FRIDAY 16TH FEBRUARY 2024

CBN Restricts Export Proceeds’ Repatriation by Oil Companies Pegs maximum allowable outflow at 50% in first instance, balance of 50% after 90 days Bans payment of pta/bta by cash, okays electronic channels to stem abuses, enhance transparency Reviews allowable limit of price deviation for exports, imports James Emejo in Abuja In a cocktail of policy interventions to further boost foreign exchange (FX) liquidity in the system, the

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), yesterday, declared that going forward, International Oil Companies (IOCs) would only be allowed to repatriate a maximum of 50 per cent of export

proceeds in the first instance. The balance of 50 per cent of the export proceeds might be repatriated after 90 days from the date of inflow of the proceeds, CBN added.

The measures were contained in a circular dated February 14, 2024, and titled, “Requirements for Foreign Currency Cash Pooling on Behalf of International Oil Companies

(IOCs) in Nigeria.” It was signed

by CBN Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Dr. Hassan Mahmud, and addressed to all authorised dealer banks.

The central bank also prohibited the payment of Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) and Business Travel Allowance Continued on page 5

NUPRC Considers Movement of Select Units to Lagos to Enhance Service Delivery... Page 5 Friday, February 16, 2024 Vol 29. No 10537. Price: N400

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Christopher Kolade, Chagoury Brothers, NGX Visit Wigwe, Ogunbanjo's Families... Page 33

Higher Food, Energy Prices Pushed Inflation to 29.90% in January CPPE: Rise in prices putting pressure on manufacturers, aggravating poverty James Emejo in Abuja and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos The Consumer Price Index (CPI),

which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and commodities, rose to 29.90 per cent in January, compared to 28.92 per cent in the

preceding month, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said yesterday.

Year-on-year headline inflation was 8.08 per cent higher, compared to

21.82 per cent in January 2023.

The CPI report for the month under review indicated that food inflation rate increased by 11.10

per cent year-on-year to 35.41 per cent, compared to 24.32 per cent in January 2023.

The rise in the food index was

attributed to increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam Continued on page 5

Tinubu, 36 Govs Mull Creation of State Police, to Meet Again on Modalities Order NSA, DSS, IGP to clamp down on hoarders of food items Say no to food importation Approve training of forest rangers to man forests President: We must not allow speculators, hoarders, rent seekers to sabotage availability of food to Nigerians Forecloses setting up commodities price control board State Police: What the constitution says Deji Elumoye in Abuja The federal government and the 36 states yesterday agreed on the need to establish state police to curtail growing insecurity across the country. This was the highlight of a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and governors of the 36 states of the federation, under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.

The meeting also directed the security chiefs, especially the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi; and Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to clampdown on those hoarding commodities and bring them to book.

The president and the governors discussed the possibility of improving the numeric strength and training of Continued on page 5

GOVERNOR DIRI'S INAUGURATION CEREMONY… Osun State Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke; former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki; former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Host, Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri at his second term inauguration in Bayelsa, last Wednesday

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NUPRC Considers Movement of Select Units to Lagos to Enhance Service Delivery Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is proposing the movement of a number of its units from Abuja to Lagos due, in part, to the inadequacy of office space at its Federal Capital Territory (FCT) headquarters.

The move is coming about a year after the in-house union as part of its demands on the management of the regulatory body, said the office space was not conducive for it members.

It was learnt that even after arrangements were made for another

office to house the host community and security units, the office space in Jabi, Abuja, is still too tight for the workers.

As part of the union’s protest last year, it said: “Non-conducive work environment: Substandard office facilities undermine staff right to a conducive work environment, negatively affecting productivity and staff wellbeing.”

But in a memorandum sighted by THISDAY yesterday, the management urged all relevant departments to look at the possibility of moving some staff to the original headquarters of

the NUPRC which is barely occupied in Lagos.

The memo signed by the Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services and Administration, Dr Kelechi Ofoegbu, stressed that units that can operate without heavy supervision will be mostly impacted.

Marked CSA/HGA/MRP/ ML/001, the memo dated February 14, 2024 and titled “Movement to Lagos”, stated that the deadline for the feedback on the matter would be February 23.

Before now, some government agencies like the Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN), as well as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had begun arrangements to also move part of their operations to Lagos.

The NUPRC stated that the redeployment of some of its workers will ensure improvement in organisational efficiency and drive growth.

“The above subject matter refers, please. In line with our objectives of improving organisational efficiency, driving industry growth, and managing office accommodation in Abuja, we are exploring the possibility of relocating certain units to Lagos.

“This initiative is driven by the need to enhance our service delivery, reduce operational costs and make adequate utilisation of our assets in Lagos.

“Consequently, we are requesting that each department identify and provide a list of units that can operate independently with minor or no supervision.

“Submissions on the above are expected on or before the close of business on Friday 23rd, February 2024. This is submitted for your further necessary action, please,” the brief memo stated.

Komolafe Aside Lagos, it was learnt that the NUPRC also has huge field offices in Port Harcourt, Rivers state and Warri in Delta state, as well as other parts of the country..

TINUBU, 36 GOVS MULL CREATION OF STATE POLICE, TO MEET AGAIN ON MODALITIES forest rangers to equip them with improved capacity to keep the country's forests and borders safe.

The meeting also had in attendance Vice President Kashim Shettima and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

State governors that attended the meeting included the governors of Ekiti, Delta, Borno, Lagos, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Edo. Others were governors of Yobe, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Sokoto, Niger, Taraba, Adamawa, Cross River, Ogun, and Enugu states.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said far-reaching decisions were taken, including consideration of the need for the establishment of state police.

Constitution amendment would, however, be required to allow for the establishment of state police.

According to the information minister, there will be series of meetings

to fine tune the modalities for setting up state police.

Idris said, "But now, there is also a discussion around the issue of state police. The federal government and state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police.

"Of course, this is still going to be further discussed, a lot of work still has to be done in that direction. But the federal government and state governments are agreeing to the necessity of having state police.

"Now, this is a significant shift. But, like I said, more works need to be done in that direction. A lot of meetings will have to happen between different governments and sub-nationals to see the modalities of achieving this."

Speaking on other outcomes of the meeting, Idris, said the meeting was at the instance of the president to intimate the state governors on recent developments, and what the federal government was doing. It was also to hear from the state governors and get their input on issues of development

CBN RESTRICTS EXPORT PROCEEDS’ REPATRIATION BY OIL COMPANIES (BTA) by cash, going forward. It said PTAs and BTAs must, henceforth, be disbursed through electronic channels only, including debit or credit cards, to curb abuses and boost transparency in FX transactions.

Furthermore, CBN announced the review of the allowable limit of price deviation for exports and imports to -15 per cent and +15 per cent of the global average prices, respectively, under the Price Verification System (PVS).

The apex bank pointed out that the policy intervention on IOCs was in line with ongoing reforms in the foreign exchange market. It said proceeds of crude oil exports by the IOCs operating in the country were often transferred offshore to fund their respective parent accounts, otherwise referred to as "cash pooling".

CBN said this practice had an adverse effect on liquidity in the domestic foreign exchange market.

The central bank pointed out that while it strongly supported the need for IOCs to have easy access to their export proceeds, particularly to meet their offshore obligations, such repatriations must be done with minimal negative impact on liquidity in the Nigerian foreign exchange market.

The bank stated that repatriations would be subject to the fulfilment of specified documentation requirements, including prior approval of the CBN for the repatriation of funds under the "Cash Pooling" transaction; Cash pooling agreement with the parent entity of the IOCs operating in Nigeria; statement of expenditure incurred by the IOC in the immediate past period relating to the cash pooling; evidence of the source of foreign exchange inflows, as well as completion of relevant forex form (s) as required under extant regulations.

The central bank further reiterated its commitment to promoting transparency in the Nigerian foreign exchange market, adding that it would continue to develop policies to stabilise and further deepen the market.

The apex bank, while directing all banks to comply with the circular,

stressed that going forward, banks were allowed to pool cash on behalf of IOCs subject to the conditions stated.

Equally, yesterday, the central bank, in a separate circular to banks, prohibited payment of PTAs and BTAs by cash, saying they must, henceforth, be made only through electronic channels.

The circular, titled, “Allowable Channels for Payout of Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) and Business Travel Allowance (BTA),” was also signed by Mahmud.

CBN explained that the move was in line with its commitment to ensure transparency and stability in the foreign exchange market and avoid foreign exchange malpractices.

The circular stated, “All authorised dealer banks shall henceforth effect payout of PTA/BTA through electronic channels only, including debit or credit cards.

“For the avoidance of doubt, payment of PTA/BTA by cash is no longer permitted.”

In yet another circular to banks, CBN, while citing global inflation and other related challenges, announced the review of the allowable limit of price deviation for exports and imports to -15 per cent and +15 per cent of the global average prices, respectively.

The circular, titled, “Allowable Deviation Limit on the Price Verification System (PVS),” which was signed by Mahmud, clarified that the system was not meant to determine the actual prices of items for tariffs or duty charged by the government. Rather it was to enable the CBN curtail the excess outflow of the limited foreign exchange through over-invoicing and other price manipulation activities, the apex bank said.

CBN recalled that following the implementation of the PVS to curb over-invoicing of imports and under-invoicing of exports, it had in a circular referenced TED/FEM/FPO/ PUB/01/001 stated that declared prices of import items that were more than 2.5 per cent above the global average prices of the referenced item would be queried.

in the country, the minister said.

He explained, "A lot of issues were discussed about the security situation in the country. The apparent food issue that the media has also been reporting about and some other measures that will help in improving the state of our nation.

"Now, the first point is that the governors and Mr. President have agreed to set up a committee to deepen the conversation that has happened at the just-concluded meeting.

Of course, you know that it is impossible to complete most of the issues that were raised at the meeting.

So it is going to be a continuous one.

"Secondly, Mr. President and the governors have agreed that these kinds of meetings will continue in the interest of our nation.”

Idris added, "It is important that all the time, the federal government and the state governors, who are leaders at the subnational level, continue to engage and interact collectively so that issues of national importance will continue to be addressed, and we don't leave room for any speculation or for people who may seize the opportunity to say things that are not in the interest of our country.

"First, the National Security Adviser, the Director General of the Department of State Services, and the Inspector General of Police have been directed to coordinate with the state governors to look at the issue of those hoarding commodities.

"At this point, the nation requires foods to be brought out to the people so that we can control prices and put food on the table of most Nigerians.

Other commodity traders are busy hoarding these commodities so that Nigerians will suffer or they will make more money as a result.

"So the governors and Mr. President have taken this decision that security agencies will collaborate with the state governors to ensure that this ends.

"Number two, a decision has also been taken that in the interest of our country, there will be no need for food importation at this point. Nigeria has the potential to feed itself and even be a net exporter of food items to other countries. And we do not also want to reverse some of the progress we have seen in terms of food production in this country.”

Idris also addressed the current economic difficulty in the country, saying, "What we're seeing now is just a temporary difficulty that will soon go away. Therefore, the solution to it is by continuous investment in agriculture so that food can be made available to all Nigerians.

"Of course, you know that Mr. President has declared emergency in agriculture many months ago.

Therefore, part of the measures that he has taken is to ensure that investments, more investments, are made in this sector for the benefit of our people."

The minister said the governors agreed to join hands with the president to deepen their own investment in the agricultural sector so that more food will be made available to Nigerians.

He stated, "Of course, this investment is not just in crop production, it is also in livestock development and management.

"All these is to ensure that food is available.”

Idris said, “In the area of security, Mr President and the state governors

have all agreed that at this point, we are seeing significant improvement in the security situation around the country, of course.

"This is not to say that the security situation has been solved completely.

But we have seen significant improvement.

“In Borno, for example, areas where farmers have not been able to cultivate as a result of security, those farmers have now returned to their farms.

"It is also the same thing in Jigawa and many parts of the country. The governors, including the governor of Plateau State, have also attested to the fact that despite all the challenges that we are having, there appears to be improvement in security in these areas.

"Of course, as I said, the situation has not been completely solved. But we are seeing a positive movement towards a secure Nigeria.

"Mr. President and the governors also thank the security agencies for the work they are doing. Some of them even pay the supreme price with their lives to ensure that Nigerians have a secure environment. They have thanked Mr. President for all that he's doing. And they have also asked him to do more so that at the end of the day, we will have a completely secured Nigeria.

"Now, in this direction. Mr. President and the state governors have also discussed the possibility of improving the numeric strength of forest rangers to train them so that they can keep our forests and our borders very safe."

Idris, who was in company with the governors of Plateau, Kaduna, and Delta states, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communication, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, further said Tinubu also called on the state governors to join hands with the federal government to do more for the people, especially the youth population.

According to him, "There is going to be a joint programme between the state governments and the federal government to ensure that our teeming youth population are gainfully employed. So that we will reduce to the barest minimum the issue of unemployment in the country.

"At the end of it all, the 36 state governors and Mr. President are all on one page, irrespective of political differences, to ensure that Nigeria remains peaceful. Nigeria remains united. Nigeria remains prosperous, going forward. And this kind of conversation, like I said, will continue to be deepened. Engagements between the federal government and the state governors will continue."

Speaking earlier at the meeting, Tinubu ruled out the possibility of establishing commodities price control to monitor prices of food items in the country.

The president’s stance was at variance with the position of the vice president, who had on Tuesday hinted that the government was considering

the possibility of setting up a price control board.

Shettima had at the opening of a two-day high-level strategic meeting on climate change, food systems, and resource mobilisation, at the Banquet Hall of State House, Abuja, said, "Our solution to the potential food crisis has become immediate, medium, and long-term strategies. The short-term strategy entails revitalising food supply through specific interventions, like the distribution of fertilisers and grains to farmers and households to counteract the effects of subsidy removal; fostering collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources for efficient farmland irrigation, ensuring year-round food production; and addressing price volatility by establishing a National Commodity Board.

"This board will continually assess and regulate food prices, maintaining a strategic food reserve for stabilising prices of crucial grains and other food items."

Tinubu, at yesterday’s meeting, also had a piece of advice for state governors. He told them to allow the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to carry out the mandate of managing the country's monetary policy.

According to a release issued yesterday by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, the president declared, “We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.

“What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food. We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in, because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense. We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.

“We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others.”

Tinubu urged the governors to trust the CBN with the management of the country’s monetary policy, and he emphasised the importance of allowing designated institutions to fulfil their mandates effectively.

He said the “cacophony of postulations” on the fluctuation of foreign exchange rate was unduly affecting the market negatively.

The president stated, “Every one of us cannot be an expert. If we have given someone an assignment, let us allow them to do it. If they cannot do it, then we find a way to quickly get them out of the system.”

Tinubu told the governors to always make the welfare and prosperity of the

people a priority of their development programmes, assuring them that the federal government will continue to work diligently to improve the country’s revenue profile.

At the meeting, the president and the governors emphasised the importance of working together to address issues of insecurity, food security, and out-of-school children.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), expressed appreciation to Tinubu for convening the meeting and affirmed the governors’ commitment to partnering with the federal government on development issues.

State Police: What the Constitution Says Item 45, Part I of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, Section 214 (1), vests exclusively the management and control of the police in Nigeria In the federal government.

However, over the years there have been calls to decentralise the police to allow state governments to establish their own police organisations to better secure the country.

For that to happen, the constitution must be amended.

Section 9 of the constitution states that the National Assembly can only pass an Act to amend the constitution when the proposal is supported by two-thirds majority of all the members of each chamber (that is 72 senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives), and approved by the resolutions of at least twothirds of the 36 states Houses of Assembly.

State police can only become a reality if section 214 (1) of the constitution, which gives the federal government exclusive control of the police force, is amended to allow for the creation of state police in Nigeria.

Chapter 6, Part 3, Section 214, 1999 Constitution, as amended, which deals with establishment of the Nigeria Police Force, provides that there shall be no other police force except as already provided for in the laws of the federation.

It states, "There shall be a police force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force, and subject to the provisions of this section, no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof.

"Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Nigeria Police Force shall be organised and administered in accordance with such provisions as may be prescribed by an act of the National Assembly.

HIGHER FOOD, ENERGY PRICES PUSHED INFLATION TO 29.90% IN JANUARY and other tubers, oil and fat, fish, meat, fruit, coffee, tea, and cocoa.

On the other hand, core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produces and energy, also rose by 4.71 per cent to 23.59 per cent year-on-year, compared to 18.88 per cent in January 2023.

Core inflation was driven by the highest increases in prices of passenger transport by road, medical services, actual and imputed rentals for housing, pharmaceutical products, accommodation services, and passenger transport by air, among others.

Year-on-year, urban inflation increased by 9.40 per cent to 31.95 per cent, compared to 22.55 per cent in January 2023, while month-on-month, the index rose by 0.30 per cent to 2.72 per cent in January, compared Continued on page 33

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

SAUDI PARLIAMENT VISITS SENATE...

L-R: Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin; Head of Delegation, Saudi-Nigerian Parliamentary Friendship Committee, Dr. Abdullah Al-Salamah; President of the Senate, Senator Goodswill Akpabio; Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and Member of the delegation, Mr. Nebih Albrahim during the visitation of the delegation to the Senate, Abuja ….yesterday

Discos: Electricity Theft By Wealthy Nigerians Contributing to Illiquidity in Power Sector Say Nigerians don’t respect sanctity of contracts Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The 11 electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) in the country yesterday blamed powerful and wealthy Nigerians for being partly responsible for the current illiquidity in the power sector in Nigeria.

Spokesman of the power distributors under the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors

(ANED), Sunday Oduntan, argued when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television, that many rich Nigerians bypass their metering devices, even when they have the capacity to pay for the kilowatts they use.

Specifically, Oduntan, who is the executive director, research and advocacy of the umbrella Discos’ body, noted that just like areas

occupied by ordinary Nigerians, highbrow places occupied by Nigerians all over the country also steal electricity.

“The value chain is challenged because the issue revolves around liquidity. Unlike in telecoms, the power sector at the point of privatisation required a lot of investment. And when you talk about investment, you also have

to talk about cost recovery.

“In every business, there's the need for the businessman to be able to put money into business and recover the costs. Even when there's no profit, you still need to recover your costs,” Oduntan pointed out.

He emphasised that many Nigerians still have the mentality that power supply should be a

Tinubu Effects Leadership Changes In Health And Social Welfare Sector Appoints, re-appoints CEOs of NAFDAC, NCDC, PCN, MDCN, 4 other agencies

Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment and reappointment of Board Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of eight agencies and parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

This move, according to a release issued on Thursday by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, is in furtherance of President Tinubu's determination to bring world class standards to Nigerian public health administration and to manifest his commitment to deliver affordable and quality care to all Nigerians under governance and regulatory frameworks commensurate with international best practice.

The appointments and reappointments include National

Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC): Board Chairperson: Dr. Mansur Kabir and Chief Executive Officer: Prof. Moji Adeyeye; National Blood Service Commission (NBSC): Board Chairperson: Prof. Abba Zubairu and Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Saleh Yuguda; Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN): Board Chairperson: Prof. Afolabi Lesi and Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Fatima Kyari; and Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN): Board Chairperson: Pharm. Wasilat Giwa and Chief Executive Officer: Pharm. Ibrahim Ahmed.

Others are Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN): Board Chairperson: Dr. Babajide Salako and Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Tosan Erhabor; Moddibo Adama

University Teaching Hospital, Yola (MAUTH): Chief Medical Director / CEO: Prof. Adamu G. Bakari; Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua (ISTH): Chief Medical Director / CEO: Prof. Reuben Eifediyi Futhermore, as part of efforts to bolster the resiliency of Nigeria's public health surveillance and security architecture, President Bola Tinubu approved the appointment of Dr Olajide Idris as new Director-General/ Chief Executive Officer for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with effect from February 19, 2024.

The statement added that the President painstakingly considered the wealth of experience of each qualified and aforementioned Nigerian, who will be tasked with driving his Renewed Hope Agenda in the sector.

The President will also expect that the new leadership across this critical human development sector will substantially raise the standards of healthcare service delivery for the exclusive benefit of all strata of the Nigerian population as his administration is committed to implementing a whole-of-government approach to transforming the sector to enhance aggregate national quality of life and productivity.

Owing to the high cost of historical underperformance in the sector, President Tinubu anticipates the immediate and effective implementation of new policy frameworks to reposition the sector under the able leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate.

...Sacks MDs, 7 Executive Directors of FHA, FMBN

social commodity and should come at no fee.

“What Nigerians want is electricity. They don't want stories and they don’t want to hear why.

They just say give us electricity. But Nigerians need to understand that energy is not a social service, not anymore.

“Electricity is a product like bread or any other product and it has to be paid for. Somebody has to pay for it. And not just pay, we have to pay the appropriate price for the appropriate type. We have to all desist from the usual Nigerian theft, which is huge,” he maintained.

According to him, electricity theft is so rampant all over the country that recovering costs is a humongous challenge, not to talk of making a profit by the Discos.

“Every minute, somebody's stealing electricity somewhere in this country. This is a country where people like stealing. Stealing has become a culture, stealing of energy, bypassing of electricity. And you will be surprised that big men do it. Big men, rich people, not just poor ones,” he stressed.

The collapse of the grid, he said is because of the dilapidated infrastructure as well as interface challenges between the generation, transmission and distribution segments.

He stated that instead of blaming the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the government or the operators, the problem should be solved holistically without attaching emotions.

“Another question, is why don't we have light? We don't have light because we have not invested

enough in the system. Because in this country, even when you give light to the community, it is a difficult thing for you to collect your money.

“Even when you give people prepaid meter, they find a way to bypass their meters. And I can give you an example, from Ikeja GRA in Lagos, home of very rich Nigerians, to Asokoro in Abuja, to a place called Bompai in Kano, to highbrow areas in Jos, the story is the same.

“Nigerians want electricity, but most people want it free of charge...

The question people should be asking is, how much does it cost to produce a clue hour of electricity?” he added.

While apologising to conscientious Nigerians who are willing to pay for service for the poor supply currently, Oduntan admitted that the operators have also not served them well enough in the last 10 years. “ I think we can do better than we're doing. but I think people need to understand the issues, not just naming, blaming and claiming,” he said.

According to the Discos’ spokesman, a house that is defective, just like the power sector in Nigeria to does not need a makeover, but a structural integrity test and reworking of the foundation.

“There is no businessman that wants to throw his body down the drain. Every businessman that comes to invest in any business anywhere in the world, Nigeria inclusive, will have done their studies,” the Discos’ spokesman said.

He argued that government has also not kept its own part of the bargain on which the action of the power distributors depend.

Naira Plunges by N105 in One Day, Hits all six of the nation's geo-political N1,600/$1 at Parallel Market, Records spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, was Chinenye Anosike.

Deji Elumoye in Abuja For the Federal Housing Authority zones; financing and establishment of part of a holistic approach to Gains at NAFEM to Close N1,498 President Bola Tinubu has repositioning the national housing (FHA), Hon Oyetunde Oladimeji a National Social Housing Fund for

Appoints Ojo, Osidi new helmsmen

approved the reconstitution of the executive management teams of two parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

The affected parastatals are Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and Federal Housing Authority (FHA).

The reconstitution of the executive management of the two parastatals, according to a release issued on Thursday by presidential

and urban development sector to meet the present and future needs of Nigerian families nationwide.

The new appointments include Mr Shehu Usman Osidi as Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the FMBN; Executive Director (Finance & Corporate Services) — Mr. Ibidapo Odojukan; Executive Director (Loans & Mortgage Services) — Mr. Muhammad Sani Abdu and Executive Director (Business Development & Portfolios) — Ms.

Ojo is new MD/ CEO; Executive Director (Housing Finance & Accounts) — Mr. Mathias Terwase Byuan; Executive Director (Business Development) — Mr. Umar Dankane Abdullahi; Executive Director (Project Implementation) — Oluremi Omowaiye and Executive Director (Estate Services) — Ezekiel Nya-Etok.

In view of President Tinubu's historic approval of the establishment of Building Materials Hubs across

low income and vulnerable groups, and land reforms to collaboratively streamline access to land across all states and unlock nearly $300 billion of dead capital in the sector, his expectations are high that the new appointees will hit the ground running in the delivery of affordable housing for millions of Nigerians in need, while providing millions of new job opportunities for Nigeria's talented youth population presently searching for work.

Nume Ekeghe

The parallel market yesterday in reaction to the numerous Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directives on foreign exchange (FX) with regards to PTA, BTA, and currency cash pooling has seen the naira plunge to N1,600/$1 falling by N105 in one day.

However, the naira at the

official Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange (NAFEM) window recorded gains as it closed yesterday at N1,498.25, a N5.13 gain compared to N1,503.38 it recorded on Wednesday.

The parallel market recorded a single-day depreciation of 7.02 per cent or N105 falling to N1,600 from the N1,495 it recorded the previous day.

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FOR IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO THE U.S… L-R; Global Director, Executive at Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD), Jonathan Olufowobi; Senior Country Director, U.S. Nigeria Council for Food Security, Trade and Investment, Kelechi Ekugo; CEO, Katchey Laboratories Ltd. Dr. (Mrs.) Kate Isa; Agricultural Counselor, U.S. Department of Agricultural Services, (FAS) U.S Consulate General Lagos Covering; Nigeria, Benin Republic and Cameroon, Christopher Bielecki; US Consulate Lagos, Tolani Abegunde; and Founder/CEO, Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD), Mamil Olufowobi during US Department of Agriculture and US Consulate Lagos Visit to Katchey Laboratories in collaboration to boost acceptance of Nigerian Agriculture export to the US held in Lagos… yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

Dangiwa to Meet Cement Manufacturers, Other Stakeholders over Skyrocketing Prices Says rising cost of building materials disheartening Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa yesterday revealed that he plans to meet with manufacturers of cement and other building materials in the country, in a bid to stem the skyrocketing prices nationwide.

The move, he said, is aimed at better understanding the challenges in the sector, sharpening measures to mitigate the rising cost of building materials in the country and finding sustainable ways to address them.

Dangiwa spoke during a courtesy call by a delegation of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA).

The visitors were in his Abuja office to discuss the progress of the collaboration between the FMBN

and the labour centres, especially as it concerns the National Affordable Housing Delivery Programme for Nigerian Workers (NAHDEP), which he initiated during his time as managing director of the FMBN. A statement by Dangiwa’s Special Adviser on Media, Mark Chieshe, said the minister queried the recurring disproportionate increase in the price of cement in particular, especially considering that cement producers in the country source virtually all their raw materials locally.

“It is disheartening to see how much Nigerians have to pay for essential building commodities like cement, with the prices rising almost on a daily basis. I don’t understand the reason for this increase, and it is not acceptable.

“I am going to be meeting with these manufacturers soon, so that they can explain to Nigerians their

reasons for such incessant hikes. I know that the cement producers source their raw materials in Nigeria.

“The limestone, clay, silica sand, gypsum, iron ore, and the rest.

These minerals abound in Nigeria and these manufacturers get them here, so there is no justification to try and blame it all on the rise of dollar,” he argued.

He assured the delegation of the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu administration to provide decent and affordable shelter and liveable communities to low- and medium-income earners, as well as the vulnerable in society.

The minister said this also involves creating a conducive environment for the private sector to thrive, including through ensuring building materials are affordable and accessible.

The ministry in January

inaugurated the building materials reform task team as part of efforts to develop the building materials industry through the creation of building materials manufacturing hubs in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The minister said while the hubs are yet to come on stream, there is a need to continue to interface with players in the industry such as building materials manufacturers in a bid to promote affordability.

Speaking on the partnership between the FMBN and Organised Labour, Dangiwa emphasised the need for the FMBN to reform and innovate its operations, calling on the NLC, TUC, and NECA to see the bank and the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme as their own.

“The truth is that despite FMBN’s inadequacies, which we are working to address, there is no

other home ownership platform that can provide housing to the segment of Nigerians whom you represent at the terms and conditions that the FMBN provides.

“From the single-digit interest rate on loans ranging from 6–7 per cent versus the commercial rates of 18-24 percent in commercial housing loans, to long tenors of 30-years versus 5-to-10-year commercial tenors, zero to maximum 10 percent equity versus 30 percent equity for commercial loans, FMBN is an institution that requires the support of all stakeholders so that it works.

There is absolutely no alternative,

Senate Passes Bills to Develop North West, Empower NYSC Members Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Crisis Aid: Nigeria to Benefit from Japan's $50m Donation to WFP Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Nigeria is one of the beneficiaries of a $50 million grant from the Government of Japan to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), designed to assist vulnerable populations affected by conflict, extreme weather and economic crisis in 20 countries across mainly Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The countries and regions benefitting from this year's $50 million supplementary funding are: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Haiti, Jordan, Liberia, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Ukraine and Yemen.

Japan has consistently been one of WFP's top donors.

In a statement, the WFP welcomed Japan's grant at a time of unprecedented funding shortage, adding that the contribution will enable it to assist vulnerable

populations affected by conflict, extreme weather and economic crisis.

From the grant, $13.5 million will be used to help the most desperate in Afghanistan through emergency food distribution and nutrition assistance.

The economic crisis in that country has worsened since the Taliban takeover in 2021, and one in three people does not know where their next meal will come from. The earthquakes in the Herat region and the recent forced return of Afghans from Pakistan have further aggravated the crisis in the country.

Similarly, more than $11 million will be allocated to provide food, nutrition and livelihood assistance to the conflict-affected people in Palestine.

The hostilities between Israeli forces and Hamas since October 7, 2023 had resulted in large-scale displacement and put the total population of 2.2 million people in acute hunger.

In Myanmar, $5.8 million will go to emergency food and nutrition assistance programmes for the most vulnerable people including displaced school children in conflictaffected states and regions.

The country is experiencing a surge in food insecurity due to mass displacements, the political crisis, economic downturn and extreme weather events including Cyclone Mocha in May 2023.

In Ukraine, Japan is supporting WFP's food assistance to respond to the immediate needs of families affected by the war with $4.7 million.

One in five Ukrainian families is estimated to be food insecure, and most of those who live close to the frontline have great difficulty accessing food.

The conflict, which has been going on since April 2023, has put Sudan on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe with the effects felt throughout the fragile region.

Japan's contribution of $1.9

million will be used to provide lifesaving emergency food assistance to families in need. Nearly 18 million people are suffering from acute hunger and at least 7.6 million people have been displaced.

A further grant of $2 million will support tackling deteriorating food insecurity among Yemen's most vulnerable people with life-saving assistance.

Commenting on the donation, Director of the WFP Japan Relations Office, Yasuhiro Tsumura said: "We are grateful for this invaluable contribution from the people of Japan. This contribution enables us to reach families who suffer from hunger and lack of access to food as a result of conflict and disasters, supporting the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable households.

"WFP is facing a critical funding shortage now. Cutting rations, however, will only increase the number of people in need. We sincerely ask for the continued support of the people of Japan."

“he said.

He noted that a key priority of the president is the reform of all federal housing agencies under the supervision of the ministry, demonstrated by the inauguration of the Housing Institutions Reform Task Team under the Chairmanship of Mr. Adedeji Adesemoye with representatives from other stakeholders.

The team, he said, will review and facilitate necessary legislative amendments of relevant housing industry laws, including those of the NHF Act, 1992 and the FMBN Establishment Act, 1993.

The Senate yesterday passed for second reading bills seeking the establishment of the North-west Development Commission (NCWD) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Trust Fund .

Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, led the debate on the proposed NWDC, while Senator Yemi Adaramodu, led the debate on the bill for the NYSC Trust Fund.

Barau, who sponsored the NWDC bill, explained that the proposed commission when established , would serve as a catalyst to develop the arrays of potential of the North West as well as address the gap in infrastructural development of the region.

He lamented that infrastructure of the zone had been immensely destroyed by the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents, bandits and kidnappers across the region.

He said the development had led to the exodus of investors, businessmen, managers of companies and employees.

The destruction, he added, was having a major impact on the economy of the region as it has led to severe food shortages and unemployment in a region that has traditionally produced cash and food crops across the Sahel.

He added that some parts of the region were currently facing the

problem of desertification which have led to making agriculture and other economic activities suffer thereby creating more poverty in the zone.

When established, Barau said the commission shall, among others, formulate policies and guidelines for the development of the North West Zone where security shall prevail.

He also said the agency would rebuild the road, medical, educational, social, agricultural and other infrastructures destroyed in the region by the activities of Boko-Haram insurgents and bandits.

The deputy senate president added that the agency would conceive, plan and implement, in accordance with the set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the North West.

This, he said, would be in the field of roads, education, health facilities, employment, industrialisation, agriculture, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity and commerce.

He said: "The commission will identify factors inhibiting the development of the region and assist the member states in the formulation and implementation of policies to ensure sound and efficient management of resources of the North West Zone.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

NEWS

WE ARE PROUD OF YOU...

L-R: Super Eagles stand-in captain at the just concluded AFCON, William Troos- Ekong; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, when Ekong paid a courtesy visit on the Senate President in his office in Abuja...recently

Maintain Below N1,000/$1 for Customs, Excise Duties, Reps Tell CBN

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to maintain the system exchange rate for customs duty and excise duty purposes below N1,000/$1.

The lawmakers said it should be preferably N951.941/$1 to

encourage patronage in Nigerian ports to prevent galloping inflation, aim to balance economic stability as well as competitiveness in the global.

It also urged the Federal Ministry of Finance and CBN to provide adequate notice to stakeholders in the maritime industry and the general public

Childhood Cancer: Foundation, Lions Club Decry Nigeria's 30% Survival Rate Gilbert Ekugbe The Dorcas Cancer Foundation (TDCF) and the Lagos Doyen Lions Club have lamented over the 30 per cent survival rate of children living with cancer in the country.

Indeed, they stated that in other developed climes, the survival rate is about 80 to 90 per cent, stating the need for economic managers to invest in awareness creation in its bid to reduce the scourge of cancer in Nigeria.

Speaking on the sidelines of a courtesy visit and donation of care kits to children living with cancer at the Pediatric oncology ward, Alima Atta, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) yesterday, the Founder, TDCF, Dr. Adedayo Joseph, said the event is joining the rest of the world to celebrate childhood cancer day, but stated that the day is not a day of celebration, but a day of reflection.

She, however called on the federal government and key stakeholders in the nation's health sector to think outside of the box on how to eradicate cancer.

"It is not a day of celebration, but a day of reflection. It is a day we should all think of what we can do to help children with cancer in Nigeria and Africa at large," she said.

According to her, the survival rate for childhood cancer in highly advanced and informed countries is about 80 to 90 per cent, but lamented that Nigeria is far from achieving those numbers.

"It is important for us to settle

down and find a way to solve that problem. We have been talking for a long time, it is time for action. The action has to be reliable and feasible," she urged.

Also speaking, the second Vice District Governor, District 404 A3, Lions Club, Mary Onu, said the District is using the visit to reaffirm its commitment to showing love and affection for children living with cancer.

"Today is childhood cancer day worldwide and we have decided to play our own part by coming to this ward Alim Atta in LUTH to share time with the children and give consumables which are medical supplies to support their treatment.

We also gave care kits to those families that are caring for them," she said.

In her words, "The budget for today's event was N945,000. We were not able to hit that target exactly, but we did go a long way. It is a partnership between the Lagos Doyen Lions Club as well and the Dorcas Foundation. We come here annually to support. September is awareness for childhood cancer because most folks do not believe that Cancer is prevalent in children.

We are still ignorant and this hinders us from catching the signs early enough."

On his part, the president, Lagos Doyen Lions Club, said the Club is a service organisation and childhood cancer with objectives aimed at eradicating childhood cancer, providing disaster relief items, combating hunger, blindness and youth empowerment.

before altering customs exchange rate.

The House said that this will ensure transparency and allow stakeholders to prepare for any changes that may affect their operations.

The House further urged the federal ministry of finance to ensure the international best practices of allowing a 90-day grace period for fiscal policy changes to facilitate the completion of ongoing transactions under existing policies.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the “Need to Rescue the Nigerian Economy from imminent Collapse and Restore Investors’ Confidence in the System” moved by Hon. Leke Abejide at plenary.

Presenting the motion, Abejide noted that conventional fiscal policies require a minimum of 90 days to manifest, in contrast to the current trend in Nigeria where immediate enforcement

is prevalent.

He stated that this necessitates the need for a shift towards a collaborative approach which integrates fiscal and monetary policies with stakeholder’s engagement to prevent isolation and guarantee active stakeholders’’ involvement in consequential decisions.

He also noted that the CBN has raised customs tariffs six times in the past six months, causing inflation and disrupting import and excise duty calculations, which businesses rely on for business planning.

The lawmaker recalled that businesses and investors rely on a stable transactional exchange rate for import and excise duty calculations for at least two years to enable effective business planning.

"The CBN experienced a series of exchange rate adjustments for customs duties within six months. On 24 June, 2023, the

rate increased from N422.30/$1 to N589/$1, followed by N770.88/$1 on July 6, 2023.

“It was N783.174/$1on November 14, 2023, N951.941/$1 on December 7, 2023, and a double adjustment on February 2 and 3, 2024, reaching N1,356.833/$1 and N1,413.62/$1 respectively, illustrating excessive fluctuations and volatility in the currency market, raising significant concerns about business planning and economic stability," he stated.

Abejide further stressed that due to the frequent customs exchange rate hikes, Nigerian importers were shifting towards ports in Tema, Ghana; Lome, Togo, and Cotonou, Benin Republic.

According to him, this is causing a substantial 65 per cent decrease in cargo importation and business activities at Nigerian seaports, with daily container examinations dropping from approximately 250 to just about 80.

"The current system in Nigeria which relies on a market-based exchange rate for calculating customs duties causes fluctuations based on market conditions, and poses significant predictability and stability challenges for businesses.

“This necessitates alternative solutions for customs duties by considering options like a fixedrate system or a hybrid system combining market based and fixed elements to enhance predictability and stability," he argued.

However, the House mandated its Committees of Customs and Excise, Finance and Banking Regulations to interface with the Minister of Finance, the apex bank Governor and Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs.

It stated that this would focus on how to fix exchange rate for customs and excise duties and how it will work for the system to boost exports and encourage patronage in the nation’s ports.

Climate Change: NNPC, TotalEnergies JV Achieve Zero Gas Flare in Operations Gas minister says development a milestone Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and Peter Uzoho in Lagos The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) yesterday announced that the NNPC Ltd/TotalEnergies Joint Venture (JV) has achieved zero routine gas flare in all its assets.

The national oil company said that this is in pursuit of meeting the targets of 20 per cent ‘unconditional’ and 47 per cent ‘conditional’ greenhouse gas emission reduction.

The figures, it said, are as contained in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Accord signed by the President Bola Tinubu administration.

This ‘feat’, according to a

statement by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPC, Olufemi Soneye, was made public during an inspection tour of OML 100 in South-eastern Niger Delta, off Port Harcourt.

He said the tour was by a joint NNPC Ltd and TotalEnergies team to ascertain the success of the OML flare reduction project launched in December 2023.

“The NNPC Ltd/TotalEnergies Joint Venture, which is the concession holder of four leases, had hitherto achieved zero routine flaring across OML 99 (2006), OML 102 (2014), and OML 58 (2016), leaving OML 100 as the only lease with routine flaring going on.

“The significance of this achievement is that the last routine flare volume of about 12MMscf/d (twelve million standard cubic

feet per day) of gas has now been eliminated, giving rise to a greenhouse gas emissions reduction of about 341KtCOze/ yr,” it said.

The achievement, the NNPC stressed, is an outcome of a programme introduced by the NNPC Ltd to galvanise action towards achieving the zero routine flare by 2030 across its portfolio of assets.

It added that it is also a testament to NNPC Ltd’s prioritisation of sustainability anchored on the ‘first R’ of its 5R Strategy (Reduce, Replace, Renew, Re-plant, Repurpose), as it strives to reduce its carbon footprint.

“Work is ongoing across all other assets within NNPC Ltd’s upstream directorate to ensure

that all assets achieve zero routine flaring by 2030 or earlier,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, was part of the visit to Amenam Kpono deep offshore FSPO, in OML 100, to witness the flare-out of gas flares on TotalEnergies Nigerian platforms.

Ekpo, while commending TotalEnergies for achieving the milestone, said that attaining the zero-routine gas flaring in all exploration & production operations in Nigeria, especially at OML 100, wa not just a milestone.

According to him, it is "a testament to our collective commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development in the energy sector."

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

NEWS

TINUBU'S MEETING WITH 36 STATE GOVERNORS...

L-R : National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; Vice President Kashim Shettima and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the President’s meeting with the Governors of 36 States at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

Obi: We’ll Appoint Reputable Audit Firm to Deal with Fraud Allegation in Labour Party Says allegations must be thoroughly probed Abure defends self, denies Edo guber bid Chuks Okocha, Kingsley Nwezeh, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos National leader of the Labour Party and presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general poll, Peter Obi, yesterday, promised that the party would appoint a reputable audit firm to deal with the corruption charge against the National Chairman, Julius Abure, by the National Treasurer, Ms. Oluchi Oparah.

Obi, who spoke at a media briefing, where he rendered account of the 2023 Obi-Datti Presidential campaign organisation funding, said the allegations and counter-allegations must be thoroughly investigated.

But Abure has also come out to dismiss the allegations of corruption against him, even as he denied alleged governorship ambition in Edo State.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the LP had Wednesday,

at news conference, slammed a six-month suspension on Oparah, who raised the corruption alarm.

But Oparah, has said she would challenge the suspension in court, as the NWC’s action was premeditated, especially that those who took the decision did, when they knew she was not in Abuja to meet the less than 12-hour deadline to appear before a panel, after allegedly removing her from the group’s WhatsApp platform.

This was sequel to her allegation on Monday, that Abure had mismanaged N3.5bn raised from the sale of nomination forms and fundraising activities in the build-up to the 2023 general election.

However, Obi, while speaking, said, “For the party, I am a member of the party and they have chosen to say that I am the leader. What we need to do in the party and I have discussed it with the leadership is that we must now appoint a reputable audit firm to audit and

TUC Flays Onanuga over Comment on New Minimum Wage Proposal Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has described the position of President Bola Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, on the raging minimum wage debate as a baseless speculation.

The labour union stated Onanuga ‘s comment will serve to sow the seed of discord and undermine trust in the government.

TUC said that Onanuga had on Monday claimed that it will be difficult for government to peg the proposed new minimum wage at N100,000.

According to TUC, the presidential aide hypothetically said that both the federal and state governments will be unable to pay public servants a N100, 000 or more national minimum wage if such were approved.

In a statement signed by TUC's Secretary General, Nuhu Toro, the union said:" The attention of TUC has been drawn to speculative and uninformed public pronouncements by the presidency on the ongoing national minimum wage negotiations.

"The remarks made by the aide are not only insensitive but also indicative of a disconnect from the realities faced by millions of hardworking individuals striving to make ends meet.

"Such speculative statements undermine the fundamental principles of fair compensation and perpetuate the cycle of economic inequality.

Tinubu’s government owe workers a duty to advocate for policies that promote decent wages and ensure reasonable standard of living for all citizens, in line with global best practices."

TUC said that the federal and state governments, employers and organised labour, are in the preliminary stages of negotiations for the new national minimum wage in the country in accordance with the constitution, adding "No proposals have been made by any of the negotiating partners, including the presidency.

It added: "No offer has been made, and none has been negotiated. So, the president’s spokesman in bandying around figures, is merely being mischievous. This may well be a strategy to throw spanner in the works of the negotiating body.

"If the presidency has a figure or figures it wants to propose, it should do so through the minimum wage negotiating committee, through social dialogue, determined by the cost of living index, rather than behave like a man throwing stones in the market place and hiding his hand.

be able to deal with the account of the part.

“When I am involved in money, it must be transparent. So, the allegations and counter allegations now must be thoroughly investigated and verified and we would reconcile it and know what exactly to do.”

Obi appealed to various support groups or individuals or parties that received funding to support the campaign, for which they were grateful, to account to those they received it from.

This, he said was “Because there are some people, like support groups, there are some people even abroad, who collected monies that they are going to use it in the north and everywhere.

“We were not stringent that everything you collect must come to us, but we want whatever is collected to be accounted for. This is why we are appealing to the public to let us know.”

Also speaking at the event, Mrs Aisha Yesufu, Chairman of the Fundraising Team of the Campaign Organisation, said it spent over N744,500,000.00 in litigation in courts over the 2023 presidential election.

She also said it received donations totaling N595,976,994.00.

“Accountability and transparency are very critical and important. That is why we asked people to donate so that we could come back to them to explain how their money was judiciously used. We thank everyone who donated in cash and kindness.

“From the donations from citizens, we received N595,976,994. This is the money we raised from the four accounts that we have talked about.

We also received N800,000,000 from the candidate himself (Peter Obi).

“We designed a strategic blueprint focused on channeling the movement energy and support for Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed with different support groups. We provided direct and indirect support to over a hundred support groups across all 36 states in Nigeria.

“We also deployed media-related campaigns that reached over 11 million people, leveraging over 40 radio stations, community outreach, and social media.

“We would have loved to use televisions and all of that, but because of our financial constraints, we were mindful of being judicious in our usage of the funds that we received.

“So, out of these things, campaign materials worth N258,374,330.00 were procured and distributed across the

36 states and also in Abuja. Media and radio broadcasting was at the cost of N16,432,867.00.

“For the election promotion expenses, we had N10,808,948.00.

For Polling Unit Agents, we spent N324,381,700.00. And then, of course, we had bank charges of N1,750,544.00.

“We also had administrative charges of N477,000.00. We deployed N744,500,000.00 to cover legal expenses. And then, in campaign and election activities, we had over N28,500,000.00.

“On the issue of legal fees, remember what I said earlier: We had N800,000,000.00 that the candidate himself brought,” Yesufu said.

Meanwhile, Abure, speaking for the first time on the allegation by Oparah presented copies of cheques he said were signed by her accuser as recent as last December.

In an interview on Arise News Television, Abure said he “had never stopped Oluchi Oparah from carrying out her duties,” and went on to list her duties, including receiving of money and signing of cheques.

He said as a result of the electronic payment, funds meant for the party were automatically transferred to the party's account.

Although quiet on the allegation that Oparah did not receive alerts into the bank’s accounts, Abure said between July and December last year, he and Oparah signed several cheques paid out by the party.

Countering claims that she was not a party to the party’s financial affairs, Abure said ahead of the preparation of the annual accounts, the party “wrote to the banks to avail our statements to her when we wanted to compile our statement.”

On the allegations bordering on misappropriation of N3.5 billion, Abure said the total receipts into the party in the period was N1.3 billion besides another N700 million that was received by the campaign.

“Total summary of the money that entered into the party was N1.3 billion. We also got N700m for the campaign. I want to challenge her to make the records available where she got the sum of N3.5 billion.

Abure used the opportunity to debunk insinuations of his plan to contest in the forthcoming primaries in Edo State.

“I am not interested in contesting and the process must be transparent.

I will ensure working and acting with my colleagues that the process must be free, fair and credible,” he said.

Fuel Scarcity Looms as NARTO Vows to Halt Activities over Rising Operational Costs Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigerian could be face harsher economic as members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) yesterday threatened to suspend operations on Monday due to rising operational costs.

National President of the organisation, Alhaji Yusuf Othman, in a press statement in Abuja, noted that if no deal is reached before then, members will parking their trucks as from that day.

He lamented that the members of the association have been operating at a loss, stressing that it is no longer sustainable for them to endure the losses.

“What we spend on operation is more than what we get in total: both in local and bridging. We will have to suspend operations latest from now till on Monday.

"We cannot continue to operate at a loss. Most people have parked. A

lot more are going to park. But from the point of the association itself, we are going to suspend operations on Monday," Othman stated.

The NARTO president disclosed that the association’s efforts at soliciting the intervention of all the key stakeholders in the federal government and industry have not yielded positive results.

He revealed that the association had written letters to table their plights to several government agencies and officials that should intervene.

He listed them as: The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu; Minister of Petroleum Resources; Director General, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Chief Executive Officer.

Othman further stated that the association written to the National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Group Chief Executive

Officer as well as relevant products marketers.

He stressed that despite the notification to the above stakeholders, there had been no response from any quarters.

He recalled that the same freight rate that was in force while President Muhammadu Buhari was in government is still subsisting, despite the shift in economic realities.

According to him, the N32 Lagos to Abuja freight rate that was implemented while dollar was N650 is still retained now that dollar is N1,615.

"Everybody is aware that all our consumables in terms of operation are not produced in the country.

So, by virtue of the rate of dollars, every consumables has increased.

But the freight they are paying us has been the same even during Buhari's time.

"So how is that feasible? During Buhari's time, dollar was N650.

Today, dollar is N1,615. The average

freight from Lagos to Abuja is N32.

What I mean by local is that you load Lagos, you discharge in Lagos.

And bridging, you load from Lagos, you come to Abuja. Lagos to Lagos, we are paid N120,000.

"AGO (diesel) alone to distribute fuel within Lagos is N140,000 because it is N1,400 per litre. So, they give you N120,000 and you spend N140,000. So, how do you want to operate talk more of cost of vehicles, cost of loading, driver's allowance. That is for local. For bridging, Lagos to Abuja, they give us N32.

"If you have truck of 40,000 litres, you are talking of N1,280,000-N1,216,000, less 5 per cent of the amount of N1,280,000 withholding tax N64,000, less N55,000 loading expenses and N15,000 driver allowance. Total expenses is N134,000, while balance is N1,146,000. AGO is N1400 for 900 litres, totalling N1260,000. There is a total loss of N114,000,” he lamented.

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POLITICS

Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com 08033025611 SMS ONLY

Yahaya Bello and the Blind Political Debates Folalumi Alaran writes about political issues around the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, as he settles down for private life eight years after being in the saddle at the Lugard House, Lokoja.

W

ithout a shred of doubt, the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello, is one of the most admired policymakers and politicians in the history of Nigeria politics today.

His countless millions of lovers are over him like hybla bees over honeycomb. On the other contrasting hand, and like heavenly angelic beings, his haters are uncountable.

Venoms against Bello are coarse, hoarse, biting, brash, and brazen.

This man is not just loved and hated; he is feared. And the fear of Bello, for whatever reason, is real. And many Nigerians are beginning to wonder why.

About four weeks ago, Bello’s posters surfaced in some locations in Abuja, including the national secretariat of the APC with the inscription, “APC Next Level. Alhaji Yahaya Bello as APC National Chairman. Leading the Change, Building a Stronger APC.” Without even being prompted, many informed observers, on their own, knew the posters must have been planted by detractors who wanted to create some form of bad blood within the ruling party against the ex-Governor.

Those who have studied both him and the Nigerian political environment well knew that there was no way someone like GYB, as he is fondly called, would roll out posters of that low quality when no one was talking about replacing National Working Committee members. It was easy to see the mischief behind the posters and even the reports that followed.

Reacting in a statement through his media office, Bello said he did not authorize anyone to circulate any posters on his behalf as he remains a loyal party man committed to the leadership of the national chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje.

The former Kogi State helmsman urged members of the general public to disregard the mischief makers circulating posters to create a false impression.

“We are aware of the clandestine moves by some mischief makers to create confusion within the hierarchy of the All Progressives Congress.

This is the handiwork of some opposition leaders and some 5th columnists within the party.

“A part of the plans already being hatched is the circulation of campaign posters with the picture of His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, insinuating that he is contesting for the position of the national chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress. The insinuation is infantile, false and should be disregarded.

“Our party is not in the process of conducting Congresses or a Convention, therefore, there is absolutely no basis for anyone to circulate any posters for party offices.

“Let it be abundantly clear that Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not authorize anyone to circulate any posters on his behalf as he remains a loyal party man who is committed to the leadership of the national chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.

“We urge members of the general public to disregard the mischief of the people circulating posters to create a false impression,” the statement read.

Again, earlier last week, the Kogi State Government raised the alarm over what it described as a desperate attempt by “criminals masquerading as politicians” to tarnish the image of Yahaya Bello, for selfish reasons, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

In a statement issued last Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, the state government said, in its desperation, “which would leave Nigerians wondering who exactly is afraid of Yahaya Bello,” the EFCC has, in an amended charge, accused the former Governor of diverting Kogi State Government funds in September 2015, four months before he assumed the position of governor.

It said this was not only laughable but also portrayed the EFCC as an agency infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble

management left in the system” to rubbish his credentials as the Head of the Commission.

The over 300 anti-corruption activists, under seven broad frontline organisations noted that it was pertinent for them to sound an early note of warning in view of the fact that the misuse of the EFCC by political gladiators, as a veritable tool of victimization and score-settling, which they thought had been tackled, was suddenly rearing its head again.

They spoke in a statement jointly signed and released to the media, in Abuja on Wednesday.

The anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations advised the EFCC boss to sit up and stop the Commission from being accessed by “political miscreants who think EFCC is an extension of their political structures to be manipulated at will.”

Bello was sworn in in 2016 as the fourth democratically elected governor of Kogi State, marking a complete change from the former dominance of elderly people in the saddle of the state’s affairs.

Not only that, it was the first time in the history of the state that a non- Igala person would govern the state.

Bello’s emergence as replacement for late Abubakar Audu who was the candidate of the APC in the governorship election came with a bag of mixed feelings.

Being a non-Igala and a young man for that matter was a major factor in the political governance of the state. intention of Mr. President to defeat corruption in Nigeria.

Last Wednesday, anti-Corruption Civil So-

ciety Organisations warned the EFCC, under the leadership of Ola Olukoyede, to refrain from allowing “cankerworms of the previous

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

Essential Need to Sustain Relative Peace in Enugu Okwudiri Ngwoke writes on the need for Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State to investigate the petitions written by some Non Governmental Organisations over clandestine activities of an individual threatening to disrupt peace in the Coal City state.

E

nugu State made national headline news recently for developments traceable to two essential causes.

In the first place it is obvious that the state Government’s promise of disruptive socio-economic development has started yielding fruits. Then, it has also become apparent that the insecurity currently threatening national peace and development could be traced to some disgraced former officers of Nigeria security agencies.

These two factors combined to hand over Enugu State prime mention in various news platforms. The most disturbing aspect of the twin development was the alleged involvement of the Nigeria Army in the perpetration of land-grabbing through intimidation and name-dropping.

With a report in the Arise News Now of January 15, 2024, Nigerians were alerted to the dangerous development in Enugu State, where a business man that boasts of influence in the military goes about with a retinue of soldiers creating panic and intimidating ordinary residents of the state.

According to the global television channel, “the Arewa Coalition for Human Rights and Security and the Human Rights Writers’ Association (HURIWA), have raised concerns over an alleged misuse of military escorts by a prominent Enugu State-based businessman, said to be a retired lance corporal in the Nigeria Army.

Quoting a statement by the coalition, AriseNews said the civil society organisation condemned the inappropriate deployment of the army personnel to private individuals.

“The former lance corporal has been accused of moving with a high number of military personnel creating tension in Enugu and its environs. The unlawful use of military escorts for private interest not only undermines the credibility of the military, but also raises questions of justice and fairness in a democratic society,” the report noted.

There were other reports in various national newspapers and online platforms.

But, worried by the growing insecurity in the country, a civil rights and good governance group based in Kaduna, Transparency Centre Network (TCN) petitioned President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Senator Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru.

TCN complained of the grave implications of the nefarious act of allowing a business man to move about with a convoy of combatready soldiers to intimidate the civil populace.

The group disclosed that it is in possession of “copious videos showing the numerous land grabbing exploits of one ex-soldier and his illegal activities in company of army personnel.”

In the petition signed by its Executive Secretary, Comrade Musa Abdullahi, TCN declared: “It is our contention that the exsoldier is not entitled to military or Army escort and, such personnel which may have been unlawfully and unjustly assigned to him must be withdrawn immediately to halt their further use in numerous illegal activities.”

While pointing out that the impostor leverages on his perceived closeness to a very

highly-placed Army Officer, TCN noted: “It is worrisome and raises serious questions, to say the least, particularly with regard to the propriety of such deployment. Particularly, in the face of current hydra-headed security challenges facing the nation, worsened by dearth or inadequate personnel to tackle it, to find tangible reason for assigning such number of military personnel of not less than 10 soldiers whose only duty is to roam with a name-dropper.”

Also, a pro-democracy group in the state, the Save Enugu Group (SEG), in a Save Our Souls (SOS) message charged President Tinubu to intervene and stem the activities of “a strong man terrorising residents of the state, using men in military uniforms.”

According to the message signed by James Ezema on behalf of the group, “beyond brazen intimidation of residents, the former lance corporal, has been using men in military uniforms to dispossess hapless citizens of their properties.”

Giving a background to the character and person of the ex-soldier, SEG remarked: “The man in question, who fronts as a businessman in Enugu State lays claim to the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) land and property, including other adjoining plots within the neighbourhood.

“So far, there are allegations that the exsoldier has turned into a flourishing land grabber in the state, dispossessing some communities of their ancestral properties through shoddy means.

“Our preliminary findings indicate that the culprit is a Nigerian army deserter and has reportedly claimed the military rank of Captain. His last known place of service was the 65 Brigade, Sokoto.

-Ngwoke writes from Enugu NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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Friday February 16, 2024 Vol 27. No 10534

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opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

TOURISM AND THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY The sector should be given adequate attention to fully maximise its potential, argues FELIX OLADEJI

See page 21

WIGWE: WHAT’S IN A NAME? JOSHUA J. OMOJUWA pays tribute to Herbert Wigwe, and urges the replication of his ideas

See page 21 EDITORIAL

AGAIN, WE SAY NO TO THE NGO REGULATION BILL 1*2

5(*

22

8/$

7,2

1 %

,//

Government’s disrepute for infidelity to validly made agreements must end, writes BOLAJI ADEBIYI

LOOMING RESUMPTION OF HOSTILITY Unless something gives, workers may proceed on another round of strikes next week. Truculent Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigerian Labour Congress, and less combative, but no less firm Festus Osifoh, president of the Trade Union Congress, indicated last Thursday that the federal government had 14 days within which to fulfil its part of the 16-point Memorandum of Understanding signed with the organised labour on 3 October, 2023. The ultimatum kicked off on Friday, 9 February 2024 and would lapse next Friday, 23 February 2024.

“The government’s failure to uphold its end of the bargain is deeply regrettable and unacceptable to the working people and the citizenry,” they said in a communique, expressing profound concern over the non-implementation of the 16-point agreement.

As usual, the federal government scampered with a response on Monday, pleading for more time to implement an agreement it freely entered into more than four months ago. “I plead with you to sheath your sword,” Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, minister of state for Labour and Employment, told a meeting with labour leaders in Abuja, claiming, “We have been showing good faith; it is just that it is not commensurate with your expectations. But I promise you that we will surpass your expectations this time, and I believe that everything will go well.” However, labour in a firm response said the time for empty promises was over, and that it was time for action. The meeting broke down because the federal government came to the table without a concrete report on its bag of promises made in October last year.

When organised labour threatened to down tools by 3 October last year if the government did not take concrete steps to alleviate the pains inflicted on the workforce and the mass of the people by the twin policies of fuel subsidy removal and the single window forex market, it came under searing attacks for its propensity for strikes, which further worsened the fragile national economy. It did not matter to the critics that the government never took the plight of the people seriously until there was a recourse to force or violence. For weeks, the government had treated labour with levity until a few days to the end of the ultimatum when it became obvious that the workers meant business and were prepared to shut down the economy. At the negotiating table, labour’s substantive demands were the reversal of the subsidy withdrawal until certain previously agreed remedial measures were put in place as well as a substantial wage increase that is commensurate to the rate of inflation

imposed by the twin economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

Ordinarily, the negotiation would have broken down as the federal government was not prepared to accept labour’s key demands. But buffeted by a rash of growing public hostility to its tactics, and the government’s subtle blackmail, the workers agreed to suspend the strike and signed the 16-point MOU, stating that they were doing so in absolute good faith even when they feared that the federal government, notorious for its infidelity to agreements, would not honour the terms of the memorandum. The terms were straightforward measures aimed at reducing the negative impacts of the removal of subsidy on fuel and were to be implemented within a month. The star points were that the federal government would within a month set up a committee to recommend minimum wage review; grant an N35,000 wage award across the board from September 2023, pending an agreement on the new minimum wage; suspend VAT on Diesel for six months; and commit N100 billion to the purchase of high-capacity CNG buses.

The federal government also committed to pay N25,000 per month for three months starting from October 2023 to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners as well as increase its initiatives on subsidized distribution of fertilizers to farmers across the country. The central government was also to urge the state governments, through the National Economic Council and Governors Forum to implement wage awards for their workers. Similar consideration should also be given to local government and private

sector workers.

Finally, the federal government agreed to provide funds for Micro and Smallscale Enterprises and ensure that a joint visitation was made to the refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status.

Now, which of these agreements has been addressed by the federal government?

Organised labour submits that the memorandum has been observed more in the breach. The minister of Labour and Employment, who met with labour leaders on Monday, offered no rebuttal of the claim of infidelity. Rather, she pleaded for more time to enable the government to implement a memorandum whose gestation period was one month. In fairness to labour, it took its relentless agitations for the few measures that had been taken on the memo. It was its persistent warnings that forced the government to set up the committee on wage review. It would take another threat of sanctions for it to be inaugurated. When it was eventually inaugurated a scandal broke with the request by its secretariat for a whopping N1.8bn for its operations. The N35,000 wage award, labour claimed, was only paid twice. Upon the refreshment of the strike card, the government said on Monday that it would resume the payment.

The question is, why does the government fail to abide by agreements it freely enters into? From organised labour to academic and non-academic unions as well as specialised unions, including medical doctors, nurses, and pharmacists it is ingloriously reputed not to keep bargains.

Even commercial contracts are routinely flouted. A legion of suits and judgment debts running into billions of naira testify to the government’s legendary abuse of contractual terms.

It can no longer be business as usual.

The Tinubu administration should break away from this inglorious past. It’s not just a legal necessity, it’s a moral requirement that the government that is charged with the enforcement of social order must live by example. No doubt, the latest threat by organised labour is justified, and the federal government must take its task of implementing the MoU more seriously, particularly coming against the background of growing resentment of the rising cost of living and food nationwide. A few street protests have occurred, and a workers’ uprising is the least this government needs at this time.

Adebiyi, the executive editor of Western Post, is a member of the Editorial Board of THISDAY Newspapers

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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2024

EDITORIAL

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

AGAIN, WE SAY NO TO THE NGO REGULATION BILL The new bill is unnecessary

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THISDAY • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16 , 2024

22

TRIBUTE Biakolo, Ijewere and Wigwe: Tribute To A Peerless Departed Triumvirate Oma Djebah

I

have been deeply distressed, pained with the shocking death of three valuable exemplary figures who were behemoths of the finest tradition in their respective crafts! Professor Emevwo Biakolo, a colossal literary scholar and founding Dean of the School of Media & Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Mr Emmanuel Ijewere, a foremost Chartered Accountant and former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and Mr Herbert Wigwe, co-founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Ltd, all passed away at a most difficult period. It is unimaginable!

With the sad, unsettling, calamitous demise of these peerless ace professionals, Nigeria has lost three invaluable gifts to humanity! Indeed, one remarkable element that distinguishes these three extraordinary men is that they were not only giants in their respective fields, having attained the very peak, commanding heights of their excellent, illustrious careers but also that their exceptional accomplishments will continue to serve as glowing lighthouse in an era of vanishing values! On a personal level, I have had the very privilege of knowing closely Biakolo for about thirty six years; Ijewere, for about thirty years, and Wigwe for precisely eight years! Ironically, Biakolo and Wigwe passed on same day while Ijewere’s demise was a little over a month ago.

It was only about a week ago, I received an email from the revered Professor, apprising me of a pet endeavour which he was devoting his very precious time after retiring from the Pan-Atlantic University. His message was as eloquent, genial as usual, and with his customary imprimatur. Family Fortnightly, a newsletter, he had put together, was his latest adventure! But sadly, last Friday, February 9, 2024, he died in his sleep in his Lekki, Lagos home! Professor Biakolo was a premier writer, an academic behemoth and a former member of the editorial board of The Guardian newspaper, whose unique storytelling style, sublimity of thoughts and elegance of prose were some of his very distinctive features. His enthralling weekly column was always a climate of captivating thoughts. A foremost writer, an iconic scholar of the finest tradition, quintessential teacher, and a true family man whose lofty deeds and towering reputation transcended boundaries!

He was affable, kind, compassionate, and to boot, exceptionally principled. Biakolo was a premier university lecturer at Nigeria’s Premier University, University of Ibadan and a visiting member of the Editorial Board of The Guardian when I first met him in 1988.

At that time, I was in need of a temporary job at The Guardian newspaper, and a good friend of mine had casually referenced Dr Biakolo as an intensely empathic writer who would lend you a listening ear! I was equally told that the Professor was, without exception, available only on Wednesdays at The Guardian for the newspaper’s editorial Board meetings.

Without any prior appointment, I went to the Oshodi-Isolo expressway Office of The Guardian. Upon meeting him, the first thing I noticed about the venerable Scholar was his infectious smile, which lightened my concerns.

A great listener, with tremendous attention to details, after listening raptly to my mission, he took me straight to the office of the then managing director of the newspaper. “ This young-man would make a good journalist ,” he declared. The managing director was to ask me to follow up! And thus began, my interest in The Guardian where I was to work, many years later, precisely in 1995, after Prof Biakolo had left for Botswana, as s Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Botswana, Gaborone. Indeed, Nigeria has lost one of her most endowed scholars, treasured literary giants, and a classical Iroko whose influence resonated beyond the shores of the country!

Biakolo was a very confident literary author, awesome writer of the noblest fashion, exceptional poet, prolific editorialist, an unusual teacher, strong promoter of family values and

Ijewere

Biakolo

a very committed advocate of democracy and the rule of law! His incendiary, intrepid criticisms of the Abacha military regime were part of the rich intellectual repositories of pro-democracy rockets of that era! With his death, I have lost a very great teacher who took me under his wings some 36 years ago! He was a literary Iroko, who did not only build the School of Media & communications at PAU from its scratch but whose academic prowess and rich contributions to the body of knowledge in the field of Communications and Storytelling in the Global South, was strikingly unexampled.

Until his death, he was an emeritus professor of Communication, School of Media & Communication, PAU, Lagos.

Some of his ground-breaking scholarly works include; “Insurgency in Nigeria: The Niger Delta Experience’’, “Oral tradition, European Modernity and African Philosophy”, “Women in Conversation with an African Man on gender Issues”, and “Categories of Cross-Cultural Cognition and the African Condition.”

For the late calm, charismatic and astute former president of the ICAN, past president of the Nigerian Red Cross Society and erstwhile Chairman of the Institute of Directors (IoD), Ijewere, he has been like a very senior friend, counselor for about thirty years. Our path first crossed in 1994 when I was a reporter, and we got introduced through a mutual friend.

Friendly, simple and ever straightforward!

I cherish deeply the privilege of knowing such a wonderful, down-to-earth business leader with immense wisdom. A great thinker, an extraordinary chartered Accountant, lover of agriculture and a rare human-being whose faith in the advancement of agriculture in Nigeria was unmatched. Each time one encountered him, one was always left with a sense of personal fulfilment and satisfaction on account of his simplicity of style and sublimity of wisdom. He also enriched my personal life with his presence at important occasions. In fact, during my wedding, Mr Ijewere and Prof J.P.Clark were among the first set of guests seated in the Church, preceding many others.

Born on October 30, 1946, in present day Plateau State, Ijewere studied in Lagos, Ijebu-Ode, Cameroon and the United Kingdom. He started his very distinguished Accountancy career in 1965 in the UK, and later established his own Accountancy firm in Nigeria in 1979, which blossomed and soared like an incredible eagle. As an avant-garde, Ijewere led by

example! Until his death, he was chairman and director of several companies with interests in banking, finance, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, logistics, etc. Among them were Best Foods Group, Emson, Nigeria Agrobusiness Group, Drums Resources Nigeria Ltd, Apei Capital & Trust Limited, Countrywide Direct Mortgage Company, Kerildbert Holdings, Computer warehouse Group (CWG) and Gemini Pharmaceuticals, Nova Merchant Bank Limited, Rosaab International Ltd, Globe Crest(VFM) Nigeria Ltd, Nigeria Cold Chain Supply Systems Ltd, etc. These strings of business interests were products of Ijewere’s capacious hard-work, inventiveness and brilliance. And as a business leader with great love for his country, he answered the call for national duty at various times, serving as Chairman of Agriculture and food security Commission, Modified Value Added Tax(VAT) as well as member of the following: National Economic forum, Agri-Cultural transformation Implementation Council(ATIC), Buhari’s transition committee’s technical team on Agriculture and co-ordinator of Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NAGB). With Ijewere’s death, the Nigerian business community has lost a business colossus, an empathic professional, a devout Catholic, self-effacing employer of labour who would be greatly missed by many.

Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Wigwe nurtured an excellent business partnership that changed the Banking sector in Nigeria. Perhaps, they were both the youngest founders of a Commercial bank in Nigeria’s history in 2002! It was not therefore unexpected that the news of Wigwe’s death triggered uncontrollable wave of sadness across Nigeria. My encounter with Wigwe was through Aig-Imoukhuede, founding Group MD/ CEO of Access Bank. I met Wigwe’s father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, now 89 years of age, for the first time, at the service of songs held in honour of the first governor of Delta State, Olorogun Felix Ibru at the Federal Palace hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos in 2016!

In his years as a banker, businessman, educationist, thought leader and champion of charitable causes, Wigwe impacted many lives. Following his tragic death in the ill-fated Helicopter which crashed in California last Friday, February 9, and also claimed the lives of his wife, Chizobu, their son and Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo, a former Group Chairman of Nigerian Stock Exchange Group (NGX Group) and son of the late legendary industrialist, Chief

Wigwe

Chris Ogunbanjo, Nigeria has lost not just a resilient banking chief but also a peerless lover of education, tireless mastermind of lofty initiatives and a boundless family man whose strong commitment to family values was quite impressive. The transformation of Access Bank into one of the five leading, first-rate financial institutions defines Wigwe’s resilience, strength of character and clear vision.

Born 57 years ago in Rivers State, Herbert was educated at the university of Nigeria, Nsukka where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy in 1987, and thereafter obtained an MA in Banking and Finance in 1991. Tireless Wigwe also took a second masters in Financial Economics preparatory to a cherished and illustrious career in the Banking industry. He later attended Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme.

In appreciation of his sterling, splendid and excellent accomplishments in his chosen career, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, honoured him with a Honorary doctorate degree in 2018. A pacesetter, a cultural force, a rare gift to the Nigerian banking industry, many would wish if he had not travelled!

Just if! That single word often encapsulates the thoughts of everyone whenever calamity strikes! Death, an unfair, numbed, and hopeless cut! In its unkindness, death pierced short the flourishing life of a shining lighthouse!

The fragility of life is really telling. But for these exceptional professional behemoths, I can only find solace in the enduring, eternal words of Clare Harner, a famous US journalist whose poem in 1934 entitled “ Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep” remains consoling: “Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there.

I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain when you awaken in the morning hush.

I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at Night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there.

I did not die.”

As professional colossi, as stars that shine peerlessly, and twinkling like diamond glints, the triumvirate-Biakolo, Ijewere and Wigwe- are not dead! Their immortal accomplishments are huge legacies that live on!

•Ambassador Djebah, an erstwhile Senior Editor at ThisDay and former Delta State Honorable Commissioner for Information is the immediate past Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Thailand.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

23

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

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

08056356325

F E B R U A R Y

S & P INDEX

1 5 , 2 0 2 4

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

11.25%

CALL

19.12%

INDEX LEVEL

611.31%

1/4 TO DATE

-0.07%

N795.28/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

11.50%

1-MONTH

16.25%

1-DAY

0.03%

YEAR TO DATE

0.48%

*AS AT MONDAY, JULY 24, 2023

3-MONTH

15.75%

MONTH-TO-DATE

-0.7%

Japa: Passengers Travelling Through Nigerian Airports Dwindle to 15M

Chinedu Eze Nigeria recorded a total of 15.89 million passengers who travelled through the nation’s airports in 2023, which is less than 16.17 million that passed through the airports in 2022.

Experts who blamed the shortfall on the ‘Japa’ syndrome, said in 2023, about 2.04 million Nigerians travelled out of the country between January and December, while in-bound passengers were 1.80 million during the same period.

The experts however said in 2022, international carriers airlifted 1.9 million passengers from the country as outbound travelers, with 27 airlines operating international service from Nigeria, while 13 airlines operated domestic service.

Travel expert and organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ambassador Ikechi Uko, told

THISDAY that expectedly outbound passenger throughput was higher because of the ‘Japa’ syndrome, as many Nigerians were determined to leave the country, no matter the cost of the ticket.

According to him, the total number of flights operated by international carriers rose to 12, 993 with 4, 534 delays and 65 cancelled flights.

“International operators also recorded 18 air returns, 47, 944 delayed or missing baggage and 43, 972 luggage found. There was progressive increase in outbound passengers on international destinations. In 2021, the number was 1,109,525, which increased by 700 to 1, 855,467 in 2022 and in 2023 it rose to 2, 047, 065.

Some of the foreign airlines recorded an increase in both inbound and outbound passengers,

but outbound passengers were consistently higher than in-bound passengers, except Uganda Airlines, which recorded 21314 in-bound passengers and 20371 outbound passengers from the total of 27 flights.

“African World Airlines (AWA) operated 1321 fights and airlifted 85, 850 passengers; Air Cote’ Ivoire operated 666 flights and 99, 151; Air France operated 494 flights and airlifted 213, 011 passengers and Air Peace operated 1, 358 international flights and airlifted 154, 285 passengers. Asky Airlines operated 1027 flights and airlifted 198,977 passengers and British Airways operated 698 flights and airlifted 309, 107 passengers, “he said.

“Delta Air Lines operated 349 flights and airlifted 142, 836 passengers; Egypt Air operated 630 flights, recording 170, 929

passengers; Ethiopian Airlines operated 1168 flights and recorded 495, 263 passengers and the Nigerian carrier, Ibom Air, which started operation to Accra, Ghana last year, operated 134 flights and airlifted 7,264 passengers. Kenya Airways operated 340 flights and airlifted 95, 187 passengers; KLM also operated 324 flights and airlifted 167, 626 passengers, while Lufthansa operated 742 fights and airlifted 262, o45 passengers.

“In the same vein, Qatar Airways operated 1338 flights during the same period and airlifted 537, 352 passengers and Middle East Airlines operated 108 flights, lifting about 36, 325 passengers. Other airlines include Royal Air Maroc, which operated 370 flights in 2023 and airlifted 115, 395 passengers; Rwand Air operated 439 flights and airlifted 107, 502 passengers;

Saudi Air operated 162 flights and airlifted 91, 227 passengers; South Africa Airways operated 151 flights and 47, 999 passengers; TAAG Angola operated 133 flights and airlifted 18, 195 passengers, Turkish Airlines also operated 427 flights and carried 200, 087 passengers; United Airlines operated 143 flights and carried 57, 255, while Virgin Atlantic operated 348 flights and carried 184, 451 passengers, “he said.

In the domestic market, he said Aero Contractors operated 3711 flights and airlifted 592, 501 passengers; “Arik Air operated 5, 265 flights and carried 966, 447 passengers; Azman Air operated 772 flights and airlifted 120, 480, while Dana Air operated 4033 flights and airlifted 874, 241 passengers; Overland Airways operated 2556 flights and carried

187, 717 passengers; while Air Peace operated 25,232 flights and airlifted 4, 899, 591 passengers and Max Air operated 5, 094 flights and carried 940, 768 passengers.

“Ibom Air on the other hand, operated 9832 flights and airlifted 1, 116, 015 passengers; United Nigeria Airlines operated 6, 093 flights and airlifted 544, 614 passengers; Green Africa operated 5241 flights and carried 527, 870 passengers; Valuejet operated 3591 flights and carried 479, 328 passengers; Rano air operated 2452 flights and carried 219, 555 passengers and finally the new entrant that was bugged by controversy, NG Eagle, in its brief service operated 86 flights and carried 11, 485 passengers.

The story continues online on

www.thisdaylive.com

Lekki Port: Nigeria Customs Service Assures of Efficient, Seamless Operations Eromosele Abiodun The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has assured stakeholders of efficient and seamless operations at the Lekki Deep Seaport.

This assurance was made during the 2024 Roadshow organized by Lekki Port and Lekki Freeport Terminal in conjunction with the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos.

Speaking, Customs Area Controller, Lekki Area Command, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede, stated that the Nigeria Customs Service is

totally committed to providing its support to guarantee the efficiency of the terminal operations at Lekki Port.

According to Babandede, members of the command have been fully trained and equipped to manage operations to ensure quick evacuation of cargo.

Also, the management of Lekki Port and Lekki Freeport Terminal assured maritime stakeholders that they will enjoy the use of Lekki Port and its state-of-the-art facilities.

The Chief Operating Officer

of Lekki Port, Laurence Smith, stated that the roadshow was an opportunity to intimate potential port users of the ease of doing business in Lekki Port. He noted that “Lekki Port is a game changer that would revolutionize the maritime sector in Nigeria and West Africa, given the sophisticated equipment and facilities available”.

On his part, the Chief Operating Officer of Lekki Freeport Terminal, Dirk Van Acker, explained that customers stand to benefit a lot by using Lekki Port, being the only

port in Nigeria with the largest carrying capacity as it can handle 1.2 million TEU throughput and a terminal that delivers best-in-class service to cargo owners. He stated that “At LFT, excellent customer service is at the core of what we do with counters strategically located at Lekki and Apapa (Burma Road)”.

The Chief Commercial Officer of Lekki Freeport Terminal, Kehinde Olubi-Neye, in his presentation, highlighted all the features of the port including automation, and stated that users of the port will enjoy cost savings. He described

the efficiency of the terminal concerning shipment delivery with the turnaround time for cargo taking less than 1 hour while dwell time at the truck park is not more than 10 days.

Making his own contribution at the event, the Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Lekki Port, Daniel Odibe, highlighted the significance of the port beyond its status as the deepest seaport in West Africa to the use of technology which has limited human interface in its process of cargo clearance and evaluation. He added that the

sophisticated equipment at the port is automated and designed to comply with Environmental Protection Standards.

Some stakeholders commended the management of Lekki Port and Lekki Freeport Terminal as well as the Lagos State government for the world-class port facilities and quality of the road infrastructure.

Others commended Lekki Port for redefining the maritime landscape with sophisticated equipment that has helped immensely to improve turnaround time for cargo evacuation.

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T H U R S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 1 5 , 2 0 2 4 BONDS Change Updated Time DESCRIPTION Price Yield (%) February ^13.53 230,00 13, 101.02 12.48 2024 MAR-2025 ^12.50 22February 94.38 15.97 2.56 JAN-2026 13, 2024 ^16.2884 17February 100.59 16.02 0,00 MAR-2027 13, 2024 ^13.98 23February 94.15 16.00 0,00 13, FEB-2028 2024 ^14.55 26February 96.67 15.49 0,00 APR-2029 13, 2024

BILLS MATURITY NTB 7-Mar24 NTB 7-Mar24 NTB 9-May24 NTB 9-May24 NTB 9-May24

Discount Yield 969,00 975,00 1.042,00 1.396,00 1.255,00 1.255,00

1.255 ,00 1.443 ,00 1.306 ,00 1.472 ,00

OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPS

Change (%) Updated Time

MATURITY

February -0.01 13, 2024

CRSL CP II 18-FEB-24

15.99

16.02

FLOURMILLS CP III 29-FEB-24

18.03

18.17

16.54

16.81

18.91

19.54

18.10

18.95

February -0.01 13, 2024 February -0.01 13, 2024 February -0.01 13, 2024 February 0.00 13, 2024

UACN CP VI 19-MAR-24 LFZC CP IV 16-APR-24 MTNN CP VII 14 -MAY-24

Discount Yield

Change (%)

Updated Time

February 0.03 13, 2024 February 0.02 13, 2024 February 0.00 13, 2024 February -0.04 13, 2024 February 0.00 13, 2024

CONTRACT Current TENOR Contract Rate ($/₦) (MONTH) NGUS FEB 13M – 26 2025 NGUS MAR 14M – 26 2025 NGUS APR 15M – 30 2025 NGUS MAY 16M – 28 2025 NGUS JUN 17M – 25 2025

Updated Time

February 13, 2024 February 13, 2024 February 13, 2024 February 13, 2024 February 13, 2024

24

˜ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͲ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

AIR WATCH

Caverton, NCDMB Graduates Receive Certificates in Helicopter Landing Operations Stories By Chinedu Eze Caverton Helicopters, has presented certificates to graduands who were successful in a one-year Helicopter Landing Officers (HLOs) training programme it did in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

At the Training Close Out event held at the Caverton Helicopters Training Centre, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport office yesterday representatives of the NCDMB, Mr. Muhammed Ahmed in his opening remarks, appreciated the Caverton for the brilliant job done on the candidates, who he said “are now clearly professionals to compete anywhere in the world.”

According to him, “We know that Caverton takes full responsibility when it comes to training of people.

The whole idea of training is to close gaps in the oil and gas and other sectors including the aviation industry.”

The NCDMB official lauded Caverton for its commitment to quality training, while promising to take report of what he witnessed especially the experiences shared by the successful graduands back to the Board.

Advising the graduands, Ahmed said he can say bodily to say that the Board is clearly impressed by what Caverton has done to the trainees. “And to the trainees, I want to say that Caverton is an international brand. You should be able to sell yourselves to industries internationally and the sky will be your limit,” the manager representing the NCDMB said.

To qualify for the training, Ahmed said “What you need to do is to register on the Board’s Logic JQS portal as a Nigerian. The portal address is www.ncdmb.gov.ng”.

In his remarks, Managing Director of Caverton Helicopters, Captain Ibrahim Bello, recalled the excitement that the creation

of NCDMB by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan brought, the result of which, according to him, came to be witnessed with the graduands being presented with certificates at the Thursday’s Training Close Out event.

Caverton’s Director of Corporate Services, Mr. Ayodele Omueti, expressed delight that the trainees, during the one year that they had opportunity of working with them, proved themselves worthy.

Omueti said it was heartwarming that his own generation had hope of good replacements in the newly trained candidates of the NCDMB. “You have opportunity to work anywhere especially in the oil and gas and aviation sectors. We have done our side, NCDMB has done its own side, it is now for you to do your own side. The sky will be the limit as I wish you best of luck ending your training with us,” he said.

A I R WATCH Kenya Eyes Nigeria, Others to Boost Travel, Tourism Market

NiMet, NIRSAL to Boost Agriculture in Nigeria The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc) have announced their collaboration on several projects to boost agricultural productivity in Nigeria.

This followed a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday at NIRSAL Plc’s headquarters, between the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike, and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIRSAL, Abbas Umar Masanawa, OON. While speaking at the meeting, Prof. Anosike said: “The urgency of

climate action requires that critical stakeholders collaborate, invest in preparedness and ensure that smallholder farmers are protected by early warnings of climate disaster. NiMet is keen on exploring opportunities for both NiMet and NIRSAL to partner in de-risking agriculture. With the work that NiMet does and the data it generates on a daily basis, this will help farmers to plan effectively and efficiently”.

While welcoming the NiMet team, Masanawa said NiMet had done well over the years not only in the aviation sector but also in the other economic sectors including agriculture.

“Anosike and his team have been doing very well not only in aviation but in agriculture as well. NIRSAL is interested in collaborating with them to support small holder farmers for increased productivity. This is in line with NIRSAL’s mandate”, he said.

Masanawa said collaborating with NiMet was critical as the focus would be on increasing primary production.

“This will be beneficial to all as the farmers are the ones that are most vulnerable. We are also happy that NiMeT downscales its weather and climate data and information in different local Nigerian languages for wider reach and understanding,” Masanawa further said.

Aviation Ministry Gets N40bn Approval for NAVAID Upgrade The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said he has received approval of N40 billion to procure, upgrade navigational equipment nationwide.

Keyamo made this known in a television interview saying that the state of facilities led him to request urgent intervention from the President to acquire safety critical equipment.

“We have decided to take preemptive steps to upgrade our equipment. We think there is need to meet modern standards. We are looking to upgrade our Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON). I went to Thales in France for that.

We are also procuring landing equipment, navigation equipment and upgrading the ones we had

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

before. Then we are trying to procure modern Instrument Landing Systems ( ILS), for the five International airports and some others.

“There is also the Doppler Very High Omnidirectional Range( DVOR) equipment that guides aircraft in very difficult

circumstances. Even in hazy weather they guide aircraft in their approach and landing.We are in the process of acquiring those equipment as a country to upgrade it. We are even getting Distance Measuring Equipment (DMEs) too” he said.

Akintemi Honoured as Africa’s Mental Health Ambassador The Africa Mental Health and Wellness Conference held February 9 in Abuja, signified a new dimension in the subject of mental health awareness on the continent.

The conference organised by the Women Impact Summit featured insightful discussions, workshops, and deliberations on strategies for promoting mental health in Africa.

The Africa Mental Health and Wellness Conference was created to address the challenges associated with mental health in Nigeria.

The event featured insight and discussions from industry leaders and senior professionals on improving mental health awareness through various contemporary strategies.

A major highlight of the conference was recognising and celebrating outstanding leaders’ contributions and support towards mental health awareness in Africa.

The distinguished leaders were honoured for their commitment and dedication towards mental health advocacy over the years and were conferred with the prestigious titles of African Mental Health Ambassadors.

The Managing Director of News Central Media Limited, Mr. Kayode Akintemi, was awarded a Certificate of Honour and named as African Mental Health Ambassador at the event. The award was presented to Akintemi by the Federal

Commissioner representing Enugu, the Honourable Ginika Tor on behalf of the organisation. During the presentation, she highlighted the efforts and advocacy of the media mogul in mental health awareness and well-being in the continent.

The event also featured presentations, strategy sessions and panel discussions on pertinent issues in mental health awareness.

In his remarks, Mr Kayode Akintemi appreciated the leadership of the Africa Mental Health and Wellness Conference for the award and emphasised the need for collective efforts towards promoting mental health in Africa. He also espoused actionable strategies for advocating and raising awareness for mental well-being and guaranteed his continuous commitment and support to the same.

The Co-Founders, Dr. David James Egwu and Dr. Utchay Odims, appreciated the work of the News Central CEO in creating awareness towards mental health and urged the general public to invest in mental health and wellbeing in Africa.

The certificate of honour shows the outstanding efforts of the selected leaders across sectors and their commitment to promoting a positive impact in several communities across Nigeria.

Chinedu Eze Nigeria has the record of being the most travelled indigenous Africans while Nigerian route remains the most profitable route per passenger on the African continent.

With economic downturn, coupled with stringent visa conditions introduced by many countries in Europe, Asia and the United States, many Nigerians are reviewing their travel destinations and are beginning to exploit African countries.

According to Statista, in 2021 out of the many countries Nigerians travelled to for business and for leisure, Ghana ranked number one destination travelled by Nigerian residents, followed by the United States, Ethiopia, Senegal, Togo. In fact, 38 per cent of Nigerians who travelled out of the country went to Ghana, while 14 per cent travelled to the United States, six per cent to Ethiopia, five per cent to Senegal and four per cent to Togo. In that same 2021 about four million Nigerians travelled out of the country.

Kenya last week, carried out a road show with the aim to have a slice of the number of Nigerians that embark on business, leisure and tourism travels.

It was learnt that Kenya is targeting to raise tourist arrivals from West Africa by pitching for business and leisure travel.

Kenya’s Tourism Board (KTB) Acting CEO, John Chirchir, said the West African market remained integral to its strategy to diversify tourist source markets and broaden the country’s destination portfolio.

In particular, he noted that Nigeria and Ghana, have shown improvements of six per cent and 48 per cents respectively in 2023 and rank among Kenya’s potential markets in the African continent.

He made this known during a meeting held to mark the beginning of a series of road shows in the Nigeria and Ghanian cities of Lagos, Abuja and Accra. KTB and Kenya airways led over 15 travel and trade companies for in-market activations held from February 5-9, 2024.

“With around 1.4 billion people, Africa stands as one of the biggest source markets for trade, business, and tourism. We are starting off with West Africa with roadshows in Accra, Lagos and Abuja which are interesting emerging markets. During the activation, we expect the 17 Kenyan trade companies to engage in business meeting and direct engagements with potential travellers from the three cities. We cannot ignore the potential that the African Market has for tourism” Chirchir stated.

The Sales Manager of Kenya Airways in Nigeria, Rotimi Martins, explained that Kenya Tourism Board targets West African destination and prominently Nigeria and Ghana havethe traction to give them the population they are looking to enter Nairobi and the objective is to boost leisure and tourism for Kenya.

“And if Kenya tourism board is having an event of this nature, Kenya Airways must surely collaborate with them to make it a success. That is why we are here as a partner in business and as a sister company to KTB. So that is the essence of today’s event. You can see there are pretty lot of people you are seeing here are travel agents or we call them trade partners.

They are the people that will assist us boost destination Kenya. That is talking of Nairobi, Mombasa, Diani and the host of other tourist points in Kenya. So that is the essence of the event,” he said.

Martin disclosed that Kenya Airways would increase its frequency to Lagos and start the Abuja flights.

“Frequency increment has been a thing we are

looking at even before the KTB event. Presently we are doing seven flights out of Lagos, which is every day. But come April we are going to add one to it, to make it eight. But come the summer of this year, we are going to do 10 flights out of Lagos to Nairobi.

“So come April, based on this event that you are seeing, we are doing a seven days flight out of Lagos. But we are going to increase it to eight come April. Additional one flight, which means on day seven of every week we will do morning and night. But come June, we are going to do 10 out of Lagos. That is at the inception of the summer period. Then towards the end of the year, a little bit after summer, we are going to start Abuja. So, we will be flying out of Abuja and out of Lagos, and most likely, 15 to about 18 flights out of Nigeria. That is what we are going to do,” Martins further disclosed.

The Marketing Manager of Kenya Tourism Board, Alex Tunoi, said the reason why “we are here is part of our strategy for diversifying the source markets, and we are focusing on West Africa as one of our key source markets to grow numbers of tourism arrivals into Kenya.”

He said the Board had observed that “Africans are beginning to travel, and they have the propensity for travel, and they are looking for new and exciting destinations. And we are here as Kenya to offer this opportunity to this market for them to come to Kenya and enjoy what Kenya has to offer.”

Tunoi also said that the Kenya Tourism Board came with trade partners, two operators, hoteliers, to develop packages for the Nigerian market.

“That means that engaging with the Nigerian trade partners, we are able to share with you all the attractions that Kenya has to offer. And also share with you what the government has put in place to ease travel restrictions to make Kenya more accessible to the market. And that is why we are here. Putting our business people in touch with your business people. So this is a business to business meeting so that we will be able to work with the trade here, through this partnership and grow travel arrivals into Kenya,” he said.

The representative of the hotel chain, Sarova Hotels and Resorts, Steve Biko, said the hotels in Kenya were ready to receive Nigerians, noting that Nigeria is a big market and they are poised to provide incentives that will attract and sustain Nigerian visit to Kenya both for business and for leisure.

“Nigeria is a big market from the efforts that we have seen here. It is important and paramount that we are able to capture the Nigerian market. I just learnt today that KQ (Kenya Airways) will have daily flights to Lagos from Nairobi. There must be a reason why. I had somebody asking about Ugandan Airlines. And the Ugandan Airlines have told me this has been their most profitable route last year.

There are factors that set us apart from other hotels.

“Number one, we are indigenously Kenyan.

We are the first Kenyan hotel chain. And we have been there. We are celebrating our 50th years this April. So, for us to have stayed in business for that long, it means we are doing something right.

And every day what separates us is we try and get better, listen to the customer more, and provide experiences the customer will enjoy. We are focused on guest experience. We are not focused on what we have, but we are focused on giving the guests the best experience so that they can keep talking about us,” Biko said.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

25

BUSINESSWORLD

FEATURE

Harvest in Wushishi: From Despair to Abundance Thousands of farmers benefitting from the Mastercard Foundation grant disbursed by First City Monument Bank and the technical support from NOMA are going the extra mile to turn around their fortunes, writes Oluchi Chibuzor

An FCMB Agency Banking official with one of the farmers of the Bank’s partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and NOMA Services support to smallholder farmers

W

ushishi, Niger State, Nigeria: Sweat dripped down Kasim Yusuf’s brow as he surveyed his land. A year ago, the scorching sun beat down on a meagre one-hectare farm, barely enough to feed his family. Despair gnawed at him. Today, that same sun illuminates three hectares overflowing with agricultural produce, mirroring the unfolding transformation journey of countless smallholder farmers.

This is more than just Kasim’s story.

It’s the story of thousands of Nigerian farmers in 26 communities spread across Wushishi, Bida, Edati, Mokwa, Lavun and Borgu Local Government Areas of Niger State. Like their counterparts from 16 rural communities in Birnin Kudu, Ringim, Taura and Garki in Jigawa State, these farmers were formerly trapped in a cycle of limited resources, outdated techniques, and financial constraints. These challenges threatened their livelihoods and the nation’s food security.

Across these 42 communities, a new dawn is breaking, one filled with promise and potential. Thanks to Noma Service Consolidated Limited, an aggregator whose farmers are supported by First City Monument Bank with funding from a Mastercard Foundation grant. NOMA is a pioneer in innovation and development of solutions targeting smallholder farmers for the agro-sector in Nigeria, with well over 1,400 hectares and 100,000 farmers under its management and development.

Cross section of beneficiaries (farmers) of the FCMB, the Mastercard Foundation and NOMA Services partnership receiving fertiliser and other inputs.

Many smallholder farmers like Kasim are being trained and empowered

by NOMA. They now confidently plant drought-resistant seeds, use water-efficient irrigation techniques, and can access loans via a digital platform to invest in quality inputs.

The new reality is giving a newfound hope to countless farmers in the rural heartlands of Nigeria, where the soil promises sustenance and livelihood.

Kasim, formerly without a decent plan, now manages his farm with newfound independence. Smart technologies introduced by NOMA is empowering farmers like him to make informed decisions and safeguard crops against erratic weather and extreme temperatures.

Increased yields translate to food security for Kasim and tens of thousands across several communities.

“The support I’m getting enabled me to record a bumper harvest,” beams Kasim. “ I was given quality seeds, machinery, financial support, pesticides, and other inputs. I cultivated three hectares of land instead of one and produced 80 bags of rice. This was four times what I produced before.

I made more money, and the future is now brighter”.

This sentiment echoes across beneficiaries. Shahariya Aminu, Daniel Sa’ad, and Muhammed Auwal share stories of overcoming poverty and achieving joy through improved

“Two years ago, a neighbour advised me to join the programme, but I was reluctant because I felt it was a fraud scheme. I later applied for seeds and fertilizer, and it was given to me. I observed that my harvest was bountiful, which was impressive. That encouraged me to inquire about how I can also benefit. I was told FCMB, the Mastercard Foundation, and NOMA supported it. I joined the programme, and within a year, I had an excellent yield due to the financial and material support I received”

harvests and income.

For Shahariya Aminu, it has been a heartwarming experience to be part of the NOMA programme for smallholder farmers. “When I heard about this programme and applied, an account was opened for me with FCMB. I was also given a Mastercard ATM. I got input support for my farming business. I harvested about 70 bags of rice last year. Everything has been going well. I am grateful and happy to be part of this programme. I advise farmers like me to join this programme and enjoy the benefits of farming”.

It was initially a story of pessimism for Muhammed. He said, “Two years ago, a neighbour advised me to join the programme, but I was reluctant because I felt it was a fraud scheme.

I later applied for seeds and fertilizer, and it was given to me. I observed that my harvest was bountiful, which was impressive. That encouraged me to inquire about how I can also benefit.

I was told FCMB, the Mastercard Foundation, and NOMA supported it. I joined the programme, and within a year, I had an excellent yield due to the financial and material support I received”.

With a smile befitting his newfound optimism, another farmer and beneficiary of the programme, Daniel Sa’ad, said: “I got support from NOMA to cultivate three hectares of land last year. My yield was bountiful, and in future, I will produce more. I am excited. I advise farmers to register with NOMA and open an account with FCMB to get implements to farm better, produce more, earn more income and lead a better life”.

However, smallholder farmers’ challenges extend beyond technical know-how, finances and inputs.

Climate change looms large, threatening harvests with erratic rainfall and extreme temperatures.

NOMA also combats this with real-time weather data and smart technologies, empowering farmers like Shahariya and Daniel to make informed decisions and safeguard their crops.

Sustainability is woven into the very fabric of their work. Organic farming methods, conservation agriculture, and reforestation initiatives minimize environmental impact. Smart technologies, like

“Across these 42 communities, a new dawn is breaking, one filled with promise and potential. Thanks to Noma Service Consolidated Limited, an aggregator whose farmers are supported

by First City Monument Bank with funding from a Mastercard Foundation grant.

NOMA is a pioneer in innovation and development of solutions targeting smallholder farmers for the agro-sector in Nigeria, with well over 1,400 hectares and 100,000 farmers under its management and development.” clean energy-powered irrigation systems, further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring a future where productivity and responsibility go hand in hand.

Despite socio-economic and environmental challenges, it is heartwarming that Kasim, Daniel, Shahariya, Muhammad and thousands of farmers benefitting from the Mastercard Foundation grant disbursed by First City Monument Bank and the technical support from NOMA are going the extra mile to turn around their fortunes.

By promoting financial inclusion, bolstering resilience, and proactively addressing climate change, the partners are entrenching a model of agriculture that promises improved livelihoods for farming communities and a more sustainable future for Nigeria.

26

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024T H I S D AY

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Ayodele: BUA Foods Combines Grit, Resilience to DriveValueTowards Sustainable Growth Eromosele Abiodun The Managing Director of BUA Foods Plc, Dr Abioye Musibau Ayodele has stated that despite the challenging operating environment, the company combined grit and resilience to drive value towards sustainable growth and market leadership.

While reflecting on the company’s massive performance in 2023, he said the management will continue to do what is possible to enhance shareholders value.

In a chat with select journalists in Lagos, he said food security is the most important mission at the heart of BUA Foods’ existence.

According to him, “It shapes the Company’s strategic direction and operational ethos towards fulfilling Africa’s food demands and improving the well-being of individuals and communities. This steadfast commitment to food security has distinguished BUA Foods and positioned it as an important player in Nigeria’s dynamic food sector and beyond. The Company has achieved a record market capitalization of over N5 trillion post-consolidation and listing on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).

“Driven by a strategic vision to fortify its presence in the agribusiness and food processing sector, BUA Foods strategically consolidated its diverse food businesses

into a unified entity and listed by introduction on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) two years ago. This strategic decision not only streamlined operations but also bolstered the company’s capacity to capitalise on the growth opportunities and export potential presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area. By consolidating its business divisions, including Rice, Pasta, Flour, Edible Oils, and Sugar, alongside two wholly owned subsidiaries, BUA Foods plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth, producing high-quality foods and creating long-term value for all stakeholders.”

Having made crucial investments to expand and solidify its presence acrossthe-board, Ayodele said the company’s unique business model and operational mechanism is geared towards optimizing capacity utilisation to achieve sustainable financial success.

He added that the five business divisions of BUA Foods have demonstrated remarkable growth.

“Notably, the Flour business witnessed a substantial expansion in production capacity, increasing from 500,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) to 1,220,000 MT. At the same time, the Pasta division saw its capacity rise from 250,000 MT to 500,000 MT between 2021 and 2023.

These growths translated into revenue increases, with Flour

recording a remarkable 152% surge and Pasta achieving a notable 54% growth in 2023 relative to previous year.

“Additionally, BUA Foods embarked on developing its rice business during this period, with initial production capacity of 200,000 MT leveraging its commitment to utilising locally sourced raw materials. This strategic approach not only supports national development plans but also fosters the advancement of Nigeria’s local rice industry, ultimately enhancing the economic prospects of local communities.

“Despite maintaining a consistent production capacity of 1,500,000 MT since 2021, the Sugar business remains one of the largest sugar refineries in West Africa and achieved an impressive 53% growth in revenue, underscoring its significance within the region’s sugar industry landscape, “he said.

BUA Foods, he stated, remains dedicated to its sustainability initiatives, actively engaging with host communities and prioritising responsible production practices to minimise its environmental footprint. “From reducing water consumption to improving air quality and mitigating noise pollution, BUA Foods continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship while fostering positive relationships within its communities, “he added.

Former Wema Bank Boss, Adebise, Launches Memoir The immediate past Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank Plc, Mr. Ademola Adebise, launched his memoir on Tuesday in Lagos.

The well attended event turned out to be a celebration of excellence and a night of praises for Adebise’s professionalism, leadership and managerial skills, as well as his accomplishments in his banking career spanning 33 unblemished years.

The memoir titled, “The Transformational Leader: The Journey of a Tech Bro Turned Bank CEO,” is an account if his early and professional life as an Information Technology expert and a consummate banker.

The book chronicles his growth trajectory in the banking industry, culminating in his appointment as the MD/CEO of Wema Bank in 2018. It also documents his innovative and pacesetting attributes, his game changing fintech innovation and the introduction of ALAT, the first digital bank in the country which fundamentally transformed the bank into a tech driven and solution providing bank The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Michael Ade Ojo, Chairman, Elizade Motors described the author as an honest, trustworthy, professional and decent banker, saying he ensured that both customers and shareholders

of the bank got value for their investments.

The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, commended the author for his remarkable achievements, noting that he led Wema Bank to partner with his administration for growth since 2019.

In his appreciation remarks, Adebise thanked all those who turned up to celebrate him, and prayed for their success in their various endeavours.

He said, “This memoir reflects my transition from the technology sector to the finance industry and my pivotal role in transforming Nigeria’s oldest indigenous bank.”

BATN Celebrates 20th Anniversary in Ibadan Kemi Olaitan ÓØ ÌËÎËØ The Chairman, BAT Nigeria Advisory Board, Chief Kola Karim, has said celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Ibadan factory of the company is nothing but a success linked to tangible achievements.

Speaking at the 20th anniversary of the British American Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria, held at Ibadan factory, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, noted that the company is a true reflection of a multinational, which has been a partner in progress with the country since its inception.

Karim while calling for

government’s continued support and partnership for companies like BATN that are generating revenue, manufacturing for both local and exports and creating employment, especially in the current economic climate, stated that BAT is a clear proof that it is possible to run a successful business in Nigeria.

He said, “This way, government is able to deliver on its promises to the Nigerian people through continued collaboration.”

The Managing Director of BAT in West and Central Africa, Yarub Al-Bahrani, in his welcome address, said the heavy investments made

by the company in the last two decades have shown that the company is not just in Nigeria to stay but has shown its commitment to continually be a partner in progress with Nigeria.

According to him, BATN has in the last two decades, been at the forefront of manufacturing excellence and has produced highquality productions that extends across the world.

The Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, in her goodwill message, extolled BATN for its immense contributions to the economic development of Nigeria.

L – R: 1st Vice President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Oluropo Dada; Ag. Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Jude Chiemeka; 2nd Vice President, CIS, Fiona Ahimie; Registrar/Chief Executive, CIS, Josiah Akerewusi; Member, Board of Fellows, CIS, Elizabeth Ebi; Group Chairman, NGX Group, Umaru Kwairanga; President and Chairman of Governing Council, CIS, Oluwole Adeosun; Member, Governing Council, CIS Babarinde Ademola and Member, Governing Council, Kurfi Garba during the launch and documentary of the history of the Nigerian Capital Market at the Exchange...recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS (MILLION NAIRA) NOVEMBER, 24

Money Supply (M3)

72,014,274.74

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,245,804.25

Money Supply (M2)

71,331,641.40

-- Quasi Money

45,146,611.59

-- Narrow Money (M1)

26,185,029.81

---- Currency Outside Banks

3,081,255.46

---- Demand Deposits

23,103,774.40

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

32,212,549.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

58,300,995.27

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

39,801,725.20

---- Credit to Government (Net)

32,511,333.17

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

59,737,156.08

--Other Assets Net

4,720,308.20

Reserve Money (Base Money

22,908,392.34

--Currency in Circulation --Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

3,347,716.33 19,560,676.02 0.00

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

December 2024

Inter-Bank Call Rate

16.99

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

18.75

Treasury Bill Rate

8.93

Savings Deposit Rate

5.28

1 Month Deposit Rate

7.24

3 Months Deposit Rate

7.56

6 Months Deposit Rate

8.42

12 Months Deposit Rate

9.75

Prime Lending rate

14.17

Maximum Lending Rate

26.62

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 24TH JANUARY , 2024

The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $81.30 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $79.70 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

FRIDAY, ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͲ ˾ T H I S D AY

27

MARKET NEWS

Geregu Power, 23 Others Drive Market Cap by N329.25bn Kayode Tokede The Nigerian stock market yesterday extended its positive performance as gains in Geregu Power Plc and 23 others pushed the overall market capitalization up by N329.25 billion.

As a result, the Nigerian Exchange Limited All-Share Index (ASI) gained 601.72 basis points or 0.58 per cent to close at 104,100.00 basis

points from 103,498.28 basis points it opened for trading.

Also, market capitalisation rose by N329.25 billion to close at N56.962 trillion from N56.633trillion it closed the previous day.

Consequently, the NGX Month-to-Date (MtD) and Year-to-Date (YtD) returns increased to +2.9per cent and +39.2per cent, respectively.

The upturn was driven by

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

price appreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks amongst which are: Geregu Power, BUA Cement Plc, and BUA Foods Plc. The stock price of Geregu Power gained 6.47 per cent to close at N819.80 per share, while BUA Cement rose by 5.87 per cent to close at N158.80 per share yesterday.

The likes of BUA Foods

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

QUANTITY TRADED

appreciated by 1.56per cent to close at N325per share from N320 per share it opened for trading.

As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was negative, as 24 stocks gained relative to 26 losers.

University Press emerged the highest price gainer of 9.96 per cent to close at N2.87, per share. Juli followed with a gain of 9.84

T R A D E D

VALUE TRADED ( N )

MAIN BOARD

A S O F

per cent to close at N1.34, while Mutual Benefits Assurance advanced by 9.38 per cent to close at 70 kobo, per share.

DAAR Communications rose by 8.82 per cent to close at 74 kobo, while Hneywell Flour Mills appreciated by 7.50 per cent to close at N4.30, per share. On the other side, Unilever Nigeria led others on the losers’

F E B R U A RY DEALS

chart with 9.80 per cent to close at N16.10, per share.

Julius Berger followed with a decline of 9.64 per cent to close at N50.60, while Morison Industries shed 9.60 per cent to close at N2.73, per share.

May & Baker Nigeria lost 6.52 per cent to close at N6.45, while NASCON Allied Industries depreciated by 5.37 per cent to close at N59.05, per share.

/ 1 5 / 2 4 MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

28

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2024 •T H I S D AY

This

Weekend

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Group Features Editor: CHIEMELIE EZEOBI chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com

07010510430

TR

UTH

& R E ASO

N

WEEKLY MAGAZINE

CP Disu and His Valentine Love Fest for Police Widows

30

˜ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͲ ˾ T H I S D AY

COVER

CP Disu and His Valentine Love Fest for Police Widows To commemorate this year’s St Valentine Day’s celebration, the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command, CP Olatunji Disu hosted 200 widows of late police officers to a love fest. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that beyond the reassurance that they are cherished and the memories of the fallen heroes would never be forgotten, the widows were feted, wined and dined, as well as stuffed with food palliatives and money

A

t the New Year Get Together: Widows Food Basket,” held at the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) Secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, pledged to institutionalise more of such compassionate initiatives that cater and provide more support and care for the families of fallen heroes.

As the orchestrator of the event, CP Disu’s wife, Mrs. Olufunmilola Disu, who is the the Chairperson of POWA in the state, had underscored that it was to reassure the hearts of late officers’ wives that they are cherished and never forgotten.

In turn, CP Disu assured them of unwavering support from the police management in the state, stressing that it was imperative for the widows to feel embraced and supported by the police fraternity given the sacrifices made by police officers and their families despite inherent challenges and pressures associated with police work.

VALENTINE LOVE FEST Every February 14 is commemorated as Valentine’s Day. Also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, the day originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine.

Over the years, it has become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

Keeping faith with the promise he made to sustain such compassionate gestures, the CP on February 14, threw a love fest for the widows of the fallen heroes to commemorate Valentine’s Day. Therefore, as part of efforts to show love among the widows of late police officers, CP Olatunji Disu, on Wednesday reached out to over 200 of such widows in the state with food items and an undisclosed amount of money given to each of them.

Disu expressed the readiness of the state police command to always honour wives of the late police officers all time considering the roles their late husbands played in the fight for a better Rivers State while alive.

He stated this during a special event organised by the command leadership to honour and celebrate the wives of the Late Police Officers Wives Association (LAPOWA) as part of the Valentine’s Day Celebration.

He further noted that the widows represent the interest of the police in taking care of the children left behind by their late husbands.

“Today we are here to celebrate the departed ones and to express our love and gratitude to you all. Look at here, over 200 whose husbands died fighting for the peace and unity of the state. They died in the line of duty” “We remember you and to show you love and pray the Almighty God to remember them because they all died in fighting for the nation.

“We remember you always because you are the ones taking care of the children and you have shamed our detractors who said Police children cannot be better-our children are doing well thanks to you all.

“I and my management team have instructed our DPO’s to always support and give you the needed protection wherever you are for the sake of encouraging you in ensuring that those the late officers left behind feel loved.”

CP Disu further disclosed that the event was an initiative of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun who directed that the late Police Officers Wives be carried along, adding that it was what informed the decision of the day’s celebration.

In her address to the widows, Mrs. Disu imparted words of encouragement, urging them to remain resilient, steadfast in prayer, and steadfast in their resolve.

She emphasised the vital importance of solidarity and mutual support among the widows, while also calling on the wives of serving officers to stand as pillars of strength beside their husbands, fostering a bond of shared success.

Meanwhile, through POWA, Mrs. Disu has been providing and expanding opportunities through access to education, skill training

Rivers Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu and wife, Chairperson, Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) in Rivers, Mrs. Olufunmilola Disu at the love fest for police widows

Members of Late Police Officers Wives Association (LAPOWA)

CP Disu; POWA Rivers Chairperson, Mrs. Disu; POWA members and LAPOWA lead cutting the Valentine cake and vocational needs for members of the association.

GRATITUDE OF LAPOWA LAPOWA Leader, Josephine Alukabu,

in an emotion laden word, said this was the first of its kind where widows are celebrated and remembered for good.

As one of the beneficiaries, she expressed gratitude to the state commissioner of police, adding

that the gesture has impacted greatly on them.

This is just as she prayed to God to keep the commissioner and his men and lead them to greater achievement.

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NEWS

UNVEILING OF THE NEW ALSEC NOMINEES...

L-R: Chairman, PAL Pensions, Junaid Dikko; Pioneer Employee, Alsec Nominees Limited, Aduke Gomez; Managing Partner, Udo Udoma and Bello-Osagie/Director, Alsec Nominees Limited, Aniekan Ukpanah; Partner, Udo Udoma and Bello-Osagie/ Director, Alsec Nominees Limited, Jumoke Lambo; and CEO, Alsec Nominees Limited, Oyindamola Ehiwere, during the unveiling of the new Alsec Nominees Limited in Lagos...recently

Christopher Kolade, Chagoury Brothers, NGX Visit Wigwe, Ogunbanjo's Families Wale Igbintade and Kayode Tokede Former Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade and the LebaneseNigerian business moguls, Gilbert and Ronald Chagoury, representatives of the Board and Management of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) paid condolence visits to the families of Wigwe and the late Abimbola Ogunbanjo.

Other dignitaries that

visited the family were, former senator representing Rivers south-east, Magnus Abe, and the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, Assistant Comptroller General Immigration (ACG), K.A Sadiq.

Dr. Christopher Kolade was led into the house by some family members. They all expressed grief over the tragic death of Wigwe, in helicopter crash in the United State.

Wigwe, was killed alongside his wife and son in the crash while travelling from

Stakeholders Set Agenda for Diri's 2nd Term Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa Stakeholders in Bayelsa State have set agenda for Governor Duoye Diri in his second term, urging him to sustain the good legacies of his first four years.

While congratulating and praising him for the peace that pervaded the state in the last four years, they also encouraged him to improve on water and power supply in the state, especially in the state, capital, Yenagoa.

The Second Vice President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Nengi James expressed optimism for a better Bayelsa in the next four years of Diri’s second term.

James, a holder of the Order of the Niger (OON) national honour, in a personally signed message, said as one of the founding fathers of the state that saw to its creation in 1996, he had always envisaged a progressive development for Bayelsa from one administration to the another, in alignment with their projection for the state.

Speaking with THISDAY in Yenagoa, an All Progressives

Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Festus Daumiebi, urged the governor to engage active citizen participation regardless of political party divides and other considerations to achieve accelerated development and build a better Bayelsa.

"You have risen above the pedestrian and erect yourself a statesman, when you combine politics with a peaceful, humane, and all-embracing heart to the admiration of all Bayelsans,” he said.

The umbrella body of Ijaws Youths worldwide, the Ijaws National Congress (IYC), said they expect that the Agge Deep Seaport project in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State would come to limelight during this second term because of its importance to the Ijaw people.

The IYC, which spoke through its spokesman, Binebai Princewill, said the governor who was in the forefront of the Ijaw struggles knew the pains of the people and appealed that he sustains the good legacies that he already has during his first tenure.

California to Nevada.

Speaking with journalists, Abe said despite having achieved so much in life, Wigwe was till his death a humble Port Harcourt boy.

"There's a lot one can say about Herbert. But what I think is obvious to everybody on the continent of Africa, is that he has actually become one of the giants of the financial industry, in our time.

“And the most interesting thing about Herbert is that while he achieved all these things, he was still a simple Port Harcourt boy.

"He was part of everything we did in Port Harcourt, he takes everybody's calls, he is in touch with everybody, he is still part of the network.

“So it's just an amazing character for such a young man to climb so high. And yet everybody still sees you as one of the boys and part of the home crowd. I think that's the most amazing thing

about him,” he said.

In his tribute, Sadiq wrote: "Herbert and his family rest with the Lord. May God grant the Wigwe family the strength to bear this loss. May affiliation not come to the family again.

“May the grace of almighty God be with the aged parents, children, family and friends at this great and painful moment. On behalf of the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Mrs. Wura-Ola Adepoju, accept our condolences."

The NGX Board was led by its Group Chairman, Alhaji (Dr) Umaru Kwairanga.

The delegation included representatives from Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Association of Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, and NG Clearing.

Expressing deep condolences to the Ogunbanjo family, Kwairanga highlighted

Ogunbanjo's esteemed leadership in the capital market, emphasising his kindness and humility.

Group CEO of NGX Group, Temi Popoola acknowledged his significant impact on the Nigerian capital market and his transformative leadership during his tenure as Council President of the Exchange and the first Group Chairman of NGX Group.

Outgoing Group CEO, Oscar Onyema, mourned the loss, stating: “It is a very painful loss, and only God can grant this family the strength to bear this loss.”

The CIS president, Oluwole Adeosun, remembered Ogunbanjo as a dependable and trustworthy supporter of the institute, while Haruna Jalo-Waziri, CEO of CSCS, described him as a good man to the core.

CEO of NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo), Tinu Awe, consoled the Ogunbanjo

family, sharing tales of the wonderful times they had shared and noting how irreplaceable he was in their lives.

The visit also extended to the Wigwe family, where Kwairanga conveyed the capital market's shock and pledged ongoing support.

He acknowledged him not just as a corporate mogul but also as a renowned philanthropist committed to community service and the progress and development of the nation.

“Dr. Wigwe played a pivotal role, bringing his exceptional passion, energy, and expertise to the transformation of Access Bank and the financial sector,” he said.

Chairman of Coronation Group, Aigboje AigImokhuede, expressed gratitude for the acknowledgment of Wigwe's contributions and pledged to uphold his legacy.

We're against All Behind Illegal Guber Result Declaration, Says Adamawa APC Daji Sani in Yola The Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has vowed to join Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the state to prosecute those who connived with the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari to Illegally Declare winner of the 2023 governorship polls while result collation was still ongoing.

Chairman of APC in the state, Idris Shuaibu made the remark

sequel to the recent broadcast

by Fintiri when he talked about prosecuting those who connived with Hudu to make the state go through embarrassment.

The governor said, "As for those who connived with the REC to make us pass through those democratically embarrassing moments, l want to assure you once again that we owe it a duty to prosecute all of them according to the dictates of the law. This is the only way we can protect our electoral process and democratic culture from undue abuse."

According to him, the party has set up a committee to join Fintiri to unravel those who were behind the unfortunate situation with the REC to put the state into a political crisis and uncertainties.

"Any member of the APC that is found having hand or aided Hudu in any way to do what he did, no matter their status, the APC has resolved to deal with them in accordance with the dictates of the law of the party and we also agreed to join hands with Governor Fintiri to prosecute them according to electoral laws," he said.

He, however, disagreed with the governor that Adamawa was a state for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as affirmed both at the polls and the courts.

He said the governor should not forget that his party the PDP could not form a two-thirds majority in the state house of assembly and could not actualise any bill without the support of the APC He added that the APC had the support of the presidency as the ruling party at the top, making it a strong opposition party in the state

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

NEWS

BRIDGE CLINIC'S FORTHCOMING 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLINIC...

L-R: Managing Director, Bridge Clinic, Mr. Sunny Ekhalume; Medical Director, Bridge Clinic, Dr. Toyin Ajayi and Head of Clinic, Bridge Clinic, Lagos, Dr. Babatunde Ogunniran during the press conference announcing the forthcoming 25th anniversary of the Clinic in Nigeria at their Lagos office on Tuesday ABIODUN AJALA

Osun Group Gives Tinubu 7-day Ultimatum to Address Worsening Economic Hardship Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo The Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC), yesterday, gave President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seven days ultimatum to address the worsening economic hardship in Nigeria or be ready to face mass action.

Members of the coalition who stormed the Osun NUJ Correspondents Chapel, had threatened to stage a protest if the president failed to find lasting solution to the economic hardship ravaging the country.

While vowing to mobilise residents across the state, the

Tinubu’s Books Ready for Public Presentation, Says Publisher The public presentations of two new books written on President Bola Tinubu, The Pathfinder: The Life and Politics of an African Politician and The Blueprint: How Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Transformed Lagos State, are ready, the publisher has said.

The books, published by the Topseal Communications Limited, are being planned to be unfolded to the public to coincide with the commemoration of Tinubu’s birthday in March this year.

The books were both written by Taiwo Ogundipe, an author and a veteran journalist.

The Pathfinder, his official biography, details the accounts of Tinubu’s life and politics from the early years, his education, his brilliant professional career as an accountant, his engaging political activities, his ground-breaking two-term tenure as helmsman of Lagos State.

It also includes his active post gubernatorial period, his unique leadership in the political landscape of the country that led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his midwifing the election of ex-President Muhammedu Buhari.

The Pathfinder, the author said in a statement, was written to highlight the essential Tinubu, document his struggles and accomplishments, and show the value of his political dexterity in the context of nation building.

The book also provides a useful insight into the background that shaped a political figure that has come to represent progressive politics in Nigeria.

The Blueprint is an engaging documentation of the financial strategy and the foundation that Tinubu laid for the enduring economic development of Lagos State.

The compelling Lagos economic story, especially during the tenure of Tinubu as governor, is one that has to be told. That is why the author took on the task of telling it.

Ogundipe started work on The Pathfinder since Tinubu’s first year as governor of Lagos State, researching and interviewing numerous people for the project.

Ogundipe said he was so committed to seeing the project to fruition that he had to forego his opportunity for postgraduate studies in the United States of America when he had to come back to Nigeria for the then proposed launch of the book a few years back.

He started as a reporter with the then The Democrat newspapers based in Kaduna, after which he joined ThisWeek magazine as a senior reporter.

He thereafter moved to the Daily Times as a senior writer and ran a very popular column in the then widest circulating Sunday Times.

He later joined The Concord press as an assistant editor and edited the weekly Midweek Concord.

He eventually became a member of the editorial board of ThisDay newspapers and pioneered a very popular column on Sunday. He was until recently the Associate Editor of The Nation newspapers.

human rights activists said they were not afraid of arrest on the protest.

Addressing a press conference, the Chairman, Comrade Waheed Lawal and Secretary, Comrade Olowu Emmanuel, said the ultimatum which began yesterday (Thursday) would expire next week Tuesday during which they would mobilise members, labour Unions, market Women and students to occupy the streets in Nigeria.

"Going by the worsening Economic situation at the moment we the umbrella body of all Civil Society Organisations in Osun State is here today to address members of the fourth estate of the realm on the worsening economic hardship in Nigeria.

"The media practitioners are also victims of the pains and agony that the fuel subsidy removal and floating of naira have caused. So, whatever we claim as fact can be verified from your end,” they said.

According to them, the removal of subsidies had cast a shadow over the economic stability of Nigeria, and also hampering productivity, thereby killing Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

"It is taking away the purchasing power of the Nigerian people, creating hunger, starvation and skyrocketing foodstuffs and essential commodities prices, among other woes.

"The worse of the agonies is the ongoing food crisis where staple foods are now exclusive

and unaffordable for the common Nigerians. The hardship is more alarming and heading towards elastic limit.

"It is only a government of the mafias that will deprive the mass majority of Nigerians to please the capitalists and their cronies.

"Where are the gains of subsidy removal?

They have been cornered by the executive and legislative arms of government. The people have been forgotten.

"With all indications, it appears that President Bola Tinubu goofed on the pronouncement of subsidy removal. It was unexpected of somebody with a life-long ambition to make a loose statement that has been the albatross of his

administration till now.

"The masses cannot continue to make sacrifice when the government officials are lavishing the common patrimony. Governors, National and State lawmakers and their cronies have been living large on our common wealth.

"We hereby give the federal government seven days ultimatum to address the worsening economic situation, failure of which we are going to occupy the state and Nigeria at large.

"We call on labour and trade unions, artisans, market men and women, students and other Nigerians being affected by this economic hardship to join the imminent struggle of Occupy Nigeria 2024."

Macobarb vs NLNG: Court Reserves Ruling in Fundamental Human Right Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, has reserved judgement in a fundamental human rights case filed against the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and some of its workers by an indigenous contractor, Shedrack Ogboru, Chief Executive Officer of Macobarb International Limited.

Justice Stephen Daylop-Pam, reserved the ruling to a day to be communicated later, after hearing the motions from both parties.

The CEO of Macobarb International had last year, dragged top officials present and past of the NLNG, the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission over his arrest by the NLNG in July 2022.

The aggrieved contractor filed the suit to enforce his fundamental

human right and the case was mentioned on July 5, 2023, at Federal High Court 4 in Suit No. FHC/PH/FHR/154/2023.

The respondents in the suit were the NLNG, Mr Tony Attah (NLNG former managing director), Mr Akachukwu Nwokedi (the head of legal), Bayo Aderele (a senior staff member), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Police Service Commission.

Ogboru has had many running legal battles with the NLNG over a N4.2billion claim against the multinational gas liquefaction company as accumulated costs over a terminated contract.

He was rather arrested in July 2022 in Port Harcourt and flown to Abuja.

Macobarb boss returned to file the action against the NLNG because of their alleged role in his said harassment and intimidation, arrest and detention of the contractor.

Ogboru said in court that instead of paying him the money, the NLNG resorted to all sorts of measures which he said included deployment of security agencies to intimidate him.

When the case reopened yesterday, the police and NLNG team were represented by lawyers led by the Prof. Bayo Adaralegbe, while Godsent Elenwa represented Ogboru.

Motions from both parties were taken before the main case was heard. Some heated arguments also took place.

The defense counsel, Adaralegbe, opposed the further affidavit brought up by counsel to the applicant (Elenwa) for not first serving them the affidavit. The judge however gave a nod for the affidavit to be admitted.

Adaralegbe also noted that the offence committed by the applicant that led to his police arrest was

that of perjury, saying they filed an affidavit motion which led to police action.

In his arguments, the applicant counsel, reminded the defence counsel that those issues were before another court of competent jurisdiction and thus needed not be mentioned the present.

There were other objections by the NLNG some concerning the name Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) but the counsel to Ogboru responded to the objections.

The judge however, asked counsels to adopt their processes to set the stage for judgment.

Ogboru is asking the Federal High Court to declare his arrest as illegal. He wants the court to stop the police and the NLNG and their present and past officials from alleged intimidation, harassment, and torture. He is also asking for N1billion as general damages and N20million for the suit.

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NEWS

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AIMED AT ELEVATING NIGERIA’S WORKFORCE...

L-R: The Deputy Head of Mission at the Moroccan Embassy, Mr. Mohammed Amane Tiyal and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Madam Abiola Arogundade during a meeting to discuss partnership opportunities aimed at elevating Nigeria’s workforce in line with the Presidential mandate to increase the highly skilled workforce to 50% at the SSA-TVEE’s office Asokoro, Abuja on Tuesday

Abbas: We'll Produce Better Electoral Laws for 2027 Polls

Juliet Akoje in Abuja.

Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, yesterday, said the 10th House would work to produce a better Electoral Act that would ensure improved elections in the year 2027.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Abbas noted that the House had already identified some areas in the electoral law that need to be strengthened ahead of the next election cycle.

He said this when he received a European Union delegation to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States led by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Samuela Isopi, at his office in Abuja, yesterday.

The 9th National Assembly had reviewed the Electoral Act 2010, leading to the emergence and application of the Electoral Act 2022 for the 2023 elections.

But the speaker stated that a further review of the current Act would produce better results in the 2027 elections.

Abbas, who received the delegation in company with several members of the House, also said the Green Chamber under his leadership would do its best to pass legislation to encourage women and youth participation in politics and

governance.

“I want to particularly express our appreciation to the European Union for all the supports and contributions that you have been giving the Nigerian Government, and by extension the Nigerian Parliament since 1999.

“It is on record that you are one of the biggest singular contributors in terms of technical support to the National Assembly since inception of this institution in 1999," he said.

Abbas, who also received copies of the EU reports on Nigeria’s 2023 elections, said they would be studied carefully.

“We have already set the ball rolling and the machinery in action.

We realised that in spite of all that we did in 2022 to strengthen the law (Electoral Act), there are other issues that cropped up, which require our attention, and we will not leave any stone unturned.

“All those areas of weaknesses in the Electoral Act, we are going to revisit and review them. I want to assure you that the 2027 election will be a better election than the 2023.

And the laws that we are going to review would be the best for this country," he stated.

He informed the EU delegation that the 10th House has created about 15 friendship groups for EU countries alone, noting that a new one dedicated to the EU and its Parliament would be set up soon.

He said the 10th House has raised

the number of standing committees dedicated to women and their interests from one to two, namely Committee on Women Affairs and Committee on Women in Parliament.

Earlier, Ambassador Isopi raised three issues of concern to the EU,

namely: women in politics and governance, electoral reforms and inter-parliamentary relations. ORISA She said the EU has been a champion and an advocate of democracy, and has supported Nigeria's democracy since its return

in 1999.

Isopi added that at the request of the Nigerian government, the EU has continued to monitor elections in the country and made observations and recommendations.

Others in the EU team were the

Deputy Head of delegation, Mr. Zissimos Vergos; Political Adviser, Mr. Osaro Odemwingie; Programme Manager, Democracy and Good Governance, Ms Laolu Olawumi, and the Media Adviser, Modestus Chukwulaka.

House Urges Key Agencies, Ministries, Others to Re-examine Disaster Framework Juliet Akoje in Abuja.

The House of Representatives has urged key agencies and ministries to re-examine the current disaster policy framework for national development and consider implementing a new national disaster insurance scheme to ensure public confidence.

The affected ministries and agencies were, the National Emergency Management Agency, Ministry of Environment, Office of the National security Adviser and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

Others were the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Fire Services Department, National Human Rights Commission, the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Insurance Corporation and the Representatives of Insurance firms

The house also urged the National Orientation Agency, the Ministry of Information and national Orientation, and the public enlightenment unit of the National Emergency Management Agency to embark on public enlightenment and sensitisation programmes nationwide in all Nigerian languages to educate the people on early warning signals, especially on fire during the coming harmattan season.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion calling for National Disaster Insurance Scheme moved by Hon. Biodun Omoleye Francis at plenary.

Omoleye, while presenting the motion, noted that billions of Nigerian taxpayers’ funds were allocated to addressing natural and artificial disasters, yet no

significant relief has been provided to affected victums.

According to him, billions of private and public infrastructure was destroyed annually by the combined effects of floods, fire, and storms of unimaginable proportions, hence the need to address the noticeable gaps in disaster mitigation management in Nigeria.

He recalled that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), saddled with the management of disasters in Nigeria, has used insufficient resources to manage disasters, often resulting in insignificant budgets and unable to mitigate the actual effects.

Informing the House, he stated that the affected victims were worse off after each disaster mitigation exercise as hopes and expectations were dashed, leading

to huge frustration and suicide contemplations by many, who were often occupationally and habitually displaced.

The lawmaker further raised concern that the rise in unwholesome practices by hoodlums and bandits might be linked to the frustrations of victims whose livelihoods, such as farming and animal husbandry, had been lost without future assistance.

Following this, the House mandated its Committees on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Appropriations, Environment, National Security and Intelligence, Finance, Water Resources, Human Rights, and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

production costs, weaken profitability, erode shareholders value and dampen investors’ confidence.

“Only very few producers or service providers can transfer cost increases to their consumers. The implication is that manufacturers and other investors are currently under tremendous pressure.

“The government needs to review its tariff policies by granting concessionary import duty on intermediate products for agro-allied industries and other industrialists.

“The same is true of investors in logistics sector. The exchange rate benchmark for the computation of import duty should be pegged at N1000/dollar.”

According to the group, this is necessary to reduce the pressure of escalating costs of cargo clearing and minimise uncertainty in the international trade processes.

Yusuf stated, “The policy choice of complete floating of the naira requires a rethink in the light of the current inflationary outcomes, volatility and market imperfections. The effects of high energy cost on economic activities are profound.

“It is very difficult to tame inflation if we do not fix power, logistics and forex issues. Regrettably, there are no quick fixes in these areas. But it is important to prioritise these issues and ensure stability and recovery.”

HIGHER FOOD, ENERGY PRICES PUSHED INFLATION TO 29.90% IN JANUARY to 2.42 per cent in December.

The corresponding 12-month average for the urban inflation rate was 27.01 per cent in January, compared to 19.91 per cent in January 2023.

On the other hand, rural inflation increased by 6.97 per cent to 28.10 per cent, year-on-year, compared to 21.13 per cent in January 2023.

Month-on-month, the rural index rose by 0.40 per cent to 2.57 per cent, compared to 2.17 per cent in the preceding month.

The corresponding 12-month average for the rural inflation was 23.85 per cent in January, compared to 18.84 per cent in January 2023.

At the state level, however, general inflation year-on-year was highest in

Kogi (35.79 per cent), followed by Oyo (34.58 per cent), and Akwa Ibom (33.16 per cent), while Borno (22.57 per cent), Taraba (24.83 per cent) and Benue (26.64 per cent) recorded the slowest rise in headline inflation.

On a month-on-month basis, however, the highest price increases were recorded in Ondo (3.79 per cent), Osun (3.77 per cent), Jigawa (3.58 per cent), while Bayelsa was (0.45 per cent), Yobe (1.10 per cent), and Ogun (1.35 per cent) recorded the slowest rise.

Also, year-on-year, food inflation was highest in Kogi (44.18 per cent), Kwara (40.87 per cent), and Rivers (40.08 per cent), while Bauchi (28.83 per cent), Adamawa (29.80 per cent),

and Kano (30.08 per cent) recorded the slowest rise.

Month-on-month basis, food inflation was highest in Ondo (4.69 per cent), Osun (4.59 per cent), and Edo (4.58 per cent), while Bayelsa (0.24 per cent), Yobe (0.97 per cent) and Ogun (1.44 per cent) recorded the slowest rise.

Meanwhile, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) called on government to initiate measures that would ameliorate the negative effect of inflation on manufacturers and operators in the real sector.

CPPE also stated that headline inflation, which rose to an all-time high of 29.9 per cent in January, would

accelerate poverty and deteriorate citizens’ welfare, as food inflation went up to 35.4 per cent in January, as against 33.9 per cent in December.

Commenting on the January inflation, Chief Executive Officer of CPPE, Dr. Muda Yusuf, regretted that the major inflation drivers were not receding, saying that if anything, they have become even more intense.

These drivers, according to him, are depreciating exchange rate, surging transportation costs, logistics challenges, forex market illiquidity, astronomical hike in diesel cost, insecurity in farming communities, and structural bottlenecks to production.

Yusuf said, “Elevated inflationary pressures also aggravate pressure on

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NEWS

PARTNERING FOR INVESTMENTS...

The Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Mrs. Doris Uzoka-Anite (right), and Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during a courtesy visit to the minister to discuss issues bordering on boosting Diaspora investments in Abuja…recently

At 10-Hour Session with Senate, Ribadu Says Kidnapping, Banditry Now Economic Crimes Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday, told senators that kidnapping and banditry had become economic crimes, which many criminals now engaged in to make cool money in the country.

He nevertheless told the federal

lawmakers that the efforts of the federal government through the security agencies were already yielding fruits to tame insecurity in the country A source at the 10-hour meeting between the Senate and heads of security and military agencies on Tuesday, told THISDAY that the high

level security parley was convinced that only the decentralisation of the nations security architecture could solve Nigeria's security challenges.

The source said, "The NSA, ministers and security chiefs took turns to give the lawmakers vivid accounts of their exploits and how that has led to averting any major

terrorist attack since President Bola Tinubu took over in May last year.

"After the arrival of the security chiefs, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, gave a short welcome remark, where he spoke about the importance of the Senate's summons of the security chiefs and the minister of finance, Mr Olawale

SSANU, NASU Kick over Payment of Withheld Salaries to ASUU

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Trouble may be looming in the nation’s universities following the decision by the federal government to pay the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the four months withheld salaries in exclusion of other three University based unions.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), had written to the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajiabiamila, on the implications of the decision of the government to single out ASUU for the payment in exclusion of the other three unions.

In a leaked memo to the Chief of Staff dated February 13, 2024, SSANU and NASU, warned that if the government went ahead with the exclusion policy, the two unions might no longer guarantee uninterrupted academic activities.

"For the injustice done to our members by the government, the peaceful atmosphere in our Universities and Inter-University Centres cannot be guaranteed if the federal government fails to do the needful by paying our members their 4 months outstanding salaries like academic staff in the university sector."

The memo, titled: "Protest letter over the exclusion of nonteaching staff from the payment of outstanding four months salaries” was signed by Prince Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary, NASU and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, President, SSANU. The letter read: "We write to draw the attention of the Chief

of Staff to the president to the privileged information at our disposal that directive has been given to the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to direct the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) Office to release four (4) months salaries out of the outstanding salaries owed the members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) excluding other staff who belong to other Unions in the Universities and Inter-University Centres.

"These other Unions are: Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), NonAcademic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

"Your Right Honourable will recall that in year 2022, all the Unions in the Universities and Inter-University Centres embarked on strike action at different time to draw the attention of government to issues relating to the corporate governance of our universities and welfare of our members.

"The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU embarked on strike that lasted five (5) months from 27th March to 24th August, 2022 as a result of the lackadaisical and unwilling attitude of the then Government led

by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, to implement agreements collectively reached with the Joint Unions of NASU and SSANU. "It is unfortunate that the then government decided to bring hardship on our members in the University Sector by implementing 'No Work, No Pay' policy for four (4) months of May, June, July and August, 2022.

"The strike was foisted on

the two Unions due to different unimplemented memoranda with the government and it was suspended as a result of another collective agreement signed on 20th August, 2022, which has not also seen the light of the day. It also contained ‘no victimisation clause’.

"It is quite unfortunate that in spite of the high hope and aspiration of our members as a result of a press release by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity on 20th October, 2023, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted waiver to the 'No Work, No Pay' to ASUU and other Educational Sector Unions.

"This assurance of payment of the four months outstanding salaries was further guaranteed at the meeting held with the Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman SAN, OON; the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu and the then Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Andrew Adejoh, OON on Saturday, 4th November, 2023 in Abuja where the Honourable Minister of Education promised equal and fair treatment of all Unions in the University Sector and assured also that the Presidential pardon covers NASU and SSANU Members as no union will be short-changed.

Edun.

"Following the opening remarks, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion for the Senate to dissolve into a committee of the whole and in closed session.

"As Lawmakers, we went into the meeting with a lot of misgivings and apprehension, the security chiefs allayed our fears and they earned our confidence," the source stated.

At the end of the marathon session, the senate leadership expressed confidence in the leadership of the security sector and applauded their effort in addressing the security concerns.

The source said, "The NSA, who gave the lead presentation took us through different components of the security challenges explaining how they met the situation and the changes so far.

"He (Ribadu) spoke about how wanton violence had significantly gone down thus pushing down number of casualties from attacks by armed groups.

"He said Boko Haram and ISWAP now resort to planting IEDs showing that they were regressing from their comfort zones. Ribadu attributed the success in the fight against the Boko Haram to the gallantry of troops and the hard work of the Borno State Government.

"The NSA so told us that 20 gun-

running networks were smashed and that over 5,000 military grade weapons were seized and destroyed by government agencies.

"The NSA further told us that sporadic incidents of kidnapping being reported in most parts of the country were pointers that security kidnapping and banditry have now evolved into economic crimes substituting armed robbery as an easy means of making money through criminal means.

"He (Ribadu) said the country is today witnessing significant increase in oil production and relative peace in the South-East region, which was hitherto bedevilled by activities of gunmen, due to concerted military and non-military steps.

"The Chief of Air Staff also gave an excellent account of how the air component of the war complements the work of troops on ground.

"He mentioned how they killed two key leaders of bandits Ali Kacalla and Yellow Janburos, and how that has helped to halt interstate movement of bandits and logistics especially around Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara States," the lawmaker said.

He recalled the Inspector General of Police also speaking about routing out criminals in the suburbans of Abuja and how his men had checkmated activities of one-chance criminals in the capital city.

Bi-Courtney Condemns Vandalism of Terminal Facilities by Passengers over Flight Cancellation Chinedu Eze Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), the managers of the domestic terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, known as MMA2, has condemned the vandalism of facilities at the terminal by passengers who went into rampage when an airline cancelled their flight.

BASL in a statement condemned the action of the passengers and stated that it is reinforcing its zero policy against passenger misconduct at the terminal and destruction of airport property.

“Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), operated

by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, reiterates its unwavering commitment to passenger safety,

security, and the protection of airport property. The terminal operator underscores its zero-tolerance stance against any form of passenger misconduct or vandalism within its terminal premises,” the company said.

It stressed that aggrieved passengers should never resort to violence and destruction of airport property following flight disruptions, noting that such actions pose a threat to the safety and well-being of other passengers and airport staff and property.

“MMA2 condemns such behaviour in the strongest terms possible and emphasises the following key points: Zero tolerance to vandalism: vandalising airport property, including cameras, and other amenities, is unacceptable.

“ Any individual found engaging in such acts will face strict legal consequences, fully, including prosecution by the law.

While we understand that flight disruptions can be frustrating, we urge passengers to make their complaints courteously and seek redress through appropriate channels.

“Our staff are here to address any concerns or grievances professionally and respectfully,” it stated.

BASL reiterated that any form of violence within the terminal premises is highly prohibited, remarking that MMA2 maintains a safe and secure environment for all passengers and staff, and any individual found engaging in violent behaviour would be dealt with swiftly and decisively.

“MMA2 remains committed to upholding the highest standards of safety, security, and customer service for all passengers and stakeholders.

We urge all passengers to adhere to airport regulations and conduct themselves in a manner befitting that of a responsible traveller.

“For further inquiries or assistance, passengers are encouraged to approach our dedicated customer service personnel or contact us through our official communication channels. “ Together, let us uphold the values of civility, respect, and cooperation to ensure a pleasant and secure airport experience for everyone,” the statement which was signed by the Head of Corporate Communications, Ajoke YinkaOlawuyi, said.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2024 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

DEEPENING BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP …

L-R: Counselor for Economic Affairs, United States(US) Embassy, Abuja, Christine Harbaugh; Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Dr Olasupo Olusi, acting Ambassador, US Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, David Greene, during a courtesy call by the BoI MD to the US Embassy in Abuja... recently

Dantata Backs Parliamentary System, Says Less Cumbersome, Easy to Maintain Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano A renowned business mogul, Alhaji Aminu Dantatta, has backed the advocacy by the 60 members of the House of Representatives calling for the country to return to the parliamentary system of government.

Dantata made the commendation when he received some of the lawmakers

led by the Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, who paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in Kano.

He said the parliamentary system is not only better for the country but “it’s cheaper, less cumbersome, and would enhance stability and easy to run.”

The elder statesman explained that the “parliamentary system is better and cheaper for Nigeria

EFCC Re-arraigns Professor for Alleged N1.47bn Fraud Wale Igbintade

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday re-arraigned one Professor Uche Chigozie Edwin before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly defrauding Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MAGPAMAN) of N1.4 billion.

The EFCC docked Edwin before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu alongside three of his firms, Visionary Integrated Consulting Limited, NEMAD Associates Limited and Revamp Global Enterprise, on an 11-count

charge of conspiracy, retention and conversion of funds to the tune of N1, 473,367,046.04.

The defendant was alleged to have converted the sum, through the account of Visionary Integrated Consulting Ltd, (second defendant) which he ought to know was derived from an illegal act of stealing.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to all counts since the other defendants were not physical persons.

He was first arraigned in August 2023, before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, and had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

House Moves to Stop Betting in Nigeria

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to conduct comprehensive nationwide campaigns to raise public awareness about the negative impact of youth participation in sports betting.

This resolution followed the adoption of a motion on the “Need to Curtail the Dangerous Effects of Sport Betting and Direct the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to comply with the Lottery

Regulatory Commission Act, 2005,” which was moved by Hon. Kelechi Nwogu at plenary.

Nwogu noted that sports betting are expanding like wildfire globally, including Nigeria, which has growing betting outfits such as Naira Bet, Bet 9ja, Sure Bet, Winners Golden Bet, Max Bet, Merry Bet, 1960 Bet, Bet Colony, Stakers Den, Bet 360, Bet 365 and Apollo Bet etc.

He also noted that approximately 60 million Nigerians aged 18 to 40 are reportedly engaged in sports betting.

but the presidential system is very costly, especially with the current economic situation in the country.”

Dantata, who was a former

member of parliament during the first republic, lauded the members for taking the bold step, and expressed hope that the 60 lawmakers would get

more members in the National Assembly to support the project.

“I hope and pray that you will get more members in the Assembly to support the

project,” he said.

The businessman prayed that the current security challenges bedeviling the country would come to an end.

Customs Seizes N19m Drugs with Fake NAFDAC Number in Sokoto Onuminya Innocent inSokoto

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Sector 4 Joint Border Patrol, has announced that it intercepted unregistered and expired pharmaceutical products worth N19.62 million smuggled into the country.

Addressing journalists on

Thursday at the command headquarters, Sokoto Controller of the Sector North West Zone, Mr. Kolapo Ayodeji, said that the unregistered drugs were found in a truck at Kajiji, Shagari Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, upon the examination of the truck, unregistered 300,000 packets of sex

enhancement drugs were found.

Ayodeji disclosed that the command also seized 35 Jerrican of 25 litres of premium motor spirit at Illela border in line with ECOWAS sanctions on Niger Republic.

He further reinforced his earlier pledge to adopt new strategies that would boost trade while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws

along the borders in the North-west zone.

According to him, “this seizure contravened both Nigeria Customs Service ban on the importation of pharmaceutical products through the land border without approval and further contravened NAFDAC laws as they do not have NAFDAC registration numbers.”

‘Current Security Challenges May Affect Achievement of SDGs 2030’ Michael Olugbode inAbuja

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has lamented that with the current insecurity in the country, it would be difficult to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Speaking at the 7th International Conference on Love and Tolerance in Nigeria with the theme: ‘Harmony through Compassion: Embracing Diversity in Pursuit of Peace’, the Director-General of Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (lPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, said the present situation

in the country has deprived Nigeria of the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, and therefore called for a concrete action to be taken.

He said there is the need for Nigerians to embrace love, tolerance for sustainable development and peaceful coexistence.

Ochogwu noted that the world is currently facing a plethora of security and developmental challenges ranging from socioeconomic downturn to widening poverty chasms, marginalisation, inequality, climate change, violent conflicts, and deep socio-political and ethno-religious polarisations.

Former House Member, Agbonayinma, Withdraws from Edo Guber Race Adibe Emenyonu inBeninCity

Former member, representing Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Johnson Agbonayinma, yesterday announced his withdrawal from Edo State’s governorship election.

Agbonayinma, who is contesting

on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the announcement while addressing leaders and member of his party from Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state, cited the fatal killing of his 23 year-old son, who was shot dead in the United State of America as

reason for the withdrawal.

The former board member of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), therefore, enjoined the party members to join hands with the party to select a credible candidate during the governorship primaries slated for Saturday, February 17, to select its candidate for the

September election.

According to him, “it has become pertinent for me to use this medium to address our campaign team, our teeming supporters, the esteemed leaders of our great party, APC, and the good people of Edo State for their unwavering support.

Delta LG Chairman Decries Cultism, Destruction of School Property Sylvester Idowu in Warri The Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr. Micheal Tidi, has decried the rate of cultism in primary and secondary schools in the state.

Tidi also decried the rate primary school properties were

being destroyed when people use the facilities for social events.

He made these observations yesterday when the Chief Inspector of Education (CIE), Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Warri South Local Government, Dr. Samson Ugbejeh, and his entourage paid him a courtesy visit at

the council’s secretariat, Warri.

Tidi said that it is high time the ministry, in collaboration with the council, stopped the trends noting that the council could no longer fold its arm and watch while school children in primary and secondary schools involve themselves in cult activities.

He argued that the ministry of

Basic and Secondary Education should work in collaboration with the council to curb the menace of cultism.

On the issue of the destruction of school properties by those who use the facilities for social events, Tidi appealed to the CIE to reduce the way the school properties were used for social events.

Anambra Agency Destroys Newspapers, Demolish Vendor Stands in Awka

to roadside traders.

Some of the vendors, passersby same thing happened. We are Oyo Seals Six Health David-ChyddyElekeinAwka belonging Alarge heap of papers destroyed and petty traders rained curses on wondering if Soludo does not Awka Capital Territory by the taskforce included The the agency and swore never to sell need poor people any longer in Facilities over Quackery The Development Agency (ACTDA), Nation, The Sun, Vanguard, newspapers again until Governor Anambra,” the vendors cried.

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The Oyo State government has shut six health facilities across the state over quackery. The six health facilities sealed committed various offences including recruitment of unqualified personnel to provide medical services and engage in illicit practices.

The state Anti-quackery Task Force Committee Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Aremu, while speaking during an inspection and monitoring exercise held within the Ibadan metropolis, said

the team carried out the operation as part of the government’s efforts towards protecting the health and well-being of residents.

He said the Oyo State government would not tolerate any form of quackery or substandard practice in the health sector, adding that anyone found culpable would face the full wrath of the law.

He urged the public to report any suspicious or illegal activity in any health facility to the Ministry of Health or the nearest security agency.

Anambra State, yesterday beat up vendors in the state’s capital and destroyed newspapers at newsstands.

Members of taskforce of ACTDA also destroyed other goods

Punch, Guardian among other newspapers.

The taskforce beat up traders at the popular Aroma Junction and destroyed the PoS machines that belonged to online money vendors.

Charles Soludo and his agents changed.

“Our tables were equally destroyed, while our umbrellas were confiscated by the agents of the government. Last week,

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Christian Aburime, told journalists that he was not aware of the incident, but promised to reach out to the managing director of ACTDA.

Global IPI Commends Nigerian National Committee for Leadership Role

The International Press Institute (IPI) has commended the IPI Nigerian National Committee for its leading role in the affairs of the world press freedom body.

The IPI Director, Frane Maroevic, and the Board

Chair, Khadija Patel, made the commendation yesterday at the meeting of the IPI Executive Board held in Vienna, Austria.

Maroevic told board members that IPI Nigeria had carried out reforms that have helped it in

organising and carrying out It is not only organising, it is press freedom activities worthy active in the training of our of emulation by other national members in Nigeria. The IPI committees.

National Committee in Nigeria He said: “The Nigerian is a good example of how a National Committee is wellnational committee FRIDAY JANUARY 5, 2024 ˾ T H I Sshould D AY organised and extremely active. operate.”

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2024 ˾ T H I S D AY

36

NEWS XTRA

FOR WORLD PRESS FREEDOM …

L-R: International Press Institute (IPI) Vice Chair, John Daniszewski; Board Chair, Khadija Patel; and Board member, Raheem Adedoyin, at the IPI Executive Board meeting in Vienna, Austria...recently

SenateCommitteeLamentsEffectofInsufficientWaterGovernanceonNationalFoodSecurity Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli, has expressed deep concern over the adverse effects of insufficient water governance on the country’s food security.

Soli made this statement during the closing ceremony of the 30th Regular Meeting of

the National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation held in Abuja yesterday.

He emphasised the vital role of effective water resource management in meeting the growing demand for food across the country.

The chairman, however, called for international collaboration in water governance, emphasizing the

Niger Assembly Steps Down N50bn Loan by The Executive Laleye Dipo inMinna

approved the request of the governor to access N15 billion The Niger State House of contract financing facility offered by Assembly yesterday stepped Access Bank PLC for the takeoff of down the request by Governor the newly established Abdulkadir Muhammad Umaru Bago to Kure University, in Minna. access a N50 billion loan offered Governor Bago, in a letter to by the Union Bank Plc the House of Assembly, said that The loan is for the establishment the first facility would support the of agricultural food parks and state government initiative for the farm estates in parts of the state. actualisation of its green economy The assembly, however, policy and create value chain for produce to ensure bumper CHANGE OF NAME farm harvest and food security for the I formerly known and addressed state and the country. as MISS OGUNNOWO YETUNDE The Speaker of the House of AYOMIDE, now wish to be known Assembly, Hon. Mohammed and address as MRS AWONIYI Sarkin-Daji, at the plenary said that YETUNDE AYOMIDE. All former the House, as the representative documents remain valid. The gen- of the people, should be furnished eral public please take note. with details of every kobo of I formerly known and addressed the loan and how the governor as MR. OLAOLUWA SEGUN, intended to expend the funds. now wish to be known and address as MR. OLAOLUWA SEGUN AKANNI. All former documents remain valid. Stanbic IBTC bank and the general public please take note.

The Nigeria Development I formerly known and addressed and Finance Forum (NDFF) as MISS CHINYERE SARAH 2024 Conference, a high-level OCHIAGHA. Now wish to be gathering of public, private, known and addressed as MRS. social, and international sector CHINYERE SARAH DAVID leaders, will hold on the 8th CHIABUOTU. All former docu- and 9th of May 2024 in Abuja, ments remain valid. The general a statement by the organiser, public please take note.

Financial Nigeria International I formerly known and ad- Limited, has revealed.

Themed“The Road to dressed as MISS SARAPHINA AREKEBILO. Now wish to be Economic and Social Welfare known and addressed as MRS Transformation,” NDFF 2024 SARAPHINA EZEAGAGWO. All Conference, aims to provide a former documents remain valid. strong backing for a holistic and The general public please take transformative reform agenda note. for the Nigerian economy.

According to the statement, I formerly known and addressed as EZE SUNDAY now wish to be the conference will feature known and addressed as ORIUWA CHIMEREZE KINGSLEY. All former documents remain valid. Emmanuel Olorunda-Otaru The general public should please take note.

Genesis Studios has announced 7KLV LV WR FRQ¿UP WR WKH JHQHUDO SXEOLF SmartCash by Airtel as the official that IKPEAWUJOR LILIAN ANAELE headline sponsor of the classic and IKPEWUJOR LILIAN ANAELE is game show “The Price Is Right”, the same person, and now wish to be which comes to Nigerian screens known and addressed as IKPEWUJOR by middle of June this year.

LILIAN ANAELE. All former docuThe re-launch of the game show ments remain valid. The general public in Nigeria is not just a comeback, should please take note. according to Genesis Studios,

importance of sharing best practices and implementing joint initiatives to address water-related challenges beyond national borders.

According to the lawmaker, “It is rightly emphasising that proper water governance is crucial in ensuring food security in the country. Water

is an essential resource for agriculture, and efficient management of water resources is necessary to meet the increasing demand for food

nationwide.

“The question for sustainable water management stresses the need for sustainable management of water resources.

Post-elections: CSOs Seek Special Courts for Electoral Offences KuniTyessi in Abuja To alleviate the overwhelming caseload of electoral disputes in regular courts, the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), a Civil Society Organisation, has recommended the establishment of specialised courts dedicated to pre and post-election dispute resolution, including the handling

of electoral offences.

Bukola Idowu of KDI made the recommendation in a report titled: ‘Viewing 2023 Post-Election through the Gender Lens’, in Abuja yesterday.

The report also calls for judicial independence, stating that: “As long as the court is not financially autonomous from the state to the federal level, there is a great

possibility that the electorate will continue to perceive the judiciary’s financial dependency on the executive as a huge opportunity for the judiciary to be compromised and politicised.

“Alternatively, reducing the chain of appeals, particularly for presidential election petitions, can expedite the resolution process.

“Drawing inspiration from

successful models in other African jurisdictions to enhance the efficiency of the electoral justice system in Nigeria.”

The report recommended that courts should establish clear criteria for approaching the court, such as restricting parties that gather less than 20 percent of votes from filing certain petitions, except on the question of valid votes.

Economic Crisis: Gov Adeleke Disburses N500m, Social Safety Funds Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, yesterday disbursed a total sum of N588, 105,000 to 19,720 beneficiaries of Imole Osun Cash Grant Scheme.

An additional sixty thousand identified poor segment of the population are to receive ATMs of their bank accounts to facilitate their access to such grants.

In continuation of his administration’s efforts to cushion the effects of the hard time, Governor Adeleke said the beneficiaries are taken from the state Social Register for Poor

Nigeria Devt and Finance Forum Conference to Hold in May plenary sessions on Day 1, focusing attention on the three main areas the federal government aims to deliver impacts, which are fiscal policy, monetary policy, and social welfare. Special briefings and industry-focused sessions will hold on Day 2.

Commenting, Chief Executive Officer of Financial Nigeria and Convener of NDFF, Jide Akintunde, said: “Over the past months, the new government has embarked on market reforms, which many stakeholders have canvassed for in the last few years to catalyse long-term economic growth and stability.

and Vulnerable Households domiciled in the state Operation Coordinating Unit, National Social Safety Net Project in the Ministry of Economic Planning, Budget and Development.

The governor, represented

by the Head of Service, Mr. Ayanleye Aina, reviewed the many programmes of his administration to attend to the needs of the poor, the weak and the under-privileged, said the administration has

Navy Hands Over Three Illegal Fishing Trawlers, Crew Members to Dept. of Fisheries Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

As its clampdown on illegal fishing activities in Nigeria intensifies in the coastlines of Brass and other territorial waters, the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB), Formoso, yesterday handed over three fishing trawlers and their crew members to the Federal Department of Fisheries (FDF), in Bayelsa.

The trawlers, named MFVs BARNALY III and OLOKUN

V, were arrested on January 22, 2024, while fishing within the prohibited areas reserved for artisanal fishermen around Sangana Oilfield without operating their Automatic Identification Systems (AIS).

Relatedly, another trawler, CYNTHIA, was arrested on January 24, 2024, around Fish Town River while trawling without operating her AIS. The handing over was held at a brief ceremony at the FORMOSO operating

base at Egwema, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and performed by the Commanding Officer, Captain Murtala Rogo, who was represented by the Base Operation Officer, Lt. Commander Haruna Ranga.

Speaking during the handover, the commanding officer explained that these acts violated the Sea Fisheries Act of 1992, adding that these maritime infractions amongst others would not be tolerated by the Nigerian Navy.

Niger NUT Holds Prayer Session for God’s Intervention in their Plights

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has held a special prayer session to seek spiritual intervention for the problems teachers are facing in the state.

The session was attended

by local government branch chairmen and their secretaries held at its multipurpose hall in Minna, where Christians and Muslim clerics led the prayer session.

Among their supplications to God was the payment of enhanced salaries and

‘The Price is Right Nigeria’ Game Show to Hit TV Screens which is the local production company of the iconic game show, but it is a celebration of the Fremantle-owned format, the longest-running game show in the world since 1950s, having excited millions of international viewers for decades in over 99 countries.

As the timeless and interactive programme makes a new mark

invested heavily in the social protection sector, developing and implementing several high-level Social Security Strategies to reduce the poverty, unemployment, and low productivity space among others.

with Nigerian audiences, the producers have promised that it would bring with it fun, excitement, and the opportunity to win mind-blowing prizes.

They have also assured fans of the show of an enhanced viewing experience, courtesy of the mobile money platform’s dynamic features.

Expressing optimism about

Smartcash as primary sponsorship, Chief Executive Officer of Genesis Studios, Olatubosun David Olaegbe, said: “The time is right for The Price Is Right in Nigeria. It has been a beacon of entertainment globally for generations, and with SmartCash

by Airtel as our sponsor, we are taking it to new heights the way only Nigerians can.”

allowances, payment of pension and gratuities to retired teachers as well as for God to touch the heart of the government to invest in the renovation of dilapidated primary and secondary school buildings.

They also prayed to God to grant freedom to all those kidnapped by gunmen in the state and for the restoration of peace across troubled regions of the state and the country.

The state Chairman of the Union, Akayago Adamu Mohammed, in a brief remarks, said the union believes that the hearts of kings are in the hands of God, so they have decided to take their problems with the government before God.

37

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024 • T H I S D AY

BACKPAGE CONTINUATION H E R B E RT W I G W E A LWAY S WA N T E D YO U T O C O N S I D E R I T D O N E and Chief Executive Officer at 47. He talked fast, moved even faster. Together, the pair of him and Aig formed one of the two most intriguing tag-teams in recent Nigerian banking history—the other pair being Fola Adeola and Tayo Aderinokun; the older-by-a-decade co-founders of GT Bank, from where Aig and Herbert resigned as Executive Directors in 2002 to buy and lead Access Bank. (Tragically, Tayo Aderinokun passed away in 2011—only a year younger than Herbert would be at his own death).

In their days running Access Bank, Aig and Herbert earned reputations as taskmasters. (Aig describes it, in his 2021 memoir, as “our fabled work ethic”). Critics saw them as willing to go to any lengths to achieve whatever they sought. The landmark takeover of Intercontinental Bank in 2011—which tripled their customer base—was believed to be a hostile, even ruthless, one. Not uncommon allegations, admittedly, at that level of performance.

“M&A Mindset” In the wake of his death, the tributes pouring in all point to a man who was incredibly kind and supportive to many, always looking out to offer a helping hand. There was always room in his circle for people he considered smart and ambitious. His Executive Assistant came from Diamond Bank, which Access acquired in 2019.

His “Mergers and Acquisition mindset” (as a tribute by Alex Otti, banker and current Governor of Abia State, described it), fueled much of what he accomplished.

Never satisfied with the status quo, he was always nudging the people around

him to dream and to do more. Gbenga “GB” Agboola, founder of Flutterwave, one of Nigeria’s fintech Unicorns, recalls the challenges Herbert regularly threw at him: “GB, what’s the size of your ambition?” “Why wait to invest back in Africa?” “Who is the next GB? Back them! Make the journey easier for the next guy!”

He’d earned the right to ask this of others. When he and Aig took over Access Bank in 2002, it was 65th in size, among Nigeria’s 89 banks at the time. Today, the bank is setting African records. When his tenure as CEO of Access Bank came to an end in 2022, he stepped up to become CEO of Access Corporation, the new Holding Company created for the financial services group. Not having to directly run the bank did not diminish his influence in any way. It allowed him to add more to his plate, in fact. He was named President of the influential France-Nigeria Business Council in May 2023. He began to devote more time to his University, for which he budgeted half a billion dollars in personal investment.

Not to forget the palatial new home in Ikoyi, Lagos—built by Craneburg—of which breathtaking video footage has emerged since his death. It is said that, till the end, he was still requesting additional work on the edifice.

Giving and collecting He gave generously to countless causes, often quietly. His church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) City of David parish, in Lagos, was a big beneficiary, especially in its mission to help poor children. Under his leadership,

Access Bank sponsored the annual Lagos City Marathon (he died on the day the 2024 edition held), as well as sporting events and arts festivals within and outside Nigeria.

It is hard to think of a more ambitious Nigerian art collector than Herbert. In his vast collection sit two iconic pieces: separate portraits of him and his wife, Chizoba, painted by Kehinde Wiley, whose most famous painting is an official portrait of President Barack Obama. (Another famous Wiley portraiture subject is former President Olusegun Obasanjo, painted as part of a project documenting African Heads of State).

His passion for art also included acquiring, at significant cost, iconic work of Nigerian origin from foreign owners.

There was the long-lost-but-found “Tutu”, painted in 1974 by Ben Enwonwu—for whom Queen Elizabeth sat for a sculpture, a decade before Herbert’s birth)—which Access Bank acquired in 2018. Also in the Access Bank collection, a set of seven wooden Enwonwu sculptures, commissioned by the UK’s Daily Mirror in 1960, for its new London Headquarters.

A wingless end On a helicopter flight in 2017, Herbert told a protégé, “When it’s your time, it’s your time.” He was not unfamiliar with the grief of bereavement. His older brother, Osita, died in a car accident in 1997. Three years later, his pregnant cousin and her husband were killed in another tragic car crash. Then there was his recent cancer scare. Even as he became more health-conscious, quitting alcohol and taking personal fitness seriously, the

fragile-ness of life was never lost on him.

One of his last posts on X ended with: “Let us number our days.”

The final day came most unexpectedly, on a “wintry” February night, in the United States of America. Aboard an Airbus H130 helicopter chartered to fly him, his wife, Chizoba; eldest son, Chizi; and friend, Bimbo Ogunbanjo, from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, for the 2024 Superbowl, an annual fixture on his calendar. Exactly what happened to the chopper is still being pieced together by investigators.

None of the four passengers and two crew members aboard survived.

He is survived by aged parents, three children, and siblings. And a sprawling business empire—including private investments in several businesses—the true size of which may never be fully known. “The scale of what he’s leaving behind, mostly uncompleted, is staggering,” says a friend.

In 1961, shortly after completing the Daily Mirror sculpture series, Enwonwu, the celebrated sculptor, said of the 7-piece collection: “I have tried to represent the wings of the Daily Mirror, flying news all over the world.” There is a 2017 photo of Herbert posing with the collection at an art exhibition in Lagos in 2017, a suited eighth figure amidst the ‘winged’ wooden posse. A fitting pose for a man who gave wings to every project he embarked on, and to many of the people he met on his life’s journey.

In an ironic twist of fate, the end came for him in the air, on a wingless aircraft—without a pitch persuasive enough to stave death off.

is inevitable for society to experience crisis and tribulation. So by itself, the bad spell Nigeria is going through is neither new nor unprecedented. What matters most is the demonstration of enlightened self-interest, the capacity of the ruling elite to mobilise the citizenry by the power of personal example and discipline.

Within the context of Nigeria, It may sound utopian, but think of a shirtless Rawlings driving a bulldozer. If you have your leaders miraculously borrow a leaf from this playbook, the masses will forget they have not eaten a piece of meat for weeks.

I do not need to go into the sordid details but the statement of intent indicated in the budget presented by the president a few months back is a contraindication of leadership by example and a mockery of the Nigerian masses. It is a budget of how not to mobilise the people behind your leadership. It is not

a budget of how to exhort your people to think of what they can do for their country and not what their country can do for them.

As Nigeria’s cup of iniquity overflows with no discernable silver lining in the dark horizon, my mind has been waxing subjective and unorthodox dimensions. In my last outing, I wrote of making atonement for the sin of our forefathers participation and connivance in the slave trade as a spiritual panacea for what increasingly appears to be a digging deeper into the hole of mass immiseration and underdevelopment. I got this inspiration from the most accomplished American president, Abraham Lincoln. He believed that the American civil war over the institution of slavery was punishment and atonement for the role of America in the transatlantic slave trade.

As I contemplate the ratcheting up of public service corruption in Nigeria today to the level of unimaginable perversion and sickness, my mind wandered to how Shehu Yar’Adua came to terms with the dilemma.

I doubt if decent society has any lessons to learn from the peculiarity and oddity but it is story worthy of being told. It is a story of how effective he was in securing his political goals and objectives. It was as cynical as it was effective. If the former number two man in the military government of Obasanjo, was sending a political subordinate on an errand, he would inquire about the cost implication of the task. Having been apprised of the financial implication, say ten million Naira, he would give the money as requested. He would then top up the money with another ten million, so the fellow would have less incentive to fignal with the original ten million. And it worked!

In theory and practice, I do not know how to substantiate this primitive formula but ranged against what presently obtains, it appears to me a good bargain (if we can get ten billion naira value for a contract awarded for twenty billion).

It is six months now since Isa Yuguda has made his earth shaking revelation.

The response of the President was to cast a vote of confidence in the man at the centre of the worst scandal in Nigeria and reappoint him as the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Neither has he deemed it worthwhile to invite the remorseful friend of Yuguda to come and tell all he knows as a participant-observer who has become tired of making billions at the expense of the Nigerian public

R E S T R U C T U R I N G O R R AW L I N G S President’s tenure as an era of “darkness” is apt, it would amount to standing reality on its head to cite the incumbent president’s tenure as anything near a glorious dawn.

The potential crowning glory of the Buhari dysfunction and one I regret not supporting was his desire to foist former President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan as the president of Nigeria. And he was thick enough to try it. If he had succeeded, he would have sufficiently radicalised Nigerian politics, and clarified the choice before the country as never before. Already cut too deep, the cleavages would have irretrievably cut deeper. The affront was bound to foster a make or break crisis whose ramifications would force a fundamental constitutional review of the status quo or worse.

Imagine the spectre of Vice-president Atiku Abubakar as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate and Ahmed Lawan as that of the APC, and the certainty that the election will be rigged in favour of either presidential candidate. To the contrary, with the election of Tinubu as a sop to the Yoruba, Nigeria has won a battle but lose the war. As we have come to learn, the restructuring din has quietened down to a whimper. A very smart politician, contemporaneously I cannot recall him ever owning restructuring as priority- that is if he ever touched the idea at all on his campaign rostrum.

As programmed, he has deflated the bubbles of the only viable status quo answer to the question of what ails Nigeria. I was surprised at the conniving power politics posture of the Yoruba intelligentsia towards the realpolitik of contemporary Nigeria. The better option of Peter Obi was put down as representative of Igbo triumphalism! It went all the way back to the politics of playing the Yoruba against the Igbo.

I marvelled at the spectre of respected scholars who taught us on how tribalism is the bane of Nigerian politics becoming the standard bearers of the very ill they professed against. It was the perfect opportunity to breach the to- your- tents-o-Israel barrier that had kept Nigeria down for so long. Love your neighbour as you love yourself, thus sayeth the Lord. And it was reckoned as one of the most important commandments.

“The two great commandments, as found in Matthew 22:36-40, are to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart” and “love thy neighbour as thyself.” The Lord did not qualify the commandment as applicable only to those you like. It is a challenge to our individual and collective morality and test

Tinubu

of commitment to principles, to stand by a principle when it is not convenient to do so. The more cynical of them rationalised their position with the logic that if Nigeria is fated to ruin and damnation, it makes sense to have your son at the commanding heights!

As you might have rightly guessed, the reference to Rawlings in the caption is a metaphor for a near revolutionary take over of government. To a considerable extent, the inability of Tinubu to stare down the challenges and problems of Nigeria boils down to not wanting to commit class suicide.

If he really wants to commit to doing his job well, he has two options.

One is to go for a constitutional review towards the end of securing the restoration of federalism. The other is to lead by the power of example. The latter point is not as trite as it sounds. In the affairs of men, it

38

FRIDAY, FE ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺͼ ˾ THISDAY

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

AFCON 2023 Feat Moves Super Eagles up 14 Steps in FIFA Ranking Now 28th globally, Third Best in Africa

Femi Solaja Super Eagles' beautiful run at the just concluded 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire has resulted in Nigeria now ranked Number 3 in Africa and 28 globally in the latest FIFA Ranking released on Thursday morning.

Eagles moved 14 steps up the ladder from their previous 42nd position. This is their best ranking since February 2008 when they ranked 19th in the world.

However, Africa's first semi finalists at the World Cup, Morocco, still remain the highest ranked team in the continent despite not moving

beyond the AFCON 2023 Round of 16 where they were eliminated

by South Africa.

The Atlas Lions moved a step upward in global ranking from 13th to 12th. The total points they have gathered over the years still weigh in their favour the moment they have 1663.69 as against the 1661.69

which they had as at the last ranking in December.

Nigeria’s current point-haul stand at 1522.26 which is 141.43 behind that of Africa’s number one team. It will therefore take a while before Nigeria gets to the number one position which they last occupied in February 2008.

Other movers in the new ranking include; Côte d’Ivoire who moved up to 39th in the world after sealing their third Nations Cup title on home soil.

Angola are the biggest winners from the finals, jumping 24 places to 93rd following their run to the quarter-finals in West Africa.

Tunisia and Algeria have both dropped 13 spots, to 41st and 43rd respectively, after suffering group-stage exits at the tournament.

The top 10 in the world governing body's listare all unchanged, with 2022 World Cup winners Argentina remaining top ahead of France and England.

NNL Boss, George Aluo, Appeals to Corporate Bodies to Sponsor The League The Chairman of the Nigerian National League (NNL), George Aluo, has appealed to Corporate bodies and individuals to embrace the League because of its unique nature in the country's football development.

Aluo who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Thursday said the NNL remains the most important League in the country, because it is the only league that takes teams from both the Nigeria Premier League and Nigeria Nationwide League. "This is how important the league is, and deserves all the special attentions from corporate sponsors".

Aluo took time to outline some of the achievements recorded in the first stanza of league, saying that they will intensify efforts to make the league comparable to what is attain in other leagues world wide.

Quoting his words, the veteran journalist said "we have zero percent tolerance for hooliganism and the ones we have noticed, were dealt

with immediately. Referees indemnities were taken care of promptly, the teams are doing well because they have very conducive environment to play the matches".

He said in the second stanza of the league which will start in the first week of March, they will continue to monitor the league, and ensure that only best will emerge to join the NPFL at the end of season. "our teams are doing well, and that is why we are appealing to various sponsors to embrace the league for the future of our football development.

Because, it is only when the League is growing that the national teams will perform well," he concluded.

The Chief Operating officer of the league body, Ayo Abdulrahaman, further gave a statistical analysis of the first stanza of the 2023/2024 League Season, saying that out of the193 matches that were played in the first stanza, 383 goals were scored with an unprecedented 27 away wins and 45 away draws.

Sportsville Award: Sam John Lauds Recognition of Solaja, Alumona Reactions have continued to pour in following the release of nominees for this year's Sportsville Special Recognition Awards.

One of Nigeria's foremost Sports Journalists, Sam John, has reacted to the nominations of Kunle Solaja and Jenkins Alumona, describing them as well deserved.

"Frank, I must thank you and your team for this brilliant award ceremony and most importantly the recognition of Kunle Solaja and Jenkins Alumona.

"I am so so excited to see both of them given their due. Solaja remains the No.1 diarist in Africa and I am happy this award is coming at the

most appropriate time.

"For Alumona, the creative innovation he brought to the organisation of Super 8 last year, among his numerous contributions to sports in the nation, deserves praise for Sportsville to spot this for rewards is noteworthy.

"Let me also use this opportunity to congratulate both of them for this honour. I know their best is yet to come," the one time Group Sports Editor of Daily Times added.

Over 50 notable Nigerians have been recognised since the award started four years ago. This year's edition holds on Friday, March 1st, 2024 at EKO CLUB, Surulere, Lagos

Lagos Gears Up for Inaugural Red Bull Danfo Rally Red Bull, in partnership with Puma and Castrol, has proudly announced the first edition of the Red Bull Danfo Rally.

The historic event is billed to take place on February 24th, 2024.

This high-octane event will transform the city's iconic yellow Danfo buses, the lifeblood of Lagos transportation, into roaring chariots in a thrilling obstacle race.

The public is enjoined to witness the legendary Danfo drivers, known for their skill and ingenuity as they navigate the course with their coolness under pressure.

The participating teams will be manoeuvring their Danfo buses through challenging obstacles, showcasing their driving prowess

and teamwork.

The Imperial City, Orange Island will be the venue where the pulse-pounding race featuring 10 teams competing will take place.

They will be involved in three rounds, with Lagos' iconic Danfo buses driven by the city's most daring drivers and favorite celebrities.

According to the organisers, whether you're a die-hard fan of Danfo culture, a thrill-seeker, or simply looking for an unforgettable experience, this event promises excitement for everyone.

“Mark your calendars, grab your gear, and get ready to experience the ride of your life at the Red Bull Danfo Rally.

Super Eagles who were finalists at the just concluded AFCON 2023 have moved up 14 places to 28th spot on latest FIFA Ranking released yesterday

Ahmed Musa to Build School in Kano, Other Parts of Nigeria Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Captain of Super Eagles, Ahmed Musa, has revealed his plan to build school in his hometown Kano and other parts of the country.

Musa, who had already built sports academy in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Plateau, said his new plan is to build school in Kano, his hometown first and later other parts of Nigeria.

The Team Captain of the silver winning Super Eagles at the just concluded Africa Nations Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, speaking during a reception by the Chairman/ CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, thanked the NiDCOM Chairman for the kind gesture and for all her support to the Diaspora, especially during the crisis in Sudan.

Musa, in an emotional laden voice, recalled his humble beginning which prompted his generousity to assist the less privileged in the society across the country.

Musa said he wanted to inspire others with his story, especially those that looked down on footballers in the past, The former Leicester City winger assured Nigerians that in addition to other executed projects, he plans to establish a school in his hometown, Kano and subsequently expand to other states in Nigeria in the future.

Dabiri-Erewa on her part, commended Ahmed Musa for being an exemplary Nigerian Diaspora and a great mentor of Nigerians youths.

She noted that the player has heeded to the mandate of being a good ambassador, remembering the country and excelling in the art of football.

She said Ahmed Musa earned the Commission's maiden National Diaspora Merit Award in the sports

category due to his philanthropic gesture and mentoring of the youths.

Dabiri-Erewa said: "We are very proud of you as a Great Soccer Ambassador, Philanthropist and mentor of our younger ones with the building of sports academy in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Plateau "I have always been saying it that success is about how many lives you have touched and Ahmed Musa here have done so much

for humanity.”

She re- echoed her congratulatory message to the entire Super Eagles team for coming second in the just concluded AFCON 2023 in Côte d’Ivoire.

Also, the FCT State Diaspora Focal Point Officer, Mrs Sarah Areo, lauded the Nigerian player for his achievement and assured him that the FCT is ready to support his future philanthropic projects especially in Abuja.

Star Players Boast Ahead PUNCH’s 50th Anniversary Novelty Match As the anticipated novelty match between PUNCH Newspapers and the Media Amalgamated team – which comprises journalists from other newspaper houses in the country – approaches, the coalition of opponents have fired a warning of spoiling their hosts party when they clash at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos to mark the 50th anniversary of The PUNCH Newspapers February 24.

A team of selected journalists from Tribune, Nation, Vanguard, ThisDay, Telegraph, Leadership and The Guardian newspapers form the Media Amalgamated coached by former Super Eagles forward and bronze medallist at the 2004

Africa Cup of Nations, Victor Agali.

Although they are yet to have any training session as a team, one of the players of the Media Amalgamated team, Niyi Alesbiosu of Tribune, is confident their team won’t lack cohesion against the PUNCHERS. “I won’t reveal our strategy but we are looking forward to a good match. The technical director is in charge and has given us the mandate to intensify personal training ahead of the match,” Alebiosu told our correspondent.

“Our handler will give us further information about our training and I can assure you that we are going to flog PUNCHERS, not minding

that they are the celebrants. We are not amateurs, we are battle ready and cohesion won’t be a problem.

It’s just about putting our tactics together.

“We are sending a strong warning to the PUNCHERS to be ready for a harvest of goals,” Alebiosu added.

Meanwhile, the PUNCHERS had their first training session on Wednesday ahead of the game, which comes up in 10 days’ time.

Head coach of the PUNCHERS and 1992 AFCON bronze medallist, Friday Expo, drilled over 30 players in an intensive session at the football pitch of the Mountain Top University along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Magboro, Ogun State.

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024

SPORTS T H E A M A J U P I N N I C K I N T E RV I E W

Pinnick: No Regrets Hiring Peseiro for Super Eagles Nigeria’s FIFA Council member who is also the immediate past President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Melvin Pinnick, spoke with DURO IKHAZUAGBE on the just concluded AFCON 2023 and sundry football related matters. Excerpt...

As the highest ranked football personality in Nigeria, how do you feel with the Super Eagles playing the final game of the AFCON 2023? ootball is a continuum. I played my part in the Nigeria Football Federation and allowed others to take charge. I am happy with what the present board led by Ibrahim Gusau has achieved so far. They should take credit for the success of the Super Eagles playing in the final of AFCON 2023 despite the fact that nobody gave the team any chance when the tournament kicked off in January.

F

But the board you headed brought the Portuguese coach, Jose Peseiro to Nigeria and in addition, you were also involved in getting most of the foreign-born Super Eagles players now at the heart of the team, to switch to Nigeria. Besides, the President, Gusau, was your choice for the NFF top job. Do you feel vindicated?

I don’t want to agree with you that I brought Gusau to the NFF board. He was popular with the NFF congress and got elected to lead the federation just as all the executive committee members won their elections. On Peseiro, I appointed him for Super Eagles and have no regret over his coming to the Nigerian top job. It is also true that I was instrumental to some of the players switching to Nigeria. Ademola Lookman for example, it was hell for us bringing him to Nigeria. There was a lot of politics involved. A lot of intrigues and family dynamism. Same for (Alex) Iwobi. But like I said earlier, football is a continuum.

I will not say I brought them because today they are asset to the federation. We also have liabilities like the federation owing so many of our vendors that we couldn’t pay before leaving office. So, if you are talking about the asset from a previous administration at the NFF, you also must remember to add the liabilities. So it is not the case of starting and ending with Amaju Pinnick. Football administration is a continuum.

If I can recall, this is the very first time in the history of Super Eagles attending an AFCON and despite not winning, the Presidency has rewarded the players and their officials with national honours, houses and lands in Abuja. What is your take on that?

I think is one of the best decisions that I have seen taken by the government for football development in Nigeria.

Nobody gave the boys any chance when the tournament kicked off. They were not rated, they were not amongst the favourites. So many countries were rated far above the Super Eagles. And so, it is against this backdrop that you will look at the feat achieved by the boys, going all the way to the final without losing any match. Also remember that when Super Eagles were playing in the AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria was going through a phase back home, the sufferings were becoming unbearable but of course, President Bola Tinubu has been doing his best to make like meaningful for citizens even though most of the policies have not started to bear results. And so Super Eagles rose to the occasion to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians, winning and going all the way to the final. The people were happy that we have something to talk about. We temporarily kept aside our worries over soaring inflation and cost of living. Super Eagles gave us joy. I am happy President Tinubu took cognizance of that.

In spite all other things, football unites us as Nigerians.

Nobody remembers you are Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo or Itsekiri when Super Eagles are playing. It was on the strength of this magnanimity that I had to take a full page advertisement in the newspaper to congratulate President Tinubu for the honour. It is a message to up coming footballers that there is reward for hard work as exemplified by the Super Eagles in Côte d’Ivoire. I also believe that this will ginger the boys to qualify for the next World Cup in 2026.

It is not only the players and officials that were honoured.

President Tinubu also honoured the NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi. This is really commendable and I will want successive administrations to emulate this gesture for sports development in Nigeria. I really must tell you that the players never expected anything. Because they lost the AFCON final to Côte d’Ivoire and did not bring the trophy home, they thought nobody was going to organise any reception for them. They were all shocked and are now encouraged to want to give their all to Nigeria when the World Cup qualifiers restart in June.

Another AFCON in Morocco is just around the corner next year. You will be amazed what this national honours and gifts will do to the team.

The coach, Peseiro has exceeded the semi final target he was given at AFCON 2023 by playing in the final. Now that his contract has expired, what do you want the NFF to do with the Portuguese?

Peseiro is a sensitive matter. It is an issue I don’t want to dwell on because I want to respect the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation. They will do the technical and tactical appraisals to know if he deserves

Pinnick to stay or not. Like I said I want to leave the decision to the board. If they want to keep him, let that be their choice and not someone asked us to do it. I know that the NFF under Ibrahim Gusau wants to excel. I have seen that in many of the decisions taken by the board so far. I am truly excited about how Gusau is going about running the federation. I expected it because he was a key member of my administration for eight years. Before then, he worked with former NFF President Aminu Maigari. So he has been around Nigerian football for a while and has mastered the rope. The Peseiro matter is a sensitive one and don’t want to be seen to be giving an opinion on it before the board takes a decision. And so, if you will excuse me, leave me out of Peseiro matter for now.

What has happened to some of the sponsors that your administration attracted to the NFF? It appears most no longer exist....

No, what I said during my time at the NFF was that we took over the administration from point zero. We attracted these sponsors and even took self funding to 80 per cent. It is all there in our audited reports by PwC. It was captured. We had our sponsors. Our subvention was less than N1 billion for 11 national teams. Government intervenes when we go for international competitions like AFCON, World Cup etc for both the women and men’s teams. But we went out and painted a picture of a good, clean board to the Nigerian Corporates. We painted the picture of integrity and a new NFF and of course, we attracted a lot of sponsorships. I can tell you a secret today that when I got elected in 2014, we were going to have a game but sadly the then General Secretary Musa Ahmadu brought to me a memo that we were going to buy jerseys. I was shocked and asked what happed to ADIDAS? Nigeria then just won the AFCON in 2013 which ought to make ADIDAS want to stay on with Nigeria.

The GS told me that ADIDAS had left. I had to approve N25million for the jerseys. It was a tortuous journey a football nation should not be made to go through. We were determined to end Nigeria buying jersey. And so we put on our thinking caps and began to search for a sportswear brand to partner the NFF. So when we got NIKE, I told them to play with our jersey.

We wanted a lifestyle jersey that can be worn to church, mosque, even party or club. We wanted a jersey that people will see and say “WAO!” It was a marketing strategy that has paid off now.

It was a departure from the conservative green white green stuff. It is Nigeria and perhaps South Africa that NIKE still have robust relationships with in Africa. MTN is there, Nigerian Breweries

Plc is also there and a host of other sponsors are still with the NFF under Gusau’s watch.

But why is the NIKE contract with Nigeria not having monetary benefits like it was in the past when the Late Noel Okorougo was in charge?

It was not a pro bono contract. I told you we bought jerseys worth N25million when I came on board but here we are not paying a dime for the kits from NIKE. NIKE gives Nigeria kits worth $1 million that is the worth of the contract. What we get from NIKE is not limited to jerseys alone. We get all kinds of gears like winter jackets, kits for matches and trainings as well as stuff that our players wear in camps. It is so for all out national teams. The entire package is in excesses of $1 million. You just imagine if we were to take such funds from our account to buy those stuffs. Now, NIKE has put bonus for the players. They have lined up what the players stand to get on every stage of a tournament. This gingered the boys to get to qualify for the World Cup in 2018 in Russia, our women’s team won the Women’s AFCON back to back and have never missed any of the editions of the World Cup since inception in China in 1991. We won the African Under-23 and several others like the All Africa Games we won gold and silver. In the Olympic men’s football, we have won all the medals starting with the gold in Atlanta, silver in Beijing 2008 and the bronze at Rio Janeiro 2016.

Our sponsors saw integrity in everything that we did while in office. So back to your question, what Gusau is doing is consolidating with the sponsors. So NIKE, Premier Lotto, MTN, Nigerian Breweries and several others are still there. All these put together represents about 30 per cent funding of the NFF.

the Most Valuable Player of AFCON 2023?

It is wonderful and I am happy for him. I know a lot of Nigerian born players in Europe who are regretting not emulating what Ekong, Iwobi, Lookman and Others did, opting to play for Nigeria. You will not believe that after that final in Abidjan, a top Nigerian-born player called me and was full of regrets not opting to play for Nigeria.

He told me that if he had paired Osimhen , there was no way he would not have scored three goals in that final against Côte d’Ivoire. One thing that I keep telling these players is that when your club does not treat you well, you have your national team to fall back on. I told that player the story of Ahmed Musa who faced challenges at Leicester City when he had some matrimonial issues.

Because he was not playing at the club level, our former coach, Gernot Rohr said he didn’t want him in Super Eagles. I said no, you can not do that coach. Ahmed Musa is a national team player who gives 100 per cent of his efforts to the country. Because he was not playing did not mean we drop him from the team. At the end of the day, the coach accepted my position and Ahmed Musa featured in that team and became the head corner stone that was initially rejected. He became the hero of our team at the World Cup. As a federation president, you must be involved in the affairs of your players, their welfare and what is happening in their homes. That gives you ideas of what is happening to them psychologically.

It will also shock you to know that when Côte d’Ivoire were on the verge of being kicked out of the AFCON at the group stage, I told the Ivorian FA President that he needed to side with his players and not listen to those mocking the team. I told him that the President of his country Alassane Ouattara invested $1 billion in infrastructure to host the AFCON. Idris (the Ivorian FA President) took it as a challenge. He engaged Pepe, Serge Aurier and other top players on what the team needed to do to rediscover that Elephants spirit. With the lifeline given to the team, they began afresh and went all the way to playing on the final and winning the trophy.

If they had given up when they lost 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea in their last game in Bouake and were stoned by their fans, that would have been the end. So I have no regrets getting some of the Nigerian-born players to switch to Super Eagles.

As someone at the highest level of football globally, do you see that final as true representation of the African game even when the top five best teams in the continent didn’t make it beyond the quarter final?

It doesn’t matter the best five teams in the continent didn’t make it beyond the quarter final. Football no longer follows that narrative that you are painting. The fact that the top five nations didn’t reach the semis tells you that teams at the bottom of the rung previously are not idling away. They have woken up and challenging for the top also. There are no minnows in African football anymore. Look at Angola, look at Equatorial Guinea.

Look at how they lost that game in the knockout in the last minutes. So I can go on and on. Football is not waiting for anybody. If you sleep on your supposed top ranking, you will be shocked what otherwise lowly teams will do to you. This AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire has reemphasized that for all the big teams to learn from.

I can bet you that the next edition will not be like this because nobody will take any team for granted anymore.

For me, Super Eagles did well in spite not winning the trophy. To those shouting that we ought to have won. What about if we didn’t reach the final in that semi final match against South Africa? Yes, Osimhen’s goal was disallowed because of an infringement earlier. How about if the South African had scored that last minute chance they had? In all, we should remain grateful for what the boys achieved.

One other take away from this AFCON is that Africa has shown to the rest of the world that we can be thorough in how we handle our affairs. Now, everyone is saying to other confederations to go and learn from CAF on the excellent use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

What happened to the major partnership NFF had with AITEO? It is something I don’t want to dwell on. We are all away that International Oil Companies (IOCs) have issues and AITEO is no exception.

Most of them are going through the stress of repayment of loans they took for operations.

So when AITEO said they don’t want again, we clearly understood their position. So also Coca-Cola. I believe with the success achieved

by Super Eagles at this AFCON is enough for the NFF to leverage on to attract more sponsors. So also the performance of the Super Falcons who almost defeated a super power in women’s football like England at the last World Cup in Australia.

Do you truly believe that it was unfair for the manner some disgruntled Nigerian ball fans trolled Alex Iwobi on the social media after the final?

It was sad. When people ventilate their anger, it is usually subjective. They didn’t want to know how and why we didn’t win. Their beliefs is that Super Eagles must win. And when that fails to happen, hell is let loose, they begin to look for scapegoats.

Iwobi did his best. What happened to Iwobi in that final happens in football. We have seen great players like Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo de Lima and Others suffer it. It just was not Iwobi’s day. I feel very bad that these Nigerians have forgotten so soon how Iwobi scored that goal against Zambia in Uyo that qualified Nigeria for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Iwobi scored Super Eagles only goal in the friendly against England at Wembley.

Back to foreign-born players in Super Eagles, are you happy William Troost-Ekong emerged

Continues online

Friday, February 16, 2024

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MISSILE

Sultan to Federal Govt “We must find jobs for our teeming youths that are sitting idle and I have said it so many times, we sit on a keg of gunpowder, having teeming youths, millions of them, without jobs, without food, we are looking for trouble. To make matters worse, we are faced with rising levels of poverty...” –Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, admonishing the government.

TOLUOGUNLESI GUEST COLUMNIST

Herbert Wigwe Always WantedYou to Consider it Done

H

e made a living, and a fortune, pitching and being pitched to. In a viral video circulating in the wake of his passing, he’s captured pitching his latest project: a new University. “This is your project, and you will protect it with everything you have,” he says, in pidgin English.

“There will be no University like this, no just in Nigeria, but even in Africa.” The crowd—young men from his ancestral home, where the University is sited—is fired up, and break into song and dance intermittently. This son-of-the-soil addressing them looks unsure whether to dance or not. He’s clearly far more at home in gilded boardrooms, speaking English,

Wigwe

not pidgin. At the same time, venturing passionately into unfamiliar territory is

how he’s managed to come this far.

Besides passionately sharing his many visions, Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe loved nothing more than closing deals, and executing projects. “His answer to me was always the same: my brother, done!” says someone who grew close to him in recent years. Over the course of two decades, Herbert, alongside his best friend and business partner, Aigboje (“Aig”) Aig-Imoukhede, whom he first met in 1989, built Africa’s biggest bank by customer base, and Nigeria’s largest by assets. At the time of his death, Access Bank Plc was settling nicely into a worldconquering phase, expanding aggressively in and beyond Africa.

His empire included his non-profit, The

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe (HOW) Foundation. (He signed-off social media posts with #HOW). Wigwe University, taking shape in Isiokpo, his bicycle-loving, masquerade-flaunting, oil-rich hometown, in Rivers State, to “raise the next generation of fearless leaders.” Craneburg, one of the most prominent construction businesses in Nigeria today, founded by his wife, Chizoba.

And several other business ventures he personally founded or invested in, often quietly.

He was energetic, restless, ambitious.

Executive Director at Guaranty Trust Bank at 33; Group Deputy Managing Director of Access Bank Plc at 36; Managing Director Continued on page 37

SEGUNAWOLOWO GUEST COLUMNIST

Tribute To Abimbola Ogunbanjo

“I

ná Njò Ogirì O Sà“ It is with a heavy heart that I write these words to bid farewell to my dear brother, Abimbola Ogunbanjo who met his untimely demise on Saturday 10th February, 2024.

The news of his sudden departure has left me shattered, unable to comprehend the enormity of the loss we have suffered.

Abimbola and I shared a bond that

transcended time and distance. From our days as childhood friends to the halcyon days at Igbobi College to more recent moments of pride as recipients of awards from the Igbobi College Old Boys Association. A brotherhood cemented in Geneva & Lausanne, Switzerland CH our friendship stood as a testament to enduring camaraderie and mutual respect.

We laughed together, we dreamed together and we faced life’s challenges hand in hand.

The title of this tribute translates to “ if a

fire is burning, the wall never runs “ Those were his words to me every time we greeted encouraging us to always face our fears and never give up . “ MAN MI “ our last meeting was at Igbobi College on Sunday 4th February , both unaware it was the final goodbye.

As we grapple with the pain of his absence, let us also celebrate the life of a remarkable man who touched so many with his kindness.

Though he may no longer walk among us, his legacy will endure, a guiding star for all

who knew him.

To my dearest sister Titi and the entire Ogunbanjo family, I offer my most sincere and sentimental condolences and unwavering support during this trying time. May God grant you all the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

And to you my dear “Ogbeni “ , may God in His infinite mercy grant your noble and proud Ijebu soul perfect and permanent peace Amen

AKINOSUNTOKUN Restructuring or Rawlings DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA

“I

remember a friend of mine in the oil industry, who during a meeting of an economic think tank. He called the then president aside and said, ‘Mr President please stop this subsidy, we are tired of making money…We’re bringing in this fuel at an elevated cost and half of it is exported out of Nigeria by the same people collecting money for it”

There is an apparent consensus of opinion that Nigeria has not had a good outing under the stewardship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The main extenuation for this lapse is that he inherited a basket case from his predecessor, Major General Muhammadu Buhari. That may well be the case but this extenuation flies in the face of his own verbalised utmost quest and carnal desire (lifelong ambition) to become the president of Nigeria. I do not exactly recall whether

akinosuntokun@thisdaylive.com

it was Usman Dan Fodio who counselled society to be wary of whoever desires the aroma of power the most. Buhari’s obsession with power and what he did with it for eight years proves the point. May Nigeria be spared the repeat of the Buhari cross all over again.

Beware of what you crave, you may just get it. Having now been gratified with the object of his ‘lifelong ambition’, Nigeria lies prostrate before President Tinubu but he

has so far failed to master the moment. In fairness to him and unlike his predecessor, he has largely refrained from making a song and dance of the Buhari (dysfunction) extenuation. Save when he characterised the transition from Buhari to his government as ‘moving from darkness to a glorious dawn’.

While the characterisation of the former Continued on page 37

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