TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2020

FG: Dangote Refinery Will Save Nigerians Petrol Shipping Cost Promises to convert private cars to run on CNG OPEC projects crude oil price recovery by 2022 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos The federal government has said the upcoming Dangote Refinery would save Nigerian fuel users the cost of shipping

petroleum products from the international market into the country.

The 650,000 barrel-per-day capacity refinery currently under construction is expected to commence operation next

year.

The federal government has also said it would from October begin converting the cars and generators of Nigerians to run on gas, noting that this would be done free

of charge for all Nigerians to cushion the effect of the hike in pump price of petrol.

However, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has said full international oil prices recovery

may not return to 2019 price levels until about 2022, and this would potentially translate to increase in the prices of refined products.

Speaking yesterday on a live television programme, the

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, argued that the existence of the refinery in the country might not Continued on page 8

CBN Releases Framework for Implementation of $2bn Solar Projects... Page 6 Tuesday 15 September, 2020 Vol 25. No 9289. Price: N250

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Will of the People Shall Prevail in Edo, INEC Assures Critics Suspends use of Z-pad for accreditation Abdulsalami, Kukah to superintend peace accord today IG deploys 31,000 policemen to monitor election US issues visa ban on Bayelsa, Kogi ballot riggers

Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Mary Nnah in Lagos, James Sowole in Akure and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Following what it described as the concern expressed in some quarters about the neutrality of its staff engaged for the governorship election in Edo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured the electorate

in Edo State that their votes would count in the emergence of the winner of the September 19 election in the state.

The commission has also disclosed that the z-pad, a new innovation used in the recent by-elections in Nasarawa State as a secondary means of achieving full biometric accreditation of voters, Continued on page 8

‌ARISE NEWS Hosts Conversation with Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu Tomorrow As part of efforts to help Edo State electorate make an informed decision in next Saturday’s governorship election, ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, would tomorrow host a conversation with the two leading candidates, Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress

(APC).

The conversation, according to the news channel, would interrogate the candidates’ credentials and their proposed programmes and manifestoes, which they have paraded during their electioneering in the past few weeks.

The discussions, which would be televised live, would offer both candidates Continued on page 9

TIME TO GO FISHING...

L-R: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, during the brieďŹ ng of the president on the Argungu Fishing Festival in Abuja... yesterday godwin omoigui

Gunmen Kill Two FRSC Personnel, Abduct 10 Others in Nasarawa...Page 5

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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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

Gunmen Kill Two FRSC Personnel, Abduct 10 Others in Nasarawa

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Bennett Oghifo in Lagos

Barely a few days after 20 residents of the Federal Capital Territory were kidnapped, gunmen yesterday attacked two buses conveying

26 officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Nasarawa State, killing two while 10 others are missing even as eight escaped unhurt.

The officials, drawn from Kebbi and Sokoto State commands of FRSC, were

Appeal Court Declines to Join ANDP Faction in Diri’s Appeal

travelling to FRSC Academy, Udi in Enugu State for a training programme.

The attack came more than one week after two terror groups, Boko Haram and Darul Salam allegedly threatened to attack FCT, Nasarawa and Kogi states.

The threat had prompted the Nigerian Customs Service to issue a memo alerting its personnel and listing the targeted areas to be avoided by staff.

A statement by FRSC said the personnel were attacked

by bandits at Udege Junction, along Mararaban-UdegeAdoka in Nasarawa State yesterday morning at about 8.00 a.m.

FRSC’s Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal, Bisi Kazeem, said one of the officers in the vehicle conveying the staff of the commission died during the attack, while another officer died in the hospital even as four others were injured.

Kazeem said: “Eight escaped unhurt, 10

unaccounted for as they were allegedly kidnapped by the assailants.�

The 26 personnel were traveling from Sokoto and Kebbi State Commands of the Corps for a training programme at FRSC Academy, Udi, Enugu State.

The Corps Public Education Officer noted that the Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has immediately reported the incident to relevant authorities for prompt rescue of the kidnapped staff, while investigation to ensure that

the assailants are brought to book is ongoing.

Kazeem noted that the Corps Marshal has called on all staff not to be deterred by this unfortunate incident. “He assured that the corps will work closely with relevant security agencies to ensure that the criminal elements are brought to book and justice is served, while the missing personnel are found.�

Nasarawa State Police Command was yet to respond to queries on the incident at the time of filing this report.

Fixes September 23 to hear all pending motions Alex Enumah in Abuja The move by a faction of the Advanced Nigerian Democratic Party (ANDP) to join in Governor Douye Diri's appeal against the judgement of Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, yesterday suffered a setback as the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the party's request for being incompetent and lacking in merit.

Diri had last month approached the appellate court to set aside the majority judgement of the tribunal which nullified the November 16, 2019 Bayelsa governorship election that brought him to power.

The nullification was predicated on the petition of the candidate of ANDP in the election, Mr. Lucky King-George, against his exclusion from the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The majority decision had upheld his argument that he was unlawfully excluded from the poll and subsequently ordered INEC to conduct a fresh poll in the state within 90 days.

However, when the matter came up yesterday, a lawyer, Mr. Dominic Anyiador, announced appearance for a faction of the party led by its Chairman, Mr. James Femowei, and drew the court's attention to their application seeking to be joined as an interested party in the appeal filed by Diri.

The applicants, which include; ANDP's National Vice Chairman, South-east, Mr. Barnabas Nwanguma; National Publicity Secretary, Fortune Oyadonghan; National Director of NGO/Volunteers, Mr. Fred Ikhaghu; and Director of Admin/Records, Linda Nyam, claimed to be the authentic faction of ANDP. They told the appellate court that they were unaware of the petition filed by the party challenging Diri’s election at the tribunal.

The applicants disclosed that the party did not conduct any primary election or fielded candidates for the governorship election, hence, their adoption and endorsement of Diri and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as its preferred candidate in the election.

They also claimed that the

National Chairman of the party, Mr. Charles Ogboli, who filed the petition was expelled in 2018. “The 1st respondent (ANDP) as a political party endorsed and adopted his Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Erhujakpor, as its gubernatorial candidates in the said November 16, 2019 gubernatorial election conducted by the 3rd (INEC) respondent in Bayelsa State,� the application stated. “The judgement of the lower court nullifying the election of the governor of Bayelsa State came to the interested parties and other members of the 1st respondent as a rude shock, the reason being that they were/are not aware of any pending suit by the 1st respondent against the governor of Bayelsa State bothering on his election held on the November 16, 2019. “It was later learnt by the interested parties/other members of the 1st, respondent that it was the sacked and expelled national chairman of the 1st respondent, Charles Ogboli, that instituted the petition at tribunal against the governor of Bayelsa State purportedly on behalf of the 1st respondent and its members," their lawyer told the appellate court.

But in a quick objection, lawyer to the Ogboli-led ANDP, Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the application on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to take the motion not being an election matter but an inter-party affair.

He also said the applicants could not be joined to the suit at the appeal stage because they were not parties at the tribunal.

Also, Ogunwumiju said the applicants had failed to seek the leave of court before filing their application.

In a short ruling, a three-man panel of Justices led by Justice Stephen Adah dismissed the request for joinder.

Adah said the application is “irrelevant, prejudicial and waste of judicial time.�

The court also ordered the applicants to pay N200,000 to each of the appellants as well as the respondents in the suit.

The court then adjourned till September 23 for the hearing of all pending motions in the appeal.

THE GENERAL’S VISIT...

Chief of Army Sta, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (left), and Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Ibadan...yesterday

Afenifere, NEF, Ohanaeze, Berate Presidency over Meeting with Obasanjo Deji Elumoye in Abuja The five socio-cultural groups drawn from both the Southern and the Northern parts of the country that held a twoday meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abuja last week have berated the Presidency for its condemnation of the meeting.

The groups - Afenifere, Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), and Middle Belt Forum - yesterday described federal government’s reaction to the meeting as highly disappointing, adding, however, that it would continue to meet with people of like minds with the sole aim of bringing the nation out of the brink.

In a joint statement signed

by Mr. Yinka Odumakin for Afenifere; Dr Hakeem BabaAhmed (Northern Elders Forum); Chief Guy Ikokwu (Ohanaeze); Senator Bassey Henshaw (PANDEF), and Dr. Isuwa Digo for Middle Belt Forum, the groups said they had taken note of the presidency's reaction to the

meeting.

According to them, "To say that the presidency chose to react in the manner it did to a responsible and credible initiative by our groups and a former president, is, to put it politely, deeply disappointing and worrying.

"Our groups are not mouthpieces of President Obasanjo, and we will leave it to him to choose how he responds to the lamentable response of President Buhari to his initiative.�

The leaders noted that they have no regret whatsoever in holding the meeting with Obasanjo.

"For us, it is sufficient to say that we have no regrets or apologies to offer for making ourselves available to dialogue with each other, exchange ideas and re-commit ourselves to pulling our nation from the brink of precipice of No Return.

"The communiquĂŠ released at the end of our meeting, which we are confident is only the first of many, is a loud testimony to our levels of responsibility and maturity.

We have received countless

commendations from many responsible Nigerians for supporting and participating in this initiative to make our country a democratic and united entity,� the groups explained.

"We are even more worried at this stage that a responsible and constructive effort to douse tensions, build bridges and restore hope in the potentials for the survival of our country as democratic and united entity will attract the type of childish vitriol from the Presidency, including labelling us as terrorists.

"Clearly, our current leaders are living in very deep denial if they do not recognise that our current situation represents an existential danger to the nation.

We noted the commendable support of other leaders for the initiative, and the statesmanship of chairmen of Nigeria, APC and PDP governors‘ fora who attended the second day of the meeting and expressed genuine support for it. “In contrast, we are alarmed at the insensitivity of the Presidency, which will

rather demolish patriotic and responsible action than take steps to address gaping holes in the manner it handles our national destiny, our security and our economy.

"Our fora are encouraged to pursue the time-tested strategy of engagement, dialogue and steadfast commitment to the future of our country as secure, united and just. We will continue to exercise our rights to meet and seek for solutions, and discharge our obligations to younger generations of Nigerians who deserve to live in a nation without its current frightening limitations.

"We believe that the Presidency, our legislators and all well-meaning Nigerians should be part of our initiative. If the Presidency chooses to stay out, Nigerians have the right to ask what it is doing to address our deeply-embedded problems itself. President Muhammadu Buhari should know that Nigerians can distinguish between Nigerians who care enough to do something, and those with responsibility who choose to do nothing."

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CBN Releases Framework for Implementation of $2bn Solar Projects Explains deployment of unconventional monetary policies Obinna Chima in Lagos and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday made public the framework for the implementation of the solar connection facility, which it said would create about $2 billion yearly market opportunity.

The apex bank also yesterday reiterated that its aggressive deployment of unconventional policies since the outbreak of the COVID-19 was to help manage the supply shock in the system as well as calm inflationary pressure.

The apex bank noted that with less than five per cent penetration currently, of total market potential, the solar programme would see the rollout of five million new solar-based connections in Nigerian communities.

In April this year, the bank said it was setting aside an initial intervention fund of N500 billion over the medium term for manufacturers to procure equipment that would fast-track local production, especially environmentally-friendly energy production.

On the framework released yesterday on its website, the bank said the initiative under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), would further generate about N7 billion in terms of taxes and $10 million in annual import substitution.

Part of the guidelines, the bank said, would be the total prohibition of the use of the facility to finance the importation of fully assembled solar components and Balance of System (BoS).

It added that the eligible obligors should demonstrate verifiable evidences of technical capacity, must show financial capacity and provide evidence of an irrevocable off-take agreement with one or more Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) prequalified companies.

On local content, the apex bank stressed that eligible component manufacturers must be Nigerian-owned entities or consortiums, involving a minimum of 70 per cent local ownership.

In line with the programme’s job creation objectives, it said eligible manufacturers must demonstrate a commitment to employing local talent with a detailed vocational and technical training plan. “The pathways to energy access, financial inclusion and poverty reduction are closely linked and requires a rapid scale of pay-as-you-go (PAYG) off-grid technologies that will create a $2 billion (N7.5 trillion) annual market opportunity as penetration today is less than five per cent of total market potential. “To support the economic recovery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has launched an initiative as part of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) to achieve the rollout of five million new solar-based connections in communities that are not grid-connected.

“This programme is expected to generate an additional N7 billion increase in tax revenues per annum and $10 million in annual import substitution. “The solar connection scheme is a federal government initiative whose objectives are to expand energy access to 25 million individuals (five million new connections) through the provision of solar home systems (SHS) or connection to a mini-grid,� CBN explained.

According to the bank, it would also increase local content in the off-grid solar value chain and facilitate the growth of the local manufacturing industry; and incentivising the creation of 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector.

The intervention facility, it said, was to complement the federal government’s effort of providing affordable electricity to rural dwellers through the provision of long term low-interest credit facilities to Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) pre-qualified home solar value chain players.

For Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) and terms of loans, CBN stressed that financial institutions licensed by it to provide banking services in Nigeria will be eligible. “Funding shall not exceed 70 per cent of the total cost of the project. The facilities granted shall have a maximum tenor of up to 10 years as determined by the project’s cash flow profile but not exceeding 31st December 2030. “The moratorium on principal shall depend on the type and nature of the project but shall not exceed 2 years or the construction/ completion period, whichever is shorter� the guidelines said. “For downstream participants which is any company or body corporate involved in the distribution and aftersales support of solar home systems, it prohibited the sale or deployment of fully 100 per cent imported solar home systems components with no proof of existing local content or credible plan for near-term integration of local content.

It also barred the deployment of mini grid projects with 100 per cent imported components solar PV and balance of system with no proof of existing local content or credible plan for near-term integration of local content “Sanctions arising from infractions or diversion of funds by the PFIs shall attract a penalty at the bank’s maximum lending rate at the time of infraction. “Non-rendition of returns or the rendition of false returns shall attract the penalty stipulated by BOFIA Section 60. In the event of default in loan repayment (principal and interest), the PFIs shall have the right to charge commercial interest rate on the amount of default “Unauthorised withdrawals from revenue collection account – the DMB to refund the money within 48 hours of discovery while banks that flout the terms

and conditions of the facility are to be sanctioned in line with provisions of the BOFIA Section 60,� CBN added.

CBN Explains Deployment of Unconventional Monetary Policy Meanwhile, the apex bank yesterday reiterated that its aggressive deployment of unconventional policies since the outbreak of the COVID-19 was to help manage the supply shock in the system as well as calm inflationary pressure.

CBN Director of Monetary Policy Department, Dr. Hassan Mahmud, said this during an interview monitored on AriseXchange, a programme on ARISE NEWS Channel last night.

According to him, the apex bank’s interventions in the

agriculture, manufacturing, and other sectors played a major role in moderating the level of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contraction the country recorded in the second quarter of 2020. “Even though the GDP contracted by 6.1 per cent, the projections were actually worse than that. So, we are bringing in some of those unconventional monetary policy tools, given the fact that the fiscal and monetary policy space is thinning out. “So, we need to do the interventions to manage the supply side because of the inflation number that we are seeing and also get demand to pick up.

So, we should be seeing the benefits of all the interventions in agriculture, manufacturing, power, coming on stream. Don’t forget that these are structural issues and are challenges that

have been there,� he explained.

According to him, the impact of the central bank’s intervention would be felt in the long-term. “These interventions crystalises over time and one of such is what we are seeing now that has cushioned the shock that we are seeing,� he said.

The CBN director said the bank would continue to monitor events in the economy, adding that the policy initiatives would be evolving as economic activities turn out.

Mahmud, however, stressed that some of the bank’s policy initiatives must be sustained over a reasonable period of time to see positive result in the medium to long-term. “It is also a demerit to have frequent changes to policy initiatives. The assessment period is also important, to be able to know how impactful

your policy initiatives are, so that you don’t overheat the system or you don’t distort the outlook of the expectations of your initiatives. “For CBN, issues relating to the managing forex demand are more or less like the low hanging fruits. The other side of managing the supply is something that is somehow beyond the buffers of CBN and we need to coordinate with other internal and external stakeholders to be able to address that. “But for the low hanging fruits, we need to be a bit more proactive and also wellfocused. That is why you see the governor emphasising some of the arbitrages in the system.

These are behavioural activities that distort the expected market behavior. And when you find those kinds of things, you can nip such in the bud immediately,� he added.

RAIL MISHAP...

L-R: Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Ms. Abimbola Akinajo; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, during a visit to a rail accident scene at Oshodi, Lagos‌yesterday

FG Awaits NPAN’s Recommendations for COVID-19 Relief Interventions Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

The federal government yesterday said it was still awaiting recommendations of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN) for the government's interventions in the print media industry.

Speaking with reporters in the State House, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said he had virtually met with newspapers' proprietors and asked them to come up with suggestions on how the federal government could assist them in cushioning the effects of COVID-19 on the industry.

Mohammed, who recalled interventions already made by the government in the electronic media sub-sector, said the government was equally willing to assist the

print media in alleviating their plights in the face of COVID-19 pandemic.

"Government has done a lot for the media, especially the broadcast industry, during this pandemic. The first thing we did was to give a waiver of two months' payment of licence fees to all broadcast houses, between May and July, after which we gave an amnesty as 60 per cent discount or debt forgiveness, for all broadcast houses, except the Pay TVs, and also slashed by 30 per cent the licensing fees because of the COVID-19.

"I also met with the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria. We met virtually and I'm still waiting for them to come and make their submissions.

"Definitely, the government is willing to look into the hardships and the challenges

the media is facing and within our means to see how best we can intervene. I'm still waiting for NPAN to come back to us to see what we can do to ameliorate the situation," he said.

The minister also spoke on the government's commitment to develop the creative industry, which he said comprised tourism, hospitality, music, film and broadcast productions, saying the industry possesses huge potentials for job creation.

According to him, the president had seen the dossier for the development of the industry and he's very excited about its huge potentials.

"This government is putting a lot of emphases and promoting the creative industry, which is tourism, which is hospitality industry, which is the music industry,

which is the film industry, which is publishing, which is broadcasting.

"We'll continue to support this industry and have Mr. President's support. He was quite excited about the portrait because he's able to see what kind of jobs can be created through these cultural festivals," he said.

On why he was in the State House to meet President Muhammadu Buhari, Mohammed said: "I came today to make a presentation of a portrait of the Argungu Festival to Mr. President.

"You'll recall that sometimes in February this year, after almost ten years of hiatus, the Argungu Festival made a comeback.

"The Argungu Festival is one of the two UNESCO recognised festivals and it's on the UNESCO list of heritage."

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PAGE EIGHT WILL OF THE PEOPLE SHALL PREVAIL IN EDO, INEC ASSURES CRITICS using a facial image, would no longer be used for Edo State governorship election.

This was coming as the candidates and political parties involved in the governorship election would today sign a peace accord that would be superintended by a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), and the Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese of the Catholic Church, Bishop Mathew Kukah.

Ondo State Police Command has also stated that the recent fire incident at Ondo State head office of INEC was caused by faulty electrical connections.

In an address, he delivered yesterday at Edo Governorship Election Stakeholders’ meeting in Benin, Edo State capital, INEC Chairman, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu, stated: “Our ultimate objective is to ensure that the choice of who becomes the next governor of Edo State is entirely in the hands of the voters. “I wish to reassure you that votes will count and only the choice made by the people of Edo State will determine the outcome of the election. “The commission shall not take any action to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate. Our focus is on our processes and procedures.

Nothing more.�

He stated further: “The commission is also aware of the concern expressed in some quarters about the neutrality of our staff, in particular the ad hoc staff engaged for election duty.

We have heard allegations that some ad hoc staff were recruited in such a manner as

to compromise the election. “In response, the commission deployed two national commissioners who reviewed the process for strict compliance with the guidelines for such recruitment. I want to assure you that all categories of ad hoc staff have been vetted. “The integrity of the process will not be compromised and there will be no partisan infiltration. “As the eligible voters in Edo State go to the polls on Saturday, I wish to renew my appeal to all political parties, candidates and their supporters for peaceful conduct. Your votes will count.

Polling unit level results will be uploaded for public view.

However, this will not happen where the process is disrupted by violence or malpractices. “The commission is determined that no one will benefit from impunity or rewarded for bad behaviour such as vote-buying, ballot box snatching and stuffing, multiple voting, hijacking and diversion of election materials, disruption of collation, falsification of results, attack on INEC officials or compelling them to declare unofficial results. “The people of Edo State must be allowed to freely vote for their preferred candidate without inducement or harassment. We have been assured by the security agencies that thugs and their sponsors will not have the freedom to move around freely to disrupt the election or collation of results.�

Yakubu said z-pad, a new innovation introduced by the commission to serve as a secondary means of achieving

full biometric accreditation of voters, using facial image, would no longer be used for Edo State governorship election.

He said the technology, which was deployed in Nasarawa State by-election to test-run its functionality, had both hardware and software issues.

Yakubu, while announcing the decision to drop the z-pad, noted: “The atmosphere in Edo State ahead of the election this weekend is already charged,� adding: “We cannot afford to complicate it further by introducing a new technology we are not yet fully satisfied with.�

According to him, “Perhaps the most critical of the recent innovations introduced by the commission is the use of a tablet now popularly called the z-pad. It is a new innovation introduced to serve as a secondary means of achieving full biometric accreditation using the facial image of the voter in support of the fingerprint authentication by the Smart Card Reader. “Secondly, the camera on the tablet will be used to take a picture of the polling unit result (EC8A) and to upload the same on a dedicated portal (INEC RESULT VIEWING – IReV). This will enable all those interested in viewing the results to do so in real-time.

"The commission deployed the z-pad in Nasarawa Central State Constituency by-election in Nasarawa State on 8th August 2020.

It was a test-run intended to assess the functionality of the technology before its deployment in major elections.

While the capture and upload

of polling unit level results went on smoothly, the facial authentication did not. “Without going into the technical details, let me say that the commission encountered hardware and software issues that needed to be fixed.�

He explained that INEC’s ICT Department worked on the new device and made a presentation to the commission, which decided that the system needs to be robust enough before it can be deployed in a major election.

He said: “Unlike the 44 polling units of Nasarawa Central State Constituency, Edo governorship election involves 2,627 polling units.

The commission decided that since this technology is work in progress, we should carry out a further test-run in some of the smaller constituencies during the by-elections scheduled for 31st October, 2020 and, thereafter, engage with stakeholders before it can be deployed in major elections.�

However, the uploading of polling unit level results in the election on Saturday would proceed as planned, Yakubu stated.

Also speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, said a total of 31,000 police personnel would be deployed to monitor the election.

He said: "As part of our election security plans, all the three senatorial districts, 18 local government areas and 192 wards and 2,627 polling units across the state have been appropriately mapped out, and adequate deployments will

be made to ensure security.

"This massive deployment is not only to deter misguided political actors that might be bent on threatening the election through acts of thuggery or other conducts that violate the provisions of the Election Act, but to also serve as a strong warning that the government is determined to bring such characters to justice should they advance their ignoble, undemocratic and unpatriotic intents."

Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, who was represented by Iyasele of Benin Kingdom, called for free and fair election.

He charged INEC chairman and IG to ensure that the election is one of the best in the country.

"It is a test for everybody.

And to the two major political parties, we want peace. We are watching," Oba Ewuare added.

Also, speaking live from Benin City on ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspaper, INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, expressed confidence on the commission’s readiness to handle Edo State election and every other challenge that may come with it.

He appealed to Edo State people and indeed all Nigerians of the need to repose confidence in the democratic process despite negative prevailing circumstances. “As a commission we are ready. Out of the 14 items on our schedule of activities, we have already implemented 12 of them. The only two items remaining revolves around the end of campaigns and

the election itself,� he noted.

Okoye explained that to ensure a free and fair election in Edo State, the commission has already dispatched all sensitive materials to the various local governments in the state.

He revealed further that the commissioner has also deployed additional resources in terms of resident electoral commissioners to assist in the conducts of the forthcoming election, adding: “We also have three additional National Commissioners that are going to coordinate the three senatorial zones. So, on the part of the commission; we are ready for this election.�

INEC Fire Outbreak Caused by Electrical Fault, Say Police Meanwhile, as outrage continue to trail the fire incident at Ondo State head office of INEC, the state Police Command yesterday said the fire outbreak was caused by faulty electrical connections.

Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bolaji Salami, disclosed the cause of the incident at a news conference held yesterday in Akure, the state capital.

Salami said talks of saboteurs causing the fire were untrue.

Over 5,000 card readers to be used for the October 10 governorship election were razed in the inferno.

The card readers were kept in two containers inside the premises of INEC. Some political parties had called for thorough investigation Continued on page 9

FG: DANGOTE REFINERY WILL SAVE NIGERIANS PETROL SHIPPING COST significantly reduce the price of petrol because it's located at the Export Processing Zone in Lagos and so would be selling at the international market price.

She said the only thing Nigeria would not need to spend money on is freight as Nigeria would be saving money meant for shipping refined products into the country.

Ahmed said: “What we are doing is enabling the petroleum sector to actually grow. There have been a number of refineries that have been licensed for several years.

None of them was willing to start refining under the regime that we had where fuel was controlled. “The Dangote refinery is sitting within an Export Processing Zone. So, they are insulated from that. When we buy fuel from Dangote, we will be buying fuel at the international market price. The only savings that we will be making is the savings of freight which is shipping. “But, we will still have landing cost; labour cost and the marketers will still have to put a margin. These refineries being those that are supposed to have come to operate can now come in because they are assured that when they produce, they can sell at market rate and recover their investments and make some reasonable profits.�

The minister restated that the deregulation of the sector, which led to the increase in petrol price, was good for the economy as it would encourage investments in refineries.

According to her, “It will mean more refineries will open, they will employ people and fuel will be available in different

parts of the country and not just relying on the government refineries. “Those refineries are old and even if we turn them around, we will not be able to operate them at optimal capacity. So, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is trying to rehabilitate them, we also need to encourage the private sector refineries to come on stream and even state governments that have the capacity.�

Also speaking on the programme, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, disclosed that the federal government would from October begin converting the cars and generators of Nigerians to run on gas.

Sylva said this would be done free of charge for all Nigerians to cushion the effect of the hike in the pump price of petrol.

He disclosed that cars are capable of running on both gas and petrol.

The minister said the move would reduce carbon emissions as well as the demand for petrol. “The alternative we are now introducing is gas, which is definitely going to be cheaper than the subsidised rate of PMS (petrol). So, what we are trying to encourage Nigerians to do now is to convert their cars to dual fuel. “That means your car can use either gas or petrol and that will be done for free because the government is going to ensure that you are able to convert your vehicles for free. “And when you convert your car for free, you go to the filling station, you see the price of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) you see the price of gas, you can

decide to buy LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) or CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), you can decide to buy LNG (Liquefied Natural gas). These are all going to be available and we are going to have a roll-out plan for this within October. “Nigerians will have alternatives. It is like introducing a toll on the roads. When you introduce a tollgate, you are expected and required by law to also create an alternative.

So, we are also creating that alternative so that you can go to buy gas,� he said.

Sylva added that the federal government launched a similar pilot scheme with commercial tricycles in Port Harcourt which they converted to gas, pointing out that it was successful.

He said the initiative would be extended to small capacity generators that are known as ‘I better pass my neighbour.’ Sylva stated that filling stations owned by NNPC would be the first to begin selling gas to vehicles.

He argued that the use of gas is cleaner and climatefriendly, adding that once this is achieved, Nigeria would receive funding from foreign donors. “We are going to convert ‘I better pass my neighbour.’ So, you will have a situation where, in your house, your gas cylinder will be connected to your generator and cooker. So, you don’t need any other fuel apart from gas to run your generators. “It will become cheaper and cleaner. Of course, our carbon emissions will actually reduce and we are expecting to gain some money from climate change (sic) for reducing our carbon emission. This is going to be a policy direction that will

create a lot of opportunities,� he added.

He said all NNPC filling stations and also some private sector marketers had signed on to the initiative, noting that the scheme would start in one part of the country and then spread to others.

Sylva, however, insisted: “Your car should be in a fairly good condition. That is the only condition to be met, because if your car is not in a very good condition, I don’t know how it is going to convert. We are already in discussion with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and they are already very happy.�

In another development, OPEC has said full international oil prices recovery may not return to 2019 price levels until about 2022.

The Secretary-General of the organisation, Dr. Sanusi Barkindo, in a statement issued yesterday on the occasion of OPEC’s 60th anniversary, explained that although prices have continued to recover, they were still on an unsure footing, going by the current fragile nature of the market.

He added that the oil cartel executed one of the deepest and longest voluntary production cuts in the history of the oil industry in the interest of all, to avoid a total collapse. “Today, we are seeing some green shoots of recovery in the oil market on the back of voluntary production adjustments, the reopening of economies and increased travel. “However, with the global economy still on an unsure footing and with the oil market not expected to see demand

return to 2019 levels before 2022, the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) will remain to take any necessary actions to help ensure a balanced and stable oil market,� Barkindo said.

The secretary-general recalled that back in March and April, the world faced its largest oil demand shock in living memory, noting that in April, demand was 23 million barrels a day below that of 2019, while WTI May futures price contract went negative on April 20. “The global economy seemed to be teetering on the edge of the abyss. All producers were affected by this unprecedented fall in demand.

"To counter this, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) acted decisively and swiftly to execute the largest and longest voluntary production adjustments in the history of the oil industry. “The move – which was supported extensively, including the White House – helped cushion the impact of the fall in demand and brought in some semblance of stability to the market,� he recounted.

According to him, the decision benefitted all producers, including the major international oil companies and those independent operators and called for further cooperation from all stakeholders. “Six decades of existence alone is a monumental achievement for a developing organisation and especially for one representing oil – a volatile commodity. Since the early 1970s, we have witnessed seven major market cycles, including

the latest in 2020, each of which has threatened the stability of the oil market and global economic development,� added.

He called on all stakeholders to work together to find lasting solutions and take appropriate action to help sustain balance and stability in the oil market, meet future energy demand and deal with the challenge of climate change.

The 13-member organisation was formed in Baghdad on September 14, 1960 by Juan Pablo PÊrez Alfonzo of Venezuela; Abdullah al-Tariki of Saudi Arabia; Dr Tala’at al-Shaibani of Iraq; Dr Fuad Rouhani of Iran; and Ahmed Sayed Omar of Kuwait.

TOP GAINERS NEIMETH ROYALEXCHANGE CHI PLC CAP PLC REGENCY TOP LOSERS INTERBREW UPDC FCMB

NGN NGN 0.17 1.95 0.02 0.30 0.02 0.31 1.05 16.80 0.01 0.24 NGN 0.30 3.20 0.08 0.87 0.17 2.03 FIDSON 0.20 3.50 JAPAUL 0.01 0.20 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â‚Ś1,175.00 Volume: 257.027 million shares Value: N3.320 billion Deals: 3,567 As at yesterday 14/9/2020 See details on Page 33

% 9.5 7.1 6.9 6.6 4.3 % 8.5 8.4 7.7 5.4 4.7

TUESDAY, ÍšÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

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NEWS

TUC Issues Seven-day Strike Notice over Petrol Price, Electricity Tariffs Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Trade Union Congress (TUC) has given the federal government a seven-day deadline to immediately reverse the hike in electricity tariffs, petrol price and all other social services in the country to status quo ante or it would commence an indefinite industrial action and national protest from Wednesday, September 23, 2020.

The union said it had just concluded a meeting of its organs where it resolved to issue the strike ultimatum.

In a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and dated September 14, TUC said its members and indeed

Nigerians could not bear the burden any longer.

The letter jointly signed

by TUC President, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, and SecretaryGeneral, Mr. Musa Ozigi, said it has observed the gradual and steady annihilation of Nigeria and Nigerians in the light of government actions for the umpteenth time.

It said there has been a loss of jobs across the industries, high cost of living and, businesses not moving in the light of the effects of COVID-19.

It regretted that the federal government’s palliatives never got to those that needed them.

It said the federal government should reverse

the hike in prices as it affects electricity, petrol and all other social services in the country to status quo ante (prior to increase) within seven days, and provide adequate and quality healthcare and education for all to save the poor and the vulnerable at all levels.

"These demands are made in good faith, and to save the dying masses and the vulnerable in our society. In the event of not showing empathy for this class of people by adhering to the above demands, we shall, together with our civil societies and allies, sympathetic to the suffering masses of our people commence an indefinite

industrial action and national protest from Wednesday, September 23, 2020."

The letter reads: "We bring you warm greetings from the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), and write this letter to draw your Excellency’s attention once again to earlier communication on the following salient issues: "We have observed the gradual and steady annihilation of Nigeria and Nigerians in the light of government actions for the umpteenth time. Some of the issues that have become worrisome to the working class, their families and the masses include:

"Sudden Increase in petroleum Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) pump price without any definitive and concrete efforts to make our refineries functional, which has a devastating multiplier effect on the working people and their families.

"Increase in electricity tariffs without proper consultation and consideration of the effect of COVID-19, commensurate electricity supply, non-provision of prepaid meters and other biting economic realities; non-implementation of the negotiated National Minimum Wage by most of the state governments, and the federal government’s inability to create

and sustain the salary date and calendar to ensure transparency.

"Corruption in government agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health over failure to explain and lack of transparency on how funds received in the fight against COVID-19 was spent among others.

"Loss of jobs across the industries, high cost of living and, businesses not moving in the light of the effects of COVID-19.

"Palliative that never got to those that needed them,� TUC explained.

Bill Gates Warns against Resurgence of Polio in Nigeria Martins IďŹ jeh The co-Founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Bill Gates, has said Nigeria must do all within its powers to ensure there's no resurgence of the wild polio virus in the country.

He said the country should also invest more in primary healthcare; especially in Northern Nigeria where 10 to 15 per cent of children die from preventable diseases before their fifth birthday.

Speaking exclusively with THISDAY in a telephone interview over the weekend, he said although the Nigerian government has considered the option of e-learning for children due to their inability to get

classroom education because of the COVID-19 pandemic, only very few children have access to the internet, hence the need for the country to expand internet service in order not to hamper education for the young lads.

He said: “It is a huge achievement that Nigeria has gotten rid of the wild polio virus.

It required amazing work. In all the states, health workers went out to deliver vaccines. Aliko Dangote was a huge help to our Foundation also and was very generous in making that happen, just like he is doing with the Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID). "We are not done yet. We have a form of the virus called vaccine-derived polio that is in Nigeria and other

African countries. We have to do campaigns against that, and we have to make sure that the wild polio virus still existing in two other countries - Pakistan and Afghanistan – does not find its way back into Nigeria. Nigeria needs to make sure it has enough immunisations to ward off the resurgence of the virus. “So, we will, for some years to come, have to keep doing these campaigns; targeting both the vaccine-derived and this wild polio type 1 that is still in those two countries.

State governors really need to think about primary healthcare and polio activities. These are key parts of priorities,� he said.

He said despite the devastation caused by the

COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria must put health services back in shape, especially in Northern Nigeria, where 10 to 15 per cent of children of under-five years lose their lives due to poor healthcare and other factors.

Gates said: “So, even if there is a challenge over the next two years due to the pandemic, countries like Nigeria must put health services back in shape particularly in the North where over 10 per cent or in some cases 15 per cent of children die before they clock five years.

"This really shouldn’t be the case if investment in primary healthcare is modest enough.

This should not be like funding for hospitals where the funding is small and the impact is very

high. If we renew commitment to primary healthcare the right way, we will be able to see dramatic improvements, particularly in Nigeria, even if we fall short of the specific SDG goal.�

He also called on the Nigerian government and stakeholders to expand internet access so that children can continue their education through e-learning platforms being adopted by nations due to protocols against COVID-19.

Gates said: “The educational interruption is tragic all over the world, and it will be very hard to catch up on that. For children up to 10 to 12 years, e-learning may not work so well, so classroom learning is

still desirable. Even for the kids who are older than that, without the internet with high-quality connections on a large screen, they are still disadvantaged. The phone screen doesn’t work for a lot of e-learning. “So, in Nigeria, the availability of internet connections for the number of kids who have that type of compatible device is small. Even if we get the content right, which we need to do; and even if we train teachers, which we need to do, the portion of the students that can be reached with e-learning is still pretty small in Nigeria. We need to expand the internet scope for e-learning so that these children won’t be disadvantaged," he added.

No Room for Indolent Judges, CJN Warns New Appointees Alex Enumah in Abuja Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, yesterday administered oath on 11 newly appointed judges for the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), warning them against any form of indolence.

Muhammad urged judges to always be guided by the laws of the land and remain faithful to their oath of office.

CJN told the new judges to be on top of their game, warning that the judiciary, under his watch, would not condone any form of indolence among judges.

Muhammad noted that as ministers in the temple of justice, judges should always be guided by the laws of the

land and remain faithful to their oath of office.

He advised them to detach themselves from judges that have the penchant for sitting whenever it suits their desire. “You must detach yourselves from those judges that have the penchant for sitting whenever it suits their desire. “Know it today that your subsequent elevation to the appellate courts will be roundly dependent on, not just the number of judgements you give within a certain time frame, but also the quality and impact of such judgements on our jurisprudence. “The position you now occupy is seen as the hallmark of integrity and moral rectitude.

Your passion for those conducts that may easily fail integrity test must begin to diminish, as all eyes now ply through your demeanor and disposition at a supersonic rate. “You can always live above board and within your limited resources if you chose to. The choice is at your disposal. The judiciary, as we all know, is not a bed of roses neither is it a stream that flows with milk and honey. “It is purely for those whose lifestyle recline the bounds of contentment. That is the sole reason why we are the oracles of God on earth. “Like we always say, many are called, but few are chosen.

Your success is not as a result

of extraordinary brilliance or industry, but sheer providence, because there are several others out there who can equally accomplish tremendous success if given the opportunity. You must prove your mettle and leave an imprint in the sands of time. “Your appointment to the High Court bench is a call to service.

Never allow your personal ambition, which might not be in tandem with what is required of you, to override your sense of judgement. “The Nigerian judiciary is more than ever prepared to weed out the bad eggs in our midst. The onus rests squarely on you to always hoist the banner of honesty and integrity. “Your ascension to this status

is not a weapon or licence to intimidate or witch-hunt any existing or imaginary enemies; if at all there is any,� he said.

The swearing-in, which took place at the Supreme Court, was done despite protest by a group in the South-east geopolitical zone against the exclusion of the zone.

The group, the Registered Trustees of Social Justice and Civil Rights Awareness Initiative, had dragged the federal government before a Federal High Court in Abuja, over the appointment of judges for the High Court of the FCT. The group in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/ 830/2020, had prayed the court to compel President Muhammadu Buhari

to include at least one person from the South-east in the list of newly appointed judges of the FCT High Court.

Besides the president, other defendants include: the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Judicial Service Committee of the Federal Capital Territory, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Senate and the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Alozie Nmerengwa, further sought the discontinuation of the process of appointing new judges to the FCT High Court until the defendants comply strictly with the Federal Character principles as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

realise its expressed commitment to end corruption and strengthen democracy, accountability, and respect for human rights,� the statement read.

The US said it remained a steadfast supporter of Nigerian democracy and commended all those Nigerians who participated in elections throughout 2019 and have worked to strengthen democratic institutions and processes.

It condemned the acts of violence, intimidation,

or corruption that harmed Nigerians and undermined the democratic process. “As Edo and Ondo state off-cycle elections near, we urge all stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, the political parties, and the security services, to uphold the tenets of democracy and facilitate genuinely free and fair elections, conducted in an appropriately transparent and non-violent manner,� the US said in the statement.

WILL OF THE PEOPLE SHALL PREVAIL IN EDO, INEC ASSURES CRITICS into the incident for the purposes of arresting the perpetrators.

He said: "Investigation into the incident is out. The fire was caused by faulty electrical connection and all the smart card readers were burnt. The smart cards were kept in two containers in the premises of INEC and the air conditioners were kept on for 24 hours.

"This will put to rest speculations that the fire was caused by saboteurs. If there are other findings we will let you know. For now, the major cause is faulty electrical connections.

"This report is final from the fire service. They have the authority to investigate fire incidents in Akure,� the commissioner explained.

On the reported destruction of campaign posters and banners

by political opponents, Salami said his men were on the alert to arrest perpetrators.

"We are working hard to curtail political violence. We are meeting with political leaders to tell their followers to desist from attacking each other. We are investigating all aspects around the killing in Idanre," he said.

US Imposes Visa Ban on Bayelsa, Kogi Election Riggers In a related development, ahead of the September 19 and October 10 governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the United States has imposed a visa ban

on unnamed individuals, who it said undermined conducts of the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa governorship polls.

It said the move was in the run-up to the September and October 2020 Edo and Ondo governorship polls.

Spokesperson for the Department of State, Mr. Morgan Ortagus, disclosed this yesterday in a statement. “In July 2019, we announced the imposition of visa restrictions on Nigerians who undermined the February and March 2019 elections. “Today, the Secretary of State is imposing additional visa restrictions on individuals for their actions surrounding the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa state elections and in the run-up to the September and

October 2020 Edo and Ondo state elections. “These individuals have so far operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and have undermined democratic principles,� the statement reads in part.

The US Government did not reveal the identities of those who have been banned.

It, however, said the ban was in furtherance of its commitment to strengthening democracy in Nigeria. “The Department of State emphasises that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people. “This decision reflects the Department of State’s commitment to working with the Nigerian government to

‌ARISE NEWS HOSTS CONVERSATION WITH OBASEKI, IZE-IYAMU TOMORROW an opportunity to illuminate grey areas of their policy propositions as they round off their campaigns.

While Obaseki would

be expected to expatiate his Make Edo Great Again (MEGA) agenda, Ize-Iyamu would be probed on his SIMPLE agenda.

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NEWS

FG Urges States to Adhere to Protocols for Reopening of Schools Says ban on Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, others not political All airports now open for domestic flights, says FG Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government has reminded all states of the federation to be vigilant in adhering to the safety protocols developed by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID 19 ahead of the reopening of schools this week across the country.

The Chairman PTF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, made the appeal yesterday when the task force briefed the media in Abuja.

He said the fear of a likely surge in the pandemic should always put everyone on the

toes, while warning that the stringent measures on schools’ reopening announced by a number of countries, including Israel, should serve as warning signs for Nigeria and Africa.

He also expressed delight that the latest numbers on COVID-19 coming out of Africa has revealed a flattening of the curve in the African region, which has seen a weekly decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases reported since the July 20, while number of deaths is also on a downward trend.

While he noted that the country

has progressively witnessed a decline in confirmed cases of the pandemic with a record low number of 79 cases on Sunday which, suggested that virus is under control, the SGF however said it is incumbent to improve the commitment to eliminate the virus completely by abiding with the safety protocols.

He charged the public not

to lose sight that the cautious approach adopted by the PTF has tremendously helped in the containment efforts, adding complacency we should be avoided at all cost.

The federal government has vowed to descend heavily on travellers that fail to conduct the mandatory COVID-19 PCR test.

It also explained its decision to

ban some international airlines from coming into the country is not politically motivated.

While Nigerians will get six- month passport suspension, foreigners face outright visa cancellation, it said.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, disclosed this during the briefing.

Meanwhile, the federal government has explained its decision to ban some international airlines from coming into the country is not politically motivated.

According to the government, its decision is health-related and based on its capacity to handle a certain number of passengers to curb the import of coronavirus into the country.

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Rise By 132 to 56,388 Martins Ifijeh Nigeria has recorded 132 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 56,388 the number of confirmed cases in the country.

Announcing this yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Lagos recorded 52 new

cases; Gombe, 27; Plateau, 17; Kwara, 10; Enugu and Ogun, nine each; Katsina, three; Ekiti, two; while Bauchi, Rivers and Osun recorded one each.

It said: “Nigeria has so far recorded 56,388 cases of COVID-19. 44,337 patients have been discharged, while 1,083 persons have died.”

EFCC Arrests Two Lecturers, 28 Others in Kwara for Alleged Internet Fraud Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin zonal office, have arrested two lecturers of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa, Abdulahi Opashola and Adebisi Ademola, and 28 others over their alleged involvement in offences bordering on internet fraud.

The 28 other suspects arrested are: Kingsley Essien, Tobiloba Adenuga, Tope Ayodele, Rasheed Mujib, Oladipo Opeyemi, Saadu Muktar, Oladejo Hammed; Hammed Tope, Ameachi Umenyi, Salauden Adam and Afolabi Gafar.

Others are Oladimeji Timi, Remilekun Adeolu, Audu John, David Momodu, Abdulkareem Samad, Adebiyi Sodiq, Dawodu Olusoji, Yusuf Amoo, Kehinde Olarenwaju, Philip Mike, Ademola Adebukola, Adeniyi Olamilekan,

Adeyemi Adedeji, Ajayi Teslem, Olawale Oladayo, Olasunkanmi Olawale and Adeleke Damilola.

They were arrested at different locations in the state following intelligence gathered by operatives of the commission over their alleged involvement in cyber fraud.

Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to arrest a herbalist who was also linked with the alleged offence.

Some of the items recovered from them included cars, phones, laptops among others.

Confirming the arrest yesterday in Ilorin, the Head of Media and Publicity of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the investigation is still ongoing in the alleged involvement of the affected suspects in fraud.

He, however, said the suspects would soon be arraigned in court after the completion of investigation on them.

Again, DSS Grills Mailafia for Three Hours Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, was again grilled yesterday for three hours by officers of the Department of State Security (DSS) over his comments on the insecurity in Southern Kaduna and the North in general.

This is even as his legal team warned that the persistent invitation of Mailafia is already causing emotional and psychological trauma on their client.

Mailafia, who arrived at the premises of the DSS yesterday in

company of his wife and loyalists, was ushered into the DSS office where he was subjected to three hours of intense grilling.

Speaking with journalists, his lawyer, Yakubu Bawa, said Mailafia was being invited for the third time recently, noting however that there was no form of harassment and intimidation in the course of their interface with the security agency.

Bawa said: “You may not have physical intimidation or harassment, but there may be emotional and psychological trauma. We are calling on the DSS that we hope and believe that this is going to be the last time Mailafia would be invited.

ARRIVAL OF PEACEMAKERS...

L-R: Edo State Deputy Governor and deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Philip Shaibu; Chairman, National Peace Committee and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd); Edo State Governor and governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, at Government House, Benin City...yesterday.

Health Workers’ Strike will Endanger Lives of Patients, Ehanire Warns Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has warned that the ongoing seven-day warning strike by health workers under the aegis of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), could jeopardise the lives of patients at the various medical facilities across the country.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja during the media briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Ehanire appealed to the JOHESU to call off their strike, to avoid the risks to lives of citizens, especially

as the country us battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The minister, said while it was gratifying that the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called off their strike, it was rather unhelpful that JOJESU has begun theirs, as their grievances can be resolved through negotiations.

“Nigeria needs the service of all her health workers, to control COVID-19 spread. Issues around allowances are multisectoral and have always been solved with negotiations, no matter how long it took.

“I acknowledge the commitment of health workers who continue to man the frontlines in the fight

against this disease and use this opportunity to appeal to JOHESU to suspend their industrial action, not to erode gains we have since made in health care delivery”, the minister said.

Ehanire assured that the Federal Ministry of Health is doing all within its power to expedite processes that address the bones of contention.

The minister reiterated that the declining positivity rate every day does not mean that Nigeria is finally halting the spread. He revealed that some states have not sustained the testing rate that would give government more

assurance, that it is finally halting spread of the virus.

“Only 13 States, for example, reported their figures in the past 24 hours. This can be better.

Until all parts of the country can sustain a certain testing rate, it would seem presumptuous to conclude that we are flattening the curve.

“In the words of Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), we are not safe until everyone is safe,” he said even as he again called on state governments to ramp up their testing momentum.

Bandits Kill One Person, Kidnap Seven Women in KatsinaVillage Banditry threatening execution of projects, SSG cries out Francis Sardauna in Katsina Suspected Gunmen yesterday killed one person and kidnapped seven women in fresh onslaughts on Daulai village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

This is coming as the state government lamented that the spate of banditry and other nefarious activities bedeviling the state are posing serious threats to projects execution in eight frontline local government areas of the state.

The suspected bandits numbering about 30 stormed the village at about 1 a.m. yesterday shot sporadically, abducted their victims and rustled unspecified number of cows.

Aresident of the village, Safiyanu Mannir, who confirmed the incident in an emotion-laden telephone conversation with THISDAY yesterday, said survivors of the attack have fled the village to nearby communities perceived to be safe.

He said the renewed attack on the village had thrown residents into perplexing situation that needs urgent attention, saying if nothing is done by security agencies to rescue the abducted women, they will remain in captivity as the villagers lack money to pay ransom.

Mannir said: “The gunmen numbering over 30 invaded our village (Daulai) at the early hours of Monday, precisely 1 a.m. They killed Ashiru Aliyu

and kidnapped seven women.

They also broke into shops and carted away foodstuffs and rustled hundreds of animals.

“We are calling on security agencies and the state government to intensify efforts in order to rescue our abducted women and prevent the attackers from invading our village again. Hundreds of our people have moved to Safana town and other communities for fear of another attack.”

Drama as Salami Walks out Magu’s Lawyers from Panel Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja In a dramatic twist, the Justice Ayo Salami-led Panel of Inquiry probing allegations of misappropriation levelled against the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, yesterday directed security

agents to walk out two lawyers, Prof Zainab Duke Abiola and Mr. Aliyu Lemu, from the venue of its sitting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The two lawyers are part of Magu’s legal team. The panel is also investigating alleged mismanagement of recovered assets and abuse of office.

The trouble began at about 11.50a.m. when Mr. Wahab Shittu, who has been appearing for Magu, stood up to introduce other members of the legal team.

But Justice Salami was said to have interrupted Shittu, and insisted that only him would be allowed to defend Magu.

Salami thereafter directed security agents to bundle out the lawyers from the venue.

Shittu has appeared for Magu for the past two months and raised certain issues, including fair hearing for his client and the need to cross-examine witnesses who testified against his client.

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NEWS

Buratai: How Adeosun Saved Me When I was Ambushed The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, yesterday narrated how his deputy, Lt. General Lamidi Adeosun, the present Chief of Policy and Plans (CPPLANS) of the Nigerian Army, saved his life the first time he was ambushed in the North-East.

Buratai spoke in Kuta, Osun State, during the inauguration of a bridge named after him, which

was constructed by the Nigeria Army Engineering Construct Regiment, Ede. Buratai, while commenting on the military operations in the North-East, said when he was appointed Chief of Army Staff, he met with Adeosun, an indigene of Asamu in Osun State, whom he said had commenced the process of rejigging the army.

He said, “When I had the first ambush, he was with me in the vehicle, by my side. (It happened on) the 18th of September, 2015, and I can see the courage he exhibited.

“And he was able to mobilise the troop to counter the bandits, the criminals, the terrorists out of the way. So, his elevation is not new to me. He deserves it.

SEC Begins Regulation of Crypto-Currency Assets to Protect Investors Goddy Egene Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said it will begin regulating trade in crypto assets to protect investors and ensure market integrity and transparency.

SEC said in statement that digital assets offerings provide alternative investment opportunities for the investing public, noting that it is therefore essential to ensure that these offerings operate in a manner that is consistent with investor protection, the interest of the public, market integrity and transparency.

It explained that the general objective of regulation is not to hinder technology or stifle innovation, but to create standards that encourage ethical practices

that ultimately make for a fair and efficient market.

“The position of the commission is that virtual crypto assets are securities, unless proven otherwise.

Thus, the burden of proving that the crypto assets proposed to be offered are not securities and therefore not under the jurisdiction of the SEC, is placed on the issuer or sponsor of the said assets,” it said.

SEC said Section 13 of the Investment and Securities Act, 2007 conferred powers on it as the apex regulator of the Nigerian capital market to regulate investments and securities business in Nigeria.

“In line with these powers, the SEC has adopted a threepronged objective to regulate innovation, hinged on safety, market deepening and providing solution to problems. This will

guide its strategy, its regulations and its interaction with innovators seeking legitimacy and relevance.

Consequently, the SEC will regulate crypto-token or crypto-coin investments when the character of the investments qualifies as securities transactions”.

The commission explained that issuers or sponsors are expected to satisfy the burden of proving that the virtual assets do not constitute securities by making an initial assessment filing.

“However, where the finding of the commission is that the virtual assets are indeed securities (not structured to be exclusively offered through crowd funding portals or other exempt methods), then the issuer or sponsor must register the digital assets,” the regulator added.

“When I was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, I met Lamidi Adeosun at the North-East, I met Adeosun as the commander of operations, there and he started the rejigging processes of the Nigeria Army and we commenced our upward and progressive movement towards the technical defeat of Boko Haram.”

Speaking further, Buratai said Army Engineering Corps that constructed the bridge remained an institution that has played an

important role in the infrastructural and economic development of the country.

He recalled roles played by the Army engineers after the civil war, describing the officers and men of the corps as professionals that would deliver quality at a very cheap cost.

Buratai, who commended the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, for supporting the Nigeria Army in the midst of bitter criticism, said the royal

father had mobilised Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media to support the army.

He said: “We have a new army that is determined to be responsive and professional in the discharge of constitutional duties.

“The Nigeria Army Engineering Corps is one institution that has played a very important role in infrastructural development.

They are professionals, experts, and deliver quality at a very cheap cost.”

ASUU, NASU Lock Out LASU VC, Students The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) yesterday blocked the main entrance of the Lagos State University (LASU) over the payment of the minimum wage.

The free flow of vehicular movement was hindered by the protesting members who gathered as early as 7:00 am and prevented both students and lecturers from gaining entrance.

Those locked out of the school include the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Olanrewaju Fagboun.

All attempts by the vicechancellor to dialogue with NLC, ASUU, NASU members

were not successful, as they insist that no one will be allowed into the university premises until their demands are met by the state government.

They claimed that an increment in their salaries was promised by the Lagos State government more than a year ago and the promise was yet to be fulfilled.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, two weeks earlier announced that tertiary institutions in the state would be reopened yesterday, September 14, 2020, after been shut for six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lagos State Government in reaction to the protest said it expects the institution to be responsible in the application

of its subventions.

The state government in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said the sum of N450 million is paid monthly to the institution as subvention.

“We wish to state categorically that Lagos State University, like other subvented MDAs, collects the sum of N450,000,000.00 every month from the Lagos State Government as Subvention.

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Lagos Train Accident Kills Family of Three, Two Others Sunday Ehigiator A family of three, including the father, mother and child, along with their house help; and another woman yesterday lost their lives when a train rammed into two vehicles at the Arena market gate in Oshodi, Lagos State.

According to reports, the incident happened at about 8 a.m. yesterday as vehicles were waiting at the entrance of the popular market gate to be checked in for the day’s business.

Although authorities of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) had earlier issued a statement that

no lives were lost in the incident, however, a second check with eyewitness at the scene of the incident revealed that five person’s allegedly lost their lives in the accident.

Speaking with THISDAY, an eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, narrated that “the incident happened very early in the morning.

“I was about to cross the road into the market to open my shop when I saw the train coming with speed from Ikeja area.

“Two vehicles, an SUV and another white car, were held up on the rail when the train was approaching. They were waiting

for the other vehicles in their front to be allowed in so that they could also move.

“But it happened so fast because the speed of the train was high.

As soon as it got to where they were, it cleared the two vehicles.

It instantly threw the SUV toward the fence, as the woman in the vehicle died instantly.

“The other white car conveying a family-father mother, and their son as well as their house help was dragged by the train to almost under bridge in Oshodi before it stopped. By the time the people rushed there to help the family out, they were all died.”

Police Arraign Commercial Driver for Alleged Manslaughter in Osun Court remands six for recording obscene video in shrine Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo A 29-year-old man, Isiaka Adebayo, was yesterday arraigned before Osun State Magistrate Court in Osogbo over alleged manslaughter.

This is coming as the state Magistrate Court in the state capital yesterday ordered the remand of six accused persons, Tobiloba Isaac Jolaoso, 27, Ladiva Aije, 22, Juliet Semion, 24, Ahmed Olasunkanmi, 23, Adeniran Eritosin, 29, and Tunde Jimoh, 27 over alleged recording of obscene video at the Osun-Osogbo shrine.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Akintunde Jacob, told the court that the accused person committed the offense on September 10, 2020, at about 1p.m. at Aregbe junction, Ogo Oluwa in Osogbo.

The prosecutor alleged that the accused person, a driver of one unregistered Suzuki Carry Mini DYNA, did drive the vehicle in a manner which was dangerous, and consequently caused the death of one Mustapha Kabiru of No 6 Fadilulahi Area of Osogbo.

Akintunde further disclosed that the accused person drove

the aforementioned vehicle on the highway without vehicle licence and road worthiness However, he stated that the offence committed by the accused person is contrary to and punishable under section 27, 21(b),142 and 139 Cap 548 of RTA Laws of Nigeria 2012.

The accused person however pleaded not guilty to the allegations slammed against him, as the defence counsel, Lukuman Adeleke, applied for the bail of the accused person in most liberal term.

In his ruling, Magistrate Isola Omisade granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with one surety in like sum, and adjourned the case till November 23, 2020, for hearing.

Meanwhile, the Magistrate Court in Osogbo yesterday ordered the remand of six accused persons Jolaoso, Aije, Semion, Olasunkanmi, Eritosin and Jimoh over alleged recording of obscene video at Osun-Osogbo shrine.

Police prosecutor on the case, Idoko John, told the court that the accused persons committed the offence on July 25, 2020, at about 12:30p.m.

at the Osun-Osogbo shrine in Osogbo.

Idoko alleged that the accused persons did act a film which appeared to bear pornographic picture of young girls who were half naked and thereafter published or send such to social media for public consumption.

He alleged that the accused persons conspired among themselves to act the film at the Osun-Osogbo traditional and religion ground thereby committed a misdemeanor against a religion.

The prosecutor disclosed that the accused persons unlawfully damaged window louvers of the police station.

He stated that the offence committed by the accused persons is contrary to and punishable under 516,233,517,451 Cap 34 Vol ll Law of Osun State 2002.

The six accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations slammed against them.

One of the accused persons told the court that they only went to the shrine for excursion and took pictures.

Lagos East By-election: Abiru Promises Quality Representation Says Lagos special status, Ikorodu-Sagamu road his top priority Nseobong Okon-Ekong The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Lagos East senatorial district bye-election, Tokunbo Abiru, has promised to offer quality representation at the Senate if elected.

Abiru made the promise during the flagging off of his campaign in Epe, Lagos.

The immediate-past Group Managing Director of Polaris Bank also promised that he would focus on the actualisation of special status for Lagos State when eventually elected on October 31.

The candidate, while addressing party members and residents yesterday, said he would serve the people with integrity and passion if elected.

He said he would make the welfare and empowerment of the people his priority and would work to ensure the completion of on-going projects in the senatorial district.

Abiru thanked party members for choosing him as the APC candidate, saying he would work to justify the confidence reposed in him if elected.

“First of all, I want to thank you our party members for choosing me as your candidate. I am very grateful, and I promise not to disappoint you if elected.

“I promise to give quality representation and serve the people of Lagos East senatorial district.

“I will make the welfare and empowerment of the people my top priority and work towards ensuring the completion of all ongoing projects in the senatorial district.

“As many of you already know, I worked for over 25 years in the banking sector where trust, discipline, service and innovation matter a lot.

“I will bring all of these to bear in the service of the people of the senatorial district,” he said.

Abiru said he had ascertained

the bad state of Ikorodu-Epe Road and would work towards fixing of the road if elected.

He also promised to work with the relevant people and governments to ensure the completion of the IkoroduSagamu expressway.

Abiru stated further that he would work with other colleagues in the National Assembly to ensure that Lagos is given a special status, adding: “I will be guided by the values of our great party if by the grace of God I am elected.”

The APC senatorial candidate said he felt greatly honoured by the warm reception by party members and residents of the area, promising to respond to the needs of the area if elected.

He made these pledges when the state Chairman of APC, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, unveiled him as the standard-bearer for Lagos East senatorial bye-election scheduled to hold on October 31.

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COMMENT

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

RE: BAYELSA ‘JUDICIAL MUSICAL CHAIRS’ Boyelayefa Paul argues that the law is on the side of the ANDP

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lusegun Adeniyi wrote a piece captioned, “Bayelsa and Judicial Musical Chairs� on August 20, 2020 of THISDAY Newspaper. The piece leaves many readers perplexed.

As a refresher, let us briefly look at some of the events surrounding the Bayelsa Governorship Election of 2019 which has generated debates around the country.

The 16th November, 2019 Bayelsa gubernatorial contest has been in the judiciary much earlier than Segun has referenced in his publication. To put some clarity, let us recall that on the 12th November, 2019, four days to the November 16th election, a Federal High court in Abuja gave a court order disqualifying the Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC, a serving Senator of the National Assembly.

The implication of the Federal High Court judgment was that the APC cannot participate in the election. The Federal High Court did not grant a stay of execution to allow APC participate in the election, even when the decision was wrong and overturned by a higher court. It took the intervention of the Appeal Court to prevail and allow the stay of execution to enable the APC participate in the election.

Furthermore, on 14th November, 2019, another Federal high Court in Yenagoa, delivered a judgment in a case filed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, claiming that he ought to be the rightful gubernatorial candidate of the APC rather than Chief David Lyon.

The judge gave a verbal ruling that the APC could not participate in the election and the judge could not give a written judgment until after the election. Yet again, the Federal High Court was not granted a stay of execution and it took the intervention of the Court of Appeal for the APC candidate to participate in the election.

The Court of Appeal subsequently, overturned the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja, disqualifying the Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC. Once again the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court agreed that Chief David Lyon and his running mate were the rightful candidates of the APC. Having won the election with 352,552 votes for the APC against 143,172 for the PDP, and on the 13th February 2020, the eve of the swearing-in, when the Governor-elect Chief Lyon was already at the practice parade, the Supreme Court struck and declared that the Deputy Governor-elect, was not qualified and thus the Governor-elect of the APC being a joint ticket could not be sworn in.

Many commentators questioned the rationale of the decision saying that the people of Bayelsa State and the governor-elect were being punished. Others even found it surprising that the votes for the APC were wasted, since unlike the case of Zamfara State, where the Supreme Court determined that the APC did not conduct its party primaries and went further to void the votes of the APC, the Supreme Court agreed that in the case of Bayelsa State, the APC conducted its party primaries and the APC votes were not voided by the court.

MUSHROOM OR NOT, A POLITICAL PARTY DULLY REGISTERED BY INEC IS A PARTY UNDER OUR JURISPRUDENCE, AND UNTIL THE LAW CHANGES, CANNOT BE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION IN AN ELECTION OR HAVE ITS CANDIDATES DISQUALIFIED

The apex court however, disqualified the Deputy Governorelect thus disqualifying the joint ticket. It stands to reason that if the APC votes were not wasted, then the PDP did not have the required votes spread to be declared elected, having won only 25 percent and above in three of the eight local government areas in the state. It is still debatable as to how INEC interpreted the judgment to declare the PDP candidate winner of the election.

Following the declaration by the INEC on 14th February, 2020, five political parties approached the Election Petition Tribunal, four out of the five challenged the qualification of the PDP Deputy Governor that was sworn in on grounds of certificate forgery. The fifth party, the ANDP complained at the tribunal that they were unlawfully excluded from participating in the November 16th governorship election in Bayelsa State.

On Saturday,15th August 2020, the tribunal gave its ruling in three petitions that sought to disqualify the deputy governor, which were dismissed in favour of PDP. On Monday, 17th August, 2020, the tribunal once again gave its ruling in one of the disqualification cases, which it dismissed in favour of the PDP. In its ruling on the unlawful exclusion case, the three-man panel which was not unanimous agreed in its majority ruling that the ANDP was unlawfully excluded with a majority ruling decided otherwise. This is where Segun started from.

Section 31(1) of the Electoral Act does not only determine the time frame within which a political party shall submit its candidate but also in express terms take away the power or authority of the INEC to disqualify or reject a candidate sponsored and presented by a political party for any reason whatsoever.

Section 35 of the Electoral Act gives a chance for political parties to make substitution of candidates before 45 days to the date of the election. The clear interpretation of this provision is that parties are allowed to substitute candidates up to 45 days to the election. The Bayelsa governorship election held on November 16th, 2019 and as in paragraph five of Segun’s article, parties including the ANDP, submitted the nominations on September 16th, 2019, 68 days to the election.

A simple computation of the days provided in section 35 therefore gave political parties ample room in the Bayelsa gubernatorial election which was held on November 16th 2019, up to October 1st 2019 to substitute upon withdrawal or death but INEC refused the ANDP the opportunity to substitute its deputy governorship candidate when they sought to do so within 63 days to the election.

INEC also disqualified and excluded the party from the November 16th election both of which it lacks the powers.

Mushroom or not, a political party dully registered by INEC is a party under our jurisprudence, and until the law changes, cannot be excluded from participation in an election or have its candidates disqualified.

Boyelayefa wrote from Yenagoa

EMEFIELE AND HIS CRITICS

The CBN’s forex restriction policy is for the country’s good, reckons Jackson Ugbechie

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ave you noticed something lately about Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)? Perhaps, you haven’t. But if you check the headlines, you would see a resurgence in criticisms of his leadership style. You would observe an emerging pattern in a section of the media, all trying to malign the central banker who has summoned the boldness to tell Nigerians the truth.

Long before Nigeria suffered a huge drop in crude oil receipts, Emefiele has been crying like the Biblical lone voice in the wilderness, forewarning Nigerians to change their lifestyle of living off imported and exotic items. He had argued that for every imported item we indulge our lavish lifestyle in, it takes a toll on our foreign reserve. And he took steps to block the leakages.

He moved against dollar merchants.

Emefiele shut the illicit business of forex speculators. Those who apply and obtain dollars for production of tomato puree but end up importing same. Those who obtain dollars in huge sums from CBN to produce toothpick but end up using same to import toothpick.

Those who obtain forex to import machinery to boost rice production using their farms as fronts and collateral but deploy it to import cars and rice. For these categories of forex speculators, Emefiele was bad business.

Yet, while Emefiele represents bad business for the forex merchants and their foreign collaborators, the CBN governor represents good business for Nigeria and Nigerians. And if you notice that the criticisms against Emefiele heightened after his deserved reappointment

by President Muhammadu Buhari for another five years, you would begin to understand why. Those who have worked so hard to kill our local industries, be it the once booming textile industry, agriculture especially grains production, fertilizer production among other items that we could easily produce at home, are incensed that Emefiele was reappointed for yet another five long years. They just can’t

imagine how they could put up with this shrewd central bank governor who has come to pour sand in their garri.

Putting up with Emefiele’s fiscal responsibility demands is unimaginable for them. So, they must discredit the man and his mission.

But Nigerians should by now know that without Emefiele’s ban on the importation of over 40 items about two years ago, the nation’s foreign reserve would have been completely depleted. Without his insistence on local production, there would never have been an assortment of locally-produced rice gracing our tables. Without his foresight to ban these items, the remnants of our textile factories would have completely disappeared.

But today, thanks to his restriction in forex allocation, his preference to finance production rather than consumption, there would not have been the revival now happening in the textile industry, in the agriculture value chain and in the drastic reduction in importation of grains from all over the world. Emefiele sure deserves garland not the guillotine treatment that some unpatriotic elements and their foreign collaborators have decided to give to a man who only wants Nigerians to consume what they produce.

The latest media spin from Emefiele detractors is the unfounded, rather disingenuous tale that he was working to guarantee immunity for himself. This is the height of unreason. It’s even grossly unfortunate that an elite body of the status of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), is the one flying such flag of unreason. This simply mocks logic because all the issues raised about Emefiele weaving a coat of immunity for himself through the revision of the BOFIA Act are baseless. This is rather alarming because an elite group like the NESG is populated by highly enlightened men and women versed in the rudiments of basic rules of engagement and knowledgeable in all laws and associated statutes governing statutory bodies like the CBN, SEC, AMCON and NDIC. It bears restating that the issue of immunity for these bodies is not new. All

extant laws setting up these agencies including the CBN have ‘Immunity Clauses, built into them to protect the agencies from day-to-day litigations. And these immunity clauses predate the emergence of Emefiele as CBN governor. This is as trite as it can be. Why then is this sudden gush of fuss and burst of needless anxiety? It’s rather beyond the ken of comprehension to imagine that a body like the NESG would feign ignorance of the existence of this clause in all the extant statutes of CBN and other agencies in the nation’s strategic economic sector.

For the avoidance of doubt, the provision of Section 51 which the NESG copiously cited does not purport to confer the type of immunity on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria as we have with that conferred on elected state actors like the president and the vice president, governors and their deputies.

Never!

On the contrary, the provision only seeks to protect the federal government, the Central Bank of Nigeria and their respective officials against adverse claims for actions or omission done in good faith in the exercise of powers under BOFIA and other specified statutes including the Central Bank of Nigeria Act and any other regulations allied to these.

Besides, the so-called immunity clause is already properly captured in section 53 of the extant BOFIA but was only listed on section 51 of the amended bill. It’s not the making of Emefiele and could never have been. The methodology deployed by NESG, willy-nilly, lends its intent to multiple interpretations including the imputation of both mischief and malice. A careful study of this section on immunity shows that the new bill recently passed by the National Assembly did not and has not proposed any changes to the extant act. Section 53 in the extant act only became section 51 in the amended bill. Nothing more!

Besides, a highly esteemed body like the NESG enjoys unfettered and unencumbered access to the CBN and its top management including the Monetary Policy Committee,

MPC. Why didn’t the NESG deploy available channels of communication to confront or interrogate the CBN on the so-called perceived ‘wrong’? Rather, it opted to using the media to communicate its grievances.

CBN in an explanatory statement lucidly captured the essence of the immunity clause thus: “The import of the said provision is to set a threshold against which suits against public officers must be filtered, such that for a suit to be maintainable it must scale that threshold by proving bad faith on the part of the pubic officer. It is not a bar against action. Indeed, a review of the legislative history of BOFIA will readily show that the said provision also appeared as Section 49(1) of the then BOFIA of 1991. Further digging also readily show that the same law is employed in other legislations including the extant Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 (Section 52); the NDIC Act 2006 (Section 55); and the Investments and Securities Act 2007(Section 302). A similar provision is in the AMCON (Amendment) Act 2020, as it had been noticed that debtors and the like simply rush to court, obtain injunctions and stop orderly resolution of cases and proper implementation of the law.�

It’s all too obvious that the attack on Emefiele is beyond an immunity clause that far predates his emergence as CBN governor and much more, a clause which also exists in other laws setting up allied agencies in the critical finance sector. It’s about something else not far-fetched. Emefiele is up against a band of corrupt foreigners and their Nigerian co-travellers who have over the years made obscene billions from the nation’s loose forex market. They are fighting back. It’s natural.

When you fight corruption, it fights back with fury and force. But the NESG must resist the temptation not to be seen as aiding those who have squared up against Emefiele and by extension against majority of Nigerians whom Emefiele’s forex restriction policy was set out to protect.

Ugbechie, a public policy expert, wrote from Abuja

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EDITORIAL

COMMUNITY POLICING AND THE ROAD AHEAD The mode of operation of community policing is still hazy

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he recent announcement of a N13 billion take-off grant for community policing in the country was cheery. As a strategy for combating the rising insecurity in the country, many Nigerians have for long canvassed for community policing. But the whole idea remains vague with conflicting statements between the Inspector-General of Police and some governors. There is therefore an urgent need for clarity and for all the relevant stakeholders to agree on the modalities before the idea is lost in the murky waters of politics and power-play.

Ordinarily, community policing is not a new concept. It is a well acceptable form of policing at the grassroots across the globe and notable countries, including the United States, operate this mode of security arrangement. The initiative is predicated on the belief that both the police and citizens at THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO the grassroots BE EDUCATED ON HOW THIS have a joint responsibility to MODE OF POLICING WILL fight crime. Under OPERATE: WHETHER IT this concept, both WILL BE SUPERVISED FROM the police and ABUJA OR COORDINATED the locals build synergy aimed at

BY VARIOUS STATE guaranteeing the COMMANDS OF THE security of lives NIGERIA POLICE and property in the neighborhoods by freely exchanging ideas, and promptly sharing intelligence and acting on such. Community police personnel are expected to have frequent contacts with members of the host community all with a view to enforcing law and order, solving local problems and passionately taking up emerging challenges in the community, including caring for victims of insecurity and injustice.

Security experts in the country have for long harped on the necessity to increase the intensity of police-community relations as a platform for solving problems at the local level. Such platforms are expected to be built through door-to-door

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visits by police personnel and residential meetings that will also serve as the avenue for them to gather information and know the concerns of the people. Meanwhile, the locals will also be granted free access to the police to report their concerns.

Police personnel at this level are expected to be professional in the discharge of their responsibilities and simultaneously build and sustain a platform of interaction with the locals.

Against the foregoing background, the idea of community policing in Nigeria, particularly in the face of our acute security crises, is long overdue. However, at the root of effective community policing, according to experts, is firm trust between the people and its operators. But given the peculiar situation in Nigeria where there is a huge trust deficit between the police and the people, we hope efforts will be made in confidence-building. We also hope that persons to be recruited into the community policing will be well trained while strict disciplinary measures are incorporated into the system that will make corruption, indiscipline and other forms of misdemeanour intolerable.

In endorsing the idea, we expect the federal government to clearly unveil the structure of the proposed community policing, the nature of its operations, its method of supervision and composition so that citizens can have a full picture of what is coming to their neighbourhoods ahead of time and also be carried along in this proposed arrangement. The earlier this is done, the better for all the stakeholders.

The public deserves to be educated on how this mode of policing will operate: whether it will be supervised from Abuja or coordinated by various state commands of the Nigeria Police or whether community police commands will be established in every local government area of the country to oversee the activities of the grassroots’ police in each local council. Or indeed whether a special body will be founded to run the operations.

These clarifications have become compelling in view of the interest this idea has generated and the yet-to-be resolved controversy between the Inspector-General of Police and the governors.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to speciďŹ c publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

OBASANJO AND FAILED STATE NARRATIVE

ormer President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, had stirred the hornet nest with his provoking, divisive and failed state narrative. Obasanjo stated this during a consultative meeting with the leadership of socio-cultural organisations last week in response to the myriad challenges bedeviling the country. Since the time he left office to date, he has chided every government in power, including those he helped to install. One remembers with nostalgia his open abrasive letters to previous heads of state drawing their attention to matters of national importance. Did his criticisms start with the civilian governments? Actually, no. Even the military, the constituency Obansanjo came from, has not been spared. From Ibrahim Babangida down to Abdulsalami Abubakar military regimes, they had torrent of criticisms during their days in office. Are Obasanjo’s criticisms borne out of passion for better Nigeria or are politically motivated?

Obasanjo is one of the beneficiaries of the Nigerian project. He served as military head of state and occupied the same position during the return of democratic government in 1999. It is not disputable to say Obasanjo’s years as Nigerian president were eventful and fruitful. He was able to carry out far-reaching economic reforms which stimulated growth and development. Think about the telecommunication, public service and agriculture reforms.

These areas received greater attention and have pro-

vided millions of jobs to Nigerians. But there were shortcomings as well. It is on record that during his eight years as a democratically elected president, the country witnessed human rights abuses and cases of assassination. There were incidents of violence during elections. He was the architect of do-or-die politics. These glaring imperfections spoke volumes about Obasanjo’s administration. This is to say Obasanjo is not a saint as he wants us to believe. The problem he raised on divisiveness in politics or Nigeria being a failed state predated the present government. However, it got worse under its watch.

The occasion or venue in which Obasanjo raised these vexed national issues gave his narrative a political undertone. How can the former president in the midst of social cultural organisations such as Ohanaeze, Afenifere, Northern Elders Forum and Middle Belt Forum blame the present government for the current woes if not for political reason? Hear his conclusion: “2023 will be marked as a watershed in the history of Nigeria�. While it is true the country has been facing security and economic challenges, the former president has unfettered access to Mr President. Obasanjo should have reached President Buhari for an advice instead of unwarranted attacks on his government. There is time for politics and there is time to avoid overheating the polity. It seems the former president has chosen the latter.

Ibrahim Mustapha, Pambegua, Kaduna State

BAG OF RICE AS ECONOMIC INDICATOR

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rice of bag of rice, that is. In other countries it is price of bread (this had led to real revolutions in Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, and elsewhere). Nevertheless, both are carbohydrate-themed and carbohydrate-centric. “Stomach economics,� uh?

Why did it take Nigerians too long to correlate a healthy national economy with stable prices of food staples? Nigerians wasted time lambasting former President Goodluck Jonathan and so they forgot the basic economic rule that zero inflationary regime of foodstuffs over a stretch of time is a marker of a good national economy space. This is surely so because as the prices of staples skyrocketed these past five years, job losses and unemployment figures blossomed. This being so, we should ask ourselves if the government of Goodluck Jonathan was truly a “corrupt� one. Everywhere you go in Minna, everyone laments that rice is now luxury foodstuff beyond the purchasing power of the typical household and they are quick to add that this was not so during, pause, well, during the PDP era. Truly, folks here are a mite confused about broken promises and incompetence and threatening insecurity.

Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State

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POLITICS

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

How APC, PDP May Fare as Edo Decides On Saturday September 19, registered voters in Edo State will choose who will govern the state in the next four years. Adibe Emenyonu writes that whereas the two leading political parties, the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party are equally matched in some of the 18 local government areas of the state, there local government areas where either party shows a strong tendency to take the trophy

Obaseki

Ize-Iyamu

Oshiomhole

Shuaibu

A

loyal to Adam’s Oshiomhole, Victor Edoror.

It is also the LGA where the two chairmen of APC, Col. David Imuse and Mr. Anselm Ojezua come from. There is also Herbeta Okonofua, former PDP Woman leader, and Chief Francis Inegbeneki, a stunch APC leader and two-time member, representing Esan West/Esan Central/ Igueben Federal Constituency, Patrick Ikhariale.

The score may likely be a 50-50 margin though it is a LGA with the larger population who are sympathetic to PDP.

contend with.

a PDP stronghold , but it will fall to the APC because of the declining influence of the Oduma (Lion) of Igueben, Chief Ikimi.

ll is set for the governorship election in Edo State. There are 14 political parties on the ballot. They are Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC) Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Peogressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and Action Peoples Party (APP).

Others are Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

Of the 14 political parties, only two are visibly in the real contest, going by their level of preparation and presence all over the state. They are the All Peogressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of the large number of followership attracted to the parties and the resilience of their leadership.

The two parties are well entrenched in all the 18 local government areas and the 192 wards in the state.

Akoko-Edo This is a serious battleground in all its 10 wards that comprises two state constituencies and one federal constituency all under the control of the APC. The struggle for supremacy is expected to be of epic proportions because of the calibre of personalities from both the PDP and APC who hail from Akoko Edo. For instance, it is the home of former Speaker, Kabiru Adjoto. Mr. Oladele Bankole, a former House of Representatives candidate of the PDP also calls Akoko Edo home. They will square it up with the likes of former labour union leader and now member, representing Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency, Comrade Peter Akpatason; former Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki, Mr. Taiwo Akerele; two-time council chairman, Anselm Agbabi; Emmanuel Agbaje, representing Akoko-Edo state Constituency I; and Yekini Idiaye Akoko-Edo II. The two state constituency members are amongst the 14 Obaseki denied swearing in and among the 17 supporting Ize-Iyamu.

Akoko Edo is likely to vote APC. Egor: The local government area is made up of 10 wards and one state Constituency. Notable politicians from the local government are the Council Chairman, Eghe Ogbemudia, Efe Stewart, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Odion Olaye, Chairman of RTEAN in Edo; member, representing Ego/Ikpba-Okha Federal Constituency, Jude Ise-Idehen all on the side of the PDP. In the APC lineup are the immediate past Commissoner for Information and Strategy, and two-time member of Edo Assembly and Deputy Speaker, Paul Ohonbamu; Gentleman Amegor, former zonal Chairman of APC, Crosby Eribo, member, representing Egor state constituency. It will be a tough fight. PDP might take it because of its metropolitan nature.

Esan Central: Also with 10 wards and one state constituency. It is the home of the factional Speaker,

Esan North-east: This is the home of the late Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, Former Minister of Works, Mike Onolemenme, former Speaker, Matthew Egbadon, the present factional speaker loyal to Obaseki, Frank Okiye and a host of others. The APC stands no chance here. The LGA has 11 wards and two state constituencies. This LGA will vote PDP all the way.

Esan South-east: The local government area has 10 wards and one state constituency. Although it is the home of the Ugbesias (Senator Odion and Hon. Akere) who are strong allies of the PDP, and Kenneth Imansuangbon, the Abuja based business man cum politician, the entry of the Ikpeas, Chief Leemon Ikpea and his younger brother, Joseph Ikpea who last week resigned from the cabinet of Obaseki as Commissioner for Minerals, Oil and Gas, promises to turn the table around for the APC. Esan West: With 10 wards and one state constituency, the LGA is likely going to be a 50-50 shot. Former Governor, Prof. Oserhiemen Osunbor, a strong supporter of Obaseki is from there. Same thing as Chief Omofonma, owner of GT Foods, and current member, representing Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben Federal Constituency, Mr. Joe Ediowele. But they have Patrick Aguinede, twoterm council chairman, former member of the state House of Assembly; and former Speaker of the House, Thomas Okosun among others who are drumming support for the APC to

Etsako Central: This LGA has 10 wards and one state constituency member in the House of Assembly, Ahmed Waziri, the member, representing Etsako Federal Constituency, Johnson Oghuma is also from there, making it a strong APC area. Nevertheless, former deputy governor and former Chief of staff to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Akhigbe; and the LG Chairman, John Akhigbe all of the PDP are from there two. There will be some resistance, but APC will triumph.

Etsako East: This is the home of two rival political bigwigs: Senator Francis Alimikhena, representing Edo North Senatorial District (APC) and High Chief Raymond Dokpesi (PDP). The LGA with 10 wards and one state constituency also has personalities like Malik Afegbua, Minister of State,, Clem Agba and Kingsley Ugabi of the state House of Assembly to guarantee victory for the APC Etsako West: With 10 wards and two state constituencies, it is one of the flashpoints to watch. The election promises to be volatile here. The APC former national chairman, Adams Oshiomole, deputy governor, Philip Shaibu and the APC deputy governorship candidate, Gani Audu all come from here. With Shaibu boasting of defeating Oshiomole even in his ward, the entire voting process will be highly interesting. The PDP does not stand a chance here. One, the area is predominantly APC. Second, the two members in the state assembly are not with the deputy governor and his party, (PDP) which in effect will guarantee victory for the APC. Igueben: The tiny LGA with 10 political wards is the home of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi (PDP). It is also home to two-term member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Ken Ihensiekhien; and former deputy speaker of the state, Festus Ebea. The LGA was once

The APC and PDP are equally matched in Oredo LGA with 12 wards. This is the homestead of Governor Obaseki, member, representing Oredo Federal Constituency, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama; the Political Adviser to Obaseki, Chief Osaro Idah; and the governor’s Political Adviser, (Edo South), Osaigbovo Iyoha; who will contend against the likes of the APC State Secretary, Lawrence Okah; retired military chief Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, Brig-Gen Idada Ikponmwen; and the two members representing the two state constituencies of the LG, Messrs. Okaeben and Ekosodi that Obaseki denied Inauguration

Ikpba-Okha: Although the LG has 10 wards, it commands a large voting population that will make things happen in favour of PDP, because of the influence of persons like the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Osarodio Ogie, the member, representing the constituency at the state assembly, Henry Okuarobo, former NDDC Commissoner and Majority Whip, Edo Assembly, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

Oredo: The APC and PDP are equally matched in this LGA with 12 wards. This is the homestead of Governor Obaseki, member, representing Oredo Federal Constituency, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama; the Political Adviser to Obaseki, Chief Osaro Idah; and the governor’s Political Adviser, (Edo South), Osaigbovo Iyoha; who will contend against the likes of the APC State Secretary, Lawrence Okah; retired military chief Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, Brig-Gen Idada Ikponmwen; and the two members representing the two state constituencies of the LG, Messrs. Okaeben and Ekosodi that Obaseki denied Inauguration.

Orhiomwon: This is a large local government with 12 wards and home to the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; the former deputy governor, Dr. Pius Odubu; Dr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, former Minister of State Works; member, representing Uhumwonde/Orhiomwon Federal Constituency, Patrick Aisoweren.This will make the area a hard nut to crack for the PDP. Ovia North-east: This is the largest LGA in the state. It has 13 political wards and two state constituency seats. This is the home of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, his son and former governor of the state, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, her daughter and former House of Representatives member representing Ovia Federal Constituency. This political jugernuts will have to go the extra mile to outwit persons like Issac Osahon, former House of Representatives member, the two state constituency members Obaseki denied Inauguration. This will make the contest and equal victory for both the APC and PDP. Ovia South-west: There is only one state constituency in this LGA.It is home to the member, representing Ovia Federal Constituency, Mr. Dennis Idahosa, two-term LG Chairman, former Commissioner, Christopher Adesotu, Robert Okubor, an Ijaw Youth leader, all with the APC. The only significant figure there for the PDP is Destiny Enabulele, the local government chairman. This LGA is a sure bet for the APC. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

POLITICS

Southern Kaduna: The Quest for Lasting Peace and Reconciliation

John Shiklam writes that fresh hostilities are threatening the peace efforts among warring communities in Southern Kaduna

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fter so much bloodshed and destructions, warring communities in the Southern part of Kaduna state are taking bold steps towards ending the incessant killings.

In the past three months or so, Southern Kaduna was the the epicentre for mindless killings and destruction of property by criminal elements who invaded communities in Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Kaura, Jama’a, Kajuru and Chikun Local Government Areas of the state to wreck havoc.

Hundreds of people, mostly, women and children were slaughtered, maimed or hacked to death.

Many communities have been sacked by invaders. Thousands of those whose homes were destroyed relocated to the Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camps.

Hundreds of those who sustained injuries during the attacks are still receiving medical treatment in various hospitals in Kaduna state and the neighbouring Jos, the Plateau state capital.

Socio-economic activities in the area was disrupted as a result of hostilities among the communities.

The killings were widely condemned by many groups and individuals across the country.

In the past few weeks, the communities had been engaged in “dialogue and reconciliation facilitated by the Atyap Traditional Council and the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission in conjunction with “Friends of Southern Kaduna.

The dialogues led to agreements and signing of peace accord aimed at promoting harmonious coexistence among the warring groups.

It was heart warming to see representatives of the warring groups discussing, making commitment to embrace peace.

The first peace initiative was convened in Angwan Wakili on August 22, 2020, by the Atyap Traditional Council in Zangon Kataf LGA, headed by the Agwatyap, His Royal Highness, Sir Dominic Gambo.

The “peace and reconciliation submit” was attended by the representatives of the Atyap, Hausa and Fulani communities in the area.

The meeting was co-chaired by Air Vice Ishaya Shekari, a former military governor of Kano state and Dr. Salim Umar.

The event provided an opportunity for warring groups to speak out their minds on problems that have remained a stumbling block to peaceful coexistence in the area.

Some of the issues that dominated the submissions of the three groups include the indigenes/settler question, lack of trust among the three communities and the preponderance of lawlessness among the youths.

In their submission, the Hausa and Fulani communities, maintained that their fore fathers had all live lived in southern Kaduna for many years, yet they were not considered “non indigenes or settlers” in Southern Kaduna.

Hon. Yakubu Bature, who spoke for the Hausa community said the settler/ indigene dichotomy should be removed to give everybody a sense of belonging and brotherhood.

Bature, a former councillor in Zangon Kataf LGA, said, it was unfortunate that, “I want to speak in my capacity as a Hausa indigene of Zango Urban. There cannot be peace if we don’t stand by the truth. There cannot be peace unless we respect each other. There cannot be peace unless I accept you as an indigene.

“If you agree that I am an indigene, then both of us have a stake. There cannot be peace if we condone and protect criminal elements in our midst. We must learn to forgive each other.”

Also in his submission, Bayero Ibrahim, spokesman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), said the Fulanis had lived in Southern Kaduna for many years, but they were being referred to as non indigenes.

“I was born in Malagun, but today they said we Fulani indigenes of southern Kaduna

The Billboard erected in 2016 Samarun Kataf, after the Kafachan Peace Declaration, but was pulled down the next day

are settlers. We must ask ourselves questions about what has happened to us,” he said.

Bayero said for peace to reign, everybody must be truly committed towards working for lasting peace.

Also speaking on behalf of the Fulani community in Zangon Kataf, Dr. Ahmed Yande complained about the indigene/ settler dichotomy, noting that it does not help in integrating communities.

He said his great grand parents had been in Southern Kaduna for many years, but he is being referred to as non indigene.

Yanden who speaks the Atyap language very fluently, advocated for a blue print for the promotion of lasting peace among the warring communities.

Also speaking for the Atyap community, Prof.

Lucius Bamaiyi, called for genuine repentant and reconciliation among the communities for peace to reign.

Bamaiyi who is the President of Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA) recalled the good old days when everybody saw each other as a brother.

“Let me go down memory lane, in the early 1970s, before you could be admitted to secondary school you must pass the common entrance and the interview.

“A lot of our children will pass the common entrance but when it gets to the interview, because they could not speak English very well, they failed the interview.

“Alhaji Mato of blessed memory, helped a lot of our children to get admission to secondary schools.

“We want a situation where we will live in peace as we used to do. We were writing and accusing each other during the crisis, now that we have all agreed that we have injured one another, let us embrace each other, forgive one another and go back to the way we used to live,” he said.

Bamaiyi said further, “if we are genuinely repentant as we have all said here, then we must turn a new leave. I want to beg of us that there are always sentiments, let us try to manage our sentiments.

“I am speaking on behalf of Atyap to say that we are willing to live in peace with the Fulani and Hausa communities and every other person that is resident in Atyap land.

“But all of us will have to make this same commitment and mean it. Let it come from our hearts,” Maigari said.

He also decried the indigene settler issue, but blamed the government for promoting it.

He said government always insists on

Three key stakeholders, the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association (CAN), the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) and the Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders’ Association, boycotted the event on the grounds that stakeholders were not carried along. In a communique issued at the end of the summit participants observed among other issues, that the incessant killings, kidnapping, cattle rustling and shielding of criminals were the major challenges among communities

indigeneship, especially, when it comes to employment opportunities and admission in schools. ”Everybody here spoke about indigene / settler. The Atyap are also being discriminated against on the basis that we are non indigenes in other places.

“All my children were given birth in Zaria, but if they go to look for indigene certificate in Zaria, they will tell them that they are settlers and they denied them,” he said.

Maigari stressed, “Even in Sabon Gari, that is supposed to be no man’s land, when they go there, they tell them that they are not indigenes.

“So I am pleading with people in government, if we are removing the clause for indigenisation, then we should stop talking of indigenisation certificate.

“If we insists on that, then people resident in a particular LGA are indigenes and therefore, qualify for the indigene certificate.

“We have suffered discrimination as indigenes of Zangon Kataf”.

At the end of the meeting, leaders of the ommunities who signed an agreement for peace and reconciliation expressed regrets over the avoidable loss of lives and the destruction of properties and tendered heartfelt sympathy and condolences and “urged that we wholly and heartily forgive and forget.”

The resolutions was signed by the representatives of the Hausa, Atyap and Fulani communities as well as the two Co-chairs of the meeting.

The communities resolved and agreed among other things that: “no amount of revenge, bitterness, calumny, hatred or name calling can bring back those who have lost their lives in these senseless and unnecessary blood lettings.

“That residents of the Chiefdom should diligently monitor their environment henceforth and to report any strange movement, stranger or criminal activities to the appropriate authorities.

“That residents of the Chiefdom must not take laws into their hands and in any situation whatsoever, rather submit all grievances or crimes to security agencies, mediation, arbitration or litigation in courts.

“That Hausa, Fulani and Atyap youths must not mount road blocks anywhere in the Chiefdom with their symbolic embrace for peace. “ The meeting recommended the establishment of a standing peace committee that should comprise of Hausa, Fulani and Atyap and their youth in the Chiefdom to organize robust engagement/dialogue on security issues.

They also appealed to the state and federal governments to fast track the introduction of community policing to boost security of lives and properties in the Chiefdom and the country at large.

Few days after, a similar reconciliation meeting was held in Kafanchan between Dangoma community in Kaninkon Chiefdom and Takau in Zipak Chiefdom, Jema’a Local Government Area of the state, on September 5, 2020.

The two groups resolved to bring an end to the wanton destruction of lives and property in the area and promote peaceful coexistence.

Peter Averik, Chairman of Jama’a LGA, said the peace deal was brokered following series of dialogue between the two communities.

“We met and deliberated successfully on the way forward and, thankfully, the two communities resolved to sheath their swords and give peace a chance.

“This is a milestone for us and we want to use this opportunity to let the world know that we want peace and we are for peace,” he said.

The council chairman said, further that the communities agreed to always resort to all available lawful means of settling disputes.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍłËœ 2020

FEATURES

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

Supporting SMEs,Vulnerable Groups with Requisite Skills As the world shifts more to online working and service delivery because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom recently signed an agreement to support Nigerian SMEs and vulnerable groups with requisite cyber safety skills. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports

T

he UK Government, through its Prosperity Fund Digital Access Programme, has signed a grant agreement with CyberSafe Foundation to carry out the “Safe Digital Community during COVID-19 Project" as part of UK’s cyber risk mitigation support to Nigeria’s COVID-19 response.

The grant agreement which was signed between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and CyberSafe Foundation on September 7, 2020, will equip digitally vulnerable groups and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with the knowledge and skills required to identify, protect, detect, defend and respond to cyber threats, as the world shifts to more online working and service delivery.

The project was necessitated following the UK’s National Cybersecurity Centre (UK NCSC), United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Certified Information System Auditors (CISA) joint advisory in the rising number of cyber-attacks across the globe.

The advisory found that malicious cyber actors are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic; targeting SMEs and essential services including healthcare organisations with scam and phishing emails.

Cybercriminals also target individuals with COVID-19 themed attacks including relief package scams and impersonation of trusted organisations, resulting in the theft of confidential information and money from victims.

The Safe Digital Community Project which has already kicked off across Nigeria, will directly benefit at least 1,500 SMEs, and upskill nearly 4500 employees in cyber safety essentials. This will enhance cybersecurity resilience and business sustainability.

For the digitally vulnerable groups including people with limited digital experience, the project will help raise their awareness in safe cyber hygiene, enhance their online security and enable a safer digital community Speaking on the project, the Deputy High Commission in Lagos, Ben Llewellyn-Jones OBE

Llewellyn-Jones said: “The COVID19 pandemic has forced both individuals and businesses to adapt to using more digital and online ways of working. This development also comes with an increased risk of cyber threats. So keeping the digital community safe has become even more essential. “We are excited about this project and the impact it will have in keeping Nigerians and Nigerian SMEs safe online. The UK Government stands with Nigeria and will continue to support Nigeria as we collectively deal with this pandemic.�

Reacting to the signed agreement, Head of the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme

and Country Lead, Idongesit Udoh said: “This project is designed to achieve two key outcomes; the first is to equip SMEs with the knowledge and skills required to identify, protect, detect, defend, and respond to COVID-19 instigated cyber threats. The second is to increase cyber security awareness for the mass population, with special focus on digitally vulnerable groups and people with limited digital experience. “This cybersecurity project is one of the key COVID19 response projects demonstrating the UK Government’s continued support for Nigeria and its digital sector, recognising the tech ecosystem’s role in inclusive growth and

development. It is also exciting that this grant agreement coincides with the 2020 London Tech Week, which showcases the UK as a global leader in tech.�

Also reacting, The Executive Director and Founder of CyberSafe Foundation, Confidence Staveley said: “I am very excited about this project that is arguably one of Nigeria’s biggest Cyber Security education interventions yet, designed to support the businesses and individuals most digitally vulnerable to cyber-attacks within our community. Unlike big businesses, many SMEs in Nigeria lack the people, processes and technology required to defend against cyberattacks; and consequently are the worst prepared and worst hit. “This project will support at least 1500 SMEs with free cybersecurity training of their people and also educate over 10million Nigerians on Safe Cyber hygiene best practices in a novel and impactful way. This is a timely and much needed intervention given the increased digital penetration and adverse cyber-crime activity in Nigeria.�

According to the Press and Public Affairs Officer, British Deputy High Commission, Lagos, Ndidiamaka Eze, the Digital Access Programme is a UK Government Prosperity Fund flagship initiative led by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, and Media & Sport (DCMS). The programme covers five countries: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Brazil and Indonesia.

She said: “The objective of the programme is to catalyse affordable, inclusive, safe and secure digital access for underserved or excluded populations, and to use increased digital inclusion as a basis for a more thriving local tech ecosystem, generating skilled jobs and innovative solutions for local development challenges. “CyberSafe Foundation is a non-governmental organisation on a mission to facilitate pockets of change that ensure a safer internet for everyone with digital access and resident in Nigeria.�

When It Comes to Literacy in Africa, the Internet is Closing the Gap Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.� – Malala Yousafzai

W

hen it comes to literacy in Africa, in my opinion, there are three facts to consider.

First, increased literacy in youths and adults has the power to change our continent as has been identified - as a goal - by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is directly connected to our capacity to solve our own problems from healthcare to the economy, promote sustainable development, build human capital and productive societies.

Second, literacy is not yet equitable, inclusive and freely accessible to all, due to a number of infrastructural and policy challenges. As such the continent lags behind, at roughly 70%, according to the African Union, compared to the rest of the world in literacy rates, which is at 90%.

Third, access to technology and the internet is critical to closing the gap between increased literacy rates and the challenges in the way. The continent’s young population, who have shown a relentless digital savviness, is ready.

Over the last few years, at Google, we have matched the can-do spirit and aggressive uptake of the internet by Africa’s young people, with the opportunity to maximize this resource, to accelerate learning and literacy. Our goal is not just to help people read and write. We are committed to building information literacy, media literacy, digital literacy as well. It is increasingly clear

Aderemi-Makinde that in today’s world, the ability to read and write is a means and not an end. Being able to think and analyse critically, parse and evaluate information, access and create media, develop effective communication skills, being creative and solutions-minded; all form part of literacy.

And so, the results are in. From the young student to the middle-aged entrepreneur, the internet is the not-so-secret, key ingredient to accomplished learning, self-development.

The solution is quite literally in their hands.

The barriers to literacy are being undone, steadily, surely. Permit me to share the story of William, Tochukwu and Amanda, three young children under the ages of 12 in Nigeria. All three are enrolled in schools, already on the path to learning and gaining the necessary skills to make a life for themselves and contribute to society. But they all experience reading challenges. Their school contexts have proven insufficient in

providing the tools they need to overcome these challenges. In William’s case, his parents changed his school four times.

The desired improvement did not materialise.

During the lockdown necessitated by the COVID19 pandemic, his mother discovered Read Along by Google, a verbal and visual reading app for children that employs speech recognition technology and is designed to make reading interactive and entertaining.

Through using Read Along, William’s ability to read increased significantly. So did Tochukwu and Amanda’s. It turned out to be the educational supplement and intervention they needed to overcome reading challenges.

So far, children in Sub-Saharan Africa have correctly read more than 10 million words since the app launch was launched in 2019.

This tool has proven particularly helpful as global school closures further widen the gaps in education on the continent. According to the UN, prior to the pandemic, sub-Saharan Africa had 47% of the world's out of school children. The gap further widened to disheartening proportions as due to COVID. Currently, 90% of children are out of school globally, due to the closures.

We have also set our sights on preparing Africans for the future of work via our Grow with Google programs including Digital Skills for Africa and CS First and our developer scholarships. This is in line with our commitment to training 10 million Africans on digital skills. So far, we have trained over 5million people with 60% of them reporting impact on jobs, growing their careers and growing their businesses, across diverse sectors.

Beyond reading and writing, building

skills for the future of work, young Africans are also able to learn on a day to day basis through apps available on the Play Store and products like YouTube and Youtube Kids. Africans can now learn new languages, participate in mind sharpening challenges, upgrade and expand competence, in photography, graphic design, coding; learn how to manage programs; gain confidence in decision-making; and other skills that serve them in their daily life and advancement.

It must be pointed out that alongside the aforementioned benefits that the internet and access to technology provide, it also helps address the social and cultural challenges associated with traditional learning methods.

Currently, there are gender disparities in the literacy rates with women lagging behind.

Further, there are also disparities between literacy rates amongst adults and youths.

Technology has proven to be an enabler in providing solutions that reverse these statistics. With more people unhindered, partaking in learning and skills development, the literacy rate further improves for all and the odds for transformation increase.

Google is resolute in its partnership with the stakeholders on the continent, working towards the goal of a more empowered, more literate Africa. The goal is well within our collective grasp. Once upon a time, to achieve it, you did need a book, a pen, one child, one teacher, to learn, to change the world.

These days, the internet has joined those ranks. And we are very proud to be a part of it all. ... Aderemi-Makinde is the Head Brand & Reputation, Sub Saharan Africa, Google.

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T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍłËœ 2020

ADEOLAAKINREMI As Schools Reopen

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fter months of no school activities due to COVID-19, school children and college students across the country are now set to return to school. Many of them are on automatic promotion from one class to another.

What does this mean for teachers and students?

It is a time to retool and adapt strategy.

Teaching can no longer take place the way it used to be. The students can no longer wait on their teachers the way it was before the pandemic.

For students, learning is now a personal effort with four-star rating as a requirement. Catching up on all learning loss due to COVID-19 won’t be easy, so effort is required. There’s automatic promotion and that means normal whole school curriculum for a period is missed. Believe me, that drains the brain.

I am worried about our primary and secondary school students more.

I am concerned that many of them will suffer from mental retardation due to disruptions to learning.

For teachers, social emotional learning is going to be important for the classrooms. The old clichĂŠ that “whether a student learn in class or not does not affect the salary of a teacher,â€? should be last thing on the mind of any teacher. These students have gone through the trauma of COVID-19 just like everyone of us and there will be that need to understand, empathize and embrace them rather than creating further gap through adverse responses to their behaviors. Many of them have been part of families that experienced job loss, death, economic hardship and health distress.

Let me make a connection to my first class at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) for an illustration. My first class at JHU was not a regular class.

A top U.S military General taught us adaptation in war along the line of emotional intelligence—first in a series of intensive classes scheduled for the school year for the International Public Policy cohort.

The real sense this top military officer made the whole of the time was about ability to assess and adapt. In war, military adapt to their enemy’s strategy, operations, and tactical approach.

But military adaptation requires the ability to rapidly change equipment, organization and methods. For teachers, this moment calls for adaptation and emotional intelligence.

I know there are thousands and thousands of teachers going the extra mile for the kids they teach. This is one time when creativity meets curiosity.

For teachers in Nigeria’s public schools, this is an opportune moment to re-think their roles from merely teaching for reward to teaching for love and being around the students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in flexibility around the world with technology at the center of classroom learning. The tools of learning such as video apps are seeing traffic in downloads. Apps providing video conferencing like Zoom, Houseparty, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Skype, and others have been around for some time, but how many schoolteachers in Nigeria can use it? So when it comes to spacing hours of learning or combining virtual with physical till we get the vaccine, teachers are expected to be prepared to handle this change.

Interestingly, the young people they are teaching know how to operate these apps in minutes. It is already on the palm of their hands for as long as they carry an android mobile phone

Adamu

with internet.

Of course, we all know that even before COVID-19, things have gone bad at our public schools. We know that many teachers do not show up in school regularly, and even when they do, they are either out for petty trading or looking at the time for when it will be the time to leave the staffroom. They just didn’t have the commitment for the job.

I am a realist. I know the government is not motivating the teachers. I know the government owes the teachers more than any other of its employees. I know the government is tardy or in most cases not committed to providing resources to advance education and make learning a serious business in Nigeria’s public schools, but teachers can do their own bit by first learning how to teach beyond the classrooms.

These new possibilities to do things differently will increase access to learning. Of course, for students to be able to gain access to knowledge through a few clicks on their phones, tablets and computers, teachers across Nigeria’s public school needs to hone their own skills in teaching during crisis.

I would submit that in general, teachers all over the world are also struggling with teaching during crisis like this one because it is not something they have done before but their willingness to go the extra mile for the students they teach is extra-ordinary.

Oh, yes! I have my skepticism about moving everything online and placing everything in our handheld phone or laptops. But if anything, the chance to learn a great deal about this hybrid model of combining classroom learning with something much more flexible such as prerecorded lectures or message board-style discussions for students could move Nigerian education from backwater to beacon.

For its part, the government will be changing a negative narrative about its lack of commitment to education and nonchalant about the quality of

teachers that are recruited to teach at the public schools, if it takes the advantage of this moment.

There are three important considerations why Nigeria cannot allow the children to be home without a connection to their teachers.

Already, millions of Nigerian children are out of school. The out-of-school children are those not attending formal schooling. The statistics for that is disappointing. In July 2019, the current minister of education told the Senate that Nigeria has 16 million children that are out of school. The number was 13 million in 2018. The message is clear that Nigeria is doing little to reverse the trend. This is a sad story!

We cannot dismiss science, the most important environmental factor in children’s early lives, neuroscientists have shown is their interaction with places that offer learning such as school.

For example, it is during early years that children develop linguistic, cognitive, social, emotional, and regulatory skills that predict their later functioning in many domains.

And this, it has been confirmed that Nigerian children do not learn much even when they are in school. In 2018, the World Bank Human Capital Index (HCI), measured the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by age 18. The Index says a child born in Nigeria today will acquire, on average, 8.2 years of school by the age of 18. However, when the years of school are adjusted by the quality of learning, we find that Nigerians are learning the equivalent of only 4.3 years of school.

A research analyst with the U.S Urban Institute, James Ladi Williams explained it in simple terms. According to him, the index “implies that the average child who completes JSS 2 (second grade of Junior Secondary School) would have learned only what a primary 4 student is supposed to learn.

In practice, I have seen the Math, English and Science homework of my daughter, and when I compared the coursework to what is given to her contemporaries in Nigeria’s public school, my verdict is that Nigeria’s public school is down in the dumps.

Is it not an irony that Nigeria set a policy goal of ensuring “the acquisition of appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, manipulative, communicative, and life skills needed for laying a solid foundation for life-long learning, � in its Universal Basic Education Road Map for the 2015 – 2020 Strategy and that goal has gone into extinction without accomplishment.

Finally, Nigeria needs to put resources in school, because we know the students’ relationships with others – both other students and their teachers – and the experiences they obtain in both spontaneous and organized teaching situations make the school a ‘practice ground’ for participating as citizens.

So Nigeria’s future depends on how its children develops as citizens to become involved in society.

These students have gone through the trauma of COVID-19 just like everyone of us and there will be that need to understand, empathize, and embrace them rather than creating further gap through adverse responses to their behaviors. Many of them have been part of families that experienced job loss, death, economic hardship, and health distress

Side Eects...

MKO’s Family Feud It was a sad story. After reading about N100 million suit against the police by Kassim and Aliyu Abiola, two children of the late MKO Abiola, self-acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, over what they described as inhuman treatment after their arrest and detention in connection with a robbery incident at their family house, I felt so sad. According to their lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kasim and Aliyu alleged that Adebisi Abiola, their stepmother, is responsible for their arrest.

They stated that her information to the police that they were part of robbery incident made their lives miserable in the hands of the police. I think this put Abiola’s family name in a bad register.

This will make MKO roll in his grave. Poor!

Vaccine Fever The vaccine fever has started.

High income countries with deep wallet are pre-ordering vast amounts of candidate covid-19 vaccines even before they are produced. At least, we know that the UK government has agreed deals for 340 million doses of vaccine from six companies. In July, the US government revealed it was committing over $2 billion to preorder a vaccine and an antibody therapy for COVID-19. Through its Operation Warp Speed, the U.S government has ordered Vaccine from Pfizer, AstraZeneca PLC, and Moderna, Inc. and Novavax Inc. Though, it makes sense that this upfront investment will accelerate production efforts by the pharmaceutical companies, the question of equity and equality remains. Troubling!

Down and Out This week, the Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) has asked its members to withdraw their services and embark on a nationwide strike starting from midnight on Sunday. The health workers are asking the Federal Government to address the failures and decaying infrastructure in the health sector and pay the shortfall in COVID-19 hazard allowances for their members. This is coming after the resident doctors suspended their own strike for two weeks. Sadly, this is happening during global healthcare crisis of coronavirus pandemic, when every nation is expected to be trying very hard to give necessary medical support to their citizens.

What is wrong with Nigeria?

Edo Watch This weekend, Nigerians will watch what happen in Edo State.

It is either democracy shines of democracy sinks. If the poll is peaceful without intimidation or use of state power, the Edo people would decide who should govern the state between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his opponent, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. The election will also be referendum on President Muhammudu Buhari who benefited from a transparent electoral process that was organized by his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan. We cannot wait!

LAWYER

A

WEEKLY PULLOUT

15.09.2020

Fuel, Electricity Tariffs: A Hike too Many

Minister of State, Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva

President Muhammadu Buhari

Chairman, NERC, Prof. James A. Momoh

2/DASHBOARD

15.09.2020

LAWYER

A

WEEKLY PULLOUT

15.09.2020

Fuel, Electricity Tariffs: A Hike too Many

Whether States’ Public Officers are Protected by the Public Officers Protection Act 2004 PAGE 4

Dorothy Ufot, SAN Honoured as African Arbitrator of the Year PAGE 5

QUOTABLES ‘The speed of our legal institutions and processes, must match up with the global pace of transactions....Digitalisation of court processes, records and services, is very much the new frontier of justice delivery and will dramatically enhance access to justice and affect trial times.’ - Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Professor of Law, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria

‘The President was saying that the LagosIbadan rail line is up and running. How? Where? When? - Femi Falana, SAN, Human Rights Lawyer and Activist

“RPC has not been Amended”: The Official Statement of the Nigerian Bar Association PAGE 11

Lagos Police Commissioner Pledges Respect For Human Rights PAGE 5

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15.09.2020

How Fuel Subsidy Removal Can Have Meaning Let us start with the premise that, the primary purpose of government is the security and welfare of the people - Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) (the Constitution), while it is the duty of government to, inter alia, promote national prosperity, an efficient, dynamic, self reliant economy, and a planned and balanced economic development (Section 16(1)(a) & (2)(a) of the Constitution). It is most definitely time that Government starts to live up to this responsibility, instead of only making policies which are the most obvious lowest hanging fruits, and which inflict untold hardship on Nigerians. I do agree that, at times, Government may find itself between a rock and a hard place, but it seems that in taking some of these hard decisions, Nigerians always end up with the short end of the stick. Government must find a way to get the right balance, that is, to create policies which consider the present suffering of the people and our future benefits. But, be that as it may, can the recent fuel subsidy removal be classified as one of those situations in which Nigerians have been shortchanged yet again by Government, or is it in the best interest of us all this time around?

Nigeria’s Fuel Subsidy Granted, the fuel subsidy was not introduced to Nigeria by President Buhari's Government. No, it was introduced decades ago, in the 1970s. But, it has stayed on for so much longer than it should have. As a student of Economics, I was taught that the concept of subsidy does not particularly promote or enhance economic growth; it actually encourages stagnation - one reason being that money that should be spent on building infrastructure and developing the economy, is diverted to fund the subsidy. With that knowledge therefore, the only logical conclusion that one can make from this concept is that, in the event that Government decides to subsidise something, it should be a temporary measure, a sort of stop gap on the way to the achievement of a particular permanent goal, and not a permanent goal or practice in itself - like the way and manner in which fuel subsidy became a permanent fixture in Nigeria, One definition of subsidy is that, it is a contribution

by Government to keep the price of a product low and make it easily affordable for the people. It can be in form of Indirect (tax holidays, low interest loans) or Direct subsidy, as we saw in the case of fuel, where Marketers imported the product at the international market price, the Government fixed the price lower than the international market price, and paid the Marketers the difference between their landing cost and the Nigerian price fixed by the PPPRA - that is, the Government used tax payers’ money and other revenue, to cover the difference/losses.

With regard to the fuel subsidy, it should only have been sustained while the Government put our own refineries in working order within a specified timeframe, and then start to do some type of vertical integration, that is, extract and refine our own oil into petroleum byproducts, including petrol, bitumen etc, create employment while so doing, generate revenue by exporting the byproducts (as well as crude oil), while possibly keeping our own petrol prices down. And within the shortest time possible, not only would the country have positive economic growth from these activities, the trillions wasted on the continued subsidy would be ploughed into healthcare, education and so on.

Once this goal had been achieved, in the event that maybe the price of petrol couldn’t be kept as low as Government had been fixing it for decades (since the jury is still out on whether, even if we refined our own oil, the process would be cost efficient enough to keep the prices that low), with a more buoyant economy, people would still have been able to somewhat afford it.

A Money Making Scam Alas! Sadly, the above was not the case. It turned out to be one of the biggest money making scams in the history of Nigeria, and because of corruption in high places, there was absolutely no incentive to stop the subsidy or get our refineries back on track, despite the billions of Dollars expended and wasted on their so-called turn around maintenance, with no tangible results.

Many have been accused of duping the Federal Government of mind boggling amounts, not just for rehabilitation of the refineries, but in the uncountable subsidies paid to those who failed to import any products, or under-imported or brought

in cheap fuel; and it is alleged that, sometimes these scammers went as far as presenting forged documents showing that they imported the right amount of products, when in fact this wasn’t the case; based upon which they were reimbursed by Government. The Federal Government failed to utilise its agencies, to monitor the activities of the Marketers effectively, or at all.

Statistics show that between 2010 and now, Nigeria spent N20 trillion or more on fuel subsidy. In 2011 or so, Importers were said to have been paid for over 55 million litres of petrol, over 20 million litres more than was actually imported - about N2.5 trillion (over $16 billion at the time) equivalent to over half of Nigeria’s budget! In 2019, Government was said to have spent N1.5 trillion on fuel subsidy, about $3.9 billion (at the rate of N380 to $1), and in the first quarter of 2020 alone, over N500 billion (approximately $1 billion). If we estimate that we would have expended N2 trillion on fuel subsidy for the whole 2020 (especially with the decline in the value of the Naira), that is in excess of $4 billion (at the rate of N470 to $1). In practical terms, Nigeria funded the fuel subsidy for the past two years or so, at the expense of building the Lagos-Ibadan and the Ibadan-Kano railway, possibly without taking a loan from China!

The sum and substance of it all is that, under the guise of ‘cheaper’ petrol for the masses, the pockets of corrupt Marketers, Government Officials and their cronies have been handsomely lined. In the simplest terms, the opportunity cost of the fuel subsidy, has been qualitative education, health care, roads, railway, electricity and other social amenities.

In fact, some argue that the fuel subsidy was more beneficial to the rich than the poor - as they are the ones who have five cars on the road at the same time, which they fuel cheaply. And, while we don’t know whether the money used for subsidy would have been put to the best use even if it was available (as Government would have us believe), if we choose to give Government the benefit of the doubt or accept laid down economic principles, then Nigeria would be in a better position than it is now.

Timing I will nevertheless, not be too quick to give this administration a bronze medal for this step they have taken, though it may be a step in the right direction, because, though there’s never a good time to take hard decisions and the say, ‘better late than never’, the timing of this subsidy removal is not the best, as already, the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the sharp drop in oil prices will be felt by Nigerians for years to come, let alone this added burden.

Why didn’t President Buhari’s Government which came into office in 2015 on the mantra of war against corruption and revamping the economy, remove the subsidy immediately it assumed office, as this was one of the most obvious places to start from? Because, it was probably not politically expedient to do so at the time! And now that it

NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari

has been implemented, it is at the worst possible time - when there’s already so much suffering and despair in the land.

My Dilemma: The Nigerian People Herein therefore, lies my dilemma - the effect of the increase in the price of petrol (and electricity tariff, simultaneously) on the already downtrodden people; and the inflationary multiplier effect on us all. Certainly, it will translate into increase in prices of everything; yet, just as jobs are being lost, salaries are being slashed because of the recession/depression; and because of the pandemic, commerce is at one of its lowest ebbs - in short, our purchasing power has already been greatly diminished, now, more so with deregulation. Of course, if the price of oil falls on the international market, this will also be reflected in the price of petrol which should automatically fall. But, the question still remains - having failed to get our refineries up and running due to various factors, including outright theft and corruption, why is it only the masses who had no hand in the failure, the ones that are bearing the brunt of the Governments’ gross dereliction of duty? It seems so unfair. What palliatives will Government provide for the people, to soften this blow of hardship?

Purported Illegality of Deregulation For those who cite provisions like Sections 6(1) of the Petroleum Act and 4(1) of the Price Control Act which empower the Minister of Petroleum and the Price Control Board to fix the price of petroleum products, including fuel, I wonder whether these provisions can stand vis-a-vis the provisions of Sections 14 and 16 of the Constitution, seeing as the fuel subsidy does nothing to promote a self-reliant, productive, dynamic economy, nor is it in the long term interest and welfare of the people. On the contrary, the non-stop importation of an essential commodity like fuel makes us dependent on the countries from which we import from, puts more pressure on the demand for foreign currency to fund the importation, has adverse effects on our balance of payments in the long run, while it in no way enhances our incentive or capacity to refine our own crude oil, or promote economic growth and development. I submit therefore that, to the extent that the afore-mentioned Petroleum Act and Price Control Act allow for the fixing of fuel prices accommodating the subsidy, they are possibly inconsistent with Sections 14 and 16 of the Constitution, and null and void to the extent of their inconsistency, as in this particular circumstance, price fixing cum fuel subsidy, fail the test of the constitutionally provided economic objectives of the State.

Going Forward Deregulation/Subsidy removal will be a farce, if there are no bona fide gestures by Government, to confirm that they too, are tightening their belts as Nigerians have been made to do. What is the

“STATISTICS SHOW THAT BETWEEN 2010 AND NOW, NIGERIA SPENT N20 TRILLION OR MORE ON FUEL SUBSIDY....

NIGERIA FUNDED THE FUEL SUBSIDY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS OR SO, AT THE EXPENSE OF BUILDING THE LAGOS-IBADAN AND THE IBADAN-KANO RAILWAY, POSSIBLY WITHOUT TAKING A LOAN FROM CHINA!”

essence of saving money hitherto wasted on subsidy, only to use it to pay NASS members and selected Government officials exorbitant salaries, or to give NDDC more money for their officials and contractors to steal, or to fund useless recurrent expenditure, or the unnecessary high cost of governance generally?

None. Everybody must sacrifice. And, for those who argue that things like expenditure on cars for Government officials is negligible in the scheme of things - I beg to differ - it all adds up; if it didn’t, we wouldn’t be spending in excess of 50% of our budget on recurrent expenditure.

This new measure, must also be accompanied with good policies and accountability. Take for example these loans that we are taking recklessly from China, why can’t we instead, form some sort of partnership with China, whereby they harness the gas which we are flaring and wasting, we share the profits until they realise the money they have borrowed us with whatever interest accrued thereon, and then they hand over our asset to us? It would be a win-win situation for all; we will build our railways etc, harness our hitherto untapped gas resources, have a cleaner Niger Delta environment, while China gets its money back. Loans don’t always have to be about cash payback - there’s trade by barter too. There is an oil glut in the world presently; OPEC is restricting production and the world seems to be trying to move away from oil - why then, should we be wasting scarce resources prospecting for more oil in the Chad basin because of tribalism and sectional interests, when another low hanging fruit - gas, can be harnessed for profit immediately?

My point? If the savings from the removal of subsidy are not applied properly to infrastructural development and other ventures which are beneficial to Nigerians and the nation as a whole, and we do not start to see some dividends therefrom as soon as possible, but, instead, the savings are looted and wasted, the suffering and sacrifices of the people will be in vain, and there will be no progress in the country. But, in the meantime, Government must take urgent steps to implement measures that will assist Nigerians through this extremely difficult time.

4/LAW REPORT

Whether States’ Public Officers are Protected by the Public Officers Protection Act 2004 amended), applies only to protect public officers in the “public service of the Federation”. It has no general application such as to apply or offer protection to public officers in the service of Ekiti State, or any other State in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The public service of Ekiti State being a matter within the residual list by Section 4(6) and (8) of the 1999 Constitution, only the Ekiti State House of Assembly can constitutionally legislate on it. The resort to the POPA, a Federal statute, to provide a statutory defence for the Respondents who are officers in the public service of Ekiti State, was thus, ultra vires.

Facts

The 1st Respondent revoked the Appellant’s Statutory Right of Occupancy over a parcel of land, which is evidenced

by Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) No. DG 00104/2007 registered in the Lands Registry Office, Ekiti State. The revocation was published in the 1st Respondent’s Official Gazette No. 1, Volume 20 of 20th October, 2016. The parcel of land was subsequently re-allocated to the 4th Respondent. Further to this, the Appellant instituted an action at the High Court of Ekiti State by a Writ of Summons taken out on 16th January 2017, challenging the said revocation on the ground that it was illegal, unconstitutional and a nullity. The Appellant asked for a declaration that it remained vested with the Right of Occupancy over the land, and that its Right of Occupancy had neither been extinguished nor affected in law by the said revocation. It sought inter alia, a declaration that the re-allocation of the land to the 4th Respondent was unlawful. It also sought Perpetual Injunctive Orders to restrain the 1st to 3rd Respondent from issuing a fresh Certificate of Occupancy over the land to the 4th Respondent, and to restrain the 4th Respondent from interfering with its structures built on the land.

The Respondents, had by way of demurrer, instead of filing a Statement of Defence, filed Notices of Preliminary Objection supported by affidavits, in which they challenged the jurisdiction of the High Court of Ekiti State to entertain the suit, and asked that the suit be struck out in limine. The basis of their Preliminary Objections was that the Appellant’s suit was statute barred, having been instituted outside the three months period stipulated under Section 2 of the Public Officers Protection Act (POPA).

The Respondents alleged that the 1st to 3rd Respondent issued the Appellant with a notice of revocation via a letter dated 16th December, 2014, and any action to challenge the said revocation should have been instituted by the Appellant within three months from that date.

The Respondents also challenged the suit, which they regarded as not disclosing any reasonable course of action.

In their affidavit in support of the Notice of Preliminary Objection, the 1st - 3rd Respondent justified the revocation, on the ground that the Appellant had seriously violated the terms and conditions of the Certificate of Occupancy by failing to pay ground rents and failing to erect and complete buildings on the land, in accordance with the approved building plan within two years from the grant of the Statutory Right of Occupancy.

In a Ruling delivered on 5th June, 2017, the trial court upheld the Respondent’s Preliminary Objection and struck out the Appellant’s suit, on the ground that same was statute barred by virtue of Section 2(a) of POPA, having not been filed within three months after the revocation. The court also found that the suit did not disclose a reasonable cause of action, in the Statement of Claim. The Appellant’s appeal to the Court of Appeal was unsuccessful; hence, it filed a further appeal to the Supreme Court.

Honourable Ejembi Eko, JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 13th day of March, 2020 Before Their Lordships

Olabode Rhodes-Vivour Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili Chima Centus Nweze Amina Adamu Augie Ejembi Eko SC.990/2018 Between CIL RISK & ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED

And 1. EKITI STATE GOVERNMENT 2. MINISTRY OF LANDS, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, EKITI STATE 3. ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF EKITI STATE 4. AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY

Arguments On the first issue, counsel for the Appellant argued that the suit was not caught by the operation of the Public Officers Protection Act; thus, the suit was not statute barred. Counsel for the Respondents argued conversely, that the Appellant’s suit was caught by Section 2(a), having been instituted outside the three months period from the date of the revocation of the Appellant’s Certificate of Occupancy on 22nd December, 2014, when the cause of action accrued.

Regarding the second issue, Counsel for the Appellant contended that the suit before the trial court as constituted in the Writ of Summons and the Statement of Claim, disclosed a reasonable cause of action upon which the trial court could adjudicate. This submission was

RESPONDENTS

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Ejembi Eko, JSC)

refuted by Counsel for the Respondents, who argued that the suit did not disclose any reasonable cause of action, and that the Court of Appeal was right to have Issues for Determination The Appellant submitted seven issues for determination upheld the finding of the of the appeal. However, the Apex Court decided the trial court in that regard. appeal on the two issues below: Court’s Judgement and 1. Whether the Court of Appeal was right when it upheld the Rationale decision of the trial court that by virtue of Section 2(a) of On the first issue, the the Public Officers Protection Act, the Appellant’s suit was statute barred.

2. Whether the concurrent findings of fact by the Court of Appeal and the trial Court that the Appellant did not disclose any reasonable cause of action in its Statement of Claim, was right.

APPELLANT

Supreme Court held that the Respondents erroneously took protection under the Public Officers Protection Act, 2004. The Act, which was enacted pursuant to Item 53 of the Exclusive Legislative List and Section 4(2) and (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as

“THIS ACT....APPLIES ONLY TO PROTECT PUBLIC OFFICERS IN THE “PUBLIC SERVICE OF THE FEDERATION”. IT HAS NO GENERAL APPLICATION SUCH AS TO APPLY OR OFFER PROTECTION TO PUBLIC OFFICERS IN THE SERVICE OF EKITI STATE, OR ANY OTHER STATE IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA”

The court held further that the protection under Section 2(a) of POPA does not apply in cases of recovery of land, as in the instant case - A-G RIVERS STATE v A-G BAYELSA STATE (2013) NWLR (Pt. 1340) 123 at 150 and MULIMA v USMAN (2014) 16 NWLR (Pt. 1432) 160 at 212.

Relying on OSUN STATE GOVERNMENT v DALAMI (NIG) LTD (2007) 9 NWLR (Pt. 1038) 66, the Supreme Court held that the provisions of Section 2(a) of POPA does not also extend to cases of breach of contract. The Appellant’s cause of action was premised on breach of the contractual terms in the Certificate of Occupancy by the 1st – 3rd Respondent, and it was clear from the ipse dixit of the Respondents, in the record of appeal, that they justified the revocation of the Appellant’s Statutory Right of Occupancy on the fact that the Appellant was in breach of the contract terms, conditions and obligations contained in the Certificate of Occupancy. The protection under Section 2 of POPA was thus, improperly invoked by the Respondent, and wrongfully upheld by the trial court and the Court of Appeal.

Deciding the second issue, the Supreme Court held that so long as the Statement of Claim discloses the cause the Plaintiff has to complain to the court against the Defendant for violation, infraction or imposition of undue burden on his legal right or obligations, or raises some question fit to be decided by the court or the Judge; a reasonable cause is disclosed thereby. A reasonable cause of action is disclosed once the Statement of Claim sets out the Plaintiff’s legal right qua the Defendant’s obligations towards him, and goes further to set out the facts constituting the infraction of the Plaintiff’s legal rights, or failure of the Defendant to fulfil his obligations towards the Plaintiff. It is not material at this stage, whether the case of the Plaintiff is strong or weak. The only thing important at this stage, is whether the court can decipher from the Statement of Claim, if there is either a prima facie triable case, or issue or there is a reasonable chance of success if no defence were offered - RINO CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD v VEEPEE IND LTD & ANOR. (2005) 9 NWLR (Pt. 929) 85 at 96.

Their Lordships held that, it was clear from the Notices of Preliminary Objection filed at the trial court by the Respondents, that the Respondents made efforts, at the interlocutory stage, to join issues with the Appellant on the salient allegations against them. They also raised special defences in law, without filing defence by way of demurrer, to the claims of the Appellants. It therefore, does not lie in their mouth to say that the Statement of Claim, in the circumstance, did not disclose any reasonable cause of action against them.

The Supreme Court concluded that, the concurrent finding of facts by the High Court of Ekiti State and the Court of Appeal that the Statement of Claim discloses no reasonable cause of action, was thus, perverse.

Appeal Allowed.

Suit restored on the cause list of the High Court of Ekiti State, to be heard and determined by another trial Judge.

Representation Peter Nwatu with Michael Olawale and Chioma Ezeobika for the Appellant.

O. Olatawura, for the 1st for the 3rd Respondent.

Toyese Owoade, for the 4th Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR)

15.09.2020

NEWS/5

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Toyin Akinwole Gets Justice as Adesanya Paul is Sentenced to 21 Years

15.09.2020

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Fuel, Electricity Tariffs: A Hike too Many In the midst of the hopelessness and despondency occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic, which in the past six months has seen Nigerians almost feeding from dustbins, the nation awoke to the sad news and stark realisation that the Government had finally jettisoned its fuel subsidy policy, while it tacitly allowed DISCOs to arbitrarily hike the electricity tariffs astronomically. Was the plight of Nigerians taken into consideration, when the Government took these steps? What would be the fate of the poor and suffering masses under the new price regimes if allowed to stay? Emmanuel Onwubiko, Sulaimon Arigbabu and Kolawole Oluwadare, discuss the implications and consequences of these hikes

Between Policies and Poisonous Chalice Emmanuel Onwubiko Recently, some supposed Lawyers from Northern Nigeria, namely, Nuhu Ibrahim, and Abdulbasit Suleiman basking in the euphoria of their self importance or perhaps, craving for cheap fame, but clearly actuated by rather parochial and conceited motives, declared their intention to float a “New Nigerian Bar Association” in a widely circulated press release over what they described as “the recent rumblings from the Nigerian Bar Association”.

What is Nigeria to me?

Millions of Nigerians, who woke up few days back and witnessed the cruelest policy of a government represented by the sudden hikes in electricity and petrol pump price, understandably are seeking the best answer to the question: what is Nigeria to me?

Professor Chinua Achebe, easily one of the best literary gifts God gave to the black world, attempted a response to this question in his collection of essays titled: “The Education of a British Protected Child". His words; “Nigerian nationality was for me and my generation an acquired taste-like cheese. Or better still, like ballroom dancing. Not dancing per se, for this came naturally; but this titillating version of slow-slow-quick-quick-slow performed in close body contact with a female against a strange, elusive beat. I found, however, that once I had overcome my initial awkwardness I could do it pretty well”.

Achebe continued:“Perhaps these irreverent analogies would only occur to someone like me, born into a strongly multiethnic, multilingual, multireligious, somewhat chaotic colonial situation. The first passport I ever carried described me as a “British Protected Person”, an unexciting identity embodied in a phrase that no one was likely to die for. I don’t mean it was entirely devoid of emotive meaning. After all, “British” meant you were located somewhere in the flaming red portion of the world map that covered a quarter of the entire globe in those days and was called “the British Empire, where the sun never sets. “It had a good ring to it in my childhood ears - a magical fraternity, vague but vicariously glorious”.

To the contemporary Nigerian, Nigeria is a country that cares more for the political class than for the commoners, because politics has largely turned into the 'survival of the fittest' just as 'might has become right'. Government churns out policies without bearing in mind the import of government as encapsulated in the Nigerian Constitution, which is to secure Nigerians and to guarantee welfare of the citizens. The law made these, the primary purpose of governance.

In the face of this challenge, it is important that President Muhammadu Buhari does not push Nigerians to the wall, apparently hoping that members of the security forces would always be favourably disposed to be used as disposal agents of mass killings, to stop aggrieved citizens from voicing out their rejection of these spate of evil minded policies which

President Muhammadu Buhari

will inevitably push millions of Nigerians to the precipice and cast the citizens into a state of poverty, penury and pain in the shortest possible period, if these hikes in the prices of petrol and electricity are not immediately annulled.

This reminds us all of the whole essence of appropriate use of governmental power, to promote public good.

This theme was reflected in the work of a law scholar of Harvard University and erstwhile Executive Chairman of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Dr. Sam Amadi in his

“....PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI..... HAS VISITED THE CITIZENS WITH THE POISONOUS CHALICE OF FUEL PRICE HIKE AND ELECTRICITY PRICE HIKE, EVEN WHEN OTHER NATIONS ARE BUSY INTRODUCING PALLIATIVES FOR THEIR CITIZENS”

book titled: “Privatisation and Public Good: the Rule of Law Challenge”.

In that book, the public policy analyst said: “But, all the gains of privatisation can become chimera, if the regulatory environment is not clarified. The success of privatisation, or its appeal, is based on the proposition that a competitive market ensures better allocation of resources. Where the market works efficiently, that is, where the assumptions of a perfect market exist, there is little doubt that the market will ensure a more effective allocation than ration or any other mode of settling the problem of scarcity. But, in reality, a perfect market rarely exists. In Nigeria and other underdeveloped economies, functional markets rarely exist. Regulation is one process of ensuring that something close to a perfect market exists after privatisation, including that privatisation may become a process of creating a monopoly or entrenching an unfair market power. From the perspective of poverty and human rights, regulation is important as a control on privatisation to ensure it does not work to aggravate poverty”.

It is doubtful if this is the approach of the current Federal Government in Nigeria.

Responsibilities of Government to Citizens All this also bring us to another equally important question of what are the responsibilities of a government to the citizens.

When these responsibilities are stated out, we can then proceed to assert that it is insensitive, irresponsible and a show of crass lack of proper appreciation of good governance for President Buhari to effect punitive price hikes of fuel

and electricity, when Nigerians have not even emerged from the economic adversities foisted on them by the global pandemic of Covid-19, just as it is also relevant to recall what other nations are doing in aid of their citizens to ameliorate the excruciating hardships imposed on them by the global healthemergency.

Anne-Marie Slaughter who is President and Chief Executive Officer, New America, has provided the universally acclaimed responsibilities of government to the citizens. We will quote her in greater detail, so as not to miss out anything.

The analyst further stated that, it is providing an infrastructure of care to enable citizens to flourish socially and economically, in the same way that an infrastructure of competition does.

It provides a social security, that enables citizens to create their own economic security.

The most important priority of government as investor, is indeed, education, but education cradle-to-grave. The first five years are particularly essential, as the brain development in those years determines how well children will be able to learn, and process what they learn for the rest of their lives. The government will thus, have to invest in an entire infrastructure of child development from pregnancy through the beginning of formal schooling, including child nutrition and health, parenting classes, home visits and developmentally appropriate early education programmes. The teenage years are another period of brain development, where special programmes, coaching and family support are likely to be needed.

Investment in education will fall on barren ground, if brains are not capable of receiving and absorbing it. Moreover, meaningful opportunities for continuing education must be available to citizens over the course of their lives, as jobs change rapidly and the acquisition of knowledge accelerates.

The author argued that, even well-educated citizens cannot live up to their full potential as creative thinkers and makers, unless they have resources to work with.

Quoting futurists and business consultants, John Hagel III, John Seeley Brown and Lang Davison who argued in ‘The Power of Pull’ that successful enterprises no longer design a product according to abstract specifications and push it out to customers, but rather, provide a platform where individuals can find what they need and connect to whom they need to be successful, the writer underscores the important role of government as an investor in talents.

"Woven all together, citizen-enterprise in every conceivable area can create a web of national economic enterprise, and at least, a good part of a social safety net", she further argued.

But, in the case of President Muhammadu Buhari, he has visited the citizens with the poisonous chalice of fuel price hike and electricity price hike, even when other nations are busy introducing palliatives for their citizens.

France The French government has detailed its 100

“..... IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THIS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX ANY OF THE REFINERIES, EVEN WHEN BILLIONS OF NAIRA HAVE BEEN CLAIMED AS EXPENSES FOR THE SO-CALLED TURN AROUND MAINTENANCE.....”

billion Euro ($118bn) stimulus plan to erase the economic effects of the corona virus crisis over two years, lining up billions of Euros in public investments, subsidies and tax cuts.

The plan - dubbed “France Relaunch” - earmarks, in particular, 35 billion Euros ($41bn) for making the Euro zone's second-biggest economy more competitive, 30 billion Euros ($35bn) for more environmentally friendly energy schemes, and 25 billion Euros ($30bn) for supporting jobs, officials told the Reuters news agency ahead of its official presentation late on Thursday.

With the plan equating to 4% of gross domestic product (GDP), France is ploughing more public cash into its economy than any other big European country, as a percentage of GDP, one of the officials said.

French Prime Minister, Jean Caltex, said he hoped the economic recovery plan would create 160,000 jobs by 2021.

Speaking on RTL radio, he also said the plan aimed to erase the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis over two years, as well as helping to avert widespread job losses.

USA In the United States of America, President Donald Trump's $600 federal weekly unemployment benefit bonus from the CARES Act, expired on July 31. Democrats and Republicans didn’t make a deal for another relief package leading to President Donald Trump signing an executive memorandum on August 8, to restart the additional extra weekly funds but at $400 instead of $600.

“I’m taking action to provide an additional, or an extra, $400 per week in expanded benefits,” Trump said during a press conference at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

“States will be asked to cover 25% of costs, using existing funding such as the tens of billions of Dollars available to them through the coronavirus relief fund. Under this plan, States will be able to offer greater benefits if they so choose, and the federal government will cover 75% of the costs.”

According to the executive memorandum, the $400 amount would start for the week ending on August 1 and will last until December 27.

When asked at a White House press briefing on last Monday when unemployment benefits recipients would receive the $400, Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, “We hope to see it quickly and close to immediately”. She says the speed of getting the funds to those eligible will depend on the States, as it is the States that will have to kick in $100.

Treasury Secretary, Steve Munching, said during a second White House press briefing last Monday that, most of the States would be able to start the $400 unemployment benefits “within a week or two”. President Trump said the 25% funding from the State could be terminated, depending on the State.

Along with the return of the enhanced unemployment benefit, Trump also signed three other executive actions, for a payroll tax holiday, federal student loan assistance, and eviction protection. Like the $400 unemployment benefits, there are questions on the legality of these orders.

House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, released

Minister of Power, Engr. Mamman Saleh

a joint statement on August 8 in response to Trump’s executive actions, and called on Republicans to return to the negotiating table.

“Today’s meagre announcements by the President, show President Trump still does not comprehend the seriousness or the urgency of the health and economic crises facing working families”, the two legislators said. “For instance, not only does the President’s announcement not actually extend the eviction moratorium, it provides no assistance to help pay the rent, which will only leave desperate families to watch their debt pile higher. Instead of passing a bill, now President Trump is cutting families’ unemployment benefits and pushing States further into budget crises, forcing them to make devastating cuts to life-or-death services”.

The weekly $600 benefit, part of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, was a popular feature of the initial coronavirus relief legislation package that extended federal unemployment aid to help those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the HEALS Act (which stands for Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools) officially proposed, Democrats and Republicans are working through a political stalemate.

Before President Trump signed the executive memorandum to restart the unemployment benefit bonus, Democrats and Republicans were unable to make a deal on the next stimulus package. Negotiations fell apart last Friday after a “disappointing” meeting, as described

by Schumer according to a report from CNBC Last Monday, Mnuchin told CNBC the White House and Republicans were open to begin negotiations with the Democrats again.

Since the President’s signings, Democratic leadership has spoken out on whether the executive actions taken were constitutional, but they have yet to declare if a lawsuit would be filed to block the orders from being carried out.

“My constitutional advisers tell me they (executive actions) are absurdly unconstitutional”, Pelosi said last Sunday. When asked about

whether negotiations would continue, Pelosi said she hopes they will.

California Governor, Gavin Newsom, said that his State doesn’t have the funds to facilitate the 25% of the weekly $400 bonus, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times. Newsom said the amount needed to cover the State’s portion, would total $700 million.

Another issue State Governors will have to face, is the time it takes to implement the unemployment benefit. Pennsylvania Governor, Tom Wolf’s administration says the President’s executive action will require the creation of an entirely new program.

“This is not something that any State will be able to do quickly”, his administration said in a statement recently reported.

States that apply for funding with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and set up a system to distribute the money, will have access to $44 billion a Labour Department official told The Wall Street Journal last Wednesday.

However, if all States tap into the fund for the current recipients of unemployment benefits, then it will last for five to six weeks, which would be far sooner than the December 27 expiration date of the executive memo.

The U.S. Department of Labour sent out guidance on the new unemploymentbenefits President Trump created in his executive memo– referred to as Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) — on Wednesday. The guidance adds eligibility requirements, in particular, there will be a minimum $100 from a State’s unemployment benefits program required to receive the additional $300 federal funds. This would affect one million people, according to the New York Times Thursday.

I ask again, What is Nigeria to us?

The above interrogatory becomes consequential when one realises that the current administration has continued to defend the insensitive and irresponsible actions of hiking costs of fuel and electricity at this critical time of Covid-19 challenges, confronting millions of Nigerians in the past five months or so. To demonstrate

this near infinite insensitivity, President Muhammadu Buhari last week Monday for the first time, personally defended the recent hike in price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol and electricity tariff.

President Buhari spoke on the decisions, which had attracted widespread criticisms from millions of Nigerians.

Represented by Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, the President claims that the Covid-19 pandemic, which had affected economies globally, compelled his administration to make some necessary far-reaching adjustments, for long-term gains with some initial pain.

Buhari, who listed negative consequences if government should resume the business of fixing or subsidising PMS prices, said it would mean a return to the costly subsidy regime with the potential return of fuel queues.

The President, who said there was no provision for fuel subsidy in the revised 2020 budget, assured citizens of the government's determination to remain alert to its responsibilities, by preventing marketers from raising prices arbitrarily or exploiting them.

Buhari, while speaking on the hike in electricity tariff, said that he was not happy with the quality of service being offered by the Distribution Companies of Nigeria (DISCOs).

The President said: "The other painful adjustment that we have had to make in recent days is a review of the electricity tariff regime. If there is one thing that we have heard over and over again, it is that Nigerians want consistent and reliable power supply. So, the power sector remains a critical priority for the administration.

"Protecting the poor and vulnerable, while cont'd on page 8

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BETWEEN POLICIES AND POISONOUS CHALICE

ensuring improved service in the power sector, is also a major priority for Government. And our policies, like the social investment programmes and other socio-economic schemes to benefit Nigerians, show that we remain focused on improving the welfare of the common man.

"In addressing the power problems, we must not forget that most Nigerians are not even connected to electricity at all. So, as part of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), we are providing Solar home systems to five million Nigerian households (impacting up to 25 million individual Nigerians), in the next 12 months.

"We have already begun the process of providing financing support through the CBN for manufacturers and retailers of Off Grid Solar Home Systems and Mini-Grids, who are to provide the systems.

"The Five million systems under the ESP's Solar Power Strategy will produce 250,000 jobs, and impact up to 25 million beneficiaries through the installation. This means that more Nigerians will have access to electricity, via a reliable and sustainable solar system.

"The support to Solar Home System manufacturers and the bulk procurement of local meters will create over 300,000 local jobs, while ensuring that we set Nigeria on a path to full electrification. The tariff review is not about the increase, which will only affect the top electricity consumers, but establishing a system which will definitely lead to improved service for all, at a fair and reasonable price.

"There has been some concern expressed, about the timing of these two necessary adjustments. It is important to stress that, it is a mere coincidence, in the sense that the deregulation of PMS prices happened quite some time ago, it was announced on 18 March, 2020, and the price moderation that took place

NLC President Ayuba Wabba

at the beginning of this month was just part of the on-going monthly adjustments to global crude oil prices.

Similarly, the review of service-based electricity tariffs was scheduled to start at the beginning of July, but was put on hold to enable further studies and proper arrangements to be made."

Refineries However, in the last five years, this Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari has been unable to fix any of the refineries, even when billions of Naira have been claimed as expenses for the so-called turn around maintenance, and sadly, there is no pragmatic proof that any kind of repairs

were done, because Nigeria has continued to depend on imported refined fuel for domestic consumption.

To think that Muhammadu Buhari has been the Minister of Petroleum for five whole years, and yet the same government has grossly failed to account for the resources voted and released for the turn around maintenance of the moribund refineries, means that the government has no moral high ground to claim any kind of credit for introducing suffocating economic programmes of fuel and electricity price hikes simultaneously, and at a very inauspicious time.

A report by the National Resource Charter (NNRC), stated that NNPC spent a whopping $396.33 million between 2013-2017, to carry

out repairs works under the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) scheme on its refineries.

Also, NNPC has spent N276.872 billion on operating expenses of the refineries between 2015-2018, even as $36 billion on importation of Petroleum products between 2013-2017.

Unfortunately, the President, who said the government would not inflict hardship (which is clearly untrue) on the people by being insensitive to their condition at this "very difficult economic situation", directed Ministers and senior officials to ensure a "vigorous and prompt" implementation of the ESP programmes, to give succour to Nigerians at this difficult time.

"In this regard, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has created credit facilities (of up to N100 billion) for the Healthcare (N100 Billion) and Manufacturing (N1 Trillion) sectors. From January 2020 to date, over N191.87 billion has already been disbursed for 76 real sectors projects under the N1Trillion Real Sector Scheme; while 34 Healthcare projects have been funded to the tune of N37.159 billion under the Healthcare Sector Intervention Facility. “The facilities are meant to address some of the infrastructural gaps in the healthcare and manufacturing sector as a fall out from the Covid-19 pandemic, and to facilitate the attainment of the Governors’ five-year strategic plan”, he added.

Conclusion The fact is that, these price hikes in the supply of electricity and procurement of fuel can be summed up as an economic poisonous chalice that this administration has foisted on Nigerians, just as it is obligatory for Nigerians to resist this insensitive and irresponsible actions of hiking costs of fuel and electricity.

Emmanuel Onwubiko, Head, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)

‘Hike Not My Tariff, and Do Not My Subsidy Remove’ Power Sector Reform in a Catch 22 Situation Sulaimon Arigbabu Government’s Insensitivity In his 1961 novel describing a paradoxical logic of the military bureaucracy during the Second World War, Joseph Heller inadvertently introduced the idiom, “Catch 22” into the English lexicon. A Catch 22 is a situation in which the rules and regulations actually stop a problem from being solved, and often creating a scenario of ‘you dare, you are damned, you don’t, you are doomed’. This aptly captures the vicious cycle Nigeria finds herself on the critical issue of navigating appropriate pricing on one hand, and ensuring sustainable adequate supply of products and services in the energy sector.

For the umpteenth time, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced the removal of subsidies on petroleum products and electricity. This purported removal has become a recurring decimal, and a familiar nightmare to the average Nigerian. Perhaps, what makes this particular cycle more shocking, is the audacity with which Government allowed the petroleum products deregulation and removal of subsidy on electricity tariff, to hit citizens at the same time. Not that either has ever rendered much reprieve to citizens even when not introduced at same time previously, but slamming the two on citizens at once, to many, is insensitivity to the plight of citizens. Even more so, when it is coming in the heat of the Covid-19 pandemic that has caused massive loss of jobs and incomes, without much of a palliative or recovery plan from government.

Expectedly citizens’ reaction has been swift and predictable, with almost everyone opining that this will bring more hardship on people and businesses. Labour Centres and Civil Society Organisations have lamented and condemned, and even issued ultimatums.

There have been pockets of protest and unjustifiable police arrests, albeit in a rehash of same frustrating vicious cycle. There continues to be absence of constructive, sincere and robust engagement around these issues. Citizens have become quite cynical after decades of governments’ failure and unfaithfulness, while governments in turn, appear to care less what citizens think about

“THE USUAL KITES THAT SUCCESSIVE REGIMES, AND PARTICULARLY THIS ADMINISTRATION OFTEN FLY, IS TO CLAIM THAT THE ENTIRE SUBSIDY REGIME HAS NO IMPACT ON THE POOR, AND IT IS ONLY SERVING THE INTEREST OF THE AFFLUENT”

their action, as long as they feel self-justified.

It is not new, nothing has changed, same problems, predictable government’s reaction, and similar foul cry from citizens, and then all die down, to simmer till next cycle. The late renowned Economist and Public Commentator, Henry Boyo, did warn us in his several public interventions on the matter, that this problem would not go away unless we find the courage to take tough decisions.

No doubt, this Administration has been quite lucky when it comes to citizens’ patience, tolerance and trusts, and could have midwifed such tough decisions successfully. However, policy inconsistencies, unfulfilled promises, poor public communication and engagement have been its bane. Notwithstanding this, the choices before this government on the ‘deregulation’ and removal of subsidy in the energy sector are not pleasant, if we must be fair. There are credible arguments on both sides of this divide, and it is imperative that there is sincere and robust dialogue and engagement, in an atmosphere discharged from pervasive cynicism and arrogance of power on either sides.

Government’s Justification

So what is government saying to justify this no-doubt harsh policy action? The Federal Government of Nigeria, in a rehearsal of very familiar lines that successive governments have deployed shamelessly over time, gave reasons why this line of action is inevitable.

According to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Timipre Sylva, Nigeria losses N1trillion annually to petroleum subsidy, and thus, putting pressure on scarce resources available for infrastructure development.

Cross- border smuggling due to price disparity, fluctuating price of oil in the international market, and the pressure on the Naira due to the heavy Forex required, are among reasons adduced. Government therefore, posits that only total deregulation, and hence, removal of subsidy would resolve these problems.

While this may be true, therein lies some contradictions, which we shall talk about in this article.

On the reason for electricity tariff hike, again the reasons adduced are not new, and put credibility of government to test.

Nigeria’s experience in the unbundling and subsequent privatisation of the electricity sector, is perhaps, unique in the world. Everybody is complaining and bitterly too; government

is complaining of spending scarce resources to subsidise electricity, the private sector operators are complaining of low tariff as disincentive for investment (even as they get government intervention), and citizens on the other hand, are complaining of paying for darkness. Who then is benefitting from this power contraption, one may ask?

Nigeria is said to have an installed capacity to generate about 13000MW of electricity, though has capacity to transmit just about 7000MW, and of this lot, the infrastructure for distribution is less than 5000MW. In the face of this, over 80 million Nigerians, according to Ahmed Zakari, a Special Assistant to the President on infrastructure, have no access to the grid. The problems of the sector are numerous, and at the heart of it is poor infrastructure and inadequate investment, which is exacerbated by a debilitating subsidy regime. Compared to Brazil, a country with a population just a little above ours that generates about 200,000MW, and South Africa with a population of only about 50million, which generates 40,000MW, Nigeria’s cont'd on page 9

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15.09.2020

‘HIKE NOT MY TARIFF, AND DO NOT MY SUBSIDY REMOVE’

cont'd from page 8

generation, transmission and distribution capacity is grossly in adequate and abysmal, and yet riddled with inefficiencies. This is, no doubt, a major reason for the country’s under-development and poverty prevalence.

Government equally tries to spin this off as mere restructuring of prices and not a tariff increase, but that is rather cheeky because the criteria for determining who pays more, is the number of hours of supply you purportedly get and not minding quality of that supply or the veracity of service providers claim. Who monitors the supply and the corresponding bills in a country where the larger percentage of electricity subscribers are bedevilled by fraudulent estimated billing which has refused to go, despite governments shouting and threats?

communities the service they deserve; thus, leaving the poor to spend scarce income to buy deregulated fuel to service their I-better-Pass-My- Neighbour generators.

Truth be told, even if government meant well and is ready to negotiate with citizens on the best way to eradicate subsidies, there might be Constitutional impediments in the way. Citizens and entities that feel so inclined, may decide to take legal action against this decision. Late Bamidele Aturu of cherished memory, a Lawyer and Civil Rights Activist, got a judgement from a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja in Case # FHC/ABJ/CS/591/2009: BAMIDELE ATURU v MINISTER OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES & ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION - Justice M. Bello ordered the Defendants, their agents, privies, collaborators and whosoever and howsoever, to desist from deregulating the downstream sector of the petroleum industry or from failing to fix the prices of petroleum products as mandatorily required by the Petroleum Act and the Price Control Act. This is just an example of many factors that the Federal Government appears not to have taken into consideration, before taking this line of action.

View Points Interestingly, while majority of the political class are divided across party lines on these crucial issues, some decent politicians and technocrats are able to think through and speak to the core of the matter.

1) Kingsley Moghalu For instance, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and former Presidential Candidate in the 2019 general elections, opined that the removal of subsidies is inevitable.

Sharing his thoughts on a television interview, he said subsidy and regulation of the sector is not sustainable in a situation where government subsidises electricity by about N22 being the difference between the actual kilowatt cost of N53 and the consumer tariff of N31. He said the Federal Government spent N560 billion on electricity subsidies in 2019 alone, accounting for about 7% of the budget. He however, laid the problem squarely at the doorstep of successive and incumbent administrations, for poor and suboptimal management of the economy that in turn, has impoverished Nigerians to the point that they are unable to afford proper prices for basic and essential services.

2) The Citizens On the side of citizens, there is clarity about what they want and do not want, and this has been consistent over the years.

The simple logic here is as follow; if you are unable to provide me with functional public transportation, if you are unable to guarantee me adequate power supply for my domestic and business needs, if you are unable to pay a minimum wage that could afford me the cost for the consequences of your economic policies, if despite all the taxes, levies and oil revenue, I still have to provide all basic social services for myself, then government has no justification howsoever, to impose further hardship on me as a citizen.

If government, since 1999, and especially the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, despite promises he made in 2015, is unable to fix our moribund refineries in five years, and unable to invest in infrastructure for adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as alternative to petrol, if for five years the administration has been unable to achieve efficiency in the electricity sector in spite of trillions invested in this privatised industry, then government lacks all moral and political justification for rehashing the overused and abused subsidy removal and deregulation claims, hence, hike not my tariff,

and do not my subsidy remove.

Justified anger and mistrust of government, has led to public cynicism that has deafened citizens’ ears to any sense in the argument of government. True, the queue at filling stations have disappeared, and there has been major investment in building mass transit infrastructure like rail services and fixing/building of some critical roads and bridges, none of these could matter to a citizen whose income has remained stunted in the face of bloating tariffs and taxes. A citizen who has come to hear same story over the years from successive administrations, yet nothing changes.

Tough Questions Reflecting deeper though, we must ask ourselves tough questions, how much choice do we as citizens have in this matter? After protests and expression of our justified frustration and indignation at government’s insincerity, so what is next? If government is forced by the strength of our demonstration and they reverse to status quo ante, would that be victory for the people? Does that end the vicious cycle once and for all? Would it translate to the efficiency and profitability we desire for this critical sector, or do we simply go on spending close to 20% of annual budget to maintain a façade? Would citizens be willing to give government another chance to remove subsidies, and hopefully, use the money to build infrastructure? Will removing the subsidies truly make the sector profitable and attractive for investors? And finally, which will come first, the egg or the chicken, remove subsidies and use the money to build infrastructure, or build the infrastructure first, so that citizens won’t feel the bite of subsidy removal so harshly?

The Catch 22 Situation As I earlier described, there are no easy ways out for either side. We need strong leadership that is sincere, compassionate and ready to engage. The attitude of government on this matter has not encouraged fair engagement,

and it appears that government is listening only to itself. In an interview on television, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Mele Kyari, appeared comfortable when he explained off the decision to shut down completely the four refineries in the country, due to their need for rehabilitation.

The GMD, when faced with a question on the appropriateness of selling Forex to the Pipeline Product Marketing Company (PPMC) at a special rate by the CBN, thus, making the PPMC the sole importer of petroleum product, could not deny the unsustainability of such in a regime of deregulation and subsidy removal.

Why retain the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) and the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), after several claims to deregulation. In a properly deregulated petroleum downstream regime, these two bodies have no usefulness whatsoever.

When asked about this, the Minister of State for Petroleum in one breath claimed they would be scrapped, and in another breath said they would be reformed and reintroduced through the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

This double speak, makes it difficult to trust government.

The usual kites that successive regimes, and particularly this administration often fly, is to claim that the entire subsidy regime has no impact on the poor, and it is only serving the interest of the affluent. This is strange and quite untrue, to say the least. It is one more contradiction in government’s narrative, that makes it appear callous and uncaring. Each time you have a cycle of subsidy removal and deregulation, the cost of public transportation increases and never reverts, even when there is any reversal of policy, thus, placing the common man at the mercy of shylock transporters. The common man’s neighbourhood, is the one that gets the worst supply of electricity. In their drive for profit, the electricity distribution companies prefer to sell to affluent neighbourhoods for a premium, while denying less privileged

Conclusion In conclusion, the government needs to do a lot of social marketing of this policy, because it pinches very real in the lives of the masses much more than the President or any of his appointees could ever imagine. So far, it may be suggested that government is indifferent to the cries of citizens. Many State governments are yet to implement the N30,000 minimum wage, even as many Nigerians have lost their means of livelihood due to the pandemic.

Nonetheless, it is important for citizens to take a second look at the situation, and be guided in our conclusions and positions.

Difficult times such as this would require the President to rise up and reach to out to the citizens with a realistic plan and reassurances, in a bid to up the level of public trust, but that may not be the style of President Muhammadu Buhari. In his closing speech at the recently concluded First Year Ministerial Performance Review Retreat, the President charged his appointees thus: “I have to charge all of you to defend the Government vigorously, and not allow irresponsible and politically motivated activists to keep spreading patent falsehoods about this government. Information to the public, should be better packaged.

Go on the offensive. We are proud of our achievements, and we should blow our own trumpets”. Statement like that, may conflagrate an already charged situation.

We do acknowledge however, the seeming rapprochement by the President, when he directed his Labour Minister to meet and dialogue with the organised labour. The solutions to this particular and peculiar recurrent problem neither lie in the street of protests, nor in any offensive self-glorification by appointees of the President. The solutions lie in frank, robust and sustained engagement that must lead to a situation where government once again, give citizens reason to trust the State.

Sulaimon Arigbabu, Human Rights Activist, Lagos

Arbitrary Hikes in Electricity Tariffs and Fuel Price are Unfair and Unjust Kolawole Oluwadare Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) condemns the patently unfair and arbitrary hike in electricity tariff and fuel price, by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is unjust to many people living in extreme poverty, and entirely incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], and the country’s international human rights obligations.

Negative Impacts of the Hike The hike will endanger lives, and increase inequality and poverty exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. SERAP will challenge this travesty in court, if the Federal

Government does not immediately drop these retrogressive measures against the Nigerian people.

Specifically, the increase in electricity tariff and fuel price clearly violates Nigeria’s obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which the country is a State party, not to take ‘deliberately retrogressive measures’ unless there are no alternative options, and full consideration has been given to ensure that the measures are necessary and proportionate.

SERAP urges President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately drop the misguided hike, establish independent impact assessment of the increases on the poorest segments of

society, and identify alternative measures, such as cutting the bogus allowances of people in the Presidency and members of the National Assembly.

The hike is lacking in compassion, as it will hit the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians the hardest, increase inequality levels in an already very unequal Nigeria. It definitively signals that socio-economic rights are a very low priority, for this government.

President Buhari should reconsider these arbitrary measures, and put human rights at the centre of his government’s policies.

Kolawole Oluwadare, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)

“THE HIKE WILL ENDANGER LIVES, AND INCREASE INEQUALITY AND POVERTY EXACERBATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC”

10/

15.09.2020

Nigeria: When Some Lawyers Beat Drums of Disunity Introduction

system of government within a Federal (not unitary) set-up. Section 14(1) of the Constitution provides that the “Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice”. Section 14(3) emphasises that “the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”

See also Section 15(1) and 15(2).

S

ome young Nigerian Lawyers have been beating drums of disunity, heating up an already overstretched polity.

They are unwittingly magnifying the already gaping fault lines afflicting the colonial contraption called Nigeria, a name given to her after “Niger Area” by Miss Flora Louisa Shaw, a young British journalist, in an article she wrote in 1897, in the London Times. She later married Lord Lugard, the Colonial Governor who amalgamated the Northern and Southern protectorates to found NIGERIA, on 1st January, 1914.

Without mincing words, Mallam El Rufai’s disinvitation to the NBA Conference had nothing to do with his religion or ethnicity, but an angry Bar’s reaction to sustained outcry and outrage by Lawyers and well-meaning Nigerians against his flagrant abuse of democratic ideals, in the administration of Kaduna State. It was in response to widespread protests towards the injustice, in Kaduna State. These Lawyers never raised a finger of protest against these genocidal acts; but are suddenly dripping oceans of lamentation on a mere disinvitation.

One lame argument put forward by the ‘El-Rufai army’, is that disinviting him offended the principles of fair hearing. This is simply being clever by half. El Rufai was not standing trial before any constitutionally recognised court of record (Section 6(5) of the 1999 Constitution), such as to activate Section 36 thereof. The principles of fair hearing, though cardinal, only arise in judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings. The NBA Annual General Conference (AGC) is not a court of record, or a platform for the resolution of legal issues. The NEC was neither debating El Rufai’s culpability or otherwise; but simply believed that, if not quenched early enough, the ruckus over his invitation would distract from the NBA AGC. Section 40 of the Constitution they are brandishing concerning freedom of Association and Assembly, also gave NBA NEC similar freedom not to associate or assemble with El Rufai.

The NBA, as part of its aims, must uphold the rule of law. The power of invitation came with that of disinvitation; as he who can hire, can also fire. The NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the NBA, second only to the NBA AGC. The NEC decision was neither a judgement on El Rufai, nor an assessment of his governance of Kaduna State.

The entire ventilation against El Rufai’s innocuous disinvitation, is tantamount to flogging a dead horse.

Nepotistic and Lopsided Appointments in Nigeria Now, let us look at the following horrific graph of the composition of the present government (a mere tip of the iceberg). The common denominator is that they are ALL Northerners and MOSTLY Muslims (with the exception of very negligible Northern Christians).

Yet, Nigeria has not broken up. No clamour for “New Nigeria”.

The Legislature The Senate President, Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, who ranks 3rd in the Order of Precedence after the President and Vice President, and the House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, are both Northerners and Muslims. No break up.

The Judiciary The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice (Dr) Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, is a Northerner and a Muslim. By order of precedence, he ranks number 5 in Nigeria. The President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban Mensem, is a Christian Northerner, as is the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John Tsoho.

The Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Ishaq Bello, is a Muslim Northerner, while the President of the National Industrial Court, Hon. Justice Benedict Kanyip, is a Christian Northerner. Nigeria did not break up.

The Executive The Executive arm of government is headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim Northerner who ranks 1st in the Order of Precedence. The A-list Ministers (aside Ministers of State) appointed

by President Muhammadu woefully failed the Federal Character test, as they control pivotal Ministries in our beleaguered country. Read: Minister of Petroleum Resources (President Buhari himself); AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Salami, SAN; Minister of Defence, Bashir Salihi Magashi; Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Musa Bello; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono; Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Minister of Power, Sale Mamman; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Communication, Ali Isa Pantami; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Faruk; Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume; Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu; Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood; Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi; etc. Nigeria did not break!

The Security Architecture and MDAs See the security architecture and key national institutions, that drive the country. They are ALL Northerners and MOSTLY Muslims (with the exception of very negligible few Northern Christians): Chief of Army Staff; Chief of Air Force; Accountant-General of the Federation; Inspector-General of Police; Directors-General (DG) of the DSS; DG, NIA; DG, DIA; the Acting Chairman of the EFCC (replacing another

NBA President, Olumide Akpata Northern Muslim, Mr Ibrahim Magu). Indeed, no Southerner, let alone a Christian, has ever headed the EFCC since its inception by the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.

Let us see more: the National Security Adviser (NSA); CommandantGeneral, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Controller-General, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS); Controller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS); Controller-General, Nigeria Correctional Service; Controller-General, Fire Services of Nigeria; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); Chief of Staff to the President; Personal Physician to the President; Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); GMD, NNPC; DG, NYSC; DG, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); Executive Secretary, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA); Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB); DG, National Directorate of Employment (NDE); Acting DG, National Pension Commission (PENCOM); Secretary, Federal Character Commission; DG, Federal Capital Development Authority; DG, Nigeria Automotive Design and Development Council; DG, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism; DG, National Commission for Museums and Monuments; Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF); Executive Director (Loans Department, Securities Issuance and Market Development) Federal Mortgage Bank, Hajiya Rahimatu Aliyu; Executive Director (Policy and Strategy Loans Set-Up and Pay Off), Federal Mortgage Bank; Secretary, Nigerian Diaspora Commission; Member Non-Legal Practitioners, Federal Judiciary Service Commission; DG, Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA); Executive Chairman, Communities Development Agency (BDCA); DG and Chief Executive Officer Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC); Managing Director, PPMC; Executive Chairman, Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON); Executive Secretary, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); DG, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC); Executive Chairman, FIRS; Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission; Executive Secretary, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission. Untrammelled nepotism and sectionalism.

Yet, Nigeria did not break.

Federal Character in the Constitution The last time I checked, we are supposed to be operating a Presidential

“I ALSO ATTENDED THE SAID NEC MEETING. THE MOTION FOR EL RUFAI’S DISINVITATION WAS RAISED

BY NORTHERNERS, AND MOSTLY PROPELLED BY THEM. INFACT, IT WAS SOUTHERNERS, INCLUDING RESPECTED PASTOR, DR KOYINSOLA AJAYI, SAN.....WHO HAD INVITED EL RUFAI, AND FORMER NBA PRESIDENT, PAUL USORO, SAN, WHO FIERCELY ARGUED FOR EL RUFAI’S RETENTION”

Is this how to run a country?

The above nepotistic and cronystic line of appointments, is endless. It is visible in EVERY institution. The lingua franca everywhere, is virtually Hausa. Is that how to build a united, indivisible and indissoluble country? These appointments unfortunately make us look like the “Northern Republic of Nigeria”; or “Federal Republic of the North”; or “Republic of Northern Nigeria”; or “Nigerian Republic of the North”; or “Federal Republic of Northern Nigeria”. Yet, the over 370 other Nigerian ethnic groups (according to Prof Onigu Otite, “Ethnic Pluralism and Ethnicity in Nigeria”, 1990) have not requested for breakup, balkanisation, or secession. They lap it all up!!! Are they slaves?

By the way, the same El Rufai, not minding the religious sensibilities of Christians in Kaduna State, ran on a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2019 Kaduna governorship election with Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe. The Kaduna Christians did not threaten to break away, or form a “Christian Kaduna State” in the mould of the “aggrieved” Lawyers who want to form a “New NBA”, along “Northern-Muslims” line.

The Lawyers’ threats lack factual basis In saner climes, threats such as the Lawyers’ would have been dismissed with a wave of the hand, for being obviously ludicrous and unwarranted. But, this is Nigeria, where anything and everything goes; a country where people place ethnic and religious considerations above reason, logic and facts.

I also attended the said NEC meeting. The motion for El Rufai’s disinvitation was raised by Northerners, and mostly propelled by them.

Infact, it was Southerners, including respected Pastor, Dr Koyinsola Ajayi, SAN (Chairman, the AGC Technical Committee (TCCP), who had invited El Rufai, and former NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN, that fiercely argued for El Rufai’s retention. But, they were greatly outnumbered, and were forced to bow to the wishes of the majority.

This prevalence of majority opinion, was democracy in action. No iota of religious or ethnic tone howsoever and whatsoever. In any event, over 50 other high profile guest Speakers invited to the NBA conference, including President Buhari, are all Northerners and Muslims.

Why no fuss?

By the way, El-Rufai was never invited to the said conference as a Muslim or Northerner, but as Governor of Kaduna State. And, it was in that capacity, as regards his poor style of governance, that he was disinvited by the NBA NEC. NEC merely did this based on concrete evidence of El Rufai’s overwhelming rejection, by an angry Bar. The path of whipping up ethnic and religious sentiments in response to Mallam El Rufai’s disinvitation is therefore, highly divisive, disingenuous and completely diversionary.

Why the threat portends danger Those few Lawyers (majority will NEVER go with them) that threatened to “form” a “New Nigerian Bar Association”, even merely did “cutting and pasting”. Why not a brand new name? There is such a law known as “passing off”. The African Bar Association (ABA) exists, just as the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU). Some have argued that the “Association of National Accountants of Nigeria” (ANAN), was founded in 1979, inspite of the existence of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), founded since 1965. True enough. But, ANAN’s split with ICAN was simply professional and ideological; not religious or ethnical.

That is why both ICAN and ANAN are populated by all Nigerian Accountants, without reference to their religion or ethnicity.

To balkanise the NBA along ethnic and religious lines, will further endanger an already fumbling, wobbling, stumbling and near crumbling country. Other geo-political zones, ethnic Nationalities and professional bodies may follow suit, and begin to demand for South South Nigeria Medical Association; South West Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (SW-COREN); South East Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (SE-ARCON); Middle Belt Nigerian Medical Association (MB-NMA); Southern Nigeria Navy; Northern Nigeria Air Force; Northern Nigeria Police; Southern Nigerian Civil Service; Northern Nigeria Judiciary; Southern Nigeria Inland Water Ways; Northern Nigeria Civil Service; Southern Nigeria Railway Authority; South South Nigeria Ports Authority; North East Nigerian National Assembly; North West Nigeria Power Authority; North Central NYSC; South West Nigeria University Commission; South South Nigeria Ports Authority; Middle Belt Central Bank; Northern Nigeria Labour Union; Southern Nigeria Currency; Northern Nigeria Foreign Affairs; etc, etc. By then, where will Nigeria be? My humble caution and warning sirs/mas.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK “The reason why the world lacks unity, and lies broken and in heaps, is, because man is disunited with himself.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).

/ 11

15.09.2020

â&#x20AC;&#x153;RPC has not been Amendedâ&#x20AC;?: The OfďŹ cial Statement of the Nigerian Bar Association

I

have seen and read Statutory Instrument No. 15 of 2020 (the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Instrumentâ&#x20AC;?), making the rounds on social media and which purports to amend certain provisions of the 2007 Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC). Since the Instrument was released, I have received numerous calls and messages from Lawyers across the country, seeking clarification and guidance on the purport of the Instrument.

By virtue of the Instrument, the following provisions of the RPC are to be deemed deleted: rB 3VMF XIJDI SFMBUFT UP EFGBVMU JO payment of practicing fees; rC 3VMF XIJDI SFMBUFT UP TUBNQ BOE seal for legal practitioners; rD 3VMF XIJDI SFMBUFT UP NBOEBUPSZ continuing professional development; rE 3VMF XIJDI SFMBUFT UP UIF "OOVBM Practicing Certificate for legal practitioners; and rF 3VMF XIJDI SFMBUFT UP UIF PCMJHBtion to give notice of the commencement of legal practice to the Branch of the Nigerian #BS "TTPDJBUJPO â&#x20AC;&#x153;NBAâ&#x20AC;?) responsible for the jurisdiction in which the practice is located.

The explanatory note to the Instrument, suggests that it was done to bring the RPC into conformity with the provisions of the -FHBM 1SBDUJUJPOFST "DU UIF -BX 0GĂ DFST "DU and the Constitution of the Federal Republic PG /JHFSJB BT BNFOEFE

For the avoidance of doubt, the Legal PracUJUJPOFST "DU BT BNFOEFE DPOGFST UIF QPXFS to issue rules of professional conduct for legal practitioners, and any amendments thereto, on the General Council of the Bar (the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bar Councilâ&#x20AC;?). The Bar Council comprises the )POPVSBCMF "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBM PG UIF 'FEFSBUJPO (â&#x20AC;&#x153;HAGFâ&#x20AC;?

UIF )POPVSBCMF "UUPSOFZT (FOFSBM of the thirty-six States of Nigeria, and twenty NFNCFST PG UIF /#" $POTFRVFOUMZ UIF 31$ and any amendments thereto, may only be validly issued after it has been deliberated upon and approved at a properly convened meeting of the Bar Council.

"T GBS BT UIF /#" JT BXBSF OP OPUJDF DPOWFOJOH a meeting of the Bar Council was issued to its elected representatives on the Bar Council, and no meeting of the Bar Council was convened and/or held to deliberate on the Instrument.

To that extent, our position is that, no authority or approval was given for the amendment of UIF 31$ $POTFRVFOUMZ UIF /#" NBJOUBJOT UIBU the RPC has not been amended and enjoins all legal practitioners to remain calm, and continue to conduct their affairs in the same manner as they did prior to the issuance of the Instrument.

Let me assure our members that I am engaging DMPTFMZ XJUI UIF )"(' PO UIJT JTTVF BOE XJMM provide further updates on our next steps in the coming days. Indeed, as part of the commitment PG UIF DVSSFOU BENJOJTUSBUJPO PG UIF /#" UPXBSET the welfare and capacity building of members and the overall improvement of the Bar, we intend to propose certain amendments to the RPC that will be critical to the attainment of those objectives. However, in doing this, we will ensure to carry our members along, with a view to getting their buy-in as critical stakeholders.

Olumide Akpata, President, Nigerian Bar Association

Purported Amendment of Rules of Professional Conduct Femi Falana, SAN What is the Need for Stamp and Seal?

Having paid practicing fees, why should Lawyers be made to pay for Stamp and Seal. It is akin to EPVCMF UBYBUJPO "T GBS BT * BN DPODFSOFE JU JT HPPE riddance to bad rubbish. In dialectics, what has just taken place is called the negation of negation.

5IF /#" JT B WJDUJN PG UIF JNQVOJUZ JU OVSUVSFE to grow and develop. I have always opposed the Stamp and Seal, because it was meant to restrict access to the temple of justice.

Why must every court process be stamped by a Lawyer, when litigants have the constitutional right to either appear for themselves or be defended by legal practitioners of their choice. In the second SFQVCMJD MBUF 1SPGFTTPS "ZPEFMF "XPKPCJ B .FDIBOJDBM Engineer, was the leading public litigator in the DPVOUSZ "T B MBZNBO IF QSFQBSFE BOE BSHVFE his own cases from the High Court up to the Supreme Court. /PUXJUITUBOEJOH UIF TUBNQ BOE TFBM SFRVJSFment, I have had cause to apply to courts to waive payment of filing fees for pro bono cases, under the doctrine of in forma pauperis provided for in the laws establishing our courts.

Illegal Amendment and Impunity However, I agree with some of my colleagues who have argued that the amendment is illegal, as it

Dr Chidi Odinkalu

Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN

NBA President, Olumide Akpata

was not enacted by the General Council of the Bar. With respect, the argument is rather contradictory, CFDBVTF UIF /#" XBT WFSZ IBQQZ XIFO UIF Rules of Professional Conduct were enacted by UIF UIFO "(' PO CFIBMG PG UIF (FOFSBM $PVODJM PG the Bar without any meeting. That was how every Lawyer was compelled to affix the Stamp and Seal to all processes signed. It had nothing to do with FOIBODJOH UIF RVBMJUZ PG KVTUJDF CVU EFTJHOFE UP FOSJDI UIF /#" 0VS DPMMFBHVFT NVTU TUPQ QMBZJOH UIF FUIOJD card of the reactionary elite. Has any Branch in UIF /PSUI EFDMBSFE TVQQPSU GPS UIF //#" " GFX Branches in the North decided to boycott the last /#" DPOGFSFODF JO TPMJEBSJUZ XJUI (PW &M 3VGBJ None of the four Branches in Kaduna State, boycotted the conference. Did the proponents of conspiracy theories draw any lesson from the principled stand PG UIF -BXZFST JO ,BEVOB 4UBUF Instead of fighting impunity oozing out of the PGGJDF PG UIF "(' XF BSF BDDVTJOH UIF /PSUI PG B hidden agenda! Years before the appointment of .S "CVCBLBS .BMBNJ 4"/ BT "(' UIF /#" IBE abandoned the General Council of the Bar. Since OBUVSF BCIPST BOZ WBDVVN UIF JODVNCFOU "(' has always usurped and exercised the powers of the Council.

Whereas section 1 (2) of the Legal Practitioners "DU QSPWJEFT UIBU UIF /#" TIBMM IBWF NFNCFST JO UIF $PVODJM 5IF NFNCFST PG UIF /#" TIBMM CF (i) elected to serve on the Bar Council at elections in which all members of the "TTPDJBUJPO BSF FOUJUMFE UP WPUF JO TVDI NBOOFS as may be provided by the constitution of the "TTPDJBUJPO (ii) hold office for such period as may be determined by or under that constitution, (iii) not less than seven of those persons shall be legal practitioners of not less than ten yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; standing. *OTUFBE PG FMFDUJOH UIF /#" SFQSFTFOUBUJWFT UIF UIFO /#" 1SFTJEFOU .S "VTUJO "MFHFI 4"/ OPNJOBUFE UIF NFNCFST JO UIF "(. "OE XJUIPVU any election whatsoever, the President announced that his nominees had been ratified and â&#x20AC;&#x153;deemed to have been electedâ&#x20AC;?.

"TTVNJOH XJUIPVU DPODFEJOH UIBU UIFZ XFSF QSPQFSMZ FMFDUFE OFJUIFS UIF /&$ OPS UIF "(. has ever demanded to be briefed about the activities of the Council since 2015. The Council has never met, for over five years. Yet, our representatives claim to be members of the Council. They have no Ă YFE UFOVSF BT SFRVJSFE CZ UIF -FHBM 1SBDUJUJPOFST "DU $POUSBSZ UP UIF MBX XIJDI QSFTDSJCFT UIBU â&#x20AC;&#x153;not less than seven of those persons shall be legal practitioners of not less than ten yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; standingâ&#x20AC;?,

all the 20 members are senior Lawyers of several decadesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; standing.

It is on record that, following the decision of the Supreme Court to the effect that the law did OPU SFRVJSF QSPDFTTFT Ă MFE CZ -BXZFST UP IBWF 4UBNQ BOE 4FBM BGĂ YFE PO UIFN UIF /#" MFBEFST NPVOUFE QSFTTVSF PO UIF "QFY $PVSU )FODF UIF Court reversed itself, in another judgement. #VU PVU PG TIFFS OFHMJHFODF UIF /#" IBT been unable to make the Stamp and Seal readily available to Lawyers. Hence, the courts have bent over backwards to accept mere receipts of payment for the Stamp and Seal. Up till now, it has never PDDVSSFE UP UIF /#" UP SFRVJTJUJPO UIF NFFUJOH PG the Council, to ratify the Stamp and Seal.

The General Council of the Bar does not meet.

In fact, it has never met since 2015 when the /#" BQQPJOUFE JUT NFNCFST JO UIF $PVODJM 4P UIF $PVODJM JT SVO CZ UIF "(' XJUI UIF DPOTFOU BOE LOPXMFEHF PG UIF NFNCFST BOE UIF /#" But, for the removal of the repeal of the sections SFMBUJOH UP UIF 4UBNQ BOE 4FBM UIF /#" XPVME have protested the usurpation of the powers of the General Council of the Bar. 5IF /#" JT B WJDUJN PG UIF JNQVOJUZ JU OVSUVSFE to grow and develop. I have always opposed the Stamp and Seal. because it was meant to restrict access to the temple of justice.

In justifying the imposition of the Stamp and Seal, UIF /#" DMBJNT UIBU JU IBT SFNPWFE GBLF -BXZFST GSPN MFHBM QSBDUJDF 0O UIF DPOUSBSZ GBLF -BXZFST have remained in business by bribing the system to have their documents stamped. With the virtual collapse of the neocolonial economy coupled with the culture of impunity which permeates the entire society, the country has more fake Lawyers and Doctors than ever before.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I AGREE WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE ARGUED THAT THE AMENDMENT IS ILLEGAL, AS IT WAS NOT ENACTED

BY THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE BARâ&#x20AC;?

)VNBO 3JHIUT "DUJWJTU %S $IJEJ 0EJOLBMV IBT condemned the purported amendment of the 3VMFT PG 1SPGFTTJPOBM $POEVDU CZ "(' "CVCBLBS .BMBNJ UIBU UIF 1VSQPSUFE "NFOENFOU PG 3VMFT PG 1SPGFTTJPOBM $POEVDU CZ "(' .BMBNJ JT BT i%VE BT B #PVODFE $IFRVFu BOE TIPVME CF EJTSFHBSEFE i/JHFSJB T "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBM .JOJTUFS PG +VTUJDF .BMBNJ 4"/ DMBJNT UP IBWF BNFOEFE 3VMFT PG Professional Conduct (RPC) in the Legal Profession, under powers conferred by Section 12(4l) of Legal 1SBDUJUJPOFST "DU 5IFSF SF OP TVDI QPXFST 8F IBWF B )"(' UIBU DBO U EP CBTJD EVF EJMJHFODF â&#x20AC;&#x153;The power to â&#x20AC;&#x153;prepare, and from time to time, revise a statement as to the kind of conduct which the Council considers to be infamous conduct in a professional respectâ&#x20AC;? created in Section 11(4) of the -FHBM 1SBDUJUJPOFST "DU CFMPOHT UP UIF #BS $PVODJM OPU UP UIF )"(' â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Bar Council is a statutory body created by 4FDUJPO PG UIF -FHBM 1SBDUJUJPOFST "DU *U DPNQSJTFT 57 persons, made up of: )"(' BT 1SFTJEFOU "MM 4UBUF "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBMT 3FQSFTFOUBUJWFT PG UIF /#" â&#x20AC;&#x153;No meeting of the Bar Council has been called, in order to amend the RPC. i5IF QVSQPSUFE BNFOENFOU PG UIF 31$ CZ .BMBNJ 4"/ JT BT EVE BT B CPVODFE DIFRVF CFDBVTF 1. He claims to have acted under a section of the law that gives him no such powers; 2. Even if he acted under the right provision, he canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t usurp the role of the Bar Council and he knows it! â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only way to go, is to totally disregard and JHOPSF UIJT BMMFHFE iBNFOENFOUu CZ "(' .BMBNJ of the RPC. It does not exist, and did not happen. i*U TFFNT DMFBS UIBU UIF "(' EFDJEFE UP HP SPHVF on this â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as on other things as he has, on disobedience of court orders â&#x20AC;&#x201C; because he knows that he canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get his proposal through the Bar Council.

Dr Chidi Odinkalu

Purported Amendment of Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 Afam Osigwe

.Z BUUFOUJPO IBT KVTU CFFO ESBXO UP B EPDVNFOU widely circulating in the social media, which purports to be the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal 1SBDUJUJPOFST "NFOENFOU 3VMFT The Document claims that in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 12(4) of UIF -FHBM 1SBDUJUJPOFST "DU UIF "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBM of the Federation has amended the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners CZ EFMFUJOH 3VMFT BOE " DMPTF MPPL BU 4FDUJPO PG -1" SFGFSSFE to, as well as the fact that the Bar Council which has the power to make any such amendment, has never met, shows why the document should Femi Falana, SAN be discountenanced.

4FDUJPO PG UIF -FHBM 1SBDUJUJPOFST "DU -1" WFTUT UIF QPXFS UP NBLF 3VMFT SFHVMBUing the Conduct of Legal Practitioners on the General Council of the Bar (â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Bar Councilâ&#x20AC;?).

"T QSPWJEFE CZ 4FDUJPO PG UIF -1" UIF Adeniyi Akintola, SAN General Council of the Bar shall be charged with the general management of the affairs There were consultations leading to the amendment PG UIF /#" TVCKFDU UP BOZ MJNJUBUJPOT GPS UIF Rules of Professional Conduct for Lawyers (RPC) time being provided by the Constitution of the DBSSJFE PVU CZ UIF "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBM PG UIF 'FEFSBUJPO "TTPDJBUJPO BOE XJUI BOZ GVODUJPOT DPOGFSSFE "(' "CVCBLBS .BMBNJ 4"/ PO UIF $PVODJM CZ UIJT "DU PS UIBU $POTUJUVUJPO â&#x20AC;&#x153;There were consultations. I know that there The Bar Council consists ofwere consultations. But, whether the consultations B UIF "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBM PG UIF 'FEFSBUJPO were wide enough is what I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know.â&#x20AC;? who shall be the President of the council; i)F UIF "(' JT UIF $IBJSNBO PG UIF (FOFSBM C UIF "UUPSOFZT (FOFSBM PG UIF 4UBUFT BOE Council of the Bar, and I am a member. If you are D UXFOUZ NFNCFST PG UIF "TTPDJBUJPO a member and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t attend meetings, can 5IF UXFOUZ NFNCFST SFQSFTFOUJOH UIF /#" ZPV CMBNF UIF PUIFS NFNCFST XIP UBLF EFDJTJPOT XFSF FMFDUFE BU UIF "TTPDJBUJPO T "OOVBM (FOFSBM You can consult members of the General Council .FFUJOH IFME JO "CVKB PO "VHVTU of the Bar. 5IF "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBM PG UIF 'FEFSBUJPO IBT â&#x20AC;&#x153;It (removal of stamp and seal) was a good intention, but it was making too much money not convened any meeting of the Bar Council. available to the national and branch officers. Because The Bar Council has neither considered nor of the money, some Lawyers have stopped going approved, any proposed amendment to the Rules to court. If there is anything that will stem this of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners &WFO UIPVHI UIF "UUPSOFZ (FOFSBM PG UIF tide, at least it should be welcomed.â&#x20AC;?

Federation is the President of the Bar Council, Adeniyi Akintola, SAN he cannot unilaterally exercise the powers of the Council.

I will therefore, like to believe that the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners "NFOENFOU 3VMFT XIJDI JT JO DJSDVMBUJPO on social media, lacks credibility.

RPC Amendment: There were Consultations

Purported Amendment of Rules of Professional Conduct by AGF Malami: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dud as a Bounced Chequeâ&#x20AC;?

Mazi Afam Osigwe

12/

15.09.2020

The Human Side of Law The Human Side of Law

I

s the legal profession unsympathetic and inauspicious?

Is the terrain adversarial and unkind? Or are these nearly incorrect perceptions of a most noble profession?

Empathy, Coaching, Relationship, Happiness, Emotional Intelligence, Reflective listening, Mentoring, Mindfulness, Nurturing, Growing, Mental health, Inclusion, Wellness, Connecting… are these regular lexicons in Law? Just before the pandemic, 22-27 September 2019, Seoul, South Korea, the venue of the 2019 IBA Annual Conference.

During one of the educational sessions, two interesting polls were taken and the poll results showed a significant number of Lawyers suffering from stress related illnesses, depression, burnout and struggling with unhealthy coping addictions. The second poll result which is not completely unrelated to the first, was that 90% of Lawyers polled do not wish their children or relatives to join the legal profession. The Lawyers themselves said the profession is hard, laborious – the words, backbreaking, arduous, painstaking were used and that progression was protracted.

In a covid-19 and post covid-19 world, I reason that Lawyers and all stakeholders in the legal services industry should be challenged to reverse these poll results, change the narrative and usher in a new dawn into the legal services industry. How may that happen? A focus on people and technology might be a good start. I am not denoting a cursory effort, rather a deep dive with sustained commitment to give priority to people and technology.

In this piece, we will address the human side of law and in a subsequent paper, law and technology. The covid-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to stop, reprioritise, and consider new models for managing resources and delivering services. Legal practice is about people. The people is the business, the business is the people, they are the heart of what makes a law firm successful. And, the pandemic is accelerating the people issue in law firms.

Businesses built around people skills, interest and passion have a chance of long term survival than those built around profiteering. Covid-19 is awakening the altruistic side of us and challenging both people, businesses and nations to be more and to do more for humanity. If people are unwell, it takes a toll on the firm and the business also becomes unwell. If they are FIT - the right fit - the business thrives. People are in a quest for more meaning in their work. And the moral is always to put humanity before gain, in all our endeavours.

"The Struggling Girl" Kevin Carter 1994 was the Pulitzer Prize winner of the Feature Photography award for his gripping shot of a vulture waiting to feast on a starved Sudanese child. The picture, “The vulture and the little girl, also known as "The Struggling Girl", first appeared in The New York Times on 26 March, 1993. It is a photograph of a frail 9-stricken boy, initially believed to be a girl, who had collapsed, with a vulture waiting nearby for her to die. Vultures eat corpses that may have decomposed so much, that the meat can be noxious to other animals. They however, prefer fresh meat. The child was reported to be attempting to reach a United Nations feeding centre about a half mile away in Ayod, South Sudan. Though the child, Kong Nyong, survived the incident, recovered enough to resume the crawl to the UN food aid station and the vulture was chased away, Kevin Carter took his own life by carbon monoxide poisoning on July 27, 1994, at age 33, four months after winning the prize. The photograph shot Kevin to fame, but, amongst other things, brought him considerable pain as well because of its inhumane posture. The inhumane posture not only of the ominous bird, but also of man’s inhumanity to man, which he encountered every day in his job. In seeking to draw an intersection between our humanity and our work or profession, I turn to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who wrote on Kevin Carter, "And we know a little about the cost of being traumatised that drove some to suicide, that, yes, these people were human beings operating under the most demanding of conditions."

The pandemic is focusing the debate on our humanness Don’t sweat your assets “Sweat, and more sweat.” I listened as an icon in the legal profession repeatedly used this word in a conversation – he went further to quote the particular verse from the Bible - "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground…” With arms akimbo,

he explained that, this phrase was in fact the mantra that drove his philosophy of work and style of leadership. He continued his admonition – and showed by his many great accomplishments, how it has paid off. I was TAKEN. Transposed. He had a convert. Or did he? Without taking anything off hard work, can work be fun and enjoyable?

Can it be argued that the more you enjoy and find fun in your work the harder you will be willing to work?

Or will I lose this argument. So, I went in search of the phrase, “sweating your asset.”

"Sweating the assets" is to extract the most possible work or value out of your assets. While it might sound good in reference to machines during the industrial revolution era, sweating the asset in a knowledge economy may not be sustainable, as it can lead to strain and exhaustion, especially with a reductionist approach to people. I will say, “do not sweat your assets”, certainly not your people.

Rather, build your business around your people’s passion and prowess – so when profit or progress slows down, just as it has as a result of covid-19, the passion of your people will keep the business going – fuel you on.

Don’t sweat the small stuff As a law firm, the significance of being in business, is so that you harness value from the assets you have assembled.

Assets are both tangible and intangible. An example of value derived from a physical asset, like a building, is rent. It is a fact that, there are Lawyers who have not been to their physical offices in the past four months. Focus on what matters, and the results will follow. People obviously are not tangible fixed assets, such as building and equipment.

People are intangible assets. They are a law firm’s most valuable assets.

In the industrial age, 1760 – 1840 the gross domestic product was largely driven by tangible asset investments that appear on balance sheets - equipment, buildings and land. This remained true, well into the 1980's. From 1980 to 1985, 88% of the increase in GDP was linked with growth in

“EMPLOYEES SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT DEAL WITH SOCIAL ISOLATION, WORRY, ANXIETY, PANIC ATTACKS, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, WHICH ARE SOME OF THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE”

tangible assets. In today’s knowledge – or information – age, the driver of GDP growth, has shifted from tangible assets to intangible ones. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), from 2000 to 2005, only 10% of GDP growth was related to tangible assets. Intangible assets drove 90% of GDP growth. Intangible assets include goodwill, brand recognition, trade names, customer lists, more importantly intellectual property and goodwill. Clients do not buy legal services, they buy ideas, they pay for perceived value, they pay for trusted advice given by humans, which leads to repeat business and clients’ loyalty.

Indeed, the fundamental purpose of a law firm is to sign-on and retain as many clients possible; and to satisfy client needs at a profit. Your law firm can only benefit from a strong client service culture, if it has a good people culture.

And a by-product of building employee loyalty, is client loyalty. As Sir Richard Branson tersely said: “Clients do not come first, employees come first, if you take care of your people, they will take care of the clients”.

Mind the Gaps Is your law firm people-centric? Is the benefit of your people foremost? Are employees treated the way you treat valued clients; with dignity and attention? Or are they treated as an appendage, a disposable and dispensable balance sheet item?

The way you treat your employees, is your instruction to them on how to treat your clients. According to Stephen R. Covey, “Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers”. To build a sustainable legal practice, put people's well-being at the heart and centre of your practice. In crisis times such as a pandemic, war, etc., the difference between sinking and surviving may well be the effective engagement of your troupes. How are your people coping with the effects of the pandemic? Not the business bottom line, but the people? Have you invested adequately in their healthcare? Law firms should endeavour to make health insurance for employees at a time like this - a priority. How do employees commute to work, for offices that have chosen to open their physical offices for business?

Is your office adhering strictly to all the safety rules during this pandemic? How are employees coping with children and other dependents? What are their fears? How are they handling debts or other financial exposures? What keeps them awake at night? Employees support programs that deal with social isolation, worry, anxiety, panic attacks, mental health issues, which are some of the possible effects of the pandemic, should be made available.

I will close with Kevin Carter’s suicide note: “I'm really, really sorry. The pain of life overrides the joy to the point that joy does not exist. ...depressed ... without phone ... money for rent ... money for child support ... money for debts ... money!!! ... I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings & corpses & anger & pain ... of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners ... I have gone to join Ken, if I am that lucky”.

The argument can tilt to the far left, that he was a coward.

Kevin Carter spoke often about the shocking situations he photographed, saying, "I see all this, and all I can think of is Megan” - his young daughter. At the end of the day, we are all, after all, Humans.

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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

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Group Business Editor Obinna Chima

Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

S E P T E M B E R

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

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Quick Takes AfDB Harps on Support for SMEs

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

L-R: National Treasurer, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN),Mr. Dele Alabi; First Vice President/Chairman, Board of Fellows/ Practice Licence, Dr. Ken Opara; Awardee/ Founder and Pioneer MD/CEO, GTBank Plc, Mr. Fola Adeola; President/Chairman of Council, CIBN, Mr. Bayo Olugbemi; Second Vice President, Prof Deji Olanrewaju, and Registrar/CEO, Mr. Seye Awojobi, during the conferment of honorary fellowship on Adeola in Lagos...recently ETOP UKUTT

Petroleum Marketers Seek Development of Alternative Energy Sources Stories by Peter Uzoho Marketers of petroleum products under the umbrella of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) have stressed the need to speed up the development of alternative energy sources like gas and solar, so that every Nigerian can have access to cheaper and cleaner energy.

MOMAN also stated that the new federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy on alternative energy as well as the coming on stream of modular refineries, would help in actualising Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream of becoming the refining hub of West and Central Africa and a net exporter of petroleum products in the world.

The Chairman of MOMAN,

ENERGY Mr. Tunji Oyebanji, made this suggestion in a statement, adding that Nigeria has an opportunity to go big in alternative energies such as gas and solar energy.

He said Nigeria must gird its loins to ensure that these green alternative energy sources were strategically developed and their usage deepened across the country for the benefit of Nigerians.

According to Oyebanji, cheaper and cleaner alternatives to petrol and diesel must be made available to the public especially as full deregulation of the Nigerian petroleum downstream sector commences.

He hinted that the association was also supporting the gas

initiatives of the federal government and keying into the auto gas space to give Nigerians a cleaner and greener alternative to power their automobiles, homes and other equipment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The idea of deepening the use of gas comes at a very auspicious time as we grapple with increasing petrol prices due to the deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector,â&#x20AC;? he said.

According to the statement, marketers, who are in total support of the new energy strategy of the federal government, recently organised the Nigerian Compressed Natural Gas (CGN) Webinar in collaboration with the Oil Trading and Logistics (OTL) Africa Downstream and ARS Conference Services with key stakeholders in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

oil and gas sector in attendance.

At the event, gas as a cheaper and greener replacement fuel for automobiles in Nigeria was unveiled, followed by the dissecting of the broad spectrum of its untapped potential across the downstream energy value chain, with its opportunities for government, investors, and consumers highlighted.

The marketers explained that the webinar reinforced governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to gas deployment strategy, and addressed issues around policy framework, infrastructure, sustainability, and usability.

According to the marketers, the imperative to develop CNG and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Continued on page 24

Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Changes Global Oil Exploration, Production Outlook to Stable The outlook for the global exploration & production (E&P) sector has been changed to stable from negative, Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Investors Service has stated in its latest report.

The report anticipated that industry earnings would slowly rise over the next 12 to 18 months on the back of slightly higher oil prices, while natural gas producers would continue to benefit from the reduced supply. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We expect E&P sector Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA) to rise by about five per cent between mid-2020 and mid-2021 as oil prices stabilise around $40 per barrel,â&#x20AC;? Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vice President/Senior Analyst, Sajjad Alam said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Factors including lower

ENERGY operating costs and oilfield services expenses, modest hedge protection and easier access to midstream infrastructure, will partially support margins through at least the middle of next year.â&#x20AC;?

E&P firms have slashed capital spending much more quickly in 2020 than they did during the 2015-16 downturn, Alam said.

In addition, spending is down 40 to 50 per cent this year, and absent of higher oil prices spending would continue at these low levels in 2021.

The rating agency anticipated that lower spending would lead to flat volume growth in 2021.

Firms that suspended dividends and share buybacks in 2020 will

likely use any excess cash flow to maximize shareholder returns or pay down debt, before increasing capital spending.

Meanwhile, constrained access to capital and looming debt maturities will remain the biggest hurdles for speculativegrade companies with high debt loads, limited hedging and tight liquidity, Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s added.

Default risk would remain high for weaker companies through 2021, with oil prices at $45 per barrel or higher needed to sufficiently reduce elevated solvency risk. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although oil demand will rebound steadily into 2021 from a lower base, total demand is unlikely to return to peak 2019 levels before 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a major

global economic downturn, and the oil and gas industry took a severe hit in 2020 from the collapse in demand for transportation fuel. The E&P sector suffered an unprecedented demand shock. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Global oil consumption, which had grown by some 1.3 million bbl/year for two decades to a 102 million bbl/day (bpd) peak in 2019, collapsed by almost 20 per cent in April 2020 as countries worldwide restricted movement to try and contain the spread of COVID-19 virus. In the subsequent months, however, temporary shutdowns eased and economies began opening, partially restoring global consumption to roughly an annualised 95 million bpd by Continued on page 24

A panel of some of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most promising small and mediumenterprise(SME)agri-preneursgatheredonlinetocallformoreselective investment,acceleratedbusinessacquisitionsandincreasedcooperation to help Africa feed itself and the world.The African Development Bank (AfDB) organised the virtual session titled: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Integrating African Food Systems through the Lens of SME Champions,â&#x20AC;? recently.

The webinar was moderated by the Bank Director for agricultural ďŹ nance and rural development, AtsukoToda, said the panel members, were selected because they are using innovative solutions, tailored their business models, have a proven track record, and shown to have an impact on food systems. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see the importance of the roles that you play, the risks you take and the Bank wants to give you more visibility so that policy makers can understand the challenges of what you are facing and help SME Champions to grow,â&#x20AC;? Toda said.

The group of African â&#x20AC;&#x153;SME Championsâ&#x20AC;? - heads of SMEs across the continentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food system production, processing, logistics, agricultural digitisation and cold storage chain solutions sub-sectors, set the scene for webinar attendees, by describing the challenges and opportunities they face in trying to meet Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food systems demands. Some said policy, programs and ďŹ nancing in Africa are geared toward larger organizations and businesses - and that there is still too heavy a focus on agricultural imports to Africa. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Especially if you are an SME it is really challenging to penetrate the market and do something signiďŹ cant,â&#x20AC;? said Nicholas Alexandre, Global Head of Commercial at LORI, a Kenya-based tech-driven logistics company.

APCAW Seeks AMCONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Support

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) said it recently received members of the Association of Physically Challenged Applicants andWorkers (APCAW), who were at its head oďŹ&#x192;ce to demand consideration for employment of qualiďŹ ed people with disabilities when next AMCON intends to employ staďŹ&#x20AC;.

The representatives of the association, led by their President, Mr. Godstime Onyegbulam, carried out a peaceful protest at the AMCON head oďŹ&#x192;ce in Abuja, in a bid to seek inclusion of some of their disabled members into the corporationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workforce. AMCON as a law-abiding government agency already has some challenged staďŹ&#x20AC; in their employ but APCAW said they want more considerations.

Addressing APCAW members, the management of AMCON represented by the Head Mr. Mamuda Shehu and Mr Albert Nwanozie, Head of Human Resources and Head of Legal respectively, assured the APCAW that although AMCON already has a good number of physically challenged persons in the system, the Corporation would continue to provide opportunities to all Nigerians regardless of their challenges, particularly as all Nigerians have their quota to contribute to national development.

Group Organises Concert

All is set for this Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Green Worshipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 3.0 which will feature more than 17 sensational national and international gospel artistes from across the globe to an evening of worship and spiritual ediďŹ cation.

GreenWorship 3.0 is an initiative ofWorship for Change which is aimed at raising awareness and support for organisations who are focused on indigent children, orphans and children with special needs. This Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concert which is scheduled to hold on September, 19, 2020, will take place online, thereby accommodating thousands of worshippers who would like to tune in anywhere across the globe.

AtarecentonlinemediaParley,thePresidentandChiefResponsibility OďŹ&#x192;ce , Worship for Change, Wale Adenuga noted that it has been an amazing and humbling experience to use the platform ofWorship For Change in assisting Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) across NigeriawhoaremakingsigniďŹ cantimpactandpositivelychanginglives.

He said ďŹ nancial proceeds from the concert would be evenly disbursed among six pre-selected registered NGOs across Nigeria who are stepping out of their way to positively change the narrative and experience for indigent children and kids with special needs.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think we have been very conservative in terms of trade book. Our oil and gas book is okay and I am always willing to shed more light if people want to knowâ&#x20AC;?

Managing Director, GTBank, Segun Agbaje

an,

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BUSINESSWORLD PETROLEUM MARKETERS SEEK DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES (LPG) as alternative to petrol and other fuels had never been more critical, especially with the recovering crude oil prices and the rising demand of refined products as we approach the winter months in Europe.

The statement further said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Using other countries where gas has been adopted and integrated as an alternative auto fuel as case studies, gas requires government support and interventions to take root.

The gas value chain is awash with opportunities for new investment, skills development, and enhancement of our local public transportation infrastructure. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clear policy directives and legislative framework aimed at generating demand, as well as Customs duty and tax waivers will be required and fast-tracked to jump-start the sector and attract investment into the gas spaceâ&#x20AC;?.

MOODYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHANGES GLOBAL OIL EXPLORATION, PRODUCTION OUTLOOK TO STABLE September 2020.â&#x20AC;?

It added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Excess inventory will also pressure prices. Despite deep production cuts, global crude inventory levels remain at record high levels and may not begin to recede meaningfully until 2021. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Producer response to the sudden market shifts were rapid, with both independent producers and the biggest oil-producing nations displaying willingness and creativity in dealing with the demand crisis, and their drastic supply reductions buoyed prices in mid-2020. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Still, we expect crude prices to remain volatile at least through 2021 keeping the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recovery prospects fragile.

Higher prices that would make the entire industry economically profitable would require ongoing production discipline. Most producers would need prices substantially higher than the $40/bbl of early-September 2020 to replace production and deliver returns that shareholders would find acceptable.â&#x20AC;?

NEWS

GACN Parleys Stakeholders on Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gas Sales Contract Review Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria (GACN) has disclosed its intention to review existing terms in the Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreements (GSAA) used in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s domestic gas market.

The decision, it explained in a statement sent to THISDAY, was to ensure that current market realities such as equitable risk allocation between parties in such agreements are adequately captured following growing interests and governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gas resources and market. It noted that the planned review would be done over a two-day period in a workshop scheduled for this week with relevant stakeholders.

The statement indicated that the Company Secretary and Legal Adviser to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Hadiza Coomassie, the Chair of GACN and Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Mansur Sambo, as well as the Managing Director of GACN, Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye are scheduled to speak at the workshop to be facilitated by

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2014; Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă? Ă&#x152;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC; (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) Reporters

Ă&#x;Ă&#x2014;Ă? Ă&#x2022;Ă?Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2019;Ă? (Money Market) Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ă&#x2039; Ă&#x2013;Ă?Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x201C;Ă? (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

gas market.â&#x20AC;?

It added that the GACN as Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic gas aggregator, wanted to, â&#x20AC;&#x153;facilitate discussions among industry stakeholders in relation to Master Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreements (Master

GSAAs) being adopted in connection with the sale of natural gas in the Nigerian domestic gas market.â&#x20AC;?

It further noted that the workshop, â&#x20AC;&#x153;will contribute significantly to the ongoing ef-

forts of the federal government of Nigeria to promote and deepen gas utilisation and increase domestic gas consumption for the purpose of enhancing power generation and accelerating Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industrialisation.â&#x20AC;?

NCDMB Commences Training for 1,000 Yobe Youths Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has commenced the training for 1,000 youths from Yobe State, focusing on GSM phone repairs, hardware, software, and entrepreneurship development.

According to the company, the training was part of NCDMBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Youth Empowerment Programme for the North East and was designed to train and empower youths in high impact economic sectors such as ICT, Agriculture and construction.

It is being conducted in partnership with the National Information Technology Agency (NITDA) and the learning centres will be located at the Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State; Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Yobe State; Atiku Abubakar College of Legal Studies, Nguru, Yobe State and the Federal College of Education, Potiskum, Yobe State.

During the opening ceremony of the programme, Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, who formally declared the training open, described it as a landmark effort in the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to uplift the wellbe-

ing of youths who constitute key part of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population.

He noted that GSM devices are growing in sophistication as important communication tools, just as users are multiplying by the day, such that any person that is skilled in repairs will have continuous patronage.

He canvassed for increased budgetary allocation for the youth population and creative engagement, to enable them contribute meaningfully to the economy and stay away from crime, which is often the result of idleness. Lawan also praised the synergy between NCDMB and

NITDA in jointly organising the training, assuring that the senate would continue to provide legislative impetus for collaborations amongst government agencies in the delivery of their mandate.

In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote explained that the board is charged with developing local talents, facilities and assets that support the oil and gas operations.

He added that the board had realised that the oil industry was incapable of absorbing all local talents even at peak capacity, hence the conceptualisation of

strategic youth empowerment programme. He said the GSM programme would entail classroom phase, software and hardware modules, entrepreneurship development phase where trainees will benefit from starter packs and renting and furnishing of shops for apprenticeship and market linkage opportunities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The board would also sponsor mentorship and business development support to facilitate participantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry into the business world as SMEs and payment of stipends during the training, apprenticeship and mentorship phasesâ&#x20AC;? he said.

Oil Firm to Empower 3,000 Technicians Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AMMASCO International Plc, Alhaji Mustapha Ado Mohammed has disclosed that he is targeting to empower 3,000 technicians with working tools in the country.

Ado, also donated working tools worth thousands of naira

Group Business Editor

a commercial law firm, Banwo & Ighodalo.

According to the statement, the workshop was set up, â&#x20AC;&#x153;in a bid to enhance and quicken the process for negotiation of gas sale agreements in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s domestic

to members of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) Kano State Chapter, for effective service delivery to be ensured. Speaking at the distribution of the tools to ten selected centres across all the 44 Local Government Areas in Kano at the weekend, Mohammed said empowering the automobiles technicians in Kano had been

the major cardinal thrust of the engine oil outfit, in view of their immense contribution to the development of the automobile business. Mohammed who was represented by the Executive Director of the Company, Alhaji Auwal Mohamed, stated that supporting the drive for entrepreneurial development would greatly help in reducing

the disturbing spate of youth unemployment across the nation.

He stressed that the company had been inspired to promote the initiative, courtesy of the empowerment scheme introduced

by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Speaking earlier, the President, Nigerian Automobiles Technicians Association (NATA), Engr. Magaji Muhamad Sani, described AM-

MASCO Oil as one of the best in the country.

He said NATA members across the country, had been fully utilizing the opportunity of using AMMASCO Oil in servicing all category of vehicles and that the leadership of the association had not received any complaint of standard failure from its members patronising the products.

NEPZA Pledges to Support Agric Economic Zone in Ekiti James Emejo in Abuja The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) said it is working with the Ekiti State Government for the establishment of a knowledge-based and special agricultural economic zonewe in the state.

Managing Director/Chief Executive of NEPZA, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, said while the federal government will continue to assist and develop policies that will aid the development of states

in terms of industrialisation, governments at the state level should leverage on the special economic zones and free trade zones which had as have been successfully utilised in China, Dubai, Ethiopia and Turkey.

Speaking when he received Gov. Kayode Fayemi, who paid him a visit in Abuja, Adesugba said the authority was willing to license the proposed zone.

He said developing economies all over the world are using the economic zone strategy to fast

track industrialisation adding that state governors should key into the scheme.

The NEPZA boss said the authority will continue to partner states to actualise the aspiration of establishing well thought out knowledge-based and agricultural special economic zones.

He told the governor that the proposed zone had the potential to empower young people of government provides the right environment and ensure that the necessary incentive including

infrastructure are put in place.

Fayemi however said NEPZA remained a critical vehicle in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quest to attract investments, local production, industrialization as well as revenue generation through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

He said the proposed zone will primarily be dedicated to a knowledge economy, knowledge production and knowledge generation for the country adding that â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also intend to use the scheme to elevate the status of

our agriculture where all the value chains would be harnessed for greater benefit of the people.â&#x20AC;?

He said:â&#x20AC;?We all talk about Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) all the time, we all talk about creating an enabling environment, but to ensure that these happen, we must think outside of the box in order to drive the process in our localities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is indeed crucial that we recognise and disaggregate those investments in terms of sub-national opportunities at the state level.

25

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍłË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Fawibe: FG Must Guard against Subsidy Return from Marketersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Claims With the deregulation of petroleum downstream sector, which has now opened the space for private marketers to return to importation of petroleum products into the country, the Chairman, International Energy Services Limited, Dr. Diran Fawibe, in this interview on Arise TV, amongst other issues, stressed the need for the Ministry of Petroleum and the Central Bank of Nigeria, to guard against possible return of the dispensed petrol subsidy by thoroughly verifying claims that would be made by the marketers as costs of their importation. Peter Uzoho presents the excerpts: What is your take on the deregulation debacle?

Let me break it down. What government has done is fundamentally in order and we have to commend the President for having the courage and political will to take this decision once and for all. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like what people use to say: you have tread where the angels fear to tread. This problem of petroleum prices regulation has been with us for many. Let me take you to memory lane. The uniform pricing system and fixing of price in the way we are doing it, up to the announcement of this deregulation started in October 1973 when we embarked on uniform pricing system; and that was when Nigeria was having a lot of money to throw about in meeting some obligations in Nigeria. We said that Nigeria was having control of commanding heights of the economy. But the framework for price regulation and the uniform pricing system was meant to be a temporary arrangement.

But it has subsisted for four decades. So what government has done now is to actually liberalise the industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C;the downstream sector of the industry. Before the policy of regulation and uniform pricing system, it was the marketing companies that used to fix petroleum prices under the guidance of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources at that time. And it was based certain fundamentals.

Even when the products were being imported into the country 1965, when the first refinery came on stream there was a pricing arrangement by the oil companies that used import petroleum products into the country. But it was under the supervision of the Ministry of Petroleum, to ensure that the marketers did not exploit Nigerian consumers. Now, the price regulation has created a lot of problems. It started calmly but over the years we have seen what Nigerians have made of this policy, whereby we now started subsidy and the subsidy has become a conduit pipe for draining the economy of Nigeria. Now, the president now having the courage to say enough is enough, and for one thing I think we have said over time that Nigeria cannot continue with this arrangement, and not only the price regulation has impeded investment in the downstream sector in terms of refineries and some other facilities. And now that the decision has been taken, we will now see a totally different downstream sector of Nigerian economy. It will then enable the private companies to invest and have the courage and the hope that they will be able to recover their investment and make decent returns. That is precisely what is happening.

Unfortunately, many Nigerians donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really understand what is really going, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy the media is taking the challenge by educating the Nigerian public. Many of our countrymen are playing politics with this policy.

The president ought to be commended and we should be looking at the positive sides of this deregulation against the negative sides.

For some time, we would be having some problems because if the products are being imported into the country as against refining our crude oil in the country there could still be a bit of some problems along the line because once the price of crude oil goes up at the world market it will correspondingly increase the price of petroleum products that we intend to import into the country.

But over time and if we are able to fix the refineries, and that thanks to Dangote that is developing a refinery, big refinery, by the time these refineries come on stream, then Nigeria will witness a totally different era of petroleum price regime in the country that will alleviate the problems of the people and there will be competition, whereby the oil marketing companies will not be able to exploit Nigerian consumers. But will be under

Fawipe the deregulation of Ministry of Petroleum Resources as it used to be before the uniform prices system was inaugurated in 1973.

The biggest beneďŹ t the government seems to be touting here is that it will increase revenue for the government.

But does it address the associated corruption, inefďŹ ciency and opaqueness in the downstream sector. Can we truly say that we have deregulated without the enabling laws â&#x20AC;&#x201C;the PIB is in limbo?

You see, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at it this way: if government says it will increase revenue for government, at least for one thing we know is that government will no longer pay subsidy, which has become a source of corruption.

Many people have talked about it at length, so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to bore you with the details.

But money that government used to pump into subsidy, whether real or scam, that will no longer be there. So itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s savings on the national treasury about revenue. In terms of direct cost, then consumers will now bear responsibility. We have always been saying, even not only in terms of COVID, we have said that Nigerians have to take responsibility for their lives and some of the things they are doing. So consumers will now start to bear responsibility for the volume of petroleum products they consume, whether for petrol or some other petroleum products they consume, whether diesel and things like that. But let me say this: the policy will not eradicate all the ills in the downstream sector, and this is what I want to emphasise.

It also depends on how we Nigerians behave ourselves because more often than not, while Nigerians donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to take responsibility for a number of things they do, positive or negative, and they will put the blames on government.

Some people, even when their wives donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get pregnant, they will blame on upon government or they will want government to come and help them impregnate their wives. So this is the situation we find ourselves. Yes, we have some segment of the society that are actually suffering, but then, if the economy is in a viable state, some of these people who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have employment and their living conditions are downtrodden will no longer be in that situation. In order words, there

will be upliftment in the condition of some of these people. But government cannot provide everything for Nigerians. So if we allow the private sector to operate as it should be without government regulation like we have seen in petroleum products prices fixing over time that stifled investment, then you will see improvement in the economy. Now, in terms of legislation, yes, as a matter of fact, many people believe that government should now put this into a legislation, and that is why the importance of PIB cannot be overemphasized. And this deregulation is coming shortly before the PIB is legislated upon. So, one will expect that PIB, when it is passed, eventually will incorporate some of the elements of deregulation of the downstream. Now, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at it in terms of other areas. The PIB is supposed to inaugurate a system of accountability and probity in the management of the oil and gas industry. Now, if we are able to put that in place, that is, the National Assembly passes the bill into law and the president gives the presidential assent, we would then be able a totally different petroleum industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C;both upstream and downstream, in terms of level of investments in the sector, and it will have overall benefit to the Nigerian people and the Nigerian economy. So this is what people have been clamouring over time, and as it is coming now, Nigerians need to commend and appreciate the president for doing this.

But are there certain outstanding issues that we also need to focus on. Now we have been told that marketers and the NNPC will be playing on an open ďŹ eld.

But there are issues: one, cost of funds, cost of Forex. Also, where does all of these lead the Petroleum Equalisation Fund?

Well, let me start with Petroleum Equalisation Fund. I will expect that by the time the downstream sector is in full swing, Petroleum Equalisation Fund should be dispensed with.

The genesis of Petroleum Equalisation Fund was to provide bridging for moving products across the country because we inaugurated uniform pricing system. Let me tell you, I even have a table here that even shows the price of petroleum products across the country before we set up price equalization

and uniform pricing system. The price was totally different from one place to the other.

Let me give you an example. The price of petroleum products in Lagos was four shillings, five pence at that time. We hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t started naira currency. The price of gasoline (petrol), we used to have two types of gasoline, that is, premium and the regular. Then, the price of premium gasoline was four shillings, five pence, whereas in Badagry, it was four shillings, seven pence. In Sapele, it was four shillings, eight pence; in Warri, it was four shillings, nine pence; in Agbo, it was four shillings, nine and half pence; in Port Harcourt, it was four shillings, six pence; in Enugu, it was five shillings; in Jos, it was five shillings, three pence; in Sokoto, it was five shillings, 10pence; in Nguru, it was six shillings; while in Maiduguri, it was five shillings, 11pence.

So this price variation reflects the price of petroleum products across the country. Now, how did it work? The price of product, basically when they were pricing, whether in Lagos even before using Lagos as a basis point or Port Harcourt when the refinery came on stream in 1965, we have the same basis point price. Now, what is added to the basis price is the cost of moving the product from one location to the other. The variation I have mentioned in the table I read to you shows this transportation handling expenses across the country. Now, the price equalisation wants to ensure that the price of petrol sold in Lagos is the same in Maiduguri, the same in Sokoto, is the same in Port Harcourt. So it was the price equalization fund that started to cushion the effect of this price variation.

The problem we have had with Petroleum Equalisation Fund or bridging system over time is that it was supposed to be about 10 per cent of the price of the product in the first instance but at certain time we had 40 per cent as the bridging cost, which means that there was a time the cost of bridging now almost equaled the price of petroleum products itself. And we actually said that it was a transparent process that increased bridging at that time. Bridging became an industry of its own and this increased the burden of Nigerian people. So if you actually want to deregulate, the uniform pricing system must be dispensed with. At the time we were putting some of these things in place, there was no refinery in Kaduna. It was only Port Harcourt refinery we had and then we were importing petroleum products into Lagos.

Now, with the refinery in Kaduna, if that refinery was allowed to work, it was supposed to provide petroleum products that will be moved around the northern states.

Then, the Warri refinery was to provide petroleum products for the south; and then Port Harcourt refinery in that axis. Yes, there was still some petroleum products from Port Harcourt refinery that would go to nearby part of northern states and also Lagos. So it was in this respect that government at that time in its wisdom felt that over time we should be able to dispense with uniform pricing system without creating any problem for Nigeria and people. What did we see?

Over time, we abused all these things.

The refineries were not working; so we were importing petroleum products. We were moving petroleum products from Lagos to different parts of the country.

So bridging would be there and pricing equalization had a full swing in terms of operations. So if we are then dispensing with price fixing and we are dispensing with uniform pricing system, now price equalisation fund will not be there. With that process, we would be able to save costs for government.

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Developing Strategies for Success in Era of Negative Growth

FAWIBE: FG MUST GUARD AGAINST SUBSIDY RETURN FROM MARKETERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CLAIMS

Maduabuchi Ubani

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he African economy is facing a downturn, if not a complete recession for the next 12-24 months. Besides the fact that leading indicators such as GDP have softened in most countries, African organisations are facing dramatic forex fluctuations, Negative growth, Operating income shortages, low morale, and diminishing productivity.

If history serves, most leaders will prepare too little, too late, and too conservatively. Yet slowdowns bring tremendous opportunities despite the challenges. Organisations can benefit competitively during and after the recession, and a common set of actions can bring about that success. It is in light of this challenging but opportunity-laden operating context occasioned by the pandemic that TEXEM, UK presents her forthcoming programme to equip executives with valuable insights that will help them thrive during negative growth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beyond Survival: Developing Actionable Strategies for Success in an Era of Negative Growthâ&#x20AC;? will equip participants with skills needed to achieve strategic success, address adversity and prosperity.

With the insights shared by Texemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worldrenowned faculties, they would gain valuable knowledge on how to drive innovation, develop and implement winning strategies and secure sustainable success for your organisation in these challenging times.

Fawipe What about the cost of forex, because now that marketers are also free to compete with NNPC, wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the cost of Forex and cost of fund be an issue?

You see, the marketers have to take responsibility for certain things. Now, when we were having seven marketing companies importing products into the country the question of cost of fund never featured. They were bearing the responsibility and that was part of the cost of the products (what we used to call landing cost of petroleum products). They were souring the products from their parent companies from wherever they could get it.

So at that time it was working very well without anybody shouting about cost of fund.

Obviously, they were actually expending money and they had cost of fund which was a paltry sum of money in proportion of the cost of petroleum products and did not rear its ugly head the way we are doing it here. Now, the marketing companies who are importing petroleum products, to what extent are they transparent in terms of the cost of financing the importation of petroleum products. And to my own mind, any marketing company that is not in a position to bring in products at a competitive price that will make the price competitive for Nigerians should pack his bags and baggages, as we used use to say, and go and fold up and let people who can actually do the business with all transparency, and have the resources to do it at a reasonable costs. These are some of the things that the Ministry of Petroleum and the Central Bank have to look into at the initial stage. But this kind of chaos can only happen between now and the time the refineries start to operate.

By 2021 or thereabout, if God willing and the Dangote refinery is working and indeed, if by 2022 the three or four government refineries are working. Recently, we heard the news of BUA trying to establish a refinery in Akwa Ibom. So by time all these refineries start to operate, then there will be no need for importation of petroleum products whereby a marketer will be shouting of cost of fund and all that. But be that as it may, between now and then, there has to be rationalization in terms of cost because a lot of things could go into the cost of fund and other costs that marketers are putting on the price of petroleum products.

So the Ministry of Petroleum Resources as well as Central Bank will have to do a lot in terms of verifying some of these claims because we may be having another subsidy in the form of cost of fund and things like that.

A lot of people have challenged that position that if we have more reďŹ neries, it will not reduce the pump price of premium motor spirit. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your reaction to that?

Well, you see, the way it works is this. I have

been a player in this business for about five decades. Now, when a company buys crude oil and brings it to Rotterdam or to Caribbean or to wherever in Europe or United States, they are taking Nigerian crude for example or take the crude from wherever, if they are not the producer or FOB, some on CIF, that is, Cost Insurance and Freight. The crude taken from Nigeria is FOB, it means that it is the buyer of the crude that will now pay the cost of insurance and freight to the refinery.

Now, when the products are being brought back to Nigeria, the cost of product that we import into the country reflects the cost of transportation to when the crude is taken out there and wherever the crude may be taken.

If you are taking crude from Middle East or you are taking the crude from the Latin American â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Venezuela, Indonesia or whatever, the refiner will have to include the cost of freight and other associated costs. Now, when you are pricing your product, then this other costs will have to be reflected, and it is this reflected price (where we have embedded all these other costs that we have to bring it to Nigeria). Now, if we are refining products locally, that is, either Port Harcourt or Lagos or wherever, the cost of transportation will not be there. That is a cost-saving measure in terms of price of product that will be consumed locally. So we will not have exactly the cost of products imported into the country and the one that is being refined locally. So if we are going to price accurately, then we cannot expect the price petroleum products refined locally to be equal to the price of petroleum products imported into Nigeria.

Yes, it may not be drastically reduced but there will be some different, because if there is no difference, then it means there is some monkey business going on there. But when the time comes, let us wait and see because we will then be able to examine the cost at which the refinery gets its crude and the processing fee that is put on it. Because the template is this, you have the cost of the crude, you have the processing fee that is shared to refine the crude, then the product will be taken from that refinery at ex-refinery gate price. Then the cost of transportation will now have to added, either you are taking by road or by railways or by costal tankers and so on, before you get it to the pumps; and the of course, the marketing companies will have to put some margins. So there is no way you can say that the prices at that point from Kaduna refinery, from Warri refinery, from Lagos refinery and wherever will be the same as product prices brought from the Caribbean, from United States, from Rotterdam or wherever. So we have to understand that.

So anybody saying price will be the same as imported price at that time is making a bogus argument.

Faculty The programme would be delivered by TEXEMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world-renowned team of academics and practitioner. This programme combines the unique competencies of Celine Bremaud, Vice President of Microsoft, and Professor John Peters (Formerly; Royal Air force fighter, Prisoner of war and Chair of Association of MBAs).

Professor John Peters has delivered sessions for Mandela while alive and recently for the UK royal family. A documentary on his life has been nominated for a BAFTA and won the Independent Documentary of the year award.

The third faculty is Professor Christian Stadler, and all three will help participants challenge assumptions, harness scarce opportunities, offer valuable insights and help them understand how to do more with less via a truly unique educational experience. A synopsis of their profile will be articulated to appreciate the unparalleled impressive pedigree of the faculties and how they could help your organisation to succeed.

Bremaud joined Microsoft in 1999, and she has held several senior roles in a variety of regions.

Before her current role, she was Vice President of Small and Midmarket Services and Partner groups for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). She has also worked in France, handling Original Enterprise Manufacturing (OEM) and retail business.

Bremaud has reliably built highly effective teams, developed healthy ecosystems, and driven substantial growth. Her expertise has adequately positioned Microsoft to take advantage of the growing cloud opportunities in the MEA region.

Also, Peters is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best speakers on leadership, and he has immense international radio, television, and media experience. The professor has consulted for several senior leaders. He has followed Nelson Mandela on stage and spoken for royalty. He also mentors on resilience, uncertainty, agility, and the high-performance mindset.

Through his experiences as a former prisoner of war and soldier in the gulf conflict, Peters challenges the traditional leadership mindset and delivers practical leadership tools for effective organisational performance.

He has been Chair of the Association of MBAs and is currently a Trustee of the Royal Air Force Club, and Patron to KidsOut, a charity that supports disadvantaged children.

In the same vein, Stadler is a world-renowned Professor of Strategic management at Warwick business school, Christian Stadler is a leading authority on long-term success.

For the last ten years, he has studied the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful and established corporations to understand how they expand, adapt, and repeatedly beat their rivals to maintain their competitive advantage. Professor Stadler authored the bestselling book â&#x20AC;&#x153;enduring success. What we can learn from the history of outstanding corporations,â&#x20AC;? and his work has been published in the Harvard Business Review. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In this TEXEM programme, you will learn to prepare for the looming economic recession and

how to position your company to take advantage of the opportunities that may arise. There is going to be lots to learn on driving profitable growth, leveraging analytics to make us better strategic leaders and much more,â&#x20AC;? the organisers added in a statement.

To achieve superlative results in a crisis, you need a reliable business model that can outperform your rivals, the organisers stressed, adding that external factors, such as those brought about by a rapid technological change in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, have had a dramatic impact on African organisations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Technology is reshaping all industries on the African continent and has left many established organisations vulnerable to competition. Recessions tend to exacerbate competitive volatility, which means the ongoing emerging recession will likely amplify the potential risks and rewards of digital disruption. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a leader, through this programme, you will get to understand the specific environment in which your business operates and how to choose a proper resource allocation strategy,â&#x20AC;? they added.

BeneďŹ ts â&#x20AC;&#x153;This online programme will empower you to improve yourself and your team and equip you with the skills to guide your organisation through difficult times successfully. More specifically, you will: Learn to build strategic leadership quotient in prosperity and adversity; gain the ability to identify and develop opportunities in the digital era; develop analytical capacity for better strategic leadership, and acquire strategies for excellence in times of crisis and optimised performance in turbulent times.â&#x20AC;?

In addition, they would, â&#x20AC;&#x153;learn to make effective decisions that lead to profitable growth in challenging times; acquire insights into how to position your organisation for success in uncertain, volatile, and complex times; optimise decision-making processes for success in periods of difficulty, gain exposure to different leadership perspectives and learn to optimise organisational performance in times of low morale and slow growth.â&#x20AC;?

The programme is for experienced leaders and senior executives tasked with generating growth in established to medium-sized and large organisations, from a range of functional backgrounds such as research, operations, development, human resources, marketing and finance.

Chief Executive Officers, general managers, and division heads whose duties include business acquisition, strategy, and operations management. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you participate in a TEXEM learning programme, you gain from a powerful learning experience carefully planned to address your specific needs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through live, engaging, and informative online sessions, you will interact directly with our excellent faculty to learn from their newest research. Our virtual peer groups will connect you to a global community and help you build a reliable network,â&#x20AC;? the organising firm added.

Testimonials â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the first time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing a local programme in Africa, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually quite interesting. The first thing I liked about it is the diversity of the participants. I also like the edgy conversations we had with Christian and Alim. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite thought-provoking,â&#x20AC;? Effiong Okon, Operations Director, Seplat, who had participated in a previous programme organised by the company said.

Also, Director of e-Training Central Bank of Nigeria, Glory Idehen said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The programme is an excellent one, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a world-class Institute, looking at the quality of materials, the quality of the Facilitators, I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a world-class programme, it could be anywhere in the world, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good standard.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The content of the programme has been rich and educative, enlightening and thoughtprovoking. I enjoyed this programme, and I am looking forward to another,â&#x20AC;? Andy Uwejeyan â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Previous TEXEM delegate and Managing Director of A&J Construction Company Ltd also revealed.

Similarly, the CEO and Publisher, Businessday, Frank Algbogun, in sharing his experience from previous programmes by the company he attended, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I found this programme very, very rewarding. In the past, I always thought sustainability-related only to policy. However, during this programme, it was broken down to the company level, and there were several takeaways I hope to implement once I get back home.â&#x20AC;?

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Examining NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Renewed Efforts to Lower Oil Production Cost Peter Uzoho writes on efforts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to realise the $10 per barrels oil production cost aspiration

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he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is intensifying efforts for the achievement of its aspiration of cutting oil production cost in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil exploration and production business by next year. This is in furtherance to the determination of the national oil company to attain greater profitability by ending the regime of high production cost in the wake of dwindling oil revenues occasioned by the drop in oil prices due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

True to its words, NNPC has been engaging its partners and stakeholders at both private and public meetings to brainstorm on how to realize the target it had set.

Last week, at the Asset Management Operational webinar series, organised by the Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL) of the NNPC, the corporation and the stakeholders in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas sector re-echoed the need for operators to leverage digital processes for optimal efficiency in the oil sector.

The Concerns/Solutions The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, had explained at a roundtable meeting organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in March, tagged, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Going for Growth 2.0â&#x20AC;?, that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today, the best of our production system is $15 to $17 a barrel, there are many countries whose cost of production is $30 and we are one of them. So, when the price now goes to $22 and we are producing at $30, which means we are out of businessâ&#x20AC;?.

However, in a radical move to save the industry from the harsh effect of high oil production expenses, especially in the context of Coronavirus and oil price slump, Kyari had said the situation at the moment demands change of strategy, explaining that it would be profitable to produce at oil assets with cheaper cost of production.

The NNPC henchman had also set the end of 2021 as deadline for the attainment of $10 per barrel production cost benchmark, declaring then that the corporation would rally its partners to follow suit as it was no longer bearable to see companies producing even as high as $90 per barrel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigeria will cut production costs to $10 per barrel by the end of 2021. Costs have been too high for too long, he said, pledging that costs would fall or production stopped. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some companies are producing at $90 per barrel. This is unacceptable and industry must work together to bring this down. There are no subsidies for the upstream, if it is not economic it must shut down,â&#x20AC;? Kyari had said.

He had emphasised the need for industry operators to focus on projects that generate more cash, produce more resources â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and at cheaper costs, citing the adoption of new technologies as one way of doing things cheaper.

Kyari had added that the impact of Coronavirus was a â&#x20AC;&#x153;blessing in disguiseâ&#x20AC;? for Nigeria, noting that while prices had suffered, they would come back but the pandemic had offered a chance for a reset.

He had maintained that talks with contractors had been fruitful and that they had been given the option of agreeing to cuts of 20-30 per cent on prices and that most had accepted the reset.

With its current unit cost across all operating terrains averaging between $9 and $22 per barrel, the GMD had noted that the high oil production cost was a major concern in the face of the sharp decline in crude oil prices as a result of the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the global oil market.

In 2019, the full-year performance of the oil industry showed that the unit operating cost for all the joint venture operating companies was in excess of $10 per barrel, with data for the first quarter of 2020 showing a performance above the target.

On the other hand, the production sharing contract (PSC) operators recorded unit operating cost of between $10.67, $21.08 and $28.91

Kyari per barrel during the corresponding period.

With crude oil prices taking an unprecedented nose-dive from about $60 per barrel in February 2020, to less than $13 in April, Kyari restated the need to put a halt to the rising cost and begin to do things differently.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oil prices have gone down to sub $10 per barrel due to the economic impacts of COVID-19, resulting in crude oil supply and demand imbalances.

Cost of production has always been a major issue for the NNPC. Without cost reduction, there will be no tax revenues and therefore the investments would not be worth the while, with unmet expectations.â&#x20AC;?

However, stakeholders, who spoke at the IDSL/NNPC Asset Management Operational webinar, stressed the need for the industry to embrace innovations that would ensure optimal use of resources as well as reduce cost of operation to $10 per barrel.

In her remarks, the Manager, Production Technology, First E&P, Sophia Weaver, explained that the past few years had been challenging for the sector with so much volatility exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Weaver said that continuing with the conventional model of operation would not yield the desired growth in the sector, stressing that there was need for operators to be more responsive to fluctuating oil prices and exert control over the rather high cost of operation to ensure process efficiency. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Achieving operational excellence involves transforming the way we work and digitalize our processes in areas such as oil well and reservoirs management, drilling, logistics and supply chain management.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Process digitalization involves the use of digital data and technologies to transform existing business process into more efficient, optimised, more profitable and value adding operations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is need for us to begin to see data as the new oil, data is critical to the development of the sector,â&#x20AC;? Weaver said.

She further said that achieving operational efficiency requires the re-engineering of traditional processes, optimisation of resources and reducing waste.

Contributing, the Managing Director, IDSL, Ayebateke Bariwei, stressed the need to address perennial issues associated with operational inefficiencies in the sector, noting that adopting digitalised process was key to enhancing productivity, reducing waste and improving system efficiency. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Process digitalisation is about unlocking new value by using digitalised data to change the way things are done. Our objective is to ensure that we operate in the industry bringing the unit operating cost to $10/ barrel by 2021â&#x20AC;?, Bariwei said.

Also speaking, the Chief Operating Officer, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC) Western Niger Delta, Edirin Abamwa, in his remark, advised that regulators must develop environment that encourages process digitalization and help operators thrive in the sector. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The operation cost cannot decline in isolation, there is need for an enabling environment, incentives that enable operators modify their ways of doing business and I doubt it this current environment will make that happen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We still lack the adequate data to aid effective decision making by operators. We still are not traditionally set up to mitigate disaster shut down, until remedy is carried out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is time to move away from the traditional ways, there are a lot if development that enable operators establish census and determine if machines are operating optimally, these are still lacking among operators today,â&#x20AC;?

Abamwa said Notably, before his exit from the corporation, the immediate-past Chief Operating Officer, Ventures and Business Development arm of the NNPC, Mr. Roland Ewubare, had also explained that insecurity in the Niger Delta contributed greatly to the high production cost.

According to him, oil companies have to pay for extra security to protect assets and staff from attacks by militants and pirates. He also described the $10 production cost, also known as operating cost, as an aspirational and aggressive target of the NNPC that the national oil company was determined to achieve.

Reacting to a question on the planned production cost cut, during a broadcast

programme, Ewubare had said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;But to address your issue specifically, $10, yes, is our aspiration. When are we going to get there?

We are looking very actively at hitting that threshold before the end of Q4 of 2021. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an aggressive target but we are sure we are going to meet it.â&#x20AC;?

Explaining why the operating cost for the NNPC has been high in sharp contrast to what is obtained in other oil-producing nations, Ewubare attributed it to the peculiar nature of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operating environment and other issues.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The figure the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, mentioned â&#x20AC;&#x201C; $10 per barrel as our unit operating cost, is an aspirational figure. You have to look where we are coming from in terms of cost and what the larger cost drivers are for us in our industry. And against that backdrop, the conversation around cost becomes an imperative and urgent oneâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, whenever you have a regime like we have now, where commodity values are low, the only way we are able to squeeze out some reasonable cushion in terms of cash and financial gain to the federation is by containing and constricting our costs. Our costs are driven by a multiplicity of factors.

You know staff, you and I know that the oil and gas industry in Nigeria probably pays the highest salaries; we even pay more than the banks. So thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a huge chunk we spend money on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, the environment in which we operate: our primary production base is in the Niger Delta and you are well aware of the issues of security, militancy and all of that. All of those add extra layer of cost to production.

And money comes in this world where their citizens donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t vandalise national infrastructure.

So, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the idea of the cost that we carry around security. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I need to move Korean equipment to an offshore location, I need boat loaded with naval officers to an offshore location. That comes as an extra cost; all those things when you add them up, give you the cost of oil in Nigeria.â&#x20AC;?

He described the current cost structure as a fallback from the high commodity regime that Nigeria had a few years back when oil sold at over $100 per barrel.

Ewubare said some of the projects that were sanctioned at that time used that price point, stating that, now that prices have gone down, it would take a while for the industry to settle to a more reasonable cost regime. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a work in progress but we are certain that by the end of next year, we should be able to get $10 a barrel for our operating cost. Our technical cost is a separate matter,â&#x20AC;? he added.

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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT James Cubitt: Effective Facility Management Enhances Asset Value Buildings are like humans, they age and become decrepit if unattended to adequately. They can also become desolate even at infancy for lack of care, giving their owners pain and distress from accumulated maintenance cost. This ugly situation can be mitigated, the Managing Director, James Cubitt Facility Managers, Mrs. Gbadunade Ogunleye, tells Bennett Oghifo. She also talks about remedy in proper education for growth in the industry

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We are not overly priced even though we are James Cubitt. We are really for the asset management and for the comfort of the users of that building. We are passionate facility managers, we are not just for the money; we do it for professionalism, and we have systems that attract other clients.

Our work speaks for us and that is what we really want.

ell us about James Cubitt Facility Managers James Cubitt Facility Managers (JCFM) is one of the foremost facility management firms in Nigeria and a part of the James Cubitt Group with offices in Lagos, London, Brisbane, Doha, Accra and Abu Dhabi. The company was launched in 2015 but leverages the James Cubitt brand 60-year track record of rendering excellent service. James Cubitt Facility Managers has a pedigree of collaborating with property owners and occupiers to offer the best-rated facility maintenance costs and ensures that its clients’ property are always an attractive lease with a high renewal rate. James Cubitt Facility Managers approaches facility management by analysing its clients’ property, developing bespoke plans and actioning the plans.

The facility management company serves commercial and residential clients, offering three major packages namely; FullServ, a comprehensive facility management service that encompasses the complete spectrum of facility management, MultiServe, designed for multi-branched commercial facilities and On-Call which provides personalised home management packages to each of our unique clients.

What is your background in facility management?

We successfully set up James Cubitt Facility Managers, the facility management arm of James Cubitt Companies, in 2015. It kicked off as a desk and this was because we realised from experience that some investors are only interested in building that beautiful project without a thought for how to maintain them. What happens when a property is built ought to be considered from the design stage.

Over five years now, we have made some statements, particularly with our product known as JCFM PropAlive. It is a facility management service designed by James Cubitt Facility Managers to specifically restore and/or complete abandoned and dilapidated structures. It is targeted at clients whose properties have not been occupied for a minimum of two years.

Our custom-made solutions ensure that your facility comes to life and becomes the asset it deserves to be. We have some that have been without occupants for eight years and we reactivated them and unlock the potentials. We possess a knack for bringing down operational costs while maintaining and enhancing asset value. I bring onboard experience garnered across two continents (Europe and Africa). I worked for London Borough of Barnet, Westminster Council, William Sutton Trust, South African Property/Real Estate Company, as well as Broll and Oando Plc. I have over 19 years of demonstrable experience in property and facility management. I’m a graduate of Chemistry from Nigeria’s premiere university, the University of Ibadan, a member of the British Institute of Facility Management, and have an Advanced Certificate in Facilities Management and Planning from the University of Lagos. I’m an advocate for knowledge acquisition, and currently a student of Owner Manager Programme (OMP) at the prestigious Lagos Business School.

What share of the industry has James Cubitt Facility Managers?

James Cubitt Facility Managers has grown over the years from the original two, an operations supervisor and me, to

Tell us about staff and client management?

We are in this business for the development of people. The problem with Nigeria is a mindset, mediocrity. People are not given a chance, and that is what we are here for, to give people a chance. That is why our mission is to harness, discover opportunities that will change our world and transform lives. We have seen a lot of people walk into James Cubitt Facility Managers from day one and I smile when I see them a couple of years after and I smile. It is when I see a great number of facility managers changing things without making noise that I’d say we are fulfilled.

Ogunleye

over 60 members of staff right now. We have locations in the commercial space; we were handling Diamond Bank even before it became Access Bank- eight branches nationwide. We have residential properties – estates- that we manage. Liberty Court Victoria Island is one of them. This is one of the property that was vacant for a long time that we reactivated.

What has been your experience with maintenance culture in Nigeria?

It has been very interesting. No maintenance culture, and that stems from lack of knowledge. If you look at Nigeria, the institutions offering Facility Management as courses are few. It is only at post graduate level that you have Facility Management.

So, it means you have a lot of people that just stumbled into the profession.

We have the education challenge, and the recognition challenge, which means that we are not even known. You won’t believe someone who has invested so much in their building would be using a cleaner as Facility Manager. A cleaner cannot be a Facility Manager, but the moment someone touches the bulb they are mistaken for Facility Manager. This is the reason some of us need to come out and let the public know what exactly facility management is all about because the impact or bottom-line for the economy, as well as for business owners would be very immense. Another challenge is quality of materials; everything comes to Nigeria. The nation, unfortunately, is seen as a dumping ground. There is no standard, so to buy bulbs, lightings that will last, you need to patronise foreign companies. You buy in our local market, and it pups the next minute.

A business owner naturally wants to cut costs and still have an efficient building. How do you come in?

This is where we come in. So, a business

owner has a property and has been using his own in-house people to do facility management. What we do is come in with expertise, we understand your business, we understand you as a business owneryour vision, your goals, what you’re trying to achieve as a business owner, and we put that together with understanding the building itself, and then we come up with an FM model that is bespoke for that building. We don’t copy from one property and put in another, because they say different things, requesting for different FM needs and that is what we give that building. What that does for the business owner is you’re able to redirect the essential resources from your non-core to your core. They look at the cost of engaging a qualified facility manager, but on the long run you’ll be saving a lot.

I am data-driven as a facility manager, which means I record every service that I’m delivering. So, I have data and will be able to tell you after three months what it costs you to run your building.

They want to build that edifice, that glass; they don’t even consider how they’d clean the glass. We have a building we’re managing that has marble façade. It was a beautiful but marble façade is not for our weather. You don’t use marble; if they had engaged James Cubitt Facility Managers, for example, we’ll look at it and quickly warn you that you don’t use this, because its maintenance will be at great cost. They’ll have to put scaffold six months down the line to scrape/clean the marble and this costs millions of Naira.

There are good paints and even if I’m going to paint every year, it would be cheaper. Business owners are getting more aware that it is cheaper to use facility managers, because of the impact on their bottom-line.

How competitive are your services in terms of pricing?

Professionally, the facility managers’ industry is relatively young. Do you see more companies setting up shop?

Professionally, the industry is quite young, it is not known, and that is because of lack of knowledge. Those of us that run facility management companies don’t even understand the value and the weight of the responsibility. During COVID lockdown, we were in the frontline, working to make sure there is power, water and cleanliness in residences and businesses. Did you see facility managers celebrated? No. Recently, they adopted certification which will be established soon and we also need good leadership in the industry.

At what stage is the facility manager required in the life of a building?

At the design stage, if it is a new one.

I will say, if you’re about to build, make sure there is a facility manager on your design team. Facility managers will have more work to do if engaged after the design stage, because some damage may have been done. For example, some cables that shouldn’t have been laid or the wrong material may have been used in the flooring. For example, you have carpeted that office with a particular material without consideration for the traffic. So, every three months, the carpet needs to be changed, but if they had thought about it when they were selecting materials at the design stage, they would have been advised on an appropriate material to use.

What role should the government play in building maintenance since it is important to the economy?

Enforcement from building regulators is very weak and that is what gives us problems, because if they were quite firm and actually penalising people for mishaps, then it will make our work easy. So, what we will say is that facility management needs to be recognised by all levels of government. The government needs to know the impact of them not being firm with the building regulations. The impact causes needless deaths. There are buildings that we have seen that had to be rebuilt, because things inside the wall were wrongly placed. Air conditioners were piped and were leaking inside the wall and the water had gone into the building so badly that it was beginning to weaken the structure.

31

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT

Cavalli Group Unveils The Vantage Bourdillon

C

avalli Business & Investment Group, one of the leading developers of luxury Real Estate in Nigeria, has unveiled its latest project, The Vantage Bourdillon, a 10-Storey Luxury Residential Complex situated on the highbrow Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos, recently, the Managing Director/CEO of Cavalli Group, Mr. Emmanuel Odemayowa, said The Vantage Bourdillon was modelled on some of the best Luxury residential apartments globally and would comprise 10 suspended floors, made up of a recreational floor and 9 apartment floors that will be built to accommodate 18 private residences.

He also said The Vantage Bourdillon would have a Penthouse maisonette on the top-most floor which

would offer “Stunning views of Bourdillon Road and the Ikoyi environs”, adding that the Project was part of the Cavalli Group’s quest to make world class residential accommodation available in Nigeria.

Among other features of The Vantage Bourdillon, which Mr. Odemayowa said is a project of its subsidiary, Deluxe Residences, are a Recreational Floor with a well-equipped Games room and Gymnasium, a Swimming Pool, a Spa and Wellness Centre.

“The Vantage Bourdillon is a project at the core of our heart and that is why we have given it the name Vantage”, he said, adding that “anyone that buys into this project will know they are occupying a vantage position in Bourdillon.”

He added that the latest project was among the ways the Cavalli Group was

contributing towards improving the country’s mounting Housing deficit and called for partnerships between private sector real estate developers and government towards improving the rate of home ownership among Nigerians.

The Unveiling Event was held strictly according to COVID-19 Protocols and had representation from a few of the Country’s captains of industry as well as top government functionaries.

Aside from The Vantage Bourdillon, Deluxe Residences has several luxury real estate completed and some ongoing developments in the upmarket areas of Lagos. Among the completed projects are The Vogue, The Grand Orchard, Pacific Heights, The Orchard, all in Oniru, Victoria Island.

There is also The Avant Apartments in Ikoyi, and the on-going high-rise residential apartments of various bed-

room types called The Empire Series along Water Corporation Road, off Ligally Aroyinde, Victoria Island.

Cavalli Group’s Global Property Partners, which focuses on mixed use projects, is also behind The Pacific

Lagos, a state-of-the-art mixed used development strategically located on Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island.

L-R: CEO, TAC Group, Mr. Tunde Adaramaja; IT Manager, Deluxe Residences Ltd., Mr. Ben Nwaokolo; Communication Manager, Deluxe Residences, Esther Briggs; COO, Deluxe Residences Ltd, Eka Ekwem; CEO, Cavalli Business & Investment Group, Mr. Emmanuel Odemayowa; MD, Expertsbridge Ltd., Mr. Olusegun Lawal; and Head, Operations, Global Property Partners, Mr. Olaolu Oluwarinde, at the Vantage Bourdillon Unveiling Event… recently

Premium Heights Integrated Solutions to Renovate ARCON Lagos Office Fadekemi Ajakaiye The Federal Government, through its Ministry of Works and Housing, has picked Messrs. Premium Heights Integrated Solutions for the renovation project of Architects’ Registration Council of Nigeria’s Lagos office.

A statement by ARCON said the contractor would coordinate other real estate professionals in delivering a modern, digitalised and improved office complex, specifically located at House 1A and 1B, Dolphin Scheme II, behind old Federal Secretariat Phase II, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The project, which runs into several millions, is coming on the heels of numerous efforts by the current leadership of ARCON to take architecture to the next level in Nigeria.

The choice of the contractor, it was learnt, came after a rigorous exercise conducted by both the ministry and

ARCON. And in readiness for the take-off of the project that will cover both internal and external works, ARCON last week handed over the site to the contractor.

At the handing over ceremony, Arc. Oladipupo Ajayi, ARCON president, who thanked Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Minister, Works and Housing and other key officials in the ministry, also extolled the dedication of his council and the members of staff of the secretariat.

Ajayi disclosed that the supervising Ministry is undertaking the renovation of the Lagos Office, which is a bungalow from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.

The scope of work includes demolition and alterations, frames and partitioning, roof construction and covering, doors and windows and mechanical installations. Oth-

ers are electrical installations, fitting and fixtures, finishing and repainting and decorations.

The elated Ajayi, who said the take-off of the project was one of the promises he made to the architecture family, when he took over as the head of the council, said the project, upon completion, would bequeath a new and modern working environment on Nigerian architects.

According to Ajayi, ARCON, which has been in existence since 1969 without a befitting office of its own, promised to give all needed support to the contractor, who is expected to deliver the project within three months.

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, inaugurated the current ARCON council two years ago in Abuja. Others inaugurated with Ajayi are Shamsuna Ahmed, vice president, Celestine Eze, treasurer and Umar Murnai, the registrar.

Dradrock Celebrates At Three Years, Offer Discount to Customers

D

radrock Real Estate Ltd, a Real estate development company in Lagos will be three years on the 18th of September, 2020, and in commemoration of the anniversary, the company will be giving discounts on plots of land at her Prime Oikos Estate in Lakowe, a fast growing suburb in Ibeju – Lekki Local Government area. Also as part of the celebration, Dradrock Real Estate will visit some orphanages and other special care homes, to felicitate with the inmates and distribute food and special care items.

According to the Managing Director, Chief Executive officer of Dradrock Real Estate, Mr. Oladipo Idowu-Agida, the special discount prices will be lower than the original sale price, and it is for everyone, whether an existing customer or not, thirty plots of land in two different land sizes will be available in 600sqm

and 300sqm. The 600sqm will have 20 units discounted, while the 300sqm will have 10 units discounted, this is in appreciation of God’s grace, and in celebration of milestones achieved. He also spoke about upcoming projects in Lekki which are the Pacific Manor II and the Hibiscus, which he promised will excite our customers once ready.

In his words, Mr. IdowuAgida said, ‘Dradrock has a company is committed to uplifting the living standards of residents of Lagos State, and by extension Nigeria; that is why we have come up with anniversary discount sales offer for everybody, It is our wish that more people can use this platform we are providing to become home owners through these discount sale offers, we will continue to deliver quality homes and Estates to Lagos residents in line with our core

values which are, innovation, customer satisfaction and excellence.

The Prime Oikos Estate is located in Lakowe, one of the fastest growing suburb on the Lekki-Epe expressway, the Estate will have infrastructural amenities such as underground electrification providing 24hr electricity, tarred roads with paved walk way, 24hr security patrol with well trained personnel, CCTV cameras, waste disposal system, Street lighting, a gym and club house. The Estate also has unrestricted access to urban centers in Lekki, Lagos Dradrock Real Estate is located in Lagos, and in just three years of operation, they have sold out two Estates already, with over six ongoing projects in Lagos. The company promises as part of her vision to help bridge the housing deficit gap in Nigeria.

The ARCON president also thanked the ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr. Mohammed Bukar for ensuring quick approval to renovate its Lagos office. Ajayi said upon

completion, both offices would be fully automated, befitting modern day architectural practice.

“The council was dubbed a council of change because we

wanted to move architecture into the digitalised world. We have successfully put in place a portal through which all our programmes will be run”, he said.

Red Flags on the Blue Economy Nnimmo Bassey We often hear that sustainable development stands on three legs of social equity, economic viability and environmental protection. The intersection of these three leads to sustainability. The challenge is that these three are rarely given equal consideration when actions are being taken. A careful consideration of the impacts of alterations or transformations in the environment leads to less degradation and ensures less destruction of habitats. Economic measures aimed at profit accumulation will ride on the exploitation of nature and labour to the detriment of the environment.

Measures taken will dress business as usual in the garbs of technological advancement and innovative ideas. Where social inclusion in decision making and implementation is not a cardinal consideration, unethical and immoral decisions may be the outcome. Such decisions may cause divisions in society, entrench inequalities and promote racism and xenophobia. These are issues we have to keep at the back of our minds as we continue.

The world has been engulfed in crises arising from turmoil in the social, economic and environmental spheres. The climate crisis is one of the most challenging problems of our age. Analysts agree that the crisis is a result of a deeply flawed economic model that sees nature as an inexhaustible source of materials including the nonrenewable ones like coal, oil and gas. This mindset has led to massive deforestation, and monoculture agriculture leading to nutritional deficiencies. It has generally encouraged over consumption, wastage and the

driving of species to extinction.

It goes without saying that of the three legs of sustainability, it is the economic one that takes precedent, creates the problems and is at the same time presented as the solution.

Some of the economic bandages applied to the multiple crises engulfing the world include the Green Economy and the Blue Economy. If we are not careful the Green New Deal may end up being another of these.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) proposed a response in the form of a Global Green New Deal (GGND) aimed at using the multiple-crises as an opportunity for transformation through placing green investment at the core of stimulus packages, including green investment in regular government budgets and creating public-private green investment funding mechanisms. It also proposed the provision of domestic enabling conditions (fiscal/ pricing policy, standards, education and training and global enabling conditions covering trade, intellectual; property rights, overseas development aid, technology transfer and environmental agreements.

UNEP sees the Green Economy as the “process of reconfiguring businesses and infrastructure to deliver better returns on natural, human and economic capital investments, while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions, extracting and using less natural resources, creating less waste and reducing social disparities.”[1] This statement reinforces the exploitative business as usual model that is driving the world towards the precipice. The Green Economy hinges on the commodification of nature.

Applying the mercantilist notion of the Green Economy to seas, rivers and other water bodies will further erode the seeing of the gifts of nature as things that should be protected, preserved and nurtured from an intergenerational perspective.

This is imperative because over 200 million Africans draw their nutrition from freshwater and ocean fish and over 10 million depend on them for income.

Africa literally floats on water. She is surrounded by water. The Blue Economy covers the use of aquatic species, including those found in the creeks, rivers, lakes, oceans and underground water. It covers fisheries, tourism, transport, energy, bioprospecting, marine biotechnology and underwater mining. These will clearly have serious negative impacts on the integrity of our aquatic ecosystems.

An African Union official sees the Blue Economy as “Africa’s hidden treasure” and declared that the “potential of oceans, lakes and rivers is unlimited.” He further added that the Blue Economy would move Africa “from an economy of harvests from limited resources to an economy of harvesting unlimited resources if we organize ourselves well. With the exploitation of resources come also sustainable financial means. But to approach this revolution we must completely change our perspective.”[2] This vision raises a lot of red flags.

Firstly, there is nothing that is limitless on a finite or limited planet. This idea of unlimited resources is what has gotten us into the current ruinous state, at national as well as global levels.

-Nnimmo Bassey is Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF)

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32

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍłË&#x203A; 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

BUA Donates Additional N350m to CACOVID The BUA Group has donated an additional sum of N350 million to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-led private sector Coalition against on Covid-19 (CACOVID), bringing to N1.35 billion, its total donation to group.

In another development, BUA also announced the donation of N100 million to the Kebbi State Government to support victims of the recent flooding in the State.

Speaking on the donations, the Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, said BUA remains committed to its

sustainable development obligations as a responsible corporate citizen and will keep supporting various social and humanitarian interventions wherever it can.

Rabiu also specifically commended the efforts of the Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, in coordinating the CACOVID intervention efforts in a transparent and accountable manner.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I must also commend the efforts of Governor Godwin Emefiele who has brought his astute leadership to bear in the

running of CACOVID with Aliko Dangote and other members of the CACOVID steering committee - of which BUA is a pioneer member. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We intend to keep monitoring the situation in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders and are ready to contribute even more, where necessary,â&#x20AC;? he added On the donation of N100 million to Kebbi State, Rabiu commiserated with the Governor and Kebbi State Government, communities, and individuals affected by the floods.

N4bn Debt: AMCON Takes over Geedee Zulu Investmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assets The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) said it has taken over assets belonging to Mr. Frank Okwudili Ezuma and Mrs. Lilian Ifeoma Okwudili Ezuma, the chief promoters of Geedee Zulu Investment Limited over a staggering indebtedness of over N4 billion.

This, the corporation explained, followed an order of Justice M.S. Hassan of the Federal High Court, Lagos division. According to a statement, in compliance to the enforcement order, AMCON on August 31, 2020, commenced the

process of effective possession of the properties through its Debt Recovery Agent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Prime Chamber Law Firm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The takeover, which has now been completed include property situate at No. 4 Ekulu Close, GRA Enugu, Enugu State and property Along Gborji Road, Aguluezechukwu in Anambra State, the statement by the Head of Corporate Communications Department of the corporation, Jude Nwauzor, revealed.

AMCON, he reiterated tried everything possible to let the obligor see reasons but noticed

a deliberate disdain towards all previous engagements with the chief promoters of the enforced company. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The case of Geedee Zulu Investment Limited and its promoters have been interminable since the loan was purchased by AMCON during the first phase of Eligible Bank Assets (EBA) purchases from Union Bank far back as 2011. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since the purchase of the EBA, AMCON has offered the obligor all manners of concessions and explored all avenues to resolve the debt harmoniously.

UBA to Organise Quarterly Business Series In its continuous bid to support the growth of micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) and equip them with the necessary tools to strengthen and sustain their businesses, the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc is set to organise another edition of its quarterly UBA Business Series. The UBA Business Series which is held quarterly, is an MSME Workshop and a capacity building initiative where leading business leaders share insights on best practices for running successful businesses in the face of huge economic challenges. The topic for this

edition of the UBA Business Series: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Brand Positioning and Marketing for Businesses Post COVID 19â&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and it will hold on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 via Microsoft Teams.

UBA will be hosting the Managing Director, Nitro 121, Mr Lampe Omoyele, a brand management professional, who will give business leaders and upcoming entrepreneurs tips on the best ways to ensure their businesses survive especially in the wake of the pandemic.

Omoyele who is also the Founding Partner, The Lucent Consulting Company, is a widely

respected business leader and mentor in the marketing and advertising industry of subSaharan Africa. The event which is open to all participants will be held virtually starting at 2pm and interested participants have been advised top register.

UBAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Group Head, Consumer and Retail Banking, Jude Anele, who spoke ahead of the workshop, said with his vast experience in brand management, Omoyele will point small business owners in the direction needed to galvanise their brands and position it in such a way as to attract the right customers.

Rabiu

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS Money Supply (M3)

36,822,751.47

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

3,476,121.25

Money Supply (M2)

33,346,630.22

-- Quasi Money

120,764,479.02

-- Narrow Money (M1)

12,582,151.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,002,026.89

---- Demand Deposits

10,580,124.31

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,637,137.23

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

29,185,614.24

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

39,711,115.95

---- Credit to Government (Net)

Devon Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, a brand of PZ Wilmar Food Limited has rewarded 10 budding chefs with prizes worth N1 million in its â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chef Challengeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which came to a conclusion recently in Lagos.

The maiden edition of the challenge saw Muniratu Abubakar emerge winner after her 3-course meal which included an appetiser, garlic bread; main course, basmati white rice with chicken sauce, among others.

She was adjudged the best in

terms of creativity, meal presentation and meal outlook and was presented with the grand prize of N200, 000 cash, a standing gas cooker, a mixer and six monthsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; supply of Devon Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products.

Also rewarded were the first runner up, Omolabake Davies, and the second runner up, Onyeka Azubuike who also got supply of Devon Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products, oven, mixer as well as the sum N100,000 and N50,000 respectively.

All other seven participants Zainab Jarmai, Chineye Opara, Juliet Anaetoh, Constance Ofmat,

Grace Atta, Miracle Agoreyo and Zainab Dikko, who made it to the voting round of the competition also got themselves N10, 000 shopping voucher, one-month supply of Devon Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products and branded kitchen items.

Sharing her excitement on the successful flagship edition of competition, Brand Manager, PZ Wilmar, Toyin Popoola-Diana, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am impressed by the level of hard work and creativity put into this challenge because I know surely that making meals that are befitting of a King doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come easy.

NCDMB, Waltersmith Host Information Minister at Ibigwe Modular Refinery Today Peter Uzoho The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in collaboration with Waltersmith Petroleum Oil Limited, will today host the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhalji Lai Mohammed, at the Waltersmith Modular Refinery located at Ibigwe, Ohaji-Egbema

Local Government Area of Imo State. The 5000 barrels per day modular refinery is being developed with equity investment by the NCDMB, in line with its vision to catalyse the development of critical oil and gas infrastructure and ensure optimal in-country hydrocarbon utilisation.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote,

had explained that the importance of the boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investment initiative in modular refineries and related oil and gas projects include increase local refining capacity; create employment opportunities; provide refined petroleum products to consumers within the state and nearby states; and curb illegal refining and its environmental incidence.

19,521,851.08

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-130,189,264.87

--Other Assets Net

3,472,017.70

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,421,827.07

--Currency in Circulation

2,395,917.03

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

11,025,910.04 317,234.17

Devon Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Empowers Chefs, Rewards Creativity Femi Solaja

(MILLION NAIRA)

JULY 2020

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

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month Inter-Bank Call Rate

March 2018 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; ͯ͹Ϲ

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

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $39.83 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $39.82 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

33

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍłË&#x203A; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

All-Share Index Rises as Equities Market Opens on Positive Note Goddy Egene The Nigerian stock market opened for the week on a positive note as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index appreciated 0.1 per cent to close at 25,605.59, while market capitlisation added N7.1 billion to be at N3.32 trillion.

Gains recorded by Dangote Cement Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc propelled the growth, which has reduced the year-to-date decline

to 4.6 per cent. Activity level also improved as volume and value traded increased 20.8 per cent and 45.7 per cent respectively to 257 million shares and N3.3 billion, traded in 3,567.

In all, 17 stocks appreciated, while 16 others depreciated.

Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc led the price gainersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; chart with 9.55 per cent. The pharmaceutical manufacturing firm recently recorded a growth of 665 per cent in profit after

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

tax (PAT) for the nine months ended June 30, 2020.

PAT soared to N237.63 million from N31.07 million recorded in corresponding period of 2019, while earnings per share rose from 2.0 kobo to 13 kobo in 2020.

Market operators said the substantial increase in distributable earnings places Neimeth in good stead for dividend payment at the end of the year. Commenting on the results, Managing Director/ CEO, Neimeth International

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Pharmaceuticals Plc, Matthew Azoji, said the growth indicates the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth strategies are resilient and have continued to gain traction.

According to him, the nine results lent credence to improving positive impact from the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medium-term strategic growth plan as it strives to open additional markets while consolidating its major domestic market.

Meanwhile, Royal Exchange Plc closed as the second highest price

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

gainers with 7.1 per cent. CAP Plc appreciated by 7.1 per cent, just as Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc chalked up 6.9 percent. CAP Plc gained 6.6 per cent, while Regency Insurance Plc, Jaiz Bank Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc and Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc garnered 4.3 per cent, 3.4 per cent, 1.9 per cent and 1.7 per cent respectively. Conversely, International Breweries Plc led the price losers with 8.5 per cent, trailed

by UACN Property Development

O F

Company Plc with 8.4 per cent.

FCMB Group Plc shed 7.7 per cent, just as Fidson Healthcare Plc and Japaul 5.4 per cent and 4.7 per cent in that order.

In terms of sector performance, the NSE Industrial Goods Index led the gainers with 0.51 per cent, while the NSE Banking Index added 0.15 per cent. Conversely, the NSE Consumer Goods Index shed 0.50 per cent, followed by the NSE Oil & Gas Index with 0.08 per cent decline.

1 1 / 0 9 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

34

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Ellah Lakes Signs Produce Off-take Agreement with Pure Flour Mills Goddy Egene Ellah Lakes Plc has signed a produce off-take

agreement with Pure Flour Mills Limited (PFM), a subsidiary DeUnited Foods Industries Limited, for the initial supply of a minimum of

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

approximately 5000 metric tonnes of Cassava to its processing facility in Edo State.

In a notification to the Nigerian Stock

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 11Sep-2020, unless otherwise stated.

Exchange (NSE) yesterday, Ellah Lakes said it expects to commence delivery of the initial tonnage to commence from the yields of the

2020/ 21 harvesting season.

Ellah Lakes Plc is a Nigerian agribusiness that is currently specialising in oil palm plantations

in Edo & Delta States. It was incorporated on July 2nd, 1980 and got listed on the NSE on January 14th of 1993.

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 0.93 0.94 3.05% ACAP Income Funds 0.78 0.78 10.30% 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 5.58% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.99 3.08 22.01% 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 2.34% Anchoria Equity Fund 100.38 100.72 -1.54% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.29 1.29 11.63% 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 14.51 14.95 -5.25% ARM Discovery Fund 342.41 352.73 -0.87% ARM Ethical Fund 30.57 31.49 5.12% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.16 1.17 16.30% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.09 8.59% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.21% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 97.53 98.21 1.51% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.16% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.17 2.17 19.19% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 1.85 1.88 6.14% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.08% Paramount Equity Fund 11.62 11.82 -7.21% Women's Investment Fund 111.36 112.33 0.85% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.61% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 105.97 106.31 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 109.98 110.29 Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 103.54 103.54 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 3.40% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.95 0.97 2.94% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.57 1.57 18.49% 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 3.87% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 2.61% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,173.62 1,186.16 5.84% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,405.96 1,407.51 15.17% FBN Balanced Fund 153.48 154.52 4.54% FBN Halal Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.50% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 121.21 121.69 4.34% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 115.41 117.20 -11.31% 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 3,167.65 3,202.95 4.17% Coral Income Fund 3,194.75 3,194.75 3.87% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 3.91% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.99% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 113.44 120.68 8.45%

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 3.92% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.32 2.36 5.83% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 8.42% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 150.61 151.35 5.07% 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 1.26 1.28 7.93% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,135.33 1,135.33 7.22% 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 1.40 1.42 14.14% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.89 11.96 5.62% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.30% PACAM Equity Fund 1.09 1.10 PACAM EuroBond Fund 108.09 110.61 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 115.52 117.82 -3.88% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.02 6.62% 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 6.69% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 5.03% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 0.00% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 5.84% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 4.77% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.93% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -2.79% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.21 1.21 3.85% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 109.32 109.32 4.90% 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 1.16 1.18 -2.88% United Capital Bond Fund 1.85 1.85 7.04% United Capital Equity Fund 0.67 0.69 -5.24% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.52% United Capital Eurobond Fund 114.58 114.58 4.87% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.03 1.03 -2.02% 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 10.39 10.50 1.05% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.57 11.78 -0.01% Zenith Income Fund 24.36 24.36 9.43% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.62%

REITS NAV Per Share

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund

Yield / T-Rtn

117.93

5.15%

53.40

2.59%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

9.16 85.79 66.88

9.26 87.64 68.11

5.20% -9.18% -10.98%

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

3.06 4.28 12.07 1.00 11.18 184.96

3.10 4.36 12.17 1.00 11.38 186.96

-13.73% -27.36% -0.51% 2.88% 7.55% -1.75%

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.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

35

36

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

EFCC Re-arraigns ‘Mama Boko Haram,’ Others over Fresh N97.4m Fraud Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),

Maiduguri Zonal Office yesterday re-arraigned Aisha Alkali Wakil, a.k.a ‘Mama Boko Haram,’ before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of

Nigeria, Niger Republic to Finalise Strategies for Return of Refugees MichaelOlugbodeinMaiduguri Nigerian team has visited Diffa in Niger Republic to finalise strategies for the return of refugees to the country.

Thousands of refugees on the wake of the Boko Haram crisis fled Borno State to Diffa in Niger Republic.

A team from Nigeria led by the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, was in Diffa to engage the Nigerien Government on quick and dignified return of the refugees to their homeland (Nigeria).

Some of the team members were the federal commissioner in charge of National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), Senator Basheer Mohammed, and the

acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Alhaji Ali Grema.

A statement issued by the Borno State Governor’s spokesman, Mallam Isa Gusau, said the governor, who was in Abuja for series of developmental activities, flew to Diffa last Friday in company of the federal government officials.

The statement said in Diffa, the governor and the federal team visited Nigerians taking refuge in Niger Republic to know their welfare and to follow up discussions with stakeholders on how to fast-track the safe and dignified return of the refugees in Diffa for resettlement in Borno State.

Extreme Poverty in Nigeria, Others up By 7%, Says Bill Gates MartinsIfijeh Following the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme poverty in Nigeria and other countries have gone up by 7 percent, ending a 20-year streak of progress made globally, the co-Founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has said in the latest Goalkeepers Report released.

He said indices have shown that women are the hardest hit since many of them work overwhelmingly in the informal sector which now operates in inaccessible spaces with less government support.

According to Gates, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed almost 37 million people below the N724 ($1.90)-a-day extreme poverty line, adding that the poverty line

for lower-middle-income countries was N1,219 ($3.20) a day, and that 68 million people have fallen below that since last year.

He said: “Falling below the poverty line is a euphemism, though; what it means is to scratch and claw every single moment just to keep your family alive. These newly impoverished people are more likely to be women than men.

“One reason is that women in low-and middle-income countries work overwhelmingly in the informal sector, which tends to operate in now inaccessible spaces, like people’s homes and public markets, and provides less access to government support. In Africa, the earnings of informal workers declined more than 80 percent in the first month of the pandemic.

ANLCA Chieftain Rallies Support for Eastern Ports Sunday Okobi The chieftain of the umbrella body of licensed customs agents in Nigeria, theAssociation of Licenced CustomsAgents (ANLCA), Dr. Enoch Iwueze, has called for support for Nigeria’s seaports located in the eastern part of the country.

While decrying the overconcentration of shipping activities in the seaports in Lagos, Iwueze in an exclusive interview called for the implementation of policies and programmes that will enhance operations in ports in the eastern part of the country.

He enjoined stakeholders in the maritime sector of the economy to give what he called ‘their unalloyed support’ to the measures put in place by the federal government to make shipping operation in eastern ports better than it is presently.

According to him, efforts by the federal government to ease the congestion in Lagos ports should be sustained in the months ahead.

“It does not make any economic sense that the eastern ports are virtually idle while the ones in Lagos are congested, bringing pains, sorrows and unnecessary additional cost to port users and others in the cargo clearance chain,” he added.

The ANLCA chief, who is also the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air-Sea Freighters Limited, spoke on the heels of the recent berthing of the largest container ship to ever visit Nigeria at Onne Port Complex in Rivers State.

According to him, “This feat attained by Maersk Line in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) will go a long way to encourage other shipping lines which have been skeptical of draught limitations to scheduling their larger and bigger vessels to Onne Port. It will equally reduce the volume, rate and trans-shipment containers hitherto being brought by feeder vessels from other neighboring countries.

the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on three fresh separate offences of fraud to the tune of N97.4 million.

Each of the offences contained two -count charges, making a cumulative sixcount charge before the court.

Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode were re-arraigned with Wakil, an EFCC statement

said.

A count in the first offence read: “That you, Tahiru Saidu Daura, Aisha Alkali Wakil and Prince Lawal Shoyode, whilst being programme manager, chief executive officer and country director, respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (a nongovernmental organisation),

sometime in the year 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court with intent to defraud, induced one Saleh Ahmed Said of Shuad General Enterprises Ltd to deliver to you 3,000 bags of beans worth N71,400,000 under the false pretence of executing a contract for the supply of same, which you

made the said Saleh Ahmed Said to believe that you had the capacity to pay the entire contract sum upon execution, which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Sections 1(1) (b) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud- Related Offences Act, 2006 respectively.”

STRATEGISING AHEAD OF 2023...

L-R: Member of House of Representatives representing Mubi North/Mubi South/Maiha Federal Constituency in Adamawa State, Hon. Ja’afar Magaji; member representing Mayo Belwa/Jada/Ganye/Toungo Federal Constituency, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas; member representing Hong/Gombi Federal Constituency, Hon. Yusuf Capt Buba; Senator representing Adamawa Central senatorial district, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani; and APC Women Leader in Adamawa State, Hajia Hauwa Koma, when a delegation of the Adamawa State APC National Assembly Caucus paid courtesy visit to the state chairman of the party, in Yola, the state capital...recently

Our Interest in South-east Purely Economic, Says Miyetti Allah The South-east chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACABAN) yesterday said its interest in the region was purely economic and nothing more.

The Chairman of MACBAN in the zone, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, stated this while briefing journalists shortly after a meeting of the joint executive council of the group in Enugu.

Siddiki said the clarification became necessary following growing suspicion and speculation in some quarters about the activities of herders in the zone.

He said it was imperative to correct the impression that their interests in the region were beyond economic pursuits.

Siddiki explained that the suspicion that herdsmen were harbingers of Fulani territorial

expansionism had degenerated into unhealthy relationships in most parts of he region.

The chairman said such suspicion had made members of the association to be increasingly uncomfortable.

He vowed that the group would not hesitate to report any of its members found to be involved in criminal activities.

He said herders in the region were desirous of striking

harmonious relationships with the people of the area in order to avoid mutual suspicion.

Siddiki stated, “this suspicion is rooted in the speculation that herdsmen are harbingers of Fulani territorial expansionism.

“However, the leadership of MACBAN, under my watch in the South-east, has continued to discuss appreciably well with the individual state governments in the zone.

Zamfara: Air Strikes Kill Bandits, Troops Arrest 28 Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Fighter jets and helicopter gunships of the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji yesterday destroyed a camp of armed bandits in the Doumborou Forest area of Zamfara State, killing scores of bandits.

The air strike, which was

executed as part of a new subsidiary operation, tagged Wutan Daji 2, also resulted in the killing of several armed bandits belonging to the gang led by a certain ‘Dangote’.

This is coming as troops deployed in Daki Takwas intercepted and arrested 17 armed members of a banditry gang,

Yansakai on seven motorcycles at Danmarke village in Bukkuyum LGA of Zamfara State.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were from Maga in Kebbi State.

A military update on the war against armed banditry issued by the Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO) said the

target (bandits) was designated for attack after Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports as well as series of confirmatory aerial surveillance missions indicated that ‘Dangote’ and some of his members, along with their logistics items and rustled livestock, had established a new camp at the southern edge of the forest.

No Individual, Group Can Decide for Edo People, Says Oyegun Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that no individual or group can decide for the people of Edo State whom to vote, ahead of the governorship election on Saturday.

Odigie-Oyegun in a statement issued yesterday said he read with great consternation and disgust a statement purportedly issued by him on a the outcome of the gubernatorial election of Edo State.

He stated: “First, let me state emphatically that at no time did I issue any statement, verbal or written, on the fortunes of the

APC, or any other party, in the imminent elections. The said statement, which is making the rounds in the social media, could only have originated from sick minds and desperate persons of criminal orientation.

“My views and statements on the Edo State political situation have been consistent. I strongly

advised against the mistreatment of Governor Godwin Obaseki by the late unlamented National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC and his subsequent forced exit from the APC. “Governor Obaseki stood bravely for the dignity and pride of his people and in the process suffered unacceptable indignities.

Senator Warns against Division in Adamawa APC The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) yesterday advised leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State against division.

She said despite the fact that APC is no longer in power

in the state, members should continue to meet to keep the party stronger.

She also asked the state chapter of the party to support Governor Mai Mala Buni’s National Caretaker Committee.

Aishatu made the submissions when she led a delegation of the Adamawa APC National Assembly Caucus

on a courtesy visit to the state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal.

She said the state APC should not allow divisive elements to have their way.

She said: “ At the State level, the party should also be seeing to be active (i.e. our office must always remain open) “ We shall soon embark on

state wide memberships drive, as arrangements to that effect are being worked out by the National Caretaker Committee.

“We must maintain strong bond of unity and not to allow rumors and divisive elements to create problems for us.”

She said the caucus was ready to keep the party united in the state.

37

TUESDAY, ͚ͽË&#x153; ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

TRIBUTE

James Nwoye Adichie 1932-2020 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

F

rom England, my brother set up the Zoom calls every Sunday, our boisterous lockdown ritual, two siblings joining from Lagos, three from the United States, and my parents, sometimes echoing and crackly, from Abba, our ancestral home town, in southeastern Nigeria. On June 7th, there was my father, only his forehead on the screen, as usual, because he never quite knew how to hold his phone during video calls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Move your phone a bit, Daddy,â&#x20AC;? one of us would say. My father was teasing my brother Okey about a new nickname, then he was saying that he hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had dinner because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d had a late lunch, then he was talking about the billionaire from the next town who wanted to claim our villageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ancestral land. He felt a bit unwell, had been sleeping poorly, but we were not to worry. On June 8th, Okey went to Abba to see him and said that he looked tired. On June 9th, I kept our chat brief so that he could rest. He laughed quietly when I did my usual playful imitation of a relative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ka chi fo,â&#x20AC;? he said. (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good night.â&#x20AC;?) His last words to me. On June 10th, he was gone.

My brother Chuks called to tell me, and I came undone.

My four-year-old daughter says I scared her. She gets down on her knees to demonstrate, her small clenched fist rising and falling, and her mimicry makes me see myself as I was, utterly unravelling, screaming and pounding the floor. The news is like a vicious uprooting. I am yanked away from the world I have known since childhood. And I am resistant: my father read the newspaper that afternoon; he joked with Okey about shaving before his appointment with the kidney specialist in Onitsha the next day; he discussed his hospital test results on the phone with my sister Ijeoma, who is a doctor, and so how can this be? But there he is. Okey is holding a phone over my fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face, and my father looks asleep, his face relaxed, beautiful in repose. Our Zoom call is beyond surreal, all of us weeping and weeping and weeping, in different parts of the world, looking in disbelief at the father we adore now lying still on a hospital bed. It happened a few minutes before midnight, Nigerian time, with Okey by his side and Chuks on speakerphone. I stare and stare at my father. My breathing is difficult. Is this what shock means, that the air turns to glue? My sister Uche says that she has just told a family friend by text, and I almost scream, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No! Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell anyone, because if we tell people, then it becomes true.â&#x20AC;? My husband is saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Breathe slowly; drink some of this water.â&#x20AC;? My housecoat, my lockdown staple, is lying crumpled on the floor. Later, my brother Kene will jokingly say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You better not get any shocking news in public, since you react to shock by tearing off your clothes.â&#x20AC;?

Grief is a cruel kind of education. You learn how ungentle mourning can be, how full of anger. You learn how glib condolences can feel. You learn how much grief is about language, the failure of language and the grasping for language.

Why are my sides so sore and achy? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s from crying, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m told. I did not know that we cry with our muscles. The pain is not surprising, but its physicality is, my tongue unbearably bitter, as though I ate a loathed meal and forgot to clean my teeth, on my chest a heavy, awful weight, and inside my body a sensation of eternal dissolving. My heartâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;my actual physical heart, nothing figurative hereâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;is running away from me, has become its own separate thing, beating too fast, its rhythms at odds with mine. This is an affliction not merely of the spirit but of the body. Flesh, muscles, organs are all compromised. No physical position is comfortable.

For weeks, my stomach is in turmoil, tense and tight with foreboding, the ever-present certainty that somebody else will die, that more will be lost. One morning, Okey calls me a little earlier than usual, and I think, Just tell me, tell me immediately, who has died now. Is it mummy?

In my American home, I like to have National Public Radio on as background noise, and whenever my father was staying he would turn it off if nobody was there listening to it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just thought about how Daddy was always turning off the radio and I was always turning it back on. He probably thought it was wasteful in some way,â&#x20AC;? I tell Okey. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Like he always wanted to turn off the generator too early in Abba. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d so happily let him now if heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll just come back,â&#x20AC;?

Okey says, and we laugh. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And I will start to wake up early, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll start to eat garri, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go to Mass every Sunday,â&#x20AC;? I say, and we laugh.

I retell the story of my parents visiting me in my graduatestudent apartment at Yale, where I say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Daddy, will you have some pomegranate juice? And he says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;No, thank you, whatever that is.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;?

Pomegranate juice became a standing joke. All those standing jokes we had, frequently told and retold, my fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expression this minute utterly deadpan and, in the next, wide open with delighted laughter. Another revelation: how much laughter is a part of grief. Laughter is tightly braided into our family argot, and now we laugh, remembering my father, but somewhere in the background of the laughter there is a haze of disbelief. The laughter trails off. The laughter becomes tears and becomes sadness and becomes rage. I am unprepared for my wretched, roaring rage. In the face of this inferno that is sorrow, I am callow and unformed. But how is it that in the morning he was joking and talking, and at night he was gone forever? It was so fast, too fast. It was not supposed to happen like this, not like a malicious surprise, not during a pandemic that has shut down the world. Throughout the lockdown, my father and I talked about how strange it all was, how scary, and he told me often not to worry about my doctor husband. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You actually drink warm water, Daddy?â&#x20AC;? I

Adichie asked one day, surprised, after he said with sheepish humor that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d read somewhere that drinking warm water might prevent the coronavirus infection. He laughed at himself and told me that warm water was harmless, after all, not like the nonsense that went around during the Ebola scare, when people were bathing in saline before dawn. To my â&#x20AC;&#x153;How are you, Daddy?,â&#x20AC;? he would always respond, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Enwerom nsogbu chacha.â&#x20AC;? (â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have no problems at all. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m perfectly fine.â&#x20AC;?) And he really was, until he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

Messages pour in, and I look at them as through a mist.

Who is this message for? â&#x20AC;&#x153;On the loss of your father,â&#x20AC;? one says. Whose father? My sister forwards a message from her friend, saying that my father was humble despite his accomplishments. My fingers start to tremble, and I push my phone away. He was not. He is. There is a video of people trooping into our house for mgbalu, to give condolences, and I want to reach in and wrench them away from our living room, where already my mother is settled on the sofa in placid widow pose. A table is in front of her like a barrier, to maintain social distance. Already friends and relatives are saying that this must be done and that must be done. A condolence register must be placed by the front door, and my sister goes off to buy a bolt of white lace to cover the table, and my brother buys a hardcover notebook, and already people are bending to write in the book. I think, Go home!

Why are you coming to our house to write in that alien notebook? How dare you make this thing true? Somehow, these well-wishers have become complicit. I feel myself breathing air that is bittersweet with my own conspiracies.

Needle pricks of resentment flood through me at the thought of people who are more than eighty-eight years old, older than my father and alive and well. My anger scares me, my fear scares me, and somewhere in there is shame, tooâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;why am I so enraged and so scared? I am afraid of going to bed and of waking up, afraid of tomorrow and all the tomorrows after. I am filled with disbelieving astonishment that the mailman comes as usual and people are inviting me to speak somewhere and regular news alerts appear on my phone screen. How is it that the world keeps going, breathing in and out unchanged, while in my soul there is a permanent scattering?

Grief is forcing new skins on me, scraping scales from my eyes. I regret my past certainties: Surely you should mourn, talk through it, face it, go through it. The smug certainties of a person yet unacquainted with grief. I have mourned in the past, but only now have I touched griefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core. Only now do I learn, while feeling for its porous edges, that there is no way through. I am in the center of this churning, and I have become a maker of boxes, and inside their unbending walls I cage my thoughts. I torque my mind firmly to its shallow surface alone. I cannot think too much; I dare not think too deeply, or else I will be defeated, not merely by pain but by a drowning nihilism, a cycle of thinking thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no point, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the point, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no point to anything. There is a grace in denial, Chuks says, words that I repeat to myself.

A refuge, this denial, this refusal to look. Of course, the effort is its own grieving, and so I am un-looking in the oblique shadow of looking, but imagine the catastrophe of a direct, unswerving stare. Often, too, there is the urge to run and run, to hide. But I cannot always run, and each time I am forced to squarely confront my griefâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;when I read the death certificate, when I draft a death announcementâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;I feel a shimmering panic. In such moments, I notice a curious physical reaction: my body begins to shake, my fingers tap uncontrollably, one leg bobs. For the first time in my life, I am enamored of sleeping pills, and, in the middle of a shower or a meal, I burst into tears.

My wariness of superlatives is forever stripped away: June 10, 2020, was the worst day of my life. The week before June 10th, while running around playing with my daughter, I fell and hit my head and suffered a concussion. For days, I felt unmoored, sensitive to sound and light. I did not call my parents daily as usual. When I finally called, my father wanted to talk not about his feeling unwell but about my head. Concussions can be slow to heal, he told me. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You just said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;concoctionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;; the word is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;concussion,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;? my mother

said from the background. I wish I had not missed those few days of calling them, because I would have sensed that he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t only mildly unwell, and I would have insisted that he go to the hospital much sooner. I wish, I wish. The guilt gnaws at my soul. I think of all the things that could have happened and all the ways that the world could be reshaped, to prevent what happened on June 10th, to make it un-happen. I worry about Okey, a stalwart, sensitive soul, whose burden is different from ours because he is the one who was there. He agonizes about what else he could have done when my father that night started to show discomfort, telling him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Help me sit upâ&#x20AC;? and then saying, no, he would rather lie back down. Okey says that my father prayed, calmly, quietly, what sounded like lines from the rosary in Igbo.

Does it comfort me to hear this? Only in the sense that it must have comforted my father.

The cause was complications from kidney failure. An infection, the doctor said, exacerbated his long-term kidney disease. But what infection? Of course, I wonder about the coronavirus. Some journalists had come to our house to interview him a few weeks before, about the case of the billionaire who wanted to take our home townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a dispute that consumed my father these past two years. Might he have been exposed then? The doctor doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think so, even though he was not tested, because he would have had symptoms, and nobody else around him had symptoms. He needed hydration, and so he was admitted to the hospital and put on I.V. fluids. Okey stripped the tatty hospital bedsheets and brought sheets from home.

Because I loved my father so much, so fiercely, so tenderly, I always at the back of my mind feared this day. But lulled by his relative good health, I thought we had time. I thought it was not yet time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was so sure Daddy was nineties material,â&#x20AC;? my brother Kene says. We all did. But did I sense a truth that I also fully denied? Did my spirit know, the way anxiety sat sharp like claws in my stomach once I heard that he was unwell, the hovering, darkening pall that I could neither name nor shake off? I am the Family Worrier, but even for me it was extreme, how desperately I wished that Nigerian airports were open so I could get on a flight to Lagos, and then on a flight to Asaba and drive the hour to my home town to see my father for myself. So I knew. I was so close to my father that I knew, without wanting to know, without fully knowing that I knew. A thing like this, dreaded for so long, comes at last, and among the avalanche of emotions there is a bitter and unbearable relief. It comes as a form of aggression, this relief, bringing with it strangely pugnacious thoughts. Enemies beware: the worst has happened; my father is gone; my madness will now bare itself.

How quickly my life has become another life, how pitiless this becoming is, and yet how slow I am to adapt. Okey sends me a video of an elderly woman who walks through our front door, crying, and I think, I have to ask Daddy who she is. In that small moment, what has been true for the forty-two years of my life is still trueâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that my father is tactile, inhaling, exhaling, reachable to talk to and to watch the twinkle of his eyes behind his glasses. Then, with a horrible lurch, I remember again. That brief forgetting feels like both a betrayal and a blessing. Do I forget because I am not there?

I think so. My brother and sister are there, face to face with the desolation of a house without my father. They can see that he is not at the dining table for breakfast, on his chair backing the windowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light, and that after breakfast he is not settled on the sofa in his midmorning ritual of napping, reading, and napping again. If only I could be there, too, but I am stuck in America, my frustration like a blister, scouring for news on when the Nigerian airports will open. Even the Nigerian authorities donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to know. A report says July, then August, then we hear it might be in October, but the aviation minister tweets to say â&#x20AC;&#x153;may be earlier than October.â&#x20AC;?

Maybe, maybe not, like playing yo-yo with a cat.

I back away from condolences. People are kind, people mean well, but knowing this does not make their words rankle less. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On the demise of your father.â&#x20AC;? Demise. A favorite of Nigerians, it conjures for me dark distortions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is restingâ&#x20AC;? brings not comfort but a scoff that trails its way to pain. He could very well be resting in his room in our house in Abba, fan whirring warm air, his bed strewn with folded newspapers, a sudoku book, an old brochure from a funeral, a Knights of St. Mulumba calendar, a bag filled with his bottles of medicine, and his notebooks with the carefully lined pages, where he recorded every single thing he ate, a diabeticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s account-taking. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is in a better placeâ&#x20AC;? is startling in its presumptuousness and has a taint of the inapt. How would you knowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I, the bereaved, be privy to this information first; should I really be learning this from you? â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was eighty-eightâ&#x20AC;? so deeply riles because age is irrelevant in grief; at issue is not how old he was but how loved. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has happened so just celebrate his life,â&#x20AC;? an old friend wrote, and it incensed meâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;how facile to preach about the permanence of death, when it is, in fact, the permanence of death that is the source of anguish. I wince now at the words I said in the past to grieving friends. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Find peace in your memories,â&#x20AC;? I used to say. Rather than succor, my memories bring eloquent stabs of pain that say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is what you will never again have.â&#x20AC;?

Adichie has published three novels, including â&#x20AC;&#x153;Americanah,â&#x20AC;? which is being made into a television series NOTE: This piece continues in the online edition on www.thisdayliive.com

38

TUESDAY, ͚ͽË&#x153; ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž THISDAY

BACK PAGE CONTINUATION COVID-19: A NIGERIAN UPDATE Widespread fear greeted the initial report of the pandemic. Panic followed. Nigerians no longer seem to worry.

In Lagos, which for months was the epicentre of the pandemic, and still the state with the majority of cases, the people no longer wear face masks. They have bluntly refused to take responsibility.

Commuter buses are routinely filled to capacity. Stores, supermarkets, banks and offices still insist on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;No Mask, No Entryâ&#x20AC;? policy but really, nobody is afraid anymore. In the rural parts of the country, it is as if there was never anything called COVID-19: the deadly virus. Go across the country. People now shake hands.

Hug each other. Hold parties. Eat from the same plate. Politicians are beginning to criss-cross the country, and they are not showing good example. In states where there are scheduled elections, and campaigns are on-going, nobody observes any form of physical distancing. I asked a prominent politician why he does not consider it necessary to insist on COVID-19 protocols during his campaign rallies. He confessed that it would be difficult to do that in politics. People are just tired.

COVID-19 fatigue may in the long run prove to be worse than the virus itself.

Meanwhile, no flattening of the curve has been observed.

There is need for caution, and perhaps this is where efforts need to be concentrated going forward. Nigerians and other Africans may just have been lucky so far with COVID-19. Nonetheless, it is better to learn from other countries and not assume that we are entitled to some form of scientific or divine immunity. As Nigeria fully re-opens, the government should not rule out the possibility of ordering a fresh lockdown in parts of the country should there be a sudden surge in infections.

Today, many countries that opted for the lifting of the lockdown are now introducing stricter measures as they experience a second wave of the virus as in India, Israel, France, Austria, South Korea, Germany, or a third wave - as in Hong Kong. For example, when Israel which had proven capable of containing the virus in March, chose to re-open its schools in May, its COVID-19 infection rates escalated rapidly to become one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest per-capita rates. Israel had to shut down schools immediately and reintroduced stricter measures. Five times, in the course of the pandemic, South Korea tried to reopen its schools.

When it eventually did so in May, it shut down the schools again within days after a sudden spike in cases. Uruguay and Japan have done much better with the easing of lockdowns. But not Italy, which has now chosen to re-open its schools despite the rise in infections.

The UK is another useful example. Faced with a sharp rise in the R-Number (that is the rate at which infection spreads from one person to others), the UK has locked down some communities. It has further introduced â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Rule of Sixâ&#x20AC;? which forbids the gathering of more than six persons.

This rule does not exempt children under 12 in England, but it exempts children under 11 and 12 in Wales and Scotland respectively. The UK has also introduced

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire

COVID Marshals who are empowered to break up any group of more than six.

Violators are liable to a fine of 100 pounds per member, and double fines for repeated offences up to 3, 200 pounds. Neighbours are also required to report any suspected breaches to the authorities. What the UK has done is to remind the people that the troubles of COVID-19 are far from over; every one must take responsibility. We need similar measures here in Nigeria. We need COVID-19 Marshals. Gatherings should be restricted. People should be made to pay fines for failing to wear masks or observe social distancing. This is probably the only way to remind Nigerians that the war against COVID-19 has not yet been won. The COVID-19 Marshals can be volunteers who will liaise with the police and relevant authorities. Now that the schools are re-opening and international flights have resumed, there is greater need for vigilance.

One key thing government needs to deal with: the misconception that there is already a cure for COVID-19. The other day, a Professor, a man I respect a lot, told me that there is now in Nigerian markets a COVID-19 vaccine, which is approved for sale only in Africa. I told him this is not possible because the

known fact is that there is no approved COVID-19 vaccine anywhere in the world yet. What we have is a global race for the vaccine with over 100 possible vaccines still undergoing various stages of clinical trials. He was adamant. He said he was sure of his information. He asked me not to listen to international politics about COVID-19. I was stunned. I wanted to ask him to show me a picture of the said vaccine or provide more concrete evidence. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to appear rude. I kept quiet. But if indeed some Nigerians are promoting a COVID-19 vaccine, unknown to the authorities, that would be very sad indeed. Even the smartest scientists in the world are still busy trying to understand the virus. It could take years or months before they can record a breakthrough. Last week, AstraZeneca, the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company collaborating with researchers at the University of Oxford, had to suspend its drug trials when a volunteer who had taken a dose of the experimental vaccine reported severe side effects. The trials have now re-commenced after that deliberate pause. The gold standard in vaccine trials and authorization is safety.

Nigeria must ensure that nobody smuggles fake COVID-19 vaccines or drugs into the country. Low-income, developing

countries face multiple jeopardy in the face of COVID-19. The main leadership challenge is to protect the people from themselves.

More than anything else, COVID-19, six months later, has exposed our vulnerabilities as a country and as a people. Nigerians have often paid lip service to the need to diversify the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy away from over-dependence on petroleum resources which account for the bulk of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revenue. With the distortions in global demand and supply, caused by COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions, and lower demand for crude, Nigeria suffered a revenue crisis. Pre-COVID, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy was weak.

COVID worsened everything. Nigeria had to revise its 2020 budget twice. We also had to go a-borrowing, cap in hand.

The countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CPI (inflation) rose up to 12.82%. Unemployment figures shot through the roof. By Q3 2020, Nigeria will be in recession, a second time in 5 years. There are projections inflation could hit 14% plus by December 2020. There has been so much talk about recovery by 2022, but nobody is certain about the nature of that recovery: V, W, U, or Lâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;shaped.

Even with the best of intentions, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has not been able to save the Naira or resolve liquidity problems. The government has been very eloquent about what it can do for the people: palliatives, stimulus packages, economic sustainability programmes. intervention funds but official policies have been at best ambivalent. The recent removal of fuel subsidy, and the hike in electricity tariffs have both further eroded the average Nigerianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purchasing power.

Questions have therefore been raised about leadership and policy choices. Consider this: In other parts of the world, governments have duly acknowledged in the face of the pandemic, the heroism of frontline healthcare workers and first responders.

Here in Nigeria, amid COVID-19 pandemic, health workers have in the last six months declared industrial actions against states and the Federal Government. They are unhappy that government does not consider it necessary to pay them salary arrears and COVID-19 hazard allowance. Only two states- Nasarawa and Enugu- have reportedly paid up to date. Last week, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) went on strike. The doctors had to be mollified. This week, the Joint Health Workers Union of Nigeria (JOHESU) also embarked on strike over non-payment of COVID-19 allowances. Why pick fights with medical doctors and other frontline care providers in the middle of a global health crisis? Why downplay the crisis of hunger and poverty in the land?

It is not all gloom though. ThisDay newspaper recently published a list of heroes and amazons of COVID-19 in Nigeria. The list includes institutions, private sector figures, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, medical practitioners, and others who have contributed in cash and in kind and worked hard to manage the spread of the virus. When all this is over, it would be necessary to also compile a list of COVID-19 villains. I am keeping notes.

COVID-19, DEMOCRACY AND TASK OF NATION BUILDING Democracy is critical to our progress and sustainable development, especially as Africans. The AU Agenda 2063 lays a great emphasis on the importance of democracy towards achieving peace and progress. Democracy goes beyond the ritual of periodic elections; it is a process of nation building and a tool for peace making. As the world confronts the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a greater responsibility for African nations to work towards proper democratization of the continent, as the promises of democracy are those that will foster peace and lead to inclusive and prosperous nations. Values such as justice, freedom, equality are better realised in democratic settings.

I always tell people that Africa missed out on the industrial revolution. Again, we are already lagging behind in the race to space. We therefore have no reason to fail our people in democracy. True democracy guarantees free, fair elections and peaceful transfer of power from one

administration to another and it is within our capacity to achieve that.

Before the end of this year, five nations in West Africa alone are scheduled to hold Presidential elections. They include Ghana, Guinea, Cote dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Niger. That for me is a plus and an important step in the right direction.

However, holding regular elections alone does not really define democracy or guarantee good governance. We need to work on how to strengthen the pillars of democracy where they are weak, and enhance political stability across the continent.

You can always tell how credible or otherwise a democratic process has been from the level of protests, violence and the number of post-election litigations.

For Africa to make more progress towards building liberal democracies, we should first take deliberate measures to strengthen the independence of the electoral management bodies. I am also convinced

that electronic voting will eliminate the worrisome issue of massive rigging and violence during elections because it will limit human presence during voting. It will bring an end to incessant deployment of miscreants during elections because there will be no room for ballot box stuffing or snatching. It is sad that in some places, these miscreants are even celebrated, because of the ignoble roles they play during elections. I should point out that a society where thugs become role models is doomed to fail.

As we commemorate this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Day of Democracy, there is the need for Africans especially her leaders to evaluate the problems that have continued to beset us as a continent and take greater responsibilities towards addressing them. Democracy Day should not be another day for rhetoric and sloganeering, it should be a call to action and a day for commitment and responsibilities.

Political events in Africa in the last three years is a testimony to the fact that democracy on the continent is facing challenges; with the recent unconstitutional change of governments in Zimbabwe, Sudan and Mali. There is the need for all stakeholders, especially the African Union, (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other sub regional bodies to put in frameworks that will check the receding image of our democracies.

Democratising Africa, goes beyond conducting elections, it must involve building strong and stable institutions that will translate into equality, access to justice and guarantee peace for all. With strong institutions, Africa will overcome the re-emergence of strongmen tendencies among our leaders, and poverty, insecurity, and inequality will be reduced.

Jonathan, former president of Federal Republic of Nigeria, wrote from Yenagoa

39

Ë&#x153; ͚ͽË&#x153; ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

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

Messi Tops Forbes Money List for Footballers in 2020 Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has topped the Forbes list for highest-earning footballers in 2020.

Forbes estimated Messiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yearly earnings at $126m (ÂŁ97.2m) with Juventusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cristiano Ronaldo

second on $117m (ÂŁ90.3m).

Neymar was in third with Paris St-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe fourth.

Three Premier League players â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mohamed Salah, Paul Pogba and David de Gea â&#x20AC;&#x201C; made the

Udeze Wants Iwobi to Leave Everton to Avoid Bench Warming Former West Bromwich Albion defender, Ifeanyi Udeze, has advised Alex Iwobi to leave Everton after failing to secure sufficient game time with the Premier League side.

The 24-year-old teamed up with the Goodison Park outfit in the summer of 2019 to end his 16-year stay with Arsenal, a club he joined when he was in primary school.

The Toffees paid ÂŁ28 million for the services of the Nigeria international but the versatile player has struggled to make much of an impact with the club since his arrival due to a

Alex Iwobi...drops in pecking order with arrival of James Rodriguez

loss of form and injury problems.

The forward did not make his sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bench in their stunning 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Udeze feels it is time the Super Eagles star left the Goodison Park outfit despite still left with a four-year contract with the club. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think Iwobi should look for another club especially with James Rodriguez signed it will be difficult for him to play,â&#x20AC;? Udeze said on Brila FM sports radio monitored in Lagos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Imagine against Tottenham, he did not make the bench and even the squad. So for me, he should start looking for another club. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s painful for me but as it is, I think the best thing is for him to go elsewhere,â&#x20AC;? stressed the former Nigerian international.

Iwobi made 100 Premier League appearances for Arsenal following his promotion to the first team in 2015 before leaving the side for Everton.

He will hope to experience a change in fortune when Everton take on West Brom in their next Premier League game on September 19.

Okpotu Dedicates Goal King Award to Tunisian Club Former Lobi Stars forward, Anthony Okpotu has dedicated his Goal King award in Tunisiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ligue1Tn to his club and the fans.

The striker netted 13 goals in his debut season to finish top scorer in the Tunisian championship.

This is his second top scorer award after his 2017 feat with 19 goals in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Okpotu, who arrived modest US Monastir on the eve of the season, wasted no time to settle for business in Tunisia, scoring on his debut against title contenders Club Sportif Sfaxien, who finished second. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I dedicate the goals to US Monastirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management, technical crew, my amazing teammates and our ever reliable fans,â&#x20AC;? he told ScoreNigeria.com.ng â&#x20AC;&#x153;No thanks to Covid-19, we missed the fans when the league

resumed after the lockdown.â&#x20AC;?

Speaking on his experience in Tunisia, he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have enjoyed football in Tunisia. I came here for a purpose and that was achieved with a fantastic team led by a great coach. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We qualified for a CAF tournament (CAF Confederation Cup) for the first time and took the club to the Arab Championship too. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I accepted the decision to come to Monastir, I promised the club and my management team a minimum of 15 goals.

However, I scored 13 goals to be top scorer,â&#x20AC;? Okpotu recalled.

The forward, who represented Nigeria at the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) hosted

by Morocco, in 2018, is already a transfer target of Tunisiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perennial champions, Esperance as well as top clubs in Egypt, Europe and the Gulf.

13 Stakeholders for Delta FA Board Election Football stakeholders in Delta State will converge on Asaba today to elect new board members and chairman to run the affairs of the Delta State Football Association (DFA) for another term.

Candidates screened for the elections include; Harrison Ochulor, Egho David, Sam Sodje, Nwaomucha Kenneth, Steven Cole, Chiemeka Azuka, Nkeki Sunday Lucky, Emuobo

Nwamaka, Ambekederemo Ochuko, Uchenna Ossai, Godday Emulefe, Mike Aniemeke and Onos Michael.

It was however not confirmed if Acting Chairman of the DFA, Edema Fuludu will be seeking to run for another term after a bitter-sweet relationship with the supervising Delta State Sports Commission presided over by Tony Okowa.

top 10, as did Real Madrid and Wales forward Gareth Bale.

Welshman Bale came eighth in the list at $29m (ÂŁ22.4m) despite a disappointing 2019-20 season, on a personal level, which saw him fall out with Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane and only feature in two of his clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last 14 matches of the campaign.

Liverpool forward Salah was fifth, ahead of Manchester United midfielder Pogba in sixth, with United goalkeeper De Gea in

10th.

Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann was seventh and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski was ninth.

The top three were in the same order as in 2019, although Mbappe rose three places from seventh to fourth.

Argentine Messi, 33, tried to leave Barcelona this summer by submitting a transfer request in August but decided to stay because no club would be able

to afford his release clause of â&#x201A;Ź700 million.

TOP TEN HIGHEST EARNING FOOTBALLERS Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina) $126m (ÂŁ97.2m) Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus and Portugal) $117m (ÂŁ90.3m) Neymar (Paris St-Germain and Brazil) $96m (ÂŁ74.1m) Kylian Mbappe (Paris StGermain and France) $42m (ÂŁ32.4m) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool

and Egypt) $37m (ÂŁ28.5m) Paul Pogba (Manchester United and France) $34m (ÂŁ26.2m) Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona and France) $33m (ÂŁ25.5m) Gareth Bale (Real Madrid and Wales) $29m (ÂŁ22.4m) Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland) $28m (ÂŁ21.6m) David de Gea (Manchester United and Spain) ÂŁ27m (ÂŁ20.8m)

Lionel Messi remains on top of Forbes list for highest earning footballers with a massive $126million in 2020

Alabaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Father Dismisses Hoenessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Claims over Bayern Contract Talks David Alabaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entourage have reacted angrily to accusations that they are being greedy with regards to negotiations over a new contract for the defender.

The Austria internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agent, Pini Zahavi and father, George Alaba, were attacked in the press by former Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness over the weekend, who accused representative Pini Zahavi of being a â&#x20AC;&#x153;piranhaâ&#x20AC;? and not someone who should be listened to.

Furthermore, there have been claims made in the media that Alaba wishes to be made Bayernâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-paid player, earning â&#x201A;Ź25 million (ÂŁ23m/$30m) per year.

George Alaba, the playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father, is affronted by what he has come across in recent days.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I brought David Alaba to Bayern as a teenager. Over the years, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had several opportunities to transfer David to another club, but we were loyal and always chose to stay.

I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect FC Bayern to be spreading dirty lies in public about salary and commission claims,â&#x20AC;? he told Sky Sport. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Claiming that we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come to an agreement over a new contract due to such payments is one of those filthy allegations.

All because we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t accept the figures they have presented to us. We have our own ideas.â&#x20AC;?

Meanwhile, Zahavi denies that he has asked for an outrageous commission payment to broker the deal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At no point did I talk in detail about a possible commission payment with the

people in charge at Bayern,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only time this topic came up was when we met in Lisbon. Hasan Salihamidzic asked me how I would imagine that. I told him we should work on an agreement with the player first, but I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask for more than usual. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to get more than other agents who have received commission payments from Bayern. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Again: weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve not talked numbers yet.â&#x20AC;?

Alaba, 28, has spent his entire professional career with the Allianz Arena side, having joined them in 2008 from Austria Vienna aged only 16.

Since making his debut for the senior team in 2010, he has established himself as one of their outstanding servants,

having featured on nearly 400 occasions for the first team.

If no new deal is agreed, he can leave the club next summer on a free transfer.

David Alaba...dad angry over handling of his contract renewal

Adesanya Directs NNL Clubs on Home Grounds for New Season Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Chief Operating Officer of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Emmanuel Adesanya, has directed all participating teams in the 2020/2021 season to submit names of their preferred venues for home matches to the secretariat of the League body on or before September 23.

Adesanya warned that venues for matches must be different from training pitches and that both shall be inspected before the commencement of the new

season.

While warning that home teams must ensure safety for visiting clubs to their home grounds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;NNL matches must be safe, appropriate and should meet the facility requirements, as stipulated in the NNL rule books.â&#x20AC;?

He said that stadiums assessment that will follow â&#x20AC;&#x153;is to ascertain compliance and level of readiness to host the 2020/2021 NNL matches.

Adesanya said clubs are mandated to provide functional

electronic Score board in their home grounds and in the absence of such, a manual Score board with a black background (minimum size of 8Ă&#x2014;5 meters) should be in place.

Other requirements before the new season will take off include; a fortified perimeter fencing of at least two meters in height and a functional dressing rooms for teams and match officials.

The league boss warned that the NNL may consider an alternative venue for

stadium(s) that fall short of the requirements stipulated above.

Meanwhile, the NNL has mandated clubs to supply official email and other contact details for easy communication with the league body. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is with a view to put an end to sending official correspondences to individuals or unauthorized email accounts. It must be the official email of the various clubs that we will henceforth be dealing with.â&#x20AC;?

Tuesday September 15, 2020

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Price: N250

MISSILE IG to Electorate “This massive deployment is not only to deter misguided political actors that might be bent on threatening the election through acts of thuggery or other conducts that violate the provisions of the Election Act, but to also serve as a strong warning that the government is determined to bring such characters to justice” – The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, warning against undemocratic and unpatriotic intents during the Edo governorship election.

GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN GUEST COLUMNIST

COVID-19, Democracy and Task of Nation Building

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has brought about great changes globally, leaving varying effects in different parts of our world.

From health, economies to education, politics and sports, the effects of the pandemic come with currents and tides that claim many lives and threaten the livelihoods of many people and the nationhood of some states. People-oriented programmes and policies have been halted while many governments have had difficulties meeting up with their responsibilities because of dwindling revenues.

This pandemic has continued to mount serious pressures on global systems. In Africa, even though the death rate has not been as bad as many had predicted, there are other concerns that the crisis places in the hearts of the different stakeholders.

The pandemic comes at a time when the continent is challenged on many fronts: economic, political and security crises serving as impediment to the development quest of the continent.

One obvious takeaway is the need for developing countries, especially in Africa to raise their medical game.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

If anything, COVID-19 exposed the challenges faced by countries with poorer medical facilities, thereby necessitating the need to review the state of the hospitals, upgrade them, build new ones and discourage medical tourism in general.

There is also the fear that COVID-19

could compound the problem of fragility in most African countries; with about 30 out of the 50 most fragile nations in the world being in Africa, according to the 2020 fragility index.

As the pandemic surges, leaders and indeed all citizens have a greater responsibility to protect themselves and pursue those ideas that define our humanity and shield our people from the dangers of servitude and despair.

Some of those ideas that the world must prioritise during this moment of global disorder are democracy and good governance. This is the time when we need to pursue all inherent philosophies in democracy in order to salvage our nations from the havoc that the pandemic poses.

As an individual, I am very passionate about democracy, the need for credible elections and good governance in Africa.

Since leaving office as President of Nigeria in 2015, I have applied myself to promoting credible, transparent elections and peaceful transfer of power on the continent. This is also the focus of my Foundation, The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), which directs its efforts toward consolidating democracy on the continent.

It is for this reason that I joined other world leaders under the auspices of the Kofi Annan Foundation to write an open letter on why democracy should not be the silent victim of the pandemic. In the letter we recommended seven principles that should be taken into consideration during this moment in order to safeguard democracies during this moment and even beyond as there were already signs that the pandemic was eroding democratic cultures in many parts of the world.

This is evident in many reported cases of election postponement and the shrinking of democratic spaces as a result of emergency measures imposed by the government as a means of tackling the pandemic.

We advocated that there should be proportionality in carrying out measures that will affect the dates of elections. The letter also recommended that decisions should have broad political support, clear and transparent communication to the public, while actions should be based on the best available technical information, time-bound and mindful of particularly affected groups.

Continued on page 38

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI COVID-19: A Nigerian Update abati1990@gmail.com

I

t is now more than six months since Nigeria reported its index case of Corona Virus. On March 23, the country closed its airports to all international flights and commercial operations, for a month, in the first instance, with the exception of emergency and essential flights. Previously, in August 2019, the country had shut down its land borders in an attempt to check smuggling. With COVID-19, those borders remained closed. On March 30, 2020, at 11 pm, Nigeria began the first phase of its COVID lockdown - initially for a period of 14 days in Lagos and Ogun States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Gradually, the entire country was locked down. Inter-state movement was restricted. Curfew was imposed. Six months later, where are we? How safe are we as a people and as a country? What future challenges do we still need to worry about?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on our lives?

Today, as at the time of this writing, Nigeria has a total number of 56, 256 confirmed cases, 44, 152 discharged persons and 1, 082 deaths. These figures apparently do not reflect the true situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The situation is most likely to be worse, in part because Nigeria continues to struggle with testing and tracing of COVID-19 cases.

After an initial problem with testing kits, reagents and the scarcity of basic medical infrastructure, Nigeria finally made its way to a point where, over the months, 35 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory could now boast of isolation and treatment centres. The number of laboratories also gradually increased.

Nigeria can now test 15, 000 samples per day and so far over 400, 000 tests have been conducted. As a proportion of the country’s population of 200 million, that is a very small percentage indeed. Countries like Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, Senegal and Algeria have done much better. Part of the problem is that Nigerians are reluctant to embrace the option of voluntary testing even at government-owned centres where the test is free. Ordinarily, a COVID-19 test in Nigeria is about N54, 500. Treatment is expensive and definitely out of the reach of the poor who prefer alternative options: resort to magic, spiritualism or an unproven conviction that the virus only affects the rich and privileged.

These are some of the reasons why the

reported data may not be exact. Nor is the data on COVID-19 exact anywhere in the world due to differences in national capacity and tracking systems. In that wise, even the reported global figures of over 29 million cases, 929, 263 deaths, and over 21 million recoveries can be subjected to further questioning. Compared to other parts of the world however, African countries have done relatively well, with perhaps the exception of South Africa which has the highest number of cases, and which by the way, has conducted more COVID-19 tests than any other country in the continent.

Africa doing well, can be explained on only one ground: the prediction that Africa would be worst hit by the pandemic has not come to pass. Ms Melinda Gates had much earlier in the year expressed the concern that African countries could end up like Ecuador with COVID-19 corpses littering the streets, overcrowded hospitals and cemeteries and a public health emergency that would overwhelm the continent. This has not happened. Scientists are therefore left with a puzzle: Why is the virus more devastating in some parts of the world, and yet so mild elsewhere? Is there a genetic or zoonotic explanation for this? Or could it

be that the worst is yet to occur in Africa where health infrastructure is poor, and the leaders listen more to prayer warriors and shamanists and treat scientists with disdain?

Six months later in Nigeria, life has more or less returned to normal. By May 4, the Federal Government announced a gradual and phased easing of lockdown measures.

A second phase was soon announced on June 29, for a period of 4 weeks. On July 27, this was further extended. By the end of August, Nigeria was back on its feet. Now, places of religious worship have re-opened.

Schools also. Government advisers insist that the country needs to strike a balance between protecting lives and livelihoods and getting the people back to work, given the negative impact of the lockdown and restrictions in virtually every sector of the economy. For the most part, Nigeria simply adopted the COVID-19 guidelines and protocols recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Centre for Disease Control. The only problem that I have seen is that as the country re-opens, our people are now behaving as if indeed COVID-19 is gone.

Continued on page 38

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