all the stakeholders. We know that various plans are being considered, including the need for buses by the Labour Union, amongst several other palliatives scheme,” she noted.

PHOTO; State House

Niger Gov. condoles Sen. Kalu over mother’s death

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

The Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello who is also an elected senator representing Niger North has sympathized with the Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, over the loss of his wife Mrs Ifeoma Ada Kalu.

Governor Sani Bello in a statement enjoined Sen. Kalu to remain steadfast in God in this trying moment.

According to him, “I know this is a difficult time for you and other family members, but I want you to know that God who has allowed this to happen, is capable of comforting you.

“She lived a good life, and I want you to be console with that.”

Gov Bello fecorates his CSO with CSP rank

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Governor Abubakar

Sani Bello of Niger State has decorated the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Government House, Minna, Isa Murtala Raji with his new rank, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).

The decoration ceremony was performed by Governor Sani Bello and assisted by the Commissioner of Police Mr.Joshua Ogundele Ayodeji shortly before the commencement of the weekly executive council meeting.

The Governor congratulated him on his promotion and enjoined him to be more dedicated in the discharge of his duties.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the ceremony, the elated Murtala Raji said he was happy with his new promotion and promised to give his best.

2023 presidential poll not religious war, says Archbishop Kaigama

The Archbishop of Abuja Arch-Dioceses, His Grace Ignatius Kaigama, says those who saw the recent presidential elections as a referendum between Christians and Muslims or the North and the South have badly missed the point.

Kaigama made this known while delivering a sermon at the 2023 Chrism Mass celebration on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Chrism Mass is a religious service held in certain Christian denominations, such as Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism.

It is usually celebrated each year on ‘Maundy Thursday” or on another day of Holy Week.

”Some of those seeking power in Nigeria are so notoriously narcissistic and myopic.

”They only see the interests of theirs or their narrow political

constituencies.

”Such a view is the most divisive understanding of the Nigerian political reality,” he said.

Referring to a bible passage (1 Timothy 3:2), Kaigama said a leader must be sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, like Judas who betrayed

Jesus.

“We should search our hearts to see our infidelities, falsehoods, hypocrisies, the good intentions betrayed, promises broken and resolutions unfulfilled,” he said

The Archbishop prayed for all priests, political leaders and for all the lovely citizen of Nigeria that they may enjoy peace now and eternal reward after.(NAN)

of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Governorship Candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Chijioke Edeoga, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Hon. Abubakar Makki Yalleman and Chairman of Labour Party, Enugu State, Mr. Casmir Agbo, during the Speakership Aspirant visit to Enugu state on Tuesday

Revenue generation: AMAC Inaugurates 10 taskforce committee members

By Usman Shuaibu

The Executive chairman of Abuja Municipal Area council in the FCT, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has inaugurated ten Taskforce committee members for the sake of revenue generation in the area.

The committee members are: the Executive Chairman of AMAC; Hon. Christopher Zakka

Maikalangu, Yunusa Ahmadu Yusuf; Taskforce Chairman, Kingsley Madaki; Secretary, Chief Magistrate Habiba I.U Bello; AMAC mobile court magistrate and Magistrate Bamisile Olumide Ayopo.

Others include: Magistrate Abubakar Abdulkadir Jega, magistrate Ngozi Clementina Okonkwo, Ndudi Ezekiel Chidi; AMAC Taskforce legal Adviser,

Danjuma John and Douglas Itiat.

While delivering his speech, Maikalangu told the Task force members that their choice to serve was based on the confidence reposed in them, as he said nothing less was expected from them.

He said: “To the Glory of God and for the betterment of humanity and by the powers conferred on me as the Executive

Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, I hereby inaugurate the AMAC Taskforce on Revenue Enforcement monitoring and Inspection today”

“you must esshew any form of corrupt act, favouritism or narrow-mindedness as to whom much is given, much is also expected, the Chairman warned.

FG approves disbursement of N32.3billion for tertiary institutions

By Maryam Abeeb

The Federal Government has approved a whopping sum of N320,345,040, 835. (Three hundred and twenty billion, three hundred and forty-five million, forty thousand, eight hundred and thirty five Naira only) as the 2023 intervention funds for public tertiary education institutions in the country.

Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, disclosed this in Abuja , during the Fund’s annual strategic planning workshop with all heads of beneficiary institutions.

Echono said the meeting was an avenue to receive feedback and

evaluate the performance of its intervention lines to enhance a more robust delivering of the agency’s mandate.

According to the TETFund boss, the 2023 intervention cycle will see each university receiving N1,154,732,133.00 ; Polytechnic - N699,344,867.00, while each College of Education would get N800,862,602.

His words : “I am pleased to inform you that Mr. President has approved the 2023 disbursement guidelines in the total sum of N320,345,040, 835. (Three hundred and twenty billion, three hundred and forty-five million, forty thousand, eight hundred and thirty

five Naira only). On the basis of this, each university shall get, for the Year 2023 intervention cycle, the total sum of N1,154,732,133.00.

“This comprises N954,732,123.00 as annual direct disbursement and N200million as zonal intervention. Similarly, each Polytechnic shall get N699,344,867.00 comprising of N569,344,807.00 as annual direct disbursement and N130million as zonal intervention, while each College of education shall get N800,862,602 comprising of N670,862,602.00 as annual direct disbursement and N130million as zonal intervention.

“It is pertinent to note that this

represents the highest disbursement to each beneficiary institution, since inception of the Fund.”

Echono further said the fortunes of the Nigerian tertiary education sector has improved significantly under the Buhari’s administration, saying that between 2015 to date (8 years), the total sum of N1.702 trillion has been disbursed as education tax collection to public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education compared to a total sum of N1.249trillion disbursed from the inception of the Fund in 1993 up to 2014 (21 years).

“This remarkable success is due to sustained efforts at expanding and increasing efficiency of collection

of the Education Tax and added impetus is the gracious approval of Mr. President for an increase in education tax from 2.0% to 2.5% in the year 2021,” he added.

Echono also urged Buhari, as a parting gift to the education sector, to give his assent to Finance Bill 2023, which provides for a further increase in education tax from 2.5% to 3%.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo urged the beneficiary institutions to use the intervention judiciously, saying that the country is no longer looking for paper presentations but what one can do with his brain and hands.

L-R: Member Elect from Enugu, Hon Bar Sunday, Chairman, House Committee on Navy/Speakership Aspirant

Group asks Akpabio to contest for Senate Presidency

TheNigeria Civil Society Advocacy Group (NiCAG) on Tuesday in Abuja urged Sen. Godswill Akpabio to contest for the position of President of the 10th National Assembly.

The group, which comprises more than 20 civil society organisations and interest groups across the six geo-political zones, also urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other groups to support him.

While addressing a news conference to call out Akpabio, NiCAG’s Chairman, Mr Kenneth Obi, said they decided to urge Akpabio to contest because of what he has to bring to the table.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obi, who read out a statement by the group was flanked by their Vice-Chairman, Dr Lawrence Okwara, and Director of Media, Pastor Shedrach Oka.

“Akpabio’s endorsement is coming on the heels of the several declarations made by some Senators who are also qualified for the position but cannot fit into the equation at this time .

“We therefore insist that Akpabio remains the best material for this top position under the present circumstances,” he said.

Obi added that Akpabio’s leadership of the Senate under Tinubu’s presidency would be the best thing to happen to Nigeria in terms of inclusive democracy and good governance.

“There is no doubt that Nigeria as a country and Nigerians as a people are going to through so much difficult times.

“We need patriots of discerning characters, competence and capacity to bring that optimal depth of leadership efficiency, balance and service delivery in our leadership quest for maximum output and impact.”

Obi said, “the National Assembly is a microcosm of the Nigerian state.

“Its politics must be played to reflect and satisfy the yearnings of Nigerians for equity, justice and fairness to the zones which have not produced its leadership since the return of democracy.”

The NiCAG Chairman pointed out that in the 24 years of democracy in Nigeria, the office of the Senate President has been held by almost all zones except the South-South zone.

“From 1999 to 2007 it was held by South-East from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“In 2007 to 2015, the Senate President’s office was held by the NorthCentral PDP, and from 2015 to 2019 it was held by North Central APC.

“From 2019 to 2023 it was held by North-East APC. So, from 2023 to 2027 at least, who should occupy it? Certainly, it should be the South-South,” he stated.

Speaking also, the group’s Director of Media, Pastor Shedrach Oka, said it was clear the South-West, North-West and South-South were the only zones yet to produce the Senate President in the past 24 years.

“With the President-elect from the South-West and the Vice Presidentelect from the North-East, the zone left behind and well-positioned to get it is the South-South.

“Therefore, there is the need to call on other zones to support the SouthSouth in this endeavour.”

Oka said Akpabio deserved all support to become Senate President because he is a lawyer, grassroots politician, first-class strategist and a two-term governor.

“Our group has no doubt in our mind that Akpabio will be the most documented and successful President of the Senate that Nigeria would ever produce, given his uncommon Midas touch and track record of past performance.

Adamawa CP carpets REC, INEC over unguarded utterances on security

From Umar Dankano, Yola

The Adamawa state Police Command has frowned at the claim by the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC. Barrister Yunusa Hudu Ari on threat to his life due to election process.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje disclosed the stand of the command via press release issued in Yola Wednesday assuring the

REC and public in the state of their safety and security.

It would be recalled that the REC, Ari granted a media interview in Bauchi on Tuesday allegeding that his life is under threat from undisclosed quarters regarding election in the state and that the CP Babatola told him that his security is not guaranteed in the state.

Nguroje confirmed that the CP and his management team frowned at unguarded utterances

of the INEC boss in the state, insisting that no cause for alarm as his command in collaboration with other sister security agencies are equal to the task in the discharge of their professional responsibilities.

“Adamawa state Commissioner of Police, CP Afolabi Babatola, has deployed the Command’s operational asset around INEC facilities for surveillance operations to checkmate criminal activities

around it, as a further manifestation of the IGP’s determination in providing conducive atmosphere for political process in the state.

“These deployments without doubt will surely assist in monitoring INEC materials, prevent any attempt to invade INEC premises, coordinate timely response to distress call and to clamp down on any attempt threatening the electoral process”.

Association seeks industrial relations dept in MDAs

TheNational Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called for consideration of industrial relations department in all government agencies and private organisations.

The call was made on Monday in Abuja at the opening session of the 14th NANNM labour/ induction workshop for labour unions of Federal Health Institutions sector (FHIS), across the federation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop, which would last for four days, has the theme: “Building grassroots leadership capacity for managing modern trade unions in Nigeria”.

Mr AbdullahiYahaya, a former Chairman, NANNM-FCT, said that the industrial relations department would serve as a mediator between government, management and employees.

Yahaya, who is also a former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT-council, said industrial relations, if properly harnessed and used, would avert industrial crisis.

He said such department in most organisations in Nigeria, was lacking, adding that with such department on ground, strikes and lockouts seen in work places would vanish.

“Unfortunately in many of our ministries, we don’t have that department, this department is supposed to be headed by a director, the function of the department is to interact with leaders of industrial union, labour leaders in the organisation.

“This department will be the one to set agenda for peaceful negotiation, workers by nature will definitely have demands from their employers being it promotion, wages, hours of work, equipment for work.

“These are issues that will always come up between the two parties. The department of industrial relations is that middlemen that looks at the issues the workers are demanding and bring it up to the management.

“So there should be a deliberate effort by factories, ministries and hospitals to have this department that will solely be responsible for labour issues and nip them in the bud to avert crisis,” he said.

Mrs Francisca Okafor, Director, Nursing Services, Federal Ministry of Health, expressed happiness about the workshop and the success of the election that brought the labour leaders to power in their various organisations.

According to her, the labour leaders from the FHIS are starting well as the workshop will arm them with what they need and the kind of leadership they should exhibit for unionism.

She said that unionism was not to be quiet, unionism represented a professional group before the government, before the management, adding that they had come, armed with the needed tools for trade union.

Okafor urged the labour leaders to see themselves as serving in the place of Christ, the divine physician and the ultimate healer, irrespective of their belief.

“God has called us to be able to minister to people who are less privileged, this must be done in a conducive environment; we chose this profession in love to be able to minister well for government and to give us the support.

“This is why I am happy that this people are starting on a good note with the workshop, on how to negotiate better, to reach out, advise government and improve the working environment,” she

stressed.

Dr Farouk Abubakar, Secretary General/ Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) called on the participants to be attentive to every details at the workshop, to make them sound leaders.

Abubakar who was represented by Yahaya Sumi, Director, Special duties in NMCN, said that nurses did not only work in the hospital, they should be able to also manage issues in their environment.

Dr Ngozi Osunde, the former National Secretary of Forum, FHIS, and a Senior Lecturer in the nursing department, Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, urged the labour leaders to use the knowledge from the workshop wisely. Osunde who is also the chairman of the occasion, advised the union leaders to always carry their members along in whatever agreement reached with the employers, to achieve their aims.

Deborah Yusuf, Chairman, NANNM FCTCouncil, who spoke on the theme, called on the inducted union leaders to always adopt the instrument of collective bargaining with management/employers.

According to her, collective bargaining strengthens and settles a lot of things, and that they must always put themselves in order before any negotiation.

Earlier, Chairman of FHIS, Nurse MorakinyoOlajide Rilwan, decried the incessant assault on its members by patients, their relations and other health workers while discharging their duties.

He recommended that issues of assaults at the workplace should be handled with stringent measures and equal representation of people involved.

Rilwan said that any attempt to intimidate or unduly suppress its members shall henceforth no longer be accepted.(NAN)

www.cbn.gov.ng

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA ON BEHALF OF DMO OFFERS NIGERIAN TREASURY BILLS TENDER NOTICE

Notice is hereby given by the Central Bank of Nigeria on behalf of DMO that the Federal Government of Nigeria Treasury Bills of 91, 182 and 364-day tenors amounting to N3,154,326,000; N2,515,400,000 and N143,969,472,000 respectively would be issued by Dutch auction on Thursday, April 13, 2023.

All Money Market Dealers should submit bids through the CBN S4 WEB INTERFACE between 8.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.

Each bid must be in multiple of N1,000 subject to a minimum of N50,001,000. Authorized Money Market Dealers can submit multiple bids. A bid may be for authorized Money Market Dealers own account, non–Money Market Dealers or interested members of the public. The result of the auction would be announced on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. The Bank reserves the right to reject any bid.

Allotment letters would be issued for successful bids on Thursday April 13, 2023, while payment for the successful bids should be made to your account with Central Bank of Nigeria not later than 11.00 a.m. on Thursday April 13, 2023.

The Bank reserves the right to vary the amount on offer in line with market realities prevailing as at the period of auction of the Nigerian Treasury Bills.

Senate: Yari’s presidency will harmonise Executive, LegislatureGroup

Sen. Abdul ‘Aziz Yari has been described as a better choice for executive and legislative harmony if elected President of the Senate in the 10th Assembly.

Mr Omogbolahan Babawale, National Coordinator, Support Groups for Sen Abdulaziz Yari, said this at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that with the incoming Tinubu/Shettima presidency, the group had came to the conclusion that Yari met all the parameters to become the Senate President.

Babawale said that the former Governor of Zamfara would support the renewed hope and action plan of the coming administration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the groups call came in the heels of the winding up of the 9th assembly with power calculation among various interest groups.

NAN reports that of note to most Nigerians is the zoning arrangement of offices, particularly in the legislative arm of government by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

The group called on the APC to acknowledge the contribution of the North West Zone to its success during the last elections and elect Yari as the next Senate President.

“Sen. Yari is deserving of the numero uno seat of the 10th Senate and as we stand as a group, we believe it’s the right thing to do.

“We therefore call on Senator Dr. Abdul Azeez Abubakar Yari to throw his hat into the ring to contest the office of the Senate President in the 10th assembly slated to take off in June.” (NAN)

Adamawa REC assures of free, fair conclusive election

From Ahmad Muhammad, Bauchi

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa state, Barrister Hudu

Yunusa Ari, has promised that the commission will conduct free, fair ,credible and acceptable elections in the state.

Hudu told journalists in Bauchi, that the electoral commission does not have a political party, and he is not a

member of any party.

REC explained that the election was declared inconclusive due to the discrepancy found in the election results of the Fufore local Government Area, where the numbers of votes for members of the state assembly were found in

the governorship election results sheets.

He added that there were reports of the theft of ballot boxes by unknown persons along the road, which resulted in three different results that could not be resolved.

Al-Makura, Islamic clerics call for prayers for Tinubu’s presidency

Sen. Umar Al-Makura (APCNasarawa), representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District and notable Islamic clerics have called for support and prayers for the incoming presidency of Sen. Bola Tinubu, the President-elect.

Al-Makura, who is a former governor of the state made the call on Tuesday evening in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was the Ramadan lecture and special prayer for Nigeria, organised by Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, a foremost

support group of the President-elect.

Al-Makura called for prayers for the incoming leadership and described the emergence of Tinubu and Sen. Kashim Shetima, the Vice president-elect as an act of God which no man can change.

He said all indications before, during and after the presidential election pointed to the direction of a renewed hope for Nigeria.

Al-Makura who is also one of the patrons of the support group urged Nigerians to pray for a successful transition programme from the

current administration to the incoming leadership which he said would build on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“I urge Nigerians and all Muslim faithful across the length and breath of this great country that in the spirit of the Ramadan season, we should pray for the peace of our dear nation.

“We should pray to Almighty Allah (SWT) to guide the outgoing government in its ongoing transition programme to successfully hand over to the President-elect Sen. Bola

Tinubu and the Vice president-elect, Sen. Kashim Shetima.

“I call on all Nigerians regardless of their faiths to support Tinubu and Shetima government in prayers to successfully pilot the affairs of this nation and offer Nigerians dividends of democracy promised them during the campaign.

“From the beginning of the campaign, to the election period and now, peace has been restored to the nation and our hope has been renewed.

“The election itself was a new

hope and indication of national cohesion and unity because majority of the votes of Northerners went to Tinubu; this is a sign of togetherness.

“We thank God for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and we should continue to pray for its successful transition programme to the incoming leadership.

“We should ask Almighty Allah (SWT) to guide and offer wisdom to Tinubu and Shetima to successfully direct the affairs of the nation,” he said.

Information dissemination: AMAC Chairman visits NTA Channel 5

By Usman Shuaibu

The Executive Chairman of Abuja Municipal of Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has led the management of the Area Council on a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Television Authority Channel 5 in Abuja for the sake of information

dissemination as well as the grassroots development.

Maikalangu said: “He is proud of NTA Channel 5 for meeting the yearnings of the people at the grassroots, especially by giving them a voice”

He paraphrased that his presence at the station was to identify and align with the NTA Channel 5 in order to meet its goals

and objectives.

The Council’s boss pledged to sustain the council’s existing relationship with NTA Channel 5 Abuja.

His words: “NTA Channel 5 has been a reliable source of information for years and has been doing its best for the people at the grassroots level. It has been the voice of the voiceless and a worth

partner in progress.

“This is why we decided to partner with the management of continue delivering dividends of democracy to AMAC People. Like I always say, the betterment of AMAC is uppermost on my mind and I will continue making use of every opportunity to make sure that my people get the best of what we can offer”

Responding, the Assistant Director in charge of News, Mr Kayode Adeniyi, who represented the General Manager appreciated the visit of the Chairman and his team.

He, however, assured the Chairman of the station’s readiness to continue covering the administration’s programmes of the Council.

President Muhammadu Buhari presides over inauguration of the national council for digital innovation and entrepreneurship based on the Nigeria Startup aCT 2022 (NSA 2022) and FEC meeting at the Council Chambers State House. PHOTO; State House

AHF, stakeholders advocate open market for generic HIV, hepatitis drugs

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and other stakeholder in the country have advocated open market for generic HIV and hepatitis drugs.

The stakeholders who stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, said open license for the generic production of HIV and hepatitis C drugs to low- and middle-income countries, will ease production and create access.

While urging Gilead, a pharmaceutical company based in the United States to halt evergreening patents right on Truvada and other retroviral drugs, the stakeholders said it will help in control of diseases.

Specifically, Country Program Director of AHF, Dr Echey Ijezie said for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gilead should also sell or license remdesivir for generic distribution at a nonprofit price.

“License technology for the production of treatment for cryptococcal meningitis to generic manufacturers and Link executive

compensation to the impact on positive public health outcomes and access to medicines in developing countries”.

He argued that Gilead is notorious for exploiting patent monopolies on blockbuster drugs to enrich itself and its shareholders.

“The research and development are often funded by U.S. taxpayers, but for their generosity, the public is rewarded with astronomical drug prices”.

While citing instances, Ijezie said a highly effective hepatitis C drug costs $1,000 per pill, and a 12-week course of treatment has a retail price of over $90,000 in the U.S.

“A generic version of the same drug costs only $4 per pill in India, but according to Médecins Sans Frontières, Gilead has excluded 50 middle-income countries from access to the generic, discounted price”.

“These excluded countries include Jamaica, Tunisia, the Philippines, Ukraine, and Venezuela, among others”.

“More recently, a group of nearly 150 nongovernmental

Development commission verifies projects execution in Kwara

TheChairman of the Governing Council of Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Terfa Ityav, has reiterated the commitment of the body to keep up with its development plan.

Speaking during a four-day visit to Kwara on Wednesday, Ityav said that the policy thrust of the commission includes education, agriculture, entrepreneurship, health, infrastructure and security.

“We are in Kwara State to inspect and verify some of the projects that are being done by the commission which are in line with our two to five years plan,” he said.

The chairman lauded the efforts of the management committee of the commission for the execution of projects with direct bearing on the host communities.

“Kwara is the third state after Kebbi and Niger that we are visiting to assess the level of work done by the management committee.

“We give a vote of confidence to them because projects that have been shown on papers are actually existing,” he said.

Ityav said that the commission would keep improving on the standard of its projects where lapses are noticed.

He said that the commission would consider some of the requests from communities in consonant with its budgetary allocation and capacity.

“We have received a lot of requests from communities and we will consider them under our development plan, budgetary allocation and capacity,” he said.

The Managing Director of HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa, disclosed that the visit to the communities was to ascertain the level of projects compliance with their design and

organizations, including AHF and MSF, wrote a letter to Gilead demanding it expands access to its patented COVID-19 treatment candidate drug remdesivir.

“Gilead holds the patent on remdesivir in 70 countries worldwide, and there are no production sites for the drug outside the U.S. In the face of a huge demand for remdesivir, MSF says Gilead is taking advantage of the patent monopoly to limit access to the drug and prevent generic competition. Meanwhile, millions of people with COVID-19 are at risk of dying due to a lack of access to effective treatments”.

Similarly, AHF Africa Bureau, Director of Advocacy, Policy & Marketing, Kemi Gbadamosi, stressed that greed and ruthless profiteering are a core part of Gilead’s corporate strategy.

She said over the past years, Gilead has been criticized for blocking access to affordable treatment of cryptococcal meningitis – a potentially deadly fungal disease that often affects people living with HIV.

“Gilead holds a patent on the

technology needed to produce the drug; therefore, generic manufacturers cannot produce it at a lower cost”.

“Gilead has promised but failed to deliver on a commitment to provide the drug to 116 countries at $16 per vial and has not even registered the drug in these countries, relying instead on local suppliers in countries like India and South Africa, with the price in low- and middle-income countries ranging from $70-$200 per vial.

“For decades, Gilead has exacted a heavy toll upon people living with HIV around the world. By securing successive patents on tenofovir-based formulations for over two decades, Gilead has generated billions of dollars in profit by maintaining a monopoly on some of the most effective and well-tolerated antiretroviral drugs”.

“In 2016, when the estimated cost of Atripla in the developing world was around $100 per patient per year, the U.S. government paid $30,000 per patient per year for the same drug”. She added.

On patent control through evergreening, She said the drastic

disparity in price was a direct result of Gilead’s greed and monopolistic behaviour.

“Through some minor modifications, Gilead has been able to extend the patent on Truvada, a component of Atripla, from the original expiry date of 2017 to 2026”.

“This practice is known as patent evergreening, whereby pharmaceutical companies can extend drug patents by making small changes to the formulations and re-patenting them as new and improved drugs, despite only making small, incremental changes that do not constitute a major innovation”.

“This keeps affordable and better drugs from reaching lowand middle-income countries around the world”.

On her part, NINERELA Exective Secretary, Amber Erinmwinhe, said open market is the best way to create access of the drugs and give room for production.

She added that it will reduce the cost of drugs and help low income earners to patronize.

specifications.

“Projects executed so far have met the aspirations of the communities and I assure you that the commission will not relent in its efforts to ensure that the right quality of projects is delivered,” Yelwa said.

The working visit saw the members of the governing council and management staff of HYPPADEC paying courtesy visits to traditional rulers in Edu, Patigi and Moro local government areas of the state where projects are monitored and handed over to the host communities.

HYPPADEC has constructed schools, drainages, solar powered street lights, conducted medical outreach and distributed motorcycles to aid the security network of the communities in Kwara state within its two years of inauguration.

It was established by an Act of the National Assembly to address ecological challenges from the operations of Hydroelectric Dams.

Its operations is carried out in six states; Benue, Kwara, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau and Kogi comprising 56 local governments, 229 political wards and 1085 communities.(NAN)

Jigawa correspondents congratulates Gov-elect, Umar Namadi

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The members of the correspondent chapel Jigawa state Nigeria Union Of Journalists congratulated his Governor Elect, Malam Umar Namadi for his emergence as winner of the last gubernatorial election in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the chairman of the chapel comrade Muhammad

Zangina Kura and issued to news men in Dutse.

The statement described Malam Umar Namadi who is a former commissioner of finance and current deputy governor of the state as a man of integrity , moral discipline, selfless commitment, patriotism and compassion to humanity.

According to the statement, Malam Umar Namadi is a rear politician who distinguished him

self in public service and earned reputation and confidence of people of Jigawa state in the last eight years.

“Your election as an APC flag bearer and the next Jigawa state governor is a clear testimony of your outstanding performance in public service, simplicity, loyalty and obedient to the rule of law.

“We hope you will operate all-inclusive government as you promised during campaign”.

Flood: MALALA fund, assist 500 women victims in Jigawa

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

No fewer than 500 womenIed households victims of flood disaster are to benefit from integrated basic needs assistance of MALALA fund programmes.

This was disclosed by the program officer of MALALA Fund in Nigeria, Maryam Danburam while delivering her speech during a one-day stakeholders consultative workshop in Jigawa held at Dutse, the state capital.

She explained that, the

programme will be executed through My IT consult Ltd. to ensure accountability and transparency among the vulnerable flood victims in the selected communities.

The programme officer who urged the stakeholders to be transparent in selection of beneficiaries said, three local government of Ringim, Taura and Auyo selected for the program.

While given the overview of the program, the executive director of My IT consult Ltd, comrade Mubarak Yussuf said, the flood

disaster response will cover a total 500 women-Ied households across three most affected local government in Jigawa.

According to him, the three local government of Auyo, Ringim and Taura were selected base on 2022 flood damages research that carries out by NEMA.

Comrade Mubarak added that, as part of MALALA Fund’s effort to support out of schools girls and flood victims, Cash and non food items will be given to 200 women in Auyo, 150 women from Taura and 150 respectively from Ringim

local government.

While making his remarks on behalf of traditional leaders, the Danmajen Ringim also the district head of Taura Alhaji Nura Usman promised to do all their best and ensure the assistance reach the right beneficiaries.

Also speaking on behalf of women-Ied households victims, the coordinator women farmers association in Jigawa Hajiya Hadiza Giwa commended MALALA Fund for the assistance and urged others to emulate.

Minority Caucus of the 10th National Assembly members elect, during their inaugural meeting, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Can Tinubu’s promise on power be the last?

By Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim

An investigation shown that president Jonathan and Buhari spent N1.164 trillion on power in 8 years”, and SERAP investigation shown that N11 trillion Naira lost between 2015 to 2019 meant to fund Nigerian power sector” while Nasir Elrufai, the governor of Kaduna state stated that “the Federal Government spent N1.7 trillion on power” without progressive achievement on the supply of the power.

Nigerian economy is sinking and shrinking while poverty is getting bigger because of many reasons of corruption and epileptic power supply. At the moment, power stands around 3,650 megawatts (mw), despite the huge sum of money the sector swallowed but there is nothing beautiful to write about Nigerian power condition. The national grid collapsed 98 times from 2015 to October, 2022 amid N1.52tn bailout. More so, the National grid failed for more than 230 from 2010 to the first half of 2022. This means that the promises of the past and the present governments to resuscitate and stabilize the sector have failed, though, the government blame the situation for corruption and sabotage but the power distributors put the lion blame for the instability of the electricity for nonpayment or noncompliance of their directives. But, no matter what, there are customers that toe the line and what about their rights?

One can wonder how can companies in Nigeria survive to pay their staff, settle their revenues and get profit? One can feel sorry for media organizations, companies and other small business owners because finding has shown that a radio station in Kaduna state buys N200, 000 diesel on daily basis. Then, how can that station pay the salary of its staff at the right time? This simple question can explain the trauma of epileptic power supply in Nigeria.

This newspaper reported in 2021 that Nigeria lost more than $29 billion yearly because of the poor supply of Nigerian power. Another report revealed that from 2015 to 2019 more than 350 businesses collapsed in Nigeria, and, this is the main reason Nigeria loses foreign investors to other counterparts because a recent report said Nigeria loses N96.4trillion yearly due to the poor electricity supply in the country.

Like other political aspirants in Nigeria, the incoming president of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in January during a campaign

activities in Ondo promised to restore the power supply in Nigeria and if achieved Nigeria will set the ball rolling for development because what Nigeria needs to excel is stable power supply. Electricity is life wire of all businesses and no business can strive without it. With sufficient electricity, many problems of this country will fade away while make the country a giant nation because a powerful country is made with power.

By estimate, in March 2022, Professor Idris M. Bugaje, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE said there are almost 90 million unemployed youths in the country. Prof. Bugaje reiterated that no matter the efforts of governments in empowering Nigerians, without efficient power supply the youths will become redundant because welder, mechanic, tailor, plumber and retailers all need power to satisfy their clients and customers. Indeed, efficient power will also empower women in their homes with micro businesses. This concept is the most important vision of the incoming government. Meanwhile, Bugaje complained on the cost of power in Nigeria, said that the cost effects “the made in Nigeria products” and even education. To promote made in Nigeria products and invite investors into Nigeria Bugaje said Nigeria should subsidize the power bills and adopt methods to lock leakages of corruption.

Standard power is needed not only for businesses alone but for comfort and good life at homes and for technological purposes in this 21 Century, but at this time in Nigeria power is almost kicking the bucket. In 24 hours it is calculated that Band B community gets less than an hour light, with this ration, what benefit can customers derive from their monthly payment? This simply means that Nigerians are paying for darkness because many don’t have prepaid meters to save them from exuberant charges of the power distribution companies. Companies and private sectors pay more than the power they consume because only few companies and institutions have prepaid meters. Can this be another form of corruption in disguise?

The power sector of Nigeria is characterized with corruption; SERAP echoed that $16 billion was sink into the power sector from 1999 to 2017 without tangible progress to show. CIPE in 2020 reported that Nigeria lose billions of Naira due to corruption in the power sector. With ravaging corruption among the power staff and the power distribution companies, power companies in Nigeria lose

Afenifere and the Yoruba interest

By Sola Ebiseni

TheNigerian political elite felt that for the peace of the federation the Yoruba needed to be placated for the death of Abiola which invariably led to the two parties of the PDP and AD/APP alliance both fielding former military head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, as their respective presidential candidates.

To start with, Afenifere is a sociopolitical and not sociocultural organisation, a tag those bereft of the knowledge of its history, objectives and modus operandi sometimes seem to identify it by. Among its founding fathers, Afenifere is a political party and its irrepressible Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, still so insist, notwithstanding their knowledge of the provisions of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution to the effect that “no association by whatever name called shall function as a political party unless (among other requirements) the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC”.

Such is the degree of commitment to the ideals of the organisation which defines our discussion herein. Whatever your views, the undeniable fact is that Afenifere is not apolitical and the organisation has demonstrated that beyond all reasonable doubts. From its inception in 1951, Afenifere, the Yoruba explanation of the Action Group and its social welfare ideology, even during the heydays of military rule, has never been apologetic about its position in the politics and political development of Nigeria. In recent times, there has been controversy on what really is the position of Afenifere about Yoruba interest, bearing in mind its support for a President of SouthEast (Ndigbo) extraction in the face of a frontline Yoruba personality in the race.

Different opinions, some well-meaning, others mischievous (allowed in politics) have defined Yoruba interest in their own ways which they feel called upon to compel Afenifere to protect. These divergent views cut across the entire social strata of the Yoruba society and even beyond, from the youths, traditional rulers, the intelligentsia and surprisingly those who regard Afenifere as a spent force and irrelevant. In a country ruled by mutual suspicion amongst its entrenched ethnic nationalities, without agenda for national engagement the foreboding feeling of survival of the fittest is not unexpected.

It is in the above light that many ignorantly see the Afenifere as a sociocultural organisation like the Egbé Omo Odùduwà which was established in 1945 and some of which members played pivotal roles in the formation of the Action Group, a political party known in the Yoruba parlance as Afenifere found in 1951. The difference between the Egbe and the Action Group (Afenifere) is in their respective membership and ultimate objective. Whereas, the membership of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa (Association of Oduduwa descendants) was

restricted to the Yoruba, membership of AG was national. As a matter of fact, the limitations of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa in membership and objectives, accounted inexorably for the immediate mobilisation for the formation of the Action Group.

Awo became a lawyer in the United Kingdom in November 1946 and a year later in 1947, he published his first book, Path to Nigerian Freedom which Wikipedia describes as “the first systematic federalist manifesto by a Nigerian politician – advocated federalism as the only basis for equitable national integration and, as head of the Action Group he led, demands for a federal constitution, which was introduced in the 1954 Lyttleton Constitution, following primarily the model proposed by the Western Region delegation led by him.”

In quick succession, Awolowo who also was a strong member of the first pan-Nigerian nationalist organisation, the Nigerian Youth Movement, founded the Nigerian Tribune in 1949 for obvious nationalist and political agenda. Thus, while Egbe Omo Oduduwa existed as a Yoruba sociocultural organisation, Action Group (Afenifere) was and still a pan-Nigerian political machinery with unpretentious intent for power which it pursued and still pursues relentlessly. At its peak in the First Republic, Action Group (Afenifere) was the most nationalistic political party in Nigeria.

In addition to being the party in power in Western Region where it was predominant, it was the second largest party in the Federal Parliament which earned its President, Obafemi Awolowo, the status of the Opposition Leader. In the remaining Northern and Eastern Nigerian parliaments, Action Group was also the second preferred party where it was the official Opposition Party. The Action Group not only advocated federalism as the form of government most suitable for the multi-ethnic Nigerian state, the government formed by it in Western Region became the role model for the whole of Africa.

Other Nigerian nationalists and leaders who initially were either opposed to federalism or ambivalent thereof, ultimately came to terms with its indispensability for our stability and progress. The relative progress of the country at the time borne out of the autonomy of the regions and the healthy competition amongst themselves is an eloquent testimony to the wisdom of the choice of federalism and the continued agitation for its true essence. It must be borne in mind that the Action Group (Afenifere) was not embraced by all Yoruba. As a matter of fact, several of the Yoruba leading lights either in the Nigerian Youths Movement or the exclusively Yoruba Egbe Omo Oduduwa, did not join Awolowo in the Action Group which was made up of Nigerians of all tribes some of whom were charged with Awolowo in the infamous treasonable felony trial.

After 13 years of military rule and the ban of political parties of the First Republic, the Action Group resurrected as the Unity Party of Nigeria during the Second Republic with the same social welfarist programmes of life more abundant, the meaning of which continues to pass as Afenifere in Yoruba words. Afenifere continued as the platform for the propagation of the ideals of the Awolowo school of thought and the mobilisation of his disciples after the second ban

billions of Naira to their staff for none remittance of money collected from customers.

To hit the nail on its head, customers of electricity in Nigeria have a blame to share because many don’t pay their bills, they think that power belongs to the government and by the common thinking of a common Nigerian citizen everything that belongs to government is free. The power companies moan that only few customers pay their bills judiciously in due time and some customers fight staff instead to pay for what they consumed. It has become a tradition of some people to steal power through the backdoors. These sabotages and many by customers may be the fundamental reasons why we have epileptic power supply in Nigeria because power companies at times are unable to settle their staff salary. But, no matter what, there are customers with prepaid meters and some don’t have outstanding bills and their rights should not be subjugated because the power company have laws to punish every offender within its armpit of law and the customers are back by laws to be served well.

As the coming government promised to provide a constant and stable power supply, Nigerians pray that the President-elect promise on power should be the last that will establish a stable power, and Nigerians await to see a good change in the power sector because no amount of brainstorming or promises can stabilize the power sector if corruption is not defeated among the customers and the power brokers.

An investigation shown that president Jonathan and Buhari spent N1.164 trillion on power in 8 years”, and SERAP investigation shown that N11 trillion Naira lost between 2015 to 2019 meant to fund Nigerian power sector” while Nasir Elrufai, the governor of Kaduna state stated that “the Federal Government spent N1.7 trillion on power” without progressive achievement on the supply of the power.

As a new government is coming to turn the leaves and make good changes for the country, power is essential commodity and needs much concern to proffer solutions to unemployment, Nigeria’s shrinking economy and Nigerians hoped for a better change in almost everything but most importantly the power sector because it is the mother of all development.

Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim (Goronyo) is a lecturer of Mass Communication, Kaduna Polytechnic and wrote from Kaduna, can be reached on auwalahmed@kadunapolytechnic.edu.ng

on political activities at the fall of the Second Republic following the takeover of government by the military led by General Muhammad Buhari in 1983. Afenifere’s exploits in the nation’s political firmament included the mobilisation of other Nigerians to form the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, to fight the military for the restoration of democracy, including the actualisation of the mandate of Chief Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola, MKO, whose election on June 12, 1993 was annulled by the military under General Babangida.

The activities of NADECO forced Babangida out of power as he handed over to an Interim Government headed by the late Chief Earnest Sonekan which arrangement was torpedoed by General Abacha in November 1993 after 82 days. Abacha died June 18; MKO Abiola followed suit on July 7, less than three weeks after. The succeeding government of General Abdusalami Abubakar hurriedly packaged a transition programme for a civilian government that would take over on May 29, 1999.

The Nigerian political elite felt that for the peace of the federation the Yoruba needed to be placated for the death of Abiola which invariably led to the two parties of the PDP and AD/APP alliance both fielding former military head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, as their respective presidential candidates. The Afenifere formed and dominated the Alliance for Democracy which party won the gubernatorial election in the six South-West states, including virtually all the parliamentary seats.

Before continuing this discourse next week, let us leave our readers with the views of some of our intelligentsia on what Yoruba interest is and what Afenifere should do. In his treatise but diatribe titled: “Is Afenifere the Nigeria’s Father Christmas?” Leye Igbabo, my highly cerebral Aburo and Director of Publicity, Ondo State chapter of the PDP, having lambasted the Afenifere for supporting a non-Yoruba presidential candidate had this to say: “Although, in the true sense, if the presidency of Nigeria was to come back to Southern Nigeria as widely canvassed, I personally agree that it was only fair, just and reasonable to allow the South-East take the shot at the presidency.

This is because the South-West and South-South had taken their own shots between 1999 and 2007, and 2010 and 2015 respectively. Nonetheless, the point here is that it is not in the best interest of Yoruba nation for Afenifere, a Pan Yoruba organisation to be rooting for a presidential candidate of a South-East extraction all in a bit to be seen as being fair, just or reasonable! Since politics is largely driven by interest, if anything, it is therefore the interest of Yoruba nation that Afenifere must defend and promote notwithstanding whether such stand is seen as fair or just or reasonable. And if one may ask: Where is the place of fairness, equity and justice in Nigeria’s political space?” Nigeria, we hail thee!

Ebiseni is the Secretary General, Afenifere and South West Coordinator, OBIDATTI Campaigns Organisation.

An idea called Nigeria

By Sung Bauta

“Nigeria is more than a country. Nigeria is an idea. The idea is greater than Nigerians.” His words reflect a similar sentiment attributed to the Nigerian statesman Obafemi Awolowo, who stated that Nigeria was not a country, but an idea.

Riddled with anxiety, I watched for the results of the Nigerian presidential elections on February 25, 2023. Like so many Nigerians, I prayed earnestly for the elections, and solicited the prayers of churches and friends here in the US. I wrote articles on the state of Nigeria and the hopes of Nigerians for this election. I also contacted a gubernatorial candidate of a state to offer prayers and encouragement. Based on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s assurances for freer and fairer elections, I was optimistic about the electoral processes.

To access the election updates, I perused international, national, and local streaming and print news services; moreover, I gauged the perspectives of family and friends. Very soon, my anxiety gave way to disillusionment. It became clear that the process was manipulated to favor a certain candidate. My heart sank. My optimism for the election process, although not devoid of skepticism, gave way to a scarring disappointment. I was wounded by the

rascality of what was supposed to be a sacred process. For the first time in my life, I heard my soul say, “I don’t love Nigeria anymore.”

But I do love Nigeria, I will always love Nigeria. Even my relocation to the US in 2001 never dampened my love for her. Like a distant lover, Nigeria occupies my every waking thought. Unlike most people, I did not leave Nigeria for a “better life” in America. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for the opportunities being in America has accorded me. Most of my accomplishments would have been impossible in Nigeria. Thus, I lament for Nigerians who have been hamstrung by the Nigerian experiment. Hearing and watching images of violence during the elections evoked deep despair within me, a despair many Nigerians feel today.

In his defining book, There Was a Country, Chinua Achebe provides a personal reflection about Nigeria. The book is his account of the Nigerian civil war (1967-1970), a painstaking description of a declining Nigeria. In 2019, William Stuart Symington, the former US Ambassador to Nigeria, gave a speech to commemorate the Independence Day celebration of the US. Symington argued that the Nigerian idea is greater than we think. “Nigeria is more than a country. Nigeria is an idea. The idea is greater than Nigerians.” His words reflect a similar sentiment attributed to the Nigerian statesman Obafemi Awolowo, who stated that Nigeria was not a country, but an idea.

The premise that Nigeria is an idea is noteworthy. We have been on a quest towards nationhood even before 1960, but we are not a one, indivisible entity yet. The Nigerian National Anthem rightly refers to us as “compatriots.” However, the anthem calls us to act as citizens of a nation. It is one thing to be born in Nigeria, but it is another thing to be a Nigerian. Being a Nigerian suggests that we all have an equal stake in Nigeria. But the just concluded elections demonstrate that the right of citizenship still eludes us. Even those who suppress the masses are not citizens; for by denying others citizenship, they also deny themselves.

If Nigerians are refused citizenship, Nigeria will remain an idea, not a nation. It is citizens that build a nation, not compatriots. Devoid of their citizenship, Nigeria’s call to obedience will continue to go unheeded. Nigerians will not serve their fatherland with love, strength, and faith; rather, they will serve their fathers’ interests, utilizing every vice to attain them. Instead of celebrating heroes who passed the idea of Nigeria to us to nurture, we will jeopardize the future by trading the idea of a great nation for a mediocre one; we will nullify the labor of past leaders. Even those who have the heart, and the might will never have a nation to serve. Without a nation bound in freedom, peace and unity will remain elusive.

Defeating terrorism In Africa through multilateral cooperation

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

It involves troops from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM).

Rwanda offered 1,000 in July 2021. South Africa has the largest contingent of around 1,500 troops. External countries are, of course, enormously helping and contributing to stabilize the situation in Mozambique.

Leading discussions at the United Nations Security Council on challenges posed by increasing terrorism cum extremism and mechanism to eradicate the scourge across Africa, Mozambican President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi unreservedly shared his country’s unique experiences, progressive approach and success story with the gathering in New York.

President Filipe Nyusi, who chaired the lengthy discussions attended by leaders from the Africa and top diplomats, strongly suggested that a better approach in preventing violent extremism must necessarily be through stronger cooperation between the UN and regional organizations in Africa. Mozambique, southern African country, which holds the rotating Security Council presidency in April, has been battling a deadly insurgency in the north for more than five years.

“The expansion of terrorism is quite threatening, and it is driven by factors that vary from context to context. On one hand, radicalization based on identity variables fuelled by intolerance and, on the other hand, the manipulation of socioeconomic factors have accelerated recruitment to terrorist groups, particularly of the youth,” he said.

Citing the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, President Nyusi reported that some 48 per cent of terrorism-related deaths occurred in Africa, while the Sahel is the “new epicentre” of terrorist attacks. He further said African countries, the AU and regional organizations on the continent – such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the West African bloc ECOWAS, and its East African counterpart, IGAD – have accumulated years of experience in conflict resolution.

A SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) has been fighting terrorists in the northern province of Cabo Delgado for nearly two years – an example of “African solutions to African problems” and an approach that could be replicated elsewhere. “For Mozambique, this experience is vested with an added value, as, presently we are fighting terrorism combining SADC regional multilateral efforts with bilateral efforts between Mozambique and Rwanda, and together we are successfully fighting terrorism,” President Nyusi said.

Secretary-General António Guterres has, several times, expressed deep concern over the gains which terrorist groups are making in the Sahel and other parts of Africa. “Despair, poverty, hunger, lack of basic services, unemployment, and unconstitutional changes in government continue to lay fertile ground for the creeping expansion of terrorist groups to infect new parts of the continent,” he said.

“Just as terrorism drives people apart, countering it can bring countries together,” said Guterres, pointing to several initiatives across Africa, including in the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin and Mozambique. “The United Nations stands with Africa to end this scourge. Above all, it includes our ongoing

close collaboration with the African Union (AU) and regional and sub-regional African organizations,” he added.

According to Guterres the UN is delivering tailored assistance to African countries in areas that include prevention, legal assistance, investigations, prosecutions, reintegration and rehabilitation. “Evidence shows that counter-terrorism efforts that are solely security-focused rather than humanrights based, can inadvertently increase marginalization and exclusion, and make the situation even worse,” he explained.

Long before chairing the UN Security Council meeting in April, President Filipe Nyusi has been very outspoken, shared valuable experiences about the use of well-constituted regional military force for enforcing peace and security in Mozambique. Creating regional military forces to fight threats of terrorism will absolutely not require bartering the entire gold or diamond mines for the purchase of military equipment from external countries.

Mozambique has relative peace and stability after the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) had finally approved the deployment of joint regional military force with the primary responsibility of ensuring peace and stability, and for restoring normalcy in the Cabo Delgado province, northern Mozambique.

It involves troops from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community Military Mission (SAMIM). Rwanda offered 1,000 in July 2021. South Africa has the largest contingent of around 1,500 troops. External countries are, of course, enormously helping and contributing to stabilize the situation in Mozambique.

The Joint Forces of the Southern African Development Community are keeping peace in northern Mozambique. The rules, standards and policies, provision of the assistance as well as the legal instruments and practices are based on the protocols of building security stipulated by the African Union. It, therefore, falls within the framework of peace and security requirements of the African Union.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), a policy think tank, has published a special report on RussiaAfrica. The report titled – Russia’s Private Military Diplomacy in Africa: High Risk, Low Reward, Limited Impact – says that Russia’s renewed interest in Africa is driven by its quest for global power status. Few expect Russia’s security engagement to bring peace and development to countries with which it has security partnerships.

While Moscow’s opportunistic use of private military diplomacy has allowed it to gain a strategic foothold in partner countries successfully, the lack of transparency in interactions, the limited scope of impact and the high financial and diplomatic costs exposes the limitations of the partnership in addressing the peace and development challenges of African host countries, the report says.

The report authored by Ovigwe Eguegu, a Beijing-based Nigerian Researcher on Politics and International Affairs, focused on the use of private military companies to carry out ‘military diplomacy’ in African states, and the main research questions were: What impact is Russia’s private military diplomacy in Africa having on host countries’ peace and

development? Why has Russia chosen military diplomacy as the preferred means to gain a foothold on the continent?

His report was based on more than 80 media publications dealing with Russia’s military-technical cooperation in Africa. He interrogates whether fragile African states advance their security, diplomatic and economic interests through a relationship with Russia.

Overcoming the multidimensional problems, especially extremism and terrorism, facing Libya, Sudan, Somali, Mali, and the Central African Republic will require comprehensive peace and development strategies that include conflict resolution and peacebuilding, state-building, security sector reform, and profound political reforms to improve governance and the rule of law – not to mention sound economic planning critical for attracting foreign direct investment needed to spur economic growth.

The United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the entire international community have expressed collective concerns about any use of private mercenary forces, instead strongly suggested the use of well-constituted regional forces approved by regional blocs or organizations, as a means of addressing conflicts in Africa.

Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, has earlier acknowledged a few difficulties on the part of the international community, donors and partners to reach a consensus on the most effective support mechanism for a collective security response in the Sahel.

“It is perhaps time to rethink our approaches and change the way we do our work,” she added. “We need innovative approaches in the face of the constantly evolving tactics of terrorist groups, whose influence keeps expanding.” She, however, called for a holistic approach that honours the primacy of politics, addresses the causes of poverty and exclusion, and provides opportunities for young people in the region.

During the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) held in Addis Ababa, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), interestingly used the phrase – “African solutions to African problems” – seven times during his speech delivered on February 18. Besides that, he offered the suggestion that existing conflicts and disputes on the continent, it necessary to mobilize collective efforts to resolve them and “must be confined to this continent and quarantined from the contamination of non-African interference.”

The African Union is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Its vision is focused on an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena. It has designed a continental development programme, referred to as the AU Agenda 2063, which is Africa’s development blueprint to achieve inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development over a 50-year period.

Dr. Sung Bauta is a Public Policy Analyst.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

Group lobbies for South-South geopolitical zone to produce next Senate President Citizens

Network For Peace and Development in Nigeria (CNPDN), a civil society group, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC), to zone Senate Presidency to the South-South geopolitical zone.

Making the call in Abuja on Tuesday, its National Secretary, Mr Francis Wainwei, told a news conference that the zone was better positioned to produce the next Senate President.

He said it was important and fair for the National Working Committee (NWC) and various organs of APC to consider the region for the post.

According to him, aside the fact that the zone has a ranking senator in the person of Sen. Godswill Akpabio, it has not produced a Senate president since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999.

Wainwei also said that zoning the president of the senate of the 10th Assembly to the region would foster true sense of belonging.

“Considering the SouthSouth zone will make for peaceful and smooth take-off of the new dispensation under the presidentelect, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

“The call is also strengthened by the fact that the APC got more than 25 per cent votes in each of the six South-South states.

“This feat was achieved in spite of the fact that the region has been known as the stronghold of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before now,’’ he said.

Wainwei added that the SouthSouth contributed greatly in ensuring that the APC won the 2023 presidential election.

On Apkapbio’s credentials, he said: “Godswill Akpabio is the right senator-elect.

“He has the competence, national acceptability and political experience to effectively pilot the affairs of the senate.

“As a former governor and minority leader in the Senate, representing the PDP, becoming President of the Senate as an APC member makes Akpabio a formidable bridge between the Executive and the Legislature.

“We call on all patriotic senatorselect to support and vote massively for Akpabio.

“We also call on all patriotic Nigerians who want the `Nigeria of our Dreams’ to prevail on the APC to zone the position of Senate President to the South-South geopolitical zone,’’ Wainwei stressed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that based on Senate Standing Rules, only ranking senators are eligible to contest for the position of President and Deputy President of the Senate.

Wainwei said also that the in-coming government should distribute available political positions equitably among the six geopolitical zones to enhance national unity.

“As patriotic citizens, our primary interest is the unity and prosperity of the nation; hence, this is a clarion call to the ruling party to do the needful.

“The party and incoming government should promote government of national inclusion, equity and fairness to all geopolitical zones,’’ Wainwei said. (NAN)

PPP: Triumph publishing coy rebounds, secures 64 shops in Kano

From

Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Triumph Publishing Company, has gotten a new lifeline after it received the share of 64 shops at the newly constructed ultra modern Bureau De Change market, located at the company’s former site in Fagge Local Government area of Kano state.

Peoples Daily reports that on September 11, 2020, the Kano state government signed an agreement with Lamash Properties Limited Company, under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement to develop an ultra modern Bureau De Change market at the then Head Office of the Triumph Publishing Company.

Part of the conditions in the signed agreement is to relocate

the Triumph Company to a new location at Amana Housing Estate, which had already been completed successfully.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony of the shops to the management of the Triumph Company on Wednesday in Kano, an official of the Lamash Properties Limited, Hadiza Abdulkadir expressed gratitude to see the handover of the shares to the company.

She explained that clause 7 in page 3 of the development agreement stipulates that the state government “shall be entitled to receive N1.04 billion worth of shops, comprising of N500m value of the land contributed to the project and N530.8 million, representing 25% profit share.”

“Today we are here by the will of Almighty Allah, to handover the completed shops and all their

keys belonging to Kano state government in this project.

“Pursuant to the letter of directive given to us by Kano state government through the Technical Committee to handover the said Kano state government shops in this project to the management of Triumph Publishing Company, I have the honor to invite the management of the Triumph Publishing Company to come forward for the necessary process of the handover,” she said.

In his remarks, Lawal Sabo Ibrahim, Managing Director of Triumph Publishing Company expressed delight with the development.

The Managing Director explained that the 25 percent share represents 64 shops, which according to him if managed properly, would bring Triumph Company back to its glory days.

According to him, the publishing coy, within the short period of time, would start remitting revenue to the government ‘s treasury.

He noted that the acquisition of the shops would make the company buy more production machines and equipment, which according to him, “would translate into more revenues for the company and the state government.”

“I pray to Almighty God to make this project sustainable and make the outgoing and incoming governments see it as something to keep the triumph going,” he said .

He noted that the acquisition of the shops would surely boost Triumph’s production and contribute immensely to the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

NHIA pledges to leave no one behind in health insurance coverage

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has reiterated its commitment to leave no one behind in efforts to provide financial protection to Nigerians against the cost of ill-health.

The NHIA Coordinator in Kaduna State, Malam Aminu Tanimu, gave the commitment in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday.

He said that the authority has different health insurance packages for different categories of people in both the formal and informal sectors toward the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

According to him, there is a package for the formal sector, the informal sector, communitybased, retirees and students of tertiary institutions, among other packages for all categories of persons and individuals.

Tanimu said “this is to ensure that no one is left behind in the Federal Government efforts to provide health insurance cover for all citizens.”

He urged Nigerians to embrace the programme and access quality healthcare services at affordable cost without exposure to financial risk.

He particularly urged Kaduna residents that are not covered by any of NHIA’s packages to subscribe to the Group, Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme (GIFSHIP).

He explained that GIFSHIP was designed for small-scale enterprises, associations, unions and institutions outside the organised private sector, selfemployed individuals, families, and groups.

Others, he said, were retiree and retiree associations, diaspora groups, foreigners living in the country, as well as those whose premium would be covered by

philanthropists or members of the National Assembly (NASS).

The coordinator further explained that “under the package, contributions for an individual with two dependents is 45,000 per annum, while a family of four would pay N60, 000, with each member of the family enrolled at N15, 000.

“Group enrollment is pegged at N15, 000 per person per annum, with a minimum number of 10 persons per group, except smallscale enterprises with less than 10 employees.

“The benefit package is huge and can be accessed in any NHIA facility in any part of the country.”

The state coordinator also said that the authority was doing all it could to improve the quality of services across NHIA accredited facilities in the country.

He added that Prof. Nasiru Sambo, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the authority, was already

strengthening states with the required manpower – doctors, pharmacists, lab scientists, and nurses, among others.

He said that NHIA officials would be going round facilities to assess the level of service delivery, adding that any facility found wanting would be sanctioned according to the NHIA guidelines.

Tanimu appealed to enrollees who were not satisfied with the quality of services or felt shortchanged to report to their Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) or the nearest NHIA office, assuring that necessary action shall be taken.

“An enrollee who has complaints at a health care facility on issues relating to service delivery should first contact his or her HMO.

“If the complaint is not resolved or the case is an emergency, the enrollee should register the complaint with the nearest NHIA office,” he advised.

President Muhammadu Buhari presides over inauguration of the national council for digital innovation and entrepreneurship based on the Nigeria Startup aCT 2022 (NSA 2022) and FEC meeting at the Council Chambers State House.

PHOTO; State House

Senate Presidency: Ndume joins race, cautions against zoning

By Musa Baba Adamu

Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South has expressed his readiness to contest for Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.

The 10th Assembly will be inaugurated in June 2023 after the swearing-in of the Presidentelect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on May 29.

Ndume, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, however, said his ambition would be determined by the fairness of the zoning arrangements that would be put in place by the All Progressives Congress leadership

He said “Subject to the position of the party (APC), and the fairness of such arrangements, I intend to throw my hat in the ring for the race of Senate President because of my experience.”

The Borno South Senator who contested the seat with the incumbent president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan in 2019, wondered why the APC was insisting on zoning arrangements for the National Assembly positions when it didn’t do the same during the presidential primaries.

He said, “The APC leadership did not take any position during the presidential primary election. Aspirants from all geopolitical zones participated in the exercise.

“Senators should be allowed to choose a competent person among them that has adequate legislative and managerial experiences to lead the Senate.

“Zoning may not lead to the emergence of the best person for the job, that is why the decision to choose the Senate presiding officers must be the sole responsibility of the senators.”

He pledged to put Nigeria and Nigeria’s interests first if elected, even as he said the issue of political inclusion and power devolution would be paramount in his Agenda.

As the Senate President, he said he would “be one, not first among equals” and promised to work harmoniously and interdependently with the executive arm of government.

Ndume also said the relationship between the legislature and the judiciary would be cordial without undermining the principles of Separation of Power.

He pledged that the Senate under his leadership would make new laws and review existing ones to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

Post elections issues: FG, Security must not take sides with APC - CNPP warns

By Christiana Ekpa

Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has warned that the Federal Government and security agencies, particularly the Police and the Department Of State Services (DSS) are appearing to be taking sides with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in recent post election events.

CNPP said the Federal Government and its apparatus should not do the bidding of any political party if the country’s democracy must continue to transition from one administration to another without hitches.

The CNPP was reacting to post elections utterances of some political interests and the actions and inactions of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration as well as security agencies.

In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Willy Ezugwu, the CNPP observed that “Our democracy will be in total jeopardy if the government chooses to take sides or resorts to use draconian measures to muzzle opposition voices in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“It beats the imagination of lovers of democracy that appointees of the Federal Government find

it difficult to separate governance from partisanship, thereby mixing governance with politics. The result is usually heating up the polity.

“Some instances have led to the believe that the Federal Government is supporting the APC against Nigerian opposition parties.

“In November 2014, the APC’s then National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, threatened to form a parallel government if the 2014 elections were rigged, confirming a statement credited to the then Governor of River State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi at an APC’s Salvation Rally, which he equally confirmed to be the stand taken by his party, the APC, before the then Osun State Governorship election.

“Lai Mohammed said and we quote, “Those who are fretting about this statement are those who are planning to rig the elections and they should be warned that Nigerians will no longer accept the outcome of any fraudulent polls. Those who incite the people are those who steal their mandate”, he said and he was neither arrested nor threatened with treason.

“Also President Muhammadu Buhari, while contesting for Presidency in 2014, had also threatened that the dogs and the

baboons will be soaked in blood on the streets should the election be rigged. He was neither arrested nor threatened with treason.

“In 2023, the APC in Rivers State, has threatened to mobilise its members to barricade the main entrance into the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Port Harcourt over the commission’s alleged refusal to release the certified true copies (CTC) of the just-concluded election results in the State. Nobody has harassed the APC leaders in the state.

“In Gombe State, at about March 10, 2023, it was reported that the Peoples Democratic Party asked security agencies to arrest the Gombe State campaign coordinator of the All Progressives Congress, Jamilu Gwamna, for allegedly issuing death threats to voters in Bolari West of the state.

“According to the report, Gwamna allegedly threatened parents in the area with “losing their children” should they allow their youths to vote for PDP. The security agencies are not prosecuting anybody in the state in connection with the threat.

“In Lagos State, voters were openly threatened not to go out to vote, while some were wounded and

others allegedly died. Till date, no arrest has been made.

“Making the matter even laughable was a statement credited to the Nigeria Police where the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said that anyone with evidence against the Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Association, Musiliu Akinsaya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, can file a case of attack against him.

“This is after he had openly threatened voters in Lagos State and the videos of the threat as well as the eventual attacks on voters by hoodlums suspected to be APC supporters in Lagos State were flying here and there. But a video of a traditional ruler in Lagos was the bases for which both the Police and the DSS arrested Igbo traditional leader who threatened to invite the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to protect their businesses In the state.

“Perhaps the most malicious case was the comments by Lai Mohammed, who is the information minister of the outgoing government, accusing the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, of inciting people to violence over the outcome of the presidential elections, saying it is treasonable”.

10th Assembly: Group endorses Senator Abdulaziz Yari for Senate President

By Usman Shauibu

The Parliamentary Lobby Network in Arewa (PARLNETWORK) has thrown its weight behind Senator Abdulaziz Yari for the race for Senate Presidency in the 10th National Assembly for rapid development of Nigeria.

The National Convener of the Group of Principal Parliamentary Aide, Honorable Salisu Sabo, who made the Endorsement in a press

statement issued in Abuja, said another strong contendant has joined the race.

Honorable Salisu Sabo, said Senator Yari is not only the most qualified for the exalted office, but committed to national development among the aspirants.

According to him, the party’s leadership and its Presidentelect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should without hesitation affirm the Senator as Senate President for credibility.

Harping on national interests of peace, stability and unity, Yari be appointed with the position of the Senate President.

The National Convener specifically described Senator Yari a seasoned leader who is not only widely respected by political leadership of Nigeria, but also a man known on the basic principles of inclusivity, collective prosperity and consultative leadership.

“Senator A.A. Yari is not only known as a green horn in the

Executive leadership of Nigeria. To a very large extent, he is also revered as a leader who naturally commands respect, and recognition for his Parliamentary leadership prowess, and for his awe-inspiring ability to manage people of all ages, social and political strata.

“But most importantly because of his wealth of experience in the Senate, leadership skills and good relationships with all parts of the country spread across all the state capitals of the federation,” he said.

L-R: Chairman House Committee on Navy/ Speakership Aspirant of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi with Abia State Governor Elect, Mr. Alex Otti, during the speakership Aspirant visit to the governor elect on Tuesday in Abia state.

Court restrains Labour Party From suspending chairman, party excos

By Musa Baba Adamu

AState High Court sitting in Benin, the Edo state capital, has restrained the Labour Party and all its members from any suspension or purported suspension of its national officers till the determination of a motion on notice.

A statement made available to journàlists and signed by the National Secretary of the Labour Party, Alhaji Umar Farouk said the party’s lawyer, G. C. Igbokwe (SAN) confirmed to journalists that he has got a High Court order that status quo be maintained and no action which may result to the suspension of any national officer of the party be taken.

According to the Senior Advocate, “Our attention has been drawn to a latter order purportedly from another court of equal jurisdiction restraining my clients. Of course, such order is of no consequence and will have no effect untill after the determination of the motion on notice.”

Recall that the entire leadership of Labour Party in Edo state including the State, Local Government and Ward executives on Monday had passed a vote of confidence on Abure, who was allegedly suspended by a factional group of the party.

The party recalled that some groups who claimed to be ward three executives of the party in Edo State, led by the Ward’s Chairman, Martins Osigbemhe, had earlier announced the suspension of the LP national chairman.

However, in a solidarity visit to Barrister Abure at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, the chapters said the Osigbemhe faction are unknown to the party and are working for the opposition political parties.

Mr Kelly Ogbaloi, Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the party, while addressing newsmen said that the constitution of the party did not empower any group or party members to suspend a national officer.

Ogbaloi said that since Abure was elected by a national convention, “imposters “who are not registered party members cannot suspend him, so their action is out of ignorance. Those who did it don’t even understand the message they were asked to deliver.”

No date has been fixed for hearing on the matter.

IPAC queries Plateau chairman, Dogara over illegal northern IPAC chairmen forum

• Disowns forum of ex-IPAC officers

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The national leadership of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has queried its Plateau State chairman, Abubakar Dogara to explain why a disciplinary action should not be taken against him for the formation of an illegal body known as the ‘Northern IPAC Chairmen Forum’.

In a statement issued by the

National Secretary of IPAC, Yusuf Dantalle, the council said it is in clear violation of the Council’s Code of Conduct, which only provides for National, States and Local Government Areas structures.

IPAC also queried Dogara for issuing a press statement, which it said was outside his jurisdiction using the same illegal body on matters of national interest already addressed by national

leadership of IPAC. He was directed to respond to the query within 48 hours or face disciplinary action along with other officials found culpable in his alleged gross misconduct.

IPAC also disowned the “Forum of Ex-IPAC Officers”, stating that it is illegal and unknown to IPAC Code of Conduct.

“Council warns all stakeholders to desist from any dealings with

the purported forum. It also urges security agencies to take necessary action in a letter dated 3rd April 2023, copied to INEC Chairman, National Chairmen of Political Parties, Inspector General of Police, Director General of Department of State Service (DSS) and Civil Society Organizations”, the party said in the statement.

Speakership race: Gagdi meets Abia Governor-elect in Lagos, Enugu LP Edoga

By Christiana Ekpa

Afront runner in the race for the Speakership seat of the 10th House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, has commenced open consultations with relevant stakeholders across party lines as he met with the Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti in Lagos to sell his candidacy.

This is coming after the former Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, rounded off series of private engagements

with the ruling Party leaders and caucuses across the country seeking their support.

Speaking to Journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Hon. Gagdi who currently chairs the House committee on Navy said he has taken the consultations across party line, meeting with stakeholders of opposition parties with a view to building a consensus ahead of the June inauguration.

The lawmaker disclosed that in just two public outings between Tuesday and Wednesday, he has

scored a milestone getting the support of Dr. Otti and those of other Labour Party members-elect.

He also said he moved from Lagos to the Coal City of Enugu, South East Nigeria where he met with the Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Chief Chijioke Edeoga and other party stakeholders, as well as Members-elect from the state.

“In a much as I’m aspiring to be the speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th Assembly. I equally want to

follow the modus operandi of my campaign strategy where I have itinerary of activities and by the special grace of God in the next two weeks, I will unveil to you the array of commitment and activities that I’m going to do in addition to what I have done so far. Which is silent consultation with all stakeholders of different platform in terms of political parties and citizens of this country that have a stake in decision making of who becomes the Speaker.”

Attack on APC members in Port Harcourt barbaric, deserves urgent, thorough probe

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the attack on some of its leaders and members in Port Harcourt on Monday, April 3, 2023, by thugs and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A statement issued yesterday by the National publicity secretary of APC, Felix Morka, APC said the “barbaric and unprovoked attack occurred during a visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office by Mr. Tonye Cole, APC Governorship Candidate, Dr. Innocent Barikor,

Deputy Governorship Candidate, Mr. Emeka Beke, State Chairman of the Party and 3 other party officials to obtain the Certified True Copies (CTC) of vital documents in the March 18 Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

“Without warning, thugs and supporters of the PDP descended on our Party officials, inflicting severe and life threatening injuries on them, and damaging personal and party properties.

“This premeditated attack by PDP thugs and operatives on our officials and members in Port Harcourt is yet another in what has now become an orgy of violence

carried out with mind-boggling audacity, and with absolutely no serious investigation by the police or repercussions for the instigators and perpetrators of this serial violence.

“Ostensibly, this latest attack was aimed at frustrating the effort of our Governorship Candidate to obtain vital documents to exercise his constitutional right to challenge the declared result of the Governorship election in the state. For the PDP that claims to have won the election to resort to this level of violence to block a legitimate legal challenge tells a different story of a party sitting

precariously on needles and pins in the face of prospects of a legal challenge by our Governorship Candidate.

“While we commend the swift response of security agencies, especially the Police and the Nigerian Army in restoring peace and order in the wake of this brutal attack, again, we call on the Inspector General of Police to order an urgent and thorough investigation into this and previous incidents of violent attacks on leaders and members of our Party in Rivers State, and to bring the sponsors and perpetrators to justice.”

Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity Benjamin Okezie Kalu (right), addressing House of Representatives press corps on his Speakership ambition, during his media parley with house press corps, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Mutfwang’s victory at polls decision of Plateau people – Gen Gowon

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Former Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) has said the declaration of Caleb Mutfwang as governorelect by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is a demonstration of the decision of Plateau people at the polls.

He assured of his support to the Governor-Elect and the incoming administration.

Gowon disclosed this when the governor-elect, Plateau North senator-elect, Simon Mwadkwon and the state PDP Chairman, Chris Hassan paid him a visit at his residence in Abuja.

The elder statesman expressed joy over Caleb Mutfwang’s victory at the polls and the subsequent presentation of a certificate of return which resonated with jubilation among citizens.

Gowon explained that he believes it is God who gives power to whoever he wishes at any time without consulting any man.

The Governor-Elect, Caleb Mutfwang who was in Gowon’s residence to demonstrate honour, applauded him for the warm reception and for being accessible at all times.

Mutfwang pledged that he would properly and adequately engage the former Military leader and other respected leaders in Plateau for advice and elderly counsel to deepen peace, unity and development in the state.

Other respected Plateau sons who also accompanied the Governor-Elect on the important visit are Samuel Jatau and Yari Kumchi.

Lai Mohammed desecrates office of Minister of Information – Afenifere

By Musa Baba Adamu

The apex Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, tackled Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, on Wednesday over his stance that the 2023 general election was credible.

Afenifere, in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Sola Ebiseni, stated that the minister was not sincere in his claims.

The group maintained that Mohammed’s plan to give credibility to the elections failed, particularly, given that those he met with in the United States of America were aware of all that happened on February 25 and March 18.

The Minister of Information, during a chat with some media organisations in Washington DC, described the elections as the most transparent and authentic in the

history of the country.

The group also accused Mohammed of deliberately distorting facts, noting that his claims contradicted all that played out at the polls and the cases filed in court.

Afenifere said “Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, falls in this unenviable class with his current visits and interviews in the United States of America to taint sacred facts about the 2023

Presidential election.

“In a clear case of abuse of office, Lai Mohammed, trying desperately to dance himself back to the mind of his party candidate after having taken a different course during the primaries, has mindlessly descended to the abyss of falsehood reminiscent of his modus operandi as party spokesperson, with which he has odiously smeared the office of the nation’s Minister of Information.”

L-R,: Vice President, Intercampus Affairs, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) , Comrade Vanessa Egbeahire, Vice President , National Affairs NANS, Comrade Victor Ezenegu, Country Program Director, Solidarity Center West Africa, Mr. Sonny Ogbuchi, Country Director, Actionaid Comrade Ene Obi and the Executive Secretary, Organisation of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA), Comrade John Odah, during the Labour- Student Coalition Campaign Launch, Theme: “#Education A Right Not A Privilege”, Organise by OTUWA, held yesterday in Abuja.

Taraba council boss resigns

By Christiana Ekpa

The chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Ussa Local Government Council of Taraba State, Abershi Musa, on Wednesday resigned his appointment.

In his letter of resignation to Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, he said: “I write to notify you

of my voluntary resignation as the Caretaker chairman of Ussa Local Government Council with effect from today, the 5th of April, 2023.”

Though no reason was given for his action, journàlists learnt that his resignation was necessitated by the unabated killings presently going on in his locality.

Ikpeazu appoints Enwereji new CoS

By Musa Baba Adamu

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has appointed Mr Chukwuemeka

Enwereji as his new Chief of Staff, CoS.

Enwereji is to replace the former Chief of Staff, Okey Ahaiwe, who resigned his appointment to become the governorship candidate of PDP in last month’s election, which he lost to Labour Party’s Alex

Otti.

A statement from Onyebuchi Ememanka, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said the appointment was with immediate effect.

According to the statement:

Apart from the attacks that have led to several deaths and destruction of goods worth millions of naira, recall that the house of the traditional ruler of the council was earlier this week set ablaze by suspected herdsmen.

A close source to the former chairman who spoke anonymously claimed his resignation “has become necessary following the

“Enwereji holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Abia State University, as well as a Master of Laws degree from the University of Lagos. He also attended the Nigerian Law School and is called to the Nigerian Bar.

inability of the state government to end the senseless killings and the destruction of property going on in Ussa.”

Former Commissioner of Water Resources, Yusuf Akirikwe, who also hailed from Ussa, resigned his appointment a few days to the general elections.

“In his new role, Mr Enwereji will coordinate the activities of the Office of the Governor, ensuring seamless exit formalities for the administration.”

Taraba gov’ship election: APC failed because of unpopular candidate

By Christiana Ekpa

Acivil society group has claimed the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State failed in last month’s governorship election because it fielded an unpopular candidate.

The Executive Director, Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative, CAACASVI, Olumuyiwa Onlede made the claims on Wednesday.

He attributed APC’s poor performance at the polls in Taraba State to the interference of the national leadership of the party, especially its chairman, Senator

Abdullahi Adamu. He alleged that Adamu’s action of imposing a governorship candidate in the person of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha on the state ruined APC’s chances of victory at the March 18 gubernatorial election.

He advised the APC to endeavour to present other competent Taraba indigenes, preferably, David Sabo Kente if it hoped to regain power in the state in 2027.

“It is imperative to x-ray events leading to the primaries in the Taraba State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially the gubernatorial

primaries that were never legitimately held in the first and second instances.

“Members of the APC, and indeed those that have the interest of the party at heart, knew that the Taraba APC had set itself on the path of failure at the polls the moment the national body of the party, under the leadership of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, threw all democratic principles out of the window and placed personal interests above the general wellbeing and interests of the clear majority.

“Adamu’s single act of connivance with Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha ruined the golden chance

– CSO

and opportunity for APC members in the state to forge a common goal of enthroning the long-awaited competent and people’s oriented government in Taraba,” he stated.

”The declaration of Bwacha as APC candidate in a primary that never held and subsequent disobedience to the order and judgement of the Supreme Court by conducting a kangaroo primary in February 2022, without any legal backing, and foisting an unpopular candidate on the people was already a disaster planned and carried out by Adamu and his cohorts such as Bwacha.

”If good governance must have a place in Taraba State and

Nigeria as a whole, we must start looking at politics from a modern perspective. Our politics must be politics of the people and it must be a politics of competition of ideas, which will give those that aspire to lead us the opportunity to put their antecedent and life in the court of public opinion for the people to scrutinise and have a choice and a say, instead of being forced to elect unpopular leaders because of undemocratic party arrangements,” Onlede said.

Kefas Agbu of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 302,614 votes to win the governorship election in Taraba State.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

DMO speaks on Nigeria’s rising debt stock

From Abubakar Yunusa

The Debt Management Office (DMO) says Nigeria’s debt stock is increasing due to a combination of several factors, including borrowings and the continued issuing of promissory notes by the federal government.

Patience Oniha, director-general of DMO, spoke on the country’s swelling public debt profile on Sunrise Daily — a Channels Television’s programme — yesterday.

Addressing the country’s total debt, Oniha said several loans have been contracted from multilateral and bilaterals, while the federal government keeps issuing promissory notes to settle obligations for which it does not really have the revenue.

A promissory note is a legal instrument, in which one party promises in writing to pay a determinate sum of money to the other, either at a fixed or determinable future time or on demand of the payee, under specific terms and conditions.

Oniha said although borrowing is an accepted form to fund government activities, there should be revenues generated to support such.

She also said the N77 trillion debt projection likely to be inherited before the end of the current administration, can be surmounted with incentives that need to be put in place to ensure borrowings equal balanced expenditure and sustained revenue.

“There are new borrowings for the budget, states, and federal government will borrow, ways and means will be approved and all,” she said.

“Nigeria’s debt stock is N46.25 trillion. It includes the debt of the 36 state governments and the federal capital territory (FCT). The federal government is responsible for 84 percent to 85 percent of this.

“What triggers debts and why the debt stock keeps growing is because when the debt stock is growing, debt service also grows.

“The debt stock is growing because Nigeria has been running a budget deficit for many decades.

“In good and bad times with oil prices, we have borrowed. We have been running budget deficits and those deficits are funded largely by 85 percent to 95 percent from borrowing and that is cumulative. These are publicly available data.

“As we borrow each year, it adds up. So, the annual budget deficits are a major component. If you look at this year’s budget, the budget size is N21 trillion, borrowing is N10 trillion.

“The third part – the government has been issuing promissory notes to settle obligations for which it doesn’t really have the revenue. So, that is why the debt stock has been growing.”

Oniha added that Nigeria had contracted several loans in the past from multilaterals like the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and bilaterals like Germany, India, China, and disbursements are going on.

However, Oniha said Nigeria’s total debt of gross domestic product (GDP) is lowest in Africa.

Road Safety boss extols Dangote over reduction in crashes

From Abubakar Yunusa ABUJA

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Dauda Biu has extolled the Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) for implementing safety standards that have helped in the reduction in Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) in Nigeria.

Mr. Biu, who was speaking when he hosted a team from the Dangote Cement Plc, Transport Division, said the new feat was made possible through the collaboration with his agency and the implementation of some mutually agreed safety standards by the company.

The Dangote team was led by the Divisional Director, of Transport, Mr. Ajay Singh.

The Road Safety boss said: “Notable among them is the reduction of road traffic crashes involving Dangote Transport Trucks through the implementation of minimum safety standards in the Road Transport Safety Standardization Scheme (RTSSS).”

According to Mr. Biu, in order to effectively achieve this, the Corps collaborated with the Technical Committee comprising Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), and the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) on speed

limiting device implementation in Nigeria.

He said the establishment of an Outpost at Dangote Cement Plant Obajana, has contributed tremendously in the reduction of road traffic crashes along the everbusy Obajana - Kabba road in Kogi State.

Other areas of collaboration with the company, he said, include, the establishment of a standard and functional driving school, collaboration in conducting professional Road Assessment (Road Safety Audit) for issues of safety concerns on the roads, as well as partnership on the Dangote Drivers’ Training Centre(Driving Range).

He said the FRSC was prepared to work with the Dangote Cement Transport Obajana to improve the Company’s fleet management, especially on fleet certification in order to further reduce RTC involving the Company’s vehicles.

Speaking earlier, Divisional Director Transport, Dangote Cement Plant, Obajana, Mr. Ajay Singh said the Dangote Cement Plc was working assiduously to further bring down the rate of crashes involving its trucks while adding that the collaboration between the Dangote Group and the FRSC was paying off.

He, on behalf of the company, congratulated the Corps Marshal for his elevation and appointment.

FG warns MDAs against implementing unapproved salary increases

From Abubakar Yunusa

The federal government has directed all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) implementing increases in salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits without its approval, to desist from such acts.

Ekpo Nta, chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC), issued the warning at a two-day training workshop for salary inspectors in Abuja.

The training was organised for the execution of the second phase of the 2022 salary inspection programme.

Speaking at the conference, Nta said the commission over the years, through salary inspection programmes, discovered that some agencies were implementing unapproved salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits.

“I want to unambiguously state that even where the establishment acts of any fully-funded, partiallyfunded, and self-funded federal agencies allow its board to determine its remuneration, it can only do so after statutory input in line with section 3 (1) of the NSIWC Act 1999,” he said.

“This is irrespective of whether their establishment act predates 1993 or not. They are bound by our act in the same way and manner, the Public Procurement Act 2007, the ICPC Act 2000, Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, and so on, upon enactment.

“Whether pre-dating or postdating their establishment acts, apply to all federal government agencies.”

The NSIWC chairman said it was on this premise that the federal government issued two circulars signed by the secretary to the government of the federation,

directing all MDAs to desist from implementing any increase without the agency’s input.

He said the circular also required MDAs to inform NSIWC of any government approvals, following receipt of such approvals.

“The country will not accept fiscal indiscipline where the personnel budget and non-regular allowances of the overhead budgets for public service employees are not controlled and spiral out of control without a corresponding increase in productivity, especially in selffunded institutions,” Nta said.

“This can be attributed to unregulated recruitment, implementation of the national minimum wage etc.”

Nta also said the commission had prevented the government from losing over N400 billion annually, through inspection

and other activities that would have been abused, wasted, or misappropriated.

He said this year’s programme would cover agencies which have obtained approvals to implement new salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits, within the last six months.

The MDAs, according to the NSIWC boss, include the ministry of industry, trade and investment, and its parastatals; as well as the ministry of mines and steel development, and its parastatals.

Nta urged the salary inspectors to equip themselves during the workshop, go into the field and carry out the inspection with dedication and zero tolerance for compromise.

He warned that any inspector found contravening set rules and regulations would be penalised appropriately for criminal breach of trust or unethical conduct.

L-R:Participants during the Educational Visit of Nigerian Defence Academy(NDA) Students Kaduna to the SEC in Abuja yesterday

Nigeria’s manufacturing sector shrinks in March as cash scarcity bites

From Abubakar Yunusa

NIMASA: Maritime operators to get $700m funding for vessel acquisition

resources such as energy and food.

Nigeria’s

manufacturing sector shrank for the second month in a row in March as cash scarcity in Africa’s biggest economy hampered private sector activity.

The development forced output and new orders to drop at rates steeper than those of the preceding month.

The latest edition of Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria PMI, which measures factory activity in the country, puts Nigeria’s purchasing manager index for March at 42.3 compared to 44.7 for February.

That signals the second deepest plunge since the survey started more than nine years ago. A reading above 50 indicates growth but the one below that threshold points to contraction.

“The continuous decline relative to February reflects the negative impact of cash shortage across different segments of the economy over the past two months,” said Muyiwa Oni, head of Equity Research West Africa at Stanbic IBTC Bank.

“Currency in circulation declined by 58% in January 2023 to N1.39tn from N3.01tn in December 2022, while currency outside the banks declined by 72% in January 2023 to N789bn from N2.57tn in December 2022,” Mr Oni added.

The contraction also meant that both staffing levels and purchasing activities fell.

The survey noted that output prices rose “at the softest pace in almost three years,” while suppliers’ delivery times reduced after having lengthened in the previous month.

It further observed that widespread reports by firms indicated that customers were unable to commit to spending in the face of the cash crunch, echoing a broader deterioration in business conditions within the private sector.

One of the major implications of that was a considerable plunge in new business, the survey said.

Challenges in paying workers wages were cited as a key reason companies chose to cut staff. Another was lower workloads.

“The cash crisis acted to dampen confidence in the private sector in March, with sentiment the secondlowest in the series history,” the survey stated.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says operators in the maritime sector will get about $700 million to purchase ships.

Bashir Jamoh, directorgeneral of NIMASA, disclosed this when he spoke at the maiden annual lecture of the Institute of Maritime Studies, University of Lagos.

The lecture was themed, ‘from crude to blue — Nigeria’s blue economy: the imperative of maritime domain awareness and good governance’.

‘Blue economy’ is an economic system that seeks to preserve marine and freshwater environments while using them in a sustainable way to develop economic growth and produce

Jamoh said Nigeria was already engaged in the blue economy; but said what has to be done is to ensure its sustainability.

He added that about $700 million has been set aside for the cabotage vessel financing fund (CVFF).

The fund, according to Jamoh, aims to support indigenous ship acquisition capacity, and to provide financial assistance to domestic coastal shipping operators.

“On the issue of increasing jobs, we are about to commence the disbursement of the cabotage vessel financing fund. The total exposure of the CVFF is within the region of $350 million and this amount is 50 percent of NIMASA control,” he said.

“By the guidelines, the primary

lending institutions will provide 35 percent and shipowners will have to provide 15 percent, making 50 percent in total.

“If we have $350 million as 50 percent contribution to NIMASA, then we are accepting another $350 million from the primary lending institutions and that means $700 million.”

Jamoh added that the government was considering giving ship owners $25 million each from the fund.

“With $700 million, we are set to give a maximum of $25 million each to shipowners to purchase ships which will directly or indirectly provide jobs.”

Jamoh also disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited recently expressed interest in participating in the financing of ships that Nigerian shipowners

would acquire using the soon-tobe distributed CVFF.

To achieve this, he said the NNPC offered to provide 9 percent funding that would enable shipowners to access the CVFF and buy new ships.

“The NNPC agreed to offer them 9 percent, so that the shipowners will only have to source for only 6 percent,” the NIMASA boss said.

“NNPC said it needs ships to lift Nigerian crude and that it will give Nigerian shipowners the specifications of ships to buy. It will also give them 9 per cent out of the 15 percent of the funding that was supposed to be provided by the shipowner.

“They said they will take over the ship and provide the cargo until it recovers the amount invested in the acquisition of the ships.”

Nigeria’s unemployment rate projected to hit 40.6% – KPMG

Global consulting firm KPMG has projected that Nigeria’s unemployment rate would rise further to 40.6 percent in 2023.

In a report titled ‘Global Economic Outlook’, the firm also said the inflation rate is predicted to remain above 20 per cent in 2023 due to structural and policy issues.

The National Bureau of Statistics as of the fourth quarter of 2020 said that the country‘s unemployment rate stood at 33.3 per cent.

The statistics office in its latest inflation report in February announced that the nation’s inflation rate rose to 21.91 per cent.

KPMG projects that unemployment is expected to continue to be a major challenge in 2023 due to the limited investment by the private sector, low industrialization, slower than required

economic growth and consequently the inability of the economy to absorb the 5 million new entrants into the Nigerian job market every year.

“Although lagged, the National Bureau of Statistics recorded an increase in the national unemployment rate from 23.1 percent in 2018 to 33.3 percent in 2020.

“We estimate that this rate has increased to 37.7percent in 2022 and will rise further to 40.6 percent in 2023,” the report said.

KPMG noted that the high rate of inflation was driven by persistent structural issues which impacted domestic food production and transportation.

The issues include insecurity, floods in key agricultural producing areas, rising international food and energy prices following the Russia-Ukraine

conflict, as well as other policy-related bottlenecks which continue to impact the cost of doing business.

“Additionally, the expected fuel subsidy removal and the 2023 Fiscal Bill are also expected to keep pressure on domestic prices in 2023,” it said.

KPMG predicts a deeply rooted challenging environment, characterized by fragile and slow economic growth and challenges in the foreign exchange market for the new government by May.

It also said the inadequate government revenue to support muchneeded expenditure, leading to a high debt stock and high debt service payments may pose another challenge.

As of the end of 2022, the country’s GDP grew at 3.52 per cent with 2.25 per cent in the third quarter of 2022, with growth averaging 3.10 per cent over 2022.

This represents eight consecutive quarters of growth, following its exit from the pandemic-induced recession in Q3 2020.

The firm attributed the growth in 2022 to the non-oil sector, as continuous recovery in household consumption boosted spending, particularly in finance and insurance services, telecommunications, and transportation and storage services.

While the non-oil sector grew by 4.84 percent, the oil sector contracted by 19.22 per cent, largely attributed to worsening oil theft, pipeline vandalization, underinvestment, and other operational challenges inhibiting oil production.

It expects Nigeria’s GDP to continue to grow at a relatively slow pace of 3 per cent in 2023 due to the slowdown in economic activity that typically

characterises periods of political transition in Nigeria.

It also said the spillover from an expected slowdown in the global economy in 2023 and its trade and financial flows implications are expected to drag on GDP.

“Additionally, growth will be negatively affected by the Naira redesign policy introduced in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 and its implications on key non-oil sectors like manufacturing, trade,accommodation, and food services, transportation and other services, further slowing down overall GDP growth in 2023,” it said.

Telecommunications, trade services, as well as an expected recovery in the oil sector, on account of measures being taken to tackle security issues, are expected to drive its forecast of 3 percent growth in 2023.

President Muhammadu Buhari presides over inauguration of the national council for digital innovation and entrepreneurship based on the Nigeria Startup aCT 2022 (NSA 2022) and FEC meeting at the Council Chambers State House. PHOTO; State House

Abubakar Yunusa

eNaira: Another Crested Feather In CBN’s Transformative Cap

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), under the able leadership of Mr Godwin Emefiele has proudly added another feather to its transformative cap with the successful implementation of the Africa’s First Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), tagged the “eNaira”.

Formally launched by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Aso Villa on Monday 25 October 2021, the eNaira was meant to complement the existing currency notes and circulate simultaneously as means of exchange and store of value

Indeed, the eNaira has transformed the apex bank from traditional regulator to a smart regulator.

The implementation of the eNaira has put Nigeria in the global spotlight as one of the pioneers to deploy a CBDC into live production.

This has continued to attract the interest of global stakeholders such as the IMF, World Bank, other Central Banks, and the CBDC community.

CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele disclosed last year during the eNaira anniversary celebration that some successes have been made since the launch of the digital currency.

Emefiele said, over 700,000 eNaira transactions worth N8billion have been recorded since the launch of the eNaira.

He said, “Since its launch, the eNaira has offered Nigerians endless possibilities in using financial services thus, living up to the chosen slogan, ‘Same Naira, More Possibilities’ as well as achieving some set out objectives.

“Specifically, there has been overwhelming interest and encouraging response from Nigerians and other parties across the world as indicated by the following milestones:

“33 banks are fully integrated and live on the platform. N3.00 billion has been successfully minted by the Bank. N2.10 billion has been issued to financial institutions.

“About 1.0 million (919,000) customers have been onboarded.

Over 3,305 merchants have successfully registered on the eNaira platform across the country including Shoprite, Sahad Stores, A.A. Rano fuelling stations, Fraser Suites, and November Cubes, among others.

“Over 700,000 transactions amounting to about N8.00 billion have been recorded on the platform

“Over 2.5 million daily visits to the eNaira website.”

Emefiele said the eNaira sought to leverage the huge opportunity of mobile telecommunications as a distribution channel for offering digital financial services to the underserved and unbanked population.

“It is the Bank’s hope that the eNaira will drive the digital economy agenda and foster a more prosperous Nigeria,” he said.

Emefiele said last year that since its inauguration, the eNaira had reached 840,000 downloads, with about 270,000 active wallets comprising more than 252,000 consumer wallets and 17,000 merchant wallets.

According to him, the digital currency would enhance financial inclusion, support poverty reduction, enable direct welfare disbursement to citizens, support a resilient payments ecosystem and improve availability and usability of central bank money.

“The eNaira will also facilitate diaspora remittances, reduce the cost of processing cash, and also reduce cost and improve efficiency of cross-border payment.

“It is unlike the offline payments channels like agent networks, USSD, wearables, cards and near field communication technology.

“The eNaira would give access to financial services to underserved and unbanked segments of the population,” he said.

He said that innovative products and services built on the eNaira would enhance Nigerians’ participation in the digital economy and promote further development of a burgeoning Fintech ecosystem.

“To achieve these set out objectives, the project adopted a phased- approach with the first phase focusing on banked users, while the policy objective of the second phase borders around financial inclusion.

“In addition, the eNaira platform possesses an innovation layer for products and services

to be built with the aim of enhancing Nigerians’ participation in the digital economy,” he said.

Emefiele said, the second phase of the project has begun and is intended to drive financial inclusion by onboarding unbanked and underserved users leveraging offline channels.

He said that the CBN was now ready to accommodate unbanked Nigerians in the eNaira platform

“Greater success is envisioned for the project with phase two expected to deliver more gains with a target of about eight million active users based on estimations using the diffusion of innovation model.

“When we launched the eNaira, we promised to increase the level of financial inclusion in the Country because just like the Naira, the eNaira is expected to be accessible to all Nigerians .

“It will provide more possibilities to bring in the unbanked into the digital economy.

” I am pleased to inform you that by next week, Nigerians, both banked and unbanked, will be able to open an eNaira wallet and conduct transactions by simply dialling *997 from their phones,” he said.

CBN’s Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Mr kingsley Obiora said, the use of physical cash is gradually getting out of fashion across the globe due to the growth of digital currencies.

“In south Korea, 77 per cent no longer use cash to do payment, while in the Philippines it is 30 per cent.

“In Nigeria, we are also seeing the same decline in the use of cash, the minting of currencies in the CBN has been reducing in the last couple of years.

“So alongside this reduction in the use of cash has also been an explosion in e-business and we have seen the value of e-business grow from 393 billion dollars in 2014 to about 2.4 trillion dollars now.

“If you look at this movement, you will realise that the central banks in the world are responding to yearnings of citizens.

“That is why 96 per cent of central banks in the world are either working on digital currencies or they have done so already,” he said.

Speaking, the Group head, AFF, Daniel Awe, said that the CBN had transformed from traditional regulator to a smart regulator.

Awe said that the Hackathon was a platform that brings entrepreneurs, coders and product managers together to solve problems and build new business model.

“All over the world, there has been disagreement between innovators and regulators.

“This is because regulators usually look at impact on financial stability, impact of those innovators on consumers as well as the risk, while the innovators look at the opportunity in their ideas.

“However, this CBN is different as it has over the years partnered with innovators that will create jobs and bring value,” he said.

On his part, Buhari, said Africa’s first central bank-backed digital currency would help boost remittances, foster cross-border trade, and help his government make welfare payments more easily.

With financial inclusion at the heart of the

eNaira goals, President Buhari also said that he believed the CBDC would increase GDP in the country by $29 billion over the next 10 years.

Benefits of eNaira

Nigeria is blazing a trail in Africa with the launch of the central bank digital currency, the eNaira. With over 13 million wallets adopted in 18 months and the launch of “Project Anvil 1.0,” a programmable money system for farmers, Nigeria is making significant waves in the CBDC space.

Experts believe that the eNaira could complement the Naira redesign and cashless policy, boost financial inclusion, reduced transaction costs, enhanced transparency, and a boosted digital economy.

Additionally, Nigeria has made history by becoming the first country to use CBDC via USSD with the launch of *997#. As Nigeria continues to drive CBDC adoption, we can anticipate more innovative developments on the horizon.

The eNaira is primed to enhance financial inclusion by providing access to the unbanked and underbanked population, particularly for small businesses and rural communities.

This enables them to participate in digital transactions without setting up bank accounts, which lowers the barriers to accessing financial services. Already, millions of people who previously had no bank accounts have been onboarded, and this number is expected to continue growing.

Another benefit of adopting a CBDC like the eNaira is the significant reduction of transaction costs for businesses and individuals. Transactions can be carried out faster, more securely, and at a lower cost than traditional banking methods.

CBDCs eliminate intermediaries such as banks and payment processors, and the eNaira is expected to facilitate international transactions in the near future, boosting cross-border trade and investments.

Moreover, CBDCs can enhance transparency and reduce the risk of corruption. Digital currency can help eliminate counterfeit and dirty money, adversely affecting the Nigerian economy. Digital currency transactions are recorded in a distributed ledger technology, making it more difficult for fraudsters to commit financial fraud.

Finally, adopting a CBDC like the eNaira can boost Nigeria’s digital economy, providing a space for fintech start-ups to offer services previously only available to traditional banks, ushering in a new era of innovation and entrepreneurship. The eNaira can also catalyze the growth of the e-commerce sector by providing a secure and frictionless means of payment and a platform for innovation.

While the adoption of the eNaira is not without risks, the Central Bank of Nigeria is taking steps to mitigate these risks. The security and privacy of users’ data are top priorities. Implementing and adopting eNaira may take some time, but the CBN is collaborating and partnering with stakeholders to ensure its successful adoption and use.

In conclusion, the eNaira is a game-changer for the Nigerian economy, offering significant benefits, such as promoting financial inclusion, reducing transaction costs, enhancing transparency, and

boosting the digital economy. Nigeria is leading the charge in the CBDC revolution, and it’s exciting to see how the country is embracing innovation to move its economy forward.

CBN, Clickatell Partnership on eNaira Clickatell, a CPaaS innovator and Chat Commerce leader, has partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to deliver fast, simple, and cost effective eNaira banking services to all Nigerians using the USSD channel, eliminating the need for data and available on all handsets.

Clickatell collaborated with the CBN to launch a USSD channel for its eNaira Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) as part of the country’s drive to make basic banking accessible to all Nigerians, ultimately driving financial inclusion.

With financial inclusion at the heart of the eNaira goals, President Buhari also said that he believed the CBDC would increase GDP in the country by $29 billion over the next 10 years.

Clickatell Commercial Director, West Africa, Uzo Nwani said, “introducing the USSD short code allows non-banked Nigerians, many of whom do not have smartphones, to access cashless banking services and is a big win for the stated goals of delivering meaningful financial inclusion. Clickatell’s role in making this a reality has been one of the most important achievements of our engagements in Nigeria.”

The new USSD channel allows Nigerians using the *997# short code to create their eNaira wallet. Once this is done, they can easily check balances and transfer funds, as well as safely buy airtime or data for themselves or friends and family. Safeguarding their wallets is also easy on the channel and users can check and update their information, change and reset their pin, or even block the wallet if necessary.

Also speaking, the CBN Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Dr. Kingsley Obiora said, “the USSD channel is a vital part of our journey towards realizing our financial inclusion vision. We see the eNaira as a leap forward in the evolution of money. Thus, CBN is working with partners who are committed to taking advantage of this new technology for continuous innovation towards delivering exciting new features.”

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data or USSD, is a communications protocol that is supported by 99% of GSM handsets. It remains particularly relevant in developing communities where it is used to provide services at a much lower cost and can be used without requiring access to the user’s SIM card.

Despite the rapid growth of smartphones, the majority of Nigerians are currently using feature phones, making an excellent case for the USSD offering. The CBN is counting on the new channel making rapid inroads towards getting most of the 30% of unbanked Nigerians into the formal banking system.

As part of its efforts, the CBN is working hard to boost awareness and education around the new digital currency and has offered an incentive of 200eNGN airtime for the first 100,000 users to onboard using the eNaira USSD feature.

Looking ahead, Nwani says the Clickatell solution ideally positions the system for new and collaborative additions to help boost the eNaira services.

“Our Chat Flow product provides a robust platform to support rapid innovation. Digital currencies provide measurable customer benefits including lower costs and a simple user experience and adding new innovative features over time will definitely attract more customers. There is no doubt that the CBN has set the benchmark when it comes to financial inclusion in Africa, and we look forward to being part of that journey,” Nwani says.

Award

The Foreign Investment Network (FIN) conferred on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, with the Euroknowledge Africa Most Innovative Digital Transformation Governor of the Year Award for 2022.

Emefiele received the award at a ceremony held at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel on Thursday, October 13, 2022, on the sidelines of the Annual meetings of the IMF/World Bank Group holding in Washington DC.

“ Available data and forecasts for key macroeconomic variables for the Nigerian economy, suggest that the domestic economy will continue to recover for the rest of 2023 at a moderate pace, in light of evolving and persisting shocks to the economy

Peaceful co-existence: FCTA steps up drive for interfaith harmony

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has stepped up its efforts at promoting peaceful co-existence through improved interfaith harmony amongst Christians and Muslims as well as other stakeholders in the Territory.

This position was reechoed yesterday at the FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS) Interfaith Forum, with the topic: “Peaceful co-existence and importance of fasting”.

The event which had stakeholders mostly Christians and Muslims leaders and followers, including women groups in attendance, was

organised to mark the 2023 Ramadan and Lent Fasting, held at the Community Hall, Arts and Culture, in Garki, Abuja.

In her opening remark, SDS Mandate Secretary, Hajiya Hadiza Kabir, said there was the need for the two- dominant religions in the country to be respected at all levels.

Kabir said the programme during Ramadan and Lent would reorientate the minds of Christians and Muslims on a life style that will make Nigerians more united.

She explained that people of both faiths must understand and practice the teachings of the dominant-religions to deepen peace in the society.

The SDS boss noted that while the Christians observed their fast during the lent preceding the Easter celebrations, the Muslims are also observing theirs before the small salah-ld Filtri.

She also explained that the purpose of the forum is to deepen the thrust of togetherness and as one indivisible people called Nigeria irrespective of one’s tribe, ethnicity or religion.

“Nigeria has always been a secular state, thus the views and ways of life of the two - dominant religions in the country must be respected.

“We have always lived together as one, we marry each other, we attend the same schools, we work in the same

place and environment and do so many other things together. Therefore, the need to co-exist and live together cannot be over emphasized”, she reiterated.

One of the speakers, Rev. Father Robert Achiaga, Catholic Priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, noted that people should create a seat for God in their heart, and avoid issues that will ignite crisis.

According to him: “There is a reason that God create us to live together as humans, so we have to respect each one’s religion. No need to have disagreement among ourselves. We must create seat for God in our hearts, to avoid the issues that will divide us.“Pastors and Imams or religious leaders

must not only teach their followers the theoretical aspects, but they must practice what they teach, that is the only way to continue to live in peace with people from other faiths”.

Similarly, Faculty member, Coach Halima Transformation Academy (COHATA), Hajiya Fatima Idris, said people of different faiths should always promote peaceful co-existence by abiding by the standard of their religions, as it is critical to the development of any society. She said: “It is the obligation of parents, community and religious leaders to pursue and promote harmonious living in the society, for the sake of the present generation and the future one”.

New and returning members-elect of the House of representatives during Iftar(breaking of fast), organized for members-elect by the Contender for Speakership of the 10th House of Representatives Hon. Jaji in Abuja

NIMASA,FEMA donate educational items to schools

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in collaboration with the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have donated learning materials to Primary Schools in the Territory, to improve the teaching and learning experience.

It was gathered that among the learning materials donated include Computers, UPS, printers, books, and some other stationaries.

A statement from Head, FEMA’s Public Affairs, Nkechi

Isa, explained that the donation, which is part of the corporate social responsibility of NIMASA, also emphasized the need to educate children in their early years, using ideal learning and instructional materials, which have been identified as key to raising intellectually sound adults.

It added that the Director, Special Duties, External Relations and Technical Cooperation, NIMASA, Isichei Osamgbi stated this during a symbolic donation of the learning materials to Model Primary School Kubwa 3, Bwari Area Council, Abuja. Osamgbi said that it was important for his team at

NIMASA to support the efforts made by teachers in Primary Schools by providing materials to make teaching easy and learning even easier for the pupils.

He said that NIMASA collaborates with the government ‘by contributing our quota by identifying people who have these needs like the Internally Displaced People’s Camp among others’.

Osamgbi added that more schools across the Territory identified by FEMA, who need the support will receive the educational materials.

Also speaking, the Director, Department of Relief and

Rehabilitation, FEMA, Engr. Mohammed Abdulrahman revealed that NIMASA provided the items but FEMA identified the Schools that have peculiar needs of the materials provided will receive them.

Abdulrahman also assured that all schools that have been identified would receive their packages; adding that FEMA is open to collaborating with good-spirited individuals as well as organizations who wish to reach out to the less privileged in communities across the FCT.

The Head Teacher, Model Primary School Kubwa 3, Ladi Matthew, expressed gratitude to

NIMASA and FEMA for choosing to supply the materials to the School, noting that the children will be impacted greatly.

Similarly, the Head Teacher LEA Primary School Galadima, Gwarinpa, Agaja Agnes, who also received the materials said that the visit was timely, as the pupils needed the materials to aid their learning, promising that the supplies will be maximized and supervised.

Not left out, a primary six Pupil of Model primary school Kubwa 3, Oloruntobi Aaron, expressed excitement, saying, that they can now print the necessary things for their use within the school.

Trump indictment: US going to hell, says ex-president

The US is “going to hell”, Donald Trump has said in a defiant address after pleading not guilty to falsifying business records to hide damaging information ahead of the 2016 election.

The former president was charged with 34 counts in a Manhattan court in New York on Tuesday.

These relate to a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, who says they had an affair.

Mr Trump is the first US president in history to face a criminal trial.

“The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,” the 76-year-old told supporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida after he appeared in court.

He said that the “fake case” was simply part of a Democratic conspiracy to interfere with next year’s presidential election, in which he is running.

Earlier, he sat stony-faced and silent for the nearly hour-long proceedings before Judge Juan Merchan, speaking out loud only in response to the judge’s questions and to enter his plea of not guilty. Mr Trump said

nothing to reporters as he left court.

The case against the former president hinges on a hush-money payment of $130,000 (£104,000) made before the 2016 presidential election.

While such a payment is not illegal, spending money to help a presidential campaign but not disclosing it violates federal campaign finance law.

His former lawyer, Michael Cohen - who turned against his former boss - has said he made the payment at Mr Trump’s direction.

Each of the charges carries a maximum of four years in prison, although a judge could sentence Mr Trump to probation if he is convicted.

The likelihood of his being found guilty is so far unclear, but the case has pulled the country into uncharted political territory.

Mr Trump’s trial could begin as early as January 2024, Judge Merchan said, meaning the Republican could be back in court just as primaries begin to select the party’s nominee for the presidential election.

While the charges relate to the payment to Stormy Daniels, prosecutors also released background documents which they say point

to a pattern of trying to suppress potentially politically damaging stories.

They listed two other payments they say were made via the National Enquirer, a US tabloid whose publisher is a long-time ally of Mr Trump.

They allege $30,000 was paid to buy the silence of a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed Mr Trump had a lovechild.

And $150,000 was paid to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who said she had a sexual relationship with Mr Trump.

Prosecutors said both payments were made by the National Enquirer. While a criminal conviction would not prevent Mr Trump from either running for president or from reclaiming the Oval Office, the prolonged legal fight could prove a major distraction for the Republican front-runner and may add a new layer of turmoil to his party’s primary.

Mr Trump is the focus of three other investigations, related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, the attack on the Capitol as it was certifying Joe Biden’s victory, and over the former president’s handling of classified documents after leaving the White House.

Macron and von der Leyen: Europe’s good cop and bad cop to meet Xi Jinping

AsEmmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen meet Xi Jinping, they will be sending a message of unity - even as China seeks to exploit potential cracks in Europe’s alliances.

The French president and the head of the European Commission flew into Beijing on Wednesday and will be welcomed by the Chinese president on Thursday.

Their joint trip is the latest in a noticeable push from European leaders to engage with China, which has seen German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez paying visits in recent months.

Like them, Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyenwill be pressing Mr Xi on taking further steps to halt the Ukraine war, while also finessing the increasingly fraught trade relationship between the European Union and China, its biggest trading partner.

European watchers expect them to work as a tag team on the Chinese.

With his attempts at engaging Vladimir Putin, the French president is likely to play the good cop. An Élysée Palace spokesman told reporters that Mr Macron found “points of convergence with Chinese proposals” on ending the war.

Meanwhile, some have called Ms von der Leyen the “bad cop from Brussels”, given her strong relationship with US President Joe Biden and vocal support for Nato’s position.

Days before her arrival, Ms von der Leyen gave a strongly-worded speech criticising Mr Xi for maintaining his friendship with Mr Putin. In a reference to China’s 12-point peace plan, she stressed that any plan consolidating Russian annexations was “simply not viable”.

She also pushed the concept of “de-risking”, a more moderate version of the US idea of decoupling from China, where Europe would talk tougher in diplomacy, diversify its trade sources, and protect its trade and technology.

Together, the leaders represent two “fairly different strands of European thinking on China”, said Dr Andrew Small, a senior fellow with thinktank the German Marshall Fund.

“One is on China deepening support for Putin on the war, especially on the question of lethal aid. They will want to say at a minimum that it will be damaging to the entire relationship with Europe.”

But with Mr Macron coming with a large delegation including business leaders, “there is also the commercial and economic relationship that continues even in the middle of this… the message is that Europe and France still want to do business”.

Crucially, Ms von der Leyen is in China at Mr

Macron’s invitation.

This would provide reassurance that they would hold the line, noted Dr Small, not only to EU member states sceptical of Mr Macron’s approach to Russia and China, but also to the Americans who would be watching closely.

The US has yet to meet the Chinese leadership since Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s muchanticipated trip to Beijing was called off during the spy balloon row. This trip may be the closest the Americans get to facetime with Mr Xi for now, and just before leaving France Mr Macron spoke to Joe Biden where they discussed plans to engage China.

Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen’s show of unity is also an attempt to put paid to any Chinese hopes of exploiting differences within Europe. Some observers believe this is one goal of Beijing as it tries to woo parts of Europe away from the US orbit.

But with member states maintaining relationships of varying degrees of closeness to China, the EU has yet to come up with a clear consensus on how to handle Beijing. Some, like France and Germany, are more keen to preserve trade ties while others, particularly former Soviet bloc states nervous about Russia looking to claim other territories after Ukraine, will want to go harder on China.

The danger is that China may be emboldened to use its relationship with Russia as leverage over Europe, warn observers.

Rather than just follow the US and Nato’s lead, Europe must clearly draw their own red line and lay out the consequences of China overstepping it, said Janka Oertel, director of the Asia programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

“This Chinese really need to understand what the stakes are. This is an opportunity for Europeans to say, ‘This is your problem, you could have stayed away like in 2014 [during Russia’s annexation of Crimea], but you chose not to - so you own this’,” said Dr Oertel.

So how would China likely respond?

Ms von der Leyen would be greeted with wariness. Her speech last week needled the Chinese, eliciting a swift retort from their ambassador to the EU, Fu Cong, who said it contained “a lot of misrepresentations and misinterpretations” and it “deliberately distorted Chinese positions”.

China would not be keen on her concept of “de-risking”, but it may have no choice but to accept it, say experts. In any case, it may be hard for China to protest given its own efforts to become more economically self-sufficient, with Mr Xi championing his own “dual circulation” strategy.

“The Chinese also do not want to be caught in a situation where they are too dependent on the US or the Russians,” said Reuben Wong, an associate professor in political science who studies Asia-Europe relations at the National University of Singapore.

Stoked by the war, the growing unity among Western allies - underscored by Finland joining Nato on Tuesday - represents a “serious development in foreign relations” for China, leaving “very little room for them to take an unyielding position”, said Wu Qiang, a Beijing-based independent political consultant.

Increasingly, he noted, the only route Beijing could take is to be more co-operative in working out, such as lifting trade sanctions. A recent Chinese move to block imports to Lithuania, over its decision to allow Taiwan to open a de facto embassy, did not go down well with the Europeans, who in response developed their own tools to block what they see as economic coercion.

Watch: One year of war in Ukraine in 87 seconds

Keen on burnishing his credentials as an interlocutor, Mr Macron has favoured personal talks with key players. But the opacity of the Chinese

leadership has meant there is little available evidence Mr Xi can be easily influenced with such an approach.

Mr Macron is also mounting his Chinese campaign right after Mr Xi’s visit to Russia where, publicly at least, the two countries made it clear to the rest of the world that their “friendship with no limits” was still very much intact.

This could mean his visit to China “may end up like his visit to Russia and talks with Putin, where it has proven to be largely fruitless”, said Dr Wu.

“In the past month, we have also seen a high wind of foreign diplomacy from China, representing its return to the global stage. Under these circumstances China is confidently asserting its stance, so it will not easily change.”

But others believe this is precisely why China may be keen on working with Mr Macron to end the war Russia started - taking advantage of an opportunity to show the world it can do what the Americans have failed to accomplish so far.

In recent weeks it has promoted itself as an alternative peace broker, releasing concept papers and surprising the world with its hand in an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Source: BBC

Ms von der Leyen and Mr Macron met earlier this week in Paris to prepare for their trip to China

South Africa snake on plane: Deadly cobra in cockpit forces emergency landing

It felt like just another flight for South African pilot Rudolph Erasmus, until he noticed an extra passenger on his plane at 11,000ft in the air.

However, it wasn’t a human, but a cobra slithering under his seat.

“To be truly honest, it’s as if my brain did not register what was going on,” he told the BBC.

“It was a moment of [...] awe,” he added, saying he initially thought the cold feeling on his back was his water bottle.

“I felt this cool sensation, sort of, crawling up my shirt,” he said, thinking he may not have closed the bottle properly and water might have been dripping down his shirt.

“As I turned to the left and looked down I saw the cobra [...] receding its head backwards underneath the seat.”

He then made an emergency landing on his flight from Bloemfontein to Pretoria. The private plane, a Beechcraft Baron 58, was carrying four passengers, as well as the snake.

A bite from a Cape cobra is lethal and can kill someone in just 30 minutes, so not wanting to cause panic, Mr Erasmus says he thought carefully before calmly telling those on board that there was an extra unwanted

voyager.

He was also “so scared the snake might have gone to the back and cause mass panic”.

In the end, he decided the tell them. “I did inform the passengers: ‘Listen the snake is inside the aircraft, it’s underneath my seat, so let’s try and get down to the ground

Kenya doping: Medical professionals helping drug cheats

Medical professionals in Kenya are helping elite athletes cover up their drug use, according to a report.

The announcement was made by a tribunal looking into the latest case of a banned Kenyan runner, with the threemember panel uncovering a “pattern of behaviour” in the defences used by athletes accused of doping

The tribunal was investigating middle distance runner Eglay Nalyanya who was yesterday handed an eight-year ban for three breaches of regulations including the presence and use of a prohibited substance as well as tampering or attempted tampering with doping control.

It found that forged documents submitted by Nalyanya were similar to those of another recent case involving fellow Kenyan Betty Lempus who was banned for five years in January.

‘Fictitious doctors’

The panel observed that both Nalyanya and Lempus claimed to have received intramuscular injections while being treated at the same Kenyan hospital.

“In both instances, Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) investigationsin collaboration with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya - discovered the documents were false; that the doctors listed were fictitious; and that neither athlete had received the respective injection though both women had attended the hospital on the respective days in question,” read the verdict.

This led the tribunal to conclude that, “elite Kenyan athletes are being assisted by a person or persons, including someone with considerable medical knowledge, to commit what amounts to criminal conduct involving frauds on the AIU, and that this is not limited to a single case but evidences a pattern of behaviour.”

The latest revelations are a blow to Kenya’s efforts in the fight against doping. Last year, the country narrowly avoided a ban from international athletics after vowing to clean house.

David Howman, chair of the AIU, which is an independent organisation, says they are committed to working with Kenya to ensure that happens.

“It is clear doping in Kenya is increasingly well organised and this is a serious threat to our sport,” he said.

“The AIU has been asked to work with the Kenyan government, Athletics Kenya and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya to attack this crisis.”

“We are all aware of the magnitude of this challenge and we will do our utmost to find the sources of these doping operations in Kenya, to seek the appropriate punishments and protect the integrity of international athletics.”

Responding to these latest revelations, Athletics Kenya said they are committed to the war against doping and are working with the AIU to launch an operation involving criminal investigators and medical authorities to identify and prosecute anyone involved.

They also pointed to the recent five-million dollar cash boost from the Kenyan government as part of the country’s commitment to cracking down on drug cheats.

as soon as we can.’”

So how did the passengers react? Mr Erasmus described a moment of absolute silence: “You could hear a needle drop and I think everyone froze for a moment or two.”

Pilots are trained for lots of scenarios, but certainly not for dealing with snakes in the cockpit he said, telling the BBC

that panicking would have just made the situation worse.

The plane made an emergency landing in the city of Welkom.

However, the presence of the snake, although shocking, was not a total surprise. Two people working at Worcester flying club where the plane first took off, said they had earlier spotted a reptile taking refuge under the aircraft. They tried to “grab” it, but without success.

Mr Erasmus said he tried to find the snake before boarding the aircraft with his passengers, but “unfortunately it was not there, so we all then safely assumed that it must have crawled out overnight or earlier that morning, which was on Monday”.

The slithering passenger is still missing, as engineers who then stripped the plane are yet to find it.

Mr Erasmus has been hailed a hero, with South African civil aviation commissioner, Poppy Khosa, praising his “great airmanship indeed which saved all lives on board,” according to the News24 site.

But the modest pilot says he doesn’t feel like he’s special for what he did: “I think that’s a bit blown up if I can be direct,” he said. “It’s also my passengers that remained calm as well.”

retire and

Kagame

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has said he is looking forward to retiring and handing over power after 23 years in office.

Speaking at a joint press briefing with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, Mr Kagame said a succession plan was being actively discussed by the ruling party, terming his retirement an “inevitability”.

Mr Kagame said he was not necessarily interested in choosing his successor but rather creating an environment that would give rise to people who can lead.

“We have been having this discussion within our [ruling] party since 2010 but circumstances, challenges and history of Rwanda tend to dictate certain things,” he said.

He said his retirement was an issue that has to be discussed “sooner or later”.

“I’m sure one day I may join journalism

in my old age. I’m looking forward to that,” Mr Kagame said.

His comments come days after the country’s ruling party, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi), elected its first woman vice-chairperson.

President Kagame retained the chairmanship position. He has led the party since 1998.

This was not the first time Mr Kagame has talked about retirement. In December 2022, he said he had no problem becoming an ordinary senior citizen.

Mr Kagame has been president of the East African nation since 2000. A controversial referendum in 2015 removed a two-term constitutional limit for presidents.

The president last year told a French TV channel he would stand for president again at the next election in 2024.

Zimbabwe politician fined for spreading false news

Acourt in Zimbabwe has fined the spokeswoman of the main opposition party $500 (£400) after convicting her of spreading false information on Twitter.

Fadzayi Mahere is a prominent lawyer and member of the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC), which is challenging President Emmerson Mnangagwa in this year’s elections.

She was arrested two years ago after posting a video in which people said a police officer had fatally struck a baby with a baton when in fact the child was alive and not injured.

Ms Mahere’s relatives sobbed in court as the verdict was read out. The prosecution had called for a jail term, but the magistrate decided to fine her. The magistrate said Ms Mahere had undermined the authority of the police and should have verified the information.

The case is controversial as the law under which she was convicted no longer exists. The Constitutional Court struck it down because it violated freedom of speech. But the state continues to use it, especially against its critics

Source: BBC

Rebels pardoned over killing of Chad’s ex-ruler

Chad’s government says it has pardoned and released 380 rebels who had been serving life sentences over the death of former President Idriss Déby.

He was killed two years ago after going to the front line to fight rebels from a group known as Front for Change and Concord in Chad.

In March more than 400 rebels were

sentenced

in a mass trial for acts of terrorism, recruitment of child soldiers and assaulting the head of state.

Most were pardoned by the former president’s son - Mahamat Idriss Débywho took office after his father’s death.

The pardon did not apply to the rebel leader, Mahamat Mahdi Ali, who is on the run.

Pilot Rudolph Erasmus’ life was potentially in danger as the deadly snake slithered up his back mid-air

SharedI’m happy to

become a journalist -

The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya is involved in trying to clean up the image of athletics in the country

Asia&Middle-East

Ukraine war: Poland pledges more jets to Ukraine as Zelensky visits

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited Poland, as his hosts promised to send more fighter jets to Ukraine.

President Andrzej Duda said he would send Poland’s remaining fleet of MiG-29 jets “if there is still such a need”.

Mr Zelensky thanked the country for its support against Russia’s invasion.

It came as Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western intelligence services of being involved in terror attacks on Russia.

Speaking at the Kremlin’s security council, Mr Putin did not give any evidence but said: “There is every reason to say that the resources of third countries, Western intelligence services, are engaged in the preparation of such sabotage and acts of terrorism.”

Mr Zelensky arrived in Warsaw on Wednesday morning - marking his first official visit to Poland since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Poland has been a key ally in supporting Ukraine and is usually at the forefront in pushing for arms supplies to its neighbour.

It was the first country to pledge Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, and on Wednesday committed more Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets.

Mr Duda reiterated the country firmly

supported Kyiv’s bid to join Nato and said he was trying to get “additional guarantees, security guarantees, which will strengthen Ukraine’s military potential”.

Earlier, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that for Ukraine to join Nato, the country would have to be independent and democratic - two criteria currently unable to be fulfilled as a result of Russia’s invasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has

previously used Ukraine’s desire to join Nato as a justification for the invasion.

Mr Zelensky’s visit came as Poland’s agriculture minister resigned as farmers complain about cheap Ukrainian grain.

Poland has been gripped by a wave of protests over the fact that Ukrainian grain is reducing the market price of Polish grain, and farmers argue the EU should provide assistance.

said his decision to resign was prompted by a recent EU proposal to extend the tax breaks on imports of the Ukrainian grain.

He said he he did not believe the “basic demands of the farmers will not be met by the commission”, after Warsaw requested assistance from the EU to minimise the impact of Ukrainian grain on the market.

Mr Zelensky also addressed the issue during his visit, telling reporters that he expected decisions soon that would alleviate the farmers’ anger.

“We have found a way out,” he said. “I believe that in the coming days and weeks we will finally resolve all issues as there cannot be any questions, any complications between such close partners and real friends as Poland and Ukraine.”

While the two leaders met in Warsaw, Mr Putin took aim at Western security services, accusing them of having helped Kyiv stage “terror attacks”.

He also accused Ukraine of committing crimes against Russian officials and journalists with the help of Western resources in a televised meeting with officials.

Mr Putin’s comments come just three days after the death of pro-military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, who was killed in St Petersburg. Russia has charged the suspect in the attack with terrorism.

Iran protests: Victims shot in eyes hold on to hopes

Ayoungwoman lies in a hospital bed, a bandage over her right eye. Her left eye is closed, her mouth grimaces and she is moaning in pain.

Elahe Tavokolian was shot by Iranian security forces during protests in a northeastern city near Mashhad in September.

The PhD student lost the sight in her right eye.

Warning: This article contains details that some readers may find distressing.

ADVERTISEMENT

But it was only three months later that she felt brave enough to share the video of her ordeal on Instagram.

“You aimed at my eyes but my heart is still beating,” she writes in the post. “Thank you for taking the sight from my eye which has opened the eyes of so many people.

“The light inside my heart and the hope of good days to come will keep me smiling. But your heart and your commander’s heart are getting darker every day.

“I’ll soon get a glass eye and you’ll get a medal.”

Elahe recently left Iran and had major surgery in Italy to remove a bullet lodged in her head. She posted a video of herself on a hospital bed saying: “I’m gonna live to narrate this.”

After the procedure, she told BBC Persian that she plans to “exhibit the bullet in an international court” in future.

Not alone

Tens of thousands have taken parts in protests against Iran’s clerical establishment since the death in September of a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody for allegedly failing to wear her headscarf “properly”.

A police crackdown has followed, with nearly 20,000 people arrested and 500 killed, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

The young people who have been blinded say they were singled out.

But the commander of Iran’s riot police, Brigadier-General Hassan Karami, recently rejected such allegations in the Iranian media.

He said it was “propaganda” to accuse his forces of “intentionally” shooting protesters in the face.

Ghazal Ranjkesh, a law student, was one of them. She was shot in the southern city of Bandar Abbas in November.

The 21-year-old was the first to openly post on social media about her injury to raise awareness.

In the video she shared from her hospital bed, blood seeps from her right eye but she still makes the victory sign with her fingers.

This video went viral, showing Iranians at home and abroad how young people were being targeted by the authorities.

“Why were you smiling when you shot me?” Ghazal wrote alongside her video.

She later deleted it to protect the medical staff whose voices could be heard.

But Ghazal had started something unique.

Young men and women with similar injuries realised they were not alone and could find a community online to help them through their trauma.

“The sound of the eyes is louder than any scream,” reads Ghazal’s personal statement in Persian on Instagram.

She has recently posted new photos of herself. They could be mistaken for a fashion shoot until you look a little closer.

“The pain is unbearable but I’ll get used to it,” she writes. “I will live my life because my story is unfinished. Our victory is not here yet but it’s close.”

Ghazal has been fitted with a prosthetic eye, and she has written about her struggle to accept it. She said she got used to the wound on her face, and even felt proud of it, and that going through plastic surgery was agonising.

But she has the spirit of a fighter. “I will witness freedom with one eye,” she wrote.

‘Living proof’

No-one knows how many people have been injured like this across Iran.

Such was the fear of being arrested in hospital, some protesters were too scared to seek medical aid at all.

The New York Times has established

that 500 people with similar injuries sought treatment at three hospitals in Tehran between September and November last year.

Mohammad Farzi, 32, a street performer based in Tehran, was shot in September. Birdshot, a type of shotgun pellet, lodged in his eye.

“I don’t regret it,” he says. “I’m proud that I sacrificed my eye for people’s freedom.”

He did go to hospital despite the risks, and his eye can be saved. But he has run out of money and was forced to stop treatment before his third operation.

“The main issue is support, financially, psychologically and medically,” says Mohammad.

It is estimated he has spent more than $2,500 (£2,000) in hospital fees.

Dr Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah is one of nearly 400 ophthalmologists, or eye doctors, who have signed an official letter, urging the authorities to give more support to the injured.

He says the blinded protesters will be marked forever in society.

“Until the end of their life, this young person will be living proof of Iran’s crackdown,” he said in a video which has also gone viral.

Mohammad was determined that the online support he receive should cross over into real life friendships.

Along with an injured woman, Kosar Eftekhari, he travelled nearly 900km (560 miles) to see Elahe in hospital before a major operation.

“It’s the only thing we can do,” he says. “We know the pain, the distress and we must be there for each other.”

They shared a photo on social media - all injured but making the victory sign.

Despite the pain, Elahe posted on Instagram after her surgery. She thanked her father, Mohammad and Kosar for being there for her.

“Hope blooms from my wound,” she wrote.

Source: BBC

Agriculture minister, Henry Kowalczyk

Polish farmers bloc a street during their protest in Szczecin, north-west Poland

Ghazal Ranjkesh’s post inspired other victims to do the same

We don’t want Minister of State again

CONTINUED

ministers since the military government is not an elected government.

On October 18, 1979, President Usman Aliyu Shehu Shagari GCFR submitted to the Senate presided over by Dr. Joseph Wayas, the confirmation of the following list as ministers and ministers without cabinet rank. They were M. Mohammed Ibrahim Hassan(Bauchi), M. Adamu Ciroma(Borno), Mr. Isaac Shaahu and Mr. Paul Unongo(Benue), Professor Iya Abubakar(Gongola), Alhaji Umaru Dikko and Professor Ishaya Audu(Kaduna), Alhaji Bello Maitama Yusuf(Kano), Alhaji Akanbi Oniyangi(Kwara), Alhaji Ndagi Mamudu(Niger), Mrs Adenike Ebun Oyagbola(Ogun), Mr. Samuel Adebisi Ogedengbe(Ondo), Chief Richard O. Akinjide(Oyo), Mr. John Jatau Kadiya and Mr. Gorge Baba Hoomkwap(Plateau), Mr. Victor Masi(Rivers), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau(Sokoto), Mr. D.C. Ugwu and Mr. Chimezie Ikeazor(Anambra), Professor Sunday Matthew Essang(Cross River), Mr. Amadi Emina(Bendel), Dr. Sylvester Ugoh and Dr. I.I. Maduike(Imo) and Dr. Wahab Olaseinde Dosunmu(Lagos).

Ministers with non-cabinet rank included Alhaji Ahmed Musa(Bauchi), Chief P. Bolokor (Bendel), Alhaji Asheikh Jarma(Borno), Alhaji Ali Baba(Gongola), M. Iro Abubakar DanMusa(Kaduna), Alhaji Bilyamin Usman(Kano), Mr. Ademola Thomas(Lagos), Chief Olu Awotesu(Ogun), Chief Mrs. J. Akinrinade(Oyo), Alhaji Ahmudu Nahuce(Sokoto), Chief E. Okoi-Obuli(Cross River), Mallam Mamman Ali Makele(Kwara), Mr. Cladius Agboola Bamgboye(Ondo) and Dr. Jakiri Igbani(Rivers).

He later fired Chief Paul Unongo and replaced him with Chief Audu Ugbeh.

In the second term of President Shehu Shagari other Ministers were appointed including Chief Eleazor Chukwuemeka Anyaoku (90) CFR from Obosi in Anambra State, who later became the Secretary General of Commonwealth from 1990 to year 2000. Chief Anyaoku married Princess Bunmi from Abeokuta in 1962.

In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR appointed Ministers of State. They included Mrs Modupe Adelaja(Defence), Chief Dubem Onyia(Foreign Affairs), Alhaji Musa Elayo Abdullahi(Justice), Chief Chris Agbobu(Agriculture and Rural Development), Alhaji L. Ade Haruna Elewi(Communications), Mallam L. Tukur Batagarawa(Defence-Army), Alhaji Bello Usman(Education), Dr. Imeh T. Okopido(Environment), Mr. Solomon S.A. Ewuga(Federal Capital Territory, FCT), Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye(Finance), Dr. (Mrs.) Aminat Ndalolo(Health), Chief Lawrence Nwuruku(Industry), Mr. Garba Madaki Ali(Transport), Mr. Yomi Edu(Special Duties, The Presidency), Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Kida(InterGovernmental Affairs, The Presidency), Dr. Mohammed Shata(Internal Affairs), Alhaji Danjuma Goje(Power and Steel), Mrs. Pauline K-Tallen(Science and Technology), Mr. Isa Yuguda(Transport), Chief Precious Ngelale (JP)(Water Resources), and Prince Vincent Ogbulafor(Economic Affairs, The Presidency).

Section 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria states that (1) there shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President. (2) Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President. (3) Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution:-provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State. (4)

Where a member of the National Assembly or of a House of Assembly is appointed as Minister of the Government of the Federation, he shall be deemed to have resigned his membership of the National Assembly or of the House of Assembly on his taking the oath of office as Minister. (5) No person shall be appointed as a Minister of the Government of the Federation unless he is qualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives.(6) An appointment to any of the offices aforesaid shall be deemed to have been made where no return has been received from

the Senate within twenty-one working days of the receipt of nomination by the Senate.

Section 148 (1) states that “The President may, in his discretion, assign to the Vice-President or any Minister of the Government of the Federation responsibility for any business of the Government of the Federation, including the administration of any department of government.

(The President has the power to assign administrative responsibility to the VicePresident of any Minister regarding any business or department of the Government.) Section 148 (2) The President shall hold regular meetings with the Vice-President and all the Ministers of the Government of the Federation for the purposes of – (The President should have regular meetings with the Vice-President and all the Ministers in regards the following: – )

Section 148 (2)(a)determining the general direction of domestic and foreign policies of the Government of the Federation;(When it relates to the general direction of local and foreign policies of the government.) Section 148 (2)(b)coordinating the activities of the President, the VicePresident and the Ministers of the Government of the Federation in the discharge of their executive responsibilities; and (Meetings held in order to arrange the activities of the President, VicePresident and Ministers and in doing so, assist them in discharging their executive functions/ responsibilities.) Section 148 (2)(c) advising the President generally in discharge of his executive functions other than those functions with respect to which he is required by this Constitution to seek the advice or act on the recommendation of any other person or body.

(In those meetings, the Vice-President and or the Ministers can advise the President on how best to discharge his executive functions but this does not include functions which the Constitution has stated that the President should be advised or an on the recommendation of a Body or any other person.)

Between 1999 and 2001, President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR was worried about the conflict between Ministers and Ministers of State and the clash between Ministers and Permanent Secretaries. He held three retreats in Abuja on this issue. The fourth retreat was held at the National Institute For Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos between 23rd-25th February 2001.

The Head of Service, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed attended the retreat as well as the following Permanent Secretaries then. They are Alhaji Umar M. Abubakar, Engr. D.B. Usman, Dr. K. Nkumah, Mr. M.O. Onoja, Dr. R.O. Mowoe, Dr. M. Babangida Aliyu, Dr. B.K. Kaigama, Dr. O.M. Ojo, Mr. John P. Hirse, Alhaji Bello U. Maiatmbari, Alhaji Guda A. Abdullahi, Mr. O.O.O. Ogunkua, Mr. G.O. Enukora, Dr. Aboki Zhawa, Mr. Garba Buwaijmni, Amb. T.D. Hart, Mr.A.E. Ogbuehi, Alhaji H.Z. Akwanga, Rev. P.O. Okunromade, Dr. C.J.G. Orjioke, Mr. T.D. Oyelade, Dr. S.I. Muhammad, Alhaji N.B. Dambatta, Mr. O.O. Oyelakin, Mr.L.N. Asugha, Amb. G.B. Preware, Dr. Abdullahi Aliyu, Ms. T.O. Akerele, Ms. A.I. Pepple, Alhaji Tukur Mani, James Kayode Naiyeju, Ammuna Lawrence-Ali, Alhaji I. Talba, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, David O. Oyegun, Mr. A.O. Okafor, Mrs. A.M. Rufai, Mrs G.I. Archibong, Dr. R.O. Adewoye, Dr. B.A. Akinola and P.N. Akubueze.

Also in attendance were the Governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, Ambassador O. Esan(Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, State House), Ambassador E.A. Azikiwe, Senior Special Assistant to the President(AntiCorruption and Transparency Matters), Bisi Ogunniyi, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff to the President, Presidential Villa, Abuja, Major General J.N. Garba(rtd.), Director General, NIPSS, Kuru, Jos, Dr. Stanley Macebuh, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Special Duties), Tunji Oseni, Senior Special Assistant to the President, (Media & Publicity) Presidential Villa, Abuja, Mr Ad’obe Obe, Senior Special Assistant to the President(International Relations), Dr. Goke Adegoroye, Director (Special Duties) to the SGF, Mrs. Titi Iroche, Director of Political Affairs, Mr. S.A. Adeyeye (Special Assistant 1 to the SGF), Dr. J.N. Obiegbu (Special Assistant II to the SGF), Mr. F.O. Osobukola, Deputy Director (APD) OSGF and Alhaji Ibrahim Jega, Deputy Director (SWT) OSGF.

Professor Akin Mabogunje, Chief Kanu Agabi

SAN, the Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, Justice M.M.A. Akanbi, Dr. G.A. Gundu, Mr. O.S. Ogedengbe, Mr. Wuese Ai, Mr. F.F. Ogunshakin, Mr. J. Okpo, Mr. K.J. Wudil, Mr. E.I. Onuoha, Mr. A. Mohammed and Mr. O.I. Adisa, all from THE CABINET SECRETARIAT, Mr. Seyi Olowokere as well as myself attended the retreat.

The following Ministers attended the retreat Chief Bola Ige (SAN), Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Alhaji Adamu Bello, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe, Minister of Aviation, Alhaji Muhammad Arzika, Minister of Communications, Ms Boma Bromillow Jack, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mrs Modupe Adelaja, Minister of State, Defence(Navy), Professor A.B. Borishade, Minister of Education, Alhaji Muhammad Kabir Said, Minister of Environment, Engr. Mohammed Abba-Gana, Minister of Federal Capital, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Minister of Finance, Chief Dubem Onyia, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Musa Elayo Abdullahi, Minister of State, Justice, Chief Chris Agbobu, Minister of State, Agriculture and Rural Development, Engr. Mustapha Bello, Minister of Commerce, Alhaji L. Ade HarunaElewi, Minister of State, Communications, Mallam L. Tukur Batagarawa, Minister of State, Defence (Army) and Engr. Dan Chuke, Minister of State, Defence (Airforce).

The remaining Ministers at the retreat are Mr. Garba Madaki Ali, Minister of State, Transport, Mr. Yomi Edu, Minister of State, Special Duties, The Presidency, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Kida, Minister of State, InterGovernmental Affairs, The Presidency, Chief Kolawole B. Jamodu, Minister of Industry, Professor Jerry Gana, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Dr. Mohammed Shata, Minister of State, Internal Affairs, Mr. Steven Ibn Akiga, Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Danjuma Goje, Minister of State, Power and Steel, Mrs. Pauline K-Tallen, Minister of State, Science and Technology, Mr. Ishaya Mark Aku, Minister of Sports and Social Development, Mr. Isa Yuguda, Minister of State, Transport, Chief Precious Ngelale (JP) Minister of State, Water Resources, Chief Tony Anenih, Minister of Works and Housing, Chief Bimbola Ogunkelu, Minister of Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Minister of State, Economic Matters, The Presidency and Chief Phillip Asiodu, Chief Economic Adviser and Vice Chairman, National Planning Commission.

At the end of the retreat, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette, read out a communiqué on harmonizing the Functions of Ministers and Minister of State. He declared “at the inception of this administration, Mr. President in consonance with Section 148 of the 1999 Constitution, assigned responsibilities to Honourable Ministers, Ministers of State, Special Advisers, etc. The exercise was to ensure that every Minister had well spelt out functions and that by each focusing on specific areas, achieving the goals of Government would be accelerated. It was never meant to split a Ministry into two functional (or, in extreme cases, factional) units, making cohesion and mobilization of available resources for effective execution of mandate of Ministries impossible to achieve. Ministries must be run as single units, and both Ministers must be aware of every detail of their operations. At both 2nd and 3rd Retreats we recognized that the recurring issues of inter-personal relationship between Ministers, Ministers of State and Permanent Secretaries is a question of human relationship and urged participants to draw from the example of the relationship and urged participants to draw from the example of the relationship between Mr. President and Vice President and the other Principal officers in the Presidency and use that as a model”.

Since then, the conflict between Ministers and Ministers of State is yet to be resolved and worse still, they have a joint Permanent Secretary.

At present the following are Federal Ministries—Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, Ministry of Niger Delta, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Special Duties, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry

of Health, Ministry for Budget, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Aviation, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Works and Housing, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Women Affairs , Ministry of Police Affairs and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development

The 1999 Constitution empowers the President to nominate a Minister from each state as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Since we have thirty Ministries, what the President should do is to upgrade seven Ministries for special duties. We don’t want a situation where someone will be classified a super human being with three Ministries attached to him with cabinet rank, while others will be classified as mere Ministers of State.

There is nowhere in the 1999 Constitution where a minister is designated Minister of State. Ministers of State are suffering in silence inspite of their schedule of responsibilities. They feel dehumanised and feel inferior. Their agony should be avoided.

Moreover, we should stop the current procedure of appointing six Ministers to represent the six geographical zones in the country. It makes the CABINET to be in fact too large and uncontrollable. Zones are not recognized in the Constitution.

Expectedly, the issue of appointments has split the caucus of President Elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. One hopes that the split will not deepen further. It happens always when sharing the spoils of war. It is inevitable given the circumstances of his victory in the Presidential election which in still in dispute.

Sharing the spoils of war is in fact more difficult than winning the war. The President Elect I am sure knows what to do, for you do not teach an old dog new tricks. He should however note that his choice of appointments will no doubt shape his PRESIDENCY. He should be reminded constantly that the fate of his PRESIDENCY is still in court. He should learn from two examples, Namibia and Kenya, where the courts have removed the incumbent Presidents.

On February 3, 2020, the Constitutional Court in Malawi removed from office, President Peter Matharika and on May 8, 2020, the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Andrew Nyrenda, approved the removal with 4 to 2 votes. In Kenya, the Supreme Court headed by Justice David Kenani Maraga(72) in August 2017, removed the then President, Uhuru Kenyatta, and ordered a rerun of the Presidential election. President Kenyatta later won the rerun election against Raila Odinga.

I don’t know when the Supreme Court in Nigeria will finally decide on the Presidential Election. If I am to go by past records, I don’t think the judgment can be earlier than November. Right now the President of the Court of Appeal, Honourable Justice Monica DongbanMensem(66) is yet to name members of the Presidential Election Panel, although she has constituted members of the state appeal panels. The last chairman of the Panel, Mr. Justice Muhammmed Lawan Garuba(65) from Zamfara state, was on November 6, 2020 elevated to the Supreme Court. He was among the six judges whose names were sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for Senate confirmation in 2020.

Justice Garuba’s panel gave judgment on the appeal filed by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar on September 12 2019 while the final judgment was given on October 30, 2019. It was a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court then, presided over by the then Chief Justice, Tanko Mohammed(69) GCON.

Other judges of the Supreme Court that gave the judgment were Justice Bode Rhode-Vivour, Justice Kayode Ariwoola, Justice Amiru Sanusi, Justice John Okoro, Justice Ejembi Eko and Justice Uwuni Abba Aji.

Trump indictment: What happened when other countries prosecuted ex-leaders?

While Donald Trump is the first former US president to be charged with a criminal offence, elsewhere many other ex-leaders have found themselves in the dock.

And as some of these cases show, prosecution for alleged crimes has not proved to be a barrier to getting back into power.

So who are the highest-profile former leaders to face charges and what happened to them?

Italy - Silvio Berlusconi

The four-times PM has been embroiled in numerous criminal trials, and once claimed he was “the most persecuted man in the entire history of the world”.

In 2013, Berlusconi was convicted of sex with an underage prostitute in what became known as the “bunga bunga” case. He was cleared on appeal in 2015.

Prosecutors in that case claimed witnesses were bought off, for which he was again acquitted in February this year.

Other cases saw him serve a year of community service for tax fraud in 2012 and receive a year’s jail sentence for breaching confidentiality after he arranged for a police wiretap of one of his political rivals to be leaked and published in a newspaper.

He did not actually serve time in jail due to his age.

Berlusconi said he was being targeted by left-wing Milan prosecutors who were pursuing a vendetta against him.

On Wednesday, he was being treated in intensive care in a cardiac unit in Milan.

Brazil - Lula

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula) served two terms as president but was then found guilty of receiving a bribe from a Brazilian construction firm in return for contracts with Brazil’s state oil company Petrobras.

The former metal worker spent 580 days in jail and was banned from contesting the 2018 election before his conviction was annulled and he returned to the political fray.

“They tried to bury me alive and here I am,” he said after beating far-right rival Jair Bolsonaro last year, capping a stunning political comeback.

South Korea - Park Geun-hye

Park was South Korea’s first female president and its first democratically-elected leader to be forced from office.

She was impeached in 2017 and subsequently convicted of abuse of power and coercion for colluding with a close friend, Choi Tae-min, a pseudo-Christian cult leader

dubbed “the Korean Rasputin”. Choi was found to have used her connection to Park to pressure conglomerates for millions of dollars in donations.

However in late 2021 Park was pardoned by then president Moon Jae-in and released from prison.

France - Nicolas Sarkozy

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy became the first leader to be sentenced to jail in 2021 when he received a three year sentence for trying to bribe a judge.

Two of the years in prison were suspended, but Mr Sarkozy is yet to

actually serve time after he appealed the sentence. His appeal hearing will take years.

Former French President Jacques Chirac was also found guilty of corruption in 2011. He received a two-year suspended jail sentence.

South Africa - Jacob Zuma

The former president was sentenced to 15 months in prison after he failed to attend an inquiry into corruption during his presidency.

He handed himself into police, but not before a public standoff that led to violent protests leading to the deaths of more than 300 people.

Zuma faced other charges of corruption and fraud. He was jailed in his late 70s over crimes that took place while he served as president from 2009 to 2018.

Malaysia - Najib Razak

The former prime minister was jailed for 12 years in the first of several multi-million dollar corruption trials. The 1MDB scandal

around a state-owned wealth fund in Malaysia uncovered a global web of fraud and corruption.

Najib denies all wrongdoing and says he was misled by financial advisers - in particular fugitive

financier Jho Low.

He pleaded not guilty to criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power and after he was sentenced, appealed the conviction. But a court rejected his appeal and in August he started his jail sentence.

Israel - Ehud Olmert

The country’s former prime minister Ehud Olmert was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for fraud. He was released early in 2017.

Olmert has since retired from politics, but was found guilty of defamation in November last year over comments he made about current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mr Netanyahu is currently on trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

Thailand - Yingluck Shinawatra

The former prime minister was charged with negligence for failing to prevent excessive losses and corruption in a rice subsidy scheme under her administration.

Yingluck’s government was toppled by the military in 2014, and she was impeached over her role in the rice scheme a year later. She said the trial was politically motivated. She secretly left the country in August 2017 just as she was due to appear for a verdict and was sentenced in absentia to five years in jail.

Yingluck is the sister of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006.

Bolivia - Jeanine Áñez

She is serving a sentence of 10 years in prison over what prosecutors say was a coup to oust her predecessor Evo Morales.

Mr Morales quit and fled Bolivia after the chief of the army urged him to step down amid protests over allegations of vote rigging after the 2019 election. Áñez took over as interim president.

But Mr Morales’ Mas party won fresh elections the following year, paving the way for him to return to Bolivia from Argentina and take over the party leadership. His colleague Luis Arce was elected president.

Áñez has repeatedly said she is the victim of a political vendetta.

Source: BBC

The four-times PM has been embroiled in numerous criminal trials, and once claimed he was “the most persecuted man in the entire history of the world”

“

Italian ex-PM Berlusconi faced a litany of charges

Park was serving a 22-year prison sentence before being pardoned

The governor of Punjab state Banwarilal Purohit (second from left) at an oath ceremony of the ministers in 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHRIST WIND OUTREACH WORLD WIDE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT ABOVE NAMED OUTREACH HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT, 2020.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1. MOSES MATTHEW - CHAIRMAN

2. ROSE MATTHEW - SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES.

1. TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST THROUGH CRUSADE AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

2. TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO THE LESS PRIVILEGE IN THE SOCIETY.

3. TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR SKILLS ACQUISITION AND CRAFT PRODUCTION FOR THE UNEMPLOYED.

4. TO CARRY OUT PRISON OUTREACH.

ANY OBJECTIONS TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGIISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION , PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED. CHAIRMAN.

PUBLIC NOTICE

MUHAMMED

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MUHAMMED ABDULKADIR AND ABDULKADIR MUHAMMED DASEB NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MUHAMMED ABDULKADIRI DASEBE ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

IORVER

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ABIGAIL .J. ODAMA. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS IORVER ABIGAIL EBIKA ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

OYOROKOTO

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS OGAR LOVE. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS OYOROKOTO LOVE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

ERAMEH

CITEC ESTATE MUSLIM ASSOCIATION CAC/IT/NO.42180

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVENAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR, REMOVAL AND APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART ‘F’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 2020.

THE OLD TRUSTEES REMOVED ARE:

1. ALHAJI SANUSI AHMED MALUMFASHI (CHAIRMAN)

2. ALHAJI ABDULLATIF YUSUF (SECRETARY)

3. MALLAM HALILU ABBA (MEMBER)

4. MALLAM AHMED IDRIS (MEMBER)

5. BARRISTER ABUBAKAR MOHAMMED (MEMBER)

THE NEW TRUSTEES APPOINTED ARE:

1. SHEIKH MUHAMMAD TAJUDEEN ADIGUN, PHD (CHAIRMAN)

2. BARRISTER ADEKUNLE ISIAQ OPEYEMI (SECRETARY)

3. SHEIKH MUHAMMAD BUKHARI MUSA (MEMBER)

4. ALHAJI ABBA HALILU ISA (MEMBER)

5. PROF. ABDULLAHI SALEH EL – YAKUB (MEMBER)

6. ALHAJI BUKAR MUSTAPHA, MNI (MEMBER)

7. ALHAJI JIMOH MURITALA ADEWUMI (MEMBER)

8. ALHAJI TANIMU MOHAMMED SHEIKH (MEMBER)

9. ALHAJI YUSUFU IBRAHIM IDRIS (MEMBER)

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1) OKAFOR IJEOMA MAUREEN.

2) AJAI-AJAGBE EFOSE.

3) ODUSOLU PATIENCE OLUFEMI.

4) EKE ASANDIA BASSEY.

5) UNWANA JOY ISAIAH.

6) AKPAN ENO IME.

7) TUKURA LAMI CELINA. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ALFRED HAPPINESS. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ERAMEH HAPPINESS. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

1) TO ASSIST ONE ANOTHER AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN ALL SITUATIONS IRRESPECTIVE OF SOCIAL STATUS.

2)TO FOSTER THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR ALMA MATER.

3) TO DEBATE ON ISSUES THAT PROMOTE OUR PERSONAL INTEREST AND WELLBEING.

4) TO CARRY OUT ACTIVITIES IN RELATION TO THE OLD GIRL’S ASSOCIATION. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED. UGWUOKE MARTINS CHIJIOKE, ESQ 08039228273.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INITIATIVE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVOCACY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. FOLORUNSHO DAYO OLUWAFEMI (FOUNDER PRESIDENT)

2. MULIKA OYIZA FOLORUNSHO (TREASURER)

3. SEGILOLA VINCENT MOSES (SECRETARY)

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. RENEWABLE ENERGY SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

2. CLIMATE CHANGE AND CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCACY AND DEVELOPMENT

3 WOMEN AND CHILD EMPOWERMENT

4. TRAINING UND CHILD EDUCATION

5. CONSULTANCY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : FOLORUNSHODAYO OLUWAFEMI.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIRLS COLLEGE CALABAR CLASS OF 85 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. PUBLIC NOTICE

MEDINAH HUTHMAN FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. HUTHMAN ABDULHAKEEM BABATUNDE

SPACE FOR SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF COMMERCE OLD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION NSUGBE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. OGUGUA MORGAN.

2. OKAFOR CHIOMA CHIDIMMA.

3. ANOSIKE NKIRU CHINYERE.

4. NKWOKA CHUKWUNONSO NNAMDI.

5. OBIANYO IFUNANYA CHINYERE.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1.TO PROMOTE THE GOOD IMAGE OF THE ASSOCIATION THROUGH POSITIVE POLICIES, ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

LAGOS.

ASSOCIATED SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN, YOUTHS, MEMBERS AND OTHER PERSONS FROM DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA.

3. THE TRUST IS AIMED AT MINIMIZING THE OBSTACLES TO CHILDREN’S AND YOUTHS NURSERY, PRIMARY, SECONDARY SCHOOL AND TERTIARY EDUCATION BY RAISING FUNDS TO PAY FOR SCHOOL FEES, DONATE BOOKS AND, WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST,

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES IN SECTION 2 OF THE CONSTITUTION HAVE BEEN AMENDED TO READ:-

I) TO FOSTER UNITY, PEACE AND PROGRESS AMONG MEMBERS AND THE SOCIETY IN GENERAL.

II) TO PROMOTE MUTUAL CO-EXISTENCE AND UNDERSTANDING WITH FELLOW RESIDENTS OF THE ESTATE, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS.

III) TO PROPAGATE ISLAM AND PROMOTE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE.

IV) TO PROMOTE, SAFEGUARD AND PROTECT ISLAMIC TEACHINGS AND VALUES

V) TO PROMOTE GENERALLY ISLAMIC INJUNCTIONS

THE CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN AMENDED ALSO IN SECTIONS 1 – 23 GENERALLY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE RESISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISION PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED BY: SHEIKH MUHAMMAD TAJUDEEN ADIGUN, PHD CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION

PUBLIC NOTICE

MOUNT OF HIS PRAISE MINISTRY INTL

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. AYIBATONYE RACHAEL - CHAIRMAN

2. STEPHEN PINAOWEI MORRIS - SECRETARY

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO CARRY OUT EVANGELISTIC OUTREACH ALL OVER THE WORLD.

2. TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN BRANCHES AND MISSIONS IN NIGERIA AND OVERSEASWHERE CONVERTS AND INTERESTED PERSONS COULD GATHER TO WORSHIP.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE FOLLOWING ABANDONED AND UNCLAIMED PROPERTY ARE STILL IN POSSESSION OF ANTI VIOLENCE SQUAD SCID GUSAU, ZAMFARA STATE POLICE COMMAND FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE REQUESTED TO CHECK TO ENABLE THE OWNERS TO CLAIM IT. IF UNCLAIMED AFTER TWO WEEKS FROM THIS PUBLICATION, IT MAY BE DISPOSED BY PUBLIC AUCTION.

(1).MITSBUSHI CANTER. WHITE/BLUE. CHASES NO.DSITKA021596.

(2). MITSUBUSHI CANTER BLUE/WHITE. CHASES NO. 5E543143.

(3).MITSUBUSHI CANTER WHITE/BLUE. CHASES NO. 420802332.

(4) HYUNDAI CAR ASH COLOR. CHASES NO. 4EH862129.

(5) VIBE PONTIAC DARK ASH COLOR. CHASES NO.M64833Z418245.

(6) GOLF 3 WAGON NAVY BLUE. CHASES NO. Z1HZ5W151173. SIGN:PPRO

Ogoni youths appreciates FG for ongoing clean-up

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF) Worldwide, under auspice of Ogoni youths in Rivers states has appreciated the Federal Government for the clean-up of Ogoni land .

The association gave the commendation while awarding minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, for an outstanding Performance, on Tuesday in Abuja .

The President General of OYF, Chief Legborsi Yamaabana, said the visit was to reassure Nigerian government of their continuous support and prayers in its effort to succeed with HYPREP.

Presenting the award, he said it was in recognition of the minister keen interest and commitment to implementing the United Nations’ Environment Programme (UNEP), report on Ogoniland.

He said the gesture was an expression of gratitude over the success of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

Be more committed to duty -EHCON chairman tells staff

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The newly inaugurated Environmental Health Council’s (EHCON) Chairman Tonye Longjohn has urged the management and staff of the Council to be more dedicated and commitment to their duty.

This was contained in a press statement signed and issued by Kehinde A. Openibo Director, Public Affairs (EHCON) For: Registrar.

The statement noted that the chairman of board addressed the top management and staff of the Council recently, after the inauguration of the board of agencies by the minister of environment,Mohammed Abdullahi with other members of the Board in attendance at the Council’s office in Abuja.

According to the Chairman “Mr. president would not be happy with us if he finds out that we are defaulting on discharging our duties, that would not be nice” adding that “there would not be room for truancy, please , if you have subordinates that are truants, please tell them that the days of truancy are gone”.

The EHCON Chairman, however assured the staff that they were not there to disturb anyone from carrying out his/her work because, they are all brothers and sisters.

He informed the staff that whatever benefit is due to them, shall be made available to them as at when due either promotion or welfare, he posted.

On his part, the Registrar EHCON, Dr. Yakubu Mohammed Baba who was represented by his Senior Technical Adviser (STA) and a Director, Registration, Ethics and Standard in the Agency Dr. Isah Adamu praised Mr. President for appointing a board for the Council after many years, he however, went back to memory lane on numerous achievements the Council had recorded since the appointment of the Registrar Dr. Yakubu Mohammed Baba two years ago.

Speaking further, the Director, Registration, Ethics and Standard Dr. Isah Adamu who stood in for the Registrar posited that the Council was established in 2002 by an Act of Parliament and was known and called Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) but now that the Act has been amended by Mr. President, the Council is now known and addressed as the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON).

According to the Director, the practice of EHCON is segmented into two, one is for individual practitioners and the other is the companies’ service providers, adding that, the sanitary inspection of Premises, Cleaning Services, Public health officers and sewage collection, the Council ensures Registration and Regulations are done in administrative way at the headquarters.

Dr. Isah Adamu however, on behalf of the Council promised the Chairman and other members of the Board that the Council is ready to give full support and maximum cooperation to the Board in order to discharge their duties creditably.

“HYPREP is one of Federal Government’s strategic intervention initiatives, which essence and significance cannot not be over-emphasised”.

He said the association recognised the efforts of other past ministers of the ministry in the struggle to keep the Ogoni people safe.

“We commend successive honourable ministers of environment, who at different times, made their contributions, while superintending over this ministry and the Ogoni clean-up project.

We, owever, want to emphatically stress here that under your watch, as the Minister of Environment and the supervising Minister of the Ogoni Cleanup Project, several uncommon milestones are being achieved”, Yamaabana stated .

He emphasized that from the Ogoni power project, to the recently approved Specialist Hospital and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, you have proven to all that indeed you are the square peg for this

square responsibility.

He also commended, President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping his promise to the Ogoni people as well as his approval of funds for the project.

Responding, the minister of environment Mohammed Abdullahi, thanked the youths for the urged for the support and encouraged them to continue to keep the South-South safe and habitable.

“You have been very cooperative and very supportive, it has also been part of the underlying reasons why we have succeeded in Ogoniland.

“If you have been restive if you had been very provocative, if you have not given us the understanding and the environment to operate, it would have been very difficult to operate.

So, that is why we take this award as very important to us, we will not take it for granted, we appreciate that.”

He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari will do his best to sustain the

government and leave good legacies that will also be sustained by the incoming government on Ogoni clean-up.

that the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, the mandate would end this year while the government is also working with United Nations for Offices for Project Services, UNOPS, to take over the entire process by January next year.

He said; “I want to say that the UNEP mandate is coming to an end this year, at the end of the year UNEP will withdraw its services in Ogoniland.

Meanwhile, the minister stated that the UN has arranged with its Office for Project Services, also known as UNOPS, also a project Protection Unit of the United Nations, so we are working with them now to transit between UNEP to UNOPS.

He revealed that hopefully by January next year, UNOPS will take over the entire process, so we must know this transition is ongoing for the benefit of our people of Ogoniland.

Climate change: Transitional committee on loss and damage begins work

The Transitional Committee on the operationalisation of the funding arrangements and new fund for responding to loss and damage held its first meeting from March 27 to 29, 2023 in Luxor, Egypt. The meeting concluding with the adoption of a workplan towards COP28.

The workplan sets out key substantive and procedural milestones and steps to be taken towards the delivery of recommendations to COP28. It includes dates for upcoming workshops and meetings of the Transitional Committee, including a fourth meeting, which the Committee has agreed to add to its schedule of work in 2023. According to the plan, the Committee will focus on all elements of its mandated recommendations at each gathering, gradually moving towards a consensus outcome a month or so before

COP28.

Opening the meeting, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, said: “You are here not just to construct a fund, but to create something much bigger: a lifeline for vulnerable people and places.”

He also urged the Committee to “approach this work in a way that is creative, collaborative, and constructive, so that we can respond to the mandate and rise up to the challenge that is before us.”

The COP27 President, Sameh Shoukry, said: “Your work can be very impactful and help maintain the sense of trust and dialogue multilateralism that prevailed in Sharm el-Sheikh.”

The decision to establish a dedicated fund to assist developing countries in responding to economic and non-economic loss and damages associated with climate

change was a historic move agreed at last year’s UN Climate Change Conference COP27. The Transitional Committee is responsible for operationalising both the new funding arrangements and the fund for consideration and adoption at this year’s COP28 in Dubai.

During last week’s meeting, the Transitional Committee exchanged preliminary views on the purpose and scope of the new funding arrangements and the fund. Through this conversation, members shared initial ideas and asked a range of questions about what gaps currently exist in the financial architecture and how the new funding arrangements and the fund can help bridge these gaps.

Observer organisations also shared their views and considerations.

Source : Environews

Minister of Environment Mohammed Abdullahi, presenting certificates of inauguration to the newly appointed chairman of the Governing Board of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, Tonye Longjohn at Ministry of Environment Green Building,recently.

PEOPLES DAILY , THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2023

20 Super Falcons players train in Antalya ahead of Haitian, New Zealand friendlies

By Amaechi Agbo

Atotal of 20 players of the Super Falcons of Nigeria on Wednesday strained in Antalya, Turkey ahead if their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup warm up matches on Friday and and Tuesday respectively.

Star forwards Asisat Oshoala and Desire Oparanozie both of who missed the February Revelation Cup tournament in Mexico arrived in the camp at launch time on Wednesday.

Serial award-winner Oshoala has not played for the nine-time African champions since the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco nine months ago, while barnstorming forward Oparanozie is linking up with the squad for the first time since the Aisha Buhari Cup Tournament in Lagos in September 2021.

The arrival of the two respected markswomen generated positive vibes at The Sense De Luxe Hotel camp of the Falcons, ahead of Friday’s clash with World Cup debutants Haiti at the Emir Sports

Complex.

Also in camp now are goalkeepers Chiamaka Nnadozie, Inyene Etim and Yewande Balogun, defenders Onome Ebi, Glory Ogbonna, Tosin Demehin, Rofiat Imuran and Ashleigh Plumptre, midfielders Toni Payne, Christy Ucheibe, Ngozi OkobiOkeoghene, Regina Otu, Deborah Abiodun and Halimatu Ayinde, and forwards Esther Okoronkwo, Gift Monday, Rasheedat Ajibade and new invitee Vivian Ikechukwu. Only defender Michelle Alozie and forwards Jennifer Echegini and Uchenna

Mavlon FC febunks player Mohammed

Beji’s involvement in double transfer

Mavlon Football Club has denied report that their former player, Ibrahim Mohammed Beji is involved in double transfer in Europe.

According to the Chairman/CEO of the club, Barr. Kenneth Agadagba, he stated that the Flying Eagles dazzling winger, was duly transfered from Mavlon FC to Cartegena in Spanish Segunda Division.

Mr Agadagba who disclosed this to the media in Abuja also revealed that the club is on the verge of transferring more players to Europe during the summer transfer window after the exploits of the club at the Viareggio

Cup tournament in Italy.

“Mavlon FC will continue to focus on the development of her players both locally and internationally. We are glad to inform the world that we transfered Mohammed Beji to Cartegena in Spain,” Bar. Agadagba said.

“The contract is for three years. We hope that Beji will continue to develop his career there. Our player is not involved in any double transfer.

“We had other offers for him, but after careful study of what Cartegena offered to us, we felt that it will be better for him to move to Cartegena.

“Mavlon FC is determined to be a reference point of how football

management business operates under the globally known best practices.

““Mavlon FC had football transfer business in connection to Beji with Temple Football Academy and Maikunkele Football Academy. Everything was done following due process and transparency.

“We have some of our players on the verge of joining some notable European clubs this summer after performing well at the Viareggio Cup.

“Mavlon FC operates professionally known best practices of football administration, which has attracted foreign partners and clubs to us,” he said.

Kanu, all based in the United States of America, were still being expected as of Wednesday evening.

The Super Falcons have snatched back their winning mentality following the defeat of World Cup-bound Costa Rica at the Revelation Cup Tournament in Mexico City in February, and will be in great mood for Friday’s clash with the Haitians.

World Cup co-hosts New Zealand will be next in line for the Falcons’ fire on Tuesday, at the Mardan Sports Complex also in Antalya.

Aleksander Ceferin reelected UEFA president for another four years

Aleksander

Ceferin was re-elected unopposed for a third term as president of UEFA at a meeting of European football’s governing body in Lisbon on Wednesday.

The 55-year-old Slovenian lawyer, first elected in 2016 following the downfall of Frenchman Michel Platini, will remain in the role until 2027.

Ceferin’s re-election by acclamation comes after he fought off the breakaway European Super League project during his second term and he will now oversee the introduction of a new format for the Champions League starting next year.

He will also be able to focus on pursuing the planned introduction of new Financial Fair Play rules, which will see clubs forced to limit spending on player and staff wages, transfers and agents fees to 70 percent of total revenues by 2025/26.

Photo: Super Falcons in training in Antalya on Wednesday

Breaking News: Chelsea Set To Name Frank Lampard As New Manager

Out of form Premier League side, Chelsea Football Club bis set to name their legend Frank Lampard as their new manager on interim basis.

Chelsea are in advanced talks with club legend Lampard to return as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

Lampard was at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night to watch their goalless draw against Liverpool just 48 hours after Graham Potter was sacked.

If talks go well, Lampard is set to be in charge for their next game at Wolves on Saturday this weekend.

Lampard was due to attend a promotional event in London tomorrow, which has now been postponed.

The club’s record goalscorer has been out of work since January after losing his job at Everton.

A potential caretaker move for the 44-year-old comes with Chelsea set to hold talks in London with former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique over their managerial vacancy.

The 52-year-old, who is out of work after leaving the Spain job following the World Cup, won the treble at Barcelona in 2014/15, lifting LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

Chelsea are set to assess

up to seven candidates as they undergo what they insist will be an “exhaustive process” to replace Potter.

Julian Nagelsmann, Mauricio Pochettino, Ruben Amorim, Oliver Glasner and Luciano Spalletti are also among those under discussion internally at Chelsea. However, Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is not believed to be on the list.

Sky in Germany are reporting Nagelsmann that talks between the former Bayern Munich head coach’s representatives and Chelsea are ongoing and positive.

The 35-year-old wants to manage in the Premier League and sees it as his natural next destination but will not be rushing into a decision over his future amid strong interest from Chelsea and Tottenham.

The German wants a short period to reset after being sacked by Bayern last month and his preference is to oversee a full pre-season when taking on a new job.

Frank Lampard was at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night to watch their goalless draw against Liverpool; Chelsea legend managed club for 18 months before being sacked in January 2021; former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique in London to hold Chelsea talks over managerial vacancy.

NPFL referee assault: Remo Stars ducked 3 points, slammed N1.250 million fine

By Amaechi Agbo

Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL side, Remo Stars have been docked three points and three goals amongst other sanctions imposed on the club by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) for the assault on match Referee Ndubuisi Ukah and subsequent disruption of the Matchday 12 fixture of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) against Gombe United.on Sunday.

The match of Sunday, April 2 was concluded the next day after the Referee was assaulted in the dressing room at halftime as a result of Remo Stars failure to provide adequate security for the match Officials.

The IMC in a Summary Jurisdiction notice signed by Davidson Owumi, the Head of

Operations said the sanctions followed review of findings of the official match report.

In the charge, Remo Stars was found in breach of Rules B8.21, B13.21, C11 and B13.52.

For breach of Rule B8.21 which is failure to adequately secure match Officials before, during and after the match leading to the assault on one of them, the club was fined ₦500,000 and also directed to pay ₦250,000 to the said Official, Ukah Ndubuisi as compensation.

For breach of Rules C.11, three points and three goals was ordered to be deducted from the total points and goals accrued to the club for the assault on the match official while Mr. Ekene Adams identified as the attacker has been banned from all NPFL activities for the rest of the season.

Remo Stars is also to ensure

Lukaku Calls For Strict Action Against Racism

Inter Mila striker, has called for strict action to be meted out on racism.

diligent prosecution in the law court, of Mr. Adams who is the Club’s General Manager.

The Club was also found to have breached Rule B13.21 for disturbances and disruptions which led to the discontinuation of a league match. The club was fined ₦500,000.

The Ikenne based club was also found in breach of Rule B13.52 in that it failed to ensure the restriction of access by unauthorized persons to all restricted areas, which resulted in the assault of a match official.

Remo Stars was reminded that in accordance with Rule C.26, that it is required in writing within 48 hours of the date of the notice, to submit to the ruling of the IMC or elect to appear before a Disciplinary Panel.

The fines are to be paid within seven working days.

Lukaku who is on at Inter from Chelsea made the call on Wednesday after he was sent off in Inter Milan vs Juventus in the Coppa Italia semi final.

Romelu Lukaku has issued a comment on his social media platforms regarding the racist abuse he suffered during Inter’s 1-1 draw with Juventus in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg on Tuesday evening.

On a post on instagram, Lukaku pointed out that this is not the first time he has faced discriminatory abuse while playing for Inter and stated his desire for the league to take action ‘for real’.

His post read: “History repeats itself. Been through it in 2019.. and 2023 again.. I hope

the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone.

“Thank you for the supportive messages F*ck racism.”

Racist chants and monkey noises were heard from the stands of the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday night, in regards to which Inter, Juventus and Serie A have all released statements.

The 29-year-old was shown a second yellow and sent off for his celebration after converting the equalising penalty in the 95th minute of the game, which prompted further chaos between players and coaches of both sides.

Unless his second yellow is rescinded, as per the wishes of Simone Inzaghi, Lukaku will be suspended for the second leg of the semi-final at San Siro at the end of the month.

PUBLIC NOTICE

KAURANIYYA ALHERI EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. FAISAL SANI HALLIRU - CHAIRMAN

2. FATIMA ZARA ABDULMALIK - SECRETARY

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

1.TO PROMOTE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH PROACTIVE ENLIGHTENMENT PROGRAMS

2. TO WORK TOWARDS THE TOTAL AND ABSOLUTE ERADICATION OF POVERTY

3. TO SENSITISE THE CITIZENRY WITH AN AIM AT FIGHTING SOCIAL VICES.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASUEN MELIORA EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. ASUEN OSAMUYI

2. RUNDBERG IDA LINNEA SOPHIA

OBJECTS:

1. TO SPREAD AWARENESS AND INFORMATION ON MATTERS OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RELATIONSHIP AND MARRIAGE

2. TO PROMOTE UNITY AND LOVE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: ALIYU YUSUF DIRISU ESQ

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASUEN MELIORA EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION

INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF OPU-KULA/SINGI-AMA HOST COMMUNITIES’

DEVELOPMENT TRUST THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE-NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART F OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1. CHINDA FORTUNE NWENNAH-DAN - CHAIRMAN/TRUSTEE

2. ANTHONY CHARLES - TRUSTEE

3. AMACHREE DEBORAH KAINE- TRUSTEE

4. OKUNBOR OSADOLOR NEVILLE- SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION:

1. FACILITATE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HOST COMMUNITIES.

2. ADVANCE AND PROPAGATE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF MEMBERS OF THE HOST COMMUNITIES.

3. SUPPORT HEALTHCARE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE HOST COMMUNITIES.

4. SUPPORT LOCAL INITIATIVES WITHIN THE HOST COMMUNITIES, WHICH SEEK TO ENHANCE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

5. SERVE AS LIAISON AND MANAGE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY(IES) AND THE OIL COMPANIES OPERATING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY(IES) (“SETTLORS”).

ANY OBJECTION(S) TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

LOSS OF TITLE DOCUMENTS

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF THE ORIGINAL TITLE DOCUMENTS IN RESPECT OF PLOT

NO. 405, CADASTRAL ZONE B04, JABI DISTRICT, WITH FILE NO. KG 10182 WITHIN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL, FCT ABUJA VIDE A RIGHT OF OCCUPANCY IN FAVOUR OF JOE

ADE FEMI DATED 9TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1990.

ALL EFFORTS TO TRACE THE ABOVE DOCUMENT PROVED ABORTIVE.

IF FOUND PLEASE RETURN TO ABUJA GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (AIGS) OR TO THE UNDERSIGNED.

SIGNED:

J.K. MBANEFO IKWEGBUE, ESQ PELICAN ATTORNEYS NO. 2 CHARLES OWABA STREET BEHIND ROSES REGENCY HOTELS AND SUITES WUYE DISTRICT, ABUJA.

08037234033

PUBLIC NOTICE

IBENO TIMBER DEALERS/PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1 NKPOUTO BASSEY IKOTEKPO - CHAIRMAN

2 ESENEM DENNIS BASSEY - SECRETARY

3 EKANEM EDET EDET

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• TO REPRESENT THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION IN ANY MATTER PERTAINING TO THE IBENO TIMBER DEALERS/PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION

• TO ACHIEVE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN HOST COMMUNITIES AND IBENO TIMBER DEALERS/PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

OCIETY FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION, CAC/IT/NO: 69636

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR RETAINED,REMOVAL AND APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

RETAINED TRUSTEES ARE :

1. EMMANUEL ROBERT - RETAINED 2 ROSEMARY BASSEY - RETAINED

3 MARY ROBERTS - RETAINED REMOVED TRUSTEES ARE:

1 PAX JOEL - REMOVED 2 ISE TAIGA - REMOVED

3 JACOB JACOB BASSEY - REMOVED

NEW TRUSTEES ARE:

OKPALAJIAKU CHUKWUDI CHIMA - APPOINTED

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE HEAVENLY CHURCH INTERNATIONAL

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

NAMES OF THE TRUSTEES:

1. GABRIEL MATTHEW ARIYO

2. GABRIEL AYODEJI OLALEKAN

3. YAKUBU MARK TWENCWE

4. PETER REBECCA

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1. TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND EVANGELISM WORLD-WIDE.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, P.M.B. 198, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN (28) DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

AMBER CLOUDS AFLAME GLOBAL MINISTRY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

NAMES OF THE TRUSTEES:

1,OKUNEYE OJO ANNA ADENIKE

2,AWONIYI OLAJIDE MICHAEL 3,OMONIYI OLAYINKA SUNDAY

4, OJO PRAISE JESUJOMILOJU

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO PREACH, TEACH, TRAIN, PROPHECY AND MANIFEST THE GLORY OF YAHWEH TO ALL MEN IN THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, P.M.B. 198, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN (28) DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

VOICE FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1 BAUTA DAWUDU MOTTY (CHAIRMAN)

2 BAUTA AYAG GRACE (SECRETARY)

3 MUSA NDOM

4 MOTTY AMINU BOSSY

5 BAUTA MOTTY DEBORAH

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

I.THE OBJECT OF THIS ASSOCIATION SHALL BE TO CONSCIENTISE AND UPHOLD THE RIGHTS OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN THE SOCIETY THROUGH CHARITABLE AND PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES.

II. FOR THE PROMOTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE WELFARE AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1 OKEKE ERNEST AMAECHI

2. NWANKWO UCHENNA EMMANUEL

3.EZEJA IZUCHUKWU ANDREE

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

TO ENGAGE IN ALL LEGITIMATE ACTIVITIES AND CARRY OUT ALL SUCH FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH AND NECESSARILY INCIDENTAL TO THE CLUBS STATED MISSION AND ITS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

ANCHOR HUMANITARIAN CARE & SOCIAL MEDICAL INITIATIVE

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

NAMES OF THE TRUSTEES:

(1) OMOTOSHO BOLARINWA MICHAEL

(2) OMOTOSHO FOLAWIYO PRISCILLA

(3) OBANEGHA OLADAPO EMMANUEL

(4) UKA EMELE MBA

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES.

(1) TO WORK FOR THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF UNDERPRIVILEGED INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, P.M.B. 198, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN (28) DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED

SECRETARY

042 CONNECT ELITE BROTHERS SOCIAL CLUB

PEOPLES

APRIL 6, 2023

LATEST SPORTS

Chelsea rivals respond to Todd Boehly’s shock Frank Lampard decision

We don’t want Minister of State again

“We don’t want Minister of State again. It is like a condemnation, if you are in the office, they can’t bring file to you, if you are having a gathering like this, you can’t talk, you will seat down with your colleagues like a “Mumu”, you won’t talk, if you go to federal executive council meeting, you can’t present a memo, it is the Minister that has the power, we don’t want that again”.

Thosewere the exact words of Chief Donald Omotayo Alasoadura(73) at an event last year. He should know what he was talking about, for he has served as Minister of State for Niger Delta between 2019-2022. He has also served as Commissioner of Finance and Planning under my friend Dr. Olusegun Kokumo Agagu (16 February 1948 – 13 September 2013), the late Governor of Ondo state. On Wednesday, September 13 this year, it will be ten years anniversary of the demise of Dr. Agagu. My condolences always to his beloved family. Time flies over us but leaves its shadows behind.

The former Minister of State, was a Senator who represented Ondo State Central Senatorial District in 2015.

Chief Alasoadura is a powerful community leader in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo state.

Guest Columnist

By Eric Teniola

Secretary: Malam Ahmed Karfi.

The Ministry of Communications and Aviation consisted of Chief S.L. Akintola (Minister), Mr. C.E. WoolLewis (Permanent Secretary), Mr. A.K. Edwards (Private Secretary) and Mr. A.J.U. Ekong(Parliamentary Secretary). The Ministry for Lagos Affairs, Mines and Power consisted of Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu(Minister), Mr. J.F.G. Sykes (Permanent Secretary), Mr. G.C. Thomas (Private Secretary) and Malam Ibrahim Usman (Parliamentary Secretary).

General consisted of Mr. E.I.G. Unsworth, Q.C., and Solicitor General

Mr. L. Brett, Q.C. The Privy Council consisted of the Governor General; Sir Ralph Grey: The Attorney-General; Sir Kofo Abayomi: The Prime Minister; Mr. R.A. Njoku; Sir Samuel Manuwa.

After discussions between the N.P.C. and N.C.N.C. officially described as friendly and cordial, a new Federal Government was formed on the 20th December 1959. N.P.C. had ten ministers and N.C.N.C. seven.

Wada(Works), Alhaji Zanna Bukar Dipcharima(Transport), Mr. Raymond Njoku(Communications), Dr. Kingsley O. Mbadiwe(Trade), Mr. Jaja Nwachukwu(Aviations), Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya(Housing and Survey), Chief A.M.A. Akinloye(Industries), Chief Ayo Rosiji(Information), Mr. R.A. Akinjide(Education), Mr. Adeleke Adedoyin(Labour), Mr. Alade Lamuye(Natural Resources and Research), Alhaji Yusufu Maitama Sule (Mines and Power), Alhaji Waziri A. Ibrahim(Economic Development), Dr. T.O. Elias (Attorney-General and Justices, Dr. M.A. Majekodunmi(Health) and Chief J.C. Obande(Establishments).

Chelsea look set to conclude their initial search for an immediate managerial appointment with club legend and former boss Frank Lampard to return in a caretaker role. According to The Guardian, the Blues have opened talks to appoint the 44-year-old until the end of the season on an interim basis and he could be in charge for the weekend clash with Wolves.

Lampard returned to manage the club he played at for 13 seasons in 2019, but saw a mostly disappointing spell end in January 2021. Thomas Tuchel subsequently came in and won the Champions League that same season, but Lampard did play a crucial role in several Cobham graduates receiving first-team opportunities, such as Mason Mount and Reece James.

Since his dismissal from Chelsea, Lampard managed fellow Premier League club Everton helping them avoid relegation in the 2022/23 season. However, the Englishman was sacked by the Toffees earlier this year after a troubling run of form.

During Tuesday evening’s clash with Liverpool, Lampard was spotted in the stands at Stamford Bridge and it now certainly looks likely his presence was discuss terms to become Chelsea’s temporary manager. The news comes as quite the surprise to many Chelsea fans while rival supporters are certainly big advocates of Todd Boehly’s surprise decision.

What he said was his frustration as a Minister of State. This frustration is no doubt being experienced and has been experienced by every Minister of State in Nigeria.

A look at the 1999 Constitution shows that there is no provision for Minister of State, all we have is Minister same with the 1979 Constitution.

Between 1979 to 1983, and from 1999 to the present, every President to date has committed this great error.

From President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari GCFR (25 February 1925 – 28 December 2018) to President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR (85), to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua GCFR (16 August 1951 – 5 May 2010) to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR (65) and to President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR (80). I hope the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will not commit this error. Worse still, the Senate that should have corrected this error, has failed to do so.

Since 1979 the procedure has always been for the President to send the list of Ministers to the Senate for confirmation. After the confirmation, the President on his own declassifies certain Ministers to be Ministers of State and he gets away with it.

The idea of Minister of State or Junior Minister, surfaced in the first Republic, for there is no provision for it in the Presidential System of Government.

On August 30, 1957, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa formed the first all Nigerian Federal Executive Council. He selected his ministers not only from the N.P.C., the N.C.N.C., and the Kamerun National Congress but also from the Action Group. The membership of the Federal Cabinet was—Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa: Secretary to the Prime Minister; Colonel P.H.G. Stallard: Principal Private Secretary; Mr. R.J.D.M. Kinsman: Assistant Private

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry consisted of Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe (Minister), Mr. J.H.D. Stapleton, Mr. C.R. Henniken-Heaton (Private Secretary) and Mr. U.O. Ndem (Parliamentary Secretary). The Ministry of Transport consisted of Mr. R.A. Njoku (Minister), Mr. A.M. Muir (Acting Permanent Secretary), Mr. P.G. Abbey (Private Secretary) and Mr. F.E. Offor (Parliamentary Secretary). The Ministry of Works and Survey consisted of Alhaji Muhmmadu Inuwa Wada (Minister), Mr. V.H.K. Littlewood (Permanent Secretary), Mr. J. Taggert (Private Secretary) and Malam Usman Sarki (Parliamentary Secretary).

The Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Internal Affairs consisted of Mr. Mr. J.M. Johnson (Minister), Mr. H.A. G. Action(Permanent Secretary), N.R Ugo (Private Secretary) and Chief O. Oweh (Parliamentary Secretary). The Ministry of Research and Information consisted of Chief Kolawole Balogun (Minister), Mr. D.H. Griffiths (Permanent Secretary), Mr. C. Okigbo(Private Secretary) and Mr. O. Bademosi (Parliamentary Secretary).

The Ministry of Education consisted of Mr. Aja Nwachukwu (Minister), Mr. C.J. Mabey (Permanent Secretary), Mr. P.C. Ndibe and Mr. D.C. Ugwu (Parliamentary Secretary).

The Ministry of Health consisted of Mr. Ayo Rosiji (Minister), Mr. M.N.H. (Acting Permanent Secretary), Mr. S. Agodo (Private Secretary) and Chief Duro Phillips (Parliamentary Secretary).

The Ministry of Finance consisted of Chief F.S. Okotie-Eboh (Minister), Mr. G.G. Carlyle(Permanent Secretary), Mr. E.M. McConchie (Private Secretary) and Chief H. Omo-Osagie (Parliamentary Secretary). Ministers of State were Mr. Victor Mukete, Malam Zanna Bukar Dipcharima and Private Secretary, Mr.M.O. Nwakwo.

Office of the Governor-General consisted of the Deputy GovernorGeneral, Sir, Ralph Grey, Secretary to the Governor-General and Council of Ministers, Mr. F.F.P. Newns, Mr. D.J. Brown (Private Secretary) and Aide-deCamp, Mr. D.G. Angus.

The Chambers of the Attorney-

The Coalition Government consisted of Prime Minister Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu (Lands and Lagos Affairs), Chief Festus OkotieEboh(finance), Mr. Raymond Njoku (Transport and Aviation), Alhaji Inuwa Wada (Works and Survey), Mr. Z.B. Dipcharima(Commerce and Industries), Mr. Joseph Johnson (Labour and Welfare), Mr. Aja Nwachukwu(Education), Mallam Maitama Sule (Mines and Power), Mallam Shehu Shagari (Economic Development and Natural Resources), Mr. Olu Akinfosile(Communications), Mallam Usman Seriki (Internal Affairs), Mr. Theophilus Benson (Information), Mallam Waziri Ibrahim (Health), Mallam Yisa Yar’adua (Pensions, Establishment & Nigerianisation) and Mr. Matthew Mbu and Mr. Olarewanju (Ministers of State) .

The list of the 11 Ministers without portfolio but with Cabinet rank appointed to the reorganized Federal Cabinet on March 31, 1965 was as follows—Alhaji Nuhu Bamali—Minister of State in the Ministry of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. Jaja Nwachukwu—Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. M.T. Mbu— Minister of State in the Ministry in the Ministry of Defence (Navy), Alhaji Usman Maitambari---Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Alhaji Hashim Adaji---Minister of State in the Ministry of Works, Alhaji Ibrahim Tako---Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence (Army), Mr. T.E. Orodi--Minister of State in the Ministry of Lagos Affairs, Chief H.O. Davies— Minister of State in the Ministry of Industries, Chief A. Akerele—Minister of State in the Ministry of Information, Alhaji Abdul Rasaq---Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport and Mr. D. Ibekwe---Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs.

In a new government, the Portfolios being distributed were as follows—Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa(Prime Minister and External Affairs), Alhaji Muhmmadu Ribadu(Defence), Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh(Finance), Alhaji Shehu Shagari(Internal Affairs), Alhaji Muhhammadu Inuwa

In the 1963 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 87 subsection 4-7 clearly states that “(4) Appointments to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation other than the office of Prime Minister shall be made by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister (5) A person shall not hold office at the same time both as a Minister of the Government of the Federation and as a Minister of the Government of a Region (6) A person who holds office as Minister of the Government of the Federation for any period of four consecutive months without also being a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives shall cease to be a Minister at the expiration of that period or, if that period expires at a time when Parliament is dissolved and he does not in the meantime become a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives, at the date on which Parliament first meets after that dissolution. (7) A person who holds office as a Minister of the Government of the Federation and who is at no time, while holding that office also a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives shall not be qualified for reappointment as such a Minister before Parliament is next dissolved after he ceases to hold that office, unless in the meantime he has become a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives”.

I don’t want to refer to the military era as regards to the appointments of

CONTINUED

PG 25

DAN GAYE DANGAYE

We ‘ve majority to take leadership positions, say opposition parties

Beware of banana peels!