MONDAY 17TH AUGUST 2020 by THISDAY Newspapers Ltd

CBN: BDCs to Get Dollars on Resumption of International Flights Obinna Chima Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it would restart the auctioning of foreign exchange to bureau de change (BDC) operators once international flights resume. CBN Director, Corporate

Communications, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, told THISDAY yesterday that this was because BDCs' customers are mainly international travellers. Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, in a tweet on his official Twitter handle on July 21, 2020, had said international

flights might resume before October. CBN’s position followed calls on the apex bank to provide dollars to BDCs in order to halt the slide of the naira against the greenback on the parallel market. “The customers of BDCs are

largely travellers and when the federal government suspended international flights in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19, the BDCs requested that we grant them holidays as well. “So, once the federal government or the Presidential

Task Force (PTF) announces the resumption of international flights, we would resume forex sales to BDC,” Okorafor said. A former CBN governor and former Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi, had said the gap between the Nigerian Autonomous

Foreign Exchange (NAFEX) and BDC rates could be traced to inadequate foreign exchange caused by funding. He said funding BDC would move CBN towards unifying the exchange rates. Continued on page 9

States Offer Tax Relief to Individuals, Businesses... Page 8 Monday 17 August, 2020 Vol 25. No 9261. Price: N250

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Arming Regional Security Outﬁts,Vigilantes Inimical to National Safety, IG Warns Orders clampdown on prohibited firearms Groups rally support for Na'Abba over DSS invitation Chuks Okocha and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has kicked against arming of vigilantes, quasi-states and regional security outfits with prohibited firearms and weapons, saying it's in contravention of the provisions of the Firearms Act, and a threat to national security. "The IGP, while observing

that several civil groups, vigilantes, quasi-states and regional security outfits under various guises are arming themselves with prohibited firearms and weapons in contravention of the provisions of the Firearms Act, notes that the trend if unchecked will pose serious threat to national security,” a statement by the Force Headquarters said Continued on page 9

UNILAG Council Gives Details of Ogundipe’s Alleged Financial Misdemeanor

Amended universities act grants council power to remove vice chancellor Tobi Soniyi Documents from the Governing Council of University of Lagos yesterday revealed more details of alleged financial wrongdoings that led to the removal, last week, of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe. The council, in the documents obtained by

THISDAY yesterday, also insisted that due process was followed in removing Ogundipe from office. It added that not only was Ogundipe removed from office for financial recklessness, his removal was also due to his inability to discharge the functions of his office as a Continued on page 9

NEW HOUSING HELMSMAN... New Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (left), and President Muhammadu Buhari after Ashafa’s inauguration in Abuja…recently

Buhari, Lawan, Jonathan, Atiku Felicitate with Babangida at 79... Page 5

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

Buhari, Lawan, Jonathan, Atiku Felicitate with Babangida at 79

Deji Elumoye, Omololu Ogunmade, Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba President Muhammadu Buhari; President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; one of Lawan's predecessors, Senator David Mark, and Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday celebrated former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), who marks his 79th birthday today. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said in a statement that the president joined family, friends and associates of Babangida to celebrate with him on his final journey to the octogenarian club. The statement said as the former military leader attained a new age today, the president believes that his services to the country would always be remembered. "President Buhari prays that the Almighty God will continually strengthen Gen. Babangida, grant him good health and longer life," the statement added. Jonathan, in his goodwill message, described Babangida as a statesman who has made a considerable contribution to Nigeria’s growth. “I celebrate with you, your family, and all associates as you mark your 79th birthday,” he said, adding: “You are a statesman who has made invaluable contributions to the growth and development of our country, Nigeria. “I salute your steadfast love for our nation and your continued zeal towards a united and prosperous Nigeria.” Atiku also paid tribute to Babangida for what he described as his respect and commitment

to the nation's diversity. Atiku said, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Paul Ibe, that Babangida’s attributes of intelligence, wisdom, charisma and understanding and respect for Nigeria's diversity had stood the test of time. "General Babangida is amazingly gifted, he is a strategic thinker and a true believer in national unity and national integration, qualities for which history and posterity will deliver a favourable verdict on him. "One of the reasons Babangida charms and arouses the interest of the world is his unique capacity to learn, and listen to others, even if he disagrees with them," he stated. Lawan described Babangida as a passionate Nigerian. In a congratulatory message, Lawan noted that Babangida has remained passionate about Nigeria more than two decades after his exit from active public service. According to him, the former Nigerian leader could be proud of his contributions to the defence of the territorial integrity, unity, and political and sociology-economic development of Nigeria. Lawan, therefore, urged the elder statesman to continue to avail those in leadership positions the benefits of his experience and wise counsel for the unity, stability and progress of the nation. Okowa also congratulated the former military president, saying his commitment to the unity and growth of the country deserves commendation. In a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, the governor thanked the former president for his visible contributions to nation-building, noting that it was during his administration that a number of states, including Delta, were created.

Okowa said: "At 79, your contributions to nation-building reverberate across the nooks and crannies of our great nation; and, as Deltans in particular, we can't thank you enough for creating our state in 1991. "As we mark the 29th anniversary of the creation of Delta, we recall with gratitude your exemplary and legendary contributions in making it a reality. "The benefits of state creation, no doubt, have manifested tremendously in the lives of over five million Deltans who live and do business in our state, which has impacted positively

in the economic, infrastructural and human capital development of our people.” A former Senate president, Senator David Mark, described Babangida as an inspirational leader. In a goodwill message, Mark said his inspirational leadership stimulated so many Nigerians and others to the zenith of their careers with a perfect class of character and quality. He said: “His wealth of experience and leadership dexterity will remain priceless and indeed evergreen to generation of leaders to tap from.” Mark eulogised the elder

statesman for availing the younger generation of leaders his reservoir of knowledge in leadership and experience to learn from. Recalling his days as Nigerian president for a record eight years, Mark, who served as communications minister under Babangida, stated that the General demonstrated patriotism and statesmanship. “Babangida believes and works for the sanctity of our unity as a nation. For him, the territorial integrity of Nigeria, the welfare and the wellbeing of Nigerians must not be compromised," he added.

Mark said it was in his commitment to give all Nigerians a sense of belonging, guarantee peace needed for development and promote national cohesion, that the Babangida government created Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Abia, Enugu, Delta, Jigawa, Kebbi, Osun, Kogi, Taraba and Yobe states, among others. He stated that Babangida restructured the national security apparatus of the country then by creating the State Security Service (SSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), among others to achieve a holistic approach to tackle security issues.

NEW KING... L-R: Elder sister to the king, Princess Aderonke Ogunsanwo; Alara of Ilara Kingdom, Oba Olufolarin Ogunsanwo Telade IV; and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the presentation of staﬀ of oﬃce and instrument of appointment to Telade IV in Eredo-Epe, Lagos…yesterday

Ize-Iyamu: EFCC’s N700m Fraud Allegation Made to Tarnish My Image Says Oshiomhole not his godfather Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has described the case involving him and four others for allegedly diverting N700 million campaign fund by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a twist of information. Ize-Iyamu, who spoke in an interview monitored from BBC Pidgin English programme, said the money did not come to him and it was not paid into his account. Ize-Iyamu, along with others, is currently being tried in court over the allegation. He said when he received information about the money, as the Director-General of Goodluck Jonathan Campaign in Edo State in 2015, officials of the bank where the money was lodged refused to part with it except someone came to sign for it. The APC standard bearer added that he was just one of those who signed for the money before the bank officials took it to the house of the leader of the

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state where all the party’s local government chairmen in the state took turns to sign and collect the money meant for their various local governments. He explained: "When we got to the bank, the officials told us they cannot release the money and asked us to sign, which we did. We also agreed that the bank should carry the money which they took to the leader’s house. From there, all those concerned, including the local government chairmen, signed for the money to their various local governments. "No single kobo was given to me but after the election, the EFCC said we were the ones who signed for the money; we must account for it. And I said no money came to my account; no money was given to me and that the money was carried to a leader's house where those concerned came and signed for it. "I even told them that those who signed and took the money have all agreed that they did so with the papers tendered, signifying that they signed for it. Not one of them came back to say they didn't sign and that it was Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu

(that collected the money)." He said the story about the N700 million was all blackmail as his conscience is clear. Ize-Iyamu also noted that those who knew the story are aware he did not take any dime, stressing that the bank where the money came has not testified that he was the one who collected the money. Reacting to the claim that former APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, is his godfather, he described it as not only laughable but ridiculous because anyone familiar with politics of Edo State back in 2005 would attest to how he formed a political pressure group called Grace Group with the slogan "No Man is God." He stated that Oshiomhole's own slogan "No Godfatherism," is an offshoot of his, adding that in the first place, nobody can play God. "Not even the president, governor or any political leader can play God because none of them is God," Ize-Iyamu added. He said some persons had come to ask him who was his godfather but he had told them that nobody apart from God.

According to him, he is one person that respects elders, traditional rulers, religious leaders and people who have made a mark in various fields even as he respects his junior ones as long as they believe in themselves. He said Oshiomhole could not be his godfather because when “he (Oshiomhole) wanted to contest for governorship in 2007, people told him to come and meet me because I have similar ambition. "Oshiomhole came and met me to say please I want to contest and I had to agree with him because nobody from Edo North has produced the governor of the state. I told him it is good we consider your place. So, I supported him and he won. "In 2012 when he wanted to recontest, he made me the DG (director-general) of his campaign. Besides, I was the national vice chairman, South-south of the party. "Is it this kind of person who wants to be governor that would be looking for who to be his godfather? The answer is no. Godfather is for those who are just learning like in the Catholic Church where before a child

is baptised, the parent will be asked to get someone to be his godfather. "In politics, I am not a child. Neither am I a learner. There is no part of the state I don't have friends as a result of the relationship I have built years back. "As far back as 1999, I was chief of staff. In 2003, I became SSG. So, there is nobody who does not know me and respect me," he stated. Ize-Iyamu said the goodwill he is enjoying today was as a result of the role he played when he was occupying those positions. He noted that it was when he was occupying those positions that most of the employments either in the civil service; teaching or medical personnel were done. However, he stated that he has respect for Oshiomhole as an older person, a former governor of the state and former national chairman of APC. According to him, "I respect Oshiomhole and he respects me also. Ours have been relationship built on mutual respect. Luckily we belong to the same party." Ize-Iyamu said all the talks about Oshiomhole playing

godfather were just comments made to paint him black. He said when Oshiomhole imposed Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, when all the leaders did not want him because they regarded him as a complete stranger, he was a good godfather. He added that now that Oshiomhole refused to do the same thing he did in 2016, people are still saying he is playing godfatherism. He said: "Oshiomhole became godfather when he imposed him as the governor. The same man is going about saying the man that imposed him in 2016 wants to be godfather because what he did before, he refused to do now. "That was how the quarrel started because then he solely imposed him on the people. "They now say he is playing godfather just to blackmail him because then the governor could not talk because he was a baby. Nobody knew him. "Ask the governor if he had ever voted anywhere in Edo State before he became governor? The answer is no. He was a complete stranger. Where is his house in Edo State before 2016?"

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States Offer Tax Relief to Individuals, Businesses To get $2.5m incentive for beating deadline on new initiative

Chuks Okocha in Abuja The 36 states of the federation have unveiled plans to introduce tax relief programmes to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses and individual taxpayers as well as to ensure the speedy recovery of their respective economies. In return, the states would be rewarded by the World Bank with $2.5 million each in performance-based grants if they announce by July 31 and implement by September 30, a tax- compliance relief programme for taxpayers and businesses. According to a statement from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) at the weekend, the relief programmes, which were initiated in states across the board, have focused on five main tax activities. These include an extension of filing and payment dates, tax moratoriums, waivers or reduction of penalties and interests over the extension period. The initiative, the governors said, formed part of the outcomes of a

virtual meeting held recently, under the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme for Results, jointly organised by World Bank and NGF. The programme was driven by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning (FMFBNP). The governors added that while some states are also offering rebates or discounts on taxes paid within a specific period, others are allowing the payment of taxes, fees and levies, among others in installments. It noted that states’ tax offices are now enabling filing and the issuance of tax clearance certificates electronically (online). “The SFTAS experts at the webinar concluded that such waivers for businesses are no longer optional, but have become an essential element of governments' stimulus-targeted packages to facilitate recovery for businesses who face a liquidity crisis and individuals whose livelihoods have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

“State governments are themselves currently experiencing a liquidity crisis of their own; and with limited capacity to borrow, it has become imperative that they find a balance between granting tax reliefs and maintaining revenues at a sustainable level. “The extent to which government revenues will be impacted by these reliefs will depend on the type of relief that they grant and their ability to raise their tax efforts simultaneously, including offering incentives for greater tax compliance,” it stated. According to the statement, the efforts are being incentivised by a

new Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI) under the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning and World Bank $750 million States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme for results. Eligible states will be rewarded with $2.5 million each in performance-based grants if they announce by 31st July 2020 and implement by 30th September, 2020, a tax compliance relief programme for individual taxpayers and businesses to mitigate the COVID-19 impact. “However, there are criteria to be met if a state is to receive the $2.5 million. These are that state announcements

should be signed by the commissioner of finance or the executive chairman of the state internal revenue service and published on state websites and in national dailies to ensure widespread awareness amongst taxpayers,” it added. The state government should also “issue to their tax officials and collecting agents, guidelines for the implementation of the reliefs to ensure consistent execution by all and sundry.” The virtual meeting was attended by 125 participants from the 36 states of the federation, including state commissioners of finance and executive chairpersons of state internal revenue services.

Addressing the participants, the Programme Manager, NGF SFTAS Technical Assistance Project, Mr. Olanrewaju Ajogbasile, stated that the secretariat, through the support of FMFBNP and World Bank, was available to provide technical advisory on the domestication of reforms to meet DLIs and more broadly, fiscal sustainability. Ajogbasile also said while some states had followed strictly the requirements of granting extension for filing 2019 annual returns and waiver for penalties and interests for businesses and individual taxpayers, others had waived other taxes, fees and levies for a specified period of time.

FG, Airlines, Telecoms Operators to Meet over Workers’ Grievances

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The federal government is to meet with telecommunication and airline companies this week to try and resolve issues relating to job losses and welfare of workers, threatening to ground the sectors. THISDAY gathered that while the meeting with the telecoms operators would hold today, the airlines would meet with the federal government tomorrow. For the airline operators who are seeking ways to cut costs based on the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the federal government had directed that they meet with their employees to agree on the terms of the disengagement of workers that accept voluntary exit. A top official of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment told THISDAY at the weekend that the airlines were mandated to meet with the unions in the sector to negotiate the pay-off terms and revert to the ministry this week. According to the official, the companies were asked to come up with a cost-saving deal reached under the collective bargaining agreement with the unions. "Salaries of staff of the airlines are denominated in dollars. So, they will have to negotiate and work out its equivalent in naira and agree on other welfare packages for those staff that have opted for a voluntary exit," he said. The airlines and the unions in the aviation had met with the federal government's team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and agreed to

go back to negotiate a possible downsizing of their workforce and the packages due for those on voluntary exit. At the meeting held Thursday, the federal government advised airlines to consider negotiating salary reduction with workers rather than retrenchment. Ngige told the airline operators that the federal government was determined to ensure that there is industrial peace in all sectors of the economy and as such would not encourage the sacking of workers by any company. He said the meeting was called to discuss the disquiet in the aviation sector due to an industrial dispute between the airlines and their employees. He urged the operators to allow their employees to exercise their right to unionisation, as Section 40 of Nigerian Constitution guaranteed that. “We encourage the airline operators to allow members of staff who desire to go into unions to do so, as belonging to unions is a voluntary thing. Obstructing them from doing so is to curtail their fundamental rights as enshrined in our constitution,” he had added. On the other hand, the management of MTN Nigeria and members of the workers’ unions would meet with Ngige today to resolve the dispute between the company and its employees. According to the schedule for the talks issued by the Deputy Director in charges of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Charles Akpan, the talks with telecommunications firm would hold in the afternoon.

IN SEARCH OF DEVELOPMENT... L-R: Paramount Ruler of Apomu Kingdom, Oba Kayode Afolabi Atoyebi II; his wife, Janet; Guest Speaker, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso; and Alapomu of Apomu Town, Oba Olamilekan Olasode, during a stakeholders' meeting of Apomu Descendants Union at Ibadan Business School, Bodija Ibadan...weekend

NERC Cautions Discos against Delay in Repair of Feeder Faults Queries Port Harcourt Disco over incessant outages Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) at the weekend cautioned power distribution companies (Discos) against deliberately delaying responses to the problem on their feeders beyond the eight hours directed by the regulatory agency. It has also queried Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) for under-serving its customers and cutting supply by as much as 70 per cent sometimes. NERC accused the power distributors of failing to clear faults on some 33KV feeders within the timeline as stipulated in Reporting Compliance Regulations (RCC) operated in the sector. The agency. in its Transmission Electricity Market National Control Centre (TEMNCC) analysis for July, said Discos were isolating some sections of their 33KV feeders to limit the loading of the feeders and denying customers electricity services. NERC receives daily report on power supply status on all the 132/33/11KV

interface substations for the previous day from TEMNCC, comprising hourly loading in megawatts for all the 33KV feeders and outages on those feeders for that day. The report also indicates the type of outages and duration of each outage on the current total of 159, 132/33/KV interface substations with 816 active 33KV feeders that either feed injection substations or directly feed customers on 33/0.400KV. NERC queried PHED on why it was under-serving its customers and cutting supply by as much as 70 per cent sometimes. “Discos should be cautioned on deliberate refusal to clear faults on some 33KV feeders within the eight hours, timeline stipulated in the reporting compliance regulation. “Discos should also be cautioned against deliberate isolation of some sections of 33KV feeders to limit the loading of the feeders and denying customers' electricity services. “Discos are requested to improve on vegetation management, especially in this raining season to improve the reliability of the feeders,”

the report said. It added that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) violated the grid code and report compliance regulations when it failed to submit a report on a major incident in breach of the code on full compliance. “TCN failed to report major incidents that resulted in restricting supply to Apapa Road. This is in violation of the Grid Code and Reporting Compliance Regulations,” NERC stated. On PHEDC, it noted: “Both availability and loading on the monitored feeders remain poor. Only Amasoma and Onna feeders had supply availability of more than 50 per cent. The average availability increased from 29 per cent to 31 per cent and loading dropped from nine per cent to eight per cent. “PHEDC should explain why all the feeders experienced prolonged outages with less than 30 per cent availability and poor feeder loading,” the regulator noted. NERC urged operators to identify all the interface stations with a capacity limitations and request TCN to prioritise them in

its short-term projects. For Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), NERC in the report, said seven out of the 11 feeders recorded availability of above 70 per cent, but that loading was below 30 per cent for most feeders. It flayed Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), on its Keffi and Doka feeders, which it said recorded the lowest availability in one of the weeks in July. “Gwagwalada (GL32), Keffi and Doka feeders recorded the lowest availability and feeder loading during the week. GL32 has the lowest availability of 14 per cent. The feeders were on load-shedding for most of the time. “Eight out of the 15 feeders recorded availability of supply more than 90 per cent of the time. The average availability and loading were 69 per cent and 19 per cent respectively,” NERC stated. It said for Eko distribution, supply to Apapa Road 132/33KV substation was interrupted for over two weeks due to replacement of the faulty 40MVA with 60MVA transformer, but noted that TCN had reported the situation to the commission.

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PAGE NINE ARMING REGIONAL SECURITY OUTFITS, VIGILANTES INIMICAL TO NATIONAL SAFETY, IG WARNS yesterday. The police boss, therefore, ordered a nationwide clampdown on prohibited arms, particularly against the background of impending governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states. Adamu, according to the statement, ordered the commissioners of police in the 36 states of the federation to identify, disarm, arrest and prosecute illegal arm owners. The statement said the clampdown on illegal arms owners had become imperative against the backdrop of deliberate arming and movement of political thugs across the country. Signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), it said the order was aimed at containing the illegal possession of prohibited firearms. It stated: "As part of preparations toward the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states, as well as efforts by the police high command to curb the proliferation of prohibited firearms in the country, the Inspector-General of Police, IG M. A. Adamu, has ordered commissioners of police in the 36 states of the federation and

the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to immediately initiate appropriate actions to identify, isolate, disarm, arrest and prosecute any individual(s) or group(s) in possession of prohibited firearms. "The directive has become necessary against the backdrop of the deliberate arming and movement of political thugs and other criminal elements across the country. "In addition, the directive is targeted at addressing the proliferation and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms in the country, which is contrary to the provisions of Chapter F.28 LFN 2004 of the Firearms Act." The commissioners of police in all the states of the federation and the FCT were also directed to immediately convene an enlightenment meeting of all vigilante groups and quasi-security outfits spread across the country in order to ensure that their activities are in conformity with the extant laws guiding their establishment and operations. "The IG enjoins citizens to cooperate with the police in the enforcement of this order as it is aimed at ensuring the safety of lives and property in the country," it said.

Groups Rally Support for Na'abba over DSS Invitation Meanwhile, the National Consultative Front (NCFront) and the Coalition of Northern Group (CNG) have condemned the invitation to one of NCFront’s Co-convener and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Umar Na'Abba, by the Department of State Services (DSS). CNG accused President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of becoming more intolerant of opposition and criticism and gradually dragging the country towards becoming a police state. NCFront, however, said it would lead a rally from its office in Abuja to accompany Na'Abba to honour the DSS' invitation. In a statement issued by Public Affairs Bureau, NCFront urged its members and sympathisers to converge on its national headquarters in Abuja for a major rally to solidarise with Na'Abba. NCFront had claimed last week that DSS had invited Na’Abba, for calling on all Nigerians of conscience to join NCFront, a pressure group, in

rescuing and saving Nigeria from anarchy and fear of impending doom. Na’Abba had at a press conference on Monday appealed to citizens to join forces in creating a new Nigeria that works for all, stating that the way and manner governance is conducted suggests a high degree of irresponsibility at all levels. He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, our only interest lies in creating inclusive democratic governance which is a sin qua none towards the provision of a decent living

condition for the people and also the facilitation of prosperity for every Nigerian citizen. “It is our desire to rescue our fellow citizens from the viper-like grip of poverty, while creating jobs for our teeming youths and masses, the majority of whom are roaming the streets of our country rudderlessly and hopelessly as we speak.” NCFront yesterday called on all its organs, structures and allies nationwide to join the solidarity gathering today to escort Na’Abba who is one of its co-founders to the DSS

headquarters. CNG, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. AbdulAzeez Suleiman, expressed concern about the current administration becoming intolerant of opposition and criticism and turning the country into a police state. According to it, "We find this attempt to harass Na'Abba, a senior citizen and critical stakeholder in the nation's democratic process, a brutal encroachment on the universal citizens’ right to freedom of expression, which is a fundamental characteristic of any democratic state."

CBN: BDCS TO GET DOLLARS ON RESUMPTION OF INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS “I think what the bank is trying to do is bridge that gap and I think moves have been made in general in July that have brought CBN rate and NAFEX rates closer. But BDC rates remain an outlier. It is a small percentage of the market, but it does have an impact on speculation, which is why it is important to fund that market,” Sanusi had said. While the naira closed at N386 to a dollar on the investors and exporters window, it fell to as low

as N470 to a dollar on the parallel market. CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, recently said the period of the COVID-19 lockdown showed that some of those dealing in the parallel market were those involved in illegal businesses. He had said: “There is a global lockdown right now, particularly on travels and airlines are not flying. So, there shouldn’t be any demand for forex in that market. “Notwithstanding the fact

that airlines are not flying and there is a lockdown, you still find that some people are dealing in that market. So, we are not going to be talking about the unification of our exchange rate around rates for people who are dealing in corrupt practices. “Everybody who wants to buy or sell forex is allowed to deal through our NAFEX market. That is the market that is recognised and that is why we are saying unification is going to be around the NAFEX.”

auditors had noted there were some weaknesses in some internal control but did not detect fraud. They also made their recommendations as appropriate in a report.” Ogundipe said among others that the composition of the sub-committee on finance was defective ab initio. “Despite the strong reservation of some members of the council, because the council is blessed with the presence of an award-winning Professor of Public Sector Accounting and Budgeting in the person of Prof. Eddy Omolehinwa, pro-chancellor decided to appoint a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry with no accounting background or experience, Dr. Saminu Dagara,” he said, adding: “Sub-committees by convention are usually given a time frame within which to report on their findings; none was given this committee. It is, therefore, no wonder that the committee spent over six months on the assignment, sat for over 40 times and in the process incurred a bill of over seven million naira by way of sitting allowance, hotel expenditure as well as feeding at meetings, 80 per cent of which went to Dr. Saminu Dagari. It is also important to point out here that the external audit firms appointed by the council for the regular one-year audit of the university’s finances only cost N5.2 million only.” However, a member of University of Lagos' subcommittee that interviewed applicants for the post of Director of Works and Physical Planning, Prof. M. O. Dada, has faulted the claim by the Pro-Chancellor of UNILAG, Dr. Wale Babalakin, that Ogundipe altered the marks scored by the shortlisted candidates. Dada, in a statement, said he was the one who added two marks to his own assessment and that he did not only sign the alteration, he explained to the committee while he had to change his mind.

Babalakin, while speaking on ARISE Television News, had alleged that it was the vice chancellor who altered the marks and consequently accused him of forgery. But, in dismissing Babalakin's claim, Dada, who is of the Department of Building, said he was of the opinion that someone coming from a polytechnic did not have the requisite experience in terms of exposure when compared with someone coming from the university. In his statement which he said he issued to state the true position of what transpired, he wrote: "I did what was best for the system. As a matter of fact, I signed my change. "I hereby declare categorically that the vice chancellor (who also chaired the interview panel) never told me to go and amend my mark and I have never said he told me to do so. I took the initiative on my own."

UNILAG COUNCIL GIVES DETAILS OF OGUNDIPE’S ALLEGED FINANCIAL MISDEMEANOR result of infirmity of the body or mind. The documents showed that the former vice chancellor had in response to the allegations, admitted that a firm of external auditors that looked into the books of the institution noted some cases of weakness in internal control but did not detect any fraud against him. Justifying why the vice chancellor was sacked, the council said the entire letters of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act as amended in 2003 and 2012 were strictly followed. It noted that a committee conducted an investigation into the allegations made against the vice chancellor and reported its findings to the council. It quoted copiously from Sections 8 to 14 to support its position that due process was followed in the removal of Ogundipe. For instance, while Section 8 of the Act states that “the vice chancellor may be removed from office by the Governing Council on grounds of gross misconduct or inability to discharge the functions of his office as a result of infirmity of the body or mind, at the initiative of the council, Senate or the congregation after due process,” Section 9 states that: “When the proposal for the removal of the vice chancellor is made, the council shall constitute a joint committee of council and Senate consisting of- (i) 'three members of the council one of whom shall be the chairman of the committee,' (ii) 'two members of the Senate, provided that where the ground for removal is infirmity of the body or mind, the council shall seek appropriate medical opinion.” It said Section 10 states that “the committee shall conduct investigation into the allegations made against the vice chancellor and shall report its findings to the council." According to Section 11,

“the council may, where the allegations are proved, remove the vice chancellor or apply any other disciplinary action it may deem fit and notify the visitor accordingly provided that a vice chancellor who is removed shall have the right of appeal to the visitor.” Specifically on alleged financial misconduct, the documents stated: “Prof. Ogundipe had barely settled into office as Vice Chancellor when we began to notice a lack of transparency under his management both at the University’s Finance and General Purpose Committee (F&GPC) and Council meetings. “Prof. Ogundipe failed to share with Council and F&GPC management’s procurement and Tender Board activities. Ultimately things came to a head in 2018 when Council was forced to set up a Sub-Committee under one of its members, Dr. Saminu Dagari, an appointee of the Federal Government to review the University’s Expenditure. “This Sub-Committee worked for a period of 6 (six) months. At the end of its investigation, the Committee made very serious findings that indicted Prof. Toyin Ogundipe and some of his management team. Amongst others, the Committee found as follows: “a. Without Council approval and far in excess of his approval limits of N2 million, Prof. Ogundipe as Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos paid out a total sum of N112,462,990.63 to renovate the official living quarters of three principal staff. Prof. Ogundipe approved the sum of N49,434,038.45 to renovate the Vice Chancellor’s lodge where he resided; the sum of N41,817,658.32 was paid out for renovation works of the Bursar’s official residence, while the sum of N16,123,509.00 was spent on renovating the official residence of the immediate past Registrar of the University. "Also, the sum of N3,733,494.85

was spent renovating the official residence of the Chancellor, while the sum of N1,354,290.00 was spent renovating the Pro Chancellor’s official residence. “It bears repeating sir, that none of this spending was brought to the knowledge of, or approved by Council in accordance with due process, the University Act and extant guidelines on Financial Regulations. “b. Prof. Toyin Ogundipe’s management spent a total sum of N57,272,050.44 on waste management and janitorial services in breach of procurement laws and practices. These payments were not evidenced by any contract and did not receive Council approval at all. “c. Prof. Toyin Ogundipe’s management spent the sum of N52,080,000.00 on the purchase of two vehicles well above the University Tender Board’s threshold limit. This was achieved by a contract splitting device that is very illegal. “d. Prof. Toyin Ogundipe’s management spent a total sum of N57,921,581.00 on the foreign trips of himself and some of his management team. The Dagari committee found that the Vice Chancellor was able to approve these payments based on an illegal contract splitting device. The committee also found that local allowances were paid for these foreign trips in breach of the Financial Regulations of 1999. “e. Between May 2017 and September 2018 Prof. Toyin Ogundipe’s management paid out a total sum of N41,580,300.00 to the Dean of Student Affairs through a monthly payment of N2,445,900.00. Even though Prof. Ogundipe justified this payment as a security grant, this was never to the University Council’s knowledge or approval and the Dean received these monies at a time when students were not on campus or when lecturers were on strike. Furthermore, the

former Dean of Students Affairs who served in this position before Prof. Ogundipe became Vice Chancellor has denied that this is conventional practice. “f. Council approved a budget in the sum of N85,000,000.00 for the University’s 2018 convocation ceremonies based on management’s budget, proposed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe. Dr Dagari’s committee found out that Prof. Ogundipe’s management significantly exceeded this approved budget by the sum of N9,739,977.89. In other words, without any Council approval or knowledge Prof. Ogundipe spent the sum of N94,739,977.89 on the 2018 convocation as against the sum of N85,000,0000.00 that Council approved. “Prof. Toyin Ogundipe was given an opportunity to address these allegations. He has not denied any of these payments or spendings. Rather, he has sought to justify them on the basis that he was in a position to approve these payments.” The documents also showed that the embattled former vice chancellor admitted that a firm of external auditors that looked into the books of the institution did not detect any fraud. He stated this in his written defence at a special meeting of the council, which considered the report of a committee that found him guilty of many financial infractions and other wrongdoings. In a six-page response titled: “That University of Lagos May Know Peace: Submission of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, to the Governing Council at its special meeting on May 13, 2019, he said: “The pro-chancellor had authorised an external audit firm of his choosing to look into the books of the university for which he paid from his personal account. The report of his external

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MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Six Months after, Senate Committee Yet to Begin Constitution Review

Over 40 constitution alteration bills for consideration House yet to constitute committee

Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja The Senate Constitution Review Committee inaugurated in February 2020 by the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, is yet to take off, THISDAY investigation has revealed. This is coming just as the House of Representatives is yet to constitute its committee more than a year after the commencement of the ninth Assembly. The 58-member committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, was inaugurated on February 12, 2020, and had since not met on how to go about the constitution review business. Findings by THISDAY at the weekend revealed that members of the committee had not met again six months after the inaugural meeting. Some senators, who are members of the committee, expressed concern that the committee secretariat had not deemed it necessary to invite them to any other meeting since February 12, 2020. A ranking senator, who expressed disappointment over the development, wondered why the committee was yet to hit the

ground running. The lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, wondered “why other committees are working even in the COVID-19 pandemic, but a very important committee to review the constitution decided to fold its arm and do nothing.” THISDAY further gathered that no fewer than 40 constitution amendment bills that had passed first reading at the Senate had been referred to the committee for further legislative work. Sources added that the committee work might not commence until all the referred bills are gazetted, and this is being handled by the Senate Committee on Rules and Business. So far, about 20 of the constitutional bills had been gazetted in the last one week, while plans were on to gazette others in the next one week or thereabout. By implication, the much promised commencement of the constitution review committee work after Sallah break by Senator Omo-Agege may have to wait till another week or two. Omo-Agege had on March 29 hinted that the Senate would commence the amendment of the 1999 constitution as soon as the Sallah break was over.

According to him, “Immediately after the Sallah, we are going to hit the ground running with constitution review exercise.” Two weeks after Sallah, the committee members were yet to be notified of any programme or meeting by the committee. One of the committee members told THISDAY that: “Yes I’m aware that the committee Chairman, Ovie Omo-Agege, said we would start work immediately after Sallah, but two weeks after, there’s no information as to what is to be done, in short there has been no invitation extended to any

committee member, and we are in the dark as to how soon we will meet.” When contacted on the issue, the Special Adviser on Media to the Deputy Senate President, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, told THISDAY yesterday that there is no cause for alarm, saying the constitution review committee is on course. He stated that a meeting was held last Wednesday presided over by Omo-Agege to form all arrangements for the committee to commence work. Odunuga said: I’m aware there was a closed-door meeting on

the issue last Wednesday, when strategies for the committee take off were outlined, and we will move on from there.” The committee, whenever it starts work, will, among other functions, go round the six geo-political zones of the country to get input from the people as well as the state Houses of Assembly on sections of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that requires amendment. The House of Representatives, on its part, has not constituted its committee on constitution review more than a year after

the inauguration of the ninth Assembly. It, however, gave an assurance that the committee, which will be chaired by the House Deputy Speaker, Hon Idris Wase, will soon commence review of the constitution. Speaking to THISDAY yesterday, the Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Mohammed Umar-Puma, said the House would constitute its own Constitution Review Committee very soon and commence work.

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Rise By 298 to 49,068 Martins Iﬁjeh Nigeria has recorded 298 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 49,068 the number of confirmed cases in the country. Announcing this yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Plateau recorded 108 cases; Kaduna, 49; Lagos, 47; Ogun, 18; Osun, 17;

Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 15; Ondo, 14; Edo, eight; Oyo, six; Akwa Ibom and Cross River, four each; Borno, three; Ekiti, two; while Bauchi, Kano and Rivers recorded one each. It said: “Nigeria has so far recorded 49,068 cases of COVID-19. 36,497 patients have been discharged, while 975 persons have died.”

Suspected Boko Haram Terrorists AbductVillage Head inYobe Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri A village head in Yobe State have been abducted by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorist, the Police have confirmed. The village head, Isa Mashio, of Mashio village in Fune Local Government Area of the state, according to the villagers who spoke to journalists, was abducted in his house. The village head was said to have been abducted last Saturday night in Mashio by unidentified gunmen, who stormed the area in gun blazing action. One of the villagers, who spoke to journalists in the state yesterday, said the people of the village were still perplex with the belief that the abduction could have been carried out by insurgents as no one has called to ask for ransom yet. The villagers, who could not give the exact number of the gunmen who launched the attack, said they came from the southern side of the village at about 10 p.m. and got away through the same direction after the village head was abducted. Apart from the abduction, the

villagers did not say if other crimes were committed by the gunmen. Meanwhile, the state Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dungus Abdulkareem, in a short statement, said the police have launched a search-and-rescue operation for the district head. He said the gunmen, who kidnapped the village head, are yet to be identified, adding: “The District Head of Mashio under Fune LGA, Alhaji Isa Mai Buba, was abducted by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.” The statement added that: “At about 2205hrs on August 15, 2020, the gunmen attacked the house of the district head with heavy fire arms and disappeared with him into thin air. “Search parties were later deployed but no positive response of his whereabouts is yet known. “The police command had also intensified efforts to rescue the District Head. “Meanwhile, investigations are also ongoing to identify the hoodlums. More information will be communicated if there’s any further development.”

SUCCOUR TO MAIZE FARMERS...

L-R: President, Maize Dealers and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Dilli; Special Adviser (Political) to the Governor of Borno State, Mr. Mohammed Auwal Hamza; Managing Director/CEO, NIRSAL Plc, Mr. Aliyu Abdulhameed, at the CBN ABP launch in Biu, Borno State...weekend

NPA Receives Largest-ever ContainerVessel at Onne Port Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Onne Port Complex, has successfully berthed one of the biggest gearless Maerskline vessels at the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT), Onne in Rivers State. The Maerskline Stardelhorn vessel, with length overall of 300 metres and width of 48 metres, is the biggest-ever container vessel to berth at any Nigerian ports. The vessel, which has a capacity of 9,971 (TEUs), is a flagship from Singapore. NPA Managing Director, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, while receiving the vessel, said the NPA was determined to ensure that eastern ports remain attractive to shippers. Represented by the Assistant General Manager Harbours, Captain Uduiguomen Eboreime, Bala-Usman said she was happy for the safe arrival of the ‘Maersk Stadelhorn Vessel’ at Onne Port. She said NPA was equal to the task, adding that the successful berthing is as a result of five-day

preparations for the arrival of the vessel from Cotonou, Benin Republic. Giving details of the vessel, Maesrkline, Port Captain, Kikelomo Cudjoe, gave the length of the vessel as 300 metres (length overall), the width 48 metres and a total draught of 11.2 metres, while the vessel capacity stood at 9,971(TEUs). The Port Manager, Mr. Alhassan Abubakar, who received the vessel along with some Onne port team, described the arrival of the vessel as a milestone attained by NPA. He thanked Bala-Usman for the support and assistance given to Onne Port Complex in making the arrival of the vessel possible. “I give kudos to NPA MD. She made this ‘landmark/achievement today possible. This is the first time such a gigantic container vessel is calling at any Nigerian Ports,“ he stated. He stated that the arrival of the vessel is a trial, adding that the port is well equipped with all facilities and equipment to receive the vessel.

He said the vessel was brought in from Fairway Bouy Bonny by NPA’s three pilots who are well trained on pilotage of such vessel. “We deployed three TUG Boats with three pilots from Onne Port Complex, and for us, the successful arrival of this vessel showcased the expertise of NPA’s ports operations. An Assistant Harbour Master Onne Port, Captain Marvin Omovbude, who led other pilots– Ezra Yashiyi Yakubu and Abdulahi Sarki– piloted the vessel to Onne Port Complex. “The vessel arrived safely without any security challenges of any type, indicating that the security status of Onne Channel has improved tremendously and the channel depth has also been improved and maintained to receive such large modern vessels,” Abubakar stated. He added that this development shows that the NPA is fully equipped, noting that shippers in the eastern none and those in the northern axis will have the option to make choices.

He said consumers in the eastern and northern axis would benefit as he congratulated NPA staff for a credible performance on the safe arrival of the vessel. Also speaking at the event, the Country Manager of A P Moller, Klaos Holman Laursen, said this was the biggest container vessel to berth in any Nigerian port. Speaking to the port stakeholders who came to welcome the vessel, Omovbude said NPA had recorded a milestone. He, however, congratulated the NPA MD for making this possible, saying that Onne Port is taking the lead in ports operations and efficiency among the ports in African Sub-region. “The executive management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, led by Hadiza Bala-Usman, has been implementing deliberate policies to promote the patronage of the eastern ports by given incentives and provision of port facilities and dredging of the channel,“ he added.

Gunmen Abduct Two Persons in Ondo James Sowole in Akure Two persons were late last Saturday abducted by gunmen in Ikun-Oba Akoko in Akoko South West Local Government area of Ondo State.

One of the abducted men was identified as Hon Surajudeen while the other man was also said to be another prominent indigene from the area. The two men were said to be coming from the celebration of

the annual Ikun Day. A source said the family of the kidnapped victims had yet to be contacted by the abductors for possible payment of ransom. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer

(PPRO), Tee-Leo Ikoro, confirmed the abduction of the two persons, adding that investigations have commenced on the incident to ensure that the men are rescued unhurt.

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY Ëž Ë&#x153; ÍŻÍľË&#x153; 2020

COMMENT

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

THE TRAGEDY OF NDDC

Afam Nkemdiche writes that the interventionist agency refused to learn from history

t exceedingly grieves my heart, as I presume it does many another Nigerians that we have regrettably failed to learn one of the most significant lessons of our history. That lesson is simply this: that entities assigned with the sole responsibility of distributing humongous funds would as soon degenerate into cesspools of corruption. Be it recalled that it was precisely through such entities, be they agricultural produce boards; solid minerals boards; development commissions; etc., that that most odious term â&#x20AC;&#x153;corruptionâ&#x20AC;? first entered Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public space. Skilfully deploying some abstruse arguments the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first crop of regional politicians respectively came up with the novel idea of pooling surplus proceeds from our natural resources. Pursuing the same arguments, such pooled funds were subsequently expended on developing the infrastructure and socio-economics of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first three regions. Consequently, a so-called Marketing and Housing Boards were set up in the respective regions. In no time, however, scandalous abuses of established procedures in both the appointment of members to these boards and in the award of contracts no sooner led to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first financial investigative commission; namely, the Foster-Sutton Commission, in the 1950s. Upon the heels of which was the Western regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the early 1960s, wherein the C. C. Coker Commission investigated the finances of the Western Nigeria Marketing and Housing Board. Soon after, the Ironsi Investigative Panel was commissioned to probe the finances of the Northern Nigeria Marketing and Housing Board in 1966. It would also be recalled that Aguiyi-Ironsi was pivotal in aborting the January 1966 coup dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;etat, but in spite of his apparent opposition to that first military intervention in Nigeria, he still found reason compelling enough to investigate some of the issues which the â&#x20AC;&#x153;five-majorsâ&#x20AC;? had raised. Ironsiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Panel would suffer a still birth on account of its authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assassination, but snippets from both the Foster-Sutton and the Coker commissions respectively found copious evidence of abuses of administrative and financial procedures in the Eastern and Western regions. For reasons that may not be unconnected to the aforesaid evidence, succeeding governments fought shy of such entities as the First Republic Marketing and Housing boards from 1966 to 1985. But we soon became heedless of our past. Our collective attention span endured merely 20-odd years, and much like a Phoenix suddenly rising from a long -abandoned sepulchre, the Ibrahim Babandiga administration, apparently with scant reflection, introduced the twin octopuses christened, Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC);

ONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE AN ECONOMIST TO KNOW THAT NIGERIA CANNOT STABILIZE, MUCH-LESS EXPERIENCE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN HER PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES

and the Directorate of Food, Road and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) into the polity. These new entities, not unlike their First republicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s predecessors, were set up principally for the re-distribution of pooled funds. Half-expectedly, and, again not unlike their predecessors, both OMPADEC and DFRRI no sooner degenerated into whirlwinds of corruption. All manner of measures was consequently employed to check both the obvious and the not-so-obvious flaws in OMPADEC and DFRRI; most of these measures redounding in no more than a change in nomenclature. So the whirlwind grew in both strength and outreach, surviving subsequent military and civilian administrations. With time, DFRRI quickly withered while OMPADEC waxed ever stronger, morphing today (2020) into a money-gobbling behemoth known as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). NDDC would distinguish herself from the twentieth century variants by annexing the hitherto unheard evil of ghost contracts and contractors to her lackluster credentials. So while the Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget goes north by the year, the number of her executed projects heads south, with concomitant spike in the restiveness of the target beneficiaries. The previous time I checked, the commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget was denominated in the hundreds of billions of naira! Surely, looking from these figures to the executed projects in the Niger Delta region must necessarily induce dizziness. One does not need to be an economist to know that Nigeria cannot stabilize, much-less experience economic growth in her prevailing circumstances. Little wonder the ongoing vociferous call for NDDC to be scrapped altogether. For the present, expressed opinions are roughly divided down the middle on that call. But it neednâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be so because the jury lucidly turned in its verdict back in the 1960s: Fledgling nations should always regard pooling of funds for unproductive activities as a devastating plague. Furthermore, global bodies like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the European Union (EU) have since availed humanity with cost-effective and sustainable models for developing the infrastructure and socio-economics of local communities. Those models postulate that the latterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budgets be effectively captured into project costing, rather than setting aside ad hoc entities to re-distribute pooled funds. (See my intervention of 31st December 2019 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Adopt stakeholders capitalism for the Niger Delta.) Had we learned the appropriate lessons, the current paroxysm of steeped emotions on the vexed issue might have been wholly unnecessary. Nkemdiche, engineering consultant, wrote from Abuja

IDENTITY MANAGEMENT CRISIS IN NIGERIA Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă? Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D;Ă? Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2022;Ă? Ă&#x161;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë&#x153; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Gbenga Odegbami

dentity management is important and cannot be overemphasized. It is so strategic that almost all the past administrations in Nigeria since 1976 have considered it a critical space for development. Recently, the Presidency, via the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), inaugurated a Steering Committee for the Nigeria Digital Identity, to develop the Ecosystem Project to ensure that issues of identity management stay at the forefront and ensure that the government achieves its objectives. Considering that my company, Youverify, is a key player in the Nigerian identity management ecosystem, some stakeholders have repeatedly sought my opinion on developments in this industry. Here are my thoughts on how Nigeria arrived at where we are presently, lessons learned from history and steps to achieve the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity management objectives. So far, we have spent some much, with little results. The World Bank has estimates that Nigeria is on the track to spend about $4.3b on identification and addressing programmes. This figure seems realistic when you consider the fact that Nigeria spends an average of over $500m on each voter registration cycle before an election. To ensure that the thrust of this article is not missed, I will refrain from focusing on the two major factors that affect every public initiative in Nigeria; the first being corruption (the bogeyman of all problems in Nigeria, according to popular perception), while the second is lack of continuity after the change of regime. So letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s examine the issues that really count. Citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; identity management is beyond the BVN. A review of the Biometric Verification Number (BVN) exercise conducted within 18 months less than the time frame prescribed by the Bankerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Committee (led by the CBN) agreed to show it was successful a initiative. However, some stakeholders believe that it is focused only on the financially included, thus, excluding more than 60% of the population. For this reason, the BVN cannot be used for voter registration or economic intervention in Nigeria i.e. National Social Register (NSR). Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the gains from adopting the BVN, especially within the Fintech space and the resultant economic value and security

we enjoy today. I believe that if we galvanize the identity system to cover for almost all Nigerians, the economic impact will be widespread. NIMC Has its Challenges: As human in a democratic society, we are quick to blame the government agencies for failed systems without really considering the requirements and realities of operating such systems in our polity. Perhaps you are among those who applied for the National ID four years ago and have not received it. Statistically, transformational projects such as a National ID scheme have an average of 30% success rate of meeting their objectives across the globe. Nigeria is not an exception. I have analysed four factors, from my perspective, responsible for the failure of the National ID scheme. One, Value to Citizens: The bottom line in ID compliance is largely driven by the perceived value to citizens. For many years, we have repeatedly failed to emphasize this point, and people only wilfully submit to an identification process when they appreciate the benefit or need for them. For instance, the success attributable to the adoption of the Permanent Voters Card is largely due to the desire of people to vote during elections. Even still, INEC has registered just above 80m Nigerians in two years. For the BVN, you cannot partake in the financial ecosystem without one, therefore you must enrol to participate. The success of all national identification efforts in other countries is because the citizens are required to use it to access social intervention/ insurance/retirement packages and to file personal income taxes. In Nigeria, this never existed until the creation of the National Social Investment Office (NSIO) (now Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs). However, this ministry is focused on the vulnerable and poor for now and it therefore excludes some section of the populace. I believe we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enrolment problem but a value one. Two, Funding. Like all non-revenue generating agencies, NIMC struggles with obtaining timely funding to achieving its stated objectives. We perpetually run a budget deficit, and the focus seems to be on capital-intensive infrastructure project for the real sector, while other projects, like citizen identification, are neglected and pushed to compete with other projects designed to provide basic services like food, jobs, etc. The balance is grossly

uneven and agencies like NIMC are forced to halt or delay in delivering on their objectives. I doubt if NIMC has gotten $200m combined from inception and they have enrolled more than 40m Nigerians, which is significantly productive based on the data from other climes. As important as NIMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mandate is, it has struggled to get the funding it required because we have so many competing priorities. Three, Silos in Government: Although we have had presidential committee(s) to ensure harmonization of identity management efforts, often such committees stymie the effort on the long run. This issue is not unique to Nigeria. Government agencies led by political appointees and career civil servants naturally protect their empire or try to increase it. Considering that political powers and organizational influence are at play here, the silos in Nigeria can be as complex as it gets. Even though NIMC operates an open-door policy with other agencies, it takes more than open-door policy to tango in government even with direct presidential oversight. Four, Technology appropriateness: The technology deployed for identity biometrics has evolved significantly over the years, making the process more accessible, efficient and affordable. NIMC ought to stay updated with developments in technology. Considerable time is required to identify the technology and complete the procurement process, which is being hampered by government bureaucracies. I will illustrate this malaise. When the project commenced execution, there were cheaper alternatives in the market. For instance, the NIMC smart card was ahead of the game and probably the most forward-thinking ID approach. Today, the tech space has moved on to digital identity apps on smartphones and blockchain-based platforms. In the same vein, not too long ago, you needed: a physical location with an agent, a digital camera with specific background, a desktop computer, 4-4-2 fingerprint scanner, a printer, electrical power and internet connection, to conduct an enrolment exercise. Presently, these processes can be replaced with an app on a smartphone and executed at the fraction of the cost and with the same or higher data quality. Comparison with the BVN Exercise Let us consider the challenges listed for NIMC ID-ing in comparison to the BVN project: The value proposition and narrative for the BVN exercise

were easy and simple for all citizens to understand. Furthermore, the use and access of bank accounts was tied to the BVN thus making it mandatory. Besides, the BVN was well funded from commencement and it is still funded through a sustainable model that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t require government grants. It does not have to deal with government silos because it is executed within financial industry where government plays a regulatory function mostly. The timeline between planning and execution was very short so technological changes in the landscape did not affect the execution of the project. The INEC registration exercise enjoyed similar circumstances with the BVN. Speaking objectively, the OSGF and NIMC comprise of erudite individuals with relevant experience, who have consistently tried to address these factors within the legal and procedural frameworks available to them. Suggestions on the way forward: Based on the existing road map, NIMC secured funding approval from the World Bank, as part of Africa ID4D, to accelerate enrolment and create the infrastructure to achieve becoming the foundational IDs for all other programs. The cost is pegged at $4-7 per person. For NIN to be a viable foundational ID, enrolment must be done for at least 51% of the population. Considering that our population is forecasted to grow exponentially to 450m people by 2050, NIMC needs more funds to successfully deliver on its mandate. Based on World Bank estimates, it should cost between $400m - $700m to complete. Assuming funding issues are resolved, we have three more factors to consider. The first and arguably most unpredictable factor is the risk associated with change of power, post-election. Every new administration seeks to change the social order, whether or not such change is necessary or relevant. This disrupts the execution of time bound deliverables. I recommend that shorter time frames be implemented to ensure NIMC closes the project at least 10 months before the next election. The second factor is creating a value-rhetoric among the citizens. The existing approach is to basically forces people to use NIN by making the certain agencies to require it before rendering services. Dr. Odegbami is a co-founder and the CEO at Youverify Inc.

T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2020

EDITORIAL DEALING WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT The authorities should pay more attention to the visually impaired

ne of the most neglected health challenges in Nigeria is blindness, with reports suggesting that 1.6 million persons are visually impaired. While that number may appear insigniﬁcant in a population of 200 million people, the World Health Organisation (WHO) believes the visual impairment of one person affects four other persons. In effect, at least 6.4 million Nigerians are either spending the productive times of their lives as caregivers for blind persons or are unable to live quality lives because they have a blind family member to take care of. Also worrisome is that the four million partially impaired Nigerians are likely to go totally blind as well if nothing is done to address the burden. This is a challenge for the authorities in the health sector. Sadly, of these 1.6 million blind Nigerians, many are within the productive years, and are likely not going to make ends meet for themselves and their families; a scenario that fuels GOVERNMENT poverty for themSHOULD ESTABLISH selves and the society. The real tragedy AN INTERVENTION really is that despite PROGRAMME FOR these worrying BLINDNESS, JUST AS IT indices, Nigeria has HAS DONE FOR LASSA FEVER, HIV, MALARIA AND not taken the public health challenge as a TUBERCULOSIS priority, as there are currently no special available healthcare interventions or social programmes against visual impairment, commonly caused by glaucoma, cataract, and trachoma. The former president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Mike Ogirima, recently raised the alarm that only about 300 ophthalmologists are in the country for its 200 million population. With many of our health professionals relocating abroad due to our poor reward system, it is instructive that Egypt, a fellow African country, has 2,139 ophthalmologists for its population of 94 million,

Letters to the Editor

while the South African population of 57 million has at least 342 ophthalmologists to cater for the eyes of its citizens. That Nigeria, which prides itself as the giant of Africa, and the biggest economy on the continent, has only 1.5 ophthalmologists per one million citizens, is shameful. Just recently, Noor Dubai Foundation said Katsina State has over 25,000 blind people and another 100,000 with some visual loss. More worrying was that the report suggested that there were only four ophthalmologists to cater for the thousands of blind people, with the entire state having only about 10 to15 per cent of eye care services being covered.

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MUSA BARAZA: Murder At Night

t is a known fact that whatever lives shall eventually die. Death is and has always been inevitable, regardless of one’s status, affiliation, age, piety. Death has neither passion nor compassion. If there was anything shocking on Thursday night, August 13 in Bauchi State, it was the murder of Hon. Musa Mante Baraza, a member of representing Dass constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly. Mante was lying on his sick bed in his village Baraza, recuperating from Covid-19 when some unknown gunmen killed him. These unknown men did not end their atrocity there. They went further to kidnap his wives and a year -old- child. Reports indicated that these unidentified gunmen were armed robbers. While pondering on the matter, I was impelled by sudden impulse to ask these questions: If they were armed robbers, why did they have to kill the lawmaker? Why abduct his family? Could this be politically-motivated? Could they have been sent by someone? What do they stand to gain by this devilish act? Unfortunately, only the perpetrators of this heinous act can provide answers to these questions. In accordance with Islamic injunctions, the remains of the late Hon. Baraza were buried at the Dass central burial ground after funeral prayers led by the

his therefore calls for urgent intervention from the federal and state governments, as well as healthcare stakeholders, including development partners. There is an urgent need to put up programmes that would ensure the requisite intervention the challenge of blindness deserves in the country. Speciﬁcally, government at all levels should establish an intervention programme for blindness, just as it has done for Lassa fever, HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. They should also put in place policies that would encourage doctors to major in eye care. With the disease known to have a close relationship with poverty and illiteracy, it should set up social intervention programmes to support treatment and management of the health challenge in persons affected. Of important consequences are the number of out-of-school children who will end up not getting proper education because they are blind and unable to learn, and the inability of children to attend school because the bread winners of their homes, who should take them through school are blind and unable to earn money for their educational support. Nigerians should also do well to prevent risk factors associated with blindness, which includes smoking, unhealthy diets and hygiene, direct sunlight, injuries to the eyes, among others. Since the situation we are in is that of emergency in the sector, we call for more concerted efforts in dealing with the menace of blindness in our country.

Chief Imam of Dass Central Mosque with thousands of sympathisers, including the Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Abubakar Suleiman, members of the Assembly and other personalities. The demise of the lawmaker has shocked not only his relatives but the entire state, as the Bauchi State governor, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed was reported to have said, “Innalillahi Wainna Ilaihi Raji’un. I received the killing of our lawmaker by unknown gunmen with great shock and that has shown that we need to put extra efforts in collaboration with the security agencies to ensure the safety of our people.” The governor sympathized with the immediate family of the lawmaker, Dass Emirate council and members of the state House of Assembly over the loss, promising to take stiffer measures to address security concerns in the area. He said the state government will work in collaboration with security agencies with a view to fishing out those involved in killing of Mante Baraza. As the late Hon. Baraza was laid to rest, he was described in flowering terms by different personalities. If he were a rascal, he would have been described as such. This should serve as an example not only to politicians, but to everybody. Mahmud Yahaya, Bauchi State University, Gadau, Faculty of Law

Nigerians And Overseas’ Syndrome

irtually, every average Nigerian perceives a migration from this clime to abroad as a transformation to rosy life. The perception has created a wide range of dangerous move from the country to the USA, European and Asian nations. The percentage of immigrants of Nigeria’s nationality is on the increase across the globe. Indisputably, the uncertainty of the future has immensely fuelled the desperate move to migrate offshore. The unfolding events have proven the perception about foreign nations as illusion. Many Nigerians in foreign land have continued to seek for repatriation. They are willing to return despite the harsh economic conditions and uncertain future that pushed them out of Nigeria. Their survival strategy has hit the rock. Abike Dabiri, the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has been taking prompt and unconditional actions regarding the stranded Nigerians in the diaspora. Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has recently shown unwavering commitment to facilitate the repatriation of stranded Oyo indigenes unconditionally. It is high time NiDCOM and relevant government agencies began to regulate repatriation gesture to stranded individuals. The current

unconditional process has the tendency to promote the existing overseas’ syndrome. Repatriation should essentially be extended to stranded students and the category of persons who lost their jobs or breadwinners. If a high standard is set in place, though not necessarily the conditions above for repatriation, many people would think deeply before migrating from Nigeria. The notion that if worse comes to worst for any immigrants, the relevant government agencies would intervene must be buried. Every immigrant should be ready to take responsibility in returning to Nigeria. Indeed, Nigeria is bedevilled with numerous challenges; ditto many other nations. While other nationalities confront their challenges, Nigerians act evasively. Recently, the Black Americans acted swiftly against social discrimination and harassment in the USA. The people of Hong Kong have continued to resist the security law imposed on them by the Chinese government. The Lebanese didn’t relent until their government resigned. Every nation has peculiar challenges and people in search of way forward. The reverse is the case in Nigeria. The diaspora fantasy has beclouded a vast majority from this reality. Binzak Azeez, Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020

POLITICS

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

M O N D AY D I S C O U R S E

Southern Kaduna and the Merchants of Death

John Shiklam writes that the recent resurgence of bloodshed in Southern Kaduna follows a similar sustained pattern that security agents have not been able to halt for decades

outhern Kaduna has been in the eye of the storm over incessant attacks and massive destruction of lives and property in the past few weeks. The killings have been widely condemned by groups and individuals, including human rights orginsations across the country. Apparently the killings seem to follow a similar pattern with invasion that wrecked havoc on communities in Sanga, Kaura, Jama’a Local Government Areas and other surrounding areas in 2016. The latest of the attacks plaguing the area took place on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, when 33 people were killed in five communities in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area. The communities namely: Apyiashyim, Atak’mawei, Kibori, Kurmin-Masara, and Magamiya arel in Atyap chiefdom. Despite the 24 hour curfew in the area by the Kaduna state government, the rampaging gunmen said to be Fulani herdsmen visited their victims with terror at about 11pm on Wednesday in the operation said to have lasted till about 4am on Thursday. The state government had imposed a 24hour curfew in Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Kaura and Jama’a council areas following incessant killings which has pitched the predominantly Christian ethnic nationalities in the southern part of the state against the Fulanis, with the former, accusing the later of being behind the devilish acts. Residents of the the affected areas said they are not safe under the 24 hour curfew as the bandits move about freely to kill them without the security personnel coming to their aide. A community leader in Atyap chiefdom who pleaded anonymity, said the curfew has not stopped the killings. He said herdsmen who launched the recent attacks were armed with AK47 rifles, machetes, knifes, swords and sticks and rode on motorcycles. He said they went from village-to-::village, killing, looting and burning houses and vehicles. “These people are very cruel. They are beasts. They slaughter people like rams, there is no humanity in them,” he said. The villagers also alleged that the security personnel deployed to stop the killings were not up and doing in containing the worrisome situation in the area. According to Rev. Gideon Mutum, Coordinator of one of the IDP camps for displaced victims of the attacks in Southern Kaduna, the security personnel were not living up to expectation. “The confidence that the government always gives us is that we have a joint task force outfit here in Kafanchan, but we all know that the manpower is not enough, the motivation is not enough and the necessary equipment for security is not there. He said the attack that took place in Zipkak village, on the outskirts of Kafanchan, headquarters of Jama’a LGA, where nine people were killed on July 25, 2020 would have been aborted if security personnel had been alive to their duty. ”There was actually no effort by the military when the attack took place in the community which is just one and a half kilometres away, from Kafanchan town. “They were taken by surprise because the criminals came and carried out the killings within a few minutes and left without being apprehended by the security personnel. “Curfew will not solve the problem, rather it will escalate the killings, looking at what we have experienced,“ he said. The villagers alleged that the curfew is targeted at them as the herdsmen who violate it to attack them have never arrested by security agents. According to Luka Binniyat, spokesman of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), the curfew is strictly enforced on the natives,

Children and women in an IDP camp at Kajuru

disclosing that four youths were arrested about one month ago and taken to Kaduna for violating the curfew, but all efforts to secure bail for them have been fruitless. He said besides the fact that people were killed by the herdsmen, hunger is killing them too as they have no food and cannot go to the farm. “As they are killing us with guns, hunger is also killings us because we cannot go to our farms. If we want to go to our farms, the security personnel will arrest us for violating the curfew, but they fail to stop our attackers who visit us with terror. “Our people are helpless, when security personnel see them with ordinary dane gun that they use for hunting, they arrest them, but we have not seen them arrest those who use deadly weapons against of us” Binniyat said. He said that farms were being destroyed, as the herdsmen graze their farms on the crops or use cutlass to destroy the crops. “It should be very obvious to anybody who was in doubt before, that this is genocide. Rarely a week passes without communities being raided. Thousands of people have been rendered homeless following the destruction of their houses and property. Before now, the killing field was Kajuru and Chikun Local government areas of the state. Kajuru in particular has suffered series of attacks through out the COVID-19 lockdown. Hundreds of displaced people in Kajuru and Chikun are still in IDP camps.

The Southern Kaduna violence erupted following the murder of one Yusuf Moses Magaji, a 32 year-old man and a Chawai native by unknown persons on June 5, 2020. The farmland located in Zangon Kataf was said to be under dispute, resulting in a clash between youths from two communities in the area. The state government had initially imposed the curfew in Chawai and Atyap chiefdoms in Zangon Kataf and Kauru LGA respectively to avert crisis. However, as violence escalated, the entire area of the two councils were placed under a 24-hour curfew. On Friday, July 10, gunmen descended in a deadly attack on Chibob, Atyap Chiefdom, Zangon Kataf LGA and killed nine people while 20 houses were burnt. Again on Saturday July 11, 2020, another community, Kigudu also came under attack, leading to the death of 12 people. On July 12, 2020, Anguwan Audu community was invaded, one person was said to have been killed while property were looted and houses burnt. Also on July 19, at about 10pm bandits invaded Kukum -Daji village, Kaura LGA and killed 18 people, mostly young people earlier who were celebrating the wedding of one of their colleagues which was conducted earlier in the day. Sixteen others were said to have been seriously injured.

These people are very cruel. They are beasts. They slaughter people like rams, there is no humanity in them,” he said. The villagers also alleged that the security personnel deployed to stop the killings were not up and doing in containing the worrisome situation in the area. According to Rev. Gideon Mutum, Coordinator of one of the IDP camps for displaced victims of the attacks in Southern Kaduna, the security personnel were not living up to expectation. “The confidence that the government always gives us is that we have a joint task force outfit here in Kafanchan, but we all know that the manpower is not enough, the motivation is not enough and the necessary equipment for security is not there

The state government promptly extended the 24 hour curfew to Kaura and Jama’a LGAs. SOKAPU, in a statement accused Fulani herdsmen of the mindless and brutal attacks, saying it was genocide and a plot to take over their ancestral land. But reacting in a statement on July 3, a Fulani group - the Coalition of Fulani Pastoralists Organisations in Kaduna also accused the Atyap youth of unleashing mayhem on Fulani communities, alleging that 99 pastoralists were murdered by Atyap youths. The statement, jointly signed by Alhaji Haruna Tugga, Ardo Idris Gundaru, Nuhu Ibrahim, Abbas J. Julde and Abubakar Ibrahim Naseh, maintained that “on the 11th, 12th and 13th June, 2020, Atyap youths willfully, without any form of provocation, attacked Fulani peoples houses in 11 villages of Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf and two villages in Tsam Chiefdom of Kauru LGA.” The group alleged, “the youths, supported by elders and women in some instances, moved from house-to-house, killing, looting and burning.” The statement added that, “the Atyap youths also blocked the road from Samaru to Saminaka and killed any Muslim passer-by they could identify.” The Fulani group alleged that the Atyap youth “blocked, killed and confiscated livestock from many migrating Fulani pastoralists within the affected areas.” The group said it had documented a total of 3,099 internally displaced persons, including the aged, women and children and the villages/ towns they are living. The coalition said, the displaced persons were in 17 IDP camps located in Kaduna, Bauchi, Plateau and Nasarawa states. It said some of the IDP camps located in Kaduna state include Zango Urban, Angwan Zomo, Bakin Kogi, Mariri, Saminaka Geshere, Gidan Dutse, Tilde Crossing and Lere town among others. But SOKAPU, in a reaction dismissed the allegations, saying it has never instigated any crisis nor attack on anybody or group. SOKAPU President and Hon. Jonathan Asake, a former federal lawmaker, said in an interview with THISDAY that the ulanis herdsmen were the ones killing people in southern Kaduna. He said SOKAPU has only been crying to tell the world about the genocide against the Southern Kaduna people. Asake further alleged that the killings were being perpetrated by some indigenous Fulani herdsmen with their foreign collaborators. He said the killings were aimed at dislodging the natives and to take over their lands, adding that many of the sacked communities were being occupied by the herdsmen. Asake said, “SOKAPU has never instigated any crisis, we have never armed anybody, all that we have been doing is to cry to the world whenever our communities are attacked. “I challenge anybody to check if we have gone beyond that. What we do is to issue press statements about the attacks and killings of our people, ” he said. “We normally give the name, age and the number of our people that are killed. If anybody is accusing us, let him produce evidence. When we say people are killed, we show the pictures and videos of the dead people, we show them when they are being arranged in mass graves which are all over our communities. “If anybody thinks we are lying, the corpse can be exhumed from the graves across the communities to verify,” said. He challenged the coalition to produce evidence of their claims. “Let them show us one place where they have IDPs. Let them show us their own mass graves. We talk with facts and figures. Besides, he said victims of the attacks in

T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020

MONDAY DISCOURSE

Buhari

El-Rufai

Zango

Asake

Kajuru and Zangon Kataf, have been identified and even named Fulanis who attacked them. “The local people in a Kajuru and Zangon Kataf, mentioned particular names of Fulani people that they know, they have been staying with them and they came around in company of foreign Fulanis to attack them. “The foreign Fulanis are usually invited by some local Fulanis to come and kill,” he said. He stated further that “Governor El-Rufai and the President Buhari told us in 2016, when the killings were going on in Southern Kaduna other parts of the country, that the killers came from outside country.” “The president said they came from Libya and other neighbouring countries. El-Rufai said they came from Guinea, Mali and other neighbouring countries and that he even traced them to pay them to stop the killings. But they have not stopped the killings. “What he said was captured in a video clip of an interview he granted a television station, which went viral,” Asake said. He said thousands of people have been displaced following the destruction of their homes and were at various Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) camps in Chikun, Kajuru and Zonkwa, among others. The Presidency and Governor El-Rufai, attributed the killings to reprisals. Garba Shehu, Presidential spokesman, had said, “From available security records, the problem in Southern Kaduna is an evil combination of politically-motivated banditry, revenge killings and mutual violence by criminal gangs acting on ethnic and religious grounds”. El-Rufai who spoke in the same manner, said, “insecurity in Kaduna state is being perpetrated by criminal elements who have been killing, kidnapping people and rustling cattle the entire North West.” According to him, “the criminality of the bandits gets coated with ethnic and religious hues when it affects communities in the southern parts of the state, where it tends to exacerbate communal tensions and pitch people who have lived peacefully together against each other.” The governor said his administration has “taken major steps to secure the area, including ensuring that a military base was opened in Southern Kaduna along with two mobile police squadrons, answering decades-long demand for enhanced security presence in the area.” He disclosed during a security meeting with traditional rulers in the state, that his administration has spent about N16 billion on security in the past five years He, however, said, “in addition to security presence, peace requires that everyone should obey the rule of law and avoid self-help, because ultimately peace depends on the willingness of people to live in harmony and to settle their difference peacefully.” He maintained that “attacks by bandits are not localised to a single part of the state,” noting that “these criminals attack people irrespective of their religion or ethnicity and they have been perpetrating their reign of terror in Giwa, Birnin Gwari and parts of Igabi local government.’’ According to him, the bandits operate mostly in Katsina, Zamfara and Niger states and their attacks in those states are seen and reported as criminal activity, “but these same attacks are perceived differently when they occur in Southern Kaduna and are invested with ethno-religious colorations.” He said further that, “when bandits attack in Southern Kaduna, security reports show that youths from the affected communities have

often responded by mobilising to attack Fulani communities in their area whose members share the same ethnicity with the presumed bandits, even though many Fulani communities are also themselves victims of the bandits, in Kaduna State and elsewhere.” He noted that the problem is worsened by the response of Fulani communities who often resort to self-help when they are attacked, neglecting to report to traditional authorities or security agents to resolve the matter, opting instead for revenge. “This is how the cycle of attacks, revenge and reprisals occurs in Southern Kaduna,” the governor said. The governor who expressed sadness at the killings and the loss of lives and stressed the need for community leaders to emphasise adherence to the rule of law, to avoid the persistence of attacks and reprisals. The governor said the decision by the state government to impose 24 hour curfew on Zangon Kataf and Kauru LGAs on June 11, 2020, was taken following the discovery of the corpse of a man from Kauru LGA who was resident in Zangon Kataf and the subsequent barricading of the highway and the burning of a vehicle with its occupants by some youths. He said further that, “Although the June 5, 2020 dispute over a farmland was between Atyap and the Hausa community in Zango, several Fulani settlements were attacked in the events of June 11, 2020, with people killed and houses burnt.” El-Rufai explained that the decision of his administration to set up a White Paper Drafting Committee on the reports of the Justice Rahila Cudjoe Commission of Inquiry into the 1992 Zangon-Kataf crisis and the 1995 report of the AVM Usman Muazu Committee is aimed at finding a permanent solution to the violent conflicts in Zangon Kataf. He said dispute over a farmland was identified as a trigger of the May 1992 crisis, and that such a dispute also flared up on June 5, 2020. But the assertion by the governor and the presidency that the killings were caused by reprisal attacks, has attracted mixed reactions among individuals and groups. Luka Binniyat, spokesman of SOKAPU,

maintained that denying the fact that the killings are acts of genocide, is tantamount to twisting the facts. “If the Presidency and the governor said criminal gangs are hiding under politics and religion, then, let them arrest the criminal gangs and prosecute them. “But you find out that the criminals are walking about freely. As far as we are concerned, the Southern Kaduna people are victims of genocide” Binniyat declared. But the Ibrahim Bayero-Zango, Director of Media and Publicity of Kaduna state chapter MACBAN, said the Presidency was on point for saying that the Southern Kaduna killings were all part of revenge. He said renewed killings were all about revenge following the killings by the Kataf people of the Fulani (non-indigenous Fulani) that passed through the southern route for grazing. Bayero said those of them that were indigenous Fulani from the Southern part of the state had no problem because “even if we fight, we can always reconcile.” “The Presidency has said it the way it is because the Kataf people alleged that one of their own was killed, that is why they ventured into killing Fulani. “Unfortunately for them, we the indigenous Fulani from Southern Kaduna didn’t react,” he said. At a briefing after a security meeting at the Government House, Kaduna, on July 28, 2020 the Commander of military operations, code named “Operation Safe Haven”, Maj. Gen. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo said shortage of manpower and the difficult terrain in Southern Kaduna were some of the challenges militating against tackling the security challenges. ”If you know the area very well, the communities are far and dispersed, they are several kilometres apart from each other. “The terrain is difficult to access with vehicles and we have limitation of manpower but of course you know that we are committed” Okonkwo said. He also attributed the killings to the activities of criminal elements on both sides of the divide. “You have Kataf youths, Fulani militias and

the criminal elements of both sides. Some people are also leveraging on the security situation to perpetuate their criminal activities, aside communities involved in the crisis,’’ Okonkwo said. In the past five decades, Southern Kaduna has become the theatre of bloody, ethno-religious conflicts especially in 1987, Kafanchan religious clashes, the 1992 clashes between the Hausa fulani community and the indigenous Atyap (Kataf) in Zangon Kataf over the relocation of the local market, the sharia riots in 2000, the post presidential election violence in 2011, the herdsmen invasion in 2016 among others. Violent conflict in Southern Kaduna has had a long history that may never be resolved by the selfish ruling elites due to vested political interest and the determination to maintain the statuesque. The struggle of the Southern Kaduna people, according to Asake, is tied to the struggle against domination. It is the struggle for justice, equity, political power, cultural expression and access to economic opportunities. The northern part of the state, mainly populated by Hausa-Fulani Muslims has continued to dominate the political scene since the military era. The first time a Christian from the southern part became governor of of the state was in 2010, when late Patrick Yakowa, who was deputy to Namadi Sambo as governor succeeded him. Yakowa became governor following the elevation of Sambo as Vice President to President Goodluck Jonathan. Yakowa was elected for one term of office in 2011, but died in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa state, in December 2012. Given the resentment and mutual suspicion between both sides of the divide it will take the grace of God for a Southern Kaduna to be governor of the state. According to the President of SOKAPU, in the past 16-year administration, there was a power sharing arrangement which gave the Southern Kaduna people a sense of inclusiveness and a sense of belonging. “The arrangement was all inclusive, it respected our diversity and gave everybody a sense of belonging,” he said. He said under the arrangement, if the governor is a Muslim from the northern part of the state, the deputy is a Christian from the southern part of the state. “If the governor is from the north, the minister is automatically is from the south. All appointments were given to reflect our diversity provided for in the constitution. “But the present administration of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai discarded that arrangement completely in his second term of office and replaced it with his lopsided, sectional and non inclusive system. “As you may have noticed, the governor, his deputy, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Head of Service and the Chief of Staff all belong to same religious faith. ”El- Rufai is the most divisive governor we have ever had in Kaduna state. For us in Southern Kaduna, he does not know how to manage diversity, to us, he has no sense of justice and fairness, his actions and utterances in issues that concerns Southern Kaduna portrays him as a sectional and biased leader, ” Asake said. He added that the solution to the persistent conflicts that have bedeviled the state, is for those in leadership positions to be fair and just to all sections no matter their tribe, religious or political ideology.

The Commander of military operations, code named “Operation Safe Haven”, Maj. Gen. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo said shortage of manpower and the diﬃcult terrain in Southern Kaduna were some of the challenges militating against tackling the security challenges. If you know the area very well, the communities are far and dispersed, they are several kilometres apart from each other. The terrain is diﬃcult to access with vehicles and we have limitation of manpower but of course you know that we are committed” Okonkwo said. He also attributed the killings to the activities of criminal elements on both sides of the divide. “You have Kataf youths, Fulani militias and the criminal elements of both sides. Some people are also leveraging on the security situation to perpetuate their criminal activities, aside communities involved in the crisis,’’ Okonkwo said.

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

A S

REPO 19.80 17.60

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

18 20 22

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

A U G U S T

S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

589.88% -0.16% -3.95%

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

1 4 , 4.81% 22.60%

2 0 2 0 EXCHANGE RATE N381/1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes Anambra Trains 700 Youths

COURTESY VISIT

L-R:CMO/Co-FounderTAJBank,Mr.SherifIdi;NollywoodActor,AliNuhu;COO/FounderTAJBank,Mr.HamidJoda,andNollywood Actor,UzeeUsman,during acourtesyvisittothebankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sheadquartersinAbuja...recently

Survey: Companies Slash Tech Investments amid COVID-19 Dike Onwuamaeze Following the outbreak of the COVID-19, global companies have slashed funding for emerging technologies, such as automation, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and 5G, according to new KPMG International research. However, the report stated that many executives are optimistic that emerging technology spending would likely increase in the next 12 months, as enterprises recognise that COVID-19 creates a burning platform to accelerate digital transformation and stimulate long-term growth. The new report, a collaboration between KPMG International and HFS Research, Enterprise Reboot, surveyed 900 technology executives to explore the current and future state of emerging technologies and demonstrates a dramatic shift in how businesses were approaching emerging technology now versus just a few months ago before the onset of COVID-19. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This crisis isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t affecting

ECONOMY all industries equally, but for many of the industries facing crisis, managing the transition to a digital business model is imperative. However, doing so is made more complicated in a time where investments are critical, but cash must be preserved,â&#x20AC;? KPMGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global lead for Intelligent Automation and US lead for Digital Capabilities, Cliff Justice said. Specifically, 59 per cent of executives surveyed said COVID-19 has created an impetus to accelerate their digital transformation initiatives, yet approximately four in 10 stated that they would halt investment in emerging technology altogether as a result of COVID-19. Executives have shifted their focus to must-have technologies, and 56 percent of those surveyed say cloud migration has become an absolute necessity due to COVID-19. However, the report showed that investments in a number of

emerging technologies would likely increase over the next year, such as 5G (44 percent of respondents expect spending to increase compared to 26 percent who expect spending to decrease); process automation (43 percent expect an increase compared to 25 percent who expect a decrease); AI (39 percent versus 31 percent); hybrid cloud and/or multi-cloud (38 percent versus 28 percent); blockchain (34 percent versus 30 percent); edge computing (34 percent versus 33 percent) - with the exception of smart analytics (32 percent versus 35 percent). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Emerging technologies and new ways of working can play a significant role in the transformation to a more digital economy. These technologies are helping companies maintain customer and stakeholder trust, keep remote workforces connected, ensure their business is resilient and prepared for disruptions, and build a strong foundation for future product and service innovation,â&#x20AC;? Justice added. Furthermore, it disclosed that 57 per cent of respondents indicated

that COVID-19 has significantly changed their organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic priorities. According to them, the immediate focus for now was on survival, which they stated has become the number one objective for most emerging technology investments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first phase of KPMG research showed that many organisations were deterred from significant emerging technology investment because of obstacles in the organisational culture to enterprise-wide adoption, and a fear that projects will fail. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since the onset of COVID-19, respondents in the second phase of research are more focused on making a strong business case for existing technology investments,â&#x20AC;? it added. Other findings include that only 13 per cent expected to â&#x20AC;&#x153;significantly increaseâ&#x20AC;? investments in emerging technologies amid COVID-19. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Organisations making the Continued on page 26

IDSL Spearheads NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Operating Cost Reduction Target Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has said that deploying accurate industry data in tackling the current inefficiencies in the corporation, could help reduce the current high Unit Operating Cost (UOC) of production in the corporation. Speaking during a webinar tagged â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leveraging Data Democratisation to Improve Asset Management Efficiencyâ&#x20AC;? it organised to brainstorm on the recent directive by the Group

ENERGY Managing Director, NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, to reduce the high cost of crude oil production in the country, the Managing Director IDSL, Mr Ayebateke Bariwei, stressed that the problem could be tackled by the massive use of accurate information. He explained that the IDSL data management process involves data acquisition, data processing, storage and management, stating that its application could be in the upstream, midstream or downstream sectors of the industry.

He stressed that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, fluctuating oil price and high operating cost had led to potential losers and winners, noting that depending on decisions taken to ameliorate the impact, the oil and gas industry could either lose or win. The IDSL boss noted that the company had keyed into the GMDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s directive in June, instructing the emplacement of industry-wide cost containment measures, including aggressive capital allocation to prioritise low cost oil production, putting measures in place to ensure cost discipline, plus renegotiating down contracts.

Others measures, he said were resetting cost structures, re-evaluating capital expenditure and allocation as well as achieving $10 production cost without jeopardising growth. On revenue optimisation, he noted that the GMD also directed aggressive execution of initiatives aimed at conserving cash and diversification of portfolio to non-oil businesses to cushion the effect of future crash in crude oil price. Bariwei, explained that Kyari also instructed that thenceforth things must be done differently, Continued on page 26

Anambra State government said it has trained 700 youths in the state with diverse skills, which has helped them to beat unemployment. TheStateCommissionerforYouthEmpowermentandCreativeEconomy, ProfTheresaObiekezie,disclosedthisduringamediabrieďŹ ngtoannounce activities marking this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international youth day, marked recently. ObiekeziewhospoketojournalistsinAwka,saidtheyouthsweretrained betweenNovember2018andAugust2020,inconfectionery,eventmanagement, computer software application, POP, tilling, screening, interlocking, cosmetology and solar installation, among others. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since the inception of this administration, GovernorWillie Obiano has been a youth friendly governor and has involved the youths of Anambra in the aďŹ&#x20AC;airs of the state. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youthsarepartofhiscabinetandaredoinggreatexploitsintheministries and agencies they are heading. All these eďŹ&#x20AC;orts are to make sure that youths are fully engaged with skills and knowledge to be economically independent and contribute immensely to the socio-economic development of the state. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Usinganinitiative-â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oneyouth,oneskill,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;wehavetrainedover700youths in the state. The idea is to ensure that youths acquire skills that can help them beat unemployment in the country, and it has been working,â&#x20AC;? the commissioner said.

Real Estate Listing Platform Unveiled

TechvibesInternationalLimitedhasintroducedestate303.com,whichis a free real estate listing platform that integrates key players in the sector into one huge marketplace. The innovation is expected to signiďŹ cantly reduce turnaround time from listing to renting, leasing or buying properties. Managing Director/Chief Executive of the company, Mr. Michael Oglegba, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Investors, home buyers and apartment seekers, agents, builders, and developers will ďŹ nd the website as a haven for information regarding real estate.â&#x20AC;? He said the platform was uniquely positioned to deliver value, excellent service, access to markets and oďŹ&#x20AC;er unrivalled advantages. According to him: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Looking for property to buy or rent or letting out a propertycanbefrustratingforalllandlords,tenantsandagents.Manyhave lost funds to fraudsters or given out houses to diďŹ&#x192;cult tenants. Agents have walked away with Landlords funds and legal fees have been known to ďŹ&#x201A;uctuate.â&#x20AC;? In a statement, the company stated that estate303, â&#x20AC;&#x153;gives real value to real estate. Property owners and brokers can list properties, view their portfolios, track transactions, appraise tenants and more, while tenants and buyers can view hundreds of listings, with each containing detailed descriptions, pictures and walkthrough videos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You do not have to leave the comfort of your home to ďŹ nd a property to rent, lease or buy. Property owners can list their properties at no cost and have the option of allowing the estate303 team manage such afterwards.

Standard Chartered Partners Airtel Africa

Standard Chartered Bank and Airtel Africa have announced a strategic collaboration to drive ďŹ nancial inclusion across key markets in Africa by providing customers with increased access to mobile ďŹ nancial services. Through the collaboration, Standard Chartered and Airtel Africa will work together to co-create new, innovative products aimed at enhancing the accessibility of ďŹ nancial services and, ultimately, better serve people across Africa. In line with this, Airtel Moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customers will be able to makereal-timeonlinedepositsandwithdrawalsfromStandardChartered bank accounts, receive international money transfers directly to their wallets, and access savings products amongst other services. Under this arrangement, Standard Charteredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate clients would also be able to make rapid and secure bulk disbursements, such as payroll payments, directly into the Airtel Money customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wallet. This reduces the risks associated with travelling long distances for cash payments and instead customers can go to any Airtel Money agent, kiosk, or branch to cash-out their funds. Commenting on the collaboration, Regional CEO, Africa and Middle East, Sunil Kaushal said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;By collaborating with innovative organisations like Airtel Africa, we are accelerating our mobile and digital-led strategy to provide best in class ďŹ nancial services to Africa.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;What we have done in the upstream sector is what we are going to replicate in the downstream by going into partnership with private investorsâ&#x20AC;? NNPC Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy

Meyiwa Eyesan

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESSWORLD SURVEY: COMPANIES SLASH TECH INVESTMENTS AMID COVID-19 highest investments see greater returns than those making the smallest; in fact, those in the highest quartile of investments were significantly more likely to say they have already realised tangible value. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nearly 65 per cent of respondents believe that the combined use of emerging technologies is much more beneficial than using any of the technologies in isolation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;AI-poweredâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;cloud-enabledâ&#x20AC;? are emerging as the foundation and are featured in more than one-third of all technology solutions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now more than ever, companies need to make smart investments in emerging technologies if they are to prevail in the medium- to long-term. Companies who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, risk threatening their own survival,â&#x20AC;? Justice said. IDSL SPEARHEADS NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OPERATING COST REDUCTION TARGET

which would include addressing perennial issues associated with operational inefficiency, adoption of technology to enhance productivity and reduction of waste. To achieve operational excellence in the oil industry, the corporation, he said had also embraced â&#x20AC;&#x153;TAPEâ&#x20AC;? , which is an acronym for Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence. He explained that operational excellence involved understanding what customers want and driving internal efficiencies to meet those expectations. The IDSL MD said the quality of data remains very important and posited that achieving operational efficiency would involve restructuring data acquisition and management strategies, democratising right data to stakeholders for informed business decisions and leveraging on digital technologies and analytics to derive actionable insights from asset data. Quoting the World Economic Forum (WEF), he noted that as much as $600 billion could be unlocked in the upstream oil and gas industry from data through digitalisation.

NEWS

StockMarketInvestorsGainN85bnonSustainedDemand Goddy Egene Stock market investors smiled home last week as the value of their investments grew by N84.5 billion following sustained positive performance. The market capitalisation, which measures the total value of listed equities, rose from N13.063 trillion to N13.146 trillion, translating to a growth of 0.31 per cent. Also, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) rose by same margin to close higher at 25,199.84. Also, investors raised the amount they staked on stocks last week, investing N13.934 billion in 1.327 billion shares in 19,392deals, compared with N10.798 billion staked on 1.065 billion shares in 20,482 deals the previous week. However, the Financial Services industry remained the most active, recording 886.545 million shares valued at N8.360 billion traded in 10,161deals, thus contributing 66.79 per cent and 60 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The Conglomerates industry followed with 155.956 million shares worth N187.728 million in 828 deals. The third place was occupied by the Consumer Goods industry, with a turnover of 141.099 million shares worth N2.229 billion in 3,403 deals. Trading in the top three equities namely, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc and Zenith Bank Plc, accounted for 419.455 million shares worth N6.079 billion in 3,854 deals, contributing 31.6

per cent and 43.6 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The growth recorded in the review week was partly due to renewed demand for oil stocks following oilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rally. Brent crude was up 68 cents, or 1.5 per cent on Wednesday after falling around 1.0 per cent as a result of an industry report showing United States crude inventories the previous week fell more than analysts had expected. That development bolstered expecta-

tions fuel demand in the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest economy can weather the COVID-19 pandemic. The high demand for oil stocks led to the NSE Oil & Gas Index gaining 5.9 per cent, while the NSE Consumer Goods Index appreciated by 2.2 per cent. A total of 29 equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 41 equities in the previous week, while 33 equities depreciated in price, higher than 18 equities in the previous week. Cadbury Nigeria Plc led price

gainersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; table with 12.8 per cent, trailed by Nigerian Breweries Plc with 12.5 per cent. Unilever Nigeria Plc garnered 11.6 per cent, just as C & I Leasing Plc and Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc chalked up 10 per cent apiece. Guinness Nigeria Plc and Airtel Africa Plc appreciated 9.2 per cent, while LASACO Assurance Plc, Fidson Healthcare Plc and Presco Plc went up by 9.2 per cent, 8.1 per cent and 7.2 per cent respectively. On the negative side, Champion

Breweries Plc led the price losers with 25.2 per cent, followed by Ikeja Hotels Plc that shed 25 per cent. Cornerstone Insurance Plc depreciated by 10.9 per cent, while Northern Nigerian Flour Mills Plc closed 10 per cent lower. Other top price losers included: Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc (9.7 per cent); Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, International Breweries Plc (9.5 per cent each); Arbico Plc (9.3 per cent); Academy Press Plc (9.0 per cent) and Unity Bank Plc (8.4 per cent).

WOOINGINVESTORS

L-R:ExecutiveDirector,PrestigeAssurancePlc,RajaVadlamudi;Non-ExecutiveDirector;Mr.MuftauOyegunle,andManagingDirector,Mr.SarbeswarSahoo, duringashareholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;forumonthecompanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;songoingrightsissueheld inLagos...recently ETOPUKUTT

Report: Declining Discosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Collections May Worsen Liquidity Challenge Peter Uzoho The liquidity challenge in the Nigerian electricity sector may become worse due to the decline in collections this year by the distribution companies (Discos), a report by Augusto & Co. has warned. According to the Pan-African rating agency, it was expected that a significant slowdown in the economy following the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with the attendant lockdown order imposed by the federal government on economic activities in first quarter of 2020, would hamper discosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; collections. It said the pessimism about Discosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; collections was based

on several factors, including the, â&#x20AC;&#x153;no disconnection,â&#x20AC;? measure implemented by the Discos during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The report added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;no disconnectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stance will affect internally-generated revenues such as disconnection and reconnection fees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moreover, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has commenced the enforcement of the minimum remittance order, which stipulates the minimum remittance obligation for a Disco having adjusted for tariff shortfall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This order is expected to end the erstwhile discretionary remittance regime by Discos and should constrain the Discosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; earnings in

the short term. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Low remittance has adversely affected the ability of Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) to honour its financial obligations to the Gencos as well as constrained the ability of other service providers such as NERC to perform their statutory obligations.â&#x20AC;? The Nigeria Electric Power Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (NEPI) strength includes assured electricity power demand with Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing population, operatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; access to several intervention funds such as the Nigerian Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility (NEMSF), the Power and Airline Intervention Fund (PAIF) and the Payment Assurance Facility (PAF).

Since the privatisation of the distribution and generation segments of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power industry some seven years ago, the industry has been enmeshed in crisis of insufficient revenues, weak cash flows, high leverage and low liquidity due largely to unreflective tariffs and low generating capacity. While electricity demand was estimated at 25,790 megawatts (MW), the highest power generation has stagnated at about 5,375MW. Unreflective tariffs also impede the ability of the Industry operators to generate sufficient cash flows and heighten the liquidity challenges in NEPI. As a result, NERC has intro-

duced several policies to curb some of these fundamental limitations such as the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) regulation which is a means to liberalise the distribution market while resolving the challenges surrounding estimated billing and collections. However, while NEPIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s end consumer rate is growing at an average rate of 75,000 new customers every month, metering penetration has decreased from about 45.3 per cent in January 2017 down to 40.6 per cent in December 2019. Inadequate metering and limited technology in remote meter monitoring continue to contribute to the Discosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; high loss levels.

UK, Nigeria to Promote Digital Access with Policy Reforms Emma Okonji

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 Okafor ((Energy) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

The British Government through its Prosperity Fundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digital Access Programme has pledge to support and promote inclusive and sustainable digital access to unserved and underserved communities in Nigeria. In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Digital Access Programme, recently hosted the first Nigeria Technical Conference on the Right of Way (RoW) to further aggregate views from key stakeholders, towards the advancement of policy and regulatory reforms on Right of Way (RoW) and issuance of planning permits for mast and towers. The virtual forum is one of the key deliverable of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technical Assistance project on

RoW, which was initiated in April 2020 to assess the existing strategy, charging regime and measure that against economic development indicators. Funded and overseen by the Digital Access Programme, Greenfields Law, a leading telecom policy, law and regulation firm in Nigeria, had engaged with key stakeholders and proposed effective solutions based on the evidence gathered, while taking into account international best practice. In the opening remarks, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, commended the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy for the collaboration. According to Laing, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigeria has seen great progress in the effort to provide inclusive digital access to millions of its citizens. The COVID19 pandemic

has however, made the world rely more heavily on internet connectivity for access to basic necessities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; health, education, work, shopping, convenience and other services. As such, substantial digital inequities have been revealed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The UK is keen to support the promotion of affordable, inclusive, safe and secure digital access for underserved or excluded populations, and this conference is a significant step to discuss the technical findings of our preliminary study, outcomes, lingering challenges and the way forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope that the deliberation will culminate into an increased digital inclusion as a basis for a more thriving local tech ecosystem, generating skilled jobs and innovative solutions for local development challenges.â&#x20AC;? The Minister of Communica-

tions and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, in his address, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigeria has in the last one year of my time as Minister, added 10 per cent to the broadband penetration level in the country. RoW reforms is the key to unlocking Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital economy for inclusive digital growth and we have worked with the Nigerian Governors Forum to achieve some important results already. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will continue to champion this reforms on RoW and work on the challenges identified by the technical study.â&#x20AC;? Reacting to the technical study, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, represented by the Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management at NCC, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Technical Assistance on RoW reforms will assist in our

quest for deepening broadband penetration in Nigeria. NCC is willing and ready to advance the reforms noted in the technical study and will collaborate with stakeholders to effect it in the short, medium and long term.â&#x20AC;? Also, the UK Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digital Access Programme Adviser and Country Lead, Idongesit Udoh, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This project will help accelerate the roll-out of backbone connectivity infrastructure, to underserved communities which is the key to unlocking Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital economy for inclusive, digitallyenabled growth, development and job creation for Nigerians. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Digital Access Programme is also working on other projects such as cybersecurity essentials upskilling for SMEs around the country and basic digital literacy to promote inclusive economic growth and development.â&#x20AC;?

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Softcom Launches Data Collection Tool Emma Okonji Softcom Limited has launched a new integrated data collection tool, called DataBeaver. The tool was designed to address Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s challenge around paucity of accurate data for research and decision making in organisations. Africa has a lot of data but lack access to accurate data collection for the purpose of research and decision making, Softcom therefore believes that by taking a procedural approach, it would make accurate data available and easily accessible to everyone. First, it is making data collection and analysis seamless. By allowing users to collect data using an app or via an API, Softcom is easing the process of data gathering. Through its new data collection tool, the company plans to reel out insights and reports on specific industries and the economy that will serve corporates but also individuals in the public.

Announcing the new tool, the Vice President, Business Development at Softcom, Yvonne Ige, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the reasons why there is a scarcity of data in Africa is because it is expensive to collect data. Someone has to pay for it or commission a major data-gathering effort. Also, across the country, many areas are still saddled with low or no network connectivity, which makes real-time reporting difficult. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With DataBeaver, we are working to collect data, analyse and democratise access to it in a way that everyone can benefit from its end result.â&#x20AC;? As of now, DataBeaver is a data collection tool that allows people and businesses to collect any kind of data, whether there is internet connectivity or not. It is available on mobile and web channels. Agents on the field make use of the mobile application to collect data, while project managers make use of the web application to administer

and monitor their data collection projects. Also, project managers can share web links to their forms or surveys without needing field agents. The idea for DataBeaver came out of the need Softcom observed in the industry. It was a need for real-time data capture, analysis and reporting, Ige said. Speaking on why Softcom decided to build DataBeaver, the CEO at Softcom, Yomi Adedeji, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the years, while working across value chains that rely heavily on data for decision making, especially at retail, we observed a trend of wastage and frustration. When organisations wanted to understand their trade visibility and market share, they went into the field to carry out surveys, as a form of primary research. But by the time the entire data collection exercise was completed and analysed, the insights would have been outdated. These nation-wide surveys with big-budget, presented a huge loss to the organisationâ&#x20AC;?.

NALPGAM, Rainoil Partner on Cooking Gas Distribution Peter Uzoho Marketers of cooking gas under the aegis of Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) and Rainoil Limited, have agreed to partner to promote the distribution and utilisation of the product in the country. The partnership was effected recently, when a delegation from Rainoil visited NALPGAM House in Lagos. Rainoil made its entrance into the Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) space with the launch of its 8000metric tons storage facility in Satellite Town, Lagos. Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the meeting, the LPG Manager, Rainoil Limited, Mr. Jude Nwaulune, said the visit was to see how Rainoil could synergise with the product marketers to get cooking gas to the end users. Nwaulune said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last week, precisely Thursday, we commissioned our LPG facility at our Satellite Town depot, 8000 metric tons LPG Storage cacility.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today, we are here to partner with NALPGAM, the umbrella body controlling LPG marketers in Nigeria. So we are to partner with them to promote the use of LPG in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the moment, Rainoil has joined the league of LPG importers in the country. NALPGAM is made up of plant owners and we needed to do a synergy to see how we can be supplying products to them to spread across the grassroots, to get to the common man and to get to every nook and cranny of Nigeria.â&#x20AC;? Also speaking, the Chairman of NALPGAM Resource Centre, Mr. Basil Ogbuanu, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The management of Rainoil are visiting us today, and they have come for us to partner with them and also share information, considering the fact that NALPGA, in the segment of LPG distribution is in a very strategic segment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are the people that when you bring a vessel in the terminal, it is through the NALPGAM as plant owners that this product

can get to the end users. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So they are new in the LPG but not in the industry as a whole, but LPG terminal. So they have come to partner with us so that we share ideas in terms of training, in terms of idea, so thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why they here today.â&#x20AC;? Meanwhile, NALPGAM is establishing a one-stop-shop resource centre at its secretariat in Lagos, to serve as an information hub and training centre for members, investors and prospective workers in the LPG subsector. The Director General of the centre and Managing Director of Alpgam Energy Limited, Mr. Gbenga Falusi, explained that the centre was primarily aimed at bridging the knowledge gap and promoting safety in the industry. He explained that the centre would also serve as a rallying point for stakeholders and would-be investors to source valuable information that could help them in taking investment decisions and build their reservoir of knowledge in LPG.

SMEDAN Seeks to Support Women in Agric Sector Nume Ekeghe The Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, has reiterated the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolve to ensure that women are empowered to achieve improved productivity and livelihood sustainability along the agricultural value chain. The Director General made this remark at the end of the vocational training held for women groups and cooperatives in farming and agro processing held in Kaduna recently Radda in a statement made available to THISDAY, said the objective of the Women in Self-Employment Programme (WISE-P) was to facilitate access of women farmers to resources

required to enhance their farming activities with a view to making it viable and sustainable. Radda said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The programme also intends to expose women farmers to practical hands on training on the use of modern farming techniques. â&#x20AC;&#x153;WISE-P Programme would also expose women farmers to modern value addition techniques and facilitate access to finance as well as to promote market linkages.â&#x20AC;? On its reach to beneficiaries across Kaduna, he added that four cooperative societies drawn from Jaba and Igabi Local Government areas of Kaduna state were beneficiaries of the WISE-P initiative of SMEDAN, they are Zanja Cooperative Society, AGM Women Cooperative Society, ZEDTEN

Agro Cooperative Society and Al ihsan Multipurpose Cooperative Society. Similar Entrepreneurship/Vocational training and Strategic support to Women in Self-Employment, WISE-P also took place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state where the state manager Ms. Lucy Ekpenyong represented the DG SMEDAN, Dr Dikko Umaru Radda. Four cooperative societies drawn from Okobo and Urua Local Government areas namely: Pearl Nsuka Offot Cooperative Society; ten members of Gospel Cooperative Society, OKOPED Great Ladies Cooperative Society and Precious Ladies Cooperative Society benefited from the SMEDANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s WISE-P programme in Akwa Ibom State.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Private Sector Key to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s COVID-19 Campaignâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said the organised private sector has played strategic roles in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaign against COVID-19 pandemic. AbdulRazaq, commended their efforts which he said included the setting up of isolation centres, medical supports to various states, and the recent donation of food palliatives to vulnerable households across the country. Abdulrazaq stated this in Ilorin during the distribution of food palliatives donated by the private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the state. The CACOVID food palliatives to Kwara were 27,360 bags of semolina, 27,360 bags of sugar, 27,360 cartons of pasta, 27,360 bags of salt, 27,360 (10kg) bags of rice, and 54,720 cartons of noodles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very appreciative of the efforts by CACOVID in the fight against COVID-19. This is not the first. They were with us at the isolation centre where they made donations of medical supplies and other things . The food palliative is another move. We are really grateful for their interventions to governments across the country,â&#x20AC;? he said. AbdulRazaq said the govern-

ment would work with CACOVID team to ensure that the palliatives get to the intended beneficiaries â&#x20AC;&#x201D; again commending the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s committee led by Emir of Shonga Dr Haliru Yahya and the civil society organisations for the great job done in the distribution of governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s palliatives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I must mention Alhaji Aliko Dangote and others for this feat. They have spent billions of naira to distribute food to all the states. But they understand that they cannot give foods to all Nigerians and that is why it is targeted at the vulnerable families. We are working with them to ensure that it goes to the ward level,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unlike what we distributed earlier, this is for (specific) households and I want to appeal to our people to understand that. This is not the time to say what I got is too small. Whatever you get, please say AlhamduliLlah. â&#x20AC;&#x153;CACOVID has a template and we will allow them to make use of their template for the distribution. We will follow their template. I sincerely thank the Emir of Shonga, Dr Yahya Haliru, other members of the state committee, and the civil society organisations for the way they handled the distribution of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s palliatives. I also thank all the traditional rulers for the way they handled COVID-19 issue.â&#x20AC;?

CACOVID Representative and Zonal Head of Access Bank, Muhammed Adelabu, said the coalition came together to rally support for the Nigerian governments in the fight against the pandemic, adding that the coalition has so far commissioned 38 isolation centres and donated over 100,000 test kits and various personal protective equipments across the 36 states of the country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today, we have commenced the third phase of our intervention plan in the fight to combat and eradicate COVID-19 in Nigeria; the CACOVID National Food Relief Programme which will see the distribution of various food items to over 1.6m families i.e over 10 million Nigerians across the country,â&#x20AC;? Adelabu said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are doing this to help the most vulnerable households that have been affected by the coronavirus.â&#x20AC;? Isa Ibrahim, whose household received from the CACOVID palliatives, commended the private sector-led initiative for their support and the state government for its laudable efforts to combat the virus as well as spread development to every corner of the state. Tunde Mohammed, another beneficiary, also lauded the initiative and praised the Governor for his â&#x20AC;&#x153;developmental strides especially in the areas of water, road, and health where we can see things for ourselves.â&#x20AC;?

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Nwodo: Patronising Cash Management Companies Will Save Banks Huge Cost The Founder/Chairman, Integrated Cash Management Services Limited, Mr. Charles Nwodo Jnr, in this interview urges the CentralBankofNigeriatoenforceitsguidelinesoncashprocessinganddistributionsoastoachievesustainablecostoptimisation for banks,efficiency and ultimately reduction in the cost of borrowing and transaction charges for customers.Obinna Chima brings the excerpts: What services does ICMS render? The cash industry in Nigeria is relatively new and therefore just evolving and the CBN deserves credit for this development which aligns Nigeria with global best practice in currency operations. What we call the cash industry was part of what used to be called Branch and Currency Operations until it was excised and made a full Department of Currency Operations as part of the strategic and continuous efforts of the CBN to modernize the Nigeria Financial Industry. This move was both in recognition of the importance of cash and also to give vent and expression to the need to attract investments into the nascent cash industry. Before ICMS and other industry operators were licensed to operate, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was the main operator and in that situation was subsidising the banking industry by providing most of the currency distribution and processing for Nigerian banks at highly reduced costs. By licensing new operators in the cash value chain, the CBN was adapting the Nigeria cash industry to global best practices because in other parts of the world, the distribution, processing, securing and even packing of cash is done by private entities while central banks typically concern themselves with issuance of new notes and destruction of unfit notes as well as setting the standards for private operators in the value chain and monitoring compliance with the standards. So, for example the Central bank would set and enforce cash processing standards that would enable easy and objective identification of counterfeits and unfit notes as well as notes that are fit for recirculation. So, to enable the CBN deploy resources and focus regulatory attention on these important roles was the main reason that ICMS and other operators were licensed to provide the services I listed earlier. The cash industry ecosystem is made up of cash-in-transit (CIT) companies, of which there are nine licensed companies and two cash processing companies of which ICMS is one. The CIT companies essentially distribute cash from point to point, city to city, branch to branch, branch to CBN and retailers to banks etc. Before the CBN licensing, Nigerian banks used to distribute cash themselves, using their own vehicles mostly regular Pick Up trucks that exposed the passengers and the cargo to armed robbery attacks that were rampant. Similarly most banks processed their own cash and in doing so the banks operated according to no standards in terms of CIT and Cash processing operations and were answerable to no authority since they were licensed to provide banking services and not cash handling services. So you could say that there was total chaos and disorder before and this must have informed the CBN action to give effect to the creation of a regulated cash management sub sector under a Currency Operations Department of the CBN. By licensing ICMS and the other operators the CBN has a responsibility to engender a conducive operating environment for the licensees to avoid the past trends where operators in this sector folded up due to poor operating environment and hostile regulatory disposition. For example, the CBN has rolled out policies and operating guidelines that expressly disallow banks from distributing and processing their own cash or apply to be licensed as such if they wish to operate these services. But, the CBN has not been able or willing to enforce this policy as we still have several banks distributing cash with poorly equipped vehicles and processing their own cash. This is one of the challenges we are having to contend with as an industry. The cash industry value chain is made up of the following players: the retailers that generate a lot of cash, such as Shoprite, petrol stations, Spar, markets, gambling casinos, churches and mosques. And of course you have the CIT companies and Cash Processing companies, Banks and then the CBN. Today, part of the challenge we face is persuading the CBN to enforce its own guidelines. What that has done is that it has created a situation where certain practices that are against official policies and guidelines and even our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s laws are continuing unchecked. Some of these practices

Nwodo are the spraying of money at events, as well as hawking of new naira notes openly. Nigeria is the only country where such happens. Now, there is a CBN policy that prohibits banks from issuing notes that have not been processed. The reason is because if they are not processed, the state of the notes cannot be determined. If they are not processed, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know whether they are counterfeits. If they are not processed, they continue to be recycled with the implication of rapidly polluting the rest of the notes that are fit for circulation. Presently, we are under pressure by the CBN to expand our capacity to be able to meet the expectations of this industry. People must understand that cash is going nowhere. Indeed for now and for the rest of our life time, cash remains the most important and largest store of value. I can tell you authoritatively that the volume of cash in circulation worldwide and in Nigeria is not decreasing as many people seem to believe. The reason why CBN initiated the cashless policy was not necessarily so that overnight all the cash in circulation would disappear. The cashless policy was necessary because the volume of cash in circulation and the attraction for cash transactions was growing at an alarming rate and threatening national security in some ways. What does your company actually save the banks if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to render this service you render? The central element of our value proposition is the inherent principle in shared services. This means that if I use the same resources or platform to service multiple clients efficiently, each of the clients spends less and I grow in scale and improve in efficiency continuously. This model is simple and trusted and validated by the success of several companies and industries in many parts of the world. However we have had some poor records in Nigeria in this respect. Nigerian banks had in the past set up institutions that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t succeed in the end. You probably have heard about a collaboration between Nigerian banks that resulted in a company called the Pioneer Sorting Company

Limited. It was set up in the 80s and 90s by some banks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FirstBank, United Bank for Africa, and some others. They floated it then under the guidance of the CBN, but it failed. You know Nigerian banks famously donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cooperate with each other. They also set up another one called ATM Consortium. The purpose of the ATM Consortium was to create a shared platform to process industry wide ATM fit notes and perhaps even manage the roll out and maintenance of ATMs on behalf of Nigerian banks. This again it failed. So, there is a recognition that a shared services platform is the typically the right model for most industries but the devil is usually in the detailsâ&#x20AC;Ś.structure, governance, regulatory support, industry compliance and enforcement etc. Typically, currency operations constitutes between 25 to 40 per cent of the cost of operations for most Nigerian banks depending upon the respective efficiency levels and geographic dispersion. So, if you have, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say a FirstBank, with a branch in Victoria Island and the cash operation hub for FirstBank is at Ikeja and the branch at Victoria Island requires cash, what they would typically do is to call the Head of Cash Management, who would contact the Ikeja cash hub and they would arrange for a bullion van to take the cash from the cash hub at Ikeja to Victoria Island. There is a cost for this operation. And this cost applies also in the case of other First Bank branches located in other parts of Lagos outside the Ikeja hub as well as across Nigeria. Multiply this cost across all the banks in Nigeria and their various branches across the commercial cities in Nigeria. How do we come in to save the banks costs and improve efficiency and safety? Now, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say there is a Fidelity Bank at Ikeja that needs cash and maybe the cash hub of Fidelity Bank is at Victoria Island and they would typically go through same process FirstBank did. So, what you have is FirstBank and Fidelity Bank spending money respectively by going in opposite but the same directions. Multiplied state wide this movement also exposes the industry to too many vehicles loaded with cash being on the road at the same time and increasing the risk of armed robbery attacks significantly. Now, how does ICMS and

other CIT company activities operate? Our bullion vans are stationed and operate around clusters like Victoria Island and Ikeja for example. And because we use these same bullion vans to service multiple banks, we are able to service both Fidelity Bank Ikeja that needs to evacuate excess cash and First Bank Ikeja that needs cash quickly and efficiently using technology and advanced operational techniques. What does that do, it reduces the cost to Fidelity and FirstBank respectively. And because we are using same vehicle to do this, we are able to render this service cheaper than either of them can do and hopefully, these savings can be passed on to bank customers in the form of reduced interest rate. We also operate 24/7 cycles because that is our core business. This model replicates itself in the case of our cash processing offerings. We use same cash processing infrastructure, operating in a factory like situation with about three shifts. So, in terms of efficiency, and costs we save the banks tremendous values because by the time the bank branches open in the morning, the night shift in our facility has finished processing, the CIT team has delivered the cash and the bank branch just operates as if nothing happened. In terms of cost optimisation, because same cash we are processing for Fidelity, we are processing for FirstBank, Union Bank, Wema and others, using same platform, same personnel and technology, it is easy and cheaper for each of them in the short, medium and long term. What each of them pays is only a fraction of what it would cost them to buy those same machines, set them up in their hubs and operate at highly expensive operating costs which unfortunately the banks pass on to hapless customers in the form of high borrowing rates, high transaction charges and some inexplicable bank charges . So, our intervention as a sub-sector of the industry was designed by the CBN to achieve sustainable cost optimization for banks as well as efficiency improvement all of which the banks are able to pass on to the customers in the form of reduced costs of borrowing and transaction charges.

You talked about some of the banks still operating in violation of the CBN guidelines that allows you to be the some companies that handle cash distribution and processing. Can you give us an idea of the percentage of compliance in the industry? We have more banks in violation of this CBN policy. We are probably servicing about 30 per cent of the available market share. I sympathise with the CBN on this because the capacity constraint exists among licenced CIT and cash processing companies like ourselves. And the CBN has a responsibility to maintain an orderly and safe financial system. So, the challenge is for us to ramp up capacity quickly in order to be able to strengthen the regulatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands to enforce compliance with the extant policies and guidelines without endangering the stability of the banking system. The truth is that because the banking industry in Nigeria is highly profitable, a lot of Nigerian banks donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care about cost optimisation. There are several easy ways that banks make money in Nigeria. But hopefully, with the covid-19 pandemic and its consequences which will inevitably impact the revenue profile of banks, I am sure many of them are going to start rethinking their mode of operation. Many of them invest too much in cash management infrastructure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they have tellers, managers, security men, cash sorting machines, huge vaults, bullion vans, escort vehicles etc, and a lot of others. But, that is not the business of a bank. A bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business is simply to do banking â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ścollect deposits, lend money, and make a profit from doing these. So, the banks by continuing to distribute and process cash for themselves are effectively cannibalising the business of licensed CIT and cash processing operators. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Dangote Foundation Offers N160m Grants to Kwara Women Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The Aliko Dangote Foundation has concluded arrangement with the Kwara state government to provide N160 million micro-grants to 16,000 rural women across the state. This, the Foundation believes would go a long way to reduce poverty and accelerate the socio-economic growth in the state. The Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou made the disclosure in a letter of acceptance addressed to the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, at the weekend. This letter was contained in a statement issued by

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Intervention, Mr. Kayode Oyin Subair. She extolled the leadership style of the governor. The statement added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This grant is meant for the rural women only; who are living in the 16 local government areas of the state. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each beneficiary will be given N10,000 while each local government is entitled to 1,000 beneficiariesâ&#x20AC;?. Subair added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The implementation will be coordinated by a State Committee as approved by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq with representatives of Aliko Dangote Foundation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The guidelines governing

data capturing, disbursement and monitoring were clearly stated by the Foundation. We shall furnish the public with more details in the coming daysâ&#x20AC;?. Meanwhile, Governor AbdulRazaq has expressed appreciation to the President of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the board for the gesture. The governor said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This type of intervention can only come from a patriotic Nigerian with interest in adding value to lives of our rural dwellers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This administration will not rest on its oars at bringing succor to the good people of the State by latching on its goodwill within the county and beyond.â&#x20AC;?

Eni Powers Content Tower, Others with 10MW Gas Plant Peter Uzoho President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the 10MW gas-fired plant built by Eni Companies in Nigeria and its partners, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The plant will power the 17-storey headquarters building of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), christened â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nigerian Content Towerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and other major government and industrial facilities in the state. The power project, acknowledged as a giant leap in the journey towards the development of Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry, is an initiative of Eni companies in Nigeria and its partners - Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC/NAPIMS), Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Oando Energy. The power plant aims

to enhance the capacity of NCDMB and other government infrastructures in the state, kick-start sustainable industrialisation, create employment opportunities and generally improve the standard of living through reliable supply of electricity. The project activity includes the provision of 10MW GE Gas Engine Generator Power Pack Units (including all associated ancillaries) and installation of Overhead Transmission Lines and Balance of Plant for the evacuation of power to end users in the State. Speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director of Eni Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Lorenzo Fiorillo, explained that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;this initiative is part of Eniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global effort to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations in

its 2030 Agenda, which are an integral part of the Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission.â&#x20AC;? The ceremony, conducted virtually from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was witnessed by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr. Mele Kyari and other top management of NCDMB led by the Executive Secretary, Mr Simbi Wabote. Eni has been supporting access to energy in Nigeria by implementing projects and initiatives targeted at alleviating power deficit and achieving reliable power supply in the country. This include the 480MW Okpai power plant, built in 2005 by NAOC JV, currently being expanded to 1000MW as well as supply of free electricity to over 120 communities in Niger Delta, with about one million population.

DSCPensionersThreatenProtestoverUnpaidPensionArrears Sylvester Idowu in Warri Pensioners who worked in Delta Steel Company (DSC) Aladja in Delta State have threatened to take to the streets to protest non-payment of their nine years pension arrears and what they termed â&#x20AC;&#x153;unjust underpaymentâ&#x20AC;? by the Pension Transition and Administration Department (PTAD). The pensioners under the aiges of Association of Iron and Steel Retired Staff of Nigeria, DSC branch in a petition presented yesterday to Hon Francis Waive, Member representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives decried the poor treatment meted to them by the federal government. DSC pensioners, in the petition which was signed

by Oserohwovo Thomas, Branch Chairman and Okpeh Okari, Secretary alleged that at least five pensioners die weekly because they cannot afford basic food, let alone being able to buy drugs when they fall sick. They called on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, commence payment of their nine years arrears and also put machineries in place to harmonise their pension benefits with those of Ajaokuta Company, Itakpe, Jos, Oshogbo, Katsina Rolling Mills, NMDC, MTI and Onitsha NIOMCO. According to them; â&#x20AC;&#x153;DSC pensioners worked under temperatures of 1500-1700 degree centigrade to produce Steel products and following the constant exposure over the years is today manifesting negatively on the health of members of the union. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of our pensioners

receive as low as N2,000 as pension per month, while those in level 14 officer, like a assistant director in the ministry earns a pension of N16,000 per month due largely to wrong computation by PTAD.â&#x20AC;? The President Steel Town Community, Udu, Delta State, Mr. Simeon Segba, while speaking to newsmen after a meeting with Waive, called for a stakeholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; meeting between them, PTAD, the Head of Service, Salary and Wages Commission and Ministry power. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are not asking for what is not our right, we are asking for what is our right, and we have the documents to that effect, the submission we gave to Hon. Francis Waive, all the documents are attached and the day they call for that important meeting it will be better for all of us,â&#x20AC;? he added.

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 •T H I S D AY

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

DPR Pledges Increased Investment Opportunities in Petroleum Sector Peter Uzoho The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has promised to use its regulatory framework to continue to create opportunities and enable businesses in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The regulator added that it would collaborate with all players to drive growth and eliminate bottlenecks in the industry, in order to attract investments and help the country earn more Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) from the industry. The Head of Public Affairs Division, DPR, Mr. Paul Osu, in a statement quoted the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Director, Mr. Sarki Auwalu, to have made the pledge in his goodwill message at the 45th Anniversary of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) and First Akomeno Oteri Annual Lecture. Auwalu, was the special guest of honour at the event held virtually at the weekend, with the theme: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Long- Term Funding of E & P Business in Nigeria-Strategies for Sustainability.â&#x20AC;? He said the theme of the lecture aligned with DPRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to make Nigeria a top investment destination through the implementation of robust regulatory initiatives and strategies aimed at ensur-

ing maximum benefits from hydrocarbon resources for both investors and Nigerians alike. Auwalu congratulated the association and its founding fathers for their immense contributions to the Nigerian oil and gas industry over the years. He reiterated that DPR will continue to collaborate with professional associations like NAPE for the development of the oil and gas sector. The director stated that DPR was championing a paradigm shift from being a regulator to a business enabler in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, in order to achieve the aspirations of government for the sector.

Access Bank Rewards More Customers Nume Ekeghe Access Bank Plc has rewarded over 9,000 lucky customers in its DiamondXtra campaign tagged, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;XtraWins.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The campaign is to reward customers for saving and transacting through the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital channels. The XtraWins initiative was done out of the need to encourage customers to remain safe as they carry out their transactions. The initiative is also aimed at rewarding loyal customers for choosing digital channels, giving them the opportunity to win cash prizes for

performing transactions daily using the Access Bank USSD code *901# or the AccessMore App. Head, Consumer Banking, Access Bank Plc, Ms Adaeze Umeh, in a statement, explained that the initiative was born out of the need to transform the lives of customers who had been transacting with the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital platforms especially with nationwide restricted movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. She said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In our own little way of showing appreciation to our customers for their patronage and

better returns on their savings, we launched the XtraWins campaign to ensure our loyal customers are rewarded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have rewarded more than 100 customers every day and over 1,000 every week with various cash prizes since the beginning of the campaign which started about 10 weeks ago. â&#x20AC;? Umeh further said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The beauty about the Xtrawins campaign is that customers can win repeatedly as long as they keep transacting with our digital channels and carry out the number of transactions required to qualify for the daily draws.â&#x20AC;?

Coral Income Fund Declares Dividend Payout Buchi Ubani Shareholders and trustees in the Coral Income Fund which is managed by FSDH Asset Management Limited have once more been rewarded by the fund managers. This was disclosed in the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31st December, 2019. Every unit holder of the Income Fund is to receive the dividend of N30.29k per unit. The meeting which was held

in Lagos at the weekend, was attended by trustees of the fund, representatives from the Nigerian Stock Exchange and other key stakeholders. Speaking on the meeting, the Acting Managing Director, FSDH Asset Management Limited, Margaret Agbonlahor, said performance of the funds was a reflection of an impressive performance, even as she called for more work to be done. Speaking to THISDAY, the Head, Public Trust United Capital

Trustees Ltd, Ms. Tadeni Balogun, expressed happiness about the performance of the fund in the year under review. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been an amazing journey over the years with FSDH Coral Fund, and this annual report for 31st December, 2019 is no exception. We are delighted as trustees to the fund, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even evident that every stakeholder present at the meeting is leaving with a smile on their face. The report is something to be proud of,â&#x20AC;? she stated.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS 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

Polaris Bank, Facebook Empower SME Operators Participants at the justconcluded capacity building programme organised for SMEs have commended Polaris Bank and Facebook for giving them the opportunity to acquire new skills on how to grow their businesses, leveraging technology. The virtual digital marketing seminar, which had over 5000 SMEs as participants in its phase one and phase two ran for days in each session. The programme was in fulfilment of the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to empower Nigerian SMEs. According to a statement, the workshop was designed to help them explore and learn new

ways to grow their businesses, especially in the era of COVID-19 pandemic. Commenting on the benefits of the empowerment programme, the Group Head, Products and Market Development of Polaris Bank, Mrs. Adebimpe Ihekuna, disclosed that the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s move was to equip SMEs on how to leverage social media tools to generate marketing leads and sales. Adebimpe said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The free empowerment training and partnership is part of Polaris Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort to contribute to driving SMEs businesses in the digital space.â&#x20AC;? She further noted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;For SMEs

to remain relevant in their line of business, Entrepreneurs must position to level up with the challenges of the digital world to scale to the next level.â&#x20AC;? On his part, the founder/ CEO at DIGIVATE 360, Segun Oyetunji, partner to the bank on the, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Boost With Facebook Programme,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; expressed delight about the partnership. Speaking after the session, Mr. Adedeji Adewale, a detergent manufacturer from Akure, Ondo State, revealed that the wealth of knowledge provided during the training was comprehensive enough to understand the dynamics of digital business.

OilservSupports Enugu inCovid-19 Fight Emmanuel Ugwu An engineering and procurement company (EPC), Oilserv Limited has boosted the efforts of Enugu State government in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic with donation of medical supplies and personal protection equipment (PPE). Chairman of Oilserv, Engr.

Emeka Okwuosa, presented the items to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the Government House Enugu, saying he was impressed by his commitment to stem the spread of coronavirus disease in Enugu State. Okwuosa said Oilservâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support for Enugu State was parts of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative

to support governments at all level in their fight against Covid-19 pandemic. According to him, Oilserv was presently engaged in numerous local intervention efforts between state governments and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

(MILLION NAIRA)

SEPTEMBER 2019

Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă? Ě&#x2039;

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

Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;ĂŁ Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?ĂŁ Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ě&#x2039; ÍŻÍąĎą

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ë&#x153; ÍŻÍą Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $45.34 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $45.08 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

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

CHI Plc Raises N1.1bn as Rights Issue Records Success Goddy Egene Consolidated Hallmark Insurance (CHI) Plc has successfully raised N1.056 billion from existing shareholders through a rights issue of 2,032,500,000 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at 52 kobo per share. The result of the offer, which closed on June 8, 2020, and has just been approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission

(SEC) showed a 100 per cent subscription. CHI Plc said the success recorded in spite of the prevailing tough economic environment from the COVID 19 pandemic was a demonstration of high confidence of the shareholders. The company added that the successful outcome of this rights issue was a significant boost to its quest to meet the new capital regime announced by the

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

National Insurance Commission (NAICOM). Commenting on the successful outing, Group Managing Director/CEO of CHI Plc, Mr. Eddie Efekoha, expressed delight at the good result despite the challenging period the offer was held during look-down occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is great to see investorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; confidence and trust in our company being exhibited with

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

the full subscription of the rights offer, with several shareholders taking up their rights fully and applying for additional units at a time when investorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; appetite is dampened due to the ravaging pandemic,â&#x20AC;? Efekoha said. He explained that the rights issue is the first in the series of steps that will put the company on the track of achieving not just its recapitalization objectives, but also the growth strategy as

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

a group. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We at CHI Plc are particularly happy with the positive response to the offer and would like to thank all our shareholders for their belief in the Board and Management of the organisation to always deliver excellent performance,â&#x20AC;? he added. Meanwhile, CHI Plc has continued to sustain its growth path going by the unaudited results for the half year ended

O F

June 30, 2020. Gross premium written grew from N5.16 billion in 2019 to N5.33 billion in 2020. Net underwritten income improved from N3.096 billion to N3.157 billion, while Profit before tax (PBT) of rose by 12 per cent from N390.5 million in 2019 to N444.4 million . Total assets rose from N11.682 billion as at June 30, 2019 to N12.170 billion during the corresponding period of 2020.

1 4 / 0 8 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

UBA Board Recommends Interim Dividend, Awaits CBN’s Approval Goddy Egene The Board of Directors of United Bank for

Africa (UBA) Plc has approved the payment of an interim dividend for the half year ended June 2020.

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return. An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

In a notification to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), UBA said the approval of the dividend was given at a meeting of the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 13Aug-2020, unless otherwise stated.

board held in August 13, 2020 where the audited half year results and reports. According to the bank, the approved

interim dividend and results are subject to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). “Kindly be advised that the NSE and the

investing public would be immediately notified upon receipt of the 2020 audited half year results & reports by the CBN,” the bank said.

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.

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 N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 1.86% ACAP Income Funds 0.78 0.78 10.06% 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 5.91% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.99 3.06 21.68% 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 100.00 100.00 6.38% Anchoria Equity Fund 98.99 99.33 -2.97% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.27 1.27 10.24% 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 14.44 14.87 -5.74% ARM Discovery Fund 340.44 350.71 -1.44% ARM Ethical Fund 30.47 31.39 4.79% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.14 1.15 14.67% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.09 8.39% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.53% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.13 2.13 16.94% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 1.84 1.86 -2.76% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.83% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 104.57 104.90 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 108.54 108.84 Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 102.38 102.38 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 3.54% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.95 0.97 2.83% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.56 1.56 17.23% 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 100.00 100.00 4.10% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 4.46% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,187.94 1,197.86 6.96% 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 N/A N/A N/A FBN Balanced Fund 151.64 152.81 3.28% FBN Halal Fund 107.04 107.06 7.04% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.54% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 119.58 120.02 2.98% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 115.44 117.25 -11.29% 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 N/A N/A N/A Legacy Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy USD Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 3,112.70 3,146.70 2.36% Coral Income Fund 3,181.35 3,181.35 3.44% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 4.39% 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 N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A

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 4.16% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.19 2.23 0.07% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 8.62% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 149.45 150.19 4.27% 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 1.25 1.27 7.08% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,127.30 1,127.30 6.51% 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 1.42 13.83% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.90 11.97 5.69% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.93% PACAM Equity Fund 1.07 1.08 PACAM EuroBond Fund 106.68 109.18 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 115.45 117.61 -5.44% 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 1.01 1.01 6.08% 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 2.76% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 0.78% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 3.45% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 0.97% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 2.19% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.47% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 1.00% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.16 1.16 0.60% 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 1.15 1.17 -3.61% United Capital Bond Fund 1.84 1.84 6.40% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.67 -6.97% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.87% United Capital Eurobond Fund 113.86 113.86 4.22% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.02 1.03 -2.36% 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 10.28 10.39 -0.04% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.63 11.69 -0.12% Zenith Income Fund 24.50 24.50 10.02% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.63%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

117.23

4.56%

53.32

2.44%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

9.05 86.22 66.96

9.15 88.05 68.10

3.99% 1.45% 1.40%

Fund Name 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

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.03

15.02%

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.

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08038901925

Garlands for Harriet Thompson, UK Envoy, Bridge Builder Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that for the British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Ms Harriet Thompson, who just concluded a four-year posting in Nigeria, her achievements in strengthening the relationship between the UK and Nigeria far outweighs any challenges she might have faced

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Ms. Harriet Thompson and local school children at a book reading event to commemorate the World Book and Copyright Day in 2018

Managing Director, Terra Kulture, Bolanle Austine- Peters; HRH, The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edwards; British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Harriet Thompson; Secretary General, Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Publisher, Guardian, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru and Managing Director Channels TV, Mr. John Momoh, keenly watching the live performance of Fela and the Kalakuta Queens, during the Earlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visit to Nigeria in February, 2020

our years ago, Ms Harriet Thompson, arrived Nigeria as the British Deputy High Commissioner fully charged to lead a large and growing mission covering the full spectrum of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in Nigeria, with a particular focus on commercial and economic development. After nearly three years in Abuja, she was in July 2019 moved to Lagos to continue her diplomatic work. Prior to her appointment in Nigeria, she had enjoyed a varied career working across the British Government, leading policy and programmes across trade, energy, climate change and other areas. Now that her tour of duty is over, the diplomat recently shared her joys, achievements, challenges, honest assessment of Nigeria and of course her acquired taste for Nigerian cuisine, especially jollof rice. Spectrum of Work On her spectrum of work as British Deputy High Commissioner, she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I started out with three years as the Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja, where I covered the full breadth of the British Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in Nigeria in order to be able to cover for the High Commissioner. That ranges from development to security to visas to organised crime to politics. But my particular focus was on security. And on keeping the office running smoothly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a big job as we have one of the largest diplomatic missions in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since moving to Lagos just over a year ago, my focus has been on our Prosperity agenda â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the commercial relationship between our two countries, and our work to support economic development, economic reform and growth of the private sector in Nigeria. All these are essential to creating the jobs Nigeria needs and realising the huge potential of this amazing country. I also loved doing more with culture and arts in Lagos, celebrating the strong people links between our two countries.â&#x20AC;? Strengthening UK/Nigeria Relationship Given that her career path spreads across trade, energy, and climate change, she further divulged how she was able to bring that to bear while carrying out her duties in strengthening the relationship between the UK and Nigeria.

A lover of Artsâ&#x20AC;Ś The British Deputy High Commissioner, Ms. Harriet Thompson with Nike Davies Okundaye (Mama Nike) during a recent visit to Nike Art Gallery in Lagos

According to her, â&#x20AC;&#x153;those issues are so important in Nigeria, central to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path towards prosperity, to bringing people out of poverty and addressing the underlying causes of tensions and conflict in certain parts of the country. They are areas in which the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interests and Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interests are aligned, so by working together we benefit both of our countries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a privilege to have led our Prosperity team and the work theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done for example to support the development of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investment

guides or the concrete movement towards essential power reform, to understand the challenges that both Nigerian and British companies face in trading between our countries and then work with Nigerian government counterparts to address some of those issues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That cooperation is strong: even through the current pandemic weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve maintained regular ministerial level dialogue on these issues, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve brought businesses into that dialogue. From the Nigerian Investment Showcase we hosted in London in November last

year, through the UK-Africa Investment Summit in January, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve continued to work towards business partnerships that will boost growth in some of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key sectors.â&#x20AC;? Still on the extent of what she achieved while strengthening the economic ties between both countries and factors that can be used to sustain it, she said the starting point was already pretty good! â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigeria is the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second largest trading partner in Africa, and our bilateral trade was ÂŁ4.4bn in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2019. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the year Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve spent in Lagos, back in November we organised the Investment Showcase to give a wider range of British investors a better sense of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening commercially in the country, then we had the UKAfrica Investment Summit in January, where as well as the ÂŁ324million (over N153.4billion) Nigerian deals signed, we were also able to connect people and begin conversations that I believe will lead to many more. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve maintained our regular ministerial Economic Development Forum, and introduced a business dialogue to that event so that our ministers can hear directly how it is to operate in Nigeria. On top of that, significant programmes of support will help create the conditions in which we can further strengthen our economic ties and Nigerian economic growth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A couple of examples would be the LINKS programme, worth about ÂŁ70m, or the recently concluded survey to support the Nigeria Tech ecosystem as the world goes virtual due to COVID19, as well as a range of technical assistance, financial support and programme activity. I was delighted to see that HE President Muhammadu Buhari, just last week signed into law amendments to the Companies and Allied Matters Act, which will improve the business environment in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve supported the development of some of those enabling policies, and we continue to work for example to strengthen the finance sector, helping entrepreneurs across diverse sectors to secure the finance they need to grow, to develop the tech sector, which already contributes more to Nigerian GDP than oil and gas, and to accelerate Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clean energy transition. Through all of that, we look to harness the power of the private sector for social development, through job creation, improved

T H I S D AY Ëž AUGUST 17, 2020

FEATURES

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Ms. Harriet Thompson striking an Each for Equal pose with Company Secretary, MTN Nigeria, Uto Ukpanah; Country Manager, International Finance Corporation Nigeria, Eme Essien, Senior Vice-Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank Group, Bola Adesola, and others at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) celebration of the 2020 International Women Day

livelihoods, and particularly supporting women and young people in businessâ&#x20AC;?. Assessment On her honest assessment about Nigeria and its people she noted that it is a topic for long debate, late into the night! â&#x20AC;&#x153;But in brief, Nigeria is a rich and diverse country, home to incredible innovation, resilience and commitment. I have been absolutely humbled â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on many occasions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by some of the inspiring Nigerians Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met. Leaders in their fields, passionate about their country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But the challenges are also great, in terms of the tensions that pull at the social fabric and create conflict in some parts of the country. Despite the challenges, I leave feeling optimistic about Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future. If bit by bit things continue to improve, all those people already doing brilliant things will eventually break through and this country will take offâ&#x20AC;?.

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Ms. Harriet Thompson with Islamic and Christian leaders during an oďŹ&#x192;cial visit to the Ancient City of Kano in February, 2018

Advice for Successor Addressing this she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;My successor, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, already knows and loves Nigeria, having been our Political Counsellor in Abuja until summer 2017. So he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a lot of advice. He hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lived in Lagos yet though, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll encourage him to make the most of it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; embrace the buzz and the energy, explore, try the many new experiences there are to enjoy, dive into the art scene, learn from the world class business reps. Above all make friends.â&#x20AC;? Challenges On challenges faced while on tour of duty she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Too much pepper for my poor oyinbo mouth! Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overcome Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m afraid, I just have to ask for less pepper. More seriously, when I first arrived I remember an older male colleague taking me to meet various people, some of whom he also had never met. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A few of them reached across me to shake hands with him, assuming he was the new Deputy High Commissioner! I was a bit put out, but came to realise that if people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see women in senior positions, it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t surprising they assume the male is the senior. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad to have challenged some assumptions in the time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been here. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very glad to see things changing in Nigeria, with some really impressive female leaders in politics, civil society, business and the arts. But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a long way to go â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as there is in the UK and most countries of the world, frankly. The more female leaders people see doing a great job, the faster the progress weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see.â&#x20AC;?

ÂŁ324million (over N153.4billion) of deals at that summit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Then the range of inspirational people Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to meet and share ideas with, across politics, business, the Arts. If I had to choose one, meeting Wole Soyinka was perhaps my most â&#x20AC;&#x153;star struckâ&#x20AC;? moment! Also being able to help nearly 2800 stranded Brits get home when the airports closed in March and seeing how much it meant to them to get back to loved ones. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And on a personal note: the beauty and diversity of the landscape and natural environment; visiting the dye pits in Kano and a bronze foundry in Benin City; watching a durbar; seeing how quickly my kids developed Nigerian accents when speaking with their school friends; buying fabrics at markets across the country; special moments with friends in homes, restaurants, the beach; all the amazing arts festivals Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been lucky enough to attend â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these are some of the treasured memories Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take away with me.â&#x20AC;? Plans Speaking on the next thing to do after her tour of duty is over, she said it will be â&#x20AC;&#x153;back to the UK first, looking forward to seeing my husband and children again and spending more time with family and friends there. Then another posting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been announced yet so I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you where, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy about itâ&#x20AC;?.

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Ms. Harriet Thompson and Nobel Prize winning Playwright, Prof. Wole Soyinka at a reception to mark 30 years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Spectacular Moments On the particular moments that stood out for her she disclosed: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There have been so many highlights itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to choose a couple. Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impressive

presence at the UK-Africa Investment Summit would be one: they had more businesses participating than any other country, and many brilliant speakers across a range of themes; Nigeria signed

Nigerian Idiosyncrasy Speaking on the Nigerian idiosyncrasy she imbibed while here she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learnt a few phrases in Yoruba, Hausa and Pidgin. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good job this interview is for print media as people canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t laugh at my pronunciation! I love the way that at a party everyone goes straight for the dance floor, no holding back like we tend to do in the UK, not wanting to be the first person dancing. And I love Nigerian fabrics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; adire, ankara â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be taking a small stash back! On the Nigerian cuisine that stood out for her she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigerian Jollof, of course. In my last few days I have to learn how to make it as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all my kids ask for when I ask what they want for dinner! Also suya (I now sprinkle the spice mix on pizza instead of chilli oil), dodo (plantain), but I think my favourite is akara (bean balls) Yum. On what she will definitely miss she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll miss so much. My wonderful colleagues and endlessly fascinating work â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the people Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met and conversations Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had have been an absolute privilege. The music, food, dancing, art. The beach. But above all else the friends that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I leave feeling very confident Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and Nigeria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; again.â&#x20AC;?

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Nigerian Traders Must Pay $1m Fee, Ghana Insists Peter Uzoho The Ghanaian Ministry of Trades has rejected claims of unfair treatment by Nigerian traders in the country during

the enforcement of the Ghana Investment Promotion Council regulations, insisting that the traders must pay the required taxes and other fees imposed on them by the authorities.

Suspected Serial Killer Escapes from Police Custody in Oyo Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The Oyo State Police Command yesterday raised the alarm that a suspected serial killer, Sunday Shodipe, has escaped from police custody. THISDAY learnt that Shodipe was arrested in connection with series of killings in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state. He and two others were paraded last month in connection with the killings of Barakat Bello, Azeezat Shomuyiwa and others. But the state police command in a statement issued yesterday by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed that Shodipe had escaped from custody. He disclosed that Shodipe escaped after he had been charged to court, imploring the public to be on the lookout and immediately inform officers and men of the command if he is sighted. The PPRO said: “The state Commissioner of Police, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, wishes to state that the prime suspect in the serial killings in Akinyele LGA of Oyo State, Sunday Shodipe, 19, who was arrested and paraded along with two others at the state Police Command on July

17, 2020, and later charged to court but remanded in police custody escaped from lawful custody on August 11, 2020. “Consequent upon this, the commissioner wishes to implore the public to be on the lookout, arrest and immediately inform the officers and men of the command when sighted for immediate handing over for further action. “He further seizes this opportunity to appeal to any member of the public with credible information as to the whereabouts of the assailant not to hesitate to pass the same to the state Police Command to assist in apprehending the offender who is now at large. “The CP also wishes to unequivocally state that the command is committed to the protection of lives and property of the people of Oyo State. “He, therefore, assures the state that adequate security measures have been placed to enable all and sundry to transact their lawful businesses in an atmosphere of peace without any fear or molestation from any individual or groups as he sternly warns criminal elements to steer clear of Oyo State.”

Apomu Indigenes Form Descendants’ Union for Kingdom’s Development Peter Uzoho Apomu Descendants’ Union (ADU), an association of people of Apomu Kingdom resident at home and in the diaspora, has been formed for the development of the kingdom. The union formed last weekend at the stakeholders meeting of Alapomu Royal Trumpet, is saddled with the responsibility of developing and protecting the socio-economic interests of the ancient kingdom. Membership of ADU spans across all professions and it is designed to unify all other unions and bodies within the kingdom. According to a communiqué at the end of their meeting held at Ibadan Business School, Bodija, Ibadan, over 100 members were in attendance including Oba Kayode Afolabi of Apomu and his wife, Janet; amongst other political and traditional leaders. The Apomu indigenes at the meeting selected and inaugurated ADU’s pioneer executive members to serve for initial term of two years. They include: Chief Abass Soliu, President-General; Dr Tesleem Asafa, Secretary-General; Olori Esther Falabi, Treasurer; Mr. Mukaila Olaniyan, Financial Secretary; Olagoke Odetunde, Chief Whip; and Waheed Oladejo, Public Relations Officer (PRO). Earlier in his opening address, Afolabi described the meeting as a turning point and rebirth of Apomu, urging all Apomu descendants at home and in diaspora to consider

the formation of ADU as a call to duty. The guest lecturer and Professor of History at the Osun State University, Siyan Oyeweso, who went down memory lane, said Apomu was historically a centre of commerce. Oyeweso, who spoke on the topic: “Apomu Today and Tomorrow: Its Education, Economy and Infrastructure”, called for an urgent development of international markets and event centres within the vast area of land linking Apomu to Ibadan-Ife Express road. Oyeweso also proposed the development of an urgent education policy for the ancient kingdom to enable the utilisation of admission quota at UNIOSUN and take up available scholarship opportunities like Adeleke Scholarship, among others. He also advocated for constitutional imamship for the central mosque and effective coordination of Apomu indigenes both professionals and nonprofessionals. In his remarks, Asiwaju of Apomu Kingdom, Alhaji Olaitan Alabi advised all members to rise to the occasion, accept responsibilities and support the monarch to raise Apomu to an enviable position. He proposed popularisation of Apomu Anthem, memorable coronation anniversary, as well as the coordination of all unions and bodies in Apomu Kingdom among others.

This is coming despite the intervention of the presidents of Ghana and Nigeria through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). A Nigerian trader whose shop was forcefully locked up by the Ghanaian security officials had recorded a video of the incident in which they asked him to pay the $1 million registration fee. The victim had shown the officials his business registration certificate and other documents

but the enforcement team was adamant, insisting on shutting his premises. But speaking on the incident on a Ghanaian radio station, Starrfm, the Head of Communications, Ministry of Trade, Prince Boakye Boateng, said the Nigerian traders had failed to honour an ultimatum to meet the requirements. He said, “It cannot be we’ve been insensitive; if that is what they’re saying, I’ll be disappointed because I’ll rather say they have

rather been unfair to us as a regulatory body because we have given them more time than enough to the extent that even the Ghanaians thought that the ministry was not even on their side or the ministry wasn’t ready to even enforce the law.” He recalled that the shops were locked last December and later reopened following the intervention of President Nana Akufo-Ado. According to him, the traders complied but have not regularised

their documents for verification. Boateng explained that the law being enforced gave the Ghana Union of Traders Association the right to be the sole traders in the local market. The Spokesman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ferdinand Nwonye, said the Nigerian mission in Accra was yet to send a formal report on the harassment of the traders to the ministry.

KILLER-HERDSMEN IN TROUBLE...

Special Forces being deployed by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to Southern Kaduna...yesterday

Magu’s Fate Uncertain as Panel Submits Interim Report Tomorrow Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The initial 45-day mandate of the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel investigating the Suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, will elapse tomorrow without Magu responding to the allegations leveled against him by interested parties that appeared before the panel, THISDAY has learnt. THISDAY gathered last night that Magu was yet to present

his defence against the 12-point allegations of financial impropriety levelled against him by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami. The suspended Acting Chairman of EFCC was only served a copy of the terms of reference of the panel 33 days after its inauguration, prompting his lawyers to protest against the unfair treatment meted out to him. Justice Salami, had in one of the proceedings assured Magu of the determination of the panel

to accord him fair hearing. THISDAY, however, gathered that the panel would continue sitting after the submission of the interim report to President Muhammadu Buhari as contained in the instrument setting up the panel. “The panel will continue to sit after that. The president says interim report should be submitted to him after 45 days. “The panel continues sitting on Monday (today) and other issues and complaints would be

treated,” a source close the panel told THISDAY. Magu’s lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu, had in a letter accused the Salami-led panel of flouting President Buhari’s directive and the Tribunal of Inquiry Act 2004, the instrument setting up the panel. The letter written by Shittu also accused the panel of nonadherence to the instrument setting up the panel with regards to private sitting of the panel contrary to the terms of reference which required public sitting.

Oyedepo Rejects CAMA, Insists No One Can Appoint Trustee over His Church The Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, has kicked against the application of the Company and Allied Matters Acts (CAMA) in churches. President Muhammadu Buhari signed CAMA into law on August 7, 2020. Under the law, religious bodies and charity organisations will be strictly regulated by the registrar-general of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and a supervising minister. CAMA provides that the commission may by order, suspend the trustees of an association or a religious body and appoint an interim

manager or managers to coordinate its affairs where it reasonably believes that there has been any misconduct or mismanagement, or where the affairs of the association are being run fraudulently or where it is necessary or desirable for the purpose of public interest. The Cable reported that while addressing members of his congregation yesterday, Oyedepo said such laws were borne of out the government’s jealousy about the prosperity recorded by the church. Oyedepo questioned the rationality behind subjecting churches to the same laws as companies, describing the church

as God’s heritage on earth. “The church is God’s heritage on earth. Molest the wife of somebody and you will see the anger of that person. The church is the bride of Christ. You know how a strong man is when you tamper with his wife. The church is the body of Christ. We are under obligation to give warnings to wicked rulers so we could be free from their blood,” he said. “The church works on the pattern delivered by God not the pattern of man. Government has no power to appoint people over churches. This is a secular nation. The church is the greatest asset of God in this country. Please be warned. Judgment is coming.

The Lord says I have been still but now I will arise. Anybody that is in this deal is taking poison. This will never work. I am waiting for a day when anybody will appoint a trustee over this church… You can’t gag anybody. We own this country together. “It is only in Africa that people who are over 80 years still run around to become president. I know that it is the prosperity of the church that is making them jealous. But I am going to live to see an army of many winners soar greater. In this church shall emerge one of the largest concentration of giants on earth.”

Lagos Extends Market Opening Hours The Lagos State Government has extended hours of operations of food and non-food markets in the state. The state Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr. Wale Ahmed, made this known in a

press statement issued yesterday. The statement noted that markets are now expected to open at 8am and close at 6p.m henceforth “The decision by Governor Babajide Sanwoolu is to further enhance trade and commerce

as well as mitigate the hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement added. Ahmed stated that “the alternate days of operations will remain in force whereby food markets open on Tuesday, Thursday and

Saturday while non-food markets open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.” He urged all traders to adhere strictly to the Covid-19 protocols for their safety and the citizenry at large.

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

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NAF Deploys Special Forces to Kaduna Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja As part of efforts to support ongoing operations in the Northwestern zone of the country, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed Special Forces (SF) to Southern Kaduna. The SF Team, led by the Commander of the 403 Force Protection Group (403 FPG), Squadron Leader Richard Ngaro, was airlifted by a NAF

Mi-171E Helicopter from NAF Base Kaduna to Kafanchan, where they were received by the Commander Sector 7 of Operation Safe Haven, Colonel David Nwakonobi, to join the contingent of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) SF personnel already deployed to the area. In his address to the troops during the deployment, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS),

Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who was represented by the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command (AOC ATC), Air Vice Marshal Musa Mukhtar, noted that the deployment was in line with DHQ’s directives to beef up Operation Safe Haven. The CAS charged the SF personnel to maintain the high level of discipline that the NAF is known for, whilst always upholding the NAF’s

core values of “Integrity, service before self and excellence” as they carry out their assigned tasks. He equally reminded them to ensure they respect the human rights and personal freedoms of all law-abiding citizens in the course of performing their duties. The air force chief stated that the NAF SF Team were additional elements to augment

the DHQ SF personnel already deployed to beef up Sector 7 of Operation Safe Haven in Southern Kaduna. “The deployment would last as long as necessary until lasting peace is restored. We also have Operation Thunder Strike, which is domiciled in Kaduna to take care of the North-west axis, with the air component commander coordinating the air power aspect from Kaduna in

support of ground operations in Southern Kaduna”, he added. He further disclosed that, as part of efforts to enhance civil-military relations, a NAF medical team would arrive Southern Kaduna in the next few days to conduct medical outreach to provide healthcare services to displaced persons and others affected by the crisis.

FG Budgets N126bn to COVID 19: BEDC Distributes 100 Upgrade Health Infrastructure Handwashing Machines to States Martins Iﬁjeh in Lagos and James Emejo in Abuja The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba said the federal government had earmarked the sum of N126 billion in the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) to upgrade health infrastructure across Federal Medical Centres (FMC) and teaching hospitals with intensive care units. Also to benefit from the funding are laboratories and isolation centres in the 36 States of the federation including the Federal capital Territory (FCT). Speaking at the 21st anniversary of the Temitayo Awosika Help Foundation (TAHF), which was held via web conference, over the weekend, he said the government was committed to making progress in the health sector by upgrading and developing its health infrastructure and operationalisation of the National Health Act 2018. He pointed out that he had

already he had already inaugurated 26 Technical Working Groups (TWGs) for the development of Nigeria Agenda 2050 and the Medium-Term National development Plan (MTNDP 2021-2025). He stressed that the plans were to succeed the current Nigerian Vision 20:2020, and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017-2020) respectively adding that they are expected to address development challenges in all aspects of the country’s national life including healthcare, within the agreed time horizon. However, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Sufuyan Ojeifo, the minister said: “As part of the improvement to our health sector, it is necessary to implementmostoftheresearchfindings that are beneficial to the development of our people especially in this era of COVID-19, where health has taken the primary position as it always ought to be, in the affairs of national development.”

BEDC Electricity Plc (BEDC) has commenced the distribution of 100 specialized had washing machines to federal and state government hospitals, agencies, palaces and public institutions as well as strategic markets and communities in its franchise states of Delta, Edo, Ondo and Ekiti as part of efforts towards promoting safety practices among the people. According to BEDC, the gesture is a further demonstration of its sensitivity to residents of its coverage areas over the hardship occasioned by the pandemic by promoting hygienic habits which are one the major safety protocols for managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The donation, which commenced in Benin, Edo State comprised of 30 pieces of automatic and manual handwashing machines to Edo, 30 to Delta and 40 to Ondo and Ekiti

states, respectively, in addition to the earlier food palliatives donated to the franchise states to cushion the effect of the global pandemic. Addressing the media in Benin, before the commencement of the distribution, Chief State Head, Edo State, Mr. Abel Enechaziam who said the presentation of the handwashing machines were in phases, noted that the items were aimed at encouraging hands washing as a way of life. “This is peculiar because we want people to form the habit of hand washing as COVID 19 appears to have come to stay with us and as such we have to maintain regular hygiene practice including hand washing to overcome the challenges posed by COVID 19,” he said. Also contributing Team lead , Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Mrs. Felicia Nlemoha said that the hand washing machines would “go a step further to show we are

interested in our host communities, as their safety is paramount to us” According to BEDC, the beneficiary institutions in Edo state include, University of Benin, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Federal Psychiatry Hospital, Uselu, Oba of Benin Palace, Military Hospital Benin, Market Square Benin, Otaru of Auchi Palace, Benson Idahosa University, Igbinedion University Okada, NTA Benin and Stella Obasanjo Hospital, among others. In Delta state some of the beneficiary institutions are, Central Hospital Warri, New General Hospital, Asaba, Delta State University Abraka Campus, Shoprite Warri, Asagba of Asaba Palace, Obuzor of Ibuzor Palace, Olu of Warri Palace, and General Hospital Agbor, among others. In Ondo, the beneficiaries include; Mother and Child Hospital Akure, Catholic Hospital Ondo, University

of Medical Sciences Ondo, State Hospital Ondo, Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Shoprite Akure and Deji of Akure Palace among others. In Ekiti the handwashers is to be distributed to Ewi of Ado-Ekiti Palace, Afe Babalola College of Medicine, Ido-Ekiti and Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti. BEDC had earlier demonstrated its responsiveness over the hardship occasioned by the pandemic by donating food items as contributions to palliative measure to cushion the effect of the COVID-19.This included a total donation of 6,000 bags of rice and 4,000 cartons of Indomie noodles to the governments of Delta, Edo, Ondo and Ekiti for distribution to vulnerable groups and households in these states. The breakdown is 1,500 bags of rice each per state and 1,000 cartons of Indomie noodles each per state respectively.

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

FG Evacuates 72 Stranded Nigerian Ladies from Lebanon Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The federal government has evacuated 72 stranded Nigerian ladies from Lebanon.

The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ferdinand Nwoye, said in a statement yesterday that the stranded Nigerian ladies

Ngige Faults Obi’s Claim on N35bn Anambra Pension Arrears Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has disagreed with the claim by former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi that he (Obi) inherited N35 billion arrears of pension and gratuity. In a statement issued yesterday by his Media Office, Ngige described as false, recent claim by Obi in a media interview that he inherited N35 billion arrears of pension and gratuity. Ngige said it is unfortunate that Obi often prefers to falsify the history of the state and assault the memories of the people, all in an attempt to discredit his predecessor. “He creates a mischievous silhouette of every contribution that preceded his administration as if Anambra came into being with his ascension to office . It is certain. Mr. Obi’s problem with statistics and history is orchestrated and deliberate. It aligns well with his sustained efforts to distort, defile and destroy all previous efforts, which stood Anambra firmly on solid human and infrastructural integrity before his assumption of office in March 2006. Unfortunately, violating the memory of the people is quite a herculean task especially where concrete facts refuse to make selves available for vitiation . “ We wish therefore to place on record that the payment of salaries as and when due in Anambra State commenced in June 2003 under the Chris Ngige administration who

also authorised the payment of two months salary arrears. The administration went a step further to invite the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and an agreement in November 2003 for a new 143 per cent rise in pension package, payable retroactively June 2003. Payment was affected in December that year with a seven-month new package arrears. The statement stated that when Obi assumed office in 2006 and started his payment of old pensions arrears in 2008, the quantum of arrears was only about N7billion. “We do not therefore understand why he is claiming to have paid N35billion except he is smartly annexing all the payments made under Ngige who also cleared N42 billion state salary and gratuity arrears as well as N15 billion salary and gratuities arrears at the local governments. “It is high time this effortless falsification of Anambra history was checked . Ngige left no debt for Obi except the tiny arrears of old rates pension, that were not up to N4billion. The reason was that most of the affected workers returned from Enugu, and reconciliation ongoing with the Enugu State Government by the time Ngige exited office. “This also brings to mind, the issue of return of schools to the mission which Obi ceaselessly claim in exclusivity. The fact is that the exercise had to wait for over two decades for Ngige since Jim Nwobodo last returned St. Monica, Ogbunike and St. Charles College, Onitsha during the Second Republic.

Ganduje Reviews Road Contracts Awarded by Kwankwaso in 44 LGAs Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Kano State Government has constituted a committee to assess the five Kilometers dual carriageway projects in 44 local governments of the state that were awarded by the administration of a former Governor of Kano State, Mr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Muhammad Garba, disclosed this yesterday when he briefed journalists on the outcome of the council meeting that was held at the Africa House, Kano. Garba explained that the committee would be chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure with representatives from the Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) and ministry for local government. The committee, according to him, would also determine the extent of the execution of the projects and payment made to the contractors handling the

projects. He revealed that the council has already terminated the contract awarded to Rocad Construction Nigeria Limited in 2012 for the construction of the five kilometers dual carriageway in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area. The commissioner said the council has re-awarded the contract to Messrs. CCECC Nigeria Limited at the cost of N651, 844, 966.51 million after Rocad has abandoned work and exposed the residents of the area to many hardships. It should be recalled that most of the dual carriage ways that were awarded by Kwankwaso’s administration in each of the 44 local governments of the state are yet to be completed five years after the end of his tenure. The relationship between Kwankwaso and the incumbent Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje became sour immediately after Kwankwaso helped Ganduje to become governor in 2015.

arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on a special Middle East Airlines flight at 4p.m yesterday. He added that the repatriation was facilitated by the Embassy of Nigeria in Beirut, Lebanon in collaboration with the Lebanese Embassy in Abuja.

Nwoye said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that 72 Nigerian ladies that were part of a group of Nigerians stranded in Lebanon arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on a special Middle East Airlines flight earlier today at 4pm.

“The highly elated ladies were received on arrival by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and after necessary documentation, were later handed over to officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and NAPTIP for the needed

reintegration process.” The federal government commended the Lebanese community for offering to pay the air tickets of the stranded Nigerians, which it said attests to the positive relationship between the governments and people of both countries.

ENFORCING THE PROTOCOLS...

L-R: Commissioner for Environment/Head, COVID-19 Task Force, Ekiti State, Pastor Gbenga Agbeyo; Assistant State Pastor, Living Faith Church, Pastor Adams Ezekiel; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Health/Team Lead, RISKCOM/ and Compliance Monitoring, Ekiti COVID-19 Task Force, Dr. Jimlas Ogunsakin; and Special Adviser on Development Partnerships/ Secretary, Ekiti COVID-19 Response Resource Mobilisation Committee, Mrs. Magaret Fagboyo; during the compliance monitoring exercise for church reopening, in Ado-Ekiti... yesterday

CBN Anchor Borrower: NIRSAL Supports 2,987 Farmers in North-east Iyobosa UwugiareninAbuja In support of the federal government’s efforts at restoring socio-economic stability in North-east region, especially Borno State, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Plc is supporting the 2020 wet season farming operations of 2,987 maize farmers with essential supplies, structuring, trainings and supervision. Through the ongoing NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative (AGC) formation exercise, the farmers were said to have structured into a group named the Maize Dealers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MDMAN) Farmers AGC and linked with financing under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP). “NIRSAL’s AGCs present viable,

safe and controlled investment environments for investor funds, while also equipping smallholder farmers with incentives to produce and sell more through comprehensive farm mechanisation and the crowding of other value givers and takers in one project. “After the tedious operations of mapping and delineating individual farmer plots, the now structured farmers were supplied with 59.74 metric tons of certified maize seeds and 896 metric tons of fertilizer. In addition, the farmers were also supplied with 23,896 litres of crop protection products with one knapsack sprayer per hectare for their application,” the organisation stated in a statement yesterday. It added that in the North-east region alone, a total of 19,943 farmers belonging to 70 AGCs, cultivating rice, maize and soybean on 29,919 hectares of farmland spanning Borno,

Adamawa, Taraba and Gombe States have got access to 748 metric tons of improved seed varieties, 8,974 metric tons of fertilizer and 239,352 litres of crop protection chemicals in addition to mechanisation services. The development, according to the company, will undoubtedly contribute to recovery efforts in response to the double socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 and insecurity in the region. This fact was echoed at a launch event at the Emir of Biu’s Palace, Borno State, where NIRSAL Plc Managing Director/CEO, Aliyu Abdulhameed, explained the rationale behind choosing the state for the event. The statement added: “We could have gone to any one of the 29 states across the country where we are supporting farmers to have this event; however, we chose Borno State to help increase the confidence level of the citizens as

they attempt to resettle themselves into their communities and leverage on agriculture to improve their livelihoods. “While the mechanics for conflict resolution and military activities are not our forte, we must, as a matter of national necessity, follow national efforts for peace with viable economic pathways that will gainfully engage citizens, and make our hard-fought peace sustainable. This is why we tirelessly work to innovate and deploy models such as the NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative.” Also speaking at the event, the President of MDMAN Farmers AGC, Mohammed Dilli, thanked the federal government, CBN and NIRSAL Plc for providing input, which according to him, “are crucial for the production of agricultural commodities.”

Dangote Cement Promo Produces 60 New Millionaires The ongoing Dangote Cement Bag of Goodies Promo Season 2 has cushioned the harsh impact of COVID-19 on businesses and families by producing 60 millionaires across the nation. The Dangote Cement Director of Marketing, Mrs. Funmi Sanni said that more winners are expected to emerge in the coming weeks. Sanni also stated that 27 winners have been presented with their prizes as they received alerts during the presentation ceremonies held

in several cities across the nation while the remaining ones are to receive alerts this week. She said during one of the prize presentation ceremonies that the promotion was to encourage customers to continue to patronize the company’s cement product, which according to her, is the best in the country. She said the company had been making efforts to satisfy its teeming customers to the fullest by introducing several customer-driven

promotional offers in order to keep their relationship intact. According to her, a customer could only win the N1 million cash prize on collection of the scratch cards that carries letter D, A, N, G, O, T and E to make up the name DANGOTE. She added that other prizes to be won include motorbikes, tricycles, television sets, recharge cards, among others in the promotion that is billed to end on November 5. The Chief Commercial Officer

of the Dangote Group, Mr. Rabiu Umar, remarked that the negative impact of COVID-19 on the economy motivated Dangote Cement to decide to award a total of N1 billion to 1,000 winners across the country. According to him, the Dangote Cement deemed it fit to continue with the second phase of the promo, which it tagged Bag of Goodies 2, in order to give back to the society and cushion the effects of the pandemic.

Police Rescue another Man Locked for 15Years in Kano Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Again, the Kano State Police Command yesterday rescued a man allegedly held captive by his father for 15 years. The incident occurred three days after a man caged for seven years by his father and stepmother was rescued.

The latest rescue is that of Ibrahim Lawan, 35, allegedly confined to a room for 15 years. His father, Mallam Lawan is a Friday Mosque Chief Imam, and the incident occurred at Sheka Unguwar Fulani area of the state. The victim was rescued by the Police Medical Team and Operatives of Operation Puff

Adder. Spokesman of the state Police Command, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the incident to THISDAY in Kano yesterday. Abdullahi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the victim, Lawan, had since been taken to hospital for medical attention, as investigation has been launched

into the matter. Last Thursday, a 32-year-old man, Ahmad Aliyu, in Kano, who had been locked in a room by his father and stepmother for over seven years, was rescued by the police. Aliyu in a resident of Farawa Babban Layi in Mariri quarters of Kumbotso Local Government Area in Kano metropolis.

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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My Life in God’s Hands, Lekwot Replies Sharia Council CAN president calls for arrest of killer-herdsmen John Shiklam in Kaduna The Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Elders Forum (SKEF), Major General Zamani Lekwot (rtd), yesterday reacted to calls for the revisiting of the death sentence passed on him and six others over the 1992 Zangon Kataf riot, saying his life is in the hands of God. Lekwot told journalists after the weekly protest and prayer session at the ECWA Church, Narayi High Cost, Kaduna that only God could determined his life and “not those craving for violence under the current democratic dispensation.” The Secretary of the Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN), Mr. AbdulRahman Hassan, had in a statement last week, demanded that the death sentence passed on Lekwot and six others over their involvement in the 1992 Zango-Kataf riot be revisited. Lekwot and the six others were sentenced to death by the Late Justice Benedict Okadigbo tribunal that was set up by the military regime of former President Ibrahim Babangida to investigate the riot, which led to massive destruction of lives and property. They were later granted pardon by a former Head of State, (late) General Sani Abacha. But the Islamic group had maintained that the execution of Lekwot and others would end the crisis in Southern Kaduna. However, Lekwot, a former military governor of Rivers State said: “All religious leaders are expected to preach peace, not hate and religious violence.” “The killings, which took place 28 years in Zangon Kataf, was unfortunate, but the genesis was a dispute over relocation of a market and at the end of the day, a commission of inquiry was set up, and

recommendations were made. “All of the recommendations have been implemented. So, those referring to it are being clever by half. What we need in the country is genuine tolerance. “Now by saying what they said they have just confirmed why armed foreign bandits have been imported into our country to destroy our country. “How does what they said address the issues at hand? What is happening in Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country is a bad omen for our unity and stability.” Lekwot also spoke against the comments attributed to the Commander of the Operation Safe Heaven, Major General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, who said that “criminal elements on both sides” in southern Kaduna were responsible for the crisis in the area. He described Okonkwo’s statement very unfortunate to have come from a military commander because “a professional security person you are supposed to be neutral in everything so as to inculcate confidence in the people.” Also the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Supo Ayokunle and the President of ECWA Church, Rev. Steven Panya Baba, described the statement by the SCSN as an agenda to set the country ablaze and derail democracy. The Christian leaders, however, commended the federal government over the deployment of special military forces to maintain peace southern Kaduna. They also called on the government to arrest and prosecute those behind the killings in order to ensure lasting peace.

The Christian leaders prayed fervently for “God to intervene and rescue Nigerians from those leaders conspiring with the armed herdsmen in fueling attacks and killings in Southern Kaduna and other

parts of Nigeria.” The president of the CAN said that it was unfortunate that some Muslim religious leaders were calling for the execution of Lekwot before peace would return to Kaduna,

adding that “this is to tell the world that some people in this country don’t want us to live in peace. “How can you imagine something that happened 28 years ago in Zangon

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Some of the 68 Nigerian girls stranded in Lebanon arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja...yesterday

Miyetti Allah Faults Ortom’s Call for Responsible Citizens to Carry AK47 Rifles George Okoh in Makurdi Former National Coordinator of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue State chapter, Alhaji Garus Gololo, yesterday condemned the call by the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, to the federal government to grant licence to responsible people in the country to carry AK 47 as a weapon for protection. Gololo said the governor should instead try to agitate for

the dredging of River Benue in order to have a seaport in the state. The herders’ former leader, who gave the advice during a chat with journalists in Makurdi, the state capital, stated that the federal government granting of licences to those he (Ortom) described as responsible citizens to hold sophisticated weapons like Ak47 to protect themselves would not end the spate of killings and other criminal activities in the country. The governor had recently

urged the federal government to grant licences to responsible citizens in the country to carry sophisticated weapons such as AK47, as such would deter criminals from attacking innocent and helpless Nigerians. But Gololo, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, insisted that bearing of arms by individuals in Nigeria would rather worsen the security situation. According to him, “It is very wrong for number one citizen in

Low Turnout of Worshippers Abe Felicitates With Odili at 72 as Churches Reopen in Ekiti A former representative of the spokesperson, Mr. Parry Saroh speak volumes of a life worthy Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

There was low turnout of congregation in many of the churches in Ado Ekiti metropolis, Ekiti State, yesterday as Christians began church services after the state government lifted ban placed on religious centres across the state. The state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, had in March 2020, suspended activities in churches and mosques to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though in some of the churches visited, all congregants used face masks while children below the age of 12 and elderly above 65 were not allowed into the church premises in compliance with the directive of the state government. There were low congregations in some of the major churches like Saint Patrick Cathedral Church at Ijigbo; Christ Apostolic Church, Ogba Alaafia, Ijigbo; Christ Apostolic Church Mountain of Covenant, Poly Road; Cathedral Anglican Church at Okesa; Christ for All Nation’s Church at Ajowa area, among others. The church programmes were substantially held between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12noon as directed by the government that no

programme must be more than two hours and should be held once in a week. In all the churches, bowl of water and hand sanitizers were stationed at the entrance for washing, while the temperatures of church members were being taken at the gate with infrared thermometers. The presiding Pastor of the CAC, Mountain of Covenant on Poly road, Pastor Tope Fakiyesi, hinged the low turnout to the directive banning children from attending church services. He said: “You know that children and the elderly have been banned from going to churches, so most of the parents would not want to leave their children at home and come to the churche. “I want to appeal to the state government to look at this area. Again, most of the elderly people above 65 are ill and their children might not want to take the risk of abandoning them at home and go to church as well. These factors might have accounted for the low turnout.” Before the reopening of churches, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had expressed reservations over stringent conditions given for the reopening of worshipping centres, saying it would only cause low turnout.

Kataf and some people are calling for execution of Lekwot and others now, in the midst of crisis in the Southern Kaduna? Will that help in peace building?”

Rivers South-East senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has felicitated with a former Governor of River State, Dr. Peter Odili on his 72nd birthday, describing him as a great leader. Abe, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by his

Benson, said the sterling qualities of the former Rivers State governor and his invaluable contributions to human capacity development stands out and endears him to many, several years after leaving public office. He said as a remarkable leader, Odili’s achievements

of emulation. ‘’Sir, your exemplary leadership qualities and strength of character have placed you far above your contemporaries and we shall remain grateful for your tutelage and mentorship. “On behalf of my wife and family, we join your family, friends,

the state like Ortom, who was supposed to make peace and ensure that there is unity in the state, to start making inciting comment by telling the federal government to give licences to responsible citizens to carry sophisticated weapons such as AK47. “In a society like ours, how do you know a responsible person to be allowed to bear arm? If everyone should have a gun in his or her house, it means that the society is no longer safe.

well-wishers, and admirers in Nigeria and across the globe to wish you a happy birthday full of joy, peace, good health and sufficient grace,” Abe stated. Abe further added that Nigerians will always count on Odili’s wisdom and experience that has spanned many decades.

Kwara APC Lauds AbdulRazaq on NBS Rating Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday lauded the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, over the positive ratings of its employment status by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC).

The NBS at the weekend rolled out employment indices for the second quarter of 2020 (April-June). In the analysis, Kwara State unemployment rate slowed from 21.1 percent to 13.8 percent-one of the lowest in Nigeria. In a statement issued by its state Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen

Folaran Aro, and made available to journalists in Ilorin, he said the ratings clearly underscored the efforts of the state governor to reposition state for socio-economic growth. According to the statement, “These statistics again underscore the superlative performance of Governor AbdulRazaq, who

continues to pull all the strings to improve the lot of the Kwara people. “We take cognisance of the fact that the low unemployment rate posted for Kwara State came at the height of COVID-19 lockdown when millions of jobs were lost in Nigeria and revenue was at an all-time low.

Ekwueme’s Daughter Thanks Buhari for Naming Railway Centre after Father The first daughter of the late former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Mrs. Chidi Onyemelukwe has expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for naming the Nigerian Railways’ Operations Control Centre after their late father. In a statement released

yesterday in Abuja, Onyemelukwe noted that the revival of Nigeria railways by the Buhari’s administration is a realisation of one of Ekwueme’s dreams for the total overhaul of Nigeria’s infrastructure since their time in office in the Second Republic. She once again on behalf of the family used the opportunity

to thank the president for the posthumous honour. She described the honour as well-deserved considering Ekwueme’s contributions to Nigeria’s socio-political development, noting that such honour will serve as an inspiration to present and future leaders. She enjoined the country’s

leaders to always give selfless service and put the country first in their activities. Onyemelukwe also applauded the minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi for executing the agenda of the federal government towards the revival of Nigeria’s railways.

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

Ë&#x153; ÍšÍżË&#x153; ÍşÍ¸ÍşÍ¸ Ëž T H I S D AY

MONDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Mikel Snubs Russian Club, Set to Join Stoke City Femi Solaja with agency report John Obi Mikelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to return to England has forced him to turn down a reported move by Russian club Krylia Sovetov to sign him on a permanent deal as a free agent. Mikel is believed to be waiting to conclude a possible move to English Championship outfit Stoke City. According to Championat.com, the former Nigerian defensive midfielder was previously contacted by Krylia Sovetov and offered a salary of $1.2 million

per season but he turned down the offer. Mikel who is a former Chelsea legend has a Russian partner, Olga Diyachenko, and the couple have two twin daughters. BBC Sports reported at the weekend that The Potters are on the brink of confirming the signing of Mikel on a one-year deal. In March, the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner mutually terminated his contract with Trabzonspor and since then, he has been linked with possible moves to teams in Italy, Brazil

and England. Mikel has an illustrious curriculum vitae, winning the

Champions League and Europa League, two Premier Leagues, three FA Cups and the League

Cup during his ten-and-a-half-year adventure with Chelsea. The 33-year-old also lists

Tianjin Teda, Lyn Oslo and Middlesbrough among his previous clubs.

Balogun, Aribo Absent as Glasgow Rangers Miss Chance to Go Eight Points Clear Super Eagles duo of Joe Aribo the win against St. Johnstone and Leon Balogun were shock omissions from Glasgow Rangers matchday squad against Livingston in a Scottish Premiership game staged at the Tony Macaroni Arena yesterday evening. Both Nigerian players are nursing injuries that kept them away from the clash with Livingston. This is the first time in the new season that Aribo has not been utilised by the Liverpool legend. Rangers gaffer Steven Gerrard explained to Glasgow Times before kickoff that Aribo was not named in the squad because he suffered a minor training ground injury ahead of the trip to Livingston. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has a little knock. We are hoping to have him available next weekend. It was too risky to do it today.â&#x20AC;? Summer signing Balogun also missed the game as a result of a quad injury he suffered in

last Wednesday. Livingston halted Scottish Premiership leaders Rangersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 100% record as Steven Gerrardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side missed the chance to go eight points clear of Celtic. With their city rivals idle, Rangers had the chance to push further clear but were frustrated by an obdurate Livingston performance. Max Stryjek made a stunning save from a Borna Barisic freekick and Ryan Kent twice came close for the visitors, but the point was enough to return Rangers to the summit ahead of Hibernian on goal difference. Livingston, without striker Lyndon Dykes sidelined after a club-record bid was accepted, claimed an unlikely second point of the season. They even came close to snatching more, when Craig Sibbald almost caught out Rangers keeper Jon McLaughlin with an audacious attempt from his own half.

Joe Aribo (left) and Leon Balogun were absent from Glasgow Rangers clash with Livingston...yesterday

U-20 WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

CAF Postpones Nigeria, Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Faso Matches The ongoing restriction on travels has forced the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone the first round first leg World Cup Under-20 qualifying round of matches in the continent. Invariably, the much awaited first round first leg clash between Nigeria and Burkina Faso fixed for 3-5 September 2020 and with the return leg scheduled for 10-12 September 2020 will not hold. The match should have been a return to international football after the global lockdown necessitated by Covid-19. The main event was originally scheduled to be hosted by Costa Rica and Panama . Nigeria drew bye in the preliminary round of the FIFA U20 Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup qualifiers while Burkina Faso edged out Gambia 3-2 to advance in January. The Falconets were due to travel to face Burkina Faso on March 21 before welcoming the Stallions a week later at the Agege Stadium in Lagos but the Coronavirus pandemic forced the two legged games

to be postponed. After the postponement of the qualifiers, CAF said that the revised fixtures for the qualifiers will be announced in due course after consultation with the various stakeholders. On March 2, 2020, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football body appointed Moses Aduku as the First Assistant Coach, with Bilikisu Tijani as Second Assistant and Audu Yahaya as the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goalkeepersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trainer. The NFF had said that Aduku will be in charge of the team on an interim basis, pending the recruitment of a substantive head coach. The winners between Nigeria and Burkina Faso will face Liberia or Cameroon in the third round of the qualifiers as the Nigerian side are seeking to qualify for the 10th edition. Meanwhile, CAF is monitoring the situation closely and working with the relevant authorities with regards to hosting of the World Cup qualifying matches, and will make pronouncements accordingly.

Marcus Rashford (right) was on duty for Manchester United as Sevilla came from behind to beat the Red Devils 2-1 to qualify for the Europa League ďŹ nal

Man Utd Crash out of Europa Manchester United crashed out of the Europa League after Sevilla came from behind to beat them 2-1 to reach the final. United led through Bruno

Fernandesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; penalty and were frustrated by an outstanding performance from Sevilla keeper Yassine Bounou in Cologne. Former Liverpool forward

Suso equalised from Sergio Reguilonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cross. And Luuk de Jong, once of Newcastle, scored the winner as United failed to deal with a cross from

ex-Manchester City player Jesus Navas. Five-time winners Sevilla will play Inter Milan or Shakhtar Donetsk in Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final.

...Inter, Shakhtar Go Head to Head for Final Ticket Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk will go head to head for a place in the 2019/20 Europa LeagueFinal this evening. Antonio Conteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nerazzurri finished a point shy of Juventus in the Serie A title race, though bounced back from that disappointment with comfortable one-legged knockout wins over Getafe

and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. Opponents Shakhtar, meanwhile, clinched their 13th domestic title in July and fourth in succession ahead of rivals Dynamo Kiev, before going on to easily dispatch Wolfsburg and FC Basel. Three-time UEFA Cup winners Inter are through to the last four

of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secondary club competition for the first time since 2002, while 2009 champions Shakhtar were beaten by Sevilla in the semis in 2016. The winner of tonightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game in Dusseldorf will play Sevilla in Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (August 21) final in Cologne. Sevilla defeated Man Utd 2-1 in the first semi final played last

night. Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk is scheduled for 8pm Nigerian kick-off time. The match will be played behind closed doors at the Merkur Spielarena in Dusseldorf, with no fans due to be present due to government guidelines regarding coronavirus.

Monday August 17, 2020

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CAN to SCSN

“How can you imagine something that happened 28 years ago in Zangon Kataf and some people are calling for execution of Lekwot and others now, in the midst of crisis in Southern Kaduna. Will that help in peace building?” – CAN President, Rev. Supo Ayokunle berating the Secretary of the Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria, AbdulRahman Hassan, for calling for the execution of Maj. Gen. Zamani Lekwot and six others for their involvement in the 1992 Zango-Kataf riot.

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okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

The King and His Sceptre T

o wield the sceptre is not just to hold the physical object called “sceptre”, which could be made of gold, silver of even wood, for that matter. It is in the exercise of the powers, duties and responsibilities which inhere in the Calling to be the Standard Bearer for a people that the wielding of the sceptre lies for every true King. Thus, to merely hold the physical symbol of a sceptre, or to even wave it at people and generally play with it, is not enough. Once the defining essence of this essentially ethereal fundament of societal beacon is either outsourced or simply neglected, it can be safely said that the King is not on the job. That seems to be our national problem at the moment, if the epidemic of serial controversies and conflicts between different principal officers, serving officials and party big wigs of the current federal government is anything to go by. Which brings to mind a strange dream by a certain Obidike about the land of Alaoma and its king, many years ago. Obidike found himself looking down at Alaoma community and admiring its beauty in his dream. He saw many titled men and elders heading in a particular direction, apparently going for some meeting, or gathering. Their carriage and quiet dignity, as individual elders, was impressive. Such bearing! Such poise! Such character! These were the living symbols of the traditions, the laws, the values and pristine wisdom of the land. These were the people’s Sentries in matters of right and wrong. Anon, Obidike also saw some women, maidens, young men and children. They all looked diligent, intelligent and alert in a simple and yet dignified sort of way. “Alaoma is truly blessed” Obidike thought to himself, as he smiled and took in everything with calm scrutiny. No wonder neighbouring communities admired and respected the land and its people! No wonder they saw Alaoma as proof that it is human beings that made a community good or bad. Yes, we do not say that a community is good or bad, simply because of its farmlands and other natural endowments. Tall trees, fertile land, elaborate public ceremonies and pleasant weather cannot create a good human community. Instead, it is the human beings themselves, their way of doing things and their sense of propriety, not what is in the soil or above the soil, that make a society good or bad. That is why it takes responsible leadership, stakeholders with the requisite sense of social responsibility, under a King who knows the true spiritual and symbolic significance of the Sceptre, for any community or society to be on the right footing. The King thus becomes the representative of the ineffable. His sceptre is then his staff of office, as well as the symbol of his authority.

President Muhammadu Buhari

As Obidike was thinking about all this, another profile of the same Alaoma came into his line of vision; without warning. He shuddered. How could this be? The tall trees were still there. The fertile soil had not become any less fertile. The lush vegetation still blossomed with characteristic luxuriance. The everbenevolent and peaceful sky that gave Alaoma its welcoming cool air were still there. Yet he could sense that something was wrong. What was it? He could not put his finger on anything. Then he felt, or heard, a voice whisper to him that Alaoma’s problem stemmed from the leadership style of its King. He turned, looked around, but could not see who whispered to him. Then his mind went to the well-known fact that their King had more or less abdicated all kingly responsibilities. Yes! No one knew exactly whom to blame for the problems of the now-sick land. The young ones blamed the elders and titled men. The elders and titled men blamed the clan heads, saying that it was their duty to advise and restrain the king. But the clan heads said it was the fault of the kingmakers who made a wrong choice. Not to be outdone, the kingmakers themselves said it was the fault of the King himself, who would not listen to anyone; or take charge as a true King. Misery, despondency and

The smiling ones were usually those responsible for, and beneﬁtting from, the rot in the land. It was such a pity!

weariness of the spirit soaked the land through and through. It was horrible! Obidike found himself wondering why the people would not speak to the King. Then, as if in response to his thoughts, the strange voice whispered to him again: “The King does not listen to, or hear, anyone. He has abandoned the task of being father and guide to all. His real authority stands outsourced to persons of questionable goodwill. Custodianship of the realm no longer resides with him. He has no idea what is going on anywhere, anymore. Being totally beholden to his ways, and leaning perhaps too much towards excessive self-indulgence, he does not now see clearly, think clearly, or know what well-meaning people thought, or felt.” Looking around and still not seeing whoever was whispering to him, Obidike was at least relieved that he now had some kind of explanation for the subsisting smell of sacrilege in the air. But does that explain the ominous silence of some of the wise men in the community? Not quite! His unease returned. Obidikes’ queries were: (1) How could a King possibly sleep well at night, while an Odour of Un-sanctity walked the lands? (2) Does a King need to be told that a sharp object, which is used for trimming the fingernails, is not good for cleaning the eyes? (3) Does a King need to be reminded that no sensible person invites the community to inspect every part of his body in the village square, just to prove that he baths with extreme care? (4) Does a King need a soothsayer to learn that a King is, first and foremost, a King? (5) Who would be King, if presumed royalty is always punctual at a drunken revel? (6) Who would be King when the royal jewels suffer common access and base display? (7) What should the wise elders do when what should be hidden from children is put on display in the marketplace? (8) Who will give the people a sense of the sacred when the officiating priest at a coronation ceremony is not sober? Many more questions flooded Obidike’s mind. But they were just too many for him to take on at once. Obidike was at his wits end. He thought of the saying that the friends and relations of a mad man do not find his behaviour in public amusing, or entertaining. Then he thought of the proverb, which said that whoever revealed the identity of the person behind a mask had profaned the mystery of the masquerade cult. But, and here is the snag in this case: The very custodian of all the mysteries and values of the land would seem to have put his imprimatur of profanity on everything. When the sublime stands diminished by its supposed sword bearer and agent, when the protector of the realm has become the Patron Saint of mediocrity, when the inspiration behind

the general profanation of the mysteries comes from the supposed custodians, all the people can say is “Chai! Then Obidike adverted his mind to the reason why most of Alaoma’s elders and titled men appeared to no longer advise, or admonish, the King. Some who tried in the past simply got tired and gave up. Others lost their voice, while a few became worried that they might even lose their lives in controversial circumstances. Among those who lost their voices, were those who were simply avoided by the King. Others were denied access by those who had cordoned off the King. But many more had their voices strangulated by the favours they had received, and continued to receive, from the King and from those who had confiscated his powers. This latter group of voiceless elders and titled men cannot speak, because they do not want to lose the advantages and privileges they are enjoying. In sum, majority of the people, titled or not, who were now acting dumb certainly had very good reasons for doing so. Then Obidike, still in his dream, suddenly found himself looking at the crowded Village Square. It was a festive occasion. An old man in the crowd was looking around expectantly in the bustling village square. This particular old man always kept vigil at the village square during every communal emergency. He would come each time, stay at his vantage position and watch. He had only one reason for coming: to see if the King had changed for the better; to see if he could demonstrate any real sign of control and leadership. But, occasion after occasion, the King would come to the Village Square and go; as uninspiring as ever. Then the old man would leave, shaking his head and noting the disgust on many faces. He also would observe the sycophantically pasted smiles on some other faces. The smiling ones were usually those responsible for, and benefitting from, the rot in the land. It was such a pity! The more communal crises elicited nothing more than plaintive lamentations from the King, the more the old man was confounded. Must all the people perish? He often wondered. Unable to make sense of it all, he sat back after one of his many trips to the village square to reflect. Then it hit him: The King does not have enough people of genuine societal goodwill around him. He, too, is content to make empty statements and take that for the exercise of leadership authority. Yes, he points to the sceptre, insists on its pristine ontological primacy, but does not come anywhere near exercising its powers. Scary, is it not: That a society can be so asleep, sitting on a keg of gun powder? Obidike resolved to speak to the King, no matter what. Then he woke up, sweating profusely.

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