Thursday, June 15, 2023 Edition

Attempt to serve INEC with subpoena unfruitful - Obi tells court

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The Labour Party, LP and it’s presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, Wednesday, revealed that their attempt to serve Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Chairman, Prof Yakubu Mahmood with subpoena has not been fruitful.

The Petitioners, through thier Counsel, Livy Uzoukwu SAN, drew attention of the court of the subpoena, which was to furnish them with certain documents.

He added that he spoke to the lead counsel to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud who promised to help

out.

He therefore, asked for an adjournment until tomorrow.

“We have drawn the attention of Abubakar Mahmoud SAN on the failed attempt to subpoena INEC and the office of the INEC to produce certain documents despite efforts of the bailiff of the court.

“He asked for a copy of the subpoena which I couldn’t produce at that time, but he suggested I give to any member of the team in court .

“I am confident we will do the needful and we will continue tomorrow.

Responding, Counsel to INEC,

Kemi Pinhero, SAN, told the court that the petitioners ‘counsel should stop using INEC as ‘ a weeping boy.’

‘It is not correct that the office of the INEC chairman refused to be served, but PDP served several documents and received replies”

He added that it have become the habit of the petitioners each time they want an adjournment to find a blame on INEC.

“It has become a habit, whenever they want an adjournment, they will look for someone to whip. I have no preview that he has any discussion with AB Mahmoud.

“We have no ideal of subpoena

served and the refusal. PDP served us, we received and file our reply.

“Everytime the matter came up, they keep saying INEC is refusing a document.

“If they want an adjournment, they should ask for it and we will not be objecting. The reason on not accepting or refusing service is absolutely not correct. It is very uncharitable,” INEC defended.

Other respondents’ counsel however, did not object to the prayer for adjournment.

Meanwhile, the five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned until tomorrow for further hearing of the petition.

Forgery: Court docks Udeze, Vernimbe, Ogunmodebe in Osogbo

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Osun State Magistrate Court sitting in Osogbo the State capital yesterday arraigned a member of the Action Alliance (AA), Mr Kenneth Udeze over alleged forgery.

Mr Udeze was arraigned alongside Messrs James Vernimbe James and Adeloye

Ogunmodede.

The trio was standing trial for alleged forgery and conspiracy.

The suspects were alleged to have substituted the name of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje who emerged as the governorship candidate of the party in the state in 2018.

The court had earlier ordered the three accused persons to be remanded in Ilesa correctional

facility.

At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police were cross examined.

During cross examination, Mr Gbenga Omosebi, a police inspector told the court that he investigated the matter from the Zone 11 commands of the Nigeria Police Force.

Also, representatives of INEC noted that the governorship primary election of the AA held in 2018 at Fun Field events centre was duly monitored by INEC contrary to claim that the party did not hold a governorship primary election.

The presiding Magistrate adjourned the matter to 21st September, 2023 for further hearing.

Newly elected Speaker of the 10th Assembly Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen with his deputy , Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu and other members proceeding to the Chamber for plenary, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa.

FG alerts public over outbreak of Anthrax disease in neighbouring countries

The Federal Government has alerted the public on the outbreak of Anthrax disease in some neighbouring countries within the West African subregion.

Dr Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced this in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the affected countries included Northern Ghana bordering Burkina Faso and Togo.

According to Umakhihe, the disease which has claimed some lives is a bacterial disease that affects both animals and man.

He said that Anthrax spores were naturally found in the soil and commonly affected domestic and wild animals.

Umakhihe said that people could get infected with Anthrax spores if they came in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.

He said that the disease was not contagious as one could not get it by coming in close contact with an infected person.

“Signs of anthrax are, flu- like symptoms, such as cough, fever and muscle aches,“he said.

He said that if not diagnosed and treated early, it would lead to pneumonia, severe lung problems, difficulty in breathing, shock and death.

The permanent secretary said that anthrax being a bacterial disease, responds to treatment with antibiotics and supportive therapy.

“It is primarily a disease of animals but because of man’s closeness to animals, non vaccinated animals with anthrax can easily be transmitted to man through the inhalation of anthrax spores.

“ It could also be through consumption of contaminated or infected animal products, such as hides and skin, meat or milk,” he said.(NAN)

Student loan to commence in September -Education Ministry

By Maryam Abeeb

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Education has announced that the student loans will kickstart in September/October 2023.

This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew David Adejo, in Abuja at a press briefing on the Bill signed into law by President Bola Tinubu .

It could be recalled that President Tinubu had assented the Student Loan Bill in fulfilment of a promise he made during the electioneering campaign.

The Student Loan Bill sponsored by the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, provides for interest-free loans to indigent

Nigerian students.

The law is to provide easy access to higher education for indigent Nigerians through interest-free loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the Permanent Secretary said.

Adejo noted that president Tinubu has also approved a committee made up of Ministries and Agencies to see to the fruition of the loan scheme.

He said, “The Bill is to make sure that every Nigerian has access to higher education through what we called the Higher Education Nigerian Bank.

“Learning from past mistakes, the bank is not going to be the type that will sit down and be collecting loan applications, it will also perform normal banking functions and make sure loans are

given because we had cases of loan recovery in the past.

“The Act, as it is, tells us the process, but as I speak with you today, the President has approved the committee made up of the Ministries and agencies and their meeting will be coming up 20th of June.

“The President has also directed that by September to October this 2023/2024 academic session, he wants to see recipients of these loans. So it is a very serious march for us. So, between now and then we have to figure out the process for people to get the loan,” he added.

The Permanent Secretary further said government will create a specialised bank for the operation of the loans, noting that there will be a tracking system for

efficient run of the loan scheme.

He also said it will cover both students in private and public institutions, adding that the government will create a new bank for it.

“We are not going to use existing banks. We are going to create a new bank that will address this because we can’t use an existing bank.

“We don’t want to make it that only people who want to go to public schools will benefit from, private schools are paying tuition, so you have to give them the opportunity

“The loan is for you to get an education programme and get employed, then you start paying back. The loan recovery does not start until you get employed,” he added.

Speakership race: Wase congratulates Abbas, others says Zoning lacks equity, fairness

By Christiana Ekpa

ThePast Deputy Speaker of the 9th session of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase on Wednesday congratulated the newly elected Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and his Deputy, Hon. Benjamin Kalu following their emergence during the justconcluded presiding officers election.

Hon. Wase, who also contested alongside the incumbent Speaker who polled 353 votes, scored three votes while the third nominee, Hon. Sani Jaji (APC-Zamfara) also got three votes during the tensionsoaked election in the history of the Green Chamber.

In his congratulatory message, Hon. Wase argued that his decision to contest was due to

the marginalisation of the North Central and lopsidedness in the distribution of top political offices in the country.

He said: “I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu on their election as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively of the 10th House of Representatives.

“Although we were on different sides of the political space, we have, nevertheless, always acknowledged that we were all partners in the project of deepening our parliamentary democracy.

“I believe my contest in this Speakership election was much more about making a case for what I considered a lack of equity and fairness in the manner in which my Party’s zoning was done much more

than it was about winning.

“As a politician who has been engaging in elections since 2007 and has returned to the House for the 5th term, I verily understand that every contest must generate its necessary contentions.

“However, in the end, we have to come together to confront the bigger matters of stability of the Parliament and enriching Legislative Governance to deepen our collective democracy.

“In this light, I wish to once again congratulate the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu on their victory and urge my supporters and well-wishers, as well as my fellow contestants to give them all the cooperation required to achieve a stable and united 10th House of Representatives.

“I intend to fervently and actively participate in all Legislative Business of the 10th Assembly and will continue to proudly represent not only the good people of Wase Federal Constituency but Nigerians at large,” Hon. Wase assured.

He also thanked his supporters as well as President Bola Tinubu for his “continuous fatherly support and counsel which he has sustained from my early days in ACN till date. I am immensely indebted to you sir and will continue to be.

“I thank my constituents who have consistently demonstrated their unalloyed faith in and support for me by continuously returning me to the Green Chambers now for the 5th term to represent them. I will continue to represent you well.

“I thank my Campaign

Team and supporters for their ceaseless efforts throughout the campaign. I am very much indebted to you.

“I thank all my Honorable Colleagues for their support and counsel. I thank those who voted for me. I thank those who did not vote for me. I thank those who voted my opponent even when their heart was with me. I am eternally grateful to you all and must say that I have been further enriched by the experience.

“I assure all my colleagues that I will continue to, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, show ‘Charity towards all and Malice towards none’.

“Thank you and May God bless the House of Representatives and May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

L-R: Emir of Borgu, H.R.H Mohammed Haliru Dantoro; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Emir of Kontagora, H.R.H Mohammad Barau Muazu, during their visit to the President at the Presidential villa, yesterday in Abuja.

From David Hassan, Gombe

Former speaker of Gombe state House of Assembly and member representing Akko central Rt Hon Abubaker Mohammad Luggerowo has been re-elected as the new speaker of the 7th Assembly alongside his deputy.

His emergence as the speaker came on Wednesday at the floor of the house, after the clerk called on members elect to nominate speaker.

Member representing Dukku north Hon. Nasiru Abdulkarim who nominated Abubakar Mohammad as its new speaker said his nomination was based on merit.

He said the former speaker who piloted the 6th Assembly performed credibly well that triggered his returned.

Member representing Shongom constituency Hon. Zubairu Ayala who seconded the motion commended the former speaker for his leadership during the 6th Assembly saying his humility is worthy of emulation.

According to him, his emergence will bring more development.

In his inaugural speech, speaker of Gombe state House’ of Assembly Hon. Mohammad assured that he will not relent to carryout justice, equity and fairness in dealing with his colleagues.

He called for continuous support and cooperation in order to unite the house by giving the executive, judiciary and the electorates good governance they deserved.

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Tuesday, told the Federal Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies to take a holistic and systematic approach in containing the gully erosion menace across the country.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion on the need for the Control of Persistent Gully Erosion along Ugwuonyeama 9th Mile Federal Road in Enugu North

And Udi Local Government Area and across the country sponsored by Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu.

The House also urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to complete the reconstruction of Ugwuonyeama 9th Mile Road to prevent the total collapse of the road.

It mandated the Committees on Environment, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and Works (when constituted) to investigate the threat

posed by Gully Erosion along Ugwuonyeama 9th Mile Road in Enugu State and recommend long term solution.

Reps want holistic, systematic actions in erosion menace Control Gombe: Mohammad emerges speaker

The House noted the strategic importance of the Ugwuonyeama 9th Mile Road to the economy of the South East States in particular and the country, in general.

It said the importance of the road cannot be underestimated as the road enables traders to transport goods to markets within and to neighbouring States and serves as a route to Enugu State,

the commercial city in South East.

The House noted that the adverse effects of erosion on these roads have long been ignored and if not checked may cut off access to other States within the South East.

The House worried that Ugwuonyeama 9th Mile Road has remained a death trap resulting in loss of lives, goods and services worth millions of naira on a daily basis due to frequent accidents on the bad portions of the road yet to be completed.

Tinubu suspends EFCC boss, Bawa, indefinitely

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, AbdulRasheed Bawa from office indefinitely.

A statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, on Wednesday said the suspension of the EFCC boss to allow for proper

investigation into his co duct while in office.

According the the statement signed by Willie Bassey Director, Information in the SGF’s office, Bawa”s investigation was necessitated by weighty allegations of misconduct levelled against him. He was, consequently directed to handover the affairs of his office to the Director of Operations in the Commission, the statement noted.

“President Bola Ahmed

Tinubu,GCFR, has approved the indefinite suspension from office of Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa, CON, as the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.

“This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

“Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the

affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation,” the statement read.

Recall that the President jad last Friday also suspended the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, from office on alleged gross abuse of office.

Benue varsity: CSOs call for Bursar’s appointment review

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The Civil Rights Movement Against Corruption (CRAM), has called for an urgent review of the appointment of the bursar of the Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa University in Benue state, Mr Simon Tyoule.

The group has also raised an alarm over what it described as a deliberate attempt by the University leadership to undermine competency and existing rules governing appointments in Federal establishment by appointing an unqualified person for the job.

In a statement signed by Comrade Seyi Adebanjo, the Executive Director of CRAM and made available to newsmen, the CSO insisted that the appointment must be reversed and due process followed.

According to the statement, “as a civil society organization

with a mandate to eradicate all forms of corruption in governance, we are saddened by the desperate attempt by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council to illegally appoint an unqualified person as the Bursar and attempt to forcefully handover the very sensitive office of Bursar while sidelining

more qualified candidates and the persistent calls by CSOs to halt the process, even to the extent of challenging the charade in court.

The group however, vowed to resist the move until the ‘right thing’ is done for the interest of all concerned stakeholders.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (left) and the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Debo Ogundoyin, during the inauguration of 10th Assembly, at the House of Assembly Chamber, Secretariat, Ibadan, yesterday

Subsidy removal: Implement palliative measures for Nigerians now - Reps to Tinubu

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, implement palliative measures to mitigate the effects of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerian citizens.

The House equally mandate it’s Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity (when constituted) to ensure compliance and report back within two weeks for further legislative action.

The House resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the Urgent Need to Implement Palliative Measures to Mitigate the

Effects of Fuel Subsidy Removal on Nigerians sponsored by Hon. Sani Madaki on

Wednesday.

The House noted that on Monday 29 May 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inaugural speech, announced the removal of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy.

The House also noted that as a result of the subsidy removal, the official pump price of petrol skyrocketed from the initial N195 per litre to a whopping N480–N577 per litre as the prices varied between States.

The House was concerned that the implication of over 200 per cent price adjustment in fuel prices is that nearly all prices of goods and services have

drastically increased.

It was also concerned that the sudden fuel subsidy removal has left millions of Nigerians terrified, thus causing untold hardship as Nigerians grapple with the challenges of meeting up with, not only the high cost of petrol but also the consequent increase in the prices of goods and services.

The motion reads, “The House is aware that in response to the resulting financial strain of the subsidy removal on public workers, some proactive State governments introduced temporary measures to alleviate the situation by reducing work days from five to three days per

week for the State-employed workers pending when other sustainable palliatives can be provided.

“The House is also aware that the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress recently suspended a planned strike over the removal of fuel subsidy in the hopes that the Federal Government would address its adverse effects on workers.

“The House is further aware of a Presidential directive to put palliative measures in place to ameliorate the impact of subsidy removal on Nigerians.

“The House is worried that the Federal Government is yet

to provide palliative measures to mitigate the impact of the subsidy removal on Federal Government workers.

“The House also worried that since the removal of the subsidy, several protests have been recorded as citizens accuse the government of being insensitive to their needs.

“The House is cognizant of the need to put in place measures to protect the rights of citizens and prioritize the provision of palliatives to mitigate the challenges that have arisen from the fuel subsidy removal and ensure a more sustainable and inclusive economic framework for the benefit of Nigerians.”

Nigeria, India agree to block pipeline of illicit drug flow

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Tough time awaits traffickers of illicit drugs between Nigeria and India with a historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and the Narcotics Control Bureau of India in Abuja on Wednesday 14th June 2023. Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) who signed the MoU on behalf of Nigerias premier anti-narcotics

Agency said the move represents a robust partnership in the effort to exterminate incidences of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the two countries.

According to him, this bold step taken by the two agencies is an affirmation of our foresight and commitment to the task of ensuring the safety of our citizens and the global community at large. Todays development constitutes a fundamental step towards positioning the two countries, India and Nigeria, at the forefront of confronting and dismantling

transnational drug trafficking networks with brazen capabilities of outmaneuvering legitimate drug law enforcement.

“With our understanding of the changing dynamics of the illicit drug problems, locally and globally, every major organisation around the world working assiduously to curb the menace knows that working with partners greatly helps in addressing the trafficking and abuse of narcotic and psychotropic substances. The governments of both countries remain committed to eradicating the problem posed by

illicit substances, notably synthetic opioids and Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) which pose a potent threat to our citizens.”

While acknowledging the courage exhibited by the two agencies in the course of past meetings that culminated in the MoU, Marwa stressed that the partnership will impact greatly on efforts to prevent illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, precursor chemicals, and related matters between the two countries.

In his remarks, Indian

High Commissioner to Nigeria and Head of the Indian delegation, Ambassador Shri G. Balasubramanian who signed on behalf of his country, noted the enormous negative impact of drugs on global financial and political systems, adding that proceeds of drug trafficking are often directed towards terrorism financing.

The Indian high commissioner observed that drug trafficking does not only affect the health of the individual that consumes it but equally the economy of the country as well as national security.

Members of the 10th Assembly, during their Inauguration of the 10th Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Jigawa 8th Assembly: Citizens protest against imposition of speaker

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

Thousands of Jigawa youths embarked on peaceful demonstration against imposition of speaker to lead 8th assembly in the state.

The peaceful demonstration which was organised by APC north-northwest Youth Alliance for good governance, Jigawa state chapter took place at Assembly premises and government house Dutse.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the secretary general of the group, Adamu Muhammad Na’ Allah Jahun described the demonstration as a visit to sensitize members - elect on the need to elect individuals with passion for the state and capacity to collaborate with the executive, to bring sustainable development to the state.

According to the group, the only way governor Namadi will redeem his campaign promises was to have a vibrant 8th assembly where both the executive and legislative will work in harmony as well as in the best interest of Jigawa.

He maintained that the demonstration also will inform the legislators to allow internal cohesion to prevail in their quest for new leadership in the house.

“We shall advise the members elect, to resist any temptation, intimidation and coercion by external forces, to undermine the process”, he said.

Tinubu orders thorough investigation of Kwara boat mishap

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the boat mishap, which occurred in Kwara State, claiming many lives.

The boat accident according to reports, led to the death of over 100 people who were wedding guests at Egbu village in Patigi Local Government Area of the state, Director of Information,

State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, said in a statement.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the tragic boat accident that claimed the lives of our people in Kwara State. That the victims were guests at a wedding ceremony made the unfortunate accident more painful.

“My heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families and friends of victims of the tragic mishap. I also sympathise with

the government and people of Kwara State over the accident. May all loved ones find comfort,” the President prayed.

While urging the Kwara State Government and relevant Federal Government agencies to look into the circumstances surrounding the boat accident, President Tinubu promised that his administration would look into the challenges of inland water transportation in the country to

ensure the matter of safety and operational standards are strictly adhered to.

“The Kwara State Government and relevant federal agencies should work together to unravel the immediate and remote causes of this unfortunate accident. Immediate relief and necessary assistance should also be provided to the survivors and families of victims,” the President said.

in Abuja on

NCDC working to strengthen cholera prevention mechanisms – D-G

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), says it has taken measures to strengthen the country’s prevention, control and management of cholera outbreaks.

The Director-General, NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, said this on Tuesday in Abuja, at the National Cholera Plan Review Meeting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with vibrio cholerae bacteria.

Adetifa said that so far, a total of 1629 suspected cases including 48 deaths have been reported from 13 States as at April 30.

He described the country’s epidemiological situation as unacceptable.

The D-G attributed the situation to “unsafe practices such

as improper disposal of refuse and public defecation make water unsafe for drinking and personal use”.

He said that to prevent the spread of cholera, people should boil water before drinking, use water from safe sources, store water in properly covered containers and stop open defecation.

Adetifa said that in line with its mandate, the NCDC has continued to lead in preparedness, detection, and response to public health emergencies.

According to him, cholera is a preventable, as such all stakeholders should adopt necessary measures to totally stop its spread.

“In 2022, Nigeria recorded about 600 deaths as a result of cholera, with children between the age group 5 -14 years having

the highest burden of deaths.

“Given this, the NCDC-led National Technical Working Group is collaborating with other ministries, agencies, and partners to validate the National Strategic Plan of Action for Cholera Control in Nigeria.

“The National Strategic Plan of Action for Cholera Control was developed in June 2022 and further revised in March 2023,” he explained.

He therefore said that the validation workshop was for stakeholders to review and agree on the outcomes of previous workshops, during which progress, performance, and gaps, were discussed.

He said it also provides options for coordination between sectors and how to strengthen preparedness for cholera control by 2027.

The NCDC boss said that political will was also extremely important in fighting cholera.

This, he said required coordinated efforts from government leaders and officials to implement effective prevention and control measures.

“This includes investing in clean water and sanitation infrastructure, promoting hygiene practices, providing access to vaccines and treatment, and conducting surveillance and monitoring of cholera outbreaks.

“Without political will, these measures may not be prioritized or adequately funded, leading to the continued spread of the disease and increased morbidity and mortality.

“Additionally, political will is necessary to address the underlying social and economic factors that contribute to cholera,

such as poverty and inequality,” Adetifa said.

NAN reports that the 13 states with suspected cholera cases in 2023 are Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Sokoto and Zamfara.

In the reporting month, five states reported 98 suspected cases – Abia (11), Bayelsa (6), Cross River(3), Katsina (24), Niger (2) and Zamfara (1).

Also in the reporting week, two states have reported suspected cases: Bayelsa (1) and Katsina (14).

Of the suspected cases since the beginning of the year, those most affected were in the five years age group, followed by those aged 45 years in aggregate of both males and females.(NAN)

Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ogbugo Ukoha; Chairperson, Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Winifred Akpani; Chief Executive Officer, (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed; and Executive Vice President, Downstream NNPCL, Yemi Adetunji, during the authority’s meeting with Oil Marketing Companies and a news conference on post PMS deregulation expectations, at the NMDPRA headquarters

Niger Assembly approves request by Governor to appoint 20 Special Advisers

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

The Niger State House of Assembly has approved lists of 20 Special Advisers to be appointed by the state Governor, Umar Mohammed Bago at its first sitting after its inauguration. This was contained in a letter to the house by the governor for the appointment of these Special Advisers which was read on the floor of the house by the Speaker, Honourable Abdulmalik Sarkindaji. during plenary.

The member representing Suleja Constituency, Hon.

Murtala Badaru then moved the motion for the house to approve the request by the governor to appoint the Special Advisers, and this was seconded by the Member representing Bida 1, Hon. Mohammed Wanchiko.

The Speaker then appreciated all the contributions and observations by the members and asked for a motion either approving or otherwise of the request by the governor for the appointment of the 20 Special Advisers for a smooth running of government activities.

However before the approval, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Afiniki Dauda, member representing Gurara Constituency in her observation said that in appointing the special advisers, geographical consideration and gender sensitivity must be put into consideration to reflect fairness, equity and justice.

Police officer, 2 others kidnapped in Benue

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

At least three (3) persons have been kidnapped in Anune, Gwer West local government on Tuesday.

Amongst those kidnapped is a police man, a woman and another person.

Confirming the incident in

a telephone chat, Chairman of the council, Andrew Ayande said the incident occurred at about 4 pm while some mourners were returning from Naka to Makurdi after attending a burial. According to him, the attackers did not know that the persons were mourners. He said, “We lost one

prominent person on Monday and the corpse was billed to be taken home for burial on Monday. But yesterday the people came as usual and attacked the vehicle conveying the mourners. The vehicle has since been taken to Naka police station. They are always doing that around Anune.

“A police man and two others

were kidnapped and they are demanding 200,000 for the Police officer, one million for the woman and 500,000 for the other person”.

When contacted, Benue State Police Command Public Relations’Officer SP Catherine Anene said she is unaware of the incident.

NYSC Director General, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed (R), presenting an award of partnership to the Chief Executive Officer of Mind The-Gap, Mr Tayo Olosunde, during the launch of 2023 NYSC Community Development Service Activities and Director General’s Awards in Abuja on Wednesday.

Navy to unveil 7 additional navigational charts

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Nigerian Navy is set to unveil seven additional navigational charts as part of activities to mark the 2023 World Hydrography Day.

The Chief of Policy and Plans (Navy), Rear Adm. Seidu Garba, made this known at a news conference on the occasion of the 2023 World Hydrography Day celebration on Wednesday in Abuja.

A navigational or hydrographic chart is a graphic representation of a sea region or water body and adjacent coasts or banks.

Depending on the scale of the chart, it may show depths of water and heights of land, natural features of the seabed, details of the coastline, navigational hazards, locations of natural and humanmade aids to navigation.

It may also show information on tides and currents, local details of the Earth’s magnetic field, and human-made structures such as harbours, buildings, and bridges.

Garba said the newly produced Navigational charts by the Nigerian Navy linking Ondo to Lagos State through River Alape, would be unveiled on June 21.

He said the new charts in addition to the earlier 20 produced for the lower-Niger River would bring the number to 27.

According to him, the Nigerian navy has the most sophisticated hydrographic survey vessel in the whole of Africa.

He said that the vessel, NNS LANA, which came into the country in 2021, is being used extensively to do chart the nation’s coastal areas and inland waterways.

Garba said the theme of the day which is “Hydrography –Underpinning the Digital Twin of the Ocean”, would focus on the application of hydrographic datasets for sustainable management and use of the ocean.

According to him, digital twin of the ocean is a near real-time future digital representation of the physical, chemical, biological, and socio-economical dimensions of the ocean, to facilitate well-informed decisions for effective ocean governance.

He said the ocean was everything to man, adding that it sustains life, provides food, energy, recreation and jobs.

Garba however observed that

marine litters, indiscriminate marine resource exploitation, and inadequate tools for ocean management were threatening sustainable use of the ocean in Nigeria.

“Therefore, developing the digital twin of Nigeria’s waters in particular, and the entire Gulf of Guinea in general will provide the needed interface between policy makers, coastal communities, maritime security agencies, researchers, marine exploration and exploitation companies, as well as other maritime users.

“This will foster the right action for sustainable ocean governance and uses in Nigeria.

“Development of digital twin of the ocean requires the integration of a wide range of real-time and historic data sources like ocean observatory data, static data from geology and human activities, as well as hydrographic datasets.

“Currently, there are several historic and real-time datasets domiciled in many Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Nigerian Governments, as well as private oil companies, that could be integrated into the digital twin of

the ocean for Nigeria,” he said.

The naval chief said that conversations during the 2023 celebration in Nigeria would awaken collective consciousness towards pooling marine datasets together to develop an infrastructure that would serve the collective good of all stakeholders for sustainable ocean development.

Garba said the event would include awareness lectures aimed at arousing the interest of young minds to consider picking up career in hydrography.

This, according to him, is to raise enough human capacity to provide quality hydrographic services to Nigeria’s policy makers and mariners.

On his part, Hydrographer of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Adm. Chukwuemeka Okafor, said that the navy had done a lot in the area of hydrographic survey in Nigeria.

According to him, there are over 3000 creeks and coastal area of about 420 nautical miles already surveyed n the country.

Okafor said that survey was a continuous process, adding that the navy had not surveyed up to half of Nigeria’s waters because of its

vastness.

He said that about 20 charts have been made covering River Niger from Lokoja to the Atlantic Ocean through River Ramos and Forcados River.

Okafor said that while additional seven charts would be unveiled in coming days, the surveying of Uguta Lake through Orassi River down to the Atlantic Ocean, up to Sombrero River and New Calaba River had reached 95 per cent.

According to him, the survey team will soon round that up and the charting team will commence the production of that chart.

“That axis will also be open and most states will be able to have access to the sea when that is completed, and navy will also be able to deploy its capital ships to provide maritime security along that axis,” he said.

Okafor said that the navy was expecting delivery of additional survey vessel that would be deployed to cover more grounds.

He said the World Hydrography Day was meant to sensitise more people of what hydrography is and the values it brings to every nation.

(NAN)

Promotion: I-G orders assessment of Traffic Wardens

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba has ordered the assessment of officers of the Traffic Warden Service of the Nigeria Police for promotion to their next ranks.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Tuesday in Abuja said the assessment was part of the pre-condition for the promotion.

He said the order was part of the I-G’s drive to ensure the elevation of deserving officers of the Force to their next ranks on the basis of years of service, experience, and qualification.

Adejobi said it was also to ensure robust and equitable career progression within the Nigeria Police Force.

He said the ranking of theTraffic Wardens Service is different from that of the regular officers in line with Part XV of the Police Act 2020.

Adejobi said the responsibilities of the traffic wardens was to control and direct vehicular traffic on the highway and assist pedestrians to cross roads.

He said they were also responsible for the control of vehicles stopping or parking in unauthorized places as well as controlling, regulating and enforcing laws relating to road traffic in Nigeria.

The police spokesman said the commitment of the I-G to ensuring proper career progression in the Nigeria Police Force was evident through the establishment of a transparent promotion system. (NAN)

Reps invite NEMA over 2023 flood prediction

The House of Representatives has invited the DirectorGeneral, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Mustapha Ahmed over 2023 flood predications in the country.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, during plenary in Abuja on Wednesday.

Presenting the motion, Gbajabiamila, said there was need for NEMA to brief the House on measures taken to prevent flood disaster and manage socioeconomic impact on the people in flood prone areas.

The motion is titled; “Need to Commence Active Measures to Mitigate the Probable Devastation of a Severe Flood Season and

prepare Palliative Intervention to Prevent the worst Socio-Economic Consequences for Nigerians in the Affected Areas’’.

He said that a large portion of the country was prone to annual flooding which had been recurring in recent years.

According to him, the extent of the devastation of lives and property has been huge.

Gbajabiamila said that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency in January, released the seasonal climate prediction with a forecast of early onset of rain across the country and heavy rains throughout the season.

He said that the prediction of an early rain fall had a come to pass, adding that there was every reason to expect the forecast of a

heavy rainy season.

The lawmaker, however, expressed concerned that the 2023 annual flood outlook prepared by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency showed that 178 local goernment areas in 32 states and the FCT fell within the highly probable flood risk areas.

He said that Nigeria had yet to recover from the 2022 flood which affected more than four million people, displaced over two million and caused the death of 665.

Gbajabiamila said that the flooding caused damaged to about 355,986 houses and homesteads as well as destroyed an estimated 944,989 hectares of farmland.

“With sufficient preparation and collaboration between the Federal and State Governments,

Nigeria can mitigate the loss of lives and the socio-economic hardships caused by the recurring flooding,’’ he said.

The House urged the Federal Government to liaise with the relevant agencies to ensure the relocation of Nigerians from the flood-prone areas.

It also said the federal government should ensure stockpile of sufficient temporary shelter materials, food and nutrition items as well as medicine to support people in flood-prone areas.

The House urged NEMA to encourage communication between the federal and the state governments, to ensure effective collaboration to prevent flooding in the country. (NAN)

NSDC lays solid structures, partnership for older persons in 2 years - DG

By Albert Akota

The Director General of the National Senior Citizens Centre, (NSCC) Dr. Emem Omokaro has said that the body has used two years in laying solid structures, designing programs as well building partnerships for the betterment of older persons in Nigeria.

Dr. Omokaro who disclosed this at the weekend during maiden media luncheon in Abuja, emphasized that the coming year is going to see a rollout of so many of these programs for the

betterment of older persons.

According to her, “We are really looking forward in engaging the Governor’s Forum and then finding the focal points in the states.

Since we cannot put up state offices, we will find focal points in their State Assembly and their Executive arms to ensure that they understand the vision and they can also be passionate about including their older people.

“We have gained so much in our partnership with NDE, SMEDAN and other partners.

It is now for us to leverage on

their nationwide structures and then increase the tempo of our penetration into the states to reach out to older persons as fast as possible.

“I also look forward to our care quality assurance, seeing us roll out the national benchmark and minimum curricular for training, certifying and registering care agencies, caregivers and then rolling out this agency model where these agencies and caregivers can be sent to homes”, she stated.

She noted that having been able to mainstream geriatric

social care into the national skills framework which has now made it a skill that is classified and recognized, the Agency is really looking forward to rolling that out so as to get quality care to older citizens.

She also recognized the efforts of the media in promoting the activities of the Agency, as well as bringing issues affecting older persons to the forefront.

The DG used the opportunity to award the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for its partnership with the Agency by providing a platform to ensure

smooth and easy broadcast of NSCC’s activities to Nigerians and the world at large.

Meanwhile, Media practitioners present took turns to laud the Agency and the DG for her tenacity and resilience in promoting the issues of older persons and engaging their skills even after retirement.

She adding that the efforts of NSCC will help older persons to remain relevant in the society long after retirement.

R-L: Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, during their thank you visit to Vice President after their emerges as President of the Senate and Deputy President respectively, after the Inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Jigawa 8th Assembly, Dangyatin emerges new speaker

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The member representing Miga constituency, honourable Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin of All Progressive Congress (APC), has emerged Speaker of the 8th Jigawa State House of Assembly.

Dangyatin, was nominated by a member representing Malam Madori Constituency, Hamza Adamu and seconded by member representing Birnin Kudu Constituency honourable Muhammad Kabir.

Also, honourable Sani Isyaku a member representing Gumel constituency emerged as deputy speaker of the house.

Honourable Sani Isyaku Gumel was nominated by Ahmad Aliyu member representing Kiri-kasamma constituency and seconded by Lawal Mohd Dansure a member representing Roni constituency.

The new speaker, his deputy and other members, sworn in by the clerk of the house Barrister Musa Abubakar after the election.

While delivering his acceptance speech, the new speaker promised to run an open and inclusive house.

Honourable Dangyatin then seeks members support and cooperation for speedy passage of executive bills as well as for better development of the state.

Kano govt speaks on government house round about demolition, to build new one

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Following the outpouring criticism that followed the demolition of the monumental Kano State Government House roundabout, the state government said it is done in the interest of the public.

The demolition was scathingly criticized by the residents, including supporters of the New

Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP and Kwankwasiyya movement.

In a swift reaction, the state government, in a statement by Sanusi Bature DawakinTofa, Chief Press Secretary to the governor of Kano state, Abba Yusuf said it consulted professional engineers before taking the decision.

In the statement, the government explained that the engineers had ascertained to

the fact that the roundabout construction was substandard and has the tendency to collapse between 2023 and 2024.

It added that ;”this is because it is done with used foam work and too much sandy materials instead of normal cement concrete.

“Also, the structure is too tall to be placed in front of the government house as it defaces its main gate which blocks the view for security surveillance.

“Additionally, it poses traffic challenges around the area because of its size, blocking the view of drivers accessing all routes linked through the roundabout,” the government said.

The statement however stated that the government would immediately rebuild what it called a befitting roundabout at the spot of the demolished one to ensure visibility of the government house entrance and safety of motorists.

10th Assembly: Uba Sani calls for mutual executive-legislative relations

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani has called for a strong and cordial relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government in Kaduna State.

This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Muhammad Lawal Shehu and

made available to the media.

The Governor also congratulated Honourable Yusuf Liman and Honourable Magaji D. Henry on their election as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly respectively.

He emphasizes the importance of collaboration and cooperation in achieving sustainable development and ensuring that

the dividends of democracy reach every citizen.

Uba Sani assures both the newly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker, as well as all members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, of his unwavering support and commitment to working together for the betterment of the state.

The Governor while wishing the new principal officers and

other members of the 10th Assembly a successful tenure in office, promised to ensure independence of the legislative arm, to enable the Assembly function effectively.

Governor Sani also commended the transparent and fair process that led to the emergence of the two distinguished lawmakers as leaders of the legislative arm of government in Kaduna State.

Experts task young directors on mentorship, diversity

Experts have emphasised the need for young directors to adopt diversity, mentorship and inclusion as innovative strategies to drive organisational sustainability in Nigeria.

They spoke at the Institute of Directors (IoD) Young Directors Forum and Appreciation Cocktail with the theme: “Inclusion: A Pathway to Organisational Sustainability,” on Tuesday in Lagos.

Mrs Naomi Nwokolo, the Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact Network, Nigeria, said it was important for

young directors to align with and embrace the interplay between diversity and inclusion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Nwokolo said the network’s recent survey showed participant’s resolve to preserve and protect diversity and inclusion was clear with 92 per cent of companies surveyed revealing ongoing diversity and inclusion initiatives. She charged leaders to be catalysts of change by embracing inclusive leadership.

Nwokolo said that this would foster trust and empower

teams, resulting in higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction.

The director quoted a study by Catalyst (2020), which found that companies with a higher representation of women in executive positions experienced a 53 per cent higher return on equity.

Nwokolo also said that organisations that implement inclusive practices and policies such as flexibility, mentorship, diversity training, and inclusive recruitment created an environment where all employees

could thrive.

“There are numerous positive impacts of inclusive policies within organisations which extend beyond the realms of financial performance, innovation, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement, further emphasising the strategic value of inclusion.

“For companies ready to go from talking the talk to walking the walk, they must set targets for women on boards and senior management and then choose timelines for meeting those goals”.

Wife of the Governor Ekiti State, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, presenting cash and some mattresses to the Principal of Government’s Special School for the Blind, Ikere -Ekiti, Mrs Felicia Amogbojaye, during her visit to the School in Ikere-Ekiti on Tuesday (13/6/23).

IBBUL matriculates 7,192 students for 2021/22, 2022/23 sessions

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai has matriculated no fewer than 7,192 students for its 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic sessions.

The Vice-Chancellor Professor Abu Kasim Adamu made the disclosure during the matriculation of the newly admitted students who came through JAMB UTME and DE consisting of regular degree programmes to include 612 Part Time Degree Programme in ICEel and 156 for Long Vacation Training Programme (LVTP).

Professor Adamu warned the newly admitted students into the institution to stay clear of exam malpractice, drug abuse, cultism, sexual harassment or face the wrath of the institution law and regulations, adding that 20,000 applied as their first choice.

Professor Adamu said the university had zero tolerance for any form of crime and indiscipline, advising students to abide by the rules and regulations guiding activities in the school accordingly.

He noted that all it’s courses are accredited hence the university had admitted the first set of students into its medical programmes, adding that they consist of two set due to coronavirus pandemic and the prolong strike by ASUU.

The Vice Chancellor advised the newly admitted students to made effective use of the university properties and equipment as well report any challenge to Heads of Department and other appropriate offices instead of taking laws into their own hands.

20 years after, Gbajabiamila resigns from House of Reps ...Assumes chief of staff to president office

By Christiana Ekpa

The immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has resigned his membership of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly after 20-year sojourn Gbajabiamila, who was swornin as a member of the House for

the 6th term on Tuesday, tendered his resignation letter to the new Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, at plenary on Wednesday.

In the letter, the one-time Majority Leader of the House said it was to enable him assume duty as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.

President Tinubu had on Friday, June 2, 2023 appointed

Gbajabimila as his Chief of Staff at a meeting with Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).

Elected into the House to represent Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State since 2003, the veteran lawmaker had variously served as Minority Whip, Minority Leader, Majority Leader and Speaker of the House.

Before tendering his

resignation letter, Gbajbiamila had moved the first motion of urgent public importance in the 10th House on the “Need to Commence Active Measures to Mitigate the Probable Devastation of a Severe Flood Season and prepare Palliative Intervention to Prevent the worst Socio-Economic Consequences for Nigerians in the Affected Areas.”

Members of the 10the National Assembly, taking their oath of Office, during the Inauguration of the 10th Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

N3.7bn scam: UK Dion, Diongoli arraigned on 61 count charge

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Court 3, Ikoyi Lagos has fixed July 21st for the commencement of trial of Mr Michael Ukiye Diongoli, and his two companies, UK Dion Group and UK Dion Investment Limited on a 61 count charge of defrauding unsuspecting investors to the tune of over N3.7b.

Diongoli and his companies are alleged to have between 2021 and 2022 with intent to defraud, conspired among themselves to obtain money from several individuals and organisations including Dr. Basil Onugu, Prof. Oyekachi Green Nwankwo, FSL Securities Ltd, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, MTN Employer Cooperative, Col Chukwu Tengu rtd. and Nigerian Army Welfare Insurance Scheme

among others.

The defendants are accused of pretending to be registered financial institution into wealth management, invited customers to pay money into their accounts and fix it for a period ranging from 6 months to one year with interest, a statement the defendant knew to be false and committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related to Offenses Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

According to the Charge “That you Micheal Ukiye Diongoli, Dion Investment Limited and others at large between MRCH 2021 and May 2022 in Lagos Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud fraudulently obtained several sums of money to UK Dion under the pretence that

you are a registered financial institution, and you are into wealth Management wherein customers were invited to pay money into your account, fix it for a period ranging from 6 months to one year and the customer will get the money invested with interest, a statement the victims believed, which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related to Offenses Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.

When the charges were read to the defendant, Micheal Ukiye Diongoli pleaded not guilty to all 61 counts, Justice Allagoa thereafter set July 21, 2023as the date for the commencement of the trial.

Mr Diongoli, and his two companies, UK Dion Group and UK Dion Investment Limited are

also facing a criminal summons by Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of operating without the Liscence of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In the two count charge brought against Michael Ukiye Diongoli, UK Dion Group And UK –Dion Investment Limited all of No. 21 Buhari Street, Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, they are alleged to have on or between the year 2021 and 2022 within the jurisdiction of the honourable court did commit a felony to wit: conspired among themselves together with their staff to do an illegal act – diversion of investment funds to the tune of over N3.6billion belonging to the investing public which includes Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi and others you thereby committed an offence

contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of Criminal Code Act, laws of the Federation, 2004.

“That you Michael Ukiye Diongoli, UK Dion Group And UK –Dion Investment Limited all of No. 21 Buhari Street Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, they are alleged to have on or between the year 2021 and 2022 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High and together with your other staff, did commit a felony to wit: diverted investment funds to the tune of over N3.6billion belonging to the investing public which includes Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi and others you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383(2) F of Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 390(7) of the same Act”.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

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Diminishing roles of our traditional rulers

By Eric Teniola

On January 15, 1966, when General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi GCFR MBE (March 3, 1924 – July 29, 1966) took over power, there were five constitutions in the country. All the five constitutions upheld the traditional institutions in Nigeria. We had the 1963 Constitution, the Constitution of Northern Nigeria 1963, the Constitution of Eastern Nigeria 1963, the Constitution of Western Nigeria 1963 and the Constitution of Mid-Western Nigeria 1964.

The Coronation of King Charles III of England on May 6 was the exhibition of the British culture and tradition. Give it to the British in terms of tradition, they are experts. You can’t take it from them. They don’t have a written Constitution but they maintain their tradition and culture.

We have a written Constitution but we have deleted our culture and tradition from our constitution and that is our greatest dilemma.

Marcus Garvey famously wrote: “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”.

Our traditional rulers represent the best of our tradition and culture. They have been and they will continue to be. Even in our struggle for independence they played prominent roles. It was not only the politicians that fought for our independence, traditional rulers, journalists and others were in the struggle too.

Let’s be fair to our traditional rulers

From May 23 to June 26, 1957, Nigeria took a bold step towards nationhood at the London Constitutional Conference at Lancaster House. Prominent traditional rulers were delegates to that conference. Among whom were the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi KBE, who was acting governor of Northern Nigeria in 1957 and the Emir of Kano from 1954-1963; the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Dr. Muhammadu Kabir Usman (January 1928March 8, 2008), the 49th Emir of Katsina; the Ooni of Ife, Sir Titus Martins Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi (15 November 1889 –July 3, 1980), KCMG, KBE, who later became the governor of Western Region; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Daniel Akomolafe Anirare Aladesanmi II (1907- 7 January 1983; the Attah of Igala, Alhaji Aliyu Ocheja Obaje GCFR (1910 – July 16, 2012) , the 26th Attah of Igala; and Chief Uyong Essien Akpan Efion-

Iwat Effembe Ebit Akpan Amaide Oku (9 November 9, 1872- October 15, 1976), traditional ruler of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State.

When I was growing up in Idanre, my hometown in the late fifties, myself and my cousin, Chief Babu Akinbobola used to visit our friend, Chief Pino Olatunji, to see the car of his father, Chief Olatunji, who was the Lisa of Idanre, second in command. It was a red Pontiac American car.

Chief Pino used to oblige us to enter the car. Lisa Olatunji acquired the car as a member of the House of Chiefs in the then Western Region to represent the then Owa of Idanre, Oba David Aladegbule Arubuefin Aroloye II, who reigned between 1918 and 1969; he was too old to travel then. Three days before traveling to Ibadan for the meeting of the Western Region House of Chiefs, there would be festivities in and around the house of Lisa Olatunji. The House of Chiefs by then played important roles in governance in the Western Region.

During that time, some members of the House of Chiefs were ministers without portfolio. Among them were Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele (April 18, 1882 – May 30, 1964) who reigned from 1955 to 1965; the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Tewogboye II; the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Samuel Omotosho Abimbola, who reigned from 1958-1982; the Obi of Agbor, Oba Obika A. Gbenoba; the Olu of Warri, Oba Erejuwa II who reigned from 1951 to 1964 and from 1966 to 1986, Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Akenzua II (January 7, 1899 – June 11, 1978), the Oba of Benin, who reigned from 1933 to 1978; the Olowo of Owo, Sir Olateru Olagbegi II (August 1910-1998); the Owa Obokun of Ijesha land, Oba A.O. Biladu III; the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Sir Ladapo Samuel Ademola(1872-1962) who ruled from September 27, 1920 – December 27, 1962; and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona (89), Ogbagba Agbotewole II, who was crowned on April 2, 1960.

On January 15, 1966, when General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi GCFR MBE (March 3, 1924 – July 29, 1966) took over power, there were five constitutions in the country. All the five constitutions upheld the traditional institutions in Nigeria. We had the 1963 Constitution, the Constitution of Northern Nigeria 1963, the Constitution of Eastern Nigeria 1963,

A Case for medical journalism

By Salisu Na’inna Dambatta

The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital has 24 Specialty Clinics and more than 200 Consultants and Professors. AKTH pioneered kidney transplanting in public hospitals. There are sophisticated Cardiothoracic Machines for the treatment of heart complications in the Hospital. Heart complications and kidney diseases are the top health conditions that force Nigerians to travel abroad for medical care.

The practice of journalism has deep and firm roots in Nigeria: it is like a big tree with many branches. Some of the branches focused on sports, politics, finance and the economy, aviation, energy, entertainment, education, agriculture, maritime services and even journalism itself.

However, there is no branch of journalism that is focused on reporting the medical and healthcare sector. This implies that there are no journalism practitioners who principally specialised in covering the health sector at all levels – primary, secondary, tertiary, research and the pharmaceutical industry.

This was probably one of the reasons that the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic by the mass media in the country was inadequate and bereft of original and helpful items based on findings by Nigerian journalists.

Then the media largely depended on stuff echoed by the Centre for Disease Control, which in turn relied on what was transmitted to it by leaders of foreign bodies, private foundations and pharmaceutical companies that made fortunes out of the skillfully engineered frenzy and public fear as the COVID-19 spread.

This item urges colleagues interested in giving coverage

to health matters to consider coming together to address the urgent need for specialisation in medical journalism. What health journalists should focus on is spreading health information and medical issues that are prevalent in our country and how citizens can avail themselves of healthcare services.

Medical journalism practitioners would be positioned to justifiably advocate an end to massive and costly overseas medical tourism by Nigerians. This can be achieved by highlighting the advances made by Nigeria in upgrading our teaching hospitals and other public and private health facilities with state of the art equipment.

For instance, the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano, one of the 26 in Nigeria, has some of the best facilities including the well-equipped NKDC Diagnostic Centre established by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). A similar Centre is located in Umuahia, Abia state. The NSIA LUTH Cancer Centre in Lagos is world class standard.

One of the best equipped Occupational Therapy and Neuromodulation Rehabilitation Centres in Nigeria is located at the AKTH. The Hospital contributes in making it cheaper, easier and faster to treat patients in need of rehabilitation therapy and neuromodulation care in Nigeria.

The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital has 24 Specialty Clinics and more than 200 Consultants and Professors. AKTH pioneered kidney transplanting in public hospitals. There are sophisticated Cardiothoracic Machines for the treatment of heart complications in the Hospital. Heart complications and kidney diseases are the top health conditions that force Nigerians to travel abroad for medical

the Constitution of Western Nigeria 1963 and the Constitution of Mid-Western Nigeria 1964.

On assuming power, General Ironsi suspended the five constitutions under Decree number 1. He replaced them with a national government. At that time, the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Mera, was the President of the Northern House of Chiefs; the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Rufus Adesokeji Aderele Tewogboye II, who reigned between 1942 and 1974 was the President of Western House of Chiefs; Chief Essien Uyo was the President of Eastern House of Chiefs; and Oba Akenzua was the President of the Mid-Western House of Chiefs.

General Ironsi immediately banned 26 tribal and cultural associations. They were Borno State Union, Egbe Atunluse Ibadan, Egbe Igbomina Parapo, Egbe Omo Oduduwa, Egbe Omo Olofin, Egbe Omo Yoruba, Egbe Yoruba Parapo, Ekiti Northern, Ekiti Parapo, Ekiti Progressive Union, Ibadan Parapo, Ibibio State Union, Ibo State Union or Ibo Union, Ibo Youth Congress, Ibo Youth League, Idoma Tribal Union, Igbira Tribal Union I and II, Ijaw Progressive Union, Kajola Society, Lagos Aborigines Society, Oganiru Society, Okaa Society, Oshun Parapo, Otu-Edo, Oyo Parapo and Yoruba State Union. I still wonder till today the need to ban cultural and tribal associations.

General Ironsi also banned eighty-one political parties. They are Action Group, Afenmai Peoples’ Congress, Awo National Brigade, Bornu Youth Movement, Calabar Emancipation League, Calabar, Ogoja, River State Movement, Common Peoples Party of Nigeria, Communist Party of Nigeria, Democratic Party of Nigeria, Dynamic Party, Eastern Nigeria Liberation Movement, Eastern Peoples’ Congress, Ghana-Nigeria Socialist Group, Habe Peoples’ Party, Ibadan Crusaders of Freedom, Ijumu Progressive Union, Kalabari Peoples’ Congress, Kano Peoples’ Party, Kano State Movement, Lagos Citizen Rights Protection Council, Lagos and Colony Peoples’ Congress, Lagos Separate State Movement, League of Northern Yorubas, Mabolaje Party, Middle Belt Congress of Nigeria, Middle Belt Peoples’ Party, Mid-West Democratic Front, Mid-West Youth Association, Moslem Peoples’ Party, Movement for Colonial Freedom, Muslim United Party and the National Convention of Nigeria Citizens.

Eric Teniola is a Public Policy Analyst.

care.

However, it is ironic that malaria, the major health issue that kills thousands of Nigerians annually has not been made a topic for major discourse in the media by Nigerian journalists.

No medium or journalist tracks and gives update on the activities of the 16-member Nigeria End-Malaria Council (NEMC) led by the industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote. Former President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated it in August 2022.

The media in Nigeria should recall that a Presidential Committee was established by the Federal Government in 2005 to produce anti-malarial Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACTs) locally.

Medical journalists could track the situation of the farms for the cultivation of Artimisia annual located in Jigawa, Plateau, Ogun, Enugu, Taraba, Kano, Nasarawa, Cross River, Gombe and Katsina states. Leaves of the plants were processed into ACTs which treated malaria effectively without any side effects.

Medical journalists should be interested in the roles of the Department of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Medicinal Plants Development Company (NMPDC) of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the application of Artimisia annum plants to produce ACTs locally.

In short, there is a genuine need for medical journalism in Nigeria to enhance public education on health matters in our country.

Salisu Na’inna Dambatta is a senior journalist

Emefiele: Urging Tinubu not to be vindictive

By Isaac Asabor

In my view, it is high time the newly sworn-in president eschewed the predilection to being vindictive against those perceived to have opposed his presidential aspiration, particularly during the period of his campaign ahead of the last presidential election where he was pronounced the winner by the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It is not an exaggeration to say that not a few people and groups have condemned the suspension and arrest of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), and saying that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is leveraging the position of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pursue vindictive politics against political opponents.

For instance, a community-based organization, Concerned Citizens of Agbor Initiative also known as Concerned Agbor Citizens (CAC), has in strong terms condemned his suspension and arrest.

The group in a Press Release, signed by Mr. Echi Obue and Mr. Williams Eghebi, Chairman and Secretary respectively, said the Department of State Security (DSS), should be bold enough to tell Nigerians the script they are playing.

In a similar vein, based on a newsgathering exercise carried out from a publication titled “LP faults Emefiele’s suspension, says it’s vindictive, unconstitutional” dated June 10, 2023, and published in the Vanguard newspaper, the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has faulted his suspension and arrest and described the President’s action as vindictive and unconstitutional. The position of the opposition party was made public by the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, in Abuja, on Saturday.

He said the Labour Party “Is disturbed by the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend/sack the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, albeit unconstitutionally without seeking the permission of the national assembly and we insist that the action was not in good taste and sounds punitive.

“Mr. President has the right to ask the CBN governor to resign, same way, Nigerians have the right to ask him or anyone to resign.

“However, he does not have the powers to do so. Having a right is one thing, having the power is another. Many have asked Mr. President to resign but lack the powers to compel him to do so,” Femi Gbajabiamila, the (then) minority leader of the House of Representatives, had said on January 13, 2014.

“Drawing inspiration from what Femi Gbajabiamila, then Minority Leader, had said years ago (as quoted above) over a similar situation when President Goodluck Jonathan sacked former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, wherein he questioned the powers of the President in sacking the CBN Governor.

“The opposition leader made it clear that the President lacks powers under the laws of the land to sack the CBN boss. One wonders what has changed between that time and now.

“Femi Gbajabiamila is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives and also holds the enviable portfolio as the Chief of Staff

to President Tinubu.

“He had then argued that the law requires the President to seek the approval of two third of the Senate to be able to sack the CBN Governor.

“Reasons being essentially to enforce the doctrine of Checks and Balances and to avoid the abuse of powers of a capricious and arbitrary President, while at the same time guaranteeing the autonomy of the CBN.

“But under Gbajabiamila’s watch, Emefiele was fired in a most unconstitutional and vindictive manner.

“It is only in Nigeria that we find people that approbate and reprobate at the same time. People say one thing from one side of their mouth and another from the other side, especially when it favours them politically and otherwise.

“That explains why the country is in shamble: no rule of law, no equity, no justice, and no fair play. People don’t follow standard rules and procedures.

“That is why every aspect of our lives, be it our economic, political and social lives, is challenged.

Because he was in the opposition at that time, Gbajabiamila saw everything wrong with President Jonathan sacking Sanusi, today, he is on the other side of the divide, and he doesn’t see anything wrong with it.

“This is what Nigerians will face in the APC government, where perceived enemies are dealt with, perceive opposition parties and their members are dealt with, even when they are protected by the law.”

The LP Spokesman further said, “Most Nigerians will not forget in a hurry the famous Naira redesign policy initiated by Emefiele primarily to check vote buying in the last general election.

“A noble policy which a particular candidate then, unfortunately, believed was targeted at him. To him, it was a mortal sin which cannot be forgiven and must be punished. Labour Party believes that Emefiele, a fall guy, is paying for his “sin”.

“The government said the suspension of Emefiele is “sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy.”

Ifoh equally said, “It is laughable to read that statement as most Nigerians are already aware of the intention of the government.

“If indeed, there is any government agency that should be investigated with this utmost urgency, should it not be the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu?

“This is the institution that is responsible for the mockery of our democracy. This is an institution which asked and received N355 billion in taxpayers’ money to conduct, the worst-ever election in the history of Nigeria and in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“This is an election umpire that has shamelessly chosen to be partisan during and after the election, even at the tribunal.

“We urge the APC-led government to carry out a thorough investigation of the CBN and particularly, the last APC government’s interference in the operation of the apex bank.

“Nigerians will not tolerate political and peripheral investigation. We suggest a forensic auditing by an independent firm and by so doing, maybe the real culprits, not just Emefiele will be unearthed.”

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to say that most of us have heard the phrase, “An eye for an eye,” which refers to the idea that people should be punished according to the way in which they offended. While many of us have succumbed to feelings of vengeance and vindictiveness at one time or another, research shows that the outcomes of vindictive acts are not always in our best interest. As Gandhi reportedly explained, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” Let’s explore what vindictiveness is, why it emerges, and how to transform it into constructive actions.

Besides the foregoing facts, prevailing public opinion over the suspension and arrest of Emefiele indicates that Emefiele is been witch-hunted by the newly inaugurated President Tinubuled government.

For the sake of clarity, it is expedient to say that vindictiveness is the calculating desire to hurt someone perceived to have wronged us. A person who is vindictive holds grudges and builds cases against others to justify vengeful acts. In some cases, vindictiveness is associated with narcissism. Various triggers can cause vindictiveness to emerge, but most of the time it is a result of unexpressed anger. This is especially true for those of us who grew up in households where anger was not a welcome emotion, but a silenced one.

At this juncture, it is germane to cite a research made on the act of vindictiveness which says it does not lead to relief as it may result in the feeling of power and superiority, and disappointedly the triumph is usually short-lived. In a study by David Chester, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who studies human aggression, participants who committed vengeful acts felt good in the midst of these acts, but when researchers checked in five minutes, 10 minutes and 45 minutes later, the participants actually reported feeling worse than they did before they sought revenge.

Traditionally, a victorious president should at all times be confident in expressions of victory. As the winner, he should always look forward, offering a vision for his presidency while also looking back at the journey just completed, and perhaps offering an olive branch to his aggrieved opponents.

To cut this opinion article short, it is expedient to make reference to when President Obama painted a bigger picture of the American dream in his inaugural speech and urge him to bring such spirit of oneness and togetherness into practicality in Nigeria. As expressed in the speech, Obama focused on individual beliefs that he hoped were common to all Americans.

He asserted, “But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future. We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag, to the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner, to the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president. That’s the future we hope for. That’s the vision we share”.

Isaac Asabor is a Public Policy Analyst.

Student loan and education: Between “Access and Success”

By Caleb Onah & Chinelo Helen Ogwuche

Whileaccess to education remains a pressing issue, the concept of success on its own in Nigeria’s education system is equally complex. Despite efforts to increase enrolment rates, the country continues to grapple with low educational outcomes and a high rate of school dropouts. The quality and “success” of education is a critical determinant of success, and unfortunately, Nigeria faces significant challenges in this regard.

Education plays a vital role in the development of any nation, serving as a catalyst for social, economic, and political advancement. In Nigeria, as a country we are known for our rich cultural heritage and abundant human resources, the state of education has long been a subject of concern. The Nigerian education system faces a persistent challenge of striking a balance between providing access to education and ensuring successful outcomes for students.

On June 12, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed a bill into law that establishes the Students Loan Fund (SLF) in Nigeria. The SLF aims to provide interest-free loans to Nigerian citizens pursuing higher education. Dele Alake, one of President Tinubu’s aides, confirmed the signing of the bill to state house correspondents. The bill was sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, and was introduced in 2016 as part of efforts to address funding gaps in the country’s tertiary education sector.

The passage of the bill was met with scepticism by Hassan Soweto, the National Coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC). Mr. Soweto’s organisation has consistently opposed tuition fee increases in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. He expressed doubt regarding the loan fund, suggesting that it is merely an attempt to provide an alternative funding source for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the face of potential fee hikes. However, Mr. Soweto highlighted the lack of guarantee for the success of such measures in the context of Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges, emphasising that borrowing approaches from other countries may yield different outcomes in the Nigerian neocolonial context.

While access to education has been a significant issue in Nigeria, particularly in marginalised and underserved communities despite efforts by the government to improve access to education, many children still lack the opportunity to attend school. According to UNICEF, Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children globally, with an estimated 10.5 million children of primary school age not enrolled in school.

This alarming figure can be attributed to various factors, including poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and cultural barriers. Poverty remains one of the biggest obstacles to accessing education in Nigeria. Families living in poverty often struggle to afford the costs associated with education, such as school fees, uniforms, textbooks, and transportation. As a result, children from disadvantaged backgrounds are disproportionately affected and are often forced to drop out of school to support their families financially.

In regard to this, ASUU, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, has expressed its concerns also regarding President Bola Tinubu’s recent signing of the student loan bill into law. According to ASUU, the union views the loan bill as a discriminatory measure that creates an unfair distinction between students from affluent backgrounds and those from economically disadvantaged ones.

In an interview with Punch, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the National President of ASUU, stated that the union would soon issue a response. He emphasised that ASUU’s stance on student loans is wellknown, as they believe such loans burden economically disadvantaged students with debts upon graduation. Prof. Osodeke further criticised the loan bill, stating that, based on his online reading, it appears to be restricted only to children whose parents earn a minimum of N500, 000 per annum. This limitation implies that students whose parents earn above this threshold would not be eligible to benefit from the loan scheme.

To address this issue, the Nigerian government needs to further implement and build on several initiatives, such as the Universal Basic Education (UBE) program, which aims to provide free and compulsory education for the first nine years of schooling. However, the impact of these initiatives has been addressed to an extent, though limited, and the challenges of poverty persist which is why the bill is still a doubt.

In addition to poverty, inadequate infrastructure poses a significant barrier to education in Nigeria. Many schools lack basic amenities like classrooms, furniture, and modern learning materials and equipment, making the learning environment less conducive. This shortage of infrastructure is more pronounced in rural areas, where access to quality education is particularly challenging. Furthermore, the lack of qualified teachers exacerbates the problem, as many schools struggle to attract and retain skilled educators. Without proper infrastructure and qualified teachers, the quality of education suffers, hindering students’ chances of achieving success and not ‘access’ as advocated.

Cultural factors also contribute to limited access and perhaps success to education in Nigeria. In some communities, traditional

beliefs and practices discourage the education of girls, perpetuating gender disparities. Early marriages, domestic responsibilities, and societal expectations often hinder girls’ enrolment and retention in schools. Addressing these cultural barriers requires a multifaceted approach that involves community engagement, advocacy, and targeted interventions to promote gender equality in education.

While access to education remains a pressing issue, the concept of success on its own in Nigeria’s education system is equally complex. Despite efforts to increase enrolment rates, the country continues to grapple with low educational outcomes and a high rate of school dropouts. The quality and “success” of education is a critical determinant of success, and unfortunately, Nigeria faces significant challenges in this regard.

One of the key issues affecting the quality of education in Nigeria is the inadequate funding of the educational sector. The allocation of resources to education has consistently over the years fallen short of recommended benchmarks, resulting in a lack of investment in infrastructure, instructional materials, and teacher training. Insufficient funding hampers the ability of schools to provide quality education, limiting students’ potential for success. Additionally, the examination-focused nature of the Nigerian education system is on rote memorisation rather than critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

The prevailing educational model places a heavy burden on students to perform well in high-stakes examinations, such as the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Examination Council (NECO) as well as the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Examinations (JAMB) which determines admission into tertiary institutions. This narrow focus on examinations often stifles creativity and discourages independent thinking, impeding students’ overall development. Another challenge is the mismatch between the skills acquired in the education system and the demands of the labour market.

There is a significant gap between what students “loans”, what is learnt in schools and the skills needed for employment and entrepreneurship. This mismatch contributes to high unemployment rates among graduates and perpetuates a cycle of underemployment and job dissatisfaction. To address this issue, there is a growing need for complete educational reforms that prioritise practical skills development, entrepreneurship education, and industry-academia collaboration.

Caleb Onah & Chinelo Helen Ogwuche are Public Affairs Analysts.

A cross-section of the award recipients, during the launch of 2023 NYSC Community Development Service Activities and Director General’s Awards in Abuja

Jigawa 8th Assembly: Citizens protest against imposition of speaker

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

Thousands of Jigawa youths embarked on peaceful demonstration against imposition of speaker to lead 8th assembly in the state.

The peaceful demonstration which was organised by APC north-northwest Youth Alliance for good governance, Jigawa state chapter took place at Assembly premises and government house Dutse.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the secretary general of the group, Adamu Muhammad Na’ Allah Jahun described the demonstration as a visit to sensitize members - elect on the need to elect individuals with passion for the state and capacity to collaborate with the executive, to bring sustainable development to the state.

According to the group, the only way governor Namadi will redeem his campaign promises was to have a vibrant 8th assembly where both the executive and legislative will work in harmony as well as in the best interest of Jigawa.

He maintained that the demonstration also will inform the legislators to allow internal cohesion to prevail in their quest for new leadership in the house.

“We shall advise the members elect, to resist any temptation, intimidation and coercion by external forces, to undermine the process”, he said.

APC Kogi guber 2023: Ododo,wants court to dismiss suit against him

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 11, 2023, governorship election in Kogi State, Usman Ododo, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit seeking his disqualification from the race.

Ododo, through his lawyer, Musa Abdullahi, SAN, told the Court that, contrary to the allegations in the suit, he resigned legitimately from the employment of Kogi State as required by law and thus eminently qualified for the forthcoming poll.

He maintained that he broke

no law at the time he picked the Expression of Interest form of his party and also at the time he stood for the primary election and won.

According to him, he tendered his resignation letter on March 8, 2023, through the office of the State Governor and that same was received by the appropriate body the same day.

Relying on section 306 of the 1999 Constitution, he posited that whether his resignation was acknowledged, accepted or not, it had started taking effect from the date of submission of the letter.

Ododo said that the plaintiff in the suit could not contradict his claim of resignation with any

documentary evidence, especially with pay slips or salary payment.

Besides, the APC Governorship candidate argued that the plaintiff jumped the gun in the way and manner he instituted the suit, adding that the cause of action had not arisen at the time the case was filed.

He therefore asked the court to rely on his 19 paragraphs affidavit and dismiss the case of the plaintiff for being baseless, lacking in merit and incompetent.

The position of the governorship candidate was adopted by APC through its counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, who prayed

that the suit be dismissed with substantial cost.

On his part, the plaintiff, through his counsel, DanielEbune, relied on 16 exhibits in support of the Originating Summons/case.

He insisted that Ododo breached sections 20, 21, 124, 147 of the 1999 Constitution and section 159 of the Evidence Act and urged the Judge to invoke the provisions of the law to disqualify the gubernatorial candidate. Justice Obiora Egwuatu, after taking arguments from the lawyers, fixed July 18 to deliver judgment in the matter.

Monarch urges Akpabio, Abbas to brace-up for huge task ahead

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Chairman of Yoruba Council of Obas and Chiefs in the 19 Northern States and Abuja, Ambassador Muhammad Arigbagbuwo has urged the new leaders of the 10th National Assembly to brace-up for the huge task ahead of them.

The monarch who stated this yesterday in a statement made available to Journalists in Kaduna congratulate Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Senator Godswill Akpabio on their welldeserved position as Speaker of the House of Representatives

and Senate President of the 10th NASS.

The Royal Father also urged the elected leaders to remember that much is expected of them, saying that they should ensure that there is synergy between the Executive and Legislative Arms, their loyalty must be to Nigerians, he added.

Arigbagbuwo advised the new leadership not to see the victory as a regional victory, but for the country as a whole, he said.

He further advised them to garner wide-range expertise that will benefit the 10th Senate and advance the development of the

country.

He described the electoral process that brought in the 10th NASS leadership as seamless and a testament to the deepening of democracy in the country.

Arigbagbuwo who commended the absolute independence of the Legislative Arm of Government, further emphasizing its significance in upholding the principles of democratic governance.

“No doubt, your emergence is significant going by your track records in various positions of trust which you have held among which was your sterling

performance as Governor of Akwa Ibom State”.

He further described the Deputy Senate President, Sen Jubrin Barau, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas and his Deputy Hon Benjamin Kalu as experienced lawmakers who will unite Nigeria with the instrumentality of beneficial laws, he said.

While Commending members of the National Assembly for their wise decisions, the Royal Father appealed to them to offer maximum support to the new leadership.

Niger Assembly approves 20 Special Advisers for Gov Bago

The Niger House of Assembly has approved the appointment of the 20 Special Advisers nominees sent by Gov. Umar Bago.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Assembly approved the list during plenary in Minna on Wednesday.

Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, read the letter from the governor at plenary with the list of the Special Advisers nominees and sought the approval of the House.

Sarkindaji while reading the letter, said the governor congratulated the Speaker and the members for their inauguration, the successful election of the leadership and commencement of the 10th assembly.

He said the letter was in compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, to seek the consent and approval of the legislature to enable him commence government activities.

He added that the appointment of the 20 special advisers was to fast track government activities and implementation of the administration’s mandate.

The House, therefore, unanimously approved the governor’s request to appoint 20 special advisers. (NAN)

10th NASS inaugurations: NNPP sets agenda for its lawmakers Nationwide

By Musa Baba Adamu

TheNew Nigeria People’s Party

(NNPP) has congratulated its Senators, House of Representatives and States Houses of Assembly members across the country on their inaugurations as Federal and States legislators to provide effective representations to their constituencies and enact laws for good governance of the people.

In a statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Agbo Major, NNPP charged them to be good Ambassadors of NNPP and justify the confidence Nigerians reposed in them to usher in a new, better, greater and prosperous nation by making people-oriented laws

that will improve their standards of living and deliver dividends of democracy.

“The NNPP’s two Senators, 20 House of Representatives and numerous States House of Assembly members should be guided by Section 14(2)b of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, which provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

“Nigerians expect vibrant, robust, dynamic, pragmatic, visionary and purposeful national and States House of Assembly in our collective quest for a strong, virile, progressive, equitable and just democratic nation, not rubber stamp legislatures as obtainable in

previous governments that impeded the nation’s democratic process.

“National interest should at all times override pecuniary interests for personal aggrandizement.

“The torch of liberty, freedom, social justice, religious harmony, buoyant economy and political stability of the nation has been passed to you to redirect the ship of the nation from its perilous course to the path of rectitude, progress, development and advancement.

“The democratic principle of separation of powers must be strictly observed in the discharge of your constitutional duties to avoid tyranny and dictatorship in government. Accordingly, you should be the voice of the voiceless and eyes of the blind to ensure that

no Nigerian is left behind.

“It is obvious that you are elected at a critical period in the nation’s political process. The state of the nation is bad, very bad. There is hunger and hardship in the land. The welfare of the people should be uppermost in your minds as you work hard with your colleagues to alleviate their sufferings and restore confidence in the people that a new Nigeria is possible.

“Know that all eyes are on you, with the support of millions of NNPP faithful in particular and Nigerians in general you will succeed in this crucial states and national duties”, the party said in the statement.

L-R: Emir of Borgu, H.R.H Mohammed Haliru Dantoro; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Emir of Kontagora, H.R.H Mohammad Barau Muazu, during their visit to the President at the Presidential villa, yesterday in Abuja

Killings: APC slams Amnesty International for being inconsiderate against Tinubu

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed shock over the statement by Amnesty International accusing the new government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of indifference to the latest killings in some parts of the country, two weeks after he was sworn in.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja that while they thank Amnesty International for drawing attention to the lingering security challenges in Nigeria, especially in Plateau, Kaduna, Benue and Zamfara, APC find its conclusion hasty and inconsiderate.

“During his inaugural speech, President Bola Tinubu said clearly that security will be the topmost priority of his administration and he promised to reform the nation’s security doctrine and

architecture.

“He promised in categorical terms that Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence. To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security DOCTRINE and its ARCHITECTURE.

“We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide, better training, equipment, pay and firepower. President Tinubu demonstrated he prioritised security, when few days after he was sworn in, he met with his inherited security chiefs.”

The statement further stated that the president gave marching orders to the security chiefs to redouble efforts in dealing with the menace of terrorism, insurgency, banditry, oil theft, sea robbery and piracy among others that have conspired to weigh

down the nation.

“President Tinubu decried the persistent security breaches in the country and said he would not allow insecurity challenges to bring Nigeria to its knees while other countries are advancing.

“It is therefore uncharitable and inconsiderate of Amnesty International through its Acting Nigeria Country Director, Isa Sanusi, to accuse the new government that is just settling down of dereliction of duty.

“Amnesty International is known for stoking internal conflict and citizen antagonism in developing nations through weaponisation and accentuation of local situations to achieve its sinister objectives while hypocritically looking the other way when similar incidents occur in developed nations, especially in the Western world.

“Many nations in the world, including the United States of America are today bedevilled by

insecurity. By the end of May 2023 almost 20,000 people have died cumulatively as a result of gun violence and other violent crimes in America. In the first 150 days of 2023, America has recorded 263 mass shootings, with hundreds of death yet Amnesty International has not been on the mountain top to accuse US government of dereliction of duty.

“That mass shooting and gun violence have become an epidemic in US does not make the American government a failure in protecting its people or make mass shootings a ‘norm’ in the country. Every government is daily devising means and ways to tackle rapidly changing security problems.

“In United Kingdom there is growing and daily menace of knife crimes. In 2022 alone, UK police recorded 49,265 offences involving knives and other sharp instruments and 46,334 in 2021. In Nottingham, a mass shooting in the city centre claimed three

victims. Amnesty International has not accused UK government of failure to protect her citizens.

“The isolated cases of shooting that are now several decades old in our country, will need methodical and strategic thinking to ensure normalcy. No organisation should gloat over these unfortunate incidents. It’s too early for such unsympathetic reaction.

“Amnesty International and its affiliates are advised to give the young government some time to work things out, in consonance with its pledge to our people, rather than rushing out with its jaded diatribe against the Nigerian government and its security authorities.

“President Bola Tinubu and his team are settling down to solving many of our national challenges across various sectors. Amnesty International should allow this government to do its work without their usual condescending hypocrisy”, it read.

Kogi guber: APC’s Ododo asks court to dismiss suit seeking his disqualification

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Kogi State, Usman Ododo, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit seeking his disqualification from the race.

Ododo, through his lawyer, Musa Abdullahi, SAN, told the Court that, contrary to the allegations in the suit, he resigned legitimately from the employment of Kogi State as required by law and thus eminently qualified for the forthcoming poll.

At the hearing of the suit on Wednesday, the APC candidate maintained that he broke no law at the time he picked the Expression of Interest form of his party and also at the time he stood for the primary election and won.

The governorship flagbearer said he tendered his resignation letter on March 8, 2023, through the office of the State Governor and that same was received by the appropriate body the same day.

He drew the attention of the Court to section 306 of the 1999 Constitution, adding that whether his resignation was acknowledged, accepted or not, it had started taking effect from the date of submission of the letter.

Ododo said the plaintiff in the suit could not contradict his claim of resignation with any documentary evidence, especially with pay slips or salary payments.

Besides, the APC Governorship candidate argued that the plaintiff jumped the gun in the way and manner he instituted the suit, adding that the cause of action had not arisen at the time the case was filed.

He, therefore, asked the court to rely on his 19 paragraphs affidavit and dismiss the case of the plaintiff for lacking in merit and for being incompetent and baseless.

The position of the governorship candidate was adopted by APC through its counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, who prayed that the suit be dismissed with substantial cost.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, before Justice Obiora Egwatu, the plaintiff’s counsel, Daniel- Ebune, relied on 16 exhibits in support of the Originating Summons/case.

He insisted that Ododo breached sections 20, 21, 124, 147 of the 1999 Constitution and section 159 of the Evidence Act and urged the Judge to invoke the provisions of the law to disqualify the gubernatorial candidate.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, after taking arguments from the lawyers, fixed July 18 to deliver judgment in the matter.

Abia Assembly: PDP kicks as minority party, LP produces Speaker

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Abia State House of Assembly on Wednesday elected Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa of Labour Party as Speaker of the 8th Assembly, amid protest from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which controls the majority in the House.

The new Speaker, who is a new member, was elected unopposed by the members.

He was nominated by Hon Ucheonye Akachukwu of Aba Central constituency.

The House also elected Hon Austin Meregini of Umuahia East constituency as the Deputy Speaker.

Just like the Speaker, the new Deputy Speaker, Meregini is also a first time member of the House.

But crisis erupted in the House before the election as some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, protested against

the Clerk, John Pedro Irokansi, accusing him of allegedly denying their members the opportunity to be nominated.

Solomon Akpulonu of Obingwa East (PDP) who is a returning member shouted at the Clerk, accusing him of being disrespectful to him.

Before the election, Akpulonu was one of those predicted by some political pundits to emerge as the new Speaker based on his

experience and being a legislator from Abia South.

Intrigues have been playing out on who should be the new Speaker as the ruling party in the State, LP has 10 members, while the PDP has 11 members.

Apart from producing 11 members, the PDP also has some returning members, while all the LP members in the House are men. YPP has 2 members, while APC has 1 member.

What played out at Abia Assembly not democracy – PDP Chieftain, Uzoma

By Musa Baba Adamu

Achieftainof the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State and former Deputy Chairman of Bende Local Government Area, Hon Promise Uzoma Okoro has condemned what he described as “undemocratic” election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the 8th Abia State House of Assembly.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday in Umuahia, Uzoma wondered why it was difficult for Governor Alex Otti to reach a compromise with members of the opposition in the 8th Assembly, which he said would have saved the state from avoidable

embarrassment.

He condemned the alleged refusal of the clerk, John Pedro Irokansi to recognize further nominations immediately the preferred candidates of Governor Alex Otti were nominated and their nominations seconded.

“What happened today is a pure rape of democracy, it is more worrisome that it happened under the watch of Governor Alex Otti who swore to protect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“First, the standing rule of the Abia State House of Assembly is against electing a non ranking member as Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

“The whole world have seen

what we have been shouting that the current administration in Abia State won’t allow opposing voices, but we will resist it because opposition is the beauty of democracy.

“First, the Governor failed to issue proclamation for the Inauguration of the House on the 10th of June, but rather secretly brought a letter this morning dated 13th June 2023. The events that played out under his watchful eyes are undemocratic and shameful to say the least.

“I am calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to place a special watch on the activities of the present Abia State Government; let the government be reminded that we are in democracy and not

autocracy, the provisions of the law must talways prevail at all times,” he said.

Uzoma celebrated the courage of the member representing Obingwa East State Constituency, Hon Solomon Akpulonu for his bravery and courage to speak when it was necessary.

The House of Assembly on Wednesday elected Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa, member representing Aba South State Constituency as the Speaker, while Hon Okezie Meregini was elected as Deputy Speaker amid protests.

They are both members of the Labour Party, LP, whereas the PDP enjoys the majority in the Assembly.

Ex Minister, Dare commends Tinubu on student loans Bill

By Christiana Ekpa

The immediate past Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the student loans bill sponsored by immediate past Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamia.

The legislation, which is now signed into law known as “An act to provide for easy access to higher education for Nigerians through interest-free loans from the Nigerian Education Bank” will enable Nigerian students in higher institutions of learning to have access to financial

assistance.

The loan can be accessed for the purpose of paying school fees, accommodation, textbooks, research, education materials or any other purpose that’s justified by the institutions and the amount will differ from student to student and course to course.

Reacting to the development, Dare thanked Tinubu for being a father to Nigerian Youth by signing the bill saying it will allow them to have access to affordable education.

Via his Twitter page, he said, “On Point ! President Tinubu Signs the Students Loan Bill, SLB. Thank you for being a father to

the youth. Affordable education will help take our youth out of the path of poverty and give them a chance to succeed.”

We will recall that Chief Dare during his tenure as Minister facilitated the increment of NYSC allowance from N19,500 to N33,000 and also facilitated the establishment of a N75 billion Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), where the Youth can access loan from N250,000 to N3million among others.

He has been an advocate of a Youth Entrepreneurship Bank in Nigeria and in April this year, the African Development Bank sent a team to Nigeria for discussions

hosted by the Ministry of Finance. A Technical team was thereafter set up to work out the modalities.

The ex-minister has also demonstrated his unflinching support for the Nigerian Youth and showed his implicit confidence in their innovative talents, potentials and industry by regularly engaging with them and pleading their case with the former President, Muhammadu Buhari. He was also instrumental in recalibrating the Nigerian sports by pushing through the National Sports Industry Policy, which is set to unlock billions of dollars for the Nigerian economy.

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Debo Ogundoyin and his deputy, Hon Abiodun Fadeyi, during the inauguration of Oyo State 10th Assembly at House of Assembly Chamber, Secretariat, Ibadan, yesterday

Yakubu Dandali emerges Speaker of Kwara 10th Assembly

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Salihu Yakubu Danladi was yesterday re-elected as the Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly for the second term, after which the inaugural session of the 10th Kwara Assembly was held in Ilorin.

He urged fellow lawmakers to justify the confidence reposed in them by their constituents and get to work immediately, to ensure ‘‘effective and efficient performance of their constitutional responsibilities.

Danladi who won a second term in March this year, said Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had provided good governance in the state in the last four years, adding that “we are proud of him and we will give his administration the needed legislative support.”

He said the responsibility of overseeing the Ninth House of Assembly was placed on his shoulders four years ago and choosing him as head of the Tenth House of Assembly was therefore a reassurance of a vote of confidence and support for what he had done for the people of Kwara State.

He thanked members of the House of Assembly for electing him as Speaker, describing it as a demonstration of great trust and confidence in his leadership.

He urged them to use the opportunity of their membership of the House of Assembly to foster unity and progress and promote peace and good governance, noting that though the challenges ahead are enormous, Governor Abdulrazaq has laid a sound foundation through his visionary leadership.

Yakubu Salihu Danladi, who was unanimously re-elected, was nominated by Abdullahi Halidu Danbaba of Kaiama state constituency at exactly 10.56am and the nomination was seconded by Arinola Lawal.

Ojo Oyebode Olayiwola of Oke- Ogun state constituency was also elected as Deputy Speaker, to replace Raphael Adetiba, who lost his seat.

Olayiwola was nominated by Hon Razaq Olatunde Owolabi of the Share/Oke-Ode state constituency.

The Magaji Family in the AgboOba area of Ilorin also had the House Leader position retained by them as a member of the family, Oba Abdulkadri Magaji of Ilorin Central state constituency, was named as the new House Leader.

His elder brother, Magaji Abubakar Olawoyin was until his death on Monday, January 9, 2023, the House Leader.

Abolarin Ganiyu of Ekiti state constituency is the new Chief

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Amember of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) representing People With Disabilities (PWD), Hon. Tolu Bankole has felicated with the new leadership of the National Assembly, even as he urged them not to use their position to amass wealth at the detriment of Nigerians.

In a statement signed and made available to journàlists yesterday, the chieftain felicitated the presiding officers and implored them to focus on legislative agendas that would improve the socioeconomic life of Nigerians.

“I celebrate this seamless milestone and felicitates with the Senate President/Chairman and Honourable Speaker, House of Representatives/

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly – Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio (CON) and Rt Honourable Tajudeen Abbas (MON) respectively on this historic occasion.

“I congratulate the Deputy Senate President, Distinguished Senator Jubrin Barau and Deputy Speaker, Rt Honourable Benjamin Kalu for being a part of the team who will steer the affairs of the legislative branch for the next four years.

“On this occasion, I also rejoice with all Nigerians for being witnesses to history.

“We must remind ourselves on the need to remain focused on legislative agenda for the emancipation of our people. You are in the saddle as a result of people’s trust across the length and breath of Nigeria. This is the moment to be circumspect, roll up your sleeves

and all hands must be deployed on deck to alleviate poverty, push back insecurity, unemployment and the likes through innovative legislative actions” he said in part.

He urged the National Assembly to work as a team with the executive arm without compromising the tenet of separation of powers. He added that in the end, Nigerians are not interested in the number of bills but in the changes in there day to day lives.

“The tenth Assembly leadership must work as a team with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration while maintaining the delicate balance of separation of powers. Your loyalty must be to Nigerians who will judge your success not by the number of bills passed but when majority of Nigerians attest to the socioeconomic good arising from the laws. In other words, the good must

be seen and felt by Nigerians.

“Your oversight functions and legislative interventions must support all policies that will make Nigerians happy, better and prosperous. The elite must be willing to lead sacrificially to close the near infinite gap between the masses and the rich in our bid to achieve development. Money is not passport to heaven.

“Also, all international economic policies that will make Nigerians poorer should be jettison no matter the intention” Bankole added.

He solicited support for the Persons with Disabilities in there quest for inclusion in Nigeria. “The National Assembly should expect robust engagements from Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, as we in return expect your support on all matters of inclusivity. We are better together in love”, he added.

Speaker, House of Representatives after his emerges as 10th Speaker of the House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, taking the Oath of Office before the clerk of the National Assembly, Alh. Magaji Sani Tambuwal, during the Inauguration of the 10th Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

10th NASS: Tolu Bankole tells Akpabio, Abass, others not to amass wealth Let Nigeria’s interest guide your legislative activities - CNPP tells Akpabio, Abbas

By Christiana Ekpa

Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has congratulated the new leadership of the National Assembly and all the lawmakers on their inauguration on Tuesday, urging them to prioritise the overall interest of Nigeria and Nigerians in their decisions as they begin to exercise their constitutional powers as legislators.

In a statement signed by the

By Christiana Ekpa

Aformer member of the House of Representatives, Sani Mohammed Takori has condemned the recent utterances of the Vice President, Kashim Shettima over the Senate President contest.

The Vice President, Shattima had declared that, in the current dispensation, “the worst and incompetent Southern Christian was better than the Northern Muslim in the senate presidency.”

Takori in a statement,

CNPP’s Secretary General, Willy Ezugwu, the umbrella association of registered political parties and political associations said that “while party may be supreme, national interest outweighs party interest.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his party had nominated Senators Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jibrin for Senate president and deputy Senate president, as well as Hon Tajudeen Abbas and Hon Benjamin Kalu for Speaker

described the assertion as a direct attack to the North and particularly, North West, Senatorelect, former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’Aziz Yari.

The former lawmaker, while condemning the position of the Vice President, quickly, urged him to retract his word and ask for forgiveness of the northerners.

“We felt aggrieved by this assertion as it comes directly from no other person but the Vice President who is our own, it was quite unfortunate”, he added Takori, a lawyer, urged

and deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“The CNPP urges the new President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, to ensure that they did not go down in history as rubber-stamp leaders but consider the interest of the country in any relationship with the executive.

“As one of the three arms of

President Tinubu to disregard such sentiment as a true democrat and allow free and fair contest in the chamber. He reminded President Tinubu of the efforts he and other compatriots made in the struggle for the survival of the current democratic dispensation.

“We are quite aware that President Tinubu is a true democrat, so he would never succumb to undemocratic posture, especially, in the election of National Assembly leadership”, he added.

government, there is need for harmony among the other arms but it must not be at the detriment of good governance and rule of law.

“While we congratulate all the lawmakers for a successful inauguration, we call on individual Senators or members of the House of Representatives to consider the interest and wellbeing of the electorate within their respective constituencies before any decision is taken”, the CNPP urged.

According to him, any attempt to deny Yari from contesting for the Senate Presidency was a clear denial of the right of the entire northern people.

He called on senators-elect to reject any act of imposition by the government and elect leadership of their choice, as that would ensure independence of the parliament.

“As Senators-elect, don’t allow a stooge to lead the Senate if at all you want true democratic development to strive in the country,” he added.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Kenyan president urges adoption of local currencies for intra-African trade

Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

Kenyan President William Ruto has called on African countries to shift away from using the US dollar for intraAfrican trade.

During his address at the Djibouti parliament on Tuesday, Ruto spoke on the need to abandon dependence on the US dollar for trade transactions between African nations.

“From Djibouti selling to Kenya or traders from Kenya selling to Djibouti, we have to look for US dollars. How is US dollars part of the trade between Djibouti and Kenya? Why?” Ruto asked.

Ruto said the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) has provided a mechanism that enables traders within the continent to engage in trade using their respective local currencies — the pan-African payment and settlement system (PAPSS).

The president clarified that the intention is not to oppose the US dollar, but rather to ease trade on the continent.

He suggested that purchases made from the United States can still be settled in US dollars, while transactions with Djibouti and other African nations can be conducted using local currencies.

“That is why Kenya champions the Pan African Payment and Settlement System that is done by our own institution — the Afreximbank. Why, members? Why is it necessary for us to buy things from Djibouti and pay in dollars? There is no reason,” he said.

“We are not against the US dollar. We just want to trade more freely. Let us pay in US dollars what we are buying from the US. But what we are buying from Djibouti, let’s use local currency.”

EC assures of commitment to market digitalization

By Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

The Securities and Exchange Commission has stated that it will continue to collaborate with various market stakeholders to support impactful digitalisation of the capital market.

The assurance was given by Director General of the SEC, Mr. Lamido Yuguda during an interaction in Lagos.

Yuguda said the demographics of the capital market currently is greying adding that it is one of the things the Commission is tackling with the Revised Capital Market Master Plan.

According to him, “We are encouraging Capital Market operators to develop technology. The youths do not want to come in and start filling five page forms because they want to access the market, they want to pick their phones and make their investments.

“For example, our keen support of the innovation by the Issuing House to the MTN IPO in 2022, Chapel Hill Advisory, further promoted the benefits of electronic-IPO (e-IPO) which made it possible for over 100,000 new accounts to be opened on the CSCS, most of which belong to youths and women- key subsets of our demography which is considered critical to sustainable growth

“That is why we are improving our Know Your Customers; we are improving so many things to make it easier for them. That is why we are introducing these Fintechs. We are allowing these Fintechs to come because we see the Fintech as an important gateway for youths to enter the market. We are conscious of that and we are working towards it.”

Yuguda said that the youths must understand that the capital market is a viable platform for wealth creation assuring them

that the SEC and the market is working on how best to serve them.

“We are striving to improve the way we deliver our products, to improve market efficiency and to make the market attractive to them. Most importantly, we are doing all we can to ensure that investors are adequately protected in the market and that they are able to get the benefits of their investments” he stated.

As part of the digital transformation, the SEC DG disclosed that last year, the Commission signed an MoU with the African Development Bank to enable the SEC have a surveillance system.

“This surveillance system is a system that allows the SEC, the regulator as a watchdog, to truly see transactions in the market live as they are happening, just to make sure that no market manipulation is happening.

“Right now, we tried to get

this information but basically it’s with a lag but with the system that we are getting, it’s real time. This will help this market; this will help the operators themselves. The regulator has their eyes on the market then people who are tempted to do any market manipulation will think twice before they do that. That is really healthier for the market” He stated.

Yuguda emphasized that when capital markets are developed, the entire engine of savings and investments and the allocation of resources would have the highest expected returns.

“It is actually made easy and if you do that, you will create more jobs in the economy, more revenues for the government. Life will be made easier for the investors and because of that you will have a lot of interested parties that actually want to put in their own money to help the capital market to develop” he added.

NMDPRA issues oil export terminal licences to NNPC, Belema Oil

Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has issued licences for the establishment of two crude oil export terminals.

The authority issued the licences to Belema Sweet Export Terminal Limited and NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, on Tuesday, in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, Farouk Ahmed, chief executive officer (CEO) of NMDPRA, said the licencing for the two crude export terminals would

add more than four million barrels of oil to Nigeria’s export storage.

“Our activities today are pursuant to the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which has stipulated new provisions for the establishment of new export terminals,” Ahmed said.

He quoted section 174(1) (a) of the PIA as stating that except in accordance with an appropriate licence issued by the authority, “a person shall not undertake the following activities with respect to midstream petroleum liquids operations — (a) establish, construct or operate a terminal

or other facility for the export or importation of crude oil or petroleum products”.

“The authority has processed and hereby approves terminals establishment licences for:

(a) NNPC Exploration and Production Limited to establish 2,179,747 barrels crude oil terminal at offshore Akwa Ibom state within the waters of the exclusive economic zone Nigeria,” he said.

“Belema Sweet Export Terminal Limited to establish a 2,000,000 barrels crude oil terminal at 20 nautical miles of Kula southern part of exclusive economic zone Nigeria.”

Ahmed said following

the issuance of the licences, terminal establishment notices will be published in the federal government gazette.

“The terminals are required to operate within the provisions of the conditions of the licences as contained in the licence documents. Kindly note that the authority is committed to ease of doing business in the industry,” Ahmed said.

Also speaking at the signing ceremony, Tien Jack-Rich, president and founder, Belema Oil Producing Limited, said the facilities would generate over $11bn annually for Nigeria.

He added that Belema Oil would work diligently to get

its terminal ready within six months.

“Nigeria will benefit through the revenue earnings from the facility. This terminal has the capacity to generate over $11 billion to our national revenue every single year, and that is 400,000 barrels of crude every single day,” he said.

“With the establishment of Belema Sweet Crude Export Terminal, Nigeria now ranks number one in the world to establish a crude oil export terminal that is climateconscious, where traditional energy and renewable energy integration is operated through a virtual power plant model.”

Coordinator, Peter Mbah Water Project Volunteers (PMWPV), Comrade Madus Mathias (3rd, L); General Manager, Sound City FM Enugu, Mr Paul Emeoghene (4th, L) and other members of PMWPV during an advocacy visit on Enugu water works rehabilitation and Sound City FM Radio Station in Enugu on Wednesday (14/6/23).

NCC issues mobile virtual network licence to Routelink for coverage expansion

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has granted Routelink a mobile virtual network operator (MVNOs) licence.

The commission, in a statement on Tuesday, said this is the third licence the company would be getting since it entered Nigeria’s telecommunications space.

The NCC said the MVNO certification is a new mobile licence category that is aimed at bridging the gap between the unserved and the underserved in the country.

An MVNO is a company that does not own a mobile spectrum license but sells mobile services under its brand name using the network of a licenced mobile operator.

Speaking on the development, Femi Adeoti, group managing director of Routelink Group, said the firm got the MVNO licence based on the perception of what it is set to do in the market.

According to Adeoti, the new licensing of MVNOs, which is a new category in Nigeria, would translate into lower costs, more service options, and better quality of service as its ultimate beneficiaries are the subscribers.

“Routelink is excited about the opportunities that abound in the Nigerian telecom marketplace and is determined to make a major difference as regards the quality of service and innovation,” Adeoti said.

On his part, Ikechukwu Nguzo, managing director of Routelink telecom, says he believes the introduction of MVNOs in Nigeria has the potential to stimulate growth in the Nigerian telecom industry.

Nguzo also said MVNOs bear many benefits to consumers, including coverage expansion, more innovative services, improved service offerings, and partnership opportunities.

“MVNOs have continued to gain traction across the world, with the increase in mobile phone users globally,” Nguzo said.

“The increased usage of smartphones and mobile data services, as well as the growing preference for flexible and customised mobile services, are primarily responsible for the growth.

“However, the success of MVNOs in Nigeria would depend on various factors such as regulatory policies, infrastructure availability, and market demand.”

Earlier this month, NCC, in its drive to create an enabling environment, said it had begun issuing the MVNOs licence.

This, the commission, said would generate employment and bridge the gap between the unserved and the underserved society.

The agency believes it would also engender competition and provide choices for telecommunication consumers.

I&E rate hits N755/$ as banks told to trade freely

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The Central Bank of Nigeria

(CBN) has reportedly told Deposit Money Banks to freely float the naira against the dollar and other international currencies.

This is as the naira trades at N730 to N755 per dollar at the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window on Wednesday.

Although the apex bank is yet to release an official statement on the matter, bankers and customers

who traded in Foreign Exchange on Wednesday told journalists that the naira now trades between N730 and N750.

The development came just two weeks after President Bola Tinubu vowed to unify the exchange rates and remove fuel subsidy in his inauguration speech on May 29, 2023.

“Monetary policy needs a thorough housecleaning. The Central Bank must work towards a unified exchange rate,” the President had said.

“This will direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment, and jobs that power the real economy.”

The development is also in spite of the denial by the apex bank on June 1, 2023 that it had not devalued the naira to about 630 naira to a dollar.

Also, the development trailed the suspension of the Godwin Emefiele as the CBN Governor last Friday and his arrest by the Department of State Services on

Saturday.

The implication of the development is that buyers and sellers of foreign currency in the official FX market are allowed to quote their preferred rates, as against previous practice where CBN dictate rates.

The new rate N755/$1 showed over 20% decline in the value of the naira compared to the previous rate of N463/$. At the moment, naira is now on a par with the dollar both at the I&E window and at the black market.

NRC’s revenue from passengers dropped

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the total revenue generated by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) from passengers dropped by N1.31 billion in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023. The figure represents a decline of 63.02 percent relative to the corresponding quarter of 2022.

The latest NRC data is contained in a new report by the NBS, titled, ‘Rail Transportation Data Q1, 2023’.

The report said 441,725 passengers travelled via the rail system in Q1 2023 as against 953,099 recorded in the same quarter last year.

‘The rail transportation data

in Q1 2023, says NBS

for Q1 2023 showed that a total of 441,725 passengers travelled via the rail system in Q1 2023, lower than the 953,099 reported in the corresponding quarter of 2022, representing a growth rate of -53.65 percent,” the report said.

“In addition, 59,966 tons of goods were transported in Q1 2023, compared to 39,379 tons reported in Q1 2022.”

Analysis of the data shows that the decrease in the number of passengers also had a strong effect on the revenue generation of the corporation.

The revenue generated from passengers in Q1 2023 was N768.44 million, while income stood at N2.08 billion in the same period last year.

However, the NBS report said

revenue generated from goods and cargo increased insignificantly.

The federal government raked in N181.27 million from goods/cargos in Q1 2023 — a 99.28 percent surge from N90.96 million earned in Q1 2022, according the report.

Further Checks by this medium Index show that other receipts amounted to N34.17 million, indicating a decline of 41.02 percent in Q1 2023, compared to the N57.92 million collected in Q1 2022.

In March 2022, the NRC suspended its Abuja-Kaduna train operations after an attack by gunmen.

The incident had occurred around the Kateri-Rijana area of Kaduna — close to the train’s final

stop.

In a bid to provide security and confidence to passengers, in August 2022, the federal executive council (FEC) approved N718.19 million to two security outfits to protect the 45-kilometre Abuja rail tracks and stations.

After an eight-month suspension, in December 2022, the government lifted the suspension and resumed operations on the Abuja-Kaduna route.

Meanwhile, in all categories in the report, the year 2020 (particularly Q2 2020) suffered the most losses and turnout of passengers due to the COVID-19 lockdown imposed by the federal government to curtail the spread of the virus across Nigeria.

by 63%

Cross-section of participants during the authority’s meeting with Oil Marketing Companies and a news conference on post PMS deregulation expectations, at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday (14/6/23).

NUPRC: Nigeria’s oil output rose by 18% to 1.18m bpd in May

Nigeria’s oil production increased to 1,183,691 barrels per day (bpd) in May 2023.

The country’s drilling performance is contained in the latest crude oil and condensate production data of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The current output level represents an 18.53 percent rise compared to April 2023, when the yield was 998,602 bpd, according to the report.

It also marks a 15.55 percent growth from the corresponding period of 2022 when Nigeria recorded 1,024,371 bpd output.

With the addition of condensate, the NUPRC said oil production rose from 1.245 million bpd in April 2023, to 1.427 million bpd in May the same year.

Condensate is a mixture of light liquid hydrocarbons, similar to a light (high API) crude oil. It is usually separated from a natural gas stream at the point of production (field separation) when the temperature and pressure of the gas are dropped to atmospheric conditions.

But despite the increase, the oil output of the country is still below the 1.74 million bpd quota of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Earlier in the month, OPEC and its allies (called OPEC+) decided to extend the recent voluntary cuts made by member states until the end of 2024.

The oil cartel also revealed plans to cut Nigeria’s production level to 1.38 million bpd, starting from January 2024.

According to the alliance, the decision was based on the country’s peak production in 2023.

However, OPEC said the figure could be reviewed to 1.57 million bpd, subject to verification.

Recently, the policy advisory council of President Bola Tinubu projected that the country’s oil production will increase to 1.8 million bpd by December 2024, 2.5 million bpd by May 2027, and 4 million bpd by 2030.

Alleged racism: Roger Brown resumes as Seplat CEO, ...as FG restores work permit

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Seplat Energy Plc says the federal government has restored the immigration documents of Roger Brown, its chief executive officer (CEO).

The company disclosed this known in a statement ,signed by Basil Omiyi, Seplat’s board chairman.

On March 3, 2023, the federal government revoked the immigration documents of Brown following allegations bordering on racism by aggrieved stakeholders of the company.

Seplat refuted the accusations, saying Brown would continue to “discharge his duties and responsibilities as CEO from the UK office”.

In April, the federal government instituted a fourcount charge against Seplat and its top executives at a federal high court in Abuja over an alleged breach of extant provisions of the Immigration Act, 2015.

In the suit, marked FHC/AB/ CR/149/2023, the defendants were accused of conspiring among themselves to allow Brown accept employment as CEO “without the consent of the comptrollergeneral of immigration”.

Seplat, later in the month, announced that the federal government had withdrawn the lawsuit

In an update on the matter, Seplat said Brown can now legally enter, work, and remain in

Nigeria.

“Seplat Energy is pleased to announce that the ministry of interior (ministry) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have restored the working permit, combined expatriate residence permit and aliens card (CERPAC) and other visas for the entry or stay in Nigeria (immigration documents) of the company’s chief executive officer (CEO), Mr. Roger Brown,” the statement reads.

The company previously announced that the immigration documents were withdrawn by the ministry following false allegations of racism, unfair prejudice, discrimination, and improper immigration status made by certain individuals

parading as “concerned workers and stakeholders of Seplat Energy Plc”.

“The company cooperated fully with the verification checks conducted by the immigration authorities, which resulted in the restored immigration status of Roger Brown. In view of the restored immigration documents, Mr. Brown can now validly enter, work, and stay in Nigeria and today has resumed his position as CEO of Seplat Energy,” Omiyi said.

“The board and management of Seplat Energy Plc are pleased that Mr. Brown has resumed his role as CEO, as the company continues to make strong strides in delivering its 2023 operational targets.”

We don’t trust EFCC to investigate emefiele, Others — Groups

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Groups under the aegies of Niger Delta Youths congress, Initiatives for ethics and value orientation, and others have said warned President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu not to hand over Former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Abdulrashid Bawa, because

he is still under suspect. This contained a statement jointly signed by Comrade.

Israel Uwejeyan National Coordinator,Niger Delta Youth congress,Comrade.

Godfrey Osolase National Convener , National movement for Democratic change,and Comrade. Bello Idowu National President, Initiatives for ethics and value orientation shared with journalists in Abuja,

yesterday.

“We want to vehemently state that we have lost confidence in the current leadership of the EFCC and for any a thorough investigation to take place, the EFCC Chairman must step aside, else we will be chasing shadows.We firmly believe that a strong and credible EFCC is essential for the prosperity and development of our nation.”

The groups also urged the

Federal government to ensure the arrest of Abubakar Malami, Saadiyya Umar Farouk, Hadi Sirika and others.

The statement partly read “Quickly move to secure available evidence of corruption against them in the possession of the EFCC by immediately relieving the agency’s compromised leadership under Bawa and other officials like the Director Operations, Chief of

Staff, Mr Ala, Mr Mahmud, Mr Sambo Mayana, and Mr Ibrahim Idris and a host of others strongly believed to be Malami’s pawns.

“Immediately constitute a more credible leadership of the EFCC. In the alternative, set up an independent investigation panel of people of reputable integrity to conduct thorough and comprehensive investigations.

The newly elected President of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers Nigeria (CIPMN), Dr. Jamilu Yankwashi, receiving his certificate of returns, at the Institute’s Special General Meeting, yesterday, in Abuja.

METRO

FCTA impounds 499 vehicles, tricycles, bikes in 1 month

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed the impoundment of no fewer than four hundred and ninety-nine vehicles, tricycles motorcycles within the last one month, for various traffic violations.

A breakdown of the confiscation revealed that there were total number of 233 vehicles, 113 tricycles, and 153 motorcycles, including those used for dispatch riding, which hitherto operated

within the Federal Capital City (FCC), from where they were impounded and kept across five commands of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS).

It was gathered that they were confiscated for various traffic offences, ranging from no roadworthiness, recovered stolen vehicles, illegal car marts, accidents, unpainted taxes to route violations amongst others.

Briefing newsmen yesterday, after an assesment tour that took off from the DRTS Headquarters to Mabushi, AYA, Berger, Jabi

and Wuye Area Commands respectively, DRTS Director, Dr. Abdul-Lateef Bello, said the confiscation was as a result of its outings within the month under review, specifically between the month of May and first two weeks of this month, aimed at ensuring that there is traffic sanity in Abuja, the FCC in particular.

Bello noted that owners of the impounded automobiles will be made to face the FCT Mobile Court, for penalty, as the DRTS don’t have the power to penalise them, adding that the court will

do justice.

According to him: “For most cases, for us to embark on any enforcement or impoundment, we used to have constructive engagement with the stakeholders involved, reminding them of the rules and regulations guilding traffic management in the FCT.

“We will continue to this regularly, to keep the city in check in terms of traffic management.

“The fact that the Federal Capital City provides that viable benefit for commercial vehicles (taxis) for the fact that the

population is here, but we feel that people should understand and respect simple traffic regulations.

“Agree that FCT is still a work in progress, and there are somehow, transportation infrastructural deficiency, but it is not an excuse to break the law particularly in the FCC, which is so much organised.

“We will continue to be on top of our game, to ensure we regulate their activities and impound those that are recalcitrant and consistently breaking our laws”.

Leadership crisis rocks Chartered Institute of Project Managers

By Stanley Onyekwere

Barely, twenty-four hours after the purported election that made Dr. Jamilu Yankwashi as the President of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers Nigeria (CIPMN), at its Special General Meeting on Tuesday, in Abuja, the embattled

pioneer President/Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute, Dr. Victoria Okoronkwo has declared the development as a nullity.

Okoronkwo, who claimed to be the Founder of the Institute, also distanced the Institute from the purported election that thrown up Yankwashi as its new

leader, firmly maintaining that she is still the rightful President and Chairman of the governing council of the Institute.

It was gathered that the seemingly major crisis rocking the leadership of the Institute, which started from the purported court order/judgement that removed Dr. Okoronkwo as the

president and Chairman of the governing council of the Institute took another dimension when Yankwashi was declared as the new leader, at the end of the Tuesday’s disputed election.

Speaking at a news briefing, Dr. Okoronkwo, who vehemently denied Dr. Yankwashi’s claim, noted that he had no authority

to call for a special meeting or conduct any election.

She further revealed that she had already appealed the court judgement, and obtained a Stay of Execution.

She therefore declared that the actions of Dr. Yankwashi are contemptuous of the court and that the election is null and void.

Some impounded vehicles and tricycles for varing traffic violations, that are kept inside the Wuye Command, in Abuja.

A cross section of motorcycles confiscated for traffic route violations in the Federal Capital City (FCC).

Beyoncé blamed for inflation surprise in Sweden

Thought the war in Ukraine or supply chain snarls were to blame for rising prices? You must not know ‘bout Beyoncé.

The start of the singer’s world tour in Sweden last month sparked such a frenzy of demand for hotels and restaurant meals that it has shown up in the country’s economic statistics.

Sweden reported higher-thanexpected inflation of 9.7% in May.

Rising prices for hotels and restaurants were behind the surprise.

Michael Grahn, economist at Danske Bank, said he thought Beyonce helped drive the jump in hotel rates. She may also have been the force behind the unexpectedly strong uptick in recreation and culture prices, he said.

“I wouldn’t ... blame Beyoncé for [the] high inflation print, but her performance and global demand to see her perform in Sweden apparently added a little to it,” he wrote in an email to the BBC.

There is little doubt that the singer’s first solo tour in seven years

marks a big economic moment. At least one estimate suggests the run could gross almost £2bn by the time it ends in September.

Searches for accommodations

in cities on the tour shot up after it was announced, Airbnb reported. Tickets for many concerts sold out within days and prices soared on the resale market.

In the UK, 60,000 people descended on Cardiff, including fans from Lebanon, the US and Australia. Demand for hotel rooms tied to her concert in London was

so strong that in one case, some homeless families being housed in a hotel by the local council were reportedly booted to make way for her fans.

The Stockholm concerts, where Beyoncé played to a crowd of 46,000 for two nights, reportedly drew fans from around the world - especially the US, where a strong dollar against the krona helped to make tickets in the Nordic country seem a relative steal.

In an email to the Washington Post last month, Visit Stockholm described the boom in tourism to the city as the “Beyoncé effect” .

Inflation in Sweden peaked at 12.3% in December. The 9.7% rate last month was down from 10.5% in April, official figures show. Financial markets had expected around 9.4%.

For one star to have such an impact is “very rare”, Mr Grahn told the BBC, adding that big soccer tournaments can have a similar effect.

He wrote on social media that he expected trends to return to normal in June.

Ukraine war: Mystery over Chechen commander reported wounded in Ukraine

AseniorChechen commander and member of Russia’s parliament has been reported wounded in Ukraine, although colleagues have been quick to say he is alive and well.

Adam Delimkhanov is a close ally of notorious Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who initially described him as “incommunicado”.

He appealed to Ukrainian intelligence to help “find my dear brother”.

Chechen paramilitaries have joined Russian forces in the war in Ukraine.

The missing MP had commanded Chechen forces in 2022, as Russia fought for months to seize the Ukrainian port of Mariupol.

Earlier this week, the missing MP said he had met the head of Russia’s Belgorod border region and promised to help protect the area from attack. Belgorod has been targeted in recent weeks by a series of cross-border raids from Ukraine.

His whereabouts on Wednesday, however, were a mystery.

Russia’s official military TV channel Zvezda reported that he was “alive but wounded”, citing information from the lower house

of the Russian parliament.

Zvezda said the report rebuffed some social media reports that he had been killed. Ukrainian sources have referred to an unconfirmed attack on the Chechen Akhmat paramilitary in the coastal city of Prymorsk, a long way from the front

line in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.

Ramzan Kadyrov then offered a big reward for help in finding his “dear brother”, even going so far as to call for help from Ukrainian intelligence.

However, Russian officials have

since sought to quell reports of such a high-ranking commander being wounded.

Fellow MP Dmitry Kuznetsov quoted Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin as saying that he had just talked to Adam Delimkhanov and that he was “alive and well”.

Hours later, the Chechen leader backtracked on his earlier comments, claiming that his close ally was “not even wounded” and accusing Ukrainians of lying.

“I knew this from the very beginning of the injection of fake news, but I decided to show everyone, primarily Ukrainians, to what degree their media have sunk.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said however that it was following events with great concern and awaiting clarification of what had happened.

The Kremlin has so far not commented on the fate of another leading military figure, Maj Gen Sergei Goryachev, who was reportedly killed in a missile strike on Monday.

The incident was widely reported in Russian media, citing popular military blogger Yuri Kotenok, but with no official confirmation.

Russian-installed official Vladimir Rogov appeared to validate the report by offering his condolences to the general’s family and friends.

A number of Russian generals have been killed since the start of the full-scale invasion, but if confirmed, Goryachev is thought to be the first such fatality for a year.

Greece migrants: Hundreds feared missing as boat sinks

Atleast 79 people have died and more than 100 have been rescued after their fishing vessel capsized off the coast of southern Greece.

But Greek officials and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) say that hundreds more migrants may have been on board.

The shipwreck is the deadliest off Greece this year.

The boat went down about 50

miles (80 km) south-west of Pylos after the coastguard said it had refused help.

The coastguard said the boat had been spotted in international waters late on Tuesday by an aircraft belonging to EU border agency Frontex. No-one on board was wearing life jackets, it added.

A few hours later, the boat capsized and sank, triggering a search and rescue operation, which was then complicated by strong

winds.

Alarm Phone, an emergency helpline for migrants in trouble at sea, said the Greek coastguard was “aware of the ship being in distress for hours before any help was sent”, adding that authorities “had been informed by different sources” that the boat was in trouble.

It added that people may have been scared to encounter Greek authorities because they were aware of the country’s “horrible and

systematic pushback practices”.

The boat was reportedly on route to Italy from Libya, with most of those on board believed to be men in their 20s.

Survivors spoke of as many as 500 to 700 people on board and regional health director Yiannis Karvelis warned of an unprecedented tragedy: “The number of the people on board was much higher than the capacity that should be allowed for this boat.”

Coastguard Cpt Nikolaos Alexiou told public TV that his colleagues had seen people packed on to the deck and that the boat had sunk in one of the deepest parts of the Mediterranean.

The nationalities of the victims have not yet been announced. Survivors have been taken to the town of Kalamata, and many were treated in hospital for hypothermia or minor injuries.

Source: BBC

Fans travelled from around the world to see Beyonce in Stockholm last month

Adam Delimkhanov led Chechen forces during the invasion of Ukraine last year

UN chief ‘appalled’ by Darfur’s ethnic and sexual violence

UN chief António Guterres says he is appalled by reports of large-scale violence in the Darfur region of Sudan. His spokesperson says Mr Guterres has called on all warring parties to stop fighting and commit to a durable cessation of hostilities.

“He is highly worried about the increasing ethnic dimension of the violence, as well as by reports of sexual violence,” Stéphane Dujarric said.

“With nearly nine million people now urgently requiring humanitarian aid and protection in Darfur, he stresses the need for an end to looting and widened access so aid can reach those who most

need it.”

Earlier the UN’s head of mission for Sudan, Volker Perthes, said these attacks appeared to have been committed by Arab militia and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“These reports are deeply worrying and, if verified, could amount to crimes against humanity,” he said in a statement.

.Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has announced it will jointly lead a conference on the humanitarian response to the war in Sudan next week. Saudi Arabia and the US have been trying to mediate in the eightweek conflict between the army and the RSF.

At least 78 migrants are known to have drowned when their boat capsized off the southern coast of Greece, with many more possibly missing.

Officials have been quoted as saying the vessel may have been carrying up to 400 people. More than 100 have been rescued, but the operation has

been hampered by strong winds. The Greek coast guard said the boat had been spotted by a surveillance plane from the EU’s Frontex agency on Tuesday

Boat crossing Mediterranean capsizes killing migrants Ghana arrests made over viral sexual assault video

Four men have been arrested in north-eastern Ghana for their alleged involvement in a viral video in which a woman was stripped naked and sexually assaulted as a crowd looked on.

The woman, believed to be from the Fulani community, was eventually able to free herself and run off.

The incident happened in the market of Zebilla, a town in Upper East Region where there have been long-standing tensions between semi-nomadic Fulani herders and local people.

The communities often quarrel over grazing rights for

cattle and access to water. The tensions recently resulted in the killing of a young man from the town who was allegedly killed in a fight by Fulanis.

Local reports suggest the assault on the woman may have been in revenge for that killing.

Police described the incident as “inhumane and degrading” and said arrangements were being made to offer the woman psychosocial support.

The suspects in custody were also helping with inquiries to make further arrests, the police added.

afternoon, but that the passengers refused any help.

Authorities said the vessel appears to have been on its way from Libya to Italy.

Saudis flock to Kenyan carbon credits auction

More than a dozen companies, mainly from Saudi Arabia, are bidding for two million tonnes of carbon credits at an auction in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Demand for carbon offsets is growing fast as companies seek to reach their target of net-zero emissions.

The organisers of the auction say almost three-quarters of the carbon credits are being generated by projects in Africa, including supplying efficient cooking stoves in Kenya and Rwanda. Large companies looking to offset their own carbon emissions

Mozambique fisherman in jihadist area given new kit

- including the airline Saudiawill be bidding in Nairobi.

Within the next decade, the global market for these voluntary carbon credits is expected to be worth tens of billions of dollars.

But critics have in the past questioned the quality of some so-called green projects set up in Africa.

There is also some concern that with an option to buy carbon credits, companies including airlines are not under enough pressure to cut their own emissions.

Nigerians welcome student loans but questions linger

The governor of the jihadisthit northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado has visited fishermen who have returned to the coastal village of Pangane.

Most people have fled this area, which has witnessed some of the worst attacks since the Islamist insurgency erupted in 2017.

But the group of young fisherman have decided to move back because since a regional force deployed around two years ago to Cabo Delgado to help the Mozambican army regain control of the towns, the violence has reduced.

Nigerians

in capital, Abuja, tell the BBC they welcome President Bola Tinubu’s new student loan bill, but are questioning how it will work in practice.

The new policy, which the president signed into law on Monday,

offers financial support for poorer students in higher education by enabling them to easily get interestfree loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to cover tuition fees.

However, students could face two

years imprisonment or a 500,000 naira ($1,000; £790) fine if they default on repayments once eligible to do so.

“I think it’s a very good idea and it’s going to help students,” one young woman tells the BBC, adding that

people should not just “collect loan and relax”, referencing the strict rules regarding repayment or jail time.

One student says the policy is good as fees have increased exponentially.

Cabo Delgado Governor Valige Tauabo made the trip to Pangane to show his appreciation for their return - though it is not officially sanctioned by the authorities given that the militants are known to still operate at a low level. He gave them fishing equipment and supplies to help them re-establish themselves.

Jihadists were reported to be moving through the area on Sunday.

South African MPs pass ‘revolutionary’ health bill

South Africa’s lower house of parliament has passed a contentious universal healthcare bill - described by the health minister as a “historic” moment for the country.

The National Health Insurance (NHI) bill seeks to give South Africans “of all races, rich or poor and legal long-term residents” access to quality healthcare.

This is in accordance with the constitution, adopted after Nelson Mandela was democratically elected as president in 1994 following the end of whiteminority rule.

The country is still considered one the most unequal societies in the world, with a huge wealth gap and 84% of South Africans relying on often poor quality public healthcare.

The bill intends to create one public health fund for private and public healthcare providers - a pool of money to be funded through general taxes, contributions from those earning above a set amount and monthly contributions from employees.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla said the vote by the National Assembly - with 205 MPs in

support and 125 against - was a major milestone and laid a foundation for big reforms, the South African Government News Agency (SANews) reports.

“This is one of the most revolutionary pieces of legislation presented to this house since the dawn of democracy,” News24 quotes Mr Phaahla as saying, describing him as elated after the vote.

At the moment, the government says the 16% of the population who have private medical insurance benefit from 51% of the national expenditure

on medical treatment, leaving the system squeezed trying to provide free care for the vast majority of South Africans.

“This has led to a situation where the public health system is under tremendous pressure while the private healthcare is overservicing its clients leading to ever-rising costs to the members of medical schemes while the investors are enjoying huge dividends,” Mr Phaahla said.

This often race-determined health system was an inheritance of apartheid and had become class based as inequality was growing

“even cutting across race”, the health minister said.

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) voted against the bill.

The DA feels it will be disastrous for the private healthcare system, destroying it through a lack of funding.

The EFF says the only cure for the “two-tier” system is for the full nationalisation of healthcare.

The proposed legislation will now go to the upper house - the National Council of Provinces - for consideration before it is

N ews F rom A F ric A

Ukraine war: ‘Extremely fierce battles’ as Kyiv seeks to advance

“Extremely fierce battles” are raging in parts of Ukraine as Kyiv’s forces continue their counter-offensive, the country’s deputy defence minister says.

dozens of residential houses, Ukrainian authorities said.

Hanna

Maliar wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had managed to advance near Bakhmut in the east and Zaporizhzhia in the south. But she conceded Russian forces were mounting a stiff defence in some areas.

Her comments come after another night of Russian missile and drones strikes on cities across Ukraine.

Russia has stepped up its bombing campaign in recent weeks, despite President Vladimir Putin admitting that his forces are suffering from a shortage of missiles and drones. The latest wave included a relatively rare strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa.

Kyiv’s much-anticipated advance has been long in the making, and Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of increasing strikes in recent weeks to deflect attention from the offensive.

The Ukrainians say their troops have recaptured seven settlements and at least 90 sq km (35 sq miles) since starting their counter-offensive.

Ms Maliar wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian troops had advanced around the city of Bakhmut, long the centre of a grinding and bloody street-bystreet battle with Russian forces.

She said soldiers advanced by 200m to 500m towards the city, as well as advancing 300m to 500m in the southern Zaporizhzhia province. The BBC cannot independently verify these claims.

But she conceded that the counter-offensive had already led to some “extremely fierce battles”, as Ukrainian forces try to break

And six people - including four forestry workers - were killed after Russia shelled a a van in north-eastern Ukraine on Tuesday. Ukrainian prosecutors said the attack occurred near the village of Seredyna-Buda, close to the Russian border.

The director of the UN’s nuclear watchdog has postponed a planned trip the the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Senior Ukrainian officials said Rafael Grossi had agreed to delay his trip until it was safer to travel. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief said on Tuesday that he was “very concerned” that the plant could be caught in the crossfire of Ukraine’s counter-offensive.

through

well established Russian defensive lines.

Senior Western officials have warned against the idea that Russian forces will simply “melt away” in the face of Ukrainian attacks, adding that Kyiv’s gains had already been “costly”.

“Russian forces have generally put up a good defence from their well-prepared, defended positions and had been falling back between tactical lines,” the sources said.

“This ‘manoeuvre defence approach’ is proving challenging for the Ukrainians and also costly to attacking forces. Hence, the advance at the moment has been slow,” they observed, adding that it was too soon to say how effective Ukraine’s offensive has been.

But they emphasised that heavy losses were to be expected, given Russia has had months to prepare defensive lines.

“This was never going to be

without risk,” they said. “What we’re seeing is not unexpected. It’s difficult, and it is going to be challenging for Ukrainians. What we have seen, though, is they’ve continued to push through where they have had losses, and then continued to advance. So overall is going in the right direction.”

Both sides have reported mounting casualties among their opponents which cannot be independently verified.

Wednesday night’s strikes on the Black Sea port city of Odesa killed at east three people, Ukrainian officials have said.

Another 13 people were injured in the early morning attacks, which targeted a warehouse and damaged shops.

The south-western city is vital to Ukraine’s grain exports through the Black Sea and has come under infrequent missile fire during the war.

Military commanders said Russia fired 10 missiles and 10 drones overnight, most of which were shot down by air defences.

They added that three of four KH-22 missiles launched from a Russian warship in the Black Sea were shot down, with the final one managing to hit Odesa.

Oleg Kiper, the head of the region’s military administration, said the three dead were workers in the warehouse, which was being used as a food storage centre.

“There may be people under the rubble,” he added. More civilians were injured after the blast and “air combat” damaged shops, restaurants - including a McDonald’s - and residential areas, Mr Kiper wrote on Telegram.

Elsewhere, strikes on the eastern cities of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka killed a further three people and destroyed

His officials have also stressed their need to access a site near the plant to check water levels, after the nearby reservoir supplying cooling pools for the plant was hit by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

Meanwhile, in Moscow the state Duma [parliament] has approved a new bill allowing the defence ministry to sign contracts with convicted criminals to fight in Ukraine.

The new law will allow anyone who is being investigated for committing a crime, having their case heard in court or who has been convicted but before the verdict takes legal effect, to sign up to the army.

People accused of sexual offences, treason, terrorism or extremism will be excluded from the law.

The move - widely seen as the latest attempt by Russian to avoid moving to full conscriptionseeks to fill gaps left by mounting casualties.

North Korea: Residents tell BBC of neighbours starving to death

Exclusiveinterviews gathered inside the world’s most isolated state suggest the situation is the worst it has been since the 1990s, experts say.

The government sealed its borders in 2020, cutting off vital supplies. It has also tightened control over people’s lives, our interviewees say.

Pyongyang told the BBC it has always prioritised its citizens’ interests.

The BBC has secretly interviewed three ordinary people in North Korea, with the help of the organisation Daily NK which operates a network of sources in the country. They told us that since the border closure, they are afraid they will either starve to death or be executed for flouting the rules. It is extremely rare to hear from people living in North Korea.

The interviews reveal a “devastating tragedy is unfolding” in the country, said Sokeel Park from Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), which supports North Korean escapees.

One woman living in the capital Pyongyang told us she knew a family of three who had starved to death at home. “We knocked on their door to give them water, but nobody answered,” Ji Yeon said. When the authorities went inside, they found them dead, she said.

Ji Yeon’s name has been changed to protect her, along with those of the others we interviewed.

A construction worker who lives near the Chinese border, whom we have called Chan Ho, told us food supplies were so low that five people in his village had already died from starvation.

“At first, I was afraid of dying from Covid, but then I began to worry about starving to death,” he said.

North Korea has never been able to produce enough food for its 26 million people. When it shut its border in January 2020, authorities stopped importing grain from China, as well as the fertilisers and machinery needed to grow food.

Meanwhile, they have fortified the border with fences, while

reportedly ordering guards to shoot anyone trying to cross. This has made it nearly impossible for people to smuggle in food to sell at the unofficial markets, where most North Koreans shop.

A market trader from the north of the country, whom we have named Myong Suk, told us that almost three quarters of the products in her local market used to come from China, but that it was “empty now”.

She, like others who make their living selling goods smuggled across the border, has seen most of her income disappear. She told us her family has never had so little to eat, and that recently people had been knocking on her door asking for food because they were so hungry.

From Pyongyang, Ji Yeon told us she had heard of people who had killed themselves at home or disappeared into the mountains to die, because they could no longer make a living. She was struggling to feed her children, she said. Once, she went two days without eating and

thought she was going to die in her sleep.

In the late 1990s, North Korea experienced a devastating famine which killed as many as three million people. Recent rumours of starvation, which these interviews corroborate, have prompted fears the country could be on the brink of another catastrophe.

“That normal, middle-class people are seeing starvation in their neighbourhoods, is very concerning,” said the North Korea economist Peter Ward. “We are not talking about fullscale societal collapse and mass starvation yet, but this does not look good.”

Hanna Song, the director of NKDB, which documents human rights violations in North Korea, agreed. “For the past 10-15 years we have rarely heard of cases of starvation. This takes us back to the most difficult time in North Korean history.”

Even the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has hinted at the seriousness of the situation - at one point referring openly to a

“food crisis”, while making various attempts to boost agricultural production. Despite this, he has prioritised funding his nuclear weapons programme, testing a record 63 ballistic missiles in 2022. One estimate puts the total cost of these tests at more than $500m (£398m) - more than the amount needed to make up for North Korea’s annual grain shortfall.

Our interviewees also revealed how the government has used the past three years to increase its control over people’s lives, by strengthening punishments and passing new laws.

Before the pandemic, more than 1,000 people would flee the country each year, crossing the Yalu River into China, according to numbers released by the South Korean government. The market trader Myong Suk told us it had become impossible to escape. “If you even approach the river now you will be given a harsh punishment, so almost nobody is crossing,” she said.

The construction worker

Ukraininan troops have recaptured several settlements in the east of the country

NIOB urges govt to prioritise construction of affordable houses

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) urges government to make construction of affordable houses for citizens a priority.

Prof. Yohanna Izam, President, NIOB, made this call recently at a two-day Mandatory Continuous Professional Development Workshop for its members in Abuja.

The theme of the workshop is “Innovation and technology in housing development”.

It also has sub themes:”Understanding the Nigeria housing challenge, technology driven mass housing provision and innovations to address housing affordability’.

Izam said that there was an urgent need for mass housing provision in the country.

According to him, the provision of mass housing units will not only address the housing deficit but will also solve a social welfare problem.

“We have look at the deficit in housing which some people have put the figures at 20 million. So the incoming administration should consider it as a priority to begin to develop mass houses for Nigerians.

“It will solve a social welfare problem and it will also reflect the economy that will create jobs for our teaming populace,” he said.

While speaking on the paper he presented at the workshop about Dry Construction he said

that it was about addressing the issue of speed in construction.

According to him, it helps to minimise the amount of onsite activities that involves industrialised building system that use more of refabricated components assembled within a short time on the construction site.

“The time for construction is reduced and on the long time factory production of considerable number of components improve the quality of the components and also reduce the cost of production.

“That is what other countries are using to address the issue of mass housing provision.

“We are talking about large numbers, if we can do 700,000 units in Nigeria for the next 10-20 years then we will now stabilise in the housing sector then Nigerians can have affordable housing,” he said.

On his part, 2nd Vice President of NIOB, Mr Bimbo Kolade decried the lack of accurate data on housing deficit in the country.

He said that shelter was critical and innovation and technology must be deployed to address housing delivery in Nigeria from the foundation stage to the last level of delivery.

Kolade said as builders one of the objectives of the workshop was to set an agenda for the incoming administration on the need for mass housing.

Prof. Ismaila Adamu of Yobe State University Damaturu who presented a paper on provision

of affordable housing using Lean Technology said the Technology would help reduce cost.

“It is a technique for project construction management, where you cut down cost through eliminating waste and eliminate any activity in the production process that does not add value to the building.

“Since we are looking for innovative ways for affordable housing units it is a technique that manages planning with control, so that when you plan

you also control.

“When you talk of affordable housing you can look at it from different perspectives, affordable houses to who?

“Everyone has the type of house he wants, because you see sometimes government builds houses and give to people but they sell it and go and construct the type that they like.

Adamu said effort must be put into providing houses for the low income groups that are really affordable and cost effective.

One of the participants of the workshop, Mr Olaniran Aderobigbe, a fellow of NIOB and Managing Director of Projubi Nigeria Plc said the workshop was key because it keeps builders abreast of the latest innovation the industry globally.

Aderibigbe said most of the lectures were futuristic and would give participants a mindset to process and apply the techniques when they eventually come across them adding that the workshop was worthwhile.

Service Charge Key In Mgt Of Multi Tenanted Property - ESV. Patrick Okeke

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

An Estate Surveyor & Valuer ESV. Patrick Kene

Okeke, said Service Charge is key in the management of multitalented property.

ESV. Okeke made the disclosure in Abuja, yesterday while speaking to newsmen.

He said multi tenanted property have facilities that are used in common by all tenants.

“Facilities such as elevators, security lighting, security alarm, elevators among others. The Service Charge are imposed on all the tenants for smooth running of the property and for the common good of all”.

He said the Estate Surveyor and Valuer, will normally propose annual budget, estimate to cover the expenses which will be apportioned to tenants to pay accordingly.

“The Service Charge is paid collectively by the tenants according to the space they are occupying”.

He will equally manage the funds for the day to day running of the property.

“ The Estate Surveyor & Valuer will provide an annual report to show how the money collected are expended, each tenant must have the statement of account. This is very important to enable each

tenant to know whether he has a refund or will add to the common pool of funds”, Okeke stated.

He explained that “It is important to add that nonpayment of service charge by some tenants has wide implication in the maintenance of the property.

“When the security men and cleaners for instance are not paid at the end of the month, your guess is as good as mine with what

will happen to the property”.

He said that Estate Surveyors and Valuers are the only professionals who are competent to handle this aspect of property management.

“He is the one who secured the tenants and such are familiar with them and conversant with the day to day running of the property maintenance and can deal with artisans as the case maybe”, he stated.

Surveyors task members on professionalism

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Kaduna State Council has charged members to keep upgrading and expanding their professional prowess, through training, if they must remain useful and relevant in the ever-changing world.

The Chairman of the State Council, Surv Daudu Andrew asserted this during the oath taking of new exco and induction of new members into the instruction held in Kaduna on 3rd of June, 2023.

According to him, professionals in the sector should consistently seek to

improve themselves for adequate competition, saying.

surveyors must eschew all tendencies capable of undermining the professional ethics in the overall interest of the people and country at large.

Surv. Andrew called on the Kaduna State Government to ensure the inclusion of the

menbers of the institution in government projects, stressing no projects can stand the test of time and no Certificate of Occupancy is free from litigation if there is no surveyors contribution.

He said Kaduna state is the number two on the national ladder of the institution in terms of dues payments.

He stressed that the current leadership of the Institution is working in sync with the government and its agencies to create the necessary environment for growth, peace and harmony within the profession that will reduce land litigations in the state.

Afghan migrants kidnapped and tortured on Iran-Turkey border

Afghans fleeing the Taliban are being kidnapped and tortured by gangs as they try to cross the border between Iran and Turkey on their way to Europe, a BBC investigation has found. The gangs then send videos of the abuse to the families of migrants being held hostage, demanding a ransom for their release.

Warning: this article contains descriptions of violence and sexual assault that some readers may find disturbing

Shackled together on a mountain-top with padlocks around their necks, a group of Afghan migrants beg for their release.

“Whoever watches this video, I was kidnapped yesterday, they are demanding $4,000 (£3,200) for each one of us. They beat us day and night non-stop,” says one man, with a bloodied lip, his face caked in dust.

Another video shows a group of men fully naked, crawling in the snow as someone whips them from behind.

“I have family, don’t do this to me; I have a wife and children, have mercy, please,” one man cries in another, shortly before he is filmed being sexually abused at knifepoint by one of the gangs.

These disturbing videos are evidence of a growing criminal enterprise, in which gangs in Iran kidnap mainly Afghan migrants trying to make their way to Europe.

The migration route from Afghanistan to Iran, then across the border into Turkey and onto the rest of Europe, has been used for decades. In fact, I took part of the same journey myself 12 years ago when fleeing Iran for the UK, where I was granted asylum.

But the route is now more dangerous than ever.

Those trying to cross from Iran into Turkey walk for hours over dry, mountainous terrain with no trees to provide shade, making it harder to avoid security forces who patrol the area.

As hundreds of thousands have fled Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, gangs have seen an opportunity to profit from the huge increase in the number of people making the journey.

Often in collaboration with the smugglers, they are kidnapping people on the Iranian side of the border, extorting money from vulnerable groups who have often already paid large sums in order to ensure safe passage.

The BBC team heard stories of torture from at least 10 locations along the border. One activist who has been documenting the abuse for the past three years told us he received as many as two or three videos of torture a day at its peak.

In an apartment in Turkey’s commercial capital Istanbul, we meet Amina.

She had a successful career as a police officer in Afghanistan, but fled the country when she realised the Taliban were going to retake power, having received threats before from the group.

Softly-spoken and wearing a purple headscarf, she told me about her experience on the border when she and her family were taken hostage by a gang.

“I was very scared, I was terrified, because I was pregnant and there was no doctor. We had heard many stories of young boys being raped.”

Her father Haji told us the gang sent him a video showing the torture of an unknown Afghan man after they had kidnapped Amina and other members of his family.

“This was the situation I was in. By sending these videos they were warning me. If you don’t pay the ransom we will kill your daughters and your son-in-law,” he says.

Haji sold his house in Afghanistan to pay the gang and get his family released. They then tried again to get into Turkey, this time successfully.

But the eight-day ordeal on the border was too much for Amina.

She lost her baby.

Aside from the gangs, Amina and others face another major obstacle along their route: The wall.

Snaking more than half the length of the Turkish-Iranian border, it stands three metres high

and is fortified with barbed wire and electronic sensors, as well as watch-towers funded by the European Union (EU).

Turkey began building the wall in 2017 in order to stop migrants crossing into the country, but they are still coming.

Amina and several others told us they fell into the hands of violent gangs on the Iranian side after Turkish authorities had pushed them back over the border at night, allegations which have also been documented by international rights groups.

Mahmut Kagan, a Turkish

prevent illegal entry into Turkey are carried out within the scope of border management.

Before the wall was built, many locals used to make a living by smuggling goods across the border. That trade has largely vanished now, meaning some have switched to kidnapping or trafficking migrants instead.

In Van, the closest Turkish city to the Iranian border and a hub for migrant trafficking, we met a young Afghan man called Ahmed in a stable repurposed as a safehouse, as he negotiated the next leg of his journey with smugglers.

Ahmed’s brother was kidnapped on the Iranian side of the border with his extended family when they tried to flee the Taliban last year.

It was Ahmed, then still in Afghanistan, who received the calls from the gang demanding a ransom.

“I said we don’t have money, the kidnapper was beating my brother. We could hear it down the line,” he says.

Ahmed sold his family’s belongings to pay for their release. But the experience wasn’t enough to stop him trying the same journey himself six months later, desperate to make a living after the economic crisis that followed the Taliban takeover.

In the Afghan capital Kabul, we met Said, back where he started after six failed attempts to escape Afghanistan and make it to Turkey.

He had been promised a fake document that would allow him to cross to Turkey. Instead he says he was betrayed by his contact and sold to a gang, who tortured him and demanded a $10,000 (£7,990) ransom.

“I was very scared. They could do anything to me. Take out my eyes, sell my kidneys, take out my heart,” he says.

But he told us it was his dignity that he feared losing the most, after he overheard the gang discussing how they could rape him and send the video to his family back home.

Eventually, he escaped after paying $500 (£400).

We asked the Iranian government what was being done to crack down on the gangs’ activities along the border, but we did not receive a response.

The BBC is banned from reporting inside Iran, so we were not able to cross the border to investigate further.

human rights lawyer who represents asylum seekers, insists this practice, which is illegal under international law, is helping the gangs to exploit people.

“It’s very much related to the pushbacks - those violationsbecause it creates a fragile group open to all forms of abuses,” he says.

Turkish authorities did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment about these allegations. But in the face of similar accusations from human rights groups the government has denied pushbacks, saying any activities to

Weeks after our interview, Said contacted us to tell us that he was back on the move and had reached Tehran again. That was eight months ago - and we have not heard from him since.

Others we met who did make it to Turkey, like Amina, are trying to look to the future with optimism.

“I won’t give up. I know I’ll become a mother,” she says. “I know I’ll be strong.”

We have changed the names of some interviewees in this report for their security.

Source: BBC

Videos of migrants being abused are sent to their families demanding ransoms

Hundreds of thousands have fled Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021

A fortified concrete wall now stretches more than half the length of Turkey’s border with Iran

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2. TO PROMOTE COLLECTIVE SECURITYARRANGEMENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION AND BEAUTIFICATION OF CITISCAPE COURT LOKOGMA. 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

AUTO LUBE OPERATORS ASSOCIATION, LAGOS

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. ADEWUNMI OLUWASANYA (CHAIRMAN)

2. FAGOROLA OLUWABUNMI DANIEL (SECRETARY)

3. FADARE ADUBI OLASUNKANMI

4. FADARE RUFUS AYEGBUSI

5. ARIYO ADEMOLA ADEROPO

6. OMOLE ADEKUNLE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF ITS MEMBERS.

2. TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF ITS MEMBERS.

3. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF ITS MEMBERS.

4. TO ENHANCE THE BUSINESS OF THEIR MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

OOU ACCOUNTING 2004 ALUMNI

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HASAPPLIED TO THE CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. SHOYODE USMAN OLATUNJI. TRUSTEE/CHAIRMAN

2. ADELEKE IBUKUNOLUWA ADENIKE. TRUSTEE

3. IDOWU OLUSEYI OYEWOLE . TRUSTEE

4. OGUNTAMU OLUWALEKE SUNDAY. SECRETARY

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

I. TO FOSTER UNITY, PROMOTE CORDIAL RELATIONS AMONG MEMBERS.

II. TO PROMOTE AND SEEK THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE MEMBERS.

III. TO ORGANIZE SOCIAL AND EVENT GATHERINGS TO FOSTER CONNECTIVITY AMONG MEMBERS.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS 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 HASAPPLIED TO THE CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJAFOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, (CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1.ZION OLUFEMI PERCY - CHAIRMAN

2.ADELOKUN OMOLARA ENIOLA - SECRETARY

3.AINA SAMUEL.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO CARTER FOR THE WELFARE OF THE MEMBERS

2. TO ORGANIZE, PROMOTE, SPONSOR PUBLIC AWARENESS OF ITS CULTURAL HERITAGE

3. TO PROMOTE, AND ENCOURAGE PEACE, UNITY AND PROGRESS AMONG ITS MEMBERS 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.

GDSS TANKE CLASS OF 95 ALUMNI

Sports

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2023

AFCON 2023 Qualifier: Full Players In Eagles Camp Ahead Lone Stars Sunday Clash

By Amaechi Agbo

All invited players are now in the camp of the Super Eagles in Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos as countdown begins for Sunday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying showdown with the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in Monrovia. Table-toppers Nigeria, on nine points, will slug it out with the Leone Stars, four points behind and in third place, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Paynesville, Monrovia.

The 22,000 -capacity arena will witness fireworks from 5pm Nigeria time (4pm Liberia time) as the Super Eagles seek to

reach the finals of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for Cote d’Ivoire early next year, with a game to spare.

For the last edition of Africa’s flagship football championship, the Super Eagles qualified for the finals with a game to spare after Paul Onuachu headed in with few minutes left against Benin Republic’s Guepards in Porto Novo.

Three-time champions Nigeria will fire from all cylinders at the Paynesville, conscious that second-placed Guinea Bissau, two points behind, are likely to inflict defeat on group whipping boys Sao Tome and Principe in the other match of the pool.

In the last weeks of 2020, the Leone Stars famously came from 4-1 down to draw 4-4 with the Super Eagles at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City in another Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match (Cameroon 2021), and few days later, held the Eagles to a barren draw at the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown.

When both teams clashed on Day 1 of the ongoing series at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja a year ago, the Leone Stars drew the first blood before goals by Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen put Nigeria in the driving seat. The Eagles flew to Agadir, Morocco some days later to inflict a 10-0 defeat on Sao Tome and Principe, in

the event setting a new international winrecord.

The Confederation of African Football has appointed Sudanese official Mahmood Ali Ismail as the referee for Sunday’s encounter, with his compatriot Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim as assistant referee 1. Liban Abdourazak Ahmed from Djibouti will serve as assistant referee 2, with Mohamed Diraneh Guedi, also from Djibouti, in the role of fourth official.

Gambian Bakary Jammeh will be the commissioner while Kokou Djaoupe from Togo will serve as referee assessor.

Super Eagles players during training on Tuesday in Lagos

S P R T

AFN 2nd All Comers/Golden league Trials Hold In Benin

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria(AFN) begins a two-day All Comers and Golden league trials at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin,with the female 100 meters opening the heat.

As the sprinters burn the tartan tracks at the remodelled Samuel Ogbemudia stadium,so the field is busy with javelin, Discuss, shortput and longjump among other activities of field events.

According to the AFN programme,the golden league meet takes center stage tomorrow to climax the twoday track and field events in Benin.

The two-day trials,according to an AFN official, will be moved to Uyo,the Akwa lbom state capital for continuation of the Golden league and later return to Benin again for the grand finale at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in July this year.

The All Comers and Golden League Trials are designed for the qualifications to the world Athletics Championship slated for August 19-27 this year in Budapest, Hungary.

The remodelled Samuel Ogbemudia stadium which also hosted the Federation of

International Sports Union (FISU) two months ago for it's trials in preparation for the

world University Games slated for China later this year,and Nigeria Women Basketball

League Qualifiers two weeks ago is now the destination for national sports events.

Edo athletes ready for National U-18 Swimming Competition In Asaba

As Team Edo swimmers prepare to leave Benin for Asaba to participate in the National Under 18 Swimming Competition,scheduled to begin on Wednesday,June 14,2023 in Asaba, Delta state,the chairman,Edo state Aquatic board Clement Sunday Minabowan has urged team Edo athletes and coaches to do the state proud by bringing honour back

home.

Minabowan gave the charge Wednesday reminding the athletes to be true ambassadors of Edo state by remaining disciplined during the competition in Delta state.

“Go there and do Edo state proud. Be disciplined throughout and come back with medals. We are sponsoring you people to participate in the national

competition because we know the importance. It is a qualifying event for the African Zone 2 Junior Championships hosting in Accra, Ghana, in August 2023.It is also a good opportunity to test your strength and skills after months of training. I wish you a great outing in Asaba. “ He enthused.

The former champion and Gold medalist for the defunct Bendel

state expressed optimism that Edo athletes will do well at the national under 18 competition, promising that his board will always encourage the athletes and coaches.

Speaking with journalists on Team Edo swimmers readiness for the competition, the head coach of Edo Aquatic Association coach Poland Benazimo revealed that

Edo Aquatic Association is going to the Asaba national under 18 Swimming competition with six athletes; three boys and three girls, and two coaches.

Participating teams are expected to arrive in Asaba,Delta state tomorrow (June 14,2023) while the competition is scheduled to begin on Thursday,June 15 and end on Saturday, June 17.

Sani Lulu Lauds Gusau on sincerity, vision As NFF President

Aformer President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi has praised the vision and direction of the current Ibrahim Musa Gusau-led NFF administration, saying the sincerity of its approach to issues and unambiguous intention to develop the game from the grassroots will culminate in steady growth of the Nigeria game.

Speaking during a visit to the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on Wednesday – the first since he left office in 2010 – the Omachi Attah of Igalaland described the present NFF team as “experienced,

diligent and committed,” and expressed confidence that it will succeed with its focus on grassroots development and inclusivity in administration.

“I feel honoured to be here. This is my first time in the NFF, sitting happily with a sitting NFF President, since I left office. I am happy about the path you have chosen, about the fact that you’re a bridge-builder and about your honest intentions in taking Nigeria Football to new heights.

“I am happy doing what I am doing. I thank God for the little I was able to do with my team while we were. It was so many years

ago but I still feel the passion because I never really left,” said Lulu, whose FOSLA Secondary School is the reigning champion of the National Principals’ Cup competition.

Earlier, President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau praised the passion and energy of the former NFF supremo while in office, and commended the fact that he has continued to work with the same passion in producing excellent individuals through his football academy that nicely blends football with education.

“You are one man we all respect so much because football

is the centre of your existence. Even after leaving office as NFF President, you have remained in the game and your school continues to churn out good products for our football teams.

“What you are doing is invaluable and it is making a real impact because very few people are providing the opportunity for our young men to blend their urge for education with their passion for football.”

Gusau disclosed that the NFF is working in synergy with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Federal Ministry of Education, as well as the Nigeria School Sports

Federation, to produce Nigeria’s representatives for subsequent editions of the African Secondary Schools Football Competition.

FOSLA, as the country’s champion school, has been invited to participate in this year’s International School Sports Federation competition taking place in Morocco next month.

Also present at the occasion were NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; NFF’s Director of Competitions, Ruth David and; Alhaji Suleiman Yusuf, personal assistant to Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi.

FIFA Secretary-General Fatma Samoura Resigns

FIFA SecretaryGeneral Fatma Samoura will leave her role at the end of the year after seven years in which she played a pivotal role in transforming the organisation, restoring its credibility and breaking down barriers.

“It was the best decision of my life to join FIFA,” says FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

“I am very proud to have led such a diverse team. My first word of thanks goes to Gianni Infantino for giving me this dream job. He has shown trust, understanding and an incredible level of support. It is a pleasure to work alongside someone that has transformed FIFA. FIFA today is a better governed, more open, more reliable and more transparent organisation. I will leave

FIFA with a high sense of pride and fulfilment.

“I had intended to share my news first with the FIFA Council members next week, but I am aware there has been growing speculation about my position in recent months. For now, I am fully focused on the preparation and delivery of the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. I look forward to spending the next six months bringing to life the 11 objectives that President Infantino announced at the FIFA Congress in Kigali in March. From next year, I would like to spend more time with my family. I have been in love with football since I was eight years old and I feel honoured to have been on this journey.”

“It has been a privilege and an honour to work with

a trailblazer in the game,” says FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Ever since we met, I knew she would be superb for FIFA. Her passion and enthusiasm to drive change has been inspirational. Fatma was the first woman, and the first African, to be appointed to such an important position at FIFA. We respect Fatma’s decision and I would like to thank her for such dedication and commitment to football. Fatma will continue to contribute towards the development of the game and its social values together with us.”

The first female and non-European to hold the role as head of FIFA’s administration, Fatma Samoura was a trailblazer from the moment she stepped into the Home of FIFA to take on her new

role after her appointment in May 2016 by recently elected President Infantino. She has overseen unprecedented growth in women’s football ever since.

Fatma Samoura has overseen a complete restructure at FIFA that included the appointment of two Deputy Secretary Generals, a new and fully developed Women’s Football Division, a Technical Development Division, a Chief Compliance Officer, and improved programmes for FIFA’s 211 member associations.

She arrived at FIFA with more than two decades of experience working for the United Nations where she served in seven countries: the Republic of Djibouti, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Niger, Madagascar and

Nigeria.

Working in places affected by war, violence and a lack of women’s rights, she had often been struck by the way in which football, more than anything else, could persuade warring groups to lay down their weapons and bring joy even to people who were enduring terrible suffering. She realised that football was a universal language.

Players at the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ will enjoy the same conditions and service levels as the men at the FIFA World Cup 2022™ in Qatar. With 32 teams, it will be the biggest and best in the competition’s history, providing a fitting sendoff for the FIFA Secretary General when she steps down in December.

LATEST SPORTS

NPFL Cñclubs endorse IMC report on 2023 League season

. . . putting the people first

The beginning of a new era (2)

It is just 16 days into the new Administration; and while it would appear it is too short a time to begin to logically appraise the performance of the new Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the tempo of most Nigerians cutting across strata and dispositions would say differently. Even from the stock of the opposition, we have begun to see a wave of genuine repentances and acknowledgements of the capacity of the president to make a remarkable difference in the governance of the country.

Guest Columnist

By Ussiju Medaner

same.

A well planned out implementation of this policy would be all that is needed to create an all-inclusive education that is needed in the country, including the children of the poor as much as that of the rich having access to the same education as far as the country is concerned. It is for this reason that we cannot afford to allow the implementation to go south like many great dreams before now. So, where do we start from and what must be in place to get it done?

Nigeria

Premier Football League (NPFL) Chairmen met with the leadership of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) on Monday in Lagos to ratify the outcome of the 2022/23 season which will pave the way for the names of the three top clubs to be forwarded to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The three clubs in order of placement are Enyimba International, Remo Stars and Rivers United are to represent Nigeria in the CAF Club competitions starting in August.

While Enyimba and Remo Stars are to play in the CAF Champions League, Rivers United will be joined by the winner of the Federation Cup to represent Nigeria in the CAF Confederation Cup.

At the meeting, the IMC presented the results, table and goals scored to the Club Managers who unanimously adopted it by voice vote

Led by Chief Sir Okechukwu Kpalukwu of Rivers United and Tunde Ogujah of Sunshine Stars, the clubs commended the IMC for the success of the regular season and the play-off.

Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, Chairman of the IMC thanked the clubs for their cooperation in the course of the season which he said was a learning curve for the league body.

“We ran an abridged format of the season to conform with the CAF and FIFA calendar which entails completing the league by May and June to start the new season by August.

“We are not unaware of the strain on the clubs in terms of logistics and personnel. It is very well appreciated that you cooperated with us to complete the season”, Elegbeleye stated.

The detailed results and statistics of the NPFL Championship Play-off was presented to the Clubs’ Officials by Davidson Owumi who explained that the short notice of the meeting was as a result of the need to meet the NFF mandate to conclude the season and submit names of eligible clubs.

Notable club officers at the meeting were Enyimba Chairman, Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu who is also the First Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Rt. Hon Tunde Olaniyan of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), Abubakar Danfulani of Gombe United, Remo Stars Managing Director, Lukman Ogungbefun and Barrister Ferdinand Chukwuemeka of Rangers amongst others.

Enyimba edged the rest five teams to clinch a historical ninth league title after ending on nine points at the Championship Play-off at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Sunday.

Some of us are not surprised as we knew and canvassed support for his candidacy way back because we knew of his antecedents as an executive leader of Lagos state government and overtime as a political leader.

Give it to President Bola Tinubu; he came in prepared to govern Nigeria. From his utterances and the confidence he demonstrated, he knew before hand what the national challenges are and he obviously knows what to do to solve them. In just two weeks, we are beginning to see the President setting national developmental trajectories that are feasible and workable. For the first time in a long time, we are seeing the Federal Government sort out issues of national importance fairly on the negotiation table.

It is un-Nigeria to see the people agreeing unanimously with the removal of fuel subsidy and buying of PMS at prices that are well above five hundred naira without taking to the streets, and even the civil society organisations canvassing support for the same.

Some people have said it would be the same if any other candidate had won and did the same, but I boldly say it won’t be. One of the lows of the President Buhari regime and others before him that consistently led to showdowns with the organised labour and the civil society groups and which truncated all attempts to remove the subsidy in the past was their inability to engage the people differently. A blend of politics with a sense of reasoning, we saw a president combining the two to appeal to leaders of thought to have his way in implementing his first decision as a president.

Till this moment, the president has not met with anyone, friends and perceived oppositions alike, who did not come out to do his bidding. He has gotten something others before him perhaps were all lacking. In the words of a PDP House of Representatives member on ARISE Politics days ago, “The president’s speech was an extempore, yet it was perhaps the most eloquent and inspiring speech by a president in Nigeria ever.” Another from the platform of the Labour Party, who has since been queried for praising the president by his party, was short of words at the demonstration of absolute intelligence and understanding of Nigeria issues and the pathway to solutions.

It all appears to be the best of a new beginning, but then the jobs that have to be done in Nigeria are well beyond mere appearances of capacity but a realistic demonstration of the same - over time and space. So many things have literally gone south with the country. The economy has been sabotaged and left incapable of redeeming itself except by deliberate attempts by those in government to right the wrongs inflicted on the systems. There cannot be a rebirth of Nigeria without government readiness and willingness to address the issue of crimes committed against the country. It cannot be business as usual; a new administration coming in and setting up what is called initial “gragra” in our local parlance. We cannot afford a repeat of arrest and media trials that changes nothing.

We suffered as a country from the ineptitude that characterised the operation of the Central Bank over the years. Even before the suspension and arrest of the immediate past Governor of the apex bank, Emefiele, the list of his crimes and abuses of office were already in the public domain. For instance, a deliberate decision to allow multiple exchange rates to fuel personal gains from round tripping business, alleged funding of terrorism and allegations of abuse of power of his office while serving as the governor of the apex bank.

In a nation suffering primarily from insecurity fueled majorly by terrorism, it is unheard of how we could have allowed such a heavy allegation to be swept under the table overtime and the same man protected by state power to retain his position. If we were truly serious about revamping the fortune of this country, the Emefiele trial should be a litmus test for the judiciary and the executive alike. Nigerians would be watching.

The President should be aware just as much as Nigerians are helplessly aware of the catalogue of lootings and brigandage that have characterised the management of the nation’s commonwealth over the decades. A paradox is the result; how a rich nation would also become the abode of poor citizens.

I read the analysis made by Femi Falana SAN; it’s saddening to see the catalogue of systematic stealing of our commonwealth by a few among us, who continue to walk freely without consequences for their sins against us. We read of #40 billion diversions from the Federation account, unaccounted additional revenue of $1.5 billion payable to the Federation account, unaccounted outstanding royalties to the tune of $62 billion, stolen $500 million by a group of corrupt public officers, unremitted funds from sales of public assets and enterprises, illegally fixed $7 billion in fourteen banks across the country, hidden funds from the corrupt sales of Keystone Bank, Union Bank and Polaris Bank by CBN, fund from theft of gold and other solid minerals across the country, over #10 trillion diverted by CEOs of government enterprises, and a lot of other daylight robberies of the wealth of the country.

The worst of these looting is found in the corruption in the nation’s oil and gas industry. It is unexplainable how a nation would have a functional Navy and yet lose millions of barrels of its crude oil on a daily basis? And yet, it remains non-traceable. We have a functioning Custom service manning our borders, yet, our finished products are the regular in all our neighbouring nations, even when our borders are declared officially closed. Only between January 2009 and 2020, we lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil to these illegal activities, worth in the region of #16.25 trillion.

Eight years ago, the Buhari government promised Nigerians that the refineries would be back to operation and new refineries would be built to sort out the national dependency on imported finished products. Eight years had passed, there are no new refineries,

and recurring turn around maintenance of existing refineries yielded no positive good to the country. Yet, the government claimed to have spent above $19 billion on the refineries to turn them around; this was more than the entire capital base that built and completed the Dangote refinery. Are we going to close our eyes and pretend it is well? $19 billion just went to some bunch of individual purses because the system allows it; no, it can’t be. We can’t move away from these intentional theft of national resources at the expense of national critical development and expect any meaningful progress into the future. These monies should and must be accounted for, as part of our national healing process.

Today, decades after we have consistently budgeted and expended huge resources on improving the nation’s electricity generation and distribution, the country’s electricity generation still remains unbelievably low and distribution capacity below par with investment in the sector. Who would be held accountable for the billions of dollars spent without result during the Obasanjo administration, and the annual budgets without result, or are we just going to let go and move on from the looting and the corruption that were obviously our undoing as a people and a nation.

Can we ever talk of healing if we close our eyes to these lootings and crimes in virtually all sectors of our economy and national life? Definitely not; our path forward would and should begin from addressing the past, bringing to book all the elements that are eating deep into the marrow of our national flesh and making it impossible for us to thrive. If we would have to overlook the fact that CBN spent N58.6 billion to print 2.5 billion notes sometimes in 2020; that the Federal government at a time spent N5.9 billion to train just 177 youths in Smartphone repair, a little above thirty three million naira per training; that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture used N18.9 billion to clear grasses, then I don’t think we are serious doing business differently.

There is so much to be done; and if this Administration would be different, it cannot afford to play the game as usual. Every of its policy pronouncements should and must be marched with commensurate action. There are news of emerging reforms in the oil and gas industry, the energy vision 2023, the education reform and many more; Nigerians want to see beyond the reforms on paper because we are tired of promises that raise and dash our hopes. We want to see implementations that bring smiles to our faces.

The signing of the Student Scholarship Bill commenced a new era in social responsibility of government and commitment to educational development of the people of Nigeria. It is no news that a major impediment to education, especially tertiary education in the country has been funding; many a time, we have heard story of how many youths desire for education were cut short by deaths of parents and sponsors, as well as the financial incapacities of the

Funding and sustenance would be the first challenge of the implementation; and one that would require very proactive readiness. There would be the need to establish a student bank that would be responsible for holding and administering the student loan fund on behalf of the Federal government. And as a starter fund in the created bank, the Federal government should mobilise all tertiary institutions in the country to fully account for and release into the bank the N5,000 caution fee paid by each student on admission and at the beginning of every academic session into public institutions and on a seasonal basis as part of their tuition fees. On a normal basis, this fund is to serve as insurance against damages and is refundable to students on graduation, which is never done. From this alone, we could be talking of a start-up capital of over #20 billion in the proposed student bank, a sum that is at par with the capital base of some financial institutions.

Just as important as the Education Loan Bill is the Energy Bill passed by the President; unbundling the national energy sector to allow all-comer participation in energy generation and distribution might eventually be the breaker we have been hoping for as a nation. Yet, it is very important that for an effective and efficient implementation across the board, it would be very important that all layers of government recognise the need for mutual collaboration and cooperation that would erase repetition of values and duplication of unnecessary components of the sector. While states and even some serious Local Authorities would begin investments, this must be cleverly considered. We must go beyond passing these bills to addressing implementation pathways that will maximise deliverables to Nigerians.

Mr. President, our hopes are on you. Our eyes are fixed on you. We want to see the results you promised; as you would agree, we have been hoping for a better Nigeria for decades. We embrace the Renewed Hope you offered; and you cannot afford to fail Nigeria and Nigerians.

DAN GAYE DANGAYE

Court slams life imprisonment on 3 kidnappers of female journalist in Yola

That’s right!