Friday, February 17th, 2023 Edition

NSCDC decorates 8 ACGs, 45 Commandants

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has decorated 8 Assistant Commandant Generals (ACGs) and 45 Commandants.

Speaking at the event which took place on Thursday at the headquarters of the corps in Abuja, the Commandant General, Ahmed Audi said the corps under

his watch has upgraded a lot of officers denied promotion for several years.

He said his 2 years as the corp’s commandant has seen tremendous changes in areas of promotion and payment of arrears.

“This promotion is on merit. Any one found culpable after the promotion will be demoted.”

He said the officers bring promoted have worked assiduously

to deserve the promotion.

“Promotion to the rank of command is key and sensitive. One must demonstrate highest level of loyalty and dedication. You should also mentor young ones under you. Any leader who does not mentor does not deserve promotion.”

On her part, Secretary of he Civil Defence, Immigration and Prisons Service Board (CDIPB),

Aisha Rufai, said the process of the promotion exercise was thorough and transparent. She said, “the promotion is not about who you know, but what you can offer. A lot of officers did well and that is why they are here today. Those of you who did not make it will also have another time to to showcase what they can offer in the next exercise”.

My immediate plan is to tackle poverty in Nigeria- ADP presidential candidate

Yabagi Sani, Presidential Candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) says eradicating poverty would be his topmost priority, if elected in the Feb. 25 election.

Sani said this when he spoke during a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

He said that his party had developed what he termed as Noah’s Ark toward salvaging the country from its current predicaments.

“If I’m elected as president in the Feb. 25 election, the first thing is that it will become clear that there is a new beginning in Nigeria, because we don’t belong to the old brigade.

“Our first action will be to tackle the issue of poverty, poverty alleviation will be our first priority, because Nigeria has enough resources to go round.

“We are just about 200 million people and even if we have a double

of that population, God has given us resources to be able to take care of Nigerians.

“If you look at the global trend today, you will find out that Nigeria is moving towards becoming a country that will be recon with economically, socially and politically, we are the largest economy in Africa with the largest population,” he said.

Sani said that Africa has more than 35 per cent of global resource endowment.

“More than 35 per cent of the global resources are deposited in Africa.

“The international community is interested in Nigeria in spite of her challenges because the country matters to them.

“They know they don’t have the resources we have here, and if we get it right and things begin to work the way they should.

“Not only Africa, but the entire

global economy will experience a boost that everybody will be happier for,’’ he said.

Sani said that the ADP was registered in 2017 to provide credible alternative to both All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The ADP was registered as a child of necessity because as at that time we realised that the political space was experiencing signs of collapse, at that time the APC and the PDP were in disarray.

“That was how we came together and applied for registration from INEC to provide credible alternative for Nigerians and since that time we have been recording successes in terms of deepening democracy and giving hope to Nigerians.

“Like we all know Nigeria is one of the most favoured countries in terms of natural and material

resources and in terms of human capital resources that every country can aspire to have.

“In terms of economy itself we have the largest economy in Africa, and when you look at our population we are also among the top five in the world, Nigeria is big in all aspects of life.

“We play big in the scheme of things globally,” he said.

Sani added:” It is sad that the country has been left in the hands of those who don’t understand the essence of power.

” Nigeria’s economy is the fastest growing economy in the world, it has the capacity to grow faster than any economy because we have the resources, we are number six among countries exporting oil and gas.

”We are going to connect Nigeria with the international community through ICT and energy transition,” he said.(NAN)

Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State (right) presenting the letter of appointment to the New Chief of Gombe State, Justice Halima Mohammed (left), after the Swearing-in ceremony in Gombe State, yesterday.

Group express concerns over PDP support for CBN’s cash swap policy

By Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

Agroup, the joint front of civil Society organization of Nigeria JFCSON has frowned at the continued support of the Peoples Democratic Party for the current currency crisis introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria which is causing pain and widespread citizens anger.

In a statement signed by its national president, Barnabas Bala Yock, JFCSON questioned the rationale for the open support for the unpopular policy by elements of the PDP, including its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

“We find it quite suspicious that at a time when even governors of states controlled by the All Progressives Congress are joining the public outcry against the pains and confusion caused by the CBN’s cashless policy, PDP, supposedly the main opposition party, is totally and openly in support of the policy.

“We recall that the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar was the first to declare support for the policy and other PDP big names including state governors have now joined him

“The PDP support for the anti-people policy that is wreaking families and communities across the country and potentially leading to greater unrest, was bursted with the application by the Governors of Bayelsa and Edo, all PDP states, to be joined as defendants against the suit filed by mainly APC governors challenging it at the Supreme Court.

“This, we understand, was the main reason hearing in the case was adjourned to allow time to comply with proper procedure.

“It becomes even more suspicious that most of the PDP governments that are backing the policy are currently battling the consequences of the anger caused by the same policy.

“It therefore appears that the PDP is in some way connected to the alleged sinister device to use the already escalating cash crisis to create an environment that would hinder the conduct of elections in the country.”

NASS not under siege by DSS – Management ... Says unverified video clip was a reported incident in 2018

By Christiana Ekpa

TheNational Assembly managementon Thursday

dismissed the widespread speculation that the complex was under siege by the operatives of the Department of State Security Service, DSS.

A video clip of a similar incident that happened in 2018 has been trending since Monday this week, fueling palpable tension that the main gate of the national parliament was blocked by the men of the Secret Service, DSS

The Director of information, National Assembly, Agada Rawlings Emmanuel, in a statement cleared the fog, explaining that the regurgitation of the unverified video clip was the handiwork of mischief makers whose objectives were not clear.

He urged the security agencies

to trace the source of the video and ascertain the reasons for the release of such video at a time of national elections.

The statement read thus: “The attention of the National Assembly management has been drawn to an unverified video trending on social media tweeted from the twitter handle account of one @ Chukwuebuka, alleging the siege of the National Assembly complex by officers of the Department of State Security (DSS).

“The reposted unverified video clip was a reported incident that took place in 2018 at the main entrance gate leading into the National Assembly complex, which is presently under reconstruction near its completion for commissioning.

“It is therefore intriguing to understand what motive this mischief marker set out to achieve

with the repost, gauging the political mood of the country and the fourth coming general elections.

“Accordingly, the members of the National Assembly, Staff and the general public are to discountenance the said unverified malicious, mischievous and misleading reposted video as fake news in its entirety as the National Assembly members currently on recess and staff are not under any siege by the DSS.

“The new Clerk of the National Assembly, Alh. Sani Magaji Tambuwal and his management team are fully in charge, focused and determined to achieve their set goals inline with their core mandates to motivate the workforce to provide the expected support services to the National Assembly leadership/ members, federal Government and the general public.

“The management equally

wish to extend its esteemed appreciation’s and gratitude to the National Assembly leadership /members, top government officials, security agencies and the general public who through phone calls shown concerns and solidarity. It is expected that the relevant security agencies should further investigate the user of twitter handle account to forestall future abuse and spreading of misinformation into the media space capable of creating panic, mischief and anxiety leading to break down of law and order as this repost, may have be intended.

“The above press release is to clear the doubts, concerns and anxiety in the public domain that “National Assembly, the symbol of our hard earned democracy is under siege by the DSS or any security Agencies of Government”.

L-R: Director Human Resource Management Department, Mr. Muhammad Mogaji Taura, Minister of Police Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi receiving an award of recognition from Director (Reforms & SERVICOM), Mrs. Maryam Dalhatu Abdulmalik during the Joint Union Day Celebration on Tuesday in Abuja.

Northern CSOs condemn banning NGOs in Zamfara

From: Mustapha Adamu, Kano

CivilSociety Organizations, CSOs in Northern Nigeria, under the aegis of Conference of Northern States Civil Society Network, CNSCSN, have condemned the ban of Nongovernmental Organizations, NGOs in Zamfara State.

DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the Zamfara state government had this week sacked all NGOs for allegedly aiding insecurity in the state.

However, in a press conference on the state of the nation, after its extra-ordinary meeting, held in Kano on Thursday, the CNSCSN described the ban as unconstitutional.

CNSCSN, through Ibrahim Waiya, President, Kano Civil Society Forum Kano state, KCSFK, on behalf of 19 others who signed the press statement, therefore charged the Zamfara state government to immediately reverse the decision as according to it, it was infringement to the right of people as enshrined in 1999 constitution (as amended).

“We are also concerned on the increasingly continuous attempt by some governments at both national and states shrink the civic space in Nigeria.

“The recent decision of Zamfara state government banning the activities and operations of all NGOs in the state is not only condemnable

but also a total contravention to the fundamental rights of Nigerians guaranteed in chapter four of the 1999 constitution as amended which provides the rights of association.

“We therefore call on Zamfara state Government to reverse this decision on the banning of the activities of NGOs in the state with immediate effect,” the CSOs appealed.

Mr Waiya disclosed that they were not supporting any NGOs committing illegal activities that fuel insecurity in Zamfara, but that an outright banning is uncalled for and condemnable.

The CNSCSN also condemned in strongest term, protests by some CSOs, calling for the immediate sack of chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa.

They insisted that it was sponsored by “corrupt politicians.”

According to CSOs: “As professional career civil society actors, we are disturbed by the emerging trend where some political leaders occupying exalted positions in some states would stoop too low, to sponsor some Civil Society Organizations to organize protests against a public servant, who is empowered by law to undertake a crusade against corrupt persons in Nigeria.

“Unfortunately, such corrupt leaders have not only embezzled public money belonging to their state, but have also allowed their

immediate family and relations to embezzle billions of public money meant for the people of their states.

“One of such states has been placed as one of the most backward in all indices of development.

“We wish to use this medium to inform such political leaders that they have no hiding place, and no amount of hiring the civil society organizations staging protests on some streets could save them and their families alleged to be involved in corruption from the hand of the law.”

Ambassador Waiya further stated that: “We, therefore, as Conference of Northern States Civil Society Networks representing states-based civil society networks/coalitions from the 19 Northern States and FCT, wish to categorically put on record that the groups protesting in some parts of Lagos State do not represent civil society organizations from all over the country.

“Therefore, they are not speaking for us or on our behalf, and we do not in any way share in their opinion calling for the sacking of the EFCC Chairman.”

According to him: “The current leadership of the EFCC has not only changed the approach on the fight against corruption, but have also systematically introduced manpower, encouraged the culture of training and retraining of the staff for more professionalism and effective discharge of their duties, imbibed human relations standard,

improved standard of internal mechanism on staff discipline and administration for best practices, as well as increased integrity of the institution, in and outside the country.”

The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari, “to disregard and completely ignore the calls for the sack of the EFCC Chairman by the paid protesters as it is being sponsored by a state Governor that himself and immediate family members are enmeshed in alleged corruption.”

They, however, passed a vote-of-confieence on the EFCC Chairman.

The Conference, while supporting the Federal Government cashless policy, however, faulted its implementation, pointing out that the Federal Government should come out with shoet-term and long-term strategies to ensure smooth implementation of the policy, looking at the percentage of literate people in Nigeria, “because when you are talking about cashless policy, you are talking about going digital.”

Ambassador Waiya stated that: “We are, however, of the opinion that the redesigned Naira notes and cashless policies are good initiatives that could help in the development of the Nigerian economy, reduction of corrupt practices, and complement other efforts in tackling insecurity and, as well, facilitate a more global economy economic integration”.

Photo: Min of Police Affairs

New cash policy targets security, corruption, says Buhari

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari insists that the cashless policy and Naira swap by the Central Bank have short and long term benefits for the country in dealing with insecurity and corruption, but agrees that the apex bank should take the recommendation of a parliamentary Committee to rectify identified problems. His comments came as the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, gave him an assurance that N200 currency notes taken out of circulation will be moved back from today.

The President who spoke at the State House when he received briefing from members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on cashless policy and

Customs seizes items worth over N91m in Kebbi in 3 weeks

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The newly appointed Customs Area Controller Kebbi State Command

Dr. B. Oramalugo has said that the command has arrested 14 assorted items worth over N91m within 3 weeks through the border areas, in Kebbi-State.

Addressing newsmen yesterday at the headquarters, Birnin Kebbi, the controller said that the items that were sized were based on the customs section 167 which gives them power to seize goods improperly imported in contravention of extant laws.

He added that the sized items are 8,975 liters of PMS loaded in 25litter kegs, 71 bags of imported sugar, 189 bags of foreign parboilde rice, 42 bales of second hands clothing and 36 sacks of used shoes. Others are; 74 cartoons of bleaching cream, 110 solar batteries, 105 cartons of fake medicine, 7 used vehicles and many others.

Naira swap said his speech earlier in the day was comprehensive enough and was adequate as a response to the general outcry about the problems associated with the currency exchange.

He described the aim of the policy as “very good, security-wise” as seen from the lessening of kidnappings and associated corrupt practices. He again accused banks of being a problem.

The CBN Governor, as directed by the President, explained that the cashless policy was a global policy. “Nigeria must go cashless. It is a global policy, checking insecurity and fighting corruption,” he said.

He added that senior officers at the CBN had all been sent out, complimented by “Super agents,” to take new currencies to unbanked rural populations, expressing

optimism that the problems he described as “temporary, passing” will go away in no distant future.

He reported that he had met 15 top banks earlier in the day in an effort to resolve prevailing problems and will do so again later in the evening, assuring that “we are at the end of the problem.”

He also gave the promise that by the end of February, CBN will bring into circulation between N700-N800 billion, well in excess of what is needed to run the economy, stating emphatically that it is not possible to put back more than Three trillion Naira if the economy is to be healthy.

Mr Emefiele gave a firm promise that the Bank will not be a problem with elections, and they will hold successfully as far as the Bank is concerned.

The leader of the Parliamentary delegation, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the House Majority Leader and Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, said the meeting with the President was necessitated by the need to bring him up to date on the “problems of implementation and unintended consequences” of the new cash policy.

In acknowledging the far-reaching quality of the President’s broadcast to the nation earlier today, the House Leader said the Legislature and the Government were on the same page in so far as the goals of the policy were concerned. He added, however, that more needed to be done to remove the “hardship and inconveniences” that have attended its implementation.

CAPPA urges governments to act on NIMET early warning on rainfall patterns

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Following the recent weather forecast for 2023 released by Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET), the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on relevant agencies of government at the national and state levels to invest in prevention and necessary infrastructure needed to address the root causes of flooding and the plight victims face.

The NIMET forecasts warned of massive variation in the onset of rainfall in most parts of the country and that as early as March, the coastal zone of the South-south states of Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom will observe unpleasant rainfall changes. Central states are likely to wait till May while Katsina, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo, and Rivers will experience delayed onset of rainfall.

For Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno the rains will not begin until June and July. Only Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kwara Gombe, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos will be near normal but with a worrisome quantity. NiMET added that the noticeable increase in climate change and human-triggered activities including indiscriminate dumping of wastes will cause more floods in 2023 and that the waters will come in high intensity within a short duration.

CAPPA opined that the 2022 floods which ravaged most states of the federation as well as the attendant loss of lives and the economic toll put at over N4 trillion was an avoidable tragedy that must not happen again.

In a statement issued in Lagos, CAPPA said that the flood resulted in displacement, hunger, and scarcity hence the need for all hands to be on deck, especially the federal

and state intervention agencies like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and their state-level counterparts to work seamlessly in addressing conflicts of the past.

CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi said: “We must commend NIMET for the timely warning which should enable federal and state level planning to begin. We are however worried that nothing seems to have changed since the 2022 flood at federal and state level.

“The lackadaisical attitudes that led to the loss of lives and property are still with us even though the 2022 floods affected about 20 states, killed about 603 people, and rendered more than 1.3 million homeless while over 108,393 hectares of farmlands were destroyed with attendant effects on food security, the economy, health, security, and the environment and that affected Nigerians are still battling

with”.

To forestall any repeat, CAPPA calls on Federal and sub-national Governments to respond to the early warning systems with synergy. In like manner, funds should be voted for the construction of buffer dams to accommodate excess water runoff upstream, particularly from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon. Secondly, CAPPA calls on NEMA to leverage the precision of the geographical information systems and other meteorological data in its quest to reduce human exposure to flood risk and for emergency evacuation. There is a need for the government to dredge major rivers to accommodate high volumes of water and to promote inland waterways.

“Nigerians must not be allowed to suffer needlessly. Now is the time for intervention ahead of the rains and the flooding that will follow. Delay is not only dangerous, but it is also costly,” the CAPPA statement said.

Country President of United Town Agency( UTA), Princess Abigail CHINYERE AMALAHA and her Officials sensitising FCT, Abuja Residents at the Palace of Emir of Garki on Peaceful general election, yesterday in Abuja.

Redesigned Naira: I’m pained over unintended outcomes -Buhari

• Approves circulation of old N200 notes as legal tender for 2 months

•

Warns saboteurs will face full wrath of law

• Says gain has emerged from policy initiative

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu

Buhari Thursday expressed sadness over the hardships inflicted on Nigerians by the poor implementation of the ongoing naira swap, saying that he is pained over the unintended outcomes.

Accordingly, he gave express approval for the recirculation of the old N200 naira notes earlier withdrawn by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) alongside side the redesigned notes to ease the difficulties experienced by citizens in accessing new naira notes.

Buhari gave the directive during an early morning nationwide broadcast on the challenges of the currency swap and state of the nation.

He said: “I have found it necessary to address you today, on the state of the nation and to render account on the efforts of our administration to sustain and strengthen our economy, enhance the fight against corruption and sustain our gains in the fight against terrorism and insecurity which has, undoubtedly, been impacted by several internal and external factors.

“Particularly, I am addressing you, as your democratically elected President, to identify with you and express my sympathy, over the difficulties being experienced as we continue the implementation of new monetary policies, aimed at boosting our economy and tightening of the loopholes associated with money laundering.

“Let me re-assure Nigerians, that strengthening our economy, enhancing security and blockage of leakages associated with illicit financial flows remain top priority of our administration. And I shall remain committed to my oath of protecting and advancing the interest of Nigerians and the nation, at all times.

“I am not unaware of the obstacles placed on the path of innocent Nigerians by unscrupulous officials in the

banking industry, entrusted with the process of implementation of the new monetary policy. I am deeply pained and sincerely sympathise with you all, over these unintended outcomes.

“To stem this tide, I have directed the CBN to deploy all legitimate resources and legal means to ensure that our citizens are adequately educated on the policy; enjoy easy access to cash withdrawal through availability of appropriate amount of currency; and ability to make deposits.

“To further ease the supply pressures particularly to our citizens, I have given approval to the CBN that the old N200 bank notes be released back into circulation and that it should also be allowed to circulate as legal tender with the new N200, N500, and N1000 banknotes for 60 days from February 10, 2023 to April 10 2023 when the old N200 notes ceases to be legal tender.

“In line with Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007, all existing old N1000 and N500 notes remain redeemable at the CBN and designated points.”

President Buhari noted that his administration had made several adjustments to the policy by extending the deadline for the expiration of the currency swap to make life easy for citizens to no avail.

Accordingly, he said he had directed the anti corruption agencies put their ears on the ground with a view to prosecuting saboteurs of the policy.

“I have similarly directed that the CBN should intensify collaboration with anti-corruption agencies, so as to ensure that any institution or person(s) found to have impeded or sabotaged the implementation should be made to bear the full weight of the law’” he said.

Recall that the President

had in the last quarter of 2022, Iauthorised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to redesign the N200, N500, and N1000 Nigerian banknotes to circulate concurrently with the old bank notes, till 31 January 2023, before the old notes, cease to be legal tender.

Following complaints of difficulties experienced by citizens, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele announced an extension of ten days till 10th February, 2023 for the completion of the process.

The president who explained some critical points underpinning the policy decision affirmed that gains had, nevertheless, been recorded.

“Notwithstanding the initial setbacks experienced, the evaluation and feedback mechanism set up has revealed that gains have emerged from the policy initiative.

“I have been reliably informed that since the commencement of this program, about N2.1 trillion out of the banknotes previously held outside the banking system, had been successfully retrieved.”

Besides, he noted that new monetary policy had also contributed immensely to the minimization of the influence of money in politics, urging Nigerians to participate actively in the upcoming elections as their security would be guaranteed.

“This is a positive departure from the past and represents a bold legacy step by this administration, towards laying a strong foundation for free and fair elections.

“I urge every citizen therefore, to go out to vote for their candidates of choice without fear, because security shall be provided and your vote shall count,” he said.

US partners FG to repatriate $954,000 Alamieyeseigha loot

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The United States and the federal government, Thursday, signed an agreement to return $954,000, allegedly stolen by the former governor of Bayelsa State, late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The US ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard and the SolicitorGeneral of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, signed and presented the agreement in Abuja.

Speaking on behalf of the FG, Jeddy-Agba revealed that the recovered funds have been

approved for the construction of a healthcare centre for the residents of Bayelsa state.

“This asset return arose from the forfeiture and recovery of approximately $1 million USD linked to the corrupt practices of former Bayelsa state governor, D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha,” she said.

The US government in partnership with Nigeria initiated and completed forfeiture proceedings against certain real property and investment funds located in Maryland and Massachusetts against the former governor.

According to her, the stolen funds and property resulted in the

net forfeiture to the Government of United States of America totalling the sum of $954,807.40.

“Following the court order, the FRN and the USA have negotiated and finalized the terms of the asset return agreement.

“It is worthy to note that in line with the terms of this agreement, Mr President has already approved the expected sum to be utilised for the implementation of a health centre project for the benefit of the people of Bayelsa state and to be monitored by the civil society organisations and the federal government, through the federal ministry of justice.”

In her speech, Mary Leonard

noted that The former governor wouldn’t have legitimately possessed the funds since his salary while he was governor between 1999 and 2005 “did not exceed the equivalent of about $81,000 per year.

“However, during that time, he accumulated millions of dollars worth of property through corrupt acts such as abuse of office, money laundering, and other violations of Nigerian and US laws.

“The United States court case against DSP through the kleptocracy asset recovery initiative is part of our efforts to combat money laundering and corruption.

“Prosecutors working under this initiative are responsible for investigations and litigation to recover the proceeds of foreign official corruption.

“The funds are returned in accordance with our obligations under the UN Convention against corruption and to further the tenets of transparency and accountability set forth in the global forum on asset recovery principles for disposition and transfer of confiscated stolen assets and corruption,” she concluded.

L-R: Executive Director, Institute for Media and Society, Dr. Akin Akingbolu; Chief Executive Officer, Albino Foundation, Jake Epelle; Executive Director, International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade and Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, during the Media/CSO Roundtable on the 2023 Elections with Theme” Avoiding Landmines, Overcoming Obstacles/ Conducting Credible Elections , yesterday in Abuja .. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Benue APC Guber: Supreme Court dismisses Prof Shija’s case against Rev Fr Alia

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

An appeal filed by Professor Terhemba Shija, against Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia’s election as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate of Benue State, has been dismissed by the Supreme court.

The 5-man panel of the Apex Court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro dismissed the appeal following its withdrawal by the Appellant on ground of being statute barred.

The court held that the Appallant failed to have instituted the suit within 14 days stipulated by section 285 of 1999 Constitution as amended.

At the proceeding, counsel to Professor Shija’s, Mr Kenneth Ikonne, in his argument insisted that the cause of action arose on May 28, 2022, while counsel to the APC, Matthew Burkaa SAN stood his ground that the cause of action emanated on May 26.

Arguing further, APC drew the attention of the Court to a letter of Professor Shija, complaining and dissociating himself from the events of May 26 and 27.

Although the Professor insisted that the cause of action arose on May 28, when the results of the primary election was announced, the content of his letter was used against him that he became aware of the cause of action on May 26 and ought to have instituted the suit within 14 days stipulated by section 285 of 1999 Constitution.

The appellant was advised to withdraw the matter as it was later established that the suit was filed outside 14 days allowed by law.

Consequently, the court, unanimously dismissed by the panel.

Benue High Court bars PDP from expelling Ortom

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

AHighCourt in Benue State has issued an order of interim injunction, restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC) or its National Officers (elected or appointed) from expelling the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.

Justice A.I Itoyonyiman issued the order on Thursday following a suit with number MHC/46/2023 which was brought before the court on Wednesday.

In the suit, Samuel Joraer Ortom is the Plaintiff/ Applicant while Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are first and second defendant/ respondent respectively

The court, upon hearing the affidavit of Hon. Abraham Kwaghngu, politician, Nigerian citizen of Governor’s Office, Benue State Government House, Makurdi, Benue State, sworn to and filed at the High Court registry, Makurdi on 15th February, 2023, made the following order:

“Restraining the 1st Defendant/ Respondent either by itself or its

National Working Committee and/ or it National Executive Council and/ or its National officers (elected or appointed) and/or its North- Central Zonal Executive Officers (elected or appointed) and/or its Benue State Officers (elected or appointed) and/ or its Guma Local Government Area Officers (elected or appointed) and/ or its Nzorov Council Ward Officers (elected or appointed) or any of its other organs or officials (anyhow so called) from expelling, suspending or levying any other punishment on the Plaintiff/Applicant pending the determination of the motion on notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

“An interim order of injunction is also made restraining the 2nd Defendant/Respondent either by itself or any of its Officials/Officers/ Directors/Departmental or other Heads/any other officer by whatever name called from receiving and/ or acting upon any communication made by the 1st Defendant/ Respondent seeking to disqualify from contesting or seeking not to be placed on the ballot paper the name of the Plaintiff/Applicant as the 1st Defendant’s candidate for the Benue North West Senatorial District in the 2023 general election pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

*An order of interim injunction is made restraining the 2nd Defendant/ Respondent either by itself any of its Officials/Officers/Directors/ Departmental or other Heads/any other officer by whatever name called from refusing for whatever reason to place the name of the Plaintiff/ Applicant on the ballot to contest the Benue North West Senatorial election slated for February 25th, 2023 or any other rescheduled dated pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

Ortom has earlier approached the court with the following demands:

“An Order of interim injunction restraining the 1st Defendant/ Respondent either by itself, or its National Working Committee, and/or its National Executive Council, and/ or its National Officers (elected or appointed), and/or its North-Central Zonal Executive Officers (elected or appointed), and/or its Benue State officers (elected or appointed), and/ or its Nzorov Council Ward Officers (elected or appointed), or any of its other organs or officials (anyhow so called) from expelling, suspending or levying any other punishment on the Plaintiff/Applicant, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

*An Order of interim injunction

restraining the 2nd Defendant/ Respondent either by itself or any of its Officials/Officers/Directors/ Departmental or other Heads/any other officer by whatever name called, from receiving and or acting upon any communication made by the 1 Defendant/Respondent seeking to disqualify from contesting or seeking not to be placed on the ballot paper the name of the Plaintiff/Applicant as the 1st Defendant’s candidate for the Benue North West Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

*An Order of interim injunction restraining the 2nd Defendant/ Respondent either by itself or any of its Officials/Officers/Directors/ Departmental or other Heads/any other officer by whatever name called, from refusing for whatever reason to place the name of the Plaintiff/ Applicant on the ballot, to contest the Benue North West Senatorial election, slated for 25th February, 2023 or any other rescheduled dated, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

The matter has been slated for hearing on the 24th of February, 2023.

Restructuring has been politicised in Nigeria – Sani

Yabagi Sani, Presidential Candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), says the issue of restructuring has long been addressed in Nigeria, describing the current clamour for restructuring as political.

Sani, also the National Chairman, Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), said this when he appeared at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

“The issue of restructuring has long been settled, what we are having as call for restructuring is political, the Nigerian system is made in such a way that issues like that are addressed without

causing dislocations or problems to the system.

“We have the National Assembly, we have organs like Revenue and Mobilisation Commission which is responsible for fixing salaries and sharing of nation’s resources and to monitor the way they are being utilise.

“Nigeria is not a country without a Constitution.

“Restructuring is an already settled issue in Nigeria, these are issues that have either been settled through the constitution or conventions like the creation of the six geopolitical zones and others,” he said.

Sani added: “The creation of six geopolitical zones for instance is not in the Constitution but it is to address certain political realignment.

“When you go to the constitution we have issues on exclusive and concurrent lists, if the legislation feels that some issues be taken from the exclusive list to the concurrent list and that it why I said that the issue of restructuring has long been settled.

“Your National Assembly members are just there to make that, you have elected representatives from all over the

country in the two Chambers of the National Assembly as Senators and as members of House of Representatives.

“The lawmakers have just two functions- to make laws and to embark on oversight to ensure that the laws are working.

“The essence of oversight is to find out if these laws are working if they are not, then they have to rejig them and that is why I said restructuring is already impeded in our constitution.”

He said the same thing could be applied to the current Naira redesign policy which had generally heated debates in the

country.

“Look at the problem we are facing today about naira redesign, a well intentioned policy that is supposed to be applauded by all Nigerians. In fact it is stated in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) establishment act that it must change Nigeria’s currency every 10 years.

“But because the policy wasn’t well thought out or given necessary analysis in term of social implications it is rather causing untold hardship on Nigerians. This is what we are talking about,” he said.(NAN)

L-R; United State Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Mary Beth, Special Assistant, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Ms. Holly Mackey and President Muhammadu Buhari during an audience at the State House on Tuesday in Abuja.

College dismisses 4 students for irregular behaviour in Kebbi

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

Four students of Jega College of Health Science have been dissimsed for violating the schools rules and regulations.

Addressing newsmen yesterday while giving the scorescard of the institution, the

Barely 10 days to the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Nigeria’s Voters Watch (NVW) a CSO, has urged INEC to remove its Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Olusegun Agbaje.

The group had alleged that Agbaje made “disturbing utterances”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NVW is a CSO accredited by INEC for the election.

Addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos, Dr Stella Ford, the NVW Convener, said that Agbaje’s immediate removal became necessary to prevent him from presiding over the affairs of the forthcoming elections in Lagos state.

According to her, the removal can be either by suspension or termination of appointment with immediate effect, to curtail and minimise the damages he has caused already by sowing the seeds of bias and doubt in the public.”

On INEC’s withdrawal of 240 polling units nationwide from the nation’s overall 176,846 polling units and the re-distribution of some voters to polling units, Ford called for more public education.

“INEC has not put enough efforts to educating voters on these changes and how affected voters can locate their new PUs

“We urge INEC as a matter of urgency, to educate voters by sending SMS, Phone contacts and general public education.

“INEC should also display the voter’s registration at least, 10 days before election, starting from tomorrow to give voters enough time to verify their PUs,” she said.

According to her, INEC should take safety and security of voters very seriously in view of threats and physical injuries already suffered by potential voters.

“Safety and security of votes cast on election day–INEC should, as a matter of urgency, withdraw any arrangements regarding the transportation of voting materials from private interested individuals in Lagos state and nationwide.

“The disturbing voice mail that has reached us and many people, including the media and law enforcement agencies where some political party members threatened their neighbors even with physical removal from Lagos state if they failed to vote APC should be taken very seriously.

“Information reaching us is that the law enforcement agencies are looking into the matter. We urge that prompt prosecution should be commenced immediately,” Ford said.

The convener said that INEC and law enforcement agencies should sanction political parties and their members who commit acts of intimidation, physical threat and verbal threats.

“We recommend that the

Provost of the college Alhaji Sa’adu Haruna Sauwa said that the dissimisal became necessary due to the fact that they were found qulity after a committee investigated them and came up with a report and recommended for their dismissal.

“The institution has constituted a desciplinary committee as part of the school

commitment towards putting sanity in its learning system.

“The expelled students include one female and three males”.

The provost who also applauded the effort of Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Abubakar for upgrading the institution from school to college, assured that the

development had given them more chance in runing both National Diploma and Higher National Diploma concurrently.

He appreciated the present administration for renovating the school’s hostels, constructing more lecture halls as well as purchase of some medial laboratory equipment”.

CSO demands removal of INEC REC in Lagos

international community should consider revoking visas of such political leaders and deny them entry to the civilized world,” she said.

Ford added that INEC should let Nigeria and Nigerians know what would be the fate of Nigerian students who did not have the time to collect their PVCs before the deadline.

“It is great injustice to disenfranchise a large number of our youth population,” she said.

Responding, Agbaje told NAN that he had not made any disturbing statement that should warrant his removal, “there is no statement I made that I cannot defend.”

The REC said that he would not be derailed in the mandate to be neutral and transparent in the conduct of the forthcoming elections.

On voter enlightenment over the re-distribution of voters from some congested polling units in the state, Agbaje said that INEC teams had

begun sensitisation of voters in the affected units.

“We are doing it. In fact, we have our vehicles going round local government by local government, covering two local government areas each day, and we have pasted the register of voters in various affected polling units.

“We are also engaging the community development associations’ members to help us talk to their people in various places.

“All these are going on, and if they (NVW) have not seen us in the area, it is because they are not within the area we have touched,” he said. On safety and security, Agbaje said that INEC had maintained that it did not support attacks on any person by political thugs.

According to him, INEC’s job is to conduct the election while other agencies are to secure the environment for INEC to do its job. NAN

NABDA, stakeholders develop standardised legal framework for forensic practices

Aforensic technical working group facilitated by National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), on Wednesday in Abuja brainstormed on how to develop a standardised legal framework for forensic practices in Nigeria.

The group comprised costakeholders from the Judiciary, STI Ministry, the Police, NDLEA, NEMA, NAPTIP, other law enforcement agencies, Medical and Dental Council, foreign experts and representatives of various organisations.

The crew is also responsible for developing a framework for national Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) database that iss comprehensive and cost effective to address gaps Nigeria faces in areas of security and medico-legal issues among others.

Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, Director-General of NABDA, underscored the importance and urgency of developing a robust standard forensic database that would regulate and enable institutions of government to perform at optimal level.

The D-G, who was represented by Dr Bartholomew Ibeh, Director, Medical Biotechnology Department, emphasised on the importance of a standardised forensic science practice in Nigeria.

Mustapha said:“It is very important in terms of security

issues, serial offenders, rape cases and sexual molestations, cases relating to accident victims, missing persons, immigration as well as tracking of terrorists among others.’’

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria at the close of the workshop, Mustapha expressed optimism that Nigerians would begin to see the standardization of forensic science in the country.

He said: ”Nigerians would also witness how the DNA databank and other forensic data banks are built, the standards and patterns to be followed in administering forensic evidence in court.”

Mustapha assured that this would help to empower government institutions that had the mandate of discharging their responsibilities in areas relating to forensic science especially DNA.

He listed institutions such as the Police, Immigration, NDLEA, and the judiciary, among others, as where most of these issues ended up.

Mustapha said the agency was not only a facilitator, but it provided the expertise that was driving the process for Nigeria.

He said the agency had a forensic DNA laboratory which would enable scientists in the field to practice and lead to the country having a standardised forensic reference laboratory for

investigations.

Prof. Dennis Agbonlahor, Chairman of the Forensic Technical Working Committee, told NAN that forensic science was a variegated and diffused field which found applicability in various sectors of national life.

The Chairman said various institutions of government were working with DNA to solve numerous issues relating to health, investigations of crimes and deaths, among others.

He, however, added that the activities of forensic institutions in the country needed proper coordination, regulation and a standard procedure for optimal performance.

Agbonlahor said consequent upon the constitution of a National Forensic Working Group (NFWG), the maiden edition of the workshop was held in 2019, but COVID-19 only gave room for virtual meetings.

“The workshop help to push the idea of ensuring that a bill would eventually emanate for the control, coordination and regulation of forensic activities across the nation.

“The only way to do that is to have a working committee to midwife the process and that is essentially why we are here.

“We are looking at a neutral body to regulate and coordinate the activities of these various institutions, departments and others whose activities have to do

with forensic science,’’ Agbonlahor said.

He said the standard approach should be in tandem with international best practices and that Nigeria needed these standardised forensic procedures.

Dr Patrick Oyong, a Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice said though the field of forensics was not as old as other fields and resource persons were few, but that it was forensics significant.

He said there was need for a forensic bill to be transmitted into law through the National Assembly, adding: “We have started working on it and we will continue to engage other stakeholders on it.

“ We have also gone further by setting up relevant committees that would work towards that and we do not need to fold our hands because we know government is quite appreciative of this.

“It is our responsibility individually and collectively to put all hands on deck to ensure that our intention of this development becomes a reality.”

Dr Tijjani Mandaka of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria(MDCN), stated that forensic science would play a strategic role for Doctors and medical personnel especially in rape cases.

“With forensic science, criminals will not be set free, criminals are set free due to lack of evidences,’’ Mandaka said.(NAN)

Endurance Tracking by Women with disability to seek inclusion in politics and governance, yesterday in Kaduna

Benue Govt approves 243m for re-turfing of Aper Aku Stadium

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Worried by the security risk involved in players of Lobi Stars travelling to Jos for their league matches, Benue State has approved the re-turfing of the Aper Aku Stadium to meet international standard.

The State government took the decision at an emergency executive council meeting held on Thursday at Government House, Makurdi.

The State Commissioner for Information Michael Inalegwu disclosed to newsmen that the sum of 243 million has been earmarked for renovation of playing turf at the stadium.

He said ,”We also agreed to give a face lift to other facilities and structures at the Aper Aku stadium. So, we had two way contractual obligations; one to Momimichelle

Sporting Facitly Construction LTD which laid the astro turf and so was chosen because of their expertise. For the other renovation on the Stadium which will be done by direct labor, the sum of 65 million was approved to the Ministry of Youths/Sports. This is to cut cost. For complete renovation of the MarCarthy Stadium to make provision for offices of the club officials, accommodation for players, council approved 73 million. We are giving the contractors not less than two and half months to finish work on the playing turf. So, whatever is the case between now and April, the whole work should have been completed’, he said.

Cash crunch: Borno patients to receive free drugs

From: Shehu Abubakar, Maiduguri

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has directed the state ministry of health to release N300 million worth of drugs and other medical supplies to government hospitals for free administration to patients to ease the hardship they encounter in making payments due to scarcity of new and old naira notes.

Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Professor Mohammed Arab Alhaji, disclosed

this while unveiling the drugs at his ministry’s stores located along Baga road in Maiduguri.

The supplies included drugs for prevalent illnesses, maternal delivery kits and other medical essentials.

The commissioner directed medical directors and principal medical officers of public healthcare centres in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere to quickly prepare procedural papers to receive their allocations for immediate deployment of the drugs and other supplies.

Arab emphasized that the drugs

must be given free to patients that have no money at hand or those that have problem in accessing their funds to pay their service.

He said officials would rely on patients to be honest because as Zulum noted, “while we know some people may have money and still demand free drugs by pretending they lack funds, we cannot because some dishonest people, refuse to help those in need”.

Arab on behalf of health workers across the state, thanked Governor Zulum for once again, coming to the

aid of patients at a critical period, a move which he described as humane.

Medical Directors and Principal Medical Officers of public hospitals in their joint response have expressed happiness with Governor Zulum’s gesture.

On their behalf, Medical Director of the State Specialist Hospital, Dr. Baba Shehu Mohammed, said they were happier than the patients because they normally feel pained seeing patients being unable to pay for diagnoses or buy drugs after prescriptions.

Country President of United Town Agency( UTA), Princess Abigail CHINYERE AMALAHA and her Officials sensitising FCT, Abuja Residents at the Palace of Emir of Garki on Peaceful general election, yesterday in Abuja.

Atiku storms Jigawa, promises to open boarder if elected

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The presidential candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has promised open

border if elected as next president of Nigeria.

Atiku made the promise while addressing mammoth crowd at Aminu Kano triangle square in Dutse, the state capital.

He explained that, the policies introduced by APC administration forced Nigerians into hardship, adding that, if he becomes president of Nigeria, he will trashed out the policies for better

life in the country. According to him, some of the APC’s policies that will be trashed out include boarder closure for importation, particularly on food items.

NOA, CSOs advocate counter-narratives to end insurgency

The Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Garba Abari, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders, have advocated intensified efforts on counter narratives to end violent extremism in Nigeria.

They made the call at the inauguration of “Time to tell the Truth Campaign” by Truth Alliance, a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) and critical stakeholders in Northeast Nigeria and in Niger Republic, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Abari said the issue of violent extremism had taken a toll on Nigeria’s landscape in so many forms like social, economic, and political dislocations which he said had become of great concern not only to Nigeria but across the entire West African region.

He said that violent extremism activated by the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) had also become part of a global terrorist franchise.

According to him, to actually

beginning to tell the truth in addition to what has been done by the government, civil society and donor agencies are to have a deeper interrogation of the processes leading up to what we are seeing today.

Abari said the Borno Model of the state government had in recent time attracted a large turn out of the repentant Boko Haram terrorists in their thousands who had surrendered.

He said the Federal Government had also developed a home grown response to reducing the fighting capacity of Boko Haram under the Operation Safe Corridor as a direct policy response to get them out, deradicalise them.

He said the inauguration was an attempt to interrogate how far the efforts had reduced the fighting ability of those elements that had taken arms against the states.

“We in NOA have a sense that we must actually begin to complement the efforts of what the Neen Foundation and Truth Alliance are doing to get community buy in.

“This is because, it is important that to deradicalise, reintegrate or integrate as the case may be, it must be community driven, because the community is essentially the very first recipient of the devastation of this.

“How do we strike the very delicate balance between the feeling of the victim and that of the perpetrator? Because this is a very hot potato in the hand of Government, the donor agencies and peace building institutions.

“Boko Haram is an ideologically driven rebellion against the state and what we in the National Orientation Agency have just have discovered is counter narrative and this is one thing that neither government nor all was involved in countering violent extremism.

“Dealing with terror groups have succeeded over the years but alternative narrative is one area that we need to emphasise and develop more competencies and the capacity around it,” he said.

The Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees,

Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Imam Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said that violence, extremists, had perpetrated mass atrocities, internal displacement and refugees.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who was represented by his Chief of Staff. Ms Grace Ukpong, said that the commission’s responsibility was to protect and assist victims of violence, especially the IDPs and refugees.

He said that while millions of people had been affected by insurgency, the discourse around the imperceptible, invisible harm that extremism had inflicted on communities, societies and and countries was still underestimated.

According to him, massive displacement of people from the area of origin to other places as a result of incidents of extremism is changing the fabric of our society.

“We have adopted the whole of society and all of government approach because once we see incidences of displacement. “The general public plays a key role in identifying the terrorist

disinformation on the internet.

“There is need to conduct advocacy and sensitisation programs by organizing and hosting town hall meetings that cover material that help demystify and dispel narratives of the violent extremists that says that violence is necessary and justified.

“Additionally, such outreach efforts may also help to increase the bystander reporting; able to identify is to say that we should be aware and be vigilant to ensure that we identify suspicious behaviors online.

“There should be familiarity with their tactics, their techniques and their procedures in violent extremist messaging that can help public safety and private sectors, stakeholders to identify this suspicious behaviour on social media,” he said.

The Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Borno, Babakura Abba-Jato, said the key point of the bono model was the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Deradicalisation (3Ds) and Rehabilitation, Reorientation and Resettlement (3Rs).NAN

NECO releases 2022 SSCE external result Centre

inaugurates app on 2023 general election

The Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), a civil society organisation, has inaugurated an Electoral Act App aimed at keeping Nigerians abreast with information on the 2023 electoral process.

Executive Director PLAC, Clement Nwankwo, said this at the Unveiling and Dissemination of PLAC Electoral Act Web and Mobile App funded by the European Union (EU) in Abuja on Wednesday.

Nwankwo said that the 2023 General Election was a critical milestone in the history of Nigeria’s democracy and the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act had made it more important for people to be abreast with the technology that would be used.

He said that the Electoral Act Web and mobile app was part of PLAC’s awareness and dissemination of the provisions of the Act ahead of the 2023 General Election.

He said that it was a reference material that featured a complete text of the Act passed in 2022.

He added that it explanations for every section of the law, relevant court decisions that interpret the provisions and demonstrated its practical application as well as reference to additional reading material for researchers.

“The PLAC Electoral Act App contains the complete text of the Nigerian Electoral Act passed in 2022;it comes in a simplified web version as well as Android and iOS mobile versions.

“The objective is to disseminate the provisions of the law to the public and ensure that citizens have it in a readily accessible format,” he said.

Nwankwo urged Nigerians to leverage on the app to build their knowledge on the electoral process for free, fair and credible election as well as post electoral issues and it would also help lawyers during tribunals.

Ms Laolu Olawumi, Programme Manager, Democracy and Rule of Law, European Union, commended PLAC for putting together such a great tool to empower Nigerians with knowledge.

“It is an excellent initiative, that is easy to download and use.

“I was really surprised with the amount and the quality of information,I think whether you are a lawyer, or you are just somebody who is keen on research, or you are just an average citizen wanting to understand the electoral law, this really sets the tone and helps you.

“So embrace it, immerse yourself in the information and also connect with the process and it will help you authenticate certain materials that you receive to be able to engage with the process.NAN

By Maryam Abeeb & Yakubu Mustapha Minna

The National Examinations Council, NECO, has announced the release of the result of the November/ December 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE.

Registrar of NECO, Prof Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, who made the announcement in Minna, Niger State, said, 59,124 candidates sat for the examination, with 31,316 males, representing 52.96 per cent while 27,808, representing 47.03

per cent were female.

Wushishi added that the number of candidates that sat for English Language is 58,012 out of which 44,162, representing 76.13 per cent got Credit and above, while the number of candidates that sat for Mathematics is 57,700, out of which 43,096, representing 74.69 per cent got Credit and above.

He further disclosed that the number of Candidates who got five Credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics is 33,914

representing 57.36 per cent.

“Also 46,825 candidates, representing 79.20% got five (5) Credits and above irrespective of English Language and Mathematics,” he said.

on the issue of examination malpractice, he said 11,419 candidates were booked for various forms of malpractice is , as against 4,454 in 2021, which shows a sharp rise in the number of malpractice cases.

According to him, this is largely due to the improvement in the strategy and technique adopted by the monitoring

officers.

“This led to the blacklisting of four (4) supervisors, one (1) each from Rivers and Plateau States and two (2) from Ogun State for aiding and abetting as well as poor supervision,” he said.

Recall that the 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE, External was conducted by NECO from 21 November to 21 December 2022 and is being released 57 days today after.

Speaking further on the examination, Wushishi said, a total of 29 subjects were examined as was done in 2021.

L-R) Chairman, Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), FCTA Comrade Korede Matilukuro, National President, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) Comrade Tommy Okon and the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello in close conversation, during the visit of the ASCSN Exco to the FCTA yesterday in Abuja.

Group seeks measures to kick out leprosy from Nigeria

Stakeholders in the health sector on Wednesday have called for deliberate measures to kick out leprosy from Nigeria.

They made the call at a oneday Symposium on World Leprosy Day with the theme: “The MultiDimensional Impact of Leprosy on the Sufferers: The Need to have the Conversation Now” in Abuja”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that leprosy is a curable infectious disease mainly causing skin lesions and nerve damage.

Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme said there was need for Nigeria to join the global community to kick out leprosy from the country.

This, he said, it was because of its effects not just on adults but also on children.

Anyaike said: ‘”This is very embarrassing; whenever you see an infection or a disease affecting the children that means that there is an active spread of the disease.

“People tend to run away from leprosy and it comes with a lot of

misinformation some say that it is due to punishment from God or due to voodoo.

“So, there is so much stigma and discrimination attached to it and our priority is to engage the communities that is the sure way of getting the right information and reduce stigma and discrimination.

“There are several things attached to stigma and discrimination: First on the list is social exclusion, it comes with poverty and all because they don’t come out among people.”

Anyaike said that the group strongly believed that if leprosy was kicked out it would contribute majorly towards achieving sustainable development goals as a country.

Dr Sunday Udo, National Director of Leprosy Mission in Nigeria, said, “leprosy is really not getting much attention in Nigeria like other diseases probably because it affects the poorest of the poor.”

Udo said the symposium was put together to mark the World Leprosy Day was aimed at

creating awareness on the disease and know how far the country had fared and the way forward.

“That is why TLM and other lead agencies are really poised to ensure that we don’t neglect or leave them, we support them and work with them to improve their lives and ultimately defeat leprosy.

“We have a drug called prophylaxis. It is a drug that we can give to anybody who comes in contact with leprosy and then within two years, you are protected.

“So, every two years, you get a pill that will protect you from catching the disease.

“Now, we want the government to be able to pick up this particular intervention and make it national,” he said .

Mrs Nella Andem-Rabana, SAN, Board Chairperson TLMN, said leprosy was curable, adding, “but because it is not known on time, it leaves indelible marks on people.

“The popular belief that leprosy is caused because of people’s sins or as a result of curse

is false .

“It is peripheral, it’s on the skin around the nose region itbis curable but if you live it too long, they can really deform you then people will begin to segregate .”

Andem-Rabana advised people to stop living by speculation and build their knowledge on how to tackle the disease so as to help themselves and those around them.

“If the rest of the world has eradicated leprosy, we can do it too and I think we should do it now,”she said

The National Leprosy Goodwill Ambassador, Chief Chika Okpala also known as Chief Zebrudaya called for the need to intensify sensitisation on the disease . Okpala said:”If people are properly educated on the disease , then it would stop this stigmatisation that is rampant in Nigeria.”

He said that there was need for the government to take deliberate steps to tackle the disease, adding a lot needed to be done to eradicate the misconceptions around the disease.(NAN)

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Rivers PDP governorship candidate’ll sustain Wike’s legacies -Semenitari

Mrs Ibim Semenitari, Director, New Media, PDP Campaign Council for Rivers governorship election, says the party’s candidate, Mr Siminalayi Fubara will sustain Gov. Nyesom Wike`s legacies if elected.

Semenitari who said this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, said that Fubara would sustain the dividends of democracy being enjoyed by Rivers people under the Wike-led administration.

She said this would be done through investment in infrastructure, to underpin a stronger economy and improved security and capacity development.

The director said Fubara had a proven track records of public service, having served meritoriously nearing two decades and rose to the position of Accountant General of the state.

She said the PDP candidate had a clear understanding of issues facing the people of the state, adding that he has a vision to create better future for his people.

Semenitari said Fubara was committed to creating a more prosperous future for the people and achieving the goals of inclusive development.

“His disposition and promotion of peace and stability is unparalleled, he is a fervent advocate of human capital development,“he said.

She said the governorship candidate would invest in energy solutions, to tackle electricity issues, installing CCTV cameras and drones to combat insecurity and reforming the public sector.

According to her, these would be achieved through industrialisation, creating more jobs and improved social infrastructure and healthcare.

“By executing these measures, Fubara hopes to transform Rivers into a modern, vibrant, and secure environment that enables its citizens to thrive,” she said.

She said his cabinet would comprise a sizeable number of youth and women that would truly reflect his beliefs in the untapped potentials of the groups.

Semenitari said this was aimed at leveraging their capacity to promote inclusiveness for a more efficient state.

The director said that this would foster an environment where Rivers people could take pride in their state. (NAN)

Wike, Enenche to bag honorary doctorate degrees at Benue Varsity

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue State University, BSU is to confer Honorary degrees on Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as well as founder Dunamis Church Pastor Paul Eneche.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution Prof. Tor Iorapuu who disclosed this while briefing newsmen as part of activities to mark its 18th,19th,20th and 21st combined convocation and 30th anniversary of the University said the Chancellor of BSU, King Disreal Gbobo Bob-Manuel II will be honored with Doctor of Laws (D. LL), Honoris Causa; Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike would bag Doctor of

Laws (D. LL), Honoris Causa while the Senior Pastor, Dunamis Gospel Church International, Dr Pastor Paul Enenche will bag the Doctor of Divinity (D. Div), Honoris Causa.

The others are; Chief Christopher Chuka Edordu, OON will be coffered with Doctor of Commerce (D. Com), Honoris Causa and Prince Engr. Arthur Eze, OFR would receive the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Honoris Causa.

He also disclosed that the University will confer degrees on a total of 23,060 graduands in varied categories on Saturday 18th February,2023.

Vice Chancellor of BSU, Professor Tor Iorapuu, made this known on Thursday at the Pre-

Convocation Press Briefing of the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st Combined Convocation Ceremonies and the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Benue State University.

He said, “At this Combined Convocation Ceremonies, the University will be conferring a total of 23,060 degrees and diplomas on graduands in the following categories: Bachelor’s Degrees -20815, Postgraduate Diplomas -494, Master’s Degrees-1605 and PhD Degree-146

Iorapuu noted that out of 20815 graduands with Bachelors’ degrees, 63 of them earned First Class while prizes will be awarded to deserving students.

He further intimated that the

combined convocation tagged,“BSU at 30: Boundless Years of Academic Growth,” would deliberately remind staff and students of the humble beginning in 1992/93 academic session with a population of 308 students and 149 academic staff which has now grown to a huge student population of over 23,000 students with over 2000 staff.

The vice chancellor added that the university has enjoyed over N2billion intervention funds/ projects by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) even as many staff are on TETFUND scholarship within and outside Nigeria pursuing various degree programmes with some on post doctoral research.

Patriotic Visioners Foundation sensitizes Benue Schools on ‘Save The Child Initiative’

From

Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The National Schools Security and Emergency Response Initiative of the Federal Government has been launched in Benue State. The event was organized by the

Patriotic Visioners Foundation, PVF, under the Save the Benue Child, Save and Violence Free School Initiative.

Head of Project, PVF Obenoh Jonah explained that the program was aimed at sensitizing schools in the State in ensuring safe learning

environment. He decried that non safety of schools affects enrolment especially amongst the girl child, averring the need to evolve implementable actions as well as curriculum for safer schools in the State.

Benue State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Philip Okoh said the initiative is domiciled under the outfit which had gone ahead to train a female Strike Force to tackle attacks on schools in the country.

Gov. Bello urge traders to be patient over CBN Naira policy

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Governor Abubakar Sani

Bello of Niger State has urged traders to be patient while awaiting the verdict of the Supreme court on the new naira

note policy of the CBN.

Governor Bello encouraged the traders to continue to use the old notes along the new ones until the court verdict is pronounced while interacting with traders at Kure Ultra Modern Market,

Minna.

He said that the state government along other States filed a case against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the time frame to discontinue the usage of the old notes.

The governor acknowledged that the naira redesign was a welcome development, however, he disclosed that the CBN needed to give a long time to allow the old notes in circulation before it eventually fades out.

President Muhammadu Buhari receives briefing from the Adhoc Committee on the cashless and naira swap held at the Council Chambers, State House, Yesterday In Abuja Photo; State House

Naira crunch and the crumbling economy

By Damilare Adeleye

As I write to you, many local businesses have been crippled and winded up. Many micro and small businesses in the country are in their death throes. This is evident in the scantity of many overcrowded markets as many customers and traders do not readily have enough or any cash for ease business transactions.

It is perhaps not a strange news when our local currency falls against foreign currencies like US Dollar, UK Pound, Euro, etcetera. But, the unusual has fully started displaying like a crazy masquerade as our banknotes have become unexpectedly rare which has now birthed parallel and black markets where prices are inconsiderably pegged for the collection of Naira currency. Succinctly speaking, the scarcity of naira notes being witnessed in our own fatherland in the last few weeks is an unprecedented chaos that has inflicted more pain and hardship than gain on many Nigerians across the country. It is so saddening that middle class Nigerians will struggle at work for money and still queue, shout, wrestle and spend a whole day at withdrawal points before they could obtain their money. This unfortunate development is undoubtedly and totally strange and incomprehensible, just to say the least.

Truly, the redesignation of N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was a welcome development that was hoped to propel prosperity and life to our dying economy. The cash withdrawal limits policy too was expected to bring solutions and sanity to the myriad of problems bewildering our nation’s financial status. We were even at rest when the apex bank management argued that redesigning the three major currencies, as it has been empowered by the constitution to carry out as a global practices, would curb terrorism financing, mop up the rampant

counterfeit of the old notes and most importantly lead to recovery of N2.7 trillion which had been kept outside the banking system. However, since the unveiling of the new naira notes by President Muhammadu Buhari with short timeframe for swapping to the new currencies, the Nigerian banknotes have become so scarce as tail of tortoise. This, as a result, has been harshly biting hard on average citizens who heavily rely on cash transactions for daily living. Many of us are denied access to our hard-earned money both at overcounter points and at Automated Teller Machine (ATM) galleries due to the apparent shortage of new naira notes in circulation.

As I write to you, many local businesses have been crippled and winded up. Many micro and small businesses in the country are in their death throes. This is evident in the scantity of many overcrowded markets as many customers and traders do not readily have enough or any cash for ease business transactions. For days now, my own mother who sells cloth materials in a local market in Ogun State, has been making little or no sales as this current lack of cash grips many others. Perhaps, it is who has sufficient fund for food will remember to buy cloth at this point where everyone is struggling for survival. Some of my neighbours who also engage in POS business has recently closed down due to non-availability of naira which they certainly needed for their business.

To make matters worse, some POS merchants have taken advantage of the dire situation to rip off their countrymen. We unavoidably negotiate the price of money we urgently need. The reality is simply that we purchase the money we need for our basic necessities. I could not hold my resentment when I was told by one of the POS agents in my area that it would cost me N2,000 before I could get just Ten Thousand Naira (N10,000) which I needed for my food stuff as a student. I asked him what would be left out of the

whole money I had planned to maintain for the month? The truth is that the economy is not buoyant and favourable as expected. Even, goods and services, transportation, among others are now at very expensive cost, sadly at the detriment of our livelihoods and beyond one’s imagination.

While I believe that CBN policy is deemed good for our country, especially to prevent the menace of vote buying in the upcoming elections which I strongly support, it should, however, not to be out of place to consider the masses who are largely affected and majorly bearing the brunt of the scarcity. We have seen footages of violence in some parts of the country, just as we have seen viral clips of naked Nigerians crying, lamenting and begging publicly for their money. The government should be humane at this time to look into its monetary policies. If cashless financial system is the agenda of the CBN, which most of us have observed, then, strong internet connection, constant electricity and adequate sensitisation of the citizens should first off be the main objectives to achieve for seamless and smooth running of the system. The possible events of bank hackers, slow and failed e-transactions despite debits alerts should also be maximally minimised to boost people’s confidence.

To end, the federal government and CBN should end this avoidable era of naira crunch. If truly that the CBN did not have sufficient new notes to distribute across the country as alleged, it would be of best interest to allow the old notes to continue as legal tender till enough of the new denominations are printed and judiciously circulated length and breadth of the country. This, I hope, will avert our economy from total crumbling.

Damilare Adeleye, a freelance journalist, writes from Lagos State University.

Russian and African legislators meet and what next?

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

The Russian Foreign Ministry and the State Duma (the lower Chamber of Parliamentarians) have agreed to hold the next International Parliamentary Conference “Russia – Africa” in March. In several official reports, this International Parliamentary Conference was considered as an important stage and integral part of the preparation for the Russia-Africa summit planned for late July.

Under the chairmanship of Boris Vyacheslavovich Gryzlov, the first Russia-Africa Inter-Parliamentary Conference and a special business forum with the theme “Russia – Africa: Horizons of Cooperation” was held on June 15 -17, 2010. The Federation Council and the State Duma still remember the final joint declaration made at the end of the gathering. Absolutely, nothing was pursued and nothing was achieved after that conference in 2010.

Significant change only appeared when Vyacheslav Volodin became the Chairman of the State Duma. The urgent revival of the idea to bring together African parliamentarians appeared on the political scene – a prelude to the first Russia-Africa summit in 2019.

The State Duma then with the Ambassadors of African countries in the Russian Federation held a preparatory meeting to brainstorm for views and opinions for consolidating the future of Russia-Africa relations. The meeting was also aimed at preparing for the proposed Inter-Parliamentary Conference Russia-Africa planned in 2019.

Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma, stressed the importance of regular meetings to shape the future relations between Russia and Africa. “We have great expectations for the interparliamentary conference Russia-Africa which we are planning to hold in 2019. In our opinion, it will serve as a stimulus and initiate some processes aimed at the development of relations between our parliaments,” said the Chairman of the State Duma, opening that meeting in April 2019.

“We are going to provide support through the parliamentary dimension for the development of inter-parliamentary contacts in terms of the preparation of the Russia-Africa conference. It was initiated by President Vladimir Vladimirovich during the 10th Anniversary BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in July,” the Chairman of the State Duma emphasized.

During that time, it was believed that such a format would allow to productively discuss the agenda on intensifying relations, bring together approaches on a number of issues and contribute to the preparation of the conference in the framework of agreements reached at the level of heads of state. Still, various agreements are undelivered as noted in the authoritative report titled ‘Situation Analytical Report’ complied by 25 policy experts headed by Professor Sergei Karaganov. That report was presented publicly in November 2021.

Leonid Slutskiy, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, expressed the hope that two-sided parliamentarians meeting would become regular and would be constantly held in Moscow. With the primary aim of creating the basis of a long-term cooperation and the intention of supporting the steady growing interest of Africans in geopolitical developments, Russia now plans to invite heads of African parliaments in March

2023 to Moscow.

The parliamentary platform could be used to exchange views on common problems, common issues for the African continent and the Russian Federation. In addition, as it is always noted and a standard approach, the line-up speeches and presentations full of anti-Western and anti-Europe confrontation instead of concentrating on development-oriented and business initiatives with African countries.

The State Duma, through constructive discussions with African parliamentarians, could possibly increase the efficiency of interaction on issues requiring joint decisions, including sustainable development, international security, environmental protection, fighting poverty and inequality and countering terrorism.

The State Duma has to outline Russia’s priorities for mutual cooperation and further offer useful comprehensive programmes, proposals for cooperation with African countries, with the regional economic blocs and with the pan-African Union. Majority of the African countries are currently looking to improve on their economies and consequently ready to welcome potential external investors with adequate investment funds, regards of political underpinnings. Understandably, geopolitical neutrality is a pragmatic approach for not dispelling potential genuine external players.

As Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted, in his speech delivered in July 2019 at parliamentary forum held in the World Trade Center (WTC) overlooking the Krasnopresnenskaya Naberezhnaya in Moscow, that the State Duma has to bring parliamentarians together for a common purpose of deliberating on the widest range of topical issues, such as global security, sustainable development, the fight against poverty and environmental problems.

Parliamentary diplomacy has to make significant and in-depth contributions to supporting trust and mutual understanding between countries in their search for compromises and balanced solutions to acute international problems, according to Foreign Minister Lavrov.

Interesting to note along these lines of our discussion that since that gathering in 2010, Russian and African parliamentarians have been interacting, mostly chatting over global and regional questions. Reports we have monitored show that many African legislators have visit Moscow. And in terms of reciprocity, Russian legislators have paid a number of working visits to Africa. That is highly commendable, but what African regions, what African countries and what were the results? What have been the achievements aside raising collective voices against “neo-colonialism” and “hegemony” and further make numerous pledges and promises.

Concretely aiming at strengthening further mutual bilateral parliamentary relations, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko headed a group of Russian senators on a reciprocal visit from May 30 – June 01, 2022, to Maputo, Mozambique. The Chairperson of the Federation Council delivered speeches to the deputies of the Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique and had a separate meeting with the Russia-Mozambique Parliamentary Friendship League.

She expressed satisfaction with the dynamic development of

inter-parliamentary relations, the legal basis of which was the protocol on the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation between the Federation Council and the Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique.

“Today we will take a new important step towards strengthening the legal framework and sign a full-fledged agreement on interparliamentary cooperation between the Federation Council and the Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique that meets modern realities. This will allow us to bring our inter-parliamentary contacts to a higher level, and open up broad prospects for the exchange of experience in legislative activity,” Matviyenko emphasized.

In this context of bilateral economic cooperation, the Mozambican Head of State, however, expressed satisfaction with the openness that Russia has been showing high interest to expand bilateral cooperation with Mozambique, especially in the economic and social sectors. Reports monitored from local Mozambican media as well from both Russian and Mozambican government websites indicated that Russia has still been looking for feasible and viable economic sectors to strengthen and broaden cooperation with Mozambique.

Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, during discussions with the Mozambican leader Filipe Nyusi, referred to the need to increase trade between Russia and Mozambique, which amounted to approximately $109 million, and described trade figure as well below its potential. Senator Matvienko, then, invited the Mozambican government to identify more priority areas in which cooperation could be expanded, if Mozambique so agrees on this significant assignment or policy task.

After the Soviet collapse and throughout these three decades (30 years) of Russia-Mozambique relations, Russia and Mozambique have been appropriately described as “reliable and time-tested” partners in Africa. Reviewing the evolutionary processes of bilateral relations, it is about time to highlight development projects undertaken or are currently in progress. But for the Highly Respected Speaker Valentina Matviyenko requesting the Mozambican government to identify priority areas for expansion of cooperation, especially at this time in their bilateral history, seems completely out of place. Completely out, especially during the meeting with President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi.

Long before the Russian delegation’s visit to Maputo, Mozambican leader Filipe Nyusi was in Kremlin in August 2019, held business talks with President Vladimir Putin and then went on to deliver and answered several questions during a special business meeting with Russian entrepreneurs at the World Trade Center. According to several reports, there again bilateral agreements were signed between Moscow and Maputo.

Earlier during the month of February 2020, Chairperson of the Federation Council (the Upper House or the Senate), Valentina Matviyenko, headed a delegation of legislators on a three-day working visit aimed at strengthening parliamentary diplomacy with Namibia and Zambia. This visit showed Russia’s overwhelming commitment to pursuing its strategic interests and supporting its African allies.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

Blaming Buhari, Emefiele, and bankers for not knowing that Nigerians are “Hangry”

By Isaac Asabor

Without any iota of exaggeration, anger over the scarcity of the newly redesigned naira notes, food costs, and fuel costs spawned the rash of violent protests that swept across some state capitals yesterday.

According to researchers, observational learning is the process of learning by watching the behaviors of others. The targeted behavior is watched, memorized, and then put under observation. Through observation, as parents, it is easier to know when our children are hungry and angry, to make us understand when it is exigent to put actions in place to caringly meet their needs in order to forestall a situation where they unmanageably become hangry.

For the sake of clarity, it is explanatory to say that lexicographers described the word, hangry as “an informal adjective meaning “irritable or angry because of hunger.”

According to etymologists, the word is a combination of “Hunger” and “Angry”. They explained that anyone who has ever felt so hungry to the point of getting angry can be said to be “hangry”.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is advisable for leaders at every level of government to have the technical skills that are needed to understand when the people are hungry and angry to preempt a situation where they can

be found to be hangry.

Thus, given the whirlwind of mayhem that swept across Nigeria yesterday, it is obvious that our leaders are not observant enough. For instance, not a few Nigerians yesterday, being the 15th day in the month of February 2023, were seen across various parts of the country vandalizing banks and their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

Given the widespread chaos, it will not be out of place in this context to opine that it is expedient for any politician that aspires to hold public office; either through appointment or election to have the sense of observation as it helps in successfully leading the people, managing stress, delivering feedback, and knowing at what point it is auspicious to implement a policy or program.

Without a doubt, observation skill, which is synonymous with emotional intelligence is a leadership skill that cannot be ignored as it accounts for a high percentage of what sets high performers apart from those without similar technical skills and knowledge.

I must confess that I was inspirationally compelled at night to express this view as it is crystal clear that our present crop of leaders lacks the emotional intelligence that is needed to understand the collective temperament of the people. Little wonder the people are always revolting against them. At this

juncture, it is expedient to recall the End SARS protest that was carried out in 2020 to end police brutality and extrajudicial killings that have become endemic in Nigeria and the presently evolving scenario that has seen politicians being booed, and chased away with stones and cudgels from campaign grounds by their constituents.

Given the foregoing, it is not an exaggeration to say that if our leaders were observational enough, the implementation of the ongoing demonetization of the economy would have been meticulously planned and implemented to avoid the wind of chaos that blew across many parts of the country yesterday with no fewer than three persons feared dead as irate youths made attempt to burn down a branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Benin City over the rejection of old naira notes.

While the gory incident played out in the ancient city, protests also broke out in Oyo, Delta, and Ondo states over the scarcity of the newly redesigned N200, N500, N1, 000 notes and the rejection of the old naira bills. In Benin, the protesters succeeded in destroying some commercial banks.

In Delta, a combined squad of the army and police foiled an attempt to set ablaze Access Bank at Orhuwhorun junction in Udu Local Government Area of the state by angry customers who also destroyed

First Bank in Owvian in the early hours of the day.

It was also gathered that there were shootings around the banks in a frantic effort to disperse the angry customers, while residents around the banks were subjected to a traumatic experience as they witnessed heavy shootings and teargas from 8 a.m.

In Benin City, the Edo State capital, the youths in their numbers barricaded all roads, leading to the popular and ever-busy Ring Road, where Nigeria’s apex bank was situated while making attempts to gain entrance. As gathered, it took the timely intervention of security operatives to save the situation, but not without the protesters vandalizing some commercial banks in the area.

It was also gathered that military officers began to shoot when they could not resist the push by the protesters. In a similar vein, the enraged protesters, who were seen wielding leaves, sticks, and other dangerous weapons, descended on a branch of the First Bank of Nigeria, at the Ring Road and destroyed its ATM gallery.

Reports also had it that the disruption of activities, which caused a total gridlock at the heart of the city, started when banks and business owners began to reject the old naira notes as a result of the CBN deadline.

Similarly, as a result of scarcity of new naira notes and fuel, some residents across various areas within

the Ibadan metropolis, the Oyo State capital, in the early hours of Wednesday trooped into major roads blocking the free movement of vehicles.

Some of the affected areas included Eleiyele, Oke-Ado, Molete, Sango, and other parts of the city. It was gathered that the protesters first converged on Eleyele Junction in Ibadan North West Local Government Area of the state.

The protesters blocked the everbusy Eleyele-Ologuneru-Eruwa road causing grid lock around Eleyele, Ijokodo, and Sango-Poly roads. Given the retrogressive development, motorists had to seek alternative routes while school children hurriedly returned home for fear of being attacked. Again, it was gathered that the protest spread to other areas within the city like Oke Ado, and Molete in Ibadan South West Local Government Area.

In a similar vein, Commercial banks in Akure, the Ondo State capital, were shut in a hurry as protesters barricaded Adekunle Ajasin Road of the Alagbaka commercial district of the metropolis.

Given the foregoing revolting scenarios, it is germane to ask, “Is it not said that ‘A hungry man is an angry man’?”

Isaac Asabor is a Public Policy Analyst.

Nigerian refineries: For refurbishment or remodelling?

By Sheriffdeen Tella

According to Collins dictionary.com, remodelling is the act of changing or altering the structure, style or form of something. If we want different results from what we have been getting from these old refineries, the way of remodelling is the right path, not refurbishing. Remodelling means that the refineries will be modernised.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited is at it again. Some of the refineries are undergoing refurbishment and will start ‘production’ sooner or later. It was widely reported at the end of January 2023 that Daewoo Engineering and Construction Limited, a South Korean firm, signed an agreement with the NNPCL to undertake a quick-fix (whatever that means) repair of the Kaduna refinery and restore production to about 60 per cent capacity by the end of 2024.

The Kaduna refinery, the latest and largest of the four refineries now owned by the NNPCL was constructed in 1980! The first refinery was built in Port Harcourt in 1965 with a capacity to process 60,000 barrels per day and a ‘new’ one in the same place in 1989 which could process 150,000 barrels per stream day. The Warri refinery was commissioned in 1979 to produce, initially, 100,000 barrels per stream day and later upgraded to produce 125,000 barrels per day. This was earlier offered for refurbishment in 2022 with the promise that it will start full production again in December, 2023.

There are stories in recent times that these refineries have not been refurbished in almost 15 years, but we did hear of payment for turn-around maintenance within the same period. Money down the drain or money drained into private pockets? What is important to us here is the ages of the refineries and the technology at the time they were built. The technology of the 1965 refinery must be different from that of 1980. Definitely, the technology of refineries today cannot be compared with that of 1980 which is over 40 years. Can there be spare parts currently for technology of 1980? Maybe Daewoo and NNPCL can provide a favourable answer.

In an earlier article in July 2022, I posited that, “NNPC, the corporation, was the only organisation that had unproductive refineries but maintained full complementary workforce on its payroll. It was the public company that derives joy in importing refined fuel while exporting crude oil to the detriment of the economy. It is one of the very few public companies that refused to be accountable to anyone, even the government that set it up. One of the few public companies that were not part of the treasury single account and the government department that, when it

sneezes, the other ministries catch cold. The public outfit that has hoodwinked everybody such that those who should know better and call to question the wrongdoings of the company or cooperation are in total silence or submission.” It is still in this context that the company, which has turned private, could engage in refurbishing two refineries at the cost that can build a new, modern refinery with greater outputs.

Refurbishing, from my understanding, is like making a building look new through such activities like repairing, cleaning and painting. No fundamental changes but the normal renovation like freshen up or brighten or revitalisation. Quite different from something like overhaul which is to repair or renew thoroughly and better than refurbishing. This is also different from a word like remodelling which means to change the structure or form of something.

According to Collins dictionary.com, remodelling is the act of changing or altering the structure, style or form of something. If we want different results from what we have been getting from these old refineries, the way of remodelling is the right path, not refurbishing. Remodelling means that the refineries will be modernised. The 40-year-old technology will give way to modern one without destroying or removing the whole machines. That might be worth the amount of funds currently allocated to the refurbishing exercise.

At the transformation of NNPC to NNPCL, the Chief Executive Officer of the new company and erstwhile General Manager of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, promised that, “the company will be smarter, more responsive and accountable and will act within the premises of all regulations guarding private enterprises. It will be managed to meet global standards of best practice in terms of governance.”

Part of being smarter is to adopt new management techniques and discard the old ones that did not pay off. Another word for turnaround maintenance is ‘refurbishing’ which had, in the past, led to waste of resources like time and money.

A smarter way of running the old refineries profitably is to remodel them. It may not even involve any immediate funds if the company decides to go into partnership with the Daewoo company, as the latter would see the prospect for profit making in the relationship and thus key into it by supplying the technology required in a joint venture management. I doubt if Daewoo would want to partner with the NNPCL in the case of refurbishing the existing refineries because they know it would be money down the drain.

However, it is shameful that a NNPCL that is now private sector driven and whose business for now is to import and supply petrol and

allied products cannot supply the products in adequate quantities to avoid the logjam that is being witnessed now. The company is to make money from supplying the products to customers who pay directly for what they buy. Or is the company also in the hands of economic mafia?

In the article entitled, Nigerian economy in the stranglehold of economic mafia, about three weeks ago and before the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress cried out on sabotage regarding his presidential ambition, I opined that some ministers and public officials were no longer in control of activities under their watch. I did not expect that to happen to a private company like the NNPCL if it is run truly as a private company rather than a public sector parastatal. What is currently happening with the running of the outfit seems to prove me wrong.

Since all that the company is involved now and pending when, hopefully, the Warri refinery will start production, is to supply fuel via buying from any part of the world and selling in the local market, we should not be witnessing queues in petrol stations due to shortages. I have however, noticed that NNPCL is a private company in intention but public in operation.

Back to our original concern, there is the need for the NNPCL to renegotiate with the Daewoo Engineering and Construction limited to remodel the Kaduna refinery rather than refurbishment. Fortunately, it is the biggest and least archaic of the four refineries. So, the remodelling may not be difficult. The remodelling will be a test case for remodelling of Port Harcourt refineries, given that refurbishment of the Warri refinery is almost complete. Also, NNPCL should explore the opportunities for joint venture with the Daewoo company or any other such engineering company ready for partnership. With that kind of arrangement, the NNPCL can benefit from additional funds from the company and the modern technology that the remodelling will bring along.

In sympathy with Turkey and Syria. This is a trying period for Turkey and Syria from the earthquake reported to have taken away over 20,000 people. This is a big loss economically in terms of manpower and natural physical resources. There is the need for more countries to assist them materially and technologically to reduce the medium to long-term economic hardship on the citizens. Every country has its share of natural disasters but in varying degrees of intensity. This has been a tough one and Nigerians must show concern even while in battle with leadership disaster. Or is it a followership disaster or both? Let us continue to pray for the souls of the departed and the revival of the countries’ economies.

Sheriffdeen Tella is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Onochie moves to reposition NDDC

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Lauretta Onochie said she and her team at the helms of affairs are working round the clock to reposition NDDC, for betterment of the people of the Niger Delta.

She asserted this during an engagement with the anticorruption and Social Inclusive Reform Initiatives in Nigeria project mid-term review meeting organised by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), yesterday,

Mrs. Onochie said she and her team will do things differently and come up with ideas that will move the Niger Delta region forward.

According to her, the leadership of the Commission is going to improve the working environment because if staff are not happy at the place they work, those at the head will not have their 100 per cent.

“ From what we gathered, there are a lot of politics going on here, not just here, in the ministries as well. We will not tolerate that.”

Fuel Scarcity: Benue Govt threatens to clamp down on petrol stations

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue State government has threatened to clamp down hard on petrol stations that have refused to revert to the old pump price.

Governor Ortom made the threat yesterday through his Commissioner for Information Michael Inalegwu after an emergency State Executive Council meeting held at the

Government House, Makurdi.

He said the State Task Force on Petroleum monitoring will come into effect, warning that if in the next one week, the petrol stations refuse to revert the approved pump price, they will be doing so at their own peril.

“If you go to Nasarawa State, they are selling for 200 and 194 naira, it is only in Benue, that it is been sold at 300 and 400 naira. All the petroleum

marketers should review their pump price to the level that Benue people can access. We are facing naira scarcity and at the same time, fuel scarcity, where are we heading to? Wherever the Task Force visits and finds out that there is petrol on the ground and the filling station is not selling, the general public will be called upon to fill their tanks and pay the station according to the approved price. This is

our own social responsibility in dealing with people who are doing business in our state.”

On the new cash policy, the State spokesman said the Governor has held several meetings with the Banks and CBN, but regretted that the cash crunch has persisted

‘We have told them to make money available to the people as a way of reducing their suffering”, Inalegwu said.

PLANE urges Kaduna Govt to provide grants, tax waiver for private schools

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Partnership for Education for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, has urged the Kaduna State Government to provide grants and lower taxes for non-state schools to increase access to basic education.

This is among other recommendations of the SocioDemographic Survey and Graded Assessment of Non-State Schools Report in Kaduna State, supported by PLANE to strengthen the delivery of basic education by non-state schools.

Dr James Fadokun, Technical Lead on Governance of NonState Systems, PLANE, who presented the report in Kaduna on Wednesday, also called for the equipment, record keeping training and infrastructure support for non-state schools.

Fadokun described non-state

schools as “formal and non-formal schools owned and managed by private individuals, faithbased organisations, and nongovernmental organisations.”

According to him, the contributions of non-state schools in the delivery of basic education in the state is immeasurable, adding that supporting such schools will significantly increase access to quality basic education.

“We want government to support a dynamic policy framework for non-state school providers so they can leverage resources and increase access and quality of education for the underprivileged.

“We equally want the government to support nonschools with funds to enhance the implementation of inclusive education at basic education level that protect the interest of children with disabilities.

“Specifically, the government should provide visual aids, hearing aids and other critical facilities to non-state schools to promote inclusive basic education.

“A downward review of the current guidelines for registration of non-state schools is also recommended to encourage nonstate school owners to register.”

Fadokun also called on the government to provide free inservice training for instructors in private schools as part of state government efforts to invest in the future of its children.

He added that another recommendation was the integration of non-state Tsangaya (traditional Quranic School) with Islamic Quranic institutions.

“Relevant stakeholders –community, religious heads, parents, government, and educational institutions must all play a role in the pursuit of

educational development in the state.

“Legislation for punitive measures, such as revocation of a school’s operating license for non –state schools violating relevant laws must be in place,” he added.

The technical lead further explained that the objective of the study was to compile sociodemographic information from the state’s ecosystem of unregistered non-state schools.

He said that the results of the survey would provide vital information that would help direct future interventions aimed at improving the effectiveness of non-state education systems in the state.

He said that the study was conducted in 371 schools across six PLANE implementing Local Government Areas, namely Kaduna South, Kaduna North, Jaba, Sabon Gari, Sanga, and Soba.

He explained that the findings showed some gaps in funding, teacher quality and training, registration, infrastructure, health water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities among others.

PLANE Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor, Hajiya Umma Mohammed, also called on the government to implement the GESI safeguarding and disability inclusion minimum standards in all non-state schools.

Earlier, Ms Diana Agabi, PLANE State Team Lead, said that the dissemination of the report was to deliberate on the findings, facilitate a public private dialogue on the survey.

This, according to her, will inform policy development, public private partnership, regulation, and financing of private and Integrated Qur’anic and Tsangaya Education schools in Kaduna State.

President Muhammadu Buhari (M) flanked by the Plateau State Governor, Dr Simon Lalong, Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pallen Tallen, Minister of Finance, Zaianb Ahmed during the launch of the High-Level Advisory Council (HLAC) to support Women and Girls National Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy Dialogue Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and Nigeria for Women Project Scale-up (NFWP-SU) at the State House yesterday in Abuja. PHOTO; State House

NNPP asks Tinubu, Atiku to step down over corruption, drug allegations

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has urged the presidential candidates of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu to withdraw from the presidential race over serious allegations of corruption and drug peddling that have made mockery of the 2023 general election.

A statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major, said Nigeria has been brought to ridicule and disrepute before the comity

of nations over accusations of high level corruption and drug peddling against Atiku and Tinubu, adding ‘He that goes to equity must come with a clean hand.’

NNPP demanded the immediate withdrawal of both presidential candidates to answer to charges preferred against them in court.

“It is justice juxtaposed for them to continue in the presidential race with heavy allegations of wrongdoings on their shoulders. It is moral burden fie the two candidates to continue in this race at a time Nigerians are looking for a younger and unblemished crop of leaders.

“There is no moral justification for

Atiku and Tinubu to strive to rule the nation until the court decides their fates one way or the other. National interest supersedes personal interests, aggrandizement and grandstanding in the quest for a better, greater, progressive, equitable and just democratic nation.

“Nigerians are tired of recycled politicians who have numerous cases of corruption, drugs, birth/educational certificates, health and questionable source of wealth. Citizens want men and women of integrity, visionary, purposeful, resourceful, dynamic and transformational leaders to usher them to a new and better Nigeria we all desire

and deserve.

“Senator (Engr) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, PhD is the man of the moment to give Nigerians a new lease of life after years of wandering in political wilderness from the oppressive APC and PDP regimes.

“Eligible Nigerians should collect their PVCs now and let their voice be heard loud and clear in the forthcoming elections. Your vote is your power to elect credible, resourceful, courageous and progressive leaders that will deliver dividends of democracy to the masses not carnage”, the party statement said.

AMAC chairman drums support for Atiku, other PDP candidates in February polls

By Usman Shuaibu

The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has charged the women, as well as the party supporters to vote for the presidential candidate of PDP, Abubakar Atiku in the forthcoming general election.

He also urged the women and his supporters to come out in mass to vote

for the senatorial candidate of PDP in the FCT, Hon. Philip Tanimu Aduda, as well as the candidate of PDP representing AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Micah Y. Jiba during the polls.

Maikalangu, gave the charge while addressing the PDP women ward leaders in politics at a meeting held at Apo Resettlement town hall in Abuja on Tuesday.

He assured the women that his

administration would not hesitate to put smiles on the faces of the women, and thanked them for their support in all ramifications.

He said “With the challenges we are facing now, we cannot give up, l am being denied some things, maybe because I am in PDP”.

While fielding questions from newsmen after the occasion, the Chairman frowned at votes buying during the polls.

Maikalangu, however, advised the entire residents of Abuja to shun any act capable of generating tension during the election.

Also speaking, the candidate of PDP representing AMAC/Bwari federal constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Micah Y. Jiba said if elected into the House of Representatives for the second term, he would provide purposeful leadership for the people of his constituency.

Program Officer, Education As a vaccine Mrs Habiba Ghazali, Member UNFPA Mrs Fortune Mgbangson and Assistant Director National agency for the Control of HIV/ AIDS Mrs Ezinne Okey-Uchende, during the 2023 International Condom Day , yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

2023: SDP will form next government in Oyo – Ex-Attorney General

By Musa Baba Adamu

Aformer attorneygeneral in Oyo State, Michael Folorunso Lana has declared that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) will form the next government in the state.

Lana who is the gubernatorial candidate of the party revealed that the party will form the next government in May this year.

He noted that this would be realised after the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been defeated in the March 11 gubernatorial election by his party (SDP).

The SDP candidate made these declarations on Tuesday in Ibadan, the state capital.

The former attorneygeneral spoke while addressing thousands of supporters of the party who converged at the frontage of ancient Mapo in Ibadan, after a rally that spread across some parts of Ibadan.

The rally which started in the morning at the Ojoo area of Ibadan was attended by the Vice Presidential candidate of the party, Mr. Yusuf Buhari and the South-West Chairman of the party, Chief Alani Silas.

Others are the state Chairman, Michael Okunlade and deputy gubernatorial candidate, Abdul Rahman Aloyinlapa.

Lana while speaking, alleged the present administration in the state has disappointed the electorate.

He, however, said the party

would defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties during the 2023 elections.

He added that the party would form the next government in the state in May 2023 after all the political parties have been defeated in the election.

The former attorney-

general while speaking further, warned that the state cannot afford another four years under governor Seyi Makinde.

He alleged that the current governor of the state, Seyi Makinde, has moved the state backwards.

The SDP candidate used the avenue to charge the people of

the state to guard their PVCs.

He enjoined the electorate not to be swayed by desperate politicians.

Lana while addressing the party supporters, further alleged that desperate politicians are out to deceive the people.

Lana said, “I have no doubt in my mind that our party, the

SDP would coast home to victory in Oyo State during the elections as the people are eagerly waiting to send the present government of Governor Seyi Makinde packing from the Agodi Government House as it has not only to disappoint the people by succeeding in moving the state backwards”.

during

35 percent slots assured if Tinubu emergs president in 2023 - Sen. Remi tells women

By Christiana Ekpa

Wife of the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday told Nigerian women that thirty five percent slots of appointive positions are already guaranteed if her husband, Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerges the President of the country in the 2023 general election.

Speaking yesterday during an event organised by the APC Professionals Forum on ‘Renewed Hope 2023’ in Abuja, Tinubu’s wife said Bola will consolidate on the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Social Intervention Programs with greater emphasis on empowering women and youth towards lifting more families into collective wealth and prosperity.

“Our goal is to have at least 35% female representation at all levels of government. We will also work towards progressively

improving on the number of female lawmakers at state and national levels,” she said.

“I am a woman, and I am a beneficiary of Asiwaju’s commitment to empowering womenfolk. Although I have always been passionate about charity work and I invested greatly in women and youth development as First Lady of Lagos State, it was with the support of my dear husband that I was able to also take on political leadership roles.

“We need to institutionalize female inclusion and representation in politics and governance; this is Asiwaju’s pledge to the women of Nigeria.”

She further pledged that the incoming Tinubu/Shettima administration will focus on empowering our teeming 70 million youth through job creation and entrepreneurship support efforts and policies.

She added: “As a mother, I know that one of the biggest challenges youth face is the fear of tomorrow with its uncertainties. This often leads them to take poorly considered risks and make bad decisions.

“As parents, it is our job to create the right environment for our wards to flourish, to grow in self-confidence, to learn to be self-sufficient, responsible, and useful members of society. This is also a key responsibility for the leadership of the nation.

“To this end, the next APC-led administration will address the issues by: Increasing opportunities and channels for easy access to credit to start businesses. The incoming administration will work with and encourage commercial banks to provide and set aside a quota of their projected credit provisioning for youth-led enterprises at appreciably low-interestrate loans.

“We will encourage the creation of Innovation and Productivity Hubs for youth to present their ideas and have same reviewed for marketability and utility. These hubs will generate business idea validation reports which will be used in partnership with commercial banks to vet loan applications.

“Commercial banks will also be encouraged to ensure their loan application processes are simplified and that they give greater priority to young people and women with marketable ideas. This will be implemented across the federation.

“The incoming Tinubu/Shettima administration will create opportunities and channels for business mentorship for youth. The initially mentioned Innovation and Productivity Hubs will serve as incubators for intergenerational business mentoring.”

Minister of Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo (middle) flanked by the National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alh. Farouk Rabiu Mudi, The CEO Sanguo Motors Korea, Mr Yong Bok Shin with other stakeholders and AFAN Executives,

the unveiling of Customized AFAN tricycle, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Photo: AFAN

You turned NASS to rubber stamp Assembly –Aisha Yesufu slams Lawan

By Christiana Ekpa

Popular Nigerian activist and social critic, Aisha Yesufu has attacked the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, for saying the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, allowed the Boko Haram insurgency to fester during its 16 years in power.

The social critic also said the All Progressives Congress, APC, had over seven years to tackle the insurgency but instead worsened it.

Yesufu expressed her feelings in a post via her verified Twitter handle on Wednesday.

The Senate President had while addressing the Presidential Campaign Rally of the ruling APC, which was held in Damaturu Yobe State, alleged PDP rally, allowed Boko Haram to fester.

Lawan’s statement was signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi.

He said, “When Boko Haram started in the northeast, in Borno state, the then leadership of PDP said it was not true. There was nothing like Boko Haram, and Boko Haram blossomed. Boko Haram flourished, and Boko Haram gained ground and took root.”

But reacting to the allegation by the Senate President, Yesufu said Lawan turned the National Assembly into “a rubber stamp Assembly”.

She wrote, “The Senate President who turned the National Assembly into a rubber stamp Assembly is accusing PDP when his own party has had over seven years to tackle the insurgency and have worsened it. Both APC and PDP are failed parties that should not be allowed into the corridors of power.”

Special Purpose Vehicle Allegation: Atiku demands apology from Tinubu

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku

Abubakar has demanded for an unreserved apology from his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the allegation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) saga.

Atiku, who made the demand through the spokesperson of his presidential campaign organisation, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, also threatened to furnish Nigerians with a compendium of Tinubu’s alleged corrupt practices as well as the list of SPVs used by him to loot public funds in key government agencies.

He reminded the APC candidate of the age-long aphorism that those who dig pits for the innocent always fall into them.

According to him, “This is the case in the vexatious plots by Asiwaju Tinubu to divert attention from his litany of atrocities by seeking to impugn on the impeccable character of our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, with unfounded controversy of corruption”.

Atiku accused Tinubu of using one Michael Achimogu to blackmail him, stating that

.....Tells APC presidential candidate to quit race

“no matter how much falsehood appears to thrive, the truth will always prevail at the end of the day.

His words, “Tinubu has not only failed in this mission to tarnish the clean image of Atiku Abubakar but in the process also exposed himself as the real Mr. SPV.”

He listed a number of account Tinubu allegedly used to move huge sums of money from a domiciliary account to a firstgeneration bank in a three-day lodgment scheme.

The PDP Presidential flag bearer said the money was spilt and paid in bits and pieces of $30,000, $30,000, $35,000, $30,000 into a domiciliary account in a first-generation bank.

“Nigerians are now in the know of how tranches of $35,000, $71,000, $100,000, $30,000, $200,000, $300,000, $30,000, $70,000, $80,000, $70,000 and $30,000 were alleged to have been taken by Tinubu from different branches of the said first generation bank between February 4 to February 5, 2015.

“Nigerians now know of how Tinubu has been desperately trying to divert attention from his alleged use of ... companies he reportedly owned by proxy, to loot N100 billion tax money belonging

to Lagos State, since 2002.

“It is now in public domain how (the company), which has for over 20 years held the exclusive rights to collect taxes in Lagos State in return for a commission under very shady arrangements through which it reportedly siphoned billions of naira belonging to Lagos State.

“The public is now aware of a petition before an anti-corruption agency wherein Tinubu’s alleged SPV company was reported to have used another company which shares same address with Tinubu’s office on Idowu Taylor Street in Lagos to launder Lagos State funds.

“Documents sighted in one of the anti-corruption agencies reveals that Tinubu’s SPV allegedly laundered over N20 billion ($46.5 million) in different currencies to several companies, including payment of N1 billion ($2.3 million) to company that is widely known to belong to him.

“Bola Tinubu should come out clean and speak to these damning money laundering allegations against him.

“He should explain to Nigerians how billions of naira belonging to Lagos State and meant for the welfare of the people, reportedly found its way ... and ended in bits and pieces in

foreign currencies into domiciliary accounts allegedly owned by him in commercial banks.

“We also challenge Asiwaju Tinubu to explain to Nigerians how, as Lagos State governor, he awarded the exclusive right of tax collection in Lagos State to his alleged proxy company ... as well as the allegations that the SPV was used to steal over N100bn belonging to Lagos State.

“Furthermore, Nigerians are still awaiting the APC presidential candidate’s still has no explanation for his conviction and criminal forfeiture of $460,000 in a criminal case of trafficking in narcotic in the United States of America, for which under section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he is not eligible to contest election in Nigeria.

“Since Asiwaju Tinubu has on his own opened up on the allegations of corruption, our campaign is prepared to help him to fill the gaps he wants closed,” Atiku threatened.

He called on Tinubu to listen to the voice within and withdraw from the presidential race, adding that “if anyone is to be arrested and disqualified from the presidential race on account of corruption, certainly, that person is not Atiku Abubakar but Bola Tinubu.

2023 elections will hold – Kwara REC

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Kwara State, Malam Attahiru Madami, on Wednesday declared that this year’s general elections will hold as scheduled.

He spoke at a lecture titled “Toward Peaceful 2023 General Elections” organized by the National League of Veteran Journalists, Kwara State Chapter, at the press centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Ilorin.

He dismissed insinuations in some quarters with the impression that the impending general elections

may likely be cancelled due to the state of insecurity in some parts of the country.

Attahiru declared untrue reports making the rounds that the exercise may not hold, assuring that “the elections will hold as planned.”

He also revealed that the chieftains of political parties contesting the elections in the state have written to him pledging to abide by the rules in a bid to have a peaceful exercise in Kwara State.

Delivering the lecture, Barrister Yusuf Ola-Olu Ali, SAN, argued that for the conduct of peaceful general elections in the country, all stakeholders must be guided

by the Electoral Act and obey its provisions.

Yusuf Ali, who was represented by Barrister Ibn Haruna Mahmoud, said rather than resorting to violence, aggrieved parties must direct their grievances to the election tribunals to seek redress after the elections.

He also cautioned against vote buying which Section 36 of the Electoral Act frowns upon, describing it as a criminal offence.

Yusuf Ali noted that the Electoral Act is adequate to cater for complaints of aggrieved parties seeking redress after elections instead of adopting violence.

He stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to embark on voter and civic education of the electorate before the election, describing it as fundamental toward realizing a credible and peaceful general election.

Chairman of NALVEJ, Tunde Akanbi, in his speech, said with 45 days to the general elections, politicians and their supporters could have a positive change of mind to counter the erroneous belief that “it is either them or the elections will not hold.”

2023 elections: Every vote will count – Osun INEC REC, Agboke

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun, Dr Mutiu Agboke has assured that each vote will count.

He said that despite apprehension about security, the Commission is determined to go ahead with the general elections calling on all stakeholders to work for a free, fair and transparent election.

Agboke stated this during a sensitisation visit to the Ogunsua

of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olubiyi Toriola on Wednesday.

The Osun INEC boss also maintained that the Commission has decided to carry along traditional rulers and chiefs in their locality.

According to him: “With the coming election, INEC has decided to include the kings and chiefs. We want the traditional institution to talk to the people and educate them on the election. Majority of the electorates still believe it is business as usual.”

He affirmed: “INEC is assuring that each vote will count. INEC

wants all people to come out and vote and they must have their PVCs. With BVAS each vote is assured of being counted. All the news about cancellation and postponement of the vote is not an issue. We want all stakeholders to work for a free, fair and transparent election. The uncollected PVCs must be collected as part of requirements for voting.”

Responding, the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olubiyi Toriola urged the Commission to ensure its machines are in working order to avoid complaints common among the electorate.

“The town has been talking to its people to ensure the election is peaceful and free from violence,” he concluded.

In a visit to the INEC local government offices in Ife North, Ife South, Ife Central, Ife East and Ife East Area Office, Modakeke, Agboke maintained that the visit is aimed at reminding the staff and members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, that they have more work to do within this period.

He added that between now and February, INEC is going to be busy.

He warned: “Staff who don’t apply the rule will face the music. Staff should stick by the rules. The INEC chairman will not be happy seeing any staff being liable.

“INEC staff should be organized. INEC is ready because it knows that its staff are ready. We also expect performance and delivery on the INEC mandate.

“We would not tolerate any negative report. With BVAS in place, no staff can assist anybody during the election. You are advised to be in tune with the training and discharge your responsibility on election day.”

Emefiele meets with heads of banks, says N200 notes will be circulated immediately

From Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

Godwin Emefiele, the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), says he has met with 15 heads of commercial banks to ease the ongoing cash crunch in the country, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive in his national broadcast to the nation.

Emefiele spoke to state house correspondents shortly after attending a meeting between Buhari and the house of representatives ad hoc committee on new naira redesign and naira swap policy at the presidential villa, on Thursday.

The CBN governor assured Nigerians that the old N200 notes will be made available immediately.

He, therefore, appealed to the citizens to allow the policy to work, saying it would go a long way in helping the nation’s economy.

Emefiele also assured that the CBN will continue to do everything possible to ease the sufferings currently being experienced by Nigerians due to the cash crunch.

Earlier today, Buhari announced the extension of the validity of old N200 notes till April 10.

The president, announcing the development in a televised nationwide address, said all existing old N1000 and N500 notes remain redeemable at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and designated points.

“To further ease the supply pressures, particularly to our citizens, I have given approval to the CBN that the old N200 bank notes be released back into circulation and that it should also be allowed to circulate as legal tender with the new N200, N500, and N1000 banknotes for 60 days from February 10, 2023 to April 10 2023 when the old N200 notes ceases to be legal tender,” Buhari said.

Yesterday, the supreme court adjourned the hearing of the case brought against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and federal government on the naira redesign policy.

With the adjournment, the court said the old N200, N500, and N1000 notes remain legal tender.

Naira scarcity: UK cautions citizens over ‘spike in criminal activity’ at banks, ATMs new naira notes

From Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

The United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its money advisory on the naira scarcity in Nigeria.

In the update, posted on its website, the UK FCDO advised its citizens in Nigeria to take precautions when visiting banks and automated teller machines (ATMs) in the country, as there have been a “spike in criminal activities” in such places.

“Nigeria is mainly a cash

economy, although the use of credit and debit cards is increasing – especially in the big cities,” the update reads.

“If you intend to use cash, make sure you bring enough foreign currency to cover costs. It is illegal to change money on the street and travellers cheques are difficult to cash.

“Credit card fraud is common, so take care if using your card. You should take advice from your card issuer before travelling if you intend to use your credit or debit card in Nigeria.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria

(CBN) has directed the redesign and issue of new N200, N500, and N1’000 naira notes. This has led to shortages of cash, which are likely to persist for a period.

“You are encouraged to check notes provided by currency exchange vendors will be valid for the duration of your travel to Nigeria, and to follow local CBN guidelines.

“Areas such as banks and ATMs have seen a spike in criminal activity, and as such, it is advised that you take extra precautions particularly when withdrawing cash in crowded

spaces, and during night time hours.

“There have been outbreaks of violence in southwest Nigeria as a result of cash shortages, and there is a risk of other urban areas being impacted across the country.”

Therefore, the UK government further urged travellers in Nigeria to “exercise their judgement, including being aware of any large crowds or potential disturbances”.

The advisory comes amid protests and vandalisation of financial institutions across states over the scarcity of new naira notes.

David Malpass to resign as World Bank president in June

David Malpass, president of World Bank Group, has announced his intentions to step down from his position — after more than four years of service.

The global bank, in a statement on Wednesday, said Malpass declared his intentions to exit the organisation on June 30 to the board of executive directors.

According to the World Bank, Malpass’s tenure focused on seeking stronger policies to increase economic growth, alleviate poverty, improve living standards, and reduce

government debt burdens.

It added that during his tenure, Malpass coordinated and responded quickly to global crises, mobilising a record $440 billion in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, sharp global economic slowdown, unsustainable debt burdens, among other crises.

“Under his leadership, the bank group more than doubled its climate finance to developing countries, reaching a record $32 billion last year,” the statement reads.

“Malpass led efforts to enable and increase private

sector investment and trade and contributed thought leadership to the bank group’s analytical products on fiscal and monetary policy, currency systems, and governance reform.

“Malpass also strengthened the institution’s management and personnel and will leave the bank group with solidified finances and fundraising to support its AAA credit rating.”

In the statement, Malpass said he was honoured to serve as president of the world’s premier development institution “alongside so many talented and exceptional people”.

“With developing countries facing unprecedented crisis, I’m proud that the bank group has responded with speed, scale, innovation, and impact,” he said.

“The last four years have been some of the most meaningful of my career. Having made much progress, and after a good deal of thought, I’ve decided to pursue new challenges.

“The bank group is fundamentally strong, financially sustainable, and well-positioned to increase its development impact in the face of urgent global crises.”

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (right) welcomes the National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) Comrade Tommy Okon to his office during the visit of the ASCSN Exco to the FCTA yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Buhari heading to Ethiopia for AU summit on AfCTA, high level meetings

From Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to attend the 36th ordinary session of the assembly of the African Union (AU).

The presidency, in a statement, said Buhari will Thursday(today) depart Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The theme of the AU Summit is “Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (#AfCFTA) Implementation”.

The president is also expected to take part in three high level meetings on peace and security, climate change and the political situation in some West African countries.

“First is the Peace & Security Council (PSC) meeting of Heads of State and Government on the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (AUPSC High Level AU), to be chaired by the President of South Africa, in his capacity as the Chair of the Council for February,” the statement reads.

“Second is the meeting of the Committee of the Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), currently chaired by the President of Niger Republic.”

The president is also billed to attend an extraordinary summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.

“PMB will deliver remarks at these events as well as present his National Statement at the opening session of the Summit, which brings together leaders from the AU member countries as well as a number of non-AU countries and Int’l institutions accredited to the AU in Addis Ababa,” the presidency said.

Buhari will be accompanied on the trip by some ministers and other top government officials.

He is expected back in the country on Monday, February 20.

Fitch: Naira shortage may trigger increased demand for foreign currencies

From Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

Fitch Ratings, a global credit ratings agency, says the cash shortage in Nigeria may reduce consumer spending and boost demand for foreign currency.

This is contained in its latest report titled ‘Nigeria’s Economic Challenges Highlight Importance of Post-Election Policies’.

Fitch said it was not yet clear whether there would be longterm economic benefits of the naira redesign policy, such as greater use of the formal banking system or enhanced use of digital payment systems.

“The Nigerian Supreme Court’s suspension of a 10 February deadline for exchanging old banknotes into new eases,

at least temporarily, the risk of intensifying cash shortages,” the ratings agency said.

“However, the demonetisation drive is still likely to be disruptive in the near term.

“Associated cash shortages may hit consumer spending and boost demand for foreign currency, aggravating foreignexchange shortages.”

Fitch said that Nigeria is faced with major economic challenges ahead of elections due on 25 February, and policy choices by the incoming administration could have a significant impact on the country’s credit profile.

It explained that it downgraded Nigeria’s rating to ‘B-’ from ‘B’ in November 2022, with a stable outlook, as a reflection of the country’s continued deterioration in debt

servicing costs and external liquidity.

Fitch said Nigeria’s fiscal profile would remain weak in the medium term.

“General government interest/revenue is extremely high (47 percent in 2022 by Fitch’s estimate) and we expect it will remain so given constraints on revenue mobilisation, increasing debt and high interest rates,” the agency said.

“Structurally low non-oil revenue, spending pressures and weak economic growth imply substantial fiscal financing needs.

“The government faces external debt amortisations of $2.5 billion in both 2023 and 2024, an increase on recent years, although the majority is bilateral and multilateral debt service.”

It also said that the next

administration was likely to face pressure to continue fuel subsidy, warning that concessions on this front could make consolidating public finances more difficult.

Describing Nigeria’s official exchange rate as “overvalued”, Fitch said the prospects for exchange rate reform would be influenced by the outcome of the presidential election, and could increase under a new central bank governor.

“The incumbent’s term ends in 2024, but an incoming administration could push for earlier change,” the agency said.

“A more flexible exchangerate regime would likely be a long-term positive for Nigeria’s credit profile, although the initial economic adjustment could present macro-fiscal risks.”

Members of the Women Wing and Network of Women with disability, holds Endurance Tracking by Women with disability to seek inclusion in politics and governance, yesterday in Kaduna.

Elon Musk is likely to reclaim his title as world richest man

From Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, appears likely to reclaim the title of world’s wealthiest man, which he lost a few months ago to French billionaire and luxury merchant Bernard Arnault.

Musk’s fortune has been slowing steadily since he made

history this year by becoming the first person to lose $200 billion.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Elon Musk’s net worth of $191 billion is now very close to that of Bernard Arnault ($192 billion), the world’s current richest man.

Musk has narrowed the gap to Arnault to less than $1 billion amid indications of increased demand for Tesla’s electric cars.

Because of Tesla Inc.’s 70% growth this year, Elon Musk is on the verge of reclaiming his position as the world’s richest person after dropping behind Bernard Arnault in December.

Since January, the share price of the electric vehicle manufacturer has increased by 65% to $201.29. Tesla’s rise in value, like the general market’s, was fueled by higher-than-

expected fourth-quarter earnings and other events that the market interpreted as positive indicators of future performance.

Elon Musk’s philanthropy: Billionaire Elon Musk said he donated roughly $1.95 billion (£1.6 billion) worth of shares in his electric carmaker to charity last year. Elon Musk previously donated shares in the company

in 2021 worth about $5.7 billion, making it at the time one of the largest philanthropic donations in history.

The recipient for the donation was later revealed as the Musk Foundation, which has recently provided funds to education and carbon-removal projects as well as nonprofits in the area around Brownsville, Texas, close to his SpaceX spaceport.

Police, others to deploy 404,106 security personnel for general elections - IGP

By Egena Sunday Ode

No fewer than 404,106 personnel from police and other security agencies will be deployed for the conduct of the February 25 and March 11 elections in order to ensure peaceful conduct of the exercises.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba disclosed this on Thursday while appearing at the Ministerial Media Briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,

The IGP also disclosed that the security agencies are beaming their searchlight on one Simon Ekpa, who claims to be a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and threatening that elections will not hold in the Southeast.

The police boss said all necessary protocols would be respected as he was inciting people from Finland which was outside the country.

He added the police would change the narrative by ensuring that people saw his action of declaring curfew and asking people not to vote in the Southeast as acts of incitement meant to destabilise the country.

It was reported that Ekpa, who resides in Finland and allegedly being sponsored by some external forces outside the Southeast and few miscreants within the zone are responsible for the continues lockdown of the economy through the so-called sit-at-home on Mondays and some other designated days.

the IGP said the threat made by Ekpa against conducting elections in Southeast was an attempt to destabilize the country.

He also said, out of the 404,106

security personnel, the police will be providing 310,973 personnel while the balance will be sourced from complementary security agencies in the country.

Baba also said other security outsides, besides the military and the Department of State Service (DSS), will compliment the efforts of the police with a total of 93,133 personnel, bringing all to 404, 106 personnel.

“Nigeria police will deploy 310,973 personnel for the elections security operations. This will comprise of the conventional policemen, the mobile policemen, the special counterterrorism unit, the special forces, intelligence response team and other sections of the police.

“The manpower requirement for this exercise will be complemented by the military and other security agencies. In this regard, aside the military and the DSS, other security agencies will contribute a total of 93,495 personnel for the election security operations.

“These include the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense, which will deploy, through the Police, 51,000 personnel; the Federal Road Safety Corps, 21,000; Nigerian Correctional Service 11,336; the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, 9,447; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, 350, totaling 404,106 to police the elections.

“With this layout, a minimum of at least two personnel, drawn from the above agencies, will be jointly deployed to man each of the polling units across the country while the armed personnel will

secure the public space, INEC facilities, vulnerable locations, border areas, as well as undertake armed escort duties for INEC personnel, materials and local and international observers.

“We also expect the military to compliment this situation by providing armed protection to critical national assets, ensure that the enforcement of movements are curtailed through the blocking of exit points and entry points to various states, local governments and so forth”, he said.

The police boss said an intelligence unit had been put in place to track and apprehend those who might engage in vote buying and others who might want to disrupt the exercise.

“As part of efforts to address the menace of votes selling and buying, a special intelligence unit of the force has been constituted to clandestinely monitor the trend and work with EFCC, ICPC and INEC in identifying the network that may be involved in this illegality and apprehend them where possible.

“In addition, the unique technical intelligence assets of the force are also being deployed towards identifying adverse elements that may be planning to disrupt the process. Through this initiate, such elements will be identified real time, geo-located, isolated, arrested and brought to justice”, he said.

The police boss listed some threats against the conduct of the elections including fuel scarcity and cash squeeze but assured that the situation with both will stabilize before the commencement of the

exercise.

“We are very sure the situation of cash and petrol will stabilize before the conduct of the election,” he stated.

Alkali asserted that an intelligence unit is in place to track and apprehend those who may engage in vote buying and others who may want to disrupt the exercise.

On the red zones, he said, “The force has identified the following major crimes that could negatively impact on the peaceful Democratic trajectory.

“We looked at offenses like banditry and terrorism which is majorly located in the north east geo political zone, violent secessionist campaigns by elements of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network which has been targeting the symbols of democratic governance including INEC assets, police stations and personnel, military and other agencies as well as state government officials, and traditional institutions, all in an effort to attain or disrupt the 2023 general election.

“We also have this growing misguided activities of the Oduduwa nation agitators who from intelligent sources of late are attempting to also attempting to destabilize the situation.

“We have this issue of illegal small arms and light weapons trafficking which are being used to bring a lot of problems. We have issues including cyber crimes, cyber bullying, kidnapping and all sort.

“So, generally, the situation as it is against this background, the

focus of the force has been to up scale our operational activities to stabilize these situations in order to ensure that the election takes place.

“We have in place certain strategic operational and tactical measures to ensure a peaceful electioneering atmosphere in Nigeria.”

On what the police would do to address post election challenges and the preparation to ensure elections were held in Southeast and Northwest, the IGP said the force was ready with the use of minimum force, adding that “We are prepared to confront any situation that requires special intervention from simplest to violent ways of confronting rioters.”

The IGP absolved the police of any blame over low prosecution of electoral offenders, saying “the Electoral Act as amended gives us latitude to investigate but not to prosecute. We have done much but prosecution is very low”.

Hardships caused by Naira redesign worries FG -Minister

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Federal Government is worried over the hardships being experienced by the citizens arising from redesign of the naira..

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed disclosed this Thursday while featuring at the weekly press briefing organized by the Presidential Communication Team at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the Minister, the harsh realities faced by citizens due to the introduction of the new naira notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is a necessary price to pay for the long-term health of the economy.

Answering questions from newsmen Mrs. Ahmed said

“President Mohammadu Buhari is not happy that the citizens are suffering because of the implementation of the naira redesign but was convinced that the policy will at the long run be beneficial to the economy.”

The current hardships, though temporal, are required to stifle corruption and gradually transition into a cashless economy, she said.

According to her, one of the positive aspects of the policy is that a lot of money has been mopped up.

Recall that in November last year, the CBN announced that it will redesign the N200, N500, and N1000 notes of the naira.

The nation’s apex bank gave January 31, 2023, as the deadline for the populace to return all old notes to commercial banks after

which they will cease to be Legal Tender.

The decision generated a lot of controversies which necessitated the meeting between President Buhari and the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele in Daura on Sunday, January 29 where the later after the meeting announced a 10-day extension from January 31 to February 10, 2023.

The new dates also include a grace period of seven days (February 10-February 17, 2023) when Nigerians could return old notes to the CBN.

Speaking in Daura on Saturday, January 28, the President had argued that the FG’s currency swap is not meant to target innocent citizens but corrupt persons and terror financiers hoarding illicit monies.

He also assured Nigerians that the government will ensure that they and their businesses will face no harm from disruptions caused to the entire supply chain arising from the currency swap.

However, the scarcity of the new naira notes has become a thing of concern to many Nigerians, who cannot lay their hands on either the new notes or the old ones.

The Federal Government will start collecting taxes from cryptocurrency transactions in Nigeria explaining that while the taxation of cryptocurrencies is provided for in the law that we’re trying to finalize the exact volumes, there’s still an assessment process that was going on which is supported by the World Bank.

“So we will know how much

yield in terms of taxes, saying Nigeria consistently ranked among the top global players in cryptocurrency transactions, and we’re missing out completely from taxing those things.

“The principle of taxation is whether or not the revenues are legal or tax and the government will take the right decision.”

On what effort the ministry takes to curtail the challenges of the redesign of naira notes in the country, Mrs. Ahmed said that it will be a monetary policy decision.

She assured that the CBN was considering resolving the issue because there have been several questions being asked, adding that the monetary authorities will take that decision and present it on the board and “we’ll have to wait for their own process.

•As FG beams searchlight on Simon Ekpa over sit-at-home order

IGP, Usman Alkali Baba

By Stanley Onyekwere

Some stakeholders have advocated for formulation and implementation of drastic policies and strategies that would improve funding for the healthcare system in Nigeria.

According to the stakeholders, who seasoned scholars and practitioners drawn from the Military and civilian endeavours, noted that poor funding has resulted to gross inefficiency in the healthcare sector in the court.

They spoke yesterday at the two years memorial lecture of Brig. (Dr) Victor Udoeka Essiet, organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls (AEIG), in Abuja.

In his keynote address on the theme: ‘The State Of Healthcare Delivery And Health Care Financing In Nigeria’, Maj Gen (rtd) Dr. AE Life Ajemba, Former Director-General Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Program, described gross underfunding as a serious social cankerworm devouring the fabrics of the Nigerian health

METRO

Stakeholders advocate for improved healthcare financing

institutions for decades.

Ajemba, who is currently Chief of Medicine, Defence Medical Centre, Abuja, added that as a result of the lean budgetary allocation to the health sector, the Nigerian health system is below the World Health Organisation Standard of 15% of the total budget.

He said: “The poor health financing results in weak and obsolete infrastructure in the hospitals, congestion of patients to access health care because of limited human resources, poor supply of water, wards congestion, irregular supply of electricity, weak telemedicine facility and recruitment, training and retraining or state of hospitals etc.

“The Government should show a commitment to improve the country’s

healthcare system through increasing and prudent health spending.

“Government should adopt a health finance mechanism that can produce equitable access in Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), that must be based on compulsory prepayment, fund pooling/risk-sharing and subsidisation, for those who cannot afford to pay”.

In her remarks, AEIG Founder, Mrs. Abiodun Essiet, decried that even after committing to the Abuja Declaration of 15% budgetary allocation to health, both past and present administrations are yet to implement it. The situation is worse in the states and local government.

According to her: “This reflects the value the government places on health

and it is significant challenge faced in achieving efficient and effective health service delivery in Nigeria.

“This lecture provides an opportunity to reflect on government policies (both past and present) on healthcare financing and proffer solutions to the limitations in the cause of implementation”.

She continues: “For me as an activist, I have chosen to remember him (late Brig. Essiet), for what he stood for as a human and as an Army General, and one of the ways we want to continue is legacy is bringing decisions makers in the forefront of managing the nation’s healthcare sector and other public health facilities together to come up with policies and strategies that would improve funding to our

health sector.

“When he fell ill, he was taken to four different hospitals including general hospitals, but he was turned back because those hospitals had no bed space, and barely had proper equipment and facilities like oxygen, to manage the situation.

“This is the experience of millions of people in Nigeria on a daily basis and the health condition of the patient usually get worse or even lose their lives in the process of commuting from one hospital to another.

“If our hospitals are well funded and equipped by the government, and he was given adequate care at the first hospital he was taken to, maybe he would have been here with us today instead of doing this in his memory”.

2023

Hajj:

The new Director for the Federal Capital Territory Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board (FCT- MPWB), Mallam Abubakar Adamu Evuti has taken over the mantle of leadership of the Board.

Abubakar, in a brief handing over/taking over ceremony, charged staff to be honest and discharge their duties diligently.

He stressed the need for staff to be dedicated to their duty and warned against any act capable of tarnishing the image of the Administration and the country at large.

FCT- MPWB gets new Director

The new FCT-MPWB boss also called for the cooperation all staff and other stakeholders to ensure the success of the hajj exercises in line with the desire of the present Administration.

He stressed the need for the staff to be dedicated to their duty and abide by rules and regulations of the service, adding that the Administration would not condone any act of corruption and indiscipline.

He reassured the commitment of the Administration to add more value to the management and welfare of pilgrims as well as

provide first class services to the FCT contingent by ensuring hitch free Hajj exercises in 2023 and beyond.

In his remarks at the event, the former Director, Mallam Muhammad Nasiru Danmallam seek for forgiveness from those whom he might have wronged in the course of carrying out his assignment during his stay as the Director of the Board.

Danmallam appreciated the support and cooperation accorded to him by the staff throughout his tenure and called on them to extend such gesture to the new

leadership of the Board to ensure successes in Hajj operations.

He called on the staff to be honest in dealing with pilgrims and discharge their duties with utmost seriousness as well as desist in any act capable of tarnishing the image of the Administration.

A statement from the Board’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Muhammad Lawal Aliyu, explained that the new Director took over the mantle of leadership from Mallam Danmallam, who was redeployed to Abuja Environmental Protection Board by the FCT Administration.

“Mallam Abubakar Evuti until

his appointment was the Director of operations of the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for over four years.

“Hail from Lapai local government Area of Niger state, Abubakar Evuti graduated from Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto with BA History in 1988, obtained a Masters degree in History and Diplomatic studies from University of Abuja and joined the Services of FCT Administration in the year 1990”, the statement added.

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (7th left) flanked by the National President Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Comrade Tommy Okon (6th left) and Chief of Staff to the Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu (8th left) and senior officials of the FCTA and ASCSN during the Association’s visit to the FCTA, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Ohio train derailment: Rail firm pulls out of meeting with residents

Apublic meeting that was meant to ease fears about a toxic chemical spill in an Ohio town only heightened anger when the rail firm at the heart of the disaster failed to show up.

Representatives of the Norfolk Southern railway company, whose train carrying the chemicals derailed 13 days ago causing a huge fire, cited security concerns when they pulled out.

After the derailment, emergency crews performed a controlled release of vinyl chloride from five railcars that were at risk of exploding.

Thick plumes of black smoke towered over the town, East Palestine, but crews monitoring the air quality sought to reassure locals that it was going as planned.

Despite those assurances from officials, many residents say they continued to be frightened of the potential harms, which they say had impacted humans and wildlife alike.

Thousands of dead fish have appeared in the creeks in the town, while people told local media that their chickens had died suddenly, and that their pets had fallen ill.

Many have reported difficulties getting their water tested, fuelling mistrust at what they see as an ineffective and inadequate response to the crisis.

Even before the event began, the company’s absence left many residents seething.

“They have something to hide. You don’t back out of questions if you know how to answer them,” East Palestine resident Jaime Cozza said. “It was like a bomb went through our town.”

Under the banners and murals of a

local high school gymnasium, hundreds of people bombarded officials with repeated - and occasionally profanity-ladenquestions about air and water quality.

“I’m just as frustrated. I live in the community, just like you,” said East Palestine’s Mayor Trent Conaway, exhaustion clearly visible on his face. “I’m trying to get answers.”

Just hours before the meeting, Norfolk Southern announced that it would not attend.

In a statement, the company said it had become “increasingly concerned about the growing physical threat” to its employees because of the likelihood of “outside parties” participating.

Lifelong resident Chris Wallace - who remains unable to return to his house near a local creek - told the BBC that many townspeople had long been concerned about the speeds at which trains went through East Palestine, as well as the potential dangers of exhausted staff.

“They should be here answering questions,” he said. “They’ve got a lot to hide. They don’t want us to know anything. They bombed us.”

The BBC has reached out to Norfolk Southern for comment.

On multiple occasions, officials at the meeting were forced to plead with local residents to be civil, with Mayor Conaway telling those in attendance that “we’re all adults here”.

Mr Wallace and Ms Cozza said they are banding together with other locals to bring in outside experts to examine soil and water and bring in an attorney to answer legal questions.

Inside the crowded gymnasium, officials - including US Congressman Bill Johnson - faced repeated questions about what many locals said they see as contradictory and confusing health guidance.

“They kept saying it’s fine to drink the water, but also to drink bottled water,” said Scott McLear. “That’s not an answer. That’s a contradiction, live for everyone to see.”

In the days after the crash, some residents said they experienced headaches and nausea.

After monitoring the air quality, the Environmental Protection Agency said earlier in the week that it had not detected harmful levels of contaminants. It has also been monitoring the air inside hundreds of homes and said it found no chemicals.

A 100-plus car train derailed in Ohio

on Friday. Chemicals on board the train caused concern for nearby residents.

While officials at the event acknowledged that the toxins from the derailment had been deadly to wildlifeparticularly fish - the head of Ohio’s Health Department, Bruce Vanderhoff, told the crowd that the concentrations of toxins in the air and in water supplies were far below that which could harm humans.

“Why are people getting sick if there’s nothing in the air or the water?,” asked a woman from the bleachers, sparking applause throughout the gymnasium.

Congressman Johnson, for his part, provided what he termed a “common sense” perspective.

“I’m not a doctor, and I’m not a chemist,” he said. “If you’ve got ailments and conditions that you did not have before 3 February, go to your doctor. Get that documented.”

Lukashenko warns Belarus will join Russia in war if attacked

Few people know Vladimir Putin quite as well as Alexander Lukashenko does.

The authoritarian leader of Belarus is a firm Kremlin ally and backer of what Mr Putin refers to as the “special military operation” - what most of the world calls Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago, Mr Putin hasn’t sat down with Western journalists.

But today in Minsk, Mr Lukashenko took questions from a small group of foreign media, including the BBC.

“Last year you allowed your country to be used as a staging ground for Russia’s invasion,” I reminded Mr Lukashenko. “Are you prepared to do so again?”

“Yes, I’m ready,” he replied. “I’m ready to provide [territory] again. I’m also ready to wage war, alongside the Russians, from the territory of Belarus. But only if someone - even a single soldier - enters our territory from there (Ukraine) with weapons to kill my people.”

Military co-operation between Russia and Belarus has been on the increase, with joint drills and the formation of a joint military grouping. But so far the

Belarusian leader has avoided sending his troops into Ukraine to fight alongside Russian forces.

The UK, EU and the United States do not recognise Alexander Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus. In 2020 Belarusians poured on to the streets to accuse him of stealing the country’s presidential election. The protests were brutally suppressed.

Mr Lukashenko used Thursday’s event to blame the West for the war in Ukraine.

He accused Western governments of fuelling the conflict and engaged in a touch of Putinesque nuclear sabrerattling,

“If you continue this escalation, you will get nuclear weapons and Russia has more than anyone,” he said.

“So, you should stop this. If a nuclear war starts, Belarus will cease to exist. We need to sit down at the negotiating table, because nuclear war will wipe out the USA too. No-one needs this.”

Belarus shares a border with Ukraine and Russia sent troops from there when it launched its invasion

Having facilitated the Russian invasion of Ukraine one year ago, the

Belarusian leader now claims he can help negotiate peace.

Mr Lukashenko suggested that next week would be a good time to start, with US President Joe Biden due to visit Poland.

“I invite [President Biden] to Belarus,” Mr Lukashenko said. “It’s not far from Warsaw, Thirty minutes and he’ll be in

Minsk. He could land his plane here. I will persuade the president of Russia to come. I invite him too to Minsk, as well as Biden. We will sit down and reach an agreement.”

It is an invitation the US president is likely to decline. In this war Mr Lukashenko is not seen as an honest broker.

The people of East Palestine, Ohio, gathered in a high school gymnasium to voice their anger

Mr Lukashenko is a key ally of Mr Putin and has previously defended the war in Ukraine

Gambia coup plotter sought spiritual help -Marabout

The trial of four military officers and a policeman accused of plotting to overthrow the Gambian president continued at a high court in Banjul on Thursday.

The five men, including alleged ringleader Lance Corporal Sana Fadera, were charged with five counts including treason and inciting mutiny.

Gambian authorities say they have secured worldwide red notice to arrest another suspect, army personnel Lamin Jadama, who is on the run.

A state witness - marabout and Islamic teacher Yaya Manjang - gave evidence in a court packed with families of the accused.

He told the court that police officer Fabakary Jawara visited his house with another man last year, with Mr Jawara allegedly asking for spiritual guidance

because they intended to overthrow President Adama Barrow so as to rid The Gambia of poor living conditions and hardship.

Mr Manjang says that when the two men returned to his house the following day, he told them he couldn’t offer them prayers but advised them to hand out bitter kola nuts as charity to seven mosques and also slaughter a white goat.

The marabout also says he advised Mr Jawara to travel toto Guinea-Conakry and Mauritania for more prayers, if he wanted the coup to succeed.

Days after that visit, the marabout left the country for Senegal and he heard the news of the coup plot on social media and upon his return, he was arrested and detained for several days before giving testimony to investigators.

Pensioners protest as Ghana dips into savings bonds

Ghana’s bid to get out of an economic crisis has pushed the government to tinker with the savings of the country’s pensioners, triggering protests and picketing of some pensioner bondholders.

The government’s hope to qualify for $3bn (£2.5bn) in IMF bailout money requires it to readjust its investment bonds, to be able to bring the country’s debt to a sustainable level.

The government desperately needs a deal with the IMF by the end of next month ,as the country faces its worst economic crisis in decades.

Pensioners who have invested in the government’s bond fear they could lose their money or part of it.

To reassure the investors, Ghana’s Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta has said that individual pensioners who had invested in the bonds will be exempted from the country’s Domestic Dept Exchange Programme.

The minister told parliament on Thursday that the interest on the investments including principal amounts would be paid when the date is due.

But the problem is that pensioner bonds that matured in early February

Somalia says it has killed 300 Islamist militants

The authorities in Somalia say their troops have killed 300 al-Shabab militants in the south of the country.

They say the operation, in Hirshabelle province, was supported by air strikes involving international partners.

Al-Shabab Islamists have recently been losing control of swathes of territory in central and southern Somalia..

The group has been waging an insurgency against the central government for more than 15 years.

There’s been no comment from alShabab.

were not paid. The government is seeking to exchange the bonds for new ones with a 3.5% cut on the return of their investment including deferred date of payment due to the risk of default. The finance ministry

also indicated that it was voluntary for them to accept. The minister was summoned to parliament to explain the reasons for not exempting the pensioner bondholders.

His ministry on Tuesday indicated that it had achieved 85% participation in the programme, though analysts are casting doubt on the percentage.

Israeli ex-spies hacked into phones in Kenya – report

Israeli hackers allegedly hacked into the private conversation of two aides to Kenya’s President William Ruto during last year’s election, a new investigation has claimed.

The investigation - carried out by a consortium of journalists and published in outlets including Israel’s Haaretz and The Guardian of the UK - claims that days before Kenya’s 2022 election, a hacker “gave a demonstration of his capabilities, showing how he could use hacking techniques to infiltrate the messages of political advisers”.

The undercover reporters, posing as potential clients, were given “a guided tour of the hacked Telegram and email accounts of five different targets in Kenya” including Dennis Itumbi, who was a political adviser for William Ruto, then vice president, and Davis Chirchir, the former chief of Staff.

The report identifies the alleged hackers as former Israeli special forces led by an operative called Tal Hanan. Mr Hanan is quoted as saying that he had led a team called “Team Jorge” to access Mr Chirchir and Mr Itumbi’s accounts as part of “an intelligence-gathering and disinformation campaign against Ruto’s campaign team”.

Mr Itumbi has since said via his Twitter account that he was aware of “increased activity” on his Telegram account towards the end of last year’s campaign and he stopped using his Telegram for any communication.

The investigation does not reveal who hired the hacking team. Neither the state nor the opposition has commented on the report.

The alleged attempt at interference did not prevent Mr Ruto from being declared president. Main opposition leader Raila Odinga challenged the results on grounds that the final results were manipulated in favour of Mr Ruto, but his petition was thrown out by the courts because of insufficient evidence.

Nigerian police promise presence at every poll site

Police officers trained in election security will be present at every voting centre in Nigeria, says the head of the

force, who is promising to do what he can to ensure a “peaceful and secure atmosphere” next Saturday.

Inspector General Usman Alkali Baba also says the more than 310,000 police officers deployed will be supported by more than 90,000 additional security agents, and will be given air and marine assistance.

He also mentioned illegal arms trafficking, cyberbullying and kidnapping as issues that need to be tackled to ensure the election takes place safely.

Some 93.5 million people are registered to vote in the 25 February general election, according to the election commission.

South Africa’s deputy president resigns

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the resignation of his deputy, David Mabuza, thanking him for his “unwavering support” over the last five years.

Local reports say it comes as no surprise because Mr Mabuza had already announced earlier this month that he would be stepping down.

He will stay in the post until Mr Ramaphosa announces his successor, widely expected to be new ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile.

A cabinet reshuffle is expected next week once South Africa’s annual budget is announced.

The government is under pressure to prove it has the answers to the countries economic woes and rolling blackouts.

Pope Francis denies speculation he will step down

Pope Francis has dismissed speculation that he plans to follow the example of his predecessor, Benedict, by retiring.

The Pope - who is 86 and often uses a wheelchair - said he believed that the job was for life. He added that historical tradition was important, and stepping down was not on his agenda.

The remarks were made during a meeting earlier this month in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but have only just been made public.

The death of Benedict at the end of last year had led some observers to suggest that Pope Francis might now consider stepping down due to ill-health

Most baby milk health claims unproven - study

Anew

study has found that companies are still making spurious claims about the nutritional value of baby formula despite rules designed to curb the way they are advertised.

Scientists from Imperial College London looked at how hundreds of breast milk substitutes were marketed in Nigeria and South Africa, as well as 13 other countries across the world.

They found that most products gave no scientific references for their health claims or made claims that are not supported by robust clinical evidence.

The researchers are calling for greater regulation and oversight.

The World Health Organization recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives.

Source: BBC

N ews F rom A s IA

Russian balloons over Kyiv in new wave of attacks

Ukraine’s army has said Russia fired 36 cruise missiles on Thursday, a day after six apparently radar-reflecting balloons were spotted over Kyiv.

The missiles fired from land and sea killed a woman and hit critical infrastructure, officials said.

Ukraine noted there had been a change in Russian tactics, in an apparent reference to the balloons above Kyiv.

Most of the balloons were shot down, Kyiv’s military said, adding that they were being propelled by wind power.

Images circulating on social media show an unsophisticated design, with a radar-reflecting, crossshaped structure trailing under the balloon suspended by a line.

Balloons with reflectors have also been spotted over the eastern region of Dnipropetrovsk in recent days.

“These objects could carry radar reflectors and certain reconnaissance equipment,” said air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat. “The balloons were launched to detect and exhaust our air defence forces.”

High-altitude balloons have raised tensions in the US recently as well as in Ukraine. And earlier this week, Romania scrambled fighter jets

when an object resembling a weather balloon was spotted at a height of around 11,000 ft (3,350m). Moldova briefly closed its air space because of the unidentified object.

As the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine approaches, the balloons appear to be an addition to Russia’s aerial use of cruise missiles and cheaper Iranian drones.

The balloons have the potential to confuse radar systems and entice the Ukrainian military into launching very expensive surface-to air-missiles (Sams) at so-called “false targets”.

Given the balloons’ size and speed, the air force spokesman argued that Ukrainian radar was able to identify the objects correctly and on at least two occasions bring them down with bullets instead of wasting missiles.

But the balloons could also act as decoys. Ukraine constantly scans the skies for Russian aircraft and missiles using ground-based radars, many of which are part of their own Soviet-era Sam systems along with modern equivalents supplied by the West.

The Ukrainian military said the balloons had reflectors, which would entice Ukrainian aircraft defences to

lock on to them.

The Ukrainian military posted an image of the type of reflector used with the balloons By “soaking up” as much of that missile defence as possible, the

balloons would then allow Russia’s fighters, bombers, cruise missiles and attack drones to strike Ukrainian targets relatively unimpeded.

The principle is to reflect radar energy back from those Ukrainian

radars which “paint” the balloons. The balloons, floating in high winds at altitude, might appear to be real Russian aircraft or helicopters, coaxing Ukrainian defences to engage them.

Syria earthquake: Aleppo hospitals overwhelmed by victims

Hospitals in Aleppo do not have enough room for new patients in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake, a doctor in the Syrian city has told the BBC.

At the Al-Razi Hospital there are too many beds to fit into the wards. They reach end-to-end through corridors and into the chilly courtyard.

“We weren’t able to discharge patients from the hospitals even after treating them. The city is damaged and there are no places for them to go,” said Dr Nizar Suleiman, the head of orthopaedics.

“Huge numbers of patients came in a short period of time. We have a huge shortage in medicines, so it’s really worrying.

“For example, we suffer from a lack of medical equipment to treat fractures. We already suffer from this shortage because of the crisis, and the siege [sanctions] make it worse.”

More than 4,400 deaths and 7,600 injuries have been reported in north-western Syria since a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck neighbouring southern Turkey on 6 February, according to the UN.

The damage to Aleppo is widespread. The BBC was given a rare opportunity by the Syrian government to visit there and speak to medical workers.

While walking through the city the BBC team tried to stay quiet, in case we could hear survivors in the broken buildings.

Over a week after the earthquake the chance of finding

anyone alive in the rubble is slim. But patients keep arriving at AlRazi Hospital.

Abu Muhammad, who spent about 24 hours trapped under the rubble, lies among other survivors on a ward. He lost his wife and three of his five children in the earthquake. He looks at a colourful photo on his phone showing his family in happier times.

“They went to Heaven, they are now with God,” he says, tearfully.

He is thankful for one thing: “God saved my mobile phone for the sake of remembering them, so at least I can look at their pictures every time I miss them.”

“I still can’t believe what happened to me. Sometimes I feel like it’s a nightmare, a bad dream. It can’t be reality.”

Tens of thousands of people are now living in churches, mosques or in public spaces and parks after losing their homes.

They told us that during the country’s civil war, which has been going on for more than a decade, they had almost expected to lose loved ones or property.

But the earthquake was so unexpected. It struck while they slept, bringing a fresh wave of suffering that they felt was somehow even harder to bear.

The government says its aid effort has been hampered by the economic sanctions that Western powers imposed in response to alleged human rights violations and other abuses committed during the country’s 12-year civil war.

The US, UK and EU deny this, saying trade in essential goods and humanitarian assistance are exempt from the sanctions. However, even though exports of medical supplies to Syria are not specifically sanctioned, international and regional banks fearful of being punished by Western authorities have in the past been reluctant to approve the financial transactions needed by Syrians to purchase them.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad called for the lifting of all “unilateral coercive measures” during a meeting with the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, Syrian state news agency Sana reported.

The government’s key allies in the civil war - Russia, Iran and the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah - have committed aid to governmentcontrolled areas of Syria.

Aid donated by a number of other countries, including China, Sudan, Algeria, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, has also arrived, according to Syrian state media.

The BBC saw Russian aid delivered via lorries to a hub at a church in Aleppo.

And Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that a sixth shipment of Iranian aid had arrived.

Neighbouring Lebanon

meanwhile confirmed that it would open its ports and airports for countries wanting to send aid to Syria.

In contrast, opposition-held areas of north-west Syria have only seen a trickle of aid delivered by the UN via Turkey.

Mr Mekdad said the Syrian government was committed to “delivering humanitarian aid to all those in need, in all areas, without any discrimination”.

But groups in the opposition enclave are not currently accepting aid from the government, fearing a propaganda victory for Damascus.

Source: BBC

Images of a deflated balloon tied to a reflector have appeared on social media in Ukraine Doctors

Issues

National Tier IV Data Centre: Towards boosting the Nigeria’s digitalization process

By Hassan Bashir Ibrahim

At the launch of the National Tier IV Data Centre located in Kano on 30 January, 2023 by President Muhammadu Buhari, it would have been most fit and proper to play “Save the Best for Last”, a song by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released in January 1992 as the third single from her second studio album.

Co-written by Philip E. Galdston/ Wendy Waldman-parker/Jon Lind, the title of the song derives from the idiomatic expression of keeping something appealing in reserve until the end or the final moment.

Isn’t that what is happening with the plethora of infrastructural projects being commissioned just a few months to the end of the Buhari administration that can put the sail out of some of the criticisms directed at it?

Those who are willing to credit the Buhari administration with significant achievements can’t help but recall the following lines from the song:

Just when I thought our chance had passed

You go and save the best for last

On the famous Ahmadu Bello Way, Nassarawa GRA, which is less than 2km to the Kano State Government House, the State’s seat of power, now stands a magnificent edifice whose launch attracted ministers of Power (Mr. Abubakar Aliyu) and that of Finance, Budget and Planning (Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed) and several other top Federal and Kano State Government functionaries and diplomats.

Also in attendance was the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Cui Jian Chun. So was the MD/CEO, Huawei Nigeria. In his remarks, the Chinese Ambassador applauded the collaboration of Nigeria and the Chinese government (through Huawei) in the area of Information technology development, disclosed a sustained working relationship with the government to build a global data system. He said 5,000 youths would be trained in ICT knowledge through the Chinese owned ICT firm, Huawei, to strengthen Nigeria’s cyberspace and data intelligence.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), was the Chief Host. He and the MD/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), Professor Muhammadu Bello Abubakar, were visibly elated to conduct the President and other dignitaries round the National Tier IV Data Centre.

Remarkably, the launch closely followed the commissioning by the President, last 20th December, 2022, of the National Shared Services Centre (NSSC), which was aptly christened Muhammadu Buhari National Shared Services Centre. The Centre, which

houses the TIER 3 Data storage facility, is expected to serve as a strategic and significantly important resource to stakeholder organizations in both the public and the private sector.

The TIER 4 Data storage facility is a major component of the phase 2 of the National Information Communications and Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) Project. It is strategically located in the city of Kano as a model of the envisioned full-fledged national Data Center concepts that support the Data Sovereignty aspirations of the Nigerian Government.

Following the activation of the NICTIB phase 2 project, in November of 2020, the final detailed design of the facility was embarked on and received the approval of stakeholders.

The Government of Kano State, in appreciation of the strategic impact of such proposed state-of-the-art facility, actively supported the project by duly allocating a befitting plot of land for its development.

If the strides that Nigeria has recorded during the Buhari administration are due, in part, to the appointment of the right man at the helm of affairs of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, one of the master strokes was his assemblage of the right caliber of professionals to develop and implement the nation’s digital economy. Prominent among them has been the hardworking and resourceful Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited.

One remarkable fact about the data centre project is the speed with which it was conceived and implemented – everything from detailed design to completion was nine months -- June 2021 to March 2022.

Speaking to the media on the event, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said the impetus for the multi-million-naira project was provided by the President who directed his ministry, in his words, “to complete the project as part of the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB 2).”

He explained the significance of the project: “There is no data centre above this in the whole world because tier four data centre is the best all over the world. That is why the reliability is 99.999% which is almost 100%. So, by implication, this is the best anywhere in the world.” He explained the significance of the project in terms of the fact that “You cannot build a knowledge-based economy without where to keep your data. The security, reliability, functionality and many more are key to the success of the data centre. Secondly, it will go a long way in supporting Nigeria to continue to consolidate its own digital economy because data centre is key to the digital economy. Thirdly, it will also support

our country to continue to diversify our economy. Number four, it will increase revenue for government. Number five, there are also many opportunities for job creation, both in private and public sectors. So, these are some of the benefits to be attained. And finally, it will improve our cybersecurity and cyber space.”

The CEO of Galaxy Bakcbone Limited, threw additional light on the project: “If you look at the trend, the trajectory is always moving forward, and that is what this data centre is also going to do. In some few years to come, you will see that we are going to have much more unprecedented achievements. Now, the producers of services and products will get a much easier link-up with the consumers and ultimately, the businesses will continue to flourish in multiple forms.”

“Following the activation of the NICTIB Phase-2 project by November of 2020, the final detailed design of the facility was embarked on and received the approval of stakeholders for the project that covers north of Nigeria and some southern parts of the country.”

Its facilities comprise a 600 sqm tier 4 data center with capacity of 46 rack cabinets and fully equipped data centre infrastructure including cloud of 2.2PB storage capacity, 6,144vCPUs and 9TB memory; a regional office building of three floors, with private and open office spaces; a Network Operations Center; training facilities; meeting rooms; and a colocation room occupying 900 sqm of space.

The centre has power systems comprising a 33KVA utility source, dedicated transformers and two backup generators.

The benefits of the centre are

immense. In addition to providing full backup services for the primary Data Center facility in Abuja, it ensures fullfledged service availability that allows for independent operation and national cloud computing service delivery.

It is providing full backup services for the primary Data Center facility in Abuja that allows for independent operation and regional cloud computing service delivery. Its containerized design provides for high scalability.

This facility is available to both government and its agencies and private sector organizations looking to leverage the reliable infrastructure in providing services to their own clients.

The GBB CEO said the Kano Data Centre will offer an enabling environment for ease of doing business to boost Nigeria’s GDP. He puts the data centre projects in perspective: “The Information technology space is huge. The interesting thing about this industry locally and globally is its fast pace of evolution and transformation. As customer requirements expand, the potential and possibilities of this industry that now powers all industries expand, too. As an organization that is fully aware of the reality that it cannot be everything or all things to its numerous customers and stakeholders, Galaxy Backbone (GBB) has chosen to focus on one area that can help create the platform for other local ICT companies, Original Equipment Manufacturers and organizations from the private and public sector dealing with a lot of data.”

Indeed, Mr. President has saved the best for the last in the very critical communications and digital economy sector!

* Ibrahim is a contributor

Professor Muhammadu Bello Abubakar, Managing Director/CEO, Galaxy Backbone Limited

Feature

Why Nikki Haley thinks she can beat Trump in Republican race

Nikki Haley, the first candidate to challenge Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, held her first campaign event in Charleston, South Carolina, on Wednesday.

Hundreds of her supporters packed into a covered outdoor venue in central Charleston known as “the Shed”.

It’s usually a site for weddings and live music, but on this day it was decked out in patriotic splendour, lined with red-whiteand-blue bunting, an American flag over the stage and twin South Carolina palmetto and crescent moon state banners flanking a giant “Nikki Haley” sign.

A mix of ‘70s soul and rock classics belted out of loudspeakers before Ms Haley - who was born in in 1972 - made her appearance.

She’s hoping that these supporters, and Republicans across the country, are looking for something different in a candidate - a different direction and a different look. The question is, can she pull it off?

Why she thinks she can win

She’s good at elections

The first thing to know about Nikki Haley is she has never lost a race for office. It’s a remarkable streak that will be put to the test in her quest for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Her opponents underestimate her at their own peril, says Dave Wilson, president of the Palmetto Family Council, a South Carolinabased evangelical Christian group. He saw it firsthand during her first campaign 19 years ago.

“Few people understand how well Nikki Haley does retail politics,” he said. “Nikki would sit there and hand out doughnuts at the entrance to neighbourhoods. She’d put on a pair of jeans and a pair of boots and go to the biker bar and sit there and talk with them.”

Retail politics will come in handy in places like Iowa and New Hampshire, the two states that hold votes before South Carolina on the Republican nomination calendar.

Strong track record

Another of Ms Haley’s strengths is her CV, which at this point in her career is fairly wellrounded.

She gained national prominence in 2015 when she successfully pushed to have the Confederate flag removed from the

state capitol in Columbia after a racially motivated mass shooting at a black church.

It was a decision that played well with the state’s business leaders, who feared growing boycotts and negative publicity over the flag’s presence.

“It was the right moment. It was the right time,” Mr Wilson said. “She was a strong personality to make those things happen. Nikki Haley worked really hard to get businesses to come to South Carolina, and she bucked up against the good old boy system.”

Although Ms Haley originally supported others in the 2016 Republican race, she backed Mr Trump in the general election - and became his pick for UN ambassador after he won.

The Cabinet-level position allowed Ms Haley to develop her foreign policy credentials. While in the UN she advanced the Trump administration’s pro-Israel stance and was an outspoken critic of Iran.

“China’s dictators want to cover the world in communist tyranny, and we are the only ones who can stop this,” she said at her Charleston rally. “But we won’t win the fight for the 21st Century if we keep trusting politicians from the 20th Century.”

Youth and diversity

At 51, she is significantly younger than Mr Trump and her potential Democratic opponent, Joe Biden.

In 2010, she was the youngest governor in the nation as well as the first woman and the first person of colour to lead South Carolina.

In the past, Ms Haley has cited Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008 as inspiring her to get involved in politics.

She’s a different kind of Republican politician at a time when Republicans might be looking for something different.

“I think we need a new candidate, and I think that we need a female in there to tell these men how to do things just the right way,” said Suzie Vahala, a Haley supporter from nearby Mt Pleasant who attended the campaign event. She says that she supported Mr Trump in past campaigns, but the party needs to move in a different direction in 2024.

“He just needs to be quiet,” she added. “He can’t shut his mouth.”

Not being too Trumpy

Among Ms Haley’s supporters,

a change of tenor and direction from Mr Trump could be exactly what they want.

In a recent poll by South Carolina Policy Council, a conservative think tank, half of the respondents who had a “very positive” view of Donald Trump don’t want him to run and don’t think he can win.

“They’re tired of the chaos or they don’t think other people will vote for him,” said Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of the council. “So I think there’s an opportunity in South Carolina and other places for Governor Haley.”

Why she might struggle

Enemies on the right

If Ms Haley has the kind of CV suited for presidential success in theory, reality presents a much cloudier picture.

The former ambassador’s hard line on China may be in step with Republican voters, but her views on Vladimir Putin and Russia have resulted in her being branded a warmonger by some on the right.

“Nikki Haley is a cheerleader for the military industrial complex,” Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, said on his radio programme.

Neither does Ms Haley doesn’t lean heavily into culture war issues that are popular among the conservative base, regular topics on right-wing media and frequent talking points for both Mr Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another potential presidential candidate.

Donald Trump

Her biggest obstacle, however, may be her former boss - the man who continues to lead many 2024 Republican polls.

Ms Haley has had a complicated relationship with him. She was one of the few early Cabinet-level officials to receive a warm send-off from the president.

She criticised him after he contested the 2020 election results

and his supporters attacked the US Capitol, but a few months later, she said she would not oppose him if he ran for president again. Then she began a steady march towards launching her campaign.

In her announcement video and during her 26-minute campaign speech in Charleston, she did not mention the former president by name once - although she occasionally talked around him. Source: BBC

A rally in Charleston kicked off Nikki Haley’s campaign

Supporter Ken Yasger waits in line in Charleston

I think we need a new candidate, and I think that we need a female in there to tell these men how to do things just the right way,” said Suzie Vahala, a Haley supporter from nearby Mt Pleasant who attended the campaign event. She says that she supported Mr Trump in past campaigns, but the party needs to move in a different direction in 2024.

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RAIN OF PRAYER ASSEMBLY

PATNAB HEALTH INITIATIVE

TREASURE MINDS CLUB

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2023

Christian Atsu’s two pairs of shoes found, his club not helping in rescue Him - Agent

By Amaechi Agbo

Ghana football star, Christian Atsu’s two pairs of shoes have been found but the player is still missing 10 days after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey killing thousand of persons.

Atsu agent, Nana Sechere in an official statement on Tuesday accused his club Hatayspor of Turkey of not doing enough in rescue effort to pull the player out of the rubble.

Mr Sechere who said that his room has been located and two pairs of shoes found, added that rescue efforts have been slow due to lack of resources.

“We’ve been able to locate Atsu’s exact room location, and we have found two pairs of his shoes.

“We received confirmation that thermal imagery was showing signs of up to 5 lives,however, real confirmation of life is through sight,smell and sound.”

“Things are moving incredibly slow and as a result of that many rescues are being delayed, and lives are being lost due to the lack of resources available to the workers.

“It is unfortunate that the club is not on the ground with us, side by side, in the search for Atsu”.

“Their position and influence, accompanied with their local knowledge would be extremely helpful. We implore the President of the club and mayor of Hatay, Lütfü Savaş to provide additional resources to speed up the rescue efforts as a priority”, the statement read.

Over 33, 000 persons have been confirmed dead from the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday last week.

Atsu’s wife, Marie-Claire Rupio, said she still prays and believes Atsu is alive.

“He is still trapped under the rubble, but the problem is they don’t have the necessary equipment needed to get them out.

“So he is still missing, and they don’t know where he is.”

“I still pray and believe he’s alive.”

Atsu scored the only goal in his “last” match on Sunday, February 5 as Hatayspor defeated

Kasımpaşa 1-0 in the Turkey League

The 31-year-old has won 65 caps for Ghana national and joined Hatayspor last September after a season with Saudi Arabian team, Al-Raed.

Medical and Anti Doping Training will Reduce Doping Temptations by Athletes, Coaches - Rugby President

President of Nigeria Rugby Football federation, Dr Ademola Are has itemised the benefits of forthcoming level 1 medical and Anti -Doping training course in conjunction with Sports and Youth Development Academy, SYDA and African Sport Connect, ASC

The president while speaking to media in

Abuja said Rugby is a contact sports so the tendency to want to be fit at all time is there which may lead to taking of substance that is banned by international rugby federation.

‘we want to be proactive by not allowing anything to derail us,our medical personnel and athletes must be in tip top shape physically and psychologically’.

“We are organizing Level 1 medical and Anti -Doping training course to prepare our medical personnel and athletes for any eventualities, knowing how challenging the sports can be and the tendency to want to take illegal substance. In view of this, we deemed it fit to educate these personnel who will also go back to their various zones and

implement it in their treatment and training of athletes”

About 44 participants are expected to take part in the three-day programme that will see Nigerian based accredited facilitator; Doctor Rotimi Akinola and Mr Femi Ayorinde a World Anti-Doping Agency accredited Educator handling the course.

Photo: Christian Atsu has been missing since Monday last week

S P R T

NPFL MD8: Profigate Niger Tornadoes held at home

The Ikon Allah Boys were held by a resilient Bayelsa United who were resolute at the back, no thanks missed chances in front of goal by the hosts, as spoils were shared at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium Kaduna in a match day 8 NPFL encounter.

As early as the 5th minute on the clock, Jonas Emmanuel had a chance to put the hosts in front but directed his effort towards the goalkeeper.

David Okoromi broke the deadlock in the 26th when he smartly connected to Abba Khalid’s corner kick and smashed the ball in to the net for the opener and Tornadoes first home goal in 3 games.

What appeared first like a roller coaster for the Ikon Allah Boys turned out to be a tough game as the visitors snatched an equalizer almost in a similar fashion like the hosts, when Robert Mizo reacted quickest to a corner kick and hit the ball in to the net

to level things up before half time.

Second half resumed with the hosts piling more pressure and pushed the visitors into defending.

Midway through the half, Munir Idris spectacularly played a fine ball to David Okoromi who drived into the area but was hacked down by a United defender and the referee awarded a corner kick instead of a penalty appeal.

The Ikon Allah Boys made several

incursions into the opponents end, all in an effort to grab the winner but luck ran out on them even as the visitors remained resolute at the back.

The result means Tornadoes have picked three successive home draws and remain 6th on Group ‘B’ Abridged League Table.

The Minna based side will be on the road on Sunday as they tackle Dakkada FC in matchday 9 fixture

BAL 2023: Kwara Falcons, REG, champions Monastir drawn in Sahara Conference

Nigeria Premier League Champions

Kwara Falcons, Rwandan representatives, REG, and Basketball Africa League ((BAL) defending champions US-Monastir of Tunisia are among six teams drawn in the Sahara Conference group phase of the regular season of the BAL 2023.

The group phase is due to run from March 11-21 at Dakar Arena in Senegal.

Besides, Kwara Falcons, REG and US-Monastir, the Sahara Conference also features Abidjan Basket Club (Côte d’Ivoire) AS Douanes (Senegal) and Stade

Malien (Mali).

Other six teams were pooled in the Nile Conference group phase that will take place at Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo from April 26 to May 6.

The Nile Conference will bring together debutants Al Ahly of host nation Egypt, Cape Town Tigers (South Africa), BAL 2022 runners-up Petro de Luanda (Angola), City Oilers (Uganda), Ferroviario da Beira (Mozambique) and Seydou Legacy Athlétique Club (Guinea).

The top four teams from each conference will qualify for the BAL Playoffs

and Finals which will feature a singleelimination tournament at BK Arena in Kigali from May 21-27.

“There is an incredible momentum leading up to the third BAL season, and each of the 12 teams have fought hard to earn their spot through intense competition,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.

“We are very excited to see the oncourt action tip off next month in Dakar and look forward to delivering worldclass basketball and entertainment to our passionate fans across Africa and around

the world,” he added.

Champions from the national leagues in Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and Tunisia earned their participation in the 2023 BAL season by winning their respective national leagues.

The remaining six teams, which come from Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa and Uganda, secured their participation through the Road to the BAL qualifying tournaments conducted by FIBA Africa across the continent from October to November 2022.

S P R T

FIFA to conduct 2030 World Cup host vote in September next year

The 2030 World Cup hosts are expected to be picked in September next year, FIFA said Tuesday.

FIFA’s ruling council confirmed a timetable for bidding and a vote to be held in the third quarter of next year by around 200 member federations. FIFA has long targeted a decision in 2024 for the tournament that is currently scheduled to have 48 teams.

A separate election meeting will be held earlier in 2024 to pick a host for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, soccer’s governing body said.

The three 2026 hosts of the men’s World Cup _ the United States, Canada and Mexico all had their expected automatic entries in the 48-team finals tournament confirmed Tuesday. It will be the first edition expanded

from the 32-team tournament that was introduced in 1998.

FIFA also picked Saudi Arabia a potential candidate in the 2030 contest to host the next Club World Cup from Dec. 1222 in the latest addition to the kingdom’s sports hosting ambitions.

In the 2030 hosting race, co-hosting bids from South America and Europe have been the expected favorites, with Morocco also in the picture and speculation about a Saudi-led and unprecedented threecontinent project.

The inaugural 1930 World Cup host, Uruguay, is part of a centenary bid with Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.

Spain and Portugal were joined last October for their longstanding European candidacy by Ukraine.

Morocco committed to taking part in the 2030 contest more than four years ago immediately after losing the vote for the 2026 tournament to the North Americans.

At the World Cup in Qatar in December, Moroccan soccer federation leader Fouzi Lekjaa was still open to reviving an old idea of Morocco joining its near-neighbors Spain and Portugal in an intercontinental bid.

Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to host more soccer events have led to unconfirmed speculation of a 2030 bid with Egypt in Africa and Greece in Europe. It is unclear how European soccer body UEFA would deal with a member federation joining a rival bid.

Such a bid also would require sending the tournament back to Asia and the Persian Gulf only eight years after Qatar hosted, so a

Saudi bid for 2034 could be more realistic.

The Saudi-hosted Club World Cup in December should be the last in the current seven-team format of continental champions plus the host nation’s domestic league winner.

FIFA has set a June 2025 target to launch a tournament of 32 teams with European teams taking 12 entries.

Continental allocations for the tournament were confirmed Tuesday with South America to get six teams, and four each going to Asia, Africa and the CONCACAF region, plus one to Oceania. The host nation will get the last slot.

The United States is a potential host for the 2025 Club World Cup as a test event for the following year’s World Cup.

PEOPLES DAILY

Too late

NPFL: Bendel Insurance Maintain Unbeaten Run After Pipping Nasarawa As Enyimba Overcome 3SC

Bendel Insurance continues their impressive start back to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), after defeating visiting Nasarawa United 1-0 in Wednesday’s Group A game, Completesports.com reports.

The result means Bendel Insurance remain unbeaten after eight league games played (six wins and two draws).

Ebuka Akobundu was the hero for Insurance after netting the only goal in the 52nd minute.

Akobundu drove in with the ball to the edge of the box, exchanged pass with his teammate, danced his way in and fired a rocket into the back of the net.

Insurance remain top in the 10team Group A standings with 20 points and are four points ahead of secondplaced Enyimba.

And in Aba, Enyimba recorded a 2-0 win against Shooting Stars of Ibadan thanks to a brace from Chukwuemeka Obioma.

Obioma gave Enyimba the perfect start as he broke the deadlock just two minutes into the game before adding the second on 45 minutes.

Other results in Group A saw Plateau United hammer El Kanemi 5-0 and Remo Stars held Kwara United to a goalless draw away.

And results in Group B saw Dakkada beat Sunshine Stars 2-1, Abia Warriors lost 1-0 to Doma United, Niger Tornadoes were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Bayelsa United and Wikki Tourist saw off Lobi Stars 2-1.

The game between Rivers United and Rangers was postponed due to the formers’ Confederation Cup engagement.

Lobi, on 16 points, top Group B and are closely followed by Abia Warriors on 13 points, Rivers United who are also on 13 points are third.

NPFL Game Week 8 results:

Bendel insurance 1-0 Nasarawa

United

At long last President Buhari condescended to address his fellow Nigerians on his controversial monetary policy –the so-called redesign of three denominations of the national currency, on February 16. He did what he should have done from the beginning to inform and educate the public on why he chose to do it and what the economy, the people and the country stand to gain from it. But given his famous penchant towards rulership instead of leadership, he tends to treat his policies as divine imperatives beyond question by mere mortals. The air has gone out of his know-itall balloon.

And then this one blew up in his face and he was forced to do what he hates to do – talk to his fellow Nigerians – in an effort to do the ultimate damage control himself. The damage to our national economy and his own image is by now extensive. Protests over naira scarcity has led to avoidable deaths and destruction. Angry fellow Nigerians denied the right to get their money from the banks after waiting in line for hours, took it out on some branches of the banks and torched them in various parts of the country. There is anger and there is hunger and there is poverty imposed on the people.

A flurry of litigations against the federal government flooded the Supreme Court as parts of efforts to legally force the president and his alter ego, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to appreciate the telling fact that their policy had become a clear and obvious danger to the people and the country. They refused to listen to anyone and stuck to their collective self-righteous wisdom when leadership rather than rulership recommended itself for their due consideration.

None of this should have happened, at least not at this time and in the manner the policy was rammed down our throats. The policy is a pile on on our distress as a nation. Our misery index has naturally risen towards the stratosphere. We are spending hours at fuel stations daily. That in itself is a huge challenge and one that has been with us for as long as anyone can remember.

Guest Columnist

By Dan Agbese

available, what would the extension achieve but more frustrations for the people who can get neither the old nor the new notes?

Our country, whatever the president’s spin doctors might say, is confronted with a multitude of challenges that cannot be tackled with a policy decision that aggravates them. This country is the least ready of nations for a cashless economy. There are no infrastructures for its implementation in the urban and rural areas. What has taken other developed nations years of a gradual process to address must be made to bend to our kia-kia mentality. A cashless economy cannot reflate our national economy, let alone respond to the many challenges it faces.

The president might have meant well, as he tried to educate us in his broadcast yesterday but still, the following stick out. One, it has aggravated our national poverty. Buhari does not need this in the twilight zone of his presidency. He is leaving us with the legacy of a poorly managed economy. That is bad enough. It was unconscionable to pile it on because he aims to reign in the use of money as a tool for elections. Elections everywhere in the world cost lots of money. In only rare cases do those with deep pockets fail to win the trophy. Money fought for his election in 2015 and his re-election in 2019.

Two, I can think of nothing that made the redesign of the national currency an urgent imperative in the management of our national economy. An economy in the doldrums does not rise up with the repainting of the national currency. The scarcity of the redesigned naira is punitive in conception, intent, and implementation. The redesign has not turned the naira into gold and therefore so scarce it is out of the rich of the struggling masses.

with him. That is bad. Neither the president nor his spin doctors have offered convincing proof that this is not so.

Four, from the totality of public opinions, the policy was conceived by the president and the CBN governor in secrecy and, therefore, cannot escape the charge that it was ignoble in conception, ignoble in intentions and profoundly ignoble in its harsh implementation. It was not and could not have been intended to help improve the economy. For the first time in recent memory, a monetary policy is being used as a dangerous tool in the primitive political struggles to achieve certain political objectives as many knowledgeable people have pointed out. As usual, the elephants are fighting, and the people are being trampled under their feet.

Five, the current change in stance with the old naira notes remaining legal tender until the end of April might have a) come too late to be effective in that the banks have already mopped up the old notes or b) undermined the policy itself. If the old notes are no longer available, what would the extension achieve but more frustrations for the people who can get neither the old nor the new notes?

Buhari chose to conceive of and implement a monetary policy that anyone could see has the potential to damage whatever legacies he intends to leave for his fellow Nigerians. The man came into office in 2015 with the best goodwill in the world. The people responded to him in a manner that none of his predecessors in office enjoyed. They believed in his promise of change to clean up the governance system, chain insecurity, kill corruption and set the nation on the path of a steady economic and social growth.

He has managed, quite remarkably, to squander the public goodwill. He is unable to find the icing on the cake of his eight years in power as president. There is chaos everywhere; criminals have the best times of it; the corrupt have the best times of it. Everything that did not need to go wrong went wrong. What needed to be fixed were not fixed because he has not provided the kind of leadership the nation needs to heal its many gaping wounds and unite the people for a common cause, the cause of a nation with the commonality of interests, opportunities, ambitions, and aspirations. We are more divided than ever before. We are divided along ethnic and religious lines and our fault lines have widened. That Buhari would ignore all these and push ahead with a monetary policy this damaging to the national economy, the country, and its hapless citizens, is not just unfortunate, it is tragic. Whoever succeeds him in May this year, will have more than he bargained for on his plate.DA

Enyimba 2-0 Shooting Stars

Kwara United 0-0 Remo Stars

Plateau United 5-0 El-Kanemi

Dakkada 2-1 Sunshine Stars

Doma United 1-0 Abia Warriors

Niger Tornadoes 1-1 Bayelsa United

Wikki Tourist 2-1 Lobi Stars

Five, the current change in stance with the old N200 naira notes remaining legal tender until the end of April has solved no problems and might have) come too late to be effective in that the banks have already mopped up the old notes or b) undermined the policy itself. If the old notes are no longer

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Three, whatever good intentions the president has must have been ruined by the conspiracy theories that have virtually spurned out of control. The presidential candidate of the president’s party, APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, believes he is the target of the policy. Not a few people agree

Six, what is the wisdom in making the new notes scarce as a legal tender? Why should a man be restricted to N20,000 of his own money daily? The endless queues in banks by people who wish to withdraw their own legitimate money cannot be a plus for the president and his administration. These are the consequences of a policy shot through with ill-will. If the policy was meant to deny some criminal elements a lifeline and the politicians the right to let the people eat some crumbs from their polished dining tables, then the people have become collateral damages. A monetary policy conceived with noble intentions should take this possibility and the unintended consequences into due consideration in its implementation to at least ensure that the people are not damaged victims.

Many of us wonder why

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Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi