Thursday, April 27, 2023 Edition

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with Arc. M. B. Bello, Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Architects’ Integrated Infrastructure Research for Development Conference, and NIA President, Arc. Enyi Ben Eboh, during a courtesy visit by Programme Committee members at the Presidential Villa, recently in Abuja.

Timi Frank petitions NASS, Police, DSS over alleged identity theft

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Former

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has called on the National Assembly, Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Services, among others, to urgently commence investigation of the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva over alleged certificate forgery and identity theft.

Sylva, who is a former Governor of Bayelsa State recently emerged the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Bayelsa State.

Frank made these request in a petition he addressed through his solicitors to the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS, among others, on the matter.

In the petition, dated March 31, 2023, and signed by the Principal Partner of Graylaw Practice LP, Edward Omaga Esq., Frank urged the National Assembly to summon Sylva and officials from his alma maters in Nigeria and Switzerland to explain the inconsistencies in the identity of the politician.

According to the petitioner, Sylva’s primary school certificate carried his name as Anagha Timipere as evident in documents the ex-Minister filed before a court

in the United States as part of an ongoing defamation suit brought by his lawyers.

He said Anagha Timipere was different from Marlin Anagha Timipre, which is the name on Sylva’s WAEC certificate.

He claimed that the expetroleum minister had also obtained his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Port-Harcourt, with the certificate bearing Anagha Timipre Marlin.

He insisted that this clearly contradicted Sylva’s 2011 doctoral degree certificate in International Relations from Ubis University, Switzerland, with the name Chief Timipre Sylva.

He further claimed that Sylva neither participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme nor did he obtain an exemption certificate as required by law.

The petition reads in part: “Obviously, the certificates mentioned above have visible anomalies and do not depict the true identity of Chief Timipre Sylva. It is confusing as to who Chief Timipre Sylva is; who Anagha Timipre Marlin is; who Marlin Anagha Timipre is and who Anagha Timipere is.

“There is no evidence anywhere showing that CHIEF Timipre Sylva ever changed his name from Anagha Timipre Marlin to Timipre Sylva in 1986 after he purportedly graduated from University of Port

Harcourt,” stated the petition.

“Investigation by our client reveals that there is also no record that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources has National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Discharge or Exemption Certificate, as the case may be, either in the name of Anagha Timipre Marlin or Timipre Sylva.”

The obvious discrepancies in the documents caused the petitioner to insist that Sylva may have forged his academic certificates or had them stolen from a third party, “an offence that violates Section 438 of the Criminal Code Act and carries a 14-year prison sentence.”

He urged both chambers of the National Assembly to summon the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), and State Security Services (SSS) officials for their roles in screening and approving Sylva’s ministerial appointment as well as his successful governorship bid in 2007. He claimed that after learning that his identity inconsistencies could imperil his governorship quest, Sylva filed processes to change his name to Timipre Sylva in an official Government Gazette of May 12, 2022.

He said before seeking to change his name in an official gazette, Sylva had already served as Bayelsa State governor between 2007 and

2012 and also Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, among other top-level state and federal positions.

Additionally, the petitioner prayed the National Assembly to summon Sylva and officials from all the academic institutions that issued him certificates to confirm the actual identity of who they awarded the academic certificates.

The institutions include Ajeromi Central School in Apapa, Lagos, West African Examination Council (WAEC), University of Port-Harcourt and Ubis University, Switzerland.

He urged the Nigerian Immigration Service, through the National Assembly, to seize Sylva’s International Passport to prevent him from fleeing the country and seeking refuge in Western nations like U.S., Dubai, Canada, etc.

In another petition to the Governor of Bayelsa State and Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, called on the State Government to urgently commence investigation to unravel the authenticity of certificates and true identity of Sylva. He called on the state to derecognise Sylva as former Governor of the State if found to have either forged his certificates or altered his identity.

Explore ICT to boost healthcare delivery, experts urge govts

Experts in the health sector have urged government and healthcare providers in the private sector, to take advantage of opportunities presented by technologies to boost healthcare delivery in the country.

This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by Oluwakemi Eluma, Finance and Compliance Manager, ACIOE associates limited.

Eluma said that the advice was part of the resolutions by experts at a webinar on Human Resources for Health Challenges and Universal Coverage in Nigeria.

It was organised by ACIOE Associates in collaboration with ACOE Foundation.

She said healthcare providers should leverage on and “enhance digital health to improve telemedicine in Nigeria’.

The manager said the participants also advocated increased government spending and private sector support.

“This will include closing the existing gaps by reforming suitable monetary and nonmonetary incentive packages to encourage qualified health workers to work in rural and remote areas”, Eluma

said.

On the manpower deficit in the health sector, Eluma said the participants urged both the private and public sectors to attract more experts to train more healthcare workers to match up with the population.

She said they also urged increased capacity of training institutions and streamlining admission criteria.

“Current statistics reveals that one doctor is available to treat 30,000 patients in some southern parts of Nigeria, while states in the north are as bad as one doctor to

45,000 patients.

“WHO recommended that the appropriate ratio of people to doctors is 1: 100.

“We have to adopt transformative strategies in the scale-up of health workers education and strengthen the capacity and quality of health training institutions through accreditation”, she said.

She reckoned that investments in health workers from the public and private sectors should align with population health needs and health system demands.

L-R; NSA Maj Gen Banagana Mongonu Rtd, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, SGF Mr. Boss Mustapha and President Muhammadu Buhari held as President swears-in 6 new perm sec and presides over FEC Meeting at the State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

FEC approves national human rights promotion, protection action plan

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), has approval the national action plan for the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed this to newsmen after the weekly FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, yesterday.

Tagged as National Action Plan for 2022 to 2026, Malami said the policy was designed and formulated by critical stakeholders comprising, ministries, departments and agencies.

According to him, the action plan which is meant to be presented to the international human rights community is informed by the need for the country to consolidate on the gains and upscale its provision from a local observance of the protection of human right to international standard by way of ensuring compliance with the best practices.

Speaking glowingly on the human rights records of the government, the Attorney General said the Buhari-led administration had ensured the payment of N130 billion to the victims of Apo six, even though the incident predated the current administration.

He said: “There was a council memo presented by the Office of the Attorney General this afternoon. It was a memo on policy relating to the human rights. It is intended and targeted, at consolidating and upscaling the Nigerian observance of the Human Rights posture in view of what has happened in terms of our successes and achievements of Nigeria, as it relates to the human right.

“As you will recall very well, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has established a record of being the first and only administration in

history of Nigeria that has indeed tolerated, accommodated and enforced decisions of the Human Rights Commission.

“And in this respect, talking of the Apo six, taking into consideration, the commission adjudge the government as being in breach of the human rights of certain individuals popularly referred to as Apo six, which unfortunate incidents predates the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“And the Human Rights Commission, adjudged the government liable to pay about N130 million to the family of the victims of the alleged infractions. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari took steps to

ensure payment of the N135 million to the Apo Six in compliance with the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission, thereby giving teeth to the Human Rights Commission in terms of compliance with the recommendation.

“You are equally aware that the committee for the protection of journalists, which is an international committee had equally adjudged Nigeria, as the only African country last year that has been in full compliance in terms of the protection of the rights of the journalists, taking into consideration that not a single incidence of death of a journalist has been recorded in Nigeria arising from infractions, relating thereto.

“Now with those local and international successes in mind, the need has now arisen for Nigeria to indeed consolidate on the gains and upscale its provision from a local observance of the protection of the human right to international standard by way of ensuring compliance with the best practices. It was in consideration of that background that a national action plan for the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria, known as Action Plan 2022 to 2026 was indeed designed, formulated by the stakeholders comprising of ministries, departments and agencies.

“So the essence of the presentation of the council memo

today is to deliberate on the action plan, review it and seek approval for its conservation or presentation before the International Human Rights committee for the purpose of establishing the following: that Nigeria is no longer operating at a local scale in terms of the observance and promotion of human rights, but indeed upscaling its international observance to international best practices as far as the human rights, promotion and protection of human rights is concerned.

“I am happy to report that the council deliberated and the council approved the action plan presentation before the International Committee on Human Rights.”

Buhari decorates personal security officer with new rank

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended his Chief Personal Security Officer (CPSO) and other security officers and personnel on the excellent work put in towards ensuring his safety and that of his family.

Speaking at a short event on Wednesday in the State House, to decorate the CPSO, Aliyu Abubakar Musa, with his new rank of Police Commissioner, President Buhari said he was very impressed by the officer’s “loyalty and for my personal security. Serving me is very difficult.”

President Buhari commended the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba for the “correctness” of his decision to elevate the erstwhile Deputy Commissioner of Police to the full rank of a Commissioner, saying, “I am very pleased with his record.”

The President charged the

newly promoted officer to always remember his training and to exhibit sensitivity while carrying out his duty in his new position.

The new Police Commissioner was decorated by the President, assisted by the IGP, Usman Baba Alkali and his spouse Hajiya Maryam Ibrahim. The event was witnessed by the Chief of

Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, the family of the officer and some personal staff of the President.

In a short remark, the newly promoted officer thanked the President and the IGP for the promotion and assured the President of his total loyalty and full commitment to duty.

Nurses up advocacy for efficient healthcare service delivery

By Stanley Onyekwere

Leaders in the Nursing profession have stepped up measures to improve healthcare service delivery in hospitals across the country.

They reechoed this advocacy yesterday, at a two-day maiden national seminar organised by Forum of Directors of Nursing Services in Nigeria.

According to them, nursing

practitioners and other stakeholders in the health sector should endeavour to build pubic trust in their service delivery.

In his remarks, chairman of the occasion and mandate Secretary FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Abubakar Tafida emphasized the need for nurses to be concerned with improved medical services in their respective hospitals to portray the country’s image in good light.

He also pledged the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s commitment to keep addressing key areas that would strengthen the health sector.

“We are doing our best to improve service delivery in our hospitals by introducing the desired technology.

“FCT public hospitals will always leverage on technology to deliver acceptable medical services that the residents and

visitors would be proud of”.

Also speaking, the Registrar, Nursing and midwifery council of Nigeria, Dr Faruk Abubakar called on nurses in public and private hospitals to render services that will meet the acceptable standard.

Abubakar said the coming together of the directors of nurses from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would strengthen the health sector.

He noted that the forum will bring about coordination and efficiency in the nursing practice.

On her part, the Director FCT nursing services secretariat and the host, Grace Musa Leo, said despite the commitment of government to better nursing services, stated that more is needed.

“The government is doing its best but as nurses we cannot say is enough, nurses needed more”, she stressed .

Chief of Staff, Government House Gombe, Alh. Abubakar Kari and Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar, during the Eid-el-Fitr prayer, in Gombe recent

Buhari swears in 6 Permanent Secretaries

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja

swore in six new Permanent Secretaries, before presiding over the meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Council Chamber of State House.

The President administered the oaths of office to Mahmud Kambari, Nko Esuabana, Adamu Lamuwa, Yakubu Kofarmata, Olufemi Oloruntola and Richard Pheelangwah as permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.

Since the inception of the administration on May 29, 2015, President Buhari has sworn-in 92 Federal permanent secretaries.

A brief citation of the permanent secretaries were read before the President administered the oath of office to them.

A brief citation on Kambari, states that he was born on September 22, 1967 in Kambari, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

He attended Tudun Wada Primary School, Potiskum, Yobe State and proceeded to Government Day Secondary School, Potiskum, where he obtained his General Certificate of Education in 1985.

He holds a BSC in Accountancy from the University of Maiduguri, and an MBA in Finance from the same university.

He joined Borno Radio Television Corporation in 1992 as an Accountant and rose through the ranks in the Borno Civil Service to become Chief Accountant at Borno State Pensions Board, from 2003 to 2006.

During his service, he won the award of “The Best Accountant in the State for The Year 2002” signed by the Executive Governor.

In the year 2006, he transferred his service to the Federal Civil Service as an Assistant Chief Accountant and rose through the ranks to the position of a Director in 2018.

He is a Fellow of Certified National Accountant (FCNA), Fellow, Institute of Industrial and Corporate Administrators of Nigeria (FICA) and Fellow Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC).

Similarly, Esuabana, who

was born on March 31, 1968 in Asang Eniong, Cross River State, attended Offot Jubilee Primary School and Cornelia Connelly College in the State.

She holds a BA in African Studies from the University of Port Harcourt and Master’s Degree in Visual Arts from the University of Ibadan.

Mrs Esuabana also attended Maastricht School of Management, University of Maastricht in The Netherlands.

She started her Civil Service career with the Ministry of Mines and Steel in 1996 and has since worked in different capacities across the Federal Civil Service, with staff welfare and capacity development at the core of her staff engagement.

Ambassador Lamuwa, who was born on March 15, 1967, in Funakaye Local Government Area of Gombe State, attended Government Secondary School, Nafada, Gombe State.

He holds a BSC in Economics from the University of Maiduguri and a Master’s Degree in Economic Policy and Management from the United Nations Institute for African Economic Development and Planning (UN-IDEP), Dakar, Senegal.

Ambassador Lamuwa started his career as a Foreign Service Officer in January 1993 and has served in various departments of the Ministry at its Headquarters including; Trade and Investment Division, Training and Staff Welfare Division, African Affairs Division, Planning, Research and Statistics Department and Second United Nations Division (SUND).

Similarly, he has served in the Consulate General of Nigeria in Hong Kong, Nigerian High Commission, Ottawa, Canada, as well as the Consulate General of Nigeria in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He also worked in various capacities in the State House, Presidential Villa, as Special Assistant to the Principal Secretary to the President in 2009 and as Deputy Director, State House Protocol.

From June 2016 to May 2021, Ambassador Lamuwa was Charge d’ Affaires (et) at the Nigerian Embassy in Damascus, Syria.

From there, he was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary

and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Senegal with concurrent accreditation to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania from where he sat for, passed the examination and got appointed as a Permanent Secretary.

He has received various letters of commendation from two former Chiefs of Staff to the President, late Abba Kyari and Chief Mike Oghiadomhe as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, attesting to Amb. Lamuwa’s “outstanding accomplishment as well as his enviable and unblemished record in the service of Nigeria.”

Dr Adam Kofarmata, who was born on March 15, 1966 in the Municipal Local Government Area of Kano State, attended Kofar Nasarawa Primary School in 1979 and proceeded to Rumfa College Kano where he obtained the General Certificate in Education (GCE) in 1984.

Yakubu holds a Ph.D in International Relations from the University of Abuja, Masters Degrees in Banking and Finance as well as International Affairs and Diplomacy from Bayero University Kano and Ahmadu Bello University respectively, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Bayero University, Kano.

Dr. Kofarmata started work in 1990 with the defunct Allied Bank of Nigeria Plc. in Yola as Officer Trainee and later joined the then Commerce Bank of Nigeria for four years.

He voluntarily left the banking sector for the Federal Civil Service where he started his career as a Senior Administrative Officer in 1996.

In the course of the career, he has served in various capacities in different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), rising to the position of Director in 2018.

Oloruntola, who hails from Fowoseje, Imobi-Ijebu, Ogun State, was born in Ebute-Meta, Lagos on February 6, 1967.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and Regional Planning from the then Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Ibadan.

Mr Oloruntola joined the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in December 1990 as Town Planning Officer I.

He worked on several Multilateral Urban Infrastructural and Development Projects of the Ministry in States across all the geo-political zones of the country between 1990 and

2010. He is a registered Town Planner. In 1997 he was awarded the Ministry’s Certificate of Merit.

Mr Oloruntola was a Deputy Director in the Procurement Department of the Federal Ministry of Environment from 2010-2015. He was the Procurement Specialist of the Federal Project Coordinating Unit (FPCU) on the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

The Town Planner, who until his appointment was Director of Housing and Urban Development, is a recipient of the Federal Civil Service Presidential Merit Award 2019.

Pheelangwah, who was born on April 21, 1967 in Jen, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, attended Ahmadu Bello University Zaria where he graduated with a Bachelor and Master of Arts Degrees in English Language.

He started his career in the Federal Civil Service in April 1996 as an Administrative Officer I in the Ministry of Solid Minerals. He has also worked in the Ministries of Health, Aviation, Education, Office of the First Lady, as well as the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. He was promoted Director in 2021.

Ex-Labour Minister, Musa Gwadabe dies at 87

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Aformer Minister of Labour and Productivity, Musa Gwadabe is dead.

The late elder statesman died in Kano at 87 in the early hours of Wednesday.

Late Gwadabe was born in Dambatta on 10th May, 1936. He went to famous Kano Middle

School(The Rumfa College), Zaria Co-operative Training Centre, New York Business School and Fort Lauderdale University Florida in USA.

He began his working career with Local education Authority as Primary school teacher and moved to Kano Native authority as finance clerk. From 1964-68 he worked as Co-operative Inspector with social and co-operative

ministry, and as depot supervisor Northern Nigeria Marketing Board.

After one year sojourn in USA as salesman with SEARS and Roeback, he joined the ministry of trade as commercial officer, group estate manager KSIP as well as Investment Executive before he was appointed Secretary to the civilian government of PRP from 1981-1984.

During the military era Malam Musa Gwadabe was appointed Director and chairman at Nigerian Coal Corporation and National Economic Reconstruction Fund NERFUD respectively between 1990-1994.

In the year 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him Minister of Solid Minerals Development and later reassigned him to the Ministry

of Employment, Labor and Productivity.

Malam Gwadabe was a recipient of numerous awards and honors, among which are the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), and the Hadimin Kano (HKN).

Late Gwadabe was a long time associate of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

L-R; The New Permanent Secretaries; Mr Richard Pheelangwah, Mr Oloruntola Olufemi Micheal, Mr. Yakubu Adam Kofa-Mata during their swearing in by the President held at the State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

Tribunal: Tinubu constitutionally disabled for presidency -Atiku insists

By Vivian Okejeme

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has reiterated his stance that the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is constitutionally disabled from contesting for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Atiku alleged that Tinubu is unfit to lead Nigeria having been indicted for drug related offences in the United States of America (USA) and made to forfeit a sum of $460,000 as a compromise agreement.

These are contained in Atiku’s response to Tinubu’s and All Progressive Congress(APC)’s reply to his petition challenging the process and the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

According to Atiku, he has

been able to run for the office of the President of Nigeria since 1993 without any controversy because unlike his main rival (Tinubu) and his party, he is unencumbered by drugs and identity scandals.

Besides, Atiku said that his own identity, comprising age, State of Origin and educational qualifications have never been in dispute like those of Tinubu.

In the response filed by his lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, Atiku justified why the declaration of Tinubu as President-elect cannot stand, adding that against the law, “Tinubu holds dual citizenship of Nigeria and Guinea, having voluntarily acquired the citizenship of the Republic of Guinea”.

Similarly, Atiku accused Tinubu of not disclosing facts of his constitutional qualifications in his Form EC9 submitted to the Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC), contrary to the provisions of the law.

The petitioner while admitting that Tinubu may be a “Titan and a Maestro”, he however said that the “President-elect is certainly not a titan and maestro in national stature but in controversies such as age, state of origin, identity, educational qualifications represented by certificates obtained from universities and colleges”.

Apparently reacting to Tinubu’s response in which he described Atiku as a serial election loser, the former Vice President said that Tinubu is a giant in forfeiture, drug related offences and failure to disclose dual nationality to INEC.

“The comparison of the second respondent (Tinubu) with the first petitioner ( Atiku) who had attained the eminent position of Vice President of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria for eight years is totally unfounded”, he said.

Justifying his request for the annulment of the declaration of Tinubu as President-elect, Atiku said that Tinubu and APC never won majority of the lawful votes cast in the February 25 presidential election.

Amongst others, the PDP presidential candidate maintained that Tinubu failed part of the constitutional requirements having failed to secure 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as constitutionally required.

He insisted that the return of Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election is undue, unlawful and invalid because Tinubu did not meet the constitutional requirements as to qualification.

He noted that rather than addressing the issues raised

against him and the disputed election, Tinubu deliberately chose not to answer points of substance in the petition and opted for extraneous facts, contradictory, evasive, speculative and vague assertions.

In reaction to another issue raised against his petition, the former Vice President claimed that his petition did not in any way constitute a gross abuse of any court process, adding that the originating summons of February 28, 2023, filed at the Supreme Court by Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta , Edo, and Sokoto states have since been discontinued.

He therefore, prayed the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, to discountenance the objections and the averments raised against the petition by Tinubu and grant him all the reliefs sought in the petition.

BUK’s registrar, Jamil Salim dies at 60yrs

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The management of Bayero University Kano, BUK, has announced the death of its Registrar, Jamil Ahmad Salim.

According to a statement signed by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Sagir Abbas, the deceased died in

the early hours of Wednesday in Kano after a brief illness.

The statement reads: “It is with great sadness that Bayero University, Kano announces the passing of its Registrar, Malam Jamilu Ahmad Salim.

“Malam Salim, who was the Registrar of the University for

the past four years, was described as a dedicated and hardworking member of staff who contributed immensely to the growth and development of the institution.

“The funeral prayer for the deceased has been scheduled to hold at 10:00 a.m. yesterday at the BUK Central Mosque, New

Campus, Kano.

“Malam Salim’s death is a great loss not only to the Bayero University community but to the entire academic community in Nigeria.

“He will be greatly missed for his dedication, hard work, and commitment to the growth and

development of the institution.” Salim, who died at the age of 60, has, since been buried according to Islamic rites at Dandolo cemetery in Kano.

He was first appointed acting registrar on March 15, 2021, and was confirmed in October of the same year.

L--R The National Sec 0f National Tomato Growers, processing Association of Nigeria Sani Danladi Yadakwan , Director Horticulture Ministy of Agriculture Rural and Development, Dr. Deola Lordbanjou and , President Nigeria Agricbusiness Group, Emmanuei Ijewere,during a press briefing on the how to protect tomato Farmers from pest destroying tomato productions , held in Abuja . Photo: Justin Imo-owo

NCNE empowers nomadic youths, women with entrepreneurial skills

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

In its contribution to reducing restiveness, kidnapping, raping, and rural banditry, among other vices bedeviling the country, National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) has commenced the training of 70 nomadic youths and women in skills acquisition to promote entrepreneurship and job creation.

Speaking while declaring the training open yesterday in Kaduna, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bashir Usman, said that the initiative would go a long way in reducing the poverty percentage of many rural societies because many

young people in the country today are eager to imbibe relevant livelihood skills.

Usman, who was represented by the Director, Extension, Education and Skills Development

Dr Abdu Umar Ardo said half of the more than one billion established manual jobs globally are dependent on livestock and agriculture, which are emerging entrepreneurship skills for livelihoods.

The NCNE boss stressed that the vocational orientations one learnt can assist him till the end of his life., adding that Youths and women who are empowered with improved animal husbandry skills can earn from it sustainably till he/she dies.

According to him, it is very important that the 3-day training workshop for the youths and other participating critical stakeholders from the states very apt and timely.

He urged them to be more determined in ensuring that all out-of-school nomadic children totalling 3.5 million are enrolled in our schools.

Usman further explained that the various skills provided in the all important training workshops which provide the trainees with artistic, manipulative, life coping, lifelong communicative Empowerment Skills, Intellectual Empowerment Skills as well as problem solving skills:

“Overall, empowerment skills and acquisition training are basically to ensure poverty eradication, good educational standard, job creation, good governance, security/crime reduction, national growth, technological development and employment, wealth creation and self-reliance.

“ I use this medium to express our profound gratitude to the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, for the support of the Federal Ministry of Education, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) under the leadership of Dr. Hamidu Bobboyi for their continuous support in

funding the programmes of our Commission.

“I also wish to call on the Kaduna State Government and other states in the Country to provide adequate teachers and infrastructure for Nomadic Primary Schools well as include the training of Nomadic Youths in their programmes while thanking the Kaduna State for being an excellent”, he said.

Speaking earlier, the Director, Extension, Education and Skills Development, Dr. Abdu Umar Ardo urged the participants to take advantage of the life changing training and use the start up pack that will be provided to them as tools that will take them to the next level of life.

Adamawa poll: Binani discontinues suit against INEC, Fintiri, others

By our correspondent

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Adamawa State, Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed has withdrawn a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.

She had asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from announcing any other results of the governorship poll in the state

Apart from INEC, the order respondents in the suit are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.

She said she was declared as the Governor-Elect by INEC which cannot be voided again.

But on April 25th 2023, she filed a notice of discontinuance through her counsel, Hussaini Zakariyau (SAN).

The counsel said: “We, by way of Notice of Discontinuance, discontinued our suit at the Federal High court.

“ The withdrawal was pursuant to Order 50 Rule 2 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure Rules,2019 which provides for (Discontinuance of action without leave.

“ Our Counsel only attended the Court out of respect to sanctity of the Court and the Judge acknowledged and relied on the notice to discontinue the case, in which nothing was considered or decided on the merit at all.”

She said pursuant to her declaration as the GovernorElect, “any dissatisfied candidate is to resort to the tribunal for redress if any.”

The action was filed pursuant

to Order 34 Rules 1(a), Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution, sections149 and 152 of the Electoral Act 2022.

She said the “only court with the power on a declaration made

from the conduct of an election is only the Election Petition Tribunal set up by the 1999 Constitution (as amended). But INEC went ahead to conduct supplementary elections

in Adamawa State and declared Fintiri elected.

There were indications that Binani might challenge victory at the Election Petitions Tribunal in the state.

L-R,. Director General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director Special Duties, Office of Director General, Mr Gerald Adewole and the President Society of Nigerian Artists , Mr Muhammed Sulaiman during the Press Briefing on the official Re- opening of the NCAC Cultural Village , held in Abuja

Gbajabiamila commiserates with The Nation’s Editor, Yusuf Alli over mother’s death

By Christiana Ekpa

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has expressed grief over the death of the

mother of Yusuf Alli, The Nation Newspaper’s Managing Editor for Northern Operations. Hajiya Hawau Odee Yusuf, who died at the weekend, was aged 89.

Gbajabiamila said the late Hajiya Hawau Yusuf was a great mother and a community leader who raised her children to become responsible in life. The speaker said though

he was sad that Hajiya Hawau is no more, her legacy would “remain with us for many years to come.”

He sent heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Hajiya

Hawau Odee Yusuf, especially Alhaji Yusuf Alli, over the loss. The Speaker equally prayed Allah to grant her a peaceful resting place in Jannatul Firdaus.

. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Benue: Group asks Court to stop Ortom’s Life Pension Bill

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Agroup, Incorporated Trustees of Bridges and Hands Foundation has dragged the Speaker Benue State House of Assembly, Benue State House of Assembly, Clerk of Benue House of Assembly and Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Benue State before Justice Gyuse of the State High Court, Gboko division over a controversial executive bill. Recall that recently, Governor Samuel Ortom sent an executive bill to the Benue State House of Assembly titled “A bill to make provisions for the maintenance of former governors of the state and their deputies and other related matters connected thereto” that seeks to provide life pension for

former governors and deputy governors in Benue State.

The bill has been read for the first time at the floor of the House

In the originating summons made available to Peoples Daily on Tuesday 25th April, 2023, the group is seeking the following determinations: “A determination whether the Executive bill sponsored by the Benue State Government for the maintenance of Former Governors and Deputy Governors is reasonably justifiable in a democracy when civil servants who served the state for 35 years are owned over 35 months of pensions and gratuities.

“Whether the Benue State House of Assembly can legitimately legislate on Former Governors and their Deputies when their entitlements and

benefits are decided by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission and paid from the account of the Federation during their terms are Governors and Deputy Governors.

“Whether the Benue State House of Assembly will not be acting ultra vires to legislate on the maintenance of Former Governors and their Deputies no legislative item in that regards is provided for in the current legislative list of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2011 as amended).

“Whether the Honourable Court has jurisdiction to restrain the defendants from proceeding with the hearing and passing into law of the executive bill titled “ A bill for a law to make provision for maintenance of former governors of the state and their deputies

and for other related matters connected thereto upon the determination of questions 1,2 and 3.”

The group is also seeking from the court a declaration that the Executive bill sponsored by the Benue State Government for the maintenance of Former Governors and Deputy Governors of the State and other related matters is unreasonable and unjustifiable in the current democratic and economic situation in Benue State.

Also, a declaration that no item under the concurrent list empowers the defendants to legislate on the maintenance of Former Governors and their Deputy Governors of Benue State who drew their salaries and remunerations from the Federation Account during their

tenure of service.

Equally, the group wants a declaration that Former Governors and Deputies in the State are not retired civil servants in the State to be entitled to pensions and gratuities and other severance under the disguise of maintenance.

It further seeks a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from proceeding with any hearing, be it public, committee or any hearing at all in respect of the executive bill titled “ a bill for a law to make provisions for the maintenance of former Governors of the state and deputies and for other related matters connected thereto.

However, hearing of the matter has been fixed for 5th May, 2023.

FG begins evacuation of Nigerians from Sudan 40 luxury buses hired for operation

Sirika insists Nigeria Air will begin flight operations before May 29

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Federal Government Wednesday began the process of evacuating Nigerians stranded in Sudan, following the outbreak of conflicts in the North African country.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and his counterpart Minister of State, Amb Zubairu Dada confirmed the development, after the matter was deliberated upon at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Onyeama who briefed newsmen of government’s plans for stranded citizens in that country, confirmed that 40 luxury buses were already on ground in the crisis-ridden Sudan to pick Nigerians in the country to Egypt.

He said once they are safely moved to Egypt, other arrangements would be effected to airlift them back to Nigeria.

The minister also revealed that the evacuation efforts is being coordinated by the Nigerian embassy in Sudan as well as authorities of the National Emergency

Management Agency (NERMA) whose Director General has been on ground in Egypt to receive the evacuees.

According to the Ministers, the buses conveying our citizens were hired at a cost of $1.2million dollars, just as he noted the risks associated with moving the people.

They noted that the hired buses also included the cost of providing security while conveying the victims to the Egyptian territory.

Both Ministers also noted that women and children will be given priority, before diplomats who are equally involved in the evacuation logistics.

They noted that the Nigerian government was leveraging on the 72 hours cease-fire window given by the Sudanese government to evacuate as many Nigerians as possible.

Amb Dada noted that the Saudi Arabia government had already evacuated some Nigerians through the Sea, a development he said was highly appreciated by the Federal Government.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has insisted that the proposed Air

Nigeria will still commence flight operations before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s adminstration. The minister who fielded

questions from newsmen after the weekly FEC meeting at the State House noted that everyone arrangements had been concluded for the take

off of the National carrier. His reassurance is coming just about only 33 days to the exit of the current government.

Buhari mourns late Musa Gwadabe

President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the government and people of Kano State, family and the All Progressives Congress, APC political family in mourning the death of former Labour Minister

and “colossal figure in Kano politics,” Alhaji Musa Gwadabe.

President Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said the demise of Musa Gwadabe has deprived

the nation of one of its most remarkable political leaders.

“The late Musa Gwadabe was a complete gentleman. He was a smooth political operator and a very reliable ally with an unmatched record of support,

leading to the emergence of the current APC administration and the incoming one.

‘‘I will not forget his tireless efforts to keep the party afloat during difficult times. That he died a few weeks ahead of the

inauguration of the Tinubu/ Shettima administration that he laboured so hard to bring about is one of the ironies of life. May Allah repose his soul,” the President said.

From left, Country Director, Small Grant Programme (SGP) Engr Adeolu Adusotu and Chief Executive Officer, SGP, Mrs Ibukun Odesote during a training programme on deploying the power of IT -Engaged youths in effective use and plastic waste management, in Abuja yesterday.

Adamawa election: PDP supporters storm DSS facility over detention of 3 members

From Umar Dankano,

Yola.

Some members of the Adamawa state peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) have protested at the state command headquarters of the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS) to protest the arrest and continued detention of three of their members by the service over election related issues.

The party’s protestors stormed office of the Service (DSS) in Yola ,Wednesday demanded release of three of their members saying that held for almost a week without litigation is breach of their fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.

It was gathered that the affected persons who were alleged illegally detained without trial include Yusuf Mohammed, Zira John and Solomon Abafras.

The protesters who started the protest from State Headquarters of the PDP through Justice Buba Ardo Road to the DSS office in Yola where they presented their complaint letter.

Leading the protesters, the State Chairman of PDP, Barrister Tahir Shehu said the protest became necessary as their members were in detention since Wednesday last week.

He said their detention was beyond the time the constitution stipulates as according to him every Nigerian has a fundamental human right not to be kept

in police custody for 48 hours.

The State Chairman, said the DSS after receiving their complaint letter has assured to carry out investigation on the said members and do the needful

as quickly as possible.

Those in custody were arrested as a result of the aftermath of the recent governorship election controversies in the state where they were Said to

be figured by security operatives to be among those accused of causing violence and assaulting Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) officials as well as other innocent citizens.

Raw Materials Council steps up local industrialisation drive

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) is stepping up efforts to upscale home grown industrialisation drive of the Federal government, the officials of the Council said yesterday.

The management of the Council took media men on a tour of facilities in Abuja to see the innovations and other machines

locally fabricated by Nigerian engineers to fast track home-based industrial growth.

The RMRDC, a parastatal under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation was established to promote, support and expedite industrial development and self reliance through optimal utilisation of local raw materials as inputs to the nation’s industries.

The Director, Corporate Services Department, Chuks Ngaha, and other

senior officials of the Council conducted newsmen round the facilities in three different locations in the FCT.

At the Council Headquarters in Maitama Abuja, several products were displayed on the shelf, including the technology for kilishi (dried meat drier), Shea butter production and other raw materials which technology were developed and certified for commercial production.

The tour also included a visit to

the laboratory where the testing and certification of the raw materials and other natural resources are carried out.

The responsibility of the laboratory is to confirm whether the raw materials are up to standard or meet the required specification for industrial use.

The laboratory also ensures that only raw materials that can compete nationally and globally are certified, as part of the National strategy for competitiveness.

Firm identifies forex, electricity as challenges facing cable manufacturers

The MicCom Cables and Wires Ltd. has identified access to foreign exchange, electricity, and unfriendly policies on the importation of raw materials as major challenges confronting cable manufacturing in Nigeria.

The Chief Operating Officer of the company, Bukola Adubi, who doubles as the President of the Cable Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CAMAN), made this known in a statement on Friday.

Adubi said with the national grid collapsing about 98 times since 2015, the cost of alternative sources of power for sustaining local manufacturing of cable was heavily on indigenous companies.

These challenges, she said, were further exacerbated by the Federal Government policies on the importation of raw materials for in-country cable manufacturing.

The MicCom boss described the situation as frustrating.

“From huge taxes to exorbitant

import duties on raw materials, cable manufacturers have often decried the bottlenecks faced in importation of raw materials as these erode the bottom line.

Adubi, while emphasising the role of various categories of cables in the development of the energy value chain, called for measures to guarantee the availability of these essential materials.

She proposed zero import duty and access to the official exchange rate to improve the competitiveness of the sector deserved.

‘’If the cable industry, for instance, was granted some form of waiver or zero duty on raw materials, along with access to the CBN rate for foreign currency exchange, a great part of our challenges would have been resolved.

That’s a deliberate way the government can grow the subsector and make sure that we are internationally competitive because we do not have a vibrant source of raw

materials,” she said.

Adubi called for the legal framework and right fiscal environment to encourage investment in copper and aluminum mines in-country.

She added that sourcing raw materials locally would help CAMAN member companies to reduce operational cost, increase their production capacity and reserves, create jobs, and generate more foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria.

“From very complex cable sets like umbilicals used in subsea operations to the building of FPSOs, and numerous fabrications and constructions, you can’t rule out cables.

“But inadequate power supply is the bane of development for our industries. You can only imagine the cost expended to keep production running all through the year. It creates a significant impression on the bottom line.

“You need virile sectors to forge

reasonable partnerships in Africa,” she said.

Commending the Federal Government through the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on its efforts in ensuring patronage of locallymanufactured cables by the oil and gas industry, Adubi said the sector had shown significant growth of in-country value addition.

She said currently, local content was maximised in the oil and gas sector.

“I will especially thank NCDMB because they have ensured that the law is being implemented.

“It will be good if a lot more of our members enjoy that benefit. That’s a major part of our strategic plans as CAMAN for 2023,” she added.

Adubi further stated that at the moment only less than five member-companies were currently enjoying the benefits in this space. NAN

Zamfara Guber: Matawalle’s aide vows to reclaim mandate at Tribunal

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Special Adviser to Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle on bilateral and multilateral relations Hon. Dr Suleiman Shuaibu Shinkafi has said that what transpired in Zamfara during the March 18th Governorship election was more of a coup against the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the mandate ‘stolen’ by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will be reclaimed back at the tribunal.

Addressing a press conference in

Kaduna, Dr. Shinkafi averred that the election and declaration were more of a broad day robbery that is being challenged at the tribunal with verified facts.

The election, he further claimed was heavily militarised as if it was a war situation, adding that the elections in some local government were not concluded but the results were declared in favour of the PDP.

“We are therefore calling on the leadership of the APC at the national level to investigate what transpired and how the situation turned around all of a sudden after

the APC won by landslide margins during the presidential election in the State.

“There is no way the good people of Zanfara will vote against Governor Matawalle in view of his outstanding performance in the state. So we will not leave any stone unturned at reclaiming the mandate.

“We are already in tribunal to challenge the declaration of Dauda Lawal of PDP as Governor elect of Zanfara State, we will not accept it because it is not true that he actually won the election, we have the facts and documents to proof that Governor

Lawyer cries out over threat to

An Abuja lawyer and property developer, Cecil Osakwe has accused a top staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Ms. Asabe Waziri of using her influence in government to forcefully grab his property, threatening his career and business in the process.

Osakwe also accused the top NNPC staff of forceful entry into the premises of Abeh Signature Apartments in Maitama, his property, where she allegedly destroyed properties worth millions of naira for which she was reportedly charged to court.

According to Barr. Victor Giwa, Company Secretary of Abeh Signature Apartments, trouble started when the company, in compliance with the Money Laundering Act, reported the payment of thousands of dollars in cash by Asabe Waziri, a civil servant, to the company for the purchase of two blocks of two-bedroom flats at Abeh Signature Apartments in Abuja.

Giwa, in a statement in Abuja in Monday stated that the company flagged the said transaction in cash as “suspicious transaction” being contrary to the extant financial transaction regulations under the Money Laundering Act.

Giwa said; “Cecil Osakwe was curious about Asabe Waziri’s payment of Dollars in cash for the purchase of the property. He tried but no avail to obtain explanation from Waziri as to why, as a Civil servant, she will pay thousands of dollars in cash for such a transaction without passing through the financial institution, an act that

raises suspicion as to the source of the fund.

“Following the suspicion, Abeh Signature as a law-abiding company instituted the case against Asabe Waziri, pursuance to the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended).

“The FCT High Court after hearing all parties upheld the case of the Company that Asabe Waziri’s transaction in cash was contrary to the law and with the intention to conceal the source of the fund.

“The Court ordered Asabe Wazri to immediately vacate the flats and deliver possession to the Company while ordering Cecil Osakwe to refund all the money collected from her for the purchase of the flats.

“While Cecil Osakwe obeyed the Court Order and refunded the sum to Asabe Waziri, Asabe Waziri has refused to vacate the premises”. he stated.

Giwa described as bizarre that instead of obeying the Court and vacating the property, Ms Asabe Waziri allegedly “resorted to malicious campaign of calumny, character assassination, blackmail, threats and unfounded litigations against Mr. Cecil Osakwe with the aim of tarnishing his hard-earned reputation and integrity as a lawyer and property developer.”

He said the Asabe Waziri, apparently angry that she has been exposed, is now using her influence and closeness to very top officials in the Office of the Minister of Justice

Nigeria to receive Malaria vaccine April 2024 – FG

The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health has announced that the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine is expected to be in the country by April 2024.

According to the ministry, they have applied for the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine in the third application widow for the vaccine which ended April 18, 2023.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who was represented at a press briefing on Tuesday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mamman

Mamuda, said: “Let me also inform you that the National Programme is working closely with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and other stakeholders in accessing and deploying the malaria vaccine, RTS,S, in a phased fashion subject to availability of needed quantity.

“The country has also successfully submitted an application to Gavi for the RTS,S vaccine allocation. This is expected to be in-country by April 2024.”

Matawalle won that election very clear and square.

“We also have documents and videos of how the election was manipulated and how the Supervisory Presiding officers (SPOs) and the Assistant Presiding Officer (APOs) were compromised.

“So because we have already filed our case at the tribunal, we will not speak much, but to appeal to our supporters to remain calm, peaceful and hopeful that we will not disappoint them and we will stop at nothing until the mandate is reclaimed”, he stressed.

career, property in Abuja

and Attorney General of the Federation to harass, threaten and blackmail Osakwe and his company.

The Company Secretary noted that the company is already taking legal action against such officials including the Director for Enforcement, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)High Court, Abuja, Toney Chukwuemeka, who allegedly conspired with Asabe Waziri to forcefully enter into the premises of Abeh Signature Apartments.

Giwa said the company had received

reports that Ms. Asabe Waziri had allegedly referred to Osakwe as a “Igbo man who has no say in Nigeria” and reportedly swore that she will damage his reputation and career as a lawyer and property developer for exposing her.

He however, averred that Abeh Signature remains law-abiding and committed to delivery of service in the most transparent and valueoriented manner in line with industry international best practices.

GOVERNMENT OF NIGER STATE OF NIGERIA

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

NIGER STATE RURAL ACCESS AND AGRICULTURAL MARKETING PROJECT (RAAMP)

GIDAN ALIYU NDANUSA, BOSSO ROAD, MINNA, NIGER STATE Email: nigerspiu@yahoo.com/nigerspiu@gmail.com

DISCLOSURE OF CONTRACT AWARD

Project ID: P163353

Project Title: Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP)

Country: Nigeria

Notice Type: Contract Award

Notice Status: Published

Borrower Bid Reference: NG-NIGER

RAAMP-337142-CS-CDS

Procurement Method: Consultant

Qualification Selection (CQS)

Language of Notice: English

Submission Deadline Date/Time: 3rd April, 2023

Published Date: 27th April, 2023

Number of Expression of interest received: 9

Details

Small Assignment Contract Award

Project: P163353 - Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP)

Loan/Credit/TF Info: IDA- 65190

Bid/Contract Reference No: NG-NIGER

RAAMP-337142-CS-CDS

Procurement Method: Consultant

Qualification Selection

Scope of Contract: Consultancy Services for Supervision of Backlog

Maintenance of Rural Roads In Niger State

Contract Signature Date: 17th May, 2023

Duration of Contract: 18 Months

Awarded Firm: Consulting Firm: EngCorde Konsult Limited in JV with Kabir & Associates Ltd

Nationality-Nigerian

Firm’s Address – plot 470, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja

Country: Nigeria/Nigeria

Price:

Currency: Nigerian Naira (NGN) 137,900,000.00

Amount: One Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira, (N137,900,000.00) Only

NOTE: Any Contractor who wishes to ascertain the grounds on which its Expression of interest was not selected, should request an explanation from the State Project Implementation Unit, Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Gidan Aliyu Ndanusa, Bosso Road, Minna, Niger State within 10 days (Stand Still Period) from the date of this publication

Pfizer restates vaccines’ role in global health support, security

ABiopharmaceutical company, Pfizer, says vaccines are critical in supporting global health security to prevent and control more than 30 infectious diseases and reduce hospitalisation of citizens.

Kodjo Soroh, Medical Director, SubSaharan Africa, Pfizer, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos in commemoration of World Immunisation Week.

World Immunisation Week, celebrated in the last week of April, aims to highlight the collective action needed to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases.

This year’s celebration is with the theme; ‘The Big Catch-Up’, representing a global push to vaccinate millions of children and return to pre-pandemic vaccination levels.

Soroh said that this year’s campaign came at a critical turning point for immunisation.

He noted that it was time to get on track after over two years of immunisation backsliding caused by COVID-19 pandemic disruptions.

“We must catch-up, restore and strengthen immunisation services to reach the millions of people missing out on the life-saving benefits of vaccines and stop outbreaks from accelerating.

“We should not forget that vaccines are one of the world’s most powerful and costeffective public health tools available and have successfully helped to eradicate, eliminate, and manage many deadly infectious diseases.

“Smallpox has been eradicated and polio is nearly gone. Cervical cancer could become the first cancer to be eliminated,” he said.

According to him, vaccines also play a critical role in combating antimicrobial resistance, reduction of antibiotic use by preventing bacterial infections in the first place, such as with the pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines.

“They can also prevent viral infections such as flu, which can provoke secondary infections requiring antibiotics,” he said.

Soroh also noted Pfizer’s history in vaccine research and development, including a pivotal role in the eradication of polio and smallpox.

“Through the development of innovative delivery systems and technologies (the term often used is `novel vaccines’), we’ve created innovations for preventing deadly bacterial infections.

“Today, more than at any time in history, people are benefiting from safe and effective vaccines to prevent infections and diseases.

“These injections have protected people of all ages, from newborns to seniors. However, our work is not done.

“Many viruses and bacteria still present a serious health risk, and so we continue to focus on research and development in new areas, with the goal of adding more approved vaccines to tackle pathogens.

“By getting vaccinated, you can protect yourself and also avoid spreading preventable diseases to other people in your community,” he said.

According to him, some people cannot get certain vaccines because they are too young, too old, have a weakened immune system or other serious health condition.

“Those people are less likely to catch a preventable disease when you and others around them are vaccinated against it.

“Help protect yourself and the people you love by staying up to date on recommended vaccinations,” he said.

Soroh said that global vaccination coverage figures are improving, but still mask huge inequalities that shouldn’t be ignored.

He said that Pfizer was developing and distributing vaccines throughout the world to help protect many people against lifethreatening illness,.

“We’ve already seen that by channeling resources to the most promising public health opportunities, we can have an impact across all areas of life,” he said. NAN

NECO reschedules 2023 common entrance exams

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

The National Examination Council (NECO), has rescheduled the 2023 National Common Entrance Examinations (NCEE), which is conducted for admissions into Federal

Unity Colleges from Saturday 29th April, to Saturday 3rd June, 2023.

This is contained in a statement signed by Head Information and Public Relations Division, Azeez Sani issued in Minna.

According to the statement the

examination was rescheduled to give states with low registration of candidates the opportunity to register their candidates for the examination.

He noted that registration of candidates will continue till the new date of the examination.

Rainy season: Fear grips residents over looming flood

Some residents of Abuja and its environs have expressed fear over the looming flood as a result of poor environmental and sanitation practices.

The residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that rainy seasons had been a difficult period for them as floods always submerge their belongings.

Mr Jacob Idris, a resident of Nyanya, said that the community had been battling with flood every rainy season even after clearing the drainages around them.

He said ”until the bridge and the road are reconstructed and a bigger ring is fixed; they may not get out of the problem.

‘’We don’t have the financial strength to construct a bigger bridge and a better road that’s why we are appealing to the government to come to our aid.

‘’We have lost millions of naira worth of goods and property to flood in this area and we are afraid that if nothing is done this year, property or even lives may be lost to flood.

‘’We have started seeing signs that it will rain heavily this year, since the first rain had caused serious flooding’’ he said.

Mrs Amaka Ukachukwu, a resident of Mararaba, Nasarawa State, said to prevent a recurrence of flood this year, the public needed to be sensitised to desist from

dumping refuse on water channels.

‘’We need to sensitise residents to the danger of dumping refuse on waterways and major channels.

‘’Now that the rains are coming, we appeal to the government to be prepared and assist us on time.

‘’Some of us are poor, we should be relocated to camps as usual, so we are calling for early preparation in case such occurrences happened,’’ she said.

Mr Abdullahi Sanwo, a resident of Ado, Nasarawa State appealed to residents to avoid blocking waterways with refuse.

He said that a simple environment friendly rule of cleaning the waterways should be adhered to.

‘’We do not want to witness flooding this year in our community; we are educating our people on the need to keep the drainages free of refuse.

‘’Aside that, we use the media houses to educate the public to clear their drainages and to cut the weeds on the waterways,’’ he said.

Mrs Josephine Paul, a resident of Mpape, a suburb of Abuja, said that a committee has been constituted in her area to monitor residents to ensure proper disposal of waste .

Paul said that “waste bins are provided

by the government, so residents are been monitored to ensure the proper use of the waste bins

‘’We had an agreement to contribute the sum of N100, 000 to hire labourers that will assist in clearing the drains and the weeds around our premises,” he said.

Mr Isaac Dogo, a resident of Garki advised residents against blocking of drains, adding that nature would fight back and the result is flood.

‘’I urged the government to take precaution against the impending doom,’’ he said

He appealed to the government to take a lasting solution to address the issue of flooding in the country in general.

NAN reports that the Director-General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof. Mansur Matazu, says that rainfall is predicted to be earlier than the long-term average in most parts of the country.

NAN also reports that in 2023, although NiMet forecast had predicted a largely normal rainfall pattern, it also indicated a high possibility of flash floods in some states.

Matazu said there was likely to be elevated dry spell in some states of the north with potential adverse impact on planted crops.NAN

The Head Bio Positive Center Oladigbolu Abiola (standing) explaining the usage of Tuta Trap Tray using to trap the pest destroying tomato farming while Dr. Adeola Lordbanjou of Ministry of agric (l) and President of Nigeria AgricBusiness Group Emmanuel Ijewere listen, during the media interactive on the protection of Tomato farming, held in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Sustainable development through knowledge and technology innovation

By Caleb Onah

It will build a system imbued with a culture of cooperation instead of competition, honesty and dedication, patriotism and building a whole human personality who thinks and dreams about his country and its problems. It is different when such a decision is given. Innovation societies will primarily provide information about historical and environmental realities.

The 1970’s and 1980’s were the golden age of knowledge and sustainable development; where higher education institutions are hearts of academic excellence, vanguard of revolution and change. Sadly, today, higher education institutions across the federation are recruited by men and women who happened to be appointed based on faculty; when, in the truest sense of the word, they need to be taught for themselves; because of their moral and intellectual deficiencies.

Olabode Ibironke, Professor at Rutgers University, USA, reinforcing his expert concerns, he noted, “The prevalence of several tropical diseases in Nigeria should have spurred significant national research on these diseases. It is for the benefit of the nation and the human community”. Ibironke also notes: “We must be at the forefront of research, innovation and culture. It happens in the cultural sphere. By no means is Europe and the United States at the forefront of tropical medicine and neglected tropical diseases”.

In developed nations of the world, the capacity to mobilise and use knowledge, science and technology is increasingly recognised as an essential component of strategies to promote national development. These capacity-building efforts over the past quarter-century have ranged from the development of more efficient biomass burners, to the establishment of an international agricultural research system, to the application of science and technology to challenges of stratospheric ozone depletion.

In an increasingly globalised and competitive world, with a huge demand for sustainable solutions, we all have to deal with an extremely complex reality, rapidly evolving technology, and evolving knowledge.

A Thought from Global Nations: Global West and also Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member states, for instance, France, Finland, United States, and Germany, have been able to advance a convergence aimed at integrating conventional strategies and leveraging ICTs to mass produce and commercialise knowledge, information, innovative products, solutions, and even their cultures for trade to the outside world.

This is in-line with the World Trade Organisation in accelerating the globalisation of knowledgebased industries through the World

Trade Organisation Trade-Related Agreement (WTO), especially targeting member countries.

Hence, with the goals of promoting US economic interests and maintaining its technological advantages Nigeria can learn from the United States, committed to driving development of advanced and emerging technologies. The US Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs within this context periodically holds Innovation Roundtables to explore challenges and opportunities in the emerging technology and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sectors; challenges and possible avenues for growth.

From 2019-2020, the Rwandan government had to set up the Cleaner Production and Climate Innovation Center (CPCIC) as a nexus point for reskilling the country’s workforce and provides training for Rwandans in clean production and climate resilient technologies, in both the public and private sectors.

Further, in the Rwanda Kigali’s case, a Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy Review by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) showed that the country’s focus on ICT has grown the sector over tenfold since 2000, and the Kigali Innovation City is an example of this sectoral development.

Diversifying the Nigerian Economy: While this is selfevident, a knowledge innovation economy is essentially an economy in which knowledge and ideas are key to prosperity and economic growth. Much of today’s international trade and investment as seen in other developed countries is driven by strong human rights protections for intellectual property rights, know-how, knowledge, creativity and innovation. Therefore, as the vulnerabilities are exposed with the price of crude oil plummets repeatedly, the transition from a resourcebased economy to a knowledge-based innovative economy is more urgent than ever.

Nigeria can also leverage its status as a geopolitical power in Africa to diversify its local talent pool and make up for lost skills through migration. According to Rosalind Hudnell, Intel’s Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion, “Innovation thrives best in diversity”. Hudnell explains that, “of companies with more than $10 billion in

annual reserves, 56% strongly agree that diversity drives innovation”. The impact of diversity on innovation and productivity is undeniable and very important.

Organisational Cooperation and Integration: No more a surprise, most of the knowledge acquired today in various schools in Nigeria, makes us more individualist than cooperative, imitators rather than inventors, arrogant rather than modesty, half smart and nimble, unpatriotic citizens instead of patriots, greedy rather than contemptible, promoting immorality instead of morality, corrupt desires broken and missing “enzyme advocates”. A knowledge-based Nigeria society will weave its cultures and religions into its curriculum, for an effective process for building the engine of national development.

It will build a system imbued with a culture of cooperation instead of competition, honesty and dedication, patriotism and building a whole human personality who thinks and dreams about his country and its problems. It is different when such a decision is given. Innovation societies will primarily provide information about historical and environmental realities.

Conclusively, in today’s technology-driven world, our country’s (Nigeria) global competitiveness depends on her propensity to innovate and create. Open consultations between government and the private sector are the first step towards building a culture of innovation, The Imagine Nigeria report says.

This growing partnership will clarify laws and regulations that can be enacted, changed or repealed to promote economic growth. The Imagine Nigeria report also predicts that the government can act to facilitate the launch of one million startups within a decade, with collaboration across different industries and supported by a $5 billion fund. With case studies from the United States, Korea, China and Rwanda who have demonstrated that there are different models for promoting institutional innovation, in which Nigeria can adopt.

Hence, the people of Nigeria yearn for a new era of technological growth and development and will not stop until this is achieved, have the opportunity to be a part of and participate in a new and positive expression of national identity based on improved knowledge and innovation.

The most important factor is that in every country, the aforementioned strategies have been designed to benefit local contexts and conditions, and planning agencies in Nigeria should keep this in mind. With a young population and abundant natural resources, Nigeria has laid the foundations needed to build an innovative culture. All that remains is a willingness to apply tried, tested, and proven strategies to achieve that goal.

Caleb Onah is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Legal Aid Council and administration of Third-Party motor insurance

By Amaka Agbaih

It was a brain storming session at the conference hall of Legal Aid Council recently during a stakeholders meeting on the administration of third-party motor insurance and rights Abuses on our roads.

The meeting was organized by one world initiative for sustainable development in collaboration with the Legal Aid Council. The Director General of Legal Aid Council Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar in his opening speech emphasized and stated that the essence of the meeting is to achieve collaborative frame work between different government agencies, insurance companies and Non- government organizations (NGOs) to bring the best services to the teaming population of Nigerians following international best practices.

This meeting is therefore urgent because LACON needs to find lasting solution to problems associated with her mandate on the road. Accident victims need help but there are bottlenecks which need to be removed. It might interest you to know that since LACON acquired Oscar in 2007 about #60, Million Naira has been paid to victims of accident as claims by various insurance companies through the efforts of Legal Aid Council so if the challenges are tackled the common man on the street will be in the picture of what insurance cover is all about

and thereby benefit more.

In continuation, the president of one world Mr. Timothy Achana in his opening remark stated that the main reason for the meeting was to deliberate and chat the way forward to the various challenges the masses face as touching to insurance claims and payments. The project is a six (6) year intervention on the administration of third- party insurance. Why is it not working and why are people collecting money and nothing is seen. Well, I believe that there will be light at the end of the tunnel, he said.

The stakeholders that were present at the meeting include NAICON, Nigeria Police Force FCT, Health and Human services secretariat, National Insurance Commission, Human Right Radio (Brekete Family) FRSC, VIO, Civil Defence etc.

The stakeholders deliberations centered on challenges around compliance, claims/payments Right Abuses by relevant state Actors: Hospital insurance companies, Area boys –Touts and issuance of fake insurance certificates After the brain storming session, DG LACON suggested that a committee should be set up to find out the problems and challenges with various stakeholders in the bid to finding lasting solutions to the problems that needs to be solved. On this note, a six (6) man committee was set up to address / tackle the issues relating to compliance, claims,

Right abuses and other challenges as discussed. They are to liaise with the relevant stakeholders and dialogue on the need for National sensitization and awareness campaign to educate the end users publics on the needs for third party insurance lover and mostly important on why they should pay as high as #5,000 as against #5,000 with emphasis on the benefits.

Nigerians have negative attitude toward taking insurance cover why, because the insurance industries have loopholes while NIACOM that supposed to be the watchdog to the industry are not living up to expectations. Recall that the Legal Aid Council has a unit which is wholly dedicated to helping victim’s road accident by facilitating the payment of compensation to innocent third parties permanently disabled or relatives of victims who are killed by insured drivers in hit and run accidents cases. VIO mediation process and motor accident victims insurance compensation scheme (MARVIS). Also the unit headed by Bar. Mrs. Latifat Salau, a Director assists accident victims to file claims with insurance companies and facilitate payment where the valid insurance covers among other functions. Recall that Legal Aid Council remains the official voice of the indigent citizens of Nigeria.

Amaka Agbaih writes in from Abuja.

Nigeria can also leverage its status as a geopolitical power in Africa to diversify its local talent pool and make up for lost skills through migration

Africa’s economic development: Exploring geopolitical complexities and contradictions

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

Withinthe context of rapidly geopolitical changes and the Russia-Ukraine crisis, African leaders have to absolutely rethink and take strategies to save their straddling economy. Both situations have created increasing problems across the world. The underlying causes are well-known and therefore allowing its possible effects to largely influence the already-stressed economic development processes will spell disaster and tragedy for Africa and its 1.4 billion population.

Several years have elapsed after the United Nations declared Africa’s political independence. Archival records show that Russia not only supported African countries in liberating themselves from the yoke of colonialism and attaining political independence but also facilitated in the UN General Assembly adopting in 1960 the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. It was precisely May 25, now more 60 years ago, but still Africa is far away from attaining its economic freedom despite the huge natural and human resources there. The resources are untapped, development remains shabby while about 60% of the population impoverished.

Some say leadership attitudes and approach are holding back development in Africa, others blame external factors including the opaque relations adopted by foreign players. Without an effort to negotiate and identify development priorities, without an effort to cut off self-centered attitudes we will be prolonging our economic development and growth for another century. If we attribute our under-development to imperialism and colonialism, why not then primarily blame African leaders, their executive cabinets and the legislative organs. Does Africa need these weak public institutions and civil society, and leaders with obsolete and parochial ways of managing our economy?

At this stage of Africa’s development, is it necessary to examine thoroughly how the geopolitical changes are influencing Africa’s unity and development, how it is impacting on African countries across the continent. In practical terms, the time has arrived to look at the development processes and review obstacles, control and monitor the participation of foreign players and now think of our role in the emerging new world order, as well as the implications for Africa.

On the other hand, a number of external players are swiftly dividing Africa and its desire for sustaining unity that has already been attained these several years by using anti-Western slogans and rhetoric, using political confrontation and consistently urging African countries to employ hatred for some foreign entities’ participation in Africa’s economy. There are glaring indications that Africa is sharply divided, diverse conflicts are taking its heavy toll on developments there.

African Union simply lacks a unified approach to the continent’s development. Strengthening African unity has long been a soughtafter goal that has never been fully achieved. As the need for regional integration and the reasons for past failures become better understood, new efforts are being made to hold economic and political ties between countries. In order to foster an integrated development, regional organizations have been created in different parts of Africa. But on the whole, they have done little to improve developments in their respective regions. In many cases, African leaders continue to have most extensive bilateral relationships with their former colonial powers. On the opposite direction, Russia and China are critical of Western and European connections to Africa. At least, China has given appreciably huge support especially upgrading infrastructure. Russia has now embarked on fighting “neo-colonialism” which it considers a barrier on its way to regain part of Soviet-era influence in Africa.

In terms of working with Africa, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, during her weekly media briefing on March 23, indicated that African countries need to consolidate their political

independence and sovereignty while overcoming acute socioeconomic issues and development. She expressed appreciation and respect for the sovereign equality of states and non-interference in their internal affairs. But on the other side, lashed at the aggressive policies of the United States, its approach towards Africa. She also blamed African leaders for their inability to employ “common sense” and in their own interests and, most importantly, within the principles of the supremacy of international law, especially in the current geopolitical changes rapidly shifting from the unipolar system to multipolar world order.

She said: “Russia’s active work on the African track is a significant part of the entire scope of measures to develop constructive cooperation with a great number of countries that pursue an open and balanced foreign policy guided by common sense and their own interests and, most importantly, within the principles of the supremacy of international law and indivisible security with the central and coordinating role of the United Nations.”

According to her explanation, Russia advocates for a more equitable and democratic international order that will promote reliable security, the preservation of unique cultural-civilizational identity and equal opportunities for the development of all states. This can only be guaranteed within the framework of a multipolar system of international relations and cooperation based on a balance of interests of developing world. In a nutshell, Africa’s future has to be in line with this overall global development.

Due to its Western and European dreams which it has pursued for the past three decades following the collapse of the Soviet era, Russia is shifting while charting multipolar configuration and now moving to Africa. It is consistently expressing the desire to fight growing neo-colonial tendencies, obviously the most difficult task reminiscent of the Cold War times, in the continent to win support and sympathy from African leaders and among the 1.4 billion people, while Russia has invested little in the development of infrastructures, in the industrial sector and other employment-generating sectors across Africa.

In the context of development processes, African leaders are aware of the necessity to prevent the revival of neo-colonialism, the destructive attitude towards resources. The fight against neocolonial tendencies should remain exclusively as a challenging task for African leaders, the regional organizations and the African Union. Russia should focus on what it could concretely do in the various economic sectors rather than continue accusing the United States and Europe for the under-development, economic obstacles and political problems across Africa. Experts say African leaders, with the political mandates from their electorates, should take the sole responsibility for African problems and find African solutions within their professional skills and competencies.

It implies that Russia is under-rating, down-grading African leaders and their development policies for allowing the growth of neo-colonialism. By advising African leaders what political direction is necessary to adopt, Russia is directly interfering in the internal politics of Africa. In practical terms, African leaders are answerable to their electorate, and the electorates have the duty of making objective assessment of their governments’ performance. It is widely acknowledged that state institutions are weak, and most high-level decisions relating to mega-projects first have to be discussed by parliament, or get the necessary approval from the cabinet. The system of checks and balances are still questionable in many African countries.

Some experts say the world needs cooperation rather than fragmentation. Cooperation rather than confrontation is the basis for emerging multipolar world. For instance, Ivan Timofeev, Russian International Affairs Council’s Director of Programs and also Head of “Contemporary State” program at Valdai Discussion Club, writing under the headline “Can Russia Really Break Away from the West?” argued that long before relations between Russia and the West

Sudan adds insult to Africa’s injury

By Ike Willie-Nwobu

SinceSudan relapsed back into military rule in 2021, the country has been ruled by a council of generals led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan who is the head of the army and in effect the country’s president, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo who is the head of the 100,000-strong Rapid Support Forces.

The recurrent crises in Sudan remind a resilient country and a long-suffering continent of the long road to peace and the unmistakable profile of the men who have kept Africa in the backwater for far too long.

The Sudanese people starkly and stoically hoist a hologram of fortitude and even defiance. This defiance has been anything but reckless or suicidal. If anything, it has been measured and methodical, recently proving its worth as democracy’s last stand in one of Africa’s great hopes.

This defiance emblazoned in Sudanese men and women, young and old, has proven to be the undoing of many dictators. On 19 December 2019,street protests began what is now known as the“ Sudanese Revolution.”

The revolution which lasted until 10th October 2019 was to consume the thirty-year- long blood-streaked rule of Omar al-Bashir. By the time al-Bashir was deposed in a military coup, an ICC arrest warrant was hanging over his head.

The exertions of the International Criminal Court, whose work has proven more symbolic than substantial, were however, not enough to deter defiant Sudanese protesters who remained in the streets of Khartoum to insist that they wanted to see substantial

change that went beyond removing al-Bashir.

Since al-Bashir was toppled on April 11, 2019, and the military decided to hand power over to a chaotic mix of military men and civilians known as a transitional government, the Sudanese people have known no little tumult and trouble.

The arrangement lasted all of two years before it was terminated by another military coup on 25th October 2021. Today, one of Africa’s great hopes is on the ropes, suffocated by a military stranglehold that first took roots when al-Bashir took power in a military coup in 1989.

Now, the country where a massacre at the heart of the revolution resulted in the murder of 128 people and rape of over 70 on June 3,2019, is again the center of global attention. Fighting first broke out on April 15 after matters between Sudan’s regular army and a paramilitary force known as Rapid Support Force(RSF) which was responsible for the June 3 massacre came to a head.

Since Sudan relapsed back into military rule in 2021, the country has been ruled by a council of generals led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan who is the head of the army and in effect the country’s president, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo who is the head of the 100,000-strong Rapid Support Forces.

The fighting has already resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians with thousands displaced as a result of the fighting to plunge one of the world’s poorest countries into greater peril.

It Is another sad development for Africa and a country where the military continues to harbour an inexcusable and utterly egregious entitlement to power.

Whether Africa can live up to its promise continues to fade as misguided military men leading rapacious advancements against

spiralled into a comprehensive political crisis, Russian leadership and officials were enthusiastically voicing ideas about developing ties with the rest of the world.

After the Soviet collapse, especially from the 1990s, former Foreign Minister Evgeny Primakov pursued most activities within the framework of a multi-vector foreign policy. The gradual growth of contradictions with the West accelerated the formation of ‘pivot to the East’ ideas, although their implementation was slow. However, the current crisis in relations between Russia and the West, for all its appearances, is irreversible, and has driven an increase in the number and quality of ties with countries which are outside the control of the United States. Nevertheless, Russia itself is unlikely to be able to cement and consolidate them alone. However, it exemplifies the very possibility of challenging the political West on fundamental issues. Not everyone is ready to follow the same path, but the very fact of its presence is an event which has a global dimension.

The task is to create reliable opportunities for modernisation through interaction with the non-Western world. Here, success is far from guaranteed. The ‘world majority’ is closely embedded in Western-centric globalization, although the existing system has its own problems. Russia’s links with its Western neighbours have been accumulating for centuries. Even such a powerful crisis like today’s cannot cut them overnight. Within the West itself, there is both an ideological and a purely material stratification. Behind the facade of general political slogans lies an extremely heterogeneous political and mental space.

According to Ivan Timofeev, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the countries of the world majority which are friendly to Russia, still have their own national interests. They are unlikely to sacrifice them simply for the sake of friendship with Russia. Many non-Western countries maintain close relations with the West. A considerable number of them still benefit from Western-centric globalization. Moreover, many use a modernising process according to the Western model, preserving their cultural identity, and if possible, political sovereignty, but do not hesitate to use Western standards in the fields of economics, production, management, education, science, technology, et cetera. Rather, Russia will have to engage with a variety of cultures and ways of life.

Last year, I attempted to have an insightful understanding of the geopolitical changes, the emerging multipolar configuration and its implications for Africa. Whether it means Africa has to break away from the United States and Europe? During the discussions with Dr. Mohamed Chtatou, an experienced professor of Middle Eastern politics at the International University of Rabat (IUR) and Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco, told me how Africa can develop itself away from the greed of some developed nations and still maintain contacts with them. He clearly underscored the system of approach, noting further that there is no easy answer to this question, as it is a complex issue that involves many different factors. However, there are some steps that Africa can take to promote sustainable development and reduce the influence of developed nations. Here are a few of the steps Dr. Mohamed Chtatou suggested:

Promote good governance: African nations should work to establish transparent and accountable systems of governance that promote the rule of law, protect human rights, and combat corruption.

Invest in education and human capital: Developing the skills and knowledge of the African people is crucial to building a sustainable and prosperous future for the continent. Investing in education, health care, and other social services can help to build a strong and healthy workforce.

Support local industries: African nations can promote economic development by investing in local industries, rather than relying solely on exports of raw materials. This can create jobs, generate income, and promote sustainable growth.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

institutions of state continue to gain traction.

While these happen and civilians are left at the mercy of criminals masquerading as military men, regional bodies look on helpless.

It is tragic that at a time an African country of great potential such as Sudan should be working towards lifting many of its 46 million people out of backbreaking poverty, it is instead grappling with a conflict that is nothing more than the power tussle of two crazed military men.

The African Union and the United Nations must muster a far more forceful response to the crisis. The military in every African country must also be told in no uncertain terms that it has no place in the corridors of power.

Action must also be taken against all those who while hiding behind military fatigues are harbingers of insecurity.

Experience the world over has shown that meaningful national progress can only be made when strong institutions prop up democratic governments that listen only to the voice of the people and nothing else.

African countries like Mali, Sudan, Burkina Faso where the military hold sway with little or nothing to show for it have to abandon this unproductive path and hit the only road that can lead to true development – that of genuine democracy.

Since it appears that all of Sudan’s problems are not home-made, identifying and holding to account all those who have a hand in this destabilizing conflict is key to fixing a challenge that has left innocent civilians in dire straits.

Ike Willie-Nwobu is a Public Policy Analyst.

Zamfara Guber: Matawalle’s aide vows to reclaim mandate at Tribunal

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Special Adviser to Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle on bilateral and multilateral relations Hon. Dr Suleiman Shuaibu Shinkafi has said that what transpired in Zamfara during the March 18th Governorship election was more of a coup against the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the mandate ‘stolen’ by the People’s Democratic Party

(PDP) will be reclaimed back at the tribunal.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, Dr. Shinkafi averred that the election and declaration were more of a broad day robbery that is being challenged at the tribunal with verified facts.

The election, he further claimed was heavily militarised as if it was a war situation, adding that the elections in some local government were not concluded but the results were declared in

favour of the PDP.

“ We are therefore calling on the leadership of the APC at the national level to investigate what transpired and how the situation turned around all of a sudden after the APC won by landslide margins during the presidential election in the State.

“There is no way the good people of Zanfara will vote against Governor Matawalle in view of his outstanding performance in

the state. So we will not leave any stone unturned at reclaiming the mandate.

“We are already in tribunal to challenge the declaration of Dauda Lawal of PDP as Governor elect of Zanfara State, we will not accept it because it is not true that he actually won the election, we have the facts and documents to proof that Governor Matawalle won that election very clear and square. “We also have documents

and videos of how the election was manipulated and how the Supervisory Presiding officers (SPOs) and the Assistant Presiding Officer (APOs) were compromised.

“So because we have already filed our case at the tribunal, we will not speak much, but to appeal to our supporters to remain calm, peaceful and hopeful that we will not disappoint them and we will stop at nothing until the mandate is reclaimed”, he stressed.

Lawyer cries out over threat to career, property in Abuja

An Abuja lawyer and property developer, Cecil Osakwe has accused a top staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Ms. Asabe Waziri of using her influence in government to forcefully grab his property, threatening his career and business in the process.

Osakwe also accused the top NNPC staff of forceful entry into the premises of Abeh Signature Apartments in Maitama, his property, where she allegedly destroyed properties worth millions of naira for which she was reportedly charged to court.

According to Barr. Victor Giwa, Company Secretary of Abeh Signature Apartments, trouble started when the company, in compliance with the Money Laundering Act, reported the payment of thousands of dollars

in cash by Asabe Waziri, a civil servant, to the company for the purchase of two blocks of twobedroom flats at Abeh Signature Apartments in Abuja.

Giwa, in a statement in Abuja in Monday stated that the company flagged the said transaction in cash as “suspicious transaction” being contrary to the extant financial transaction regulations under the Money Laundering Act.

Giwa said; “Cecil Osakwe was curious about Asabe Waziri’s payment of Dollars in cash for the purchase of the property. He tried but no avail to obtain explanation from Waziri as to why, as a Civil servant, she will pay thousands of dollars in cash for such a transaction without passing through the financial institution, an act that raises suspicion as to the source of the

fund.

“Following the suspicion, Abeh Signature as a law-abiding company instituted the case against Asabe Waziri, pursuance to the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended).

“The FCT High Court after hearing all parties upheld the case of the Company that Asabe Waziri’s transaction in cash was contrary to the law and with the intention to conceal the source of the fund.

“The Court ordered Asabe Wazri to immediately vacate the flats and deliver possession to the Company while ordering Cecil Osakwe to refund all the money collected from her for the purchase of the flats.

“While Cecil Osakwe obeyed the Court Order and refunded the sum to Asabe Waziri, Asabe

Waziri has refused to vacate the premises”. he stated.

Giwa described as bizarre that instead of obeying the Court and vacating the property, Ms Asabe Waziri allegedly “resorted to malicious campaign of calumny, character assassination, blackmail, threats and unfounded litigations against Mr. Cecil Osakwe with the aim of tarnishing his hard-earned reputation and integrity as a lawyer and property developer.”

He said the Asabe Waziri, apparently angry that she has been exposed, is now using her influence and closeness to very top officials in the Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to harass, threaten and blackmail Osakwe and his company.

The Company Secretary noted that the company is already

taking legal action against such officials including the Director for Enforcement, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)High Court, Abuja, Toney Chukwuemeka, who allegedly conspired with Asabe Waziri to forcefully enter into the premises of Abeh Signature Apartments.

Giwa said the company had received reports that Ms. Asabe Waziri had allegedly referred to Osakwe as a “Igbo man who has no say in Nigeria” and reportedly swore that she will damage his reputation and career as a lawyer and property developer for exposing her.

He however, averred that Abeh Signature remains lawabiding and committed to delivery of service in the most transparent and value-oriented manner in line with industry international best practices.

L-R : Director Compliance and Enforcement Department , National Commission for people with Disabilities ( NCPWD) Barr, Ikem Uchegbulam, Head internal Audits, TAFAfrica, Mrs Elizabeth Agada and Founder/Chief Executive Officer, TAF-AFRICA Amb, Jake Epelle during the media briefing by TAF-Africa demanding recognition for people’s with Disabilities as Ministers and Comissioners from the incoming Government at Federal and State level , held yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin . Imo-owo

Tinubu’s inauguration: APC Youth groups move to implement campaign promises

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Asthe All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for the inauguration of the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Youth Leader of the Party, Dayo Israel and APC Youths Support Groups which worked for the party in the 2023 General Election Campaign have set machinery in motion to implement the campaign promises which Tinubu made to all young Nigerians.

Indication to this effect emerged on Tuesday 25 April, 2023 from a pre-inauguration meeting of the APC Youths Support Groups held at the APC National Secretariat, Abuja.

Speakers at the meeting gave assurances that the APC would not dump the youth of Nigeria after they had mobilised them to vote for Tinubu and made possible his victory in the 25 February, 2023 presidential election.

In his address, Chairman, Asiwaju Youths Empowerment Initiatives and leader, APC Progressive Football Academy LTD, Asiwaju, A. Alebiosu, said the meeting was called to set the ball rolling in terms of youth empowerment as promised during the campaign, with a view to creating a brighter future for all Nigerian youth post-May 29, 2023 and for generations to come.

He said the office of the APC National Youths Leader has identified sport as a viable tool for youth development in the country and would pursue it to cover all Nigerian youth irrespective of their political, religious leaning or economic status.

Alebiosu, who is also Personal Assistant to the APC National Youths Leader, said: “We are here to empower the youth across the country through sports. We want to set the record as the first political party to have a sports academy. We want to assure Nigerian youth that APC does not use the youth for elections and dump them.

“Our president-elect is a sportsloving person who has been tested and trusted when he was Lagos State governor. So the APC Youths wing is pursuing Tinubu programmes for youth development in the country especially when it comes to sports. We spent time to convince the youths during the campaign period and we are setting the ball rolling on our intents.

“Campaigns are over now and it is time for governance. We want to assure the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that we are going to give him the much needed support for his youth development programmes to arrest insecurity in the country.”

10th Assembly Speaker: Tinubu holds closed-door meeting with Betara

By Christiana Ekpa

One of the frontline contenders for the 10th Speakership position in the House of Representatives, Rep. Muktar Betera Aliyu on Wednesday held a closed door meeting with the President Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to seek his support and endorsement for the race.

Betara had been canvassing support for his speakership

aspiration with party members, Members Elect, former Lawmakers and stakeholders who are throwing their weight behind the lawmaker they described as a man of the people.

The Lawmakers campaign and consultation to the President-elect is one out of many consultations he has embarked upon in the last three months ahead of the June inauguration.

In a video made available

by his campaign Media office on Wednesday morning, the President-elect personally held Hon. Betara’s hand as he led him into the inner room for discussions.

Betara, who currently chairs the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee, had earlier exchanged warm pleasantries with the incoming Commander in Chief shortly after having some photo sessions.

Betera’s consultation visit to the President-elect took place at his new official residence at the Defence House in Abuja, following the latter’s return from vacations and the Muslim lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Also seen in the video alongside Betara were: the outgoing president of the Senate, Sen. Ahmad Lawan, former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi and a host of other loyalists of the President-elect.

Timi Frank petitions NASS, Police, DSS over alleged forgery, identity theft by ex-Minister, Sylva

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has called on the National Assembly, Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Services, among others, to urgently commence investigation of the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva over alleged certificate forgery and identity theft.

Sylva who is a former Governor of Bayelsa State recently emerged the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Bayelsa State.

Frank made these request in a petition he addressed through his solicitors to the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS, among others, on the matter.

In the petition, dated March 31, 2023, and signed by the Principal Partner of Graylaw Practice LP, Edward Omaga Esq., Frank urged

the National Assembly to summon Sylva and officials from his alma maters in Nigeria and Switzerland to explain the inconsistencies in the identity of the politician.

According to the petitioner, Sylva’s primary school certificate carried his name as Anagha Timipere as evident in documents the ex-Minister filed before a court in the United States as part of an ongoing defamation suit brought by his lawyers.

He said Anagha Timipere was different from Marlin Anagha Timipre, which is the name on Sylva’s WAEC certificate.

He claimed that the expetroleum minister had also obtained his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Port-Harcourt, with the certificate bearing Anagha Timipre Marlin.

He insisted that this clearly contradicted Sylva’s 2011 doctoral degree certificate in International Relations from Ubis University, Switzerland, with the name Chief Timipre Sylva.

He further claimed that Sylva

neither participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme nor did he obtain an exemption certificate as required by law.

The petition reads in part: “Obviously, the certificates mentioned above have visible anomalies and do not depict the true identity of CHIEF TIMPRE SYLVA. It is confusing as to who CHIEF TIMIPRE SYLVA is; who ANAGHA TIMIPRE MARLIN is; who MARLIN ANAGHA TIMIPRE is and who ANAGHA TIMIPERE is.

“There is no evidence anywhere showing that CHIEF TIMPRE SYLVA ever changed his name from ANAGHA TIMIPRE MARLIN to TIMIPRE SYLVA in 1986 after he purportedly graduated from University of Port Harcourt,” stated the petition.

“Investigation by our client reveals that there is also no record that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources has National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Discharge or Exemption

Certificate, as the case may be, either in the name of ANAGHA TIMIPRE MARLIN or TIMIPRE SYLVA.”

The obvious discrepancies in the documents caused the petitioner to insist that Sylva may have forged his academic certificates or had them stolen from a third party, “an offence that violates Section 438 of the Criminal Code Act and carries a 14-year prison sentence.”

He urged both chambers of the National Assembly to summon the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), and State Security Services (SSS) officials for their roles in screening and approving Sylva’s ministerial appointment as well as his successful governorship bid in 2007.

He claimed that after learning that his identity inconsistencies could imperil his governorship quest, Sylva filed processes to change his name to Timipre Sylva in an official Government Gazette of May 12, 2022.

L-R: Ufuoma Emuopedaro, Publisher/Chief Executive Officer, E-Business Life Communications Ltd.; Yetunde Akinloye, Director, Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Ugochi Emmanuel, Chief Executive Officer, TechLife Media Communications Ltd. and Reuben Muoka, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, at the Women of Excellence Awards, where the Commission was recognized for its support for women empowerment, in Lagos at the weekend (Friday, April 21, 2023).

Lagos Assembly commends IGP for excellent job, despite alleged electoral violence

By Christiana Ekpa

The Lagos State House of Assembly has commended the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba and other members of the Nigeria Police Force for “excellent performance”.

This is amid the public outcry of violence that allegedly marred the conduct of the 2023 general elections in the state,

In a statement on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the Lagos Assembly extolled the “excellent performance” of police officers deployed to the state ensured a “hitch-free” election, “devoid of violence”.

The statement reads partly, “In its letter dated 4th April 2023 and signed by the Clerk of the House, the Lagos State House of Assembly extolled the display of professionalism and neutrality by the Force leading to the actualization of an election adjudged to be the fairest and freest in the annals of Nigeria’s democratic history.

“It equally acknowledged that the feat was tailored to various transformational reforms of the IGP, his visionary and purposeful leadership in the NPF which has set the pace and good precedence for policing future elections in the country”.

Recall that prior to the presidential election, there were a series of video clips that circulated on the internet about some suspected political thugs who threatened some residents of the state to vote for their party or remain at home.

On February 25, election day, several attacks were recorded in many polling units across the state.

Many celebrities and members of opposition parties had called out the Nigeria Police Force over their alleged poor performance during the election.

APC suspends Cross River Commissioner, Ekpenyong Iso

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, on Wednesday, suspended the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Ekpenyong Iso.

Iso was suspended for alleged antiparty activities and misappropriation of funds.

The suspension was contained in a statement jointly signed on Wednesday in Calabar by the Chairman of Ward 8, Kingsley Ekpe, and the Secretary, Gilbert Bassey, respectively.

“Your suspension is predicated on the recommendations of the disciplinary and fact-finding committee set up to investigate the

petition of misappropriation of party funds and anti-party activities levelled against you.

“Consequently, during the pendency of this suspension, which takes immediate effect, you are to stay away from all party activities,” the statement read.

Reacting to the suspension, he denied the allegation saying he did

not mismanage any funds during the election.

He said his purported suspension was written by some “unscrupulous persons, and the allegations are completely false.

He added that the ward executive of the party would meet soon to refute the statement because there is no substance to the claims.

Wike returns, announces Tinubu’s visit to Rivers

By Musa Baba Adamu

Governor

Nyesom Wike returned to Rivers State on Wednesday after his trip to a country in Europe.

The governor embarked on the inspection of some projects ahead of the planned inauguration next week.

Wike was accompanied by Governorelect, Sim Fubara, top officials of Julius Berger, among others.

The two projects are the 12th flyover bridge and the new Magistrate Court complex in Port Harcourt, the capital.

The flyover is at the popular Rumuokwuta and Rumuola junctions in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA).

The Magistrate Court was constructed at the Moscow Road in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area (LGA).

The Rivers helmsman announced that the projects will be commissioned by President-elect, Bola Tinubu on May 3.

Reps: Don’t interfere in principal officers election - ex-lawmakers tell Tinubu, others

By Christiana Ekpa

TheNational Assembly Exlawmakers have cautioned against zoning of legislative positions alongside those of the executive arm of government, urging the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed and Governorselect not to interfere in the election of the principal officers.

The resolution of the group followed a one-day sensitisation parley with some State Assembly Members-Elect in Jos, Plateau State, the ex-Legislators therefore called on the leadership of various political parties, President and Governors-elect not to interfere with the election of National Assembly Principal Officers.

The group in a communique signed by Hon. Golu Timothy, former Chief Whip of the Plateau State House of Assembly and Member of the 8th House of Representatives, the former legislators including Senators, House of Representatives and State Assembly Principal Officers and other resource persons who spoke at the event, averted that Executive Offices are different from legislative positions, hence must exist on their respective merits whether the occupants come from the same zone. The former lawmakers said that such does not add value to democratic principles nor does it promote separation of powers, checks and balances, they underscored the need to

allow Members-elect to exercise their franchise without any interference.

The ex-lawmakers maintained that allowing for a natural course of leadership brings better harmony and understanding, mutual respect and less politicization.

They agreed that having a legislative officer from the same zone with any executive officer should not be an issue because they have different roles and responsibilities to perform and will be assessed based on their respective constitutionally assigned duties.

According to Golu, the exlawmakers said the practice where the executive seeks to impose Legislative leadership across the nation has caused more harm for the legislature than good

because it has often caused instability and most times, inefficiency of the leadership where it survives.

The lawmakers said such practices should no longer be encouraged in this 21st century and especially in Nigeria where the election of legislators have been unprecedentedly multiparty -base.

“Look at how the election of legislators went across the country in the just concluded 2023 general elections. People were voted not according to party but the personalities involved. If party considerations are less a factor in the just concluded general elections, why must our political parties and their leaderships zoned Legislative offices? Such will not bring any expected result but crisis of confidence.”

Tinubu’s enemies will sing his praise after inauguration – Bayelsa APC chieftain

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Bayelsa State coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima

Independent Campaign Council, ICC, Prince Preye Aganaba, has predicted that those attacking President-elect Bola Tinubu will surely sing his praise after May 29th.

Aganaba observed that most people attacking Tinubu were doing so from the position of ignorance while others, who knew him but chose to hate him, were acting out of jealousy.

Aganaba, who also congratulated the family of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on

the safe return of the Presidentelect from France, said ignorant haters of Tinubu would be his immediate converts while his core enemies would bury their heads in shame after his inauguration on May 29th.

He further said: “The President-elect has always been a celebrated performer whether in his public or private practice. He has the capacity and will display that capacity from May 29th after his inauguration.

“We are confident that Tinubu will disappoint his enemies. He will surely reposition the country and usher in an era of economic turnaround and rapid

development of Nigeria. We know him and we know he has the capacity to assemble a team that will make us proud.”

Aganaba, who is also a founding member of APC advised persons making evil speculation about the health of Tinubu to desist as the power of life and death belongs to God Almighty.

Aganaba also hailed the emergence of the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, as the governorship candidate of the APC in Bayelsa State.

He said Sylva is the best candidate for the APC in Bayelsa, having garnered enough

experience and exposure as a onetime governor and Minister of Petroleum.

He said Sylva’s time as minister attracted over $3.6b of investments into Bayelsa State according to statistics from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), coming behind Lagos State in 2021 alone.

He said with Sylva, the Bayelsa APC would surely defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to connect the state to the centre.

Aganaba said: “In 2019, our people in Bayelsa demonstrated a burning desire to connect the state back to the centre. Propelled by that desire, they voted massively

for the APC.

“Nothing has changed this time. Our people are still desirous to connect to the centre. We are no longer ready to keep being an opposition state and with Sylva as our candidate that desire will be actualised this year.”

Aganaba appealed to all members of the APC, including persons who contested against Sylva to embrace unity to ensure total victory for the party in November.

He urged the candidate to continue his reconciliation process by reaching out to everyone, knocking at every door to bring everyone on board.

LP crisis: Apapa denies withdrawing Obi’s petitions from tribunal

By Christiana Ekpa

The Lamidi Apapa faction of the Labour Party has denied claims that it approached the presidential election tribunal to withdraw the petition filed by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Recall that the embattled Julius Abure faction had on Tuesday raised the alarm that Apapa and his team had gone to the tribunal in Abuja to withdraw Obi’s petition challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu.

But, Apapa described the publication as one laced with deliberate falsehood, saying it is an “epistle of personal bitterness, ignorance and complete unintelligent outburst.”

In a statement made available to journàlists on Wednesday by the faction’s Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, Apapa said Abure had been restrained by the Abuja high court “over confirmed allegations of forgery of court seal” and others, saying it is not new that he could engage in “cheap blackmail to gain public sympathy in order to cover up his criminal tracks.”

Apapa challenged Abure to produce a copy of the letter which he or the Secretary signed to seek the withdrawal of the petition at the tribunal.

While saying he and his team would not be intimidated by “these wicked lies”, Apapa pointed out that the publication was “a well orchestrated plan by Abure to incite violence and chaos in order to make Nigeria ungovernable.”

The statement quoted the Labour Party leader as saying that he and his team would not engage in any verbal war with those he called “pedestrian political misfits and despots”, saying it was obvious that “Abure is trying to whip up sentiment on his travails.”

He concluded that the Labour Party under his leadership stands with Obi on the “mission to reclaim the mandate freely given to him and our party during the February 25th 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election.”

How Buhari’s broadcast for Binani affected Adamawa guber – SDP candidate, Ardo

By Musa Baba Adamu

The gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the recently concluded election in Adamawa State, Umar Ardo has alleged that a broadcast made by President Muhammadu Buhari soliciting support for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani affected the poll negatively.

In an interview, Ardo

asserted that the broadcast, which was made in Hausa language, influenced some federal government agencies in the state to work for the APC candidate. According to him, some security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and even broadcast stations in the country were influenced by the broadcast.

He argued that the election, which was concluded through a rerun, was far from being free and

fair, alleging that the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, marred the poll via thuggery and vote buying.

He said, “The election was not fair in the sense that, first and foremost the APC candidate, we saw the President, you know Buhari made a national broadcast in Hausa asking the people of Adamawa to go and vote for Binani and that he had worked with Binani in PTF (defunct Petroleum Trust Fund) and Binani was good and this and that, I have

no problem with that.

“But the fallout of that presidential broadcast is what I had a problem with because from the moment the President made that broadcast, the entire agencies, federal agencies in Adamawa State tilted towards her.

“I am talking about the military, I am talking about the police, I am talking about INEC, I am talking about DSS, I am talking about the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission”.

How Tinubu can fix Nigeria’s economy – CFG Advisory CEO Adebajo

By Christiana Ekpa

Ahead of May 29

inauguration, an economic expert has listed things the incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu must do to turn around the economy.

Tilewa Adebajo, the Chief

Executive Officer of the CFG Advisory, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview.

Adebajo said Tinubu must ensure credible people are leading the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministries of Finance, Trade and Investments.

He stated that Tinubu must

correct the misalignment of trade, monetary and fiscal policies to succeed.

“We have to look at the Ministry of Finance; we have to look at the Ministry of Trade and Investments. It is somehow overlooked by having 18 critical parastatals directly impacting

trade and investment.

“It is a misalignment of trade, monetary, and fiscal policies. You need to restructure those three institutions and put the right people in place. There is a need for coordination between these three institutions.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria

Act has been violated; the fiscal responsibility act has been violated, and we need to restore that credibility.

“If he (Tinubu) can put all the proper structure in place and the right people, he would likely succeed in the economy,” he said.

Senate conducts public hearing on 46-year-old Atomic Energy Commission Act

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Senate Committee on Science and Technology on Wednesday conducted a public hearing on the obsolete Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Act which came into existence 46 years ago.

The bill which was sponsored by Senator Orkey Jev (Benue North West), was dissected by stakeholders who attended the public hearing, saying there is a need to amend the existing act

to redefine the responsibilities of regulators from operators.

Earlier in her opening speech, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and the outgoing senatorial representative of Anambra Central Senatorial District, Uche Lilian Ekwunife, emphasised the need to amend the bill, stressing that the provisions of the act have grossly become inadequate for energy activities in Nigeria.

The bills being considered by

the committee which will wind up in a month include “Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (Repeal and Re-Enactment) 2022” and “Nigeria Content in Programmes, Contracts, Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (Establishments) 2023.”

Ekwunife said: “The Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Act was enacted forty-six years ago in 1976.

“Since then, there were no legislative steps taken to improve

the Commission in line with [the] realities of global dynamics.

“This Bill, therefore, seeks to repeal the Atomic Energy Commission Act (CAP.N91) Laws of the Federation to streamline its provisions.

“The Bill will make the commission cater for robust implementation of National Nuclear Programme in line with acceptable international standards in accordance with Nigeria’s obligation under relevant international legal instruments.”

The Anambra lawmaker pointed out that the proposed amendment of the act, which will include nuclear energy, does not intend for negative use of nuclear power such as armament, “but mainly for peaceful purpose in [the] area of nuclear power, medical diagnoses and others.”

Efforts to speak with the sponsor of the bill to explain why the bill was being considered at the twilight of the 9th Assembly proved abortive as he declined to grant an interview.

Umar Ardo

How new administration can revamp Nigeria’s economy – Agora Policy

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

AnAbuja-based policy think tank, Agora Policy, said the incoming administration needs to undertake fast, coordinated macroeconomic policy reforms on fiscal, monetary and trade fronts to revamp the economy.

A maiden report by the policy think-tank titled “Urgent Policy Actions on Fiscal, Monetary and Trade Fronts” said as Nigeria prepares to usher in a new administration, the state of the economy remains a key point of interest.

According to the report, a critical issue that the incoming administration has to grapple with is how to revamp the economy quickly.

The think tank also said these policy actions or economic reforms must be predicated on inclusion, transparency and accountability.

The report explained that since the 1970s, Nigeria’s fiscal profile has been tied to the oil sector.

It said despite the high oil prices in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria’s oil production has been very low.

For immediate fiscal reforms, Agora Policy said the government needs to take decisive action on boosting oil revenue by ending oil theft and removal of the petrol subsidy.

The report noted that the drastic fall in oil revenue has been a result of the double whammy of lower oil production and petrol subsidy. It added that addressing the drastic fall in oil production requires urgent action to end oil theft in the oil-producing areas.

“This would require strong determination from the government and crucially, cooperation from host communities and the security agencies.

“The government needs to review the security architecture in the oil-producing areas and give clear instructions about ending oil theft,” it said.

In addition, the report said both the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited should be given clear oil production and exporting targets, and be held accountable when these are not met.

The policy think tank said the use of a strategic communication team to

engage the public and other critical stakeholders on the benefits and costs of removing the subsidy would be required for the public to buy into the policy measure.

At the same time, it said detailed plans of how funds are saved from subsidy removal need to be extensively discussed and disseminated to the general public to increase trust as social capital.

“The savings from the fuel subsidy could be used to scale up short-term direct cash transfers to the poorest and most vulnerable groups in the country. Prices of petroleum products should be market-determined rather than regulated by the government,” it said.

The report noted that there is a need to address the nation’s dismal tax revenue to GDP ratio.

It said the FIRS has done well in recent times by increasing revenue generated from N6.4 trillion in 2021 to N10.1 trillion in 2022, thereby crossing N10 trillion in revenue for the first time.

However, the group said for the size of the economy, government revenue and expenditure are grossly inadequate to effectively drive policy, enhance economic growth, lower poverty, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This, it said would require two critical actions on boosting non-oil revenue, namely tax reforms and domestic revenue mobilisation.

The report said there is an urgent need to broaden the tax net to capture the formal and informal sectors not in the existing tax net. For the formal sector, it added that a first step would be to properly capture and tax highnet-worth individuals and large corporations.

Also, the report said FIRS needs to work closely with the NBS to identify small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and ensure they pay taxes appropriately.

“Some simple incentives and an amnesty period, following which appropriate sanctions will be meted out, can be given to ensure quick compliance. It would be crucial to continuously communicate the issue of tax reforms to the citizens to gain public confidence in the system. In addition, leakages from taxes collected by nonstate actors need to be eliminated,” it said.

It added that the fiscal responsibility

law should be amended to set strict penalties for agencies that fail to remit their stipulated operating surpluses. Also, there is a need to stop funding revenue-generating agencies from the federal budget.

“There is an urgent need to end “drip-feeding” which has inhibited the completion of critical capital projects and perpetuated the “ongoing project” syndrome.

“Increased budgetary provisions should be given to capital expenditure. There is also the need to increase the percentage of the budget that goes to capital expenditure and the necessity of trimming recurrent expenditure,” it said.

On monetary reforms, the think tank said the government should enhance the coordination of fiscal and monetary policy to reduce frictions and counteractive policy goals.

“The government should strengthen the Fiscal-Monetary Coordination Committee to ensure that the monetary authority (CBN) and the fiscal authority (Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning) optimally coordinate policies to ensure the gains from fiscal and monetary reforms are maximized.

“Restore monetary policy focus

back to its price stability mandate, taming inflationary pressure and strengthening the monetary transmission.

“The CBN should focus on its core mandate of maintaining price stability. The CBN should set clear and realistic targets for inflation, and a timeline for achieving these targets,” it said.

The CBN will have to restore the credibility of the MPR such that bond yields and lending rates are reflective of the monetary policy rate (MPR), the report said, adding that the removal of the current multiple exchange rate windows being operated by the CBN should be considered.

“This would make the exchange rate market-determined and mitigate speculative pressures that fuel arbitrage conditions in the market. This would further inspire confidence from domestic and foreign investors and put an end to ways and means financing of FGN expenditure.

“This would curtail the growth of the money supply and thus curtail inflationary pressure. Part of this will involve the CBN helping the FG to properly forecast its revenue as well as helping the FG, on a technical level, identify potential sources of revenue. A strategy will also need to be developed

to manage the current stock of FG’s debt at the CBN,” it said.

According to the report, one of the major issues that have impeded trade performance and thus diversification in Nigeria is the weak trade-related infrastructure.

The report explained that having inefficient or inadequate systems of transportation, logistics, and traderelated infrastructure can severely impede a country’s ability to compete on a global scale.

“The lopsided structure of Nigeria’s trade performance over time is linked to low trade diversity,” it said.

Agora Policy urged the government to reopen all closed borders and remove all food trade restrictions.

“The government needs to prioritise the development of a goods and services export strategy in collaboration with the subnational governments.

“Such a strategy should focus on labour-intensive sectors, and should clearly identify priority sectors and potential markets by leveraging Nigeria’s global network of diaspora and consulates,” it said.

The report said the government should provide incentives for exportoriented firms, especially in the non-oil sectors.

Repairing Apple gadgets cost a dime in Nigeria – Users

From Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

ANigerian laptop technician has won praise and admiration after he reportedly fixed a MacBook Pro for a client at a fraction of the cost charged by an official Apple dealer.

The laptop owner, Joe Abah, in a tweet, narrated how he accidentally spilt some liquid on his new MacBook Pro.

According to Mr Abah, who is also the Country Director of Development Alternatives Inc., an international development company, the accident left the touchpad and keypad unresponsive.

When he took it to an Apple dealer, he was asked to pay N320,000 (about $700) to fix the damage.

Undeterred, he decided to seek out alternative options at Banex, a popular computer gadget and electronics hub in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

Mr Abah said he met a repair technician, Godwin, who, within just 10 minutes, was able to fix the MacBook Pro for “a mere N10,000”, about $22.

According to Mr Abah, he was so impressed by Godwin’s skills and the money he saved that he even decided to give him a generous tip.

“I accidentally spilt some

liquid on my new MacBook Pro. Touchpad stopped working and keypad was unresponsive. Took it to an Apple dealer: N320,000 to change both. Took it to Godwin at Shop C19, Emab Plaza. It took him 10 minutes to fix it and cost me N10,000. I dashed him extra,” he wrote on Twitter.

The story of the technician has generated a lot of reactions on Twitter, with many people hailing him as an embodiment of the Nigerian spirit of ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Some Twitter users, however, were indifferent about the cheap option Mr Abah opted for, considering that the warranty on the device may have been voided.

“You do know going forward the good doc, your Apple warranty is voided oh , think am oh,” a Twitter user, @Aized10, tweeted.

In his response, Mr Abah said: “Apple warranty ba? When I have an urgent paper to write today?.”

He further explained how important the paper was for him to wake up at 5 am on a public holiday.

He noted that he will henceforth patronise Godwin as his new “warranty.”

Another user, @Rapidmax 01, said: “Same thing happened to me. Took my Apple ipad and laptop to a repair shop in the UK and these guys gave me a very high repair bill. I quietly collected

my items and gave it to my friend going to Nigeria. Both items were fixed and returned to me at no more than 15k total”.

Another user,@drhammed, narrated how a similar incident happened to him.

“I experienced this last year too. My other Macbook had liquid damage & the touchpad wasn’t working well. Apple wanted to charge over $900, lmao. I took it to Nigeria & repaired it in computer village for about 100,000 naira (~$200). We have a lot of talents in that market” he wrote.

Hardworking Nigerians like the technician need to be appreciated, a user named @ jerrybest7 said.

BU$IN€SS

DBN disbursed N631bn to 313,000 MSMEs in 2022

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has disbursed more than N631 billion to slightly over 313,000 MSMEs across the country, from N482 billion to more than 208,000 MSMEs at the end of the previous year.

The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tony Okpanachi disclosed this Tuesday at the venue of the 2023 Annual general meeting of the Bank in Abuja.

The shareholders also approved the board of directors’ proposal for a dividend of N3.4 billion, which represents 25% of retained earnings (Profit After Tax and after statutory reserves

transfers) in the year ended 31 December 2022 (31 December 2021: Nil). The basis of the proposed dividend is N34.18 per share.

Speaking on the performance of the bank, he said in the last five years of DBN’s operations, the Bank has been at the forefront of development, playing a focal and catalytic role in alleviating financing constraints for Nigeria’s underserved MSMEs.

He said: “By the end of December 2022, the Development Bank of Nigeria had disbursed more than N631 billion to slightly over 313,000 MSMEs across the country, which grew from N482 billion to more than 208,000 MSMEs at the end of the previous year. This implies a 31 percent growth in financing support and

50 percent growth in MSMEs impacted.

“Of the total MSME beneficiaries of DBN funds over the 5-year period, 67 percent were women and 27 percent were young people, with well more than 250,000 jobs already created.”

By the end of the 2022 financial year, the Bank achieved earnings of N47.6 billion and profit before tax (PBT) of N29.5 billion, cost to income ratio of 15.9%. The low cost-to-income result emphases the impact of the cost-saving measures implemented by the Bank during the course of the financial year.

The bank recorded strong earnings of N49.4bn for the year, and this represented a 25% yearon-year growth from N39.6bn recorded in 2021. This was on

account of the bank’s increased loan portfolio coupled with the high yields observed in the Nigerian economic climate in the latter half of the year.

Income from Loans increased by 37% year-on-year from N23.0bn in 2021 to N31.6bn in 2022.

Chairman, Development Bank of Nigeria Plc. Dr. Shehu Yahaya who was re-elected by the shareholders at the AGM said the bank will deepen its commitment to continue to expand funding for Nigerian MSMEs through our Participating Financial Institutions. He said: “The Bank will continue to engage with all stakeholders to search for solutions and in uence policies aimed at addressing the

constraints faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises, especially as they relate to access to nance and building their capacity to upscale sustainably.

In the coming year, especially given the context of the general election and the uncertainties engendered by political transition, the Bank will intensify its efforts to develop ideas,policies, programmes, and projects to boost growth, help bolster macro economic frameworks, reduce financial vulnerabilities, provide support to vulnerable population groups and reduce the long-term impacts of the global shocks of recent years on the MSMEs- all critical to how we can flourish as a Nation.”

SEC urges investors to expose Illegal fund managers

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

In a bid to ensure that only registered entities are allowed to operate in the capital market, the Securities and Exchange Commission has urged members of the public to report any fund manager that is operating without the registration of the Commission.

Chief Economist, SEC Dr. Okey Umeano stated this in an interview in Abuja, said the battle against illegal fund managers must be tackled on all fronts.

Umeano disclosed that the new Investments and Securities Bill has amended some of the provisions around Ponzi schemes, illegal fund managers, and certain unwholesome practice in the market to ensure that these practices no longer happen.

“This ISB is supposed to accommodate these new operators, these new instruments and new happenings in the market. The Act is now more up to date and in line with present happenings in Nigeria and the global level. This Act also protects the investors more because we have made certain provisions in that Act that strengthens the SEC to ensure

that they are better able to carry out their investor protection activities.

“Among other provisions, the bill prohibits the operation of Ponzi/pyramid schemes and other illegal investment schemes

while prescribing a jail term of not less than 10 years for promoters of such schemes. This will strengthen regulation on Ponzi schemes. We are going to go all out against thepromoters of such Ponzi schemes.

Dr. Umeano said he has gone through the marketing literature of some of these Ponzi scheme operators where they promise investors 10%, 20% in a month, which he stated is unreasonable urging investors not to patronize

them.

“When it is too good to be true and it sounds too good to be true, it is probably not true. There is a simple way to find out as the SEC website has a list of registered capital markets operators. Go to the SEC website type in ‘CMO search’ and you will see a list of capital market operators that are registered and that are regulated. There is also another one that some of them started doing, the organization is registered but they now create a side product that is not registered. We register both the organization and the products, check properly before parting with your hard earned money.

“In the capital market, we do not allow capital market operators to promise fixed returns. Nobody knows what the market will give, people will make some efforts but nobody can for sure tell you I will make 10% or 20% every month for you. When people tell you if you bring in money, I will pay you this amount but you have to bring in other people, you have to register other people, they are most likely to be using the money of those people to pay you, using your own to pay the person who brought you in, and that becomes the pyramid in Ponzi schemes work.

Market operator to disconnect 13 power firms over remittances

From Abubakar Yunusa

Abuja

The Market Operator (MO)

which coordinates the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM), barring last-minute changes, plans to disconnect some Generation Companies (GenCos) and Distribution Companies (DisCos) over failed remittances of bills for ancillary services.

In a statement issued recently, the MO, Engr Edmund Eje, blamed the indiscipline of the operators for the lull in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

The MO office which is a section of the Transmission Company

of Nigeria (TCN) issued a 14-day warning notice to nine DisCos, two GenCos, Aba Power and Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASC) on March 20th, 2023 for failing to pay bulk power service charges.

Providing an update in the statement on Tuesday, the MO announced plans to commence sanctions, saying: “Currently, the Market Operator – TCN is embarking on sanctioning erring Market Participants, having given them notices and time to comply with the Market Rules. One of the fallouts of the sanctions will be the partial or complete disconnection of defaulters from their point of connection to the grid.”

Engr Eje noted that if the rules of every game are observed, there would be no need for sanctions. “NESI market indiscipline is one of the major factors dealing a disastrous blow to the scalability and growth of the market. Market Participation Agreement is signed by all participants, but to comply with them is usually an uphill task for many,” he said.

The MO stated that there is an agreed line of actions for defaulters which starts with notifying the defaulters for noncompliance as it did to the 13 GenCos, DisCos and ASC last month. This happens “when a participant violates the Market Rules or fails to pay

amounts due to the Market Operator.”

The defaulters are also given a notice of intention to suspend them and thirdly are given opportunity to respond. The MO can suspend them for 30 days by disconnecting them and making other moves to recover outstanding payments.

The defaulter who has cleared its debt can reapply to be reinstated and MO will lift the suspension and reconnect such a DisCo to the national grid.

The defaulters as of March 2023 comprise nine DisCos, Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASC), a special electricity customer; nine DisCos – AEDC, BEDC, EEDC,

IBEDC, Ikeja Electric, JEDC, Kaduna Electric, KEDC, PHEDC, APL Electric Company Aba. The GenCos – Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) plants and Paras Energy.

The nine DisCos supply electricity to over 70 per cent of the over 12 million registered electricity consumers while the GenCos generate significant power on the grid with NDPHC having at least seven active GenCos.

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Godwin Emefiele the Villain?

Now that the CBN has spoken and has directed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in the country to forthwith start dispensing and accepting old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes side by side the newly redesigned banknotes, the feverish temperature in the economy may have tempered. The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, had no option but to heed to the dictates of the Supreme Court judgement delivered on March 3, 2023. President, Muhammadu Buhari, who gave the CBN the approval to redesign the banknotes of N200, N500 and N1,000 has distanced himself after a long silence and disobedience to the apex court order.

The Presidency on Monday, March 13, 2023 in a press statement by one of its media aides, Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity amid chaos with the new Naira notes implementation procedures and the verdict of the Supreme Court said “the President never told the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele to disobey any court orders involving the government and other parties”.

The statement read in part, “Following the ongoing intense debate about the compliance concerning the legality of the old currency notes, the Presidency therefore wishes to state clearly that President Buhari has not done anything knowingly and deliberately to interfere with or obstruct the administration of justice.” It continued, “the President is not a micromanager and will not, therefore, stop the Attorney General and the CBN Governor from performing their duties in accordance with the law. It is debatable at this time if there is proof of willful denial by the two of them on the orders of the apex court,” the Presidency stated.

Garba Shehu in the statement noted that “President Buhari is an absolute respecter of the rule of law and that the negative campaign and personalized attacks against the President by the opposition and all manner of commentators is unfair and unjust.” He said “it is therefore wide off the mark to blame the President for the current controversy over the cash scarcity, despite the Supreme Court judgement. The CBN has no reason not to comply with court orders on the excuse of waiting for directives from the President.”

The highest court in the land had on March 3, 2023, ordered that old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes remain legal till December 31, 2023. This was as three State Governors of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara later joined by thirteen other States had sought relief from the apex court to void and set aside the policy on the premise that it was inflicting hardship on Nigerians.

The Supreme Court justices in their ruling said the President’s disobedience of its February 8, 2023, order was a sign of dictatorship, adding that President Buhari violated the constitution of the Federal Republic in the way he issued

directives for the redesigning of the Naira by the CBN.

It could be recall that shortly after the February 8, 2023, ruling, ordering the FGN and the CBN to maintain status quo, the President on February 16, 2023 in a broadcast to the Nation empathized with Nigerians and promised to address their concerns within days. When he did, he approved the old N200 to continue to be legal tender till April 10, 2023, while N500 and N1,000 banknotes cease to be legal tender. This was in flagrant disobedience to the apex court’s order. Yet, as Garba Shehu said, the President is an absolute respecter of the rule of law!

The hawks have finally gotten themselves a victim in Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor, blaming him for shoddy implementation and woes experienced by the people. There were also saboteurs, not pleased with the policy. Principal among them are chieftains of the Deposit Money Banks who in no small measure frustrated the CBN. They hoarded the new banknotes, disbursing to preferred highest bidder and their owners. Newly redesigned banknotes were being hawked on the street and sprayed at social events, yet they are not available in the banks. The downturn and epileptic IT support pledged to make the policy a success was suspect. Above all were the political elites who have sworn to frustrate Emefiele for his audacity.

Was Emefiele expected to implement the orders of the court without the express approval of his principal, the President? More so that, the CBN was not joined in the suit file by the State Governors. The CBN Governor reports to the President. Thus, if the President as claimed, is a respecter of the rule of law, rather than approving the continuous usage of the old N200 banknote as a legal tender, he should have heeded the

apex court’s ruling. If Godwin Emefiele had gone ahead to implement the court order, would it not have amounted to insubordination? We also know of several court judgements President Buhari has ignored or disobeyed. Why call a dog a bad name just to hang it?

The Federal Government was taken to court and not the CBN. The CBN remotely got involved as the supervisory monetary authority and issuer of legal tenders, and an agency of government that takes its powers from the President, and Commander-in-Chief, despite its independence as prescribed by the constitution and the CBN Act. Mr. President approved the design and reprint of new banknotes, therefore, if there is any controversy/litigation in this respect, it behooves on him to call his agent, in this case, the CBN Governor, to apply the brake and obey the court. Rather, our President was silent, aloof, and left the CBN in a quandary.

The CBN was indeed in a quandary. The Bank that does not have the prerogative of redesigning or printing of banknotes at will without the permission of the President cannot without the nod of the President conduct an order of a court it was not a party to. By the implication of its reproachment and castigation of the Attorney General and the CBN Governor, it is apparent that the Central Bank of Nigeria may have been mischievously coerced by the political hawks and vampires in government to redesign the Naira on the eve of 2023 general elections for political hatchet and emasculation as alleged in some quarters of which the CBN and its Governor have now become the sacrificial lamb. The President as a military jackboot did same in 1984 ]and the scars are still visible.

Why is the government making a villain out of Godwin Emefiele? This administration ought to show gratitude

for the support it received in almost eight years from the Central Bank. This administration came into power amidst global economic turbulence when international price of crude oil nose-dived to a miserable $16/20pb. The economy at the time was also yet to recover from post electoral expenses and its attendant effect, economic recession. Emefiele’s CBN rose to the occasion dishing out policies and deploying ingenious monetary measures to aid and grow the economy out of recession, particularly its Anchor Borrowers’ Programme. It intervened in every critical sector of the economy to create jobs and wealth.

One should also not forget the critical role played by the Bank during COVID-19. How Godwin Emefiele rallied the private sector to support government. What are the sins of Godwin Emefiele now? If the Attorney General could not advise the President as the Nation’s Chief Legal Officer to obey court orders, is it Emefiele that will? We know how stubborn and stoic our President is. He orchestrated everything, and someone must be his fall-guy if opposition to the policy becomes a national crisis. There were presumptions that the Naira redesign was crafted to scuttle the 2023 general election or stop a particular person from becoming the president, but the CBN severally refuted this, reiterating its apolitical posture.

President Buhari’s disposition to the outcome of the legal tussle leaves much to be desired. Nigerians were outraged against Godwin Emefiele and vociferously called for his head. The media goons and some State Governors who were once crutching, caps in hand begging for support from the CBN and shouting ‘Hosannah, Hosannah’ to Emefiele are today calling for his head. Emefiele suddenly became a pariah. How are we like this? Yet, people were not angry with our taciturn President and his co-travelers.

Despite the short-lived Naira Redesign Policy, it was obvious the policy was well crafted and potent to achieve the set objectives. Curbing extravagant electoral spending, vote buying, counterfeiting, reduce/ obliterate kidnapping and ransom paying/taking and check inflation et al. And importantly, stepping up its game in financial inclusion drive target as one of the best financial systems in the world.

Admirably, within the past two months, its potency was visible despite glitches. Feasible concocted obstacles mounted by agents and cronies of the political class, the vulturous characters who saw the policy as a weapon to incapacitate them grouped together to scuttle it.

Annoyingly, the backer of Emefiele also suddenly left him and made him vulnerable to the political hyenas, vampires, and vultures to devour, but history will adjudge him as one Nigeria Central Bank Governor who left a shoe too big for anyone to wear.

“ President Buhari’s disposition to the outcome of the legal tussle leaves much to be desired. Nigerians were outraged against Godwin Emefiele and vociferously called for his head

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

METRO

Malaria Day: Maikalangu wants increased partnership to end malaria scourge in AMAC

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has said that increased effort of relevant stakeholders will ensure the eradication of malaria in AMAC and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Maikalangu noted that the fight against malaria scourge will not be possible without collaborative effort by FCT Administration, other local stakeholders and global solidarity, to harness the efforts and resources needed to address malaria in an effective, sustainable and accountable manner.

He spoke yesterday in Abuja, during the 2023 World Malaria Day Commemoration by the FCT

Why 2023 Census will be acceptable - Federal Commissioner

By Usman Shuaibu

The Federal Commissioner representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at the National Population Commission (NPC), Hon. Joseph Shazin Kwali has said the 2023 census would be acceptable to Nigerians.

Shazin, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kwali, also said the 2023 census would be free, fair and credible.

He also assured the people of the FCT and Nigeria at large that the security agents would be engaged during the census exercises.

He revealed that adequate preparations had been made in terms of sensitisations, advocacy, demarcations as well as inauguration of the publicity committees towards achieving the victories during the census.

He said his leadership would deem it necessary to give the necessary support and co-operation to the enumerators to carry out their duties effectively.

Public Health Department at the Primary Health Center, Gidan Mangoro in Orozo ward, with the theme “Ending Malaria in the Federal Capital”, according to a statement from Senior Special Assistant Media and Public Affairs to the AMAC Chairman, Kingsley Madaki.

He said: “While both international and domestic funding to fight malaria have dramatically increased between 2005 and 2014, a serious moral obligation lies ahead of us here in FCT to save the lives of about 30 per cent of our children, who are still dying from malaria.

“Over the years, there have been increase in cases of malaria in countries around the world, which are linked to decreases in financing

gap and weaker health systems. Such barriers have continued to keep Africa with a huge malaria burden and FCT area councils are not left out.

“The African Heads of State and Government in the 2013 Abuja Declaration set bold target to eliminate malaria in Africa by 2030. The same target is now embraced in the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“In that regard, ending Malaria for mood is fundamental pillar of achieving the aspirations that we have set for ourselves in agenda 2063.

“I am glad that the catalytic framework to eliminate malaria is one of the top most priority of this administration.

“Recently, we provided

free medical healthcare to over 1,000 children and women of Kurudu community, including immunization, COVID-19 vaccination, free malaria testing and meditation, HIV testing and counseling, family planning, eye screening and other medical services rendered by medical doctors and nurses.

“This fight against malaria scourge will not be possible without collaborative effort by FCTA and other stakeholders and global solidarity to harness the efforts and resources needed to address malaria in an effective, sustainable and accountable manner.

“Let me emphasise that we are calling for more support and tools to end malaria related deaths in the Council. Partnering to end the

malaria scourge in FCT will, no doubt, lead to a robust workforce for, as the saying goes, health is wealth.

“On this note, I want to sincerely thank you for partnering with us in ensuring that malaria is ended in AMAC in particular and the FCT in general.”

On his part, the representative of the National Malaria Elimination Program (NWEP), Mr. Raphael Onyilo, called for more efforts by community leaders, religious leaders to promote and create awareness on basic information about malaria.

He advised pregnant women, mothers and children to always sleep in mosquito treated nets to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and getting malaria.

FCT residents cry out over scarcity of new Naira notes

Some residents of Abuja and environs have lamented the scarcity of the new naira notes.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has restored the old 200, 500 and 1000 naira notes to remain as legal tender until December 31.

Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who monitored the availability of the new notes report that residents are lamenting over the scarcity of the new notes.

A resident of Nyanya, Mr. Moses Negedu said if CBN was

serious to accomplish its goal on the circulation of the new naira note before the deadline, it would monitor the commercial banks.

‘’The last time I used the new note was two weeks ago and it is really not available.

‘’It seems that the new notes are being hoarded.

‘’There should be political will to ensure the circulation of the new notes before the expiration date so we don’t have a repeat of cash crunch,’’ he said.

Mr Gabriel Daniel, a resident of Garki, said he didn’t think the Dec. 31 deadline would be visible

because presently it was only the old notes that were available.

‘’ I can’t remember the last time I saw or used the new notes because even the banks are dispensing old notes both at the ATMs and in the banking hall.

‘’One of the problems we are having in this country is nonimplementation of policies and the absence of accountability from those in authority.

‘’At this point, I am just confused, because the moment the announcement was made that both note should be legal tenders, the few new ones disappeared,” he

said.

According to Mr Abbah Moses, a resident of Gwagwalada, those who have a lot of money and are able to get the new notes earlier are hoarding it against the December dead line.

” So, even if the banks release the new notes and it is being hoarded by some person, there will not be enough in circulation.

‘’In the past one week, I have only seen one new N500 note.

’’ The situation might be worst than what we had experienced early this year,’’ he said.

Mr Manasseh Gimba, a resident

in Dutse, said the last time he saw the new note was a month ago.

‘’CBN should print more new notes and ensure they are in circulation.

‘’The old notes in circulation should be limited if the December dead line will be visible, he said.

NAN reports that the Supreme Court had earlier extended the validity of the old naira notes till Dec. 31.

However, Nigerians believe that the new notes, in circulation though, which were hard to get at the time of release, have gradually vanished. NAN

L-R, SGF Mr. Boss Mustapha and President Muhammadu Buhari held as President swears-in 6 new perm sec and presides over FEC Meeting at the State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

Disney sues Florida governor Ron DeSantis

Disney has accused Florida Governor Ron DeSantis of organising a campaign of “government retaliation” in a lawsuit.

The new legal action sharply escalates the battle between the entertainment giant and the Republican politician.

The two sides have been fighting since the firm spoke out against a law banning discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity in primary schools last year.

Officials are set to void a development deal involving the firm’s theme park.

Disney said Mr DeSantis’ efforts to assert control over its operations had threatened its business and violated its constitutional rights.

“Disney regrets it has come to this,” the company’s parks division said in the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Florida.

“But having exhausted efforts to seek a resolution, the company is left with no choice but to file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponise

government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain state officials.”

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What’s behind the feud?

The row with Disney - which opened the city-scale Walt Disney World in Florida in 1971 and is one of the state’s biggest employers - has elevated the profile of Mr DeSantis, who is widely seen as

Manhunt under way after deadly Mississippi jail break

Police are hunting for four inmates who escaped a Mississippi jail, including one now believed to have killed a man while on the run.

The suspects were found missing during a routine headcount at the Raymond Detention Center near Jackson on Sunday, according to authorities.

One of the suspects, 22-yearold Dylan Arrington, is now believed to have murdered a man and stolen his truck.

At least one of the suspects is believed to have fled to Texas.

In addition to Dylan Arrington, the suspects have been identified as 51-year-old Jerry Raynes, and Casey Grayson and Corey Harrison, both 22. Mr Raynes has a long history of escaping from jail facilities, including the Raymond Detention Center in 2021, according to local authorities.

The men were in custody on a variety of charges, primarily related to thefts. Mr Arrington was in custody on firearm and auto theft charges.

Residents of the area have been told to be on the look-out for the suspects as local, state and federal police conduct their manhunt.

In a Facebook post, authorities in nearby Leake County asked residents to be “extremely cautious”, keep their doors locked and avoid having keys or weapons in parked vehicles.

At a news conference earlier this week, Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said that after the four were found missing on Sunday, jail authorities discovered

two “breaches” in the building, including one on the jail’s roof.

Authorities now believe that the suspects escaped to the jail’s roof on Saturday and left the facility at various times.

Jackson Police Chief James Davis said that Mr Harrington is now the prime suspect in the death of local man Anthony Watts, 61.

Mr Watts was shot and killed around 7pm local time on Monday after pulling over to help a mannow believed to be Mr Arringtonwho had crashed a motorcycle. He was found dead at the scene and his vehicle, a red truck, remains missing.

In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones wrote that police had exchanged gunfire with a barricaded suspect believed to be Mr Arrington in the town of Carthage.

Following the gun battle, an “unidentified deceased person” was found in the home, which had caught fire. It is not yet known if the dead person is Mr Arrington.

Another suspect is believed to have stolen a government public works vehicle which was later found near Houston, Texas.

In July, a federal judge seized control of the Raymond Detention Center, citing “severely deficient” conditions and a “stunning array” of assaults and deaths among detainees.

A public safety consultant was appointed as a “receiver” by the judge in October, with 120 days to devise a plan to improve conditions.

The judge’s order was stayed by an appeals court in December after local officials asked for the move to be reconsidered.

a potential Republican candidate for president.

He has supported measures like a ban on abortion after six weeks and the Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed by the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics,

which bans discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity for pupils aged nine and under.

The state expanded the ban to all grades this month.

After Disney came under pressure from its staff, it criticised that law last year. That led Florida lawmakers to vote to restructure the special development district that had been created more than 50 years ago to oversee development of the firm’s land.

The move gave Mr DeSantis the power to appoint members to the district’s governing board, removing that authority from Disney.

Before the new board was installed, however, the company reached a last-minute deal that gave it control over development in the district in perpetuity or until “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, king of England”.

Mr DeSantis has said he no longer thought it was in the interests of the state to give such power to a corporation and that Disney’s response was in “defiance of the will of the people of Florida”.

Steve Shanks: London Marathon runner dies on way home from race

Amanhas died shortly after completing the London Marathon in under three hours.

Organisers of the event said Steve Shanks, 45, from Bingham, Nottinghamshire, died suddenly while travelling home on Sunday.

Tributes have been paid to the runner, whose cause of death has not yet been shared.

In a statement, his wife Jessica said she was “in shock and devastated”.

She added his passing was “sudden and out of the blue”.

“He was returning home having spent the day participating in the London Marathon,” she said. “As you can imagine I’m absolutely in shock and devastated.”

A London Marathon spokesperson said they were “deeply saddened” to hear of Mr Shanks’s death.

They added Mr Shanks was a “very experienced runner” who took part in the event on Sunday, completing the 26.2-mile (42.1km) distance in two hours and 53 minutes.

In a tribute posted on its website, Holme Pierrepont Running Club said: “Steve had won many club championships over all distances.

“He competed in races all over Europe and was a keen parkrun tourist.

“His talents were not limited to road running. He represented the club in cross country and won a club fell running championship in 2008.”

‘Greatly missed’

A fundraising page, raising money for a multiple sclerosis (MS) charity, has been set up in

Mr Shanks’s memory.

It has raised more than £2,000 of its £2,500 goal in 14 hours.

MS was described on the page as a cause “close to [Mr Shanks’s] heart” because a number of his close friends have the condition.

“Steve was a keen runner never happier than running,” it said.

“But he was more than just a runner - he was [a] musician, a knitter, and a renowned quizzer possessed of extensive knowledge of terrible pop music.

“He will be greatly missed and always in our hearts and memories.”

Ed Tait, executive director of engagement and income generation at the MS Society, added: “We’re deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Steve Shanks, and offer our heartfelt condolences to his family.

“More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK, and we’re incredibly grateful that vital funds are being raised for those affected by the condition, in Steve’s memory.” Source: BBC

Walt Disney World employs roughly 75,000 people in Florida

From left to right: Dylan Arrington, Corey Harrison, Jerry Raynes and Casey Grayson

Steve Shanks was described as a “very experienced” runner

Belgium, Nigerian Chamber of commerce debuts in Abuja

OACPS Sec-Gen visits Nigeria, signs MoU with Foreign Ministry

By Ochiaka Ugwu

The Secretary General of the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti will arrive Nigeria on Wednesday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama on Technical Cooperation with Directorate of Technical Aid Corp (DTAC) and Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA)

Chikoti is also to speak to both Diaspora in Nigeria and the world on what OACPS is doing on Diaspora issues at the first Global African Diaspora Symposium holding in Abuja from 27th to 28TH of April, 2023.

While in the country, the Secretary –General is expected to formally announce that Nigeria will host Centre of Excellence on Diaspora

By Ochiaka Ugwu

Economic relations between Nigeria and Belgium is set to get a boost as the Nigerian Chapter of Belgium Luxemburg Nigeria Chamber of Commerce (BLNCC) will be unveiled at the International Conference Centre, Abuja on the 29th of April, 2023 to further strengthen contacts between Nigeria and Belgium businesses

Nigerian Ambassador to Belgium, Obinna Chiedu Onowu whose Mission is involved in the event says the unveiling is a welcome development as it will boost trade relations between Nigeria and Belgium.

He said BLNCC has been working with the Embassy of Nigeria in Brussels to facilitate business contacts between Nigerian and Belgian businesses.

The Ambassador disclosed further “They are also working with us on the Nigeria Belgium Luxembourg Business Forum coming up in June, so we are expectant that this formal presentation on the 29th will open the door for collaboration between the businesses on both sides”

Onowu said BLNCC would serve like a clearing house for trade inquires, stressing that it will also serve as a tool for partnership with organised private sector in Belgium.

His words “For this reason, Nigerian Embassy in Belgium welcomes the unveiling of this Chapter and we are going to give them the necessary support “.

He commended the President of the Chapter, Dr. Johnson Anene for bringing together business persons for economic development of the country

It would be recalled that in September, 2021, Ambassador Onowu hosted members of Belgium Luxemburg Nigeria Chamber of Commerce (BLNCC) at an event tagged “Ambassador meet and greet” where he unveiled business opportunities in Nigeria

Belgium Luxembourg Nigeria Chamber of Commerce also joined a Trade Mission to Nigeria in October 2022.

Speaking on the visit, Nigerian Ambassador to Belgium, Obinna Chiedu Onowu said it will benefit the country in many folds.

According to him “This will be the second time that the Secretary-General will be visiting Nigeria in recent times. In May last year, he was here to hold discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and top government officials including the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on how to deepen collaboration between Nigeria and the OACPS.

“A lot has happened since then; there has been collaboration with the Directorate of Technical Co-operation in Africa as well as Directorate of Technical Aid Corps

“The Secretary General is coming this time to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the organization and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the establishment of mechanism for dialogue and cooperation on DTAC and DTCA”

Ambassador Onowu said it is good for Nigeria that within one year, discussions and conversations with the organization has progressed to something that is tangible stressing that Nigeria is advancing diaspora dialogue in OACPS thereby making the country the OACPS Champion on Diaspora.

He disclosed that Nigeria embarked on two core projects, the first one being the international conference which OACPS

is partnering with Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) and the African Diaspora Network to organize.

“Nigeria facilitated the involvement of OACPS on this project. OACPS is also using it to showcase what the organization is doing at the same time bring the Diasporas closer to government which actually is the theme of this conference; Building stronger collaboration between Africa and the Diaspora.”

Ambassador Onowu said Nigeria has also facilitated the establishment of Diaspora Centre in Abuja.

“This is one of the projects that Nigeria picked up with the Secretariat of OACPS. Discussions went through the various committees and ultimately at the Summit in Angola last year, where the Heads of State agreed that Nigeria should host the first OACPS Centre of Excellence on Diaspora.

“The Secretary General will formally announce that Nigeria will host this

Centre. It is a good thing for our diplomacy because Nigeria is now going to be at the center for aggregating or providing synergy in Diaspora activities of the OACPS. We expect that very soon, the OACPS will be speaking with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama on the modality and the logistics for establishing that Centre” he said Onowu explains further that the theme of the symposium speaks to what has been happening in Africa on Diaspora issues. According to him, “Africa at the AU level had already designated the Diaspora as the 6th Region of the continent. About 30 African countries have established institutions for engaging the Diaspora, but there hasn’t been collaboration between the various African institutions and governments on diaspora issues, so what this symposium is going to do is to see how they can build synergy between the work of various diaspora institutions in Africa as a continent as well as the world.”

Fighting in Sudan despite ceasefire - BBC reporter

Fighting is continuing in parts of Sudan despite a 72-hour ceasefire largely holding.

Speaking via phone from Omdurman, the adjoining city to the capital Khartoum, the BBC’s Mohamed Osman said there was fighting near TV and radio buildings.

He also said there was “no fuel at all”, a lack of doctors, and people struggling to access food and money.

The ceasefire, which began at midnight local time (22:00 GMT) on Monday, is due to expire at the start of Friday.

The conflict began on 15 April amid a power struggle between the leaders of Sudan’s regular army and rival group the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“People in Khartoum, particularly in Omdurman where I live, are finding it difficult to find clean water and food - even

cash to buy things - there are no banks or any money institutes from which to get money,” Osman told the BBC World Service’s OS programme.

He said he could still hear explosions and gun fire, with military planes in the air, although it was quieter than before the ceasefire.

“It is difficult for us to sleep. We are scared. The children are scared because there are large explosions and bullets around us. We lay on the ground. But honestly the last few days the situation has got better.

“The first three days we couldn’t do anything. All the time we were lying on the ground because of the explosions.”

He said there were several checkpoints, manned by both sides in the conflict, but fewer than in recent days, as some troops

have withdrawn from his local area.

“I learned from other sources that they have reported to another area of Omdurman,” he added.

Osman said both warring factions were claiming they control important places like airports and army headquarters. There is no internet access and phone lines are poor, he added.

“I have been reporting for several years - I covered protests, the coup, the civil wars, I was in Darfur. But for me this is the most difficult situation because there is death all around everywhere.”

“The most difficult thing is to clarify what is going on because we do not know the truth,” he added. “There is no third party to clarify what is going on.”

Source: BBC

OACPS Secretary General, Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti

Nigerian Ambassador to Belgium, Obinna Chiedu Onowu

N ews from A fric A

Ukraine’s Zelensky holds first war phone call with China’s Xi

Ukraine’s Volodymr Zelensky says he has had a “long and meaningful” phone call with China’s Xi Jinping, their first contact since Russia’s war began.

He said on Twitter he believed the call, along with the appointment of an ambassador to Beijing, would “give a powerful impetus to the development of our bilateral relations”.

China confirmed the call, adding that it “always stood on the side of peace”.

Unlike the West, Beijing has sought to appear neutral on the Russian invasion.

But it has never hidden its close ties to Moscow, or condemned the invasion, and last month President Xi paid a two-day state visit to Russia.

He referred to President Vladimir Putin as his “dear friend”, proposed a vague 12-point peace plan and insisted that China stood on the right side of history.

However, he made no commitment to providing Russia with weapons.

Within days of the visit, President Zelensky invited the Chinese leader to visit Kyiv for talks, noting they had contact before the full-scale war but nothing since it began in February 2022.

In a readout of Wednesday’s phone call, China quoted President Xi as saying that China, “as a responsible majority country”, would “neither watch the fire from the other side, nor add fuel to the fire, let alone take advantage of the crisis to profit”.

That statement appeared to be a swipe at China’s biggest international rival, the US, which has provided the most help towards Ukraine’s response to the Russian war.

White House spokesman John Kirby welcomed the phone call as “a good thing”

but said it was too early to know whether it would lead to “some sort of meaningful peace movement, or plan or proposal”.

The likelihood of China helping to end the war appears remote, not just because Russia has shown no readiness to withdraw its forces from Ukraine’s sovereign territory. It is a key demand from Kyiv that President Zelensky reiterated: “There can be no peace at the expense of territorial compromises.”

Critics have also questioned the idea of Beijing acting as a mediator, citing not only Mr Xi’s firm friendship with Russia’s leader but also China’s soaring trade with Russia and its refusal even to speak of an “invasion”.

Kenji Nagai: Missing

Itis an image etched in Myanmar’s collective memory of repression and loss: a middle-aged man holding a camera, lifted off his feet by a shot fired by a soldier at point-blank range as protesters flee in panic. He rolls onto his back, fatally wounded, still holding his camera up in one hand. A Reuters photographer would later win a Pulitzer prize for capturing that moment.

The man was Kenji Nagai, a veteran Japanese video journalist. He was killed on 27 September 2007, at the height of the so-called Saffron Revolution, mass protests led by Buddhist monks in several cities in Myanmar against a military regime which had ruled for 45 years and run the economy into the ground.

His camera, missing for 16 years, has now resurfaced, bringing some closure to his family who flew to Bangkok this week to receive it.

“I think my brother threw himself right into the turmoil of the Saffron Revolution, convinced he could help Myanmar by letting the world know what was happening,” his sister Noriko says.

“I don’t think of him as a hero even though he lost his life. I would prefer people to remember him as a journalist who was willing to keep fighting.”

A warning - this story contains the Pulitzerwinning photograph of Kenji Nagai moments after he was shot.

By the time Nagai, who was on assignment for the AFP, arrived in Myanmar the protests had been going on for six weeks, the first significant challenge to military rule for nearly 20 years.

They had escalated in early September when monks across the country, reacting to the assault of monks by soldiers in the town of Pakkoku, had turned their bowls upside down and refused to take alms from military personnel - a powerful act of defiance.

It had caught the government off-guard, but by late September the army was already using force extensively to crush the movement, raiding monasteries and beating dissident monks.

On 27 September, a large crowd gathered near the historic Sule Pagoda in central Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial hub. And Nagai - in shorts and flip-flops - was milling among them holding up a video camera. He was a pioneer of one-person videography - today we would call him a news vlogger - using small, hand-held cameras to film himself and what he saw around him.

In the video he took that day, seen now for the first time, Nagai records the moment trucks full of soldiers appear at Sule Pagoda. Speaking to his camera, he says: “The army has just arrived, and

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman

Maria Zakharova said Moscow saw “broad concord” with China’s approach but said the main barrier was Kyiv’s “unrealistic demands”. Moscow’s own demands include recognition of its annexation of swathes of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which was invaded in 2014.

China’s 12-point plan to end the war has been widely criticised by Ukraine and the West. It fails to offer clear plans for Ukraine’s future security or for territory seized by Russia and includes a proposal for unilateral sanctions to be dropped.

And yet Wednesday’s hour-long call did not come as a complete surprise.

Earlier this month, European Commission

chief Ursula von der Leyen said that Mr Xi had spoken of his willingness to talk to Ukraine’s leader when the “conditions and time are right”. She had joined French President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to Beijing.

President Zelensky has repeatedly reached out to the Chinese president, an acknowledgement that China’s vast wealth and global influence could swing the outcome of the war.

In its readout of the call, Beijing announced its willingness to engage directly with Ukraine, by sending a special representative on Eurasian affairs to Kyiv and other capitals for “in-depth communication” on a political settlement.

For his part, Mr Zelensky appointed a former minister, Pavlo Ryabikin, as ambassador to Beijing.

Xi Jinping has had recent diplomatic success by persuading Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties. While it is possible he may have developed a taste for the role of a key international stakeholder, there may also be an economic element to his intervention.

China’s flagging economy is still fragile after years of tight Covid-19 restrictions. It is dependent on export trade and cannot fully bounce back as the war in Ukraine drags on.

News of the phone-call made headline news in China’s carefully controlled state media outlets, which printed China’s interpretation of the call.

On Chinese social media sites, users appeared supportive, with many calling for peaceful dialogue and supporting what they saw as China acting like a responsible country.

“China must break the deadlock and melt the ice!” read one typical comment

reveals journalist’s last moments in Myanmar

It invited Noriko to Bangkok to see that video for the first time - and to take her brother’s camera home with her.

Shawn Crispin, the South East Asia representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists, who was at the handover of the camera, accused the government in Japan of failing to push hard enough to reveal the truth about Nagai’s death.

“The Japanese government has implicitly helped to cover up the circumstances of Kenji Nagai’s murder by not revealing the results of its own autopsy. It has shamefully prioritised maintaining good diplomatic relations and strong commercial ties with Myanmar’s generals over pursuing justice for Kenji Nagai,” he said.

The Saffron Revolution lasted for less than two months, but was significant at the time. Despite the overwhelming repression ever since the military brutally crushed an uprising against its rule in 1988, the people of Myanmar showed they were willing to risk their lives to express their yearning for change.

But a whirlwind of dramatic events quickly eclipsed it.

The following year a devastating cyclone killed at least 150,000 people. Paranoid about foreign interference, the military government was slow to accept international aid.

Two years later, it held the first election in 20 years. The military’s own party was guaranteed to win when the National League for Democracy led by detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi boycotted it.

they are heavily armed. Yet more people are still gathering in front of the pagoda.”

It is the last thing he says. Shortly after that his video stops.

Other journalists, filming from the pedestrian footbridges above Sule Pagoda road, captured what happened next. A volley of tear gas and shots sends protesters running for their lives. Then a single shot rings out, and Nagai is thrown to the ground.

“The police and soldiers formed three lines on the Sule Pagoda side of the road,” recalls Myint Yee, a young Burmese journalist who was also filming from the bridge.

“At that point I saw Kenji Nagai filming the security forces from close up. I thought he was very bold. I heard the first shots, which were fired into the air. Then the soldiers marched into the crowd and started beating them. Mr Nagai was there. I heard a gunshot and saw him fall down. After that I could see no movement.”

Soldiers are then seen carrying the journalist’s

body away. There is no sign of his camera, which he was still gripping as he went down. When his body was returned to Japan 10 days later with some of his possessions, the camera was not among them.

Nagai’s family and the Japanese government demanded an investigation. But the then-military government claimed he had been killed by a stray bullet. The family also asked for an apology.

Sixteen years later, and after the death of his mother, his sister Noriko is still waiting. She also kept asking for the camera he had been holding when he was killed, of which the family made a model to place on his grave in his hometown of Imabari.

What happened to the camera is unclear. But eventually the dissident news organisation Democratic Voice of Burma, some of whose journalists were also covering the protests on that day, managed to track the camera down, and extract the tape inside, so that Nagai’s final video work could be preserved.

The US dismissed the election as “totally illegitimate and without meaning”. Yet within days Ms Suu Kyi would be released from house arrest, followed by thousands more prisoners in the next two years. It was a remarkable and unexpected democratic opening that lasted until the 2021 coup, giving the Burmese their first real hope of better and freer lives in half a century.

Many observers believed it was in part the shock of seeing so many rise up in anger during the Saffron Revolution that persuaded Myanmar’s military rulers to relax their hold on power, and cut a deal with their nemesis Ms Suu Kyi.

Yet when the generals brought the democratic experiment to a crashing halt with their coup two years ago, memories of Kenji Nagai, and all the others gunned down in the Saffron Revolution, told the Burmese people what to expect when, once again, they came out in protest.

Source: BBC

President Xi has never condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

camera

Kenji Nagai kept filming as he lay fatally injured after being shot by a Burmese soldier

NTCA advocates for sustainable tobacco control funding

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance( NTCA) has advocated for a sustainable tobacco control funding.

The group made the disclosure recently during an inaugurate meeting of the National Tobacco Control Budget Advocates (NATOBA) in Abuja.

The group was inaugurated with the mandate to advocate for improved and sustained funding for tobacco control activities in the country.

The 2023 Appropriation Act makes provision for the sum of ₦4.7 million for the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act, 2015 and its Regulations of 2019.

This amount is a 50% drop from the 2022 allocation. The unfortunate slash in the tobacco control budget has been greeted with dissatisfaction by the tobacco control community.

Tobacco kills over 8 million people globally, and in Nigeria, tobacco use is responsible for the loss of over 28, 000 lives annually.

In the face of this public health challenge, tobacco control measures designed to deal with the menace are grossly underfunded by the Federal government.

Members of the group are drawn from civil society and the media, they will vigorously engage the FG to ensure that tobacco control budgeting is prioritized and improved upon.

My continent is not your giant climate laboratory

Several environmentalists last year presented Africa’s leading climate negotiators with a bold idea: A technology called solar geoengineering could protect their countries from the worst effects of climate change, they said. While insisting they were impartial, representatives from the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative said that these technologies, which claim to be able to reengineer the climate itself, either by dimming the sun’s rays or reflecting sunlight away from the earth, could quickly and cheaply turn the tide of dangerously rising temperatures — and that poor countries might have the most to gain.

It wasn’t the first time Westerners have tried to persuade Africans that solar engineering projects may be in our best interest. And it won’t be the last. In May, another international nonprofit, the Climate Overshoot Commission, headquartered in Paris, is hosting an event in Nairobi to help drum up support for research on solar geoengineering and other related technologies it says could be helpful in reducing risks when the world exceeds its global warming targets.

As a climate expert, I consider these environmental manipulation techniques extremely risky. And as an African climate expert, I strongly object to the idea that Africa should be turned into a testing ground for their use. Even if solar geoengineering can help deflect heat and improve weather conditions on the ground — a prospect that is unproven on any relevant scale — it’s not a long-term solution to climate change. It sends a message to the world that we can carry on over-consuming and polluting because we will be able to engineer our way out of the problem.

The solar engineering technology

attracting the most attention would use balloons or aircraft to spray large quantities of aerosols — tiny particles of, for example, sulfur dioxide or engineered nanoparticles — into the stratosphere to dim the sunlight. It’s called solar radiation management and it’s highly speculative.Without using the whole earth as a laboratory, it’s impossible to know whether it would dim anything, let alone how it would affect ecosystems, people and the global climate.

Other proposed techniques include covering deserts with plastic; genetically engineering plants to have brighter, more reflective leaves; creating or making clouds whiter; and deploying millions of mirrors in space. The point of all of them is to counter warming by reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the planet and reflecting it back to the stratosphere.

Africa is already suffering the effects of climate change, such as drought, floods and erratic weather. And while geoengineering advocates see these technologies as a solution to such problems, the technologies run the danger of upsetting local and regional weather patterns — intensifying drought or flooding, for example, or disrupting monsoon cycles. And the long-term impact on regional climate and seasons is still largely unknown. Millions, perhaps billions, of people’s livelihoods could be undermined.

These technologies would also theoretically need to be deployed essentially forever to keep warming at bay. Stopping would unleash the suppressed warming of the carbon dioxide still accumulating in the atmosphere in a temperature spike known as “termination shock.” One study found that the temperature change after ending

solar radiation management could be up to four times as large as what’s being caused by climate change itself.

The other risk is that geoengineering will divert attention and investments from building renewable energy and other climate solutions in Africa. The continent has received only 2 percent of global investments in renewable energy in the last two decades, and the lack of access to capital is perhaps the biggest obstacle for countries that would like to cut down on fossil fuels.

Funding does not seem to be a problem for geoengineering researchers, however, particularly those in the United States. The Harvard Solar Geoengineering Research Program has been expanding rapidly, supported by Bill Gates and philanthropists from Silicon Valley, while George Soros recently announced his intention to back solar geoengineering projects in the Arctic. The University of Chicago has also this month announced the creation of the Climate Systems Engineering Initiative to partner with national labs to explore these and other strategies.

But should we even be studying geoengineering at all? More than 400 senior climate scientists and scholars from around the world have called for an International Non-Use Agreement on Solar Geoengineering. If it goes before the United Nations, it could result in a ban on real-world research on this technology.

Regardless, advocates have tried to entice African governments by offering to fund research projects, claiming that more research will shed more light on the dangers and benefits of the technology. One such organization, the Degrees Initiative, says its mission is to put “developing countries at

the center” of the discussion around solar radiation management. But this just appears to be a way of trying to make Africa a test case for an unproven technology. Indeed more studies into this hypothetical solution look like steps toward development and a slippery slope to eventual deployment.

A striking example of rogue solar geoengineering is the case of the American start-up Make Sunsets, which recently launched balloons from Mexico to inject sulfur into the atmosphere with the claim this would offset carbon emissions. Data on the balloons’ final location, what happened with the released particles and any impact on warming were never made public.

The Mexican government was unaware of the exercise until after the fact, at which point officials swiftly announced a ban on solar geoengineering activities. The decision to test the technology without permission or notice was reckless, and the decision to do it in Latin America echoed some of the worst aspects of colonialism.

African nations should strongly resist letting their territories be used for experimental exercises like this. And they must join efforts to strengthen the de facto moratorium (under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity) on the development and deployment of these technologies. The technologies are potentially dangerous, and a major distraction from the real change that we all know wealthier nations need to make if we have a hope of outrunning climate devastation.

Source: Chukwumerije Okereke is director of the Center for Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Nigeria.

L:R-Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mustapha Habib Ahmed with the Nigerian Ambassador to Egypt Amb Nura Rimi , after a meeting with the Ambassador on the reception preparation for Nigerians that are being moved from Sudan to Egypt before airlifting to Nigeria.

Buying banknotes to survive Zimbabwe’s sky-high inflation

“Everyone finds selling on the streets the easiest way to survive, but you have to be creative.”

Noel Ngwenya, 44, from Chivi District of Masvingo Province spends his working days in downtown Bulawayo, the country’s second largest city, with a loudhailer advertising a unique service.

He collects torn or soiled foreign currency notes that have been rejected by supermarkets and other traders - mostly US dollars or South African rand, which are both legal tender in Zimbabwe.

Mr Ngwenya pays his clients 50% of the value of whichever note they bring - so they get $1 for a torn $2 note or 100 rand for a torn 200 rand note.

“Things are worse after Covid-19, it’s like everyone is now on the road selling something since there is almost no formal employment in the industries,” he says.

Zimbabwe’s rate of inflation has been falling since August 2022 when it hit a staggering 285%. However, in March this year it was still running at 87.6%, forcing Zimbabweans to find creative ways to survive.

A recent International Labour Organization Harare report says 76% of employment in Zimbabwe is now in the informal sector, in other words, selling goods or services without registering with the authorities.

The informal economy, massive bank charges and distrust of the banking sector mean Zimbabweans prefer to deal in cash or mobile money.

Mr Ngwenya describes himself as an agent for middlemen who have contacts in the US, South Africa or local banks, where they exchange the torn or soiled cash for good notes. They provide him with an operating float each time they pick up the torn notes and pay him a commission.

A married father-of-five, Mr Ngwenya supplements his unpredictable trade by selling fruit and roasted corn on the side. “Things used to be good but these days business is slow,” he says. “Sometimes you can be lucky and have someone bring you a torn $100, some days you have to make do with the $1 and $2 notes.”

Decades of corruption and economic woes have led to the deterioration of the national and inner city road infrastructure. This presents an opportunity for

Mayibongwe Khumalo, 25, from Cowdray Park, a sprawling suburb about 25km (15 miles) west of Bulawayo.

He is one of many people who patch up potholes around the city in return for small change from grateful or sympathetic motorists.

“We fill up potholes because we see them inconveniencing drivers. I’m broke and I wish I could get money but I don’t want to beg like a blind man,” Mr Khumalo explains.

“We have so many blind people in Bulawayo that motorists are no longer touched by their plight. I am an ablebodied person and no one is going to throw money at me.

“I believe by fixing the roads, those who see value in what I’m doing will give me something. On a good day, like today, I’ve made $9 (£7) and 100 rand ($6; £4) and hundreds of Zimbabwe dollars (ZWL$).

“It means I won’t go back home to my family empty-handed. My three children and wife are able to get by and tomorrow is another day.”

Mr Khumalo has worked as a minibus driver and a tout and occasionally dabbles in music as a backing dancer for a popular musician who performs tjibilika - fastpaced music influenced by Congolese rumba, accompanying songs about social issues.

Of Zimbabwe’s estimated 5.2 million traders in the informal economy, 65% are women. The government wants to formalise this growing sector of the economy as part of a national strategy to increase tax revenues. It is clamping down on small businesses, sending law

enforcement officers to inspect trading licences and fine those who are noncompliant.

Sukoluhle Christine Malima, 36, runs a restaurant in an old caravan trailer at a public transport terminus in Bulawayo. She says it’s impossible to save enough money to register as a business, so she is often forced to pay $4 fines.

“My plan is to raise money for my trading licence but the constant arrests and increased competition have made things harder. Each time you set aside some cash, the police come to check for licences and you have to pay the inevitable fine.”

Ms Malima sells Sadza, porridge made from maize “mealie meal” or millet, and a piece of chicken stew for $1 per plate to minibus drivers and other vendors.

“I buy a broiler chicken for $6 and cut into 12 pieces which produces 12 plates of Sadza and chicken, giving me $12 per day. From there I deduct $1 for mealie meal, $1.50 for cooking oil and another $1.50 for tomatoes and onions, so my profit is around $2 or $1.50 per day, which I try and save for my licence. But then the police come again and I am back to square one.”

Ms Malima’s frustrations are shared by Mercy Tafirenyika, 51, who has been designing and sewing nurses’ uniforms in Bulawayo’s central business district since 1999.

She says competition is increasing as other people turn to tailoring to earn extra money. The country’s worsening power cuts are reducing the number of hours she can work and the cost of raw materials is increasing.

Ms Tafirenyika operates out of a block of flats that has been converted into offices and shops for small businesses and sole traders. She says her business is registered and tax compliant, but Bulawayo City Council has told her shop licences are not valid in a flat, and she can’t afford to relocate.

“Earlier today, I was away at a funeral and the police picked up one of the ladies that I work with and demanded a ZWL$28,000 ($28; £22) fine in lieu of the shop licence.

“What bothers me is that they do not co-operate. Last time they were here I asked them to tell me what licence exactly they wanted, but instead of answering me they became aggressive and took me to the police station where I paid another fine.

“I am not trying to disobey the law, I simply want clarity on the licence issue but no one seems to give us satisfactory answers.”

Ms Tafirenyika doesn’t know what the future holds. As the struggle to survive gets harder, driven by sky-high inflation, the cost-of-living crisis and widespread unemployment, many Zimbabweans are increasingly despairing.

As the popular saying on Zimbabwean social media puts it: “The Zimbabwean dream is to leave Zimbabwe.”

Source: BBC

Noel Ngwenya exchanges damaged foreign currency notes for 50% of their value as well as selling fruit

Grateful or sympathetic motorists pay Mayibongwe Khumalo to fill in potholes

“

Sukoluhle Christine Malima, 36, runs a restaurant in an old caravan trailer at a public transport terminus in Bulawayo. She says it’s impossible to save enough money to register as a business, so she is often forced to pay $4 fines.

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YUSUF

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SANI

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3. UCHE EJIKE CHRIS.

4. OKEKE OKECHUKWU JUDE.

5. OBIESIE PETER ONYEDIKA.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1.TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE AND INTEREST OF MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE OLD NAME : SADO’S FAMILY UNION CAC/IT/193898.

THE NEW NAME : SADO FAMILY UNION THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF INCORPORATED TRUSTEE NAME (IT) AND APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEE UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE :

1. SADO MICHAEL ESHIOGIEMHE – CHAIRMAN (REATINED)

2. SADOH MARTINS – SECRETARY (REATINED)

3. SADO CHARLES OGIAGA (REATINED)

4. SADO ONOBUMHE COSMAS (REATINED)

5. SADO MACAULAY ADENOMOH (REATINED)

6. IGBAIFUA JOAN ELEWO (REATINED)

7. SADO CHARLES OKHUMHODE (REATINED)

THE NEW APPOINTED TRUSTEES ARE :

1. SADO GODWIN ODEGIE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

DOMAIN OF LIGHT CHURCH

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1.OREMU STEPHEN OGHENEVWARE -TRUSTEE /CHAIRMAN

2.UKOMEH KELVIN TORITSEJU - TRUSTEE /SECRETARY

3.OREMU BERNICE ENITE - TRUSTEE

4.OSUO EBIERE WENDY - TRUSTEE

5.AVWARORO ONORIODE DORIS - TRUSTEE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL NATIONS WORLD WILD.

2.TO ESTABLISH LOCAL BRANCHES FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL WORLDWIDE.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

IN THE EARLY HOURS OF FRIDAY, 10TH JUNE 2022, A NEW BORN BABY GIRL WAS FOUND BY THE BUSHES SURROUNDING PENCAN ESTATE IN MASAKA, KARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NASSARAWA STATE.

THIS NOTICE IS TO INVITE ANY PERSON/ PERSONS WHO DROPPED THE BABY OR WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THE BABY TO COME FORWARD TO THE MASAKA POLICE STATION IN MASAKA OR CALL 08039488627, 08032737563. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNEDAND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

PILGRIM OF THE EARTH MINISTRY INT’L, CAC/IT/NO: 96827.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REMOVAL AND APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES, REMOVAL AND APPOINTMENT OF SECRETARY, REMOVAL AND APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN AND AMENDED OF ARTICLE

4 (CLAUSE 2) UNDER PART F OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO.1 OF 2020.

THE RETAINED TRUSTEE IS:

1.ADEDOKUN ADEJOKE ADEDAYO

THE REMOVED TRUSTEES ARE:

1. AKINSADE CHARLES ADEEKO

2. AJAYI SUNDAY

THE APPOINTED TRUSTEES ARE:

1. WIWOLOKU VIVIAN OLUSOLA OMOLOLU

2. WIWOLOKU MODUPE NANCY

THE REMOVED CHAIRMAN IS:

1.AKINSADE CHARLES ADEEKO

THE APPOINTED CHAIRMAN IS:

1.WIWOLOKU VIVIAN OLUSOLA OMOLOLU

THE REMOVED SECRETARY IS:

1.AJAYI SUNDAY

THE APPOINTED SECRETARY IS:

1.WIWOLOKU MODUPE NANCY

AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE 4 (CLAUSE 2) TRUSTEES

THAT SUCH TRUSTEE SHALL BE MINIMUM OF 2 AND MAXIMUM OF 15 IN NUMBERS.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS ADDITION OF TRUSTEE SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED BY BARR. VICTOR AGUGOESI 08035757908.

PUBLIC NOTICE

NURU ONIWO RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION (NORA)

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, (CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1.EKEIGBO CHIJIOKE MAXIMUS - CHAIRMAN

2.WILLIAMS SILIFAT ABAKE - SECRETARY

3.LAWAL AKINWUNMI MOHAMMED - TRUSTEE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO PROMOTE A SECURE, DECENT, PEACEFUL AND ORDERLY ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE RESIDENTS OF NURU ONIWO STREET

2. TO MAKE RULES AND REGULATIONS IN THE INTEREST OF ASSOCIATION OF NORA

3. TO PROVIDE FOR THE HOLDING OF SPORTING EVENTS, LECTURES, EXHIBITIONS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLASSES AND CONFERENCES AIMED AT ENHANCING AND UPLIFTING THE MEMBERS

4. TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ESTATE PARTICULARLY IN AREAS OF RECREATION, SAFETY AND SECURITY

5. TO CARRY OUT INVESTIGATIONS OR SURVEYS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THE PROPER DEVELOPMENT OR REHABILITATION OF THE ESTATE. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

MISSING PERSON

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT EMMANUEL OVIE OBAZEE THAT I IMADE IKPONMWONSA HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR MY HUSBAND EMMANUEL OVIE OBAZEE WHO RELOCATED TO NIGERIA SOMETIME AFTER JUNE 2012. EMMANUEL OVIE OBAZEE KINDLY CONTACT ME ON MY EMAIL ADDRESS: GIFTIKPONMWONSA@YAHOO.COM OR ANYONE WITH VITAL INFORMATION SHOULD PLEASE SEND THE INFORMATION TO THE AFOREMENTIONED EMAIL.

ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

PUBLIC NOTICE

LORETTA CHARACTER, CAPACITY AND COMPETENCE INITIATIVE

THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (C.A.C) FOR REGISTRATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT. 2020

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1. DR. LORETTA ODUWARE OGBORO-OKOR

2.EVANGELIST GLADYS OSAMUYIMEN OGBEIDE

3.MR. MARK GIWA-AMU

4.BARR. (MRS) OMOEFE SIAKPERE

5.MR. ODUAGBON EDDISON ERHAIGHEWU

6. DR. ANTHONY OSAKPAMWAN AGBONASEVBAEFE

7.ENGR EHIMEN USIESI IKHELOA

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:

1. TO CREATE AN INITIATIVE THAT CUTS ACROSS ALL GENERATIONS, GENDER AND SOCIAL STRATA IN EDO STATE AND BY EXTENSION IN NIGERIA, WHERE OUR SOCIETY ACTIVELY PROPAGATES AS WELL AS CELEBRATES A CULTURE OF CHARACTER, CAPACITY, COMPETENCE AND A TRACK RECORD OF EXCELLENCE.

2. TO GROW A NEW CROP OF LEADERS IN EDO STATE WHO WILL BE COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING CHARACTER, CAPACITY AND COMPETENCE IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE ANY OBJECTION THEREFORE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRARGENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: PHILIP OKOGIE ESQ. SOLICITOR

PUBLIC NOTICE

FRUIT OF THE WOMB SUPPORT FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1.

2 AKINSANYA TEJUMADE OLAPEJU - SECRETARY

3. FATIMAT OSENI ABIMBOLA - TRUSTEE

4. AKUT TALATU MIRIAM - TRUSTEE

5. OGUN OMOLADE ADEDOYIN - TRUSTEE

6. ADEBUTU KOFOWOROLA AMINAT - TRUSTEE

7. AKINSANYA OMOBOLAJI IBRAHIM - TRUSTEE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO SUPPORT INDIGENT FAMILIES WITH FERTILITY ISSUES THROUGH TOPNOTCH MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.

2. TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ASSISTED CONCEPTION SUCH AS IVF AND IUI, FOR FAMILIES WITH LOW INCOME.

3. TO IMPROVE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES WITH LOW INCOME.

4. TO CONTRIBUTE TO A BALANCED SOCIETY BY SUPPORTING FAMILIES THROUGH FERTILITY AND CHILDBEARING DIFFICULTIES.

5. TO WORK WITH PREMIUM HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN PROVIDING OBSTETRICS COUNSELLING TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN NEED.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PRAYERFUL YOUTHS & CARE FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. AMAJUOYI FELIX UGOCHUKWU - CHAIRMAN

2. AMAJUOYI IJEOMA SUSAN

3. IWUCHUKWU CHARLES CHINEDU - SECRETARY

4. ARIKPO GOSPEL DAVID

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO CREATE AVENUE FOR SKILL ACQUISITION AND EMPOWERMENT FOR THE YOUTHS

2. TO ENGAGE YOUTHS PRAYERFULLY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WITH MEANINGFUL OF ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITIES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

FIBI

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE FIBI IBRAHIM NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS FIBI IBRAHIM JIYA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTHDAY

I, ISMAILIA JAMIU ONIMISI, HEREBY DECLARE THAT DURING MY NIN REGISTRATION /ENROLLMENT, MY DATE OF BIRTH WAS MISTAKENLY/WRONGLY CAPTURED AS 18/05/1996 INSTEAD OF 20/05/1992. THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND AUTHORITIES CONCERNED SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

AUWALU

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE AUWAL HARUNA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AUWALU HARUNA USAINI, CORRECT DATE OF BIRTH IS 09/10/1997. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INAM WILSON 5TH FLOOR, THE OCTAGON, 13A A.J. MARINHO DRIVE, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.

THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 2020 LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA PRIVATE COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES NOTICE OF FINAL GENERAL MEETING OF SVENSKA NIGERIA DEEPWATER LIMITED RC: 639349 (VOLUNTARY WINDING-UP)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT PURSUANT TO SECTION 631 (2) OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 2020, LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, THE FINAL GENERAL MEETING OF SVENSKA NIGERIA DEEPWATER LIMITED WITH RC NO: 639349 (THE “COMPANY”) WILL BE HELD AT 4TH FLOOR, THE OCTAGON, 13A A.J MARINHO DRIVE, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS ON THE 2ND JUNE 2023 AT 9:00 AM FOR THE PURPOSES OF LAYING BEFORE THE MEETING THE FINAL ACCOUNTS OF THE COMPANY AND GIVING ANY EXPLANATION THEREOF.

DATED THIS 26TH DAY OF APRIL 2023

INAM WILSON LIQUIDATOR

A MEMBER ENTITLED TO ATTEND AND VOTE AT THE MEETING CONVENED BY THIS NOTICE IS ENTITLED TO APPOINT A PROXY TO ATTEND AND VOTE IN ITS PLACE. A PROXY NEED NOT BE A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

SARUMI IGBETI G.S.M MARKETERS AND REPAIRERS ASSOCIATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1.SANNI AWAL - CHAIRMAN

2. GARBA SANI - SECRETARY

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO PROMOTE PEACE AND UNITY AMONG MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION IN THE COMMUNITY.

2. TO RAISE HELP FOR MEMBERS WHO MAY BE IN NEED OR IN CASES OF EMERGENCY.

3. TO REGULARISE PRICES OF PRODUCTS IN OUR MARKETS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : AB DARA & ASSOCIATES 08037384441.

PEOPLES DAILY , THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2023

By Albert Akota

Five-time world champions Nigeria are scheduled to arrive in the Algerian city of Constantine on Sunday night for their final preparations for this year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations.

Following complications that arose in the process of securing entry visa into Germany for a planned final training camp in that country, the Nigeria Football Federation opted to send the squad earlier to Algeria for the final buildup, and Constantine, the renown city where the Eaglets will play Morocco, Zambia and South Africa in Group B, is the choice.

The wards of FIFA Cadet World Cup -winning captain, Nduka Ugbade, swept all before them to win the WAFU B U17 Championship in Cape Coast, Ghana 10 months ago, and have put on display tremendous firepower in their preparations for the continental showpiece.

After resuming camp midMarch following the break for the general elections, the Eaglets played 12 friendly matches at their NFF/FIFA Goal Project, Abuja base, winning 11 of the matches and drawing the other one. They scored a total of 66 goals and conceded 14.

“We are going to Algeria with confidence but with level heads. We’re the champions of WAFU B, but in essence, nothing has been won.

What matters now are winning a ticket to the FIFA World Cup and winning the Africa Cup. I believe we have the boys to do the job,” Ugbade said before the team left Nigeria on Sunday.

Nigeria will launch her campaign for honours at the 12-team continental championship on Sunday next week, against Zambia at the 22,000 -capacity Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui. They will then take on Morocco and South Africa in other matches in Group B.

The top four-placed teams in Algeria will qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA U17 World Cup finals scheduled for later this year.

THE 26 PLAYERS IN ALGERIA: Richard Odoh (HB Football

Algeria 2023: Confident Golden Eaglets arrive in Constantine

Academy)

Yahaya Danjuma Lawali (Mahanaim FC)

Emmanuel Michael (Simon Ben Football Academy)

Haruna Abdullahi (Kurfi Tigers Academy)

Tochukwu Joseph Ogboji (Purple Crown Academy)

Jeremiah Oluwaseyi Olaleke (Ablaze Football Academy)

Umar Abubakar (Devine Football Academy)

Abubakar Idris Abdullahi (Jega United)

Precious Tonye Williams (HB Football Academy)

Ifeoluwa Adewale

Olowoporoku (Triple 44 Academy)

Charles Adah Agada (Mavlon FC)

Hope Yusuf Linus (E.E. Sporting Club)

Jubril Opeyemi Azeez (Right Vision Choice Academy)

Anongu Isaac Aondoakaa (FC Bathel Sporting)

Israel Nwachukwu Usulor (Real Sapphire FC)

Temiloluwa Oluwayimika

Adelakin (Box2Box Academy)

Simon Karshe Cletus (Mavlon FC)

Tochukwu Simeon Ogbadibo (Jossy United)

Light Chijioke Eke (C&C Football Academy)

Favour Oluwasegun Daniel

(G12 Football Academy)

Chijioke Julius Linus (Triple 44 Academy)

Quadri Oluwatobiloba Adewale (Nathaniel Boys FC)

Gift Ukeh Adie (Paul E Football Academy)

Musa Oluwaseyi Akinfenwa (Real Sapphire FC)

Usman Ajibola Owoyemi (Triple 44 Academy)

Matthew Awodi Kingsley (Brook House Academy)

Golden Eaglets players

Gusau decries report of meeting with referees from northern region

By Albert Akota

President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa

Gusau has denied a report going round the social media that he has held a meeting with football referees from the northern part of Nigeria ahead of upcoming elections into the Nigeria Referees Association.

“This report is most uncharitable because I was nowhere near the meeting that was said to have been held in Kano by the referees. I am the president of Nigeria Football and the father of all, and cannot engage in reductionism. If there has been any interaction at all with referees, it has

PUBLIC NOTICE

been with every one of them from across the length and breadth of the country, and with the noble intention of charging them to do their job professionally and to be morally upright in the discharge of their duties.

“I have no interest whatsoever in who becomes the President of the referees as long as the person is the choice of the majority. I understand that the referees from the northern zone had a similar meeting in Kano before the NRA elections in 2019. It is befuddling that so much ado is being made of their recent meeting.”

Gusau reiterated that referees are a key component of the process in the strategy to reposition the Nigeria League,

and their fair, professional and diligent performances will also go a long way in getting Nigerian arbiters back into reckoning for consideration for continental and global championships.

“My charge to all Nigerian referees is to be upright and professional in the discharge of their duties in the League, and the same for those who get appointments for continental events and global championship qualifiers.

We have the personnel with the capacity and sagacity to do much better than we are doing now in the refereeing world. It is all about being more diligent, working harder and working right, and being above board.”

S P R T CLASSIFIED

EGHOMWAN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE INTERNATIONAL

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REMOVAL AND APPOINTMENT OF NEWLY TRUSTEES UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1.ALBUSHRA ABDULRAHMAN AHMED - RETAINED

2.HAYE JOY OGHOGHO -RETAINED

3.IREDIA HENRY IYERE -REMOVED

4.IKHINMWIN OSAKPAMWAN JEFF - REMOVED

5.JOHNSON STELLA J - NEWLY APPOINTED

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE OLD NAME : THE SOLID ROCK CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION CAC/IT/NO 187988.

THE NEW NAME : NOAH’S ARK CHILDREN FOUNDATION.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF INCORPORATED TRUSTEE NAME (IT) UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. ELAWURE ESTHER ANN IYABO

2. OKOTIE FREDERICK KEWVE

3. OTA IROQUE ASEMOTA

4. FALEGON ERHUNMWUN EDMUND

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1.TO PROVIDE VALUABLE AND LIFE CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : AGBO BLESSING (MRS.).

PUBLIC NOTICE

IKHIROLO-EGBELE FAMILY DESCENDANTS INITIATIVE ASSOCIATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. IDIAKHEUA FESTUS - CHAIRMAN

2. IDIAKE PETER IKHINE- VICE CHAIRMAN

3. IDIAKHOA OSHOBO VICTOR - LEGAL ADVISER

4. IDIAKHEUA OMOGENFE EDISON- SECRETARY

5. IDIAKHEUA SANTOS- TREASURER

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO FOSTER UNITY AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS

2. TO CATER FOR THE WELFARE OF FAMILY MEMBERS

3. TO PROMOTE THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE FAMILY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

BENIN CLUB , CAC/IT/N. 474.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE :

1. MR. JAMES RICHARD VICTOR

2. MR. ARTHUR BROMAGE

3. JOHN HOWARD SPARROW

THE NEW TRUSTEES ARE :

1. CHIEF UDINYINWE SAM-ODIGHI IGBE

2. ENGR (DR) GREGORY OMOSIGHO ERO

3. CHIEF JOHN E.K ODIGIE-OYEGUN

4. SIR SOLOMON JAIYE OJEIKERE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

JONATHAN

KNOWN AS THE HANNATU JONATHAN FRANCIS NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS JONATHAN HANNATU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

WHEREAS the person whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date place stated in the said in the column. AND WHEREAS the person(s) whose name (s) and address(s) and relation(s) to the deceased are set out in the second column hereto has/have applied to the High Court of Justice, Nasarawa State for the grant of Letters of Administration of the Real and personal properties/estate of the said deceased.

NOTICE: IS HEREBY GIVEN that Letter of Administration (without will)will be granted to such applicant/applicants unless a “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT” the grant is file in this Registry within Twenty- One (21) days from the date hereof.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF NASARAWA STATE OF NIGERIA IN THE PROBATE DIVISION SCHEDULE

NAME OF DECEASED PERSON

Onyibe Peter James late of Lafia, Died on the 25th day of December, 2022 at Lafia

Audu Galadima late of Basa, Died on the 25th day of October, 2022 at Wamba

Ayikango Bako late of Lafia, Died on the 1st day of April, 2023 at Lafia

Asibi Mohammed Turaki late of Wamba, Died on the 27th day of January, 2022 at Doma

Adamu Alphonsus late of Lafia, Died on the 14th day of December, 2022 at Kaduna

Alade James Iyachi late of Doma, Died on the 15th day of December, 2022 at Amaku

Barnabas Talatu late of Lafia, Died on the 10th day of March, 2023 at Lafia

Ali Muhammed Shu’aibu late of Lafia, Died on the 25th day of May, 2022 at Lafia

Kwembe Margaret late of Lafia, Died on the 15th day of June, 2022 at Assakio

Regina Danbaba late of Akwanga, Died on the 8th day of February, 2019 at Minna

Ishaku Adah Rabo late of Nasarawa, Died on the 6th day of February, 2023 at Nasarawa.

Amodu Agya Julius late of Duduguru, Died on the 7th day of March, 2023 at Duduguru

Maikasuwa M. Shafa late of Akwanga, Died on the 21st day of March, 2023 at Keffi

Sodangi Adamu late of Keffi, Died on the 22nd day of August, 2022 at Keffi

Audi Bitrus Bawa Shillo late of Nasarawa, Died on the 27th day of July, 2021 at Nasarawa

Ali Adamu Jatau late of Wamba Died on the 17th day of October, 2021 at Bauchi

Danjuma Fatauchi late of Akwanga, Died on the 19th day of December, 2022 at Kwantu

Shafa Moses Paul late of Shabu Died on the 2nd day of November, 2022 at Lafia

Obuje Peter James late of Agbashi, Died on the 12th day of February, 2023 at Nasarawa

Mathew Titus Abashi late of Lafia, Died on the 4th day of February, 2023 at Abuja

Kaki Jibrin Usman late of Akwanga Died on the 11th day of July, 2022 at Akwanga

Barde Roland E. late of Lafia, Died on the 1st day of February, 2022 at JUTH

Mohammed Chidawa Adamu late of Keffi, Died on the 13th day of November, 2005 at Keffi

Abesson Ashim Irimiya late of Akwanga, Died on the 14th day of November, 2022 at Kaduna

Usman Ali late of Wamba, Died on the 30th day of June, 2022 at Wamba

Adamu Timothy Mohammed late of Lafia, Died on the 23rd day of October, 2022 at Abuja

NAME(S) AND ADDRESS (ES) OF APPLICANT(S)

Onyibe Sherifat Salami of Lafia the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Inusa Audu of Wamba the lawful Son of the said deceased.

Zakari Abdullahi Akyengo of Lafia the lawful Son of the said deceased

Mohammed Hadiza Turaki of Lafia the lawful Daughter of the said deceased.

Alphonsus Victoria of Lafia the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Alade Samuel & Victoria Alade both of Amaku the lawful Son & Daughter of the said deceased respectively.

Maga Awushi Barnabas of Lafia the lawful Daughter of the said deceased.

Muhammad Musa Liman of Lafia the lawful Son of the said deceased.

Chagba Joy Utuna of Lafia the lawful Daughter of the said deceased

Joseph Henry Idris of Akwanga the lawful Son of the said deceased

Ishaq Ramatu of Nasarawa he lawful Daugther of the said deceased

Amodu Jacob Abaka of Duduguru the lawful Son of the said deceased

Shafa Musa Maikasuwa of Akwanga the lawful Son of the said deceased

Adam Zainab Sodangi of Keffi the lawful Daughter of the said deceased.

Bitrus Dorathy of Nasarawa the lawful Daughter of the said deceased

Adamu Ahmed Jatau of Wamba the lawful Son of the said deceased

Janet Danjuma & Victor Fatouchi both of Akwanga the lawful Widow & Son of the said deceased respectively

Moses Joy Shafa of Lafia the lawful Daughter of the said deceased

Obuje Shagari James of Agbashi the lawful Brother of the said deceased.

Abashi Christiana Abashi of Lafia the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Jibrin Sunday Aaron of Akwanga, the lawful Son of the said deceased

Raymond A. Barde of Jos the lawful Brother of the said deceased.

Muhammad Yahaya Chidawa of Keffi the lawful Son of the said deceased.

Irimiya Nehemiah of Wasa the lawful Son of the said deceased

Jummai Yahaya of Wamba the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Musa Laitu of Lafia the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Nunkuchi Adamu Boyi late of Nunku-chu, Died on the 10th day of August 2017 at Suleja

Alkali Amos Dogo late of Garaku, Died on the 5th day of February, 2023 at Garaku

Ango Ibrahim late of Lafia, Died on the 3rd day of February, 2023 at Lafia

Anzaku Iliya late of Bukan Kwato, Died on the 4th day of February, 2023 at Lafia

Iyima Oyakodoka Dorcas late of Lafia, Died on the 23rd day of March, 2022 at Keana

Ibrahim Abdulwahab late of Shabu, Died on the 27th day of November, 2022 at Lafia

Saeed Murtala late of Lafia, Died on the 5th day of March, 2023 at Lafia

Dashok Malan Isaac late of Jibel, Died on the 18th day of November, 2022 at Jibiyal

Adamu Abile Audi late of Keffi, Died on the 30th day of January, 2023 at Keffi

Jacob Ovey Araku late of Ubbe, Akwanga, Died on the 13th day of May, 2019 at Makurdi

Kunfa Lohnan late of Akwanga, Died on the 2nd day of February, 2021 at Akwanga

Agah Sadiq Akwenyi late of Nasarawa, Died on the 18th day of August, 2022 at Nasarawa

Jatau Godiya Mari late of Lafia, Died on the 18th day of January, 2023 at Lafia

Abubakar Amina late of Lafia, Died on the 20th day of January, 2023 at Akwanga

Ikpor Justine Igbawua late of Kanje, Died on the 23rd day of December, 2022 at Kanje

Arikya Isa Abubakar late of Lafia, Died on the 5th day of November, 2021 at Lafia

Jacob Kudu Ekom late of Keffi, Died on the 8th day of January, 2023 at Keffi

Maryam Yusuf late of Akwanga, Died on the 16th day of February, 2023 at Akwanga

Madaki Saleh Haladu late of Lafia, Died on the 20th day of November, 2022 at Lafia

Micah Joseph late of Lafia, Died on the 23rd day of July, 2021 at Lafia

Abubakar Ahmed Doma late of Lafia, Died on the 13th day of October, 2019 at Enugu

Ibrahim Isiaka late of Lafia, Died on the 18th day of February, 2023 at Lafia

Solomon Akala Auwya late of Lafia, Died on the 1st day of April, 2018 at Lafia

Alaneme Fabian Uzukwu late of Karu, Died on the 14th day of August, 2018 at Mararaba

(Esther M. Ejeh. Esq.)

PROBATE REGISTRAR

NASARAWA STATE OF NIGERIA, LAFIA

PUBLIC NOTICE

Adamu Salamatu & Bashiru Adamu both of Nunku-Chu the lawful Widow & Son of the said deceased respectively

Bulus Sarah of Garaku the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Danjuma Aisha, Ango Jeremiah Ibrahim & Ango Moses Ibrahim all of Lafia the lawful Widow & Sons of the said deceased respectively.

Abdulhamid Iliya & Iliya Dahiru Anza both of Bukan Kwato the lawful Sons of the said deceased

Iyima Istifanus Idasho of Lafia the lawful Son of the said deceased

Ahmed Amina Alhassan of Shabu the lawful Widow of the said deceased

Haruna Amina of Lafia the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Longkyes Isaac Dashok of Jibel the lawful Son of the said deceased.

Adamu Sunday Friday & Adamu Christiana both of Keffi the lawful Son & Daughter of the said deceased respectively.

Araku Jacob Umbugadu of Ubbe the lawful Brother of the said deceased.

Comfort Kunfa Lohnan of Akwanga the lawful Daughter of the said deceased.

Agah Musa Akwenyi of Nasarawa the lawful Brother of the said deceased.

Godiya Ladi Jatau of Lafia the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Abubakar Sadiq Abubakar & Abubakar Muhammad Auwal both of Lafia the lawful Sons of the said deceased.

Ikpor Gabriel Ortyom & Victor Ikpor Saakuma both of Awe the lawful Sons of the said deceased.

Abubakar Mohammed Arikya, Hadiza Abuabakar, Abubakar Safiya & Abubakar Zainab Arikya All of Lafia the lawful Son & Daughters of the said deceased respectively. Jacob Juliana of Keffi the lawful Widow of the said deceased. Ladan Sunday Ponfa of Akwanga the lawful Widower of the said deceased.

Abdullahi Jamila Ubangari & Mohammed Ibrahim Baligye of Arikya the lawful Widow & Brother of the said deceased respectively. Joseph Elisha Dakaba of Lafia the lawful Brother of the said deceased.

Ahmed Abubakar Andoma & Abubakar Sadiq Abubakar both of Lafia the lawful Sons of the said deceased.

Ishaka Saidu & Ibrahim Abdulkarim Ishaka both of Lafia the lawful Sons of the said deceased.

Solomon Mercy of Lafia the lawful Widow of the said deceased.

Alaneme Toochukwu Hyacinth & Ukaeje Veronica Adannaya both of Karu the lawful Son & Daughter of the said deceased respectively.

PUBLIC NOTICE

HUMAX SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Svenska Nigeria exploration and production limited –Rc 618208 Notice of correction of publication

The board of directors of svenska Nigeria exploration and production limited (the “company”) wishes to notify the general public of the erroneous publication of the following documents in the underlisted national newspapers as part of a winding up process:

1. Notice of final general meeting of the company, dated 7 march 2023, and published on 9 march 2023, in westafrica businessnews and peoples daily.

2. Notice of appointment of liquidator of the company, dated 31 january 2023, and published on 7 february 2023, in blueprint newspaper and westafrica busnessneews.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF ORIGINAL CONVEYANCE OF PROVISIONAL APPROVAL LETTER, (OFFER LETTER) IN RESPECT OF PLOT NO. 145, OF ABOUT. 900SQM, IN DISTRICT

WITH ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS.

4. TO PROMOTE AND FOSTER EMERGENCY AND RELIEF RESPONSES IN COMMUNITIES.

5. TO HELP TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES THROUGH POVERTY ALLEVIATION INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND EMPOWERS COMMUNITY DWELLERS WITH DEVELOPMENT TOOLS INCLUDING TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR IMPROVED, WHOLESOME AND MEANINGFUL LIVES.

6. TO PROMOTE THE CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE AMONGST COMMUNITIES.

7. TO ENGAGE IN WORKS OF CHARITY BY ESTABLISHING WELFARE AMENITIES SUCH AS SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, ORPHANAGES AND VOCATIONAL CENTERS TO ASSIST POOR AND LESS PRIVILEGED.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-

GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS

PUBLICATION SIGNED: CHAIRMAN

The company hereby uses this medium to correct the above referenced publication and state unequivocally that the company is not in liquidation, nor does it seek to commence a winding up process.

Further to the above, the general public is hereby advised to disregard any document or information purporting to wind up the company, as same is incorrect.

The company is indeed a going concern, legally registered and continues to conduct business in Nigeria.

3, DUKWA ROAD, GWAGWALADA, NAMED NWABIANI EMEKA, ISSUED BY GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL .GOT MISSING. ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE THE SAID DOCUMENT HAVE PROVED ABORTIVE. IF FOUND PLEASE, KINDLY RETURN TO THE NEAREST POLICE STATION.

ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

High noon in Adamawa

Reece James: Injury rules out Chelsea defender for rest of the season

The expression, “high noon”, refers to the “time of a decisive confrontation or contest.” It also refers to a defining moment or climax:”an event or confrontation which is likely to decide the final outcome of a situation”; for example, the high noon of an election.

Guest Columnist

presidency to superintend the affairs of the Commission.

Reece James: Injury rules out Chelsea defender for rest of the season Last updated on3 hours ago3 hours ago.

Chelsea interim boss Frank Lampard says Reece James will miss the rest of the season and Mason Mount is “unlikely” to feature in the final seven games.

James has been ruled out after a scan on a hamstring problem, while Mount has a pelvic injury.

“Reece James will be unavailable for the rest of the season, Mason Mount the same,” said Lampard.

Chelsea are in advanced talks with former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino to take charge.

“Reece had a hamstring injury in the midweek game,” added Lampard. “He got through it but then had a scan and he’s out.

“Mason has been carrying a pelvic injury for a while. It predates myself and he has been trying typically but he will have minor surgery, then a four-week recovery.

“He [Mount] might make the last match but that’s unlikely, which is obviously disappointing for us.”

Lampard, brought in earlier this month to replace Graham Potter until the end of the season, has lost all four games of his second spell in charge at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are 11th in the Premier League table and their season is effectively over after they were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals last week.

Argentine Pochettino could take over before the end of the campaign, but former midfielder Lampard, who is Chelsea’s alltime leading goalscorer, said the club has “big difficulties”.

The expression, “high noon”, was said to date back to the “Wild West” days when gunfighters faced off on the main street of a town at “high noon” and in full glare of the public. “Exactly noon” was preferred by the fighters because it was the time in which the sun was at its peak in the sky and it thus allowed for the sun not to get in neither of the participant’s eyes during a Western(Cowboy) draw.

The expression “high noon” was given robust effect and prominence by a 1952 Western(Cowboy film) of the same title. The Western, HIGH NOON, was produced by Stanley Kramer. Its screenplay was written by Carl Foreman. It was directed by Fred Zinnemann and it starred Gary Cooper.

The iconic HIGH NOON film, which won four Academy Awards, centered on a town Marshal whose sense of duty was tested when he had to decide either to face a gang of killers alone, or leave the town with his new wife.

In several ways, what transpired, pell mell, last week in Adamawa State was a reflection of “high moon” whether in its expression or in the well celebrated movie, HIGH MOON, which was one of the first twenty five films to be selected by the prestigious Library of Congress for preservation.

As is trite knowledge, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), scheduled supplementary elections on Saturday, 15th April, 2023. The attraction of the elections was that of the the conclusion of the Adamawa governorship election, which was earlier declared inconclusive.

The interest elicited by this contest is informed by a number of factors. First, even though the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, was leading before the election was declared inconclusive, it was a close and testy contest between him

By Nick Dazang

and the comely Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed, also known as BINANI. Before now, BINANI had trounced a former Governor of the State and a former presidential candidate to secure the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress(APC). Her stunning victory at the primaries was reportedly informed by an elaborate and expansive war chest.

Second, as if that were not enough, advocates of gender mainstreaming across the country rooted for BINANI. They prayed fervently for the likely emergence of the first female governor in the conservative North. The optimism of BINANI fans was buoyed by the fact that the State had earlier produced two female Senators, namely: Grace Bent and Binta Masi.

Third, going for BINANI was a story that the Commission itself had awarded a sumptuous contract to a firm named BINANI, which was speculated to be proximate to her. Besides, the then Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa Ari, was allegedly caught on audio tape, that went viral and was not denied, soliciting for support from INEC officials in favor of Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed in the course of the governorship election.

With an edge as cutting as this, Senator BINANI was reported to have carried on with boldness and with what her traducers further alleged as superciliousness.

Governor Fintiri, on the other hand, was said to be spurred by his performance in office. He was said to have done well in the areas of prompt payment of workers’ salaries, infrastructure and education. Education is held dear in Adamawa, the State of Professors Iya Abubakar and Jubril Aminu and the famous Tukur brothers(Bamanga,

Dahiru, Hammanga and Mahmoud) etc.

In addition to these accomplishments, Fintiri is said to draw political afflatus and strength from Atiku Abubakar, the Wazirin Adamawa, and a presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). The defeat of Fintiri would have amounted, not only to a defeat of Atiku Abubakar by other means, it would have presented the candidate as a giant with the feet of clay.

Enter this tempestuous confrontation(read “high noon”) the illegal declaration of Senator BINANI by the then REC Adamawa, whose partisanship was by now glaring; the hasty and incoherent acceptance speech immediately given by Senator BINANI; the unfortunate case of mistaken identity which led to the brutalization of a National Commissioner; the nullification of the declaration of Senator BINANI by INEC; the subsequent collation of outstanding results and the return of Fintiri as Governorelect and victor of the contest by Professor Mohammed Mele , the officially appointed and designated Returning Officer for the governorship election in Adamawa State.

The supplementary elections were supposed to, in the manner of “high noon”, to climax and conclude the elections which began on Saturday, 25th February 2023. Unfortunately, it is doubtful if the drama or the high noon in Adamawa provided a fitting, salubrious and happy ending. If anything, it compounded matters for the Commission. Apart from further besmirching its image, this drama in Adamawa is bound to trigger and accelerate conversations and a high-strung debate around the caliber of those appointed by the

It will also raise queries as to why the Commission did not preempt this clumsy drama by insisting that the former REC who had favoured a candidate in the contest recuse himself or be replaced ahead of the supplementary elections.

By her seeming desperation and alleged superciliousness, Senator BINANI has done irreparable damage to her political career. She has undermined the lofty and progressive campaign for gender mainstreaming. She has also brought diminishment to the dignity of women.

Not even her cynical and convenient statement, claiming not to be a do-or-die politician, will help or redeem her. If she was not a desperate politician, why did she prompt the REC to usurp the Returning Officer’s role and to truncate a Collation process that was on-going? Why did she hastily issue an acceptance speech knowing fully well that not all the results had been collated and that, in fact, she was losing, going by the results which were trending and were in the public domain? Why did she not concede in the fashion of true democrats? Why did she seek an injunction against the annulment of the former REC’s illicit declaration?

Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed has not only besmeared and undone herself, she has, unfortunately, made the task of gender mainstreaming even more uphill.

DAN GAYE DANGAYE

Benue: Group asks court to stop Ortom’s Life Pension Bill

Na only him waka come!