Tuesday, December 20th, 2022 Edition

President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by SGF Mr. Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Permanent Secretary State House, Alh Tijjani Umar, Commander

Presidential Guards Brigade, Brig General Muhammed Takuti Usman and Members of the Presidential Guards during the president’s 80th Birthday at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: State House

Agency sends 15 vessels carrying hazardous materials back to countries of origin

The National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sent 15 vessels carrying hazardous materials into Nigeria back to their countries of origin.

Its Director-General, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday that the vessels were laden with chemicals and electronics harmful to the environment.

He cautioned that government would not allow any

importer to turn Nigeria into a dumping ground for hazardous materials.

“It is allowed to import electronics into Nigeria, but such electronics must be functional and safe.

“Nigeria is not a dumping ground where any waste can be allowed in.

“Most of the items arriving in Nigeria are not good and don’t function well; so only those that are functional and are safe are allowed to be discharged.

“People are able to bring

hazardous items into Nigeria because the country’s borders are porous.

“As an agency, we test imported equipment to ensure that they are working perfectly and they are safe for the ecosystem,’’ he said.

Jauro said particularly disturbing was the importation of used refrigerants and chemicals used in refrigeration that should not be allowed into any society because of their risk levels.

He said that some of the chemicals were found to react

and deplete the ozone layer, the protective layer that shields the earth from radiation emitted by the sun.

“The use of chlorofluorocarbons in refrigerants and some other chemicals used as fire extinguishers are responsible for global warming.

“Also, some pesticides used in agriculture deplete the ozone layer and have a lot of negative effects on humans and on the ecosystem,’’ Jauro stressed. (NAN)

Gender equality surest way to national development, says Pauline Tallen

By Mashe Gwamna

The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen has called on authorities at all levels to prioritize gender equality to fast track national development.

Tallen spoke at the 13th edition of the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration’s Scorecard Series which was held in Abuja on Monday.

She said her ministry will continue to encourageg ender equality in all facets and revealed it has a number of partners working with it to achieve the purpose.

“We had the Gender Sensitive Alteration Bills Advocacy in collaboration with many stakeholders, including the civil

societies. Though the Bills were thrown out, but the women persisted and 3 have been brought back we are hopeful that we will make progress before the expiration of this Assembly,” she said.

Tallen commended the Buhari administration for supporting the economic empowerment of women, and disclosed that a total sum of N8,466,218,050 Billion ($16,185,569) has been disbursed for the development of women across key sectors.

The economic empowerment programme, called The Nigeria for Women Project is being supported by the World Bank to support improved livelihoods for women in targeted areas of Nigeria, by

influencing social norms related to gender equality, promoting social inclusion, Tallen said.

Under the programme, she said, the first pilot states and their beneficiaries were Abia – 12,001, Akwa Ibom – under going training, Ogun -27, 638, Taraba - 34, 933, Niger – 34,731 and Kebbi – 43,894.

Also, a total number of 6,142 beneficiaries from 8 pilot states have also benefited from the disbursement of the Fund which provides loans up to N100,000.00 to women, Tallen said.

She gave a breakdown of the beneficiaries as follows: Abia State – 644, Adamawa State – 791, Akwa Ibom State – 939, Borno State 1,074, Jigawa State – 442, Nasarawa State – 388, Osun State

– 174 and Yobe State - 1,690.

The Women Affairs Minister however took a swipe at political parties for not being fair to the political empowerment of women.

She said the men are so domineering and self centered, and that they don’t want to give women a chance in the political process.

According to her, women are not afraid to contest elections but that they are “Phased out” by the menfolk. “We will not give up but continue to fight hard”, she said.

She expressed confidence in the determination of women to support the only female governorship candidate, in the person of Senator Aisha Binani, APC Adamawa state, to ensure she gets victory in the forthcoming election.

NDE trains 25 youth on Solar Power installation in Niger state

National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has commenced the training of 25 youths on the solar power installation and maintenance.

State Coordinator of NDE, Alhaji Mohammed Dantsoho

Abubakar made the disclosure at a five day training workshop in partnership with the Abuja Graduate School for the beneficiaries cut across the local government areas in the state.

Dantsoho explained that this is the second batch of the same training in 2022 and urged

participants to put all efforts to acquire the knowledge to excel.

He said solar is needed by every citizen as alternative, hence may become the main source of powered supply in the country.

He assured the beneficiaries of plans to resettled them,

adding that solar power has easy maintenance requirement that is readily available and affordable.

The facilitator, Engineer Aminu AbdulGaniyu in an interview said that the training is to ensure participants become self reliant, employers of labour and bosses.

Deputy national chairman North APC, senator Abubakar Kyari (2nd left), executive secretary BORNO State education trust fund, Hon. Dr. Maina Yaumi (middle), and his wife Mrs Yaumi (4th right), chairman, BORNO State education trust fund, Prof Hauwa Biu, (2nd right), and the family members, during a Honorary Doctorate Degree conferment by Weldions University (Benin), recently in Abuja

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

The people of Ja’agi Community in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State have blamed the deputy governor Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso for the unresolved land crisis bedeviling the village over the years.

They made the clarification in an interview with some journalists in Minna, explaining that the land clashes have resulted to the destruction of property worth millions of naira.

Representative of the community who belongs to the original owners of the disputed land, Ahmed Idris Ja’agi disclosed that the deputy governor had his primary school and junior secondary school there but had failed to make the required efforts to resolve the matter.

The land crisis dispute between Ja’agi Tiffin and Ja’agi Tako communities of Kede ward of Mokwa local government area in Niger state started since 2016.

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has sent the former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senior Special Adviser (SSA), Dr Doyin Okupe, to two years in Kuje Correctional center.

The now Director General of Presidential Campaign of Labour Party(LP) was found guilty of receiving over N200 million cash from former former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki.

However, Okupe was given an option of N13m fine which to be paid before 4pm today, Monday.

Specifically, the court find Dr Doyin Okupe guilty in counts 34, 35, 36 to 59, where he was accused of receiving various

sums ranging from N10 million on different occasions from 2012 to 2015 when he was SSA to president Jonathan.

Deciding in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the court held that Okupe violated the Money Laundering Act.

Justice Ojukwu stated that the Act provides that no individual or organization shall receive any sum above N5million and N10million respectively without passing through a financial institution.

The court also stated that “there is no evidence that the money passed through a financial institution.”

Further in the judgement, the court posited that the NSA was not a financial institution, adding that even if the president

was said to have authorized the funds, he did not say that the money must be paid in cash in violation of the money laundering.

N240m money Laundering: Courts sends Okupe to two years in prison Ja’agi community blames Niger Dep. Governor for persistent land dispute

The judge however found the defendants not guilty in counts 1 to 33 on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish the charge of money Laundering and criminal breach of trust and corruption against the NSA.

The said sum according to him were expended on running the office, payment of staffs and image laundering of the former president and his administration.

Reacting to the judgement, counsel to Okupe, Mr Francis Oronsaye, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy on the grounds that the defendant was a first time

offender, a family man who is also advanced in age and having health challenges that he is currently treating in Nigeria and outside the country.

Oronsaye, citing Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, urged the court to stand down the matter to enable him call witnesses that will attest to the good character of Okupe.

Lawyers to the second and third defendants also lend their voices in the plea for mercy, adding that the convict was a mere victim of circumstances.

Although the request was opposed by prosecution lawyer, Mr Audu Ibrahim, the judge however stood down the matter to enable the defendant called his witnesses before handing down her sentence.

From David Hassan, Gombe

Governor Muhammadu

Inuwa Yahaya has said his government remains resolute and committed to serve the people.

The governor stated this on Monday while addressing the people during his campaign rally at Boh in Shongom local government area of Gombe state.

Speaking at the venue, governor Yahaya gave assurances of putting the people first, adding that with the people’s support, he will deliver.

He encouraged them to look at the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the party to vote from top to bottom during 2023 general elections.

According to him, “together we will make a difference”.

Dangote Cement doles out 10m scholarship to students of Benue community

Dangote Cement has disbursed 10 million naira scholarship to students of the immediate host community of its Gboko plant.

The Plant Director, Engr Louis K. Raj who presented the cheque on behalf of the

Dangote Group yesterday at the board room of the cement plant in Gboko, assured the students and leaders of the host community (Mbayion) that the Dangote Cement Plc would sustain the educational intervention despite the harsh economic challenges which led to a temporary suspension of

production at the plant.

President of the Yion Development Association,YIDA Comrade Orver Yongu, chairman of the Mbayion clan foundation Mr Aondoakaa Adobo and His Royal Highness Kunav Anum who received the cheque on behalf of the host community thanked the

company for the gesture. They however noted that the galloping rate of inflation in the country has grossly affected the value of money set aside for the annual scholarship as well as the sharp increase in the number of students and appealed for an upward review of the bursary.

2023: My administration remains committed to serve the people- Gov Yahaya

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

L-R: Assistant Inspector General of Police, In charge of Operations, Mr. Bala Ciroma, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Awasanoye, during the stakeholders summit

The Federal Government has been advised to ensure training, provision of adequate equipment and motivation for the Police to prepare them for the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), made the call on Monday in Lagos during a news conference to highlight some major human rights and security issues that featured in the year.

According to Nwanguma, the police is the lead security agency in election security and will have a key role to play in

Buhari shares gratitude for birthday wishes

President Muhammadu Buhari Monday expressed appreciation for the many cards and well-wishes he received for his 80th birthday.

He said however, in a jocular manner, that his wish for a quiet day had been denied by the staff, adding that: “I fixed the return journey from America on the day to avoid the celebration,” according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

Addressing Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and a handful of other personal staff who gathered at the Residence in the morning “to make the President’s birthday an occasion to remember,” President Buhari, according to the statement, said a birthday is no more than just another day in the office,

The statement added that in a fitting tribute on behalf of the personal staff, the Chief read aloud the card signed by them which states thus:

“On behalf of the entire staff of the personal staff and my own self, we say ‘Happy Birthday’ to a worthy leader, father of the nation and our own father.

“Your Excellency was a star at the recently-concluded American-African Leaders Summit- recognition by your own peers and the leader of the international community.

“We are proud of Your Excellency and grateful for the opportunity to serve Your Excellency with respect and abiding loyalty.”

President Buhari waded across the room, reading one card after the other and thereafter ordered everyone back to office: “Back to Work,” he said, as he led the way to his office building, the statement noted.

2023: RULAAC calls for training, adequate equipment, motivation for Police

providing security for election personnel, materials, voters, and party agents among other stakeholders.

“Security is key to the integrity of the electoral process and the credibility of electoral outcomes,” he said.

He also urged the National Assembly to revisit the Police Service Commission (PSC) Act, to strengthen it for effective discharge of its oversight functions.

“In 2022, the National Assembly initiated a bill to review the PSC Act, the consideration and passage of that bill was stalled. In the coming year, we want to see a revisit of that bill.

“It was not so well for PSC

which is the statutory external oversight and accountability mechanism for the police charged with appointment, discipline and promotion of officers except the IGP,” Nwanguma said.

He also noted that as part of the larger police reform agenda, the incoming government should take urgent steps to strengthen police external accountability mechanisms, especially the PSC to curb impunity for police human rights abuses.

“There is need to strengthen police internal control systems and external oversight and accountability mechanisms put in place to ensure enforcement discipline and conformity with professional standards.

“Effective external accountability processes may make the police more publicly accountable,” he said.

He commended the Complaints Response Unit (CRU) of the Nigerian Police under the leadership of DCP Ishaku Basiran, for demonstrable commitment to the enforcement of discipline and checking impunity for police human rights violations and misconduct.

“This year, the CRU in partnership with RULAAC and with support from McArthur Foundation for the first time since its inception in 2015, published its quarterly reports for 2021 and part of 2022.

“It showed the numbers

of complaints received, police officers disciplined for various misconducts and amounts of money in extortion recovered from corrupt police officers,” he said.

Also, Mr Ohams Chinedu, Principal Officer, National Human Rights Commission, called on the media to intervene and ask necessary questions to end violations of human rights.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the issues highlighted by RULAAC included brute force approach to law enforcement, oversight and police accountability, and endless investigation by ICPC among many others. (NAN)

NGO advocates increased awareness on neurological conditions

The Brain and Spine Foundation Africa, a non-governmental organisation, has called for increased awareness on brain injuries, neurological conditions and its traumatic effects on victims.

The foundation gave the call at an Art Gala event organised for survivors, caregivers as well as stakeholders in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that neurological conditions include brain aneurysm, brain tumour or cancer, traumatic brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and dementia, among others.

Ms Chika Okwuolisa, the founder of the foundation, said it was important to raise awareness around the condition

as most people spiritualise and attribute it to the “works of the enemy”.

According to her, most patients and families continue to struggle with it, as there are little or no idea of the conditions especially in rural communities.

“These are conditions that so many people do not talk about or even have slightest idea of what it means, until one encounters a first hand experience.

“A brain aneurysm for example is a weakness in a blood vessel in the brain that balloons and fills with blood and it ruptures every 18 minutes.

“The ruptured brain aneurysm are fatal in about 50 per cent of cases, while 66 per cent of those who survive suffer some permanent neurological

deficit.

“Approximately 15 per cent of people with raptured aneurysm die before reaching the hospital because most of the deaths are due to rapid and massive brain injury from the initial bleeding,” she said.

The founder added that there had been unnecessary deaths and suffering of the hospitals, especially the primary health care centers as most of them do not have first aid intervention for neurological emergencies.

“Collectively, we have lost our mothers, fathers, spouses, cousins, children, sisters, brothers, best friends to some of these conditions.

“But the truth remains that most of us are not even aware that we lost them to these conditions

due to lack of awareness,” she added.

Okwuolisa added that the foundation decided to use art to tell the stories of the victims and to help assist them in their rehabilitation process.

“Neurology and art may not seem like a natural connection, but to us in this community, it is; art touches the core aspect of everything we do, though neurological condition is complex and often times complicated.

“Art helps the survivors and the grieving families lean on different forms of artistic expression to find their pathway during rehabilitation and recovery and it helps us remain connected to both ourselves and the world,” she explained.(NAN)

L-R: CEO, Tingo Mobile PLC Auwal Tahir Maude and the President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Alh. Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, during the Fifth edition of Feed NIgeria Summit held recently in Abuja

Kidnap kingpin,11 others neutralized in Bauchi —Police

From Ahmad Muhammad, Bauchi

Bauchi State Police Command has said that kidnap kingpin, Madaki Mansur and 11 others who have been terrorizing Alkaleri, Bauchi local government areas, and neighbouring states of Taraba, Plateau and Gombe States have been neutralised in a joint operation.

SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, Police Public Relations Officer, stated this in a statement signed on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command.

He said, “In our combined efforts to stem the menace of banditry in Bauchi State, especially Alkaleri L.G.A., the command was at its best recently”.

Wakil said “On the 19th December 2022 at about 2;30am a Joint Operation of security operatives engaged suspected bandits/kidnappers in four different hideouts; Mansur, Digare, Gwana and Dajin Madam in Alkaleri forest. Following the hot exchange of superior fire-power by the operatives left twelve (12) of the kidnappers neutralized, while others were subdued, dislodged, and scampered in disarray into the nearby bushes with possible gunshot wounds and abandoned their Camp.

2023: INEC parleys EFCC, Police,

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

As the 2023 general elections inch closer, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has vowed that the elimination of the negative use of money in our electoral process will be tackled head-on.

Towards achieving this objective, the Commission has commenced collaboration with the Police, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the regulatory bodies such as the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this yesterday at a one-day stakeholders summit on addressing the influence of money in the 2023 general election held at the NAF conference centre, Abuja.

Prof Yakubu categories stated that the negative role of money in elections goes to the very heart of our democracy, as it

ICPC,

others to eliminate negative use of money in politics

destroys the very basis of democratic elections which is that citizens should freely choose those who exercise power on their behalf.

According to him, “It (the negative role of money in election) renders the emergence of the right candidates for positions extremely difficult, undermines fair electoral adjudication, and destroys the professional and independent conduct of INEC officials and other public agencies involved in elections.

“Even more worrisome is the high prospect that criminal money may find its way into our elections through money laundering.

“Above all, the pernicious use of money tremendously increases the likelihood of election violence due to a “win at all costs” mentality among contestants who would have invested a fortune in election.

“Surely, election is not a business venture for profit. Instead, it is an application to serve the people with the understanding that they may prefer someone else on one occasion.

“But then, there would be

an opportunity to reapply after four years. Citizens’ choices must never be subverted by the negative use of money”, he stressed.

The INEC Chairman reassured Nigerians that the Commission is determined to ensure a solid election management system and a legacy of credible elections in Nigeria.

“We believe that every conscientious Nigerian wants us to do so. As a Commission, we harbour no illusion that it is going to be easy to root out the negative influence of money on our elections, but we are determined to tackle it”, he said.

Prof Yakubu revealed that many Nigerians have demanded to know from INEC what the Commission is doing about the deleterious influence of money in elections, particularly the diabolical purchase of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) from voters ahead of the election and vote buying at Polling Units on Election Day.

According to him, “Over the years, we introduced a number of measures, including the slight reconfiguration of our Polling Units to bring the ballot boxes

closer to the voting cubicles to discourage the exposure of the marked ballot papers by voters to vote buyers. We also banned the use of smart phones and photographic devices by voters in the voting cubicles.

“Yet, these measures have recorded limited success”, he said.

The INEC Chairman stated that in dealing with the corruption of our elections by money, the Commission cannot do it alone, adding, “To succeed, we must mobilise every relevant national institution to support our effort”.

Continuing, he said, “We must rely on the professional and other capacities of cognate agencies in our determination to improve electoral administration in Nigeria.

“That is why we appreciate the collaboration with the Police, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the regulatory bodies such as the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON)”, he said.

FG faults claims Twitter didn’t negotiate lifting of its suspension

By our correspondent

The Federal Government, Monday, dismissed claims that microblogging site Twitter did not partake in the series of negotiations that led to the lifting of its suspension by the Nigerian government recently.

Recall that the Nigerian government had suspended Twitter on June 4 after it removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists.

The suspension took effect from June 5 2021 to January 13 2022 when the government of Nigeria officially banned Twitter, restricting it from operating in the country.

However, after a series of negotiations between both parties, including for Twitter to set up a local office and play by the local rules, the federal government accordingly lifted the suspension of the Twitter operations in Nigeria from midnight of January 13, 2022.

The Nigerian government in a reaction in Abuja yesterday picked

holes with requests from sections of the media seeking response to the published allegation credited to a former Twitter staff that Twitter did not negotiate with the Nigerian Government in the wake of the suspension of the microblogging site.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said in an opening remark at the President Muhammadu Buhari Scorecard series that the claim is ludicrous.

He said without mincing words, “let me say that there was a longdrawn negotiation between Nigeria and Twitter, at the instance of the latter, following the suspension of the platform on June 4 2021 because of its persistent use for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”

He said “seven days after the suspension, precisely on June 11th 2021, we received a letter, addressed to Mr. President, from Twitter’s Vice President in charge of Public Policy, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Sinead McSweeney, seeking to meet

with us on the Twitter suspension.

“That letter kick-started a number of activities that culminated in the extensive negotiation. A copy of that letter is displayed on the screens here and will be made available to gentlemen of the press.”

The Minister added that after the letter, the Federal Government announced its team to discuss with Twitter. The team, chaired by the Minister of Information and Culture, also comprised the Attorney General of the Federation and Honourable Minister of Justice, Honourable Ministers of Communications and Digital Economy; Foreign Affairs as well as Works and Housing, Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency.

He said following the composition of the FG team, it received another letter from a group, Albright Stonebridge Group, which apparently was working at the behest of Twitter. “The letter (which is also projected on the screens

and is available to the media), named the Twitter team to enter into discussion with Nigeria. The team was headed by Sinead Sweeney, Twitter’s Vice President, Europe, Middle East and Africa, whom I mentioned earlier; Karen White, Senior Director, Public Policy, Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa; Ronan Costello, Senior Public Policy Manager, Africa, Europe, Middle East; Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Head of Public Policy, Sub-Saharan Africa; Jim Baker, Deputy General Counsel and Ambassador Johnnie Carson, Senior Adviser, Albright Stonebridge Group, “ he said.

He said also that the back-and-forth negotiation culminated in a series of agreements that paved the way for the lifting of the Twitter suspension in January this year.

He stated that with the facts that he had supplied, the fellow who reportedly alleged that Twitter did not negotiate with Nigeria is either being economical with the truth or didn’t even understand the workings of the company where he worked.

“Consequently, weapons and operational motorcycles were recovered during the operation”. He said the Command is intensifying efforts to apprehend the fleeing members of the syndicate.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), says it is targeting about 300 tones of e-wastes collection across the country.

The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that e-waste activities is one of challenges facing the agency, adding that the NESREA is collaborating with relevant organisations to ensure that its activities are managed effectively.

According to him, “we are targeting the collection of about 300 tones of these e-wastes, already we have machines, including force and formal recyclers.

“But most of those doing the business are informal recyclers, like scavengers, who collect the waste, and take them to collection centres for disposal of such wastes.

Environment: We are targeting about 300 tones of e-wastes collection – NESREA

“The collectors select the useful component for recycling and take the rest into dump sites.

“The agency trained those collectors so that they will be knowledgeable on the best way to collect the items and to ensure that they are upgraded in the system,” he said.

Jauro said that the NESREA had collaborated with some relevant organisations to ensure effective recycling of wastes across the country.

He mentioned the organisations as Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), and the German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ), among others.

He said that the NESREA had

introduced a strategy known as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to ensure the effectiveness in processing the recycling of the wastes.

He explained that the EPR is an environmental protection strategy that makes the manufacturer of a product responsible for the entire life cycle of the protect, especially for the take back, recycle and final disposal of the product.

The director-general said that the programme would help in achieving the recycle economy and reduce indiscriminate dumping of wastes in the country.

“The essence of the project is to ensure that the e-waste is collected in a friendly manner, and the

recycling done in the best way to help protect the environment as well as keeping it healthy.

“Although, currently, we don’t have enough of the recycling facilities, but the few we have is doing a lot, so what they do is to dismantle those wastes that cannot be recycled.

“Then, collect the compound and take them to developed countries where they have the facilities to recycle them.

He said that Nigeria has functional recycling companies in Lagos and some other states, adding that their goal is to recycle any non-biodegradable pollutants and protect the environment.

He said that the companies

convert scrap materials such as plastics, metal and glasses into useful reusable products.

Jauro also said that the agency was working with International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) in the area of wildlife trafficking and e-waste, adding that the support has really helped Nigeria in tackling illegal activities.

He said that the INTERPOL usually alerts the agency on activities such as illegal trafficking and whenever any ship brings in e-wastes into the country.

He said that Nigeria is a signatory to international treaties such as Basel Convention and has the right to stop any illegal activities. (NAN)

FG urges stakeholders to collaborate for effective sensitisation on war against e-waste

The Federal Government has urged all the relevant stakeholders to collaborate for effective sensitisation to fight against e-wastes across the country.

The Director-General of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja on Sunday.

Jauro said that the best approach to prosecute the war against e-wastes in the country is to engage stakeholders on effective sensitisation of the public.

According to him, most people are not aware of the dangers and harm associated with the e-wastes activities.

“So, the best way to let them understand that such items are dangerous is to enlighten the public on its hazardous effect.

“The agency also ensures that all manufacturers, importers and retailers register with Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO).

“The most popular method adopted is the industry-driven model, whereby, the PRO is appointed by the manufacturers, retailers and importers and they should be responsible for managing the e-wastes as Nigeria is a consumer nation.

“The PRO will use the collected finance being provided to support the collection of the e-waste,” he said.

Jauro said that the agency does not have enough technology to monitor dealers of pesticides and hazardous chemicals in the country, and this has affected the provision of efficient update on the prosecution of the dealers.

He said that the agency recently rewarded about 16 outlets for adhering to its environmental compliance, adding that the essence of the awards is to encourage the organisations for being effective in their service delivery.

He said that one of the agency’s mandates is to ensure compliance

with all environmental laws, regulations, policies and guidelines.

He said that the aim of the award was not only to encourage the organisations that adhered to the regulations but also to ensure that others who refused to comply with the regulations emulate the exemplary performance of the

awardees.

“So, we created activities of these organisations and most of them engage in the production of some products which have impact on the environment.

“We decided to develop regulations guiding how they are supposed to conduct the activities,

so that it will not impact much on the environment.

“When there is no compliance, we do enforce. So in the course of doing that there is a provision for a reward system.

“Those that comply voluntarily with all our guidelines should be rewarded as a form of encouragement

for others to key in,” he said.

The director-general said the selection of the awardees was made with regards to environmental documentations such as Permits, Environmental Audit and the level of Corporate Social Responsibility activities carried out by the selected organisations. (NAN)

NGO advocates increased awareness on neurological conditions

The Brain and Spine Foundation Africa, a non-governmental organisation, has called for increased awareness on brain injuries, neurological conditions and its traumatic effects on victims.

The foundation gave the call at an Art Gala event organised for survivors, caregivers as well as stakeholders in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that neurological conditions include brain aneurysm, brain tumour or cancer, traumatic brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and dementia, among others.

Ms Chika Okwuolisa, the founder of the foundation, said it was important to raise awareness around the condition as most people

spiritualise and attribute it to the “works of the enemy”.

According to her, most patients and families continue to struggle with it, as there are little or no idea of the conditions especially in rural communities.

“These are conditions that so many people do not talk about or even have slightest idea of what it means, until one encounters a first hand experience.

“A brain aneurysm for example is a weakness in a blood vessel in the brain that balloons and fills with blood and it ruptures every 18 minutes.

“The ruptured brain aneurysm are fatal in about 50 per cent of cases, while 66 per cent of those who survive suffer some permanent neurological

deficit.

“Approximately 15 per cent of people with raptured aneurysm die before reaching the hospital because most of the deaths are due to rapid and massive brain injury from the initial bleeding,” she said.

The founder added that there had been unnecessary deaths and suffering of the hospitals, especially the primary health care centers as most of them do not have first aid intervention for neurological emergencies.

“Collectively, we have lost our mothers, fathers, spouses, cousins, children, sisters, brothers, best friends to some of these conditions.

“But the truth remains that most of us are not even aware that we lost

them to these conditions due to lack of awareness,” she added.

Okwuolisa added that the foundation decided to use art to tell the stories of the victims and to help assist them in their rehabilitation process.

“Neurology and art may not seem like a natural connection, but to us in this community, it is; art touches the core aspect of everything we do, though neurological condition is complex and often times complicated.

“Art helps the survivors and the grieving families lean on different forms of artistic expression to find their pathway during rehabilitation and recovery and it helps us remain connected to both ourselves and the world,” she explained.(NAN)

Managing Partner/ CEO Afe and Partners, QS (Dr.) Otaru Joseph Omokhagbo (middle) flanked by widows of All Saints Anglican Church Ikpena Ososo, during the felicitation visit on behalf of late Mrs Esther Afe Otaru Foundation as part of the activities to mark the foundation’s celebration of Christmas with widows and the less privileged, Akoko Edo, Edo state

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Kaduna State government, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Labour Party (LP) has condemned in strong terms the renewed attacks and killings of no fewer than 28 persons in Malagum and Sokwong communities in Kaura local government area of Southern Kaduna in Kaduna State.

A statement issued by the Commissioner Ministry of internal security and Home Affairs Aruwan Samuel on behalf of Kaduna State Government condoled with families of those killed.

He disclosed that the military and other security agencies reported that bandits attacked the locations and killed several citizens while burning houses and other properties.

Aruwan said, Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed deep sadness at the report of the incident and prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed, while offering condolences to their families.

The Governor also condemned the attacks, describing it as inhuman, considering the efforts of government, security forces, the traditional institution and other critical stakeholders within the last week.

The Governor has also directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to urgently provide relief materials to the communities.

“An urgent security intervention is being conducted by the Defence Headquarters and Operation Safe Haven. The GOC 3 Division Nigerian Army - Major General Ibrahim Ali, and Sector 7 Commander, Colonel Timothy Opurum are presently in the location.

“The Kaduna State Government will make public further details on the incident as it receives feedback from the security forces” he said.

On their part, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State Chapter averred that killers of Southern Kaduna People are yet to be neutralized.

In their statement issued by the State Chairman Rev. Dr. John Joseph Hayab said, “CAN is mourning the death of over 28 innocent defenceless people of the Mallagum community in the Kagoro area who were brutally slaughtered last night”.

Hayab said, “the massacre has further proven that the killers of the Southern Kaduna people have not yet been neutralized as claimed.

“The federal government and the security agencies must not let the killers escape. Those who committed this evil must be fished out, arrested, and brought to face justice.

“These renewed killings may be a strategy to scare the people from exercising their rights and to further increase fear and impoverish them. Accordingly, CAN condemn this barbaric act in the strongest terms but appeal for calm, calling on the government and security to rise to the duty of protecting lives and property” he opined.

In yet another press briefing by the National Secretary of Labour Party, Alhaji Umar Farouk

KDSG, CAN, LP condemn fresh killings of 28 in Southern Kaduna

Ibrahim Mai Rakumi described the attack and killings particularly of their members as barbaric.

“Our great party has noticed with dismay in recent time, the spate of killings of our party supporters in Kaduna state. Particularly in southern Kaduna, which is one of our strongholds and the constituency of our Gubernatorial candidate Honourable Jonathan Asake is becoming a source of concern.

Rakumi called on Kaduna State Government and the

security agents to bring an end to the heinous act.

“Just last week our great party lost eight members in Kaura local government and the Zangon Kataf Local Government respectively. These series of killing within a short time are highly condemnable and insensitive, especially in this festive period.

“Our great party strongly condemned these killings and we cannot continue folding our arms, seeing our members killed on a daily basis. As such, we call on the

Kaduna state government to do all it takes to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to book.

“We in the Labour party wants the Kaduna state government to be proactive in the protection of life and property of the citizens. We also call on the Kaduna state government to as a matter of urgency, put all the mechanisms in motion, apprehend and prosecute whoever has hands in this criminality.

“The killing of the amiable woman leader of the Labour Party

in Kaduna state Mrs Victoria Chintex is still fresh in our minds and we will follow up with her gruesome murder till the Kaduna State government apprehends the culprits. Her husband who was attacked in the process, is still receiving treatment as we wish him speedy recovery”.

The Labour Party viewed all the killings in areas described as their major strongholds in Kaduna state and some parts of the country as a calculated attempt to demoralize supporters.

Yuletide: DICON officers’ wives put smiles on orphans faces in Kaduna

From:

Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

In the spirit of the Yuletide, Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Officers’ Wives Association (DICONOWA), has shared food items, other essentials to orphanage homes as part of its end-of-the-year humanitarian outreach to host communities in Kaduna.

The Coordinator of DICONOWA, Mrs Nafisa Tafida, led the distribution of palliatives in Kaduna yesterday.

Tafida stated that the distribution of food stuff and provisions was done as part of the association’s kind gesture of showing love, compassion and generosity to the vulnerable in the society.

She reiterated the resolve of

the officers’ wives to extend hands of generosity to the needy and less-privileged members of the society.

Tafida expressed optimism that the facility which caters for primary health needs of both civilians and military personnel would be upgraded with DICON will become a military industrial complex in the near future.

She expressed satisfaction with

the equipment and facilities at the clinic, adding that she had no iota of doubts that patients are in good and capable hands in the hospital.

The DICONOWA coordinator became emotional and was moved to tears at Adonai orphanage home, while posing for a photo session with children in the caregiving facility, promising to remember them frequently in kind gestures of the association.

L-R: Director, Vulnerable Groups Department, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr Dahiru Bobbo; Program Officer, Sesor Empowerment Foundation, Ms Ina Inga; and the Program Manager, Global Rights (GR), Mr Edosa Oviawe, during the Media Presentation of Research Findings on Search for Justice and Accountability in the Farmer/Herder Crisis in the Benue Valley, yesterday in Abuja

SCI, CSOs presents templates for developing CHN Charter in Kaduna

Save the Children International (SCI) in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on Monday presented a template for developing a community Health Needs (CHN) Charter in Kaduna.

During the presentation, Mr Yusuf Goje of Coalition of Association for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment & Development (CALPED) said it is time to push for the development of (CHN) charter to ensure that people decides what health care facilities or services they are in need of and subsequently present same to government.

Goje explained that CDC will

provide community engagement in the budget processes at the ward, Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the State with basic information on the principles of community development and capacity building to support the planning, budgeting and implementation of activities and project initiated by the communities.

Goje further explained that the charter if implemented will ensure that the State has a participatory health budget that involves government, citizens, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and CSOs in deciding how and where resources should be spent.

“The process creates

opportunities for engaging, educating, and empowering citizens which foster a more vibrant civil society, promote transparency, which has the potential to reduce government inefficiencies”.

The Advocacy and Communication Coordinator, Kaduna office of SCI, Farouk Abdulkadir Mayana said, “the SCI project is working on health and we are focusing on other 3 key areas, the citizen engagement which is accountability, policy, environment and strengthening health financing”.

Mayana said that the CHN charter is one of the innovations including citizens in planning and budget processes of

government.

He stressed that Kaduna State is already implementing CDC, which will align with the 15 health priority areas.

“We have developed a guide that will continue to enrich the institutional knowledge of this person to do what is needed of them”.

Receiving the charter, the Acting Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Neyu Iliyasu said the board will study the documents and see how to develop the CHN charter.

He commended the SCI and the other CSOs that have inputs in the development of the CHN charter.

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

PDP crisis will soon end —Ortom

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has given indication that the crisis rocking the Peoples’ Democratic Party,PDP, at the national level will soon be resolved.

The Governor gave this

indication amidst excitement at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Government House, Makurdi yesterday.

According to him, discussions are ongoing at the national level to resolve all issues, adding that there are no leadership crisis in the State.

“At the State leadership,we are not divided. Issues that tend to divide us, we are tackling them at the national level. We are discussing and will overcome them.

“We are committed to winning election in 2023 and that is, the purpose for this

meeting. It is meant to strategize on how we can win in 2023. We are running out of time. Presidential elections hold in February 25 and two(2) weeks after, the Governorship election.

“We have done alot of planning and hopefully,the PDP will remain in office”.

Foundation advocate insurance for Brain/Spinal patient

By Usman Sha’ibu, Abuja

Foundation seek Health Endowment Trust Fund and full implementation of Insurance Act for indigent patients The Founder of Brain & Spine Foundation Africa, Engr. Chika Okwuolisa has called on Government to initiate endowment Trust Fund and the Immediate full Implementation of the of the National health insurance Act that will give hope to millions of Nigerians with serious health chalenges but cannot afford huge

cost of medical bills especially those with Brain and Spinal which will also curb, medical tourism as well as brain drain in the health Sector.

This according to her will facilitating acute and emergency treatment for the indigents. We are so excited to have you all here tonight. And I stand here representing so many different people who made the foundation what it is today and made this event possible. I want to thank all the Volunteers and partners. To our special guests,the survivors, the caregivers, our supporters, thank

you for for making it here tonight at such a short notice. Brain & Spine Foundation (BSF) is an operational registered non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

It was established following a firsthand traumatic experience during a harrowing pathological brain event of my younger sister, Victoria who is here with us today. A brain event that has changed our lives completely. As we all know, life sometimes takes us down a path we didn’t plan. And just when you think you know where you’re headed, that’s usually when it throws you to

the very pitch you weren’t prepared for.

And that was my story, a graduate of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, excelling in my profession at the time. My curveball came on the midnight of 27th April, 2012, just few weeks after my Dad’s one year memorial service. I wanted to know all I could of the enemy that almost destroyed our lives, so I researched every medical journal I could lay my hands on. I was astonished by the lack of awareness of these neurological conditions in this side of the globe.

NYSC to partner Anambra govt on establishment of skill acquisition centre

By Albert Akota

The Acting Director General of National Youth Service Corps, Mrs Christy Ifeyinwa Uba has expressed willingness of the Scheme to collaborate with Anambra State Government to establish Skill Acquisition Centre in the State.

Uba disclosed this when she paid a courtesy visit on the wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo at the Government House, Amawbia, Awka.

The Acting DG added that citing a Skill Acquisition Centre in the State will further boost the business climate and skills of the youth population in the SouthEast region and the country at large.

Mrs Uba, who is a native of Anambra State expressed joy to be back home while she urged other State Governments to emulate Governor Charles Soludo in the provision of critical Camp facilities and other support for the Scheme in the State.

Responding, the wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo congratulated Mrs Uba on her appointment as the Acting Director General of the Scheme and equally commended her for the visit.

Ex-Niger Dep. Gov. Ibeto, warns youth against electing bad leaders

Aformer deputy governor of Niger, Mr Ahmed Ibeto, has warned Nigerian youths on the dangers of electing bad leaders in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

Ibeto spoke at the grand finale of “The President Show”, a reality TV show, organised in Abuja by the Superior Radio and Television (SRTV) for 14 finalists who emerged as “Youth Governors” of their states.

He said the youth remained leaders of today, contrary to the notion that they are the leaders of tomorrow.

“The strength they have is what should make them determine who leads this country and if they misuse it, they will regret it,” he said.

Ibeto noted that Nigerian youths had the majority number to elect their leaders, especially the president and as such, should participate actively in electing and being elected as leaders.

“It is right time for the youth to take their place in the history and political development of this country.

“The strength they have is what

should make them determine who leads this country and if they misuse it, they will regret it.

“I commend the organisers of this event because it is them that prepare the youths, the character they have and also remoulding their minds toward leadership.

“We don’t have to believe the idea or notion that youths are the leaders of tomorrow, no, they are the leaders of today because they are the ones that determine who leads them.

“If you are a youth who believes that you are a leader of tomorrow, that tomorrow will never come and it means you can’t take destiny into your hands because someone will continue to determine what happens to your tomorrow.

“We believe that with the number of youths in the country, decision on who governs the country is made and their interests are protected for today and tomorrow,” Ibeto said.

Ibeto who was one of the awardees at the show, assured that he would not relent in working for the development of the country especially those things he did in office that earned him the award.

Alhaji Mohammed Malagi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Blueprint Newspaper, an Abuja based media outfit who was also an awardee, said number remained a great factor in the country’s democracy from 1999.

“I think youths are ready to take over leadership roles in the country and the readiness is in two perspectives.

“They may not put a youth as a president but they can contribute in making somebody who can change their future ,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the youth president reality television show saw Mr Deji Adebayo, representing Oyo State, emerging as the winner after defeating 13 other contestants that made it to the finals.

NAN reports that 37 contestants regarded as ‘Youth Governors’ in their various states and FCT, had participated in the show which saw them viying for the youth president’s seat.

Ms Hajara Muhammad, representing Kano State emerged as the first runner-up, while Mr Abubakar Ali representing FCT emerged as the second runner-up.

Mr Obinna Kalu representing Abia, emerged as the third runnerup.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SRTV, Mr Daddy Kris, represented by Mr Kenneth Paul, Head of Operations, SRTV, said the essence of the show was to prepare the youths for leadership positions.

Kris said the country needed to harness the potentials in its youths to the benefit of all, noting that grooming of the show talents started from the local government areas (chairmen) to the states (governors) and then, federal (President).

He said they had designed a trust fund to support viable young leaders in the country, especially for the winners of the show.

Adebayo who carted away the N500, 000 star prize said that their leadership skills acquired within the period the show lasted, and the interactions with leaders from various political parties, had been worthwhile.

Before his emergence as the “president” Adebayo was the chairman of the Youth Governors Forum. (NAN)

Groups identify solutions for child malnutrition

As part of its efforts to improve the lives of children, the Organization for Community and Civic Engagement (OCCEN) with support from EU, identified some measures as better solution to child malnutrition.

This was contained in a statement signed by the executive director OCCEN comrade Abdul-razaq Alqali and issued to news men in a policy dialogue on Child Nutrition Services in Kano State.

The purpose of the dialogue was to look at the situation of nutrition services in Kano state and ways to improve these services.

According to the statement, the participants identified some commitments and recommendations on how best Kano Nutrition Working Group, CSOs, nutritional workers, young mothers and public institution can work together to achieve the targets.

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The Founder Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja (HLFN), Dr. Jumai Ahmadu (right) interacting with the Cross section of widows during the foundation 19th end of the year outreach for widows and vulnerable groups in FCT, held on Saturday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imoowo

Lawmakers appraise 9th Assembly, laud Journalists for watchdog role

By Christiana Ekpa

Some Members of the House of Representatives over the weekend gave thumbs up to to leadership and members of the 9tg House for the unique way in which they conducted their affairs and the successes recorded as a result.

The lawmakers who are chairmen of very key committees of the House were unanimous in their verdict regarding the performance of the 9th Assembly, crediting same the operational style of the leadership and the watchdog role of the media.

Coalition commends Buhari over appointment of CNA

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Coalition of Civil Society Group for peace, security and good Governance, equity and justice has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of the acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Sani Magaji Tambuwal.

The national coordinator of the group, Comrade James Okoronkwo made the commendation during a press conference in Abuja yesterday.

He said Tambuwal is the most qualified and transparent management staff for the Clerkship to the National Assembly.

According to him , “Our attention has been drawn to the malicious campaign of calumny against the management of the National Assembly Service Commission ( NASC) by some mercenaries under the guise of activism”.

He also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to disregard and discoutenance the orgy of falsehood against the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) over the well- deserved appointment of Mr Sani Magaji Tambuwal, saying that he is the most qualified and transparent management staff for the clerkship to the National Assembly.

This was at the end of year get together and award ceremony organized by the House of Representatives Press Corps over the weekend in Abuja.

Chairman, House of Committee on Power, Hon. Magaji Da’u Aliyu, who was honoured with an award of the Most Impactful Power Committee Chairman of the House’ attributed the uniqueness and the success of the 9th Assembly to the leadership quality and style of the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.

He expressed delight at the milestone achieved by the 9th House, adding that not for the leadership quality and style of the speaker, the height attained by the House wouldn’t have been possible.

“He said, “I am proud of the 9th National Assembly. I have been around for sometime but the 9th Assembly we think we did a lot of things differently. We worked together. We worked very hard and were able to achieve our set out targets. All these goes to the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, for the kind of leadership he has offered to us.

This 9th Assembly is scandal free and we also wish to commend ourselves for that. I also wish to commend the Press Corps for keeping us on our toes trying to make us do the correct things because if you know that there are people watching you, that would make you do the right thing. we would continue to work together,” he said.

The Lawmaker also expressed regrets over the manner in which journalists are treated in Nigeria despite the importance of the work done by journalists.

He said everything possible must be done to ensure that journalists are happy and they are doing their work well.

He lauded the Press Corps for always keeping the lawmakers on their toes and always ensuring that the right

things are done both at plenary and committee level.

Spokesman of the House, Hon Benjamin Kalu, who also received an award as the Most Outstanding Spokesman of the House, lauded the Press Corps for its effort in strengthening democracy.

He said the Corps has given stability to the image of the National Assembly.

He also said journalists were not getting what they deserved and more should be done to take care of them.

“I appreciate the Press Corps for the stability they have given to the image of the National Assembly. It has not been like this before. Rancour free, acrimony free. There is this integrity in the mind of Nigerians about the NASS. The confidence level has gotten from where it was to where it is at the moment not because of only what we did but also because of how you showcased what we are doing to the Nigerian people. People are beginning to understand that this fulcrum of democracy is actually playing a vital role in the advancement for our democracy.

“We have been believers of participatory democracy, where we bring the people to the centre stage and what my committee has done is to increase the level of interaction and engagement between the people and the parliament. We make ourselves available and accessable to journalists.

“We must attend to your call and that has placed us on our toes to be one step ahead. So that we would not fail in your expectation in making sure we are resourceful with the right information that would guide your publications to enable people understand better, to make Nigerians understand our story from the horse’s mouth.

“These and more other sectoral engagements we have carried out in the country shows

that the parliament wants to harvest the opinion of the people so as to formulate our policies and laws in line with the desires of the people, based on the needs analysis gotten from the collective opinion of Nigerians. You have helped us achieve that by making sure you don’t tell the stories the way they are not. You have decided to make sure that at all times what you presented to the public was nothing but the truth and I commend you,” Kalu said.

He again restated that bugdet of the National Assembly was too small for it to run efficiently.

His words: “The budget of the National Assembly is low. We cannot function as expected by the mandate of the constitution relying on that budget. People can criticize it the way they want. I have said it from the day one I came to the National Assembly, you cannot get the efficiency that we want to drive the legislature by depending on the current budget as it is. I am hoping that we would push it forward to accommodate other responsibilities of ours.”

Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Hon Muktar Aliyu Betara, said the 9th National Assembly’s successes would not have been possible without the efforts of the Press.

Aliyu, who received an award of Excellence as the Champion of Legislative Reform, was represented by Hon Mohammed Kabiru.

Expressing appreciation for the award, he said, “Journalists are considered to be judges of any society. They see it from an eagle eye perspective and give good reportage for people to understand what is going on in the society.

“I thank you for the award and commend you for a good job you have done. The 9th Assembly’s success that have been recorded would not have been possible without the Press

Corps,” he said.

Also the Chairman, House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Hon Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada urged journalists not to compromise in their profession.

Sharada, a governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for Kano State in the 2023 election also received an award as the Most Impactful Committee Chairman on Intelligence Matters, just as he recalled his journey through the journalism profession before joining politics.

He said: “I feel honoured by this award. Journalism is a profession I have always loved to practice. Having acquired my first degree, I practised for more than 11 years before politics. My experience in journalism has greatly impacted my life and afforded me the ability to stand out in every field I find myself. My advice to journalists is to cherish and adore the profession and put it above other consideration.”

2023: Groups establish situation room for peaceful elections

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

Groups known as, Organization for Community Civic Engagement incollaboration with Kano Civil society forum with support from National Endowment for Democracy have strategized to ensure free, fair and peaceful election in Kano state.

The move was announced by

the executive director OCCEN comrade Abdul-razaq Alqali shortly after launching of the forum, adding that the forum will be a room for civil society organisations working to ensure the success of 2023 elections in the state.

Comrade Alqali who described the forum as “situation room model” said, CSOs will apply their traditional roles for rapid response on election crisis

to appropriate authorities for better and quick management.

“The situation room model, by contrast, provides a platform for rapid response; it is designed to ensure that beyond observation, civil society is able to play a greater role in crisis management, early warning and constructive engagement of the process to ensure a credible election.

“The objective insight into

the challenges of election management body, helping situation room was a highly effective mechanism for mobilizing intervention from meetings with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be briefed on”.

The executive director assured that, the election room will bring together broadband diverse civil opportunity for peer review and learning.

Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila

From Ahmad Muhammad, Bauchi

Former Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, demonstrated great leadership and courage which resulted in the unprecedented performance of the 8th Assembly, Hon Yakubu Dogara, the immediate past Speaker of

Prof. Danjuma Peniel gets Media Merit Award

By Usman Shuaibu

The Rector/founder of Amani College of Health sciences and Technology in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Prof. Amani Danjuma Peniel has been conferred with an award of distinguished “Visionary Academia” by the management of the Orator Communications Limited, the publishers of the Orator weekly newspaper based in Niger State and Abuja.

Conferring the media award on the Professor, the Managing Editor of the Orator weekly newspaper, Mr. Nasir Oseni, said the award was bestowed on the Professor based on his outstanding contributions in Educational Development.

He pointed out that the Editorial Team of the Orator weekly newspaper carried out investigations before the Professor was considered for the media award.

Oseni, however, told the gathering that the leadership of the Orator weekly newspaper did not honour a personality or people based on personal interest.

Responding, the awardee of the day, Prof Amani Danjuma Peniel, thanked the management of the Orator organization for the award bestowed on him.

However, staff of the College expressed happiness over the award conferred on the Professor.

Saraki’s courageous leadership made 8th Assembly most productive -Dogara

the House of Representatives, has said.

In a message celebrating Saraki on the occasion of his 60th birthday anniversary, which was made available to reporters in Bauchi by Dogara media aide Turaki Hassan said’ Hon Dogara commended Saraki’s partnership in steering the affairs of the 8th Assembly saying, “

Yours have been 60 years of meritorious service to our fatherland as examplified by your consistent display of unwavering commitment to the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria and particularly, the independence of the legislature.

“In the four years you held sway as President of the Senate, you demonstrated great courage and patriotism in steering

the affairs of the Senate. Your partnership was a legendary epic which by popular consensus made the 8th NASS the most productive in Nigeria’s history.

“As you step into the sexagenarian club today, I wish to join your teeming well-wishers in praying to Almighty God to grant you more wisdom and sound health to continue to serve the nation in the years ahead.”

Both Saraki and Dogara were elected Senate President and Speaker on June 6, 2015 after they rebelled the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC’s) endorsement of other candidates.

At the expiration of their tenure in June 2019, the two Chambers passed bills and resolutions that surpasses those of previous Assemblies.

Lack of technical know - how: Group wants NILEST boss sacked

From:

The leadership of the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups (CACSG), has called for the sacking of Prof. Mohammed Kabir Yakubu, the Director General, Nigerian Institute of Leather

and Science Technology (NILEST), Zaria.

Comrade Abbas Aminu, spokesperson of the group while addressing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday said, “Since it’s a research and training institute, we expect the periodic training of young men and

women by the institute for self reliance and sustainability in a bid to curb unemployment.”

He explained that over time, authorities in Nigeria have alluded to the fact that the leather industry remains the second major viable foreign exchange earner after oil, saying

it is in tandem with the report of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

He said, “Also, the 2019 macro-economic outlook report placed the contribution of domestic leather production at 24 per cent of the total agriculture GDP in Nigeria.”

Agro-input dealers task government on quality seeds

By Usman Shuaibu

The Chairman of North Central Agro-Input Dealers Association (NOCAIDA), FCT Chapter, Mr Halidu Aliyu Mohammed, has called on the government of the day to provide quality seeds to farmers in order to improve farmers’ production.

NOCAIDA Chairman made the call in an interview with newsmen during a one day workshop on quality seed marketing organized by the National Agricultural Seed Council in Gwagwalada on Tuesday.

He also appealed to agro-input dealers to always deem it necessary to sell the certified improved seeds to

farmers.

He then pleaded with farmers to purchase the seeds such as maize, rice, soybean and cowpea from genuine agroinput dealers so as to get good produce during harvesting.

He said his leadership would continue to enlighten agro-input dealers to desist from selling fake seeds

to farmers in the market.

He, however, charged the Federal Government to provide fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers on time during the cropping season.

Meanwhile, the workshop focused on the mobilization and sensitization of agro-input dealers, farmers and stakeholders.

Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

L-R: Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, Director of Information, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Kenechukwu Offie, Director Water Quality Control & Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Elizabeth Ugoh and the Deputy Director, Department of Irrigation & Drainage, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Oyakhinome Florence, during the Minister’s Media Parley with the Water Resources Correspondents on the Development in the Water Sector, held yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Why Biden welcomes African leaders to Washington

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

Biden did not invite Sudan, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso because they are currently suspended by the African Union following coups and counter coups in the West Africa. These countries are not in good standing with the Africa Union so were not invited.

Certainly it can be described as an irreversible historical landmark as United States President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his administration are set to renew their commitments and hold discussions relating to the global economy, democracy and governance, climate change, health and security, women, youth and education during the U.S.Africa Leaders Summit scheduled for December 13-15 in Washington.

Unlike former President Donald Trump who used derogatory rhetoric to describe Africa as “shit-hole” and his administration lackluster pursued ineffective and uncoordinated relations with Africa, Biden rather seeks to raise Africa unto the global stage, integrate it into international bodies and offer ultimate support for transforming its multifaceted economic and other sectors. Amid a changing world, at least the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit shows an important strategic approach to leverage with Africa.

According to various authentic reports monitored by the author, Biden is expected to announce American support for the African Union’s admission to G-20 as a permanent member. By joining the G-20, it would enable Africa the chance to discuss more forcefully pertinent issues, existing challenges and possible ways to achieve its sustainable development across Africa.

The G-20 members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. Our careful and systematic monitoring has also revealed that out of 55 African countries, South Africa is the only member of the group from the continent.

Therefore, Biden and his administration’s latest push further for ultimate ascension is highly appreciable. This final significant move comes after African Union Chair and Presidents of Senegal and South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa

and Macky Sall, humbly requested Biden to expand their participation in the G-20.

White House reports say Biden has not scheduled one-on-one meeting with any of the 50 African leaders attending the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit and has not invited Western Sahara, Eritrea, Somaliland, Sudan, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Biden did not invite Sudan, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso because they are currently suspended by the African Union following coups and counter coups in the West Africa. These countries are not in good standing with the Africa Union so were not invited.

In the case of Eritrea, although the United States established diplomatic relations with Eritrea in 1993, following its independence from Ethiopia, and was one of the first countries to recognize Eritrea’s independence, relations have been frosty over government detention of political dissidents and prisoners of conscience, including religious minorities, the closure of the independent press, limits on civil liberties, violations of religious freedom, and reports of human rights abuses. They worsened in the past two years over the war in Tigray.

It said that Western Sahara, a disputed territory on the northwest coast and in the Maghreb region of North and West Africa, has not been invited to the summit. About 20% of the territory is controlled by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, while the remaining 80% of the territory is occupied and administered by neighboring Morocco.

U.S. has no diplomatic relations with the Western Sahara – the territory of Western Sahara – so they have not been invited. Currently, Somaliland and the United States also do not have official diplomatic relations. In all, Biden did not invite Western Sahara, Eritrea, Somaliland, Sudan, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso.

But for the 49 African heads of state and the chairperson of the African Union Commission – those 49 countries are all in good standing with the African Union, have diplomatic relations with the United States and share ambassadors with Washington.

Biden administration will consider seriously the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which expires in 2025. It has been the bedrock of trade relations

The president Nigeria needs

By Eze Onyekpere

In the final analysis, the major presidential candidates have presented their credentials and qualities before Nigerians. It is no use allowing persons who do not possess leadership qualities and who have no solutions to the myriad of our challenges to assume the number one position. Thereafter, the complaints and protests will continue.

The campaign for political offices towards the 2023 general elections provides Nigerians with an opportunity for deep and sober reflection. Yes, to sit back and think through our experience with leadership, especially since the return to civil rule in 1999. Civil rule has provided us with the opportunity to go to the polls in six consecutive electoral cycles. What have we done or achieved with the opportunity to choose? Have we made the right choice at every opportunity to vote? This discourse seeks to remind Nigerians that the level of poverty, poor governance, infrastructure decay, etc., that we witness today is a direct product of the choice we made with our votes.

Essentially, every electoral choice comes with its consequences and this is a good part of the inexorable law of sowing and reaping. It has, therefore, become imperative to remind Nigerians of the qualities necessary to turn around our economic, political and social fortunes. We are already at ground zero and there is no more space to move to a new bottom. The only reasonable thing to do is to start the race to the top. But what qualities do we need in leadership, especially at the topmost presidential level? The first is a clear understanding of the enormity of the challenges facing Nigeria. An understanding of the rot, the decay, and the putrefaction that has set into our system, and which has created a sense of hopelessness, despair, and despondency in the country, especially among the youth who see no future in the present arrangements. An appreciation of the challenges will create a sense of urgency to take action to begin the process of renewal.

From the first quality, the second will arise which is the design of pragmatic and workable policy frameworks, laws, administrative frameworks, and solutions that will fit our challenges and our level of development. It is not about mantras and cliches. This will involve a deep understanding of the resources available to the nation. Resources are not just about money. They include

human, information, technological, ecological, etc., resources. That deep understanding is about how to galvanise these resources and put them to work to resolve economic and social challenges. What we lack in finances may be compensated by trained human resources; the ecological resources that have been untapped will need to be harnessed with great local value addition before export so that they command a higher price in the international market. Human resource management must come with putting square pegs in square holes. We need leadership that will use our first 11 to deliver the dividends of democracy and development while not compromising our federal character principles. Thus, in wealth creation, we need to use our best to make the cake as big as possible, whilst ensuring equity in its sharing. This is in contradistinction to the current approach of using our fifth and tenth eleven at the cakebaking stage. It produces a smaller cake and makes the competition for a slice very intense.

The third quality, which is cross-cutting, is about integrity and honesty. A beautiful policy framework that succeeds everywhere in the world will fail in Nigeria when there is no honesty of purpose and volition in its implementation. This is a quality that has been consistently lacking in Nigeria’s leadership since 1999. The leader must have a practical experience in honesty and integrity. He must not be a thief, a corrupt person, or a person whom everyone knows to be very rich but cannot account for the source of his wealth. The fact that such a person has not been convicted of a crime of corruption, fraud, etc., cannot be a reason to choose a shady character.

The campaign offers the candidates enough opportunities to provide explanations on the source of their wealth. Part of integrity and honesty requires that we know the full history of a proposed leader. Where is he or she from? Who are or were his parents? Which schools did he attend? Where are his classmates who can validate his claims and vouch for his integrity? Men do not just drop from the sky, they have relatives, friends, brothers, and sisters before they go into public life. Nigeria cannot afford a leader whose past is shrouded in secrecy or who will make Nigeria amenable to blackmail in future. A deepening of integrity is the issue of experience. The experience Nigeria needs should be founded on democratic norms. A candidate who is marketed as a profound democrat but whose record is that of a suppressant of

between the two regions since the legislation was passed in 2000. This question is important and connects the current African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It will also be a platform to discuss AGOA implementation and how to work together to improve, for example, AGOA utilization rates, strengthening economic cooperation, expanding to a trade and investment, and of course, support regional economic integration.

Under President Obama, there was the Young African Leadership Initiative to really speak to the moment in terms of the large demographic youth population and partnering to provide them the skills that they need to be leaders, to be the next generation to lead the continent. It works closely, and in particular, with the African diaspora and young civil society and businesses leaders inside Africa. And the Young African Leader Diaspora Forum is just one manifestation of that during the summit.

United States looks to find innovative solutions to new and longstanding challenges, harnessing new research and technologies, and investing in long-term sources of strength while meeting immediate needs and aspirations of Africans. In practical terms, it recognizes the fact that Africa has enormous resources, one of fastest-growing populations, largest free-trade areas, most diverse ecosystems, and one of the largest voting – regional voting groups in the United Nations.

According to reports, the summit is to “really to highlight how the United States and our African partners are strengthening our partnerships and advancing shared priorities and indicates a reflection of the U.S. strategy towards sub-Saharan Africa and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, both of which emphasize the critical importance of the region in meeting this era’s defining challenges.”

In conclusion, it explicitly follows that it is an opportunity to deepen longstanding partnership and to focus on new areas. Discussions will focus on challenges and barriers hindering smooth friendship, ways of strengthening and advancing shared economic priorities, and defining opportunities for building relations into the future. United States show readiness to cooperate with African partners within the framework of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

democratic norms through unbridled god-father practices, abuse of state resources, etc., cannot fit the bill. Candidates who emerged through bazaars in the name of presidential primaries do not fit this bill. A candidate who cannot condemn the fundamental crime of murder due to ethnic and religious considerations is not a fit and proper person for the office of the president. If he cannot condemn murder, he will not take action as president when his favoured murderers rampage the land.

The fourth is that Nigerians need a leader who is fit and proper in all respects, who is healthy, willing and able to lead from the front. The experience with the Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd.) regime where the leader spent a good part of his time in foreign hospitals cannot be allowed to recur. It should be recalled that by the 1999 Constitution, where the president is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind as renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, he can be removed from office. If a sitting president can be removed from office for the above reason, any candidate who has lost the ability to give a coherent speech, understand issues, and respond to them cannot be our president. It will be a great disservice at this critical point in our history. Nigerians want to elect a president and not a president by proxy. We can no longer afford to be a laughing stock of the comity of nations because of the quality of the leadership we elect.

The fifth quality is that of a unifier. Nigeria needs unity of its various component parts. Unity can only be a product of accommodation, a sense of belonging as well as equity, and fairness based on our federal character principles. Passing the presidential torch from a member of a particular group to another member of the same group in such a diverse environment cannot promote integration. It can only promote alienation and the deepening of the divides that have kept Nigerians from achieving unity of purpose.

In the final analysis, the major presidential candidates have presented their credentials and qualities before Nigerians. It is no use allowing persons who do not possess leadership qualities and who have no solutions to the myriad of our challenges to assume the number one position. Thereafter, the complaints and protests will continue. We must understand that our actions and votes have very fundamental and serious consequences. Eze Onyekpere is an Abuja based Legal Practitioner.

CPC Congress: China’s new journey, Africa’s new opportunities

By CUI Jianchun

From October 16 to 22, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was convened in Beijing. H.E. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee delivered a report to the Congress on behalf of the 19th Central Committee. The Congress elected a new Central Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). President Xi was re-elected as the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. The international community closely followed this Congress, leaders of many countries and major political parties and dignitaries have sent congratulatory messages to Beijing. On a special note, President Buhari congratulated General Secretary Xi Jinping’s re-election, which well reflected the friendship of the two leaders and the high level of our two countries’ relations.

Xi’s report summarized in a comprehensive way the work in the past five years and the great changes in China in the past ten years, which is also the first decade of the new era in China, and reviewed three major events of great immediate importance and profound historical significance for the cause of CPC and the Chinese people. What’s more important is that, the report drew a blueprint for China’s future development, which will surely bring new opportunities for the further growth of China-Africa and China-Nigeria relations.

Firstly, China’s experience and practice show that every country must choose a path based on its own national realities. Democracy is an ideal that has always been cherished by China and its people. Now, we have developed whole-process people’s democracy, made all-around progress in improving the institutions, standards, and procedures of our socialist democracy, and advanced socialist consultative democracy by way of extensive participation. What’s more, we have reinforced the foundations that undergird the people’s running of the country, injected fresh vitality into democracy at the community level. China’s experience proves that democracy should and can come in many forms.

Nigeria and China share many similar national situations, such as large population and diversified ethnic nationalities. Both countries belong to the developing world and are on the path to pursue national development. Meanwhile, both countries are also trying to develop their own native systems which could serve their people’s interest most. During my communications with political party leaders of Nigeria, they showed strong interest in acquiring China’s experience

of governance. I strongly believe that China’s exercise of “wholeprocess people’s democracy” could provide reference for Nigeria and other African countries to develop their own political institution which would uphold democracy while maintaining national unity and common development of different ethnic nationalities.

Secondly, the report has set forth that building a community with a shared future and standing firm in protecting international fairness and justice will be China’s consistent aim. China is a strong proponent and consistent practitioner of true multilateralism. We have taken a clear-cut stance against hegemonism and power politics in all their forms, and have never wavered in our opposition to unilateralism, protectionism, and bullying of any kind. We have improved China’s overall diplomatic agenda and worked actively to build a global network of partnerships and foster a new type of international relations. China is much aware of its duty as a responsible major country, and actively participates in the reform and development of the global governance system.

In this regard, China, Nigeria, and the whole Africa have many goals in common. Back to the middle of last century, both of us had fought together against colonization and hegemony. Even till now, the interests of developing countries are yet to be fairly accommodated under the current international governance. Guided by the spirit of the report of 20th Congress of CPC, China will continue to work closely with African countries to build a more fair and just international governance system in which the voice of developing countries shall be heard, and their calls be answered.

Thirdly, China will pursue a more proactive strategy of opening up. We have worked to build a globally-oriented network of highstandard free trade areas and accelerated the development of pilot free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port. As a collaborative endeavor, the Belt and Road Initiative has been welcomed by the international community both as a public good and a cooperation platform. China has become a major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions including Nigeria. It leads the world in total volume of trade in goods, and becomes a major destination for global investment and a leading country in outbound investment. Through these efforts, we have advanced a broader agenda of opening up across more areas and in greater depth. As economic globalization is beset by recession and fragmentation, China has been providing a rare source of stability for a turbulent world.

In recent years, China-Africa win-win cooperation, by docking

Alawada political campaigns

By Sonala Olumhense

Think about it. No Nigerian leader has ever received the Mo Ibrahim Award for leadership. Nigerian leaders win no recognition for service or character. That takes far more than the small, narrow minds of speechwriters. It requires far more than the applause of hired praise singers at their doors or the shamelessness of errand boys who answer questions they were not asked.

Last week, TIME Magazine gave Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, its coveted Person of the Year award.

The magazine confers this award on someone – or a group, an idea or object – that, in the evaluation of its editors, “for better or worse has done the most to influence the events of that year…”

For Zelensky, it is a well-deserved honour. From the relative anonymity of television comedy before he became president in 2019, he found himself thrust into the limelight this year following the Russian invasion of his country.

The comedian quickly metamorphosed, demonstrating a strong ability to lead. The war unveiled the uncanny steel of which he is made, as he steered his country from the despair and uncertainty of an unexpected foreign onslaught.

Unlike people who boast about their military uniforms as a qualification for political office only to turn out to be as shallow as they are hollow, Zelensky has shown the world what true courage, patriotism and statesmanship are.

At no point in the past year has Zelensky proved to be out of his depth. He has led from the front, showing neither weakness nor trepidation, inspiring his people to stand up for their country. This non-soldier has emerged not simply as the face of Ukraine’s outrage and defiance, but the heart of their military and cultural response.

Zelensky has at no point run off to some other country to hide or to stash away a fortune. He has not gone abroad to receive medical treatment or to squander his nation’s resources. He has not sent his wife shopping with funds meant for the war effort.

That is why, before the cameras and videos of the world, and the penetrating 24-hour searchlight of the mass and informal media, his courage has transformed his people. They have listened to him and followed him. Due to Zelensky’s character, Ukraine has stared down mighty Russia.

While he was being named Person of The Year however, Nigeria’s so-called electoral clown circuit, known domestically as

the 2023 campaigns, continued.

In London, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress showed up in what was described as a Chatham House engagement that sadly ridiculed Nigeria. That is, unless the objective was to demystify and denigrate the traditions of Chatham House itself.

APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, choosing to maintain his distinction as a politician who is afraid of politics, again fled from a scheduled television debate in Nigeria to the safety of a sycophants-only event in London. His job in Chatham: to “appoint” underlings who would answer questions for him.

Far worse than an episode of ‘The Village Headmaster’ in its prime, it was ugly to watch. But it is even uglier to reflect on its implications, including that a man who has nothing beyond his ambition has somehow seized control of otherwise intelligent men. I mean, even the children of those who loaned themselves out to advance that humiliating spectacle deserve a better Nigeria.

Unless Tinubu participates in a debate he does not control, it is evident that, as the Esans would say, even if he kills an elephant, he is no hunter. The APC presidential campaign is a charade. A cynical, unpatriotic theatre aimed at the terrifying proposition that a man who cannot answer questions from three or four people can rule 200 million people.

But also similarly stunning in its emptiness is the PDP campaign, going by what was transmitted as a sponsored event on Arise TV on Wednesday. There was really no campaign going on, just a long line of party officials appearing before a large assembly of microphones to shout slogans, with the occasional blaming of the APC.

People shouting on television, led by the host Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s clown dance is a political campaign? Most of the time, you could not even see who was speaking because the event was built around cameras and microphones. Nobody thought of a strategy to ensure that each speaker could be seen, let alone heard clearly. And they never panned to the audience, perhaps because it was too sparse.

I thought presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar would speak about himself, given the character questions that bedevil him. I wanted to hear from him why a party that he has himself acknowledged as having done dastardly things when he was vicepresident somehow deserves a vote. Will he combat – or enshrine – corruption? What issues is he passionate about and how will he fund his policy interests?

the Belt and Road Initiative and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) action plans, has focused on economic growth and development, reduced poverty through human resource capacity development, and helped to maintain sustaining peace and security on the continent. Today, the outcomes of China-Africa cooperation are all over the African continent. The roads, railways, airports, ports, high-rise buildings, stadiums and other structures that China helped build are evidences that the all-round cooperation between China and Africa is yielding fantastic results.

The cooperation between China-Nigeria is also steadily growing. Last week, I participated in the ground-breaking ceremony of the new building of the ECOWAS Headquarters and the handover ceremony of the Nigerian Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center. Both of the above Abuja-located projects are aided and constructed by China and warmly welcomed by the ECOWAS member states and Nigerian Government. More than that, projects like Abuja-Kaduna railway, Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, currency swap, satellite launching, and joint marine scientific exploration, are the first of its kind in Africa. With further implementation of the report of 20th National Congress of CPC, the future of pragmatic cooperation between our two countries will be even more promising.

Since the establishment of China-Nigeria diplomatic relations 51 years ago, the relationship between China and Nigeria have enjoyed a strong development on the basis of mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual support. As the 14th Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, I left no stone unturned to raise the bar of our bilateral relations. My strategy of China-Nigeria 5GIST GDP and initiative of Share the Chinese Harmony and Perform Nigeria-China Symphony have scaled up the two countries’ cooperation crossing from political sector to security field, from economic collaboration to people to people exchanges. The convening of the 20th National Congress of CPC further injected strong impetus to our bilateral ties. Guided by its spirit, we will continue to work with Nigeria to further enhance political trust, deepen practical cooperation, strengthen people-topeople exchanges, enhance multilateral collaboration, and accelerate the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. Holding dear humanity’s shared values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, we’ll together build a brighter future for China-Nigeria relations and a better world for humanity.

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

He did not address these or similar issues. He did not campaign. He was merely putting in an appearance in something described as a campaign event. Like Jagaban Tinubu just wants to be the president.

In the end, these are men who are counting on the greed or stupidity of Nigerians to get them into that office. They have knowledge neither of map nor of compass. It is precisely why Nigeria, so sorely, lacks statesmen and why our so-called leaders can win no international recognition.

Think about it. No Nigerian leader has ever received the Mo Ibrahim Award for leadership. Nigerian leaders win no recognition for service or character. That takes far more than the small, narrow minds of speechwriters. It requires far more than the applause of hired praise singers at their doors or the shamelessness of errand boys who answer questions they were not asked.

Last week, my son died.

To tell you that he suffered from sickle cell anaemia says very little of a remarkable life that will fill books. Only 38 when he passed, over half of his incredible life had been spent in hospital or rehabilitation beds, and nearly always between sickness and pain.

For him, however, distress was never an option. He always put the last bad news in the past. His calling card included a vibrant personality, seductive intellect, and irrepressible sense of humour. That was how he converted sceptics into believers, and every person he encountered into a friend.

I never told him this, especially since he had started to write a book, but he always reminded me of Harold S. Kushner’s book, “When bad things happen to good people,” because he was evidence that the human spirit conquers all.

Sadly, I did not understand any of it until he departed. When I consider his conquest of time itself, and of the legions of persons who adored him from the moment they met him, or of his ability to touch anyone without touching them, I understand: he was an angel.

It is why neither the sojourn of his pain nor the pain of his sojourn defeated him. He was an angel; we were just not equipped to see his wings.

But you are free now, Osaze Guobadia, my godson. You were always the soaring kind.

Sonala Olumhense is a Public Policy Analyst.

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The Nigerien President, Mohamed Bazoum, has honoured the Governor of Kebbi, Abubakar Bagudu, with the national Award of Excellence, one of the country’s highest national award.

It was held during a colourful ceremony in Niamey, Niger Republic.

Special Adviser, Media to the governor, Mr Yahaya Sarki, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

Sarki said that Bagudu was decorated and presented with the

Child abuse: PLANE moves to safeguard school children in Jigawa

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

As part of effort to ensure a safety learning environment, a non governmental organization known as Partnership for Learning has moved the safeguard children in Jigawa.

The move was announced by the safeguarding adviser for PLANE, Jummai Joseph while speaking at the stakeholders meeting on developing safeguarding mechanism held at plane office in Dutse.

She explained that, the meeting comprised all the relevant stakeholders, aimed at designing a safeguarding mechanism for at Jigawa communities.

According to her, it is right time to provide a better protection for schools children and other survivors of rape in community, through introduction of new and simpler process that would make them feel comfortable to channel their complains for appropriate actions.

President Bazoum of Niger honours Bagudu with Award of Excellence

prestigious award by President Bazoum in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the socio-economic development of Nigeria and Niger Republic.

According to Sarki, the award was presented to Bagudu, who is also the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Progressives Governors’ Forum, in recognition

to his promotion of sustainable peaceful coexistence between the two countries.

Earlier, President Bazoum also decorated and presented an award

to the President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Sissoco, alongside some distinguished personalities of his country for their individual roles in the development of Niger Republic.

Yuletide: Stakeholders’ caution motorists against

By Abubakar Yunusa

As the festive season draws closer, motorists across the country have been advised to desist from overspeed and alcohol consumption to avoid road crashes.

Speaking at the Best Stars end-of-the-year party in Abuja, to sensitize drivers and their members against the dangers of drinking and driving, the stakeholders said there was a need to reduce traffic deaths and injuries, and also improve road safety in the country.

World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that around 35,641 lives were lost due to weak road safety laws on risk factors such as speed, drink-driving, seat belts, and child restraints.

Chief Executive Officer of luminous Laboratory Nigeria Limited, Ejikme Patrick Nwosu urged motorists to desist from drinking adding that “if you drink, don’t drive, do not over speed most importantly everything you are doing during this ember month should be moderate.

While speaking on the significance of the event, he said we are using every towards ending of the to sensitize our members on the importance of the festive season and how they can manage their lives throughout the season and after.

Deputy Road Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps Abuja Command, Mr. Christopher called on drivers to apply caution while driving saying “that you can you drive when you are fit to and if you found out that you are not strong,

drinking

you can pass the key to another person who is fit to drive to avoid road crash.”

Christopher also said FRSC has operation zero to checkmate reckless driving and also stop and search, and test drivers on the levels of alcoholic contents and other induced substances such as Indian hemp.

Similarly, Votex Global logistics limited managing Director, Mazi Daniel Agwu call on Nigerians to be very cautious of its insecurity as we approach the festive season.

From David Hassan, Gombe

Gombe state governor

Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has pledged support to carryout developmental projects if re-elected in the forthcoming general elections.

The governor stated this at the weekend when he visited Kwami east inorder to canvas for more votes.

He said his administration will continue to do the good work for the people of Gombe state.

According to him, “as you know, this government is for the people and there is no doubt to work for the people”

The Presidential Candidate Democratical of the Action Democratic Party Party, Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani, has announced the composition of his presidential campaign council for the 2023 general election

Addressing Party members and journalists in Abuja, the ADP presidential candidate said the misery, poverty, insecurity and favouritism under this Administration I s nothing to write about

He said:” bad Governance has made Nigeria today is rated as the global capital of poverty and as one of the three leading centres of insecurity in the comity of nations.

“A survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that million Nigerians are poor.

What else can be responsible for this unsightly situation for a country with all it needs to be prosperous? Apparently, bad governance.

“According to he monthly average exchange rate of the naira to the US dollar in the last sevenand-a-half years the hamingt fell from N196.92 in June 2015 to N445,83 to the dollar for interbank Foreign Exchange market as at November 2022.

Sani assured Nigerians that if given the mandate to serve, the human and material resources of the country would be harnessed to promote decent and quality living for Nigerians.

“To stabilize the economy, there is a great need for good fiscal and monetary policy plans. Is only a knowledgeable and competent

party and leader that can do this.

“Our philosophy and propelling motif are to offer a Credible Alternative to the dangerous trend threatening to take us to the abyss.

We the founding fathers of the ADP and our teeming members believe that given the stupendous natural and human resources available, the country should have no business being poor and the people should be much better off in their welfare and living standard.

“We are committed to quickly embark on exploring and harnessing the vast resources of the country to profoundly lift Nigeria and its citizens to be among the most advanced and prosperous nations of the world.

“More importantly, our

mission in governance are anchored on the objective of promoting unity and integration of the component nationalities, communities and groups through a conscious, prudent and disciplined commitment to the golden, universal principles of transparency in governance, equity, equality and fair play in the distribution of the nation’s resources without discrimination on the bases of ethnicity, faith, creed, region, gender, class and other identities of the citizens.

“When given the mandate in 2023, our covenant with Nigerians is that governance by the rule of law will be the guiding principle of our administration at the national issues and bringing good governance to their door step.

The Founder Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja (HLFN), Dr. Jumai Ahmadu (right), interacting with the people with Special needs during the foundation 19th end of the year outreach for widows and vulnerable groups in FCT, held on Saturday in Abuja...

Photo; Justin Imo-owo

Tinubu/Shettima Independent Campaign Council deploys ICC Chart for mobilisation

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Tinubu/Shettima Independent Campaign Council (ICC) yesterday unveiled an Application; ICC Charts, which the Council plans to deploy for the purpose of mobilising grassroots support for the victory of the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.

Briefing journàlists yesterday in Abuja, former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Silas Agara, who is also the National Coordinator of the Tinubu/ Shettima Independent Campaign Council, said the Application is designed to mobilise an unprecedented number of votes never witnessed in the history of presidential elections in Nigeria.

Agara, flanked by the group’s Deputy National Coordinators of both North and South, said the Independent Campaign Council will also review its work plan to ensure the victory of Tinubu/ Shettima ticket.

According to him, “The ICC is a tactical and strategic organ of Tinubu/Shettima ticket, which is saddled with primary responsibility of supporting the dynamic Presidential Campaign Council for Tinubu/Shettima ticket. The ICC is a grassrootsbased initiative, strategically covering the bottom-up campaign network.

“The ICC Presence is fully rooted in: All the States plus FCT down to the polling units. The ICC is built around Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Ticket, with a wellstructured operation manned by a National Coordinator with Deputies overseeing Northern and Southern operations.

“The ICC also has six Directorates that are responsible for: Media, Legal, Logistics and protocol, Admin and Finance, Women and Youth”.

Speaking further, the former Deputy Governor said the ICC is a multidimensional and an all-inclusive approach that has close workings with various committees for maximum engagement with the Nigerian people towards generating the highest number of votes ever witnessed in the history of Nigerian presidential election.

He said the ICC is ICT compliant, creating an advance grassroots networking that will enhance voter confidence leading

to the anticipated resounding victory for Tinubu/Shettima and the APC in 2023.

“We have designed a unique model of engagement with our committees and all support groups called the ICC chart; a model that deepens and reasserts hope for greater Nigeria; this renewal of the connection between the people and the APC is what the Tinubu/Shettima presidential initiative seeks to bring about” he said.

Pointing out that the ICC work plan is already been

implemented in various States of the federation, Agara said part of the manifesto of the Bola/ Shettima candidacy seeks the building of a 21st Century Economy through; Building Modern infrastructure, Creating a valueadded economy, Strengthening good government, Ending our reliance on oil & gas, Agriculture & land; A Green revolution.

Explaining how the Application works, Abiola Oshodi, a Canadian based resource person of the Tinubu/

Shettima ICC, said the application can be downloaded in Apple store or Google Play Store, from which the details of the user will be captured automatically, hence there is no room for double registration.

He said the Tinubu/Shettima ICC will also deploy a tactical team to assist supporters on how to use the application, to ensure that Tinubu wins the highest number of votes in the 2023 Presidential election.

Also, in his brief remarks, the Chief spokesman of the Tinubu/

Shettima ICC, Hilliard Etah, who was also former acting national chairman of APC, said the Independent Campaign Council complements the Presidential Campaign Council, by picking up from where members of the PCC stops their work.

He explained that the mega rallies across the States are usually planned and executed by the PCC, while the ICC takes off from there to reach out to more Nigerians individually, as a method of boosting the number of support base of the party.

I remain a force in Ogun 2023 politics – Amosun says

By Musa Baba Adamu

Former Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, on Monday, stormed Abeokuta with hundreds of his followers across Ogun State.

This gathering was coming barely two weeks after an Abeokuta High Court directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to expunge the names of his candidates in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from its list of candidates contesting the 2023 general elections.

But, Amosun and his supporters appeared unperturbed by the court ruling as they gathered at the Ake Palace Square

for an empowerment programme.

Speaking with journalists, Amosun insisted that regardless of anything that happens, he remains a force to reckon with in Ogun politics, despite leaving office almost four years ago.

Amosun boasted that the larger population of the people of the State are still solidly behind him, asking them to remain calm.

He reiterated that Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains his choice during the presidential poll, stating that his support for Tinubu is unwavering.

The former governor appealed to Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and remain peaceful before, during and after the elections.

“We should all come out and collect our PVCs and we should not fight. This is Ogun State and we should be violence-free. All of us are for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is no controversy about that one,” Amosun said.

Recall that Amosun has declared that he would not vote for the APC during the 2023 governorship election in Ogun.

He said he would support Biyi Otegbeye of the ADC by coming out to campaign for him openly.

As the Ogun Senator, Amosun said he had extended his empowerment programme to the other two Senatorial districts of Ogun East and West because of the support and love he gets from constituents of other districts.

“One novel thing about what

we are are doing today is that we are not limiting this to just Ogun Central even though Ogun Central will have more because I represent Ogun Central, but I know we have our people as well in the East and West, though Ogun East and West have their own Senators and they have been giving their people things, but I’m doing this in the Central and I felt that I should extend that courtesy to our people in Ogun West and East.

“It is not only the people of Ogun Central that have been supporting me since, our people from Ogun West and East have also been supporting our course and I feel they should also benefit from this empowerment programme,” he said.

All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Femi Hamzat, at an interaction between Tinubu and South West Muslim Leaders on Sunday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital...

By Christiana Ekpa

An area court in Bukuru, Jos South LGA of Plateau State has sentenced Gabriel Orupou (alias Alaye) to two years imprisonment and or N100,000 fine for destroying a billboard belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Orupou, a resident of Dadin Kowa, was found guilty of criminal conspiracy.

Delivering the sentence, the presiding judge, Hyacinth Dolnaan and Abdulahi Sadiq, also granted compensation in the sum of N400,000 as damages for the banners destroyed and a six-month

Labour Party condemns killing of members nationwide

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Labour Party (LP), has condemned in strong terms the continuous killings of its members in parts of the country.

Addressing newsmen on Monday in Kaduna, the party’s National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim Mai Rakumi, lamented the continuous killing of its members, particularly in Kaduna State and called on the ruling party to rise to the occasion and save the lives of innocent Nigerians.

He said, “The spate of the killings of our members is worrisome, I call on the federal government and Kaduna State governments to take proactive measures towards ensuring the protection of its members and Nigerians in general.”

“Our great party has noticed with dismay in recent times, the spate of killings of our party supporters in Kaduna State. Particularly in southern Kaduna which is one of our strongholds and the constituency of our Gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Asake is becoming a source of concern.”

“Just last week our great party lost eight members in Kaura local government and Zangon Kataf Local Government respectively. This series of killing within a short time is highly condemnable and insensitive, especially in this festive period,” he noted.

He also called on the Kaduna State government to put all the mechanisms in motion to apprehend and prosecute those responsible for the criminality.

“The killing of the amiable woman leader of the Labour Party in Kaduna state, Mrs Victoria Chintex is still fresh in our minds and we will follow up with her gruesome murder till the Kaduna State government apprehends the culprits,” he assured.

He opined that the Labour Party views all the killings in its major strongholds in Kaduna State and some parts of the country as a calculated attempt to demoralise supporters in next year’s elections in the country.

“I want to assure the good people of Kaduna State that as the labour party waxes stronger on daily basis,

Court jails man for destroying Atiku’s 2023 election campaign billboard in Jos

jail term in the event of default.

Recall that the billboard bearing campaign messages of the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa was allegedly destroyed by Orupou on instructions of one Musa and Danlami (now at large) of Dadin Kowa who reportedly

paid him the sum of N2,000 to pull down the billboard.

Speaking with journalists, after the judgment, the legal adviser to the PDP in Bassa LGA, Barrister John Amama said that the judgement delivered was indeed a victory for democracy.

Amama commended the Police

for once again demonstrating that they are up and doing in upholding justice and fairness to all political parties by arresting the culprit.

He used the opportunity to call on youths not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs as there are consequences for such acts.

“I want to appeal to political

parties to engage in issue-based campaigns rather than employing the services of thugs to destroy campaign materials of their political opponents.

“I want to commend the PDP in Plateau State for conducting itself in a very civilised manner by addressing the matter through legal channels rather than retaliating,” he said.

Ogun will vote Atiku, not Tinubu – PDP campaign DG Akinlade

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in Ogun State, Adekunle Akinlade, has said the people of Ogun State would rise above ethnic sentiments to vote for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Akinlade said Atiku would defeat Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other candidates to win the 2023 election in the state, saying failure is not an option.

Akinlade, who is also the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, noted that the recent court judgment which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Ladi Adebutu as the governorship candidate, had been giving the ruling party sleepless nights.

Speaking in Abeokuta at the meeting of the PCC members held on Monday, Akinlade maintained that the party leaders drawn from all the 20 local governments in the state have the mandate to mobilize votes for Atiku and other candidates in the next elections,

urging Nigerians to vote the PDP in all elections.

“We want everybody to work hard. I have no doubt that we will deliver Atiku in the first election and I have no doubt that we will also deliver the PDP in the second election in Ogun State. We are going to vote PDP all through, no sentiment of any kind.

“We are going to work from local government to local government and ward to ward. A lot of what we are going to do has to do with strategic engagement and peaceful engagement with the members of the public. We know

those who have registered to vote and we have the data. We will take genuine advantage of the data. Failure is not an option for us in Ogun State and failure is not an option for us at the national level,” he said.

In his remarks, the State Chairman, Sikirullahi Ogundele, said “PDP is hungry to return to power” both at the state and the national levels.

Ogundele called on the PCC members to see their appointments as a call to duty and work in unison to ensure the party’s victory next year.

NNPP senatorial candidate laments high cost of governance in Nigeria

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 2023 senatorial candidate in Anambra State, Barr Helen Mbakwe has lamented the high cost of governance in Nigeria, saying that no country can succeed by wasting its resources.

Mbakwe, who is running for the Senate under the New Nigeria

Peoples Party (NNPP) said a lot of money is being used to fund the lifestyle of the leaders of the country and leaving the masses with little.

Speaking to journalists in Anambra State on Monday, the banker-turned-lawyer called for a drastic cut in the cost of governance, saying her aspiration to go to the Senate is to play a role in making laws that will cut waste

by the country’s leaders.

She said: “I’m not a regular politician, but seeing the yearnings for a new Nigeria, I am compelled to run for office, to be a part of the making of the new country we seek.

“The cost of governance is simply too high, we need lawmakers who will make laws to curb the waste we experience in government, and I can tell you that you cannot pour new wine in an old

container.”

According to her: “We need a crop of politicians who are entirely new, not the over-recycled politicians who we have today.”

Her choice of NNPP, she said, was deliberate.

“Because of the new Nigeria it offers us. I believe that if we hope for a new Nigeria, we should also yearn for an entirely new crop of leaders,” Mbakwe said.

R-L: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, and Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, during Nwodo’s 70th birthday celebration, yesterday at St. Mulumba Catholic Church, New Haven, Enugu,

POLITICS

What I will do for security personnel – Plateau PDP guber candidate Mutfwang

By Christiana Ekpa

The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has expressed commitment towards improving the welfare of security personnel in the state to enable them to respond swiftly to security challenges if given the mandate in 2023.

He also noted that equipping security operatives in the state with requisite security intelligence and boosting their morale with welfare packages will enable them to demonstrate more commitment towards tackling emerging security threats in rural communities.

Mutfwang stated this while speaking at the closing ceremony of the training of the newly recruited men and officers of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), held in Jos, Plateau State capital.

According to him: “There is a strong connection between welfare and productivity of security personnel across the globe, therefore, giving priority to their welfare will boost their morale for greater response to the security of lives and properties.”

He applauded the newly recruited personnel for their immense contributions to national security and promised to work closely with them to secure the land and people of the state if he is elected governor in 2023.

Mutfwang urged them to discharge their duties with dedication, self-commitment and patriotism to the state and the nation.

In her earlier remarks, the state commander of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Mildred D. Shepsuk, expressed the gratitude of the organization to the governorship candidate for attending in person and supporting them.

She noted that the newly recruited personnel were drilled thoroughly to respond to emerging security threats in our local communities.

Further attacks on INEC facilities may affect 2023 elections - Commissioner, Okoye

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed worries that if attacks on its facilities persist into January 2023, it could affect the conduct of the general elections.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Festus Okoye, said this at a workshop on Political Violence and Election Security organised by the National Defence College on Monday in Abuja.

Okoye said the commission had recorded some reverses in states where the attacks took place, including destruction of

ballot boxes and other election material, as well as permanent voter cards.

He said that the commission had since the 2019 recorded 50 attacks in 15 states of the federation.

According to him, the attacks recorded in 2022 were systematic and coordinated to derail lNEC from conducting free, fair, credible and transparent elections.

He particularly said that the commission recorded so many losses in the attack on its office in Abeokuta South Local Government in Ogun.

Okoye however assured that INEC has the capacity to recover from those attacks, “So all these attacks that have

taken place, we have the capacity to recover and we are going to recover because we are already reprinting the permanent voters cards that were lost during the inferno.

“We are also replacing the voting cubicles and ballot boxes that were lost, we are also trying to rent offices for the ones that we cannot repair.

“But if these attacks go into January and February, it may be difficult for us to recover from those attacks.

“This is because if you look at section 134 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, it has a threshold that a candidate must meet before that candidate can

be declared as the winner of any election.

“So we do not want these attacks to continue, we don’t want them to persist.

“But we have the assurance from the various security agencies that they are going to dominate the environment, neutralise these attacks,” he added.

Okoye added that the security agencies had given the assurance that they would ensure a secure and safe environment for the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

He assured Nigerians that INEC would conduct an election driven by technology that would produce a winner that the Nigerian people want.

No DSS officer was slapped by Adeleke’s family – Osun PDP

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has denied allegations that personnel of the Department of State Security (DSS) attached to the security detail of the state governor, Ademola Adeleke was physically assaulted.

The Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) had alleged on Sunday in a statement by Kola Olabisi, the Osun APC Director of Media that a DSS operative was slapped by the elder sister of the governor, Modupe Sanni.

The Osun PDP in a reaction by Oladele Bamiji, its Director of Media on Monday described the APC as rudderless and in severe pain over its loss of political power.

The Osun PDP advised the APC to prevail on former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to apologize and return all looted assets rather than looking for

petty diversionary tactics and engaging in rumour peddling.

According to Osun PDP, “Such statements with the seal of a supposed registered political party is pathetic, to put it mildly. It is the lowest level anyone could descend to show unsophisticated frustration.

“While we are not unaware of the fact that APC leaders and members alike, as things stand in the state, are down and critically idle, nevertheless, we never thought they will degenerate to the point of trying to give life to beer parlour gossip.

“As such, we like to advise the party to endure its time in the desert with sensible anger, as the petty style adopted so far by APC handlers can only continue to reduce their electoral stock.

“We like to emphasize that at no point did Governor Adeleke or any member of his family physically assault any

security details attached to them. The truth, which can be easily verified from security personnel around him, is the kind hospitality and respect the Governor and his family have accorded them.

“Only those with cheap mindset, as the Osun APC extensively demonstrated, will ever entertain the thought of a respected family as the Adeleke will abuse security operatives.”

While reiterating the position of the Osun State Government in an earlier statement by its spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed that the alleged withdrawal of DSS personnel from Ademola Adeleke had nothing to do with him or any member of his family but a minor disagreement with the Police, which is being handled by the appropriate authorities.

The party called on the people to dismiss the

entirety of the insinuations of the APC, describing the rumour as a clever plot to distract from the questions of accountability posed to it by the PDP-led Ademola Adeleke administration.

2023: Enough of character assassination – Enugu PDP warns opposition parties

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State has condemned what it called the deliberate attempt by some opposition political parties in the State to engage in the maligning of the party’s governorship candidate in the State.

The Party’s stand was in reaction to a trending video in the State which made some allegations against its governorship candidate, Barr.

Peter Mbah.

Addressing journalists in Enugu on Monday, Barr.

Nana Ogbodo, Director of Communications/Spokesman, PDP Campaign Organization in

the State said those involved in the malicious campaigns and character assassination should be brought to book by law enforcement agencies.

Ogbodo said the purveyors of the fake news were taking for granted the fact that the Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, had enthroned an enabling environment characterized by restraint even in the face of brazen provocation.

He said it was unfortunate that some misguided members of the society have continually hidden under the anonymity of the social media world to peddle sheer falsehood and utter malicious content.

According to him, Enugu State is not immune to this malaise. In the last few months, especially since the beginning of campaigns for the forthcoming elections, those who ought to have known better, have sought to revile the prevailing civility in the state and drag the hardearned reputation of Enugu’s illustrious sons to the mud of public obloquy.

“Lately, the state has been inundated with clearly malicious jingles and sundry content conceived with the devious intent to malign the reputation of our governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. Despite the disingenuous

attempt to mask the identity of the purveyors, it is not difficult to deduce the source of these slanderous messages.

“We are not in the least surprised by such discovery, as the messages are in sync with the characters of the linchpins whose political careers are typified by mudslinging. Whereas most of these pretenders have no record of success in any previous endeavor, they are wont to rate any other person’s successes from the warped prism of their serial failings, after all, it is often typical of scoundrels to assume that their enemies are the enemies of God!

Governor Adeleke

Twitter users vote for Elon Musk’s resignation as CEO

Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Majority of the Twitter users who participated in a poll put up by Elon Musk have voted for his ouster as CEO of the micro-blogging platform.

Musk, the billionaire founder Tesla Inc, on Sunday launched a poll to determine whether he should remain as CEO.

Based on the result of the poll which ended on Monday, 57.5 percent of the 17.5 million users who partook asked for his exit.

Musk had earlier pledged to abide by the poll’s results when it ends.

“Should I step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll” he asked Twitter users when he put up the poll.

After what has been described as a controversial acquisition deal, Musk agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion in April 2022, thereby becoming CEO of the microblogging platform.

According to the deal, investors received $54.20 for each Twitter share they own, the company said in a statement.

Twitter also became a privately held company upon the completion of the transaction.

Musk, following his ascension as the company’s head, implemented many radical policies beginning with the sack of Twitter’s three top executives — less than a day after completing the acquisition of the platform.

Following that, the billionaire went on a massive global layoff spree which affected Twitter’s newly created Africa headquarters, cutting the jobs of 3,700 workers.

Musk further switched gears by introducing a verification policy which compels users to pay at least $8 to get the blue badge.

Although the billionaire said he acquired the social media platform to promote free speech, Musk has come under intense criticism since he took over the company.

Nigeria generated N625bn from VAT in Q3 2022 - Says NBS

Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the country generated N625.39 billion as value-added tax (VAT) in the third quarter of 2022.

VAT is a consumption tax that is administered by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Revenue generated from VAT is usually disbursed to the three tiers of government through the federation accounts allocation committee (FAAC).

The NBS said this in its latest sectoral distribution of VAT for Q3 2022, released on Monday.

The figure represents an

increase of 4.21 percent from the N600.15 billion generated in Q2 2022.

According to the report, local VAT payments amounted to N367.93 billion in Q3 2022.

“On the aggregate, valueadded tax (VAT) for Q3 2022 was reported at N625.39 billion, showing a growth rate of 4.21 percent on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N600.15 billion in Q2 2022,” the report reads.

“Local payments recorded were N367.93 billion, foreign VAT payments were N121.85 billion, while import VAT contributed N135.61 billion in Q3 2022.

“On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the arts, entertainment,

and recreation supply activities recorded the highest growth rate with 61.09 percent, followed by activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies with 44.47.”

The NBS report also shows that activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use had the lowest growth rate with -56.37 percent, followed by water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities with -32.02 percent.

“In terms of sectoral contributions, the top three largest shares in Q3 2022 were manufacturing with 31.08 percent, information

and communication with 18.52 percent, and mining and quarrying with 10.95 percent,” NBS said.

“Conversely, activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use recorded the least share with 0.01 percent, followed by activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies with 0.06 percent, and water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities with 0.08 percent.”

Meanwhile, on a year-onyear basis, VAT collections in Q3 2022 increased by 24.95 percent from Q3 2021.

Ghana suspends payments on, commercial term loans

The Ghanaian government says it has suspended all debt service payments under “certain categories of its external debt”.

The country’s ministry of finance announced this in a statement on Monday.

It said the suspension will include eurobonds, commercial term loans and most of its bilateral debt, pending future agreements with all relevant creditors.

The government explained that the measures were necessary to prevent a further deterioration in the economic, financial, and social situation in the West African nation.

Ghana, had on December 5, launched a domestic debt exchange programme to restore public debt sustainability.

But the ministry said given the magnitude of the economic and social crisis that Ghana is confronted with, the domestic debt operation would not be enough to close the large financing gaps that the country faces over the coming years.

According to the statement, the government’s debt sustainability analysis (DSA) has demonstrated that its public debt, both external and domestic, is unsustainable.

“As it stands, our financial resources, including the Bank of Ghana’s international reserves, are limited and need to be preserved at this critical juncture,” the statement reads in part.

“That is why we are announcing today a suspension of all debt service payments

under certain categories of our external debt, pending an orderly restructuring of the affected obligations.

“This suspension will include the payments on: our eurobonds; our commercial term loans; and on most of our bilateral debt. This suspension will not include the payments of our multilateral debt, new debts (whether multilateral or otherwise) contracted after 19th December 2022 or debts related to certain short term trade facilities.

“We are also evaluating certain specific debts related to projects with the highest socioeconomic impact for Ghana which may have to be excluded.

This suspension is an interim emergency measure pending future agreements with all

relevant creditors.”

The Ghanaian government further expressed its readiness to engage in discussions with all of its external creditors to make Ghana’s debt sustainable through a fair, transparent and comprehensive debt restructuring exercise in line with international best practices.

It said the finance ministry would hold an investor presentation at a date to be announced at a later stage.

On Tuesday, the IMF said it had reached a staff-level agreement with Ghana on a $3 billion bailout package to tackle its economic difficulties.

One of the grounds on which Ghana got the facility from the IMF is a “comprehensive debt restructuring”.

Nigeria Exchange set for startup boom as SEC approves listing rules for tech board

By ABUBAKAR YUNUS Abuja

The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the rules for listing on Nigeria Exchange’s new Technology Board, the NGX announced Monday.

The technology board is a specialised platform for technology-based companies to list and raise capital on The Exchange. Through the board, NGX aims to encourage investments in indigenous technologically inclined companies and others across Africa, provide greater visibility to these companies and ultimately deepen the Nigerian capital market. Securities listed on NGX Technology Board will be accessible to qualified institutional investors, retail investors, and high-net-worth investors.

The approval has come as the Nigerian Exchange psotions itself to get its bite from Nigeria’s growing startup market that has produced five unicorns (companies at early stage of business but each of whose valuation is already $1 billion and above) and made it the tech capital of Africa.

From major players like Jumia, OPay, Interswitch and Flutterwave to Andela, the newest of the five, the country’s tech-based companies are closely examining digital gaps in the way businesses serve consumers. They are doing so with turnkey solutions with the kind of promise and charm that investors from places like Sweden and U.S. cities of Silicon Valley and San Francisco are unable to resist.

But NGX’s vision is even bigger than Nigeria, where startups hauled in one out of every three dollars of fintech funding that accrued to Africa, the Middle East and Pakistan for last year.

The push will carve a path to additional capital for startups with some years in business desiring to raise cash to scale their operations further.

It is at this level of capitalraising intervention that the NGX hopes to be a continental major player, as Africa’s fintech revenue warms up to jump by 800 per cent to $30.3 billion by 2025, according a study by McKinsey & Co released in August.

“This is a landmark achievement that will position the Exchange as an attractive destination for capital formation by companies within the Technology Sector,” said the CEO of NGX, Temi Popoola. “We are confident that NGX Technology Board will encourage start-ups, both Nigerian-founded and from other African countries, to list on

There’s plot to frame Emefiele for terrorism, CSOs raise the alarm

By ABUBAKAR YUNUS Abuja

Acoalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) says there a plot to oust Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), from office on trumped-up terrorism charges.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Tochukwu Ohazuruike, convener of the coalition, alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS) has “secretly” filed terrorism charges against the CBN governor.

Ohazuruike said in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/2255/2022, the secret police is praying the court for an order to remand Emefiele for at least 60 days.

“There is a suit at the high court with the major target of getting the CBN governor out of office that motion has the number 294/M/294/2022,” the convener said.

“On the 7th of December another ex parte motion was secretly filed at the federal high

court Abuja, this time, directly by the State Security Service (SSS). The suit is between the State Security Service and Godwin Emefiele.

“Our intelligence which discovered this shocking development showed that the suit was filed at the court without disclosing the full identity of the defendant, Mr Emefiele, to the court.

“They are working on the premise that the court will grant an order to arrest Mr Emefiele who

is the defendant for a meaning of 60 days hiding under Section 66 of the terrorism prevention and prohibition act 2022.

“It is utterly shameful for the SSS to fabricate bogus charges only in a bid to force an innocent man out of office.”

Peter Afunnaya, spokesman of the DSS, is yet to comment on the allegation.

Calls put through to his phone did not go through and a text message sent to him has not been responded to.

Tek Experts Wins IT Support Company of the Year Award

By ABUBAKAR Y OJIMA,Abuja

Tek Experts was nominated and clinched the coveted awards for the success of its suite of managed IT and tech staffing solutions, which has contributed immensely to deepening capacity building in digital skills and the overall growth of the IT industry in Nigeria.

Started in 2019 to celebrate influential non-listed companies in the real sector of the Nigerian economy, the Nigeria Business Leadership Award has become a coveted prestigious platform that draws attention to remarkable accomplishments by operators across several industries. The award, therefore, underscores Tek Experts’

contributions to the Nigerian economy through innovative solutions that have shaped the IT industry.

The Country Manager of Tek Experts, Olugbolahan Olusanya, who received the award in the company of Adewale Adeyemi, Tek Experts’ Head of Executive Business Development, and Abolaji Abubakar, Sales Manager, expressed delight at the recognition and promised to sustain the momentum through quality, excellent IT support services delivery.

He said, “We’re excited about this. This is a recognition of the impact we are making in the Tech/ IT ecosystem in Nigeria. For us, this is dedicated to the over 2000 employees in Nigeria committed to

maintaining our position as a global provider of technical talent solutions and trusted partner to some of the world’s largest and most-respected organizations. We also dedicate this to our counterparts in Africa, and everyone on the global scene. Thank you all and thank you BusinessDay.”

Speaking further, the elated Olusanya said, “Over the past few years, Tek Experts has remained at the forefront of technical talent innovation and this recognition attests to its impact in the ecosystem as well as an acknowledgement that the industry has paid attention. There is a technological evolution that is driving the fourth industrial revolution and what Tek Experts is doing will secure a place for all those willing to play an active part in it.

“We have a lot of confidence in the potential of this market and we do not take for granted the expectations of the market on us. This recognition inspires us to do more and I assure all our stakeholders that we will not drop the ball. We remain committed to discovering and developing technical talents needed to support the growth of the ecosystem and the economy at large.”

With over 2,000 employees in Nigeria alone, Tek Experts has grown to become one of the fastest-growing tech talent solutions companies in the country. Since launching in 2018, the company has made a significant impact in the Nigerian IT industry offering strategic technical support to top players across various industries.

Oil price falls below $80 a barrel as central banks hike interest rates

Oil prices, on Friday, fell as the market assessed the aftermath of interest rate hikes at central banks.

Brent crude futures fell 2.28 percent to $78.87 per barrel while West Texas Intermediate futures slipped 2.76 percent to $74.01 per barrel.

The development comes as central banks in Europe raised interest rates.

Commenting on the downward trend of the commodity, analysts from ANZ Research told Reuters that tighter monetary policy is already having an impact on industrial activity.

“The prospect of further tightening following hawkish comments from policy makers weighed on sentiments,” the analysts said.

On Thursday, the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to a targeted range between 4.25 percent and 4.5 percent, indicating it will raise interest rates further next year.

The Bank of England and the European Central Bank raised interest rates (the same day) to 3.5 percent and 2.5 percent

respectively, to fight inflation.

Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA) raised its 2023 global oil demand growth estimate to 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd).

Analysts from J.P Morgan Commodity Research also expect the United States to start restocking its strategic petroleum reserves in the first quarter of 2023.

“Based on our quarterly projections, this window (for repurchase) will open in first quarter of 2023 with initial purchase of around 60 million barrels over first half of 2023,” they said.

For Nigeria, plummeting crude oil prices means more woes for a country whose oil sector is already battered by theft, sabotage as well as poor production.

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) said the country lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil valued at N16.25 trillion ($46.16 billion) from 2009 to 2020.

Temitope Omosuyi, investment strategist, Afrinvest

Securities Ltd, told TheCable that it is expected that countries will witness economic slowdown in 2023.

“A major driver is the recent all-round increase in interest rate. It is expected that it will take a full toll on the economy in 2023 in terms of growth,” he said.

“So if we are expecting growth to slow down in 2023, oil prices are also expected to decline or just stay around $50, $60 to $70 a barrel compared to some point this year when we saw over $100 a barrel.”

Omosuyi said a unique challenge Nigeria’s oil industry was faced with in 2022 was its failure to meet the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) qouta when oil prices were high.

“For next year, what it actually means is that if we are now ramping up oil production, there may be a bit of challenge in terms of maximising oil revenue because oil prices are expected to decline and if we are looking at increasing production so as to maximise revenue, we may not be able to get the best from oil,” he said.

As such, he said oil exports will affected and “it won’t be good for foreign reserves and it will have an effect on the foreign exchange (FX) market”.

Another twist to the issue is that if oil prices are low in 2023, he said OPEC and its allies may want to cut its quota.

“It means even if Nigeria has the leeway to ramp up and address local challenges that have impeded production, but because in 2023, OPEC would want prices to stay somewhat high, they will want to review quota downwards — meaning Nigeria’s capacity will now be limited because of lower oil prices,” he added.

“In the long run, it is not good for the country from the angle of foreign reserves and government fiscal position and FX market.”

Still, in 2023, the country hopes to see less oil theft and more crude oil production.

By mid-2023, Timipre Sylva, minister of petroleum resources, believes the country should be positioned to meet the production quota set by OPEC, as the new Dangote refinery is expected to come on stream in the first quarter of next year.

Stock Watch: Monday, December 19, 2022

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

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

METRO

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has tasked critical stakeholders involved in the ongoing reinvigorated enforcement drive to keep Abuja clean and safe for residents and visitors alike.

Bello also reiterated commitment to see that those assigned to carry out enforcement duty and security go through and succeed with the difficult task.

The Minister spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah, at the weekend, during an end of year get together for some critical stakeholders drawn from the civil service, security and paramilitary agencies domiciled in the FCT especially those providing security cover for the FCTA city managers’ enforcement drive.

According to him: “I called all of you, to say thank you, and tell you that I’m eternally grateful, as you have done noble for the city, which is why the Minister is very pleased with your enforcement security cover and duty.

“You have done very well and history will be kind to you. The Minister is proud of your work. And he said is so committed to enforcement aimed at ensuring the cleanliness and security of the city.

“And he is determined to see that we go through and achieve the desired result- keeping the city clean.

He continues: “ It is a thing of joy when we work and succeed together at any level; Command and Control, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Development Control Department, DRTS, Social Development Secretariat (SDS) and the JTF component. We may

Yuletide: We remain firm in keeping Abuja clean, safe -FCT Minister

not have agreed on everything, but we have succeeded on every front. And our success lies in everyone here and beyond.

“I wish we have started early, but whatever it is, we have played our cards well, and we have done well for the city. Nevertheless, please we beg for more support to sustain the momentum”.

On his part, Secretary, FCT Command and Control, Peter

Olumuji, thanked the Minister for what he described as a lifetime opportunity, as some of them may not have such opportunity again to contribute to the development and management of the city.

Similarly, Head of Enforcement AEPB, Kaka Bello, reiterated that there is no inter agency rivalry in the discharge of their duties, as reflected in the harmonious working

relationship that enabled to the job well.

Kaka urged the stakeholders to ensure that they keep the fire burning untill the objective is achieved.

Most of the stakeholders that spoke during the meeting, said the enforcement initiative has helped improved the synergy among various law enforcement agencies in the FCT, as the operations brought together

every security and paramilitary agencies in Abuja.

It was observed that the stakeholders, comprising of Assistant Directors and representatives of heads of security and paramilitary agencies involved the enforcement drive, who were taken away from the hustle of the difficulty of the field work, sat, talked and ate, in the spirit of the yuletide season.

Guzape: Residents groan as Taskforce clears encroachments on road corridors in Kobi village

By Stanley Onyekwere

In order to pave way for the ongoing infrastructural works Kobi village in Guzape II area of Abuja, several illegal houses and other structures on the road corridors were yesterday removed by FCT Administration.

Also removed were purported illegal structures mainly shanties belonging to non- indigenous and all encroachments to the main Guzape I village.

Explaining the exercise, Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah said it was actually continuing from where the enforcement stopped before, as some persons in Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) informed

them that they haven’t finished the job.

Attah said : “We had marked earlier for removal and we are now here to remove them. When we came here they thought the locals will come and tell us when to remove and not when to remove, the locals are in their houses and those who bought land from them are crying and the Minister has asked us to clear to pave way for the infrastructural work that is ongoing in the area.

“And we have warned the non indigenes to stop buying land from the locals, the locals are up, you can see the village up there, they are in their respective homes watching what is ongoing.

“We will be working deep into the Christmas and probably ‘during’ Christmas and ‘after’ the Christmas”.

One of those affected who simply identified himself as Mr Amos, disclosed that he had bought the reclaimed land about 2 years ago for N120, 000 from the indigenes and moved in 2021.

He laments that, “Nobody informed us that the land is illegal if they had told me I wouldn’t have bought the land or build here. The locals are supposed to tell us that they will still demolish the buildings.

“I built here Kobi Sarki. I built about two years ago. I bought 25:30, at N120,000, nobody told me that the land is illegal. I bought the land from the indigenes and they gave me a paper from Madaki house and it was the Emir (monarch) that signed the paper they gave to me. I even paid for the signing of the paper, I paid N3,000.00.

“I started building in 2020 and I parked

in 2021, and I spent about one million Naira to build the house and everything is gone now. So I might be moving to the village.

Another dislodged person, Mr. Yohana, also decried the fact that nobody told them that their houses will be demolished one day.

He said after the first demolition, they held a meeting with the indigenous people, and were assured that no demolition for now, but now their houses are gone.

He claimed that he bought his land for N70,000, and declared that he wants his money to be refunded.

According to him, the Madaki (the village chief) has already instructed to go after the people that sold the land to them, in order to get their refund.

President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by SGF Mr. Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Permanent Secretary State House, Alh Tijjani Umar, SSAP Malam Garba Shehu and SCOP Amb Lawan Kazaure during his 80th Birthday at the Presidential Villa yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

world news

Netherlands slavery: Saying sorry leaves Dutch divided

The Netherlands is expected to apologise for slavery, with a speech on Monday by the prime minister and ministerial visits to the Caribbean and Suriname.

But the date chosen and the way the announcement has been organised has prompted criticism, so what Mark Rutte is planning to say is not yet clear.

Critics complain of insufficient consultation and claim the way it has been pushed through by the Dutch cabinet has a "colonial feel".

Six Suriname foundations sought a court injunction to push the apology back to 1 July 2023, which would mark the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Act, although it took another decade before slavery was actually phased out in the Dutch colonies.

"If there's an apology, it should be on the first of July, when they removed our shackles," says DJ Etienne Wix," says DJ Etienne Wix, whose community radio station mArt was among the groups seeking a different date.

Along with a formal apology, the Dutch government is expected to allocate €200m (£175m) to awareness projects and pledge to spend €27m on a slavery museum.

More than 600,000 people from Africa and Asia were trafficked by Dutch merchants between the 17th and 19th Centuries.

During the 17th Century, the Netherlands was one of the most prosperous trading nations in the world, in a period known as the "Golden Age" that saw huge advancements in science and culture.

Huge wealth was generated through state-mandated enslavement and exploitation.

Enslaved men, women and children were forced to work on sugar, coffee and tobacco plantations, in mines and as household slaves in the "New World", colonised land in the Americas and Caribbean. They were subjected to extreme physical, mental and sexual violence.

In the western province of Holland alone, a Dutch Research Council study found 40% of economic growth between 1738 and 1780 could be attributed to slavery.

In his speech, at the National Archives in The Hague, Mr Rutte will respond to a government-commissioned 2021 report, Shackles of the Past.

It recommended the Netherlands recognise the legacy of slavery as a crime against humanity, promote a more critical, nuanced view of the Golden Age, and take steps to deal with the institutional racism and ideas which arose in this context of colonialism.

The prime minister has pushed ahead with what he described as a "meaningful moment", indicating the need to capitalise on current political support for an apology, and to allow 2023 to be a commemorative year with funds allocated to special initiatives.

"The Netherlands is one of the European societies with the most direct and extensive links to slavery," says Pepijn Brandon, professor of Global Economic and Social History at the Free University of Amsterdam who published the research.

Vaughan shooting: Five killed by gunman in Canada apartment block

Five people have died after a gunman opened fire at a block of flats in Toronto, Canada.

Police responded to reports of the shooting at the building in Vaughan, about 30km (19 miles) north of Toronto, at 19:20 (12:20 GMT) on Sunday, shooting the suspect dead there.

Another injured person has been taken to hospital in a serious condition.

Authorities are investigating the

motive, including a possible connection between the gunman and the victims.

York police chief Jim MacSween said attending officers were met with a “horrendous scene”, with numerous deceased victims found in different flats of the building.

Mr MacSween said there was no ongoing threat to the public, and York police said those evacuated could return to their homes.

While it has fewer mass shootings than neighbour the US, Canada has recently seen an increase in gun violence prompting recent legislation to ban handguns.

Canada bans handguns following deadly shootings

In May 2020 Canada banned 1,500 types of military-grade or assault-style firearms after a gunman disguised as a policeman killed 22 people in Nova Scotia.

Ukraine war: Overnight strikes hit Kyiv as Putin visits Belarus

Ukraine’s capital Kyiv was rocked by explosions as Russia launched a rare overnight attack on the city.

No-one was killed and most of the missiles were shot down, Kyiv officials said, but some did hit “critical infrastructure”, causing a blackout across the region.

Pictures online show firefighters at a large blaze at a power plant.

It comes as Russia’s President Vladimir Putin prepares to visit Belarus to meet his counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

This latest barrage of missile attacks from Russia is the third in five dayshowever night time raids on Kyiv are unusual.

Twenty-three Iranian missiles were launched, of which 18 were shot down, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, Serhiy Popko said.

Only two people were injured, authorities reported - a very low number considering many people would have been asleep at the time of the strikes on civilian areas.

Kyiv’s Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko wrote on Telegram that “critical infrastructure facilities were damaged” and that engineers were working to restore power.

It is currently winter in Ukraine, and temperatures in Kyiv regularly drop below freezing.

Last Friday, Russia launched a barrage of missiles in one of the largest air strikes on the capital since the start of the war, and Kyiv has accused Moscow of using winter as a weapon, by attacking civilian infrastructure like its energy grids.

At the weekend, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia could be planning another major ground offensive early next year, using Belarus as a launching pad for the attack.

However, several experts have said they have seen no evidence so far of preparations for a new push, and question whether Moscow would be able to do it over the winter.

Belarus shares a border with both Russia and Ukraine, and Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of President Putin’s.

While Belarus has not become involved in the war directly, it did allow Russian

troops to use its territory to launch the invasion in February. Minsk is coming under increasing pressure from Moscow to step up its support in the so-called “special military occupation”.

As the two leaders prepare to meet in Minsk, Russia’s defence ministry has announced that its troops stationed in Belarus will conduct joint military exercises - which will further fuel Kyiv’s concerns of a fresh incursion.

In his nightly address on Sunday, President Zelensky said that protecting Ukraine’s borders is a constant priority, and he was preparing defences for all scenarios.

Police officers found a horrendous scene when they arrived

Some missiles hit critical power infrastructure, causing a blackout across the city

ANC conference: South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa defies scandal to win party vote

South Africa’s scandal-hit President Cyril Ramaphosa has been re-elected as the governing ANC’s leader to wild cheers from his supporters.

He defeated his rival Zweli Mkhize by 2,476 votes to 1,897.

Mr Ramaphosa won despite being dogged by allegations of money laundering, and a last-minute surge in support for Mr Mkhize, who has also been accused of corruption. Both deny the allegations.

His victory puts him in pole position to lead the ANC in the 2024 election.

But he is still at risk as he is being investigated by police, the tax office and central bank over allegations that he stashed at least $580,000 (£475,000) in a sofa at his private farm, and then covered up its theft.

A panel of legal experts, appointed by the speaker of parliament, said that he had a case to answer as he may have both violated the constitution and broken an anti-corruption law.

His supporters burst into song and dance after he was declared the winner, in a result that saw him win by a bigger margin than when he first ran for the leadership of the governing party - the African National Congress - in 2017.

Mr Ramaphosa’s re-election bid was bolstered by the fact the ANC used its parliamentary majority to vote down the findings of the panel.

The president has denied any wrongdoing, and has launched legal action to annul the

panel’s report.

He said the $580,000 came from the sale of buffaloes, but the panel said there was “substantial doubt” over whether a transaction took place.

Mr Mkhize was the health minister in Mr Ramaphosa’s government until he was forced to resign last year over allegations of misspending funds set aside to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

He too has denied any wrongdoing, and his supporters saw the allegations as an attempt to discredit him.

Mr Ramaphosa was the odds-on favourite to win, but some of Mr Mkhize’s supporters looked stunned after the result was announced.

They were confident of victory after offering key posts to other powerful leaders in deals struck just ahead of delegates casting their ballots at the conference.

Both sides denied accusations of votebuying.

The ANC has been in power since whiteminority rule ended in 1994, and is hoping to secure a sixth term in the 2024 parliamentary election. But opinion polls suggest that its vote has shrunk considerably because of widespread corruption in government, high unemployment and poor public servicesincluding constant power cuts.

The ANC elected a new deputy leader, Paul Mashatile, who defeated Mr Ramaphosa’s preferred candidate for the second-most powerful post in the party.

Mr Mashatile is now the front-runner to become South Africa’s deputy president, and president in the event Mr Ramaphosa is forced out of power.

The president’s allies won other powerful posts in the party, including that of secretarygeneral and national chairperson.

Defeated candidates embraced the winners in a show of unity after a bruising

conference.

Supporters of ex-President Jacob Zuma had heckled Mr Ramaphosa during his opening speech at the conference last week.

But no leader from KwaZulu-Natal, the political heartland of Mr Zuma, was elected to any of the ANC’s top seven posts, in the latest sign of his and the region’s declining influence in the party.

Rwanda asylum seekers: ‘Fighting to survive’

“I’m fighting just to survive,” a nervous looking man tells me in a slightly trembling voice.

We’re standing on a patch of wasteland in Rwanda’s capital Kigali. It’s surrounded by trees to hide us from prying eyes.

Mohammed came to this country seeking asylum. He says he fled to Rwanda from Ethiopia, where he had been taking refuge until agents from his home country attempted to kidnap him.

Mohammed says life in Kigali has been difficult, but he is so scared of reprisals for speaking to a journalist that he’s asked me not to disclose his real name or the name of his home country, except that it is in Africa.

For days we’ve been trying to get an asylum seeker living in Rwanda to speak to us on the record. Time and again people agree, and then mysteriously become unavailable, often after being visited by a “community leader”.

“I’ve asked for asylum,” Mohammed tells me.

“The authorities don’t say no, but everything is ‘tomorrow’, or ‘come back next month’. It’s been almost one year that they haven’t given it to me.”

I had been speaking to Mohammed as the High Court in London was considering the legality of the UK government’s controversial plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Earlier on Monday, the judges ruled that the UK government’s policy is lawful and any relocations there would be “consistent with the (UN) Refugee Convention”, although the cases of eight individual asylum seekers had not been properly considered.

The UK government believes the prospect of being sent to Rwanda to have asylum cases processed will act as a deterrent to people crossing the English Channel on small boats.

But opposition critics say the policy is cruel, unworkable and expensive.

Previously, campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) had expressed concern about conditions in Rwanda saying there was “repression of free speech, arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, and torture”.

In its assessment published earlier this year, the UK government had said that “notwithstanding some restrictions on freedom of speech and/or freedom of association” it was unlikely that someone being relocated from the UK would face illtreatment.

The United Nations’ refugee agency had told the court that Rwanda lacked the “minimum components for an accessible, reliable, fair and efficient asylum system”.

It was concerned that people could be sent back to countries where they face torture.

And in a report in June the UN agency said that “the efficiency and timeliness of the asylum procedure is of concern, with decisions taking up to one to two years to be issued in some cases”.

Mohammed says he feels like his life is in limbo. He is unable to work legally because he doesn’t have proper papers.

“Friends and relatives help,” he tells me, adding that odd jobs give him a little income.

But with a wife and children to support, the uncertainty is taking its toll.

He says he’d like to leave Rwanda, and go “anywhere there is peace, like Canada or Australia”.

Among the concerns raised by campaigners opposed to the UK plan is the treatment of LGBT people in Rwanda.

Unlike in some neighbouring countries, homosexual acts are not illegal in Rwanda. But in an open letter to the UK Home Office, HRW said that “in practice, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people face stigma in Rwanda”.

In 2021, it documented how the authorities “arbitrarily detained, harassed, insulted and beat” nine transgender or gay people at Kigali’s Gikondo Transit Centre, an unofficial detention facility, HRW said.

“Those interviewed said they had been targeted due to their sexual orientation or gender identity and treated worse than other detainees. Police officers or guards accused them of being homeless, thieves, or delinquents and held them in a room reserved for “delinquent” men, the campaign

group said.

One person who understands the stigma associated with homosexuality in Rwanda is Patrick Uwayezu.

He’s a gay member of the Evangelical Church of God in Africa in Rwanda, the only one in Kigali which welcomes LGBT members.

A slight man, with a powerful singing voice, he leads the choir on the Sunday that we visit the church.

Afterwards he tells me that LGBT people often find it difficult to access services such as healthcare because of attitudes towards them. It can even affect people’s chances of employment.

“If you hide your identity they can give you a job. But if [employers find out] your identity they’ll tell you: ‘Go, go, we can’t work with you.’”

“I think many people don’t understand us in this country,” he says.

During our six-day visit we repeatedly asked for an interview with the government. Although a spokesperson agreed to do it, the

promised interview never materialised.

We did however get a statement in which a spokesperson said: “Discrimination in all its forms is outlawed by our constitution and Rwanda is welcoming to everyone.”

It added that the UN’s position was “clearly contradictory” as it criticised Rwanda while still sending asylum seekers to the country, including more than 100 from Libya earlier this year.

But responding to the London High Court ruling that the UK government’s plan was legal, the Rwandan government welcomed the decision and said it stood “ready to offer asylum seekers and migrants safety and the opportunity to build a new life in Rwanda”.

There are also refugee success stories in Rwanda. Teklay Teame arrived here from Eritrea almost 25 years ago, in 1998.

He now runs a chain of wholesale shops and supermarkets.

His staff are busy unloading a truck with big boxes and carrying them into one of his many shops when I meet him.

Source: BBC

The win ends a bruising political week for President Cyril Ramaphosa

The BBC is not disclosing the identity of Mohammed, an asylum seeker in Rwanda

F rom A si A

Thailand warship capsizes leaving 31 sailors missing

The Thai navy says 31 sailors are missing after a warship carrying more than 100 crew capsized and sank during a storm in the Gulf of Thailand.

The HTMS Sukhothai sank after water flooded its power controls on Sunday night. Images shared by the navy showed some crew who survived in a life raft.

On Monday, authorities said they had rescued 75 sailors, but 31 were still missing in rough seas.

“We will keep looking,” a navy spokesman told the BBC.

Search crews worked through the night to find survivors, with the operation continuing on Monday with air force assistance.

The navy also announced an investigation into the cause of the disaster.

“This has almost never happened in our force’s history, especially to a ship that is still in active use,” spokesman Admiral Pogkrong Monthardpalin told the BBC.

Footage shared by the navy on Twitter showed crew members wrapped in blankets and receiving treatment after they had been rescued. Some were being airlifted to hospital.

Other images showed sailors from the Sukhothai in a life raft, having jumped from the sinking vessel.

One unnamed crew member said he had been in the water for several hours before he was rescued.

“The waves were quite high, about three metres when the ship sank,” he said in a clip shared on local media. “I put on the life jacket and jumped. I swam for three hours.”

Crew members from the capsized HTMS Sukhothai warship receive medical treatment in the Gulf of Thailand, December 18, 2022. Royal Thai Navy/Handout via REUTERS

Officials said the ship went down after it took on water,

which flooded its hull and shortcircuited its power room.

With the power lost, the crew battled to retain control of the ship which listed on to its side before sinking around 23:30 local time Sunday (16:30 GMT).

The ship had been on a patrol 32km (20 miles) east of Bang Saphan, in the Prachuap Khiri Khan province, when it got caught in the storm on Sunday.

Dramatic pictures posted on the Thai Navy’s Twitter account show the vessel listing onto its side, and back-up rescue ships trying to find survivors in choppy waters.

Three naval ships and helicopters were sent to assist, but only the HTMS Kraburi reached the vessel before it sank.

The frigate picked up most of the Sukhothai’s crew, the navy said. Sailors wearing life jackets were found in the water and in life rafts. The navy has disclosed scant detail on their condition.

Local

Prime Minister Prayut Chano-Cha released a statement on Monday confirming officials were

investigating the disaster.

“I am following the news closely - about five people are seriously injured,” he said.

The HTMS Sukhothai was built for the Thai navy in the US in the mid-1980s.

Atop Chinese health official says he believes China is experiencing the first of three expected waves of Covid infections this winter.

The country is seeing a surge in cases since the lifting of its most severe restrictions earlier this month.

The latest official figures appear to show a relatively low number of new daily cases.

However, there are concerns that these numbers are an underestimate due to a recent reduction in Covid testing.

The government reported only 2,097 new daily cases on Sunday.

Epidemiologist Wu Zunyou has said he believes the current spike in infections would run until mid-January, while the second wave would then be triggered by mass travel in January around the week-long Lunar New Year celebrations which begin on 21 January. Millions of people usually travel at this time to spend

the holiday with family.

The third surge in cases would run from late February to midMarch as people return to work after the holiday, Dr Wu said.

He told a conference on Saturday that current vaccinations levels offered a certain level of protection against the surges and had resulted in a drop in the number of severe cases.

Overall, China says more than 90% of its population has been fully vaccinated. However, less than half of people aged 80 and over have received three doses of vaccine. Elderly people are more likely to suffer severe Covid symptoms.

China has developed and produced its own vaccines, which have been shown to be less effective at protecting people against serious Covid illness and death than the mRNA vaccines used in much of the rest of the world.

Dr Wu’s comments come after

a reputable US-based research institute reported earlier this week that it believed China could see over a million people die from Covid in 2023 following an explosion of cases.

The government hasn’t officially reported any Covid

deaths since 7 December, when restrictions were lifted following mass protests against its zeroCovid policy. That included an end to mass testing.

However, there are anecdotal reports of deaths linked to Covid appearing in Beijing.

China Covid: Health expert predicts three winter waves Fifa

Hospitals there and in other cities are struggling to cope with a surge, which has also hit postal and catering services hard.

Meanwhile, China’s largest city, Shanghai, has ordered most of its schools to take classes online as cases soar.

Football fans in the southern Indian state of Kerala have always distinguished themselves for their love for football in a cricket-crazy country.

Sunday was no different as the state geared up to watch the final between Argentina and France.

Makeshift screens were set up across the state as Argentinian and French flags fluttered in the streets as fans gathered in their thousands to watch the match.

But a couple stood out in their devotion for the beautiful game.

Sachin R and R Athira’s wedding date coincided with the final on Sunday. While they agreed on most things about their wedding, they didn’t want to compromise on which team they supported in the final.

Sachin is an ardent fan of Argentina star Lionel Messi, while Athira is a passionate supporter of the French football team.

Hours before the two teams met in Qatar’s Lusail Stadium in one of the most spectacular matches in World Cup history, they married each other in a ceremony held in Kochi city.

Over their jewellery and traditional wedding attire, the couple wore number 10 jerseys - Athira donned one for French forward Kylian Mbappe while Sachin wore Argentina’s colours for Messi.

Newspaper Malayala Manorama reports that following their wedding ceremony, the couple raced through their reception and the wedding

feast to make it back to Sachin’s house in Thiruvananthapuram 206km (128 miles) away in time to watch what turned out to be a sensational final.

Argentina won the final in a penalty shootout 4-2, giving 35-year-old maestro Messi a chance to finally lift the World Cup trophy.

Kerala, where Messi has a huge fan following, has been celebrating the victory since Sunday night as fans waved Argentina flags and set off fireworks across the state.

In Thrissur, a hotel owner kept his promise to serve free biryani if Argentina won.

The state’s devotion for the game even caught the eye of FIFA last month when it tweeted about fans setting up giant carboard statues of

football stars in the state. Brazilian star Neymar also

noticed the statues and thanked his fans in the state. BBC

media published pictures showing medical personnel at the dock taking crew members off in stretchers.

Crew members who were rescued received medical treatment

China has been experiencing a surge in Covid cases since many restrictions were eased earlier this month

The two rushed back home after their wedding to watch the World Cup final

How the UAE got a spacecraft to Mars – on the first try

On 19 July 2020, a few months into a global pandemic that had paralysed the world, a rocket shot into the sky from the Japanese space launch site on its southerly island of Tanegashima.

Aboard was a small spacecraft, a little over 2m (6.5ft) wide and weighing about as much as a Ford Focus car. Onboard it were a host of cameras and spectrometers vital for its impending mission, one which would take it more than 493 million km (306 million miles) from Earth. Perched on top of its gold body was a large black radio antenna, which would beam its data across the vast, cold abyss of space to controllers sitting at their monitors.

The spaceship was called “Hope”. It was not American, or Russian, or from the European Union. Hope was the first spacecraft from the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) to travel further than an orbit around the Earth. If successful, it would be the first spacecraft from an Arab nation to reach Mars, and the UAE would become only the fifth nation in the world to successfully put a spaceship in orbit around Mars.

As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prepared to mark its 50th year, its space agency bet its reputation on putting a spaceship into orbit around Mars on the first attempt, to beam back details of Martian weather that had never been observed before.

Just six years before the launch, the UAE’s space agency didn’t even exist.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) lies at the far end of Dubai International Airport, about half an hour’s drive east of the Burj Khalifa. By space centre standards it is relatively compact; you could probably lose it in the car park of Nasa’s giant Johnson Space Centre in Houston.

The collection of offices, workshops and clean rooms here is the nerve centre of the UAESA, still less than a decade old. It is from here that much of the work to guide the Emirates Mars Mission to the Red Planet was undertaken.

When I visit UAESA, in February 2022, it was a year since Hope had reached the end of its nearly 500-million-km (310-million-mile) journey from Earth and was poised to enter orbit around Mars. Getting this far was some achievement, especially for a space agency with such limited experience. The UAE had become only the fifth nation – after the US, Russia, China and India – to reach Mars, and only the second space agency to succeed on the first attempt (after India).

It is one of the space industry’s most ambitious newcomers. It was only inaugurated in 2014. A six-year attempt to forge a pan-Arab space programme, modelled on the European Space Agency, failed to materialise. This spurred the UAE to develop their own space agency, and may help explain its fast-forward approach ever since.

The UAE had launched seven satellites before its space agency came into being, all of them built by foreign companies such as Europe’s EADS, Boeing in the US and South Korea’s Satrec Initiative. It was only in 2018 that the nation was able to actually design its own: the KhalifaSat Earthsensing satellite, which was built by a team of Emirati engineers in South Korea at Satrec Initiative’s facilities.

the Cold War, such developments would have seemed far-fetched. But space exploration in the 2020s is a very different beast. The space race dominated by the geopolitical rivalry of the US and the Soviet Union has fragmented, and now involves many more players – both commercial entities like America’s SpaceX, and upstart agencies from relatively small countries like the UAE.

In previous decades, space programmes that had successfully put satellites into orbit then turned their attention towards our nearest neighbour, the Moon. But not the UAE.

“The UAE had no time to wait and needed to expedite and speed up the building of these capacities. So it looked at Mars to do that,” Sharaf says. The deadline was for the mission to achieve Mars orbit before the country celebrated its golden jubilee in October 2021.

The nascent space industry’s potential may have been helped by the crash in the Gulf States’ aviation sector during the coronavirus pandemic. Long-haul hubs such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi had fallen almost silent as travel bans took hold. In 2018, the aviation sector was responsible for almost a quarter of the country’s GDP, and was expected to make nearly half by 2030 before the pandemic happened. The country has now had to look at other ways to keep its economy buoyant.

The Emirates Mars Mission was not just about waving the UAE flag on the world stage. At the heart of it was the intent to produce the most complete picture of Mars’s weather cycles yet observed. The spacecraft would study Mars with three main instruments.

The first was a high-resolution imaging unit able to measure, water, ice, dust and aerosols in the planet’s atmosphere. An infrared spectrometer would monitor radiance from the planet’s surface and atmosphere, measuring the surface temperature and amounts of dust in the atmosphere. Hope’s ultraviolet spectrometer, meanwhile, would measure the planet’s entire atmosphere and study its levels of hydrogen and oxygen – the building blocks of water, the key to life.

While more than 30 spacecraft and landers had visited the Red Planet, most had only caught snapshots of the planet’s weather. Hope intended to do something much more ambitious, covering an orbit that would allow it to take a global snapshot of the Martian climate, and follow it across the planet’s distinct seasonal changes.

But the satellite had other objectives as well – kickstarting a scratch-built space industry in the Emirates.

In February 2022, Omran Sharaf was leading the Emirates Mars Mission. Sharaf, 38, says the inspiration for the mission was the “triple helix model, in

which you have the private sector, the government and academics… to have that overlap happening. And not having each sector working as silos.”

With this, the UAE had staked its claim at becoming one of the 21st Century’s leading space agencies. In

Sarah Al Amiri, 35, was the UAE’s Minister of State for Advanced Science when I visited Dubai in February; she’s since become the country’s minister for public education and future technology. She had been obsessed with space since she was a child, but with an Emirates space industry an unlikely proposition, she studied computer engineering instead. By the time she graduated, at age 22, what would become the UAE’s space agency had begun to take shape. Al Amiri ended up working as a software engineer on two of the UAE’s earlier satellite projects, DubaiSat-1 and 2. By the time UAESA was touting the benefits of Hope’s forthcoming mission, Al Amiri was both the project’s science lead and also the country’s minister for state for advanced sciences.

Source: BBC

KhalifaSat launched in 2018, sent into orbit aboard a Proton rocket from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur spacedrome. Its high-resolution images of Earth taken from some 613km (380 miles) above the Earth could be used for everything from urban planning to disaster relief.

The UAESA’s space mission control was one of the nerve centres of the operation Credit: Giuseppe Cacace/ Getty Images)

The spacecraft was the first launched by the UAE to go farther than Earth’s orbit (Credit: UAESA)

Hope only entered Mars’

orbit after a journey of nearly half a billion kilometres (Credit: UAESA)

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TIGRIS CRESCENT ,

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THIS IS

2. GAMBO ABDURAHMAN BALA

Former Niger State Gov. Aliyu advocates Investment as Teams White win Life Camp Volleyball Tournament

By Amaechi Agbo

Immediate past governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu has called for increased funding investment on grassroots sports particularly volleyball.

Known as “the Servant Leader” during his stewardship in the Power State, Dr Aliyu made the call during the final of the 6th edition of Life Camp Volleyball Club Championship in Abuja on Sunday.

The former Governor who was the special guest of honour at the final, commended the organisers and board of the Life Camp Volleyball Club for their resilience, commitment and dedication for the development of Volleyball in the country.

“I was a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Capital Territory when the idea about Life Camp Volleyball Club came up. For me it has always been like that. We will try and do our best but I think the federal government, and the private sector must come in to make sure that our sports activities are active especially at the grassroots level.

“The way we have been losing (in sports at global level), calls for concern. We are losing in sports at global stage because we have not paid attention at the grassroots level. That is why any time we get this kind of

opportunity, we try to show up, so that people will understand the importance and those who are in it will be encouraged to continue to do it.

“Sports unites. Anytime Nigeria is playing football somewhere, there is unity, you don’t hear all the noise about that tribe or this tribe. One thing that is a unifying factor (in Nigeria) is sports, we must pay attention to it,” he said.

Teams White won both male female finals of the Life Camp Volleyball Club Championship which also marked the club’s 2022 end of year activities.

Team White defeated Team Blue 2-1 (20-25, 25-22, 15-12) in the men’s category to win the 6th edition of the tournament.

Team White also defeated Team Yellow 3-1 in the female category to win the coveted trophy.

They came from behind to win the trophy in 18-25, 25-14, 25-22 and 25-17 four sets.

In the men category, Team White went home with ₦100, 000 cash reward, Team Blue got ₦70, 000 as runner up while Team green who won bronze got ₦50, 000 prize for their efforts.

It was similar cash rewards for the 3rd best teams in the female category with Team White going home with ₦100, 000 with a giant trophy for their reward for hardwork, Team

Yellow who won silver, were rewarded with ₦70, 000 cash prize while 3rd placed Team Blue got ₦50, 000 cash and a bronze medal.

Highlights of the three-day tournament which lasted from 16 to 18 December, 2022 at the Jabi Lake Park, Abuja, were presentation of medals and trophies to the winning teams as

well as individual awards such as Best Server, Best Receiver, were also presented to deserving players.

The competition which is in honour of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation President, Engr Musa Nimrod was graced by the following dignitaries: Dr Babangida Aliyu (former Governor of Niger State);

Sen. Olubunmi Olujimi; Sen. Shehu Sani (former senator, representing Kaduna Central District at the National Assembly); former minister of sports, Engr. Sani Ndanusa, Nigeria Volleyball Federation President, Eng Musa Nimrod; FCT Volleyball Association Chairman, Commodore Aliyu Pindar, among others.

Regragui targets winning 2026 World Cup after Qatar exploits with Morocco

Morocco showed they can compete with international football’s elite teams after finishing fourth at the World Cup, according to head coach Walid Regragui.

Goals from Josko Gvardiol and Mislav Orsic gave Croatia a 2-1 victory in Saturday’s thirdplace play-off, as Morocco’s historic World Cup came to a conclusion.

They became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of international football’s top tournament, overcoming giants such as Spain and Portugal before finally succumbing to France in the final four.

Despite the losing end to Morocco’s campaign, Regragui

believes the Atlas Lions exhibited their right to be considered one of the top footballing nations in the world.

“Tomorrow morning we will take stock, and realise we all made a fantastic achievement here,” Regragui told reporters at his post-match news conference.

“We played Croatia twice, one of the top three teams in the world. We played against Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium and Canada, that’s wonderful.

“We have an objective of winning the World Cup one day. Morocco showed we can go toe to toe with these teams. We are now one of the top four teams in the world.”

Asked if he would change

anything about Morocco’s tournament, Regragui replied: “Honestly I would say nothing.

“We had 0.01 per cent chance of winning the tournament at the outset. We managed to get to the last four.

“We played some of the powerhouses of football. If you told me we’d get this far, number four in the world, I’d have accepted that straight away.

“We deserve respect. They fought until the end, showed hard graft. That’s football, some nations are stronger than us. France were, Croatia were tonight, but only slightly stronger.

“For 2026, if I’m still in charge, I’ll have more experience

and maybe things will change, and in 2026 we will realise the achievement we’ve made in 2022.”

Morocco’s final match in Qatar saw a number of controversial officiating decisions, with the final whistle met by intense protests from Regragui’s players towards the referee.

Achraf Hakimi, Morocco’s star right-back, was reportedly involved in a row with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the tunnel after the match.

It comes after the Royal Morocco Football Federation lodged a complaint to FIFA over referee Cesar Ramos’ performance during their semi-

final defeat to France.

However, Regragui was keen not to focus too much on the referee’s display, while he defended his players’ behaviour after the game.

“When you lose you always get disappointed, upset,” Regragui stated. “My players are great competitors, I don’t think there was a lack of respect.

“We sometimes overreact at the end of games, it happens. We just weren’t at the level we’ve set.

“We focus on what we were lacking. We can’t hide behind the refereeing, that’s not the Moroccan way. We let the association deal with any official issues.”

Team White ladies celebrate their victory on Sunday

Gumel Lauds presidents, delegates on Nigeria’s Olympic Movement Support

The just re-elected president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, Engr. Habu Gumel has paid glowing tribute to all presidents and delegates for their support in his re-election.

Engr Gumel who was given the support by majority of the delegates on Thursday in Jalingo in their elective congress,. commended the peaceful outcome of the election and expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for the trust once again reposed on him

“You were all wonderful in your resolve to offer me another opportunity at the leadership of our Olympic Movement.

“Your profound support will propel me to ensure that every single fellow is carried along. I will only ask you to help in every little way by contributing your quota to the growth and development of our NOC.

‘’That the Congress turned out peaceful is due to your support. for which I thank you all immensely,’’

“The elections are over. We need together from now on to lift our Movement. Let us close ranks as one indivisible Olympic Family, ‘’ Gumel said.

similarly, the NOC President has praised the retiring Secretary General of the Committee, Mr. Olabanji Oladapo, describing him as a “Worthy Nigerian

Ambassador’’, to the Olympic Movement in Nigeria.

‘’We are already missing your indelible footprints in your work,’’ noted Gumel in a statement released by the newly elected Public Relations officer of the Movement, Mr . Tony Nezianya on Monday

The statement quotes Gumel as saying that Oladapo was a loyal officer who knew how to navigate through the many challenging situations with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“Oladapo deserves to share in the glory for sterling contributions for hhonorsbrought in through athletics via top athletes at the World Championships—the likes of Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume, etc.

“He wrote and followed up on the requests for the scholarships through the Olympic solidarity and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) in the eventual release of the crucial funding that he; helped to set them in the mood for the attainment of their dreams”

Foremost on Engr Gumel ‘s desk is revolutionalising the Committee in ensuring financial stability through aggressive revenue generation mechanism as well as amendment of the Committee’s constitution.

Engr Habu Gumel, NOC President

SWAN Congratulates Gumel on NOC election victory urges establishment of CAS

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, (SWAN) FCT chapter has congratulated Engineer Habu Gumel for his re-election as President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), at the polls in Jalingo, Taraba State.

Mr Gumel polled 21 votes to beat Mr Sani Ndanusa who had 19 votes on Thursday in the Taraba state capital.

Chairman of the Association, Mr. Bunmi Haruna said, “Congratulations to Engineer Gumel and everyone who got elected in in Jalingo. It is good to see notable names like former D’Tigers captain, Olumide Oyedeji, former AFN President, Solomon Ogba, NBBF President, Ahmadu Musa Kida, respected journalist, Tony Nezianya on the board on of the NOC.

“We have no doubt that you deserve your positions because you have paid your dues. We urge you to run an all inclusive government, work to build on the successes recorded at the last commonwealth Games in Birmingham, support Nigerian athletes

to have an outstanding outing for for the country at the next Olympics games in Paris, France, 2024 and make development your priority.

SWAN FCT chapter urges Gumel to work with the sports ministry to establish a branch of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)in Nigeria. This will go a long way in checkmating the highly disturbing menace of court cases in Nigerian sports.

We also urge you to immediately set the ball rolling for preparation of athletes for the next Olympics. Play the politics so that government would release founds on time.”

Also elected were, Solomon Ogba as First Vice President, Ishaku Tikon as Second Vice President, Olumide Oyedeji as the Third Vice President, Olabisi Joseph as the fourth Vice President.

Others include, Musa Kida as Treasurer, Tony Nezianya as Public Relations Officer(PRO), Tunde Popoola as Secretary General and Abdullahi Mohammed as the Deputy Secretary General.

P R

Enugu SWAN request for office, means of transportation from state government

Sports Writer’s Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Enugu chapter had demanded for a befitting office at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and a means of transportation to match venues.

The association made the demand when the executives paid a courtesy visit to Mr Steve Oruruo, the Special Adviser (SA) to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on information.

Addressing the executives, Oruruo said that sports is pivotal as a uniting factor and that SWAN should be the vanguard for the authority on happenings within its sports complex.

SWAN is pivotal as far as sports is concerned all over the world and Enugu and Enugu chapter should not be exceptional.

“I think that the question hovering around Enugu and Nigeria by extension in terms of sports development is the question of leadership in position at the moment.

“If we want his country succeed, we need to return the leadership craft to those who man our leadership with consciousness, of expertise and professionalism.

“Those with sincerity of purpose who will be sacrificial and those who are qualified and sports is one place we cannot deploy manipulation.

He advised the association to channel their request through the Ministry of Youths and Sports to the state government.

“Your demand for office and means of

transportation is necessary as we cannot script sports writer’s from sports complex.

Earlier, Enugu State SWAN chairman Comrade Gideon Iwueke told the SA that the association needed government intervention to its challenges which includes office space and bus for transportation

“We all know that the Rangers FC is now playing their matches away from home following the renovation work at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

“Enugu SWAN is in need of an office space and a means of transportation which we plead with the state government to come to our aid. As partners and stakeholders in sports, these two challenges are hampering the running of

our profession in the state,” he said.

On his part, the Head if Sport’s, Energy FM, Enugu, Comrade Osondu Ngwude who was part of the team regretted government’s negligence of the association where as, other states are taking their state SWAN along in its sports related activities.

Ngwude said that SWAN is lagging behind in terms of the state government assistance and has been relegated to the background in the state.

He recalled the vital roles sports writers play to the Rangers FC Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) trophy and FA/Aiteo cup victory in 2016 and 17.

Members of Enugu State SWAN with SA on Information Mr Steve Oruruo after the courtesy visit on Thursday in Enugu

Aisha Buhari’s critic, go and sin no more!

Messi Wins World Sport Star of the Year After World Cup triumph

Argentina’s World Cupwinning captain Lionel

Messi has been named BBC Sports Personality’s World Sport Star of the Year for 2022.

Messi, 35, led Argentina to their first World Cup triumph in 36 years in Qatar on Sunday

The Paris St-Germain forward won the tournament’s Golden Ball - awarded to the best player - after scoring seven goals at his fifth World Cup.

The former Barcelona star is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest footballers of all-time.

Messi scored twice in the World Cup final and also converted a penalty in the shootout as Argentina beat holders France 4-2 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw.

It meant he added football’s biggest prize to a list of trophies that includes seven Ballons d’Or titlesawarded to the best footballer each year - four Champions Leagues, one Copa America, 10 La Liga titles with Barcelona and a Ligue 1 crown with PSG.

In addition, he has scored a staggering 793 goals in his career.

“It’s everyone’s dream when they’re little. I’ve been lucky enough to achieve everything and what I was missing, I found here,” Messi said after lifting the World Cup on Sunday.

With Paris St-Germain, Messi won a first French title in April and since the 2022-23 campaign began in August, has scored 12 times and provided 14 assists in 19 club appearances.

Messi will turn 39 during the next World Cup in 2026 and had hinted previously the finals in Qatar would be his last. If it was, it truly was the perfect way to end his international career following Argentina’s Copa America victory last year.

Looking at his photograph after his release, there is no doubt that Aminu Mohammmed Adamu the student who fired a salvo at Nigeria’s First Lady, regretted his action. In the photos, he appeared contrite, sober, and seemingly innocent, like someone in whose mouth butter would not melt. Appearances could be deceptive though. Are we not told not to judge a book by its cover? Similarly, we should not judge by appearances. Who could have imagined that such a frail looking, small boy could be firing dirty shot at the First Lady? Many people censured Mrs. Buhari for allegedly urging the police to arrest him as a prelude to pressing charges against him. Indeed he was arraigned before a Judge of a Federal capital Territory (FCT) High Court, charged for false information, among others and thereafter remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre. Many described her actions as tantamount to “intimidation and oppression’’. We should never indulge any wrong whether small or big because to do so is to foster it. Why do we have rules and regulations in a society, the ground norm to guide our behaviour? If everyone were to behave according to his/her whims and caprices, then society would run riot, chaos, confusion would ensure and it would be survival of the fittest so to speak and the society itself would eventually fall apart, disintegrate.

Aminu Mohammed is a case of modern-day children (as they like to call themselves) who view this digital era as an opportunity to spew excrescences on social media without regard to fundamental decency. For such people nothing is sacred and they are no respecter of cultural values. You may not like the face of someone occupying a public position, but decency demands that you respect the office, not necessarily the person.

Student Aminu Mohammed is an example of someone that lacks proper home training, of someone that jettisoned cherished African traditions and culture, chief of which is respect for elders of whatever kind, be it traditional title holders, royalty or those in authority. Mrs. Aisha Buhari, wife of President of the Federal

By

NGOZI IKEANO

Republic of Nigeria is not Aminu Mohammed’s age mate at all, she is old enough to be her mother; in fact she has a son that is older than him. In the African setting, there is strict homogeneity among age groups. Adults mingle, converse with adults, children with children, age groups with age groups. None poke noses into the affairs of the other; the boundary lines are finely demarcated. Every group’s space is respected as such. It is considered ill breeding for one to jump into and start interacting with a group that is not homogenous to one’s own. Each group as for example, children, teenagers, adults, the elderly, has something that is common to it, something that makes it unique and different from the others and so able to relate properly with its own kind largely.

In the Yoruba custom when talking to someone that is older than you, you do not look straight into the person’s eyes. You do that only with your age mates. There are specific pronouns for addressing someone that is older than you. You do not call someone with children by his or her name. We also respect constituted authority in our African norms and customs. Student Aminu Mohammed broke our time-honoured cultural values, coarsely dismantled long standing age barriers to haul vile at Hajia Aisha Buhari. And there was no disguising who she was directing it to because she placed Mrs. Buhari’s photo

beside his offensive tweet, unlike cartoonists who when aiming a gig at someone draw a caricature of the subject of their jibe, so you cannot really say that is Mr. XYZ. They do it subtly. Not so with Student Aminu which had Hajia Buhari’s photo alongside his tweet. The tweet read, “Su mama ancin kudin talakawa ankoshi” that is, ‘Mama has eaten poor peoples’ money and is now fat’. In order words, Aminu accused the First Lady of corruptly enriching herself. This is slander. It is bad enough to embezzle funds. It is worse to corruptly enrich oneself from the sweat (monies) of poor people as indicated in that tweet of his. That one is growing fat is not evidence that one is chopping peoples’ money. It is also not altogether true that everyone in position of authority is corrupt or steals public money. Amidst the dross surrounding us, there are still some upright people, however few they may be.

Under President Buhari’s administration, the office of the First Lady is not as powerful or influential as it used to be. Mrs. Buhari does not have as much control as did her predecessors, Mrs. Patience Jonathan and Mrs. Turai Yar’Adua. In fact these were viewed as powers behind the throne literally and many sought presidential favours through them. Not so with Aisha Buhari who is more or less a figure head in her husband’s administration. As a matter of fact, her official

title under this administration is ‘wife of the president’ All her aides are actually aides of the president deployed to the office of wife of the president. The point is that Mrs. Buhari has little or no access to public funds as such, let alone stealing them and much less, stealing from the poor masses, the talakawas. People say that those in authority should have a thick skin for criticism. Yes. But the criticism should be objective, constructive, one that is aimed at making the subject a better person, not to denigrate and fetch him/her public opprobrium. Any criticism that verges on slander, character defamation has crossed the red line. We should bear in mind that every public figure no matter how highly placed is first and foremost a human being. Anything that impugns on another human being’s integrity is evil. Ditto perpetrators or conveyors of such ill considered defamation.

I do not believe that Mrs. Buhari wanted to go the whole hog of following through with the judicial process to the end. I believe she only wanted to fire a warning shot at Student Aminu and his ilk. She has dropped all charges against him; Aminu has reunited with his family. He has learnt his lessons, has apologised to Mrs. Aisha Buhari and even deactivated his twitter account. Case closed. Aminu can be enlisted as an Ambassador in the fight against cyber stalking, cyber bullying, fake news and character assassination by social media buffs, especially unenlightened, ignorant youths who think life is one way traffic where anything goes without repercussions.

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I do not believe that Mrs. Buhari wanted to go the whole hog of following through with the judicial process to the end. I believe she only wanted to fire a warning shot at Student Aminu and his ilk. She has dropped all charges against him; Aminu has reunited with his family