Friday, May 19, 2023 Edition

Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero; Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan; President-General, Nigerian Supreme

for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and Co- Chairman Nigeria Inter- Religious Council Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar; Secretary to the Government of the

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Buhari approves automatic employment for 65 budget c-corps members

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari

Thursday in Abuja granted automatic employment in the Federal Civil Service to 65 former members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Out of the 65 recipients, 52 individuals received the Presidential Honours Awards, while the remaining 13 were physically challenged ex-Corps Members recognized under the NYSC Hope Alive programme.

Speaking at the NYSC 50th Anniversary Honours Awards ceremony held at the State House Conference Centre, the President said highlighted the numerous achievements of the scheme since its establishment 50 years ago.

In addition to the employment, President Buhari also disclosed that both groups would be awarded scholarships to pursue their education up to the Doctorate Degree level at any university of their choice within the country.

The president also announced a cash prize of Two Hundred and Fifty

Thousand Naira (N250,000.00) for each of the top award winners, and Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00) for other award recipients, including the physically challenged ex-Corps members under the NYSC Hope Alive Programme.

The President, accordingly, issued an instant directive to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and the Honourable Minister of Education to ensure adherence to the employment offer and the granting of scholarships.

President Buhari also at the occasion paid tribute to Corps Members from the batches being honoured, who lost their lives under various circumstances while serving the nation.

‘‘But for their transitioning, some of them might have been here today as part of the honourees. May God grant their souls peaceful repose. They remain our heroes and heroines. The Nation shall continue to remember their sacrifices towards building a strong, indivisible and egalitarian

entity,’’ he said.

The President also sympathized with the ex-Corps Members that sustained varying degrees of disability during the service year, acknowledging their significant sacrifices for the progress of the country and assuring them that the nation stands in solidarity with them.

‘‘Your labour shall not be in vain,’’ he said.

The President also congratulated the founding fathers, past and present managers of the NYSC on the Scheme’s Golden Jubilee, commending their enduring faith, which has maintained NYSC as a vital platform for mobilizing the youth towards national unity and development.

President Buhari praised all Nigerians who have answered the call for National Service in the past fifty years for their patriotic zeal and commitment to the NYSC mandate.

He emphasized that it has justified its establishment as an interventionist agency, with a core mandate to foster national

unity across the country, thereby breaking down ethnic suspicions and divisions.

‘‘The multiplicity of marriages contracted over the years by Corps Members, cutting across the boundaries of ethnicity and religion in no small measure, justifies my assertion,’’ he said.

President Buhari also expressed his deep appreciation to General (Dr.) Yakubu Gowon, the founding father of the Scheme, who conceived the idea of the Corps and brought it to fruition on May 22, 1973.

‘‘The NYSC has continued to afford successive batches of Corps Members as the veritable platform to make meaningful contributions, in the various spheres of our national life,’’ he said.

The President specifically commended the Corps Members for their role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic by producing and distributing essential items such as face masks, hand sanitizers, liquid soap, and providing food and other relief materials to the needy people across the country.

Buhari approves governing board for FERMA

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari

dissolution

renewal of the Governing Board for

Federal

statement by the Special Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina said on Thursday.

The new Chairman of the Board is Mr James Olugbenga Akintola, who succeeds Mr Tunde Lemo, after the latter voluntarily stepped down, according to the statement. it added that other members of the old board had their terms renewed.

The statement noted that Mr Lemo conveys his appreciation

to President Buhari for the opportunity given him to serve the country.

“Mr Akintola, the new Chairman, had occupied similar positions in many States. A multiskilled construction professional, he had been Senior Special Assistant Infrastructure in Ogun State, Consultant to Kwara State,

Special Adviser Infrastructure, Oyo State, Executive Chairman, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, among others.

“He holds a B.Sc Architecture from University of Lagos, and an M.Sc in the same field from the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University,” the statement said.

has approved the

and

the

Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA),

L-R; Chief of Staff Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb Zubairu Dada, President Muhammadu Buhari and New United Kingdom High Commissioner to Nigeria, H.E Richard Huge Montgomery during the presentation of Letter of Credence held at the State House, yesterday in Abuja. PHOTO; State House

JAMB remits N2billion interim surplus to FG

By Maryam Abeeb

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has disclosed that it has remitted N2 billion as its interim surplus for the 2023 operating year, noting that more would be remitted as its operations for the years are completed.

This was disclosed in a statement by the board Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr Fabian Benjamin.

He stated that this is in furtherance of the pledge by the Prof. Is-haq Oloyede-led management, on assumption of duty, that it would leverage on technology and discipline to manage the affairs of the Board.

According to him, since the assumption of office the Prof. Is-

haq Oloyede-led management has remitted over N55billion to the Federal Government coffers.

The statement stated,“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation (JAMB) has again remitted N2billion as its interim surplus for the 2023 operating year, more would be remitted as its operations for the years are completed.

“Since assuming office the Prof. Is-haq Oloyede-led management has remitted over N55billion to the Federal Government coffers. This is far above the less than the N60million remitted by the Board in the 38 years of the existence of the Board prior to the appointment of Prof. Oloyede.

“On assumption of office of the current Registrar, he had come up with a policy which holds that whatever would be done, must be

on the table. This has changed the narratives such that JAMB now posts humongous returns to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). These returns were bolstered by the Board’s expanded internal capacities for its operations achieved through direct execution of its processes and procedures, which instantly resulted in, for instance, a savings of N1.2billion being paid annually to a service provider and a downward review of the N1.2billion being annually paid to another to about N400million with the same old service provider. This in addition to the recovery of over N1.2billion in both cash and estates in choice areas of Abuja, in 2016.

“It was these steps and many others, which had ensured that a Board, which had remitted

cumulatively in its 40 years of existence about N55 million to the national treasury, rendered N7.8billion in the first year of the assumption of office of Prof. Oloyede and has since contributed over N27billion directly into the national treasury. The remitted amount is without prejudice to the 30% reduction in its application fee (N10.8billion in 4 years since the reduction), Capital Fund (N11billion including N6billion, which is yet to be committed), Annual Awards/Grants to Tertiary Institutions for Capital Projects (N1billion) and Special Staff Welfare Scheme (N2billion). This would aggregate the cumulative surplus to about N54billion over the last six years.

“In another development, the Board has expressed its

commitment to press ahead with its efforts to reposition the conduct of public examinations in Nigeria. In a statement issued at the end of its management committee meeting held to appraise the recent crisis witnessed in the conduct of the 2023 Direct Entry registration, the Board stated that the seeming crisis was birthed by the implementation of some of its newly-adopted processes aimed at curbing infractions in the admission value chain given our national peculiarities.

DG infrastructure regulatory commission urges governors to embrace PPP

Mr Joe Ohiani, the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulator Commission (ICRC) has urged state governors to establish Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework to boost infrastructure development their states.

Ohiani, gave the advice at the ongoing induction programme for newly elected and returning governors organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja .

Discussing as a panelist in one of the sessions at the event, Ohiani, advised governors to embrace PPP as alternative vehicle to deliver services to the electorates and also to bridge infrastructural gaps in their states.

He said that presently, only 25 state of the federation had approved the legal framework for PPP in their states.

ProHealth stakeholders must be adequately rewarded for investment, Chairman re-assures

By Albert Akota

He said that PPP was not only imperative to close infrastructure gaps but also important for job creation and to boost economic growth both at the state and federal level.

The Board Chairman of the proHealth

HMO

limited

Okonwa has vowed to do everything possible within his reach to ensure stakeholders are rewarded adequately for smooth running of the company as well as meeting its laid down aims and objectives.

,Gabriel

The Chairman who disclosed this yesterday during its 13th annual meeting in Abuja, said he would galvanized all performances center of the company to meet its target.

According to him, the year under review was one of mixed

fortunes for the Company; Profit before Tax (PBT) increased from Thirty Million, Four Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand and Fourteen Naira (N30, 426, 014) to Forty Million, One Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand, Three Hundred and Forty-One Naira (N40, 125, 341), representing a thirtytwo percent (32%) increment. But the Company’s revenue in the area of its core business decreased by one percent (1%) from Nine Hundred and SixtyTwo Million and Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ten Naira (N962, 005, 710) to Nine Hundred and Fifty-two Million, Four Hundred and Nineteen

Thousand, One Hundred and Ninety-Two Naira (N952, 419, 192).

He noted that, other sources of income decreased by five percent (5%) from Sixteen Million, Six Hundred and Two Thousand and Twenty-Eight Naira (N16, 602. 028) to Fifteen Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty-Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Two Naira (N15, 754,952).

“The total revenue accruable to the Company reduced from Nine Hundred and SeventyEight Million, Six Hundred and Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira (N978, 607, 738) to

Nine Hundred and Sixty-Eight Million, One Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand, One Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira (N968, 174, 149), representing a one percent (1%) decrease.”

However, he said there was a marginal increase in the total assets from Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Million, Five Hundred and Twenty-Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty-One Naira (N999, 526, 781) to One Billion and TwentyThree Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty Naira (N1, 023, 973, 280), representing a two percent (2%) increase.

“PPP is a win-win for all the parties. A win for the government in provision of the projects and facilities, a win for the investor who has invested in the project and a win for his citizen who will use the project.

“At federal government, we are happy to say that under this administration between 2015 to current period about 75 projects has been consummated under President Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria.

“The net worth is 2.1 trillion Naira investments. That goes to show that PPP is an alternative source of investment at federal government and sub national government.

“They don’t need to have deep pocket in the face of

The Acting DG Productivity Centre Dr Nasir.O. Raji (3rd right)Presenting, Productivity Hand book,Productivity Summit,Proceedings and other Research documents to the Acting Executive Secretary NSSEC Alh lbrahim AbdulKareem and his Manegement team during a courtesy visit recently to NSSEC in Abuja.

Photo: NSSEC

We’ve received N224 Billion of N800 Billion census budget so far - NPC Leave NASS alone,middle belt leaders tell Shettima

By Abubakar Yunus, Abuja

Ahead of the election of the leadership of the National Assembly, the Coalition of Middle Belt Youth leaders have urged Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima to stop shipping religious sentiments and allow members of the national assembly to choose their leaders.

The Middle Belt Youth leaders were responding to Shettima comment that the issue of islamization will be in the front burner if a Muslim emerged as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly.

According to the youth leaders, if Shettima is sensitive to the plight of Christians in the country he should step-down for a Christian to emerge as the Vice President for the religious balancing that he is now advocating for.

Speaking at a world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the leader of the coalition, Nasiru Jagaba said a competent person should be elected as the next Senate President irrespective of religion or tribe.

They urged Shettima to desist from making unhealthy incitement and allowed elected lawmakers to choose their leaders.

“What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby the number of one citizen, number two citizen,the number three citizen,and the number four citizens are all of the same faith. That will lend credence and validate the negative narratives of the Islamization agenda of Nigeria,” Shettima was quoted as saying.

But reacting, the Middle Belt Leaders said Shettima and his agent should leave Nigerians alone because his counsel is not needed.

“The country has moved on from the same faith ticket and we do not need this now and we believe that the best Shettima can do now to show he is sensitive to the stability of this country and his sudden advocacy for Christianity is to humbly step down for a Christian Vice President as it is still not too late.

“This is the best way forward now that he has found his voice and conscience. Until that is done, we will continue to rate Shettima as a bigot, who specializes in manipulating religion for his personal interest.

“We equally admonish our elected lawmakers of the 10th National Assembly not to let themselves be deceived by Shettima’s Machiavellian moves and elected leaders should defend the interest of the majority of Nigerians, irrespective of their faith or ethnicity.

“They should know that Nigerians have great expectations and goodwill for them and that we support whatever they decide by themselves hence, they should

By Maria Abeeb

The National Population Commission Chairman, Hon

Nasiru Isa Kwarra has disclosed that the Commission so far only received the payment of N224 Billion out of the total of N800 Billion budget set aside for the overall conduct of the population census.

Kwarra made the clarification in response to a question on what is left of the money made available to the Commission, at an interactive session with media executives in Abuja yesterday.

The session was held to update the media on the progress report on the population census which was

earlier ordered postponed recently by President Muhammadu Buhari on the heels of the 2023 general elections.

Kwarra said N800 Billion is a figure that was worked out right from when the commission started preparing for the census, including salaries from 2014, procurement, training and other allied matters connected to the census.

He explained that it is not as if the government has given the NPC N800 Billion already. “We may or we may not spend up to that amount,” he said.

While stating that the coming census will be the first time a digital census that will be done in Nigeria,

Kwara noted that it’s postponement has turned out to be a blessing because it affords the Commission the opportunity to further perfect the process for a more seamless exercise.

The decision by the President to postpone the census, Kwarra said, did not come to the Commission as a surprise, because they had underestimated the impact of the election on the census, suggesting that carrying out both critical exercises in quick succession may bring about unsolicited concerns.

He said the Commission is going ahead with the preparation to prevent being taken unawares whenever the postponement is lifted, adding that they were practically prepared but

in his wisdom the president felt they should give honour to the incoming administration to play a role so that the outcome will be all inclusive.

Kwarra, who intermittently invited directors of various departments of the NPC to give departmental updates, said that though the President postponed the census, he did not say they should suspend their activities. “The postponement does not mean cancellation,” he said.

He said that the focus of the commission is to ensure that all the funds already expended remain relevant, “so that when a new date is announced we do not need to start spending all over again.”

Allow NASS members to choose leaders,Delta youth tells Tinubu

By Abubakar Yunus, Abuja

The Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) has called on the President-elect, Bola Tinubu to allow members of the National Assembly to exercise their rights to vote and be voted for, without being hindered by zoning restrictions.

The group in a statement issued Thursday by its National Coordinator, Israel Uwejeyan, said the President-elect must remain resolute in his dedication to national unity, rejecting any attempts by mischief makers to sow seeds of discord and division among different regions of our beloved nation.

It noted it found it expedient to address the mounting concerns over the attempt to deprive the respective elected members of the

coming National Assembly.

The group warned the President-elect of the inherent complications of not upholding the fundamental principles of democracy by allowing members of the National Assembly to exercise their rights to their leaders without any form of restriction.

It said: “Restricting principal offices to specific regions limits the ability of capable and qualified individuals from other regions to contribute their skills and expertise to the development and progress of our great nation.”

The NDYC stressed that Tinubu should take cue from his party’s presidential primary elections, where interested candidates from all regions were allowed to contest and delegates had the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidate.

It added that Tinubu must beware of those who swarm around him marketing the dangerous merchandise that imposition of a leadership on the National Assembly would bear any fruit.

He should know that these people are enemies of his personality and therefore working to place hurdles on the path of the incoming administration.

In this regard, the Presidentelect is urged to exercise discernment and discretion, refusing to heed the whispers of those who seek to undermine his administration and tarnish his legacy before it even commences by pitching certain regions and the masses at large.

It said: “We beseech him to disregard the voices of discord and division, and instead foster an

environment of unity, cooperation, and progress.

“The Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) respectfully appeals to the President-elect to embrace the principles of neutrality, equity, fairness, and inclusivity in our democracy. We implore the President-elect to allow members of the National Assembly to exercise their rights to vote and be voted for, without being hindered by zoning restrictions. By doing so, we can pave the way for a stronger, more representative, and united Nigeria.

“By allowing members of the National Assembly to exercise their democratic rights, regardless of their region, we can foster a healthy competition of ideas, skills, and experiences that will enrich the legislative process and governance as a whole.”

L-R:. Secretary, National Action Committee on African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), Mr Olusegun Awolowo, Minister of Industry , Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo Executive Director/ CEO Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) , Dr Ezra Yakusak, Director Trade, Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Mr Suleiman Audu and the Director, Market Access NEPC, Mrs Uduak Etokowoh, during the Guided Trade Initiative on Boarding Stakeholders Workshop, Theme: “Connecting Nigeria Businesses to ACFTA”, held yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Troops kill 26 terrorists arrest 25 logistics suppliers in Borno

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Nigerian Military said its troops killed 26 Boko terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and arrested 25 terrorists logistics suppliers in Borno.

Maj-Gen. Musa Danmadami, Director, Defence Media Operations, made this known on Thursday in Abuja, while giving update on two weeks Military operations in the country.

He added that a total of 511 Boko Haram terrorists/ Islamic State of West Africa Province and members of their families comprising of 99 adult male, 161 adult female and 251 children surrendered to troops at different locations within the theatre of operations.

“All recovered items, apprehended suspects and rescued Chibok school girl have been handed over to the relevant authority further action while the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province family members were profile and equally handed over to the appropriate authority.

“In a related development, the air component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted several air operations at identified terrorists enclaves, camps and logistics, geared towards degrading the terrorists. Notably, on 10 May 2023 an air interdiction operation was conducted at identified Boko

•As 511 surrender with families

was

and

Sultan decries resurgence of insecurity after 2023 elections

By Ochiaka Ugwu

The President of Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111 had decried the resurgence of insecurity in some states of the federation after 2023 elections.

Sultan who made this known Thursday at 2023 second quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja with theme: “Media and Effective Leadership for Nation Building” took a swipe at the media accusing them of playing both positive and negative roles during the 2023 elections.

Sultan who is also cochairman of NIREC lamented openly the swift resurgence

of crime and other forms of insecurity across the country immediately after the 2023 general poll.

In his opening speech, Sultan remarked that media plays a critical role in nation building, development and should always strive to be involved in all activities and programmes of the government.

His words, “There is need to foster interfaith stability. The role of the media is vital. You are all aware of what transpired during the 2023 elections. The role media played, positively and negatively. We need to listen to the leaders of the media group to know the role they will play in the next dispensation. The theme of the meeting is apt because across the world we have seen how they

worked.

“Take a look at what’s happening across the countries of the world where the media compromise in quality, facts and truth. it’s unfortunate that Sudan is passing through war and the role of the media is crucial in ending or prolonging the war”.

Sultan tasked media practitioners to see their profession as call to better humanity, society and not to cause destabilization.

He informed that only selfless attitude would help media practitioners to eschew selfishness and work for the good and development of nation and humanity.

He stated that the media has the power and platform to cause and end crisis, given the fact

they have enough information to set different religions and ethnic nationalities on a collusion, hence the need for the professionals to understand the situation in Nigeria.

He commended the media professionals who never compromised quality and truth in their work, particularly during the just concluded general elections.

In his address, Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha said that NIREC was the body saddled with the responsibility of providing leadership for the religious institutions in the country towards a harmonious and peaceful coexistence of the citizenry.

He said the blueprint and

terms of reference of NIREC provided the space and capacity that can give Nigeria a national renaissance and peaceful coexistence.

Also speaking, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and co-chairman of NIREC, Archbishop Daniel Okoh said that despite our differences, we have proven that we can live peacefully with one another which should be celebrated.

In his introductory remarks, the Executive Secretary of NIREC, Fr. Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua said to grow a healthy society, there was need for justice, good governance as each level and societal class needed some kind of coordination for peaceful coexistence.

Haram terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists enclave at Arege. The location was sighted with several terrorists and gun trucks. Accordingly, the location

bombarded

feedback revealed that several terrorists were neutralized and their gun trucks destroyed in the air strike.”

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya ( Dan Majen Gombe) in a warm handshake with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress ( APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu during the Governor’s visit to Sen. Adamu at his residence, yesterday in Abuja.

Expert charge FG on more collaboration

with education Stakeholders

By Maryam Abeeb

The Convener of Annual School Needs Expo, ASNE, Emem Opashi has charged the Federal Government to collaborate more with relevant stakeholders in order to bring about unique innovations that will develop the Education sector.

The education expert made this call while briefing newsmen during the 2023 ASNE event sponsored by WOWbii interactive in Abuja.

Emem while speaking about the theme of the event which is “Towards Education Agility – The Beginning of Change is CONVERSATION” she explained that its goal to foster a culture of conversation in education to promote agility, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. She concluded on this note.

She explained that there is urgent need for Stakeholders in the Education sector to design policies and program that will bring about development in the sector.

“I am apparently the founder of the annual school needs expo. So at the moment, we’re having a discourse on education, leadership development. And our focus is to have these conversations with the different stakeholders in education.

“We have the top level school owners and we are coming here to also learn how we can collaborate even with the government, other businesses, and then amongst ourselves to make sure that we are able to actually see the results.

“So we wanted to have all this selected people to an extent in the room and we have a range from the highest range of private schools, to the grassroot schools all represented here. We have businesses that are just doing little things to the really big ones, and there’s so much to learn from there. At the end of this one to be able to have a communique that we can even present to even the incoming government, for example.

According to her, this is an opportunity for public and private schools to synergize, noting that it can also help school proprietors to upgrade their schools and make it a better one.”

She noted that the expo has become a global platform that continues to gather key players in the public and private education space hosting hundreds of guests converging from all over the country and world at large.

Speakership Tussle: You can disagree with your party just like family members disagree - Gbajabiamila

By Christiana Ekpa

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has disclosed that the G7 members can will disagree with their party just, like people will disagree amongst family members, even as he said that the party is an organised structure at the end.

He equally went down memory lane, to the politics of the speakership of the House in 2011, and said he regretted supporting one of his predecessors and outgoing Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, to emerge then speaker.

Gbajabiamila said his decision to support the candidacy of Tajudeen Abbas was to build on legislative gains so far recorded by his administration.

The Speaker, who disclosed these when he attended a meeting of

the aspirants with some opposition members at the instance of Joint Task – 10th Assembly, group of members-elect from across the eight political parties that won seats in the incoming House, said Abbas was a man with capacity to lead the legislature. He said he was also a loyal partyman, who would never go against the decision of the party, and that his decision did not translate to hatred for other aspirants.

The Speaker told the meeting, “I stand before you here as a testament of what party loyalty and consistency can do in your life. I have a story to tell and I am sure everybody has one story or the other to tell. My story may not be unique. I came here on the platform of a party.

“We don’t have independent candidacy in Nigeria. It’s not in our constitution or laws. Perhaps, one day, we will get to that point. But

my core belief is that if you come here on the platform of a party, there is a saying all over the world that your party is always supreme.

“You will disagree with your party just, like people will disagree amongst family members, but at the end of the day, the party is an organised structure. Let no one kid you. I am here to offer advice. I have been the pioneer leader of what they call the House project, when we installed Tambuwal as speaker. I regret it.

“The incoming speaker will tell more of the travails and the problems we went through for four years, when we did that the first and the second time. And I want you to hold that and start comparison to what the last four years have been. Now, when you look at those two sessions and the last one that is just rounding off, you have the benefit of being able to compare and then, you take an

informed decision.

“Not when somebody comes and tells you no, no, the independence of the legislature cannot be compromised, that’s hogwash. Nobody is compromising the Independence of the legislature. The least person that will do it is me. But the fact that your party says this is where we are going, it doesn’t mean you are compromising the independence of the legislature.

“Many of us are new here. People will talk to you. They will cajole you, say all sorts of things in flowery and romantic language but at the end of the day, we have to be mindful of one thing. The party we represent has its leaders. The governors from the states, whether we like it or not, are very powerful. You can do your own personal bidding today. I share these things just to advise from my own experience.

Speakership Battle: Nasarawa Reps backs Betara, ask APC to rescind decision on consensus

By Christiana Ekpa

Rep. Abubakar Nalaraba (APC-Nasarawa) has thrown his weight behind the aspiration of Rep. Aliyu Betara (APC-Borno) one of the Frontline aspirants for the 10th National Assembly Speaker.

Nalaraba, said this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday against the backdrop of the consensus candidate of the APC for Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

He said the 10th National Assembly needed a leader that would stabilise the House with deep knowledge of the working of the green chamber.

He said Betara, a fifth term lawmaker from Borno pissed the

requirements, adding that he helped the current Speaker, Rep Femi Gbajabiamila to stabilise the house.

According to him, this is the first time a the Speaker of the House will govern without any threat of impeachment, this is courtesy of Betara.

He said, Betara out of his desired to make the House peaceful, coopted 100 additional members to his 38 member Committee on Appropriation.

He further said this made the total number 138, adding that this alone demonstrated good sign of leadership and this was what made everybody to be committed to the leadership of the house.

“Some members who were not in any Committees were coopted

to the Appropriation committee and they all got some project inclusion in the appropriation to their constituencies and they were happy with him, “ he said.

He described Betara as a man of the people with a listening ear, gentle and kind, adding that the single act of Betara in the 9th assembly brought relative peace.

“You can’t pin point a single member that has grudges with Betara, even his enemies knows that he is a good man and we need such to be the speaker of the 10th Assembly.

He condmned the endorsement of Rep. Tajudeen Abbas and Rep. Benjamin Kalu as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker for the 10th Assembly by the APC.

He said the endorsement was

done without consulting other aspirants and without taking into cognisance the politics of national assembly, which he said differed from the politics of Nigeria.

“You cannot throw up a candidate at the detriment of other candidates, the APC told the aspirants during our retreat at the villa to continue their consultations.

“And while this was going on the party said a particular candidate has been chosen as consensus,” he said.

He said their preferred candidate was unknown and had never integrated smoothly with members, while urging the party to review its decision and allowed members-elect to choose freely.

L-R: Chairman, House Committee on Services, Hon. Wale Raji, Speakership Aspirant, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Deputy Speakership Aspirant, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, during the meeting of the joint Task10th Assembly with all members elect, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Neveah Ltd

secures

N20b to support business growth

Neveah Ltd., a leading indigenous export company in Nigeria, has secured N20 billion to help in supporting business growth in the country, Mr Ibidapo Lawal, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Neveah, said in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said Neveah announced the upsize of its commercial paper programme from N10 billion to N20 billion by Financial Markets Dealers Quotations (FMDQ) Exchange.

He said the company had successfully issued and repaid a total of N14.54 billion previous commercial paper issuance.

This, according to him, is sequel to the registration of its initial N10 billion commercial paper programme in 2021, adding that the approval of the commercial paper programme was upsized by FMDQ.

This, he said, came on the back of Neveah’s impressive business growth over the last few years, adding that it was a major milestone for the company.

He said the company was excited for the opportunities the upsize provided for its business growth as it strengthened the company’s capacity to fulfil increasing contractual obligations.

He further said it would also help in funding its short-term working capital needs.

The statement also quoted the Managing Director, Investment Banking at United Capital Plc, Dr Gbadebo Adenrele, to have congratulated Neveah on its achievements.

‘’United Capital Plc is pleased to have acted as Lead Arranger to Neveah Ltd on its successful capital raising rounds and the recent programme upsize to N20 billion.

This, he said, underpinned the company’s strategic growth objectives, adding that it would continue to leverage on its considerable knowledge of the capital markets.

He said this was to provide adequate support for Neveah as well as other SMEs and mid-market enterprises seeking to access funding.

He said with BBB- and BBB ratings from Agusto & Co and DataPro, the company had demonstrated great financial strength which was as a result of the improvement in the operations of the company.

According to him, the Company has raised about N15 billion and has a standing history of successfully repaying all obligations when they are due without any case of default.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Neveah Ltd is a leading indigenous export company in Nigeria that deals in agro commodities, base metals and minor metals.

The company exports to over 15 countries in Europe and Asia, with its major markets also spanning across North America.

Buhari launches Kashimbila multipurpose dam as Nigeria targets 30gw electricity by 2030

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam, 40MW Hydropower Station and Associated 132KV Switchyard, Transmission Line and Distribution Substation (Phase I) Project, located at the Kashimbila Dam site in Taraba State.

Speaking at a virtual ceremony held at the Council Chamber, State House, Abuja, the President underscored the importance of the project, highlighting its role in his administration’s commitment to achieving the target of 30GW of electricity in the country by 2030, under the Electricity Vision 30:30:30.

President Buhari, while inviting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, to unveil the project on his behalf, noted that the Electricity Vision initiative aims to have renewable

energy contribute at least 30% to the energy mix, thereby expediting the expansion of electricity access. Furthermore, the President said the implementation and completion of the Kashimbila projects align with his government’s policies to alleviate poverty, generate employment opportunities, enhance healthcare services, and improve the overall standard of living of Nigerians.

‘‘The Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam in Taraba State, with storage capacity of 500million cubic metres, was conceived principally to checkmate the threat of the imminent collapse of the structurally weak and poisonous Lake Nyos, located at the line of volcanic activities in Cameroun Republic, which collapse could result in flooding and affecting millions of lives and properties.

‘‘Even though the Dam was meant to serve as a buffer to contain possible discharge of water of Lake Nyos, the engineering design maximized the benefits of the Kashimbila

ecosystem by incorporating a 40MW Hydropower Station, 60,000 cubic metre per day Water Supply Scheme, 2,000 hectares of Irrigation System, an airstrip, fishing activities and tourism potentials,’’ he said.

According to the President, the Phase I of the Power Evacuation Component of the Project includes the 132KV Switchyard, four substations at Takum, Wukari, Rafin Kada, Donga, and the rehabilitation of the existing 132KV Yandev substation.

It also involves the installation of a 245km, 132KV Double Circuits line from Kashimbila to Takum, Wukari, Yandev, as well as a 45km, 33kv Double Circuits line from Wukari to Donga through Rafin Kada, he added.

‘‘I understand that the Water Supply component that is intended to service Takum and environs has reached about 65% progress, while the engineering design for the 2000 Hectare Irrigation Scheme has been fully completed, and physical works

will commence in due course,’’ he said.

The President assured Nigerians that other projects aimed at boosting electricity supply, such as the 40MW Dadinkowa Hydropower Plant in Gombe State and the 700MW Zungeru Hydropower Plant in Niger State, are also ready for commissioning.

He commended the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the Federal Ministry of Power for their efforts in delivering the Kashimbila Project, expressing his anticipation for increased collaboration among various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in infrastructure development.

The President also praised the host communities and the individuals affected by the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam Project for their cooperation, understanding, and support during the implementation of this significant undertaking.

Nigerian Brewery plc Coorporative appears manager, Kabiru Kasim,(Left)Presenting a 14 Seater bus key to the Council Chairman, Asma’u Halilu,-(Centre) and Council Financial Secratary, Noah Ebije,- during the Brewery plc Company Presenting a republished 14 Seater bus to Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) kaduna Chapter at the Council Secretariat on thursday 18/5/23 18/5/2023 Ibrahim

Bashir NAN

Mega millions Naija: Gaming firm deploys renewed technology to secure winners’ claims

International Gaming and Entertainment Limited (IGE), promoters of “Mega Millions Naija”, says it is deploying more technology and meticulous record keeping to protect winners’ claims.

The Managing Director of IGR, Mr Okwy Okeke, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that IGE is licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to operate a national lottery promotional scheme, “Mega Millions Naija.”

According to Okeke, the deployment of more technologies are additional measures to safeguard wins in case players lose their tickets.

“Our commitment to deploying technology to protect players from losing their winnings to store clerks, agents, or other forms of theft is

second to none.

“We are doing more to sustain the security of our platform, If players in Nigeria lose their physical ticket, they can rely on the platform’s secure record-keeping system, which retains a digital copy of all tickets purchased.”

Okeke said the technology had inbuilt features of eliminating the possibility of losing out on winnings due to misplaced or stolen tickets.

He said in the event of loosing tickets, players could readily access their records and pursue their claims accordingly.

“This is complemented by electronic transmission of each ticket’s numbers to the email account or phone number of each player.

“For this reason, the company verifies all email accounts and phone numbers for the purposes

of protecting customers’ winnings by employing these proactive measures.”

He assured subscribers that their participation in the lottery was not only convenient but also safeguarded against potentially fraudulent activities.

Okeke said that mega millions naija was committed to transparency and security, hence created a trustworthy environment for lottery enthusiasts to enjoy their gaming experience while having the assurance that their claims were protected.

“The measures follow an incident where a 23-year-old liquour store clerk, Carly Nunes, was indicted on charges related to an alleged scheme to steal a $3 million winning Mega Millions ticket in Lakeville, Massachusetts, USA.

“At Savas Liquours, where Nunes served as a checkout counter clerk, a customer dropped his purchased lottery tickets, including the winning Mega Millions ticket, while leaving the store with his bag of chips.

” Nunes, with a co-worker, tried to cash the ticket,” he said.

To avoid such incidents in Nigeria, Okeke said mega millions naija lotteries, set up a platform where all players could secure their tickets via digital means.

He said the lottery prioritised player convenience, protection and also gave Nigerians the opportunity to access over 20 international lotteries across the world, such as the US Powerball, Eurojackpot, US MegaMIllions, EuroMillions, SuperEnalotto, and UK Lotto. (NAN)

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja advised the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, Richard Hugh Montgomery, to always uphold the noble standards of diplomacy, like his predecessors, by respecting the traditional institutions in Nigeria.

The President, who received Letters of Credence from the United Kingdom High Commissioner, and his counterpart from the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka, Velupillai Kananathan, noted that relations with both countries will be further consolidated, with their consideration for local culture, traditional rulers, and institutions.

“I like the way our traditional rulers and institutions are being respected, in spite of the changing times, education, and rising materialism.

“There is a lot to learn from our culture, and the traditional

Buhari to diplomats: Respect cultures and traditional institutions

institutions are the custodians, and they should be respected by all,’’ President Buhari told Ambassador Montgomery and Ambassador Kananathan, in separate meetings.

The President told the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom that the diplomatic relations, spanning many years, had been sustained on mutual respect for cultures, assuring that all courtesies will be extended to him to make his stay in Nigeria memorable.

President Buhari said the cultural exchange, through education and training, with Britain had been on for many years, recalling that he had military training at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot in

England, from 1962 to 1963, and Mechanical Transport Officer’s Course at the Army Mechanical Transport School in Borden, United Kingdom, 1964.

The President told the British diplomat that a good understanding of cultural differences, and respect for institutions paved the way for most of the successes of the United Kingdom, noting that previous diplomats had established relations with the Sultan of Sokoto, Emir of Kano, Shehu of Borno, and Emir of Ilorin, the ancient gateway to the North.

“In one of my meetings with King Charles III, he asked me an interesting question if I had a house in England, and I replied

that I don’t have a house, not an inch, anywhere outside Nigeria,’’ he said.

The President told the Sri Lankan diplomat that the participation of women in politics and governance in Nigeria had steadily increased over the years while referring to the first female Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

“Recently, we got close to having the first female governor in Nigeria,’’ he added.

In his remarks, Montgomery said the United Kingdom had always held Nigeria and its cultural institutions in high esteem, while relating the best wishes of King Charles III, as Nigeria prepares for the handover ceremony on May 29th.

The High Commissioner noted that the monarchy had been an integral part of the British system, and it had remained a major attraction and source of honour.

“We have had a long, productive dialogue over security, economic partnership, home affairs, and other issues,’’ he said.

The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka told the President that the country continues to share its skills and experience with the Nigerian military in tackling insurgency.

Kananathan assured that he will consolidate the efforts of his predecessor, by strengthening relations on energy projects, which had already started in East Africa.

Stakeholders applaud UNICEF intervention on personal hygiene to schoolgirls in Adamawa

From Umar Dankano,Yola

Critical stakeholders in education sector have expressed gratitude with the continued support and interventions being rendered by UNICEF in Adamawa state.

Teachers and schoolchildren registered their appreciation during a field visitation by team of UNICEF officials and journalists to some schools in Jada and Guyuk local government areas to observe the impact of the training to curb the incidences of stigmatization, non attendance of school, non adherance to hygiene during menstrual periods and other harmful practices.

The training for the stakeholders was funded by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International CooperationAccelerated Sanitation and Water for All programme ll (DGIS-ASWA II) in conjunction with UNICEF.

Teachers, male and female schoolchildren were trained on the need to adhere to best practices in Adamawa State especially on personal hygiene of female schoolchildren relating to menstruation during school hours and even at home.

Perceptions on the primitive and negative beliefs on menstruation by female in our societies have been changed with these training as it’s discussion is done in the open not as it used to be in the past.

“But with the UNICEF intervention, stakeholders are now on the same page and discussing the issue freely without any “strings attached”. The outcome according to the stakeholders has become a win-win situation for the

growth of education in the area.

“Now, young girls are making money as a result of the training from the new entrepreneurship opportunity owning to their abilities to manufacture reusable menstrual pads locally which is cheaper and can be reused for up to six months”.Opined by a stakeholder.

During a one day field visit to Tsohon Tikke Primary school, one of the schools which benefitted from the trainings by UNICEF, stakeholders regaled the visiting team of reporters how the intervention changed their world views about menstruation completely.

Musa Umar,head teacher of the school noted that the

contributions of the partners especially UNICEF can never be over emphasised explaining that what used to be in the dark has been brought to the daylight courtesy of the training as issues surrounding menstruation are freely table in the open.

“In a conservative society such as ours, it was hitherto seen as moral bankruptcy to talk about issues like that. In fact, when the issue was first muted to me I shrank with excitement and fear because I could not see myself, a Fulani man discussing such issue with my students.

“But as it is now the training has led to a seamless relationship between the parents, teachers and the students and whenever

any friction arises as a result of misconception, we usually address that amicably in a family way,” he said.

He noted that most of the issues around menstruation especially concerning new starters have been nipped in the bud because of the massive awareness as both students, teachers and parents have built mutual trust on the subject.

He commended UNICEF for equipping the school with a borehole, and modern toilet facilities for boys and girls, noting that the development has improved learning atmosphere in the school.

While thanking UNICEF also, Coordinator, WASH of Jada local

government, Obadia David said no fewer than 60 children from the age of 13 to 17 across 20 schools in the area have been impacted just as he urged other well meaning individuals and organizations to complement the good gesture.

In her view as a beneficiary and student,Aisha Sulaiman advanced that,the knowledge impacted on them will go a long way in changing the narrative without fear of repercussions.

Sulaiman noted that making of the local pads have addressed the challenges of skipping classes due to menstrual flow as well as monetary pressure of having to buy the manufactured pads which goes at an extortionate price.

May & Baker holds walk to raise awareness on hypertension

May & Baker Nigeria Plc held a 7.5 kilometre walk on Wednesday in Lagos to raise awareness towards reducing morbidity and mortality from hypertension.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the `Walk For Life’ was organised by the company to mark the 2023 World Hypertension Day.

Mr Patrick Ajah, the Managing Director, May and Baker, during the ‘Walk for Life’ programme, said that the company was commited to improving the quality of people’s life.

According to Ajah, hypertension, dubbed the ‘silent killer’, affects a large percentage of the population with many people ignorant about their blood pressure level and proper management of the disease.

He said that hypertension was one of the reasons why people suddenly collapse as well as many avoidable deaths.

Ajah said the company adopted the day as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative to reduce the burden of the disease.

“To celebrate the day, we embark on the walk to sensitise the people on the need for physical activity and to always check their blood pressure.

“To demonstrate that, we check people’s blood pressure, if it’s high we advise them on what to do and also encourage them to go to the hospital.

“Already, we’ve seen quite a number of people with high blood pressure.

“One of our mission at May and Baker is to improve the

quality of life, throughout life and for all lifes.

“You cannot have a good quality of life if your blood pressure is high,” he said.

He advised people to adopt healthy lifestyles such as reducing salt intake, increasing fruits and vegetables consumption, embracing physical activity and avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption.

Similarly, Mrs Joy Osonde, a nurse with May and Baker, said that effective prevention and control of hypertension starts with individuals knowing their blood pressure level.

Osonde said that hypertension causes damage on body organs, noting that proper knowledge and management would reduce the disease burden.

Also, Mrs Edna Afegbua, a

trader, said that she had minimal knowledge about hypertension and the importance of checking her blood pressure due to her busy schedule.

Afegbua commended the company for the medical outreach saying she would regularly check her blood pressure and adhere to medications as prescribed by medical practitioners.

NAN reports that the walk was through the major streets of Ikeja with stops at strategic locations where people were screened on BP, offered medical advice and treatment by medical personnel.

The World Hypertension Day is celebrated annually on May 17 with this year’s theme as: “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.”

FG assures of improved power supply

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Federal Government has assured that electric power supply in the country will witness significant improvements in the next couple of weeks.

Minister of Power (State)

Jerry Agba disclosed this Wednesday while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting at the Aso Rock Preaidential Villa, Abuja.

Fintiri commiserates with Nyako family over loss of brother

From Umar Dankano,Yola

The Adamawa state government has commiserated with the former Governor Murtala Nyako, his family and entire Mayo Belwa community over the demise of younger brother to Nyako,Alhaji Musa Nyako.

Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri gave the condolences through a press statement on the death of Alhaji Musa Nyako,a renowned politician and businessman.

Fintiri described the deceased as a great father and husband and an accomplished Adamawa son who dedicated his life to the service of mankind through his profession and philanthropy.

Governor Fintiri urged the head of the Nyako clan and elder statesman Admiral Murtala and the family to take solace in the fact that their brother lived a life of sublime accomplishments and impacted society positively in diverse areas.

Fintiri said, “On behalf of my family, the Government and people of Adamawa, I mourn the exit of Alhaji Musa who will be sorely missed by all.”

“We know that death is the ultimate end of all mortals; I, therefore, encourage the children of late Musa and the entire Nyako family and all who mourn his departure to be encouraged by the good legacies he left behind.

“It is my prayer that Allah will grant him Aljannatul Firdaus and the family and loved ones he left behind the fortitude to bear this loss.”

According to him, the major impediment to power generation and distribution which had to do with has supply which been moved out it the way, thereby creating a leeway for an improved power supply.

He said: “You’ll agree with me that of late, we’ve had problems with gas supplies for generational companies. We just negotiated with the gas supply companies, NNPC limited to augment gas supplies to distributors at the going local rate. Gas was sold to them at export rate, whose price differs and they collection is made on domestic rates. So there was a differential and the argument, however, we had an agreement with the NNPCL and and natural gas company to supply gas to GENCOs commencing from last week, and they are buying at local price not at the export price.

“So with that we hope in

the very near future in a week or two should have improved generation and supply. Distribution is going to be done by DISCOs which is why we are doing everything possible for transmission company to have all the equipment necessary for effective transmission. We hope and I assure you that power generation and distribution as well as will improve despite the rains that have come in now.”

The Miniater also disclosed that two memos were approved by the FEC to enable the ministry discharge its mandate.

He said: “And gentlemen of the press. The Ministry of power had two memos today, essentially, the first one being an approval for the award of contract for the procurement of 25 numbers of 33 KV circuit breakers and 120 numbers of surge arrestors for systems

used for Transition Company of Nigeria.

“You know, we are bent on providing an improving services on electricity to Nigerians. TCN is the main body that has to do the transmission. You know generation and distribution is in private hands now so government is only responsible for transmission.

“So most of the equipment have become obsolete over the years which is why you have breaking transmissions, low power outage, low power supplies and outages here and there. With this refurbishments and new procurements, we should be able to improve services and see power supply get better by the day.

“The contract value is in the neighborhood of N140 million as argumentation for that. The contract has been awarded before

they are ongoing, but we asked for approval for revaluation due to price escalation and additional works. We’re building new sub stations in one of the places.

“The second one was the approval for the variation due to price escalation on the construction of the Dukanbo Shonga 132 KV double circuit transmission line. Shonga is in Kwara State and that line has been down for several years. So with this procurement, we should be able to revemp the station and you know is an agro based area that’s the area which service the Bacita farm, the shunga farms limited and the whole of that area has been in darkness for a long time. With this procurement we hope that in two months, we should have full power supply to those areas and restore farming and processing activities in that area. The cost is N1.5 billion.”

L-R: Registrar/ Chief Executive, Chartered Institute Treasury Management (CITM), Mr. Adedoyin Olumide, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Nigeria Army University Biu/ Head Directorate of Education of CITM, Prof. Ahmed Imam and Technical Adviser of CITM, Mr. Akeju Daniel, during the 2nd Certification and Induction Programme, yesterday in Abuja.

OAMGG endorses Ododo for Kogi gubernatorial seat

By Usman Shuaibu

Ododo Ambassadors Movement For Good Governance (OAMGG) has thrown its weight behind Alhaji Ahmed Usman-Ododo for the race of Kogi State Gubernatorial elections for rapid development of the state and the country.

The Group while declaring the Endorsement in a meeting held in Abuja, described Ododo as the Beauty of Kogi state and a strong contendant who is committed to the development of the state.

Hon. Abdulaziz King, a Member House of Representatives (former) said Harping on national interests of peace, stability and unity of Kogi State, Ododo is the required and capable candidate for the

Gubernatorial seat.

The Honorable Specifically described Ododo as a seasoned leader who is not only equipped with leadership experience but also a man with basic principles of inclusivity, collective prosperity and consultative leadership.

“We are here to propel and strategies how our candidate will emerge the winner of Kogi state Gubernatorial elections come November 2023.

“We are assuring you that we will do our best to make sure that victory becomes ours at the end of the day and I urge all hands to be on deck to enable us achieve the goal.

“The Group is a very formidable force and a grass rooted mobilising force and I count on them that they will work

very well to ensure victory.

“He is not only the most qualified for the exalted office, but committed to the growth of Kogi state and national development,” he said.

Amb. Usman Muhammed Nasir, one of the conveners of the meeting described Ododo as a required candidate with all the indices for the development of Kogi state.

According to him, the aim of the meeting is to strategies and ensure that Ododo comes out victorious after the Kogi Gubernatorial elections in November 2023.

On her part, Hon. Ramatu Abdulhammed, assured that adequate mobilisation was ongoing especially with major women groups to ensure that

Ododo emerges victorious during the Kogi Gubernatorial elections.

She called on all group members to engage in a door-todoor campaign and mobilisation for adequate campaign and awareness for the victory.

Also, Hon. Fati Muhammed, who had worked as presidential campaign council committee for the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in past dispensesation assured the Group of another victory for Ododo in Kogi Gubernatorial elections.

Hon. Fati who also played a vital role for the victory of the All Progressives Party (APC) President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, described Ododo as an outstanding politician, she is optimistic that victory is sure.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

NGO flagsoff skills acquisition programe in Gwagwalada

By Usman Shuaibu

The Chief of trades in charge of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) known as Idimla Global Plumbing Training Centre in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Idris Mohammed has flagged-off the 2023 master trainers for the skills acquisition programme in Gwagwalada.

In his speech during the flag-off ceremony, Alhaji Idris Mohammed, said he began the youth programme in Gwagwalada on the 18th of February, 2016.

He disclosed that he had so far trained a total number of 77 apprentices under the Idima Global Plumbing Training Centre in Gwagwalada.

His words: “ I am priviledged and honoured to welcome you all to this august gathering today for the skills acquisition programme 2023 flag-off of our master trainers that will train and take our youth out of unemployment and poverty.

“indeed, skills acquisition and generation of employment have remained a constant factor in Nigerian government policy. The National Youth employment and skills acquisition programme was initiated by the government to promote self employment and self-reliance in the generation of gainful self employment”.

He, further, revealed that Aguma of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Muhammadu Magaji had crowned him as the Sarkin Sana’ar Hannu (Chief of trades) in Gwagwalada based on his perpetually training of the youths on the skills acquisition programme.

Sarkin Sana’ar Hannu in an interview with newsmen appealed to the administration of Gwagwalada Area Council to allocate a plot of land for him in order to erect a structure for the centre.

Also speaking, the president of Dpat Foundation in the FCT, Elder Mrs. Patience Ardey, called on the government at all levels to empower the less privileged ones in the society.

Ardey also said he would continue to cater for the less privileged ones through her foundation.Also speaking, the president of Dpat Foundation in the FCT, Elder less privileged ones in the society.

Aduku takes over from Ogbe as new ACF national chairman

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Audu Ogbe yesterday bowed out as National Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) while the past President of Nigerian Institute of Architects, Architect Gabriel Yakubu Aduku takes over as the new Chairman.

Addressing Journalists shortly after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Forums Secretariat in Kaduna yesterday, the Secretary of the ACF Leadership Selection Committee, Malam Bukar Zarma said “the National Executive

Council of ACF approved the appointment of Architect Gabriel Yakubu Aduku as the new Chairman of the forum.

“He takes over from Chief Audu Ogbe whose tenure has expired. Also, the appointment of Alhaji Murtala Aliyu the Secretary-General of ACF was renewed for the second term of three years.

“It should be noted that the 21 members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of ACF were also dissolved following the expiration of their tenure and a new committee is being considered and will be

released soon.

“At its meeting held on Tuesday 16th May, 2023, the ACF Leadership Selection Committee considered proposals of candidates for the various offices in the National Executive Council. After much deliberation the committee as follows; Chairman of NEC Architect Gabriel Yakubu Aduku, Alhaji Murtala Aliyu as the Secretary. Other officials will be nominated by the zonal caucus and presented to the NEC at its next meeting”.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the outgoing Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbe said he will

continue to be a member of the forum while urging members to extend same cooperation he enjoyed as Chairman.

He further urged members and northerners at large to be involved in commerce and industry, saying that north is an agricultural area and should not only be seen as a region with only politics strength.

“We must be involved in commerce and industry, let’s not wait for government alone, let us develop ourselves. We have serious needs for financial and educational improvement in the north”.

A medical nursed personnel atteded a trabler at kantin kwari garradge, during the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC Organised Sencitization campaighn on Covid-19 Vaccination in kaduna on thursday 18/5/23 18/5/2023

Ibtahim baahit NAN

Put people above profit, group tells oil companies

The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, (ANEEJ) had expressed dismay over the policy of multinational oil companies declaring profit at the detriment of the people.

The Executive Director of ANEEJ Rev. David Ugolor asserted this during the 2nd people’s AGM held yesterday in Abuja.

He explained that the environmental challenges, poverty, loss of livelihood and other problems created and exacerbated by the multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta, are glaring, therefore all hands must be on deck to ensure that the practice of declaring profit at the expenses of people must be stopped.

Rev. Ugolor lamented that Shell announced $42.3 billion profit for 2022, more than double its 2021 total and probably a record for any British company..

“In the same vein Exxon Mobil also reported $56 billion in annual profit, hence Nigerians

must continue to challenge the preference for profit over the lives of the Niger Delta people, stressing that It should be the other way round, that is, people over profit.”

He Informed that people’s AGM that It’s another session of AGMs by oil companies as Shell, Total Energies and Exxon Mobile have scheduled their 2023 AGM for May 23rd, 26th and 31st respectively noting that this offers another opportunity to harvest the people’s position on the devastating impact of oil companies’ operation on the people’s livelihood and environment and other matters of interest.

The ANEEJ Executive Director said the people’s AGM is encouraged by the decision of the Church of England to vote against Shell’s Chair and Directors and the transition plan update during the company’s 2023 AGM.

He, however, wants the church to take a step further by divesting from Shell and other companies that are not Paris aligned, stressing that Church re-echoed its earlier announcement that it now needs

to rethink its approach and focus on the demand side and not just the supply side, because it has lost confidence in the direction of the company.

“ We expect other big investors like the Norwegian Pension Fund to follow the same path and announce even tougher measures against Shell, TotalEnergies, Exxon Mobile and other big oil and gas companies during their respective AGMs holding this month

“The short-term profits cannot come before the long-term health of our planet as we completely agree with the opinion of the church that investors should explore with governments how phasing out usage of fossil fuel as quickly as possible can be achieved in line with the Paris Agreement and informed by the International Energy Agency”, Ugolor concluded.

In his remarks the Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action, Friend of the Earth Nigeria, Barrister China Williams said past governments showed no political will to hold to account oil companies that have for many

years continued to destroy the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people with almost absolute impunity.

He, however, commended Steps taken by President Muhammadu Buhari taking a bold step to implement the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, report on Ogoni land.

Barrister Williams, who is the 2022 Goldman Environmental Prize, urged the President to extend the cleanup to other parts of the Niger Delta region devastated by oil spills.

He said there is a paradigm shift in the struggle in the Niger Delta especially since the assumption of President Buhari, giving examples of the Gas Flaring Act 2018 and the Climate change the Act He called on the incoming government to build on the legacy set by the Buhari administration in respect of environmental cleanup of Ogoniland and other Niger Delta Communities which has suffered pollution from oil spills and oil well fires, to alleviate the sufferings of the people.

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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Three troublesome SDGs affecting Nigeria’s development

By Bello Shehu Maude

There should true commitment by government agencies/persons saddled with the responsibility of ending poverty, zero hunger and provision of quality education in the country such as the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs and the National Assemblies Committees both the upper and lower chambers, among others to work vis a vis to see the reality of attaining the entire 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Between 25 – 27 September 2015 Heads of States and Governments met at the General Assembly to celebrate the UN’s Seventieth Anniversary in New York City. Part of the commitment of the UN celebration was agreeing to set up historic successor goals to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) known as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the slogan of “Leave No One Behind”.

The SDGs differ from the MDGs, though it is considered to be the replica and continuation of setting development goals for the interest of the globe in general. SDGs stand to be more ambitious with 17 goals and 169 targets, developed through better consultative, transparent and participatory processes and commits all countries of the world. While the MDGs in comparison had a limited 8 goals and 18 targets respectively, less consultative, transparent and participatory, and are only applicable to developing countries.

The 17 Goals of the SDGs include the eradication of poverty, end of hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions and partnerships for the goals. These ambitious and allencompassing goals are to be met by the year 2030.

Nigeria is part and parcel of the promising NationState to attain the SDGs by 2030, though the country failed woefully to achieve the predecessor goals known as MDGs due to a poor leadership system, insecurity, and corruption despite the commitments of the global leaders, international organisations and a lot of donour agencies to the development of the country.

I will give priority and proper concentration to three (3) goals out of 17 in relation to Nigeria which are: Eradication of Poverty, Zero Hunger, and Quality Education for the interest of the less

privileged to know whether the world set an agenda for their purpose or the country’s representatives in the international system.

Many propagandas have been set aside to convince the world that the country is doing its best in tackling the above menace and making proper arrangements for the well-being of the populous black nation on earth.

Looking at Goal No. 1 which attempted to eradicate extreme poverty everywhere in all its ramification around the globe, Nigeria, as a country is left behind as currently a greater part of the citizens, are living on less than $1.25 a day as against the wishes of the agenda. According to a recent report by the NationalBureau of Statistics revealed that 133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor due to a lack of access to health, education, living standards, employment and security.

Also, World Bank reported that Four (4) out of ten (10) Nigerians live below the poverty line.

Along the line, President Buhari reassures his commitment by inaugurating a National Steering Committee to lift One Hundred Million (100,000,000) Nigerians out of poverty under the Chairmanship of Vice President Professor Yemi Osibanjo.

While taking into consideration that a poor man cannot be able to feed himself three square meals a day, we can develop the interest of arguing whoever falls under the poverty line is battling with hunger at the detriment of his life to survive with less than what the elite of the country is sharing out of his national cake. If we are interested and know much about humanity, we cannot allow anyone to be struggling

with bare food to eat while a lot of children are begging for their daily survival.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has claimed that on monthly basis, it spends about Twelve Billion Naira (N12billion) under National HomeGrown School Feeding Programmes led by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster and Social Development. According to Global Hunger Index, Nigeria in 2022 ranked 103rd out of 121 countries in the world with a score sheet of 27.3.

Education has been widely recognized not only as a fundamental human right but also as a catalyst for sustainable development and a vehicle for confronting the challenges facing societies in terms of socio-economic, environmental and ecological realities, considerable attention is shifting towards it. As a corollary, Sustainable Development Goal 4 have equally been identified as constituting a force contributing to social and economic development. As a member of the United Nations, Nigeria is committed to achieving not only the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 but also the Global Goals, especially SDG 4 on equitable quality education. Sadly enough, Nigeria recorded about 20 million out-of-school children as reported by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the statistics revealed that India along with Nigeria and Pakistan have the highest figures (244million) for out-of-school children globally

In Conclusion, all the three interwoven SDGs are giving less priority in Nigeria whereby the problem escalates to make the country insecure with the attacks by extremist in the Northern part of the country and subsequently paved a way for banditry to set aside their tent and temper with the freedom of movement of Nigerian citizens by fear of being kidnapped for ransom in Northwestern part of the country.

There should true commitment by government agencies/persons saddled with the responsibility of ending poverty, zero hunger and provision of quality education in the country such as the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs and the National Assemblies Committees both the upper and lower chambers, among others to work vis a vis to see the reality of attaining the entire 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Bello Shehu Maude is a Developmental Journalist, Public Policy Analyst, Certified Peace Ambassador, Advocate of Good Governance and Youth Inclusiveness in Politics. belloshehumaude@ gmail.com

Sahel region tops Japan’s agenda in West Africa

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

The Japanese Prime Minister was in Ghana as part of his Africa and Asia tour. Before coming to Ghana, he had already been to Egypt while he is expected to visit Kenya, Mozambique and then Singapore.

The situation in the Sahel region including Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger still remains extremely difficult with internal conflicts, extremism and militant attacks, economic development is undeniably at its lowest points in history. In addition, the Covid-19 and climate change are taking its toll on developments in the region.

A number of foreign countries have strongly suggested that the extremism and frequent militant attacks are eradicated through multilateral cooperation, but some are making unilateral commitment and offering support towards establishing peace and development in the region.

The Government of Japan has vowed to work closely with the Republic on peace, human rights, economic development and sustainability across the region.

Announcing the collaboration during the Japan-Ghana

Summit Meeting in Accra on May 1, 2023, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, asserted the need to quickly resolve the Russian-Ukraine conflict which has had a major impact on Africa, including food crisis and soaring fertiliser prices.

Against this backdrop, Kishida said Japan would provide$500million for peace in Sahel region over the next three years to contribute to efforts to restore peace and stability and promote sustainable growth in the Sahel region and neighbouring coastal countries of the Gulf of Guinea.

Kishida further expressed serious concern about the situation in Sudan. According to the UN, more than 100,000 people have fled the country since heavy fighting broke out between rival forces on 15 April. A further 334,000 people have been displaced within Sudan, the BBC reported.

In order to respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan and its neighboring countries, Kishisa said Japan would urgently consider providing emergency humanitarian assistance together with the international community.

Expressing his appreciation for Japan’s contribution to

restoring global peace and economic growth, Akufo-Addo said the two countries will cooperate closely as colleagues of the UN Security Council for the stabilisation of Sudan.

As non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, the two leaders believe that with the world at a historic turning point, cooperation among the international community is even more crucial to effectively address various challenges facing humanity, such as climate change, energy, and opaque and unfair development finance.

The Japanese Prime Minister was in Ghana as part of his Africa and Asia tour. Before coming to Ghana, he had already been to Egypt while he is expected to visit Kenya, Mozambique and then Singapore.

It is important to note that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), and the bilateral and multilateral partners have suggested adequate steps to ensure a peaceful return to constitutional and democratic government in the Shael region. The G5 Sahel are Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

Along the line, President Buhari reassures his commitment by inaugurating a National Steering Committee to lift One Hundred Million (100,000,000) Nigerians out of poverty under the Chairmanship of Vice President Professor Yemi Osibanjo

Sad as Paparazzis keep turning photojournalism on its head

By Isaac Asabor

It will be recalled in this context that in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s untimely death that the public’s perception of the Paparazzi drastically shifted. The tragedy provoked a conversation about the ethics and responsibilities of the media, especially when it comes to intruding into the privacy and safety of public figures.

There is no denying the fact that not a few graduates of mass communication, during their university days, looked forward to specializing in Photojournalism because it was considered to be a noble career path in the practice of Journalism as a profession.

As a Journalist, I must confess that one of the trappings of Photojournalism is that it is a profession that is driven by accountability and ethics. Part of the accountability of a photojournalist is to respect the subjects that make his or her images. Thus, to be as ethical as possible in the field is sacrosanct as a photojournalist is expected to at all times be intuitive enough to treat the people he wishes to snap or rather photograph, particularly at corporate or social events with respect.

Across the world, photojournalists that work in various media houses publish images in the hope that they will draw attention to important social issues with each image depicting complex human stories in the hope that society will pay attention.

For instance, cultural photography can be a powerful tool for raising awareness through storytelling. Thus, capturing emotions and interactions provides insight into community situations that no one would otherwise be able to fathom. Without a doubt, an understanding of the unfamiliar through images is of social benefit and even encourages acceptance and greater kindness. Again, community photography can highlight human plight through examples of prejudice and injustice, encourage discourse around socio-economics, and bring inspiration for overcoming adversity.

Even so, documenting cultures and communities is not, and should not be thought of as an open invitation. Without any iota of exaggeration, photojournalism, when not achieved responsibly, can make those at the heart of the story to see it as being invasive and clumsy.

Given the backdrop of the foregoing view, it is germane in this context to say that part of the accountability of a photojournalist is to respect the subjects that make the images what they are. Therefore, to be as ethical as possible in the field, it is expedient to reiterate at this juncture that being intuitive to address

the people that would be photographed is vital. Hence, it is expedient to opine that a professional Journalist must know his or her onions in practicing ethical and cultural photography in a community setting by asking for permission, being careful when photographing children, exhibiting a high sense of gratitude, remaining hyper-aware and beware of typecasting.

Other ethical tips to follow cut across using imagery to highlight injustice correctly, particularly on how it affects humans as it is a crucial way of raising awareness, by following customs, avoiding intrusive images, telling the whole story, and always exhibiting mutual respect to the audience.

Sadly, it is not an exaggeration to say that the nobleness that characterizes photojournalism as an adjunct of the Journalism profession has been bastardized as the profession has been turned on its head by a cantankerous clique of photojournalists derogatorily called Paparazzis. They have been so much looked upon for interfering with people’s lives, especially celebrities but, the world still has to know that there is more to being a Paparazzi than meets the eye as everyone can choose to be Paparazzi in this era of cameras, but not everyone can choose to be a professional journalist because it requires a good level of education. The paparazzi have, however, dominated the world with their wired ideas of following up with people. But it is very important to know what prompts them to do this.

In as much as the scourge of Paparazzi is not prominent in this part of the world, it is expedient to say in this context that this writer was inspired to lament the unsavory reputation that they collectively rub off on Journalism as a profession. In Nigeria, anyone that hangs a camera on his neck is allowed to freely walk into an event venue as he is assumed to be a professional Journalist; even without screening for entry into the venue. These ones are mannerless in most cases as they are more often than not seen seemingly scrambling for freebies offered at events.

Bluntly put, Paparazzo or paparazzi is an Italian word that describes photojournalists who are free-lensed and do photography of celebrities, politicians, and famous people. Most of the time, they do this individually and do not work for any media house or organization. But, they take pictures and sell them to newspapers, magazines, and some book publishing companies. They mostly engage in gossip besides following up with people to find evidence. However, they are the most despised media practitioners. On the other hand, a professional journalist is that skilled journalist who takes and uses photographs to tell a news story and does not go against any journalistic ethics.

As you read this piece, Prince Harry and Meghan were alleged to have experienced a ‘near catastrophic’ paparazzi car chase in New York on Tuesday night As gathered, “Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were involved in a chaotic car chase with paparazzi in New York on Tuesday night that could have resulted in a “catastrophic” outcome, their spokesperson has alleged.

“The Sussexes were pursued by photographers after leaving the Women of Vision Awards at the city’s Ziegfeld Ballroom in a convoy that also included Doria Ragland, Meghan’s mother. The couple was left shaken by the incident, although ultimately no one was hurt, their security detail told CNN.

“Police said “numerous” photographers made the Sussexes’ transport “challenging,” but that there were no reported collisions, injuries or arrests.

“According to the couple’s account, the altercation with photographers was prolonged and risky. “Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive Paparazzi,” the couple’s spokesperson said.

The Paparazzi have been so much looked upon for interfering with people’s lives, especially celebrities but, the world still has to know that there are more Parazzi than professional journalists. Everyone can choose to be paparazzi in this era of cameras but not everyone can choose to be a professional journalist because it requires a good level of education. The paparazzi have, however, dominated the world with their wired ideas of following up with people. But it is very important to know what prompts them to do this.

Without a doubt, the incident serves as a sad reminder of Princess Diana’s death in 1997 as it has in the same breadth sparked a conversation about Paparazzi ethics and the safety of public figures.

No doubt, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the lingering memories of Princess Diana’s catastrophic death in 1997 when she was being chased by Paparazzis in Paris. In fact, the heartbreaking death of Princess Diana in 1997 remains one of the most moving instances of the dark side of Paparazzi culture.

It will be recalled in this context that in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s untimely death that the public’s perception of the Paparazzi drastically shifted. The tragedy provoked a conversation about the ethics and responsibilities of the media, especially when it comes to intruding into the privacy and safety of public figures.

Isaac Asabor is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Sex education: Parents responsibility, not the media

By Abdulazeez Alhassan

The prophet PBUH forbade men to resemble women and women to resemble men. Resemblance can be in manner of speaking, dressing, behaving and make ups. Similarly, parents should introduce the term “non-muharram” to their children, they should know that they are not allowed to expose themselves to illegitimate people (non-muharram). In addition, children (boys and girls) should be advised not to mingle freely without social etiquette, as well as not to seclude in a quiet place without caring about others.

Children are the most valuable assets in human life. They are active, dynamic and enthusiastic people who want to know what they see, hear and feel. The puberty stage changes their life. At that time, they will be curious about the changes in their body. They may be sexually harassed, open to domestic violence and intimidation. In this sense, there is need for a child to be guided, nurtured, honed, cared for, and counselled by his parents and teachers.

Islamically, sex education is more broadly understood as a set of wise rules that children/adult can use to protect themselves from the unacceptable such as adultery, masturbation, fornication, deviant sex, among others. It tends to explain the ethics, morals, religion, social and other knowledge needed by someone to be able to understand themselves as sexual beings. More so, Islam has set some rules guiding the association between men and women.

Humans as sexual beings have a fundamental need to continue regeneration. Since’ birth, humans have sex drive in themselves. Allah says in surah-Arrum, verse 21. “In the process of life, humans have had sexual desires from birth”. Children will experience stages of sexual maturity when they are in their early teens. They will experience hormonal changes that affect physical changes. This change is a stage that can not be denied to occur in every child before adolescence. So, parents should educate their children on the basic education of sex. A child should receive his first knowledge from his home, because the child is like a white cloth being shaped by his family.

Sex education in the western world is often associated with the understanding of sexual relationships between

men and women to meet the needs of sex and regeneration. Several researches on sex education, ranging from the western countries, Asia, and some parts of Africa, have revealed that students in secondary schools, colleges, and tertiary institutions are more likely to be active in sex. So, there is need for them to be educated on sex. Schools in Africa, precisely Nigeria teach subjects like Biology which discusses some topics that are related to sex education, such as puberty stage, reproduction, sex organs, unwanted pregnancies, among others. But this is not enough to educate our younger ones on sex, owing to the fact that most of our younger ones are innocent and are at high risk of sexual harassment by disgruntle persons out there.

In the western countries, particularly America, it is believed that sex education has helped in reducing unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of diseases. Most of the Americans adhere closely to the Judeo-christian inheritance on human dignity, marriage, and often see sexuality as inseparable from this context. Sex is directed, and indeed limited to marriage. For them, sex education is directed only to mechanics-how to avoid the transmission of disease and pregnancy. And if it occurs, how to deal with it effectively. They also believe that human beings should not seek merely the inviting or pleasurable, which at the same time loses human dignity to the winds. Thus construed and misconstrued, sex ed norms cause personal harm, broken relationships and a jaded society at large. Jonathan Zimmerman notes that ” adolescents get most of their sexual ideas from the mass media”, while the reverse is the case in the US. Hence, parents and teachers overwhelmingly support sex education on a broad range of topics in American schools. In fact, adolescents in the US consistently cite their parents-not the media-as the most influence on their decisions about sex and relationship. This vividly points out that if parents eschew from educating their children on sex education, then the social media is there ready to help them, a situation which might not be favourable to them.

Parents and teachers should Instill a culture of shyness in children as early as possible. Children should be taught that Allah has ordered the keeping of aurat (parts of the female body not to be exposed) as a form of glory for Muslim women,

as in the Qur’an surah- Annur, verse 31. More so, children(boys and girls) should not be allowed sleeping on the same bed, especially when they reach age 10. Parents should also teach their children that the spirit of masculinity is only to male while feminity to female. The prophet PBUH forbade men to resemble women and women to resemble men. Resemblance can be in manner of speaking, dressing, behaving and make ups. Similarly, parents should introduce the term “nonmuharram” to their children, they should know that they are not allowed to expose themselves to illegitimate people (nonmuharram). In addition, children (boys and girls) should be advised not to mingle freely without social etiquette, as well as not to seclude in a quiet place without caring about others. More so, children should be educated on wet dreams experienced by boys as a sign of maturity. For girls, they often experience menstruation as a sign of maturity. In the tradition of Islamic law, children who have reached that stage are called “baaligh”.

In conclusion, the need for sex education is pertinent and imperative in this 21st century, for it has brought globalisation to our fore; such that children are exposed to internet, child abuse, electronic gadgets and social media sexual harrasment which easily breed the moral decadence we experience today amongst the youths. They lure the children and demean their parents’ reputation as they result in unwanted pregnancies and depression. African countries, particularly Nigeria, should embrace sex education as subjects in Postbasic schools, Colleges and Tertiary institutions. Parents and teachers should do their best in educating their children on sex education. Topics like ‘what children need to know about healthy relationships and the role of sex, puberty stage, sex organs, what hymen really is, contraception and proper use of contraceptive techniques, don’t have sex to prove anything to anyone should be taught. This will really help the children to avoid being sexually harassed in schools, homes, markets, worship centers, etc.

Abdulazeez Alhassan is the President, Universal Writers and Authors, and can be reached through axeexx67@gmail. com

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has filed a criminal complaint case against the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva at the Chief Magistrate Court Abuja.

Frank, in a suit filed by his Counsel, Edward Omaga Esq. of Graylaw Practice LP chambers, urged the Chief Magistrate of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cause a direct criminal compliant to be issued against Sylva over alleged inconsistencies in his name and doubts over participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, averred that based on documents before him, the actual identity of the former minister seems to be in doubt.

The suit reads in part: “Over the years, the complainant (Frank) has also shown his resolve in fighting and exposing corruption in public places and holding public officers accountable to their oath of office.

“The defendant (Sylva) on his part once served as the Executive Governor of Bayelsa state between2008 till 2012 and recently resigned his position as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources sometime around 30th March 2023.

“Facts and documents available to the complainant reveal that the

Gombe APC members protest against

issuance

of appointments of political offices to non active members

From David Hassan, Gombe

The Gombe All Progressives Congress( APC ) members across the 11 local government areas and 114 wards have protested against the issuance of political offices to non active members in the party. Speaking at the event at the party secretariat on Thursday in Gombe the members who are not satisfied with some appointments given to members who are not active said it is imperative for government look into the matter and issue appointments to members who have worked towards the success of the party than given it out to those who had not worked for it. They also called on the President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his deputy Kashim shettima to consider their plea by appointing members who are committed and have suffered for the party.

Timi Frank urges court to direct police to investigate Sylva’s conflicting certificates

actual identity of the aforesaid defendant is in serious doubt.

“Recently, the complainant while undertaking a private investigation visited the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania where Chief Timipre Sylva instituted a libel case against one Jackson Ude.

“In the course of hearing, Chief Timipre Sylva signed a verification of interrogatories answers dated April l, 2022 and attached various documents in proof of his identity.

“The said academic documents include a First School Leaving Certificate with No. 092915 dated 1st July, 1976 issued to Anagha Timipere who finished from Ajeromi Central School, Araromi-Apapa, Lagos State.

“Also, the defendant claims to hold a West African Examination Council (WAEC) General Certificate of Education with certificate No.

PO851528 and Candidate No. 21735215 dated December 1981 issued to Marlin Anagha Timipre…

“The complainant equally discovered that the erstwhile Minister of State for Petroleum Resources parades a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with Second Class (Upper Division) from University of Port Harcourt dated 19th August, 1986 issued to Anagha Timipre Marlin.

“The defendant equally holds a Doctorate in International Relations (Honoris Causa) from UBIS University in Geneva, Switzerland, dated 22nd September, 2011 and issued to Chief Timipre Sylva.

“The certificates mentioned above have visible anomalies and do not depict the true identity of Chief Timipre Sylva. It is confusing as to who Chief Timipre Sylva is.

“There is no evidence anywhere showing that Chief Timipre Sylva

ever changed his name from Anagha Timipre Marlin to Timipre Sylva in 1986 after he purportedly graduated from University of Port Harcourt.

“Investigation by the complainant further reveals that there is also no record that the defendant has National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Discharge or Exemption Certificate, as the case may be, either in the name of Anagha Timipre Marlin or Timipre Sylva.

“Records abound in public domain that Chief Timipre Sylva intentionally presented the aforementioned inconsistent, conflicting or forged academic documents before the Bayelsa State Gubernatorial Screening Committee in 2007 as well as the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives in 2019 under oath for purposes of screening into the positions of Governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State

for Petroleum Resources.

“In a bid to escape the long arms of the law, Chief Timipre Sylva concocted a Deed Poll and Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette dated 11th and 12th May, 2022 to cover up his alleged offences.

“In the documents…Sylva attempted, albeit belatedly to make the general public believe that the manifestly conflicting names: Anagha Timipere, Marlin Anagha Timipre, Anagha Timipre Marlin and Chief Timipre Sylva appearing on the academic certificates he has been parading for decades all belongs to him.

“The complainant believes that the said Deed Poll and Official Gazette are nothing but mere pieces of paper…procured by Sylva to mislead people and wriggle himself out of being investigated, prosecuted and jailed for the alleged offence.

CAN president lauds NCPC boss for proactive measures on pilgrimage

By Albert Akota

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria,CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh has commended the proactive and visionary leadership of the third substantive Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev Dr Yakubu

Pam.

He made the commendation while playing host to the NCPC boss and his management team in his office at the CAN national Secretariat in Abuja.

He commended him for the visible innovations he had brought to bear in the Commission since his assumption of office.

He further commended him for being able to navigate through the waters of pilgrimage in spite of some obvious challenges facing the Commission.

Speaking earlier, Executive Secretary informed him what led to the discovery of Jordan under his watch in 2021 as a viable pilgrimage destination which had

positively increased the profile of the Commission.

He outlined some of his laudable achievements in office which include but not limited to the commencement of direct flight from Nigeria to Israel for the first time in the history of our bilateral air service agreement with Israel.

L-R: Emir of Kano Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan and President-General Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Co- Chairman Nigeria Inter- Religious Council (NIREC) Alhaji Muhammed Sa’as Abubakar; during the NIREC second quarter meeting with the theme, ‘Media and Effective Leadership for Nation Building, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

CAN mourns passage of former president Sunday Mbang

By Albert Akota

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has mourned the passing of Dr. Sunday Mbang, who served as the former President of CAN and played a crucial role as the pioneer co-Chair of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).

In a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President, Archbishop Daniel

Okoh stated that the late Emeritus Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria was a great leader and a unifying force in the Nigerian Christian community, and his contributions to the growth and development of the Church in Nigeria will always be remembered.

The statement reads in full:

“Dr. Mbang was one of the most forthright and courageous faith leaders of our time who meant well for his country, Nigeria; thus, dedicated his life to the

service of God and humanity. .

His commitment to the gospel of Christ and his unwavering dedication to the unity of all Nigerians irrespective of our diverse reality as a people will always be remembered as a shining example to follow.

“We extend our deepest condolences to his family, the Methodist Church Nigeria, and the entire Christian community in Nigeria. We pray that God will comfort and strengthen them during this difficult time.

“His Eminence, Dr. Sunday Mbang will be greatly missed, but his life and legacy which we celebrate will continue to inspire us to work for the peace and unity of our nation and the world at large.

“As we mourn the loss of this great leader, we are reminded of the words of Jesus in John 11:25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life.

May his soul rest in peace,” the statement further stated.

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The National working Committee (NWC) of All Progressive Congress (APC) has set aside the purported expulsion of former Governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, even as the party directs the state chapter of the party to stay action on disciplinary measures against party members.

A statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, said Goje remains a bonafide member of APC

“The attention of the National Headquarters of All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Former Special Adviser on Political Matters to ex Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Barr. Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, has predicted that APGA will win the governorship election in 2025, adding that he has what it takes to make it happen as state chairman of the party.

Obi-Okoye, who is a contender for the office of the State Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Anambra state, recalled that as the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra state, he won all three senatorial seats in the 2003 National Assembly elections in Anambra state.

Obi-Okoye further disclosed that as the state chairman of the PDP, he midwifed the party to win 10 out of the 11 Federal House of Representatives Seats in Anambra state in the 2003 National Assembly elections.

According to him, as the state chairman of the PDP, he equally midwifed the party to clinch all the 30 seats in the State Assembly elections of 2003. He said the above feat would be re-enacted in 2025 if he becomes APGA chairman in Anambra state.

He said the incoming leadership of the party should understand the fundamental principles of the national leadership of the APGA in order to drive the party. He added that the state leadership must equally understand the positive disruptive endeavours of the present regime.

He said APGA has to be reengineered in many ways and the

APC upturns expulsion of Goje, orders State chapters to stop disciplinary actions

to media reports of the purported expulsion of His Excellency, Senator Mohammad Danjuma Goje by the Gombe State Executive Committee of our Party.

“The Party has directed that the said expulsion and all related actions in the matter be, and are hereby, set aside pending further review and decision of the Party’s National

Working Committee (NWC) on the matter.

“Therefore, Senator Goje is, and remains, a bonafide member of the Gombe State Chapter of our Party.

“The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) notes with deep concern the spate of disciplinary actions emanating from various

state chapters, including suspension and expulsion, of party members for alleged infractions in the wake of the just concluded national elections.

“The Party takes the matter of discipline of its members seriously as a necessary mechanism for the maintenance of a strong, vibrant and cohesive party at all levels. However, this is a highly inauspicious time

for these actions, as meritorious as they may be, given the important upcoming leadership transition and inauguration of our new government.

“The Party hereby directs that action be stayed on all disciplinary matters pending further directives of the National Working Committee on the effective review and treatment of disciplinary matters.”

APGA Will Win Again In 2025 — Obi-Okoye

party must not depend on stipends and subventions from government instead he would work out ways to raise revenue for the party if he becomes the next state chairman of APGA in Anambra.

Obi-Okoye maintained that if he gets the blessings of party members to be the next APGA chairman, he would set up Truth and Reconciliation Committee to address intra-party issues, conduct

of primaries and congresses as well as set up cooperatives for members of the party.

Although he pointed out that there would be a big battle in the 2025 governorship election in Anambra

state due to the new ‘Obidients’ movement, just as he said APC would become stronger with Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President, he believed APGA will win again in 2025.

L-R: Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation / Chairman of the Transition Committee, Mr Boss Mustapha and the Member of the House of Representative / Secretary APC Presidential Campaign Council, Hon. James Faleke, during the program of activities marking the 2023 Presidential Inauguration ceremony and the unveiling of the Nigeria’s 7th Consecutive Democratic Transition plague, held yesterday in Abuja.

Greater Majority group meets Speaker Gbajabiamila

By Christiana Ekpa

In furtherance of his quest to ensure that the emergent 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives does not take off on a turbulent note, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila this

afternoon met with leaders of the “Greater Majority.”

The group, a coalition of the seven opposition political parties in the incoming 10th Assembly, was led by Rt. Hon. Nicholas Mutu.

Others who accompanied him included Honourables Fred Agbedi,

Convener, “Greater Majority,” Wole Oke, Ali Isa, Dennis Agbo, Mansur Soro and Kabiru Ahmadu. Spokespersons of the Opposition, Honourables Dachung Bagos and Afam Ogene were also part of the delegation.

The parley with Speaker Gbajabiamila is the climax of a series of

interface which the “Greater Majority” has had with all those aspiring to lead the House.

During the talks, during which frank exchanges were shared, all sides agreed to embark on consensus building, in the interest of the institution of the legislature.

Senate: Omo-Agege says desire for bigger endeavors discouraged him from 3rd term

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege has explained why he refused to pursue a third term senatorial ambition and opted for the governorship seat in Delta State.

Speaking on Thursday while playing host to Old Boys of his alma mater, St. George’s College Obinomba, Delta State, the Delta Central lawmaker stressed that eight years is enough to make a mark in the National Assembly rather than stay in perpetuity.

Omo-Agege who was the Delta APC governorship candidate in the last general election said his mind was made up not to contest the senatorial seat for a third time and

move on with other endeavours.

According to him, “When I came here to the National Assembly, my mind was made up on what I wanted to do. I don’t believe that one stays in power in perpetuity. You come, make your contribution and move on. I was determined to ensure that eight years is good enough for me in the National Assembly. If I am not able to leave my mark in eight years it means that I was not prepared in the first place.

“I came here, I knew what I wanted to achieve and I have achieved it. And before the APC primaries, I made up my mind that the National Assembly was enough for me. That was why I took the decision that my services would be better appreciated this time if I am to serve as the governor of the state. And I very

much believe this decision will come to fruition”.

With 41 record bills in the Ninth Senate, Senator Omo-Agege was first elected into the National Assembly in 2015 and reelected in 2019.

The federal lawmaker said he was upbeat of retrieving his stolen mandate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to him, St George’s College has given so much to the Old Boys and they owed it a duty to give back.

“That I am here is because of the upbringing, discipline, what we were taught about life, relationships that brought us here today. And that is what had made all of us excel in our chosen endeavours.

“For as long as we are alive and God

continues to bless us, we will be there to assist the school in any area where help is needed”, he said.

Earlier, the National President, St Georges College Obinomba Old Boys Association, Engr. Cosmos Nwanwene said the visit was to thank the DSP for facilitating the execution and completion of various projects in the school.

Engr. Nwanwene listed the projects to include 100 capacity hostels each for boys and girls, two floors classroom block, e-library, administrative building and dining hall building among others.

The projects, he noted, were a promise made and kept by the lawmaker, adding that the school has never witnessed such a face-lift since its establishment in 1960.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

NASS leadership: Abure denies collecting N500m from Akpabio, calls Apapa lier

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The National chairman of Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has said the allegations by the suspended National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, that he collected N500 million from one of the Senate President candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Godswill Akpabio as a tissue of lies that is unfounded.

Fielding questions from journàlists yesterday in Abuja at

the party’s national secretariat, Abure said he never collected any money from Senator Akpabio.

On the issue of court ruling in Kano, Abure said though they still await the full text of the ruling, the matter in view remains a preelection matter that can only be entertained by the tribunal and not a regular court.

Abure’s statement reads in parts: “It has become imperative for me to address this press conference to properly put the legal issues surrounding the leadership of the

party on their proper perspectives for quite some time now about the leadership of the party.

“It is pertinent to state categorically and clearly that the Labour Party has no faction. The Labour Party has only one leadership and that leadership is the National Working Committee led by myself, Barrister Julius Abure.

“Recall that some few members of the party burgled themselves into the office and appointed themselves, four of them, as

officers of the party acting on the purported and upon a restraining order, an ex parte order granted by the FCT High Court.

“A cursory look at the originating summons which is pending before the High Court of the FCT, Apapa and his cohorts asking that court upon granting their reliefs in the final judgement to direct the NEC to appoint interim National officers for the party.

“Out of desperation they are not patient enough to wait for the outcome of the final judgment but

employed self-help and appoint themselves as National Officers of the Party.

“However, our objection to the court jurisdiction was overruled by Justice J. Muazu of FCT High Court on the 12th of May. On the same day, we filled a Notice of Appeal. Then on Wednesday 17th May, the Appeal was entered at the Court of Appeal No. CA/ABJ/ CV/559/2023. Also we have filled our Appellant Brief of Argument which has been served on the trail courts.”

Bayelsa guber: Frank sues Sylva, seeks order for police to probe ex-Minister

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has filed a criminal complaints case against the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, at the Chief Magistrate Court Abuja.

In the suit filed by his Counsel, Edward Omaga Esq. of Graylaw Practice LP chambers, Frank urged the Chief Magistrate of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cause a direct criminal compliant to be issued against Sylva over alleged inconsistencies in his name and doubts over his participation

in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, averred that based on documents before him, the actual identity of the former minister seems to be in doubt.

The suit reads in part: “Over the years, the complainant (Frank) has also shown his resolve in fighting and exposing corruption in public places and holding public officers accountable to their oath of office.

“The defendant (Sylva) on his part once served as the Executive Governor of Bayelsa

state between2008 till 2012 and recently resigned his position as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources sometime around 30th March 2023.

“Facts and documents available to the complainant reveal that the actual identity of the aforesaid defendant is in serious doubt.

“Recently, the complainant while undertaking a private investigation visited the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania where Chief Timipre Sylva instituted a libel case against one Jackson Ude.

“In the course of hearing, Chief Timipre Sylva signed a verification of interrogatories

answers dated April l, 2022 and attached various documents in proof of his identity.

“The said academic documents include a First School Leaving Certificate with No. 092915 dated 1st July, 1976 issued to Anagha Timipere who finished from Ajeromi Central School, Araromi-Apapa, Lagos State.

“Also, the defendant claims to hold a West African Examination Council (WAEC) General Certificate of Education with certificate No. PO851528 and Candidate No. 21735215 dated December 1981 issued to Marlin Anagha Timipre…

“The complainant equally discovered that the erstwhile

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources parades a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with Second Class (Upper Division) from University of Port Harcourt dated 19th August, 1986 issued to Anagha Timipre Marlin.

“The defendant equally holds a Doctorate in International Relations (Honoris Causa) from UBIS University in Geneva, Switzerland, dated 22nd September, 2011 and issued to Chief Timipre Sylva.

“The certificates mentioned above have visible anomalies and do not depict the true identity of Chief Timipre Sylva. It is confusing as to who Chief Timipre Sylva is.”

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Presidential Election Petition Court has been asked to dismiss in its entirety, a petition filed by the Allied People’s Movement (APM) challenging the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu who was declared winner of the poll and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which conducted the election told the Court on Thursday in Abuja that the petition was grossly incompetent, has no focus and lacked legal direction.

INEC, Tinubu, APC seek dismissal of APM’s petition against presidential election

INEC which first launched an attack against the competence of the petition insisted that the petition failed to disclose any reasonable cause of action.

At Thursday’s proceedings, INEC’S lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud SAN hinted that the only focus of the petition was to waste the court’s precious time.

On his part, Tinubu and Kashim Shetima who were represented by Chief Akin Olujimi SAN argued that the

petition was worthless and ought not to be dissipated energy on.

Olujimi SAN submitted that the APM’S petition lacked focus and also has no clear direction and demanded its outright dismissal.

The APC represented by Chief Adeniyi Akintola SAN made a similar demand for striking out or outright dismissal of the petition mainly on the grounds of incompetence.

The party which was announced the winner of the presidential election insisted that virtually all laws relating to election petitions including the Election Judicial Procedure Practice Direction 2022 were violated thereby rendering the petition toothless.

However, counsel to the party, Mr Salihu Abubakar maintained that the petition met all requirements of the law and asked the court to

discountenance the request for its dismissal.

Abubakar who vehemently defended the competence of the petition told the court that the objections by the respondents to the petition were also not laid in line with provisions of the electoral laws.

Chairman of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani after taking arguments from the parties in the petition adjourned ruling on the matter indefinitely.

Delta APC blasts Okowa over N71billion supplementary budget

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lambasted Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as having no basic moral rectitude following his recent plans to request the approval of the State House of Assembly of N71 billion supplementary budget, less than 13 days to the end of his second tenure.

In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, Esq, the party expressed shock at the request by the outgoing governor, describing it as the height of moral bankruptcy and wickedness against Deltans.

While condemning the State Governor for having secured a third term agenda by imposing his surrogate Sheriff Oborevwori as the next governor through political subterfuge, the party noted that the present request by Okowa amounts to adding insult to injury with the request of such humongous amount.

“The attention of the Delta State APC has been drawn to several media publications concerning the recent request by the State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa seeking approval for a supplementary budget of N71 billion by the State House of Assembly.

“The APC considers this request by the State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa seeking parliamentary approval for a supplementary budget of N71 billion as the height of moral bankruptcy and wickedness by this administration against the people of Delta State. Not satisfied with securing a third term agenda through the installation of his surrogate Sheriff Oborevwori with questionable character as Governor of the State against the popular wish of the people, he has now brazenly decided to add salt to injury by seeking to obtain such humongous amount of money as a parting gift to the people of the State.”

“While the people of Delta State are yet to come to terms with the news of the lavish multi billion naira retirement package recently approved for him by the same State House of Assembly as a soon to be former governor of the State, this has done little or nothing to satiate his unquenchable thirst for filthy lucre, as he has now applied for another

N71 billion with the resultant effect of driving the economy of the State further into the cauldron of bad debts and underdevelopment. This request by the State Governor is a confirmation of the fact that the State Governor suffers from a severe case of moral deficiency syndrome.

“The APC, like every sane Deltan, finds this request shocking to say the least that a governor who has less than 2 weeks to the end of his tenure, will be asking for such an amount of money. It is highly unfortunate and smacked of sinister motives and given the track record of this administration for such

shenanigans, we in the APC are not surprised by this latest attempt to further impoverish the people of Delta State”.

The statement called on financial institutions not to allow themselves to be used as conduit pipes for Okowa to allegedly continue siphoning the state resources, adding that the APC Governorship candidate in the State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege had continued to warn against connivance with the governor in obtaining unwanted loans.

“The Delta State APC would want to seize this opportunity to further remind financial institutions not

to allow themselves to be used as a conduit pipe of siphoning resources of the State and also to reiterate its earlier warnings issued by our gubernatorial candidate HE Sen Ovie Omo-Agege CFR that such loans would not be honoured by the APC administration.

“The Delta State APC notes with grave concern particularly with regards to the well being and economic health of the State, that in this electoral circle only, the Okowa PDP administration has gotten approval for such suspected loans that have been used for other ulterior motives other than the purpose for

which it was actually obtained.

“It is no longer a secret to the people of Delta State that just within this electoral circle alone, the State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa had surreptitiously secured these loans which has been expended in a nebulous and clandestine manner with nothing to show for it and with this present request to approve another fresh 71 billion, it is reasonably safe to surmise that it is only intended for some other unsavoury expenditures that is obviously inimical to the beneficial interest of the people of Delta State,” it added.

– NNPP cautions APC, Abiodun

By Christiana Ekpa

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State to steer clear of the party.

The party gave this warning on Thursday.

It noted that the need to warn the APC and Abiodun became imperative due to their alleged moves to cause confusion in the NNPP.

Southwest Zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon.

Kilamuwaye Badmus, made these disclosures in a statement made available to journàlists on Thursday.

He alleged that both the APC and Abiodun are trying to frustrate the ongoing petition against the APC, Dapo Abiodun and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the omission of the party name on the ballot papers used in conducting the March 18th governorship election in the state. While speaking further, he said he had never, for any reason, written an apology letter to the

former Chairman of the party in the state, Comrade Sunday Olaposi Oginni. He spoke further by saying that the action taken on the ongoing matter at the tribunal is a collective fight to rescue the party in the state.

“I want to also call on the APC-led administration under Governor Dapo Abiodun to stay clear of the NNPP matter, which they are trying to dabble in, to frustrate the ongoing petition against the APC, Dapo Abiodun and the INEC for the omission of our party name on the ballot

papers used in conducting the March 18th election.

“Thank you very much the good people of Ogun NNPP; His Excellency Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, NNPP Ogun state guber candidate; the zonal southwest leadership led by Prince Ayoade; NNPP national executive council led by Ag. Abba Kawu Ali and our indefatigable national leader, His Excellency Senator Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, for their unrelenting efforts to rescue Ogun state NNPP from the hands of political armed robbers,” he said.

L-R: Speakership Aspirant, Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, Deputy Speaker/Speakership aspirant, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase and Speakership aspirant Sada Soli, during the formal declaration of Jaji for Speakership of the 10th House of Representatives at Transcop Hilton Hotel, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Don’t frustrate our petition, steer clear of our party

FG to generate $800m revenue from concession of Abuja, Kano airports, says Sirika

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, says the federal government will generate about $800 million from the concessioning of two international airports.

The federal executive council (FEC) approved the concessioning of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

Speaking to journalists after the FEC meeting, Sirika said the Abuja airport would be concessioned for 20 years, while the international airport in Kano will be concessioned for 30 years by Corporación America Airports.

Sirika also said the approval was part of the ministry’s roadmap aimed at putting the nation’s assets under concession rather than privatisation.

According to the minister, the concession would generate $797.4 million (N368.8 billion) as fees and taxes from the concessionaire.

“Put together, it is about $800 million. And this is equal to the amount of money that we borrowed to build those four airports,” Sirika said.

“The consortium that won the bid is Mssr Corporación America Airports consortium and in the consortium, they have Mssr MotaEngil Africa and Mssr Mota-Engil Nigeria and this is through a PPP, and it’s for 20 years for Abuja, and 30 years for Kano.”

Speaking further on revenue expected from the deal, Sirika gave a breakdown of the amounts payable to the government as fees and taxes.

“The concession fees or upfront fees for Abuja is $7 million while $1.5 million will be given for Kano. The fixed concession fee is $401.2 million for Abuja and fixed fees for Kano is $21 million,” he said.

“The variable costs concession fee is $154 million for Abuja, and $26.9 million for Kano. Tax $111.2 million for Abuja and $42.7 million for Kano. The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) supervision fees for Abuja is $16.4 million and $5.3 million for Kano.

“So, the total amount of money that is accruing to the government is $700 million for Abuja and then $97.4 million for Kano.”

The aviation minister also said the aforementioned fees are different from the direct fees the Federal Airports Authority of

Alleged amnesty fraud: Court declines Ecobank’s application to stop refund of N849m to FG

Afederal high court in Abuja has refused to grant an application by Ecobank Nigeria Limited to restrain the federal government from ordering the bank to reimburse over N800 million in losses incurred as a result of duplicate payments made to the beneficiaries of the Amnesty programme.

Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, in a ruling on Wednesday, ordered Isaac Oguche, counsel representing the commercial bank, to put the respondents on notice within seven days of the order.

Ekwo also directed Oguche to serve on all the respondents in the suit, the processes filed, and adjourned the matter until May 31.

The federal government had established a Niger Delta amnesty programme, with a key component said to be the payment of monthly stipends to qualified beneficiaries in the oil-producing region, via linked banks accounts.

The office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) had said it was carrying out an investigation into multiple accounts allegedly linked to exmilitants.

Ecobank had, in an ex-parte motion marked, FHC/ABJ/ CS/469/2023, sued the attorneygeneral of the federation (AGF), national security adviser (NSA), and the federal government through the amnesty programme (as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively).

In the motion dated April 5, Anthony Idigbe, the bank’s lawyer, sought for an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from arresting its directors, staff or agents or taking steps to disrupt its business without following due process of law, pending the hearing and determination of originating motion.

It also sought an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents — either by themselves or agents — from taking steps “to further harass the applicant, directors, and staff”.

The affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Oladipupo Raji, regional operations head of Ecobank in FCT, claimed that since inception of the programme

till January 2023, there had been no allegation against the bank for fraud in relation to monies paid to its customers.

He said on January 19, commercial banks, including Ecobank, were summoned to a meeting by Babagana Monguno, NSA, in respect of the amnesty programme.

“That the NSA at the meeting which I attended informed the banks’ representatives that some of the beneficiaries of the amnesty scheme have been receiving double payments from the federal government of Nigeria by opening multiple accounts in several banks and that the 3rd respondent has also been paying funds to unknown individuals,” Raji said.

“That the NSA, thereafter,

sought for the support of the banks in tackling the challenges in sanitising the system and ensuring the leakages are blocked.”

But to the bank’s surprise, according to Raji, Aliyu Mohammed, the permanent secretary, special services office, office of the secretary to the government of the federation, informed all the banks that the federal government had purportedly lost the sum of N13 billion through the leakages and thereafter noted that the the sum of N849,408,000 must be refunded by Ecobank within two weeks.

Raji, in response, said Ecobank was not “involved in the processing of payments, approval of payments or verification of the list of the beneficiaries of the scheme”.

IMF approves $3bn loan for Ghana to ease economic crisis

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The International Monetary Fund (IMF’s) executive board has approved a threeyear extended credit facility (ECF) arrangement of $3 billion for Ghana.

In a statement on Wednesday, the IMF said the West African country will receive an immediate disbursement of about $600 million.

The Bretton Woods institution said the 36-month facility will support a comprehensive reform programme by the Ghanaian government which aims to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability.

The IMF said the programme will help Ghana to overcome immediate policy and financing challenges, mobilise external financing from development partners and provide a framework for the successful completion of the ongoing debt restructuring.

Ghana sought help from the IMF in July 2022 after its citizens

took to the streets to protest over spiralling inflation, currency depreciation, and other economic woes.

The country had previously refused to seek IMF support.

Following the executive board discussion on Ghana, Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director, said the combination of large external shocks and preexisting fiscal and debt vulnerabilities precipitated a deep economic and financial crisis in Ghana.

“In response, the authorities have launched a comprehensive reform program, to be supported by the ECF-arrangement. It is focused on restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability as well as implementing wide-ranging reforms to build resilience and lay the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth,” the IMF boss said.

“Capacity development and continued support by development partners would be critical for the

successful implementation of the authorities’ program.

“Fiscal consolidation is a core element of the program. A substantial and front-loaded fiscal adjustment has started with the 2023 budget.

“Enhanced revenue and streamlined expenditure will be combined with policies to protect vulnerable households and create room for higher social and development spending in the medium term.

“With a view to fostering lasting fiscal discipline, the authorities are also advancing reforms to enhance domestic revenue mobilization, strengthen public financial management, and tackle the deep challenges in the energy and cocoa sectors.

“The government has also launched a comprehensive debt restructuring, including both domestic and external debt, to place debt on a sustainable path. Effective collaboration by all parties involved would be critical.

“Preserving financial sector

stability is critical for the success of the program. Given the adverse impact of the domestic debt restructuring on balance sheets of financial institutions, the authorities will devise and implement a comprehensive strategy to rapidly rebuild financial institutions’ buffers and exit from temporary regulatory forbearance measures.

“Monetary and exchange rate policies under the program will focus on reining in inflation and rebuilding foreign reserve buffers. The Bank of Ghana will continue tightening monetary policy until inflation is on a firmly declining path and will eliminate monetary financing of the budget. The central bank will also enhance exchange rate flexibility and limit foreign exchange interventions to rebuild external buffers.

“An ambitious structural reform agenda is being put in place to reinvigorate private sector-led growth by improving the business environment, governance, and productivity.”

From Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

The Nigerian Shipper’s Council said it saved a whooping N2.7bn between 2020 to 2022.

The council in its newsletter called ‘Complaint Newsletter’, a periodic publication of the agency, said the fund could have been lost to shipping companies, and terminal operators through demurrages, among others.

The NSC in the publication said during the period under review, it recorded a total of 1,727 complaints.

Giving a breakdown of the figures, NSC said that 2021 had

N2.7bn saved from demurrages in two years, says NSC

the highest figure of complaints by shippers with 666 cases handled and N2.5bn recovered on behalf of the trading public in the year.

“Similarly, a total of 648 cases of complaints were recorded in the year 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic, with N57m recovered. In 2022, a

total of 413 cases was recorded, which was a clear indication of a sharp drop in complaints by the trading public, with a sum of N204m recovered on behalf of shippers and freight forwarders.

“Some of them are excessive charges while some are demurrage or container deposit refunds among others. Some

are also on damages of cargo,” it stated.

Meanwhile, the port economic regulator said it observed that despite the decrease in the volume of cargoes in the country’s seaports, demurrage and detention remained high.

The council also urged

importers and exporters to ensure that they engage professional logistics service providers to handle the clearing and delivery processes of their cargoes to ensure that all containers are returned promptly without accruing demurrage or detention charges.

Oil prices stable as US reserves rise

As economic worries competed with a tighter supply outlook for later in the year, oil prices remained steady on Wednesday despite a surprise rise in U.S. crude inventories, Reuters reports.

In the futures market, Brent crude rose 2 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to $74.42 a barrel. The West Texas Intermediate U.S. crude oil price fell 5 cents to $70.81 at 0921 GMT.

The International Energy Agency on Tuesday predicted demand would outpace supply by 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in the second half of the year, with China making up 60 per cent of oil demand growth in 2023.

“Crude prices remain heavy as energy traders just can’t shake off global demand concerns. It doesn’t matter how upbeat everyone is for China’s second half of the year, the current situation is too disappointing,” said Edward Moya, an analyst at OANDA.

U.S. crude stockpiles rose by about 3.6 million barrels in the week ended May 12, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Seven analysts polled by Reuters had expected a 900,000 barrel drawdown.

U.S. government data on crude and product stockpiles is due at 1430 GMT.

Oil steady as demand worries face tight supply outlook

Oil prices were steady on Wednesday after a surprise rise in U.S. crude inventories stoked demand concerns as economic worries competed with a tighter supply outlook for later in the year.

Brent crude futures rose 2 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to $74.42 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate

U.S. crude was down 5 cents to $70.81 at 0921 GMT.

The crude inventory build added to concerns about U.S. growth after data showed retail sales rose 0.4 per cent in April, short of estimates for an increase of 0.8 per cent.

Talks on raising the U.S. debt ceiling continue to weigh on the market. The U.S. Treasury

Department has estimated that the United States will go into a crippling default as early as June 1 if Congress does not lift the ceiling.

In China, April industrial output and retail sales growth undershot forecasts, suggesting the economy lost momentum at the beginning of the second quarter.

“Markets were in a wait-andwatch mode over the outcome of

crucial negotiations to raise the U.S. government’s debt ceiling,” said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.

Macroeconomic data for April released on Tuesday confirmed the narrative of a patchy and slow recovery in the country and continues to weigh on oil market sentiment.”

Governors call for urgent action to curtail Nigeria’s rising debt

From Abubakar Yunusa,Abuja

The governors of some states in Nigeria have called for a quick intervention to curtail the nation’s rising debt profile.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) had said Nigeria’s total public debt reached N46.25 trillion at the end of the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022.

The state leaders, speaking on Wednesday at the recent 2023 induction programme organised by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), said Nigeria cannot perpetually borrow.

The governors were responding to the warnings by Ngozi Okonjo–Iweala, director- general of World Trade Organisation (WTO), that they should

monitor their debt profiles, and keep careful control of expenditures.

Okonjo-Iweala had argued that it had become imperative for governors to focus on debt management because the country has challenges on the fiscal, debt, and monetary policy fronts.

Expressing his view on the issue, Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi state, bemoaned the nation’s debt service costs, which “accounted for 95 percent of its income”.

He warned that without action, “the nation would collapse”.

“We are going to go under unless we do something inward to really correct our own perception, our own notions and our own approaches to the management of the economy of the country,” Mohammed said.

“It is a monolithic economy. And yet, even where we are getting money, we have taken so much up front, the federation has to be looked at as a structure because states have to have a say in the management of the economy.”

Caleb Mutfwang, the Plateau governorelect, corroborating Mohammed’s stance on the need to reverse the country’s debt situation, said the federal and state governments must collaborate in order to come up with the right policies to reverse the situation.

He said the country must look for ways and means of creating wealth as a nation, so that more Nigerians would come out of poverty.

“This is both a national and subnational issue. We at the sub-national

level will be collaborating with the federal government, as members of the National Economic Council, to come up with the right policies so that we will be able to reverse our debt situation,” he said.

“And of course, reversing debt is not rocket science, you have to create wealth, you have to add more money to be able to pay your debts. So, we must look at ways and means of creating wealth as a nation.

On his part, Dikko Radda, the Katsina state governor-elect, said as soon as he is sworn-in, there would be a comprehensive assessment of the state’s debt profile with a view to restructuring it, in order to meet the obligations for the people of the state.

“There is nothing wrong in borrowing to the develop, but it is wrong to borrow to spend uselessly,” he said.

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Administration

Diaspora Desk Office has organised a forum, where hundreds of youth, women and vulnerable groups drawn from across the six Area Council of Abuja, were drilled on the dangers of irregular migration to foreign countries otherwise known as ‘japa’ sydrome.

It was observed that stakeholders during the sensitisation/enlightenment programme with the theme: Japa sydrome: Pains and Gains, organised for the teeming participants and integrated returnees, took turns to encourage the target groups to be always weary of the trend, in the best interest of themselves and the society in general.

In her remarks, Chairman/ CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while noting that no one can stop migration illegal or legal as there will always be such challenges, said people should always weigh the option and the consequences, to know which one is better for them.

Dabiri-Erewa, who said there are pains and gains and pains of Japa syndrome, which has always been there, commended the FCTA for putting the programme together, while expressing hope that at the end of it, there would be recommendations that the the Commission would be able to work on and implement.

She said: “ The most important thing is that we have to collectively as a people and government play our roles to ensure that we will shine and be the best in the world, and we will get the recognition that we deserved.

“We need to encourage the young ones in particular to do the same thing. There are frustrations, and no doubt about it, but please note that idea is that there is also opportunities that we are not seeing, and let us as a people and government open our eyes to those opportunities, and show the younger ones that maybe there is something that you can do rather than japa especially in an irregular and terrible way, so that can be better persons”.

Similarly, in his keynote presentaion, Ambassador Joe Keshi attributed the Japa syndrome to the unconducive situation of virtually every stratal of the society, in spite of the resources of the country.

According to him, “ when we preach against the trend, we mus try and balance it, and we must hold those responsible, who over the last couple of years have not made the country conducive

METRO

Japa sydrome: FCT Diaspora Desk sensitises Abuja youth, women, vulnerable groups

enough for people to make ends meet without much stress.

“But if we don’t address the internal contradictions of the country, people will continue to jappa, no matter what you say to them. But we can hope that leadership of the at every level particularly the states to begin to create the environment that ensures that people can wake up in the morning, and be confident about what to do to fend for themselves”.

Also speaking, representative of the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abdulrazak Leramo, who is the Director of Administration and Finance, FCT Education Secretariat, said the FCTA is paying attention to the trend, because when migration it is

done illegally, it portends grave dangers to the illegal migrants ranging from abuse, exploitation, kidnapping, phycological disorders to even death as well as the effect it has on the depletion of human resources required for nation building.

Adesola however, implored all the youth and other relevant groups to be rightly guided in making well informed decisions on migration (Japa).

He added that the FCT Administration is open and welcomes useful collaboration with enterprising diasporans and other partners for the growth and development of the FCT, given its vast potentials for investments and wealth creation.

Earlier in her welcome

address, FCT-Diaspora Focal Point Officer, Sarah David Areo, reiterated that her office provides opportunities to handle Diaspora matters in relation to indigene/ indigent members of the FCT, in line with the vision and mission of NiDCOM.

She noted that the office work in line with existing guidelines to positively engage Nigerian teeming youth and women to check the dangerous trend of illegal migration to foreign countries where they face very unhealthy living conditions and become very vulnerable to diverse dangers.

According to her, FCT is a place with the dire need of these potentials, abilities and energy most especially at this critical

period in the nation’s history.

Not left out, Sarkin Gabas of Abaji, Alh. Kamal Adamu Shuaibu, who represented the Chairman FCT Council of Chiefs, and Ona of Abaji, Dr. Baba Yunusa, noted that the youth must be made to understand no matter where they go in the world, nowhere is sweet as home, outside of which they would always be visitors.

He advised them to stay back home, and ensure that the right thing is done, and people we come to Nigeria to live and do business , as the country has all it takes to be the be viable, more than any part of the world.

He adds: “ we have to look inwards, and believe in the nation and ourselves, and if we can this, we can get to places”.

MNCH Week: Board deploys 1,485 healthcare workers to offer free maternal healthcare

By Stanley Onyekwere

No fewer than 1,485 healthcare workers will be deployed to provide free healthcare services to children under 5, pregnant women, nursing mothers as well as the general public, that will benefit from this year’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health week (MNCHW) in the nations capital, Abuja.

This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare Board (FCT-PHCB), Dr. Isah Yahaya, who briefed

Journalists yesterday, on its level of preparedness towards the health week.

Yahaya said the healthcare workers will provide health interventions, which include but not limited to maternal health education, immunisation, nutrition, anti-natal care among others.

He explained that residents in the FCT in need of these healthcare services can access primary health centres which makes up 297 fixed post across the 6 Area Councils across the FCT.

He also maintained that the MNCH WEEK is primarily aimed at reducing Newborn and child mortality rate in the FCT, while improving Maternal healthcare.

According to him, to reduce the 568 mortality rate recorded for the Federal Capital Territory in 2022, collaborative effort is crucial for such intervention project.

Furthermore, FCT-PHCB boss noted that the week long programme will create not just sensitization on Maternal health, but also provide free

medication like iron foliate supplements for pregnant women, ORT, DeWorming tablets for children from 12-59months and immunisation.

He therefore enjoined residents to take advantage of the free healthcare services noting that the FCT Administration has continued to demonstrate its priority in healthcare service delivery in the 6 area councils and 62 wards, given the recent improvement of the primary healthcare structure through the basic healthcare provision fund.

President Muhammadu Buhari and The Sri Lanka High Commissioner to Nigeria, H.E Veluppilliai Kananathan during the presentation of Letter of Credence held at the State House yesterday in Abuja. PHOTO; State House

Italy floods leave 13 dead and force 13,000 from their homes

More than 20 rivers have burst their banks in Italy, leaving 13 people dead and forcing thousands from their homes after six months’ rainfall fell in a day and a half.

More bodies were found on Thursday after almost every river flooded between Bologna and the north-east coast 115km (70 miles) away.

Some 280 landslides have taken place.

“It was a very bad 48 hours. Water and mud took over our whole village,” said Roberta Lazzarini, 71.

Her home of Botteghino di Zocca, south of Bologna, was hit by a torrent on Wednesday. Streets, houses and gardens were inundated and Roberta said she was still scared.

“I’ve never seen anything like that here. We were stuck and didn’t know what to do. I just hope it doesn’t happen again.”

Firefighters helped residents flee their houses, including a 97-year-old woman who had to leave her bedroom in a rubber dinghy.

“Our community is broken,” said Roberta’s daughter, Ines, who runs the local cafe in the central square. “We felt completely cut out, isolated, some of us were truly terrified.”

“We’ve had floods before, but it has never been this bad as far as I can remember,” said Lamieri, 74, as he removed mud from his basement, where his son stores products to sell at the souvenir shop he runs in central Bologna.

“The street turned into river. We lost all of our stuff which was stored down here. We estimate thousands of euros in damage.”

This is one of many villages and towns flooded in the province of Emilia-Romagna, not just from rivers, but overflowing canals too.

More evacuations took place west of Ravenna on Thursday and more bodies were found, including a couple in a flat in the village of Russi, which was flooded hours before.

Many are warning that Italy needs a national plan to respond to the effects of climate change.

Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said tropical conditions had already reached Italy, with 20cm of rain falling in 36 hours, and in some areas up to 50cm.

“Soils that remain dry for a long time end up becoming cemented, drastically limiting their capacity to absorb water,” he said.

No regional dams had been built for 40 years, he said, and a new approach to hydraulic engineering engineering was needed.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has called a crisis meeting next Tuesday.

Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely. Already, the world has warmed about 1.1C since the industrial era began, and temperatures will continue to rise unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

Antonio Francesco Rizzuto, a 55-yearold lawyer who lives by the river with his wife, was forced to leave on Tuesday night and is now living at his daughter’s in a nearby village.

“It was something no-one was expecting in these proportions,” he said. “Before we left our house, the water level was getting higher by the minute. When we got back yesterday... our living room was completely submerged. We will have to throw away most of our furniture.”

Stefano Bonaccini, regional president of the Emilia-Romagna region, said the damage costs ran into billions of euros.

Overnight, evacuations were ordered in towns to the west of Ravenna. Residents in Villanova were ordered to seek shelter on upper floors, a day after floodwater cascaded through the historic centre of Lugo.

Lugo was flooded again on Thursday, as was Cervi, on the coast.

Rescue operations in the small village of Massa Lombarda, about 10 km from Imola

This weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola was called off because of the risk of the nearby Santerno river flooding. Many of the areas around the track used for parking and watching the race were deluged on Tuesday.

Further north at Ferrara, a Bruce Springsteen rock concert was due to go ahead on Thursday despite the regional disaster. Some 50,000 fans had booked tickets for the sell-out concert.

There was some criticism of the decision to go ahead, with one local councillor Anna Ferraresi accusing local officials of proceeding regardless of the despair of thousands of people in the region.

As well as the 23 rivers that burst their banks, the Zena stream turned into a raging torrent in Botteghino di Zocca.

Lino Lenzi, 80, was standing in what used to be his daughter’s garden, which was now overflowing with mud, his grandchildren’s toys submerged.

“I’ve lived here for 70 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said, “the water is everywhere.”

The house has belonged to the family for generations and his daughter had just finished renovating it.

Inside his kitchen, the water is is up to our ankles. The day before, it was more than 2m (6.5ft) high.

“We’ve had to get rid of the water with everything we’ve got: buckets, pots and pans.”

Lino complained the local rivers had not been dredged for years.

“No-one has showed up to help. We’ve received zero help from the government or local authority,”

Rescue operations have proved difficult because so many roads have been flooded and many towns have gone without electricity.

The only help Lino had was from a teenage boy who lives near by. “He walked past and saw that we needed help. He helped us move our furniture.”

Colombia plane crash: Children reportedly survived 16 days in jungle

Officials in Colombia say four children missing since their plane crashed in the jungle have been found alive and well more than two weeks later.

Their mother and the other adults were killed in the crash.

The government’s child welfare agency, ICBF, said it had received information “from the field” that the children had been found in good health.

A pilot said he had also been told the children had been found by indigenous people deep in the rainforest.

Soldiers taking part in the search, however, have yet to see the children for themselves.

The Cessna 206 light aircraft they had been in was flying from Araracuara, deep in the Amazon jungle in southern Colombia, to San José del Guaviare, when it disappeared in the morning of 1 May.

Its pilot had earlier reported engine problems.

After a huge search effort involving more than 100 soldiers, the plane was finally located on Monday, two weeks after it had disappeared.

The bodies of the pilot, the co-pilot and 33-year-old Magdalena Mucutuy, the mother of the four children, were found at the crash site in Caquetá province.

But the children, who are aged 13, nine and four years, as well as an 11-month-old baby, were nowhere to be found.

The search teams have, however, found clues indicating that the children, who are from the Huitoto indigenous group, survived the crash.

Sniffer dogs came across a child’s drinking bottle, a pair of scissors, a hair tie and some half-eaten fruit.

The search teams also found an improvised shelter made from sticks and branches.

“We think that the children who were aboard the plane are alive. We have found traces at a different location, away from the crash site, and a place where they may have sheltered,” Colonel Juan José López said on Wednesday.

Fearing that the children were wandering ever deeper into the jungle, the military deployed helicopters which played a recorded message from their

grandmother in the Huitoto language urging them to stay put.

The search was hampered by heavy rains, but on Wednesday Colombia’s Institute for Child Welfare told Colombia’s president it had received reports “from the field” that the children had been found by locals.

President Petro tweeted the news, saying they had been located “after an arduous search”.

However, confusion arose when Colombia’s armed forces said they themselves had not yet been able to make contact with the children “due to the difficult meteorological conditions and the difficult terrain” - and could not confirm the news of their rescue.

Meanwhile, Avianline, a local plane operator which owned the crashed plane, released a statement saying that it too had received reports that the children had been found.

One of its pilots who landed in Cachiporro, a community near the crash site, was told that locals there had been contacted by radio from a remote location

called Dumar and been told that the children had been found. They would be taken by boat to Cachiporro, he said.

The company added that it had no way of confirming if the information was correct, but it did point out that the arrival of the children by boat may have been delayed by heavy rains, which have made the river too dangerous to navigate.

Indigenous radio stations have also reported that the children were found by a local, and were being transported by river to Cachiporro.

President Petro has not released any news on the children since the tweet in which he announced that they had been located.

The children’s father had earlier said that he was not giving up hope. He told Caracol Radio that his sister had once been lost in the forest for a month and managed to return.

It is thought that the Huitoto people’s knowledge of fruits and jungle survival skills will have given the young children a better chance of surviving the ordeal.

Source: BBC

The historic centre of Lugo, outside Ravenna was among the cities with the worst flooding

Ghana IMF loan: Will $3bn solve the economic crisis?

Ghana, one of the world’s biggest producers of both gold and cocoa, is suffering its worst economic crisis in a generation, with the price of goods rising at an average of 41% over the past year.

It has just signed a new bailout programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) worth $3bn (£2.4bn) over three years to help ease the problems and is expected to receive the first tranche of $600m soon, but how much difference will that make?

Why is the economy in such a mess?

Ghana, long seen as one of Africa’s best run countries, has been struggling to recover from the combined effects of the global Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

President Nana Akufo Addo himself admitted last October that the country was “in crisis” citing “malevolent forces [that] have come together at the same time”.

But the opposition also blames the crisis on what it calls the “gross mismanagement” of the economy - an allegation the government has denied.

The rate at which the price of goods is rising, or inflation, is on a downward path, but it is still very high at 41% and many families are battling to make ends meet.

The size of Ghana’s debt is now

almost 90% of the total annual value of its economy. The government had defaulted in the payment of its loans, and it had to restructure its debt with creditors to qualify for the IMF bailout.

The country’s foreign reserves are virtually empty, making it hard to pay for imports which are usually priced in US dollars.

It is in this context that many Ghanaians have been feverishly waiting for this IMF bailout programme.

But this is the 17th time since independence more than six decades ago that Ghana has opted for an IMF programme.

So will the IMF loan make any difference?

Despite being one of the world’s biggest producers of cocoa and the leading producer of gold in Africa, one of Ghana’s basic problems is that it does not earn enough through exports to pay for everything it imports.

This is known as the balance of payments deficit and is partly what the IMF loan is designed to help with. But that is not all.

The programme is also expected to significantly slow the rate of inflation and ensure a stable local currency. All of this will benefit ordinary Ghanaians through stable prices of basic commodities including imported ones.

It has been considered risky to lend money to Ghana, but with the new IMF programme it should mean that the country can borrow again to implement its policies.

But, as the Reuters news agency reports, it may still have to deal with lengthy negotiations with creditors if Zambia’s experience is anything to go by.

Development partners, including the World Bank, have promised to help the country come out of its economic quagmire, while investors are now likely to return without fear of losing their

money.

However, if past experience is anything to go by, this cash injection from the IMF will not necessarily solve the country’s long-term economic problems.

Ghana only exited the last IMF programme in 2019 and is already asking for more money.

Analysts have attributed this regular pattern to mismanagement by successive governments over the years.

This new bailout programme is for a maximum period of three years and after

Pastor Mackenzie’s Kenyan cult: The mother who fled Shakahola forest to save her children

Salema Masha speaks softly, but her slender frame is animated by an inner strength that saved the lives of her five children.

One day in March she walked them out of a remote wilderness where followers of a Kenyan televangelist were starving themselves to death in the belief that they could meet Jesus faster.

Among the horrific stories emerging from the Christian doomsday cult in the East African country, Salema’s stands out.

More than 200 bodies have been recovered so far from mass graves in the vast Shakahola forest on the southern coast of Kenya, and more are being dug up every day. Survivors are still being found hiding under trees and bushes in the 800-acre territory.

Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie opened the Good News International Church in 2003. He repeatedly attracted police attention with his claims that children should not go to school, and that medical treatments should be rejected.

In 2019 he shut down the church and invited his followers to move with him to Shakahola, a place he called a new “Holy Land”.

Salema’s husband was among those who heeded the call.

As she tells her story, she breastfeeds oneyear-old Esther, who was born in the forest. Her eldest, a boy named Amani, is eight.

The mass suicide started in January. Salema says she followed instructions to begin fasting so that she could “get to heaven”.

Mackenzie had been telling his followers for some time that the world was coming to an end. Initially he offered the forest as a sanctuary from the approaching apocalypse. But in a grisly twist it became a last stand to get to heaven before the “End of Days”.

After seven days of fasting, Salema says she heard a voice from God telling her this wasn’t his will and that she still had work to do in the world, so she stopped.

People around her were dying thoughat one point she attended a funeral of eight children. It was called going to “sleep”.

But they said: “If my children won’t die, I should stop attending other peoples’ funerals,” she tells me.

Survivors say children were supposed to be the first to go, according to a macabre order drawn up by Mackenzie. Then the unmarried, the women, the men, and last of all, church leaders.

“When the child cries or asks for food or water, we were told to take a cane and beat them so that they could go and eat in heaven,” Salema explains. “So I thought about it and I said I cannot go on with this situation, I can’t eat while my child is starving. I told myself, if I feel this bad when I fast, how about my child?”

A BBC analysis of Mackenzie’s sermons on video do not show him directly ordering people to stop eating. However, according to Salema, he was explicit in weekly gatherings on Saturdays.

“At first, the pastor dug... water wells [in the forest] and told us to wait for Jesus and we waited. But then, suddenly, he told us we should fast and go to heaven,” she says.

When they questioned the order, as Salema did, they were told that if they delayed their deaths, heaven would be full: “The gate would be closed.”

Much of Mackenzie’s preaching focused on a new Kenyan national identity card that will include personal data encoded in an electronic chip - the “sign of the beast” he called it, to be avoided at all cost.

The cost was very high, and Salema

discovered that her husband, one of Mackenzie’s deputies, was involved in managing it. A friend told her that when he went to work, he was actually going to bury the dead.

One day in March he put his foot down, forcing the family to fast. Four days later he left for work and Salema saw her chance. She grabbed the children and left.

“My children fasted for four days without food and water, and they were crying,” she says. “So, when I saw they were so weak, I gave them water and I told myself I couldn’t allow my children to die.”

The children were guided by the steely will of their mother and protected by her status as the wife of a Mackenzie aide.

Salema says she was challenged by other cult members but not stopped, and when she reached the main road after walking for several kilometres, got a lift from “a good

Samaritan” to a safe place.

But other runaways were stopped. A group of male enforcers bearing machetes chased, beat, and dragged them back to the forest, in accounts told by survivors and former cult members.

Mackenzie surrendered to the authorities on 15 April. He denies ordering his followers to starve themselves. But the search and rescue operation found many dead children buried in his compound.

Police told local reporters they had learned from aides who had been detained that this was meant to be a way for Mackenzie to identify with Jesus’ command to “let the little children come unto me,” says journalist Marion Kithi.

Police also said that before Mackenzie left, he ordered his deputies to continue enforcing the mass starvation and burying those who died, according to Kithi. BBC

Salema and her five children walked for several kilometres to get to a safe place

N ews F rom A s IA

Jerusalem: Journalists attacked as Israeli nationalists march in Old City

Thousands of Israeli nationalists have been marching into the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, with violence directed at media covering the event.

The flag parade is part of Israel’s Jerusalem Day, marking its capture of the east of the city in the 1967 war.

A group of marchers threw stones, sticks and bottles at Palestinian and foreign journalists at the Damascus Gate entrance.

They also cheered and chanted racist slogans, including “Death to Arabs”.

Far-right Israeli cabinet ministers have joined the procession. One of them, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, declared: “Jerusalem is ours for ever.”

Palestinians along the route in occupied East Jerusalem earlier shuttered homes and shops over fears of abuse.

The march has increasingly become a show of force for Jewish ultranationalists, while for Palestinians it is seen as a blatant provocation undermining their ties to the city.

Racist, anti-Arab chants are often shouted by nationalist marchers. The event has in

the past sparked much wider violence.

Israeli police have vowed to stop law-breaking, but blamed regional “terrorist elements” for “wild incitement” about the march on social media. They also said it was only “a small minority on both sides [who] try to agitate”.

Palestinian Authority leaders called the East Jerusalem events a “provocative act”, saying far-right cabinet ministers Mr Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich - staunch supporters of the parade - were “planting seeds of conflict”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the event would go ahead as planned and police said it would take place along its traditional route.

Along the route in the Old City, Samir Abu Sbeih pulled down the shutters of his sweet shop, saying that police had advised Palestinian businesses to do so by mid-afternoon.

“It’s not their land to celebrate,” he said of the march. “We live under occupation and that’s why we have to accept it.”

Kebab restaurant owner Basti, who did not want to give his full name, said the event had become “worse” over the years.

“People, when they dance with the flag, sometimes they try to put the flag in your face, sometimes they spit on your face. And this is not nice.”

He said police told him he

was not being forced to close, but that if he kept his business open, it would be at his own risk.

“For me, I just want to be inside. I don’t like problems, for both sides,” he said.

Jerusalem Day events have been marked by Israelis for decades, but in recent years, parts of the route have been the focus of spiralling tensions. In the late afternoon, tens of

The Syrian girl whose parents were deported while she was at school

There was some apprehension in the car as we drove across the mountains of Lebanon to reach the house of Raghad’s aunt. Talking to a little girl who has just been separated from her family and who doesn’t know when she will see them again risked being a very delicate task.

But as soon as we saw her, our anxiety eased. Raghad was dressed in bright clothes, with her hair tied up in a ponytail. She gave us an effortless smile and her eyes lit up. Her calmness reassured us.

Raghad barely spoke, so her uncle told us what had happened to her and her family. The young girl listened carefully. The only time she intervened was to correct him when he said she was seven and she insisted she was eight. A light-hearted debate ensued. A fun moment in a grim story.

Raghad is now living in a different country to her parents and never had a chance to say goodbye.

On 19 April, just two days before Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim celebration which marks the end of Ramadan, the Lebanese army raided Raghad’s home.

Her parents’ documents had expired. Without any notice, they and Raghad’s siblings were arrested and later deported to Syria.

“They told us to put our clothes on and take whatever precious

belongings we have,” her father told us over the phone.

It was around nine in the morning and Raghad was at school. Her father told us that he had pleaded with the army to let them wait for her return but they refused. Raghad came home from school and knocked on the door, but no-one opened. She burst into tears. “I was very scared,” she said.

A neighbour called her aunt, who lives a short distance away and rushed over. Raghad now lives with her. The deportation of Raghad’s family was part of an army crackdown on Syrians living illegally in the country.

Her family has been living in Lebanon for 12 years since the start of the conflict in Syria. Raghad was born in Lebanon, but her family is from Idlib in north-western Syria - a key location in the war and the last remaining stronghold of rebel forces.

“Imagine living in a country for 12 years just to be kicked out like this. We can’t return to our town because of the situation there,” says Raghad’s father, whose identity we are protecting due to safety concerns.

Raghad’s family is staying with friends in the Syrian capital, Damascus. I asked whether the family is trying to take Raghad to Syria, but they told me they would rather return to Lebanon. It won’t be easy.

The Lebanese authorities, supported by what seems to be a rise in anti-Syrian sentiment across the country, say they want the refugees to return home.

Lebanon is hosting the largest number of refugees in the world when compared to the size of its population. Around 800,000 Syrians are registered with the United Nations, though the Lebanese authorities estimate the actual number of refugees to be more than double that figure.

Several times in the past decade, there have been waves of anti-Syrian sentiment and a tightening of laws and regulations targeting them. But this time, the debate seems different and there appears to be widespread agreement about sending them home.

The Lebanese say they can no longer bear the brunt of looking after so many refugees when they are facing one of the most severe financial and economic crises in recent history. They say Syrian refugees are making things worse by competing with them for scarce resources and services.

They also blame them for a rise in crime and for threatening a delicate demographic balance. High birth rates among Syrians are often highlighted in contrast to the low birth rates among the Lebanese to boost this narrative.

The outcry has pushed some local

authorities to tighten regulations for Syrians.

The town of Bikfaya in the mountains above Beirut has imposed a curfew on them. “No-one in the world has welcomed the Syrians the way we did,” says Mayor Nicole Gemayel in defence of the policy, which rights groups say is racist.

Supporters of the plan also point to the security situation in Syria, where there are currently no major military confrontations.

This ties in with political overtures towards the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is no longer considered a pariah by many governments in the region.

The Lebanese authorities say all these factors should bring an end to

the refugee crisis. They also highlight what they describe as “illegal movements” back and forth across the border.

They say this “traffic” undermines the argument Syrians make that they fear for their lives back home. Meanwhile, the army says it’s only following the rules when deporting Syrians.

Some prominent political voices in Lebanon also accuse foreign countries and international aid organisations of trying to keep Syrians in Lebanon, saying the aid the UN provides is an incentive to stay. The UN denies this and says any return of refugees should be voluntary because conditions in Syria are still not safe.BBC

A crowd threw stones, sticks, bottles at journalists and chanted racist slogans outside Damascus Gate

Raghad never had a chance to say goodbye to her parents before they were deported to Syria

Environment

COP15: High stakes in Montreal as negotiators seek new global biodiversity framework

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) convened for its resumed Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP15),yesterday in Montreal, Canada, and to close on Monday, 19. Negotiators will be working to clinch a new global biodiversity framework (GBF) that will set a series of goals and underlying targets for a “nature-positive future.”

The previous set of goals and targets that have guided international biodiversity conservation efforts in recent years, the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its 20 Aichi Targets, expired in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic stymying plans to already have a GBF ready to take their place.

The first part of the CBD COP15 took place in Kunming, China, and online last year. While China is the meeting’s host, travel restrictions and other challenges related to the pandemic led to the resumed COP15 venue being moved to Montreal, where the CBD secretariat is located.

Discussions in Montreal are numerous and include issues related to addressing environmentally harmful subsidies; the final shape of the 30×30 target; the signals that COP15 sends for scaling up naturebased solutions, including naturebased infrastructure; the linkages between nature-based solutions finance and climate finance; and how the results of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties (COP27) can inform the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), remarked: “We need a ‘Paris Moment’ in Montreal. Similar to the legally binding global climate agreement to hold global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and aim for 1.5 degree Celsius, governments gathering at the world nature summit COP15 in Canada need to set a limit to nature destruction. To safeguard our life-support system on Earth, we need to halt nature loss to zero, which means protecting all remaining intact nature. Only if we protect and regenerate Earth’s nature, we can really protect Earth’s climate.”

“This is potentially an historic moment for biodiversity,” said Andrew Gonzalez, a professor in the biology department at McGill University in Montreal and founding director of the Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science.

He added: “The rate of global change in nature during the past 50 years is unprecedented in human history,” the report said, pointing to five key drivers: land- and seause changes, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution, and invasions of alien species.

Environmental crisis: Nigeria seeks UN interventions on GGW, HYPREP issues

The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on the United Nations (UN) to assist in addressing Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and Great Green Wall issues (GGW) to enable restoration of lost lands in the country.

Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, said this while receiving the Deputy Secretary-General of UN, Amina Mohammed, on courtesy visit, in Abuja, recently.

Abdullahi said that the ministry was committed to ensuring that the two major projects were implemented effectively, adding that the UN’s intervention would boost the ministry’s efforts.

“There are two important projects which we will need more of your support, the HYPREP and GGW. We are doing our best to ensure that it’s working greatly. We have the team for the HYPREP. We are doing our best to make sure that the structure put in place is maintained to ensure checks and balances for good governance and transparency.

“This is what we are doing and we hope we will get robust support from you.

“You have always been there for us and we still have hope that you will continue to give us your full support,” he said.

Responding, Mohammed said that the UN would give its best to support in restoring the loss lands.

“So, it’s really important that we put in place the teams that will help us to look at those programmes and to see that GGW issues is properly addressed.

She said the GGW project was an economic corridor, which would offer empowerment to both youth and women, if properly addressed in the country.

According to her, the GGW project will really empower our people, but at the same time, it is able to give less reason for people to destabilise countries when they get involved in conflicts of different types.

“So again, we are at your disposal; the UN will support any efforts that you want with the GGW, particularly the wetlands,” she said.

Mohammed, however, advised agencies, parastaltals and other relevant stakeholders to support the ministry in ensuring that the environmental programmes were implemented effectively.

She thanked the minister

for his strong leadership and commitment in ensuring that environmental crisis were being tackled as well as ensuring that Paris Agreement was achieved effectively.

HYPREP was established in 2012 under the Federal Ministry of Environment to achieve the under listed objectives in Ogoniland and other impacted communities:

“To determine the scope, means and modalities of remediation of soil and ground water contamination in impacted communities as may be recommended by HYPREP Governing Council and remedy them,

“Enhance local capacity for better environmental management and promote awareness of sound environmental management as

well as ensure livelihoods and sustainable development, and

“Ensure security and promote peace building efforts in impacted communities as well as strengthen governance, transparency and accountability in the region.”

The Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative, launched in 2007 by the African Union, aims to restore the continent’s degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives in the Sahel.

Its ambition is to restore 100 million hectares of currently degraded land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon, and create 10 million green jobs by 2030.

In Nigeria, the GGW Initiative also seeks to recover degraded land, preserve ecosystems, and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities.

PILIWA launched in Nigerian

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Lawyers, civil society, and media executives converged to Benin, the Edo state capital recently for the launch of the Public Interest Lawyering Initiative for West Africa (PILIWA) Nigeria chapter.

The initiative which was founded in 2016 has a membership that cuts across nine West African countries including Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Niger, among others, and supports young lawyers interested in public interest cases technically, financially, and intellectually.

A member of PILIWA and Executive Director of the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN), Chima Williams said that public interest lawyering is a special area for legal practitioners

with passion for public good.

Williams explained that the PILIWA was particularly interested in Nigerian lawyers because of the peculiarity of environmental and human rights abuses perpetrated by big corporations aided by the state in all parts of the country where natural resources are found.

On the Nigeria launch of the PILIWA initiative, the ERA/FoEN boss said a desk office will be set up in Benin which will receive an endowment of N250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand naira only).

The initiative will equally train young lawyers and imbue them with the relevant knowledge on sources of evidence, how to gather evidence and how to present it before a court of competent jurisdiction.

In his intervention, Jonathan Kaufman, Executive Director of

the Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA) said that he owes his association with legal work and particularly public interest cases with his experience as a young lawyer, when he was conscripted into the cases filed by families associated with the Ken Saro Wiwa case as well as victims of the Parabe Oil Platform case caused by Chevron in Ondo State.

The two cases, Kaufman pointed out, encouraged him to reach out to and start associating with local lawyers that are classified as stubborn because of their quest for justice.

He revealed that many legal cases suffer because of information gathering deficit, financial constraints, and lack of thoroughness in terms of minute details. Sometimes lawyers are not able to obtain cross border information that their peers may

be able to obtain and pass onto them if a platform for cooperation exists.

He said that the PILIWA platform will bridge the identified gaps to help public interest lawyers secure what they need to push and win unconventional cases.

The highpoint of the event was the inauguration of zonal coordinators for the PILIWA in Nigeria. The nominated coordinators of the South-South, South-east and North Central Zones are Courage Nsirimovu, Kalu Emmanuel Chisom and Redzie D. Jugo respectively. The coordinators for the Northwest, Northeast and Southwest will be announced later.

Participants were drawn from the legal profession in Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Plateau, Imo, Enugu, Niger and Kogi states, among others.

One year after the Ukrainian city of Mariupol fell to Russian control, its displaced steel workers find themselves both comforted and unsettled by ghosts of their former lives.

Ivan Holtvenko clutches his ID card from his old job in the southern port city as he chats to me in his new workplace, a steelworks in central Ukraine.

“I hid the pass [when I fled], and now I’m saving it, hoping that one day I’ll need it again,” he says.

Ivan is among dozens of workers from Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks who have begun a new life in Kamianske, 270km [168 miles] away, after surviving the final battle for Mariupol, one of the most defining moments of the war.

For weeks, Ukrainian fighters holed up in the tunnels and bunkers of the steelworks, making a last stand against the Russian forces. They were eventually forced to leave, but Azovstal became a symbol of resistance against the invasion.

Ivan has no idea if, or when, Ukraine will retake Mariupol. But he yearns for his old life.

When former Azovstal workers bump into each other in the shelters, hallways, offices and factory floor of their new workplace, they connect over their lost lives. Some have nicknamed themselves the “Mariupol diaspora”.

“When you meet someone from Mariupol you get that feeling inside,” repairs engineer Oleksandr Shabanov says, smiling.

Managers at the new steel factory say there are about 120 former Azovstal staff there, as well as more from another Mariupol plant.

Workers reminisce about summers spent at the beach, fishing trips and the sea views in their industrial home city. Two say they were in the process of building holiday homes together when Russia invaded.

They talk of Facebook groups that have now gone quiet. Some of their former colleagues have moved to other parts of Ukraine or abroad. Others have been killed. Many more are missing.

“We don’t know what’s happened to him,” a group of Mariupol workers say as they talk about one former colleague and friend.

Of the 10,500 staff at Azovstal, managers say fewer than half are accounted for.

The Mariupol workers remember a time when they weren’t

scared of war, joking that people there have a reputation for being tough.

Fighting first broke out in the city in 2014, and the government briefly lost control after clashes with pro-Russian militants and protesters. But the workers say they never thought it would fall, as it did last year following a lengthy siege.

Mariupol was in a strategic location for the Russian invasion, linking as it does Crimea and Donbas, and the brutal battle for its control lasted more than 80 days.

Its theatre, which was sheltering hundreds of civilians, was bombed, its maternity hospital badly damaged in a Russian strike.

Ivan said nothing had prepared them for this.

“We thought it was going to be a crisis we could live through, just as we did in 2014,” he tells me.

As is the case with other members of the Mariupol diaspora, Ivan’s home was destroyed during the siege. The building and everything inside it is now just a memory - family photos, clothes, furniture.

“Everything got burnt,” he says.

But while Ivan and other colleagues draw strength from their community, for others it only exacerbates their trauma.

“How can anything comfort me?” says engineer Ihor Khadzhava.

“There is nothing good about ending up here… and nowhere to go back to. There’s no plant, no work, nowhere to live, just hate.”

Residents who have remained in Mariupol say Moscow has brought in labourers from across Russia and Central Asia to rebuild the city, but not as it was - streets have had their Soviet names restored, new buildings have appeared and many of those damaged in the siege have gone. Russian flags have been erected as well as pro-Russia billboards and posters.

The Russian rouble is now the only currency accepted in shops there, and re-opened schools in the city are teaching a Russianlanguage curriculum. Residents are under pressure to get Russian passports.

Ihor is now resigned to accepting whatever fate might bring. When sirens ring out at the factory to warn of a possible Russian attack, he keeps working.

He hasn’t used a shelter since the two months he spent underground in the bunker at Azovstal last year.

“What’s the use?” the 39-yearold says blankly.

Oleksandr and Yuliia remember Ihor’s daughter making a “squeaky noise like a siren” when she came to stroke Mason, while another child, whose own pets had been left at home, sang to him each night: “Mason, Mason, you’re a king of cats”

For the former Azovstal workers who do use the shelters, there are memories even underground.

Oleksandr takes a photo on his phone and sends it to his wife Yuliia.

“No kidding. It really looks the same,” she replies.

Being in the near-identical bunker can be traumatic, Oleksandr says.

“The point of the shelter is not to feel frightened. When you go down it’s the safest place… but in the back of my mind there is this fear,” he says.

In Mariupol, an estimated 90% of residential buildings were damaged or destroyed during the siege by the Russian forces, and about 350,000 of the population of almost half a million were forced to leave.

Back then, Oleksandr and Yuliia had sought shelter in Azovstal’s Soviet-era bunkers after fleeing their ninth-floor apartment - a shell had hit a neighbouring building, spraying shrapnel through their window.

The couple grabbed food, clothing, identification documents, their cat Mason and a 2kg bag of pet food, before running to Azovstal as shells landed around them.

In the shelter, they slept on wooden pallets and divided up tasks to stay busy - guarding the exits, cooking meals, cleaning.

When supplies were running

low, Yuliia would draw the children pictures of their favourite foods so they could pretend to eat them. They dreamed of burgers and sausages.

Oleksandr and Yuliia remember Ihor’s daughter making a “squeaky noise like a siren” when she came to stroke Mason, while another child, whose own pets had been left at home, sang to him each night: “Mason, Mason, you’re a king of cats”.

There were other pets in the shelter - a pug would sometimes run around frantically as missiles landed overhead.

The shelter’s occupants had no idea how long they would be there. Sometimes they wondered if they would ever see daylight again.

Kamianske is in a much safer location than Mariupol - further inland and on the west side of the Dnipro River, which acts as a natural buffer.

But workers say that Russia’s siege of Mariupol, and the important role the Azovstal bunker played in keeping some of them safe, has taught them the importance of being prepared.

In the shelter at the Kamianske steelworks, Oleksandr, Ivan and others wait behind thick metal doors to be given the all-clear to resurface. Smaller side rooms contain toilets, an examination bed and medical equipment, stacks of water bottles, jars and tins of food, phones and computers, and a generator.

Source: BBC

‘We thought it’d be a crisis we could live through’ - steel workers remember Mariupol siege

Ivan Holtvenko holds his old Azovstal ID card as he talks

Azovstal - with its maze of underground tunnels - was attacked for weeks in early 2022

Ihor Khadzhava and his daughter in the Azovstal shelter

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Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool boss receives twomatch ban for Paul Tierney comments

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has received a two-match ban for comments he made about referee Paul Tierney after his side’s 4-3 victory over Tottenham in April.

It means the German will miss Sunday’s match against Aston Villa at Anfield.

The second game is suspended until the end of the 2023-24 season, meaning Klopp will not miss the final game of this campaign against Southampton.

Klopp suggested Tierney had “something against” the Reds after the Spurs game.

He has also received a £75,000 fine having admitted improper conduct and saying he regretted making the comments.

Klopp was shown a yellow card for celebrating Liverpool’s 94th-minute winner in front of the fourth official and later claimed what Tierney said to him

was “not OK”.

The refereeing governing body, Professional Game Match Officials Limited, said at the time it “strongly refutes” any accusation Tierney’s actions were “improper”.

Liverpool sent a letter in response to the charges three days after the match, suggesting emotions were heightened during a tense fixture and that while Klopp had not intended to “question Tierney’s integrity”, the referee had been involved in a number of “questionable decisions” involving the club.

‘We will give you the benefit of the doubt’

However, the FA said the comments were a “particularly serious example of misconduct” and it was “disturbed by the very aggressive nature” of Klopp’s behaviour towards fourth official John Brooks.

Klopp also wrote a letter of apology, saying the words he used in the postmatch interview were “inappropriate” and “driven by emotion”.

The FA has also released the transcript of what Tierney said to Klopp when he booked him, which the Liverpool boss deemed to be “unacceptable”.

After being told by Brooks about Klopp’s behaviour and having sought confirmation from the video assistant referee (VAR), Tierney said: “Right, I have to show you yellow... it could be red, but I am going to show you yellow.

“He [VAR] said yellow. We will give you the benefit of the doubt, don’t do anything more.”

Klopp was previously given a one-match ban after he was sent off against Manchester City in October for berating an assistant referee and the independent commission

acknowledged his “poor disciplinary record” - of three appearances before commissions in five seasons - when deciding on the sanction.

The commission said in mitigation that it accepted Klopp’s “apology and regret to be genuine”.

Klopp’s actions in the Spurs match triggered another debate about behaviour towards match officials from managers and players this season.

Referees chief Howard Webb said this week behaviour “has not been good enough” and a “stronger” approach is needed to address the issue.

A number of Premier League managers including Klopp, Marco Silva and Roberto di Zerbi have served touchline bans after being sent off.

Webb said: “We need everybody in the game supporting a movement towards a more respectful environment.”

Jurgen Klopp will miss Liverpool’s final home game of the season against Aston Villa

S P R T

Rafael Nadal out of 2023 French Open and plans retirement in 2024

Rafael Nadal will miss the French Open for the first time in 19 years after a hip injury ruled out the record 14-time men’s singles champion.

The 36-year-old Spaniard, who has won 22 major titles, also said he plans to retire after the 2024 season.

“I didn’t make the decision, my body made the decision. To play Roland Garros is impossible,” he said.

“Next year will probably be my last year. That is my idea. If I keep going now I won’t be able to make it happen.”

Nadal holds the joint record number of men’s major triumphs alongside Serbia’s Novak Djokovic. He has won 70 other ATP titles and spent 209 weeks at world number one - the sixth longest amount of time in ATP history.

Known as the ‘King of Clay’, Nadal has won 112 of his 115 matches at the French Open.

However, the Majorcan left-hander has not played since sustaining the hip problem at the Australian Open in January.

Nadal has been practising in recent weeks, but was not fit enough to play a tournament in the run-up to Roland Garros.

The French Open starts in Paris on 28 May and runs until 11 June.

Why Nadal’s French Open absence so hard to imagine

“I was working as much as possible every single day for the past four months and they have been difficult because we were not been able to find the solution to the problems I had in Australia,” he added.

“I’m still in the position where I am not able to feel ready to compete at the standards I need to be to play at Roland Garros.

“I am not the guy who will be at Roland Garros just to try to be there and in a position where I don’t like to be.”

Nadal said he needs to stop playing for the foreseeable future in order to make a full recovery and complete a planned farewell season in 2024.

His participation at this year’s Wimbledon remains in doubt. The Championships, which Nadal won in 2008 and 2010, start at the All England Club on 3 July and run until 16 July.

“I will stop for a while, maybe one month and a half, maybe two months, maybe three months or maybe four months. I don’t know. I do not like to predict the future,” he said.

“I will do the right thing for my body and personal happiness.

“My goal and ambition is to try to stop and give myself an opportunity to enjoy the next year.

“That is my idea but I can’t say 100% it will be like this. My idea is to try to enjoy and say goodbye to all the tournaments that have been important for me.”

Nadal injured his hip during a secondround defeat by American Mackenzie MacDonald in Melbourne and initially expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

An MRI scan two days after the match

showed a tear in his left psoas muscle.

Last month, Nadal announced he would not be able to play the Madrid Open because the injury “still hadn’t healed” and was planning a different course of treatment.

Then he withdrew from this month’s Italian Open - another important claycourt tournament before the French Open - saying he had still not been able to train at a high level.

On Thursday, he announced he will miss Roland Garros for the first time in his career in a news conference at his academy in Majorca.

Nadal won the French Open title in his first appearance there in 2005, going on to triumph another 13 times in the following 17 years.

No player has won as many singles titles at one major tournament as the Spaniard

has at Roland Garros.

Tournament director of Roland-Garros Amelie Mauresmo called it a “heartbreaking” decision.

“We will really miss seeing Rafael Nadal, whose destiny is closely linked with that of Roland-Garros.

“I can only imagine the pain and sadness he must be feeling after having to make such a hard decision.

“We hope to see him at Roland-Garros next year.”

‘Nadal harbours hopes for more titles’ - analysisRussell Fuller, BBC Tennis Correspondent

By missing the French Open for the first time since 2004, Nadal hopes he might just be in a position to win a 15th title in Paris this time next year.

He very much wants to be in Melbourne,

Indian Wells, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Paris, Wimbledon and New York next year to say goodbye. But you just know he will also very much hope he can win these tournaments for one last time.

It is, however, not very encouraging to hear him say no solution has yet been found to his hip problem.

And when he admitted pain has prevented him from enjoying both practice and competition in recent years, it reminded me of Andy Murray: who took his own break from the sport, and surgery in his case, to improve - above all else - his quality of life. Tennis has been adjusting to the loss of Serena Williams and Roger Federer. And now there will be a Rafael Nadal size hole in the summer schedule.

But if it gives us another year, it will be worth the wait.

Rafael Nadal pulls out of French Open and plans to retire in 2024

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Man Utd sale: What is going on at Old Trafford after a fourth offer from the Qatari bid

Why and how petrol subsidy must go

If the subsidy is removed, petrol supply, whether even by importation for now until the Dangote and other refineries work, or from domestic refining capacity, will become more competitive, driving down costs over time. It also is artificial to expect the price to be the same everywhere in Nigeria. Even with price regulation, that is not what has happened.

For Nigeria to exit from its national fiscal crisis, create prosperity for its citizens and fulfil its obligations to those citizens, we must end the decades-old drainpipe of petrol subsidy.

Guest Columnist

By Kingsley Moghalu

It is 176 days since the Glazer family said they were considering selling Manchester United.

The process has been protracted, as you might expect for a potential £6bn transaction, one vocal bidder pulled out after the Glazers’ decision to go to a third round.

“The bidding is turning into a farce,” Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus said.

Zilliacus’ involvement was not exactly being taken seriously by those involved in the process but his words have resonated.

A deadline of 28 April was set for those third bids. Since then, the talking has continued. Now a fourth bid - nearer to £5bn - has been made by one of the leading candidates and many are starting to wonder, what is going on?

Why has this still not been resolved?

The obvious reason is either no bidder has reached the price the Glazer family are looking for, or the family believe they can get more out of those who have bid.

The Glazers bought the club for £790m in 2005 and have established a current valuation of between £5bn and £6bn.

It is not clear whether the Glazers are unified in their analysis of the situation. Co-chairmen and brothers Joel and Avram have always been more invested in the club personally but Bryan, Kevin, Edward and Darcie are directors too.

Who is still in the running?

The only publicly known bidders are Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group.

There is no good time to do it. Postponing the evil day (as we have done for too long) beyond the next three months – and even then, only to prepare well for how to do it and the aftermath – would be unwise. A large majority of Nigerians oppose ending the subsidy despite the overwhelming economic arguments against it. Many, though, have accepted this inevitable outcome as our fiscal crisis has progressively gotten worse. We have been locked in a battle between economic rationality and the “superstition” of petrol subsidy for four main reasons. First, Nigeria has a literacy rate of 62 per cent – quite low, relative even to several other African countries.

From this foundational statistic we can extrapolate that the rate of economic literacy – a basic understanding of economics and the public policy that should drive its application on a national scale so it can work to our ultimate individual benefit – is infinitesimal. And yet, we are a people of strong opinions on anything under the sun! Secondly, and perhaps even more importantly, Nigerians simply do not trust their governments and the political elite to act in a manner that is remotely in the interest of the average Nigerian.

This breakdown of trust is deep, and complete, and has evolved over several decades of governance failure marked by a combination of industrialscale public sector corruption and a vanishing capacity to exercise the basic functions of the administrative state. Nigerians, therefore, cling to a belief that “cheap” petrol – increasingly a myth – is their basic human right as citizens of a petrostate. It is a “minor” matter that we are one of the very few oil-producing countries in the world, such as the august company of war-torn Libya, that exports crude petroleum and then imports refined and expensive petrol to which value has been added in foreign countries.

The third reason we have remained in this dilemma is economic populism. This doctrinal approach has led successive governments to pretend they love their poor compatriots by “subsidizing” the difference between the landing (real) cost of imported refined petrol and the price consumers pay at the gas station. It is, again, a minor matter that this market inefficiency has created a class of corruptly wealthy businessmen and women and the public servants with whom they collude to inflate consumption figures that determine the rates of subsidy payments. Meanwhile, elite corruption and inefficiency have crippled our national refineries for several decades.

Economic populism is a phrase that has its origin in Latin America in the 1970s and ’80s, and from failed

economic policies in Chile under its President Salvadore Allende (1970-1073) and Peru in the first term of President Alan Garcia (1985-1990). It is a policy approach that panders to uninformed popular opinion to create ultimately unsustainable obligations on the part of the government (and sometimes a period of economic or wage growth). The economy then crashes, and the citizens are returned to ground zero where they were pre-populism. Sometimes they are returned to “underground zero” which is worse and, I would argue, our situation in Nigeria. Populism is what led President Nana Kufo-Addo’s government of Ghana to chalk up massive public spending, a huge import bill on the back of newfound oil wealth, eventual foreign exchange scarcity and an unsustainable debt of $58 billion, on which our West African neighbour has defaulted and is now borrowing from the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for the 17th time in Ghana’s history. Nigeria has similarly been afflicted by the oil “curse”.

Fourthly, the oil subsidy cabal in Nigeria has become a very strong vested interest with political and other clout. When President Goodluck Jonathan’s government attempted to remove oil subsidy a decade ago, Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s mother was kidnapped, but fortunately subsequently released. As we cannot solve problems in a durable manner if we fail to understand their root causes, we must keep the foregoing factors in mind as we grapple with the petrol subsidy challenge in our national public policy. The keys to resolving the subsidy conundrum, therefore, include a transparent demonstration (with clear safeguards) that savings from removing petrol subsidy will not be stolen by corrupt public officials, a concrete plan for how these savings will be utilized for the benefit of Nigerians and the economy, and a plan to address subsidy removal’s inevitable – but hopefully temporary – inflationary impact. All of this must be anchored by a strong, simple but effective programme of public education of Nigerians on radio, television, and social media.

Nigerians need to be made to understand that continuing the petrol subsidy works against their interest. To begin with, subsidies are not, in and of themselves, a crime. They can be found even in strongly capitalist societies. But it makes far more economic sense to subsidize production and productivity, which is what has happened in successful economies than to subsidize individual consumption – which is what we do in Nigeria with petrol subsidy. Also, where consumption is subsidized, this almost always is for essential goods such as public transportation with buses, railways, and waterways.

Moreover, this can work well where an efficient, effective administrative state exists. To pretend that we have such a reality in Nigeria, with a few enclave exceptions, would be to delude ourselves. Because of this foundational weakness, most programmes or services run by governments, federal or state, are often abused with massive corruption by public officials. Reducing the role of the government and allowing market dynamics to allocate most resources is thus a necessary first step while we rebuild the Nigerian state and imbue it with capacity. Petrol subsidies distort markets and their supply chains.

Think of our interminable queues at petrol stations. It encourages the smuggling of petrol across our borders with West African neighbours where petrol is more expensive because it sells at market prices. The profit motive is a strong one. Marketers who can make double profits in cross-border markets as opposed to the internal Nigerian market where the petrol price is capped, will do so. This phenomenon frequently leaves us standing, sitting, or sleeping in long lines for petrol at fuel stations because of supply chain disruption-induced scarcity.

Nigerians – and most people in any country, developed or underdeveloped –will exploit any opportunity for arbitrage. The best way to make things work well is to eliminate such opportunities. If the subsidy is removed, petrol supply, whether even by importation for now until the Dangote and other refineries work, or from domestic refining capacity, will become more competitive, driving down costs over time. It also is artificial to expect the price to be the same everywhere in Nigeria. Even with price regulation, that is not what has happened.

Petroleum consumption and the number of vehicles in Nigeria have been significantly inflated to serve the interests of the subsidy cabals because this is the basis on which subsidy payments are calculated and made to petrol marketers. This means that public funds are going directly into private pockets with no value received for those funds. It also is a massive waste of public resources for the Federal Government of Nigeria to spend N5 trillion on petrol subsidy, which is of benefit far more to the rich and their SUVs than to the often carless poor, while the FGN cannot afford to pay public universities and their teachers an outstanding N800 billion in agreed support while millions of Nigerian youth are idle at home for months on end from Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strikes.

And yet, many, suffering from some sentimental hangover, continue to clamour for the continuation of petrol subsidies. As a proverb of Turkish origin says: “The forest was shrinking but the

trees kept voting for the axe, for the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood, he was one of them”. This allegory applies to all four of our subsidy conundrums in Nigeria. The subsidy scam became so embedded that Nigeria, our revenues depressed from oil price shocks and weak fiscal management, especially a low ratio of tax to GDP and profligate borrowing, has for years also been borrowing to pay subsidies on petrol importation. We are now debt-distressed as repaying our debt is consuming 96% of our earned revenues according to the IMF. What do we call borrowing to pay subsidies that generate nothing we can utilize to repay our debt?

Savings from subsidy removal should be invested in subsidized public transportation across our 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. From a back-of-the-envelope calculation, such a scheme should not cost more than N200 billion per annum overall (compare that with N5 trillion!) at not more than N5 billion per state per annum multiplied by 37 states and the FCT. This scheme should be a public-private partnership anchored in private-sector transporters and not become another “government programme”. This is to avoid any “wuruwuru” in which the “younger” transport subsidy swallows the “senior” petrol subsidy, and the “solution” becomes a worse problem than the original one.

Other investment focus areas include education (especially Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, to produce skilled human capital in our young population on a massive scale), health insurance, and the savings pool of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA. The devil is in the details, but where there is a will there is a way. The incoming government of Nigeria has signposted the political will to grab this bull by its horns. If previous governments had done so, Nigeria would have been sparred this poisoned chalice.

Moghalu, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is the CEO of Sogato Strategies, a macroeconomic and investment advisory firm, and the President of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation, IGET, a public policy think tank.