SATURDAY 6TH JANUARY 2024 by THISDAY Newspapers Ltd

Dangote Refinery Receives Fifth One Million Barrels of Crude Oil Cargo Sixth one million barrels cargo expected tomorrow

Peter Uzoho

Plans are in top gear to start oil

refining operations at the 650,000 barrels per day Lagos-based Dangote Petroleum Refinery as the company

on Thursday, received the fifth crude oil shipment of one million barrels of Bonny Light grade supplied by

the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Dangote Group announced the

fifth crude shipment to the refinery in a statement issued yesterday, as the upcoming oil refiner was already

preparing to welcome the sixth one Continued on page 5

Akeredolu’s Body Arrives Nigeria, Received by Family, Governors...

Page 5

Saturday, January 6, 2024 Vol 28. No 10496

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Beta Edu: N585m Payment into Private Account Was Approved, Denies Fraud Allegation...

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Tinubu to Security Chiefs: Ensure ConclusiveVictory Over Insecurity,Terrorism

Warns against repeat of recent unacceptable skirmishes in Kaduna Says security progress made so far are undeniable Stresses that all malign actors'll be uprooted from the society Decorates PAF commander, BoG, CPSO with new ranks

Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has charged

the nation's security chiefs to ensure that there is conclusive victory over the myriad of security threats facing the country.

The charge by the President came just as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday, vowed to defeat insurgents on

the battlefield even as troops decimated 43 insurgents and arrested 115 others in one week. Addressing security chiefs and

heads of intelligence agencies at a Presidential Security Briefing at the State House, Abuja, yesterday, Tinubu said while

progress was being made with the elimination of some security Continued on page 5

Hardship Persists Despite 23% FAAC Allocation Rise to States, LGs in 5 Months TUC: Nigerians not feeling gains of subsidy removal Workers lament NLC anticipates new minimum wage by March

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja, Fidelis David in Akure, Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan, Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto and Wole Ayodele in Jalingo The amount the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed to the States and Local Governments (LGs) increased by 23 per cent, from the total sum of N2.272 trillion they got between February and June 2023, to a total of N2.805 trillion both tiers of governments were allocated between July and November 2023. Data from FAAC compiled by THISDAY showed that States and LGs received a combined amount of total of N5.078 trillion as allocation for the 10-month period which was between February and November, 2023, even as economic hardship and pressure persists at both tiers of government respectively. Workers and labour leaders, Continued on page 5

SOUN OF OGBOMOSO STAFF OF OFFICE PRESENTATION…

L-R: His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR Olu of Warri; His Imperial Majesty, Ọba Ghandi Afọlábí Ọláoyè Òrumọgege III and His Wife, Omo Olaoye Ghadi, during the presentation of staff of office to Soun of Ogbomoso... recently

SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2024 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 2024 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

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Akeredolu’s Body Arrives Nigeria, Received by Family, Governors Fidelis David in Akure The body of the late former Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has arrived Nigeria. The plane conveying the body arrived at about 3:39 p.m yesterday. “The late Governor’s remains

were brought into the country from Germany, where he passed away,” a statement obtained from the Facebook profile of the spokesperson of the ex-Governor, Richard Olatunde read. The body was received by his wife, Chief Betty AnyanwuAkeredolu, his children, and siblings

led by Prof. Wole Akeredolu, the immediate younger brother. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Ayinde; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who was also represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbi

Talabi; and representative of Osun State Governor, Senator Demola Adeleke also joined in receiving the body. Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Engr. Ade Adetimehin; a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Gboyega Adefarati, and

some members of the Ondo State Executive Council, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, were also present at the airport to receive the body of the former Governor. Family members, followers, friends, and associates could not control their emotions as the body

of the late Governor was being lowered from the plane. Late Governor Akeredolu passed away in Germany on December 26, 2023. His remains have been deposited in the morgue until the final burial. Details of the burial arrangements will be announced by the family at a later date.

TINUBU TO SECURITY CHIEFS: ENSURE CONCLUSIVE VICTORY OVER INSECURITY, TERRORISM threats across multiple theatres, success would ultimately be defined by a final conclusion to the multi-dimensional menace. He emphatically stated that, "We have too many investments that we need to make now in soft and physical infrastructure, in social security, in MSME empowerment, and other growth enablers. We are pursuing a $1 trillion economy in the next few years, and our efforts will be undermined if we do not finally wrap up our progressive onslaught against enemies of progress. Be encouraged. “The confidence of our people in your capacity is rising, and they are appreciative of the sacrifices

of our men and women. "The success you are recording is undeniable. Nigerians are seeing it, but the avoidable errors, as witnessed recently in Kaduna, are unacceptable and cannot be repeated. I am pleased that coordination between all agencies has dramatically improved over recent months, but there is no room for celebrations until we can end this; until we can bring our troops back to their own localities, and until we can free up resources for our critical economic expansion programme," the President stated. Tinubu, emphasised that the armed forces must deliver on his objective to ensure the nation

achieves a sustainable production of two million barrels of crude oil per day, including condensates, within the first quarter of 2024. "I do not play with my intelligence reports. I have multiple lines of sight. The Navy and sister branches must step up their game to achieve our aims for the benefit of all Nigerians. All malign actors will be aggressively uprooted from our midst. Those working against the national agenda from within and without will meet justice. Your task is clear. We will sustain our momentum. Failure is not an option under my leadership," the President warned. He also commended the

Commander of the Presidential Air fleet (PAF), the Commander of the Brigade of Guards (BoG), and his Chief Personal Security Officer (CPSO) for their dedication and commitment in the discharge of their assignments, which has earned them promotion. Speaking at the decoration of the PAF Commander, Air Commodore Olayinka Olusola Oyesola, with his new rank of Air Vice Marshal in the Nigerian Air Force; Commander, BoG, Adebisi Olusegun Onasanya, who is promoted to the rank of BrigadierGeneral; and the Police CPSO, Usman Musa Shugaba, who is now a Deputy Commissioner of Police, President Tinubu said

HARDSHIP PERSISTS DESPITE 23% FAAC ALLOCATION RISE TO STATES, LGS IN 5 MONTHS including some Chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) that spoke with THISDAY, lamented that despite the increased allocation, some governors have not done enough to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on their citizens. They decried the cost of living crisis occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal, just as they said they said they were looking forward to a minimum wage review. However, the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, has expressed confidence that the negotiation of a new minimum wage between the federal government and the organised labour would be concluded before March this year. According to the Minimum Wage law, present national minimum wage of N30,000 would expire by March, 2024. Ajaero said, “The federal government had through a letter asked the organised labour to release our names to the new minimum wage committee to be constituted. “Since last year, the list was submitted to the government and it is only when the committee is constituted that we now go into negotiation with the government as a union to agree on it. “The existing minimum wage will be expiring by March this year, so it is hoped we may conclude the negotiation for a new minimum wage before March.” Under the current revenue sharing formula, the federal government gets 52.68 per cent of the revenue shared, States get 26.72 per cent while the LG gets 20.60 per cent. The fund is to ensure development at different levels of government and also to enable States and LGs meet their obligations. Unfortunately, most of the LGs are not autonomous and the utilisation of their allocations are determined by the governors. Beside, oil producing States also get 13 per cent derivation and there is also the revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) that is shared among the three tiers of government. It is also worthy to note that the aforementioned amount allocated to the States and LGs exclude intervention from the federal government through cash and other edible items that were distributed to the States to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal. The data showed that in the 10-month period (February to November, 2023), a total of N12.731 trillion was shared among the three tiers of government. While the federal government got N3.366 trillion within the review period, the 36 States were allocated a total of N2.915.63 trillion and the LGs

got a total of N2.154 trillion within same period. Commenting on the higher revenue allocation, the organised labour under the umbrella of the TUC said Nigerians have continued to suffer economic hardship despite the expected gains in revenue from removal of fuel subsidy by the Bola Tinubu’s administration. General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nuhu Toro, who spoke on telephone with THISDAY, yesterday, said : "The gains from the removal of fuel subsidy has not impacted positively on the economy and well-being of Nigerians. In this regard, all the promises made by government so far, we have not seen the implementation. We in the organised labour, we are tired of failed promises.” For the states, Toro said the federal government had promised to allocate N5 billion to each state for provision of palliative to the citizens. "As we speak, I am aware that federal government has released about N3 billion to the states. I also know that some states have added additional amounts to this fund to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy,” he added. According to him, limited progress has been made by states in disbursement of the palliative fund through purchase and distribution of grains to the people, disclosing that so far some States have distributed rice, beans, garri, maize, among other foodstuff. When asked to assess the economic situation especially as it affects workers in the states, the TUC scribe said:" The workers and indeed the masses has been worst of because of the removal of the fuel subsidy poor implementation of palliative by the respective governments at federal, state and local governments.” He accused the federal government of engaging in what he called policy somersault. For instance, he said the federal government went ahead and announced 50 percent discount on road and railway transportation cost on the eve of the Christmas festivities without even paying workers the N35,000 Wage award as agreed. "Do they think that people will travel to their villages to go and die of hunger? This is pure policy somersault". On what labour intends to do going forward, Toro said that:" We will expect the federal government and respective states to show understanding and put the necessary measures in motion

to start negotiation of the new minimum wage. "As soon the minimum wage committee is set up, we hope to put all the issues on the table and whatever we agree as the new minimum wage must be implemented by the states," he said. For his part, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Ondo State, Victor Amoko, hopes that the negotiation of a new minimum wage between the federal government and the organised labour would be finalised as soon as possible. "Hard times don't last forever, we believe that we are going to overcome it. For the N35,000 wage award as agreed during a meeting that was held following the removal of fuel subsidy, Ondo State government has commenced the payment in across board in the State. We appreciate the state government for that. "In Ondo, the government is owing us only one areas of 2017 and our new governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has promised soonest, sooner than what we expect, the money will be paid. We are looking forward to have that balance any moment from now.", Amoko said. In Oyo State, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kayode Martins, admitted that the economic reality has indeed had a toll on the workers. However, Martins, while speaking with THISDAY said workers in the state have so far received the wage award of N25,000 for three months while pensioners also received N15,000 for three months. He added that workers in the state also received 13th month salary

in December. Similarly, workers in Sokoto and Kebbi States lamented that they were facing difficult times, notwithstanding the higher FAAC allocations to the States. Speaking with THISDAY, a member of Sokoto State Chapter of NLC accused the State executive of compromise, saying the exco failed to engage the State government on new minimum wage or award wage in view of economic reality. "Look at neighbouring State of Zamfara, the Governor paid them 13-month salary, this will go a long way in ameliorating their plight," the source who pleaded to remain anonymous said. In Kebbi State, a worker who also spoke on condition of anonymity said the government abandoned them in the State. However, in Taraba, the Chairman of the TUC, Sule Abasu, told THISDAY that the state government was doing its best to cater for the plight of workers in the state despite the meagre resources at its disposal. Speaking in the same vein, Chairman of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigerian (JUSUN), Taraba State Chapter, Comrade Mohammed Usman commended the present administration in the state for improving the salaries of workers which according to him has gone a long way to cushion the effect of the bitting economic situation in the country. Also speaking, Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Taraba state, Comrade Peter Jediel told THISDAY that workers in Taraba state were happy and adjusting to the cost of living crisis.

he was very impressed by the officers’ “loyalty and dedication to duty”. According to him: "Nigeria calls all to serve. We are the servants of the country, not the masters as you have seen. Your stewardship as leaders in your various categories is reflected in the assignments and responsibilities you have undertaken. I hope that Nigeria will continue to recognize your service to motherland." Speaking on behalf of the officers, AVM Olayinka thanked the President for the promotion of the officers and for the privilege to be of service to the nation. He assured the Commander-in-Chief of their continued loyalty and commitment to duty. The newly promoted officers were decorated by the President who was assisted by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar; the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja; and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in the presence of the spouses of the elevated officers. The event was witnessed by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; the Service Chiefs; Heads of Intelligence Agencies, as well as presidential aides. Meanwhile, the DHQ has vowed to defeat insurgents on the battlefield even as troops decimated 43 insurgents and arrested 115 others in one week. It said the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) must win the war against insurgency. A statement issued by the Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj Gen Edward Buba, said the armed forces remained focused and is continuing its counter-insurgency campaign against terrorist and their cohorts operating across the country. "Our operations have prevented these evil elements from accomplishing their strategic objectives. "We assure that we will defeat the terrorist on the battlefield and in their hiding places in order that our country can flourish again. "We have no choice but win this war for the betterment of our nation", it said. The statement said “troops were hunting terrorists in their

hiding places and conducting targetted offensives against them to destroy them. "Combat teams have neutralised several of the terrorist leadership and their foot soldiers as well as degraded their military capabilities", he said. During the week in focus, it said, troops conducted ambushes, raids, fighting patrols and other forms of offensives against the terrorists. General Buba said the offensive actions resulted in 43 neutralised terrorist and 115 arrests. It said troops recovered 87 assorted weapons and 666 assorted ammunition. Furthermore, troops arrested 17 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 39 kidnapped hostages. "In the South-south, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of N159,652,620.00. The breakdown of weapons and other items recovered include 11 AK47 rifles, one FN rifle, two pump action guns, eight locally fabricated guns, 11 dane guns, two locally fabricated pistols, one macarrol pistol, one berretta pistol, one fabricated SMG, one locally made mortar with one empty bomb, four IEDs, 17 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 592 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 4 rounds of 7.5mm ammo, one round of 9mm ammo and 36 live cartridges. Others were 18 empty cases of 7.62mm special, two bandolier, 13 magazines, six vehicles, 21 mobile phones, nine motorcycles, 15 bicycles, two tricycles, five boafeng HH radios and the sum of N1,601,370.00 amongst other items. It said troops in the Niger Delta area destroyed 20 dugout pits, 29 boats, 31 storage tanks, one tricycle and three vehicles. Other items recovered include 24 cooking ovens, three pump machines, and 25 illegal refining sites. Troops also recovered 315,700 litres of stolen crude oil, 1,200 litres of illegally refined AGO and 3,158 litres of DPK. "We call on the public to continue to act responsibly and be forthcoming for the progress of our nation. "Citizens are urged to see themselves as the outstretched arm of the military in this war and to create conditions that would hasten victory", it said.

DANGOTE REFINERY RECEIVES FIFTH ONE MILLION BARRELS OF CRUDE OIL CARGO million crude oil cargo to the facility tomorrow or Monday next week, barring any unforeseen delay. The latest development was a significant step for the refinery as it hopes to begin operations and ultimately help Nigeria to achieve self-sufficiency in petroleum products and save foreign exchange expended on importation of finished products from abroad. According to the statement, the latest fifth consignment to be delivered to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery facility out of the six million barrels of crude being expected, arrived at the Single Point Mooring (SPM)-C2 Dangote Offshore Oil Terminal on Thursday, and had already been discharged to the refinery’s crude oil tanks. The Lagos Free Trade Zonehoused Dangote Refinery had earlier received four million barrels of crude. Managing Director of Dangote

Ports Operations, Mr. Akin Omole, had told journalists then at the Dangote Quay, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos that the Refinery would receive about four million crude oil shipments before the end of 2023 and the remaining two by the early of January 2024. He added that the crude supply would put the refinery in good stead to commence operation. Once the six million barrels are fully delivered, it will facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG( before subsequently progressing to the production of petrol. The company noted that this latest development would play a pivotal role in alleviating the fuel supply challenges faced by Nigeria as well as the West African countries. Designed for 100 per cent Nigerian

crude with the flexibility to process other crudes, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery can process most African crude grades as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and even US Light tight oil as well as crude from other countries. The promoters said the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has the capacity to meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s requirement of all refined products, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and also has a surplus of each of these products for export. The refinery was built to take crude through its two SPMs located 25 kilometres from the shore and to discharge petroleum products through three separate SPMs. In addition, the refinery can load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck-loading gantries. Dangote Refinery has a selfsufficient marine facility with the ability to handle the largest vessel

globally available. In addition, all products from the refinery will conform to Euro V specifications. The refinery is designed to comply with US EPA, European emission norms, and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms as well as African Refiners and Distribution Association (ARDA) standards. While receiving the first consignment, President of Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote, had stated: “We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects. Our focus over the coming months is to ramp up the refinery to its full capacity. I look forward to the next significant milestone when we deliver the first batch of products to the Nigerian market.”

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

NEWS

News Editor: Charles Ajunwa 09157401421 (sms only) Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

OFFICERS' DECORATION... L-R: Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; National Security Adviser to the President, Nuhu Ribadu; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Minister of State for Defence, Muhammed Bello Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye and Director General Department of State Services (DSS) , Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, at the decoration of officers at the Presidential Villa , Abuja...yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

Beta Edu: N585m Payment into Private Account Was Approved, Denies Fraud Allegation Sylvester Idowu in Warri The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Beta Edu, yesterday, said the memo on N585,198,500.00 which has been making the rounds on social media was meant for the implementation of grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states. She denied that the sum was

paid into a private account, stressing that it went through normal approval process and was for the disbursement of grants to vulnerable groups in the four states. An approval memo from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, dated December 20, 2023, titled: 'Mandate for payment grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Lagos and Ogun States' respectively read:

"I hereby approve the payment for accumulative sum of five hundred and eighty five million, one hundred and eighty nine thousand and five hundred naira (N585,180,500.00). These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope grants for vulnerable groups. “Details provided below: 2023 grant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom State. N219, 429,

750.00; 2023 grant for vulnerable groups in Cross Rivers, N783, 828, 750.00; 2023 grant for vulnerable groups in Lagos State, N219,462,250.00 and grant for vulnerable groups in Ogun State, N72,468,750.00 with total at N585,189,500.00. "The payment should be made from the National Social Investment office account with account number 0020208461037

to the project's accountant' details listed above as Onyelu Bridget, UBA account." Reacting to the development yesterday, Special Adviser to the Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair, said the leaked memo was the machinations of those he described as disgruntled elements to blackmail the minister. A statement titled: 'Fund for

Obasanjo Meets Ohanaeze Leadership, Discusses 'Issues of Mutual Interest' Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia The leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has held discussions with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo during which they discussed "issues of mutual interest". Speaking with journalists on phone, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, said that the discussions took place yesterday at the residence of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, in Owerri, Imo State. While the former president was accompanied by Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, some Igbo leaders and Ohanaeze chieftains at the meeting included Ambassador Emuchay, former Minister of Aviation, Amb. Kema Chikwe, Bishop Sunday

Onuoha, Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu, and Chief Tony Ukasanya. Though he was not forthcoming on the exact agenda of the meeting Emuchay described it as "very symbolic and crucial" adding that the outcome of the fruitful deliberations would soon be appreciated by Ndigbo. The Ohanaeze scribe noted that the PG told Chief Obasanjo that he deserved to be honoured by Nigeria given the sacrifices he has made for the unity and development of the nation both as military Head of State, elected president and presently as a statesman. According to him, Iwuanyanwu canvassed that a monument should be erected in Obasanjo's name. He recalled Obasanjo's "role in ending the civil war with the slogan of no victor no vanquished; repayment of (Nigeria's) huge external debts and recovery of

Bandits Kill 17, Abduct 38 in Kaduna Communities It's not true, say police

John Shiklam in Kaduna No fewer than 17 people have been killed by bandits in three communities in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. About 38 others were also said to have been abducted when the bandits invaded the communities on Tuesday night. Aminu Khalid, a former councillor said the affected communities include, Ungwan Sako, Kunkurai and Dokan Kaji communities in Dawaki Ward of Kauru LGA. In a telephone interview, Khalid said, the bandits operated for about six hours during which

17 people were killed and 38 others were abducted. According to him, the bandits had initially abducted 58 people, but 20 of the victims were rescued when the villagers engaged the bandits in a fierce battle, adding that nine of the villagers were killed in the process. However, in a reaction, Spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Hassan, said several contacts had been made with the said communities, but there was no confirmation of the incident. "It is not true, there was nothing like that because we have made contacts in the affected communities," the police spokesperson said

the economy during his time as president. The Ohanaeze PG was said to have hinted to the former president that the Igbo nation would in due course bestow honour on him in recognition of the sense of belonging that he gave Ndigbo during his time as president. "Remember that when Chief Obasanjo was president, he appointed several Igbo sons and

daughters into his cabinet and other high profile positions. A sense of belonging was provided Igbo nation during that time," Emuchay said. Iwuanyanwu's leadership has positioned Ohanaeze to champion the Igbo cause without let or hindrances and he has consistently defended Igbo interests whenever they were threatened.

To this end, the Ohanaeze PG has, whenever the need arose, engaged with federal and state governments as well as leaders of other ethnic nationalities in order to create harmony. Recently, Iwuanyanwu was in Lagos State and engaged with the authorities in a bid to put an end to the incessant demolition of properties, especially shops and houses belonging to Igbos.

Vulnerable Groups in Four States Was Approved and went through Due Process, Oniyelu Bridget is the Project Accountant for GVG', read: "The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation notes with dismay, a memo from the Ministry to the Accountant-General of the Federation approving for payment, of the sum of N585,189,500.00 Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups for four states, which is currently being circulated in the social media. "It is glaring that the same sponsored disgruntled elements in the past few days have been trying to smear the Minister, Dr. Betta Edu, and stain her integrity because she alerted the federal government to the ongoing N44.8 billion Fraud in NSIPA. “These elements have been trying to link her to a phantom fraud and are behind this latest misadventure.

Group Warns against Ondo APC Executives Replacement Ahead of November Polls Fidelis David in Akure A socio-political group,Ondo Elite Group, yesterday warned against any attempt to interfere in the affairs of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that those planning to dissolve the APC executive lack the power to constitute or dissolve its state executive ahead of the November governorship election in the state. The group's warning was contained in a statement issued and signed by its General Secretary, Chief Yemi Oladiran, advising the new governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa,

to bring all stakeholders on board rather than causing division within the party. Specifically, the group warned against any attempt to tamper with the political structure in Ondo State, saying the development might spell doom for the party ahead of the November poll. Oladiran noted that tension is gradually brewing in the state chapter of the APC over plans by some sections to oust and replace the party leadership in the state to suit their candidate in the next election. According to the group, the APC primaries are coming up in the state in the next

few months, and unless those behind the plot retrace their steps, APC in the state might be risking a repeat of the setbacks it suffered in Zamfara in the last general election. They warned against creating a crisis where there is none, urging the state governor to unite the party in order not to lose the state to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. The statement reads: "dissolving the state executive of the party will negate the agreement Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa signed with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

during the crisis that engulfed the state over the friction between late governor Rotimi Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa. "What we are guiding against is the repeat of what happened in Zamfara and we cannot allow this to happen in Ondo State because we play the game by the rules and guided by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Anything we do in the party is guided by the constitution of the APC. I can assure you that Ondo will not allow a repeat of Zamfara treatment. We must go into the next election as one united family.

Naira Depreciates Further on Parallel Market Despite $2.25bn FX Lifeline Analysts say funding inadequate amid huge backlogs James Emejo in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos The Naira has continued to depreciate against the US Dollar despite the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) receiving the Afreximbank's $2.25 billion credit to support the settlement of foreign exchange (FX) backlogs and douse pressure on the local currency. The nation’s currency depreciated to N1,245 to a dollar on the parallel market yesterday. It had

closed at N1,215/$, N1,220/$ and N1,225/$ on January 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 2024, respectively on the parallel FX market. On the other hand, on the official FX window, the Naira closed at N869.13/$ yesterday. THISDAY’s findings also showed that the Naira traded at N988.46/$ and N1,035.12/$ on January 2nd and 3rd, 2024 respectively on the official window. The federal government recently received $2.25 billion

out of the $3.3 billion foreign exchange (FX) facility from Afreximbank. The long-awaited credit support seeks to ameliorate the acute FX shortage in the country which had constrained economic activities and doused investors’ confidence. It was learnt that Nigeria would pay an interest of 11.85 per cent per annum on the $3.3 billion “pre-export finance facility which some commentators had said was

too expensive. Until now, the fine details of the transaction, which has a five-year tenure, had been withheld by all parties involved. Earlier in December, President Bola Tinubu had assured Nigerians of the commitment by his administration to resolve the FX backlogs through injection of funds into the market. It was estimated that there are between $7 billion to $10 billion FX backlogs to be cleared.

SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2024 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

NEWS

CLARA OLUMIDE 80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION… L-R: Osile of Oke Ona Egba in Ogun State, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, Karunwi III; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; the celebrant, Mrs. Clara Olumide; former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the 80th birthday celebration of Mrs. Olumide at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos...yesterday

Abubakar Kyari: FG to Boost Food Supply to Douse Rising Prices Namadi: Insecurity no longer threat to farmers in Jigawa James Emejo in Abuja The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, yesterday, said the federal government was working to increase the supply of grains, particularly the rice commodity in order to cushion the increases in food prices. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and commodities in the country rose to 28.20 per

cent year-on-year in November. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food inflation accounted for 32.84 per cent. The rise in the food index was attributed to increases in prices of bread and cereals, oil and fat, potatoes, yam and other tubers, fish, fruit, meat, vegetables and coffee, tea and cocoa, potatoes, yam and other tubers among others. However, speaking while receiving the Governor of Jigawa State,

Mallam Umar Namadi, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office, Kyari said the federal government seeks to boost food production as well as release more grains into the market to douse rising food prices. He said the measures to drive down food prices will be ready within three weeks. The minister said, "We also intend to massively produce to bring down food inflation

because today, the number one driver of inflation in the economy is food inflation and so we want to assiduously work hard to do just that. "Mr. President has given us all the support that we need and we are going to wrap it up. "Starting with the rice for instance, you will see what we are going to do and I am sure Nigerians would be happy." He said, "We have started

already. Within the next three weeks, everything should be in place, especially regarding rice. It is not a matter of how soon but we want it to be immediate. "It's all about market forces of demand and supply and so, if we increase supply, definitely food prices will drop." Kyari also revealed that the second phase of the Dry/Wet Season farming intervention would commence this month to enhance

I'll Stick to My Devt Agenda for Abia, Otti Tells Diaspora Abians Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has assured the people of Abia in the diaspora he would not deviate from implementing the agenda for a holistic development of the state. He gave the assurance at a maiden interactive meeting of the Otti-led administration with an enlarged Abians in diaspora at government house Umuahia. Represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Otti said that his government was

leaving no stone unturned in the quest for accelerated economic growth of Abia. He stated that his government would deploy technology to drive development in Abia, adding that on assumption of office he did not waste time in facing the challenges confronting the state. He noted that it was his zeal to get things going for Abia that his administration declared a state of emergency on critical sectors including health, education, security, infrastructure and waste management. Otti said that his first steps were

already yielding visible results hence the ugly narrative has given way and Abia of today has become a reference point in good governance. "Having been around for seven months ,the records, the facts, the data are all available for everyone to see. "Today, Abia State is no longer seen as that God forsaken state but Abia State has become a reference point in the area of excellence," he said. To substantiate his claims, the governor cited the recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report which ranked

Racketeering: Nigerian Lecturers in Benin Back FG over Suspension of Accreditation of Certificates Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Nigerian lecturers in universities in Benin Republic have thrown their weight behind the recent suspension of the evaluation and accreditation process for degree certificates originating from Benin and Togo Republics by the federal government. The lecturers in a statement, yesterday, by their President, Gabriel Kona, and Secretary, Allen Michael, respectively, while calling for calm over the matter, implored the general public to desist from spreading untrue stories about Benin and Togo so as not to drag the entire university system in the mud. In a five-point statement, the lecturers lauded the step by the Federal Ministry of Education to suspend the accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates issued to Nigerian graduate students in Benin and Togo universities pending conclusion of ongoing investigations, stating that it would serve as deterrent geared towards sanitising the tertiary institutions

to ensure quality assurance of university graduates. They disclosed that they have on their own set up a fact-finding mission to assist the Ministry of Education in its investigations, assuring that they would support the ministry to get solution to the problem discovered. The statement read in part, “We wish to state that, we are ready to join forces with both the FME and other stakeholders both in Nigeria and Benin Republic, to ensure that we find lasting solution to this ill wind threatening to destroy the long standing bilateral synergy we have enjoyed as a result of our regional integration and peaceful coexistence. “To ensure we do not allow few disgruntled elements to destroy us, we have set up a committee on fact-finding mission to delve into this matter to help unravel the whole truth about this issue and proffer lasting solution to this menace rearing its ugly head amongst us.”

While condemning what they described as activities of quacks and academic racketeers in their midst perpetrating various heinous acts especially in the on-going certificate saga, the lecturers noted that these actions are denting their hard-earned image and academic reputations they have worked tirelessly to build over the years.

Abia third in attracting direct foreign investments behind the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos State. "You should now know that within seven months glorious things have already been spoken concerning Abia, because God is set to do a new thing in Abia." According to him, the government was doing everything within

its powers to make the state a safe haven, conducive for investors, adding that the right time has come for investors to put their money in Abia. He described his administration as one "that is very passionate about attracting the best hands and the best brains everywhere", adding that the meeting was an opportunity

productivity. The minister said the governor's visit signified the strong partnership between the state and the federal governments in the collective efforts to ensure food security and development of agriculture in the country. He thanked Namadi for his remarkable successes achieved in the preparation of farmlands and distribution of agricultural inputs in the ongoing wheat dry season farming under the NAGS-AP programme. He also extended his profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support in the quest for food security in the country, adding that the ministry is focused on ramping up massive production of staple crops using technology and mechanisation to achieve the goal. The minister said, “It is imperative for us to tackle some of the challenges observed and ensure that they do not impede our agricultural development agenda.”

Minister Condemns Arsonists' Killing, Condoles Family Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja The Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, has condemned the setting ablaze of a 75-year-old woman with her granddaughter in Idah, Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State Audu, who expressed shock at the barbaric act, also condoled the family of the deceased and the paramount ruler of Igala Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Alaji Mathew Opaluwa, over the death of his sister, Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa-Sani and her granddaughter who were allegedly set ablaze by arsonists. In a statement by his Special

Adviser on Media, Lizzy Okoji, made available to journalists in Lokoja yesterday, the minister said the demise of Mallama Opaluwa-sani, Akwuma Attah Igala, was a loss to the entire Igala Kingdom, urging everyone to remain strong. Audu also called on security agencies to investigate the alleged arson and bring to book the perpetrators of the heinous crime. “It is with a heavy heart that I condole with our father, HRM, Alaji Mathew Opaluwa and the royal family over the deaths of his sister and her granddaughter, whose lives were taken in the most painful

manner. “I also commiserate with the entire people of Igala Kingdom at this time because this is a loss to every one of us. “I call on security agencies to investigate the alleged arson and bring the perpetuators of this act to book so that it would serve as a deterrent to others. Such acts of sacrilege must be discouraged in our land. “I pray that Almighty Allah grant the souls of the late Mallama Meimunat Opaluwa, and her granddaughter, Onechojo Aljanah Firdaus. I also pray Almighty Allah grants the family the heart to bear the loss,” Audu stated.

Lagos Assembly Passes N2.267tn 2024 Budget Segun James

The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday passed a total of N2,267,976,120,869 as the 2024 budget for the state at a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa. The budget representing 58 per cent Capital Expenditure and 42 per cent Recurrent Expenditure was approved following a unanimous voice vote by all the lawmakers present at the sitting. “A bill for a law to authorise

the issuance and appropriation of N952,430,566,998 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for Recurrent Expenditure and N1,315,545,553,871 from Development Fund for Capital Expenditure thereby totaling a budget size of N2,267,976,120,869 for the year ending 31st December, 2024 be passed into law,” the Speaker had raised on the floor as the budget report was read a third time. Obasa, thereafter, commended the lawmakers for their dedication and cooperation at ensuring a quick passage of the Appropriation Bill

while directing the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, to forward a copy of the approved budget to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for assent. Prior to its passage, Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, Chairman of the Joint-committee on Budget and Finance, had presented a report containing some recommendations to the House. Among the recommendations is that the Public Works Corporation, the Water Corporation and the state-owned tertiary institutions

be placed on first-line charge to enable them perform optimally. Governor Sanwo-Olu had on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, presented the 2024 budget proposal of N2.246 trillion to the House of Assembly saying that the state anticipated internally generated revenue of N1.251 trillion and federal government allocations of N596.629 billion. Recall that Obasa, during the presentation of the budget by the governor, urged the government to ensure a functional budget.

SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2024 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

NEWS

AWARD PRESENTATION... L-R: Executive Director, Capital Markets, Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, Mr. Jude Chiemeka; Head, Market Surveillance and Investigations, NGX Regulation, Mr. Abimbola Babalola; Managing Director, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, Mr. Ikechukwu Omeruah and the Chief Executive Oﬃcer, NGX, Mr. Temi Popoola, during the presentation of the award of Issuing House with the Highest Number of Listed Debt Issuances (Corporate Bonds) by the NGX to FCMB Capital Markets in Lagos... recently

Obaseki: How We Moved Edo from 14th to One of Nigeria’s Top Five Economies Fetes govt house staff, others, appreciates them for support Dike Onwuamaeze

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the reforms, economic policies and programmes implemented by his administration over the past seven years have repositioned the state as one of the top five economies in the country. Speaking to journalists in Benin City, the governor said his government will sustain efforts to promote economic expansion, through sustained investments across various sectors of the state’s economy, necessary to drive growth and development. The governor said, “Seven years ago, Edo ranked between 13th

and 14th in terms of GDP in the country. Today, we are a clear 5th. We're top 10 in the country in terms of the size of our economy and growth. But what is important is the growth that has occurred since we took over. “We were able to achieve this by encouraging investment inflow that has contributed to the economy of the state. It’s the people as well as the activities of government that drive the economy. We have moved Edo State from the era where the government was doing things themselves to one in which the government is creating the enabling environment for people to come and invest and do busi-

ness in the state.” On plans to sustain the gains recorded in the growth of the state’s economy in the New Year, Obaseki said the government will continue to pursue reforms to

facilitate economic expansion and other enablers. He said: “We have made an allocation in the 2024 budget to drive economic and employment enablers. These will enhance the

Pledge support for Kalu's peace project Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia The Peace in the South East Project (PISE-P), which was formally unveiled in Bende seven

days ago has continued to receive the support of stakeholders desirous of seeing an end to insecurity in the South-east zone. At the last count, the Bishops of the Methodist Church in Abia

Set for April 19 awards, recognition in Switzerland The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) has unveiled the inaugural honorees of the Most Influential 100 Export and International Trade Edition. The first set of honorees and highly celebrated personalities in trade and export announced by MIPAD include the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Secretary-General, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene; President and Managing Director, Trade and Development Bank (TDB) Group, Admassu Tadesse; Chairman, Export Barbados (Caribbean), Adrian Padmore; Commissioner for Trade and Industry, African Union Commission, African Union, Albert M. Muchanga; Caribbean Export, Permanent Secretary of Trade and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Antigua and Barbuda) Clarence E. Pilgrim; President and CEO, AstrategiK Group, Angelle B. Kwemo; Assistant US Trade Representative for Africa (USA) Constance Hamilton; Director, US Trade and Development Agency,

Enoh T. Ebong; President and CEO, Corporate Council on Africa, Florizelle Liser. The list also has the Minister of Trade and Export Promotion, Algeria, H.E. Kamel Rezig; Chairman, World Trade Centre Accra, Ghana, H.R.H Togbe Afede; the Nigerian Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite; Executive Vice President, IntraAfrican Trade Bank (IATB), Kanayo Awani; Director, Trade Development (Africa & Caribbean), World Trade Centre Miami, US, Kemi Arosanyin; Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade (United Kingdom/Nigeria), Kemi Badenoch; President, US-Africa Business Centre at US Chamber of Commerce, Kendra Gaither; President of the Buenaventura Chamber of Commerce (Colombia), Milady Garces Arboleda; Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc (Nigeria), Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe. Others are Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director and CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (Nigeria); Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director

ment in our legacy projects such as the Benin Enterprise Park, the Benin Port Project, and the Trailer Park projects, among others, which will spur economic expansion and growth.”

Northern Community in Abia, Methodist Bishops Embrace PISE-P

MIPAD Announces Okonjo-Iweala, Mene, Afede, Onyeali-Ikpe, Others Among Global Top 100 Trade Champions of African Descent Worldwide Sunday Okobi

ease of doing business and also facilitate the injection of private capital into the economy to create more opportunities for our teeming youth population. “Some of these include invest-

of the International Trade Centre (ITC); Prof. Benedict Okey Oramah, President, African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank); Prof. Landry Signé, Executive Director, Thunderbird School, Co-Chair, World Economic Forum Friends of the AfCFTA and Senior Fellow, Brookings; Reta Jo Lewis, President and Chair of the Board, ExportImport Bank of the United States (USA); Sand Mba Kalu: Executive

Director, Africa International Trade and Commerce Research (Nigeria); Susan Namulindwa, Executive Director at Africa Trade Desk; Thiago Thobias, Advisor, Foreign Trade, Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES); Wrenelle Stander, CEO, Cape Town and Western Cape Trade Promotion Agency (WESGRO); and Wanjiru Machugu-Zenz Joy, Founder and CEO, African Women in Trade (AfWITrade).

State and the Northern community in the state have keyed into the project, promising to work for its success. The stakeholders threw their weights behind the peace project yesterday during courtesy visits to the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, at his Bende country home. The PISE-P, an initiative of the Deputy Speaker for the restoration of peace in the South-east zone through a non-kinetic approach has already received the full support and commitment of the federal government. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Livings Nwabughiogu, said that the leader of the northern community, Alhaji Saliru Idris, assured Kalu of their full support. "We will rally round to support this movement (for peace)," he said.

Idris said that the northern community in Abia were grateful to the Deputy Speaker for his positive intervention "when our brothers in the cattle market had a problem." He stated that it was through the instrumentality of Kalu that the House of Representatives constituted a committee that came on a fact finding mission to Abia. "The people were overwhelmed with joy and pleaded with me that whenever an opportunity comes for them to thank you physically, they will like it," the northern community leader said. On the part of the Methodist Church, the Arch Bishop of Umuahia Archdiocese, His Grace, Chibuzor Okpoko, who led the delegation, said that the church would be fully involved in spreading the message of peace across the south-east and Nigeria in general.

Plateau Killings: Women Protest Arrest of Suspects in Affected Community, Torch Traditional Ruler's House Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Women protesting the arrest of alleged suspects of Christmas eve killings in Plateau State have torched the house of a traditional ruler of Bokkos Local Government Area, Micheal Monday Adanchi. A source from the locality said the traditional ruler is also the District Head of Bokkos town.

The source said that the women burned the house following the arrest of some members of the community for alleged involvement in the recent killings in the area, adding that the entire residence and administrative office of the traditional ruler has been razed. The source said, "The incident began at the police station where they expressed their anger over

the arrest of some members of the community. After leaving the police station, they proceeded to the house of the traditional ruler, protesting that he was a sellout. A few minutes after reaching the house, they set it ablaze." When contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, said he would call the DPO of

the area and get back to our correspondent. The state police command, on Thursday night, confirmed the arrest of eight persons in connection with the killing of over 100 persons in the state on Christmas eve. But the women have insisted that members of the community arrested are not the attackers because the attackers spoke in a strange language.

SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2024 • T H I S D AY

JANUARY 6, 2023 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

The New Year is here...

Land Administration in Lagos

here can be no reinventing the business environment of any state without ě ȱ ȱ ǯ The antediluvian concept of treating landed assets as a commodity for family inheritance, a means of measuring social status and not a factor of production is a singular misguided vitiating element in the economic emancipation of Lagos State. Lagos has no business in debt financing to the extent of leading other states in raising the country debt burdens to the present unsustainable levels. Land is like the oil that Lagos is endowed with but every past governor of Lagos State including Governor Sanwo-olu could not connect its intrinsic value to the larger productive economy. Only Babatunde Fashola got it right but was quickly distracted and abandoned the course. For Lagos State to function like any modern city of her status Gov Sanwo-olu must immediately commence revocation of all land that are not developed that litter the whole city and continue to threaten the livability index status of Lagos in the comity of nations. Minister Nyesom Wike has started this in Abuja. If he doesn’t abandon it, Abuja could overtake Lagos as a better investment destination in the foreseeable future. Maybe Lagos State should desist from placing land use charge notices on practically every property in the city without any unenforceable roadmaps. The results would be exponential if they concentrate efforts on the undeveloped plots which are mostly exempted from the charges. A defective land administration is a major disincentive to investment and a reducing agent for IGR. Lagos IGR ought to be in multiples of trillions but today it is what it is. In the year 2024, the governor should bring Lagos out of this complacency and write his legacy in gold. Bukola Ajisola, Estate Surveyor and Valuer. bukymany@yahoo.com

Traditional Beliefs Undermine Modern Medicine in Borno

ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ě ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯ According to studies, a significant proportion of the population in Borno State, especially in rural areas, still relies on traditional healers for health care. The use of traditional medicine is deeply rooted in the culture and beliefs of the people, and many believe that it is more effective than modern medicine. It’s difficult to say exactly what percentage of the population relies on traditional beliefs, but it’s clear that it’s a significant factor in the healthcare crisis in the region. While modern medicine offers life-saving treatments for many conditions, traditional beliefs about health and illness persist in the State. This can lead to a conflict between the two approaches, causing people to forgo modern medical care and putting their health at risk. The belief in jinns and spirits also have a significant impact on healthcare in Borno State. People may believe that their illness is caused by possession by a jinn or spirit, and they may seek out traditional healers who use rituals and amulets to treat them, instead of seeking modern medical care. This can lead to people not getting the medical treatment they need, and in some cases, it can even lead to people dying from illnesses that could have been treated by a doctor. This can tend to different implications that will make people start avoiding or delaying modern medical care, as they may believe that traditional medicine is more effective. Secondly, it can lead to the spread of diseases, as some traditional practices, such as bloodletting, can actually cause harm and spread infection. Finally, it can lead to financial hardship,

as people may spend their limited resources on ineffective treatments rather than seeking modern medical care. However, the medical care procedure and hospital administration system in Borno State can certainly contribute to people avoiding hospitals and seeking treatment from traditional healers instead. The high cost of medical care and the lack of pity from hospital administrators can make it difficult for people to afford the care they need, especially in emergency situations. The lack of pity from hospital administrators can manifest in several ways in emergency situations. For example, patients may be required to pay upfront for treatment, even if they cannot afford it. In some cases, patients may be turned away from the hospital if they cannot pay upfront, even if they are experiencing a life-threatening emergency. Additionally, hospital staff may be insensitive to the needs of patients and their families, and may not provide the level of emotional support that is needed in a time of crisis. Moreover, the long wait times and bureaucracy associated with the system can be frustrating and discouraging for people who are seeking medical care. There are a few possible solutions that could help to improve this situation. First, more education and awareness about the benefits of modern medical care is needed. This can be done through public health campaigns and community outreach programs. Second, making medical care more affordable and accessible is important. This can be done through government subsidies, insurance programs, and improved infrastructure. Third, improving the training and regulation of traditional healers can help to ensure that they provide safe and effective care. Finally, solution to the issues with the medical care procedure is to reform the way that hospitals bill patients. Fadeela Mustapha Lawan, Department of Mass Communication, Borno State University

T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR OBINNA CHIMA DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: ﬁrst name.surname@thisdaylive.com

Honesty in 2024?

ȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ £ ȱę ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱǞŗś ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱǞŗŖŖȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯ Come on, it’s time to wake up - if it sounds too good to be true it probably isn’t. But there’s more. It also applies to politicians and here the claims may seem even more excessive. I wouldn’t vote for someone who promises me the world on the first day he will be in the job. I just want an honest person doing their best. Can we make Honesty the theme for 2024? I will check my emails and wait to see. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

NEWS

LATE AKEREDOLU'S REMAINS ARRIVE NIGERIA ... L-R: First son of the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (Jnr), younger sister to former Ondo State First Lady; former First Lady of Ondo State, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu and the deaceased immediate younger brother, Prof. Wole Akeredolu, when the body of the late former Ondo Governor arrived Nigeria…yesterday

Tinubu Extols Creative Excellence of Nigerians, Hails Funke Akindele on Box Ofﬁce Feat Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has hailed the ingenuity, creativity, and immense artistic talents of Nigeria's thriving entertainment industry.

In a statement issued yesterday by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, the President also congratulated veteran actress, Funke Akindele on her record-setting film, 'A Tribe Called Judah' which

became the highest-grossing Nollywood film ever with a reported N1 billion earnings at the office box. He commended the ace thespian for her contribution to the growth of the industry.

The President extolled the excellence of the Nigerian creative industry, acknowledging its pivotal place as a medium not only for artistic expression but also a source of enormous soft power and

viable export. According to him, "The creative industry is one of the high-employment sectors, providing jobs for our able and talented youths. It is an industry that is crucial to my

administration. "I salute Nigerians for their enduring support and patronage of home-grown creative efforts. We will provide the conducive environment for the industry to thrive further."

Ejiofor Calls for Liberalisation SGF, Barau, Abass, Oyetola, Others to Attend Post-subsidy Convention in Abuja of Gun Ownership in Nigeria Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Following the massacre of over 200 persons on Christmas Eve in Plateau State, security expert and former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Mike Ejiofor, has called for the liberalisation of gun ownership laws in Nigeria to enable citizens to protect themselves. Ejiofor, who is President of the National Institute of Security Studies, said legalising the carrying of arms by Nigerians will not cause anarchy in the country as many believed. The former DSS chief, who disclosed this in an interview with ARISE PRIMETIME on Thursday, said the government should encourage the citizens

to defend themselves, given the increasing cases of insecurity across the country. He insisted that he had mentioned in a conference some years ago that there is a need to liberalise the carrying of arms for Nigerians, and he still maintains the position to this day. “The argument that if you allow Nigerians to carry arms, it will be abused, I agree. There is tendency for abuse, but we should not also…the primary purpose of government is welfare and security of the people as provided for and enshrined in our constitution. But where daily, especially in Benue and Plateau, hundreds of people are killed, no account is given, I don’t think it’s proper.

The Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abass Tajudeen, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, will be taking part at the post

subsidy era convention. The event which will take place in Abuja on January 20, would also have in attendance the Minister of State for Youths, Ayodele Olawande, Chief Economist Development Bank of Nigeria, Professor Joseph Nnanna and other discussants cut across the country. The convention, organised by El-

Mavericky Centre for Educational Research and Development, is tagged: 'Leading With Compassion and Vision: Charting A New Course in The Post-Subsidy Era'. The Executive Director of the Centre, Sulayman Nafiu, in a statement made available to THISDAY in Osogbo yesterday, pointed out that the outcome generated from the convention would

further assist the government in policy formulation that will spark economic growth in the country. He said Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Yahaya, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, Senator Ajibola Basiru, Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Chief Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, amongst other dignitaries would grace the convention.

Awka Indigenes Urge IG to Order Police Operatives Out of Disputed Land David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Indigenes of Awka community, especially from Ezinano area have protested the deployment of police operatives to their land in Agu Nawgu. The indigenes called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, to order

the operatives out of their land, saying that the deployment has stalled development of property on the land. The indigenes recently marched in their numbers to inspect the land but were stopped by police operatives who insisted they had orders not to let anyone into the disputed land. The operatives

also released gunshots to scare the indigenes. A prominent son of the community, Chief Kanayo Obidigbo, who joined other indigenes on the inspection, accused police authorities in Anambra State of being responsible for the deployment, saying they have displayed manifest interest in the matter,

therefore lack neutrality. Addressing journalists, Obidigbo said: "We are here to inspect Agu Nawgu. This is a land that our great grandparents won in conquest. It is a vast land of about 60 kilometres radius. We grew up to know this land and it has a survey plan of 1949, made by our fathers who were illiterate.

Gbonyin Council Chair Applauds Oyebanji for Good Leadership Babajide Agunbiade Joins Mobihealth Board of Directors Rebecca Ejiforma

The Chairman of Gbonyin Local Council Development Area, Mr. Oluwadamilare Ajayi, has applauded Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, for creating a conducive and enabling environment for the growth and development of the state. Hon. Ajayi also praised the state’s Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Paul Omotoso, noting that he is a great leader and a unifier who has held the party firmly together over these past years

thus making it the most united and outstanding political party in the state. Ajayi, who dropped these hints in his new year speech released yesterday after he was sworn in, commended Governor Oyebanji and his team for efficiently and effectively driving the state towards greater heights in all aspects and ramifications. He said, "On a very special occasion like this when I was again privileged to be sworn-in for a second term, now as an elected Chairman of my local Council Development Area, I cannot but thank our amiable

Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for his dynamic and selfless leadership who has been piloting the affairs of the state in line with the progressive ideals. "Governor Oyebanji, a quintessential Omoluabi and a great Ekiti heart and soul has been creating very conducive and enabling environment in the state since he assumed leadership guaranteeing everybody with great inspirations and aspirations for the fulfilment of the renewed hope agenda of the President of the country,President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is also the leader of the party in Nigeria," he said.

Houston-based oil and gas veteran and one of the world's leading offshore production experts, Dr. Babajide Agunbiade (FNSE), has joined the Mobihealth Board of Directors. Dr. Agunbiade is a highly respected engineer, investor, businessman, and Chief Executive of Alpha Energy Resources, a diversified conglomerate with interests in offshore production and mining. He was one-time the executive director of Houston-based National Oilwell Varco, the largest oilfield equipment manufacturing company in the world. In that role, he completed over $2 billion worth of offshore production projects in

the Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, and Sub-Saharan Africa. He is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, as well as being a fellow of the Society of Underwater Technologies. As at 2022, he was one of 13 globally acknowledged Subject Matter Experts in Subsea production systems. A United Nations SDG Ambassador, Agunbiade, is passionate about high social impact ventures and has followed Mobihealth's impressive journey for the past couple of years with keen interest. On joining the Mobihealth Board of Directors,

Agunbiade said, "I am thrilled to join MobiHealth, a company that is poised to combat and revolutionise access to healthcare in Nigeria. He said on the global healthcare index, Nigeria’s healthcare ranks as one of the five worst in the world.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

INTERVIEW

Eric: At HBS, Students Are Admitted on Basis of their Needs The Chief Executive Ofﬁcer of the HM Group, owners of Hospitality Business School, Lagos, Dr. Mekwuye Eric, in this interview with select journalists after the graduation ceremony of the students revealed what makes the institution one of the best. Charles Ajunwa brings excerpts

he Hospitality Business School graduated some of its students into the business world. What was it like for you? This is our sixth year. It has been consistent that we chose to ceremoniously do it this time. It has been the same excitement, satisfaction because the school is not a business for us; it’s a passionate investment that we wanted, I personally wanted it 30 years ago, but I didn’t get the opportunity. So I say I have the opportunity with the right investors and we will give it to the next generation. So seeing men or women, high and mighty, I will say that HBS is a potpourri of different persons. And that’s why a lot of people have done massive networking by the virtue of admission and attendance of the school. You could see that one of graduands is the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, the number one military man in Nigeria. So all those in her class leverage on the opportunity to network, and this is something many students can’t imagine happening. Majority of the students and graduands today, their husbands are big players in the Nigerian economy from oil to banking; hospitality, just name it. Some of them are big bosses on their own, they have a void they want to close. Some are passionate about restaurants because they love giving good food. They shelve their esteemed status and come to HBS to learn because they see we meet their specific needs. Amongst them also are school leavers because the minimum age for admission here is 16 years. Imagine being in a class with your mother’s age and everybody is addressed by their first name. What this does is that it gives you the opportunity to learn because hospitality is about humility. Like we always say to them in the school, especially those in the entrepreneurship school which caters for owners and managers, we tell them you cannot be a successful hospitality person if you are not a humble person naturally. You would do things subconsciously before you realise your status. For instance, you own a restaurant, you come in and there are plates on the floor like I’m seeing this plate now; subconsciously I was almost picking it up before realising that oh, I don’t work here. So if you don’t have that mentality of seeing things wrong and you subconsciously want to do it and you are in the hospitality business you are in the wrong place. Services are taken from servitude. Hospitality is about service. So it gladdens our hearts seeing men and women lowering themselves and them also seeing the high and mighty here. The Dantatas are here. These are persons who ordinarily you watch and see on TV. You hear them also talking about humility. So, we want to bring back hospitality. Hospitality is African and African is service. In the African home, you don’t you don’t see one man who grows and doesn’t take

Eric

somebody along with him from the village to train. You don’t get someone who’s getting married and doesn’t have somebody that’s going home with him or her, you know, all for training and all of that. So that’s Africa. Civilisation makes us feel like we’re letting you from the Western world. No, that’s not true; it’s Africa. One of the things was authentic hospitality and functional hospitality. Hospitality is about copying. Yes, we like to copy the Marriott of this world, but what are you copying? Are copying the culture of Americans. If you are copying, copy standards and deliver hospitality authentically. You can deliver African hospitality, you can set up hotels and restaurants that are African oriented or centric. Gone are those days when fast food was fast food. Back then it used to be jollof rice, burger and all that. Look at Mega Chicken, the Managing Director was here, I mean we consulted for her. These are brands that are taking over. Why are they taking over? They are functional; it’s not about chicken pie, jollof rice. What are people asking for? They are asking for ethnic food delivered in a fast way, and that is what I call fast casual. You can pick ethnic food, different food, some continental and deliver it fast in a

powerful ambience. There is a lot we are doing at the HBS but one of the things we have been intentional about which I see them invite us, like the CDS wife invited me to the restaurant she was building. I saw footprints of what she has learnt in the school both intentionally and unintentionally. Everything we do in the school - the building, the curriculum, the facilities, the facilities are intentionally done for the students to learn one or two things knowingly and unknowingly. So when we go to their hotels and restaurants and see them implement these things it gives us joy and they give me surprise gifts and all of that, there is no joy beyond that. There are so many hospitality businesses in Nigeria. What is that unique thing that distinguishes HBS from others? Well hospitality schools have been existing, business schools have been existing, and culinary schools have been existing. But for us at HBS, we are originating brands; we are functional, original. I mean, like I said, what we are doing is what I wanted 30 years ago; so I know what was in my head that we were looking for and God blessed us that we have the right investors. Some pulled out at the initial stage because they weren’t seeing the money. There’s no

money, and I tell you that for free. I mean, like I said in the hall, this is six years and the school has not paid me but you get men and women who call, send messages from different places. For instance, one is opening a restaurant in America, and she sent me a video. She said when she took up the restaurant, she was telling them that like if my lecturer was here, he would advise you to refund the money to all those who are partners; what I’m doing here, I learnt it from Africa, Nigeria to be precise, where you guys despise. That is one of our students now operating in the United States of America you know. It’s just amazing that we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. If you do not have a problem to solve, don’t go into any business. We found a problem and we are providing solutions to that. As matter of fact one of graduated students said she was talking to somebody that during their time in the school, what they learnt during the programme was more, but I said you want to call HBS, you’re wasting your time, and like we say in one of our local parlance...you go waka loss...because HBS is a divinely established institution because what we are doing is not business. If you think you want to copy us, I suggest you don’t. If you know you like what we are doing, we bid you to come, come plain. We have people who have come plain and said they want to buy franchise. We’re looking into it because we cannot be everywhere. We have had persons who came around, copied; they opened a few periods and closed. They called us to come and buy the business because there wasn’t as much money as they envisaged. So of them are like, oh, we can now see those bankrolling you, giving you money. But I tell them it is not what it is. We have problems we’re solving and by God’s grace that has kept consistent. How many students are graduating from HBS? We did the graduation in the school, what we have today is ceremonial. We needed to do the ceremonial and by doing it we limited the event to not exceed 100 persons. So, we raised the bar to meet the number of persons. So for this ceremonial event, we have 27 persons from various schools. We have school of entrepreneurship, which focuses on hotel and restaurant owners; school of management, which caters for restaurant managers, hotel managers, and the school of culinary arts which is designed for chefs, both pastry and culinary. Nobody from the bar is here. At HBS, all the hospitality related schools are under one roof. So students are admitted on the basis of their needs. Like one of the students, who incidentally is the Chief of Defence Staff wife, when she came in, she was aiming to study culinary but when she told us what she wants to do, we said no, that is not for you and we put in the school of entrepreneurship under department of restaurant, and you can hear her all full of praise.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

TECH HUB

AYODEJI AKE 07056085642

Examining Reliability of GPS for Palliatives’ Distribution

Experts have argued that the federal government’s move to distribute palliatives through the Global Positioning System would not be accurate without a unified database and identified coordinates, writes Ayodeji Ake

s a way to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the citizens, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, had announced the use of the global tech, Global Positioning System (GPS), to ensure the effective distribution of palliatives to Nigerians, especially the vulnerable. She had assured that the GPS would help in confirming palliatives received even in remote locations in Nigeria. The GPS is a global technology that navigates satellite systems that provide location, velocity and time synchronisation. GPS is everywhere. It can be found on smartphones, watches, and cars. It can be used for location, determining a position; mapping, creating maps of the world; timing, making it possible to take precise time measurement; tracking, monitoring objects or personal movement; and navigation, getting from one location to the other. In an exclusive with THISDAY, GPS expert, Mr. Adesanya Ayodeji, argued that, although distribution of palliatives through GPS is possible, Nigeria lacks the database that should include the coordinates, the latitude and longitude, to target people in both rural and urban areas. He acknowledged that GPS is a global technology that could be found everywhere but more effective in open places and when closer to the satellite. He revealed that the most effective use of GPS in Nigeria is in logistics and transportation as riders and drivers have been recorded as the highest users of GPS. He said: “GPS means a wide range of things – satellite, maps, mobile apps and other technologies. GPS powers them. The popular use of GPS in Nigeria is with smartphones, Google Maps, and Apple Maps. A lot of drivers and riders today in Nigeria make use of GPS for easy movement. “They are the ones who use the GPS the most in Nigeria. And the usage is about 90 per cent. “GPS works with the satellite in the atmosphere. The accuracy of a GPS depends on where you are. GPS becomes more accurate outdoors where the satellite can easily pick up signals. Although it works well indoors or in remote places too but is not as accurate as being outdoors and in a free space. Weather affects GPS. “GPS is a global tech and what gives more access is a strong device and a close satellite. The accuracy of GPS in rural and urban areas depends on what the GPS is used for. It could be used for mapping. If the government today wants to build schools in a community and because there is no physical address available, GPS tech will be useful to know the coordinates of the existing schools. In the same activity, it can also be used to create a map. “It is possible to distribute palliatives with GPS but Nigeria doesn’t have the backup using the GPS. Even in the urban area,

Edu

the government does not have a strong database to account for people.” Explaining the workings of GPS, Ayodeji noted that, the coordinates, latitude, and longitude are more important than a physical address. He argued that the physical addresses can only give the temporary location of residents, but taking coordinates would leave a map even if residents exit the previous premises and would make it easier for the government to run community-based projects like palliative distribution. “The palliatives to be distributed are meant most importantly for the poor and the poorest. Before GPS can be used, it should mean that there is a strong database. The database should be latitude and longitude, which helps with location. “So, GPS can only work when we have a database and record of everyone in Nigeria. This information will help with the record to identify the poor and the poorest for efficiency. “GPS doesn’t deal with addresses. Yes, you can write an address on a map but using GPS as a means of palliative distribution to the location must be taken into cognisance to get the latitude and longitude. “As earlier mentioned, the most important is the database. If there is no unified database, then the use of GPS to distribute palliatives is not realistic. How does the government know the existence of people in remote locations without a database? “But when they have a record about them by GPS coordinate then the palliatives will be easy to get to them. It’s impossible to distribute to people you don’t know their location,” he said. He also dismissed the possibility of token transfer to vulnerable Nigerians through GPS. “Yes, I admit that palliatives could come in the form of foodstuff or money transfer, while it’s impossible to distribute foodstuff with GPS without having a unified database, it’s also impossible to do cash transfer with

GPS, “he added. Ayodeji, while sharing his professional ideas, noted that although it’s a commendable idea that the federal government would conduct the next census through the use of technology – biometrics, it was also not a recipe for GPS accuracy without coordinates. “Using biometrics for the coming census as announced is a good idea, but a database without coordinates, or GPS won’t work. Using GPS in information gathering doesn’t require a written address but coordinates (location) as earlier mentioned is what matters. “Preparing for the census, instead of a living address, coordinates are better because the residents may not stay in the axis permanently but there would be people living there which will help with the coordinates rather than getting the person’s address. So, in the future, if a particular location is needed, it can be used to trace back. GPS is about location and address. “The location has to be attached to a person. The location can’t work in isolation. The only reason why we can use location to distribute palliatives is when it’s attached to a person,” he said. NIN Irrelevant without Coordinate The GPS expert, while discussing the relevance of GPS, added that coordinates should have been added to the recent National Identification Number (NIN) registration. He said the registration was just for the serial number, which was part of the database. But a GPS-enabled database must be coordinated, he emphasised. “The truth is that we already have a database in Nigeria. NIN is a database but there is no coordinate. After the NIN registration, we only get a number, but it doesn’t contain the coordinates of latitude and longitude which are the basics of GPS. “Rather we only have a physical address. It’s important to add the element of latitude and longitude before the government starts thinking of using GPS as a means of contact. Especially distributing palliatives as mentioned. Then extend database information to driver’s licenses and other things but the use of GPS coordinates is important. “If the government wants to, for example, know the number of people living in a 200-meter radius of a particular coordinate, they can only do that if they know the latitude or longitude of the residents which is more difficult than physical address. It’s very accurate. “For the government to know the number of people on a street and understand what’s going on in different places. “When a software is linked with a system where the GPS is connected, it gives the accurate number of with location address and not the physical address. GPS helps to understand demography because it is a location in tally with people’s information,” she said.

NIMC: 104.16m Nigerians Now Have Identification Numbers

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has revealed that about 104.16 million Nigerians have received National Identification Numbers (NIN) as of December 31, 2023. Giving a breakdown of the figure, the Commission disclosed that Lagos State maintained the top spot by recording the highest number of enrolments in the country with 11.42 million Nigerians captured in the State. This was followed by Kano State, which recorded 9.19 million registered NINs. The two most populous states in Nigeria, according to the data from the National Bureau of Statistics have maintained the lead in NIN enrolment since the beginning of the exercise. Other States that made the top ten in terms of the number of enrolments in a report released by NIMC included Kaduna with 6.45 million; Ogun with 4.40 million; Oyo with 4.04 million; Katsina with 3.54 million; FCT with 3.51 million; Rivers with 3.13 million; Delta 2.79 million and Bauchi with 2.76 million. The NIMC data showed that the 10 states with the lowest NIN issued were Kwara with 1.77 million, Akwa-Ibom with 1.76 million, Kogi with 1.73 million, Enugu with 1.67 million, Yobe with 1.65 million, Taraba with 1.49 million, Cross River 1.19 million, Ekiti 1.02 million, Ebonyi 839,506, and Bayelsa 657,484. Meanwhile, in a release authorised by the Deputy Director/Head of, the Human Capital Management Department, Mrs. Rhoda Jackden, the Commission reiterated that the agency has been saddled with the responsibility of issuing identification numbers. While urging Nigerians to key into the NIN scheme, she also directed that every member of the agency unregistered should do the needful before the end of January 2024. “Kindly recall that the NIMC ACT No 23 of 2007, clearly states that the NIMC has the mandate to establish, own, operate, maintain and manage the National Identity Database in Nigeria, register persons covered by the Act, assign a Unique National Identification Number (NIN) and issue General Multi-Purpose cards to those who are citizens of Nigeria as well as others legally residing within the Country.

Anambra ICT Agency Vows to Foster Accountability through Technology David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, has disclosed that the agency was set to pioneer new possibilities in Anambra State this year, using technology. Agbata who stated this in a press release he personally signed, which was issued in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday, added that through technology, the agency intends to ensure accountability and curb corruption. The State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, had after his swearing-in in 2022, launched the ‘Everything Technology and Technology Everywhere’ initiative. Soludo, through the State ICT agency headed by Agbata, recently pioneered the introduction of e-identity cards for all civil servants in the state to curb impersonation, introduced the automation of budget process through ICT, while also introducing technology in the payment of taxes. Agbata said: Technology holds the key to fostering accountability, driving progress, and ensuring sustainability across various sectors. “As the agency mandated to drive the ‘everything technology and technology everywhere’ vision of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, we will pursue a more accountable, progressive, and sustainable future. “The Anambra State ICT Agency recognises the pivotal role of technology in driving positive change across various sectors. The benefits are simply limitless. “By embracing technological advancements, we can unlock new possibilities, streamline processes, and usher in an era of unprecedented growth.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

Ferdinand Ekechukwu - 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Mixed Reactions as Yul Edochie Celebrates Son’s First Posthumous Ferdinand Ekechukwu

ollywood actor, Yul Edochie has continued to make headlines since the start of the New Year. The latest was his posthumous birthday message to his late son, Kambilichukwu, who passed on in March 2023. Kambili, who would have been 17 on January 4, slumped and died while playing football in school last year. In the heartfelt message shared via social media, Yul expressed how much he misses his late son, while recounting a dream he had about him. Yul, however, added that he had to stay strong for the deceased’s siblings. The actor also shared a picture of him and his late son alongside the post. <XO ZKR KDV UHSHDWHGO\ GUDJJHG KLV ÀUVW wife, May, on social media, in the message,

said he never knew he would one day write a note like the one he wrote for the deceased. However, Yul’s post this time around, stirred HPRWLRQV ZLWK PDQ\ UHFDOOLQJ DQG UHÁHFWLQJ on the tragic loss and controversies trailing his home since last year following the estranged relationship with May. <XO·V DͿDLU ZLWK KLV QHZ ZLIH -XG\ $XVWLQ with whom he welcomed a son, has been another issue and has for a while now drawn all shades of ridiculous comment while some have expressed sympathy on the going controversy in his home, with many attributing blame on him. The controversy rocking Yul’s home had taken a new twist this week. This comes in response to May’s recent post ZKHUH VKH UHÁHFWHG RQ WKH SDVW \HDU 2Q January, May, recollecting the highlights of the SDVW \HDU VDLG VWROH KHU ÁHVK DQG EORRG leaving her in the most devastating, miserable and confused state. May was referring to the ORVV RI WKHLU ÀUVW VRQ .DPELOLFKLNZX

She said she lost hope and nearly gave up with too many questions eating her up but found solace in God. Reacting to his estranged wife, Yul, among other things, accused her of undergoing breast enlargement surgery last year, without informing him, despite the demise of their son. Yul expressed dissatisfaction with May’s GHFLVLRQ TXHVWLRQLQJ WKH LQÁXHQFH RI KHU QHZ relationship on her choices. The movie star stated that he would no longer tolerate May’s attention-seeking behaviour, stating that he had remained silent to safeguard her image while she was actively tarnishing his own. May last made headlines on August 3, ZKHQ VKH ÀOHG IRU GLYRUFH +RZHYHU in another post last Wednesday, which he later deleted, Yul urged May to take away his VXUQDPH IURP KHU QDPH ´<RX KDYH ÀOHG IRU divorce. Yet you refused to drop my name. Return the bride price I paid, you and your family refused.”

Yul

From Big Screen to Prime Streaming ‘A Weekend to Forget’ 2Baba, Other Nigerian Artists

nkblot Productions took the Nigerian moviedom by storm with the cinema release of its psychological thriller, “A Weekend to Forget.” The movie which is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video was directed by Inkblot’s cofounder Damola Ademola and stars an ensemble cast featuring Daniel Etim-Effiong, Ini Dima-Okojie, Stan Nze, Erica Nlewedim, Elozonam Ogbulu, Uche Montana, Neo Akpofure, and Akin Lewis. The buzz surrounding the film began in May 2023, when Inkblot announced the commencement of principal photography. Anticipation reached a fever pitch among movie goers eager to unravel the dark edges of human psychology depicted in this unique thriller when a tantalising teaser dropped in September 2023 “A Weekend to Forget” marks

Poster image of the cast of ‘A Weekend to Forget’

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Shine at Idoma Carnival

nnocent Idibia a.k.a 2Baba, other top Nigerian acts were among stars that shone at the Idoma Carnival last Friday. The event, which witnessed a colourful parade, cultural performances, beauty contest and musical performances by Nigerian artists climaxed a three-day spectacle. The carnival opened with dances, praises and cultural display to the excitement of residents. 2Baba, Harry Song, Terry G, Duncan Mighty, Portable, Chris Morgan, Teddy King, James Agbo and others provided high-level renditions of their popular songs. The carnival which began in 2013 as Agila Social and Economic Carnival, was recently changed into Idoma International Carnival and has gained national and international recognition as it spotlights the rich Idoma culture, music and dance, fashion, art, pageantry and food. Speaking at the opening ceremony, President, Idoma International Carnival, Prince Edwin Ochai, said the annual carnival has come a long way since 2013, and has endured 10 years of challenges in staging one of the biggest street parties in West make sure the President succeed and not sit Africa. He said he initiated the carnival which has behind our phones to criticise everything that served as the melting point of Idoma culture, the president does. “Elections are long gone and 2024 budget for the love of the culture of Idoma even as has been signed, which means the President culture is sacrosanct to the development of is ready to hit the ground running regardless society. He further noted that the carnival of what anyone thinks about him. I strongly KDV EHQHÀWWHG KXQGUHGV RI ZRPHQ DQG believe in his leadership qualities because he’s youth in the area of social and economic a builder of people and I believe everything development. “This is why in 2013, readied with the will fall in place eventually. “Let us just give him a little more time. He’s a passion not only to preserve but also packfather and no father will want to see his children age and showcase the rich and beautiful VXͿHU IRU VR ORQJ ZLWKRXW FRQVLGHULQJ WKHLU culture of Idoma to the world, in addition to wellbeing and future. I think he should also exposing our land and people to investment listen to the plight of the people and make opportunities and take them away from sure everyone appointed in various capacities all indices of underdevelopment. “Since inception, it has been the meltis focused on the responsibilities assigned to them. He should also make sure his appointees ing point of Idoma culture; music and are accountable to the people through their dance, fashion, art pageantry and food. It is a platform for social and economic decisions and actions,” she advised. development. Over the years, the carnival has empowered hundreds of women and youth through its economic empowerment scheme.” Ademola’s directorial debut, and the collaboration with Film One Studios brought this gripping story to life. The film explores the consequences of pursuing one’s darkest desires, delving into the intricate web of human emotions and actions. The project’s conception was credited to Ademola, who worked closely with Chiemeka Osagwu on the story, while the screenplay was crafted by Joy Isi Bewaji. The film received high praise during its cinema run in 2023, with notable endorsements. As “A Weekend to Forget” continues to captivate audiences on Amazon Prime Video, it stands as a testament to the creative prowess of Inkblot Productions and their commitment to delivering compelling and thought-provoking content to Nigerian and global audiences.

Actress Benedicta Ogbang Shares Her Thoughts on Burning Issues Ferdinand Ekechukwu

he recent resolve of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration to ensure a more inclusive and prosperous future for the country’s creative economy seems to have given impetus to players and stakeholders in the nation’s creative and entertainment industry to contribute to growing concerns about his administration. Following the criticism about the President Tinubu’s policies, especially by some entertainers DQG 1LJHULDQV D 1ROO\ZRRG DFWUHVV ÀOPPDNHU and Miss Heritage Nigeria 2015, Benedicta Akpana Ogbang Ogbang, has shared some of her thoughts on some of the burning issues, while urging Nigerians be hopeful for a better tomorrow. to be patient with the current administration. She said: “I believe everything in life is political The former SA to former Governor of Cross and we need to all play a role as citizens to River State, Ben Ayade said Nigerians should

Actress, Tayo Sobola Unveils Plans for 2024 Tosin Clegg

Tayo Sobola

enowned actress, Tayo Sobola, fondly known as Sotayo Gaga and esteemed Queen Mother of Uke Kingdom has extended heartfelt gratitude to her fans for their unwavering support in 2023. As she looks ahead to the new year, Sobola unveiled her exciting plans to ensure a more remarkable experience for her devoted followers in 2024. The versatile entertainer pledged an HQKDQFHG FRQWHQW RͿHULQJ RQ KHU <RX7XEH channel, with expanded projects and creative works. She remains dedicated to her impactful initiatives in youth and women empowerment,

SURPLVLQJ FRQWLQXHG HͿRUWV WKURXJKRXW WKH \HDU Expressing openness to partnerships, endorsement deals, and collaborations in 2024, Sobola sought a collaborative spirit to enrich the experiences of her fans. She said her fans should anticipate a diverse range of projects, including youth empowerment, women empowerment, public speaking and more. $ VLJQLÀFDQW KLJKOLJKW ZDV 6REROD·V UHWXUQ WR WKH ÀOP LQGXVWU\ ZKHUH VKH SODQV WR XQGHUWDNH SHUVRQDO ÀOP SURMHFWV LQ 'HVSLWH D EULHI hiatus, her comeback promises a rejuvenated SUHVHQFH RQ WKH VFHQH +HU LQÁXHQFH FRQWLQXHV to extend across both the English and Yoruba ÀOP LQGXVWULHV VROLGLI\LQJ KHU VWDWXV DV RQH RI WKH PRVW LPSDFWIXO ÀJXUHV LQ 1ROO\ZRRG

2Baba

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

SUPER SATURDAY

Takang

Armstrong Takang

We Need to Change Strategy, Mindset on Managing Public Assets Dr. Armstrong Takang is the Managing Director of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), the federal government’s investment vehicle. He believes in removing bottlenecks to private sector engagement with the government, a change of mindset and strategy in managing national assets. For him, the country can optimise and leverage its vast assets for national development. In this interview, he proﬀers the way forward as the company begins to woo private sector investments. Ndubuisi Francis provides the excerpts: Board Inauguration

think for us, we’re very excited. It is a very important assignment. And the fact that the President and the Minister of Finance have deemed us worthy to be a part of this very great team, for us is a unique, humbling experience and it’s a privilege to serve our nation. And we believe that the calibre of the board members makes it easier for us to not only engage in this assignment, but to diligently, successfully ensure that we meet expectations of the president as well as Nigerians. But we also know that we have the support of the administration, to go ahead to deliver on this mandate. And we are committed to doing so for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians. What MOFI owns/owes So remember that the assignment in terms

of establishing what the assets are, is a process that has just begun. And for us, it would be premature to say what assets we have under management because the whole idea of establishing MOFI is so that we establish what Nigeria truly owns. At the moment, we can tell you what we owe, but we can’t tell you what we own. And it is precisely one of the reasons why MOFI was restructured to engage in the process to establish what Nigeria or the federal government actually owns. And so this is an ongoing exercise that has just started. Clearly, we have quite some distance to go. But we’re very confident that this will be running into tens of trillions of naira as we continue the process of establishing what we own. Well, I believe that as you know, there is an agency that has a statutory responsibility to not only track what we owe, but to manage what we own, and

that is the Debt Management Office. I think that is their remit. They can give you all the details of what we owe and who we owe and all the repayments and conditions of repayment. For us at MOFI, our mandate is around what government owns, especially investment assets, and that’s our focus--establish precisely on what we own and how much it is worth, how we can optimise it, how we can monetise it, and ensure that we’re using it to support the government’s programme to revitalise and reposition our economy. The Agenda Well, you know, we have a three-point agenda. Agenda number one is to work on our corporate assets to make sure that those corporate assets deliver sustainable risk-adjusted returns. And how do we measure that? So, for every share we own in any entity, we have to make sure that there is capital appreciation; that those shares are improving the environment.

Secondly, we want to make sure that each of those entities delivers dividends to give us liquidity. So that’s our first agenda item in terms of corporate assets. The second agenda item is to establish what the federal government owns, especially in our investment assets and that involves us first of all, identifying enumerating, valuing, cataloguing, managing, optimising and monetising our assets, and those are in different asset classes. Some of those clearly are the corporate assets. These are shares we own in entities, whether we own them 100 per cent or we own them partially. These include real estate assets. These are assets that are either in Nigeria or offshore. As you know, we have a large portfolio of real estate assets offshore. We will be enumerating these, valuing and making a decision as to how to rationalise and optimise those to ensure that we’re getting the most value. The third category is around our oil and gas assets. As you know, this is the country that is heavily

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

SUPER SATURDAY Takang: We Need to Change Strategy, Mindset on Managing Public Assets endowed with oil and gas assets. And for the last seven decades, we’ve made a lot of foreign earnings from oil and gas assets with huge room for improvement in terms of how we use the oil and gas assets. So that clearly is a third category of assets that we will be tracking and ensuring that we find ways to do better. There are solid mineral assets as well. So that’s the fourth category. The fifth category is around our infrastructure assets, especially the ones that have concessions on them. We’re interested in knowing where they are, to what extent are they being used, how can we improve them? How can we optimise them, and how do we make sure that we’re maximising the revenues that are gotten from them? There are also intangible assets. If you look at our spectrum (telecommunications spectrum), right away, even the name Nigeria has value, the name Abuja has value, copyrights that have come from the work that we have done over decades; these are all assets. The next category we classify those as our green assets--green economy assets, carbon credits. Given what is going on around the world today, there is huge opportunity for us to monetise our carbon credits from our forest and even from our blue economy, in terms of our aquatic resources in the sea. Those are all resources that we can really leverage, that we need to have a structured way of identifying where they are, enumerating them, valuing them, and having a policy and even legislation in terms of how these are managed, so that they are not mismanaged or stolen, because this is really the commonwealth. And we have a responsibility to make sure that we safeguard the commonwealth of Nigeria so that it is the second pillar in terms of assets register. The third is around mobilising investment, to invest in priority sectors of the economy, and even mobilising investments for our portfolio companies. A lot of them need to be recapitalised. Many of them need working capital, and the DFIs which is development financial institutions need capital for onlending. We need to be able to mobilise that from different sources for domestic as well as overseas to give to them and then even for the assets that we are going to be cataloguing. We need investments in those assets so that we can derive the most value. And we see the national assets register as a way to create a database of bankable projects, projects that can attract investments not only from local investors, but also from foreign investments and that will be a major part of our efforts in terms of mobilising investment capital to bring into Nigeria to help unlock liquidity to provide investment to the key and priority areas of our economy, and to ensure that we’re creating jobs, we’re making a difference and supporting government. So, those are the key areas of our focus within the next few years. Distinction from BPE I think it is important that we go back to the legislative powers for each of these entities. MOFI has been around since 1959. It was established precisely to hold shares on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria. It was on the basis of that that all the shares for commercial entities the federal government had an interest in were held by MOFI; that has not changed. That legislation is still relevant today as it was in 1959. It is on the basis of that that even when BPE needed to carry out transactions against each of those assets that they privatised, it required a power of attorney to act as attorney on those transactions. So, that clearly recognises the fact that MOFI is the owner of those assets on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria and that has not changed. As early as 2021 when the PIA (Petroleum Industry Act) was passed, the shares of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the NSIA, were in the name of MOFI, the federal government shares in Bank of Industry and indeed, the commercial entities where federal government had shares is in MOFI’s name. So, there is no doubt as to the one that ought to hold those shares on behalf of the federal government. BPE’s mandate is very clear. BPE is a transaction agency--privatisation and commercialisation. So, let me break it down. When you do privatisation, you will take an entity. If it’s a partial privatisation which means that there will be residual shares left, the shares that belong to the private sector will

to create an enabling environment. We need to capitalise. We need to make sure we take away the bottlenecks that prevent the private sector from engaging with the government and bringing in our capital.

Takang

be transferred to them and the residual shares that belong to the federal government ought to be transferred back to MOFI or whoever owns it. The fact that, that did not happen before is an anomaly and an aberration and needs to be corrected, given that MOFI is now a fully operational entity. So, in our view, there is really no basis to think about anyone encroaching into anybody’s territory. Our rules and our responsibilities are clear. We are the custodian, the shareholder on behalf of the federal government and we have a responsibility that while we hold the shares of the federal government, we must take steps to manage those assets. Well, to optimise them, to safeguard them and to look for ways to create value for those assets while we hold them. But however, if we make a decision that those assets need to be privatised or commercialised; they will get BPE involved in the privatisation and the commercialisation. And once they have completed the privatisation or the commercialisation exercise the shares that go to private sector will be transferred to private sector and the residual shares that belong to federal government ought to be transferred back to MOFI for safekeeping, for management, optimisation, monetisation and to ensure that government interest is safeguarded going forward. So, for us, that distinction is very clear, the current legislation is also very clear for both entities. Wooing capital market operators I’m glad you brought that up. You know that was an outing that we felt was quite remarkable. I think it moves the needle, because I remember. MOFI has been around since 1959. For a long time, many people didn’t understand what it stood for, what its mandates are and what it plans to do. And so for us, the purpose of that visit was to inform our key stakeholders which the capital market operators represent with the view to educating them about the new MOFI, and our mandate and also to begin to discuss with them and see how we can work together because we strongly believe that our success is partly based on the extent to which you can engage private sector to mobilise private capital to leverage on the expertise, to see how we can manage our investments better. So that visit was useful in informing them. And today we have a lot of interest from that same community in terms of how we can partner together. Many of them are expressing interest in some of the assets that we own. Many of them have reached out to see how they can work with us to raise capital to invest

in different sectors of the economy. So, there’s a whole lot of interest that has come out of them. And our view is that the level of engagement we’re having with them now is at a higher and better quality than it was before as a result of these engagements. And in the next coming months, we will see some transactions that will be coming through the partnership that we have with them or which we believe came from some of the discussions that we will have. The investment perspective Let’s go back to the fundamentals. What is MOFI? We are the managers of federal government investment assets, which means investments they already have. Now, to continue to optimise those assets, you need to provide additional investments to them. And those investments can come from multiple sources; they can either come from the government, which means those funds will be appropriated and then invested in those entities or they can come from the private sector. We believe that we need to begin to engage private sector and crowd private sector investments, either in recapitalising existing entities, or providing additional investments for projects that are for governments or projects to be carried out by portfolio companies. And we believe that there is sufficient liquidity in the private sector. And there is an opportunity for the private sector to get decent returns from this opportunity that the government is opening up there. And that is why we think we’ve been engaging the private sector in doing more. We also have government projects, capital projects that require massive amounts of capital; whether you’re talking about work projects, you’re talking about building new hospitals, you’re talking about new educational institutions, you’re talking about even exploration in the oil and gas sector or solid minerals. A lot of these projects that are on the platform of the government require massive capital that the government alone cannot provide until we need to engage the private sector, both domestic as well as foreign, to deal with crowding. The private sector is committed to getting this done. And that’s really the basis upon which we’re engaging the private sector to do that. And it is only when we’re able to convince the private sector that these opportunities are bankable and that they will make decent returns, then can we crowd in a larger amount of capital and even government can even provide that we can begin to get these projects going. We can create more jobs, grow the economy, increase the liquidity, and also even increase our export process. These are all things that the private sector is better positioned to do but we need

Surpassung the N100 trillion target I actually agree with you, without sounding immodest. I believe that figure will be much more than that. So let me give you an example. When we talk about that, we’re talking about assets under management. Today, just to give you a sense of NNPCL alone (based on current valuation in terms of the value of the assets) is $60 billion and we own 50 per cent of it. So do the math. Already, our federal government shares in NLNG are not included in that. Do the numbers (you are finance correspondents). The value of our infrastructure assets, our airports, our seaports, our highways, our bridges are not included in that figure. By the time we incorporate those assets and monetise, you can begin to imagine what value we’re talking about. And even for those infrastructure assets, we have not talked about the concessions that are on each of those assets, and the monetary value that comes from those concession rights. Those are not included in the figures we’re talking about. So, you can begin to get an idea of... You know the president recently created the blue economy, the ministry of the blue economy, which talks about our marine infrastructure as well as the resources and endowments. Those are not included. By the time we start looking at the monetary value of those assets in the blue economy, you begin to get an idea of what we’re talking about in the creative economy. The evaluation that we had initially when we started did not include any of the assets in the creative economy. You can begin to talk about that. Our solid mineral assets were not included in your return estimate we talked about. So by the time we begin to quantify our solid mineral assets we know nationwide and federal government’s interest in those, you can begin to get a sense of the MOFI that you’re talking about, our real estate assets, east to west, north to south of this country, whether they’re residential or commercial, or industrial, were not included. By the time we do an evaluation of those, you can begin to get a sense of what we’re talking about our real estate assets offshore. Almost every major city around the world that federal government assets were not included in, and in most cities around the world that we own assets, we own assets in prime locations where these assets are high value assets. So by the time you identify those, you enumerate them, you value them, you can begin to get a sense of what we’re talking about. So our view is that this country is too endowed to be poor. But we need to change our mindset, our strategy of how we manage our assets, how we rationalise our assets, how we monetise our assets, and the value we create from those assets. And that for us, is a clarion call, not only to move, but to all MDAs who are currently sitting on those assets and superintending on those assets and then we make one thing very clear: MOFI’s goal is not to take away those assets from anyone No. It is to make sure we have a single view, a single source of truth as to what federal government owns, because it is through that we can begin to take steps to optimise those assets. It is true that we can begin to know what is the best way to monetise those assets and get the most value from those assets to the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians. Impact of energy transition I think it’s already happening. But you would be surprised to know that even NNPC itself is at the vanguard of that transition. So transition doesn’t happen overnight. There is the movement into non fossil fuel that doesn’t happen overnight. And that is why we have focused a lot on issues such as gas (CNG) as an example, because they transition and we’re really a gas nation. So, we’re leveraging on our gas endowment for clean energy. And until we see that, and that’s why steps have been taken to make sure we have that transition but also ensuring that we maximise the returns from our oil and gas assets today, so we can invest those in other sectors of the economy. We can invest those in clean energy projects that are already on the table.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

INTERVIEW

Kuyoro: Our Focus is to Reduce Medical Tourism in Nigeria

Dr. Ayobami Kuyoro is the Managing Director of Iwosan Lagoon Hospital in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State. She is an experienced General Practitioner and seasoned healthcare management professional. In this interview with Rebecca Ejifoma, Kuyoro discussed the launch of the state-of-the-art facility, its offerings and outlook Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals just launched a new state-of-the-art facility, can you tell us more about this?

es, our newly launched multispecialty facility at Ligali Ayorinde, Victoria Island Lagos represents a significant milestone in advancing health care. As a centre of excellence for Cardiology and Cardiac surgery, we have integrated cuttingedge technology, top-tier medical expertise, and a patient-centred approach to elevate the standard of cardiovascular healthcare in Nigeria. We have implemented innovative approaches to enhance the overall patient experience including streamlined processes, comfortable and luxurious recovery spaces, and dedicated support services. We aim to mark a significant stride not only towards treating Cardiac and other related conditions but also to foster a culture of heart health. We are dedicated to being a beacon of excellence in the healthcare space, and to continually push the boundaries of what is possible inpatient care.

What are the key services and unique offerings offered in the new facility? Our key services revolve around our designation as a center of excellence for Cardiology which includes Outpatient Cardiology (Adult and Pediatric), Heart Health packages, Non-invasive Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, and Cardiac Surgery (Adult and Pediatric). However, we offer a full range of services including Internal medicine, Radiology and Interventional Radiology services, Nephrology, Pediatrics (General and Cardiology), General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Critical care, Emergency care, Gastroenterology, Orthopedics, Urol-

ogy, preventive care through our outreach programs, educational initiatives and regular screening, and Advanced diagnostics (MRI, Laboratory, X-ray, and Ultrasound).

What are some of the advanced expertise and innovative technologies that are available at the hospital? One of our most unique and advanced services will be the use of a Catheterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab) equipped with advanced imaging systems and interventional tools. This allows our expert team, led by a World-renowned Interventional Cardiologist, to diagnose, and perform intricate cardiac procedures with precision and minimal Invasion. We also have an on-site Non-invasive Cardiovascular laboratory that employs the latest diagnostic tools to assess heart health without invasive procedures. Additionally, we have invested in the latest MRI technology, which provides crucial insights for accurate diagnoses and personalised treatment plans. Our commitment to staying at the forefront of Cardiovascular medicine is exemplified by the integration of these advanced machines ensuring that our patients receive the highest standard of care. Dr. Chinonso Egemba popularly known as Aproko Doctor, had his brain surgery at Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals. What surgical operations will be carried out at Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals, VI? At Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals, VI, we have a state-of-the-art fully equipped theatre where our highly specialised team of cardiac surgeons combines expertise with advanced surgical techniques to provide comprehensive care for a range of cardiac conditions. We would specialise in a spectrum of advanced cardiac surgical procedures including coronary artery

advanced technologies, research, collaboration and development, continuous training, education, and community engagement. We are also very passionate about our patient-centred approach to care, implementing feedback mechanisms, and leveraging patient data to tailor our services. Making sure our healthcare delivery aligns with evolving patient needs and expectations.

Kuyoro

bypass grafting (CABG), valve repairs and replacements, permanent pacemaker insertions, and cardiac defect repairs. We equally offer minimally invasive cardiac surgeries whenever possible and also offer general surgery and orthopaedics services.

Report shows that Nigeria’s healthcare is ready for a leap in innovation development. Can you tell us how Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals will continue to innovate and stay ahead of the curve? Innovation is quite important to us, so much so that it is part of our core values. It is at the heart of our strategy to stay ahead in the evolving healthcare landscape in Nigeria. We plan to achieve this through investment in

Technology is a huge contributing factor in the healthcare industry, how is the hospital using technology to improve the patient experience? We understand the importance of technology in the healthcare industry and have been able to leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance the overall patient experience by deploying advanced telemedicine services; we offer virtual consultations and follow-ups to provide convenient access to healthcare. Health records are also managed digitally to ensure quick and accurate access to medical histories, which allows for more personalised and efficient care. We have also implemented enhanced and secure messaging systems to facilitate seamless communication with our patients, addressing queries and concerns promptly. Report shows that healthcare in Nigeria is growing tremendously. Can you tell us how Iwosan Lagoon hospitals will be supporting this growth and the changing needs of healthcare delivery in the country? Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals is committed to actively supporting and adapting to these changes. We would continue to invest in infrastructure and resources to expand our capacity, ensuring that we can accommodate the increasing demand for healthcare services.

Afenifere’s Secretary General, Ebiseni Joins Ondo Guber Race Fidelis David in Akure

The Secretary General of Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, has declared his intention to contest for the Ondo State governorship election slated for November 16, 2024. Ebiseni, a lawyer and former Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources in the coastal state while declaring his intention to contest for the governorship seat in Akure, said he has a comparative advantage in the knowledge of the state and the geopolitical distribution of its natural resources compared

to other candidates vying for the seat. According to him, the diversification of the economy of the state from over-reliance on the federation account was the only means of getting out of the woods and must be prioritised. Basically, the PDP chieftain said he enormously has comparative advantage in the knowledge of the state in the area of oil and gas, forestry resources, economic crops, solid minerals among others which could bring succour and relief to the people of the state. His words: “This year’s governorship election is going

to be a defining moment for the state. If you follow the trajectory of governance from the Ajasin era, our state, has had a rare privilege of being governed by governors who are not only intellectually suave, grounded in their chosen carriers, thoroughly-bred and groomed in the ideology of the Awolowo school of thought which defines our Welfarist programmes with which our people and politics have been identified. “Besides, Ondo people are proud and having produced Ajasin, Adefarati, Agagu, Mimiko and Akeredolu, who were and are men who gave our state

delightful corporate image in the comity of governors must always strive, like one of the leaders of the party told me when I visited him on consultations, to maintain such standards. “Development of our state also requires being fully acquainted with the territory and the people. Such knowledge affords the new manager the opportunity of the location of resources, creates wealth therefrom and fairly allocate same without undue concentration in one or few places,” he stressed. According to him, “from serving as an elected Local Government Chairman, to

being Commissioner three times in the strategic Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, we have comparative advantage in the knowledge of the state and the geopolitical distribution of its natural resources. “These include oil and gas, forestry resources, economic crops, solid minerals etc. “Diversification of the economy of the state from over-reliance on the federation account is the only means of getting out of the woods and must be prioritised. There is a creative way of developing our resources within the provisions

of the constitution. “Certain social services which sets our state apart ideologically and which have been discontinued or totally abandoned must be resuscitated.” Equally, Ebiseni said quality and affordable education and health services including the Mother and Child hospitals would be fairly extended across zones in the state if elected. “It is a cheap petit-bourgeois mind-set to argue that the state cannot afford such existential programmes. I was privileged to be part of the team that accomplished this for the state.”

Three Kidnapped Victims Regain Freedom in Rivers Northern Group Kicks against Introduction of CBT By WAEC Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt The Rivers State Police Command has disclosed that three victims kidnapped in the State on Tuesday evening regained their freedom . The gunmen had on the said day attacked travellers around the Port Harcourt International Airport roundabout on the ObiriIkwerre link road and abducted some persons. Sources from the scene of the incident had disclosed that about eight persons were abducted by the gunmen in the attack. Speaking on the incident yesterday, the State Public

Relations Officers, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, noted that three people were kidnapped in the incident, saying however, that they have regained their freedom. It was gathered that the criminals had established contact with families of the victims and that the bandits were demanding an undisclosed amount of money as ransom. The police spokesperson explained that the police tactical teams were mobilised to ensure safe and unconditional release of the victims based on order of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Olatunji Disu. According to Iringe-Koko, based on the directive by the

CP, the three victims abducted on the Obiri-Ikwerre Road have been released. According to her, all the police heads in the Aluu area, where the incident happened, moved into action and the kidnappers freed the victims because of pressure from the police. Iringe-Koko said; “The Commissioner of Police Rivers State Command, CP Olatunji Rilwan Disu had a meeting with Area Commanders, DPOs within the area of jurisdiction with tactical team Commanders and instructed them of adequate security measures in place to ensure those abducted on 2/01/2024 along Aluu/Igwuruta road regain their freedom.

John Shiklam in Kaduna The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has called for the cancellation of the introduction of Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the conduct of the forthcoming West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations. In a statement in Kaduna, yesterday, the forum said such mode of examination will lead to massive failure among students, especially those in rural areas who are not computer literate. The statement signed by Yerima Shettima, President of the AYCF, said WAEC should make it optional, allowing candidates to choose between the traditional pen and paper format and the

computer-based approach. Shettima maintains that such options would give students the opportunity to opt for the format they are most comfortable with in the exams. He said research conducted by the AYCF in selected northern states such as Zamfara, Jigawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, and Plateau, “reveals that the CBT exams have consistently led to misleading failure rates among students attending public schools, where computer skills are often not taught. “Even the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) CBT exams have placed underprivileged students in a predicament, as they struggle to

answer questions in a format they are unfamiliar with.” He said further that, “Many students who failed the CBTbased JAMB exams last year argued that their failures were a result of systemic failures, including insufficient facilities or network failures during the exams. “Additionally, a lack of proper and adequate computer skills, coupled with outdated desktop computers that are not properly maintained by CBT centres further exacerbate the situation. “As the exams are timed, these delays significantly hinder the performance of students who otherwise possess sufficient knowledge of the content.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

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Popular security analyst, Nwaezi Victor, alleges that Gov. Sanwo-Olu has released the soldier arrested over unlawful road use

N37.1 billion Fraud: Hours after President Tinubu suspended NSIPA boss, Halima Shehu, EFCC reportedly froze N30 billion out of the N44 billion moved from NSIPA accounts.

Popular security analyst, Nwaezi Victor, alleges that Gov. Sanwo-Olu has released the soldier arrested over unlawful road use

Lawyers to ex-Humanitarian Aﬀairs Minister Sadiya UmarFarouk, who denied knowing the contractor arrested for allegedly laundering N37 billion during her tenure, begged EFCC to let her appear in two weeks. They said she was down with arthritis. Umar-Farouq kept interrogators waiting for over eight hours on Wednesday. The interrogation team had to close from work at about 6 pm when they were certain that the former minister was not going to show up.

Nollywood icon Zack Orji, 63, is in critical condition in the ICU of the National Hospital in Abuja.

Actress Iretiola Doyle recounts how she almost died after inhaling Carbon Monoxide from a car AC

Moment a security agent tried to stop the exchange of pleasantries between President Tinubu and Billionaire businessman, Rasaq Okoya

Thank you Lord for blessing me with a King that loves, provides and protects his own ﬁercely, Judy Austin writes as she celebrates her birthday on December 31, 2023

If you are the poorest amongst your siblings or not doing well ﬁnancially, avoid family gatherings until you have

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

AUTO WORLD

Bennett Oghifo 07052343083 Email:bennett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

TIPS OF THE WEEK 5 Things You Need To Stop Doing If Your Car Has An Automatic Transmission Automatic transmissions have been the dominating automotive format for decades now. While manual transmissions are cool, the simple fact of the matter is that shifting an automatic into drive and forgetting about it for the duration of your trip is a much easier, lower-stress way to travel which is why stick shifts are a dying breed. That being said, just because an automatic transmission takes a lot less guesswork to use than a manual transmission, that doesn’t mean that you can disregard its intricacies entirely. Automatic transmissions are built in a very particular way to easily facilitate travel without the need for transmission minutiae. If you try to use them in the same way you’d use a manual transmission, or otherwise try to circumvent their operation with little “tricks,” you’ll end up doing a lot more harm than good. Certain bad habits can wear out the transmission’s components, making it harder to use, and in the worst-case scenario, breaking it entirely and necessitating a mechanic visit.

People taking advantage of the 50 percent fare discount

112,000 Passengers Beneﬁt from FG’s 50% Fare Rebate, Says ALBON Bennett Oghifo

he Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON) has said that no fewer than 112,000 passengers have so IDU EHQHÀWWHG IURP WKH percent fare reduction on inter-state routes since the RͿHU DQQRXQFHG E\ WKH IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW WRRN HͿHFW RQ 7KXUVGD\ 'HFHPEHU The discount will end on January 4, 2024. 7KLV ÀJXUH ZDV GLVFORVHG \HVWHUGD\ E\ ALBON in a statement signed by the National President, Nonso Ubajaka and the Honorary Secretary, Frank Nneji. The statement said ALBON membercompanies have been mobilised towards ensuring that more passengers take advantage of the federal government’s ticket rebate to WUDYHO WR YDULRXV GHVWLQDWLRQV EHIRUH WKH RͿHU ends on January 4, 2024. ALBON said, “We wish to assure intending travellers that the issuance of the rebate tickets

continue on the designated routes nationwide till January 4, 2024. And in view of the fact that many of the people who travelled for Christmas and the New Year celebrations, are likely to start returning to base soon, we have again mobilised our members for the return journeys.” The association said it is mobising some state-owned transit companies, such as Gombe State Mass Transit and Bornu State Mass Transit and others, to join in the project for the return leg of the seasonal travels. At some of the bus terminals and motor parks in Lagos where passengers have been EHQHÀWWLQJ IURP WKH SHUFHQW GLVFRXQW passengers expressed their appreciation to the President and his administration for what they described as a timely palliative. At some of the stations, including those of ABC Transport PLC, Okeyson Motors, Izuchukwu Motors; E.Ekesons, Sunquick, *RELVRQ 7UDQVSRUW DW $ODÀD DQG 9LHQQD 9LHZ /WG GHSDUWLQJ SDVVHQJHUV WKDQNHG WKH government for alleviating the pain of high

fares at the time of economic hardship. The east-bound passengers, some of whom showed tickets that indicated they paid between N18,000 and N18,200, which was SHUFHQW RI WKH SUHYDLOLQJ IDUH RI DERXW 1 One of the passengers, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Okonkwo, who said the rebate provided a huge relief to her family, disclosed that she had given up hope of travelling with two of her children until she was able get the discounted tickets at N18,000 each. The special fare discount was announced RQ :HGQHVGD\ 'HFHPEHU EXW WKH $/BON members commenced the sale of the discounted tickets the following day, and will continue till January 4, 2024, according to their statement. Among the routes approved by government for the fare slash are Lagos to major cities in the north, and south-east, and south-south, including, Kano, Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Jos, Onitsha, Owerri, Enugu, Nsukka, Abakailiki, Aba, Uyo and Port Harcourt, among others.

Innoson Chairman, Chukwuma Wins 2023 NAJA Auto Personality Award

he Chief Executive OfÀFHU RI ,QQRVRQ 9HKLFOHV Manufacturing Company /LPLWHG ,90` &KLHI ,Qnocent Chukwuma, recently JUDEHG WKH $XWR 3HUsonality Award instituted by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association, 1$-$ &KXNZXPD·V ,90 ZDV DZDUGHG WKH $XWR 3ODQW LQ 1LJHULD Chukwuma grabbed the award for the pioneering role he played in the manufacture of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered vehicles in Nigeria, among other remarkable achievements. The started the production of CNG vehicles about two years before subsidy on fuel was removed and CNG became the preferred and popular alternative to petrol and diesel. Innoson demonstrated long ago that it has the capacity and facility to convert vehicles currently running on petrol and diesel to CNG-powered vehicles manufactured by Innoson CNG, even though the service is restricted WR ,90 FXVWRPHUV autogas vehicles. The automaker has embarked on the Commenting on the award, Obum Osigwe, construction of a much bigger multi-billion the General Manager, Sales & Marketing, QDLUD ,90 SODQW DQQH[ FRYHULQJ DERXW ,QQRVRQ 9HKLFOH 0DQXIDFWXULQJ &R /WG 1QHZL plots of land is being constructed in Nnewi, who represented Chukwuma, lauded the DQG LV OLNHO\ WR EH FRPPLVVLRQHG LQ WKH ÀUVW RUJDQLVHUV IRU UHFRJQL]LQJ WKH HͿRUW RI WKH quarter of 2024 to concentrate on manufacturing FRPSDQ\ DW PDNLQJ YHKLFOHV DͿRUGDEOH IRU DOO

He said: “I wholeheartedly on behalf of my boss and Chairman Chief Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma accept this prestigious award for the manufacturing plant of the year. We are grateful for this honour and we would keep doing our best for our country to put her on the world map.

Shifting between drive, reverse and park in motion Generally, the only times you ever shift an automatic transmission are when you’re driving, reversing, or parking. Since these three states of being are more or less antithetical to each other, you should, in theory, never have any reason to switch between drive, reverse, and park unless you’re already at a complete stop. However, if you’re in a rush or just feel gutsy, you may try to shift while you’re still in motion, such as dashing into a parking spot and slamming into park or cruising downhill in neutral. But you could be hurting your car without realizing it. Besides just being generally unsafe, doing this is absolute murder on your transmission. Automatic transmissions — just like their manual counterparts –aren’t designed to shift like this, so forcing a change while you’re in motion is kind of like trying to pound a square peg into a circular hole. It might go through, but the damage it causes is obvious. Staying in drive while parked Whenever your car is at rest outside of an active traffic zone, such as a parking space or a driveway, you’re supposed to put the shifter in park and take your feet off the pedals. This is the best thing to do both for your transmission and your own comfort, especially if you’re going to be hanging around for a while. If you’re planning on making some kind of quick escape from your parking spot, though, such as when you’re picking up a friend, you might just stay in park and keep your foot on the brake. If you leave the car in drive while you’re parked, the engine will stay warmed up, and if you do this frequently for long periods of time, the engine may start to slowly overheat. An overheated engine is more susceptible to sudden hardware failure. So shift into park when stopped so it can take a proper rest. Flooring it Flooring the gas pedal on a car, also known as “launching,” is one of those awful temptations you get the first time you get behind the wheel, right up there with revving the engine in park and doing donuts in a parking lot. Even putting aside the obvious hazards of going from zero to ludicrous, though, flooring your gas from a complete stop is actually quite damaging to your transmission. The whole reason you’re supposed to carefully and cautiously accelerate from a stopped position is that your transmission needs a moment to get going before it can handle higher speeds. Flooring the gas puts an immediate, intense strain on the transmission, andif it’s cold out, flooring the gas will rev the engine before it has time to warm up and circulate fuel. That can damage the cold metal components.

(Source: SlashGear)

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

AUTO WORLD

Toyota Launches All-new Crown Sport-type PHEV Model in Japan

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All-new MINI Countryman

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SAFE DRIVING with Jonas Agwu

amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa Assistant Corps Marshal Zonal Commanding Officer Federal Road Safety Corps.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

POLITY

Between Rainbow Heritage and Soludo’s Quest to Build Liveable Anambra David-Chyddy Eleke reports that a real estate company, Rainbow Heritage group is making good Soludo’s promise of building a liveable Anambra with the creation of Golf Residency Estate.

ne of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s promise that stood out during the 2021 electioneering in Anambra was to build “a liveable Anambra State.” Soludo had at every political gathering stated that his aim of running for governorship was to build an Anambra that all will be

proud of. “We want to build an Anambra that any Anambra person will be proud of. We should have a homeland which any Anambra person, anywhere around the world, who feels like coming back home and enjoying the same level of luxury they enjoy where they live can come back home and be able to attain it. We want to build world class infrastructure, and provide security in the state,” the governor had always said. Close to two years of being on the saddle, Soludo has been working to give the people what he promised them and because he cannot do it alone, part of those who are helping him includes Rainbow Heritage Group, a real estate company offering luxury living in the heart of Awka, the capital of Anambra State. Recently, the governor commissioned The Golf Residency, an estate owned by Rainbow Heritage Group in the new GRA, Awka, Anambra State. Soludo who was represented by the Commissioner for lands, Prof. Ofonze Amucheazi assured of the governor’s resolve to create a new Awka; luxury housing, beautiful infrastructure and improved security. Amucheazi said: “Governor Soludo administration is happy with the Rainbow Heritage Group for coming to assist the state to make it a liveable, prosperous, mega, green city, convenient for all categories of people. “I have personally visited the estates built by the Rainbow Heritage Group in Port-Harcourt, and I was enthralled by the professionalism and aesthetics of their houses, and I enjoin Anambra State people in Nigeria and in diaspora to come and take advantage of the Golf Residency estate in the new GRA, Awka.”

Oramah In a welcome address the Commercial Director, Rainbow Heritage Group, Mrs. Prinye Ngelale said the aim of the company was to contribute to Anambra State’s development trajectory. She said: “The Golf Residency estate will offer comfort, smart community, deliver world class luxury homes comparable to modern living standard, right ambience, for excellence in living, uninterrupted water supply, commercial shops. “The estate would also feature restaurants, jogging facilities, and other recreational facilities for social gathering, central water supply system, efficient security, CCT digital cameras, C of O, conventional link to the digital world, smart cutting edge technology, dedicated commercial areas, laundry facilities, strategic partnering with institutions, good payment terms in purchasing of houses, serene environment, clinic, club, central sewage system, fiber optics door throughout the world, fire hydrants for fire safety measures, greenery for luxurious living, pedestrian walkways, healthy water supply, shopping malls, parks, and provision for high and medium class of people.” Also, the Director of Strategy and Planning, Rainbow Heritage Group, Mr. Emeka Onwuachu, while speaking with journalists called on Anambra people at home and in the diaspora to see the need to come home and invest. He said The Golf Residency

Estate is a partnership between the government of Anambra State and the Rainbow Heritage Group, to provide world class housing with the best infrastructure for the people of Anambra State. “While the government provided the land and also defined the kind of development needed on it, Rainbow Heritage Group is providing the infrastructures. This is a 55 hectres project, and the good thing is that we have a track record that is visible. Officials of Anambra State government have visited our properties in Rivers State and they can attest to our works. “We are calling on Anambra people to come now and subscribe. We have different packages, and the kind of buildings that will feature on the estate depends on what the subscribers agree on, and that will also determine the cost of buildings in the estate,” he said. True to their claims, Rainbow Heritage Group may be on its way to helping Governor Soludo fulfill not just housing needs in Anambra, but to achieve the aesthetics that will guarantee luxury living as the company gave an insight into the luxury designs it intends to bring in housing. “We are the preferred urban real estate development company, offering high quality and customised solutions across sub-Saharan Africa. We at Rainbow Heritage Group create residential estates where people truly love to live. “With greenery, community events, top-notch construction, and family-friendly amenities, our neighborhoods nurture the human spirit. Over the past 10 years, we’ve built over 500 stunning homes across Nigeria. Our special pride is crafting eco-friendly houses and spaces that bring people together. Families thrive here, whether in a cozy 2-bedroom or a spacious 5-bedroom unit nestled in nature’s beauty. “Nestled in the heart of the Awka capital territory, The Golf Residency (TGR) isn’t just an estate, it’s a vibrant mixed use development, designed for those who appreciate the finer things in life. With first grade houses and robust infrastructure catering to middle and high income earners, this project-which is established in partnership with the Anambra State government spans an impressive 55 hectares of land areas.

L-R: Managing Director, KwaraLEARN, Mrs. Laide Abel; Permanent Secretary 1, Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (Kwara SUBEB), Alhaji Ahmed Moshood Ibrahim; Chairman Kwara SUBEB, Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja; Board Secretary Kwara SUBEB, Mrs. Adebis Grace Omolara; Permanent Member 3, Kwara SUBEB, Hajia Mua’zu Habibat, Hajia Mua’zu Habibat at the KwaraLEARN Induction Training held at Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin, Kwara State... recently

L-R: Head, Sustainability and Corporate Brand, Lafarge Africa Plc, Titilope Oguntuga; Head, Corporate Communications, Ginika Frank-Durugbor; Olu of Olapeleke Community, Kabiyesi Odekunle Adebari; Olu of Wasimi Alaaﬁa Community, Kabiyesi Abayomi Elkanah Adesanya; and Baale of Alaguntan Community, Chief Musiliu Oyebola, during the commissioning ceremony of a culvert at Wasinmi Alaﬁa, as part of projects commemorating the 2023 Lafarge Africa Community Day Celebration in Ewekoro, Ogun State ….recently

Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch , Nosa Francis Edo-Osagie (left) and past Chairman NBA Benin Branch Annual Bar Dinner Committee Mr Jeﬀerson Uwoghiren, at the NBA Benin Branch Annual Dinner held in Benin ...recently

L-R: Galadima Nupe who represented Etzu Nupe; Alhaji.Aliyu Danjuma; Prof. Kailani Mohammed with Alhaji Dagaci Muhammad during the award ceremony in Abuja... recently KINGSLEY ADEBOYE

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

PERSONAL FINANCE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

CBN to Launch Stablecoin February 27

Prospects for Fintech Players in 2024 Omolabake Fasogbon

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digital currencies. It is thus anticipated that in 2024, there would EH VLJQLÀFDQW DFFHOHUDWLRQ LQ WKH development and deployment of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). These digital representations of national currencies aim WR HQKDQFH ÀQDQFLDO LQFOXVLRQ reduce transaction costs, and provide central banks with new tools for monetary policy. $UWLÀFLDO ,QWHOOLJHQFH $, ,QWHJUDWLRQ :LWK DUWLÀFLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH JURZWK LW LV DOVR H[SHFWHG WR see increased integration of AI in areas such as fraud detection, customer service, and personDOLVHG ÀQDQFLDO DGYLFH ,Q too, it is hoped that machine learning algorithms would become more sophisticated, HQKDQFLQJ H΀FLHQF\ DQG DFFXUDF\ DFURVV ÀQDQFLDO SURFHVVHV Green Fintech and Sustainable ,QYHVWLQJ Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations are gaining prominence in the ÀQDQFLDO ZRUOG 7KHUH LV OLNHO\ to be a surge in Green Fintech initiatives that leverage technology to promote sustainability. 7KLV LQFOXGHV WKH ULVH RI ÀQWHFK platforms facilitating sustainable investing, carbon footprint tracking, and the integration RI (6* FULWHULD LQWR ÀQDQFLDO decision-making processes. NFTs and Digital Asset Management In 2024, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are likely to make ZDYHV LQ ÀQDQFH +HQFH ÀQWHFK SODWIRUPV PD\ H[SORUH WKH XVH RI NFTs for tokenising real-world assets, creating new opportunities for fractional ownership and enhancing liquidity in traditionally illiquid markets. Open Banking Expansion Equally important, open banking, which allows thirdSDUW\ ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFH SURYLGHUV WR DFFHVV FRQVXPHU ÀQDQFLDO information through APIs, is set WR H[SDQG IXUWKHU LQ 7KLV trend promotes competition, fosters innovation, and provides consumers with more control RYHU WKHLU ÀQDQFLDO GDWD 7KH open banking platforms will also see to the birth of range of ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the launch of the Nigerian naira (cNGN) stablecoin. The payment platform would be launch on February 27, 2024. The cNGN is powered by the Africa Stablecoin Consortium $6& D FRQVRUWLXP RI 1LJHULDQ ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV ÀQWHFKV DQG EORFNFKDLQ H[SHUWV In a statement on its website the ASC described WKH PRYH DV ´D PRQXPHQWDO VKLIW LQ WKH ÀQDQFLDO landscape” of Nigeria as the CBN “greenlights the ASC to pilot cNGN (compliant Nigerian Naira StableCoin) in the Central Bank’s Regulatory 6DQGER[ ´7KLV SLYRWDO DSSURYDO KHUDOGV D QHZ ÀQDQFLDO chapter, with ASC, an alliance of prominent ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV ÀQWHFK LQQRYDWRUV DQG EORFNFKDLQ H[SHUWV VHW WR WUDQVIRUP WKH G\QDPics of monetary transactions. The consortium is committed to enhancing secure and compliant ÀQDQFLDO LQWHUDFWLRQV UHYROXWLRQLVLQJ WKH ZD\ people transact and engage with their money securely and seamlessly,” it added. According to the statement, the cNGN “ushers LQ D QHZ HUD RI ÀQDQFLDO ÁXLGLW\ EULGJLQJ WKH Nigerian Naira with the global market through blockchain technology.” It added: “Backed 1:1 by Naira reserves held in designated commercial banks, cNGN transforms traditional currency into a dynamic tool for worldwide remittances, commerce, trade and investment. More than just a currency, cNGN shortens settlement times, enabling payments that traverse the globe swiftly, mirroring the speed RI D WH[W PHVVDJH DW D IUDFWLRQ RI WKH FRVW 7KLV breakthrough paves the way for instantaneous ÀQDQFLDO WUDQVDFWLRQV VHDPOHVVO\ FRQQHFWLQJ Nigeria’s vibrant economy with international PDUNHWV DQG RͿHULQJ XQSUHFHGHQWHG H΀FLHQF\ LQ ERWK GRPHVWLF DQG JOREDO ÀQDQFLDO LQWHUDFWLRQV µ It urged those anticipating the digital currency

WR LPDJLQH ´\RXU 1DLUD ZLWKRXW %RUGHUV ([SORUH WKH :RUOG ZLWK F1*1 DQG H[SHULHQFH D VHDPOHVV DQG FRVW HͿHFWLYH ZD\ WR HQJDJH ZLWK D JOREDO marketplace, with the familiarity of your Naira. ´F1*1 H[WHQGV \RXU ÀQDQFLDO UHDFK IDU EH\RQG Nigeria’s borders and acts as a global bridge, so you can pay for anything, anywhere, and at any time– all with a seamless tap. Shop the World and pay in Naira without the traditional challenges of currency conversion and hefty international transaction fees. “Sending money home feels like sending a WH[W PHVVDJH HͿRUWOHVV DQG LQVWDQW 1R PRUH agonising days waiting for remittances to clear. With cNGN, supporting your loved ones back home becomes as simple as a quick tap on your phone. No more standing in lines. With cNGN, funds land directly in their wallets within seconds, ready to fuel their dreams and brighten their days. No more distance, no more delays, just the magic of compliant virtual assets bridging the gap between hearts. “Conduct Business without Borders: Trade Like D 3UR &RVW (ͿHFWLYHO\ &XW RXW WKH UHG WDSH DQG sky-high fees of traditional international trade. With cNGN you can send and receive payments across the globe instantly enabling you to transact with national and international partners in any stablecoin currency, fueling economic growth and global success. “You can unleash your global hustle and get paid, anywhere, instantly. Ditch the limitations of location and outdated payment systems. With cNGN, you can freelance for the world, right from your desk in Nigeria. Your talent knows no borders, so why should your income? Skip the bank queues and paperwork. Receive payments from clients across the globe, directly deposited into your cNGN wallet in minutes. Get paid instantly and securely, without the hassle of currency conversions or hidden fees. Use cNGN to fuel your hustle.”

Experts Harp on Scientiﬁc Research to Address Economic Challenges ([SHUWV KDYH FKDUJHG SROLF\ PDNHUV RQ evidence- based research in designing economic policies for nations. They maintained that research was a key antidote in solving economic challenges as well as discovering QHZ RSSRUWXQLWLHV 7KH H[SHUWV ZKR VSRNH at a workshop organised by OGE Research ,QLWLDWLYH DOVR WDVNHG WKRVH LQ WKH ÀHOG RI research on proper research steps that would ensure accurate outcome, in place of fact misrepresentation. A Professor of Accounting and Finance, Suleiman A.S. Aruwa, while speaking on the programme’s theme, ‘Research Process and Collaboration for Impact,’ stressed the role of philosophy of thesis and epistemology in research, stating that social scientists must note these for impactful research outcomes.

“Epistemology concerns what constitutes DFFHSWDEOH DQG YDOLG NQRZOHGJH LQ D ÀHOG of study and how it can be obtained. This is also necessary to address numerous research JDSV LQ ÀHOGV µ KH H[SODLQHG For research to be impactful, the Vice Chancellor, Prime University, Prof. Muhammad A. Mainoma, advised that it must be devoid of biases, adding that researchers must carefully select their sources of information, relevant to economic or social issues being investigated. “If carried out properly, research has a lot of impact in economy and beyond. It is important for enabling economic growth and plays a large role in policy formation. It is a greater problem solving skills, provides opportunity for greater knowledge of situation and deeper understanding of disciplines,” he asserted.

Technext Joins Millionaire News Media Club 7HFK QHZV SODWIRUP 7HFKQH[W KDV UHDFKHG million views in the second quarter of 2023, thus emerging one of Millionaire News Media Club. This is according to the latest quarterly report released by online media relations management solution, Squirrel PR. The report took account of 16 tech news platforms in the tech category within the period under review, which according to the report, only 14 platforms that met the 50,000 minimum quarterly impressions benchmark were considered. The publication took the most significant leap in the category between July and September 2023,

ZLWK PLOOLRQ YLHZV DQ SHU FHQW LQFUHDVH IURP the 977,000 it recorded in the previous quarter. This made it one of the only three platforms in the millionaires’ club in the category. The other two are TechCabal and GadgetStripe. Squirrel PR in a statement revealed further, ´7HFKQH[W PDGH WKH PRVW LPSURYHPHQW WKLV quarter in this category as it did in Q2. Not only did it join the millionaires club, by recording DQ LQFUHDVH LQ WUDIILF YROXPH WR PLOOLRQ IURP N EXW DOVR GLVSODFHG 1DLMD.QRZ+RZ and GadgetStripe as the most visited tech news platform within the period under review”.

Organisations Urged to Embrace Ethics in Recruitment Process 7KH $VVRFLDWLRQ RI &HUWLÀHG )UDXG ([DPLQHUV (ACFE), Lagos chapter, has emphasised the need for ethical recruitment process, declaring its importance to overall productivity of businesses and nations’ economy. It also stressed a non- discriminatory recruitment policy, which ensures that processes of hiring and selection of talents are transparent. The association in a communique issued at the end of its 6th anti-fraud conference/investiture ceremony, recently, drew attention to prevailing ethical issues in human resource management and their consequences on economy. According to the association, practising unethical recruitPHQW ZDV WR[LF QRWLQJ WKDW LW KDG EHHQ OLQNHG

WR H[SORLWDWLRQ GLVFULPLQDWLRQ DQG DEXVH DQG violation of fundamental human rights. It noted that on the contrary, embracing ethics remained beacon of hope in ensuring that rights were respected and upheld. “Ethical recruitment practices ensure fair treatment, equal opportunities, and safe working environments, directly impacting the quality of life for workers and their families,” it stated. 7KH DVVRFLDWLRQ ZHQW DKHDG WR DGGUHVV WD[ issues, urging organisations to regularly check their compliance level to avoid facing legal issues. ´7D[SD\HUV QHHG WR PHHW WKHLU WD[ REOLJDWLRQV DV SUHVFULEHG E\ WKH WD[ ODZV DQG UHODWHG UHJXODtions/by-laws. They can identify any slightest

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

PERSPECTIVE

Port Harcourt, Warri Reﬁneries: Setting the Facts Straight Temitayo Ezekiel

f there’s any organization in Nigeria that is a soft target for slothful critics, it’s most certainly the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The reasons are obvious. It’s in charge of harnessing Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves, which provides 95 percent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and 80 percent of its budgetary revenues. Whenever anything goes wrong with the economy or any semblance of it, it must be due to the alleged mismanagement at the NNPC. Many of those attacking the NNPC Limited are blackmailers who, just like kidnappers, try to use threats to extort money or other benefits from their targets. Such acts could be seen as robbery without the use of arms and the art of soft violence that many Nigerians have mastered and practice as a vocation. There’s always a personal motive for the blackmailer, which he cloaks in patriotic zeal. But he’s the enemy of the collective; the enemy of the people. One of such was demonstrated in the frontpage of the Friday’s edition of Leadership Newspapers dated 5th of January, 2024, with a headline: “After December Deadline… Port Harcourt, Warri Refineries Still Not Ready.” The report, which does not represent facts in any material way among other blatant lies, claimed that NNPC Ltd had announced that the Warri Refinery would commence production by the end of December 2023. The report also stated that the mechanical completion and start-off of production activities announced on 21st December, 2023, is a ruse Kyari calculated at deceiving Nigerians, and that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is angry with the side”, a key pillar of journalism ethics. Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mr. Done with citing nebulous “informed sources” Mele Kyari, over the matter. both at the Presidency and the refineries, the It is unfortunate that in the entire article, newspaper betrayed its sinister motive by the writer and even the Editors of Leadership reporting that: “… Group General Manager, Newspapers refused to acknowledge the vigorNNPCL, Garbadeen Muhammad, rebuffed ous and groundbreaking reforms at the NNPC weeks of frantic efforts by our correspondent to Ltd since Mele Kyari was first appointed as the secure their reactions to the report.” Group Managing Director of the oil company in It is curious that the newspaper spent weeks July 2019. seeking reactions from the former spokesperson That they could ignore the well documented of the Company who retired several months progress at the NNPCL particularly the refinery before the announcement of the completion project under the visionary leadership of Kyari of the Port Harcourt Refinery rather than the was a confirmation that they are really not in current spokesperson of the Company. touch with the giant strides being achieved by The fact that Leadership newspaper does the NNPC Boss since he took over in 2019. not even know that Mr. Femi Soneye, who was More curious is the fact that for all these appointed as the Chief Corporate Communicaweighty claims, the newspaper cited no credible tions Officer since October 18, 2023 shows that source other than “informed sources”. the paper is not in tune with current realities at For a start, there was never a time when NNPC NNPC. Limited communicated to the public that the reFor the records, the Port Harcourt refinery finery would commence production by Decemlocated in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of ber 31. The messaging around the Refineries’ Nigeria has been operational since 1965. It is the Rehabilitation Project has been very clear from oldest and the biggest of the three governmentthe NNPC Limited which is that while the date owned oil refining sites in the West African for the completion of the Port Harcourt Refinery country. rehabilitation was set at December, 2023, that of Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), a the Warri Refinery was set at the first quarter of wholly-owned subsidiary of the state-owned 2024. Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Conflating the two smacks of nothing but (NNPC), is the owner and operator of the refinmischief apparently calculated to make NNPC ery. Ltd look bad in the eyes of the public. The oil refinery complex consists of a 60,000 For the avoidance of doubt, there is nothing barrels per day (bpd) old refinery that started deceptive about the mechanical completion of operations in 1965 and a 150,000bpd new refinthe Port Harcourt Refinery as announced by ery that came on stream in 1989. the NNPC Ltd on 21st December, 2023, which Despite having a combined crude processing was well within the period promised by the capacity of 210,000bpd, the Port Harcourt refinCompany. The refinery is currently in operation ery, like other state refineries of the country, has with test-run activities, including instrument been operating only at a fraction of its capacity calibration, water testing of pipes and storage over the last few decades due to process ineffacilities, etc., ongoing. ficiency and lack of maintenance. This has led to It must be pointed out that though products the growing reliance of Nigeria, Africa’s largest flow from the plant is the ultimate goal of the crude producer, on imports of refined petroleum production process, all the test-run processes products. currently going on are no less part of the opThe PHRC rehabilitation project, which costs eration of the facility. A further proof that the about $1.5bn, is an EPCIC project that covers story is ill-contrived and a hatchet job against engineering, procurement, construction, instalthe NNPC Ltd is the total abandonment of the lation, and commissioning phases. For Area-5, cardinal principle of “hearing from the other which is a segment of the refinery that will pro-

duce 60 million barrels per day, the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation have all been completed. The mechanical completion signifies the closure of the construction and installation phases, according to NNPCL. The milestone was achieved under a Health, Safety and Environment record, which stood at over 9.5 million man-hour with zero Loss Time Injury. On April 7, 2021, the NNPC officially signed a contract with Tecnimont SPA for the $1.5bn rehabilitation program of the Port Harcourt Refining Company. Parties in the agreement also announced the commencement of the project following the signing of the contract at the headquarters of the company in Abuja The rehabilitation project, being undertaken in three phases, is expected to be completed by 2025. But the first phase of the project, which is the mechanical completion phase, has been done by the NNPC The new Port Harcourt refinery comprises a Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), a Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU), a Naphtha Hydrotreating Unit (NHTU), a Catalytic Reforming Unit (CRU), a Continuous Catalyst Regeneration (CCR) Unit, a kerosene hydrotreating unit, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, and a dimersol unit to convert propylene into a gasoline blendstock. It also houses a butamer isomerisation unit, an alkylation unit, apart from hydrogen purification, fuel gas vaporiser, sour water, and caustic treatment units. The old refinery comprises a CDU, a CRU, and a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) facility. The refinery complex uses four turbo-generators of 14MW an hour of electricity generation capacity each and four boilers of 120 tonnes (t) an hour of steam generation capacity each. The refinery products include petrol, diesel, LPG, aviation and domestic kerosene, low pour fuel oil (LPFO), and heavy pour fuel oil (HPFO) Last year September, the then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had said the country’s biggest crude refinery in Port Harcourt would restart operation in December after it had completed a revamp that began over a year ago. But that the timelines were unmet. Again, in January 2023, Sylva assured that part of the refinery would be completed by the year’s first quarter, but the government again failed to meet its target. Lokpobiri had in August this year assured that the Port Harcourt refinery will become functional by December while Warri and Kaduna will be ready by the end of next year. But after many years of painstaking efforts to refine petroleum products in Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd finally fulfilled its promise to Nigerians to complete the Rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery. With the completion of the project, the refining of Petroleum products is expected to commence immediately after the Christmas break. The Minister said bringing back the refineries to their optimal levels is a national aspiration, and the government remains focused on delivering that. The facility would start refining 60,000 barrels of crude oil, and about 170 liters of refined petroleum products can be obtained from a barrel of crude oil. This implies that the 60,000bpd production from the Port Harcourt refinery can provide an estimated 10.2 million liters of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol and other refined products. It is instructive to state that the importation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly called cooking gas, would reduce as the refinery starts pumping out refined products. Rather than begin a campaign of calumny against this national asset such as the nation’s refineries, Leadership Newspapers should join hands with patriotic Nigerians to support the leadership of the NNPCL to enable Nigeria have adequate “energy for today, energy for tomorrow.” Ezekiel is an environmental advocate, and he writes from Lagos State.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 6, 2024

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES

‘Unemployment Problem’ Wrong

EBERE WABARA

“P

LATINUM Mortgage Bank Ltd 2024 Calender”… From hope to home: calendar! “Peace in South East Project (PISE-P) and the people of Bende Federal Constituency humbly invites (invite) all to the….” Wrong: A well deserved honour Right: A well-deserved (note the vital hyphenation) honour “The best we have got from our leaders is (are) lamentations and empty promises.” “One NSCDC personnel (oﬃcial) killed” (THISDAY NEWS, December 30) ‘Personnel’ is a collective—the totality—of a workforce which cannot be used just for an individual. “Killings: IGP orders deployment of tactical team, AIG to (in) Plateau State” (Source: as above) The next two blunders are still from THISDAY NEWS of December 30: “The intrigues that followed the historic appointment was (were) revealed Wednesday….” “Cross River, Oando Clean Energy to build 100MW wind power generating plant, others” Get it right: power-generating plant “Flytime Fest 2023 wraps-up (wraps up) with electrifying performances” From Igbo Elites Port Harcourt comes the next goof: “This is indeed a testimony to the large heart and unbiased heart you always extend to people of diﬀerent extraction (extractions).” “Industrial Champion in Africa Award: Another feather to (in) Lagos Free Zone’s cap When you use ‘demand’ or ‘advocate’ as a verb, do not add ‘for’, please! “The reason is because (that) our parties lack political ideologies.” (The PUNCH, January 2) This was contributed by Dr. Stanley Nduagu, Aba, Abia State, 08062925996. Additionally from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary

English, New Edition: Do not say ‘the reason because’ something happens…but say the reason why that something happens. ‘By reason of something’ means because of something. An analysis, like the foregoing, brings out the technicality of language which puts off most readers! And from me: you can say ‘the reason why I came’ or ‘the reason I came’. Some books frown at the former, why most dictionaries approve it. That is grammaticality for you! From Mr. G.O. Komolafe, Ilesa (08037277985) comes the next excerpt: “Twice THE NATION ON SUNDAY COMMENT of December 31 used ‘severally’ and it got the meaning wrong. Note that the word is not the adverb of ‘several’, but the opposite of ‘jointly’ or ‘collectively’. SATURDAY INDEPENDENT Online of January 30 goofed on five occasions: “230 perish in road crashes in Nasarawa” THE NATION ON SUNDAY of January 19 also committed this same atrocity apparently from the same news source: “230 killed in Nasarawa road crashes in 12 months” The victims were not killed, but died/ perished…! Except in unusual circumstances, roads cannot crash when accidents happen. What crashes are vehicles—not roads! We can have road/rail/air/sea mishaps and respective contraptions could crash—not the means. “Back to school (Back-to-school) resolution” “Lagos official charged for (with) violating Tenancy Law” “Only agriculture can solve Nigeria’s unemployment problem” ‘Unemployment’ is a present and clear problem globally. Therefore, there is no need for redundancies! “Matches between the two teams (between the teams, preferably) in the past have (had) always live (lived) to expectations….” THE NATION ON SUNDAY of December 31 disseminated copious blunders: “Harmattan hampers voters turn out in Jigawa Local Govt (LG) election” No news: voter turnout

“INEC reads riot act to staﬀ” Fixed expression: the riot act—headline considerations should not vitiate stock entries. “It must have been distraction (distractions) galore” “This seems an insult, both on the spirit and letters of representative government.” Get it right: the spirit of the law (in this case, representative government) There is nothing like ‘the spirit and letters of…’! The correct expression means intention: the meaning or qualities that someone intended something to have, especially the meaning that a law or rule was intended to have. ‘The letter of the law’, conversely, means the exact words of a law or agreement rather than the intended or general meaning. (Source: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, New Edition) Still from Longman: Do not say ‘invitation letter’ or ‘complaint letter’. Say letter of invitation/ complaint. “It is a common sight in most police units and stations to behold all manners of faulty equipment....” Not my opinion: all manner of faulty equipment. “They will only end up frustrating the good intentions of the president, thereby continually subjecting Nigerians into (to) servitude.” “As popular as the two investigative panels he has put in place may appear, the power to investigate all issues are (is) vested in the respective legislative houses….” “Charges of corruption against those in authority is (are) not new to Nigerians.” “Although, personally, his integrity was never questioned, that of the members of his administration were (was) loudly condemned.” “So (a comma) with dwindling earnings, the Buhari administration cannot (could not) be expected to maintain the same healthy foreign reserve as he inherited.” Police Etymology

Reminiscences: My Journey to Kirikiri Prisons

elcome to the new year (2024) - with fervent hope that it will turn out to be more prosperous and less tumultuous than 2023. In furtherance of our current mood for reminiscences, we present copious excerpts from my 2021 memoirs, titled “It’s A Dog’s Life: A Kirikiri Prison Diary”. Grim as it is, there are interesting bits about it. Enjoy…: “My trouble started in a rather funny but painful scenario. On Thursday, September 9, 1999 (9-9-99) as I alighted from the car, I heard the whining of my three-year-old German Shepherd (she’s called Kizzie). I decided to give her some attention since the ardour of preparations for the REEL (movie award) video formal launching had eaten up most of my free time. Few minutes to midnight, I went to Kizzie’s pen, unlocked the cage so she could roam the compound, her kingdom. Then I noticed her “food plate” was missing. Still holding her collar-leash, I bent deep, straining to look under the big iron ‘cage’ and WHACK!!! Her very thick long tail wagged my left socket (my big eyeball). I almost fainted with pain. In case you are wondering what’s the big deal about a wag in the face; Kizzie is about two feet tall, on all paws; and over ﬁve feet tall when she stretches up to peck my chin (from snout to hind legs). When she’s excited, she wags her tail remorselessly, hitting the two-inch rods inside her den, with ﬁerce regularity. I’ve always marveled at her strength and apparent lack of pain when she hit those rods consistently, and quite hard too. That night my eyeball felt like it had been rammed deep inside my head. Scared, I grabbed my face and

screamed. Involuntarily, I gave Kizzie a very wicked karate kick as soon as I could open the second eye, and conﬁrmed that none of my eyeballs had fallen out. She was actually still wagging my legs and prancing around me, giddily unaware of the damage she had caused. Of course, the kick sent her running away from me, barking and whining, perhaps abusing me for being a spoilsport. That pain persisted until Tuesday, September 14, when the police detectives came. But there was a respite. Perhaps because of the preoccupation of organising and coordinating activities of the REEL video launch, I didn’t quite notice the very painful pangs of my “black eye” during the September 12 event. It was so successful that I cannot but thank God Almighty again; and all our special guests who came, who sent representatives, who gave us plenty in those harsh times, who pledged even more ... and all our guests, friends, colleagues, associates and well-wishers. Please, don’t mind the spoilsports, they didn’t even allow me to prepare a proper thank-you letter and visits. Let me use this occasion for damage control… God’s will in your lives will be met and accomplished, in spite of whatever circumstances or shortcomings, in Jesus name. Amen. Really, I didn’t feel the pain throughout that Sunday - a little miracle. Then Monday, the pain returned. I could not wear my new recommended glasses (and I’d been looking for an opportunity not to wear it, anyway). I had to get very dark ‘spectacles’, and stay indoors with the blinds shielding sun rays. I couldn’t walk out during the day, and had to shield my eyes in the night because of electric light... oh, what a pain. STRANGE FRIENDS:

So, it was in such painful incapacity I found myself on that Tuesday morning, keeping company with two handkerchiefs, “iced blocks” pressed on the troubled area - that was the insistent recommendation of my in-house doctor (my wife, of course). She badgered me to go and see the doctor (of Fanimed Hospital, almost opposite the office) or see my optometrist, Mrs. Susu Enang (six houses away). I don’t like doctors (not personally, I mean the process and activity of getting medical succour from a very busy man with hundreds of other people’s aches on his head). Yet, I have many doctor friends. In any case, there I was (on that Tuesday) lying on the sofa in my office, surrounded by my three children and my caring and worrying wife, when a note came in that a certain friend, Chukwuma (or some nondescript name from an indistinct Victoria Island address, had an urgent and personal message to give me). I instructed that the fellow should see my PA, or the most senior editorial staff around. But the fellow sent the note back that he had to see me. Incidentally, the Deputy Editor, Michael Effiong, breezed in, and I dumped the assignment on his head. Bubbly as ever, Olorogun (as we call Mike - now, longtime editor of Ovation International) took up the note and went downstairs. He also came back and said the gentlemen (two) would prefer to speak to me, and would not want to go and come back another day. I asked Mike for their description and demeanour.

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

NIGERIAN policemen are supposed to be friends of the society. Alas, their adversarial comportment reminds one of colonialism. Cops in other countries are very friendly and professional. On December 27, during my trip to Umuode en route to Aba, Abia State, a cop flagged me down just before Ore and asked for the tinted glass police permit for my Sport-Utility Vehicle (SUV). All explanations that I forgot it in my wife’s car when I took the SUV to my local mechanic for check-up preparatory to my South East trip fell on deaf ears! The presence of my wife and children did not make any emotional difference as the insolent and corrupt cop, (name and number withheld), standing and dangling a hunter’s gun as if we were in a war situation proximal to their rickety operational vehicle numbered NPF 5...B, insisted that I bribe him with N10,000 for contravening the law! There was no hint of taking us to the station for a statement and subsequent ticketing or making pretensions about dragging me to a kangaroo traffic court! It took the intervention of a senior officer and a gentleman before the extortionist and unruly constable could accept N2,000, which I reluctantly paid to foreclose further time wastage because of the tender children aboard and the long, bumpy trajectory ahead. Otherwise, I do not succumb to such circumstantially exploitative demands. Such extortive brazenness is the identity of Nigerian police nationwide! This kind of official (police) banditry should be limited to Lagos roads where it is a way of life for some disgruntled officers and men of the Lagos Police Command! The IGP, DIGs, AIGs and CPs should check the corrupt and beggarly language of their ‘boys’ while on illegal/outlawed (virtual roadblock) duty. Such foul communication hallmarks irredeemable institutional degeneracy.

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08033622806- (SMS Only)

What he told me indicated that these chaps were not from any good friend, but from my “other friends” and would want to “invite me for a chat” - their polite way of precipitating one’s arrest and detention. You see, after over six ‘invitations’, one has become adept at deciphering the subterfuge and gobbledygook of police arrest and detention. But I was determined not to accept this ‘invitation’, this time for very good reasons. One, my eye could become a major crisis inside detention, which is not yet the best hygienic environment in Nigeria. Two, from further enquiries, we found out they were from Milverton Road, Ikoyi (therefore, it’s a throwback to our over two-year old board of directors’ fiasco with the FAME people). (To Continue) NEW YEAR NOTE: Find a space in your daily devotion, to say a prayer or two for the great helper(s) in your life or circumstance. It is an extremely difficult time to be charitable. Let us find a good spot in our thoughts and utterances to show quality gratitude to those who impact our lives meaningfully; but are too far away - by physical distance or emotional chasm. May the Almighty bless and prolong the life of our self-driven benefactor(s). Amen. Have a glorious and prosperous new year.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

6.1.2024

NEWS

FA CUP THIRD ROUND PAGE. 28

Alhassan Yusuf Will He Take His Chance?

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

GLOBAL SOCCER

Alhasan

Alhassan Yusuf

Will He Take His Chance? In spite of his exploits at club level, pinning down a place in Nigeria’s senior national team has been almost impossible for him. And just when he thought another opportunity had passed him by with Nigeria on the march to another African Cup of Nations campaign, an injury to Super Eagles midﬁeld enforcer, Wilfred Ndidi, culminated to a late call-up for Royal Antwerp midﬁelder, Alhassan Yusuf to join the Eagles party to AFCON in Cote D’Ivoire. The big question is if the former IFK Goteborg man can cash-in on the opportunity and make his national team’s place permanent with a convincing performance at the biennial competition

e has shown high level of consistency since his time in Sweden where he won several awards including IFK Goteborg Young Player of the Year in 2020 before he was snapped by Royal Antwerp. Alhassan Yusuf has been knocking on the door for a place in the Super Eagles. Little wonder former Nigeria caretaker coach, Augustin Eguavoen once said of him, “He has that quality I want.” With Leicester City midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire due to injury, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has called on Royal Antwerp midfielder, Alhassan Yusuf as a last-minute replacement for the midfield enforcer. “Midfielder Alhassan Yusuf re-

places injured Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho still hopeful to join the team before AFCON commences,” an official statement reads. The 23-year-old Yusuf who has been in fine form for Royal Antwerp is uncapped player for the Super Eagles but helped his team to the Belgian league title last season and competed in all their Champions League group matches between September and December. Yusuf is one of the new players to be invited to the Nigeria senior national team, having made the cut for the international friendlies against Mexico and Ecuador. Born in Kano, Nigeria – the midfielder began his professional career at Nigerian side FC Hearts before moving to Allsvenskan outfit IFK Goteborg in 2018 after impressing at Gothia Cup in Sweden.

In his maiden season at the Gamla Ullevi, he made one league appearance for the Comrades – making a 93rd appearance for Giorgi Kharaishvili’s side in the 2-0 away win at Brommapojkarna on October 22, 2018. The following season, he featured prominently in Goteborg’s squad, accruing 26 league appearances with two goals to his credit. His displays were not left unnoticed in the Swedish league as he won the Allsvenskan Newcomer of the Year award. Overall, he made 66 league appearances while finding the net on two occasions and providing four assists. In the 2021-22 campaign, Yusuf’s maiden season at Royal Antwerp, the midfield trojan has been a key figure in

Brian Priske’s squad, making 29 league appearances plus three goals. Yusuf is an adaptable midfielder who has a predatory instinct in terms of scoring goals. “He is currently playing as a defensive midfielder at Royal Antwerp, but can also play as an attacking midfielder,” Tripple 44 Academy president Samuel Olatunji-Okuku told GOAL about the player’s stirring qualities. “He’s a talented youngster. He is box to box kind of midfielder, a very hardworking midfielder who can win the ball and also find a final pass. “He has got an eye for goals as well. Overall, he’s got a very wonderful mentality and he will go places.” Yusuf is a strong and quick midfielder who is very good when it comes to aerial balls and long-range shooting. Blessed with a petite look, the 23-year-old is tactically sound and on a good shift, he can cause restless moments for opponents. Although he does not score often, he occasionally assists the attack. Meanwhile, Belgium’s reigning Jupiler Pro League champions, Royal Antwerp, have responded to Alhassan Yusuf’s inclusion in Nigeria’s squad for the highly anticipated 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The 23-year-old midfielder was officially named the replacement for injured Leicester City star Wilfred Ndidi, marking his debut call-up to the esteemed Super Eagles. In a gesture of support, the Belgian champions conveyed their best wishes to Yusuf via their official X platform, expressing their excitement as he prepares to represent Nigeria in the upcoming continental tournament. “Alhassan Yusuf has just been called up to the Nigerian national team. Good luck at the Africa Cup, Yus!,” shared Royal Antwerp through their social media page. Yusuf, formerly with IFK Goteborg in Sweden, has since joined the Super Eagles at their training base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. With 25 appearances for the Belgian side under his belt this season, Yusuf notably contributed a goal during their UEFA Champions League encounter against Porto FC and provided an assist in their 3-2 victory against Barcelona. As the tournament approaches, Yusuf’s addition to the Super Eagles’ roster is expected to inject a sense of hope in the Super Eagles midfield. While Yusuf has not yet been capped for the Nigerian national team, his inclusion in the provisional list for AFCON speaks volumes about his potential and the expectations placed on him. His performance in the UEFA Champions League, where he scored on his debut, further cements his status as a player of international calibre. Yusuf’s journey from a young talent in Nigeria to a rising star in European football is a story of determination, skill, and passion. His story is not just about football; it’s about the potential of youth and the boundless opportunities that come with talent and hard work. As he steps in to replace Ndidi for AFCON, all eyes will be on him to see if he can translate his club’s success to the international stage. Nigeria’s Super Eagles are to begin their Group A campaign against Equatorial Guinea on 14 January, and the threetime African champions will also face hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau in the group stage.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

GLOBAL SOCCER

Arsenal, Liverpool Headline FA Cup Third Round as Man City Start Title Defence

Liverpool Trent Alexander-Anold tries to stop Arsenal Gabriel Martinelli

ith the Premier League title race on hold for a short while, FACup holders Manchester City commence the defence of their title tomorrow afternoon, when Championship strugglers Huddersfield Town travel to the Etihad for a third-round tie. Pep Guardiola’s men begin their latest quest for domestic glory on the back of a fourgame winning streak, while the Terriers have lost their last two matches in the second tier. Since downing bitter adversaries Manchester United to clinch FA Cup title number seven, the Citizens have added European and international accolades to their trophy case in the shape of the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup, and their hitherto faltering Premier League title charge is now firmly back on track too. On the back of conquering the world in Saudi Arabia, Guardiola’s charges have taken six points from a possible six in fixtures with Everton and Sheffield United, easing to a 2-0

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR OBINNA CHIMA DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMIFULA OGBU THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU

victory over the basement-dwelling Blades last weekend. The reigning Premier League champions still have a five-point gap to make up to leaders Liverpool, although the Reds have played a game more than their northern neighbours, who welcome Huddersfield to town having netted at least twice in each of their last seven games in all tournaments. Each of Man City’s last 11 FA Cup home matches has ended in victory since they were stunned 2-0 by Middlesbrough in the fourth round of the 2014-15 edition, and Citizens fans have to go back to 2011-12 for the last time that their side were dumped out in the third round, although they were the defending champions that year too. The more superstitious Huddersfield supporters may therefore possess a shred of optimism when that fact is taken into account, but the vast majority of the Terriers faithful will certainly be making the short trip across the North West in unfounded hope rather than expectation. Huddersfield avoided defeat at Man City’s Etihad fortress as recently as May 2018 - holding Guardiola’s men to a goalless draw on that occasion - but their two meetings in the 2018-19 Premier League season ended with the hosts doing the double over the Terriers by an aggregate score of 9-1. Meanwhile, Arsenal and Liverpool will battle it out for a place in round four of the FA Cup at the Emirates tomorrow afternoon. The Gunners brought 2023 to a close with a deserved 2-1 loss away to Fulham, one day before the rampant Reds extended their lead at the top of the table with a 4-2 win over Newcastle United. Following Arsenal’s humbling home loss at the hands of West Ham United on December 28, a bullish Mikel Arteta would defiantly claim that the Gunners were superior in both boxes, but the Spaniard was under no illusions that his side were second best at Craven Cottage three days later. Bukayo Saka’s improvised finish with just five minutes gone proved to be just a minor setback for Marco Silva’s men, who

came forward in droves and were rewarded with strikes from Raul Jimenez and Bobby Decordova-Reid, the latter lashing home from a corner as Arsenal’s set-piece frailties were exposed once more. Owing to another toothless attacking performance, Arsenal squandered the chance to end a second successive calendar year at the top of the table and have been bumped down to an unsightly fourth position amid their festive plight, which has seen the Gunners claim just one win from their last six games. While the hierarchy scope out potential additions to the squad in the notoriously challenging January transfer window - a new left-back is said to be priority number one due to a lack of affordable midfielders and strikers - Arteta’s on-field troops now begin their latest crusade in the FA Cup, a tournament they have won a record 14 times down the years. However, since last lifting the trophy aloft in front of an empty Wembley in 2020, Arsenal have failed to advance beyond the fourth round - losing at that stage to eventual winners Manchester City in the 2022-23 campaign and the defeat to West Ham marked the first time in 13 Emirates matches that Arteta’s off-colour charges failed to make the net bulge at home. Likewise, Liverpool were briefly left to bemoan their own wastefulness in front of the home crowd on New Year’s Day, where thanks in no small part to a Martin Dubravka penalty save from Mohamed Salah, a beleaguered Newcastle United somehow entered the dressing rooms at half time with their clean sheet preserved. Alexander Isak and Sven Botman even managed to breach Alisson Becker’s net in front of the Kop, but Liverpool eventually dusted off their finest shooting boots to hit a quartet of goals themselves, as a Salah brace was complemented by Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo’s close-range attempts. Premier League history was written at Anfield on January 1, where Liverpool recorded an astronomical 7.27 expected goals (xG) - the highest of any English top-flight team on record - and their reward is a threepoint advantage over Aston Villa at the top of

the Premier League rankings. Now returning to the road, where they have scored in 18 games on the bounce since April’s 0-0 stalemate at Chelsea, Liverpool are on a mission to add FA Cup number nine to the cabinet, although the defence of their 2021-22 crown ended with a premature fourth-round exit to Brighton & Hove Albion last term. Furthermore, Liverpool have come up short in each of their last three FA Cup showdowns with Arsenal - who sunk the Reds 2-1 at the Emirates en route to the 2013-14 title - and December’s chaotic 1-1 Anfield draw stretched the Gunners’ unbeaten streak against the Reds to a respectable three games.

FA Cup Third Round TODAY

Wimbledon v Ipswich Town 12:30 Coventry City v Oxford Utd 12:30 Maidstone Utd v Stevenage 12:30 Millwall v Leicester City 12:30 Sunderland v Newcastle 12:45 Blackburn v Cambridge Utd 15:00 Gillingham v Sheffield Utd 15:00 Hull City v Birmingham City 15:00 Newport County v Eastleigh 15:00 Norwich City v Bristol Rovers 15:00 Plymouth Argyle v Sutton Utd 15:00 QPR v Bournemouth 15:00 Southampton v Walsall 15:00 Stoke City v Brighton 15:00 Watford v Chesterfield 15:00 Chelsea v Preston North End 17:30 Middlesbrough v Aston Villa 17:30 Sheffield Wed v Cardiff City 17:30 Swansea City v Morecambe 17:30 SUNDAY

Luton Town v Bolton 14:00 Man City v Huddersfield 14:00 Nott’m Forest v Blackpool 14:00 Peterborough v Leeds Utd 14:00 Shrewsbury v Wrexham 14:00 West Brom v Aldershot Town 14:00 West Ham v Bristol City 14:00 Arsenal v Liverpool 16:30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 6, 2024

GLOBAL SOCCER

Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi holding Nigerian ﬂag after Leicester City FA Cup win

AFCON 2023

Ndidi Out for Three Months, Iheanacho Doubtful for Nations Cup Leicester City manager, Enzo Maresca, delivered disheartening news on the injury front ahead of the anticipated clash against Millwall, revealing that both Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and star forward Kelechi Iheanacho will be sidelined due to injuries. In a press conference conducted at Seagrave yesterday, Maresca disclosed that Ndidi is expected to face an extended period of absence, possibly up to three months, due to a significant muscle injury. This development deals a

considerable blow to Leicester City’s midfield strength. Maresca was quoted as saying on Leicester City’s official webpage: “It looks like a muscular problem, but an important one, so we will see in the next hours, but the situation for Wilf is probably the clearest one.” Compounding the challenges, star forward Kelechi Iheanacho will also be absent from the upcoming FA Cup clash against Millwall. Maresca confirmed that while Iheanacho’s recovery is progressing, he is not yet fit for competitive action. “The only thing I can say is

that Kel is still injured. It’s getting better, but it’s still not 100 percent; otherwise, he would be in the squad for tomorrow, and he’s not in the squad,” Maresca commented on Iheanacho’s status. Ndidi, a pivotal figure in Leicester City’s campaign, has played a crucial role in their bid to secure promotion to the Premier League. Despite the setback, the Foxes currently hold a commanding 10-point lead at the top of the Championship standings, highlighting their strong contention for a return to the top flight.

StarTimes Secures Exclusive Broadcasting Rights for 2023 AFCON In a groundbreaking move that promises to redefine sports broadcasting, media giant StarTimes has officially secured the rights to air the highly anticipated CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 and all CAF events held in 2024 in Anglophone & Lusophone Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including CHAN 2024 and AFCON 2025 Qualifiers. This strategic acquisition cements StarTimes’ commitment to delivering premium sports content to its viewers and reinforces its position as

a leading player in the African media landscape. All the 52 matches will be aired exclusively on Sports Premium, Sports Life and Beta Sports channels. The Africa Cup of Nations, organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), stands as one of the most prestigious football tournaments on the continent. The upcoming AFCON 2023 is set to take place in Cote d’Ivoire, marking the second occasion the West African nation has been chosen as the host for

this prestigious tournament. Originally slated for the summer of 2023, the event has now been rescheduled to kick off on January 13 and conclude on February 11, 2024. Playing host to 23 other nations, Côte d’Ivoire is gearing up for an exciting competition featuring a total of 52 matches, showcasing the best football talent from across the continent. StarTimes features stellar track record in delivering high-quality sports coverage to millions of viewers across Africa.

Cote d’Ivoire FA Chief Snubs Super Eagles as AFCON Win Favourites President of the Ivorian Football Federation, Yacine Idriss Diallo, has ignored the Super Eagles in his choice of the top three countries he counts to be favourites at the AFCON tournament. Diallo, 63, became the president of the Federation in October 2022, spearheading the football body in preparation for the biggest football tournament in Africa. Speaking to FourFourTwo, the President was optimistic about his country’s performance in the tournament which is set to start in eight days, claiming they are well prepared, but aren’t favourites.

Despite the attacking prowess the Super Eagles possess, and the recent crowning of Victor Osimhen as the African Player of the Year, Diallo did not include the Nigerian football team as one of his favourites to go all the way in Cote d’Ivoire. “I trust our team, but we know that we are not favourites. The favourites are Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, all those teams. We’re building a new team,” the President said. He revealed that the team’s lack of experience might play

a huge role in how they perform in the competition, but he expects his team to put up a fight at least. “If you see our team now, quite a number of them are very young, it’s their first competition, but we will try to bring a very good squad to be ready. We will try to do our best to go as far as possible and try to win the trophy. This is why we are here.” The tournament kicks off on January 13, when the hosts will take on Guinea-Bissau at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.

Pistorius Released on Parole 11 Years after Killing Steenkamp Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been freed on parole from a South African jail, nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Officials confirmed Pistorius was “at home” yesterday morning, having served half of his more than 13-year sentence. Ms Steenkamp’s mother said she accepted the decision to release the former athlete - but added her family was the one “serving

a life sentence”. Pistorius, now 37, shot Ms Steenkamp multiple times in 2013 through a door. The double amputee later claimed he had mistaken her for a burglar. Pistorius was eventually convicted of murder in 2015 after an appeal court overturned an earlier verdict of culpable homicide. Under South African law, all offenders are entitled to be

considered for parole, meaning early release under certain conditions, once they have served half their total sentence, which for Pistorius was finally set at 13 years and five months. Until his sentence expires in 2029, he will live under strict rules - confining him to the home for certain hours of the day, as well as banning him from drinking alcohol. He is also not permitted to speak to the media.

The court scene during the Abuja 3x3 Slam Quest organised by Webber Hoops and Courts at the Jabi Shopping Mall, FCT

Abuja 3x3 Basketball Fiesta Helped My Vision, Says Webber “I am impressed with the level of the skills of the players here and they have all come out with full force to play and I believe that the best team emerged the winner in both the female and male categories,” Babalola Webber said during the week in the Federal Capital Territory. Opeyemi Babalola-Webber is on a huge drive to take the game of basketball to every major street in Nigeria. If he ever had any doubts as to how far this pursuit could go, the outcome of the Abuja Quest 3x3 Tournament has wiped out all doubts. The Webber 3×3 basketball tournament in Abuja wrapped up with the New Year celebration when Hillside Elite and TVCC teams respectively emerged as the men’s and ladies’ winners of the event. Hillside Elite, which had earlier beaten Warriors 7-3 in the semi finals, defeated NBT Academy 14-4 in the final match played at Jabi Shopping Mall on New Year’s eve to win the cash prize of N250,000. Also TVCC, which eliminated Connect 7-5 in the semi final bagged the cash prize of N250,000 after it narrowly edged Titans Academy 6-5 in the final. This inaugural Abuja tournament featured 80 teams; 60 male 20 female basketball teams,

drawn from across the FCT. It was a continuation of the spectacular event that began at the 1004 Estate, Victoria Island in December. The high number of teams in the tournament which was spread over four days is giving Webber lovely excitement. He said, “Before we arrived here from Lagos we were not sure we could get half this number of players and teams but at the end we had to carefully work out the details on how we could manage the large turnout. Our drive is to get more Nigerians involved but particularly get any form of basketball courts in the communities. “When you see this large number in tournaments one is quite encouraged and excited because you already know that any court we are able to build would be put to good use.” Basketball thrives as a game of fun and entertainment when fixed at a good venue. The Abuja 3x3 Slam Quest was loved by all because it was real entertaining basketball outing backed by good music and at one of the best venues in the city. The players, fans Tanko Yusuf, a basketball administrator says of the competition, “Well, the tournament has been very good although it can be better. The

players themselves are quite happy getting involved in a competition. I say kudos to the organizers as many of them are featuring in a 3x3 tournament for the very first time and you tell that because they are not so conversant with the rules, speed or exactly how to play. “But this has been a very good exposure and we would like more tournaments like this. It will give these young ones more exposure and improvement for bigger opportunities because right now 3-on-3 is the main thing across the world.” The large entries in the male category meant all participating teams were classified into six groups while the females were split into two groups. The tournament organiser, Mr Opeyemi Babalola, who is the MD /CEO of Webber Engineering Nigeria Ltd., said the idea behind the tournament was to engage the basketball players within and around Abuja in the 3x 3 tournament and to end the year in a good mood with fun-filled activities. Webber Hoops and Courts into the production of basketball equipment like basketball uprights, the floor, the bleachers, and the crowd barrier was organising the tournament for the first time in the FCT.

Insurance vs Rangers: Winners to Get N2.5m from Afrinvest Ahead of the Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin match against Rangers International of Enugu, Afrinvest West Africa has promised a N2.5 million prize to the winning team. The match slated for today, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, Edo State, falls within the Match Day 17 of the Nigeria Premier Football League. The match, which kicks off by 4pm, will be watched by millions of football lovers across the country and beyond. Speaking on the need to support the team, the Group Managing Director, Afrinvest West Africa, Ike Chioke, reiterated

the company’s commitment to supporting the youth towards achieving their life goals. The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, who is the founder of Afrinvest - official jersey sponsor of Rangers, is rallying support for the Bendel Insurance. Sports analysts lauded Obaseki’s support for sports development and insisted that today’s match accentuated his unalloyed commitment to sports development and youth empowerment. According to Chioke, the winning team will get N2.5 million cash from Afrinvest,

while the loser will get N500,000. “In the event of draw, each of the two teams will get N1m, payable into the Optimus by Afrinvest personal accounts of the players and club officials of both teams. Inaugurated in October 2022, Optimus by Afrinvest is a financial technology solution that helps customers do the most by harmonising banking, wealth management and brokerage needs into one simple platform. Optimus by Afrinvest is also changing the way people interact with money to achieve financial

Rivers State Inaugural International Marathon Holds May 18 Preparations are in top gear as Rivers State Government hosts the inaugural edition of Rivers International Marathon on May 18, 2024. The event to be held in collaboration with Arch Raphael Limited, holds particular importance as it coincides with the state’s celebration of its 57th anniversary since its establishment on May 27, 1967 from the former Eastern Region of Nigeria. The project consultant, Mr. Femi Abegunde, underscored the timeliness of the marathon, aligning with the one--year anniversary of Governor Siminalayi

Fubara’s leadership in the state. He said Fubara’s commitment to empowering the youth and fostering a peaceful environment for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) resonates with the marathon’s objectives, standing as a key pillar in showcasing Rivers State as a hub for social enterprise, entertainment, and commerce. “The Rivers International Marathon not only acknowledges the pivotal role of sports in providing opportunities for the youth but also directly promotes the governor’s vision of creating projects that catalyze SME growth. Sports, as a grassroots influencer, touches every

facet of society,” Abegunde said. He added that the marathon will create opportunities for widespread youth engagement, stimulate businesses, and offer prospects for individuals before, during, and after the race. “The engagement spans various sectors, including traditional media, social media influencers, national and state-level athletics federation members, out-of-home providers, graphic artists, signage experts, food vendors, and marketers of various goods and services. It also aims to enhance the state’s internally generated revenue.”

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Gbajabiamila’s Constituency Projects

et’s talk about Legacies and Legacy Projects, shall we? Femi Gbajabiamila seems to be setting new precedents, but much of that later. Our Development Specs Academy hosted a Roundtable Discussion with some youth leaders on the true meaning of Legacy and Legacy Projects in Abuja, late last year. A lot came to light in the process. One of the speakers from the South-West said that the major Legacy Chief Obafemi Awolowo left for his people was the Cocoa House. This is a massive edifice, even by today’s standards. I was somewhat taken aback by this declaration, and tendered a contrary view. The debate raged for three hours, amidst very informed perspectives and contributions. In the end, our friend had to agree that Awolowo’s Legacy was education. The South-West’s subsisting awareness that it is knowledge and responsible, forward-looking leadership that drive sustainable development is a byproduct of this legacy. It is that legacy that explains much of the economic triumphs, elite sophistication, global relevance, connections and contemporary developmental strides of the South-West geopolitical zone. The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who is currently the Chief-of-Staff to the President, flagged off what he called Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI) some two years ago. The objective was to identify, train and equip the next generation of public sector leaders, particularly legislators. The 2nd LMI participants comprised 45 Fellows, selected from the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. The programme spanned several weeks, and includes the Fellows-in-Training (FITs) Speaker Series, during which every Fellow is given the opportunity to make an insightful, captivating and igniting presentation on any important topic of choice. The trainees are also subsequently given feedback on their performance, to improve their public speaking skills; as part of the training process. Small as this may seem, it is a very important “Constituency Project”. Here, the word constituency is understood to mean those who make up (constitute) the sociopolitical variables of your operating environment; and not just your immediate physical/geographical/ethno-religious space. Imagine what would happen if most of our public office holders begin to pay more attention to many, apparently out-of-the-way, constituencies all over the nation! Many, especially the younger generation, can thus be leveraged and retooled and to step forward as a well-capacitated Replacement Generation. It was for this very reason of raising the right Replacement Generation for the Conservative American State that Morten Blackwell, former Chief-of-Staff to President Ronald Reagan of the United States, set up the Leadership Institute (LI) in Arlington, Virginia. The objective of this human capital training/recruitment platform is: “To train conservatives” so that they do not lose control of the inner American State. It was one revelation after another for me, on

Gbajabiamila

how to drive ideological group interests, during my programme in the Institute over ten years ago. The deliberate seeking out of members of conservative blocs, the well-targeted programmes, the efforts at getting conservatives from all over the world to be part of LI was something else. It was a conscious, determined, unrelenting, unrepentant and unapologetic commitment to ensuring that the people who believe in God, who are pro-life, etc. do not end up a minority in the US. As for its core goals, “LI provides training in campaigns, fundraising, grassroots organizing, youth politics, and communications. The Institute teaches conservatives of all ages how to succeed in politics, government, and the media”. Blackwell saw a gap that needed to be filled. He noticed that “Many liberal organizations exist to increase the involvement of liberal activists; few similar organizations exist to serve conservatives. Because conservatism tends to focus on the power of ideas, most conservative organizations are think-tanks that focus on policy or legislation”. For that reason, he set up an institute that would ensure that conservatives do not keep walking into the political field of play with a limp. The left, and left-wing politicians generally, seem to always have some advantage when it comes to organizing and mobilizing large numbers of people. They are more visible, and perhaps noisier, in the public policy process. LI thinking and orientation is that “it is the lack of widespread, active conservative participation that is one of America’s greatest practical weaknesses”. With LI determined to keep increasing the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders in the public policy process, it the Institute takes them beyond policy impact analysis, to recreate and also teach the process of influencing policy through direct participation, activism, and leadership. The active support for the entire conservative movement extends to the nurturing of unique conservative nonprofits, and freely sharing LI’s most valuable resource.

This resource, strange as it may sound, is the Institute’s list of students it has trained and its list of conservative student campus groups – with other conservative organizations. But back to Gbajabiamiala! He reeled off a commissioning marathon of sorts, inflicting on his politically contiguous constituents a number of high value and high impact ingredients of modern social infrastructure. That was a few days ago. The scope, quality, relevance and likely long-term impact of the projects under reference completely outpaces anything several of his former colleagues put together can muster. In fact, Gbajabiamila has “Done a Nwesom Wike” on his fellow former legislators. Remember how Wike embarked on massive infrastructural development projects, announced that the resources came from a monumental largess of arrears from the Federal Government, which his fellow South-South governors also received; but “chopped” in silence. Some of them started speaking in tongues, to avoid what they thought they had swallowed in peace. The difference here is that Gbaja is saying what Wike verbalized, but by his actions; not words and flexing. The Conference Centre Gbajabiamila built for the Lagos State University, as shown a few days ago, is a desperately needed facility that will impact the quality of the school’s learning environment. The dualized Babs Animashaun Road in Surulere speaks to the end of a nightmare for that part of town, throwing up better esthetics, greater traffic fluidity and general upliftment of the environment. The Sam Sonibare community Development Centre, now erected and standing in Surulere as part of Gbajabiamila’s “Constituency Project”, has brought back a sense of history to a distracted generation of phone pressers and bugger eaters. In case you know nothing about Sonibare, Wikipedia tell has this to say: “Chief Samuel Olatunbosun Shonibare (January 8, 1920 - January 1964) was a Nigerian businessman and politician who was a founding member of the Action Group (AG), he was an active member of the party from its formation until his death in 1964”. And he impacted Yoruba political history and its development. The new Femi Gbajabiamila General Hospital will create jobs and offer health services. The new Hall of Residence built for the simply over-compressed students of the University of Lagos, where I was once a teacher in the Department of Philosophy, will create elbow room for meaningful student accommodation, while the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Surulere Campus will make the needed impact in an environment that inherited from Chief Awolowo the right legacy on lasting development. With Bode Thomas police station, a ministadium at Orile, and the reconstructed Randle Avenue Road, as part of CONSTITUECNY PROJECTS by just one legislator, the question for many would be: Was Gbajabiamila the only one who went to the National Assembly in the name of his people? Due to the overwhelming success of the 1st LMI Fellowship flagged of by Gbajabiamila in

2022, the 2nd edition of the residential Fellowship ran from December 4th -22nd, 2023 in Abuja; at the end of which the class is voted the top 3-5 Speakers who presented their talks during the Closing Dinner and Graduation To wrap it all up, our people say that a young man who thinks that all it takes to make a home is a well-built house, or even mansion, should not be trusted with anyone’s daughter as a wife. Our people hold that the concept of home must first exist in the mind, as a nurturing platform. It is not just a physical space, or a special location, no! That is why we can say “I feel at home with you, or in this place”, and not be talking about our place of residence – or a house. It is, instead, a cocktail of values that human societies deploy in order to create and sustain a self-replicating sense of community. The home is the primal Human Capital Development Factory of any community, or society. Institutions of state, strictly understood, are supposed to be extensions of this primal task of the home. They are actually designed, in intent, to drive and sustain norms for reciprocal relationships and group survival which had it sprout and seed strength from the home. But that is a matter for another day. It is against the background of the foregoing that our people speak thus: “It is not a barnful of yams from today’s harvest that guarantees continuous future harvest in future”. It is precisely on the basis of this last saying that elders take time to say to young, ambitious and unduly enthusiastic aspirants to a farming career: “Do not mistake enthusiasm for ability, or staying power. Pay attention to what you will meet on the road you have chosen”. And they will then go ahead to educate the neophyte along the following lines: “The five things you need to succeed as a farmer are (1) Close attention to the soil type, degree of soil fertility, and its suitability for certain types of crop; (2) Careful selection of the quality of seed and crops to be planted; (3) Continuous monitoring, to drive away harmful birds, weevils, etc.; (4) Periodic and regular weeding of the cultivated areas, to ensure that wild grass and brambles do not choke and kill the plants; (5) Careful harvest and sorting into “grades” of the yield, since not all that is harvested would always be of the same quality”. But enough of all that. The Federal Republic of Nigeria needs a new orientation on several fronts, with government and non-government actors intervening where it really matters. The REBIRTH Initiative of Development Specs Academy and its major partner, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), is predicated on this. The acronym of this new, private sector driven initiative to drive new national leadership and followership consciousness, rests on the desire to Reinvent, the Essence, Beauty Integrity Resourcefulness and Traditions and Heritage (REBIRTH) of our fatherland in a sustainable way. We are off to a prepare our teachers and those entrusted to them for new values of responsible citizenship, guided by knowledge.

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