THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2020

Low Prices Boost Equities Market’s Gain by N1.6tn in Q2 Healthcare, food, beverages lead gainers Goddy Egene The high demand for shares because of their low prices made the Nigerian stock market perform positively

in the second quarter (Q2) of the year, gaining N1.667 trillion despite the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

THISDAY gathered that

despite the lockdown and the attendant losses recorded by many businesses, investors were demanding the stocks of companies in the healthcare, food/beverages,

and household products and telecommunications sectors believed to have been favoured by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government partially locked down Lagos

and Ogun states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to curtail the spread of COVID-19, since the beginning of Q2, a development that affected business activities.

However, the stock market showed resilience, ending the Q2 with growth compared to a decline in the first quarter (Q1).

Continued on page 8

FG Increases Petrol Price to N143.80 for July... Page 6 Thursday 2 July, 2020 Vol 25. No 9215. Price: N250

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Concerns Mount in Niger Delta over Marginal Fields Bid Round Stakeholders warn against breach of Yar’Adua’s promise of 10% stake to oil-bearing communities Ejiofor Alike As the federal government opens the second bid round for marginal fields, Niger Delta stakeholders are raising concerns over what they called an imminent breach of former President Umaru Yar’Adua’s commitment to grant oil-

bearing communities 10 per cent stake in the allocation of blocks, THISDAY has learnt.

Many stakeholders that spoke to THISDAY warned of dire consequences of the breach of the commitment, saying the federal government had gone Continued on page 8

Angry Federal Legislators Seek Suspension of 774,000 Jobs Project Presidency warns public officers against influence peddling Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja Following Tuesday's face-off between a joint committee of the National Assembly and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, angry federal legislators yesterday passed

a resolution suspending the implementation of the recruitment of 774,000 public works personnel, being supervised by the minister.

The modalities for the recruitment of beneficiaries of the programme had caused Continued on page 8

GETTING THE JOB DONE...

L-R: Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during the meeting of the Federal Executive Council in Abuja…yesterday

Buratai Rules out Dialogue with Bandits in North-west...Page 5

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NEWS

Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Buratai Rules out Dialogue with Bandits in North-west Says it will prolong insecurity

Francis Sardauna in Katsina Chief of Army Staff (CAOS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai, yesterday foreclosed dialogue with bandits, describing it as not a good military option for tackling banditry, kidnapping, and other heinous crimes currently bedeviling the North-west.

He also denied claims by some residents of North-west that Nigerien forces were

coming into the Nigerian territory to fight bandits.

He described the rapprochement between the North-west governors and the marauding bandits as purely a political decision and administrative.

Buratai spoke at a press conference at Special Army Super Camp IV in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State as part of the week-long activities in

Zenith Bank, Nigeria's Number One Financial Institution, Says Banker Magazine Nume Ekeghe Zenith Bank Plc has again emerged as the number one bank in Nigeria by tier-1 capital in 2020 Top 1000 World Banks' Ranking published by The Banker Magazine.

Climbing a whopping 29 spots from 415 in 2019 to 386 in the 2020 global ranking of banks, Zenith Bank retained its position as the number one tier-1 bank in Nigeria with tier-1 capital of $2.79 million, increase 16.1 billion, anan increase of of 16.1 per cent, compared with the $2.40million billion recorded in the $2.34 2019 ranking.

Zenith Bank, in a statement yesterday, explained that the latest ranking, which was published in the July 2020 edition of The Banker Magazine of the Financial Times Group, United Kingdom, was based on the 2019 year-end tier-1 capital of banks globally. According to the report, Zenith Bank extended its lead over the second-placed bank in Nigeria.

Zenith’s financial performance for the year was underpinned by a 29 per cent increase in non-interest income, with an improved market share in both retail and corporate sectors.

Speaking on the latest rankings, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, was quoted to have said: “This ranking, which further attests to our market leadership, is the outcome of a well-thoughtout strategy of always delighting and creating value for our teeming customers through a broad range of superior product offerings, best-in-class service and top-of-the-range technology.

“Tier-1 capital describes the capital adequacy of a bank, and it is the core measure of a bank’s financial strength from a regulator’s point of view.”

According to the ranking, tier-1 capital includes lossabsorbing capital, this is common stock, disclosed reserves, retained earnings,

and minority interests in the equity of subsidiaries that are less than wholly owned.

“Zenith Bank has clearly distinguished itself in the Nigerian financial services industry through superior service quality, unique customer experience, and sound financial indices,” the statement added.

The bank, with knack with aa knack for setting the pace and raising benchmarks, is a clear leader in the digital space with several first in the deployment of innovative products, solutions and an assortment of alternative channels that ensure convenience, speed, and safety of transactions.

As a testament to its resilience and market leadership, Zenith Bank announced an impressive result for the year ended December 31, 2019, with profit after tax (PAT) of N208.8 billion, achieving the feat as the first Nigerian bank to cross the N200 billion mark. In the recently released Q1 2020 unaudited financial results, the bank also recorded an improved result over the corresponding period in 2019, with gross earnings rising by six per cent to N166.8 billion and profit before tax (PBT) growing three per cent to N58.8 billion.

In addition, Zenith Bank was ranked the Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria 2019 by the World Finance and the Best Digital Bank in Nigeria 2019 by Agusto & Co. The bank was also voted as Bank of the Year and Best Bank in Retail Banking at 2019 BusinessDay Banks and other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

Most recently, the bank was recognised as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria, for the third consecutive year, in the Banker Magazine “Top 500 Banking Brands 2020”, Best Bank in Nigeria in the Global Finance “World’s Best Banks Awards 2020” and the Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the THISDAY Awards 2020.

commemoration of the 2020 Army Day celebration.

He explained that the mission of the Nigerian Army at this trying time is to fight bandits, insurgents, and other hoodlums launching deadly onslaughts on innocent citizens. He added that anything short of that would be prolonging insecurity.

Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Bello Masari, had granted amnesty to bandits after a tour of Fulani settlements and enclaves of the bandits in Rugu Forest in September 2019, during which the bandits and their forest commanders denounced banditry.

The peace accord was adopted by North-west governors following a peace summit convened in Katsina by the Inspector

General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, which facilitated discussions with representatives of the bandits from the affected states of Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna and Zamfara.

But Buratai said: "For now, a dialogue is not an option for us and is not on our table. It is absolutely a political decision. Our mission is to move into the bush and defeat the bandits tactically and anything short of that could only prolong the insecurity.

"We are determined to deal with them (bandits) in the bush even in towns and cities.

They are moving everywhere and we will deal with them based on our capability, which we have developed with other security agencies."

The army chief also denied

insinuations making the rounds by some residents of Katsina State that Nigerian soldiers were not doing enough to tackle insecurity in the state.

"It is unfortunate that some politicians are politicising military operations. Some even say Nigerien forces are coming into our territory to fight bandits. All the allegations are false and you can quote me. We are a professional and responsible army. We will continue to defend our country," Buratai added.

He assured the people that the military and other security agencies would continue to work assiduously towards ending bloodbath in some parts of the country to enhance peace and development.

"The Nigeria Army has performed creditably well in these areas and has contributed immensely to a peaceful and secured Nigeria through improved training and sustained professionally executed operations," he stated.

He, however, said the army would concurrently distribute palliatives to vulnerable Nigerians across the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of other activities lined up for the Army Day, he said there would be inauguration of special intervention projects executed by the army in the six geo-political zones of the country.

PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS OF NIGERIANS...

L-R: Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Muhammed Babandede; Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Ms. Julie Okah-Donli; and Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during an interactive session on inter-agencies synergy on violation of human rights of Nigerians in Lebanon at the National Assembly, Abuja...yesterday

Interpol Removes Adoke’s Name from Wanted Persons’ List

Davidson Iriekpen

International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has removed the name of a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, from the list of wanted persons.

In a letter to his lawyers sighted by THISDAY with reference number CCF/112/ R1221.19, dated March 9, 2020, with the subject: “Request concerning Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke,” the Interpol’s independent authority for the control and protection of personal data stated that Adoke’s name had been expunged after the commission received a

request seeking the removal of his name.

The letter stated: “We acknowledge receipt of your correspondence dated February 26, 2020, addressed to the commission for the control of Interpol’s files and received on March 4, 2020.

“Insofar as you have provided the required documents, your request is admissible. We would like to inform you that the commission carried out the appropriate checks and that as of today, your client is not subject to an INTERPOL notice or diffusion.

“You will find enclosed an official letter from the Interpol general secretariat, certifying the above."

In the certificate attached, the Interpol said: “The general secretariat of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) hereby certifies that, as of today, Mr. Bello Adoke Mohammed, born on 01 September 1963, is not subject to an Interpol notice or diffusion.”

On November 11, 2019, Interpol arrested Adoke in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), when he went for his medicals.

The warrant of arrest had been issued against him on April 17, 2019, following a request by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the controversial OPL 245 deal executed by the federal government in

2011.

Following an application

by Adoke’s lawyers, the court presided over by D. Z. Senchi, vacated the warrant on October 25, 2019, declaring it “null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

But the Nigerian authorities did not transmit the vacation of the warrant to Interpol and he was arrested in Dubai.

Adoke was arrested by EFCC on his return to Nigeria on December 19, 2020.

Adoke, who was detained for 55 days by EFCC, has been arraigned in different courts on charges of abuse of office and money laundering in the OPL 245 case.

He denied all the allegations.

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FG Increases Petrol Price to N143.80 for July Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government yesterday raised the pump price of petrol to between N140.80 and N143.80 for July, the highest price increase in

the last few months.

In March this year, the government said henceforth the pump price of petrol would be determined by market forces, stating that how much Nigerians would pay would

be largely determined by the international prices of crude oil.

But a few days ago, the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), noted that although crude oil price and

petroleum products prices were positively correlated, the prices of petroleum products did not increase or reduce correspondingly with changes in crude oil price.

The Executive Secretary

FLOOD OF SORROW...

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju; Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde; and Chairman, State Advisory Committee, Senator Hosea Agboola, during the governor's inspection to some flooded areas in Ibadan.

UN Appoints Nigeria as Coordinator, Poverty Eradication Group World Bank names two vice presidents for Africa Obinna Chima in Lagos and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The United Nations has appointed Nigeria as the coordinator of the newlylaunched poverty eradication group, aimed at confronting complex and the multi-sided challenges posed by poverty to humanity worldwide.

The World Bank has also picked two vice presidents to manage its activities in Africa, focusing on Western and Central, and Eastern and Southern Africa respectively.

The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, in a statement yesterday, was quoted to have said that poverty was the most formidable obstacle to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Muhammad-Bande, who spoke at the formal inauguration of the group at a High-Level Meeting on 'Poverty Eradication Strategies' in New York, lamented that poverty has become a blot on humanity’s conscience, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the situation.

The group is headed by the Charge d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, Ambassador Samson Itegboje, as interim coordinator.

Muhammad-Bande said with 30 founding memberstates and still growing, "Alliance for Poverty Eradication" is the 'signature event' which is being chaired

by Nigeria as its interim coordinator.

The UNGA president added that to alleviate the problem,

the group should pull together all the factors and interests in poverty eradication and serve as one-stop networking, information sharing, and bridge-building centre.

Muhammad-Bande said: "Before the onset of the pandemic, 2.1 billion people were classified as poor globally, with 767 million living in extreme poverty. It is estimated that by the year 2030, more than 100 million people would have relapsed into poverty, due to COVID-19 and climate change.

"The Alliance should provide a mechanism for interrogating the poverty challenge from all possible, or at least, multi-disciplinary, angles. There is no amount of time and attention given to poverty eradication that is too much."

Also, Itegboje said Muhammad-Bande had demonstrated his commitment to leave no one behind by launching the initiative at the outset of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.

According to him, being the topmost priority goal of the agenda for sustainable development, eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is important now more than ever.

Itegboje added: "Evidence indicates that poverty is the foundation of most social vices and crimes, such as terrorism, illegal migration, conflicts, violent extremism, intolerance, fraudulent practices, exclusion, piracy, human trafficking, drug trafficking and abuse and corrupt practices both in high and low places."

Itegboje noted that it was

against this background that his delegation wished to stress that time was ripe for the international community to develop structures and strategies to address the scourge of poverty.

He explained that the Alliance for Poverty Eradication must offer hope and clearly point the world in the right direction, particularly coming at a time when the dismantling of economic activities globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is projected to revise gains already made in the achievement of the 2030 agenda as well as push additional half a billion people into extreme poverty.

World Bank Appoints Two Vice Presidents for Africa The World Bank’s activities in Africa would now be managed by two vice presidents, covering Western and Central and Eastern and Southern Africa, respectively.

The development, which was announced by the bank early 2020, took effect yesterday, the World Bank said in a statement. Previously, the region was being led since 2018 by Hafez Ghanem, who yesterday was appointed Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, while Ousmane Diagana becomes Vice President for Western and Central Africa today.

The bank added that, this year, the Washington-based multilateral institution would lend about $50 billion to 48 countries in Africa – significantly more than any other region and making up

about one-third of the World Bank’s entire portfolio.

“These financing volumes are almost double what the region delivered ten years ago.

The bank’s portfolio includes projects and programmes in areas such as agriculture, trade, and transport, energy, education, health, water, and sanitation. Furthermore, the growth in financing to fragile states has been even higher with about two-thirds of World Bank financing to fragile states happening in Africa.

“Our commitment to Africa gets stronger every day, and I am thrilled to work alongside Ousmane Diagana to deliver even more resources to the people who need them the most.

“We are two vice presidents, but we see Africa as one and will continue sharing lessons, expertise, and ideas across the continent,” Ghanem said.

According to the statement, the creation of an additional Vice Presidency Unit is part of the World Bank Group’s continuous efforts to align resources with priorities.

This, it noted, would help drive the reforms and policies needed to achieve sustained and broad-based growth, alleviate poverty and raise living standards for people on the continent.

Diagana said: “I am honoured to lead the bank’s efforts in West and Central Africa, with a strong focus on innovation, impact, and transformation.

Working together with Hafez, I know we can and will do more to put countries and people first and find ways to confront today’s development challenges using all of the tools at our disposal.”

of the agency, Mr. Saidu Abdulkadir, in the circular issued yesterday to marketers on the new price, warned them against selling above the N140 - N143.80 price band set by the government.

The government had said with the removal of the existing cap on fuel prices, prices would be fully determined by market forces.

PPPRA had reduced the price of petrol, setting the new price band for the product at between N121.50 and N123.50 per litre in June.

“Prices can go up and will go up. That’s why we are in the race to introduce CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) which is a cheaper fuel. If people decide to keep running on petrol, others will migrate to CNG,” the Minister of State, Petroleum, Mr. Timipre Sylva, had also recently said.

In the latest adjustment of the price, PPPRA stated that it arrived at the new band after taking into consideration the operating costs by marketers.

“Please recall the provision for the establishment of a

monthly price band within which petroleum marketers are expected to sell petrol at the retail stations, based on the existing price regime.

“After a review of the prevailing market fundamentals in the month of June and considering marketers' realistic operating costs, as much as practicable, we wish to advise a new petrol pump price band of N140.80 N143.80/litre, for the month of July 2020,” PPPRA said.

It said the ex-depot for collection includes the statutory charges of bridging fund, marine transport average, national transport allowance (NTA) and the administrative charge.

Although the agency set a price of N121.50 to N123.50 when the prices of crude oil averaged $35 last month, it's not clear how it arrived at N140.80-N143.80, now that the price hovers around $38 and $40.

However, the agency urged all marketers to operate within the indicative prices as advised

by PPPRA.

THISDAY Ex-editor, Djebah, Makes Buhari's Ambassadorial List Deji Elumoye in Abuja A former editor with THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Oma Djebah, is among 41 non-career ambassadorial nominees whose names President Muhammadu Buhari has sent to the Senate for confirmation.

However, Kano, Kwara and Oyo states dominated the list with three nominees each.

The president in the request letter dated June 17 and read at plenary yesterday by the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, also named two nominees each for Adamawa, Benue, and Borno states.

While 26 other states have one slot each, four states: Ekiti, Kebbi, Niger, Abia and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have no slot in the non-career ambassadorial list.

The president, in the letter entitled: "Appointment of Noncareer Ambassadors," stated that "in accordance to section 171 (1) (2)(c) and sub-section (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate the underlisted forty-one (41) names of nominees as Non-Career Ambassadorsdesignate."

Buhari also sought accelerated consideration and confirmation of the nominees.

“It is my hope that the distinguished Senate will consider and confirm the nominees in the usual expeditious manner," he stated.

The 41 nominees include: Mr. Umar Suleiman (Adamawa); L.S. Mandama (Adamawa); Oboro Effiong Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Chief Elejah Onyeagba (Anambra); Abubakar D. Ibrahim Siyi (Bauchi); Philip K. Ikurusi (Bayelsa); Hon. Tarzcor Terhemen (Benue); Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue); Al-Bishir Ibrahim Al-Hussain (Borno); Brig Gen. Bwala Yusuf Bukar (Borno); Prof. Monique Ekpong

(Cross River); Oma Djebah (Delta); Ominyi N. Eze, Ebonyi (Ebonyi); Yamah Mohammed Musa (Edo); Maj. Gen. C. O. Ugwu (Enugu); and Dr. Hajara I. Salim (Gombe).

Others are: Obiezu Ijeoma Chinyerem (Imo); Ali M. Magashi (Jigawa); Prof.

M. A. Makarfi (Kaduna); Hamisu Umar Takalmawa (Kano); Imam Galandanci (Kano); Amina Ado Kurawa (Kano); Amb. Yahaya Lawal (Katsina); Dare Sunday Awoniyi (Kogi); Ibrahim Kayode Laaro (Kwara), Abioye Bello (Kwara); Zara Muazu Umar (Kwara); Ademola Seriki (Lagos); Henry John Omaku (Nasarawa); Chief Sarafa Tunji Ishola (Ogun); Mrs. Nimi Akinkube (Ondo); Adejare Bello (Osun); Adeshina Alege (Oyo); Debo Adesina (Oyo); Ms. Folakemi Akinyele (Oyo); Shehu Abdullahi Yibaikwai (Plateau); Hon. Maureen Tamuno (Rivers); Faruk Yabo (Sokoto); Adamu M. Hassan (Taraba); Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed (Yobe); Abubakar Moriki (Zamfara).

The Senate also yesterday received a request for the confirmation of Mr. Suleiman Sani as a career ambassadordesignate for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The president’s request was contained in a letter dated June 28 also read at plenary by the Senate President.

Buhari has also requested the Senate to confirm the appointment of Mr. Usman Hassan as a commissioner representing Kaduna State in the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The president, while relying on Section 154(1) of 1999 Constitution as amended, also sought the confirmation of another nominee, Mr. Idahagbon Henry, as a commissioner representing Edo, Ekiti and Ondo states in the Federal Civil Service Commission.

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Ekiti, UN Agency Seal $2bn Deal for 50,000 Homes Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Ekiti State Government, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and SHS Holdings have sealed a $2 billion deal for the provision of 50,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years.

A statement yesterday by the state government said with the deal, Ekiti State would join one of the largest affordable housing initiatives in the world.

According to the statement, all of the new affordable homes built would include renewable

energy and disease preventative technology – including solar panel roofs, waste-to-energy technology and mosquitorepelling coatings.

Ekiti State is the latest to join one of the largest affordable housing initiatives in the world, part of UNOPS Sustainable Infrastructure Impact Investments (S3I) - which would deliver 1.3 million homes across multiple countries on three continents over the next decade.

The partnership would create thousands of local jobs at the factory and on construction

sites and would spur economic growth among a host of local industries.

As part of the agreement signed yesterday, UNOPS and SHS would seek to mobilise resources from third party investors to fund the initiative whose gross development value (based on the sales value of completed homes) is estimated to reach $2 billion. SHS would supply proprietary state-ofthe-art technology and would oversee the development of housing by qualified contractors.

UNOPS would bring to bear

its comparative advantages in areas such as infrastructure, procurement and project management.

The agreement provides that Ekiti State Government would identify and allocate suitable land for potential developments and help create an enabling environment for foreign direct investment and mortgage finance.

Speaking on the programme, Governor Kayode Fayemi said: “We are very excited to partner with UNOPS and SHS to deliver affordable housing to the people

of Ekiti State. This partnership will not only deliver 50,000 homes in our communities, it will also increase foreign direct investment into Ekiti State, and put thousands of our people in jobs.”

Also speaking on the partnership, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Executive of S3I (Sustainable Infrastructure Impact Investments), Vitaly Vanshelboim, said: “We are very pleased to support this contribution to Nigeria’s national development priorities and in

particular, to help meet the critical need for affordable housing, through innovative approaches to construction and mortgage financing.”

On his part, the Chairman of SHS Holdings, Dr. Allen Zimbler, said: “SHS Holdings is proud to participate in signing a collaboration agreement with Ekiti State Government of Nigeria and UNOPS in respect of building at least 50,000 sustainable housing units for key government employees and other eligible citizens, in sites, to be identified within the state.”

Times in 2009, saying Yar’Adua hoped to add the proposal to reforms that would be enacted by the end of that year.

After the declaration of Amnesty on June 25, 2009, the late president moved to concretise his commitment by asking the Ministry of Petroleum to codify the plan.

Subsequently, the 10 per cent stake for oil-bearing communities was provided for in the draft Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which, however, has suffered vacillation in the National Assembly for years.

With PIB mired by politics and corruption in the legislature and

in the absence of a clear policy directing the implementation of the Yar’Adua plan, stakeholders are worried that the oil-rich region might be shortchanged as the federal government gets set to parcel out the marginal fields.

THISDAY gathered that as the auctioning process is ongoing, the government has been silent on the issue of the 10 per cent stake for the oil-rich region, raising concerns in the region.

Some of the leaders of the region, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also sought to know in clear terms, the government’s position on the issue.

other officials of the ministry to appear before the joint committee to brief it on the modality for the implementation of the engagement of 774,000 persons for public works.

The lawmakers said they want to ensure transparency of the process just as it was done with the National Social Register by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The two-page statement read in part: ''The National Assembly reminds members of the public that the legislature as part of the conception of the programme, approved it and appropriated funds for its implementation as part of the COVID-19 response strategy. In accordance with the constitutional imperative of oversight, the legislature being important stakeholders in the democratic process, and elected representatives of the people needed to be appraised of modalities for implementation for effective feedback to our constituents and in ensuring that our constituents optimally participate in and benefit from the process. In view of the foregoing, the implementation of the programme shall be on

hold pending proper briefing of the National Assembly."

Keyamo had engaged the federal lawmakers in a shouting match on Tuesday over the modalities for the implementation of the 774,000 public works recruitment which resulted in the minister being walked out over his refusal to apologise to the legislators for his comments.

However, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday said the leadership of the House had commenced moves to resolve the face-off between the National Assembly and Keyamo.

Gbajabiamila, when he appeared at the Public Accounts Committee’s public hearing in Abuja, said the seeming differences would be resolved amicably within the next 24 hours.

The president has warned political appointees and other government officials against using their positions to bestow undue advantage on anyone

seeking government jobs and other favours.

In a statement yesterday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, quoted the president as saying that the action is “antithetical to the character of the administration.”

Mohammed said the president’s repeated warning followed persistent reports of fraudsters using the business cards and purported referral letters from presidential aides and other government officials to solicit employment, contracts and other favours.

He said ministries, departments and agencies should disregard any purported request from government officials aiming to confer undue advantage on anyone seeking such favours.

He said the administration had put in place a systematic and disciplined approach to ensure that the government runs smoothly for all Nigerians, whether in the area of employment or contract procurement.

“This system should be allowed to work for all Nigerians without interference,” Mohammed said.

on 23 March 2020, NSE has sustained remote working and trading with no downtimes as stockbroking firms have been equipped to trade leveraging remotely.

NSE Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oscar Onyema, recently said: “At the brink of the crisis, we received requests from investors seeking clarification on the exchange’s business continuity plans and our ability to keep the market open. This was clarified early enough as details of our robust response to COVID-19 were communicated to all stakeholders and we have enjoyed seamless remote operations since. This is, however, possible because of our commitment to digital transformation which began several years ago and continues to evolve with today’s emerging trends.”

According to him, NSE has reaped the rewards of these investments as the Nigerian capital market continues to enjoy the market activity, liquidity, and new listings.

He said the market returned

month-on-month gains of 8.1 per cent and 9.8 per cent at the end of April and May 2020 respectively; increased participation of domestic investors in the capital market; strong performance in the fixed income market; and impressive returns in alternative investments such as the Newgold ETF. Onyema added that stakeholders in the market should expect to see the development of alternative and sustainable asset classes; dependence on technology and digital innovation; commitment to customer centricity; and drive for collaboration across regions.

“With these, capital market players can rest assured that exchanges will continue to deliver on their mandate to deliver a platform to raise and access capital even during a crisis. Certainly, we are living in unprecedented times but from what we have heard here today, I believe that we can all leave with the confidence that there is a lot to look forward to in this ‘new normal,’" he said.

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % CADBURY 0.65 7.40 9.6 STERLBANK 0.12 1.37 9.6 CHAMS PLC 0.02 0.23 9.5 JAPAUL 0.02 0.23 9.5 BUACEMENT 3.30 42.00 8.5 TOP LOSERS NGN % NEIMETH 0.16 1.49 9.7 LEARNAFRICA 0.09 1.09 7.6 WAPIC 0.02 0.33 5.7 WEMABANK 0.02 0.52 3.7 JAIZBANK 0.02 0.55 3.5 HPE Nestle Nig Plc ₦1,256.80 Volume: 198.011 million shares Value: N1.036 billion Deals: 3,772 As at yesterday 1/7/2020 See details on Page 29

CONCERNS MOUNT IN NIGER DELTA OVER MARGINAL FIELDS BID ROUND ahead with the fresh bid rounds without any indication that the oil-bearing communities would be carried along.

Part of the likely backlash of the federal government’s “breach of faith,” they warned, might be disruptions to the fields producing the gas the federal government hopes to feed pipelines, including the $2.8 billion AKK project carrying gas from the Niger Delta to the North, which President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated on Tuesday.

The federal government had earlier this year opened the bid rounds for 57 marginal fields,

hoping to raise $500 million to finance its cash strapped 2020 Budget.

The leaders of the oil-producing region have expressed concerns about the government’s silence on the issue of their benefits from the bid round process being handled by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory agency.

It was gathered that the $500 million expected from the exercise, would be raised from signature bonuses from the 57 fields, which would be auctioned.

The entire process for the 2020 bid round schedule, according

to DPR, started from June 1, commencing with the official announcement, to August 9, when payment of application, bid processing fee, and submission of the technical-commercial bid would take place.

A lot of efforts appeared to have gone into making a success of this latest round, which is coming about 17 years after the 2003 bid round.

But the grouse of the Niger Delta stakeholders arose from a stalled plan by Yar’Adua to pacify the restive region in 2009 with a 10 per cent stake of royalty from oil production.

Under the plan negotiated

with the militants at the onset of the declaration of Amnesty Programme by Yar’Adua, 10 per cent of royalties were supposed to go to the oil-bearing communities under trusts.

The plan was part of the recommendations of a presidential committee headed

by Yar’Adua’s petroleum adviser, Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, and it was to include offering residents of the oil-rich Niger Delta region 10 per cent of all oil and gas ventures in an effort to end the unrest that had hampered oil production.

Egbogah had confirmed this initiative to London's Financial

ANGRY FEDERAL LEGISLATORS SEEK SUSPENSION OF 774,000 JOBS PROJECT a rift between the two parties

at a public hearing in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to the National Assembly, the executive arm of government does not have an exclusive right over the recruitment programme for which N52 billion had been voted in the 2020 revised budget.

The lawmakers challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to go to court if he feels that the National Assembly is encroaching on his powers.

This was coming as President Buhari has warned political appointees and other government officials against using their positions to bestow undue advantage on anyone seeking government jobs and other favours.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, who spoke to journalists on behalf of the two chambers of the National Assembly after an executive session of the Senate, also advised the presidency to approach the court if it feels its powers are being encroached upon by the legislature.

"If the president sees that his powers are being encroached

upon, he can approach the court of law. What we are saying is this - this project the way you are looking at it, it is as if it is an exclusively presidential project," he stated.

The senator, while responding to a question, said the conception of the programme was not exclusive to the presidency, explaining that its conception, approval and funding are with the considered input of the National Assembly because it believes it's going to be beneficial for the purpose of addressing the challenges of COVID-19.

According to him, government revolves around the three arms - executive, legislative and judiciary.

He said: "On your perspective on encroaching on the powers of the president, there is no exclusivity in terms of any programme that is to be implemented, except the National Assembly is not part of government. Government, as defined by the 1999 Constitution, has three components: legislative powers as stipulated in Section 4; executive powers Section 5 and the judicial power in Section 6.

"It is the totality of these that constitute government. So, when

you are saying the government is doing a programme, it is not President Muhammadu Buhari that is doing the programme; it is the government of the people.

Implementation, appropriation and execution all rolled into one.

There is no dichotomy such as encroaching on the powers of the president.

“Assuming the National Assembly is opposed to the programme, we could not have approved it. You cannot appropriate, but we want to be sure that names don't just fly.

“The two chambers of the National Assembly asked the federal government to halt the programme until the implementation modalities are explained to the legislative arm."

Basiru and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in a joint statement, said the suspension of the scheme was necessitated because the lawmakers were concerned about the proper and effective implementation of the scheme.

They also mandated their Committees on Labour and Employment to immediately invite the Minister of Labour and Employment and any

Presidency Warns Public Officials against Influence Peddling

LOW PRICES BOOST EQUITIES MARKET’S GAIN BY N1.6TN IN Q2 The stock market gained N1.667 trillion in Q2 as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) market capitalisation rose from N11.102 trillion to N12.769 trillion, as against a decline of N1.867 trillion in Q1.

Similarly, NSE All-Share Index (ASI) grew by 14 per cent from 21,300.47 to 24,479.22 as against 20.6 per cent decline recorded in Q1.

Market operators said the decline posted in the Q1 depressed the prices of many stocks, which investors found attractive in the Q2.

According to a stockbroker, Mr. Ayo Oguntayo, “following the depreciation witnessed in the Q1, most stocks hit their record lows and offering a very attractive entry opportunities for discerning investors. So, when the Q2 began and there were limited investment windows, investors found the stock market as a place to invest.”

He added that despite the lockdown and many businesses were counting their losses, investors were demanding the stocks of companies in

the healthcare, food/beverages, household products, and telecommunications sectors.

He explained that these sectors are believed to be favoured by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, in the first half of the year, the market has posted a depreciation of N200 billion due to huge decline recorded in the Q1.

After declining in Q1, the market began a recovery in the Q2, appreciating in April and May. But the gains recorded in April and May were moderated in June due to profit-taking by investors. Hence, the market ended the quarter with a growth of N1.667 trillion in Q2.

But for the decline of 3.0 per cent suffered in June, which was the last month of the Q2, the gain would have been higher.

Although the market has recorded a year-to-date decline of 8.8 per cent, which is an improvement on the depreciation of 20.6 per cent posted in Q1, some stocks have fetched investors significant gains.

For instance, investors in Neimeth International

Pharmaceuticals Plc have recorded a gain of about 166 per cent. Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc has also provided a gain of 106 per cent to investors, while May & Baker Nigeria Plc has recorded a 48 per cent gain.

Investors in Ekocorps Plc are counting 41 per cent growth, just as those in Okomu Oil Palms Plc have gained about 39.2 per cent. AIICO Insurance Plc has recorded a growth of about 27.7 per cent, just as Beta Glass Plc has appreciated by 24 per cent.

Other stocks that have recorded growth are: Livestock Feeds Plc (24 per cent); Union Diagnostics and Clinical Services Plc (22.7 per cent); Cutix Plc (20.3 per cent); Morrison Industries Plc (20 per cent); and Vitafoam Nigeria Plc (18.9 per cent).

Market analysts have attributed the positive performance of the market in Q2 to the NSE investments in business innovation and digitisation made over the years. Since the activation of its Business Continuity Plan

THURSDAY JULY 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Again, Malami Denies Shielding Alleged Killer-soldiers from Prosecution Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Malam Abubakar Malami, yesterday denied allegations that he was shielding 10 soldiers accused of murder along with the kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, also known as Wadume, from prosecution.

According to him, he was only waiting for the completion of the military’s in-house disciplinary process on the accused soldiers

in accordance with constitutional stipulations before their trials could begin.

Malami who had been accused of shielding the soldiers from prosecution by his perceived refusal to charge them to court along with Wadume who is currently being tried over multiple cases of kidnapping and murder, said the office of the AGF had a responsibility to ensure that the judicial process is not abused.

He explained that the

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Rise By 790 to 26,484 Martins Ifijeh

Nigeria has recorded 790 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 26,484 the number of confirmed cases in the country.

Announcing this yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Delta State recorded 166 new cases; Lagos, 120; Enugu, 66; Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 65;

The ongoing process of switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting when completed, will yield $1.1 billion revenue and create two million jobs, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said yesterday.

The minister who made the disclosure while briefing journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in the State House, Abuja, said the ministry had also put the machinery in place to create additional 1 million jobs.

Giving a breakdown of the proposed revenues, Mohammed said $1 billion would be realised from the sale of the spectrum that would be vacated when the analogue to digital migration is completed, while additional $1 million would be generated from the collection of television licences and digital access fees.

According to him, with the

initiative and other initiatives from the ministry, no fewer than 2 million jobs would be created in the next three years in accordance with the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to lift 100 million from poverty.

He said: “But the good news, as contained in today’s presentation, is that the Ministry of Information and Culture is set to create over 2 million jobs within the next three years. We are doing this through the implementation of Deliverable number seven, which mandates us to collaborate with the private sector to create jobs for the youth.

“Gentlemen, the number one job creator under the Ministry of Information and Culture is the Digital Switch Over (DSO) in broadcasting, which is set to create 1 million jobs in the next three years through the manufacturing of set-top-boxes (decoders) and TV sets, TV and Film production, as well as TV and Online advertising and Data, among others.

Health Workers Withdraw Services over Attack on FMC in Lokoja Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Following yesterday morning’s attack on Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Lokoja, Kogi State, the Joint Action Congress of Health Workers (JAC) has disclosed that it has totally withdrawn services across board till further notice.

The Congress, therefore, directed the medical workers to stay at home until further notice.

This was contained in a communique issued by the Joint Action Congress meeting in Lokoja yesterday shortly after the attack by protesters, a copy of which was made available to journalists.

JAC explained that the decision was premised on the

is done, the trials of the soldiers could not commence, further explained that members of the armed forces that are liable for trial cannot be held in conventional custodies for a longer period of time. He insisted that the delay in the commencement of the trial of the accused soldiers is to pave the way for completion of the military’s in-house process that will later herald their trials.

He said: “Now, coming to the issue of the soldiers, it is important for you to note that within the context of the Nigerian law, there are certain provisions that are exclusive to the military within

the context of law on court martial and then the internal discipline associated with the military.

“The soldiers can now be charged before court martial and then for the military to release their personnel for prosecution, ordinarily there are in-house processes and procedures that are to be consummated. So, those that are handy for the purpose of prosecution cannot be held in custody for unduly longer period of time on that account or the absence of the military.

“So, that is how the idea of severing the charge to allow those that are handy to stand their trial

arose. That does not mean that by any means, that the military are shielded and cannot be prosecuted.

But if they have to be prosecuted, they have to be prosecuted within the context of the law.

“What is the law here? They are military personnel. First, they are to go through the in-house processes.

There are two options - either to charge them before the court martial which is a special court established by law for the trial of soldiers or in the alternative for the military after consummation of the in-house processes should consider handing them over for trial.

Edo, 60; Ogun, 43; Kano, 41; Kaduna, 39; Ondo, 33; Rivers, 32; Bayelsa, 29; Katsina, 21; Imo, 20; Kwara, 18; Oyo, 11; Abia, 10; Benue, six; Gombe, four; while Yobe, Kebbi and Bauchi recorded two each.

It said: “Nigeria has recorded 26,484 cases of COVID-19.

10,152 persons have been discharged, while 603 persons have died.”

FG: Digital Switch-over to Yield $1.1bn, Create 2m Jobs Omololu Ogunmade in Anuja

constitution accords certain exclusive rights to the military and hence, members of the armed forces could not be charged to court the way civilians are charged, but in accordance with stipulations relating to their trial.

The AGF further explained that such rights accorded the military by the constitution show that members of the armed forces could only be tried in two ways, which he enumerated as court martial or a deliberate decision by the military to hand them over to civil authorities for trial in conventional courts.

Malami who said until such

fact that “there was an attack on our lives and property this morning (yesterday) by unknown hoodlums.”

“Some equipment like infrared thermometers, laptops, ATM cards, car keys and two motorcycles, which are vital in providing care, were carted away by the hoodlums. There was obvious vandalisation of our administrative block.”

The JAC noted also that members would not return to office until there is security of lives and property in the facility.

It stated that there must be adequate provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and validation of COVID-19 status of staff who went on self-isolation.

TOUCHING LIVES...

L - R: Chairman of Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), Lagos/Ogun Chapter, Dr. KFK Oyedeko; Chairman of Local Organising Committee for Palliatives Committee, Mr. Ayodele Antonio; Olori Baale of Ipodo-Anifowose, Mrs. Taiwo Anifowose; and a beneficiary, during the distribution of palliatives by the NSChE in Ipodo area of Ikeja LGA of Lagos State...recently

Domestic Flights to Resume on July 8 Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The federal government yesterday in Abuja disclosed that domestic flights, which were suspended in Nigeria in March 2020 will finally resume on July 8, 2020.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who announced this, also disclosed that the flights will commence

with the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

Sirika in a statement by the Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Aviation, Mr. James Odaudu, stated that the Port Harcourt , Owerri and Maiduguri airports will reopen to flights on July 11, while other airports across the country will

join on July 15.

According to him, “Passengers looking to travel out of the country will have to wait a bit longer as the dates for the restart of international flights into and out of the country will be announced later.”

Sirika thanked stakeholders in the aviation industry and indeed the Nigerian public who have had to cope with

the adverse effects of the flight suspension for their perseverance and cooperation in ensuring a successful return of operations at the nation’s airports.

He said: “Passengers are highly advised to follow all the safety guidelines and protocols put in place to ensure that the airports don’t become channels of infection for the dreaded coronavirus.”

Alleged Kidnapping: Court Denies Wadume, Others Bail Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday denied Taraba State’s kidnap kingpin, Mr. Hamisu Bala, otherwise known as Wadume, and his co-defendants bail in the terrorism and kidnapping charges brought against them by the federal government.

Justice Nyako denied the applicants bail while delivering ruling in their bail application

because she, “saw no reason to grant them bail,” having giving their trial accelerated hearing.

Wadume and his codefendants are standing trial on a 13-count amended criminal charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, continual to detain and collection of a ransom of N106million among others.

Other defendants are: Police Inspector, Aliyu Dadje, Mr. Auwalu bala (aka omo razor); Mr. Uba Bala (aka Uba Delu);

Mr. Bashir Wazlri (aka baba runs); Mr. Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho) and Rayyanu Abdul.

They pleaded not guilty to all the charges read to them and their lawyers accordingly moved their bail applications.

Justice Nyako however declined to grant the request of the applicants in her ruling delivered yesterday.

The judge however ordered that the defendants be moved from the custody of the Special

Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police to the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

She also ordered that the authorities of the Correctional Centre in Kuje allow the defendants access to medical facility and their lawyers while in their custody.

Wadume was first arrested in Ibi, Taraba State, on August 6, 2019, by policemen from the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of the Police office.

$1bn Fraud: EFCC Arraigns Malabu Oil, Others The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, six other firms and an Abuja-based businessman, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

They were accused of money laundering in a 48-count charge over their alleged fraudulent dealings in relation to the controversial oil block, OPL 245.

The EFCC claimed about $1billion and N673million are involved in the alleged money laundering offences.

Other defendants in the case

are: A-Group Construction Company Limited, Rocky Top Resources Limited, Mega Tech Engineering Limited, Novel Properties and Development Company Limited, and Carlin International Nigeria Limited.

The defendants pleaded not guilty when an official of the court read out the charges to them.

Dressed in white native attire, Abubakar, who is the only natural person among the defendants, was the only one in the dock when the while the proceedings lasted. After the defendants pleaded to the charge, the

prosecutor, Mr. Bala Sanga said he was not averse to the court granting bail to Abubakar.

Abubakar’s lawyer, Mr. Akin Olujinmi (SAN), commended Sanga for showing understanding and urged the court to adopt the conditions adopted in an earlier bail granted his client in this case.

Abubakar is being tried before the court in a separate charge involving him and a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN).

Justice Inyang Ekwo acceded

to Olujinmi’s request and adjourned till September 7 for trial.

The EFCC, in a count in the charge, claimed that Malabu Oil, and two of its directors (said to be on the run – Seidougha Munamuna and a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Dan Etete, “directly or indirectly converted” the sum of $401,540,000 paid from the Federal Government of Nigeria Escrow Account with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London into Malabu Oil’s account with First Bank of Nigeria Limited.

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COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

AMERICA IN SEARCH OF AMERICAN CIVILISATION

The promise of a novel American frontier of human civilisation was either suspended or betrayed, writes Okello Oculi

‘

’The image of America is breaking’’, said a Chinese businessman.

The confluence of victim George Floyd’s murder and President Donald Trump’s ending Confederate America’s economic backwardness as reward for giving him power, associated America with habitual barbarism. It outraged peoples in lands as diverse as Finland, Australia and South Africa.

Mass demonstrations in England tossed the statue of a 17th Century slave merchant into a river presumably to send it to meet skeletons of millions of Africans thrown from slave ships into the Atlantic Ocean.

President Trump called protestors ‘’thugs’ and ‘’terrorists’’.

The European immigrants who landed on America’s coast were saved from starvation by being given maize (or ‘’corn’’) as a food crop. That expression of human solidarity remains as a rock to turn to; not the European feudalism and ruthless industrial revolution their ancestors fled from.

The transplanting to the American main land the brutalities of European feudalism and working children and women to death in industrial machines assumed forms as genocide against indigenous peoples and the exploitation of Africans imported as tools for economic prosperity. However, a proclamation promised a new civilization for an American political union.

The civil war between Southern rulers anchored on slave labour and Northern leaders anchored on industrial productivity was that of two inheritances of European barbarities in social relations. The promise of a novel American frontier of human civilization became a promise either suspended, at best, or betrayed, at worst.

In 1898 Commodore George Dewey attacked and defeated a Spanish fleet at Manila Bay in the Philippines. Liberation fighters for independence mistakenly welcomed the Americans as helpers. Dewey, however, slaughtered over 250,000 Filipino fighters and turned the former Spanish colony into a protectorate. Guam, Cuba and Puerto Rico were added.

Engagement in major wars in Europe, China and Japan reinforced racial impulses of Southerners, while expansionism became anchored in subsequent rebuilding of an economically, socially and politically devastated Western Europe as a future shield against Communist Russia after 1945.

The fear of Russian Communism and a growing confidence in the power of capitalism as an engine of war mixed dangerously in foreign policy. The 1949 triumph of Mao Zedung’s guerrilla army in China turned fear of Communism into hysteria which drove complicity in the 1965 killing of ONE MILLION individual members of the Communist Party in Indonesia; collaboration with military generals and officers (who were children of big land owners in Brazil), in the destruction of the Socialist regime of Goulart, assassination of patriotic

THE UNITED STATES MUST CARRY OUT A ‘GEORGE FLOYD REPARATION PLAN’ FOR DREDGING SWAMPS AND CLEARING ENTANGLED JUNGLES OF RACISM; WHILE REINCARNATING A ‘MARSHALL PLAN’ FOR ERADICATING TOXIC ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL POVERTY IN FORMER CONFEDERATE STATES

leaders in South America and Sweden.

The United States rejected the notion of collaborative capitalist development with Latin America, Africa and parts of Asia located faraway from Communist China and Russia. The reflex had roots in homeland enclave capitalist development under racism and genocide. Bill Moyers (a former Press Secretary to President Lyndon Johnson), said in an interview with Christiane Amanpour on CNN), that after the Vietnam War, President Richard Nixon campaigned for re-election by appealing for ‘’Making America Great Again’’ by deepening racism in America. ‘’People are saying ‘BLACK LIVES MATER’ all over the world’’, said the son of Martin Luther King Jr., in hopeful surprise.

America’s capital in ‘’Soft Power’’ has been severely punctured.

Repeated posturing by American officials as self-appointed global guardians of ‘’democracy’’ and ‘’human rights’’ was deeply eroded

by George Floyd dying under a televised casual whim of a white American policeman. It recalled a long macabre list of murders similar to pre-2015 police killing of Black males as an apparent election campaign ritual to excite ancient tribal Ku Klux Klan orgies for arousing manhood in poor whites by giving them a people to hate.

The global revulsion also murdered the visibility of demonstrations in Hong Kong loudly supported by President Trump.

The United States must carry out a ‘’GEORGE FLOYD REPARATION PLAN’’ for dredging swamps and clearing entangled jungles of racism; while reincarnating a ‘’MARSHALL PLAN’’ for eradicating toxic economic and cultural poverty in former Confederate States.

A top Republican Party leader unfairly asserted that Trump ‘’is missing a compassion gene’’. President Truman roasted hundreds of thousands of Japanese in Nagasaki and Hiroshima; Eisenhower ordered the assassination of Patrice Lumumba and shattered Congo; George Bush directed precision missiles into nostrils of Iraq’s babies; Obama wrecked Libya and Syria and got Egypt bleeding. Only 53 per cent of Americans have faith in capitalism.

Insightful historians assert that America became a nation only 60 years ago when President Johnson signed the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Bills: making African-Americans citizens. AfricanAmericans await her ancestral promise to transcend inhumanities of European feudalism and youthful industrial productivity. They crossed the Atlantic with ‘’FAMILYHOOD’’ and ‘’UBUNTU’’ now bubbling as ‘’BLACK LIVES MATTER’’ matching towards that promise; and an American government that welcomes Adewumi Adesina (as President of the African development Bank, (AfDB), driving Africa’s development.

RELIVING THE SPIRIT OF PAN-AFRICANISM Stephen Kola-Balogun argues the need for closer economic ties between Ghana and Nigeria to revive the spirit of Pan-Africanism

T

he saying “all for one and one for all” is a familiar slogan all over the world but it doesn’t resonate that well amongst Africans. It is viewed as more of an ideal than a principle and it is fair to say that Pan-Africanism was seen from that same perspective. Pan-Africanism is the principle or advocacy for the political union of all indigenous inhabitants of Africa. It has since become a worldwide movement that aims to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all indigenous and diaspora ethnic groups of African descent. The “Black Lives Matter” movement has suddenly reawakened our zest for Pan-Africanism and the effect and impact of this reawakening has had an immediate impact. In what could easily have been a major diplomatic spat between the neighboring West African countries of Ghana and Nigeria was swiftly brought to an end when the President of Ghana, Akufo Addo apologized to Nigeria in a personal phone call to President Muhammadu Buhari for the wrongful demolition of a building (used as residential quarters for the Nigerian High Commission staff) inside the Nigerian High Commission premises in Accra, Ghana. The Ghanaian President acted in the spirit of true African brotherhood reminiscent of the concept and ideals of Pan-Africanism which was first championed over 60 years ago by the charismatic Nationalist and first President of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah.

There can be no doubt whatsoever that the demolition of the building within the Nigerian High Commission premises was in violation of diplomatic convention and a breach of Nigeria’s sovereignty. However rather than humiliate Ghana for this breach of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama accepted part of the blame for the unfortunate incident by explaining that the officials of the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, Ghana were equally negligent in not taking necessary action to get the requisite docu-

ments of ownership for the parcel of land on which the structure was built. Although he noted that this was not a sufficient reason for pulling down the building, he expressed satisfaction that the Ghanaian government had taken responsibility for the demolition by promising to rebuild the structure to its pre-demolition state. The minister further noted that the Nigerian High Commission also failed to obtain legal title to the land even though it had paid for it as far back as the year 2000 and also failed to obtain the necessary approvals before erecting the building. In other words the Nigerian High Commission was equally culpable. A fair and frank admission I suppose.

Nigeria’s relationship with Ghana right from the time of independence has been more frosty than cordial. The Gold Coast, which was renamed Ghana upon Independence in 1957, was in the forefront of Africa’s fight against colonialism. Kwama Nkrumah who became the first President of the new Republic of Ghana was seen and regarded as an unrepentant Marxist socialist and Pan-Africanist.

He was viewed and regarded as an African icon and soon Ghana became the Mecca of freedom fighters; socialist radicals and other progressives.

Ghana at the time was non-aligned in international power politics. Nkrumah had proclaimed that he considered the independence of Ghana incomplete until colonialism was totally eradicated from Africa.

Sir Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s Prime Minister at the time (during the period of self-government) thought it prudent to send a leading politician to Ghana as a special envoy to study and report to him on the various activities of President Nkrumah, particularly how he was faring and running the newly independent country and the progressive steps being taken towards actualizing Pan-Africanism.

It was in this context that my father Chief Kolawole Balogun was appointed Commissioner and then later upon our independence High Commissioner to Ghana. Sir Tafawa Balewa considered this posting important enough to even attach to the new high commissioner, Mr. Leslie

Harriman as his deputy. Mr. Harriman was one of the so called “12 Apostles” who began Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad. Together, Kola Balogun and Leslie Harriman formed a formidable team. It was thought by Prime Minister Sir Tafawa Balewa at the time that given Kola Balogun’s impeccable radical Pan-African credentials (he was the first President of the revolutionary Zikist Movement; a former General Secretary of a Nationalist Party- the NCNC and a former Cabinet Minister) he more than fitted the bill to represent Nigeria in Ghana. In his report which he sent back home Kola Balogun was upbeat about the breath-taking and unfolding Ghanaian socio-political scene but also noted some of Nkrumah’s failings and the divergence between theory and practice. This was particularly illustrated by the failure of Nkrumah to attend Nigeria’s independence celebration in 1960 even though Sir Tafawa Balewa was in Ghana when they gained independence in 1957. Although by and large Kola Balogun’s account of his mission to Ghana was favourable the seeds of emerging dictatorial tendencies amongst African leaders were becoming noticeable and he advised that civil liberties and due processes should be allowed to thrive if African countries were to amass the benefit of its hard-fought independence. Unfortunately, PanAfricanism turned out to be a pipe dream that was never realized. In the end both Ghana and Nigeria had stuttering starts to independence, eventually leading to several years of military rule. Today, many years later the citizens of both countries are still left wondering what might have been.

As the two largest economies in West Africa, Ghana and Nigeria’s diplomatic relationship is crucial to the region. Trade will undoubtedly play a key part in that relationship even if recent incidents serve as a reminder that diplomatic ties haven’t always been at their best. Around 1970, the Ghanaian authorities expelled large numbers of Nigerians from their country. Nigeria reciprocated in 1983 during the tenure of President Shehu Shagari in what was dubbed “Ghana must go”

when large numbers of Ghanaians were expelled from Nigeria. Despite the great disparity in size and resources between the two countries there has always been a healthy intellectual and sporting rivalry between both countries, be it in the West African Examination Council School Certificate and Higher School Certificate Examinations or in the African Cup of Nations Football Competition.

Ghana and Nigeria have always considered each other as their main rivals pushing each other to the limit. However, if both countries are to revive the spirit of Pan-Africanism which was dreamt of in the past, there is a need for them to form closer economic ties. Ghana has now discovered oil and even though oil production is fast becoming a dwindling precious commodity, Ghana will still need to look to Nigeria to help her navigate the tricky waters of Western countries who merely seek to maximize returns for their investments and not necessarily the interest of Ghana.

Last year disputes over the status of foreign traders led to the temporary closure of some Nigerian’s owned shops in Ghana. Another incident was Nigeria’s decision to close its border with Benin which affected trade across the West African region. The above incidents not withstanding both countries appear to be turning over a new leaf.

As at today both countries recognize the need for bilateral and multilateral ties. They are both engaged in strengthening the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the possibility of a uniform currency exchange across West Africa is now more feasible than ever before. These are all steps in the right direction for both countries and although the ideals of Pan-Africanism may well have been more theoretical than practical in the 1950s and 1960s, who is to say that both Ghana and Nigeria cannot recreate this spirit in a changing world order this millennium. If it does happen, then perhaps Kwame Nkrumah was simply a man ahead of his time.

Kola-Balogun, a Legal Practitioner, wrote from Lagos

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EDITORIAL CURBING CYBERCRIMES IN NIGERIA The authorities may do well by enforcing the cybercrime act

I

n what is fast becoming a routine affair, the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently on the hunt for six Nigerians who allegedly conducted an elaborate scheme to steal over six million dollars from victims in the United States. The news came a few weeks after Raymond Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, was arrested in Dubai for the same alleged crime.

“The suspects targeted victims overseas by creating fake websites for well-known companies and banks in a bid to steal victims’ credit card information and then launder the stolen money,” Dubai police Brig. Jamal al-Jalaf said.

From social networking and research to business and commerce, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems are now deployed to perform simple as well as complex tasks. But the cyberspace is also vulnerable to the activities of criminals. Sadly, as most Nigerians are aware, to our collective shame, our country has not only been a breeding ground for most of these nefarious practices, some of our citizens have become notorious for committing identity theft and bank frauds facilitated through the use of the internet.

THERE IS AN URGENT While cybercrime NEED TO IMPROVE THE is a global threat, CAPACITY OF CYBER SECURITY OFFICIALS AND what marks out the Nigerian fraud gangs THE SHARING OF CYBER operating internationSECURITY BEST PRACTICE ally is their predomiFROM ACROSS THE GLOBE nantly financial and economic focus. For instance, a damning statement by the American Department of Justice (DoJ) in June last year said, “Foreign citizens perpetrate many BEC scams. Those individuals are often members of transnational criminal organisations, which originated in Nigeria but have spread throughout the world.”

Committed mostly by the young, often called ‘Yahoo Boys’, a precursor of the infamous ‘419’ email scammers, the fraudsters are increasingly taking advantage of the rise in online transactions, electronic shopping, e-commerce and the electronic messaging systems

to engage in all manner of crimes. This is of course a reflection of the culture of poverty, greed and massive financial criminality at home. In 2015, the Cybercrime Act was passed into law to address the challenges.

The law criminalises a variety of offences – from ATM card skimming and identity theft to possession of child pornography. It imposes, for instance, seven-year imprisonment for offenders of all kinds and additional seven years for online crimes that result in physical harm, and life imprisonment for those that lead to death.

But like almost every law in the country, there is the problem of enforcement.

T T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA

he ‘Yahoo Boys’ still daily throng cybercafé premises to ‘transact’ their business with the owners looking away. Yet the law criminalises internet café owners who knowingly allow their premises to be used to commit crimes. Sadly, our policemen would rather harass innocent people who carry laptops. The long-term solution is for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the police and the intelligence community in Nigeria to become more conversant with the latest techniques in combating cybercrimes. Even more important is the need to work with the law enforcement agencies of countries around the world. These fraud syndicates are international in nature and can only be fought through international cooperation and superior knowledge of the technologies that power cyber fraud.

Cyber criminals in some other countries are using their negative skills for espionage and illicit technology theft. Our nationals are using their skills to defraud individuals and companies to obtain funds for obscene consumerism and sickening exhibitionism. While it is not fair for any country to use these isolated incidents as an excuse to profile or negatively brand Nigerians, that has become the reality of the situation. To deal with this emblem of shame, there is an urgent need to improve the capacity of cyber security officials and the sharing of cyber security best practice from across the globe.

In addition, we must build the capacity for local law enforcement.

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On Black Market Injunctions Continued from back page

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eanwhile, because of the crisis of confidence created by the way many Judges got entangled in the politics of June 12, one of the first things the late General Sani Abacha did on assumption of office was to establish the late Justice Kayode Eso panel. Inaugurated on 29th December 1993, the panel submitted its report on 5th July 1994, indicting no fewer than 47 judges. But the report was never implemented.

And with that, Judges continue to peddle and trade injunctions.

A former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, once decried this situation, saying “Rule 2(a) (ii) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers provides that a judicial officer must avoid the abuse of the power of issuing interim injunctions ex-parte” at a conference of Judges. He added, for emphasis: “Permit me to also caution you all to avoid indiscriminate granting of ex-parte applications for interim injunctions, especially without regard to the likely inconveniences that may be caused as a result of such orders. You are all advised to stay on the side of caution. Any judicial officer proved to have contravened this rule will summarily be disciplined by the NJC. A word is enough for the wise.”

Ordinarily, the legal procedure for redressing an injustice (perceived or real) is an appeal to the same court to

review its decision or an appeal to the higher hierarchy of court. But our courts have become a pawn in the political chess game. Because of that, many of our politicians now do ‘Forum Shopping’ by seeking injunctions from ‘sympathetic Judges’. Yet, what proliferation of injunctions indicates is that justice is now for sale and that bodes ill for the rule of law in Nigeria.

There is hardly any former CJN that has not spoken against the abuse of ex-parte order. But indiscriminate granting of injunctions isn’t going to disappear until the judiciary takes the bold step of owning the problem and confronting it head on. There is therefore an urgent need to review the rules of our courts with regard to political cases so as to block the loopholes that judges exploit. Those who will not follow the rules should be sanctioned. But I must also add that it is not as simple as many think. We cannot classify all interim injunctions as bad. Each case will have to be considered on its merit.

The National Judicial Council (NJC), clothed with power to discipline erring Judges, is obviously not doing enough.

Perhaps because the council does not want to be seen to be stifling judicial discretion. There is a strong point for that.

To do justice without fear or favour, judges must not be intimidated. But it should also be clear to the leadership of the judiciary that something is wrong with the way and manner our courts, including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, now handle political cases. For instance, while the high courts are culpable in abuse of injunctions,

the various divisions of the Court of Appeal can also not agree among themselves when deciding similar political cases. The situation is worse in the Federal High Court where Judges are practically sitting on appeal over orders granted by colleagues in other divisions. That’s why Justice Tsoho’s admonition is very timely.

In my book, ‘Against The Run of Play: How an Incumbent President Was defeated in Nigeria’, President Goodluck Jonathan recounted a meeting he had with the leadership of both the National Assembly and the judiciary on how to find an institutional framework to combat corruption in the country. He told me: “…I also invited Chief Judges from one state in each of the six geopolitical zones. I specifically requested for Lagos and Anambra to represent their zones. My choosing Anambra was because that is one state where every political aspirant goes into election with at least two court orders in his pocket. You cannot fight corruption without dealing with such issues.”

As I have argued on several occasions on this page, the role of the court as the resolver of disputes and defender of the constitution, requires that Judges abide by their oath at all times, and in all circumstances. And for that reason, a judiciary debilitated by, or prone to, mercantile political manipulation is a danger to any society. The NJC must intervene to rid the judiciary of transactional Judges who have commercialised court injunctions and are causing instability in the system.

Olusegun Adeniyi, Abuja

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JULY 2, 2020

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com (08114495324 SMS ONLY)

‘As the People’s Parliament, We Keep a Finger on the Pulse of the Nation’

The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Benjamin Kalu holds a discussion with Udora Orizu on the achievements of the 9th Assembly and plans going forward

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t’s the 9th Assembly’s one year in office, from the on-set Nigerians expected it to champion bills on the foundation of our democracy, so far, how would you rate the achievements of the 9th House of Representatives in this regard?

The foundation of democracy is that the actions of the elected representatives must reflect the wishes of the majority while preserving the rights of the minority. Therefore, the bills which have been considered by the House in this past year, are products of several diligently conducted needs analysis to reflect the will of the people.

In just one year of our inauguration, the 9th House has considered about 845 bills, 54 of which seek to alter our constitution to improve our democratic process in various ways. Presently, about 31 bills have been passed by the House, with 253 bills at the committee hearing stage and 561 bills at various stages of first or second reading. A few notable bills which have been passed, are the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (Amendment) Bill; the Physically Challenged (Empowerment) Bill; the Economic Stimulus Bill; the Finance Bill; and, the Company and Allied Matters Act (Amendment) Bill.

In all these, the House has demonstrated to Nigerians that it is nimble. For example, upon our inauguration, we committed to returning the national budget to a January-December budget cycle and for the first time in almost 20 years, the national budget was passed in time.

Correspondingly, in a swift reaction to ensure better budget funding while promoting ease of business for MSMEs, we passed the Finance Act in time to accompany the 2020 Appropriation Act. We also passed the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill as a quick reaction to dilute the devastating economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

As the People’s Parliament, we keep a finger on the pulse of the Nation to ensure that the bills we pass provide real solutions to real issues.

One year after, would you say the Green Chamber has made a positive impact in the country?

Absolutely!, Recall that we were inaugurated at a time when the legislature was in needless deep-seated acrimony with the executive to the detriment of the Nigerian people. Our determination to eliminate this acrimony while respecting the cardinal system of checks and balances is what ensured the possibility of an early 2020 budget.

Furthermore, we have passed various bills to end estimated electricity billing, guarantee interest free student loans for higher education, provide a better labour environment for Nigerian workers, strengthen agriculture and diversify the economy and provide a favourable business environment for MSMEs. Our oversight functions have also exposed and fixed certain inefficiencies in various government MDAs. At a representative level, members of the Green Chamber have represented their constituencies quite well, ensuring that the needs of the people are more accurately captured in the government’s project plans. Furthermore, in a year marred by the Covid-19 pandemic, members of the House have substantially contributed to the fight against Coronavirus by donating two months of their salaries to the covid-19 fund, engaging in extensive sensitization of constituents on public health and safety protocols, and personally donating palliatives and PPEs for indigent people in the various constituencies.

Recall also that it was the intervention of the House that caused the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to improve the implementation of the National Social Investment Programs (NSIPs), the National Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, and update the National Social Register (NSR), to ensure that all social programmes are more impactful, particularly as we struggle to recover from the economic impacts

Kalu of Covid-19.

While there is a lot more to be done over the next three years, I would say that so far, so good; we are on the right track.

Lately, Federal Government has been borrowing a lot from foreign and domestic lenders, given our current debt profile and how unsustainable it is when our debt repayment is compared to available revenue.

As the lawmakers are approving the loans, are they putting in place laws that would facilitate the generation of more revenue?

Yes. The House is currently considering a number of bills to statutorily back the federal government’s efforts to diversify our economy and put an end to our over reliance on volatile oil revenue.

Also, the Finance Act, recently passed along with the 2020 Budget is a law aimed at improving IGR for the government.

But you see, when it comes to borrowing, which a lot of countries routinely do, more action is required than just putting in place laws to improve revenue generation. The major reason for borrowing is to fund capital projects, which are in turn, expected to improve the lives of the people as well as the infrastructural and economic state of the nation. Therefore, if borrowed monies are strictly and prudently administered, then we stand better chances of repaying them. So, even beyond law-making, the House is committed to exercising its powers of oversight, as provided by sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, to expose any corruption or inefficiencies in the government that may jeopardise our chances

of fulfilling our debt obligations.

It seems many resolutions passed by the House are taken for granted by the Executive, MDAs, state government, citizens etc.

Going forward are there plans to put in place some type of rules to ensure compliance?

There have been calls from several quarters for the National Assembly to consider the use of resolutions that carry the force of law in its interactions with government agencies. I agree that resolutions of the House are merely persuasive. However, there has been substantial compliance by the Executive with the resolutions of the 9th House.

That being said, while there are other tools at the disposal of the House to address issues in the country, especially through legislation and oversight investigations, the House is also not averse to considering other ways to make its resolutions more binding.

Recently, the House has been faced with some criticisms and allegations, such as the backlash over the content of Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, also the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) House committee was accused of Budget Padding, do you think it has worsened the public perception of the House?

On the contrary, the backlash over the control of infectious diseases bill provided us an opportunity to help the public gain deeper insights into the workings of the national assembly especially as it relates to the processes of legislation. You see, the act of law-making consists of several

As for the allegations by NDDC of budget padding, we have been able to establish that those allegations are false and are mere tantrums by an interim management hoping to frustrate our oversight investigations into their activities. It is clear that there are contradictory facts and figures being thrown about by members of the Commission’s interim management and the public now understands that there was simply no budget padding by the House, rather, there was a budget cut. It was the wisdom of the House to cut the bogus budget estimates of NDDC, originally pegged at ₦409bn, down to ₦345bn when it became clear to us that the Commission’s projected expenditures were unrealistic

steps, such that often times, the final product is different from the original bill. A lot of the backlash came from people who treated the bill as if it had already been passed into law, without taking into cognizance, the fact that it would have to go through the various stages of bill progression – first hearing, second hearing, committee consideration, public hearing, third hearing, consideration by the committee of the whole, concurrence at the Senate and assent by the president – before becoming law.

As for the allegations by NDDC of budget padding, we have been able to establish that those allegations are false and are mere tantrums by an interim management hoping to frustrate our oversight investigations into their activities.

It is clear that there are contradictory facts and figures being thrown about by members of the Commission’s interim management and the public now understands that there was simply no budget padding by the House, rather, there was a budget cut. It was the wisdom of the House to cut the bogus budget estimates of NDDC, originally pegged at N409bn, down to N345bn when it became clear to us that the Commission’s projected expenditures were unrealistic, having exceeded their revenue source by N63bn.

Reacting to backlash on the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill allowed us to assure Nigerians that all of their concerns would be taken into account in the consideration of the bill at any of the various stages, including the public hearing stage. Likewise, reacting to NDDC’s false accusations of budget padding gave Nigerians an opportunity to see some of the challenges we face when carrying out our constitutionally mandated oversight functions.

So, I think the public perception of the House is becoming better and clearer. Let us not forget that we pride ourselves as the people’s parliament, therefore we welcome every opportunity to engage and enlighten the public on the workings of the 9th House of Representatives.

As the House Spokesman, how would you rate the one-year performance of the House Committees and are there plans by the Speaker to reconstitute, appoint or remove some committee leadership?

I must say that from budget hearings to bills consideration to oversight investigations, the various House Committees have performed excellently so far. Recall that it took a while for the Committee leaderships to be announced and that is because the leadership of the House along with the selection committee had to do a thorough job of fitting square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes. All committees of the House are consisted of members and Chairpersons chosen for their unique competencies. The Speaker is impressed with their performances so far and I doubt there is any thought to reconstitute, appoint or remove any committee leaderships.

Going forward, what should Nigerians expect from the House in the next three years?

The legislative agenda of the 9th House, remains our roadmap. Nigerians should expect a fulfilment of all our commitments therein.

Under the leadership of the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, we are committed to restoring public trust in the political process, and in government. We are also committed to using the various tools of legislative intervention at our disposal to engender positive change in social justice; sustainable power; environment and climate change; economic growth, development and job creation; gender equity; education reform; anti-corruption; sustainable agricultural development and food security; security; welfare of IDPs; public health and national budget reform. Nigerians should also expect open-governance, transparency and accountability from us as we demand them from the other arms of government.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JULY 2, 2020

POLITICS DISSENTING VOICE...IN HIS OWN WORDS ‘Babangida Aliyu Can’t Force Me Out of PDP Chairmanship The Silence in Aso Rock Contest’ Dr. Asukwo Mendie Archibong, National Chairman of

Tanko Beji is a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Niger state. He was first the Legal Adviser of the party before becoming the state Secretary and later the deputy chairman He has already served one term as chairman and is aspiring for the second term. Beji told Laleye Dipo that nothing has changed in the past five years of APC administration in the state

Beji

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he issue of zoning at the state and national levels has been a very contentious matter. What is the position in Niger state as far as zoning is concerned The issue of zoning in the PDP in Niger state has come to stay, you don’t need to ask anybody before you know where and what is going to anybody or any part of the state. In our first 8 years the governorship was zoned to Zone A they had it successfully, the second time it was zoned to Zone B they also had it successfully, the third time it was moved to Zone C. In the two primaries that were held it was a Zone C man that contested but unfortunately we didn’t win the election. So by right the governorship moves to the next zone which is Zone A. If you look at the people rearing their heads that they want to be governor all of them are from Zone A because everybody knows that naturally the governorship is moving to Zone A. This thing(zoning) has come to stay, it is enshrined in the people already except you want problem you cannot jettison it. Even when a Zone A man wanted to scuttle the arrangement in 2019, what happened? He got less than 20 votes because people know that that is the direction. This is why it is always good to enshrine things.

What is the zoning like at the National level I don’t Know and I don’t want to comment on what I don’t know about You are one of the contenders for the chairmanship position of your party, the PDP in the state, how has it been with the party?

I think the best way to answer your question is to start from where we are coming from.

You know my tenure expired 10th of May, and because of the COVID 19, elections could not be held due to the restrictions here and there, and according to the party constitution we couldn’t stay office a day longer.

The National Secretariat in compliance with the constitution of the party decided to put in place a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the party pending when elections would be held. And again this is not peculiar to Niger PDP alone.

However, now that the COVID-19 pandemic is gradually going down, we hope that a new timetable will soon come for elections to be conducted in states where elections could not be held.

Your party seems to be divided ahead of the state congress, why is this so?

PDP in Niger state is not in anyway divided, that is not true. However let me clarify this.

Prior to this moment, the PDP in Niger state met and took a decision to say look because we are now an opposition party there is no need for us to open ourselves for attacks therefore except it is extremely necessary or where death has occurred, there is the need for the Exco

to carry on.

It was as a result of this that all local government councils were directed to go back to their LGAs and Senatorial zones to take a decision. They were given three weeks to look at issues and sought them out themselves. At the expiration of the three weeks, every local government reported to their zones and every zone reported to the state Working Committee.

Again in the state, an expanded State Executive Committee meeting was held where these reports were received. After that we conveyed a state caucus meeting where the state Executive Committee, comprising 29 members reported to the caucus for ratifications.

At the meeting all the zones affirmed that there was the need for the state Exco to continue.

It was only two local governments in zone B, that is Suleja and Chanchaga. But then it was only two out of nine local governments, so it was a majority decision which ordinarily should be binding on them.

So you can see that it was a clarion call from 23 out of the 25 LGAs, with this I don’t think the party is divided.

There are mounting concerns that because of the forthcoming state congress, the party is sharply divided along ethnic and tribal lines, what do you have to say about this.

I think it is normal for anybody to insinuate anything There are three major ethnic groups in the state, the Nupes, the Gwaris and the Hausas.

We have all been living together peacefully we have done things together not minding which ethnic group or tribe anyone belongs to.

Did the Gwaris not support former Governor Babangida Aliyu, a Hausa man as governor of the state for eight years? In fact I was the Director General of his Campaign Organization against a fellow Gwari man. Can only Hausa votes make him governor, today he is the state representative in the Board of Trustees, we elected him unopposed. Again another Hausa man from the state, Maibasira from the same local government with the former governor, is the state representative at the national working committee of the party, did the Gwaris or the Nupes complain, and right now the Chairman caretaker committee of the party is a Hausa man, did anybody complain. PDP has gone beyond politics of tribe and ethnicity, especially in Niger state. Let us talk on issues because no single tribe can do it alone.

One of the few things that we have lined up is to take the party back to the people. It is one of the major reform we want to do. We will allow the people decide what they want.

The era of allowing some influential people to decide what happens in the party is over. Let majority of the party members at rural areas have a say in the affairs of the party, that is the only way we can win the trust of the people. Again we will ensure we improve on our party primaries in subsequent elections. The last governorship primaries was very peaceful with none of the six aspirants complaining or going to court to challenge its outcome

Nigerians For Democracy writes that the foreboding silence from the Presidency in the face of nagging questions begging for answers deepens suspicions that all is not well with the leadership of the country

Archibong

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eople are no longer afraid of President Muhammadu Buhari. His wife is not afraid or respectful of him. She is fighting his staff and they are fighting back.

People are insulting her without fear of her husband.

Yet silence.

Strange to have gunshots in the seat of federal governance. Presidency is not a location for shooting target practice. A trained officer of the law discharged his weapons in trying to impose the will of Aisha Buhari on another man who simply disregarded her.

Yet silence.

Fight in the All Progressives Congress (APC). Governor Godwin Obaseki frozen out, chairmen springing up from every cave like mushrooms. Adams Oshiomhole beaten like a small boy, removed, katakata everywhere. Obaseki goes to meet Buhari but diverted to Chief of Staff. Obaseki is not a staff to Buhari.

Obaseki leaves Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I mean APC: They are the same!

Yet silence.

More killings by Boko Haram.

Katsina State the home state of Buhari on fire with protests erupting everywhere. Killings of military officers and policemen by Boko Haram. Bandits taking over the north, kidnapping and killing people.

Yet silence.

Stale Service Chiefs way beyond their tenure. Despite being ineffective. Despite not enjoying the support of troops. Despite the low morale of troops. Despite affecting the career of other senior military officers, they are still in place. Watching everyday as their officers are killed and Nigerians are murdered by kidnappers, bandits and Boko Haram.

Yet silence.

Something is wrong in Aso Rock. I don’t subscribe to conspiracy theo-

ries, but is Aisha hiding something from Nigerians?

Something is off. I know for a fact that no man on earth can insult a Nigerian man’s wife and live to boast about it talk less of still being employed by him. Who born you?

But it happened in Aso Rock.

Yet silence.

Something is wrong. Very wrong somewhere.

My hope for Nigeria is beginning to sag. We must not let Nigeria fail.

Everybody is eating, nobody is talking in this government.

It will all become clearer shortly.

Strange to have gunshots in the seat of federal governance. Presidency is not a location for shooting target practice. A trained officer of the law discharged his weapons in trying to impose the will of Aisha Buhari on another man who simply disregarded her.

Fight in the All Progressives Congress (APC). Governor Godwin Obaseki frozen out, chairmen springing up from every cave like mushrooms.

Adams Oshiomhole beaten like a small boy, removed, katakata everywhere.

Obaseki goes to meet Buhari but diverted to Chief of Staff. Obaseki is not a staff to Buhari. Obaseki leaves Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I mean APC: They are the same

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T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱ˜ ͰͮͰͮ

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

Empowering Future Nigerian Leaders Chiamaka Ozulumba writes that FirstBank, in its mission to change Nigeria’s learning culture, is empowering the next set of Nigerian leaders, innovators and creatives

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he Nigerian educational sector has had to suffer a decade’s long decline in quality, standards and funding. There are many reasons for this decline; institutional neglect that manifests as slow development, poorly thought-out and implemented policies that cripple progress, corruption at all levels. Whatever the reason, this reality is that generations of Nigerians have been handed a substandard education, a problem that has mitigated the country’s national, cultural, and socioeconomic progress.

However, the past decade has seen private corporations like Nigeria’s premier financial institution, FirstBank, taking up the mantle and contributing its quota towards correcting the neglect of the educational sector which by default, impacts the contribution and growth of various industries to national development.

For FirstBank, empowering the next set of Nigerian leaders, movers, innovators and creatives, via the most up-to-date, reformed and responsive learning processes available is integral to the organisation’s commitment and an important part of the service they render to Nigerians. Since inception, the bank has taken up, established and invented numerous means to support Nigeria’s educational sector. In February 2012, FirstBank set up the FirstAcademy, a corporate academy designed to deliver the right corporate learning. The academy would go on to produce 104 graduate executive trainees.

In a country with growing interest in expanding the scope of corporate culture as we know it, FirstAcademy which is a centrefor structured talent development and knowledge management, remains a forerunner in enabling the easy accessibility to specialised education for emerging business leaders.

The academy has thus far earned its position as the premier corporate academy and hub for talent development in sub-Saharan Africa, and this is due to its active push for the conversation around flexible corporate learning, a nascent culture in Nigeria. FirstAcademy, which is an affiliate of Global Association of Corporate Universities & Academics (G - ACUA), and the World Institute of Action Learning (WIAL), has also been designed to elevate the process of manpower development, particularly in the banking sector.

The academy is currently structured across four multi-level schools as well as working partnerships with select Ivy League Institutions for FirstBank’s Leadership Development with a learning strategy that adopts the 70:20:10 mix, incorporating the three prongs of Experience, Exposure and Education.

The training programmes are delivered using blended methodologies such as Instructor-led, eLearning, In-plant or Open programmes.

FirstAcademy also leverages on a robust Learning Management System (LMS) which is accessible online or via a mobile.

In response to the lockdown of schools at the early stage of COVID-19 in Nigeria, FirstBank launched an eLearning intiative to drive one million students to eLearning and has secured partnerships with Robert & John, IBM and Curious Learning.

CEO FirstBank, Dr Adesola Adeduntan

A virtual learning system that enables Nigerian students at various levels to access quality learning, even as their physical learning spaces have been temporarily shut down. This project has been targeted to reach at least one million Nigerian students, a whopping feat that will make an active difference at a time where many schools in the country aren't able to independently transition to virtual learning.

Through Robert & John, the Roducate elearning solution supports education with access to government accredited curriculumbased content from Primary, secondary all the way to higher level education. Roducate is a subscription-based e-learning initiative

positioned to help fill the learning gap that has been created in the education sector by the global pandemic.

The app is a safe place for learning and it has been designed to keep distractions off as students using the app can't access the internet beyond its learning restrictions. It can also be used online with data and preloaded offline for students in underserved communities with minimal access to the internet.

The partnership with Curious Learning gives student an early learning stage access to ‘Feed The Monster App’ and Read WithAkili App’ which curates and localises numerical and literacy content.

IBM partnership offers the Digital-Nation

Africa program, an online youth-focused learning program that enables innovation and skills development on emerging technologies through focus areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Coding, Cloud, Internet of Things, Blockchain, Data Science and Analytics, and Cybersecurity.

The immense strides FirstBank continues to make in supporting education in Nigeria have tactile proof of the need for aggressive investment in the country’s educational sector. It speaks to FirstBank’s understanding of where our learning ecosystem needs to move to, and with its track record, the financial powerhouse seems to know the way to reaching that destination.

COVID-19: Foundation Distributes Palliatives to Indigents in Ezinihitte Mbaise Amby Uneze in Owerri In a bid to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on his people, Chief Bright Oguamanam Nwanne, a one time Senator, under the auspices of Senator Bright Nwanne Foundation has distributed palliative in form of food items worth millions of naira and cash donations to indigents and youths of Onicha Amairi

in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government of Imo State.

He said this was in a bid to ensure his people are not left to die of hunger and the virus, The Coordinator of the Central Planning Committee, Mr. Celestine Ndubuisi Ihuoma told journalists who monitored the distribution that the former Senator that represented Owerri Zone, deemed it necessary to make

the distribution of palliative to the real vulnerable people in the four autonomous communities of Onicha Amairi.

He further revealed that the committee did the needful by structuring channels in which the items got to the targeted people as instructed by the Senator, as the distributions were taken to the respective 10 villages to maintain social distancing measures in sharing the items.

According to him, the beneficiaries were carefully selected, adding that women, men and the youths were happy to received the package made up over 1000 bags of five kg rice, facial mask and cash.

Also speaking, the President General of Ubonukam community, Chief George Chibugwu described the action of Senator Nwanne as splendid, adding "we are very

grateful to him because this is not his first time of helping the people of his community".

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries in their separate speeches thanked God for using Senator Bright Nwanne to bless his people, who in his magnanimous nature is known to remember them in this trying period.

They maintained that the Senator had made them proud by the donation to

the four autonomous communities, adding that he also empowered 120 youths in the area.

The villages, which include Eziama, Umuevu, Umuhu, Umuaghara, Umuekwene, Ubonukam, Umuoma, Umuelegwa, Umuawada, Omu-ukwu and their respective Aladinma heads received the pallaitives and it was immediately shared to the indigents.

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FEATURES

CSOs Urge Police, Government to Treat Sexual Violence as Security Threat

Gender desk officer attending to woman whose five-year-old daughter was raped

Commissioning of the gender desk at Nasarrawa Gwom Police Division Plateau State Command

Stories by Rebecca Ejifoma

Adding that all services are free, she said that partnering CSOs, CBOs, Ministries of Health, women and social welfare to network and coordinate service providers with the Plateau Police Command, JSD trained 40 officers on effective response to SGBV. “Manning the desk are trained officers who will not only professionally carry out their duties but network and coordinate with other service providers in the handling of SGBV in line with relevant national, international, regional, instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Marriage Acts, Violence Against Persons Prohibition, The Child Rights Law of Plateau State , The Gender and Equal Opportunities Law among others," she said.

To create awareness and improve demand for such service, the Programme Coordinator said JSD will, from July 01, 2020, re-start its radio program on SGBV awareness and effective response. The Radio drama series titled “Tuna dani”(Think me) will broadcast in local language on Unity FM, Jos.

The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in the area of security, justice sector and human rights have called on the Federal and State governments as well as the Nigerian Police to treat the increasing cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) as a security threat.

This call was made over the weekend in a chat with the Justice and Security Dialogue (JSD) Programme Coordinator, Ms. Isioma Kemakolam.

According to Kemakolam, why incidents of rape are on the “increase", which she noted, has attracted national outcry, is because "sexual violence is yet to be considered as a security issue, and when it is, it does not rank high as a priority".

She stressed that COVID-19 if nothing, highlighted this issue more, creating awareness on this plague called rape, and that "to really see change, we need to see shifts in how the government, police and others understand sexual violence as a security issue that impacts everyone and the society.

"This pandemic has brought to fore this

issue and there are increased discussions around it as a ‘shadow pandemic’ during the COVID-19 pandemic, which now proves to be a catalyst for action”.

Listed as reasons why people seem to tolerate or overlook sexual violence are; attitudes, lack of awareness on existing laws, family attachments (to the perpetrator), fear of public opinion/shame, insecurity, social and economic dependency, stereotypes or myths, prejudice, fear of retribution, feeling of helplessness, religious and cultural beliefs amongst others.

To this end, JSD which is a programme being implemented in Nigeria by WANEP in collaboration with CEPAN with support from USIP established a Gender Desk in Nasarawa Gwom Police Division of Plateau State Command, which became handy to address the rising scourge of SGBV amidst COVID-19.

Urging the public to take advantage and utilize services of the Gender Desk, the program coordinator stated that the desk is open to receive cases, improve response and victim’s experience with the police and hopefully, reduce the prevalence of SGBV.

She however, cited some challenges since the Nigeria Police in 2016 under the former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, created a ‘public friendly’ gender unit across the country to prosecute cases of SGBV, adding that "the special unit under the Force Gender Unit since its creation has remained a mirage in most states of the federation".

Kemakolam also highlighted some of the challenges to include: conflicting laws, fund, personnel retention ( noting that since the establishment of the desk and deployment of four trained officers, two have voluntarily redeployed from the unit because it is not as “lucrative” as other units), limited training, lack of victim support facility including psycho-social services. She noted that with lot of police support dependent on aid, it would not be sustainable.

As a way forward, the CSOs urged government and the police apart from enacting laws and reeling out operational guidelines on combating SGBV, and the need to intentionally budget to support and replicate the desk, train more officers, make available, affordable and accessible medical and judicial services to victims.

COVID-19: FG Boosts Food Production for Lagos Farmers As part of palliative measures to boost the economy and aid food production in the state, the federal government has donated 450 tons of maize to the Poultry Association Farmers of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter.

The 450 tons of maize, according to the association, is equivalent 4,200 bags in 15 trailers of 50kg maize in the field production for their chickens.

While receiving the consignment at the Agricultural Development Authority (ADA) in Agege Lagos, the state Chairman of Poultry Association, Mr. Godwin Egbegbe, described the gesture as emulative for other states to follow.

Egbegbe added: “The Lagos State Government has done the needful by giving out this to the right people. We want to appreciate the federal government for looking towards our direction.

“We thank the governor for this opportunity, and the former commissioner now a traditional ruler and his team and the acting commissioner for working assiduously to ensure these things come to the farmers.

We are the farmers.”

On behalf of the association, the chairman pledged that they would use the products judiciously given that “maize has been going up because of the bandits that have been terrorising the northern states”.

He further enjoined the federal government to also look towards that direction in tackling the bandits from disturbing the farmers.

He implored other states to follow the footsteps by Lagos and ensure the seeds get to the farmers.

“My friends in other states have been

The State Chairman of Poultry Association, Mr. Godwin Egbegbe; and the Programme Manager/ CEO, Dr. Olalekan Sheteolu at the presentation of the 450 tons of maize palliative from the federal government to poultry farmers in Lagos State

asking how it came about. The FG gave to every state, and Lagos State has done

the needful.

“I want to appeal to other states' governments or governors to do same so that things will be good for Nigerians,” he added.

Meanwhile, Egbegbe decried that their famers suffer on the roads, especially on the Badagry Expressway.

He said, “Raw materials cannot go there and Epe, too. The Epe farmers produce over 47 crates of eggs daily but majority of the eggs get broken before they get to the market. This is because the road is terrible. Government should look towards that direction”.

Also speaking, the association’s Programme Manager/CEO, Dr. Olalekan Sheteolu, said: “We thank the federal government for looking in the direction of Lagos State especially of our farmers by supplying us free of charge maize as palliative measures”.

Continuing, Sheteolu noted that the consignment of maize would assist the farmers in field production for their poultry, adding that they have started giving out to farmers.

“This is a palliative measure to the farmers because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The farmers have actually suffered.

“There was a time we had a head glut.

They produced eggs, but there was nowhere to sell it to because there was a lockdown, most of the eggs got spoilt.”

While bemoaning that some of the farmers suffered losses in their poultry estates, the manager said the palliative is a comeback for them.

“It is going to boost production. If this is done in other states, you could see the price of eggs coming down or at least, stabilis-

ing to what it was, if not better, before the pandemic”.

Speaking also, the Epe Zonal Chairman, PAN, Folasade Gam-Ikon, called on the state government to help them fix the deplorable state of the road to restore cash flow.

Her words: “From Ibeju-Lekki to T-Junction where we have majority of poultry and other farmers, the road is in a very terrible state.

I went to the farm on Sunday thinking that the trucks on the road would be minimal. I spent three hours between Sangotedo and the T-Junction.

“At one point, we had to take a bush route to get to Epe. I just want to seek the attention of the government to help with the state of the road. Although we heard in the news a while ago that the Lagos State government commissioned the road, we are yet to see any work there”.

Folasade, however, supported the quote of the chairman who said over 45,000 crates of eggs produced daily are from Epe. “We have the data. By the time we get to the markets, buyers complain that most of the eggs are cracked”.

She further recalled a video clip that went viral. “That video is from Epe zone. We have farmers throwing away eggs not because there is glut but because people are not coming through that route to Epe. It will be difficult for people in Ajah to go through Ikorodu to come to Epe.” To restore the cash flow whilst boosting the economy, the Epe chairperson implored the government, “to do something about the road. It is biting hard. It is affecting our cash flow and the economy”.

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THURSDAY JULY 2, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ JULY 2, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S

A S

MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A T

J U N E

15 % 16 %

S & P INDEX INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY

REPO 15.20 % 16.10 %

CALL 1-MONTH

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

2 6 , 2 0 2 0 S&P 544.73 % -0.02 %

1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

EXCHANGE RATE 16.98 % 13.21 %

N361/1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes Google for Non-profits Launched

GooglehaslaunchedGoogleforNon-profitsinNigeria.Thesolutionaimsto empowernot-for-profitorganisationsbyprovidingthemwithfreepremium services. For organisations that qualify, it would give them access to a collectionofpremiumapps-thesametoolslargeenterprisecorporations use,atnocost.Onceapproved,qualifyingnon-profitscangainaccessto programs such as Google Ad Grants, G-Suite for Nonprofits, YouTube’s nonprofit program, and more. This would assist such organisations to work more quickly and efficiently to reach a wider audience, spur more supporterstotakeaction,andtelltheirstoryinamorecompellingway.

Non-profitscanqualifyforagrantofupto$10,000amonththatisavailable forsixmonthsthroughOctober2020,tospendontext-basedadsamong otherofferings.Fororganisationstobeeligiblefortheprogram,itmustbe aregisterednon-profitcharitableorganisationinNigeriaandverifiedby TechSoupNigeria.ItmustalsomeeteligibilitycriterialistedontheGoogle fornon-profitswebpage.

Head, Government Affairs and Public Policy, West Africa, Google, Titi Akinsanmi, said: “Non-profits face unique challenges when making decisions about what technology to acquire amid competing demands forfundingandresources.

“Ouroverallgoalistoprovideaccesstotoolsandtechnologyquicklyand effectively,sothattheseorganisationscanfocustheireffortsandresources directlytowardsachievingtheirgoals.”

SUPPORTING THE NEEDY

L-R: Chief Operations Officer, Softcom, Seinde Olobayo; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and CEO Softcom, Yomi Adedeji, during the launch of a technology innovation platform that will cushion the effects of Covid-19 pandemic on the needy, held in Lagos...recently

Report: Global e-Waste Surged by 21% in Five Years Stories by Emma Okonji A record 53.6 million metric tonnes of electronic waste (eWaste) was generated worldwide in 2019, up 21 per cent in just five years, according to the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor 2020, that was released recently.

The new report also predicted that global e-waste, which includes discarded electronic products with a battery or plug, to reach 74 million metric tonnes by 2030, almost a doubling of e-waste in just 16 years.

This makes e-waste the world’s fastest-growing domestic waste stream, fueled mainly by higher consumption rates of electric and electronic equipment, short life cycles, and few options for repair.

In Nigeria, industry stakeholders had raised the alarm about the increasing number of dump

TELECOM sites that are mainly occupied by electronic wastes in most cities of the country.

According to the report, only 17.4 per cent of 2019’s e-waste was collected and recycled, which means that gold, silver, copper, platinum and other high-value, recoverable materials conservatively valued at US $57 billion, which is a sum greater than the gross domestic product of most countries, were mostly dumped or burned rather than being collected for treatment and reuse.

The report stated that Asia generated the greatest volume of e-waste in 2019, about 24.9 metric tonnes, followed by the Americas 13.1 metric tonnes and Europe 12 metric tonnes, while

Africa and Oceania generated 2.9 metric tonnes and 0.7 metric tonnes respectively.

“For perspective, last year’s ewaste weighed substantially more than all the adults in Europe, or as much as 350 cruise ships to form a line 125 km long,” the report noted.

E-waste is a health and environmental hazard, containing toxic additives or hazardous substances such as mercury, which damages the human brain and/or coordination system.

According to the report findings, proper e-waste management could help mitigate global warming.

In 2019, an estimated 98 metric tonnes of Carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents were released into the atmosphere from discarded fridges and air-conditioners, contributing roughly 0.3 per

cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In per capita terms, last year’s discarded e-waste averaged 7.3 kg for every man, woman and child on Earth.

The report noted that Europe ranked first worldwide in terms of e-waste generation per capita with 16.2 kg per capita.

Oceania came second with 16.1 kg, followed by the Americas 13.3 kg. Asia and Africa were much lower: 5.6 and 2.5 kg respectively.

Since 2014, the e-waste categories increasing fastest in total weight terms are: temperature exchange equipment at over seven per cent; large equipment at over five per cent; and lamps and small equipment at over four per cent. According to the report, this trend is driven by Continued on page 22

Expert Harps on Accelerated Adoption of Digital Tools by Businesses The Chief Transformation Officer, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Mr. Bayo Adekanmbi, has said the accelerated adoption of digital tools will create longterm impact on businesses and increase their chances of survival and growth, despite the harsh global economy created by Covid-19.

According to him, “We have seen an acceleration in the transition to the use of digital tools that we expected to take a decade, happen almost overnight, and it is unlikely that some of these changes will be reversed.

“The new normal is here and businesses have to re-organise their core business models through backward and forward integration to maintain their

TELECOM relevance.”

Adekanmbi said the challenge that new digital tools often face, was how to drive adoption. How to break deeply-held routines, or accepted practice.

Many disruptive digital tools seek to change long-held social norms. For example, employers for years have insisted on the need for physical meetings in an office, in order to conduct business,’ he added.

He, however, noted that while the video conference industry grew with the growth of digital technology, he was not sure it anticipated the kind of acceleration that took place when the pandemic struck the world.

“In a few short months, employees everywhere are completely used to the concept of engaging with their colleagues remotely. Just look at the share price of Zoom, and the investments that its competitors are making in their own propositions.

“It’s already clear that a significant percentage of offices will continue some level of remote working, even if restrictions are lifted.

“This is true in other segments too. Visual or digital entertainment businesses have grown significantly and more and more people are going to understand the type of immersive experiences that technologies like 7D offer.

“In Denmark, the football club Aarhus have introduced a ‘virtual stadium’ for spectators to attend via Zoom and showed the world how football can work without fans.

“Sport being delivered through an enhanced experiential immersion experience would have been considered decades away just three months ago,” Adekanmbi said.

According to him “Digital Financial Services are also expanding rapidly as they underpin all of these digital services, and many of the existing adoption challenges have been removed as people sign up to mobile financial services, Continued on page 22

Honeywell, LSETF Graduate Students

The first cohort of 18 students that participated in the Lagos Innovates Talent Development Programme, an initiative by Honeywell Group and theLagosStateEmploymentTrustFund(LSETF),recentlyhadavirtual graduationceremonytocelebratethecompletionoftheprogramwhich beganinOctober2019andendedinFebruary2020.

TheTalentDevelopmentProgrammeaimstoensurethatNigeriakeeps apacewithchangesintechnologiesandcompetenciesthatwilldefinethe 21stcenturyandbeyond.

Addressingthegraduatingclass,theChairmanoftheProgrammeSteering CommitteeandHead,InnovationandSustainability,HoneywellGroup,Tomi Otudekosaid:“Weareproudofyouandwethankyouforyourcommitment, you should be proud that you started this programme and you ended it.

It’satestamenttoyourresolveanddedication.

“IamproudthatHoneywellGroupLimitedpartneredwithLSETFtomake thisareality.Thisgraduationishappeningviaatechnologyplatformthat didnotexistfewyearsago.“Technologyisgrowingatanexponentialrate, with new technology springing up at every corner of the world; we want Lagostoalsobethatcorneroftheworld.WewantLagostobetheplace wherewearebuildingtheplatformsoftomorrow.”

Speaking further, she said: “It is an interesting time to change careers, a timetoinnovateanddothingsinanewway,thinkofnewsolutionsforthe companiesyouwillbeworkingwith,livealifeofinnovation.Continuetobuild on your technique and the skills you have learnt; you have platforms and accesstotrainyourselves,striveforexcellenceandbegoodambassadors ofthisprogramme.”

Digital Voting for NIMN Elections

The Chairman of the electoral committee of the National Institute of MarketingofNigeria(NIMN),AliMadugu,hasannouncedthatelections intothepositionsoftheFirstVicePresident,SecondVicePresidentand four other seats in the council of the institute, expected to be declared vacantatthisyear’sAnnualGeneralMeeting(AGM)oftheinstitute,would beconductedelectronically.

Speaking during an online media briefing, held recently, he stated that besides being a response to the coronavirus pandemic, the decision to make the elections virtual was also meant to give every member of the institutetheopportunitytoparticipate.

Also speaking at the briefing, the institute’s President and Chairman of Council,Mr.TonyAgenmonmen,describedthisyear’sAGMassignificant sinceitwouldwitnesstheinstitute’stransitionfrommanualtoelectronic systemofvoting.

“The rationale for the transition is to give every eligible member of the institute the opportunity to exercise his or her right to vote for their preferred candidates irrespective of their location, and enthrone more transparency,fairness,andcredibilityintheelectoralprocess,”hestated.

“The recent challenges we have faced with COVID-19 pandemic highlight the need for additional investment and smarter policies to deploy shared infrastructure required to make access to broadband a reality for more Africans at a price they can afford” Chief Executive Officer, MainOne,

Ms. Funke Opeke

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BUSINESSWORLD REPORT: GLOBAL E-WASTE SURGED BY 21% IN FIVE YEARS the growing consumption of those products in lower-income countries, where those products improve the living standards.

Small IT and telecommunication equipment have been growing more slowly, and screens and monitors have shown a slight decrease of less than one per cent, explained largely by lighter flat panel displays replacing heavy cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and screens.

Since 2014, the number of countries that have adopted a national e-waste policy, legislation or regulation has increased from 61 to 78. While regarded as a positive trend, the figures are far from the target set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is mandated to raise the percentage of countries with an e-waste legislation to 50 per cent.

Commenting on the global e-waste surge, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Doreen Bogdan-Martin, said: “The Global E-waste Monitor highlights the pressing issue of e-waste management in today’s digitally connected world in that the way we produce, consume, and dispose of electronic devices has become unsustainable.”

EXPERT HARPS ON ACCELERATED ADOPTION OF DIGITAL TOOLS BY BUSINESSES or utilise agent networks in close proximity to them, out of necessity.

“The tele-health industry has had to step into the gap left by restrictions on access to hospitals.

How many of us will now be more comfortable than we expected engaging with our doctors remotely going forwards? How many of us will be comfortable with the idea of engaging with robots as a first point of contact at hospitals, as they have introduced in Rwanda?”

Given the accelerated adoption of digital tolls, Adekanmbi said a network of Nigerian agriculture companies, invested significantly over the last few years in automating the supply chain, and ensuring they can track inputs in real time. That capability makes it much easier to manage the type of disruption that Covid-19 and movement restrictions bring.

NEWS

Nigeria Computer Society Advocates New Digital Culture Stories by Emma Okonji The President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof.

Adesina Sodiya, has stressed the need for Nigerians to embrace technology in order to drive digital transformation in the country.

Sodiya, who spoke at a recent paper presentation, said no nation would benefit from the emerging and disruptive technologies such as Internet of things (IoTs), Big Data Analytics, Smart City, Blockchain Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligent (AI), without a new way of digital culture.

According to Sodiya, “Digital culture is a new way of life that borders on the reliance on ICT tools for the effective functioning of the society.

“Generally, it has to do with how people interact with technology in their workplaces and lives. Digital culture refers to a new culture that emanated from the emergence and continuous adoption of digital technologies in all aspects of our lives.

“The disruptions triggered by the outbreak of the Covid-19 worldwide have great impact on all aspects of our lives.

Industries such as education, business, transportation, commerce, mass communication, among others, were not spared.

“In fact, the Covid-19 pandemic has shown that these industries need to leverage more on technology for continuity and survivability.

“Others industries that require physical contact are worst hit. For instance, sports, a billion dollars industry was

completely brought to a halt worldwide.

“The economies of individuals; small-scale and large-scale businesses; corporate organisations and governments all over the world have been affected negatively by the impact of the pandemic.”

He, therefore said remote technologies such as teleworking, telecommuting, crowd-sourcing, telemedicine, among others, including online platforms such as e-commerce, e-collaboration, e-meeting, econferences, webinar, were now gaining tremendous attention.

“Covid-19 has reawakened

the digital culture in Nigeria and called for the need to develop urgent strategies for strengthening it. For Nigeria to progress well in this right and necessary direction, we need total determination and commitment in scaling up our digital culture and interaction,” Sodiya added.

He argued that the essential ingredients of digital culture were digital literacy, digital inclusion and digitalisation.

He also explained that with the effort of government and NCS, the level of digital literacy in Nigeria continue to improve, but further explained that we

are not there yet, if we have to compare our digital development with other nations.

Sodiya added that, “Digital literacy promotes digital adoption and is a necessity for development. All areas of our lives such as education, agriculture, health, tourism, science, commerce, transportation, construction, and production, will perform better with enhanced digital skills of citizens and workers.

He said government must continue to support and provide enabling environment for improved digital literacy in this country, adding that

for over a decade now, NCS has been promoting digital inclusion and will continue to lead its advocacy.

Though Nigeria has targeted broadband penetration of 70 per cent by 2025, a lot still need to be done to move to that level from the present penetration rate of 43 per cent, Sodiya said.

He, however, explained that digital culture could be further sustained by embracing digitalisation effectively, while describing digitalisation as the use of digital technologies to upgrade our individual and business processes.

UNITED AGAINST COVID-19

L-R: Director, Central Africa, Ariston Thermo Group, Mr. Gaurav Bisaria; Warehouse Manager-Medical, Lagos State COVID -19 Response Team, Mr. Jide Razack and Marketing Manager, Central Africa, Ariston Thermo Group, Solomon Umoh, during the donation of water heaters to Lagos State Government, in Lagos…. recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

Telecoms Subscribers Push for Free Voice Calls, Data Palliatives Telecoms subscribers have appealed to the telecoms companies to provide them with free voice calls, in addition to more data palliatives.

The National Chairman of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Deolu Ogunbanjo, who spoke during a recent webinar organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said the call became necessary to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which he said, had grounded global economies, and created so much challenges for telecoms subscribers across networks.

MTN CEO, Ferdi Moolman,

recently said the telco alone had provided 3.71 billion free SMS to more than 51 million subscribers across every state of the Nigerian federation; which he said was a projection that 75 per cent of all MTN subscribers, utilised the service while it lasted during the pandemic.

But while commending the telecoms operators for providing free SMS to subscribers, Ogunbanjo said: “Telecoms subscribers in Nigeria are also looking forward to the telecommunications companies in Nigeria to give free voice call and additional data palliatives to subscribers on their various networks.”

Ogunbanjo commended NCC for setting up the pace on the consumer rights to seek redress by providing the 6-2-2 Toll-free line.

“The Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have also done the same by providing the Toll-free customer care lines. He however said unfortunately, this is not so for other companies operating in Nigeria.

“In other countries, we all know that companies do provide Toll-free redress / complaint lines as one the consumer’s rights to seek redress anytime. This Redress/ Complaint Toll-feee lines should be provided by all companies

operating in Nigeria that is expecting some form of feedback /redress on their products and services offerings, as this promotes consumer-centrism,” Ogunbanjo said.

He drew the attention of NCC to the unwholesome practice of mobile phone importers and manufacturers, insisting that with a population of over 200 million people and a subscriber base of over 190 million subscribers as at April this year, Nigeria is a very big phones market and as such, all phones coming into Nigeria must be of standard quality and must satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of phone users,

particularly as it concerns the phone chargers that come with mobile phones into Nigeria.

“All over Nigeria, our electrical wall sockets are the 3-pin-plug type. However, phone dealers, to our disappointment bring into Nigeria the 2-pin-plug phone chargers, a development that infringes on the consumer’s right to product satisfaction in view of the fact that mobile phones are consumer durables,” Ogunbanjo said.

He therefore called on NCC to engage mobile phone importers and manufacturers to ensure that all mobile phones coming into Nigeria come with 3-pin quality chargers.

HP Commits to Reduction of Plastic Pollution Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafo (Energy) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

Hewlett Packard (HP) has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating 75 per cent of single-use plastic packaging by 2025.

The company restated the commitment in its recently released 2019 Sustainable Impact Report, which also highlighted the progress HP was making to drive diversity and inclusion, as well as strengthen communities globally.

Commenting on the report, HP President and CEO, Enrique Lores, said: “The HP culture has long been built on the belief

that how we do things is just as important as what we do.

Recent events have laid bare the systemic racism and deep inequalities that remain a stain on society, and it’s imperative for all companies to act with urgency on all fronts.”

According to him, “It’s especially important for companies to hold themselves accountable and publicly report their progress. This year’s data shows that HP is making significant strides forward in many areas, while also revealing where we must

do better.

“For example, the number of African American employees is below where it needs to be, and we are taking actions to improve. While we have a lot of hard work ahead, our valuesdriven culture that unites our teams and our partners gives me confidence in our ability to accelerate our progress and foster a more sustainable, equitable, and just society.”

As part of these commitments, HP announced a new goal to eliminate 75 percent of single-use plastic packaging by

2025, supporting the company’s efforts to drive a low-carbon, circular economy.

Efforts to make a sustainable impact on people, the planet and communities are integrated into HP’s business strategy and operations, and have become an increasingly important driver of customer purchasing decisions. HP’s Sustainable Impact efforts helped drive more than $1.6 billion in sales wins in 2019, up an estimated 69 per cent, reflecting the growing business imperative for companies to

lead with purpose.

The goal focuses on hardware unit packaging and is predicated on a move to moulded fibre packaging cushions. HP’s environmental packaging strategy aims to eliminate unnecessary plastics and materials of concerns wherever possible.

According to the report, in 2019, HP decided to eliminate power cord plastic ties and plastic document bags in hardware packaging. HP also has shifted to more recyclable, paper-based alternatives.

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BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Yusuf: Only Resilient Businesses Will Survive Covid-19 Managing Partner of Verraki, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, shares insights on the pandemic and its impact on the Nigerian economy, saying that only resilient businesses will survive. Emma Okonji brings the excerpts:

W

hat exactly do you mean by business resilience and what kind of resilience does businesses need to survive Covid-19?

Business resilience is the ability of an organisation to quickly adapt to disruptions in a way to minimise losses and to maximise gains while sustaining its operations and safeguarding its people, assets, and overall brand equity. Resilience has four attributes.

The first is that the business can withstand and quickly recover from shocks, setbacks, and crisis. The second is that the business can easily adapt to change. As circumstances change, the business itself is not left in a lurch. Thirdly the business can keep going even in the face of crisis, challenges, and adversity. And lastly, the resilient business can seize opportunities that avail themselves during the crisis, as there will be such opportunities even during bad times. Resilient organisations have a positive mindset that sees opportunities for growth in a crisis. They adapt and evolve easily, and can make lemonade out of lemons, the proverbial squeezing water out of stone. For instance, Ruff n Tumble is a Nigerian apparel retailer that pivoted, ahead of others, from making kiddies clothes to meeting the increased demand for quality facemasks during the lockdown.

In a swift move that ensured it would keep up production, keep its employees, and cover fixed costs, the company identified a market that did not exist before the pandemic and seized the opportunity to repurpose existing resources. Rather than being hopeless, admitting defeat, and complaining about the crisis, Ruff n Tumble identified opportunity via a demand for facemasks and quickly pivoted.

That is an example of business resilience. It is those four things – the ability to recover from shocks, from setbacks; ability to adapt to change; ability to keep going even in the face of adversity; and lastly ability to seize the opportunity that the crisis presents - and when you have businesses that can do all four then you say those are resilient businesses.

For an organisation or people to be resilient, they need to have three characteristics. The first characteristic is that they accept the realities of life. They don’t hope for things to change, they accept the current realities. Our reality today is that there is a pandemic, and we have full to partial lockdown across Nigeria. We don’t know when the virus will be contained or how long the lockdown and movement restrictions will be. Resilient organisations accept the realities of life and define appropriate strategies to cope with the same. The second thing about resilient organisations and people is that they have a deep belief that even within the crisis, there’s an opportunity. The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis. One brush stroke stands for danger, the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger, but recognise the opportunity. So resilient people believe that within a crisis, therein lies an opportunity. And thirdly, resilient people and resilient organisations have an uncanny ability to turn nothing into something, to squeeze water out of stone, and they can do this because they have positive mindsets, they are pragmatic optimists and are open to opportunities and possibilities. They see every bottle as being half full as opposed to being half-empty. They see through the fog.

Resilience is not about dodging a crisis; it is about being involved in the crisis but able to recover quickly from it and making the required changes to be able to keep operating and progressing during the crisis. And lastly, you seize opportunities that come up during that crisis.

How do you think the Covid-19 will impact the Nigerian economy?

The Covid-19 has exposed the fragility of many jobs and markets across the globe. In a very short time, the context in which we are operating has changed drastically. The damage to economies in several countries is clear, especially emerging countries such as Nigeria. Businesses are struggling as a result of government lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, and tightening consumer spending. Many businesses that were boom-

Yusuf

ing just a few weeks ago now face incredibly challenging times ahead. The impact on jobs, poverty levels, and basic food security will likely be catastrophic, and this may be the most important battle we all witness in our lifetime.

Governments around the world are facing the tough option of choosing between saving lives and livelihoods, but the dilemma is even more pronounced in low, and middle-income countries. In Africa, on the one hand, the inability of the continent’s health systems to cope with a full-blown pandemic is a serious cause for concern which has led to the enforcement of lockdowns to delay the spread of the virus and to buy time for the government to provide more health facilities. Yet, on the other hand, without relaxing restrictions, the economy is being held hostage. So, many have started relaxing lockdowns to get citizens back to work.

The jury is not yet out on whether this has exacerbated the Covid-19 cases. The World Bank forecasts that Africa will experience its first recession in this century. The impact on jobs will be huge — the USA already lost 30 million jobs and I estimate that about half of that number of jobs could be lost in Africa while more than 100 million informal jobs are vulnerable. Globally, around 50 million people could be pushed below the poverty line, with about half of those in Africa. For Nigeria, it’s a perfect storm in the sense that we had a fragile economy with low capital reserves and then came the crash in the price of crude oil, and now the pandemic and so our challenge is to ensure that the coronavirus health crisis does not become both a social and security crises though it is likely it will become an economic and humanitarian crisis.

Let us take measures to make sure it doesn’t become a financial crisis when there are bad debts and banks go under. We also must make sure it doesn’t become a social crisis where people cannot eat or fend for themselves, given the over 76 million Nigerians who are daily earners.

What must business leaders be doing now?

As business leaders, we need to demonstrate empathy and courage, and to take deliberate, proactive steps. The main priority is the safety of all your workforce. The safety and wellbeing of the workforce is critical. Next is to identify who your best talents are and find ways to connect with them even during this difficult period to motivate them and give them a sense of belonging, and a sense of job security such that they have no doubts about their sustenance and thence can focus on contributing to the business. The second priority is financial planning. Know your cash position. How much money do you have in

the bank? And I am talking cash that you have. Not the money you expect from a client because customers may decide not to pay or not pay on time. This is the time for scenario planning. What happens if you don’t have any new business, you don’t sign any new contract for the next three months? Don’t stick your head in the sand and hope it will pass; you can’t believe that. You just don’t know what may or may not happen. So have three scenarios from bad to worse to worst (no good scenario in this context). And in those scenarios, how would your business survive given the cash that you have at hand today. It’s what you have at hand or in the bank that you can plan on. Don’t plan on your receivables because your customer may decide to conserve cash and not pay on time.

Then the third priority is to look for ways to conserve your capital and you conserve capital by slashing expenses, avoiding unnecessary expenses. This is not the time for paid training.

This is not the time for trips unless they are mission-critical, business-relevant, important travel. So travels, training, non-core marketing, and advertisements; those are expenses to reduce now. And then, any opportunity you see for accretive income to grow your business, take it. Even if it’s small, even if it’s lower margin, take it. Because whatever money you have in the bank is good for you.

You will use it to pay salaries and keep the lights on. Now is the time to aggressively chase all your receivables from debtor clients.

How can you build resilient businesses?

To build a resilient business, you must understand that while your prior experience may be useful it might not be relevant in a world that is full of volatility, uncertainty, ambiguity, and complexity. You need to have new perspectives. We all need to have the yield management discipline and mindset of airlines. If you are the owner of an airline, every plane that is flying will have the full complement of pilots, cabin crew, fuel, food, and entertainment for the entire flight, you will also pay levies, charges, and taxes to government authorities for the entire trip. Whether you fly with 10 per cent of passengers or you carry 100 per cent of your passengers, those costs are fixed. What airlines do is ensure that they have a full fight reason why even the economy class has multiple types of tickets.

They use technology to optimize the price for each ticket including selling some seats for cheap. And that’s what we all need to do currently. Knowing that you have incurred fixed costs, you have staff – fixed costs. You have paid rent – fixed cost. You have a bus – a fixed cost. You are running a generator – fixed cost.

And so it is beneficial that you optimise the

revenue that you can derive from these fixed costs as much as possible. You need to assess different opportunities. Begin by performing triage on your products or services. Which have poor survival prospects and may not survive? Which has declining sales but can be stabilized? Which are likely to flourish during the recession and afterward? Where the business opportunities are uncertain or declining, it may be time to part with those products that were ailing before the recession and are on life support now. For those that remain, companies should concentrate their resources on maintaining relevance to core customers to sustain themselves through the recession and into recovery. What assets do you have that you can lease out? Resilient companies look at opportunities to reduce their asset intensity and be asset-light because each asset is a fixed investment that makes it difficult to be agile.

Do you still need those staff buses, pool vehicles, and drivers if your business will implement more remote working in the nearest future? Do you need those warehouses or big office complexes? Uberize those assets to reduce your overhead. Lease/rent out existing assets to optimise your income.

Secondly, build your reserves. Resilient businesses do scenario planning and try to extend their cash runway, should clients not pay. Some businesses will open new lines of credit with their bankers, to make funds available. Others renegotiate existing loans to protect the business. Resilient businesses ensure redundancy by building financial reserves, as no business can survive for long on zero revenue. This is the time to look for ways to structurally design your organisation, reimagine and design your operations to suit the new normal, the new ways of doing things like working from home, Bring Your Own Device, extended work hours.

Thirdly, resilient businesses also explore diversity via multiple supply options, diverse teams, and a wide range of stakeholders. What has become obvious to many manufacturers is the risk of concentrating operations or suppliers in one location. Apple Inc. missed its second-quarter revenue projections due to a delay in reopening its production facilities in Zhengzhou, China over continued coronavirus fears and low consumer demand. Diversity could also be encouraged via managing clients that cut across multiple sectors, multiple locations, different company sizes, maturity, and earnings. For instance, companies that catered exclusively to oil and gas companies are now heavily exposed due to the plunging prices of oil. You want to have diversity from a supplier’s point of view. You cannot have just one supplier and your suppliers cannot come from the same location. Imagine if you are on the Lagos Island and all your suppliers are coming from the Lagos Mainland and there’s a blockage on third mainland bridge, you’ll have an issue that day. So, suppliers must have multi-locations.

Fourthly, stop digging. A pithy comment attributed to Warren Buffett is “Be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy only when others are fearful.” Resilient businesses must challenge implicit assumptions that the status quo is the safer default path. It may be necessary to forget what you have learned. Prior experience may be useful but they might not be relevant in a world that is full of volatility and uncertainty.

It may also be important to stop digging and cause more troubles. One of the useful tips given to people when they are learning how to swim, is not to panic if drowning, as they may drown faster. During a crisis, be still. Don’t make any silly mistake that you’ll come to regret later.

Lastly, in terms of your operations, go digital.

Technology is what allows you to scale and to grow big. Look at the mobile phone companies.

When they started in Nigeria, we were all buying physical recharge cards. Today, most people recharge through virtual top-ups, that’s digital.

Imagine what would have happened if, during this crisis, we all needed to be buying paper recharge cards. We would be more exposed to danger and of course, the telcos will not be able to sell as much and earn as much.

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T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

Examining Nigerian National Standardisation Strategy Chris Uba

O

ne of the barometers for measuring the level of economic development and improvement in the quality of lives of the citizenry of a country, is the quality of the standards of goods and services produced and consumed in that country. This is because, standards and other means used in providing quality goods and services for both domestic and foreign markets are critical for the development of any economy, its competitiveness and wealth creation as well as the health of its citizens.

For these reasons, the World Bank and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisations (UNIDO), see these factors as being crucial in economic development and serve as proofs that a government is committed to the welfare of its citizens. The philosophy behind this is that while the focus is on building a resilient economy, the need for quality and standards must not be glossed over as they also serve as evidence of good governance.

It is, therefore, against this backdrop that the first national standardisation strategy unveiled, recently, by the federal government can be appreciated. In furtherance of the government’s economic diversification policy, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), announced the first ever Nigerian National Standardisation Strategy (NNSS) 2020 – 2022.

The strategy ,which was developed by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), an agency under the FMITI, is designed to identify priority areas to focus on, based on national needs assessment.

To this effect, the SON Governing Council approved 168 new Standards for publication and dissemination to various sectors of the nation’s economy in furtherance of the ongoing economic diversification policy. In a virtual meeting, chaired from Abuja by the Permanent Secretary of FMITI, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, put the Federal Government seal on the new strategy, enabling the SON to identify priority areas to focus on.

Sani-Gwarzo said the document is accompanied by a National Implementation Plan that gives orientation for national standardisation work within the three years duration, even as he identified 658 standardisation projects in key priority areas classified by economic sectors as highlighted in Federal Government’s Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP), the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and other related national strategic plans.

The SON Council Chairman described the establishment of the NNSS as an outstanding and epoch- making achievement of the Director General and his management, for which the council gave a unanimous commendation.

On the implementation of the strategy, as stated in the document, apart from the support of the parent ministry, the work programme will be aligned with relevant regional, continental and international standards development organisations to make it relevant as an enabler for Nigeria to enter the global market.

Standards development is demand/stakeholder driven because with improvement in technology and innovation, demands for standards increases. However, there is always the constraint of inadequate availability of resources (human and financial), resulting in the need to focus on national priority areas in order to use the available resources to develop standards on most important topics.

The Director General of SON, Osita Aboloma, who spoke to the media enumerated the 168 standards approved by the council as 64 for Electrical/Electronic products; 53 for Chemical Technology; 47 for Food and Agricultural products; 3 for Civil/ Building Technology products as well as the reviewed standard for Hotel and Serviced Accommodation Management System and Rating – Requirements and Guidance for Use. All sectors of the economy are included in the NNSS. Aboloma highlighted some of the standards as including review of standards for fertilizers, review of existing and

Aboloma development of new standards for the tomato and cassava value chains, adoption of international standards on environmental testing and adoption of international recommendations for renewable energy and hybrid systems for rural electrification among many others.

He assured that the approved standards would be published promptly while awareness programmes will be carried out with relevant sectoral stakeholders, to encourage voluntary uptake of the standards across industries, even as he reiterated that the newly approved 168 Nigerian Industrial Standards cut across various products and services and are of great economic, regulatory and industrial importance for Nigeria.

An analysis of the importance of the NNSS reveals that it would enable the country to develop standards in a most effective way, using available resources in the most efficient manner. It will, also, lead to a more focused approach on standards development activities that offers an opportunity to develop standards in line with national needs based on stakeholders needs and the present government policies towards economic growth just as it leads to continuous availability of required standards that support the implementation of national strategic priorities/plans resulting in sustainable development and economic growth.

It will bring about improved drive in the industrialisation of small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) as it supports MSMEs to take advantage of availability of required standards to meet regulatory requirements.

It will also lead to increased use of standards by both public and private sectors as basis for regulation to address issues of public policy (health, safety, the environment, among others) and as reference for legal agreements in the form of contracts.

As a country, the strategy will assist Nigeria to increase market confidence, play a meaningful role in the international market, open innovation and bring standards in the daily lives of all Nigerians in order to improve the quality of life.

The NNSS 2020-22 becomes relevant, now, when viewed against the backdrop of the fact that Nigeria has signed the agreement to participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The continental free trade is expected to accelerate intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations. Intra-Africa trade has been historically low: 16.6 per cent of total exports in 2017, compared with 68 per cent in Europe and 59 per cent in Asia, pointing to untapped potential. The agreement is seen critical for growth and job creation for Africa and its 1.27 billion people.

Nigeria stands to gain from this continental

initiative. It means that manufacturers in Nigeria can produce goods locally and get them across borders to sell in markets beyond Nigeria, without having to pay any duty. The cornerstone of the AfCFTA is the promise for zero tariffs for over 90 per cent of goods traded between African countries.

Tariffs by design are set to inhibit freedom of goods, making it less competitive for exporters with a high cost of production when compared to locally made goods. By eliminating them, businesses in Nigeria can reduce the cost price of their goods, thereby making them even more competitive across markets.

Already, the government has increased the power of SON to carry out its statutory functions. For instance, the SON Act of 2015 enacted for the purpose of providing additional functions for the organisation, increasing penalty for violations; and for related matters is already in place meaning that the agency does not have any problems regarding enforcement of standards.

But Nigeria needs to take a critical look at her quality infrastructure. For NNSS to yield positive results, it is very necessary to make a critical assessment at the nation’s quality infrastructure as part of the part of NNSS 2020-22, if its objectives are to be fully achieved. Nigeria needs to strengthen her quality infrastructure to prepare the country for AfCFTA and global competition.

For instance, Nigeria needs functioning testing laboratories to avoid going to Ghana and other neighbouring countries that have functioning laboratories, to test local products for exports. Also, metrology, the science of accurate measurement, which provides critical support to all other arms of the national quality infrastructure project, namely standards development, conformity assessment, testing, accreditation among others,

needs to be put in place. Metrology ensures accuracy of measurements in industry, trade and commerce, hence it is very imperative.

With it, equipment and measuring instruments calibration in Nigeria can be obtained faster than when all secondary standards of measurement were only traceable to foreign metrology bodies.

SON, currently, owns a National Metrology Institute (NMI) in Enugu that works to ensure that accuracy of measurements in industry, trade and commerce is being expanded to all parts of Nigeria to promote rapid industrialisation through standardisation. The organisation has also expanded its calibration capacities to Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt in order to bring its services nearer to stakeholders across the country and ensure great reduction in turnaround time.

It was gathered that NMI has developed capacity in primary standards of measurement in volume, flow, pressure, length and dimension, mass, force, temperature, electrical and metrology in chemistry amongst others for traceability of all secondary standards of measurement in Nigeria and the West African Region.

Now, many large-scale industries across Nigeria patronise NMI in the periodic calibration of their weighbridges, testing and measuring equipment to their benefit in ensuring accuracy, thus meeting requirements of applicable Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS). SON, therefore, wants the organised private sector bodies like the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and others can encourage their members to patronise the NMI for efficient calibration services and quicker turnaround time.

As part of the effort to upgrade the quality infrastructure in the country, the agency said it has been working in collaboration with other Ministries, Agencies and Departments of government as well as development partners to develop the National Quality Infrastructure to cater for the free movement of goods and services in Africa.

Its Director General enumerated some of the National Quality Infrastructure projects already delivered by SON as including a NMI nearing completion in Enugu, international accreditation of SON laboratories, its training and management systems certification services as well as on-going automation of all services to stakeholders. These he said, are aimed at promoting the ease of doing business in and with Nigeria.

With regards to unforeseen developments, the Director of Standards Development at SON, Chinyere Egwuonwu, said the NNSS and the associated work programme are living documents and will be constantly updated and improved to ensure that they remain in line with current conditions and stakeholders’ expectations.

She added that the success of the NNSS depends on continued input from all stakeholders, active participation of the key stakeholders (in both public and private sectors) in the development of the planned standards, adequate funding for the national standardisation programme and the uptake of the resultant Standards by the business community and policy makers.

IBTC Broker Promotes Insurance Penetration Ebere Nwoji IBTC Insurance Broker said it is promoting insurance penetration in the country through mass education of members of the public especially the business community on the relevance of insurance.

The company which said despite the partial lock down on businesses which has made it difficult to reach the masses through physical contact, it has through online channels convinced over 150 businesses on the need to embrace insurance cover against cybercrime and other emerging risks.

The Chief Executive Officer of IBTC Insurance Broker, Mr Anselem Igbo, who stated this during a virtual insurance awareness media parley organised by the company to commemorate this year’s global insurance awareness day, said the efforts were IBTC Insurance Broker’s contributions to promote insurance awareness in Nigeria.

The world Insurance awareness day is celebrated annually on June 28. IBTC Insurance Broker, in the past four years stages media awareness campaign to celebrate the day.

Igbo, said this year’s edition has the theme, “Insurance,

a necessary security for the future, protecting what is important to improve on insurance penetration�.

He noted that insurance plays a critical role in economic development of every economy adding that this critical role of insurance makes it possible for the sector to not only protect businesses but transfer excess funds where they are for use by businesses.

He said in buying insurance services, the only way members of the public would get the best insurance services is through the use of insurance brokers in purchasing insurance policies.

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T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

Creative Agencies’ Search for Game Changers With Covid-19 disruptions in the global marketing communications industry, Raheem Akingbolu writes on the need for stakeholders in Nigeria who are set to elect new leaders to push forward-looking professionals who can successfully take advertising business out of the current troubled waters

T

wo years after running the affairs of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), the Ikechi Odigbo led team will this week take a bow to usher in a new executive body.

To this end, the association has fixed today for the election, which according to a source, would be conducted via virtual means in adherence to the current social distancing rule occasioned by the pandemic.

While the preparation continues, concerned players and analysts are preoccupied with issues around the qualities to expect in the incoming executive members because of the precarious situation the industry has suddenly found itself.

Before Covid-19, the creative industry was undergoing a transition necessitated by digital revolution, which prompted pleadings from various quarters on the need for practitioners to wear a fresh thinking cap if they are to compete in the digital era.

With Covid-19, which has changed the face of businesses across the world, creative agencies appear to be facing a twin-challenge of new normal and lean budget.

According to THISDAY findings, almost all the companies, local and multinationals are currently reviewing their business relationships with creative agencies, whereas the practitioners too are faced with the task of finding the best way to communicate with consumers, despite the lockdown.

Meanwhile, as a microcosm of the global economy, the industry will also contend with the imminent recession that may likely be a fallout of the current pandemic. In the recent April World Economic Outlook, it was projected that the global growth in 2020 is likely to fall to -3 percent.

Speaking to THISDAY on the development, a former President of AAAN, Kayode Oluwasona, admitted that the industry is undergoing a perilous stage but pointed out that having a good leader will help navigate the challenges ahead. “I must confess that it has not been this tough but there is hope in the horizon.

With our election some days away, I can only recommend that AAAN needs a team that would be led by an innovator and not just a strategist alone. An innovator

will be able to galvanise people who are already distressed together make them see a positive future in the industry they so much treasure. “While doing that, the leader must not be seen to be using the position for personal advantage but for general good.

For the incoming president, especially, it’s going to be a tough call but with those attributes, I bet it will be a smooth ride. In all, we need a quality leadership team that at the end would write their names in gold,� Oluwasona stated.

Toeing the same line of thought, the Publisher of Marketing Edge, a wholly Marketing Communication journal, John Ajayi, though agreed that the industry is indeed at crossroads, he was quick to add that all that AAAN needs is a man full of ideation to weather the storm.

He said: “I don’t subscribe to the fact that it will be tough for whoever emerges President because it is during a period like this that one is able to identify a leader that is creative. If AAAN elects someone who is not poor in idea, it will not be long before the industry will bounce back on its feet.

Of course, if there is any other quality that should be considered, I think it is the need to elect a bridge-builder who understand the language of the millennials and can as well relate with the old practitioners,�

Beyond the incoming executive members, a Mass Communication teacher and Deputy Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Dr. Jide Johnson, has called on top players in the industry to be more involved in driving the association and return it to its formal status, when it was the defacto sectoral leader in the industry. “Two things are important at this period. One, stakeholders should be ready to take up responsibilities because the tempo seems to be waning for AAAN. As a platform that serves as the umbrella body for the creative industry, it is important for all to contribute their quotas and use the association as vehicle for business rejuvenation.

Another important thing is the need to elect a core professional who will not toy with ethics and professionalism.

At this period, AAAN needs not an industry politician but a serious minded professional as President,� he stated.

26

IMAGES

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱ˜ ͰͮͰͮ

Photo Editor ÌÓÙÎßØ ÔËÖË Email ËÌÓÙÎßØ˛ËÔËÖË̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙ×

Lagos state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi (M) with representatives of the approved private laboratories to conduct COVID-19 tests: Total Medical Services, SynLab, 54 Gene, Medbury Medical Services, Biologix Medical Services, 02 Medical Services and Clina Lancent Lab; display their signed memorandum of understanding with Lagos state Ministry of Health, at the launch of COVID-19 Lagos private laboratories consortium to increase the testing capacity for the pandemic, in Lagos ...recently

L-R ;President, Church Administrators Society of Nigeria, Pastor Seyi Oladimeji; Vice-President, Pastor Steve Akoni; Secretary, Pastor Ayo Daniels; Treasurer, Mr. Segun Shelleh; and Registrar, Pastor Segun Adegoke at the 6th Annual General Meeting of CASON tagged “Uniting the Church Against COVID-19 Disruption” held in Lagos .... recently SUNDAYADIGUN

L-R: Deputy General Secretary, Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Frances Akinjole; Secretary General, National Union of Air Transport Employees, (NUATA) Comrade Ocheme Aba and Secretary General, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Comrade Abdu l Razaq Saidu, during the World Press Conference on Airport concession is a crime against Nigerian people: it must be resisted frontally by Aviation Unions, in Lagos…recently kolawole alli

R-L; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN Chat with President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, Speaker RT Hon Femi Gbajabiamila during Virtual Flag-off of the  Construction Phase of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project held at the Council Chambers, presidential villa Abuja...recently state house.

L-R; Representative of the Commander, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in Plateau, Emmanuel Ado; Representative of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Commodore Kolawole Adedokun; and Chief of Staff, OPSH, Brig.-Gen. Banabas Sakaba, during the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives by Operation Safe Haven to some communities in Magun Local Government Area of Plateau...recently

L-R: Plateau Commissioner for Finance, Dr Regina Soemlat; Director of Strategic Intelligence and Documentation, Plateau Internal Revenue Service (PIRS), Mr Ephraim Malan; and Executive Chairman of PIRS, Dashe Dasogot, during a stakeholders meeting on tax relief measures to mitigate COVID-19 impact on taxpayers, in Jos...recently

R-L; SGF Mr Boss Mustapha, Chief oif Staff Prof Ibrahim Gambari and Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu during the virtual meeting with Members of the Economic Advisory Council held at the Council Chambers State House, Abuja...recently state house

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, presenting the Oath of Allegiance to Mr. David Famuyiwa as the new Chairman of Agbado-Oke Odo LCDA, while Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr. Wale Ahmed, watches, during the swearing-in of the new Chairman of Agbado-Oke Odo LCDA, at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday...recently

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T H I S D AY ˾ JULY 2, 2020

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ÜÙßÚ ÏËÞßÜÏÝ ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ ÒÓÏ×ÏÖÓÏ äÏÙÌÓ ×ËÓÖ chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

Abimiku: With Investment in Research, Health Infrastructure, Citizen-support, Nigeria Will Defeat COVID-19 Alash’le Abimiku is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland, United States, and the Executive Director, International Research for Human Virology Nigeria. In this interview with Martins Ifijeh, she said fundamental investment in research, support from citizens, and establishment of health infrastructure can help Nigeria tackle the COVID-19pandemic.Shespokeonhowthebodyhasinitiatedideastosupportgovernment’seffortsagainsttheoutbreak, and how long term approach will ensure the country is better equipped for future outbreaks

W

hat factors lead to drug resistant TB and why are cases rising during the COVID-19 pandemic?

We know from long ago; tuberculosis is a bacterium. We know that when you expose bacterium to a drug for a limited period of time it also tries to survive by also building resistance.

With resistance, there is a mutation within the bacteria’s gene that makes it now possible for it not to be susceptible to a particular drug. Historically, when a bacterium, in this case, mycobacterium tuberculosis is exposed for a period of time to drugs, it will develop a mechanism to continue to exist despite the drugs, hence, you see the resistance.

You start with mono- resistance, resistance to one drug and then you see that as we move through treatment, people are treated with multiple drugs so that if the microorganism is resistant to one, the second would work. It takes some time for those microorganisms to develop resistance to those additional drugs, then you continue to add.

Your second question is about COVID-19 and the fact that the numbers are increasing.

Remember that we learn a lot from countries that are experiencing this pandemic. When you have your index case, you identify all those people that have come in contact with the index case to make sure that you limit the spread of the virus.

Unfortunately, unless your prevention method is airtight and every citizen does what they are supposed to do, the virus will escape into the community. The moment it escapes into the community, each person interacts with additional individuals, and then it is expected that the cases will rise. It is not unusual, it happened in China, it happened in Spain, it is still happening in the US and in Italy. So we expect it to rise the moment it gets into the community, and that is why every single prevention method in terms of distancing, using soap and water, using sanitizer and using the face mask is absolutely critical for each and every person to do because our strength really depends on our weakest link. So, if we all, 90 percent of us are doing the right thing and 10 per cent are not doing it, we won’t get rid of COVID-19.

A month ago, you told THISDAY IHVN reached out to the federal government concerning your efforts at COVID-19 researches and other supports. Have you gotten feedback from the government?

No, not really, what we have done is we have submitted about five different proposals addressing different aspects of COVID-19 and one has to do with evaluation of the different devices within our population to see how well it works, how

susceptible, we don’t have any prior immunity to it. That is why all of the populations all over the world were very susceptible to it and you heard about the different routes of transmission that makes all our interactions as human beings a potential for transmitting the virus. So I believe that because of the overwhelming spread of the virus all over the world, because of the way that it has affected our interactions with each other, the way that it has affected our ability to move within homes, to the office, to travel out, it is really a significant media topic.

Abimiku

we can identify those who are infected, maybe also be able to identify, those that have built up immune responses and also be able to define the clinical symptoms within our population. We have submitted that. We had that the task force on research is considering one of the proposals that we put in to evaluate the different devices for testing COVID-19, one that you can use within very well established infrastructure and facility like IHVN or tertiary hospitals and those that you can use in rural areas where you don’t have dependable electricity. So, we heard that that is being reviewed, although no word yet whether it has been chosen. We have not also gotten any funding to continue that line of research Are you of the opinion many Nigerians do not believe there is COVID-19?

I guess it is expected. Actually, people do know a bit about coronavirus in the sense that we have had some other outbreaks before epidemics like this. The SARS and the MERS happened in the Middle East and some in China.

Epidemics mean that it is limited to certain parts of the geographical region. This is the first time we have had a coronavirus that has hit everywhere in the world and that is why it is called a pandemic.

So I think the reason why everybody knows about coronavirus now is because it has really hit home and it has hit every single country and there is no day you put on the TV or the papers that you don’t read about it. I mean media outlets like yours have also educated the people.

If you remember HIV, we never knew about it until it hit and started killing people. In a similar vein, that is what has happened with the coronavirus. It belongs to the same corona virus family, this COVID-19 and the only difference is that this one is quite novel so all populations over the world have not seen it so everybody is

Is it possible to teach coronavirus and the pandemic in schools, putting into consideration the philosophy of our educational system.

That may be a very good idea. One of the things that we have done as a nation or as a population and we haven’t done a good job with is that we do not anticipate. When we had the pandemic flu, H1M, SARS, and when we had all of those things, it was very clear for the public health individual that this will continue to be a public health challenge, because it wasn’t a matter of if, but when it is going to happen again. So, I think they should be taught in schools. We haven’t done a good job in teaching public health.

Preparedness is the one thing you can do to prevent any virus spread because viruses by nature are not that sensitive to drugs. We have a lot of antibiotics and drugs that you can take but it is mostly against parasites and bacteria. Viruses are really based on our human nature so sometimes when you have a pandemic, it is because it has jumped across species to a new one.

In school, we should focus on public health threats and preparedness. When Ebola came, we were having temporary fix; forgetting that isolation units, protective gear, having the laboratories that can do the tests would also work perfectly for corona but you see, when we do things as if they are temporary fix. If we don’t establish it in school, in our government, in our facilities, then we are never prepared. This is here and would stay with us as long as man lives and continues to interact. We would always have those kinds of outbreaks. It’s not rocket science; it just needs commitment in terms of our policy makers and our educational system to really keep that in the forefront of our response.

Appears the federal government is silent on vaccines and treatment drugs for COVID-19, as it is believed no fund has been released yet for this. Are there other ways we can come up with vaccines and drugs outside getting funding from government?

The point you brought up is a good one. That is why IHVN existence is based on obtaining funds and getting grants to do the work, but that does not exonerate the government from investing in

research. If you look at other countries, they prepare for epidemics. These countries work for years in building infrastructures and capacity in this area.

The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) was successful some time ago in getting drugs, so the bottom line is there are some fundamental infrastructure and investment that government must make first and foremost whether through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or through the World Bank, the Dangotes or through Gates. There are fundamental investments they need to do that no one grant can do.

Once they do that fundamental investment in research, build the infrastructure and the machinery and everything that will allow your scientist to do the work; then your scientist can now apply for grants that allows them get the reagents and to follow their ideas. There has to be that prior investment and it has to be long-term.

The second thing I will say quickly is that also, each nation must know its capacity. Don’t go and start competing with the western world on putting together a vaccine. The western world has a lot more infrastructure and has a lot more funding. They’ve been doing it for years. Then, you suddenly wake up one night and think that you are going to compete with vaccines, you will not. Find the areas that you are strong in.

One of the things that we know we have, for sure, are local herbs and different activities that we do, that we know that there may be something that we can contribute to the rest of the world, like Madagascar did. Let’s put our money in there, like NIPRD and other organisations, it’s all collaboration. There is no one institution that can do it. Government has to be very clever in how it uses its limited resources and its limited infrastructure in what is it that is unique that we can go in and compete intelligently with the rest of the world and contribute to the answers.

Can’t Nigeria look towards using local herbs to address this COVID-19, rather than looking out for herbs from Madagascar and other places?

Just quickly to tell you that I know for a fact this is one of the areas being considered. I am member of a scientific advisory committee for NIPRD and in fact, in addition to looking at claims internationally and locally, this is being looked at. Again, my concern is the fact that what are we doing until these things happen?

We got institutions that their main goal is really to look at things like that. I don’t want to be all negative because to be quite honest there has been some advances in this area where different herbal concoctions within the country have been better refined and they are available in packets and all of that but I always worry that we are too reactive.

MeCure Launches Online Consultations, Plans to Bring 10,000 Doctors Online As the world continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, MeCure Smart has launched an online consultation platform with the aim of bring 10,000 doctors to virtual interaction with patients to minimise physical and social contacts.

The Product Manager, Mecure Smarts, Mr. Ajinkya Shelar ina statement made available to THISDAY recently, said the firm has launched the its smartphone app (msb.ng) that allows remote online consultations which is tied

up to with HelloDocApp, the largest online community of doctors in Nigeria.

He said: “When we launched MeCure Smart back in April 2019, we were simply conducting an experiment: Is the Nigerian market ready for healthcare services through a digital platform.

“Cut to February 2020 and we were not able to handle the sheer volume of calls anymore. The scale and demand for tele-medicine services is overwhelming today.

“Hence, we decided to tie up

with HelloDoc. This partnership will allow us to onboard 4000+ doctors across every specialty ranging from General Physicians to even Neurosurgeons on our MeCure Smart app immediately and we intend to further expand it to up to 10,000+ doctors by end of 2020.

“We hope that through this initiative anyone in Nigeria will immediately have access to quality and affordable healthcare that is also COVID-19 safe.”

He further explained that

the MeCure Smart – HelloDoc partnership works as a pure marketplace, meaning customers can browse doctors by specialty and compare them by prior customer feedback, ratings and even pricing.

“Each doctor on the platform has a verified MDCN certificate and is vetted through a rigorous background check. As businesses continue to grapple in these unprecedented times, if there is one thing needed more than anything else to keep going, its

innovation. And MeCure Smart seems to be innovating in the right direction.

“The COVID-19 pandemic would long be remembered in our lifetimes as probably the single major worldwide event that changed consumer behaviour almost overnight.

Even mundane tasks such as grocery shopping or a simple walk in the park now come with social distancing guidelines and protocols.

“However, the pandemic

has also forced businesses to rethink their strategy and make favourable and long-term changes.

“Consumers have also shown an overwhelming interest in placing the health and safety of their families first and are adopting innovative ways to interact in these unprecedented times,” he said.

According to him, access to quality and safe healthcare is quite simply the most important need not just for Nigerians but citizens of every country in the world.

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cy on he ets er nt

28

T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Moody’s: Banks to Face Pressure with Reduced Dollar Deposit Obinna Chima Banks in Nigeria are facing foreign currency shortages because of low oil prices, volatile foreign inflows and lower remittances amid the pandemic, threatening to renew foreign currency liquidity pressures that blighted them during a previous oil crisis in 2016-2017, Moody’s Investors Service stated in a report.

Moody’s stated this in a report obtained yesterday. Commenting on the report, Analyst at Moody’s, Peter Mushangwe said: “Lower dollar inflows at a time when foreign currency borrowing will likely be more expensive for Nigerian banks will strain their foreign currency funding, despite substantial improvements compared to 2016. “Our moderate scenario

where foreign-currency deposits decline by 20 per cent, while loans remain constant, would increase rated banks’ funding gap to N1.5 trillion ($3.8 billion), and to N1.9 trillion ($5 billion) under our severe-case scenario of 35 per cent foreign-currency deposit contraction, creating acute funding challenges.�

Oil and gas exports contribute about 90 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign currency revenue. Crude oil now trades around $40 a barrel, substantially lower than the average price of $65 in 2019 and $72 in 2018. However, Moody’s forecasted a range of $35 to $45 over the next 12 to 18 months for crude oil price. “Prices within that range, or lower, in the second half of the year would lead to renewed dollar shortages at the banks,� it added.

Furthermore, the report showed that Moody’s-rated Nigerian banks reduced their foreign currency funding gap to a combined N354 billion ($984 million) in 2019, from N1.436 trillion ($5.5 billion) in 2016. The ratio of foreign-currency loans to foreign-currency deposits at Moody’s rated banks dropped to 106 per cent at the end of 2019 from 135 per cent in 2016 as banks cut back on dollar loans while building up their dollar deposits, the report stated.

It further explained that the smaller funding gap would enable the banks to better withstand unforeseen deposit withdrawals and likely higher borrowing costs. “However, in the event of foreign currency deposits contracting by 20 per cent or more, banks’ funding gaps will be significant,� it stated.

Pandemic Accelerating Digital Transformation, Says RMB Boss The Chief Executive Officer of RMB Nigeria and the bank’s Regional Head for West Africa, Mr. Michael Larbie, has said the Covid-19 pandemic has compelled individuals and organisations to adapt to a new world order.

This, he said was expected to accelerating digital transformation in Africa as well as other regions.

Larbie, said this in his opening remark on the first day of ongoing four-day webinar in RMBN’s Economic and Business Conference.

The second session is expected to hold today. The conference brought together policy-makers and industry experts to share guidance on how to navigate a rapidly changing business landscape. The first session was moderated by Professor Olayinka David-West, Academic Director Lagos Business School (LBS).

The webinar dimensioned how businesses can be agile in the face of change to create

customer-centric and digitally savvy solutions as they respond to current challenges and prepare for the future.

The panel brought their unique insights on how to digitise businesses on a practical and strategic level.

The Head of Consulting, Agusto Consulting, Jimi Ogbobine, provided a macro-economic perspective on the impact of the virus on both the global economy and Nigeria.

According to Ogbobine, despite the economic headwinds of Covid-19, the lockdown accelerated e-commerce as businesses and consumers have moved online.

Also, the General Manager, Enterprise Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, said telecoms infrastructure needs to be in place for digital businesses to be sustained in the long term.

She confirmed that a great deal of work and investment has gone into preparing the telecoms sector to support the development of

the Nigerian economy.

According to her, it was critical for telcos to transform themselves if they wish to remain relevant. “This means finding ways to become a value-added service provider. They need to relook customer journeys, define mobile-first strategies and move to platform services. “The customer is at the heart of this, and the key to understanding the customer is by keeping a finger on the pulse of customer data,� she explained.

On his part, the Founder & CEO of Flutterwave, a payments technology company, Olugbenga Agboola, reemphasised the shift to digital business. He defined digital transformation as a complete shift that incorporates delivery, logistics and commerce, to execute services on digital platforms. Businesses were forced to transform because of COVID 19, which means Nigeria is five years ahead in technology terms across multiple sectors.

StanbicIBTCDonatesCovid-19TestKits toLagosState Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has donated Covid-19 test kits to the Lagos State government.

The kits were officially presented to Lagos State Government at the Lagos State Biobank, Mainland Hospital, Yaba on Tuesday, according to a statement from the bank.

The Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Dr. Demola Sogunle, reiterated the importance of supporting the state government’s testing capacity, considering the upsurge in the

number of confirmed cases in the state.

He said, “Lagos State has recorded the highest number of confirmed cases in Nigeria since the outbreak of the virus. Being the most susceptible city in the country, we must not relent in our efforts to help in identifying those who have been infected so that proper treatments can be administered to them.�

He further added: “Proper testing precedes treatment and the requisite treatment and care

saves lives. We have made various contributions towards fighting the pandemic and we also deem it necessary to support the government in the area of testing. All hands must continue to be on deck until the virus is finally defeated.�

The representative of the Lagos State government, the Director Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health & Incident Manager, Covid-19 response, Dr. Ismail Abdus-Salam, expressed gratitude on the donation of the test kits.

BudgIT Launches ‘Open Nigerian States’Data Portal BudgIT Foundation, a civic tech organisation in the advocacy for fiscal transparency and accountability, has launched its Open Nigerian States data portal. The Open States web portal was developed under the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) programme, funded by the European Union, being implemented by the British Council in five states, namely; Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Kano and Lagos.

The portal aims to increase citizens’ access to state govern-

ments’ data, thereby aiding subnational transparency and accountability and assisting policy publishers in data preservation, through the extensive use of charts and articles to make policy-related data simple, meaningful and accessible for the public.

According to a statement, with the initiative, “BudgIT has become the only organisation in Nigeria, to develop and launch a platform that goes beyond being just a repository of data, to completely support and reinforce

subnational transparency.�

It added: “BudgIT, through Open Alliance, has been at the vanguard of the subnational transparency campaign in Nigeria since 2014. “The campaign encourages and supports states to sign up with the ideals of Open Government, foster and promote fiscal transparency, access to information, citizens’ participation and innovation needed for inclusive development and efficient service delivery by the government to its citizens.�

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

SEPTEMBER 2019 Money Supply (M3)

35,029,779.72

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

7,374,356.91

Money Supply (M2)

27,655,422.82

-- Quasi Money

116,533,891.21

-- Narrow Money (M1)

11,121,531.60

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,625,047.69

---- Demand Deposits

9,496,483.91

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

13,911,335.83

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

21,118,443.89

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

35,918,179.45

---- Credit to Government (Net)

10,452,199.38

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

11,007,422.79

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

25,465,980.07

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-14,799,735.56

--Other Assets Net

7,000,253.07

Reserve Money (Base Money

2,005,600.83

--Currency in Circulation

4,677,530.81

--Banks Reserves

317,121.43

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Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

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OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ ͹͎ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $38.22 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $37.34 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

29

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱ˜ ͰͮͰͮ

MARKET NEWS

ETI Shareholders Cancel Planned Consolidation of Shares Goddy Egene Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the parent of the Ecobank Group, held its 32nd annual general meeting (AGM) and extraordinary general meeting in Lagos, Nigeria on Tuesday.

At the AGM, the shareholders endorsed all proposals put forward by the board while at the EGM, they voted for the cancellation of the resolution on the consolidation of shares

earlier approved on June 17, 2016. The shareholders also voted for the amendment of Articles of ETI including a provision for the option of electronic general meetings going forward.

Addressing the shareholders, Chairman of ETI, Emmanuel Ikazoboh said: “We are in the final lap of our five-year ‘Roadmap to Leadership’, having laid and achieved much improved business and operational foundations, leadership in digital products with

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

scalability, strong corporate governance and continued expense discipline. We continue to focus on making substantial strides towards ensuring a return on equity above the cost of capital across the group despite the challenging economic conditions especially with the COVID-19, whilst also maintaining our commitment to driving economic development and financial integration across Africa.”

Ikazoboh said that AGM

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was his last having completed his tenure as director and chairman. According to him, it was a privilege to have served and was particularly proud of what they have achieved.

Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer of ETI, Ade Ayeyemi, said 2019 was a year of substantial progress for the Group on multiple fronts as they broadened their innovative product range with their upgraded core banking application platform,

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

increased customer numbers, established new partnerships and initiated programmes to transform customer experience and embed the desired conduct, culture and ethics throughout the organisation.

“Each of our three business lines improved their profitability and positioned Ecobank for sustainable long-term success.

Post-yearend, the effectiveness of our digital ecosystem came into sharp focus amid the

O F

current global challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, enabling us to provide seamless continuity of service to our customers. The virus is having devastating effects and is causing severe disruption to families, businesses and economies across our sub-Saharan footprint and we continue to provide our unwavering support in these unprecedented and extremely challenging circumstances,” he added.

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30

THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Julius Berger Nigeria Joins 30 Index as NSE Reviews Market Indices Goddy Egene

NSE Pension Index; Corporate NSE Industrial, NSE Consumer Governance Index; Afrinvest Bank Goods, and NSE Oil & Gas, were The Nigerian Stock Exchange Value Index; Afrinvest Dividend reviewed.

The review has led to the entry (NSE), has made its half-year Yield Index; Meristem Growth review of market indices, Index;Meristem Value Index. and exit of some companies from including: the NSE 30 Index; Also, the five sectoral indice- some indices which took effect NSE Lotus Islamic Index; NSE Banking, NSE Insurance, from yesterday. For instance, A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. investment vehicle that allows both small and Investors with similar objectives buy units of the large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their that willl generate their desired return. investments. The assets are divided into shares that An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, GUIDE TO DATA: etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 30shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the Jun-2020, unless otherwise stated.

Julius Berger Nigeria Plc was Premier Paints Plc’ The NSE Lotus Islamic Index added to the NSE 30 Index, while Transnational Corporation welcomed Lafarge Africa Plc, Chemical and Allied Product of Nigeria Plc was removed.

NSE Industrial Index saw Plc, while Double One Plc and the coming of Notore Chemical Nigerian Aviation Handling Industries Plc and the exit of Company Plc exited.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, MTN Nigeria Plc, NEM Insurance Plc, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc, Royal Exchange Plc and Sunu Assurances Plc were added to the NSE Corporate Governance Index among others.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 113.89 115.33 -23.01% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 3.15% Nigeria International Debt Fund 329.31 329.31 10.56% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.92 0.93 2.42% ACAP Income Funds 0.79 0.79 10.33% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.50% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.83 2.90 15.09% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.11 2.11 20.10% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 1.81 1.84 -9.68% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 0.07 0.05 6.59% Paramount Equity Fund 10.99 11.25 -11.96% Women's Investment Fund 108.18 108.90 -2.13% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.32% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 98.45 98.68 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 100.48 100.72 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.08% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.92 0.93 -0.91% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.52 1.52 14.37% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,341.65 1,342.96 10.19% FBN Balanced Fund 148.06 149.10 0.84% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.90% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 116.88 117.43 1.22% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 117.22 117.78 1.01% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 115.66 117.11 -11.12% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.44% Legacy Debt Fund 3.78 3.78 3.35% Legacy Equity Fund 1.09 1.11 -4.09% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.11 1.11 2.52% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,035.68 3,068.19 -0.18% Coral Income Fund 3,180.32 3,180.32 3.40% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 5.06% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.60% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 119.62 120.33 11.41%

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.55% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.33 2.37 6.22% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 9.34% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 146.48 147.04 2.14% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.23 1.25 5.38% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,135.18 1,135.18 5.26% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.39 1.41 13.64% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.95 12.00 6.05% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.68% PACAM Equity Fund 1.03 1.04 PACAM EuroBond Fund 106.76 109.09 SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 122.61 115.46 -7.12% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.02 5.06% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,521.35 2,532.80 -0.12% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 0.38% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 -0.57% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 0.45% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 1.77% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.41% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -0.22% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.16 1.16 0.26% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 118.18 118.18 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.13 1.15 -5.79% United Capital Bond Fund 1.83 1.83 5.32% United Capital Equity Fund 0.64 0.66 -9.30% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.57% United Capital Eurobond Fund 115.61 115.61 3.33% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.07 1.07 -2.12% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.18 10.26 -1.12% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.81 11.93 1.70% Zenith Income Fund 23.60 23.60 6.12% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.48%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

3.50 115.88 53.01

-33.06% 3.43% 1.84%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

9.08 85.89 66.60

9.18 87.65 67.78

4.32% -5.02% -3.52%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

2.80 4.38 11.22 1.00 10.94 194.49

2.84 4.46 11.32 1.00 11.14 196.49

-21.02% -25.76% -7.30% 5.34% 5.23% 2.95%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.29

16.90%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

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THURSDAY JULY 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Na’abba, Agbakoba, Utomi, Ezekwesili, Others Form New Political Group Thirty prominent Nigerian activists, academics and other professionals have formed a new political movement called National Consultative Front (NCF).

This was contained in a communique issued “after a month- long nationwide consultation” and virtual meetings.

The communique was made public by the new group’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

Among members of the 30-member steering committee for the NCF are a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ghali Na’abba; a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank,

Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, Femi Falana (SAN), Col. Abubakar Umar (rtd.), Mrs Obigeli Ezekwesili, Prof. Jibo Ibrahim, Yabagi Sanni, Isa Aremu, Prof.

Chidi Odinkalu and Senator Shehu Sanni, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Alhaji Shettima Yerima and Funke Awolowo.

Part of the resolutions adopted after the meeting read in part, “A new ideological mass movement shall be initiated to embark on an immediate mass mobilisation in the nooks and crannies of the country for popular mass action towards political constitution reforms that is citizens-driven and process-led in engendering a new peoples’ constitution for a new Nigeria

that can work for all.

“To this end, we decry in categorical terms, the ongoing mindless massacre and kidnappings in the NorthWest, North-East, Southern

Kaduna, the Middle Belt, Southern part of Nigeria and in fact the country at large by bandits and insurgents, who invade our communities, especially at night to inflict

terror and murder on hapless residents and unsuspecting indigenes.

“We hereby call on those presently in charge of our federal government, military

and security apparatus to immediately wake up and do everything to stop the ongoing senseless pogrom against the masses of our people.”

Wife Slumps as Husband Tests Positive for COVID-19 A woman slumped and died in Ugheli, Delta State, after her husband was said to have tested positive for COVID-19.

The incident, which was said to have occurred at Igho Salami Street, Uloho Avenue in Ugheli, has since thrown the entire neighborhood into mourning.

The deceased, Mrs Oregbe, was at home on Monday when the news of her husband’s sample result came out that he had tested positive to COVID-19.

Mrs. Oregbe, sources said, had been managing high blood pressure prior to the incident.

It was learnt that as soon as she was informed that her husband tested positive, she slumped and died before they could rush her to the hospital.

“I’m sure she has been managing high blood pressure before now,” a source claimed.

When journalists visited the home of the Oregbes in Ugheli yesterday, mourners were seen discussing the sad incident in hushed tones.

Spokesman for Delta State Police Command, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, however said that the incident had not been reported to the police.

DEEPENING COLLABORATION...…

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique (left), and Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, during the governor’s visit to the headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force to explore fresh collaboration between the military institution and the International

Obasanjo Condoles With Ezekwesili Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sent message of condolences to the former Minister of Education and a presidential candidate during the 2019 general election, Dr.

Obiageli Ezekwesili, on the demise of her mother, Mrs. Cecilia Ujubuonu.

Obasanjo’s letter was made public yesterday in Abeokuta, few hours before the deceased

was laid to rest at Umunuko, Ukpor, Nnewi-South Local Government Area in Anambra State. In the letter, Obasanjo stressed that Ujubuonu lived well, describing her as a devoted,

dutiful and caring mother.

“I write on behalf of my family and myself to commiserate with you, and at the same time join you in celebrating the life of your dearly beloved mother.”

A Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned till July 10 to hear a suit challenging the constitutionality of the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 signed in March by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in response to the menace of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plaintiff in the suit,

Olukoya Ogungbeje, is seeking a court declaration that the Lagos law is inconsistent with provisions of Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution relating to fundamental human rights.

Ogungbeje, a lawyer, told the court that he had a duty “to protect and defend the sanctity of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from any

contravention or infraction.”

He is praying the court to quash the conviction and sentencing of popular actress, Funke Akindele, alias Jenifa, her husband, Abdu-rasheed Bello, and 236 others arrested, tried and convicted pursuant to the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020.

He urged the court to

declare that “the purported arrest, arraignment, trial, conviction and sentencing of persons/Nigerian citizens under the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 for an alleged offence unknown to law and violation of same, which cannot be grounds for criminal liability is a nullity.”

Again, ASUU Warns FG Court to Hear Suit Challenging Funke against Reopening of Schools Akindele’s Conviction on July 10 markets? Are lives in the Ejiofor Alike Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has cautioned against the reopening of schools, insisting that it’s not ripe for schools to reopen.

The union said the federal government’s directive for schools to reopen across the federation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic could endanger the lives of poor Nigerian pupils.

ASUU’s National President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, made this position known yesterday while featuring on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily.

Ogunyemi said: “What we are trying to do now is a crash model – an experimental approach. We want to experiment with the lives of poor Nigerians – children of the poor. Many of us in my bracket – maybe middle class – our children don’t fall into that category. And that is probably why we cannot appreciate why we need to do the basic minimum.

“Are we saying that we should open schools without decontaminating the schools?

For a government that could go openly to decontaminate streets, to decontaminate

schools not as valuable as those working on the streets?

We need to do the basic minimum. It is not about income for teachers, income for workers here – it’s about what we need to do to avert disaster.”

But also speaking on the programme, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, maintained that the reopening of schools for graduating pupils (Primary 6, JSS 3, SSS 3) is imperative because the examinations are set by external bodies.

Aliyu explained: “We have a large number of students that are in the exit classes and they need to move on.

These are not exams that are specific only to Nigeria but Africa – the WAEC exams.

We need to find a way to safely get these students to write their exams and move on. Otherwise, we will have a serious spillover when it comes to education.

“COVID-19 will go away eventually. Yes, it will go away, it may take a year, it may take longer but what we don’t want is to have a significant impact on our educational programmes.”

Court Reinstates Sacked Imo LG Chairmen, Councillors

Amby Uneze in Owerri

The Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State capital, has ordered reinstatement of chairmen and councillors of the 27 local government councils in the state.

The elected council officials were suspended by former Governor Emeka Ihedioha in June 2019.

In November 2019, the

chairmen took the Federal Accounts Allocations Committee (FAAC), Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Attorney General of Imo State, Governor of Imo State and 27 others to the court with a view to stopping the monthly allocations from coming to the local government areas pending when they resume offices.

When the Supreme Court

sacked Ihedioha, Governor Hope Uzodimma, also refused to allow them return to office, insisting that the conduct of that election was illegal and did not follow the local government laws.

But delivering judgment yesterday, Justice Tijjani Garba Ringim, held that the dissolution of the council officials was very wrong and ordered Imo State government

to reinstate the sacked officials “immediately”.

The judge, in the suit, FHC/ OW/CS/136/2019, also held that any of the affected local government area without elected officials should not be funded with the federal allocation.

Justice Ringim insisted the governor had no right to “dissolve local government officials elected by the people.”

PDP, Govs Salute Obaseki at 63 Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and governors elected on its platform have congratulated part’s flag bearer for the Edo State’s governorship election, Governor Godwin Obaseki, as he marked the milestone age of 63 years.

The party observed that it is significant that Obaseki’s

birthday fell within the period the people of Edo State were set to renew his governorship mandate as a demonstration of their determination to consolidate his massive achievements in the past four years.

A statement signed by the Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr. C. I. D Maduabum, to felicitate with Obaseki said: “Your birthday this

year is particularly important coming on the heels of your emergence as the consensus PDP Governorship candidate for the imminent Edo State governorship election.

“As you face the Edo State electorate, we ask God to guide and guard your activities. To give you the wisdom, strength and good health required to face the battle for the soul of Edo State.

“We ask you to continue to work and embrace all the people of Edo State, particularly the downtrodden and the vulnerable. We admire the job you have done in Edo State in your current term, which informed the high level of confidence reposed in you by the PDP and the people of Edo State.”

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NEWS XTRA

Aircraft Owners Oppose 100% Hike in Passenger Service Charge Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie Aircraft owners and pilots have kicked against the plan by the Federal Airports Authority

cent increase, with effect from August 1, 2020.

President of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria (AOPA), Mr. Alexander Nwuba, while featuring on Morning Show, a programme on ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, yesterday faulted the timing of the increase, saying it is most unfortunate for FAAN to have chosen this time of economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 approval of N2.2 billion would pandemic to increase the PSC. serve as a revised estimated total He said: “I’ve spoken with the cost for the runway project. airport operators and the fact He said the runway extension remains that the argument upon and rehabilitation was essential for Lagos airport, because it would improve the safety of the airport.

“Today in council, Aviation Ministry presented a memo for a revised estimated total cost for the extension and asphalt overlay of the Murtala Mohammed Airport runway. The sum involved is N2, 272, 838, 724.84 and it has completion of 12 months.

“This central taxiway bravo is very critical to the operations of Lagos. It will improve the efficiency and safety of that particular airport.

It has been abandoned for the last 16 years or thereabout and in our own efforts to ensure that all projects are completed for the benefit of the country, its future and its fortune. of Nigeria (FAAN) to hike the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) from N1,000 to N2,000 for domestic flights and from $50 to $100 for international flights, representing 100 per

FEC Approves N20.4bn for Lagos Airport Runway, Road Projects Omololu Ogunmade inAbuja The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday in Abuja approved over N20 billion for the construction of the extension of Murtala Muhammed International Airport runway in Lagos as well as other road projects.

While the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said the runway extension would cost N2.2 billion, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said construction of roads in Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) linking the territory to Lokoja would cost N6.7 billion, adding that further revised costs to aid completion of abandoned projects would cost N11 billion.

Briefing journalists at the end of the FEC meeting presided over

by President Muhammadu Buhari in the State House, Sirika said the

which the hike was effected, which they said was because they have run short of revenue for close to six months and that they needed to recover their losses, was not necessary at this time when the effect of COVID-19 is hard on air passengers and the Nigerian economy.

“My position is that you don’t necessarily recover losses at a point when you are trying to get people to get back to fly. So, we have to find other ways to cover that revenue gap. It shouldn’t be the case. Fares should not be going up when we are trying to win the confidence of travellers

to return to the airport. We are not doing everything right at this point but we are trying to recover the cost that we have lost for several months. An increase in fares would not bring more people to fly so we haven’t gotten that element of it right.

We have to work more on costs and fares. Fares are going to be higher and that’s not good because there are other competitive modes of transportation.”

Nwuba, however, stated that the reality is that cost of fares would have to go up.

He explained: “Typically,

airlines cost would go up by at least 50 per cent. The airlines themselves would have a cost increase of 50 per cent. Fares would go up also because the cost the airport is charging would actually go up. So, we see the possibility of fares going up between 50-70 per cent.

“In Nigeria, we have an extremely high cost of operation.

Fuel cost is about 40 per cent of the operation and it is purchased in dollars. Aircraft is mainly maintained abroad because we as an industry have not dealt with the issue of localising the maintenance of aircraft.

FG Evacuates 172 Stranded ALL EYES ON AGRICULTURE...

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Olayiwole Onasanya; State Project Coordinator, APPEALS Project, Mrs. Nigerians from Uganda Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo; and Lagos State Acting Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, during the commissioner’s inspection Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The federal government has evacuated 172 stranded Nigerians from Uganda.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) disclosed this yesterday through its verified Twitter handle, saying some of the evacuees would disembark in Abuja, while others would proceed to Lagos.

The commission twitted: “172 evacuees from Uganda and Nairobi arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 10:20 a.m. local time via @flyairpeace Flight B777-200

from Nairobi today, Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

“Some of the Evacuees will disembark in Abuja while others will proceed to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

“The exercise was put together by our Mission in Nairobi, Kenya, in collaboration with the Mission in Kampala, Uganda.”

The commission stressed that all evacuees tested negative to COVID-19, and would proceed on 14 days self-isolation as mandated by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

tour to ministry of agriculture at Oko Oba Agege in Lagos...yesterday

Magu: Treasury Looters Stranded, Unable to Access Loot Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, yesterday declared that treasury looters in Nigeria were stranded and unable to access looted public funds following intensified anti-graft war waged by the commission.

This comes as the 17 million strong National Association of Barbers and Cosmetology Employers of Nigeria

(NABCEAN) said its members were yet to receive palliatives or loans from government.

Speaking while receiving the group in his office, Magu said looters of public funds were stranded and unable to access looted funds as a result of restrictions placed on the accounts containing such funds.

He said the gap between the rich and the poor had shrunk as a result of the war against corruption. “They are stranded.

They have a lot of money but they

don’t know what to do with it.

We will stop them. I will shave them dry.

“We don’t have problem with any looters because we know we will get them,” he said.

He urged the group led by a United States-based Mr. Barile Ngbobu, to mobilise his group in diaspora and Nigeria to take ownership of the anti-graft campaign. The leader of group said beauty and cosmetology industry remained the second fasted growing industry in

Nigeria with the capacity to generate $97billion annually and noted that the association had an important role to play in the anti-graft campaign.

The Vice Chairman of the NABCEAN, Ms. Fatima Momoh, said that in spite of the COVID-19 intervention funds available to the federal government, the group whose membership spans 36 states was yet to receive any palliatives or loans disbursed to small and medium scale enterprises by government.

PDP Sweeps Taraba LG Abductors Release 14 Kidnapped Persons in FCT, Ondo Polls as Ishaku Inaugurates Elected Executives Today Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja and James Sowole in Akure

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo The Taraba State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC) has declared candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winners of the elections conducted in the16 local government areas of the state on the Tuesday, June 30, 2020.

Declaring the results of the elections, the chairman of the commission, Dr. Philip Duwe, said the candidates of the PDP for chairmanship won all seats across the 16 local government councils of the state.

The party also swept the 168 councillorship seats in the state.

Duwe urged those who lost in the polls to accept defeat and agree that leadership comes from God. Earlier on Tuesday in Takum, Governor Darius Ishaku shortly after casting his vote for the council election, described the

election process as peaceful, transparent and impressive.

The governor, who cast his ballots at Kurupanti polling unit Gutu ward Takum alongside his wife, Ann Ishaku, expressed happiness over the peaceful exercise.

“Before coming to my polling unit, I have gone to observe other polling units and I can tell you that the process is peaceful and transparent, I have also heard from my deputy who is voting at Gassol LGA and he said everything is going on peaceful and other places have also reported peaceful conduct of the exercise so I can tell you it is all peaceful.”

The All Progressive Congress (APC), which is the main opposition party in the state failed to participate in the election as it maintained that the June 30th date was unrealistic.

Kidnappers have released 14 abducted persons in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja and Ondo State after parting with undisclosed ransom for their freedom.

Six of the seven persons abducted in Pegi community in the Kuje Area Council of the FCT on June 24, 2020, have been released by the hoodlums who kidnapped them.

It is believed that they

regained their freedom after relatives paid some unspecified amount as ransom to the kidnappers.

The Chairman of the Pegi Community Development Association, Isaac Taiwo Aderibigbe, confirmed that they were released yesterday.

He also disclosed that the seventh victim also escaped from his abductors.

It is recalled that seven persons were kidnapped at the notorious ‘Bush path’, the road linking Pegi and Kuje,

last week by some criminals who ambushed their victims while they were returning from work.

The incident prompted the deployment of police to the scene following the alarm raised by the community.

Pegi also made the headlines in October last year after some hoodlums abducted nine residents of the community with the intention to exert ransom from them.

An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence

Corps (NSCDC), Samuel Akor, died from gunshots injuries he sustained while leading the community vigilante group that tried to foil the criminals’ bid to escape with those abducted.

Meanwhile, after allegedly parting with undisclosed amount of money, eight passengers abducted last five days on lsua Akoko Road in Akoko South East Local Government Area of Ondo State last Tuesday regained their freedom.

Police Arrest 11 Suspected Kidnappers of Nasarawa CAN Chairman

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

The Nasarawa State Police Command has announced the arrest of 11 suspected kidnappers of the Nasarawa State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Joseph Masin.

The state chairman of CAN was reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen at his residence in Lafia, the state

capital, on May 28, 2020, but was released three days later by his abductors.

The arrest of the suspected kidnappers was disclosed yesterday by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bola Longe, when paraded 46 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers arrested recently by the police command.

Acccording to Longe, “the

11 arrested kidnap suspects of the Bishop include the duo of Mr. Saminu M. Haruna and Mr. Godwin Ali Agbo who are strongly suspected to be the masterminds of the crime.”

He also announced that the police have arrested a 42 years old man, Mr. Aliyu Adamu of Bukan Ari area of Lafia, who dragged an eighth year old girl, who was on her way to Islamic School,

into his compound and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.

“The suspect was arrested during the act and claimed that he was motivated to act in that manner because of the dream he had, that if he had sexual intercourse with a child between the ages of five and ten, he will be rich,” the commissioner of police said.

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NEWS XTRA

Okowa, Wife Test Positive for COVID-19 Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday disclosed that he had tested positive for the COVID-19.

He said that his wife, Edith, also tested positive for the virus after the results of their tests were made known to them a few hours earlier.

Okowa personally made

WHO Warns against Use of Masks during Exercise Martins Ifijeh The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned people against wearing masks while exercising, saying masks may reduce the ability to breathe comfortably.

WHO gave the warning yesterday in an update of its COVID-19 advice for the public: Myth busters.

It said that sweat could make the mask become wet more quickly, which makes it difficult to breathe and would promote the growth of microorganisms.

“The important preventive measure during exercise is to maintain a physical distance of at least one metre from others,” it said.

The world body said the prolonged use of medical masks when properly worn, did not cause Carbon dioxide

(CO2) intoxication nor oxygen deficiency.

It, however, noted that the prolonged use of medical masks could be uncomfortable.

“While wearing a medical mask, make sure it fits properly and that it is tight enough to allow you to breathe normally.

“Do not re-use a disposable mask and always change it as soon as it gets damp.

“Medical masks (also known as surgical masks) are flat or pleated; they are affixed to the head with straps or have ear loops,” it said. It maintained that the likelihood of COVID-19 being spread on shoes and infecting individuals was very low.

“As a precautionary measure, particularly in homes where infants and small children crawl or play on floors, consider leaving your shoes at the entrance of your home.

Christians, Muslims Declare Fasting, Prayer against COVID-19 Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Samson Ayokunle in conjunction with the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar Mohammadu III have called for a three-day fasting and prayer (tagged NINEVEH) from July 3 to 5 throughout the country.

The prayer is to seek total defeat of COVID-19 in Nigeria and all over the world.

The Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) has been calling on all Christians and Muslims to take part in the national weekly prayer conducted online every Thursday in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF) and other stakeholders.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the General Secretary of CAN, Mr. Joseph Daramola: “The NIREC

leadership appreciates the efforts of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 who have done all that is humanly possible to animate and create awareness on how to keep safe from infection of the coronavirus.

“In furtherance of this effort, NIREC calls for three days fasting and prayers (July 3 to 5,2020) for every Nigerian. The Muslims will begin on Friday, July 3, 2020 by praying in the Abuja National Mosque while we Christians will end the prayer on Sunday, July 5, 2020 in the National Christian Centre, Abuja at 3:00pm. Selected Christian leaders have been invited to participate in this all-important programme.

“These prayers will respect social distancing. NIREC has asked everybody to seek the face of God in fasting and prayers for God to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and we must all take part in our different homes.

Dangote Assists Presidential Task Force in Testing Nigerian Returnees for COVID-19 As more Nigerians are being evacuated from abroad, the Dangote Group, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has offered helping hands to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 by testing the returnees for COVID-19, to help curb the spread of the virus in the country.

The Foundation has since May this year, assisted the PTF to conduct tests for over 500 Nigerian returnees to determine their status and ensure adequate isolation of the virus positive patients where necessary across the country.

Besides, ADF has also assisted the Group subsidiaries to donate relief materials comprising food

and cash to cushion the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in their host communities in the country. The gesture is in addition to the over N2 billion and other materials earlier donated by Dangote through the Private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to complement federal government efforts.

Specifically, ADF has helped the subsidiaries of the pan-African conglomerate to provide food palliatives such as Rice, Spaghetti, Noodles and Bread to host communities in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos; Ibese, Ogun; Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun; Okpella, Edo; Obajana, Kogi; Benue; and Ankpa, Kogi Coal Mines’ communities.

public the information via his authenticated Twitter handle, stating that he had tested positive for the COVID-19 with the state first lady.

The governor then asked for prayers for him, his wife and their daughter who reportedly tested positive for the novel virus last week, precisely on Friday, June 26, 2020.

He said he was in high spirits with his wife and added that they would remain in isolation while receiving appropriate medical attention.

Okowa also advised the residents of the state and all Nigerians to adhere strictly to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)’s directives and to take the health protocols like physical and social distancing more seriously.

Okowa had last Friday, also via his Twitter handle, announced that his family and household had gone into self-isolation after their daughter tested positive for the COVID-19.

Okowa also passionately pleaded with the people of the state to stop doubting the existence of the disease while thanking them for the prayers for his family and other patients, a according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika.

Okowa assured that his administration would not relent in its efforts at combating the virus in the state, stressing on the reality of the COVID-19.

The statement read in part,

“COVOD-19 is real; the rate is increasing in our state and the virus is taking the lives of some of our people. I, therefore, again call on every resident to observe the protocols on the virus while in public to curb further spread of the virus, especially in our communities.

“We should also observe basic hygiene of hand-washing with soap and running water and use of alcohol-based sanitisers as NCDC regulation demands.”

AGGRIEVED SENIOR CITIZENS...

Retired teachers in Osun State protesting over alleged non-payment of their pension and gratuity, at Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, Orisun, Oke-Tase, in Ile-Ife...yesterday

Benue Govt Approves Partial Reopening of Schools George Okoh in Makurdi Benue State Government has approved the partial re-opening of schools in the state in compliance with the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

Also, the State Executive Council has also approved a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for the management of the Makurdi

Modern Market.

Briefing journalists yesterday shortly after the state executive meeting presided over by the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Ngunan Addingi, said the schools would be reopened for primary six pupils and students in JSS 3 and SSS3 classes.

She stated that the Action Committee on COVID-19

would further meet with the Ministry of Education to work out modalities on protocols to be observed and a date for the re-opening of schools.

The Information Commissioner also noted that due diligence would be carried out to identify interested persons in the PPP arrangement and those with the requisite capacities for engagement.

According to Addingi, the state executive council also

approved a request for the 2019 and 2020 International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Assisted Rice and Cassava Value Chain Development programme.

She stated that the state government would pay its counterpart funding for the programme so that farmers in the state, especially in six local government areas, could access funding for rice and cassava farming.

Court Orders Interim Forfeiture of 48 Properties Linked to Ex-NSTIF Chair Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, ordered the interim forfeiture of 48 choice properties, allegedly belonging to the former Chairman of Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Funds, (NSITF), Dr. Ngozi Olejeme.

The affected properties are spread across, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja; Bayelsa; Enugu; Edo and Delta states.

Olejeme who was also the treasurer of the Jonathan-Sambo

Campaign Organisation in 2015 has been on the run since 2016 and was in September 2017.

She was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for criminal conspiracy, abuse of once, diversion of public funds and money laundering.

She was alleged to have, along with former managing director of NSITF, Mr. Umar Munir Abubakar, mismanaged and diverted over N69billion, belonging to the federal government into their personal

accounts through the award of spurious contracts to proxy companies.

The forfeiture order was granted after counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Ekele Iheanacho, convinced the court that the said properties were purchased with proceeds of crime. He buttressed his position with 14 exhibits, attached to his affidavit, filed on May 29, 2020.

In granting the application, Justice Taiwo ruled that the interim order should be published in a leading newspaper within

seven days of receipt of the order and for any interested party to show cause within 14 days as to why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

He adjourned the matter till July 27, 2020.

Trouble began for Olejeme, who was NSITF chairman from 2009 to 2015, when the EFCC in 2016, received two petitions detailing multi-billion naira fraud allegations against her, Abubakar and some bureau-de-change operators.

Senate Summons Finance Minister, EFCC Boss, Others over Revenue Leakages Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Senate has summoned the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emeifele; acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Melee Kyari, to appear before it over revenue lost annually to tax

evasion and money laundering activities in the country.

This was sequel to the adoption of a motion entitled: ‘The need to review the domestic framework against illicit financial flows and to consider the creation of a tax amnesty for the voluntary repatriation of funds to Nigeria’, which was sponsored

by Senator Gershom Bassey.

Also invited are Heads of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Independent Corrupt Practices Commission

(ICPC); Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU); the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), among other relevant institutions, which are expected to brief the Senate Committees on Finance, Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes; Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions on measures being sought to curb revenue loss, tax evasion and money laundering activities.

The Senate, while mandating its three committees to investigate illicit financial

flows, also called for an appraisal of the FIRS current framework for tracing, identifying, preventing and sanctioning cross-border tax evasion and other illicit financial outflows.

It also moved to block Nigeria’s revenue loss owing to money laundering, tax evasion by international oil companies operating in the country (IOCs), proceeds of corruption and other criminal activities involving illicit financial flows.

THURSDAY JULY 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSEXTRA

Afe Babalola Recommends Castration of Rapists Victor Ogunje in Ado-Ekiti A legal luminary and the Founder of the Afe Babalola

University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), has recommended penile castration of rapist as an effective method

Tinubu Mourns Foremost Industrialist, Akindele The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (NLC), Senator Bola Tinubu has condoled with Bolaji, the son of the foremost industrialist, the late Chief Bode Akindele, and all other members of his family, including the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogunguniso 1 for the passing of the business mogul and philanthropist.

In a statement he personally issued yesterday through his Media Office, the former Lagos State Governor said he was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the multi-billionaire businessman.

“His loss is, indeed, a great and irredeemable loss for our people. Chief Akindele lived a long and fulfilled life marked by a multitude of impressive achievements. He was a selfmade man who single-handedly built a large and successful business empire with interests spanning from maritime to properties, manufacturing,

real estate, finance and flour milling,” Tinubu said.

He described Akindele as an astute businessman, adding that “the breadth and variety of his interests stand as a monument to his uncanny ability to achieve success no matter the nature of the endeavour upon which he decided to embark.”

According to him, the late Ibadan chief’s success was not limited to Nigeria or, indeed, Africa.

“Through his perseverance, determination and consistency of effort and character, Chief Akindele was able to achieve greatness on a global scale.

His accomplishments in life stand testament to all that can be achieved by tenacious and astute African businessmen such as himself and his reputation as a leading industrialist and business tycoon will doubtless live on in the memory of his followers and fellow Nigerians,” Tinubu explained.

EFCC Arraigns Alleged Internet Fraud Kingpin for $8.5m Scam Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Port Harcourt zonal office, has arraigned one Onwuzuruike Ikenna Kingsley, popularly known as Jeff Sikora, a selfstyled President/Chief Executive Officer of United States-based Prime Trust Credit Union Bank, before Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, impersonation, forgery, possession of proceeds and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $8, 502,000.

The offence contravenes Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

One of the counts read: “That you, Onwuzuruike Ikenna Kingsley (aka Jeff Sikora), on or about December 28, 2019, in Umuahia, Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of $6, 500,000.00 through web transfer from one Mr. Selah Elnagar Ali Ahmed, a citizen of Egypt, with the pretence that he is a beneficiary of inheritance funds in a fixed deposit account of Prime Trust Financial Bank in United States, a pretext you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.” The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

No Life Lost as LASEMA Puts Out Lagos Estate Market Fire Sunday Ehigiator The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has revealed that no life was lost, as it successfully put out the fire that occurred at the popular Abule Market in Ajao Estate area of the state.

According to eyewitness account, the fire, which destroyed not less than four shops and goods worth billions of naira, started in one of the lock-up shops in a small shopping mall located just before the main market, before extending to main market at about 1 a.m. yesterday.

The fire was further attributed to an electrical power surge suspected to have sparked off the fire that

eventually razed some parts of the market before it was brought under control through combined efforts of the LASEMA fire unit, state and Federal Fire Services, preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings.

In a statement issued by the spokesperson to the agency, Nosa Okunbor, he said: “In the battle to salvage the situation and quickly curtail the fire outbreak at the Ajao Estate market, the Federal Fire Service deployed one fire truck; the Lagos State Fire Service also deployed one fire truck, while LASEMA fire unit deployed two fire trucks, all in efforts to curtail and check the fire to ensure it does not spread and cause further damage.”

of checkmating the menace of rape in the country.

The eminent lawyer also called on the federal government to declare emergency on rape matters amend the laws relating to rape such that the punishment for culprits of rape would not be mere imprisonment but outright castration to serve as a deterrent to others.

Babalola, who spoke in AdoEkiti yesterday, emphasised that castrating perpetrators of rape cannot be said to be too much bearing in mind

the physical, psychological and emotional pains they inflict on their victims and their families.

Recalling the cases of the 22-year-old Vera Omozuwa, a 100-level student of the University of Benin and the 19-year-old Barakat Bello, a student of the Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training, Ibadan, who were raped and murdered, the prominent lawyer said the society could not afford to fold its arms and watch the alarming and worrisome

situation to continue unchecked.

Babalola said: “The prevalence of rape cases is not only alarming, but worrisome.

It is worrisome in the sense that it is inconceivable that a male could forcefully rape someone and goes further to kill her.

Today, we have cases where fathers rape their daughters, which to me, is abnormal. We have young men raping young girls and killing them, why?

“Every concerned Nigerian is worried by the problem. You can imagine your daughter

going to school and was gang-raped. This is totally unacceptable and we should rise with one voice to fight the menace.

“In my days, when I was young, rape was unknown.

There were no super rich people but there was no poverty. To me, poverty is one reason why people rape. An unemployed person who is also poor will find it difficult to have a lady friend or wife and when he has desire and there is no means, he can be pushed to raping a lady”

REMEMBERING IDPs...

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) medical personnel attending to an Internally Displaced Person (IDP), during a free medical outreach to IDPs in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State ...yesterday

Senate Postpones Valedictory Service for Late Osinowo Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Senate yesterday postponed the valedictory service for its late member, Senator Bayo Osinowo, due to the absence of his family members, friends and associates.

This is just as the upper chamber at plenary observed a minute silence for the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who was a member of the fifth Senate.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Ajibola Basiru, told

journalists that the valedictory session for Senator Isinowo, who died in Lagos on June 15, 2020, could not hold as scheduled yesterday because his family members were held up in Lagos.

He said: “The valedictory programme does not only involve legislators but also the family, friends and associates of the deceased.

“Frantic effort was made to make it happen today by getting the family and associates to be around, but the lockdown on interstate has just been eased out, so we cannot do it alone, and as soon as we get the family

involved, it will be done.

“The person was not just a colleague, but a leader and my benefactor; his death is a collective pain.”

The Senate had at plenary last Tuesday promised to hold valedictory session for late Osinowo yesterday.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over the plenary, had said before adjourning plenary that “we would be having a formal valedictory service in honour of our departed colleague tomorrow, I therefore urge all our colleagues to be

appropriately dressed.”

Also, coming under rule 43, the Senator stated that Ajimobi made great strides in the world of business for almost three decades before delving into politics in 2003.

He noted that the deceased was an elected senator, who represented Oyo South senatorial district on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), and served as Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate.

According to him, Ajimobi later went on to serve as the governor of Oyo State between 2011 and 2019.

Lalong Directs Cabinet Members to Test for COVID-19 Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, has directed members of the State Executive Council to undergo tests for COVID-19 pandemic disease and isolate them beginning from yesterday, July 1, 2020.

The directive came after a member of the State Executive Council (SEC) and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Abe Aku, tested positive for the virus.

A statement by the Commissioner of Information, Mr. Dan Manjang, added that “based on the governor’s directive, specimens of the commissioners are to be taken and forwarded to the COVID-19 laboratory at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, for testing.

“During the period and pending the outcome of the results members of the public are advised to avoid unnecessary visits to members

of the SEC while they isolate.

This action is not only to prevent possible spread of the disease, but also show leadership by example.”

He, however, admonished against stigmatisation, saying that COVID-19 is not a death sentence and only continuous testing would reveal the rate of infection and facilitate treatment to save lives.

Manjang added that Lalong hoped that by directing his EXCO to all go for the test,

members of the public would be encouraged to make themselves available for testing, while at the same time obeying the COVID-19 protocols of wearing face masks, social distancing, hand washing and the use of alcohol based sanitisers.

“Government also uses this opportunity to remind the public that the enforcement of orders issued by the governor will continue and those found violating will be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.

Yobe Gov Condoles with Borno Govt over Death of Chief of Staff Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The Yobe State Governor, Mr. Mai-Mala Buni has commiserated with the government and people of Borno State over the death of the Chief of Staff to Governor Babagana Zulum, Dr. Babagana Wakil.

Buni, in a statement signed by his Spokesman, Mr. Mamman Mohammed, described the death of the late chief of staff as a painful loss to Zulum, the state government and people of Borno and Yobe States.

He described Borno and Yobe States as one people

and “every misfortune that affect one, affects the other.”

He described the deceased as a complete gentleman who lived a life of service to humanity.

Buni said: “Dr. Babagana Wakil was a complete gentleman, a thorough breed dedicated public officer and an accomplished administrator.”

He prayed that the Almighty Allah forgives his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in “Aljannatur Firdaus.”

He also prayed that Allah would grant his family, government and the people of Borno State the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

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THURSDAY JULY 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

250,000 Farmers Benefit from CBN’s Intervention Programme in Borno

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

Over 250,000 farmers are to benefit from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rainy season intervention in Borno State.

The CBN Head of Development Finance, Maiduguri Office, Mahmood Nyako, disclosed this while launching farm inputs distribution for cotton farmers in the northern part of the state.

Nyako said the Anchor Borrowers programme of the apex bank would support farmers under 10 selected

commodities to ensure food sufficiency towards the postCOVID-19 era.

He said with the relative peace in the state, more intervention would be provided for farmers.

According to Nyako, “We expect our teeming unemployed youths to embrace this programme and get at least one hectare given from one to five hectares under the Anchor Borrowers programme. If they embrace farming, unemployment will dramatically reduce.”

He expressed confidence that farmers would get bumper

harvest and pay back the loan given to them which would enable more farmers to benefit from the scheme.

The state Chairman of Cotton Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (COPMAN), Alhaji

Isa Abubakar, commended the CBN for coming to their aid as many farmers have lost their means of livelihood due

to insurgency.

Items presented included improved seedlings, fertilizers and pesticides.

Bauchi Gov Suspends LG Officials, Probes Fulani Herders, Farmers’ Clash Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday set up a 13-man panel to identify the cause of the communal clash between Fulani farmers and Fulani herders in Zadawa village in Misau Local Government Area of the state.

THISDAY had earlier reported that no fewer than 10 people were allegedly killed while several others sustained injuries during a communal clash between Fulani farmers and herders in Zadawa village in the Misau LGA of the state.

Addressing journalists shortly after chairing an emergency security meeting at the Government House in Bauchi, the governor said the panel headed by Air Commodore Tijjani Baba Gamawa is to submit its report within three weeks.

Mohammed said the timely set up of the investigation panel is to enable the state government avert the reoccurrence of such incident, not only in the area, but across the state.

He directed the state

Commissioner of Police to mobilise mobile unit of the force in Misau and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in order to provide security in the affected area.

The governor, who announced the suspension of Misau Council caretaker chairman along with his deputy and the secretary of the council for failure to control the situation, appointed Isah Kufai as the sole administrator of the LGA. “After we discussed extensively with all the stakeholders on the current happenings in Misau LGA, where we had some clashes which resulted in the loss of nine lives and many injuries, we agreed to look at the situation to avert its reoccurrence.

“Based on the information on our disposal, we have taken measures to control this very ugly situation, and we have decided to suspend the chairman, his deputy and the council secretary pending the outcome of the investigation panel,” he stated.

Kwara Suspends Perm Sec, Four Others for Recruitment of Fake Teachers

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Kwara State Government has suspended a permanent secretary and four other senior officials over their alleged involvement in the recruitment of ‘fake’ teachers and suspicious deductions of workers’ salary at the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The affected officials are the Permanent Secretary of the parastatal, Alhaji Bayo Audu Onimago; Director of Finance and Supply of SUBEB, Husseni Ahmed; Account Officers, Mujeeb Ibrahim and Oyerinde Fatai, and a staff of the Teaching Service Commission, who doubled as the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Toyin Saliu Idris.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin zonal office, had two weeks ago uncovered the alleged fraud at the SUBEB, where some senior officials have been allegedly using

fake names to siphon the state government funds.

The alleged discoveries had led the national leadership of the NUT to suspend the state Chairman of the NUT, Alhaji Salihu Idris, and state Secretary of the Union, Alhaji Tijani Idris, from office over their alleged involvement in the deal.

However, in a statement issued in Ilorin yesterday, the state Commissioner for Communications, Mr. Murtala Olarenwaju, said: “The indefinite suspension is connected to some discoveries of alleged fraud in the parastatal by the EFCC. “This is in line with the efforts of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration to cleanse the system, particularly at SUBEB, where some startling discoveries have been made.

“Salaries connected to the controversial names on the payroll have been flagged and suspended until the end of the exercise.”

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY…

A top official of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Mr. Emeka Onyeagba (left), handing over medical consumables donated by his company to the Deputy Governor of, Imo State, Prof. Placid Njoku, at the Government House, Owerri…yesterday

Delta Court Strikes out Herders’ Suit against Eviction Order A Delta State High Court of sitting in Akwukwu-Igbo Judicial Division has struck out a suit brought by herders challenging the Executive Order II of the Oshimili North Local Government Council.

Justice MC Okoh struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.

The Chairman of Oshimili North Local Government

Council, Mr. Louis Ndukwe had on May 2020, issued an Executive Order II, directing the immediate vacation of illegal camps and farm settlements in all the bushes within Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State within seven days.

But counsel to the herdsmen, MN Elunor, filed the suit No. Aku/23/2020.

The suit was seeking an order of court for an injunction restraining the respondent from executing the said order, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The court ordered the respondent to show cause why the order of injunction sought by the applicants should not be granted.

Counsel to Oshimili North Council, A. E Nwosu, filed an affidavit to show cause, counter affidavit, memorandum of conditional appearance and a preliminary objection challenging the suit.

Justice M.C Okoh upheld the submission of Nwosu and the suit was accordingly struck out with a cost of N50,000.

PDP Condemns Attack on FMC in Lokoja away documents and equipment gunmen were sponsored by Control (NCDC) on the state Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned the attack on Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Lokoja, Kogi State, by gunmen, who invaded the facility, destroyed and carted

used for data collection and management of COVID-19 in the state.

The party expressed shock over the violent attack, especially given allegations in the public circle that the

the Kogi State Government, which was earlier alleged to have ordered Kogi people not to visit the medical centre for their medications, following its reported disagreement with the Nigeria Centre for Disease

COVID-19 status.

PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, insisted that such attack on a medical facility cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever.

Enugu Killing: House Deputy Minority Leader Calls for Arrest, Prosecution of Culprits Udora Orizu in Abuja The Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, to immediately order the arrest and prosecution of criminals behind the killing

of a farmer in Amankpunato Autonomous Community in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Okechukwu, who represents Aninri/Agwu/Oji-River federal constituency, Enugu, made this known in a statement yesterday while conveying his condolences to the bereaved family and the Amankpunato community over

the sad loss.

He said bringing the killers to book would serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements in the country.

The lawmaker, while calling on the president to deploy more resources to the Nigeria Police to help build its capacity to protect lives and property efficiently, equally urged him to lend his

political weight to the Bill for the Establishment of State Police.

He said: “While I commend the Enugu State Government of its efforts to secure the state through investments in security, I call on the president and IG to get our farms and state ridded of criminal herders, hoodlums, and other forms of criminals immediately.

Suspected Rapist Begs Lagos Police to Kill Him Sunday Ehigiator Following his apprehension, a rape suspect, Adeniyi Ajayi, 27, also known as Ogologo, has appealed to the police to kill him rather than charging him to court for justice.

The suspect, who the police described as an ex-convict, was arrested yesterday, by operatives of the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS), Lagos State Police Command. He was also said to be notorious

for robbery and gangsterism.

In his confessional statement while answering questions from journalists when he was paraded alongside 70 others at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja, Ajayi said he opted to be killed by the police out of fears of coming back worse if remanded at the correctional centre.

He revealed that he operated as a one-man squad, and his previous experience at

the correctional centre made him move from pickpocketing to armed robbery.

According to him, “I don’t want to go back to the correctional centre because I will come back worse. I rob people at night alone. I operate with torchlight and a knife which I use to scare my victims. It is only when a victim tries to prove stubborn that I rape them to teach them a lesson. I have only raped two ladies-a married woman

and a house girl.

“I just want the police to waste (kill) me because I don’t have anything good to give to the society. I don’t want them to send me back to the correctional centre. It was my stay at the correctional centre that made me become worse.

“I only stole a phone when I was sent to prison, but when I got there, the inmates encouraged me to go into big time robbery when I regain freedom.

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THURSDAY JULY 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

FG to Withdraw Operational Permit of Transporters Who Flout Safety Protocols Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The federal government yesterday threatened that the operational permits of transporters who flout safety protocols for COVID-19 will be withdrawn.

It has also expressed worries about the rising cases of the virus in the country, but noted that socio-economic activities cannot be put on hold indefinitely.

The Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki who made this known when she chaired a virtual meeting with the Forum of Nigerian Transport Commissioners, further stated that it was resolved that the

implementation guidelines prepared by the Federal Ministry of Transportation would be adopted to minimise the transmission of COVID-19.

The minister, in a statement by the ministry’s Director of Press, Mr. Eric Ejiekwe, noted that it was also agreed that all interstate transport operators should apply and can only operate after confirmation of satisfaction of the defined guidelines by the State Ministry of Transportation.

According to her, “the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Transportation at State/FCT level will regularly monitor the implementation and compliance to the guidelines as well as the impact on ensuring

safety and minimising the transmission of COVID-19 through the mass transit sector.

The overall objective, the minister reiterated, is to protect passengers, operators and workers, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to provide support for stakeholders.

Saraki disclosed that the guidelines was fine-tuned with that of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

She insisted on the registration of all private travel operators, parks and terminals operators to ensure restricted access, social distancing, disinfection and sanitization, as well as have designated areas to isolate passengers with suspected case of COVID-19 infection.

FCTA Approves N474m Pension for 85 Retirees, Dead Workers Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has approved N474 million as pension for 85 retired and deceased officers of Area Councils and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).

The approval, according to the Director, FCT Area Council Staff Pension Board (ACSPB), Dr. Nanzing Nden, was made

by Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu.

Nden noted that the approval was in respect of the payment for Accrued Rights Benefit, which was the pension entitlement of federal government workers before the commencement of the statutory Contributory

Pension Scheme (CPS) in 2004.

“I want to say that there are some developments as regards FCT pension administration, especially FCT Area Council Staff Pension Board. First is the approval of the Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, of the sum of N474 million in favour of 85 retiring and deceased officers of the Area Councils and Local Education Authorities (LEAs) in respect of the payment of Accrued Rights Benefit,’’ Nden said.

He thanked the FCTA leadership for the unbroken monthly payment of pensions to retirees throughout the COVID-19 total lockdown and up to date, saying the reactions the board have been receiving

from the pensioners showed a group that is deeply appreciative of government’s gesture.

The director stated that the board has a process whereby prospective pensioners are paid in advance, with the last of such being a N1.2 billion paid long before the lockdown started, saying that due to issues pertaining to the pandemic when it hit FCT in March, the minister ordered the suspension of the process.

He also disclosed that the Minister of State has also approved the renewal of the board’s Group Life Assurance policy for 2020/2021 for staff of the Area Councils and LEAs. The scheme was scheduled to terminate on June 30, 2020.

Tourism will Lose Minimum of $1.2tn to Pandemic, Says UN The COVID-19 crisis could cost global tourism and related sectors from $1.2 to $3.3 trillion in lost revenue, the United Nations said yesterday.

Lockdown restrictions to control the spread of COVID-19 have hammered the tourism sector particularly hard, the UN Conference on Trade and Development said in a report.

The world tourism industry is expected to lose at least $1.2 trillion in the best-case scenario, UNCTAD calculated.

In a report entitled ‘COVID-19 and Tourism: Assessing the Economic Consequences,’ UNCTAD modelled three scenarios that included the sector’s supply chain.

The scenarios are moderate, where a third of annual inbound tourism expenditure is removed, equivalent to a fourmonth standstill; intermediate, removing two-thirds, equivalent to an eight-month halt; and dramatic, where all expenditure is removed, equivalent to a 12-month shutdown.

In the most optimistic scenario, the world’s tourism sector could lose at least $1.2 trillion, or 1.5 per cent of global gross domestic product. That rose to $2.2 trillion or 2.8 per cent of global GDP during an eight-month halt.

In the most pessimistic scenario, UNCTAD projected losses of $3.3 trillion or 4.2 per

cent of global GDP. The report said that unemployment could rise in some countries by more than 20 percentage points and some sectors could almost be wiped out if the standstill lasted an entire year.

Developing countries are among those set to suffer the steepest losses in GDP terms.

In just the moderate scenario, Jamaica would lose 11 per cent of its national output; Thailand nine percent, Croatia eight percent, and Portugal six percent.

The Dominican Republic, Kenya and Morocco would all lose five per cent.

In some countries, such as small island developing states, tourism accounts for more than half of GDP. “These numbers are a clear reminder of something we often seem to forget: the economic importance of the sector and its role as a lifeline for millions of people all around the world,” said Pamela CokeHamilton, UNCTAD’s director of international trade.

“For many countries, like the small island developing states, a collapse in tourism means a collapse in their development prospects. This is not something we can afford.”

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THURSDAYSPORTS AFN: Sports Ministry to Challenge Ruling in Gusau’s Favour

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Duro Ikhazuagbe

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has declared that the ruling by

an Abuja Federal High Court on the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) does not translate to returning impeached Ibrahim Shehu

Oliseh’s Plaudits for Osimhen, Wants the Lille Star to Remain Humble Former Captain and Head Coach of the Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh, has advised Lille striker, Victor Osimhen, to stay humble and ambitious after winning the Marc Vivien Foe award.

The 2015 FIFA Under-17 World Cup winner who is currently in Naples, Italy, negotiating to switch to Napoli, succeeded Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe to win this year’s prize as Best African player in France after his incredible debut season in Ligue 1, where he provided 13 goals and four assists in 27 appearances.

The 21-year-old is the second Nigerian player, after goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama who also played at Lille, to clinch the award which crowns the best African player in the French

Victor Osimhen...winner of the Marc-Vivien Foe Award

top-flight every season.

He defeated compatriot Moses Simon, Algeria’s Islam Slimani, Saint-Etienne’s Denis Bouanga, Montpellier’s Andy Delort and Rennes’ trio of Mbaye Niang, Hamari Traore and Edouard Mendy to the gong.

In his congratulatory message, Oliseh acknowledged Osimhen’s hard work in Christophe Galtier’s team but cautioned him to remain professional as he aspires for more success.

“First of all, I would like to congratulate Victor Osimhen for being elected winner of the MarcVivien Foe Prize. This trophy is important since it rewards the best African player in the French Championship. It is important for us Africans,” Oliseh told Radio France International.

“I find his victory even more surprising when we see the competitors that Victor had to surpass to win this title. Many people will wonder if he deserves it, if he is stronger than these players.

“But what Victor has done this season is truly exceptional.

Thanks to him, his team managed to make a magnificent season.

“I think Victor frankly deserves it because he brought a lot to his club. We really saw the difference when Victor was on the field and when he was not. We see the possibilities he offers his teammates to go forward. We also see the weight it places on the enemy’s defences.

Gusau back to office as president of the federation.

Justice A.I Chikere had ruled yesterday morning that only the President of the AFN had the powers to call a Congress and appoint a Technical Director, thereby declaring the Congress that suspended Gusau from office as nullity.

But in a press statement signed by the Director, Legal Services of the ministry, Danjuma A. Muhammad, the judgement by Justice A.I. Chikere asked all parties to maintain status quo ante.

“The judgment given

by Justice Chikere this (Wednesday) morning is a declaratory Judgment and the Ministry has a right of appeal within 90 days.

“Though the Judgment demonstrates Gusau’s declaration of autonomy of AFN, independent of government is a non-issue.

“This civil matter has nothing to do with all the criminal allegations against Gusau before the various investigating agencies,” observed the statement.

The Ministry’s legal director stressed that the FMY&SD will explore it’s rights of appeal within the statutory period allowed for appeal.

“The implication for appeal since this is a declaratory Judgment is that parties will maintain status quo ante.

After he was suspended from office as AFN President, Gusau had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seating

in Jabi asking for a restraining order on the ministry.

But the motion for the restraining order was outrightly rejected by Justice Oti Agabaza and declined to entertain the matter.

Rather, the court adjourned until March 4, 2020 when the preliminary objection raised by the Ministry would be heard.

The coronavirus pandemic pushed the case forward till yesterday.

The Ministry’s application had asked the court to dismiss Gusau’s case by challenging the court’s jurisdiction in a case he filed against respondents including, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare; the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development; Acting AFN

President, Olamide George; and Secretary, Adisa Beyioku.

Aggrieved AFN board members had at the federation’s General Congress forced Gusau to step aside while George was appointed in acting capacity as president upon conclusion of investigation of sundry allegations on the running of the federation.

Gusau’s fate was later sealed by a panel of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), which ruled his declaration of autonomy for the AFN from the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to be out of order and impossible because the ministry is the supervisory authority for National Sport Federations in the country.

Bukayo Saka (right) and Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta during Saka’s signing of the long-term deal...yesterday

CAF’s Women’s Champions Bukayo Saka Seals New Long-term Arsenal Contract Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has to reports he could leave. long-term contract.” left wings.

League, a Dream Comes signed a new “long-term” Saka tweeted: “Arsenal is Saka, a product of the “Bukayo is a talented and contract with the Premier my team. I’m so happy to to club’s academy, has scored intelligent young player,” said League club. finally announce my contract three goals and provided 10 Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

True, Says Falode The 18-year-old has broken extension.” assists this campaign and has “He has impressed me with Head of the Nigeria Women Football League, Aisha Falode, has declared that the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to work towards the actualization of the Women’s CAF Champions League in the 2021 football season would be a dream come true for her.

CAF is to take a final decision on the women’s league at their next meeting in Cairo.

Falode noted that when she first mooted the idea of the league to Nigeria female club owners at the closing ceremony of the NWPL Super 4 two years ago at the Agege Stadium, Lagos, she never knew the leadership of CAF would actualise her dream in a short time.

Falode, who is also a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), stressed that the success recorded by Nigeria’s Super Falcons that played with seven players from the domestic NWPL at the France 2019 Women’s World Cup, must

have played a prominent role in the decision taken by CAF to uplift women’s club football in the continent.

“People have advocated for it and desired it on the continent for the young women who continue to play good football all around Africa. When people say that we do not have the required number of teams to play the Women’s CAF Champions League, I wonder where they got that notion from.

“As we speak, we have over 33 countries scattered across the continent where organized women’s football league is played. Even if we don’t have that required number, considering 33 out of 54/55 countries is great .

That’s way above average for a good number to start the CAF Women’s Champions League as the time is ripe and right for Africa to have a women’s Champions League,” reasoned Falode.

into the Gunners’ first team this season, making 33 appearances.

The versatile England Under-19 international’s previous deal was due to expire next summer, leading

Arsenal’s Technical Director Edu said: “This is so important for us as we move forward as a club. “This is something everyone involved wanted to happen and we are delighted that Bukayo has signed a new

become increasingly prominent for the Gunners, starting all four matches since the season resumed after the coronavirus shutdown.

He has played at left-back and on both the right and

his work ethic and attitude to learn and adapt, and it has paid off in his performances.

“I am excited to continue working with him to develop him further, and for him to help us achieve our goals.”

Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial/GOtv Boxing Gym Set to Open Boxing in Nigeria is set to receive a huge boost following the completion of a standard boxing facility, the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial/GOtv Boxing Gym, which is expected to be commissioned soon.

Located in a serene location in Lagos, the boxing gym is the brainchild of Mr. Chairman, MultiChoice Nigeria and GOtv Boxing, Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya.

The multimillion-naira gym, funded by Ogunsanya, is conceived as a pre-bout preparation facility for local and international boxers coming to fight in Nigeria as well as an academy for nurturing

young and promising boxers to stardom.

The facility, which has a hostel to accommodate 30 boxers at a time and located in an expansive compound, is fitted with modern training equipment such as a standard ring, thread mills, punching and speed bags, double-end bags, wrecking ball snatchers, sparring mitts, focus mitts and bar bells among others.

The gym will also provide boxers with gears such as hand wraps, gum shields and mitt gloves. Boxers will be supervised by some of the most accomplished boxing coaches in the country

Being residential, it is fully air-conditioned and has an assortment of leisure facilities, including satellite television facilities and board games.

Boxers in training and their coaches will also be fed throughout their stay in the facility.

Giving reasons for setting up the gym, Ogunsanya said it is a continuation of the efforts, which began in 2014, at reviving the sport in Nigeria.

“We are happy about the progress Nigerian boxing has made since the intervention through GOtv Boxing Night began in 2014.

“But there is a need to

accelerate the progress by ensuring we address the dearth of training facilities in the country.

“We have talented boxers, who are disadvantaged by the inadequacy of training facilities and proper grooming.

We believe that this gym will go a long way in addressing that challenge and help to bring our boxers to par with their colleagues abroad,” Ogunsanya said.

CEO, Flykite Productions, organisers of GOtv Boxing Night, Jenkins Alumona, commended Ogunsanya for his commitment to the growth of Nigerian boxing.

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THURSDAYSPORTS ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

City Have a Point to Prove against Liverpool Today, Says Guardiola Pep Guardiola insisted yesterday that Manchester City have a point to prove against Liverpool when both teams clash at the Etihad Stadium this evening.

Already, Manchester City announced earlier in the week to give the Reds the Guard of Honour they deserve as runaway champions of the 2019/20 season.

Guardiola’s men have already lost the English Premier League title to Liverpool but Guardiola has told his players there is still something to play for.

“In sport you have to prove every time,” Guardiola said at a news conferenceon Wednesday.

“We are incredibly satisfied

with what we are doing. But for athletes it is never enough.

Past is the past. We mention in our soul, our memories, but the show must go on. Some people will say I don’t have to show anything. I am completely the opposite. Every time you have to do it again,” observed the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich gaffer.

With seven games remaining, Liverpool are on course to collect a record points tally and win the title by a huge margin.

But despite the incredible numbers racked up at Anfield, Guardiola said the gap will not be insurmountable next season.

“I think we are not far away but you have to do a little bit

more,” he added.

“They are a team that was better, who play at an

outstanding level in every single game and we have to do more.

“Football helps you to understand an incredible education that another one was

better and you have to try to reduce this gap,” Guardiola concluded.

Zamalek Will Not Play Until after Cure Found Nigeria Picks More Table Tennis Tickets for Tokyo 2021 for Covid-19 Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling (left) and Virgil van Dijk will be at ‘war’ in a battle of prestige tonight

Players of Egyptian Premier League side Zamalek have refused to resume training or return to complete the current season unless “a cure for coronavirus is found.”

Football activities in Egypt are due to return on 25 July after the government allowed teams to resume training this month - despite the growing spread of the virus in Egypt, with more than 66,000 confirmed cases.

Zamalek’s refusal to resume the current campaign comes after the team’s goalkeeper Mohamed Awad revealed he had tested positive for coronavirus on 26 June.

The club’s team captains, Hazem Emam and Shikabala, have issued a statement to announce they will not continue the league.

“We won’t go on the pitch before the coronavirus is gone and a cure is found,” Emam wrote on his Instagram account.

“No-one can force us to risk

our lives, especially after our teammate Mohamed Awad tested positive.

“I want to inform you that as one of the team’s captains, my teammates and I won’t sacrifice our lives and the lives of our family members just to resume the league and please (rival club) Al Ahly and the people who support them.”

So far, there are more than 22 cases in the league after tests were carried out on the players.

Emam added in his Instagram post he would seek to raise the issue with the country’s president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi should the league be resumed.

“The players are ready to do whatever it takes even if it means meeting with his excellency the president to explain to him that the Egyptian FA is sacrificing the lives of his people, just to please a certain club,” he said.

AIPS e-Conference Holds Today The first World Sports Journalists (AIPS) e-Conference that will celebrate the World Sports Journalists Day and the 96th anniversary of the founding of AIPS, will hold today.

The event is expected to bring together journalists from all over the world and a prestigious group of panelists from all the continents, who will share significant perspectives regarding the challenges that the sports media culture is called to face in this time of change.

As at yesterday, over 686 journalists from 137 countries have already confirmed their participation.

The international panel entitled: “Has Covid-19

Affected Journalists’ Independence and Future?” will bring together some of the most influential voices in the sports media sector.

Also, the European publishing behemoths like La Gazzetta dello Sport, L’Équipe and Marca have accepted AIPS’ invitation to be part of the event. Their Editors in Chief, respectively Stefano Barigelli, Jérôme Cazadieu and Juan Ignacio Gallardo, will share the virtual stage with colleagues from all continents, for the largest sports press conferece in the globe.

The event will also be broadcast live on AIPS Media 1924 Facebook Page and AIPS Media Youtube Channel.

The number of Nigerian athletes that will compete at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in 2021 continues to swell after Esau Ogunkunle and Faith Obiora were confirmed among the list of players that qualified for the Games based on their International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world rankings.

From the 2019 African Championships held in Egypt which served as the continental qualifiers, five Nigerians picked their tickets after emerging champions in their various categories.

The five include; Tajudeen Agunbiade (M9), Olufemi Alabi

(M10), Ahmed Koleosho (M3), Victor Farinloye (M8) and Faith Obazuaye (10).

In a statement signed by ITTF Para Table Tennis Events and Classification Manager, Pablo Perez, Nigeria was listed among the 40 countries expected to compete in the table tennis event of the Paralympic Games.

Ogunkunle and Obiora finished second in Egypt to miss out from the automatic qualification but their world ranking secured the slots for them after considerations by ITTF. Ogunkunle who is the national champion will be making his debut at the Paralympic Games

in the men’s class four while Obiora who is making her second appearance at the Paralympic Games will be competing in the women’s class five. Second Vice President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Anderson Bankole expressed his joy over the qualification of the athletes. “I am so happy that Nigeria will present seven athletes at the games being the highest contingent to be presented by Nigeria in the table tennis event of the Paralympic Games.

“I am sure and confident that we can win medals at the games because we have quality players that can compete with the rest

of the world. I am also hoping that after the Covid-19, we can expose these players to top class tournaments across the world,” Bankole who is the chairman of the Para Division of NTTF added.

Bankole who is a serving Commissioner of Police, is a member of the ITTF Para Committee. He congratulated the players for their efforts in putting Nigeria on the world map with their qualification, adding that Nigeria is one of the nations presenting a large number of players for the games ahead of Egypt which has six qualified players.

West Ham’s Yarmolenko Stuns Chelsea with Late Winner Andriy Yarmolenko’s last-gasp winner settled an eventful London derby with Chelsea 3-2 and delivered a huge boost to West Ham United’s hopes of avoiding relegation.

In a topsy-turvy game, which saw West Ham infuriated when Tomas Soucek’s first-half goal was ruled out by VAR, substitute Yarmolenko made the decisive

contribution when the finished off a superb counter attack with a classic left-foot finish.

It looked like both sides would have to settle for a point but that late twist not only provides a huge morale lift to David Moyes’ side, putting them three points clear of the relegation places, but also completed a good 24 hours for Manchester United in the race

for Champions League places after their win at Brighton and third-placed Leicester City’s loss at Everton.

Moyes was angry when Soucek saw a first-half goal ruled out because Michail Antonio was adjudged to be offside and in Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s line of vision.

Chelsea then took the lead

through Willian’s penalty but battling West Ham levelled through Soucek’s header right on the stroke of half-time.

Man-of-the-match Antonio bundled West Ham in front six minutes after the interval but this eventful affair looked to be heading for a draw when Willian’s superb free-kick with 18 minutes left drew Chelsea level.

Leicester’s Top Four Finish Slipping Away with Another Defeat at Everton Both Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho were involved in Leicester City’s 2-1 defeat at Everton’s Goodison Park last night as the Foxes dream of a Top Four finish of the English topflight and a ticket to the lucrative UEFA Champions League is slipping away.

Everton who are pushing for a place in next season’s Europa League have remained unbeaten since the restart.

Their victory last night over Leicester is a second successive win coming courtesy of two goals in quick succession in the game’s first quarter.

Richarlison struck from close range before Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a debatable penalty, awarded following a lengthy VAR review for handball against Wilfred Ndidi.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a brace a Arsenal’s 4-0 defeat of Norwich last night

Leicester rallied at the start of the second half and pulled a somewhat fortuitous goal back when Mason Holgate’s attempted clearance flew into the net off the face of substitute Kelechi Iheanacho.

But they were unable to make the most of the larger share of

possession and chances to gain parity. It was another blow for the Foxes, who exited the FA Cup at the hands of Chelseaat the weekend and now face a real test to hang on to their top-four spot in the table.

Two points from their past three games has opened the door to

Manchester United and Wolves, both of whom are only three points behind Leicester and in much better form.

Everton, though, are looking up the table, with this win leaving them one point behind eighthplace Tottenham - a position that could be good enough to secure a European spot for next season.

Richarlison limped from the field in the second half following a challenge by Ndidi, although manager Carlo Ancelotti eased fears after the game by stating the Brazilian should be fit to face Tottenham in five days time.

Earlier, a howler by goalkeeper Tim Krul helped set Arsenal on their way to a 4-0 win that lifts them up to seventh as bottom club Norwich City’s hopes of staying in the Premier League faded further.

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Thursday, July 2, 2020

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Price: N250

MISSILE Festus Keyamo to Lawmakers “Before coming here today there has been an attempt by certain political leaders to say I must come and see them behind the scenes ďŹ rst to determine who gets what and how and I said No, I will not do that; and I am ready at any time for a public debate on this with themâ€? – Minister of state, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, in a public spat with National Assembly members.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

On Black Market Injunctions I FLASHBACK, SEPTEMBER 2002:

have not confirmed this report but we know that in Nigeria today anything is possible. The story goes that a lavish society wedding had just taken place and after concluding the legal and social rites, the couple retired to their house. At bed time, the wife withdrew from under her pillow a court injunction perpetually restraining the husband from performing ‘his duty’. What made the story believable for me is that the said injunction was reportedly obtained from an Abuja Court!

That the judiciary is becoming a source of concern especially as we move to the crucial elections is no longer in doubt. The situation is so bad that politicians now find it far cheaper to use the court to scuttle their opponent’s campaign than to procure the services of thugs for such enterprise.

Spurious injunctions now surface at events that Nigerians are no longer certain that the naming ceremony of their child, the graduation of their ward or the holding of their company’s AGM would not be disrupted as Judges device ‘home-grown’ solution to the biting economic situation.

A court injunction that should be openly sought and received has become a secret weapon of mischief. The latest of such was the court injunction that necessitated the cancellation of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Convention of 27th July, 2002. The injunction was served on the party by the National Legal Adviser of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had the responsibility of supervising the convention on the day in question.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mohammed Uwais recently decried the incessant indiscreet granting of ex-parte applications for interim or interlocutory injunctions. He cited examples of Judges who grant injunction to stop a State House of Assembly from passing bills as well as those who grant injunction on matters already settled by the Supreme Court. According to Justice Uwais “...the only inference one can draw from such behaviour is that the judicial officers so involved cannot feign ignorance but are acting or acted deliberately in bad faith for improper motives...I have heard it said that some legal practitioners act as agents for litigants in giving bribe to Judges‌â€?

I don’t think one can add more to what the highly respected CJN has said. But it is sad that injunctions have now become to some Judges what ‘handouts’ are to hungry university lecturers‌ ============================== The foregoing, excerpted from my column 18 years ago titled, “Can You Get Me a Court Injunction?â€?, is a sad reminder that nothing seems to have changed in the judicial sector in our country. Today, a political event in Benin can be stopped by a midnight ex-parte order obtained from a Judge in Port Harcourt! And from Kano could come another counter injunction from a court of the same jurisdiction.

Apparently disturbed by the development, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court

Chief Justice of Nigeria , Tanko Muhammad (FHC), Justice John Tsoho last week warned Justices of the FHC to avoid being used as tools for “political maneuvering�. In a circular made public, Justice Tsoho wrote: “It is of common knowledge that elections will be held in some states in Nigeria in the nearest future. The normal party conventions and primaries with attendant political maneuvering have already commenced amongst various political parties, which very often culminate in the institution of cases in the courts. In this regard, Your Lordships are strongly advised not to grant an ex-parte injunctive order in any political matter brought before Your Lordships.

Furthermore, Your Lordships are equally advised not to entertain matters of which the course of action has arisen from outside your Judicial Divisions.�

Also last Friday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) expressed similar concern about the manner courts were being manipulated to circumscribe the electoral process. A statement by INEC National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Public Information, Mr. Festus Okoye, pleaded with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) “to impress on senior members of the Bar to put the country’s interest and the judiciary above every other interest and not allow personal considerations to outweigh their commitment to the profession, the rule of law and due process.� Of particular concerns to the commission is the growing number of conflicting orders on similar grounds and from courts of coordinate jurisdiction on issues pertaining to the administration of political parties and conduct of their primaries.

We understand the nature of the challenge.

When politicians cannot agree among themselves, they often seek the intervention of the judiciary to define and determine their legal rights. This intervention, which is legitimate, sometimes comes in the form of injunctions restraining the other party from taking certain steps or compelling such actions. So, an injunction is either prohibitory or mandatory. But the rapidity and recklessness with which this powerful

judicial tool is being used in Nigeria is unknown to the legal system where the concept originated from.

This ‘equitable remedy’ is meant to be granted by a Judge to prevent a threatened breach that could pervert the course of justice. However, for the remedy to be available, the applicant is also expected to climb the hurdles of ‘coming with clean hands’. This, unfortunately, is not the case in Nigeria as crooked politicians, their lawyers and collaborators use injunctions to ambush justice. The problem is often compounded when the affected party or their proxy rather than appeal decide to approach a different court of coordinate jurisdiction to obtain a counter injunction.

The result is uncertainty, confusion and abuse of the judicial process. With that, what was designed to serve the end of justice has been turned into an instrument for doing exactly the opposite.

Perhaps because of its possible abuse, there has always been a contention about ex-parte order which is said to mean ‘without notice to the other party’ or in Latin, ‘one side to a dispute’. A famous quote by Sir John Fortescue, a former Chief Justice of England, says it all: “The laws of God and man both give the party an opportunity to make his defence, if he has any. I remember to have heard it observed by a very learned man upon such an occasion, that even God himself did not pass sentence upon Adam (and Eve) before (they) were called upon to make (their) defence.� But there are strong arguments as to the necessity of court injunctions which were actually designed to enthrone justice.

In a 1912 case in the United Kingdom, CJ Griffith explained the rationale for an interim injunction thus: “There is a primary precept governing the administration of justice, that no man is to be condemned unheard; and therefore, as a general rule, no order should be made to the prejudice of a party unless he has the opportunity of being heard on defence. But instances occur where justice could not be done unless the subject matter of the suit were preserved and, if that is in danger of destruction, by one party, or if irremediable or serious damage be imminent, the other may come to the court, and ask for its interposition even in the absence of his opponent, on the ground that delay would involve greater injustice than instant action.�

In their paper in Seattle University Law Review titled ‘Remedies for WrongfullyIssued Preliminary Injunctions: The Case for Disgorgement of Profits’, Ofer Grosskopf and Barak Medinat amplified that further by looking at the American legal system.

They argued that “preliminary injunction is a pre-trial order issued with an explicit awareness of the possibility that it will be proved wrong� hence “this awareness is reflected not only in the courts’ reluctance to issue such orders, but also in the demand for the moving party to post a bond that would cover the harms inflicted on any party who is found to have been wrong-fully enjoined or restrained.�

Injunctions are extraordinary, both in timing and effectiveness because they

empower courts to preserve the subject matter which is commonly referred to as the ‘Res’. Granting injunction is therefore sometimes necessary and expedient so that the court would not be put in a position of helplessness. Such orders also help to ensure that the person seeking redress is not put in a position of securing ‘meaningless’ justice. But in other climes, injunctions are usually granted sparingly, for compelling reasons and in exceptional circumstances.

Sadly, that is not the case in Nigeria where court injunctions have become a political weapon and are now two for ten kobo!

Many people may forget but the ‘June 12 crisis’ was contrived with the active participation of the judiciary and at the centre of it were spurious court injunctions. I once recounted on this page my experience on 14th June 1993, two days after that historic election. Following the suspension of the announcement of results by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) in deference to a court injunction obtained by the Chief Arthur Nzeribe-led Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) from the late Justice Bassey Ikpeme’s court, three Social Democratic Party (SDP) Governors, (one from South-West, another from South-South and the third from the North-East) made calls to their respective states. I witnessed the drama at the then NICON Noga Hilton (now Transcorp Hilton) hotel. Even when I did not know the people with whom these governors were speaking, the instruction was for them to go and meet certain named Judges to obtain ex-parte orders that would compel the electoral commission to release the result of the presidential election that everybody knew had been won by the candidate of their party, the late Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola.

In simple term, what the governors decided was that since the Prof. Humphrey Nwosu-led NEC was relying on an Abuja court order to stop the release of the election result, they too could procure such order from their states to get the Commission to release the result. And within hours, the said judicial orders came from two states and were well publicized for the attention of NEC which predictably ignored them. As it would happen, that was what General Ibrahim Babangida capitalised on to annul the election to “save the judiciary from anarchy�. As he claimed, he “could not continue to watch the various high courts carry on their long drawn out processes and contradictory decisions while the nation slides into chaos.�

For me, the real issue in the fiasco of that period is not that the governors wanted and got the court injunctions they requested but rather that each was specific as to which judge whoever they were sending should go to. Nothing seems to have changed. Any discerning observer of the fight to finish in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would also have noticed that each of the principal characters got his injunction from the state governed by a friend. So, at the end, we had orders from courts of same jurisdiction cancelling out one another. r/05& 1JFDF DPODMVEFE PO QBHF

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