Monday, December 26th, 2022 Edition

President Muhammadu Buhari receiving from FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello flanked by Chairman Senate Committee on FCT, Sen Smart Adeyemi during the Christmas Homage held at the Presidential Villa Abuja yesterday

2023: Kwankwaso vows to increase number of security personnel

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The presidential candidate of New Nigerian People Party (NNPP) , Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso promised to improve security and educational sector if elected as next president of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Kwankwaso dropped the hint, while speaking to news men in Dutse, during his campaign visit to the state.

He said the number of all the security personnel is grossly inadequate.

The presidential candidate who promised to increase the security personnel by 400 percent said, “the numbers of Nigerian police, Military, Department of Security Service, Nigerian Civil and Security Defense Corps and all

uniform personal can’t mans the security of this country”.

According to him, “considering the Nigerian population and compared with the number of security, there is no way that they (securty) can handle crime and criminal activities in Nigeria”.

“God willing when I be came Nigerian president, I will multiply the number of police, military, DSS civil defense etc by 400 percent”, Kwankwaso emphasis.

The NNPP presidential candidate noted that, “our plan here is apart from providing enough securty personal, it will also provide job opportunities to our teaming redundant youth and at the same time reduce the criminal activities by those youth”.

Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso also promised

to introduce Community Participation Reorientation Committee (CPRC) “this is a new policy which under it we will made a provision of providing some funds to every political ward to be taking care and maintaining emergency and minus problems of all public facilities in their respective areas”.

“The committee members would be traditional and religious leaders, Wealthy Individuals, CBOs, second popular political party head of the facilities eg school, hospital etc”.

We did this in Kano when I was the governor it work perfectly and up to now is there practicing it”.

He further promised to review the JAMB, NECO and WAEC fees, “as parts of our efforts to support and give opportunities to the

children of the common man to further their education to tertiary level”.

“We will look for cancelling of the fees and if not possible, we will consider cutting the amount to be affordable to majority, and the few can not would be paid by government”.

Kwankwaso said “Nigeria has enough resources to do that and even more than that. Our target to run a common man friendly government”.

Speaking earlier the JIgawa state NNPP gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim Ringim called on the people to vote to all the party’s candidates at all levels for positive change.

He said “the party’s manifesto contained all the need and aspiration of the common man”.

Abia

The Abia State Project Coordinating Office of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises for Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), has commenced the distribution of farm inputs to beneficiaries in the state.

The project also started the training of another set of beneficiaries in an enterpreneurship-based vegetable home garden.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the separate activities were held concurrently on Friday at the project’s premises in Umuahia.

LIFE-ND is being funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in collaboration with the Federal Government and Niger Delta Development Commission as well as the state government.

The project, which is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision for national food security, is for implementation in the nine Niger Delta states but currently operating in six of them.

The State Project Coordinator of LIFE-ND, Dr Uchenna Onyeizu said that the project had

distributes farm inputs to beneficiaries

different activities lined up for its annual work and plan.

He said the beneficiaries for the home garden agric-enterprise would be trained in biofortified crops such as orange-fleshed sweet potato, pro-vitamin A cassava, cucumber, okoro, pumpkin leave and corn.

He said the set of beneficiaries for the home garden, 90 of them would be provided with inputs and running cost as they would be doing the agric-enterprises within their homes.

Onyeizu said that the beneficiaries comprising young men and women were drawn from different communities in 10 local government areas in the state, which the project is operating.

He said that beneficiaries would be expected to sell and make money out of produces as well as re-invest the profits in their agric-enterprises.

Also in a remark during the distribution of inputs to another set of 72 beneficiaries, who had already graduated from the project’s training, Onyeizu charged them to utilise the inputs being given to them.

He said that the 72 were

among the 650 youths already trained by the project in different agric-enterprises that needed to be empowered.

He said that the inputs were being given to them in trust and in confidence that they would use it for the betterment of themselves and the people around them.

“It is expected that your own personal income at end of the day will increase and you will be empowered economically.”

The state project coordinator said that some of the inputs were still in the project’s warehouse, and would also be distributed to those beneficiaries as at the period when they would need them for their agric-enterprises.

He said: “It is now your responsibility to ensure that these inputs result in something that will economically empower you in agricultural development.

“These inputs are given to you as loan, so you must be strict with your book keeping records and ensure proper documentation because we will come and look at what you are doing at the end of the day.”

In a brief remark at the distribution ceremony, the

National Project Coordinator, Mr Abiodun Sanni, who was represented by the project’s consultant, Dr Emmanuel Ochalifu, commended the state project coordinating office for its efforts and successes.

Sanni, an engineer urged the beneficiaries to avail themselves of the opportunity by ensuring optimal use of the inputs being given to them.

In a response on behalf of the State Government, Mrs Chinyere Nwogwugu, a Director in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, applauded Abia LIFE-ND for its contributions in the empowerment of young men and women in the state.

A beneficiary, Mr Emeka Okoro, who was given a haulage truck, expressed gratitude to the organisers and pledged to make good use of it.

NAN reports that some of the items distributed during the first phase of the distribution were haulage trucks, rice sealing machines, agro-chemical products, wheelbarrows, defeathering machines, generating sets, rain boots amongst others. (NAN)

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

an

2023 will be turning point for Nigerians -Uba Sani

Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Senator representing Central Senatorial District Uba Sani, and All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in

Kaduna State has expressed hope that 2023 will be a turning point for Kaduna State and Nigeria.

He urged all Christians across the country, and all Nigerians to use the solemn occasion of the Christmas to reflect on the life of

Jesus and emulate his virtues.

“In his earthly ministry, he stood against injustice, oppression, trampling on the weak and poor, and all vices that make life unbearable.

“He was in a society where no

man or woman will feel oppressed. If we imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ, peace will return to our troubled communities and development would pick up once more,” the Senator said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has felicitateu with the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde as he marks his birthday yesterday.

Governor Makinde, a Christmas baby, according to the PDP, is an embodiment of God’s blessing, beloved of the people; a humane personality and exceptionally dedicated administrator who remains committed to the unity, stability and development of our dear nation.

The party said this in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.

The leading opposition party in the country clearly stated that it is proud of his efforts of the Governor in the delivery of citizen empowerment, human capital and infrastructural developments across all sectors in Oyo State in keeping with the vision of the PDP.

According to the PDP statement, “As a committed member of the PDP, Governor Makinde continues to display excellent leadership strides particularly in effectively delivering landmark and legacy projects for the benefit of the people in line with the manifesto, policies and programmes of the PDP.

“Our Party is proud of his efforts in the delivery of citizen empowerment, human capital and infrastructural developments across all sectors in Oyo State in keeping with the vision of the PDP.

“The Oyo State Independent Power Project, the strategic investment in agriculture, agribusiness as well as massive achievements in education, healthcare, aviation, transportation, water resources among others stand Governor Makinde out as a leader with a heart for the people.

“The PDP congratulates Governor Makinde on this special day and prays to God to grant him many more years in active service to our country and humanity”, the statement by Ologunagba said.

Yuletide: Journalists donate to Abuja children’s home

By Christiana Ekpa

In the spirit of the Yuletide, the House of Representatives Press Corps has donated various items to the Abuja Children’s Home, Old Karu, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Items donated included bags of rice, cartons of noodles and clothing among others.

The Corps also made a cash donation for the treatment of a spinal cord ailment of one of the children in the home.

Chairman of the Corps, Comrade Grace Ike, who led members to make the donation said the gesture was in the spirit of Christmas, which is to share.

Her words, “We are members of the House of Representatives Press Corps. You can call us parliamentary reporters and we feel it is the right thing to extend our hands of fellowship to people. It is Christmas and we all know Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. A lot of people would say

journalists, what are we doing here. Our own is to inform, educate, enlighten and let the people know what is happening.

“We are the conscience of the society and that is why we are here. So we have our token to present. Do not look at the quantity of what we are giving. Look at the intention behind what we are doing. Like I would always say, it is good to give and the greatest of it all is love and love simply means affection.

“Christmas is the time to share love, to visit one another and show affection to one another. So we chose to come here to show that we are brothers and sisters. We love all of them. These children are the leaders of tomorrow and that is the more reason why we identify with all of them. It is also part of our civic responsibility and when you talk about civic responsibility it encompasses a wide range of formal and informal activities. It must be intentional. It must be committed. It must be well constructed and the goal of the focus must be a common

goal which is to reach out or meet a certain desire or demand and that is why, we the members of the House of Representatives Press Corps are here.

“We also want to use this medium to reach out to people. You have outlined some challenges to include security and feeding. We would use our medium which is to report and to enlighten and to spread the news and let people know the challenges you are facing you are facing currently. We would also let well meaning Nigerians know that they need to extend their hands of fellowship. It should not not just be during Christmas alone. We want a situation where the condition you meet yourself must be an improved one.

“Nigeria would be a better place if everyone comes out and are happy. We want to say God will reward you. It is not an easy task to take care of children and I keep saying it. We must commend you for what you are doing. We do not have enough to give. We do not have

abundantly enough to give, but the little we have look at the intention behind it.

“Do not look at the quantity like I earlier said but the intention which is to show love and care for the needy and that is why we are here. So once again we want to wish you a merry Christmas. It is the Christmas season. Love is in the air. We would make it a tradition. By God’s grace, we are not going to stop here. We would be coming more frequently to extend our hands of fellowship. We believe giving is good and when you give you get enough in return. May God reward the kids. They are the leaders of tomorrow. We pray that someday we see them as President, Speaker of the house, Senate President and so on. They would be of help to all of us. We use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government that your challenge be met very soon. It is an appeal. So we would use our professional tools to reach and let people know that the issue of security and feeding is a major challenge.”

NDE trains 26 youth on environmental beautification

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced the training of 26 participants on Environmental

Beautification Training Scheme (EBT$).

The State Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Dantsoho Abubakar disclosed this while flagging off the scheme in Minna.

He said the programme commenced in

batches, hence the turn of Niger state which is going to be simultaneously across the nation.

Dantsoho Abubakar explained that the beneficiaries were selected fairly, adding that the participants will be entitled to soft loans

which is repayable.

He urged the trainees to pay the required attention to acquire the requisite knowledge to achieve the mandate of the federal government and NDE of job creation.

L-R:Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Police Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Mr Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, during the Minister’s of Police Affairs, briefing Nigerians on the achievement of the Ministry under the ‘PMB Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023)’ anchor by the Federal Ministry of Information , held recently in Abuja. Photo-: Justin Imo-owo

From:

Makinde,

embodiment of God’s blessings, says PDP

Police arrest bandit, recover 4 AK47 rifles in Kaduna

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Police Command in Kaduna State, said its operatives have arrested a bandit/gun runner and recovered four AK47 rifles with 344 rounds of ammunition and his operational motorcycle in Kaduna.

The Command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muhammad Jalige, confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna.

Jalige said the renewed vigour and commitment of officers and men of the command in ensuring total compliance with the directive for domination of public space during

the festive period and beyond, had started yielding positive results.

He explained that on Dec 23, at about 17:30 hrs, operatives attached to Tudun Wada Zaria, while on surveillance patrol at Kwarkwaron Manu, Basawa area of Zaria metropolitan, intercepted two men on an unregistered motorcycle with bags concealed in a suspicious manner on the motorcycle.

“On being flagged down for search, the motorcycle passenger jumped down and fled, thereby heightening the suspicion of the eagle eyed operatives.

“The motorcycle and the rider, who gave his identity as one

Bilyaminu Saidu aged 33 years of Shuwaki village, Bakori LGA of Katsina State, were immediately subjected to a thorough search which led to his arrest.

“The items recovered included four AK47 rifles, 344 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, telephones and charms, ” he said.

Jalige said the arrested suspect had been taken into custody and preliminary investigation has revealed he and his fleeing accomplice were on a nefarious mission to supply his gang with the offensive weapons.

“The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command , Mr Yekini Ayoku, has ordered for a thorough

and comprehensive investigation to unearth the source and destination of the illicit arms and the arrest of the suspect’s criminal cohorts.

He said the CP further assured members of the public that the command would be unwavering in its commitment to ensure public safety and security in line with the operational guidelines handed down by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba.

The PPRO further enlisted the support and cooperation of all and sundry to the Police and other security agencies as security remained a shared responsibility. (NAN)

Foundation to sponsor 35 basketball, American football players abroad

No fewer than 35 basketball and American football players are set to embark on further training and study abroad, courtesy of Ejike Ugboaja Foundation (EUF).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 100 participants took part in the 2022 edition of the Annual EUF Basketball talent hunt and American football open trials from Wednesday to Friday in Abuja.

The three-day event which took place at the Moshood Abiola

National Stadium, Package B, showcased basketball and American football talents from across the 36 states of the federation and FCT.

Ejike Ugboaja, the President of EUF told NAN that the players selected from the event would enjoy scholarship and placement in American Universities.

He said they would also have the opportunity to further their career to greater heights.

Ugboaja who played for the D’Tigers and was also drafted with the Cleveland Caveliers in the NBA,

said S that the annual event was in its 15th edition.

“This is my annual event and the EUF have been doing this since 2007, that’s about 15 years now. This is the 2022 edition and we are here to fish out basketball and American football talents again.

“Every year, we try to give out scholarship to these young talents to go and play basketball abroad.

“About 15 basketball and 20 American football talents will be going this year to study in U.S.; some of them will be going to high

school, while others will be going to the university.

“We have over 100 basketball and American football talents here and we are selecting no fewer than 35 out of the bunch to give them a better life,” he said.

He said that over 2,000 Nigerians who are beneficiaries of the foundation, were presently schooling abroad.

The president said that some had obtained their masters, while others had acquired their doctorate degrees.(NAN)

Alhaji Ahmed Wadada, Social Democratic Party (SDP) Senatorial Candidate for Nasarawa Western Zone, says no amount of intimidation from those against his candidature will dim his popularity among voters in the zone.

The SDP chieftain made the assertion at a news briefing on Saturday in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

He was reacting to the alleged stoppage of his planned interactive session with the fulani stakeholders and leaders of Keffi International cattle market by the security agencies.

Wadada described the alleged action of the security agencies, particularly the police as undemocratic and against the Nigerian constitution as well as the Electoral Act, 2010.

He said he was invited by the fulani stakeholders at the market for a meeting and he decided to write notification letters of all the Heads of the security agencies in Keffi.

Wadada said:” But surprisingly, few hours to the meeting, the fulani stakeholders informed me that they were asked not to allow the meeting to hold.”

Wadada, who is the Sarkin Yakin Keffi expressed shock and dismay over the development and wondered who was behind the abrupt cancellation hours to the meeting.

He said: “The leadership of the Keffi International cattle market sought to meet with me because I have a political history with them.

“That is because, I have impacted, contributed and have been committed to the cause of the cattle market.

” So, they sought to meet me to interact and we agreed to meet today (Saturday).

“Being a former lawmaker who knows and adheres to the law, we decided to write the Police Area Commander here and DSS here about the proposed visit to the market.

“A message was sent to the leaders of the cattle market and when we heard about that, we felt we should stay back.”

Wadada said that they rescinded their decision about the meeting for peace to prevail.

” That is why we chose not to go for the meeting. Also,we don’t know what was planned and I don’t want to be linked to any disharmony,” he said.

YPP reps candidate, Buraimoh preaches tolerance, peace at xmas

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Young Progressive Party(YPP), candidate Ifako-Ijaye federal constituency, Lagos State,Hon. Peter Folajimi Buraimoh has called for peace and religious tolerance among different adherents of faith as the antidote to conflicts in the country.

In his goodwill message to Nigerians to commemorate this year’s Christmas celebration issued on Saturday, Buraimoh called for inter-religious cooperation that will

engender peace and harmonious coexistence.

He said occasional conflicts between and among various religions would never reoccur if the interreligious dialogue is sustained.

Buraimoh urged Christians in the country to remain steadfast in prayer to the almighty God to intervene in the myriads of security, and socioeconomic and political challenges facing the nation.

He enjoined them not to undermine the essence of the Christmas celebration on the altar

of merriment, saying, “the sanctity of the birth of Jesus Christ which is the reason for the celebration is to reenact the spirit of love, peace, good neighbourliness and forgiveness which our saviour preached.”

Hon. Buraimoh particularly thanked the people of Ifako-Ijaye federal constituency, for their silence and support him come 2023 general election and enjoined them to remain steadfast to face the challenges ahead.

On the forthcoming general elections, Hon.Buraimoh called on the people of the State and

Nigeria to “vote in leaders who will be committed to the security of people and promote the well-being and development of the country. This is the only way we can rescue Nigeria from the poor leadership the outgoing APC administration has taken us to.

“In the 2023 elections, we must look beyond partisan political lines to elect leaders who have been tested and trusted. Not those with criminal tendencies and thrive on lies, falsehood and deceit as their signature traits,” he emphasised.

Wadada said he had met the fulani stakeholders and appealed to them to be law abiding and patient, adding, “efforts are on to unravel what led to the cancellation of the meeting and the way forward.

“I am a stakeholder not only in Nasarawa but in the Nigerian project.

” So, nobody can intimidate or scare me. Whoever feel will wrongly use his position, we are going to seek to seek for our rights lawfully.

“I will continue to fight for the interest of the people. Nobody can intimidate me, nobody can stop me.”

Earlier, the leader of Fulani stakeholders in Nasarawa West, Alhaji Damau, reiterated the resolved of the fulanis in the zone to support the candidature of Wadada.(NAN)

No amount of intimidation will make me unpopular –Wadada

L-R: Deputy National Chairman (Politics), African Democratic Party (ADC), Dr.Bamidele Ajadi, National Legal Adviser ADC, Barr. Peters Iyiola Oyewole, National Chairman ADC, Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu and the Party National Secretary, Alh. Saa’d Baba Abdullahi, during the ADC World Press Conference on the Current State of ADC and the party Preparation toward the 2023 elections, held recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Troops kill 8 terrorists in Kaduna

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Troops of Operation Forest Sanity have killed eight terrorists and recovered six motorcycles during ambush patrols in the Chikun/Birnin Gwari general areas of Kaduna State.

This was contained in a statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, and made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

He said the report is a feedback to the Kaduna State Government, which

indicated that troops set up ambush positions at terrorists’ crossing points in the Buruku/Birnin Gwari areas.

“The troops, thus made contact with the terrorists, and neutralized eight, while recovering four motorcycles and three mobile phones

in the first successful mission.

“The troops then engaged bandits in a second mission and recovered two motorcycles,” the statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, said.

2023 polls: Contest between truth, falsehood, by Atiku

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has described the 2023 general election as a contest between truth and falsehood.

Atiku said this yesterday in his Christmas message to his social media supporters which was conveyed in a statement personally signed by him.

The PDP presidential candidate noted with sadness that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has made more Nigerians to live in multidimensional poverty.

The former Vice President thus advised that Nigerians must make sure that the APC is never allowed to return to power in 2023.

According to him, to defeat the APC and Recover Nigeria will require that “we organise ourselves” under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Atiku, in his statement, said, “It’s Christmas again and it’s a time to celebrate.It is a time to engage in acts of charity and, also time to reflect on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

“I have quite a number of Christian friends and through my relationships with them over the years, I know the importance that Christianity places on generous giving. It is the same with all religions.

“But this is one Christmas like none other. The times are hard and no thanks to the ruling APC that has run our economy to a malfunction.

“And that is where the message of Christ becomes relevant as always.

“The despondency of this time, and the uncertainties that come with it, requires of us to organise ourselves, establish the truth and advocate for what is right.

“The APC has made more Nigerians to live in multi-

dimensional poverty - that’s the truth.

“Nigerians must make sure that the APC is never allowed to return to power in 2023. That is a just cause.

“To defeat the APC and Recover Nigeria will require that we organise ourselves under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“The election next year is

a contest between truth and falsehood. I cannot thank you enough for your choice to stand at the right side.

“I will admonish that you continue to work hard. Our

opponents in this election won’t let go easily. When we apply the teachings of Christ to remain steadfast on the right cause, we shall overcome. Nigeria shall overcome”, he said.

NGO empowers 180 vulnerable people in Niger

Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ayewosai Global Foundation, Mary Noel Berje said the mission of the foundation is to empower Nigerians at the grass-root level.

She stated this during the maiden official lunching of the Foundation’s magazine and relief distribution to about one hundred and eighty beneficiaries in Minna.

The CEO who is also the governor’s Chief Press Secretary noted that it’s further to make

information available, embarked on sensitization,education, resources as well as create opportunities for them to succeed in their businesses.

Mary Berje stated that Ayewosai Global Foundation has over the years embarked on humanitarian support to the

vulnerable groups in the society. She explained that they have courageously gathered widows/ orphans and the less privileged yearly to support them with foodstuff and other non-food items, adding that this year, the foundation has provided for 180. families.

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

The Founder, Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja (HLFN), Dr. Jumai Ahmadu (left) inspecting Items Produce by the windows through her pet skill acquisition during the foundation 19th end of the year outreach for widows and vulnerable groups in FCT, held at the weekend in Abuja.. Photo; Justin Imo-owo

14 Brigade Nigerian Army commemorates Carol of 9 Lessons

The 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, on Saturday commemorated the festival of songs of nine lessons and carol, to usher in Christmas.

The carol, which held at the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) Barracks, 14 Brigade Nigerian Army Ohafia, Abia, was graced by top military hierarchy, corporate individuals, religious leaders and different church groups.

The invited choirs from Ohafia, including Presbyterian, Anglican Church, St Anthony’s Catholic Church, The Redeemed Church of God and Combine Mass Choir GEJ Barracks, rend the air with sonorous songs.

The Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Adegoke Adetuyi, read the eighth lesson taken from the Book of Matt. 2:1-12, which captured the story of the three wise men from the East.

The Brigade’s Garrison Commander, Lt. Col. LA Adejo read the sixth lesson, taken from the Book of Luke 2: 1- 20, which is about the ‘Birth of Jesus Christ.’

Mrs Nneka Adetuyi, Coordinator, Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives, 14 Brigade, read the seventh lesson taken from the Book of Matt. 1:18-25, which also narrated the story of the ‘Birth of Jesus Christ.’

Other prominent persons also read the remaining lessons that were each followed by songs and entertainment to the delight of everyone present.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all the readings were about Jesus coming to redeem the world.

Speaking with newsmen, Lt. Col. (Rev. Dr) Luka Kwon, the Brigade Chaplain (Protestant), said the essence was to welcome the Infant Jesus and to celebrate him as the special gift that God gave to the world.

Kwon, who is the Acting Assistant Director Chaplain Services(Protestant) said that the Commander demonstrated that he is the father of the entire brigade by leading his subjects in worship of God.

Also Rev. Fr. (Capt.) Chukwudi Onumajuru, the Brigade Chaplain (Catholic Church), thanked the Brigade Commander for providing the platform for the celebration.

He said: “We have this military-civil relationship where we want civilians to see us as brothers and sisters.

“That is why we invited so many civilians to join us in what we are doing today.”(NAN)

Zamfara NBA makes case for lower charges on clients

Zamfara State branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on its members to lower the charges being imposed on clients who engage

them for legal services.

The Chairman of the Zamfara State branch of the NBA, barrister Junaidu Abubakar stated this during ‘Law Week’, saying the volume of charges on the clients sometimes are more than necessary.

The Chairman urged the teeming members of the NBA to always exercise their primary duties with simpler approaches with a view to ensure needed confidence is built for the general public.

“A lawyer should always serve as

a friend whose service is affordable to all citizens when struggling for their rights, as that can quickly change the believe that, a solicitor is a different person who only becomes available for well to do clients”.

2023: Buhari lauds Zamfara APC reconciliation drive

President Muhammad Buhari on Friday described the APC reconciliation drive in Zamfara between Gov. Bello Matawalle, former governor, Abdul’aziz Yari and Sen. Kabiru Marafa as a strong indicator of its victory in the 2023 general elections.

Buhari stated this when he visited the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Office in Gusau, the state capital.

This is contained in a statement issued in Gusau by the state APC Publicity Secretary, Malam Yusuf Idris.

Christmas:

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari represented by the Minister of Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, visited the state as Special Guest for the closing ceremony of the 37th National Qur’anic Recitation Competition.

The event was organised by the Center for Islamic Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

Buhari expressed confidence in the APC led-administration in the state under Gov Matawalle for the 2023 general elections.

The president was conducted round the edifice by the state Coordinator, APC presidential campaign council in the state, Marafa.

He commended the arrangement put in place to ensure APC victory in the 2023 general elections.

“The efforts jointly put in place by Matawalle, Yari and Marafa are highly commendable”, Buhari said.

He assured people of the state that the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, if elected, would witness overwhelming

urges christians to

transformation, sustaining the achievements recorded by the Buhari-led administration in the last seven years.

The president thanked the people of Zamfara and all Nigerians for the support to his leadership and urged them to sustain support to APC to ensure its victory at all levels in the 2023 polls..

Earlier while receiving the delegation, Matawalle said that Zamfara was the home base of the APC, adding that the opposition parties seemed to be non existent in the state.NAN

love

In the spirit of the Christmas Season, the Compassionate Family in collaboration with the Catholic Chaplaincy of the Nigerian Correctional Service, have donated gift items to inmates in Keffi Correctional centre (Keffi Prison)

Items donated include, Food Stuff , sanitary materials, books among others , these were donated as part of efforts for reformation of prison inmates at Medium Security Custodial Centre, Keffi-Nassarawa

Presenting the Items, Revd Fr. Victor Nyoroh, National Catholic Chaplain of the Nigerian

Correctional Service / convener *Feed a Prisoner Initiative”, , said the effort was targeted toward the inmates reformation, having enough food for the inmate as part of the Christmas celebration.

“The Chaplaincy came into existence on 22 May 2019 as a result of the Nigerian Correctional Act, 2019, 31 July,” he said

However, the Chaplaincy responsibilities is among the spiritual resuscitation of the inmates.

Meanwhile, Mr Songu Joseph, Controller of Corrections, National Chaplain

of the protestant group said the existence of the Chaplaincy facilitated remarkable changes in the inmates due to the word of God being preached to them, they have remorseful hearts,” he said

Joseph said the reformation works of the Chaplaincy have also led to change in character and mode of life of the inmates in their strive to become better individuals.

He commended the Act for the change in name from prison to correctional center, adding that this would help change the mentality of Nigerians to accept inmates as human. Mr.

Shadrach Onmonya, Chaplain at the Medium Security Custodians Centre, Keffi said they had been having series of similar out reaches in the FCT

“This year we decided to reach out, to go beyond FCT and to get to the suburbs to other prisons around the central geopolitical zone.

“Our intention is actually to touch lives and to ensure that they are nourished physically,” Onmonya said.

The outreach was organised in partnership with Earthspring International, St Vincent de Paul Society, etc.

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The Senior Pastor and founder of Zion Flames Ministries International Apostle Promise

Momo, has urged Christians to demonstrate love and kindness as they celebrate Christmas. In his goodwill message to Nigerians to commemorate this

year’s

Christmas celebration on Sunday, he said, “The greatest commandment as we know is love . For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should

one another” (1 John 3:11). According to him,”We spend time on what we deem important. For many of us these choices are valid”.

L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari (@80) with her female Ministers during the 80th birthday celebration for the President at the State House Conference Hall, Friday night in Abuja. PHOTO; State House

Gov Bello advices

Ja’agi community to reinstate removed Chief Imam

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state has advised the people of Ja’agi community of Mokwa local government to reinstate the Chief Imam who was removed by the late Village Head.

He said the evidences against him were not good enough for his removal.

The governor gave the directive during a meeting with the community residence at government house Minna.

He said the Chief Imam is competent and knowledgeable.

Governor Bello further urged the deputy governor Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso to as a matter of urgency direct the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar to appoint a new Village Head for Ja’agi who will inturn do the needful.

Gov Bello felicitates with Christians

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has called on Christians to reflect on the significance of the birth of Jesus Christ as they celebrate the 2022 Christmas.

Governor Bello in a Christmas message observed that love, compassion, sacrifice, selflessness, and forgiveness among others are the hallmarks of Christmas celebrations.

He enjoined Nigerlites to appropriate the love and hope that comes with Christmas and reinvest trust in his administration’s determination and unwavering commitment to restoring peace, security, and prosperity to the State.

Bella emphasized that there is relative peace in the state.

He assured of his administration’s continuous support to the security agencies within the available resources to enable them to consolidate the relative peace attained in the state.

CNS charges Naval troops to ensure synergy

Abubakar, Maiduguri

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, has expressed the need for the Naval component of Operation Hadin Kai Theater Command (OPHK) combating terror in the Northeast to scale up synergy with other security agencies to root out terror in the region.

Gambo was speaking at the Lake Chad basin community of Baga in Borno State, weekend,

while donating a Solar-powered borehole by the Nigerian Navy to the community.

“The prevailing national security challenges demand robust synergy of effort by the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police, Civilian JTF and other security agencies as well ad all stakeholders,” the CNS said through Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, the Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Navy.

He charged the Operation Hadin Kai Naval component:

“With regards to cooperation with sister services during operations, you must continue to cooperate and work in harmony with all security agencies.”

He explained: “The peculiar nature of the Northeast theater of operation, where you serve, requires participation of troops from neighbouring countries under the Multi-National Joint Task Force.

Vice Admiral Gambo underscored the necessity of cooperation, synergy, cordial

working relationship of all components and contingents of the participating countries (Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon) in the theater in the interest of national and region security to defeat terrorism and insurgency.

“Your effort is very necessary for the overall success of the entire operations in the Northeast,” he charged the naval troops, adding, “I urge you to maintain the momentum of collaboration with other service do that desired results can be achieved.”

Army constructs toilet facilities, boreholes for communities in Kogi

The Nigerian Army has constructed and donated toilet facilities and solar powered boreholes to communities in Ekinrin-Adde, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four projects constructed include toilet facilities and solar powered motorised boreholes at Oja Oba Central Market, Community Comprehensive College, C&S Owobode and Ekinrin-Adde Townhall.

Speaking at the official inauguration on Saturday in Ekinrin-Adde, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, said that the gesture was part of the Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) special intervention projects being executed by the Nigerian Army across the country.

Represented by the Commander, Headquarters Command Army Records (CAR), Maj -Gen. Sunday Igbinomwanhia, the COAS said that Nigerian Army had enjoyed high level of cooperation and goodwill from Ekinrin-Adde communities and

the entire Nigerian citizens.

He noted that the Nigerian Army had, over the years, taken deliberate steps towards ensuring that it gives back to the society the cooperation it had enjoyed from the people by observing some corporate social responsibilities.

This, he said was very much in line with his vision of “a professional Nigerian Army, ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in defence of Nigeria”.

He stressed that in pursuance of the vision, he had ensured that Nigerian Army paid more attention to the non kinetic aspect of its operations.

He emphasised that the projects were quick impact projects executed by the Nigerian Army in various parts of the country towards contributing to national development.

”I believe this project will serve the collective needs of the members of Ekinrin-Adde communities and its immediate environs,” the COAS said.

The Army boss said that the Nigerian Army in conjunction with other security agencies are

working assiduously to rid the country of criminal activities and all forms of insecurities facing it.

He appealed to the people to see the project as a symbol of friendship between the Nigerian Army and the communities.

”Let it foster the desired peace, progress and indeed bring prosperity to the community as well,” he said.

The COAS thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his continuous support to the Nigerian Army and for providing the environment conducive for carrying out their constitutional mandate.

He appreciated the Minister of Defence, retired Maj. Gen Salihi Magashi and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, for always providing direction and support to the Nigerian Army.

He thanked Gov. Yahaya Bello, traditional fathers and all the good people of Kogi for their unrelenting support to the Nigerian Army.

Speaking on his own capacity, Maj-Gen. Igbinomwanhia, thanked the COAS for sponsoring several of those projects in Kogi under his area of responsibility,

saying it would further boost security on the state.

”I will say I am also a beneficiary of these projects because it will have direct impacts on the security of the state,” he said.

He stressed that the Nigerian Army would not tolerate any act of indiscipline from any of its officer or soldier, saying the full wrath of the law would be on any erring personnel in the state.

He, therefore, urged the people to be confident to continue to support and cooperate with the Nigerian Army by giving credible information that would lead to arrest of criminal elements in the state.

On his part, Maj.-Gen Michael Durowaiye, the projects’ executor, thanked the COAS for his passion towards improving the wellbeing of his people and his financial commitment to the reality of the projects.

Durowaiye, who is the Executive Director, Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Ltd. said the gesture was a way of giving back to his roots and ancestral home to improve the wellbeing and standard of living of his people.

Uthman

L-R: Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North), Kebbi State Governor/ Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), Senator Atiku Bagudu; and Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji; during Oyebanji’s visit to the Abuja residence of Senator Bagudu.

NDE trains 26 youth on environmental beautification

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced the training of 26 participants on Environmental Beautification Training Scheme (EBT$).

The State Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Dantsoho Abubakar disclosed this while flagging off the scheme in Minna.

He said the programme commenced in batches, hence the turn of Niger state which is going to be simultaneously across the nation.

Dantsoho Abubakar explained that the beneficiaries were selected fairly, adding that the participants will be entitled to soft loans which is repayable.

He urged the trainees to pay the required attention to acquire the requisite knowledge to achieve the mandate of the federal government and NDE of job creation.

NSCDC unveils 270 upecial female squad in Niger

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger state Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has unveiled 270 number of special weapon handling female squad trained to complement insecurity challenges facing the country and the state.

The Commandant of the Command, Ahmed Mohammed Dandare also unveiled the Female Armed Squad in the command during the Passing Out Parade of the trained personnel in Minna, Niger State.

Mohammed Dandare revealed that the Female Armed Squad were trained to complement the male counterpart in the fight against abduction of school children in schools in the state.

He said female squads were also trained on different techniques to engage in rescue operations, weapon handling, VIP protection, intelligence gathering and tips to tackle sexual gender base violence.

Christmas: Osinbajo sends message of hope to Nigerians

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the celebration of Christmas brings hope, joy, God’s Grace and relief to Nigerians.

Osinbajo spoke with State House correspondents on Sunday after the Christmas Service at Aso Villa Chapel where he delivered the sermon.

According to him, the celebration is good news because Jesus Christ offers himself for the sins of man.

“My message is the message of Christmas which is the birth of the new covenant; the birth of Grace; God’s Grace and mercy is what we

celebrate today because the birth of Jesus Christ is the birth of the Grace of God.

“From the moment Christ was born, God said he was not going to hold us to account for our sins for as long as we believed in what he did; the sacrifice of Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ came to pay in full for all of our sins.

“So, really why we celebrate is because this is good news; before, we had to pay for our sins; the consequence of sin we have to bear.

“This is because we always

continue to sin; but Jesus came to substitute all our unrighteousness and replace it with his own righteousness so long as we believe him.

“So, it is a celebration of joy and a great relief; that is why it is called the good news,” he said.

On his part, Pastor Seyi Malomo, Chaplain, Aso Villa Chapel, said that Jesus Christ is a bringer of the new covenant; the covenant of Emmanuel; of God with us.

According to him, one who has God lacks nothing

“What’s most important is when you have God on your side; things are definitely bound to improve.

“And as we go into the New Year, with God on our side, no matter how and whatever may be the negative forecast of people, we know that God who goes ahead of us; will make the crooked place straight.

“He will make the rough edges smooth; he will level the mountains and elevate the valleys and he will give us victory.

“Peace is for us in Jesus name,” he said. (NAN)

AOIYEO launched FCTOIs charter of demands

The Àbuja Original

Inhabitants

Youth Empowerment

Organisation (AOIYEO) has presented their Charter of demands to the public, this will also enable political class seeking election to sign on fulfilling the items listed on the charter for the betterment of the natives for such candidate to be voted for.

Addressing the media the Project Manager AOIYEO , Comrade Bitrus Lawrence Said the FCT Original Inhabitants has make certainly a remarkable and historic moment in the execution of our “promoting the rights of FCT OIS” project, and as an organization as well.

Our project has achieved applaudable feats so far, delivering results in line with our general objective which is the holistic

upliftment of the original inhabitants of Abuja; we have launched the ‘OIPedia Platform’, a virtual cultural repository for FCT OIs, and final preparations are being made for the launch of Know, Ask and Follow (KAF) platform, a dynamic enlightenment and accountability initiative that advocates for the fair distribution of amenities, aides and interventions across FCT in communities, we have also instituted FCT-YN, the most extensive network of community youth representatives from and in the FCT, Nonetheless, I assure you that what we are doing is the biggest one yet.

This is the most critical document of FCT OIs, one that we all stand behind, one that we all stand for, and one that we will stand with.

In other to put this crucial

document together, AOIYEO undertook the extensive engagement of FCT OIs, from the Area Council Leadership, the FCTA and FCDA, The FCT Traditional Council of Chiefs across the upgraded 17 Chiefdoms, the 62 wards, and 858 communities’ representatives, and general stakeholders and leaders amongst the FCT OIs, invariably giving the document a fascinating depth and far-flung acceptance amongst FCT OIs.

As we all know, the election season is upon us, so as we present this document today, and with the blessings of everyone involved, we are also declaring that as a people who are bound by a common struggle and are now rejuvenated and resolute in upholding the FCTOIs charter of demands as our unanimous roadmap

to addressing them, our support for any candidate or party at the polls will be largely dependent on the commitment they show towards implementing the recommendations contained in our charter of demand.

In the political section of this document for instance, in response to policy inconsistencies and reversals by FCTA and the FCDA, and other operations which completely negate democratic tenets, open to abuse and contradict the spirit of inclusiveness and good governance enshrined in the constitution, we have recommended the establishment of an Abuja Original Inhabitants Development Commission (AOIDC), which will be dedicated and focus solely on the unique issues of FCTOIs, just as we have NDDC for the Niger-Delta region

Nutrition: SWODEN targets 71,000 pregnant women in Jigawa

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

No fewer than 71,000 pregnant women, parent and care givers in Jigawa state, are targetted by the Society for Women Development and empowerment in Nigeria, on

behavioral change towards increasing Iron Folic Acid uptake and Anti-natal care.

This was announced by the Nutrition International (NI) coordinator Mr Patrick Odeli during a meeting with stakeholders to disseminate the outcome of the desk review at

state Secretariat Dutse.

The NI coordinator who was represented by SWODEN program officer comrade Lawan B. Ahmad said, ten communities from two local governments of Ringim and Dutse will benefit from the intervention.

He explained that,

SWODEN in collaboration with Nutrition International (NI) is implementing a project to reach over 71,000 pregnant women, parent and care givers with behavioral change messages towards increasing Iron Folic Acid IFA uptake and Anti-natal care, LO-ORS/ZINC intake.

R-L: His Royal Highness Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Dantoro with the Wakilin Sadarwan Borgu Emirate (Communication Representative of Borgu Emirate), Malam Anas Galadima, after his turbaning at the Emir’s Place in New Bussa Niger State, at the weekend.

Delta community honours 2 daughters, tasks others on philanthropy

Ibusa community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta on Saturday rolled out the drums to honour two of her illustrious daughters for living a charitable life and giving support to the community.

The centenarian and oldest man, Diopkpa of Ibusa, Chief Paul Ijeh, who conferred chieftaincy on the duo of Dr Magdalene Agada and her younger sister, Dr Josephine Ewere, at Ibusa, described them as pillars and bundle of blessings to humanity and Ibusa community in particular.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dr (Mrs) Agada is the founder of Open Hands Amazing Charitable Organisation Incorporated, New York, U.S.A and U.K. a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO), also touching lives in Nigeria.

The recipients though were absent but Mrs Agada was represented by Miss Awele Nwaolise while Mrs Ewere was represented by Miss Goodness Nwaolise at the occasion.

The centenarian, who spoke through the Onowu of Ibusa, Chief Chris Okolie, said that with Mrs Agada and Mrs Ewere, the needy in the community sighed a relief as they received hope to live a happy life.

Ijeh conferred on Chief Magdalene Nwaka Agada the title of “Ugohkwesiobodo of Ibuzor” while Mrs Josephine Nneka Ewere was honoured as the “Adaomakwesiliobido of Ibuzor”

He said that the honour would spur them to do more for the community and for humanity while urging other well meaning sons and daughters of Ibusa to emulate them.(NAN)

LP urges Nigerians to keep hope alive

From: Femi Oyelola,

Kaduna

The Director, Youth Affairs of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council Isah Abubakar has urged Nigerians to keep hope alive with the party.

This was contained in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

According to him, civil servants in the country were not paid their monthly salaries, which resulted in most family not to have resources to celebrate the birth of Christ.

He added that this is in addition to the doubling of the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), which has led to an increase in the prices of goods and services in the country.

Christmas: Clergy harps on celebration with less privileged

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

As Nigerians celebrate this year’s Christmas, the Senior Pastor of House of Purpose Ministry, U/Sunday in Chikun Local government Area, Apostle Yakubu Yusuf has urged Christians to allow the joy and peace, which the birth of Jesus Christ signifies to transform their lives and cause them to extend love and fellowship to the

less privileged.

He gave the charge in the Christmas sermon he delivered yesterday.

The clergy who was reading from the Book, Neh..: 10-12 said as Christians celebrate the season, they should bear in mind that there are less privileged people among them who need to extend the celebration to by sharing things that will make the celebration meaningful to them.

Etsu Nupe urges Nigerians to support security agencies

Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers has called on Nigerians to support security agencies.

Abubakar made the call when the new Commissioner of Police to the State, Mr Ogundele Joshua-Ayodeji paid him a courtesy visit in his palace in Bida on Friday.

He said that security is a collective responsibility of all and sundry and not for security agencies alone.

Abubakar said that security agencies needed the sustained support and goodwill of Nigerians to carry out the onerous task of protecting lives and property of Nigerians.

The Royal father also extolled the efforts of the state police command for “doing so much, with so little“.

He said that security agencies are doing their best in the face of the acute paucity of manpower, logistics and equipment.

“There a lot of challenges and shortcomings, however Almighty Allah that put you there will continue to guide you the wisdom to administer the state and the country in general.

“We on our own part will continue to

support you, pray for you and give you that support and contributions needed to actually pilot the affairs of fighting crime and criminality,

“I am assuring you that this level of support would be sustained, as without peace and security the nation cannot develop,” he said.

Earlier, Joshua-Ayodeji urged the people of the state to continue giving useful information to the police to sustain the fight against crimes and criminality.

He commended the Etsu Nupe for the relative peace being enjoyed in his domain, saying, “The emirate is the most peaceful in the state.”

The commissioner said the visit was to seek royal blessing from him, adding that the police would not undermine the role of traditional institutions in complementing the effort of security operatives.

He said that the role of traditional institutions in sustaining peace and unity in the countrycould not be under-emphasised.

Joshua-Ayodeji said that the police force will not relent in partnering with the institution in carrying out their mandate. (NAN).

NIGERIA DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

Plot 447 / 448 Constitution Avenue, Central Business District, Abuja E-mail: info@ndic.gov.ng Website: www.ndic.gov.ng

INVITATION TO TENDER FOR THE SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (BMS) AT THE CORPORATION’S HEAD OFFICE ABUJA

1.0

presented in its bid are true and correct in all particulars;

INTRODUCTION

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) wishes to

- that no Director has been convicted in any Country for any criminal offence relating to fraud or financial impropriety or criminal misrepresentation or falsification of facts relating to any matter;

- that the Company is not in receivership, the subject of any form of insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings or the subject of any form of winding up petition or proceedings;

- That the company does not have existing loan or financial liability with a bank, other financial institution or third party that is classified as doubtful, non-performance, bad or whose repayment portion has been outstanding for the last four (4) months;

viii) For Supply of Equipment: Letter of Authorisation as representative of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs);

ix) Company’s Audited Accounts for the last three (3) years - 2019, 2020 & 2021, duly acknowledged by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

x) Reference letter from a reputable commercial bank indicating willingness to provide credit facility for the execution of the project when needed.

xi) Detailed Company Profile with the Curriculum Vitae of key staff to be deployed for the project, including copies of their Academic/Professional qualifications (COREN, QSRBN, ARCON, CORBON, etc.).

xii) Verifiable documentary evidence of at least three (3) similar jobs executed in the last five (5) years including Letters of Awards, Valuation Certificates, Job Completion Certificates and Photographs of the projects.

Smoke evacuation sequence of AHUs and return fans including smoke control dampers and fire command override panel.

Variable volume and constant volume box control including interlocks with finned tube radiation.

Monitoring points for packaged equipment such as emergency generators,

Power wiring to DDC devices, smoke control dampers and BMS panels except as otherwise specified. B. Except as otherwise noted, the control system shall consist of all necessary Ethernet Network Controllers, Standalone Digital Control Units, workstations, software, sensors, transducers, relays, valves, dampers, damper operators, control panels, and other accessory equipment, along with a complete system of electrical interlocking wiring to fill the intent of the specification and provide for a complete and operable system. Except as otherwise specified, provide operators for equipment such as dampers if the equipment manufacturer does not provide these. Coordinate requirements with the various Contractors.

C. The BMS contractor shall review and study all HVAC drawings and the entire specification to familiarize themselves with the equipment and system operation and to verify the quantities and types of dampers, operators, alarms, etc. to be provided.

D. All interlocking wiring, wiring and installation of control devices associated with the equipment listed below shall be provided under this Contract. When the BMS system is fully installed and operational, the BMS Contractor and representatives of the Owner will review and carry out the System Acceptance and Testing. At that time, the BMS contractor shall demonstrate the operation of the system and prove that it complies with the intent of the drawings and specifications.

E. Provide services and manpower necessary for commissioning of the system in coordination with the HVAC Contractor, Genset Contractor, Panels Contractor and Client’s representative.

F. All work performed under this section of the specifications will comply with all governing codes, laws and governing bodies. If the drawings and/or specifications are in conflict with governing codes, the Contractor, with guidance from the engineer, shall submit a proposal with appropriate modifications to the project to meet code restrictions. If this specification and associated drawings exceed governing code requirements, the specification will govern. The Contractor shall obtain and pay for all necessary construction permits and licenses.

G. Production of installation as-built drawings, project documentations, operation manuals and schedules documents.

3.0 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

xiii) For Joint Venture/Partnership, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) should be provided indicating among others the Lead Partner (CAC, Tax Clearance Certificate, Pension Clearance Certificate, ITF Compliance Certificate, NSITF Clearance Certificate, IRR & Sworn Affidavit are compulsory for each JV partner).

xiv) All documents for submission must be transmitted with a Covering/Forwarding letter under the Company/ Firm’s Letter Head Paper bearing amongst others, the Registration Number (RC) as issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Contact Address, Telephone Number (preferably GSM no.) and e-mail address. The Letterhead Paper must bear the Names and Nationalities of the Directors of the Company at the bottom of the page, duly signed by the authorised officer of the firm.

Note: Technical Evaluation Bid should have a Table of Content and be paginated.

4.0

COLLECTION OF TENDER DOCUMENTS

Interested Companies are to collect the Standard Bidding Document (SBD) from the Procurement and Management Services Department, 2nd Floor, NDIC Headquarters, Plot 447/448 Constitution Avenue, Central Business District, Abuja on evidence of payment of a non-refundable tender fee of N10,000.00 payable into the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Remita account at www.remita.net through any deposit money bank (DMB) in Nigeria.

5.0

SUBMISSION OF TENDER DOCUMENTS

Prospective bidders are to submit three (3) hard copies each of the Technical and Financial bids with a soft copy of financial bid only in MS Excel format, packaged separately in sealed envelopes and clearly marked “Technical Bid” and “Financial Bid”. Thereafter, put the two sealed envelopes together in a bigger sealed envelope addressed to:

The Director, Procurement & Management Services Department, (PMSD) Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Plot 447/448 Constitution Avenue, Central Business District, Abuja, Nigeria.

Clearly marked “TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL TENDER FOR THE SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (BMS) AT THE CORPORATION’S HEAD OFFICE ABUJA”.

Furthermore, on the reverse side of each sealed envelope should bear the name and address of the bidder and drop in the designated Tender Box on the Ground floor, reception area at the Head Office Building not later than 11:00a.m. Monday, 30th January 2023.

OF TECHNICAL BIDS

6.0 OPENING

Only the technical bids will be opened immediately after the deadline for the submission at 11:00a.m. Monday, 30th January 2023, at the Ground Floor, Visitors waiting room, NDIC Head Office Building in the presence of observers, bidders or their representatives, while the Financial bids will be kept un-opened. Please, ensure that you sign the Bid Submission Register on the 2nd floor, with the Procurement and Management Services Department, as NDIC will not be held liable for misplaced or wrongly submitted bids. Further requisite information required can be obtained from the NDIC website or e-mail address info@ ndic.gov.ng.

7.0

GENERAL INFORMATION

i) Bids must be in English Language and signed by an official authorised by the bidder.

ii) Bids submitted after the deadline for submission would be returned un-opened.

iii) All costs will be borne by the bidders.

iv) Only pre-qualified bidders at technical evaluation will be invited at a later date for financial bids opening, while the financial bids of un-successful bidders will be returned unopened;

on the National Database of Federal Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers by submission of Interim Registration Report (IRR) expiring on 31st December, 2022 or valid Certificate issued by BPP.

vii) Sworn Affidavit:

- disclosing whether or not any officer of the relevant committees of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Bureau of Public Procurement is a former or present Director, shareholder or has any pecuniary interest in the bidder and to confirm that all information

v) Where a bid is submitted by a joint venture (JV) partners, each member of the JV must fulfil requirements i to vii under eligibility criteria.

vi) NDIC is not bound to pre-qualify any bidder and reserves the right to annul the procurement process at any time without incurring any liabilities in accordance with Section 28 of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

No amount of intimidation will make me unpopular –Wadada

Alhaji Ahmed Wadada, Social Democratic Party (SDP) Senatorial Candidate for Nasarawa Western Zone, says no amount of intimidation from those against his candidature will dim his popularity among voters in the zone.

The SDP chieftain made the assertion at a news briefing on Saturday in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

He was reacting to the alleged stoppage of his planned interactive session with the fulani stakeholders and leaders of Keffi International cattle market by the security agencies.

Wadada described the alleged action of the security agencies, particularly the police as undemocratic and against the Nigerian constitution as well as the Electoral Act, 2010.

He said he was invited by the fulani stakeholders at the market for a meeting and he decided to write notification letters of all the Heads of the security agencies in Keffi.

Wadada said:” But surprisingly, few hours to the meeting, the fulani stakeholders informed me that they were asked not to allow the meeting to hold.”

Wadada, who is the Sarkin Yakin Keffi expressed shock and dismay over the development and wondered who was behind the abrupt cancellation hours to the meeting.

He said: “The leadership of the Keffi International cattle market sought to meet with me because I have a political history with them.

“That is because, I have impacted, contributed and have been committed to the cause of the cattle market.

” So, they sought to meet me to interact and we agreed to meet today (Saturday).

“Being a former lawmaker who knows and adheres to the law, we decided to write the Police Area Commander here and DSS here about the proposed visit to the market.

“A message was sent to the leaders of the cattle market and when we heard about that, we felt we should stay back.”

Wadada said that they rescinded their decision about the meeting for peace to prevail.

” That is why we chose not to go for the meeting. Also,we don’t know what was planned and I don’t want to be linked to any disharmony,” he said.

Wadada said he had met the fulani stakeholders and appealed to them to be law abiding and patient, adding, “efforts are on to unravel what led to the cancellation of the meeting and the way forward.

“I am a stakeholder not only

Christmas: Sanwo-Olu preaches peace, harmony

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has urged Nigerians, especially Lagos residents, to continue to live in peace and harmony as they celebrate Christmas.

Sanwo-Olu, in his Christmas message on Saturday, appealed to residents to celebrate the season of the birth of Jesus Christ, with moderation.

He said that his administration was committed to delivering more dividends of democracy to residents of the state in the years ahead.

The governor implored residents to protect and use infrastructure provided by the

government very well, so that incoming generations could also enjoy the dividends of democracy.

“This is another opportunity to say compliments of the season and to wish all the residents and people of Lagos State a Merry Christmas, a very peaceful holiday season and a prosperous New Year in advance.

“2022 has been a year of several things for us but it has been a year of prosperity for Lagos; a year in which we have broken all barriers that hindered us before now and you can see purposeful development.

“You can see that our THEMES agenda this year has touched all of

our pillars and I cannot begin to roll them out here today.

“I just want to assure our citizens that the government and the people of Lagos State will continue to be law-abiding.

“We will continue to live in peace and harmony among ourselves, and even as we go into this Yuletide season, let us celebrate with moderation and know that the season is for us also to reflect and ensure that as New Year comes in, it is for bigger and greater things to happen,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also urged residents to perform their civic responsibilities during the 2023 general elections and the 2023

Population and Housing Census. According to him, Year 2023 is very important for the country because it is a year for the general elections and the national census, hence, all have to be on the same page.

“We have to know that we have a responsibility as citizens to perform our civil role in all of these activities and to ensure that all of the assets of the government are preserved and are used well.

“People must continue to ensure that they protect and use infrastructure well, so that generations coming behind us can also enjoy the dividends of democracy,” he said. (NAN)

2023: Group says desperate politicians behind CBN, DSS face-off

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Acitizens led anti sabotage organisation under the aegis of The Natives, has said some desperate politicians responsible for the face-off between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS) to sabotage the forthcoming general elections.

The Natives, however, warned those involved in the act to stop or else they will be exposed.

Addressing a joint press conference Wednesday in Abuja, with other Civil Society Organisations, youths groups, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Lawyers, among others, leader of The Natives, Hon. Smart Edwards, urged citizens to be weary of calculated plots that may not be the reason or hidden interest behind the recent turn of events and ignition of heat in the country by elements of confusion.

According to Edwards, All agencies have their modus operandi guiding their operations. The CBN is insulated to be independent in developing its policies and so is the DSS empowered with capabilities to interrogate issues of concern, so also are the courts approachable

in cases of infractions. This are not any reason to call for protests.

The group expressed worry that certain Nigerians are being hog washed into another debacle of a non-existing threats to the CBN, in another permutation to keep the streets in chaos as the Yuletide season approaches, “this is political gymnastics and we are not ready for it.

“The story of Nigeria is not all gloom today, our Air Force is making superior strides in the North-east and forests, the Military and Defence Intelligent forces are recovering lost grounds, peace is gradually returning to Nigeria and people are travelling the roads home for the holidays. The Kaduna Trains have resumed and working, the EAST-WEST Road is almost completed, security situation is improving, the NDDC Board is reconstituted, our Naira is slightly recovering, our elections are around the corner, politicians have come to their seasons, Nigerians must come to their senses.

“Indeed, politicians can be mischievous, I mean the Youths Population are the largest voters in this country, particularly the Students, and rather than politicians and political parties reaching out to them with their well-defined manifestos and water

tight integrity based assurances of a visionary government and campaigns that should rest on their records, so as to gain their acceptance, they are busy sponsoring chaos.

“Let it be made abundantly clear that as a Citizens led Anti Sabotage Organisation we are fully motivated and committed to free and fair elections. We are fully aware of saboteurs in nocturnal meetings, preparing to scandalise and blackmail persons of high reputation as a precursor to sponsor protests across the country, this has already failed because we will resist.

“During the EndSars youths suffered the most, whilst politicians sat in the comfort of their homes either financing and dishing out commands, this is our only country, we will not allow agents of destructions to distribute crisis across the Nation.

There is no Political Party, Politician or Candidate new to us, they have all been around, therefore our country and the country all seek to govern must not explode in the name of their ambitions.

“As Citizens, we know that this Nation has reached combustion stage in the past few years, however the security agencies in our country have been faced with

challenges on all fronts, we will not allow the relative peace being enjoyed to be truncated, in the roll down to the General Elections in February.

“Let all Nigerians be aware, alert and recognise that there is nothing better than the peaceful transfer of power so there will be no room for Saboteurs. The Security Agencies, Defence forces and intelligence community should rise urgently to man our borders and curtail any threats to our National Affairs.

“On the recent debacle between the DSS and the CBN, these are two institutions that will be saddled with our elections therefore we can see fifth columnists and emergency activists mixing up within politicians to rubbish institutions that should be apolitical.

“Bichi is going nowhere and CBN by their mandate are empowered to and can deepen policies that would help grow and stabilize our Naira and Economy.

“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is an APC man, yet he has given a clear body language readable by all parties including his own, of an unmistakable resolve and determination to ensure free and fair elections.”

L-R; VP Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Alh Aliko Dangote with President Muhammadu Buhari (@80) during the 80th birthday celebration for the President at the State House Conference Hall, Friday night in Abuja. PHOTO; State House

EDITORIAL Merry Christmas 2022

Sunday, December 25, marked the start of the season of Christmas. As the word implies, it is a time of solemn festivities all over the world commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. Though not specified in the Bible, the Christian Holy Writ, the birth of Christ is accepted generally in Christendom to have happened on December 25. However, his miraculous birth was prophesied long ago by angels and the early prophets of God. He was to come as the Messiah of humanity held down by a corrupt world system over which Satan, the Devil, presides. Therefore, Christmas celebrates the birth of this Saviour who lends His name to a faith that originates in Him.

In Nigeria, the federal government has declared today, Monday, and tomorrow as public holiday to mark the solemn occasion. Hundreds of millions of the Christian faithful are marking Christ’s birth with worship services in churches, exchanges of gifts and visits to hospitals and orphanages to comfort the sick and the less privileged.

Traditionally, on this occasion, religious and political leaders give goodwill messages. For example, President Muhammadu Buhari usually informs the nation: “The commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ is an important opportunity for us to show love to one another and encourage unity by spending quality time with our friends, families and the lessprivileged. It is also an occasion to draw inspiration from the exemplary lifestyle and teachings of Jesus Christ, who constantly stood

OUR MISSION

for what is right, true and honest... The Holy Book describes Christmas as a festival of peace, joy, healing, hope and fulfillment. It kindles great expectations in the heart, irrespective of the challenges of the moment.”

What are these “challenges of the moment”? Number one, obviously, is insecurity characterized by banditry and kidnapping. This reached its apogee on March 28 2022 when a dozen gunmen attacked a Kadunabound passenger train from Abuja and kidnapped over 200 passengers for ransom. As Christmas approached more than a half of those in captivity had been rescued and reunited with their families.

Before the train attack, there was a daring security breach at a supposedly well guarded prison at Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. How elements of the rag-tag Boko Haram terror group managed to overrun the correctional facility also housing jailed politicians is still a mystery! An answer will go a long way to resolve the insecurity conundrum

“Before the train attack, there was a daring security breach at a supposedly well guarded prison at Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. How elements of the rag-tag Boko Haram terror group managed to overrun the correctional facility also housing jailed politicians is still a mystery! An answer will go a long way to resolve the insecurity conundrum.

Another challenge is the forthcoming general elections. If we succeed at pulling off a transparent, fair and credible vote, our democracy will be better for it and the world will respect Nigeria the more. However, if we fail the consequences will be dire. This is why the Christian faithful must use the occasion of Christmas to “stand in the breech” on behalf of the nation so that God will save and prosper it.

OUR PEOPLE

OUR VISION

We once had a language

By Maclawrence Kolapo Famuyiwa

In as much as I clamour for more relevance to be given to Pidgin English since many Nigerians are more at home with ‘Naija’ than ‘Nigeria’, we should still not sing an obsequious dirge for our own indigenous languages, a balance of relevance should be given to the two at the expense of the English of the British or of other adoptation.

It is rather lugubrious that we are standing and watching our indigenous languages in Nigeria going into a desuetude on its final peregrination into obscurity. It is amusing that our children are being moulded to speak the English language better than the real owner of the language. It is ludicrous that any child that mistakenly chatter in his or her mother tongue is maligned, but the one that speaks the English language is adulated.

I still can’t phantom the incipient of this craze, because I know it used to be a vogue that the early education of any Nigerian used to be in his or her mother tongue, at least that was the case when I was growing up. But nowadays there’s no where, whether at home or at school, that these children are taught languages of their parents any longer. They are taught in English at schools and they come home to continue their lessons of improving their proficiency in it. Even, when the parents are illiterates, they still struggle to catch up to help their wards in the pedagogy of the language of our colonialists.

The ludicrousness of this is also noticed when children acting in our indigenous language movies are made to speak English and their parts have to be translated to the original languageof the film. One then wonders, is there anything wrong in speaking our indigenous languages? Do we need mastery of English language for us to be great as individuals or as a country? If countries like China, Japan, France, England etc can be great without adopting other peoples’ languages, why can’t we?

Our governments are not helping matters as well by making it compulsory that anybody that wants to further his or her education into any higher institution of learning, should compulsorily pass English at a credit level. This is a hinderance a child in other clime is not subjected to, since he or she doesn’t need the encumbrance of mastering other peoples’ languages, before he or she can become whatever he or she wants to become, unless what he or she decides to venture into has a direct relationship with that foreign language.

of another man’s language? Can’t we even develop our own lingua franca? Although, attempts were made in the past to develop a Nigerian language using words from the three main languages of Nigeria, a project called ‘WAZOBIA’ coined from the words for “come” in Yoruba (wa), Hausa (zo) and Igbo (bia). But this has long been jettisoned, we only see it written as a word not spoken as a language. But why do we even need a ‘Wazobia’? When we have a ‘pidgin English’.

Pidgin English is a language not ever formally taught, but almost all Nigerians understood it, and the majority of Nigerians could speak it. It is a language that both the literates and illiterates can speak and comprehend, why can’t we adopt this language formally? I am sure if our children are taught in this language they would cope better, rather than having this massive rates of failure in our major exams. Whether we like it or not ‘pidgin English’ comes more natural to any Nigerian than the Queen’s English or is it now King’s English? No wonder, now anything Nigerian is better promoted with pidgin English.

We have to take a cue from our musicians that are breaking new grounds and winning hearts and awards, even Grammy’s, using the pidgin language, or how much of pidgin English does Robin Van Persie or Jermaine Jackson understand for them to attest to listening to the music of P’Square? Or how well does Ed Sheeran understands Pidgin English before he forced a collabo with Fireboy? And there are many other such examples.

In as much as I clamour for more relevance to be given to Pidgin English since many Nigerians are more at home with ‘Naija’ than ‘Nigeria’, we should still not sing an obsequious dirge for our own indigenous languages, a balance of relevance should be given to the two at the expense of the English of the British or of other adoptation.

the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our stakeholders”

I once met a classmate of mine who was average in school, but his albatross, to become a mechanical engineer, was his inability to have a credit pass in English language. Even though he had all the other requirements and even was always well above the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) cut off mark for the course. He ended up being a road side mechanic, because he couldn’t have a credit pass in English language. The craze still continues today with successes in both West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) exams are based on the percentage of students that had credits in English Language and Mathematics.

Even if our insistence is to destroy our indigenous languages must it be because

I doff my hat for the Lagos State House of Assembly that passed a bill making the teaching of Yoruba language compulsory in schools in the state into law in October 2017. The bill makes the teaching of Yoruba language compulsory both in private and public schools in the state. It also makes it a core subject at all levels and stipulates a fine of N500,000 for a corporate offender while any school in the state which fails to comply with the law faces closure and a fine of N250,000. It is now expedient that all other states in Nigeria should emulate this. The Federal Government of Nigeria should also consider adopting as our lingua franca or as a second official language.

The colonialists came to steal our religions on the pretence that it is demonic, that foreigners now worship “ifa” more proudly than the Yorubaland, wherebit indigenous. They stole our cultures under the pretentiousness that it is barbaric, that you hardly see any boy prostrating to greet their elders. They took our mode of dressing under the façade that it is inferior that guys are more comfortable in shirt and trousers than in ‘buba and sọ̀rọ̀’. Now the siege is now on our language. We should take caution before we place the memory of our language on a linguistic epitaph as “we once had a language”.

Maclawrence Kolapo Famuyiwa is a Public Affairs Analyst.

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Cash withdrawal limits: A case for the poor and the unbanked

By Abdulkadir Salaudeen

One of the arguments puts forward by the government is that the cash withdrawal limits will help fight inflation! This is apparently against both sound and unsound reason. Some posit that it is to deny politicians access to fund for their campaign activities towards the upcoming elections. While this could be true, it is still problematic for many reasons. I will mention just one.

We are living in a hard time. Income is dwindling day in day out. Inflation was said to be biting hard. It has gone beyond biting; it is mercilessly eating the little flesh left on us. Investors are running away as investments hardly yield. Businesses are shut down. Companies are becoming moribund. Industries are colonized by reptiles. Farmers are crying over the prohibitive cost of fertilizers. Some are paying heavy tax to bandits just to secure their lives and property in a country where security has become an illusion. Flood is also raging; it does not leave us alone. Foreigners are mining our resources (unhindered) as if they owned them. Nigerians who could not bear the hardship anymore are japa(ing) in droves. Those who stay behind are struggling to survive as if treading a tight rope between life and death.

Nigerian has become a ‘reality show’ of suffering to the rest of the world who cares to watch. It is a perfect example of a country that is neck-dipped in poverty especially now that its poverty has been formally acknowledged to be a multi-dimensional one. This isn’t new to the poor masses. Multi-dimensional poverty had since become part and parcel of their existence. They are hopeless; and so impoverished as if they had signed an oath of cooperation with poverty. Many have resigned to fate not because they are intrinsically fatalistic but because there seems to be no glimmer of hope. The government has made its povertization project known to the public in a very explicit term.

Embargo has been officially placed on employment. Graduates are encouraged to roam the streets or, at best, go to farm in an ungoverned space at the mercy of bandits. If you are lucky to have a bank account with some liquid in it, limitation is again placed on how much you can withdraw from your bank. You suffer to earn. So, you must also suffer to access and spend your money. This is the language. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s cash withdrawal limits is

essentially anti-poor. It is also anti-illiterate—considering the rural dwellers who are more of illiterate than literate. Let’s not forget that there are urban illiterates also in large number. In most cases, they are not illiterate because they chose to be illiterate but because Nigerian Governments have, over the decades, launched an ‘offensive war’ against mass education. The present regime has been the most offensive in waging that war.

Cashless policy is not new to Nigerians nor is it new in Nigeria. The radical return it is about to take is what the masses are kicking against. It is obviously characterized by many challenges more than its bandied advantages. Its advantages had been enjoyed more than a decade ago by those who have what it takes to go cashless. Rather than force it on the masses in an obey-before-complain manner, government should incentivize the unbanked population to see reason in banking. This can only be achieved by huge investment in education—which is on the verge of total collapse—and digital infrastructure.

What is even more callous is the jobs this policy, if implemented as it is, is about to kill. One of the achievements of this government which it is proud of is the embargo it placed on employment. Will the government also be proud of killing some of the few surviving jobs after plunging more than half of its population into poverty? I will not be surprised anyway. Nigerians are enjoying some financial facilities through the services rendered by the POS agents across the country. Not only that, about 1.4 million Nigerians are said to eke out living from rendering this financial service. This is not to talk of their dependents. This policy will practically drives this category of financial service providers (POS agents) into the abyss of despondency.

A POS agent can only make over the counter (OTC) withdrawal of N100, 000 per day. This basically kills the thriving business because an agent only has N100, 000 as his or her capital to provide financial service daily. So how much would they realize per day on this meager capital? What about the hitches we experience in making online transfer due to bad network? How many times have people resorted to ATM or POS agents to pay for goods and services due to network which is disappointedly poor? These alternatives are no alternatives anymore with this new cash withdrawal limits.

The daily N20, 000 withdrawal will add to the woes of

the masses who live in areas with no presence of banks or ATM. It is not uncommon to see people in some localities travelling for miles to access an ATM or POS agent. How will they access an ATM only to withdraw a maximum of N20, 000, after a long journey, when they need to withdraw far much more than that? Is it the stress that is not enough or the prohibitive cost of transportation or the traumatic thought that they will have to travel far again— many times—to withdraw same amount? We can conclude that those obstinately pushing for this policy are not in touch with reality. If they are in touch with these realities, it means there is a hidden agenda. If there isn’t any hidden agenda, then it is a sheer wickedness and a display of diseased hatred for the poor.

Not only that many POS agents will be pushed out of business, charges on the service they provide will be very exorbitant for the few to remain in business. In the final analysis, the poor bear the brunt. Though it is not a sin to be poor in the sight of our Creator; it is evidently a crime to be poor in the sight of the “owners of Nigeria”. Poverty has been criminalized and the poor must pay for the crime of poverty. There is God!

One of the arguments puts forward by the government is that the cash withdrawal limits will help fight inflation! This is apparently against both sound and unsound reason. Some posit that it is to deny politicians access to fund for their campaign activities towards the upcoming elections. While this could be true, it is still problematic for many reasons. I will mention just one. A renowned bullion vanner played a significant role with the help of his bullion vans prior to the 2019 general elections to ensure the continuity of the ruling party. This, in part, gives him a sense of entitlement. Now that he is contesting to be Nigerian next president, it will be unjust to deploy this cash withdrawal policy against him and other politicians. I hope the National Assembly will prevail to put a stop to this policy or help fine tune it to make some sense. We no go gree!

Abdulkadir Salaudeen. salahuddeenabdulkadir@gmail.com

—all in an attempt to make the society go cashless. Nigeria, a cashless society? When many, if not most, of its population are unbanked? Where is the digital infrastructure to facilitate the cashless drive?

The challenge of chemical weapons

By Rufai Ibrahim

Chemical weapons are chemical agents whether gaseous, liquid, or solid, that are employed because of their direct toxic effects on humans, animals and plants. They inflict damage when inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or ingested in food or drink. Some of them are chlorine, lewisite, mustard, phosgene, sarin, soman, and tabun . They fall into four major classes: nerve, blister, choking and blood agents.

Ben Wallace as British Defence Secretary in 2021 reportedly warned that a breakdown in the international order has led to a growing threat of chemical attacks around the world. Wallace said some regimes around the world increasingly believed it was acceptable to use nerve agents and pathogens against their opponents.

Only recently the Turkish police detained the president of the country’s medical association , Sebnem Fincanci , after she called for a probe into the use of chemical weapons against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. This was in response to the fighters release of names and photos of people portrayed as alleged ‘martyrs’ killed by poison gas in the region.

Turkish officials strongly rejected the allegations that its military used chemical weapons against the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The group however is considered a terrorist organisation in Turkey, Europe and the United States that must be exterminated. Despite the dangers of chemical weapons , state-sponsored scientists continue to develop the weapons under various guises around

the world . A pentagon fact - sheet released on June 9 this year read that US government sponsored civilian laboratories and health care institutes in Ukraine as part of a peaceful campaign during the past 20 years.

Commenting on the Pentagon factsheet, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, demanded that the US disclose full and detailed information about the activity of the US military laboratories in Ukraine ; especially when it has been stated that during the special military operation in Ukraine, foreign officials discovered evidence pointing to an emergency clean up by the Kiev regime of traces of a military biological program conducted in Ukraine and financed by the US Defense Department.

The Defense Department reportedly gave out millions of dollars to EcoHealth Alliance, the New York city-based non-profit that funnelled federal grant money to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for bat coronavirus research – with most of the Pentagon money reportedly going toward murky research on countering biological weapons.

In fact Eco-Health Alliance has already come under scrutiny for redirecting funds from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to the Chinese lab, from where many believe COVID – 19 leaked to set off the worst pandemic in a century.

Richard Ebright, a professor of Chemistry and Chemical biology at Rutgers University and Lab Director at the school’s Waksman Institute of Microbiology, told the New York Post that such grants from the defense and intelligence communities are distributed “outside the normal processes” for such research, with no transparency and oversight beyond

what can be provided by the members of congress.

For several years, the USA Today conducted an investigation into the biosecurity of US germ labs and found systematic safety failures and repeated non-compliance to safety procedures with US GAO –the investigative arm of Congress – reaching similar conclusions regarding these lapses.

For example, in 2015 the Pentagon discovered that one of its laboratories in Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, had inadvertently sent live anthrax to almost 200 laboratories worldwide over the course of 12 years, because the lab’s “inactivation” (removal of hazardous effects) of the pathogen was found to be incomplete.

In the latest warning regarding DNA testing, two US Representatives have reportedly warned that DNA testing could lead to gene-specific bio weapons.

The use and possession of chemical weapons is prohibited under international law but several nations continue to maintain active chemical weapons programs.

The alarm raised by Wallace last year of the growing threat of chemical attacks around the world was justified recently when the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco brought together medical emergency response experts from African countries in Rabat , Morocco, and trained them on toxic chemical incident preparedness for hospitals (HOSPREP) .

Ibrahim Writes from Kaduna

The rise of misandry to promote gynocentric agenda

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Human beings are created with inadequacies. Men tend to be physically stronger than women and can cope with the stressors of life more than women. Women, on the other hand, are meant to be more compassionate than men. They can better take care of the responsibilities of others without being stressed. That is why they tend to play a more significant role in the upbringing of children.

The agitation for gender equality could be dated back to the beginning of the 18th century when Mary Wollstonecraft wrote her book titled A vindication of the right of woman, in which she argues for women’s right to education. The issue rose to cosmopolitan through the 18th and 19th centuries when women from different parts of the world began to advocate for gender equality and fight against any act they considered as oppression against women by their opposite gender. They aggressively campaign against patriarchy –admonish it and call for its total abolition.

The central themes of most of their campaigns, as they usually proclaim, are centered around fighting against gender stereotypes and genderbased violence. And also seek equal opportunities as men, and women’s education, among others. They perceived women as being oppressed since the inception of humanity.

But unfortunately, the moral justification of this ideology puts men at a disadvantage. They consistently receive backlash as a predicament of these struggles. Those ardent advocates always consider men as oppressors, narcissists, egoists and self-centered, which causes all the misfortunes in women’s lives. This makes women that are adamant about this ideology highly androgynous.

Androphobia has become part of the ideology

per se because most of those promoting it display one aspect of man-hating or the other. The radical ones among them tend to even distance themselves from any intersexual relationship due to their adamant stand on ideology. Do women who do not believe in this ideology have anything to lose? Why are many women against this ideology, and some even consider it evil?

According to major religious beliefs and scientific views about creation, almost all living things are created in pairs (i.e. male and female). The disparity is primarily because of reproduction. Therefore, females alone cannot reproduce without their male counterparts. Contemporarily, in this technologically advanced world, there are certain procedures that some women adopt to conceive without the physical involvement of men in the process. Still, regardless, man has to contribute in one way or the other along the way. That’s in the case of reproduction alone.

Human beings are created with inadequacies. Men tend to be physically stronger than women and can cope with the stressors of life more than women. Women, on the other hand, are meant to be more compassionate than men. They can better take care of the responsibilities of others without being stressed. That is why they tend to play a more significant role in the upbringing of children. Coming together of man and woman to form a family has never been a mistake, but rather to fill up the inadequacies of one another and form a society where morality is respected.

Unfortunately, marriage is the first institution destroyed by those promoting gynocentrism. That is why there is a high increase in the rate of single mothers in the developed world, negatively affecting the upbringing of children and victimising women by increasing the level of their responsibility to the children. Broken homes are mostly a predicament

Triggers that can lead to suicide

By Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh

This drastic decline in moral standards is drastically sending people to their untimely death and this ought to be urgently reviewed particularly through having the right leaders in our religious and political spaces that can create the right orientation and policies capable of driving behavioral change in our society.

In my few years of working as a volunteer happiness therapist, I have been privileged to read through some of the suicide notes that were left behind by the victims. And one of the things that I easily noticed is that the victims always gave their reason(s) for choosing to take their lives.

For me, I believed that these notes are written for 2 major reasons, namely: (1) So that posterity will be kind in judging their memories and (2) So that you and I may be aware of the situations they faced in order to be better prepared when we meet with the same challenges.

Now, about a week and a few days ago, I started a conversation around the subject of suicide that I must quickly say; received mass attention from the general public. In that article, I listed unhappiness as the first and major cause of suicide. To help my readers understand unhappiness better, I decided to do this follow-up article today.

There are 5 major triggers of unhappiness – in my opinion – that can actually lead to suicide. These 5 triggers are considered as potential catalysts for suicide primarily because they induce in a person the mindset of being trapped, a feeling of hopelessness and, a faint, dejected and helpless mien that

mentally relegated the affected to a prey of their own challenges.

And the 5 triggers are briefly explained below: 1. Stubborn personal struggles (SPS)

Our society today is beset with many challenges that appear to defy any known practical solution. From drugs-resistant diseases, to divorce and relationship mishap, to unemployment and inflation as well as spiritual problems that seem to even defy spiritual remedies; these are called stubborn societal struggles.

These become stubborn personal struggles when they affect people. Now, a lot of people are stranded due to one or several of these modern-day challenges. And it is not everyone that has the mental capacity to overcome their state of unhappiness and, thus we find that suicide is increasingly becoming a means to overcome.

In 2022 alone, more than one hundred known cases of suicide were reported in the media. There are about another one hundred that happened in the secret. It did not help too that some of those who were caught in the act of trying to take their lives are left without care by the agencies of government and by state laws that criminalizes suicide attempt; thereby, compounding their ordeal.

Personally, I have made a case for government’s intervention in the area of intensifying research for effective drugs that can totally eliminate stubborn bacterial diseases and in the process salvage many youths who are trapped with these sexually transmitted diseases or institute an effective measure that discourages promiscuity. Why? Because these

because of this ideology that usually renders many men homeless and distances them from their children.

Suicide among men has been on the rise, caused mainly by judgement issues by family courts in developed countries. The legal system has been tempered to favour women in matrimonial cases, which promotes gynocentrism. Men are being oppressed and victimised worldwide, but sadly, nobody talks about it.

Many rape cases where men were held responsible are just false accusations from women to get revenge for what might have occurred between them. Severally, men have been traumatised mentally over allegations of rape cases against them that have not happened. Men face a series of domestic violence. Many men were sexually molested during their childhood by elderly women, which perverted them in their old age. Men are being oppressed on several occasions by women, but nobody is standing for men, and nobody is advocating for men’s rights.

The equality that promotes gynocentrism advocate is subject to women’s superiority. You’ll be tagged as a misogynist when you talk to them about equality that will strike a balance between men and women.

Injustice can be found everywhere, across gender, race, tribe, etc. There’s no monopoly when it comes to justice or injustice. Anybody can oppress and can be oppressed. Therefore, try to be objective in your approach when calling for equality or justice. Nobody will deny you the right to advocate for your rights, but don’t be unjust in trying to find justice. Know your position in society and respect your social obligations and that of others.

triggers lead to suicide.

2. Drastic decline in moral standards

The drastic decline in moral standards is another dangerous catalyst for suicide among our youths. Now, there are youths in their thousands who are currently in prison across the federation for crimes they did not commit. For some, their ordeal was started by a promiscuous housewife who wanted to sex with them behind their husbands.

For others, a jealous and randy married man who felt jilted and heartbroken by the fact that his former mistress was finally getting married and, decided to set her up for prison. And because of media trials, bandwagon and mob mentality as well as prejudices coming from gender consciousness; innocent people end up in prison while the real culprits walk free.

When it becomes clear for some people who are actually innocent of the accusations that they would end up behind bars, they take the quick option of suicide to avoid a mental pressure they are not prepared to go through. In fact, there was a case of an old man who jumped into the Lagos lagoon because he was accused of what he didn’t do.

This drastic decline in moral standards is drastically sending people to their untimely death and this ought to be urgently reviewed particularly through having the right leaders in our religious and political spaces that can create the right orientation and policies capable of driving behavioral change in our society.

…… to be continued.

Comrade Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh; a mental health activist writes from Abuja. 08062577718.

Abdullahi Yusuf is a 400-level student of Health Education at Bayero University Kano. He can be reached via abdoolphd@gmail.com.

El-Rufai, APC preach peace at Christmas

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai has said despite the difficult times in which Christmas is being celebrated, the timeless values of compassion, love, tolerance and forgiveness exemplified by the birth and life of Jesus Christ should be the yard stick for all Christians.

Governor El-Rufai stated that the example of Jesus Christ and His birth as the Prince of Peace should be an example.

Similarly, Kaduna State All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council implores all to imbibe the spirit of love and brotherhood that characterise this season.

Club tasks Nigerians on investments

By Usman Shuaibu

The Chairman of Good Friends Club (G.F.C)

Tunga-Maje in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Francis Orji, has charged Nigerians to deem it necessary to use their resources to invest meaningfully.

He gave the charge in an interview with Peoples Daily Correspondent during the club’s end of the year get-together in Tunga-Maje.

He said the club was established to enable the members to contribute the money for future use, pointing out that every member of the club is entitled to keep N500 or N1,000 every week based on his or her financial capability.

Orji called on the general public to join the club for the purpose of keeping the money for investments.

On his part, the treasurer of the club, Mr Kingsley Azuzu promised to keep the monies of the members intact at all times.

Bishop of Kaduna Diocese, Bishop Timothy Yahaya addressing the Press men after the Christmas Service at St, Micheal Cathedral Church Ibrahim Taiwo , yesterday in Kaduna

Mark ‘D’ Ball initiator felicitates Christian faithful at Christmas

Igoche Mark, the Initiator and founder of Mark ‘D’ Basketball Championship, has felicitated Christian faithful on the occasion of the 2022 Christmas celebration.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Mark said the gift of love, peace and happiness filled with joy are his wishes for Nigerians, especially those in the basketball family.

“The gift of love, peace and happiness filled with joy; may all these be yours at Christmas. May your Christmas sparkle with

moments of love, laughter and goodwill,” the statement said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mark’s “New Face of Basketball” movement had indeed helped resurrect the hitherto moribund state of domestic basketball and raised the bar of the slam and dunk game in the country.

The Mark ‘D’ Ball brand and its affiliations which are not new to the basketball family have continued to contribute to the sustainable development of basketball at the

grassroots.

This it has continued to do in its bid to see that the game is put back on the map and to ensure that all critical stakeholders are involved in the developmental process.

Mark promised that as the yuletide season gradually ushers in the beginning of a new year, the “new face of basketball” would begin to roll out its programmes for 2023 as it continues on the path to sustainable development of the game at the grassroots.

“We have a lot of interesting and developmental programmes lined up for the year 2023 and are focused on ensuring that we deliver on our promises in spite of all the distractions here and there.

“We shall therefore not be deterred in our bid to ensuring that our players as well as all other important stakeholders in the game are adequately carried along.

“We shall work together to finally build a basketball in which we all can be proud of,” he said.

(NAN)

Association debunks media report of Leadership crises in NCAN

By Usman Shuaibu

The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN)has faulted a media report of any existing new President of the Association saying no one has the constitutional rights to appoint an Interim President at the State level.

National President of NCAN, Prince Ojo Joseph Ajanaku stated this during a Press briefing to put the record straight and putting things in proper perspective in Abuja.

He said “They don’t even have the constitutional rights to say they are declaring anybody an interim President of the Association,that is not even in our constitution as such there is no leadership crises in NCAN

“I was sworn into the office by February 2021,the constitution which is still under review, has it that i will be in the office for three years,so this is why this Press conference is being called.

“We had this tenure issue before

i became a President,the President I took over from,Tola Faseru came into the office 2011,handed over power to me in 2021, staying in the office for ten years.

“When he refused to leave after two tenures ,eight years in the office ,the Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment and the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN)came into the issue and it was resolved,there was an election where I emerged the President in 2019.

“He only handed over in February 2021,I was surprised when I heard that there was a court judgement being paraded because the agreement with the BoT and himself was to withdraw the case from the court , that was when we settled and he signed.

“That the tenure of an administration ends after one year and six months, the Association doesn’t have that in the constitution,they want me out at all

cost,the Association is a National entity and not a Private business, even though they have billions to spend,they will only waste it.

“The Ministry has agreed that there was no trouble in the Association anymore, We have been working with the Board of the Trustees,the highest form of the Organisation,we met in Lagos recently with every member present ,we exhaustively discussed this matter and the BoT said it was uncalled for.

“Back then, The Honorable Minister came into the meeting asking that the Permanent Secretary should see that the issue was resolved,we called for all inclusive Stakeholders Meeting which held and the former President was at the meeting ,the FACAN board members were there and members of the BoT and we all signed in 2020.

Also Speaking,Deputy National President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria,Mr Musa Shaibu said that the Association is

not a State Association but a National Association and that the imposter who said he was nominated by the Kogi State Chapter

“I am from Kogi State and there was no time the Kogi State Chapter came up with the idea of nominating somebody to take the place of a sitting President.

“Stephen Ahiaba “who claims to be appointed National President,am surprised because there was no time we agreed that ,even the Kogi Chapter has been having Leadership Issues which I was trying to resolve as the North Central,Vice Chairman before this one came up.

“We , the members of the Kogi State Chapter are denouncing this claim in unison ,NCAN is a National body and the State decisions can not over run that of a National body .

Mr. Muhammud Kabir, Financial Secretary of NCAN stressed on the acheivements of the sitting President saying that he has acheived a lot within a very short period of time.

NGO empowers 180 vulnerable people in Niger

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ayewosai Global Foundation, Mary Noel Berje said the mission of the foundation is to empower Nigerians at the grass-root level.

She stated this during the maiden official lunching of the Foundation’s magazine and relief distribution to about one hundred and eighty beneficiaries in Minna.

The CEO who is also the governor’s Chief Press Secretary noted that it’s further to make

information available, embarked on sensitization,education, resources as well as create opportunities for them to succeed in their businesses.

Mary Berje stated that Ayewosai Global Foundation has over the years embarked on humanitarian support to the

vulnerable groups in the society.

She explained that they have courageously gathered widows/ orphans and the less privileged yearly to support them with foodstuff and other non-food items, adding that this year, the foundation has provided for 180. families.

2023: Umahi bans street campaigns by political parties in Ebonyi

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The

Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi has few months to the 2023 general election banned street campaigns by political parties.

He also threatened to seal off party secretaries and offices of defaulters.

Umahi also banned pasting of posters on critical infrastructure, including electric poles, concrete

Arm yourself with PVC – Gov Ortom

charges Nigerians

By Christiana Ekpa

Benue State Governor Ortom has again charged Nigerians to arm themselves with their Permanent Voters Cards, PVC, to enable them to vote for credible and trusted leaders in next year’s general elections.

Governor Ortom gave the charge on Sunday, December 25, 2022, at Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Gboko Road, Makurdi while delivering his goodwill message at a church service to mark this year’s Christmas celebration.

He stated that the country is going through pain, hardship, economic and security woes because those who were elected to lead the country at various levels have failed to live up to their responsibility.

In his words: “The 2023 elections is the only opportunity we have. So those who are yet to collect their PVCs, please, I beg you in the name of God to do so because that is the only way you can exercise your franchise and restore hope and dignity to our country by electing leaders that have been tested and trusted who you can rely on and work with.”

According to him: “One vote can make a difference. So if you want a change that will bring dignity and restoration to our country and promote economic development and add value to the development of humanity and restore security, that vote will count.”

He encouraged the people to ensure that they participate in the forthcoming elections, saying “this time, there is no snatching of ballot boxes because it will not be there for anybody to snatch. BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) will make a difference. And so your physical presence, [and] participation is very important.”

medians, roads, flyover bridges and other critical infrastructure of the State by all the Political Parties in the State.

The governor, who made this known in a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Abakaliki by the Commissioner of Information and State Orientation, Mr Uchenna Orji, threatened to clampdown on political parties, including his All Progressives

Congress, APC, that littered the infrastructure with posters.

“The Governor has banned all street campaigns and directed all Local Government Area Chairmen, to process all the applications of any Political Party including APC that wants to use the public facilities for their campaigns,” he stated.

Umahi, however, gave a marching order to all political parties including APC to remove with immediate

effect, all the posters that already littered on the critical infrastructures in the state.

According to him: “The Governor has decided to forgive all other political parties and appeal to them to remove all their posters on all the critical infrastructure before 31st December, 2022 and desist forthwith from defacing the state facilities or face similar penalty like APC, Ebonyi State chapter.

Oyo North: Ogbomoso electorate have ceded slot to OkeOgun in 2023 –Accord

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Chairman of Accord in Ogbomoso North Local Government Area, Oyo State, Alhaji Eddison Yekini Garuba has declared that the electorate in the Ogbomoso Zone have ceded Oyo North senatorial slot to Oke Ogun Zone.

Garuba made this disclosure in Iseyin on Saturday during a programme organised by Accord candidate for Oyo North Senatorial District, Hon. Shina Abiola Peller.

He said: “Oyo North has 13 local government areas; We have three in Ogbomoso and they have 10 in Oke Ogun. Oke Ogun has supported us for eight years; it is now time for us to support them. The people of Ogbomoso, the elders, the traditional rulers and the youths and students have told me to tell you that we are supporting the candidate from Oke Ogun this time around.”

He further disclosed: “We in Ogbomoso have decided to support the candidate from Oke Ogun under Accord [because] if we should follow the law of natural justice, it behoves Ogbomoso to support Oke Ogun now. The elders, chiefs and traditional rulers in Ogbomoso have decided that we should support Oke Ogun in 2023 to produce the senator for Oyo North.”

YPP reps candidate, Buraimoh preaches tolerance, peace at xmas

By Abubakar Yunus

Young Progressive Party(YPP), candidate

Ifako-Ijaye federal constituency, Lagos State,Hon. Peter Folajimi Buraimoh has called for peace and religious tolerance among different adherents of faith as the antidote to conflicts in the country.

In his goodwill message to Nigerians to commemorate this year’s Christmas celebration issued on Saturday, Buraimoh called for interreligious cooperation that will engender peace and harmonious coexistence.

He said occasional conflicts between and among various religions would never reoccur if the inter-religious dialogue is sustained.

Buraimoh urged Christians in the country to remain steadfast in prayer to the almighty

God to intervene in the myriads of security, and socio-economic and political challenges facing the nation.

He enjoined them not to undermine the essence of the Christmas celebration on the altar of merriment, saying, “the sanctity of the birth of Jesus Christ which is the reason for the celebration is to re-enact the spirit of love, peace, good neighbourliness and forgiveness which our saviour preached.”

Hon. Buraimoh particularly thanked the people of Ifako-Ijaye federal constituency, for their silence and support him come 2023 general election and enjoined them to remain steadfast to face the challenges ahead.

On the forthcoming general elections, Hon.Buraimoh called on the people of the State and Nigeria to “vote in leaders who will

be committed to the security of people and promote the well-being and development of the country. This is the only way we can rescue Nigeria from the poor leadership the outgoing APC administration has taken us to.

“In the 2023 elections, we must look beyond partisan political lines to elect leaders who have been tested and trusted. Not those with criminal tendencies and thrive on lies, falsehood and deceit as their signature traits,” he emphasised.

He then urged all Nigerians to be vigilant during this festive season and cooperate with the security agencies and report every suspicious movement of criminal elements in and around their areas, particularly the terrorists invading our communities to kill and displace our people from their ancestral homes.

Head of the Operations , Monitoring Team, Office of the Chief of Army Staff, Major General AB Mohammed with his Wife Hajiya Saadatu Mohammed; on his left is Col M Bamalli shortly after AB Mohammed was decorated with his new rank of Major General in Friday in Abuja

POLITICS

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani felicitated with Christians all over the world as they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ

Zailani, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani on Sunday, said this period which called for celebration, also signified a period of reflection.

According to him, this period brings to the fore, the needed unity of Nigeria, which is sacrosanct, inviolable and paramount.

Zailani, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Speakers Forum, NSF, further said: “Allah says in the Holy Quran that he created mankind as races and tribes so that they may understand each other. Therefore, our being together as one is a divine design that should make us continue existing.”

He called for peaceful coexistence, and understanding among all Nigerians, just as he further urged them to continue to pray for peace to reign in Nigeria.

He prayed for God’s blessings, mercies and good tidings on this auspicious occasion.

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council in Kwara State and opposition parties are currently in a war of words over the outburst by the State APC campaign council that the party will win the 2023 general elections in the State by a wide margin.

A statement credited to Yahaya Seriki, Director-General of the campaign council for Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq’s second term ambition, which ignited serious reaction, had insinuated that all former aggrieved members of the party who are now gubernatorial candidates of their various parties, would soon team up with the governor for his reelection in 2023.

Both the State chairman of the party, Sunday Fagbemi and Seriki disclosed that efforts were ongoing to bring back former stalwarts of the APC who are now governorship candidates of SDP, YPP and NNPP, for the 2023 gubernatorial election

in the State.

“APC shall win the gubernatorial election and other elections by wide margin. The minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is one of our leaders and he is still part of us. He has never said that he’s no longer part of us. He will participate in the 2023 general elections with us.

“The closer you look, the less you know as it concerns APC in Kwara. Never mind, by the time elections come you will see that we are going to win by a wider margin than what happened in 2019. There’s no cause for alarm”, Fagbemi said.

On his part, the APC campaign council Director-General, Yahaya Seriki said: “The APC campaign council is working hard to bring back APC stalwarts who have emerged as gubernatorial candidates of YPP, NNPP, SDP to APC which is their family.”

Seriki said that exodus of governorship and senatorial candidates of the YPP, SDP, NNPP and ADC from the ruling party will not have a negative effect on the

chances of the governor in 2023 general elections.

He added: “If you could recall, I was the Director-General of the APC campaign council in the Kwara Central senatorial district in the 2018/2019 general elections. Many of these people that decamped from APC did not participate in the election campaign then.

“You see, all these people in the YPP, SDP, and others were part of one big family and are related one way or the other. In 2019, I approached about 13 governorship aspirants then on the need to present one person among all of us as the party’s governorship candidate. The major reason they are not in APC today is because of their personal interest or expectations which according to them might not have been met.

“My own interest is to see a better Kwara State. If they believed in the growth of the State, they would not have left the party. Kwara is bigger than anybody. Leaving the party, to me, is out of personal interest and not that of

the State.

2023 polls: Kwara APC, opposition trade words over Gov Abdulrazaq’s ambition Kaduna Speaker felicitates Christians at Christmas

But reacting to the APC campaign council’s outburst, the State gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Professor Oba Shuaib Abdulraheem, said the statement is “arrant nonsense.”

He said the APC is jittery and panicking because of the fear of the unknown, adding that “there is no plan whatsoever to merge with anybody or party, but we are ready to accommodate whoever is ready to come and join us in our party.”

Also, in its reaction, the Young Progressives Party, YPP, in the State debunked Seriki’s statement, describing it as a “wishful thinking.”

The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Oyewole Oladele, in a statement in Ilorin on Friday, dismissed the claim credited to Seriki about overtures to woo the YPP State gubernatorial candidate, Waziri Yahaya Gobir to support Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq’s second term ambition.

By Christiana Ekpa

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has encouraged stakeholders and those who have the wherewithal in the state to reach out to people around them who are in need in the spirit of Christmas.

This was the final part of his broadcast Christmas speech on Sunday, December 25, 2022.

According to the governor: “This season is one of love, of giving and of hope. Let us show love to the infirmed and the less privileged; let us give a shoulder

to those who may be consumed by hopelessness; let us offer a hand to lift up those who may be at the lowest rungs of life’s ladder; let us give them a reason to be cheerful and hopeful. If you have been blessed, please reach out to your kindred in need and show love [in] the season of the birth of our saviour.”

He also called on the political class and stakeholders to conduct themselves during this period of transition with decency, and circumspection and not to heat up the polity.

“Leaders don’t burn down the homes they had built; leaders

don’t ignite violence through the words of their mouth; leaders don’t engage in peddling falsehood and misinformation, neither do they deploy violence as a means of getting elected into political offices. Leaders do not attack and insult the very institution and the symbol they aspire to represent. Leaders should and must understand that the cords of our unity, of brotherhood and of our common patrimony remain enduring and rock-solid, and that political foes you know today may be allies tomorrow,” he admonished.

He said further: “As we get

ready to elect our new set of leaders, I urge our people to know that that same God who granted us a state 35 years ago, with dusty streets and thatched roofed houses sandwiched between a number of concrete structures, a state where the aspiration of some of our people was to go to Lagos and elsewhere and be domestic workers and gatekeepers, has done supreme things in our lives. Our narratives have changed, and it can only get better.”

He also advised the next government to protect his achievements and leverage them as building blocks.

“As I get ready to brace the tape, I do so, with a heart of gratitude to you my dear people, a grateful heart to the One who made all these possible through His only Begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, whose Birth, we are today celebrating,” he said.

The governor, who also used the occasion to present a brief scorecard of his administration in sectors such as aviation, education, healthcare, infrastructure and security, said there must be continuity to protect the state from going back to its dark days.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (middle); his wife, Tamunominini (third left) and their children cutting the cake during his 55th birthday held yesterday at Saki area of Oyo State

By Musa Baba Adamu

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), and Anambra Central Senatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Victor Umeh has reacted to rumours of him demanding N500 million to support Prof Chukwuma Soludo in the last governorship election.

Umeh had dumped APGA for LP after he was denied the senatorial ticket of the party in what has been said to be a grand conspiracy between the leadership of the state and the party.

Umeh who spoke on Saturday during the inauguration of the state executive of Senator Victor Umeh Solidarity Network (VUSON), said his opponents in the senatorial contest are jittery and have resorted to all manner of propaganda against him.

“I was at Okpuno, where someone told me he heard something about me and felt he must enquire from me. He said he was told by Senator Uche Ekwunife that I demanded to be paid N500 million before I can work for Soludo in the last election.

“But that is not true. I never demanded any money to work for Soludo, instead, I used my funds to work for him, even as his campaign director in the last election.

“I even met some of my friends who donated money to Soludo because of my influence. So, it was Soludo who made money from me, instead.”

The former lawmaker lamented that his opponents were dishing out propaganda against him, just to whittle down his influence, ahead of the forthcoming election.

“Recently too, there was a voice note that circulated on the internet, that I was caught with a married woman and that I paid money to the woman’s husband to avoid being exposed. All these are propaganda, targeted at me.

“I’m happy that despite all these, my supporters have stood firmly behind me. I thank the executive of Victor Umeh Solidarity Network (VUSON). When I was told that some people were mobilizing to support me, I demanded to meet you, but I was told that you didn’t want to meet me yet until you were done mobilizing.

Gov Makinde’s Dep Chief of Staff, Ojo, 2 others not our members – APC

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Oyo State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, on Sunday announced the expulsion of Ademola Ojo, from the party.

Ojo is presently the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

Similarly, the party also announced the expulsion of Messrs Segun Okanlawon and Saheed Oladele, respectively from Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North local government areas of Oyo State.

Publicity Secretary of APC, Wasiu Olawale Sadare made the announcement via a statement made available to journàlists on Sunday. He insisted that the

individuals were expelled over alleged political infidelity, gross misconduct and sabotage.

According to him: “They have all been active on other political platforms, while still claiming the privileges of bona fide APC members. We found it extremely funny that the three characters could be parading themselves as members of two different registered political parties at the

same time even as they have lost every right and privilege available to progressives in APC.”

He said further: “It is, therefore, imperative for us to inform the whole world that the three of them are no longer members of our great party (APC ) since they have all moved on to other political platforms where they are enjoying benefits as they also work against our party and its candidates.”

Lawmakers appraise 9th Assembly, laud journalists for watchdog role

By Christiana Ekpa

SomeMembers of the House of Representatives over the weekend gave thumbs up 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

L-R:Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Abayomi; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Father of the bride/Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; at the wedding of John Opeyemi and Samantha Adetutu, the Minister’s daughter, in Lagos, at the weekend.

Umeh denies allegations of demanding N500m to work for Soludo’s emergence

By Abubakar Y. Ojima

The Federal Government says it is committed to using the sugar master plan to reduce poverty and unemployment in the country.

The Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council, Zach Adedeji, made this known during the ground breaking ceremony of a N300 billion sugar plantation and mill in Iseyin, Oyo State.

The Sugar industry is an essential sector that has significantly contributed to Nigeria’s GDP in the past decades.

According to reports, despite the government’s efforts to boost local production of sugar, and claims by some private investors to have substantially invested in the industry, the nation has relied on about 98 per cent importation of raw sugar for the last 3 decades which was not the situation before now.

While Nigeria produced up to 41,478 metric tonnes of sugar in 1990, the figure fell drastically to 38,597 metric tonnes in 2019.

Now, to change this narrative, the Federal Government along side the Government of Oyo state are commissioning this Sugar Plantation and Mill sited along Iseyin-Ogbomoso Road.

The Oyo state governor who was represented by his deputy, promised to ensure good roads that will attract investors.

The project when fully ompleted will improve the socioeconomic development of Oyo state through poverty reduction and employment creation in the Oke-Ogun and Ogbomosho axis while also attracting both Local and Foreign investors.

The plantation site is a strategic one by the Federal Government in conjunction with the Oyo State Government through the National Sugar Development Council and seeks to return the glory of sugar production in Nigeria to the Days of the Bacita Sugar Company and Others which also produced a former Governor of Kwara State as its managing Director before his advent into Politics, Senator Muhammed Shaba Lafiaji.

The strides made by the National Sugar Development Council in places like Oyo State through the plantation is also expected to be a template for other parts of the country to not only produce Sugar cane but to also generate employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerians.-

By Abubakar Yunus, Abuja

Capital Market Operators and the general public have been informed that the annual renewal of Registration for year 2023 will commence from January 01, 2023 and expected to end on January 31, 2023.

This was stated by the Securities and Exchange Commission in a recent circular released to the capital market.

According to the Commission, “the annual renewal of registration

of Capital Market Operators which is aimed at ensuring that only fit and proper persons operate in the Nigerian Capital Market

“In line with the Commission’s Rules and Regulations, all CMOs are to complete the process of renewal of registration for 2023 on or before 31st January 2023 through the Registration Renewal Portal – eportal.sec.gov.ng.

SEC reminds CMOs on renewal of registration FG seeks poverty reduction through sugar masterplan

“For more enquiries or support in complete the process, please contact as registrationrenewal@ sec.gov.ng”

The SEC had in 2021 reintroduced periodic renewal of registration by capital market operators which was premised on the need to have a reliable data bank of all CMOs registered and active in the Nigerian capital market, to provide updated information on operators in the Nigerian capital market for reference and other official purposes by local and foreign investors, other regulatory agencies and the general public.

The renewal was also

introduced to increasingly recue incidences of unethical practices by CMOs such as may affect investors’ confidence and impact negatively on the Nigerian capital market as well as to strengthen supervision and monitoring of CMOs by the Commission.

Consequently, the Commission amended its rules and re-introduced the requirement for yearly renewal of registration by all CMOs and carried out electronically in order to ensure efficiency.

NPA managing Director raises alarm over blackmail by unknown CSOs

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Mohammed Bello-Koko, managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has raised alarm over what he described as a “cheap, sponsored blackmail” aimed at smearing his image.

Reports recently surfaced online that some foreign investigators have written to the United Kingdom government, seeking an exclusion order to ban Bello-Koko and his family from entering the country over alleged money laundering and fraud.

Responding to the issue in a statement on Saturday, the NPA boss claimed that some “faceless individuals” under the cloak of unknown civil society organisations (CSOs) were responsible for the “malicious concoctions”.

He vowed not to succumb to “the shenanigans of the blackmailers”, affirming his commitment to bequeathing to the nation a transparent and accountable management of the NPA.

“Because they (blackmailers) are faceless, I don’t have the opportunity to seek redress in court on the grounds of their

rehashed and rehearsed lies,” Bello-Koko said.

“I need to reiterate that for all of my years as a banker and a public officer up till today, I have never been indicted or convicted by any court. And this fact is in the public domain.

“Resorting to writing to the UK government, seeking visa cancellation and forfeiture of assets belonging to my wife and I, is not only malicious but also cruel and wicked. I have yet to understand why these evil machinations would be orchestrated against me.”

Bello-Koko said the latest attack, in the series of sponsored blackmails targeted at him, which also began in 2021 immediately he was appointed as NPA MD, is intended to damage his reputation.

Listing some of the allegations gainst him, he said: “In deceit, they have disingenuously claimed in the sponsored report that UK/Ireland investigators were the ones that had written to the UK government after they had purportedly unearthed alleged criminal acts against me, bordering on money laundering activities, fraud, forgery, and tax evasion, which are all baseless figments of their malicious intent.

“Whereas, particulars cited in

the report were the regurgitated allegations that they had sponsored and which had been doing the rounds in the media from the outset, this latest attempt is as spurious as their first attempt ever.

“Their claim that UK/ Ireland investigators, and not metropolitan police or Scotland yard, are investigating me falls flat on its face and gives out the sponsors of the report — which is a piece of cheap blackmail — as desperate hustlers who are not civil and neither working in the interest of the society.

“It is unfortunate that some online news media have lent their platforms to these desperadoes to ply their odious trade.

“However, I challenge the conduit pipes of this malice to go ahead and mention the names and true identities of the CSOs and the investigators.

“If the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had been on the matter as indicated in the report, it is then unfair to suggest or claim that some questionable UK/Ireland investigators are now pushing for exclusion order to ban me from ever entering the United Kingdom.

“One expects that there should

be inter-agency collaboration in line with some bilateral or mutual agreements.

“All the supposed assertions and innuendos in the report are nothing but spurious and malicious concoctions intended to cause a predetermined damage.”

Bello-Koko, therefore, vowed to institute legal action against any media house that publishes unsubstantiated and damaging reports about him.

“I’ll not hesitate to seek the support of all well-meaning and decent citizens to tell my traducers to use their energy for more meaningful endeavor than to engage in maliciousness of their campaign of intimidation, blackmail, and vendetta,” he added.

“My job at the NPA is not personal. It is national service, to which I had resolved from the outset to give my best shot.”

According to Bello-Koko, his administration gives premium to due process in the execution of the agency’s core mandates.

He said under his watch, the NPA generated the sum of N286 billion and remitted over N100 billion to the consolidated revenue fund (CRF) account of the federation as of November 2022.

L-R: Presbyter, Methodist Church of Trinity Tinubu, Lagos. Very Rev. Dr. Jonathan B. Osin; Prelate Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence Dr. Oliver Ali Aba; Bishop of Trinity Church Tinubu Methodist Church, Lagos, Rt. Rev.Dr. Oladapo O. Bablola and Presbyter Tinubu Church Lagos, Very Rev. Bolanle Samuel Ojeyemi, during the 2022 Christmas Services at Methodist Church Nigeria in Lagos,at the weekend.

BU$IN€SS

2022 was a year of economic uncertainty for Nigeria with its prospects for growth dampened by the Russia-Ukraine war, lower-than-expected oil production, and a worsening debt crisis emboldened by huge petrol subsidy payments chopping off the country’s revenue.

In it’s usual reactionary move, the federal government implemented various policies mulled to rescue the country from a complete economic collapse. But its actions provoked mixed reactions

Group backs Tinubu on plan to remove petrol subsidy, says ‘oil sector is caged’

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Agroup known as ‘the natives’ has supported the plan by Bola Tinubu, standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to remove subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS) if he is elected president of the country.

Tinubu’s plan is contained in his manifesto tagged ‘renewed hope 2023’.

On Thursday, the former governor of Lagos, while speaking at a meeting, insisted that his administration would scrap petrol subsidy payments without regard to dissenting voices in the country.

“No matter how long you protest, we are going to remove the subsidy,” Tinubu had said.

In a statement on Saturday, Smart Edwards, presidentgeneral of the group, said the oil sector has been caged by “subsidy” and must be “unbundled”.

“Our message to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that if he wins the forthcoming election and anytime is ready as a president, we will stand with him, it is a bold statement he must keep and if he is elected we will hold him accountable for this,” Edwards said.

“We are citizens and we know what we want is development, infrastructure, growth in a secure country, not a group of people fleecing out our resources in the name of subsidy. The truth is the subsidy must go.

“We, however, call on the Labour Unions, civil society organisations and youngsters to prepare their minds and show understanding because removal of fuel subsidy is a policy long overdue, the sector is caged and must be unbundled.

“We cannot be offering cooperation to saboteurs to arbitrarily unleash untold hardship on us as citizens year in, year out. This evil work by the saboteurs must come to an end.”

Naira redesign, cash withdrawal limit… most debated economic policies of 2022

from experts and Nigerians at large — both online and offline.

In this review of the government’s policy efforts, Peoples Daily highlights some of the most talked-about economic policies of the year.

In February, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the ‘race to $200 billion in FX repatriation (RT200 FX) programme’. It was the government’s ‘show of seriousness’ in tackling its dwindling foreign exchange (FX) reserves, and adopting other means of revenue generation aside from oil.

The programme was designed with the aim of ensuring that Nigeria rakes in $200 billion in FX repatriation, exclusively from nonoil exports in the next three to five years.

The initiative comprises five key anchors namely: valueadding exports facility, non-oil commodities expansion facility, non-oil FX rebate scheme, a dedicated non-oil export terminal, and biannual non-oil export summit.

At the end of first quarter (Q1) of 2022, under the nonoil FX rebate scheme, the CBN

commenced payment of N65 for every $1 repatriated and sold to third parties through the official FX window while it paid N35 for every $1 repatriated and sold into the official FX window for own use on eligible transactions.

Only exporters of finished and semi-finished goods wholly or partly processed or manufactured in Nigeria are eligible for the rebate.

Recently, the CBN announced that non-oil exporters repatriated $4.9 billion into the country in the first nine months of the year — a figure equivalent to 2.5 percent of its $200 billion target.

As of November, 2022, the apex bank said it has paid N81 billion rebate to exporters.

Amid the forex crunch in the country, banks announced a reduction in dollar spending limit on naira-denominated debit cards.

In March, Nigerian banks including Zenith Bank, UBA, Guaranty Trust Bank, Sterling Bank and Union Bank reduced the limit on naira cards from $100 to $20 monthly while some banks (First Bank, Standard Chartered Bank) suspended the usage of naira cards for international transactions.

A couple of months later, Nigerians were thrown into panic when a number of African fintechs (Barter by Flutterwave, Eversend, Busha, GetEquity, Klasha and Payday) also shut down their virtual dollar card services.

Recently, Godwin Emefiele, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), admitted that there was significant FX shortage in the country, and asked banks to come up with solutions to boosting inflows.

As Nigerians were recovering from the dollar spending limit on cards, on June 1, the federal government began the implementation of a sugar tax of N10 per litre on all non-alcoholic, carbonated, and sweetened beverages in the country.

The policy, embedded in the finance act of 2021, was designed to discourage excessive consumption of sugar in beverages and raise revenue for health-related and other critical expenditures.

While the new sugar tax was welcomed by stakeholders in the health sector who hoped that it would be utilised for public health purposes and improving

the national health system, the manufacturing industry vehemently opposed it and called for a reversal of the policy.

However, despite the initial pushback by the manufacturing companies, they have since passed on the extra cost to consumers by increasing the prices of their products and also commenced remittances to the federal government.

To put it more succinctly, the policy, coupled with inflation, has translated to an increase in prices of carbonated drinks on the streets. A 50cl pet bottle of Fanta and Pepsi which used to cost N150 is now sold for N200.

Meanwhile, in terms of monetary policies, on October 26, Emefiele announced plans to redesign, produce, release and circulate a new series of three banknotes out of the existing eight banknotes.

The redesigned N200, N500 and N1000 notes were due for circulation on December 15, 2022.

The bank said the current series of the aforementioned naira notes will remain legal tender until January 31, 2023.

NAICOM: Vehicle owners to pay higher insurance premium rates from Jan 1

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has increased the premium rates for vehicle insurance in the country.

In a circular dated December 22, 2022 and addressed to insurance companies, the commission said the new rates will take effect from January 1, 2023.

The circular was signed by Leo Akah, director, policy and regulation, NAICOM, on behalf of the commissioner for insurance.

NAICOM explained that the upward adjustment of rate was pursuant to the regulator’s exercise

of its function of approving rates of insurance premium under section 7 of NAICOM act 1997, and other extant laws.

Under the new template, private vehicles that were paying N5,000 premium for N1 million third party property damage (TPPD) limit are now to pay N15,000 premium for N3 million limit; N5 million limit for own goods with a premium of N20,000; and staff buses are to pay N20,000 premium for N3 million limit.

NAICOM said third party motor insurance offers protection against damages caused by a person’s vehicle to another

person’s vehicle or property.

“Pursuant to the exercise of its function of approving rates of insurance premium under section 7 of NAICOM act 1997 and other extant laws, the commission, hereby, issue this circular on the new premium motor insurance rates effective from 1st January, 2023,” the statement reads.

“Third party insurance policies inclusive of Ecowas Brown Card, EBC, shall be as follows: private motor, N15,000, TPPD limit N3 million; 0wn goods, N20,000, TPPD limit N5 million; staff bus, N20,000, TPPD limit N3 million.”

According to NAICOM, commercial trucks and general

cartage will pay N100,000 premium for N5 million TPPD limit; tricycles to pay N5,000 for N2 million TPPD limit, and motorcycles to pay N3,000 for N1 million TPPD limit.

Also, “special types’’ of vehicles now have a TPPD limit of N3 million and premium of N20,000.

The commission added that for comprehensive motor insurance policy, premium rate shall not be less than five percent of the sum insured after all rebates and discounts.

It further warned that failure by insurance firms to comply with the directive shall attract appropriate regulatory sanction.

Members of Youth Forum of the movement on nigeria, presented an award to Christ Evangelical Intercessory and Life Intervention Ministry, Overseer Pastor, Yuhana Buru,-during the Chrismas day Celebration in kaduna on Sunday 25/12/22 25/12/2022 Ibrahim bashir NAN

BU$IN€SS

Qausain TV establishes working relationship with France 24

France 24, an international media station establishes working relationship with QAUSAIN TV, a Nigerian based satellite tv station.

This is contained in a statement made available to the public by QAUSAIN TV CEO, Malam Nasir Musa Idris popularly known as Albani Agege.

The media executive, Malam Nasir Albani reveals this weekend, shortly after the fruitful discussion with the management of France 24 in Paris.

Nasir Albani, who is currently in France with a view conclude a working relationship memorandum of understanding.

“Right now i am in France having received an invitation to visit Paris, where the headquarters of France 24 TV station is located. I was honored to be one of the head of WORLD TV station that establishes working relationship with them.

He said, this is a new dimension aimed at propagating Hausa language Worldwide.

“Indeed this strong relationship between QAUSAIN TV and France 24 is a win-win relationship that can easily built a bridge to be crossed by Hausa people living in every part of the globe, as this will pave way for the people to have a thorough understanding of what is happening all over the world.

QAUSAIN TV is a Nigerian basedsatellite TV station with numerous viewers glued to the multi-lingual programs shown in Hausa, English and Arabic.

Shell agrees to pay €15m settlement for oil spills in Niger Delta

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) says it will pay €15 million to communities in Nigeria that were affected by multiple oil pipeline leaks in the country’s Niger Delta region.

SPDC is the Nigerian subsidiary of global oil giant, Shell Plc.

The oil major made this known in a statement recently.

The compensation is the result of a Dutch court case, filed by Friends of the Earth

— an international network of environmental organisations in 73 countries.

Four farmers had sued Shell in 2008 for oil spills in their villages: Goi, Oruma and Ikot Ada Udo.

The communities were impacted by four oil spills that occurred between 2004 and 2007.

On January 29, 2021, a Dutch appeal court ruled that SPDC pays for damages caused by the oil spills.

Following the judgments of the court of appeal of The Hague,

Shell said it has negotiated a settlement with Milieudefensie, a Dutch division of Friends of the Earth, for the benefit of the communities.

“The settlement is on a noadmission-of-liability basis, and settles all claims and ends all pending litigation related to the spills,” the statement reads.

“Under the settlement, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), as operator of the SPDC joint venture, will pay an amount of EUR 15 million for the benefit of the communities and the

individual claimants.

“An independent expert has confirmed that SPDC, as operator of the SPDC joint venture, has installed a leak detection system on the 20 lines that form the KCTL pipeline in compliance with the judgment of the court of appeal of The Hague, the Netherlands.”

According to Shell, the parties agreed that remediation has been completed and certified by relevant regulatory in accordance with Nigerian law.

“The parties agree this also follows from the judgments of the court of appeal,” Shell said.

Oil price nears $85 a barrel amid potential shrink in Russian oil supply

Oil price rose on Friday on hopes that Russian crude oil supplies will drop.

Brent crude was up by 2.63 percent to $83.71 a barrel while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 2.09 percent to $79.11 a barrel.

According to traders and Reuters calculations, Russia’s Baltic oil exports could fall by 20 percent in December from the previous month after the European Union and group of seven (G7) nations imposed sanctions and a price cap on Russian crude from December 5.

Russia may cut oil output by 5 percent to 7 percent in early 2023 as it responds to price caps on its

crude and oil products by halting sales to the countries which support them, RIA, Russian state-owned news agency, quoted Alexander Novak, deputy prime minister, as saying on Friday.

Speaking on the development, Edward Moya, Oando analyst, told Reuters that oil prices are rising as energy traders watch Moscow’s reaction to Russia’s oil price cap.

“Crude prices are higher as energy traders focus on Moscow’s response to the price cap put on Russian oil and not so much the thousands of flight cancellations that will disrupt holiday travel,” Moya said.

Expectations that Russia will

shrink oil supplies have helped offset concerns that US fuel demand growth could take a hit as looming Arctic storms threaten travel during the holiday season, Reuters said.

More than 4,400 US flights have been cancelled over a twoday period due to the winter storm, coinciding with a holiday travel season that some predict could be the busiest ever.

In Nigeria, citizens are currently grappling with a distribution crisis in petroleum products – a situation that oil marketers have linked to higher prices at private depots.

In filling stations across the country, queues for petrol have

persisted for weeks even as some outlets have increased the price of the product.

Recently, Nigerian airlines warned that there will be major disruptions of flights due to persistent scarcity of aviation fuel, also known as jet-A1.

The scarcity, the airlines said, would force them to reschedule flights, leading to late operations and in extreme circumstances, to cancellations.

The Nigerian natural oil and gas suppliers association (NOGASA) believes that local refining would eliminate delays at depots and reduce the prices of petroleum products.

Bishop of Kaduna Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev’d Dr. Timothy Yahaya,-(R) with some members of the Cathedral Choir, during the the Christman Service at the Cathedral of St. Michael, yesterday in Kaduna.

METRO

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has enjoined residents and other stakeholders to utilize the opportunity that the Christmas season brings to pray for the enthronement of good governance and deepening of the nation’s democratic values in the years ahead.

Bello, who gave this charge in christmas message to residents, expressed warm felicitations to them especially the Christian faithful on the joyous celebration of Christmas.

He said the occasion also offers us a unique opportunity to collectively, as citizens, pray for our dear country Nigeria and all her leaders, for guidance, wisdom and continuous steadfast leadership especially as the 2023 general elections approach.

According to him: “The season of Christmas which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ is synonymous with love for humanity, charity, peaceful co-existence and unity.

“Let us therefore use the opportunity of the Christmas celebration to reflect on and imbibe these virtues as exemplified by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ”.

He reminded residents that the FCT was built on the principles of peace, unity, and love for country and fellow citizens.

“It is heartwarming to note that residents of the Territory have on numerous occasions demonstrated these principles by exhibiting acts of kindness

Christmas: Minister enjoins residents to pray for good governance

and compassion towards one another.

The Minister adds: “I urge us to use this occasion to once more reinforce these virtues by reaching out to each other in friendship and togetherness, as a people with a common

destiny, during this Christmas season.

“The FCT Administration will continue to promote these principles in all our actions and deeds and I call for the continuous support of all residents in the Territory as we

work hard to build a world class capital city that will be the pride of all of us.”

He continues: “For the duration of the yuletide, residents are enjoined to be security conscious and abide by all the guidelines as postulated

by the security agencies.

“As we celebrate, let us also guided by all extant rules regulating our daily activities in the Territory, especially as regards to city sanitation and observance of all traffic regulations”.

Okada ban: Impounding, crushing violators’ motorcycles sacransact - FCTA

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Administration has reiterated that there is no going back on the ongoing impounding and crushing commercial motorcycles otherwise known as Okada from errant riders, must be implemented to stem the tide of lawlessness and disregard to the prohibition of their operations in the nation’s capital city.

The FCTA insisted that that with established reports that insecurity and multiple road crashes challenges within the city, were linked to commercial motorcycles operators, the gradual processes of phasing out of Okada activities, won’t be compromised.

According to the Mandate Secretary of FCTA Transportation Secretariat, Àbdullahi Candido, who supervised the fourth edition of the impound and crush exercise for 240 bikes at the popular A Y.A Junction in Asokoro, the operation will continue and no violator will be spared.

Candido said, “ I can restate

the resolve of government that FCT Administration will not rest until we get this attitude intolerable Okada riders in the city, bend towards listening to what the government is asking them to do.

“Our objective is to ensure that residents of the city sleep with their two eyes closed, because whatever we are doing towards ensuring that the Security challenges is reduced to a reasonable level.

“ We all believe that Okada operation is a contributing factor to the insecurity in town.

“We are concerned and won’t rest in appealing to Okada riders to desist from doing what they do, and if they refuse, government will not be tired of getting them impounded and instantly crush”.

Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah warned that those who intend to take advantage of the yuletide period to violate the laws,

especially the commercial motorcyclists who have continued to abuse rules and regulations.

Attah noted that though the operation was borne out of a very difficult and painful decision, enforcement has to be sustained to make Abuja what it ought to be.

He said:” We could see the consistency in doing this and the reduction in crime vis a vis the reduction in commercial motorcycles operating in an unapproved area.

“And from what I have seen in them and the directive the Minister has given, the operation will continue through the Christmas period .

“And for those who felt that it is Christmas, and go to commit illegalities, certainly know that enforcement will be going on.

“We are implored to join hands with government and ensure that we have a city that we all can be proud of”.

On his part, the Director FCTA’s Directorate of Road Traffic Services

( DRTS) , Dr. Abdulateef Bello , said that those expecting the tears of the violators to stop implementation of the policy, will be disappointed because the administration will not be deterred from sanitising the city.

Bello affirmed that the ongoing operation impound and crush “ is a demonstration that we are not going to rest on our oars untill we achieve zero level commercial motorcycles activities in the city.

“ We will continue to impound and instantly crush so that it serves as a warning to other who are still recalcitrant in disobeying our regulations.

“ I wish to remind those who are still investing in this business that it is just a waste of resources.

“The FCTA has demonstrated serious commitment to ensuring that commercial motorcycles are not allowed within the FCC and we have done what we can do to send the signal”, Bello added.

Chairman House of Representatives Press Corps, Grace Ike(right), presenting donations of Food items to Administrator, Abuja Children’s Home, Karu, Musa Yakubu Danjuma during the House press corps visit to donate food items to the Orphanages for Christmas celebration, at the weekend in Abuja.

world news

Pope Francis says world suffering a ‘famine of peace’

Pope Francis has said the world is suffering from a “famine of peace”, in his annual Christmas Day message from the Vatican.

He called for a end to the “senseless war” in Ukraine, condemning what he said was the use of “food as a weapon” of war.

Ukraine shipped about 30% of the world’s wheat and prices have jumped since the Russian invasion in February.

It was Pope Francis’ 10th Christmas Day address since he assumed the papacy.

While the war in Ukraine occupied much of his 10-minute speech, he spoke of “a grave famine of peace also in other regions and other theatres of this Third World War”.

He singled out conflicts and humanitarian crises in the Middle East, Myanmar, Haiti, and the Sahel region of Africa.

The pontiff also prayed for “reconciliation” in Iran, where mass antigovernment protests have swept the country for more than three months. The protests there have been met by a crackdown, with

more than 500 people, including 69 children, killed, human rights groups say.

Speaking from a balcony at the basilica overlooking St Peter’s Square, the 86-yearold Pope lamented the human cost of war. He urged not to forget those “who go hungry while huge amounts of food daily go to waste and resources are being spent on weapons”.

“The war in Ukraine has further aggravated this situation, putting entire peoples at risk of famine, especially in Afghanistan and in the countries of the Horn

of Africa,” he said.

“We know that every war causes hunger and exploits food as a weapon, hindering its distribution to people already suffering.”

The Pope said “those who hold political responsibilities” should lead the way to make food “solely an instrument of peace”.

His message was followed by the customary Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) blessing, recited in Latin and traditionally in many other languages as well.

King Charles’ first Christmas speech reflects cost-of-living crisis

King Charles has used his first Christmas message to reflect on the cost-of-living crisis.

He spoke of the “great anxiety and hardship” for those struggling to “pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm”.

There were images of food banks and help for the homeless alongside the speech, recorded by the King in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

He paid tribute to his mother Queen Elizabeth, who is buried in the chapel.

The late Queen pioneered the televised royal Christmas Day address, and used what was to become her final message last year to speak of “passing the baton” to the next generation.

The themes of the King’s speech touched on some of his causes and beliefs - concern for the disadvantaged, the importance of public service and supporting a multi-faith approach to religion.

Only “working royals” appeared on screen in the King’s broadcast, including the Queen Consort, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal.

That meant that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were not mentioned. The Duke of York was also not included.

At a time of industrial strife and financial pressures, the King’s message focused on those supporting people in need.

“I particularly want to pay tribute to all those wonderfully kind people who so generously give food or donations, or that most precious commodity of all, their time, to support those around them in greatest need,” said the King.

The message was accompanied by pictures of charities giving food to the homeless and volunteers helping at a food bank.

Buckingham Palace has said funds donated after the death of the late Queen were being given to a charity helping those unable to pay energy bills.

The King has gathered with other senior royals at Sandringham, Norfolk, for Christmas, and earlier attended the traditional Christmas Day service for the first time as monarch.

The King praised the emergency services who “worked tirelessly to keep us all safe”, teachers and health and social care staff.

Last year proved to be the late Queen’s last Christmas message, and the King remembered the “love and sympathy” that followed her death in September.

“Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition,” said the King.

Standing “close to where my beloved mother, the late Queen is laid to rest with my dear father”, he spoke of his mother’s

Foreign aid groups halt work after Taliban ban on female staff

Three major non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have halted work in Afghanistan after women were banned from working for them by the Taliban.

In a joint statement, Care International, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Save the Children said they would be unable to continue their work “without our female staff”.

The aid groups are “demanding” that women can continue to work for them.

Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban have been steadily repressing women’s rights.

The latest edict on NGOs came just days after the Taliban banned women from attending university.

Abdel Rahman Habib, spokesman for the Taliban’s ministry of economy, claimed female workers at the foreign aid groups had broken dress codes by not wearing hijabs.

The Taliban threatened to cancel the licence of any organisation that did not swiftly comply with the ban.

The leaders of Care, the NRC and Save the Children said the organisations “would not have jointly reached millions of Afghans in need since August 2021” were it not for their female staff.

“Whilst we gain clarity on this announcement, we are suspending our programmes, demanding that men and women can equally continue our lifesaving assistance in Afghanistan,” their statement added.

Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations’ top humanitarian coordinator, said the UN was trying to get the ban reversed and that it was a “red line for the entire humanitarian community”.

The United Nations could stop humanitarian aid delivery in Afghanistan if the Taliban authorities do not reverse their edict banning women aid workers, the official told the BBC.

But Mr Alakbarov said it was still unclear what the Taliban meant by its edict.

He said the Taliban’s minister of health

had told the UN the agency should continue its health-related work and women could “report to work and discharge their services”.

Other ministries had also contacted

the UN directly to say work in the areas of disaster management and emergencies should continue, he added.

faith in God and also her “faith in people”. The message highlighted the community work of faith groups, and the King, as well as asserting his own Christian belief, extended this to other religions.

He spoke of the “heartfelt solidarity”

shown by “churches, synagogues, mosques and gurdwaras”.

The King described how moved he had been to go to the birthplace of Christ in Bethlehem: “It meant more to me than I can possibly express to stand on that spot.”

Source;BBC

Last year the Queen spoke of “passing the baton” to the next generation

The aid groups say the ban on female staff is a direct threat to their lifesaving work

NEWS FROM AFRICA

Al-Shabab: 14 Iranian fishermen freed years after abduction

Fourteen Iranian fishermen have returned home after years in captivity by al-Shabab militants in Somalia.

They were freed after “lengthy negotiations with government officials, tribal chiefs and Somali elders,” Iranian news agency ISNA reports.

They were flown back to Iran late on Saturday before being taken to their hometown of Chabahar, in the south.

Some of them had been held for as long as eight years after being kidnapped in international waters close to Somalia.

The fishermen were freed almost a month after Somali police said they had found 20 foreigners - 14 Iranians and six Pakistanis - near land controlled by militants.

According to the AFP news agency, police said at the time that some of the

fishermen had been seized by al-Shabab in 2014 and others had been kidnapped in mid-2019.

The group of fishermen was welcomed by family members in a ceremony at the main international airport in Tehran on Saturday night.

The Islamist militant group alShabab has carried out several attacks in Somalia in recent months, including twin car bomb explosions in the capital Mogadishu in October, in which 120 people died.

The government has launched a large-scale offensive against al-Shabab, working together with local clan militia.

Al-Shabab militants have been active in Somalia for more than 15 years, have control over large rural areas and continue to mount attacks in urban centres.

South Africa: Fuel tanker explosion kills at least 15 near hospital

At least 15 people have been killed, and about 40 injured, by a huge fuel tanker explosion near a hospital east of Johannesburg.

The tanker appeared to have got stuck under a low bridge on Saturday morning in Boksburg city, about 100m from Tambo Memorial Hospital.

Patients were evacuated from the hospital’s casualty after part of the roof

collapsed following the blast.

The truck was carrying liquid petroleum gas.

“Apparently, a gas tanker drove under the subway bridge and got stuck in there, and due to friction, it caught alight,” emergency services spokesperson William Ntladi was quoted as saying.

As firefighters tried to put out the blaze, there was a huge second explosion -

captured on amateur video - that destroyed a fire engine and two motor vehicles.

There are fears the death toll could rise, as 19 people are in critical condition and 15 others are stable but seriously hurt, AFP reports.

Eyewitness Michael Kulinji described the blast as “more like a bomb” and told the Reuters news agency that he had seen the fire under the bridge.

Another witness, Jean Marie Booysen, said that she saw “immense flames at about 06:35 local time (04:35 GMT) and thought “this feels like 6.5 on the Richter”, according to Reuters.

Footage apparently taken in the immediate aftermath of the blast shows a number of dazed and burned people stumbling around a residential area near the epicentre.

World Cup 2022: Six things Africa learned at historic finals

After a slow start to Qatar 2022, Africa’s five representatives delivered the continent’s finest World Cup in history.

A record seven wins in the group stage - with all five sides winning at least one game - was enough to propel two teams, Morocco and African champions Senegal, to the knockout phase for only the second time, and first since 2014.

The Atlas Lions added icing to the cake by becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals, ultimately undone by 2018 champions France.

After suffering its worst World Cup just four years ago, when Africa failed to reach the second round for the first time since 1982, the continent has rebounded in spectacular fashion.

“I’m delighted with the standard of African football because for many decades now, we’ve been talking about the development of African football and when their time will come - I think their time has come,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

So what exactly did the continent learn from Qatar 2022?

‘The Miracle of Morocco’

It was the African story of the World Cup - unfancied Morocco nearly going all the way. They topped their group, beating Belgium and Canada before dispatching Spain and Portugal to finally reach the last four.

Appointed in August, Coach Walid Regragui recalled outcasts, brought in youngsters and nurtured a spirit that made the Atlas Lions one of the top four teams in the world.

“We are much more of a family, more of a club side than a national team,” said Regragui. “I think that’s what’s given us this great strength.”

“The whole world is proud of this Moroccan team. We showed desire, played hard and have given a good image of Morocco and African football.”

Prior to Morocco’s sensational run,

Africa - which officially finished fourthhad never gone past the quarter-finals, with only Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) having reached that stage before.

Door ever wider for female officials

For the first time in World Cup history, three women were among the 36 selected for the elite group of referees with three more acting as assistant referees.

Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga, Stephanie Frappart of France and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita were the refereeing trailblazers, even if only Frappart made history when officiating a game in Qatar from the middle.

Nonetheless, Mukansanga achieved her own piece of history when becoming the first female fourth official at a men’s World Cup in France’s 4-1 defeat of Australia, prior to handling three more games, two of which included Tunisia.

Having been the first woman to referee a men’s Africa Cup of Nations clash in January, the 34-year-old’s elevation provides yet further inspiration for the next generation of African officials, with Fifa saying it is selecting the best referees regardless of gender.

“It means you’re going to open the doors for other women, especially in Africa,’ said Mukansanga.

“The opportunities are there - it’s up to us to take them.”

Africa is slaying giants again

Africa is no stranger to sinking defending champions, with Cameroon and Senegal beating Argentina and France in 1990 and 2002 respectively, but it had been some 20 years since such a feat.

On this occasion, Tunisia ensured their early elimination finished on a high after stunning a weakened French side thanks to veteran Wabhi Khazri’s strike.

“Of course we are disappointed to be going out - because we didn’t do enough in the first two matches - but we have made the Tunisian people proud,” the Tunisia captain

said afterwards.

This seismic shock was soon followed by another as Cameroon became the first African side to ever beat five-time champions, and tournament favourites, Brazil at the World Cup.

Vincent Aboubakar’s 93rd-minute goal was not enough to keep the Indomitable Lions in Qatar, as with the Tunisians, but he delivered a weighty punch about the state of the African game.

“I didn’t even realise it was such a historic victory,” admitted coach Rigobert Song. “My players should be congratulated and they’ve shown they could have done better. We are going to keep working to improve.”

‘Home support’ in the Middle East

The continent’s North African teams enjoyed massive support in Qatar, where there are sizeable Moroccan and Tunisian communities already, with the fans making a real difference to their team’s fortunes.

After Tunisia’s opening game - a hardfought and gutsy 0-0 draw with Denmark

- coach Jalel Kadri was appreciative of the tumultuous backing.

“The fan factor was very positive for us, it mentally gave us a great lift,” he said.

Nonetheless, it was ultimately Morocco’s supporters who made the biggest impression and who were, behind champions Argentina’s legions of fans, the second-best followed.

Tens of thousands joyously descended on Qatar as the Atlas Lions roamed further in the World Cup than any African or Arab side before.

“This is a night I’m going to tell my children and grandchildren about,” supporter Soufiane Megrini, who had just witnessed the quarter-final win over Portugal, told the BBC.

Ghana recruitment yet to bear fruit

Ghana squeaked into the tournament with an away goals win over Nigeria in the World Cup play-offs but it was clear they needed more quality ahead of the World Cup itself. Source:BBC

Al-Shabab militants have been active in Somalia for more than 15 years

Youssef En-Nesyri has now scored three World Cup goals, more than any other Moroccan

Captagon: Jordan seizes huge amphetamine haul at Iraq border

Jordan has seized one tonne of amphetamine pills being smuggled in date paste at the border with Iraq.

A total of six million pills of the drug known as Captagon were found inside two refrigerated lorries.

It was one of the largest such hauls ever intercepted, the Jordanian Customs Department said.

Captagon, dubbed “the poor man’s cocaine”, is produced in huge quantities in Syria, which a decade-long war has turned into a narco-state.

At the height of the conflict militant groups supplied the drug to fighters - which is often laced with caffeine - to boost their courage.

With growing poverty, many ordinary Syrians became involved in the trade, which is now worth far more than any legal exports.

Although there have been denials from the Syrian government, reports have linked powerful figures in business and the military to the

manufacturing and distribution of Captagon.

The amphetamine is smuggled into neighbouring countries, such as Jordan and Lebanon. The final destination is often in Gulf states where there is a big market.

The latest seizure was made at the Al-Karamah border crossing between Iraq and Jordan.

Details are sketchy. It is unclear where the pills were to be sold or how many arrests were made.

A 2021 report by a Cyprusbased think tank said Captagon production had a market value of about $3.5bn (£2.7bn; €3.2bn) in the previous year.

Skirmishes between the Jordanian military and drug traffickers are becoming more frequent, with larger hauls being made.

Soldiers have a shoot-tokill policy. Last January 27 traffickers were killed as the Jordanian army foiled a coordinated effort to cross into the country.

Kerala: The sweet story of India’s ‘first’ Christmas cake

Prakash Mambally has a story to tell about the first Christmas cake made in India.

In November 1883, a merchant named Murdock Brown went to the Royal Biscuit Factory in what is now the southern Indian state of Kerala and asked its owner Mambally Bapu if he would bake him a cake for Christmas.

The Scot, who ran a massive cinnamon plantation in the Malabar region of the coastal state (then part of a princely state in British-ruled India), had brought a sample cake back from Britain. He explained to Mr Bapu how it was made.

Mr Bapu knew how to bake bread and biscuits - a skill he learnt at a biscuit factory in Burma (present-day Myanmar) - but he had never made a cake. But he decided to give it a try with Mr Brown’s inputs.

The experiment came with some improvisations.

Mr Bapu mixed the cake batter with a local brew made of cashew apple instead of the brandy Mr Brown had suggested getting from the nearby French colony of Mahe.

The result was a unique plum cake made entirely from local ingredients.

When Mr Brown tried it, he was so happy with the results that he ordered a dozen more.

“And that is how the first Christmas cake was made in India,” says Prakash Mambally,

the grandson of Mr Bapu’s nephew.

While there are no official documents to back this story, Mambally Bapu and the bakery he started - which is still going strong in Tellichery (now Thalassery)- are now part of India’s Christmas lore.

Four generations on, Bapu’s descendants take pride in the legacy.

“Bapu popularised British tastes among Indians,” says Mr Mambally. “He even exported cakes and sweets to soldiers during World War I.”

Later, the Mambally family opened several outlets under different names which became a favourite destination for cake lovers.

The family’s original bakery in Thalassery is now run by Mr Mambally.

His grandfather Gopal Mambally had inherited the bakery as his matrilineal inheritance, as was the tradition in Kerala at the time. Gopal Mambally had 11 children, all of whom joined the family business.

The small outlet in Thalassery, where it all began, has now been relocated to a different neighbourhood, Mr Mambally says, to make it “more visible and accessible to all”.

“But we strictly follow the traditional methods of making the cake to maintain its quality,” Mr Mambally, who is now in his sixties, told the BBC.

Over the years, the family has also added new flavours to the cake. “We now make more than two dozen varieties according to the needs of our customers,” Mr Mambally says.

His wife Lizy Prakash says that a majority of their orders come from other Indian cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata.

“We send them our choicest flavours by courier,” she adds.

It is not surprising that Kerala has emerged as a major centre for Christmas cakes - Christians

make up 18% of the state’s 33 million people. The state is dotted with small bakeries and cafes known for their desserts.

In January 2020, the state’s bakers’ association set a Guinness world record for the longest cake in the world with a 5.3 km (3.2 miles) long cake, beating China’s record of 3.2 km.

After two years of subdued celebrations because of the Covid pandemic, the state is gearing up for a vibrant Christmas.

At the Mambally bakery, preparations for the cake started

in November as the bakeries began soaking their ingredients in wine.

By the third week of December, the cakes were ready.

“Youngsters mostly prefer fresh cream cakes that have a short shelf life but this [Christmas cake] is a fastmoving item seasonally,” Ms Mambally tells the BBC.

Mr Mambally says that brisk sales at the outlet start the weekend before Christmas and go on till the New Year.

Source: BBC

Millions of Captagon pills en route to the Gulf are seized in Jordan each year

The Mambally family is known for its Christmas cakes

Education

FG orders polytechnics, others to stop awarding degrees

By Maryam Abeeb

The Federal Government has directed polytechnics, monotechnics and other allied institutions to stop awarding degrees.

This order was conveyed in a circular, marked TEB/PRO/E/12/Vol.11/132 dated December 1, 2022, by the National Board for Technical Education, directed to heads of the affected institutions.

A copy of the document signed by the board’s Director, Polytechnic Programmes Department, Ogoh Ngbede was availed our correspondent.

Ngbede, in the circular, expressed the Federal Ministry of Education’s dismay at the increasing number of tertiary institutions in the country offering programmes for which they were not originally designed.

He however said the government has given the affected institutions four years to graduate the last set of students already admitted for such programmes.

The circular read in part, “Polytechnics and other technical institutions in the country should immediately stop admitting students into degree programmes.

“Similarly, polytechnics and allied institutions awarding Nigerian Certificate in Education should restrict themselves to technical courses.

“However, already admitted undergraduates for these programmes should be allowed to round up the programmes into which they are already admitted.

“Institutions have been given a period of four years (up to 2026) to graduate their last set of students for such programmes.”

Recall that the Academic Staff Union

of Polytechnics has over time called on the government to allow polytechnics to award degrees.

The union’s National President, Anderson Ezeibe, noted that the award of degrees by polytechnics would end the current dichotomy.

He said, “HND is no longer as attractive as it used to be to Nigerian youths because of the age-long dichotomy.

“Policymakers have made it a rule that once an individual has an HND, he cannot attain the peak of his/her career, then why are they continuing to force it on people, why don’t they phase it out and replace it with Bachelor of Technology?”

According to him, the Nigerian polytechnic system has all it takes in terms of infrastructure and human capital to award Bachelor, Master’s and Doctorate degrees in

the area of technology.

Meanwhile, the Director of Programmes, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, backed the government’s decision.

She said, “It is a very good initiative. Universities and polytechnics exist for different reasons. While it is largely believed that universities focus on theories, polytechnics focus on practical ones. So why should one want to take over the duty of another?

“However, it is worthy of note to remind the government about to promise to eliminate the dichotomy between degrees and Higher National Diplomas. We need to understand that the two awards serve different purposes hence, one should not be seen as lower than the other.”

Scarcity of forex: Nigerians studying abroad frustrated -NANS

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has raised the alarm that Nigerians studying abroad are being frustrated due to the scarcity of Form A to procure foreign exchange for their transactions.

Speaking, the National Vice President, External, NANS, Comrade Akinteye Afeez, appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to probe how commercial banks in the country are giving out the form for people to get forex.

Afeez noted that Nigerian students abroad were being exposed to embarrassment and suffering.

Many Nigerian students in the diaspora have come under colossal embarrassment, attack and humiliation by the actions and inactions of our Nigerian banks due to the way the Form A payment application is being utilized. It’s high time that everyone concerned came together to give this menace a lasting solution once and for all.

“The Form A is an application form designed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to pay for service transactions. This allows customers to make payments for services such as school fees, technical fees, airline tickets, BTA and the like. The Nigerian students studying abroad or intending to do so are forced to use this application as their only form of transaction to pay their school fees and get other things done via Forex

“Instead of seeking Forex through the black market, they enjoy the official rate with Form A through our commercial banks. This Form A has now become a nightmare because it has stopped solving their problems but rather aggravated them year in and year out.

“The office of the Vice President, External Affairs, NANS, has been duly notified that Form A is no longer tenable and useful for the students in the diaspora due to the level of fraud and corruption going on in our Nigerian banks. This is because whenever these students abroad demand Forex, our Nigerian banks

give them at black market rates, which is not affordable for many of these students.

“Let’s not forget that many of these students studying abroad are there on all sorts of scholarships. This implies that they are not financially buoyant enough and this skyrocketed (black market) rate of Forex has

debarred many from doing what they intend to do financially and this has caused them to drop out or withdraw their studentship due to lack of fund.

Recently, some Nigerian students at Hull City University, United Kingdom, lost their scholarship. Some lost their admission and they were deported to Nigeria as a result

of this.”

Afeez called on the CBN to be more proactive in checkmating the activities of Nigerian banks in the abuse of the Form A option and the ridiculous rate of Forex.

He called on Nigerian students studying abroad to always speak out as soon as issues like that crop up.

Federal Polytechnic Bauchi Matriculates 6,268 students for the 2022/2023 session

By Maryam Abeeb

The Federal Polytechnic Bauchi has matriculated a total of 6,268 students for the 2022/2023 academic session.

This was disclosed by the school’s Rector Arc Sanusi Waziri Gumau, during the matriculation ceremony.

Gumau, who was represented by Deputy Rector Dr Dalhatu Abubakar, disclosed that the polytechnic received 9,372 applications, with 8,015 admitted and 6,268 matriculated.

He said 1,770 registered for Higher National Diploma (HND) and 4,498 were registered for National Diploma (ND), respectively.

While congratulating the new students, the rector said their registration marked the beginning of their journey as bonafide students of the polytechnic with all rights and privileges.

It is also a happy day for you because as students here, you will start to have a place for self-discovery, in not just your area of study, but also in skills acquisition, through our well-prepared and motivated Entrepreneurial Development Centre in

conjunction with the various academic departments,” he said.

“It is also a day for solicitude, reflection and thanksgiving for the opportunity God almighty has provided you, of gaining admission into the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.

*I said this because I know, you must know about someone, who has applied for admission into the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi but was not successful, due to one reason or another.

“This is enough a reason for you to jealously guard your admission and study hard in order not to waste your time and your parents’ hard-earned resources.

Gumau, who announced that this would be his last matriculation address as the 6th Rector, as his tenure was expiring in the next coming weeks, highlighted some of his achievements to provide an atmosphere favourable to teaching and learning.

“During our five and half years of service to humanity, we were able to increase the number of courses and programmes being run,” he disclosed.

“The additional courses and

programmes include National Diploma Fisheries Technology, National Diploma Computer Engineering, National Diploma Crime Management, National Diploma Cooperative Economics and Management, National Diploma Taxation.

“Higher National Diploma Library and Information Science, Higher National Diploma Forestry Technology, Higher National Diploma Crop Production Technology, Higher National Diploma Agricultural Extension and Management and Higher National Diploma Science Laboratory Technology (Microbiology)”

He said under his watch, the polytechnic established five additional Academic Directorates and affiliated with three notable tertiary institutions for the awards of Nine Degree and 10 Postgraduate Diploma programmes.

“We equally, made a lot of efforts in changing the face of the Polytechnic and bridging the gap created by an infrastructural deficit in the Institution.

“During this period, therefore, we touched almost every nook and cranny of the Polytechnic that needed to be touched,”

he said

The rector said several structures were built during his reign while some roads with strategic importance were constructed to allow for access and provide aesthetics within the serenity of the Polytechnic campus.

He said under his watch, the polytechnic established five additional Academic Directorates and affiliated with three notable tertiary institutions for the awards of Nine Degree and 10 Postgraduate Diploma programmes.

“We equally, made a lot of efforts in changing the face of the Polytechnic and bridging the gap created by an infrastructural deficit in the Institution.

“During this period, therefore, we touched almost every nook and cranny of the Polytechnic that needed to be touched,” he said

The rector said several structures were built during his reign while some roads with strategic importance were constructed to allow for access and provide aesthetics within the serenity of the Polytechnic campus.

Katsina State Governor, Rt.Hon. Aminu Bello Masari(4th left); AGILE Project Task Team Lead, Aisha Garba(3rd left); AGILE Project Deputy National Project Cordinator, Mrs Ajanigo Abuka(6th right); other officials of the AGILE Project after the visit to the Government House recently

Maryam Abeeb

India-China dispute: Shadow of 60-year-old war at border flashpoint

The fighting began early on a bright autumn morning 60 years ago.

On 23 October 1962 Chinese solders entered and engaged in intense artillery fire in what was then a far-flung Himalayan region in north-eastern India called North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA), bordering China and Bhutan.

Today it is Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian state with more than a million people that China continues to claim as its territory, and where the latest flare-up between the two sides in more than a year took place.

“Explosions lit up the sky and echoed between the mountains,” Indian army personnel told Bertil Lintner, a Swedish journalist and author of the China’s India War: Collision Course on the Roof of the World.

Chinese soldiers overran an Indian position, killing 17 Indian soldiers and capturing 13 others. Facing little resistance from the surprised and ill-equipped Indian forces they forged ahead. Next day, they seized Tawang, a Buddhist monastery town nestling in a nearby valley.

The Chinese marched south. By mid-November, they had reached the town of Bomdila, a monastery-town near a hill and barely 250km (155 miles) away from Assam, home to India’s thriving tea gardens, oil fields and jute plantations.

And then, on 21 November, the Chinese declared a ceasefire and swiftly withdrew to 20km north of the hazy, de-facto border between the two countries, known as the Line of Actual Control and delineated by maps made in British ruled-India.

“The war was over. Within a couple of weeks PLA soldiers were back on the Chinese-controlled part of the mountains,” noted Mr Linter. Indians counted the loss of 1,383 soldiers and nearly 1,700 “missing in action”. Chinese records put Indian casualties at nearly 4,900 dead and another 3,968 captured alive.

Manoj Joshi, an Indian defence analyst and author of a new book Understanding The India China Border, says it is unclear why the

Chinese withdrew.

“Was it because their supply lines were extended? Were they afraid of US intervention? Or was it the fact that they were not too serious about their eastern (border) claims?” he said.

The contentious Sino-Indian border is divided into three areas: the western sector around Ladakh; the middle sector made up of the boundary between India’s Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand states with Tibet; and the eastern sector consisting of the boundary at Arunachal Pradesh.

Experts say it is a really a “notional line” - Indians say it is 3,488km long; the Chinese say it is a little over 2,000km.

India claims the plateau of Aksai Chin, an area of the size of Switzerland that China controls in the western part of the border. China claims Arunachal Pradesh.

E SOURCE,AFP

The eastern border - 1,126km long, according to India - and never recognised by China at Arunachal Pradesh is formed by the McMahon Line. It is named after a British man - Henry McMahon - who was the Indian foreign secretary in 1914.

Asia’s two biggest countries - and nuclear-armed neighbours - have developed agreements to stop skirmishes in what is one of the longest-running border disputes in the world. The two sides have largely kept the peace, but have also routinely blamed each other for transgressions and incursions.

But China has not given up its claims on Arunachal Pradesh and still refers to most of the region as “South Tibet”. Last year the Chinese ministry of civil affairs renamed several places in the disputed area, with state media saying that China’s territorial claims had a “historical and administrative basis”.

Some analysts say Beijing sees Arunachal Pradesh as playing a role in an eventual border deal with India that would see Delhi accepting Chinese sovereignty over Aksai Chin - the strategicallylocated ice desert rich in minerals which has been occupied since the 1950s - in return for Beijing

2014,

accepting Indian sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh.

But experts like Dr Tsering Topgyal of the University of

Birmingham in the UK believe this is no longer the case.

“There may be a connection between the confidence of Chinese control over Tibet and the appeal of a swap between Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin for Beijing. Now, I think China approaches the border dispute not just in terms of territorial gain or loss at the local level, but increasingly with wider national and foreign policy interests in mind,” Dr Topgyal told me.

Previously ruled directly from Delhi, Arunachal Pradesh was made a state in 1987, much to China’s chagrin. Over the years India also beefed up defences and infrastructure along the border

and is building villages close to it. Visits by Indian leaders to Arunachal Pradesh have annoyed Beijing. China formally protested when former PM Manmohan Singh visited the state in 2008 and announced a raft of roadbuilding projects. Beijing has also opposed loans by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan to the state and denied visas to Indian military officials and officers based in the area.

In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a plan to build 2,000km of new roads and develop Arunachal Pradesh’s remote and neglected areas.

“We are not doing anything to disturb relations. It’s not in terms of challenging or competing with China, but in terms of securing our own territory,” Kiren Rijiju, a federal minister who comes from the state, told Bloomberg then.

From China’s point of view, it might make “strategic sense to keep the border dispute with India, alive, including the claim over Arunachal Pradesh, as a means to restrain India’s ambitions and regulate its behaviour, for instance the growing ties with the US,” according to Dr Tsering.

“Why is it that, of all the border disputes that China had with all its neighbours, only the India-China dispute is still open?” he says.

Yangtse, where the latest skirmish took place, is a sparsely populated place, barely 5km away from a village on the Chinese side, according to experts. It is among the dozen or so contested areas along the disputed border which have overlapping claims from both sides.

“The eastern border seems to be hotting up again,” says Mr Joshi. “And it is really no surprise.” Source: BBC

In

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a plan to build 2,000km of new roads and develop Arunachal Pradesh’s remote and neglected areas. “We are not doing anything to disturb relations. It’s not in terms of challenging or competing with China, but in terms of securing our own territory,”

“

Indian soldiers near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian state which China claims

Tom Williamson says the Parasaurolophus’ sounds would have been “otherworldly” (Credit: Tom Williamson)

Indian soldiers with artillery guns near the de-facto border in

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Lionel Messi, PSG agree in principle to renew contract - Guillem Balague

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has reached an “agreement in principle” to renew his contract at Paris StGermain, says BBC Sport’s Guillem Balague.

Messi, 35, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, is out of contract at the French club in June 2023.

Earlier this week Barcelona president Joan Laporta said he “would love” Messi to return to the Spanish club where he spent 21 years.

But Balague says Barca have not approached Messi about a return.

He will sign a one-year deal with the option of another year and the agreement has come after four months of talks between PSG director of football Luis Campos and Messi’s father Jorge.

That was followed by a key meeting in Doha with PSG chairman Nasser AlKhelaifi.

“It is practically all agreed with PSG,” says European football expert Balague. “Barcelona have not approached him or his dad to offer anything.

“So it is not that Messi does not want to return to Barcelona. He has not been asked the question.

“Messi is happy with it all and when back from his holidays the agreement will speed up.

“His life in Paris is balanced, happy, everybody is enjoying it and he has a real possibility of winning the Champions League again. Plus, it will help him be a candidate again for the Ballon d’Or.”

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was named player of the tournament at the World Cup as Argentina won the title for the third time with a penalty shoot-out victory over France.

After leaving Barcelona, Messi signed a two-year contract as a free agent, with the option of a third year, in 2021.

He has made 53 appearances for the Ligue 1 side so far, scoring 23 goals in all competitions.

The Argentine has now won one World Cup, four Champions League titles, one Copa America, 10 La Liga trophies with

Considered one of the greatest players of all time, he scored a record 672 goals in 778 games for Barcelona, the club he joined as a 13-year-old.

He ended his association with the Catalan club in 2021, when they could no longer afford to honour the new contract they agreed with him because of La Liga’s salary limit.

Bosso gives Flying Eagles yuletide period off after NPFL tests

By Albert Akota

Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles turned back NPFL side, Lobi Stars 2-0 on Saturday morning at FIFA Goal Project AstroTurf in Abuja to round off the first phase of the team’s preparations for the forthcoming Africa U20 Cup of Nations on a high note.

Haliru Sarki broke the deadlock in a closely-fought game with a welltaken free kick in the 76th minute, and 10 minutes later, prolific Olusegun Otusanya sealed the victory for the Ladan Bosso-tutored side after an assist from Dominion Ohaka. The win was the second for the U20 boys in three games against NPFL sides as Bosso’s squad maintained their rich vein of form.

Earlier on Friday, the Egypt-

the win for the seven-time African Champions.

The win against Lobi Stars was the eighth game the Flying Eagles

had played (with seven wins and a draw) since the team opened camp on 28th November.

The Flying Eagles will now embark on a two-week recess and are expected to resume camp in the first week of January for the final phase of preparations ahead of the Final Tournament of the Africa U20 in Egypt. The TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2023 will be played between 19 February and 11 March 2023.

Meanwhile, the Draw Ceremony for the U20 AFCON is billed to take place in Cairo, Egypt on Friday, 23rd December.

The qualified countries are hosts Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Benin, Senegal, The Gambia, Uganda, South Sudan, Mozambique, Zambia, Central African Republic and Congo.

Barcelona and a Ligue 1 crown in France with PSG.

bound team forced Nasarawa United to a 1-1 draw with Olamilekan Adams scoring the equaliser four minutes to the end of the game.

On Thursday, the Ladan Bossoled team knocked Wikki Tourists 2-0 with goals from Olamilekan Adams and Olusegun Otusanya stamping

Africa Super League: Can new competition improve club game on continent?

Morocco may well have broken barriers for African football with the country’s historic run to the World Cup semifinals, but the club game on the continent is still lagging well behind the standards in Europe.

As such, Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe is hoping the launch of the Africa Super League next year will change that.

The South African described the new competition as “one of the most exciting developments in the history of African football” when he unveiled the latest plans in Tanzania in August.

Flanked by the the boss of world football’s governing body, Fifa president Gianni Infantino, Motsepe stressed it was all about pumping more money into club football in Africa, with $100m available as prize money and the winners getting $11.5m.

The tournament had been mooted to kick off in August 2023, with plans to involve 24 clubs from 16 countries, although recent reports suggest that there may only be eight teams now.

However many there are in a format that may well follow the European Champions League, the plan is to culminate in a ‘Super Bowl-like’ final in May 2024.

The intention is the Africa Super League will run alongside the existing African Champions League, which features 16 teams in its group stage but has been dominated by North African sides over the past decade.

Caf is promising a huge investment of $200m in total - not only for the participating clubs, but also for the development of the women’s game and youth academies in its 54 member countries.

Too good to be true? Some people think so.

‘Opaque’ club selection Patrice Motsepe and Gianni Infantino at the launch of the Africa Super League

Caf president Patrice Motsepe (left) launched the Super League in August alongside Fifa president Gianni Infantino

“We’ve not been consulted once,” bridles John Comitis, the chairman and owner of Cape Town City FC, which competes in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL).

The former striker has been involved in African football for almost 40 years and is not happy about what he calls “the opaque selection process” of the clubs for the new Super League.

Comitis says he received a couple of lists of the clubs which would be included, and believes that the chosen ones are “politically positioned clubs, owned by certain rich individuals or by the state”.

State ownership of football clubs is still quite common across

Africa, although that is not the case in South Africa itself.

Comitis’ biggest concern is the effect the new continental competition might have on the PSL, which he describes as “very efficient and professional” in terms of funding and broadcasting rights.

“The infrastructure nightmare of Africa is unprecedented,” he says, highlighting how his team travelled to DR Congo for a game and could not get there and back in less than five days and describing the costs of the journey as “outrageous.”

Africa Super League - a new dawn for football?

In this context, Comitis believes it will be almost impossible to fit Super League games into the existing schedule and that national leagues will undoubtedly suffer, potentially losing broadcast money if the top clubs are fielding B-teams in domestic games.

“At the end of the day, we are protecting our businesses and South African football,” he concludes.

Some may call that sour grapes, as Comitis has clearly indicated that his team was not one of the chosen 24 once earmarked for the Super League.

It is still unclear where the planned $200m prize and development fund will come from, especially after Caf reported a loss of over $40m in its most recent audited accounts., even if Motsepe continually talks of significant interest from the commercial sector.

A Caf spokesperson said Motsepe, elected as Caf boss in March 2021, “has the best interests of African football at heart”.

There is, meanwhile, no doubt that mining billionaire Motsepe has invested a lot of his personal fortune into the game as owner of the reigning South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Mamelodi Sundowns, owned by Motsepe, were the last club from outside North Africa to win the African Champions League when they beat Egyptians Zamalek in 2016

Should they actually happen, the sums involved would make the African Super League more valuable than the Africa Cup of Nations, which has always garnered international attention and culminated in a final which pitted then-Liverpool team-mates and global icons Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah against each other when Senegal beat Egypt in February.

Osasu Obayiuwana, a Nigerian football journalist, believes the concept for the new club competition was not designed in Africa, but was, in fact, the brainchild of Infantino.

“There is a belief outside of Africa that Africans need to be led like babies. I find this highly insulting,” Obayiuwana said.

Just like Comitis, Obayiuwana is concerned the football calendar will become far too congested.

Should 24 teams take part, the Africa Super League would feature 24 match days over a season - a lot to fit in alongside domestic campaigns spread across around 38 weeks and African Champions League commitments.

Add to that the logistics of extra

travel across the continent, which presents a challenge in itself, and the scale of the task is clear.

“You can imagine the amount of pressure that will be on the players,” Obayiuwana added.

Caf says details of the Africa Super League are still being ironed out but, amid a lot of criticism and unanswered questions, the new competition does have its big-name supporters.

South Africa’s record goalscorer Benni McCarthy played in Africa and Europe, winning the European Champions League with Jose Mourinho’s Porto in 2004, and is now first-team coach at Manchester United after spells managing in his homeland at Cape Town City and AmaZulu.

He thinks the new Super League will provide more earning potential for clubs and a better platform for players which could be transformative.

“I would love to see an African player compete against the best players in the world because it’s been too long since we had an African win the Ballon d’Or,” the 45-year-old said, referencing Liberian George Weah’s victory in 1995.

“African football is brilliant but it is not on the same level as European football. The speed and the technical side are different to what players are used to in Africa.

“I think the Super League will remove that barrier by making African football more competitive.”

Wydad Casablanca fans packed out the Stade Mohammed V for the African Champions League final against Al Ahly in May, but the

competition struggles for exposure on TV across Africa

That is the hope, but, in reality, if the new Africa Super League is to have a fighting chance of succeeding it will need to attract TV money, which is the lifeblood of football in Europe and helped make England’s Premier League the most financially successful league in the world.

But, as Obayiuwana points out, African broadcasters spend more money on the European game than African football - with their argument being that the product is not deserving of their investment.

So, how do you resolve this chicken and the egg situation? Without TV money and sponsorship, it will be a struggle to develop the quality of the football on show.

Obayiuwana believes Caf should build local leagues first, promote them on the continent and make them into brands.

Then, just as with the Champions League in Europe, fans will “get to know the players and clubs and will be invested in them, which is not the case in Africa”.

It starts with people actually being able to watch matches across the continent, which in many countries is a real issue.

“It is easier for me to watch the Europa League in Lagos than to watch a match between Esperance and Raja Casablanca in the African Champions League,” the Nigerian said.

Despite the progress by African sides at the World Cup, improving the club game could prove a tougher challenge for Motsepe.

The African Champions League, won by Wydad Casablanca last season, could be marginalised by the new Africa Super League

PEOPLES DAILY

The new Judiciary fireworks

Brentford v Tottenham: Spurs boss Conte may rest all his World Cup stars

In the last couple of months, the judiciary had taken a series of decisions in demonstration of its independence as an arm of government.

The courts either ordered for the arrest, or of committal to prison of key officials of the executive arm of government, including in the top echelon of the armed forces and the police. Some of the headlines reporting those judgments were: “Niger CJ issues warrant of arrest on COAS, Minna TRADOC Commander”; “Court sentences EFCC chairman for contempt”; “Court sentences IGP to 3 months in prison for contempt”, etc.

The judicial decisions, as they were, might have not been targeted at individuals holding specific offices, but to ensure institutional adherence to the rule of law. The rulings certainly sent the message that no official of government is above the law no matter how highly placed. They also reinforced the sanctity of the rule of law which must remain sacrosanct at all times.

Monday Column

By Hameed M. Bello, PhD

seem to be premised on promoting the equality of all persons before the law.

The

Conte has already said his players who were involved in the final - France’s Hugo Lloris and Argentina’s Cristian Romero - will not face the Bees.

“I am not really happy,” Conte said.

“In one hand, you are happy because for my club, Tottenham, to have 12 players at the World Cup it means that we are in the right way to try to be competitive and to try to win something.

“But it is normal that when you have so many players play a tournament like this, especially during the season, that now it is not easy because the physical condition is not at the top.

“It is impossible to give them a lot of rest and for sure with the players that didn’t play the World Cup and we work for four weeks, now they are in a great physical condition.

“We worked a lot on the tactical aspect and physical aspect. Now they are at a level that is better than the players who finished the World Cup.

“For this reason I think I have to make the best decision for the game against Brentford. On one side I have players who I worked with for four weeks really well and on the other side, I have players who worked at the World Cup and are not at the top at the moment.”

Rodrigo Bentancur will miss Monday’s lunchtime kick-off due to suspension but has also been nursing a minor hamstring issue.

The same injury will sideline Richarlison for a month - he picked it up playing for Brazil in Qatarand Lucas Moura’s problem with his tendon continues.

The rulings have been received, albeit with resentments, from some quarters dismissing them as playing to the gallery. This is, perhaps, because none of the judgments came to pass for reasons of appeal or due to additional information subsequently furnished the courts which were hitherto not at their disposal. To appeal a judgment is a legal requirement that allows for fair hearing to parties in a dispute, and it is also a constitutional mechanism to guarantee equitable dispensation of justice. After All, the judges are not magicians. They necessarily rely on evidence to take informed decisions.

Foremost educationist and legal icon of repute, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) had vividly captured the essence of safeguarding the independence and integrity of the judiciary in a democracy. In a Vanguard newspaper column of Aril 1, 2022, titled “The judiciary must remain independent”, Babalola argued that the judiciary is an indispensable arm of any constitutional democracy, and the existence of an effective judicial system is pivotal to the sustenance of the rule of law. A strong and independent Judiciary, he wrote, plays a crucial role in the process of nation-building as the institutions of the state are premised on maintaining an equilibrium among competing interests between individuals and governments, and between governments themselves, and this role, he added, is fundamentally played by law as administered by the courts.

The courts, according to Babalola, are the repository of the great responsibility and duty to ensure that justice is done, irrespective of any internal or external influence. In this regard, the courts, he said, dispense justice using the instrumentality of laws which are, by themselves, instruments of social engineering.

This brings us back to the three separate judgments by the courts earlier cited which, as Babalola suggested,

News reports had earlier on November 30, 2022 quoted a High Court sitting in Minna, Niger State Capital to have issued a warrant of arrest on the Chief of Army Staff, General Faruk Yahaya for contempt of court. Also ordered to be arrested included the Commandant, Training and Doctrine Command Minna, Major General Stevenson Olugbenga Olabanji for similar offence. The presiding judge, Justice Halima Abdulmalik said the order followed a motion on notice brought before the court pursuant to order forty two rule ten of the Niger State High Court Civil procedure 2018.

Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the duo of Generals Yahaya and Olubanji were to be kept in Minna correctional custody for contentions of order of court on 12 October, 2022. According to her, the two suspects were to remain in custody until they purge themselves of the contempt.

In respect of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Abuja, was November 9, reported to have sentenced him to three months in prison for disobeying a valid court order. The court held that the IGP should be committed to prison and detained in custody for a period of three months, or until he obeyed an order made since October 21, 2011.

“If at the end of the three months, the contemnor remains recalcitrant and still refuses to purge his contempt, he shall be committed for another period and until he purges his contempt”, the court held.

The order followed a suit filed by a police officer, Mr. Patrick Okoli, who was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigerian Police Force. Justice Olajuwon noted that though the Police Service Commission, PSC, recommended Okoli’s reinstatement into the Police, a decision that was affirmed by the court, the IGP, refused to comply with the order. The court had also ordered the payment of 10 Million to the Applicant, being special and general damages for the unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional denial of his rights and privileges as a Senior Officer of the Nigeria Police Force from 1993 till date.

Reacting to the ruling through the Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the IGP wondered why he should be committed to prison for a case he

didn’t know anything about. Baba explained that he did not disregard the court orders or rule of law, and that his office was not aware of any court order, adding that the matter happened in 2011 which should ordinarily not fall under the direct purview of the current administration of the Force.

“It is instructive to note that the case in point concerns an officer who was dismissed as far back as 1992, a few years after the current IGP joined the Nigeria Police Force, based on available facts gleaned from the reports.

“The most recent judgement on the matter was given in 2011 which should ordinarily not fall under the direct purview of the current administration of the Force.

“The IGP, has, however, directed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Force Legal Unit to investigate the allegation in a bid to ascertain the position of the court and proffer informed legal advice for the IGP’s prompt and necessary action, ” Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police said.

And in respect of the sentence passed on the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, facts later emerged that the EFCC had already complied with the ruling which the court, perhaps, was oblivious of. The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, had however appealed the court ruling which sent him to the Kuje Correctional Centre for contempt, to allow the process to take its course, while citing procedural lapses in the judgment.

Recall that Justice Chizoba Oji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court had November 8 2022 convicted the EFCC chairman in relation to his agency’s failure to comply with an earlier order of the court in 2018. In her ruling, Justice Chizoba Oji held that the anti-graft boss was in contempt of the order of the court made on November 21, 2018, directing the commission to return to an applicant, his Range Rover (super charge) and the sum of N40 million. The judge further directed the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to ensure that the order of the court was executed forthwith.

The anti-graft agency’s spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said in a reaction that the EFCC Chairman will not tolerate impunity or disregard any lawful orders of court.

Uwujaren said Bawa, in his capacity as Executive Chairman of the EFCC

since March 5, 2022, did not disregard any order of court. “For the benefit of the public, the said order of the FCT High Court was given on November 21, 2018, three years before Abdulrasheed became EFCC Chairman. This fact is germane as the contempt process is quasi-criminal in nature and must be served on the person involved. In this case, Bawa as incumbent chairman of the EFCC was neither served form 48 nor form 49,” the spox said.

“Despite this fact, the Executive Chairman, upon being aware of the said order of November 21st, 2018 had released the Range Rover in question to the Applicant on the 27th of June, 2022, and had approved the process of the release of the remaining N40m.

“Taking into cognizance the procedural lapse in the contempt proceedings the commission has initiated a process to set aside the entire contempt proceedings and committal of the Executive Chairman for contempt. “

A number of deductions could be made from these judicial pronouncements and their outcomes. It does appear that there are some palpable laxities in the transmission to the court of compliance with its rulings or judgments as the case may be. Even if the court is aware informally that its judgments have been complied with, if such compliance is not formally communicated and documented, it may not suffice as admissible evidence to aid judgment.

An angle also requires legal opinion here. It is to ascertain whether or not an incumbent can be held liable for the misdeeds of his predecessor, including failure to comply with court order. Some People will argue that governance (or leadership) is a continuous process, and a chief executive necessarily takes responsibility for liabilities of his predecessor.

Also, the judgments have the potential to rein in recalcitrant executives who think that they are above the law. That way, the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances will be reinforced. This could help to deepen democratic institutions and structures and improve upon delivery of good governance.

Osun’s outgoing Gov. Oyetola

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has suggested he will only select players who were not involved in the World Cup for his side’s Boxing Day match at Brentford.

Premier League resumes on Monday, just eight days after the World Cup final in Qatar.

hamdbelo@yahoo.co.uk