THURSDAY 27TH JANUARY 2022

Again, Rivers Floors FG, As Court Declares Deductions from Fed Account to Fund its Agencies Unconstitutional Orders refund to state

Alex Enumah in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Justice Ahmed

Mohammed

of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court yesterday declared as illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional the direct

It’s victory for democracy, says Wike

allocations made by the federal government from the federation account to fund the Nigeria Police Trust Fund. Mohammed barred the

federal government from further deductions from the federation account to fund agencies not listed in the 1999 Constitution

for direct allocation.

Reacting to the ruling, Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, stated that the judgement was a

resounding victory for democracy.

The court, in the judgment, held Continued on page 11

OPEC+ Expected to Continue with Additional 400,000bpd, Oil Price Hits $90... Page 8 Thursday 27 January, 2022 Vol 27. No 9788. Price: N250

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Sanwo-Olu Flags Off Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge Project 20 Years after Conception... Page 6 Soludo: As Gov, I'll Drive InnosonVehicle as Official Car

Says no ceremony to be held for swearing-in David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

L-R: Chairman, Lagos House of Assembly Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Aboudun Tobun; Managing Director, Julius Berger Construction Company, Engr. Las Richter; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. (Mrs) Aramide Adeyoye; Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde and member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. James Faleke, during the Flag-Off of the Ojota-Opebi Link Bridges and Approach roads... yesterday

Anambra State governor-elect, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has said that in order to promote domestic Continued on page 11

Cash-strapped FG Approves N3trn, 17.5% of 2022 Budget to Sustain Subsidy To send supplementary appropriation to National Assembly Mandates finance ministry to reconcile payment with NNPC NLC knocks govt over 18-month timeline IPMAN wants dilapidated refineries fixed Fayemi: Only 8 states benefiting from subsidy Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha in Abuja; Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie in Lagos A day after the federal government announced its plan to delay implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and retain payment of

petrol subsidy for 18 months, the government yesterday approved N3 trillion for the new subsidy regime. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the sum at its weekly meeting in Abuja.

Continued on page 11

2023: Saraki Hints at Presidential Bid as ROYAL VISIT TO THE VILLA...

Chief Brown Mene; Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III; President Muhammadu Buhari; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, and Okorocha Declares Intention to Run... Page 50 L-R: Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, during the Olu’s visit at the State House, Abuja... yesterday

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Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322, 0807 401 0580

NEWS

FEC IN VIRTUAL SESSION...

President Muhammadu Buhari, during the virtual FEC meeting held at the Council Chambers, State House Abuja.

PHOTO: SUNDAY AGHAEZE

Sanwo-Olu Flags Off Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge Project 20 Years after Conception Lagos State acquires three additional trains for blue line Promises to honour agreement reached with Magodo landlords Segun James The construction of a carriageway, a traffic solution proposed 20 years ago to ease the perennial gridlocks that usually stretch from the Sheraton link road into Opebi corridor was yesterday flaggedoff by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The link bridge project was conceived 20 years ago by the administration of Senator Bola Tinubu.

Sanwo-Olu explained during the flagging-off ceremony that the 3.89 kilometre-long road infrastructure would open into the Ojota axis in Kosofe, taking traffic from Opebi u-turn and dropping it at Ikorodu Road via intersection that would be constructed under the Odo Iya Alaro Bridge at Mende.

He explained that the road project would be supported by 276 metre-long deck-on-pile bridge

and 474 metre-long mechanically stabilised earth-wall approach sections.

The carriageway, which is a new connectivity, according to him, would create an easy exit for commuters leaving IkejaOnigbongbo axis towards Ojota and Maryland.

Sanwo-Olu said the project was initiated to proffer permanent solution to inadequacies of Opebi Link Bridge and the Opebi U-Turn, and to ease pressure on overburdened routes within Ikeja, with the objective to reduce travel time along the corridor.

Speaking on the road infrastructure, Sanwo-Olu described the project as, “another landmark progress,” recorded by his administration towards delivering requisite infrastructure in Lagos.

The ceremony, he said, demonstrated the priority accorded the welfare and well-being of

Senate Approves N216bn Budget for FIRS in 2022 The Senate yesterday approved the sum of N215,811,290,243 as budget for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for the 2022 fiscal year.

The approval followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Finance during plenary.

A statement quoted the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Lagos West), in his presentation, to have said out of the amount approved, N119,684,218,735 was for personnel cost; N60,160,518,057 for overhead cost, and N35,966,553,451 for capital cost.

He stated that the 2022 projected cost of collection of N215.81 billion was slightly lower than the 2021 approved revenue which stood at N216.65 billion.

He explained that the difference represents a Cost of Collection (CoC) decrease of N840 million on the overall projected non-oil revenue.

Adeola disclosed that personnel cost was based on staff strength on the payroll, including social benefits such as NHIS, Pension contribution among others, and anticipated performance bonus for the year.

He attributed the increase in overhead projection to the need for more robust operational activities, “which has a direct relationship with overhead budget lines such as electricity tariff, generator fuel cost, legal services due to tax disputes, local travels and transport and critical ones that relate directly to tax collection and administration.”

The lawmaker added that capital cost estimates reported included on-going and new projects which are to be executed during the present financial year.

“These are a result of expected completion of projects, payment of retention on completed projects and some new projects for effective revenue drive,” he said.

the residents in line with his Government’s drive towards delivering a Greater Lagos Vision.

He said: “This flag-off ceremony demonstrates the priority we accord the well-being of the people of Lagos, as we are witnessing another milestone in the implementation of the Traffic Management and Transportation Pillar of our administration’s THEMES Agenda and the State Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).

“Prior to this project, there was no direct road linkage between Opebi, Maryland and Ojota.

Available roads linking the areas are limited in connectivity options, thus paving the way for the high traffic volume and congestion within the Ikeja traffic network.

“We recognised the need to create permanent solution to the conflicts by initiating another legacy construction project linking Ojota, Opebi and approach roads to connect Opebi Road from its tail end with Ikorodu Road by Odo Iya Alaro.”

“Upon completion, the carriageway will reduce travel time for Lagos and Ikorodu-bound traffic from Opebi. It will also ease the traffic situation at Opebi-Sheraton Link Road and Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.

“This legacy project will not only provide a new link to commute around Ikeja and its environs, it will also enhance economic prosperity and life expectancy,” he said.

The governor stressed that Messr Julius Berger was favoured as preferred contractor for the iconic project, given the civil engineering firm’s capacity and track record in construction on swampy terrains.

Since his administration came on board, Sanwo-Olu said 65 road projects and dozens of junction improvement work have been completed, while over 50 road infrastructure projects were at various stages of completion across the State.

He added that the state government’s traffic improvement work was being complemented with constant road maintenance.

He disclosed that over 832 arterial and tertiary roads, covering 252 kilometres, had been rehabilitated through routine palliative activities by the Lagos Public Works Corporation.

The governor added: “This is to demonstrate that politics is not about lip service. We have committed substantial resources to the provision of quality roads, waterways, and rail infrastructure to the people of Lagos, just as we

have invested in modernisation of infrastructure inherited from the previous administration.

“To give the people commuting options, we initiated the construction of a 37 km track rail project which is steadily progressing, in addition to the complete overhaul of our water transportation system so that we can achieve an efficient and safe transport system that suits our megacity status and befits a 21st century economy.”

Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr.

Aramide Adeyoye, said Julius Berger carried out extensive studies and engineering investigations along the project alignment two decades ago, prompting the state government to take proceed with the construction.

She said the governor remained determined to ensure that the project did not end up being abandoned, stressing that necessary funding mechanism had been secured to guarantee the project’s timely completion.

“Aside providing direct link between Opebi and Mende, Maryland and Ojota, this project also has two underpasses and U-Turn that will provide access for Ojota to Ikorodu as well as for Opebi-bound commuters.

“There is also provision for another underpass U-Turn for Phase 2 of Opebi Link Bridge Project which would eventually set a precedence for Ojota commuters to link the Third Axial Road,” Adeyoye said.

Also, the member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, Hon. James Faleke, described the project as “a surprise gift” to Ikeja community, praising the Governor for his vision to open up the swampy channel.

The Chairman of Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Oladotun Olakanle, extended residents’ appreciation to the governor for kicking off the project.

Sanwo-Olu also announced that the state government had successfully procured additional three sets of train for the Lagos Blue Line Rail project expected to be completed before the end of the year. The blue rail line traverses Okokomaiko and Marina.

The news came a week after the governor completed the deal for the procurement of two Talgo trains in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States (U.S.) for the Lagos Red Rail Line project, stretching 37-kilometre from Abule Egba into Oyingbo.

Appear or Pay N18.4bn Compensation to Host Communities, Senate Threatens NLNG Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate yesterday gave the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited a seven-day ultimatum to appear before its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition.

The directive by the Senate followed the presentation of the report of the Committee with respect to a petition from Chief Enyinna Onuegbu on behalf of 73 communities of Obiafu, Soku to Bonny, in Rivers State against the NLNG. The Senate insisted that if the authorities of the NLNG failed

to appear before its committee within seven days, the company would be made to pay the N18.448 billion recommended by the panel as compensation to the 73 communities.

The petitioners accused the NLNG of refusing to pay compensation for acquiring their land and loss of use of the affected land to pipeline Right of Way (ROW) through the communities.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, said the NLNG did not pay any compensation to the communities following acquisition of their land.

Akinyelure said, "Following the incorporation of the Nigeria LNG Limited, it acquired landed properties in Rivers State in 1996 spanning over 210km for use as its pipelines Right of Way (ROW) which ended at the export terminal of the NLNGin Finima Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“That there were over 73 communities and over 200 families whose hitherto agrarian source of livelihood was negatively impacted upon by the said acquisition.

“That NLNG neither proved nor showed evidence to the Committee that it paid compensation to the 73 communities for loss of use of their land to pipelines

Right of Way (ROW; and that there was no Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the communities and the NLNG on future obligations in the name of Corporate Social Responsibility with the impacted communities.

“That there was evidence that oil companies such as Shell Petroleum Development Company, Totalfina, Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited, Agip Oil Corporation paid compensation for loss of use of land to their host communities; and That the communities were claiming the sum of N18,448,842,500.00 being compensation for the loss of use of their land as at May, 2020.”

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BRIEFING THE MEDIA ON OUTCOMES OF FEC MEETING...

L-R: Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Alhaji Isa Pantami; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI Ahmed and Minister of FCT, Malam Mohammad Bello, briefing State House Correspondents after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa in Abuja... yesterday

OPEC+ Expected to Continue with Additional 400,000bpd, Oil Price Hits $90 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja with agency report The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies OPEC+ are expected to continue their last year’s plan to gradually release 400,000 barrels per day when they meet next week.

This is just as crude oil price rose to a seven-year high of over $90 a barrel yesterday, supported by tight supply and geopolitical

tensions in Europe and the Middle East, raising concerns about further disruption.

Specifically, Brent crude rose to $90.21, the highest since October 2014, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was $87.69.

Oil futures contract had been propelled higher recently by perceptions that demand growth is outrunning that of supply, and by broader concerns that geopolitical events could test already-reduced

spare crude production capacity.

Global demand has largely recovered from the collapse of 2020 and governments, with the notable exception of big consumer China, are becoming increasingly relaxed about the Covid-19 pandemic with the result that precautionary lockdowns are starting to ease.

On the supply side, there are few signs that US shale producers are responding to higher prices, although US independent Cono-

coPhillips' chief executive Ryan Lance told the Argus Americas Crude Summit this week that at these levels futures represent a "tacit call" for US output to increase.

However, some delegates told Bloomberg that the oil producers’ group would stick to plan and ratify another modest production increase as it tries to satisfy rebounding oil demand.

But countries like Nigeria with a daily underperformance figure of

House Seeks to Unravel Fuel Subsidy Controversy, Investigate State of Refineries Probes unclaimed funds in commercial banks Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila yesterday set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the actual volume of petrol consumed daily in order to determine the level of subsidy being paid by the government.

Gbajabiamila also set up another ad hoc committee to investigate the actual state of refineries so as to ascertain what it would cost to bring the refineries back to life again.

Speaking at the plenary, he noted that the time had come for the lawmakers to intervene on the issue, saying only when the investigation was carried out that the nation would be able to determine the actual volume of fuel consumed daily in the country and the amount of subsidy being paid by the government.

He said members of the Committee on fuel consumption, which would be headed by Abdullahi Ningi (APC, Bauchi). Others are Ahmed Satome, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Usman Zanna, Leke Abejide, Uzoma Abonta, among others.

For state of the refineries, it would be headed by Ganiyu Johnson (APC, Lagos) and others are Yusuf Buba, Fred Obua, Akinfolarin Mayowa, Haruna Dederi, among others.

The Speaker tasked members of the committees to speak to various stakeholders, and not rely on just figures being paraded around.

"The committees has 4 weeks to present its report. In doing their work they should not restrict

themselves to NNPC figures, as NNPC being an interested party of course. They should go far and wide, talk to experts, talk to labour, talk to national and international experts and those who will know.

“Talk to the motor vehicles registration centres, we just need to determine how much petrol we consume, talk to the transport companies, deal with facts and figures," the Speaker said.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the unclaimed funds in commercial banks and the infractions by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Consequently, the House set up an Ad-hoc Committee chaired by Hon. Unyime Idem (PDP, AkwaIbom) to carry out the investigation.

The House mandated the Committee to also investigate the unremitted funds collected on behalf of agencies and departments of the federal government by banks.

The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored

by Hon. Dachung Bagos (PDP, Plateau) at the plenary.

Moving the motion, Bagos noted that the Bank Verification Number (BVN) was introduced by the CBN in 2014, to the Nigerian banking system as a way of checking and combating money laundering, illicit financing and duplicitous ownership of bank accounts used for fraud.

He said about seven years after the introduction of the BVN, about 45.85 million bank accounts across Nigeria were yet to be linked to BVNs as data released by the Nigerian Inter–Bank Settlement

Systems (NIBSS) on June 23, 2021, disclosed that the total number of bank accounts in Nigeria as of May 2019 was pegged at 122.071 million and the active accounts as of May, 2020 stood at 72.936 million.

In a related development, the House of representatives has mandated its Committee on Labour Employment and Productivity to develop a comprehensive industrial revolution template featuring both economic and social impact projections to engage over 11 million unemployed Nigerian youths and report back within six weeks for further legislative action.

The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion on the need to Combat Unemployment and Social Vices through Establishment

of Industries Across the Federation moved by Hon. Chinedu Emeka Martins.

Martins noted that, “the unprecedented rate of unemployment is the root of the social vices currently experienced in the country and 33.3 per cent unemployment and the 28 per cent youth unemployment rates amounting to over 11 million unemployed youths verifies the lack of cottage industries in the country, which should have played a critical role in engaging youthful energy positively in the production of raw materials as well as semi–finished products, thus distract young people from taking up social vices as the only alternative for survival and social mobility."

78,000 barrels per day in December, for instance, have slowed down OPEC’s ability to fully pump the entire 400,000 bpd every month.

Last month, Nigeria slumped lower than other previous production performances, compared to for instance, October, in which 1.228 barrels were pumped per day, and November during which 1.275 million barrels were produced per day.

Given an average price of about $85 per barrel for that month, the inability to pump more oil may have cost the country approximately $205.5 million for the entire month.

The data, according to OPEC, which uses both primary and secondary sources to obtain information on production levels, was received from direct communication with Nigeria.

Among members of the cartel, the OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) for January showed, only crisis-torn Libya, lost more oil than Nigeria, with a production deficit of roughly 119, 000 barrels per day.

For proper context, Nigeria’s quota for February remains at 1.701 barrels per day, but the country’s effort to produce more in the last few months has not yielded any fruits.

While the target is to produce about 1.86 million barrels daily by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, poor upstream infrastructure, long term waning investment and the impact of the OPEC-induced shutdowns last year, have combined to hobble the number of barrels pumped

by Nigeria.

But it was learnt yesterday that the 23-nation coalition led by Saudi Arabia and Russia would probably rubber-stamp a hike of 400,000 barrels a day for March, according to officials from about half of the group's members.

Although it was estimated that OPEC+ spare capacity was about 5.2 million bpd, of which just over three million bpd was being held by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the coalition appeared unwilling to break its rules to allow individual countries to raise output above and beyond agreed levels.

The coalition had stuck to its schedule for gradual monthly supply increases since forging the agreement, but whether the cartel will actually be able to add this volume to the market is unclear.

Revival of production halted during the pandemic has started to run into capacity constraints, with many members failing to hit their targets for reasons ranging from lack of investment to militant unrest.

As world fuel consumption heads back to pre-crisis levels, the struggles of OPEC and its partners have contributed to a rally in prices to a seven-year high.

That's a growing source of pain for consuming nations as escalating fuel bills feed into inflationary pressure and a cost of living crisis afflicting millions around the world.

Last month, OPEC+ nations managed only two-thirds of their stipulated increase, according to the group's data, with Nigeria, Angola and Russia all coming up short.

Osinbajo: Buhari Fully Committed to Nigeria's Progress Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari is fully committed to ensuring that things are done right for the progress of the people and the country at large.

Osinbajo made this assertion while playing host to a delegation of the Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria, (CWON) led by their President, Mary Gonsum, at the State House, Abuja.

He reaffirmed the Buhari administration’s resolve to ensure that things run smoothly in the country saying, “one thing that is certain is that there is a determination on the part of the president to ensure that things are done right.”

“That is a genuine commitment.

He has spent most of his life in public service at various levels.

One thing that is evident is that if there is anyone committed to the progress of this country, he is,” he added.

While addressing concerns around the challenges in the country, Osinbajo highlighted the role of civic and social leadership in also tackling the issues.

“There would be times a country is faced with challenges, it is the leadership and not just political leadership, but I mean civic and religious leaderships such as yourselves who rise in support of the country by way of prayers, encouragement, and admonition,” he added.

He expressed gratitude for the visit by the Catholic women drawn from across the country and the words of encouragement from the delegation.

Osinbajo said, “I am pleased you have taken the time to come visit and encourage us because the words you spoke are words of encouragement. Very frequently, we hear criticism, it is encouragement that is often not easy to come by.”

He also commended the Catholic Church and acknowledged their role in the country.

"Every one of us is aware of the social and civic role that the Catholic church plays in our nation.

This is also evident in the work that you are doing as the Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria

with the schools, hospitals and the various ways the civic and social lives of people in our country have improved. A lot of it is in the efforts of the Catholic Church,” he added.

Earlier in her speech, the leader of the delegation Gonsum commended the federal government under the leadership of President Buhari lauding, “the proactive and far-reaching policies/actions of the government as it affects the fight against corruption, terrorism/ insurgency and banditry."

She further stressed that, “the purchase and induction of the super Tucano fighter Jets is an indication of the commitment of this administration to bring to an end, terrorism and banditry in our dear country Nigeria.”

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GREIVING WITH THE MANGALS...

Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (left) and Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, when Saraki paid a condolence visit to the Mangal family over the passing of their mother, Hajiya Murja Mangal, in Katsina State…yesterday

NCDC Declares National Emergency Response against Lassa Fever Disease claims 26 lives

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated its national multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in response to the outbreak of the disease in some parts of the country.

A statement issued by the Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, yesterday, stated that the measure became necessary given the increase in the number of confirmed Lassa fever cases across the country and a joint risk assessment with partners and sister agencies.

He said as at January 23, 2022, there were a total of 115 confirmed cases with 26 deaths (a case fatality ratio of 22.6%) that had been reported.

Adetifa said the cases were reported from 30 local government areas across 11states.

"Furthermore, the reports in weeks one and two show the highest number of confirmed cases recorded in the last four years for the same period.

“Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by rodents infected with Lassa fever virus.

“Person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in a hospital environment with inadequate infection control measures,” the NCDC boss explained.

Adetifa said the disease control centre was working with relevant ministries, departments, health agencies and partners to strengthen the capacity of states to effectively manage this outbreak alongside COVID-19 and other diseases of public health relevance.

He also said the risk communication activities were ongoing through radio, posters, flyers, and social media.

The Federal Ministry of Environment is also implementing a lassa fever environmental response campaign in high burden states.

While explaining the nature of the symptoms of the disease, Adetifa said Lassa fever initially presents itself like any other febrile illness such as malaria, adding that its symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.

In addition, he explained that the time between the infection and the appearance of symptoms of the disease was three to 21 days.

He, however, said early treatment and diagnosis increases chances of patients’ survival.

In the statement, NCDC advised Nigerians to ensure proper environmental sanitation at all times, blocking all holes in the house to prevent rats from entry.

“Also people are advised to cover their dustbins and dispose of refuse properly, while communities are

enjoined to set up dumpsites very far from their homes to reduce the chances of having rodents within homes,” it added.

The NCDC also urged members of the public to store foodstuffs such as rice, garri, beans, corn/ maize, etc in containers that are well covered with tight-fitting lids, avoid drying foodstuffs outside on the floor, roadside where they would be exposed to contamination.

It stated that the people should avoid bush burning, saying it could lead to the displacement of rats from bushes to human dwellings.

"They should eliminate rats in homes and communities by setting rat traps and other means, practice good personal hygiene by frequent washing hands with soap under

running water /or use of hand sanitisers when appropriate and visit the nearest health facility if you notice any of the signs and symptoms of Lassa fever as mentioned earlier, and avoid self-medication.

"Health care workers are also advised to practice standard precautions and to maintain a high index of suspicion at all times. Ensure appropriate use of personal protective equipment any time there is a risk of body fluid exposure. This is critical for breaking the chain of transmission of the disease. Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) must be performed for all suspected cases of malaria," it said.

NCDC boss said that like several other countries in West Africa, the

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mr. Aliyu Tahir, an engineer, to replace Mr Peter Ewesor, who has served out his mandatory two terms as Managing Director of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).

A release by Mrs Ama Umoren, on behalf of the General Manager Public Affairs of NEMSA, stated that the tenure of the new chief electrical inspector of the Federation is for an initial period of four years.

However, it noted that this may be renewed for one further term of another four years based on

performance and in accordance with the public service rules.

The NEMSA release quoted a a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Mr. Nebeolisa Anaka, as saying that the appointment took effect from December 31st 2021. “ Tahir, who was before now the General Manager, Technical Standard and Inspectorate Services (TS&IS) in NEMSA replaces the former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Peter Ewesor, whose second and final tenure expired on the 3rd of October 2021,” it stated.

According to the statement, Tahir

tory supplies as well as oral and intravenous Ribavirin for preventive and curative treatment to treatment centres across the country."

"To support and strengthen the response efforts of states, NCDC has continued to deploy Rapid Response Teams (RRT) as required to states. The RRTs through the State Public Health Emergency Operation Centres (PHEOCs) work with states across all response pillars to strengthen preparedness and response activities.

"This includes outbreak investigation, contact tracing, response coordination, case management, psycho- social care for infected people, risk communication, and infection prevention and control activities," he said.

Agro Cargo Airport: Ogun, AfDB to Sign MoU on SAPZ Establishment The Ogun State government on Tuesday had a meeting towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Development Bank (AfDB) on the establishment of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Programme (SAPZ).

The SAPZ would be located at the Gateway Agro-Cargo Airport, Ilishan-Remo in Ikenne local government area of the state.

According to a statement yesterday, the meeting which took place at the AfDB Secretariat in Abidjan, had in attendance Governors Dapo Abiodun, Nasir El-Rufai, Seyi Makinde and Hope

Uzodinma of Ogun, Kaduna, Oyo and Imo states respectively.

Their states too had been listed to benefit from the first round of funding under the same scheme.

Speaking at the event, Abiodun lauded the AfDB for choosing Ogun as a major location of the SAPZ, saying the programme aligns perfectly with the Economic and Agricultural Development Agenda and activities of the state.

He noted that the implementation of SAPZ would not only support smallholder farmers and other value chain actors for increased agricultural productivity, but would also enhance food

Buhari Replaces Ewesor, Appoints Tahir as New NEMSA CEO Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

disease was endemic in Nigeria and often recorded during the dry season, between November and May. Since 2016, NCDC said it had been working hard to improve diagnostic capacity for the disease.

He also said currently there are seven laboratories that conduct confirmatory tests for Lassa fever in Nigeria coordinated by the NCDC National Reference Laboratory (NRL).

According to the NCDC boss, this has improved active case detection for the disease.

Similarly, care for affected individuals has improved with NCDC, "providing support to states including the provision of emergency medical and labora-

has over 29 years of experience in the power sector, having joined the federal ministry of power in 1993 and risen to the position of a Deputy Director Electrical Inspectorate Services Department from where he was transferred to NEMSA as the General Manager of TS/IS. A Yobe-born graduate of electrical engineering from the Abubakar Tafawa Belewa University, he served as the secretary, presidential task force on power in 2011 while in service with the ministry of power.

He is a fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Power Engineers (NIPE), a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE),

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and registered member, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).

NEMSA was established in 2015, to carry out the functions of enforcement of technical standards and regulations, technical inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations, electricity meters and instruments in the country.

This, the government said, was to ensure the efficient production and delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable electricity supply and guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian electricity supply industry; and for related matters.

security and nutrition security activities.

He stated further that the programme would ensure job creation through agricultural value chain development in crop, aquaculture, core livestock sectors as well as service provision initiatives in the agricultural sector.

"Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) development,/ agro industrialisation through innovative linkages of primary producers to the industrial process, export promotion/diversification and leveraging on local, national, regional and international trade advantages including African Continental Free Trade area (AFCFTA) will also receive a boon via this programme," Abiodun noted.

The governor explained that Ogun with its comparative advantages of Arable Land of 1.2 million hectares, cargo airport project, transport master plan and road infrastructure/network targeting food production and processing locations and proposed Agro-Industrial Hub, the SAPZ programme would be a huge success.

"With our Agricultural Transformation Centres and Aggregation Centres, proximity to Lagos market, close proximity to raw materials, expanded primary production and youth engagement in key SAPZ crop -Cassava, Rice and Livestock (Poultry) - with a total of 44,541 registered primary

producers, including youths, highest concentration of agro Industries/ processors requiring exceptional high number of primary products (raw materials) on daily basis, with over 80 Agro Industries/Processors in Cassava, Rice and Livestock, complementary project activities through the IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) and CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), with over 75,000 registered interested applicants and 13,000 beneficiaries linked to input and credit to the tune of over Two Billion Naira in Cassava, Rice, Maize and Cocoa Commodities, Ogun is good to go.

"The World Bank/Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP) which targets 40,000 smallholder farmers in Nine (9) priority value chains (cassava, maize, rice, soybean, tomatoes, pepper, sesame, fishery and poultry); as well as government policy of mandatory support to agricultural value chain actors and support to smallholder farmers for productivity and inclusiveness in the new focus for agriculture, I have no doubt that the AFDB programme will yield the deaired result," he added.

Abiodun, however, assured that his administration would further deepen its commitment to supplementary support for SAPZ infrastructures for the Agroindustrial hub for land and related facilities in addition to the Cargo airport in the vicinity of the hub.

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THURSDAY, ͺͿ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

ELEVEN CASH-STRAPPED FG APPROVES N3TRN, 17.5% OF 2022 BUDGET TO SUSTAIN SUBSIDY The N3 trillion now budgeted to sustain the payment of subsidy in 2022 alone, amounts to 17.5 per cent of the total of N17.126 trillion 2022 budget that was signed into law on the last day of 2021. Already, the approved 2022 budget has a deficit of N6.39 trillion, which is 37 per cent of the N17.126 trillion.

This is a clear indication that the government may borrow more this year than it had earlier projected.

The N3 trillion approved by FEC is 55 per cent and 43 per cent of the capital component and recurrent expenditure of the 2022 budget, respectively.

Implementation of the PIA, which stipulates the removal of petrol subsidy, was initially meant to commence in February 2022, but it was later shifted to July 2022.

However, due to pressure and threat of protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the removal of subsidy was suspended on Monday.

But NLC, Lagos chapter, yesterday criticised the federal government’s decision to recommend an 18-month extension of the PIA to the National Assembly.

On its part, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) urged the federal government to introduce palliatives to cushion the effect of subsidy withdrawal, irrespective of the postponement of the policy, as well as fix all the country's refineries.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said only about eight states were presently benefitting directly from petrol subsidy.

Fayemi said this at a joint meeting

between the state governors, NLC, and TUC over the fuel subsidy withdrawal.

FEC yesterday mandated the Finance, Budget and National Planning Ministry to reconcile the fuel subsidy budget with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, which prepared the estimate.

The council meeting presided

by President Muhammadu Buhari also okayed the preparation of the 2022 Supplementary Budget, which would include the repeal of Clauses 10 and 11 of the Appropriation Act as well as incorporation of N103 billion removed by the lawmakers from the initial budget estimates, for submission to the National Assembly for approval.

The decisions reached at the virtual FEC meeting were made public by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, who briefed newsmen after the meeting.

Ahmed said a memo in respect of the additional funding provisions to enable government meet the incremental fuel subsidy request in the 2022 budget was presented for the council’s consideration.

She said only N443 billion had been provided for in the 2022 budget to accommodate subsidy from January to June, but taking the prevailing economic realities, both locally and globally, into consideration, FEC proposed a year-long provision for the subsidy.

Ahmed said the request was considered by the council, which directed the ministry to approach the National Assembly for an amendment to the fiscal framework as well as the budget.

The minister explained, "You

would recall that in the 2022 budget, as appropriated, we have made a provision of N443 billion for subsidy for January to June. Having taken into account the current realities: increased hardship in the population, heightened inflation, and also that the measures that needed to be taken to enable a smoother exit from the fuel subsidy are not yet in place, it was agreed by Council that it is desirable to exit fuel subsidy.

"The NNPC has presented to the ministry a request for N3 trillion as fuel subsidy for 2022.

What this means is that we have to make an incremental provision of N2.557 trillion to be able to meet the subsidy requirement, which is averaging about N270 billion per month.

"In 2021, the actual underrecovery that has been charged to the federation was N1.2 trillion, which means an average of N100 billion, but in 2022, because of the increased crude oil price per barrel in the global market, now at $80 per barrel, and also because an NNPC’s assessment is that the country is consuming 65.7 million litres per day, now we'll end up with incremental cost of N3 trillion in 2022.

"So, this has been considered

by Council and we've also been asked to approach the National Assembly for an amendment to the fiscal framework as well as the budget, to also further discuss with NNPC on how to make provisions for this and how to rationalise this expenditure."

The minister added that her ministry had been directed to engage the NNPC with the possibility of bringing down the subsidy estimate.

AGAIN, RIVERS FLOORS FG, AS COURT DECLARES DEDUCTIONS FROM FED ACCOUNT TO FUND ITS AGENCIES UNCONSTITUTIONAL that Section 161 and Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution were glaringly breached by the federal government following the direct allocation from the federation account to the Police Trust Fund.

The suit challenging the continued deductions from the federation account to fund agencies belonging to the federal government was filed by the Rivers State Government.

Delivering judgement, the court held that Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution was clear and unambiguous to the effect that only the federal, states and local governments shall be allocated fund directly from the federation account.

The court also held that Section 4 of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act 2019 relied upon by the federal government to justify the unlawful deductions from the federation account was inconsistent with section 162 of the 1999 Constitution which recognises only the federal, states and local governments.

Mohammed, while upholding the suit by Rivers State against the deductions, ordered that the fund belonging to Rivers State but used to fund the Nigeria Police Trust fund by the federal government should be refunded to the state.

The judge, however, declined to extend similar order of refund to the 35 remaining states on the grounds that they were not parties in the suit, adding that Rivers State, as the plaintiff in this matter, did not file it on behalf of others.

The court upheld all arguments of Joseph Daudu, who stood for Rivers State, that where the provisions of the 1999 Constitution are clear and unambiguous, they must be given their ordinary meanings.

Mohammed also agreed with Daudu that the federal government was completely wrong in the interpretation given to section 4 of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act to the effect that the Nigerian Police was established for the federal government alone and as such the funding should solely be on the shoulders of the federal government.

Rivers State in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/511/2020 and instituted on its behalf by for-

mer President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Daudu, had challenged the decision of the federal government to allocate funds directly from the federation account to fund some of its agencies, stating that the decision violates section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

The Rivers State government also stated that the actions of the federal government deprived it substantial revenue from the federation account and, therefore, prayed the court to nullify the allocation from the federation account.

The plaintiff also claimed that the levies imposed on companies operating in Nigeria by the federal government, be paid directly to the Nigeria Police Force Trust Fund, instead of the federation account was also illegal.

The judge agreed with the plaintiff that under the relevant laws, such levies were supposed to be paid directly to the federation account and not to any federal government agencies.

The judge held, “I have carefully perused the issues raised by the plaintiff and I agree that no other person or entity is permitted to benefit direct fund allocation from the federation account.

"Section 4 of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act 2019 relied upon by the defendant to make direct fund allocation from the Federation Account is untenable as it runs contrary to section 162 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, which expressly stated that the federal government, state governments and local governments shall derive direct fund allocation from the federation account.”

Defendant in the matter were the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF); Accountant General of the Federation; Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and Minister of Finance.

However only the Attorney General of the Federation filled processes to defend the federal government’s action.

The AGF had in his preliminary objection asked the Federal High Court to decline jurisdiction in the matter on the ground that such suit ought to be filed directly at

the Supreme Court.

However, the preliminary objection was dismissed by Mohammed on the ground that it was misplaced and absurd.

Meanwhile, Wike hailed the ruling, noting that the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act, which the federal government relied on deduct funds from the Federation Account was in contravention of the 1999 Constitution.

Fayemi said, "I have always told people, it is not whether you must win or not, but it is a matter of when you see issues that you think are in contravention of our constitution and other laws, there is nothing wrong for you to challenge it, so that the right thing can be done.

“After all, if the money is given back to us, we can still on our own say police, we want to support you with this. But not the federal government arbitrarily deducting our money from the federation account and putting it to Police Trust Fund. I don't think that, that is right and I thank God that today the court has made a clear pronouncement on it.”

The governor acknowledged that though the National Assembly was constitutionally empowered to enact laws, in enacting the Police Trust Fund Act, they went beyond their powers by contravening the provisions of the constitution.

Speaking further on the order of the court that the Rivers State government should be refunded the money deducted from its share to fund the police, Wike said the order would put an end to impunity.

The governor said, “We are happy that the court has said that they should refund us all the money deducted and, luckily, the principal parties, Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, the Accountant General, Attorney General Office, they are all involved in the case.

"It is not about Rivers State, but it is about the impunity, it is about the violation of the constitution, as if anybody can wake up one early morning and just decide to do one or two things, which is wrong. And I am happy that the decision we took, we are not wrong and I thank my legal team.”

She stated, "We're going to engage NNPC to further interrogate the request that they presented with a view of trying to see how we can scale it down so that the country is not incurring N3 trillion for a fuel subsidy.

“We agreed with the view of governors, that there is a need to scale down on the size. So even as government is not immediately removing the fuel subsidy, we have to make sure that what the nation is incurring is efficient, and that it is real cost that has been consumed by the country."

Ahmed stated that the government would fund the N3 trillion subsidy regime through outstanding debts owed it by NNPC, which were being sorted out through on-going financial reconciliations with the company.

According to her, "We have several reconciliations with NNPC, which is owing, in some cases, the government. So we want to be able to settle some of the subsidy costs through this reconciliation process.

"When we are done with that, whatever is left that we are not able to apply to what NNPC is owing the federation will not be increasing the deficit. And that means increased domestic borrowing. But we haven't finished with the issue of reconciliation."

Ahmed further disclosed that FEC approved the 2022 Supplementary Budget to take care of areas that were overlooked by the National Assembly in approving the Appropriation Bill. She said FEC approved amendments to parts of the 2022 budget, which had initially been adjusted by the National Assembly during its legislative deliberations on the budget proposal submitted to it by the president in 2021.

According to her, the approved amendment to be transmitted to the National Assembly will request to repeal clauses 10 and 11 concerning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) operations in the 2022 budget and restore the N103 billion the lawmakers had removed.

She said, "The second memo we presented to Council today has to do with a request for approval of the 2022 Appropriation Amendment.

If you recall, when the president signed the 2022 appropriation into law on the 31st of December, he raised some concerns that he had in some of the provisions in the budget and had indicated that he will be submitting an amendment proposal to the National Assembly for them to effect improvements in what has been done to the budget.

"So, today Council took that amendment proposal and I just want to report that part of the requests that Council has approved today is for the National Assembly to repeal clauses 10 and 11. Clause 10 is referring to a provision that has been made that will enable the EFCC and NFIU be able to take 10 per cent of whatever collections that they recover.

“We're asking for that to be repealed because this is in direct contrast to the Acts of these two agencies and also it is in contravention of the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Finance Act 2021.

"Clause 11, on the other hand, is a provision that has been made that says that the Nigeria embassies and missions are now authorised by this Appropriation Act to expend funds allocated to them under Capital Components without the need to seek approval of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This, again, Council agreed, is inconsistent with financial regulations and also inconsistent with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act. So, we are asking for this to be repealed.

"Council also approved that some of the changes that were made in the Appropriation Act, totalling N103 billion, should be restored and examples of these are N22 billion that was provided for sinking fund to mature bonds that will be ready for payment in 2022 in the Nigerian domestic market, and also N12 billion for counterpart funding that is required for the various rail projects, and N189 million to be adjusted also in the budgets of the Ministry of Transport, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Head of Service.

"These are projects that are provided in these ministries that are completely unrelated to their mandate, so implementation will be a problem. Also, N5 billion to be restored for non-regular allowances of the Nigerian Navy, N15 billion to be restored for the regular allowances of the police formations and police commands and several others that Council looked at in detail.

“So, there's a detailed schedule of this N103 billion that Mr. President will be formally conveying to the National Assembly to restore the adjustments that were made."

Ahmed also disclosed that FEC ratified an instrument on diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa.

She said, “This has to do with the confirmation of ratification of Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Agreement between South Africa and Nigeria and the purpose for us is for the customs law in the respective territories to be properly observed to prevent and also enhance investigation and to combat customs offenses and to afford each country mutual assistance in cases concerning the delivery of documents regarding the application of customs laws in two countries.

“The importance of this for us is cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa, as it has become even more important now with the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement. It will also help to increase trade relations between the two countries and facilitate exchange of information as well as strengthen our bi-national cooperation.”

deceitful, as it had never fulfilled its promises to Nigerians regarding the maintenance of the refineries.

She stated that successive governments had deceived the populace into believing that they had to subsidise petrol.

Sessi said, “We need a concerted effort to fight the problem of corruption in our society, we thought it could be better during this administration, but it is getting worse. Everybody needs to speak and kill the slogan, which says if you cannot beat them, you join them.

“We are not supposed to join them because successive governments have been unable to do the turnaround maintenance, despite the huge amount of money they have spent.”

Defending accusations that the NLC was engaged in smuggling of petrol, Sessi insisted it was simply blackmail because they chose not to be a part of the evil plans.

She advised that people should stop shifting the blame to labour, saying the unions are only a fraction of Nigerians.

“It’s because government has seen the kind of mobilisation and that we were serious, that is why they made a U-turn and reversed their decision that would have caused problems and pushed Nigerians to the highest level of economic downturn,” Sessi concluded.

On his part, the Director General (DG) of Micheal Imodu Institute of Labour Studies, Issa Aremu, commended the leadership of NLC for remaining focused and for keeping to the tradition of the movement of engaging policies.

According to Aremu, “I’ve been involved in this process so I know what it takes to mobilise and demobilise. I am happy that inclusive issues of development are up for discussions.”

He also said, “I am happy that we are all on the same page and it can be business as usual within the petroleum downstream sector.

“This has been a long drawn issue and I think additional 18 months cannot be too long for us to look at all the issues as we are looking at nation building and not the regime. We shouldn’t be a debating but functional society.”

He called on the relevant stakeholders to stop hoarding petroleum products while the transition process is being managed.

The director general insisted that labour should be a little more balanced, saying the government had retained jobs and paid salaries as and when due.

NLC Knocks FG for Proposing 18 Months Extension

National Operations Controller, IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, reiterated their support for the federal government in whatever decisions they made. Osatuyi noted that the 18 months suspension would give the government the avenue to put in palliatives and support for Nigerians.

Osatuyi also clarified the notion about the group being government agents, stating that they are an

NLC said the federal government was only postponing the evil day. Chairperson of NLC, Lagos Chapter, Agnes Sessi, spoke yesterday on “The Morning Show,” a programme on Arise News Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers. Sessi said government had been very

IPMAN Wants Dilapidated Refineries Fixed

Continued on page 50

SOLUDO: AS GOV, I'LL DRIVE INNOSON VEHICLE AS OFFICIAL CAR brands, his official vehicles when he assumes office would be those manufactured by the Innoson Vehicle Motors (IVM).

Soludo who visited members of the inauguration committee stated this in his speech to the committee members.

The governor-elect also said it was not a coincidence that he had been wearing local fabrics known as Akwete, saying it was part of his intentional to support local brands and to make a statement with it.

He said: "My akwete dress is not just dress, it's a statement.

I want to make a statement with it. You know, in the entire south-east, this is the only textile thing alive, and it's handmade, by the women of akwaete in Abia State.

"Igbo land is one and we must

protect it. We want to bring back the zeal of patronising our own. I have said it even during campaigns, and I meant it, that if I win, the official car of the governor of Anambra State will be Innoson Vehicle.

"The dresses I will wear are those made here (south-east). We must protect the things that are made in our place. Something is about to happen in Igboland, and together we will get there."

On his upcoming swearing-in, Soludo said there would be no ceremony to mark the event, stressing that no amount would be spent on it.

He said the day was simply to mark his first day at work, saying even though it is a weekend, he would spend eight hours of the day working.

"I have made a wish that

not even one kobo of Anambra people's money will be spent on that swearing-in ceremony.

It is a wish, and I mean it. What are we spending money on?

Just few people coming to the inauguration and witnessing it, then I will open office and get down to work immediately.

"I do not wish any event, dancers or players and all that. I just want to show up for work, like every first work day. Though it is going to be a Friday, which is weekend, but I'm going to work for over eight hours that day.

"No ceremony, no event, no party, nothing. Not even 10 kobo will be spent. So the people who are saying N20 million has been budgeted should go and tell us where they will get that money. It is going to be work, work, work, and that is what we epitomise."

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THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022

COMMENT

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

MAKING THE SCORE WITH LAGOS’ RED LINE The red line train project is a win-win for Lagosians, writes James Adesanya

L

agos State is about to set a record as the first operator of a metro line in West Africa. Recently, it acquired two sets of brand new 10-car speed trains for the Lagos Red Line rail project. A video of the event surfaced showing Governor Babajide SanwoOlu and his aides inspecting the trains at the Milwaukee premises of Spanish train manufacturer, Talgo. The deal was like an icing on the cake for the rail project which the first phase of the Blue Line was planned to have commenced in 2011. But like they say, it’s never too late to start.

To be dedicated to the Red Line of the Lagos Metro, the trains which were produced by Talgo in 2009 were coincidentally painted red and white. Reading the history behind the trains was also a thing of comfort even though it’s also mired in the politics of the state of Wisconsin. The trains were manufactured to be used in the state but some political wrangling kept them in the warehouse.

“It is a little bittersweet’,” said the Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who received the Lagos governor and his entourage.

“I am sending my congratulations to the Governor of Lagos State in Nigeria, but also a little disappointed that we missed out on the opportunity to have those train sets operating here in Milwaukee and in Wisconsin.”

Also, Antonio Perez, the Chief Executive Officer /President, Talgo USA, expressed his happiness at supplying the trains to Lagos State.

“For us, it is important that our trains are utilised,” said Perez.

“It doesn’t make any good for the trains that we built to be stored and kept without passengers riding them.”

I like that train and the coaches are built to US standards and are brand new. It’s reassuring to know that as the country does not compromise.

With the recent acquisition of two speed trains by the Lagos State government, the deal of getting Lagos commuters on train is becoming real. Presently, work is earnestly ongoing around Ikeja where a portion of the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway and Obafemi Awolowo Way was declared closed for 15 months in April 2021 for construction work on the overpass and the station. The Yaba Station is complete and an overpass at Ebute Metta from Murtala Mohammed Way up to Apapa Road would go up soon. Some of these works have been inconveniencing but I liken them to birth pangs – pains that herald new and beautiful things.

“We hope that this (purchase of the trains) will be the beginning of a mutually beneficial business relationship,” said the Lagos State government in a statement.

“Providing source of livelihood for our citizens is all about providing jobs for our people and that is what we are doing. It is about ensuring that we can build our economy; people can move from one location to another and businesses can grow.

“Part of what we have done in the last two and half years is to have what we call Integrated Urban Mass transportation system, where we will be using road infrastructure, waterway

THIS INVESTMENT IN THE METRO COMES AT A HUGE COST TO THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS IN REALITY, YOU AND I. IT WOULD ALSO COST A LOT TO MAINTAIN. AS CITIZENS, WE MUST LEARN TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN IT. NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE TO EASE MOVEMENT ACROSS THE STATE, IT WOULD ALSO BECOME A SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE STATE

infrastructure and rail infrastructure so that we can move over 20 million Lagosians within and around the city.”

It would be trite to repeat that a major challenge that confronts Lagosians is the perennial traffic jams and go-slow motorists and passengers experience, especially at peak periods on work days. Only perhaps Epe and Badagry are the only places spared the nightmare of traffic snarls.

The state has also identified some notorious points which cause vehicular traffic. Over the years, this has informed the construction of bridges and flyovers at specific points and redesigning of roundabouts at other points. Yet, many Lagosians still languish in traffic.

Now, with the governor inspecting the gleaming red train and coaches and massive construction ongoing around Ikeja and other spots on the track, there is finally reason to shout for joy. Some of the stops on the route also connect to the equally reliable and comfortable BRT bus stations. This would ensure passengers can easily switch from trains to buses and vice versa. This is key to the vision of the state to encourage an inter-nodal transport system which would revolve around road, rail and water.

It is envisaged that half a million passengers would ride the trains daily when it starts operation by the last quarter of 2022 or first quarter of 2023. Capable of speeds of up to 300Km/ hr, the trains will make mincemeat out of the 37km Agbado to Marina route, considerably reducing travel time to less than an hour. On a typical weekday morning rush, commuting by bus or car may roughly take two hours, especially during peak periods. It is a no-brainer that many Lagosians waste meaningful man-hours commuting by road.

The Red Line from Agbado to Marina has 11 stops at – Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Shogunle, Oshodi, Mushin, Jibowu, Yaba, Ebute Metta, Iddo and Ebute Ero. This serpentine track promises not to only open Lagos to a new vista to modern mass transportation but to also connect passengers to more locations on either side of that arterial stretch. And with the coming of the Red Line, roads on that stretch are going to ease up as more people would consider travelling by train. With the recent re-introduction of the Lagos - Ibadan train route, it is seen how many passengers have taken to riding on the trains to travel between the two cities. The scenario would not be different when Lagos kicks off operation on the red line.

Many commuters would see no reason to drive or ride buses or taxis anymore once the trains become operational. It would be somewhat similar to how many people stopped or reduced driving their vehicles with the introduction of the conducive BRT buses on many routes across the state.

Now, this investment in the metro comes at a huge cost to the Lagos State government, which is in reality, you and I. It would also cost a lot to maintain. As citizens, we must learn to protect and maintain it. Not only would it be to ease movement across the state, it would also become a source of revenue for the state. The beginning of the Red Line is a win-win and Lagosians should be ready to support the strides of the government to ensure it is properly managed.

SUDAN RECLAIMED BY AFRICA Okello Oculi canvasses a special all-Africa summit on redemption of Sudan

K

wame Nkrumah described ‘’Neo-Colonialism’’ as economy exploitation of an African country without assuming political responsibility by which a colonial power is bound.

Sudan’s current condition seems to exhibit a struggle by the head of the ‘’Rapid Support Force’’ to combine a neo-colonial status with that of ‘Neo-Militarism’. Military officers control rich gold mines in the country; control the flow of vast funds from Gulf States interested in acquiring huge spreads of land, and monopolise political power.

Saudi Arabia is reported to be eager to increase its investments to $2 billion to develop land for crop farming and livestock in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions. Abu Dhabi’s Fund for Development, the United Arab Emirate and Saudi Arabia in 2019 promised to inject 450,000 tons of food into Sudan. Their political goal was to attract Sudan away from hugging Iran and its allies, as well as Turkey.

Sudan has a rich legacy on Black African Pharaohs were descendants that followed the flow or River Nile from highlands of Eastern and Central Africa and built pyramids in Sudan and Egypt to replicate Ruwenzori mountains on the Uganda- Congo border; Kilimanjaro, Kenya and Elgon around a grand

inland Lake Nalubale out of which flows the White Nile. The Ethiopia’s highlands are the source of Blue Nile.

The imperial legacy of Ancient Egypt drew labourers and slaves from Spain, France, Italy and Greece (on the northern banks of the Mediterranean Sea) to Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Saudi Arabia in its east. Those brought to sweat in building pyramids and irrigation agriculture were later followed by those seeking a better life as well as military conquest. In a flow that precedes current flows of immigrants to North America, Britain and the European Union - from former colonies in Asia, Africa and South America. Ottoman Turks subsequently sought to control sources of Nile waters.

Sudan experienced a counter-flow of power

by Egypt under Ottoman control and Britain: their co-coloniser over ‘’Anglo-Egyptian Sudan’’. This legacy of Gulf States thrusting their interests into the country has also come with political instability. While joint exploitation by Ottoman Turks incited a nationalist revolution, the current instability is a product of a contest between Saudi Arabia, UAE and Abu Dhabi Fund for Development makes Sudan a ground of their contest against Iran and its allies.

Saudi Arabia’s ideological and economic record is vigorously contrary to significant

themes in Sudan’s history. Apart from a successful revolutionary war, Sudan evolved the strongest Communist Party anchored in her trade unions during the Anglo-Egyptian co-domination. It is Nimeiry’s military dictatorship which started a vigorous repression of Sudan’s Communist Party. Being driven underground is, however, not the same thing as dying out.

The pumping of $3 billion into Sudan’s Central Bank under military rule -under and after Omar Bashir- must have flowed into personal accounts of top military officers and civil servants. Such corrupt use of the State would fuel anger and protest among supporters of the radical left; and is currently animating resilient protests in streets or towns.

Saudi Arabia would also endorse policies which deny Sudan’s women equality and open high cerebral participation in building national development. Bashir’s administration used skills used by military intelligence to penetrate social life in Sudan in enforcing penalties under their interpretation of Sharia Law. The injunction that males had obligation to seize ‘’inappropriately dressed’’ women for punishment by the police, added toxic practices which infuriated and drove women into joining protest demonstrations.

It has been claimed that leaders of the

‘‘Rapid Support Force’’ recruited militias from Chad, Mali and Niger to commit genocidal atrocities against communities in Darfur region under the title of ‘’Janjaweed’’. The bitterness so planted must fuel instability in Sudan’s politics. Driving and detaining these communities in displacement camps undermined food production for their self-reliance and sale into the national economy. This was not a good anchor for building legitimacy for Sudan’s governance.

This focus on official violence for governance led to the 2011 secession of South Sudan, taking with it 70 per cent of the country’s internal income. The blood-drenched loss of territory and its population desecrated the vision of Sudan’s leaders who, at independence in 1956, saw Sudan as a potential ‘’bridge between the Arab world and Africa’’.

The current carnage against those demanding civilian democratic rule makes it imperative to hold a ‘special all-Africa summit on the redemption of Sudan’. The African Union’s principles of ‘’Peer Review Mechanism’’, and prohibition of military rule, justifies such collective intervention.

Professor Mahmud Mamdani blames political failure in Sudan on defence of privileges by two tribal elites from Khartoum and Omdurman. Africa must end this destructive group.

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022

EDITORIAL DEALING WITH THE CANCER SCOURGE Cancer has become a major public health issue which government can no longer ignore

F

rom superstitious beliefs which attribute the ailment to some ‘spiritual arrows’ thrown by enemies to unproven ‘miraculous’ cures, no fewer than 70,000 Nigerians die annually from cancer. The dreaded disease has become a huge burden in our country with thousands of afflicted men and women presently battling for survival.

It is not that Nigeria’s cancer statistics have suddenly become worse than those of countries of equivalent demographics. The real problem is the growing lack of capacity to deal with the health challenge. The cancer diagnosis centres in Nigeria are located mostly in teaching hospitals. Several of them don’t work. Where they work, waiting time is long. And after diagnosis, the number of qualified oncologists as a function of our population is abysmal, not to OUR HEALTH AUTHORITIES talk of availability BOTH AT THE FEDERAL AND and cost of cancer IN THE STATES ARE YET drugs and therapy.

TO CREATE THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS THAT WOULD BRING SUFFERERS TO THE DANGER OF THE CANCER SCOURGE

Ordinarily, cancer screening ought to be part of a comprehensive primary health care delivery system. But we are in a country where hardly anything qualifies as a critical national emergency except it afflicts those who decide. Even at that, medical emergencies even when they afflict the most privileged, only qualify for overseas treatment.

But it need not be so. Beyond the matter of medical personnel, facilities, personnel and care, tackling the cancer epidemic demands improved awareness on causes, symptoms, early detection as well as simple lifestyle and dietary adjustments.

Many Nigerians afflicted with cancer have been compelled to travel to countries like India, the Emirates, United Kingdom, etc., in search of treatment for the disease. The economic consequence of this is that it has led to so much capital flight. It is indeed curi-

Letters to the Editor

ous that despite avowals by successive governments that healthcare is one of its core agenda of action it is becoming increasingly difficult to see the impact on the citizenry even with the existence of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Further complicating the situation is the very low awareness of the scourge among Nigerians but more among women, especially rural women. Our health authorities both at the federal and in the states are yet to create the level of awareness that would bring sufferers to the danger of the cancer scourge.

Instructively, the most common types of cancer in Nigeria are carcinoma of the uterine cervix and breast for women, liver and prostate cancers for men over 40 years.

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T H I S D AY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS 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

lthough medical experts differ somewhat as to the exact causes of the disease, there seem to be some agreement that the major cause is the habit of the people which is not helped by government policy or lack of one. For instance, while most countries are making stringent laws against tobacco use, our government seems to be encouraging it. Also, given the epileptic nature of the power sector, the use of generator has since become a necessity in most homes. Yet the carbon monoxide emitted from this power source is a serious health hazard and has been identified as a huge contributor to the cancer menace.

Overall, we believe that the task of saving the citizens from the cancer scourge remains essentially with government which has to provide both the basic facilities to combat the disease and to create the enabling environment that can facilitate the collaboration of the private sector in tackling the menace.

Increased awareness campaigns, improvements in public health and increased funding for health care initiatives by government, donor agencies, and development partners are all likely to lead to a decrease in the incidence of this killer disease. Nigerians themselves must also begin to imbibe the culture of regular medical check-ups so they can commence treatment of any diagnosed ailment promptly before it gets too late.

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

HANIFA ABUBAKAR AND THE HEART OF EVIL

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istorically, the moment a society slides into insecurity or outright warfare, it is its most vulnerable demographics that bear the brunt of the plunge into chaos, taking in shades the blows that rise when there is very little incentive to respect the rule of law and maintain peace and order.

Nigeria`s case has been no different. As insecurity presses in from every side – the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast - at the hands of terrorists who would rather there are enclaves where they rule rather than Nigeria as it is, children have featured prominently among the most hapless victims with events showing them to be especially hunted.

For many years now the Giant of Africa has shown itself a voracious eater of its own children. Whether it is the children who are piled into IDP camps and denied education because they were forced to flee terrorist invasions of their communities, or children who are simply out of school because watery laws permit their parents and guardians to do as they wish with them, or children who are simply out there because they are too poor to be in school, or children who have had the extremely traumatizing experience of spending months in the hands of abductors, or children who have been cut down in school or while returning from school by entirely avoidable incidents. The litany of woes would also include those children who give up the ghost every now and then at the hands of entirely preventable childhood killer diseases.

With the Giant of Africa seemingly becoming a giant slaughter slab for children, the bucket list of the bogeymen that haunt the cherished hopes of the giant grows longer with each day that goes by.

Why do children feel so unsafe in Nigeria? Out of the ancient city of Kano has come the bloodcurdling story of how five-year-old Hanifa was killed by the proprietor of Nobel Kids School where she was attending. He acted with two others in what looked like a case of abduction for ransom gone cataclysmically wrong. In his desperation to silence his victim, he resorted to a rat poison he bought for one hundred naira.

One hundred naira? Has the life of children in the Giant of African now become so cheap that conditions can conveniently exist under which they can be snuffed out for all of hundred naira? In a country seemingly fated to self-destruct, will those who continue to cheapen everything including the lives of children be allowed to live among well-meaning citizens?

Every day in Nigeria, death in many form hunts children and shockingly little is done to check the ugly trend. There is the child dying from events in his boarding school; there are the children crushed on their way back from school by a trailer running from overzealous government officials; there is the child beaten to death by his school teacher with his heartbroken family forced to collect the paltry sum of N200,000 to hide its pain. Has the life of children become so cheap in Nigeria?

But it is neither coincidence nor mistake that children face grave dangers in Nigeria. It is no surprise that children are this imperiled in Nigeria. The conditions have been long set by the commission and omission of those who should take responsibility.

Why has the Child Rights Act of 2003 not found uniform domestication across the entire 36 states of the Federation? Why should antiquated superstitions and traditions continue to be cited as the reason an all-important legislation remains in limbo in some states?

While the Giant of Africa looks on, its children continue to provide game for the many master criminals who trample its soil.

A country that cannot guarantee that its children can grow up in an environment that is safe and free of predators is a country that is setting up itself to be embarrassed by a hail of existential questions.

Little Hanifa Abubakar`s unfortunate death also calls into necessary question the activities of some of those who administer schools where children get the first dose of education in Nigeria.

Horror story after horror story has been heard of how children have been abused and even killed by those who ordinarily should have no business in any school but are there because the system allows them to get away with many things.

Perhaps, little Hanifa`s gruesome murder can provide a fresh impetus for Nigeria to confront the hawks who would pick off its children.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2022

POLITICS

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

Adeyeye: Fayemi Benefited from Zoning, He Can’t Turn against it Now Senator Dayo Adeyeye is a former Works Minister and National Chairman of the popular group, South West Agenda for Bola Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition. Victor Ogunje was among a group of journalists he spoke with recently in Ado Ekiti. Excerpts:

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he agitation in support of the power shift to Ekiti South Senatorial District is taking centrestage in the coming election in Ekiti. Where do you stand?

I am in favour of power shift to the south in the interest of equity, fairness and justice. Let me give you some historical background. In this state, prior to 2005 nobody talked about power shift. Suddenly around 2006, a group of people came together and said they were organizing a conference in Ado Ekiti on what they called “Northern agenda” and their argument was that it was the turn of the North to produce the governor on the ground that the north has been marginalized. They claimed that central has had two governors namely Adeniyi Adebayo and Ayodele Fayose who was then a sitting governor. My counter argument to them then was that, why should it be a northern agenda, what about the south?

Some of them then argued that Olumilua was governor in the old Ondo state. But Ondo state was not Ekiti state. We are talking of Ekiti State. They claimed that Olumilua was governor in Ondo for 18 months and that the south had at least had something. The propaganda was very intense in both political parties. Some of the big wigs politicians in the state were behind it and they did it for a purpose to knock some of us out because I was also contesting for governor then. They sold this idea to our leaders outside the state who control the machinery of the parties.

Those people bought it unfortunately and the primaries were manipulated in favour of the people from the north, both within the ACN and PDP. That was how Fayemi and Segun Oni emerged from the two parties. Now many years after, we have since had a situation in which the north and central have had 12 year each. By the time Fayemi would have

Adeyeye

completed his tenure by October16 this year, the north would have had 12 years. What of the south? Zero.

So it could have been nice if the no zoning argument is coming from the people who have not benefited from it. But Fayemi was a major beneficiary and one of those who supported that conference. He was one of the people agitating then that it was the turn of the north only. All of them including Oni were in the forefront of the agitation. And it cannot be asked from them now to say there is no zoning in Ekiti having benefited from it and having arrogated powers to the two zones for 12 years each since that time. So, you cannot approbate and reprobate at the

same time. You benefited from a thing and you are now saying it should not go round anymore. I think it is most unfair. I gave you this little bit of historical background to show that we are not just making an empty noice. We are saying that the idea of zoning came from the likes of Fayemi. I also had agreement with Fayemi that for my support in 2018 that power should rotate to the south because if not you will now have a situation in which the north and the central will go for 32 years. If this situation is not corrected, we shall soon be creating second class citizens out of the people from the south, because psychologically they will begin to think of themselves not being capable of producing a governor, whereas, we all have the same level of educational attainment. No one area is deficient of capable people. Over time because the governors have continued to emerge from the two zones, we now have a situation where the vast majority of political elites are now emerging from the two zones.

Once a governor emerges from either the north or central, they pick their chief of staff and others from those areas and those are the people who have become the political elites in the state. If not redressed, we will have a vast majority of elites from those areas with exclusion of the south. It is so annoying that Fayemi will go and pick a candidate from the central with all his promises in 2018 and also annoying that Fayose will also go to the central to pick a candidate. Both of them could not find capable people even within their own governments from the south. We are going to resist it.

Are the non-partisan bigwigs in the area supporting you?

Yes, sooidly. Even a Senior lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun blames southern politicians

who are always willing to play second fiddle for the perceived marginalization? Honestly, I support Olanipekun hundred percent. Even as we speak now, I don’t want to name names, many of them are dying to become deputy governor, even from my home town of Ise Ekiti. So, Olanipekun is right. There are people you call political jobbers, who are short in integrity. They think that is the only way they can build their carear by acceptiong crumbs from the table. They are struggling and jostling to become governor now but they will fail by the grace of God. Look at how many deputy governors have come out of Ikere alone. Why is it that we can’t come together now and fight this battle? It is because we have opportunists among us ready to play the second fiddle.

You crossed from the progressive party to PDP in 2006 and came back in 2018.

What informed your actions?

What I hate most in life is injustice and when you see any party indulging in injustice, people are bound to move. I moved to the PDP in 2006 alongside 13 other governorship aspirants because the party imposed certain individual on us.

The same scenario repeated itself in 2018 in PDP. In any primary, it is expected that the process will be credible, if truly you are popular. So, if I have never been desperate for anything in my life. If you check your records very well, I have been one of the most consistent politicians in Ekiti with the way I had been confronting the power that be and making them to do what is right. We have to be democratic and I will continue to do so until we get it right in our polity.

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

Zock: Youths Can Only Change Things If They Join Politics A member of the House of Representatives, representing Kachia/Kagarko constituency, Gabriel Saleh Zock in this interview with Udora Orizu explains why youths should participate in politics and why it doesn’t require much financial capacity

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he 2023 general election is fast approaching, there has been agitations for greater participation of the youths in the politics especially in governance. As a lawmaker what’s your take on this clamour?

2022 is the major year for selection of candidates and I want to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari, I am the beneficiary of Not Too Young to Run. When he signed the Bill into Law, i quickly grabbed that opportunity and threw myself into contest for 2019 general election. And today here I am in the National Assembly. So if you check the 9th Assembly of the House of Representatives, you will see that there are more youths now than before.

So in 2023, gradually I think the youths will take over the House of the people, which is the House of Representatives. It’s time for youths to know that the only way you can change things is to join politics. Not to insult the leaders that they are not doing well, if you feel a leader is not doing well the best thing you can do is to either contest, participate or cast your vote. The youths are willing and now you can see everyone in Nigeria is informed about politics and everyone is interested about development of Nigeria. So with the youths and their participation I believe there’s going to be more in 2023.

Do the youths have the financial capacity?

Issue of financial capacity, I can tell you categorically that politics doesn’t require

Zock

much financial capacity. If you’re vibrant and people believe in you, because when I decided to contest for the seat of House of Representatives, a lot of people donated money to me because they believe I am here to make changes.

That’s why when I came in at the House of Representatives the first Bill I sponsored, is the bill that will develop my constituency first. My

constituencies are the producers of ginger in Nigeria, and you all know the importance of ginger, so what I did was sponsor a Bill for an Act to Establish National Ginger Board.

So before you come out to run for politics, it’s not by going on social media, there should be a level of community development. And let the people in your community believe in you. If you can recall in 2015 people gathered money for President Muhammadu Buhari to buy form. He didn’t have the money to buy form. So it’s not the amount of money you have in your bank account. Atiku has a lot of money he has contested so many times but he has not become the President of Nigeria.

Buhari didn’t have money but he emerged as the President of Nigeria. So politics is not about money, it’s about the people, so what you need to do as a person is to do your homework, contact and mobilization. Make sure the people believe that you are really there for them. Then the sky will be your limit. So I don’t believe in politics of money. If today I decide to run there are people who are ready to fund me, contribute and before you know it that money for form people will buy it for you, if they believe in your ideology and how you will change things for them.

If you look at the parties, they tend to encourage women and people living with disabilities more than they encourage youths participation by allowing them pay 50 percent of nomination fees, do you

think that the parties should also extend same gesture to the youths?

Well, if you check we encourage women to participate in politics, I’m a member of the Ecowas Parliament. In the ECOWAS parliament there’s this law we are trying to pass to give women equal right to also participate in politics.

When I was in school I held a position, was I elected with money? No. In your community if you’re looking for either traditional ruler or even leader of the community, it’s not with money that you buy people, it’s your community service that makes people believe in you. If they put a benchmark for youths and say let’s assume if the form for state house of assembly is xyz, and the people in your constituency believe in you they will actually fund you. I can tell you categorically, the person that became my local government chairman didn’t have money, but people elected him, we all agreed that this person is going to be the best chairman for us and we elected him.

It’s not all about money, we even donated money for him to buy form. Money is not a problem when people believe in you. With your money if people don’t believe in you, you can’t win election. I call on youths to believe more in themselves, to actually take over. Check France, how old is their President? So it is not all about money.

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2022

POLITICS

Princewill: ‘2023 May Not be About Party, It May be About Candidates’ Tonye Princewill, a businessman and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State tells Nseobong Okon-Ekong that Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi stands a better chance of serving Nigeria as President

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he reconciliation process in APC appears not to be yielding dividends. How do you think this will affect the chances of the party in 2023?

Nigeria’s biggest challenge in my honest opinion is not corruption or insecurity, neither is it unemployment, although it is second on my list. Our biggest problem is internal party democracy. How we as party members chose our leaders. If we can get that right, the leaders we have will be true representatives of the wishes of the people and then the scourges of youth unemployment, corruption and insecurity that the masses are facing will give way to the development that has been so elusive to our beloved nation. Trace the problems in the party and you will find that they are linked to the lack of internal party democracy. So to your question; reconciliation is critical. It is not what happens to you, but how it is addressed. Show respect, listen to opposing views and find a way to put them behind you and you will see the results. In 2014, APC showed Nigeria how reconciliation and collective interests produced a consensus that overthrew an incumbent government. Men decided to bury personal interests to converge around a single ideal that kicked PDP out of power. In the pursuit of retaining power, APC has to do the same otherwise it will have a taste of its own medicine. A word is enough for the wise.

Some Nigerians are of the opinion that President Buhari missed the opportunity to engrave his name in gold by his refusal to sign the electoral Act as passed by the National Assembly. What is your take on this?

The opportunity has not been lost and the President’s legacy is bigger than the passage of one bill into law. Granted this bill is no ordinary bill and granted its passage has the potential to change the landscape of how we conduct elections in the future, but it is my firm belief that the two branches of government under the umbrella of the same party, will reach a consensus because they have the capacity to do so. Extracting direct primaries, which I favour, should give us a way forward. Future amendments can tick that box. Like I have said, how

it later. Besides, powerful men being out of power for eight years can do powerful things like swallow their own vomit to get back in. For many, politicians, politics and power is all they know. They can do anything to remain relevant.

The other factor to consider is 2023 may not be about party. It may be about candidate. If PDP brings a popular candidate, he or she can give the party a new image. The message to us in APC is do not take Nigerians for granted. And I am so sure, we will not.

What is your take on zoning, particularly of the presidential ticket ahead of next year’s general election?

In a mature democracy, zoning has no place.

But in a fledgling one like ours, with a pluralistic foundation and a history of ethnic, cultural and religious tensions, only a politician blinded by overreaching ambitions, can ignore it. Since the world is full of selfish politicians, there are many legal loopholes available to deny zoning.

But that which is unjust and morally bankrupt, eventually falls.

Princewill

we chose our leaders is important.

I will go further to say, the cost of doing a direct primary is small in comparison to the cost of flawed primaries when you consider the cost of bad leadership. But politics is about compromise. Great nations are not built over night. This government can shift the needle, even without direct primaries because the bill contains many other changes that will foster more credible elections.

If the APC is unable to resolve its many internal crises ahead of the 2023 presidential election, do you foresee the PDP taking advantage of the situation?

It’s not impossible. PDP is weak and also prone to a customized implosion of its own, but nobody should ever be underestimated. Nigerians have very short memories. Some have forgotten what PDP represents and cut off their nose to spite their face. I’ve seen men do very strange things, only to regret

Speculation is rife that certain chieftains of your party are encouraging former President Jonathan to defect to the ruling party and pick its presidential ticket. As someone from the South-south zone, are you excited by the move to lure Jonathan and thrust the APC ticket on his laps?

Some of us in Rivers state who fell victim to the imposition of Wike on us in 2015, remember the role of our former President and his wife in the marginalization of their fellow Ijaw’s interest for the Governor of Rivers state. Like we later suffered in the 2019 election too, a desire to settle personal scores with Amaechi also contributed to make us lose that election too.

We are still suffering the consequences today.

But it’s politics, it isn’t personal. Let’s leave speculation, my father taught me not to believe in my breakfast until I’ve eaten it. If the former President comes to join us, we will give him a special welcome.

What is your take on President Buhari recent media chat with the NTA and Channels TV? What is your take away from those

sessions?

I watched it with keen interest and I saw what I felt was a man who felt it was time to send out a signal. He will defend his legacy, protect it and see to it that he leaves Aso Rock with the knowledge that his gains will not be reversed.

It’s timing was no accident.

The APC lost Edo to PDP; it was equally denied its mandate in Bayelsa state through Court pronouncements. As we approach 2023, is there hope for your party in the South-south geo- political zone?

Yes, there is. APC’s biggest challenge is APC. Not just in the South-south geopolitical zone, but nationwide. If the leaders in the South-south, for example, can find a way to work together; they will make great gains in the region. I can see the signs of this beginning to emerge. The new leadership of the party can build on this, when they emerge. That’s why I am looking forward to the quality of Leadership that will emerge. So far, the field is narrowing and the final picture appears to be producing the kind of politicians who know what it takes to win wars and not isolated battles.

Finally, there is so much anxiety over the February date for the party convention.

One of the reasons being advanced by those calling for extension of the national convention is the internal dissension and the ongoing reconciliation process. Is it a valid argument that the reconciliation Committee should conclude its assignment before the party proceed with election of national officers?

Yes, that is correct, but the clock waits for no one. The arguments for and against are both valid.

But it is what it is. A date has been set and the process for a new convention is underway. The debate is over and it is no longer productive to lament. I believe that the cards we have in front of us may not be ideal, but we can work with them and still secure a brand new mandate in 2023. The buck stops with the new leadership.

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

Oladunjoye: ‘Abiodun Will Do More for Ogun’ President Muhammadu BuHari recently paid a one-day visit to Ogun State, where he commissioned five projects executed by the Dapo Abiodun Administration. The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State and Chairman, Ogun State Television Board of Directors, Comrade Tunde Oladunjoye, interacted with select media men including Nseobong Okon-Ekong, a few days after the visit. Excerpts:

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n the January 13, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari visited Ogun State to commission some legacy projects. As a chieftain of the APC in the state, can you shed more light on the President’s visit and projects commissioned?

Mr. President came to Ogun State on January 13, 2022. It was his first visit to any state of the federation this year. Before the President accepted the invitation to visit the state and commission the projects, he must have been convinced of the relevance and importance of the projects he was going to commission. He came basically to commission five legacy projects; the 14 km Ijebu-Ode - Mojoda - Epe Expreas Way, the Gateway City Gate at Sagamu Interchange, the Interchange - Abeokuta Express Way, which has been renamed Muhammadu Buhari Way, the Kobape Estate and the Kings Court Estate, Abeokuta. The President openly applauded the quality of the projects.

The Ijebu-Ode - Mokola-Epe Road links Ogun State to Lagos State. Former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode constructed the Lagos side of the road. Hitherto, most commuters and motorists coming from Lagos, once they leave the Lagos side that was constructed and get to Ogun side, they will start abusing the government, not minding if the road was a Federal Government road. Governor Dapo Abiodun constructed the road to world standard and that was commended

what people did not notice or have not talked about on that road is the divider checkmating vehicles from one side from straying onto the other side of the road. The previous divider used to be very low and weak. The newly constructed divider is raised and concretised, which means vehicles cannot jump from one side to the other.

It will save a lot of lives and prevent accidents.

Oladunjoye

by Mr. President.

That Gateway City Gate is the meeting pojnt for the senatorial districts of Ogun State, the place is like the heart of Ogun State, the park is modernized with beautiful gardens, streetlights and other conveniences.

The 49km Interchange-Abeokuta road is another testimony to the highly qualitative projects of Prince Dapo Abiodun Administration. However,

Talking about the projects, how relevant and beneficial are they to the citizens, growth and development of the state?

The projects are of utmost benefits to the people.

If you look at the housing estates, for example, the social scientists say housing is one of the basic needs of human beings. Additionally, over ten thousand people (suppliers) have benefitted from the housing projects alone; architects, surveyors, those supplying water and cement, painters, electricians, plumbers and others have massively benefitted from the projects and the economy of Ogun State has been boosted. Same thing with roads, they have to supply granite, sand, labourers, electricians and so on. These projects are not about APC members alone. They are for citizens, residents and even non-residents of Ogun State. The projects are needed, relevant and very beneficial to all.

How would you react to insinuation by some critics who said the projects were

not evenly distributed across the three senatorial districts?

They would have expected that Mr. President, after commissioning projects in Ijebu-Ode and Abeokuta to take off to Ilaro for Instance to commission another project, or Imeko Afon; all in a single day? That is not how Presidential movement is planned. The first two roads embarked upon by this administration are in Ogun West Senatorial District; the Raypower Alagbado road linking Lagos. The roads could not be commissioned then because of COVID-19.

Presently, the State Government is constructing Atan-Lusada-Agbara road. Even, the Gateway City Gate that was commissioned by the President connects the three senatorial districts. Like I said all the people plying that road are beneficiaries of the road. You don’t commission projects for the sake of meeting senatorial requirement, what we may be worried about is if they say Governor Dapo Abiodun’s project are not distributed across the senatorial districts. But, this is not what they have said. For example, I know there is at least one road construction project that has either been completed or ongoing in all the 20 local government areas in Ogun State and that is what is important.

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

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FEATURES As Our Mother, Justina Odibo Departs, Heaven Rejoices

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

Charles Odibo

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hen the weight of the world is on my shoulders, I turn to my right and realize I’m not alone, because she’s helping me carry it. The stars are written in her eyes, sunlight in her smile, and I know for sure, when this barren earth falls behind me, she’ll be an angel waiting for me at heaven’s gate.” - Caroline Aung On this windy, harmattan morning in the first week of January 1996, I was set to return to Lagos after spending the Christmas holiday in the village, as most Igbo people do. My then fiancé, now my lovely wife of twenty two years was to follow me to enable her sort out her NYSC postings, amongst others.

After the blessings by my father (now late) and mother, Mama pulled me and my then fiancé aside, and in her soothing manner of speaking, proverbially admonished us that “the parcel which belongs to you and which you know you will eventually unwrap, you don’t have reason to be pinching it to know what is inside it.”

Disciplined, virtuous, full of purity and love, the above guidance on a life of sanctity largely defined our mother (now late), Justina Ihemegbulam Odibo (Nee Onwuchuruba), and how she, with our late father, Joseph Onwubiko Odibo, successfully raised us, seven children, such that with hearts full of thanksgiving and praise to GOD for her fulfilled life of 91 years, we are assured that heaven is rejoicing as our mother joins the church triumphant.

Like all dutiful mothers, Mama was a scrutinising admixture of patience, kindness, tolerance, understanding, discipline, industry, purity, and love. Mama strictly enforced discipline and duty in our home with pure, unvarnished love. Bringing up seven children, six boys and one girl, while juggling other responsibilities – wife, school teacher, chorister, aunt and in-law who welcomed all relatives to our home, was a handful. In those dark days of growing up in a rural setting lacking basic amenities, we were made to wake up virtually every morning as early as 4am to fetch water from the stream, about three-kilometre trek. Looking back, one thing that struck me was that Mama, whose room was next door to ours, in our Headmaster’s type three-bedroom bungalow, never ever roused us from sleep, violently or harshly, yet she achieved results. In her sweet and mellifluous voice, Mama woke us up by calling our pet names, many times over, occasionally bending over to caress and arouse us from sleep, but patient all through even if we were running late, and our neighbours and relatives were already running ahead of us to the stream because parents ensured we went to stream in the morning as a group, for security reasons.

Mama’s justice dispensation and discipline were also quick and instant, as each of us received appropriate spanking whenever and wherever the offence was committed.

Mama, in her gentle demeanour and unassuming personality can depict a picture of total dependence, offering instead to be Papa’s silent helper, but in another breadth, a marvel of resourcefulness, who was seen but never heard. Yes, our mother was reputed in our entire community as that resourceful wife and school teacher who handed over her entire monthly salary to her husband, our father, to disburse as he deemed fit; a multi-tasking workaholic who understood early enough the principle and meaningfulness of multiple income stream. After school, in addition to her farm work, our mother also had a poultry and a pineapple orchard. She was also a retailer of kerosene, onions, etc, which my siblings and I attended to at our community market, “Ogwumabiri Obizi” daily after school, whilst still in primary, and on holidays while in secondary school.

As a woman who had a personal relationship with God, unceasing prayer and music were her major channels of connecting with her maker. Our mother had the angelic voice of a member of the celestial choir as she sang for us while we huddled beside her either during harmattan, or whilst waiting for dinner, or as part of our moonlight

Justina Odibo tales before bedtime. Music, traditional Catholic rhymes, was an integral part of our home while we grew up. We had our daily and compulsory rosary prayers which we ended with “Oh Lord save us this night” or “Abide with me” songs. Mama sang for us or taught us new songs while we awaited dinner, maybe so we don’t fall asleep before dinner; and we religiously tuned in to then Imo Broadcasting Service (IBS) for the 7.30pm Sunday rendition of songs by choirs of different churches. Overall, our home was filled with love which Mama used music to accentuate.

EWTN, the global Catholic TV Network, powerfully makes the case that beauty in the form of music attracts us and lifts us up. Music, according to this network founded by Mother Angelica (now late), a lover of music, has the power to change us for better or for worse in so far as it affects our souls in a deep way. Reverend Father Joseph Mary Wolfe then summed it that “music has a higher purpose. It is meant to assist us in lifting our mind and hearts to God by using sacred texts joined in music that has a sense of a sacred, of a transcendent that reaches above.” Our mother ensured this permeated our lives, which my siblings and I strive to live by in our different homes.

Not surprisingly, beyond other liturgical

activities such as being a lector, and altar dresser (Mama’s attention to details was par excellence. Iron her dress, even the multi-coloured and she will spot the creases), Mama was a key chorister.

From her ancestral Enyiogugu Mbaise, she belonged to the choir of Saint Charles Catholic Church, which for a very long time was the largest parish in the entire Mbaise, while the choir, even till date is reputed to be the best choral group in the entire Ahiara Diocese, Mbaise.

Upon her marriage to our father she also joined the choir of our local church, Saint Benedict’s Catholic Church, Alpha, Obizi, until old age.

Mama, fondly called “Miss” by our late father’s younger relatives, and “Ndaa Justy” by her younger ancestral relatives, had the fascinating ability to be almost everywhere at once, and she alone could somehow squeeze an enormous amount of living into an average day, from waking up early to prepare seven kids for school, prepare her school notes, managing kids in school, back from school to continue chores, go to her farms, check her poultry, attend to church activities, then back for night activities of dinner, folklore, rosary prayer, preparing for next day. It was an endless stream of demanding activities and engagements. But in all of these she still radiated her ever pleasant demeanour.

Mama from our primary school days

immersed us deep into learning and doing virtually all chores by ourselves that at some point in my secondary school days Mama stopped having house helps in a bid to ensure we did everything, including cooking! Yes, cooking by six boys, because our only sister was still an infant. (I didn’t turn out a good cook though. Some of my siblings did) My mother stood her grounds despite our late father’s contrary view that household chores will distract us from reading our books.

Looking back, Mama was right. She hardly misjudged.

Our mother was a complex person who quietly, but affectionately, loved her family with all of her heart. We learned so much about this unrestrained love for family from her. What can more powerfully tell the story of Mama’s love for her ancestral and husband’s families than the openness with which she welcomed and housed all in our home. Practically all of our mother’s half-brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces lived with us between 1963, when she wedded our father, and the eighty’s. Same also for my late father’s family. Immediately the civil war broke out in 1967 up till 1971, my late father’s brothers and their families lived in our house.

Through this magnanimity of our late mother, a sword pierced her soul, but like Mother Mary, whose footsteps she followed, “she bore it in her heart” with all equanimity.

A cousin of ours took advantage of our mother’s niece and put her in a family way but flatly denied the ignoble act, and our mother’s eldest sister (the mother of the lady), and her siblings were understandably enraged, pouring invectives and venom on our parents. However, in a volte-face about twenty years later, this same cousin ate his words, confessed to the act and took home the girl-child she had vehemently denied siring. This incident, and others, explains why our late mother’s obsequies’ theme is the statement of faith by Elizabeth, the cousin of Mother Mary, during the Visitation, in Luke’s gospel chapter one verse forty five that “Blessed are you who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!” Abiding faith in God despite the vicissitudes of life defined our mother’s disposition to life. In God’s will lay her peace.

So as my siblings and I, together with our lovely spouses and Mama’s grandchildren say a final goodbye on Friday, February 4, 2022, to our mother, Justina Ihemegbulam Odibo (Nee Onwuchuruba) who passed on, Saturday, December 18, 2021, at the ripe age of 91 we truly know she will always be with us. She is the reason we have such a good value of life, because as the solid rock behind our late father, Joseph Onwubiko Odibo, who passed on fourteen years ago, she did a fantastic job of loving and raising us.

But then again, even having passed this road before, losing Papa on December 24, 2007, I do not know anything in particular to do to overcome Mama’s transition except to continue to live by the values she and Papa inculcated in us; to always remember the fond memories; all the story and singing times; the days when as boys, Mama will serve us our favourite meal of “rice and beans” in a big tray; the days of joyfully marching about six kilometres to and fro to Sunday Mass at Umuoma Onicha with her watching our back; how she dutifully prepared us for the sacraments of first holy communion and confirmation; how we journeyed on occasions with her to Aboh Mbaise Secondary school (about 10 kilometres’ walk) for May 27, Children’s Day, and October, I, Independence Day March Past. The memories are endless. I certainly haven’t processed the pain, and I doubt I ever fully will. I guess it’s all bubbling just beneath my skin.

But from the experience of Papa’s death I have learnt that grief is neither linear nor logical, so the memories of our dear mother that we cherish and hold on to, the values she imbibed in us, the friends we keep, but above all, the abundant grace of God will be sufficient enough to enrich our lives in the physical absence of ‘Justee’. (The loving pet- name our late father called her) Fare thee well Mama. t.S 0EJCP JT B .BSLFUJOH BOE $PNNVOJDBUJPOT 1SBDUJUJPOFS

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱ͵˜ ͰͮͰͰ

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#THISISNIGERIA –Shakir Akorede

Why Nigeria “Can’t” Remove Fuel Subsidy: The Danger of Political Corruption

O

n November 23, 2021, when the Nigerian government announced that it will remove petroleum subsidy in 2022, every Nigerian got a blasting hit of the national panic attack. Since the pronouncement, Nigerians had been losing their sleep, making the country a tinderbox where protests could explode at any moment as the usual reaction to fuel subsidy removal.

As pundits and civil society weighed in, I have been troubling my mind, as a civic advocate and businessman, with imaginations of the imminent socio-economic crisis should the policy take Nigerians by storm without an appealing social contract in place. Finally, I found a must-engaged answer in the 2022 Budget Analysis released by BudgIT on December 10, 2021. It reads: “There are speculations that subsidy will be removed in 2022 due to deregulation of the sector, however, this is highly doubtful as it is more difficult for any government around the world to remove subsidy programs during an active election campaign year; this is even more true in Nigeria which has a huge trust deficit between the government and citizens. The resultant increase in petrol prices that would accompany subsidy removal could trigger public backlash, an unwanted outcome for incumbent political parties during campaigns.”

Put simply, BudgIT means the government has only bluffed (that was eventually true). But if deregulation of the oil sector is irrefutably critical to dire economic reforms and national development, should sheer political interests be allowed in the way let alone prevail?

Unpopular facts Fuel subsidies in Nigeria are sky-high—around N1.8 trillion annually, according to the latest declaration by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). That is nearly the combined budget of the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Works and Housing (covering aviation, water resources, transportation, power, and works and housing). Ironically, the Nigerian subsidy regime is notoriously corrupt such that it serves vested interests more than it benefits common citizens.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) admitted that 42 million of the 102 million litres (41.18%) of subsidised petrol for Nigerians’ daily consumption is smuggled out of the country despite the N20 billion invested in technologies to eradicate smuggling. “We unwittingly subsidise fuel for the whole of West Africa,” Mele Kyari, NNPC group managing director, recently confirmed.

Even though citizens coalesce against removal, the strongest but less open fight to keep the status quo comes from vested interests, it is clear.

The Buhari government has announced subsidy removal four times since 2015. Immediately in 2016, it made no budgetary provision for the programme. The non-inclusion in the year’s budget touted the end of fuel subsidy. Ironically, the government swiftly restored it the same year without appropriation by the National Assembly nor demonstration by the public. Yet, even with the return of the subsidy regime, fuel price remained on the rise since 2016 except for a short while in that year and 2020, March to November, when the fall in the global price of crude oil precipitated pump price reduction from N145 to N125 per litre. However, the price jumped to N165 in 2021, despite being subsidised, as a result of the increase in crude oil prices in the international market. It is noteworthy that the actual amount spent on petrol import subsidy in 2021, unappropriated by the National Assembly, remains unknown to the public. What is known is that the government spent an estimated N864 billion in seven months, February to September. This ‘financial flow’ is irreconcilable with the reality of an economically-ill nation and a federal government with an ever-rising

Source: Stears Business

debt profile, N29.46 trillion as of June 2021, alongside snowballing budget deficit, N5.6 trillion in 2020 and N6.62 trillion in 2022 as proposed.

A case for fuel subsidy reform (removal) Any subsidy removal that will lead only to high fuel prices, imposing more hardship on the economically downtrodden masses, is unjustifiable by Nigeria’s status as the poverty capital of the world (with 93.9 million citizens living below the poverty line) and the massive income gap between Nigerian workers and their counterparts in other oil-producing nations.

However, the politics of fuel subsidy in Nigeria has markedly proven to be predatory than beneficial to the masses – even when they are not aware.

Who benefits from the subsidy? Akanle and Adebayo in a contextually grounded paper “Fuel subsidy in Nigeria: contexts of governance and social protest” have a boggling answer from one analyst: So who benefits from the subsidy? Nearly everybody does except the masses of Nigeria.

The cabal of the profiteers have been exposed.

A combination of a few corrupt oil thieves, privileged individuals, political appointees and elected ones who as major sponsors and backers of government, are milking the economy of this country dry. For instance, they give the Government (the officials of whom are in collaboration with the cabal) false invoices, which inflate the amount of crude they actually lifted by up to 1000% or more, e.g. they lift 30,000 barrels but claim 3 million barrels. And the Government pays, knowing this to be false.

The cabal shares the illegal profit with the government and NNPC officials. The people/ masses are thus the ultimate losers and they are yet powerless and voiceless in the short and long run.

Politics versus national interest Political corruption, like the egregious Malabu scandal, has destroyed Nigeria and is unwilling to stop, as the country faces the dilemma of perpetual subsidy corruption versus removal imbroglio. The vibrant participation by political actors in the 2012 protests was inherently political, as proved by developments in the current

dispensation. But shrouding bias by excuse, it has been suggested that the incumbent ruling party only acted in ignorance. The talks about subsidy removal commenced immediately after the reality dawned in 2015. Be that as it may, BudgIT’s postulation calls for serious debates on whether the politics monster is back or not.

Unsurprisingly, the Buhari government has again backtracked, sidestepping critical national priority in favour of swirling 2022/2023 political interests.

On Monday, January 24, 2022, the Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning announced the postponement of fuel subsidy removal till further notice. National interest, earlier espoused by the same government, is again defeated by political interest.

It is worthy of note that the problems – especially the undisguised looting culture of the previous administration that worsened the existential trust deficit – with previous attempts are considered decimated today. Such a feeling is why informed Nigerians and observers “expected that the Buhari administration would use its political capital to eliminate the existing fuel subsidies within the first six months of the administration’s first term.” But quite regrettably, the Buhari government has blown away nearly all the social capital, while its last dangling attempt at subsidy removal was even about to be hoisted on a fertile land of corruption. No surprise the evangelism by reform advocates and institutions like the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has no meaning to the public.

Replacement of fuel subsidy with transport subsidy The subsidy regime has perpetuated enormous corruption. Shockingly, the government’s plan to end it was being packaged in the enthronement of another subsidy programme even more susceptible to corruption and political abuse. The Finance Minister startled Nigerians when she laid down the buffer plan: “We are working with our partners on measures to cushion potential negative impact of the removal of the subsidies on the most vulnerable at the bottom 40% of the population.

One of such measures would be to institute a monthly transport subsidy in the form of a cash transfer of N5,000 to between 30 – 40

million deserving Nigerians.” Who determines the “deserving Nigerians” and what processes in a country with zero data? What is the possibility of cash transfers to the most vulnerable (unbanked) in marginalised rural communities?

So many questions poke holes in the buffer plan and pre-empt flawed implementation. The fairest judgement is that the plan was not a thoughtful consideration when compared to emerging recommendations like “investment in transport infrastructure to ease movement, create more transport choices, and thereby reduce the cost of transportation and logistics.”

Even with the postponement, it is still important to interrogate the plan through the lens of recent cash payment schemes by the government for necessary extrapolation. For instance, in June 2018, the federal government launched the biggest social safety net scheme in the history of Nigeria — the Social Investment Project (SIP) — among which was TraderMoni, a collateral-free loan programme starting with N10,000 for the lowest level of market traders. As laudable as the people-oriented project was, its timing, political abuse, corruption and reported favouritism earned it negative judgements including being a scheme for 'vote buying'. Not only did the Vice President launch the scheme in Osun State barely two weeks to the state’s 2018 gubernatorial election, but there are also claims of evidence that traders’ Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) were obtained even as many of them were defrauded, being paid less than N10,000, as the Vice President toured prominent markets across the country literally until the eve of the 2019 general elections.

If the government removes the subsidy, it would prove sceptics like BudgIT wrong, while upvoting national interest. However, Nigeria might be grappling with a scourge bigger than fuel subsidy corruption if the savings are diverted to vague cash payments in lieu of critical developmental projects. It is paramount that efforts to avert such malady begin now with serious conversations and policy engagements by all Nigerians and international stakeholders. t4IBLJS "LPSFEF JT BO JOUFSOBUJPOBM EFWFMPQNFOU FYQFSU DJWJD BEWPDBUF BOE EJHJUBM DPNNVOJDBUJPOT DPOTVMUBOU CBTFE JO "CVKB /JHFSJB )F UXFFUT WJB !BLPSJWF

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THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2022 •T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022

25

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

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Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

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How Pressure from Telecoms Operators Forced FG to Shift NIN-SIM Verification Deadline to March 31

Emma Okonji The recent shift in the deadline for the National Identification Number (NIN)-Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) data verification, from December 31, 2021 to March 31, 2022, was as a result of persistent pressure on the federal government by the telecoms operators, THISDAY has learnt.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, had on December 30, 2021, conveyed the approval of the federal government to further extend the deadline for the NIN-SIM data verification, from December 31, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

Pantami, in a statement jointly signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde and the Head, Corporate Communications, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Kayode Adegoke, said the extension became necessary, following the request by stakeholders, including citizens, legal residents and Nigerians in the diaspora, to extend the date in order to give Nigerians ample time to register their NINs. But in a letter written by the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), to the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission,

(NIMC), Aliyu Abubakar Aziz, dated December 29, 2021, seen by THISDAY showed how ALTON, the umbrella body of licensed telecoms operators in the country, asserted a lot of pressure on the federal government through letters, to shift the deadline, with well articulated reasons.

The extension of the December 31, 2021 deadline, as a result of the pressure from Telcos, made it the tenth time that the federal government has extended the deadline since the first directive on NIN-SIM verification and linkage was issued in December 2020.

Telecoms operators had complained that the situation affected the growth of telecoms subscribers

in 2021. As at mid 2021, MTN had only 72 million subscribers with a market share of 39.01 per cent, while Globacom had 51 million subscribers with a market share of 27.28 per cent.

Airtel had 50 million subscribers with a market share of 26.83 per cent, while 9mobile had 12 million subscribers with a market share of 6.89 per cent. The figures however improved slightly at the end of the 2021, after telecoms operators started using generated virtual NIN to register and activate new SIMs, as directed by NIMC. THISDAY gathered that the Telcos needed to put pressure on the federal government to shift the deadline by another three

months because of the difficulties being experienced by telecoms subscribers in registering their SIM cards following the ultimatum from the federal government, compelling subscribers to register SIM cards and link same with their NINS, or risk deactivation of their SIM cards.

Since the directive was given in December 2020, all sales of New SIMS, activation of new SIMS and SIM Swap, were put on hold, a situation that not only slowed down SIM card registration, but also compounded NIN registration and linkage.

In order to address the challenges, NIMC in November last year, introduced Tokenized NIN, where

by Telcos and other NIMC agents, could generate virtual NIN that will enable Telcos carry out temporal verification exercise that will enable them to register subscribers for sales of new SIMs, SIM activation and SIM swap.

Worried by the enormous challenges faced by telecoms subscribers coupled with the difficulties faced by Telcos in NIN registration, ALTON had to write NIMC, seeking for the extension of deadline for NIN-SIM verification exercise.

Part of the ALTON letter to NIMC, read: “The Association of Continued on page 26

Court Asks ExxonMobil to Subject Self to Local Laws While Operating in Nigeria Wale Igbintade The National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos has reaffirmed its earlier ruling that ExxonMobil Corporation must subject itself to Nigerian laws while operating in the country.

Delivering ruling in a preliminary

objection seeking to stop trial in a case brought against the multinational oil company and its subsidiary Mobil Producing Nigerian Unlimited (MPN) by their former Head of Public and Government Affairs, Mr. Paul Arinze, the judge, Justice Maureen Esowe ruled that ExxonMobil must be joined in the case as co-defendant

and co-employer of the claimant.

Arinze had sued the company for wrongful disengagement when the company, in reacting to an initial case he brought against them claiming wrongful internal processes, had written to say that he had retired from the company, and published the same to the workforce.

The case, which was filed in October 2021, Arinze is claiming his entire salaries, and all other entitlements, from both MPN and ExxonMobil, plus other punitive damages against both companies.

In their initial submission, counsel to ExxonMobil Professor Fabian Ajogwu, had sought to convince

the court to exclude ExxonMobil from the case, arguing that the corporation is not incorporated in Nigeria.

The court then held that having a multilayered structure with shell companies in offshore havens does not relieve ExxonMobil from being sued in Nigeria along with

its subsidiary, a ruling that the corporation is seeking to appeal, and to stop the hearing until their proposed appeal has been heard.

Counsel to the claimant, Emeka Ozoani, SAN, however argued that seeking leave of an appeal Continued on page 26

ATA AASS AT AT WWEEDDNNEESSDDAY, AY, JAAUNGUUASRTY 1216, , 22002212 MMAARRKKEETT DDATA ONNDDSS FFGGNN BBO DESCRIPTION 11.668 FGNSB 12.75 27-APR15-AUG-2021 2023 10.301 FGNSB 14.20 14-MAR16-AUG-2021 2024 11.150 FGNSB 13.53 23-MAR11-SEP-2021 2025 12.364 FGNSB 12.50 22-JAN12-SEP-2021 2026 12.175 FGNSB 16.2884 1710-OCT-2021 MAR-2027

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100.67 109.98

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XXXI MREP CP XXXVI 13-AUG-21 11-FEB-22 III 27UNCP CP VI AUG-21 2-MAY-22 VAAG CP I 2427NEVE AUG-21 MAY-22 TTNG CP II 2531DANC AUG-21 MAY-22 .SIBP CP I 2-SEP21

9.02 7.51

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

RED STAR MEDIA PARLEY…

L-R: Divisional Managing Director, Red Star Logistics, Mr Charles Ejekam; Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Red Star Express PLC, Mr. Auwalu Babura; Group Managing Director, Dr Olusola Obabori; General Manager, International Operations and Services, Mrs. Inemesit James-Okoro and Divisional Managing Director, Red Star Support Services, Mr Tonye Preghafi during Red Star Express Media Parley in Lagos… recently

Wike Killing Genuine Businesses in Rivers Peterside Alleges A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said Governor Nyesom Wike’s lack of economic blueprint and insensitivity is one of the major draw backs of the state.

According to him, had the governor been resourceful enough, thousands of Rivers youth would have been taken off the streets via employment and grants for small and medium scale enterprises.

He noted that a serious governor, with airport and seaports, will carefully develop the state as the logistics hub of south-.south Nigeria, with its attendant employment and economic benefits.

Peterside, who spoke at the weekend, stressed that Rivers State would have been in serious competition with some states, especially Lagos in terms of ideas,

policies, and programmes aimed at making lives and businesses better.

The former House of Representatives member accused the governor of shutting down genuine businesses in that state, in addition to frustrating small and medium scale enterprises that are struggling to survive by the day.

“Governor Wike by his lack of

understanding of how businesses works, has literarily shut down a vista of employment opportunities for Rivers youth,” Dakuku said.

He stated that the present administration in the state has done nothing to create employment and business opportunities for the teeming youth.

Peterside was particularly piqued that the governor was

increasingly becoming a despot with decisions that could have been taken by government officials now being singlehandedly determined by him in Government House, Port Harcourt.

The immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) stressed that the actions of the governor

would scare away potential investors and pursue those already struggling under numerous taskforces set up by the state government who are daily pilloried for all manner of levies.

He noted that the recent decision of the governor to personally register motorcycles used for courier and other delivery services and shut down

Ericsson Pushes for Enterprise Business as Q4 Earnings Jump Emma Okonji with agency report Ericsson predicted its enterprise segment would eventually outstrip its mobile infrastructure business in growth and profitability, as it reported improved Q4 earnings

despite the continued impact of a decline in China.

CEO of Ericsson, Borje Ekholm, who gave details of the enterprise expectation in Ericsson’s Q4 and full year 2021 earnings statement, noted the shift would happen

over time.

Executive Vice President (EVP), Business Area Networks at Ericsson, Fredrik Jejdling told Mobile World Live it had a number of strands to its enterprise strategy, including selling private networks

in collaboration with operators and creation of a global platform.

He said there was an expected ‘big growth rate’ ahead from private and mission-critical network deployments, which it is “completely focused” on working with operators on rather

Lagos Magodo Residents Raise Alarm over Land Invasion Emma Okonji Just as the dust of the recent crisis at the Lagos Magodo Phase Two is settling down gradually, similar crisis is already brewing up at the Lagos Magodo Phase One, where alleged land grabbers are trying to forcefully gain access into the estate.

The Chairman of Magodo GRA Phase 1 Gateway Zone Community Development Association (CDA), Mr. Ayo Fasugba, has raised the

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Comms/e-Business Editor Emma Okonji Aviation Editor Chinedu Eze Asst. Editor, Money Market Nume Ekeghe Senior Correspondent Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafo (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) Reporters Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy) Ugo Aliogo (Development)

some was not just draconian but “thoughtless, inconsiderate and wicked manifestation of a dictator.”

According to him, “Is the governor now saying that the ministry of transport is incapable of handling a simple assignment of registration or that the commissioner is not responsible enough to undertake such exercise.”

alarm that some officers within the police force are backing Mr. Jamiu Oloto and Mr. Ola Oladugba to take over parts of the estate under the guise of illegal road construction.

According to Fasugba, “Magodo Phase 1, Gateway Zone, in Lagos State has always enjoyed remarkable tranquility and good security until a group of land grabbers generally referred to as ‘Omonile’ started invading and infiltrating the Estate under the guise that they need another access road to a wetland space they claim they want to sell or develop.

Their attraction for access through Gateway Zone is due to the level of infrastructural developments championed by the CDA. Residents of the estate claim that sometimes, these illegal land grabbers storm the estate with police officers in uniform.”

He however said the attention

of relevant government parastatals had been drawn to the issue after several invasions from the land grabbers, adding that despite several letters from various state government agencies affirming the right of the estate, the threats and attacks have persisted.

He explained that one of the most violent attempts took place a few months ago, precisely in November 2021 when the suspected land grabbers led by Oloto and Oladugba, with deception and impersonation forcefully gained access into the Estate. He said they also brought an excavator-bulldozer into the estate and moved the equipment to the perimeter fence at the end of Ayo Fasugba Road, the major road on the estate, and demolished the walls at that point, claiming that the part demolished was the access road to the gorge where the plots of land they want to develop are located.

According to Fasugba, all efforts to stop them from further demolition by the residents available proved abortive as a mammoth crowd of hoodlums, numbering over 30, came in through the gorge and started chasing residents with different harmful weapons.

He said it was the prompt intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) that salvaged the situation while the excavator operator and one of the leaders of the suspected land grabbers were arrested as others took to their heels.

“Shockingly, the dispersed hoodlums later re-grouped in the evening to challenge the security persons positioned to protect the porous border. The hoodlums were quite boastful, claiming that they have the support of a certain Deputy-Inspector General of Police and the Lagos State Assembly,

so no one can stop their illegal exploits,” Fasugba said.

He further said petitions have been written to the Commissioner of Police, and other government agencies to register the unlawful act of willful damage by land grabbers who invaded the Estate.

The CDA Chairman said it was so worrisome and the situation and apprehension were so heightened that residents are now very uncomfortable about the next moves of the land grabbers.

“We just hope the InspectorGeneral will call all his men to order on this issue to absolve the police of any complicity. We want the perpetrators of the dastardly act to be arrested and prosecuted by the Nigeria Police Force and we are seeking police protection while we make efforts to rebuild the segment of our fence that was demolished by the hoodlums,” Fasugba said.

than direct to businesses.

More generally, Jejdling added the use of 5G in enterprise also benefitted the wider business, as it would require continued densification of mobile networks.

In Q4, the company struck a big money deal to acquire cloud communications services provider Vonage, as part of its plan to address an emerging communication platform-as-a-service segment.

The creation of a global network platform, Jejdling added, will “expose great use cases” for enterprise, further expanding the segment.

Ericsson booked a net profit of SEK10.1 billion ($1.1 billion) in Q4 2021, up 41 per cent year-on-year.

Revenue increased 3 per cent to SEK71.3 billion.

As in Q3, its earnings growth was blunted by declines in mainland China. Ericsson estimated its sales in the country during the final quarter were SEK1.8 billion less than Q4 2020.

Commenting on the performance of its networks business, Jejdling said it continued to gain market share outside of China.

Looking to 2022, he noted the company saw opportunities in densification and mid-band 5G deployments in markets already developed in the next-generation technology, while expecting growth in early-stage deployments from operators in areas including Latin America.

HOW PRESSURE FROM TELECOMS OPERATORS FORCED FG TO SHIFT NIN-SIM VERIFICATION DEADLINE TO MARCH 31 Licensed Telecommunications of Nigeria (“ALTON”) hereby refers to the letter dated November 15, 2021 in respect of the above subject wherein the National Identity Management Commission (“NIMC” / “Commission”) informed our

members that they are required to integrate their respective services and operations with NIMC’s in respect of the NIN Tokenization solution on or before November 30, 2021.”

The letter further said: “It is pertinent to state that our

members have been collaborating extensively with NIMC towards the successful integration and earliest implementation of the NIN Tokenization solution, which is however constrained by the challenges highlighted in the

foregoing. We therefore crave the indulgence of NIMC to reconsider the deadline for implementation of the Tokenization solution from December 31, 2021, to March 31, 2022. This will provide sufficient time to mutually address the above

issues, conclude final integration by all our members, allow for robust testing and full implementation of tokenization along with necessary public sensitisation of the change from the present NIN to virtual NIN (vNIN) regime.”

COURT ASKS EXXONMOBIL TO SUBJECT SELF TO LOCAL LAWS WHILE OPERATING IN NIGERIA court to file an appeal against a judgment of a competent court is not sufficient ground to delay the case itself, especially since the leave to appeal has not been granted and is in fact being actively opposed by

the claimant.

He further cited three other previous rulings against ExxonMobil on the same type of objection, two of which was in the same court and one at the

Supreme Court.

Dismissing ExxonMobil’s objection, the Justice Esowe upheld the argument of the claimant that delaying the hearing will not serve the course of justice,

and set March 4 for hearing of the case by the claimant against both Mobil Producing Nigeria and ExxonMobil Corporation.

This ruling effectively reaffirms the judicial precedent

that multinational companies operating in Nigeria are subject to Nigerian law, despite their multilevel corporate structures by which they may seek to distance themselves from their subsidiaries.

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DEVELOPMENT

Eradicating Poverty with Social Investment Programme Ugo Aliogo in this report examines the effectiveness of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) to end poverty in Nigeria since the launch of the programme in 2016

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he federal government has continued to implement the National Social Investment Programme on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari. The N-Power has been expanded from 500,000 to 1 million beneficiaries.

The Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) has been restructured to GEEP 2.0. The revamped GEEP 2.0 was officially launched on 24 August 2021 and has successfully registered over 600,000 potential beneficiaries in all the 774 LGAs nationwide through collaborative partnership with the National Orientation Agency. The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) is also growing strong. As you know, the programme is designed as an incentive to boost school enrolment and improve nutrition of primary school pupils while sustaining the impact of agricultural and women entrepreneurs in communities to produce and provide a quality meal daily to pupils at the basic education level.

The NHGSFP aims to provide free school meals to 25 million children in the country by 2030. Currently, the programme is providing meals to nearly 10,000,000 school children nationwide. The programme has further empowered over 100,000 cooks and over 100,000 small holder farmers in the local areas where the schools are located, while creating employment opportunities across sectors such as transportation and manufacturing.

The programme is being extended to children in non-conventional educational settings so that they may access its benefits. The Household Uplifting Programme (HUP), which has the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) as its flagship intervention, is designed to provide targeted financial transfers to poor and vulnerable households under an expanded national social safety nets system.

Those enrolled in the programme benefit from monthly grants of N5,000 to smoothen consumption, stimulate demand and ensure survival directly in the household.

Since inception, a total of 1,676,799 eligible households across the country are benefiting from monthly N5,000 grant, as of March 2021. This is in addition to the 1 million Urban Poor who are benefitting from the Conditional Cash Transfers, under the directive of Buhari to further expand the programme due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

OVERVIEW

The government established the National Social Investments Programmes (NSIP) in 2016, to tackle poverty and hunger across the country.

The suite of programmes under the NSIP focuses on ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations, including children, youth and women. Since 2016, these programmes combined have supported more than 4 million beneficiaries’ country-wide through a fair and transparent process supported by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning (MBNP) and other notable MDAs with aligned goals.

The N-power: This was designed to assist young Nigerians between the ages of 18 to 35 to acquire and develop life-long skills of becoming change-makers in society and playing a role in the domestic and global markets. The youth were also given N30,000 monthly.

The conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) is also direct support to the citizens that are in the lowest poverty bracket to improve nutrition, increase household consumption and support the development of human

capital through cash benefits to various categories of the poor and vulnerable. The support is conditioned on fulfilling soft and hard co-responsibilities that enable recipients to improve their standard of living.

Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) is a micro-leading intervention that targets traders, artisans, enterprising youth, farmers and women in particular, by providing loans between 10,000 and 100,000 at no monthly cost to beneficiaries.

On the other hand, the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSF), aims to deliver school feeding to young children with a specific focus on increasing school enrollment, reducing the incidence of malnutrition (especially among the poor and those ordinarily unable to eat a meal-a-day), empowering community women as a cook and by supporting small farmers that help stimulate economic growth.

FG’S COMMITMENT

Speaking on the intervention recently, the VicePresident, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) stated that apart from providing interest-free microcredit loans to petty traders, the various social intervention schemes of the federal government have made a significant impact in the lives of millions of ordinary Nigerians.

He also noted that as part of its determination to boost economic growth, the present administration has also ramped up its support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector, which accounts for close to 50 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and 76 per cent of the country’s labour force.

“The success of the BOI Growth Platform was the story of, “the Nigerian can-do spirit and the entrepreneurial DNA we carry. This is a shining case study of what President Muhammadu Buhari strongly believes: that Nigerians will solve Nigeria’s problems. This is an example of what we can achieve when we unleash the best of our people – especially our young – on the toughest of our challenges, and give them the free-hand to deliver results,” he added.

Osinbajo maintained that the BOI Growth Platform includes interventions schemes such as the renowned Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) loans (MarketMoni, FarmerMoni and TraderMoni) – regarded as Africa’s largest fully-digitalised micro-credit scheme, the MSME Survival Fund under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), the North-East Rehabilitation Fund, the recently launched World Bank $750million NGCARES programme, and state-based interventions, and others.

According to the VP, “this demographic was far too important to ignore. We had to start solving for them, especially having been left far behind historically,” a reason he noted led to the implementation of intervention schemes through the BOI’s Growth Platform for MSMEs. “What might also not be obvious is the sheer scale of impact that has been achieved with these programmes, as over four million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises have been direct beneficiaries

of the over N150billion deployed in the past.

“57 per cent of these MSMEs are owned by Nigerians below 35 years of age, and close to 60 per cent of the beneficiaries are women. What is even less glaring is that the team of Nigerian professionals behind this work is largely young, with an average age of 28 years old.”

Highlighting the transparency and impact of these microcredit schemes, particularly the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP loans – MarketMoni, FarmerMoni and TraderMoni) under the SIPs, Osinbajo recalled his interaction in 2018, with a petty trader, Jafar Abubakar, one of the Tradermoni beneficiaries at Abubakar Gumi Market in Kaduna when he visited to launch the scheme in the State.

The VP further highlighted the nationwide impact of the Administration’s Social Investment Programmes, which he noted was the, “most ambitious social intervention project in Nigeria’s recent history, with a series of people-centric programmes.”

“This is a journey that only began as an idea six years ago: that we can build systems that will serve everybody fairly and justly and bring credibility to government programmes. One of the biggest barriers we identified was the ability to reach people directly, capture and digitalise their information (even if they are illiterate) and process a benefit to them directly in a way that is transparent to all. Our vision set out to solve this.

“For some programmes, the everyday Nigerians were young graduates who would benefit from a direct stipend and employment placement from the government. For others, it would be pupils for whom a reliable meal per day would make the difference between staying enrolled in school or skipping school to earn money for that meal,” he added.

Osinbajo also praised the infrastructure and transparency behind the BOI Growth Platform schemes.

He recalled his visit to the Growth Platform’s Command Centre, which now has, “22,000 agents, living across all LGAs in Nigeria and equipped with its proprietary mobile technologies, receive mandates to capture and digitalise businesses eligible for its growing suite of programmes.”

EXPERTS’ VIEWS

Despite the laudable efforts to ensure the equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations, including children, youth and women, the NSIP have come by under heavy criticisms some Nigerians who feel that the programme is not supporting the vulnerable population, thereby not achieving its set goals.

In an interview with THISDAY, the Managing Partner, SIAO, Mr. Ituah Ighodalo, stated that globally, social investment programme is not a permanent initiative, stating that it is a temporary thing for somebody who is out of work in the hope that within a few months, he will get work and continue with his life.

He lamented that government has turned social

welfare into an electioneering tool for people and we keep them permanently in poverty, “it is just a waste of time; it is a situation where government creates opportunity for spending money on imported commodities. So, we are wasting resources in that aspect.”

According to him, “We don’t have statistics and information. We don’t know how many people will be taken out of the welfare system over a period of time and we are just giving people money and make them consumption driven. We need to rethink social welfare, plan it with information and statistics. We need to know what the benefits of every naira spent will be in our economy. There is happy money and feel-good money, but you find out that eventually, you have to keep printing these monies and spending it, and this causes inflation without real production, so we should think it through properly.”

In his remarks, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Ibrahim Musa, hinted that the federal government primarily established NSIP in 2016, to tackle poverty and hunger across the country, adding that by this expectation a comparison of the poverty rate prior to its inception to the rate at this point should suffice to offer a face value assessment of the effectiveness.

He further explained that there have been conflicting reports with the President in his speech to mark the June 12 Democracy Day in 2021, stating that his government had lifted 10.5 million Nigerians out of poverty in the past two years, while the World Bank asserted shortly after that inflation had plunged seven million Nigerians into poverty.

Musa remarked that the President used the headcount index, which is a monetary measure of poverty, noting that by transferring cash to 12 million households during the past five years, “a majority of these Nigerians have exceeded the income threshold of $1.90 per day, below which one is regarded as poor.”

According to him, “The suite of programmes under the NSIP (the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, N-Power and the Conditional Cash Transfer Programmes as main components) focus on ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations, including children, youth and women.

“Often, good policies end or fail at the implementation stage; not because they are impracticable but due to the inability of managers to track their progress and get feedbacks on their sustainability. Assessments serve to help understand the strength or deficiencies of plans and programs, for possible fine-tuning, improvement and support which are often geared towards broader coverage and policy efficiency.

“It is commendable that the government held an Annual Strategic Review Meeting, early this year with stakeholders drawn from Federal and State Governments to review of various components of the National Social Investment Programmes for the year 2021, with a view to lift 100 million citizens out of poverty.”

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022

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BRANDS

Advertising: New Vetting Regime, New Fellows Despite the unyielding stance of the Federal Government to constitute a governing council for the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), the current leadership at the regulatory body has continued to forge ahead with reformation. Raheem Akingbolu reports

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arely four months after the inauguration of a new Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP), the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), has announced that the regulatory body would be introducing a new vetting regime from 1st of April this year to further strengthen professionalism.

Speaking in Lagos at the induction of 63 distinguished advertising practitioners as fellows of the profession, the Registrar of the council, Dr Lekan Fadolapo revealed that APCON would be boosting the welfare of its members by starting up with a Life Insurance package for fellows of the council.

For the pragmatic steps being taken by APCON leadership without a governing council, stakeholders have hailed the new leadership for its pro-activeness.

APCON’s last council, headed by Udeme Ufot, was inaugurated on March 5, 2015, and dissolved in July 2015, by the Buhari administration. Since its dissolution, mum has been the word on the part of the APCON supervising ministry.

SURVIVING AGAINST THE ODDS

This notwithstanding, the new leadership at APCON seems to have resolved that lack of council should not stop urgent industry issues from being implemented. One of such issues, he stated, was the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP), which was last inaugurated ten years ago, and another being the fellowship of the practice.

According to Fadolapo, the fellowship induction was therefore part of his plans at ensuring that those issues he met on ground on assumption of office, on September 1, 2020, were quickly attended to, before they began to take their tolls on the practice.

“Induction was done 10 years ago, that means if you are 50 years now, you’ll be close to retirement, since 65 is the retirement age, and that leaves little or no time for such individuals to be active fellows, and also impact on the business of advertising,” he had said.

While expressing his delight at the event, the APCON’s boss expressed optimism that the fellowship induction would provide the opportunity for the new fellows to contribute their quota to the development of the profession.

“In the course of my two-and-a-half decades in this

industry, I have known each of the inductees personally and I have worked with virtually every one of them in different capacities and can, therefore, attest to the fact that none of the fellows inducted today lacked the professional aptitude to be designated as such.

“I am optimistic that with the status that comes with your elevation in the advertising industry, you will diligently represent the profession in all progressive ramifications and resourcefully apply your position to promote the best interest of the profession,” he stated.

While assuring the inductees of APCON’s readiness to provide practitioners a conducive business and professional grounds that would ensure the growth of the business in Nigeria, Fadolapo however charged practitioners to be

ethical in their dealings and ensure they work within the rules guiding advertising practice in the country.

He disclosed that as a way of enhancing the growth of the practice, and ensuring advertising is conducted in an ethical manner without compromising best practices, the agency had introduced some reforms to complement the prevailing regulations.

One of such reforms, Fadolapo added, is the latest Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP), introduced last year, with the aim of providing a minimum standard for business engagement in the industry.

TASK BEFORE NEW FELLOWS

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the

2021 APCON Fellowship Committee, Mr. Bankole Ademulegun, expressed delight that the event eventually took place, ten years after having the last one.

He also congratulated the inductees for meeting the stringent conditions set by the committee, thereby making history as the next set of fellows of the practice.

A fellow of the institute and former Chairman of Zenith Bank, Sir Steve Omojafor, charged the inductees with the responsibility of ensuring that advertising and marketing communications industry in Nigeria excel.

While stressing the need for the new inductees to always comply with the laws and regulations guiding the practice, the marketing professional also urged the new fellows to render every necessary support to APCON, especially in the area of training and professional development of the younger ones.

Congratulating the new inductees while delivering his opening address at the Fellowship Induction ceremony, APCON Registrar, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo disclosed that the inductees met all the stipulated requirements by law and have attained the highest and distinguished class in the profession.

He stated: “In the course of my two-and-a-half decades in this industry, I have known each of the inductee personally and I have worked with virtually every one of them in different capacities and therefore I can attest that none of the fellows inducted today lacked the professional aptitude to be designated as such. I am proud to affirm that all of them are eminently qualified to be in the category which they are today made to be.”

The regulator urged the inductees to continually promote the ideals of the profession even as he pledged his unflinching determination to support practitioners by making the business and practice of advertising favourable to all stakeholders.

Elated, the inductees expressed appreciation for the distinguished honour, which represented recognition of their professionalism and impact over the years.

Some of the practitioners who were honoured include; Lanre Adisa, Steve Babaeko, Jenkins Alumona, Temitope Jemerigbe and Celey Okogun, among others

Equipping Learners with RightTools to Succeed The effect of COVID-19 on global education has compelled technology solution providers to develop products that will equip learners with the right tools to succeed tomorrow, writers Emma Okonji

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hen the pandemic rocked African economies and society at large, the biggest challenge was finding ways to adjust. Schools across the continent had to close, and as a result, they had to quickly take steps to educate pupils using distance-learning techniques. While those that were equipped to adjust have started online or hybrid-learning modules, others, particularly those in rural areas, face massive challenges such as lack of access to digital tools.

Efforts are being made to give young people access to better learning equipment, as many learners on the continent currently rely on cell phones or smart phones to continue learning during this digital age.

It is however crucial for learners and parents to be aware of the available and affordable options to help learners prepare for the classroom of the future.

EQUIPPING LEARNERS

Commenting, HP Nigeria’s Country Head, Emmanuel Asika stated that the technology manufacturing company has recognised the need to equip learners, who are tomorrow’s leaders; with the tools they require in the new normal.

“Buying a laptop for your child today will not only help them succeed at school, but itwill also empower them by preparing them for future challenges and helping them to acquire critical skills necessary to thrive in the digital era, ”Asika said.

According to a report by UNESCO 73 per cent of African countries used some online strategies

by September 2020. However, access to devices and connectivity wasn’t widespread, and even in places where technology was available, learners often felt unprepared to participate in classes digitally.

The 4th industrial revolution – sped up by the pandemic – means that digital skills are no longer a luxury, or a nice-to-have. They are essential, not only for immediate access to basic rights such as

education, but to future-proof a generation of young people who will live in a world with jobs not yet imagined. Whilst efforts continue to ensure the digital divide is minimised, the ability for learners to operate in a digital world is paramount.

HP recently announced new additions to its Personal Systems portfolio called the HP Learning Companions, the HP 14 notebook & HP 15 notebook, powered by the 10th and 11th Generation Intel Core i3 processors offer many benefits in a learning environment, including: Shape-up ideas faster – fast processing speeds powered by a 10th or 11th Generation Intel Core™ i3 processor toenable your child to

bring their ideas to life through quick research, collaboration and execution. They can multitask, toggle between multiple windows and handle demanding applications with utmost ease.

Experience lifelike remote learning – Remote learning is the new normal. It provides learning continuity and expands learning opportunities.

Your child can experience lifelike remote learning with a TrueVision HD Camera. It’s improved low-light video performance captures high-quality footage even in dim light that makes remote interactions more engaging. By integrating a digital microphone into the camera, they will be able to get their point across clearly.

Study without interruption – A long battery

life is critical so your child can keep working, even during power cuts. It also helps them to move freely and study from wherever they want to, reducing the need to carry the charger, or always have a charging point nearby. Fast charge technology is a must these days, so look for a battery that can recharge 50% of its battery in just 45 minutes, allowing your child to study and create all day.

Learn from anywhere – On or off campus, a thin, light notebook makes for easier studying on the go. The right laptop should enable seamless viewing on a micro-edge display with an ultranarrow bezel, giving your child enough screen on a portable 14 notebook to see clearly and complete tasks easily.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Nigerian Students Win Polyup USA ELON MUSK XPRIZE Emma Okonji About 18 students from both primary and secondary schools across Nigeria, who took part in the ELON MUSK XPRIZE CARBON REMOVAL project challenge, came out winners, alongside students from 16 other countries organised by Polyup USA .

Wificombat Academy, pioneer in the edutech space in Nigeria, founded by Mrs. Dele Tejuoso in partnership with Polyup USA, led Team Nigeria to win in the competition.

The competition was chaired

by The Centre for Sustainable Development and Global Competitiveness (SDGC) at Stanford University. The students provided solution to earth’s climate change and carbon emission using maths, robotics and computational learning.

Speaking about the achievement of the team, Tejuoso, said they were able to accomplish it by working in various start-up teams alongside other students from different parts of the world for a period six months, from July to December, 2021.

“Three of the start-up teams our students belonged to, emerged winners. The start-up teams are: Samurai Velocity- First Position for Carbon Removal Solution; Golden Ratio- 2nd Runner Up for Top Libraries Award and Technological Future-3rd Runner Up for Top Libraries award. These students will now be beneficiaries of the $15,000 Innovation Hub Awards given to the winners,” Tejuoso said.

The students include: Abdullah Olamiteju Qamardeen- Muhibat Memorial School; Abdulrahman Abdulwaheed- Muhibat Memorial School; Anjola Etop-Elem- British International school; Aseoluwa Ayanwale- River Oaks School

Lagos ; Benaiah Ajayi- Temple Secondary School; Bethel Ajayi- Chrisland High school; David Nwoye - Grange School; Israel Ehimanre Isibor - Bowine International School; Jerry Okikiola Isibor - Bowine International School; Jessie Etop-Elem- Lagos Preparatory school; Johnnie Olusanya - Cumnor House School of Boys UK; Joshua Etop-Elem- British International School; Kayode Suaad - Muhibat Memorial School; Oluwadunto Ayanwale - Loveworld Schools, Lagos; Oluwafoyinsolami Bamidele - Hallifield College Maryland, Lagos; Oluwagbolawole Bamidele- Hallifield College Maryland, Lagos; Semilore Tejuoso- Temple Secondary School; Damilare Agbaje - Grange School.

“Our organisation is a digital incubation hub keen on providing education technology solutions and changing the educational landscape in Nigeria by building a strong

innovation hub community through innovative learning for kids and teens , preparing them for the innovation economy and the future of work.

“By February 2022, our

organisation will be holding what is called the Poly Fest to celebrate our students who have done outstandingly and emerged winners in the ELON MUSK XPRIZE

CARBON REMOVAL project and we will be inviting other students across Nigeria to be a part of the Polyfest. This event will be virtual and will hold in February 2022,”

Tejuoso further said.

The Academy is inviting students across Nigeria to partake in the life transformational event to celebrate with the winners of the 2021 Project.

How Delta Tech Africa Simplified ISO Certification Processes Emma Okonji

The Director, Corporate Governance and Regulatory Compliance of Delta Tech Africa Limited, Mr. Seyi Katola has explained how the company has simplified the processes of getting ISO certifications for corporate organisation across Africa.

In a statement, Katola noted that being aware of the really lengthy and tiresome processes through which corporate organisations can be ISO certified, Delta Tech Africa Limited, a Quality

consulting organisation with focus on performance management across business verticals, decided to leverage its expertise to make the process smooth, easy and affordable for corporate organisations, especially in Africa and other emerging economies.

According to him, the idea behind simplifying the ISO certification processes is to get the best organisational performance and value across the fast-growing continent of Africa and other emerging economies which many

analysts and industry watchers believe is gradually berthing industrialization.

“Delta Tech Africa offers ISO certifications as a service for worthy clients at convenient costs and at a record time. The certification solutions offered by our expert consultants and partners make sure that you just don’t get the certificate but get the true business benefits and values. Our approach is simple and easy to understand. So, if you are thinking of certification for your company, trust our expertise in this

field and let us partner with you to create a winning solution for your business success,” Katola said.

While urging corporate organisations across Africa to get ISO Certification for improved processes, global markets availability, improved clients trust and confidence, reduced costs and eligibility for tenders, Katola in the statement, argued that organisations with standardised processes and certifications tend to fare better than their counterparts in this dynamic market space.

RIDA Deepens Social Impact, Attracts Endorsements Nigerians have continued to laud the awesome benefits they are deriving from the use of RIDA Herbal Bitters after the Green Mondays, a network of people, committed to ensuring a healthier and wealthier society, carried out its Social Impact Project in some states that saw about 16,000 beneficiaries nationwide receiving RIDA Herbal Bitters for personal use.

Managing Director, Marvel Natural Products, producers of RIDA Bitters, Mrs. Temitope Akinyemi noted that the excitement was palpable as everyone involved who shared how they felt when given the premium herbal product also took advantage of basic medical checks and free counseling.

While reeling out unique contents that stand the product out, Akinyemi said “RIDA is a perfect blend of carefully selected Herb and Root Extracts to help people live healthy daily. RIDA Bitters does the key work of eliminating Oxidative Stress.

“RIDA Bitters contains properties that are effective for general wellbeing and detoxification. It is also very effective in relieving stress and body pains, as well as prevention of malaria and typhoid, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and more.

“RIDA has gone through different levels of testing to ensure that it is made of the highest quality thereby ensuring safety, efficacy, and quick acting. It is NAFDAC approved,

US FDA approved, ISO Certified, HALAL Certified, has gone through Pre-Clinical Trials, and most recently, Clinical Trials. To this end, it is listed in the Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews in South Africa”.

She added that RIDA Herbal Bitters helps to increase the body’s levels of antioxidants and decrease the formation of free radicals, and so helps the body begin to recover and repair whatever damage was earlier done to it, keeping the body healthy, fit and full of life.

According to her, from Lagos to Osogbo through Akure, Sokoto and Port Harcourt, it was fun filled with excitement as people thronged the

centres and took advantage of the programme.

Mrs Temitope Balogun and Mr Olaoluwa Akanji Davies from Lagos, could not contain their joy as they shared their testimonies. Balogun, who spoke in Yoruba language, revealed that she suffered from severe chest ache. But upon using RIDA Herbal Bitters, the chest ache disappeared after one week of use.

Also, Davies, stated that he had troubles controlling irregular passage of urine. According to him, his story changed after he started using RIDA Herbal Bitters as recommended.

From Osun State centre came commendation from Mrs Abike Ogunmola who narrated how a

friend experienced drastic reduction in the size of her fibroid as well as reduction in associated symptoms like bleeding and pains after some time of using RIDA Herbal Bitters.

In Sokoto, Hajia Safinatu Ibrahim, revealed how she had battled malaria before she was introduced to RIDA Herbal Bitters which ensures her quick recovery.

Similar recommendations came from other centres in Ogun, Oyo, Port Harcourt, Sokoto and Kano States where RIDA Herbal was described as a game changer, a must have by every household and the ideal herbal bitters to eliminate different kinds of diseases and maintain lasting wellness.

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E-BUSINESS

Enhancing e-Learning with Technology Emma Okonji presents the views of technology experts who proffered solutions on how best to enhance electronic and remote learning with the support of technology innovation in the digital era

N

igeria Computer Society (NCS), the umbrella body of all computer professionals in the country, recently organised a webinar, where it brought together, technology experts to discuss e-learning and the role of technology in eduction in a ‘New Normal’, where digital skills, smart infrastructure and solutions are needed to enhance e-learning across the country.

In his welcome address, the President of NCS, Prof.

Adesina Sodiya, called on Nigerians to embrace digital education and to make use of technology to drive Nigeria’s educational system and the economy.

According to him, “Education is key in enhancing national development and technology will further drive digital skills in education, the reason why we chose the topic for this year’s NCS organised webinar: E-Learning/IT Education.”

The Ministry of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who was the Chairman of the webinar, but represented

by Mohammed Mahmud, said the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to place priority in Information Technology (IT) education and e-learning.

He spoke about the importance of using IT tools in education and thanked the NCS for recognising the role of technology in education and for its efforts in driving IT education in schools across Nigeria, through its advocacy programmes.

The Director of ICT, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Abubakar Isah, who spoke on the topic: Smart Computing Education and IT Professionalism for Enhancing National Development, said the ministry had in the past, invested in computing education, by developing several computer-based solutions through technology enhanced projects like e-Cloud Project, designed to bring all educational materials to the cloud, where students and teachers could have easy access to them. He added that the ministry also developed two e-learning websites for teachers and students, and equipped them with curriculum-based materials for primary and secondary schools. According to him, should there be a halt in the educational system, pupils and students could log online to study remotely, from the comfort of their homes, by connecting to the websites. He said the website for teachers, contains lots of teaching modules that have helped to simplify teaching and to enhance digital skills among Nigerian teachers.

Secretary General, Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, who was represented by the Head of Administration, Technology Project and Services Department, Mr. Lawrence Edidiong, said the Committee would partner NCS to close the ICT gap in Nigerian universities, since IT would continue to play vital roles in enhancing digital education.

TECHNOLOGY-BASED LEARNING

The Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof. Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye, who was represented by Mr. Lawrence Ugo-Ali, spoke on the topic: “Advancing Technology-based Learning in Nigeria, Strategies, Prospects and Challenges.”

While analysing the topic, Ajiboye said the outbreak of COVI-19, impacted on global educational system, by further making technology an all-important tool in every teaching-learning environment.

“With the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2019 and the subsequent lockdown of economies in 2020, teaching/ learning was immediately sustained and enhanced through the use of e-learning platforms, powered by technology. Although much was not achieved as desired in Nigeria and Africa, using e-learning platforms, compared with the advanced continents like Europe and Asia, due to underdeveloped infrastructure and lack of sufficient human capacities,” Ajiboye said, adding that in order to assist government, TRCN reinforced

its IT and digital drives for Nigerian teachers, through its involvement in driving digital literacy in selected schools across the country.

“TRCN also came up, with a digital literacy programme for teachers in Nigeria, in order to to keep them abreast with national and global trends in innovation around Information and Communications Technology (ICT). So the theme of the NCS conference: E-Learning/ IT Education, is a welcome development in today’s teaching and learning in the digital era. TRCN will be willing to work with NCS to train teachers to update their digital skills in the new normal, ”he said.

Chairman, Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN), Mr. Kole Jagun, said although COVID-19 posed a challenge to education, it also changed the face of education globally. “From a global statistics, over 1.2 million children are out of school as a result of the effect of COVID 19, a situation that has strengthened the need for e-learning platforms across the globe, where teaching/learning is now being carried out remotely on digital platforms. Nigeria must therefore adopt e-learning in all the institutes of learning across the country, ”Jagun said.

UPSCALING DIGITAL SKILLS

The Chairman, Governing Council National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and former Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola, who presented the keynote paper at the webinar, addressed the topic: “Advancing Technology-based Learning in Nigeria: Prospects, Challenges and Strategies.”

According to the professor of Computer Science Education, the poor state of infrastructure in the country, the ill-readiness of the students and teachers, are affecting the use of technology in advancing teaching and learning across the country.

He said as at 2001, teaching infrastructure was very poor, but improved with time.

He said the students and teachers readiness also improved gradually from 2001 till date.

He explained that the deployment of e-learning started slowly with different state governments, but improved with time. He said cost of purchasing learning tools was a challenge in the past, which he said, affected the enhancement of e-learning across in the country.

He further explained that Nigeria currently has 201 universities across the country, with only 60 per cent state of e-readiness on the part of the students and 40 per cent state of e-readiness on the part of the teachers to adopt technology education.

He however said the e-readiness state of secondary schools across the country is 30 per cent.

He projected that by 2027, 65 per cent of secondary school classes would be technology-based in order to drive e-learning across the country, while 65 per cent of classrooms and workshops at the university level, would also be technology-based, in order to enhance e-learning across Nigerian universities.

He added that university teachers, including secondary school teachers, must be digitally literate and equipped in order to impart digital skills and drive e-learning in every learning environment.

He however said the outbreak of COVID-19, further enhanced e-learning across schools, as most schools fully commenced distant learning through technology-based learning, while schools were locked down.

He therefore called for political will of the government to support digital and e-learning

in schools, by adequately funding schools in today’s digital era.

Okebukola stressed the need for digital skills development among professionals of Computer Science and the need for the adoption of local content tools in any learning environment.

Citing the 2020 report on the state of university in Nigeria, Okebukola said the report further urged professors of Computer Science to regularly upscale their digital skills.

According to Okebukola, teachers in the universities would need to improve on their digital literacy skills.

“There is therefore urgent need to revise the university curriculum and re-focus it on digital literacy. I am happy that the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) is organising training programmes for university teachers to enhance their digital literacy skills. NUC has come up with a new curriculum and digital literacy is the major component of the new curriculum. This is important because the acquisition of digital literacy skills is very important to every student, irrespective of their disciplines,” Okebukola said.

Speaking about the importance of the new curriculum for schools, Okebukola said the digital literacy aspect of the new curriculum, made it a good trigger for the acquisition of relevant educational skills in schools. He equally stressed the need for refresher courses for teachers at all levels of education, including university education, adding that the professors at the universities need to update their digital skills.

Okebukola also stressed the need for local content development across all learning centres, adding that the use of local contents in teaching and learning, will make the students learn faster with high level of retention on what have been thought. “I hate to see images and learning tools that are alien being displayed on power point presentations, because such will not impart good knowledge on the students. Teachers should be innovative enough in today’s digital era to use indigenous contents for their teaching aids and tools,” Okebukola said.

VIRTUAL LEARNING

Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning, Lancaster University, United Kingdom, Prof. Don Passey, who spoke on the topic: “Reinforcing Virtual Learning Environment,” emphasised the need for digital technology in schools, in order to reinforce the virtual learning environment.

He said virtual learning, which started from the era of Information Technology, was actually built around the Information Technology. He said Communication Technology was developed to further enhance virtual learning environment.

According to him, Zoom is currently used for communication, meetings and for learning, which he said, has its own learning experience and opportunity.

“There are different types of collaborative tools that support virtual learning, which teachers and students can take advantage of such as digital maps, visual tools and audio visual tools, to enhance learning needs. He highlighted the need for collaboration and combination different learning concepts in a virtual learning environment.

“We need to review the data we use and the actual data we need for virtual learning. We also need to review the kind of data analysis we adopt in virtual learning environment. The review becomes important to address self regulation in the use data analysis. The data available for virtual learning are

mostly under developed, and do not support learning needs. It is therefore important to have good knowledge of data gathering and analysis for virtual learning environment. There must be collaboration between education, technology, digital facilities and learning needs in order to move virtual learning environment forward,” Passey said.

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

CEO, New Horizon Technology Training Institute, Mr. Tim Akano, who delivered a technical paper on New Waves of Innovations in Computing and IT Education, said e-learning had been in existence, but became established and recognised, after the outbreak of COVID-19.

He said since the outbreak of the pandemic, people have come up with different innovations that are driving e-learning across the world.

He explained that innovation could be in the short term or long term, depending on what is been researched upon.

Giving an example of long-term innovation, Akano cited the innovation that brought about the development of iPod, a device that could compress thousands of music streams into a small device by Apple.

He said such innovation took Apple longer time to achieve because of the nature of the small device that could accommodate several compressed music.

According to him, the current e-learning concept passed through several innovations to get to its current state, and that innovation could cut across different strata of technology growth and development.

He listed four steps through which innovation could be achieved to include: Questioning Ability, Observation, Collective Intelligence and Experimentation. Analysing the four steps to innovation, Akano said the questioning ability helped innovators to further probe the success of any idea by using mathematical formula to split the idea and product, in order to improve on it.

He said observation would enable innovators to think, and observe different things, including how people make use of the existing products and the challenges they face in using the products. He also explained that collective intelligence was about brainstorming on a particular product, while experimentation was about experimenting on a particular product in order to improve on it.

“The combination of the four steps would lead to risk taking, which will continue to drive innovation in any field of study, be it in education such as e-learning or in manufacturing and product development. The manufacturing of iPhone by Steve Job, was a risk to the existing products, but he insisted that innovation was all about risk taking. Innovation should therefore be built around solving bigger challenges, which has always remained the secret of innovation, since innovation is about people, prospects and philosophy that is tilted towards risk taking,” Akano said.

He listed factors that could hinder innovation to include: mistrust, lack of openness, fear, doubt and uncertainty. He therefore advised government and management of various organisations to avoid such pitfalls to innovation.

TRENDS IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Head of Department, Mathematics and Computer Science, Coal City University, Enugu, Dr. Michael Edeh, who spoke on the topic: “Research Trends in Educational Technology,” described Educational Technology as the infusion of technology into education in order to enhance education.

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

THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ , JANUARY 27, 2022

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ÜÙßÚ ÏËÞßÜÏÝ ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ Chiemelie Ezeobi ×ËÓÖ chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

Giving Bite to Fight against Diseases, Poverty Globally Togivemorebitetoitsfightagainstdiseases,poverty,andinequityglobally,theBill&MelindaGatesFoundationappointedfourmembers as board of trustees. This is expected to shape the foundation’s governance and increase global impact, Chiemelie Ezeobi writes

Melinda French Gates Bill Gates

Suzman

T

o strengthen governance and increase its impact on health, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation appointed a board of trustees, with Strive Masiyiwa, Baroness Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, Thomas J. Tierney, and Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman joining co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates as members.

The board members will work alongside Gates and French Gates, bringing independent and diverse perspectives to help strengthen the foundation’s governance.

Suzman announced the board members in the foundation’s inaugural annual letter.

The letter highlighted the foundation’s efforts to fight poverty and disease; its goal of creating a better, fairer world; and its commitment to listening to diverse perspectives and deepening engagement with partners and communities where its work is focused.

He said: “The board announcement comes at a time of unprecedented global challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed, halted, and even reversed hard-won gains in global health and development around the world.

“After nearly two decades of steady progress, tens of millions of people have been thrown back into poverty, childhood vaccination rates have dropped, and diseases from malaria to tuberculosis have resurged.

“Since January 2020, the Gates Foundation has committed more than $2 billion to the global COVID-19 response, with a focus on making sure support reaches marginalised communities as

Strive Masiyiwa

quickly and effectively as possible.

“The pandemic has had devastating impacts on these communities, and it will take many years for them to recover.

“This governance change comes after the death in late 2020 of Bill Gates Sr., Bill Gates’ father, an honorary co-chair, and a long-time guiding voice at the foundation, as well as the decision by Warren Buffett last year to step down as a trustee after nearly 15 years.

“It also represents an explicit recognition

by Gates and French Gates, especially in the wake of their recent divorce, that the foundation will be well served by the addition of independent voices to help shape its work in the future.

“The board could include up to nine total members, with conversations ongoing about adding to the initial slate to enhance representation across gender, geography, and expertise.

“We are honored that these three deeply knowledgeable and respected individuals have agreed to join the foundation board.

“Between them, they bring an incredible track record of impact across global business, philanthropy, and development, and we couldn’t be more excited to work with them.”

In addition to introducing the new board members, Suzman discussed the foundation’s efforts to maximise its impact while ensuring that its work is increasingly inclusive.

That includes deepening engagement with developing country agencies and governments,

establishing offices and growing its staff outside of the United States, and expanding grants to institutions closer to affected communities.

He also emphasised that in its next phase, the foundation will continue to prioritise areas where its resources and expertise will be most catalytic and to invest in higher-risk areas where it’s more difficult to deploy public resources, from funding innovative treatments for malaria to supporting cutting-edge disease modeling.

“Our new board members are strong, qualified leaders who will support the foundation and its partners in our work to promote a healthier, safer, more equal world for all.

“I am deeply proud of all that we have accomplished over the past two decades and energized to work with them to drive progress on some of the most important issues the world faces today,” said Melinda French Gates.

Suzman and Connie Collingsworth, the foundation’s chief operating officer and chief legal officer, led the work to strengthen the foundation’s governance at Gates’ and French Gates’ request, conducting a strategic review in consultation with external experts on best governance practices.

The new board members will bring their diverse expertise, experience, and perspective to advise the co-chairs and the foundation’s leadership team on budget and strategy.

The board will meet three times a year to guide the work of the foundation and

approve the annual budget and four-year plan.

They will also have the responsibility to review the CEO’s performance and approve the CEO’s compensation. Board members serve three-year terms, with a two-consecutive-term limit.

“Over the past 20 years, the scale and scope of our foundation’s work has evolved to include some of the most complex and urgent challenges the world faces,” said Bill Gates.

“As we look ahead, I’m excited to welcome our new board members. Their wide-ranging experience and expertise will have enormous impact on our ability to tackle the complexity of these challenges and bring us closer to realizing a world where everyone has the chance to lead a healthy and productive life.”

Since its establishment 21 years ago, the foundation has provided more than $60 billion in grants, with the annual payout regularly increasing year over year.

With a more than $50 billion endowment; Gates and French Gates’ additional commitment of $15 billion last year; the pledges by Gates, French Gates, and Buffett to devote the bulk of their remaining resources to the foundation; and the requirement to spend down the endowment after the co-founders’ deaths, the foundation is uniquely positioned to continue its work of fighting poverty, disease, and inequity in the United States and around the world, while maintaining a major role in the field of philanthropy for decades to come.

Strive Masiyiwa, chairman and founder of Econet Group, said: “Over the last 20 years I have worked with the Gates Foundation, beginning

T H I S D AY ˾ , JANUARY 27, 2022

33

NEWS

FERTILITY

With Dr. Kemi AILOJE drkemi@lifelinkfertility.com www.lifelinkfertility.com +2348033083580

Gonorrhea and Infertility (Part 2)

Baroness Shafik

L

ast week, we started a topic on Gonorrhea and Infertility. We discussed the causes, risks, signs and symptoms.

This week, we will discuss effects on fertility, prevention, give advice on what to do when infected with gonorrhea, diagnosis and treatment.

EFFECT OF GONORRHEA ON FERTILITY Untreated gonorrhea may lead to life-altering consequence when trying to conceive such as: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) – this is when the bacterium scar the uterus and fallopian tubes of women leading to blockage in the tubes and hence, complications in pregnancy or infertility.

This disease can occur within 2 days to 3 weeks of exposure to gonorrhea.

Ectopic or Tubal pregnancy – this is the inability of the fertilized egg to implant due to the cyst (blockage) formed by gonorrhea. Fertilization may take place outside of the womb leading to pains in the pelvic region and even possible death.

Epididymitis – this is when the epididymis located in the testicles are inflamed leading to a blockage in sperm movement. Gonorrhea can cause serious damage in the male reproductive organ if not treated on time.

Tom Tierney

“In its next phase, the foundation will continue to prioritise areas where its resources and expertise will be most catalytic and to invest in higher-risk areas where it’s more difficult to deploy public resources, from funding innovative treatments for malaria to supporting cutting-edge disease modeling” with efforts to improve agricultural production GPS NPSF UIBO NJMMJPO TNBMMIPMEFS GBSNFST JO Africa, to improving livelihoods for the poorest people across Africa and the world.

“We have worked together to address global IFBMUI DSJTFT MJLF UIF &CPMB BOE $07*% pandemics. I am honored to join the co-chairs and the incredible team at the foundation in fighting disease and poverty throughout the world.” #BSPOFTT 4IBàL EJSFDUPS PG UIF -POEPO 4DIPPM of Economics and Political Science, said: “I am honored and delighted to be joining the board PG UIF #JMM .FMJOEB (BUFT 'PVOEBUJPO BOE * look forward to working with my fellow board members to support its mission of advancing human flourishing.

“I’ve spent my career working in some of the world’s great international and academic institutions CFDBVTF MJLF .FMJOEB BOE #JMM * SFBMJTF UIBU UIF hardest problems facing humanity are not confined to a single country or sector, but are universal

challenges that call for reason, empathy, and cooperation. “ I’ve long admired the foundation for standing for those values across borders and all parts of society. The pandemic, climate change, and other crises have shown its work to be more relevant and necessary than ever. “ I will dedicate my service as a board member to upholding those collaborative values within an organisation that exists to enable everyone to live a healthy and productive life.”

Tom Tierney, co-chair and co-founder of the #SJEHFTQBO (SPVQ TBJE i5IF (BUFT 'PVOEBUJPO is an extraordinary organization with over two decades of persistent, pragmatic, and disciplined experience fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. The opportunity—and the imperative—to accelerate the foundation’s impact has never been greater. My aspiration as a new board member is to do my share in helping the co-chairs and the leadership team capture this potential, in service of society.”

PREVENTION r 5IF TBGFTU XBZ UP QSFWFOU HPOPSSIFB PS other STDs is to abstain from sex. r *G ZPV NVTU FOHBHF JO TFYVBM BDUJWJUJFT always use a condom. r #F PQFO XJUI ZPVS TFYVBM QBSUOFST BCPVU your STD status. r *G ZPVS QBSUOFS JT IBWJOH BOZ TZNQUPNT PG gonorrhea, avoid any sexual contact and advise them to seek medical attention in order to prevent transmission. r -JNJU UIF OVNCFST PG TFYVBM QBSUOFST UP POF r )BWF SFHVMBS HPOPSSIFB TDSFFOJOH What to do if you have gonorrhea?

If you suspect you may be infected with gonorrhea, you should refrain from sexual activity and contact your doctor right away.

At your medical appointment, be prepared to do the following: r %FTDSJCF ZPVS TZNQUPNT JO EFUBJM r 5BML BCPVU ZPVS TFYVBM IJTUPSZ r 4VQQMZ UIF DPOUBDU JOGPSNBUJPO GPS BOZ previous sexual partners so that the public health officers of the hospital can contact them on your behalf confidentially if you consent. r -FU ZPVS TFYVBM QBSUOFS PS QBSUOFST LOPX they should get tested for gonorrhea bacteria as soon as possible. r *G ZPV IBWF CFFO QSFTDSJCFE BOUJCJPUJDT ensure that you complete the entire course of treatment because if you take antibiotics for a short period of time, the bacteria will be more likely to develop resistance and the infected individual may not be completely treated. r "GUFS m XFFLT PG USFBUNFOU FOTVSF you follow up with your doctor to confirm your

status with a repeat test.

Diagnosis Gonorrhea should only be diagnosed by the specialist healthcare provider. This could be done by using a swab stick to take fluid from the vagina, rectum, penis, throat or any region that shows symptoms of gonorrhea. In cases of joint infection, blood may be withdrawn for analysis by inserting needle into the infected joint to withdraw fluid. There are two different methods to analyze gonorrhea. r 5IF àSTU UFDIOJRVF JT B RVJDL BOE TJNQMF UFTU "MUIPVHI JU EPFT OPU HVBSBOUFF BDDVSBDZ It involves staining the sample fluid or blood collected with a dye for examination under a microscope. If the dye reacts with the cells viewed under the microscope, it means gonorrhea may be present. r 5IF TFDPOE UFDIOJRVF JOWPMWFT QMBDJOH the sample of fluid or blood on a petri-dish and incubating for days under ideal conditions that allows growth of bacteria. If gonorrhea is present in, a colony of gonorrhea bacteria will grow.

Treatment of Gonorrhea Most gonorrhea transmissions may be treated XJUI NPEFSO BOUJCJPUJDT )PXFWFS UIFSF BSF OP over-the-counter medications for gonorrhea. If you suspects that you may have contracted gonorrhea, first seek medical attention from a qualified doctor.

The most known medication for gonorrhea is: r FJUIFS B TJOHMF BOUJCJPUJD JOKFDUJPO PG DFGUSJBYPOF into the buttocks or, r B TJOHMF PSBM EPTF PG BOUJCJPUJD NFEJDBUJPO azithromycin (Zithromax).

In some developed countries, healthcare professionals are required by law to report diagnoses to the public health authorities who will then identify, contact, test, and treat any sexual partners of the person who has been diagnosed with gonorrhea to help prevent transmission of the disease.

CONCLUSION Globally, gonorrhea has reached epidemic proportions. It is the most common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and, as a result, infertility. The bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae is responsible for the prevalent sexually transmitted disease (STD) gonorrhea in both men and women.

Gonorrhea may easily spread among people who are sexually active with no precautions most especially teenagers.

If you detect any concerning signs or symptoms, such as a burning feeling when you urinate or a pus-like discharge from your penis, vagina, or rectum, ensure you make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Also, if your spouse or partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhea, make an appointment with a doctor for your diagnoses even though you may not notice any indications or symptoms that would lead you to seek medical attention. As the saying goes, prevention is always better than cure.

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T H I S D AY ˾ , JANUARY 27, 2022

NEWS

Medical Expert Implores Women with Uterine Fibroid to Embrace Non-invasive Treatment

Airlines Turn to Soybeans for Jet Fuel

Rebecca Ejifoma The Managing Director, Nordica Fibroid Care Centre in Lagos State, Dr Abayomi Ajayi, has implored women with uterine fibroid to embrace non-invasive treatment, as he cautioned against complications in surgeries.

Ajayi, who said this during a virtual media conference on the theme ‘Treating Uterine Fibroids without the Knife’, described non-invasive treatment as the best available option to eliminate fibroids. The MD assured women: “In my opinion, HighIntensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), a non-invasive treatment, eliminates fibroids. It is the best option because the patient does not need to be cut at all.”

HIFU, he added, uses real-time ultrasound and high-intensity ultrasound waves to generate localised heat to specifically target individual fibroids to destroy the cells. The MD further noted that available options may be combined, clarifying that HIFU may be combined with hysteroscopy to see the inside of the uterus without invasive surgery.

According to Ajayi, “We have gone past the level of one-sizefits-all treatment. Nowadays, treatment is tailored for individual patients. There are many women in their 40s with large fibroids and not doing anything about it.”

While recalling that he delved

Soyabeans

Ajayi into infertility treatment about 20 years ago, he highlighted that majority of the problems with surgery has to do with bleeding among others. “In HIFU, we don’t open you up; it is efficient. And the fibroid that has been killed cannot come back.”

However, he conceded that they might not be able to kill all the fibroids at a sitting, outlining that they can split the procedure, since there is no radiation.

“It can be repeated. While there can be growth of new fibroid, the killed fibroid cannot come back to life.”

And with the high risk of complications associated with surgery, the Nordica boss said more women are coming forward now for HIFU procedure.

Today, 64 patients have been successfully attended to since the Nordica Fibroid Care Centre opened last year. “We

have looked at every patient and satisfied them all. Before the end of January we expect that we would have done 80 procedures.”

For Ajayi, there is no need to rush into surgery because of the complications. “Look at the most suitable available options for you. Waiting endlessly after doing fibroid surgery is not the way to go if you are hoping to get pregnant.”

Organisation Calls for More Focus on Children’s Mental Health Mary Nnah Following the impact of COVID-19 on the educational system, a social change enterprise, A Mother’s Love Initiative, has reiterated the importance of giving attention to the physical and mental health of children and educators within the educational system.

The group made this known during the occasion to mark the 2022 edition of the United Nations’ The International Day of Education on Monday, January 24, with the theme, “Beyond Academic Achievement: Social and Emotional Learning in Enhancing the Quality of School Life”.

The organisation is also of

the opinion that there are stress related events associated with the pandemic that have impacted the learning trajectory and need not be catalysed by the practices of hurrying at the school level.

Based on the foregoing, A Mother’s Love Initiative celebrated the International Day of Education by focusing on the above theme, which speaks to the growing concerns about reduced physical and social interactions permeating the new generation school system in Nigeria.

Aware of the role of education for peace and development across nations, the organisation’s current mission and activities concern the hurried child syndrome and practices in Africa that emphasises

the need to focus on the social and emotional components of learning in strengthening and reviving education in the formal and informal sectors.

Speaking on the relevance of the theme, Legal Adviser/ Press Secretary for A Mother’s Love Initiative, Mr. Uchechukwu Michael Ginika explained that the initiative’s theme for this day speaks to the overall quality of life of the Nigerian Child within the educational system in Nigeria.

Elucidating further on the value added by the initiative’s action, he said the proposed campaign is expected to increase the awareness of the mass public towards the essence of social and emotional development towards producing

a functional adult in the society.

Also, it is expected that the actions of A Mother’s Love Initiative will enhance the engagement of non-state actors in building the advocacy level to a critical mass that gains the attention of the government and international actors towards promoting practices that ensure the total development of the Nigerian child.

Ginika explained that it is expected that the actions of the initiative will also increase the engagements of key actors in the government in reviewing existing policies and enforcing them to ensure that educational institutions deliver on the mandate to the Nigerian child.

Airlines aim to reduce their carbon footprint by using sustainable aviation fuel made from soybeans.

Individuals in the U.S and farmers stand to benefit from efforts by airlines to clean up their carbon footprint by switching to sustainable aviation fuel — made primarily from soybeans.

Mac Marshall of the United Soybean Board talked with Steve Alexander about the projected needs of the airlines and how crush and processing plants are ramping up to meet the demand.

Fatty acids from soybean oil can be turned into an array of industrial products normally made from petroleum, including fuel, ink and paints.

One appeal of plant-based products is that they recycle carbon found in the atmosphere. ARS scientists say this makes plants a far more renewable resource than petroleum and other fossil fuels, which add carbon to the atmosphere as they’re processed and used.

Blends using biofuels are one of the ways the aviation industry is working to reduce its “carbon footprint,” or total emissions of greenhouse gases — particularly carbon dioxide — which amounted to 905 million tons in 2018.

One approach to making soy jet fuel relies on the use of a precious metal called ruthenium to catalyze reactions that chemically modify the structure and properties of the oil’s unsaturated fatty acids. The problem with this approach is that it generates too few aromatic compounds.

To get around the problem, scientists replaced ruthenium with iridium as the chief catalyst in a six-step procedure.

In laboratory-scale experiments, use of the approach on high oleic-acid soy oil produced jet fuel formulations containing enough aromatics to be compatible with conventional jet fuels — and beyond what ruthenium-based methods can achieve.

The advancement opens the door to increased blending of bio- and conventional- jet fuels as an emissions-cutting measure.

The method also generates little or no naphthalene, a jet fuel component that emits soot upon combustion.

Adeboye at 80: RCCG Offers Free Surgery for Cleft Lip, Palate Patients Rebecca Ejifoma The Redeemers Health Centre in partnership with Good Smile Africa Advocacy Initiative is offering free surgery for Cleft Lip and Palate patients.

The free surgery will kick off from March 22 to 26 this year at the health centre on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Redemption Camp, Ogun State.

The free medical surgery is designed to celebrate the Founder and General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, as he joins the octogenarian club on March 22.

Follow up visit will be held from May 20 to 22. The organisers can be reached on 07052924071, 08036536111 08062169266, 08064004689.

In the words of the organiser, a cleft lip or palate is not a curse or evil spirit as anybody that has cleft lip or palate can be helped.

Smile Train to Build Database for Cleft Conditions in Nigeria Sunday Ehigiator In commitment to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Ministry of Health, to ensure the Nigeria Surgical Plan was implemented, Smile Train, global largest provider of free cleft care, in partnership with the National Surgical Obstetrics Anesthesia and Nursing Plan (NSOANP) committee, has launched an eregistry process to capture data of people with cleft conditions in Nigeria.

This was revealed last year at

the 2021 South-West NSOANP/ Smile Train Cleft Stakeholders’ meeting held in Lagos State, with the aim of scaling up cleft care services in the South-west zone.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Member, NSOANP Committee, Justina Seyi-Olajide said, “One of the things we discovered while developing the surgical plan for Nigeria was that there was poor record keeping and hardly any reliable data to fall back on. “This is especially when it comes to surgical conditions, people with surgical conditions and the outcome of the treatment,

and capacity of the country to handle surgical conditions.

“Now Smile Train has leveraged this plan to provide a Cleft and Surgery e-registry.

What this e-registry is meant to do is to provide a database for cleft conditions and also other surgical conditions within the country, from the pre-surgery phase to the post-surgery and discharge phases.

“So it will take into cognisance complications, outcomes, and eventually scale up to involve the population based burden of surgical conditions.

“So at the pilot phase, Smile Train is starting up with cleft conditions. So right now in the database, records of cleft patients are being uploaded in various centers within the country that partners with Smile Train.”

Speaking on the necessity of the meeting, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), also Coordinator of Smile Train’s cleft care activities at LUTH, Prof. Olugbenga Ogunlewe, said it was targeted at fostering collaborations among Pastor Adeboye cleft care providers in South-west

35

T H I S D AY ˾ , JANUARY 27, 2022

FEATURES

Masari’s Priceless Gift of Sight to Cataract Patients Francis Sardauna chronicles the effort of Aminu Masari Youth Empowerment Foundation in restoring the sight of cataract patients in Katsina State through free surgery

Some of the cataract patients waiting for the surgery

A

ccording to statistics recently released by a United Arab Emirates (UAE)- based nongovernmental organisation, Noor Dubai Foundation, Katsina State has no fewer than 30,000 cataract patients across the 34 local government areas of the state.

Miffed by the statistics, Masari Youth Empowerment Foundation, founded by the state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has so far carried out free eye surgeries, correctional testing services and provided glasses to over 3,000 cataract patients drawn from Katsina, Jigawa and Gwagwalada.

The inauguration of the foundation was part of Governor Masari’s humble contributions towards redirecting youths from dependency to a productive and formidable people with hope for a better future.

Thus, the endowment is providing the needed support to the youths in areas of education through scholarships, empowerment, medical outreach for the less privileged and positive mentorship opportunities for the youths to realise their full potentials.

The recent free eye surgery programme was carried out under the foundation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), tagged Priceless Gift of Sight. Out of this number, the sight of almost 2,000 visually impaired people have been restored through surgeries, while the rest underwent tests to correct various eye defects and also received glasses.

The three-day priceless gift of sight programme, was designed by the charity and non-profitable organisation to tackle cataracts and other eye defects that could lead to blindness among underprivileged adults and children across various villages and communities in Katsina, Jigawa and Gwagwalada.

The exercise also included screening of patients by trained para-medical staff, full ophthalmic and medical examination of patients prior to surgery and the eventual surgery performed by the surgeons.

Other measures put in place by the Masari Foundation are admission of screened patients for two days before surgery, observation of the patients for

at least 24 hours post surgery, check-up on patients within six weeks after the surgery in their respective communities, and random post operative audit by independent ophthalmologists to confirm the efficiency of the surgery and state of health of the beneficiaries.

Aminu Masari Youth Empowerment Foundation’s effort has also raised awareness on the magnitude of the problems associated with cataract in the state.

The non-governmental organisation’s unflinching support to stemming cataract disease among the needy has gone a long way to improve the socio-economic well-being of the over 3,000 beneficiaries and their respective families.

More significantly, the programme serves as an avenue for indigenous medical and para-medical personnel to build their capacity through the training offered by the team of doctors provided by the non-political foundation that conducts the free and sight-giving exercise for the underprivileged people, mostly women and children.

Indeed, there is no gift in the world better than giving sight to the visually impaired. This, perhaps may be the belief of the ‘people’s governor’ who vowed at different fora that he will retire from active politics in 2023 to focus more on assuaging the plight of the vulnerable through his charity organisation and farming activities.

The Chairman of the Aminu Masari Youth Empowerment Foundation, Kabir Muhammed, while declaring the exercise open, said the programme

was designed to combat cataracts and other eye defects that could lead to blindness among underprivileged adults and children across various communities in the state.

He noted that the need to address avoidable visual impairment in the state and Nigeria as a whole was huge, adding that the foundation looks forward to scaling up the programme and bringing the benefits to many more who are in need.

According to him, “All the cataract patients from Jigawa, Katsina and Gwagwalada that are here would have their sight restored through surgeries.

Some of them will undergo tests to correct their various eye defects and also receive glasses.

“The importance of sight to the well-being of an individual and nation cannot be under estimated. We are proud to sustain the execution of this initiative because it has continued to positively touch and transform the lives of thousands of people, homes and the entire society”.

He affirmed that the outreach was to support and put smiles on the faces of others by helping them not only with screening, but also with treatment and medications in furtherance of the foundation’s efforts to fill the vacuum in the health sector towards producing an environment filled with healthy people.

Earlier, the Medical Director of the Katsina Eye Centre, Dr. Ahmed Hamza, lamented that the state has a very high magnitude of eye cases ranging from

“The importance of sight to the well-being of an individual and nation cannot be underestimated.

We are proud to sustain the execution of this initiative because it has continued to positively touch and transform the lives of thousands of people, homes and the entire society”

common cataract to blindness.

According to him, “Cataract is an eye disease that affects the ability of an individual to see clearly which could lead to total blindness, if not treated”.

In his testimony, a beneficiary of the programme, Usman Danbaba from Kurfi, said, for 15 years I battled with poor sight and at a point, it became so serious that I could barely see and my source of livelihood was affected.

“I lost hope of seeing again and this affected my farming and ability to cater for my family until I heard about this free eye surgery programme. I went through the necessary tests and the surgery which was very successful. Allah will bless Governor Aminu Masari for serving my life”.

While narrating her ordeal, another beneficiary, Ramatu Aliyu, 56, said: Ibrahim (her uncle) I can see you and other people clearly now.That was her first utterance after doctors removed the bandages from her eyes”.

Another beneficiary, Garba Ruma, said he was diagnosed in 2018, but it was difficult for him to raise the money for the surgery.

The 50-year-old Ruma, who was visibly overwhelmed, added: “I have been suffering from blindness for about four years and some months now, but with this surgery by Aminu Masari Foundation, I have regained my sight.

“If not for the assistance of the foundation, my wife and I could not raise the money for the cataract surgery that I was diagnosed with in October 2018.

The foundation carried out the surgery on me free of charge. Endless blessings, is what I wish for Alhaji Masari”.

In view of its doggedness in curbing the hardship of the vulnerable people, the foundation had in 2021, donated 200 wheelchairs to physically challenged persons across the 34 local government areas of the state as part of efforts to assuage their plights.

Therefore, it is pertinent to note that the Aminu Masari Foundation is providing the needed support to the youths, women and children in the areas of education through scholarships, empowerment, medical outreach for the less privileged and positive mentorship opportunities for the youths to realise their full potentials.

36

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ JANUARY 27, 2022

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Akinlade: Low Standard, Importation of Metal Products Bane of SMEs Kasim Sumaina ÓØ ÌßÔË The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Developments, Dr Oluwatoyi Akinlade has describes low industrial standard of local metal products and importation of all kinds of metal products as bane of Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

Akinlade, stated this at a workshop organised by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in Kano, which is part of its annual Stimulation and Promotion Workshop for Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for the North – West geopolitical Zone.

The one-day programme, she explained was aimed at strengthening the strategies designed for the growth of the SMEs in the Sector, as well as sensitise, stimulate and drive a significant improvement in the Sector’s contributions to the na-

tion’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and economy.

The Perm Sec, in a statement by the Director of Press, of the ministry, Mrs. Etore Thomas, added: “the move was part of its demonstration of its commitment to create awareness (MMSD) amongst the SMEs in the Metals Sector comprising of foundries, fabricators, welders, manufacturers of spare parts, aluminum extrusion, allied products.”

While expressing optimism that the workshop will bridge participants’ gaps on production of quality products that would compete favourably in the global market, however urged participants urged the participants, who were drawn from Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa to ensure that the knowledge gained from the seminar will propel the SMEs into higher productivity leading to wealth creation, poverty reduction and increase in the GDP of the

country.

In his welcome address at the event, the Acting Director (Steel), Engineer Olasupo noted that the ministry was set to see SMEs operators in the metals sector fully integrated with other stakeholders in the industry.

Hallmark of the event was the presentations made by SMEDAN Representative, Aliyu Aminu; Bank of the North official, Alhaji Aminu Yusuf; and the G.M. (General Services), Ajaokuta Complex, Engr Suleiman Muhammad on critical subject areas to improve the performances of the SMEs in the Metals Sector.

The resource persons, took the operators through nitty gritty of operating a Small and Medium Enterprise in the Metals Sector in Nigeria; Funding options for SMEs in the Metals Sector in Nigeria; Safety and shop floor practice for improving efficiency and productivity in the Metals enterprises among others.

L-R: Deputy Vice President, Community Relations, Heirs Oil & Gas (outgoing President, ACAMB),Mr. Charles Aigbe; Head, Internal Communications and Content Management, Marketing & Corporate Communications, FirstBank (incoming first Vice President, ACAMB), Mr. Oze.K.Oze and Head, Corporate Communications, Polaris Bank (incoming President, ACAMB),Mr. Rasheed Bolarinwa at the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB) and Swearing-in of new Excos held in Lagos...recently

MARKET INDICATORS

Leatherback Moves to Make Global Transactions Fast, Secure New “neo bank”, Leatherback, has announced that it is poised to disrupt the financial services sector with its one account, multiple currency solution that allows businesses and individuals to conduct global transactions easily, quickly and securely.

In a statement, the company’s Founder and CEO, Ibrahim Toyeeb, said the introduction of Leatherback to the global market is underpinned by a desire to democratise banking and provide opportunities for borderless global trade and commerce.

According to him, “It’s no secret that emerging markets are the principal drivers of global growth. Given this reality – and the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed numerous restrictions on travel and commerce – Leatherback was formed to simplify global trade for people and operations everywhere, allowing them to seamlessly move money from one continent to the next.

“In this respect, Leatherback provides a much-needed solution for exporters and importers, immigrant-owned businesses, international students, the migrant population in general, tourists and multi-nationals with foreign operations that require financial solutions, payments or foreign exchange.Leatherback

is inspired by the leatherback sea turtle, a nomadic creature that roams the seas from the northern regions of the arctic, to as far south as the pacific, without self-imposed restrictions to hinder its movements.”

“Like its namesake, the fintech operation is built on the same principles. It offers multi-currency accounts with the option to exchange currency instantly across multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Nigeria, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Angola, South Africa, the UAE, Denmark, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. The organisation enables clients to create local and foreign accounts to give them the option to remit funds across 40 countries, while businesses can invoice and collect directly in over 13 currencies.

“Notably, Leatherback is fully regulated by the FCA in the UK, Fintrac in Canada, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other regulatory authorities in the 13 countries it is licenced in. “Ensuring our users operate in a secure space is non-negotiable. The multilayered cybersecurity measures we have deployed are aimed at safeguarding their money and providing them with peace of mind, ”Toyeeb said.

He added, “At the core of Leatherback is the ability to

break down payment barriers, promote business expansion, remove barriers to business growth, and build a global digital payments infrastructure that harnesses the rise of digitisation.

While it may seem implausible that users can set up accounts, make currency conversions and global payments within minutes, Leatherback has done just that.

“A zero-balance start-up fee and highly competitive rates provide further compelling reasons to join the Leatherback fold.While Leatherback allows for ease of making and receiving payments around the world, it also integrates invoicing and payroll services, tax management services, and revenue management.”

Leatherback, he added, “is a game-changer in the industry. By using Leatherback’s networks, account holders can spend abroad in the local currencies from the comfort of their offices or homes, at competitive exchange rates.

“Through its collections application programming interface (API), clients can accept money globally – in-store or online – from more customers, in their preferred countries, and in small or large volumes. In addition, trade finance unlocks working capital for short- and long-term business goals, business continuity and disaster recovery.”

GAGE Award Calls for Nomination, to Reward Tech Innovators In line with its commitment to recognise and reward brands, corporate bodies and individuals who have distinguished themselves in using digital innovations and technology solutions to drive business growth, GAGE digital company, the organiser of the GAGE Award, has announced the opening of the 2022 edition of the awards.

The call for nominations was announced recently in Lagos, and it is now open to the public to nominate individuals, corporate bodies and brands which best appeal to them in the various categories by leveraging the power of digital technology in 2021.

The 2022 edition of GAGE Award has the theme: ‘Co-Create

2022’, which, according to the organisers, is a proof of how much Nigerians, and by extension, Africans can achieve together in the tech space by collaborating.

For two years now, the GAGE Award has celebrated the good of the web by awarding distinguished individuals and brands which have utilised technology and the digital space remarkably.

The Award recognises the best of the Internet in Nigeria, with a spotlight on individuals and brands, which have influenced commerce and entertainment across different sectors with their outstanding activities and contributions to the technology ecosystem yearly.

According to the GAGE Awards convener, Johnson Anorh, this year’s edition will be slightly different with a two-day international technology exhibition taking place at the Landmark Event Centre on May 5 and 6, while the award gala night will take place on May 7 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, both in Lagos.

He said: “The international tech exhibition is open to brands using digital technology to serve their audience, and will attract exhibitors from Fintech, Edutech, Agritech, media and advertising, supply chain, energy and utilities and others who are seeking to expand their market, showcase innovations, meet new audience and attract VC’s or investment.

MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE ˜ ͵

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

37

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱ͵˜ ͰͮͰͰ

Stock Market Crosses N25trn Mark Amids Demand for Airtel Africa, Others Kayode Tokede The stock market capitalisation of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) crossed the N25 trillion mark yesterday, supported by foreign investors’ demand for Airtel Africa stock that gained 10 per cent.

In summary, the NGX AllShare Index (ASI) grew by 590.48 basis points or 1.29 per cent to close at 46,529.99 basis points from 45,939.51 basis points it

opened for trading, while the overall market capitalisation value gained N318 billion to close at N25.073 trillion from N24.755trillion it closed the previous day.

Consequently, the Year-to-Date return increased to 8.9per cent.

Across sectors, the NGX Banking Index gained 1.3per cent was the sole gainer, while the Industrial Goods dropped by 1.9per cent , Insurance declined by 0.6 per cent, Oil & Gas and

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

Consumer Goods declined by 0.6 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively.

Market sentiment, as measured by market breadth closed at par, recording 19 gainers and 19 losers.

Airtel Africa recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent to close at N1,271.00, per share.

ETI followed with a gain 9.55 per cent to close at N10.90, while Courteville Business Solutions up by 9.09 per cent to close at

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

60 kobo, per share.

Academy Press rose by 8.86 per cent to close at 86 kobo, while Learn Africa appreciated by 8.53 per cent to close at N1.40, per share.

On the other hand, Cadbury Nigeria led the losers’ chart by 9.47 per cent, to close at N8.60, per share. Prestige Assurance followed with a decline of 8.70 per cent to close at 42 kobo, while Champion Breweries declined by 7.84 per cent to

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

close at N2.35, per share.

Linkage Assurance shed 7.14 per cent to close at 52 kobo, while NEIMETH International Pharmaceuticals depreciated by 5.26 per cent to close at N1.80, per share.

The total volume of trades rose by 32.8 per cent to per cent to 328.997 million units, valued at N4.817 billion, and exchanged in 4,219 deals. Transactions in the shares of Multiverse Mining and Exploration topped

O F

2 6

the activity chart with 57.599 million shares valued at N11.888 million. Mutual Benefits Assurance followed with 48.258 million shares worth N12.132 million, while Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) traded 36.747 million shares valued at N936.852 million.

Chams traded 22.060 million shares valued at N4.585 million, while Nigerian Breweries transacted 13.368 million shares worth N632.536 million.

/ 1 / 2 0 2 2 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

38

THURSDAY, ͺͿ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

Thursday, January 27, 2022

dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž dƌĞŶĚƐ ϰ͘Ϭй ,ŝŐŚĞƌ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ĨĞůů ďLJ ϭϰďƉƐ dŚĞ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ƌŽƐĞ ϰ͘Ϭй ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ dŚĞ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ ϭϰďƉƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

Ăƚ ϭ͕ϲϳϰ͘ϴϵ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůůͲƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞ ŽŶ E/d, ;ͲϬ͘ϲйͿ͕ ϭ͕ϵϵϭ͘Ϯϯ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ /Zd > & t W K ;Ͳϭ͘ϯйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ h ;ͲϬ͘ϳйͿ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ;нϭ͘ϮйͿ͘ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂͲ ;нϭϬ͘ϬйͿ͕ ^^ ;нϬ͘ϱйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ h dŚĞƐĞ

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

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ƚŚĞ E'yͲ ^/ ƌŽƐĞ ϭ͘ϯй ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϰϲ͕ϱϮϵ͘ϵϵ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ ^ŚĂƌĞ

ŝŶĚĞdž

ƌŽƐĞ

ďLJ

>ŝŬĞǁŝƐĞ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ േϯϭϴ͘ϮďŶ ƚŽ ϭϭďƉƐ ƚŽ ϯϵ͕ϱϱϬ͘ϯϲ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ zd ůŽƐƐ ŝŵͲ

േϮϱ͘ϭƚŶ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŽ ϴ͘ϵй͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŽ Ͳϭ͘ϴй ǁŚŝůĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ

Ticker

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

1,991.23

3.97%

1,271.00

10.0%

1 Airtel Africa PLC 2 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC 3 BUA Cement Plc 4 Guaranty Trust Holding Co PLC 5 Zenith Bank PLC 6 Dangote Cement PLC 7 Nestle Nigeria PLC

ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϯϮ͘ϴй ĂŶĚ ϯϰ͘ϳй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ƚŽ ϯϮϵ͘Ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ

13 Nigerian Brew eries PLC 14 SEPLAT Energy PLC

ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ Ϯϭ͘ϲй ƚŽ ϭϭϬ͘ϴŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ ǀĂůƵĞ

ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ Ϯ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ͘ ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ dŚĞ &ZͲ/ d ĂŶĚ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ͕ ƵƉ ĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ϱ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ ϭ͘ϯй ƵŶĚĞƌ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƌŝǀĞŶ ďLJ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂͲ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ͕ ϭ ŝŶĚĞdž ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ &ZͲ/ d ƟŽŶ ŝŶ /Zd > & ;нϭϬ͘ϬйͿ͕ d/ ;нϵ͘ϲйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ h ŝŶĚĞdž ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŽƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵͲ ;нϭ͘ϮйͿ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŇŝƉ ƐŝĚĞ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž Ğƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ͕ ϰ͘ϲй ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĂŶĚ ŵŽƐƚ ;Ͳϭ͘ϵйͿ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůů ĚŽǁŶ ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ hͲ ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĮƚͲƚĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ E ^d> ;Ͳ

D Ed ;Ͳϰ͘ϴйͿ͘ dƌĂŝůŝŶŐ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ Kŝů Θ ϵ͘ϭйͿ͕

hE/> s Z

;Ͳϯ͘ϱйͿ͕

>/E< ^^hZ

;Ͳϲ͘ϰйͿ͕

'ĂƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ Ϭ͘ϲй ĂƉŝĞĐĞ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ ĂŶĚ D E^ Z ;ͲϮ͘ϮйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŶŬͲ

'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĚŝƉƉĞĚ Ϭ͘ϰй ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ůŽƐƐĞƐ ŝŶ WZ ^Ͳ ŝŶŐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĨĞůů ďLJ Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϮďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůůͲ

d/' ;Ͳϴ͘ϳйͿ͕ ^ W> d ;ͲϬ͘ϲйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ E'^h' Z ;ͲϮ͘ϴйͿ͘ ŽīƐ ŝŶ K E K ;ͲϬ͘ϴйͿ͕ E/d, ;ͲϬ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;ͲϬ͘ϮйͿ͘

ϭ͘ϴй

ĚƌŝǀĞŶ

ďLJ

ƉƌŝĐĞ

15.0%

3.5%

33.1%

14.7%

5.2%

5.4% 1.5% 5.5%

7.3%

0.0%

7.6%

-3.6%

-3.6%

179.2%

14.1%

13.7x

20.8x

68.00

-4.8%

6.7%

1.4%

1.4%

19.1%

11.2%

32.7x

6.2x

25.50

0.0%

6.2%

-1.9%

-1.9%

24.8%

3.9%

3.9x

1.0x

11.8%

25.9% 29.0%

3.1%

25.40

0.0%

5.8%

1.0%

1.0%

20.9%

2.8%

3.4x

0.7x

11.8%

0.0%

4.7%

10.9%

10.9%

40.4%

16.7%

14.2x

5.5x

5.9%

7.1%

1,435.00

0.0%

3.1%

-7.8%

-7.8%

106.8%

15.6%

27.8x

32.8x

4.2%

3.6%

11.55

-1.3%

3.3%

1.3%

1.3%

8.4%

0.8%

6.8x

0.6x

3.9%

14.7%

25.30

0.0%

3.3%

5.6%

5.6%

11.6%

8.4%

9.5x

1.1x

4.0%

10.6%

9.70

0.5%

2.7%

4.3%

4.3%

17.0%

1.4%

2.7x

0.4x

8.8%

36.8%

8.25

1.2%

2.2%

2.5%

2.5%

19.5%

1.8%

2.1x

0.4x

6.7%

48.2%

35.10

-2.2%

1.5%

-2.5%

-2.5%

15.4%

2.0%

8.1x

1.3x

11.7%

12.4%

-5.3%

-5.3%

5.3%

1.9%

43.6x

2.3x

2.3%

2.3%

20.8%

20.8%

3.4%

1.9%

18.0x

0.7x

5.2%

5.5%

10.90

9.5%

1.6%

25.3%

25.3%

14.8%

0.9%

3.0x

5.00

0.0%

1.1%

1.0%

1.0%

-10.3%

-3.9%

142.00

0.0%

1.1%

0.0%

0.0%

38.8%

25.2%

9.7x

3.4x

5.3%

10.3%

28.60

0.0%

1.0%

0.9%

0.9%

16.4%

5.1%

4.4x

0.7x

5.8%

22.7%

19 Fidelity Bank PLC 20 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

2.70

0.0%

0.6%

5.9%

5.9%

12.0%

1.1%

2.4x

0.3x

8.1%

41.9%

2.35

-0.4%

0.6%

1.3%

1.3%

9.7%

3.0%

6.3x

0.7x

9.4%

15.9%

21 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC 22 FCMB Group Plc

17.25

-2.8%

0.5%

-0.9%

-0.9%

15.3%

6.3%

11.3x

1.7x

8.7%

8.8%

3.04

1.3%

0.4%

1.7%

1.7%

10.0%

1.0%

0.3x

5.0%

23 United Capital PLC 24 Guinness Nigeria PLC

11.00

2.3%

0.4%

11.1%

11.1%

2.5x

6.4%

42.50

0.0%

0.4%

9.0%

9.0%

8.1%

3.8%

15.1x

1.2x

1.1%

6.6%

25 Transnational Corp of Nigeria 26 NEM Insurance PLC

1.06

-0.9%

0.3%

10.4%

10.4%

11.1%

2.3%

5.6x

0.6x

0.9%

17.8%

3.50

0.0%

0.2%

-22.2%

-22.2%

35.6%

18.5%

3.5x

0.9x

5.1%

28.7%

27 Presco PLC 28 NASCON Allied Industries PLC 29 AIICO Insurance PLC

87.80

0.0%

0.3%

0.0%

0.0%

2.1x

1.1%

13.10

0.0%

0.3%

-0.8%

-0.8%

21.3%

6.9%

12.3x

2.5x

3.1%

0.80

0.0%

0.3%

14.3%

14.3%

7.2%

1.1%

444.4x

0.8x

30 TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeri 31 Custodian and Allied Insurance

221.90

0.0%

0.2%

0.0%

0.0%

46.2%

9.3%

5.0x

2.0x

1.8%

19.8%

7.10

0.0%

0.2%

-10.1%

-10.1%

24.7%

7.5%

3.5x

0.8x

7.7%

28.6%

32 Vitafoam Nigeria PLC 33 Unilever Nigeria PLC

22.20

0.0%

0.2%

-1.3%

-1.3%

36.8%

14.7%

6.4x

2.2x

6.8%

15.6%

13.05

0.0%

0.1%

-10.0%

-10.0%

-1.3%

-0.8%

34 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC 35 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

23.40

2.6%

0.2%

4.7%

4.7%

20.7%

2.5%

4.1x

0.8x

1.7%

24.5%

4.2%

14.9%

0.4x

33.4%

0.9x

-11.4%

1.2x

-1.2%

5.95

0.8%

0.1%

0.8%

0.8%

7.1%

0.8%

6.7x

0.7x

36 Oando PLC 37 Wema Bank PLC

4.70

-1.1%

0.0%

6.3%

6.3%

14.5%

2.6%

2.0x

0.3x

0.85

0.0%

0.1%

18.1%

18.1%

13.7%

0.8%

4.0x

0.5x

4.8%

38 Sterling Bank PLC 39 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd 40 Transcorp Hotels Plc

1.65

3.1%

0.1%

9.3%

9.3%

10.1%

0.9%

3.6x

0.3x

3.0%

62.50

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

-41.3%

-9.2%

5.38

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

49.4%

2.3x

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

10.0%

M ULT IVER SE

57.6

5.0%

9.5%

M B EN EF IT

48.3

0.0%

C OUR T VILLE

0.60

9.1%

GT C O

36.7

0.0%

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ ϲϳ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ƵŶĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ͘ dŽĚĂLJ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ďƵůůƐ ƚŽ

A C A D EM Y

0.86

8.9%

CHA M S

22.1

0.0%

LEA R N A F R C A

1.40

8.5%

NB

13.4

0.1%

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶ ŐƌŝƉ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͘

M ULT IVER SE

0.21

5.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

12.1

0.0%

C H IP LC

0.65

4.8%

ST ER LN B A N K

12.1

3.1%

ST ER LN B A N K

1.65

3.1%

ET I

11.4

9.5%

F ID ELIT YB K

10.3

0.0%

5.8

1.4%

ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϯdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ Ϯϰ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ

H ON YF LOUR

ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ ŝƐĐůŽƐƵƌĞ

J B ER GER

ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ϭϱ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ DZ^ ;нϵ͘ϵйͿ͕ D zͲ

ĂŶŐŽƚĞ ĞŵĞŶƚ W> ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉůĞƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĐŽŶĚ ƚƌĂŶĐŚĞ ŽĨ ŝƚƐ ƐŚĂƌĞ ďƵLJͲďĂĐŬ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵŵĞ ǁŝƚŚ ǁŚŝůĞ dZ E^ ;Ͳϴ͘ϯйͿ͕ > ^ K ;Ͳϲ͘ϳйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ >/s Ͳ Ă ƚŽƚĂů ŶƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ϭϮϲ͕ϳϰϴ͕ϭϱϯ ƐŚĂƌĞƐ Ăƚ ^dK < ;Ͳϰ͘ϴйͿ ůĞĚ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͘ WƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ĚĂLJ͕ ƌĞƉƵƌĐŚĂƐĞĚ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ĂŶ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƉƌŝĐĞ ƚŽ ŽĨ ƌĞŵĂŝŶ േϮϳϲ͘ϵ ƉĞƌ ĂƐ ƐŚĂƌĞ͕ ǀĂůƵĞĚ Ăƚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ŵŝdžĞĚ͕ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƐĞĂƐŽŶ േϯϱ͘ϭďŶ͘ ŐƌĂĚƵĂůůLJ ǁŝŶĚƐ ƵƉ͘

T ic k er C A D B UR Y

3.0% 2.6%

J A IZ B A N K

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

P ric e 8.60

P ric e C hg % -9.5%

P R EST IGE

0.42

-8.7%

C H A M P ION

2.35

-7.8%

LIN KA SSUR E

0.52

-7.1%

N EIM ET H

1.80

-5.3%

J A P A ULGOLD B UA C EM EN T ET ER N A

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

3.40 23.40 T o p 10 L o s e r s

< Z ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ ,KEz&>KhZ ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ ůĞĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ

0.39

-4.9%

68.00

-4.8%

6.10

-3.9%

SUN UA SSUR

0.30

-3.2%

PZ

6.80

-2.9%

Brokerage

T ic k er

Value

M TNN

995.3

P ric e C hg % 0.0%

GT C O

936.9

0.0%

NB

632.5

0.1%

A IR T ELA F R I

515.2

10.0%

SEP LA T

323.7

-0.6%

Z EN IT H B A N K

307.8

0.0%

ST A N B IC

194.6

-2.2%

ET I

123.1

9.5%

N GXGR OUP

92.9

0.0%

B UA C EM EN T

78.0

-4.8%

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com

27.9%

0.9x

10.90

;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ͕ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ Ăƚ ϭ͘ϲdž

24.9%

-20.3%

1271.00

A IR T ELA F R I

8.1% 0.2%

ET I

ĐůŽƐĞĚ Ăƚ ƉĂƌ ǁŝƚŚ ϭϵ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ůŽƐĞƌƐ ĂƉŝĞĐĞ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ

16.4%

1.8%

T ic k er

ƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ;нϯ͘ϯйͿ͘ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ͕

0.8x ot Applicable

190.00

T o p 10 G a i n e r s

ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂͲ

5.3x

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

1.5%

ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ŐĂŝŶͲ Ğƌ͕ ƵƉ KƵƚůŽŽŬ

99.1%

33.1%

P/BV

0.1%

17 Okomu Oil Palm PLC 18 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

7.4% 39.2%

P/E

-0.6%

ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ dZ E^ KZW ;ϭϭ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ & E, ;ϭϭ͘ϭŵ E' D ;േϭϰϱ͘ϬŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;േϭϯϰ͘ϴŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘

ROA

47.35

15 Ecobank Transnational Inc 16 International Brew eries PLC

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ ǁĂƐ

ROE

785.00

േϰ͘ϴďŶ͘ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ϴϴ͘ϱй ƚŽ േϯ͘ϭďŶ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ ĂŶĚ K E K ;ϳ͘ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ E ^d> ;േϮ͘ϮďŶͿ͕ ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ

Price Change Index to Date

284.90

8 FBN Holdings Plc 9 Lafarge Africa PLC 10 Access Bank PLC 11 United Bank for Africa PLC 12 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

േϮϯ͘ϰďŶ ƚŽ േϮϬ͘ϲƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ

Previous Price Current Price Change Weighting Change YTD

Current Price

Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Damilare Asimiyu| dasimiyu@afrinvest.com

39

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 25Jan-2022, unless otherwise stated.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.87% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.41 3.48 -3.51% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 7.34% Anchoria Equity Fund 140.57 142.34 0.85% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.17 1.17 2.24% info@anchoriaam.com ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 20.66 21.28 1.83% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 463.71 477.69 2.78% ARM Ethical Fund 39.55 40.75 1.53% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.07 1.08 -0.83% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.02 0.31% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.34% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel: 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 108.42 108.42 0.44% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,075.41 1,075.41 0.73% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.06 2.06 7.75% Capital Express Balanced Fund (Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.23 2.28 34.08% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.05 1.05 0.69% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.02% Paramount Equity Fund 17.93 18.28 6.63% Women's Investment Fund 142.41 144.11 2.44% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.36% Cordros Milestone Fund 136.00 136.87 2.87% 110.77 110.77 0.30% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 7.17% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 7.49% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,151.60 1,154.03 -1.57% assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.70% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.01 1.01 -0.77% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.02 1.02 -8.79% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 104.86 104.86 0.24% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1,405.09 FBN Bond Fund 1,405.09 11.09% 176.82 FBN Balanced Fund 178.05 0.89% 116.42 FBN Halal Fund 116.42 9.16% 100.00 FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 8.94% FBN Dollar Fund (Retail) FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

122.54 151.45

122.54 3.78% 153.26 0.78% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 3.99 1.78 1.21

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 7.68% 3.99 -0.36% 1.81 2.13% 1.21 0.29% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price N/A N/A N/A

Offer Price N/A N/A N/A

Yield / T-Rtn N/A N/A N/A

INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.77% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.89 2.95 1.09% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 142.15 142.20 -8.65% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.27 1.31 1.00% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.07 1.07 4.49% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.55 1.57 2.63% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,144.89 1,144.89 0.72% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 100.56 100.56 8.17% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 8.55% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.59 1.61 PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.70 11.68 4.48% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 7.73% PACAM Equity Fund 1.46 1.47 1.15% PACAM EuroBond Fund 114.62 116.93 -0.58% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 129.33 131.76 6.73% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.08 10.03% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund 0.94 0.96 1.16% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.37 1.39 0.54% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.12 1.13 2.68% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.08 1.08 0.52% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.97 1.97 0.46% United Capital Eurobond Fund 122.77 122.77 0.35% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.82% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.27 13.39 0.64% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 14.88 15.04 1.86% Zenith Income Fund 22.15 22.15 -10.99% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.22%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 54.65

10.62% 8.10%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.03 130.70 103.60 18.91 21.85

14.13 133.97 105.87 19.01 21.95

0.42% -0.69% -0.02% 0.00% 0.00%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.14 5.59 18.18 1.00 21.67 160.19

4.24 5.69 18.38 1.00 21.87 162.19

10.09% 9.66% 5.78% 7.93% 11.72% 1.52%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.28

10.80%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

FOREIGN DESK

COMPILED BY BAYO AKINLOYE

Lebanon’s Saad Hariri Withdraws, Leaving Vacuum Saad Hariri, Lebanon’s leading Sunni Muslim politician and three-time prime minister, has announced that he will not run in parliamentary elections in May and that his Future Movement will boycott the elections altogether. Some analysts say a boycott by Hariri could undermine the plans for a poll in which opposition personalities hope to gain seats in the legislature and change the toxic atmosphere of the country’s politics.

Saad Hariri took up the political mantle after his father, Rafik, was assassinated in Beirut in 2005. Rafik Hariri, a wealthy business tycoon in Saudi Arabia, was one of Lebanon’s most powerful and influential politicians since the end of the 1975-90 civil war. But Saudi Arabia increasingly soured on ties with Saad Hariri as he proved incapable of reining in the Iran-backed Shiite Hezbollah militia’s influence in Lebanon.

In emotional remarks explaining his withdrawal from politics, Saad Hariri said he sees that Lebanon does not have a chance for a positive future with Iran’s growing influence there, its internal divisions, rising sectarian sentiments and the government’s dysfunction.

The next parliament is set to elect a new president in October.

Professor Habib Malik of the Lebanese American University told VOA that Hariri’s political star has been falling for some time, but that there isn’t a clear successor for him.

US-Backed SDF Retakes Key Prison in Syria A massive and well-planned operation by the Islamic State to free thousands of the terror group’s fighters from a prison in northeastern Syria is over, more than six days after the attack plunged the facility and surrounding neighbourhoods into chaos.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced Wednesday they had taken full control of the al-Sina’a prison in Hasakah, a make-shift detention facility that housed an estimated 4,000 IS fighters, as well as about 700 to 850 boys and teenagers from IS families.

“The Peoples’ Hammer Operation has culminated with our entire control of the al-Sina’a prison in al-Hasakah and the surrendering of all Daesh terrorists,” SDF spokesman Farhad Shami tweeted, using the Arabic acronym for the terror group.

Prior to the announcement, SDF officials said overnight operations had freed an additional 23 workers from the prison who were being held as hostages and that at least 1,000 prisoners had surrendered or had been recaptured.

According to initial estimates, Shami told VOA that 250 IS attackers and prisoners had been killed and that thousands of the prison’s inmates had been recaptured.

Israeli NSO Spyware Used to Hack Senior Staffer A senior staff member of Human Rights Watch had her phones hacked with spyware developed by an Israeli technology company that the United States says was “maliciously” used to target activists, journalists and other people of interest.

HRW said in a statement Wednesday the spyware from NSO Group Technologies, an Israeli company the US said has helped authoritarian governments commit human rights abuses, was used to target the regional director of its office based in Lebanon The director, Lama Fakih, oversees the organization’s crisis response in several countries, including Syria, Israel, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and the US HRW said her cellphones were hacked five times last year.

Fakih’s work “includes documenting and exposing human rights abuses and serious international crimes during armed conflicts, humanitarian disasters, and severe social or political unrest,” HRW said. “This work may have attracted the attention of various governments, including some that are suspected NSO clients.”

Fakih said her phones were hacked while she was overseeing HRW’s coverage of the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and a probe into the deadly explosion at a Beirut port in 2020. But she added there was no way to determine if the hacks were related to her work.

NSO did not directly respond to HRW’s hacking allegations, but the organization did call for an “international regulatory structure” for cyber intelligence tools. NSO’s statement also said any calls to suspend the technologies until a structure has been established would help criminals who evade other forms of surveillance.

The US prohibited NSO from gaining access to American technology last year after alleging the company’s tools had been used by repressive governments. US technology giants Apple and Facebook have sued NSO in response to its hacks of their products.

of “severe” and “enormous” consequences for Putin — including personal sanctions against Putin himself — if the Russian leader mobilizes the estimated 127,000 troops who stand ready to strike along the Ukrainian border.

He also stressed that none of the 8,500 US troops put on high alert this week would be moved into Ukrainian territory, and they would be deployed as part of a NATO operation, not a sole US operation.

He did not say when he might decide to order those troops into theatre.

Ukraine: Keep Calm, Don’t Panic Russia doesn’t have enough troops in place to mount a “full-scale invasion,” according to Ukraine’s foreign minister.

Dmytro Kuleba told reporters, “The number of Russian troops massed along the border of Ukraine and occupied territories of Ukraine is large, it poses a threat to Ukraine, a direct threat to Ukraine; however, at the moment, as we speak, this number is insufficient for a full-scale offensive against Ukraine along the entire Ukrainian border.”

Russia has denied it is preparing to launch a major assault, but US President Joe Biden and his aides say Moscow could “attack at very short notice” with the more than 100,000 troops it has deployed along Ukraine’s borders.

Kuleba’s statement came just hours after Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, urged Ukrainians during a nationwide broadcast to remain calm but have no “childish illusions” about the magnitude of the Russian threat. “Protect your body from viruses, your brain from lies, your heart from panic,” he urged.

The Ukrainian leader took issue with this week’s evacuation by the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia of some personnel from their embassies, telling Ukrainians the evacuation doesn’t mean escalation is inevitable. Ukrainian officials expressed frustration earlier this week with the departure of some Western diplomats and their families, saying it was premature.

Russian, Ukrainian Officials Participate in Paris Talks Amid Tensions Officials from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France are holding talks Wednesday in Paris amid tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border. Western nations have expressed concern about the deployment of more than 100,000 Russian troops in the area and the prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia denies it has such plans and has sought guarantees that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will not expand in Russia’s direction.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that he hopes from the Paris talks “a good, open conversation will take place with the maximum possible result.”

Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, tweeted Wednesday that he hopes for a “constructive dialogue” in Ukraine’s interests.

The meeting follows several rounds of talks last week involving Russia, the United States, NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Russia is awaiting written responses to some of its demands. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told lawmakers Wednesday that Russia would take “necessary retaliatory measures” if the West continues what he called an “aggressive course.”

Wednesday’s talks come as Russia said it was sending more troops and equipment to Belarus as those two countries prepare to hold military drills next month.

Russia Rejects Biden Warning of ‘Severe’ Actions if it Invades Ukraine Russia on Wednesday rejected the prospect of US sanctions against President Vladimir Putin, one of several proposed responses if Russian forces were to invade neighbouring Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that such sanctions would not be politically painful but would be “destructive.”

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday warned

UK Government Holds Breath as It Awaits ‘Partygate’ Report Prime Minister Boris Johnson is bracing for the conclusions of an investigation into allegations of lockdown-breaching parties, a document that could help him end weeks of scandal and discontent or bring his time in office to an abrupt close.

Senior civil servant Sue Gray could turn in her report to the government as soon as Wednesday. Johnson’s office has promised to

publish its findings, and the prime minister will address parliament about it soon after.

Gray’s office wouldn’t comment on timing, and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the Conservative government hadn’t yet received the report Wednesday morning.

“I expect we won’t have much longer to wait,” she told the BBC. Truss said she couldn’t guarantee the government would publish the full report, saying there could be “security issues that mean parts of it are problematic to publish.

But we will absolutely publish the findings of the report.”

Allegations that the prime minister and his staff flouted restrictions imposed on the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus have caused public anger, led some Conservative lawmakers to call for Johnson’s resignation and triggered intense infighting inside the governing party.

Wednesday’s headlines provided more bad news for Johnson, whose popularity in opinion polls has plunged amid the scandal.

The Guardian’s front-page headline spoke of “PM’s peril,” while the left-leaning Daily Mirror said bluntly: “Number’s up, PM.” The right-of-centre Daily Mail differed, declaring Britain: “A nation that has lost all sense of proportion.”

US Warns of Risks of Doing Business in Myanmar The United States issued an advisory Wednesday warning of the increased risk of conducting business in Myanmar nearly a year after a military coup in the Southeast Asian country, also known as Burma.

The advisory from the US State Department warned it was especially risky for “individuals, businesses and financial institutions and other persons” to be associated with business activity in Myanmar “that could benefit the Burmese military regime.”

The advisory cited the possibility of exposure to illegal financial and reputational risks by doing business there and using supply chains controlled by the military.

“The coup and subsequent abuses committed by the military have fundamentally changed the direction of the economic and business environment in Burma,” the advisory said.

Former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) led Myanmar since its first open democratic election in 2015, but Myanmar’s military contested the November 2020 election results, claiming widespread electoral fraud, largely without evidence.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2022

IMAGES

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Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R: Chaplain, Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria, Rev. Benedict Okike; President, Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria (CWON), Mary Asibi Gonsun; and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during a visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja...recently

L-R: President, World International Economic Group (WIEG), Prof. Chris Nwanne; Director of Investment Promotion, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Adeshina Emanuel; and National Director, Inter-governmental Affairs, WIEG, Apostle Chuks Alozie, during WIEG’s courtesy visit to the NIPC office in Abuja…recently PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

L-R: Newly appointed Judges, Hon Justice Ariyibi Apuabi, Hon. Justice Olalekan Olatawura, Hon. Justice Oyinkansola Oluboyede, and Hon. Justice Blessing Ajileye, during the swearing-in of the four new Judges of Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti…recently

Editor, Our Moment Newspaper, David Olanrewaju (right), and Lagos State Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Adegoke Fayoade, during the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to Fayoade, at his Panti office in Yaba, Lagos...recently

L-R: Director, Botro Marine Limited, Yinka Fagbemi; Director, Longrich International, Titilope Ejimagwa; Managing Director/CEO, Parallex Bank, Olufemi Bakre; Director, Richway Microfinance Bank, Benjamin Aluko; and Managing Director/CEO, Richway Microfinance Bank, Adenrele Oni, during the celebration of Richway fifth year anniversary in Lagos...recently

L-R: Director, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr. Idowu Afe; Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, and Director, Bio-Resources Technology of the ministry, Mr. Isaac Anum, during the governor’s visit to the minister’s office in Abuja...recently

L-R: Group Managing Director, CMC Connect BCW, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya; Head Public Relations, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Erhumu Bayagbon; Director, Airtel Business, Ogo Ofomata; Chief Executive Officer Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Surendran Chemmenkotil; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Folashade Jaji; and Vice President/Head Direct Sales, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Oladokun Oye, during a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Marina…recently

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THURSDAY, ͺͿ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

FASHOLA IN KANO...

L- R: Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje , Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola,SAN, Deputy Governor, Dr. Nasir Yusuf Gawuna and Federal Controller of Works, Kano State, Engr. Yahaya Ali, during a courtesy visit to the Kano State Government House as part of a Federal Government Projects inspection visit to the State... yesterday

Again, Ortom Chides Buhari, Insists President Failed in Securing Nigeria George Okoh in Makurdi Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom has once more alleged that the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to secure the country was giving opportunity to terrorists to take over some parts of the country.

The governor made this known yesterday, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary(CPS) Mr. Nathaniel Ikyur in Makurdi.

The governor who was replying to statements made by the presidential spokesman Mallan Garba Shehu in some national dailies, decried the rate at which the sovereignty of Nigeria was daily being compromised, “with the activities of armed Fulani herdsmen that has continued to kill and sack communities across the country.”

He said president Buhari's state of Katsina had been badly hit with the activities of these terrorists The governor described the statement from Shehu as shameful.

"The shameful press statement from the presidential villa, Abuja authored by Mr. president’s attack dog, Garba Shehu does not qualify for the official seal or response by the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom. But for the less knowledgeable, we'll put records straight.

Dike Onwuamaeze

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has commenced the process of producing its branded drugs even as the federal agency is ramping up plans to extend the benefits of the scheme to retirees and elderly Nigerians, in line with the country’s journey to universal health insurance.

This was disclosed yesterday in Lagos, by the National President of Health Care Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Adeyeye Jimmy Arigbabuwo, during the NHIS stakeholders’

Monarch wants president to reconstitute NDDC board President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, pledged a fair deal to the Itsekiri people of Delta State, while extolling the patriotism of His Royal Majesty, Tsola Emiko, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri Kingdom.

The president, who spoke at State House, Abuja, while playing host to the monarch and some of his chiefs, said, “I’m grateful for your visit, and impressed by your patriotism. I've taken note of your requests, and will work on them as soon as politically possible.”

Earlier, in his speech, the Olu of Warri said the visit was to primarily thank the President for sending a high-powered delegation to his coronation as the 21st monarch of the Kingdom, “and for your kind felicitation, goodwill and solidarity.”

He pledged the loyalty of Itsekiri people to “one united Nigeria, as we support your government’s aspiration to provide security and economic prosperity to all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe,

herdsmen that has continued to kill and sack communities across the country.

“President Buhari's state of Katsina is badly hit with the activities of these terrorists. It is the President's failure to secure Nigeria that has allowed terrorists to take over most states. This is not

the making of Governor Ortom," he added.

The statement also read that, "Benue State where Ortom governs, like many states across the country is severally attacked and people sacked from their ancestral lands by armed Fulani terrorists.

“The result is that more than 1.5

million Benue citizens now live in squalor in IDPs not fit for human habitation. From north to south, insecurity pervades the landscape of Nigeria with even the military looking helpless in face of superior firepower of the armed terrorists.

Should Governor Ortom keep quiet in the face of this?

NHIS to Launch Branded Drugs, Extend Coverage to Retirees, Aged

Buhari Receives Olu of Warri, Pledges Equity, Fairness, Justice to Itsekiris Deji Elumoye in Abuja

"Governor Ortom in the AriseTV interview raised fundamental issues every reasonable government should be bold enough to address without qualms. The governor decried the rate at which the sovereignty of Nigeria is daily being compromised with the activities of armed Fulani

creed or religion.”

Describing President Buhari as “a dogged patriot and fervent believer in Project Nigeria,” the Olu drew attention to what he called “some burning issues that are dear to our hearts.”

The issues included the underutilisation of the four ports in Warri, Koko, Sapele, and Burutu– all in Delta State; reconstitution of the NDDC Board, immortalising the first Finance Minister of the country, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, and resuscitation of the Ogidigben EPZ Project, which has reportedly been abandoned.

On the NDDC Board, the monarch said he believed the president would soon reconstitute it, adding that, “As an interested party, we genuinely want a better deal for us in the Niger Delta, as we believe charity begins at home.

“By this, we mean that we Niger Deltans must be ready to put the betterment of our people first in all we do. Putting our people first is the only way to make our lives better.”

interactive forum, where he described health insurance as the penance to affordable and sustainable health care service in the country.

Arigbabuwo said: “The NHIS branded drug initiative has gone a long way. As I am talking with you the NHIS has invited pharmaceutical firms that will provide the drugs once we finish negotiation and signed the contract.”

The introduction of the branded drugs under the NHIS drug supply initiative would rest the perception that drugs prescribed for enrollees of NHIS by health care providers are cheap ineffective drugs.

The Deputy General Manager of NHIS, Dr. Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, said the drugs currently being administered at NHIS accredited facilities were generic drugs like every other

social health insurance scheme in every part of the world.

He said: “We (medical doctors) are trained to prescribe in generic and not to pander toward pharmaceutical companies. Our calling is noble and we do want to do anything that will portray us as seeking pecuniary gains.

And in order not to create that impression, we must stick with generic prescription of drugs.”

A Pharmacist and the Chief Executive Officer of Wellness Healthcare Group, Mrs. Afolabi Adetutu, took time to disabuse the minds of enrollees that HMO patients are being treated with cheap and inferior drugs.

Adetutu clarified that administering generic drugs to patients under the NHIS does not mean that they were sub-standard drugs.

She said: “It means running on affordable medication of

same quality, same effectiveness, same potency but different names. Enrollees believe in their mind that there are particular drugs stocked for fee paying patients and certain drugs for HMO patients. But nobody does this. There is a bias in the minds of Nigerians that once you are under an HMO or NHIS you cannot get the best healthcare.

“So, we have a problem of perception here, which is one of the things that is not allowing this industry to grow. We must encourage Health Care Providers (HCP) to find a way of handing over medication to patients with dignity.

“I think that the mannerism of handing these drugs fuels this perception that is destroying the uptake for universal health coverage. No hospital stores drugs that would be ineffective or inferior.”

Abraham also clarified that

anyone enrolled under the NHIS was entitled to receive healthcare in any NHIS accredited HCP emergency irrespective of whether his/her HMO has a relationship with the hospital or not. But the enrollee must inform his HMO within 40 hours.

He also added that enrollees with more than one wife and four children could bring in more members of his family under 18 years and extra wives under the NHIS’ Group Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme (GIFSHIP).

He, however, clarified that the additional beneficiaries should be enrolled with N15,000 and renew their enrollment three months before expiry date.

Abraham stated clearly that benefits of the NHIS policy could not transferred to other persons because it negates the principles of insurance.

Police Inspector, Bandits Killed in Gun Duel Senate wants killers of Abuja restaurant cleaner prosecuted James Sowole in Abeokuta and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja An exchange of fierce gun battle between men of the Ogun State Police Command and suspected bandits at Saala Orile forest in Yewa North Local Government area of the state, has resulted in the death of a police inspector, Omolayo Olajide and two suspected bandits.

The Police Public Relationship one Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement, saying that the incident happened on January 24.

Also, the Senate, yesterday, demanded the prosecution of the policemen, who allegedly tortured to death, a former cleaner with a Chinese restaurant, Mr. Shedrack Ochoche.

The red chamber specifically asked the law enforcement agency to come up with an explanation as to why they murdered the poor

worker.

However, Oyeyemi explained that the gun duel occurred, following following a distress call received by policemen attached to Ayetoro Division, that a group of bandits were attacking some Fulani herdsmen at Saala Orile forest.

He said, "Upon the distress call, the Divisiinal Police Officer, Ayetoro, Bernard Ediogboyan, quickly led his men and operatives of Joint Security Intervention Squad (JSIS) to the scene.

"On sighting the policemen, the bandits opened fire on them and the policemen replied fire for fire.

At the end of the encounter, which lasted for about twenty minutes, two amongst the bandits were shot dead while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.

"Regrettably, an inspector of police, by name Omolayo Olajide lost his life during the gun duel.

Recovered from the bandits were

three locally made guns, sixteen live cartridges, assorted criminal charms, one cutlass, one small phone and one unregistered Bajaj motorcycle."

Oyeyemi said the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, who expressed sadness over the death of the police officer while fighting the bandits, had directed that, the escaped members of the gang must be hunted and brought to justice.

The commissioner, also condole with the family of the late inspector and assured them that his death would not be in vain.

Meanwhile, the senate has insisted that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, must identify the policemen, who tortured and killed the young man, Ochoche, and make them face the law.

"The Nigerian Police should be made to take full responsibility

for the young struggling family Ochoche left behind," the Senate added.

The Senate passed the resolution at plenary while considering a motion by the Senator representing Benue South, Abba Moro.

Moro, armed with a petition from the deceased family, told his colleagues that, the 29-year-old Ochoche was arrested by the Police on January 17, 2022, adding that the young man, who was a worker at a Chinese restaurant in the Jahi area of Abuja, was his constituent.

"Ochoche was arrested by men of the Nigerian Police Force with the intention to kill and they did kill him. Young Shedrack was accused of stealing the car battery of his exboss, a Chinese woman, popularly known as madam PimPim, the allegation came five days after he resigned from his job, because he was owed for more than three months.

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UNITED NIGERIA AIRLINES EXPANDS TO ENUGU...

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (left) and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Nigeria Airlines, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, when the management team of the airline paid a courtesy visit to the governor at Enugu… yesterday

House Condemns Resurgence of Military Coups in West Africa Urges international community to impose sanctions African group blames growing discontent with elected leaders Michael Olugbode and Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives, yesterday, condemned the resurgence of military coups in the West African subregion, fearing that the development posed great danger to democratic values.

The House, therefore, urged the federal government to mobilise other nations and stakeholders to jointly impose strong sanctions.

In the same stretch, Africans Rising for Justice, Peace & Dignity, has also identified growing discontent with elected leaders as the cause of growing coup d’etat in Africa.

Nigerian lawmakers, while further urging the Civil Society Organisations across the sub-region and internationally, to condemn coups, they pleaded with them to support political parties, and parliaments to work for the immediate restoration of democratic governance in the affected nations.

They equally called on the United Nations and its agencies as well as the international community to impose total sanctions on those countries, where coup d’état had been taking place in West Africa.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, titled, "Creeping Resurgence of Military Coups in the West African Subregion," moved

by Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo) at the plenary.

Ihonvbere noted with apprehension the frightening emerging trends of military coups in the West African sub-region, the most recent coup in Burkina Faso.

He also noted that for the fourth time in only six months, violence has facilitated the transfer of power in West Africa with Guinea, Mali, (twice in the past seventeen months) and Chad seeing new leaders emerge from their respective militaries, and Burkina Faso a few days ago, witnessed the overthrow of President Roch Kabore.

The lawmaker said that this illegal takeover of power from democratically elected government violates several national constitutions, international conventions and protocols established by multilateral organisations, donors and development partners.

He said the House was aware that since Nigeria, transited from military to civilian in 1999, there had been a strong sense that the days of Military coups were effectively over, but that with this emerging trend, that positive trajectory is now being reversed with the rather quick successive coups in the aforementioned countries.

He worried that coups subvert political processes, promote tensions and violence, suffocate democratic spaces, suppresses basic freedoms, contain civil society and promote corrupt undemocratic governance.

He, therefore, warned that if the

APC Holds Ekiti State Gov'ship Primary Today Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) will today hold its governorship primary ahead of the June 18, governorship election in Ekiti State.

The party had last week screened all the governorship aspirants contesting ahead of today's primary election.

Those screened by the committee chaired by Senator Domingo at the national secretariat of the party were Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, former Secretary to State Government, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, Mr. Femi Bamisile, former Commissioner

for Public Utilities, Mr. Bamidele Faparusi, Mr. Kayode Ojo and Mr Ademola Popoola.

The governorship election would take place on June 18 to elect a new governor, when the incumbent, Governor Kayode Fayemi, completes his second term in office on October 15.

The governorship election timetable in Ekiti was altered, when the legal battle between Segun Oni and Fayemi over the 2007 governorship election was decided in favour of the latter.

The primary election will be a straight battle between Fayemi's alleged anointed candidate, Oyebanji and Bamidele.

trend was not immediately and firmly checked, it could erode the democratic achievements made thus far, distort the emerging culture of constitutionalism, and promote opportunistic and undemocratic actors in the region, and by extension the continent.

Contributing in support of the motion, the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, said the lesson in the coups was that African democratically-elected leaders must wake up and deliver good governance to their people.

He noted that bad governance would lead to frustration and resentment among the citizenry, allowing

them to fall to the temptation of supporting undemocratic change of government.

On his part, the Chief Whip, Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, was of the view that the worst democratic government would always be better than the best dictatorship as the freedom enjoyed in the former remained unequalled.

However, Africans Rising for Justice, Peace and Dignity, a Pan-African social movement of over 30,000 members working to foster an Africa-wide solidarity and unity of purpose of the peoples of Africa, in a statement, yesterday, condemned the coup in Burkina

Faso.

The movement said, “We know the military takeover is a manifestation of citizens’ frustrations with the country’s leadership, but a coup is never a long-term solution for peace.

“As we have seen across the continent, a coup d’etat is often a symptom of a people and a country that feel their constitutional governments are unable to bring promised development and stability.

“Such is the case in Burkina Faso, where years of protests have been held by activists and concerned citizens calling out their government’s inability to protect

them from terrorist attacks, which have resulted in over 2000 deaths since 2016 and the displacement of more than 1.5 million Burkinabes in the past decade.”

Co-Coordinator of the movement, Muhammed Lamin Saidykhan, in the statement was quoted as saying: “The people of Burkina Faso are tired of living under the threat of violence and they demand a political leadership that can effectively defend their human right to safe and secure living. As a Pan-African movement of the people, Africans Rising fully supports their rights to a peaceful existence and a stable democratic government.”

Constitution Review: House Committee Rejects Immunity for National, State Assembly, Judicial Officers Turns down state police Recommends 111 additional legislative seats for women Bill ready for Buhari's assent in February, Says Deputy Speaker Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, has rejected the Bill seeking to confer immunity on presiding officers of the national, state assemblies and judicial officers.

The committee at its meeting yesterday, which was attended by its consultants, also rejected the Bill on State Police, while recommending 111 additional legislative seats for women.

Both chambers of the National Assembly had in May and June 2021, held zonal public hearing across the 6 geopolitical zones of the country, during, which clamour for creation of state police, restructuring and fiscal federalism dominated presentations made by stakeholders.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in his closing remarks shortly after the end of plenary in December, declared that the lawmakers would commence work on the report of the committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution once they resumed from the Christmas break in January.

However, one of the consultants working with the committee, Abdulhamid Mohammed

(SAN), presented the position of the consultants on the Bill to the lawmakers.

Addressing the lawmakers, Mohammed said even though the bill allowed citizens to seek the leave of the court to sue any of the mentioned public officials, it would create a conflict of interest, particularly, as it related to the judicial officers.

He also said the Bill did not indicate which court had the competence to hear such cases.

His words: "It seeks to restrict that immunity that you can sue with the leave of a competent court, but actually, the bill did not go further to indicate, which of the court within the federation that will have the competence to grant the leave for you to sue the public officer concerned.

“We need to consider what are the conventions all over the world, in terms of immunity. It is really unconventional all over the world for judicial officers and presiding officers to have immunity. It could also be self-serving from the angle of morality.

"There could be a conflict of interest if the immunity is now extended to judicial officers

and that you need to go to the judiciary to seek leave to sue the officers concerned, you are now going to apply before the judicial officers, because these are courts of competent jurisdiction. There are perhaps issues of bias."

Speaking against the bill, a member of the Committee, Hon. Uzoma Abonta (PDP, Abia), opined that immunity should only cover issues regarding duties and functions of those public officers, not criminal acts like rape or murder.

While noting that there are examples of abuse of process by the executive against the legislature and judiciary, he however, argued that blank immunity was not acceptable.

Another member, Hon. Rimamnde Shawulu (PDP, Taraba) in his contribution, said he had a Bill on the floor of the House, seeking to strip the executive of immunity, adding that fast-tracking the bill would be the right step to go.

On his part, Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), urged that the Bill be stepped down, but section 308 of the constitution, should be amended to allow citizens to sue executive officers by leave of the House.

Deputy Speaker and Chairman

of the Committee, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase said legislators were already covered by immunity on activities on the floor of the House by virtue of the powers and privileges act.

He added that even though there were instances, where some executives have been “reckless” in action against lawmakers and judicial officers, it was left for the House to decide on the bill.

Wase thereafter ruled that the Bill be stepped down.

Also at the meeting, the Bill seeking to substitute section 214 of the Principal Act for new section 214 (1) for the establishment of state police was rejected.

During consideration of the clause, Wase had put it to a voice vote, while 11 voted for, 14 people voted against.

The lawmakers also recommended the creation of 111 additional legislative seats in the National Assembly to be solely occupied by women beginning from the next general election.

They also recommended the creation of two additional seats per senatorial zone reserve for women in state Houses of Assembly and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

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PRESENTING REPORT ON POLICE BRUTALITY...

L-R: Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan; Governor Seyi Makinde; Chairman, Judicial Panel of Inquiry into Police Brutality and Other Related Matters in Oyo State/Former Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko PHOTO: Oyo State Government.

Adeniji; Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Debo Ogundoyin and other panel members, during the presentation of their report to the governor in Ibadan... yesterday

Irabor Reiterates Military’s Commitment to Democracy Meets media executives, solicits stronger cooperation Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Leo Irabor, has reiterated the commitment of the military to democracy and its constitutional responsibility, while urging the media to be conscious of issues that bother on national security and the unity of the country.

The army chief’s reassurance came as a result of the resurgence of military coups in the West

African sub-region, fearing that the development had the capacity to pose great danger to democratic values in the region.

Irabor, who was reacting to a question by a reporter over the military’s commitment to a democratic culture, amid resurgence of military coup in Bukina Faso, during his parley with the media at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters, Abuja, said the military had no reason to disrupt

democratic and constitutional order in the country.

“History has shown that the military is better off during democracy. The military has no plan to disrupt democratic and constitutional order,” he stated.

He also assured of the military’s determination to end the on-going war against the terrorists and insurgents across the country, saying the military was winning the war.

In the media parley entitled: “The Role of Editors in National Security and Conflict Sensitive Communication”, the CDS said the initiative was informed by the fact that both the military and the media pursued common cause of freedom and liberty.

Gen Irabor explained further that collaboration between the media and the military helped to secure environment as well as looking forward to fulfilling individual

desires and as a comity of nations.

According to him, “All along, it is we versus them, but I am hopeful that at the end of this parley today, you will no longer see yourself as we versus them.

Rather, it will be an engagement about us and engagement about what binds us, which is Nigeria.

“Whatsoever influences one may have outside the shores, either territorial or space of Nigeria, we must begin to understand that

2023: Saraki Hints at Presidential Bid as Okorocha Declares Intention to Run A former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has hinted at a high possibility of contesting the 2023 presidential election, even as a former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha has also declared his intention to vie for the nation’s number one job.

Hinting at a possibility of throwing his hat in the ring, Saraki, yesterday, on his official Facebook page, relayed an encounter with a follower on Twitter, who charged him to run and in his response, hinted at the possibility.

“Earlier, I replied to a follower of mine on Twitter, who like thousands of you, has been clamouring for a united front to #RescueNigeria.

“As we prepare for the journey ahead, I hope we can all join hands to get the ticket of our great party, PDP, and build a nation that works for all of us.

“Join me to make our communities safer and provide real opportunities for you and your families. I have a strong record of delivering and experience in

Ekiti 2022: Fayose's Choice Aspirant, Kolawole, Emerges PDP Candidate, Beats Oni, Others Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Former Governor Ayodele Fayose's anointed aspirant for the People's Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary, held in Ekiti State, yesterday, Hon. Olabisi Kolawole, has emerged the party's candidate for the June 18 election.

Kolawole, who polled 671 votes, defeated his arch rival and former governor Segun Oni, who garnered 330 votes out of a total of 1200 delegates that participated in the keenly contested primary out of which only 1185 votes were cast.

Announcing the results at the Uncle Eagles Hall in Ado Ekiti, venue of the election, Chairman of the Ekiti PDP Gubernational Primary Election and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, said Kolawole polled 671 to trounce Oni and other aspirants.

Similarly, a former member,

House of Representatives, Hon Wale Aribisala, scored 56 votes;a former deputy governor, Kolapo Eleka, 93, Ayodele Kazeem, 06, while Kayode Adaramodu scored 10 votes respectively.

In the same vein, Mrs Adekemi Adewumi got 0 vote, Lateef Ajijola, 03 and Mrs Biodun Olujimi got 02 votes.

Emmanuel said: "Bisi Kolawole, having scored the highest number of votes cast in this election, is hereby declared the winner in accordance with the guidelines of our party."

He congratulated all the aspirants, saying the process was an internal affair of the party and about the PDP. Kolawole, who hails from Efon in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, was elected a member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly in 2007 and was appointed a Commissioner for Environment in 2014 by Fayose.

making tough decisions. Let’s build a new Nigeria that works for EVERYONE!” the former governor said.

Although many commentators had interpreted his post as simply declaring for the presidency, sources in his camp however dismissed it, saying, “Is that how to declare? Of course, his comment might have hinted at the possibility of running, which is on the card, but the truth is that he is yet to formally declare.”

In a related development, Okorocha, yesterday, swelled the rank of presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), when he declared his intention to run on the floor of the senate.

In a letter forwarded to the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad

Lawan, and read to other lawmakers, Okorocha said his joining the race was to offer Nigerians the leadership that would take Nigerians out of the wilderness.

He said the country, at the moment needed “a detribalised Nigerian, who can unite our country, a leader with a compassionate heart, who will care for the poor and downtrodden and the masses of our country, a visionary leader, who can create wealth for our teaming populace thereby, addressing the issues of poverty, insecurity and youth restiveness.”

Also, the letter informed the lawmakers of a proposed World Press Conference to be hosted by him Monday 31st January, 2022 at the Executive Hall of the International Conference Centre,

Abuja at 11am.

The letter stated in part: “As you are aware, the Independent National Electoral Commission, has announced the time table for the conduct of 2023 general election, including that of the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“With elections drawing nearer as the days go by, our citizens are concerned about the quality of persons to run the affairs of our nation, one, who can address some of their major concerns.

“It is as a result of these concerns that I wish to hold a world press conference on my intention to run for the office of the President of our dear Nation. I, therefore, wish to solicit for your prayers as I make known my intention,” he said.

you are the best person to keep Nigeria safe. No one outside of this shores loves you better than you love yourself, because you are the one that meets this challenge.”

Earlier, the Director, Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, said the CDS considered media executives as most worthy to interface with, considering their standing in the spectrum of the media space.

Akpor said the media had the cardinal role to play in advancing the cause of national security, stating that the leadership of the armed forces viewed media executives, editors and bureau chiefs as critical stakeholders that could not be ignored.

“At the end of the deliberations, media executives, editors, bureau chiefs are in better position to set right the agenda for public discourse on issues of national security and conflict sensitive management are generating debate,” he stated.

Chief Executive Officer, Media Today, Charles Odenigbo, said the interface would mark a new beginning for military and media relationship in Nigeria.

Odenigbo said a road map would be developed at the end of the parley for clear understanding of the roles of the media in national security matters and conflict sensitive communication.

CASH-STRAPPED FG APPROVES N3TRN, 17.5% OF 2022 BUDGET TO SUSTAIN SUBSIDY association of businessmen who condemn subsidy.

IPMAN, in a statement, appealed to the federal government to give priority to the revitalisation of the four refineries in the country ahead of the removal of the subsidy on petroleum products.

President of IPMAN, Alhaji Debo Ahmed, in the statement, also appealed to the federal government to ensure the availability of petroleum products to the NNPC depots across the country. He stated that selective supply to private depots was, "making it impossible for the product to be sold at the government upper price band."

The IPMAN president restated his association’s demand for payment of outstanding Bridging Claims owed marketers by the defunct Petroleum Equalisation Fund, now operating under the name, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The statement said, “The leadership of IPMAN commends the federal government for the suspension of the removal of fuel subsidy. We reiterate our position that the four nations' refineries be repaired and allowed to function optimally before the removal of fuel subsidy.

"We also use this opportunity to call on the federal government to resume the supply of petroleum products to NNPC depots nationwide as against the selective supply to private depots, making it impossible for the product to be sold at the government upper price band.

"Our huge funds are tied up with PPMC Ltd, a subsidiary of NNPC, where members pay for NNPC products supplied to their depots. We are equally pleading that marketers transportation claims be paid to allow members remain afloat in business."

Meanwhile, Fayemi told the

governors’ meeting with NLC and TUC that only about eight states benefitted from the federal government’s fuel subsidy.

Participants at the meeting called on the federal government to constitute a forensic examination on the activities of the NNPC. They alleged that the national oil company was bandying falsehood in terms of the amount being spent on petrol subsidy.

The meeting, which was held at the NGF secretariat, Abuja, brokered a partnership between the NGF and labour.

Delivering his opening remarks at the meeting, Fayemi argued that the country's economy was at a precipice and, "it has become necessary for the two groups to carefully verify all of NNPC’s estimates to ensure that whatever action is taken on subsidy, it would be the people that get direct benefits and not a few wealthy individuals and their cronies in the country."

Fayemi told the labour leaders that subsidy removal had remained an on-gong conversation, not just among governors, but also the country at large.

The Ekiti State governor stated that, “There are raging questions of accountability associated with subsidy removal in the country and observed that the NGF and the NLC can jointly work together to proffer solutions that heal the economy and provide succour to the Nigerian people.”

The NGF chairman had led to the meeting the delegation of governors, which included Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State, who is also chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, and Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State. He stressed that all the countries surrounding Nigeria, including Niger, Mali, Cameroun and Ghana, had their fuel pump price in dollar equivalent.

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Major Shake-up as Navy Appoints, Redeploys 54 Rear Admirals Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Nigerian Navy, yesterday, released the posting of 54 rear admirals following the recent promotion of senior officers in the service.

A statement by Naval Headquarters, Abuja, said Rear Admiral Saidu Garba, formerly the Navy Secretary, was appointed Chief of Policy and Plans, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Barabutemegha Gbassa, formerly the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command has been made the Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Sanusi Ibrahim, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, moved to Naval Headquarters as Navy Secretary, while Rear Admiral Sileranda Lassa, formerly the Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command, was appointed Group Managing Director, Navy Holdings Limited.

The statement stated that

Rear Admiral Muhammed Nagenu, erstwhile Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters was appointed Chief of Defence Administration at

the Defence Headquarters and Rear Admiral Solomon Agada, formerly the Director Peacekeeping Operations, Naval Headquarters has

now been appointed Chief of Training and Operations.

The postings also affected Rear Admiral Murtala Bashir, who moved from Naval War

College as Commandant to National Defence College also as Commandant, while Rear Admiral Adeseye Ayobanjo, formerly the Director Maritime

Domain Awareness at the Naval Headquarters, would resume as Chief of Defence Civil Military Cooperation, Defence Headquarters.

NESG UNVEILS 2022 ECONOMIC OUTLOOK…

L-R: Chairman, Ngerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Mr. Asue Ighodalo; Chairman, Conference of Speakers and Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Abubakar Suleiman; NESG Board members, Mrs. Amina Maina; Mr. Nnanna Ude; Senior Fellow, NESG Non-Residential Fellowship, Prof. Risikat Dauda, and Chief Executive Officer, NESG, Mr. ‘Laoye Jaiyeola at the launch of the NESG 2022 Macroeconomic Outlook in Abuja… recently

Atiku Has What it Takes to Senate Passes Bill on Infectious, Contagious Diseases Move Nigeria Out of Present Logjam, Says Ex-lawmaker Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Ahead of the 2023 general election, Senator Ehigie Uzamere has declared his support for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that age will not be a hindrance to the former vice president to lead Nigeria as president.

Uzamere, who represented Edo South Senatorial district of Edo State (2007 - 2011) in the senate, made the declaration at a press conference in Benin City, said, he is supporting Atiku because he has what it takes to be president and that with the look of things, he is the only person who is prepared to be president and give Nigerians the required leadership and direction.

According to Uzamere, “I heard some people saying age is not on the side of the former vice president, but let me debunk that insinuation that effective and efficient leadership is not about age but about capacity and strong health.

Atiku Abubakar is the most experienced, most popular and he is as popular as the CocaCola brand to the extent that in Nigeria today, there are some men dresses that is nicknamed Atiku and that is to tell you how popular he is in Nigeria.

“Age does not have anything to do with leadership as long as he can give us what we want in Nigeria. He has the capacity, his is experienced, he has reached out to everybody, he is a detribalised Nigerian in a country that is almost on edge.

The Senate has passed a bill to provide for a national framework for the control of outbreaks of infectious diseases in Nigeria.

The bill’s passage followed the consideration of a report by the Committee by the Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases.

The piece of legislation is titled, “Bill for an Act to Provide for an Effective National Framework

for the Control of Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases and Other Events Endangering Public Health and Requiring Public Health Emergency Measures and For Other Related Matters (SB. 413).”

It was read at plenary for the first time on June 30, 2020.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, said the bill sought to establish an up-dated and comprehensive legislative framework in the health sector.

He said it would make provision for the norms, basis for the making of regulations, rules and guidelines and measures to be applied in the event of any outbreak of infectious and contagious diseases or public health event within or outside Nigeria.

He said: “It also provides the frame work that will necessitate a declaration by the appropriate authority of a public health emergency.

“It will also provide for a

sound basis for the measures and actions of the appropriate authorities during the period of the public health emergencies to control and contain the spread of infectious or contagious diseases or public health events,” Utazi said.

He explained that the bill if signed into law, would ensure a timely response, control and management of public health emergencies coupled with necessary checks and balances, accountability and control.

No Child of School Age Should Roam Streets in Kogi, Bello Warns Parents Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has warned that no child of school age should be seen on the streets during school hours across the state. Also, Kogi State Government has flagged off its School Adoption and Mentorship Programme to help restore the glory of education and to motivate learners for improved performance in

education across the state.

Bello gave this warning while at the inauguration ceremony in Lokoja said his approval for the mentorship programme was to help restore the glory of education and to motivate learners for improved performance across the state.

Bello, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Folashade Ayoade, stressed that

education remained the topmost priority of his administration.

He emphasised that it had become a crime in Kogi, according to the State Education Law 2020, for any child of school age to be seen roaming about on the streets during school hours.

He enjoined parents to properly mentor their children by living by example, while urging children to make up their mind to be the best irrespective

of their background.

According to him, education is the right of every child in Kogi. Education is the mother of all professions. ‘’It is now a crime in Kogi for any school age child to be seen on the streets during school hours. ‘’Being a girl child, you must do your best. Don’t because you are a girl child and not put in your best.

expressed shock over the 2021 Transparency International (TI) report which ranked Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in West Africa and 154 out of 180 countries globally.

The group in a statement by its leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, stated that the TI

corrupt and lacking in ideas and programmes that would positively impact on the people.”

The Caucus said the TI report also validated the stance of the Minority Caucus that, “the APC is a sanctuary of corruption, which provides cover for its corrupt members to continue in looting

The lawmakers while noting Nigeria’s continued decline in corruption rating since the APC took over in 2015, stated that it points to the fact that the situation and its attendant woes to Nigerians would continue to worsen as long as the APC remains in power.

have been the stock-in-trade of the APC and its government.

“As representatives of the people, the Minority Caucus has intensified its checks mechanisms particularly in our strict monitoring of all provisions in the 2022 budget to ensure the delivery of all approved items.

Ugwuanyi Will Decide House Minority Caucus: TI Report Validates Our Stand that APC is Corrupt His Successor, Says report was a direct validation national treasury; a development It added: “Such proclivity for Udora Orizu in Abuja of its position that, “the All that has brought infrastructural corruption is complemented Enugu Senator The minority caucus in the House Progressives Congress (APC) and stagnation and economic hardship by fake promises and false performance claims, which of Representatives yesterday its government are hopelessly in the country.”

Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Former Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnaman has declared that it is the prerogative of the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to determine who succeeds him in 2023.

This, he said, is in line with the precedent for the incumbent governor of the state to determine his successor at least since the commencement of the Fourth Republic in1999.

Nnamani, who represents Enugu East Senatorial District in a release issued yesterday said: “We have a tradition in Enugu State politics. The governor is the leader who directs affairs.

He will determine who succeeds him without compromising the electoral processes and whoever he chooses will be our next

governor.

“I have absolute loyalty and respect for my governor who is also the leader of Ebeano political family. He has demonstrated capacity and leadership. We are waiting for him to lead the way to go in 2023 and we shall follow.”

According to him, “Enugu State is among the few in the country that enjoys political harmony on account of adherence to zoning or rotation of key political offices in the three senatorial districts especially the governorship seat since 1999.”

Nnamani said he was excited by the political developments in the state where accomplished sons and daughters are showing interest in the politics of the state and prayed that the best amongst them emerges as governor in 2023.

2023: ACF Warns Members against Endorsing Presidential Aspirants John Shiklam in Kaduna The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has warned its members against speaking and endorsing any aspirant ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

The Chairman of the forum and former Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, gave the warning yesterday, in his opening remarks at the

National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the forum in Kaduna.

He said the ACF is not a political party and cannot endorse any presidential aspirant.

Ogbeh also said the ACF plans to meet with its counterparts in the south-east, south-west and south-south in order to douse political tension in the

country and ensure peaceful coexistence among Nigerians ahead of the general elections.

The former Agriculture Minister added: “Our plans to have meetings with Afenifere, Ohanaeze, South South People’s Congress is still on course because there is need to put a stop to abusive words against one region or the other.

“We should desist from

endorsing any candidate for the 2023 presidency. If anybody ask you about endorsement, tell such person that we are not a political party.

“Even for the 2023, we do not know yet who the candidate is. We are not a political party.”

We do not participate in political activities except where it becomes necessary. May God help us with good candidate.

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NEWSXTRA

Buying N1.5bn Bullet-proof SUVs Amidst Unpaid Salaries is Wickedness, PDP Tells Akeredolu

Fidelis David in Akure

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo has knocked the state governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), for allegedly procuring N1.5 billion worth of bullet proof jeeps for official use amidst unpaid salaries among other challenges.

The party, which stated this in a press release made available to Journalists in Akure yesterday its .publicity secretary of the party, Mr Kennedy Ikantu Peretei, described the governor’s action as the recklessness and insensitivity of the highest order.

The party alleged that some old vehicles in the governor’s convoy are being re-registered in Akeredolu’s name and moved from the government house.

The statement reads: “While Ondo state workers celebrated Christmas and New year in unprecedented hardship, occasioned by the non- payment of their salaries, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of the State has just bought two bullet proof Lexus 670 LXE jeeps with six doors valued at N750 million each for his personal comfort and self aggrandisement.

“It is on record that each

time the governor procures official vehicles, he would buy two. One for himself and the other for his wife. These latest wonders on wheels were the third batch of vehicles bought by the governor since he

assumed office about five years ago. It means, on the average, two vehicles every two years.

As we speak, the number of vehicles in the governor’s fleet (most of which are armored) are about fifteen. This level

of executive recklessness and insensitivity to the plight of the people, is beyond any rational thinking.

“There are reports that, wise counsel against this wasteful purchase was rebuffed by the

governor. According to him “Why won’t l buy vehicles.

Even if I buy, nothing will happen”. A development that has earned the governor the nick name ” Nothing will happen”. Within the governor’s

inner circle, it is like the case of the proverbial dog that is destined to get lost, that will never listen to the hunter’s whistle. Akeredolu has been left alone to be on auto pilot.

ROYAL RECOGNITION FOR ABBA ALI…

L –R: Legal Counsel, Katsina State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Nagogo Muhammadu ; Caretaker , Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Abba Ali, and Director-General, Institute of Oil & Gas Research & Hydrocarbon Studies, Moses Essien, during the Turbaning of Ali as the Turakin Kastina by the Emir of Katsina in Katsina…yesterday

APC Group Pledges Judge: ICPC Lacks Power to Freeze Bank Accounts Without Court Order Support for Sani Musa as National Chairman Wale Igbintade

Laleye Dipo in Minna As the dates for the national convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) draws near, a group in Niger state, The APC Progressive Vanguard (TAPV) is seeking divine intervention for the victory of Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, a contenders for the national chairmanship position of the party.

The group has, therefore, directed that prayers should be held in churches and mosques for God to give victory to Senator Musa.

The Chairman of the TAPV, Mr. Abdullahi Bawa, said when he led some members of the organisation drawn from the 25 local governments of the state to pay a solidarity visit on the Sani Musa Advisory Council

Chairman, Mr. Babasule Bissala, in Minna, yesterday that “we have also commenced prayers in mosques and churches across the 25 LGAs of Niger State to seek spiritual blessing for the Sani Musa Chairmanship Project, the prayers will be held regularly till we achieve success.”

Bawa said though the group is assured of victory, it has to resort to God to seal the aspiration with the lid of success.

He pledged their support for Senator Mohammed Sani Musa to become the national chairman of the APC because “among those aspiring for the national chairmanship of the party Senator Sani Musa towers above them all because of his ability to carry everyone along and his level headedness.

A Federal Highl Court sitting in Lagos yesterday held that the Independent Corrupt Practice Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) lacks the authority to place a Post No Debit (PND) on a bank account without a valid court order.

Justice Peter Lifu made the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a firm, Efoba

Construction and Engineering Services Limited against the ICPC and Zenith Bank Plc. The judge held that restricting the firm’s access to Account No: 1011301207 without a court order amounted to gross and brazen violation of the Applicant’s Fundamental Right to own, acquire and possess property.

The court further awarded cost of N50, 000 against the ICPC and Zenith.

The plaintiff had, through its lawyer Victor Okpara, SAN sued the defendants in a suit numbered FHC L/ CS/1796/2020, for placing a lien on its bank account without a valid court order.

The plaintiff prayed the court for a declaration that the compulsory taking possession/ forfeiture of its right over its bank account maintained with the Zenith bank without any

extant order of court violated its Fundamental Right.

It also prayed the court set aside the purported compulsory acquisition of monies vested in the Applicant and deposited with the 2nd Respondent.

However, Zenith Bank in its 18-paragraphs counter-affidavit deposed to by Eyituoyo Prosper Mogbeyi, informed the court that it only acted on ICPC’s directives.

UBE Insists FCT Not Owing as Teachers Begin Indefinite Strike Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB), has denied owing teachers salaries, thus condemning the resolve of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT chapter, to embark on an indefinite strike.

Executive Chairman, FCT UBE Board, Dr. Alhassan Sule, echoed this yesterday

at a briefing, adding that the area councils’ chairmen should be blamed for the primary schoolsteachers’ strike.

Sule said they were surprised to receive a letter from the NUT secretariat with the information that they gave a directive to all teachers in the primary school sector not to resume yesterday.

He said all teachers under the payroll of FCT Administration were paid in December

last year, while at the local government level, they were able to implement promotions, although the issue of arrears became a problem.

“I could remember that in December, NUT and the local government had an agreement to suspend their strike based on the agreement that they are going to have a roundtable to discuss the template on how they are going to implement

the arrears.

“I believe that what the area councils did by not inviting the NUT to a roundtable discussion is one of the reasons why they decided to go back to strike,” he said.

He attributed the nonpayment of the teachers’ salaries to a friction between the LEA secretaries and their chairmen on the employment of teachers.

CSO Petitions N’Assembly, Kicks #EndSARS: Makinde Receives Panel Report, Assures on Quick Implementation DJDLQVW *XPXV· &RQÀUPDWLRQ DV Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi of the panel, Hon. Justice falsely accused of stealing a forward and tell us. So, that is Makinde, yesterday received Badejoko Adeniji (rtd) in banker’s wallet and brutalised exactly what we have done in the report of the Oyo State Ibadan, assured all that the by men of the defunct SARS, Oyo State by instituting this INEC Commissioner Judicial Panel of Inquiry into panel’s efforts will not be in which resulted into blindness. Panel of Enquiry.

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has petitioned the National Assembly, warning against the confirmation of Professor Rhoda Gumus’ nomination as National Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the basis of political membership.

The National Coordinator of the HURIWA, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a petition dated January 26 and addressed to the Senate President, Dr. Ahmed Lawan and his Deputy, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, said that it has uncovered material evidence that Gumus, a nominee

for Bayelsa State, South South, is a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the petition made available to journalists yesterday, the rights group pointed out that the National Assembly would be assisting in setting the stage for a very huge political crisis, which is capable of derailing the country’s democratic process if she’s confirmed.

It noted that beyond this, Gumus’ confirmation by this ninth Senate would be a violation of the constitution, adding that the constitution specifically declares that appointees to the electoral body must be non-partisan and also not a card-carrying member of any political party.

police brutality and other related matters that was set up by the state in the aftermath of the #EndDSARS protests that rocked the country October 2020.

The governor, who received the report from the Chairman

vain and that the government will soon implement some of the recommendations.

According to him, the state will provide automatic scholarship to 23-year-old Samuel Ogundeji, who was

He said: “The first step towards solving a problem is to identify that problem, and there is no way you will identify or get to the roots of any situation if we don’t talk about them, ask people to come

“Before now, things got swept under the carpet, but people have been able to come forward, they have put facts on the table and it is now left for us to take proper steps out of it and react appropriately.

APC’s Reconciliation Committee Meets Sylva, Other Party Leaders in Bayelsa Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The National Reconciliation Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has met with the leaders of the party in Bayelsa State over the lingering leadership crisis rocking the state chapter. The state chapter of the party has been enmeshed in crisis, includes court cases against the newly elected state

executives committee members and threats of massive defection into the ruling PDP in the state.

THISDAY gathered those who attended the meeting include the party’s Governorship flag bearer and member of the National Caretaker and Extraordinary Committee of the party, Chief David Lyon, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva

and some members of the party in the state.

It was gathered that the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri was absent due to unexplained reasons. The meeting was held in Abuja on Saturday 22nd, 2022 according to information gathered, that the National Reconciliation Committee led by the former

Nasarawa governor and senator, Abdullahi Adamu assured everyone of fair analysis of issues involved and bring to bear solutions that will satisfy all concerned.

The reconciliation meeting, however, resolved that the state leader of the party, Timipre Sylva should convene a meeting of stakeholders of the APC in the state.

THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSEXTRA

Anti-Corruption: Assets Forfeiture Bill Scales Second Reading in Senate Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade A bill seeking to give the federal government enabling powers to seize and confiscate assets acquired by corrupt public officers, money launderers and criminals involved in terrorist financing and other crimes passed second reading on the floor of the Senate, on Wednesday.

The proposed legislation is titled, “A bill For An Act To Make Comprehensive Provisions For Seizure, Confiscation, Forfeiture, And Management of Properties Reasonably Suspected To Have Been Derived From Unlawful Activities.”

It was sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Suleiman Abdu Kwari.

Kwari said the bill was first read on March 16, 2021, and also listed as a version among the bills of interest contained in the recent Executive

Communication from President Muhammadu Buhari.

He explained that the main objective of the bill is to provide for the establishment of a department in the relevant organisations to manage forfeited assets.

He said the department would provide for an effective legal and institutional framework for the recovery and management of the proceeds of crime, as well as civil forfeitures in non-conviction based sentencing.

He said: “This bill further makes provisions for restraint, seizure, confiscation and forfeiture of property derived from property unlawful activities; any instrumentality used or intended to be used in the commission of such unlawful activities; and for non-conviction based procedure for the recovery of proceeds of crime.

“The bill’s other objectives are to strengthen the criminal confiscation procedure by ensuring that the total benefit

from a person’s criminal activity is calculated and an equivalent amount, where recoverable, is confiscated on behalf of the

Federal Government.

“It also galvanizes collaborative efforts among the relevant government agencies

to implement confiscation proceedings against a convicted person in tracing and forfeiting properties reasonably suspected

to be proceeds of unlawful through non-conviction based forfeiture activity proceedings,” he said.

A FEMALE PARTNERSHIP…

L-R: Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, and National Commissioner representing Enugu State at the Federal Character Commission, Ginika Tor , during a visit to the minister in Abuja…

Police Arrest Three Robbery N18.9trn Worth of Properties, 587 Lives Saved from Fire in 2021 Suspects in Delta Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Sylvester Idowu inWarri Three suspects have been arrested by operatives of the Delta State Police Command over armed robbery allegedly committed in March last year at Isoko Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects, George Akporie, 25; Prosper Asaeta, 29, and Ezekiel Stephen, 23, were arrested at Sagbama community in neighbouring Bayelsa State.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Edafe Bright, in a statement issued yesterday said the suspects were apprehended last Sunday

in Sagbama.

He disclosed that the suspects had on March 5, 2021, shot and robbed a man (names withheld) of his Qlink motorcycle between Olomoro and Ehwne communities in Isoko LGA area of Delta State.

He said an investigation was then initiated and the victim was taken to Olomro General Hospital where he was treated and discharged.

Unluckily for the suspects, Edafe disclosed that the victim, on January 23 spotted one of them around Sagbama, Bayelsa State, and immediately alerted the Delta State Police Command.

Local Content: Senate Flays NCDMB over $10bn Gas Project

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate Committee on Local Content yesterday accused the management of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB)of alleged breach of local content laws.

The panel accused the board of alleged dereliction of duty in its supervision of the $10bn Train 7 gas project being executed by SAIPEM. SAIPEM ( S.P.A ), is an Italian Multinational Oil Field Services Company serving as the principal contractor involved in executing the

Train 7 Project .

The Senate Committee chaired by Senator Teslim Folarin (APC Oyo Central) based on petitions written against SAIPEM, summoned the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote for interface on perceived regulatory negligence .

The summons as stated

by Senator Teslim Folarin at the beginning of the investigative session , was sequel to failure of SAIPEM to defend allegations of violations of local content laws in the execution of the $10bn gas project contract.

PDP People’s Mandate Appoints Patron The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) People’s Mandate has appointed the former Chairman of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) , Mr. Jide Adeniji as the group’s patron.

The PDP support group conveyed the decision of the group to Adeniji during a courtesy call on him recently by members of the National Executive Committee led by the National Coordinator and BOT Chairman, Mrs. Patricia Stan-Dioka.

The national coordinator disclosed the group considered the former FEMA boss as her patron due to his impeccable personality and integrity stressing that the group’s Creed is anchored on integrity and good governance, saying that is what the PDP people’s mandate want to return as part of the PDP political culture.

She revealed that the group has structures across states of the federation and is poised in mobilizing Nigerians of all walks of life to the PDP.

The Federal Fire Service (FFS) saved properties worth N18.9 trillion from destruction by fire as well as 587 lives and rescued 260 persons in 2021. This revealed by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the decoration of newly promoted Deputy Controllers General (DCGs) of the Service in Abuja yesterday.

According to the minister, “Last year, the FSS responded to 2,845

SOS distress-calls in which 136 lives and property worth N3 trillion were lost. But the FSS was able to save 587 lives, rescue 260 persons and save property worth N18.9 trillion.

“In sum, the stock of the FSS has grown in leaps and bounds as the agency has contributed significantly to national security – in the protection of lives and property.”

He said the achievements were made possible through

the interventions of the federal government between 2015 and now, noting the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration has committed more resources into the Fire Service than since its creation in 1901.

He said: “The attention and resources devoted by the Buhari administration since 2015 is more than whatever has been put into it since its establishment in 1901.

Between 2015 and 2020, the Federal Government provided

106 modern firefighting trucks to the FSS. “Last year, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) also approved (and have since been procured and deployed) N10.4 billion infrastructure upgrade comprising of 44 firefighting engines, 15 water tankers, 15 rapid intervention fire engines (not conventional ones) that can go into the nooks and crannies to respond to distresscalls and 20 basic life support ambulances.

Masari Calls on APC Members to Shun Dispute over LG Polls Masari stated these in Hausa an elective position is not a crime Masari, however, said he Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has called on All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and supporters in the state to put their house in order to retain power in next election, saying any dispute could put the party in jeopardy during election.

He revealed that it is better for his enemy in the APC to win the forthcoming local government elections than his lover in the opposition party.

while addressing APC members in the state during the party stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House ahead of the state council polls slated for April 11, 2022.

The state Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (KATSIEC), Ibrahim Bako, had in a press conference announced that the state local government election would be conducted in April 11.

According to him, “Vying for

but it becomes a crime when it is not done in accordance with the will of God. I appeal to all aspirants from councillorship to governorship to support the APC to conduct a peaceful local government election in the state.

“What our opposition wants is that APC should be dislodged so that they can get what they want. I swear, it is better for my enemy in APC to win the election than my lover in any opposition party to win.”

sacked the local government area chairmen and their councillors that were elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform because “we can’t work with them with a peaceful mind.”

However, while reacting to Masari’s statement, the state PDP Chairman, Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, said the governor’s pronouncement has vindicated him that the APC administration in the state “is one-sided, sentimental and clueless.

Father Impregnates 14-year-old Daughter in Bayelsa Olusegun Samuel inYenagoa Operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested a 38-year-old man, Baridap Needman, for allegedly impregnating his biological daughter.

The father, who lives with the daughter and his two younger brothers at a one-room apartment on the PDP road in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, was said to be cohabiting with her since the death of their mother who died

three years ago.

The suspect, who hails from Ogani Wily Kaira in Ogoni, Rivers State, was arrested following a formal complaint from the state gender advocacy group, Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) led by Dise Ogbise.

According to Ogbise and Mrs. Mary Pekeowei, GRIT was tipped off by a concerned neighbour who noticed that the victim was five months pregnant and the father was responsible for the pregnancy.

It was gathered that the father has been violating his daughter since the age of seven but got worst when the victim’s mother died few years ago, as he immediately replaced his deceased wife with his daughter on his matrimonial bed.

THISDAY gathered that while the 14-year-old girl, who is Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3, was sleeping with the father on the bed, the two younger brothers were allocated to sleep on the floor.

However, policemen at the Ekeki Police Station, where the case was reported, were shocked when the pregnant girl declared that she was in love with her accused father.

The Chairperson of GRIT, Ogbise, confirmed to journalists that the advocacy group would collaborate with the Ministry of Women Affairs to offer psychosocial support to the victim and ensure that she is well taken care of until she gives birth.

APC Youth Leader Inaugurates Lobby Group in Cross River Sunday Okobi Ahead of the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled to for February 26 and the general election in 2023, the National Youth Leader of the party, Alhaji Ismaeel Ahmed, was in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, to inaugurate the party’s youth lobby group with a charge to them to ensure the victory of the party in the 2023

general election.

While inaugurating the state chapter of the youth lobby group led by Oden Ewa, Ahmed, who was received by the state Chairmanelect, Alphonsus Ogar Eba, represented by the Deputy Chairman - elect, Prince Eka Williams, tasked the group on positive engagement with youths and all stakeholders in the state to ensure the participation of the youths

and victory of the party in 2023 general election.

In his remark, Ewa assured the national youth leader that the lobby group would not disappoint the party, noting that the stake is too high for them to fail as they know what is expected of them and have the wherewithal to succeed.

Ewa thanked the state Governor, Ben Ayade, for carrying the youths along, stating that the present

government is populated by youths at different levels, including the governor himself.

He also appreciated the youths in government for their good work, noting that the group is proud of their excellent performances.

Ewa further stated that the youths have the capacity to organise, moblise, lobby and administer the state successfully if given the opportunity to do so.

THURSDAY, ͺͿ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

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THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Ministry, NFF Hold Crucial Meeting on Super Eagles, Eguavoen Duro Ikhazuagbe Super Eagles’ performance at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon and preparations for the 2022 World Cup playoff against Ghana in March will be the main topic of discussions as the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development(FMY&SD) and the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) hold a crucial meeting in Abuja today.

The three-time African champions exited the ongoing

AFCON in Cameroon at the Round of 16 to Tunisia last Sunday despite recording a 100 per cent success at the group stage.

THISDAY learnt last night that the meeting is also going to reach a decision on whether to retain Augustine Eguavoen on the Eagles job or return to his Technical Director role at the federation and allow Portuguese gaffer, Jose Peseiro replace sacked Gernot Rohr.

Although the NFF leadership

2 0 2 1 A F C O N FA L LO U T is believed to have offered the Eagles job to Peseiro, the body language of the sports minister appears to favour Eguavoen continuing with the team.

An informed source hinted that the possibility of discontinuing contract talks with the Portuguese is not unlikely “given the new quality Eguavoen has brought to Eagles. Despite losing to Tunisia, Nigerians saw

a different Super Eagles at the AFCON because Eguavoen knows the players and their capacity. I doubt if two months will be enough for Peseiro to acquaint himself with the team to go and face the Black Stars of Ghana.”

Meanwhile, Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa has said that there is no room for any pity-party and that the shock f

the early ouster from AFCON has only made the squad stronger as lessons have been learnt.

“You know it is still a shock but I can assure you that things like these make a team stronger. We did our best in the circumstances.

When you lose at a tournament, it hurts really bad. However, we don’t have time to keep reflecting over what went wrong.

“We have very important challenges in front of us, and all we can do is stay stronger and have firm belief in ourselves

RESULTS Ivory Coast 5-4 Egypt (AP) Mali 5-6 E’Guinea (AP) that we can do it. The focus is now on the World Cup play-off.”

The Super Eagles are to play the Black Stars in the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff with the Ghanaians set to host the first leg and the reverse in Nigeria, both matches to take place between 24th and 29th March.

Ahmed Musa...Super Eagles Captain

NBBF Crisis: Basketball Players Accuse Dare of Backstabbing Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Disgruntled Nigerian basketball players yesterday spoke in condemnation of the Minister of Youth and Sport, Sunday Dare, for his alleged role in the festering crisis at the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF).

The players, who staged a protest at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja in objection to the proposed NBBF Elective Congress in Benin on January 31, accused the minister of “backstabbing” and “planning a coup” against Nigerian basketball players.

The protest was led by former players’ representative on NBBF board, Ejike Ugboaja and the newly elected Players’ Representative on the Board, Stanley Gumut.

They had earlier on Tuesday submitted a petition to Dare on the unresolved leadership crisis in the NBBF and their disaffection with the Reconciliation Committee constituted by the minister.

They accused Dare of wasting the players’ time since last year by floating a bogus reconciliation committee that neither met nor invited the players only to submit a report to the minister.

They said the ministry was trying to impose an unpopular candidate on the players as the President of the NBBF. “I am very emotional about it.

Honestly speaking, the Minister of Sport has really failed us, because

we took him as a father and expected he was going to give something favourable to us, but for him to come out and say he will allow us to sort out ourselves is disappointing. Why did he not say that the whole time?

“For now, this is more or less a like a coup and barging on us at the last minute to take whatever we see. It is unfortunate and unheard of,” Gumut fumed.

Ugboaja, who played for the national team at the 2012 Olympics in London, described as unfortunate the way basketball was heading in the country.

He said the authorities were trying to force the players to do what they do not want even though the tenure of the last board headed by Ahmadu Musa Kida was over.

“They don’t want an election.

They just want to select a President for us. What they are trying to do is push somebody on us that we don’t want.

“They are scared of ban by FIBA Africa and FIBA World. FIBA is not Nigeria and we are not scared of them. As we stand today, if they force a president on us, we are going to ban ourselves from playing basketball. We are crying to Dare, but if he refuses to listen to us, we are going to make a big statement to Nigerians.

“I am very emotional right now, just because they are taking us for granted,” Ugboaja concluded.

UNDERDOGS TURN HEROES...

Equatorial Guinea were the unlikely heroes last night after they defeated Mali 6-5 in penalty shootouts to progress to the quarter finals of PHOTO: Reuters the AFCON 2021 in Cameroon. Regulation and extra time deadlocked goalless before the penalty shootouts.

Winter Olympics: Nigeria to Participate in Cross-country Ski Event Nigeria will be attending her second Winter Olympic Games in Beijing next month featuring just an athlete. Nigeria made her debut in 2018 at the Pyeongyang Games in South Korea.

For the first time in history of the Winter Olympics, Nigeria will field a cross-country skier named Samuel Ikpefan at the Beijing 2022 Games.

Ikpefan born in Annemasse in the French Alps, activated

his nationality switch in 2016 to enable him become the first Nigerian skier to qualify for the winter Olympics and the first male athlete to make the Games.

Dr. Seun Adigun and her other colleagues who made history as first Nigerians to compete in bobsled at the historic outing in Pyeongchang will be contesting for a place in the IOC Athletes’ Commission at the Games.

She is the first African athlete to compete in both the summer

and winter Olympic Games.

Adigun's quest for the IOC Athletes’ Commission Seat has received huge support from the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel, expressed his happiness yesterday that Nigeria's flag will once again be hoisted at the winter Olympics having made her debut in 2018.

Gumel congratulated the athlete and advised him to compete genuinely with the aim of finishing on the podium while wishing Ms Adigun success in her election.

He also poured encomiums on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Chinese government for going ahead with the organisation of the Winter Olympic Games at this critical period of COVID pandemic.

NCAC Endorses 23rd IBB Ladies Open Championship The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) will present the 23rd edition of the IBB Ladies Open Championship billed from February 10-13in Abuja.

Eight countries, including Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Botswana and host Nigeria will participate in the championship.

The DG NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, accepted to present the tournament when a delegation of IBB Ladies Open Planning Committee led by the Lady Captain Mrs Mary-Rose Richard-Obioha, paid him a courtesy visit.

Runsewe, who is also the

President Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), commended the lady section for promoting fraternity and unity in the section and for believing in the Nigerian project.

He noted NCAC will present all ladies materials for their pants plus mufflers for the key officers of the lady section and will also organise a fantastic unifying cultural display for the Gala night.

He said the national cultural council will provide card holders, use local materials for the tee markers as well as embellish the stage for the Gala night.

In addition, Runsewe said he will personally invite the

ambassadors of the participating countries to the event on the possibility of impacting the foreigners that come for the championship through impression creation.

Mrs Richard-Obioha said 182 lady golfers have registered for the championship which will be listed on the World Amateur Golf Ranking Table.

The lady captain said the theme of the championship is “Proudly Nigeria”.

“We feel we should showcase our culture, not just foreign. We want to do it in the Nigerian and African way and the way to go about it is to visit

the custodian of the culture and the overall body of golf in Nigeria for support and to inform him of our intention,” Richard-Obioha said.

While reeling off some of the social activities for the event, the Social Secretary Lady Section, Obioma Abangwu, said the event will commence on February 10 with a ceremonial tee off to be followed with a flag-raising.

There will be cocktail and old school night the following day.

Cut will also be applied for the golf tournament which begins on February 12to determine the 40 players that will feature in the final round on February 13.

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THURSDAY, ͺͿ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

SPORTS

Mo Salah Shoots Egypt into Q’finals to Face Morocco AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS Egypt defeated Ivory Coast 5-4 on penalties yesterday to reach the quarter-finals at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon following a 0-0 draw at regulation and extra time.

The North Africans got the upper hand in the shoot-out when substitute keeper Gabaski saved Eric Bailly's effort in the third round of spot-kicks.

And Pharaohs captain Mohamed Salah netted the decisive penalty to send the record seven-time champions through.

Egypt will face Morocco in the last eight in Yaounde on Sunday evening (5pm).

The finale was somewhat harsh on Manchester United defender Bailly, who had performed superbly at the back while sporting a rugby scrum cap on his return from a head injury.

Yet he took a short run-up for his penalty and placed his effort too close to Gabaski, who dived to his right and stuck out his left hand to push the ball onto the bar.

The Zamalek keeper had come on right at the end of the second half after Mohamed El Shenawy picked up a leg injury, and may well start against Morocco depending on the extend of the injury suffered by Egypt's number one.

Concussion: Senegal Criticised for Allowing Mane to Continue Play

Mohamed Salah scored the winning penalty as Egypt defeated Ivory Coast 5-4 in shootouts last night to reach AFCON quarter PHOTO: Reuters finals in Cameroon.

Two AFCON Matches Moved from Douala to Yaounde Two Africa Cup of Nations matches will be relocated from Japoma Stadium in Douala to Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Wednesday.

One quarterfinal and the February 2 semifinal will be moved to the Cameroonian capital city.

CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, had said on Tuesday the quarterfinal due to be played at the Olembe Stadium in

Yaounde will be switched to the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium after a deadly crush which killed eight people.

The decision to shift that match away from the 60 000-seat Olembe Stadium was confirmed on Wednesday after Motsepe hosted a meeting with tournament organisers.

"The next match that was scheduled for the Olembe Stadium will not take place until CAF and the Local Organising Committee have received the full report of

the Investigation Committee (into the Olembe incident) indicating the circumstances and events that led to the injury and death of spectators at the Olembe Stadium," CAF said in a statement.

The second semifinal, to be played February 3, is still scheduled at Olembe Stadium

for the time being.

"The CAF AFCON Organising Committee also requires the assurance and guarantee that appropriate and adequate interventions and measures have been implemented to ensure that a similar incident will not occur," the statement added.

Martial Explains His Loan Move to Sevilla French striker Anthony Martial said he moved from Manchester United to Sevilla on a loan deal because he felt wanted by manager Julen Lopetegui and sports director Monchi.

"What convinced me to come is ... the sporting director and the coach, they showed me that they wanted me," Martial, who has joined the LaLiga club until the end of the season, told a news conference at his unveiling on Wednesday.

"I wanted to come so I could play and show what I can do in the team."

The 26-year-old forward, who joined United in 2015 but asked to leave Old Trafford in December after struggling for opportunities this season, feels he is ready to help out straight away.

"In the last few months

Six minutes later, he scored an excellent goal for Senegal, before laying down on the halfway line.

"The image of the player collapsing on the ground and having to be helped from the pitch after scoring his goal should tell you everything you need to know about the impact and the effect it had had on his brain," added Griggs.

"Yet again, the desire to win is seen as being worth serious risks to players' health. It is simply shocking that this continues to happen.

"This is now a real test of leadership for The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and world governing body FIFAparticularly if Senegal declare Mane fit for Sunday's quarter final.

"If football wants to be taken seriously when it comes to concussion, it simply must take action to enforce and strengthen its protocols."

In a statement from the Senegal FA, team doctor Dr Abdourahmane Fedior said Mane had been "replaced due to the vertigos he had on the pitch" after scoring.

"After this we felt it was safer to bring him to the hospital for a scan which didn't reveal any brain injury or bone lesion. We left the hospital a few moments later and we went to the hotel.

For now, he feels well.

Barca to Raise €100m for Haaland Transfer

TRANSFER I have been training a lot. I hope to be able to train soon with my teammates and work well with them to fight for the competitions we're still in," Martial said, explaining that he does not care in which position Lopetegui plays him.

"I trained hard to be ready and if the coach wants me to play, I'll do it now. The most important thing for me is to play, it doesn't matter where. I want to bring my experience and help the team to keep winning."

The focus for the French striker will be to help Sevilla win a fifth Europa League title since 2014, and seventh overall. They will face Dinamo Zagreb in the last 16 next month.

Senegal have been criticised after Sadio Mane continued playing despite suffering suspected concussion in a "sickening collision" with Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.

Mane remained on the pitch for several minutes despite appearing to sustain a head injury in the incident during Tuesday's Africa Cup of Nations match .

The Liverpool striker scored before eventually being substituted.

Brain injury association Headway said Mane's health had been put at risk.

"On the face of it, this seems to be yet another example of football putting results ahead of player safety," said Luke Griggs, deputy chief executive of Headway.

"This was a sickening collision that clearly left both players in enough distress for a concussion to have surely been considered a possibility at the very least.

At that point, the principle of 'if in doubt, sit it out!' should have resulted in Mane being substituted without another ball being kicked."

Vozinha was sent off for the challenge with Mane and had to be helped off the pitch while visibly unsteady on his feet.

Mane, however, remained on the pitch, despite seeming to lose consciousness in the incident.

Anthony Martial...feels wanted at Sevilla

Barcelona are working on a plan to raise €100 million (about $113m) to fund the signing of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland in the summer.

Goal.com reported on Wednesday that Dortmund will likely net a huge return on their initial €20m ($23m) investment in Haaland since snapping him up from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020, with the Norwegian scoring a staggering 80 goals in his first 79 appearances.

Haaland's performances have attracted attention from the world's biggest clubs, including Barca, who are determined to win the race for his signature later this year.

Dortmund have confirmed

that Haaland won't be sold in the current transfer window, but have been unable to rule out the possibility of a sale at the end of the season.

The 21-year-old will only have two years left on his contract by then, and Barca are now working behind the scenes to make sure that they have the financial power to submit a formal offer.

The Catalan giants posted record-breaking debts last year and are still in the process of reducing their wage bill, but GOAL has learned that they can free up a significant amount of money for transfers by selling a 49 per cent stake in their media production company Barca Studios.

Thursday, January 27, 2022

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Price: N250

MISSILE

Ado Doguwa to House Colleagues

“It is true that my beloved family has gotten an additional one person. It is a baby girl. Bouncing. The mother and the baby are hale and hearty. The husband is still active. And I thank God that I kept my word with the House that while I had 27, I promised you that I would continue counting. I want by the grace of God and your prayers that the count would continue”—House of Representatives Majority Leader, announcing his latest ‘achievement’ .

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

Of Super Eagles and Buhari’s Call I n ‘The World Game is not Just a Game’, respected British sportswriter, Simon Kuper wrote that soccer (football) “arouses in the rest of the world collective passions that are matched by nothing short of war.” Published in the New York Times on 26th May 2002, shortly before the commencement of the 17th FIFA World Cup held in South Korea and Japan, Kuper added: “And unlike any other sport - indeed, unlike almost any cultural phenomenon - soccer is distinguished by its political malleability.

It is used by dictators and revolutionaries, a symbol of oligarchy and anarchy. It gets presidents elected or thrown out, and it defines the way people think, for good or ill, about their countries...”

It is an understatement to say that most Nigerians love football and for good reason.

With one sublime twist or turn, some footballers can make us forget our hunger, thirst, and sometimes even our financial predicament.

In moments of sheer artistry, some players can also make us happy or make us sad.

Hernan Crespo, one of the best strikers in modern times, once narrated how the late Diego Maradona’s genius transformed their home. He said their father never talked or betrayed emotion, so the family learnt to keep to themselves. But everything changed on 22nd June 1986 while watching the quarter final match between Argentina and England at the 13th FIFA World Cup being held in Mexico. According to Crespo, who was eight years old at the time, the moment Maradona scored his incredible solo goal against England, his father broke into tears and began hugging everyone, shouting on top of his voice. He said he had never seen his father like that before and it was that day he decided to play football and strive for excellence in order to make his father happy.

The foregoing shows what football means for those who follow the game, evoking emotion and passion that often transcend politics. In Nigeria, there is perhaps nothing as unifying as when the national team is playing. At that moment, everybody forgets about religion, ethnicity and artificial differences often deployed to divide us. Unfortunately, it is also when we display our true character. In competitive football, as in politics, one team must win just as another must lose and there is redemption in the hope for another day.

But because we have not imbibed that spirit, most Nigerians are bad losers.

That is the only way to explain the manner in which many of our people have reacted to the ouster of the Super Eagles from the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AfCON) in Cameroon. Following the defeat of Nigeria

by Tunisia, a number of our players have had to deactivate their social media accounts due to the abuse and hate messages they have received. Even the best of goalkeepers sometimes concedes silly goals but Maduka Okoye will long be remembered for missing that long-range shot that Reuben Abati could have ‘punched away’, as goalkeeper of the Arise TV Football Club!

Before I share a few takes on the defeat by Tunisia, let me also add that there is something about football that causes disappointed fans to react out of proportion and scapegoat

Eguavoen certain players. The treatment meted out to former England skipper, David Beckham after the 1998 FIFA World Cup provides a ready example. In the group stage match against Columbia at the tournament held in France, it was Beckham’s free kick that earned England the qualification for the first knockout round. But in the match against Argentina on 30th June, Diego Simone (current manager of La Liga Club, Atletico Madrid)

committed a cynical foul against Beckham.

In anger, Beckham kicked Simone who went down as if he was hit by a truck. And the trick worked. Beckham was sent off by the referee. England went on to lose a match they had controlled up to that point against a bitter rival. The next day, the banner headline in The Mirror newspaper (which, to take poetic license, mirrored the view of many English fans) was: ‘Ten Heroic Lions and One Stupid Boy’. A church even put a banner outside its premises which read: ‘God forgives even David Beckham.’ As extreme fans’ reactions go, however, Columbia takes the cake. On 2nd July 1994, Andres Escobar was shot dead because his own goal contributed to Columbia’s elimination from the 15th FIFA World Cup then still ongoing in the United States.

To come back home, while President Muhammadu Buhari has urged football authorities to undertake a critical assessment of why Nigeria lost to Tunisia, there are also lessons we can learn as individuals. The first is that the beginning is not as important as the end. In the group stage at the tournament, Tunisia was defeated by both Gambia and Mali and barely scraped through with three points obtained from beating Mauritania. In contrast, Nigeria defeated the highly-rated Egypt as well as Sudan and Guinea Bissau to secure the maximum nine points. So, we had a 100 percent record at the group stage while Tunisia had a 33 percent success rate. At the end, Tunisia progressed, and we crashed. Lesson number two: Never count your chickens before they hatch.

The appointment of Gernot Rohr as Super Eagles coach was terminated on the eve of the tournament. The problem was not so much that Rohr was sacked but the timing of it.

In the preceding months, Nigeria had been defeated at home by Central African Republic (CAR) and could only manage a goalless draw against Cape Verde in the African World final group qualifying match. That we did well in the group stage at 33rd AfCON was therefore not the result of any coordinated effort. That much was exposed when it mattered most against Tunisia. Lesson number three: If you fail to plan, you unwittingly plan to fail.

Meanwhile, pundits have put the blame for the Super Eagles loss on the president who called the players before the match.

There was nothing wrong in his wishing the team well and the superstition that Buhari’s call jinxes sporting teams is not supported by evidence. The real problem in this case was the opportunism of the call and I blame overzealous aides who set up their principal for the social media backlash. Such calls are usually made when the team reaches the final of a competition, not after getting out of the group stage. But someone must have imagined that the Tunisian national team, weakened by Covid-19 infection in their camp, would be a walk over. The gamble failed.

Now that the Super Eagles are out of AfCON, the focus should be on their double header against Ghana for the ticket to the 22nd FIFA World Cup holding in November/ December this year in Qatar. Those crucial matches are just weeks away and the Super Eagles are without a substantive manager.

This is where the president can come in to ensure that football authorities get their act together. It is all the more important given the country we are facing. To qualify for Qatar, we must show Ghana that not only is our Jollof rice tastier than theirs, we are also better on the field of play.

Still on The Subsidy Question

W

hen Senate President Ahmad Lawan said recently that President Buhari had not approved a fuel subsidy removal, I knew that both the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and 2022 budget were already dead on arrival. Even if we remove the distortions by the National Assembly which the president confessed had rendered the budget ‘unimplementable’, the proposals were premised on the assumption that there would be no subsidy payment from June this year. The same goes for the PIA which has led to the establishment of new agencies in the oil and gas sector.

However, the volte face by the federal government is understandable for three reasons.

One, with organised labour poised for a strike that would most definitely have enjoyed popular support, it was sensible to back down. Two, it’s difficult for public officials who revel in profligacy to justify any policy anchored on the need to make sacrifice by the ordinary people. Three, Buhari’s question many years ago when aspiring for presidency, ‘Who is subsidizing who?’ still resonates. It therefore came as no surprise when the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, announced on Tuesday that the federal government is proposing an 18-month extension on fuel subsidy removal, effectively

pushing its implementation till after the 2023 election and to the next administration.

While I have always likened fuel subsidy to borrowing from tomorrow, what I find particularly interesting is that the entire conversation around its removal has been the same for almost four decades. On 17th March 1988, at a time the then government of General Ibrahim Babangida was planning an upward review of fuel prices, Mr Francis Onaiyekan wrote an interesting article in ‘The Reporter’, a Kaduna-based publication, long rested. He asked salient questions to counter the statistics reeled out at the time by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). I do not share his position because I can see the harm that the regime of fuel subsidy has been doing to our economy, but I find it rather interesting that the tone and content of this debate between government and the people remains essentially the same.

Onaiyekan wrote: “How organised and convenient for the citizen is the transportation system? Compared with Nigeria, how easy (or difficult) is it to earn a decent living, with access to job, food, shelter, education, and health?

What percentage of John Citizen’s income must he spend on transportation to and from work; does he receive value for a high fare that is the consequence of high energy cost?

“If it costs other people elsewhere so much to move around, what other subsidies do their government give for social services like health, education etc.? Inescapably, the conclusion is that, to compare the Nigerian with other nationals based on fuel prices alone is not fair, is not honest and is meant to support a preconceived lie. To ask Nigerians to pay more for fuel is to automatically demand that they pay more for food, clothing, transportation, indeed every good and services that require transportation.

“Finally, since talk is cheap, it is easy for well-paid oil experts and policy makers to sit in the comfort of their offices and argue for an increase in fuel cost. They ride cars owned, fueled, and maintained at government or company expense. They can’t know what the poor feel down below. And it is doubtful they want to know. For when they pass us by, they wind up the glass of their car windows. Ensconced in air-conditioned comfort, their conscience is insulated from the harsh truth as they shut out the real world from them...”

That article was published 34 years ago. Today, we are still talking about the same issue, asking the same questions, expressing the same misgivings and apprehensions. And we are still left with expending billions of dollars every year subsidizing a single consumption item at a period the social sector (education, health etc.) has practically collapsed!

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